Lee AdcockAt first, the Athens Popfest was just a giddy block party for local music nerds. That hasn’t really changed, over a decade later—while musicians and attendees alike now flock from all corners of the nation, local legends and newcomers still command the spotlight. Of course, there’s Elf Power at the top, one of Elephant Six’s oldest and most beloved pop auteurs. But scan a little further down, and you’ll find that roughly a quarter of the bands on the Popfest’s bill hail from these parts.
With that in mind, we’ve decided to pull out nine of the homegrown acts that stand shoulder-to-shoulder with all the other wicked bands from out-of-town. Coincidentally, this quick list also serves just a sample of the staggering variety on tap at the Popfest, as we feature young hip-hop breakouts, beloved cartoon animators, slacker pop heroes, and even a synth-playing robot. There’s so much magic and wonder to look forward to this week, but these are the artists who hold Athens or Atlanta’s respective freak flags high.
Air-Sea Dolphin
Wed., Aug. 8 at Little Kings
Set Time: 5 p.m.
Nothing quite captures the spirit of Athens Popfest like Air-Sea Dolphin. On the surface, this supergroup of sorts may seem like just another magical bloom from the Elephant Six family tree, replete with pop mastermind Robert Schneider from Apples in Stereo at the helm. However, he’s also joined by Mike and Matt Chaps, the celebrated Atlanta-based animators behind surrealist Flash series Homestar Runner. As a result, Air Sea Dolphin’s singles are perfect pixelated nuggets of pop, which mesh the Apples’ dreamlands with Homestar’s weirdo humor. Where else could fans of both worlds meet and mingle under one roof?
Antlered Aunt Lord
Thur., Aug. 9 at the Georgia Theatre
Set Time: 8:45 p.m.
Given Jesse Stinnard’s forays into quirky lo-fi pop and ragged garage rock, it feels fitting that Antlered Aunt Lord should find themselves sharing the stage on Thursday with legends Guided By Voices, a band that helped set the standard for grand experiments in weird yet insanely catchy guitar rock. Come to thing of it, it’s been a while since Stinnard cast his inventive eye towards crafting new tunes for his solo project, so here’s hoping Popfest provides the springboard for another batch of deliriously vibrant new music. – Guillermo Castro
Eureka California
Sat., Aug. 11 at the Georgia Theatre
Set Time: 10:30 p.m.
At this juncture, I feel like I’ve run out of superlatives to throw out at Athens’ finest fuzz-punk exports Eureka California. The duo’s latest high-octane platter, Roadrunners, is yet another frenetic blast of massive riffs and terminally contagious hooks played with we’re-all-gonna-die-so-fuck-it-let’s-GO intensity. After four days of scrambling around to catch your favorite acts, you might need a little pick-me-up, and Eureka promise to provide the caffeinated jolt you need to finish the weekend strong. – GC
Flamingo Shadow
Sat., Aug. 11 at Little Kings
Set Time: 5 p.m.
With a growing catalog of stirring songs and a crowd-pleasing live show, Flamingo Shadow’s ascent into one of Atlanta’s most promising young acts has been quick and convincing. The dynamic five-piece have made a habit of sculpting towering anthems out of deconstructed pop, rock, and tropical punk, and the group has hinted that future efforts will take on an even more adventurous flair. Fortunately, we won’t have to wait long to hear the results. The band recently announced the impending release of their first full length, Earth Music, which arrives Aug. 21 via local powerhouse Irrelevant Music. – GC
Linqua Franqa
Sat., Aug. 11 at at the Georgia Theatre
Set Time: 9:45 p.m.
Do we even need to explain by now why Athens’ hip-hop soothsayer Linqua Franqa rules? Well, I didn’t see many of y’all at the 529 when she opened the other week for Aceyalone, so let me break this down one more time. Mariah Parker unwinds about tough issues, but with enough style and sass that the bitter pills go down like honey. On stage, she’s a total livewire; at last year’s Popfest, she even brought out her signature gold bike. Now that the MC of real talk has rippled through the news with her victorious bid for County Commissioner, bigger tides await Parker soon. Catch her while you can!
Marshmallow Coast
Wed., Aug. 8 at at Little Kings
Set Time: 9:15 p.m.
Ever since the good ship HHBTM embarked from Athens, Marshmallow Coast has sailed faithfully in its wake. As a vessel for head wizard Andy Gonzales, the quirky pop group has breezed through easy-listening AOR, soft funk, and misty psychedelia for nearly 20 years with nary a hitch. These days, he touts the M Coast as a “sci-fi lounge act” — you know, like The Gram Parsons Project, but this time with a legit robot on the keys (which Gonzales engineered himself). The sweetest thing about this band, though, is Gonzales’ endearing stage banter, which proves that nice guys actually don’t finish last on the HHBTM roster.
Michael Potter
Wed., Aug. 8 at at Little Kings
Set Time: 2:45 p.m.
I’ve spoken at length here about the many layers and shades of Michael Potter’s music. The Athens auteur and Null Zone Records honcho can weave drone-infused magic out of both the darkness and the light, although lately his ambient spells have tended towards the black and the grim. Of course, there’s no telling what sort of mystical planes Potter will reveal at any given performance—he’s just as likely to lead you into the ether as he is the gaping abyss—so make sure to clear your head and arrive with a mind ready for travel. – GC
Oh-OK
Fri., Aug. 10 at at the Georgia Theatre
Set Time: 9:45 p.m.
You’re gonna see a bunch of Pylon t-shirts at Popfest. That’s understandable—those raucous rabble-rousers still know how to throw down a dance party. But loads of local bands were sketching groovy geometry at that time, like Oh-OK, the hopscotch disco kids that followed Pylon to New York in ‘81. Formed by Michael Stipe’s sister Lynda Stipe, Oh-OK skipped into Athens’ minimalist post-punk scene with secret codes and domestic mischief, like distant contemporaries the Raincoats or Au Pairs. We haven’t seen them on the Popfest stage—or anywhere in town, really—since 2006, so now’s the time to grab your comfiest shoes and join the fun.
WesdaRuler
Fri., Aug. 10 at at the Georgia Theatre
Set Time: 8:15 p.m.
Before Mariah Parker started making noise as Linqua Franqa in Athens, Wesley Johnson was laying down beats. As WesdaRuler, the rapper and producer totes a synthpad on stage and taps out sick boom-bap tunes, oftentimes riffing off classic tracks from Super Nintendo games. He also reps Space Dungeon, the old-school hip-hop squad that centers around the repartee between Johnson and his partner Lex Callahan. While WesdaRuler tends to jump on stage with Parker to shake up the mix, Johnson gets to shine in his own slot at Popfest this year—and trust me, I’d be surprised if the Dungeon crew weren’t in the house.
Athens Popfest kicks off tomorrow and runs through Saturday. To order tickets, check the full schedule, look at lodging options, and more, visit their website.
More Info
Web: athenspopfest.com
Facebook: @athenspopfest
Twitter: @AthensPopFest