Guillermo CastroThe preponderance of local music festivals is something that we keep mentioning, but never actually discussing. It’s certainly a topic worth investigating, although not in this particular forum where readers are just trying to figure the spectrum of shows available to them this week and how much damage they’re going to do to their bank accounts. I suppose what matters is that we have yet, it seems, to reach a saturation point and that promoters who can cobble together dynamic lineups will be rewarded with appreciative audiences.
This week brings us a pair of local festivals, with one taking place here in Atlanta and the other in Athens. Of the two, Slop Fest is the better known. The four-day festival, founded by Derek Wiggs of Athens punks Shehehe, is heading into its eighth year and will once again feature a lineup stacked high with rowdy local and regional rock acts.
Meanwhile, here in the ATL, the first-ever Irrelevant Music Fest will take over the Drunken Unicorn on Thursday night and 529 on Friday and Saturday. Organized by DIY promoters Irrelevant Music, the inaugural lineup features some of the city’s best established and emerging DIY punk, rock, and pop acts including headliners Sea Ghost, Bodyfather, and Dot.s. The buzz has been building steadily for this event since the lineups were first announced back in June, so make sure to grab your tickets as all three nights have a likelihood of selling out.
Not a fan of festivals? Don’t worry, there’s plenty of other great shows on the docket this week. In fact, if ever there was a day where you might want to figure out how to clone yourself, it’s probably this Friday when the city gets overrun by everyone from Gucci Mane, Snoop Dogg, and Wiz Khalifa to Digable Planets, Swans, and Garbage. Can there ever be too much of a good thing? Apparently so.
Breathers
w/ Turnip King, The Three-Brained Robot
Monday, July 18
Mammal Gallery (Downstairs)
91 Broad St SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
Doors at 8 p.m. / Admission $5
Macy Gray
An evening with Macy Gray
Monday, July 18
City Winery
650 North Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
Doors at 6 p.m. / Admission $45-65
Puddle Splasher
w/ Piss Shy, King of Summer, Kudzu Kids
Monday, July 18
WonderRoot
982 Memorial Dr SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 8 p.m. / Admission $5
Culture Club
w/ TBA
Monday, July 18
Chastain Park Amphitheatre
4469 Stella Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30342
Doors at 7 p.m. / Admission $35-70
Sleep Weather
w/ Henrietta (FL), Messes (KY), Bear Girl
Monday, July 18
House Show
Ask a punk
Doors at 7:30 p.m. / Admission $5
Arbor Labor Union
w/ The Gotobeds, Nag, Henry Owings
Wednesday, July 20
The EARL
488 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $8-10
Wray
w/ GT, Midnight Larks, Jock Gang
Wednesday, July 20
529
529 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $7
Chuck Prophet
w/ Joseph Arthur
Wednesday, July 20
City Winery
650 North Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
Doors at 6 p.m. / Admission $22-28
Big Ded
w/ Jobs, Bunny, Potted Plant
Wednesday, July 20
Mammal Gallery
91 Broad St SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $5
Irrelevant Music Fest: Night 1
w/ Sea Ghost, Pretty Boy, Jianna Justice, more
Thursday, July 21
Drunken Unicorn
736 Ponce De Leon Pl NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $8
Kakune (Record Release)
w/ Helen of Coi, Navigateur
Thursday, July 21
Alley Cat Music Club
258 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission is FREE
Vic Mensa
w/ Joey Purp
Thursday, July 21
The Loft
1374 W Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30309
Doors at 8 p.m. / Admission $25
A. Sinclair
w/ T. Hardy Morris & the Hardknocks
Thursday, July 21
The EARL
488 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $10-12
ShredTVT
w/ Civil Writes, Phene, Illpo
Thursday, July 21
529
529 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $5
Joy Kills
w/ The Heavy Children, more
Thursday, July 21
Star Bar
437 Moreland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission is FREE
Pop Weirdos
w/ Young Sirens
Thursday, July 21
Masquerade (Hell)
695 North Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
Doors at 8 p.m. / Admission $8
Slop Fest: Night 1
w/ Flight Mode USA, Tabloid, High, more
Thursday, July 21
Little Kings Shuffle Club
223 W Hancock Ave, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / $5-8
Einschlagen
w/ FK MT., Foofaraw, MyBrother MySister
Thursday, July 21
Caledonia Lounge
256 W Clayton St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $5-7
Irrelevant Music Fest: Night 2
w/ Bodyfather, FRICK, DiCaprio, more
Friday, July 22
529
529 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 8 p.m. / Admission $8
Swans
w/ Okkyung Lee
Friday, July 22
Terminal West
887 West Marietta St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Doors at 7:30 p.m. / Admission $22-28
Punk Black
w/ Santa Muerte, Holders, Bast, more
Friday, July 22
368 Ponce
368 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
Doors at 8 p.m. / Admission $7
Digable Planets
w/ Camp Lo, DJ Rock Most
Friday, July 22
Masquerade (Heaven)
695 North Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
Doors at 8 p.m. / Admission $25
Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa
w/ Kristin Kontrol
Friday, July 22
Aaron’s Amphitheatre
2002 Lakewood Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30315
Doors at 8 p.m. / Admission $28-70.75
Garbage
w/ Kevin Gates, Jhene Aiko, Casey Veggies
Friday, July 22
The Tabernacle
152 Luckie St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303
Doors at 8 p.m. / Admission $45-60
Gucci Mane and Friends
An evening with Gucci Mane and Friends
Friday, July 22
Fox Theatre
660 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
Doors at 8 p.m. / Admission $45-199
Slop Fest: Night 2
w/ V8 Death Car, Reap, more
Friday, July 22
Little Kings Shuffle Club
223 W Hancock Ave, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / $5-8
T. Hardy Morris
w/ A. Sinclair, Tedo Stone
Friday, July 22
Caledonia Lounge
256 W Clayton St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $5-7
Antlered Aunt Lord
w/ Cantalouper, Fat Neptune
Friday, July 22
Flicker Theatre
263 W Washington St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / $5
Irrelevant Music Fest: Night 3
w/ Dot.s, Fantasy Guys, Shampoo, more
Saturday, July 23
529
529 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 8 p.m. / Admission $8
Kevin Scheidt Benefit
w/ Tenth Row, Capital Arms, Blurry, more
Saturday, July 23
Masquerade (Hell)
695 North Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
Doors at 4 p.m. / Admission $10
RJD2
w/ John Dose
Saturday, July 23
Terminal West
887 West Marietta St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Doors at 8 p.m. / Admission $25
Bloodshot Bill
w/ The Gartrells, Wahya’s, Bad Spell
Saturday, July 23
The EARL
488 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $10
Rock*A*Teens
w/ Harry Carey, Tabloid
Saturday, July 23
Caledonia Lounge
256 W Clayton St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $5-7
Slop Fest: Night 3
w/ Vincas, The Powder Room, Motherfucker
Saturday, July 23
Little Kings Shuffle Club
223 W Hancock Ave, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / $5-8
Puddles Pity Party
w/ TBA
Sunday, July 24
Center Stage
1374 W Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30309
Doors at 6:30 p.m. / Admission $29-39
Slop Fest: Night 4
w/ Shehehe, Deep State, Hunger Anthem
Saturday, July 23
Hi-Lo Lounge
1354 Prince Ave, Athens, GA 30606
Doors at 8 p.m. / $5-8