Guillermo CastroOverwhelming, I think, is the operative word for this week. So many great shows, but you’d have to disrupt the space-time continuum to even catch a fraction of them. That means weighing a lot of options and making some hard damn decisions. That or doing a lot of running back and forth between venues, which is fortunately an option if you’re hanging in East Atlanta or hitting up AthFest this weekend. But still, be emotionally prepared to miss out on a lot of great music.
Speaking of AthFest, do you have your wristband yet? Because – holy shit! — you can stumble in just about any venue this weekend and catch some stellar acts. Sure, the Georgia Theatre and the 40 Watt are going to be packed to the rafters with acts like the Black Lips, the Coathangers, and Mothers performing. But there’s also an insane amount of equally fantastic lineups happening all over the Club Crawl this year. So if you want to make the most of the Classic City’s premier music festival, embrace your inner explorer and be prepared to move from venue to venue.
As for Atlanta, well, hell, the real question is when are you going to find time to sleep. Bambara tonight, Black Mountain tomorrow, Chelsea Shag or B.o.B. on Thursday. And then there’s Friday, which poses a real headache. My guess is there will be plenty of people running back and forth between 529 and the Earl as both psychedelic hip-hop group the Difference Machine and Athens psych-punks Vincas are celebrating the release of new records. That is, of course, unless many of these same people opt out to catch the Cure’s career-spanning set at Aaron’s Amphitheatre, which, you know, is sort of a big deal. At least you can sort of relax on Saturday, maybe hit up Black Milk and Nat Turner at Aisle 5 and then pass out until Monday.
Check out our full list of recommended shows below.
Black Mountain
w/ Majeure
Tuesday, June 21
Georgia Theatre
215 N Lumpkin St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 8 p.m. / Admission $12-14
Tedo Stone
w/ Future Elevators
Tuesday, June 21
Georgia Theatre (Rooftop)
215 N Lumpkin St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 10 p.m. / Admission is FREE
Bambara
w/ Bataille, Jock Gang
Tuesday, June 21
529
529 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $7
Pere Ubu
w/ Obnox
Tuesday, June 21
The EARL
488 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $20-25
Fat Neptune
w/ Utaka Prong, The Feel Good Theory
Tuesday, June 21
Caledonia Lounge
256 W Clayton St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $5-7
Black Mountain
w/ Majeure
Wednesday, June 22
Terminal West
887 West Marietta St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Doors at 8 p.m. / Admission $15-18
Mizery
w/ Lock, Response, Slow Fire Pistol
Wednesday, June 22
529
529 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $10
Kyle
w/ Samadha, Not Having Fun
Wednesday, June 22
Union EAV
485 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 9:30 p.m. / Admission $5
Stonefield
w/ Midnight Larks, Lightnin’ Ray
Wednesday, June 22
The EARL
488 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $10
Hollow Leg (FL)
w/ Irata (NC), Spore Lord, Canopy
Wednesday, June 22
The Basement
1245 Glenwood Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $8
Chelsea Shag
w/ von Grey; Man Up, Yancey
Thursday, June 23
The EARL
488 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $12-14
Athens Music Awards
w/ Mothers, Yip Deceiver!, more
Thursday, June 23
Morton Theatre
195 W Washington St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 7:30 p.m. / Admission $5-10
Outrageous Fun
w/ Littler, Marge, My Son Gordeaux
Thursday, June 23
529
529 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 9 p.m. / Donations accepted
The Joy Kills
w/ SheHeHe, Ganges Phalanges
Thursday, June 23
The Clermont Lounge
529 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $10
B.o.B
w/ Scotty ATL, London Jae
Thursday, June 23
The Loft
1374 W Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30309
Doors at 8 p.m. / Admission $15-20
Monkier
w/ Knower, American Mannequins
Thursday, June 23
Smith’s Olde Bar
1578 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30324
Doors at 7 p.m. / Admission $8
The Cure
w/ The Twilight Sad
Friday, June 24
Aaron’s Amphitheatre
2002 Lakewood Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30315
Doors at 7 p.m. / Admission $25-75
Vincas (Record Release)
w/ Nurse, Illegal Drugs, Nag
Friday, June 24
The EARL
488 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $8
The Difference Machine (Record Release)
w/ Nest Egg, Monday/Friday, Nihlis
Friday, June 24
529
529 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $10
Mothers
w/ Red Sea, Tug
Friday, June 24
40 Watt
285 W Washington St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / AthFest wristband only
The Dexateens
w/ The Coathangers, Muuy Biien
Friday, June 24
Georgia Theatre
215 N Lumpkin St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / AthFest wristband only
Family & Friends
w/ Wrenn, Kevin Kinney, more
Friday, June 24
AthFest Outdoor Stages
Pulaski and Hull St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 4 p.m. / Admission is FREE
The Jayhawks
w/ Folk Uke
Friday, June 24
Buckhead Theatre
3110 Roswell Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305
Doors at 7:30 p.m. / Admission $30-35
Kick the Robot
w/ Hooker, Wieuca, Big Morgan
Friday, June 24
Caledonia Lounge
256 W Clayton St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $7-9
Deep State
w/ Linda, Blunt Bangs, Nihilist Cheerleader
Friday, June 24
Little Kings
223 W Hancock Ave, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $7
The Hernies
w/ Chief Scout, Jianna Justice
Friday, June 24
World Famous
351 N Hull St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $7
Five Eight
w/ Votive, The Bantam Breaks
Friday, June 24
Smith’s Olde Bar
1578 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30324
Doors at 8 p.m. / Admission $8-12
Black Lips
w/ Subsonics, Baby Baby
Saturday, June 25
40 Watt
285 W Washington St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / AthFest wristband only
Elf Power
w/ Parker Gispert (the Whigs), Adron
Saturday, June 25
Georgia Theatre
215 N Lumpkin St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / AthFest wristband only
Arbor Labor Union
w/ Harsh Words, Oak House, Ricci, more
Saturday, June 25
Caledonia Lounge
256 W Clayton St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 2:30 p.m. / Admission is FREE
Arrested Development
w/ Timi and Wonderland Rangers, more
Saturday, June 25
AthFest Outdoor Stages
Pulaski and Hull St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 11 a.m. / Admission is FREE
Lazer/Wulf
w/ Double Ferrari, Bambara, Shehehe
Saturday, June 25
Caledonia Lounge
256 W Clayton St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $7-9
Chelsea Shag
w/ Mammabear, The Empties, Pony League
Saturday, June 25
Little Kings
223 W Hancock Ave, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 12:30 p.m. / Admission is FREE
Antlered Aunt Lord
w/ Eureka California, Tunabunny
Saturday, June 25
World Famous
351 N Hull St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $7
Black Milk & Nat Turner
w/ Boog Brown, Yani Mo, DJ Kerosene
Saturday, June 25
Aisle 5
1123 Euclid Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
Doors at 9 p.m. / $12
Young Antiques
w/ Rod Hamdallah, High Riders
Saturday, June 25
Star Bar
437 Moreland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
Doors at 9 p.m. / Admission $8
Kishi Bashi
w/ Yip Deceiver!, Monsoon, Five Eight more
Sunday, June 26
AthFest Outdoor Stages
Pulaski and Hull St, Athens, GA 30601
Doors at noon / Admission is FREE