The week prior to Sweetwater 420 Fest was packed with events to help ease gig-goers through their week-long wait for the festival. One such event was the Night of the Fallen Stars, an evening of revelry and remembrance hosted by soul rock four-piece Toxic Foxtrot. To add some more pizazz to the proceedings, a dead celebrities costume contest was held, and comedian Zoey Lucinda served as the emcee, keeping the night lively with her quirky interludes.
Blending with the usual Thursday night crowd at Star Bar, some patrons embraced the vibes early and took to the dance floor while others crowded the sidewalk outside, huddled around conversations filled with weekday mischief and occasional puffs of smoke. The remainder were glued to bar stools with libations in hand in an offering to the coming weekend. This eclectic mix of musicians, bar flies, and music lovers primed Night of the Fallen Stars to be an entertaining night.
As the appetizer for the evening, Lucinda took to the stage with a taste of her stand up routine to warm up the crowd for the jams to come. Laughs were had and moments were shared as the crowd mustered their courage to let loose for the night. Following this welcome break of laughter was Close Enough, a trio that puts the punk in spunk. These guys brought back the classic feel of the ‘90s in every note they played. The next act of the night, the Rovers, kept the hype going with their trio of talent. An alternative blues rock band, these guys proudly displayed true confidence in their set, almost disregarding the crowd and just jamming for themselves. Their cover of “Come Together,” in honor of the fallen members of the Beatles, whipped the bar into a singalong.
For the main course, Toxic Foxtrot graced us with their merry troupe of mischievous musicians. Since the last time our paths crossed, the band gained a new member, Josh Padgett, who doubled on vocals and electric guitar. This addition meshed perfectly with their existing four-piece consisting of Bri Foxx (vocals, rhythm guitar), Wilson Bass (bass), Will Derr (drums), and Hart Deer (piano). From the start, the band kept the energy at an 11 with Foxx beaming her spitfire presence into the crowd. The venue became one big hippie dance party as the group brought back the sound and vibe of the ‘70s. In honor of those stars who burned too bright, the band did covers of “Valerie” by Amy Winehouse and Alice in Chains’ “Man in the Box.” Their cover of “Valerie” has long been a staple of their set, but the addition of Padgett rotating melodies and harmonies with Foxx was ear candy. They gave the same masterful treatment to “Man in the Box,” somehow turning the song into a jam band duet. To tie up their set, Toxic Foxtrot did two of their originals, “Mad Hatter” and “Reckless,” keeping the party going until the very end.
To round out the evening, Melodic Monster and the Sol Journey took the audience on a trippy journey with their unique performance. These musicians blend their psychedelic alt-rock sound with a visual performance that carries the audience to another dimension. The trio consisting of Ben Garden, Real Soon, and Duckie create soundscapes that pull no punches as they expand mere moments into what seems like endless roads of horizons. Melodic Monster and the Sol Journey have their direction set and are just waiting for their audience to catch up.
Night of the Fallen Stars gave Atlanta a new event to add to our growing canvas of diverse and intriguing happenings. Intimate events that blend local comedy and bands are few and far between. As this showcase gave local artists a place to pitch their ideas to the world, I look forward to the next one.