Highlights from Athfest 2015
Please note: This article is published as an archive copy from Philadelphia City Paper. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015.
Here are 12 performers that grabbed my attention the most:
This year’s trip to the annual Athfest in Athens, Georgia yielded 30-plus performances between June 26-28. Here are 12 performers that grabbed my attention the most:
- Ruby the Rabbitfoot: A lot of evolution in look and sound has occurred for this phenomenal up-and-coming act. In 2014, she wowed with a single accompanist, but this year a whole backing band drove her pop sensibilities, especially apparent with the harmonies and keyboard on “As Bad As I Am,” into the stratosphere. Catching her twice at this year’s Athfest was not enough.
- Sometimes you arrive for a band at the right time and the venue is behind, leading to a lovely surprise. This happened while we waited for David Barbe, as self-proclaimed greatest-band-in-the-world Blackfoot Gypsies were playing. They were awesome, full of wild energy, harmonica and hair flying everywhere. This set the stage for a great set by Barbe, onetime member of Sugar and longtime producer.
- Athens traditions for me include seeing local artists unfortunately not known to a wider audience. One such performer is Thayer Sarrano. Playing dark, guitar-driven rock, she filled the 40 Watt with glorious sounds. A new LP is on the way, and hopefully greater recognition. Athens-based David Lowery’s mainstay Cracker followed her with one of their strongest sets in recent memory, with Sarrano on keys.
- Another regular band to catch in town is power trio Motherfucker, and they were as explosive as ever, filling the sweaty Caledonia with their sludge-meets-math-rock sound. The Caledonia was quite memorable this year, especially with the super-packed punkish appearance of Muuy Biien, complete with a bloodied fan who spread his red cheer to yours truly, and the intricate, sometimes trippy layers of rock delivered by Hot Fudge.
- The Athfest main outdoor stage played host to fine local rockers New Madrid during the sun-splashed Friday festivities. And then The Whigs welcomed the night with some of their own grunge.
- And last, but not least, there were the final two acts on the Athfest mainstage. For We Love Tractor, Bill Berry made one of his few post-R.E.M. announced appearances, trading his drums for guitars on a couple of songs. With the core of the classic early 1980s Athens band Love Tractor at the helm, they were wonderful. The finale was The Baseball Project, with Berry’s old bandmate Mike Mills playing his first Athfest. Complete with a new song, “Stuff,” and the hoped-for encore of a rousing “(Don’t Go Back to) Rockville” with Berry sharing vocals, this was a great way to end Athfest 2015.
The photo gallery includes photos from the above bands plus some more of the highlights from the show.
For more photos by Chris Sikich, see sikichphotography.com.
