AthFest 2010 kicked off Thursday, June 24 with The Flagpole Music Awards at the Morton Theatre. Flagpole has been the must-read magazine for Athens’ vibrant music scene for years, but the live show didn’t quite live up to the interesting content found on its pages. Opening act and award showhands, Mr. Blank’s Carnivale of Black Hearts set an eccentric vibe to the show but the longwinded performances and lack of in-house award recipients made the initial excitement quickly fade. Chris Patton and TJ Edmond did a fine job of hosting and were the perfect hometown emcees for the event. However, the multiple song performances especially by Elite Tha Showstoppa and Los Meesfits made the awards show feel unnecessarily long. With the influx of excitement and AthFest goers rapidly filling the streets looking to start the weekend, the Morton Theatre and the Flagpole Awards Show felt confining.
Several blocks from Morton, Team Clermont and New West Records had a must-see showcase that proved to be the much-needed AthFest fire starter. Futurebirds, Roadside Graves, and Atlanta’s own Ponderosa got the crowd rocking and drinks flowing at 40 Watt for a rowdy night of rock ‘n roll. Friday, the outdoor stages started live music sets at 5PM, but thunderstorms settled above as soon as several of the most anticipated acts (Reptar, Spring Tigers, Packaway Handle Band, and Modern Skirts) took the stage. The non-stop rain and intermediate strikes of lightening created a dramatic yet enthusiastic collective mood from the crowd and artists. Although some shows were delayed and shortened, the audience stayed steady throughout. Due to increasing rain, it seemed uncertain that Pulaski Stage headliners Modern Skirts would take the rain soaked stage but they did. Not only did they perform their full set, but the rain worked to their advantage adding theatrical intensity to all of their songs, especially the newer one off of their upcoming EP, Happy 81. When the quartet performed beat driven “Bridges and Overpasses” and the closing “DUI,” rain sprayed from the deconstructed drums adding more strength to their set. After the outdoor sets finished, BMI hosted an impressive indoor showcase at The Melting Point featuring Trances Arc, Part Bear and Hightide Blues. For photos from the first two days of AthFest, click here.
