AthFest Music Panels
Saturday, October 4 @ The Melting Point
originally published October 1, 2008
David Lowery
To all the aspiring musicians and music industry professionals in town, here is a great opportunity to learn and network with experts in the field. AthFest, in conjunction with the UGA Music Business Program, is hosting a series of panels at the Melting Point Saturday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. The event is free and open to the public!
The first panel is titled "Entrepreneurship in the Music and Entertainment Industry" and will be moderated by Chris Hanks from the Terry College of Business and Flagpole/40 Watt/AthFest founder Jared Bailey. They'll be chatting with a number of impressive go-getters including 40 Watt Club talent booker and record label owner Velena Vego, business advisor Don Perry of Greenberg Traurig, online entertainment guru Mark Montgomery, chairman and CEO of Black Sky Entertainment Jeff Hoffman, and multi-platinum certified vocal coach and spoken-word artist Jan Smith. In an era when going indie reigns supreme, every artist is essentially an entrepreneur - so this discussion should provide some essential insight on how to grow independently, no matter what area of the business most interests you.
Next on the program is a talk from keynote speaker Rob Kenner. Kenner is the editor at large for VIBE Media Group. He'll be introduced by Music Business Program administrator and platinum-winning songwriter Bruce Burch.
The final panel, "How to Start a Band and How to Keep It Together Once You Do,” begins at 1:30 p.m. This one will be moderated by David Claassen of BMI and Keith Perissi of the UGA Music Business Program. Panelists include musician David Lowery, attorney and producer David Prasse, JoJo Glidewell of cover-story band Modern Skirts, Skirts' manager Troy Aubrey, and a number of other successful local musicians. Each panel will be followed by a short networking break, so take advantage of the chance to schmooze and swap business cards.
2nd Annual Thunder Jam
Saturday, October 4 @ Winterville Farm
originally published October 1, 2008
Justin Evans
Kaitlin Jones
"Get hammered with Thor!" invites the official Thunder Jam MySpace page. Hey, if you're named after the Norse god of thunder, you better just embrace it. You also better have long flowing golden locks. Luckily, local concert promoter and enthusiastic music fan Thor Bjornsson meets both criteria. For the second year in a row, Bjornsson is converting his five-acre horse farm in Winterville into a concert venue, and he is "upping the ante" this time around, turning the former party into a proper music fest.
"Thunder Jam is a musical event that aspires to be one of Athens' great outdoor events," says Bjornsson. On the bill this time are headliners Sleepy Horses supported by Kaitlin Jones & the County Fair, Dr. kPants, and D. Striker & the Sweetman with Hands Down Eugene. In order to comply with noise ordinances, the tunes will start at 5 p.m. and wrap up by 10 p.m. But the party doesn't end there; there will be a late night acoustic jam hosted by local roots rockers 16 Tons.
"There were improv jams all over the place last year," says event promoter Beth MacMillan. Both MacMillan and Bjornsson strongly encourage local talent to bring an acoustic instrument along to join in the fun. Worried about driving back to Athens after a night of reveling in Thor's kingdom? Bring a sleeping bag! Camping is free and highly encouraged. As for getting hammered, the event is BYOB with no glass allowed. If the Norse people had a god of Polish sausages they would have surely worshiped our old friend J.B. The man himself has been missing from his usual stand downtown for quite some time, but he will be serving up his Valhalla-sent "Comeback Sauce" out at Thunder Jam. For directions and more info, visit www.myspace.com/thethunderjam. Proceeds from the night's event benefit Nuçi's Space.
“Nuçi’s Space Eighth Anniversary & S.P.A.C.E. Race”
Saturday, Oct. 4 @ Nuçi’s Space
originally published October 1, 2008
S2
Waking up early on a Saturday for extended physical activity doesn’t seem like the sort of thing that’d go hand-in-hand with the late-night antics of the local music scene. The annual S.P.A.C.E. Race 5K walk/run, however, falls every year on the anniversary of Nuçi’s Space, the venerable non-profit musicians’ resource center. The S.P.A.C.E. Race - it stands for Suicide Prevention and Community Education - kicks off bright and early at 9 a.m. at Memorial Plaza on the University of Georgia campus. A post-race “health fair” provides information on well-being - both physical and mental.
Registration costs $20 for regular folk and $15 for UGA students and faculty, with all money going to help the Nuçi’s Space mission of helping local musicians and educating the community at large.
Later that evening at the Nuçi’s Space building on Oconee Street, musical performers celebrate eight years of the organization - Ben Mize, KP Devlin, Kelsey Brown, S2 (formerly known as Sursie), Shot from Guns (Bain Mattox’s band) and Paige and Rachel Keane all perform.
In addition to the 5K and the live musical performances, Nuçi’s Space’s anniversary parties feature a silent auction of signed music memorabilia; this year’s collection features items donated by the Drive-By Truckers, Gnarls Barkley, Perpetual Groove, Cat Power and The Breeders, among others.
The whole event is free, with cake, snacks and refreshments provided. As always, though, Nuçi’s Space will accept donations to help advance its mission of community support and education. Participants in the morning’s race will have time to go home and shower; the anniversary party starts at 6 p.m. More information and 5K registration forms are available at www.nuci.org.
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