COME ONE, COME ALL: Performer applications are now open for the 2024 AthFest Music & Arts Festival. This year’s festival occurs June 21–23, and the word on the street is that north of 85% of performers are to be chosen from Athens and immediately surrounding areas. AthFest director Mary Joyce wrote in an email to Flagpole, “Performers outside of Georgia are welcome to apply, but preference is given to local acts.” All genres are welcome to apply, so feel encouraged. Please head to athfest.com/athfest-musician-applications and follow the instructions closely. The deadline for applications is Saturday, Mar. 30. I can assure you with absolute certainty that booking events like this is a largely thankless job, so please be patient with the process. That said, good luck to all!
FALL IN LOVE ALL OVER AGAIN: If you’re looking to both rock a little bit and sway around with your special person, then head to The Georgia Theatre on Wednesday, Feb. 14 to enjoy the fantastic Elijah Johnston with openers Kid Fears (Atlanta) and Hunlo. Johnston is, or should be, still riding a nice wave of support from his full-length release that came out last October named Hometown Vampire. Doors open at 7 p.m. this night, and music should start by 8 p.m. Get up to speed at elijahjohnston.net and elijahjohnston.bandcamp.com.
HURRY UP, Y’ALL: The window for getting onboard to compete in the 2024 Athens Business Rocks benefit for Nuçi’s Space is quickly closing. The deadline is Monday, Feb. 19. This event has proven popular for several years, and it’s a nice way to bring folks who play, but not with any regularity, out of the woodwork. For the unfamiliar, this event is based around local businesses forming a band with employees, then heading out into the community to raise money for Nuçi’s Space. Then, the top 15 bands (based on money raised by Mar. 27) move on to the next phase. Based on the same criteria, the next top 10 bands move on to the next step on Apr. 10. Finally, on Apr. 24, the last six bands move on to qualify for the live show, which will be held May 4 at the 40 Watt Club. The lineup of qualifiers will be announced Apr. 29. For all information, and there is a lot, please see nuci.org/abr.
FIRST NIGHT: The first instance of ATHICA’s Sonic Space for 2024 happens Saturday, Feb. 17 with doors at 7 p.m. and show at 8 p.m. Featured this night is the video debut of LeAnn Peppers’ short experimental film Paranoia, which is described as “a single-take, abstract, ambient video featuring a brooding harmonic soundscape.” Also on the bill this night are the improvisational Texan Montezuma (nee Jeremiah Trinidad) and Athens trio Brooms of Fantasia. You can learn more about each of these by heading to leeannpeppers.bandcamp.com, soundcloud.com/blackweed2012 and heatingandcooling.bandcamp.com, respectively. For all other information, please see athica.org/event/feb2024_sonicspace.
BOOKMARK ME: If you’ve been sitting on your hands wondering when the new full-length album from gothy deathrockers Tears For The Dying is coming out, let me just go ahead and tell you that it’s this week—Friday, Feb. 16 to be exact. Named In the Shadow of the Midnight Sun, it’s available on vinyl, too, at Wuxtry and Rock Knobster. A release show is reportedly in the works, but not yet scheduled. Even so, this shouldn’t prevent you from throwing your bucks at the band and at least enjoying the first single, “Dead Girl Dancing.” This track in particular is a little bit of a side-step for the generally aggressive and guitar-oriented group. This is much more synth-pop oriented with the vocals occupying a much lighter space as well. In other news, Tears For The Dying is hitting the road for the remainder of February and into March, and will cover pretty much all of Florida on this jaunt. In May, the band will cover a huge swath of the East Coast, too. Find the new single and grab the album over at tearsforthedying.bandcamp.com, and keep up with them at tearsforthedying.com.
BUILDING A MYSTERY: I’m still no closer to knowing who the hell Josey is than I was when I first covered this artist back in 2021. It’s all good, though, because the stream of legitimately quirky, oddball and surprisingly catchy songs has continued along at a steady clip. Why, just last month Josey released the 10-track album Birdday Songs 2024. Specific highlights on this are the detuned and wobbly opening song “Two Yellow Songs,” the nearly-New Jack rhythms and beats of “She Doesn’t Look,” and the closest thing to a rock and roll song on this, “Walk In Step.” This isn’t for everyone, but I’ve always been charmed by Josey’s music, and I dig its personality. And, like the man said, personality goes a long way. Find this and more over at joseymusic.bandcamp.com.
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