Welcome to Athens Power Rankings. In the spirit of sports rating systems, through painstaking analysis, we rank the top movers and shakers in the Classic City each week. Who’s hot? Who’s not? Find out below.
1. 40 Watt Club (Last Week: N/A)
We thought the venue‘s upcoming schedule couldn’t get any more impressive (Kurt Vile, Deerhunter, Neutral Milk Hotel and Bill Callahan are set to grace its hallowed stage this fall). But the 40 Watt continues to add on: Waxahatchee, Blitzen Trapper, of Montreal and Thurston Moore’s Chelsea Light Moving have all been announced over the past week or so. The club gets serious bonus marks for rebounding after last year’s underwhelming fall season.
2. James Ponsoldt (Last Week: N/A)
OK, so technically, he’s no longer an Athens resident. But the Classic City native is arguably the hottest film director in the land, so we’ll claim him for the moment. The Spectacular Now is earning rave reviews from critics everywhere, and Ponsoldt returns to his hometown tomorrow for a pair of screenings at Ciné, along with Q&A sessions moderated by Flagpole‘s Derek Hill. Welcome home, Jamie!
3. Normaltown (Last Week: N/A)
The first neighborhood in Athens to be wired for electricity back in 1896 (thanks Wikipedia!), Normaltown is plugged in once again. The area’s slow transformation from sleepy ‘hood to hipster haven has been underway for a few years; the upcoming additions of two more watering holes has residents of the ‘town, and nearby Boulevard, abuzz. (You were our first, Normal Bar, and we’ll always love you. It’s just that we kinda wanna see other people, too.)
4. Hugh Acheson (Last Week: N/A)
The freakishly browed foodie celeb has been in the news all summer long—for a new Savannah venture; for a successful Five and Ten relocation; and for convincing Whitney Otawka to stay in Athens. If that wasn’t enough, Acheson recently decided to team up with Live Nation to awesome-ify its culinary offerings. What can’t the man do?
5. Jere Morehead (Last Week: N/A)
With his reign only in its infancy, UGA’s new prez angered local progressives when he all but closed the door on domestic partner benefits for university employees. With the fall semester set to start next week, expect that decision and all others he makes to continue to be the subject of much debate. (Bonus points for the ridiculously spelled first name! I mean, what’s that all about?)
Dropped from the rankings: N/A
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