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MUSIC IN THE STREETS
The AthFest Music and Arts Festival started 12 years ago.
I attended the first organizing meeting, and when I got back
to the Flagpole office, I told publisher and advertising director
Alicia Nickles about the meeting, and she frowned and started
firing questions at me. Are they doing this? Have they thought
of that? Who's handling what? I didn't have many answers. The
next year Alicia dived in and took over the the task of finding
the sponsorships that provide the money to produce AthFest.
During the ensuing 12 years, the AthFest volunteer manage
ment crew has put in some incredibly grueling work. They do
it more or less year-round now, and they've got over a decade
of experience doing it. That first little festival wasn't much—
prodded along by former Athens Downtown Development
Director Art Jackson to help downtown businesses during
the summer lull—but with hard work and the rich panoply of
Athens music to promote, they have made AthFest into a kalei
doscope of music and art now expanded to cinema and theater.
The way AthFest works is you buy a wristband good for the
whole weekend, and that gets you into the clubs where the
bands are playing and to other special events. That's the best
way to be assured access wherever you want to go to sample
the music-intense weekend. But you don't even have to buy a
wristband. The generous AthFest promoters set up two outdoor
stages on lower Washington Street, where many of our best
bands play continously from Friday evening, June 20 to Sunday
night, June 22, including special entertainment for kids.
Without spending a dime
This is a great Athens v° u can han 9 around
and get the gist of what
event, guaranteed to Athens music is all about
and hear for yourself the
entertain and relax you. varieties of music played
and sung by talented
musicians. There's rock and roll, yes, but a whole lot more,
too. Moreover, you'll be right in the middle of a festival, with
food and drink and artists hawking their wares. This is a great
Athens event, guaranteed to entertain and relax you. If you've
never been, go; if you've been, you're already looking forward
to going back. Yes, it's hot. Wear a hat.
For the last 10 years the Flagpole Athens Music Awards
Show has kicked off AthFest, and though it's not free, it's
half-price with a wristband. So, Thursday evening, June 19 is
another chance to get a good taste of Athens music. Some well
known and some up-and-coming musicians will play—led by
our multi-talented house band; local music people will pres
ent awards and accept awards, and a couple of winning entries
from the Sprockets Music Video competition will be screened.
By the time you exit the Morton Theatre, you'll have a pretty
good idea why we call Athens a music town.
The widening gyre of AthFest also now includes the Town
and Gown Players' production of The Fantasticks, one of the
most delightful musicals ever concocted, playing at the Athens
Community Playhouse Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings
and a Sunday matinee June 19-22 (though the musical actu
ally starts on Friday, June 13, so you can see it this weekend).
You'll recognize many of the songs in this witty knockoff of
Romeo and Juliet.
And check the schedule at Cine (athenscine.com) during
AthFest week for their Rock Docs music documentaries, includ
ing The B-52s: Live at the Downtovsn Cafe, Athens, GA—Inside/
Out, and Scorsese's Rolling Stones epic, Shine a Light.
There's also the Sprockets Film and Video Contest this
Saturday, June 14 at the 40 Watt Club and the TeenScreen
Filmfest and Concert presented by Film::Athens at the
Redeemer Church on Pulaski Street Friday evening, June 20 and
the Wired Dance Music Festival at Blur on Satuiday, June 21,
from 2:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., and even a worship service on the
outdoor stage Sunday morning, June 22 at 11 a.m.
There's too much to mention here. You can find all the
details at athfest.com and in the AthFest program inserted into
next week's Flagpole.
If you have been one of those who tend to avoid AthFest
as you would a Georgia football game day downtown, you've
got it backward. The Flagpole Athens Music Awards and all the
events of AthFest, centered around the free outdoor stages, are
the perfect reason to venture out to see and hear what your
town has to offer.
Pete McCommons editor@flagpole.com
THIS WEEK’S ISSUE:
NEWS AND FEATURES
City Dope
News and Views You Can Use
The "urban chickens" discussion continues, elections are on the horizon. . and more!
Athens Rising
What’s Up in New Development
A more serious discussion of the "Bnck-and-Tan" style that's become so popular locally.
Washington, GA, Rediscovered
The Retro Cinema Rolls the Classics
Flsgpole took a day trip to Washington. GA. to check out their "new" Retro Cinema
8
9
The Reader
(Tough)Loving the Alien
A real-life, pop-culture approach to parenting, plus a look at nerd culture
21
COVER DESIGN by Kelly Ruberto
featuring artwork by Elisa Dallas on
display at Elements Art Supply
M1US0©
Twin Tigers 26
Talent, Love and Momentum
With just an EP under their belts. Twin Tigers are already poised to pounce.
The Sprockets Music Video Competition. . . 27
Local Bands Get Behind Their Guitars and in Front of the Camera
Get a sneak preview of this year's Sprockets entries.
i
LETTERS 4
CITY DOPE 5
CITY PAGES 6
CAPITOL IMPACT 7
ATHENS RISING 8
WASHINGTON. GA 9
THE CALENDAR! 10
ART AROUND TOWN ?.... 12
DOWN THE LINE 16
BULLETIN BOARD 17
THE READER 21
MOVIE DOPE 22
MOVIE PICK 23
LOST PICTURE SHOW 24
IMMUZIKATION 25
TWIN TIGERS 26
SPROCKETS 27
RECORD REVIEWS 28
THREATS & PROMISES 29
COMICS 30
REALITY CHECK 31
CLASSIFIEDS 32
: EDITOR & PUBLISHER Pete McCommons
I ADVERTISING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER Alicia Nickles
i PRODUCTION OIRECTOR Larry Tenner
; MANAGING EDITOR Christina Cotter
' ADVERTISING SALES Anita Aubrey. Melinda Edwards. Jessica Pritchard
MUSIC EDITOR Michelle Gilzenrat
CITY EDITOR Ben Emanuel
CLASSIFIEDS. DISTRIBUTION & OFFICE MANAGER Paul Karjian
AO DESIGNERS Ian Rickert. Kelly Ruberto
CARTOONISTS James Allen. Ruth Allen, Cameron Bogue. Jacob Hunt. Missy Kulik. Jeremy Long, David Mack.
Clint McElroy
ADOPT ME Special Agent Cindy Jerrell
CONTRIBUTORS Michael Andrews. Hillary Brown. Tom Crawford. David Eduardo. Robin Geddie. Chris Hassiotis.
John Huie. Darrell Kinsey. Gordon Lamb, Bao Le-Huu, Ryan Monahan, John G. Nettles. Blair Rivkin. Jeff Tobias.
Drew Wheeler, Kevan Williams, Noel Wurst
CIRCULATION Charles Greenleaf, Jimmy Courson, Justin Courson, Alex Moore, Lena Trotochaud. Alex White
WEB DESIGNER Ian Rickert
ADVERTISING ASSISTANT Nicole Haysler
MUSIC INTERNS Christine Barrett. Alex Dimitropoulos
ADVERTISING INTERNS Keri Fleming. Rachel Bailey
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING INTERN Kat Morrell
CONTACT US:
STREET ADDRESS: 112 S Foundry St Athens. GA 30601
MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 1027. Athens. GA 30603
EDITORIAL: (706) 549-9523
ADVERTISING: (706) 549-0301
FAX:(706)548-8981
ADVERTISING: ads@flagpole.com
CALENDAR: calendar@flagpole.com
COMICS: comics@flagpole.com
EDITORIAL: editor@flagpole.com
LETTERS: letters@flagpole.com
MUSIC: music@flagpole.com
WEB SITE: web@flagpole.com
VOLUME 22
ISSUE NUMBER 23
Flagpole, Inc. publishes Flagpole Magarne weekly and distnbutes 17,000 copies
free at over 275 locations around Athens. Georgia. Subscriptions cost S55 a year.
$35 for six months. © 2008 Flagpole, Inc. All rights reserved.
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NEWS & FEATURES I CALENDAR I MOVIES I A&E I MUSIC I COMICS & ADVICE I CLASSIFIEDS
JUNE 11.2008-FLAGPOLE.COM 3