Home Of: James Brown, Ray Charles, Martin Luther King Jr., OutKast, Little Richard, Otis Redding, Jackie Robinson, Cat Power, T.I., Trisha Yearwood, Julia Roberts, The B-52s, R.E.M., Of Montreal, Elephant 6 Recording Company, TLC, Travis Tritt
Fun Facts: State flower; Cherokee rose, state song; “Georgia on My Mind,” state bird; brown thrasher.
The Venues: Athens, GA has been home to some of new wave and indie rock’s best known bands: from R.E.M and the B-52s to newer bands like Of Montreal and The Olivia Tremor Control. All of these bands have played at the legendary 40 Watt Club, aptly named from the single 40 watt bulb that hung in its original location. Athens is also home to the annual non-profit arts and music festival Athfest, which aims to educate locals and visitors about the Athens scene. The Black Lips and We vs. the Shark were among the performers at this year’s festival.
Named after influential bluesman Blind Willie McTell, Blind Willie’s is the place to go for live blues in Atlanta. In its 23 years of existance, the venue has played host to blues musicians from around the country and around the corner.
The Music:
The Soulphonics & Ruby Velle – Some bands who label themselves “funk” are merely jam bands in disguise. Not so with The Soulphonics & Ruby Velle. This group brings both the James Brown funk and the Sam Cooke soul. Their song “Fever” is guarantees to get any party started, so put on your dancing shoes!
The Bastard Suns – The rough and rowdy sounds of The Bastard Suns have been dominating the OurStage Punk Channel since the early days of the site, earning them eight Top 10 finishes and a #1 Channel Prize. “My Pint” best encapsulates the band’s reggae-meets-irish-drinking song infused punk. Imagine the Dropkick Murphys after an extended holiday in Jamaica.
Rantings of Eva – Rantings of Eva blur the lines between alternative, indie rock and pop. Check out “Bright Side” to see why MTV chose them as one of the nominees for the MTV VMA Best Breakout Atlanta. If you like what you hear, be sure to catch Rantings of Eva opening for All Time Low and The White Tie Affair at the VMA concert at Six Flags Over Georgia on August 30th.
Anchors – Anchors doesn’t care about how your most recent breakup makes you feel, unless it makes you feel awesome. The band was formed in 2006 with the intention of remedying what they felt was a severe lack of fun in popular music. “The Legendary Matt” is nothing if not fun, with a rocking piano and sweet harmony vocals.
Who are your favorite OurStage Georgians? Where do you like to see live music in Georgia? Let us know in the comments!
Ever hear a song and think to yourself that it was written specifically about you? After some searching through the Rock Channels, I put together a playlist of songs I’d like to hear in the biopic of my life (who knows, it could happen one day). Using unique vocal styling, driven by drum and bass, as well as solid guitar riffs, these artists are giving the Alternative Rock Channel a breath of fresh air. With influences bleeding through the lines of indie rock, artists like Boston-based The Honors and Atlanta’s Rantings of Eva successfully transform the unique sounds from Snow Patrol, Coldplay and The Bravery with their own twists that keeps the listener wanting more. Next time you’re walking down the street, or coming home from a long day take a minute to take in your surroundings while listening to your current playlist. Your eyes may open up to something exciting that you’ve never seen before — that’s the beauty of music.
