The annual Historic Athens Porchfest is coming up on Sunday, Oct. 20, and students in Kyser Lough’s First Year Odyssey course on music in Athens have scoured the 200+ Porchfest band lineup to build a few custom, themed itineraries for attendees. We’ll give you the first four shows to visit, and then you’re on your own for the final two concerts before The Mayors Show at 7 p.m. Each show is no more than a ~15-minute walk away.
Click on each themed itinerary to start your adventure.
Lady-Led Rock Groups
Our lineup consists of rock bands with female lead singers. If you like rock, discovering new music, and care about women’s representation in rock music, this is the lineup for you! Escape the patriarchy and find sisterhood with these four awesome bands.
1:00 p.m. / Dog Person / 170 Hendrix Ave / Pulaski Heights
Dog Person is a self-described “twee pop” band based in Athens, Georgia. Dog Person combines the best of 2019 art hoe with classic indie rock. Elements of brass, organ, and piano create a new sound of what can be described as school-house rock adjacent. Dog Person is fronted by Lauren Gregg, with members from other Athens bands such as Nana Grizol and Circulatory System playing on drums, bass, trumpet, and guitar. The combination of the different musical elements in their “In Love with a Ghost” gives the band a retro feel while also retaining the “twee” elements of the 2010s. Their other single, “Winter” follows suit, but leans into a more sound-heavy approach with guitar riffs and constant piano. The vocals of Dog Person are reminiscent of the retro radio feel that you see with The Waitresses, but still carries indie pop with it. These singles are perfect listening for thrifting, taking a long walk, or driving to your local record store. Dog Person perfectly balances retro with indie and brings the listener on a nostalgic journey through the best of the twee 2010s.
Distance to next show: 0.5 mi / 12 minute walk
2:00 p.m. / Tattoo Logic / 430 Cleveland Ave / Newtown
Tattoo Logic is an Athens-based rock band that describes their genre as “Funk-punk.” The group’s (self-described) “leading ladies” include keyboardist Mía Hill and bassist Swathy Ramasswamy. As they only have one double-sided single released, viewers can likely expect to see their songs Ghost of a Chance and Safety First, thrown in with (hopefully) some fun covers or unreleased songs. Their funk and punk inspiration can both be easily heard in their released music (especially Ghost of a Chance), but they bring in sounds from far and wide– notably soft rock/shoegaze. If their single is anything to go by, the rest of their set will include a spectrum from angry, powerful sounds to slower, swaying emotional pieces. The band gives the impression they give high-energy, fun live performances, full of unique vocals, band-wide instrumental talent, driving baselines, and lots of feeling.
Distance to next show: 0.6 mi / 15 minute walk
3:00 p.m. / Scarlet Stitch / 357 DuBose Ave / Boulevard
Scarlet Stitch is an Athens-born original rock and roll band that factors in elements of alternative and jam rock. Lead vocalist Deb Carter is a former recipient of the Georgia Music Award and writes in conjunction with guitarist Duke Wayland. Their first album, “Macon” was released in 2013 and after a 7 year hiatus, in 2020, Scarlet Stitch bounced back with a self-titled album, after teasing with a single.
The band’s self-proclaimed authentic freedom is followed through by Carter’s controlled intensity in her strong vocals. Her passion emulates a wild and emotive attitude in a similar manner to other ’90s rock female icons like Natalie Merchant. The last thing you’ll be while watching this band play is bored. Even if you’ve never heard their songs, the Morrisette-feel of Scarlet Stitch will have you feeling the same levels of intensity and gratifying anger that a middle-aged divorcee would after a few glasses of wine. While I can’t promise you won’t want to cry about it later, I can promise that this band can put out a good show.
Distance to next show: 0.5 mi / 11 minute walk
4:00 p.m. / Fishbug / 160 Tracy St, Unit 10 / Newtown
Fishbug is a fast-paced, punk rock band formed right here in Athens, Georgia. The quartet is led by frontwoman Stella Perkins and uses jumpy bass lines combined with aggressive guitar riffs to convey the messages sung by Perkins. Emerging in the scene around 2019, Fishbug has released 1 EP and 3 albums so far. Listening to their entire discography, you can hear how much their sound has matured in such a short time, but always keeping that same punchy sound that reminds me of old school rock bands you’d hear at Warped Tour. Perkins has the perfect voice to lead the group, and that’s why Fishbug fits in with our female-fronted band’s route for Porchfest. Fishbug will definitely be the perfect closers for this route, leaving you satisfied and pumped to continue partying the night away.
Intriguing Bands with Distinctive Genres
Ever find yourself digging through the Spotify archives and wondering what this seemingly random-word-generated genre entails? Well, we have surfed through the list of Porchfest bands to find a diverse set of genres just like that. Starting with coyote folk/cicadacana, going into gospel influenced folk rock, taking a hard right into Italian disco, and ending with a blend of groove pop, jazz, and rock. It’s the perfect list to dive into the eccentricity of Athens and come out with maybe a little bit more knowledge about what these genres even mean.
1:00 p.m. / Jesse Wooten / 259 The Plaza / Reese-Hancock Area
Jesse Wooten is a one man “coyotefolk” band with only a few songs out online- so this one of a kind listening experience is worth the walk away from the main Porchfest part. Anyone can enjoy Jesse’s music, but listeners who would describe themselves as “one with nature” will especially bond with Wooten’s around-the-campfire vibe he brings. Wooten himself describes his music as “cicadacana”, which one can assume that only those who listen to his music will get. Who knows! Show up to find out!
Distance to next show: 0.2 mi, 6 minute walk
2:00 p.m. / Carlton Kell / 1296 W. Hancock Ave / Reese-Hancock Area
It’s already Sunday, so why not end your afternoon with a listen to Carlton Kell, a folk and gospel inflected band. Located in the Reese-Hancock neighborhood, Carlton Kell makes for a great pause in our line-up, being a short distance from both Jesse Wooten and De La Luna. On the front porch of Sheats Barber and Beauty shop, you can expect a trip back to church for some good southern clapping and gospel music. Find their songs on distrokid to get a sneak peak of what you can fill your ears with at the annual Porchfest in Athens!
Distance to next show: 0.3 mi, 6 minute walk
3:00 p.m. / De La Luna / 267 The Plaza / Reese-Hancock Area
De La Luna brings a twist to the Athens Porchfest scene with their groovy Italian disco. The listener should expect heavy ’80s vibes and an overall chill environment. Following our theme of non-conventional or unexpected genres in Athens, De La Luna will be a perfect stop on your Athens Porchfest route.
Distance to next show: 0.8 mi, 18 minute walk
4:00 p.m. / Canary Affair / 260 Hill St / Cobham
Combining several genres such as groove pop, jazz, and rock, Canary Affair creates a blended sound to the Athens scene. Their multi genre description fits well with the theme of interesting genres that we do not hear often. With Canary Affair, expect a chill sound with interesting instrumentals and vocals.
Indie Indulgence
The following itinerary could be for people who enjoy indie music who like to start off their Porchfest experience with heavy guitar noises and slowly move to artists who produce softer music that relies more on melodies and lyrics than beats.
1:00 p.m. / Florence Cardigan / 110 Yonah Ave / Buena Vista Heights
Florence Cardigan is a band that focuses on indie-rock/indie-pop music. They rely heavily on lengthy guitar riffs paired with direct and punchy lyrics throughout their songs. Attendees of this set could expect to see a highly energetic performance that matches the fast-paced tempo of most of Florence Cardigan’s songs. The type of music produced by this band is the perfect type to experience live, as the songs are sure to keep the crowd jumping throughout the set.
Distance to next show: 0.6 miles, 13 minute walk
2:00 p.m. / Bugs Eat Books / 361 Dubose Ave / Boulevard
Bugs Eat Books is a band that focuses on guitar-based songs in the Indie Pop genre. A listener of their music might expect an upbeat and chaotic energy in their songs but tons of beats that add on to the pop genre. The chaotic aura captivates their listeners into their gritty lyric writing and style of producing music.
Distance to next show: 0.5 miles, 11 minute walk
3:00 p.m. / Evelia / 108 Park Ave, Unit A / Buena Vista Heights
The singer Evelia is for the people that enjoy music by Phoebe Bridgers and Lizzy McApline. An indie pop style is shown through her original songs as they immerse the listener in the lyrics. The attendee may expect a mixture of covers and her own music on her setlist. Her unique use of music production that connects with the flow of lyrics will not want to be missed!
Distance to next show: 0.7 miles, 15 minute walk
4:00 p.m. / Women In Stem / 246 Indale Ave / Reese-Hancock Area
Women In STEM are a small female band located in Athens, Georgia. They released a single in March of 2024 and just recently released another single. Even though they are a new band, they are full of surprises. They have performed live in Athens a few other times and this will be their first Porchfest. They can be expected to have an indie rock sound. This band has 69 monthly listeners and is sure to bring a mix of fun sound waves and amazing lyrics.
Folk, Bluegrass, Country, Indie Artists
This group of bands is mainly folk/country. Some are more alternative, we researched one of them then decided to go off that vibe. We like the vibes of all of them so much that we don’t mind the long walks in between!
1:00 p.m. / Chandler Flint / 620 Holman Ave / Normaltown
Chandler Flint is considered “southern rock,” and her music sounds so fun. She has a website where there are music videos, and it really shows off her style. She fits right into the style of artists we are trying to go see. She is going on tour with Lainey Wilson who we also love and has been on stage with lots of our favorite artists. She is experienced and we love her entire vibe!
Distance to next show: 0.3 miles, 6 minute walk
2:00 p.m. / Modern Otters / 690 Edwards Dr / Normaltown
The Modern Otters are indie folk rock and have the similar sound we are looking for in this lineup. The name sounds really cool and funny and we are intrigued about the band. The sound and style was super fun. The band is 3 guys that all play different guitars. Overall, we just really like their vibe!
Distance to next show: 1.2 miles, 25 minute walk
3:00 p.m. / Caroline Aiken / 626 Cobb St / Cobbham
She sings acoustic folk blues, which aligns with our theme of folk artists. We did a profile on her and really loved her style of music. She toured with the Indigo Girls all over Europe and has a couple songs with them. She is from Atlanta and plays guitar and we really like her sound overall.
Distance to next show: 0.4 miles, 9 minute walk
4:00 p.m. / Mary Kate Farmer / 227 N Rocksprings St / Reese-Hancock Area
Mary Kate Farmer sings country rock, which would round out our lineup perfectly. Her Spotify songs had a great folky rock vibe that we all love. She was Georgia Country’s Female Artist of the Year twice, so we are interested to see her perform. All the songs we listened to sound like our style of music. She plays a lot of country music festivals in the south so we can’t wait to see her set!
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