Local Athens Artists Rock the Night Away at the 40 Watt Club

Wim Tapley and the Cannons at 40 Watt Club in Athens. Photo by Nicole Allario (2022).

Wim Tapley and the Cannons, Fun Room, and Convince the Kid performed a killer show down at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, GA on April 19, 2022.

On April 19th, the 40 Watt Club opened its doors to showcase some local talent here in Athens, Georgia. Located on West Washington Street, this iconic rock venue has served Athens and its music lovers for decades. They welcomed three exciting bands to play the night away, each with varying genres and aesthetics. To kick off the show, Convince the Kid played some originals, covers, and also sang their new single “Burn as One.” With Trevor Thrift and Jeffrey Vernon, this synth-rock dynamic duo hyped up the crowd with their synthesizers and electric riffs. 

The next artist to take the stage was University of Georgia freshman Wim Tapley. Along with his new band, Wim Tapley and the Cannons have been quickly becoming an Athens’ favorite and perform weekly at bars, restaurants, and festivals within the community. The band’s unique indie-americana pop vibe excited the crowd, as locals flocked inside to fill the entire room. The band performed some original songs such as “The Woodlands” and “I’m all Yours,” as well as two new songs that are soon to be recorded in the coming weeks. 

Growing up in Virginia, Wim Tapley had always been attracted to creating music and writing songs. He came to the University of Georgia to study music production and philosophy

after taking a gap year following his senior year of High School. After freshman year, he plans on touring around the southeast and will continue to release new singles and music videos in the near future. 

To close out the night, Fun Room entertained the crowd in honor of their newly released EP “Good Clean Fun” that came out that day! The EP consists of five songs including their most popular hit “Fun Room.” This funky folk band put on a great show and were amazing at engaging with their fans. At the end of the night, everyone had danced their feet off, and the bands left the audience energized and satisfied.

I am a currently a student at the University of Georgia studying Entertainment and Media/Film Studies. With my extracurriculars here at UGA, I like to get involved with production, such as UGA Miracle, Entertainment and Media Industries Club, my sorority Chi Omega, and Grady News Source. I enjoy taking photos and videos, attending concerts, creative writing, hiking, and traveling!