Local Athens Artists Bring the Fun to Funk at the Southern Brewing Company 

This past Sunday, Music Business students at the University of Georgia held their annual Beats ‘N Brews spectacle for all to enjoy. 

On Sunday, April 30th, graduating students involved with the Music Business certificate put on their final presentation down in Athens, Georgia. The festival took place from 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM and was held at the Southern Brewing Company. Beats ‘N Brews Fest is part of the UGA’s music business certificate program. Every year, a different group of students involved in the program is responsible for throwing the festival and is tasked with picking artists, and activities, and advertising the event. The festival highlights local Athens music, food, and brews, as well as raises money for the music business scholarship fund. The event is sponsored by companies and brands such as Strolling Bones Records, Rook and Pawn Restaurant, Aubrey Entertainment, Southern Brewing, and Flagpole Magazine. 

All day long, people flocked out to see their favorite local bands and friends soak in a nice Sunday afternoon. The lineup included eighteen local Athens artists who have all become staple favorites this past year. The Southern Brewing Company was equipped with an indoor and an outdoor stage, picnic tables, yard games, and a refreshing bar for the crowd to enjoy. Every artist came with a distinct genre and sense of style, which kept the festival feeling fresh and rejuvenating throughout the day. Each set lasted around thirty to forty minutes, giving each performer time to play any originals or covers without feeling rushed. 

In the beginning hours of the festival, Mars Hill, Tattoo Logic, and Prodigal played at the outdoor Strolling Bones Stage. Inside, Balistix, Jane Day, and Girl Dad took to the Indoor Stage. The crowd started to roll in and settle down for a wonderful time filled with great live music. Around 3:00 PM, House Arrest took to the main stage. House Arrest is an Athens indie rock band they have just recently started playing right here in the city. Although they are new to the scene, they have high hopes that they will continue to grow as a band and after this weekend there’s no doubt about it! At the same time, Nickname took to the Indoor Stage. Nick Jackson, also known by his stage name “Nickname,” is an R&B, pop, and jazz performer. He got a lot of his attention through his fans on TikTok and just recently released his first single, “Crown” back in March. 

Around 4:00 PM, Patio the Band came out onto the Strolling Bones Stage. Although this band is quite new, most members had previously been involved in other bands or musical extracurriculars. Although they haven’t officially released any new songs, the band played some unreleased singles as well as performed a few covers to carry the night away. Inside, Bea Porges was playing with her band. Bea is an indie pop acoustic artist who just recently released

two new singles, “stateside” and “all day long.” She has been rocking the Athens music scene for a while, and this weekend was no understatement! 

Afterward, Barbe Plus came onstage to play some tunes. As the teacher of the music business capstone program, David Barbe is an experienced and beloved Athens favorite. He and his band played some of his originals, such as “Dim Bulbs,” “Portuguese Door,” and “We’re All Here.” The Angelics followed up with some originals off their new EP, “Mom’s House.” This alternative rock band played their songs, “Hopelessly In Love,” “Close The Door,” and “Dive,” which the crowd went crazy for. Throughout the rest of the evening, other artists took the Indoor Stage, such as Shine, Sophia Barkhouse, Marie Daly, and Evelia. 

The Strolling Bones Stage played home to two more local Athens artists. To help close the night, Five Gallon Flow and Recess Party came out to join the festivities. Since 2021, Five Gallon Flow has been making music with a variety of sounds and textures. Their first project, “Flow Pack,” was released on Soundcloud and Bandcamp back in March. They played their two new singles, “Lost” and “Let Go,” which were an instant hit with fans. To wrap up the night, a Recess Party came on around 7:30 PM. Recess Party is an up-and-coming college town favorite that defines their genre of music to be an indie-rock category. They are currently working on their debut album, which should be released later this year. Their latest singles, “hey, excuse” and “Change of Pace” both came out late last year and have been gaining a lot of attraction recently. 

Overall, the music festival was a success. With hundreds of eager friends, family, and fans excited to see their favorite local artists play, the event was spectacular. We cannot wait to see what the University of Georgia’s music business program has in store for the Athens music scene next year!