Sam Lipkin

Sitting on the patio of Hendershot’s sipping a latte on one of those anticipatory not-quite-fall days, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Randall Bramblett gives a warm hello to the owner, his good friend and drummer of 15 years Seth Hendershot. Bramblett begins his interview with many praises of Hendershot and his brick-and-mortar, and in fact, he goes on to express admiration and thankfulness for his friends and colleagues in Athens from beginning to end.

The neighborhood is alive with the sound of music once again for Historic Athens’ sixth annual Porchfest, the local nonprofit organization’s largest fundraiser to aid its mission of historic preservation and heritage conservation. More than 200 performances will take place on porches and in yards across seven neighborhoods—Boulevard, Buena Vista, Cobbham, Newtown, Normaltown, Pulaski Heights and Reese-Hancock—on Sunday, Oct. 20 from 1–8 p.m.

The annual Wild Rumpus Parade & Spectacle that transforms downtown Athens into a whimsical Halloween wonderland is one of the few places where standing out means fitting in. For the creatively inclined, it’s the perfect time of year to show off sewing, crafting and building skills. Among the diverse crowd of townies and travelers, you’re likely to spot some truly creative, impressive and magical costumes and cosplays. Of course store-bought and trendy costumes, or even just a sweatshirt and jeans, is all fair game to participate by walking in the parade or standing stage-side to catch the performances. Everyone is welcomed. Parade-goer Nelita Willey discussed her Wild Rumpus costume plan with Flagpole, which is to go as Pandora from the […]

The spirited, campy, avant-garde Gonzoriffic Underground Movie Show is taking place at Ciné for its 16th screening this weekend, Nov. 8–9. For those who can’t make it in person, an encore screening will be live streamed on YouTube on Nov. 10.

Yesterday Clarke Central High School’s Instagram page announced that its social studies teacher and Academic Team coach Drew Wheeler will appear on the popular and long-running game show “Jeopardy!” Wednesday, Nov. 27. Wheeler is also a Flagpole contributor, writer of the retired Movie Dope column.

Grassroots organization Flying Squid Comedy appeared on the cover of Flagpole’s July 10 issue, with founder and self-proclaimed “herder of cats” Kelly Petronis sharing that it had outgrown its beloved host space at work.shop and was in the process of finding a new permanent home. Just a few months later, Flying Squid Comedy has officially opened its doors at 150 Fritz Mar Lane as Athens’ only dedicated comedy theater. After a successful Kickstarter campaign that funded new stage curtains, chairs and a sign, a grand opening event on Friday, Nov. 8 welcomed the community into the space with comedy, improv and music performances. Petronis started the night thanking an at-capacity crowd, which he stated was “a dream come true.” Opening […]

After being open for 12 years, Pulaski Heights BBQ announced yesterday on Facebook and Instagram that it will be closing. The post read:

Athens Uncovered, an annual nonprofit fundraiser that supports Nuçi’s Space’s mission to prevent suicide and provide services for musicians, is hosting a special “Revival” edition this year in early celebration of the organization’s upcoming 25th anniversary. The lineup aims to showcase Athens’ legendary music scene, featuring an opener by Camp Amped’s Noodle Soup Group and a surprise “Athens Music Royalty” supergroup including members of R.E.M., Camper Van Beethoven, Randall Bramblett Band, Drive-By Truckers, Five Eight, Cracker and more. “Athens Uncovered is one of my favorite annual events on the local music calendar,” says David Barbe, director of the UGA Music Business certificate program and chief engineer at Chase Park Transduction. “Athens Uncovered brings people together to support Nuçi’s Space and its critical mission. It is very rewarding to me to see the generosity of my fellow Athenians.” Proceeds of the event go toward lifesaving services like therapy and psychiatry appointments in addition to suicide prevention and wellness programs.

No generation has yet to escape the powerful pull of nostalgia, and millennials have embraced a rebirth of alternative styles like emo and pop-punk. There’s not only a large market of music listeners, but also people seeking community around this resurgence. Athens transplant Dan Lacasse has successfully navigated this landscape to bring together his personal interests, meet like-minded people and create music under the Phantom Dan moniker.

As the cold weather drives most people indoors, it’s a wonderful time to explore the offerings of the Athens-area theater groups and productions. The winter season is lively with a mix of traditional plays, ballets and more. Town & Gown Players is closing out its year with the holiday-themed musical A Spell for Winter, an original by locals Derek Adams (book, lyrics and direction) and Jonathan Sparks (music and music direction).