IPO Atlanta 2015
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Artists From Atlanta/Athens
Steve Baskin – A South Georgia native who offers a unique blend of smart, energetic pop and Americana rock n’ roll, and has over the years shared the stage with various Grammy winners and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees, including Sam Moore, Percy Sledge, The Shirelles, and The Beach Boys. His latest release, Dead Rock Star, has recently been named the Best Pop/Hard Rock Album of the year by Akademia Music Awards and has also been hailed by Absolute Power Pop as his best yet!
COLORadio – Though they draw influences from everything from avant-garde classical music and experimental rock to jazz, indie-rock, neo-psychedelia, folk, electro-pop and even hip-hop, the band manage to seamlessly blend it all while never losing sight of their pop sensibilities, crafting songs that stick in your head and energize your psyche. Check out their recent Bend, Shape EP and their IPO showcase to see and hear for yourself!
Brent Daniel – Purveyor of hook-filled “basement powerpop” reminiscent of The Replacements, The Raspberries, or Big Star, combined with chord changes worthy of the likes of Jason Falkner, Daniel has been a force in the local power pop scene as a member of Talkshow, Circle of Fins, MessMakers, Ready Set Go and Art House Cinema (to name but a few!). The Art House Cinema disc has earned him both new fans worldwide and critical acclaim, and he’s putting the finishing touches on his latest work, tentatively titled LP, which may even be available in time for his IPO showcase, so watch for it!
Dot 22 – A trio of young power-punk-poppers whose music follows in the tradition of Green Day, Yellowcard and Blink 182. Their recent EP, Bottle Rocket Romance, was released with enthusiastic reviews and reception, and they come to IPO eager to share it with new audiences who we’re sure will quickly become fans!
Kenny Howes & The Wow – Mr. Howes comes to IPO armed with his collection of Rickenbackers and six outstanding CDs. His style never fails to combine Matthew Sweet, Beatles, and Beach Boys influences in a new and imaginative way. Tornadoes Here & Past, his latest CD and the first with his current band, The Wow, was well worth the wait for his many delighted fans and critics alike!
The Joe & Joe Show – The “other” band of Joe Scinta of The Soogs (see below) delivers hooky powerpop with just the right touch of quirkiness that will have you dancing and laughing at the same time! Their Faster Than A Married Man EP will appeal to fans of artists from Cheap Trick and The Knack to Zappa and The Talking Heads!
Bruce Joyner & Atomic Clock – Garage rock legend Bruce Joyner’s musical journey has taken him from the plantation streets of south Georgia in the mid-50s to the punk clubs of LA (as the main man of The Unknowns) and Paris in the early 80s, and back again to the Atlanta rock scene of NOW. Bruce Joyner and Atomic Clock’s debut release, The Devil Is Beating His Wife, is quite possibly his best yet! Recorded with Lee Flier (of What The…? – see below) and Tim Pelletier in late 2013, the sound of the record sits in a groove somewhere between “Southern Gothic Athens Rave-Up ’79” and “SoCal Punk Scene ’81”, and distills something basic about the essence of Joyner’s rock soul. More than that, it’s a helluva fun record, and their IPO showcase will be one helluva fun show – so don’t miss it!
Paul Melancon & the New Insecurities – Melancon crafts literate, moody, indie-pop music beautifully brought to life with his band The New Insecurities. “His is the kind of pop that’s not afraid to use more than three chords, and complex ones at that, leaving the listener humming along to a beautiful simple melody… in a category with the most talented of indie-pop singer-songwriters.” (Paste Magazine) His tools are the bittersweet melody, lyrical depth, and sardonic wit found in fellow artists such as Michael Penn, Neil Finn and Elvis Costello. When whipped into a frenzy, he can shake and pop like a drunk Nick Lowe. We can hardly wait for a new CD!
Misery Loves Chachi – Combining Chill-Wave, Motown and African rhythms with post-modern classical chord changes and jazz vocal harmonies comparable to Steely Dan, Misery Loves Chachi’s vocal styles are also reminiscent of Elliot Smith and Sade. Their Long Live The Lazy Choir EP is baroque dream-pop at its finest!
The Notorious TBA – The nom de plume of Kenny Howes & The Wow, which they use when they do their patented set of very cool covers, which is what they’ll be doing at IPO on Saturday night! Which covers? Only they know for sure, but we can be sure that, with a musicologist like Kenny Howes manning the project, it’s not going to be yer garden variety cover band! You need to check this out!
Orange Hat – An exuberantly quirky pop quartet led by Zeus Henderson, and featuring Lee Flier of What The…? (see below). They seamlessly blend influences from Zappa to Brian Wilson to The Beatles to The B-52s and elements of funk and ska into a heady psychedelic concoction of sound and sight (they’re known for their colorful stage shows) that is absolutely infectious!
Pelicans and Their Allies – Authenticity fused with a nerdy playfulness is the backbone of Pelicans and Their Allies’ music. The duo of Robert Higgs and Dayana Yochim produce smart, quirky indie pop that crosses varied terrains, from pretty and subtly melancholic to full of big drums and pop hooks. To continue expanding their sound, Yochim often combs through thrift stores in search of musical oddities. A multitude of instruments – violin, glockenspiel, melodica, various toy organs and keyboards, electric guitars, and percussion – can be heard in each song on their self-titled EP. One of the most charming new bands we’ve heard in quite a while, and we can’t wait to see them live at IPO!
The Raves – Part of the pop music revival spearheaded by punk and new-wave bands in the early ‘80s, The Raves are simply put a great powerpop band. Featuring tight vocals, soaring and jangling guitars, powerful bass lines and a driving beat, they will appeal to fans of classic acts such as The Beatles, Badfinger and The Who. Their Past Perfect Tense and Inside Looking Out LPs have received wide critical acclaim and are considered essential listening for ANY fan of power pop, Brit rock, or just good music. A box set of their music videos entitled As Seen on TV is also available, so check them out now! They were responsible for introducing IPO to Jean Catharell, who helped bring the festival to The Cavern Club in Liverpool, so we’re doubly thrilled to be have them play the festival again in their own home town!
Loyd Rieves – Though he has his roots in Tennessee, this singer/songwriter/producer has made Atlanta his home, founding The Study, a studio space for creatives to write, collaborate and be inspired. His recently released EP, Pre & After, features the sort of super-sticky alt-folk inflected power pop melodies that made artists such as Ryan Adams, Bob Dylan, and Harry Chapin household names! Check it out now!
Scarlett Hill – A Country duo with a foundation of Folk and Americana roots, Scarlett Hill’s music is driven by tight harmonies, twangy guitars and banjos, and experiences of love and life growing up in the Midwest. Their recently released debut full length, Wildfire, will appeal to fans of The Dixie Chicks, Mumford and Sons, Bruce Springsteen, and The Avett Brothers, to name but a few!
The Shut-Ups – A five-piece new wave and power pop band whose music will instantly put a smile on your face and set your toes to tapping! Fans of artists such as They Might Be Giants, Sparks, Randy Newman, Adam Ant, and The Cars will dig their latest album, (which is actually a compilation of their four proper albums) cheekily entitled A Layman’s Guide to The Shut-Ups!
The Soogs – The Soogs have played in and around Atlanta on and off since 1991, and we’re pleased to welcome them back to IPO, where their hooky brand of alterna-pop fits right in! The Soogs’ music has been described as “The Pixies meet The Partridge Family,” but will also appeal to fans of T Rex, Cheap Trick, and The Cars! Come to their IPO showcase, and hear what we mean!
The Sunset District – An indie-rock collective led by John McNicolas, The Sunset District will appeal to fans of Elliott Smith, Superchunk, and all cool purveyors of nerdy indie-pop with intelligent lyrics and catchy melodies. Check them out and hear for yourself!
What The…? – Atlanta-based trio What The…? takes you on a journey that runs the length and breadth of rock ‘n roll, from classic Brit Invasion to roots-rock/rockabilly to finely crafted power pop to practically punk, as can be heard on their latest CD, You Have No Idea. They have also been instrumental in helping to organize IPO in Atlanta in each year that we’ve held it here, for which we are truly grateful!
Artists From Outside of Atlanta/Athens
The Real Hooks – Driven by the clever, uplifting, high energy songs by charismatic lead singer/guitarist Kyle Hooks and family patriarch Nicky Hooks, who is also the five piece band’s bassist, The Real Hooks have been lighting up audiences of multiple generations in their hometown of Pensacola, Florida and beyond. The band also features siblings Raleigh (drums and vocals), Nick (vocals) and Maggie (keyboards and vocals). Their highly anticipated debut EP, Everybody’s Up!, is a six-track set that includes a mix of pop-rockers, fiery, jangling declarations, soulful harmonies and a hilarious, tongue in cheek ode to “Taylor Swift” and her revolving door of romances. Check out the next family band poised to take the pop world by storm!