Athfest 2011: Centro-matic & Thomas Hardy and the Outfit rock the storm

Friday, June 24th, 2011

Centro-matic & Thomas Hardy and the Outfit

Soon it was headlining Denton, Texas band Centro-matic's turn to take the main stage. Their upbeat, radio-ready soft rock tunes still maintained a bit of an indie feel that left the crowd grooving to all of the songs that filled their set. Though not from Athens, their love for our town was obvious, and the fans reciprocated, weathering the rain and the retreating thunder in droves to see them in action.

Just a while later, the crowd traipsed through the cool, wet air over to the Hull Street stage to catch Thomas Hardy & the Outfit. I've been a massive fan of Dead Confederate for years, so I'm always intrigued by lead singer Hardy Morris's other projects though I'll admit I have high expectations for them that cannot be easily satisfied. This particular foray into the soft indie folk genre, however, blew me away! Hardy's duets with the female vocalist in the band, accented with a hint of a southern twang, were really just powerfully beautiful. Their melodies had a quality that different markedly from Dead Confederate, yet held their own in a delicious way. I definitely hope to see these guys and girls perform together again!

For all of our massive coverage of Athfest 2011, from preparation guides to articles on some of the best featured bands and shows, click here! More entries on all the bands and madness of the festival will be posted daily, so be sure to check back often. Plus, get ready for show footage and Athfest vlogs coming soon to the Echoreyn of Athens YouTube channel as well!