Athfest 2012: Free Tomorrow and Packway Handle Band make it exciting!

Saturday, June 23rd, 2012

Free Tomorrow & Packway Handle Band

I've always loved bands that flat out refuse to be pigeonholed into a single genre.  Free Tomorrow, the next band to take the Hull Street Stage, didn't let anyone tell them how to shape their sound. First they gave us a bit of jazzy rock along the line of Atlanta's the Constellations, but not long after that, they were droppin' some wild hip hop beats and overlaying them with violin melodies.  Then they slipped a couple of covers into their set.  Excellent!

Moments later, it was Packway Handle Band's chance to show their skills.  My friends have been talking up this band for years now, so I was quite excited to get finally catch them in action.  Almost immediately, it became clear these guys also refused to adhere to a genre label.  While they had an overarching folk sound, they brought insanity into the mix with hints of nearly every type of music imaginable. One song about American music involved operatic crooning layered over rap and country folk tunes.  What madness it was!  I could only describe their style as clowning around for the super talented.  I've truly never heard anything like it!  Before the end of their set, they gave us a really nice cover of Take You There, proving that when it comes down to it, they've definitely got incredible music chops.  And then it was over... or so I though.  Without warning, the band stepped offstage and ran into their audience with reckless abandon, playing their instruments while falling into members of the crowd.  After clearing a suitable space, they rocked one final song as the fans gathered in a circle around them.  It was definitely one of the craziest, most exciting experiences I've had in the scene!

  For all of our massive coverage of Athfest 2012, 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, check out our show footage and Athfest vlogs up on the Echoreyn of Athens YouTube channel as well!