GOOD CITIZENS OF THE MONTH: Although you may have already secured yours, this is a reminder that full weekend passes as well as individual night tickets are on sale for Kindercore’s 30th anniversary celebration May 7–9 at the 40 Watt Club, named Expo 2026. Full passes are $60, which comes out to two bucks a band, you cheapskates. The lineup includes a super-large portion of classic Kindercore acts like Kincaid, I Am The World Trade Center, Japancakes, Joe Christmas, Elf Power and The Agenda as well as relatively newer scene fixtures like The Pink Stones, Black Nerd Ninja, Noise Mountain, and Viv and the Things. And then there’s the Kindercore-adjacent bands like SheHeHe, Maserati, Vincas and Molly’s Lips. Look, the whole lineup is available at 40watt.com, which is also where you make your ticket purchases.
DOWN TO EARTH: The just-about-a-year-old Dipper Grande releases its first album Friday, Apr. 10. The eight-song record is named Sunset Provisions, which is a title I quite like, even though I can’t pinpoint exactly why. It took me a couple of times before I could truly engage the patient delivery of the opening title track, and this goes double for the second song, “A Great Bird Of Prey.” The issue is with me, though, as both are creative modern country/Americana and in the storytelling tradition. In this same spirit, “Mintaka” reaches as high into the sky as it possibly can with its soaring instrumental refrain at its end. There are a couple of slight rockers here, but they could have easily been left off. Mostly, this is a slow record for slow, unbothered listening. The band celebrates its release the same day, at night though, at Dead Beat Club where it will appear with T. Hardy Morris and Julia Barfield. Find this upon its release at dippergrande.bandcamp.com.
GO HANG OUT: The 4th annual Normaltown Music Festival happens at Athentic Brewing Co. Friday and Saturday, Apr. 10–11. It is a benefit for Love.Craft Athens, Nuçi’s Space and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Athens. Friday night features live karaoke with Atticus Roness and his Rock ‘N Roll Band, as well as the Love.Craft Band, Strange Luck and DJ Charlieflower. Saturday runs from 1–11 p.m. and will feature performances by headliner Upchuck as well as an undercard that includes Johnny Falloon, SheHeHe, Frigga Five, Violent Violet, Schmooze, Grey Water, A Stitch In Time, Joy Thief, Victor Charlie, Johann Greco, Normaltown Sound Machine and more. Tickets are available as we speak at athenticbrewing.com.
SLEEPLESS NIGHTS: Dance/electro-pop outfit Nightout will release its newest single on limited platforms Friday, Apr. 10. On this date you can find the project’s song “Kissmark” on both Bandcamp and Nina Protocol. I gotta tell ya, it felt like forever getting through the first minute and a half of this before the main beat dropped. It’s not that the other beats and vocalizations were bad, per se, but once the song starts to really cook, it’s a wonder why they were there in the first place. At any rate, it’s another nice slice of music from an act we don’t hear too much about. Nightout will play at Flicker Theatre and Bar on Saturday, Apr. 11 with Brad Stank (UK) and Schoolgirl Bye Bye (China). Find the new single at ninaprotocol.com/hubs/nightout and nightoutblog.bandcamp.com.
CATCH THE WIND: Only once or twice a year, and some years not at all, am I driven to tears within the first few moments of a new song. Well, Kevn Kinney did exactly that with the first single “Mirror Mirror,” which is also the opening track of Drivin N Cryin’s new album Crushing Flowers. Written about his mother and her battle with Alzheimer’s disease, the song is a loving plea (“I know you’re in there somewhere/Can you make it out?”) expertly delivered. Honestly, the rest of the album is just gravy after this. The full album comes out Friday, Apr. 10, and Drivin N Cryin will play the 40 Watt Club Saturday, Apr. 11 with Laid Back Country Picker. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Grab ‘em at 40watt.com.
FEELS LIKE SUMMER: AthFest Educates has announced its first wave of performers for the 28th annual AthFest Music and Arts Festival taking place June 26–28 with three outdoor stages and over a dozen venues participating in the Club Crawl. Performers this year include Improvement Movement, Cassie Chantel, Blue Stars, Perpetual Groove, Funk You, Stephen Day, David Ryan Harris, Kevn Kinney, Ragga Lox & the Dub Vybrations Band, The Wraps and superstar. AthFest will be slowly rolling out performers on its social media platforms, with the full lineup coming out at the end of the month. In the meantime, you can find more info and buy Club Crawl wristbands at athfest.com. [Sam Lipkin]
Like what you just read? Support Flagpole by making a donation today. Every dollar you give helps fund our ongoing mission to provide Athens with quality, independent journalism.