Navigate the 2014 Halloween Block Party entertainment with this artist guide
Court Street overflows with quirky costumes, wild dancing and ringing music from all parts of Athens. The haunted town celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Athens Halloween Block Party with three stages and music varying from funk to electronic and everything in between.
“I always try to emphasize local bands, bands that local students are familiar with and bands that define Athens,” said Jonathan Holmberg, chairman of the Athens Clean and Safe Halloween Committee. “It’s our chance to show people who come in from out of town the top quality entertainment that we have here.”
The bands aren’t paid to perform, but many would never miss the opportunity to play for the annual event. Aside from the exposure, the bands and DJs witness something special from the crowd.
"You can’t do this anywhere else,” said Brandon “DJ B-Funk” Thompson, who is set to take the stage for his fifth Block Party performance. “It’s that hometown spirit. It’s all Bobcats and some out of towners, but they’re all excited about the OU fervor.”
Honey for the Heart holds a puppet parade at 6 p.m. down Court Street, and at 9 p.m. a costume contest and the shot at cash prizes takes place at the Lokoween Stage.
Bright at Night, another group familiar with Athens, is playing during a prime spot, and is excited to once again witness the energy that comes from the audience during Halloween.
“It’s always great to see a whole crowd of people dressed up,” said Emerson Barrett, frontman for Bright at Night. “In a normal show, people are there having a good time, but when everyone has a costume on including the bands, it makes it that much more connective.”
Dweeb | South Stage 6:30 p.m.
This psychedelic and acid rock group will be the first to take the stage. The band incorporates long, ten-minute jams on low-fi recordings. Dweeb considers itself a “transgenre/genreconfused” band. This will be a big opportunity for the group to get in front of a massive Athens crowd and introduce new listeners to their music.
Backwords | North Stage 7 p.m
The band is a self-described group of old folks who played their first gig in 1985, but they bring youth-like passion to the stage. The group is known for its long sets and music that’ll make everyone want to get up and dance. The band plays old school songs, such as “Get Ready” by The Temptations and “Play that Funky Music” by Wild Cherry.
The band commonly plays around Athens and at the bars and has been referred to as “wailing seniors” and “the bladder-busting band.” Well-known music played by the older generation is quirky yet relevant to anyone standing in the audience, and at times it can be a refreshing change from the wailing bass of the Lokoween DJs.
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SassafraZ | South Stage 7:45 p.m.
This funk, R&B and soul group is full of diverse sounds. Despite being a well-known Athens band, this year is SassafraZ’s first Block Party performance. However, many of the members have performed on the stage with SassafraZ’s previous incarnation of the group, The First Street Heat, and are looking to do a throwback show of sorts.
Sounds from the brass section are common throughout the original songs and will fill the fall air with support from Athens’ long-standing hip-hop group Dysfunktional Family and Emerson B, a member of Bright at Night and a former permanent member of SassafraZ. All these groups have collaborated extensively before, but when placed center stage for Block Party, they’re bound to have a communal energy about them.
Mrs. Helen Highwater | North Stage 8:15 p.m.
Mrs. Helen Highwater is a recently-formed Athens band considered calm rock. With lead vocals, guitar, keyboard, percussion and bass, the five-man band is bringing its new energy to the Halloween festivities with a stylist mixture of folk, funk and rock.
The band name derives from the phrase “We will rock this show, come hell or high water” and eventually developed into Mrs. Helen Highwater. The group members have backgrounds in different genres, such as folk and hip-hop, but as they started rehearsing songs together, they began writing original music.
Now, Mrs. Helen Highwater is working to release a demo album as well as setting up tour dates throughout various parts of Ohio and surrounding states. The group includes Sam Terkel, a member of Uptowne Buddha, on lead guitar.
Holy Spicoli | South Stage 9 p.m.
Another group of Halloween veterans are taking the stage. Holy Spicoli revolves around covering ’80s rock and pop, the genre of music the group grew up listening to. The show is likely to be a high-energy dance party with a wide range of hits many have not had the opportunity to hear live.
Common songs performed by the band include “Come on Eileen” by Dexys Midnight Runners, “You Shook Me All Night Long” by AC/DC and “Jessie’s Girl” by Rick Springfield. The group plays with performance in mind in hopes of giving the audience the full ’80s effect, which typically includes Holy Spicoli dressed in ’80s attire.
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Manitoa | North Stage 9:30 p.m.
“Tribal EarthDance RockTronica” plays organic music combined with electronic dance music. Manitoa strives to have the audience experience its music on a conscious and subconscious level.
Manitoa takes the typical elements of jam rock and transforms it with elements commonly found in electronic music, such as a focus on more of an instrumental than lyrical performance. Its shows frequently include dancers and stunning lights alongside the mind-melding solos.
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Bright at Night | South Stage 10:30 p.m.
After playing at this past year’s Pawpaw festival and Jackie O’s on Thursday night, Bright at Night will light up the stage once again. Two brother duos come together to form one band. This brotherly bond plays a range of music from hip-hop to funk to soul. The groups gets its influences from all styles of music and creates a different take on familiar sounds in order to captivate an audience member.
Emerson Bartlett, lead vocalist and rhythm guitar, took time as a solo artist and explored the music in cities among the East Coast. The experience created a stepping stone for the band and created a more in-depth background. Bright at Night plays mostly original content and recommends sunglasses and plenty of sunscreen.
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DJ B-Funk | North Stage 11 p.m.
Brandon “DJ B-Funk “ Thompson is not only the first DJ to takeover Court Street for Block Party but also the DJ who helped lay the path for more to come. As an Athens native and a long time participator in the festivities, he understands creating sounds to please the crowd.
His music falls into the category of Electronic Dance Music (EDM), but his hour long set includes techno, bass and general house music. Depending on the crowd, DJ B-Funk tailors his taste to make sure there is something for the entirety of the crowd, which can even include slipping in a little hip-hop.
Skashank Redemption | South Stage 12 a.m.
Ska music incorporates the bold horn section of reggae sounds with jazz and blues for an energetic, danceable sound. Skashank Redemption includes guitar, bass and drums as well as trombone and saxophone to recreate the jazz side of the genre.
The fast-paced, high-energy show creates excitement even for those who have little interest in the genre. The group’s influences range from classic orchestral repertoire to heavy metal.
Jones For Revival | North Stage 12:15 a.m.
After a failing generator last year, this jam band is set to play once again. Styles from funk to psychedelic will be present as the four-man band closes the night. Fans can expect folk and jazz elements as well.
Jones For Revival creates a show appropriate for all audience members and takes pride in the energy brought to the stage for a live performance. The group looks to create a meaningful experience the listener can appreciate. Jones For Revival holds its annual music festival in Ohio called Jonesfest.
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