Classic City Jam finds success with second annual showcase
This past weekend in Athens featured the noise of screaming fans and applause for the several music acts performing under the banner of the Classic City Jam’s second annual showcase.
Clear Mountain Entertainment, the Athens-based company running the event, continued right where they left in their previous year’s debut show with melodic highs and a relaxing atmosphere. The unique venue is nestled into the heart of a transformed portion of Paloma Park’s beer garden, using the landscape’s acoustics and layout to their advantage.
The event hosted seven artists and bands from the Athens area, highlighted by their co-headliners: Heffner and Wim Tapley & The Cannons. Other acts included Red Mile Road, The Echolocations, Cam and his Dam Jam Band, Recess Party and A.D. Blanco.
Folk-popsinger-songwriter Wim Tapley, and his band: The Cannons, put on an energetic show. With the stage presence of a seasoned vet, Tapley displayed his ability to engulf the attention of anybody within shouting distance.
Some of Tapley’s biggest fans from the area, Gracie Zimmerman and Kendall Oesterling, were in attendance. The duo thought Tapley’s performance was “amazing” and said they had been to a large number of his shows in Athens.
“[Hearing] ‘The Woodlands’ was amazing because everyone knows the words, but my favorite song is ‘Tree Song’ or ‘Gut Punch,’” Zimmerman said.
Performing classics from his catalog such as “The Woodlands” and “Gut Punch” were a surefire way to satisfy the crowd, but even that level of intensity was heightened once he performed his newly-released songs “Persona” and “Sober,” including his new single released this past Friday, “Lover.”
Tapley also teased his next EP which will consist of five new songs.
“We’ve been working on these ones and I’m just so excited. My band played on the songs, [and] it’s definitely a more high energy sound,” Tapley said.
The dynamic five person rock ensemble, Heffner, only resumed the show’s success where their other headliner left off. Having released their second album “Perfect Heaven” only a year ago, it seems that the up-and-comers know how to dominate a stage with Athens’ best.
“I’ve never seen [Heffner] before. It was so good. I’m going to go home and listen to all their other music,” Clara Hankins, a returning Classic City Jam attendee, said.
The group’s five members consist of songwriter and guitarist Taylor Cotton , lead vocalist Reagan Byrd , bassist McKendrick Bearden, drummer Will Hefner and guitarist Lars Hefner . Forming on the precipice of the COVID-19 pandemic, this band’s road to success is one of the brightest stories emanating from the current Athens music scene.
Cotton, who had been acting lead vocalist due to Byrd falling ill, spoke highly of the resurgence of Paloma Park as a venue.
“It's been really cool to see places like The [Georgia] Theater, the 40 Watt, Paloma Park and Flicker bar really thrived since things opened back up,” Cotton said. “I think people are just excited to come out and see some music because we were robbed of it for so long.”
The Echolocations shined bright during their performance as the second act of the day, with their set reminiscent of the 60s surfer rock sound. This up-and-coming five man band released their first EP in 2022, “Going Steady with The Echolocations.”
Regardless of the high temperatures, attendees like Brandon Halter still managed to enjoy the show.
“It’s been really hot, but all the bands have been amazing, the sound has been so great, and everyone is having a great time,” Halter, who was at the front of the crowd, said. “It’s one of my first times seeing Wim play a show, I’ve had his stuff on repeat for the last three weeks so it’s just exciting to finally see him live.”
As the sky’s pinkish-red hue slowly began transitioning to a tranquil, cool night sky, the crew began to break down the stage where so many local acts graced just moments before. The crowd began filtering out around 8 p.m., making their way home with an extra rhythm to their step unfounded at their entry.
