Monday, February 3, 2014

Slingshot Festival brings nationally recognized tech, visual art, and music to Athens, GA this March

SLINGSHOT, THE NEW FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, ELECTRONIC ARTS AND TECH IN ATHENS, GA, TAKES OVER DOWNTOWN MARCH 19-22
EVENT SPOTLIGHTS INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL AND LOCAL ACTS ON STAGE, BOUNDARY PUSHING ARTWORK THROUGHOUT THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT, AND LEADING TECH INNOVATORS.  
Music lineup: 
TINARIWEN • KISHI BASHI • Washed Out (DJ Set) • Japan Nite headlined by Peelander Z, with Vampilla, Jungles (from Red Bacteria Vacuum), Zargani$ and Happy • Cloud Recordings Showcase with Circulatory System, The New Sound of Numbers, Moths and Pipes You See Pipes You Don’t • Eternal Summers • Bit Brigade • Lord Fascinator • Space Trucks • Electrophoria • New West Showcase with Wild Moccasins, Ruby the Rabbitfoot, Kalen Nash • New Granada Showcase with SUNBEARS!, Alexander and the Grapes, Tracy Shedd, The Winter Sounds and Atlantic Oceans • Lost Tapes (Spain) • Nive Nielson and the Deerchildren (Greenland) • Baby Baby • powerkompany • Onyx Ashanti • PLS PLS • Hand Sand Hands • WHAT MOON THINGS • Cicada Rhythm • Monsoon • The Electric Nature • Hudson K • Fine Peduncle • Velocirapture • Starlings,TN • The Goons • Mary Ocher (Germany) • Adam Klein and the Wildfires • Programs • The Dream Scene • Scab Queen • New Sounds by Sonic Generator, Butch Rovan, Gocha Tsinadze • Experimental Sounds by a | b, Killick’s Thunder O(h)m!, 19th Brood, Duet for Theremin and Lap steel
More to be announced!

SLINGSHOT is the nexus for local, national and international music, electronic art and tech in Athens, Georgia. The hybrid festival allows the audience to engage with music, art and tech as a continuum across pop, alternative and experimental genres- in a city renowned for its creative culture. The event, now in it’s second year, was started by local musician Kai Riedl (Electrophoria) and composer Eric Marty as a way to internationalize the town, push boundaries in the arts, and re-introduce Athens as a national/international intersection of creativity.
 
This year, West African Tuareg rockers-gone-indie darlings, Tinariwen, will bring their Saharan-style rebel rock to the Georgia Theater to kick off the SLINGSHOT weekend. This opening show is the only event on 3/19. Keeping it international and inventive, lauded pop experimentalist Kishi Bashi will bring his singular brand of electronically-infused music to the event, and there will be a rare DJ set by Washed Out. SLINGSHOT will also feature “Japan Night,” five of Japan’s freshest acts (including headliner Peelander Z). More headliners will be announced soon. On the local and national front, Elephant 6 supergroup Circulatory System will bring their particular brand of psychedelic wonder. Label showcases by New West, Cloud Recordings (with many Elephant 6 bands) and New Granada will decorate the clubs of Athens. Dozens more national and international acts from as far off as Spain, Japan and Greenland will share the stage with Athens’ most inventive pop, electronic and experimental acts. These include: Eternal Summers, Space Trucks (psychedelic Afro-Beat project of Brian Poole of Of Montreal/Elf Power), Electrophoria (the new project by Kai Riedl of Macha), Lost Tapes (Spain) and over 30 more. There is no doubt that this is a rare opportunity to get a super-dose of amazing music from Athens and beyond, and dance your way into the late hours with surprise DJ after parties. All music other than Tinariwen is on 3/21 and 3/22.
 
This year’s SLINGSHOT adds a rare treat with Comedy Night. The headliner is none other than Doug Benson, known for multiple Comedy Central stand-up specials, celebrity filled "Doug Loves Movies" podcasts along with his West coast, high-minded brand of slacker comedy.
 
Slingshot features some of the electronic art community's most respected established artists alongside the best emerging creators from around the world. It’s a Smart Art Party spread across downtown Athens, with video projection, sound art, interactive installations, performances, happenings, and locative media experiences—exploring everything from glitch and gaming to big data and big fun. This year features artworks by Tristan Perich along with performances of his 1-bit music by Sonic Generator. Quayola will show his breathtaking glitched digital renderings of masterworks, and Kota Ezawa’s animated video reinterpretations of pop culture will be featured in a large show of his work. This is a rare opportunity to experience some of the best new media from around the world in the unusual spaces and urban environment of historic downtown Athens. There will be an opening for Kota Ezawa’s solo show at the Georgia Museum and school of art on 3/20.
 
Leading innovators in technology from around the nation will present at SLINGSHOT. Onyx Ashanti (renowned for his “beat jazz” TED talk) will present and perform this year, and tech experts will host panels on rising topics in technology such as robotics, the future of mass media, tech interfaces, and eco-focused technology.
 
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Tickets
This diverse and robust two-day experience costs just $25, including Tinariwen (for those buying early-bird passes now). After the early-bird special ends, day passes will be available for $20, two-day passes for $35, and single entrance to the non-headlining venues will be $10. Passes also include a 20% discount at many of Athens’ best downtown eateries! Supplies of early bird passes are limited, and can be reserved at www.slingshotathens.com.
 
Other Athens Events that Weekend
This year’s SLINGSHOT is timed with the annual Eco-Focus Film Festival, a curated collection of the best eco-minded films out there that champion the environment through film. Tickets at ecofocusfilmfest.org.

SLINGSHOT 2014 is sponsored by Dos XX, MailChimp, Urban Outfitters, and a variety of partners at The University of Georgia.

For more information about SLINGSHOT, please visit www.slingshotathens.com.

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