Tag Archive for: concert review

HIGHBALL ATLANTA

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 11/27/23

On a beautiful autumn weekend in October, Atlanta music lovers descended on the Pullman Yards to be mesmerized and moved by the Futurebirds carefully curated line-up at the first annual Highball Atlanta! Featuring headliners like indie rock gods Band of Horses, indie folk sensations The Head and the Heart, and of course two nights of psychedelic country rockers Futurebirds this was one high energy rock fest!  On top of that, they boasted a local food truck park featuring Grindhouse Burgers and a large “High, There” activation from our friends The Georgia Hemp Co with CBD seltzers to try! Plus, opt for VIP for access to lounge area, separate restrooms, and bar!  


On Saturday, we arrived to get our passes and roamed the grounds, but we so glad to catch a new, American rock band, Wednesday. Out of Asheville and formed in 2017 by lead singer Karly Hartzman, they incorporate great reverb guitars, strong lyrics, all with that rock edge. The last song brought me chills as it was reminiscent of Deftones. Next up was Futurebirds, a band out of Athens, GA that formed at the University of Georgia between King, Womack, Johnson, and Miles. They are a high energy indie rock, psychedelic country mashup band with their first album, Hampton’s Lullaby, in 2010.  

Of the headliners, Friday was Band of Horses. This is a band that John and I listened to a lot when we first got together and when we first bought our home, so they are special to us! Lead by Ben Bridwell, they had a unique sound that no one was really tapping into at the time, an indie, alternative rock for sure but with long, soft, mellow, mesmerizing interludes that followed by classic rock guitar or piano!  We have their first album that came out in 2006, Everything All The Time and fell in love with “The Funeral” and “Is there a Ghost.” The second headliner was The Head and the Heart that performed on Sunday. ️ Lead by singer Josiah Johnson, they’re a lovely, energetic, indie folk band! Out of Seattle, they boast albums like their It’s, the Head and the Heart and most current is Every Shade of Blue. The singer jumped into the pit and engaged the crowd!   

The night before the big two-day festival, Highball threw a pre-party at the Loft in the Center Stage complex with the Jerry Garcia Cover Band out of Athens, GA.  Starting with a VIP band meet and greet and special lounge area, we got to hang out with the band for a while. The music started and the band covered famous Garcia tunes for eager fans. It was a fun night of psychedelic rock. 

We can’t wait to see what next year holds. 

Lost Art Music Festival, Foxhall Resort 2022

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 6/27/22

Turning into Fox Hall Resort, carefully manicured, lush, green grass spreads out before you as the brown picked fence rolls by the car window. The sweeping Fox Hall Resort was the beautiful backdrop for this year’s Lost Art Music Festival. The festival sits on one of the many green spaces, just steps from the VIP cabin, and just down the road from the main club house with amenities like a bar, restaurant, and infinity pool that looks like it is falling into the lake behind it. Back down the road, Lost Art Music Festival’s sounds fill the air with warmth, Americana, folk, big band, rock, 90s sound, country, and everything in between. Grab a shady spot, comfy chair, and stay awhile.

The first thing we got into was The Lone Bellow BBQ and Wild Heaven Beer Pairing Inner Circle Artist Experience. This is what makes Lost Art Music Festival truly special are the up-close and personal experiences you can get with your favorite bands and brands. This one paired three Wild Heaven Beers with BBQ from Chef Mike Lasage (of Drunk & Lucky Social Club). The pairings were Euro-Style Pilsner paired with the Fresh, Herb Salad, Garden Beer Season 9 Saison paired with charred corn, and Kersenrood Barrel-aged Flanders Red Ale with Ki Ten Dang Thai Style BBQ’D Chicken Drums. They were all great, the Pilsner is dry and goes with the lemongrass in the salad, the charred corn’s earthiness goes with the mellow Saison, while the vinegary, tart Kersenrood paired with the spicy, savory of the sauce on the chicken. The chicken itself was tender, juicy, and perfectly cooked, phenomenal! The Kersenrood is a new beer by Wild Heaven not yet available in the tap room, so that was a treat. Even though it said “red ale” it drank more like a funky sour with tons of balsamic vinegar on the back of the throat. Worth mentioning is the best quote from the pairing, “Saison is the duct tape of the beer world,” Mike Lasage.

Then, The Lone Bellow came in casually and played a few songs like Georgia Wheel. They are a band out of Nashville with roots from Georgia, Zach Williams is from Acworth, Brian Elmquist is from Sanderson, GA and Kanene Pipkin is from Virginia. Their sound is truly Americana with hints of country and rock, but this was an acoustic set with heart. At the end, they stuck around to chat with experience goers, take pictures, and answer questions. They are some of the nicest, down-to-earth people!

Lost Art Music Festival also has a stellar VIP experience! We beat the heat with an air-conditioned cabin full of tables to relax and came with three drinks to enjoy during the festival. They also had indoor, air-conditioned bathrooms which were much needed on the hot day. Outside, they had a beautiful, covered porch with rocking chairs, great for sitting in the shade and listening to the music below. On the side, the cabin had a large stone deck with tables and a fireplace. Plus, down near the stage, they had a covered VIP area that was slightly raised and gave us a great view over the crowd.

We also enjoyed several acts on the main stage like Rayland Baxter, Southern Avenue, and of course our new friends, The Lone Bellow. First up was Southern Avenue, they were a large band with everything from an amazing guitar and drummer to fun singer! They were a mix of funk, jazz, rock, and all came together with all types of instruments to create a big band sound. We must give a shout out to the amazing drummer who impressed us with her skill!

Next up was The Lone Bellow. We witness their acoustic set in the artist experience but with the entire band that includes drums and plug-in acoustic guitar, they were a mix of country, rock, with lots of drum and guitar to round out the songs. All three main members of the band take turns singing and write their own music. Each of them had their own specific style and personality, which made it fun to watch. There’s something for everyone to like about them.

Finally, was Rayland Baxter. Dressed in a plain white t-shirt, he started out country, switched to rock, and back and forth. Something that we really liked about Rayland Baxter and his band was the 90s grungy reverb on some of the songs. We’re big early 90’s rock fans and enjoyed every minute of it.

As the sun went behind the trees, the stage fell into the shadow. The lights coming from the stage could be seen brighter and swirled around the ground on the people standing up front. A coolness came over the green. That’s it for this year’s Lost Art. See you next year!