The Athens Human Rights Festival primarily features local musicians by invitiation. All performers volunteer their services. Thank you!

2008 AHRF Bands

Art Rosenbaum | Breathlanes | The Divas | Dubconscious | Fleeta Mitchell | Gabriela Mejias |
Goodbye Donovan | Incatepec | Jackpot City | Kite to the Moon | Paul Lombard | The Michael Guthrie Band |
Music Hates You | Squallz | Squat/Grogus | The Suex Effect | Sursie |
Tommy Jordan and String Theory | Vic Chesnutt

Art Rosenbaum is a painter, muralist, and illustrator, as well as a collector and performer of traditional American folk music. His folk music field work in the South and Midwest has resulted in over 14 documentary recordings, several of which are on Smithsonian-Folkways. A performer on a variety of folk instruments, he has appeared at numerous folk festivals both solo and with groups like the present-day Skillet Lickers, has cut three banjo/vocal LPs and CD's, and has written and illustrated two instruction books on traditional banjo styles.

Featuring atmospheric modal improvisation, Breathlanes trades heavily on the conversational interaction between John Miley (guitar), Jamie DeRevere (drums), Darrin Cook (bass), and special guest Walt Austin (piano).

The Divas are back for one more year. Bringing with them yet another great show and one helluva good time. There are so many queens and kings in Athens these days, with nowhere to really perform. This year we are sticking with the 'cream of the crop,' the original Divals with a little variety added. This is the 12th year at the Human Rights Festival for 4 of the Divas which are Athens' finest performers.

"Poised to become another name that's dropped when discussions of the world-class Athens, Georgia music scene commence, Dubconscious embraces the role of torchbearer. The band has been testifying to impressed audiences throughout the fertile music cradle of the Southeast for years, and now plays to audiences all over the country."

At age 95, Fleeta Mitchell continues to perform the Gospel tunes that have been her pursuit throughout most of her life. A schoolmate of the legendary Blind Willie McTell at the Macon School for the Blind, she later married Reverend Nathaniel Mitchell, and together they began the performing end of their ministry, that endures to this day.

Gabriela Mejias is a 14-year old student at St. Joseph Catholic School, who has been playing guitar and singing for 9 years. Her musical abilities and styles span from the '60s to the present. She has played at the Human Rights Festival for 5 years, and this will be her second year performing solo.

Goodbye Donovan brings its power pop to the Human Rights Festival for the first time. The band features Emmie Beretta on vocals/guitar/keys, Carter Ross on Lead guitar/back-ups, Wes Kyatt on Bass guitar/back-ups, and Jeremy King Cole on Drums.

Formed in Athens in 2005 by immigrants from Mexico and South America, Incatepec performs a variety of music drawing on traditional Latin American influences.

Jackpot City are three women rockin' the stage with their own version of political activism. Kelly Noonan, Kathy Kirbo, and Mamie Fike Simonds come together once again to play for human rights.

Comprised of friends Timi Conley on guitar, Jay Rogers on bass, Andrew Hanmer on drums, and Robert Caruthers on guitar, Kite to the Moon all sing a lot or a little, too. It's based around Timi's songwriting and in particular the rambunctious side thereof. Lots of personality, plenty of moods, some sarcasm, some humor, lots of The Rock.

Singer-songwriter/guitarist Paul Lombard has been a part of the Athens music scene since 1980. He has performed at the Human Rights Festival over the years as a member of The Little Tigers, The Vultures, and as a solo performer. He performs in a traditional folk vein and plays a mix of American folk and bluegrass music with some old Delta blues and country thrown in.

Michael Guthrie Band are among the last of a dying breed of rock band. Formed in Europe in the 60s--and still alive to tell the story--the MGB has toured all over the world, spearheading underground guitar rock to a legion of fans worldwide.

If you want the story of Music Hates You, sit yourself in a room with a dead rock icon singing on an old radio, litter the room with pictures of Michael Jackson and Brittany Spears, Madonna and Nelly, set up three t.v.'s: one showing footage from Behind-the-Music, another that shows A Hard Days Night, a third showing LiveAid. Think about your favorite song. Take a pencil and a piece of paper and sketch an image of how that song makes you feel. Then make a short list of the five most endearing musical moments you have had in your life. Set this paper on a geographical map of the south-eastern Divided States. Douse the room with kerosene and light a match. Leave the room and go create your own music if you think you can do it better. That's what we did.

From 1983 to 1990, the Squalls were a mainstay of the Human Rights Festival stage. This acoustic version of the band, featuring three of the original members and members of the Jolly Beggars, under the moniker Squallz, will be opening the main program of this year's festival.

Longtime friends of the Human Rights Festival, the folks of Squat/Grogus team up yet again to display evidence of their scorchingly vibrant quest toward the Latin edge of the jazz spectrum.

The Suex Effect (pronounced SWAY) is an explosive psychedelic funk rock power trio that originated from Athens, GA in June 2006. It is composed of Ricky Barrett (Guitar), Jon Daniels (Drums), and Miles Karp (Bass) with all contributing to songwriting and vocals. This is their first appearance at the Human Rights Festival.

Formed in 2000 by musical collaborators Star Scott and Shannon Sausser, Sursie had its inception as a studio project seeking to combine upbeat funk and bass-driven jazz and rock, with melodic drumming and dynamic vocals.

String Theory is a loose confederacy of some of Athens' best acoustic musicians whose membership is subject to change at any moment depending on the gig and availability of players. Generally configured as a traditional, fiddle-and-banjo-driven 5-piece old-time string band, there have been as many as nine acoustic musicians in the group for the festival (a sound guy's nightmare). For the 30th Athens Human Rights Festival, however, String Theory will be the core group: Tommy Jordan on guitar and vocals, back for his 30th consecutive year at the festival, will be joined by Dick Daniels on mandolin, Andrew Heaton on fiddle, Ned Gardiner on clawhammer banjo and Ben Jordan on bass.

Internationally renowned and respected Vic Chesnutt will be gracing the stage once again at this year's festival. First performing in the late '80s with his band the Ladidas, we are proud to be featuring him as our headline act Saturday night.

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Last Updated April 12, 2008.