Athens music fans will have reason to stay busy this weekend as ACRN’s Lobsterfest, headlined by Cleveland punk band Cloud Nothings, will span three venues on three different days, all for free.
The concerts feature Cloud Nothings along with Nashville garage-rock band Turbo Fruits and a variety of other groups that have played past ACRN shows, including The Kyle Sowashes, Vagrant Beat and Fat History Month.
Each day, the concerts will be held in different venues, with Thursday’s show taking place at the Smiling Skull Saloon, 108 W. Union St., Friday’s show at The Union Bar & Grill, 18 W. Union St., and two shows Saturday at Central Venue, 29 E. Carpenter St.
Kory Kasler, a senior in charge of promotions and booking for ACRN, said getting Cloud Nothings to come to Athens was easier than he expected. He just asked.
“I had been speaking with (Cloud Nothings’) agent about some other bands, and I just asked him,” Kasler said. “You just ask and they tell you yes or no.”
Cloud Nothings had a big year last year, with strong critical reviews for their latest album, Attack On Memory, earning an 8.6 out of 10 on Pitchfork, and touring with bands such as the Silversun Pickups.
Once the headliner was in place, Kasler said the rest of the lineup was just a matter of mixing and matching genres and performance styles to make the shows the best they can be.
“I pair bands with their style, but we try to book bands who play ACRN shows,” Kasler said. “(They’re) just bands we come across who we think are awesome.”
Sam Boyer, a junior in charge of public relations for ACRN, said she hopes people will come out in full force to see the product of ACRN’s work.
“It’s our main event,” Boyer said. “It is pretty much what we work for all year, and when we have awesome headliners like this, it gets the rest of campus pumped about music in general.”
A full list of the bands performing at Lobsterfest can be found at www.acrn.com under upcoming events.
ds834910@ohiou.edu
