Native Athens musicians that play uptown aren’t just local fixtures, they’re part of the weekly routine, and established themselves as veterans in the area.
Three uptown bars provide weekly entertainment to devoted patrons that come out on some of the slowest nights of the week.
Thom Hirbe, upright bassist of Rattletrap String Band, performed on Mondays from 9 p.m. to midnight at Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St., for 10 years. He said the band plays old-time Appalachian string music with an influence of various Irish and English styles biweekly.
“Every time we play a tune, it’s different,” Hirbe said. “Three-quarters of the time it’s something we know, and one quarter of the time, it’s something we don’t.”
However, Hirbe said this routine sometimes becomes tedious.
“We did it every Monday for 10 years, and it got to the point where we couldn’t do it every Monday anymore.”
Athens band Coolville Hot Club stepped in to fill the newly open Monday nights at Casa.
Mark Burhans, the band’s violin player and owner of Salaam, 21 W. Washington St., said Jeffrey Carr, the band’s guitarist, suggested they fill the open slot.
“It’s mostly just for fun, it’s all acoustic,” Burhans said.
Coolville Hot Club’s music is high-energy and draws inspiration from Quintette du Hot Club de France, a jazz group founded in Paris.
“We incorporate our own style in there, but it’s all (really) rhythmic,” Carr said. “It’s not all quiet, floating music.”
Burhans’ wife, Hilarie, also fronts the band Old Timey Jam with Hilarie, Mark and Friends, which plays the third Sunday of every month 8 p.m. at Casa.
Hilarie said they perform to inform patrons more of old-time music and Coolville Hot Club’s gypsy jazz style.
Other bars such as Tony’s, 7 W. State St., and Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery, 24 W. Union St., also host weekly events to draw customers on “quieter” nights.
“Live music helps bring in more people, Athens is really good for the music scene,” said Erin Christian, bartender at Jackie O’s.
Hirbe said most people don’t actively listen to the music — it simply provides an atmosphere.
“I think the demographic we play to is people who don’t want to be bombarded by the music, it’s more in the background,” Hirbe said.
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