A crowd gathered around Demetri Wolfe as he banged out electric riffs Uptown.
On weekend nights, Court Street is filled with the sounds of impromptu performances from local musicians. Acoustic and electric guitars, joined by the occasional bagpipe, add flare to the nightlife in Athens.
Wolfe, a sophomore studying music production, set up camp with his electric guitar and ampere near the Athens County Court House Saturday night.
The primarily self-taught Washington, D.C., native said he has a band back home that he is planning to do some recording with in the near future. But for now, he’s just having fun.
Wolfe likes playing in a small college town for the social aspect of it. It’s easier to be spontaneous in a small town, Wolfe said, because you do not need a permit like you do in a city as big as Washington.
“You meet a lot of interesting people,” Wolfe said. “A lot of interesting stories from what the night brings.”
The night passersby were a captive audience but also an unsuspecting one.
“I like seeing the reaction on people’s faces,” said Wolfe. “You don’t really see too many people out here with an electric guitar.”
Many people walking by stopped and stared in awe at Wolfe. One student in particular appreciated Wolfe’s set for an extended period of time.
“I walked up and I told him to play a Metallica solo that I knew 100 percent, and he hit it spot on,” Kam Patton, a sophomore studying psychology, said.
Patton said Wolfe told him he could play any Metallica song, so he named three of his favorites, and Wolfe hit every note effortlessly.
“This guy … he’s incredible,” said Patton. “I’ve never seen somebody hit notes like he does.”
Noah Blain, another street performer, said he has been playing on the sidewalks of Court Street on weekend nights for the past three weeks.
Blain, a sophomore studying electrical engineering, enjoys playing classic rock and folk music for fun and to destress from studying. His father played, too, and Blain said he picked up the craft about six years ago.
Playing weekend nights is ideal because all the students are out and about. Students are an easy audience, according to Blain.
“It’s really easy to impress drunk people,” Blain said.
