Amplify Decatur Music Festival

Listen to a recording of the first hour of the show.

Listen to a recording of the second hour of the show.

This week we’re discussing the Amplify Decatur Music Festival–June 18 on the downtown Decatur Square.

Amplify Decatur Music Festival

Amplify Decatur music festival planned for June 18 on the downtown Decatur square

The Milk Carton Kids and Elephant Revival headline outdoor festival;

June 17-19 concert series is Presented by Lenz, co-produced by Eddie’s Attic, and supports Decatur Cooperative Ministry

The nonprofit group Amplify My Community announced today that the 2016 Amplify Decatur concert series will feature a June 18 outdoor music festival with room for 2,500 concert-goers on the downtown Decatur square, in addition to a three-night stand at Eddie’s Attic, June 17-19. All funds raised will be directed to Decatur Cooperative Ministry (DCM) to support its efforts to prevent and alleviate homelessness in Decatur and DeKalb County. The concert series is Presented by Lenz and produced in partnership with Eddie’s Attic.

Tickets are available at AmplifyDecatur.org.

The Grammy-nominated and highly acclaimed duo The Milk Carton Kids will co-headline the outdoor festival along with bluegrass upstarts Elephant Revival. NPR called The Milk Carton Kids, “Gillian Welch and David Rawlings-meet-Simon & Garfunkel with a splash of The Everly Brothers.” The New York Times said, “If Elephant Revival doesn’t make you smile, there’s something wrong with you.” They are supported by the soulful duo Penny & Sparrow. Decatur favorite Eliot Bronson also joins the bill; Paste Magazine called his most recent album “An Americana Gem.”

Since 2011, Amplify has raised and donated more than $80,000 to DCM, including $28,500 from its 2015 concert series. “Amplify exists to support and to shine a spotlight on the remarkable work of local heroes like the people at DCM,” Executive Director of Amplify My Community Spencer Smith said. “But our secondary goal is to give Decatur the music festival it deserves. We want this inaugural event to become a mainstay that adds to the fabric of the community, much like the book, arts and beer festivals have for years.”

The June 18 festival features both a free and a ticketed component. From noon to 3 p.m. the festival will showcase emerging and local bands and will be free to the public. From 5 to 11 p.m. the event will be ticketed, with admission restricted to ticket holders. Tickets cost $30 and are available via AmplifyDecatur.org. Premium seating is available for $45; VIP tickets are $100 and include preferred seating, complimentary beverages, and other benefits.

The festival will include food trucks, craft beer, and more. Re-entry will be permitted, allowing attendees to access Decatur’s award-winning bar and restaurant scene.

Amplify Decatur will also feature a three-night stand at historic Eddie’s Attic from June 17-19. Participating bands include The Roosevelts, Delta Moon, Dwayne Shivers with Anthony Aparo, and Abbie Gardner and Jesse Terry. Sunday, June 19, will include “Let’s Go Crazy,” a Prince cover night featuring 10 local and regional acts. Full information is available at EddiesAttic.com.

2016 is the 25th anniversary of the opening of Eddie’s Attic, which has helped launch the careers of The Indigo Girls, John Mayer, Shawn Mullins and dozens more. The Attic was founded by Eddie Owen and most recently owned by Alex Cooley, until his death in January.

“Amplify Decatur, and all things music-related in this town, stands on the shoulders of Eddie’s Attic, and the people who made it,” Smith said. “We are excited to partner with The Attic to produce this festival and will honor its role in building the Decatur music scene over the last 25 years.”

Lenz, the Presenting Sponsor, is a founding partner of Amplify Decatur. “A central part of Lenz’s mission is to aid and strengthen our local community,” said Richard Lenz, the president and CEO of Lenz who chairs Amplify Decatur’s advisory board. “I know of no better way to do that than to support Amplify and Decatur Cooperative Ministry.”

Amplify My Community is grateful for the support of the City of Decatur, Downtown Development Authority and the Decatur Business Association (DBA). The DBA’s Beach Party event returns Friday, June 17, the night before the Amplify Decatur outdoor festival.