By Emily DiAlbert, Editorial Director 

Whether you’re a student, a resident or a temporary guest, there’s always a concert or musical event to attend in Athens.  

Who: Local Honeys with Darrin Hacquard
When: Friday, March 6 at 9 p.m.
Where: The Union Bar

Bluegrass duo The Local Honeys “have dedicated themselves to the preservation of old music and the creation of new music,” according to the event page. The duo released their debut album, Little Girls Actin’ Like Men, in 2017 and put out their sophomore album, The Gospel, last year. Friday’s event will also feature songwriter Darrin Hacquard and Biester & Friends. Entry costs $6, plus a $2 cover if you’re under 21. Find more information here.

Who: The Funk Factory’s Athens Debut
When: Friday, March 6 at 10 p.m.
Where: Casa Nueva

Toledo, Ohio, jam-funk band The Funk Factory will play Friday at Casa Nueva alongside Athens locals Acrylic Grooves, a psychedelic Appalachian rock ’n’ roll band. Entry costs $5. Find more information here.

Who: The Randys
When: Saturday, March 7 at 6 p.m.
Where: Casa Nueva

The Columbus group The Randys combine “an eclectic mix of ’50s and ’60s-style rock, pop, country and blue-eyed soul; all performed with style, grace, and dead-on two and three-part harmonies,” according to the event page. Entry is free. Find more information here.

Who: Bruce Dalzell & Matt Moore
When: Saturday, March 7 at 8 p.m.
Where: Donkey Coffee

Folk singer-songwriter and Athens resident Bruce Dalzell will be joined by Matt Moore, a singer-songwriter and former Athens resident who writes “songs for campfires and bus stops, fields and factories, porches, the projects, and penthouses too,” according to his Facebook bio. Find more information here.

Who: DJ Barticus Y2k Millennium Dance Party
When: Saturday, March 7 at 9 p.m.
Where: The Union Bar

Everyone’s favorite jumpsuit-wearing local, DJ Barticus “invites you to party at The Union like it’s 1999 or 2005.” He’ll play a variety of rap, dance and pop music. Entry costs $3, plus a $2 cover if you’re under 21. Find more information here.

Who: The Wingnuts
When: Friday, March 13 at 8 p.m.
Where: The Union Bar

The Wingnuts boast “a diverse American/Roots repertoire” and have been together since 1986, although they’ve been a part of the Athens music scene since the ‘60s, according to the event page. The band “interprets material … in a way that moves the audience from their seats to the dance floor.” Find more information here.

Who: Blank Space, Baby: A Taylor Swift Tribute
When: Saturday, March 14 at 10 p.m.
Where: Casa Nueva

This edgy take on a Taylor Swift Tribute is made up of members of Appalachian Death Ride, Three Speed Rusty, Rattletrap, Corbin Marsh Band, Dead Hand of Man, The Porters, Rubberband Racecar Go! And The Atkins Riot. The Dirty Curty Band is also a special guest. Find more information here. 

Who: The Infinite Improbability Drive with Tomorrow Daily and Boy Jorts
When: Saturday, March 14 at 10 p.m.
Where: The Union Bar

ACRN Battle of the Bands alumni The Infinite Improbability Drive (The IID) will host an EP release show featuring Athens groups Tomorrow Daily and Boy Jorts. The IID is a progressive-grunge band that’s been together since 2018. Find more information here.

Who: Lucky Chops
When: Tuesday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Baker University Center

Lucky Chops “has been unleashing high-energy brassy funk” since 2006. The group has had hundreds of millions of views on their videos and have performed in more than 25 countries. Tickets are general admission and cost $10. Find more information here.

Who: Velvet Green with Pablo Santo
When: Friday, March 20 at 9 p.m.
Where: The Union Bar

Another ACRN Battle of the Bands alumni, “junk funk/bubby blues” band Velvet Green will play alongside Pablo Santo. Find more information here.

Who: ’80s night with DJ Barticus
When: Friday, March 20 at 10 p.m.
Where: Casa Nueva

DJ Barticus will host an ’80s dance party at Casa Nueva. Find more information here.

Who: MC Freeman, Princess Whatever, Sneakthief, The IID
When: Saturday, March 21 at 8 p.m.
Where: Donkey Coffee

Two Columbus groups, MC Freeman and Princess Whatever, will join Athens staples Sneakthief and The IID for a set on the Donkey Coffee stage. MC Freeman is a rapper, and his latest album hot singles in yr area, volume two was released in October. Princess Whatever released his sophomore indie rock album, Black Hole Emoji, in June 2019. ACRN Emo Prom alumni Sneakthief are an acoustic punk rock band local to Athens. The group released their debut EP, Sneakthief EP, last April.

Who: Hellnaw and the Dysfunktional Family
When: Saturday, March 21 at 9 p.m.
Where: Casa Nueva

Athens-based Hellnaw “is a two-man rhythm section (bass and drums) that sounds like Les Claypool and John Bonham throwing a temper tantrum in unison,” according to the group’s Facebook bio. Dysfunktional Family is a two-piece hip-hop group and have released five official studio records since getting their start in 2000. Find more information here.

Who: Waves––A Night of EDM
When: Saturday March 21 at 9 p.m.
Where: The Union Bar

Local DJ Hex will host the ninth rendition of Waves, an all-night EDM show. “This one is gonna be insane,” according to the event page. Find more information here.

Who: FINNEAS
When: Thursday, March 26 at 7 p.m.
Where: Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium

Finneas O’Connell is a Grammy award-winning songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and artist who will headline the Ohio University Music Industry Summit. FINNEAS released his debut EP Blood Harmony in October 2019 and is responsible for several hits that his sister, Billie Eilish, performs, including “when the party’s over.” Tickets cost $45 for the first 10 rows, and the remaining seats cost $25. Find more information here.

Who: Unmonumental, Smug Brothers, The IID, Unchipped
When: Friday, March 27 at 9 p.m.
Where: The Union Bar

This four-band event will be hosting two Columbus groups, Smug Brothers and Unchipped, in addition to two Athens groups, The IID and Unmonumental. The midwestern indie-rock group Smug Brothers recently released their latest album Serve a Thirsty Moon, which is available to stream on bandcamp. Unchipped is a rock group that formed in 2018. Unmonumental is a rock and roll band “made up of four veterans of the Athens music scene.” Their songs “range from slow and building psychedelia to heavier post-rock inspired instrumentals.” Find more information here.

Who: Brent Lowry
When: Saturday, March 28 at 10 p.m.
Where: The Smiling Skull Saloon

Country singer-songwriter Brent Lowry hails from Pemberville, Ohio. Lowry describes himself as a storyteller and is “on a mission to bring back REAL country with his storytelling and meaning,” according to his Facebook bio. So far in his career he’s released two EPs, The Drifter and Pemberville Road, the latter of which is available to stream on his Spotify. Saturday’s event will be a live acoustic show. Find more information here.