RECAP + PHOTOS: AFROPUNK Carnival of Consciousness – Atlanta – 2019 – 10/12/-10/13

AFROPUNK’s Carnival of Consciousness returned to Atlanta at 787 Windsor for the fourth year on October 12th and 13th. With this year’s theme being #AFROPUNKWESEEYOU, Afropunk created a special environment for a festival with a diverse lineup on the first real fall weekend of the year in Atlanta.

What started nearly 20 years ago on a little corner in Brooklyn, Afropunk’s festivals have expanded over the years to London, Paris, Johannesburg, and more. Celebrating black culture with a punk spirit, Afropunk has created a safe place for attendees to experience diverse lineups while encouraging them to love themselves and let their freak flag fly high.

Each year Afropunk continues to grow. This year in Atlanta you saw bigger sponsors like Target, AT&T, Budweiser and more. There were two stages, one outdoors and one in a 787 Windsor warehouse. In another warehouse was the Hair & Beauty Village and Spinthrift Market. There was also the Solution Sessions both days before the music began led by different moderators on subjects like Black Women and Depression, Black Gender Liberation in the Deep South and more.

Most of all though, the Carnival of Consciousness strives to create an inclusive environment where anyone and everyone is welcome. As long as you have an open mind with no hate. It’s a true spirit that every music festival should strive for. Of course that mindset is much bigger than just music festivals, Afropunk is just doing their part to lead the charge for a better global future. As they say “Seeing is believing. Seeing is understanding. Seeing is supporting. “

There is plenty of music festivals where people let their freak flag fly with attendees dressing up in all kinds of unique festival outfits whether it’s an EDM festival, Rock ‘n’ Roll, or Hip Hop. Afropunk has certainly become known for the people, and Atlanta really likes to show out. But one of the unique things seen at Afropunk is all of the different backdrops placed around the festival grounds ready for attendees to have photo sessions. The not so millennial part of me wants to scream “these damn kids and their selfies”, but seeing is believing, and being there to experience it gives you a better understanding of the beautiful thing that Afropunk has created.

The opening statement behind the We See You theme for this year’s festival states “There is power in acknowledgment, a recognition and acceptance that begins with seeing.” They end with “We, the people, see you. We see you.” As you walk into the festival and on each side of the outdoor stage, you see the large words “No Sexism, No Racism, No Ableism, No Homophobia, No Fatphobia, No Transphobia, No Hatefulness”. Afropunk is encouraging all to come out and be who they are. Don’t be afraid or ashamed. Be proud of who you are. Dress out of this world, look fabulous, and most of all, love yourself. They have created a safe environment that not many festivals can truly claim. Those backdrops placed around the festival grounds were just a small part of this unique environment, but an important part nonetheless.

Check out extended photo galleries from Afropunk Atlanta 2019 Day 1 (Saturday, October 12th, 2019) here.

Check out extended photo galleries from Afropunk Atlanta 2019 Day 2 (Sunday, October 13th, 2019) here.

The vibe itself at the festival in Atlanta could best be described as “chill”, in exactly the right way. The people were open and friendly, there just having a good time. You didn’t see people passing out left and right from too much alcohol or drug use that is usually spotted at the typical music festival. There might have been a few heat related incidents inside the warehouse as some people camped out inside waiting for their favorite artists to take the red stage. Despite it being the first real fall temperatures this year in Atlanta coming out of the summer heatwave that extended into October, it did get steamy at times inside the packed warehouse.

Even with the chill vibes, there were plenty of hype moments throughout the weekend that included a rainy Sunday. There were DJ sets between each artist that would keep the vibes going, at times getting full audiences dancing in unison. On Saturday, South African Sho Madjozi got the crowds roaring with her performance inside. There was the soulful R&B from Gallant. There was Leikeli47‘s wild set on the Red Stage that brought audience members onstage to dance. There was Atlanta’s own psychedelic rap duo EARTHGANG with Olu O (aka Johnny Venus) dressed in white feathers bringing the house down. There was FKA TWIGS euphoric closing set, despite the fact that she lost her voice the night before. Her moment occurred by inviting an audience member onstage to sing for her, a moment that young lady will never forget. On Sunday, there was FEVER 333‘s wild set in the rain, which even included a rather large mosh pit. Brittany Howard from the Alabama Shakes put on a powerful performance behind her just released debut solo album. Of course Anderson .Paak put on one heck of a show to close the festival Sunday night.

The music itself included everything from Hip Hop, to R&B, to Soul, to Rock ‘n’ Roll, to Punk Rock, Experimental and Pop. There was a little bit of everything for everyone musically, a lineup that had big names and up and comers. Festival goers that may usually only stick to certain genres of music were introduced to new things. While Atlanta may be known as the Hip Hop Capital, there is certainly more talent beyond just the hip hop world locally. Of course Hip Hop was founded by and still closely associated today with African Americans, the truth is that even in just American music history, their place extends way past just the hip hop world. We were reminded multiple times throughout the weekend by the likes of Fever33, Brittany Howard, and others, that African Americans actually started rock ‘n’ roll.

The reality is though, there were plenty of audience members that celebrated the alternative music that Afropunk was built on, but plenty of people that also hadn’t experienced all of these different types of music before. On Sunday Atlanta-based punk rock band Upchuck put on a rousing early performance that included some hardcore moshing from some of the audience. After the set, I was briefly chatting with lead vocalist Kaila Thompson out in the crowd before two new fans interrupted us to gush over Kaila’s powerful set. The two fans stated how they had never been to a punk show before, how they had never seen anything like that. They told Kaila what an impact she had left on them, asking her “how do you channel all of that anger?”

Really that all is just another beautiful thing about Afropunk. The lineup is small. It isn’t a large festival. There are bigger name acts that could still pack good size venues on their own. There are artists with cult like followings. Then the up and coming acts, the local acts, and incorporating even more locals with DJ sets. The assortment of genres makes it even more interesting. All of this, and actually successful, a model many fests could strive for.

Even the artists themselves were appreciative of the platform that Afropunk has provided and the atmosphere it has created, with many sharing their stories during their sets. Some of the artists that performed in Atlanta don’t primarily perform in front of a mostly black audience during many of their shows, despite being black themselves. Sharing the meaning of their blackness, the trials and tribulations they’ve experienced throughout their lives and the different backgrounds they grew up in, was clearly an euphoric experience for many of the artists themselves.

All of that, really all of it, is what made Afropunk’s Carnival of Consciousness such a memorable weekend in Atlanta. You really couldn’t have asked for anything better. No matter your race, sexual preference, acronym, age or whatever, whoever you are, if you have an open mind and want to experience loving others and more importantly loving yourself, go to an Afropunk Festival somewhere around the globe. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year’s Atlanta chapter.

Check out scenes from Afropunk’s 2019 Carnival of Consciousness in Atlanta below. All photos by Mike Gerry: