Live Review: Pylon Reenactment Society, Uncle Green, Helionaut, Swimming Pool Q’s, All The Saints, and Kevin Dunn’s Unresponsive in Malibu at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, 7/19/26

Fifty years ago this month Danny Beard and the late Harry DeMille opened the doors to Wax’n’Facts, a mainstay in the vibrant Little 5 Points district of Atlanta. Since then, the record store has drawn music lovers from every corner of Georgia, around the Southeast, and beyond.

To honor the place it has become, several local artists gathered at the Variety Playhouse (just around the corner from Wax’n’Facts) for a night of music and excitement. It was an early start at 6:30 on this Sunday evening with Kevin Dunn‘s Unresponsive in Malibu opening the show. The blues/country/art rock/punk legend, known for his time in Athens and producing early works by the B-52s and Pylon, is a natural entertainer. His “20,000 Years in Sing Sing” and the Chuck Berry cover “Nadine” were favorites with the fans.

Paul Melançon‘s new project Helionaut wowed the crowd with a power-pop masterclass. Playing selections from solo material, his New Insecurities band, and a new Helionaut tune “Andrew Scheuchzer,” the future is bright for Atlanta music fans. The audience was treated to such gems as “King Sham,” “Hyperventilate,” and the beauty of a closer “The Answer Is Yes.” Keep an eye out and your ears open for new Helionaut music soon!

Anne Richmond Boston, well known for her time with the Swimming Pool Q’s, performed an intimate solo set before that band took the stage. Her latest release, I Should Be Happy, is full of wonderful harmonies and edgy, thoughtful lyrics. It’s the follow-up to her first solo album from the ’90s and the first album on DB Records in decades. Playing songs from her solo career and closing with the Jimi Hendrix classic “The Wind Cries Mary,” Boston proved why she’s one of Atlanta’s most well-known voices from the late ’70s and early ’80s new wave scene. One of the highlights of the set was the fierce guitar playing of Bob Elsey, and man, did he ever summon Jimi that night.

The smooth transition to Swimming Pool Q’s brought the whole band onstage beginning with “The Earth Makes Us Feel Things,” from the band’s final studio album Royal Academy of Reality in 2003. Popular tunes such as “Now I’m Talking About Now,” “Corruption,” and their first single, “Rat Bait,” were performed drawing enthusiastic singalongs from longtime fans. The closer, “Big Fat Tractor,” from their 1981 debut album The Deep End (DB Records), was a rock ‘n’ roll blast.

From the one-of-these-are-not-like-the-other category, All The Saints delivered crushing sounds at a near-deafening volume. Once described as most likely to cause a sonic boom, the Atlanta trio delivered. Many concertgoers “of a certain age” filled the aisles to the lobby during the set. You know what they say: If it’s too loud, you’re too old. Well, it’s true. But do not be discouraged, as the Saints continue to record and tour with their “metal Radiohead” dynamism and enough energy to power a large city.

Earlier in the evening, an announcement was made that Uncle Green frontman Matt Brown was stuck in Jersey awaiting a delayed takeoff to Atlanta. The Pylon Reenactment Society generously offered up the headlining spot to ensure all could perform. PRS is not a tribute band – and definitely not a cover band – but a reincarnation of Athens legend Pylon, with Vanessa Briscoe Hay still on lead vocals, and a cast of rotating characters backing her up.

Known as co-originators of the Athens alt-rock sound, Pylon was known for their new wave/post-punk leanings, with a vibe sometimes reminiscent of the B-52s. Their energy was high until around ’83 when it ceased to be fun. Members went their separate ways until the Reenactors emerged in 2014.

Once Brown arrived, Uncle Green took the stage around 11:15 p.m. with the original lineup intact. Their six-song set focused on material from the band’s acclaimed early-1990s catalog, including “I Don’t Wanna Know About It,” and featured an impromptu rendition of “Danny Boy” in tribute to DB Records founder Danny Beard. The performance underscored the band’s enduring appeal and left fans longing for new music.

With original members still intact – Brown on guitar and vocals, Jeff Jensen on guitar and vocals, Bill Decker on bass, and Peter McDade on the drums, the band played like no time had lapsed. After a short-lived name change to 3 lb. Thrill and one release, the band has returned to their original moniker and can be found reuniting now and then if you’re lucky enough to catch them.

It was a tremendous celebration of the Atlanta and Athens rich alternative rock heritage, highlighting the lasting influence of Wax’n’Fact, DB Records, and the regional music community. Now, let’s start planning for the next 50 and visit Wax’n’Facts to buy some records today!

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*Not all setlists are available at this time