A conversation with Other Sound co-organizer Eric Holder

Locals only fest returns for its 6th year and keeps the focus on L5P

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Listen to The Other Sound 2010 comp.

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On Sat., Oct. 2 The Other Sound music festival returns to Little 5 Points for its sixth year of providing a platform for Atlanta’s brightest indie up-and-comers. But this year the festival expands its reach to cover a larger part of L5P proper with shows happening at The Star Bar, Java Lords, The 5 Spot and Criminal Records. Check out the lineup.

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Eric Holder of ISP (marketing and publicity), Justin Sias (booking) and Kathryn (Kat) Colohan of Containment Theory Records (branding) make up the managerial triad at the heart of it all. As Holder explains, it’s a labor of love that keeps him in touch with the local music scene, and literally grounded in the community

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Chad Radford: What motivates you to come back and put on The Other Sound Festival again this year?

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Eric Holder: Personally speaking, I was one of the original organizers of AthFest and the excitement of putting together a festival that isn’t driven by corporate motives really gets in your blood. We have sponsors but they’re on board with us because they like what we have already put into motion. This isn’t a commercial thing, it’s an underground thing and half of the bands that are playing this year might not be around this time next year.

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Also, I’m getting older and The Other Sound keeps my senses alert. I’m not out clubbing every night and I don’t play in a band, so this keeps me involved and it keeps the conversation going; and it’s a fun conversation.

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When you say The Other Sound is not driven by “Corporate motives” you’re essentially talking about not letting the almighty dollar influence who get’s booked, correct?

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Yes, and I have been approached by some bigger potential sponsors who have asked “why don’t you get some bigger bands to play?” But that’s not what this is about.