Written by Nathan Stagliano
Photography by Sydney Grove
As a music loving college student new to Athens it is easy to think of the city’s rich musical history as something of the past. Kindercore EXPO2026 was a reminder that it still lives and breathes among us.
The expo celebrated 30 years of Kindercore Records, an Athens based record label founded by Ryan Lewis and Dan Geller. The event as a reunion for many of Athens’ defining bands of the late ‘90s and early 2000s. 27 bands performed across 3 days, many of which had not played together in decades.
Watching the bands perform it was obvious how much the event meant to the performers. Geller, who is also half of synthpop duo I Am the World Trade Center, lit up the stage as he performed alongside bandmate Amy Dykes. Geller jumped up and down, spinning in circles and shaking a tambourine.
“It’s family,” Geller said. “A dysfunctional family reunion.”
To me, the expo seemed to be more than just a reunion. It was a return to a simpler time, when the artists were young and making music with their friends.
Lewis and Geller said they remember being at a local show when they got the idea to start a record label.
“All of our friends were there, all of our friends were in bands. We were looking around, and it was just like, man, we really should do something, like, this is, there’s something that’s happening here,” Lewis said.
Lewis and Geller had just recorded a single with their band Kincaid, so they made up the name Kindercore Records to go along with it. Around this time they began working on a compilation cassette featuring bands such as The Olivia Tremor Control, Joe Christmas and Elf Power, which sold out within a week. From there they continued to grow, putting out releases from bands based in Athens and beyond, including several international acts.
While the focus of the event was on Kindercore bands, Lewis and Geller made sure to include younger bands such as Viv and The Things, Honeypuppy and Critter Fritter in the lineup. Lewis says he believes introducing young talent to the Kindercore community aligns with what made the label special to begin with.
“To me, the most important thing about Kindercore was sharing music with people, and like, discovering people, discovering music, and then like connecting bands with each other,” Lewis said.
Man Or Astro-Man? headlined Thursday night with a wild set including sci-fi surf rock, spacesuits, giant phone screens and a theremin. To top off the night they brought out R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck in an old-timey TV helmet to play three songs, including R.E.M.’s “White Tornado”. Buck’s bandmates Mike Mills and Bill Berry attended the expo as well.
As Buck left the stage a man next to me said, “Athens is a special place.” I can’t help but agree. There aren’t many places that could foster a musical community such as Kindercore and bring people back 30 years later to celebrate it, including bonafide musical legends. Lewis seems to agree as well.
“I just can’t leave (Athens), you know,” Lewis said. “I moved to New York for a couple years, and I just, like, nowhere else is like it. There’s still magic here.”
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