Athfest Saturday is chock full of goodness. In fact, there is almost too much here to handle, so we’ll just hit some highlights and say that you should just walk around and check out whatever, whenever, because odds are it’s going to be pretty good. This is one of the better Athfest days in recent memory. I’m just throwing out a few here.

2:00 PM
Dancer Vs. Politician — Main Stage
Free!
Sanni Baumgaertner’s group plays delicate, Nico-esque continental pop that might be an odd fit for the outdoor main stage, but perhaps the organizers were keeping everyone’s hangovers in mind. No matter, it’s always a treat to see DVSP, even if the setting is less than intimate.

3:50 PM
Liz Durrett — Side Stage
Free!
Liz’s band has band has grown tighter and more dynamic over the years, particularly with the addition of Jim Willingham of Ham1, Jeremy Wheatley and Ken Henslee. This, combined with her burgeoning confidence onstage, has made her one of Athens’ stealthiest performers. Of course, her serpentine voice is always a highlight… she’s just surrounded herself with better accoutrements. Her set last night at Nuci’s Space was one of the best I saw.

9:00 PM
Allison Weiss — Go! Bar
Free with Athfest wristband
Allison is Athens’ most relentless self-promoter, and I mean that in the best way possible. She knows her way around the internet, your Twitters and Tumblrs, and she recently raised over $4000 for a new EP (turned LP) in 24 hours. What gets obscured in discussions of her marketing acumen is the fact that she keeps getting better as a songwriting, crafting fun, no-nonsense indie pop with a sunny disposition that obscures slightly darker lyrical content. Stick around for Madeline, too.

11:15 PM
Pegasuses-XL — 40 Watt
Free with Athfest wristband
As with most of the shows, the whole lineup is great. I contend that Cinemechanica might very well be one of the top 10 live bands in America, and A. Armada and new Hello Sir-band offshoot ‘Powers are exceptional as well. But something about Pegasuses-XL just calls to me. Their affable, accidental pop music sounds like Fugazi rapping over keyboards with a sense of humor. I heard some new stuff at the last show, and it recalled Motown. Much like Wales’ Super Furry Animals (though not necessarily similar-sounding), they are willing to tackle any genre with a healthy skepticism of formula.

1:15 AM
The Buddy System — Cine
Free with Athfest wristband
The entire Kindercore night, featuring an Agenda reunion, the awesome Matt Kurz One, Grape Soda, and Virginia’s The Young Sinclairs, will be a blast. But this may very well be one of the last shows the Buddy System plays, as the Athens rumor mill is grinding up plenty of grist as to this “video band”’s stability. That’s a shame, as Craig Sheldon and Lauren Gregg’s videos continue to astound, and the band does a remarkable job playing twinkly indie pop along with them. If you’ve never seen the Buddy System before, you should tonight; their visual and aural prowess is rather astonishing when first encountered.