Pinky Doodle Poodle

The 2019 Flagpole Athens Music Awards show kicked off AthFest at the Morton Theatre on Thursday, where local musicians took home awards in 20 categories based on a reader vote.

The night's big winner was folk-rock group Family and Friends, which took home both the Album and Artist of the Year awards. Athens-via-Tokyo punk band Pinky Doodle Poodle played an instantly legendary opening set that drew a standing ovation, and the night's other performers followed suit, with Annie Leeth lulling the audience into a dreamy trance, Kxng Blanco putting on a fiery halftime show and Yip Deceiver bringing the electrofunk grooves to close out the night.

Check out photos from the show and pre-show reception courtesy of Flagpole photographer Whitley Carpenter, with more to come, and find the full list of this year's winners below. 

Thanks to all, especially our performers, presenters, hosts, rescue dogs and trainers, and crowd, who helped us make the 20th annual music awards show one of the best yet!

More photos from the show, courtesy of Flagpole's Savannah Cole:

Here are this year's winners:

Jazz: Whitehall Jazz Collective 
World: Athens Middle East Orchestra
Rock: T. Hardy Morris
Pop: Calico Vision
Electronic: Yip Deceiver
Jam/Funk: Kenosha Kid
Live DJ: Reindeer Games
Singer-Songwriter: Lydia Brambila
Punk/Hardcore: Shehehe
Metal/Noise Rock: Pinky Doodle Poodle
Hip Hop: Caulfield
R&B/Soul: Stella Groove
Folk/Americana: Cicada Rhythm
Avant-Garde: Annie Leeth
Tribute Band: Bit Brigade
Live Performer: Linqua Franqa
Music Video: Deep State, "Son"
Upstart: Nuclear Tourism
Album of the Year: Family and Friends, Felix Culpa
Artist of the Year: Family and Friends

Watch the show here: