Author | Michelle King
Don’t let the short-shorts fool you, Baby Baby are taking their party jams very seriously.
Baby Baby, hailing from the musical-mecca of western Georgia, began like many young kids with guitars and aspirations for the big stage. The band came together in 2009 at West Georgia College after frontman Fontez Brooks and drummer Grant Wallace met via MySpace (remember that one?) and decided that the local music scene needed a spark.
After many months of rehearsals and house party shows, they released their debut record Money in 2011. From early on it was no secret that these boys wanted to go far in the music world. The third cut off the record “Kidz” spelled it out pretty clearly, “we’re the kids who told y’all one day we’d be successful… one day we’re gonna make it.”
The self-proclaimed “party rock” band fits that bill rather precisely with their rowdy live shows and attitudes that teeter totter between arrogant and goofy, somehow never crossing into either territory enough to be off-putting. Often rocking fluorescent short-shorts and bare chests for their live shows and writing songs with titles like “I Could Have Taken You to See the Blink 182 Reunion Show but I Spent $20 Taking You Out on a Date Instead and You Didn’t Return My Phone Call so Now I Want My Refund (aka $20)” it seems pretty apparent these guys don’t take themselves too seriously. That said, they are as hardworking of a band as you’ll find. And that alone deserves a degree of respect.
As Wallace explains, “We don’t look serious, but in fact we are serious. We just have a very unusual way of showing it. When we go to shows, we want to have a good time. Most of the time, the majority of the people are not having fun. We are here to help the audience enjoy it and have a better time.” It’s serious work getting the party started.
I don’t know if they saw it coming back in college, but I’d venture to say they’ve one-upped the success they chanted about achieving on “Kidz”. Opening this year for Bad Religion at The Mayan and appearing at festivals such as Chicago’s Riotfest, Brooklyn’s AFROPUNK, and Philly’s Made in America, as well as being named a RedBull Sound Select artist, I’d say Baby Baby are doing pretty well for themselves these days.
But thankfully, the they also keep it pretty humble. While they’re honest about wanting to make it in music – meaning actually make money – they are truly in it for the right reasons. In an interview with The Athens Banner-Herald, Wallace explained, “The only reason we know we are doing it successfully is that people come to shows. As long as kids keep coming out, we’ll keep doing it.”
Keep doing it, they shall. With a slew of winter tour dates including a show opening for Manchester Orchestra slated for later this month (see full schedule below) and a new LP due out early next year, the guys don’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.
Nov. 26th – The Stuffing w/ Manchester Orchestra
Dec. 4th – The Drunken Unicorn w/ The Electric Sons
Dec. 16th – New Mountain Asheville, Asheville NC
Dec. 17th – Strange Matter, Richmond VA
Dec. 18th – DC9 Nightclub, Washington DC
Dec. 19th – MilkBoy Philadelphia, Philly, PA
Dec. 20th – Great Scott, Boston, MA
Dec. 21st – Webster Hall w/ The Front Bottoms and Kevin Devine
Michelle King is a music fiend currently residing in Athens, GA. While her business card will tell you she is executive manager and director of publicity at Noisy Ghost PR, you can also find her blogging at She Turns the Tables, racing for Reality Bikes, and going on adventures with her awesome dog.
Follow Michelle on Spotify for up to the minute musical suggestions!
