Photo credit: Dylan York
The most promising things happening on Atlanta’s arts scene happen in smokey basement bars. But this isn’t a story about a lonely artist’s alcohol-inspired pipe dreams—it’s about two very smart local artists who also happen to be savvy businessmen and social entrepreneurs. Leroy Basnight and Sean Fahie started The Influencers, a bi-weekly Thursday night meet-up at Edgewood Speakeasy. Basnight is a New Jersey-born, Atlanta-raised fashion photographer and DJ (DJ L. Knight), and Fahie is a prolific graphic designer and author. Their mission is to unify the city’s artists, their friends and their fans.
Each event features a local artist whose distinguished talents might have flown under the mainstream radar. Artists are invited to host a low-key networking event and given a platform to showcase their work, meet other artists and potential collaborators, and gain a wider recognition for their craft. Past featured artists have included all manner of photographers, painters, musicians, and writers. Their next event will be the one year anniversary party this Thursday, May 1, at 10pm.
CommonCreativ: What was your original vision for The Influencers?
Leroy Basnight: On a basic level, my original vision was to save my night at the Edgewood Speakeasy. I landed a residency there, and my first night went very well, although the next two were busts. I resolved that people need an ulterior motive to attend an event [besides just the music]. For most part, you can go anywhere to dance and drink, so why should people come to my event? After running through some poor ideas, I decided that if I featured someone as a guest, naturally their friends would show up, and then we’d have a party every time! My first decision was to ask Sean for his involvement, because of his social skills, vast network and local celebrity (although, he doesn’t want to admit it, but he’s pretty famous in these streets). So far, everything has worked out much better than I think we would’ve ever anticipated.
Sean Fahie: I guess we saw it as a way to celebrate Atlanta and all of the talent that it has to offer. There is an abundant amount of talent and drive out here, and I feel like the city is finally reaching a point of recognizing what it always had. I know a couple of my friends moved away because they couldn’t get the same attention or money that they would in another city. I think that that is changing, slowly, but the change is more apparent now than it was even three years ago.
Sean Fahie + Leroy Basnight.
Photo credit: Dylan York
CC: You’ve been hosting The Influencers at the Edgewood Speakeasy for almost a year now. How did the first event come about?
SF: Leroy already had a DJ residency at Speakeasy, but he was looking for a way to do something different with the night other than just play music. He approached me about the idea, and at first I was reluctant. I’ve been hosting various events around the city and was at a point where I didn’t want to anymore. But when you hear a good idea and a great opportunity, you gotta jump on it. We formed a list through the connections and friendships we’ve made over the years of people who had been making strides in their specific fields, and we just decided to go with what we had based on that initial list. Our first influencer was Dylan York, a great photographer and good friend. We gave him a call to see if he would be down, and he was cool with it. It’s been growing ever since. Partying in my early years of being in Atlanta helped us a lot with finding people.
LB: The first event featured Dylan York. I can’t exactly remember why we chose Dylan first, but I knew that I saw him everywhere and that everyone knew his work. In addition to saving the night, one of the secondary goals (which is now a primary goal) was to celebrate a brand that may fly under the radar. Everyone knew about Dylan’s photos but not many knew of Dylan, the person. So that’s what the night is about: to shine a light on the people who are really doing things and influencing the city.
Photo credit: Dylan York
CC: What happens on a typical Thursday night?
SF: It’s pretty laid back. We want the influencer to have a night off, per say. It’s more of a gather and mingle. We ask before hand if the influencer would like to talk to the crowd. Some do and some don’t. I usually just introduce the influencer for the evening and make sure they’re taken care of in the form of whiskey and/or their drink of choice. Usually by the middle of the night people are just talking, dancing and having a good time. But we want to make sure that people have a chance to meet the influencer and be in a place where they can link with other like-minded creatives and individuals. No need for a suit or tie, just some dancing shoes and a willingness to meet some Atlanta talents.
LB: A typical Influencer evening is a networking event in the guise of a party. I’ve been the DJ for every event so far, which is great because it allows me to display my breadth musically. We offer the guests a bar tab and a moment on the microphone, as well as projecting their video interview on the wall. We really try to celebrate the guest as well as ensuring that everyone dances and has a good time.
Photo credit: Dylan York
CC: Was there any one moment that really exemplified what you’re trying to do with the Influencers events?
LB: For me, there were three moments where everything has come together. The first being the initial night where people came out in full force for Dylan. It was then that I knew we were on to something major. The second and third were when we featured Paper Frank and, most recently, Creative Loafing. These were probably our three most crowded, Instagrammed and tweeted-about events.
SF: Well, two things. I would have to say that I’m proud of all the Influencers that we’ve had, but the one that really got me amped was Creative Loafing. They represent a lot of what we are trying to do with The Influencers (showcasing Atlanta) and have been a local staple for years. So when they said they were down to do one, I was amped. We got to interview the interviewers. The second thing on my mind is when we got to have a radio show with ablradio.com. I feel like that took our interview process and format to a whole new level, and the new amount of people we could reach with that platform is amazing. It not only helps us but helps the talents that we get to showcase on our show. And I mean, it’s also fun to play radio DJ.
CC: How would you describe the Atlanta arts scene to an out-of-towner?
LB: As a behind-the-scenes arts guy, I can say that Atlanta has a LOT of potential and ambition. I know dozens of people who have moved here just to pursue their artistic endeavors. On the flip side of that coin, the city lacks a sense of industry and business acumen. By that, I specifically mean the lack of exchanging money for artistic efforts. I was on the brink of moving to New York myself, because there is just more economic opportunity there. The talent in Atlanta is clearly world-class, but I feel that we won’t be given the credit we deserve until creatives of all disciplines know that they can come here and make a living. However, we’re moving closer to that point on a daily basis. Once artists and merchants get on the same page financially, Atlanta will be a new mecca for professional artists.
SF: I would describe the Atlanta arts scene as a great place to help hone and master your craft. Once you get your footing, you can meet some of the nicest people willing to help out and collaborate. Every artist out here is trying to make a name for themselves, and it’s competitive, but not in a mean way. It just makes you stay on top of what you have going on in your life. I have to keep my hands in different pots just to keep up with my damn self. Overall, there is a lot of community and a lot of love for the arts here—and the rent is cheaper than most [big] cities.
Photo credit: Dylan York
CC: What’s next for you?
SF: My personal goal is to work on getting sponsorships that make sense for the brand, in hopes that that’ll help us elevate The Influencers to the next level. I personally don’t ever want this to get too cool. I like that it’s just what it is: an appreciation of people and talent. Even more, it’s an appreciation for people who work hard and don’t give up on their goals and dreams. It would be great to take this event to other cities and explore the talents in other places, but at the moment we’re still going to be in Atlanta. We’re approaching our one-year mark, so we’re revamping our list and getting that together for the summer. We have some people already lined up, but I don’t quite wanna give that away. Come out to the next Influencers event and see for yourselves.
LB: In the next year, I think Sean and I both hope to gain some corporate sponsorship. Doing so will allow us to do much more and reach out to more people. I think the concept is viable in any city, and I’d love to partner with creative brands in New York and Los Angeles in order to hold our event in their cities as well.
You can find more information about the Influencers and preview upcoming featured artists on their website or Facebook page. Edgewood Speakeasy. 327 Edgewood Ave. Atlanta, GA 30312.
ablradio
nice…