"...Smoke break number two, and the crowd is growing. Allison Weiss is on next, and my drink choice is complicated by the fact that up until about thirty minutes previously I was convinced I was about to see Alison Krauss. I play it safe with a PBR and head back in to the glorious liltings of Weiss, who is strumming furiously on a guitar that is about twice the size of her. In her scruffy ankle boots and pink rimmed glasses I can imagine she is the poster child for indie kids everywhere. 

Her voice is impeccable and her music makes me want to sit on the floor crosslegged with a boy I like and play records. Her set list makes use of the good old Pixies loud soft loud soft technique, she alternates between acoustic songs and loud satisfying numbers in which she is backed by her band. During her quiet songs, the simple poetry of her lyrics take over the room ("Lying to keep me afloat, trying to keep my eyes closed") and it feels like I will never be able to look away from her face. During the loud ones, there is handclapping and the occasional smatter of synth and people seem to know all the words and I feel smug that I ordered PBR. I think I would quite like to go out for a drink with Allison Weiss. I even bought a T-shirt, it says "ALLISON WEISS IS OK I GUESS" on it and it is twee and retro and friendly and unpretentious and represents everything I liked about her set."

Fran McDonald for AthensExchange.com