Hoping to add a spirit of community to Atlanta’s independent music scene, Industrial Strength Promotions has unsealed an all-purpose venue next to the Earl in East Atlanta. The facility official opened its doors with a special Halloween show last year. Inspired by the DIY ethic of SubPop, Merge and Dischord, IPS is at once a recording facility, a promotions house, performance space, storefront and art gallery.
The Industrial Strength Promotions brand originated in Athens in 1997 when Eric Holder, Matt McFerron and Steve Barry began experimenting with ways to promote Holder and McFerron’s combo, Urban Henry. ISP quickly mutated to include other bands and musicians working together to book and promote shows. Working together worked. Eventually Holder and company’s efforts culminated with co-founding the Athens Music Festival and a partnership with Tokyo’s Inter FM. Holder left the “ISP compound” in 2001 to pursue the greener pastures of radio and television PR, not to mention a graduate degree. Unable to shake the parasite that is “the music bug,” Holder is not revisiting the idea of an artists’ collective.