Stop Missing Shows

Free Throw in Atlanta

380 users on tonedeaf are tracking Free Throw

Never miss another Free Throw show near Atlanta.

Free Throw
The Masquerade - Heaven — Atlanta, GA

Free Throw is a pop punk and emo band from New Jersey that built a devoted following on the strength of introspective songwriting and infectious melodies. Their 2016 debut "What's Golden" introduced listeners to singer Mat Kerekes' particular brand of anxious vulnerability, where he'd examine his own neuroses with the kind of specificity that made them feel universal. Songs like "Lavender" and "Strawberry" became the kind of tracks people looped endlessly, catching new details in the production each time. The band kept releasing solid records—"Piecing It Together" and "Jet Black Jetpack"—each time refining their approach without losing the raw emotional core that made people connect in the first place. They're the kind of band that plays smaller venues but inspires genuine devotion from the people who find them.

Their crowds are engaged and vocal, singing along to every word like these songs have been soundtracking their lives. Energy is intense but intimate, the kind of show where people genuinely feel heard. Kerekes connects with the room; it doesn't feel performative.

Known for Lavender, Strawberry, Graphic, Map of the Sun, Gawker

Free Throw has maintained a steady presence in Atlanta's indie rock circuit, building a loyal following through consistent touring and the kind of wry, detail-oriented songwriting that rewards repeat listens. Their February 2025 set at Tabernacle showcased both the band's tighter, punchier material and their willingness to lean into absurdist humor—"Hey Ken, Someone Methodically Mushed the Donuts" landed exactly as intended, a title that shouldn't work but does. They anchored the night with deeper cuts like "An Hour Pissed" and "What Day Is It, October?," songs that reveal themselves slowly, proving this band operates best when given time to breathe. "Randy, I Am the Liquor" closed things out, a fitting choice that captures their particular blend of earnestness and self-deprecation.

Atlanta's indie rock scene thrives on bands that don't take themselves too seriously while maintaining genuine musical chops. Free Throw fits naturally into that ecosystem—they share DNA with the city's tradition of clever, narrative-driven songwriting without the bombast. The local audiences here appreciate bands that can toggle between introspection and deadpan humor, which is exactly Free Throw's wheelhouse. From small venues to mid-sized rooms like Tabernacle, there's always an audience ready for this kind of unpretentious, guitar-driven indie rock.

Stay in Buckhead or Virginia Highland for the neighborhood feel — tree-lined streets, good restaurants, walkable enough to actually enjoy yourself. For dinner, Sotto Sotto does excellent Italian in a no-fuss basement setting, or Rathbun's for steak if you want something more formal. Spend an afternoon at the High Museum of Art, then grab drinks at The Eagle, which has the kind of dark-wood-and-whiskey vibe that actually works. Catch a Braves game at Truist Park if timing lines up. The food scene here is legitimately good without being try-hard about it.

Stop missing shows.

tonedeaf. reads your music library and emails you when artists you actually listen to have shows near Atlanta. No app. No ads. No noise.

Sign Up Free