THE SHADOWBOXERS

Sunday, Sept. 18

1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Cotton Club

If you've already mapped out your Music Midtown schedule and didn't include the formed-in-DeKalb band, The Shadowboxers on it, prepare to make some edits to include them. Here are three quick reasons why:

1. They've got a pretty major DeKalb connectionFounding members Scott Schwartz, Matt Lipkins, and Adam Hoffman met at Emory University in 2008, and soon after became the opening act for fellow Emory alums, the Indigo Girls

2. They are Justin Timberlake's "boys" After the band posted a J.T. cover on YouTube (watch the now-infamous video below) and received glowing social media love from the man himself, the band was propelled forward.

The mutual admiration turned into a bit of a bromance.

3. Though they moved to Nashville, Atlanta will always be their first love In a 2015 interview with Florida music festival Sunfest, Lipkins said this: "Atlanta was like the girlfriend [who] wasn't the one you were going to get married to, but you really loved her and you needed to put in the time to know how to be a good husband eventually. Nashville is probably that time to say, I really need time to work on me."

__

The Shadowboxers will play Sunday from 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the Cotton Club. Tip: If you can't make it to Music Midtown, they're playing a free show in John's Creek Saturday. Sept. 24.

RELATED CONTENT:

Music Midtown: What to wear

About the Author

Keep Reading

Chris Van Beneden, left, who worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 25 years, and Julie Edelson, who worked there for 10, protest in support of the CDC in front of its Atlanta headquarters on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, after layoffs were announced. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)

Credit: AP

Featured

People join a rally in support for U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees on Tuesday afternoon, April 1, 2025, at the Atlanta headquarters after federal cuts triggered significant layoffs. (Photo: Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Jenni Girtman