Carl Janes' July Threedom for Freedom

By: Stephen Wilkins

Originally published June 30, 2017, by Plasma Magazine 

Carl Janes has been occupying an odd little building in East Atlanta Village,  easily missed if your eyes blink in the wrong rhythm. It sits behind the end of the Flatiron building, hence the name of the bar, where it stands perfectly square and autonomous. The spot holds a hypnotic golden glow, that can’t be missed once noticed. This building is Carl Janes’ artist playground, The Secret Spot.

One fateful night about eight years ago Janes was in the village after a show at The Earl when in his words, “I came around the corner, I found the little building, and there was this intense aura coming from it. It was vacant, and I immediately knew that I had to figure out how to get inside.” Janes eventually did, and he turned it into an art clubhouse for him and his new friends. “The first year I just kind of hid in here and made things, let my mind wander, pretty much what I’m still doing… I was new to town and slowly making friends. When they would hit me up, I would tell them I was at The Secret Spot. And it was born.”

As Janes started to make a name for himself around the city, it began to occur to him that his Secret Spot had much more potential. His artistic playland could be a place to showcase his artistic vision as well as the other artists he had befriended. “I realized I wanted to create a space that inspired in others the same freedom that I was discovering”, he said. It started with small fireside gatherings to celebrate the full moon. “Sitting there one night around a fire I told my new-at-the-time friend Jason Elliott that when I looked at the building, I saw a golden stage.” His now long time friend Elliot didn’t let up on his vision and his band The Spirits were the first band to play atop The Secret Spot.

In the eight years Carl Janes has been occupying The Secret Spot he has made many friends and memories. Somewhere at the top of this list was late one night after a massive production next door, put on by Adidas, he convinced two of his friends to hijack the scissor lifts. “I convinced them we should hijack the scissor lifts, take them up as high as they would go, and drive around The Secret Spot. We did what I dubbed at the time “The World’s Highest High Five”! Oh, the fun and the elation of freedom…”

It is with a heavy heart that this will be the last bonfire at The Secret Spot. So come out and celebrate all the love and freedom Carl Janes has helped provide this July 3rd! July Threedom will have performances by Cousin Dan and Goldyard! Janes and friends have a whole slew of special surprises waiting for attendees so make sure you’re there for this final fire celebration!