Atlanta Indie Music Scene: Dinner Time

By Lauren Sabia

Last Updated May 15, 2026

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At a Glance:

• Atlanta band Dinner Time blends rock, jazz, psychedelia and synth-driven sounds into a collaborative indie style.
• Their latest album, “Technicolor,” showcases the group’s experimental songwriting and evolving sound.
• The band credits Atlanta’s genre-blending music scene and strong artist community for shaping its creativity.
• Dinner Time has become a staple at venues like The Earl and The Drunken Unicorn.
• The group is preparing to release its fourth album in 2026.

While the band’s lineup has changed through the years, what unites the members of Dinner Time has stayed the same: a group of friends with a passion for making music and rocking out in their garage. 

Andrew Joyce sings, plays guitar and dabbles on the piano. Ian Buford contributes vocals and strums the guitar with Alejandro Uribe. There’s London Cameron on bass, and the drummer is Gideon Johnston. 

They started out as the quintessential DIY garage band, releasing their first single in 2018 and their debut album in 2019. Lately, the band has taken creative liberties with their sound, incorporating jazz, psychedelic influences and groovy synthesizers on their latest album, “Technicolor.” 

The opening song on the record, “Cuídate,” is their first song with Joyce, Buford and Uribe all singing. It’s layered, fully produced by the band and a true collaborative effort. 

“We all wrote parts of the song, so I feel like it’s a culmination of everything Dinner Time is in one song,” Joyce said. “I’m really proud of that.”

When reflecting on the band’s songwriting process, he explained that they first hone in on one lyric, idea or theme, and spiral out from there. Each song’s meaning could reflect current happenings in their lives or emotions that may be hard to describe. 

Dinner Time’s ability to try out new styles and mix up sound stems from their description of the city’s music scene as a melting pot, where artists get creative with their sound and have fun with genre — melding hip-hop, jazz, rock and everything in between. 

“I’ve seen some really unique artistic voices in my time playing music here, and it’s always inspirational to see someone who is so uniquely themself,” Joyce said. “It gives you permission to be fully who you are and whatever your art is trying to do or say.”

Some of the members started making music in previous bands and now have links to other indie artists across the city. The sense of camaraderie is one element he loves about the local scene as friends form new groups, play in shows together and are always familiar faces in the crowd. 

“There’s a lot of passion and artistry in the scene, and a lot of musicians really come out and support the music scene in general,” Joyce added. “Building those relationships and that network is cool to me, seeing how the web tangles and bands start to form and stuff, it’s cool.”

Their love for the city goes far beyond music, where the opportunity to collaborate with the Braves is one of their favorite memories. Pitcher Spencer Strider does an annual vinyl giveaway featuring his favorite local bands. Dinner Time was chosen in 2024, alongside Lunar Vacation and Trash Panda. 

“We’re all huge Atlanta Braves fans…. so that was just such a cool ‘I can’t believe music brought me here’ kind of experience,’” Joyce noted.   

The band spent 2022 touring all over the United States. Locally, The Earl in East Atlanta is where you’ll often find Dinner Time. They also love performing at The Drunken Unicorn in Old Fourth Ward, a venue near and dear to Joyce’s heart, as his first band played there when he was in college. 

When asked what success looks like to them, he said, “Anytime you have a crowd of people that you’re playing to, they’re singing your songs back to you, that’s a win, whether it’s a 200-cap room or for 1,000 people. I think the best thing we can ask for is just people paying attention, learning the lyrics and participating in that moment with us.”

Keep up with the band on Instagram (@dinnertime.usa) for the latest updates and stream their tracks wherever you get your music.

Lauren Sabia is a writer and digital creator born and raised in Metro Atlanta. She’s passionate about telling the stories of the people who shape the city, amplifying community voices, and striking up conversations that turn strangers into friends. Outside of work, you can find her on the Beltline or exploring Atlanta’s many vibrant neighborhoods.

Originally Published May 14, 2026