There is no doubt that Michael Smalley is passionate about music. When asked about what music means to him, the owner and operator of Music Matters and the Ballers Ball concert series overflows with love of all things musical.

“It affects each and every person in a very personal way,” Smalley said. “Music is the most important thing in the world. Ballers Ball is really big on making everyone expand their minds as far as the music that is out there.”

The Ballers Ball concert series began five years ago and has been held at various Athens venues every year.

“The Ballers Ball started out as a dance party and a fashion show,” Smalley said. “We did it down at Farm [255], but now it’s just a big party,” Smalley said.

This weekend’s Ballers Ball event will take place in two locations: The pre-party will take place at the newest addition to the downtown scene, New Earth Music Hall, and the main event will continue at Athens Arena in Bogart.

The concert was initially scheduled to take place at the Georgia Theatre, but it was relocated in lieu of the fire on July 19.

“$1 of every ticket goes to rebuild the Theatre. We are co-promoting it with the people who run the Theatre, so the whole staff has been hired out to help,” Smalley said. “The people who run the Theatre have really helped the Ballers Ball progress – it’s much more than it was.”

Another factor that made the Ballers Ball a bigger production than it has been in the past is the talent. Among the artists performing are Pretty Lights, Emancipator, Crookhaven and t8r(tot).

“There is a fair amount of variety throughout the whole evening . some really great DJs,” Smalley said.

Pretty Lights is a moniker for Derek Vincent, a DJ who creates his own brand of what he describes as “electro-organic-bangin’-soulful beats.”

“I can’t say enough of Pretty Lights,” Smalley said. “He’s very melodic … his production is really good, and he sells out shows across the country.”

Vincent aims to bridge the old musical world with the new in his music.

“My whole sampling style is based on combining several samples from different records, genres and decades that, when made to work together, can create completely new emotions and styles,” Vincent said.

Pretty Lights is no stranger to Ballers Ball, having performed for the event several times in Athens.

Electronic dub duo Crookhaven has had past experience with Ballers Ball as well, but in a different way: as a fan rather than a performer.

“I’ve been attending Ballers Ball events ever since they started at Farm 255, and in that time have seen it grow as it moves across Athens’ many music venues,” said Owen Renn, one of the DJs in Crookhaven. “After having been at a number of them to support friends and music I am a fan of, it’s nice to finally be invited to join the amazing line up for Friday night.”

Following the New Earth pre-party, buses will take all concertgoers to the Athens Arena for a small fee.

“We want to accommodate everyone who wants to come out.” Smalley said