Rocktober, Expanded and Inflated

So, as you may have been noticing, the Rocktober schedule in that little box over to the right has been rapidly filling up, quickly approaching some major music event almost every freaking day of the month of October, not to mention three (three!) great shows on Halloween night (The Orb at Center Stage, Chelsea Light Moving at The Earl, and Phantogram at the godforsaken Masquerade).  I'm planning to go to The Orb show (already bought my tickets) and then high-tailing it over to The Earl to see Chelsea Light Moving (have tickets for that one, too).  My only regret is that I can't figure out how to squeeze Phantogram into the mix as well.  I might have to attempt quantum co-location or something (how can you be two places at once when you're not anywhere at all?).

But not only is this shaping up to be the best Rocktober ever, it may also be the longest, as there's no let-up in sight during the month of November.  It was just announced that Cults will be playing The Loft on November 1, and I've already got tickets for CocoRosie at Variety Playhouse on the 5th.

That same week will also see King Khan & the Shrines at Terminal West and ex-Hawkwind member Nik Turner's Space Ritual at The Earl, but the best November announcement yet has been Colin Meloy (The Decemberists) and Eleanor Friedberger at Variety Playhouse on the 8th.  Videos of the two above and below.      

As it stands now, Rocktober may not end until November 12 when The Head and the Heart and Thao and the Get Down Stay Down play the Buckhead Theater.

It's just as bad on the front end. I previously had Rocktober beginning on September 30 when Local Natives are finally bringing their tour down to the American South.  But Alt-J and Lord Huron are playing here the weekend before that, and then Atlanta's Mood Rings announce must-see September gigs at The High Museum (September 13) and an opening set on September 26 at 529 for post-punkers Weekend (not to be confused with the neo-R&B The Weeknd who will be at the Fox on September 20), before launching their national tour.  

Given that there are sets by such worthies as Black Prairie (the rest of The Decemberists, backing up Colin Meloy in the video at the top of this post), Okkervil River, Daughter, Little Tybee, Ra Ra Riot and Surfer Blood between Mood Rings' High set and Local Natives' September 30th gig at the godforsaken Masquerade, Rocktober may have to begin as early as September 13.

It's been a conspicuously slow summer for live music here in Atlanta.  Maybe it's all the rain's been keeping the bands away, I dunno.  But the cosmos will more than make up for the drought with a flood of performances between September 13 and November 12 for, dare I say it?, the longest and best Rocktober of all time.  

It's probably best just to quit your day job now.