This Week's Shows (3/28 - 4/2)

The theme for this week seems to be its lack of a theme.  As with most weeks, it starts off a little slow, with only a few shows on Monday, and steadily picks up the pace as the week progresses, with the Daughter show at Terminal West on Friday probably the highlight of the week, followed by Andrew Bird at The Tabernacle on Saturday.

March Madness, it appears, is over.  It was an odd season, in that instead of several weeks of bands passing through Atlanta going to and from Austin and SXSW as in years past, it seems like everybody worth hearing arrived and played Atlanta on either one of two Saturday nights, and the rest of the month was rather lackluster by comparison.  But those two Saturday nights rocked.

As always, please keep in mind that musicians and night-club proprietors lead complicated lives and I'm prone to errors, mistakes, typos, and fubars; it's advisable to confirm any of the information below on your own before making plans. 

MONDAY, MARCH 28

★Autolux, Eureka The Butcher (Terminal West)

LA's Autolux feature a unique sound that samples equally from electronica, noise pop, post-punk, and shoegaze.  Their eclectic sound has been compared to artists such as Can, Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine.

Ployd, NuK (Aisle 5)

A dubstep show billed as "Slow & Low: Episode 14 The Slow and The Serious. 2 Slow. 2 Low."

Rod Hamdallah, Deadly lo-fi, DJ Jared Swilley (529)

Seven-inch release show for roots rocker Hamdallah, with The Black Lips' Jared Swilley providing a DJ Set. 

Los Rabanes, Zakke, La Rica Vibra  (Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar)

Los Rabanes is a Latin Grammy-winning ska-rock fusion band from Panama. With a career spanning two decades and eight albums, they are the first band from Central America to win a Latin Grammy in the Best Rock Album Category.

Diet December, Bast, Bold Ashes, Famous By February (Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar)

Diet December is an alternative rock band that fuses blues, folk, punk and metal elements.

I The Victor, Take A Breath, Cody T, Monday’s Mona Lisa, Sunnycide (Purgatory at Masquerade)

I The Victor is Atlanta pop singer Rebecca Ramos' kaleidoscopic alt/pop project. The opening dance-punk band Sunnycide is no stranger to Masquerade audiences, having already played there several times this year.

TUESDAY, MARCH 29

★Magma, Muuy Biien, Deadcat (Aisle 5)

According to Creative Loafing, "Magma may be the greatest reunion that no one saw coming. The French prog rock masters excelled in the ’70s. Frontman and drummer Christian Vander often sings in an invented language known as Kobaïan, named after a fictional planet he uses as the location for his sprawling space operas. For those confused by Magma’s dense mythology, the band can be appreciated solely for its ability to merge free jazz experimentation with the best of psych-rock extravagance."

Creature Comforts, Baby Baby, Small Reactions (Terminal West)

Nashville's Creature Comforts is an indie rock band combining sweeping guitar licks, mobile bass lines and creative percussion with down-home lyrics.  Baby Boy is a post-punk band form Baton Rouge.  The music of Atlanta's Small Reactions has tinges of new wave and post punk; it's often angular, sometimes surfy, and generally quick.  

Unwritten Law, FENIX TX, Suck Brick Kid, Dog Years (Hell at Masquerade)

Unwritten Law formed in 1990 in Poway, California and have released seven full-length studio albums and have toured internationally, including performances on the Warped Tour. They are notable for their singles Seein' Red and Save Me (Wake Up Call), both of which entered the top 5 in the US Modern Rock charts. 

The Smith Street Band, Hard Girls, Worriers (Purgatory at Masquerade)

Originally conceived as the vehicle for Australian singer/songwriter Wil Wagner to perform under, the Smith Street Band, minus the "Wil Wagner &," would eventually become its own entity after two years of existence. Touring constantly on the Australian punk underground, the five-piece built a considerable reputation for their folk-infused punk sound. 

Leotards (529)

Leotards are a no-gaze punk rock band from Atlanta.

Poynte, Guns Out At Sundown, Avermour (Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar)

Poynte are a hard rock band from Atlanta.

Archgoat, Valkyrja, Hellfire Deathcult, Hellgoat (Heaven at Masquerade)

Metal.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30

Bonerama (Center Stage)

Rock-oriented New Orleans brass band Bonerama was formed by trombonists Mark Mullins and Craig Klein, both of whom had been members of Harry Connick's band since 1990. Despite its horn-heavy instrumentation, Bonerama were a rock band, known for playing covers such as Frankenstein by the Edgar Winter Group along with songs by Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and the Allman Brothers Band. 

Skin Jobs, Nurse, Rop (The Earl)

Skin Jobs are an Atlanta punk band that take their name from Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the source for the movie Blade Runner.

  

The Mumzees, Gláss, The Francis Vertigo, Sea Ghost (529)

North Georgia's The Mumzees are a loud, brash band that should appeal to fans of Ty Segall, Diarrhea Planet, The Black Lips, and Jeff the Brotherhood.

Heather Nova, Chris Riff (Eddie's Attic)

The sweetness of Heather Nova consumed the indie rock market throughout the 1990s, when she was a rising star across the globe into the new millennium. Born in Bermuda, she spent the first 16 years of her life aboard a 40-foot boat with her parents, brother, and sister, incessantly listening to taped records from her mother.  Her ninth studio album, the Americana-infused The Way It Feels, was recorded in Charleston, South Carolina and released in the summer of 2015.

The Gordon Vernick Quartet (Red Light Cafe)

Every Wednesday night, The Gordon Vernick Quartet performs a few numbers and then invites other musicians and singers to join them on stage for a jam session. The quartet features Kevin Bales on keyboard, Marlon Patton on drums, Craig Shaw on bass, and Dr. Gordon Vernick on trumpet. There's no cover charge and plenty of free parking. Whether you're a professional or amateur musician, you're welcome to sit in; everyone who wants to perform will be given a chance to play.

No Genre Unplugged feat. Scotty ATL, London Jae, Kissie Lee, Jaquebeatz (Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar)

Hip-hop & rap.

Phil Barnes, Corey James Bost, Wes Harllee, Kylie Odetta (Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar)

Singer-songwriters.

THURSDAY, MARCH 31

Baauer (Variety Playhouse)

According to The New Yorker, Harry Bauer Rodrigues' 2012 track Harlem Shake was a case study of the meme-as-song, and "spawned thousands of user-uploaded dance videos showing fans flailing spastically to the monstrous drop of coiling zipper synths, though the dances bore little resemblance to the decades-old hip-hop shoulder shuffle from which the single pulls its name." The Philadelphia d.j. and producer has subsequently been releasing music "that’s at once more ambitious and closer to his heart: One Touch, from 2014, pays glowing homage to the shiny hip-hop featured in mid-aughts blockbuster dance films, and Aa, his début album, released in March, lays rattling club knock under verses from Future, Pusha T, M.I.A., and the grime upstart Novelist."

★Book of Colors, Fantasy Guys, Slow Parade (The Earl)

The much ­anticipated debut album from Book of Colors​ sees frontman André Paraguassu surrounded by an impressive cast of fourteen players that includes members of Little Tybee, Adron​, Christ Lord, Lily and the Tigers​, Hello Ocho, and Faun and a Pan Flute.

Book of Colors at East Atlanta Strut, September 24, 2014

MultipleTap USA Tour (The Cleaners)

MultipleTap will present the chaos and excess of the Japanese Scene.  Born on the small islands of Far East Asia, the overwhelming power of Japanese Scene represents an extreme not seen in most other parts of the world.  Appearing on the Main Stage will be Japan's Hijokaidan, Optron, Yusuke Fuyama, Kou Katsuyoshi, Makoto Oshio, Ucnv, and Hatis Noito, as well as Baltimore's Jeff Carey. The Local Stage will feature the bands Egg, FiatNil, Dux, Jon Cilberto, Alec Livaditis, David Kirby, Macht und Ohnmact, Aww Phooey with Kim & Kooi, Article Collection, and Gurgle Twins.  The show will also include video installations by creative Atlanta artist Kris Pilcher.

Twiddle, Walden (Terminal West)

Vermont-based quartet Twiddle conjures up jazz, classical, bluegrass, reggae and funk with complex arrangements that obliterate the laws of improvisation.

Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re, We Are The Asteroid, Swank Sinatra, Cinema Novo (The Drunken Unicorn)

If the extreme of the MultipleTap USA Tour at The Cleaners sounds like a bit too much, there;s always Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re, an all-girl Japanese eclectic punk-rock trio that mixes noise and pop instrumental sounds with idiosyncratic, quirky, and often funny or disturbing lyrics. They become famous in the US through the SXSW music festival and also through their performances at anime conventions.

Phalse Prophet, featuring The Sagas, Buzzards of Fuzz, Bearknuckle, Nina Charrise (Star Community Bar)

Phalse Prophet is a comedic rock opera based out of Atlanta. The audience will witness a false prophet tell of his background meeting an angel betrayed by God. The prophet will perform magic tricks under the guise of miracles and attempt to convert the audience. There will be prophecy, music, praise, worship, communion, and if the spirit moves, maybe even a baptism.

Hey Monea, Paul Pfau, Fairshake, Battlefield Collective, The Quarks (Purgatory at Masquerade)

Hey Monea is a Canton, Ohio-based rock band that has been together since 2005. Paul Pfau is a singer-songwriter from Nashville who gained national exposure on The Voice. 

Withered, Death of Kings, Hellrad (Clermont Lounge)

Brutal black, death, and doom metal at the Clermont.  What's not to love?

Laura Gibson, Michael Nau (Red Light Cafe)

Laura Gibson's new album, Empire Builder, is slated for release on April 1 via Barsuk. Michael Nau (of Cotton Jones) opens the show.

Jenny & Tyler, Matt Hires (Eddie's Attic)

Jenny & Tyler are a husband-wife pop-folk band originally from Delaware and currently based in Nashville. Their style is a fusion of folk, pop, funk, rock, soul, and bluegrass that has been called "soul-grass". 

Angie Aparo (Eddie's Attic)

Angie Aparo is a highly respected and accomplished singer and performer who has appeared on stage and in recordings with Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Edwin McCain, Matchbox20, and the Zac Brown Band, but don't hold that against him.

Maya Neiada, Alexandea Lushington (Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar)

Born in the Bronx but raised in South Carolina, singer-songwriter Maya Neiada has been called the "Neo-Soul Siren from the South."

Deadwin, Ashes of Old Ways, Danielle Howle, Jordan Igoe (Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar)

Deadwin is a "folk 'n' roll" band based out of Folly Beach, South Carolina.

JeRonelle McGhee, Teeya Skipper, Nica Nashae and Algebra Blessett (Vinyl)

The sixth installment of The Revivial R&B showcase.

FRIDAY, APRIL 1

★★Daughter, Wilsen (Terminal West)

Incorporating moody folk and hushed electronics in ways that recall Cat Power as well as the xx, Daughter began as the solo project of singer/guitarist Elena Tonra of North London. Tonra was performing on her own when she met Swiss-born guitarist Igor Haefeli, who joined Daughter along with French drummer Remi Aguilella to complete the band's lineup. After playing the local London circuit, they toured around Europe and have since played headlining tours in North America and Australia. They have released four EPs, three singles and two albums, and are currently signed to Glassnote (North America) and 4AD (Europe). Their song Smother was used in a BBC One TV trailer for the three-part mini series Death Comes To Pemberley, at the end of Episode 7 of Season 4 of the TV show Covert Affairs, and for The Vampire Diaries in the episode titled Killer (Season 4).

Daughter at Variety Playhouse, September 20, 2013

G Love and Special Sauce (Variety Playhouse)

G. Love & Special Sauce are a Philadelphia-based trio whose unique, laid-back, sloppy blues sound encompasses classic R&B production and the energy of rap artists like the Beastie Boys. The group is fronted by G. Love (born Garrett Dutton) on guitar/vocals/harmonica.

G Love in Candler Park, Midsummer Music Festival, 2012

★Hello Ocho (Mammal Gallery)

An intimate night of performance debuting In Portuguese, the long awaited second LP from the Atlanta-based indie/psych-rock/jazz/pop group. The event will also kick-off the group's North American tour.   The band insists that this is not an April Fools joke. 

Hello Ocho at The Mammal Gallery, May 31, 2014

Dr. Dog, Wild Child (Buckhead Theater)

In 2001, some members of this goofy, trippy Pennsylvania psych act collected a handful of half-baked song fragments on a tape they called The Psychedelic Swamp. The concept album, which focused on a man stumbling through a subterranean fantasy world, was never released, but in 2013 the group was awarded an artist grant from the Knight Foundation to craft a multimedia project featuring theatrical and musical elements, and they decided to give the songs a second chance. The result is a zoned-out, stoner-pop rock opera, and the group is currently performing selections on this tour. 

Dr Dog in Candler Park, Midsummer Music Festival, 2011 

Rockin Bones, Anna Kramer & the Lost Cause, James Hall (The Earl)

A show by three Atlanta institutions.  Rockin' Bones are a rootsy rock band that emerged in the 1980s, and Anna Kramer and James Hall are both established presences in the Atlanta music scene.

Doesin, Frick, Eddie Rascal, Flower (The Drunken Unicorn)

Atlanta's Doesin describe themselves on their Facebook page as "Heavy jazzy occult psychedelic prog-funk blues-metal freak rock."  Opener Flower has been playing around town a lot lately; frontman Jack Fowler is also the vocalist for Atlanta's exwhy and has turned his attention to showcasing his more vulnerable side, pouring his heart and soul into brutally honest and surprisingly emotional songs.

Dank, Viva La Hop (Aisle 5)

Atlanta's Dank plays an original blend of blood-boiling, foot-stomping, funky rock 'n' roll.  Openers Viva La Hop are a live hip-hop group with roots in funk & jazz and featuring horns, keys, and strings. 

High-Functioning Flesh, Body of Light, Pyramid Club, DKA (529)

HFF is an electro-punk act from LA with unique hard-beating electronics in the vein of bands like Portion Control and Cabaret Voltaire.  Body of Light are from Arizona .  DKA will provide DJ Sets between bands.

Emrah Kotan (Steve's Live Music)

Emrah Kotan is a classically trained percussionist who came to the United States from his native Turkey and received a Master's degree in Jazz Studies from Georgia State University. His debut album, The New Anatolian Experience, is a collection of original compositions and arrangements that fuse world music and jazz, creating stylistically sophisticated vibes and a genuine model of personal artistic expression.

The War and Treaty, Band of Lovers, Fairshake (Red Light Cafe)

The War and Treaty is a little bit of classical, soul, folk, and Americana.  Band of Lovers have a modern take on folk sound and pop structure; their songs draw inspiration from the stories and landscapes of North America. Fairshake makes indie southern pop that's catchy and infectious.

The Wild Injuns, Fiend Without A Face, Whiskey Dick, Night Terrors (Star Community Bar)

A show of several lo-fi garage bands, headlined by Munster, Indiana's The Wild Injuns.

   

Fiend Without A Face, Little Five Fest, 2013

Miss Tess & The Talkbacks, Kristina Murray, Mateo Alexander & The Wayward Souls (Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar)

Miss Tess & The Talkbacks are an American roots music band from Brooklyn.  

Joe Purdy, Garrison Starr (Vinyl)

Singer-songwriters.

Kris Allen, Zeke Duhon (Eddie's Attic)

More singer-songwriters.

Fear Factory, Soilwork (Heaven at Masquerade)

Metal.

21 Savage (Hell at Masquerade)

Hip-hop and rap.

SATURDAY, APRIL 2

★Andrew Bird (The Tabernacle)

Chicago singer/songwriter/violinist Andrew Bird updates the traditions of small-group swing, German lieder, and New Orleans jazz, mixing Gypsy, folk, and rock elements into his own distinctive style. Initially known through his work with the band Squirrel Nut Zippers before forming Bowl of Fire, he is now best known as a solo musician.  Bird's primary instrument is the violin, but he is also proficient at various other instruments including the guitar, the mandolin, the xylophone, whistling, and the glockenspiel. He wrote The Whistling Caruso for The Muppets, and performed the whistling heard in both the film and the soundtrack. He also composed the score for the FX series Baskets, created by Louis C.K. and Zach Galifianakis.

Andrew Bird at The Tabernacle, March 17, 2012 

★Blackbird Blackbird, Chad Valley, Brett (Purgatory at Masquerade)

Blackbird Blackbird is the moniker of San Francisco based wünderkind Mikey Maramag. His unique style of dreamy folktronica recalls influences from all ends of the musical spectrum. Within elongated song structures, Blackbird Blackbird harnesses thematic elements of dynamism and composition to create depth and complexity, while never losing sight of his pop sensibilities.  Chad Valley is the solo project of Oxford-based Hugo Manuel of the band Jonquil, who produces dreamy Ibiza- and R&B-inspired electro-pop songs.  Chad Valley released Entirely New Blue last October.

Belinda Carlisle, Gabe Lopez (Center Stage)

Belinda Carlisle gained worldwide fame as the lead vocalist of The Go-Go's, one of the most successful all-female bands of all time. The band sold 8 million albums in just three years and she later went on to have a successful solo career with hits such as Mad About You, I Get Weak, Circle in the Sand, Leave a Light On and Heaven Is a Place on Earth, among others.  Her autobiography, Lips Unsealed, published in June 2010, was a New York Times Best Seller and received favorable reviews. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as a member of the Go-Go's on August 11, 2011.

Uncle Green, The Preakness, Paul Melancon and the New Insecurities (The Earl)

Atlanta-based Uncle Green are a jangly Southern power pop band in the classic REM mold. Last time we saw long-time Atlanta band The Preakness, they played a carefully curated set that gradually took them from slow-core emo to frantic punk over the course of 40 or so minutes.  Opener Paul Melancon plays literate, moody, indie-pop music. 

The Preakness opening for Torres at The Earl, July 1, 2015

Pretty Please, Bardus, The Glorious Rebellion, Palaces (The Drunken Unicorn)

Pretty Please are a three piece from Atlanta known for their very loud, ferocious live shows, whose music has been dubbed "slundge" - grunge and sludge with some noise thrown in for good measure. 

Dirty Fences, Dinos Boys (529)

Dirty Fences call themselves "NYCs favorite rock 'n' roll hard-workin' band."  Openers Dinos Boys may have been born in New York, but their garage punk sound fits right in with Atlanta.  And in case you're wondering, the name is an acronym for Despicable, Ignorant, Nasty, Ole Shitstirrers.

The Thing, Part 2 (The Mammal Gallery) 

"A little razzle dazzle" featuring performances by Inframan, Ferris, My Son Gordeaux, French Mistake, King Guru, and Weed Mario.

A Tribute to Merle Haggard (Star Community Bar)

Merle Haggard was the most important country artist to emerge in the 1960s, and he became one of the leading figures of the Bakersfield scene in the '60s. While his music remained hardcore country, like his idol, Bob Wills, he pushed the boundaries of the music to become a melting pot that drew from all forms of traditional American music - country, jazz, blues, and folk - and in the process, developed a distinctive style of his own. Performng on this tribute will be Slim Chance & The Convicts, Downer Bros, Mark Kirby & Dry Gulch, Wade Sapp. Georgia Slim, and Al Shelton. 

Yodel, Al Chauncy, Felixx, Keyz, Kierra Shunte, Taryn Mai, Athena Renee, Azar (Vinyl)

The DZMG Affair 4 Concert Series

Ghost Eagle, Farm Dog (Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar)

Folk rock.

Station 7, The Rovers (Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar)

Spacey blues rock.

Resist Capture, As Animals Eat My Insides, Beliefs, Athegus, Hall of the Elders, Her Pride (Hell at Masquerade)

Metalcore, post-hardcore, and alternative.

Sweetwater Creek Bluegrass Band, Honey Be Nice (Red Light Cafe)

Bluegrass.

Earphunk, Georgia Soul Council (Terminal West)
Prog-funk, funk-rock, and R&B.

AtYyA, Goopsteppa, Tsimba, Alpha Cortex (Aisle 5)
EDM

Roxie Watson (Eddie's Attic)
Country singer-songwriter.

Barry Waldrep, Kelli Johnson (Eddie's Attic)
More singer-songwriters.

SUNDAY, APRIL 3

★Ry Cooder, Sharon White, Ricky Skaggs (Center Stage)

No matter where his interests are heading at any moment, it's never advisable to ignore Ry Cooder. Whether serving as a session musician, solo artist, or soundtrack composer, Cooder's chameleon-like instrumental virtuosity, songwriting, and choices of material encompass an incredibly eclectic range of North American musical styles, including rock 'n' roll, blues, reggae, Tex-Mex, Hawaiian, Dixieland jazz, country, folk, R&B, gospel, and vaudeville.  This show is billed as "An Evening with Cooder, White & Skaggs," and will spotlight Cooder's bluegrass and country stylings.

Lowland Hum, Oh Jeremiah (Eddie's Attic)

Lowland Hum are Daniel and Lauren Goans, a husband-and-wife folk duo from North Carolina. Part songwriter, part artist, the duo has crafted a multi-sensory performance experience that provides a fertile space for audience members to connect with their art and with a each other as fellow listeners.

Phil Cook, The Dead Tongues (Eddie's Attic)

Phil Cook is a banjoist, pianist and singer, a member of the freak-folk band Megafaun and of Gayngs, and a former member of DeYarmond Edison, a band led by Bon Iver's Justin Vernon.  In his music, Cook draws on diverse influences including Bill Evans, Bruce Hornsby, Keith Jarrett, Jerry Douglas, Ry Cooder, Greg Leisz, John Kamman and Bill Frisell.  

Mindset, Praise, Head Creeps, Faze, Abuse Of Power (Purgatory at Masquerade)

Hardcore.

Salsa Chest, 100 Watt Horse, Oh Rose, Sea Ghost, Moses Nesh (The Mammal Gallery) 

Atlanta synth-pop duo Salsa Chest headline an eclectic line up at The Mammal Gallery.  Athen's 100 Watt Horse is a folk-rock projec, while Olympia, Washington's Oh Rose is a psychedelic rock band fronted by singer and guitarist Olivia Rose.

Black Tusk, Whores, Savagist (The Drunken Unicorn) 

Black Tusk are a metal-thrash-punk band from Savannah.

Bay Station, The Stoplight Roses, Stephen Chopek (Red Light Cafe)

An evening of Americana-folk-pop-indie rock with California's Bay Station, Atlanta's The Stoplight Roses, and Memphis' Stephen Chopek.

Stick Figure, Fortunate Youth, Raging Fyah (Terminal West)

Reggae.

This Week's Shows (2/1 - 2/7)

After the New England Patriots were unceremoniously eliminated from the NFL post-season, it's hard to get too excited about the Superb Owl, but we present here a week's worth of shows leading up to the big game in an attempt to maintain your enthusiasm.  Highlight of the week will be Low's set at The Earl on Wednesday night.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1

Alessia Cara, Kevin Garrett, Craig Stickland (Terminal West)

Just like last week's Jess Glynne show, once again, here's a sold-out set at Terminal West by someone of whom I had never heard. However, 18-year-old Canadian-Italian Alessia Cara is apparently riding the fame of her infectious hit song, Here, which reportedly garnered over 500,000 total streams in its first week.  Now she brings her Know-It-All tour, which had already sold out NYC's Webster Hall, to Atlanta along with Kevin Garrett, a singer/songwriter based in Brooklyn, and Craig Stickland, a singer/songwriter from Toronto.

Cradle of Filth, Butcher Babies, Ne Obliviscaris (Heaven at Masquerade)

Cradle Of Filth have been at the forefront of the extreme music scene for at least two decades now, performing their theatrical combination of music and horror, and in the process earning themselves a formidable reputation.  They headline an all-metal show upstairs at the godforsaken Masquerade with Butcher Babies, whose frontwomen Carla Harvey and Heidi Shepherd juxtapose brutal, aggressive riffs with melodies that wail with anguish and hope for redemption.  Openers Ne Obliviscaris hail from Melbourne, Australia, and include prog rock,  various forms of metal (black, thrash, death and melodic), and even western art music, jazz and flamenco in compositions that often exceed ten minutes in length.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2

Order Of The Owl, Destroyer of Light, Kr'rth, Hot Ram (529)

If you didn't get enough metal on Monday night, Order Of The Owl are Atlanta purveyors of doom, stoner doom, metal, sludge, rock, and dark rock. Destroyer of Light bring doom and sludge from Austin, Texas. Kr'rth bring apocalyptic doom from Atlanta.  Atlanta's Hot Ram opens.

Epica, Moonspell, Starkill (Heaven at Masquerade)
While Order of the Owl et al are pounding it out at 529, there will be a second-in-a-row metal show upstairs at the godforsaken Masquerade. Epica are one of the most symphonic of metal bands,  featuring the soaring vocals of Simone Simons.  Portuguese band Moonspell have released 11 studio albums of their sombre vocals, guitar riffs, blackened melodies, and operatic grandeur. Chicago's Starkill will open the show with melodic death metal, shredded guitars, blasting drums, and powerful Gothenburg-style choruses.

Free Throw, Young and Heartless, Sinai Vessel, Fox Wound (Purgatory at Masquerade)
Downstairs from all the metal, Nashville's Free Throw will headline an emo/punk-pop show on the Purgatory stage at the godforsaken Masquerade, supported by central Pennsylvania's Young and Heartless.  Sinai Vessel are a trio from North Carolina and openers Fox Wound hail from Atlanta.

Yarn (Aisle 5)

Brooklyn-based Americana/alt-country band Yarn’s sound owes as much to Jerry Garcia and Exiles On Main Street Rolling Stones as it does to Gram Parsons and Earl Scruggs, weaving country, rock, blues and more in the tradition of bands like The Flying Burrito Brothers and New Riders of The Purple Sage, 

Paul McDonald (Eddie's Attic)
Paul McDonald is an American singer-songwriter born in Auburn/Opelika and raised in Huntsville, Alabama. McDonald recently appeared on NBC's Parenthood performing original songs and has recorded an EP of Americana/folk duets with his wife Nikki Reed titled The Best Part. Their song All I've Ever Needed appeared as the end title song in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2.  This show will be the Atlanta Release Party for McDonald's Slow Rising EP.

Control Burn (Steve's Live Music)
Control Burn's mandolinist Jay Moore and bassist Tyler Kufta previously played together for several years in the Bluegrass Music Program at East Tennessee State University, and are joined by guitarist Harris Kendrick. 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3

Southside Johnny And The Asbury Jukes (Variety Playhouse)

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes first achieved prominence in the mid-1970’s, emerging from the same New Jersey shore music scene as Bruce Springsteen, and Southside’s first three albums featured songs written by The Boss and/or Steve Van Zandt. With their classic blend of hard-core R&B and street-level rock, molten grooves, soulful guitar licks, and a blistering horn section, Johnny and the Jukes continue to put their own stamp on the Jersey shore sound, while recalling the glory years of Otis Redding and Stax Records.

Hudson Falcons, The Aggravated, The Sideburners (The Drunken Unicorn) 

New Jersey's working class rock 'n' rollers Hudson Falcons headline a show featuring The Aggravated, punk rockers from the south side of Atlanta, and The Sideburners, 

Quincy Mumford & The Reason Why, Little Stranger (Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar)

It's apparently Jersey night here in Atlanta: in addition to Southside Johnny at Variety Playhouse and Hudson Falcons at the Unicorn, Smith's Olde Bar will be presenting New Jersey's 23-year-old singer/songwriter Quincy Mumford, who brings raw 70′s style rock and funk highlighted with the voice of an old soul.  Headliners Little Stranger are a Charleston alternative hip hop duo; their debut album is called Buddha The Beast. 

Ben Miller Band, Girls Guns & Glory, Time Sawyer (Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar)
Upstairs at Smith's from Quincy Mumford and Little Stranger, the Ben Miller Band will combine elements of folk, blues, bluegrass, and country into a music they self-described as "Ozark Stomp" and as "Mudstomp." The music of Boston's Girls Guns & Glory's is a mix of old school country, early rock 'n' roll, and blues, inspired by Hank Williams, Johnny Cash & Johnny Horton. North Carolina folk rockers Time Sawyer blend a grassroots feel with heart-felt lyrics to put on a high-energy show.

Bain Mattox, The Sunset District, Marshall Seese (The Earl)

Bain Mattox plays Americana folk/rock ala Violent Femmes, Tom Petty, and Beck, flogging his accordion, oddly tuned guitars, banjo and mandolin to provide a colorful backdrop for his melodic, poetic lyrics.  Atlanta's The Sunset District are an indie-rock collective.  Marshall Seese will open with a set of Americana music.

Josh Garrels, John Mark McMillan (Center Stage)

Those who feel challenged by all the satanic themes in this week's earlier Cradle of Filth and Order of the Owl sets might appreciate these two Christian singer-songwriters who are on what they're calling The Revelators Tour. 

The Expendables, Zach Deputy, The Hip Abduction (Hell at Masquerade)

The Expendables have staked their claim in the California surf/rock genre by blending reggae, punk, and 80s-style dueling guitar solos.  Savannah's Zach Deputy leds a jam band that plays funky soul, while openers The Hip Abduction from Saint Pete play afropop and tropical-influenced indie rock.

Parker Gispert, Slow Parade (Eddie's Attic)

Parker Gispert is the 25-year-old songwriter, vocalist and guitarist of Athens trio The Whigs.  Slow Parade is a new project from songwriter Matthew Pendrick, bassist Andrea Demarcus (Cicada Rhythm) and multi instrumentalist Paul Stevens (Grand Vapids). 

DJ Jared Swilley (529)

Jared Swilley of The Black Lips, who just provided a DJ set in place of bandmate Cole Alexander at the January 18 Subsonics set at 529, will do it again without any live band support.   Just Jared.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4

★★An Evening With Low (The Earl)

Duluth, Minnesota's veteran slow-core legends Low will be the lone band at The Earl, but even without supporting acts this show has the potential to transcend time and space.  Although we saw Low at Bumbershoot back in 2012, it's been a while since they played Atlanta and this set may well be the best show so far this year.

DJ Paypal, No Eyes, Byron the Aquarius, Double Nil, Charolastra (Aisle 5)

According to Brooklyn Vegan, "DJ Paypal may have a name and image that screams 'irony' but his music really is sincere. His recent Sold Out album incorporates jazz, soul, funk, tribal polyrhythms and ethereal psychedelia."   Atlanta's No Eyes (Seanny Georgie) plays around town a good bit; we've seen him open for oOoOO at 529 and, more recently, for EMA at The Drunken Unicorn. Birmingham's Byron the Aquarius experiments with hip-hop, EDM, jazz and house elements and has worked with Flying Lotus, among others.  Double Nil is Atlanta's Josh Powell, and Charolastra is the experimental/juke/electronic music brain child of Peter Roglin.  

Tab Benoit (Variety Playhouse)

Growing up in Houma, Louisiana, Benoit learned the blues first-hand from a faculty of living blues legends.  His band is a stripped down bass-and-drums unit propelled by his solid guitar skills and leathery, Cajun-spiced vocal attack. 

Bear Girl, The Fire Tonight, Swank Sinatra, Plague of Pilgrims (529)

Bear Girl is an Atlanta trio with musical roots sprouting from indie, metal, math rock, jazz and pop. The Fire Tonight have a vision that all kinds of music should work together to make life better, especially when that music is supported by a solid foundation of rock.  Swank Sinatra is an Atlanta band known for its high energy shows and unrelenting sound.   Openers Plague of Pilgrims play progressive indie rock.

Netsky, Legion & Logam (Terminal West)

EDM.  Netsky provides heavy dance-floor drum 'n' bass beats.  Legion & Logam merge classic drum 'n' bass with futuristic minimal experimentation.

Ice Nine Kills, Affiance, More To Monroe, Come and Rest, Cover Your Tracks (Hell at Masquerade)
Boston's Ice Nine Kills utilizes multi-textured guitar hooks, a dual vocal attack, and a pummeling rhythm section to weave soaring melodies with the raw emotion and aggression of post-hardcore and metal.  Affiance is a Cleveland metal band.  Maryland's More To Monroe consider themselves post-hardcore.  Atlanta's Come and Rest just played a hardcore show at The Masquerade last month. Cover Your Tracks open.

The Legendary Shack Shakers, Pine Hill Haints, The Gartrells (Star Community Bar)
The Legendary Shack Shakers’ provide a unique brand of Southern Gothic that is irreverent, revisionist, dangerous, and fun. Led by their charismatic, rail-thin frontman and blues-harpist JD Wilkes, the Shack Shakers are a four-man wrecking crew from the South with explosive interpretations of the blues, punk, rock and country.  Pine Hills Haints perform gospel, rockabilly, rock and roll, celtic music, blues, and bluegrass. The Gartrells open.

Circle of The Song (Eddie's Attic)
Circle of The Song is a showcase for singer/songwriters Ed Jurdi of Band of Heathens, Austin, Texas troubadour Seth Walker (why are all troubadours from Texas?), and Edward David Anderson of Backyard Tire Fire.

Stone Tribute Pilots, Rusty Cage (Soundgarden Tribute) (Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar)
I didn't realize how many of these tribute bands play in and around Atlanta until I started compiling these lists!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5

Colin Hay (Variety Playhouse)

Colin Hay is best known as the frontman, songwriter, and vocalist of Men at Work (Down Under, Who Can It Be Now?), but since moving to Los Angeles in 1989, he’s made 11 solo albums and has recently announced the release of a new album, Next Year People.

Graham Nash (The Buckhead Theater) 

If Colin Hay is too "new wave" for you, old people, there's always Graham Nash at The Buckhead Theater.

Graveyard, Spiders (Terminal West)

When Swedish doom/stoner outfit Norrsken split up in 2000, it gave birth to two new bands. One band, the retro-riffers Graveyard, merges classic rock, blues, jazz, and folk into something sounding like Black Sabbath meets Rolling Stones meets Led Zeppelin meets Janis Joplin.

The other band, Witchcraft, ultimately provided members of the band Spiders, who, along with Graveyard drummer Axel Sjöberg and singer Ann-Sofie Hoyles. hearken back to the stoner riffage of '70s hard rock, for which the howling Hoyles has the perfect voice. 

Despite the personnel changes, the two bands have run parallel paths and on Friday they both come to Terminal West.  Does anybody else remember The James Gang?

Waking Astronomer,  RBTS Win, Ancestor, TheyungMathew, Divine Interface (The Earl)

An album release show at The Earl for Waking Astronomer, the group venture of solo artists Afua Richardson (vocals/flute/effects), Alexa Lima (keys/synthesizers/sounds), and Deku (production/drums/bass). Amongst other influences, the band combines experimental beats with electronic and jazz instrumentation.  The music of Asheville's RBTS WIN combines electronic, pop, rock, chillwave and soul.  TheyungMatthew is a producer/turntablist from Atlanta who utilizes experimental hip-hop and ambient electronica to construct "metaphysical journeys of the mind."  Opener Divine Interface will provide a DJ set.

Copious Jones, The Applebutter Express, Battlefield Collective (Aisle 5)

Copious Jones is an original rock band from Atlanta whose sound can be described as something akin to Dave Matthews meets Pink Floyd and The Grateful Dead.  The Applebutter Express employ traditional bluegrass instruments to create their sound; their song Hey My Brotha was featured in Ron Howard' 2014 film The Good Lie.  Battlefield Collective is Stephanie Caron and Evan Hart's high-energy mix of bluegrass, Americana, punk rock, and roots.

Mammabear, Weary Heads, Twin Criminal, Heavy Eyes (Star Community Bar)
Mammabear is the Brit-pop-influenced project of Atlanta's Kyle Gordon, who we saw play the Star Bar at 2013's L5Fest.  This will be their record release party. Weary Heads, Twin Criminal (who just played Purgatory at The Masquerade last week) and Heavy Eyes (who just played their garage punk at 529 back on January 14) will provide support.

Mammabeat at The Star Bar, L5Fest 2013

James Hall, Motor Earth, Geri X, Killmama (Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar)
James Hall (Pleasure Club, Futura Bold, The Aristocrats) is an Atlanta singer and guitarist best known for his gothic-style lyrics, distinctive voice, eccentric behavior and eclectic compositions.  Atlanta's Motor Earth are a straight-ahead, high-energy rock band that straddles the line between indie rock and old school, riff-heavy rock 'n' roll. Bulgarian-born Geri X is a composer, musician and singer now living for some reason in Tampa Bay.  South Florida's Killmama is a garage blues duo in the tradition of the White Stripes.

MyFever, Macy Todd, Youth Model, Dustin Price (Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar)
MyFever is a rock band originally from Panama City Beach that now resides in Atlanta.  18-year-old Macy Todd creates lushly folk-tinged pop music. Youth Model is a duo from Charleston, South Carolina producing gritty pop-rock songs.  Opener Dustin Price is an indie folk artist from Birmingham.

Mansell, Kick The Robot, Forje (Vinyl)
Mansell is a three-piece band who make music that blends their alternative and indie roots with various art expressions.  Atlanta trio Kick the Robot perform original melodic rock along the lines of The Beatles and Foo Fighters.  Atlanta's Forje formed in early 2013 with influences from The Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, and Sublime to My Morning Jacket and Wilco.

Sam Burchfield and Jacob Deaton (Eddie's Attic)
Sam Burchfield's sound ranges from lyrical ballads to upbeat funky compositions with the occasional banjo driven folk song. Jacob Deaton is a versatile guitarist, buoyed by new compositions and live performances showcasing his skills across multiple styles.  Both artists have been showcased on reality TV: Burchfield appeared on Season 13 of American Idol and Deaton made a semifinal appearance on America's Got Talent.

Jordy Searcy (Steve's Live Music)
Jordy Searcy is a 22-year-old singer-songwriter from Alabama who was featured on Season 7 of The Voice as a part of the first-ever Team Pharrell.

Hawthorne Heights, The Ataris, Mest, Handguns, London Falling, Everybody Run (Hell at Masquerade)
Dayton, Ohio's Hawthorne Heights play a post-punk/punk-pop fusion.  The Ataris are currently celebrating the 15th anniversary of their record Blue Skies Broken Hearts by playing the album in its entirety for the first time on their current tour.  Chicago's Mest have been tearing up the punk rock scene since 1995 and have been a part of the Warped Tour.  The bands are supported on this tour by punk pop bands Handguns (who've played The Masquerade before) and London Falling.  And as if five bands weren't already enough, Atlanta's Everybody Run opens.

 

The Buggs (Steve's Live Music)
Beatles tribute band in the late show at Steve's.

Led Zeppelin 2 – The Live Experience (Heaven at Masquerade)
If you didn't get enough simulated Led Zeppelin with the three nights of Zoso - The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Tribute at Variety Playhouse last week, here's another fix for your jones.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6

Europe (Heaven at Masquerade)
You know you've lost all credibility and relevance as a band when this happens to you:



Radiolucent (The Earl)
Second album release show in a row at the Earl.  Radiolucent formed in early 2007 and calls themselves a "hard-hitting, heart-felt, full-on group of Georgia boys" influenced by 60's rock 'n' roll, soul and R&B, gospel, country, and pop.

The Queers, Antagonizers ATL, DDC, The Kick Flips (The Drunken Unicorn)

The Queers are a Portsmouth, New Hampshire punk rock band featuring Joe Queer on guitar and vocals,  Dangerous Dave on bass and vocals, and Lurch Nobody on drums.  Antagonizers ATL play working-class street rock 'n' roll.  DDC stands for "Drink & Destroy Crew" and  list their genre as Oi!/Street Punk on their Facebook page.  The Kick Flips open, 

The Producers, Indianapolis Jones (Variety Playhouse)

The Producers were a new wave and power pop band from Atlanta in the 1980s originally formed as a Beatles cover band before they changed musical directions and began performing their own material in nightclubs, becoming a regional favorite in the southeastern US.  Openers Indianapolis Jones are a psychedelic pop supergroup.

Hoodoo Moon, Electric Codpiece, Taylor Martin, Jules and the Gents, The Madman Brass Band (Aisle 5)
Billed as the Fare Thee Well Foundation 8th Annual Mardi Gras Ball, this musical Mardi Gras party is headlined by Hoodoo Moon, featuring members of Deep Blue Sun and The Squirrelheads.  Electric Codpiece will contribute their own brand of rock 'n' roll hijinks. Taylor Martin's songs are born of genuine experience and presented with raw and uncommon sincerity. Jules and the Gents offer jazz standards and swing with soulful vocals, flute, and saxophone. The Madman Brass Band will be sitting in throughout the night to glorify, electrify, amplify and demystify the sounds coming from the Aisle 5 stage,

Family and Friends, Koa, Quaildogs (Terminal West)

Family and Friends are feel-good purveyors of earnest folk rock and will headline a set with Koa, a Nashville band that mashes soul, rock & roll and funk into an eclectic, danceable sound, and openers Quaildogs. 

Sadistic Ritual, Suppressive Fire, Death of Kings, All Hell, Homicidal (529)

Sadistic Ritual is an Atlanta thrash metal band for those fans of old school thrash and death metal who were probably at the January 19 Deafheaven/Anthrax/Lamb of God show.  Raleigh's Suppressive Fire takes their influence from bands such as Sodom, Toxic Holocaust, Kreator, and Exodus. Death of Kings play "epic-power death thrash metal." All Hell is a horror-influenced black-thrash/metal-punk band from Asheville, and opener Homicidal are a thrash metal band from Atlanta 

Turkuaz, Ghost Note (Vinyl)

Turkuaz are a nine-person power-funk band of Berklee grads now living in Brooklyn.  Ghost Note is the Dallas-based rhythm section of Snarky Puppy with their own jazz, hip-hop, funk, and world sound.

Lumbercat, Todd Prusin Experience (Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar)
Chattanooga's Lumbercat headlines an early show at Smith's, employing a mix of different instruments to produce Americana, blues, jazz, indie rock, and other good-vibration styles.  Todd Prusin says he's been thrilling BBQ and pizza eaters with his guitar for years.

Mike Fiorello, John Higgins, New Schematics (Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar)

Atlanta singer-songwriter Mike Fiorello headlines a late show at Smith's, blending folk, pop, Americana, and soul.  Nashville's John Higgins and rockers New Schematics will open.  

Uncle Van & The Buzzards of Fury, The Organ Machines, All of Roxy (Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar) 

Uncle Van and the Buzzards of Fuzz is an Atlanta rock band known for their energetic live shows featuring their fuzzed-out psychedelic tunes and a gritty, lo-fi aesthetic.  The Organ Machines is a three-person band from Atlanta that plays a mix of ambient, progressive, and surf rock. All of Roxy brings a mixture of  The Temper Trap and Santana,  delivering an ambient vibe to audiences while rocking steady, and singing about the ventures of loss and love.


HollyFest VIII (Star Community Bar)
A tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper starring Southern Ska Syndicate, Rodeo Twister, Dusty Booze & the Baby Haters, Caroline & the Ramblers, The Mystery Men, Skye Paige, Superpill, The Honey Lungs, Burning Truck, and more.

Rebecca Loebe (Eddie's Attic)
Rebecca Loebe is a young singer-songwriter who grew up in Atlanta and has done time in DC, Boston and New York, now making her home in Austin, Texas, so we can probably call her a "troubadour," too.

Michael Tolcher (Eddie's Attic)
The late show at Eddie's will feature singer/songwriter Michael Tolcher, whose music has been featured in several TV shows and movies (Scrubs, One Tree Hill, The Sopranos, Life As We Know It, and more) on HBO, and for several Hilton commercials, including Voila and Speed Feels Better, which was use for Hilton's 2008 Olympics campaign.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7

Okay, it's Superb Owl night and admit it - you're not going out to hear music tonight.   You're going to find a sports bar somewhere and watch the Carolina Panthers beat the Broncos while bemoaning the fact that the Patriots aren't in the game.

But if you're not a sports fan and have to go out tonight, there are a couple of shows going on Sunday.

Francine Reed (Eddie's Attic)

Who cares if it's Superb Owl Sunday?  Atlanta blues, R&B, and soul legend Francine Reed still managed to sell out a 5:00 pm show at Eddie's Attic.

Havok, Articulator, Proliferation (Purgatory at The Masquerade)
Havok are a thrash metal powerhouse from Colorado incorporating blisteringly fast guitar riffs, machine-like drumming, groovy bass lines, searing leads, and hard-hitting vocals.  Atlanta's Articulator play grinding death doom.  Atlanta's Proliferation play progressive death metal.