This Week's Shows (3/21 - 3/27)

The Great Backwash:  With SXSW wrapping up in Austin today (Sunday), many bands are returning home or continuing their tours, and thus a second wave of bands are passing through the ATL, contributing to a pretty-good week of music.  Also, for some reason, Eddie's Attic is really stepping it up this week, featuring not only folk royalty Lucy Wainwright Roche, but also the adorable and irrepressible Basia Bulat, the moody Mount Moriah, and emerging stars Lily & Madeline.  Way to go, Eddie's!

You may also note that I've cut down on the number of listings.  Frankly, life is too short to waste time researching backgrounds, styles, and trivia of all of those hardcore, pop punk, and metal bands playing at the three stages of the god-forsaken Masquerade, or all of the unknown singer-songwriters passing through Smith's Olde Bar, and let's face it, Steve's Live Music is nothing but an after-dinner date-night destination for suburban white people.  I'll scan through those venue's offerings and note anything that looks worthwhile, but you don't need to wade through the complete listings and I'm not interested in writing those complete listings.  So there, I said it.   

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 21

★Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, Tedo Stone (Variety Playhouse)

Like James Brown?  Charles Bradley was a JB impersonator before he found his own voice, but the soul styling and hard-work ethic of the master remains.  Plus Bradley is one of the most humble, most grateful and kindest musicians to grace a stage.  

Charles Bradley at Bumbershoot, 2011

Pusha T, Lil Bibby, G Herbo (Center Stage)
The Darkest Before Dawn Tour comes through the ATL.

Lucy Wainwright Roche and Suzzy Roche, Barnaby Bright (Eddie's Attic)

Talk about musical roots: Lucy Wainwright Roche is the daughter of singer-songwriters Loudon Wainwright III and Suzzy Roche, who, along with her sisters Maggie and Terre Roche, make up the vocal group The Roches.  Known for their unique harmonies, The Roches were major influences on the careers of the Indigo Girls, and Lucy has toured as an opening act for the Indigo Girls and the duo is featured on a couple of Lucy's songs.  Lucy is also the half-sister of singer-songwriters Rufus Wainwright and Martha Wainwright (whose late mother Kate was half of the Canadian folk duo Kate & Anna McGarrigle).

Kevin Garrett (Aisle 5)

Alas, not former Celtic great and current Timberwolf Kevin Garnett, but Pittsburgh soul-pop musician Kevin Garrett, now based out of Brooklyn.

Little Simz, Go Dreamer (Vinyl)

Islington, England's Little Simz is a tough-rhyming rapper whose approach is equally effective over jagged and smooth productions. She is also known as an actor for her recurring roles on the BBC's Spirit Warriors and E4's Youngers.

TUESDAY, MARCH 22

Palm, Warehouse, Gnarwhal, Dicaprio (529)

Philadelphia's Palm have been compared to everyone from Guerilla Toss, Women and Deerhoof to King Crimson and Unwound.   Atlanta's Warehouse finds its inspirations in Brazil’s bossa nova and tropicalia movements; their debut album Tesseract is a departure from some of their earlier new-wave material, and highlights more classic rock elements, matched by Elaine Edenfield’s guttural vocals.

House of Peace (Aisle 5)

Not to be confused with the Christian music band of the same name, the House of Peace tour is actually five very diverse international house music, EDM and funk DJs.

Forever Came Calling, Major League, Sudden Suspension, Lights After Dark, Summer Wars (Drunken Unicorn)
Pop punk.  A Masquerade-produced show held at the Unicorn.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23

★Basia Bulat, Daniel Martin Moore (Eddie's Attic)

Basia Bulat is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter known for performing with an autoharp, who became one of the indie world's most talked about newcomers with the release of her first full-length album, 2007's Oh, My Darling.  We've seen her before at Eddie's, as well as The Earl opening for Seattle's Pickwick.

★Summer Twins, The Shivas, Black Linen, Koko Beware (529)

Summer Twins are sisters Chelsea and Justine Brown, who write dream-pop and rock 'n' roll songs with a touch of California sun. They formed in 2008 with a focus on singing pop harmonies atop garage rock inspired by the ’50s and ’60s. We saw Seattle's The Shivas at an early-day KEXP show at Portland's The Doug Fir during MFNW (RIP) 2013 (dude-I-was-there video below), and later had brunch at the table next to them at the diner upstairs.

Astronauts ETC, Harriet Brown, Skybison (The Earl)

Oakland, California's Astronauts ETC are a "supermelodic pulp/arena pop" band touring after their appearances as SXSW.

A Night of David Bowie with The Ziggy Stardust Tribute (Terminal West)

These Bowie tribute shows are becoming a regular thing around town - this one will feature Timi Conley, Andrew Hanmer, Jay Rodgers, Chris McKay, Kristoffer Dede Giddens, Michael Wegner, and John James.

Real Friends, Movements (The Masquerade)
Sold Out

Kitten, Keeps, The Greeting Committee (Hell at The Masquerade)

LA quartet Kitten play '80s post-punk-influenced dance-rock and synth pop, fronted by dynamic (and very young) lead singer Chloe Chaidez,

Dreamers, Arkells (Purgatory at The Masquerade)

Brooklyn indie pop-rockers Dreamers play infectious rock in the vein of Surfer Blood and the Vaccines.  Arkells are an alternative rock band originally from Hamilton, Ontario that are named after Arkell Street near McMaster University.

Sad Fish, Misery Loves Chachi, Friendship, Lea Lea (Mammal Gallery)

Sad Fish plays Brazilian freak surf rock.   Atlanta's Misery Loves Chachi is an indie, dream-pop band combining chill-wave, Motown and African rhythms with post-modern chord changes and jazz harmonies. Friendship are from Philadelphia, and Lea Lea is an Atlanta-based experimental folktronica performer.

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.

THURSDAY, MARCH 24

Hippie Sabotage, Alex Wiley, Kembe X (Terminal West)
Sold Out.

★Mount Moriah, Elephant Micah (Eddie's Attic)

Steeped in the dark, misty mountain lore of their Appalachian homeland and brimming with the fuzzed-out dark twang of their pasts, North Carolina-based alt-Americana outfit Mount Moriah blend the neo-traditional indie folk of the Low Anthem with the fire and brimstone of Sixteen Horsepower. Formed in the late 2000s by Heather McEntire and Jenks Miller, both of whom had spent considerable time at the opposite end of the folk spectrum as members of Bellafea (post-punk) and Horseback (psych-metal), respectively, the project grew out the pair's long friendship and shared love of American folk music.  After some drastic shifts in sound and line-up, the band's sound has settled into a sweet, melancholy strain of folk music.  Their song Calvander was recently selected by Minnesota Public Radio as The Current Song of the Day.

Jenks Miller (left) with Rose Cross at Hopscotch Festival, 2014

The Broadcast, Autumn Attics (The Earl)

Described as a modern day “Grace Slick meets Led Zeppelin,” Asheville’s The Broadcast is led by female powerhouse Caitlin Krisko.  Drawing much of their sound from 70s classic rock, The Broadcast are known for their explosive live performances.

Shepherds, Deep State, Mighty (529)

Atlanta post-punk noise/soul outfit Shepherds is fronted by guitarist Jonathan Merenivitch (Janelle Monae, Del Venicci, Dog Bite, and probably more).

Shepherds at Artlantis

The Malah, Universal Sigh (Aisle 5)

The Malah are a live-electronic trio who have been playing their organic, electro-grooves since 2003.

Sam Outlaw, Whitney Rose (Vinyl)

Sam Outlaw is a country music singer-songwriter who calls his music "SoCal country," country music refashioned with a Southern California vibe of the classic honky-tonk and troubadour pop.

Teedra Moses, DJ Tabone (The Loft)

Teedra Moses is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter born and raised in New Orleans to a gospel singing mother, and brings a little bit of that fervor to her own vocal style.

Jeff Austin Band, Brit La Palm, Seth Winters (Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar)

Jeff Austin is a member of Yonder Mountain String Band.

Supersuckers, Jesse Dayton, Dead Soldiers (Star Community Bar)

Supersuckers are a party band that formed in 1988, playing a gleefully trashy brand of throttling, rockabilly-flavored garage punk. Their lyrics are a raucous, over-the-top celebration of sex, booze, drugs, Satan, and whatever other vices the band can think of, all glorified with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Save for an abrupt and temporary detour into hardcore honky tonk, their approach stayed relatively consistent through the '90s.

Upstate Rubdown, Cortez Garza (Red Light Cafe)

Upstate Rubdown is a group of rowdy musicians dedicated to creating fun and provocative acoustic pop music, with clever rhythms and harmonies. The band's influences range anywhere from traditional to classical and from jazz/show tunes to funk, with a shared love of soul, motown, and classic R&B, for a unique sound.

FRIDAY, MARCH 25

★★Marshall Allen+James Harrar: Soloriens Tetrad, Faun and a Pan Flute, To Too My (Mammal Gallery)

2014's set by legendary Sun Ra alto saxophonist Marshall Allen and experimental filmmaker and musician James Harrar, performing together as Cinema Soloriens, was one of the highlights of that year.  This year, they're performing as Soloriens Tetrad, and percussionist Klimchak and guitarist Chris Yonker (Hello Ocho) will join in for the performance.  Atlanta avant-gardists Faun and a Pan Flute and To Too My open.

Ruby Velle and the Soulphonics (The Earl)

An Atlanta institution since 2007 featuring soulful lead vocals and a full horn section, Ruby Velle & the Soulphonics make earthy old-school '50s and '60s-style R&B.  Upon arriving in Atlanta from Gainesville, Florida, they landed a residency at the Star Bar and built a strong local following, and in 2010 and 2011, Creative Loafing voted them Atlanta's best soul band.

Shampoo, Crown Larks, Omni, Clothes (529)

Atlanta synthpop band Shampoo say they sound like "solo George Michael and the Congos songs where the high harmony dude sings lead."

Anderson East, Andrew Combs (Terminal West)

Athens, Alabama (the other Athens) singer and songwriter Anderson East's music is a potent, heartfelt fusion of soul, rhythm & blues, gospel, early rock & roll, and a dash of country.

Karbomb, Seagulls, Campaign, Spray Tan, Breaux (Star Community Bar)

This will be an LP release party for the Karbomb/Seagulls split album.

Yacht Rock Revue (Variety Playhouse)

Performing Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon and The Beatles’ Abbey Road.

Norma Jean, He Is Legend, Forevermore, Rival Choir (Drunken Unicorn)

Norma Jean is a heavy, loud, rock 'n' roll band from Atlanta.

Jerry Garcia Band Cover Band, BYOG (Aisle 5)

I think the title's pretty self-explanatory.

SATURDAY, MARCH 26

★Lily and Madeleine, Shannon Hayden (Eddie's Attic)

Lily & Madeleine are a folk-pop sister duo from Indianapolis.  The New York Times wrote that "the thing that flags them as extraordinary is their sibling vocal blend, deep and seamless and relaxed."

★Nomen Novum, FiatNil, Pamela_ & Her Sons, Anticipation (529)  

A record release show for Atlanta's admirable Deer Bear Wolf Records, featuring Nomen Novum, FiatNil (Graham Moore and Magicicada). Pamela_ & Her Sons, and a DJ set by Anticipation.

Nomen Novum opening for Future Islands at Variety Playhouse, February 27, 2015

★Dale Watson & His Lonestars, Cold Heart Canyon (Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar) 

Dale Watson is a Texas Country singer, guitarist, songwriter, and self-published author based in Austin. He champions "Ameripolitan" as a new genre of original music and has positioned himself as a tattooed, stubbornly independent outsider who is interested in recording authentic country music, and as a result, has become a favorite of critics and alt-country fans.

Rusted Root (Variety Playhouse)

Pittsburgh's Rusted Root are known for their fusion of acoustic, rock, world and other styles of music, with a strong percussion section that draws from African, Latin American, and Native American influences. The band achieved fame in 1994 with its platinum-selling album When I Woke, which included hit single Send Me On My Way. The song has been featured prominently in many films and commercials, and Rusted Root has sold more than three million albums worldwide.

A-Wa, Jaffa Road (Terminal West)

The Atlanta Jewish Music Festival Purim Party.  According to NPR, Israeli sister act A-Wa (Tair, Liron and Tagel Haim) "pull inspiration from their Yemeni Jewish roots, as well as exploring commonalities with their Arab neighbors, including language; the band usually sings in Yemeni Arabic."  NPR's All Songs Considered even singled them out for mention among the myriad bands at SXSW, especially after they sang a lullaby in Bob Boilen's hotel room.  The video for their song Habib Galbi (Love of My Heart) was filmed near their home village in the barren desert of Israel's far south. 

Newark Wilder, Fake Flowers, Sea Ghost (Drunken Unicorn)

Newark Wilder’s debut album, Vanessa Atalanta, produced by Luciano Giarrano at East Atlanta's The Cottage, is a diverse cornucopia of psychedelic punk that utilizes sneering guitars, punchy basslines, steadfast drums, and the swagger of frontman Benjamin Kinzer, a classically trained cellist.

Hot Rod Walt & the Psycho-Devilles, The Royal Hounds, Little Lesley and the Bloodshots (Star Community Bar)

Rockabilly.

Bongzilla, Black Cobra, Kings Destroy, Lo-Pan (The Earl)
Madison, Wisconsin's Bongzilla play an extremely thick and heavy, powerful mega-rock laced with homegrown, psychedelic sludge-core.

India Shawn, MeLo-X, Boyslashfriend, Kiya Lacey (Aisle 5)
LA singer and songwriter India Shawn utilizes a fearless experimentation with R&B elements and her smooth voice to connect with listeners.  India’s songs have spiritual and emotional components, and in 2013, Solange Knowles featured India’s popular track, I’m Alive, on her Saint Heron compilation album

Reza Sadeghi (Center Stage)

Reza Sadeghi is an Iranian pop singer and songwriter who has been singing since his childhood, when he began chanting the  Qur’an at school.

Junior Boys, Jessy Lanza, Borys  (The Loft)

Hamilton, Ontario-based electronic pop group, Junior Boys are a duo influenced by a number of underground and commercial sectors, including post-disco, arty synth pop, minimal techno, U.K. garage, and certain contemporary rap production styles.

SUNDAY, MARCH 27

★Takenobu (Eddie's Attic)
A CD release show for the Andrew Bird of the cello.

Takenobu at 529, July 5, 2013

This Week's Shows (2/15 - 2/21)

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, FEBRUARY 15

Kid Cudi (The Tabernacle)

Cleveland rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, film composer, and music video director Kid Cudi is also the bandleader/sidekick to host Scott Aukerman on IFC's Comedy Bang Bang, at least until Weird Al Yankovic takes over soon.  In addition to his own recordings, he appears along with rapper Future on Track Two (Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1 • Pt. 2) of the new Kanye West album, The Life of Pablo.  

Spray Paint, Shepherds, Onchi, Death Stuff (529)

Punters On A Barge, last year's album from Austin's gritty post-punk band Spray Paint, "would be perfect dancefloor fodder for your next paranoid post-apocalyptic party in the Forbidden Zone" (Bill Pearis, Brooklyn Vegan).  A trio of Atlanta-area bands, Shepherds, Onchi, and Death Stuff, open.

Bryson Tiller, They (Center Stage)

Second night of the 22-year-old Louisville singer/songwriter/rapper's sold-out two-night stand at Center Stage.  

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16

★Hey Marseilles, Bad Bad Hats (The Earl)

Hey Marseilles are a folk-rock sextet but sound almost like a mini-orchestra as they feature a string section (cello and violin), guitars (electric and acoustic), keys, accordion, and drums, giving their full-bodied songs a memorably rich texture. On their most recent, self-titled album, Hey Marseilles go for an even bigger rock sound without losing their characteristic intimacy. Opener Bad Bad Hats are a trio out of Minneapolis featuring the vocals of Kerry Alexander.

Mara, Small Reactions, Newark Wilder (529)

Mara is the solo project of Vera Vera's Jordan Parker, who wrote the songs alone in his bedroom, channeling the dark vibes of Vera Vera into a more intimate and ethereal sound that he describes as "phantom pop” or “garage gaze.”  The music of Atlanta's Small Reactions has tinges of new wave and post punk; it's often angular, sometimes surfy, and generally quick.  Clinton Callahan of Small Reactions (and Hello Ocho) will also be performing as Palm Lines at 529 on Friday night (see below).  Newark Wilder, who just headlined a showcase set at The Mammal Gallery last week, open and if you miss them here, they'll be headlining at The Drunken Unicorn on March 26.

Marty Friedman, Holy Grail, Anger Within (Hell at The Masquerade) 
Marty Friedman began his career as a solo recording artist but is best known for his tenure as the lead guitarist for Megadeth, which spanned nearly all of the 1990s. Friedman has resided in Tokyo since 2003, where he has hosted Japanese television programs, and has continued to record solo records, often embarking on adventurous musical forays far removed from his work with Megadeth, including an album with new-ager Kitaro.  On this tour, he is supported by Holy Grail, a metal band out of San Diego. Atlanta's Anger Within fuses metal, hardcore, and militant, death-like vocals to create a brutal, non-compromising form of heavy thrash.

Beacon, Natasha Kmeto, Group Sound Therapy (Aisle 5)
Brooklyn duo Beacon explore the dark side of melody by fusing the deceptively sweet melodies of R&B with an intoxicating undercurrent of darkness, drawing on influences as disparate as Warp’s back catalogue and Underworld.  Natasha Kmeto is an electronic producer/vocalist dedicated to the art of emotional engagement, combining her sensuous voice with a dancefloor ethic.

Bernie Sanders (Morehouse College)
Vermont's Senator Bernie Sanders is a democratic socialist currently running for President of the United States of America.  His Feel The Bern Tour comes to Atlanta to engage students on his policies and platforms and to explain why he is the best candidate for the presidency.

Ides of June, Ghosts of the Kodiak, Paradigm, Elonzo Wesley (Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar)
Atlanta's Ides of June have been influenced by many different styles of rock music and try to deliver as much soul, emotion, and all out rock 'n' roll energy as possible.  Ghosts of the Kodiak play indie-style rock, and Paradigm are a metal band from Kennesaw.  Singer-songwriter Jeremy Davis formed indie-rock band Elonzo Wesley after moving from Atlanta to Charlotte, naming the band after his father, and has released three LPs and two EP’s.

Bad Ash Allstar Team (Red Light Cafe)
Bad Ash Allstar Team is a community of Atlanta musicians that play frequent tribute jams, this time another tribute to the late David Bowie.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17

Grizfolk, Knox Hamilton, The Well Reds (Vinyl)
LA's Grizfolk are an alternative rock quintet with a distinctive sound that forges sharp, raw vocals with edgy electronic textures and heavy guitar and drums.  Their video for song Troublemaker merges themes from Thelma and Louise and The Walking Dead, and if I'm not mistaken, features the Walking Dead's Josh McDermitt (Eugene) as the character driving the car.  Little Rock's Knox Hamilton and Atlanta's Well Reds open.

Ballyhoo! (Terminal West)
Baltimore's Ballyhoo! are a rock band with punk energy and pop reggae grooves.

Digigost, Grand Prize Winners From Last Year, Meek Freaks, Erv Lockett (The Earl)

Digigost is the alternative/soul/industrial project of singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Jericko Digigost.  The sound of Atlanta's Grand Prize Winners From Last Year has been compared to Outkast-meets-Green Day; the band played a benefit show here at The Earl back on January 14.  Meek Freaks and Erv Lockett open.

Billy Joe Shaver (Eddie's Attic)
Texas troubadour and legendary outlaw Billy Joe Shaver's finest songs prowl and punch with welterweight fury, and his Long in the Tooth LP was voted best country album by Rolling Stone. This show has sold out, so if you're planning to go and don't have tickets, well . . .

Foxtrot & The Get Down, The Instructors, Bearing Torches, The Young & The Elder (Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar)
As demonstrated on their debut EP Sold the Soul, Foxtrot & The Get Down has crafted a sound comprised of rock, blues, soul, and Americana.   The Instructors are an Atlanta collective spanning jazz, funk and reggae genres. Lead singer Jon Ellison of Kansas City's Bearing Torches pushes his powerful, jagged-edged vocals to soaring heights with Bon Jovi-like swagger, aided by driving guitar riffs and tribute chords.  The Young and the Elder compose songs with strong melodic lines, densely packed rhythms, and introspective lyrics about life's twists and turns, dead ends and successes.

The Gordon Vernick Quartet (Red Light Cafe)
Every Wednesday, The Gordon Vernick Quartet perform a few numbers then invite 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.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18

★Nikki Hill, Southern Ska Syndicate (The Earl)

Nikki Hill’s unique voice mixes raw rock and soul dynamics with the strength, passion, and honesty of blues shouters of the past, creating a breath of fresh air with her authentic approach to American roots music.  Openers Southern Ska Syndicate just headlined the Hollyfest VIII at the Star Bar back on February 6.

Breaking Benjamin, Starset (The Tabernacle)

Wilkes-Barre's Breaking Benjamin was founded in 1999 and after several successful LPs, the band entered an extended hiatus in early 2010 due to the recurring illnesses of frontman Benjamin Burnley, who remained the sole member of the band until late 2014, when the band's current lineup was announced. Despite the lineup changes, Breaking Benjamin's formulaic hard rock style and angst-heavy lyrics, swelling choruses, and crunching guitars has remained remarkably consistent. Starset's musical style blends the progressive aspirations of Muse with the open-hearted approach of emo and muscular power of tourmates Breaking Benjamin; their style is described by founder Dustin Bates as "blending symphonics with electronics with riff-driven, baritone guitar hard rock." 

Morgan Heritage, Blackalicious (Terminal West)

Morgan Heritage, who have been called the "Royal Family of Reggae" and the "Rolling Stones of Reggae" (in large part due to their electric stage shows), have established themselves as one of the premiere live groups on the reggae circuit. Blackalicious is an American hip-hop duo from Sacramento made up of rapper Gift of Gab and DJ/producer Chief Xcel, noted for Gift of Gab's tongue-twisting, multisyllabic, complex rhymes and Chief Xcel's classic beats.

Ron Pope & The Nighthawks, Truett (Variety Playhouse)

Nashville-based artist Ron Pope crafts indie pop rock songs.  Opener Truett is a blues guitar virtuoso with a powerful singing voice.

Frosted Orange, The 200s, Samadha (529)
A funk/jazz show headlined by Frosted Orange, featuring ex-members of Atlanta's former Noot D'Noot. The 200 is a quartet featuring Atlanta Funk Society's Ian Newberry. Samadha, the jazz/improv vehicle for Little Tybee/Adron keyboardist Chris Case, opens.

Chris Case with Samadha at Smith's Olde Bar, January 20, 2012

denitia and sene, Keithcharles Spacebar, Haunted, Command (Aisle 5)
The chilled-out, futuristic, electro-soul vibes of Brooklyn duo denitia and sene moves seamlessly between pure pop, subdued electronica, and slinky R&B with a sound that brings to mind everything from Massive Attack and The Fugees to the shadowy late-night atmospherics of The XX.  Their LP His & Hers may have been one of the comfiest albums of 2013. Atlanta's Keithcharles Spacebar plays experimental hip-hop and soul.  Haunted and Command open.

Enforcer, Warbringer, Cauldron, Exmortus (Hell at The Masquerade)

Enforcer, a metal band from Stockholm, are supported on this tour by Ventura, California thrash metal band Warbringer.  Toronto's Cauldron and Whittier, California's Exmortus open.

Til Someone Loses An Eye, James Leg, The Bohannons (Star Community Bar)
Aileen Loy and her band, Til Someone Loses An Eye, just headlined the Bloody Valentines show at The Earl, and will play the Star Bar with Port Arthur, Texas' psychedelic punk-ass rock 'n' soul Fender Rhodes maniac James Leg. Openers The Bohannons are from Chattanooga and make heavy rock ’n’ roll that is equal parts Motörhead and Neil Young, with lead guitar chops that rival both.

Piper Lou-Renee, Hunger Valley String Band, Scott Low & The Southern Bouillon (Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar)
The music of Kansas' Piper Lou-Renee, who has appeared on America's Got Talent, is a fusion of folk and country. The Hunger Valley String Quartet is a bluegrass quartet from Smyrna.  Athens' Scott Low has been writing and playing songs for a long time and has dabbled in punk, jazz, bluegrass, rock, blues, folk, Americana, and country.

Patrick Sweany, Rod Hamdallah, DC Rail (Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar)
On any given night, musical omnivore Patrick Sweany might swing through blues, folk, soul, bluegrass, maybe some classic 50s rock, or a punk speedball.  Atlanta's Rod Hamdallah has been tearing up southeast music halls with his delta blues and garage-rock sounds since he was 17. Openers DC Rail are a blues-rock band.

The Georgia Crackers & Rev. Jeff Mosier (Red Light Cafe)
The Frank Hamilton Folk School kicks off its inaugural concert series with a journey back to 1920s old-time and country music with The Georgia Crackers and a performance by Jeff Mosier, one of the more eclectic musicians Atlanta has to offer. A portion of the proceeds will benefit FHFS and its continuing development and community involvement.

Kristy Lee (Eddie's Attic)
Kristy Lee is an Alabama-based singer-songwriter known for her powerhouse vocals. Lee calls the pure, raw emotion of her sound dirt road soul.

Steve Baskin (Steve's Live Music)

Steve Baskin writes, records and plays a unique blend of smart, energetic pop and Americana rock 'n' roll. In 2015, Baskin released his third full-length release, Dead Rock Star.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19

★Pylon Reenactment Society, Dressy Bessy (The Earl)

I first discovered Athens' Pylon after moving to Atlanta back in 1981, and immediately fell in love with the band's new wave sound.  Pylon had everything: the propulsive, Sara Lee-style bass of Michael Lachowski, the post-punk guitar of Randall Bewley, but most especially and notably, the fiery vocals of Vanessa Briscoe. As much as fellow Athenians REM and the B-52s, Pylon's role as elder statesmen of alternative rock is unassailable.  Legend has it the band practiced in a studio in downtown Athens which they called the "40 Watt Club" as it was lit by a single 40-watt light bulb; the Athens nightclub takes its name from this legend.  Sadly, guitarist Randall Bewley passed away in 2009, but The Pylon Reenactment Society features their original vocalist, now Vanessa Briscoe Hay.  Opener Dressy Bessy is an indie band from Denver associated with the Elephant Six Collective (guitarist John Hill also plays with The Apples in Stereo). This year's Kingsized LP is their first in eight years.

Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam (Variety Playhouse)
Dave Mason was a founding member of the classic rock band Traffic along with Steve Winwood, although Mason's subsequent participation in the band was disjointed; he left the band following the recording of their 1967 debut album, Mr. Fantasy, only to rejoin halfway through the sessions for their next album, Traffic, after which he left again. Traffic later re-formed without Mason, although he went on and played and recorded with Paul McCartney, George Harrison, the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Fleetwood Mac, Delaney Bramlett, and Mama Cass Elliot.  Feelin' Alright, one of Mason's best known songs, was recorded by Traffic in 1968 and later became a huge hit for Joe Cocker in 1969.  Mason also wrote the song Hole in My Shoe for Traffic, which was disliked by the other three members of the group, who felt that it did not represent the band's musical or lyrical style, and it sounds today almost like a parody of 60s psychedelic pop.  To my mind, Dave Mason was the more pop-oriented songwriter for Traffic, the Paul McCartney of the band if you will, while the rest of the band were more adventurous, experimental and jam-oriented. While Dave Mason is unquestionably rock royalty, it's ironic that he calls his band "Traffic Jam" considering his contentious  relationship with both Traffic and with jam sessions.

Excision, Figure (The Tabernacle)
Excision (Jeff Abel) is a Canadian dubstep producer and DJ.  Opener Figure is Evansville, Illinois' Joshua Gard's bass-heavy music project.

Larry League, Danny Wolf, Pollari, Lil Yachty (Heaven at The Masquerade)
Atlanta's Larry League is an alternative hip-hop/rap band consisting of Larry LoudPack, DJ Dolphin Tits, Bert Sausage, and Randy Provolone.  Atlanta's Danny Wolf opens, along with Pollari and Lil Yachty.  I'm no authority on alternative hip-hop, but do these guys really have a big enough following to warrant the big Heaven stage at the godforsaken Masquerade?

Archer, Dead Reckoning, Inviolate (Purgatory at The Masquerade) 
Santa Cruz's Archer delivers uncompromising and unrelenting ass-kicking hard rock and heavy metal music.   Dead Reckoning mixes old and new metal elements with the goal of creating something powerful, lasting and unique. Atlanta's Inviolate opens.

Chris Hunt, Deku, Palm Lines, Transcend All Identities (529)

Chris Hunt is an Atlanta-based producer who, following the dissolution of his band Cloudeater, began focusing on a new personal and intense sonic project, his Tomb and Tomb II EPs. This show will be the release party for Tomb.  Deku is Brett Leggitt, an Atlanta producer who makes loop-based experimental electronic music,and Palm Lines is Clinton Callahan of Hello Ocho and Small Reactions (see Tuesday night),  Transcend All Identities opens.

Finish Ticket, Vinyl Theatre, Irontom (Terminal West)
Finish Ticket is an alternative/indie pop band from the Bay Area. Vinyl Theatre are a Milwaukee-based quartet with a buoyant synth-based alternative-pop sound. Malibu's Irontom opens.

Zoogma, Turbo Suit (Terminal West)
A late-night EDM set at Terminal West.  Oxford, Mississippi's Zoogma's sound is an eclectic fusion of electronica, rock, jazz, world, and hip-hop.  Turbo Suit is a versatile Indianapolis trio that includes a live tenor sax in their electronic music.

★Salsa Chest, White Lion Shim Sung and the Lightning Orchestra, The Hecks, Vision Kaushik, Tan Korean (The Mammal Gallery) 
According to the good folks at The Mammal Gallery, Salsa Chest "gives your grandma the excuse she wanted to kick her slippers off and slide across the linoleum."  White Lion Shim Sung is a new Atlanta funk/afrobeat/pop super group led by Travis Murphy and backed by the deeply grooving Lightning Orchestra. The Hecks are "Chicago's finest weirdo best rock band" and have a tense, stripped down sonic sound that manages to be beautiful, distressing, and unique all within three to four minute spans.  Vision Kaushik allegedly always wants to be in a slow dance and Tan Korean is Giriami Deleuze.  If you want to know what any of all of this means, watch the video below or, better yet, go on down to South Broad Street and check it out for yourself.

Carrie Newcomer (Eddie's Attic)

Carrie Newcomer is an American singer, songwriter and author who has produced 15 solo CDs and has received numerous awards for her music and related charitable activities. She has collaborated with authors, academics, philosophers and musicians and in 2009 and 2011, she traveled to India as a cultural ambassador, including musical performances organized by the US State Department, and in 2012, she made a similar trip to Kenya on behalf of the Interfaith Hunger Initiative. Her range of causes, activities, collaborations and philosophies significantly influences her music.

Eliot Bronson, Caleb Caudle (Eddie's Attic)
Atlanta-by-way-of-Baltimore singer-songwriter Eliot Bronson will headline the late show at Eddie's. Winston-Salem's Caleb Caudle will open.

Wrenn, Zale, Kara Claudy (Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar)
Athens' Wrenn is armed with a voice that can be sultry, lilting, playful, or bold; her music can be B-52 quirky or Beatle melodic, but always fresh to the ear.  Zale is a young singer who combines her classical training with love of the blues narrative and rock 'n’ roll attitude.  Kara Claudy is an Atlanta-based singer-songwriter whose dynamic lyrics are informed by a multicultural identity and international upbringing.

Saturn Valley, Musical Mindz, Professor John (Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar)
Athens' Saturn Valley has a distinct, improvisatory style with jazz, funk, synth-pop and heavy prog influences.  Musical Mindz are instrumentalists who play as an ensemble and occasionally back up vocalists. Atlanta bassist/producer Professor John combines electronic instrumentation and live bass guitar in hip-hop and R&B settings.

Barry Richman & Friends (Steve's Live Music)
Barry Richman, an Atlanta transplant from the Big Apple, has been performing his psychedelic blend of original music all over the Southeast.

Cissy, Robot Party, heY! ALLigator, Spines (Star Community Bar)
Headliners Cissy are a noise/grunge band from Atlanta who will be opening for Illegal Drugs at The Drunken Unicorn on March 4.  Robot Party (formerly the Rotating Point Source) is a five-piece rock/dance/pop band originally from Statesboro and now settled in Atlanta whose music draws on everything from Nirvana to Lady Gaga. heY! ALLigator is a variety/crunk/hip-hop/punk-rock duo from Auburn. Atlanta's Spines had to drop out of last week's showcase at the Mammal Gallery featuring Newark Wilder, but they plan to open this show.

FrazierBand, Kristina Murray, Battlefield Collective (Red Light Cafe)
FrazierBand inventively mix rock and newgrass via infectious hook-driven pop tunes, adding textures from a variety of influences, including jazz and psychedelic jam rock. Kristina Murray’s music is steeped in troubadour storytelling, southern rock grit, and the audible legacies of country queens of yesteryear. Battlefield Collective is high-energy, in yo' face mix of bluegrass, Americana, punk rock, and roots.

Cosmic Charlie (Aisle 5)
Athens' Cosmic Charlie claim to be a Grateful Dead cover band for folks that are ambivalent about Dead cover bands. Rather than mimicking the Dead exactly, Cosmic Charlie taps into the Dead's energy and style as a foundation on which to build.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20

Big Head Todd & The Monsters, Mike Doughty (Variety Playhouse)

Colorado's Big Head Todd & The Monsters will bring their good-time, jam-band sound to Variety Playhouse, supported by Mike Doughty, formerly of Soul Coughing.

Soul Coughing at Criminal Records, 1994

Corey Smith, Lanco (The Tabernacle)

Georgia's Corey Smith is an Americana singer and guitarist.  Nashville's Lanco were described by Rolling Stone as "country's Imagine Dragons, full of arena-ready pop hooks and chant-along choruses."

Andrew Ripp, Swear & Shake, Act As If (Vinyl)

Andrew Ripp is a singer/songwriter from Chicago.  Nashville's Swear & Shake play postcard-perfect indie folk with an undercurrent of sly humor.  LA's Act As If open.

Daley (Center Stage)

24-year-old UK singer-songwriter is redefining the way R&B and soul not only looks but sounds and feels. This is a re-scheduled show from October 5, 2015.  

Agent Orange, In The Whale, El Capitan and the Band With No Name (The Earl)

Agent Orange, the original SoCal punk/surf power trio, is one of only a handful of bands who have been continually active since the earliest days of the West Coast punk scene. In the Whale is a high energy, two-piece rock band from Denver.  El Capitan and the Band With No Name will open with their strange mixture of spaghetti western trumpets, surf-rock drums and reverb drenched electric guitars.

Yamin Semali, Boog Brown, Melaphyre Etheoryall, Dirty Rotten, Willi Dudat, DJ Rock Most (529)

Yamin Semali is a member of hip-hop collective Clan Destined, as well as a solo performer.  Boog Brown is Atlanta-by-way-of-Detroit artist and musician Elsie Swann.  Atlanta's Melaphyre Etheoryall make soulful revolutionary hip hop.  Dirty Rotten are New York City's Joe Stu and Atlanta's Shred TVT fusing together the raw grittiness of the dirty south with the rugged realness of the hip hop’s birthplace.  Atlanta's Willi Dudat opens and DJ Rock Most will provide a DJ set.

This is your brain on EDM

ScottyATL, Spodee, QuickTrip (Hell at The Masquerade)
A showcase featuring three rising, up-and-coming, Atlanta rappers.

G Jones, Bleep Bloop, Yheti (Terminal West)
An EDM bass show headlined by Santa Cruz's G Jones.  Support act Bleep Bloop is a bass music producer out of Northern California and the founder and head of 710 Records.  Yheti is the bass fusion project of Ohio's Tyler Holler.

Studio Le Bradshaw, Lady of the Lake (Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar)
Studio le Bradshaw is the pet project of Alex Bradshaw. His upcoming debut album draws influence from 60's British  folk and psychedelia like Davey Graham and The Moody Blues, as well as modern artist such as Johnny Flynn and Fleet Foxes. Lady of the Lake front woman Emily Stilwell's gentle jazz chords and crooning, yet powerful voice are fortified with an impressive lead guitar and string instruments.

Blood on the Harp, Ex-Wives, Cold Heart Canyon, Revenge Beach (Star Community Bar)
Blood On The Harp is an Americana/bluegrass band from Atlanta.  Ex-Wives call their sound "outlaw shoegaze;" this will be an EP release show for  the Atlanta quartet. Fold Heart Canyon are a bluegrass/pop band, and Athens' Revenge Beach will open with some surf rock, desert rock, and spaghetti-western and Italian-horror soundtracks. On a related note, don't you agree that the Star Bar consistently produces the best show posters?

Sonia Leigh, Carl Anderson (Eddie's Attic)

Singer-songwriter Sonia Leigh relocated to Nashville in 2012 from her longtime home of Atlanta, and quickly won over the approval of audiences there with her gritty vocal delivery and bold, disarmingly honest approach to songwriting. Carl Anderson melds classic Nashville instrumentation, Muscle Shoals flourishes, and West Texas poeticism into "a perfectly balanced musical pastiche."

John Hammond, Amy Black (Eddie's Attic)
Blues legend John Hammond remains one of the world's premier acoustic blues artists. A Blues Hall Of Fame inductee with 33+ albums to date, he is one of a handful of artists who can say they have been steadily working and recording for over 50 years.  Muscle Shoals' Amy Black will open this late show at Eddie's.

Escape Vehicle, The By Gods (Red Light Cafe)
Escape Vehicle play gritty, down-home, whiskey-drenched rock 'n' roll with a touch of outlaw country. Nashville-based band The By Gods breed hook-laden, roll-your-windows-down rock, respectfully reminiscent of their early- to mid-90’s alternative predecessors.

Scarlett Hill, Jimmy T (Steve's Live Music)
Scarlett Hill is a country band built on modern folk and Americana roots, and driven by tight harmonies and twangy guitars and banjos. Jimmy T has been performing Americana decades before the genre even had a name and blends the core elements of Americana - rock, country, R&B, and folk.

Yuppie Scum Band (Steve's Live Music)
Frustrated bankers, techies and lawyers by day, the Yuppie Scum Band will entertain a late-night audience at Steve's with a collection of favorite classic rock, dance, and party tunes.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21

Voivod, Vector, Eight Bells, Death of Kings (Heaven at The Masquerade)
The musical style of band's band Voivod has changed several times since their origin in Quebec back in the early 1980s, and there's still no one else quite like them.  Starting out as a speed metal band, Voivod have subsequently added a mix of progressive metal and thrash metal to create their own unique metal style.  For this show, they will be supported by Philadelphia progressive thrash metal outfit Vector, and Portland.'s Eight Bells, who explore the dark sonic realms with ethereal, haunting female vocals. Openers Death of Kings are an Atlanta-based metal band.

Mother's Finest, Von Grey (Terminal West)

Mother's Finest;s sound has been described as a fusion of funk, rock, gospel, R&B, metal, and jazz, and as "Afro-Euro mosaic soul electric."  Von Grey, Alpharetta's indie-folk quartet of young sisters, have appeared on David Letterman, but still deserve greater recognition.

Von Grey at Oakland Cemetery, May 20, 2012

Native Suns, Auspice, Capillaries. No Way Out, Fuiste (Purgatory at The Masquerade)
A showcase featuring five rising, up-and-coming Atlanta rock bands. Native Suns play alternative rock and will be headlining this show, and Auspice list their genres as "alternative, punk, indie, emo, whatever."  Capillaries are an instrumental quartet.  Our Way Out is an alternative rock band from Acworth that formed in 2013.  Fuiste will open with loud collage rock.

Johnny A (Eddie's Attic)
Massachusetts-based guitarist and bandleader Johnny A has been captivating serious students of the six-string guitar from working-class bars to international amphitheaters and his virtuosity has earned him the rare honor of having his name placed on a signature Gibson guitar.

Malcolm Holcombe, Nine Years Apart (Red Light Cafe)

Malcolm Holcombe, a folk/Americana performer of national stature, celebrates the release of his new album Another Black Hole.  Nine Years Apart are a duo out of Decatur consisting of Justin Hylton on guitar and vocals and Jessica Almand on fiddle and vocals.