Atlanta Music Guide

Live Review: Nigels With Attitude, The REMakes @ The EARL, November 24

By Scott Roberts; photo by Sue Volkert

Tribute bands are fascinating entities to consider. What compels a group of musicians, who generally begin their rock and roll journeys by incorporating their admired influences into their own visions hoping to forge something new and fresh, to throw that idea out the window and decide to exclusively mine the catalog of one band instead of playing their own music? In the cases of Nigels With Attitude, an XTC tribute band led by seasoned Atlanta-and-beyond veterans Tim Smith and Peter Stroud, and The REMakes, well-respected producer/musician Geoff Melkonian’s tribute to the “early catalogue” of R.E.M., the answer is probably that learning and playing the music of these respective bands is a fun and temporary labor of love.

Live Review: Eilen Jewell with Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles @ Eddie's Attic, November 22

By Sam Parvin

When I found out Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles were finally making their way back to Atlanta, I knew I had to plan on going to the show. When I found out they were playing in one of the best-sounding rooms in Atlanta, my presence went from probable to mandatory. On Sunday, November 22, Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles, an Americana/alt-country /rock foursome from Boston, Mass., opened to a packed Eddie’s Attic. 

Tickets for 83rd Annual Spelman-Morehouse Christmas Carol Concert are FREE on Ticket Alternative

You can now get your tickets for the 83rd Annual Spelman-Morehouse Christmas Carol Concert, coming up on December 5, for free on Ticket Alternative. If you don't have an account with Ticket Alternative, you will still have to register for one, but you don't have to give your credit card information or pay for anything. You'll just be insuring your place at the show - which is a good idea since the tickets are going fast.

Win Tickets to Hightide Blues with Death on Two Wheels and Tesla Rossa at Smith's Olde Bar!

Two of our favorite local bands, and one from just down the road in Nashville, will be kicking out some serious jams at Smith's Olde Bar on Turkey Eve, Wednesday, November 25. We have a pair of tickets to give away see Hightide Blues, Death on Two Wheels and Tesla Rossa. All you have to do is email us at win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win. Or you can buy your tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Hard Rock Cafe Raising Money for Imagine There's No Hunger with John Lennon-Inspired Braclets

The folks at Hard Rock Cafe, with the blessing of Yoko Ono, have created a great charity bracelet to give to those who donate to the Imagine There's No Hunger campaign. Here's the info from the company:

As part of IMAGINE THERE'S NO HUNGER, when you add a donation of $1/£1/€1 or more onto your bill at Hard Rock Cafes, you'll receive a very special charity bracelet. Additionally, the sale of Hard Rock's exclusive Imagine Pin directly benefits WHY charities across our very small world.

Hard Rock is proud to support World Hunger Year (WHY) and its many Global initiatives to help children and the fight against hunger and poverty. WHY's founding in 1975 sought to shine a light on innovative, community-based, grassroots solutions to hunger and poverty. Eight “on the ground” partner organizations will benefit from funds raised through IMAGINE THERE'S NO HUNGER. To find out more about the specific organizations, from Kenya to Nicaragua, please click here. Join us in recognizing the spirit of these organizations and help in finding solutions for feeding those in our own backyards, as well as those around the world.

So the next time you go to a show at the Hard Rock Cafe's Velvet Underground, or just to the restaurant itself, add a dollar (or five!) to your tab to give to a great charity.

Live Review: Heavy Trash, Tiger! Tiger! @ The EARL, November 19

By Jennifer Gibson

I don’t know how old Jon Spencer is, but I do know he started heading up the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion when I was in middle school, which means he’s got to be early- to mid-40s, at least. So it’s no small feat that he’s still able to rake in the crowds, take the stage and rock out like a teenager, but he can and he did November 19 at The EARL with his new outfit, the trashy rockabilly quartet aptly named Heavy Trash. Spencer, no undesirable piece himself, co-fronts the band with the fantastic and delectable Matt Verta-Ray (formerly of Madder Rose and Speedball Baby), who challenged Spencer stomp for sweaty, seamy stomp in this dirty honkytonk game. He may have emerged the victor, but he also most definitely emerged as part of one of the more vivid and entertaining shows to hit The EARL this year. Chances are good if you’re reading this, you’ve heard of Jon Spencer. But if you’re not familiar with Matt Verta-Ray, do yourself a favor and make it so.

CD Review: Steph Jones -- Gravity

Steph Jones

Gravity

Independent Release 

By Jennifer Gibson

If Janelle Monae has been described as the female version of Prince or Andre 3000 (and she has), then Steph Jones can easily be interpreted as the male version of Janelle Monae. He doesn’t quite dial up the freak factor like she does, but he does open his new record, Gravity, with a futuristic, fatalistic shout out, and he commands some seriously catchy, almost old school hooks, all without making himself sound dated or tired. Where Monae sports a level of funky eccentricity akin to early Michael Jackson, Jones occupies a plane of chill weirdness like, say, PM Dawn, and both manage to pull it off as a modern-day invention.

The EARL Announces Dead Confederate, The Constellations and Movits Shows for January

Believe it or not, but the new year is fast approaching, and The EARL already has some stellar stuff lined up for January. They just announced three more great shows too.

Georgia's Dead Confederate will be making a stop on January 8. Tickets are on sale at Ticket Alternative.

The Constellations play a hometown gig on January 9. Get your tickets now at Ticket Alternative.

And lastly, Swedish hip-hop/50's swing group Movits perform on January 17. Check out the video above and then buy your tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Leila's Three Picks of the Week

From our sister site TA Live - and sorry for the Groove Armada repetition!

******

In video form again!

Bowerbirds - North Carolina's Bowerbirds may seem like pretty sleepy music but they put on a stellar show. They're coming to Washington D.C.'s Rock and Roll Hotel on December 2 and Atlanta's EARL allll the way into next year on February 12. Tickets are available at Ticket Alternative.

Bowerbirds - New Music - More Music Videos

Groove Armada - They're back with an incredible video "I Won't Kneel," with the stunning voice of Saint Savour. We can't wait for the new record to drop in February.

Robbie Williams - We're pretty Brit-centric around here, and are pretty excited to see that Robbie is finally making that big comeback, at least over in the UK. Let's see if we can make a bit of a wave for him over here too... 

Video of the Day: Groove Armada - I Won't Kneel

Incredible Queen-borrowed drums, the stunningly electric voice of Saint Saviour, wicked lighting effects - we love this video! Can't wait for Groove Armada's new record (which this is from) to drop in February.

Music Man--The Nasal Tone

I partially blame Christopher Carrabba (aka Dashboard Confessional). He had a large hand in starting the whole thing that has since become entirely too common and even predictable in so much of the new music that’s coming out these days, especially among the scene crowd. Nine out of ten demos I receive have it. The thing with Christopher though, is that he, while certainly not the first to sing almost entirely through his nose, connected with fans on such a personal level that they totally overlooked it. His timing was perfect, his lyrics struck a chord, and his word of mouth cult status helped get him to the point where the nasally tone of his voice became his signature sound, it was cool for its time (sorta). The truth is, if you were to see him live back in 2001, you would see a show where the entire audience sang every word to every song, Christopher literally didn’t have to sing, and it was pretty remarkable to be honest. Admittedly I own, and occasionally still listen to “The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most” (I didn’t go much further back then that). It’s a solid album for it’s time.
My problem is that since then, it seems every up-and-coming singer to grab a mic has followed suit in the vocal department and wow is it grating. What used to be the exception, has now become the rule. When I come across new music in my daily pursuit, I’m actually relieved when the singer can sing, I mean, come on, shouldn’t that be expected? It’s not. People complain about auto-tune’s over usage in pop music today, which is a topic for another time, but what about the kids who sound like their mouths were sewn shut and their nose was their only outlet?  The minute I hear a singer crooning through the ol’ schaunze, I’m turned off because it sounds (a) contrived and lazy, and (b) like every other kid who discovered a microphone and Garageband and decided to make a record. Carrabba was singing through his nose, but at least it seemed like it was coming from his heart.

*note-in the past two or three weeks I’ve actually come across some pretty great non-nasal singers, all of whom will at some point be mentioned in this blog.

-Jay Harren

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Skinny Puppy November 24 Show Moved from Center Stage to The Loft

The November 24 Skinny Puppy show in Atlanta has been moved from Center Stage to The Loft. Tickets bought via Ticketmaster will still be honored, and those who haven't bought tickets can still buy them at Ticket Alternative.

Picture Book: White Denim, Brazos, Howlies @ The EARL, November 18

By Kevin Griggs

Howlies:

White Denim:

Switchfoot's November 24 Show Moves from The Loft to Center Stage

 

Due to the high demand for Switchfoot, their November 24 show has been moved from The Loft to Center Stage. Tickets bought through Ticket Alternative will still be honored and you can still buy tickets through Ticket Alternative too here.

Tina Tiquet Presents AMG's DRINKSHOP Live for December with Little Tybee and Last Chance Runaround!

We're bringing together music, charity and fancy drinks in a swanky atmosphere for our holiday DRINKSHOP Live. The December 10 event will feature Atlanta up-and-comers Little Tybee (pictured above) and Last Chance Runaround. If you want more information - like how you can win prizes by being charitable - then you've got to our mascot Tina Tiquet's event page, become a fan and RSVP.

CD Review: Cadillac Jones – Rhythm Method

Cadillac Jones

Rhythm Method

City Recordings

By Chris Homer  

Atlanta’s Cadillac Jones continues to prove that they are masters of the jazz-funk genre with their fourth album, Rhythm Method.

Rhythm Method finds the seven-piece band crafting an album full of funk guitar riffs, popping bass lines, tight horn melodies and a healthy dose of experimentation on their sound. Cadillac Jones’ jazz-funk-jam hybrid sound will please anyone with musical tastes falling somewhere in that range.  

CD Review: R. Garcia -- I Used to Write on Walls & Other New York City Stories

R. Garcia

I Used to Write on Walls & Other New York City Stories

By Alexandra Edwards

Randy Garcia's other band, Nerd Parade, makes the kind of big Southern rock that you feel down in your bones. But on his solo album, I Used to Write on Walls & Other New York City Stories, Garcia blends indie pop and electronic touches for a smaller sound.

Win VIP Tickets toThe All-American Rejects at The Tabernacle, November 22

We have a pair of awesome VIP tickets to give away for The All-American Rejects show at The Tabernacle on November 22. The show is part of the (RED)NIGHTS concert series, which is organized by Bono's (RED) campaign. Portions of the proceeds from the shows go to the Global Fund to help fight HIV/AIDS in Africa.

The lucky winners will have the chance to meet the band and get pictures taken. For your chance to win simply email us at win@ticketalternative.com with "AllAmericanRejects" in the subject. Entrants have to be 18+, live locally and must bring a valid ID or photocopy.

Catch Heavy Trash at Criminal Records AND The EARL on Thursday

You've got two opportunities to catch the awesome super-duo that is Heavy Trash this Thursday. Jon Spencer and Matt Verta-Ray will be bringing their infectious rawk 'n' roll to Criminal Records at 6.30 p.m. for a "semi-acoustic" performance - complete with free PBR and and yummy snacks (there's some baking going on!) for ya.

Later that night they'll be pulling out all the stops for a totally electric show at The EARL. Buy your tickets for that show now at Ticket Alternative.

News Update

By Kevin C. Madigan

Icelandic electro-house quartet Steed Lord has announced that The Truth Serum Remix Project is available on iTunes now. The band has also made available Russ Chimes' remix of "Remember Me" as a free download on Big Stereo....ANTI- has signed the great Mose Allison and they're putting out his label debut The Way of the World on March 23rd, 2010. The record is his first in 12 years and features maverick producer Joe Henry....Critics have been falling all over themselves to praise Maryland duo Cotton Jones (pictured) since their full length, Paranoid Cocoon, was released in January. See what the fuss about at The EARL on December 16....Singer and songwriter Tom Goss performs at Smith's Olde Bar on December 8th....Get out your ear plugs: The mighty Anvil will shake the rafters of the normally staid Variety Playhouse on January 20 with stuff from their new CD This is Thirteen and a showing of the surprise critical hit flik Anvil! The Story of Anvil....If that's not quite enough metal for you headbangers, there's that just-announced Slayer / Megadeth / Testament bit of mayhem coming to Gwinnett Arena on February 1st. They're calling it the "American Carnage" tour. Nice.... The new and improved timfite.com website has just been launched and it's all about, you guessed it, Tim Fite. Worth a moment of your time, surely....Tindersticks will release their next album Falling Down A Mountain on February 16th. You can have a listen to one of the tracks right here.... Jason Ricci & New Blood are busy plugging the hell out of Done With The Devil and will play at Smith's Olde Bar on December 13....