Atlanta Music Guide

Sugarhill To Close On Tuesday - Future Shows Being Moved

Creative Loafing just broke the story that downtown soul and hip-hop club Sugarhill will be closing on Tuesday, May 5:

When Sugarhill opened nearly three years ago, it was the only bright spot in the city’s attempt to remake the touristy wasteland Underground Atlanta into a hub for Atlanta nightlife. City officials even went so far as to designate Underground as the only place within Atlanta city limits permitted to serve alcohol past the 2:30 a.m. pouring curfew instituted near the height of Buckhead’s sprawling bar and party scene.

Yet, Underground still seemed to attract a motley crowd at best with its random mix of urban-oriented clubs (Motion, Frequency, the House).

“It’s hard to get our clientele to cut through that environment,” Dunn says, admitting that unless they booked big draws it was hard to pull the kind of consistent crowd necessary to sustain operations. “It basically became a destination spot.”

Such was the case two Saturdays ago when indie soul heavyweight Eric Roberson headlined the monthly Harmony in Life showcase. By 10:30 p.m., a standing-room only crowd had packed Sugarhill’s lower level and the balcony was overflowing.

But for a clientele of grown folk ranging in age from mid-20s to 30-something, such a night on the town was often more hassle than it was worth.

Ticket Alternative is still selling tickets for a few Sugarhill events scheduled for after the club's closing date, including the Anthony David and Jaguar Wright show for May 16, and promoters are working on finding a new venue for these shows. We'll let you know as soon as we know where they have been moved to.

Picture Book: The Kills @ Lenny's, April 27

Our very own Angela M. Scarola took these awesome pictures of the coolest duo to come through Atlanta since Johnny and June.

       

CD Review: Papercuts -- You Can Have What You Want

Papercuts

You Can Have What You Want

Memphis Industries

By Eileen Tilson

As a friend and I were listening to the Papercuts’ latest album, You Can Have What You Want, the aforementioned friend commented that it's “like a Beach Boys video; it’s supposed to be cheerful, but leaves you feeling kind of melancholy.” The fact that Papercuts are creating their niche in San Francisco coincides nicely with this trippy Haight-Ashbury album.

CD Review: Cursive -- Mama, I'm Swollen

Cursive

Mama, I’m Swollen

Saddle Creek

By Julia Reidy

The seminal Omaha band’s seventh full-length record seems almost made to be listened to in terms of pacing. It’s like an amusement park ride, quick and thrilling at times, but slowing suddenly, menacingly, right before a breathtaking plunge. When it relaxes, it does so via slowing tempo and dropping volume, but also through dramatic stylistic shifts. Compare the breathy, plodding delivery of “We’re Going To Hell” with the jaded wail of “Mama, I’m Satan,” or with the synthy groove/soaring anthem of “Let Me Up.” Opener “In The Now” rockets right out of the gates with warped guitars and the refrain, “Don’t want to live in the now, don’t want to know what I know.” Throughout the record, angst-filled vocals meet bendy guitar melodies — they alternate between pitch perfect and precise, and warped and atonal. Tracks are sometimes broken by noise-maker effects and creepy instrumentals, never letting the listener get too comfortable.

Full List of Artists for Tonight's 500 Songs for Kids Announced!

We have a list of all the band's that will be playing the opening night of 500 Songs for Kids tonight at Smith's Olde Bar. Behold, the mammoth group of awesome artists you can catch tonight for an awesome cause:

The Constellations, The Howlies, South 70, Amy Gerhartz, Angela Lavine, Besides Daniel, Billy Gewin, Bouldercrest Singing Group, Bruce Butkovich, Cassavetes, Chilton And Texbuksex, Dain Harris, Davin McCoy, East Ponce Soul Faction, Eren Cannata, Ethan And The Ewox, Euni Rivera, Extreme Pain, Flee, Franklin Pond Chamber Music, Gift Horse, Hard Rain, Jessica Cayne, Jessie Bock & Livin' Easy, Jordan Humphrey , Julie Gribble, Lil' Dude, Lindsay Rae Spurlock, Madam Cj, Morningside, Mudcat, New Radio Ramblers, Marc Lawson, Paul Melancon, Playground Rivals, Quench, Rick Brantley, Seed And Feed Marching Abominable, Senorita Awesome, Sindhu Chandra Giedd, Soft Ladies, Somarosa, Stereotype, Sundown, Terry Flynn, Tez Mcclain, The Cabaret Murder, The Return, The Seraphix, The Swear.

Phew. Tickets for the whole week are available here. Check in tomorrow for Friday's list of artists.

Creative Loafing and Criminal Records Release Limited-Edition Vinyl Compilation

To celebrate their "Mixtape Love" Music Issue, Creative Loafing is releasing their own "mixtape," in the form of a limited edition vinyl compilation Mixt A. The record will be put out in conjunction with Criminal Records and is available for purchase at Criminal Records for $10 and for free download here.

The compilation features music from fab local bands like Zoroaster, Grip Plyaz, The N.E.C. and Carnivores. To celebrate the mixtape, there will be two shows: A. Leon Craft, The Balkans, Grip Plyaz and The N.E.C. will play May 7 at Eyedrum for $10, which includes a copy of the LP; Carnivores, Stanza, Predator and Mums EP will play at Criminal Records on Sunday, May 10 at 3.30 p.m. for free.

Live Review: Starfucker @ Drunken Unicorn, April 24

By Julia Reidy

 After two-piece Guidance Counselor, who shared drummer Keil Corcoran with the headliners, played to a moderate Saturday night crowd, the aforementioned headliners took the stage without all the attention-grubbing, social climbing behavior their band’s name might suggest. Leaving affectation at the door, Portland quartet Starfucker humbly launched into a mixture of tracks from their self-titled debut and from their forthcoming eight-song record Jupiter, out next month via Badman Recording Co.

More Tickets Released @ Noon TODAY for Drake's May 2 Loft Show

 

Just Announced! Ticket Alternative will be selling a few more tickets for Drake's currently-sold-out show at The Loft on May 2. Tickets will go on sale at noon today for $45 a pop, so be online here to grab them because they'll go quickly!

Live Review: Tommy Keene/Magnapop @ The EARL, April 27

By Scott Roberts; photo by Sue Volkert

An especially sparse (even for a Monday night) crowd at The EARL did not deter hometown darlings Magnapop or veteran headliner Tommy Keene from delivering entertaining sets of energetic, rock-tinged pop. The humble, yet appreciative, crowd was first treated to a loosely confident performance by Magnapop, who opened with the relatively new “Monkey Grip” (from their new CD due out this summer) and closed with an adrenaline-fueled “Merry” from their 1992 self-titled debut CD. The mixture of older and newer material in-between mingled seamlessly together showcasing the timelessness of Magnapop’s loud-leaning version of power-pop.

Win a Pair of Tickets and Ride on the Fur Bus to Edwin McCain/Freddy Jones Band's Chastain Show on August 28

As you have probably heard, Ticket Alternative is selling pre-sale tickets for the Edwin McCain/Freddy Jones Band show at Chastain Park Amphitheater on August 28. The pre-sale is only on for a few more days (it ends next week on May 6), so be sure to buy now, or, if you fancy trying your luck, email us at win@ticketalternative.com to win a pair of tickets as well as a ride with the Ticket Alternative crew on the Furbus, leaving from Ticket Alternative's headquarters in Midtown. Good luck!