Atlanta Music Guide

Win Tickets For Ladyhawke and Ida Maria @ Variety Playhouse, Thursday, September 10

We have a pair of tickets to give away for the upcoming Variety Playhouse show on Thursday, September 10 with Ladyhawke and Ida Maria. In case you haven't read our review of Ladyhawke's record already, check it out here. Then, if you fancy your chances to win the tickets, email us at win@ticketalternative.com - good luck!

Drive Invasion Coming Up This Weekend! Tickets On Sale Now!

Is it that time again already? For most of us, Labor Day came around pretty damn fast this year, despite it being a bit later than usual (September 7). And to celebrate, the Starlight Six Drive-In is holding its annual Drive Invasion the Sunday (September 6) leading up to the lovely Monday holiday.

With music from typical rock 'n' roller bands like The Woggles, Los Straitjackets, Detroit Cobras, and classic drive-in movies like The Blues Brothers, this year's Drive Invasion is sure to please. Tickets are already available at Ticket Alternative, so buy now and have a rockin' good weekend.

Q&A with David Mead -- Playing Eddie's Attic, September 17

By Samantha Parvin

Quiet, soulful pop singer and songwriter David Mead began touring recently in support of his latest and fifth full-length album, Almost and Always. Mead will play at Eddie’s Attic on September 17, so AMG caught up with him to ask about the tour, the album, and what to expect at the show.

Tell me about your newest album, Almost and Always. It’s your fifth full-length album – what were you trying to achieve, or what did you do differently, if anything?

The biggest difference is there’s such sparse production on this album. Also, a lot of it is about the end of a relationship, and we’ve taken a very straight forward, conversational approach musically - kind of leaving it open and bare. Several of the songs were co-written with Bill DeMain. He’s a really good lyricist, and he approaches writing differently than I do. Our combining our ideas and techniques offered a lot more variety of stories and subjects than on my previous records.

What has the collaboration with Bill DeMain done for your style and thought process as a creator? Would you say he inspired you or refreshed your creativity? 

He really did inspire me. He really pushed me to write more about detail and see the glory in the mundane. Bill can write about anything. For instance, writing a song like “Mohave Desert Phone Booth.” In the short story, it kind of became this pilgrimage to go to this phone booth in the middle of the Mohave Desert. The number got circulated around the world and people would call it, and if someone happened to answer, they would have this random conversation. So Bill wanted to develop it, and he wrote the song “Mohave Desert Phone Booth” and related the phone booth to the feelings of being alone and isolation. I wouldn’t write about things like that if Bill didn’t show me how to see those details in such random encounters as his finding that story.

CD Review: Assjack -- Assjack

Assjack
Assjack
Sidewalk Records

By Al Kaufman

Say what you will about any of the three Hank Williams', but the one thing they all have in common is a rebellious streak. But the most rebellious of them all has got to be the grandson, Hank III.

Instead of going the country route like his grandpa and his dad, Hank III always played thrash and metal music. That is until child support payments caught up with him and he realized it was time to cash in on his name and make some real money. And even though his four curse-laden CDs for Curb records dealt mostly with drugs and debauchery, his music and singing was a throwback to the old days, and country fans starving for something, and someone, genuine ate it up.

Win Tickets for The Drownout, The Kicks and More for Vinyl!

We have some lovely tickets to give away for shows at Vinyl. As always, shoot us an email at win@ticketalternative.com with the name of the band in the subject for your chance to win.

Atlanta's own Drownout (pictured above) will be playing on September 19. Email us at win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win or buy tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Lydia returns for a show on September 29. Email win@ticketalternative.com to win tickets or buy them at Ticket Alternative.

The Kicks (nee Four Kicks) will be playing with fellow Atlantans Death on Two Wheels to celebrate their CD release party on October 9. Email win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win. Tickets are available to buy at Ticket Alternative.

Finally, The Dirty Guv'nahs will be sharing the stage with The Beggars' Guild on October 23. Email win@ticketalternative.com to win or buy your tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Center Stage Tickets Up For Grabs!

We have tickets for you to win for show at our neighbors at Center Stage. Just email us at win@ticketalternative.com for your chance with the band name in the subject for your chance to win.

On September 1 Down will be performing along with The Melvins. Email us at win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win.

Clutch is coming on October 7. Email us at win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win.

Harmonica-masters Blues Traveler will be playing on October 13. Send us an email at win@ticketalternative.com to win.

David Garrett plays on October 14. Email win@ticketalternative.com to win.

Mat Kearney returns to Atlanta on October 16. Email win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win.

Family Force 5 come to Center Stage on October 17. Send an email to win@ticketalternative.com to win.

The Bravery (pictured above, looking sharp) are coming on October 20. Email us at win@ticketalternative.com to win.

And finally, reggae super-star Buju Banton performs on October 24. Email win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win.

CD Review: Ladyhawke -- Ladyhawke (Special Deluxe Edition)

Ladyhawke
Ladyhawke
Decca

By Al Kaufman

Since the inception of CDs, artists have been getting the re-issue treatment. Most of the big-wigs have had their back catalogs that fans previously had only on vinyl freshened up, or digitally re-mastered. The record label throws in a few outtakes or live versions of the songs from the album and, viola, a deluxe re-issue is born.

Ladyhawke brings the process to a whole level. With a self-titled debut CD that has not even celebrated its first birthday, the New Zealander who answers the question, “What would Stevie Nicks sound like if she fronted a techno-band?” is touring behind her new special deluxe edition of her only CD.

Ticket Giveaways at The EARL

We've got some lovely tickets to give away for some great shows at The EARL. Enter to win by emailing us at win@ticketalternative.com with the band's name in the subject line.

**Don't forget - you must sign up for The EARL's elist first at their website here. AND put the band name in the subject line of your email **

First up is The Long Shadows, playing on September 2. Email us at win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win. Or you can buy tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Dropsonic will be playing on September 4. You can win tickets by emailing win@ticketalternative.com or you can buy them at Ticket Alternative.

The next day, September 5, Sleepy Sun perform. You can win tickets by sending us an email to win@ticketalternative.com or buy them at Ticket Alternative.

Fruit Bats play the next night on September 6. Email us at win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win tickets. They're available to buy at Ticket Alternative.

Lastly, Mike LaSage and the Stumbling Troubadours play with The Whiskey Gentry (pictured) on September 9. Email us at win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win or buy them at Ticket Alternative.

Loads of Tickets to Giveaway for The Loft!

Oh my goodness, we have lots and lots of tickets to give away for The Loft. As always, shoot us an email to win@ticketalternative.com with the band name in the subject.

On September 10 we welcome back Owl City. Email win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win tickets or buy them at Ticket Alternative.

Funk Metal legends Living Colour play on September 14. You can enter to win by emailing win@ticketalternative.com or buy tickets at Ticket Alternative.

British producers Soulsavers perform with Screaming Trees/Queens of the Stone Age's Mark Lanegan on September 19. Email win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win or buy tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Ingrid Michaelson plays Atlanta on September 22. Email us at win@ticketalternative.com to win or buy your tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Dr. Dog bring their sunny harmonies to The Loft with Those Darlins on September 29. Email win@ticketalternative.com to win or buy tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Needtobreathe performs with Serena Ryder on October 1. Email win@ticketalternative.com to win or get tickets at Ticket Alternative.

On October 3 we have Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers sharing the stage with Carbon Leaf. Email us at win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win or buy tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Will Hoge returns on October 10. Email win@ticketalternative.com to win tickets or buy them at Ticket Alternative.

The dreamy Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions bring their smooth and smoky sounds to The Loft on October 16. Win tickets by emailing win@ticketalternative.com or buy them at Ticket Alternative.

Travis' lovely Fran Healy and Andy Dunlop (check out their loveliness in the charmingly hilarious and messy video for "Sing" above) will be playing a special acoustic show on October 17. Email us at win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win or buy tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Finally, on the same night, Venezuelan band Los Amigos Invisibles will be playing a late show at The Loft. Shoot us an email at win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win tickets or buy them at Ticket Alternative.

CD Review: Inglorious Basterds Soundtrack

Various Artists
Inglourious Basterds Soundtrack
A Band Apart/Warner Brothers

By Al Kaufman

First, two confessions:

1) I believe Quentin Tarantino to be the greatest living American director behind Martin Scorsese.

2) I embarrassingly admit that I have yet to see Inglorious Basterds.

Without first seeing the movie, the songs on the soundtrack will need to stand on their own. In most cases, songs that end up in Tarantino films take on new meaning. Can a person who has seen Pulp Fiction hear Urge Overkill (or even Neil Diamond for that matter) sing "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon" without picturing Uma Thurman slinking around her living room? Can someone who watched Reservoir Dogs hear Gerry Rafferty (with his first band, Stealer Wheels) sing "Stuck In the Middle With You" without seeing Michael Madsen casually cut off a cop's ear?