Atlanta Music Guide

Smith's Olde Bar to Host Benefit Concert for Georgia Theatre Employees

As many music fans and local folks know, historic music venue the Georgia Theatre in Athens was all but completely destroyed by a fire last week. Though there has already been a lovely benefit show up in Athens with Dead Confederate and The Whigs, here in Atlanta we'd like to give a hand too.

So the nice folks at Smith's Olde Bar have announced their own employee benefit show, set for July 15. From the head honcho himself, Dan Nolan:

On Friday June 19, 2009 the music community lost a great musical establishment, The Georgia Theatre. Smith’s Olde Bar is hosting a benefit for the employees of The Georgia Theatre, and their loss. 

Wednesday July 15^th, 2009 is the date of the benefit, tickets will be $10, doors at 7pm, and ALL ticket sales, and donations will go to the faithful employees of The Georgia Theatre.

Any bands, singer-songwriters, comedians, or any other kind of act who would like to participate and help raise money for these people, in their time of need, please contact Dan Nolen or Emily Warren at nolenreevesmusic@mindspring.com or 404.876.8436.

Thank you for your continued support. Let’s raise some money for our friends at The Georgia Theatre.

Dan Nolen

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.

Ticket Giveaways for Shows at The Loft!

We have a ton of giveaways for upcoming shows at The Loft for March, April and May.

On March 24, Scottish indie stars Glasvegas will be playing with Ida Maria. Email us at win@ticketalternative.com to win a pair of tickets or buy them here.

Matt Wertz will be playing on March 28 with Michael Tolcher. Email us at win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win or buy tickets here.

April 11 sees Digable Planets and Common Market play The Loft. Email win@ticketalternative.com to win or buy tickets here.

The Digable Planets show has been canceled.

James Morrison hits the stage on April 27. Email us at win@ticketalternative.com to win or buy tickets here.

The next night, April 28, Soulive play with The Shady Horns and Nigel Hall. Email win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win a pair of tickets or buy them here.

Black Kids play on May 1. Email win@ticketalternative.com to win or buy tickets here.

Gavin Degraw follows on May 5. Email us at win@ticketalternative.com to win tickets or buy them here.

Tribute band Lez Zeppelin play May 7. Email win@ticketalternative.com for tickets or buy them here.

529 Announces Shows for May

Atlanta band Carnivores (formerly Chainestereo) will be playing 529 on May 1 for their record release. Also performing are Balkans and DJs Louder than Dreams. Tickets are available here.

Windy & Carl will be bringing their ambient soundscapes to 529 on May 2 with Benoit Pioulard. Tickets are available here.

The dancetastic Yea Big + Kid Static will be making everyone shake their butts on May 8 when they play with Airoes. Tickets are available here.

Finally, disco-punksters Judi Chicago continue their residency at 529 on May 23, bringing in Ponytail and their "hyper noisy" show. Tickets are available here.

Gentleman Jesse, Valient Thorr, The Dynamites and More Announce Shows at The EARL

Gentleman Jesse & His Men are playing their infectious garage rock 'n' power pop with fellow garage punks Rock 'n' Roll Adventure Kids, who you should really check out cos they are some serious rockers. The show is on April 18 and you can buy your tickets here.

Valient Thorr will be playing a lot sooner, on March 2. Buy tickets here.

Much further down the road, but not far enough for us not to get very excited, The Dynamites featuring Charles Walkerwill be playing with '60s soul singer Betty Harrison May 7. The show will also feature DJs Agent 45 and T1, and is promising to be a packed mad house, so get your tickets now here.

Also announced today are shows with Orange Tulip Conspiracy, performing with Scarab on May 14 (tickets available here) and Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, playing with Sister Suzi on April 2 (get your tickets here).

Tapes 'n Tapes Ticket Giveaway

  We have tickets to give away for the Tapes 'n Tapes show at The EARL on March 3. To enter, first sign up for The EARL's email list here, and then email us at win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win the tickets. Even if you don't want to win the tickets, you should really sign up for The EARL's newsletter, cos it rocks. And if you want to buy tickets, click here.

The Coathangers Start Star Bar Residency

The Coathangers are starting up a weekly residency at The Star Bar for the whole of February. The band will be playing every Wednesday starting tonight, when they'll be playing with The Customer and Baby Dinosaurs vs. Extinction.

529 Annouces a Slew of Great Shows

We're really digging 529. Though it is still a relatively new venue, they are bringing in the top talent of Atlanta and beyond, thanks in great part to the guys at Tight Bros who do most of the booking. Just announced and coming up really soon is Noot D'Noot's DJ set on January 31, tickets for which are available here.

Also on sale now are tickets for Supreeme and Tom P, the former of which has been voted Best Hip Hop Act in Atlanta by Creative Loafing in 2007. The show is on February 7, and you can get tickets here. 

The wonderfully politically-incorrect country stylings of Roger Alan Wade (cousin of the equally rude Johnny Knoxville) will take the stage on February 21. Get your tickets here.

And last but certainly not least, the eclectic indie rock, jazz, world and whatever else you can find stylings of The Selmanaires will be pleasing the crowd on March 7. Tickets for that show are available here.

Parking Price Update from CW Midtown Music Complex

  For those of you who are none-to-keen on paying for parking when coming out to see a show at Vinyl or The Loft, we've got good news for you. If Vinyl is the only venue out of the CW Midtown Music Complex that is open (as in, with a show) that night, then parking is FREE! If The Loft has a show on too then it's only $5, and if Center Stage has a show on then it's $10. So think twice when using that ten-bucks-for-parking excuse - you might be missing out!

The Tabernacle now selling tickets through Live Nation

Live Nation started off the New Year with a brand new ticketing service for all its venues, including Atlanta's Tabernacle. Tickets for all shows at The Tabernacle will now only be available through www.LiveNation.com, by phone at at 1-877-598-8698 or at select Blockbuster stores.

Look out for shows from Lucinda Williams on February 28 and The Pogues on March 4, both at The Tabernacle.