Atlanta Music Guide

Big Trouble In Little Five Point TONIGHT with Sealions, The Orkids, Chris Unck - FREE!

As per usual, Pop Death Squad bring us a fab night of free music in Little Five Points' Star Bar. Tonight will feature Sealions, The Orkids and Chris Unck. And all for free!

All The Best New Year's Eve Events - Right Here!

There's been quite a few changes and additions for all the New Year's Eve events that we've been highlighting, so we thought we'd make like a little easier for everyone and put up one major list - think of it as a cheat sheet for the greatest party night of the year. Tickets are all available at Ticket Alternative.

Crave New Year's Eve Around the World at Life Nightclub lets you view New Year's Eve festivities around the world on five projection screens and 12 plasma TVs, and enjoy four rooms of music from around the world. Tickets are at Ticket Alternative.

N.J. Griffin Productions have teamed up with V-103.3 for Blame it on the Alcohol at The Sheraton Hotel in Atlanta. There'll be free alcohol until midnight and DJ Tee tha Barber spinning tunes. Tickets are available at Ticket Alternative.

Smith's Olde Bar have announced another event for their venue, with a Martay Partay in the Atlanta Room. Get your tickets at Ticket Alternative.

ESSO's 3rd Annual New Year's Eve Celebration will have a complimentary champagne toast at midnight, party favors and three rooms of music with hip-hop, '80s and '90s faves and new lounge reggae music being spun all night long. Get your tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Whiskey Park at the W Atlanta Midtown Hotel has an open bar package, champagne toast at midnight and much more. Tickets are on sale at Ticket Alternative.

Their sister bar, Whiskey Blue at W Atlanta Buckhead, has a champagne toast, party favors and DJ Chris Rimby spinning tunes. Get your tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Atlanta's own Heavy Mojo will be ringing the New Year in over at Gateway Events Center along with Demun Jones of REHAB and Money-4-Nothin. Get your tickets now at Ticket Alternative.

"The Groove's Bangin' New Years Eve" brings rocker Tommy Lee and DJ Aero to Primal Nightclub for a huge party. Get your tickets now at Ticket Alternative.

The city's best bringers-of-the-party, partners in crime, Noot D'Noot and Judi Chicago will rock in the New Year over at Drunken Unicorn. Tickets are on sale now at Ticket Alternative.

Smith's Olde Bar hosts Athens own incredible indie rockers Modern Skirts, who will be joined by Five Eight for an incredible night of music. Get your tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Atlanta's princes of madness The Black Lips will play to a sure-to-be-sold-out crowd at The EARL. Get your tickets soon at Ticket Alternative. UPDATE: This show is SOLD OUT!

The folks at Pop Death Squad have put together a mammoth party at Star Bar with Gringo Star, The Coathangers, The Judies and Young Orchids. Get your tickets at Ticket Alternative now.

If you're in the mood for some classics from a bit further back, Unzipt cover those memorable tracks from the '80s and early '90s at Andrew's Upstairs. Tickets are on sale at Ticket Alternative.

Tavern 99 will be spinning tracks with DJ Madflip. Tickets are at Ticket Alternative.

HALO Lounge will be providing an open bar from 9 - 10p.m., a complimentary champagne toast and a dessert spread, as well as a burlesque performance. Tickets are on sale now at Ticket Alternative.

DRINKSHOP at W Downtown Atlanta will be bringing party-goers a special edition of DRINKSHOP Live with performances by Angie Aparo and Michael Tolcher, guest DJ Rod Summers, an open bar from 9 p.m. until midnight and a Veuve Clicquot champagne toast to ring in the new year. Tickets are at Ticket Alternative.

And finally, Sanctuary Nightclub and Lounge will be hosting A New Year's Resolution. Your ticket gets you five hours to take in the top shelf open bar, a champagne toast at midnight, hors d'oeuvres and other delicacies, as well as optional luxury couches and private booths. Smooth. And of course there will be music, supplied by DJ Rohit B. Get your tickets at Ticket Alternative. 

November's Big Trouble in Little Five Points Just Announced: With The Judies, Poison Arrows and Cary Ann Hearst

Here's the lineup for the latest, very exciting Big Trouble in Little Five Points:

The Judies

Poison Arrows

and the lovely...

Cary Ann Hearst

As always, it's a free gig. You just can't go wrong. So see you on November 19 at Star Bar!

October's Big Trouble in Little Five Points with Judi Chicago - New Video!

We can't wait for next month's Big Trouble in Little Five Points. Judi Chicago is a favorite of ours, and with the release of their latest single, "Fun City," (complete with a wicked Atlanta-centric video, below) they're back in the limelight of the Atlanta music scene. Looks like they're taking a more instrument-heavy approach to their music, but without losing any of the upbeat fun factor. So we can guarantee there will still be much dancing to be had!

Join us on October 15 at Star Bar in Little Five Points for a good knees up - and all for free!

Judi Chicago - Fun City from Judi Chicago on Vimeo.

Big Trouble in Little Five Points with Death on Two Wheels and More Tomorrow, September 17

Join the Pop Death Squad tomorrow night for their monthly party, Big Trouble in Little Five Points, at the Star Bar. They've brought some sweet rock 'n' rollers to the gig, so be prepared for some fun.

Atlanta's own Death on Two Wheels will be headlining, Oblio have come from Nashville and Dirty Pollyana make their way from just down the road to open.

Oh and it's FREE!

Live Review: The Constellations, Soulphonics & Ruby Velle @ The EARL, September 10

By Sam Parvin

With The Constellations’ recent signing to Virgin Records, I anticipated a rather rowdy show at The EARL on Thursday night, and, girl, was I right!  There was not one disengaged body in the bar – the performers would not stand for such allowances. 

Peaking around the corner through the back door to The EARL’s music room, I was a little surprised that more people weren’t there yet.  After all, the show was slated to begin at 9, and I graced the scene close to 10:30. But the musings of Ruby Velle were undeniably strong and drawing in more spectators in each minute’s passing. Ruby’s voice is sultry and strong, sexy yet fun, and her musical style is difficult to find in the 21^st century. The six-piece band, complete with a horns section (two saxophones and a trumpet), evoke sounds of 1960s soul and funk that is undeniably danceable. By the end of their set, I was amped up for The Constellations, already making plans to check out Soulphonics in the near future, and developing a small woman-crush on Ms. Ruby. 

Pop Death Squad Presents James Hall and the Futura Bold at Star Bar, Friday September 11

Tomorrow night there is going to be some rockin' and, dare we say it, rollin' at Star Bar in Little Five Points when Pop Death Squad presents James Hall and the Futura Bold. The band has a cool new B-side for you to download (free!) at their website www.thefuturabold.com.

And it doesn't end there! Supporting acts Young Orchids are a hot tickets in this city, so catch them along with Tous Les Jours tomorrow night. Get your tickets now at Ticket Alternative.

Big Trouble In Little 5 Points Celebrates Mayor of Ponce's Birthday @ Star Bar, August 20

This month's Big Trouble in Little 5 Points is going to play host to a ton of music from some familiar faces in new packages.

Barreracudas will be headlining, and those who have been following the Atlanta music scene for a while will instantly recognize members of The Hiss. Needless to say, this is a project everyone should (and will) be checking out.

Supporting Barreracudas will be Richard Sherfey & All God's Children, an Athens supergroup made up of (among others) some of the lovely fellas from Modern Skirts.

Also supporting will be The Black Labs, who will be playing their debut show on this night. One half of the duo was part of The Pendletons (one of the best, most fun bands to come out of Athens in the past few years, but sadly broke up) and had worked with The Whigs.

As always, the gig is at Star Bar on the third Thursday of the month (August 20) and is FREE!

Big 4th in Little Five Points Bring The Constellations, Death on Two Wheels, Burgers, Booze and More!

Just in case you haven't been overloaded with enough awesome options for July 4th (Andrew's Upstairs' Buckhead Beach Party with Drivin' n' Cryin', The EARL's 10th Anniversary and 4th of July Bash, Red, White and Blue with a View at the Sundial, Blowoff feat. DJ Richard Morel and DJ Bob Mould), there's another amazing event for this all-American holiday.

Pop Death Squad have lined up a ton of great rock 'n' roll for Big 4th in Little Five Points at the Star Bar. The Constellations will be joining the likes of Death on Two Wheels, James Hall, The Whiskey Gentry (with members from the now-defunct Missy Gossip and the Secret Keepers) and The Greater Vavoom for this epic party, along with some yummy food, booze and games. $5 before 8 p.m. and $8 after.

Q&A with Kyle Gordon of Young Orchids - Playing Big Trouble In Little Five Points This Thursday!

The band, performing before Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, outside Atlanta's Center Stage, March 20.

By Julia Reidy

Young Orchids is the latest musical brainchild of Kyle Gordon, previously of Atlanta rockers The Booze, KillGordon and Ski Club. Though the group is new, these pros aren’t as delicate as the name suggests. Along with Ski Club bandmate Michael Kai, Gordon has put together a lineup of veterans to grow this project into a powerhouse. Having already opened for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah outside the CW Midtown Music Complex and graced the stage at 529, this Thursday, May 21, the band plays its third Atlanta show since its inception under a year ago. We grilled Gordon on songwriting for a new act, reputations and what it takes to make music blossom.

Q: So you guys have done this before. You’ve been the primary songwriter for lots of projects. Have you approached writing for the Young Orchids differently than you’ve approached writing for any of your other bands?

A: No. When I write, I write for whatever project I’m with at the time. My stuff isn’t so varied that it sounds like different artists. I’m not writing a polka song and then a country song and then a rap song and then a rock song. They’ve all got the same feel; they’re all pretty monotonous, I don’t know [laughs]. Actually, Michael and I write the music together. I definitely write a ton of music — I’m always writing, and I’ve got a lot of ideas I want to see to fruition. Every song I write, I want to see come to life, and that means whatever band I’m in at the time is going to be the unfortunate assholes that have to learn it. [laughs]