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Home > Atlanta Music Scene > Archives > 2008 > March
March 2008
That’s R.E.M. In The “Today” Spotlight
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The promotion machine behind R.E.M.’s new CD “Accelerate” only quickens.
“CBS Sunday Morning” did a profile of Athens’ indie-rock legends yesterday, and tomorrow — the day “Accelerate” hits stores — the threesome will make what NBC is billing as R.E.M.’s first morning show performance.
Did you see the “Sunday Morning” piece? If so, can you explain (perhaps) the staring contest singer Michael Stipe (above) engaged with the reporter? And on a musical note, from what you may have heard of “Accelerate”, do you think this is the resurrection Spin magazine and others are touting?
Oh yeah - there’s a bit more R.E.M. news on the CBS link above: Some of of the photographs shown during “Sunday Morning” were from “R.E.M.:Hello”, a book of David Belisle’s behind-the-scenes R.E.M. pictures with handwritten captions from Stipe - who also pens the introduction — Mike Mills and Peter Buck.
It’s due out June 1.
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A Frank Ski Flashback
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After reading in Peach Buzz today that V-103’s Frank Ski may be dusting off the studio equipment, and producing something for Atlanta rapper T.I.’s upcoming CD “Paper Trail”, that was reason enough to do a quick YouTube search.
And yes, it was really easy to find a video of the morning show announcer’s early ’90s hip-hop single, “Doo Doo Brown.”
Do you remember hearing it in the club? Were you in the Maryland area when Ski was? Even better, were you in this video - and willing to admit it?
Check and be sure, below:
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George Michael Tickets On Sale Next Saturday
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As AJC colleague Rodney Ho reported here earlier, pop superstar George Michael’s first North American tour in 17 years will stop here, at Philips Arena, July 31. Now we know when tickets go on sale - and how much it’ll set set you back to see the man in the infamous silver-tipped boots. The date is April 5 at the Live Nation site, the Philips Arena box office (1 Philips Dr.) or through Ticketmaster charge by phone, 404-249-6400. And they are $47, $87 and $152. (For more information about the tour, go to the George Michael site. Michael’s return to the stage is in support of his April 1 CD “Twenty-Five,” a two-CD set featuring hits from his solo days, with Wham!, as well as new songs. (And of course one of the artist’s that helped make MTV an institution would be remiss if he didn’t also put a two-disc DVD of some 40 videos, as well). What song made you a Michael fan? Or was it a particular video? And while we’re on the subject, if you saw Michael on “Eli Stone” last night, what did you think?
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Steely Dan joins roster of rock acts at Encore Park
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lovers of the melodic, off-color rock of Steely Dan will get an earful this summer in Alpharetta.
The duo of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen are slated to perform June 11 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park, according to the group’s Web site, www.steelydan.com.
Encore Park spokeswoman Holly Clausen stopped short of confirming the date, but said Thursday in an e-mail that “we will release the information locally in a day or two.”
As has been the trend when Encore Park previously announced its coming classic rock acts, tickets could go on sale at 10 a.m., next Friday through Ticketmaster.
Owned and operated by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the 12,000-seat Encore Park cost roughly $35 million to build and will open May 10 with an ASO performance.
The resurgent Eagles kick off the summer run of rock performances in May with four shows, and artists like Stevie Nicks, Rush and Yes follow.
Steely Dan is the eighth retro act named to the venue’s pop lineup. Fagen and Becker defied rock conventions by penning quirky tunes that fit more into blues, R&B and jazz genres than rock.
They recorded 10 albums together from 1972 to 2000, and their revolving cast of band mates included vocalist Michael McDonald and pianist Lee Ritenour.
Top 10 albums were “Pretzel Logic” with the hit song “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” and “Aja” with Billboard toppers “Josie” and the sunny “Peg.”
For more information and official concert announcements from Encore Park, see www.vzwamp.com.
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The Roxy Is Closed, For Now
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Gutter Twins concert last Friday at the Roxy will be the last concert at the Roxy for some time.
As was previously reported by the AJC’s Maria Saporta, in 2006, Charlie Loudermilk bought the Buckhead block that includes the Roxy. The founder and CEO of Aaron Rents said at the time that he plans to renovate it into an upscale arts and theater complex.
“So yes, that’ll be the last show in the Roxy as we knew it,” said promoter Peter Conlon. “It’s my understanding that it’s going to be gutted and totally redone. It should be great.”
If you saw the Twins (above), how was it? Will you miss the Roxy experience? What would you change about the venue — if anything?
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Chastain, Tabernacle Updates
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tickets for the individual shows in the Live Nation 2008 Concert series at Chastain Park Amphitheatre go on sale this Saturday.
(And just in case you forgot that’s…
The Moody Blues April 19
Santana April 25 & 26 with special guest The Derek Trucks Band
Sheryl Crow (Non Table Set-Up) May 3
Duran Duran (Non Table Set-Up) May 17
James Taylor May 24 (In Series)/ May 25 (Out Series)
ZZ Top with Zac Bown Band June 7
True Colors featuring Cyndi Lauper, June 16 The B52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Tegan and Sara and The Cliks with host Cason Kessley
Chicago and The Doobie Brothers June 24
REO Speedwagon June 29 with special guests Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Donna Summer July 1
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss featuring July 10 T. Bone Burnett (Non Table Set-Up)
Earth Wind & Fire July 14
Mark Knopfler July 29)
To purchase, you can go to Live Nation or call Ticketmaster, 404-249-6400.
(For more information go to the Chastain Series site or call 404-233-2227.)
And in more Tabernacle news, the Panic at the Disco (above) concert scheduled at the tornado-damaged venue April 26 and 27 has been moved to the Masquerade Music Park April 26. (Tickets for the Tabernacle shows will be honored.)
The April 19 Lisa Lampanelli show will still be at the Tabernacle, Aug. 9. (Tickets for the original date will be honored).
And the Gigantour with Megadeath performance has also been moved to the Masquerade Music Park April 20, at a new time — 5 p.m. (The Tabernacle tickets will be honored).
Had you planned to attend any of these Tabernacle shows? Pleased with the moves? What about the line-up at Chastain this summer — fun?
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R.E.M. listening party and auction
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
An R.E.M.-signed Gretsch guitar, donated as part of the guitar-maker’s 125th anniversary.
R.E.M.’s new album, “Accelerate,” won’t be released until Tuesday, April 1, but if you happen to be in Athens on Monday, March 31, you can get a sneak preview.
A listening party is taking place at the Melting Pot (295 E. Dougherty St., Athens), and doors open at 6 p.m. with the album preview beginning at 8:15 p.m. The event is also a benefit for Community Connection of Northeast Georgia & Family Connection / Communities in Schools.
Though the band won’t make it to the event, there will be a live auction of an R.E.M.-signed Gretsch guitar and a concert package to the band’s Saturday, June 21, concert at Lakewood Amphitheatre, The package includes 6 tickets, a VIP table, transportation to the concert from Athens from Touch of Elegance Limousine Service, and a VIP parking pass. There will also be other R.E.M. items in the live auction and in a silent auction.
Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 on the day of show. Get them through www.athensmusic.net, www.meltingpointathens.com or call 706-254-6909.
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Bryan-Michael Cox On Video Auditions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta’s Grammy-winning songwriter Bryan-Michael Cox launched a nationwide online talent search this week.
(Read about it in Peach Buzz HERE )
And he’s giving the Atlanta Music Scene bloggers a bit of an advantage.
If you’re an aspiring artist, interested in winning a song written and produced by the same guy who’s given smashes to Mary J. Blige (“Be Without You”), Mariah Carey (“We Belong Together”) and Usher (“Confessions”), here’s what he says you need to know before you upload your video audition HERE:
1- “The brightest personality always stands out. You can come at us with the right amount of talent, the right tonality in your voice, but if you can’t connect with the audience, well, you’re not connecting. And people can’t teach personality — star quality. They can teach you how to sing, how to talk, walk and dance; but not that! And that’s what gets you noticed.”
2 - “Keep No. 1 in mind when you’re picking a song for your audition. Pick something you can relate to first, that you can hopefully get the audience to relate to.” (There are 15 contemporary songs to choose from.)
3- “Remember — this is work. You could very well get discovered in this talent search — or on ‘Making The Band’ or whatever — but that is just scratching the surface to succeed in this business. That’s just the beginning, along a looong way. So be prepared, mentally, for that. Knowing how to sing is just, honestly, optional sometimes…Just one component among the many you need.”
The MaxFresh Video Music Competition runs through April 14.
Are you interested in participating? Have you tried to draw attention to your band or individual musical skills via the internet? And if so, how did it work out?
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Mars Volta Canceled, Paramore Moved
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The latest from the operators of the tornado-damaged Tabernacle is this:
The Paramore (above) show scheduled there this Saturday has been moved to the Masquerade Music Park May 16. Tickets for the Tabernacle show will be honored; and since it’s moving to a larger venue what was once a sold-out concert now has some tickets available.
The April 5 Mars Volta show has been canceled. Refunds are available at the point of purchase.
The Levon Helm Band’s April 9 concert is being moved to the Variety Playhouse, where - unlike the Tabernacle - there is no reserved seating. It’s all general admission.
And Lifehouse (April 12) and Elvis Costello & The Imposters (April 28) have been postponed to a date yet to be determined.
It’s looking like it’ll be early May before the Tabernacle doors will be open again, as the roof is being repaired now, reported Peter Conlon of Live Nation, the venue’s operator. “The damage is superficial though,” he added, “not structural.”
Did you have tickets to any of these shows? Were you hoping to go to Paramore, found out was sold out, and are excited again? Or have these changes made you decide to skip a concert?
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Jonas Brothers coming to Atlanta
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Jonas Brothers’ 2007 self-titled album.
They’re one of the hottest acts in music these days, but you might be forgiven for never having heard of the Jonas Brothers. The little girls understand, though, and they’re the ones who’ll be filling the seats and the lawn at Lakewood Amphitheatre when these teen dreams make their way to Atlanta on Aug. 20.
These guys have toured with Kelly Clarkson, Jesse McCartney and the Backstreet Boys, and they’ve appeared on the Disney Channel hit “Hannah Montana” with tween sensation Miley Cyrus. That should give you an idea about their audience, and their popularity.
Tickets for the August date go on sale Saturday, March 29 at noon — and they’re sure to be a big seller.Lawn tickets are $25; reserved seats are $49.50-$75, available through Live Nation and Ticketmaster charge by phone at 404-249-6400.
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Will you give George Michael one more try?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
George Michael hasn’t been on tour in the United States for a whopping 17 years. But the British singer is planning a return this summer, stopping at Philips Arena July 31.
There are no specific prices or sales dates yet for the Philips Arena concert, though they will like go on sale the weekend of April 5, with some pre-sales available via an iTunes package. The only information as of this writing on ticketmaster is for a date in Minneapolis, where prices range from $50 to $175.
Michael, 44, compiled 15 solo hits in the U.S. between 1984 and 1995 (i.e. “Monkey” “Father Figure,” “Freedom ‘90”) but hasn’t had a major hit album stateside in more than a decade. His most recent release, a greatist hits compilation called “Twenty Five,” which came out in the U.K. in 2006, arrives here in April.
Over the years, the former Wham! singer has had his fair share of legal wranglings with record companies and the infamous 1998 incident when he was caught by cops “engaging in lewd act” in a public toilet in a park in Beverly Hills. He got rid of his home not far from that site and rarely appears in public in Los Angeles as a result but mocked himself in a fictional park scene during the finale of the Ricky Gervais series “Extras.” His partner of 12 years, art gallery owner Kenny Goss, is based in Dallas. Michael recently had cameos on the ABC show “Eli Stone,” where the lead character sees the singer when nobody else can.
According to USA Today,, he felt his earlier U.K. tour was too much of a party so he’s dropping his campiest songs “Wake Me Up (Before You Go Go” and “I Want Your Sex.” But he will sing “Careless Whisper” although “I don’t particular enjoy singing” it. He’s also retiring the leather, though he will wear sunglasses and a suit on occasion.
Why return now? Michael calls it a “rounding off” of his career’s first phase. “I don’t want to do anything on this scale again,” he says. “No more stadiums. I’d like to be the Tony Bennett for my generation.”
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The Tabernacle may be closed until May
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Tabernacle, the 98-year-old downtown church-turned-concert venue, is looking at a May reopening after being damaged in the tornado.
Peter Conlon of Live Nation, which operates the Tabernacle, said Friday that the building is structurally sound. The concert hall underwent inspections and tests this week.
Among parts of the building that will have to be replaced are some of the stained-glass windows, which blew out in the tornado. They’ll get new ones, Conlon said. “We want it to be as nice, if not nicer, when we reopen it, ” he said.
At the moment, there’s no word on what will happen to the shows — or tickets purchased for them — scheduled between now and May, including the Elvis Costello performance on April 28.
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T.I. and Family, At Easter
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A kind photographer named Sydney George sent us these behind-the-scenes shots of Atlanta rapper-actor T.I. during his first public appearance since he went under house arrest in October for allegedly purchasing machine guns.
So we thought we’d share them with you … along with this video.
Here he is with New Birth Missionary Baptist Church’s Bishop Eddie Long, who held Easter service for some 30,000-plus people at the Georgia Dome
T.I. and his expecting girlfriend, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Tameka “Tiny” Cottle.
T.I. and longtime friend/business partner Jason Geter
T.I. with his sons King C’Andre (in front, in grey suit and blue tie), Domani Uriah (in blue suit) and Messiah Ya’Majesty (in grey suit, orange tie), Cottle with her niece Kelsey (behind her), her daughter Zonnique (in front of her) and T.I.’s daughter Dejah Iman
Were you among the tens of thousands at the Georgia Dome Sunday? Were you surprised that a judge allowed T.I. to attend? And if you were there, what did you think of T.I.’s address about AIDS? (MORE PHOTOS from the Georgia Dome)
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Tickets to ’70s band Yes go on sale Friday
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Will promoters for Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park slate another oldies act for the new facility?
And if so, what band?
“Yes,” answers both questions.
Tickets for Yes, the long-standing, ’70s progressive rock band, go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Ticketmaster.
The concert is 8 p.m., Aug. 4, at the soon-to-open open-air venue in Alpharetta.
The group spun its career from 1969 through the early 21st Century and will reprise some of its most popular tunes: “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” “Roundabout,” “Leave It,” and “Rhythm of Love,” among others.
Along with performances featuring the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra — ASO owns and operates Encore Park — Yes joins a parade of classic rock acts booked for the outdoor stage, including the Steve Miller Band with Joe Cocker on May 26.
For tickets, contact the Ticketmaster Web site or call 404-249-6400.
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Jermaine Dupri Presents Brutha
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Seemingly everywhere you turn on TV there’s yet another unknown singer looking for attention.
But with the exception of MTV’s “Making The Band” series, you rarely see what happens once that artist gets it.
Peachtree TV’s “Jermaine Dupri Presents: Brutha”, debuting tonight at 8 p.m., capsulizes that experience.
In short, it’s about five talented brothers (pictured above) from California who’ve come to Atlanta to score a record deal. And they’ve got eight days to prepare for a performance in front of Dupri and other Atlanta music scene tastemakers such as A&R power Shakir Stewart, Grammy winners Johnta Austin and Daron Jones of 112, as well as “lifestyle specialist” Kenny Burns.
It’s an interesting, whirlwind of a glimpse of what recording artists do to prepare for success — racing viewers through Grady, Anthony, Poppa, Jacob and Jared’s encounters with a rigorous artist development consultant, choreographer, vocal coach, producer and stylist.
And it’s a flattering showcase of some of the people (Stewart, Marvin McIntyre, Jazze Pha) in the local music industry, and their favorite places (Knitch, Uptown Restaurant and Lounge, Opera) to hang out.
Without giving too much away here about Brutha’s fate, it’s already been reported in Peach Buzz today SEE HERE that a network is looking at making this a series shown across the country.
From what you may have heard on Hot-107.9 this morning - on which they performed - or perhaps what you see in accessatlanta.com’s exclusive online gallery HERE, are you interested in following these guys into stardom? The industry seems to be wide open for such an act. Why do you think there are so few male OR female groups these days?
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Classic Chastain acts announced
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Indigo Girls. Photo: Jeremy Cowart.
Summer schedules are beginning to firm up as another big concert series reveals its first round of shows.
The 35th year of Classic Chastain at Chastain Park Amphitheatre will being June 14, but the performers for that date aren’t set just yet. Emmylou Harris, Al Green, Boyz II Men, Jill Scott, Indigo Girls, Kenny G and Crosby, Stills & Nash are just a few of the acts in the initial announcement.
The first date with a line-up is the June 21 “Tribute to Nat King Cole,” which will feature George Benson and Atlanta resident Earl Klugh with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
Subscription packages will be on sale beginning Friday, March 21, including Wednesday series (8 concerts), Friday series (7 concerts), Saturday series (8 concerts), the Tanner series (3 concerts/no tables, coolers or carry-ins), and Take 5 (choose 5 concerts in the terrace or lawn).
Single tickets go on sale May 12 to the general public. Both subscription packages and single tickets are available through the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Season Ticket Office (1280 Peachtree St.), at (404) 733-4800 and At the Classic Chastain Web site.
Many dates are still to be announced (TBD) and the dates with an asterisk (*) are no tables-coolers-or-carry-ins shows.
June 14 — Delta Classic Chastain Opening Night - TBD
June 18 — TBD
June 20 — TBD
June 21 — George Benson with special guest Earl Klugh and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: A Special Tribute to Nat King Cole
June 25 — Kenny G
June 27 — Emmylou Harris
June 28 — Edwin McCain with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
July 2 — Boz Scaggs with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
July 9 — Soul Asylum and Gin Blossoms*
July 11 — TBD
July 12 — The Temptations and The Four Tops
July 16 — Michael McDonald and Al Green
July 18 — TBD
July 19 — Corey Smith*
July 25 — Boyz II Men and Morris Day & The Time
July 30 — Jill Scott
Aug. 1 — Hootie and the Blowfish - ‘Homegrown Tour 2008’
Aug. 2 — Crosby, Stills & Nash
Aug. 6 — TBD
Aug. 8 — Hippiefest featuring Eric Burdon & The Animals, Jack Bruce of Cream, The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, Melanie, Badfinger featuring Joey Molland, Jonathan Edwards
Aug. 9 — Gipsy Kings
Aug.13 — Beach Boys with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Aug. 22 — G. Love & Special Sauce*
Aug. 23 — TBD
Aug. 27 — TBD
Aug. 29 — The Regeneration Tour: The Human League, Belinda Carlisle, ABC, A Flock of Seagulls, Naked Eyes
Sept. 13 — Indigo Girls
For more shows on sale this week, see Hot Tickets.
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SoCo Music Experience Returns
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Queens of the Stone Age. Photo: Jason Odell
The folks who craft Southern Comfort will also bring us another free concert this spring. The SoCo Music Experience returns for its third year at Centennial Olympic Park on May 17, and like the title sponsor, the event is for those age 21 and over.
Headlining the 2008 version is rock beast Queens of the Stone Age, with support from Ghostland Observatory, Supersuckers, Ryan Shaw and Bang Camaro.
Previous Atlanta editions of the festival have featured the Flaming Lips, The Roots, Son Volt, De La Soul, Sick Puppies, Cypress Hill, Mickey Avalon and Galactic.
Atlanta is one of six cities that will host the SoCo Music Experience this year, with Denver and New York being added for the first time. For more info and updates, check the event’s site..
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Gov. Perdue, meet DJ Toomp. DJ Toomp, the Governor
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Where’s the last place you’d expect to hear Atlanta rapper-actor T.I.’s “What You Know”?
We’ll wait a second — because it’ll probably take days to come up with this answer: Wednesday night in the basement of the governor’s mansion, as state senators and high-powered attorneys partook of muscadine spritzers and green curry mussels, T.I., the convicted felon currently on house arrest for allegedly purchasing machine guns, was rhyming out of the speakers at the home of Gov. Sonny Perdue.
Then again, he did invite Georgia’s numerous Grammy nominees and winners over for spritzers, shrimp cocktail, lobster bisque shooters and the like — and T.I. is a two-time Grammy winner.
“It’s a great evening to not only recognize the creativity but also the economic impetus that the music industry and the creative industry in Atlanta and throughout Georgia contribute to the state,” Perdue said. “And you know, music has the ability to bring us all together and that’s exactly what it’s done tonight.”
Among the governor’s guests were fellow lawmakers (State Sen. Jeff Mullins); power attorneys (Joel Katz); at least one Georgia Music Hall of Fame honoree (Dr. Bobbie Bailey); a lone former Falcon/recording studio owner (Bob Whitfield); and of course, numerous Grammy winners (Earl Klugh, Freddy Cole, Q of 112, DJ Toomp-pictured above), nominees (Karen Peck and New River) and fellow artists (Diana DeGarmo) who couldn’t pass on a tour of the people’s mansion. Or perhaps, pecan phyllo cups.
And once you’ve looked, give us your thoughts on the scene. There’s bonus points if you can guess what Gov. Perdue said was on his iPod. (Look for the answer soon, probably, in Peach Buzz).
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Mic Club Goes Out With A Pow!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After six years at the Apache Cafe, 4Kings Entertainment’s The World Famous Mic Club officially unplugged Tuesday night.
But not without static.
The press release from Mic Club publicist Jurena Glass described the split in, well, not-SO-rough terms: “We took our record and reputation for excellence to the negotiation table and proposed a deal that would keep both sides happy as we move forward,” creator and host of the weekly hip-hop competition, D.R.E.S. tha Beatnik, says in the statement. “However, the ownership of the Apache Cafe didn’t think that mutual growth was in their best interest by insulting the process and the personnel behind it. We felt that it was time to take our show to bigger and better heights.”
But before that was sent, tha Beatnik - in the center of the picture above - sent out a message that began (with some editing): “Nightclub owners and promoters have always had a LOVE/HATE relationship. Typically, when an owner takes advantage of a promoter, the promoter doesn’t take the initiative to inform the public of the hardships that he/she has gone through, and usually takes it.”
And after three or four sentences about its - without question - underground success here, it ends with: “I feel that it’s time that nightclub owners here in Atlanta and across the country understand that the creativity and innovation of promoters will not be raped by the likes of greedy business owners who don’t believe in taking care of the people who take care of them.”
Whew.
Well, perhaps anticipating this acridity, Apache owner Asa Fain also sent out a quick e-mail, saying, in part (again, with slight edits): “This is not a big deal when you compare it to Iraq, the economy, life, death and groceries. But I learned a little while ago that taking the high road and not saying anything is not always the best thing to do.” Any questions or comments, he adds, reach out to him or Kelly Tenedini.
Sooooo, were you at the big adieu last night? Was it as fiery as the e-mail dispatches? And what kind of loss do you think this is to Atlanta’s underground hip-hop scene?
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Tabernacle confirms severe damage to historic venue
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Tabernacle’s promoter has just confirmed what was pretty obvious to anyone who’s seen pictures of the damage this past weekend’s tornado caused downtown.
The 98-year-old venue, according to the Live Nation press release, “sustained significant damage Friday night…Structural engineers and other experts are currently assessing the overall condition of the building. Once these evaluations are completed, Live Nation will announce a timetable for repairs so that the building can re-open and shows can resume.”
Promoter Live Nation is supposed to get back to us on this on Friday.
(FULL COVERAGE of tornado damage)
Meanwhile, are you planning to attend the next show scheduled there - Paramore, March 29? Or the Mars Volta the following Saturday?
(Alan) Jackson Family News
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Newnan native Alan Jackson scored a two-fer, of sorts, this week; while his wife Denise announced today that she will follow her New York Times best-seller “It’s All About Him: Finding The Love Of My Life,” with “The Road Home” on May 13.
But back to hubby for a minute. His “Good Time” CD made its debut atop Billboard’s pop chart. And the first single, “Small Town Southern Man,” tops the R&R and Country Aircheck charts. (It’s No. 2 on Billboard’s country songs chart, and at 42 on the industry publication’s Top 100 pop singles.)
“I didn’t sit down to write a song about my family and my daddy and granddaddy, but I did pull from that stuff,” Jackson said of “Small Town”. “But wherever you go, there are rural people - around outskirts of major cities and everywhere - that are working for a living and raising families. They all have the same qualities and same goals as a small town southern man.”
As for “The Road Home,” Mrs Jackson says it will offer readers words of wisdom and faith when things get tough. “It’s never too late to choose the road that leads to abundant, joyful living,” she says. “This is a book that my children can pass along to their children and grandchildren because the life lessons are universal and apply to everyone - young and old.”
Did you pick up “Good Time” its first week in stores? How would you rate it? What about the book “It’s All About Him”? Your thoughts?
New Van Halen date… again
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The on-again, off-again saga of Van Halen’s spring concert tour is back on - for now.
The new date at Gwinnett Arena: Sunday, May 11.
Tickets for the band’s previously scheduled dates will be honored. Refunds are also available at the point of purchase.
In a press release last week, the band said Eddie Van Halen was taking unspecified “medical tests” prompting the group to postpone the tour through mid April. What is that medical condition? Feel free to speculate given his past drug problems. Or it may have simply been “GottagetawayfromDavidLeeRoth-itis.”
Van Halen sold out Philips Arena last month and concertgoers here ripped the show for sound problems. The band had a chance to rectify the situation two weeks later on Feb. 19 at Gwinnett Arena. But that date was postponed. The second date was set for this Wednesday, March 19. Then that was pushed back, too. So this is the third and hopefully last date.
Check out this photo gallery from the Philips Arena concert.
The poor folks at Gwinnett Arena must need serious doses of aspirin right now.
Steve Miller Band and Joe Cocker tickets on sale Thursday
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Steve Miller Band and Joe Cocker, classic rockers from the 60’s and ’70s, will kick off summer with a concert in Alpharetta.
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday, for the “97 Days of Summer” concert, the annual show sponsored by retro radio channel 97.1, The River.
The May 26 show adds to the growing list of resurgent rock groups making stops at the soon-to-open Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park.
The Steve Miller band made a run through the late ’60s and ’70s with hit tunes like “Fly Like An Eagle,” “Abracadabra,” “The Joker,” and “Take The Money And Run.”
Samples from many of these have been used in recent hip-hop and club tracks, creating a fresh audience.
English rocker Joe Cocker’s gravelly voice was immortalized when “Up Where We Belong” played in the Oscar-winning “An Officer and a Gentleman.”
Other noteable hits from the Woodstock alum include “You Can Leave Your Hat On,” and a soulful rendition of Bruce Fisher and Billy Preston’s “You Are So Beautiful.”
For tickets, contact Ticketmaster or call 404-249-6400.
Storm-Affected Concerts
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This past weekend’s tornado and storms had no mercy on MercyMe fans either. The Christian music group, along with Newsong, Skillet, BarlowGirl, Mandisa, Group 1 Crew and PureNRG - along with guest speaker Tony Nolan and the Real Encounters Extreme BMX Skate Team - were all booked to perform at Winter Jam 2008 this past Friday at Philips Arena. That, of course, was the same night the historic tornado hit downtown. And with the tour ending the next evening in Nashville, arena officials are now saying they can not reschedule it. But it will return next year. (For more information you can go to the Philips Arena site HERE WRFG-89.3 FM also postponed its Tower of Power Celebration and the following Global Drumbeat Anniversary party, planned for Saturday at Cenci restaurant. It reportedly will be held in April. For more information, you can go to the WRFG site HERE Particularly observant readers/viewers may have noticed the extensive damage right next to the Tabernacle. The next show on its schedule isn’t until the 29th, and no change with that Paramore show has been announced, as of this posting. Were you looking forward to the Winter Jam? Are there any other metro area concerts you know of that were postponed or cancelled due to the weather? 
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South by Southwest wraps up
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Melissa Young at the Victorian Room at the Driskill in Austin on Saturday night.
On the final night of the South by Southwest music conference and festival, Atlanta’s Melissa Young took the stage in the Victorian Room at the Driskill just past midnight. “This is my first time in Austin. I like it,” she told the audience. “I’m coming back. “The vibe and the energy are amazing.”
She’s right. For a gathering that includes so many music professionals and music geeks, there’s a remarkable lack of cynicism in the air. Most folks seem to leave that grumbling at home and just enjoy the work of the thousands of musicians that converge on the city. It’s a refreshing atmosphere that reaffirms the jaded listener’s faith in music.
The music part of the multimedia festival began Wednesday, when R.E.M. enthralled the throng at Stubb’s Bar-B-Q. The legends seemed reinvigorated, but they aren’t the real story here. That lies in the 1500-plus artists that are here to get their music in front of a wider audience. Among them is Dead Confederate, an Athens quintet on the verge that preceded R.E.M. on the Stubb’s stage Wednesday.
Dead Confederate’s Southern-fried blend of slashing Nirvana-like rock and Pink Floydian atmospherics made for a raging, riveting set. Word got around through the week, and if you mentioned that show to anyone over the next few days, you were likely to hear “I heard Dead Confederate was great” or, from the fans that were there, “they were awesome.” Yes, they were.
They weren’t the only fine band from Atlanta and Athens to impress listeners here in Austin. The Zac Brown Band’s rock, country and reggae blend won over the crowd with a delayed and truncated show on Thursday night at Club de Ville. It seemed that few in the audience had seen the band before, but by set’s end, they were begging for an encore that the stage managers wouldn’t allow.
Over the course of four days, many more Georgia acts did their state proud. Morning State, Anna Kramer and the Lost Cause, Trances Arc, the Whigs, the Pendletons, Atlas Sound, Modern Skirts, Elf Power, We Versus the Shark and Dark Meat are just the ones I managed to catch. There were easily 30 more that made their way from Georgia to the Texas capital last week.
Most of the whirlwind of live music wrapped up late Saturday (or, more accurately, very early Sunday morning), and Melissa Young’s performance was among the fest’s last official showcases.
The Atlanta resident and South Carolina native tells the crowd, in introducing her single “Just a Girl,” that she’s not interested in being what someone else wants her to be. If someone wants to change you, she says, “you tell them you can’t be anybody but you.”
She digs down deep for some heavy emotion on the wrenching ballad “Stay” and funks things up on “Mr. Shownuff.” She’s at her best with the sweet, sexy soulfulness of a tune such as “Rock With Me,” which just makes you want to cuddle with the one you love.
It seemed like a fitting end to this four-day valentine to the power of live music.
Saturday afternoon at South by Southwest in Austin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Saturday in Austin and all is music and sunshine.
In search of lunch, I head to Maria’s Taco Express, just because I know that it’s the place where Austin music mainstay Alejandro Escovedo plays on a regular basis - and that he’d be playing sometime over the weekend. Escovedo wasn’t performing in the early afternoon, but he was there playing host. Just as the tacos were ready, North Carolina underground pop royalty Chris Stamey took the stage. It’s the kind of serendipitous thing that happens here during South by Southwest. Go for a taco, and you just might get a set of music from someone you’ve admired for decades. His take on late Big Star vocalist and guitarist Chris Bell’s gorgeous “I Am the Cosmos” nearly had me salting my tacos with weepy, fanboy tears.
From the South Austin taco tavern, I head toward the center of town. On the way toward Waterloo Park, it’s a quick stop at Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub, where Atlanta trio Anna Kramer and the Lost Cause are playing an afternoon set. The crowd may be sparse, but the band still gives it all they’ve got. After all, this is the band that wouldn’t let simple flight cancellations stop them from playing on Friday, when Kramer and drummer Adam Renshaw drove 8 hours to fetch bassist Shannon Mulvaney from Dallas. Check Friday’s post for the details.
An hour or so later at Waterloo Park, which sits in view of the state capital, there’s an all-day free concert called “Don’t Mess With Texas 2.” One of the afternoon’s acts is Atlas Sound, led by Atlantan Bradford Cox, also the frontman of the band Deerhunter. Atlas Sound’s hypnotic trance-pop wasn’t exactly the most appropriate soundtrack for a sunny afternoon outdoors. Sometimes it’s good to mix things up, though. If you closed your eyes and zoned out, the band’s music could carry you away like the welcome breeze that blew through the shady park.
But while Cox was playing here in Austin, his mind was also on home. “Half of my neighborhood is being flattened by tornadoes as we speak,” Cox tells the crowd, after asking if they’d heard about the storms that ripped through downtown Atlanta. “In other news, I almost saw a guy get killed when he was hit by a car.”
“And how are you guys today?,” he asks, all the bad news being put aside for a few moments so we could spend a perfect day in the park.
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Georgia takes over Austin’s Chain Drive
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Morning State’s Russell Ledford (left) and Dave Williams.
The Pendletons join in for a chaotic and crowd-pleasing end to Morning State’s set.
Anna Kramer and the Lost Cause throw down some rock power.
Most of the time, Chain Drive is home to Austin’s bearded, burly and denim/leather clad gay crowd, but on Friday night it hosted some of Atlanta and Athens’ finest bands filling the proudly dive-like bar.
Atlanta’s Trances Arc took the stage first, though stage might be too fancy a word for the corner the bands occupied. It took a little time for the sound mix to match the group’s talent, but by the time the quintet got to their last two songs, their updated alt-rock blast was just right.
Next up was Anna Kramer and the Lost Cause, but their appearance was iffy right up until show time. Though Kramer and drummer Adam Renshaw got to Austin early, bassist Shannon Mulvaney was supposed to fly in early Friday. Some flight cancellations stranded Mulvaney in Dallas, but that couldn’t stop the rock. Kramer and Renshaw drove to Dallas and picked up their marooned bassist. “It was about four hours up and fours hours back,” Kramer said. “But we made it just in time.” Just minutes after Trances Arc finished up, the trio pulled up outside. You’d never know that they’d had such a hard time getting to the gig. They blazed through a rambunctious set highlighted by a punk-powered take on the Merle Haggard classic “The Bottle Let Me Down.” These three musicians all play a big part in pumping out thhe band’s pure rock power with a country undercurrent, but drummer Renshaw is mind-blowingly good.
The Pendletons, one of Athens’ most buzzed about outfits, has a set full of some of the catchiest tunes I’ve heard all week. The quartet’s ear-caressing indie-pop is bound to win over anyone who’ll give it a chance.
Another Atlanta foursome, Morning State, followed. These guys play their tight, taut pop with big rock crunch and fearless abandon. By set’s end, the band’s bold spirit spilled out into the audience as their friends from the Pendletons joined in for a chaotic sing-along. If anyone wasn’t having fun at this show, it certainly wasn’t the musicians’ fault.
Friday at South by Southwest in Austin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Whigs rip it up at Paste’s afternoon party Friday at Volume.
Los Campesinos at Filter magazine’s Showdown at Cedar Stret Courtyard Friday afternoon.
Friday was a gorgeous day in Austin, but the bounty of live music on offer at the South by Southwest Music Festival was enough to draw even the most diehard sun-worshipper into dark bars.
A pair of magazines offered some of the best reasons to see some live music in the afternoon.
First, the Filter magazine party at Cedar Street Courtyard hosted Swedish combo the Shout Out Louds. Lucky for the outdoor lovers, this show took place outside, giving listeners a choice between sun and shade.
Take the gloom and doom out of the Cure and amp up the pop catchiness and you’d have the Shout Out Louds. If “Friday, I’m in Love” and “Just Like Heaven” are on heavy rotation in your playlist, you should check this band out pronto. The chaotic playground punk of Wales’ Los Campesinos followed, after many equipment-related delays. The joyous cacophony was worth the wait. “It’s never, ever, ever this hot,” said keyboardist Aleksandra - the band members all go by the first names followed by “Campesinos” - after bandmate Gareth told the crowd the group was from Cardiff in South Wales. Gareth removed his shirt in response. “This is to distract from our gear not working,” he said.
About eight blocks away, Decatur-based Paste magazine was co-sponsoring another winning line-up. Atlanta native Kaki King, Canada’s the Weakerthans, New Zealander Liam Finn and Athens’ the Whigs all took the stage Friday afternoon at Volume. The Whigs, with a demanding schedule that included a white-hot set at the Austin Music Hall on Thursday night, ripped the place apart again. Incredible performances just seem to come naturally to these guys. Thursday it was the cavernous Music Hall, Friday the more intimate Volume club. It doesn’t matter how big or small the venue, this band seems to deliver a ferocious set of ear-catching, no-frills rock every time.
On the patio out back at Volume, I ran into Lenny Kuff, 23, a fairly new Austin resident who was experiencing his second South by Southwest music week. The town’s music scene was one of the things that made him want to move to the Texas capital. When he got a job offer after graduating from the University of Wisconsin, he jumped at the chance to come to Austin and moved here last June.
Kuff was making his way from day party to day party, most of them free. Earlier in the afternoon at J. Black’s Feel Good Lounge, just up 6th Street from Volume, he’d spotted Ludacris. “He was chillin’ out with his entourage, drinking Mexican Martinis,” Kuff says. “I thought that people would be harassing him, but they were all pretty chill.”
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Bow Wow Celebrating The Big 2-1
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sigh. It seems like only yesterday that a young Atlanta rapper-actor named Lil Bow Wow was blowing out the candles on his 16th birthday cake at Cascade Skate Center. (See top pic. “Ahhhh,” if you like.)
Now the Lil is gone. The youngest solo rapper to reach No. 1 on the U.S. charts has made BIG bucks in the movies (“Roll Bounce,” “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift”); shown off his Atlanta and Miami homes - and luxury automobiles - on “MTV’s Cribs”; and this weekend he’s celebrating his official entrance into adulthood.
And what better place is there to turn legal than in sin city itself?!
That’s right, the artist born Shad Moss (in a more recent picture, below) is having a 21st birthday celebration Saturday in Las Vegas; (though he was actually born March 9). And where Atlanta music mogul Jermaine Dupri, NBA legend Magic Johnson and fellow pin-up Mario attended the 16th fete, this time around Bow Wow’s guest list is filled out by more of the female variety. Melody Thornton of the Pussycat Dolls is among those expected; plus fellow Atlantan T-Pain is scheduled to perform and Swizz Beatz will be on the turntables.
Have a birthday wish or greeting for Bow Wow? And what else do you think this young millionaire could want?
Zac Brown Band plays South by Southwest
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta’s Zac Brown Band (Brown is in the center) performing at Austin’s Club De Ville on Thursday night.
Until you actually see Atlanta’s Zac Brown Band perform, you might think this powerhouse country-rock quintet would need a partisan crowd to generate audience excitement. After all, these guys have built a dedicated and fervent fan base in the Southeast, but haven’t ventured as far west as Austin very often.
It turns out that Brown and his band can turn just about any crowd into loyal followers. At Austin’s Club De Ville on Thursday night, they did just that. His hardcore fans already know it, but it shouldn’t be long before the rest of the world realizes that Brown is a star.
The band got a late start because of delays earlier in the night, but it was worth sticking around well past midnight to see Brown and company work their magic. And that magic was everywhere. It was in Brown’s clear, pure voice. It was in his heartfelt songs. It was in the lush vocal harmonies. It was in the musicians’ stunning instrumental skill. It was in “Chicken Fried,” their joyous celebration of all things good.
The way Brown inserted part of Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic” into the middle of his own beautiful “Free.” was more than magical. At that moment, it was hard to imagine anyone, aside from Morrison himself, has ever done a better version. It was downright supernatural.
R.E.M. at “Austin City Limits”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“Austin City Limits” producer Terry Lacona captured the mood best, as he welcomed the audience to a taping of a performance by R.E.M. “You do know how lucky you are to here?”
It’s remarkable that the Athens Rock and Roll Hall of Famers have never done the venerable PBS live music institution, but Thursday’s performance was the band’s debut on “Austin City Limits.”
The set that was taped on March 13 will kick off the show’s 34th season, and will air in late May, just as R.E.M. begins a world tour to coincide with new album “Accelerate” (out April 1).
The show drew heavily from “Accelerate,” much like their gig the night before at Stubb’s Bar-B-Q.
This audience was much smaller for this one, though. The black box theater that houses the “ACL” stage holds about 300 people. “That’s what the fire code says,” according to one of the show’s shiny, happy staffers.
Before the show, cameramen and security folks chatted amiably with the crowd. It’s that kind of atmosphere, and the staff seemed to love what they do. And who wouldn’t. They get to see things like Thursday’s terrific R.E.M. performance on a regular basis.
“I’d rather be outside in the sun,” frontman Michael Stipe said near the beginning of the hour-plus set. The audience members let him know with a roar that they were perfectly happy to stay in the windowless box as long as the band wanted to play.
The set might have been short on the band’s early classics, but it was further evidence that this is a band reinvigorated. There’s no denying that the guitar crush of new songs such as single “Supernatural Superserious” and “Hollow Man” is a big step back in the right direction, and the band plays them with conviction. The crowd loved those tunes, but “Fall on Me” - which Stipe introduced as “another one of our songs from 10,000 years ago” - was greeted with rapturous applause.
Though these guys have been doing this for about 27 years or so, they’re still gaining young fans. Toward the end of the taping, Stipe called a couple of youngsters out of the audience.
They said their names were Simon and Elliot, and both looked within shouting distance of 10 years of age. “Is this your first R.E.M. concert?” he asked the awestruck kids. It was. Then he asked what they thought of it: “You’re awesome” was the answer.
Spitzer’s ‘Kristen’ Has Atlanta Music Connection
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Though she may now be known to the country as “Kristen,” the pricey prostitute involved in New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s fall this week, the 22-year-old Ashley Alexandra Dupre is also an aspiring R&B singer — with a purported connection to our Motown of the South.
Atlanta-based producer Simon Illa (above) claims to have worked with Dupre, musically, and his publicist Jurena Cantrell issued this statement to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “Ashley is a talented singer and songwriter. I respect her right to privacy and have no comment on her life.”
That’s it. Cantrell says Dupre’s lawyers have asked him not to discuss anything - including whether the woman known as “Kristen” came to Atlanta to record, when, for how long … nothing. (BUT the song playing on her MySpace page - before it was taken down today - is one of his productions, he says. That’s probably why Howard Stern and “Inside Edition” are on his trail, according to Illa’s reps.)
As for Illa - a relative unknown on the Atlanta scene as he just moved here six months ago - his bio says he “earned an East Coast Emmy nomination for his music for NBC’s ‘Tribute to 9/11’ in 2003 and was dubbed ‘Philadelphia’s Hottest Producer’ by Blender magazine in 2006’. It also says he has done tour production for R&B acts Vivian Green and Floetry.
Meanwhile, have you heard of Simon Illa (check out his myspace page)? Know his work? What about any other Atlanta MUSIC connection to Dupre?
Alicia Keys in Atlanta May 28
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Eleven-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys has set a date with Atlanta: May 28 at Philips Arena. And tickets go on sale this Saturday at Ticketmaster outlets. CLICK HERE to purchase.
Keys (above) has Atlantan Ne-Yo and “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks on her As I Am tour, as Ne-Yo told us earlier. (“And I think it’ll be A LOT less hectic than the last one,” he added, referring to the R. Kelly tour he was on months ago, and left.)
Have you seen Keys or Ne-Yo live before? How would you rate them on stage? And are you planning to see them in May?
R.E.M. in Austin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Despite some gray and missing hair, R.E.M. looks young and hungry again. At a packed South by Southwest Music Fest show at Stubb’s Bar-B-Q in Austin Wednesday night, the guys proved that they still have a fire in their bellies.
Just before R.E.M., fellow Athenians Dead Confederate delivered another stunning set, their second of the day. They’re looking better every time. Frontman Hardy Morris, a rail-thin apparition whose face is frequently obscured by a curtain of hair, cuts through the thick bramble of guitars and keyboard with a powerful wail. The band rumbles like a rhythmic avalanche behind him. Someone behind me mumbled that they sounded like “Nirvana from the South.” Perhaps, but there’s so much more to it than that.
As Dead Confederate neared the end of their set, Morris joked to the crowd, “There’s another band after us, so don’t leave.”
Not a chance.
With little flash, but a huge roar from the crowd, R.E.M. took the stage after midnight.
The band’s upcoming album, “Accelerate,” took up a large portion of the set, but that didn’t seem to bother the partisans in the crowd. They greeted the new tracks with enthusiasm, though the biggest ovations were saved for old favorites and a few lesser known gems.
Early in the set, frontman Michael Stipe defused any possible disappointment among the crowd regarding the preponderance of new material. “If you don’t like one, go take a [bathroom] break or get yourself a beer,” he said with a grin. Stipe smiled through much of the show, and the whole band seemed in a playful, celebratory mood.
The new songs sound as strong on stage as they do on the upbeat “Accelerate” (being released April 1), but it was the memorable back catalog that really thrilled. On “Fall On Me,” the crowd lifted its arms up to the sky as instructed, and the chills that ran up our spines weren’t from the night wind that blew through the outdoor space.
We got stellar takes on “Drive,” “Man on the Moon,” “The Great Beyond” and, most surprising, “Auctioneer” and “Second Guessing.”
And was that an endorsement from the socially and politically active Stipe? “I know that Austin came out strong for Barack Obama, and I want to salute you for that,” he said.
But the music made the biggest statement, and on that front, R.E.M. looks ready to conquer the world again. Check out photos from the performance here.
Athens in Austin at South by Southwest
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dead Confederate.
Modern Skirts.
The always-in-motion Dark Meat.
Any more Athens bands and you’d be in Georgia.
That was what it said on the banner behind the stage at the Athens in Austin party on the first day of the music portion of this year’s South by Southwest Music and Media Conference and Festival. It could be the theme of the entire event, since you could catch more than 30 artists if you throw Atlanta into the mix.
This Wednesday afternoon shindig gave ample reason why Athens has been considered a hotbed of musical talent for several decades.
One of the fest’s hottest - and hardest working - acts is Dead Confederate. The quintet lived up to its advance buzz by working up a remarkable amount of energy in a set that lasted less than 45 minutes (that’s all anyone got today). The music thudded and caterwauled with purpose and power, as Walker Howle’s guitar and Hardy Morris’ vocal power and presence kept the still fresh crowd riveted.
Next up, it was the more melodic rock of Modern Skirts, a band with a flair for hooks and an obvious appreciation for the songcraft of folks such as Ray Davies and early Todd Rundgren. The band’s manager, Troy Aubrey, was one of the organizers of the Athens in Austin party, but these guys deserved a spot no matter who was in charge. Aubrey told me that the band has recently been in the studio with R.E.M.’s Mike Mills and the quartet will be playing the Glastonbury Festival in England this summer before heading across the channel to open for R.E.M. in Amsterdam.
“I hope no one’s offended, but…” said guitarist Phillip Brantley, before taking a little lighthearted poke at Texas barbecue. That took guts in the middle of the state capital. “Real barbecue is from the Southeast,” he continued. Most of the crowd seemed to be in his corner, though, since this was a heavily Southeastern crew.
“We should retract the barbecue statement,” said frontman Jay Gulley a song later, stoking the fire, “but we won’t. Barbecue should never be beef.”
This time, there were rumblings from the crowd, with one dissenting voice grumbling that “anyone can barbecue pork.”
The brief barbecue skirmish behind us, long-serving Athenians Elf Power then gave us a taste of their soon-to-be-released new album, “In a Cave.” Though the band, led by Andrew Rieger, leans toward the lushly arranged on record, the live quartet rocked with clean efficiency.
The stunner, though, was the recently signed Dark Meat, now a Vice Records labelmate of Atlanta’s Black Lips. This sprawling combo is hard to take in at one go. They’re like a punk band with a not-so-secret affection for acid-drenched progressive rock. Then imagine that this strange marriage of styles has careened into a marching band, a batch of lost circus folks and some Renaissance Faire outcasts. It’s nutty and outrageous in the best possible way - and it’s captivating. You have to see - and hear - this 15-strong outfit to believe it.
India Arie on Upcoming Albums, Broadway
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After finally discussing at length her decision to boycott this year’s Grammys, Atlanta singer-songwriter India Arie also looked forward.
She’s busy working on two albums at once, “a process that become more intense in January, and I hope to have completed by the summer,” she said.
That’s because Arie (above) has been cast in a new version of Ntozake Shange’s “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide, When The Rainbow Is Enuf” — executive produced by Oscar, Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award-winner Whoopi Goldberg.
“The idea of remounting it and making it modern and totally redone for Broadway has been floating around for a few years,” Arie said. “But it’s real now, and quickly approaching…I really don’t know who else is going to be in it. But I know I am, and I am excited!”
Are you interested in an updated version of “For Colored Girls” - and with Arie in it? Who else would you cast? Arie also shared that she plans to get in the studio with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis - something their longtime muse Janet Jackson passed on this time around. How do you think that pairing will fare?
Polow Da Don Fine After Attempted Robbery
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As the popular MediaTakeOut website CLICK HERE was reporting in banner headlines that Atlanta producer Polow Da Don was held hostage at gunpoint in a midtown studio last night, and robbed of his cash and jewelry, he was telling the Atlanta Music Scene that wasn’t quite so.
“The tried to get me [Monday night],” the talent born Polow-Freache Jones (above) said. “But I ended up taking the dude’s gun. I think they were on something…All I can say is God is real baby!”
Since then, he has issued an official statement that reads -with some spelling corrections- in part: “Y’all heard about the situation last night? ‘Haha’ They thought they came to rob me, but I have heart and I have God shawty…I wasn’t scared I was mad.”
Then comes the provocative part: “[Expletive] don’t get it. [You’re going to] have to shoot me because until then, I don’t believe you. I am a MAN. And 9 times out of 10 a [expletive] calling himself a Robber, a Thug or a Gangsta is a cover-up for being too weak (whether it be physically, spiritually or mentally) to be a man. It’s hard to learn how to be a MAN. Luckily my teacher stuck with me. Thanks Dad, I LOVE YOU!!!!!!
Kids - Do you know where your father is right now?”
Now a bit of background: Anyone who has followed Polow Da Don from his days as a member of Atlanta hip-hop group Jim Crow, to his more recent featured raps (“Throw Some D’s,” Rich Boy) to his current success as a producer (“Love In This Club,” by Usher featuring Young Jeezy - the No. 1 song in the country), KNOWS that he is in no way hesitant about speaking his mind.
But do you think this statement could be seen as an irresponsible taunt? Or are you in agreement with him? Or both?
Van Halen in Gwinnett postponed again
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s off again.
The Van Halen gig at Gwinnett Arena that was rescheduled for March 19 has been postponed for a second time. In fact, the band’s entire schedule through April 15 has been scrapped for the moment.
According to a statement from the band’s publicist, “seventeen concert dates on the Van Halen tour are being rescheduled so that Eddie Van Halen, who is currently under doctors’ care, can continue medical tests to define a course of treatment. The tour will resume on April 19th.”
The press release goes on to state that ticket holders can retain their tickets and they’ll be honored at the future dates, but refunds will be available at point of purchase.
Stevie Nicks plans concert in Alpharetta
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park continues its parade of classic rockers with the announcement of Stevie Nicks’ June 10 concert.
The pop soloist and one-time Fleetwood Mac frontwoman swings her now-five-date 2008 tour through Alpharetta. 
Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Friday at Ticketmaster outlets.
Known for her work with the on-again, off-again Fleetwood Mac, Nicks’ solo ventures during the ’80s helped to fortify an already impressive musical resume she had with the band.
The Mac album “Rumors” and her first solo project “Bella Donna” made her a star. And singles like “Gypsy,” (Watch video) from Fleetwood Mac’s 1982 “Mirage” LP, or singular tunes “Stand Back” (Watch Video) and “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” (Watch video) helped cement her place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Nicks joins the list of throwback artists either making comebacks with recent albums (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers or The Eagles) or reviving old material (Rod Stewart) at the open-air venue (CHECK SHOW DATES).
Owned and operated by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the $35 million outdoor amphitheater will seat 12,000 in a mixture of open lawn space, reserved seating and tables.
In addition to the bevy of rock acts, ASO will fill out the bill with a number of performances, beginning with the venue’s opening concert on May 10.
For tickets, contact Ticketmaster at 404-249-6400 or www.ticketmaster.com.
Vampire Weekend at The Earl
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Vampire Weekend — one of the fastest-rising, freshest bands around — took the stage at The Earl in East Atlanta Sunday night, and one woman in her 20s near the stage said softly, “They’re, like, 12.”
Actually the four members of Vampire Weekend are 23 and 24, just out of Columbia University in New York, where they were playing frat parties not long ago. With one self-made CD and a boost from the indie music blogosphere, they have blown up at what Spin magazine calls “the new speed of buzz,” in its March cover story that annointed them “The Year’s Best New Band.”
That cover led to a last-minute booking on “Saturday Night Live” and then straight to Atlanta to open their national tour as opening act for the Walkmen at the small but hip club, the kind of place where everyone clustered around the stage sports an iPhone, Chuck Taylors or both.
For the uninitiated, Vampire Weekend’s music is much friendlier than their name would imply. Their debut CD is filled with jangly African guitar rhythms coupled with a driving beat, insanely catchy melodies and clever lyrics about college life and growing up privileged. They’re like Paul Simon’s talented kids remixing “Graceland.”
“When the show was first announced in January, they weren’t that big at all,” said Crystal Rodgers, a barista in Virginia-Highland, who staked out a spot right in front of the tiny stage. “Now they’re everywhere. Their music instantly puts you in a good mood.”
Jordan Parker of Vinings was one of several fans who didn’t care about the headliners, just the opening act. “I don’t even know who the Walkmen are,” he said. “I’m just here for Vampire Weekend. You get such a better experience up close with just a few hundred people. They’ll never do a club like this again.”
Even though it’s unusual to be on “SNL” one night and an opening act in a bar’s back room the next, the band seemed to enjoy themselves immensely. Lead singer Ezra Koenig wore a navy cardigan with a duck motif, the kind of sweater your dad would wear; he’s working out some kind of anti-rock star persona, and he’s so sweet and eager to please that it’s a blast to watch. Rubber-kneed, he bounced on tiptoes for the high notes in “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa.” The set closer, “Oxford Comma,” which sounds a little like the old folk tune “Wimoweh” re-written by an English major, had all four Vampires shouting along.
For now they’re unspoiled and only on the radar of a select few. “It’ll be interesting,” said Rodgers, “to see what happens when the kids and MTV find out about ‘em.”
T.I.’s Last Appearance On Stage
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hold on now - don’t let that headline alarm you.
Last we heard, the Atlanta artist born Clifford Harris Jr. (above), better known as rapper-actor T.I., was still and, well, as well as can be expected when you’re at your lakefront estate on house arrest, facing charges of trying to buy machine guns and awaiting the birth of his fourth son.
This post is about the DVD fellow AJCer Jill Vejnoska (a.k.a. Mariah) so graciously left on our desk some weeks before it hits stores: BET’s Hip Hop Awards 2007.
Now you may be saying to yourself, “So what? I’ve already seen that show at least half of the zillion times it’s been replayed on TV. Why would I buy it?”
Well clearly the folks putting this out are betting you’ll plunk down $19.99 on one thing you could not have seen in those zillion replays, no matter how many carrots you’ve been eating: Footage of T.I.’s rehearsals shortly before he was arrested blocks away from the Atlanta Civic Center on the aforementioned gun charges.
So is it worth it? Mmmmm, you know, you can’t help but look especially hard at him, and wonder what’s going on behind the wraparound sun glasses, and underneath the wool cap he’s wearing. (He surely doesn’t look out of the ordinary, nor is he acting the anxious way one might expect someone to act who is allegedly about to buy guns and silencers.)
You can’t help but listen a little closer during the performances of “Hurt” and “You Know What It Is” when he says things like “I ain’t scared of the law”, “I’ve got an AK and you don’t” and “I still keep that thang, right up under my shirt” - again, considering what happened after the rehearsals.
And at the same time you can’t help but still be engaged by what is- even at a rehearsal, even with all that’s unfortunate surrounding T.I. now - an electric performance.
Would you be willing to plunk down a 20 to see it March 18? Where do you think T.I. ranks in terms of performers? And do you believe his recent troubles have hurt or helped him as a recording artist?
Dallas Austin - Designer
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Last weekend local entertainment force Dallas Austin was doing worthwhile charity work (at his annual Don’t Stop The Music fundraiser).
This weekend the producer behind top-selling female trio TLC, Gwen Stefani, Madonna and many multimillion-selling others is about working runaways.
Today at a private Virginia Highlands location, Austin (top photo) is unveiling The ROWDY Collection he and The CI Group’s Gregory “Greg Mike” Mensching created. Prices will range from $70 to $300 when the line hits boutiques and stores later this year. And its being touted as “a fusion of punk and prep influences, with a distinctive European militant touch.”
Longtime Atlanta Music Scene observers will recall that Rowdy was also Austin’s first record label imprint, plus he had a Rowdy store in Underground Atlanta that sold Rowdy clothing.
One of the things that’s new about this ROWDY is the tagline: “Rowdy, King of All Angels,” which according to the press release is “inspired by Austin’s adopted philosophy of the fallen angel, who found his own strength after being cast from heaven and transforming himself into a villian of good. After discovering his true warrior within, the angel proved himself to God and became the King of All Angels.”
From what you see here, interested in ROWDY clothing? What person in the music business do you believe has great personal style, that may translate in a clothing line? (Remember, Austin joins fellow Atlantans Andre Benjamin and part-timer Sean “Diddy” Combs in this kind of venture).
Georgia’s Blue Flashing Light plays China
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Blue Flashing Light: Joshua Schwarber, Ian Schwarber, JJ Bower, Adam Monica and Ryan Cattie. Photo: Chris Mckay for ConcertShots.com. Stylist: Kim Singer.
We have peaches. They have peaches. And apparently those peaches are related, so we’re celebrating that luscious fruit by sending China a taste of something else Georgians love, the music of Athens.
Athens band Blue Flashing Light will be representing Georgia on the other side of the world at the International Peach Blossom Festival in Chengdu, capital of the Chinese province of Sichuan.
The anthemic rock quintet was selected to perform at the festival by the Atlanta-based US-China Cultural & Educational Foundation, and the band members have embraced their role as Georgia’s emissaries.
When we first tried to get in touch with frontman Ian Schwarber, he was busy meeting with the Chinese cultural ambassador and getting a little phonetic instruction.
“I’m actually going to sing three songs in Chinese, so that’s surreal,” Schwarber says, before giving us a short sample that sounds pretty darn good. “It’s a pretty daunting task for me to learn all this, but the melodies are amazing.”
Schwarber goes on to explain that the white Chengdu peach is the ancestor of our own Georgia peaches, and that connection is one of the reasons the festival organizers bring over Georgia artists. “This year they decided they wanted a rock band,” he says.
Blue Flashing Light plays the festival beginning March 15, but the band will also stick around through March 23 to perform in this year’s Olympic host city, Beijing. After returning to Georgia, the band completes its fruitful cultural exchange with an appearance at the Georgia Peach Festival in Peach County in June.
Check out the band’s official site for more info.
Number Ones All Around For Atlantans
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Part-time Atlantan Janet Jackson will have her first No. 1 album debut in almost seven years next week, and fellow Atlanta R&B superstar Usher will have the country’s No. 1 single.
Jackson’s new CD “Discipline” sold more than 181, 075 copies its first week in stores, rocketing it to the top of The Billboard 200 chart. The last time Jackson (right) did those kind of SoundScan numbers was with her “All For You” album in May of 2001.
Meanwhile, over on Billboard magazine’s Hot 100 chart, Usher’s “Love In This Club,” featuring Atlanta rapper Young Jeezy (and produced by breakout local talent Polow Da Don) has made a remarkable leap from No. 51 to the top of that listing. Plus the first single from Usher’s (left) upcoming June release — yes, there’s an official title now: “Here I Stand” — is also SoundScan’s top digital track, as well as iTunes’ No. 1 during the first week of its release. That makes Usher’s eighth No. 1 single.
Have you bought “Discipline” or “Love In This Club”? What do you think of the album and/or the single? And about Usher in particular, are you looking forward to his return to music?
Four ACM noms for Sugarland
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sugarland: Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush. Photo: Marc Baptiste.
The Academy of Country Music Awards will take place in May, but the nominees were announced today — and Georgia got some love.
Kenny Chesney came out on top with 11 nominations, with the rest of the pack trailing a good distance behind. Rodney Atkins was next with six nods, and Atlanta’s Sugarland tied with Brad Paisley and Big & Rich at four.
Sugarland was recognized in the single record, song and video of the year categories (all for the Jennifer Nettles-penned No. 2 country hit “Stay”), along with a nod for top vocal duo. Sugarland aren’t the only Georgians on the list, though.
Luke Bryan, from the South Georgia town of Leesburg, is up for top new male vocalist. Trio Lady Antebellum, which includes Augusta natives Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley, will vie for top new vocal duo or group.
The 43rd annual ACM awards ceremony, hosted by Reba McEntire, will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 8 p.m. on CBS.
For a list of all the nominees, check out the ACM site. Then tell us who’s missing — Dierks Bentley, Josh Turner and Trisha Yearwood spring to mind — and who you’ll be rooting for come May.
Buffett and Rod Stewart headed to Atlanta
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Rod Stewart. Photo: Courtesy of J Records.
Why stay indoors when you’re in Margaritaville — or Atlanta in spring? Sure, Jimmy Buffett came through Atlanta last year, but that was at Philips Arena. This year, he’s back where he ought to be, outdoors.
Buffett and his Coral Reefer Band will return to Lakewood Amphitheatre on June 5, exactly two years and three days after his last outdoor Atlanta gig at the same venue (of course, it was being called Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheatre then).
Tickets go on sale Monday, March 10, at 10 a.m. and there is a six-ticket limit per customer. They’ll be available through Live Nation, at all Ticketmaster outlets including Publix grocery stores or charge by phone at 404-249-6400.
In other concert announcement news, Rod Stewart is the latest act booked at the new Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Alpharetta.
After a lucrative detour into classic pre-rock pop standards, Stewart’s latest album revisits classic of the rock era.
Tickets for Stewart’s Aug. 27 performance go on sale Friday, March 7, at 10:00 a.m. For more info, go the the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Web site. Tickets will be available at Ticketmaster outlets, or charge by phone 404- 249-6400.
Jack Johnson and B-52 Concert News
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Singer, surfer and filmmaker Jack Johnson rides the wave of his No. 1 album (“Sleep Through The Static”) into Atlanta’s Lakewood Amphitheatre Aug. 13.
(Most of his shows across the country are going on sale March 15. For ticket info, click HERE )
Concert promoters also announced today that Athens’ own B-52’s (above) are hitting the road in April - in support of their March 25 CD “Funplex”, hear the title track HERE — and while the listing for the FunPlex tour did not have a Georgia date, they already have one on the “True Colors” tour June 16 at Chastain Park Amphtheatre, with Cyndi Lauper, Tegan & Sara and Rosie O’Donnell.
(For ticket info on that show, click HERE or HERE ).
Planning to attend either one of these shows? What about the CDs - were you among the thousands that made “Sleep” No. 1 in the country its first week out? How would you rate it? And what about the B-52 single here - your thoughts?
Golden’s Time to “Shine” Wednesday
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta band that says it sounds like “warm apple pie” on its MySpace spage and counts Phish among its influences takes a sharp left from all of the culinary references to give U2 a run for its money this week.
[golden] - the proper name of the act - will unveil its 3D video of its single “Shine”, for free, at the Five Spot in Little Five Points from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday. (And as you may know, superstar rockers U2 also have a 3D film in theaters, and rap phenom Missy Elliott has given the same treatment to her new single, “Ching-A-Ling”; in frequent rotation on BET).
No word on whether 3D glasses will be handed out at the Five Spot event, but hey at least you can hear the single without an aid HERE, watch a trailer to the video BELOW, and then - of course - offer your take on [golden], “Shine”, this 3D resurrection, or all of the above!
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