Camera Obscura. Photo: Donald Milne

FRIDAY
Camera Obscura
Only baby pandas can hold a candle to the adorableness of Camera Obscura. The band’s sprightly sweet pop is the perfect thing to cuddle up with as the days get colder, and their albums just keep getting better. This year’s “My Maudlin Career” marks a new pinnacle in memorable cuteness and charm.
8:30 p.m. Nov. 20. $16. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. 404- 524-7354.

FRIDAY
Robert Earl Keen
Texas singer-songwriter and storyteller Keen has an appeal that spans generations. At a Keen show, you’ll see rowdy college kids and graying fans of alt-country, all of them having a raucous good time, singing and stomping along to excerpts from a catalog that spans 25 years.
9 p.m. Nov. 20. $20-$100. Wild Bill’s, 2075 Market St., Duluth. 678- 473-1000.

Van Hunt

FRIDAY
Van Hunt
This Atlanta singer and songwriter evokes the spirit of R&B greats such as Stevie Wonder and Curtis Mayfield, and in a just world he would be …

Continue reading Live music picks, Nov. 20-25 »

Singer-songwriter-actor Lyle Lovett brought his 13-member Large Band to the Tabernacle Wednesday night  for an entertaing evening of eclectic, country-tinged music. The enthusiastic, though modest crowd thoroughly enjoyed the 2- plus hour concert which featured reserved seating on the Tabernacle main level. And while we weren’t there to cover it, Robb Cohen was handy with his camera. Click here for a full gallery of the show. Then, tell us about what you saw. How did it compare to other Lyle Lovett shows?”

Photo Credit: Robb Cohen/ www.robbsphotos.com)  For other concert photography linked to Access Atlanta, please visit for Atlanta Concert Photography Galleries. by Atlanta Photographer Robb Cohen www.RobbsPhotos.com

Continue reading Lyle Lovett and His Large Band Energize The Tabernacle Wednesday »

LN = Live Nation, 1-877-598-8698, www.livenation.com
TM = Ticketmaster, 404-249-6400, www.ticketmaster.com
TA = Ticketalternative, 1-877-725-8849, www.ticketalternative.com

ON SALE NOV. 18

John Mayer will perform at Philips Arena on March 17. Credit: Carlo Allegri / Associated Press

Fifth Dimension. 8 p.m. Feb. 13. Jennie T. Anderson Theatre. $40. TM.
Julianne Hough. 8 p.m. March 6. Jennie T. Anderson Theatre. $40. TM.
Osmond Brothers. 8 p.m. March 13. Jennie T. Anderson Theatre. $40. TM.
Frankie Avalon. 8 p.m. March 27. Jennie T. Anderson Theatre. $40. TM.
Vicki Lawrence. 8 p.m. April 10. Jennie T. Anderson Theatre. $40. TM.

ON SALE NOV. 20
Abbey Road Live. 8 p.m. Dec. 19. Variety Playhouse. $17.50; $15 advance. TM.
Who’s Bad (A Michael Jackson Tribute). 8:30 p.m. Jan. 22. Center Stage. $20; $16 advance. TM.
American Carnage Tour: Slayer and Megadeth with Testament. 7 p.m. Feb. 1. Gwinnett Arena. $25.50-$59.50. TM.
Al Di Meola. 8 p.m. Feb. 4. Variety Playhouse. $30; …

Continue reading Hot tickets, Nov. 17 »

In 1985, young R&B singer Meli’sa Morgan made her solo debut with a remake of Prince’s “Do Me Baby.” The song went to No. 1 on the R&B charts and to No. 41 on Billboard’s Hot 100. Since then, she’s recorded a half dozen albums. Many in Atlanta are probably wondering what happen to the popular ’80s singer who had other hit tunes such as “Love Changes” and “Do You Still Love Me.”

We caught up with Morgan Saturday morning right before she was about the make the drive from her home in South Carolina to Atlanta for a Sunday performance at Sambuca.

You’ve been out of the spotlight for a while. What have you been up to?

I’m not going to co-sign on that. I haven’t been out of the spotlight. You just haven’t seen me. A few years ago, I had a CD titled “I Remember,” which did pretty well. I’ve been touring with people like Frankie Beverly & Maze, Freddie Jackson. And I just got back from Bermuda where I had two sold out shows. I also just finished a TV pilot for a show called …

Continue reading Whatever happened to singer Meli’sa Morgan »

Gary Allan. Photo: Tony Baker

FRIDAY
Gary Allan
One of mainstream country’s most thoughtful craftsmen, with a string of powerful albums — and hit singles — to his credit. Jack Ingram and the Eli Young Band join the California-bred singer-songwriter for the “Get Off On the Pain Tour.”
7:30 p.m. Nov. 13. $36.50. The Tabernacle, 152 Luckie St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-659-9022.

FRIDAY
Benevento Russo Duo
This pair creates music that could be the soundtrack to an art film riddled with jarring tonal shifts. The sounds Marco Benevento and Joe Russo make on organ and drums could underpin scenes of transcendent beauty or unspeakable horror. It’s a stormy and fascinating hybrid of rock, jazz and experimental music unlike anything else around.
8:30 p.m. Nov. 13. $15. Five Spot, 1123 Euclid Ave., Atlanta. 404-223-1100.

FRIDAY
Leo Kottke
Athens-born guitarist-singer is a rhythmically and melodically inventive player whose music covers the terrain between traditional folk music and …

Continue reading Live music picks, Nov. 13-18 »

LN = Live Nation, 1-877-598-8698, www.livenation.com
TM = Ticketmaster, 404-249-6400, www.ticketmaster.com
TA = Ticketalternative, 1-877-725-8849, www.ticketalternative.com

Jay-Z (above) and Young Jeezy will perform at Philips Arena on Feb. 27. Credit: Jim Cooper / Associated Press

ON SALE SOON
George Strait and Reba McEntire. Feb. 25. Philips Arena. On-sale date and prices TBD.

ON SALE NOV. 11
95.5 The Beat Pajama Party. 9 p.m. Nov. 19. Wild Bill’s. $10. TM.
The Blast From the Past. 8 p.m. Dec. 11. Philips Arena. $23.75-$93.75. TM.

ON SALE NOV. 12
BlizzFest ’09. 9:30 p.m. Dec. 5. Wild Bill’s. $12-$50. TM.

ON SALE NOV. 13
Benefit for David Hulsey. 6 p.m. Nov. 29. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $15; $12 advance. TA.
Jimmy Gnecco with James Hall. 7 p.m. Dec. 14. Smith’s Olde Bar – Atlanta Room. $15; $12 advance. TA.
Sam Thacker. 8 p.m. Dec. 16. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $12; $10 advance. TA.
A Blues Christmas with Blues Cat, Jigsaw Johnson and Barry …

Continue reading Hot tickets, Nov. 10 »

Thursday night, the Tabernacle hosted Adult Swim’s Metalocalypse featuring Dethklok, Mastodon, Converge and High on Fire. And while we weren’t there to cover it, Robb Cohen was handy with his camera. See his complete photo gallery here. In the meantime, tell us about what you saw. How did it compare to other Mastodon shows?

(Photo Credit: Robb Cohen/ www.robbsphotos.com)  For other concert photography linked to Access Atlanta, please visit for Atlanta Concert Photography Galleries. by Atlanta Photographer Robb Cohen www.RobbsPhotos.com

Continue reading Adult Swim Presents Dethklok & Mastodon At Sold Out Tabernacle »

Rhonda Vincent. Photo: Rounder Records

FRIDAY
Rhonda Vincent and the Rage
This bluegrass beauty still draws the occasional comparison with Alison Krauss, but she’s carved out her own identity, winning the International Bluegrass Music Association’s female vocalist of the year a record seven times.
8 p.m. Nov. 6. $28-$38. Ferst Center for the Arts, 349 Ferst Drive N.W., Atlanta. 404-894-2787, www.ferstcenter.gatech.edu.

FRIDAY
Mute Math
Strange keyboard squiggles and loads of atmosphere gave way to crackling, wiry guitars on “Typical” from Mute Math’s full-length, self-titled 2006 debut album. Think Radiohead, but not as otherworldly and frightening, or perhaps a weirder Coldplay. The follow-up, “Armistice,” finally saw the light of day in August and displays a more mature sound.
7:30 p.m. Nov. 6. $24.50. The Tabernacle, 152 Luckie St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-659-9022, tabernacleatl.com.

FRIDAY
Foreigner
This is just a remnant of the Foreigner that you remember. …

Continue reading Live music picks, Nov. 6-10 »

Lenny Kravitz’s “Let Love Rule” tour rolled into Atlanta to the nearly full Tabernacle on Wednesday night with JJ Grey of Mofro opening the show. The tour marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Kravitz’s “Let Love Rule” album. He kicked off the U.S. tour on Oct. 11.

Wednesday morning, a sleepy Kravitz Tweeted and videotaped his arrival into Atlanta. He put on one heck of a show at the Tabernacle later that night (more on that shortly) and posed for a photo with his “ATL brothers: LK, Jermaine Dupri, Dallas Austin and Nelly” at an afterparty.

We have photos from the show, but otherwise don’t know first-hand about Kravitz’s performance. Judging from the photos, he was in his usual “fine” form. Were you there? What was your favorite song from the concert? Did anyone actually get in to the after-party that he attended? Tell us about that, too.

TELL US WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THIS SHOW COMPARED TO PREVIOUS TOURS FROM LENNY KRAVITZ. (Photo Credit: …

Continue reading Lenny Kravitz Rocks the Tabernacle »

LN = Live Nation, 1-877-598-8698, www.livenation.com
TM = Ticketmaster, 404-249-6400, www.ticketmaster.com
TA = Ticketalternative, 1-877-725-8849, www.ticketalternative.com

Martina McBride will perform at Gwinnett Arena on Dec. 12. Credit: www.martinamcbride.com

JUST ANNOUNCED
George Strait and Reba McEntire. Feb. 25. Philips Arena. On-sale date and prices TBD.

ON SALE NOV. 4
Last November Xmas Show. 7 p.m. Dec. 18. Masquerade. $10 advance. TM.
Jungle Bells 2009. 9 p.m. Dec. 19. Masquerade. $15 advance. TM.

On SALE NOV. 6
Martina McBride. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12. Gwinnett Arena. $39.75-$49.75. TM.
Drivin’ ’n’ Cryin.’ 8 p.m. Dec. 26. The Tabernacle. $25; $20 advance. LN.

On SALE NOV. 7
Gabriel Iglesias. 7 p.m. March 6. The Tabernacle. $34-$36. LN.

ON SALE NOV. 16
Bon Jovi. 7:30 p.m. April 15. Philips Arena. $29.50-$139. TM.

UPCOMING SHOWS
Brand New with Thrice. 7 p.m. Nov. 3. The Tabernacle. $28; $25 advance. LN.
Star Wars in Concert. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3. Gwinnett Arena. …

Continue reading Hot tickets, Nov. 3 »