Martina McBride comes to the Gwinnett Arena with fellow country superstar George Strait Friday, Feb. 10. Photo: Randee St. Nicholas

FRIDAY
George Strait, Martina McBride
Sixty-eight million albums sold and 58 No. 1 singles (the most chart-topping hits by any artist in history) attest to George Strait’s popularity. His first No. 1 was in 1982 and his current single, “Love’s Gonna Make It Alright,” sits at No. 11 on the country singles chart, bearing witness to his enduring appeal. With 33 albums certified platinum, he has more million-sellers than anyone not named Elvis Presley or the Beatles. Beloved by the music-buying public and the industry powers in Nashville, big-voiced Martina McBride probably needs a separate house just for her awards.
7:30 p.m. Feb. 10.$69.50-$79.50. Gwinnett Arena, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. 770-813-7500.

FRIDAY
Kenny ‘Babyface’ Edmonds, Eric Benet, Kevon Edmonds
This lovefest at the Civic Center is getting to be a habit. The …

Continue reading Live music picks: Feb. 10-12 »

Drive-By Truckers head to the Tabernacle April 21. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, Feb. 8. Photo: Andy Tennille

ON SALE NOW
Incognito featuring Maysa, Khari Cabral. 8 p.m. April 6.Center Stage. $42.50-$49.50. TM.
Mastodon, Opeth, Ghost. 7 p.m. May 12. $29.50 in advance. Masquerade Music Park. TM.

ON SALE FEB. 8
Drive-By Truckers, Megafaun. 8 p.m. April 21. The Tabernacle. $25. LN.

ON SALE FEB. 10
Robert Glasper Experiment, Chrisette Michele. 8 p.m. March 4. Variety Playhouse. $35; $29.50 in advance. TM.
The English Beat. 8:30 p.m. March 23. Variety Playhouse. $22.50; $20 in advance. TM.
Greensky Bluegrass. 8 p.m. March 27. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $12 in advance. TA.
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80. 8 p.m. April 4. Variety Playhouse. $25; $22.50 in advance. TM.
Fourplay. 7:30 p.m. April 22. Variety Playhouse. $40; $35 in advance. TM.
The Musical Box. The exclusive re-creation Of Genesis’ “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway,” authorized by Peter Gabriel. 8 p.m. May 6. Variety …

Continue reading Hot tickets: Feb. 7 »

You knew that Madonna’s Super Bowl performance had to be about more than just forward-promoting a new album.

Turns out the hype generated by her dazzling production is well-timed. The queen is launching a new world tour May 29 in Israel and will head to the U.S. in late August.

Atlanta is near the end of the 26-city trip with a show scheduled for Nov. 17 at Philips Arena. Ticket prices haven’t been announced yet, but the Atlanta date is on sale March 5.

Tickets for the first American concert – Aug. 28 in Philadelphia – will be available Feb. 13.

The tour is expected to be a monster spectacle, with a few stadium dates (including Sept. 6 at Yankee Stadium) sprinkled among arenas and some outdoor sites. Madonna will also visit Australia, where she hasn’t performed in two decades, as well as 26 European cities.

Anyone doubting her continued international prowess can look to the numbers from her last tour, 2008-09’s “Sticky & Sweet” outing, which sold out four dates …

Continue reading Madonna includes Atlanta date on world tour »

Independent music pioneer Ani DiFranco comes to Variety Playhouse Friday, Feb. 3. Photo: Patti Perret

FRIDAY
Ani DiFranco
Earnest and disarmingly humorous, singer-guitarist DiFranco is the epitome of the independent artist, building a loyal following through touring and releasing her work on her own label, Righteous Babe. Her latest album, “Which Side Are You On?,” is named for the famous protest anthem by Pete Seeger, who joins DiFranco and her band on her new version.
8:30 p.m. Feb. 3. $35. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-524-7354.

SATURDAY
Mike Doughty
The former Soul Coughing frontman is touring behind his latest album, “The Question Jar Show,” which is culled from his 2009 tour of the same name. During that tour, fans wrote out questions for Doughty and put them in a jar for him to pull from during the performance.
8 p.m. Feb. 4. $21.40. Eddie’s Attic, 515 N. McDonough St., Decatur. 404-377-4976.

New Orleans' self-proclaimed "Queen Diva" …

Continue reading Live music picks: Feb. 3-9 »

Colorado quartet the Fray comes to the Tabernacle April 25, touring behind third and latest album, "Scars and Stories," which was produced by Atlanta's Brendan O'Brien. Photo: Danny Clinch

ON SALE NOW
Idle Warship: Talib Kweli and Res. 9 p.m. Feb. 16. The Loft. $25; $20 in advance. TA.
Chinua Hawk, the Shadowboxers. 8:30 p.m. March 8. Vinyl. $15; $10 in advance. TA.
Good Old War, the Belle Brigade, Family of the Year. 8 p.m. March 9. Vinyl. $12; $10 in advance. TA.
The Revels, the Black Cadillacs, the Floorwalkers. 8:30 p.m. March 22. Vinyl. $10; $6 in advance. TA.
Gardens & Villa. 8:30 p.m. March 22. The EARL. $10. TA.
Green River Ordinance, Graham Colton. 8 p.m. April 14. Vinyl. $15; $12 in advance. TA.
Sharon Van Etten. 8:30 p.m. April 25. The EARL. $12. TA.
Dave Barnes, Andrew Ripp. 8 p.m. April 27. Center Stage. $19; $17 in advance. TM.

ON SALE FEB. 1
Theory of a Deadman, Pop Evil, Stellar Revival. 6:30 p.m. April 15. Masquerade. $21. TM.

ON SALE FEB. 2
Set Your Goals, …

Continue reading Hot tickets: Jan. 31 »

Widespread Panic performing to a sold out crowd Saturday night at the Tabernacle on their Wood Tour 2012. This was the second of three sold out, acoustic performances for the popular Athens jam rock band.. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo “Sunny” Ortiz, keyboardist John “JoJo” Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring. Widely renowned for their live performances, as of 2010, Panic holds the record for number of sold-out performances at Red Rocks Amphitheatre (Morrison, Colorado) at 35 and Philips Arena (Atlanta, Georgia) at 17.

AJC photographer Robb Cohen covered the event with his camera. Check out the online photo gallery: Widespread Panic at the Tabernacle. What did you think of the show? How did this show compare to previous Panic  concerts you’ve seen? Who has witnessed the most Widespread Panic concerts?

(Photo Credit: Robb D. Cohen/ www.robbsphotos.com)  For other concert photography …

Continue reading Widespread Panic Jams Out At The Sold Out Tabernacle On Saturday »

Country superstar Blake Shelton performed at a sold out Gwinnett Arena Friday night on his “Well Lit & Amplified Tour 2012.” Justin Moore and Dia Frampton were the opening acts. Shelton, of Ada, Okla., made his debut with the single “Austin” in 2001. The single from the self-titled album “Austin” propelled Shelton into fame when it spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. The country star now serves as a vocal coach on NBC’s “The Voice,” alongside fellow singers Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, and Cee Lo Green.

AJC photographer Robb Cohen covered the event with his camera. Check out the online photo gallery: Blake Shelton rocks Gwinnett . What did you think of the show? How did this show compare to previous Blake Shelton concerts you’ve seen? Did you like Justin Moore and Dia Frampton?

(Photo Credit: Robb D. Cohen/ www.robbsphotos.com)  For other concert photography linked to Access Atlanta, please visit  Atlanta concert galleries.)

Continue reading Blake Shelton Plays To A Sold Out Crowd At Gwinnett Arena On Friday Night »

James Armstrong comes to Blind Willie's Friday, Jan. 27, touring behind a new album, "Blues at the Border." Photo: Laureen Smith

FRIDAY
James Armstrong
This California-born bluesman began his recording career back in 1995 with “Sleeping With a Stranger,” but he was almost derailed by an attack in 1997. An intruder broke into his home and stabbed the singer, songwriter and guitarist multiple times. It left him with injuries that required many months of rehabilitation to recover his ability to play guitar. He bounced back with “Dark Knight” in 1998 and “Got It Goin’ On” in 2000. It took more than 10 years, but he’s back with a new album, “Blues at the Border,” another fine example of his contemporary yet reverent take on traditional blues.
9 p.m. Jan. 27. $12. Blind Willie’s, 828 North Highland Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-873-2583.

FRIDAY
Marc Broussard
This powerful Louisiana singer, songwriter and guitarist is carving out his own musical territory while …

Continue reading Live music picks: Jan. 27-29 »

There is little room for complaint when a song about the struggle to determine if one is mere man or mere Muppet makes the Oscars cut – especially if that song is accompanied on film by the loveable Jim Parsons.

But there is plenty of room for grousing about the fact that a mere two tunes landed in the Best Original Song category for this year’s Oscars.

The aforementioned “Man or Muppet” from “The Muppets” movie is deserving for its sweetly kooky premise alone. Add in some show-tune bravado and we’re sold.

And the other nominee, “Real in Rio” from the animated “Rio” is fizzy and fun.

But, frankly, neither is a “My Heart Will Go On” or “Lose Yourself” – the last Oscar-winning song to make an impact outside of the movie it originated from.

Remember when big acts such as Elton John, Bruce Springsteen and Phil Collins won Oscars? Or when songs such as “Falling Slowly” from “Once” or “It’s Hard out Here for a Pimp” from “Hustle & …

Continue reading Oscar song noms present slim pickings »

Bruce Springsteen hits the road again in March and the first show of the tour is at Philips Arena on March 18. Tickets go on sale Feb. 4. Photo: Jo Lopez

The Boss is back.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will be hitting the road again in March, touring behind Springsteen’s 17th album, “Wrecking Ball.” The album will be released on March 6. The first single from “Wrecking Ball,” “We Take Care of Our Own,” is already out and you can hear it at Springsteen’s official website.

The tour’s first show is at Philips Arena on March 18 and tickets go on sale Feb. 4. Tickets are $69 and $99 (plus the usual fees).

Why begin the tour in Atlanta? Perhaps it’s because Springsteen seems to have a fondness for Atlanta, or at least for our Southern Tracks recording studio. Many of his albums since the turn of the millennium have been completely or partially recorded there.

A new Springsteen tour is always reason to celebrate, but there’s a bit of sadness associated with it, too. It will …

Continue reading Bruce Springsteen kicks off tour at Atlanta’s Philips Arena »