Jesse Smith of Gentleman Jesse and His Men returns to Atlanta for a show at 529 in East Atlanta on Saturday, May 26. He’s been touring in support of his second album, “Leaving Atlanta.” Photo: Tim Song

FRIDAY
KC and the Sunshine Band, the Trammps
Disco lives as these two titans of the genre come together at Chastain Park Amphitheatre. The Trammps’ moment in the spotlight came courtesy of the movie “Saturday Night Fever,” which included the band’s “Disco Inferno.” The song, a No. 11 hit, was the Trammps’ biggest, but the Philadelphia-based outfit had two previous Top 40 entries, “Hold Back the Night” and “Where the Happy People Go.” KC and the Sunshine Band was one of the disco era’s most successful acts, with five No. 1 singles between 1975 and 1980. Few songs evoke the disco years as immediately as “Get Down Tonight,” “That’s the Way (I Like It),” and “(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty.”
8 p.m. May 25. $30.50-$45.50. Chastain Park …

Continue reading Live music picks: May 25-29 »

Dave Matthews lets out a trademark yelp at Aaron's Amphitheatre Tuesday night. Photo credit: Raymond Hagans

In their football jerseys and T-shirts, the current touring lineup for the Dave Matthews Band looked more like a bunch of weekend warriors than a collective of world class musicians. Appearing fit, rested and ready for anything, the super group, which formed in 1993, played to a packed crowd at Aaron’s Amphitheatre Tuesday night, May 22.

They began an extensive summer tour last weekend that will end at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in September and have plans to release their eighth studio album later this year with longtime collaborator Steve Lillywhite as skipper.

Opening the show with the tender and emotional ballad “Sweet,” Matthews kept a level of quiet reserve for about the first hour of the performance meandering into “Grace is Gone” and “Save Me.” There was no Steve Martin-esque banter and very little of the frontman’s trademark pigeon-toed twist. …

Continue reading Dave Matthews Band benefits from a year in the woods »

Get ready for a new year of Bieber fever.

Justin Bieber just announced his tour in support of his upcoming “Believe” release, but Atlanta fans will have to wait until 2013 to see the cherubic-faced singer.

 Bieber will visit Philips Arena Jan. 23. Tickets, priced at $39.50-$89.50 (plus fees), are on sale at 10 a.m. June 2 through www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, 1-800-745-3000 and the Philips box office.

 The tour launches Sept. 29 in Glendale, Ariz., and hits 45 cities before wrapping in Miami Jan. 26.

 The Justin Bieber Fan Club will hold a presale beginning at noon today (visit www.bieberfever.com). Starting Thursday, American Express cardholders will have access to presale tickets through May 31.

 Bieber will donate $1 from each ticket to Pencils of Promise, a charity which works to build schools and increase educational opportunities in the developing world.

 “Believe,” the fourth studio album from the sometimes-Atlanta resident, arrives June …

Continue reading Justin Bieber sets Atlanta date »

Big Mike Geier brings his Elvis Royale show back to Variety Playhouse in August. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 25. Photo: Hyosub Shin, hshin@ajc.com

ON SALE MAY 25
Howle + Mosley. June 13. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $8 in advance. TA.
Copious Jones. June 21. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $8 in advance. TA.
The Kicks. July 27. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $10 in advance. TA.
Cas Haley. Aug. 11. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $12 in advance. TA.
Big Mike Geier’s Elvis Royale featuring the Kingsized Orchestra and Dames Aflame. 8:30 p.m. Aug. 18. Variety Playhouse. $26. TM.
Ted Nugent, Laura Wilde. 8 p.m. Aug. 22. Center Stage. $39; $34 in advance. TM.

ON SALE JUNE 1
Loretta Lynn, Sonia Leigh. 8 p.m. Aug. 24. $25-$55; $25 lawn. Delta Classic Chastain series at Chastain Park Amphitheatre. TM.

UPCOMING SHOWS
Dave Matthews Band. 7 p.m. May 22. Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood. $45.50-$75. LN.
Reggie Watts. 8 p.m. May 23. Variety Playhouse. $30; $25 in …

Continue reading Hot tickets: May 22 »

Whitney Houston's final song, "Celebrate," with Jordin Sparks, was released today.

Whitney Houston’s final song,  a collaboration with Jordin Sparks from the “Sparkle” soundtrack, debuted on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show today.

 “Celebrate,” an uptempo jam with sunny, optimistic lyrics about shunning hate, urges listeners to “just cast your cares away.” The song’s bridge promises, “I’m gonna give you a reason why you should clap your hands and jump for joy.”

Houston sounds a bit husky, but her lower register contrasts well with Sparks’ girlish strains.

The song is the last Houston recorded before her death in February, and while it isn’t an instant classic, it’s a pleasant pop piffle that will be remembered for what it represents.

“Sparkle” opens in theaters Aug. 17. The soundtrack, expected to be released in late July, also features Houston singing “His Eyes on the Sparrow,” and includes several other Sparks songs and a contribution from …

Continue reading Whitney Houston’s final song released »

Jason Aldean brought the party to the first of his two sold-out shows at Lakewood Amphitheatre. Photos: Robb D. Cohen

It was a combo night of Georgia star-watching and beer-drinkin’ partying.

 The excitement generated by Jason Aldean selling out two shows at Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood for two consecutive shows – a first for Aldean in his skyrocketing career – filtered into the crowd early Friday night.

 Though Aldean mentioned to the AJC in a recent interview that Lauren Alaina, last year’s “American Idol” runner-up from Rossville, Ga., wasn’t scheduled to continue touring with him this summer, she was an early presence on the Lakewood stage.

 With her hair trimmed to a cute bob, the noticeably slimmed Alaina confidently strolled through a handful of songs in her opening set, capping it, of course, with her hit, “Georgia Peaches.”

 It wasn’t the last fans would see of the appealing young singer on stage – and they would get another surprise …

Continue reading Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan pair for a night of Georgia pride »

FRIDAY

Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys. The legendary banjo player, 85, brings his “Stanley Style” of picking and old-time bluegrass to an intimate spot.

9 p.m. Friday. $23 (advance), $25 (day of show). The Loft at Center Stage, Atlanta.

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

Jason Aldean with Luke Bryan. Jason Aldean, the country boy from Macon, had an unqualified smash with the release of his fourth album. It’s sold more than 2.5 million copies since November 2010, spawned five radio hits — including the unusual pairing with Clarkson and “Dirt Road Anthem,” co-written by Georgians Colt Ford and Brantley Gilbert — and earned a best country album Grammy nomination. Aldean has sold out two nights at Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood – …

Continue reading Live music picks: May 18-24 »

Summer performs in Norway in 2009. Photo credit: AP Photo/John McConnico

The news that Donna Summer died at 63 today was met with disbelief by most fans of the disco superstar.

Gone too soon. Yet another legendary musician. Never lost her verve.

What pop music lovers didn’t have one of those thoughts cross their minds?

It was especially sad to learn that the sassy, big-voiced singer behind such radio classics as “Last Dance,” “She Works Hard for the Money” and “Hot Stuff” was reportedly putting the final touches on a new album.

In August 2010, Summer talked to the AJC prior to her performance at Chastain Park Amphitheatre.

“What I’m most proud of is that I’m still here and that there are groups of people that still like my music and still want to hear it and are still interested enough to listen and hear something new that I’m bringing out,” she said. “I can’t take pride in that so much as I feel blessed by God to still be here and make a …

Continue reading Remembering Donna Summer »

If you’re buying tickets to any upcoming shows at the Fox Theatre, get ready to purchase them through new means.

After more than two decades, the venerable Atlanta venue has parted ways with Ticketmaster and will now sell tickets through www.FoxAtlTix.com as part of a partnership with Atlanta-based Ticket Alternative.

The change was made to give the venue more control over the ticket-buying experience.

Kristen Delaney, director of marketing and public relations at the Fox, said they have been working with a local law firm to crack down on “cybersquatting,” when ticket resellers present themselves as the Fox’s (or any venue’s) ticket outlet and then sell tickets at an obscene markup.

“By telling customers to come directly to us for tickets, we can provide them peace of mind,” she said.

Those hopeful that a change might also equate to a dip in those pesky ticketing fees, well, don’t get too excited. Delaney said she does expect fees to be lower but, “there are …

Continue reading A new way to purchase tickets at Fox Theatre »

Esperanza Spalding (above) and Terri Lyne Carrington will be at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on Oct 19. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 18. Photo: John Minchillo / AP.

ON SALE MAY 18
Nathan Angelo. July 20. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $12 in advance. TA
Lusitania / Sun Hotel. June 25. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $10 in advance. TA
Special Early Show: Sean McConnell. Aug. 24. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $10 in advance. TA
CD Release – The Constellations. June 11. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $15 in advance. TA
The Higher Choir. Aug. 4. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $10 in advance. TA
Turtle Folk. July 28. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $10 in advance. TA
Il Volo. 7:30 p.m. Sept. 14. Fox Theatre $39.50-$79.50.
Dethklok and Lamb of God with special guest Gojira. 7 p.m. Sept. 5. Tabernacle $39.50. LN
Citizen Cope. 9 p.m. Nov. 9. Tabernacle $26.50 LN
Al Jarreau and Ramsey Lewis. 8:30 p.m. Sept. 21. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. …

Continue reading Hot tickets: May 15 »