The highly anticipated Season 5 “So You Think You Can Dance Tour” thrilled fans Tuesday night at the Arena at Gwinnett Centre.  The heart pounding show featured the season’s most popular routines as well as original pieces created specifically for the nationwide tour. Dancers participating included Season 5 Top 10 dancers: Ade, Brandon, Evan, Janette, Jason, Jeanine, Kayla, Kupono, Melissa and Randi, plus special guests Caitlin and Phillip.

“For five years we have seen the popularity of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ steadily grow and we are thrilled to showcase our unique talent for thousands of fans across the country,” stated Simon Fuller, creator and executive producer of the hit Fox show.  “With the show premiering again this fall, the tour creates the unique opportunity for fans to watch the high caliber dancing from their living room one night and then attend a live performance the following night.”

CAN YOU NAME THE DANCERS IN THESE PHOTOS? WHO ARE …

Continue reading So You Think You Can Dance Tour Leaps Into Gwinnett Arena Tuesday Night »

Kelly Clarkson will perform at the Columbus Civic Center on Dec. 10. Credit: Matt Sayles / Associated Press

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 OCT. 21
Nico Vega and Inward Eye. 7 p.m. Dec. 5. Masquerade. $8 advance. TM.

ON SALE OCT. 23
Rooney with Tally Hall and Crash Kings. 8:30 p.m. Dec. 16. The Loft. $15. TA.

ON SALE OCT. 24
Kelly Clarkson with Eric Hutchinson and Parachute. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10. Columbus Civic Center. $37-$47. TM.
Widespread Panic. 8 p.m. Dec. 30, 9 p.m. Dec. 31. Philips Arena. $51.50. LN, TM.

ON SALE NOV. 2
Kem. 8 p.m. Dec. 30. Fox Theatre. $57.85-$116.45. TM.

UPCOMING SHOWS
Jay Brannen. 9 p.m. Oct. 20. Vinyl. $15; $13 advance. TA.
Leonard Cohen. 8 p.m. Oct. 20. Fox Theatre. $49.50-$252. TM.
So You Think You Can Dance. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20. Gwinnett Arena. $38.50-$56. TM.
The Bravery. 8 p.m. Oct. 20. Center …

Continue reading Hot tickets 10/20 »

Jazz guitarist Peter White will perform Sunday night at Sambuca in Buckhead.

When he was 8 years old, jazz fusion guitarist Peter White taught himself to play with an acoustic guitar his parents bought him. Since his first solo album in 1990, he’s released a dozen albums.

His latest CD, “Good Day” came out last month. He’s in Atlanta this weekend, making one of his few stops in the United States before heading back to the U.K. He’ll then return to the U.S. for his tour with Dave Koz and Friends.

He took a few moments out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions about his music, influences and the future of smooth jazz.

Tell us about your new CD and how what you play now has evolved from your first CD in 1990 “Reveillez-vous”?

My last CD, “Playing Favourites,” was all cover songs and I wanted to make an album of all original songs this time round. So I went into my archives and found a whole lot of songs that I had written but never recorded — that’s …

Continue reading 3 Questions With… jazz guitarist Peter White »

Vicente Fernandez. Photo: Columbia Records Group

FRIDAY

Vicente Fernandez

One of Mexico’s greatest musical treasures, Fernandez takes Mexican traditional music and ornaments it with lush strings and other modern touches, but all the symphonic trimmings in the world can’t extinguish the fiery emotion in the man’s voice.  It’s still a powerful instrument even though Fernandez is just a few months from his 70th birthday.

8 p.m. Oct. 16. $45-$252. Gwinnett Arena, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. 770-813-7500.

Os Mutantes

This Brazilian band first came together in the psychedelic ’60s, combining the sounds coming from the U.S. and Britain with the Tropicália of its native country. The group disbanded in 1978, but reunited in 2006 to capitalize on renewed interest in the band following some reissues. In September, the band released its first new recording in 35 years, “Haih Or Amortecedor.”

8:30 p.m. Oct. 16.$25-$27.50. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave., Atlanta. …

Continue reading Live music picks, Oct. 16-22 »

Since teenagers learning the acoustic guitar will play “Wish You Were Here” with the fervent concentration of an acolyte lifting a communion wafer, Pink Floyd’s music looks like it will remain, with or without Pink Floyd.

Considering the loss of keyboardist Richard Wright, who died last year, without seems most likely.

That absence sets the stage for the career of The Australian Pink Floyd Show, which performs tonight at the Fox Theatre.

They started as a bar band in Adelaide, playing the songs they liked, which included a lot of Pink Floyd, and eventually Floyd dominated their sets. After a 1993 performance at an international Pink Floyd fan convention in London, a career as a doppelganger band took off.

Operating with the apparent blessing of the surviving members of the real Pink Floyd (David Gilmour even had them play at his 50th birthday party), the Ozzies do their best to duplicate the Pink Floyd experience. They perform before the familiar round screen, ringed by …

Continue reading The Australian Pink Floyd Show arrives »

B.B. King (above) and Buddy Guy will perform at the Fox Theatre on Feb. 6. Credit: Curtis Compton, ccompton@ajc.com

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 OCT. 14
Revel the Masses. 7 p.m. Nov. 7. Masquerade. $10 advance. TM.

ON SALE OCT. 16
Monsters of Folk with Conor Oberst, Jim James, M. Ward and Mike Mogis. 8 p.m. Nov. 11. The Tabernacle. $38.50; $36 advance. LN.
I Wrestled a Bear Once. 6:30 p.m. Dec. 4. Masquerade. $10 advance. TM.
Jonathan Coulton. 8:30 p.m. Jan. 16. Variety Playhouse. $22; $20 advance. TM.
B.B. King and Buddy Guy. 8 p.m. Feb. 6. Fox Theatre. $49.50-$79.50. TM.
Tegan and Sara. 8 p.m. Feb. 23. Variety Playhouse. $32.50; $30 advance. TM.

UPCOMING SHOWS
Blues Traveler. 8 p.m. Oct. 13. Center Stage. $23; $21.50 advance. TM.
David Garrett. 8 p.m. Oct. 14. Center Stage. $20. TM.
Robin Trower. 8 p.m. Oct. 14.

Continue reading Hot tickets 10/13 »

Christian rock stars Third Day, Jars of Clay, Audio Unplugged, Thousand Foot Crutch, Glory Revealed and the African Children’s Choir performed Saturday night at Verizon Amphitheatre at Encore Park.

From Wiki: Third Day is a CCM and Christian rock band formed in Marietta, Georgia during the 1990s. The band was founded by lead singer Mac Powell, guitarist Mark Lee and former member Billy Wilkins. The other band members are bassist Tai Anderson and drummer David Carr. The band’s name is a reference to the biblical account of Jesus rising from the dead on the third day following his Crucifixion. Multi-platinum-selling rock band Third Day has played to millions of fans in numerous sold-out arenas around the world. It’s garnered 25 No. 1 singles across multiple formats—not to mention armloads of Grammy and Dove Awards. Yet the band’s willingness to struggle openly before fans and critics alike to unearth its identity, purpose and mission stands as Third Day’s most valued …

Continue reading Third Day & Jars of Clay Awaken Verizon Crowd in Alpharetta »

LAST CONCERT IN ATLANTA 2008: Kings of Leon rock The Tabernacle (w/We Are Scientists, The Whigs)(AJC.com)(11-18-08)

Nashville alternative rockers Kings of Leon jumped from selling out the Tabernacle in November, 2008, to selling out in advance cavernous Philips Arena Friday night. White Lies opened the show.

From Wiki: Kings of Leon is an American rock band, that formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999, consisting of brothers Anthony “Caleb” Followill (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Ivan “Nathan” Followill (drums, percussion, backing vocals) and Michael “Jared” Followill (bass guitar, backing vocals), with their cousin Cameron “Matthew” Followill (lead guitar, backing vocals). Each member of the family group is known by their second name as opposed to their first name.

The band’s early music was an upbeat blend of southern rock and garage rock influences but the band has gradually expanded their sound to include a variety of genres.

Kings of Leon achieved initial …

Continue reading Kings Of Leon Sell Out Philips Arena »

R&B-Hip Hop singer Trey Songz, also known as the Prince of Virginia,  headlined the BET 106 & Park tour Friday night, October 9, at a packed Tabernacle. Playing to the crowd of predominantly enthusiastic females, the scene was reminiscent of the kind of adulation seen with Beatlemainia or Tom Jones, complete with fainting. While Trey tossed black roses into the crowd, panties were tossed up onto the stage. He teased his fans with seductive vocals and highly sexualized dance moves, keeping the packed house hanging on every note in a very intimate performance.

From Wiki: 

Tremaine Aldon Neverson (born November 28, 1984), better known by his stage name Trey Songz, is an American recording artist, producer and actor. He has released three studio albums: I Gotta Make It, Trey Day and Ready. Songz was born on November 28, 1984, in Petersburg, Virginia. Raised a military brat, he recognized his vocal abilities at the age of 14. Reluctant to sing, he began performing with …

Continue reading Trey Songz Wows The Women At Tabernacle Friday »

Billed as Steve Martin with the Steep Canyon Rangers (performing an Evening of Bluegrass & Banjo), comedian Steve Martin entertained a large Chastain Park crowd Friday night, October 9. The opener was singer and banjo player Abigail Washburn, wife of  Bela Fleck. Both artists combined musicanship with humor. Martin is touring as a concert act for the first time, promoting his critically acclaimed album “The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo,” which features vocal contributions from Dolly Parton and Vince Gill. The album marked his first appearance on the U.S. charts since a comedy/banjo hybrid in 1981. It recently won two prizes — for graphic design and the expected humorous liner notes — at the International Bluegrass Music Awards in Nashville. Most of the tracks are instrumentals, and Martin wrote all but one of the 16 cuts, some of which date back to the 1960s. “I can’t imagine what my life would be without the banjo,” Martin told Reuters.

In 2001, Steve …

Continue reading Actor Steve Martin serenades Chastain crowd with Bluegrass & Banjo »