FRIDAY
We Can Get Together: A Celebration of Sean Costello
This is a tribute to a very talented young Atlanta guitarist, singer and songwriter who died two years ago this week, just one day shy of his 29th birthday. A host of Atlanta blues talent will gather at Costello’s home away from home, Northside Tavern, to remember the guitar whiz and raise money for the Sean Costello Memorial Fund for Bipolar Research. Lineup includes the Breeze Kings with members of Costello’s band, Mudcat, Bill Sheffield, Eddie Tigner, Chicago Joe Jones and Heaven Davis.
7 p.m. April 16. $10. Northside Tavern, 1058 Howell Mill Road N.W., Atlanta. 404-874-8745.

Carolina Chocolate Drops. Photo: Julie Roberts

SATURDAY
Carolina Chocolate Drops
These three young African-American musicians are keeping the traditional string band music of the Carolina Piedmont alive. The trio’s latest album, “Genuine Negro Jig,” was released in February and includes a startlingly unusual version of Blu …

Continue reading Live music picks, April 16-22 »

Bon Jovi brought their Circle Tour to sold out Philips Arena Thursday night, with Dashboard Confessional opening up the concert.  Robb Cohen was there with his camera. Click here to view the entire photo gallery. If you were at the show, tell us about what you saw. How did it compare to other Bon Jovi concerts?

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

Continue reading Bon Jovi Rocks Sold Out Philips Arena »

Dar Williams headlines the Variety Playhouse on June 27.

ON SALE APRIL 16
Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival with Korn, Rob Zombie, Lamb of God, Five Finger Death Punch, Hatebreed. 1:30 p.m. Aug. 1. Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood. $25-$56.50. LN.
Concrete Blonde. 8 p.m. June 16. Variety Playhouse. $30; $27.50 advance. TM.
Dar Williams with Sara Watkins. 8 p.m. June 27. Variety Playhouse. $25. TM.

ON SALE APRIL 17
Zane Lamprey featuring Steve McKenna & Mark Ryan. 9 p.m. May 22. Center Stage. $24. TM.
Sound Tribe Sector Nine. 5 p.m. Aug. 28. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park. $25-$39.50. TM.

UPCOMING SHOWS
Allen Toussaint. 8 p.m. April 13. Variety Playhouse. $27.50; $25 advance. TM.
Priscilla Renea. 9 p.m. April 13. Vinyl. $12; $10 advance. TA.
Bone Thugs N Harmony. 7 p.m. April 14. Masquerade. $20 advance. TM.
High on Fire. 7 p.m. April 14. Masquerade. $15 advance. TM.
Holly Williams. 8 p.m. April 14. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $15 advance. …

Continue reading Hot Tickets, April 13 »

FRIDAY
George McConnell
You might remember this journeyman guitarist from his four-year stint as guitarist for Athens’ Widespread Panic. The Mississippi native left that band in 2006 and now has his own band, the Nonchalants. He’s been offering his Virtual 45 Series at his Web site. The series is now up to Vol. 6, with each volume a two-track download. With the Sundogs, Chase 56.
8 p.m. April 9. $8-$10. Five Spot, 1123 Euclid Ave., Atlanta. 404-223-1100.

Alan Jackson

SATURDAY
Alan Jackson, Josh Turner, Chris Young
You know what Newnan native Alan Jackson is all about by now. The aw-shucks demeanor that sometimes verges on the stoic, the rail-thin frame topped with a cowboy hat. Most of all, you know that he’s a reliable maker of pure country. Jackson’s latest, “Freight Train,” was released last week, 20 years sand one month after his  1990 debut, “Here in the Real World.”

Josh Turner. Photo: George Holz

South Carolinian Turner’s canyon-deep voice is a …

Continue reading Live music picks, April 9-15 »

Sheryl Crow plays Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park on Aug. 19. Photo: Norman Jean Roy

ON SALE APRIL 9
The Heavy Pets. 8 p.m. May 16. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $10 advance. TA.
Imogen Heap, Geese. 8 p.m. June 4. The Tabernacle. $29.50. LN.
Wonder Girls, 2PM. 8 p.m. June 5. The Tabernacle. $35. LN.
Anders Osborne. 8 p.m. June 16. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $12 advance. TA.
Tishamingo. 8 p.m. July 22. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $15 advance. TA.
Bonerama. 8 p.m. July 29. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $15 advance. TA.
Sheryl Crow, Colbie Caillat. Aug. 19. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park. $29-$75. TM.
O.A.R., Citizen Cope. 7 p.m. Aug. 15. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park. $37.50. TM.

ON SALE APRIL 10

Rihanna comes to Philips Arena on July 28. Photo: Ellen von Unwerth

Maxwell and Jill Scott. Second show added 7 p.m. June 11. Philips Arena. $22-$191. LN.
Vans Warped Tour with Alkaline Trio, Andrew W.K., We the Kings, …

Continue reading Hot Tickets, April 6 »

FRIDAY-SATURDAY
Christian Music Weekend
Two of Christian music’s biggest pop-rock crossover acts perform in the shadow of the roller coasters this weekend. On Friday, Jars of Clay headlines with support from South Carolina success story Neeedtobreathe. On Saturday, Switchfoot tops the bill with an opening set from Stellar Kart.
5 p.m. April 2; 6 p.m. April 3. Free with park admission: $29.99-$44.99 (parking $15-$25). Six Flags Over Georgia, 275 Riverside Parkway, Austell. 770-948-9290.

Midlake. Photo: Bill Zelman

FRIDAY
Midlake
Texan Tim Smith draws on influences as diverse as Fleetwood Mac, Sergei Prokofiev and Radiohead to create musically forward-looking and lyrically nostalgic music. The band just released “The Courage of Others,” the much-anticipated follow-up to the critically revered 2006 album “The Trials of Van Occupanther.”
8:30 p.m. April 2. $15. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave., Atlanta. 404-524-7354.

SATURDAY
The Big Pink
The big, booming electronic …

Continue reading Live music picks, April 2-8 »