Atlanta's Deerhunter marks the release of new album "Halcyon Digest" with a show at Variety Playhouse on Friday, Oct. 1. This will be the first show of a national tour that will keep them on the road through Nov. 10. Photo: Drew Vandenberg

FRIDAY
Deerhunter
Atlanta’s Deerhunter has been one of the nation’s most critically revered indie-rock bands since releasing “Cryptograms” in January 2007. Led by the uncompromising Bradford Cox, the band creates an unusual blend of rock, pop and experimentation that’s often hypnotic, sometimes jarring, but always intoxicating. This show kicks off a tour celebrating Deerhunter’s new album, “Halcyon Digest,” which was released this week.
8:30 p.m. Oct. 1. $17.50; $15 advance. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-524-7354.

FRIDAY
Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax
Decades of metallic goodness on one bill. Aside from Metallica, California’s Slayer is arguably the most influential metal band to emerge in the ’80s, producing one of …

Continue reading Live music picks, Oct. 1-7 »

Rush has always been special – a trio that projects a sound worthy of a quintet and is able to attract fans to its live show because of the lengthy drum solo.

They’re also one of the most polarizing outfits in rock. The die-hards remain so because they savor the lengthy songs, the winding chord progressions and time changes and the utter uniqueness of Geddy Lee’s voice.

The detractors see those same traits as a) boring and b) annoying.

Click here for photos from Wednesday’s Rush concert.

But a band that is 30-plus years into its career doesn’t need to worry about winning new fans. The faithful – about 12,000 of them proudly displayed their Rush T-shirts and jackets at Wednesday’s sold-out show in Alpharetta – are always willing to play air drums, rabidly cheer Lee’s robust bass jams and give a middle finger to anyone to doesn’t appreciate one of the most successful prog-rock bands in rock history.

During its three-hour (including intermission) concert at Verizon Wireless …

Continue reading Rush proves its durability in Alpharetta »

Talk about a banner week.

Not only did the Zac Brown Band’s second major-label offering, “You Get What You Give,” debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and the Billboard Country Albums charts, but the band is also represented in triplicate on both charts with “The Foundation” and the live “Pass the Jar” joining the new release.

The Atlanta-based band also has a hit with “As She’s Walking Away,” the first single from “Give” that features Alan Jackson.

For a few days, it looked as if Maroon 5’s “Hands All Over” would best ZBB, but Maroon settled for the second place slot on the Billboard 200. But even there comes a Georgia tie – the closing track on “Hands” is “Out of Goodbyes,” a duet with Lady Antebellum.

Continue reading Zac Brown gets to No. 1 with new release »

Alice in Chains, Deftones and Mastodon rocked Aaron’s Amphitheatre Tuesday night . The bands are currently on the “BlackDiamondSkye” tour. This is the final concert of the season at the Southside venue.

And while the AJC wasn’t there to review it, AJC photographer Robb Cohen was covering the show with his camera. Click here for the 19-photo online gallery. What do you think of this combination of bands? Who was your favorite?

Does anyone remember Madfly?

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

Continue reading Alice in Chains & Deftones Rock Aaron’s Amphitheatre Tuesday »

Brantley Gilbert, a country rocker from Jefferson, Ga., will join Lynyrd Skynyrd and Atlanta mainstay Heather Luttrell on the 2011 Simple Man Cruise.

Photo: Lynn Goldsmith

Along with the Georgia folks, Little Feat, .38 Special, Blackstone Cherry and others will perform during the cruise, which sails from Tampa to Grand Cayman Jan. 20-24.

If singer-songwriters are more your thing, the Indigo Girls will cruise from Miami to Tortola, St. Croix and Great Stirrup Cay from Feb. 13-20 as part of the “Cayamo” festival. Among the luminaries joining the girls are John Prine, Steve Earle and The Dukes, Brandi Carlile, Colin Hay and Allison Moorer.

For more info on either sailing adventure, visit www.sixthman.net.

Speaking of the Indigo Girls, along with their Oct. 15 show at Buckhead Theatre, look for them to play a Christmas show at The Tabernacle Dec. 10 with Shawn Mullins and Chely Wright.

Continue reading Georgia artists going cruising »

Peabo Bryson is one of the Men of Soul (along with Jeffrey Osborne and Freddie Jackson), who will bring their tour to the Fox Theatre Nov. 13. Photo: Elissa Eubanks / eeubanks@ajc.com

ON SALE OCT. 1
El DeBarge, Shareefa. 8 p.m. Oct. 28. Center Stage. $29; $24 in advance. TM.
Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights, Ponderosa. 8 p.m. Nov. 4. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $12; $10 advance. TA.
Bayanihan Philippine National Dance Company. 8 p.m. Nov. 9. Fox Theatre. $30-$35. TM.
DJ Shadow. 9 p.m. Nov. 9. The Loft. $35; $32 in advance. TA.
Mark Karan and Jemimah Puddleduck, the Roy Jay Band. 8 p.m. Nov. 11. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $18; $15 advance. TA.
The Cult, the Black Ryder. 8 p.m. Nov. 12. The Tabernacle. $32. LN.
Men of Soul: Jeffrey Osborne, Peabo Bryson, Freddie Jackson. 7 p.m. Nov. 13. Fox Theatre. $42.75 – $72.75. TM.
Frontline Assembly. 7 p.m. Nov. 15. Masquerade. $17. TM.
BBC Broadcast Orchestra. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15. Fox Theatre. $35-$75. TM.
Jim Bianco, Bleu. 6 …

Continue reading Hot tickets: Sept. 28 »

The So You Think You Can Dance tour entertained  fans Monday night at the Gwinnett Arena in Duluth. This year’s tour features Season Seven winner Lauren,  Season Six winner Russell and All-Stars from previous years.

And while the AJC wasn’t there to review it, AJC photographer Robb Cohen was covering the show with his camera. Click here to view the 15-photo online gallery. What do you think of this year’s dancers versus previous seasons? Who was the best dancer tonight?

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

Continue reading So You Think You Can Dance Tour Waltzes Into Gwinnett Arena Monday »

Blues-Southern rock-jam fusionists Widespread Panic formed in 1986 in Athens, GA., and have become one of the elite jam bands in America. Widely renowned for their live performances, as of 2008, they hold the record for number of sold out performances at Red Rocks Amphitheatre outside Denver at 32 and Philips Arena in Atlanta  at 17. 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.

And while the AJC wasn’t there to review it, AJC photographer Robb Cohen was covering the show with his camera. Click here to view the 13-photo online gallery from the concert:  Photos: Widespread Panic in Alpharetta . Tell us your impressions of the show and how Panic has developed as a band over the years. Who has been to the most Widespread Panic shows?

Continue reading Widespread Panic Jams Out In Alpharetta »

Joe Nichols gets the North Georgia State Fair's concert series under way with a show Sept. 24. Photo: Eric Welch

FRIDAY
Joe Nichols
Joe Nichols’ voice is melted country chocolate, whether he’s delivering amusing barroom odes (“Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off”) or heart-stopping ballads (“I’ll Wait for You”). His music feels uncommonly real where the “down-home” pronouncements of many of Nashville’s big stars ring false. He doesn’t feel any need to prove his country credentials. They’re right there in his voice. He’s just a low-key hit-maker who keeps making better and better albums — such as last year’s terrific “Real Things” — amid very little hype. He’ll kick off the concert series at the North Georgia State Fair. The rest of the shows are Sept. 25: Diamond Rio; Sept. 29: Jake Owen; Sept. 30: Charlie Daniels Band; Oct. 1: Hawk Nelson; and Oct. 2: Mark Wills.
Concerts at 8 p.m. Free with admission: $5; $2 ages 7-18; 6 and under free. Parking is $3. Jim R. Miller Park, …

Continue reading Live music picks: Sept. 24-29 »

Among the guests on Carlos Santana’s “Guitar Heaven…The Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time,” out today, is Atlanta’s India.Arie.

The songbird contributes a hauntingly pretty vocal to The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” while the musical twists on the song – particularly the opening – are vaguely reminiscent of Aerosmith’s “Dream On” with its ethereal strings (courtesy of Yo Yo Ma), piano and Santana’s distinctive guitar.

Click here to check out their video.

Other selections worth checking out are Chris Cornell’s muscular “Whole Lotta Love,” Pat Monahan’s take on Van Halen’s “Dance the Night Away” and Chris Daughtry’s fun version of Def Leppard’s “Photograph” (although hearing bongos in the background of the rocker is a bit disconcerting).

Continue reading India.Arie guests on new Santana release »