The teenage dream of many a boy of any age, Katy Perry, is launching her North American tour at the Gwinnett Center Arena June 7.

The buxom singer, who is up for four Grammy Awards next month and will perform at the ceremony, is kicking off her “California Dreams” tour Feb. 20 in Lisbon, Portugal, before heading stateside this summer.

Perry plans to use social media outlets Twitter and Facebook Places/Deals to interact with fans throughout the tour.

Tickets for the Atlanta date are on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 29 through all Ticketmaster outlets. Prices haven’t been released yet, but other dates on the tour range from $35-$55.

For more info: www.gwinnettcenter.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Continue reading Katy Perry launching U.S. tour at Gwinnett Arena »

It will almost be Atlanta Night at the Feb. 13 Grammy Awards, considering the artists just added to the performance lineup.

Justin Bieber and Usher are slated to perform with Jaden Smith (think the Beeb will be whipping his hair at some point?); B.o.B. and Janelle Monae will team with hot shot Bruno Mars; and Lady Antebellum (who, technically, have UGA-related roots, not Atlanta), will also represent their multi-platinum album with a live performance.

The Grammy Awards air live from Los Angeles’ Staples Center at 8 p.m. on CBS.

Continue reading Usher, Justin Bieber, B.o.B. added to live Grammy lineup »

Rod Stewart comes to Philips Arena in March, accompanied by Stevie Nicks. Ticvkets go on sale Jan. 22. Photo: J Records

On sale now
Class Actress. 8:30 p.m. March 9. The EARL. $10; $8 in advance. TA.
Weedeater, Zoroaster. 8:30 p.m. March 24. The EARL. $12. TA.
British Sea Power. 8 p.m. April 17. The EARL. $14; $12 in advance. TA.
Captured by Robots. 8:30 p.m. April 21. The EARL. $10. TA.
Dave Alvin and the Guilty Ones, Los Straitjackets. 8:30 p.m. June 11. The EARL. $20. TA.

On sale Jan. 19
Norma Jean. 7 p.m. March 25. Masquerade. $15. TM.

On sale Jan. 21
Tim Brantley and the Gold Top Knights. 8 p.m. Feb. 5. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $12; $10 in advance. TA.
Lubriphonic. 8 p.m. Feb. 18. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $12; $10 in advance. TA.
Nathan Angelo. CD release party. 8 p.m. March 4. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room.$12; $10 in advance. TA.
Steep Canyon Rangers. 8 p.m. March 5. Variety Playhouse. $17.50; $15 in advance. TM.
Mark Knight featuring Matt Abts of Gov’t …

Continue reading Hot tickets: Jan. 18 »

Monica, Dallas Austin, Shawn Mullins and Clay Cook judged the contest. Photo credit: JiMiFlix! Photography

Four Georgia musical acts are packing their bags for Hollywood – but not for anything involving “American Idol.”

No, these artists are winners of the Georgia Lottery’s All Access Music Search, a contest held in conjunction with the music-themed instant-lottery game All Access.

On Saturday, a judging panel of renowned Atlanta acts – producer Dallas Austin, singers Monica and Shawn Mullins and Zac Brown Band multi-instrumentalist Clay Cook – in conjunction with online public voting, determined the quartet of winners from a dozen finalists. Auditions were held last fall in Atlanta, Columbus, Macon and Savannah.

The four victors now head to Hollywood to record a song at Capitol Studios in the famed Capitol Records Tower.

The winners:

Hannah Thomas (country): Hailing from Covington, Thomas kickstarted her career at open mic nights at Eddie’s Attic. Her debut, “The Rest is Yet …

Continue reading Georgia Lottery sends four local musical acts to Hollywood »

Quirky, alternative, funk rockers Cake packed the first of three sold out shows Monday night at Center Stage in Midtown. Touring in support of their first new album in seven years, “Showroom of Compassion”, the Sacramento quintet delighted their fans by playing two sets with an intermission in between. Cake was founded in 1995 and comprised of vocalist/songwriter John McCrea,trumpeter Vince DiFiore, guitarist Greg Brown, bassist Shon Meckfessel and drummer Frank French. Only McCrea and DiFiore remain as the two original members.

AJC photographer Robb Cohen covered the show with his camera. Check out the online gallery. What did you think of  the  show? How many times have you seen Cake in concert?

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

Continue reading Cake Rocks Out Center Stage On First Of Three Sold Out Nights »

Atlanta trio the Head will debut the new "Stockwood EP" at Vinyl Jan. 15. Photo: Peter Doyle / Storyboard Life Photography

TODAY
Lauryn Hill
It’s been 12 years since the former Fugee made her solo debut with “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” It debuted at No. 1, sold more than 8 million copies and won five Grammys, including album of the year. And it’s still her only studio album. In the years since, there has been a live album, a short-lived Fugees reunion and sporadic and occasionally odd appearances, but 2010 saw an uptick in activity and reports that she was recording again. You never know what to expect when she takes the stage, but reports from recent shows indicate that the arrangements of familiar songs have changed dramatically — and that she might take her time getting to the stage. Her Jan. 3 show at the Blue Note in New York was advertised as starting at 8 p.m. According to the Village Voice review, she took the stage just a few minutes before midnight.
9 p.m. …

Continue reading Live music picks: Jan. 14-18 »

In a bit of clever casting aimed directly at the deeper-pocketed boomer crowd, Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks are joining voices for a 13-city tour that comes to Philips Arena at 7:30 p.m. March 24.

The duo appeared on “Ellen” to announce the outing, which starts March 20 in Fort Lauderdale, and said they plan to play their respective hits (that hopefully means none of Rod’s sleepy standards, though a few are sure to creep into the set list) and even, hinted Stewart, a couple of duets.

Tickets for the “Heart & Soul Tour” are on sale Jan. 21 (Amex card holders can get an earlier jump on Jan. 17) for $49.50-$149.50.

Stewart has stayed visible with his highly successful retreads of the American songbook, while Nicks will release a new album, “In: Your Dreams,” May 3, her first album of new material in more than a decade. First single, “Secret Love,” bows Feb. 3.

Additional tour dates and other details can be found at rodstewart.com and rockalittle.com. For tickets, head to

Continue reading Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks join for tour that will play Philips »

Janet Jackson returns to Atlanta to play the Fox Theatre March 29. Tickets go on sale Jan. 15. Photo: AP/JDJ Entertainment/Virgin Records

ON SALE NOW
Mike Watt + the Missingmen. 9 p.m. March 25. The EARL. $12; $10 in advance. TA.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. 8:30 p.m. April 5. The EARL. $15. TA.
Destroyer. 9 p.m. April 8. The EARL. $14; $12 in advance. TA.
Savage Republic. 9 p.m. April 9. The EARL. $12; $10 in advance. TA.

ON SALE JAN. 12
Bilal. 8 p.m. Feb. 14. Center Stage. $35; $30 in advance. TM.

ON SALE JAN. 14
Tinsley Ellis. 8:30 p.m. Feb. 18. Variety Playhouse. $20; $17.50 in advance. TM.
Tommy Lee, DJ Aero, Skrillex. 8 p.m. Feb. 26. Masquerade. $22. TM.
Bethenny Frankel. 8 p.m. March 11. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. $26.75-$73.TM.
O.M.D., Oh Land. 8 p.m. March 14. The Loft. $25. TA.
Furthur. 7 p.m. April 3. Fox Theatre. $47.50-$57.50. TM.
The Residents. 8 p.m. April 4. Variety Playhouse. $27.50; $25 in advance.TM.
Coheed and Cambria. 8 p.m. April 14. The …

Continue reading Hot Tickets: Jan. 11 »

Janet Jackson wasn’t kidding about making her “Number Ones, Up Close and Personal Tour” an intimate affair.

She’ll perform at the Fox Theatre at 7:30 p.m. March 29. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m Saturday, Jan. 15. Prices TBA at www.ticketmaster.com.

The outline for the tour is for Jackson to perform selections from her catalog of 35 No. 1 hits in 35 global cities.

The tour kicks off March 7-8 at the Chicago Theatre in Illinois.

According to Billboard.com, on Feb. 8 Jackson is expected to release “True You,” a book about her experience with diet and exercise.

Continue reading Janet Jackson bringing her intimate tour to Atlanta »

Photo Credit: Robert John

It likely won’t be pretty, but it’s bound to be interesting.

A new documentary on Motorhead singer/bassist Lemmy Kilmister, called “Lemmy” (and a few words we can’t really print) is coming to select U.S. theaters, including a Jan. 15-20 stint at The Plaza.

The film, which premiered at SXSW last spring and has its Los Angeles premiere  Jan. 13, goes behind the scenes of Kilmister’s private life at home and in-studio and also includes plenty of live footage.

Dave Grohl, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett and Metallica are some of the familiar faces you’ll see discussing the legendary metal giant.

If you can’t make the screening, tell mom to pick up the DVD for you on Feb. 15. The two-disc set will offer four hours of bonus features and also be available for digital download and on BluRay.

For more info about the screening: www.plazaatlanta.com

By Melissa Ruggieri, Atlanta Music Scene Blog

Follow on Twitter @ajclifestyle

Continue reading Documentary about Motorhead’s Lemmy coming to Atlanta »