Sugarland has recorded a special version of its song, “Stand Up,” with tour mates Little Big Town to benefit recent tornado victims.

The live video for “Stand Up (For Tornado Relief)” was filmed earlier this month at the groups’ tour stops in Chicago and Minneapolis.

Both the song and video are available on iTunes. All proceeds will go to the American Red Cross to aid storm victims in Alabama and Joplin, Mo.

For a preview, click here: http://bit.ly/SugarlandTornadoRelief

The duo of Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush wraps “The Incredible Machine Tour” with a hometown date Oct. 22 at Philips Arena.

Continue reading Sugarland releases song to benefit tornado victims »

Alkaline Trio's 15th Anniversary Tour comes to the Masquerade in August. Photo: Myriam Santos

ON SALE NOW
Buckhead Music Festival. An outdoor festival of live local music. 1 p.m. July 30. Buckhead Theatre. $14. TM.

ON SALE JUNE 2
Alkaline Trio. 7 p.m. Aug. 18. Masquerade. $18. TM.

ON SALE JUNE 3
Kristy Lee. 6 p.m. June 18. Smith’s Olde Bar – Atlanta Room. $10 in advance. TA.
Perpetual Groove. 8:30 p.m. July 22. Variety Playhouse. $25; $22.50 in advance (under age 21). $22.50; $20 in advance (age 21 and up). TM.
Animals as Leaders. 6 p.m. July 27. Masquerade. $13. TM.
Rad Bromance. 8 p.m. Aug. 3. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $10 in advance. TA.
106 & Park Presents: Closer To My Dreams Tour. With Tyga, Mindless Behavior, Lil Twist, Jawan and Trevante. 8 p.m. Aug. 6. Masquerade. $30. LN.
Big Mike Geier’s Elvis Royale featuring the Kingsized Orchestra and Dames Aflame. 8:30 p.m. Aug. 13. Variety Playhouse. $27. TM.
Jonathan Coulton, Paul & Storm. 8:30 p.m. Sept. 2. …

Continue reading Hot tickets: May 31 »

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue brought their special brand of Cajun funk to Center Stage Theatre Monday night as the 2011 Atlanta Jazz Festival wrapped up its 34th year. Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews was born in New Orleans on January 2, 1986. The trombone and trumpet player and vocalist is the younger brother of trumpeter and bandleader James Andrews and the grandson of singer and songwriter Jessie Hill. In 2005, he was a featured member of Lenny Kravitz’s horn section for a world tour that shared billing with acts such as Aerosmith. Shorty’s 2010 major label debut, Backatown, hit Billboard Magazine’s Contemporary Jazz Chart at #1 and stayed there for nine consecutive weeks. He recently recorded several tracks with Eric Clapton.

AJC photographer Robb Cohen covered the event with his camera. See the 14-photo online gallery. How did you like the concert? What were your favorite artists at this year’s Atlanta Jazz festival?

(Photo Credit: Robb D. Cohen/

Continue reading Trombone Shorty Brings Cajun Funk To Center Stage Monday For Jazz Festival Finale »

It was obvious from the box of tissues, constantly sipped glass of water and uncontrollable bursts of coughing between songs that Patti LuPone wasn’t feeling 100 percent.

But even when not at maximum velocity, her voice – that torch of an instrument – bulldozed any note that might have been an obstacle.

At  a packed Symphony Hall Friday night, LuPone, backed by the spectacular Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, performed a string of famed show tunes in the vocal workout she dubs “Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda” (as in, songs she coulda sung, woulda sung, shoulda sung and, lest there be any concern that selections from “Gypsy” or “Evita” wouldn’t appear, did sing).

The first 30 minutes of the show – which repeats tonight – featured guest conductor Rob Fisher leading the ASO through overtures from “Sweeney Todd,” “Gypsy” and “West Side Story.” Along with being generous in his praise of ASO, Fisher was also refreshingly playful, even egging the audience to …

Continue reading Patti LuPone soars despite sniffles »

New York-based trio Fun joins Panic at the Disco for a show at the Tabernacle. In addition to touring together, the two bands collaborated on a new single called “C’mon.”

FRIDAY
Panic At The Disco, Fun
Originally occupying the middle ground between Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance, Panic at the Disco displayed a more mature style with second album “Pretty. Odd.” in 2008. Then half of the band split, including guitarist and primary lyricist Ryan Ross. “Vice & Virtues,” released in March, is the band’s first album without Ross, and it feels like a slight return to the showy pop of debut “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out.” There’s a better reason to go to this show than the headliners, though. Fun makes bold, brassy pop with a ’70s AM pop vibe and a new millennial wink. “Be Calm,” the stunning lead track from the 2009 debut album “Aim and Ignite,” is a weird and wonderful cocktail of Queen and Weezer. Despite those obvious influences, this trio …

Continue reading Live music picks: May 27-June 2 »

Michael Weintrob

Perhaps it was the LSD – Bootsy Collins says he dropped acid every day for two years during the early Funkadelic era – but a misstep in planning his current concert tour means he won’t be playing Atlanta this summer, according to a spokesman.

“Bootsy’s plans for an Atlanta show [in June] had to be canceled due to his set time at Bonnaroo the day before and resulting changes to his travel plans,” said PR representative Tyler Cannon.

Cannon said the funk master had tentative plans to play June 12, and early press releases listed a June 12 engagement in “Buckhead” but no venue was mentioned and apparently none was secured.

Nonetheless, the larger-than-life bassist, a creator of the Parliament-Funkadelic sound, stopped in Atlanta recently to talk up his new album and tour – the one that skips Atlanta – and to describe the evening in 1970 in Columbus, Ga., when he first performed with James Brown.

In the fanciful Collins theology of funk, Brown is …

Continue reading Bootsy, baby, will skip Atlanta »

Texas quartet Explosions in the Sky will headling the Tabernacle in September. Tickets go on sale May 27. Photo: Nick Simonite

ON SALE NOW
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Soulphonics & Ruby Velle. 8 p.m. May 30. $25. Center Stage. TM.
DMS featuring George Duke, Marcus Miller and David Sanborn. May 30. Variety Playhouse. $40; $35 in advance. TM.

ON SALE MAY 25
Ellie Goulding. 9 p.m. July 23.Center Stage. $24. TM.

ON SALE MAY 27
Abbey Road Live presents “Sgt. Pepper’s Mystery Tour.” 8 p.m. July 1.Variety Playhouse. $17.50; $15 in advance. TM.
The Devil Makes Three. 8:30 p.m. July 22. The Five Spot. $12; $10 in advance. TM.
The Hold Steady. 8 p.m. Aug. 30. Variety Playhouse. $20;  $18 in advance. TM.
Explosions In The Sky, Wye Oak. 8 p.m. Sept. 29. Tabernacle. $27.50; $25 in advance. TM.
Cyndi Lauper and Dr. John: From Memphis to Mardi Gras. Oct. 12. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. $37-$73. TM.

ON SALE JUNE 3
Sugarland. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 22. Philips Arena. $35-$100. …

Continue reading Hot tickets: May 24 »

Cool tour alert: Cyndi Lauper and Dr. John are teaming for a quick 15-date fall tour.

Dubbed “From Memphis to Mardi Gras,” the jaunt kicks off Oct. 7 in Orlando and comes to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on Oct. 12.

Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Friday for $37-$73.

Last year Lauper released “Memphis Blues,” which showcased her formidable vocals on classics such as “Crossroads” (with Jonny Lang) and “Just Your Fool.” A live DVD, also called “Memphis Blues,” will bow this fall. Dr. John, of course, is regarded as the patron musician of New Orleans and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year.

The duo’s tour will hit South Carolina, New Jersey, D.C. and Pennsylvania among its stops.

Continue reading Cyndi Lauper/Dr. John bringing joint tour to Atlanta »

Paul Simon strode onstage and tipped his fedora toward the crowd – a fitting start to what would be a two hour throwback to gentlemanly music.

 The critically decorated, generation-spanning singer opened the summer season at a sold-out Chastain Park Amphitheatre. But at times it seemed the mellow show would have been better suited at the Fox Theatre, where his introspective, musically layered songs didn’t have to compete with conversations about whether or not to throw away the tin foil covering a food container.

 But, thanks to Chastain’s crisp sound and Simon’s clear and, through 90 percent of the show, robust voice, the evening turned into a pleasant stroll tinged with nostalgia.

 Though the heartiest cheers and most fervent hip-shaking didn’t erupt until the second half of the concert, when Simon and his crackerjack eight-piece band rolled out a percussive feast during “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” and “Kodachrome” – still rollicking after …

Continue reading Paul Simon serves nostalgia and new at Chastain opener »

Singer-songwriter-producer Paul Frederic Simon was born in Newark, New Jersey on October 13, 1941..During his distinguished career,  Simon has been the recipient of many honors and awards including 12 Grammy Awards, three of which (”Bridge Over Troubled Water”, “Still Crazy After All These Years” and “Graceland”) were albums of the year. In 2003 he was given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his work as half of the duo Simon and Garfunkel. He is a member of The Songwriters Hall of Fame, a recipient of their Johnny Mercer Award and is in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Simon and Garfunkel and as a solo artist. His song “Mrs. Robinson” from the motion picture “The Graduate” was named in the top ten of The American Film Institute’s 100 Years 100 Songs.

AJC photographer Robb Cohen covered the event with his camera. Check out the 15-photo online gallery. How did you like the concert? What is your favorite Paul Simon or Simon & Garfunkel song(s)?

(Photo Credit: …

Continue reading Paul Simon Serenades Sold Out Crowd At Chastain Park Saturday Night »