Butch Walker and the Black Widows play a homecoming gig at Variety Playhouse on Oct. 7 in support of a new album, "The Spade," set for release on Aug. 30. Tickets for the show go on sale Aug. 19. Photo courtesy Shore Fire Media

ON SALE NOW
David Nail. 9 p.m. Sept. 10.  The Loft. $15. TA.
Gungor. 8 p.m. Sept. 19. Center Stage. $18;$15 in advance. TM.
Lydia. 8 p.m. Oct. 13. Vinyl. $12; $10 in advance. TA.
The O-Line, the Bitterroots. 9 p.m. Nov. 12. Vinyl. $10; $6 in advance. TA.
Yelle. 9 p.m. Dec. 5.  The Loft. $20. TA.

ON SALE AUG. 17
Nic Cowan, Carbon Leaf, Alpha Rev. 8 p.m. Oct. 22. The Loft. $15. TA.
Rachael Yamagata, Mike Viola. 9 p.m. Dec. 10. Vinyl. $20; $18 in advance. TA.

ON SALE AUG. 18
Saves the Day. 7 p.m. Nov. 5. Masquerade. $16. TM.
Phantogram. 8:30 p.m. Nov. 13. Masquerade. $13. TM.

ON SALE AUG. 19
Butch Walker And The Black Widows. 8:30 p.m. Oct. 7. Variety Playhouse. $29.50; $27.50 in advance. TM.
The Real Housewives Live Tour. 3 and 8 p.m. Oct. 15. Cobb …

Continue reading Hot tickets: Aug. 16 »

The dynamic duo of Jay-Z and Kanye West has added a second Philips Arena date to their itinerary.

 The rappers will now play at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28 as well as Oct. 29 at the venue, the first two dates on their “Watch the Throne” tour.

 Tickets for the new date go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at all Ticketmaster outlets and www.livenation.com. All ticket purchases come with a digital copy of “Watch the Throne,” the first collaboration between the rap titans released last week.

Tickets are priced from $59.50-$250.

Continue reading Jay-Z/Kanye add second Philips date »

Photo credit: Raymond Hagans

Monday’s Stevie Nicks concert at Chastain Park Amphitheatre has been postponed until Wednesday, Aug. 17.

 A release from concert promoter Live Nation cites a medical reason as cause for the switch.

 Tickets for Monday’s show can be used at the new date. Also, some additional seats have just been released.

 The 8 p.m. show time with opener Michael Grimm remains the same.

 Refunds, if necessary, are available at point of purchase.

 To purchase tickets (priced at $40-$75), visit www.livenation.com or call 1-800-745-3000.

Follow me on Twitter: @ajclifestyle

Continue reading Monday’s Stevie Nicks concert postponed two days »

Musical adventurers Bela Fleck and the Flecktones head to Chastain Park Amphitheatre Friday. Photo: Jeremy Cowart

TODAY
Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers
Genre-busting master of the banjo Fleck and his band are masters of musical diversity. They’ve recorded a bit of Bach, some Beatles tunes, “The Ballad of Jed Clampett” (aka the theme song from “The Beverly Hillbillies”) and a whole trove of melting-pot originals. Smooth, melodic pianist Hornsby, a one-time Grateful Dead sideman, has penned hits for Don Henley and Huey Lewis. His 1986 debut album, “The Way It Is,” contained three Top 20 hits, including the title track. Like Fleck, Hornsby is at home in many genres. He won a Grammy for best bluegrass recording (in addition to pop instrumental and best new artist trophies) and plays jazz with the Bruce Hornsby Trio.
7 p.m. Aug. 12. $25-$59. Chastain Park Amphitheatre, 4469 Stella Drive, Atlanta. 404-733-4949.

SATURDAY
Alison Krauss …

Continue reading Live music picks: Aug. 12-18 »

It’s appropriate that Avery Sunshine’s new EP is titled “Summer,” because August is shaping up to be a bright month for her.

The soulful Atlantan-by-way-of-Philly singer/songwriter/pianist will perform Aug. 19 at the Variety Playhouse, but this Saturday, she’s making a special appearance at Chateau Animalia Holistic Pet Hospital and Rehabilitation Center (2021 Monroe Drive, Atlanta).

Sunshine, who is singing at the gathering – from 3-5 p.m. — will also bring along her dog Gabby.

Her “Summer” release, classified as “Latin and soulful house” music, features remixes of “I Got Sunshine” and “Ugly,” as well as the new song “Bags Packed.”

Sunshine has been rolling through a busy summer. In June, she played in Holland and then opened for B.B. King in London (to see who else she bumped into, check out the photos on her website: www.averysunshine.com/).

To purchase tickets to her Variety Playhouse show – where she will perform with Live Tropical Fish …

Continue reading Avery Sunshine bringing a taste of summer to the stage »

The Constellations will open the main stage at Music Midtown on Sept. 24. Photo credit: Jennifer Tzar

The revived Music Midtown will feature two stages with continuous music – but never at the same time.

According to a schedule released Wednesday by Live Nation, which is promoting the Sept. 24 all-day event, the festival at The Meadow at Piedmont Park will launch with a 1 p.m. set by The Postelles on the secondary Great Southeastern Music Hall Stage. The first act to take the Electric Ballroom Stage will be The Constellations at 1:45 p.m.

The rest of the plan on the Great Southeastern Music Hall Stage:

2:45-3:30 p.m. – Mona

4:30-5:15 p.m. – Band of Skulls

6:15-7 p.m. – Young the Giant

8:15-9:15 p.m. – Cage the Elephant

And on the main Electric Ballroom Stage (following The Constellations):

3:30-4:30 p.m. – The Joy Formidable

5:15-6:15 p.m. – Manchester Orchestra

7-8:15 p.m. – The Black Keys

9:15-11 p.m. – Coldplay

General admission tickets to Music Midtown …

Continue reading Music Midtown sets schedule »

Lou Grant might hate them for it, but the Go-Go’s have spunk – plenty of it, even three decades into a career that peaked in the ‘80s, weathered solo detours, in-fighting and personal problems.

Back on tour for the “Ladies Gone Wild” tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of “Beauty and the Beat,” their debut album, the quintet of sparkplug guitarist Jane Wiedlin; quietly precise keyboardist/guitarist Charlotte Caffey; beauty queen singer Belinda Carlisle; and the anchor of the group’s sound, drummer Gina Schock and Kathy Valentine; charmed a small but fun-seeking crowd at Chastain Park Amphitheatre Tuesday night.

From the first metronomic thumps of Schock’s floor tom – a hallmark of her playing – for the opening “Vacation,” fans surged to their feet and stayed there throughout the 80-minute show.

Though these ladies – renowned for being the first all-female group to play their own instruments, write their own songs and top the charts – scaled the …

Continue reading The Go-Go’s provide spirit and fun at Chastain »

Los Angeles rock outfit Dawes – from left, Wylie Gelber, Griffin Goldsmith, Taylor Goldsmith, Tay Strathairn – comes to the Variety Playhouse Oct. 18 with Blitzen Trapper. Photo: Kevin Hays

ON SALE NOW
Shirock, Junior Doctor. 8 p.m. Sept. 1. Vinyl. $7. TA.
Das Racist, Danny Brown, Despot. 10 p.m. Oct. 5. The Loft. $15. TA.

ON SALE AUG. 11
Kevin Devine, An Horse, Oryx and Crake. 8:30 p.m. Oct. 14. Vinyl. $12; $10 in advance. TA.
Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights. 9 p.m. Nov. 17. Vinyl. $12; $10 in advance. TA.

ON SALE AUG. 12
The Shadowboxers. 8 p.m. Sept. 10. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $10 advance. TA.
The Congress, Parker Smith and the Bandwith. 7 p.m. Sept. 11. Smith’s Olde Bar – Atlanta Room. $8 in advance. TA.
Mike Zito. 8 p.m. Oct. 2. Smith’s Olde Bar – Atlanta Room. $12 in advance. TA.
Never Shout Never, A Rocket To The Moon, Fake Problems, Carter Hulsey. 6:45 p.m. Oct. 13. The Tabernacle. $22. LN
Plain White Ts. 6 p.m. Oct. 15. Masquerade. $16. …

Continue reading Hot tickets: Aug. 9 »

Keith Urban performs again Friday night at Gwinnett Arena. Tickets are still available for $25-$55. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., opener Jake Owen takes the stage around 7:30 p.m. Info: www.ticketmaster.com.

 So you don’t like “new” country, huh?

 Then you likely haven’t witnessed Keith Urban live, because he’ll make you a believer.

Urban is about as old-school country as female cohorts Taylor Swift and Faith Hill, who deal with far more grief whenever that inevitable argument arises.

 But who cares about the label when the product is delivered so well?

 Urban is an impressive package – a sizzling musician, steady vocalist and a prototype for your basic hunk (tight jeans, tight black shirt, floppy hair and a killer smile).

 But while his physical attributes – coupled with a genuine nice-guy attitude – are window dressing that might help sell a few more albums, Urban’s shelf life never would have extended to a dozen number one singles and a half-dozen …

Continue reading Keith Urban provides taut musicianship and heart in Gwinnett »

The Red Hot Chili Peppers will debut its new album, “I’m With You,” with a live song-by-song performance via satellite to more than 450 movie theaters nationwide. The concert can be seen in at least seven theaters in the Atlanta area at 8 p.m. Aug. 30 with an encore performance at 8 p.m.  Sept 1.

The band says this is the first and only time the entire album will be performed.

Tickets are on sale Friday, Aug. 5. For a list of theaters and to purchase tickets, visit www.fathomevents.com or www.RHCPLiveHD.com.

“I’m With Y0u,” the RHCP’s 10th studio album, will be released Aug. 30. The album was produced by longtime guru Rick Rubin

Continue reading Red Hot Chili Peppers will debut new album with live movie theater show »