Lalah Hathaway plays two shows at the Variety Playhouse Saturday, Nov. 5. Photo: Derek Blanks

SATURDAY
Lalah Hathaway
She sang at Usher’s wedding and you know he could have had just about anyone serenade him. But he picked Hathaway, the daughter of late great R&B singer Donny Hathaway. Where many contemporary R&B singers feel the need to over-emote and cram as many notes into each bar as possible, Hathaway just sings with warmth and ease. And that’s more than enough. On her new album, “Where It All Begins,” she reaches back into her father’s catalog for both the cover art and the track “You Were Meant For Me.”
7 and 9:30 p.m. Nov. 5. $32.50; $30 in advance. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-524-7354.

SATURDAY
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba
Mali’s phenomenal Bassekou Kouyate ventured here last year with Bela Fleck’s Africa Project, but he returns to headline the show this time around. Kouyate plays the ngoni, an ancestor of the banjo. He and his group, Ngoni …

Continue reading Live music picks: Nov. 4-10 »

ON SALE NOW

Guns N’ Roses. 8 p.m. Nov. 2. Philips Arena. $39-$79. LN.
Foo Fighters, Social Distortion, the Joy Formidable. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7. Gwinnett Arena. $31.50-$51.50. TM.
Ellis Ashbrook, Weaving the Fate. 7 p.m. Nov. 7. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $5. TA.
Brandi Carlile. 8 p.m. Nov. 12. Buckhead Theatre. $29. TM.
Reba McEntire. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12. Gwinnett Arena. $25-$69.50. TM.

ON SALE NOV. 4

Railroad Earth, 8:30 p.m. Feb. 4th. Variety Playhouse. $23; $20 adv. TM
Jazz 91.9 WCLK Partners With a Passion for Community Benefit Concert. 8 p.m. Nov. 19. Variety Playhouse. $32.50; $28.50 in advance. TM.
Wild Feathers. 8pm. November 20th. Smith’s Olde Bar- Atlanta Room. $8 adv. TA
I.O.Z. 8pm. November 26th. Smith’s Olde Bar- Music Room. $10 adv. TA
Symphony of Insanity. 8pm. December 12th. Smith’s Olde Bar- Music Room. $8 adv. TA
Scotty/P. Dukes/Indeed. 8pm. December 15th. Smith’s Olde Bar- Music Room. $10 adv. TA
Yarn. 8pm. December 15th. Smith’s Olde Bar- Atlanta Room. $10 …

Continue reading Hot tickets: Nov. 1 »

Millions of girls would love nothing more than to glue Justin Bieber to the floor under a branch of mistletoe.

But, barring that unlikely event, they’ll have to make do with his “Under the Mistletoe” Christmas album, the pop idol’s official foray into the land of roasting chestnuts and tinsel.

The 11-track CD, available today, is a well-produced bauble in that it pulls back when necessary, but isn’t afraid to get silly. After all, it’s hard to remember that, despite his insane success, Bieber is still a 17-year-old kid, so why wouldn’t he want to rip out a funky, Jackson 5-type take on “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”?

The proceedings start on a melancholy note, though, with “Only Thing I Ever Get for Christmas,” produced by Atlanta’s Tricky Stewart and one of six originals on which Bieber is listed as part of the writing team.

Some of the Bieber-born new tunes resonate – such as “Only Thing” and “All I Want,” another puppy love declaration (“I’m lonely baby, want you to hold …

Continue reading Justin Bieber reverent and rollicking on Christmas CD »

Joel Katz Photo courtesy of Greenberg Traurig

For the first time, U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers have included a music category in its Best Law Firms publication and its inaugural designation goes to Greenberg Traurig LLP as “Law Firm of the Year” in Entertainment Law.

The firm includes Atlanta icon Joel A. Katz, chairman of its Global Media and Entertainment Practice, who also serves as general counsel for The Recording Academy (which governs the Grammy Awards), special counsel to the Country Music Association and general counsel/board member for Farm Aid Inc.

Katz, who currently represents artists including Jimmy Buffett, Sheryl Crow. Kenny Chesney and Justin Timberlake, was also named Best Lawyers’ 2012 Atlanta Entertainment Law- Motion Pictures & Television Lawyer of the Year; Greenberg Traurig Shareholder Bobby Rosenbloum was recognized as the Best Lawyers’ 2012 Atlanta Entertainment Law – Music Lawyer of the Year.

Look for a profile of Katz in the AJC later this …

Continue reading Joel Katz firm receives distinction for entertainment law »

Roger Waters brought his massive “The Wall” tour to a sold-out crowd at Philips Arena last fall – and now he’s coming back.

The co-founder/bassist of Pink Floyd is re-igniting his mammoth “Wall” show for a 36-date 2012 run that will return to Philips at 8 p.m. June 13.

Tickets, priced at $59-$203, are on sale Nov. 14 through all Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com, 1-800-745-3000 and the Philips Arena box office.

The 2012 leg will begin May 1 in Houston. So far, “The Wall” tour has played more than 120 shows internationally to more than 1.6 million fans.

Having seen the show last year, we can vouch that it’s on the “must-see” list.

Continue reading Roger Waters bringing “The Wall” back to Atlanta »