Having the opportunity to attend 40-plus shows in 2011 is something I view as a privilege. All of the downloaded songs on the planet can’t compare with a live concert, from the second the lights snap off to the final encore.

As with any list, it’s tough narrowing anything you love down to just a few. This one, of my favorite 10 concerts of 2011, could just as easily included Cyndi Lauper at Cobb Energy Center, Paul Simon at Chastain, Keith Urban at Gwinnett Arena, Bruno Mars and Janelle Monae at the Fox or yes, even the NKOTBSB reunion at Philips – a blast of a show that perfectly targeted its demographic.

So now that I’ve shown you mine, it’s time for you to share your favorite shows of the year in the comments section. As always, let’s please keep the discussion about music and play nice.

Sade's first tour in a decade was mesmerizing. Photo: Kevin Mazur

1. Sade

July at Philips Arena

It took a decade for Sade to return to the stage, and her captivating …

Continue reading A look at the Top 10 (ish) favorite Atlanta concerts of 2011 »

Atlanta quartet the Sexual Side Effects – from left, Clay McClure, Mike Sidner, Amber Taylor and Matt Foster – celebrate their successful fundraising campaign for a new video with a show at the Drunken Unicorn Friday, Dec. 30. Photo: Christy Parry

FRIDAY
The Sexual Side Effects
The Atlanta alt-rock outfit is celebrating a successful fundraising effort for a new video. The band’s Kickstarter campaign, which is still up and running through Dec. 31, has surpassed its goal of $2,000, but the quartet is hoping that total keeps rising. The bigger the number, the better the video. The band will team with director Michael A. Simon, who also helmed many of the “VH1 Storytellers” shows between 1996 and 2001 and, more recently, NBC’s “The Sing-Off” and MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew.” The band has finished up a debut EP, “High Maintenance,” out in February. The single “Aurora,” with its lush guitar swirl and dramatic melodicism, is the tune that caught the …

Continue reading Live music picks: Dec. 30-31 »

Devyne Stephens, right, surrounded by Bernard Bronner, Chris Tucker and Akon.

Atlanta music executive Devyne Stephens hosted his fourth annual charity gala last week at the Woodruff Arts Center, which was transformed into a holiday wonderland.

The fundraiser, which benefited Devyne Intervention, a foundation founded by Stephens to inspire youth through music, also honored four individuals for their impact in entertainment, sports and media. Those honored with awards included NBA basketball legend Julius Dr. J” Erving, Grammy winning producer Polow Da Don, WSB-TV Channel 2 news anchor Monica Pearson and BMI executive Catherine Brewton.

Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed said he was honored to be a part of the celebration, calling Stephens a man with a big heart in his efforts to give back to the community.

In addition to Reed, others attending included Martin Luther King III, actors Jasmine Guy and Chris Tucker, amusic artists Keri Hilson, Akon, Gucci Mane, Young Dro, among others.

Continue reading Devyne Stephens hosts star-studded gala »

Jordan Knight of New Kids on the Block comes to the Loft in February. Tickets are on sale now. Photo: Kwaku Alston / Interscope Records

ON SALE NOW
The Electric Sons, Stefan Cashwell, Aaron Childree. 9 p.m. Jan. 6. Vinyl. $7. TA.
Legend Has It, Something Once Scared. 9 p.m. Jan. 7. Vinyl. $10; $6 in advance. TA.
Ocha La Rocha, the Mastersons, Some Dark Holler. 9 p.m. Jan. 14. Vinyl. $10. TA.
Eliot James, Kevin Lawson, Keni Thomas. 9 p.m. Jan. 19. Vinyl. $8. TA.
Echo Romeo, Romeo Spike. 9 p.m. Jan. 21. Vinyl. $10; $5 in advance. TA.
Joel Kosch, the Dreaded Marco. 9 p.m. Jan. 28. Vinyl. $10. TA.
Jordan Knight. 8:30 p.m. Feb. 9. The Loft. $40; $35 in advance. TA.
Society’s Plague, Skinkage. 6:30 p.m. Feb. 16. Vinyl. $12; $10 in advance. TA.
David Allan Coe. 8 p.m. March 1. Center Stage. $30; $25 in advance. TM.

UPCOMING SHOWS
Rebirth Brass Band. 8 p.m. Dec. 27. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $22.50 in advance. TA.
Sound Tribe Sector 9. Dec. 27-31. The Tabernacle. $37.50 …

Continue reading Hot tickets: Dec. 27 »

Classic rockers Cheap Trick will help raise funds for the World Wildlife Fund and Coca Cola’s Arctic Home holiday campaign with an 8 p.m. Dec. 28 show at The Buckhead Theatre.

The campaign aids conservation efforts to create safe havens for polar bears.

 Tickets to the show are $31 (general admission) and $46 (reserved); $15 of each ticket will be donated to WWF, up to $22,500.

Info: 404-843-2825, www.ticketmaster.com.

Continue reading Cheap Trick to play benefit for polar bear conservation »

Kimberly Perry will be joined by her brothers as the Band Perry performs a free show at Atlantic Station Friday, Dec. 23. She's shown here at the Grammy Nominations Concert in Los Angeles in November. Photo: Matt Sayles / AP

FRIDAY
The Band Perry
The sibling trio scored a No. 1 country hit in 2010 with “If I Die Young,” which was also a Top 20 pop hit and the Country Music Association’s single and song of the year. They followed that up with “You Lie,” which climbed to No. 2. The band’s latest single, “All Your Life,” just moved into the Top 10 and shows no sign of slowing down. And you can catch the Band Perry for free as part of Atlantic Station’s Winter Wonder Jam.
7 p.m. Dec. 23. Free. Central Park, Atlantic Station, 245 18th St. N.W., Atlanta.

FRIDAY
Corey Smith
Being a household name might be nice, but Smith doesn’t need that to be a successful musician. He’s carved out a career without the mainstream’s star-maker machinery. The Jefferson native …

Continue reading Live music picks: Dec. 23-29 »

Foster The People – from left, Cubbie Fink , Mark Foster and Mark Pontius – will return to town to play Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in June. Photo: Williams + Hirakawa

ON SALE NOW
Grim Rooster, Animal and the Evolvers, Luvtronixxx. 9 p.m. Dec. 23. Vinyl. $10. TA.
Under The Porch. 9 p.m. Dec. 30. Vinyl. $5. TA.
Chiddy Bang. 9 p.m. Jan. 18. Vinyl. $15. TA.
Toy Devils, Winter Ransom, the Sneaky Hands, Brain. 9 p.m. Jan. 20. Vinyl. $10; $6 in advance. TA.
Elevation, Tealvox, The Revels. 9 p.m. Jan. 27. Vinyl. $10; $6 in advance. TA.
Theophilus London. 8:30 p.m. Feb. 3. The EARL. $14; $12 in advance. TA.
Tool. 8 p.m. Feb. 8. Gwinnett Arena. $45-$65. LN.
Bleached, the Black Belles. 8:30 p.m. Feb. 8. The EARL. $10; $8 in advance. TA.
The Explorers Club, Sealions, Pls, Pls, Androcles the Lion. 9 p.m. Feb. 10. Vinyl. $10; $7 in advance. TA.
Mike Cooley. 9 p.m. Feb. 23. The EARL. $15. TA.
Tennis. 9 p.m. March 10. The EARL. $10. TA.
Foster the People, the Kooks. 8 p.m. June 7. Verizon …

Continue reading Hot tickets: Dec. 20 »

Douglasville-born Norma Jean plays the Masquerade Friday, Dec. 16. The show is among the band's last U.S. performances until mid-2012, as the group heads to Europe for a month-long tour in February. Photo: LeAnn Mueller

FRIDAY
Norma Jean
You might be forgiven for not knowing about this successful, hard-rocking Atlanta export because they’ve spent so much time on the road. Since about 2001, when the guys traded in the confusion-making name Luti-Kriss for Norma Jean, they’ve been a touring machine. The band began in Douglasville in 1997, put together by high school friends. After releasing four albums on Solid State, Norma Jean moved to Razor & Tie with last summer’s “Meridional,” bringing the band some of the best reviews of its career. The guys have been working on a new album, but they’ve taken a break to play a string of shows known as the Pizza Riot Tour 2011. This show is among the band’s last U.S. gigs until the summer. They’ll head to Europe in late …

Continue reading Live music picks: Dec. 16-19 »

Sixty-three year-old Detroit shock rock king Alice Cooper performs Tuesday night at the Cobb Energy Centre on his “No More Mr. Nice Guy” tour. British artist Livan opened the show.
>>>(from Wiki) Alice Cooper was born Vincent Damon Furnier on February 4, 1948 in Detroit. He is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades. With a stage show that features guillotines, electric chairs, fake blood, boa constrictors and baby dolls, Cooper has drawn equally from horror movies, vaudeville and garage rock to pioneer a grandly theatrical and violent brand of hard rock designed to shock.

Alice Cooper was originally a band consisting of Furnier on vocals and harmonica, lead guitarist Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce on rhythm guitar, Dennis Dunaway on bass guitar and drummer Neal Smith. The original Alice Cooper band broke into the international music mainstream with the 1971 hit “I’m Eighteen” from the album Love it to Death, which was …

Continue reading Alice Cooper Rocks Out At Cobb Energy Tuesday Night »

It was a party atmosphere Saturday night at the sold out Tabernacle as Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa brought their “High School Tour” to downtown in promoting the release of their movie entitled “Mac & Devin Go To High School.”

AJC photographer Robb Cohen covered the event with his camera. Check out the 8-photo online gallery. What did you think of the show? Which artist stood out the best?

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

Continue reading Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa Throw A Party At The Sold Out Tabernacle »