Nicki Minaj comes to the Fox Theatre in July. Tickets go on sale Saturday, May 12. Photo: John Minchillo / AP

ON SALE MAY 11
Moontower. 8 p.m. July 7. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $10 in advance. TA.
Live recording with the Whiskey Gentry. 8 p.m. July 12. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $10 in advance. TA.
Live recording with the Whiskey Gentry. 8 p.m. July 13. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $10 in advance. TA.
Live recording with the Whiskey Gentry. 8 p.m. July 14. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $10 in advance. TA.
Glen Campbell, Kenny Rogers. 8 p.m. July 14. Delta Classic Chastain series. $29-$75; $25 lawn. TM.
Sleigh Bells. 8 p.m. July 16. Center Stage. $22; $19 in advance. TM.
The Dukes of September Rhythm Revue with Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs. 8 p.m. July 20. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. $25-$89. TM.
New Orleans Suspects. 8 p.m. July 21. Smith’s Olde Bar – Music Room. $15 in advance. TA.
Yes, Procol Harum. 7 p.m. July 31. Verizon Wireless …

Continue reading Hot tickets: May 8 »

Nearly five years ago, the Echo Project enjoyed a brief life on a South Fulton farm, where fans were showered with huge balloons and tons of confetti during the Flaming Lips’ performance. In 2012, the Echo Project is reborn as the CounterPoint Music and Arts Festival. Staff photo.

There’s a new festival in town, but it’s the descendant of an older festival.

Back in 2007, there was a little music festival south of Atlanta called the Echo Project. Unfortunately, the turnout wasn’t so great. That’s a shame, because it had a fantastic and diverse lineup that included the Roots, Flaming Lips, the Avett Brothers, Cat Power, Thievery Corporation, Common, the Killers and Phil Lesh.

The folks who put that festival together have partnered with C3 Presents (Austin City Limits Music Festival, Lollapalooza) for CounterPoint a new festival on the same site. The festival will take place Sept. 27-29. The site is about 30 minutes south of Atlanta on 350 acres of riverfront property, part of a …

Continue reading CounterPoint, Atlanta’s newest music festival »

Usher will talk about his new album on SiriusXM next week. Photo credit: AP Photo/Evan Agostini

Usher will sit down with SiriusXM host Sway Calloway for a live Q&A session May 16 about his upcoming album, “Looking 4 Myself,” due June 12.

The Atlanta-based R&B hunk will field questions at the satellite radio studios in New York City at 6:30 p.m. Listeners can tune in to channel 47 (The Heat).

“I am looking forward to sitting down with my old friend Sway and interacting with my fans to hear what questions they have about my new album and creative process,” Usher said in a statement.

The event is part of SiriusXM’s “Town Hall” series, which has featured chats with Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Coldplay, Ringo Starr and other musical luminaries

Continue reading Usher to talk new album live on SiriusXM »

Rapper T.I. watches during the second half of Game 2 of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Philips Arena in Atlanta on May 1. Photo credit: Hyosub Shin

With B.o.B.’s new album, “Strange Clouds,” out this week, it seemed like a good time to catch up with his buddy and mentor, T.I.

You can read why Tip thinks B.o.B. is a “phenomenal talent” in a story coming May 20. But for now, he did confirm that the duo is still working on its “Man and the Martian” album.

“We’ve got about five records done. As our schedule permits, we’ll get into the studio more. It won’t take us any time to knock out,” he said, adding that the music is going to be “a hybrid of all genres.”

Tip – just announced as a performer at the Hot 107.9 Birthday Bash June 16 at Philips Arena — has his own new release ready to drop by the end of summer or early fall, just in time to play Music Midtown in Piedmont Park Sept. 21.

Officially titled “Trouble Man,” the album is about 85 percent finished he said, and …

Continue reading T.I. talks new album, B.o.B. and acting »

Bonnie Raitt is touring behind her first new album in seven years, "Slipstream." She'll play the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on Wednesday, May 9. Photo: Marina Chavez

FRIDAY
Counting Crows
Counting Crows made some undeniably catchy and classic records during the past 15 years, but the 1993 debut, “August and Everything After,” is still the band’s high-water mark. The band’s latest release, “Underwater Sunshine (Or What We Did On Our Summer Vacation),” is a collection of covers, including songs originally recorded by Gram Parson, Fairport Convention, Big Star and Teenage Fanclub.
8 p.m. May 4. $59.50. Tabernacle, 152 Luckie St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-659-9022.

FRIDAY
Chris Young
Young was the winner of Season 4 of USA Network’s “Nashville Star” talent competition. The Murfreesboro, Tenn., vocalist was also the season’s only Southerner. He now has five No. 1 country singles on his resume, including “Tomorrow” and “You” from his 2011 album “Neon.”
9:30 p.m. May 4. $20-$100.

Continue reading Live music picks: May 4-9 »

Brad Paisley returns to Atlanta for a show at Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood in September. Tickets go on sale Saturday, May 5. Photo: Raymond Hagans

ON SALE MAY 4
Gary Clark Jr. 8 p.m. June 12. Variety Playhouse. $18; $16 in advance. TM.
Aziz Ansari. 10 p.m. June 20 show added to previous 7 p.m. show. The Tabernacle. $39. LN.
Super WHY Live. 6:30 p.m. July 27. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. $22.50-$40.50. LN.
My Morning Jacket, Band of Horses. 7 p.m. Aug. 24. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. $49.50 general admission pit; $40-$49.50 reserved; $37 lawn. LN.
Jeff Lorber Fusion, Eric Marienthal. 8:30 p.m. Aug. 24. Variety Playhouse. $30; $27.50 in advance. TM.
Enrique Iglesias. Jennifer Lopez, Wisin & Yandel. Aug. 29. Philips Arena. $29.50-$149.50. TM.
Dispatch, Good Old War. 8 p.m. Oct. 12. Fox Theatre. $46. LN.

ON SALE MAY 5
Brad Paisley, the Band Perry, Scotty McCreery. 7:30 p.m. Sept. 15. Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood. $40.50-$60.50; $25 lawn; $85 lawn …

Continue reading Hot tickets: May 1 »