Photo: Mark Seliger

If you perked up when you heard that Paul Simon is coming to Emory University in February, you’ll want to prepare to track down tickets to his four public events beginning Monday, Dec. 3.

Simon will visit Feb. 10-12 as part of the Richard Ellmann Lectures in Modern Literature. At 4:15 p.m. Feb. 10 and 8:15 p.m. Feb. 11, he’ll lecture about music made between 1966 and 1970 in Glenn Memorial Auditorium. Then at 4:15 p.m. Feb. 12, he’ll converse with former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins at the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts; and at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12, perform with guitarist Mark Stewart at the center.

Tickets are free, but are limited to two tickets per person, per event. Tickets may be reserved beginning at 10 a.m., Monday at tickets.arts.emory.edu, by calling 404-727-5050, or in person at the Arts at Emory Box Office (1700 N. Decatur Rd. Suite 251, Atlanta. The box office is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.).

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Continue reading Paul Simon Emory tickets available next week »

“Da na na na na – hey!” “Rock and rollllllll – hey!”

Yeah, you know it. Some of the most annoying phrases uttered in a rock song. But turn Gary Glitter’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll Part 2” loose on a stadium full of football fans and suddenly, those phrases are a battle cry for victory.

If you attend any sporting event – doesn’t matter if it’s pro, college or high school – chances are you’re familiar with Mr. Glitter’s stadium staple. As well as Queen’s “We Will Rock You/We are the Champions” (the score usually determines which part of the song that you’ll hear, which also goes for Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer”), Guns ‘N Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle,” AC/DC’s “Back in Black” and, even when Chipper Jones isn’t in the house, Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train.”

On Saturday, you’ll surely hear the UGA fight song, “Glory Glory,” (though who knows about Lynyrd Skynyd’s “Sweet Home Alabama,” which has its set of …

Continue reading Friday Riffs: What’s your favorite sports stadium rocker? »

Springfield played the hits as well as some new tunes from his terrific new album. Photos: Melissa Ruggieri

For those who have been going to see Rick Springfield for years – and trust us, his fans are so dedicated they even required their own documentary – you know what to expect: A run through as much of his catalog as possible (because, yes, even though the perception is that he’s just the “Jessie’s Girl” guy, he’s had 16 other Top 40 hits), some casual chit-chat from Springfield, many flashes of his dimpled grin and the chance to get a whiff of his shampoo when he hops into the crowd and cruises across seat backs during “Human Touch.”

For those few first-timers, though, a Springfield show has to be impressive. The guy is 63, for goodness sake, and not only looks 20 years younger, but still plays, moves and sings like a rangy Australian teenager.

Thursday night’s show at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre might not have been packed (the venue was about …

Continue reading Rick Springfield rocks with old and new at Cobb Energy Centre »

B.o.B. hanging out at MTV. Photo: Courtesy of MTV

Atlanta rapper B.o.B. sat down with MTV for an installment of “This is How I Made It,” airing at noon Saturday.

During the show – which also spotlights Demi Lovato – B.o.B., who grew up in East Atlanta, discusses his teen years in the city.

“The advantages that I had as a kid were that I saw both sides of the track. I stayed on the less fortunate side, but I was in a program that allowed me to go to school in a more fortunate side of town. So… I got to see both perspectives,” he said, regarding his time in the magnet program at Columbia High School in DeKalb County (he earlier attended Henderson Middle School in Chamblee).

“When I decided to drop out of high school, there was no backup plan. Plan B was if Plan A fails, go back and retry Plan A,” he also noted.

Plan A seems to be working just fine for the 24-year-old rapper. His second album, “Strange Clouds,” boasted three Top 20 crossover hits on the …

Continue reading B.o.B. shares his Atlanta roots with MTV »

Chesney at last week's NFL Thanksgiving game in Dallas. Photo: AP

You may already know that Kenny Chesney is hitting the Georgia Dome Aug. 3 for a show with the Zac Brown Band, Eli Young Band and Kacey Musgraves.

 Tickets for the show (priced at $39.50-$199.50) are on sale at 10 a.m. Dec. 7, and the country powerhouse has recorded a special message for Atlantans thinking about coming out to party with him.

 Chesney was recently seen performing at halftime during the Dallas-Washington Thanksgiving Day game – a gig he played for free as a tradeoff for the massive mainstream exposure it provided.

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By Melissa Ruggieri, Atlanta Music Scene

Continue reading Kenny Chesney discusses upcoming Georgia Dome concert »

Dave Koz brings along a few of his famous friends for a Christmas concert at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on Friday, Nov. 30. Photo: Greg Allen

FRIDAY
Carolina Chocolate Drops
These young African-American musicians are keeping the traditional string-band music of the Carolina Piedmont alive. Since they released “Genuine Negro Jig” in early 2010, Justin Robinson has departed the band and three new musicians have joined founders Rhiannon Giddens and Dom Flemons. Human beatboxer Adam Matta, multi-instrumentalist Hubby Jenkins and cellist Leyla McCalla are on board for “Leaving Eden,” the follow-up to the band’s debut. With the Two Man Gentlemen Band.
8 p.m. Nov. 30. $22; $20 in advance. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-524-7354.

Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour
Things will be smooth, mellow and festively seasonal as pop-jazz fusionist Koz and his friends fill the Cobb Energy Centre with the Christmas spirit. Joining Koz this year are …

Continue reading Concerts: Dave Koz, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Justin Townes Earle »

Turpin at the Atlanta Grammy Awards party in January 2012. Photo: Hyosub Shin/AJC

It was nearly 20 years ago that Will Turpin first met Tod Elmore.

Back then, Elmore was part of the promotions team at Atlantic Records, the label that Turpin and his bandmates in Collective Soul called home.

Now, Elmore is a board member for Florida-based organization Rock By the Sea, which uses music and events to raise money for worthwhile causes.

Turpin believed in the cause that Saturday’s show at Vinyl at Center Stage will benefit – pediatric and cancer research and treatment for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Program at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital – and agreed to perform with his newly formed band, The Way (as in, where there’s a Will there’s a …) and singer Amy Gerhartz.

“When it comes to pediatric whatever – whether it’s cancer research or even Collective Soul did a lot of work with pediatric AIDS organizations back in the day – that’s where I like to spend my …

Continue reading Collective Soul’s Will Turpin talks charity concert, new solo record »

Looks like there’s trouble for Ray LaMontagne.

The bluesy Americana singer-songwriter has had to postpone his performance tonight at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre due to strep throat. Fans won’t have to wait long for his return, though. The show has been rescheduled for next Thursday, Dec. 6. Patrons are encouraged to hold onto their tickets which will be honored on the new date.

Continue reading Ray LaMontagne postpones Cobb Energy Centre show »

By the time December hits, you’ve pretty much fa-la-la’d yourselves out thanks to hearing piped-in Christmas music since the day after Halloween at the grocery store, mall, gym and anywhere else with an overhead speaker.

Yes, it’s understandable to sigh heavily and start thinking un-Christmassy thoughts after hearing Bing Crosby pine for that white Christmas for the 7,392th time.

But what can be grating on record takes on a new festiveness live, so ditch the Scrooge-like thoughts and hit a local venue for some wintry concert celebrations.

All tickets can be purchased at the venue box office or through Ticketmaster — 1-800-745-3000, www.tickemaster.com — unless otherwise noted.

This is Dave Koz's 15th annual Christmas tour. Photo: Greg Allen

Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour. The smooth jazz saxophonist is celebrating the 15th anniversary of his annual holiday run and bringing along pianist David Benoit (who helped create the tour); Javier Colon, winner of the …

Continue reading Plenty of concerts to help you rock around the Christmas tree »

Jon Bon Jovi at London's O2 Arena in June 2010. Photo: David Bergman

Since my Tuesday started with a screening of David Chase’s upcoming film, “Not Fade Away,” about a band of high school friends trying to achieve stardom in ‘60s-era New Jersey, it seemed fitting that my day would end watching another Jersey band – one that has long bypassed normal stardom to the point of sold out stadiums, more than 100 million records sold and a fanatic fan base.

Yep, Bon Jovi was participating in one of those Fathom Events concert specials at several area theaters Tuesday night. The concert portion was recorded and expertly edited months ago – the material came from the band’s 2010 tour, including their 12-date run at London’s O2 Arena, the christening of what is now MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands and concerts at Madison Square Garden.

But as cool as it was to watch a Bon Jovi concert on a movie screen – with booming sound and HD-quality video to match – the real …

Continue reading Bon Jovi unveils details about new album, tour at film event »