ATLRetro

Tuesday, May 29

The holiday weekend may be over, but there’s still plenty to get out and do this week. Start your post-Memorial Tuesday by grabbing your horn and heading to Twain’s in Decatur for a Joe Gransden jazz jam session starting at 9 p.m. Crosstown Allstars rock the blues at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack. Nathan Nelson & Entertainment Crackers blues it down at Northside Tavern. Dance the night away at Tues. Retro in the Metro nights at Midtown’s Deadwood Saloon featuring video mixes of ’80s, ’90s and 2Ks hits.

Wednesday, May 30

Retro-’60s revivalist band extraordinaire Andrew & the Disapyramids dedicates the last Wednesday in their May residency at the Star Bar to The Sonics with special guests Ghost Bikini and The Marques. If you missed our Kool Kat interview with the Disapyramids’ Joshua Longino, catch up here. Get ready to rumba, cha-cha and jitterbug at the weekly Swing Night at Graveyard Tavern. Frankie’s Blues Mission brings on the blues at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack. Danny “Mudcat” Dudeck blues it down at Northside Tavern. And Lefty Williams rocks at Moe’s Original BBQ. Dance to ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s hits during Retro in the Metro Wednesdays at Pub 71 in Brookhaven.

Thursday May 31

Summer may officially still be a few weeks away, but things are sure to get hot and steamy Thursday, May 31, when Atlanta’s youngest and most Paris-inspired burlesque troupe Minette Magnifique presents Minette Magnifique Goes to the Movies at the Warren City Club in Virginia-Highland. So we thought there couldn’t be a more marvelous time to celebrate the rising temperatures by declaring the vivacious and voluptuous Vyolet Venom as Kool Kat of the Week. At the Sixth Annual Bob Dylan Birthday Bash at The Earl, Chickens and Pigs, along with over 20 guest vocalists, celebrate the man who made it OK to sing like that. Yes, they know his birthday is the 24th but the room was booked. The $7 cover benefits Ovarian Cycle, a local organization raising funds for ovarian cancer research.

Eat, drink, and play a classic game with an adult spin every Thursday night as Mon Cherie presents Mad Lib-Ations, Atlanta’s newest Retro weekly pastime, starting at 7 p.m. at the Corner Tavern in Little 5 Points. Celebrate the incomparable Mon Cherie’s birthday during this week’s fun-filled night which includes games and prizes from some of the city’s most fun Retro retailers, Psychobilly Freakout and punk faves spun by DJ Rev. Andy and a raffle. Kool Kat Alumna Julea Thomerson sings at Twain’s. 

Relax with a tropical cocktail at vintage tiki bar Trader Vic’s where Tongo Hiti play Retro-Polynesian luxurious live lounge sounds, as well as trippy takes on iconic pop songs, every Thursday night. Big Mike’s off in Seattle till June performing with El Vez in Teatro ZinZanni’s CALIENTE SHOW, so Atlanta Funk Society’s Jonathan Lloyd will be filling in on vocals. Remember Lloyd’s Rockstead Review, his killer reggae collaboration with Kingsized? The Breeze Kings and Chickenshack bring on the blues respectively at Northside Tavern and Fat Matt’s Rib Shack. Culliton, Dean & Lloyd jams at Red Light Café’s weekly Bluegrass Thursday.

Friday, June 1

Cool down as Mon Cherie presents Va-Va-Voom Poolside Glamour & Underwater Burlesque Show at The Shelter. Devin Liquor and New Orleans Jon emcee and performers include Stormy Knight, Katarina Laveaux, Scarlett Page and more. More pre-summer fun includes a Pin-Up Swim Suit Contest and a Beach Ball Raffle, including prizes by Lux De Ville, Sacred Heart Tattoo, Rogue Hair Studio, Jezebel Blue and more.

Ruby Velle and the Soulphonics throw a release party for their new single with special guest Noot d’noot at the Star Bar. Catch up on our recent Kool Kat interview with Ruby here. The Nick Longo Band plays Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s Martinis and IMAX.

Saturday, June 2

Shop for Retro recreations from independent artists from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at ICE, the Indie Craft Experience Summer Market 2012 at Ambient + Studio. There’s also fun music from DJ Zano, the ever-popular LeahAndMark photo booth, craft activities from the Atlanta Institute of Stiches & Crafts, food trucks (Ursa Minor Coffee, King of Pops and Good Food Truck) and as always swag bags for the first 250 attendees each day. They also will have a row of vintage finds from vendors who just participated in the Salvage vintage market, in April, and an art swap where you can bring art you are tired of or just don’t want anymore to swap it out for a new piece to liven up your home.

It’s a psychotronic double feature at The Plaza Theatre with two special screenings today. First, at 8 p.m. (doors at 7:30 p.m.), catch the world premiere of sure-to-be-cult-classic KILLER SPERM FROM DEEP SPACE. Admission is free, but space is limited and all attendees have to RSVP at the Facebook Event Page. Watch the trailer here. There’s also an after-party at Manuel’s with the cast and crew. Then later that night at 10 p.m., Blast-Off Burlesque’s Taboo-La-La presents Russ Meyer cult classic BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS. Before the movie, enjoy a sexy live stage show courtesy of Blast-Off Burlesque, all-girl band action from Catfight (featuring Kool Kat Katy Graves) and special guests Baby Doll, Patricia Lopez, Poly Sorbate and Turnin’ TriXXX!
And enjoy Psychedelic Trip Punch while DJ Westwood-A-Go-Go spins in the lobby, compete in a Dance FREAK OUT Contest and win prizes from Libertine. Still not convinced? Writer Jeremy Turman gets all hot and bothered here.

Surf, psychobilly and Americana meet at The Masquerade with a triple header by The Mystery Men?, Sonoramic Commando and The Myopic I.  Read our rave review of Sonoramic Commando’s new CD HANGING AROUND here. The Psycho-Devilles rockabilly it up at Stone Mountain Harley-Davidson at 1 p.m. Cadillac Jones play that funky music at The Earl, along with Abby Wren & What It Is. And as usual, DJ Romeo Cologne transforms the sensationally seedy Clermont Lounge into a ’70s disco/funk inferno late into the wee hours.

Sunday, June 3

Gates open at 10 a.m. for Rock n Roll Monsterbash 2012 at the Starlight Drive-In, an all-day, all-night horror festival featuring Dames, Bands, Ghouls, Food, Creeps, Hot Rods, Hearses, Flicks, Freaks, Vendors Werewolf Style Parking Lot Partying, and Monstrosity Championship Wrestling hosted by the Silver Scream Spookshow‘s Professor Morte. Bands include X-Impossibles, Bigfoot, Dead Elvis and more. And damn you, dirty ape, but the movies include the incomparable, original PLANET OF THE APES (1968) and zombie comedy RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985). Watch for a sneak preview of all the scary fun later this week.

Tony Bryant brings on the blues at Fat Matt’s, and Uncle Sugar blues it down at Northside Tavern. Will Rogers plays dunch at 1 p.m. at The Earl.

Ongoing

The rise to the top of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons is a classic story of how a blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks. See it through the rockin’ lens of Tony and Grammy Award winning Broadway musical JERSEY BOYS at the Fabulous Fox Theatre for a three-week run through June 10.

If you know of a cool happening coming up soon, send suggestions to ATLRetro@gmail.com.