ATLRetro

Monday April 30

From 3 p.m. on, savor tropical sounds and libations, as well as a Polynesian dinner, during Mai Tai Monday at Smith’s Olde Bar. Northside Tavern hosts its weekly Blues Jam. Head over to Fat Matt’s Rib Shack for dinner and a show, with local blues/jazz band Dry White Toast performing at 8 p.m.

Tuesday, May 1

Grab your horn and head 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 2

The Eagles take it to the limit one more time at Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre. 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. Lefty Williams strums at Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que. Dance to ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s hits during Retro in the Metro Wednesdays at Pub 71 in Brookhaven.

Thursday May 3

Nick Lowe plays Variety Playhouse. 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 jam at Red Light Café’s weekly Bluegrass Thursday.

Friday, May 4

It’s a big night for charity with three big fundraisers featuring awesome Retro bands. Come support the Chattahoochee River Keepers for their 16th Annual River Revival blowout benefit , now with more music from Ben Sollee, Julia Haltigan, Burnt Bacon and Kool Kat of the Week Ruby Velle & the Soulphonics. The event also will honor River Rock Stars Ben Sollee, Johnny Colt and Gareth Asher. A $45 ticket at the Park Tavern also gets you food, wine and beer from SweetWater Brewery as they kick off their Sweep the Hooch Campaign!

Andrew & the Disapyramids, featuring Kool Kat Joshua Longino, play a gig at Smith’s Olde Bar which includes Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side,” song #405 in the 500 SONGS FOR KIDS 10-day live music marathon running from May 3-12. Part of the largest musician-involved charity event in Georgia. SONGS FOR KIDS FOUNDATION is a nonprofit foundation that brings musicians year-round to hospitals and special needs kids camps.

Blair Crimmins

Lords of the Neo-Ragtime Blair Crimmins & The Hookers headline A Wilde Night, the ScoutMob After-Party for the Bard’s Bash benefitting Georgia Shakespeare at the Goat Farm. Don your best modern-day-meets-Victorian attire for costumed revelry in the theme of Oscar Wilde, also featuring dance and performance by Dames AFlame, circus spectaculars from Imperial Opa, the Good Food Truck & other late-night mobile snacks (cash only) and more oddities and curiosities all around.

AKA BLONDIE opens at the Plaza Theatre for a one-week run. An intimate view of the most famous exotic dancer in the Southeastern U.S., the new documentary provides a fresh, provocative look at the complex, morally ambiguous world of the 55-year -old Atlanta icon. Anita Rae Strange, also known as Blondie, recounts her childhood with an absent father, her brief stint as a prostitute, the loss of loved ones to AIDS and the infamous Clermont Lounge.

Va-va-Princess-Leia-in-a-bikini! Mon Cherie presents: “May The 4th Be With You!” – a STAR WARS-themed Burlesque Show, featuring performances by Devin Liquor, Stormy Knight, New Orleans Jon, Scarlett Page, Hada Pixie, Katy Malmquist and Christine Hoffman, as well as a midnight costume contest. The Hot Rod Walt Trio rockabillies it up at Dixie Tavern in Marietta. Viceroy makes it a Swing Dance Night at Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s Martinis and IMAX. The Hollidays bring some soul to Fat Matt’s Rib Shack. Or garage rock it hard with Biters, The Head, Jade Lemons & the Crimson Lust and Gun Party at the Star Bar. Cineprov presents A Night of 1950s Sex Ed Shorts at Relapse Theatre.

Saturday, May 5

Reading is Retro so celebrate Free Comic Book Day at Criminal Records in Little 5 Points between 11 am and 6 pm and meet ATLRetro Editor/Publisher Anya99. I feel a little nervous about plugging myself, but yeah, it’s my first-ever comic book store signing and I’m pretty excited to have a short graphic collaboration with Spanish artist Mado Pena in the amazing WOMANTHOLOGY,  a groundbreaking anthology including work by 150 female comics creators which raised a record $109,000 on Kickstarter; proceeds go to charity! Of course, there are many more great reasons to drop by, including FREE COMIC BOOKS, bands Viet Huyn at 1 p.m. and Tribe One  at 1:30 p.m.;  ATLRetro good friends Atlanta Radio Theater Company  at 3 p.m.; and of course, some amazing Atlanta-based comics creators including fellow WOMANTHOLOGY creator Blue Delliquanti, 
Hunter Wook-Jin Clark, Marcus Carson, Jason Flowers, Joseph Wheeler III, Meg Golding, Cara Mcgee, Remington Veteto  and Ted Murphy.

Eat great barbecue, shop one of Atlanta’s most eclectic and cool artist markets and enjoy live music at the annual ART-B-QUE  in Avondale Estates. Bands playing today include Biters; El Caminos; Young Antiques; Heather Luttrell; Smokey’s Farmland Band; AM Gold; Wasted Potential; High Strung String Band; and Tone Star.

See some of Atlanta’s most talented burlesque performers rally in support of one of their own at Leg Up! for Fonda Lingue at Elliot Street Pub at 8 p.m. Devin Liquor hosts a line-up which includes the newly returned to Atlanta Torchy Taboo. Suggestion donation starts at just 5 bucks and there’s also a raffle and silent auction to help Fonda pay some bodacious health care bills for cancer treatment. If you don’t know Fonda, you can read all about her in our Kool Kat of the Week story here.

Cadillac Jones plays the funky music at Vinyl. And as usual, DJ Romeo Cologne transforms the sensationally seedy Clermont Lounge into a ’70s disco/funk inferno late into the wee hours.

Sunday, May 6

ART-B-QUE continues in Avondale Estates with Pelvis Breastlies; The Joy Kills; Joe McGuinness & Oliver Wood; The Dirty Knockouts; My Homework Ate My Dog; Jackwagon; Green Bracelet; and Donnie Piccou. Rise and dine with Joel Hamilton at 1 p.m. dunch at The Earl. Park Tavern gets rootsy with The Whiskey Gentry; Folk Soul Revival; and Royal Tinfoil.  Tony Bryant brings on the blues at Fat Matt’s, and Uncle Sugar blues it down at Northside Tavern.

Stephen King attending the Alliance Theatre's world premiere musical . Photo credit: Greg Mooney.

Ongoing

The long-awaited Stephen King-John Mellencamp collaboration GHOST BROTHERS OF DARKLAND COUNTY plays at the Alliance Theatre. Through May 13. Catch our Retro Review by Contributing Music Editor James Kelly here. 

GREASE remains the word as the Atlanta Lyric Theatre revives the 1950s-themed musical at the art deco Earl Smith Strand Theatre in Marietta. Through May 6.

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