ATLRetro

Monday, Dec. 3

Come out to Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint to listen to the high-energy jazz sounds of the Jacob Deaton Trio at 6:30 p.m. Northside Tavern hosts its weekly Blues Jam featuring blues and southern soul singer, Lola Gulley. Head over to Fat Matt’s Rib Shack to check out Pead Boy & The Pork Bellys at 1:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 4

Catch this week’s retro cinema classic, A CHRISTMAS STORY (1983) at Northlake Festival Movie Tavern. The Christmas classic is directed by Bob Clark and starring Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin and Peter Billingsley as “Ralphie,” the little boy who tries to convince everyone that a Red Ryder B. B. Gun is the perfect Christmas gift. Check out the Tommy Dean Trio at the Georgia Shrimp Company in Peachtree City as they play favorites from The Rat Pack, classic soul and great American songbook standards. Recent Kool Kat Calu Cordeira mixes tiki libations at Mai Tai Tahitian Tuesday starting at 9 p.m. at the Dark Horse Tavern. Grab your horn and head over to Twain’s in Decatur for a Joe Gransden jazz jam session starting at 9 p.m. The Crosstown Allstars are rocking the blues at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack, or you can blues it down with Nathan Nelson & Entertainment Crackers at Northside Tavern.

Wednesday, Dec. 5

The Shelter is playing all your Brit pop favorites, from classics by New Order and The Stone Roses to new favorites by The Good Natured, and the party starts at 9 p.m. Head over to Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint to listen to the sweet blues of The Breeze Kings at 6:30 p.m. Get ready to rumba, cha-cha and jitterbug at the weekly Swing Night at Graveyard Tavern. Disco in the Village at Mary’s is your midweek neighborhood dance party! Frankie’s Blues Mission is on a mission to bring the blues to Fat Matt’s Rib Shack, and Danny “Mudcat” Dudeck brings the gospel blues to Northside Tavern.

Thursday, Dec. 6

Three Bad Jacks and Kool Kat Rod Hamdallah are opening at The Earl at 8:30 p.m. Are you interested in burlesque performers, shows, performing and photography? Come down to the Elliott Street Pub for the Atlanta Burlesque & Cabaret Club Meeting to watch a burlesque show, followed by a local burlesque to-do’s and events from all over the world, and highlight a photographer in Atlanta who contributes a lot to the burlesque community. Catch another screening of this week’s retro cinema classic, A CHRISTMAS STORY (1983) at Northlake Festival Movie Tavern. It’s 80s vs 90s Thursdays at The Shelter. New Wave classics versus Booty-shaking Eurodance will get your moving and rare and underground music videos will be playing on the screens throughout night. The Breeze Kings and Chickenshack bring on the blues respectively at Northside Tavern and Fat Matt’s.

Fader Vixen

Friday Dec. 7

Gallop over to Drunken Unicorn to hear the synthpop sounds of Fader Vixen, Mr. Gnome and Nobra Noma at 9 p.m., $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Don’t miss the longest and dirtiest show of the year at Cineprov! This is the fifth year of the Ruining Childhood Memories Holiday Shows, lots of your old favorites and lots of new surprises at Relapse Theater at 8 p.m. Come down to Cabbagetown and enjoy the 6th annual Stacks Lofts and Artist Tour this Friday and Saturday night. The lofts will be hosting local artists and restaurants so come out to buy some art, sip on wine and sample the hot delicious food! The Ron Kimble Band plays southern rock at Cooper’s Corner in Grayson, and Zydefunk is bringing the sounds of the bayou to Northside Tavern. Kool Kat Bernadette Seacrest will be performing under the dinosaurs at Fernbank Museum of Natural History Martinis & IMAX.

Saturday, Dec. 8

Blast-Off Productions presents SANTA’S SUPER SATURDAY at Plaza Theater! Live holiday floor show with sing-a-longs, a dance party, hot cider and a screening of EMMETT OTTERS JUG BAND CHRISTMAS! Come traverse the spans of time and space as the Imperial Secret Society Speakeasy rolls out the plush red carpet at Blue Mark Studios at 5 p.m. to take you to the times of American Prohibition, Victorian spectacle, and the pulp fiction mystery of the 60s, hearkening to everyone’s favorite British spy. The Academy Theatre and the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company presents, for the 1th consecutive year, An Atlanta Christmas. Memories of Christmas past, our city’s past, and our past are told in a series of short, distinct vignettes, joined together by the image of a family gathered around the Christmas tree. 25% of total ticket sales will be donated to the Center for the Visually Impaired. Make sure you check out our RetroReview of last year’s show. Syrens of the South Productions presents the 6th Annual Tits for Toys for Tots Burlesque Show at The Five Spot in Little Five Points. Tickets are $20, or $10 with the donation of a new unwrapped toy worth $5.

Krampus Krawl

Have you been naughty? Celebrate the German anti-Santa with the annual Little 5 Points Krampus Krawl. Meet behind the Plaza Theater at  9 p.m. and meander your way through Little 5 Points singing carols and raising money for Toys for Tots. Make sure you dress up as Krampus! Mixtape Atlanta’s annual holiday bash X-Mix 2012 is back and this time it’s at Smith’s Olde Bar and features Kool Kats The District Attorneys along with several other rocking bands. Cover is $10 plus 2 cans of food; the money benefits Songs for Kids and the cans go to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Come out to Cooper’s Corner to party with classic rock cover band, Rockasaurus, at 9 p.m. Head over to Northside Tavern if you are looking for a night of blues with Mudcat. And as usual, DJ Romeo Cologne transforms the sensationally seedy Clermont Lounge into a ’70s disco/funk inferno late into the wee hours of the night.

Sunday, Dec. 9

Holy Cow, Batman! It’s time for the Atlanta Comic Con at the Marriott Hotel Century Center! Nathan Massengill, current artist of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, and other comic favorites will be signing autographs, walkers from The Walking Dead will be there, along with several other comic artists and writers. Tony Bryant’s music represents four generations of family Georgia Blues going back to the turn of the 2th century when music was an expression of life. Listen to his musical history lesson at Fat Matt’s at 1:45 p.m. Uncle Sugar blues it down at Northside Tavern and enjoy some hangover-friendly live music with Spanky and the Love Handles playing dunch at 1 p.m. at The Earl.

Seasonal Activities

The Center for Puppetry Arts’ official stage adaptation of the Rankin-Bass misfit Christmas TV classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is back for a third year with Rudolph, Clarisse, Hermie, Yukon and all the beloved characters. Read our interview with adapter/director and Center Artistic Director Jon Ludwig here. Now through Jan. 6.

Take part in an Atlanta tradition dating back more than 50 years! The Pink Pig is back at Macy’s in Lenox Square Mall. Ride the Macy’s Pink Pig Train on top of the Lenox Square Mall through the 170-ft., 1950’s themed Pink Pig Tent. A portion of the ride’s proceeds will benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. The Pink Pig will be at Lenox until Jan. 1.

All this week at The Horizon Theater, catch David Sedaris’ THE SANTALAND DIARIES. An outrageous holiday comedy, written by award-winning satirical writer David Sedaris, stars Crumpet, a rebel without a Clause who recounts the true-life tale of an out-of-work writer’s stint as a Macy’s Department Store elf. Now through Dec. 30.

Award-winning Dad’s Garage offers a new take on the humbug Christmas classic with INVASION: CHRISTMAS CAROL. This nutty interpretation of the Dickens’ favorite throws all the conventional aspects of the story out the window, replacing them with a delicious improv flavor as different spirits visit every evening, to the surprise of even the cast! Shows run through Dec. 23 every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

At Fernbank Museum of Natural History, enjoy the 3rd annual WINTER WONDERLAND, featuring trees and other displays from around the world. New this year will be special photo opportunities with Fernbank’s holiday mascot, Santa-saurus and hop aboard the Santa-saurus Express train, through Jan. 6.

Ongoing

Every Tuesday and Thursday night is Retro Cinema at Movie Tavern. Check out classic movies on the big screen weekly at 7:30 p.m.

Visit the High Museum of Art to see the Fast Forward: Modern Moments exhibit featuring artistic development from the past 100 years, 1913-2013. Artists include Henri Matisse, Salvador Dalí, Georgia O’Keeffe and Jeff Koons. Closes January 10, 2013.

Take retro to another level at the Genghis Khan special exhibition at Fernbank Museum of National History. Closes January 21, 2013.