ATLRetro

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor

This Week in Retro Atlanta is a hellacious smorgasbord of rockin’ shenanigans, sci-fi conventions, honkytonkin’ hootenannies and more! Come on down and see what we’ve found for you!

Monday, May 23

Shake and shimmy on down to the Shakespeare Tavern for Sexpelliarmus: A Whimsical, Wizarding Burlesque Revue! Make your way to the Center for Puppetry Arts for their “No Screams Attached” Taking the Pain Out of Sound Design for Puppet Film event from 7-9pm! Hot Club of Cowtown dishes out a night of hot jazz, folk and Americana at Eddie’s Attic! Or make your way to the Alpharetta Branch Library for their screening of Henry Koster’s HARVEY (1950) at 10:30am! Blues it up with Barrelhouse Bob Page at Blind Willie’s! Get funky and groove on down to Café 290 every second and fourth Monday of the month for a taste of Bumpin the Mango, ‘The groove that makes you want to move!” Skye Paige, “Queen of Slide Guitar” rocks out at the Little Vinyl Lounge! Boogie on down to the Northside Tavern and spend an evening with Lola at her famous Monday Night Northside Jam! And blues on down to Fat Matt’s Rib Shack for a side of Dry White Toast and a plate full ‘o finger lickin’ BBQ!

Tuesday, May 24

Legendary surf rock guitarist Dick Dale (See ATLRetro’s Retro Review here) invades The Earl with Kool Kat Adam McIntyre and The Pinx rocking us back to 1973 with a hellacious night of blues-tinged, MC5-eques Rock ‘n’ Roll! Gab with local film industry professionals at the Highland Inn Ballroom Lounge during the Eat, Drink & B-Indie: GA Film Festival Round Table at 7:30pm! The Landmark Midtown Art Cinema continues their “Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll” film series with a screening of Hal Ashby’s HAROLD AND MAUDE (1971) at 7pm! Get adventurous at the Northlake Festival Movie Tavern with their screening of Brian De Palma’s MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (1996), during their “Classic Films on the Big Screen” series at 7:30pm! Make your way to the Fox Theatre for “Beautiful – The Carole King Musical,” running through May 29! Geek it up at My Parents’ Basement with their weekly Tuesday night Nerd Trivia at 8pm! Bluegrass it up at Steve’s Live Music with Faculty Grass! Lola gets down and dirty at Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint! The Star Bar delivers a night of retro shenanigans with their Downtown Tuesday Night Dance Party featuring retro-soul, funk, ‘80s, ‘90s and more! Jam it up with Joe Gransden and his jazz jam session at Venkman’s every Tuesday! And as always, The Entertainment Crackers get bluesy with their folksy Americana at the Northside Tavern!

Wednesday, May 25

Go old-school and rock out with The Dictators, The Swingin’ Dicks and Bad Spell at The Earl! Get old-timey with a night of vintage rockin’ roots at Eddie’s Attic with Miss Tess & The Talkbacks and Kool Kat Caleb & The Gents! Scene Missing presents their Backlanta to the Future event at the Highland Inn Ballroom Lounge, delivering music and comedy based on time travel flicks! Rock out at the Regal Hollywood Stadium 24 (Chamblee) and AMC Avenue Forsyth (Cumming) with a screening of Devin DeHaven’s KISS ROCKS VEGAS at 7pm! Get adventurous at the Northlake Festival Movie Tavern with their screening of Brian De Palma’s MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (1996), during their “Classic Films on the Big Screen” series at 7:30pm! Get the blues with Frankie’s Blues Mission at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Blind Willie’s delivers a night of blues ‘n’ jazz with Kool Kat Scott Glazer’s Mojo Dojo! Jazz it up with The Gordon Vernick Quartet at the Red Light Café! Darwin’s Burgers & Blues gets down and dirty at their Blues Jam hosted by The Cazanovas! It’s Chicken Picken’ Wednesday at Venkman’s, so come on out for a night with Amy McCarley! The Star Bar gets to twangin’ with their Cowboy Karaoke event, featuring live-band old-time country and western tunes with Dry Gulch! Or rock on downstairs to the Little Vinyl Lounge for a night of retro shenanigans with Kool Kat Jeff Clark and Stomp & Stammer’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia at 8pm! Or make your way to the Northside Tavern as Danny ‘Mudcat’ Dudeck fires it up with his rockin’ blues! St. James Live! delivers their Hump Days Blues night, getting classic blues-style every Wednesday! And as always, it’s Ladies Night at Johnny’s Hideaway which plays hits from Sinatra to Madonna for a generally mature crowd.

Thursday, May 26

Cabaret it up folk/punk-style at the Red Light Café with Kool Kat Frenchy & The Punk, with The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing! Geek it up with a weekend of Anime, comics, videogames and more at MomoCon 2016, running through May 29 at the Georgia World Congress Center! Get the blues with the Barry Richman Band at Steve’s Live Music! Get jazzy with Jace Harnage at Stagga Lee’s Goodtime Emporium as she dishes out the Carmen Lundy Songbook! It’s Mai Tai Thursday, so surf on down to Trader Vic’s for a helluva beach party! Blues it up with George Hughley & The Shadows at Blind Willie’s! Stagger on over to Noni’s Bar & Deli for their Bitter Heroes event featuring DJ Brian Parris as he gets charmingly morose with a little New-Wave, The Smiths and The Cure! The Northside Tavern gets rockin’ with a little Chicago/Delta blues of The Breeze Kings! The Cody Matlock Band delivers a night of blues at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues in Marietta! Get your boogie on at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack, as Chickenshack featuring Eddie Tigner, delivers some honky-tonk blues! And as always, boogie down at Mary’s, as the East Atlanta venue gets funky with their weekly Disco in the Village.

Friday, May 27

The Star Bar dishes out a hootenanny and a half with their two-day Bubbapalooza 2016! Night one features Jesse Dayton, Dang Dang Dang, The Scragglers, the Jamie Starr Appreciation Society, Skype Page and more! Doors at 7pm. New-Wave it up with two shows with Modern English at The Earl! Rev on down to the Red Light Café for a night with Rockabilly Kitty Rose and Kool Kat Hot Rod Walt (acoustic)! Jazz it up in Piedmont Park during the Atlanta Jazz Festival, featuring 3 stages of jazz, from retro to modern, May 27-29! Shake a tail feather on down to 7 Stages for the Imperial OPA’s Grande Cabaret! Get your Time Lord fix during 2016’s TimeGate convention, celebrating 20 years of the 8th Doctor and more at the Atlanta Marriott Century Center, running through May 29! Hillbilly it up at Steve’s Live Music with The Nouveaux Honkies! The Vipers dish out the blues at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! El Scorcho pays tribute to Weezer at Venkman’s! The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra closes out their Pops! season with three days of the Music of Elton John (5/27-5/29). Debbie Bond & The Trudats get down at the Northside Tavern! Sandra Hall & The Shadows get the blues at Blind Willie’s! And as always, time-warp it up and get naughty with some uber musically-inclined transsexual aliens at The Plaza Theater as they continue their tradition of screening THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) every Friday night, featuring the live cast of Lips Down on Dixie at midnight!

Saturday, May 28

It’s day 2 to fire it up with a helluva lot of killer Kool Kats at The Star Bar’s Bubbapalooza 2016, featuring Kool Kat Spike Fullerton (Ghost Rider’s Car Club), Kool Kat Caroline & The Ramblers, Kool Kat Sen Artie Mondello (The Mondellos), Rodeo Twister, The Mystery Men?, Dusty Booze & The Baby Haters, the Night Terrors, Raymond Smalley, Rockabilly Kitty Rose, The Wheel Knockers, Chickens and Pigs, Truckstop Confidential, Al Shelton and more! Get detained at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre during their screening of John Hughes’ ‘80s classic, THE BREAKFAST CLUB (1985), at 8pm! Or old-time it up with Kool Kat Caleb & The Gents at Matilda’s! Make your way to the Landmark Midtown Art Cinema for their Studio Ghibli series, featuring screenings of Hayao Miyazaki’s KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE (1989) and HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE (2005), screening through Sunday, 5/29! ATL Collective presents Sade’s STRONGER THAN PRIDE at Venkman’s! Stomp on down to the Red Light Café for a night with American Hologram, Collins Drive and Dustin Barclay! Funk it up with Zydefunk at Steve’s Live Music! Rock on down to The Earl for a night with Brother Hawk, Stonerider and Tedo Stone! Boogie on down to The Basement for their Keep on Movin! Dance Party! Kool Kat Becky Cormier Finch and Denim Arcade 80s it up at the Wild Wing Café in Suwannee! Darwin’s Burgers & Blues delivers a  night of rockin’ blues with The Rockaholics! Get bluesy with Albert White and Eddie Tigner at the Northside Tavern! Fat Matt’s Rib Shack gets down with Sana Blues! Get funky NOLA-style with The Mar-Tans at Blind Willie’s! St. James Live! delivers their Tribute to the Legends night every Saturday night! And as always, DJ Romeo Cologne transforms the sensationally seedy Clermont Lounge into a ’70s disco/funk inferno late into the wee hours of the night.

Sunday, May 29

Hey all you mischievous miscreants! Make your way to the Masquerade for a night with CJ Ramone, The El Caminos and The Unsatisfied! Or funk it up during brunch at Venkman’s with The 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra! Steve The Blues Dude gets down at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! And get sweet and low down blues-style at the Northside Tavern with Uncle Sugar!

Ongoing

MacGillivey Freeman’s 2013 documentary, NATIONAL PARK ADVENTURE, commemorating the U.S. National Park Service’s 100th anniversary at the Fernbank Museum’s IMAX screens through June 16!

The Michael C. Carlos Museum presents their “Doorway to an Enlightened World” exhibit, running through Nov. 27!

Blast-Off Burlesque geeks it up with a night of adults-only trivia at the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club, every Monday at 8:30pm! (On hiatus as of May 16 until further notice)

Union EAV rocks out with their Punk Rock Karaoke ATL, and every last Tuesday of the month!

Geek it up at My Parents’ Basement with their weekly Tuesday night Nerd Trivia at 8pm!

Nerd Film Mafia screenings at the Diesel Filling Station following NerdCore Trivia, every last Tuesday of the month!

The Plaza Theater Time-Warps it up as they screen, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) every Friday night, featuring the live cast of Lips Down on Dixie at midnight!

Every first and third Mondays are Big Band Nights at Café 290, featuring Joe Gransden and his amazing 16-piece orchestra playing jazz and swing standards in the tradition of The Glen Miller Orchestra and other legendary groups.  Second and fourth Mondays are Bumpin the Mango, ‘The groove that makes you want to move!’

Every first Wednesday is the Graveyard Tavern’s Graveyard Swing Night, featuring the swingin’ jazz and boogie-woogie sounds of the Savoy Kings!

If you have a suggestion for a future event that should be included in This Week in Retro Atlanta or see something we missed, please email us at atlretro@gmail.com.

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor

Atlanta transplant, by way of the Heart of Dixie, Adam McIntyre of The Pinx promises to cure what ails you with a whole lotta sweat-drenched, heartfelt good ol’ American Rock ‘n’ Roll! McIntyre and his band of ready to rock comrades [Chance McColl (guitar); Jon Lee (bass); and Dwayne Jones (drums)] will be stirring up a little mischief, in the style of Detroit “garage godfathers” MC5, at The Earl this Tuesday, May 24! They’ll be firing up the stage and opening for surf rock guitar legend, Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, to boot (See our Retro Review here), doors at 7pm. The Pinx will also be promoting their newest LP FREEDOM, which lets loose to the masses May 27! Rock on back to the ‘70s and make your way to The Earl ‘cause this is gonna be one helluva show you won’t want to miss!

McIntyre, front man and producer of The Pinx was born into the world of Rock ‘n’ Roll, almost literally, being exposed to Led Zeppelin’s ZEPPELIN II the day he gulped his first breath. And as most of these tales go, it didn’t stop there. Back in Alabama, McIntyre shared the stage with Chess Records artists, setting his sights on becoming a blues guitarist at a young age. But The Pinx became his Rock ‘n Roll love child, taking him from town to town throughout the Southeast, tearing up the stage and raisin’ a ruckus! Although the band crumbled a time or two, The Pinx’ phoenix-like revival has them fired up and ready to deliver that good old ‘70s Rock ‘n’ Roll with a kick of swampy soul! With comparisons to the MC5, Cheap Trick, Muddy Waters, Tom Petty, Otis Redding, AC/DC and more, The Pinx are hell-bent on makin’ mischief and dishing out that psychedelic Rock ‘n’ Roll vibe!

(L-R) Chance McColl, Jon Lee, Dwayne Jones, Adam McIntyre

ATLRetro caught up with Adam McIntyre for a quick interview about The Pinx, his take on good ‘ol Rock ‘n’ Roll, and the shenanigans he’s stirred up while on the road! While you’re gearing up for our little Q&A with McIntyre, get an earful of a few track from The Pinx’ new album FREEDOM here.

ATLRetro: “The Pinx” is perfect for a band described as “70s glam garage rockers” and “good old American rock ‘n’ roll.” Any funky stories about how you came up with such a rock ‘n’ roll name?

Adam McIntyre: Ooh, good question, bad answer. I guess because I’m pretty liberal, that’s where I got the commie pinko thing. Our early flyers were all Russian propaganda art, poking fun at ourselves. One day, Jim, our previous drummer stood up and erased the “ks” from the blackboard on stage at The Star Bar and replaced them with an “X”–he said, because he hadn’t had anything to do with coming up with the name. So Jim rebranded us as a thing that isn’t a color or a political thing but something else. The fact that it is so close to The Kinks makes it that much more of a bonus for me.

Any mischievous tales on how you gathered up the rest of The Pinx and became a band?

I’ve been in Atlanta for a decade now, and following the collapse of the Pinx 2.0 lineup, all I had to do was wait for some of my favorite musicians and people to be reasonably free. Dwayne and I were in Demonaut together, Jon and Dwayne are in Telestrion together, and I mixed a record for Chance that Dwayne played drums on. Dwayne has been waiting to be in The Pinx for about seven or eight years and these other fellas were perfect for the job before they knew the idea was brewing in my brain. Nothing cute or zany, just a guy who knew what he wanted and set a goal and got it.

What does “good old American rock ‘n’ roll” mean to you? And what draws you to that sound?

(L-R) Adam McIntyre, Dwayne Jones, Jon Lee, Chance McColl

I’m not sure what it implies for you, but for me, Rock and Roll means Chuck Berry and Little Richard. Ike Turner and other badass originals that I can’t compete with. I’m like one of the British guys imitating them badly except I happen to be from Alabama right down the street from where Ike Zinnerman taught Robert Johnson how to play. African plus European music plus hardship equals American music, distilled and distorted to taste.

As a band drenched in the sleaze of the good ol’ Dirty Dirty, spending the good part of 2007-2012 on the road traveling back and forth across the Southeast, what venue would you say is your favorite, and why?

I’ll probably pick a place that ain’t there anymore… maybe the Corner Lounge in Knoxville where a pretty woman once challenged me to an onstage Guinness chugging contest and my smug ass lost by quite a bit. It was family run and they treated us like family. Or maybe the alive-and-well Egan’s in Tuscaloosa, where transvestites and frat boys, black and white mix for the common cause of a good time. Dan Elextro from The Woggles became our spirit animal with a request-nay-demand to perform The Who‘s “Heaven and Hell” there, and I turned around mid-solo to see a couple having sex in the stage-side bathroom with the door open. I thought, “Oh, we’re doing a Who cover we’ve never rehearsed while people have sex and people throw up their dollar clamatos in the trashcan in front of the stage. This is wild! This must be who we are now.” A lot of clubs have left their DNA on my heart. Too many to name.

Having been on the road for so long, there’s got to be plenty of riotous road tales to tell. Care to share a few?

We once escorted a pregnant prostitute from a Waffle House parking lot back to her pimp. We took too many mushrooms in Macon and had to take a break fifteen minutes into the show to run backstage and gather our wits but then came back and did what our fans described as our best show. Our drummer broke his kick drum head and I thought the band was melting but apparently it was better than our usual set. There are many, many stories that sound entirely fabricated.

Any interesting stories to tell our readers about your musical upbringing, or when you became interested in playing music?

My first time on stage was in 1986 when I was eight sitting in with Chess Records artist Bobby Moore and The Rhythm Aces. They were very gracious and made sure I had a good time–and I did. I wanted to spend the rest of my life playing Rhythm and Blues on stage. I still approach Rock and Roll from the viewpoint of a blues guitarist– “Is this what Freddie King would do?” Some of the musicians in my town had played with James Brown and Wilson Pickett and they intimidated me but didn’t stop me from begging to get onstage with them as a kid. Always play with better musicians.

Can you tell our readers a little (without giving too much away) about your soon-to-be released LP FREEDOM, produced in your own recording studio, Killybegs Sound Recording, and how they can get their grubby little hands on it?

The songs started out as true stories that I tend to tell more often than others. Musically it is my happy place. I tried to tune in to my core, my inner child, and make music that I find incredibly fun. Everyone I invited to take part in the record was encouraged to have as much fun and be themselves as possible. That includes Brian Carter and Keith Brogdon, who are respectively responsible for mastering and the album art. Everyone had a blast as I invited them to add their soul to my musical happy place. Hopefully you can hear that.

What is it about the MC5 that so heavily influenced this new album?

The MC5 are my most important American rock and roll band. They’re a shot of adrenaline, a “Fuck you!” to the establishment, and a one-band party. The fire in their spirit cannot be contained by time and I can’t stop telling people about them. They make me happy. They might make you feel the same.

We see that some of The Pinx’ other major influences are Cheap Trick, The Kinks, Howlin’ Wolf, The Who, Led Zeppelin and more! Which album would you say influenced you the most in your own musical upbringing and why?

My parents brought me home from being born and played LED ZEPPELIN II for me that day. A few years later my brother Patrick pointed at Jimmy Page and said, “You can never have long hair unless you play guitar like THAT.” “That” became a real goal. Even when I was a snooty blues purist I still kind of wanted to be Jimmy Page. He looked like he was having a blast, so, probably ZEPPELIN II.

Can you tell us a little about getting the chance to open for Surf Rock legend, Dick Dale? What do you look forward to the most?

About an hour after I made the announcement that The Pinx were back, I was contacted about us opening for Dick. I’m looking forward to the adrenaline rush of seeing him perform.

What can ATLRetro readers expect to experience at your rowdy rock ‘n’ roll bonanza at The Earl on May 24?

A band. I think you’ll see when we step on stage that it’s not me with some guys I found. These gentlemen make quite a ruckus because they know they’re trusted and encouraged to be themselves. I’ll be making a ruckus because I’m floored I get to drive this thing.

Adam McIntyre

What’s next for Adam McIntyre and The Pinx?

The album will come out on May 27th on bandcamp and hopefully iTunes as well. We’ll do more shows in Atlanta and start playing nearby towns like Macon and Greenville. We’ll release more single songs, some originals and some Stax covers. We’ll write another album and play it live in a studio. We’ll be a rock and roll band!

Anything else you’d like to tell ATLRetro readers about you or the band?

Y’all come to the shows to forget about your lives for a minute and have a good time. Keep your phone in your pocket and pretend it’s 1973. Your problems will wait. We’re there for the sole purpose of having a good time and you’re invited to join in.

And last, but not least, what question do you wish somebody would ask you and what’s the answer?

What is the meaning of life? 42.

Photos provided by Adam McIntyre and The Pinx and used with permission.

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor

This Week in Retro Atlanta is the Kat’s Meow! Come see all the shakin’ shenanigans we’ve found for you! From honkytonk hootenannies to rockin’ garage, glam ‘n’ punk, we’ve got you covered!

Monday, May 16

Smith’s Olde Bar goes ‘70s vintage with Thelma & The Sleaze, Midnight Larks and Kool Kat Rod Hamdallah! Celebrate 30 years of Tony Scott’s TOP GUN (1986) at Studio Movie Grill (Alpharetta/Duluth) at 7:30pm! Or make your way to the Alpharetta Branch Library for their screening of Fred Zinnemann’s HIGH NOON (1952) at 10:30am! Kink it up sci-fi style at The Plaza Theater with their screening of Howard Ziehm’s FLESH GORDON (1974), screening through May 18! Joe McGuinness delivers a night of roots ‘n’ Americana at Blind Willie’s! Swing on by Big Band Night featuring Joe Gransden and his amazing 16-member orchestra at Café 290 every first and third Monday of the month! Skye Paige, “Queen of Slide Guitar” rocks out at the Little Vinyl Lounge! Boogie on down to the Northside Tavern and spend an evening with Lola at her famous Monday Night Northside Jam! And blues on down to Fat Matt’s Rib Shack for a side of Dry White Toast and a plate full ‘o finger lickin’ BBQ!

Tuesday, May 17

Get your old-school psyche-electronica fix with Silver Apples and Zombi at The Earl! The Landmark Midtown Art Cinema continues their “Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll” film series with a screening of Bernardo Bertolucci’s LAST TANGO IN PARIS (1973) at 7pm! Geek it up at My Parents’ Basement with their weekly Tuesday night Nerd Trivia at 8pm! Rev it up at Steve’s Live Music with Rockabilly Kitty Rose! Get a kick with Riff Trax Live’s presentation of David Giancola’s TIME CHASERS (1994) at theatres across Atlanta [Avalon Stadium 12 (Alpharetta); Perimeter Pointe 10; Hollywood Stadium 24 (Chamblee); AMC Barrett Commons 24 (Kennesaw); AMC Sugarloaf Mills 18 (Lawrenceville); Regal McDonough Stadium 16; and Georgian Stadium (Newnan)]. Or catch a screening of Howard Hawks’ SERGEANT YORK (1941) at the Decatur Library at 10am! Blues it up with Frankie’s Blues Mission at Blind Willie’s! The Star Bar delivers a night of retro shenanigans with their Downtown Tuesday Night Dance Party featuring retro-soul, funk, ‘80s, ‘90s and more! Jam it up with Joe Gransden and his jazz jam session at Venkman’s every Tuesday! And as always, The Entertainment Crackers get bluesy with their folksy Americana at the Northside Tavern!

Wednesday, May 18

Celebrate 30 years of skipping school with TCM’s Big Screen Classics screening of John Hughes’ FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF (1986) in theatres across Atlanta [Avalon Stadium 12 (Alpharetta); Hollywood Stadium 24 (Chamblee); Cinemark Tinseltown 17 (Fayetteville); AMC Barrett Commons 24 (Kennesaw); AMC Sugarloaf Mills 18 (Lawrenceville); Regal McDonough Stadium 16; and Georgian Stadium (Newnan)]. Rock on down to The Drunken Unicorn for a night with Cadillac Junkies, The Sideburners and Wolfspider! Spend the night with Indiana Jones at Studio Movie Grill’s (Alpharetta/Duluth) screening of Steven Spielberg’s classic, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) at 7pm! Funk it up with the Lightning Orchestra Band at Aisle 5! Lola gets down and dirty at Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint! Get the blues with Frankie’s Blues Mission at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! The Electromatics dish out a night of West Coast/Chicago blues at Blind Willie’s! Jazz it up with The Gordon Vernick Quartet at the Red Light Café! Darwin’s Burgers & Blues gets down and dirty at their Blues Jam hosted by The Cazanovas! It’s Chicken Picken’ Wednesday at Venkman’s, so come on out for a night with Honeywood! The Star Bar gets to twangin’ with their Cowboy Karaoke event, featuring live-band old-time country and western tunes with Dry Gulch! Or rock on downstairs to the Little Vinyl Lounge for a night of retro shenanigans with Kool Kat Jeff Clark and Stomp & Stammer’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia at 8pm! Or make your way to the Northside Tavern as Danny ‘Mudcat’ Dudeck fires it up with his rockin’ blues! St. James Live! delivers their Hump Days Blues night, getting classic blues-style every Wednesday! And as always, it’s Ladies Night at Johnny’s Hideaway which plays hits from Sinatra to Madonna for a generally mature crowd.

Thursday, May 19

The Earl gets old-timey with Old Salt Union and The Muckers! Bluegrass it up with Russ Still & The Moonshiners and The Brookses at the Red Light Café! Get your rockin’ roots fix with Donna Hopkins at Steve’s Live Music! It’s a night of rockin’ blues at Avondale Towne Cinema with Kool Kat Brooks Mason and The Georgia Flood! Make your way to Lakewood Amphitheatre for a night with Hall & Oates! Vinyl dishes out a night of folk rock with The Roosevelts and the Best Brothers Band! It’s Mai Tai Thursday, so surf on down to Trader Vic’s for a helluva beach party! Venkman’s delivers a night of acoustic Prince vs. Bowie with Nick of Yacht Rock Revue! Blues it up with Sweet Betty & The Shadows at Blind Willie’s! Stagger on over to Noni’s Bar & Deli for their Bitter Heroes event featuring DJ Brian Parris as he gets charmingly morose with a little New-Wave, The Smiths and The Cure! The Northside Tavern gets rockin’ with a little Chicago/Delta blues of The Breeze Kings! The Cody Matlock Band delivers a night of blues at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues in Marietta! Get your boogie on at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack, as Chickenshack featuring Eddie Tigner, delivers some honky-tonk blues! And as always, boogie down at Mary’s, as the East Atlanta venue gets funky with their weekly Disco in the Village.

Friday, May 20

Rock on down and rev it up at the Elliott Street Pub with Kool Kat Hot Rod Walt (acoustic), The Punknecks, Russ T. Nutz and Kool Kat Spike Fullerton’s Russian Roulette Band! Electric Avenue delivers an epic ‘80s MTV battle with Prince and Bowie at Park Tavern! The Star Bar gets beachy with Kool Kat Joshua Longino and The Disapyramids! Or swing on by the Red Light Café for DJ Doctor Q’s Atlanta Speakeasy Electro Swing event! Funk it up with Dumpstaphunk and Quaildogs at the Variety Playhouse! The Earl delivers a night of fuzzed out garage rock with Shantih Shantih, Tiger! Tiger! and Thayer Sarrano! Stomp on down to Avondale Towne Cinema for a night with Underhill Rose, The Rondo Riggs and the Georgia Mountain String Band! Jazz it up with the Masterly Quintet at the High Museum! Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson invade Chastain Park! Rock out with The Howling Tongues at Vinyl! Or make your way to the Northside Tavern as Stoney Brooks fires it up with his rockin’ blues! Nick of Yacht Rock Revue dishes out some acoustic Beatles at Venkman’s! George Hughley & The Shadows get the blues at Blind Willie’s! It’s Salsa Dance Night at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s Martinis and IMAX event, so cha-cha under the dinosaurs with the Salsambo Dance Studio while sippin’ a few cocktails! And as always, time-warp it up and get naughty with some uber musically-inclined transsexual aliens at The Plaza Theater as they continue their tradition of screening THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) every Friday night, featuring the live cast of Lips Down on Dixie at midnight!

Saturday, May 21

Fire it up with Kool Kat Hot Rod Walt & the Psycho-Devilles at Dixie Tavern! Rock out at The Highlander with Antagonizers ATL, DDC, Dirtbag Love Affair and Cadillac Junkies! Shake and shimmy wizard-style at the Shakespeare Tavern for Sexpelliarmus: A Whimsical, Wizarding Burlesque Revue at 11:30pm! The Atlanta Rollergirls get down with their May bouts featuring today’s double header at the Yaarab Shrine Center! Hula it up at Trader Vic’s during their Tiki Fashion Seminar from 5-6pm! It’s a battle of harmonicas at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues! Groove on down to the Northside Tavern for a night with Swami Gone Bananas! Make your way to Eddie’s Attic for night one with Paula Cole! Gypsy jazz it up with The Hot Club of Atlanta during brunch at Venkman’s, then come back for Yacht Rock Revue’s Unplugged and Smooth Dance Jams! Glam it up at Twinkledome 24: Bowie Worship at Club Famous! Pay tribute to ‘90s rock bands at Smith’s Olde Bar with Nameless Nameless (Nirvana), Stone Tribute Pilots (STP) and Rusty Cage (Soundgarden)! Get down with Beverly “Guitar” Watkins at Blind Willie’s! St. James Live! delivers their Tribute to the Legends night every Saturday night! And as always, DJ Romeo Cologne transforms the sensationally seedy Clermont Lounge into a ’70s disco/funk inferno late into the wee hours of the night.

Sunday, May 22

Get revved and rock out for a cause at Smith’s Olde Bar during their Sloan Rainwater Benefit featuring The Downtown Executives, The Rainmen, Kool Kat Caroline & The Ramblers and the Chris Massey Band! Chickens & Pigs dishes out the 10th Annual Bob Dylan Birthday Bash at The Earl! It’s your second chance to spend the day with Indiana Jones at Studio Movie Grill’s (Alpharetta/Duluth) screening of Steven Spielberg’s classic, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) at 2pm! Make your way to Eddie’s Attic for night two with Paula Cole! Make your way to Piedmont Park for World Goth Day in the Park! Steve The Blues Dude gets down at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! And get sweet and low down blues-style at the Northside Tavern with Uncle Sugar!

Ongoing

MacGillivey Freeman’s 2013 documentary, NATIONAL PARK ADVENTURE, commemorating the U.S. National Park Service’s 100th anniversary at the Fernbank Museum’s IMAX screens through June 16!

The Michael C. Carlos Museum presents their “Doorway to an Enlightened World” exhibit, running through Nov. 27!

Blast-Off Burlesque geeks it up with a night of adults-only trivia at the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club, every Monday at 8:30pm! (On hiatus as of May 16 until further notice)

Union EAV rocks out with their Punk Rock Karaoke ATL, and every last Tuesday of the month!

Geek it up at My Parents’ Basement with their weekly Tuesday night Nerd Trivia at 8pm!

Nerd Film Mafia screenings at the Diesel Filling Station following NerdCore Trivia, every last Tuesday of the month!

The Plaza Theater Time-Warps it up as they screen, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) every Friday night, featuring the live cast of Lips Down on Dixie at midnight!

Every first and third Mondays are Big Band Nights at Café 290, featuring Joe Gransden and his amazing 16-piece orchestra playing jazz and swing standards in the tradition of The Glen Miller Orchestra and other legendary groups.  Second and fourth Mondays are Bumpin the Mango, ‘The groove that makes you want to move!’

Every first Wednesday is the Graveyard Tavern’s Graveyard Swing Night, featuring the swingin’ jazz and boogie-woogie sounds of the Savoy Kings!

If you have a suggestion for a future event that should be included in This Week in Retro Atlanta or see something we missed, please email us at atlretro@gmail.com.

HIGH-RISE (2015); Dir. Ben Wheatley; Starring Tom Hiddleston, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans, Jeremy Irons, Elisabeth Moss; Opens Friday, May 13 at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema; Trailer here.

By Andrew Kemp
Contributing Writer

When the credits rolled and the lights came up on HIGH-RISE, I wasn’t sure what to think. The audience around me murmured and shifted. The film didn’t seem to go over well on them. As I left the theater, one guy asked someone (the crowd?) repeatedly “Did you like that film? Did you like that film?” In the parking lot, I overheard two women trying to make sense out of it.

So, yeah, I think I liked it.

HIGH-RISE is an intentional provocation, an agitprop object. This thing has weight, texture, depth. A century ago, people tried to burn the screen after movies like this, movies that acted as angry screeds about the increasing stratification of the classes. HIGH-RISE acts as a period piece, but couldn’t be more perfectly suited to our times. Wow, this film is mad, and it makes a solid case that we all should be madder.

Based on the 1975 J.G. Ballard novel that was long considered unfilmable, HIGH-RISE plays out like an uppercrust LORD OF THE FLIES, with an insulating luxury apartment building standing in for the far-flung desert island. Tom Hiddleston stars as Dr. Robert Laing, a desirable young doctor whose search for solitude prompts him to move to the 25th floor of the ultra-modern building that offers all the amenities of the outside world, from swimming pools to supermarkets. At first, Laing’s new environment seems like a utopian paradise full of endless parties. People from all floors mix and mingle, despite the economic divide. You see, the lower floors are for the families and the poor, and it’s these people hit the hardest when the power begins to short out. It happens a little at a time, and then all at once. The building’s architect, Royal (Jeremy Irons), offers no good explanation, and as the resources begin to dwindle, the utopia crumbles as the residents turn on one another.

You may be asking why the residents don’t just leave the building as it stops sustaining them? This is where we approach the novel’s unfilmable reputation. Those looking for a clean narrative like LORD OF THE FLIES or even SNOWPIERCER might find themselves thrown by HIGH-RISE’s allegorical approach. The residents do leave. They go to work. Occasionally. But when the day is over, they race back to the disintegrating nightmare of their vertical world. Dogs become food. Roving bands of the well-to-do raid their neighbors for cocktail onions so that the party can continue. Laing himself becomes intent on simply finding the perfect paint color for his apartment while the bodies pile up in the pool. The allegory is that capitalism and human nature itself is the root of the evil, and it never occurs to the citizens of the block that there might be another way.

Director Ben Wheatley has developed a reputation for off-center oddities, including 2013’s A FIELD IN ENGLAND, in which a group of men crossing a field becomes a trippy psychedelic mash. Wheatley (and his wife/writer Amy Jump) proves to be a great fit for this material, choosing to emphasize mood and meaning over the particulars of plot, which could never have come together satisfactorily without sacrificing some of the story’s deep symbolism. In this building, it’s not so easy that the rich prey on the poor, but that when the chips are down, they all prefer to eat each other. The only sane way to navigate this new world is to paint yourself into your own carved-out corner and hope to god it doesn’t come crashing through your door.

Andrew Kemp is a screenwriter and game designer who started talking about movies in 1984 and got stuck that way. He can be seen around town wherever there are movies, cheap beer and little else.

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor

This Week in Retro Atlanta is the Kat’s Meow! Take a peek and see what we’ve found for you!

Monday, May 9

Get funky and groove on down to Café 290 every second and fourth Monday of the month for a taste of Bumpin the Mango, ‘The groove that makes you want to move!” Skye Paige, “Queen of Slide Guitar” rocks out at the Little Vinyl Lounge! Blast-Off Burlesque starts your week off right with a night of adults-only trivia at the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club at 8:30pm! Boogie on down to the Northside Tavern and spend an evening with Lola at her famous Monday Night Northside Jam!

Tuesday, May 10

The Landmark Midtown Art Cinema continues their “Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll” film series with a screening of Michelangelo Antonioni’s ZABRISKIE POINT (1970) at 7pm! The Atlanta Chamber Players gets retro as they perform “Pierrot Lunaire” with Lucy Shelton at SCADShow! Let Kool Kat Katherine Lashe and the burly-Q gals of Syrens of the South spice up your evening with their Tease Tuesday Burlesque: May Flowers edition, shakin’ it up at the Red Light Café! Be at the top of the class at the Northlake Festival Movie Tavern with their screening of Tony Scott’s TOP GUN (1986), during their “Classic Films on the Big Screen” series at 7:30pm! The Star Bar delivers a night of retro shenanigans with their Downtown Tuesday Night Dance Party featuring retro-soul, funk, ‘80s, ‘90s and more! Jam it up with Joe Gransden and his jazz jam session at Venkman’s every Tuesday! And as always, The Entertainment Crackers get bluesy with their folksy Americana at the Northside Tavern!

Wednesday, May 11

Rock out with Collective Soul at Smith’s Olde Bar! Get a second chance to be at the top of the class at the Northlake Festival Movie Tavern with their screening of Tony Scott’s TOP GUN (1986), during their “Classic Films on the Big Screen” series at 7:30pm! Jazz it up with The Gordon Vernick Quartet at the Red Light Café! Darwin’s Burgers & Blues gets down and dirty at their Blues Jam hosted by The Cazanovas! It’s Chicken Picken’ Wednesday at Venkman’s! The Star Bar gets to twangin’ with their Cowboy Karaoke event, featuring live-band old-time country and western tunes with Dry Gulch! Or rock on downstairs to the Little Vinyl Lounge for a night of retro shenanigans with Kool Kat Jeff Clark and Stomp & Stammer’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia at 8pm! Or make your way to the Northside Tavern as Danny ‘Mudcat’ Dudeck fires it up with his rockin’ blues! St. James Live! delivers their Hump Days Blues night, getting classic blues-style every Wednesday! And as always, it’s Ladies Night at Johnny’s Hideaway which plays hits from Sinatra to Madonna for a generally mature crowd.

Thursday, May 12

It’s Mai Tai Thursday, so surf on down to Trader Vic’s for a helluva beach party! Get a second helping of Collective Soul at Smith’s Olde Bar! Stagger on over to Noni’s Bar & Deli for their Bitter Heroes event featuring DJ Brian Parris as he gets charmingly morose with a little New-Wave, The Smiths and The Cure! The Northside Tavern gets rockin’ with a little Chicago/Delta blues of The Breeze Kings! The Cody Matlock Band delivers a night of blues at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues in Marietta! Get your boogie on at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack, as Chickenshack featuring Eddie Tigner, delivers some honky-tonk blues! And as always, boogie down at Mary’s, as the East Atlanta venue gets funky with their weekly Disco in the Village.

Friday, May 13

Day one of the 3-day 2016 Shaky Knees Festival has arrived at Centennial Olympic Park, chock full of retro-inspired tunes spanning five stages! Rock on down and catch Saintseneca, Kaleo, Craig Finn, Brian Fallon, Baroness, The Struts, Jane’s Addiction, The 1975 and more! It’s Friday the 13th and The Star Bar kills it with a night of punk tributes: Pretty Vacant (Sex Pistols), Road to Ruin (Ramones), Horror Business (Misfits) and Salad Days (Minor Threat)! And as always, time-warp it up and get naughty with some uber musically-inclined transsexual aliens at The Plaza Theater as they continue their tradition of screening THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) every Friday night, featuring the live cast of Lips Down on Dixie at midnight!

Saturday, May 14

Rev on down to The Star Bar for a night with The Blasters, Kool Kat Dave Weil and Blacktop Rockets and Kool Kat Jeffrey Butzer’s The Compartmentalizationalists! Day two of the Shaky Knees Festival brings you Strand of Oaks, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, JJ Grey & Mofro, Shakey Graves, Deer Tick, The Vaccines, Huey Lewis & The News, The Decemberists and more! Or rock on down to Smith’s Olde Bar for RatAid 2016, featuring Scarred But Smarter, The Swimming Pool Qs, Kool Kat Ray Dafrico and The Nightporters and Pylon Reenactment Society! Make your way to the 2016 Kirkwood Spring Fling and catch The Glumson Brothers, CC Booker III, Secondhand Swagger, the Atlanta Funk Society, Cadillac Jones, Small Reactions, Kool Kats Gringo Star and more! Catch a screening of Albert Magnoli’s PURPLE RAIN (1984) at the Fox Theatre at 7:30pm! Kool Kat Chad Shivers delivers his Southern Surf Stomp! at Kavarna, surfin’ it up with Tiger! Tiger!, The AmpFibians, The Surge! and DJ Dusty Booze! Shimmy on down to Taverna Plaka for Kool Kat Kitty Love’s Cheeky Belles: Glamour Goddess Revue! St. James Live! delivers their Tribute to the Legends night every Saturday night! And as always, DJ Romeo Cologne transforms the sensationally seedy Clermont Lounge into a ’70s disco/funk inferno late into the wee hours of the night.

Sunday, May 15

Get your fill of BBQ, Bands and Booze during the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club’s 29th Anniversary Party, featuring Whoa Nelly, Uncle Daddy & The Kissin’ Cousins, Kool Kat Sen. Artie Mondello, The Evils, Heather Luttrell, The Scragglers, Wasted Potential Brass Band, Boohoo Ramblers, Kool Kat Aileen Loy and Till Someone Loses and Eye, Brawful, Lust and more! Horror it up with Buried Alive Film Fest’s “Beast of Atlanta” event and catch a few screenings and mingle with local indie horror filmmakers at the Joystick Gamebar! Catch Day 3 of the Shaky Knees Festival featuring Murder by Death, Adia Victoria, The Orwells, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Deftones, The Head & The Heart, At the Drive-In and more! And get sweet and low down blues-style at the Northside Tavern with Uncle Sugar!

Ongoing

MacGillivey Freeman’s 2013 documentary, NATIONAL PARK ADVENTURE, commemorating the U.S. National Park Service’s 100th anniversary at the Fernbank Museum’s IMAX screens through June 16!

The Michael C. Carlos Museum presents their “Doorway to an Enlightened World” exhibit, running through Nov. 27!

Blast-Off Burlesque geeks it up with a night of adults-only trivia at the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club, every Monday at 8:30pm!

Union EAV rocks out with their Punk Rock Karaoke ATL, and every last Tuesday of the month!

Geek it up at My Parents’ Basement with their weekly Tuesday night Nerd Trivia at 8pm! Nerd Film Mafia screenings at the Diesel Filling Station following NerdCore Trivia, every last Tuesday of the month!

The Plaza Theater Time-Warps it up as they screen, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) every Friday night, featuring the live cast of Lips Down on Dixie at midnight!

Every first and third Mondays are Big Band Nights at Café 290, featuring Joe Gransden and his amazing 16-piece orchestra playing jazz and swing standards in the tradition of The Glen Miller Orchestra and other legendary groups.  Second and fourth Mondays are Bumpin the Mango, ‘The groove that makes you want to move!’

Every first Wednesday is the Graveyard Tavern’s Graveyard Swing Night, featuring the swingin’ jazz and boogie-woogie sounds of the Savoy Kings!

If you have a suggestion for a future event that should be included in This Week in Retro Atlanta or see something we missed, please email us at atlretro@gmail.com.

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor

PAPA: HEMINGWAY IN CUBA (2015); Dir. Bob Yari; Starring Giovanni Ribisi, Adrian Sparks, Joely Richardson; Opens Friday, April 29 at select Atlanta theatres (theatre list here); Trailer here.

Bob Yari’s [MIND GAMES (1989)/dir.; CRASH (2004)/producer; THE ILLUSIONIST (2006)/producer] PAPA: HEMINGWAY IN CUBA, after two years in the making, finally releases to the masses, April 29, in select theatres across the country. PAPA delivers a poignant punch to the gut, while giving the audience a bitter glimpse into Cuba’s bloody history. Yari’s film tells the true tale of a boy (Denne Petitclerc “Ed Myers”/Giovanni Ribisi) abandoned by his own family as a child in the mid-1930s. The boy later is invited to Havana and taken in as a mentee by the larger than life, Ernest Hemingway (Adrian Sparks) in the midst of Fidel Castro’s armed revolt. As the first Hollywood film shot in Cuba in half a century, PAPA reveals not only the inner workings of a country mid-revolution in the late 1950s, but also exposes a side of Hemingway rarely depicted. To top it all off, Yari’s use of Petitclerc’s actual story locations, including Hemingway’s home, gives the audience a closer glimpse into the ghosts of Petitclerc’s and Hemingway’s past.

Giovanni Ribisi as Ed Myers

Yari steps away from the stereotypical brightly colored flamboyancy and rambunctious nightlife that is usually attributed to Cuba and even sometimes Hemingway. His settings and shots reveal the softer side of both, shrouding them in pale-colored linen and visually pleasing muted lighting, up close and personal. Don’t get me wrong. The Hemingway we have grown to love and/or hate is in full swing; cursing, drinking and sexually overt. But we also see a man torn apart by his past, nauseated by his personal celebrity and longing for a connection to his younger self and the love he left behind; a writer of words first; a man second. And he finds this connection in Ed Myers.

Ribisi, usually cast in unstable and somewhat chaotic roles, splendidly pulls off Ed Myers’ slightly naïve, yet driven character. Always wanting to be a writer, but not quite skilled. Myers clings tightly to Hemingway’s written word and creates for himself an imaginary father figure who gives him the courage to fulfill this calling. Myers goes on to become a Korean War correspondent and then a journalist for The Miami Herald, where we are first introduced to the character. Myers attributes Hemingway’s writing to his own budding success and decides on a whim to write a poignant letter to his mentor thanking him for the part he unknowingly played in his life. And of course, Myers expected nothing in return. Boy did Myers get more than he bargained for. Yari’s pairing of Ribisi and Sparks, the almost frail Myers and the overtly thunderous Hemingway, made for onscreen chemistry rarely matched.

Adrian Sparks, Joely Richardson, Giovanni Ribisi

Sparks had some pretty big shoes to fill, portraying the larger than life Hemingway. Sparks’ ability to pull off Papa’s typical mountainous machismo while ever so slightly exposing a vulnerability rarely seen, was heartbreaking and felt more realistic than not. Sparks’ onscreen chemistry with Joely Richardson (Mary Hemingway, fourth wife and widow of Papa) was spot-on, even when things got ugly. Sparks flawlessly portrayed the repulsive portions of Hemingway, while effortlessly pulling the heartstrings of the audience throughout. Richardson, packed a punch in her own right as Mary, going toe to toe with the man she loved, despite his shortcomings. Not only does Yari’s film give us an insider’s glimpse into the real Papa, but it outlines his struggles with the past, his demons within and the battles he fought with the American government (i.e. J. Edgar Hoover and his hounds) that eventually led to his leaving Cuba, and taking his own life.

PAPA: HEMINGWAY IN CUBA is a film well worth checking out, particularly for those who desire a rarely depicted view of Hemingway. Ribisi’s and Sparks’ portrayal of characters that couldn’t be more opposite while being so similar is outstanding. PAPA is a rare exploration of a man who was loved and hated equally by the critics and the American public, set in a location equally loved and despised. Yari’s film explores the not so pretty past of the man and the country, while painting a picture of love, respect and the need for connection. In retrospect, Papa is Cuba. Yari’s film is a beautifully crafted piece of cinema, featuring standout performances, shrouded in linen and set in paradise. It’s one you won’t want to miss!

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor

Check out what we’ve dug up for you in Retro Atlanta this week!

Monday, April 25

Celebrate the man in purple with a screening of Prince’s PURPLE RAIN (1984), directed by Albert Magnoli at  theatres across Atlanta [AMC North Dekalb 16; AMC Phipps Plaza 14; AMC Sugarloaf Mills 18], screening through April 27! Get your New Wave fix at The Plaza Theater with their second week of screening Jonathan Demme’s STOP MAKING SENSE (1984) at 9:30pm, screening through April 28! Stomp down to Smith’s Olde Bar for a night with Butch Trucks (Allman Brothers) & The Freight Train Band, The Ries Brothers and The Bitteroots! Blues it up with the Larry Griffith Band at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Andrew Black gets the blues at Blind Willie’s! Get funky and groove on down to Café 290 every second and fourth Monday of the month for a taste of Bumpin the Mango, ‘The groove that makes you want to move!” Skye Paige, “Queen of Slide Guitar” rocks out at the Little Vinyl Lounge! Blast-Off Burlesque starts your week off right with a night of adults-only trivia at the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club at 8:30pm! Boogie on down to the Northside Tavern and spend an evening with Lola at her famous Monday Night Northside Jam!

Tuesday, April 26

It’s a night of hellacious rock ‘n’ roll at 529 with Argyle Goolsby & The Roving Midnight and our Kool Kats, The Casket Creatures! The Landmark Midtown Art Cinema gets intergalactic and continues their “Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll” film series with a screening of Danny Boyle’s TRAINSPOTTING (1996) at 7pm! Or get some adventure at the Northlake Festival Movie Tavern with their screening of Rob Reiner’s THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987), during their “Classic Films on the Big Screen” series at 7:30pm! Catch a screening of Albert Magnoli’s PURPLE RAIN (1984) at Studio Movie Grill (Alpharetta/Duluth) at 7:30pm! And make your way to Union EAV for their Prince Tribute Party! Make your way to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center for a night with The Smashing Pumpkins and Liz Phair! Rock on down to Terminal West to catch The Joy Formidable and The Helio Sequence! Blues it up with JT Speed at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Blind Willie’s dishes out a night of rockin’ soul with The Hollidays! The Star Bar delivers a night of retro shenanigans with their Downtown Tuesday Night Dance Party featuring retro-soul, funk, ‘80s, ‘90s and more! Jam it up with Joe Gransden and his jazz jam session at Venkman’s every Tuesday! And as always, The Entertainment Crackers get bluesy with their folksy Americana at the Northside Tavern!

Wednesday, April 27

The Tabernacle delivers a night of ‘80s glam metal with Steel Panther! Or pop ‘n’ rock on down to The Earl for a night with Delicate Steve, Dot.s, and Shepherds! TCM presents Elia Kazan’s ON THE WATERFRONT (1954), screening in theatres across the Atlanta at 2 pm and 7pm [Hollywood Stadium 24 (Chamblee), Perimeter Pointe 10; Avalon Stadium 12 (Alpharetta); AMC Sugarloaf Mills 18 (Lawrenceville); AMC Barrett Commons 24 (Kennesaw); Regal McDonough Stadium 16; and Georgian Stadium (Newnan)]! It’s your last chance to get adventurous at the Northlake Festival Movie Tavern with their screening of Rob Reiner’s THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987), during their “Classic Films on the Big Screen” series at 7:30pm! SCENE MISSING Presents Monsters, ATL at the Highland Inn Ballroom Lounge, dishing out a night of comedy and music based on the films of Pixar! Get some rockin’ soul with The Hollidays at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Kool Kat Scott Glazer’s Mojo Dojo delivers a night of blues, jazz ‘n’ southern soul at Blind Willie’s! Jazz it up with The Gordon Vernick Quartet at the Red Light Café! Darwin’s Burgers & Blues gets down and dirty at their Blues Jam hosted by The Cazanovas! It’s Chicken Picken’ Wednesday at Venkman’s, so come on out for a night with Joe McGuinness! The Star Bar gets to twangin’ with their Cowboy Karaoke event, featuring live-band old-time country and western tunes with Dry Gulch! Or rock on downstairs to the Little Vinyl Lounge for a night of retro shenanigans with Kool Kat Jeff Clark and Stomp & Stammer’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia at 8pm! Or make your way to the Northside Tavern as Danny ‘Mudcat’ Dudeck fires it up with his rockin’ blues! St. James Live! delivers their Hump Days Blues night, getting classic blues-style every Wednesday! And as always, it’s Ladies Night at Johnny’s Hideaway which plays hits from Sinatra to Madonna for a generally mature crowd.

Thursday, April 28

Honkytonk ‘n’ rock on down to The Earl for a night with Banditos, Pony League and The Muckers! Prince invades Atlanta theatres tonight with Albert Magnoli’s PURPLE RAIN (1984) [The Plaza Theater – 9pm/Midnight; Studio Movie Grill (Alpharetta/Duluth) – 7:30pm] so come on out and celebrate the life of a legend! Or make your way to SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion and Film for their fashion film series featuring Deborah Riley Draper’s VERSAILLES ’73 at 6pm! It’s Mai Tai Thursday, so surf on down to Trader Vic’s for a helluva beach party! Rev on down to Smith’s Olde Bar for a night with Hayseed Dixie, Ex-Wives and Rodeo Twister! Venkman’s is abuzz with classics with Lightnin’ Ray, a funky time with The Mar-Tans and later a little classic burly-Q with Gleam (every fourth Thursday of the month), featuring Ada Manzhart, Nikki Nuke’m and Kool Kat Roula Roulette! It’s a night of classic rock and pop at Avondale Towne Cinema with Misery Loves Chachi, Digisaurus and Nobody’s Darlings! Get your Americana fix with Heather Luttrell at Blind Willie’s! Stagger on over to Noni’s Bar & Deli for their Bitter Heroes event featuring DJ Brian Parris as he gets charmingly morose with a little New-Wave, The Smiths and The Cure! The Northside Tavern gets rockin’ with a little Chicago/Delta blues of The Breeze Kings! The Cody Matlock Band delivers a night of blues at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues in Marietta! Get your boogie on at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack, as Chickenshack featuring Eddie Tigner, delivers some honky-tonk blues! And as always, boogie down at Mary’s, as the East Atlanta venue gets funky with their weekly Disco in the Village.

Friday, April 29

Catch a wave to The Star Bar for Kool Kat Chad Shivers’ Southern Surf Stomp! featuring Midnight Larks, The Flying Faders, El Capitan & The Band With No Name, and Antarcticats! Or experience Atlanta Mess Around 2016 at The Earl, rocking through May 1, featuring The Real Kids, Barreracudas, The Tough Shits, Death Index, MAMA, Thee Tsunamis, Wreckless Eric, Dinos Boys, Omni, Death Stuff and more! Yacht Rock Revue performs Prince’s “PURPLE RAIN” in Piedmont Park (Legacy Fountain)! Bob Yari’s PAPA: HEMINGWAY IN CUBA (2016) opens at the UA Tara Theatre (see our Retro Review soon)! Get your west coast swing fix with Toots Lorraine & The Traffic at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues! Or make your way to the Northside Tavern as Danny ‘Mudcat’ Dudeck fires it up with his rockin’ blues! Get funky with Good Times Brassband at Venkman’s! Honkytonk on down to Avondale Towne Cinema for a night with Benny Gray & The Trailer Park Cowboys and Winston Ramble! Get some soul with Chelsea Shag at Paris on Ponce! The Red Light Café delivers a night of old time bluegrass with Richard Smith with The Vaudevillians! Or get to the root of it all with Jeff Mosier and friends at Steve’s Live Music! George Hughley & The Shadows get the blues at Blind Willie’s! Boogie under the dinosaurs with Lethal Rhythms at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s Martinis and IMAX event! And as always, time-warp it up and get naughty with some uber musically-inclined transsexual aliens at The Plaza Theater as they continue their tradition of screening THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) every Friday night, featuring the live cast of Lips Down on Dixie at midnight!

Saturday, April 30

Come on down to the 45th Annual Inman Park Festival featuring a tour of homes, a street parade (2pm), tasty food and a rockin’ retro musical line up, running through May 1, featuring Soldado, The Orange Constant, 10 Degrees Off, Kool Kat Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics, the Ruby Red Band, Back in the Saddle, Adron and more! Rock on down for Day 2 of Atlanta Mess Around 2016 at The Earl featuring Buck Biloxi & The Fucks, The Golden Pelicans, Enoch Ramone & The Ebola Boys, The Gizmos, Hank Wood & The Hammerheads, Predator, Nervosas, Negative Scanner and more! Hula on down to Trader Vics for the music of Tiki seminar, “Exotica”! Get old-timey at the Fox Theatre with Old Crow Medicine Show and Brandi Carlile! Folk it up with Trout Steak Revival and City Mouse at the Red Light Café! Or get folksy with Caroline Aiken at Eddie’s Attic! Make your way to Venkman’s for a night with Tribute! The Stoneberrys dish out a night of The Rolling Stones at Steve’s Live Music! Blues it up with the Kerry Hill Band at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Get down with Beverly “Guitar” Watkins at Blind Willie’s! Tito & The Chicken Raiders dish out a night of country blues at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues! Or make your way to the Northside Tavern as Danny ‘Mudcat’ Dudeck fires it up with his rockin’ blues! St. James Live! delivers their Tribute to the Legends night every Saturday night! And as always, DJ Romeo Cologne transforms the sensationally seedy Clermont Lounge into a ’70s disco/funk inferno late into the wee hours of the night.

Sunday, May 1

Rock on down to the Variety Playhouse for The Residents! Or Salsa on down to Candler Park for the Atlanta Taco Festival featuring local bands, games, Salsa dancing, luche libra wrestling and featuring live music by the Bird City Revolutionaries! Rock on down for Day 2 of the 45th Annual Inman Park Festival, featuring Donna Hopkins, The Breeze Kings, Swimming Pool Qs, Delta Moon, Geoff Achison, Kool Kat Col. Bruce Hampton, The Dirty Doors, Randall Bramblett and more! And get sweet and low down blues-style at the Northside Tavern with Uncle Sugar!

Ongoing

MacGillivey Freeman’s 2013 documentary, NATIONAL PARK ADVENTURE, commemorating the U.S. National Park Service’s 100th anniversary at the Fernbank Museum’s IMAX screens through June 16!

The Michael C. Carlos Museum presents their “Doorway to an Enlightened World” exhibit, running through Nov. 27!

Blast-Off Burlesque geeks it up with a night of adults-only trivia at the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club, every Monday at 8:30pm!

Union EAV rocks out with their Punk Rock Karaoke ATL, and every last Tuesday of the month!

Geek it up at My Parents’ Basement with their weekly Tuesday night Nerd Trivia at 8pm!

Nerd Film Mafia screenings at the Diesel Filling Station following NerdCore Trivia, every last Tuesday of the month!

The Plaza Theater Time-Warps it up as they screen, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) every Friday night, featuring the live cast of Lips Down on Dixie at midnight!

Every first and third Mondays are Big Band Nights at Café 290, featuring Joe Gransden and his amazing 16-piece orchestra playing jazz and swing standards in the tradition of The Glen Miller Orchestra and other legendary groups.  Second and fourth Mondays are Bumpin the Mango, ‘The groove that makes you want to move!’

Every first Wednesday is the Graveyard Tavern’s Graveyard Swing Night, featuring the swingin’ jazz and boogie-woogie sounds of the Savoy Kings!

If you have a suggestion for a future event that should be included in This Week in Retro Atlanta or see something we missed, please email us at atlretro@gmail.com.

By Geoff Slade
Contributing Write

By the end of their set opening for Sister Hazel this Fri. April 22 at Variety Playhouse, Atlanta band The Georgia Flood will have a ton of new fans, and Kool Kat of the Week Brooks Mason (lead guitar/vocals) seems to know it. “We’re hitting our stride as a band now and it’s a lot of fun,” he says in the band’s bio.

The Georgia Flood play soulful, bluesy rock, and they play it confidently, though their musical interests are varied. Growing up in McDonough, Brooks and his brother Lane Kelly listened to and performed all kinds of music. They cite Weezer among more obvious influences (Cream, The Allman Brothers Band, Jimi Hendrix, The Black Keys…), and a quick YouTube search turned up a raucous Who cover, a sultry version of “It’s a Man’s World,” and this gem.

Their original material and overall sound is archetypal, classic blues-rock, reminiscent of the best of the genre. Check out songs from their two releases and be sure to watch the video for “The Race” on their Website.

ATLRetro and Brooks recently discussed a low moment on the road, why Gregg and Duane (not to mention Jake and Elwood) may have been onto something and, of course, the best blues guitarists.

(Special thanks to Luis Ponce)

ATLRetro: Thanks for doing this!

Brooks Mason: No, thank you! Thank you for having us.

How long have you been playing music?

We have been playing music since I was in 8th grade trying to get in my brother’s high school metal band. They didn’t want me cause I was middle school!

What are you listening to these days? Who are your favorite bands?

Good question! These days, it all depends on the day. Most of the time if I’m not playing old blues CDs, I’m usually listening to our local alternative radio station to keep current with the music that comes out today.  I’m a big vinyl head so I got all the Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy, Freddy King, classic blues stuff, but today there are some great bands that I love like Dawes, Young The Giant, Lake Street Dive and Houndmouth, just to name a few.

Tell me about The Georgia Flood. Who’s in the band? How old are you guys? How did you guys get together? How long have you been playing in front of people?

The Georgia Flood is a band that consists of me and my brother. I am 19 and Lane is 23. Lane and I have been in and out of various bands since the start of high school – metal bands, folk bands, cover bands you name it.  Somehow we always stick together. I believe it’s just easier to have a brother that is always around and to have your back. We weren’t good at any sports so we had to branch out. We’ve been doing music for roughly five years.

I heard you guys recently had all of your gear stolen. What happened?

Yes, that was an interesting day.  We were tracking a new song at Rubber Tracks studio in Brooklyn, New York for the whole day, and when we went back to the van we knew something was different. We noticed that the side mirror had been broken. We had just thought that maybe a car hit it as it was sitting on the side of the road, but as soon as we opened the back we knew right away we had just been robbed. Everything got stolen. Drumset, guitar amps, bass amps, road cases and even our suitcases!  Luckily, me and my brother brought in our guitars or they would have been stolen as well.  So whoever has our gear, they are ready to start their own band with all the gear they got (laughs).

What’s the one thing you immediately missed most?

To be honest, probably my clothes. Since being on tour, I had brought basically all my good show clothes. Oh and I also lost a coat my grandmother had gotten me. I loved that coat! Oh and my shoes!

Have you been able to replace everything yet?

Fortunately, with the help and support from our fans, friends and family we were able to replace just about all of it. Obviously, some things were sentimental that we probably never see again, but for the most part we are back on our feet touring once again due to the fact of our great fans and supporters who we will always be truly grateful for.

Aside from that, how has the band been received away from home? Any differently than at local shows?

Awesome! Everywhere we have played, we have just received so much love and been able to meet and gain new friends and fans! It’s definitely different being out on the road in a different town, but everyone has been so nice and friendly to us.

You’re playing some dates (including Friday at Variety Playhouse) as an opener for Sister Hazel. How did you hook up with those guys? Are you currently on tour with them?

I know! We are so pumped to play such a historic venue in our hometown. Luckily, the manager we work with knows and works with Sister Hazel and was able to get us on some dates. We have played with them on some previous dates before and their fans are always so nice and responsive. As for the band, they are super nice as well. There’s a reason why they are so popular.  Before each show they make time to come speak to us and say “hey!” So we are really appreciative for them having us on the road.

Was there a particular song or artist or moment in your life that made you want to be a musician?

Definitely! Probably our first gig as a ’50s cover band. We made $120 in tips! I looked at Lane and I said “we may need to pursue this.’’ Back then it might as well been a million.

You can’t miss the blues rock influences in your songs, and you guys cover several genre staples (Here are a few examples). Are you a fan of traditional blues? Do you consider any classic bluesmen direct influences on your band?

I am a blues guy first.  I have been entrenched in the blues since I was 15. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of great blues guys out there now, but you just can’t beat the old sound of the greats. It just hits you right in the soul and heart.  A lot of blues music just will make you feel different or make you change your mood! I’m serious! Listen to Lightnin’ Hopkins one night by yourself, and you’ll swear you ran around on your woman, or you’ll feel like drinking a glass of whiskey straight with your head hung low thinking all the wrong you’ve done in your life. In a good way of course… But I would say as a guitar player I am most influenced by the great Freddie King.

Do you have new songs you’re ready to record? Any plans to get in the studio?

Glad you asked!  We are about to hit the studio in the end of May. We will be putting out a seven-song EP hopefully by the end of summer. We can’t wait to put it out.  We have a great feeling with these songs we’ve never had before when coming up with new material.

Give me two songs, one original and one you cover, that best defines The Georgia Flood right now.

We do Traffic’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy” and then go into “Hey Jude” all in one song. It’s so fun, and it’s a great way to get the crowd singing “nah nah nah nah” Everybody knows that part.  And for our original, probably “Not Quite Over You.”  It’s a great pop blues rocker that is so fun to play.

Best living blues guitarist?

Best living blues guitarist… easy. JD Simo.

Best all time?

Everyone asks me this question. And I can’t really pick, but I would say my favorite is Freddy King.  Again the way he plays just knocks me out every time!

All images courtesy of Georgia Flood and used with permission.

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor

Atlanta is burnin’ with all things Retro this week! Come on out and see what we’ve found for you! Live la vida Retro!

Monday, April 18

Rock out at The Drunken Unicorn with MDC, Deathwish, The Swingin’ Dicks and Nag! Get your New Wave fix at The Plaza Theater with their screening of Jonathan Demme’s STOP MAKING SENSE (1984) at 9:30pm, screening through April 21! Make your way to the Alpharetta Branch Library and catch a screening of Henry Koster’s HARVEY (1950) at 10:30am! Get the blues with the Larry Griffith Band at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Get some soul with Brandon Reeves at Blind Willie’s! Swing on by Big Band Night featuring Joe Gransden and his amazing 16-member orchestra at Café 290 every first and third Monday of the month! Skye Paige, “Queen of Slide Guitar” rocks out at the Little Vinyl Lounge! Blast-Off Burlesque starts your week off right with a night of adults-only trivia, “Big Sexy” edition, at the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club at 8:30pm! Boogie on down to the Northside Tavern and spend an evening with Lola at her famous Monday Night Northside Jam!

Tuesday, April 19

The Landmark Midtown Art Cinema gets intergalactic and continues their “Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll” film series with a screening of Orson Welle’s CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT (1933) at 7pm! Or catch Busby Berkely’s FOOTLIGHT PARADE (1933) at the Decatur Library 9:30am! The Fox Theatre presents Pattie Boyd & Henry Diltz’ “Behind the Lens”! Bluegrass it up with Smokerise at Steve’s Live Music! Stomp on down to Darwin’s Burgers & Blues for a night with the Ain’t Sisters! Lola gets down and dirty at Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint! Get your rockin’ blues fix with Walter Trout and Seth Winters at Smith’s Olde Bar! Blues it up with JT Speed at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Blind Willie’s dishes out a night of roots and Americana with Joe McGuiness! The Star Bar delivers a night of retro shenanigans with their Downtown Tuesday Night Dance Party featuring retro-soul, funk, ‘80s, ‘90s and more! Jam it up with Joe Gransden and his jazz jam session at Venkman’s every Tuesday! And as always, The Entertainment Crackers get bluesy with their folksy Americana at the Northside Tavern!

Wednesday, April 20

Rock out and get folksy with Robyn Hitchcock at the Variety Playhouse! Get science-y and geek it up with Neil deGrasse Tyson at the Fox Theatre! Find your inner child and catch a screening of David M. Evans’ THE SANDLOT (1993) at Studio Movie Grill (Alpharetta/Duluth) at 7pm!  Make your way to Steve’s Live Music for Annie Sellick’s The Babbas! Get funky New Orleans-style with The Mar-Tans at Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint! Get psyched ‘70s-style with Kool Kats Spirits & The Melchizedek Children at The Earl! Get some rockin’ soul with The Hollidays at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Blues it up with the Electromatics at Blind Willie’s! Funk it up with Dr. Strangelove at Smith’s Olde Bar! Or make your way to Terminal West for a night with Thao & The Get Down Stay Down and the Seratones! Jazz it up with The Gordon Vernick Quartet at the Red Light Café! Darwin’s Burgers & Blues gets down and dirty at their Blues Jam hosted by The Cazanovas! It’s Chicken Picken’ Wednesday at Venkman’s, so come on out for a night with The Mars Hill Porch Pickers! The Star Bar gets to twangin’ with their Cowboy Karaoke event, featuring live-band old-time country and western tunes with Dry Gulch! Or rock on downstairs to the Little Vinyl Lounge for a night of retro shenanigans with Kool Kat Jeff Clark and Stomp & Stammer’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia at 8pm! Or make your way to the Northside Tavern as Danny ‘Mudcat’ Dudeck fires it up with his rockin’ blues! St. James Live! delivers their Hump Days Blues night, getting classic blues-style every Wednesday! And as always, it’s Ladies Night at Johnny’s Hideaway which plays hits from Sinatra to Madonna for a generally mature crowd.

Thursday, April 21

Trader Vic’s delivers one helluva island party during their 40th Anniversary Celebration featuring Kool Kat Joshua Longino and The Disapyramids, authentic hula dancers and more! Bend it like Bettie during Kool Kat Tori Rodriguez’ PiYo (& Pin-Ups) event celebrating the life of Ms. Page at Lift Yoga in Alpharetta! The Earl rocks out with the Roadkill Ghost Choir and Tedo Stone! Or catch Joel Kosche (Collective Soul) and The Howling Tongues at Smith’s Olde Bar! Jazz it up with David Liebman & The Expansions at the Red Clay Theatre! Get the country blues with Tito & The Chicken Raiders at the Red Light Café! Yacht Rock Revue gets intergalactic at Venkman’s and performs “DARK SIDE OF THE MOON”, followed by an acoustic set with Prince vs. David Bowie ! Blues it up with Liz Mandeville at Blind Willie’s! Stagger on over to Noni’s Bar & Deli for their Bitter Heroes event featuring DJ Brian Parris as he gets charmingly morose with a little New-Wave, The Smiths and The Cure! The Northside Tavern gets rockin’ with a little Chicago/Delta blues of The Breeze Kings! The Cody Matlock Band delivers a night of blues at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues in Marietta! Get your boogie on at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack, as Chickenshack featuring Eddie Tigner, delivers some honky-tonk blues! And as always, boogie down at Mary’s, as the East Atlanta venue gets funky with their weekly Disco in the Village.

Friday, April 22

Make your way to Atlanta Contemporary as Kool Kat Andy Ditzler and Film Love Atlanta present “Politics, Narrative, Collage” at 7pm! Rock out during this year’s 3-day Sweetwater 420 Fest with a whole lotta rock harkening back to the 20th century, running through April 24! Tonight’s lineup includes Cypress Hill, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Hi Lo Ha and more! And get funky at Aisle 5 during the 420 Fest after party featuring Funk You! Make your way to the Landmark Theatre for their screenings of Dennis Hauck’s 35mm TOO LATE (2016)! Celebrate The Beatles at the Fox Theatre with Let It Be! Rock out with Sister Hazel and The Georgia Flood (see our Kool Kat article soon) at the Variety Playhouse! Rev it up with Kool Kat Hot Rod Walt & the Psycho-Devilles at Motorheads! Jam it up ‘80s-style with the BadAsh Allstar Team at Steve’s Live Music! Mother Falcon gets folksy at The Earl! The Star Bar gets down and dirty with Tchesh & Friends, Fiend Without a Face, Young Antiques, Bully, Bad Friend, The Scragglers and more! Get old-timey and bluegrass it up with I Want Whisky, Neo Tundra Cowboy and the Darnell Boys at Avondale Towne Cinema! Shake a tail feather during Sadie Hawkins’ The Men’s Room: Gentlemen’s Quarterly at the Red Light Café! Venkman’s celebrates 45 years of “LA WOMAN” with The Dirty Doors! Spend the night with Sammy Blue at the Northside Tavern! Nick Moss gets the blues at Blind Willie’s! Boogie under the dinosaurs with Dangfly! at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s Martinis and IMAX event! And as always, time-warp it up and get naughty with some uber musically-inclined transsexual aliens at The Plaza Theater as they continue their tradition of screening THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) every Friday night, featuring the live cast of Lips Down on Dixie at midnight!

Saturday, April 23

It’s a Rockabilly Throwdown in Kennesaw featuring live music with Atomic Boogie, Willie Heath Neal, Kool Kat Dave Weil and The Blacktop Rockets, Pin-Ups and more! Rock out at The Star Bar with Dr. Boogie, Gunpowder Gray, Stop Worrying About the Bomb (Ravagers) and more! The Heavy Pets pay tribute to The Beatles at Aisle 5! Honkytonk on down to Terminal West for a night with Hooray for the Riff Raff and Promised Land Sound! Kool Kat Hot Rod Walt & the Psycho-Devilles fire it up at Sportsline Bar in Lawrenceville! The Souls Grown Deep Foundation presents “To Honor Mr. Dial” at Grocery on Home! Rock on down to day 2 of the Sweetwater 420 Fest featuring Robert Randolph & The Family Band, the North Mississippi Allstars, The Roots, Tokyo Police Club, The Orange Constant, The Quaildogs, Funk You and more! Leftover Salmon gets down during the official 420 Fest after party at the Variety Playhouse! Swing on by the Red Light Café for DJ Doctor Q’s Atlanta Speakeasy Electro Swing! The Fox Theatre presents “Ragtime the Musical” running through April 24! Folk it up with The Masarie Gang at Steve’s Live Music! Kool Kat Rev. Andy and Southern Ska Syndicate get to skankin’ at Kavarna!  Blues it up with Mr. Sipp at Blind Willie’s! Robert Lee Coleman gets the blues at the Northside Tavern! Or catch Jeff Jensen at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues! Get some soul Salsa with Orquesta Macuba at Venkman’s! St. James Live! delivers their Tribute to the Legends night every Saturday night! And as always, DJ Romeo Cologne transforms the sensationally seedy Clermont Lounge into a ’70s disco/funk inferno late into the wee hours of the night.

Sunday, April 24

Bluegrass it up with Steve Martin/Martin Short and the Steep Canyon Rangers at the Fox Theatre! TCM presents Elia Kazan’s ON THE WATERFRONT (1954), screening in theatres across the Atlanta at 2 pm and 7pm [Hollywood Stadium 24 (Chamblee), Perimeter Pointe 10; Avalon Stadium 12 (Alpharetta); AMC Sugarloaf Mills 18 (Lawrenceville); AMC Barrett Commons 24 (Kennesaw); Regal McDonough Stadium 16; and Georgian Stadium (Newnan)]! It’d day 3 and your last chance to rock out at the Sweetwater 420 Fest, featuring Leftover Salmon, Manchester Orchestra, People’s Blues of Richmond, Bright Light Social Hour, The 200’s, Voodoo Visionary, Wrenn and more! Catch a screening of David M. Evans’ THE SANDLOT (1993) at Studio Movie Grill (Alpharetta/Duluth) at 2pm! Make your way to the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre for a night with Van Morrison! And get sweet and low down blues-style at the Northside Tavern with Uncle Sugar!

Ongoing

Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience invades The Georgia Ensemble Theatre through April 24! (LAST CHANCE!)

MacGillivey Freeman’s 2013 documentary, NATIONAL PARK ADVENTURE, commemorating the U.S. National Park Service’s 100th anniversary at the Fernbank Museum’s IMAX screens through June 16!

The Michael C. Carlos Museum presents their “Doorway to an Enlightened World” exhibit, running through Nov. 27!

Blast-Off Burlesque geeks it up with a night of adults-only trivia at the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club, every Monday at 8:30pm!

Union EAV rocks out with their Punk Rock Karaoke ATL, and every last Tuesday of the month!

Geek it up at My Parents’ Basement with their weekly Tuesday night Nerd Trivia at 8pm!

Nerd Film Mafia screenings at the Diesel Filling Station following NerdCore Trivia, every last Tuesday of the month!

The Plaza Theater Time-Warps it up as they screen, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) every Friday night, featuring the live cast of Lips Down on Dixie at midnight!

Every first and third Mondays are Big Band Nights at Café 290, featuring Joe Gransden and his amazing 16-piece orchestra playing jazz and swing standards in the tradition of The Glen Miller Orchestra and other legendary groups.  Second and fourth Mondays are Bumpin the Mango, ‘The groove that makes you want to move!’

Every first Wednesday is the Graveyard Tavern’s Graveyard Swing Night, featuring the swingin’ jazz and boogie-woogie sounds of the Savoy Kings!

If you have a suggestion for a future event that should be included in This Week in Retro Atlanta or see something we missed, please email us at atlretro@gmail.com.

SIREN (2016); Dir. Gregg Bishop; Starring Hannah Fierman, Chase Williamson; Justin Welborn; IMDB link here.

By Andrew Kemp
Contributing Writer

I’ll admit that SIREN didn’t encourage my expectations. Screening at the end of a long week of films, SIREN felt like a pitch from a carnival barker: “Did you like V/H/S (2012), that found-footage horror anthology? No, not really? Well, what about “Amateur Night,” arguably its most popular segment? You know, the one where some bros pick up a strange young woman for hotel porn, but get a rampaging monster ripping through their innards instead? Yeah? All right, well SIREN takes that premise but expands the world. This thing’s got a menagerie of fantasy monsters, a supernatural brothel, a southern-fried monster wrangler, and a fresh batch of victims with a fresh batch of innards. Step right up!”

Taking the original’s simple karmic reversal set-up and turning it into a NIGHTBREED-esque freakshow does not feel like a great idea. “Amateur Night” director David Bruckner had been swapped out for Gregg Bishop from the weaker V/H/S VIRAL (2014), and seeing the logo of Chiller—the notoriously cheap horror network—had me sinking into my chair and settling in for a long night. But, little by little, SIREN won me over, and horror junkies who discover the film are going to find an unexpectedly inspired bit of monster mayhem.

V/H/S Amateur Night.

The script swaps out the assholes from the original segment for a (slightly) more sympathetic bunch. Jonah (Chase Williamson) is about to get married, and his standard issue buddies—the Asshole Brother, the Saintly Best Friend, and the Funny Guy—drive him out into the swamps for a bachelor party because, of course, that’s where the wildest stuff happens. The gang gets conned into visiting a wild house run by Nyx (Justin Welborn), who tracks and traps critters from legend, including a lady that munches on memories and a naked nymph (Hannah Fierman, reprising her role from the original) he keeps locked up in the back. In “Amateur Night,” the nature of this particular creature was unclear, but in this film she’s officially a siren, complete with a singing voice that lures men to their deaths, and which drives Jonah to do something incredibly stupid (he even says out loud, “I’m about to do something incredibly stupid,” so we know). He releases her from her prison, and the carnage begins.

The rest of the plot revolves around the bachelor party attempting to escape from the beast while Nyx and his posse try to reclaim their “property”. It should be noted that Nyx is one flamboyant sunofagun. Welborn realizes what kind of movie he’s making, chewing enough scenery to fill all the spittoons in his character’s brothel. Somehow it works, especially paired with the nearly mute, doe-eyed performance of Fierman who vacillates between innocence and savagery and back again without warning, raging all over the screen like an unchecked id.

But what I found myself enjoying the most is Bishop’s eagerness to make SIREN more than a boilerplate midnight monster movie, looking for ways to elevate the action in clever ways. When the guys take shrooms, for example, his depiction of the trip they’re on is surprisingly realistic and gives the brothel the funky intro it deserves. A later action sequence benefits from focusing on Jonah—hiding and ears plugged to avoid hearing the creature’s song—so that we only see bodies flying around the edges of the screen, and we only hear the muffled thuds of gunshots and the murky pitch of screams.

SIREN isn’t a new classic, and in many ways it feels like a step backwards from the original short film, abandoning most of the elements that made “Amateur Night” work. But by sticking with Fierman and spinning a wacky backwoods mythology around her beastie, the film manages to stand on its own, and Bishop’s clever staging wrings a lot of extra mileage from what could have been boring, standard horror set pieces. In that respect, I guess the carnival barker got it right. SIREN is a freak show, but sometimes it’s a whole lot of fun to see weirdness for weirdness’s sake.

Andrew Kemp is a screenwriter and game designer who started talking about movies in 1984 and got stuck that way. He can be seen around town wherever there are movies, cheap beer and little else.