ATLRetro

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor

Come see what’s shakin’ in Retro Atlanta this week! Rev it up, rock it out and get hep to the jive with Kool Kats galore and a rockin’ menu of Atlanta’s pre-21st century shenanigans that we’ve dug up for you!

Monday, August 24

Get your ‘70s euro punk and swamp rock fix at The Earl with GG King, Ballroom, the Vincas and Bataille! Get your sleazy rock ‘n’ roll fix at The Drunken Unicorn with Valient Thorr, Bigfoot and Frick! 529 delivers a night of art rock euro glam with Del Venicci, Heaters, Concord America and Buffalo Rodeo! The Landmark Midtown Art Cinema continues their screenings of Satyajit Ray’s classic APU TRILOGY with separate screenings of PATHER PANCHALI (1958); APARAJITO (1959); and THE WORLD OF APU (1960), running through Aug. 27! Skye Paige, “Queen of Slide Guitar” rocks out at the Little Vinyl Lounge! Fatback Deluxe 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!’ Blast-Off Burlesque starts your week off right with a night of adults-only trivia, at the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club, with a different theme every Monday night at 8:30pm! Truett Lollis delivers a night of blues and soul at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues in Marietta! Boogie on down to the Northside Tavern and spend an evening with Lola at her famous Monday Night Northside Jam! Get folksy with Jamie Laval at Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs! 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, August 25

It’s sci-fi madness at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema’s “Tuesday Sci-Fi Classics” series, so come on by and catch their screening of George Lucas’ THX 1183 (1971) at 7pm! Hannibal the Cannibal gets cookin’ at Movies ATL 14 with their screening of Jonathan Demme’s SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991) at 7pm! Get some soul with Gladys Knight and The O’Jays at Chastain Park! It’s Americana Open Mic Night at the Red Light Café, so stomp on down as Beedle Andrews dishes out a night of bluegrass, folk, blues, jazz and more! It’s a night of trivia and corndogs at Pallookaville, with their “Trivial Matters” event! Blues it up with the Cody Matlock Band at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues! Cadillac Assembly gets down and dirty at Blind Willie’s! The Star Bar delivers a night of retro shenanigans with their ‘80s Dance Night! Jam it up with Joe Gransden and his jazz jam session at Twain’s in Decatur every Tuesday at 9 pm! And as always, The Entertainment Crackers get bluesy with their folksy Americana at the Northside Tavern!

Wednesday, August 26

Jazz it up with The Gordon Vernick Quartet at the Red Light Café! The Electromatics dish out a night of Chicago and West Coast blues at Blind Willie’s! Blues it up with Frankie’s Blues Mission at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! It’s a hootenanny and a half at The Star Bar with their Cowboy Karaoke event, featuring live-band old-time country and western tunes! 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, August 27

It’ll be a night of maniacal mayhem and rockin’ surfbilly at The Star Bar with Dex Romweber, The Compartmentalizationalists and Bad Friend! Get your southern gothic and rockin’ folk fix at Eddie’s Attic with Grayson Capps, Lowland Hum and The Collection! Get old-timey and folk it up with Malcolm Holcombe and Justin Hylton at Red Light Café! Catch Spike Lee’s SCHOOL DAZE (1988) at Morehouse College (Shirley Massey Building) at 5pm! Rock out with The Cry!, Dinos Boys, The Lost Element and Vito Romeo at 529! Get your vintage rock ‘n’ roll fix at Terminal West with The Dirty Guv’nahs! Gypsy jazz it up with Annie Sellick & the Hot Club of Nashville at Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs! It’s Mai Tai Thursday, so surf on down to Trader Vic’s for a helluva island party! Blind Willie’s delivers a night of rockin’ Americana with Heather Luttrell! 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! Darwin’s Burgers & Blues gets down and dirty at their Blues Jam hosted by The Cazanovas! Get your boogie on at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack, as Chickenshack featuring Eddie Tigner, delivers some honky-tonk blues! And as always, get your boogie on at Mary’s, as the East Atlanta venue gets funky with their weekly Disco in the Village.

Friday, August 28

The Star Bar delivers an old-time hootenanny with I Want Whisky, the Darnell Boys and the Georgia Mountain String Band! Clashinista and Zen Arcade invade The Earl with rockin’ tributes to The Clash and Huskar Du! Get your classic comedy fix at the Variety Playhouse with Gallagher’s “Jokes on You” tour with Artie Fletcher and Bob Nelson! Kool Kat Hot Rod Walt & the Psycho-Devilles fire it up at Motorheads! It’s ‘80s night with DJ Quasi Mandisco at The Family Dog! Terminal West delivers the Seven Handle Circus’ farewell show with Kate & Corey! Rock out with Tony Levitas at Steve’s Live Music! Get smokin’ with JP Soars & the Red Hots at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues! Or make your way to the Northside Tavern as Danny ‘Mudcat’ Dudeck fires it up with his rockin’ blues! Eighties it up at Craze Tavern with Kool Kat Becky Cormier Finch and Denim Arcade! Hottie Hawgs BBQ delivers a night with Radio Cult! The Jason Pastras Trio gets the blues at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! The Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s Martinis and IMAX event delivers a night of Chicago and West Coast blues with the Electromatics under the dinosaurs! Get jumpin’ with Rick Estrin & the Nightcats 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, August 29

Kool Kat. Rev. Andy and his Psychobilly Freakout Revival invades The Star Bar with The Loveless, Kool Kat Joshua Longino and The Disapyramids, The Mystery Men?, The Go-Go Killers and more! The 13th Annual Grant Park Summer Shade Fest kicks off with retro influenced performances by The Paulines, Kick the Robot, Jimmy Galloway, Wrenn, Lowdive, Stonerider, Jason & the Scorchers, Penny Serenade, The Backyard Birds, The Locksmyth, the Front Porch Session Players and more! Get your Bowie glam rock-esque fix with Jerome Newton & the Band Who Fell to Earth with Musee du Coeur at Kavarna! Get cosmic at Eyedrum with their “Rooftop Cinema” screening of John Coney’s SPACE IS THE PLACE (1972)! Aisle 5 honkytonks it up with The Quaildogs, The Pollies and Coma Girls! Kool Kat VJ Anthony presents his ‘80s New-Wave Music Video Dance Party at Famous Pub! Gypsy jazz it up with Kool Kat Amy Pike and the Bonaventure Quartet, followed by Geoff Achison & the Souldiggers at Eddie’s Attic! It’s tribute night at 529 with Nameless Nameless (Nirvana), Accident Prone (Jawbreaker) and Karbomb (NOFX)! Fire it up two times with Cigar Store Indians at Steve’s Live Music! Get bluesy with the Cody Matlock Band at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! It’s a night of rockin’ roots with Donna Hopkins at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues! Blues it up with John Primer & the Real Deal at Blind Willie’s! 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, August 30

Get really retro, silent cinema-style at The Earl Smith Strand Theatre with their screening of William A. Wellman/Harry d’Abbadie d’Arrast’s WINGS (1927), at 3pm! The 13th Annual Grant Park Summer Shade Fest gets nostalgic on Day 2 with Adron, Kool Kat Ruby Velle & the Soulphonics, the Johnny Hyde Quartet, Chuck Prophet, The Skylarks, A Drug Called Tradition, Scarlett Mistress, Marshall Ruffin, James Hall and more! It’s a night of ‘80s hair metal at Philips Arena with Motley Crue! Get your old-time country fix at Park Tavern with Lindi Ortega and The Secret Sisters! Get jazzy with Sweet Lu Olutosin at Steve’s Live Music! Blind Willie’s hosts their annual Luau for Leukemia! The Earl dishes out a night of ‘70s psychedelia with Kool Kats Spirits and the Melchizedek Children, The Good Life and Big Harp! Eddie’s Attic delivers a night with Neil Cribbs! Blues it up with Steve the Blues Dude at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! And get sweet and low down blues-style at the Northside Tavern with Uncle Sugar!

Ongoing

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

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

The Star Bar delivers Stomp & Stammer’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia at 8pm, every Tuesday!

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 Claudia Dafrico
Contributing Writer

It’s exhilarating. It’s inspiring. It’s what makes you want to stand up and dance at any given moment. It’s Motown, and it’s coming to the Fabulous Fox Theatre Aug 18-23 to blow you away. MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL premiered on Broadway in 2013, and enjoyed a highly successful run and was nominated for four Tony Awards. Now, two years later, MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL is back and ready to charm audiences across the country.

MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL follows the career of Berry Gordy, the creator of the Motown record label, and the events of his life as described in his autobiography, TO BE LOVED: THE MUSIC, THE MAGIC, THE MEMORIES OF MOTOWN. Throughout his illustrious career, Gordy made artists such as Marvin Gaye, The Supremes and The Jackson 5 household names. The music of these esteemed performers is the centerpiece of MOTOWN THE MUSICAL―the show has a whopping 66 musical numbers. Each one of these numbers is performed with passion and perfection by the cast, who excel at bringing to life the nostalgia of Motown music in its prime.

One of these extraordinarily talented performers is our Kool Kat of the Week, Galen Williams, Georgia native and alumni of Howard University. As a swing, Galen plays one of the most integral parts in the production; he is the understudy for multiple roles as well as a regular performer. ATLRetro had the chance to get one-on-one with Galen to talk about the show, classic Motown music and everything in between.

ATLRetro: You grew up in East Point, Georgia, which is right outside of Atlanta. Is it nice to be back home for the first stretch of the tour?

Galen Williams: It feels amazing to be home! I’ve been anticipating this stop since this tour began!!! I wish we were here for longer than just a week!  MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL follows the story of legendary music producer Berry Gordy and the Motown musicians he propelled to fame. Has the genre he helped create been a significant influence in your life before you joined this show? Absolutely! I grew up very familiar to the Motown sound. Various artists like The Temptations and The Jackson 5 were integral to my development as a singer.

This show is filled to the brim with timeless classics from Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye and many more. Which song would you say is your favorite to perform?

I love singing “My Girl” by The Temptations. It’s so cool to see couples of all ages hold each other a little closer while the song is going on. Plus the song sits in a wonderful place that makes my voice sound more amazing than it actually is, but it’s also nerve-racking because it’s one of the most iconic songs in the show! Talk about pressure!

Atlanta is one of the first stops on the national tour of MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL.  Where are you most excited to visit on your cross-country journey?

I’m definitely most excited about being at home in Atlanta because I grew up seeing many shows at the Fox Theatre. It will be a full circle moment for me to finally perform on that stage with so many family and friends watching. I also really enjoyed the time we spent in Orlando and Los Angeles. I’m also looking forward to spending time in Toronto for the first time.

Motown music has inspired countless artists to pursue their dreams of fame. Who or what would you say is your inspiration to perform?

Patrice Covington as Martha Reeves (center) & Cast
MoTOWN THE MUSICAL First National Tour
(c) Joan Marcus, 2014

My spirituality! I believe that God has blessed me with the ability to perform and express myself at best through performing so I perform to honor my connection with Him and what He has given me. Also I have a very supportive family. Nothing brings me more joy than to see the faces of my loved ones light up when I’m on stage!

If you could go back in time and have a recording session with any Motown artist, who would it be?

This is such a hard question because there are so many artists within the Motown catalog that I would want to have that experience with. However, since I’m being forced to pick, I’d have to say that I would love to sit in on a recording session with Stevie Wonder because he has created some of my favorite songs of all time.

You’ve performed in a number of shows, including PASSING STRANGE, which is the story of a young musician and his adventures. Has your experience in PASSING STRANGE influenced your performance in MOTOWN THE MUSICAL?

Definitely. Maybe not so much as far as the actual story of PASSING STRANGE goes but at the time, PASSING STRANGE was the first show I had done where I was the lead of the show, and it was during that time where I pushed myself to become the hard worker that I am today. It takes a huge time commitment to get really good at anything and ever since that production of PASSING STRANGE that I did at Howard University, it taught me that the best results only come from hard work. So I can definitely say that PASSING STRANGE has huge influences on the performing artist that I am today.

The Temptations
MoTOWN THE MUSICAL First National Tour
(c) Joan Marcus, 2014

MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL makes it clear that the road to success isn’t always smooth. What’s your funniest audition story throughout your career as an actor?

Actually, I’ve got one even better for you! How about funniest bloopers I’ve experienced on stage? Great. As a swing, I am responsible for knowing eight different guys in the ensemble’s parts. That’s a lot of information, right? One week in particular, I was having a very busy week and had already been on for three different parts that week. One scene in particular came up, and instead of saying the line I was supposed to say, I repeated the line I heard before me and completely blanked on what the actual line was, so I just stopped talking. Let’s just say it was very difficult for not only me, but my cast mates on stage with me, to keep a straight face the rest of the scene. I’ve got a ton of stage blooper stories!

You’ve spent a lot of time rehearsing with your co-stars in preparation for the upcoming tour. Any pre-show rituals or performance superstitions you’d like to share with us?

Before every show, I like to take five or 10 minutes on stage before the show starts to warm up physically and vocally. While I’m warming up, I like to listen to the theatre fill with people from behind the curtain. I can literally feel their excitement from behind the curtain sometimes. Then I join the prayer circle that a few cast members gather for, and it’s show time!

On a final note, the national tour of MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL will be traveling across the country for a full year. Any plans for the future

Jarran Muse as Marvin Gaye & Cast
MoTOWN THE MUSICAL First National Tour
(c) Joan Marcus, 2014

after the show wraps up? Where should we be looking to see you next?

For the moment, I’m just enjoying my time on the road, seeing the country and doing what I love to do! I definitely see myself on the Broadway stage once this amazing time on the road ends!

All photos are courtesy of Broadway Atlanta and used with permission.

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor

Hey all you Kool Kats! Get off that couch and come see what’s shakin’ in Retro Atlanta this week!

Monday, August 17

Get funky with George Porter, Jr. & the Runnin’ Pardners along with Gravy at Terminal West! Get really retro and conspire with Orson Welles for another week at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema with their screening of Carol Reed’s classic, THE THIRD MAN (1949), running through Aug. 20, this week! And don’t forget to catch Satyajit Ray’s classic APU TRILOGY with separate screenings of PATHER PANCHALI (1958); APARAJITO (1959); and THE WORLD OF APU (1960), running through Aug. 20! Skye Paige, “Queen of Slide Guitar” rocks out at the Little Vinyl Lounge! 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! Blast-Off Burlesque starts your week off right with a night of adults-only trivia, at the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club, with a different theme every Monday night at 8:30pm! Truett Lollis delivers a night of blues and soul at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues in Marietta! Boogie on down to the Northside Tavern and spend an evening with Lola at her famous Monday Night Northside Jam! Get folksy with Jamie Laval at Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs! 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, August 18

Tonight kicks of the Fox Theatre’s presentation of MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL, featuring our Kool Kat Galem Williams, running through Aug. 23! It’s sci-fi madness at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema’s “Tuesday Sci-Fi Classics” series, so come on by and catch their screening of Terry Gilliam’s BRAZIL (1985) at 7pm! Satire it up with Mel Brooks’ SPACEBALLS (1987) at Movies ATL 14 at 7pm! Make your way to the Decatur Library for their screening of Mervyn LeRoy’s NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS (1958) at 9:30am! Or come out and play during the Northlake Festival Movie Tavern’s screening of David M. Evans’ THE SANDLOT (1993), during their “Classic Films on the Big Screen” series at 7:30! It’s a night of trivia and corndogs at Pallookaville, with their “Trivial Matters” event! Blues it up with Little G. Weevil at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues! Bluegrass it up with Control Burn at Steve’s Live Music! Get some soul and rock ‘n’ roll with The Hollidays at Blind Willie’s! The Star Bar delivers a night of retro shenanigans with their ‘80s Dance Night! Jam it up with Joe Gransden and his jazz jam session at Twain’s in Decatur every Tuesday at 9 pm! And as always, The Entertainment Crackers get bluesy with their folksy Americana at the Northside Tavern!

Wednesday, August 19

Jazz it up with Sal Gentile at the Elliott Street Pub! The Studio Movie Grill (Alpharetta/Duluth) delivers the land of Dahl with their screening of Danny DeVito’s adaptation of MATILDA (1996) at 7pm! Come out and play during the Northlake Festival Movie Tavern’s screening of David M. Evans’ THE SANDLOT (1993), during their “Classic Films on the Big Screen” series at 7:30! It’s your second and last chance to get rebellious as TCM presents a sing-a-long with Randal Kleiser’s classic, GREASE (1978) in theatres across the Atlanta area at 2pm and 7pm [Hollywood Stadium 24 in Chamblee, Perimeter Pointe 10; AMC Sugarloaf Mills 18 in Lawrenceville; AMC Avenue Forsyth 12 in Cumming; Avalon Stadium 12 in Alpharetta; GTC Merchant’s Walk Stadium 12 in Marietta; AMC Barrett Commons 24 in Kennesaw; AMC Southlake 24 in Morrow; Regal McDonough Stadium 16; Cinemark Tinseltown 17 in Fayetteville; and Georgian Stadium in Newnan]! Stomp on down to the Red Light Café for a night with Soft Cactus! Blues it up with Frankie’s Blues Mission at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Kool Kat Scott Glazer’s Mojo Dojo dishes out a night of blues, jazz ‘n’ southern soul at Blind Willie’s! It’s a hootenanny and a half at The Star Bar with their Cowboy Karaoke event, featuring live-band old-time country and western tunes! 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, August 20

Rock on down to the Clermont Lounge for Kool Kats, The Joy Kills (final show!), GHB, Ledfoot Messiah and Ghost Foot! The Earl dishes out a night of retro rock and indie gloom with Slow Parade, Blue Blood and Goldwing! It’s a night of rockin’ garage blues and voodoo funk at The Star Bar with Sonic Graffiti, Momcat and Rad Rex! Fiend Without a Face slings a whole lotta bluegrass psychobilly surf with Bad Spell at 529! It’s Mai Tai Thursday, so surf on down to Trader Vic’s for a helluva beach party with Kool Kat Joshua Longino and The Disapyramids! Get creeped out at The Plaza Theater with their screening of Paul Norman’s ICE CREAM MAN (1995) at 7:30pm! Get some southern soul with Savannah Smith at the Red Light Café! Beverly “Guitar” Watkins gets down 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! Darwin’s Burgers & Blues gets down and dirty at their Blues Jam hosted by The Cazanovas! Get your boogie on at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack, as Chickenshack featuring Eddie Tigner, delivers some honky-tonk blues! And as always, get your boogie on at Mary’s, as the East Atlanta venue gets funky with their weekly Disco in the Village.

Friday, August 21

The Star Bar rocks out with Black Irish Texas, Antagonizers ATL and Rotten Stitches! Get your Big Band fix with the Douglas Cameron Orchestra at The Earl Smith Strand Theatre! Swing on down to the Red Light Café for Atlanta Speakeasy Electroswing with DJ Doctor Q, featuring performances by Annette Coquette, Kool Kat Roula Roulette, Risky-Sour, Amelia Bareheart and more! It’s a night of old-school bluegrass and traditional honkytonk country with Marty Stuart at Eddie’s Attic, with 2 shows! Get jazzy with Jason Collier and Russell Gunn at the High Museum! Griffin House dishes out a night of retro rock at the Red Clay Theatre! Steve’s Live Music delivers a night of Gypsy jazz and Americana with 9 String Theory, Barynya, Jackson County Line and the Jason Kenney Band! Get your New-Wave fix at the Jungle Club with Fixation: Wet & Wild! Make your way to the Toco Hills-Avis G. Williams Library for their screening of Mike Nichols’ THE BIRDCAGE (1996) at 1:30pm! Rock out with the Wild Hares at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! The Rockoholics get blues at Hottie Hawgs BBQ! 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! Sandra Hall & the Shadows get down and dirty at Blind Willie’s! Blues it up with Stoney Brooks at the Northside Tavern! Get down and dirty with Dean Shot & the Solid Senders at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues! 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, August 22

Rev on down to Southern Devil Harley Davidson in Cartersville for The Rockabilly Rumble, hosted by Grease Inc. Magazine and Garage71 Radio, with performances by The Belmont Playboys and the Pelvis Breastlies! And you won’t want to miss all those rockin’ hot rods, rat rods, vendors and a smokin’ pin-up contest! Get old-timey with Kool Kat Caleb Warren and the Perfect Gentlemen along with Blood on the Harp and Reverend Hylton at The Earl! It’s punk rock tribute night at The Star Bar with Horror Business (Misfits), Pretty Vacant (Sex Pistols), Road to Ruin (Ramones) and Salad Days (Minor Threat)! Kool Kat Hot Rod Walt & the Psycho-Devilles fire it up at Bonz Bar and Grille in Douglasville! Rock on down to The Plaza Theater for their screening of Wes Orshoski’s THE DAMNED: DON’T YOU WISH THAT WE WERE DEAD (2015), running through Aug. 23! Get your smooth rock fix at Park Tavern with Yacht Rock Revue! Rock on down to the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre for a night with Yes and Toto! Or catch Air Supply at Chastain Park! Departure pays tribute to Journey at The Earl Smith Strand Theatre! Or put on those dancin’ shoes and get ready for a night of retro rock, Motown, funk, Big Band and more at The Basement for Electric Western’s Keep on Movin’ Rock and Soul Dance Party! It’s a night of rockin’ blues at the Red Clay Theatre with Michelle Malone and guests! Get your funky folk fix at Smith’s Olde Bar in the Music Room with The Bitteroots, The Wayward Souls, The Space Time Travelers and Mason Lutz & the Fuzz! Or swamp it up in the Atlanta Room with Zydeco Ya Ya! Rock out with Carlos Danger at the Red Light Café! ATL Collective presents The Allman Brothers’ “Eat A Peach” at Eddie’s Attic! The Northside Tavern gets rockin’ with a little Chicago/Delta blues of The Breeze Kings! Blues it up with Bluefish at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Gracie Curran dishes out a night of blues, rock ‘n’ soul at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues! The Buggs deliver their Beatles tribute at Steve’s Live Music! Delta Moon gets down at Blind Willie’s! Kool Kat VJ Anthony presents his Clash of the Decades dance party at the Opera Nightclub! 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, August 23

The Studio Movie Grill (Alpharetta/Duluth) delivers the land of Dahl with their screening of Danny DeVito’s adaptation of MATILDA (1996) at 2pm! Kool Kat Ruby Velle dishes out an acoustic set of soul with Stephen Cogswell at the Crimson Moon Café! Rock out at Chastain Park with The Australian Pink Floyd Show and Led Zeppelin 2! Honkytonk on down to Eddie’s Attic for a night with Back in the Saddle! Lola gets down and dirty at Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint! Blues it up with Steve the Blues Dude at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! And get sweet and low down blues-style at the Northside Tavern with Uncle Sugar!

Ongoing

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

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

The Star Bar delivers Stomp & Stammer’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia at 8pm, every Tuesday!

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

Caleb Warren, ragtime rumble slingin’, guitar pickin’, Dixieland lovin’ purveyor of old-time dance hall tunes with a maniacal modern twist, along with his polite partners in crime, The Perfect Gentlemen (and lady) [Colt Bowen – percussion; Dave Aitken – lead guitar/banjo; Jenna Mobley – fiddle; Robert Green – trumpet; and Ian Blanton – upright bass] will be raisin’ a riotous ruckus at Mac McGee Irish Pub in historic Roswell this Saturday, August 15, at 9 pm! And if that isn’t enough, you’ll get a second and third hoppin’ helping of their juke joint jamboree at The Earl on Aug. 22, and a tail feather shakin’ good time with the band at the sensational ‘n’ seedy Clermont Lounge on Oct. 8!

Caleb hails from Chattanooga and has a hankerin’ for the tunes of yesteryear. Although heavily influenced by Western swing, gypsy jazz, ragtime and Dixieland blues, Caleb Warren and The Perfect Gentlemen (The Gents) have proven time and again their ability to tell relevant tales to the melodies of the past. The Gents have shared bills with Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, “First Lady of Rockabilly” Wanda Jackson, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Billy Joe Shaver and more! Their self-recorded/self-released EP, “The River” was released in 2014, followed by their new single “Hoke Poole Stomp”/“Peach Pickin’ Time in Georgia.” And if you’re cravin’ a whole lot more from these rowdy folks, don’t fret! The Gents and are in the works on their first full-length album, so keep your ears peeled!

ATLRetro caught up with Caleb for a quick interview about whiskey ‘n’ women, The Gents’ flair for old-timey janglin’ jingles; his retro influences; and his love of Lefty Frizzell! And while you’re takin’ a gander at our little Q&A with Caleb, get an earful of Caleb Warren and the Perfect Gentlemen’s new single “Hoke Poole Stomp”/“Peach Pickin’ Time in Georgia.”

ATLRetro: Caleb Warren and the Perfect Gentlemen’s sound has been described as coming straight out of the land of vaudeville, speakeasies, juke joints – all spiced up with that janglin’ ragtime Dixieland ‘n’ western swing, while “finding a place for the past in the present.” How important is it to resurrect the past to tell the stories of today?

Caleb Warren: Absolutely! I think being able to pay homage to the music that we love and the music that inspires us while telling the stories of today and connecting with the folks who are listening is not only an extremely important aspect of what we do, but an honor as well. The music we’re making today is hopefully a modern representation of some of the most pure forms of American music with our own twist, and if it weren’t for the pioneers of Western swing, country blues, gypsy jazz, Dixieland, ragtime, and blues, we wouldn’t be able to do what we’re doing today.

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

Jenna Mobley

When I was just a wee lad (haha) my grandfather, “Pops” or “Papa” to me, owned an alternator repair shop near Atlanta. He loved his work. He also had a love of honkytonk and classic country. Some of his favorites were Lefty Frizzell, Hank Williams Sr. and George Jones. I can distinctly remember sitting at the kitchen table of my grandparents’ home (the same home my dad grew up in) as a 12-year-old who wanted to learn anything and everything that I could about music, playing guitar, classic country and old gospel hymns from my grandfather.

As a result, when I sit down at my kitchen table with a cup of coffee or a glass of whiskey (depending on the time of day), that’s where some of my most introspective and personal writing happens. In my late teens I strayed a bit from my roots as a musician and was in a few bands that were a little louder and a little heavier, but eventually found my way back to making the music that is, for lack of a better way to put it, “In my blood.” All that to say, I’ve always been interested in playing music. It just took me a little while to find and settle into what musically feels like “home”.

(L-R) Dave Aitken, Jenna Mobley, Caleb Warren

We see that you (Caleb) hail from Chattanooga, a once thriving ragtime, bluegrass ‘n’ Dixieland swingin’ musical haven. How much of an influence did Chattanooga have on your current musical endeavors?

I do live in Chattanooga and it’s a wonderful city, but I wrote the songs we’re playing today while living in and around Atlanta as well as the mountains of north Georgia. Chattanooga is an amazing city centered around the Tennessee River and for whatever reason, there’s something about rivers and bodies of water that are extremely inspiring and seem to almost pull songs out of me. The extremely rich musical history in Chattanooga as far as the blues are concerned is pretty amazing! It’s the home of Bessie Smith and the Chattanooga Choo Choo!

What is it about whiskey, women and woeful misfortune that influence musicians, especially those of the old-time variety, to pour out their soul in front of the masses?

I feel like there’s a certain simple honesty and light-heartedness in a lot of the music we make that affords us the opportunity to write and

Robert Green

play songs that are fitting for the nights when you just want to have a good time, dance and forget about your troubles. On the other hand, this music lends itself really well to being able to tell some of the most heart-wrenching and deeply personal stories. Stories that might be autobiographical, might be about my best friend, or could be a declaration of love for a certain someone. I definitely feel like that’s one of the most beautiful and amazing things about this type of music. It’s made for telling stories. Good, bad, or otherwise.

We see that you’ve shared a bill with rock ‘n’ roll pioneer and “First Lady of Rockabilly” Wanda Jackson. How exciting! Can you tell our readers a little about that experience?

It was a great experience! We got to see so much great music and share a bill with some pretty amazing names like Jim Lauderdale, Strung Like a Horse, Reverend Horton Heat, Lindi Ortega and Hot Club of Cowtown. It’s humbling to have our name on the same bill as those folks, Wanda Jackson included!

Who would you say are your top three old-timey musical influences and why?

Oh man! This is a tough one! Geez! I would have to say that Milton Brown and his Musical Brownies is a band that never ceases to inspire me. The swing that they have as a band just blows my mind, the rhythm section is so solid, and the lead players are top notch. Those fellas along with Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys were instrumental (no pun intended) in making Western swing and country blues a form of popular music fifty years ago and the fact that those tunes are relatable and relevant today is, I think, a testament to how much fun that music is and how well-written those songs are.

Colt Bowen

Lefty Frizzell is one of my absolute favorites. I’m a bit partial to Lefty because my grandfather was a huge fan, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Lefty Frizzell had one of the most amazing voices in the history of country music. You immediately know when you’re listening to one of his songs. I’m not sure there’s much more to say about that one.

Also, Preservation Hall Jazz Band from New Orleans is one of the first bands that really opened the door to all of this wonderful music for me. I can’t go a day without getting at least one Pres. Hall tune stuck in my head. The folks in that band are, to this day, teaching the newest generation of young musicians the traditions of New Orleans music and to me that is wildly inspirational!

Your newly-released single, “Hoke Poole Stomp”/”Peach Pickin’ Time in Georgia,” was recorded live at the home of your fiddler, Jenna Shea Mobley. Can you tell our readers why you chose to record live and what sets this single apart from your EP, “The River”, self-recorded/released in 2014?

Of course! With the single, we really wanted to capture the feel and energy of a live performance and instead of going the route of tracking

live in a studio, we decided to do something a little bit different and track the whole thing like one of the Alan Lomax field recordings of the ‘40s where they would set up in a hotel room or a living room and just put songs to tape. It was kind of a way of paying homage to the folks who paved the way for bands like us. We had our good friend, Mr. Tony Terrebonne engineer and mix those tunes. Our lovely Ms. Mobley was kind enough to let us take over her (entire) house for the day and track those tunes as well.

(L-R) Caleb Warren, Dave Aitken, Ian Blanton

Our EP, “The River” was recorded and mixed by our drummer, Mr. Colt Bowen at his home studio in Adairsville, Ga. We spent quite a good bit of time recording that one and making sure it was exactly what we wanted to give folks as a first impression of The Gents and we couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out.

That’s a bit of a round-about way of telling you that the two recordings are totally different from one another, they represent two very different times in our progression as a band, and we are extremely happy to have been able to put our name on two completely different, but stellar recordings. Colt and Tony are both wizards when it comes to engineering. We’re lucky to have those fellas around, and even more lucky to be able to call them our friends.

If you could put together a dream line-up of musicians to play with [still around or not], who would it be and why?

Freddy Mercury, Ray Charles and Robert Plant sharing vocal duties;  Big Bill Broonzy and Merle Travis on guitar; Willie Dixon on upright bass; Bix Beiderbecke on coronet; Fats Waller on piano; guest appearance by Django Reinhardt on lead guitar and “La Pompe” for a song or two. Why? Because, seriously. Think about that band for just a second. I wouldn’t play in that band. I’d sit down at the table right in front of the stage with all The Gents and a glass of great whiskey. I’d smile, laugh, chuckle, give a thumbs up, make a joke that wasn’t all that funny, buy a round for everyone in the bar, and then I’d enjoy the show! My dream lineup of musicians to play some tunes with? The fellas (and gal) in our band.

What can ATLReaders expect to experience at your upcoming shows at Mac McGee (Aug. 15), The Earl (Aug. 22) and The Clermont Lounge (Oct. 8)? Should they bring their dancin’ shoes? Anything special planned?

You can definitely expect to have a hell of a time and, yes, dancing shoes are a requirement for every show. I might even get off the stage and cut a rug with you! Special plans? There’s a possibility that you might see a singer playing an upright bass solo at The Earl…Also, isn’t any time spent at the Clermont special?

What’s next for Caleb Warren and the Perfect Gentlemen?

Definitely more shows, new cities, more writing and starting work on our first full-length album. We have some great things to look forward to in the next six months or so!

Anything else you’d like to tell ATLRetro readers about Caleb Warren and the Perfect Gentlemen?

Thank you! Thank you for listening to our music, coming out to shows and for supporting this band of ours. You folks are one of the main reasons we do what we do and you make all the work we put into these songs so worth it.

What question do you wish somebody would ask you and what’s the answer?

Q: What is the band’s favorite food?
A: Dude! Avocado (Guacamole counts), grilled chicken, bacon, bell peppers, pizza with all of the aforementioned foods as toppings, and if you really want to find the way to Uncle Buttermilk’s (Dave) heart, a damn good cheeseburger should do the trick.

(L-R) Robert Green, Dave Aitken, Caleb Warren, Colt Bowen, Jenna Mobley, Ian Blanton

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor

This week in Retro Atlanta is the Kat’s Meow! Come see what we’ve found for you! From old-school rock, punk ‘n’ blues to a whole lotta classic cinema on the big screen! Come on out and live la vida Retro!

Monday, August 10

Get really retro and conspire with Orson Welles at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema for their screening of Carol Reed’s classic, THE THIRD MAN (1949), running through Aug. 13! Skye Paige, “Queen of Slide Guitar” rocks out at the Little Vinyl Lounge! Barrelhouse Bob Page gets down and dirty at Blind Willie’s! Or 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!’ Eighties it up with Blast-Off Burlesque as they start your week off right with a night of adults-only trivia, at the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club, with a different theme every Monday night at 8:30pm! Truett Lollis delivers a night of blues and soul at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues in Marietta! Boogie on down to the Northside Tavern and spend an evening with Lola at her famous Monday Night Northside Jam! Get folksy with Jamie Laval at Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs! Make your way to the Lefont Theatre for their screening of Bao Nguyen’s LIVE FROM NEW YORK! (2015), exploring forty years of SNL at 7pm! 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, August 11

It’s sci-fi madness at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema’s “Tuesday Sci-Fi Classics” series, so live long and prosper with their screening of Jean-Luc Godard’s ALPHAVILLE (1965) at 7pm! Get funky and jazz it up with Nellie McKay at Eddie’s Attic! It’s a night of burly-Q shenanigans with Kool Kat Katherine Lashe and Syrens of the South, at the Red Light Café with their Tease Tuesday Burlesque: Back to School event featuring Rosie Rivet-her’s devious debut and more! Bluegrass it up with Curtis Jones & Primal Roots at Steve’s Live Music! Danny ‘Mudcat’ Dudeck fires it up with his rockin’ blues at Blind Willie’s! The Star Bar delivers a night of retro shenanigans with their ‘80s Dance Night! Jam it up with Joe Gransden and his jazz jam session at Twain’s in Decatur every Tuesday at 9 pm! And as always, The Entertainment Crackers get bluesy with their folksy Americana at the Northside Tavern!

Wednesday, August 12

Get adventurous and celebrate 30 years of Pee Wee with The Plaza Theater’s screening of Tim Burton’s PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE (1985) at 7pm! Karma Chameleon on down to the Fox Theatre for a night with Culture Club! Or get your 80s fix at the Studio Movie Grill (Alpharetta) with their screening of Adrian Lyne’s FLASHDANCE (1983) at 7:30pm! Get some New Orleans funk ‘n’ blues with the Wasted Potential Brass Band at Smith’s Olde Bar! Or folk it up with Under the Willow at Red Light Café! Blues it up with Frankie’s Blues Mission at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Stomp on down to Blind Willie’s for a night with the BooHoo Ramblers! Lola gets down and dirty at Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint! It’s a hootenanny and a half at The Star Bar with their Cowboy Karaoke event, featuring live-band old-time country and western tunes! 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, August 13

It’s a night of old-school punk at the Masquerade with The Dickies and Magoos Heros! Get smooth ‘70s style with an evening with Yacht Rock Revue at the Buckhead Theatre! Rock on down to The Star Bar for a night with Twin Trances, SWOTS, The Mumzees and Hip to Death! Or get your garage rock ‘n’ punk fix at The Earl with Ex Hex, In the Whale and Muuy Biien! Kool Kat Spike Fullerton and the Ghost Riders Car Club honkytonks it up at the Clermont Lounge! Folk it up with Passerine and Molly Conrad at the Red Light Café! Get funky with Dyn-o-mite at Steve’s Live Music! Follow the yellow brick road to Atlantic Station for their screening of Victor Fleming’s THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939) at dusk, during their Movies in Central Park series! It’s Mai Tai Thursday, so surf on down to Trader Vic’s for some cool island tunes and a few cocktails! Blues it up with Amy Hart 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! Darwin’s Burgers & Blues gets down and dirty at their Blues Jam hosted by The Cazanovas! Get your boogie on at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack, as Chickenshack featuring Eddie Tigner, delivers some honky-tonk blues! And as always, get your boogie on at Mary’s, as the East Atlanta venue gets funky with their weekly Disco in the Village.

Friday, August 14

Get your fill of old-school tunes and tasty vittles at the two-day Atlanta Bar-B-Q Festival 2015, with live performances by Heaven Davis (jazz/blues); the Gasoline Brothers (vintage R&R); and Larkin Poe (swampadelic soul)! Rock on down to The Star Bar for The Biters’ Record Release Show, with the Subsonics, Dinos Boys, Gunpowder Gray and more! Eighties it up at Suburban Tap (Marietta) with Kool Kat Becky Cormier Finch and Denim Arcade! Stomp on down to Eddie’s Attic for a night with The Cumberland Collective! It’s a night of rock fusion at Aisle 5 with The Aristocrats and the Travis Larson Band! The Red Clay Theatre delivers a night of classic country with The Grascals! Heather Luttrell delivers a night of rockin’ blues at Elliott Street Pub! Celebrate Madonna at Mary’s during their annual Madonnarama event! Get some southern fried blues with EG Kight at the Crimson Moon Café! Blues it up with Pead Boy & Blue Devil at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! The Classical Mountain Fiddles bluegrass it up at the Red Light Café! Rock out with Highbeams while sippin’ a few cocktails under the dinosaurs at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s Martinis and IMAX event! Folk it up with Passerine and Honeywood at Steve’s Live Music! Sandra Hall & the Shadows get down and dirty at Blind Willie’s! Or make your way to the Northside Tavern for a night of rockin’ blues with Roy Lee Johnson and Danny ‘Mudcat’ Dudeck! Get the blues with the Barry Richman Band at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues! 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, August 15

Splatter Cinema along with Kool Kat Blake Myers and Enjoy the Film (Kool Kat Ben Ruder) deliver a night of cannibalistic chaos at Cinevision Screening Room with their 35mm screening of Umberto Lenzi’s gore-tastic flick, CANNIBAL FEROX/MAKE THEM DIE SLOWLY (1981) at 8:30pm! And don’t forget to come early for some chilling lobby shenanigans! It’s day 2 of the smokin’ Atlanta Bar-B-Q Festival 2015, so come on out for some tasty treats with The Dusty 45s (Americana/roots/rockabilly); Brother Hawk (blues/rock); and more! Surf on down to Kavarna for Southern Surf Stomp! featuring The Monterreys, The Cryptides and Bruce Joyner & Atomic Clock! Spook on down to Famous Pub for Kool Kat VJ Anthony’s Coffin Classics event, digging up the best of goth, dark 80s and industrial! Get old-timey and boogie on down to Mac McGee Irish Pub in Roswell for a night with (our upcoming Kool Kat) Caleb Warren and the Perfect Gentlemen! The Dixie Tavern in Marietta delivers “Luau Night: Surfabilly Madness!” with Kool Kat Hot Rod Walt & the Psycho-Devilles and The Fugitives! Make your way to the Fox Theatre for the Coca Cola Summer Film Festival’s Saturday Morning Cartoons screening at 10am, followed by a screening of Mel Gibson’s BRAVEHEART (1995) at 7:30pm! Rock on down to The Star Bar for a night with Catfight, The El Caminos and Mouthbreathers! Kool Kat Kim Lenz & the Jaguars honkytonks it up with Andrea Colburn (Hothouse Peaches) at Smith’s Olde Bar! Stagger on over to The Plaza Theater for a screening of George A. Romero’s classic, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968) at 9:30pm! The Mablehouse Barnes Amphitheatre delivers A Van Morrison Experience during their South Cobb Arts Alliance Candlelite Concert! Shake a tail feather on down to Elliott Street Pub for The Chameleon Queen’s Carriage Contribution Benefit Variety Show! The Center for Puppetry Arts presents a screening of Ivan Reitman’s GHOSTBUSTERS (1984) at 8pm! Get your western swing fill at the Crimson Moon Café with Carolyn Martin! Blues it up with The Stooge Brothers at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Bluegrass it up with Jim Lauderdale and Adam Klein at the Red Clay Theatre! Rich Robinson (Black Crowes) rocks out at Eddie’s Attic! Eighties it up at the Dallas Public House with Kool Kat Becky Cormier Finch and Denim Arcade! Frank Hamilton and Angela Easterling deliver a night of traditional folk tunes at Steve’s Live Music, followed by The Stoneberrys! Make your way to Trader Vic’s for their “Rum Tasting Seminar” from 5-6pm! Eddie Tigner blueses it up at the Northside Tavern! Stomp on down to the Red Light Café for a night with The Dappled Grays! Folk it up with Doria Roberts at the Variety Playhouse! 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, August 16

Get your new-wave and synth-pop fix at the Variety Playhouse with Howard Jones! Geek it up at the Atlanta Marriott Century Center for the Atlanta Comic Convention, from 11-5pm! It’s a night of shakin’ shenanigans at 7 Stages as Kool Kat Katherine Lashe and Syrens of the South celebrate 8 years of tantalizing tease with their 8th Anniversary Show! Get rebellious as TCM presents a sing-a-long with Randal Kleiser’s classic, GREASE (1978) in theatres across the Atlanta area at 2pm and 7pm [Hollywood Stadium 24 in Chamblee, Perimeter Pointe 10; AMC Sugarloaf Mills 18 in Lawrenceville; AMC Avenue Forsyth 12 in Cumming; Avalon Stadium 12 in Alpharetta; GTC Merchant’s Walk Stadium 12 in Marietta; AMC Barrett Commons 24 in Kennesaw; AMC Southlake 24 in Morrow; Regal McDonough Stadium 16; Cinemark Tinseltown 17 in Fayetteville; and Georgian Stadium in Newnan]! Jazz it up with Alex Lattimore and The Tyrone Jackson Trio at the Red Light Café! Kool Kat Gringo Star rocks out at Park Tavern! Blues it up with Steve the Blues Dude at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! And get sweet and low down blues-style at the Northside Tavern with Uncle Sugar!

Ongoing

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

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

The Star Bar delivers Stomp & Stammer’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia at 8pm, every Tuesday!

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

Take a peek at what’s happenin’ in Retro Atlanta this week and get your kicks old-school style! We’ve got all the shakin’ shenanigans for all you Kool Kats, including The Wrecking Ball, all the blues you could want and everything else in-between, so get rowdy, rock out and live la vida Retro!

Monday, August 3

Terminal West delivers a night of funky blues with Shuggie Otis! Get your ‘90s alt-rock fix with the Counting Crows at Chastain Park! Or boogie on down to Blind Willie’s for a taste of Bill Sheffield’s acoustic roots and blues! Skye Paige, “Queen of Slide Guitar” rocks out at the Little Vinyl Lounge! 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! Join Blast-Off Burlesque as they start your week off right with a night of adults-only trivia, at the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club, every Monday night at 8:30pm! Truett Lollis delivers a night of blues and soul at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues in Marietta! Boogie on down to the Northside Tavern and spend an evening with Lola at her famous Monday Night Northside Jam! Get folksy with Jamie Laval at Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs! 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, August 4

It’s sci-fi madness at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema’s “Tuesday Sci-Fi Classics” series, so live long and prosper with their screening of Leonard Nimoy’s STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME (1986) at 7pm! Or follow the yellow brick road to the Northlake Festival Movie Tavern for their screening of Victor Fleming’ THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939), during their “Classic Films on the Big Screen” series at 7:30! Get your smooth ‘70s fix at Aaron’s Lakewood Amphitheatre with Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire! Shimmy on down to the Red Light Café for Sadie Hawkins’ Mondogreen-A-Go-Go: Burlesque and Variety Show featuring performances by Ada Manzhart, Candi LeCoeur, Nikki Nuke’m and more! Bluegrass it up with Smoke Rise at Steve’s Live Music! For a night of rockin’ folk come on down to Eddie’s Attic and catch City Mouse, Reverend Hylton & The Devil’s Hands and The Mulligan Brothers! Rock out with Authority Zero, Counterpunch and Rubedo at the Masquerade! Get the blues with Andrew Black at Blind Willie’s! The Star Bar delivers a night of retro shenanigans with their ‘80s Dance Night! Jam it up with Joe Gransden and his jazz jam session at Twain’s in Decatur every Tuesday at 9 pm! And as always, The Entertainment Crackers get bluesy with their folksy Americana at the Northside Tavern!

Wednesday, August 5

Rock on down to 529 for a night of ‘70s-esque garage psychedelia with West End Motel, Kool Kat Spirits & the Melchizedek Children and Coma Serfs! Catch a 20th Anniversary screening of Gary Gray’s FRIDAY (1995) at The Plaza Theater at 7pm! Make your way to the Village Theatre for SONG MISSING Presents: Hatlanta Full of Hollow featuring performances based on The Smiths tunes! It’s Date Night at the Studio Movie Grill (Alpharetta) with their screening of Cameron Crowe’s ALMOST FAMOUS (2000) at 7:30pm! It’s your last chance to follow the yellow brick road to the Northlake Festival Movie Tavern for their screening of Victor Fleming’ THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939), during their “Classic Films on the Big Screen” series at 7:30! Blues it up with Frankie’s Blues Mission at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Get down and dirty with The Cazanovas at Blind Willie’s! Boogie on down to East Atlanta’s Graveyard Tavern for their Graveyard Swing Night, held the first Wednesday of every month, promising an evening of swingin’ jazz and jive with the Savoy Kings! It’s a hootenanny and a half at The Star Bar with their Cowboy Karaoke event, featuring live-band old-time country and western tunes! 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, August 6

Honkytonk on down to 529 for a night with the Scragglers (members of Bigfoot), Stolen Rhodes, Divorce, Inc. and Lars Nagel (El Caminos)! Or get your southern gothic ‘n’ folk fix at The Drunken Unicorn with Shantih Shantih, Ancient Warfare, Hailey Wojcik and Lea Lea! Get sultry with Patti LaBelle at the Fox Theatre! Get funky with Voodoo Visionary and Captain Green at Aisle 5! Heather Luttrell dishes out a night of blues and Americana at Steve’s Live Music! Get your ‘80s cinema fix at Atlantic Station with their screening of John Hughes’ FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF (1986) at dusk, during their Movies in Central Park series! Bluegrass it up with The Jangling Sparrows, Jordan Igoe and Alex & Todd at the Red Light Café! Stomp on down to Eddie’s Attic for a night with the Dejablue Grass Band! Or make your way to Smith’s Olde Bar for a night with Seth Walker! Semicircle, Madeline and Moses Nesh folk it up at The Earl! The Dark Star Orchestra pays tribute to The Grateful Dead at the Variety Playhouse! It’s Mai Tai Thursday, so surf on down to Trader Vic’s for some cool island tunes and a few cocktails! Sweet Betty & the Shadows get the blues 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! Darwin’s Burgers & Blues gets down and dirty at their Blues Jam hosted by The Cazanovas! Get your boogie on at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack, as Chickenshack featuring Eddie Tigner, delivers some honky-tonk blues! And as always, get your boogie on at Mary’s, as the East Atlanta venue gets funky with their weekly Disco in the Village.

Friday, August 7

The Masquerade delivers The Wrecking Ball 2015 Pre-Party with a night of Punk Rock Karaoke! Rock on down to The Star Bar for their “Needle in the Hay: The Music of Elliott Smith” event featuring Book of Colors, Night Driving in Small Towns, The Preakness, The Downs and the Ware Manpowsky Duo! Or for a night of nitty gritty rock ‘n’ roll, come out to 529 for Six Shot Revival, Heavy Glow, Scarlett Mistress and The Crush! Catch local artist, Keef Cross’ book launch of his graphic novel, “Dayblack” at Criminal Records from 6-8pm! Get down and dirty with Nashville Pussy, the Night Terrors and Bad Spell at The Earl! Kool Kat Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit rock out at the Buckhead Theatre! The Last Waltz Ensemble pays tribute to Bob Dylan and The Band at Smith’s Olde Bar! Blues it up hill-country style with John Sosebee at Hottie Hawgs BBQ! The Variety Playhouse delivers a night of tributes with Natural Wonder (Stevie Wonder) and The Stranger (Billy Joel)! Groove on down to the Red Light Café for a night with The Jackie Myers Band! Get some swanky soul with Bogey & the Viceroy while sippin’ a few cocktails under the dinosaurs at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s Martinis and IMAX event! Domino pays tribute to Van Morrison at Steve’s Live Music! House Rocker Johnson & the Shadows get down at Blind Willie’s! Or make your way to the Northside Tavern for a night of rockin’ blues with Roy Lee Johnson and Albert White! Danny ‘Mudcat’ Dudeck fires it up with his rockin’ blues at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues! 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, August 8

The Masquerade kicks off its 25th Anniversary with Day 1 of the two day event, The Wrecking Ball 2015, delivering a helluva rockin’ lineup with the Descendents, The Get Up Kids, The Movielife, The Lawrence Arms, Samiam, Small Brown Bike, The Coathangers, Old Gray and more! Get your garage rock ‘n’ blues fix at The Star Bar with Kool Kat Rod Hamdallah, The Blacktop Rockets and Deadly Lo-Fi! Make your way to the Lefont Theatre for their screening of Bao Nguyen’s LIVE FROM NEW YORK! (2015), exploring forty years of SNL at 10:30am! Stomp on down to the Red Light Café for a night with Frazierband and Pickxen! Eighties it up at Wildwing Café (Suwannee) with Kool Kat Becky Cormier Finch and Denim Arcade! Get funky with Rick Booher & the Soul Machines and the BadAsh Allstar Team (Hendrix, Clapton and Sinatra tribute) at Steve’s Live Music! Or funk it up with Rough Draft at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Rock out roots-style with Donna Hopkins and Ralph Roddenbery at the Crimson Moon Café! Head out to Smith’s Olde Bar for a night with Escape Vehicle and the Glen Pridgen Band! Stephen Skipper’s Rolling Stones Tribute invades The Earl Smith Strand Theatre! Jarekus Singleton gets down and dirty at Blind Willie’s! Darwin’s Burgers & Blues delivers a night with the Voo Davis Band! 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, August 9

Get old school with Steely Dan and Elvis Costello & the Imposters at Chastain Park! Rock on down to the Masquerade for Day 2 of The Wrecking Ball 2015, with performances by Coheed & Cambria, Glassjaw, American Nightmare, The Appleseed Cast, Knapsack, Frankie Cosmos, Mutoid Man, Microwave and more! Spend an evening with Kevin Smith at the Atlanta Improv Comedy Club! Jam on down to the Red Light Café for the 2nd Annual End of Days Between: A Jerry Garcia Celebration, featuring the Captain Midnight Band, Gr8fuldude & Frenz, Webster, Alex & Todd and the Elegant Bachelors! Get psyched at Park Tavern with T. Hardy Morris and the Roadkill Ghost Choir! Blues it up with Steve the Blues Dude at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! And get sweet and low down blues-style at the Northside Tavern with Uncle Sugar!

Ongoing

Georgia Ensemble Theatre presents “Almost Heaven: John Denver’s America”, through Aug. 8! (LAST CHANCE!)

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

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

Tori Rodriguez unleashed this past week, the first in a series of Bettie Page fitness videos, “Bettie Page Fitness: Total Body Strength & Cardio” on DVD (digital version also available), which can be purchased on the Bettie Page Fitness website. Tori, local psychotherapist, wellness coach, freelance journalist, singer-songwriter (as Aneles) and all-around Bettie aficionado, is the social media editor for several Bettie Page (1923-2008) websites including BettiePage. Three more videos are on the horizon, so shake a tail feather and keep your eyes peeled! For a peep show of stills from the first video, take a peek here.

Experiencing Mary Harron’s 2005 film, THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE for the first time ignited the unquenchable flame leading Rodriguez to becoming enraptured with the life of Ms. Page. Not only has Rodriguez written oodles of articles exploring the life, times and images of history’s notorious bombshell Pin-Up [“The Pin-Up Model’s Guide to Body Confidence” – REFINERY29, Feb. 2015; “Male Fans Made Bettie Page a Star, but Female Fans Made Her an Icon” – THE ATLANTIC, Jan. 2014, just to name a few], she’s also worked alongside Academy Award-nominated director, Mark Mori, during Atlanta’s kick-off screening of his documentary, BETTIE PAGE REVEALS ALL (2012). Mori’s documentary headlined Rodriguez’s BettieFest at The Plaza Theatre in December 2013, which also included her debut tribute to Bettie Page, “Bettie Loved.” Rodriguez’s current Bettie-venture, and labor of love, Bettie Page Fitness, encompasses a desire to reinforce positive body image while stepping away from conventional female role labeling and embracing Ms. Page’s ability to reconfigure and redefine societal views on health and beauty.

ATLRetro caught up with Tori Rodriguez for a quick interview about her Bettie Page affection; her new series of “body-positive” Bettie Page fitness videos; working with Academy Award-nominated director, Mark Mori; and the influence Bettie has had on the life of women in the past and present.

ATLRetro: We see that you are an all-out Bettie Page lover, and who wouldn’t be? She was gorgeous, ferocious, independent and strong! Can you tell our readers a little about your first introduction to the “Queen of Pin-Ups”?

Tori Rodriguez: A dear friend who knows me well, who knows I have thing for radical women, suggested we watch THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE, in which Bettie is played by Gretchen Mol. Immediately after watching it, I started learning everything I could about the real Bettie–and of course, she was even more mind-blowing than the movie demonstrated, though I think Mol did an excellent job.

You wrote an article for THE ATLANTIC titled “Male Fans Made Bettie Page a Star but Female Fans Made Her an Icon.” What do you think Bettie symbolizes to women then and now?

I don’t think many women back then knew about Bettie, because they generally didn’t have access to the men’s mags she appeared in. But today she represents all those wonderful traits you mentioned, and she’s so free, confident, authentic and joyful. All of those are things that people struggle with, so it’s compelling to see a counterexample to what we assume is normal and inevitable. She’s also insanely hot, but still imperfect–a little cellulite here and there, bags under the eyes at times, imperfect teeth by today’s standards–which makes her confidence even more inspiring! And it reminds us that we can also be beautiful even in our imperfection. It’s more about how you embrace and work with what you’re blessed to have.

Why do you think her popularity has only increased over time?

I think it’s because those traits are timeless and universally appealing. One of the most important ways in which Bettie is inspiring is that she rejects false dichotomies–the commonly promoted and accepted notion that women can only be one thing or the other. She’s strong and soft, sexy and sweet, smart and silly, sexual and virtuous; all kinds of seemingly conflicting roles. So, in fact, we can be both, neither, everything, at different times. And she’s always so sure about whatever she’s doing–even when it’s like, “Who would ever think of doing that?!” Ha!

Would you say that the widespread burlesque revival, rife with “liberated sexuality” and “unflinching body positivity,” has kept Bettie in the limelight longer than most sex symbols/icons of her day? And why?

That’s a good question, and I’d be curious to know more about that. I do know that, yes, many in the burlesque community absolutely love Bettie and definitely support her legacy. I think she stands out and her legacy endures because of those unique characteristics mentioned above, and because of her depth and range of expression compared with, really, any other model ever.

Who, besides Bettie, are your other vintage role models?

Of course there’s Marilyn Monroe, who I know much less about, but plan to learn more. I do know she was much smarter and more interesting than people might imagine. I adore funk singer and producer Betty Davis, ex-wife of Miles Davis, who influenced changes in his sound and look. I’m a complete and utter fanatic for Jackie Wilson; he’s a huge influence on me as a singer.

In December 2013, your alias/band, Aneles, released its first single, “Bettie Loved,” through Sneer Records, which was performed live at Atlanta’s screening of Academy Award-nominated director, Mark Mori’s BETTIE PAGE REVEALS ALL. Can you tell our readers a little about the song and its importance?

It’s funny you ask because the song plays during the credits at the end of the workout in my video! It was such a huge honor getting to sing it at the screening of BETTIE PAGE REVEALS ALL. It all started when I learned that Bettie loved Western movies, and for some reason I thought “Bettie loved Westerns” (which is the first line of the chorus) would be a cool, simple line that would capture something specific and colorful about her personality. I wrote the whole song from there – lyrics, melody, vocal arrangement – and I felt compelled to make it a true tribute song, a bio in a nutshell that, if someone hears it now or in a hundred years, they’ll have a clear idea of who she was and why she was and is important, especially to and for women. I was fortunate to get to meet with Mori around that time, who has always supported and helped facilitate all my Bettie-related projects, starting with letting me create BettieFest, which I organized around the screening of BETTIE PAGE REVEALS ALL. It’s a documentary about Bettie’s life, which she narrates. It’s captivating and visually stunning – nonstop photos of Bettie, many of them previously unreleased – and it really captures her personality and spirit, while giving her the opportunity to tell the story that had only been told on her behalf.

Will there be additional Bettie-inspired tunes in the future?

I’m sure I will write more Bettie-inspired songs in the future!

Photo by Wayne Ackerson

The first video in the Bettie Page Fitness series, “Bettie Page Fitness: Total Body Strength & Cardio” will be available on DVD on August 4. Can you tell our readers a little about the workout and what to expect with the workout?

Amazingly, production finished ahead of schedule, so I released the DVD this past week! When I designed the workout, I based each move around specific photos of Bettie–all of which appear in the video. She’s either doing an exercise move or just a pose that resembles one. I also incorporated lots of moves and tips to work toward the excellent posture, balance and core strength that she had. Viewers will get a fun and challenging total body workout while being encouraged and entertained with photos of Bettie throughout.

How many videos will be in the series? And how can our readers get a copy of the DVD so they can empower themselves, Bettie-style?

I don’t know how many videos there will ultimately be in the series, but I already have three more planned. I’m strongly leaning toward yoga for the next one; inspired by this article I wrote about Bettie and yoga in June 2014, for “You Beauty”, which you can read here. Readers can order the DVD or digital version of the video at Bettie Page Fitness.

You state that your workout videos embody a “body-positive workout,” inspired by Ms. Page. Can you explain a little about what this means and give a little detail about Bettie’s views on body image?

It’s a body-positive workout in several ways. One is that I encourage viewers to respect their body’s limits, to challenge themselves but not overdo it. The point is to be healthy, feel alive and enjoy our bodies like Bettie was and did and not to punish or push ourselves too hard. It’s also body-positive in that the point is not to look like her or anyone else, but to be inspired by her to be the best version of ourselves. I haven’t read anything about Bettie’s view on body image specifically, but she’s known for defending nudity as natural, and she loved to take naked “air baths” as she called them!

Pin-Up Tori Rodriguez, Photo by Bettina May

What’s next for Tori Rodriguez?

In addition to making more Bettie Page Fitness videos, I’ll continue in my roles as psychotherapist and wellness coach, freelance journalist, blogger and social media editor for the BettiePage website and related sites, and singer-songwriter… and I’m sure I’ll find more pursuits to have fun with!

Anything else you’d like to tell ATLRetro readers about yourself and your loyalty, appreciation and love of Bettie Page?

I take great pleasure and privilege in finding new ways to honor Bettie’s life and legacy, and I hope everyone enjoys my labors of love!

All photos courtesy of Tori Rodriguez and used with permission. Photos of Bettie Page used with permission by CMG Worldwide.

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor

Come see what’s on the Retro menu this week! Retro Atlanta is the Kat’s meow, so come on out and see what we’ve dug up for you! We’ve got a whole lot of old-school rock ‘n’ blues, classic cinema galore, all the shakin’ shenanigans your little ol’ heart could ever want and so much more! So come on out and rock out Retro-style!

Monday, July 27

Blind Willie’s dishes out Domino and their Van Morrison tribute! Skye Paige, “Queen of Slide Guitar” rocks out at the Little Vinyl Lounge! Or 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!’ Join Blast-Off Burlesque as they start your week off right with a night of adults-only trivia, at the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club, every Monday night at 8:30pm! Truett Lollis delivers a night of blues and soul at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues in Marietta! Boogie on down to the Northside Tavern and spend an evening with Lola at her famous Monday Night Northside Jam! Get folksy with Jamie Laval at Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs! And blues on down to Fat Matt’s Rib Shack for a taste of the Pork Belly’s and a plate full ‘o finger lickin’ BBQ!

Tuesday, July 28

It’s sci-fi madness at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema’s “Tuesday Sci-Fi Classics” series, so get really retro with their screening of Fritz Lang’s METROPOLIS (1927) at 7pm! It’s a night of rockin’ blues at Smith’s Olde Bar with Kool Kat Rod Hamdallah, Jessica Lee Wilkes (The Dirt Daubers) and Think Never! Catch Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise’s WEST SIDE STORY (1961) at Movies ATL 14! Get to the root of it all with Joe McGuinness at Blind Willie’s! Get the blues with the Cody Matlock Band at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues! The Star Bar delivers a night of retro shenanigans with their ‘80s Dance Night! Surf on downstairs at The Star Bar to a hidden paradise, in the Little Vinyl Lounge, for Summertime Tuesdays with Poolboy Pietro and Chase the Chum-Man Taylor! Blues it up with JT Speed at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Jam it up with Joe Gransden and his jazz jam session at Twain’s in Decatur every Tuesday at 9 pm! And as always, The Entertainment Crackers get bluesy with their folksy Americana at the Northside Tavern!

Wednesday, July 29

Get cookin’ with some low-down and dirty blues with Bill “Sauce Boss” Wharton and Kool Kat Sen. Artie Mondello at Eddie’s Attic! Or celebrate 20 years of Amy Heckerling’s ‘90s flick, CLUELESS (1995) at The Plaza Theater! Get your ‘80s German industrial fix at the Variety Playhouse with KMFDM! Jazz it up with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga at Chastain Park! Get some rhythm and soul and rock ‘n’ roll with The Hollidays at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Blues it up with Little G. Weevil at Blind Willie’s! It’s a hootenanny and a half at The Star Bar with their Cowboy Karaoke event, featuring live-band old-time country and western tunes! 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, July 30

It’s a wild ruckus at The Star Bar with Buffalo Ruckus, Mason Lutz & the Fuzz and The Ain’t Sisters! Or get old-timey and rock out with I want Whisky, The Hollow Ends and Blood on the Harp at 529! Faith No More and Refused dish out a night of hardcore rock at the Masquerade! Don’t cross the streams at the Fox Theatre during their 2015 Coca Cola Film Festival screening of Ivan Reitman’s ‘80s classic, GHOSTBUSTERS (1984) at 7:30pm! A night of hilarity ensues at Atlantic Station with their screening of Jim Abraham, Jerry Zucker and David Zucker’s AIRPLANE! (1980) at dusk, during their Movies in Central Park series! Bluegrass it up with Circus Mutt and The Maggie Valley Band at the Red Light Café! Make your way to the Georgia Ensemble Theatre for their presentation of “Almost Heaven: John Denver’s America”, playing Thurs. /Fri. /Sat. through Aug. 8! It’s Mai Tai Thursday, so surf on down to Trader Vic’s for some cool island tunes and a few cocktails! Get down and dirty with Beverly “Guitar” Watkins 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! Darwin’s Burgers & Blues gets down and dirty at their Blues Jam hosted by The Cazanovas! Get your boogie on at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack, as Chickenshack featuring Eddie Tigner, delivers some honky-tonk blues! And as always, get your boogie on at Mary’s, as the East Atlanta venue gets funky with their weekly Disco in the Village.

Friday, July 31

The Star Bar delivers a night of down and dirty blues ‘n’ rock with Kool Kats The Blackfoot Gypsies, the Stacktone Slims and Sydney Eloise & The Palms! Or get some ‘60s neotropical pop ‘n’ jazz at The Earl with Adron, Kenosha Kid and Frosted Orange! Get rockin’ roots-style with the Donna Hopkins Band, Come Back Alice and Johnny & the Loveseats at Smith’s Olde Bar! The Crimson Moon Café gets jazzy with Miss Tess & the Talkbacks! Hula on down to Famous Pub for RITUAL’s Tiki Party! Make your way to the Toco Hill-Avis G. Williams Library for their screening of Alfonso Arau’s LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE (1992) at 1:30pm! Rock out with The Clermonts at the Red Light Café! Stomp on down to Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs for a night with Hannah Thomas! Swami Gone Bananas dishes out some ‘70s psychedelia at Hottie Hawgs BBQ! Get low-down with Beverly “Guitar” Watkins at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Blues it up with Eddie Shaw & the Wolfgang at Blind Willie’s! Or make your way to the Northside Tavern as Danny ‘Mudcat’ Dudeck fires it up with his rockin’ blues! Get some soul with the Jeff Jensen Band at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues! 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, August 1

Get some space ‘n’ psyche rock with Kool Kat Amber Taylor (Sexual Side-Effects), along with E.Q.O and Millennial at Smith’s Olde Bar! Catch Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones’ hilarious classic, MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (1975) at the Aurora Cineplex at 11:59pm! The Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre presents “Remember When Rock Was Young”, an Elton John tribute, with Craig A. Meyer and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra! Get old-timey with Scarlett Hill (CD Release) and Cold Heart Canyon at Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs, followed by Tribute! Folk it up with The Old Ceremony, The Good Graces and Mountain Party at The Earl! Rock out with Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ and Cracker at Eddie’s Attic! Or get funky with Funk You and CBDB at Terminal West! Pandora’s Box pays tribute to Aerosmith at the 120 Tavern and Music Hall! Or make your way to the Northside Tavern as Danny ‘Mudcat’ Dudeck fires it up with his rockin’ blues! House Rocker Johnson & the Shadows gets down and dirty at Blind Willie’s! Blues it up with Little G. Weevil at Darwin’s Burgers & 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, August 2

The hills are alive at the Fox Theatre with their screening of Robert Wise’s classic, THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965), during their 2015 Coca Cola Film Festival, at 1pm! It’s prohibition-era pandemonium at Park Tavern with Kool Kat Blair Crimmins & the Hookers, Cicada Rhythm and Banditos! Get your old country fix with Merle Haggard at the Buckhead Theatre! Rock out with Fly Golden Eagle and Tedo Stone at The Earl! The 8th Annual Jerry Day celebration invades Terminal West with the Rumpke Mountain Boys, the Lefty Williams Band, Deep Blue Sun, Escape Vehicle, Moontower, Electric Codpiece, Honeywood, the Charlie Fog Band and Gr8fuldude & Frenz! Or skank on down to the Masquerade for a night with The English Beat and Hermits of Suburbia! Blues it up with Fat Back Deluxe at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Rock on down to the Crimson Moon Café for their Boomers Gone Wild event, delivering a night of ‘60s and ‘70s covers! And get sweet and low down blues-style at the Northside Tavern with Uncle Sugar!

Ongoing

Georgia Ensemble Theatre presents “Almost Heaven: John Denver’s America”, through Aug. 8!

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

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

The Star Bar delivers Stomp & Stammer’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia at 8pm, every Tuesday!

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.

Don’t expect any S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y N-I-G-H-T choruses at the Ray City Rollers‘ gig on July 24 at Steve’s Live Music. Not only is it Friday but Ray Dafrico‘s latest band owes more to The Kinks, The Who and The Stones, although despite his many years toughed out in a black leather jacket, he does admit an affection for the bubblegum rock of the ’60s and ’70s.

Ray is no stranger to Atlanta’s music scene. The last time we talked to the singer/songwriter/guitarist, he’d finished up a documentary,THE NIGHTPORTERS: TELL IT LIKE IT IS, about the early 1980s legendary Atlanta punk-alternative band which he cofounded. Born in New York City, Ray’s family moved around a lot, finally ending up in Roswell. Suburban boredom nurtured a restless among high school friends/musicians which spawned The Nightporters. They moved intown to Pershing Point, a now-demolished decrepit apartment building where Atlanta’s punk rock scene lodged and practiced, got their start at the notorious Blue Rat Gallery and became regulars at 688. They then proceeded to tour widely, including many New York gigs and opening for myriad alt-rock headliners from The Replacements, who became friends and slept on Ray’s floor, to The Clash‘s riotous concert at The Fox Theatre. This Friday’s show will reunite Dafrico with Nightporters drummer Paul Lenz, who has joined the Rollers and also has drummed for Drivin’ N Cryin’. Ray also played in Kathleen Turner Overdrive.

In other words, Ray’s one Kool Kat of the Week that’s way, way overdue. Because that was then and this is now, we concentrated on his current band, but we couldn’t resist the urge to ask him about what’s spinning on his turntable. Yeah, turntable.

ATLRetro: Your new band is the Ray City Rollers. What’s your secret origin story?

Ray Dafrico: Well, my solo bands have kind of been like the same band with different people. I have this pet peeve that you have to change the band name if someone leaves unlike most people who fight to keep using a name even though it’s not really the same band like So and So starring but only one of the original members. In my mind, I’m a purist not a tourist, so my bands, Shades of Shame, Kickstand, Soulfinger, etc., are really one band with different names. The Ray City Rollers were named so because I was going to just call it Ray Dafrico like a solo act with a band. But nobody can pronounce my last name right, so in the tradition of Kathleen Turner Overdrive – another band name I thought up – I just created some goofy name that I thought was hilarious. The only problem is people think it’s some kind of tribute band! I’ve actually had people say to me,”oh yeah, I remember you guys,”  and I have to say, no, it’s not the BAY City Rollers! Sometimes I don’t say anything to make them think I’m some rock star or something.

So how important were the Bay City Rollers to your life?

I actually saw The Rollers in 1976. I thought they were great. I think I was the only guy there not wearing tartan and screaming. (laughs) Everybody says S-a-t-u-r, which I loved but “Money Honey” and “Rock and Roll Love Letter” were right up there. Woody had a punky shag and played a Telecaster, so what’s not to like? Not sure if a lot of people know The Ramones were also influenced by them and were trying to sound like them.

OK, really, you’re known for punk rock but you talk a lot about The Kinks, The Who, The Stones. Why the staying power for those bands for you? Was it a moment in time or are there any bands out there today who come close?

Well, after The Partridge Family and Bay City Rollers, those were the bands that I really go into. They took it up a level, quite a few levels actually. The combination of songs, image and raw energy by those ’60s English bands kinda defines Rock ‘n’ Roll to me. I was always an Anglophile even as a little kid. I used to watch THE THUNDERBIRDS, CAPTAIN SCARLET and THE DOUBLE DECKERS, so the bands were an extension of that, I think. Then I saw QUADROPHENIA and became a Mod when I was 17. Once you’re a Mod, you’re a Mod for life. I was into punk rock but always hated hardcore and all that Oi/Mohawk crap. Punk to me was ’70s style which was more like a Powerpop/Chuck Berry kinda thing.

As far as new bands, I try not to be a crotchety old man and say “all new music is crap” – which I do say from time to time (laughs) – but it is difficult to find music that really moves me. Fountains of Wayne are one of those bands. I like The Wonder Stuff,  Spiritualized, Beth Orton, The Strypes, JET, The Mooney Suzuki, April March, Black Joe Lewis, etc. I’m pretty open-minded so I like all kinds of styles of music, but at the same time I know what I like when I hear it and instantly know when I don’t like it. Occasionally something will grow on me over time like any new Stones record. I won’t like it when it comes out, and then five years later it’s one of my faves!

How does the Ray City Rollers differ from your previous bands like The Nightporters and Kathleen Turner Overdrive? Do you have a musical manifesto?

Well, I was co-writer in the Porters and wrote half the songs in KTO. But with The Rollers and my other bands, it’s more focused and closer to how I hear the music in my head and I have more say as to how  to make it happen. My musical manifesto is a quote from Mike Campbell: “Don’t bore us, get to the chorus”!

Ray City Rollers’ first album BABYLON BLUES (released in 2014) got a warm critical reception. Are you working on any new songs? A new album?

Yeah, it did. We didn’t press that many, although we’ve just made more. The feedback it received was great. It got a lot of online airplay, not sure about who else was playing it on the radio. I think it’s the best recording I’ve done so far, and I’m my worst critic so that’s saying something! I have a backlog of about three CDs worth of material, so I am always writing, but it’s difficult because you have to show the songs to the people who are playing with you. So they are new songs to them, but for me they feel ancient. When I play with new people, it’s great because I am reminded of how good they are, and they change depending on who I am playing them with.

You have been doing some covers also, at least at past gigs. What criteria do you have for the covers you play?

 I like to do obscure covers to test to see if people know its a cover or not. (laughs) I just do ones that I think are cool and are fairly easy to learn. We were doing stuff like “Come on Down to My Boat” by Every Mother’s Son and “Things Get Better” by Eddie Floyd. I really love Stax/Volt soul stuff and bubblegum pop

You’ve been touring a bit–California last year and you were recently in NC. Good to see you back in Atlanta. Any special plans for your gig the Steve’s Live Music?

Yeah, Steve’s will be Paul’s first Atlanta show with us and his birthday! We will also have Dave Biemiller on keyboards. I’ve been looking forever for a good keyboard player and I think I’ve found him. My songs are written with keys in mind, and the sound I’ve been trying to get for The Rollers is original with textures a la The Small Faces, The Attractions and The Band. The funny thing is Dave is my daughter’s boyfriend’s Dad. It’s small world after all. Maybe we should cover that.

The Nightporters reunited for a benefit concert for Kat Peters last winter at The Star Bar. What’s it like playing with Paul again and any plans for another reunion show?

Playing with Paul is great. It’s like riding a bike with us. Telepathic in fact because the Nightporters played so much back then. We were also Michelle Malone‘s rhyhm section in the first Drag The River. Paul’s style and and energy has added a lot to the band. The other thing is we understand each others’ jokes and sense of humor and that is important. The door is always open for Porters shows, we had a good time and sounded great at the benefit, so if something comes up and schedules permit, we could do more shows.

Are you up to anything else? Solo projects? Any more film work to follow-up on your Nightporters documentary?

I always have multiple creative things going on but try to focus on one thing at a time. I need to revisit The Porters movie and do an edit and distribution at some point. I’m always doing photography, film/video stuff  and always thinking about doing solo acoustic shows, but I prefer with a band so I tend to talk more about that than actually doing it! Another thing I’ve been considering is DJing or doing a radio or podcast show.

What are you listening to right now?

Well, Julie London on youtube; she’s a sultry dish! I have an addiction to thrift stores and try my best not to go to them, but wind up going in and buying a stack of LPs. Currently on my turntable: Soundtracks to THE IPCRESS FILE (1965), LADY IN CEMENT (1968) and THE GIRL FROM U.N.C.L.E. TV series, The Osmonds’ PHASE III, THE COUNTRY SIDE OF JIM REEVES, Mott the Hoople‘s first, Richard Pryor, BAD LUCK STREAK IN DANCING SCHOOL by Warren Zevon and GERRI MULLIGAN MEETS STAN GETZ. 

Facebook Event Page for Friday July 24 show here. 

All photographs are courtesy of Ray Dafrico and used with permission.

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor

Retro Atlanta delivers a week of rockin’ shenanigans and a cornucopia of Kool Kats galore! Get off the couch, boogie down, shake a tail feather and see what we’ve found for you this week!

Monday, July 20

Get scandalous with a screening of Billy Wilder’s classic film noir DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944) in theatres across the Atlanta area at 2 pm and 7pm [Hollywood Stadium 24 in Chamblee, Perimeter Pointe 10; AMC Sugarloaf Mills 18 in Lawrenceville; AMC Avenue Forsyth 12 in Cumming; AMC Barrett Commons 24 in Kennesaw; AMC Southlake 24 in Morrow; Regal McDonough Stadium 16; Cinemark Tinseltown 17 in Fayetteville; and Georgian Stadium in Newnan]! Blues it up with Fat Back Deluxe at Blind Willie’s! Skye Paige, “Queen of Slide Guitar” rocks out at the Little Vinyl Lounge! 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! Join Blast-Off Burlesque as they start your week off right with a night of adults-only trivia, at the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club, every Monday night at 8:30pm! Truett Lollis delivers a night of blues and soul at Darwin’s Burgers & Blues in Marietta! Boogie on down to the Northside Tavern and spend an evening with Lola at her famous Monday Night Northside Jam! Get folksy with Jamie Laval at Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs! And blues on down to Fat Matt’s Rib Shack for a taste of the Pork Belly’s and a plate full ‘o finger lickin’ BBQ!

Tuesday, July 21

It’s sci-fi madness at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema’s “Tuesday Sci-Fi Classics” series, so come on out for their screening of Michael Radford’s 1984 (1984) at 7pm! Or feel the need for speed at the Northlake Festival Movie Tavern’s screening of Tony Scott’s TOP GUN (1986) during their “Classic Films on the Big Screen” series at 7:30! Get old-school at the Decatur Library with their screening of John Ford’s classic, SHE WORE A YELLOW DRESS (1949) at 9:30am! The Star Bar delivers a night of retro shenanigans with their ‘80s Dance Night! Get the blues with Cadillac Assembly at Blind Willie’s! Surf on downstairs at The Star Bar to a hidden paradise, in the Little Vinyl Lounge, for Summertime Tuesdays with Poolboy Pietro and Chase the Chum-Man Taylor! Blues it up with JT Speed at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Jam it up with Joe Gransden and his jazz jam session at Twain’s in Decatur every Tuesday at 9 pm! And as always, The Entertainment Crackers get bluesy with their folksy Americana at the Northside Tavern!

Wednesday, July 22

Get down and dirty with a whole lotta sleazy rock ‘n’ roll at The Earl with Kool Kat Jayne County & the Electric Queers, Lust and Blast-Off-Burlesque! Make your way to the Highland Inn Ballroom Lounge as SCENE MISSING Presents: Waltlanta, featuring music, comedy and all around shenanigans based on Disney films and music by Noel Stephen & the Prince Charmings, at 9pm! It’s your second and last chance to catch the Northlake Festival Movie Tavern’s screening of Tony Scott’s TOP GUN (1986) during their “Classic Films on the Big Screen” series at 7:30! Bluegrass it up with the High Strung String Band at the Red Light Café! Get some rhythm and soul and rock ‘n’ roll with The Hollidays at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! The Electromatics dish out the blues at Blind Willie’s! Rock on down to the Masquerade for a night with Jesse Malin, Sodajerk and Don Dilego! It’s a hootenanny and a half at The Star Bar with their Cowboy Karaoke event, featuring live-band old-time country and western tunes! 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, July 23

Rock on down to 529 for Tribute Night with The Cherry Bomb (Joan Jett), Built For Speed (Motorhead) and T’NT (AC/DC)! Or catch the BadAsh AllStar Team delivering their Steely Dan Tribute Jam at Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs! Get your rock ‘n’ folk fix at The Earl with The Ike Reilly Assassination, Blake Rainey & His Demons and Ben Trickey! Or get to the root of it all at the Red Light Café with Mystery Loves Company, Brit La Palm and Francesco! Make your way to Atlantic Station for their Movies in Central Park series’ screening of Stephen Herek’s 101 DALMATIONS (1996) at dusk! It’s Mai Tai Thursday, so surf on down to Trader Vic’s for a beach party that is Kool Kat Joshua Longino and The Disapyramids! Sweet Betty & The Shadows dish get down and dirty 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! Darwin’s Burgers & Blues gets down and dirty at their Blues Jam hosted by The Cazanovas! Get your boogie on at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack, as Chickenshack featuring Eddie Tigner, delivers some honky-tonk blues! And as always, get your boogie on at Mary’s, as the East Atlanta venue gets funky with their weekly Disco in the Village.

Friday, July 24

Get horrorfied and rock on down to The Star Bar for a night with Six Shot Revival, Slick, Calabrese and Kool Kats The Casket Creatures! Or get your garage rock fix with Kool Kat Ray Dafrico and the Ray City Rollers with Georgia Slim at Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs! Swing on down to the Red Light Café for Atlanta Speakeasy Electroswing with DJ Doctor Q, featuring performances by Pixie-Vixen, Sunshine Divine, Ariel Allegro and headliner Kool Kat Lola LeSoleil! Rock out with Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ at Peachtree Park in Chamblee! Stomp on down to the Elliott Street Pub for a night with The Punknecks! The Agape Players present Irving Berlin’s “Annie Get Your Gun” at the Gwinnett Center through July 26! Get your smooth rock fix with Yacht Rock Revue at Park Tavern! Get your Ska and reggae fix at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s Martinis and IMAX event with Lowdive! Get the blues with Frankie’s Blues Mission at the Northside Tavern! Blues it up with Atlanta Boogie at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! House Rocker Johnson & the Shadows gets down and dirty 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, July 25

Rev it up at The Rockabilly Reckoning, rockin’ out at the B3 Bar & Grill with car contests, pin-up contests, retro vendors and performances by Koffin Kats, Kool Kat Hot Rod Walt & the Psycho-Devilles, The Krank Daddies, Atomic Boogie, McPherson Struts, The Go Devils and so much more! Or join the walking dead during the 6th Annual Zombie Pub Crawl, hosted by Diesel Filling Station! Get extraterrestrial at SCADShow with their screening of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. (1982) at 7pm! Or get your horror sci-fi fix at the Center for Puppetry Arts with their screening of John Carpenter’s THE THING (1982) at 8pm! Meet some new ghostly pals at the Historic Oakland Cemetery during their History, Mystery and Mayhem tours! Get your jazz ‘n’ spoken work fix at the Red Light Café with The Upbeatniks featuring Kodac Harrison! Blues it up hootenanny-style with Danny ‘Mudcat’ Dudeck, The Wayward Souls and Chickens and Pigs at The Earl! Or rock out at The Star Bar with The Locksmyth, The Boy Jones, Springwild and Johnny Deferred Payment! Boogie down with the Susi French Connection for two shows at Eddie’s Attic! Or put on those dancin’ shoes and get ready for a night of retro rock, Motown, funk, Big Band and more at The Basement for Electric Western’s Keep on Movin’ Rock and Soul Dance Party! Stomp on down to Nik’s Place in Marietta for a night with Caleb Warren & the Perfect Gentlemen! Kool Kat VJ Anthony delivers his Clash of the Decades dance party at Opera Nightclub! ATL Collective presents Paul Simons’ “Graceland” at Terminal West! The Entertainment Crackers get bluesy with their folksy Americana at The Family Dog! Get down and dirty with Beverly “Guitar” Watkins at Blind Willie’s! The Dirty Doors rock out at Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs! The Electromatics dish out their Chicago and West Coast blues at the Northside Tavern! 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, July 26

Jazz it up with Deb Bowman at Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs! Or skank on down to the Masquerade for the Ska Revival Tour 2015 in Heaven, featuring The A-OKs, Be Like Max, The Taj Motel Trio and Crabhammer! Or rock out with the Protomen and Hans Condor in Hell! Get revived as The Dustbowl Revival dishes out a night of Americana, swing and bluegrass at the Red Clay Theatre! Blues it up with Fat Back Deluxe at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack! Swami Gone Bananas gets psychedelic at Hottie Hawgs BBQ! And get sweet and low down blues-style at the Northside Tavern with Uncle Sugar!

Ongoing

The Earl Smith Strand Theatre doo-wops it up with The Motown Sound through July 26! (LAST CHANCE!)

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

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

The Star Bar delivers Stomp & Stammer’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia at 8pm, every Tuesday!

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.