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What was your favorite holiday concert of 2009? Ours (other than our own X-Mix of course!) was Star 94's Jingle Jam at Gwinnett Arena with The Fray, Jordin Sparks, Justin Bieber, Leona Lewis, Cobra Starship, & Owl City. Mixtape Atlanta takes you backstage into the action! Check out all the photos here.
Mixtape Atlanta Photo Booth + Yacht Rock Holiday Show = Missed Connection? Apparently! Check out this post on Craigslist last week:
You offered to take a cheesy pic with me in the beer line- you held a pink flamingo and I held a plastic reindeer and a brandy glass :).See if you can find the couple that fits this description in our photo booth pictures from the holiday show and help Mixtape Atlanta and Yacht Rock make a missed connection! How about we throw a contest in there too? If you know the guy and can put us in touch with him, then shoot us an email at [email protected] and you'll win a pair of tickets to Yacht Rock's next show at Andrews Upstairs on January 15th! Who knows... maybe this couple could reconnect yachty style at their next show too!I NEVER EVER do this, but you were adorable and fun, so why not! Hope we meet again!
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, or all the above, this time of year provides for some great entertainment…and not just from tipsy coworkers at the office holiday party. At Mixtape Atlanta, we have compiled our top Wintertime movies and music that we rely on to get us in the holiday spirit.
Saturday, December 19, Mixtape Atlanta invaded Star Bar for the first annual X-Mix 2009. The popular Little Five Points venue was packed with an energetic crowd ready to hear some great music and celebrate the holidays. DJ Patrick Scott provided danceable hits between bands and kept spinning into the early morning hours for the ain't-no-stoppin' partiers. Club Awesome kicked off the live music portion of the event followed by special holiday performances by Renegade Jane, Trae Vedder (Death on Two Wheels), Nick Niespodziani (Yacht Rock Revue, Y.O.U.), and a fantastic collaboration between Corinne Lee (Snowden) and James Hall. Headliners The Greater Vavoom got everyone on the dance floor with their electric set full of their signature funky, pop, rock hits. Dirty Pollyanna closed the onstage performances with a dynamic couple songs that were a present to everyone. While the music and fun never stopped upstairs, Santa kept it questionable with the Dames Aflame and other photo booth guests.
On Friday, December 18, The Yacht Rock Revue sailed past usual venues 10 High and East Andrews to perform before a sold-out crowd at Variety Playhouse. The local Sultans of Smooth brought their trademark style, moves, and soft rock standards to entertain an energetic crowd for nearly three hours. The core bands members, special guests, and a vibrant stage design transformed the Little Five Points landmark into a Las Vegas style show that never dulled. Generous audience members that donated to the Atlanta Community Food Bank got a special yachty, holiday photo in Mixtape Atlanta's photo booth. Check out photo booth and show photos here.
As 2009 draws to a close, publications and media outlets are issuing their yearly countdowns of the best and worst of this year’s music and movies. Local Alternative Rock Radio station and X-Mix sponsor, 99x has compiled a list of the Top 9 Alternative Albums of 2009 from their own on-air talent and Atlanta music tastemakers, including Mixtape Atlanta! Check out Kim from Mixtape’s picks for 99x’s Top 9 of 2009.
X-Mix 2009 is rapidly approaching! In just a few short days, Star Bar will be full of X-Mix cheer and an amazing lineup anchored by The Greater Vavoom. It is hard to imagine a stronger set of performers, but we have a new addition that will be sure to rock some holiday songs like never before. Death on Two Wheels' Trae Vetter will be stopping by the X-Mix stage to perform two holiday songs with a twist. How can you miss this show? Also, don't forget to buy your toy to donate to Toys for Tots toy drive and for a discounted cover of only $5!
Atlanta’s Family Force 5 has been dazzling crowds across the country with their energetic stage shows for years. From frequent appearances on Warped Tour to their recent concert at Center Stage, the band always shows their hometown Atlanta lots of love. Recently Derek Mount (aka ChapStique) chatted with Mixtape Atlanta about the band’s favorite local hot spots, their own krunked-out carols, and their new album, Christmas Pageant.
As Switchfoot takes the stage at Center Stage on November 24, Jon Foreman, the front man, is missing. The band starts playing the first tune off their newly released album,
Hello Hurricane, and after a lengthy intro, the spotlight finally shines
in the middle of the aisle. The crowd turns as Foreman sings the song from the
back of the room, while fans huddle nearby. As the band blasts through the
opener, Foreman makes his way down the aisle, straight through the fans
crowding at the pit. It's a trick that's been done before, but its sole
purpose is not to test the acoustical effects of singing from the back of the
room, it's an attempt to relate to the audience. Switchfoot does this well, and
uses this method not only at the beginning of the show, but ventures through
the mass of people several times throughout the night. It doesn't come off as
cheesy or phony; the band really wants to see the fans and is not satisfied
with playing to a dimly lit, dark mass of people.
Mixtape Atlanta's invasion of the Star Bar is rapidly approaching and we have some exciting news!
The Whigs have been a staple in the Athens music scene for years and a favorite at local Atlanta venues. This spring the trio is preparing to release In the Dark, the much-anticipated follow-up to 2008’s Mission Control. Although it has been over a year since their last album release, these guys do not sit still. They have been on a nonstop tour for the past few years playing alongside acts such as Kings of Leon and Band of Horses. This Friday they return to Atlanta’s Variety Playhouse for a must see show featuring old and new hits. Mixtape Atlanta recently chatted with the band’s bass player, Tim Deaux, about The Whigs’ recent highlights, rivalries, and fan John McEnroe.
There is a little bit of friendly poking here and there, but my team tends to win the majority of the time so I try not to rub it in their faces. On game days I’ll sometimes wear a Gator t-shirt and they’ll wear their Bulldog attire; we give each other a hard time.
Not only do The Whigs seem to have been on the road constantly touring the past several years, but you have been sharing the stage with some big acts. How was it touring with Kings of Leon?Those guys have really treated us to a great 2009; the majority of our touring has been with them. I’ve been a fan of their band for a long time and I can’t believe our paths crossed. We met them after a gig the summer before last and we just hit it off. They told us that night that they would love to have us on some bills, but it was at an after party and none of us really believed them. After the first tour we did with them, we didn’t expect the second tour too. We’ve become pretty close with those guys and they’ve had an unbelievable year. To be able to be along for all that fun has been amazing, and playing in front of huge crowds and at large Canadian hockey arenas and Madison Square Garden; those are experiences that will not soon be forgotten.Hopefully this doesn’t sound too much like a James Lipton question, but how was the Madison Garden experience?It was wild. When we saw that on the itinerary for the last date of the tour, we didn’t think it would happen. Since we’ve played there, I’ve seen so many images of it and I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that we got to play in that room and that is how I felt the whole time. Walking down the hallway there was surreal and breathtaking with all its history, nostalgia, and aura; it just seemed to keep going. It was incrediable and we owe a lot to Kings of Leon, and they probably don’t even realize what a treat it was for us. I even met John McEnroe.Did he yell at you? Haha. He was actually extremely friendly. Of course he was there for Kings of Leon, but he told me he caught the last few minutes of our set and he said he enjoyed us. It was awesome.Tell me about the new album In The Dark. I’ve heard the title track, and I can’t get it out of my head; it’s great. After we did another tour in March, we came home and focused on material to be recorded. “In the Dark” was actually one of the last songs we wrote before the studio. Julian and I started on it, because we were working on drum and bass demos and then we gave the demos to Parker. I think it freed Parker up some, because he could immediately start on vocal ideas. He didn’t get distracted working on chord progessions and charting out the guitar first, instead he added guitar last and that was the majority of the way it went. “In The Dark” was one of those drumming jams that we then added vocal and melody to. It was one of the last songs we got in the studio and turned out to be one of our favs.How was it working with producer Ben Allen on the new album? Ben is an old friend and we have known him for a long time. We were throwing names around as to who might produce the new album, and Ben’s name came up between us, because we loved what he did with Gnarls Barkley and Animal Collective, but we never made a phone call. Instead we got a phone call from the label suggesting him. It was a pleasant surprise since we hadn’t communicated it to anyone, and we gave him a call. It was very natural to work with him, especially since he was familiar with us, all our albums, and live shows.What has the reception been to performing the new songs on your current tour? We try to play four or five new ones a night, but it varies night to night. We don’t want to just play new songs, because people bought tickets to see us play and want to hear material they are already familiar with.Do you have anything special planned for your Variety show on December 4? There is no telling. That show will more or less be a homecoming show for us, although we all live in Athens. We might stretch the set out longer than usual, because there will be friends, family and fans that have been with us for a long time. We might have a few more old and new songs. It will be a good mixture of things people know and don’t, but hopefully everyone will know the new ones March 2, 2010 [In The Dark’s release date].If you had to pick one song to be on your ultimate mixtape, what would it be? I’m kind of the guy that goes crazy and head over heels for a song and then wears it out and moves onto the next. Lately I’ve been really into Kris Kristofferson, his “From the Bottom to the Bottle” is currently my favorite song. If I made a mixtape this afternoon, it would be on there. Don’t miss The Whigs show at Variety Playhouse on December 4. Email [email protected] for a chance to win a pair of tickets.Kim Burdges Yesterday we brought you the top picks from Atlanta's premier performers Kingsized Orchestra and Dames Aflame. Today they are sharing their favorite holiday films to help get you in the Holiday spirit and in the mood for their special festive show this Saturday, December 5 at Variety Playhouse. Get tickets!
Happy December! To kick off a month full of holidays Mixtape Atlanta is having a Kingsized week. There is no better way to get into the holiday spirit than attending Big Mike Geier’s Annual Kingsized Holiday Jubilee at Variety Playhouse. Not only does Mike command the stage and belt out tunes that rival the great crooners, but he is joined by some of Atlanta’s most talented dancers. The Dames Aflame Dancers add some sugar to the family celebration with a whole lot of spice. This week we are counting down to Kingsized’s not to be missed show on Satuday, December 5 at Variety Playhouse by bringing you a list of their personal holiday favorites. Check back tomorrow for the group’s top holiday movie picks. Kingsized’s Holiday Jubilee is always quick to sellout so buy your tickets now!
Ultimate Holiday Mixtape Songs: Kingsized Edition
O Tannenbaum (Nat King Cole)- Whenever I hear Nat King Cole’s version of “O Tannenbaum” I am instantly transported back to my childhood Christmas days when I’d steal sips off my dad’s Manhattan as he decorated the tree. Nat King Cole’s album was always a Christmas time staple in the Geier house, and my sister Cathy just reminded me of Dad’s other Christmas time classic album by Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians. -Big Mike Geier, Kingsized Bandleader Silent Night (Klaus Nomi) and O Holy Night (Kingsized)- While anything from the Andy Williams Christmas record makes me nostalgic and misty-eyed for Christmas of my childhood, in my adulthood, I’ve taken a liking to Klaus Nomi’s version of “Silent Night”. It’s so haunting and whimsical at the same time. And in recent years, the Kingsized version of “O Holy Night” has become my number one favorite holiday recording. It has a majestic, reverent quality that gets bigger and bigger until finally the entire band is rocking full out, evoking images of Nick Cave dressed as Santa flying a steam-driven sleigh over the Acropolis on a blizzardy night! -Shannon Newton, Dames Aflame Director A Marshmallow World (Johnny Mathis)- I like this song because you don't hear it often, and I like that the lyrics are silly and sugar-sweet. My Dad had a Johnny Mathis Christmas album that this song was on and it reminds me of how magical Christmas was when I was little. -Luna Luxx, Dames Aflame Dancer and Costumer You’re a Mean One, Mister Grinch (Thurl Ravenscroft)- “You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “Xanadu”...oh, wait..no, that's not Christmas...nevermind. -Wes Funderburk, Kingsized Trombone Fairytale of New York (The Pogues)- My favorite song would have to be “Fairytale of New York”. The outro string melody chokes me up everytime. -R.L. Martin, Kingsized Guitar and Mustache Holly Jolly Christmas (Burl Ives version, makes me warm and fuzzy). Christmas Song (Mel Torme version......only!). I Belive in Father Christmas (Greg Lake. Just a cool tune). Silent Night (when my Mom sang it) -Paul Garrett, Kingsized Trumpet Here Comes Frannie Claus (Francine Reed)- Just because of the title and the fact that her face is draw in cartoon-style with a Santa hat on the cover. Mannheim Steamroller Christmas- Growing up, everyone in my family had this CD and would spin in on repeat all day Christmas Eve AND Christmas day. So no matter where we celebrated this was what we heard. It would just play over and over and over again. I grew to love it, then grew to hate it, but whatever mood I'm in it's the soundtrack to my childhood Christmases. -Will Scruggs, Kingsized Sax What’s This? (The Nightmare Before Christmas) and Carol of the Bells- Halloween is my favorite holiday over Christmas, so that’s probably why I’m drawn to The Nightmare Before Christmas. I also must admit I like "Carol of the Bells," because it's dark and scary even for a holiday song. -Buttercup, Dames Aflame Showgirl and resident Goth!
