Mixtape Atlanta

Send Ben To London

Last year, Atlanta's own Rudy Vaughn was chosen as the national winner of Hard Rock's Ambassadors of Rock competition and was sent to London to perform at the historic Hyde Park in front of 40,000 fans as well as share the stage with legends such as Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews Band, Neil Young, and more. This year, Atlanta has another opportunity to send one of our most talented musicians to London to perform on the same stage as Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, and more at Hard Rock Calling at London's Hyde Park. Ben Deignan won the Atlanta round of Hard Rock's competition and he is now in the finals! The winner will be selected by whomever wins the online poll. Ben is currently half-way there, but he needs your vote. Please visit SendBenToLondon.com and vote for Ben! Each online vote sends an email to the address entered, and the vote is not counted until you click the confirmation link in the validation email, so be sure to check your email after you vote. Online voting continues until June 6 so start voting now! Let's continue to make Atlanta know as the city that presents the best young talent to London.

The Fat Boy Chronicles ATL Premiere

Mixtape Atlanta and Tin Roof Films are excited to announce the Atlanta premiere of the feature film- The Fat Boy Chronicles- on Wednesday, June 30 at The Plaza Theatre. Based on a true story and book by the same name, The Fat Boy Chronicles tackles issues of childhood obesity and bullying through the eyes of a charismatic young man named Jimmy. The movie also features music by some of Atlanta's most popular bands including Y O U, The Greater Vavoom, All Get Out, Weapons of Audio, The Judies, Club Awesome, Modern Skirts, The Empties, Mermaids, The Kicks, Death on Two Wheels, Stellate, and more!

Immediately after the premiere, don't miss the after-party/ concert at Vinyl featuring All Get Out and Weapons of Audio. Tickets are $15 and include admission to movie premiere AND after-party/ concert. Tickets are selling fast so act now!

Wednesday, June 30 2010
7:00PM- Red Carpet & Book Signing
7:30PM- Movie Premiere
Immediately After-Film- Q & A with Cast & Filmmakers
9:30PM- After-Party/Concert with All Get Out and Weapons of Audio

Get tickets!

On The Road Again

TONIGHT 4th Ward Heroes is marking their one-year anniversary doing what they do best: organizing awesome events and promoting talented upcoming bands. Come to Star Bar tonight for a FREE show featuring Mermaids, Young Orchids, and Moonlight Bride. Raffle tickets are available at the door for some great prizes with all proceeds benefiting the performing bands and helping to fund their upcoming tours. Mixtape Atlanta will also be there providing an under-the-sea themed photo booth. Doors open at 9PM.

A Social Mess Summerfest

Saturday May 22 A Social Mess took over Buckhead for their Summerfest Block Party. Shutting down Irby Street, A Social Mess brought out music, beer, booze, and hijinks. Sandwiched between The Pool Hall and 5 Paces, partiers were able to enjoy the summer heat while sipping beverages, dancing to the DJs and The 17th Floor. The party started while the sun was still up and ended after the wet t-shirt winner was crowned. Can't remember the awesome time you had? Don't worry; we took pictures. Check out all of the night's photos! Don't miss A Social Mess' next bash- Pirate Fest at Flip Flops on Saturday, June 26.

Meet THE ROOM's Tommy Wiseau

The Room is perhaps the worst film ever made, and because it is so bad people can't stop watching. The Plaza Theatre has been hosting monthly screenings of this cult phenomenon for awhile now, and this weekend they are bringing the madness/ genius behind it all to present the film. Director, writer, producer, and leading man Tommy Wiseau will be hosting two special screenings of The Room May 21 & 22. There are only a few tickets left for Friday's showing and Saturday night is selling fast too. Get tickets now!

8:30. Meet and greet with Tommy. 9:30. Q&A 10:00. Screening of The Room. See you at the show!

Spend Sunday at Eddie's Attic

Sunday, May 23 Atlanta singer-songwriter Micah Dalton is presenting an intimate evening of music at Eddie's Attic celebrating the release of his new EP, Gathered 'Round the Greasefire. Dalton will also be joined by many talented musicians including Judd & Maggie and Emily Lynch. Doors open at 6:30 and the show starts at 7:30PM. Tickets are only $10 in advance and $13 at the door. Get tickets now! This show is the perfect recovery from a wild weekend. So head to Eddie's and enjoy the multilayered sounds of Dalton's songs, in an enchanting setting, with a refreshing beverage- don't miss it.

Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings Bring It

I should have known, I should have known.

Some genres get better live; some get worse.  I love hip hop but these days it's very, very hit-or-miss live (which is sad given its roots in live performance- just shows you how far it's come from its roots).  Jazz is almost always better; electronica is often worse.  But the one genre that is almost always superior live is classic rhythm and blues.  There's a muscularity and a passion to the live performances that nearly always outpaces the recorded material.

I really like Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings' albums.  But the band's live show absolutely blows the albums away, which they demonstrated last Thursday night at Center Stage.

For those unfamiliar with the vocal stylings of Ms. Jones, suffice to say that among other things she's the best Tina Turner since Tina.  Some of the band's music pushes a more updated sound, but it's clear that their heart (and their best performance) lies in a rebirth of the funk-soul sound embodied by James Brown, by Otis Redding, and most of all by Ike and Tina Turner.  Those moments really did feel like a window into what it must have been like to be at one of the shows in the sixties by one of those great artists.

I've seldom seen a band hold a crowd so solidly in the palm of its hand.  And even in a band of ten other members, even when she brought five women up from the crowd to dance behind her, and even when the one man she brought up to dance turned out to be more than she bargained for, there was no doubt who the main attraction was- Sharon Jones herself.  Her voice is unmatchable, but her stage presence might be even more powerful.  She's a throwback in more ways than one.

Sharon and the boys even turned Janet Jackson's lightweight 80's hit "What Have You Done for Me Lately" into a rollicking funk explosion.  I'm not quite sure how they settled on that one.  But I can tell you this, Sharon Jones has just joined my short list of bands I will never, ever miss live. 

Michael Dunaway

Night 10- We Will Rock You

The final night of 500 Songs for Kids came to a close Saturday, May 8 with a long list of powerhouse performances. Death on Two Wheels was one of the first bands to perform with The Beatles classic "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band." Songs for Kids Foundation members Josh Rifkind, Sanjay Kothari, and Justin Kerenyi grabbed guitars to rock out to Beastie Boys' "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (to Party!)." Talented guitar wizard Ryan Waters led his band Ill to a stunning rendition of The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again." Athens experimental rockers Reptar grabbed the audience's attention with their energetic cover of New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle." Peter Stroud, Tim Smith, and Kevin Spencer channeled English rockers Yes to perform "I've Seen All Good People." Legendary Bluesman Herman Hitson returned for the 500 Songs for Kids stage for the second time this year to perform The Troggs' "Wild Thing." Local favorites Ponderosa performed Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son" with as much passion and confidence as if it were their own. James Hall & The Futura Bold got the crowd rocking with the ultimate mashup of stadium anthems, "We Are The Champions/ We Will Rock You." After being assigned "Fight the Power" last year, the always inventive Modern Skirts added more edge and funky pop to Madonna's "Like A Virgin." Trances Arc successfully mastered one of the most critiqued covers Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven." Songwriting icon Angie Aparo performed the classic "Imagine" by John Lennon.

Check out all of Night 10's photos! View all of Mixtape Atlanta's Songs for Kids coverage at MixtapeAtlanta.com/500-Songs-for-Kids.

Go See OK Go!

From synchronized treadmills to bringing the game Mouse Trap to life, OK Go is always pushing visual and musical creative limits. Tonight see their albums come to life at an exciting live show at The Loft. Get tickets at the door or here! After the show come to the killer after-party at Star Bar! OK Go bassist Tim Nordwind will be spinning a late night DJ set.   

Screen on the Green is Back at Piedmont

Although Atlanta has been dealing with more rain storms than usual, we can be thankful that all that rain has lifted Piedmont Park's drought restrictions and more events are returning to Midtown's beautiful green space. One of Atlanta's favorite summer traditions is also returning to Piedmont- Screen on the Green! Peachtree TV is presenting a fantastic free weekly lineup of films for you to enjoy under the stars every Thursday night starting May 27. Moviegoers usually start gathering around 5PM and the film starts at sunset.

Lineup for Screen on the Green 2010
May 27 – National Treasure (2004)
June 3 – Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
June 10 – Dreamgirls (2006)
June 17 – Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
June 24 – Viewers’ Choice: Jurassic Park (1993)

Young Orchids performing "You Really Got Me"

Young Orchids performing The Kinks' "You Really Got Me" on Night 9 of 500 Songs for Kids 2010 at Smith's Olde Bar.

Night 9- Rock Around The Clock

Friday, May 7 the countdown of 500 Greatest Era-Defining Songs of All Time finally entered double-digits as numbers 100- 50 were performed. The Hot Rods rocked the stage with Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild" and Kevin Spencer got everyone dancing with Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean." The Coathangers added their own punk flair to The Who's "My Generation." Rick Brantley and Sonia Leigh mostly known for their signature acoustic stylings covered two rock classics Bruce Springsteen's "Thunder Road" and AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long." Annual 500 Songs for Kids performers Galleon! covered Talking Heads' "Burning Down the House." Levi Lowrey and Vanessa Olivarez, a frequent 500 Songs for Kids artist, calmed the full house with their peaceful yet moving version of "Amazing Grace." Young Orchids raised everyone's spirits with The Kinks' "You Really Got Me."

Check out all of Night 9's photos!

Night 8- Come Together

Night Eight of 500 Songs for Kids brought together many talented established groups as well as some newly formed ones. Golden and Hightide Blues kicked the night off with assemble versions of songs by Dave Matthews Band and The Who, respectively. Jungol created a large sound with just a keyboard and guitar to recreate Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer." The Well Reds brilliantly tackled Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" nailing all the vocal and musical notes. Athens' Five Eight rocked Smith's Olde Bar as if it were a stadium to perform Kiss' "Rock and Roll All Nite" complete with costumes and effects. Gareth Asher closed out with a talented group of musicians that he gathered in between songs to perform a spirited bluesy rock cover of Elvis Presley's "That's All Right."

Check out all of Night 8's photos!

Manchester Orchestra performing "My My, Hey Hey"

Manchester Orchestra performing Neil Young's "My My, Hey Hey" on Night 7 of 500 Songs for Kids 2010 at Smith's Olde Bar.

CosmoKnox performing "Chariots of Fire" Theme

CosmoKnox performing the theme from Chariots of Fire on Night 7 of 500 Songs for Kids 2010 at Smith's Olde Bar.

Night 7- More Than Words

Several hours before the doors opened at Smith’s Olde Bar for Night Seven of 500 Songs for Kids, the word spread that Atlanta’s own Manchester Orchestra would be performing. Although Manchester took to the stage with exuberant applause, the group quickly quieted the packed crowd with their emotional version of Neil Young’s “My My, Hey Hey.” Another hometown band made famous, Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ followed Manchester’s acoustic set with an amped up version of Tom Petty’s “American Girl.” The piano was a popular instrument Wednesday as many solo musicians took beyond the keys for some of the night’s most memorable performances from covers of “Fur Elise,” Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now,” and CosmoKnox’s inventive take on the theme from Chariots of Fire.

Check out all of Night 7’s photos!

Night 6- Lose Yourself

The song list for Night Six of 500 Songs for Kids included some of the most diverse lineups yet. Songs by The Strokes, Duke Ellington, Coldplay, and Jimi Hendrix were performed by an amazing group of passionate performers. Stokeswood added intensity and harder rock riffs to Coldplay's "Yellow," and Paul Warner and Vanessa Olivarez turned Oasis' "Wonderwall" into a tender moving duet. Although the genres of songs covered Tuesday night were quite diverse, the emotional intensity ran high throughout the night.

Check out all of Night 6's photos!

Night 5- Bust a Move

Monday marked the halfway point of 500 Songs for Kids' 10-night marathon as many gathered at Smith's Olde Bar for Night Five's powerhouse performances. Fresh off of a cruise ship- literally- the guys from Please Rock performed The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" and a one of the night's best covers, Guns N' Roses' "November Rain." They also joined The Greater Vavoom for INXS' "I Need You Tonight." Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun tackled Smashing Pumpkins' "1979" and Great Society performed MGMT's "Kids"; both performances were spot on. Trevor Jones was joined by an all star cast including members of The Judies and The Falcon Lords to perform "I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story. Another standout performance was Brad Cox's attack of Aerosmith's "Cryin'".

Check out all of Night 5's photos!

Mixtape Atlanta's 1st Birthday Bash

One year ago Mixtape Atlanta invaded the internet to cover Atlanta's music and film scene and we are still going strong! Come celebrate our 1st Birthday with us at P'cheen on Tuesday, May 11 from 7-10PM. There will be Mixtape drink specials and DJ Pat O'Brien will be spinning a set focused on artists that Mixtape has covered in the past year.

TONIGHT Manchester Orchestra plays 500 Songs for Kids

BREAKING MUSIC NEWS! Manchester Orchestra will be stopping by 500 Songs for Kids TONIGHT-May 5- at Smith's Olde Bar to perform a song off of this year's countdown of 500 Greatest Era-Defining Songs of All Time! Drivin' N' Cryin' are also scheduled to perform tonight and many others. Doors open at 6:45PM and cover is $10 donation to Songs for Kids Foundation.

Check out photos from Manchester's recent Atlanta concert here.

Catch up on Mixtape Atlanta's coverage of 500 Songs for Kids 2010 here! Stay tuned for more updates!