After Dark BOA


After Dark

Vision guides Atlanta’s best and brightest. Whether it’s through Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher’s work on Ember City, the new rehearsal studio and practice facility he’s overseeing in Capitol View, or young artists such as ABRA pushing the aesthetics of bedroom pop, R&B, and hip-hop production to dark and inventive new places, Atlantans are never satisfied with the status quo.

New development shuffles the city’s people and cultures around the perimeter like pawns on a chessboard. It’s disruptive, but it only makes us more aware of the relationships Atlanta’s residents have with the urban landscape, and with each other. Experimental hip-hop producer and MC Keith William and modern classical pianist Alexa Lima reinvented their respective musical aesthetics by mashing them together and stripping them of traditional expectations. Lil Yachty rounded up a team of his hometown peers to form his own “yacht club” and push Atlanta hip-hop into artfully gritty new terrain. And Fantasy Guys transformed the city’s tried-and-true rock clubs into all-night beach parties.

Neighborhood-centric DIY music and arts scenes grew out of the Mammal Gallery’s incubator for musical experimentation in South Downtown. Elliott Street Deli & Pub in Castleberry Hill facilitated a thriving grassroots jazz community that’s connected by a scene of world-class musicians. Percussionist Rafael Pereira has built a network that led him all the way to a July Fourth gig at the White House. The festival circuit has boomed. The annual Shaky Knees Festival grows larger with each passing year, and the Wrecking Ball digs deep into punk, hardcore, and emo music to fill a much-needed niche.

In 2016, Atlantans looked thoughtfully at the city around them to find new potential, and plant new roots amid the changing scenery.

— Chad Radford

Best Local Music Video BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
New Perfume (Chelsea Shag)

Best Local Overall Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Yacht Rock Revue

Best Local Pop Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Pussyfoot

Best Local Producer BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Maurice Sims AND Mike Mosca

Best Local Promoter BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Taymin Rainey.

Best Local Punk Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Coathangers

Best Local R&B/Soul Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics

Best Local Rock Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
BAST

Best Local Song BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
New Perfume (Chelsea Shag)

Best Local Songwriter BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Ashley Bryan

Best Local Studio BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
LedBelly Sound Studio

Best Local Vocalist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Ashley Bryan

Best Lounge BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Clermont Lounge

Best Music Festival BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Piedmont Park

Best Neighborhood Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
The Albert

Best Neighborhood for Nightlife BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
East Atlanta Village

Best Nightlife Event BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Whiskey Park - Permanently Closed

Best OTP Music Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

Best Outdoor Music Venue for Concerts BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park

Best Place to Hear Local Music BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
The Earl

Best Place to Hear Music For Free BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Piedmont Park

Best Place to Play Pool BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Twain’s Brewpub & Billiards

Best Sex Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Trapeze

Best Sports Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Hudson Grille AND Taco Mac
www.hudsongrille.comhttp://hudsongrille.com AND www.tacomac.com

Best Strip Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Clermont Lounge

Best Stripper Other Than Blondie BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Barbie (Clermont Lounge) AND Lux ATL (Pink Pony)

Best Trivia Night BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Adult Trivia at the Local no.7 AND Dirty South Trivia at Grindhouse Killer Burgers AND Geek Trivia at Battle & Brew

Best Urban Music Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Halo Lounge

Best Weekly Club Night BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Whiskey Park - Permanently Closed

Best Local Country Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Levi Lowrey
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Best Legacy For a Local Composer BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Jeff Crompton
For nearly four decades Atlanta native and saxophonist JEFF CROMPTON has stood among the city’s finest jazz musicians. The 56-year-old retired Fulton County High School band teacher conjures his mojo as a composer and leader of his own groups large (Edgewood Big Band) and small (Edgewood Saxophonemore...
For nearly four decades Atlanta native and saxophonist JEFF CROMPTON has stood among the city’s finest jazz musicians. The 56-year-old retired Fulton County High School band teacher conjures his mojo as a composer and leader of his own groups large (Edgewood Big Band) and small (Edgewood Saxophone Trio). In 2016, Crompton’s legacy was encapsulated on a 7-inch disk. “Tutwiler Depot,” originally penned in the early ’80s, features a glorious collision of baritone, tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones that re-creates the Mississippi train station where W.C. Handy first heard the blues. The B-side, “King Oliver in Savannah,” a relentlessly boogying piece of music written in the late ’90s, is a buzzing hive of reeds, rendering a portrait of the once-great leader of one of the world’s finest jazz ensembles. Like everything else Crompton writes and plays, both songs prod the intellect with a balance of reverential blues and avant-garde jazz that swings like the devil’s juke joint. Crompton has long been viewed as one of Atlanta’s most accomplished players and composers. Now the proof is available for listening. www.jeffcrompton.com. less...

Best Lesbian Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
MSR My Sisters Room

Best Live Band/Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Fantasy Guys
It only takes about a minute for FANTASY GUYS to engulf an audience in their seaside beach-pop vibe. Phones disappear, smiles widen, and the whole crowd is happily swept away in pulsating waves of surf-pop euphoria. Inyo Galatea (guitar, flute, voice), Maddy Davis (vibraphone, synth, keyboards), andmore...
It only takes about a minute for FANTASY GUYS to engulf an audience in their seaside beach-pop vibe. Phones disappear, smiles widen, and the whole crowd is happily swept away in pulsating waves of surf-pop euphoria. Inyo Galatea (guitar, flute, voice), Maddy Davis (vibraphone, synth, keyboards), and Mitchell “Hibiscus Chad” Hardage (bass, drum loops) transform any room into a scene that would make Jimmy Buffett’s mouth water. Hardage’s disarming smile and grooving bass, Davis’ smooth vibraphone and mid-song dance moves, and Galatea’s buoyant guitar and cherubic voice float on yacht rock gear and flip-flops. It’s easy to see how Fantasy Guys charm every venue into a mid-tempo crush fest of sweaty dancing bodies. www.fantasycometrue.net. less...

Best Live Band/Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Another Wave

Best Local Albums BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Barbaric (Harvester)

Best Local Bluegrass Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Cold Heart Canyon

Best Local Blues Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Barrel House

Best Local Classical Music BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Best Local DJ/Personality BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Vicki Powell

Best Local Electronic Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
10th Letter AND Dog Lover 420 AND Kakune AND PYRAMID CLUB

Best Local Experimental Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
TIE: Dux AND The Difference Machine

Best Local Folk Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Cold Heart Canyon

Best Local Hip-Hop Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Legit Figurez

Best Local Instrumentalist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Francesco Maceri

Best Local Jazz Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Kebbi Williams & The Wolfpack

Best Local Record Label BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Deer Bear Wolf AND Psych Army

Best Local Mainstream Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Chelsea Shag

Best Local MC BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Fort Knox

Best Local Metal Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Harvester

Best Local Mixtape BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Afromentals AND Purple Reign

Best Local Music Blog BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Immersive Atlanta

Best Local Music Video BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
New Perfume (Chelsea Shag)

Best Local Overall Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Yacht Rock Revue

Best Local Pop Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Pussyfoot

Best Local Producer BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Maurice Sims AND Mike Mosca

Best Local Promoter BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Taymin Rainey.

Best Local Punk Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Coathangers

Best Local R&B/Soul Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics

Best Local Rock Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
BAST

Best Local Rock Hangout BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Earl
THE EARL is integral to the character of East Atlanta Village. An impressive array of musical talent has flowed through the restaurant and venue’s intimate settings since the doors opened in the summer of ’99. Some of Atlanta’s most revered indie rock acts such as Deerhunter and the Black Lipsmore...
THE EARL is integral to the character of East Atlanta Village. An impressive array of musical talent has flowed through the restaurant and venue’s intimate settings since the doors opened in the summer of ’99. Some of Atlanta’s most revered indie rock acts such as Deerhunter and the Black Lips cut their teeth here before graduating to larger stages. In 2016, the smoky club still pairs established and upcoming bands with top-notch sound. Performances by storied acts such as post-punk icons Pylon Reenactment Society to the always raucous garage-punk blowout the Atlanta Mess-Around provide concertgoers with a look at diverse, underserved musical legacies. One standout show of the summer placed acoustic songstress Adron with the tropicalia bliss of beach-pop show-offs Fantasy Guys. For serious listeners or those who love to bum around East Atlanta until last call, the Earl is a place for low-key revelry and cultural uplift. Plus, cheap PBR pitchers. less...

Best Local Song BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
New Perfume (Chelsea Shag)

Best Local Songwriter BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Ashley Bryan

Best Local Studio BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Critics Pick
studilaroche productions, inc.
The work of producer and engineer Ben Price underpins some of Atlanta’s most fearless musical talent. At his home studio dubbed STUDILAROCHE, Price uses his technical and creative prowess to enhance compositions from Little Tybee’s intricate psych-folk to Faun and a Pan Flute’s dizzying brand ofmore...
The work of producer and engineer Ben Price underpins some of Atlanta’s most fearless musical talent. At his home studio dubbed STUDILAROCHE, Price uses his technical and creative prowess to enhance compositions from Little Tybee’s intricate psych-folk to Faun and a Pan Flute’s dizzying brand of modern classical. Price’s production creates a thread of continuity between Atlanta bands, forming a distinct sense of musical community. Before Studilaroche, Price worked with legendary producer Ricky Keller, where he gained early experience working with storied names such as Scarface and Ciara. His ability to frame lavish textures is easily recognizable on some of this year’s most exciting albums, most notably Book of Colors’ eponymous debut and Hello Ocho’s freewheeling sophomore LP, In Portuguese. Those lucky enough to enter Studilaroche’s doors not only get exposure to Price’s extensive recording expertise, but an opportunity to join a local legacy. 404-840-2365. www.studilaroche.com. less...

Best Local Studio BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
LedBelly Sound Studio

Best Local Vocalist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Ashley Bryan

Best Lounge BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Clermont Lounge

Best Music Festival BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Shaky Knees Music Festival
The SHAKY KNEES MUSIC FESTIVAL turned four years old last spring — old enough to have an iron grip on the Southeast’s festival scene, and young enough to keep things interesting. The brainchild of promoter Tim Sweetwood has grown steadily with each return, and this year’s move to Centennial Olympicmore...
The SHAKY KNEES MUSIC FESTIVAL turned four years old last spring — old enough to have an iron grip on the Southeast’s festival scene, and young enough to keep things interesting. The brainchild of promoter Tim Sweetwood has grown steadily with each return, and this year’s move to Centennial Olympic Park took the edge off the heat with green grass, dirt, and mud (much more agreeable on the feet than concrete when you’re standing in the sun all day). Since the beginning, SK’s lineup has boasted something for the teen scene, indie aficionados, and dad rockers alike. But placing Jane’s Addiction performing Ritual De Lo Habitual alongside Huey Lewis and the News, Savages, Deftones, the Black Angels, and more surpassed the middle-of-the-road fare that drives such monolithic gatherings. There’s taste and vision on display in Shaky Knees’ lineup. It forces the competition to pick up the pace — even stage DIY counter fests (hello, Flaky Niece Fest) — and Atlanta’s summer music scene is made all the richer because of it. www.shakykneesfestival.com. less...

Best Music Festival BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Piedmont Park

Best Neighborhood Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Elliott Street Deli & Pub
Tucked away in a quiet corner of Castleberry Hill, ELLIOTT STREET DELI & PUB offers the neighborhood an underground hot spot for creative music. Brothers Mike and Peter Jakob renovated the space in 2006, and in the last decade the unassuming pub has grown into one of Atlanta’s most influential musicmore...
Tucked away in a quiet corner of Castleberry Hill, ELLIOTT STREET DELI & PUB offers the neighborhood an underground hot spot for creative music. Brothers Mike and Peter Jakob renovated the space in 2006, and in the last decade the unassuming pub has grown into one of Atlanta’s most influential music hangouts. Bassist Kevin Scott continues to host Tuesday night jam sessions on the pub’s basement stage, bringing in a rotating cast of jazz heavyweights including saxophonists Kebbi Williams and Eric Fontaine. Elliott Street has participated in art celebrations such as Flux Night and hosted work from local favorites such as Evereman. On April 2, the club celebrated its 10-year anniversary with performances from Kebbi Williams and the Wolfpack, who found new audiences in its intimate basement venue. City Councilman Kwanza Hall helped commemorate the pub’s contributions to local culture by adopting April 2 as “Elliott Street Pub Day” in Atlanta. The Elliott Street Deli & Pub is a cultural touchstone for rising musical talent, and a refuge for those seeking quality food, drink, and community. less...

Best Neighborhood Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
The Albert

Best Neighborhood Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Mary’s
One thing that surprises and attracts people from across the country to Atlanta is its no-fuss inclusivity. Nowhere is that more apparent than MARY’S in East Atlanta. While the dive bar is by definition a queer space, all races, gender identities, and sexualities are welcome. Mary’s is a safe space,more...
One thing that surprises and attracts people from across the country to Atlanta is its no-fuss inclusivity. Nowhere is that more apparent than MARY’S in East Atlanta. While the dive bar is by definition a queer space, all races, gender identities, and sexualities are welcome. Mary’s is a safe space, but definitely not a bore. It’s known and loved for its delightfully campy, devil-may-care vibe, and, of course, the famous Tuesday and Saturday night Mary-oke. less...

Best Neighborhood for Nightlife BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
East Atlanta Village

Best New Post-Punk Band BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Maudlin
MAUDLIN has a decidedly throwback aesthetic, blending elements of classic ’80s goth and post-punk to carve out its own space amid Atlanta’s punk scene. The band’s members, Sara Slick (bass), Tony Kozera (guitar), Ryan Fetter (drums), and Jessica Knight (vocals), describe themselves as post-punk.more...
MAUDLIN has a decidedly throwback aesthetic, blending elements of classic ’80s goth and post-punk to carve out its own space amid Atlanta’s punk scene. The band’s members, Sara Slick (bass), Tony Kozera (guitar), Ryan Fetter (drums), and Jessica Knight (vocals), describe themselves as post-punk. But while many bands in Atlanta’s DIY scene wear that mark, none of them sound like Maudlin. The group embraces the gothic rock palette of Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, and New Order, combined with a grind and dedication to lyricism akin to that of punk rock godmother Patti Smith. To put it plainly, they’re spooky and dope. It didn’t take long for movers in the scene to catch on — their second gig was opening for Wax Idols and King Woman at the Earl, and they subsequently went on tour with NYC goth-punks Pawns, all shortly after releasing their first self-titled EP. That’s no small feat. www.maudlinband.bandcamp.com. less...

Best New Punk Band BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Mutual Jerk
Even in the bleak, death-afflicted world of Atlanta punk in 2016, MUTUAL JERK’s eponymous demo cassette stands out as an original. The Atlanta quartet celebrates the darkest aspects of modern punk — minimal structures, razor-sharp guitar fuzz, and lo-fi tape hiss — with a skewed fusion of gothicmore...
Even in the bleak, death-afflicted world of Atlanta punk in 2016, MUTUAL JERK’s eponymous demo cassette stands out as an original. The Atlanta quartet celebrates the darkest aspects of modern punk — minimal structures, razor-sharp guitar fuzz, and lo-fi tape hiss — with a skewed fusion of gothic and amateurish punk melodies. The group’s got a warped vibe — all of the musicians are learning their way around new instruments as they go. Guitarist Bobby Michaud (Uniform) and drummer Rob Sarabia (Rapturous Grief, Strategic Warheads) hadn’t played their respective instruments live before Mutual Jerk’s 2015 debut. It’s also bass player Sam Camirand and singer Tyler Roberts’ first band since settling into Atlanta’s punk scene. Songs such as “4 Door Sedan” and “Midtown Set” build around Roberts’ off-center singing style. His vocal delivery takes shape like short stories. Each word is fueled by genuine emotion, a welcome departure from the macho bravado that often dominates abrasive punk music. Mutual Jerk’s demo tape has made the rounds over the last year, earning the group credibility. Roberts’ on-a-dime transformation from an amicable introvert off stage to a bounding frontman on stage makes for a hell of a fun show. www.mutualjerk.bandcamp.com/releases. less...

Best Nightlife Event BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Whiskey Park - Permanently Closed

Best Neighborhood Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Burkhart’s Pub (Permanently Closed)
BURKHART’S PUB is a no-frills neighborhood hangout. Free from the travails of urban snobbery, everything from the trivia nights to the drag shows such as the Saturday night Synergy with Monica Van Pelt, Angelica D’Paige, and more makes this two-level hot spot a staple of Atlanta’s LGBT scene inmore...
BURKHART’S PUB is a no-frills neighborhood hangout. Free from the travails of urban snobbery, everything from the trivia nights to the drag shows such as the Saturday night Synergy with Monica Van Pelt, Angelica D’Paige, and more makes this two-level hot spot a staple of Atlanta’s LGBT scene in 2016, whether you’re looking for a relaxing dinner on the patio or a raucous show on the main stage. less...

Best Old-School Punk Band BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Antagonizers ATL
The street punk stalwarts in ANTAGONIZERS ATL aren’t chasing trends. Not in Atlanta, at least. Working-class punk rock went out of style here right as the garage-punk boom took hold in the early aughts. Fortunately, those who really felt it then, such as longtime Atlanta musicians Richard Hendersonmore...
The street punk stalwarts in ANTAGONIZERS ATL aren’t chasing trends. Not in Atlanta, at least. Working-class punk rock went out of style here right as the garage-punk boom took hold in the early aughts. Fortunately, those who really felt it then, such as longtime Atlanta musicians Richard Henderson (guitar), Eric Antell (drums), and Billy Fields (bass) never lost their zeal for old-school punk. That’s why all three got the call in 2012 for singer Bohdan Zacharyj’s local relaunch of Antagonizers, a band he originally founded in North Carolina. The band’s universal messages of self-reliance and self-respect continues impressing the old guard and winning over new fans, both here and on the road with famous tourmates the Queers and Gang Green. The May release of the band’s debut full-length, Working Class Street Punk (Pirates Press), unleashed the band’s catchy, tough, and memorable songs that are ripe for circle pit sing-alongs. www.antagonizersatl.com. less...

Best OTP Music Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

Best Outdoor Music Venue for Concerts BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park

Best Place to Hear Local Music BOA Award Winner

Year » 2016
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2016 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Mammal Gallery
Tucked away on South Broad Street in Downtown, THE MAMMAL GALLERY is a stronghold for obscure, challenging, and outsider music. The music programming in 2016 alone provided a crucial service for young and old alike in the experimental music scene. Mammal hosted a low-key potluck and open jam sessionmore...
Tucked away on South Broad Street in Downtown, THE MAMMAL GALLERY is a stronghold for obscure, challenging, and outsider music. The music programming in 2016 alone provided a crucial service for young and old alike in the experimental music scene. Mammal hosted a low-key potluck and open jam session with German krautrock legend Faust. The club also opened its stage to such wild jazz luminaries as saxophone player Joe McPhee and the group Universal Indians. Sun Ra Arkestra sax man Marshall Allen also found a stage there with his improv music and film outfit Cinema Soloriens. But in between these nights of skronking mania the stage has been taken over by the likes of New York songstress Shilpa Ray, Atlanta party-pop weirdos Salsa Chest, Club Morph’s genre bending queer-friendly club music nights, and trap music icon 2 Chainz and Sonny Digital on stage together. By providing a home for such a broad cross-section of underground music, legends are being born in a gritty, DIY spot far from the bustling nightlife scenes of East Atlanta and Edgewood Avenue. less...

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