Best Of Atlanta 2007 After Dark Large


After Dark



Some things become passé with the passage of time. Like spandex biker shorts. Remember when those were hot? Other stuff transcends the era in which it was created. Sorta like oatmeal. It’s always on the menu.

Sure, it’s easy to take a young, all-female band such as the Coathangers, mash them up with the city’s oldest beer-can-crushing stripper, and label the former trendy and the latter timeless. But that barely scratches the surface. Because there’s nothing more timeless than watching a band full of cute twentysomethings provoke extreme reactions by throwing their femininity in everybody’s face. On the other hand, if you’ve never had Blondie jab you in the face with her tits at the Clermont Lounge, you have yet to receive a true gag gift.

Likewise, Atlanta’s emerging rock scene is brand-spanking new compared with the city’s entrenched rap industry. Yet bands such as the Black Lips and Deerhunter put Atlanta on blast in ‘07 with timeless techniques like DIY touring, grassroots promotion and buzz-worthy performances. Meanwhile, homegrown hip-hop relied on the viral marketing of YouTube dance-offs, mixtape massacres, and a fleeting fantasy to “Party Like a Rockstar.”

Just like the city, the vibe Atlanta emits is a little bit country and a little bit controversial. Put the two together and you get something greater than the sum of our parts.

Call it spandex-flavored oatmeal.

– Rodney Carmichael

Best Acoustic Music Club/Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Red Light Cafe

Best After Hours Spot BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Majestic Diner (Featured)

Categories No Longer in Use BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Crazy Anglos
It’s a thin line between what we call ballot-stuffing and having a huge, supportive fan base. Every year one band runs away with the reader’s choice in a number of categories, and we scratch our heads wondering how it was done. This year, CRAZY ANGLOS swept three categories: best localmore...

It’s a thin line between what we call ballot-stuffing and having a huge, supportive fan base. Every year one band runs away with the reader’s choice in a number of categories, and we scratch our heads wondering how it was done. This year, CRAZY ANGLOS swept three categories: best local new music act, best music video shot in Atlanta and best Georgia-based band MySpace page. The group’s guerilla street-team tactics have earned it a massive local following. But if you’re not convinced by numbers alone, ask yourself how many rap-core bands you know of that won the John Lennon Songwriting Award? Yep, that’s what we thought.


www.myspace.com/crazyanglos

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Best Bar Food BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Local
It’s not the overly familiar watering hole of TV’s “Cheers,” but the atmosphere at THE LOCAL makes it a comfortable destination. The place is usually peopled with a relaxed mix of Atlanta’s party people, busy local scenesters and a measure of the appropriatelymore...
It’s not the overly familiar watering hole of TV’s “Cheers,” but the atmosphere at THE LOCAL makes it a comfortable destination. The place is usually peopled with a relaxed mix of Atlanta’s party people, busy local scenesters and a measure of the appropriately wacky Ponce characters. The huddled masses rub elbows here with a small-town ease and big-city bustle. It’s a hipster cocktail haven and functioning no-frills restaurant, depending on your needs. Reliable bar food and those oft-cited fries are the way to go, especially in the later hours of operation. Mixed drinks are available, but go for a beer from the well-stocked and pleasantly affordable bar. less...

Best Blues Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Blind Willie’s (Featured)
In selecting the city’s best, you always strive to go beyond the obvious. But in this case, the obvious happens to be true: BLIND WILLIE’S drives the blues scene in Atlanta. It’s the club where most of the national acts play when they come to town, and it’s the clubmore...
In selecting the city’s best, you always strive to go beyond the obvious. But in this case, the obvious happens to be true: BLIND WILLIE’S drives the blues scene in Atlanta. It’s the club where most of the national acts play when they come to town, and it’s the club where all local blues bands aspire to perform. The club celebrated its 20th year in 2006 and has doggedly stuck to its formula: It brings in national acts early in the week, and books such local acts as Francine Reed and Luther “Houserocker” Johnson on weekends. less...

Best Club/Party DJ BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
DJ Klever
Few DJs work as hard as DJ KLEVER. Some may offer more “exclusive” tracks you can’t hear anywhere else. Others may achieve a smoother-flowing set through tasteful song selection and blends. But Klever actually puts on a show. He cuts, scratches and mashes up pop, rock, R&B,more...

Few DJs work as hard as DJ KLEVER. Some may offer more “exclusive” tracks you can’t hear anywhere else. Others may achieve a smoother-flowing set through tasteful song selection and blends. But Klever actually puts on a show. He cuts, scratches and mashes up pop, rock, R&B, hip-hop and electronic songs into a furious mess. His DJ sets are truly an adventure that can go from cheekily obnoxious to coolly melodic in less than a minute. A former turntable champion who has won awards for his skills, Klever reminds his audience that, at their best, DJs can exhibit as many techniques as a guitarist playing a furious solo.


www.myspace.com/kleverbeats

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Best Club Event BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Apache Cafe

Best Comedy Club/Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Punchline Comedy Club (Featured)
The king of comedy in Atlanta is the PUNCHLINE COMEDY CLUB. Since 1982, the intimate venue has consistently offered the best roster of acts in town, featuring a full slate of hilarious, major touring acts and plenty of gut-busting up ‘n’ comers. A plethora of superstars has performedmore...
The king of comedy in Atlanta is the PUNCHLINE COMEDY CLUB. Since 1982, the intimate venue has consistently offered the best roster of acts in town, featuring a full slate of hilarious, major touring acts and plenty of gut-busting up ‘n’ comers. A plethora of superstars has performed at the Punchline over the years — including Richard Pryor, Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Janeane Garofalo and Dave Chappelle — as the signed photos that line the walls attest. As the infectious radio jingle used to proclaim, “Come and get some funny” at the Punchline. We need a good laugh now more than ever. less...

Best Concert Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Variety Playhouse
Located in the pulsing heart of boho mecca Little Five Points, indie-owned and -operated VARIETY PLAYHOUSE is a relaxed arena of hipness. Once a theater for cult films, the thriving venue is a comfortable haven for performances from a dizzying array of genres: Rock, soul, country, jazz, world and everythingmore...
Located in the pulsing heart of boho mecca Little Five Points, indie-owned and -operated VARIETY PLAYHOUSE is a relaxed arena of hipness. Once a theater for cult films, the thriving venue is a comfortable haven for performances from a dizzying array of genres: Rock, soul, country, jazz, world and everything in between is regularly featured on the schedule. Great acoustics and intimate seating give the facility the vibe of being the Eddie’s Attic of big rooms: a place where music fans come to listen. The list of artists who have performed on the hallowed hardwood stage includes P.J. Harvey, Diana Krall, Emmylou Harris, Siouxie Sioux and R.E.M. less...

Best Country Music Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Wild Bill Wholesale (Permanently Closed)
In a previous life, the building that houses WILD BILL’S was a Service Merchandise store. Where patrons used to browse the jewelry department, you can now grab a cold beer and check out the badonkadonks that shake to the modern country sounds on the 5,000-square-foot dance floor. Often featuringmore...
In a previous life, the building that houses WILD BILL’S was a Service Merchandise store. Where patrons used to browse the jewelry department, you can now grab a cold beer and check out the badonkadonks that shake to the modern country sounds on the 5,000-square-foot dance floor. Often featuring the best in today’s country chart busters, the massive stage at Wild Bill’s is as big as a civic-center-type venue, and the place claims to be the biggest country-music dance club in the United States. We find it hard to doubt that statement because it’s pretty easy to get lost in the throes of line-dancing regulars, OTP gawkers and a few thrill-seeking hipsters. less...

Best Dance Music Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
MJQ Concourse (Featured)
Midtown nightclub MJQ CONCOURSE is the perennial favorite in this category because there’s no place more dependable on a weekend night. Each week hundreds of people go for the swirling disco lights, hot guys and girls, large dance floor, and music that’s commercially palatable withoutmore...
Midtown nightclub MJQ CONCOURSE is the perennial favorite in this category because there’s no place more dependable on a weekend night. Each week hundreds of people go for the swirling disco lights, hot guys and girls, large dance floor, and music that’s commercially palatable without hitting the lowest common denominator. A roster of capable resident DJs, special theme nights such as the “Saturday Party Sneak Attack,” and such out-of-town DJ stars as Flosstradamus and Girl Talk add to the unpredictable fun. less...

Best Dive Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Lenny’s Bar (Permanently Closed)
Moving out doesn’t always mean moving up, and LENNY’S proves that even with a newer and bigger location, it can still proudly call itself the “CBGB’S of Atlanta.” Despite the new location, the floor is still scuffed and dirty, the music is loud, and the PBRmore...
Moving out doesn’t always mean moving up, and LENNY’S proves that even with a newer and bigger location, it can still proudly call itself the “CBGB’S of Atlanta.” Despite the new location, the floor is still scuffed and dirty, the music is loud, and the PBR is always flowing. The rock ’n’ roll venue has doggedly stuck to a slate of local bands, from new prospects to such local kingpins as the Carbonas and Brass Castle. And it always kicks off the weekend with the raucous and drunken Trashed Friday night dance party. Now settled into its bigger building, Lenny’s crowd has the room to do what it does best — get drunk, loud and rowdy. less...

Best Alternative Art Space BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Eyedrum Art and Music Gallery
EYEDRUM ART & MUSIC GALLERY is an experimental music institution. It’s Atlanta’s answer to such nationally heralded avant-garde venues as Tonic and the Kitchen in New York, bestowed with a weirdo Southern flair. Each month, Eyedrum’s first Thursday open improv nights are bothmore...
EYEDRUM ART & MUSIC GALLERY is an experimental music institution. It’s Atlanta’s answer to such nationally heralded avant-garde venues as Tonic and the Kitchen in New York, bestowed with a weirdo Southern flair. Each month, Eyedrum’s first Thursday open improv nights are both a party and a breeding ground for the city’s most adventurous music. Between bands, when both audiences and performers head outside for a smoke, you will hear both absurd and profound conversations on the sociopolitical implications of everything from John Cage to Paris Hilton to the White Stripes. It’s a place of integrity and extreme exploration that proves that even in the fringe areas of culture, people still like to get crunk. less...

Best Gay Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Bazzaar (Permanently Closed)
For much of 2006 a segment of Atlanta nightlife was a drag — because there wasn’t as much drag. The closing of Charlie Brown’s Cabaret left a temporary void harder to tuck away and ignore than a big, fat … Indeed, there were big shoes to fill. BAZZAAR stepped up andmore...
For much of 2006 a segment of Atlanta nightlife was a drag — because there wasn’t as much drag. The closing of Charlie Brown’s Cabaret left a temporary void harder to tuck away and ignore than a big, fat … Indeed, there were big shoes to fill. BAZZAAR stepped up and made every Wednesday night a place queens could be kings, but no one of any orientation had to play the fool. With host Princess Charles, music selector Cody Nation, gymnist Sonique, queer dance-offs and roller derbies that spill out onto Peachtree Street — it all adds up to an irreverent variety show for breeders, boys and Marys to get merry. less...

Best Local Music Blog BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Soulja Boy
Some pop phenomena are impossible to ignore, especially when led by a lanky 17-year-old kid named DeAndre Way who calls himself SOULJA BOY. The Chicago-born, Atlanta/Mississippi-bred teen created viral hysteria in a matter of months with his contagious song and dance, “Crank That (Soulja Boy).”more...

Some pop phenomena are impossible to ignore, especially when led by a lanky 17-year-old kid named DeAndre Way who calls himself SOULJA BOY. The Chicago-born, Atlanta/Mississippi-bred teen created viral hysteria in a matter of months with his contagious song and dance, “Crank That (Soulja Boy).” His MySpace page has logged over 10 million views in 18 months. The page currently hosts over 130 YouTube videos featuring fans and celebrities such as Lil’ Wayne, Beyonce and Travis Barker replicating his dance. But the best footage is recorded by Soulja Boy’s personal camera man as he documents and YouTubes practically his every waking moment. It’s enabled him to go global from his bedroom with the backing of Interscope Records. Since the label signed him via Atlanta’s own Mr. Collipark, his song has reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and No. 11 on it’s United World chart. And his debut album doesn’t even drop until Oct. 2.


www.myspace.com/souljaboytellem

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Best Local Music Blog BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Cable & Tweed
Music blogs have become the homemade zines of our generation. Everybody has one, and most of them are completely useless. That’s why when a worthwhile music blog such as CABLE & TWEED comes around, we jump on it. Rich Vining at Cable & Tweed has been indulging the music geek in all of us sincemore...

Music blogs have become the homemade zines of our generation. Everybody has one, and most of them are completely useless. That’s why when a worthwhile music blog such as CABLE & TWEED comes around, we jump on it. Rich Vining at Cable & Tweed has been indulging the music geek in all of us since January ‘06. The blog presents a perfect balance of local and national music coverage. But the real gem is the MP3s Vining posts from concerts performed locally. Where else can you hear the Decemberists performing live with the ASO at Chastain?


cableandtweed.blogspot.com

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Best Lesbian Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
MSR My Sisters Room
After shutting its doors last year to make way for a redevelopment project in Decatur, MY SISTER’S ROOM made its welcome return in June. The new digs are located in East Atlanta, a hop, skip and a jump from Mary’s. It’s a tighter squeeze for the kings and femmes in the downsizedmore...
After shutting its doors last year to make way for a redevelopment project in Decatur, MY SISTER’S ROOM made its welcome return in June. The new digs are located in East Atlanta, a hop, skip and a jump from Mary’s. It’s a tighter squeeze for the kings and femmes in the downsized venue, but the vibe is still sisterly. Texas Hold ’Em Tuesdays goes down weekly, and Thursdays are reserved for Raw Talent. less...

Best Bands in ATL BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Partisan
PARTISAN hooked up in 2002, and four years later released The Gothic and the Gospel, an extraordinarily ambitious debut album. It mixed Afro-beat, Fugazi-era emo punk and indie pop with righteous, fiery lyrics about post-9/11 politics and radical activism. Spread out over 85 minutes, the music was overwhelmingmore...
PARTISAN hooked up in 2002, and four years later released The Gothic and the Gospel, an extraordinarily ambitious debut album. It mixed Afro-beat, Fugazi-era emo punk and indie pop with righteous, fiery lyrics about post-9/11 politics and radical activism. Spread out over 85 minutes, the music was overwhelming and filled with life. Unfortunately, when The Gothic and the Gospel was released on local imprint Reason Y Records, it attracted little attention beyond a small but rabid fan base. Partisan played a few shows, but didn’t have time to mount a real tour. Most of its seven members had full-time, well-paying jobs and couldn’t afford to go on the road for a low-budget national tour. The group quietly disbanded in September 2006, leaving behind a great rock album that most will never hear. less...

Best Bands in ATL BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Black Lips
On stage, THE BLACK LIPS explode with raw power that jitters in a stew of blood, sweat and haunted reverb. Somewhere along the journey from playing shows at local rat holes such as the Somber Reptile (RIP) in 2001, to dominating in Tijuana, Mexico, last year, the group discovered the secret to churningmore...

On stage, THE BLACK LIPS explode with raw power that jitters in a stew of blood, sweat and haunted reverb. Somewhere along the journey from playing shows at local rat holes such as the Somber Reptile (RIP) in 2001, to dominating in Tijuana, Mexico, last year, the group discovered the secret to churning out great rock ‘n’ roll songs. The Black Lips’ garage-rock anthems are bound by nostalgia and spastic rebel abandon. The group’s tales of debauchery are the stuff of legends that forefathers the Rolling Stones, the Sex Pistols and MC5 would smile upon. When the group hangs out around town between tours, Atlanta is a lot more fun — even a little dangerous.


www.myspace.com/theblacklips

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Best Local Country Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
No River City
When Drew De Man sings about warding off bears on NO RIVER CITY’s second CD, Wolves and Fishes, one can almost see the teeth and claws of his personal demons swatting at his back. De Man leads an alienated procession on a path into country music’s richest, blackest soil. With everymore...

When Drew De Man sings about warding off bears on NO RIVER CITY’s second CD, Wolves and Fishes, one can almost see the teeth and claws of his personal demons swatting at his back. De Man leads an alienated procession on a path into country music’s richest, blackest soil. With every character he creates and every twist along the path, the group adapts its dark, bucolic twang to fit the mood. Sometimes songs tumble at a galloping pace, while others move much more slowly. What sets NRC apart from the rural-music masses is a penchant for infusing alt-country songcraft with lost-in-the-moment improvisation. Wielding a nontraditional approach gives a sense of spontaneity to each song, but never at the expense of delivering a genuinely heartbreaking performance.


www.norivercity.com

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Best Local Electronic Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Damon “Habersham” Fonooni
DAMON “HABERSHAM” FONOONI is typical of Atlanta’s electronic community: loved and appreciated abroad, but mostly ignored at home. As a DJ and producer who has created and licensed tracks to some of the world’s top electronic labels, including Bedrock and Global Underground,more...

DAMON “HABERSHAM” FONOONI is typical of Atlanta’s electronic community: loved and appreciated abroad, but mostly ignored at home. As a DJ and producer who has created and licensed tracks to some of the world’s top electronic labels, including Bedrock and Global Underground, Habersham often tours abroad. Here, however, he rarely nets a major gig, playing instead at small nightclubs and cafes. Some may assert that Habersham gets little love in the “A” because his progressive house style is out of fashion. But open-minded music lovers will find much to appreciate in his tracks. His recent Outside the Box EP, issued on U.K. label Audio Therapy, is as sinuous and affecting as any local release this year.


www.myspace.com/habergoose

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Best Local Experimental Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Tree Creature
Amid the backdrop of Atlanta’s various fringe electro-noise and experimental acts, TREE CREATURE tests the boundaries of noise, pop and minimalism while diving headlong into a blissfully distinctive world of sound. One could easily file the group under “electronic music,” butmore...

Amid the backdrop of Atlanta’s various fringe electro-noise and experimental acts, TREE CREATURE tests the boundaries of noise, pop and minimalism while diving headlong into a blissfully distinctive world of sound. One could easily file the group under “electronic music,” but Tree Creature never once brings a laptop to the stage. Instead it chooses the analog route to craft spacey and ethereal ambiance. By comparison with the harsh noise of fellow local contender Black Meat, Tree Creature’s long, undulating waves of angelic drones and repeating musical phrases are much more inviting, and always make for a palatable and social backdrop to any of the group’s weekly performances at house parties or low-key venues, such as Eyedrum or 11:11 Teahouse.


www.myspace.com/treecreature

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Best Local Folk Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Jeff Evans, AKA Chicken & Pigs
JEFF EVANS, AKA CHICKENS & PIGS, can keep a room wrapped around his little finger by way of his epic, self-effacing tales of hard luck with happy-go-lucky charm. At each and every performance, listeners chuckle on the edge of their seats and wonder: How much more fun can this get? Evans’ lankymore...

JEFF EVANS, AKA CHICKENS & PIGS, can keep a room wrapped around his little finger by way of his epic, self-effacing tales of hard luck with happy-go-lucky charm. At each and every performance, listeners chuckle on the edge of their seats and wonder: How much more fun can this get? Evans’ lanky presence and limber strum and bark come across like an unholy hybrid of Keith Richards and Captain Kangaroo. His songs are obsessed with food and animals, and usually cover both in each go-around. The more frantically he plays, the more mistakes he makes. But he rolls with them in the most endearing ways. The ramshackle pace of his songs, coupled with his “aw shucks” rural humor is as compelling as it is hilarious.


www.myspace.com/chickensandpigs

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Best Local Hip-Hop Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Supreeme
This category could be titled “best local hip-hop act since OutKast.” SUPREEME is that good and that original — which is something that has been missing among Atlanta’s snappers and trappers for several years. Negashi Armada, King Self and Tom Cruz, aka Dope Pope,more...

This category could be titled “best local hip-hop act since OutKast.” SUPREEME is that good and that original — which is something that has been missing among Atlanta’s snappers and trappers for several years. Negashi Armada, King Self and Tom Cruz, aka Dope Pope, call themselves Supreeme because they’re arrogant little bastards. And they’ll take that as a compliment. With a lyrical style steeped in ‘80s-era braggadocio and in-house production that sounds more worldly than Southern, it’s no surprise that many of the group’s biggest fans live out of state. The former Grady High School classmates recently issued a mixtape, American Badass, while putting the finishing touches on a sophomore release. Word is the group’s label, Warner Brothers, is already digging the output. Hopefully the trio will let it go to their heads.


www.myspace.com/supreemesupreeme

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Best Local Rock Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Snowden
If you ask local concert promoters what they think about SNOWDEN, they’ll praise the band for its professionalism: The quartet turns up for a gig on time, doesn’t cause any problems, draws a capacity audience and puts on a great show. The same could be said of its music. On the band’smore...

If you ask local concert promoters what they think about SNOWDEN, they’ll praise the band for its professionalism: The quartet turns up for a gig on time, doesn’t cause any problems, draws a capacity audience and puts on a great show. The same could be said of its music. On the band’s 2005 full-length Anti-Anti, the music sounds tight and efficient, producing a wintry atmosphere that revolves around melancholy group leader Jordan Jeffares’ voice without dwelling in it. Despite their economy, the songs are full of odd little twists, from the way Jeffares sings almost haltingly to the fact that many don’t have identifiable choruses. Unlike many of Atlanta’s underground rock bands, Snowden doesn’t try to make a spectacle to get attention. It’s quietly subversive.


www.snowden.info

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Best Local Instrumentalist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Ike Stubblefield
There’s a story about IKE STUBBLEFIELD when he was 15 years old and doing his first session with the Motown studio band. He knocked over an expensive microphone and made a general nuisance of himself. Afterward, he piled into a car with the other musicians on a cold January day in the middlemore...

There’s a story about IKE STUBBLEFIELD when he was 15 years old and doing his first session with the Motown studio band. He knocked over an expensive microphone and made a general nuisance of himself. Afterward, he piled into a car with the other musicians on a cold January day in the middle of a snowstorm. Somewhere on the interstate, the musicians stopped and deposited Stubblefield on the side of the road. “We’ll come back to get you when you’re ready to behave in the studio,” someone told him. Stubblefield apparently got it right, because he went on to play with such luminaries as Stevie Wonder, the Four Tops and Marvin Gaye. Since moving to Atlanta in 2001, he’s established himself as the premier Hammond B-3 organist in the city, with a sound that comes right out of the church. Expect a solo album, with an all-star cast, this fall.


www.myspace.com/ikestubblefieldmusic

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Best Local Jazz Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Jaspects
The JASPECTS are an innovative musical collective who have mastered the subtle art of code switching. The sextet revels in everything from straight-ahead jazz to heavy hip-hop grooves without losing any cool points. Similar to the buck-the-system aesthetic of Miles Davis, the group’s latestmore...

The JASPECTS are an innovative musical collective who have mastered the subtle art of code switching. The sextet revels in everything from straight-ahead jazz to heavy hip-hop grooves without losing any cool points. Similar to the buck-the-system aesthetic of Miles Davis, the group’s latest release, Double Consciousness, expands jazz possibilities for a new generation of listeners while simultaneously appeasing older jazz heads. Leave it up to a band of Morehouse graduates to funk up a history lesson.


www.jaspects.com

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Best Local Record Label BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Rob’s House Records
When Vice magazine came from New York to report on the hottest bands in Atlanta, what label did it seek out? ROB’S HOUSE RECORDS — all because of it’s unyielding dedication to putting Atlanta punk and indie rock on the national map. With 28 7-inch releases under its belt, themore...

When Vice magazine came from New York to report on the hottest bands in Atlanta, what label did it seek out? ROB’S HOUSE RECORDS — all because of it’s unyielding dedication to putting Atlanta punk and indie rock on the national map. With 28 7-inch releases under its belt, the label has watched the Black Lips and Deerhunter receive national attention in droves; all the while it has worked diligently to maintain the scene at home. The label shoulders promotion, booking and distribution for its releases. But most importantly, it has hosted 15 free house shows in the last year and a half — all with free beer. Never once has Rob’s House charged anyone anything to hang out and see the best bands in town. That’s Southern hospitality at its finest.


www.robshouserecords.com

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Best Club/Party DJ BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Drama
No Atlanta mixtape DJ has wielded as much influence as DRAMA, his Aphilliates crew and their Gangsta Grillz brand. Before he and Aphilliates member Don Cannon were busted by local authorities (in conjunction with the RIAA) in January, DJ Drama’s mixtapes had grown so popular that the best installmentsmore...

No Atlanta mixtape DJ has wielded as much influence as DRAMA, his Aphilliates crew and their Gangsta Grillz brand. Before he and Aphilliates member Don Cannon were busted by local authorities (in conjunction with the RIAA) in January, DJ Drama’s mixtapes had grown so popular that the best installments — particularly his Dedication 2 edition with buzzy rap star Lil Wayne — drew serious critical analysis in newspapers and magazines. Months after the raid, which made national headlines, DJ Drama quietly began pressing up mixtapes again. The difference is his recent mixtapes, such as American Gangsta Part 2: Hood Nigga Diaries featuring Gorilla Zoe, are approved and released in conjunction with the artist’s label, Block Entertainment. Still a player in the game, it’s hard to foresee anyone else having DJ Drama’s unique impact.


www.gangstagrillz.com

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Best Local New Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Coathangers
THE COATHANGERS understand the raw power of simplicity. In less than a year, these all-female Atlanta post-punks have carved a striking path through the local music scene, leaving boisterous lovers and haters in their wake. The group plays spun-out punk and no-wave pep-rally anthems that are formidable,more...

THE COATHANGERS understand the raw power of simplicity. In less than a year, these all-female Atlanta post-punks have carved a striking path through the local music scene, leaving boisterous lovers and haters in their wake. The group plays spun-out punk and no-wave pep-rally anthems that are formidable, aggressive and charmingly naive. At any time there are at least a dozen upcoming shows posted on the group’s Myspace page, and its performances are never less than explosive. The Coathangers work hard and play hard. And having fun while playing music is the bottom line. If you’re offended by such signature (and juvenile) songs as “Nestle in My Boobies” and “Shut the Fuck Up,” then maybe it’s time for you to lighten up.


www.myspace.com/fuckthecoathangers

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Best Local Overall Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Deerhunter
It’s no surprise that 2007 is the year DEERHUNTER blew up. After all the attention the group received from sharing stages with the Liars, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the Smashing Pumpkins over the last two years, it was inevitable. Deerhunter is a sneering local art-rock band with more talent, ambitionmore...

It’s no surprise that 2007 is the year DEERHUNTER blew up. After all the attention the group received from sharing stages with the Liars, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the Smashing Pumpkins over the last two years, it was inevitable. Deerhunter is a sneering local art-rock band with more talent, ambition and adventurous ideas than the Perimeter could contain. Where there was once erratic experimentation, primordial noise and lo-fi pop sensibilities, there is now order in the group’s songs — albeit the avant-garde variety, swimming in overdriven tones and distortion. And as the harbinger of cool culture, PitchforkMedia.com, trips over its own tongue to report Deerhunter’s every move, the rest of the country and beyond has learned what we already know: This music is world-class.


www.myspace.com/deerhunter

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Best Local Pop Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
One Hand Loves the Other
There are dozens of musical categories that could easily depict ONE HAND LOVES THE OTHER’s many faces. Electronic, R&B, modern classical and experimental music all come to mind. But it’s the group’s ability to blend them all into a seamless pop tapestry that makes it standmore...

There are dozens of musical categories that could easily depict ONE HAND LOVES THE OTHER’s many faces. Electronic, R&B, modern classical and experimental music all come to mind. But it’s the group’s ability to blend them all into a seamless pop tapestry that makes it stand out in Atlanta’s alternative music scene. On the group’s self-titled debut CD, vocalist Lou Rodriguez’s dramatic croon billows with dark passion over a deluge of strings and electronic textures. The marriage of laptop precision to the warm, natural tones that emanate from cello and violin strings tussles between red-blooded desire and sparse musical arrangements. Not only is OHLtO’s debut captivating, it introduces to the Atlanta music scene a remarkable new talent — one that has much more to offer.


www.myspace.com/onehandlovestheother

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Best Local Promoter BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Randy Castello and Tight Bros. Network
The official talent purchaser for the Drunken Unicorn, RANDY CASTELLO AND TIGHT BROS. NETWORK isn’t the hard-nosed businessman that many promoters fancy themselves. He’s usually found watching the door at the shows he books. And afterward he’s the first one to get the partymore...

The official talent purchaser for the Drunken Unicorn, RANDY CASTELLO AND TIGHT BROS. NETWORK isn’t the hard-nosed businessman that many promoters fancy themselves. He’s usually found watching the door at the shows he books. And afterward he’s the first one to get the party started with the out-of-town bands. Castello is the winner in this category for the second year in a row because he has a knack for booking cutting-edge underground punk, hip-hop and indie-rock acts to Atlanta — the ones that many Atlanta clubs would pass over — and he’s not afraid to invite newcomers to open his shows. Of Montreal, Prefuse 73, Deerhunter and the Black Lips were all part of the Tight Bros. canon long before anybody else ever heard of them. For that, Atlanta benefits greatly from his presence.


www.tightbros.net

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Best Local Producer BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Aldrin “DJ” Toomp
Ever since ALDRIN “DJ” TOOMP produced T.I.’s Grammy-winning hit, “What You Know,” he has been the go-to guy among Atlanta’s scores of hip-hop producers. His fingerprints adorn hits by Young Jeezy (“I Luv It”) and Kanye West (“Can’tmore...

Ever since ALDRIN “DJ” TOOMP produced T.I.’s Grammy-winning hit, “What You Know,” he has been the go-to guy among Atlanta’s scores of hip-hop producers. His fingerprints adorn hits by Young Jeezy (“I Luv It”) and Kanye West (“Can’t Tell Me Nothing”), and his distinctive, orchestral keyboard sound has become a trademark. It’s the unlikeliest of triumphs for a man who got his start back in the ‘80s making bass tracks for MC Shy D. Who could have predicted that, nearly two decades later, he would be poised to become an ATL beat king as ubiquitous as Lil Jon and Organized Noize?


www.myspace.com/djtoomp

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Best Local Singer/Songwriter BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
JuJu B. Solomon
Combine equal parts peace-punk intellect, street poet and world-weary traveler with an outsider complex, and you have JUJU B. SOLOMON: a post-Dylan songwriting enigma. To his friends he is Benjamin, but on stage “JuJu” takes over as his songs wander through a whimsical terrain of ennuimore...

Combine equal parts peace-punk intellect, street poet and world-weary traveler with an outsider complex, and you have JUJU B. SOLOMON: a post-Dylan songwriting enigma. To his friends he is Benjamin, but on stage “JuJu” takes over as his songs wander through a whimsical terrain of ennui and sexual discovery tamed only by a unique sense of humor. His rich tales reveal much about his personality; in “The Only American in Coimbatore,” he combs through the intimate and emotional exploits of an American making sense of the peculiar ways of social life in India. His songs bend the boundaries of comfort, but that’s what makes them so alluring.


www.myspace.com/jujubsolomon

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Best Local Music Video BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Mastodon’s “Colony of Birchmen”
The music video for MASTODON’S “COLONY OF BIRCHMEN,” a single from its acclaimed Blood Mountain CD, shows malicious Yeti-like creatures traipsing through forests while the quartet performs in front of a trickling waterfall. As the band howls and swings its instruments, deepmore...
The music video for MASTODON’S “COLONY OF BIRCHMEN,” a single from its acclaimed Blood Mountain CD, shows malicious Yeti-like creatures traipsing through forests while the quartet performs in front of a trickling waterfall. As the band howls and swings its instruments, deep primary colors frame its image. Near the end of the clip, a series of animations appear: wolves decapitating each other and a mountain melting into a pool of blood. “Colony of Birchmen” was partly shot in Stone Mountain, and the band’s performance scene was filmed in a cove at Ruby Falls in Chattanooga. But the sum of its images is more interesting than most Atlanta rap videos with their litany of whips and chicks. less...

Best Drag Queen BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Diamond Lil
Atlanta is truly lucky to have DIAMOND LIL in our midst. Of all the female illusionists who’ve graced the stages of the clubs and after-hours gin joints in this fair city, let’s face it: She’s the queen. Lil is the only one who has withstood the test of time. Old-timers remembermore...
Atlanta is truly lucky to have DIAMOND LIL in our midst. Of all the female illusionists who’ve graced the stages of the clubs and after-hours gin joints in this fair city, let’s face it: She’s the queen. Lil is the only one who has withstood the test of time. Old-timers remember the days when she only played at the hippest rock clubs in the ’70s and ’80s. The majority of the gender-bending, wigged-out and falsified flock of she-gulls in the scene merely lip-sync and strut. Diamond Lil has actual songs and two albums to her credit. She’s not a drag at all; she’s a rare and fair lady. And she’s so old-school, she doesn’t even have a website. less...

Best Outdoor Music Venue for Concerts BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Criminal Records
For a little-bitty record store, CRIMINAL RECORDS has a great big parking lot and a great big sound system. No, it’s not Chastain Amphitheater, but it is a pretty tight spot to get a sunburn and a free beer while watching some bands play. Where else can you hang out with a colorful mishmashmore...
For a little-bitty record store, CRIMINAL RECORDS has a great big parking lot and a great big sound system. No, it’s not Chastain Amphitheater, but it is a pretty tight spot to get a sunburn and a free beer while watching some bands play. Where else can you hang out with a colorful mishmash of folks while watching such bands as Mastodon, the Black Lips, Charles Walker and the Dynamites, and the Coathangers? Look to your left and you’re flanked by street people with names like Bones and Ronnie. Look to your right and you’ll see the lovely ladies from Aurora Coffee, Abbadabbas and everywhere else in L5P. And they’re all just chilling, listening to music with whomever else is passing by. less...

Best Place to Hear Local Music BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Lenny’s Bar (Permanently Closed)
Moving out doesn’t always mean moving up, and LENNY’S proves that even with a newer and bigger location, it can still proudly call itself the “CBGB’S of Atlanta.” Despite the new location, the floor is still scuffed and dirty, the music is loud, and the PBRmore...
Moving out doesn’t always mean moving up, and LENNY’S proves that even with a newer and bigger location, it can still proudly call itself the “CBGB’S of Atlanta.” Despite the new location, the floor is still scuffed and dirty, the music is loud, and the PBR is always flowing. The rock ’n’ roll venue has doggedly stuck to a slate of local bands, from new prospects to such local kingpins as the Carbonas and Brass Castle. And it always kicks off the weekend with the raucous and drunken Trashed Friday night dance party. Now settled into its bigger building, Lenny’s crowd has the room to do what it does best — get drunk, loud and rowdy. less...

Best Place to Hear Music For Free BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Aurora Coffee
Ah, we love those beans and beats. Want some music with that coffee concoction? The best place to hear music for free these days is at two very different, yet equally appealing, locations of AURORA COFFEE. A cool ’60s feel permeates the proceedings, no matter what sort of music is playing. Harkeningmore...
Ah, we love those beans and beats. Want some music with that coffee concoction? The best place to hear music for free these days is at two very different, yet equally appealing, locations of AURORA COFFEE. A cool ’60s feel permeates the proceedings, no matter what sort of music is playing. Harkening back to the days of bongos and finger-snapping beatniks, the audience usually pays rapt attention and the performers repay the respect in kind, with heartfelt, often unique versions of their repertoire. At the Little Five Points and Virginia-Highland locations, bands play acoustically, though there’s the occasional deviation from that norm. Either way, the air is filled with — sorry, we couldn’t resist — rhythm and brews. Drink it all in. less...

Best Place to Play Pool BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Barley’s Sports Bar and Lounge (Permanently Closed)
Why go to a dingy pool hall when there’s BARLEY’S SPORTS BAR AND LOUNGE? In the heart of downtown, it’s a bar, restaurant and live-music venue with a 22-table pool room. An easygoing location with a pleasant, neighborhood vibe, the sturdy tables offer pockets of competitivemore...
Why go to a dingy pool hall when there’s BARLEY’S SPORTS BAR AND LOUNGE? In the heart of downtown, it’s a bar, restaurant and live-music venue with a 22-table pool room. An easygoing location with a pleasant, neighborhood vibe, the sturdy tables offer pockets of competitive fun. Let’s hope the charm of Barley’s remains the same as the surrounding area continues to morph daily. Rack ’em up, Joe, and stay awhile. less...

Best Comedy Show BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Miss Sophia
Radio was the last thing on MISS SOPHIA’s mind when the cross-dressing comedian moved here from Houston to further her stage career. But since taking over the entertainment-report duties on V-103’s “Frank and Wanda Morning Show,” she has become a show staple and amore...

Radio was the last thing on MISS SOPHIA’s mind when the cross-dressing comedian moved here from Houston to further her stage career. But since taking over the entertainment-report duties on V-103’s “Frank and Wanda Morning Show,” she has become a show staple and a listener favorite. Her trademark “Girl Talk” is full of brash, balls-to-the-wall humor and unruly commentary. She gets away with saying things other people can’t — even when the people she’s saying those things about are the sacred cows of Atlanta’s entertainment community. Far from a traditional drag queen, Miss Sophia’s intent isn’t to fool you with her cheap wigs and ill-fitting church-lady dresses. Rather, she’s out to make you laugh — with her or at her. Just don’t have too much fun at her expense, because Miss Sophia always gets the last laugh.


www.sophiamcintosh.com

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Best Rock Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Earl (Featured)
For starters, THE EARL boasts $2.50 tall boys and friggin’ amazing sweet-potato fries. And unlike many beautiful dives, the sound here is stellar since being improved by knowledgeable knob guy Curt Wells. In the past year, the club hosted stellar performances from the Mighty Hannibal (backedmore...
For starters, THE EARL boasts $2.50 tall boys and friggin’ amazing sweet-potato fries. And unlike many beautiful dives, the sound here is stellar since being improved by knowledgeable knob guy Curt Wells. In the past year, the club hosted stellar performances from the Mighty Hannibal (backed by the Black Lips), Mission of Burma, the Fiery Furnaces and the National. Show booker Patrick Hill keeps things professional, while the crowd cuts loose. It’s the perfect blend of rock ’n’ roll. less...

Best Rock Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
ISP
RIP stands for rest in peace, and ISP stands for Industrial Strength Promo. ISP was like an open-till-whenever convenience store for edgy music, art and activism. The unassuming storefront location was started more than a year ago by former Athenians Eric Holder and Justin Sias to serve as a communalmore...

RIP stands for rest in peace, and ISP stands for Industrial Strength Promo. ISP was like an open-till-whenever convenience store for edgy music, art and activism. The unassuming storefront location was started more than a year ago by former Athenians Eric Holder and Justin Sias to serve as a communal hub for all things noncommercial. You didn’t see any overhyped, overpriced Live Nation Presents-type concerts here. And for that promise alone, we loved the place. In many ways, it’s like the Earl’s little brother has passed away just as it was making a local name for itself with an impressive list of unconventional performers and clever, attention-getting stunts — remember the great tour-bus race? RIP, ISP. We’ll miss you.


494 Flat Shoals Ave. www.industrialstrengthpromo.com

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Best Strip Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Strokers Club
Even swelling gas prices can’t stop folks from descending on STROKERS, the pleasure palace where parting with dollar bills never felt so liberating. Bottles aren’t the only thing popping here. In an age where Brazilian butt implants abound, clubs such as Strokers are the preferred destinationmore...
Even swelling gas prices can’t stop folks from descending on STROKERS, the pleasure palace where parting with dollar bills never felt so liberating. Bottles aren’t the only thing popping here. In an age where Brazilian butt implants abound, clubs such as Strokers are the preferred destination for those who like to take it to the gluteus maximus. You’re likely to see as many females sitting on the couch as you’ll spot sliding down the pole. Guys aren’t the only ones who lap up the two for $10 table dances on Customer Appreciation Mondays. But if you don’t have enough cash to make it rain, leave the shot callin’ to the rappers and ballers. less...

Best Strip Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Clermont Lounge (Featured)
When it comes to strip clubs, the CLERMONT LOUNGE stands at the topless, er, top of must-see Atlanta landmarks. Locals and visitors are drawn to the kitsch appeal of the dingy basement-level dive bar. The Clermont isn’t like anything you’ve ever seen in person. Originally a swank suppermore...
When it comes to strip clubs, the CLERMONT LOUNGE stands at the topless, er, top of must-see Atlanta landmarks. Locals and visitors are drawn to the kitsch appeal of the dingy basement-level dive bar. The Clermont isn’t like anything you’ve ever seen in person. Originally a swank supper club in the mid-’50s, it became the Clermont we know and love in 1965 and hasn’t changed much over the years. A steady stream of customers — including guests ranging from Marilyn Manson to Jon Stewart — keep the place jiggling into the wee hours. Face it: The rustic interior has played host to more dancing and debauchery than you’ll ever witness in a lifetime — or three. And speaking of double D’s, legendary poet/adult entertainer/all-around diva Blondie has helped put the place on the map with her infamous beer-can-crushing skills. less...

Best Urban Music Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Sugarhill (Permanently Closed)
No other venue captures the sonic and cultural diversity of Atlanta like SUGARHILL, an urban hang suite where underground legends, Blackberry professionals and occasional pop stars shake their groove thangs to 4 a.m. Sugarhill reminds us that soul has always been a Southern thing, as a new generationmore...
No other venue captures the sonic and cultural diversity of Atlanta like SUGARHILL, an urban hang suite where underground legends, Blackberry professionals and occasional pop stars shake their groove thangs to 4 a.m. Sugarhill reminds us that soul has always been a Southern thing, as a new generation of crooners and sexy sirens gets funky and free during Tuesday night jam sessions hosted by soul mama Joi, featuring Little John and the Chronicle. An all-star lineup of DJs (Kemit, Salah Ananse, Jamad) offers a sweaty good time raising the roof with an alluring array of house, soul, dance and hip-hop. Beyond the music, the mixed-use venue also hosts poetry nights, comedy and fundraisers with a signature home-grown flair. less...

Best Local Vocalist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Bernadette Seacrest
Not since Francine Reed settled here 25 years ago has a singer new to the Atlanta scene made such an indelible first impression as BERNADETTE SEACREST. The irony is that the jazz chanteuse is more popular in Europe than in her adopted city, but don’t expect that to last long. Seacrest singsmore...

Not since Francine Reed settled here 25 years ago has a singer new to the Atlanta scene made such an indelible first impression as BERNADETTE SEACREST. The irony is that the jazz chanteuse is more popular in Europe than in her adopted city, but don’t expect that to last long. Seacrest sings torch songs with a fragile and haunting voice that is Billie Holiday cross-pollinated with Madeleine Peyroux. Both members of her two-piece band are alumni of Col. Bruce Hampton — former Aquarium Rescue Unit guitarist Charlie Williams and current Quark Alliance bassist Chris Dale. Seacrest, who moved to Atlanta from Albuquerque in 2006, didn’t even take up singing until six years ago. Catch her now before Atlanta finally discovers her. You’ll be struck first by her tattoos, then you’ll be captivated by her voice.


www.bernadetteseacrest.com

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Best Local Blues Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Danny “Mudcat” Dudeck
The blues is a universal feeling that transcends languages, social status and the constraints of musical genre. DANNY “MUDCAT” DUDECK knows that feeling intimately. He travels the globe spreading his version of the blues gospel and regularly works with a number of international blues-preservationmore...

The blues is a universal feeling that transcends languages, social status and the constraints of musical genre. DANNY “MUDCAT” DUDECK knows that feeling intimately. He travels the globe spreading his version of the blues gospel and regularly works with a number of international blues-preservation organizations. Lucky for us, he gets back to town most weeks to play the tiny Northside Tavern. Whether performing solo, leading a smokin’ band or a tight, one-off jam session with a founding father or a group of novices, his soulful and emotive delivery evokes images of the hard times that fed the early blues pioneers. And Mudcat’s Bayou-baked, chicken-party revues can make even the most jaded music fan happy to be blue.


www.mudcatblues.com

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Best Local R&B/Soul Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Rahbi
When RAHBI takes the stage with a swagger that’s part pimp, part drag queen, it’s obvious why his arrival has caused such a stir among Atlanta’s staid soul scene. The background singer for Donnie stepped out of the shadows this year to unleash his own brand of “glamourmore...

When RAHBI takes the stage with a swagger that’s part pimp, part drag queen, it’s obvious why his arrival has caused such a stir among Atlanta’s staid soul scene. The background singer for Donnie stepped out of the shadows this year to unleash his own brand of “glamour soul.” It bears no resemblance to the singer/songwriter school of thought most of his Atlanta-based peers graduated from. Instead, Rahbi takes his cues from Prince — lace glove and all. During his “Strange Fruit” show in early 2007, he employed a pole dancer and stripper pole in his act. Yet his flamboyant stage show doesn’t overshadow the dramatic vocal ability he honed singing at his granddaddy’s Pentecostal church as a youngster. His appropriately titled live album, Rahbi-Raw, is scheduled for a fall release.


www.myspace.com/rahbi

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Best Acoustic Music Club/Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Eddie’s Attic (Featured)

Best Bartender/Mixologist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Grant Henry, The Local

Best Bar to Hook Up BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Twisted Taco Midtown (Permanently Closed)

Best Blues Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Blind Willie’s (Featured)

Best Bowling Alley BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Midtown Bowl (Featured)

Best Dance Company BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Home Boys Only

Best Brew Pub BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Brick Store Pub

Best Burlesque Troupe BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Dames Aflame

Best Club/Party DJ BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Klever

Best Club/Party DJ BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Brian Parris

Best Club Event BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Twinkledome at Star Bar

Best Comedy Club/Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
The Punchline Comedy Club (Featured)

Best Concert Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Tabernacle

Best Dance Music Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
MJQ Concourse (Featured)

Best Dive Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Lenny’s Bar (Permanently Closed)

Best Drag Queen BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Charlie Brown

Best Gay Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Mary’s (Featured)

Best Local Music Blog BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Crazy Anglos

Best Local Music Blog BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Cable and Tweed
cableandtweed.blogspot.com

Best Jazz Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Churchill Grounds Jazz Cafe (Permanently Closed)

Best Jukebox BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
The Righteous Room (Featured)

Best Karaoke BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Mary’s (Featured)

Best Latin Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Loca Luna (Permanently Closed)

Best Lesbian Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
MSR My Sisters Room

Best Bands in ATL BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Muuhda

Best Local Blues Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
The Breeze Kings

Best Local Country Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Sugarland

Best Local Electronic Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Sensitive Chaos

Best Local Experimental Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Deerhunter

Best Local Folk Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Rising Appalachia

Best Local Hip-Hop Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
T.I.

Best Local Rock Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Snowden

Best Local Instrumentalist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Dixie Duncan

Best Local Traditional/World Band/Artist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Miguel Romero

Best Local Jazz Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Joe Gransden

Best Local Record Label BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Rob’s House Records

Best Local Rock Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Dear Enemy

Best Local New Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Crazy Anglos

Best Local Overall Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Dear Enemy

Best Local Promoter BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Preston Craig

Best Local R&B/Soul Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Rahbi

Best Local Studio BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Tree Sound Studios
treesoundstudios.com

Best Local Singer/Songwriter BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Kelly Love Jones

Best Local Vocalist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Bryan Kraatz

Best Local DJ/Personality BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
DJ Drama

Best Neighborhood Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
The Earl (Featured)

Best OTP Music Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Swayze’s (Permanently Closed)

Best Outdoor Music Venue for Concerts BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park

Best Unique Date Night BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Taqueria Del Sol (Featured)

Best Place for a First Date BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Real Chow Baby (Permanently Closed)
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Best Acoustic Music Club/Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Red Light Cafe

Best Acoustic Music Club/Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Eddie’s Attic (Featured)

Best After Hours Spot BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Majestic Diner (Featured)

Categories No Longer in Use BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Crazy Anglos
It’s a thin line between what we call ballot-stuffing and having a huge, supportive fan base. Every year one band runs away with the reader’s choice in a number of categories, and we scratch our heads wondering how it was done. This year, CRAZY ANGLOS swept three categories: best localmore...

It’s a thin line between what we call ballot-stuffing and having a huge, supportive fan base. Every year one band runs away with the reader’s choice in a number of categories, and we scratch our heads wondering how it was done. This year, CRAZY ANGLOS swept three categories: best local new music act, best music video shot in Atlanta and best Georgia-based band MySpace page. The group’s guerilla street-team tactics have earned it a massive local following. But if you’re not convinced by numbers alone, ask yourself how many rap-core bands you know of that won the John Lennon Songwriting Award? Yep, that’s what we thought.


www.myspace.com/crazyanglos

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Best Bar Food BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Local
It’s not the overly familiar watering hole of TV’s “Cheers,” but the atmosphere at THE LOCAL makes it a comfortable destination. The place is usually peopled with a relaxed mix of Atlanta’s party people, busy local scenesters and a measure of the appropriatelymore...
It’s not the overly familiar watering hole of TV’s “Cheers,” but the atmosphere at THE LOCAL makes it a comfortable destination. The place is usually peopled with a relaxed mix of Atlanta’s party people, busy local scenesters and a measure of the appropriately wacky Ponce characters. The huddled masses rub elbows here with a small-town ease and big-city bustle. It’s a hipster cocktail haven and functioning no-frills restaurant, depending on your needs. Reliable bar food and those oft-cited fries are the way to go, especially in the later hours of operation. Mixed drinks are available, but go for a beer from the well-stocked and pleasantly affordable bar. less...

Best Bartender/Mixologist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Grant Henry, The Local

Best Bar to Hook Up BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Twisted Taco Midtown (Permanently Closed)

Best Blues Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Blind Willie’s (Featured)
In selecting the city’s best, you always strive to go beyond the obvious. But in this case, the obvious happens to be true: BLIND WILLIE’S drives the blues scene in Atlanta. It’s the club where most of the national acts play when they come to town, and it’s the clubmore...
In selecting the city’s best, you always strive to go beyond the obvious. But in this case, the obvious happens to be true: BLIND WILLIE’S drives the blues scene in Atlanta. It’s the club where most of the national acts play when they come to town, and it’s the club where all local blues bands aspire to perform. The club celebrated its 20th year in 2006 and has doggedly stuck to its formula: It brings in national acts early in the week, and books such local acts as Francine Reed and Luther “Houserocker” Johnson on weekends. less...

Best Blues Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Blind Willie’s (Featured)

Best Bowling Alley BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Midtown Bowl (Featured)

Best Dance Company BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Home Boys Only

Best Brew Pub BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Brick Store Pub

Best Burlesque Troupe BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Dames Aflame

Best Club/Party DJ BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Klever

Best Club/Party DJ BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
DJ Klever
Few DJs work as hard as DJ KLEVER. Some may offer more “exclusive” tracks you can’t hear anywhere else. Others may achieve a smoother-flowing set through tasteful song selection and blends. But Klever actually puts on a show. He cuts, scratches and mashes up pop, rock, R&B,more...

Few DJs work as hard as DJ KLEVER. Some may offer more “exclusive” tracks you can’t hear anywhere else. Others may achieve a smoother-flowing set through tasteful song selection and blends. But Klever actually puts on a show. He cuts, scratches and mashes up pop, rock, R&B, hip-hop and electronic songs into a furious mess. His DJ sets are truly an adventure that can go from cheekily obnoxious to coolly melodic in less than a minute. A former turntable champion who has won awards for his skills, Klever reminds his audience that, at their best, DJs can exhibit as many techniques as a guitarist playing a furious solo.


www.myspace.com/kleverbeats

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Best Club/Party DJ BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Brian Parris

Best Club Event BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Apache Cafe

Best Club Event BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Twinkledome at Star Bar

Best Comedy Club/Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Punchline Comedy Club (Featured)
The king of comedy in Atlanta is the PUNCHLINE COMEDY CLUB. Since 1982, the intimate venue has consistently offered the best roster of acts in town, featuring a full slate of hilarious, major touring acts and plenty of gut-busting up ‘n’ comers. A plethora of superstars has performedmore...
The king of comedy in Atlanta is the PUNCHLINE COMEDY CLUB. Since 1982, the intimate venue has consistently offered the best roster of acts in town, featuring a full slate of hilarious, major touring acts and plenty of gut-busting up ‘n’ comers. A plethora of superstars has performed at the Punchline over the years — including Richard Pryor, Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Janeane Garofalo and Dave Chappelle — as the signed photos that line the walls attest. As the infectious radio jingle used to proclaim, “Come and get some funny” at the Punchline. We need a good laugh now more than ever. less...

Best Comedy Club/Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
The Punchline Comedy Club (Featured)

Best Concert Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Variety Playhouse
Located in the pulsing heart of boho mecca Little Five Points, indie-owned and -operated VARIETY PLAYHOUSE is a relaxed arena of hipness. Once a theater for cult films, the thriving venue is a comfortable haven for performances from a dizzying array of genres: Rock, soul, country, jazz, world and everythingmore...
Located in the pulsing heart of boho mecca Little Five Points, indie-owned and -operated VARIETY PLAYHOUSE is a relaxed arena of hipness. Once a theater for cult films, the thriving venue is a comfortable haven for performances from a dizzying array of genres: Rock, soul, country, jazz, world and everything in between is regularly featured on the schedule. Great acoustics and intimate seating give the facility the vibe of being the Eddie’s Attic of big rooms: a place where music fans come to listen. The list of artists who have performed on the hallowed hardwood stage includes P.J. Harvey, Diana Krall, Emmylou Harris, Siouxie Sioux and R.E.M. less...

Best Concert Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Tabernacle

Best Country Music Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Wild Bill Wholesale (Permanently Closed)
In a previous life, the building that houses WILD BILL’S was a Service Merchandise store. Where patrons used to browse the jewelry department, you can now grab a cold beer and check out the badonkadonks that shake to the modern country sounds on the 5,000-square-foot dance floor. Often featuringmore...
In a previous life, the building that houses WILD BILL’S was a Service Merchandise store. Where patrons used to browse the jewelry department, you can now grab a cold beer and check out the badonkadonks that shake to the modern country sounds on the 5,000-square-foot dance floor. Often featuring the best in today’s country chart busters, the massive stage at Wild Bill’s is as big as a civic-center-type venue, and the place claims to be the biggest country-music dance club in the United States. We find it hard to doubt that statement because it’s pretty easy to get lost in the throes of line-dancing regulars, OTP gawkers and a few thrill-seeking hipsters. less...

Best Dance Music Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
MJQ Concourse (Featured)
Midtown nightclub MJQ CONCOURSE is the perennial favorite in this category because there’s no place more dependable on a weekend night. Each week hundreds of people go for the swirling disco lights, hot guys and girls, large dance floor, and music that’s commercially palatable withoutmore...
Midtown nightclub MJQ CONCOURSE is the perennial favorite in this category because there’s no place more dependable on a weekend night. Each week hundreds of people go for the swirling disco lights, hot guys and girls, large dance floor, and music that’s commercially palatable without hitting the lowest common denominator. A roster of capable resident DJs, special theme nights such as the “Saturday Party Sneak Attack,” and such out-of-town DJ stars as Flosstradamus and Girl Talk add to the unpredictable fun. less...

Best Dance Music Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
MJQ Concourse (Featured)

Best Dive Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Lenny’s Bar (Permanently Closed)
Moving out doesn’t always mean moving up, and LENNY’S proves that even with a newer and bigger location, it can still proudly call itself the “CBGB’S of Atlanta.” Despite the new location, the floor is still scuffed and dirty, the music is loud, and the PBRmore...
Moving out doesn’t always mean moving up, and LENNY’S proves that even with a newer and bigger location, it can still proudly call itself the “CBGB’S of Atlanta.” Despite the new location, the floor is still scuffed and dirty, the music is loud, and the PBR is always flowing. The rock ’n’ roll venue has doggedly stuck to a slate of local bands, from new prospects to such local kingpins as the Carbonas and Brass Castle. And it always kicks off the weekend with the raucous and drunken Trashed Friday night dance party. Now settled into its bigger building, Lenny’s crowd has the room to do what it does best — get drunk, loud and rowdy. less...

Best Dive Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Lenny’s Bar (Permanently Closed)

Best Drag Queen BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Charlie Brown

Best Alternative Art Space BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Eyedrum Art and Music Gallery
EYEDRUM ART & MUSIC GALLERY is an experimental music institution. It’s Atlanta’s answer to such nationally heralded avant-garde venues as Tonic and the Kitchen in New York, bestowed with a weirdo Southern flair. Each month, Eyedrum’s first Thursday open improv nights are bothmore...
EYEDRUM ART & MUSIC GALLERY is an experimental music institution. It’s Atlanta’s answer to such nationally heralded avant-garde venues as Tonic and the Kitchen in New York, bestowed with a weirdo Southern flair. Each month, Eyedrum’s first Thursday open improv nights are both a party and a breeding ground for the city’s most adventurous music. Between bands, when both audiences and performers head outside for a smoke, you will hear both absurd and profound conversations on the sociopolitical implications of everything from John Cage to Paris Hilton to the White Stripes. It’s a place of integrity and extreme exploration that proves that even in the fringe areas of culture, people still like to get crunk. less...

Best Gay Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Mary’s (Featured)

Best Gay Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Bazzaar (Permanently Closed)
For much of 2006 a segment of Atlanta nightlife was a drag — because there wasn’t as much drag. The closing of Charlie Brown’s Cabaret left a temporary void harder to tuck away and ignore than a big, fat … Indeed, there were big shoes to fill. BAZZAAR stepped up andmore...
For much of 2006 a segment of Atlanta nightlife was a drag — because there wasn’t as much drag. The closing of Charlie Brown’s Cabaret left a temporary void harder to tuck away and ignore than a big, fat … Indeed, there were big shoes to fill. BAZZAAR stepped up and made every Wednesday night a place queens could be kings, but no one of any orientation had to play the fool. With host Princess Charles, music selector Cody Nation, gymnist Sonique, queer dance-offs and roller derbies that spill out onto Peachtree Street — it all adds up to an irreverent variety show for breeders, boys and Marys to get merry. less...

Best Local Music Blog BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Soulja Boy
Some pop phenomena are impossible to ignore, especially when led by a lanky 17-year-old kid named DeAndre Way who calls himself SOULJA BOY. The Chicago-born, Atlanta/Mississippi-bred teen created viral hysteria in a matter of months with his contagious song and dance, “Crank That (Soulja Boy).”more...

Some pop phenomena are impossible to ignore, especially when led by a lanky 17-year-old kid named DeAndre Way who calls himself SOULJA BOY. The Chicago-born, Atlanta/Mississippi-bred teen created viral hysteria in a matter of months with his contagious song and dance, “Crank That (Soulja Boy).” His MySpace page has logged over 10 million views in 18 months. The page currently hosts over 130 YouTube videos featuring fans and celebrities such as Lil’ Wayne, Beyonce and Travis Barker replicating his dance. But the best footage is recorded by Soulja Boy’s personal camera man as he documents and YouTubes practically his every waking moment. It’s enabled him to go global from his bedroom with the backing of Interscope Records. Since the label signed him via Atlanta’s own Mr. Collipark, his song has reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and No. 11 on it’s United World chart. And his debut album doesn’t even drop until Oct. 2.


www.myspace.com/souljaboytellem

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Best Local Music Blog BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Crazy Anglos

Best Local Music Blog BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Cable & Tweed
Music blogs have become the homemade zines of our generation. Everybody has one, and most of them are completely useless. That’s why when a worthwhile music blog such as CABLE & TWEED comes around, we jump on it. Rich Vining at Cable & Tweed has been indulging the music geek in all of us sincemore...

Music blogs have become the homemade zines of our generation. Everybody has one, and most of them are completely useless. That’s why when a worthwhile music blog such as CABLE & TWEED comes around, we jump on it. Rich Vining at Cable & Tweed has been indulging the music geek in all of us since January ‘06. The blog presents a perfect balance of local and national music coverage. But the real gem is the MP3s Vining posts from concerts performed locally. Where else can you hear the Decemberists performing live with the ASO at Chastain?


cableandtweed.blogspot.com

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Best Local Music Blog BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Cable and Tweed
cableandtweed.blogspot.com

Best Jazz Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Churchill Grounds Jazz Cafe (Permanently Closed)

Best Jukebox BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
The Righteous Room (Featured)

Best Karaoke BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Mary’s (Featured)

Best Latin Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Loca Luna (Permanently Closed)

Best Lesbian Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
MSR My Sisters Room

Best Lesbian Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
MSR My Sisters Room
After shutting its doors last year to make way for a redevelopment project in Decatur, MY SISTER’S ROOM made its welcome return in June. The new digs are located in East Atlanta, a hop, skip and a jump from Mary’s. It’s a tighter squeeze for the kings and femmes in the downsizedmore...
After shutting its doors last year to make way for a redevelopment project in Decatur, MY SISTER’S ROOM made its welcome return in June. The new digs are located in East Atlanta, a hop, skip and a jump from Mary’s. It’s a tighter squeeze for the kings and femmes in the downsized venue, but the vibe is still sisterly. Texas Hold ’Em Tuesdays goes down weekly, and Thursdays are reserved for Raw Talent. less...

Best Bands in ATL BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Partisan
PARTISAN hooked up in 2002, and four years later released The Gothic and the Gospel, an extraordinarily ambitious debut album. It mixed Afro-beat, Fugazi-era emo punk and indie pop with righteous, fiery lyrics about post-9/11 politics and radical activism. Spread out over 85 minutes, the music was overwhelmingmore...
PARTISAN hooked up in 2002, and four years later released The Gothic and the Gospel, an extraordinarily ambitious debut album. It mixed Afro-beat, Fugazi-era emo punk and indie pop with righteous, fiery lyrics about post-9/11 politics and radical activism. Spread out over 85 minutes, the music was overwhelming and filled with life. Unfortunately, when The Gothic and the Gospel was released on local imprint Reason Y Records, it attracted little attention beyond a small but rabid fan base. Partisan played a few shows, but didn’t have time to mount a real tour. Most of its seven members had full-time, well-paying jobs and couldn’t afford to go on the road for a low-budget national tour. The group quietly disbanded in September 2006, leaving behind a great rock album that most will never hear. less...

Best Bands in ATL BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Muuhda

Best Bands in ATL BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Black Lips
On stage, THE BLACK LIPS explode with raw power that jitters in a stew of blood, sweat and haunted reverb. Somewhere along the journey from playing shows at local rat holes such as the Somber Reptile (RIP) in 2001, to dominating in Tijuana, Mexico, last year, the group discovered the secret to churningmore...

On stage, THE BLACK LIPS explode with raw power that jitters in a stew of blood, sweat and haunted reverb. Somewhere along the journey from playing shows at local rat holes such as the Somber Reptile (RIP) in 2001, to dominating in Tijuana, Mexico, last year, the group discovered the secret to churning out great rock ‘n’ roll songs. The Black Lips’ garage-rock anthems are bound by nostalgia and spastic rebel abandon. The group’s tales of debauchery are the stuff of legends that forefathers the Rolling Stones, the Sex Pistols and MC5 would smile upon. When the group hangs out around town between tours, Atlanta is a lot more fun — even a little dangerous.


www.myspace.com/theblacklips

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Best Local Blues Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
The Breeze Kings

Best Local Country Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
No River City
When Drew De Man sings about warding off bears on NO RIVER CITY’s second CD, Wolves and Fishes, one can almost see the teeth and claws of his personal demons swatting at his back. De Man leads an alienated procession on a path into country music’s richest, blackest soil. With everymore...

When Drew De Man sings about warding off bears on NO RIVER CITY’s second CD, Wolves and Fishes, one can almost see the teeth and claws of his personal demons swatting at his back. De Man leads an alienated procession on a path into country music’s richest, blackest soil. With every character he creates and every twist along the path, the group adapts its dark, bucolic twang to fit the mood. Sometimes songs tumble at a galloping pace, while others move much more slowly. What sets NRC apart from the rural-music masses is a penchant for infusing alt-country songcraft with lost-in-the-moment improvisation. Wielding a nontraditional approach gives a sense of spontaneity to each song, but never at the expense of delivering a genuinely heartbreaking performance.


www.norivercity.com

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Best Local Country Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Sugarland

Best Local Electronic Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Damon “Habersham” Fonooni
DAMON “HABERSHAM” FONOONI is typical of Atlanta’s electronic community: loved and appreciated abroad, but mostly ignored at home. As a DJ and producer who has created and licensed tracks to some of the world’s top electronic labels, including Bedrock and Global Underground,more...

DAMON “HABERSHAM” FONOONI is typical of Atlanta’s electronic community: loved and appreciated abroad, but mostly ignored at home. As a DJ and producer who has created and licensed tracks to some of the world’s top electronic labels, including Bedrock and Global Underground, Habersham often tours abroad. Here, however, he rarely nets a major gig, playing instead at small nightclubs and cafes. Some may assert that Habersham gets little love in the “A” because his progressive house style is out of fashion. But open-minded music lovers will find much to appreciate in his tracks. His recent Outside the Box EP, issued on U.K. label Audio Therapy, is as sinuous and affecting as any local release this year.


www.myspace.com/habergoose

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Best Local Electronic Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Sensitive Chaos

Best Local Experimental Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Tree Creature
Amid the backdrop of Atlanta’s various fringe electro-noise and experimental acts, TREE CREATURE tests the boundaries of noise, pop and minimalism while diving headlong into a blissfully distinctive world of sound. One could easily file the group under “electronic music,” butmore...

Amid the backdrop of Atlanta’s various fringe electro-noise and experimental acts, TREE CREATURE tests the boundaries of noise, pop and minimalism while diving headlong into a blissfully distinctive world of sound. One could easily file the group under “electronic music,” but Tree Creature never once brings a laptop to the stage. Instead it chooses the analog route to craft spacey and ethereal ambiance. By comparison with the harsh noise of fellow local contender Black Meat, Tree Creature’s long, undulating waves of angelic drones and repeating musical phrases are much more inviting, and always make for a palatable and social backdrop to any of the group’s weekly performances at house parties or low-key venues, such as Eyedrum or 11:11 Teahouse.


www.myspace.com/treecreature

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