After Dark

Are MIGOS really bigger than the Beatles? No. But Offset, Quavo and Takeoff are the de facto leaders of the new school. The album Culture received a massive boost by the success of "Bad and Boujee," and has since seen "T-Shirt" and the Gucci Mane-aided "Slippery" gain steam as legitimate mainstream hits. The group's style of call-and-response ad-libs reminiscent of '50s era doo-wop groups have both innovated and redefined how melody is used in hip-hop across the board. A lot of young artists are direct descendants of the style that the Northside trio has been cultivating for years now, and the broader music world has finally taken notice. www.migosonline.com. less...

The cutting edge of underground hip-hop shines every Thursday night when the CONTROLLERISE vibe session takes over Slice Pizza. Weekly regulars such as LeemLizzy, Funk.Shu, Triiip the Hippy, house DJ Empress Rah and more may not be household names yet, but each one is a staple of the thriving beat showcase where young DJs, producers and intrepid MCs roll out their latest concoctions for a gathering of peers and like-minded Best locals. Controllerise was conceived by Chris Wilkes, aka STLNDRMS, and Mike Harr as a grass-roots effort to facilitate the overwhelming amount of raw talent they saw brewing around them. Over the last year, attendance has grown, while a revolving cast of beatmakers sharpen their skills with quick excursions to the outer limits. The communal vibe of the weekly party functions as an incubator for ideas where hip-hop heads bounce ideas off of each other, give feedback and provide a critical support system where everyone grows mutually. A fresh batch of instrumental music is always on blast, but an appreciation for all things anime binds the room together. Cartoons such as Ghost in the Shell play out in the periphery, and attendees register to win anything from action figures to T-shirts and other manga-related gear. Giveaways aside, this is ground zero for Atlanta's most creative young minds in hip-hop. Slice Pizza, 75 Piedmont Ave. S.E.
www.controllerise.com

photo by: Lindsey Max

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KEBBI WILLIAMS has spent a lifetime immersed in music. Spending decades traversing the late-night music scene, and landing a gig playing sax for the Grammy-winning Tedeschi Trucks Band seems more than worthy of earning a lifetime achievement award. And sure, when he rolls up to Kevin Scott's Tuesday night jam sessions at Elliott Street Deli & Pub, the city's finest players turn their heads in awe. But Williams' work on the ground level truly makes a difference. As one of the proprietors of Gallery 992, he's created an outpost for the arts, music, yoga and education in the West End. His annual Music in the Park blowouts in Howell Park place young students and professional musicians on a level playing field, and engage them all with music. After watching music education programs being stripped from public schools throughout the city, Williams has worked with more than 5,100 students and more than 300 professional musicians to crowds of more than 15,000 people. Now seven years deep, and still free for all to attend, Williams has done more than his share of heavy lifting for the arts; changing hearts and minds every step of the way. www.musicintheparkatl.org/gallery-992. less...

Since its conception and growth out of the seasonal Sisters of Turkey Goth Danse Parties, DKA RECORDS has used its platform as a home for music to suit those who feel ostracized and who dwell in the shadows „ those who grow tired of stand-around rock shows, but who are also weary of mainstream musical gatherings with no fog machine clouds in which to dance away their woes. Founded in 2013 by friends and DJs Chris Daresta (Anticipation), James Andrew Ford (Tifaret) and Matt Weiner (TWINS), DKA has released artists from around the world, from Northampton, Massachusetts' cold wave duo Boy Harsher to Brisbane, Australia's EBM innovator Multiple Man. The label's most recent addition, Berlin-based Sally Dige, puts a fine point on the group's modern take on goth and industrial-flavored synth pop. Dige's Holding On LP comes on the heels of the label finalizing a deal with Omnian Music Group for distribution. This gives Daresta, Ford and Weiner more time to focus on their own music and further expansion as they curate more sounds within the tiers of goth, dark electronic, industrial, electro-post-punk and EBM. www.dkarecords.bandcamp.com. less...

In times of overt bigotry and social unrest, ANTAGONIZERS ATL's songs offer uncompromising messages of unity and positivity. This street punk credo echoes as loud in these contentious times as jokey provocation or political sloganeering. Such anthems as "Hold Your Ground" and "Dead to Us" extol the values of self-respect and not taking shit off known enemies and false friends. The band's positive message resounds with listeners for two reasons. First, singer Bohdan Zacharyj, guitarist Richard Henderson, bassist Billy Fields and drummer Eric Antell perform loud and fast rock 'n' roll with roots that dig deep into U.S. and U.K. punk history. Second, and more importantly, all four members come across as genuinely well-intentioned old-school punks, sharing the music that changed their lives every time they take the stage. www.antagonizersatl.bandcamp.com

photo by: Shooting The Shot Photography

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Former Hello Ocho pianist/percussionist and Faun and a Pan Flute marimba player CHRIS CHILDS didn't take much time off over the last year. In June, Childs released a 30-minute composition, titled "If I Were a Little Boy, I'd Be a Girl." He composed the music amid a tight schedule bookended by touring with Hello Ocho, while also staying on the road with and releasing Faun's second album, 2014-2016. When not working on his own material, Childs wrote pieces for Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. Somewhere in there he found time team up with cellist Ben Shirley and English horn player Carolyn Johnston as the Chris Childs Trio. The outfit was assembled to perform "If I Were a Little Boy, I'd Be a Girl," placing Childs' modern classical work on stages everywhere from dive bars to DIY venues along the East Coast. The music embraces the freeness of a small ensemble, while facing the musical challenges inherent in boiling the music down to just three instruments. But the ability to adapt is Childs' strong suit, as he shuns the notions of academic stagnation by allowing the piece to continue growing with each performance, no matter what obstacles life stacks in front of it. www.chrischildsmusic.com. less...

Since taking over Johnny Rhum's role as production manager at the Earl in August 2016, guitarist and noise specialist ANDREW WIGGINS (Caesium Mine, ex-HAWKS) has brought his high level of expertise and professionalism to sound quality and production show after show. A tech at Acorn Amplifiers by day, Wiggins' sound production stands out due to his personal touches to the Earl's sound setup, such as his mid-1970s Echoplex EP-3 he sometimes chooses to run through vocals. Having learned under Rhum and Curt Wells in his earlier days as sound guy around town, Wiggins maintains the reputation the two established at the Earl, continuously braving the impairments of tinnitus and bringing his insight and meticulousness of sound to bands' performances. His expertise and service of producing consistently impeccable-sounding shows with the attention and care he takes to make artists sound their best make him a standout favorite among Best local and touring bands and an asset in the Atlanta music scene. less...

In February, when Peter Roglin released CHAROLASTRA's debut cassette, God Help Us, the project appeared to be a one-man operation: Roglin kept on track by producers Anthony Nolan and Tito Mazzetta. Throughout God Help Us, songs such as "Top of the World," "Microdream" and "Is Everything as It Seems" make fine intros to Roglin's early obsessions with hip-hop, drum and bass, Chicago footwork and spacey ambient production. But when performing live on stage, Charolastra opens up dramatically. These days Roglin hesitates to even talk about the project without diverting attention to the band he has assembled, featuring guitarist Speros Kokenes, bass player Alex Pound, saxophone player Marquinn Mason and drummer Dylan Banks. On stage, the group takes a headlong dive into cosmic jazz excursions, bookended by Mason's towering presence walking the frontline of long, sustained moments of improv and beat-driven structures. Roglin lays low in the background, twisting knobs and watching over his devices with stoic presence, as the group digs into rhythms grooves and textures that transcend the instincts and temperament of modern musical trends. This is music that forges its own adventurous path from the group's collective conscious into the colorful outer regions of modern Atlanta music. www.charolastra.bandcamp.com. less...

On any given night of the week, MARQUINN "QUINN" MASONRY can be found playing music from Gallery 992 (his regular spot) and Aisle 5 to the wilds of the Atlanta Beltline, sputtering and blowing into an alto saxophone. Be it with the Convergence, the Wolfpack, Konda, Leo Project, Charolastra or some other spontaneously formed ensemble, Masonry is a tempestuous player looming over Atlanta's free jazz and improvised music scene. He's a MVP for anyone who's paying attention; the kind of player who doesn't have to show up for practice and still nail his performance every time. Masonry's thoughtful yet emotional performances pack in variety and passion, enough to transfix anyone within earshot, and his influence can be discerned not only in the work of his Best local music compatriots, but further afield via such icon musicians as Marshall Allen of the Sun Ra Arkestra, Sonny Stitt and John Coltrane. Even when he's between parts, quietly listening to the rest of the musicians on stage, waiting for his cue, Masonry is dialed into his own wavelength. He lives the music he plays, and it's his sense of intuition that guides his music and leaves an impression on his fellow performers and anyone who has gathered to take in his presence.

photo by: Joeff Davis

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PALLAS has garnered an impressive amount of national press on the heels of releasing the group's debut seven-song 12-inch via Drop Medium Recordings. Everyone from Impose to Clrvynt has weighed in on the band's lo-fi art-punk aesthetic. Everyone from Impose to Clrvynt has weighed in on the band's lo-fi art-punk aesthetic. From the opening bass rumble of and high-speed rhythms of "Render (Location 13)" to vocalist Danielle Brutto's consistently unintelligible, but undeniably catchy shouts, the group's sound occupies a musical terrain that falls between post-punk and no-wave „ reminiscent of Sonic Youth, Palm or closer-to-home acts such as Warehouse, Red Sea and Hellier Ulysses. Bass player Valentina Tapia leads the charge here; her performance is especially impressive throughout "Cast a Lion, Cured a Crow." Guitarist Zane Durfee and drummer Decker d'Alesio are also at the top of their game in songs such as "Itchy Feet (Location 12)" and "Lavender Lout." It's a joyous experience to witness how experimental and fluid these seven songs are, while remaining grounded to melodies that are far beyond the group's years. www.facebook.com/pallasatl. less...

BITERS tirelessly chase rock stardom in a world that doesn't know how much it needs rock stars. Even when mainstream rock music had a cleaner bill of health, the journey to the top was often fast-tracked by creative and aesthetic compromises. Fortunately, Biters aren't about to take a single shortcut. The band's dedication to classic punk and rock 'n' roll sounds is steadfast, so don't expect to ever hear singer Tuk Smith rap over artificial beats. They're never ditching the denim and leather or changing hairstyles, either. Each member is too dedicated to a look, a sound and a lifestyle to never sell out. www.bitersband.com. less...

JOSH FEIGERT wears many hats: State Laughter label owner, guitarist for GG King, Uniform, and at least one or two new groups that may or may not get off the ground. He's also Atlanta's trusted punk and hardcore show promoter, regularly booking out-of-town acts with Best locals in rooms from 529 in East Atlanta to Eyedrum Downtown. It seems there just aren't enough hours in the day for Feigert. His motivation is simply a desire to continue making punk and hardcore music, and to support others who do as well. And for Feigert, punk's not dead, and this is no nostalgia trip. A thriving network of young and outraged musicians is alive and thriving outside the typical rock club circuit in 2017, and we the people need it now more than ever. So when Hank and the Hammerheads from New York need to book a last-minute show, or when Best local acts such as Nag and Mutual Jerk need a home for their new 7-inches, tapes and LPs, Feigert is a pillar of the community with aspirations to keep building his network of recording, pressing, distributing and enabling punk rock. Feigert is there working the door at his own shows, and hustling to make it all happen, for the love of the music, the ideology and the community. www.statelaughter.storenvy.com. less...

Step inside THE VISTA ROOM and it's as though the air changes shape. The wood on the walls, the tables, the stage and the building itself feel as though they've been expertly crafted to serve the impeccable sound system. Standing adjacent to Napoleon's Grill, a gastro pub in Decatur's Oak Grove neighborhood, the Vista Room has hosted performances by everyone from Col. Bruce Hampton and the Swimming Pool Q's to Glenn Phillips, the reunited Hydra and Drivin' N Cryin', just to name a few. There's plenty of prog rock, bluegrass, country, folk and straight up rock 'n' roll occupying the stage throughout the week. The underlying theme tying it all together is called experience. The room is the fruit of Sean Keenan and Mike Rizzi's labors. Keenan is a restaurant entrepreneur, and drummer Rizzi (Five Eight) is a long-standing Georgia music veteran who's played in just about every musical environment one can imagine. With the Vista Room they've channeled the highs and lows of life on the road and an unending devotion to music into a comfortable and perfectly calibrated listening room that's all about bolstering the music, for the artists and for the audience. 2836 LaVista Road, Decatur. 404-321-5000. www.thevistaroom.com. less...

It's true. MASTODON was relegated to CL's Best of Atlanta Trophy Case in 2016. What else could the pride of Atlanta metal do to impress us after already receiving so many awards? In March, the arrival of the group's seventh proper album, Emperor of Sand, achieved what many thought couldn't be done: The album reinvented the group's sound by expanding upon an already established snarl. Drummer Brann Dailor stepped up his role as vocalist fleshing out sharp and vivid new dimensions in Mastodon's sound, and the rest of the band adjusted its tangled metallic dirge to suit a recalibrated sound palette. The album's lead single, "Show Yourself," served as an easy access point for what shaped up to be an impressive return. Singer/guitarists Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher and bass player Troy Sanders exude a focused, fully charged presence in songs such as "Sultan's Curse," "Andromeda," "Steambreather" and more. BONUS: While the album was making waves around the world, here on the home front, the group unveiled Ember City Rehearsal Studios, a new Westside practice facility for a town that sorely needs practice spaces. It was a stellar year for the band that just keeps giving. www.mastodonrocks.com. less...

6LACK, the artist born Ricardo Valdez Valentine, took the city by storm in 2017. The sounds of his thick-as-molasses debut album, Free 6lack (Love Renaissance/Interscope), are more R&B than hip-hop, but when Valdez raps, his lyrics and delivery are on point in songs such as "Rules," "PRBLMS" and "Alone / EA6." 6lack's slow lyrical glide through dense, atmospheric production courtesy of Singawd, FWDSLXSH and Nova paint a chilly, nocturnal landscape that crept up on the city and the rest of the country, earning platinum sales for "PRBLMS." To celebrate his victory Valdez chopped off his dreads, which sent the public into a bit of a tizzy. It wasn't enough to hinder his phoenix-like ascent, though. 6lack's allure, presence and gravitas transcend simple vanity. Free 6lack is the spearhead of an artistic renaissance for Atlanta in the post-trap era, leading a return to mellow melodies and unconditionally excellence in the name of Southern aesthetics. www.free6lack.com. less...

BRENDA NICOLE MOORER is having one hell of a year. The sweet-voiced singer-songwriter kicked things off in April by releasing Brand New Heart, her second full-length „ and most critically lauded „ collection of jazz, soul and folk tunes. Then in May, she earned her first solo shot performing at the Atlanta Jazz Festival and, in the months that followed, played venues like City Winery and Variety Playhouse, opening for drummer Brandon Williams and other musical heavyweights. On top of all that, she recently struck a deal with P-Vine Records to get Brand New Heart distributed in Japan „ so we can only imagine that even bigger things are on the horizon.
www.brendanicolemoorer.com.

photo by: Joeff Davis

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