Sound Menu August 05 2000 Sun

NOTED ACTS?
?JAMES BIGNON — Local gospel vocalist and Grammy nominee James Bignon, with his Deliverance Choir, debuts his new release, Miracle, during the National Black Arts Festival's gospel music celebration. The concert begins at 4 p.m. Atlanta University Plaza (Sarig)

DIXIE DREGS, STEVE MORSE BAND — It's a Steve Morse marathon as the wham-bam guitar-for-hire (Deep Purple, Kansas) opens the show with his prog/metal-shred trio and closes it with the country/hillbilly/jazz-shred combo where he first gained national attention. The watch-how-fast-we-play aesthetic gets old unless you're a musician, but Morse's new album pays tribute to six-string influences like Beck and Page in original pieces with titles like "Truth/Ola" and "Led On." Still, tasty licks abound, and watching hot dog Morse and his skilled bandmates whip it out live with lightening-fast precision is a jaw-dropping experience. While it's best enjoyed in small doses, you'll get a double serving tonight. Variety Playhouse (Horowitz)

HIP-HOP WORLD PARTY REGGAE CONCERT — The second night of Hiphopworldparty.com's launch weekend features a fashion show and reggae concert, with performances by Jamaica's Jah Mason and Zeno, as well as regional acts Natti Love Joy and Dezari & Selah. A portion of the proceeds from the show goes to the Urban Youth Development Center. Tabernacle (Sarig)

RATSY — Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter/comic Ratsy is veteran of coffeehouses, streets and subways. Tonight she brings her Flowery Swimsuit CD release party tour to town. Her bumper stickers and T-shirts call her the "soon to be extra super famous songstress girl." Her self-admitted obsession with fame can be extremely entertaining and very annoying, but usually pretty funny. She will donate $1 from each CD sold tonight to the L.A. Free Clinic. Eddie's Attic (Smith)

COOPER TISDALE — Mellow jazzman Tisdale performs a free show from 4-6 p.m., featuring material from both of his CDs. He'll start off playing solo, then add the rhythm section as his set progresses. Borders/Buckhead (Nicoll)

#CC0000:?ALSO PERFORMING "Scary-oke" w/E.Roc