Sound Menu August 09 2006

THURS/10

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CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG This world is full of protest singers, but not enough protest songs. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, however, fill both roles with aplomb. Growing out of Buffalo Springfield, the Byrds, the Hollies and the disillusionment of the peace & love generation in the wake of Vietnam, CSN&Y lend their high harmonies to two classic folk-pop albums. Passing around indictments, idealism and trippy paranoia like a joint, CSN&Y ruled the blowback for a few years in the late ’60s/early ’70s. Since, all members of the group have contributed to an extensive collective oeuvre, which adds up to a hella contact high sweeping through these “Freedom of Speech” shows. And politically, a return to tightly woven voices raised in protest could barely be any more appropriate. $52.50-$203. 7:30 p.m. Philips Arena. 404-878-3000. www.philipsarena.com. — Tony Ware

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DARIEN BROCKINGTON, THE CHAPTER, SPQ-HER When Darien Brockington played Apache Café a few months ago, he drew only a half-full room of people. The Raleigh, N.C., singer was entertaining, and even told a few funny jokes in between songs. But I couldn’t believe an artist of Brockington’s caliber didn’t bring out more soul fans. I mean, this is Atlanta, right? Well, he’s coming back for what will hopefully be a more successful concert. Okayplayer.com-certified hip-hop group the Chapter and Chicago soul duo Spq-Her open. $10-$13. 9 p.m. Apache Café. 404-876-5436. www.apachecafe.info. — Mosi Reeves

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CHATHAM COUNTY LINE Expect a slew of new material from the brand new Speed Of The Whippoorwill album, as CCL delivers an interesting blend of contemporary bluegrass and (for lack of a better term) Americana. Who says there’s nothing new? Just get the mix right, and it’s there. $7. 9 p.m. Red Light Café. 404-874-7828. www.redlightcafe.com. — James Kelly

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DON DIXON The crafty Dixon may be best known for producing and engineering shimmering pop albums from R.E.M., Guadalcanal Diary, the Smithereens and a plethora of revered ’80s jangle-meisters, but the singer/songwriter/producer/actor has nine albums of his own stuff available — and it’s as consistently good as his behind-the-boards jobs. Imagine the clever wordplay of Nick Lowe combined with a dynamic, raw and soulful vocal style. For this performance he’ll be previewing material from his latest album The Entire Combustible World In One Small Room. Be sure to ask him about his contributions to the General Cabbage Report, a podcast from his homebase of Canton, Ohio. www.generalcabbage.com. $12. 6:30 p.m. Eddie’s Attic. 404-377-4976. www.eddiesattic.com. — Lee Valentine Smith

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THE LIVING END, THE LASHES Aussie rockers the Living End blend rockabilly and modern punk into their own twisted stray-cat strut. Part roots-revivalists and part ’90s alternative brats, the End includes a manic upright bass player and a towering pompadour of stadium rock poses. The Lashes occasionally veer into well-worn Strokes territory but usually lean toward smarty-arty NY cool in the bristling spirit of the late ’70s. Originally scheduled openers The Love Drunks are not on the bill. $13. 7 p.m. Masquerade. 404-577-8178. www.masq.com. — LVS

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FRI/11

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BOBBY YANG, THE BRILLIANT INVENTIONS Just back from playing at the Belly Up in his former haunt, Aspen, Colo., violinist Bobby Yang and his Unrivaled Players play two shows of classic rock, one for the under-21 fans and one for the grownups only, promising different playlists for each (in case fans go for both). Yang is co-billed with acoustic pop-duo The Brilliant Inventions, aka singer/songwriters Eliot Bronson and Josh Lamkin. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for the early show. $10-$14. 6:30 p.m. (all ages), 9:30 p.m. (21+). Eddie’s Attic. 404-377-4976. www.eddiesattic.com. — Mark Gresham

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CHARLES WALKER & THE DYNAMITES, DJ’S AGENT & T1 The Dynamites are a Nashville-based, 10-piece funk/soul outfit fronted by Charles “Wigg” Walker. A veteran of the game for nearly 50 years, Walker has recorded songs for labels like Chess, Decca and Champion in a career that has carried him from 1959 to the present. DJ’s Agent and T1 spin classic funk and soul sounds before and after the show. $10. 9:30 p.m. The Earl. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com. — Chad Radford

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CHRIS BOTTI A contemporary jazz trumpeter who has made a sizable dent in the pop mainstream, Chris Botti goes for an atmospheric lushness and thoughtful improv in his renditions of standards. His latest CD, To Love Again, in which he also surrounds himself with a bevy of name-brand vocalists, debuted last year at #18 in Billboard’s Top 200. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra underscores Botti’s dulcet tones. $27-$75. 8 p.m. Chastain Park Amphitheatre. 404-733-5000. www.classicchastain.com. — MG

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GIRL TALK Girl Talk is like Skittles, daring you to taste the rainbow. Girl Talk is like LEGO, able to be a rocket ship, a castle, a unicorn, maybe even a very nubby vibrator. Thank God Girl Talk is not like “The View;” those be some triflin’ bitches. Coming from tha Philthy, tha Illadelph, Pa., Girl Talk is Gregg Gillis, his computer and over 150 of his favorite pals. It’s a schizophrenetic mash-up culled from only the choicest of Bavarian hooks and illegal loops. Like molecular cuisine, Girl Talk’s tracks feature flavor-infused foams and deconstructed rhythms, and are easily digested single servings of layered tastes. Top 40 jams for your shortie rub up on riffs for your ruffneck. Girl Talk is like being finger-fucked by a pop radio station’s antennae on summer holiday. Fiesta!, Airoes, Suitcases, Toy Party Attack and Flesh Bots help make all the little hipsters in their thrift-store “finery” hop like frogs and hump like rabbits. $7. 9 p.m. Lenny’s. 404-577-7721. www.lennysbar.com. — TW

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SONIA TETLOW From A Seed Of Sand, the brand new solo album from the Atlanta-based Cowboy Mouth bassist, is finally officially released, and copies will be available tonight. Quiet and introspective, passionate and personal, it’s the polar opposite of her festive day-job duties, but written in the middle of that band’s over-the-top madness. See her at her best, performing a set of achingly intense songs in an intimate setting. $7. 7:30 p.m. Red Light Café. 404-874-7828. www.redlightcafe.com. — LVS

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SAT/12

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ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA An army of clarinetists from all over the world has descended upon Atlanta this week for ClarinetFest 2006, a five-day convention at the Omni Hotel where they have come to mingle and hear the best among them perform. One highlight of the international gathering is this concert featuring ASO principal clarinetist Laura Ardan as soloist in a rarely heard transcription of Brahms’ “Clarinet Sonata No. 1,” orchestrated by Luciano Berio. Also featured are solo performances by jazz clarinetist Andy Firth of Australia and latin/jazz clarinetist Paolo Sergio Santos from Brazil. Laura Jackson conducts the ASO. $27. 8 p.m. Symphony Hall. 404-733-5000. www.atlantasymphony.org. — MG

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THE BIG NOTE The Rock Trust, an admirable indie organization which proclaims a dedication to “music without the industry,” presents three singer/songwriters — Braxton O’Neal, Tim Garwood and Max Forstater — in “The Big Note,” a writers-in-the-round type situation. With an opening set from Nate Nelson, and Van Heineken’s always-gregarious Jon Waterhouse riffin’ on the mic as MC, it sounds like a good time. $8. 8 p.m. (doors). Red Light Café. 404-874-7828. www.redlightcafe.com. — LVS

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MUSIC HATES YOU Remember that sexy boy in R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” video? Well that’s Noah Ray, and he’s all grown up and fronting a volatile punk band. A thoroughly engaging, Athens-based metallic onslaught of aggressive musical behavior. In other words, don’t expect any easygoing twee-heads. With Doomsayer and The Dumps. $7. 9 p.m. Star Bar. 404-681-9018. www.starbar.net. — LVS

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THE PRIDS Portland’s the Prids are like a perpetual motion machine set to a steady, hypnotic horizon. A black-stained, indie-pop quartet, the Prids make gloom-glam, borrowing eyeliner-precise, needlepoint riffs from the post-punks and New Romantics, as well as from the refracted melodies of New Order, Ride, Ultravox, Jesus and Mary Chain, Magazine and A Flock of Seagulls, among others. The tense twitch pays homage to early Factory Records’ house producer Martin Hannett’s mischievous fiddling in the treble range, and grips like velcro-fastened velvet. Jump this treadmill! Entertainment adds some of the Bauhaus, Radio Berlin, Lovelife and Echo & the Bunnymen style stark grain. Parade also performs. $8. 9 p.m. The Drunken Unicorn. www.thedrunkenunicorn.net. — TW

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SUN/13

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JOHN COWAN The former lead singer of New Grass Revival has a dedicated following that proclaims him one of the best vocalists in the world. Some may find his voice a bit over the top, but the man can holler. His latest CD New Tattoo dives into some painful and serious social issues, albeit with class and restraint. $15. 7 p.m. Eddie’s Attic. 404-377-4976. www.eddiesattic.com. — JK

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TUES/15

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THE WALKMEN, BOBBY BARE JR. The Walkmen’s scraggly, rapturous rock shines brightly on A Hundred Days Off, perhaps its most accessible effort to date. On this date, the New York band is joined by Nashville punk Bobby Bare Jr., who is preparing to release his new album, The Longest Meow, next month. $5. 7 p.m. The Loft. 404-885-1365. www.theloftatl.com. — MR

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WED/16

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SILVERSUN PICKUPS, DIRTY ON PURPOSE I know some people don’t like the airy and gauzy guitar-rock Silversun Pickups makes. They think it sounds slick and inauthentic. But I think it’s great. Who cares if the LA band is tailor-made for your local alt-rock station, as if that’s a bad thing? I’m less enamored of Dirty on Purpose, a New York band with a faux Arcade-Fire schtick. But hey, it’s all about different strokes for different folks. $8. 8:30 p.m. Drunken Unicorn. www.thedrunkenunicorn.net. — MR

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THURS/17

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BELA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES, ADRIAN BELEW, UMPHREY’S McGHEE This year’s version of the “Acoustic Planet Tour” finds Fleck and his guys joined by guitar virtuoso Adrian Belew, and fan-friendly jamband Umphrey’s McGhee. Between the Flecktone’s jazzgrass improv, Belew’s quirky guitar experimentation and Umphrey’s noodly meanderings, there’s something for everyone. Almost. $21-$60. 7 p.m. Chastain Park Amphitheatre. 404-733-5000. www.classicchastain.com. — JK

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DJ TRACE Like that missing persons weekly TV drama “Without a Trace,” the UK’s DJ Trace is all about ramping dynamic tension, and you can get lost in the thick, paranoid pace. Of course, DJ Trace isn’t going to disappear, considering the fellow’s been around since the early ’90s, starting with the No U-Turn tech-step crew. All the better a jam for wearing your FBI chic, though Kevlar really doesn’t breathe well when you’re grandstanding in the b-boy circle. Florida’s Alliance and the Chosen join locals Truform and War Omen for some sweet sickness, brosef. $10 (ladies free). 10 p.m. The Mark. 678-904-0050. www.themarkatlanta.com. — TW

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GO!, GFE, AARON ZARZUTZKI North Carolina duo Mahlon Hoard (saxophones) and Pat Lawrence (acoustic bass/live electronics), otherwise known as Go!, combines improvisation, pop, noise and free jazz to forge a riveting and versatile sound. Melody, harmony and rhythm teeter between intricacy and mayhem. Atlanta’s own improv. rock outfit GFE plays a set of loose and psychedelic brain bombs. Chicago-based electro/acoustic artist Aaron Zarzutzki opens the show. $5. 9 p.m. Eyedrum. 404-522-0655. www.eyedrum.org. — CR

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THE MASION DIXION DISATER, MEXCELLENT, SUITCASES, AYE! ROBOTICS, BATTLECAT Five bands for five bucks; each one with a penchant for self-abuse and art/noise/punk terror shenanigans. Headliner Battlecat is an Atlanta post-screamo supergroup, featuring Jeff Burgoon (Airoes), Mike Keenan (Airoes, Electrosleep Int’l), Sean Fitzgerald (Electrosleep Int’l), and Pat Clarici (Portrait). The group’s dual bass assault is reminiscent of its members’ family tree, while moving into all-new realms of irreverence. $5. 8 p.m. Lenny’s. 404-577-7721. www.lennysbar.com. — CR

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· Bands/performers/venues wishing to be included in Sound Menu’s noted-acts boxes may send recordings, press material and schedules two weeks in advance to Creative Loafing c/o Heather Kuldell, 384 Northyards Blvd., Suite 600, Atlanta, GA 30313, or e-mail information to: heather.kuldell@creativeloafing.com. To be included in the listings only, e-mail venue and band schedules by Friday at noon (for the issue that comes out the following Thursday) to soundboard@creativeloafing.com.