Sound Menu November 29 2006

THURS/30

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ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Peruvian-born Texan Miguel Harth-Bedoya guest-conducts the ASO in a program featuring two Mexican-themed works: Aaron Copland’s familiar “El Salon Mexico” and an enticingly unfamiliar suite from the 1939 score for the film “La Noche de los Mayas” (“Night of the Maya”) by Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas. Another new experience, “River’s Rush” (2004) by young American composer Kevin Puts, opens the program. For a contrasting French flavor, virtuosic pianist Stephen Hough is soloist for the “Piano Concerto No. 2” of Camille Saint-Saens. $16$63. 8 p.m. Symphony Hall. 404-733-5000. www.atlantasymphony.org. Mark Gresham

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DAT POLITICS, KEVIN BLECHDOM, MATT AND KIM, DEERHUNTER French laptop quartet Dat Politics bends the boundaries that separate glitch from melody and IDM from noise. Kevin Blechdom merges the worlds of acoustic and electronic instrumentation to sometimes silly and childlike, sometimes brutally haunting effect. Brooklyn drums-and-keyboard duo Matt and Kim play cutesy and totally infectious new-wave, dance-pop songs. Deerhunter is also on the bill. $8. 9 p.m. Drunken Unicorn. www.thedrunkenunicorn.net. — Chad Radford

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JEFF TALMADGE, AMY LAVERE Sometimes you just need to sit down in a quiet room and let someone sing to you, with minimal accompaniment and honest words. Talmadge is one of the mellower of the Texas singer/songwriter scene, but he can still hold your attention with his calming demeanor and sweet sounds. Amy LaVere is a fairly unique artist, a female upright bass player who leads a band. She’s sorta rockabilly, sorta country and sorta cute to watch. $12. 7:30 p.m. Eddie’s Attic. 404-377-4976. www.eddiesattic.com. — James Kelly

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JOHN LEGEND I was trapped in a waiting room last week when I learned an intersting fact about Mr. Legend. Not only is this guy smooth as fuck, he’s also a genius. So if serenading the ladies somehow doesn’t work, he can impress them by seductively spelling “xylophone.” So not only was I distressed by the fact circumstances forced me to watch “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” I now, as a result, have to deal with the knowledge there are guys like John Legend out there who can sing the panties off any girl he wants and beat me in a spelling bee while he does it. $35-$36.50. 7:30 p.m. Tabernacle. 404-249-6400. — Tom DeFreytas

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FRI/1

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ALL NIGHT DRUG PROWLING WOLVES, GRINGO STAR, THE MOVING FRONT Local lit-minded drunk punks the All Night Drug Prowling Wolves play a timeless blend of straightforward punk and rock ‘n’ roll that’s rooted in the traditions of the Pogues, the Jam and the Buzzcocks. Gringo Star plays a mix of swirling and psychedelic indie rock. Little Rock, Ark., punk outfit the Moving Front opens the show. $7. 9:30 p.m. The Earl. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com. — CR

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ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA See Sound Menu for Thurs., Nov. 30. $16$63. 8 p.m. Symphony Hall. 404-733-5000. www.atlantasymphony.org. MG

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SAT/2

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ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA See Sound Menu for Thurs., Nov. 30. $16$63. 8 p.m. Symphony Hall. 404-733-5000. www.atlantasymphony.org. MG

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BAD BOY BILL Chicago’s Bad Boy Bill bursts out on this tour to show the teeming masses what happens behind the decks. And just so’s you know, it involves a lot of banging and jacking ... traxxx, that is. Get your head out of the gutter — you’ll need that entire head to wrap around this quick-cut artist’s set of house, haus and mo’ house. Also on the bill are Chicago’s Alex Peace and Atlanta’s Brett Mauro, who bang the box to the hard, fat beat kick-in like a screaming orgasm. $20. 10 p.m. Fever. 404-886-3467. www.feveratl.com. — Tony Ware

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DELBERT MCCLINTON The fact that Delbert McClinton has only one hit record to his credit tells you everything that’s wrong with the music business. He has a crack, old-school honky tonk band, a wonderful ear for finding great songs and a voice other singers envy. McClinton is riding on a creative high with his latest album, Cost of Living, and his live shows showcase roots music at its finest. $27.50. 8:30 p.m. Variety Playhouse. 404-524-7354. www.variety-playhouse.com. — Scott Freeman

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DIXIE CHICKS, PETE YORN The ignorance of the general public never ceases to amaze me and the heinous treatment of the Dixie Chicks following their comment about Bush only reinforced my disdain for middle America. Of course, their current album is a jewel and if most folks miss out on it over that nonsense, it’s their loss. Dixie Chicks RULE! I hope opener Pete Yorn will only bore us for about 30 minutes. $49.50-$71.50. 8 p.m. Philips Arena. 404-878-3000. www.ticketmaster.com. — JK

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DJ RAP I was once in Vegas when the U.K.’s DJ Rap was playing Club Ra at the Luxor. My friend worked as the daily newspaper’s entertainment writer at the time so he got us backstage. Sitting in the Green Room, I met a promoter who would not stop inching forward, creepily commenting on how much I looked like his good friend, David LaChapelle. Then two hammered Brits staggered in. “Where’s the coooooooke?” one slurred expectantly. In response, the promoter nonchalantly flipped open his phone, saying, “OK! Anything else? Anyone? Anyone?” as if ordering an eightball was as commonplace as saying “Supersize It!” Point being, DJ Rap, a drum ‘n’ bass producer who will be performing a special sizzling house set, provides a memorable, intoxicating experience. Rob Wonder also has the crowd going off the rails like a crazy train. $15. 10 p.m. eleven50. 404-874-0428. www.eleven50.com. — TW

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INDIAN JEWELRY Slow and low is the tempo that guides Indian Jewelry into the dark side. The group’s latest offering, Invasive Exotics (Monitor Records) taps into the analogue electro skulk of Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle and Suicide with driving rhythms that are shrouded in droning spaciousness. Each song spins in a cloud of lo-fi murk, softening the hard edges; concealing clusters of noise and structure under a blackened banner. $7. 9 p.m. Drunken Unicorn. www.thedrunkenunicorn.net. — CR

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MAGNAPOP, STEVE WYNN, TIM LEE A jingle jam of rockin’ proportions. If you miss the ’80s, the jangling spirit of those days lives on tonight with a trio of survivors from that very decade. The charmingly cheery Magnapop, former Dream Syndicate leader Wynn and Windbreakers’ co-founder Lee will make you (almost) forget the malaise of the ’90s and the mashed-up 2000s. $10. 9 p.m. The Earl. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com. — Lee Valentine Smith

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SUN/3

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ANGELIKA KIRCHSCHLAGER, MALCOLM MARTINEAU Mezzo-soprano Angelika Kirchschlager performs songs by Haydn, Grieg, Brahms, Schubert and Liszt, accompanied by pianist Malcolm Martineau. But don’t let the classic repertoire limit your imagination. Kirchschlager, a top star of the Vienna State Opera, looks like Nicole Kidman and moves like Sarah Vaughn. Ah, music for love and pleasure. Pre-concert talk at 2 p.m. $40. 3 p.m. Spivey Hall. 678-466-4200. www.spiveyhall.org. — MG

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GRAYSON CAPPS, THE HAGGARDS From the soggy street corners of New Orleans, Grayson Capps uses an acoustic blues palette to paint musical pictures of the down-and-outers, up-and-comers and never-will-be’s that populate his world. Melodic, soulful and entertaining as he can be, Capps is a unique artist who deserves some attention. Openers the Haggards include local boy Eddie Lee and prodigal son Earl Maddox. No one knows what they will be doing, but it will be fun. $8. 7 p.m. Red Light Café. 404-874-7828. www.redlightcafe.com. — JK

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MON/4

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THE TOASTERS, SUPERVILLIANS, GROOVESTAIN Bucket Hingley, backed by his revolving-door lineup of Toasters, has been at it since the early ’80s. They’re currently celebrating a quarter century of funky, quirky rhythms on their “Ska Brawl Tour of North America.” Tonight, they’ll preview songs from their upcoming album One More Bullet, due early next year. The Supervillians and Groovestain open the show. $12. 8 p.m. Smith’s Olde Bar. 404-875-1522. www.smithsoldebar.com. — LVS

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TUES/5

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JASON MOLINA, JASON & HERB HARRIS, LIZ DURRETT Magnolia Electric Co. frontman Jason Molina plays an intimate solo set of songs from his latest LP, Let Me Go, Let Me Go, Let Me Go. Brothers Herb and Jason Harris from the Selmanaires take turns backing each other up playing solo sets that wander through the fringe areas of psychedelic pop and country music Liz Durrett also performs. $10. 9 p.m. Drunken Unicorn. www.thedrunkenunicorn.net. — CR

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TENACIOUS D The self-professed “greatest band in the world” just wants to fuck you gently. Is that too much to ask? Currently on tour promoting their new movie and album, The Pick of Destiny, Jack Black and Kyle Gass just want to entertain your ass. As annoying as Jack Black can be as an actor, he probably has a stronger and more entertaining stage presence than any lead singer alive today. They’re sure to cook up an entertaining show. And if they don’t, they’ll order it for you from Zanzibar! $42. 8 p.m. Arena at Gwinnett Center. 770-813-7500. www.gwinnettcenter.com. — TD

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WED/6

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GWAR Do the holidays have you stressed out already? Does listening to all that holly-jolly bullshit make you feel like you’re pissing kidney stones through your ears? Then rejoice, for Gwar has come to town to F Santa in the A. Come bathe yourself in artificial blood while one of Satan’s favorite bands shocks the shit out of both the expecting and unexpecting patrons. Maybe, just maybe, if you’ve been good this year, the band will feed you to a giant carnivorous worm. $17.50. 7 p.m. Massquerade. 404-577-8178. www.masq.com. — TD

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THURS/7

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ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA & CHORUS Stormin’ Norman Mackenzie, ASO director of choruses, leads the ASO&C and choral guests, the Gwinnett Young Singers and the Morehouse Glee Club, in “Christmas with the ASO,” one of Atlanta’s most enduring holiday traditions. Based largely on the program model created by the late and legendary Robert Shaw, the program also includes some audience sing-alongs. $19$57. 8 p.m. Symphony Hall. 404-733-5000. www.atlantasymphony.org. MG

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BOB SEGER AND THE SILVER BULLET BAND Face The Promise is Seger’s return-from-a-decade-long-hiatus release, but it’s the string of hits from the Detroit rocker’s late ’70s catalog that’ll get the suburbanites out en masse. Sure, he’s the Wal-Mart of the blue-collar rockers, but don’t tell me you don’t know the songs, ya big snob. “Night Moves,” “Mainstreet,” “Rock ‘N’ Roll Never Forgets,” “Still the Same,” “Hollywood Nights,” “We’ve Got Tonight,” and “Old Time Rock And Roll” are just a few of the Hall of Famer’s considerable collection of classic tunes. $33-$63. 7:30 p.m. Philips Arena. 404-249-6400. www.ticketmaster.com. — LVS

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CHATHAM COUNTY LINE Former alt-country musicians from bands such as Whiskeytown find their muse in a deep rural hillbilly style. CCL is one of the best acoustic bands on the circuit. With one foot in the traditions of the past and the other in a very contemporary stance, it has built a very respectable following across the land. $7. 7 p.m. Red Light Café. 404-874-7828. www.redlightcafe.com. — JK

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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.