Sound Menu March 07 2007

THURS/8

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MEDESKI, MARTIN & WOOD, THE WOOD BROTHERS Bassist Chris Wood does double duty tonight. He’s the soulful low end of the opening folk-blues duo, along with his brother and Atlanta resident Oliver (best known for his work with King Johnson), and provides the bottom for jazz/jam funky-experimentalists M, M & W. It makes for a diverse evening, especially since the headliner’s unpredictably electric/acoustic approach shifts through a trippy kaleidoscope of styles, all of them stimulating. $25-$27.50. 8 p.m. Variety Playhouse. 404-524-7354. www.variety-playhouse.com. — Hal Horowitz

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FRI/9

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THE MOANERS, CASSAVETES, CORY BRANAN Guitarist/vocalist Melissa Swingle, formerly of Trailer Bride, and drummer Laura King will delve into the dark blue spirals and deep red gothic haze of their undeniably sensual new album Blackwing Yalobusha (Yep Rock) tonight, offering alternately fierce and lethargic songs with a thick and lingering Southern aftertaste. With Cassavetes and Branan. $8. 9:30 p.m. The Earl. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com. — Lee Valentine Smith

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JUAN MACLEAN, MARK DE CLIVE-LOWE The last time MacLean was in town, he was beating up some drunken idiot at the Earl who fucked with his gear. MacLean was so upset about the bad vibes he caused that he promised to return and spin for free. So here he is, except this time the fun happens at the Mark Ultralounge. Broken-beat ace Mark de Clive-Lowe, who is rumored to be plotting a move to the A, gives a performance with songstress Julie Dexter and veteran drummer Little Jon. Free. 10 p.m. The Mark Ultralounge. 678-904-0050. www.themarkatlanta.com. — Mosi Reeves

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MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD His words are political, but his music is danceable. Spearhead may be one of the most entertaining bands on the road today, with an array of influences from hip-hop to hard rock. And when Franti picks up his acoustic guitar and just sings, you are in his hands. But listen to his messages; that’s where the heart is. $22.50. 8:30 p.m. Variety Playhouse. 404-524-7354. www.variety-playhouse.com. — James Kelly

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SHANGHAI GESTURE, THE LIZARDMEN, THE BOOZE OK, Catfight! fans can rejoice because the Shanghai Gesture now features sassy Katy Graves on bass. Her debut show with the band is tonight, so come out and support her ­-- and the finely crafted pop finesse of her Gesture conspirators, including former Nightporter Ray Dafrico on guitar and vocals. Also on the bill, the mod-rockin’ sounds of the Lizardmen and the Booze. $10. 8 p.m. Club 29. 404-633-8090. www.club29atl.com. — LVS

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SAT/10

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CHOKLATE, PETER HADAR, RAHBI Choklate is part of Seattle’s fertile soul and hip-hop scene, a frequent collaborator with Vitamin D and a burgeoning artist, thanks to her recently released self-titled debut. The album’s underground success has prompted a national tour that brings her to Apache Café. New Yorker and stylish “cool weirdo” Hadar and Atlanta musician Rahbi open. $12-$15. 10 p.m. Apache Café. 404-876-5436. www.apachecafe.info. — MR

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ROB CROW, MOUTH OF THE ARCHITECT, MONOTONIX Pinback guitarist/vocalist Rob Crow’s Living Well is heralded as the greatest album that Pinback never made. An air of lightheartedness imbues his songs, with undeniably infectious hooks that ooze with post-grunge pop nostalgia. Mouth of the Architect plays intricate, loud-quiet-loud metal. Monotonix is a high-energy rock trio from Tel Aviv, Israel, that explodes in a slow and dirty garage-rock dirge. $10. 9:30 p.m. The Earl. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com. — Chad Radford

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SUN/11

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ATLANTA CAMERATA Performed in the midst of an exhibit of 35 etchings by Rembrandt, flutist Olga McNeill, violinist Nancy Schecter, cellist George Butler and harpsichordist Raisa Permentier present an all-Baroque concert of trio-sonatas, duets and solos, most prominently featuring music of J.S. Bach. $20. 3 p.m. Oglethorpe University Museum of Art. 404-364-8555. www.museum.oglethorpe.edu. — Mark Gresham

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CRACKER Unbeknownst to most casual listeners, Cracker released one of its finest albums, the sadly under-the-radar Greenland, in 2006. Tonight’s rare acoustic performance finds founding guitarists/vocalists David Lowery and Johnny Hickman unplugging to show how impressive those new songs are. It’ll also be fun hearing the sing-along “Euro-Trash Girl”-era hits in a less frenzied, more folk-oriented atmosphere. The raw approach strips everything down to the basics, which is where Cracker’s catchy tunes and wry lyrics thrive. $17.50. 7 p.m. Smith’s Olde Bar. 404-875-1522. www.smithsoldebar.com. — HH

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FRANK GRATKOWSKI Saxophonist/clarinetist Gratkowski comes to Eyedrum from Köln, Germany, a far away land where he crafts far-out free jazz. As a solo act, Gratkowski lingers in the abstract areas of a cerebral dirge. He puckers his lips and draws breaths as staccato, percussive sounds, and utilizes his reed instruments not as weapons of mass skronk and destruction, but to channel the subtleties of free-form exploration. $5. 8:30 p.m. Eyedrum. 404-522-0655. www.eyedrum.org. — CR

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MICHAEL O’NEAL SINGERS Written late in his life, Gioachino Rossini’s “Petite Messe Solennelle” (“Little Solemn Mass”) is neither petite nor particularly solemn. Despite the religious text, it is unmistakably Rossini: operatic in style, ranging from dramatically hushed intensity to passionately boisterous, and abounding with vitality and memorable melody. $20. 3 p.m. Roswell United Methodist Church. 770-993-6218. www.rumc.com. — MG

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TUES/13

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THE AUTUMN DEFENSE, THE SINGLEMAN AFFAIR Those looking for threads of Wilco bassist John Stirratt’s sound in his Autumn Defense side project will be sorely disappointed. Instead of the edgy, dramatic sound of Wilco’s current direction, the AD’s acoustic, plaintive music is calm and achingly beautiful. Along with multi-instrumentalist partner Pat Sansone, the band’s classic ’70s-styled West Coast folk-pop hews closer to America or even Bread in its melancholy, bucolic splendor. Fellow Chicago folk-strummer Dan Schneider, aka the Singleman Affair, opens. $10-$12. 9 p.m. The Earl. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com. — HH

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MAGIK MARKERS, ECSTATIC SUNSHINE, WZT HEARTS, LEXIE MOUNTAIN BOYS Magik Markers’ sound is a rumble of noise and punk inflections that explode in a haze of dizzying social, sexual and psychological feedback and grind. Ecstatic Sunshine creates a chime of Appalachian noodling with minimal, experimental bliss. WZT Hearts crafts a wash of beautiful, head-cleaning drone while Lexie Mountain Boys churn out an unsettling blend of bad trip a cappella chants and noise. $7. 9 p.m. Drunken Unicorn. www.thedrunkenunicorn.net. — CR

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THAT 1 GUY Performance artist and musician Mike Silverman is That 1 Guy, offering a one-guy show that co-stars his unusual Magic Pipe, a smoke-bellowing, Swiss Army knife-type of an instrument that features strings, pick-ups, a handsaw and even a boot. Silverman uses all his limbs to entertain as he sings and plays with his giant conduit, employing snarky meshes of world beat and tribal wackiness with classical and electronica for a visual and audio treat. Free. 8 p.m. Five Spot. 404-223-1100. www.fivespot-atl.com. — LVS

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THE TRAGICALLY HIP The question “how many fanatic Canadians now living in Atlanta can you pack into a midsize venue?” will be answered tonight as Canada’s longest-lasting and most popular rock band brings out every displaced rowdy fan from the land of Molson and the Mounted Police. Regardless of its minimal popularity in the States, the Hip’s quirky, jerky, alt-hard rock must be experienced live to be appreciated, although the Ontario act’s new album captures a fair amount of the passion, energy and intensity it displays on stage. $25. 8 p.m. Roxy Theatre. 404-233-7699. www.ticketmaster.com/venue/114697. — HH

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WED/14

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BADLY DRAWN BOY, ADEM Badly Drawn Boy is a moody, slightly depressed balladeer in the mold of Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson. Once known as a slacker songwriter with a Beck-like knack for molding pop and dance styles, his fifth album, Born in the U.K., is pure piano pop, with no generational signifiers. One-time Fridge member Adem is less notorious, but his darkly pastoral Love and Other Planets sounds just as vital. $16-$18. 9 p.m. The Loft. 404-885-1365. www.theloftatl.com. — MR

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PAOLO NUTINI, GRAN BEL FISHER The lovely KT Tunstall was last year’s Scottish wonder, now welcome teenager Nutini to the stage. His emotional vocals and hook-filled melodies are captivating, and he is probably the next big thing. Opener Bel Fisher is another newcomer, and worth getting there early for. $13-$15. 9 p.m. Variety Playhouse. 404-524-7354. www.variety-playhouse.com. — JK

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THURS/15

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DON DIXON BAND One of the original North Carolina music scene hot shots of the early ’80s, Dixon is an incredibly soulful singer with a boxful of great pop songs. There is no reason he should not be a big star, other than the obviously poor taste of the general public. Witty, emotional, and catchy tunes abound. $12-$60. 7:30 p.m. Eddie’s Attic. 404-377-4976. www.eddiesattic.com. — JK

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WESTMINSTER CHOIR After years under the baton of Joseph Flummerfelt, the world-famous Westminster Choir, all students at the Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, N.J., makes its first tour of the South with its new conductor, Joe Miller. The group has established a reputation among choral music circles for its particularly full-bodied, incisive style of singing. $30. 7:30 p.m. Spivey Hall. 678-466-4200. www.spiveyhall.org. — MG

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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 Rodney Carmichael, 384 Northyards Blvd., Suite 600, Atlanta, GA 30313, or e-mail information to: rodney.carmichael@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.