Talent factory
Underground Atlanta, despite its heart-of-downtown location, isn’t widely known as a hot spot for urban talent. But that’s slowly changing. For almost two years now, Wednesdays’ Artist Night at Blues in the Alley has become one of the most promising venues for emerging talent. Created by former Blues in the Alley performer Alphonso Mays, promoted by pharmaceutical rep Brian Richardson, and hosted by Akini “The Black Mack” Jeffrey (producer/co-host of 107.9 FM’s “The Ryan Cameron Morning Show”), these Wednesdays are just that: a chance for artists to shine as well as to grow.
“I’ve been a musician all my life, a producer and so forth, and just kind of frustrated with the music industry,” says Mays, “[So] I just thought Artist Night would be a good way we could build something and have it grow so big that they would have to come to us.”
On any given Wednesday night, the club is well at its 200-person capacity. And not just with raw talent. It is becoming increasingly more common to catch music industry fixtures such as producer Kevin “She’kspere” Briggs (“No Scrubs,” “Bills, Bills, Bills”) and Goodie Mob scoping out talent. “This showcase has so much variety in it,” insists Jeffrey. “We have a range of artists from R&B, hip-hop, rap, gospel, comedy, poetry — everything.”
The show kicks off at 9 p.m., and list sign-up begins between 6-6:30 p.m. For the $7 admission fee, anywhere from 30 to 40 artists get five minutes to flex their skills.
Even more importantly, Artist Night is an opportunity for artists to hone their skills. “People need to practice their craft,” says Richardson. “They need a place that they can come and be respected.”
For more information, visit www.artistnight.com.
“I’ve been a musician all my life, a producer and so forth, and just kind of frustrated with the music industry,” says Mays, “[So] I just thought Artist Night would be a good way we could build something and have it grow so big that they would have to come to us.”
On any given Wednesday night, the club is well at its 200-person capacity. And not just with raw talent. It is becoming increasingly more common to catch music industry fixtures such as producer Kevin “She’kspere” Briggs (“No Scrubs,” “Bills, Bills, Bills”) and Goodie Mob scoping out talent. “This showcase has so much variety in it,” insists Jeffrey. “We have a range of artists from R&B, hip-hop, rap, gospel, comedy, poetry — everything.”
The show kicks off at 9 p.m., and list sign-up begins between 6-6:30 p.m. For the $7 admission fee, anywhere from 30 to 40 artists get five minutes to flex their skills.
Even more importantly, Artist Night is an opportunity for artists to hone their skills. “People need to practice their craft,” says Richardson. “They need a place that they can come and be respected.”
For more information, visit www.artistnight.com.