5 things to do: Michelle Wolf - July 20 2017
What’s happening in Atlanta today
Gary Clark Jr.
The Tabernacle - 152 Luckie St. N.W. Atlanta, GA 30303 $57-$300. 8 p.m.
Legend has it, Gary Clark Jr. made Eric Clapton want to perform again, and was hailed by Buddy Guy as the savior of blues music. Arguably the best guitarist in his generation, Clark’s at his best on stage. That’s not to say the Austin, Texas-born singer/songwriter is a slouch in the studio. His Grammy nominated debut, Blak and Blu, showcased the artist’s range and influences, which tread the sonic lines of blues, R&B, rock and hip-hop. Clark’s follow-up, the self-produced The Story of Sonny Boy Slim found the young prodigy tapping into his influences below the Mason-Dixon Line. The album may not have been as lauded as its predecessor, but Clark doesn’t seem too interested in living up to the hype around him. Honestly, that’s probably a good thing. Live, there’s no doubting the artistry and otherworldly gifts he possesses.
Michelle Wolf
Laughing Skull Lounge - 878 Peachtree St. N.E. Atlanta, GA 30309 $18-$31. 8 and 10:30 p.m.
The regime change over at Comedy Central staple “The Daily Show” has forged a new wave of satirical sensations, including Michelle Wolf, who’s wasted no time making a name for herself. The sharp comedian became a New Face at Montreal’s Just For Laugh’s festival in 2014 after earning a writer and performer position on “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” where she shined in character as hot-mess Grown Up Annie. On college and club stages all over, she exudes likability performing with incredible range, going from the animated and absurd to more socially acute commentary. Wolf is a comedic force to be reckoned with, so mark your calendars accordingly.
ATL Dance Session ft. Nicky Siano Q&A and DJ set w/ DJ Kemit
The Music Room - 327 Edgewood Ave. S.E. Atlanta, GA 30312 $10-$15. 9 p.m.
Celesthesia! A Noir Space Opera
The Mammal Gallery - 91 Broad St. S.W. Atlanta, GA 30303 $10. 9 p.m.
For its next out-of-the-box event, Mammal Gallery is hosting a one-night-only “queer sci-fi theatrical performance,” Celesthesia! A Noir Space Opera. The performance will follow Special Agent Dotte Comm as they attempt to uncover a heinous murder committed during the Intergalactic Gala on the planet Celesthesia. Local band LONER will celebrate its album release, and Sequoyah Murray, Oshwa and MonteQarlo perform.
John Moreland, Travis Linville
Terminal West - 887 W. Marietta St. N.W., Studio C Atlanta, GA 30318 $17-$20. 9 p.m.
Singer/songwriter John Moreland is both a ghost from the past and a representation of today’s self-produced independent music scene. A substantial man with unkempt beard and glasses, he croons softly into a microphone with a voice as Southern as it is sad, and as sweet as drinking honeyed bourbon alone. Getting his start at age 10, Moreland is an archetype for the product of his Kentucky-Oklahoma conservative Baptist family, while he asks and answers honest questions with a wise intelligence that breaks apart the constraints of his origin. Conjuring John Denver and Bob Dylan spiced with thematic Southern touches of blues, Moreland finds hope within the sadness.