A glimpse into the future of Atlanta nightlife

Delving into what the future has in store for Atlanta nightlife requires stepping outside of the already established bar scenes of Virginia-Highland, East Atlanta, Edgewood Avenue and more, and into the outlying neighborhoods. A handful of tried-and-true institutions, pushed out of their homes by the rising costs of gentrification, are fortifying themselves throughout the city. In the meantime, new live music venues are opening their doors in unexpected places. Downtown, West End, Grant Park and other enclaves are teeming with underground culture that’s primed to play a key role in shaping the city’s cultural landscape in 2017 and beyond. Here’s a quick field guide for the intrepid concertgoers who are looking for a change of scenery.

Atlanta Dairies Agon Entertainment, owners of Variety Playhouse and the Georgia Theatre in Athens, working in conjunction with Terminal West, will open a multiuse performance venue on the redeveloped property that houses Atlanta Dairies. The complex will host a variety of retail shops alongside the new music venue that comes equipped with a rooftop bar.“Our goal with Atlanta Dairies is to create an environment where you can live, work, dine, entertain and now catch a live show because of what Agon and Terminal West are going to bring to the project,” David Cochran, president and CEO of Paces Properties, said in a recent press release. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available. 777 Memorial Drive. www.atlantadairies.com. — Chad Radford

Churchill Grounds The reopening of Churchill Grounds in Grant Park has been pushed to early 2018. A few months after the July 2016 closing of the cozy club adjacent to the Fox Theatre, which for two decades served as ground zero for straight-ahead jazz fans, owner Sam Yi announced that Churchill Grounds will occupy a 3,614-square-foot storefront in the Beacon mixed-use development on Grant Street. The new Churchill Grounds will include a music room, bar and full-service restaurant. “I hear from people all the time who are here for business or just visiting, and they can’t believe there’s nobody doing live jazz in a city of nearly 7 million,” Yi says.In the meantime, Yi hosts live pop-up jazz sessions at Mason Tavern in Decatur. The Thursday-night-only gig recently expanded to include Saturday shows. Yi hopes Fridays will be added in April. The Beacon, 1039 Grant St. S.E. 404-921-7203. www.thebeaconatlanta.com. www.churchillgrounds.com. — Doug DeLoach

City Winery In June 2016, City Winery opened in Ponce City Market. The concept, which combines fine dining with an onsite winery and live music venue, is the brainchild of former music industry maven Michael Dorf, founder of New York City’s Knitting Factory club. With similar operations in Manhattan, Chicago and Nashville, City Winery has aggressively expanded since 2008. A Boston City Winery is slated to open this summer.In Atlanta, general manager Johnny Esposito Jr., whose father founded Johnny’s Hideaway in the ’70s, oversees the 26,000-square-foot, two-story venue. The upstairs patio, which seats about 120 people, is adjacent to a bar-restaurant of slightly larger capacity. From the top-floor storefront, a grand staircase leads downstairs to a fully functional winery. In addition to branded wines, patrons can choose between 350 bottles from around the world priced from $40 to $4,000. In the music room, which holds 315 people, City Winery has featured an eclectic roster ranging from Col. Bruce Hampton to the Indigo Girls, Del McCoury, Aaron Neville, Macy Gray and Eric Burdon. Upcoming concerts include Micky Dolenz (April 2), Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (April 3) and JoJo Hermann’s Slim Wednesday Band with opener Sam Holt of Widespread Panic (April 11). 650 North Ave. 404-946-3791. www.citywinery.com/atlanta. — DD

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Gallery 992 This small space in the West End is a music venue, for sure. But that’s only part of the story. Head to Gallery 992 on any given day or night and find the outstretched legs of amateur yogis, hands rhythmically moving on African drums, heads bowed in meditative prayer, or hips swaying to salsa grooves. This “everything center” is the brainchild of Atlanta jazz musician Kebbi Williams, tenor saxophonist and bandleader of the Wolfpack. The gallery also serves as headquarters for Williams’ nonprofit organization, Music in the Park, which gives music students a chance to play with professionals in free outdoor concerts. Gallery 992’s unifying force is its dedication to community. Its eclectic lineup of events reflects a gentrifying neighborhood in the midst of change, and yet, it manages to cater to everyone. 992 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. 678-974-8144. www.musicintheparkatl.org. — Sonam Vashi

Live Edge Restaurant and Bar One of the latest additions to the city’s historic West End is Live Edge. A cocktail bar, restaurant and live music venue, this is where the “grown and sexy” go to keep it classy. Everything from neo-soul to old-school R&B graces the stage; Salah Ananse, DJ Bad, Yung Vokalz and Shena Renee have all taken the spotlight from time to time. Check out the website for the updated weekly schedule, and don’t leave without indulging in the vanilla bean ice cream, pecan crumble, aka the Live Edge Groovy Cake, on the dessert menu. 792 Cascade Ave. S.W. 404-758-0015. www.liveedgeatl.com. — CR

The Masquerade After more than a quarter-century on North Avenue, the Masquerade packed up its amps and PBR cases and headed Downtown. To find the venue’s rock, hardcore, hip-hop, et al. shows now, take MARTA to Five Points, follow the echoes of wailing guitars and descend a few flights of stairs into Kenny’s Alley in Underground Atlanta. The Masquerade injects new life into the sleepy subterranean mall — but for how long?Kenny’s Alley is only a temporary home for its Heaven, Hell and Purgatory stages, as plans for a wholly new location remain in the works.In the meantime, there’s no word as to how long the Masquerade will stay put as Underground Atlanta preps for a makeover. It’s not clear whether the Masquerade will factor into plans from WRS Inc., the proposed Underground Atlanta developer. WRS recently submitted a proposal to the city to turn Kenny’s Alley into parking lots for new residences and a grocery store.For now, its presence Downtown adds vibrancy to the humming South Broad arts district just two blocks away, drawing more people to the heart of Downtown. Some of the Masquerade’s highlights for the coming year include performances by classic punk acts the Damned (May 11), X (May 16), the Descendents (Oct. 21), downtempo hip-hop producer Teebs (May 19) and queer punk duo PWR BTTM (June 12). 75 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive S.W. 404-577-8178. www.masq.com. — SV

St. James Live St. James Live is carving out a niche for jazz lovers that live south of Downtown — or closer to Six Flags Over Georgia than Little Five Points — who are willing to drive past the airport for a night of horns and cocktails. Acts such as Russell Gunn’s Krunk Jazz Orkestra, a 20-piece ensemble with a free jazz bent, and other like-minded acts lay down indomitable grooves on the regular. Outside of giving its community a place to let loose in style, St. James Live is also a place to mix while getting political or charitable. In February, the club hosted multiple meet-and-greets for City Council candidates, and at the end of March will host the How Big Is Your Dream foundation, which focuses on youth-centered music education activities. 3220 Butner Road, Suite 240. 404-254-3561. www.stjamesliveatl.com. — Billy Mitchell

Sweet Auburn Ballroom Last December, the City of Atlanta’s economic arm announced a $1 million grant for the Sweet Auburn Ballroom, a planned high-capacity music venue. It’ll be developed by Live Nation, which runs Downtown’s Tabernacle, and will replace a vacant YMCA building next to John Lewis’ “HERO” mural. It’s the newest development in a resurgent area that was once the economic center of black life in Atlanta. The Ballroom will live right around the corner from the Sweet Auburn Curb Market and the Atlanta Streetcar line, and will join the ranks of other music venues in the area, including the historic Royal Peacock. It’s not clear when construction will begin, but it may open its doors as early as next year. 17 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive. — SV