Metro Arts February 1

The annual SCAD TV Fest will be held at the new SCAD Show theaters on the Savannah College Art and Design's Atlantic Campus. The festival will feature screenings of TV shows, Q&A sessions with cast and crew, and panels on various topics. Several actors, including Kelsey Grammer and George Lopez, will be honored at the event. SCAD also has a casting office in Atlanta and provides opportunities for students to work in the industry. In other news, musician Skyler Sofley, known for his blues and boogie-woogie style, regularly performs in Georgia and is hosting the Atlanta Blues Society's February Meetup at Blind Willie's. This program is intended for a print-impaired audience and is brought to you by the Georgia Radio Reading Service, GARS. Welcome to Metro Arts for Friday, February 2nd. I am Kristen Moody for the Georgia Radio Reading Service. Metro Arts is brought to you by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. For our first article, we go to the creative loafing publication online for SCAD TV Fest, Annual Event to be Held in New Theater Complex, Celebrating the Art of Television with Industry Prose by Kevin C. Madigan. SCAD Show, a sparkling new pair of theaters on the Savannah College Art and Design's Atlantic Campus, will host this year's annual SCAD TV Fest, running from February 7th through February 10th. Described by the festival's executive director, Christina Rothier, as a celebration of the art of TV, with tons of things happening, she says, there is a little for everyone and every TV show you can imagine. Sometimes we'll show a brand new episode or a fan favorite. And if you like animation, we'll have almost 10 showcases this year. Episode screenings of at least two dozen shows will be followed by question and answer sessions with cast members, writers, and producers, running the gamut of how TV works, explains Rothier, who also oversees the prestigious Savannah Film Festival. Panels will be convened on subjects such as queer representation in the medium, how to pitch a story, the writer's room, the power of post-production, artificial intelligence, plus artisans and costume design. Kelsey Grammer, George Lopez, Ken Watanabe, Matt Bomer, and Sonequa Martin-Green are among the actors to be honored at the event. Joel Kimbooster, Lute, and Josie Tota, the Buccaneers, will each receive the Rising Star Award. The morning show showrunner, Charlotte Stout, is another honoree. Lopez will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Grammer will snag the Legend of Television Award, and Bomer the Hollywood Reporter's Trailblazer Award. The Virtuoso Award will be bestowed upon Watanabe, whose Tokyo Vice is getting an opening night screening of a new episode. Other shows on the schedule include The Gilded Age, Invincible, Manhunt, The Way Home, Turtles All the Way Down, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and Star Trek Discovery. All will have post-screening Q&A sessions with cast, crew, and producers. SCAD has also opened a second casting office in Atlanta, in addition to its Savannah location, and claims to be the only university in the country to provide this service. We've had great success with our casting office in Savannah, connecting our students with all the productions shooting in Georgia, says Andra Reeve Rabb, Dean of SCAD's School of Film and Television. It just made sense to expand that to our Atlanta campus. Deanna Grief, a SCAD alumna who was granted an MFA in 2016, will receive an award at the GriefFest for her work in casting. Since leaving SCAD, Grief has found jobs for actors in projects like Severance, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Peep Show, The Invite, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Ms. Marvel, and Mamma Mia 2. The people who are vying for a role are all extremely talented. It's like trying to find a missing puzzle piece, the exact right person at that moment for that job, Grief says. We are the biggest cheerleaders for actors, and learning that while you're still in school is completely invaluable. Reeve Rabb, who began her career in 1993 as a casting intern on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, spoke fondly of Grief's emergence as a force in her section of the industry. The fact that she started working in some extraordinary offices in New York as a casting associate, that's what it's all about. I had that experience as a student, to be put on a path like that, and now she gets to come back and give back to our students, that's a whole circle moment. Reeve Rabb says the School of Film and Television is like no other program in the country. We literally teach all the roles you would find above the line, below the line. It's all here, she says. There's not a single role that can't be filled either in front of or behind the camera. That breadth of knowledge is not only important for each of those students, but it's important for our industry that we are training for all those roles. She added that students obtain a true working knowledge of the day-to-day function of a role within the industry, and are able to hear about every aspect of what it is to create TV content. Calling the festival the perfect marriage of industry and academia, Reeve Rabb says the event is crucial for students to advance in the industry. What's most exciting is being able to give back to our students by providing these master classes from people who are at the top of their game. That's singular to SCAD, and to this festival. SCAD began as a small art school in Savannah with an enrollment of about 70, and fewer than 10 faculty members. That was in 1978. The Savannah College of Art and Design gradually added campuses in Atlanta and in France, and is now a well-established institution covering courses in architecture, dramatic writing, jewelry, and surprisingly, equestrian studies, among many others. SCAD bills itself as the university for creative careers for thousands of students. In recent years, the Atlanta campus has grown to include the SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion Film and the aforementioned SCAD Show, the latter within a new building complex on Spring Street in Midtown Atlanta that comprises residential, academic, and wellness facilities. SCAD Show features a 700 main stage and an intimate 150-seat black box venue, plus a courtyard for outdoor theater productions. Day Pass is $50 for the general public or $25 for SCAD cardholders and SCAD alumni. Access to all screenings and panels available for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Festival Pass is $125 for the general public or $100 for SCAD cardholders and SCAD alumni. Access to all screenings and panels. That's 1470 Spring Street, Atlanta, 30309. Call 912-525-50570 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or visit scadtvfest.com for more information. That was SCAD TV Fest Annual Event to be held in New Theater Complex by Kevin C. Madigan. Next, Blues and Beyond, Sky's the Limit. Skylar Sofley takes off by Hal Horowitz. Let's boogie, screams the type above Skylar Sofley's list of monthly dates on his Facebook page. Dig a little deeper, and that exclamation point is further emphasized with a young guitarist's tagline, hip-shakin' blues and boogie-woogie. It leaves no doubt about the style of music you'll hear at a typical gig. Now 28, Sofley, who started playing guitar at 13 after being exposed to Jimmy Reed and Muddy Waters, has been churning out sounds that were considered old decades before he was born. Although not a Georgia local, the Phoenix City, Alabama resident is a familiar figure around town. He plays regularly at Blind Willie's with occasional gigs at Smith's Old Bar, Fayetteville's Old Courthouse Tavern, Chambly's Cajun Blues, and other joints. In the recent past, at least half his shows have been in Georgia, but he has also branched out to Florida and plays his home state of Alabama. Still, he jokes, I drive more than I play. The guitarist multi-instrumentalist, he is credited with piano, mandolin, drums, bass, and harmonica, even looks the part. With his slicked-back hair, sunglasses, snazzy fedoras, and retro jackets that seem to be retrieved from a 50s film noir filk, seeing him on stage flanked by a stand-up bass and minimal drums, one might think they time-traveled back to another era, specifically post-war America, circa the mid to late 40s. His dedication to classic blues is evident. He initially named his band the 99th Degree, after a line in Robert Johnson's Stop Breaking Down, but now the full-time musician goes under the more straightforward Skyler Softly Band. Most youngsters bitten by the blues bug gravitate to a more electrified style of blues rock epitomized by screaming guitars and roof-rattling volume, but Softly looks to an earlier era in the genre, one dominated by the raucous junk blues of Paul Williams, the Hucklebuck is something of a standard in his sets, T-Bone Walker, Pee Wee Creighton, Gorey Carter, and others. This music, often accurately described as swing, was created for dancing, not listening to Alone in Your Room. Check out the effect it had on the Blind Willie's crowd in a linked article at Creative Loafing. Often playing this combination of rollicking West Coast and boogie-woogie is going to generally stick with covers. Many in his audience probably don't know these songs, but Softly's effervescent energy and obvious talent as a guitarist, singer, and animated frontman breathes fresh life into tunes written seven or more decades ago. A typical set finds the self-taught artist unleashing covers of Walker's T-Bone Boogie, Creighton's Blues After Hours, and Right Now Baby by Roy Gaines with the vitality, passion, and exuberance of someone who wrote them. He occasionally tosses in an original, too. Want to take some of that rootsy party vibe home? Stay tuned as Softly prepares an album for release this year. Better still, catch him live this month as he hosts the Atlanta Blues Society's February Meetup at Blind Willie's, his favorite place to play, on the 22nd. It's another indication of the respect he's held in by local blues fans, especially those who pack the dance floor to his hip-shaking, boogie-woogie groove. There are few better ways to spend your pre- or post-Valentine's Day than with your significant other at this month's recommended Roots and Blues events. Friday, February 2nd, John McCutcheon, Eddie's Attic. The pride of Smoke Rise, Georgia, multi-instrumentalist folk icon McCutcheon returns to the familiar environs of Eddie's to cherry-pick from his catalog of over 41 albums, tell stories, and maybe even play some new music. His 2023 release, Together, was recorded with old friend Tom Paxton and received great reviews, so expect some material from that, too. Regardless of what he pulls out, it'll be cool, classy, beautifully performed, and sung by a guy who, at 71, is an under-the-radar folk legend. $30, 7 p.m., at Eddie's Attic, 515B North McDonough Street, Decatur, 30030. 404-377-4976, eddiesattic.com. Cowboy Mouth, Madlife Stage and Studios. There's nothing quite as manic as a Cowboy Mouth show. These New Orleans-based, often tongue-in-cheek pop rockers have been making the rounds since mid-'90s, cashing in on MTV hit Jenny Says, which kicked off their career. There haven't been many other crossover tracks since. Their most recent album was a decade ago, but anyone who has seen them live knows to expect a high-energy, audience-pleasing performance, which is why the reserved seats at this venue sold out nearly a month before the gig. 3950-7050, 7 p.m., Madlife Stage and Studios, 8722 Main Street, Woodstock, 30188. 678-384-2363, madlifestageandstudios.com. Saturday, February 3rd. Jeffrey Martin, Tommy Alexander, Eddie's Attic. Singer-songwriter Martin's new album was initially meant to be demos for a future studio project, but the decision to release it as-is was a smart one. Martin's dark baritone voice, softly-strummed acoustic guitar, and lyrics that speak universal truths combine for a uniquely intimate experience, which should be even more moving live. When he repeats, I miss your breath on my shoulder, on Sculptor, it's a chilling moment. $18, 7 p.m., Eddie's Attic, 515B North McDonough Street, Decatur, 30030. 404-377-4976, eddiesattic.com. Josh Abbott Band, Terminal West. Texas-based country rocker Abbott hits all the bases you'd expect, whiskey, women, trucks, etc., plus a few you didn't, ruminating on the death of his father as well as the birth of a child, as he combines good old boy twang rockin' with some seriously introspective ballads. It's a cool mix, one that's had him touring since 2009, so he's got the stage thing figured out. He supports a new album, Somewhere Down the Road, released last week. $25 to $30, 8.30 p.m., Terminal West. 887 West Marietta Street, Northwest, Suite C, Atlanta, 30318. 404-876-5566, terminalwestatl.com. Thursday, February 8th, Elizabeth Moen, Eddie's Attic. Stripped down to a duo, Moen and collaborator Hayden Holbert go for a low-key approach on this club date. Her voice is pure, powerful, soulful, and full of personality. The newer songs from an EP released late 2023 capture those qualities in a largely acoustic presentation that should mesmerize the audience in Eddie's comfy environs. $15 plus, 7 p.m., Eddie's Attic, 515B, North McDonough Street, Decatur, 30030. 404-377-4976, eddiesattic.com. Songwriters in the round. Eddie Owen presents Red Clay Music Foundry. Carter Sampson, Amelia White, and Atlanta's own Michelle Malone share the stage in one of Eddie Owen's many guitar pulls. This one features a surfeit of talent. Each is working a recent album that displays their mastery of melody, and the trio boasts a longevity in the business which ensures they know how to deliver the goods live. It's an impressive, even extraordinary bill. $30 to $39, 8 p.m., Eddie Owen's presents Red Clay Music Foundry, 3116 Main Street, Duluth, 30096. 404-478-2749, eddieowenspresents.com. Friday, February 9th, Marty Stewart and his fabulous superlatives, Variety Playhouse. Americana veteran Stewart hits town about once a year, nonchalantly blowing audiences away with eclectic, roaring shows that combine pure country with organic rock and even folksy psychedelia. This time, he supports 2023 Altitude, another in a series of wonderful, impossible-to-pigeonhole efforts that find him and his appropriately named fabulous superlatives band pushing boundaries into eastern music, swamp, and surf rock. It's all good. $39.50, 8 p.m., Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Avenue, Northeast, Atlanta, 30307. 404-504-7354, variety-playhouse.com. Kinsley Ellis, Eddie's addict. You know him, you love him, and he's just released Naked Truth, his first totally acoustic album of folk and blues originals, along with some classics already generating rave reviews. Ellis will be solo, as on the disc, for an up-close-and-personal performance not to be missed. Get tickets early, it's a sure sellout. $46.17 plus, 7 p.m., Eddie's Addict, 515B, North McDonough Street, Decatur, 30030. 404-377-4976, eddiesaddict.com. Steep Canyon Rangers, Seth Walker, Terminal West. Bluegrass veterans, the Rangers, have released over a dozen albums. They landed a major career crossover boost when Steve Martin recorded and toured with them. Unlike other traditional outfits, they have a drummer-infusing-a-more-rock attitude to their peppy old-time originals. Arrive early for blues pop singer-songwriter Walker, a headliner on his own. Tickets are $22-49, that's 830 p.m., Terminal West, 887 West Marietta Street, NW, Suite C, Atlanta, 30318. 404-876-5566, terminalwestatl.com. Saturday, February 10th, Jack O'Pierce, Eddie's Addict. Carrie Pierce and Jack O'Neill's 35th anniversary show is billed as all seated, all request. So keep your butts in your chairs and enjoy one of Atlanta's storied folk pop acts on a rare reunion. The duo's sumptuous harmonies and easygoing music have kept their fans faithful for, well, 35 years. A previous live album, 2009's Alive from Atlanta, was recorded here, too, so join the love fest. $50.62 plus two shows, 630 and 845 p.m., Eddie's Addict, 515B, North McDonough Street, Decatur, 30030. 404-377-4976, eddiesaddict.com. G-love and special sauce, Jacob's Castle, City Winery, Atlanta. It's 30th anniversary time for Garrett Dutton and his band's 1994 debut. That means an expanded reissue of the album and this tour, where Dutton, a.k.a. Love, likely will reprise most of the recording live. His Philly hip-hop, jazz, and blues approach, unique at the time, remains distinctive, and he gets credit for staying relevant over the ensuing three decades, playing music that still pushes boundaries. $45 to $100, 630 and 915 p.m., City Winery, Atlanta, Potts City Market, 650 North Avenue Northeast, 30308. 404-496-3791, citywinery.com, forward slash Atlanta. Tuesday, February 13th, the duets show. Ansley Stewart and Cleveland Jones, the Will Scruggs Trio, Eddie's Attic. This combination of two powerful local soul roots singers should create heat on Valentine's Day Eve. The male-female dynamic will be in play as the twosome trade leads and join vocals on a variety of retro gem with a few originals, too. Opener saxist Scruggs promises romantic jazz classics to stoke the V-Day flames. Tickets are $25 plus, 7 p.m., Eddie's Attic, 515B North McDonough Street, Decatur, 30030. 404-377-4976, eddiesattic.com. Friday, February 16th, Jamie Wyatt, Joshua Quimby, She Returns from War, The Earl. Ex-jailbird Wyatt shifts from country to a more soulful delivery for her recent third release, appropriately titled, Feel Good. Her finest set yet captures the singer's powerful, twangy voice with great songs and a gutsy, somewhat retro Memphis-styled approach only hinted at on earlier discs. Raspy Boys opener Quimby strips his country blues down to its roots. $20 to $25, 8 p.m., The Earl, 488 Flat Shoals Avenue, Northeast Atlanta, 30316. 404-522-3950, badearl.com. Saturday, February 17th, Sweetwater's 27th Anniversary Party, Sweetwater Brewing Company. Earth gang Matty O'Neal and six-string jam whiz kid Daniel Donato headline this annual hippie-heavy event celebrating all things beer, as long as it's Sweetwater. Chilly? Sure. But the stage is inside their warehouse, so no worries. The fleet-fingered, country, dead-influenced Donato, touring behind his striking new Reflector release, is well worth seeing. And the beer is top-notch. $45 to $80, that's 1 p.m. at Sweetwater Brewing Company, 195 Otley Drive, Northeast, 30324. 404-885-1365, sweetwaterbrewery.com. Hannah Wickland, vinyl. Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, Wickland turned professional at nine, started recording at 12, then touring at 16, and hasn't looked back. She has shifted musical gears from bluesy rock to a more widescreen, introspective style on her new album, The Prize. It's a fairly abrupt change in direction, but one that might help break her into the mainstream. She has so far mostly avoided, despite a roaring, wall-shaking voice. $20 to $25, 8 p.m., vinyl. 1374 West Peachtree Street, Atlanta, 30309. 404-885-1365, centerstage-atlanta.com. Sunday, February 18, Atlanta Blues Society Monthly Meetup. The Schuyler Softly Band fills the dance floor with hip-shake-and-jump blues and retro boogie-as-blues fans new and old mingle and swap stories about favorite acts and shows. The closing jam with ABS members is always a highlight. Free, 3 p.m., Blind Willies, 828 North Highland Avenue, Atlanta, 30306. 404-873-2583, blindwilliesblues.com. Great Lake Swimmers, Eddie's Attic. This Canadian indie folk quintet has been making organic, strum guitar pop music best exemplified by their lovely, often compelling new release, Uncertain Country, for over 20 years. Like their name, they float and navigate easy-going waters with beautifully crafted melodies and a professionalism that two decades of experience brings. $33.26 plus, 8 p.m., Eddie's Attic, 515B North McDonough Street, Decatur, 30030. 404-377-4976, eddiesattic.com. Eric Gales, City Winery, Atlanta. Searing blues rockin' guitarist Gales has had his ups and downs with various addictions since his 1991 debut. But he is now clean and ready to make up for lost time with constant touring, a helping hand from Joe Bonasmassa, and a great new album, The Crown. A new single finds him tearing into sunshine of your love with King's ex-frontman Doug Pinnock. Strap in, it'll get loud. $45-60, 8 p.m., City Winery, Atlanta. Ponce City Market, 650 North Avenue NE, 30308. 474-496-3791, citywinery.com. Monday, February 19. The Dead South, The Hootin' Hollers, Jake Vondelin, and The Sturgeon River Boys, The Eastern. Get your punk, progressive, bluegrass, bluets, and roots rockin' mojo workin' with this exciting three-act bill. Canadian headliners, The Dead South, have perfected their tough backwoods music over a decade of touring and recording. The Hootin' Hollers drag their southern rock through the swamps of Mississippi, and Vondelin gets the party started with some old Elvis-styled rockabilly. It's a diverse and cool lineup. $38-85 plus, 8 p.m., The Eastern, 777 Memorial Drive SE, Atlanta, 30316, easternatl.com. Tuesday, February 20. Rodney Crowell, City Winery, Atlanta. Veteran Nashville Americana singer-songwriter Crowell tours supporting his recent album, The Chicago Sessions, another exceptional collection of country-tinged pop and rock, this one assisted by producer Jeff Tweedy. He's gotta play hits like Leaving Louisiana in the broad daylight, but with over two dozen albums to choose from, the rest is up to him. $50-65, 8 p.m., City Winery, Atlanta, Ponce City Market, 650 North Avenue NE, 30308, 404-496-3791, citywinery.com, forward slash, Atlanta. Twin Temple, Vowels, Variety Playhouse. It's not Halloween, but these L.A. purveyors of satanic doo-wop bring dark, creeped-out overtones with them for their new album, God is Dead. Led by Alexandra and Zachary James, the Twin Temple sound is pure 50s, but the tongue-in-cheek lyrics of songs such as Burn Your Bible and Let's Have a Satanic Orgy will make cramps fans blush. Sure, it's a schtick, but it's a good one. Wear black. $22.50-$25, 8 p.m., Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Avenue NE, Atlanta, 30307, 404-504-7354, variety-playhouse.com. Wednesday, February 21st, Mattie Diaz, Olivia Barton, Terminal West. It helps having famous friends, but just because Diaz, who has been recording Under the Radar since 2010, recently got the approval of Harry Styles, she opened for him, then joined his band, and Casey Musgraves, who helps on her new album, Weird Face. Don't think she can't stand on her own. Her songs balance indie singer-songwriter with a darker melodic pop, not far from Angel Olsen, who she has also opened for. $22-$25, 8 p.m., Terminal West, 887 West Marietta Street NW, Suite C, Atlanta, 30318, 404-876-5566, terminalwestatl.com. Thursday, February 22nd, Cat Power, The Eastern. Old Cabbagetown friends will be out in force as Ms. Cat Power, Chan Marshall, channels Dylan. She'll be playing her new live album, which follows his 1966 Royal Albert Hall performance, track by track, in order. Opening with an acoustic set, then bringing in her band, as opposed to bring the band, for the closing plugged-in songs, Marshall infuses a sensuality and female perspective to the material only hinted at in Dylan's version. It's a sure sellout. Get tickets early. $45-$350 plus, that's 8 p.m. at The Eastern, 777 Memorial Drive SE, Atlanta, 30316, easternatl.com. Lily Hyatt, Vinyl. John's daughter is now a veteran singer-songwriter on her own, having released five albums over the last decade. She combines roots and country approaches with indie rock for a combination of tender, tough originals that often focus on her less-than-blessful love life and relationships gone sour. $17-$20, 8 p.m., Vinyl, 1374 West Peachtree Street, Atlanta, 30309. 404-885-1365, centerstage-atlanta.com. Dwight Yoakam, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center. Country icon Yoakam's hit-making days are behind him, and pushing 70, he seems more concerned with acting than touring or releasing albums. His most recent set of originals was in 2015. Regardless, he entrances audiences with his existing crowd-pleasing catalog, still youthful, high, lonesome voice, and a band that keeps the twang cranked to 10 while staying firmly in a Baker's Field groove. He probably can't squeeze into those sprayed-on jeans anymore, but neither can his audience, so no one will care. $54-$124, plus 7.30 p.m., Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center, 2100 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, 30339. 770-916-2852, cobbenergycenter.com. Friday, February 23rd. Ashley McBride, The Tabernacle. It's the devil I know tour, gleaned from the title of Arkansas-born McBride's 2023 album. The Eric Church-supported country singer-songwriter brings an edgy, somewhat outlaw approach to her sound, which clicked with audiences in 2018, nabbing a few Grammy nominations for her full-length debut. She's got the swagger and radio-ready sound that reaches to the back rows, ensuring this is the last time she'll play a medium-sized venue. $37-$125, plus 8 p.m., The Tabernacle, 152 Lucky Street, Northwest Atlanta, 30303. 404-659-9022, tabernacleatl.com. The Cassilos, Keller Cox, Eddy's, Atlanta. Nashville, by way of rural Georgetown, Georgia's Balcom Sisters, Ellie, lead guitar, Powell, banjo, and Lily, vocals, play acoustic folk country with harmonies so sweet and natural, you'll know they are related without even checking. Their new EP, A Little Goes a Long Way, is a wonderful introduction to their honey-smooth vocals and melodies, with playing as effortless and organic as if they were on their back porch. Let's show these Georgians some home state love. $26.70, plus 9 p.m., Eddy's Attic, 515B North McDonough Street, Decatur, 30030. 404-377-4976, eddysattic.com. Leroy Parnell, Eddie Owen Presents, Red Clay Music Foundry. Nashville, by way of Texas country singer-songwriter Parnell, has bounced around since the early 90s. He's had a few hits, but has never broken through to a larger audience. And with no new music since the gutsy Midnight Believer, 2017, that doesn't seem likely to change. Lately, he has taken frontman status for a tour of Dickie Bett's Great Southern, providing Parnell with some much-needed visibility. He also recently performed on a Delbert McClinton cruise. He should be primed for this show. $35-50, that's 8 p.m., at Eddie Owen Presents, Red Clay Music Foundry, 3116 Main Street, Duluth, 30096. 404-478-2749, eddyowenpresents.com. Saturday, February 24, Josiah and the Bonnevilles, Terminal West. This show was moved from Smith's Old Bar to the larger Terminal West, where it immediately sold out, indicating Josiah Lemming's popularity. He sings introspective Americana folk country tunes, with a stripped-down Jason Isbell sound. His subtle approach, his bittersweet and yearning voice, and his masterfully conceived lyrics land a punch, despite or because of his music's intimate, unhurried feel. He is on the way up. This show is sold out. 8.30 p.m., Terminal West, 887 West Marietta Street, Atlanta, 30318. 404-876-5566, terminalwestatl.com. Mike Viola, Drew Beskin, Eddie's Attic. The ex-frontman of 80s also-ran The Candy Butchers, is slightly more famous as vocalist-co-writer of That Thing You Do. Viola has also been a pop music producer, Jenny Lewis, Fall Out Boy, and the VP of A&R for Verve Records, as well as releasing his own slightly skewed solo album. It's an eclectic, cool career, and it's impossible to know what he'll sing, but you can bet on a few tunes from Paul McCarthy, 2023. Athens indie pop singer-songwriter Beskin makes for a great opener. $20 plus, 9 p.m., Eddie's Attic, 515B North McDonough Street, Decatur, 30030. 404-377-4976, eddiesattic.com. Flatland Cavalry, Buckhead Theatre. Texas-bred Americana is typically more country than rock, but these troubadours have mixed both with great success since their 2016 debut. Singer-frontman Cleto Cordero has a supple, subtle voice, writes intimate tunes, and doesn't let rock overtake the band's melodic instincts. They tore behind Wandering Star, 2023, the finest release of their three, which features Mornings With You, a sweet, candid love song sung as a duet with Cordero's talented wife, Caitlin Butts. $39.75 plus, 8 p.m., Buckhead Theatre, 3110 Roswell Road, 30305. 404-843-2825, thebuckheadtheatre.com. Sunday, February 25th, Shemeika Copeland, City Winery, Atlanta. Johnny Copeland's daughter has come a long way from belting out blues at Blind Willie's two decades ago. She's now a multiple award-winning, Grammy-nominated blues roots folk soul rocking Americana festival headliner whose songs, many concerning sociopolitical matters and issues within the black community, have made her one of the most potent contemporary voices for civil rights, and her vocals are powerful enough to rattle the walls. Don't miss this rare local date. $35 to $50, 8 p.m., City Winery, Atlanta, Ponce City Market, 650 North Avenue, 30308. 404-496-3791, citywinery.com, forward slash Atlanta. Haley Witters, Terminal West. After years of scuffling in Nashville as a songwriter for hire, Witters took the plunge as a solo artist, striking commercial success with The Dream, 2020, followed by the even better and more popular Raised, in 2022. Her music falls between country, melodic California rock, and Americana. Her arena-sized debut with Americana Aquarium's B.J. Barnum on Middle of America is a career highlight, with plenty of room-filling hooks and a sweet, sassy voice that can melt an iceberg. $20 to $25, 8.30 p.m., Terminal West. 887 West Marietta Street, NW, Suite C, Atlanta, 30318. 404-876-5566, terminalwestatl.com. Wednesday, February 28, Robert, John, and The Wreck, Smith's Old Bar. Guitarist-singer-songwriter John and his band hail from California, but musically you'd never know they weren't born and raised in the South. Their rugged, greasy rock may not be unique, but the tunes are solid and played with fiery passion. The band has been bringing their music to the masses for over a decade, making them a tight, taut unit. The quintet have opened tours for Blackberry Smoke, Joe Bonamassa signed them to his label, and they have released two albums, a concert film, and an EP in 2023 alone. Yes, they are riding a creative wave. $25 to $30, 8 p.m., Smith's Old Bar, 1578 Piedmont Avenue, NE, 30324. 404-875-1522, sobatl.com. Thursday, February 29, Paul Thorne, Steve Poultz, City Winery, Atlanta. It's a doubleheader of veteran, iconoclastic Americana singer-songwriters boasting catalogs so deep with unique, often humorous folk rock that no one can predict what they'll pull out for any show. These friends are also witty rockin' tours, charming audiences for decades with their between-song patter, so this fertile pairing will display their easygoing stage banter as well as some of their finest tunes. Should be fun. $35 to $50, 8 p.m., City Winery, Atlanta, Ponce City Market, 650 North Avenue, NE, 30308. 404-496-3791, citywinery.com, forward slash Atlanta. The Bag Men, Jesse Williams Band, Smith's Old Bar. The name of this frisky blues rocking trio might be unfamiliar, but the Bag Men consists of established roots veterans. North Mississippi All-Stars guitarist Luther Dickinson with ex-Black Crows trigger hippie drummer Steve Gorman and hippies bassist Nick Govrick bringing the bottom. They only have a few originals, but will likely cover ringers from the fertile hippie crows NMAS catalog. Arrive early for the quirky, gutsy, southern soul of Georgia-based Jesse Williams. $20 to $31, 8 p.m., Smith's Old Bar, 1578 Piedmont Avenue, 30324. 404-875-1522, sobatl.com. The Pleasures, Eddie's Attic. Australian couple Katherine Britt and Lachlan Bryan bring their Delaney and Bonnie style bluesy and brassy male-female rock as they tour behind an exciting recent debut, The Beginning of the End. They have already achieved success down under, but this is likely the first time most Atlanta residents will get to experience their country soul rocking live. Make them feel welcome! $32.26 plus 9.15 p.m., Eddie's Attic, 515B North McDonough Street, Decatur, 30030. 404-377-4976, eddiesattic.com. Friday, March 1st. Matt Anderson, Eddie's Attic. Frequent Eddie's visitor, Anderson, likely comes head south from his Canadian home to warm up in the winter. Thankfully, he also heats up his audiences as he lays into searing soul vocals that crackle with passion and intensity. With or without a band, his voice fills the room, creating a soul, folk, gospel, and roots rock groove. It's in full display on his recent fizzling The Big Bottle of Joy release. $21.14 plus 9.30 p.m., Eddie's Attic, 515B North McDonough Street, Decatur, 30030. 404-377-4976, eddiesattic.com. Chatham County Line, The Earl. This North Carolina quartet originally stuck to pure, drum-free bluegrass in 2003, staying true to that sound until 2020's Fascination. They then added a drummer, morphing into a more Americana approach while still maintaining their rustic roots. The quartet's new album inches even further away from their beginnings with a dreamier, at times psychedelic edge, that still emphasizes their floating vocal harmony. $16-20, 8 p.m., The Earl, 488 Flat Shoals Avenue NE, Atlanta, 30316. 404-522-3950, badearl.com. That was Blues and Beyond, Sky's the Limit by Hal Horowitz from the Creative Loafing publication online. Next, we move to the Atlanta magazine online for five items from Elton John's upcoming auction that tell the story of his life in Atlanta. The singer spent 30 years at his Buckhead condo, a sanctuary where he could write music and work on his charitable foundation. After selling the condo at the end of last year, Elton John is now hosting a massive auction of the art and treasures that filled the home. Here are a few that tell his Atlanta story by Richard L. Eldridge. As you stepped off the elevator on the 36th floor, Sir Elton John's overflowing art collection greeted guests before you even reached the front door. Like the pieces inside his Park Place condo on Peachtree Road in Buckhead, the hallway artwork was routinely rotated by curators. Stepping inside the massive 13,000-square-foot home was a sensory overloading experience as your eyes struggled to take in all of the winding staircases, the floor-to-ceiling windows spotlighting the city's tree canopy, walls of photographs, and colorful glass sculptures. Nestled next to a window with a skyline view sat his prized Yamaha Grand Piano, where he would spend hours creating melodies to accompany the latest lyrics being faxed to him from California and England respectively by songwriting partners Bernie Taupin and Tim Rice. The sense of dozens of softly glowing, citrusy, floral-forward Slayton & Company candles created exclusively for the performer and benefiting the Elton John AIDS Foundation perfumed the air. And while he had rooms and rooms of expensive, ornate, Versace-designed furniture, the singer always preferred to do his press interviews at the kitchen table, where he created the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992, the nonprofit that has now raised over half a billion dollars for HIV-AIDS advocacy and care. His longtime housekeeper, Lucy, treated visitors like royalty, making sure you had a bottle of chilled Evian water and copies of the latest imported albums from John's CD room. When in town, John, an insatiable music fan, turned up dutifully each Tuesday to buy new releases in bulk down the street at Tower Records. Fresh out of rehab in 1991 and first introduced to the charms of the city by his then-boyfriend, Atlantan Hugh Williams, John immediately gravitated to the slower pace of the American South. For starters, it was a coast away from the celebrity glare of Los Angeles, where he had spent many of his drinking and drugging days. Shortly after his arrival in Atlanta, he began volunteering for Project Open Hand, the city's Meals on Wheels program for people living with HIV-AIDS, delivering hot meals to ailing shut-ins. He introduced his friend, Elizabeth Taylor, to the Buckhead Diner when she came to town to promote her White Diamonds fragrance at the Lenox Square Macy's. His emotional experiences volunteering with POH and his friendship with Taylor, who had just started the first celebrity AIDS charity, inspired the pop star to use his global fame to combat HIV-AIDS. Ultimately, Atlanta became a refuge where John felt safe. It's quiet for me here, Elton once told me in a 2007 interview. I can hear and I can breathe and I can write here. As he toured nearly nonstop throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the global pop star could also fly home each night to sleep in his Buckhead bed. Throughout the decades, John eventually acquired six units at Park Place, knocking down walls to create a single spacious dwelling. But at age 76, with his 2023 retirement from the road, his filmmaker husband David Furnish, and two growing boys to dote on back in England, Sir Elton sold his Buckhead home of 30 years last fall for $7.2 million. Turns out when you're a wealthy shopaholic with 13,000 square feet to decorate, you tend to accumulate a few things. For John, those keepsakes included iconic photographs by Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Diane Arbus, Robert Frank, and Annie Leibovitz. A bedroom closet filled with clothing designed by Gianni Versace, a half-century of glitzy stage costumes, dozens of pairs of designer eyeglasses, and millions of dollars of prized artwork. Thanks to Christie's in New York City, the contents of Sir Elton's Buckhead home will be auctioned off both live in person and online beginning February 9th. A focal point of the nearly month-long sale will be selling the singer's massive photography collection, hundreds of priceless images John collected throughout the years with help from Jane Jackson, then owner of Buckhead's Jackson Fine Art. Many of the pieces will be familiar to longtime Atlantans who first saw them during John's Chorus of Light, photographs from the Sir Elton John collection exhibition at the High Museum of Art in 2000. Jane Jackson became my teacher and helped guide me as I began laying the foundations of my collection, reflects John in the introduction to Goodbye Peachtree Road, the collection of Sir Elton John Christie's catalog. Seeing life through newly clean and sober eyes, a passion was lit for me, for my appreciation of the photographic medium. With Jackson, we staged our first photography exhibition at Atlanta's High Museum of Art, which was my way of thanking Atlanta for making me feel at home. Sir Elton's 30 years as an Atlantan has resulted in hundreds of auction items to unload. And there's something for Elton fans across many price ranges, from a pair of red Prada sunglasses, opening bid $200, to a $2,000 Bob Mackie design tracksuit, a pair of retro Deacon & Francis aluminum rocket cufflinks, opening bid $2,500, to an autographed and personally inscribed punching bag, signed by Muhammad Ali in 1990, with an opening bid of $2,000. The most expensive item in the auction, with an opening bid of $1,000,000, is also one of John's most recent acquisitions, purchased in 2017. The massive 135 inch by 117 inch flower thrower triptych, created in 2007 by street artist Banksy. Art collectors will need to break out the Amex black card for this one. Banksy's pieces have fetched up to $25.4 million. Below are five items from the upcoming Christie's auction that bear a special connection to John's decades spent in Atlanta. As Sir Elton himself sums up in the catalog introduction, My apartment in Atlanta was my man cave full of things. I got up every day and they all gave me inspiration. So if you buy anything at the sale, just remember it is going from one incredibly eager collector who got so much pleasure out of what you're going to buy. Number one, Yamaha Conservatory Grand Piano, opening bid $25,000. His quiet secluded life in Buckhead was where Elton John could concentrate on his writing. On this piano, John wrote the music for Aida, his hit Broadway musical with Tim Rice, which had its world premiere at Atlanta's Alliance Theater in 1998. His recorded in Atlanta 2004 album, Peachtree Road, and his 2005 London West End and Broadway smash musical, Billy Elliot. Number two, floating man painting by artist Todd Murphy, opening bid $20,000. Just as Elton was making Atlanta his home in the early 1990s, Marist School and UGA's grad Todd Murphy was becoming one of Atlanta's hottest visual artists, selling out his debut exhibition at the Bill Lowe Gallery, now the Johnson Lowe Gallery, in 1992. Since Murphy's death from cancer in 2020 at age 57, his trademark large-scale paintings have only increased in value. John is auctioning a total of four Murphy pieces, including a 1990s portrait of himself created by the artist. Number three, Atlanta Braves personalized jersey and jacket, opening bid $600. Elton was such a diehard Braves fan, he had a member of his tour road crew keep track of the score while he was on stage each baseball season. As a thank you to their most famous fan, the Braves organization had this Elton John number one jersey and personalized letterman jacket and windbreaker sent to the pop star. Number four, silver leather platform boots, opening bid $5,000. Even as he toned down the sequins on his stage wear after moving to Atlanta, okay, toned down by Elton John standards anyway, the pop star hung on to these weathered relics from his 1970s glitter rock beginnings. The platform heeled boots are highlighted with signature red letters E and J. Number five, Bentley Continental 1990 convertible, opening bid $25,000. More than once, Atlantans reported pulling up to a red light on Peachtree Road near Phipps Plaza or Tower Records, startled to see the city's most famous resident casually idling next to them with the radio blasting. It caused quite a stir whenever I took it out in town, John recalled in the Christie's catalog. The balmy weather and the sweet smell of magnolias were the perfect accompaniments for southern roof-down driving. Goodbye Peachtree Road, the collection of Sir Elton John, will be held live in person at Christie's New York and online from February 9th through 28th. For more details, visit the Christie's website. That was five items from Elton John's upcoming auction that tell the story of his life in Atlanta by Richard L. Eldridge from the Atlanta Magazine online publication. That concludes today's Metro Arts program, which is brought to you by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. This has been Kristen Moody for GARS, the Georgia Radio Reading Service. Thank you for listening to GARS.