Here’s a quick look at some of the best events Atlanta has to offer this weekend Thursday, September 27th through Sunday, September 30th!
Deaf Wish w/ Uniform, Wash and Hospice at The Earl
Thursday, September 27th at 8:30pm
There’s an inherent flaw in the perennially alternating “rock is back” and “rock is dead” arguments: they are based on the idea that rock music is a logic-based choice a person consciously chooses to make. Contrary to the critics who are looking to suss out cultural trends and movements (but have never actually lifted a greasy bass cab onto a stage in order to entertain a couple dozen people), the decision to play loud, distorted, unabashed guitar-rock isn’t a strategic move but a higher calling (or curse, depending on one’s point of view). Some might say the pursuit of rocking out via deafening amplifiers, crusty drums and a beer-battered PA is a spiritual one, an affliction that either strikes or doesn’t. Few groups today embody this sentiment like Melbourne’s aptly-named Deaf Wish.
Bat House w/ Challenger Deep and Help! Computer at The Masquerade (Purgatory)
Friday, September 28th at 7:00pm
“More than marching to the beat of their own drum; Bat House builds an abode according to their own architectural shape & design where the rogue’s galleries of past, present & future greats are channeled through their own intricate executions. [Bat House] is an album of luscious excess: dazzling angular hooks, wildly inventive instrumental interludes and punchy stop/start rhythms… the band’s approach to music, their liberal use of the musical toolbox, gives this album an element of suspense and surprise..”
Challenger Deep is an instrumental rock four-piece boy band out of Atlanta, Georgia. The name refers to the deepest known point in the earth’s oceans. Born of a passion for music and a light-hearted camaraderie, they continue to push their creative limits to create music that is both technically interesting and fun to listen to. Immersive Atlanta had this to say about their recently released single: “Welcome to the Show” may open with a burst of frantic drums and spastic finger tapping, but it quickly launches into its central groove, a spring-loaded riff with an almost funk-like buoyancy. From there, the group splinters off in a variety of different styles and directions—thundering stop-start dynamics, textured shoegaze-like eruptions, dazzling metallic sprints, and more.
Jay Rock w/ Reason at The Loft
Friday, September 28th at 8:00pm
(LOW TICKET WARNING)
Among the slickest West Coast rappers since he released his proper debut single, “All My Life” (2008), Jay Rock rode the momentum of being named to XXL’s 2010 Freshman Class to deliver the Top 20 releases 90059 (2015) and Redemption(2018). Born Johnny Reed McKinzie, Jr., Rock was raised in the Watts neighborhood — specifically the Nickerson Gardens public housing complex — of Los Angeles, California. With most neighborhood teens joining a gang, he was in a no-win situation, since hanging with any of his childhood friends meant he was engaging in “antisocial behavior” according to the law. Two such incidents found Rock violating the area’s gang injunction and landing in jail. These hard times influenced the rapper’s lyrics, and soon appearances on local mixtapes found him rapping in a hard style reminiscent of local hero the Game. With help from Top Dawg Entertainment, Rock shopped his demos and mixtapes, eventually landing a deal with Warner Bros. In 2008, the major label released his single “All My Life (In the Ghetto)” with guest stars Lil Wayne and will.i.am. By the end of 2010, he had left Warner, but had deepened his connection with TDE as a member of Black Hippy beside contemporaries Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, and Ab-Soul. In 2018, after he survived a serious motorcycle accident, Rock joined with Lamar, Future, and James Blake for the number 21 pop hit “King’s Dead,” which appeared on Marvel’s Lamar-curated Black Panther soundtrack. Rock‘s third proper album, Redemption, followed that June via Interscope and entered the Billboard 200 at number 13.
Yacht Rock Revue at Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater
Friday, September 28th at 8:00pm
Forming after a stint in an original indie rock band known as Y-O-U, the members of Yacht Rock Revue are amazing musicians, dynamic showmen and are known for delivering shows that feel like a party. Yacht Rock Revue is the finest tribute to ’70s light rock touring nationally and bringing the incredible sounds of this musical era back to life. By blurring the lines between a tribute, an original act, and a comedic troupe, Yacht Rock Revue has forged a unique niche market and a special bond with their fans.
FroRibbean Fest ft. Alkaline, Bunji Garlin, DJ Envy and more at Central Park Atlanta
Saturday, September 29th at 2:00pm
The 1st Annual FroRibbean Fest is a cultural mashup of musical snippets from areas of the Caribbean islands, Africa, and the U.S. The name “FroRibbean” is a blended word that attempts to show the interconnectedness of Africans-African Americans-Caribbean people- and all those with kinks, waves, curls, and coils in their hair! This festival was created to showcase the talent that spreads across the African Diaspora and the unique aspects as well as similarities of the music that we create! For one day, we will celebrate and bring to life the music, the food, the games, and the dances we have created all over the world, for all of our festival-goers to experience! Wear your country’s flag(s), wear your hair how you dare, and wear your dancing shoes because it’s a non-stop party from sun up to sundown. … Oh and did we mention this event is B.Y.O.B?!!! At Fro Fest you can Be Your Own Bartender! So ice that cooler down and bring your drink of choice. Rum Punch and Food vendors will also be available for purchase throughout the event, as well.
All The Saints w/ Decaprio & Warm Red at 529
Saturday, September 29th at 9:00pm
Atlanta-based trio All the Saints derive their sound from blues-rock, psychedelia, and early heavy metal. Titus, Matt, and Jim, who prefer to go by first names only, met in Alabama but later relocated to Atlanta. After several months of jam sessions, All the Saints hit upon a sound they described as “’70s psychedelia and classic dark riffs.” Intense live shows led to a passionate regional fan base and critical acclaim. In 2007, All the Saints began working on an EP with Billy Bennett, the engineer who had recorded the Whigs’ debut album
“Over the past year, post-punk powerhouse DiCaprio have nailed down their debut LP, I Went to the Mall Yesterday and I Got Sick, all while maintaining a healthy stream of local shows and tour dates throughout the Southeast and East Coast. The Atlanta trio play with a slacker nonchalance while simultaneously tipping their hat to goth and handing out high fives in a very smoke-filled practice room. The two singles released from the album, “Ectoslavia” and “Return to Babylon,” have an upbeat yet anxious quality that is captured by jangly guitar riffs stacked against deadpan instrumentation that is well layered yet manages to feel stripped back and minimal. DiCaprio turned a lot of heads in 2016 and they’re looking to capitalize on that momentum when they unveil their long-awaited debut LP, I Went to the Mall Yesterday and I Got Sick, on March 4. The new record marks the start of what looks to be a busy year for the post-punk trio that also includes an April tour of the East Coast and Midwest, followed by a 7″ to be released via Chunklet.” –Immersive Atlanta
