James Blunt will be back in Atlanta at The Arena @ Gwinnett Center on Sunday, October 15th. Tickets are $ 45.00, $ 35.00, and $ 25.00. All tickets are reserved and all ages are welcome. Tickets go on sale this Saturday, August 12th @ 10:00AM at www.livenation.com - For more info visit www.jamesblunt.com.

The Films (formerly Tinkers Punishment), Simon Dawes, and Seven Envy will be playing Masquerade in Hell on August 12th. Tickets are $8 and the doors open at 7:00pm. The Films will also be opening up for Blue October at 99X's Unplugged in the Park concert series at Park Tavern on August 13th. For more info, visit www.the-films.com.

LA-based artist Peter Walker heads out this fall with British rockers Starsailor for a 19-date North American tour, landing in Atlanta on Friday, September 15 at the Loft . Walker is touring in support of his sophomore album, YOUNG GRAVITY, released this past spring on Dangerbird Records (Silversun Pickups, La Rocca, Joy Zipper). A mix of alt-rock confessionals, fuzz-filled guitars and laid-back melodies, the album was co-produced by Earlimart's Aaron Espinoza, ex-Grandaddy guitarist Jim Fairchild and Walker. HARP MAGAZINE declared: "On his second album, Peter Walker has mastered the art of translating his whiskey-tainted bar-band scruffiness into intelligent, cogent songs." Tickets on sale at www.ticketalternative.com. More info is at www.peterwalkermusic.com.

Korn have appealed for information after a fan died following a fight at their concert at Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheatre . Andy Richardson, 30, died in hospital after being attacked by two men in the mosh pit. The band are headlining the 30-city Family Values Tour in North America. The group said they were "appalled at the actions of these men" and encouraged witnesses to contact the local authorities, Billboard reported. In a statement, they said they were "imploring anyone who witnessed this senseless act or has any information about the attack to please immediately come forward." To help visit www.korn.com.

Just because MTV gave up doesn't mean music videos are dead. It's time for AMG to get in the game and start showing some Atlanta videos from the great bands we have in the city. We'll be building page to stream them all, so if you're interested in have your video seen, start emailing them to info@atlantamusicguide.com - we'll need to know your band name and the name of the song and a link to your site. We'll host the video on our server, so you won't lose any bandwidth.

Ticket Alternative has announced a weekly competition to bring the summer to a sweet close. Every Friday through September they'll pick 3 of their Myspace friends at random who'll win a pair of tickets to any concert they choose! It doesn't get much easier than that. To add Ticket Alternative as a friend visit www.myspace.com/ticketalternative.

Athens rockers The Whigs have caught the eye of the local and national music scene ever since their win at 2003's Open Mic Madness. The young three piece caught the ears of ATO Records (founded by Dave Matthews) and have recently signed to the label, which is also home to artists like Jem, My Morning Jacket, Ben Kweller, and David Gray. Their self-recorded album Give 'Em All A Big Fat Lip will be re-released nationwide September 19th, and they'll be returning to play Smith's Olde Bar on August 19th with The Gates of Berlin and Tx/Rx. www.thewhigs.com

Filter Magazine, the country’s premiere independent music publication, and innovative clothing brand American Rag Cie have partnered to announce the release of Ragged. The thirty-two page mini magazine features stories on indie rock and alternative music from major and up-and-coming artists. Artists featured in Ragged include Phantom Planet, Morningwood, Silversun Pickups, The Vacation, Annie Stela, Bitttersweet, Greg Laswell and Nina Gordon. Beginning on July 18th, Ragged will be distributed for free at Macy’s stores nationwide as well as at concerts and festivals throughout the summer. The issue is available now to download on www.RaggedMag.com

Supporting the very fine songstress Corinne Bailey Rae when she comes to town will be Kevin Devine, who is also getting attention and a mighty push from Capitol Records. Devine is being touted as a mixture of Elliott Smith and the Folk Implosion. Not bad. The gig takes place on Wednesday, August 16th at The Loft . www.myspace.com/kevindevine

Minnesota indie rockers Tapes 'N Tapes will be returning to Atlanta on October 29th to play The Loft. Tickets for the show go on sale at noon this Friday July 28th via Ticket Alternative.

State Of Man's debut album Both Sides Of The Story is about to be released and there will be a celebratory bash at The Masquerade on Friday, September 1st.

On July 25th, Warner Brothers Records released Tom Petty’s new solo album, Highway Companion. This release, Petty’s third solo album, was produced by Jeff Lynne with Petty and Mike Campbell. The 2006 North American “Highway Companions Tour” (with Trey Anastasio, Pearl Jam, The Allman Brothers and The Derek Trucks Band opening on some dates) will come to HiFi Buys Amphitheatre on September 22nd - The Strokes are supporting. More info www.tompetty.com / www.thestrokes.com

Jet has revealed details of their second album. Dubbed Shine On, the Aussie rock sensation's follow-up to 2003's Get Born is set to land in stores on October 3rd. Produced by Dave Sardy - who helmed Get Born as well as recent efforts by Oasis and Dirty Pretty Things - the album sees Jet again putting their own contemporary stamp on classic guitar-fuelled rock 'n' roll. The album's first single, "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is," will hit radio August 7th. Check out a preview: Real / Windows / Qtime - More info: www.jettheband.com

Flyleaf (from Texas) will be in Atlanta at Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheatre on July 30th with the Family Values Tour, along with Korn, Deftones and Stone Sour. For a chance to hang out with the band on their bus, check out this competition. For more info visit: www.myspace.com/flyleaf

Just announced today - Keane will be returning to Atlanta in support of their new CD Under the Iron Sea. The 3 piece will be playing the Tabernacle on Monday September 25th. Tickets go on sale this Friday July 28th at 10:00am. Also returning are Brooklyn indie rockers We Are Scientists following their successful tour with Arctic Monkeys, along with Art Brut and The Spinto Band on Tuesday September 19th at the Coca Cola Roxy.

HOT AFTER PARTY ACTION...Sunday School and Atlanta Music Guide present Luna Halo and The Modern Society at Vinyl August 3rd. It'll be a great show, with an amazing after party to follow. Sunday School's Jay Harren, The Modern Society, and Nathan from Luna Halo will all be DJing, and there's FREE PERONI BEER (We knew that would get your attention!), along with cool gift bags and giveaways courtesy of Luna Halo. If you'd like to score free tickets to the show, AMG is giving away 2 pairs! All you have to do is email us with your name and daytime phone number. We'll draw and notify the winners Tuesday August 1st. Good luck! www.lunahalo.com

OPEN MIC MADNESS 2006 takes place at Smith's Olde Bar from August 21-26. Now in its fifth year, this six night single elimination tournament is the biggest music competition in the Southeast, featuring over a hundred bands and solo artists. Previous Winners include Bain Mattox, The Whigs, Avenge Vegas, and Sovus Radio. This year's winner will perform on The Rock Boat VII as well a receiving 2 days in Nickel and Dime studios, and CDs from Media-Go-Round among other prizes. There is still time to enter! Just visit: www.openmicmadness.com

AMG partied late last night with Butch Walker after the second of his two rockin' shows at Variety Playhouse. Devil Stole the Beat hosted the extravagent afterparty at TWO Urban Licks filled with succulent friend oysters, calamari, smoked salmon chips, and an assortment of other delicious delicacies. The VIP crowd included the best and brightest of Atlanta's music scene, including, of course, Butch himself. His US tour will continue throughout the summer. Butch' s next project will be producing the CBS/Supernova group's full-length CD.

After 4 years Vision Nightclub will close in 2 weeks time. The club has hosted parties with many celebs including Britney Spears, Ludacris, Will Smith, Fergie, Josh Duhamel, P Diddy, Kevin Federline, Usher, Nelly, Snoop Dogg, Tommy Lee, Denzel Washington, Kanye West, Beyonce, Janet Jackson, Chipper Jones, Jay Z, LL Cool J, Shaq, and Michael Jordan. Rumour has it the land it sits on is being redeveloped as condos and that the club will re-open across the street in the original Cotton Club space. More info: www.visionatlanta.com

Variac release a new EP, Break it to Your Boyfriend, with a show at The EARL on August the 18th. It will be available on 7" vinyl and include a complimentary CD. It will also be stocked at Criminal Records. The track Listing includes: Black Lung, Wasted Ones, Pretty Girls, & Bathroom Sex. More info www.myspace.com/variac

Safety In Numbers, the latest album from Umphrey's McGee, is taking a stroll up the charts and the band is lining up gigs all over the place to make the most of it. Their PR people tell us that these guys are "musically muscular and relentlessly inventive," and the band will try to live up to that when they play Chastain Amphitheater on Wednesday, August 16th, along with Bela Fleck & The Flecktones and Marc Broussard.

Nitro Records describes Hit The Switch as "a young, politically charged melodic punk band from Riverside, California." The label has just announced a two-part digital release of their debut album Domestic Tranquility and Social Justice, available for a limited time as free MP3 downloads at www.nitrorecords.com. Well worth checking out.

After causing something of a sensation in the UK, Sandi Thom is trying her luck in the US, playing at Vinyl on Monday, August 7th. Unknown and struggling, Thom started webcasting nightly concerts from her South London flat when she became too broke to tour. After three weeks she had 70,000 fans tuning in and record labels took notice, leading to a contract and a # 1 album, Smile...It Confuses People, which comes out in this country on Tuesday, September 12th. www.sandithom.com

Dr. Octagon, aka Kool Keith, is on the comeback trail and arrives at The Loft on Friday, August 25th to promote the album The Return of Dr. Octagon.

Check out " When You Were Young " the brand new single from The Killers on our listening post.

July Featured Band - AMG is proud to announce our Featured Band of the Month: Manchester Orchestra.

Our homeboys in Sovus Radio are semifinalists in the Lollapalooza Last Band Standing contest to win a slot on the huge Chicago festival. In order to move onto the next round, they must be in the Top 4. Click here to visit the Last Band Standing website and vote!

The second annual The Other Sound Music Festival is scheduled to take place September 7-9, 2006. The festival was organized by local labels Eskimo Kiss Records, Goodnight Records, Lazyline Media, and Two Sheds Music, and it will take place at the Drunken Unicorn, The EARL, and Lenny's. The band lineup will be announced shortly at www.theothersound.net.