The fun starts at 11 a.m. on New Year’s Eve with carnival-style rides, face painting, balloon artists, photos with exotic birds and more. If you want to watch the Chik-fil-a Bowl, head over to Kenny’s Alley to catch it on the big screen. And it get’s better: This celebration features live music all day long on multiple stages featuring local and national acts!

The 23rd Annual Peach Drop is a free event taking place at Underground Atlanta, for more information please visit http://www.peachdrop.com.

foster the people :: heart of gold (neil young cover) live at criminal records, atlanta, ga 6/30/2011 from Emily Hogan on Vimeo.

Foster the People will return to Atlanta on June 7 and we’re giving away tickets! Fill out the form below to enter.

Los Angeles-based indie-pop three-piece Foster the People have been rocking crowds all over since 2009. Since their hit song “Pumped Up Kicks” went viral, they’ve been unstoppable. They released their debut album, Torches, in May 2011. They’ve topped the rock charts, appeared on popular talk shows, and they’ve gained success with both indie and mainstream audiences. The last time they were here in Atlanta they played a free, acoustic in-store to a packed crowd at Criminal Records and sold out the Masquerade Music Park.

Tickets go one sale for their show at the Verizon Wireless at Encore Park on Friday, December 16. Tickets will be available HERE.

Check out the video of Foster the People covering “Heart of Gold” above.

Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics have been a staple in the music scene here in Atlanta since 2008. The band formed in 2005 in Florida, relocated to Georgia in 2007 and the rest is history or so they say. The band has released multiple singles since forming, they’ve played to crowds around town at places like the Star Bar, the EARL and 529. They have a full length on the way for 2012 on Element Records.

According to the band’s Facebook, they’ve been working on some new jams and they’re prepared to wow the crowd at Eddie’s on Friday, December 30. So, this is a must-not-miss show.

Tickets are on sale now through Ticket Alternative! Don’t miss out!

Wale will be at The Tabernacle on Thursday, December 8 and we’re giving away some tickets to the show! Fill out the form below for a chance to be entered to win!

I’m terrible at putting music related things in any type of order. First to last, best to worst, I just can’t do it. So, here’s a list of 11 of my favorite releases from 2011, in no particular order. Most of these releases stayed on the record player, mp3 player or the CD player in my car for weeks. The repeat button was overused for sure. I still can’t get enough of these amazing albums.

Yuck – Yuck
I’m a huge fan of the ’90s – HUGE. My favorite band of all time is Pavement. “My So Called Life” is the greatest show. Ever. You get the picture. Anyway, I discovered Yuck on Pitchfork, they were featured as rising act and “Holing Out” was up for listen. My ears were in heaven and when I read that guitarist/singer Daniel Blumberg nearly shat himself the first time he heard Pavement, I just knew it was meant to be.
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Turf War – Years of Living Dangerously
Atlanta-via-Augusta boys Turf War make rock jams that go well with partying and PBR. Years of Living Dangerously is their debut release on Old Flame Records.
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New Animal – New Animal
I can always tell when a song or album is good when my chest gets tight and the hair on the back of my neck stands up straight. New Animal has this effect on me. Every time I listen to this album or see them live, I get goose bumps. They’re just that good.
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Read the full list after the jump…

Hundred Visions – Last Cab From Tunis 7”
I saw this guys at the most recent Daytrotter Barnstormer in Maquoketa, Iowa. I drove myself and three of my closest friends 10 or so hours to a barn to hear music by bands that I knew little to nothing about. I’m so glad I did. Austin-based Hundred Visions became an instant favorite the second they started their set. They’re just a whole lot of fun. I can’t wait for the full-length that’s coming soon.
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Gem Club – Breakers
Gem Club is an awesome duo that makes incredible music. It’s light, ambient and beautiful. You really just have to listen and be amazed by the haunting vocals, rich cello and piano music that these guys make.
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Real Estate – Days
Days is good without even trying. The album is super chill and fun to listen to. And the video for my favorite track, “It’s Real” features a bunch of adorable dogs. What’s not to love?
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Youth Lagoon – The Year of Hibernation
Youth Lagoon’s Trevor Powers makes the dreamiest tunes that I just can’t stop listening to. That whole goose bumps feeling I was talking about earlier totally happens when I listen to this album. My favorite lyric on the whole album is in the track “17” and goes, “When I was 17, my mother said to me/Don’t stop imagining/The day that you do is the day that you die.” My emotions run crazy when I hear this line, it’s just beautiful.
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Keep Shelly in Athens – Our Own Dream EP
I owe my love for Keep Shelly in Athens to Chris of Gorilla Vs. Bear. He played this Grecian duo on his radio show way back in 2010 and I was completely blown away. I found myself wanting to hear everything I could by them. I absolutely love them.
Follow Keep Shelly in Athens on Twitter and Facebook!

Girls – Father, Son, Holy Spirit
Oh Chris Owens, he’s a dreamboat. His lyrics completely break my heart and mend it, just to break it all over again. I bought Girls’ first album based on a suggestion from my friends at Criminal Records and I’m so happy I did.
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The War on Drugs – Slave Ambient
I think Under the Radar magazine coined the term “bossgaze” to describe this Philadelphia-based band’s sound. That’s seriously what it is, part Springsteen and part shoegaze. And I’m just going to go on record and say “Baby Missiles” is one of the greatest songs ever recorded.
Follow The War on Drugs on Twitter!

This last one that I’m adding on here was released in the US in December 2010, but it wasn’t released in the UK until May 2011, so it’s basically a 2011 release. Right? Well, either way Guards is worth mentioning. They have completely claimed my heart over the past year from the first moment I heard them. I saw them at SXSW in March and was completely blown away by their music. I had to see them again in April at Daytrotter‘s Barnstormer. They rocked that barn so hard the power. They are truly an amazing act that everyone should check out. The photo is of their 7″ release in the UK (the one released in 2011). It has three tracks on it: “Resolution of One,” “Hear You Call,” and “Swimming in the Dark.” It was released on Kitsune Records. The US release also has three tracks: “Resolution of One,” “Crystal Truth,” and “Long Time.” And it was released on Small Plates Records.
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Like what you’ve read? Check out my blog, Wholly Roller and follow me on Twitter!

By now you’re probably asking, “Well, how do I enter this awesome sweepstakes?” It’s easy as pie! First, sign up for Scoutmob‘s newsletters (totally worth the KBs and GBs in your inbox), click here, fill out the form and BOOM, you’re in. Bonus points in the form of more entries if you share the sweepstakes with your friends on Facebook, Twitter and email. So get going, time’s ticking!

After releasing their fifth studio album, The Hunter, earlier this year, our favorite hometown metal guys are back on the road, and will be coming back to Atlanta for a show at The Tabernacle on December 2. The likes of The Black Lips, DIllinger Escape Plan, Red Fang and more will be making the merriment complete. We have a few tickets to give away, and all you have to do is enter by filling out the form below.

Dwight Yoakam will be at Wild Bills on Saturday, December 3 and we’re giving away tickets! Fill out the form below to be entered to win!

Country music star Dwight Yoakam has released 11 studio albums since the late 1980s. He’s been in a bunch of Hollywood films such as Crank 1 and 2, Wedding Crashers and Sling Blade. Yoakam is back on Warner Brothers Records and he’s set to release he first studio album in seven years in early 2012.

Bell X1 will be at Smith’s Olde Bar on Friday, November 11. We’re giving away tickets to see them, fill out the form below to be entered to win! Or buy your tickets at the button if you’re not feeling so lucky.

Bell X1 is a three-piece rock band from Ireland. The band’s name comes from the first aircraft to break the sound barrier, which was flown by Chuck Yeager in 1947. They released their sixth studio album, Bloodless Coup, in April. Check out the video for the track “Sugar High” on YouTube or above now.