Photos and review by Jenna Hughes

The atmosphere at Center Stage was quiet and calm on Tuesday night as fans eagerly awaited the stripped down solo performance of Justin Furstenfeld (of Blue October). The standing room floor was transformed into a seating area and those seats filled up fast with dedicated fans. Strangers chatted and bonded with one another about their personal experiences with Justin’s music and lyrics, which has come to be expected at any Blue October show. There is a closeness of the band’s fans that is unrivaled and they all share the same view: Justin Furstenfeld is their hero.

Opener Ashleigh Stone took the stage first, a single spotlight on her and a piano. Stone, a singer/songwriter out of San Marcos, Texas, was mesmerizing with her stark vocals and a talent on the keys reminiscent of Tori Amos or Fiona Apple. Her music was rather somber in tone but Stone was all smiles, joking with the audience between songs.

The stage was then stripped of all but one chair, a microphone and a small black table. Candles were placed all across the stage, setting the mood. Finally, Justin Furstenfeld walked out to roaring applause, waving to fans before taking his seat. He cleared his throat, picked up his acoustic guitar and began to read from his book Crazy Making. The book chronicles Justin’s journey with Blue October since the band’s first album, 1998’s The Answers to 2011’s Any Man In America. Justin started things off with the title track from The Answers, a stripped down version that set the tone for the rest of the night.

Justin continued the journey through Blue October’s history with “Come In Closer,” “Graceful Dancing,” “Calling You” and the band’s mega-hit “Hate Me.” Every song had a story behind it, delivered by Justin with raw honesty. He truly was an open book on that stage, sharing his struggles with depression and substance abuse and his painful divorce and custody battle that inspired the album Any Man In America. Perhaps the most powerful performance of the night was a spoken word version of the title track on that album, after which Justin admitted that he regrets writing and recording the song because he wants to be a role model for his daughters and the song is a very angry one.

Throughout the night, Justin read aloud and answered questions that fans submitted before the show. One standout was when a fan asked him if he had any advice for someone who was “Still Broken” (a reference to one of the band’s songs). Justin told him that the secret to happiness is getting rid of the people in your life that bring you down. If something brings you down, there is no room for it in your life. Justin spoke about how he had done this very thing in his life and that is what inspired him to write “Not Broken Anymore,” which closed out the show. The new song, a dedication to his wife, really shows how much Justin has grown after being put through hell. His story is a moving and inspiring one for anyone dealing with depression or just going through a hard time. To quote Justin, “People always try to find the light at the end of the tunnel. But what you have to do is make that light visible right now, right in front of you.” Wiser words have never been spoken.

Photos by Jenna Hughes

Photos by Jenna Hughes

Full Gallery after the jump…

Good Old War made a stop in Atlanta on February 22^nd, selling out Vinyl in the Center Stage complex. The three piece indie rock band from Philadelphia (whose name comes from the last names of the three members; Keith Goodwin for Good, Tim Arnold for Old, and Daniel Schwartz for War) has skyrocketed over the past year, with the success of single “Calling Me Names” from their 2011 breakthrough album Come Back As Rain.

When the band took the stage, the atmosphere became very relaxed and homey, as if the band were friends with every member of the audience. Drummer Tim Arnold has described the band’s live shows as “A sing-along campfire with friends” and this description is a very accurate one. Most of the setlist was composed of songs from Rain such as “Better Weather”, “Amazing Eyes” and of course “Calling Me Names”, but the band also delved deeper into their collection with songs such as “Weak Man” from their 2008 debut Only Way To Be Alone and “My Own Sinking Ship” from their 2010 self titled album. One of the best moments of the show was an impromptu cover of Harry Belafonte’s “The Banana Boat Song (Day-O)”, which had the entire audience singing along.

Good Old War definitely had a connection with the audience but they connected even more so with one another, effortlessly harmonizing together and joking around like brothers. The band made the stage come alive and feel like home, a feeling that few current artists can achieve. They have only been together for a few short years but they play together like family.

Photos and review by Jenna Hughes

Emilie Autumn brought her burlesque theatrics to The Loft on January 19^th in support of her latest album, 2012’s F.L.A.G. or Fight Like A Girl. Devoted fans—lovingly dubbed ‘plague rats’ by Autumn—eagerly anticipated the appearance of their idol as the stage went dark and smoky and old time music played in the background.

First to appear were backing singers “The Naughty Veronica” and “Captain Maggot” aka The Bloody Crumpets, winding their way onto the stage as if they were puppets. Autumn strutted onto the stage next, belting out “Fight Like A Girl” as fans waved flags and sang along. Autumn, who incorporates her time spent in a mental institution into her songs and performance, was delightful as the set continued with songs such as “Take The Pill” and “Time For Tea,” during which cupcakes and tea were literally thrown out into the audience.

The music stopped for a bit as Autumn and The Bloody Crumpets paused to act out a scene in which Captain Maggot read dialogue and Autumn and The Naughty Veronica followed along. The scene culminated in a kiss between the two, much to the crowd’s delight. Shortly after, Veronica chose an audience member who had “never kissed a girl” to come onto the stage to do just that.

After that it was back to the music with “Girls Girls Girls”, “We Want Them Young” and “Thank God I’m Pretty”. “One Foot In Front Of The Other”, which closed the show, was one of the best performances of the night. Autumn’s theatrics were stunning throughout the 2 hour set and she never broke her character, though she may have been spotted cracking a smile during the acting segments. Her music may be dark and moody, but it is obvious that she loves every minute of performing and she is very devoted to her fans.

Photos and review by Jenna Hughes

Every once in a while an artist comes along that is refreshingly different from the norm, and Jessta James certainly is that. The Montana native brought his unique blend of country, hip-hop and rock to Atlanta this past Tuesday night.

Playing with an impressive backing band that included a very talented violinist, Jessta had the crowd hooked and moving closer to the stage with every song played. Jessta’s performance was high energy and infectious as he delivered songs from his debut album It’s Time To Get Right, such as “If That Ain’t Country” and “Rock-N-Roll Angel”. His style of rapping over country/rock music is reminiscent of Kid Rock but is also highly melodic. “Time To Get Right” showed the softer side of Jessta James, a song about drug addiction that he dedicated to his deceased older brother Matt and “anyone going through a hard time.” The song was powerful and moving and clearly very meaningful to the performer. A cover of the Allman Brothers’ southern rock classic “Midnight Rider”, had everyone in the crowd dancing and singing along. The set also included a cover of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.”

Jessta was offering free copies of his album to anyone who signed the mailing list and by the end of the night there were hardly any left on the merch table. It’s clear that Jessta James has made an impact on Atlanta that will continue to spread across the U.S. as he finishes his current tour.

Jessta is part of a 3 week residency at Vinyl! See him again or for the first time on Tuesday, January 22nd and Tuesday, January 29th!

Photos and review by Jenna Hughes

The second annual Little Five Festival kicked off on September 29th, showcasing over 40 local acts in 9 different venues in Atlanta’s Little Five Points. The Star Bar seemed to be the heart of the festival, with stages upstairs, downstairs and an outside stage that was surrounded by the best of Atlanta’s local food trucks and vendors, including Sweet Auburn BBQ and The King of Pops.

The first act that I caught was The Head, an alternative trio playing at The Star Bar. Like many of the artists performing in the festival, the band offered free cd’s, stickers and other merch to get their name out there. I headed downstairs to see Pink Pompeii, an electronic three-piece that also featured string instruments. Then I made my way to the Star Bar’s outside stage, which is where I wound up spending the majority of my time at the festival. Every band that graced that stage impressed, from the alt-country of Stone Rider to the Aimee Mann-esque folk/blues of Anna Kramer and the Lost Cause. The penultimate band to take the stage was Noot D’Noot, a flashy seven piece band that brought down the house with their dance/funk vibe. The crowd seemed to enjoy them more than any other band all day, dancing and singing along during their set.

Perhaps the most interesting act of the day was the Headband Girls, performance artists that took over Criminal Records. They began as several people sitting on the floor playing wooden xylophones and slowly, other members joined in, playing violins and cellos and trumpets at random locations throughout the store. A masked man projected strange photos on the wall and several people began reading books aloud, never breaking their concentration. One by one, the instrumentalists stopped playing until all that was left was the xylophone music, hushing the enthralled crowd until they, too, stopped. Then the artists simply packed up and left, leaving the crowd in dismay.

Little Five Fest certainly showcased the best of Atlanta’s local scene, proving that this city is home to some of the most diverse, fun and dedicated talent in the country.

Full Gallery after the jump…

Photos by Jenna Hughes

Full Gallery after the jump…

Photos and review by Jenna Hughes

Full Gallery after the jump…

It’s been a long time since Nightwish has played a show in Atlanta, but they made up for their absence with a 2 night stint at Center Stage, beginning on September 12th. With both nights of the tour sold out, Nightwish was sure to please their eager fans and they did not disappoint.

Supporting act Kamelot took the stage first, getting the crowd fired up with “Rule the World” from their 2007 album Ghost Opera. New front man Tommy Karevik did a fantastic job with the band’s older material that originally featured Roy Khan. His vocals were spot on and his energy was infectious throughout the band’s 45 minute set, which also included hits such as “Center of the Universe” and “Forever”. A single snare drum opened the final song, “March of Mephisto” and then erupted into the band’s best performance of the night. The crowd seemed to agree, pumping their fists in time to the beat and singing along. Kamelot left the stage with a bow, leaving the fans to anticipate Nightwish.

After a tedious set change, restless fans were brought back to life as the curtain fell and Nightwish slowly trickled onstage amidst an ethereal background and a Celtic soundtrack. Front woman Annette Olzon bounced out onto the stage last and the band launched into “Storytime”, a song from their newest album, 2011’s Imaginaerium. Olzon danced across the stage with bubbly energy that spread throughout the crowd and to the other members of the band. I’ve been a fan of Nightwish for a long time, and I admit it took a while for Annette to grow on me, but she totally owned the stage. Her vocals are completely different from (former lead singer) Tarja Turunen’s, yet she was able to put her own spin on the band’s older material, such as ‘I Wish I Had An Angel” and “Dead to the World”.

The band slowed things down for a mini-acoustic set, which included “The Islander”, a song that truly showed how stunning front man Marco Hietala’s vocals are. An acoustic version of “Nemo”–arguably the band’s most popular song ever–had the crowd going wild. Multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley had his chance to shine during this set on the bagpipes and continued playing with the band into “Last of the Wilds”, an amazing instrumental track.

The highlight of the night for me was “Planet Hell”, which I was not expecting them to play. Band founder Tuomas Holopainen rocked the keys, glancing up every now and then to flash a grin at the crowd. It was obvious how proud he truly is of his band; where they’ve been, where they are and where they are going. Nightwish has been making music since 1996, but their sound grows and evolves with every album they produce. They’re never afraid to push the limits, continuing to set the bar for symphonic metal.

Review by Stephanie Roman
Photos by Jenna Hughes

A storm was gathering on the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall, while two friends came together with the power of perseverance and the gift to create beauty from chaos. Ours vocalist Jimmy Gnecco and front man James Hall of the Futura Bold each delivered inspired sets on their own, but seeing them perform together was an unexpected treat.

A crowd of dedicated Atlanta fans pressed forward to the stage as Ours made a notable entrance to Michael Jackson’s “They Don’t Really Care About Us.”

Like a tribe of voodoo spirits, the band appeared ready to be invoked by the crowd. Obligingly, they launched in to “Miseryhead,” a dark, swinging track from the debut album, Distorted Lullabies.

While Gnecco’s voice has been compared to many singers, he is truly a unique front man. Dramatic yet controlled, he has a disciplined vocal command and range reminiscent of Freddy Mercury or Thom Yorke from the OK Computer era. James Hall also praised Gnecco’s “golden voice” during one of the evening’s duets.

Ours joined Peter Murphy on eight tour dates out west this summer, and played the last of their remaining solo shows in Atlanta last night. Gnecco sang while the band–drummer Micky Fox, Chris Goodlof on bass, guitarist Static, April Bower on keyboards–seemed determined to blow up the tour’s final performance, and kept up a breathtaking pace for the entire two-hour set.

They debuted new songs from a forthcoming album, including “Sing” and “Devil”–a soaring ballad with Gnecco’s plaintive vocals, heart-wrenching guitars, and melody from Bower’s keys. The venue was booming and it’s hard to believe Gnecco did not strain his voice having to compete with the wall of sound.

The evening also documented a journey between friends. Ours and the Futura Bold appearing at a show together seemed to be a match of serendipity, but the crowd found out that the pairing was no accident. The two singers shared a special connection prior to meeting over a decade ago. Gnecco was strongly encouraged to check out the music of James Hall and became an instant devotee. For many fans, witnessing their first James Hall show is a memorable experience, and it was no different for a seasoned musician. After missing a final opportunity to visit his friend Jeff Buckley, Gnecco wistfully described that he just couldn’t let the opportunity to meet James Hall pass him by. The two met at a show in Athens and soon began a working relationship that led to many collaborations.

James Hall took the stage to perform several songs with Ours–not to mention a slew of covers. He proudly performed AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” as guitars and drums united behind him loud enough to wake the residents of nearby Oakland Cemetery. As the clock approached midnight, Hall also delivered Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” and Gnecco crooned a delicate version of “Wicked Game” by Chris Issak. The end of the show felt almost like an intimate jam session between friends, and audience members staying late into the night were rewarded with the evening’s highlight: Hall and Gnecco launched into brilliant duets of Ours hits, “Sometimes” and “Fallen Souls.” On the latter track, the collective spirit of all musicians on stage was so united that the venue felt as if it were literally lifted and we were flying.

Our final send off into the misty Southern night commenced as the band invoked the spirit of another unforgettable vocalist with a rendition of “Riders On the Storm,” and then closed with The Cult’s,”She Sells Sanctuary.”

After the show, I asked Gnecco what the next album will bring. He said that he hopes to create music that will make listeners truly feel something. He said: “I’m not looking to follow trends, and even if you would try–you’re always too late.” While he admits that striking out to follow one’s own creative muse is a lonely path, he looks forward to letting the next record develop naturally with contributions from others. The process sounds similar to his experience working with the many talented musicians and guests on the band’s critically acclaimed third album, Mercy. And if last night’s joyous collaboration was any indication of what’s ahead–we can’t wait for more.

Download the band’s new single, “Devil,” at www.pledgemusic.com/projects/ours to help the band raise funds for their next full album recording. It’s a soaring promise of the beautiful music yet to come.

The Futura Bold started the night off on a high note with a crowd favorite from James Hall’s previous band, Pleasure Club. After receiving critical acclaim and amassing a dedicated fan base, Pleasure Club disbanded and James began working with guitarist Chris Piskun and bassist Bruce Butkovich on the project that would become the Futura Bold. This evening, we were treated to several high-energy tracks from the Futura Bold’s impressive self-titled debut, as well as two beautifully crafted new songs: “A Sunny Place for Shady People” and “We Shoot Gold.” The band’s unique brand of rock draws elements from soul and funk, and the lyrics betray secrets from society’s underbelly.

The opening and headlining acts share a few more connections–Jimmy Gnecco contributed backing vocals to the Futura Bold’s self-titled album in 2010, and both James Hall and former Pleasure Club drummer, Michael Jerome Moore, joined Ours in the studio to record the Mercy album in 2006.

Though both Ours and the Futura Bold should be massively well-known to music fans around the world, it seems that the rare creative talent that makes them unique would be lost if their music was the kind that appealed to the masses. Perhaps Oscar Wilde was right when he said, “Everything popular is wrong.”

Review by Stephanie Roman
Photos by Jenna Hughes

Full Gallery after the jump…

Photos by Jenna Hughes

Full Gallery after the jump…

Chevelle

Evanescence