Q & A with Sean Rowe; Playing the Earl November 8th

By Al Kaufman If you saw the shaggy-haired Sean Rowe sitting under a tree playing his guitar on college campus, you would actually stop and listen – even if you weren’t a doe-eyed female freshman. He has a wonderfully honeyed, brooding baritone; a sort-of Greg Brown meets Tom Waits. And he can also tell a […]

5GB with Girls Guns and Glory; Playing at Eddie’s Attic Sunday, October 21st

Ward Hayden, the lead singer of Girls Guns and Glory, once had a regular 9-5 job, but the desire to pursue his and the band’s artistic expression took over. GGG is now an internationally touring band, named Independent Artist of the Year at the French Country Music Awards, and two-time winner of both the Roots […]

Interview with Ron Pope, playing @ Vinyl Saturday, October 20th!

Interview with Ron Pope, playing @ Vinyl Saturday, October 20th!

By Al Kaufman Ron Pope writes and sings music from the heartland, both literally and metaphorically. He can play sensitive folkie or all out rocker, and does both on his recent release, Atlanta, but his songs always feel sincere without drifting into egocentric waters. A Marietta native who currently calls New York home, Pope just […]

Q & A With Michelle Malone; Playing record release party at Eddie’s Attic Oct. 6

By Al Kaufman Usually when an artist’s new album is heralded as “her most mature work to date,” it should be taken as a warning sign. Warning: this album is slow and boring. Blues mama Michelle Malone has just issued her 11th album, Day 2. It is easily her most mature album to date, and […]

Q&A With Jeffrey Novak Of Cheap Time; Playing The EARL Tomorrow, Sept. 15

By Jhoni Jackson Though they hail from the garage-punk hotbed of Nashville, Cheap Time is far more complex than that. Many of their genre counterparts are excellent bands in their own right, but oftentimes they rely more on attitude than musicianship. Jeffrey Novak, Cheap Time’s frontman, boasts both. Even through decidedly lo-fi recordings, the intricacy […]

Q&A with Paper Bird; Playing Smith’s Olde Bar September 12th

By Al Kaufman It would be hard not to like the folks behind Colorado’s Paper Bird. They play a happy, rootsy, Americana sound with a touch of jam band sensibility. Their use of trumpet, trombone, banjo and vocal harmonies on songs such as “Spit Spot” add a jazzy, old-timey feel to their easily digestible pop nuggets.  Included in their […]

Q&A with Natalie Stovall; Playing Smith’s Olde Bar Saturday, September 8th

By Al Kaufman Sure, Natalie Stovall plays the fiddle and has opened for some of the biggest names in country music, but she still has a rock and roll heart. On the cover of her new 6-song CD, Standing My Ground, whe wears a clingy Queen concert shirt and ripped jeans, and holds her fiddle […]

Q & A With Harold Shedd: Country Music Legend Honored at the Mill Town Music Hall

Born in Buchanan and raised in Bremen, GA, Harold Shedd played in a local band and served as a disc jockey for 14 years prior to moving to Nashville. In 1979, he was instrumental in signing Alabama for RCA and then produced 21 consecutive number one hits for the band. He also produced albums for Mel […]

Interview with Sultan Bathery; Playing 529 tomorrow, August 18

By Jhoni Jackson Italian trio Sultan Bathery is ripping through the states on their first American tour, and Atlanta marks the final stop in that three-week bout. That means this brand-new band—they released their first EP, Fireworx, on Slovenly Recordings only two months ago—will likely have their set finely tuned for a furious blowout. Expect […]

Q & A With Vince Gill; Playing Atlanta Botanical Garden, Friday June 22nd

By Amanda Miles His voice is immediately recognizable–a warm melodious tone that melts deliciously over each note. Vince Gill is widely acclaimed as a top vocalist and guitar player in country music. Gill has sold more than 26 million albums, earned 18 Country Music Association Awards and has 20 GRAMMY wins under his belt. At […]

Hangout Music Fest Review: Interview with Big Gigantic

Hangout Music Fest Review: Interview with Big Gigantic

By Justin Lyons The third annual Hangout Music Festival started with an official kick off party last Thursday with multiple acts on two stages. One of the headliners of the event was electronic music duo Big Gigantic who returned for their second consecutive year on the beach. I was able to chat with Dominic Lallil […]

Interview: The Features; Playing @ The EARL 5/23

Hailing from Tennessee, indie-rock quartet, The Features have been releasing music for over a decade.  Time may not always make for a great band, but it sure does help.  They have played at Bonnaroo, been compared to Manchester Orchestra (Atlanta’s own), and have been featured in Twilight.  With their new self-titled album out, the Features […]

Hangout Music Fest 2012 Preview: Interview With Chad from Dispatch, Performing Saturday May 19th

By Justin Lyons Prior to this week’s Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, AL, I was able to interview Chad Stokes from the recently reunited rock band, Dispatch. If you’re going to Hangout, be sure to catch Dispatch perform on Saturday at 5:15pm at the Hangout Main stage. Look for their first full length album […]

Hangout Music Fest 2012 Preview: Interview With Archnemesis, Performing Saturday May 19th

By Justin Lyons Prior to this week’s Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, AL, I was able to interview Curt Heiny from the electronic duo, Archnemesis (which also features Justin Aubuchon). If you’re going to Hangout, be sure to catch Archnemesis perform on Saturday at 11:30am at the XBox stage. Their first full length album People’s Radio […]

5GB with Matthew Mayfield; Playing Vinyl Tonight, May 11

Whether playing a show in a rock club or making his way into living rooms via Grey’s Anatomy, singer-songwriter Matthew Mayfield delivers songs that are hard to ignore. Teaming up with fellow songwriter David Ramirez, the two have banded together for a run of intimate acoustic shows. We chatted with Matthew before his show tonight […]