ATLRetro

Apologies that Wednesday Happy Hour and Supper Club has not posted yet. As I mentioned, last week Dante Stephenson, owner of Dante’s Down the Hatch, gave me a tour of some of this favorite artifacts which decorate the one-of-a-kind interior of his classic Atlanta restaurant. To be honest, there’s so much great material and photos that I just want to get it right, so bear with me. The piece may post this week or I may hold it until next Wednesday. In the meantime, without further ado, here are some ATLRetro picks for this weekend.

Thursday Feb. 3

OK, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec died in 1901, but it’s not a stretch to say that his vibrant posters and prints of showgirls, nightclub stars and the café culture influenced the 20th century romantic view of Paris and still inspire today’s burlesque performers. Look for an ATLRetro review/preview soon of the High Museum of Art’s dynamic new exhibition, TOULOUSE-LAUTREC AND FRIENDS: THE IRENE AND HOWARD STEIN COLLECTION, which opened last Saturday and runs through May 1. After night falls, catch Ghost Riders Car Club at Pho Truc in Clarkston celebrating Vietnamese New Year every Thursday in February with classic ’50s honkytonk and rockabilly. Don’t miss this week’s KOOL KAT OF THE WEEK with guitarist Spike Fullerton. Also, the Breeze Kings bring the blues to Northside Tavern. Or listen to Tongo Hiti’s luxurious live lounge sounds, as well as some trippy takes on iconic pop songs, just about every Thursday night at Trader Vic’s, as well as some trippy takes on iconic pop songs.

Friday Feb. 4

It’s back to the ‘60s as Dark Star Orchestra channels the Grateful Dead at the Variety Playhouse. Ghost Riders Car Club plays again at a de facto Charlie Louvin memorial show at the Star Bar. Kevn Kinney is at Smith’s Olde Bar. The Kayla Taylor Jazz Quartet performs at this week’s Martinis & IMAX at Fernbank Museum of Natural History, from 6:30-11 p.m..

Saturday Feb. 5

Saturday looks like a day of not exactly what ATLRetro would really like to see, but as the Stones sing “you can’t always get what you want.” For example, another Zep reunion seems unlikely, but Robert Plant brings his Band of Joy to the Fox. And you can’t see the late Evel Knieval perform his death-defying jumps live any more, but the tradition of motorcycle stunts involving fire lives on with Nuclear Cowboyz at Philips Arena. Billed as “freestyle chaos,” it sounds like the troupe also takes some inspiration from MAD MAX being that it’s set in a post-apocalyptic world to a soundtrack of metal and hard rock music. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster. A more Retro or certainly original bet might be Cinetrope, who have been compared to Siouxsie and Portishead and described as “David Lynch meets Quentin Tarantino,” at the Highland Inn. Their opening band certainly has a promisingly Retro name, John Wayne, but bandmembers describes themselves as “ambient pop junkie” on their Facebook page. Col Bruce Hampton is at Northside Tavern. And it’s punk night at The Star Bar with The Queers, The Apers all the way from Rotterdam, and Posey and the Party Pirates.

Sunday Feb. 6

Marshall Chapman went from Southern debutante to rock ‘n’ roller after her first Elvis Presley concert at age 8. She grew up to become one of Nashville’s top singer/songwriters, penning songs for the likes of Conway Twitty, Joe Cocker and Emmylou Harris. Catch her at Eddie’s Attic tonight and hope she has a few copies of her recent book, THEY CAME TO NASHVILLE, full of interviews with country greats about the daily struggles that eventually led to success.

Also, Nashville blues rockers Uncle Sugar channel Hendrix, Vaughn and Clapton at the Northside Tavern.

And don’t forget to email any suggestions for next week to ATLRetro@gmail.com. Have a fantastic weekend and tune back in Monday when This Week in ATLRetro is for lovers.