ATLRetro

Monday May 16

Andrew & the Disapyramids

Swing to Joe Gransden, trumpet player extraordinaire, and his 16-piece orchestra and special guest Jazz Tenor sax great Skip Lane this week during Big Band Night at Cafe 290 on the first and third Monday of every month. Andrew & the Disapyramids bring back the best of surf, doo wop, Mod, soul, sock hop and all types of retro rock ‘n’ roll during a free gig at Noni’s Bar & Deli tonight. Read the Kool Kat feature on band-member Joshua Longino here. Find out if Kingsized and Tongo Hiti lead singer Big Mike Geier will croon a tune or two for tips as Monday night’s celebrity bartender at newly opened Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room and Ping Pong Parlor. Northside Tavern hosts its weekly Blues Jam.

Tuesday May 17

The Age of Aquarius rises again as HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical opens a weeklong run through May 22 at the 1929 Fabulous Fox Theatre. The legendary hippie rock opera follows a group of hopeful free-spirited young people as they explore sexual identity, challenge racism, experiment with drugs and burn their draft cards. This production won a 2009 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival.

Find out and see the winners of the 2011 Mid-Century Modern Georgia Photo Contest, during a reception at Gallery See in the Savannah College of Art and Design-Atlanta, Building C at 1600 Peachtree Street. Photos depict buildings or sites in the state that are part of the design movement that lasted from the 1930s-1970s, and attendees also will have a last chance to view the exhibition, “Capturing an Icon: Ezra Stoller and Modern Architecture,” featuring works by the celebrated American architecture photographer.

Grab your horn and head to Twain’s in Decatur for a Joe Gransden jazz jam session starting at 9 PM. Notorious DJ Romeo Cologne spins the best ‘70s funk and disco at 10 High in Virginia-Highland. Catch Tuesday Retro in the Metro nights at Midtown’s Deadwood Saloon, featuring live video mixes of ’80s, ’90s, and 2Ks hits.

Wednesday May 18

Get ready to rumba, cha-cha and jitterbug at the weekly Swing Night at Graveyard Tavern. Frankie’s Blues Mission and Danny “Mudcat” Dudeck bring on the blues at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack and Northside Tavern respectively. Dance to ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s hits during Retro in the Metro Wednesdays presented by Godiva Vodka, at Pub 71 in Brookhaven.

Thursday May 19

Iconic ’80s alternative and psychedelic rock band The Flaming Lips play The Tabernacle. 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. Party ‘70s style with DJ Romeo Cologne at Aurum Lounge. Breeze Kings and Chickenshack bring on the blues respectively at Northside Tavern and Fat Matt’s Rib Shack.Bluegrass Thursday at Red Light Cafe features Bluebilly Grit.

Friday, May 20

Blair Crimmins.

Iconic ’80s alternative and psychedelic rock band The Flaming Lips are back for a second night at The Tabernacle. ATLRetro faves and self-described ragtime/vaudeville wild cats Blair Crimmins & the Hookers promise a late-night anything goes show at 529. Joe Gransden swings at Friday Jazz at the High Museum of Art. Spice up your dancing with sassy Latin rhythms during Salsa Night Featuring Salsambo Dance Studio at Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s Martinis and IMAX. Or relive those heady John Hughes-movie high school days you never had at the Decatur Adult Prom from 8 PM to midnight at the Solarium in Oakhurst. Featuring a DJ, disco ball, Victory beer, spiked punch, photography and hopefully no pig blood.

Saturday May 21

Choose between two big music festivals during another Saturday jam-packed with Retro fun. The dead won’t literally be singing Tunes From the Tombs at Oakland Cemetery, or at least the living are telling us it’ll be a wide variety of bands and solo artists serving up a mix of rock, folk, Americana, jazz, classical and everything in between at four stages throughout the graveyard. Saturday highlights that may be familiar to ATLRetro readers include redneck underground founding fathers Slim Chance & the Convicts at 4:30 PM, soulful and jazzy Abby Wren and What It Is at 2 PM, Jim Stacy’s new band AM Gold at 5:30 PM.

Burt and the Bandits.

Saturday afternoon at the 8th annual East Atlanta Beer Festival in Brownwood Park, sample over 150 craft beers, taste good food from grilled cheese to beer ice cream, and listen to rockin’ good music such as the world premiere of Burt and the Bandits, a SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT tribute band fronted by the multitalented Jon Waterhouse.

As night falls, so rise the femme fatales. The sexy nonprofit Pin Ups for Soldiers bare just enough and sell some calendars to raise money for care packages for the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq at the Edgewood Corner Tavern‘s Armed Forces Day celebration. The bar’ll also be donating a buck for every PBR can and Yuengling draft sold. Burlesque sensation Talloolah Love celebrates the exotic movements that started her love of dance during Arabian Nights featuring bellydance workshops and performances, hookah lounge, drum circle, henna art, and delicious Mediterranean treats at Bart Webb Studios in Avondale Estates.

Beware the cutest kittens have the sharpest claws. Blast-Off Burlesque salutes Tura Satana and bad girls everywhere with a screening of the 1965 cult classic FASTER, PUSSYCAT! KILL! KILL! in their second Taboo La-La at the historic Plaza Theatre. Watch for a sneak preview from this week’s Kool Kat “Barbilicious” and a Retro Review by Mark Arson soon, but in the exploitation spirit, the pre-show wild antics include a Tura Satana costume contest, beefcake contest for guys, all-girl arm wrestling, live music by Grinder Nova, a chance to leave an offering at the Tura Satana shrine, a silent auction of Tura art and memorabilia to raise money for Varla Films to help complete a documentary on the recently deceased actress, and super special prizes and surprises

And for those ready to relive those heady hardcore skatepunk/thrash metal days DRI (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles) are at The Masquerade. Still with the band from the original line-up are vocalist Kurt Brecht and guitarist Spike Cassidy. And at the monthly bout night for the Atlanta Rollergirls at the Yaarab Shrine Center, the all-star Dirty South Derby Girls thrash it out with Knoxville’s Hard Knox Roller Girls at 5 PM, and the Apocalypstix face off against the Sake Tuyas at 7:30 PM.

Sunday May 22

Oakland Cemetery‘s Tunes from the Tombs continues with another full day of live music on four stages, including Atlanta rockabilly favorites Blacktop Rockets at 1 PM, beach pop band The Mermaids at 4 PM, and many more. Wormwood headlines blues “dunch” between 1 and 4 PM at The Earl.

Ongoing

Leave it to the mad geniuses at Dad’s Garage to transform a beloved children’s classic into a bloody puppet musical. SCARLETT’S WEB features all your favorite characters from Wilbur the pig to Templeton the rat but adds some splattery special effects. Never mind, it’s all in fun though, they say, and definitely recommended only for anyone old enough to appreciate adult humor. Thurs., Fri. and Sat. nights at 8 p.m. through May 21.

At the High Museum of Art through May 29 is the MOMA-organized HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON: THE MODERN CENTURY, a blockbuster exhibit showcasing a photographer and photojournalist who captured on film many of the seminal moments  of the 20th century from World War II to the assassination of Ghandi, China’s cultural revolution to civil rights and consumer culture in America.

For more weekend fun, tune back in on Friday for ATLRetro Weekend Update. If you know of a cool happening we’ve missed, send suggestions to ATLRetro@gmail.com.