ATLRetro

By Jordan Barbeau
Contributing Writer

Monday, December 26

It’s Boxing Day in England, so one more day to keep drinking. From 3 PM on, we assume you can still savor tropical sounds and libations during Mai Tai Monday at Smith’s Olde Bar. Northside Tavern hosts its weekly Blues Jam. Head over to Fat Matt’s Rib Shack for BBQ and local blues/jazz band Dry White Toast.

Tuesday, December 27

The Rebirth Brass Band brings New Orleans jazz to Smith’s Olde Bar, with the help of the Jonathon Scales Fourchestra. Grab your horn and head to Twain’s in Decatur for a Joe Gransden jazz jam session starting at 9 p.m. Burning Time play Fat Matt’s Rib Shack. Nathan Nelson & Entertainment Crackers bring the blues to Northside Tavern. Catch Tues. Retro in the Metro nights at Midtown’s Deadwood Saloon, featuring video mixes of ’80s, ’90s and 2Ks hits.

Wednesday, December 28

The Earl celebrates Christmas a bit late with the Stovall Christmas Show, a southern-style holiday music fest featuring the talents of the Accidents, Stovall and Ghost Riders Car Club (An ATLRetro favorite for their honkytonk spirit and being that one of our very first Kool Kats was Spike Fullerton). Eddie’s Attic hosts a night of the Great American Songbook, honoring the greatest songs of the 20th century with Gwen Hughes and Matthew Kaminski performing. The Rebirth Brass Band and the Jonathon Scales Fourchestra play a second night at Smith’s Olde Bar. Get ready to rumba, cha-cha and jitterbug at the weekly Swing Night at Graveyard Tavern. Frankie’s Blues Mission plays Fat Matt’s Rib Shack. Danny “Mudcat” Dudeck blues it down at Northside Tavern. Dance to ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s hits during Retro in the Metro Wednesdays at Pub 71 in Brookhaven.

Tongo Hiti.

Thursday, December 29

Darwin’s Burgers and Blues serves up a blues jam to ring in the new year. Colonel Bruce Hampton & The Pharaoh Gummitt play Smith’s Olde Bar. Relax with a tropical cocktail at vintage tiki bar Trader Vic’s where Tongo Hiti, featuring Big Mike Geier, play Retro-Polynesian luxurious live lounge sounds, as well as trippy takes on iconic pop songs, every Thursday night. The Breeze Kings and Chickenshack bring on the blues respectively at Northside Tavern and Fat Matt’s Rib Shack. Bluegrass Thursday at Red Light Cafe gets another holiday treatment this week, with the Bluegrass Thursday Holiday Jam.

Friday, December 30

New Year’s Eve may be one of the biggest party nights of the year, but what about New Year’s Eve Eve? The Drunken Unicorn alleviates the problem of having to wait for New Year’s Eve by starting the celebration a day early! The Sexual Side Effects (whose front lady Amber Taylor is a past ATLRetro Kool Kat), The Swear and The Worsties headline The Eve Before the Eve, the best pre-New Year’s Eve party around! Legendary blues singer BB King performs at the equally legendary Fox Theatre. Ruby Velle & The Soul Phonics get soulful at Eddie’s Attic. The North Mississippi Allstars get country/bluesy at the Variety Playhouse. Jason and the Scorchers play a special show at Smith’s Olde Bar in honor of their 30th anniversary. The Rockaholics rock out at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack. Mudcat brings the blues to Northside Tavern.

Saturday, December 31

Stay tuned for our Top 10 Retro Atlanta New Year’s Eve Guide, as soon as we recover from Boxing Day!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Snake Legs bring on the blues at Fat Matt’s, and Uncle Sugar blues it down at Northside Tavern.

Ongoing Seasonal

Ride Priscilla the Pink Pig. While the old rooftop monorail around Rich’s toy department doesn’t quite compare to a train in a tent next to Macy’s at Lenox Square, Priscilla’s face still retains that cheerful grin of delight among the vintage sets in a big tent for a new generation of kids. Proceeds benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

The historic Davison’s (later Macy’s) Department Store building at 200 Peachtree in downtown Atlanta gets a festive new lease on life as the headquarters of CHRISTMAS ON PEACHTREE, featuring 70,000 square feet of fun family-friendly activities, live music and dance, food and shopping. Expect to meet favorite characters from THE CARTOON NETWORK, the signature sponsor, and part of the proceeds also support Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Open through New Years Eve.

At Fernbank Museum of Natural History, enjoy WINTER WONDERLAND: CELEBRATIONS & TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD, featuring trees and other displays from cultures around the world, through Jan. 8.

Nothing says Retro Christmas than over-the-top light displays and insane amounts of decorations crammed into the smallest possible yard, house or—in the case of Der Biergarten—restaurant. The Luckie-Marietta district German restaurant has pulled out all the stops with nearly 10,000 ornaments, 72 nutcrackers and 26 Christmas trees! Decorations are in place every night through Jan. 8.

Ongoing Theatre 

Cavalia: Odysseo takes the spirit, beauty and creativity of recent European acrobatic spectaculars such as Cirque de Soleil and applies it to horses. Let’s just say this is not your mamma’s  Royal Lippizan Stallions circus show. Big tent at 864 Spring Street. Through Jan. 25.

The Center for Puppetry Arts’ official stage adaptation of the Rankin-Bass misfit Christmas TV classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is back for a second year with Rudolph, Clarisse, Hermie. Yukon and all the beloved characters. Read our interview with adapter/director and Center Artistic Director Jon Ludwig here. Through Dec. 31.

Or there’s the black humor of THE SANTALAND DIARIES at Horizon Theatre Company, the true-life tale of writer David Sedaris’ writer’s odd job as a Macy’s Department Store elf. Kids of all ages will also enjoy of MADELINE’S CHRISTMAS, a musical play based on Ludwig Bemelman‘s delightful book about French schoolgirls, also at Horizon. Both through Jan. 1.

THE 1940S RADIO HOUR boogie-woogies back to Marietta’s Theatre in the Square Dec. 17-Jan. 1 after a five-year hiatus with swing music, dance routines and heartwarming characters at a vintage radio station. Read our Retro Review by Jordan Barbeau here.

Ongoing Exhibits

Explore one of America’s most iconic theaters in AIN’T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING: HOW THE APOLLO THEATER SHAPED AMERICAN ENTERTAINMENT, a special exhibition at the Atlanta History Center . Presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, in collaboration with the Apollo Theater Foundation, the display includes historic and contemporary costumes, playbills, music scores, graphic images and recorded music. Through March 4, 2012.

PICASSO TO WARHOL, a special art exhibition at the High Museum of Art, features over 100 works of art from 14 of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Through Apr. 29, 2012.

If you know of a cool happening coming up soon, send suggestions to ATLRetro@gmail.com.