ATLRetro

By Arla Lehtinen
Contributing Writer

Monday, July 15

The Plaza Theatre switches from Roger Moore to Timothy Dalton as its 50 Years of Bond monthlong series continues with THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS (1987) on the big screen at 7:30 p.m. Swing back to the golden age of jazz at Café 290 every first and third Monday of the month for Big Band Night with Joe Gransden and his amazing 16-piece orchestra.  Northside Tavern hosts its weekly Blues Jam featuring blues and southern soul singer Lola Gulley. Enjoy your BBQ with a side of Pead Boy & the Pork Bellies at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack.

Unusual Suspects & Salon du Showgirls

Atlanta offers double burlesque fun for the evening. First, to benefit the annual Southern Fried Burlesque Fest! Kool Kat Katherine Lashe’s burlesque production company Syrens of the South presents Tease Tuesdays at the Shelter! Meanwhile, Minette Magnifique, Unusual Suspects Improv and Salon du Showgirls present A Burlesque – Improv Mashup featuring: Minette Magnifique + Salon du Showguns at the Whole World Improv Theatre. Atlanta Burlesque troupe Minette Magnifique features numerous Kool Kats, including Shellie Schmals, aka Baroness VONSchmalhausen, whose Kool Kat interview you can catch up with here. The Plaza Theatre continues its 50 Years of Bond monthlong series with Timothy Dalton in LICENCE TO KILL (1989) on the big screen at 7:30 p.m. Join Indiana Jones on his first adventure with RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) at Northlake Festival Movie Tavern,  as the July retro cinema classic series of Classic Summer Blockbusters continues! Kool Kat Calu Cordeira mixes tiki libations during Mai Tai Tahitian Tuesday starting at 9 p.m. at the Dark Horse Tavern. Grab your horn and head over to Twain’s in Decatur for a Joe Gransden jazz jam session. Blues it down with Nathan Nelson & Entertainment Crackers at Northside Tavern. J.T. Speed brings the blues to Fat Matt’s Rib Shack. Steve’s Live Music in Sandy Springs hosts a weekly Bluegrass & Hootenanny Jam led by Jason Koornick & Hank Weisman. Ursula Undress teaches Beginner’s Burlesque at Studio Burlesque at 8:30 p.m

Wednesday, July 17

Catch the opening night performance of STRAY DOGS by Georgia playwright Matthew Myers at The Essential Theatre.  The play is a comedy/crime story/romance in the style of Quentin Tarentino. Described as “funny and violent and surprisingly sweet,” it’s directed by another local playwright Peter Hardy, and this first performance is ASL interpreted.  The Plaza Theatre continues its 50 Years of Bond monthlong series as Pierce Brosnan inherits the role of Bond from Timothy Dalton in GOLDENEYE (1995) on the big screen at 7:30 p.m. Get schooled by two of Atlanta’s burlesque finest, last week’s Kool Kat Katherine Lashe or Talloolah Love in Beginning Burlesque classes at Studio Burlesque. Old enough to feel Retro? It’s Ladies Night at Johnny’s Hideaway which plays hits from Sinatra to Madonna for a generally mature crowd. Danny “Mudcat” Dudeck brings the Piedmont blues to Northside Tavern, and The Hollidays deliver some soul to Fat Matt’s Rib Shack. Greet the day  with an 11:30 a.m. matinee  of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) at  Northlake Festival Movie Tavern’s Retro Cinema series this week!

Tongo Hiti.

Thursday, July 18

The Plaza Theatre continues its 50 Years of Bond monthlong series withPierce Brosnan in TOMORROW NEVER DIES (1997) on the big screen at 7:30 p.m. Relax with a cocktail while listening to the groovy sounds of Tongo Hiti, featuring Kool Kat Big Mike Geier, at vintage tiki bar, Trader Vic’s. Go to Northside Tavern to hear the classic 50s Chicago-style blues of The Breeze Kings. Get on over to Fat Matt’s Rib Shack to hear the honkytonkin’ blues of  Chickenshack. It’s 80s/90s Retro Video Night with free drinks ’til 10 at The Shelter. Michael Tolcher takes the stage at  Red Light Cafe‘s weekly Bluegrass Thursday .  Studio Burlesque offers a class in Beginning Burlesque with Ursula Undress at 6:30 p.m. And it’s your last chance to head for an adventure with RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) at Northlake Festival Movie Tavern!

Friday July 19

JERZFEST 2013 makes a two day reservation and fills Star Bar with a mix of hard Southern rock, honytonk and punk garage bands. Hosted by TJ Jerzawitz, the Friday lineup features The El Caminos, Blaine’s Addiction, The Unsatisfied, Dusty Booze & The Baby Haters and more. Fix up your ‘do and make a quick trip to the Baltimore of 1962 in the Fabrefaction Theatre Company production of HAIRSPRAY. With music influenced by country, blues and bluegrass, Brian Ashley Jones highlights a night of Americana sounds with Vince Brooks and Al Shelton at Red Light Cafe. The Plaza Theatre continues its 50 Years of Bond monthlong series with Pierce Brosnan in THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (1999) at 7:30 p.m. Grammy winner Anita Baker performs her jazz laced R&B melodies at Chastain Park Amphitheatre. Salsa Dance Night featuring Salsambo Dance Studio brings Latin rhythms to spice the evening up under the dinosaurs at Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s Martinis and IMAX. Lady T. & The Totals deliver the blues at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack. Stoney Brooks brings the blues to Northside Tavern, and Bob Margolin serves up some old-school Chicago Blues at Blind Willie’s . Do the Time Warp again at THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW with full costumed floor show by Lips Down on Dixie every Friday at midnight at The Plaza Theatre.

Saturday, July 20

Go to Paris on Ponce to see belly dance, burlesque and much more and witness a cast of performers and crew in fabulous body paint. BODY ART BALL at Paris on Ponce is a fundraiser for the Chelko Foundation, and while you support the cause you can even get in on the paint action yourself. Swing by Red Light Cafe to listen to Caroline & the Ramblers and The DejaBlue Grass Band as they perform a Rockabilly Bluegrass Doubleheader! If you missed our Kool Kat interview with Caroline Hull Engel , catch up here. JERZFEST 2013 hosted by TJ Jerzawitz continues with more hard Southern rock, honytonk and punk sounds at the Star Bar by Bigfoot, The Kentucky Bridgeburners, Cletis & His City Cousins and DJ Dusty Booze. The Plaza Theatre continues its 50 Years of Bond monthlong series with Pierce Brosnan’s last mission as the agent in DIE ANOTHER DAY (2002) at 7:30 p.m. Atlanta’s All-Star Dirty South Derby Girls crash with Gold Coast Derby Grrls at 5 p.m. while Denim Demons go at it against Apocalypstix at 7:30 p.m. Both bouts take place at Yaarab Shrine Center. Head to the heights of the Atlanta Hilton and join DJ Yvonne Monet as she presents Disco Inferno with Dames AFlame at the Point of View Lounge. Bathrobes are welcome at Battle & Brew for an evening of wii bowling and a movie at the The Big Lebowski Viewing Party. The Electromatics bring the blues to Northside Tavern, and Luther“Houserocker” Johnson & The Shadows fire up the blues at Blind Willie’s. Seminole Jackson shares his blues sounds at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack. The Cosmic West swings into Big Tex. And as always, DJ Romeo Cologne transforms the sensationally seedy Clermont Lounge into a ’70s disco/funk inferno late into the wee hours of the night.

Kitty Love.

Sunday, July 21

Kool Kat Kitty Love heats up the night at Red Light Cafe with a Rock and Roll ”mixtape” in her monthly burlesque event Kitty Love’s Sultry Sunday: Rock and Roll. Have a honkytonk brunch at Big Tex starting at noon. The Plaza Theatre continues its 50 Years of Bond monthlong series as Daniel Craig reports for duty as 007 for the first time in CASINO ROYALE (2006) at 7:30 p.m. Jez Graham Trio jazzes up The Family Dog with Joe Gransden. Cineprov pokes fun at WILLOW (1988) at The Plaza Theater. Fatback Deluxe bring on the blues 40s-60s style at Fatt Matt’s Rib Shack. Sample a spoonful of blues courtesy of Uncle Sugar at Northside Tavern. Erin Thomas and Elli Perry team up with special guest star James Maple to mellow the mood at Eddie’s Attic.

Ongoing

HAIRSPRAY leads the audience to a trip to the 1960’s in the Fabrefaction Theatre Company production from Friday through July 21.

STRAY DOGS by Matthew Myers and directed by Peter Hardy plays at The Essential Theatre through August 10.

Johannes Vermeer’s GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING visits The High Museum of Art, along with other Dutch masterpieces, through Sept. 29.

EXTREME MAMMALS from sabertooth tiger skulls and wooly mammoth fur to contemporary creatures such as the duck-billed platypus invade Fernbank Museum of Natural History through August 18.

Every Tuesday night, Wednesday morning and Thursday night is Retro Cinema at Movie Tavern.