ATL Concert Roundup – February 15-21

THIS WEEK’S BEST BET:

A Celebration of Vic Chesnutt’s Life and Music
Friday, February 19 and Saturday, February 20
40 Watt – 285 W. Washington Street in Athens, GA 30601
Tickets are $10 available at School Kids Records or $12 online
Purchase Tickets: Friday Night l Saturday Night

In what should be two emotionally stirring and powerful evenings, the 40 Watt will host a tribute to the late, great Vic Chesnutt this Friday and Saturday. Featuring an impressive mix of local and national talent, this is sure to be one of the most heartfelt and eclectic shows of the year. We highly recommend attending both nights if possible but if you have to choose one evening over the other, we would definitely go with Saturday nights’s outstanding bill, which includes Elf Power, Victoria Williams, Howe Gelb and Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto with Mt. Zion.

THE BEST OF THE REST:

Cage the Elephant
w/ As Tall as Lions, Morning Teleportation, Winston Audio
Tuesday, February 16
40 Watt – 285 W. Washington Street in Athens, GA 30601
Tickets are $16 available at School Kids Records or $18 online
Purchase Tickets

You can keep Cage the Elephant’s wanky, nostalgia-embracing, garage rock-retreading snorefest. Been there done that way too many times over. But we’re most definitely down with As Tall As Lions’ spacey dream pop and well-textured soundscapes. It’s cerebral, atmospheric stuff that’s propelled along nicely by the occasional thrust of distorted dissonance. And with local rockers Winston Audio cocked and ready to unleash their dynamic, high-energy alt rock, you’ve got one helluva good reason to head out to Athens on a Tuesday night.

Screaming Females
w/ JEFF the Brotherhood, The NEC
Friday, February 19
529 – 529 Flat Shoals Avenue in Atlanta, GA 30316
Tickets are $7 DOS or $5 online
Purchase Tickets

We can’t really speak to Screaming Females—never heard of ‘em until today—but we will certainly vouch for every second of JEFF the Brotherhood’s frenetic, calamitous fury. Sometimes—especially on a Friday night—you need to put aside all the bullshit and pretense and just rock the fuck out. JEFF the Brotherhood’s noisy, grungy, psychedelic grooves make for some infectiously crazy fun and will have you stomping your feet and pumping your fist in no time flat.

It’s Elephants
w/ Teddy and the Bears, Rabbit
Saturday, February 20
Highland Ballroom – 644 N. Highland Avenue in Atlanta, GA 30306
Tickets are $5

Atlanta soul punks, It’s Elephant’s, have been working hard on their next record and need to release a little bit of pent up emotion and anxiety. While the Highland Ballroom’s rattling, shit for sound system probably won’t do their nervy guitars and warped rhythms the justice they deserve, we can all take comfort in the fact that the trio will undoubtedly deliver yet another sweaty, unhinged performance. If you haven’t had the opportunity to check these guys out, now would be a great time to take them in. Definitely one of the bands to look out for in 2010.