Sound Menu May 23 2007

THURS/24

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ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Michael Gandolfi’s complete “Garden of Cosmic Speculation,” inspired by the landscape-sculptural creation of the same name by architect Charles Jencks, receives its long-awaited premiere. Music director Robert Spano, who conducts the program, has paired Gandolfi’s postmodern “Garden” with the lushly landscaped “Pastorale Symphony (Symphony No. 6)” by Ludwig van Beethoven. $28-$65. Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m. Symphony Hall, Woodruff Arts Center. 404-733-5000. www.atlantasymphony.org. — Mark Gresham

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BUBBAPALOOZA Bubbapalooza has endured a few stylistic changes over the years just as its host venue, the venerable Star Bar, continues to evolve and survive. The club readies for a new owner, but one constant remains: the 16th annual ‘Palooza is a celebration of music, life and rednecks in honor of the feisty spirit of late musician Gregory Dean Smalley. Tonight, the Voodoo Organist gets the event in gear at 7, followed by the A-Sides (8 p.m.), Mic Harrison and the High Score (9 p.m.), the Downer Brothers (10 p.m.), Jason Ringenberg (of Jason & the Scorchers, 11 p.m.), Bitch (12:30 p.m.). Sass Parilla the Singing Gorilla will offer bad jokes and odd cover tunes between acts. $10. Thurs.-Sat., 5 p.m. (doors). Star Bar. 404-681-9018. www.starbar.net. — LVS

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FRI/25

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CLIFF EBERHARDT A near-disastrous car accident sidelined this veteran folksy singer/songwriter, but the resulting recovery time only sharpened his already impressive skills. Even the title of his first new album in five years, The High Above and the Down Below, references a sense of mortality typically felt by those who experience life-altering events. A jazz-trio backing adds fresh musical elasticity and a heightened sense of carpe diem hones his dramatic yet warm vocal and lyrical touch. $12-$60. 8 p.m. Eddie’s Attic. 404-377-4976. www.eddiesattic.com. — Hal Horowitz

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DEFTONES A pioneering alt-metal act, Sacramento’s Deftones laid the foundation for metal’s commercial rise in the mid-’90s with their first two discs, blending melodicism and floor-shaking bottom end before diving deeper into the atmospheric on 2000’s career-making White Pony. Last year’s Saturday Night Wrist recalls the textured early-’90s sound of Smashing Pumpkins and the British shoegazers, retaining only an echo of their former agro selves, as they continue to mature and court an (arguably) more sophisticated audience. $32. 8 p.m. The Tabernacle. 404-659-9022. www.livenation.com. — Chris Parker

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SAT/26

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ATLANTA JAZZ FESTIVAL The AJF celebrates its 30th year, culminating with these three days of free jazz in Piedmont Park. Thirty-seven national and local artists are featured on two outdoor stages and one indoor venue, starting in the afternoon and continuing into the late evening. Produced by the city of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs. Free. Sat.-Mon., 2-10 p.m. Piedmont Park. 404-875-7275. www.atlantafestivals.com/atlantajazzfestival. — MG

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GEORGIA MUSIC FEST With more than a dozen performers on the bill, the Georgia Music Fest may be Atlanta’s first major reggae and Caribbean music event. The lineup features international stars such as Luciano, Tanya Stephens, Marcia Griffiths, Rupee, Mighty Sparrow, Turbulence, David Rudder, Bob Andy, Kelly Love Jones, Erica Newell and many others. Atlantans Ras Kofi and Little Pinchers round out this huge Memorial Day jamboree. $35. 1 p.m. Georgia International Horse Park. 770-860-4190. www.georgiamusicfest.com. — Mosi Reeves

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MASTODON, AGAINST ME!, CURSIVE, THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES A smorgasbord of metal, hardcore, punk and indie rock, this lineup represents the best of its respective genres. There’s no one more anthemic and rousing than Against Me!, whose roots-punk roar suggests the Clash if it had been as influenced by the Byrds as much as reggae. Cursive’s latest, Happy Hollow, is a canny enough dissection of religion to stand among Fugazi’s best in the pantheon of passionate post-punk. Mastodon’s thundering ferocity suggests a mystical metal beast sired by Rush and Entombed, but raised by rhythmic rebels Coalesce. Spastic post-core kids These Arms are Snakes open. $22.50-$25. 7 p.m. The Tabernacle. 404-659-9022. www.livenation.com. — CP

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PEVEN EVERETT Peven Everett is an enormously talented singer and musician. He’s released several CDs over the years, including the excellent Studio Confessions in 2001 and, more recently, last year’s Power Soul. His penchant for live improvisation, however, will destroy your misconceptions about what a soul artist should sound like, as he often delves into ferocious rhythms from Afro-beat to hard funk. Everett arrives courtesy of Sweat, a monthly house music party; Michael Alan and Calvin Morgan will DJ before and afterward. $20-$25. 9 p.m. Apache Café. 404-876-5436. www.apachecafe.info. — MR

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SUN/27

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“NO-COUNT GARAGE ROCK’N’ROLL THROWDOWN!” High-flyin’ surf guru and all ‘round American patriot Jet Powers leads the notorious instrumental gang called El Capitan and Thee Scallywags. He calls their mutinous stampede, “Link Wray/Spaghetti Western Surf with a little attitude.” Powers, backed by his able minions, has assembled a night-before-Memorial-Day bill that kicks off with a rare performance from Southern Surf Syndicate favorites the Penetrators. The party continues with some loud garage rock from the Cogburns, followed by the good Capitan. Thee Crucials conclude the event with a double-e-licious set of shambling rock ‘n’ roll. DJs will play ’60s vintage songs (not jams) between sets. $7. 8 p.m. The Earl. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com. — Lee Valentine Smith

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SEAL OK, he’s cool, he’s married to a hot supermodel and he has an incredible voice. But Seal is still an enigma, with fans coming out of the woodwork from all sides. Pop, soul or unclassifiable, he just makes some damn good music. Let’s hope he is a bit more “on” than he was at his last Atlanta show. $38.50-$58.50. 8 p.m. Chastain Park Amphitheatre. 404-733-5000. www.classicchastain.com. — JK

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SLOW MOTION CRASH, BLACK MONA LISA, SPY FOR HIRE, ATLANTA ROLLERGIRLS Slow Motion Crash celebrates the release of its self-titled debut album tonight. The band features Brian Fisher and Ryan Holmes, formerly of Creve Coeur, with Melissa Giorgio, Emily Beard and Alec Irvin. Black Mona Lisa and Spy for Hire are also on the bill. And watch out for wacky hijinks from those darn Atlanta Rollergirls between sets. $5. 9 p.m. Lenny’s. 404-577-7721. www.lennysbar.com. — LVS

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MON/28

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LIFESAVAS, STRANGE FRUIT PROJECT, DJ MARC SENCE The Portland, Ore.-based conscious hip-hop act, Lifsesavas, is on par with the likes of Digable Planets and Blackalicious. The group’s recent release, Gutterfly, is a concept album that resurrects the funk of ’70s Blacksploitation while addressing the sociopolitical issues that rappers have embraced since the days of Grandmaster Flash’s “The Message.” Strange Fruit Project and DJ Marc Sence also perform. $10. 9 p.m. Drunken Unicorn. www.thedrunkenunicorn.net. — Chad Radford

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GZA/GENIUS You’ve got to give it up to Scion. This spring, the company’s Live Metro series has brought several dope hip-hop events, from Big Daddy Kane rocking the mic with Connie Price & the Keystones to De La Soul rapping alongside the Rhythm Roots All-Stars. GZA/Genius and Fyre Department will be the latest combination of improv funk and classic hip-hop. DJ Klever opens. Free admission with registration at www.scion.com/livemetro. 9:30 p.m. The Loft. 404-885-1365. www.theloftatl.com. — MR

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WALTER TROUT & THE RADICALS He gets a bad rap from deep blues fans for playing to the mainstream, but Trout’s amped-up attack is meant for the concert experience. He therefore spends most of his time on festival stages, a perfect place for his crowd-pleasing guitar shenanigans. Even those not enamored with the approach concede that he can really pull it off, and in the confines of a club, the sheer sonic intensity will rattle the fixtures. $12. 8 p.m. Smith’s Olde Bar. 404-875-1522. www.smithsoldebar.com. — HH

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TUES/29

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RTX Sleazy and bedraggled to the point of appearing homeless, Royal Trux were the dark, alternative-universe answer to the Rolling Stones, a gutter-junkie clarion call whose grimy rumble made you want to shower. They took the unholy squall of Pussy Galore and a codeine-dream blues backbeat, using it to drag the body of rock like ignorant racists on their way to a demolition derby. When raspy Jennifer Herema and PG alum Neil Hagerty split, she got custody of the gloriously disturbing, dark dysfunction the Trux mined from guitar rock’s soul, calling it RTX. $8. 9 p.m. The Earl. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com. — CP

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WED/30

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BÈLA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES It’s a bit of a surprise that Fleck and the Wooten brothers have managed to generate such a broad fan base, because the music they play is as far from mainstream as it can get. Meandering through jazz, bluegrass, jammy improv and technical precision, Fleck takes the banjo to places it has never been before. $35. 8 p.m. Atlanta Botanical Gardens. 404-876-5859. www.atlantabotanicalgarden.com. — JK

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DAN DEACON, ATLAS SOUND, VIDEO HIPPOS Baltimore native Dan Deacon composes electronic party anthems and light spectacles that ooze with clunky energy. He is an intense performer who twists, pinches, punches and otherwise manhandles an arsenal of pedals, sine wave generators, a Vocoder and a Casio keyboard. Atlas Sound is the echo-drenched, stripped-down and noisy acoustic alter ego of Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox. Video Hippos also perform. $8. 9 p.m. Drunken Unicorn. www.thedrunkenunicorn.net. — Chad Radford

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MICE PARADE, TOM BROSSEAU, DAVID KARSTEN DANIELS Mice Parade wraps up breezy post-rock and electronica influences with soft, atmospheric hooks and melodies. North Dakota native Tom Brosseau sings songs of heartbreak and poetic nuances that evoke everyone from Nick Drake to Jeff Buckley. David Karsten Daniels writes slow and wilting songs that are afflicted by death, Americana alienation and religious disconnect. Think Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Superwolf and Arbouretum. $10. 9 p.m. The Earl. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com. — CR

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THURS/31

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ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA With the baseball season in full swing, the ASO performs “Pastime” by Richard Danielpour. Co-commissioned by the ASO, “Pastime” musically honors three African-American baseball and Civil Rights legends: Josh Gibson, Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron. A different spin is put on George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” by guest jazz artists the Marcus Roberts Trio. The show concludes with the “Symphony No. 3” of Aaron Copland. (As of this writing, Sunday is the best bet for tickets; Thursday and Saturday nearly sold out.) $18-$63. Thurs. and Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m. Symphony Hall, Woodruff Arts Center. 404-733-5000. www.atlantasymphony.org. — MG

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BLOC PARTY, THE NOISETTES This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco, although a cursory listen to Bloc Party might lead you to think otherwise. The Brit quartet borrows from contemporaries Franz Ferdinand and veterans such as the Cure, bringing dance beats and techno textures to lyrically dark musings by singer Kele Okereke, questioning the futility of life as an artiste. The less dour, even sugary, Noisettes prefer to party like it’s 1999, helped by a sassy, peppy female vocalist who commands the spotlight. The Maccabees open. $27.50. 8 p.m. The Tabernacle. 404-659-9022. www.ticketmaster.com. — HH

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LIBRAS, TRANCES ARC, WALCOTT When he’s not busy managing Zac Brown, musician Sonny Del Grosso sings and plays guitar in the local outfit called Libras. Tonight is the band’s first show following a yearlong writing hiatus. Another familiar face, Micah Silverman, formerly of Avenge Vegas, is on bass. Check them out tonight as they ready material for their upcoming CD. With Trances Arc and Walcott. $8-$10. 8 p.m. Smith’s Olde Bar. 404-875-1522. www.smithsoldebar.com. — LVS

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Bands/performers/venues wishing to be included in Sound Menu’s noted-acts boxes may send recordings, press material and schedules two weeks in advance to Creative Loafing c/o Rodney Carmichael, 384 Northyards Blvd., Suite 600, Atlanta, GA 30313, or e-mail information to: rodney.carmichael@creativeloafing.com. To be included in the listings only, e-mail venue and band schedules by Friday at noon (for the issue that comes out the following Thursday) to soundboard@creativeloafing.com.