Ticket Alternative

By Stephanie Roman

Either Jarvis Cocker has reached the seventh level of enlightened musical nirvana, or he’s gone completely off his rocker. Pulp’s ex-frontman is recently divorced and has a new album, Further Complications, due out May 19. Check out today’s letter to Jarv’s fans from the man himself. He’s just announced either a well-timed publicity stunt or a genuine breakdown. Imagine Jarvis leading an aerobics class or joining a drum circle with local school kids. Cheesy or brilliant?

Jarvis is making an exhibition of himself!

Friends of Jarvis,

As we’re sure some of you are already aware, the man is back, so is his
groove and he wants to share it with you. Hence, he’s giving a series of
dance, music and aerobics classes for you all to enjoy live via the
Internets right now, or more specifically 12pm til 6pm Parisian time. If
you haven’t logged on already, then we’re sad to inform you of some of the
things you’ve missed; Jarvis managing a musically accompanied yoga class, a
beautiful belly dancer, performing hard rock with class of over excited 8
year olds and numerous jam sessions with an eclectic mix of locals fresh
off the street.

Read more about Sorted for Cheese and Wizz! …

By Stephanie Roman

Player/Kommander describe themselves as "a splash of New York glam with motor oil under their nails." Equally at home playing L.A.'s Viper Room or a juke joint on the Mississippi delta, PK brought their unique style of glitterbilly rock home to Atlanta on Friday night. The band did not let the venue's small crowd prevent them from launching into an arena-rock worthy performance of their diverse music and showmanship. Frankly, I expected no less from James Hall (former frontman of Mary My Hope and Pleasure Club), but this was my first glimpse of a live show from the quintet. 

Read more about Live Review: Player/Kommander at Vinyl, May 1 …

By Stephanie Roman

A late-night audience from the Criminal Records' in-store performances this evening spilled out into the streets of Little Five Points to enjoy the cool air and investigate The Faint and Ladytron show. A substantial crowd had gathered outside Variety Playhouse by the time we reached the door. Small groups of fans murmured their frustration as the words "sold out" filtered down from the ticket booth.

Sure enough, the seats and aisles were packed as the lights dimmed and Ladytron took the stage. Pressing forward through the darkness, the band appeared stoic and somewhat delicate, yet strong enough to escape from behind the Iron Curtain. The six onstage were dramatically back-lit with four vertical panels of lights. Their appearance, like the music, always conjures up a foreign place and time for me. If frontwomen Helen Marnie and Mira Aroyo were the illegitimate grandchildren of James Bond and a beautiful Soviet spy, I would not be surprised.

Read more about Live Review: Ladytron & The Faint SOLD OUT show at Variety Playhouse, April 18 …

Depeche Mode

Sounds of the Universe

Mute/EMI

By Stephanie Roman

Considering the proliferation of '80s cover bands and modern artists clearly influenced by the synth-pop, new wave and dance music of that decade, '80s nostalgia continues to draw our attention. This summer, we find a diverse cross-section of '80s bands from Jane's Addiction to Specimen reuniting for note-worthy performances. What makes Depeche Mode any different from their contemporaries? Do they have anything to say that would be relevant in 2009? 

Dave Gahan, Martin Gore and Andrew Fletcher -Depeche Mode's lineup since 1995 -have continued to tour and release new albums quite regularly over the years since their rise to fame. And judging from the 12,000 fans who assembled for the band's recent live performance for the Jimmy Kimmel show, an audience still looks forward to hearing what they have to offer. The band's latest, Sounds of the Universe, was released on April 21 in the USA, and includes art direction, photography and cover design by long-time collaborator, Anton Corbijn.

Read more about CD Review: Depeche Mode — Sounds of the Universe …

By Stephanie Roman

Saturday night at Lenny's closed out three nights of fantastic local performances. On tap this evening were locals Can Can, along with Living Things from St. Louis (pictured above and below), and international gay bar champions, Electric Six. I was secretly thanking Lenny's for enforcing a "no-smoking indoors" policy tonight since I had a sore throat. Most of the crowd stayed outside to smoke and enjoy the comfortable evening until the first band took the stage.

Can Can has developed from a duo into a powerful three-piece with the addition of a live drummer. They could easily find a place among modern L.A. punk bands such as Ima Robot, but also pay tribute to The Stooges and Black Flag. One minute disjointed then melodic the next, the group explores everything from indie rock to gritty swing. Late-comers missed a few antics from Can Can's frontman, Patrick A., who hurled himself into the front row and finished the set by giving the microphone a hand job. I saw him later holding a towel full of ice behind the merch booth and found out that he had injured his hand while jumping off stage into a trash can: "When I jumped in there, I heard something rip. At first, I was worried that I had broken the trash can, but it turned out to be the tendons in my hand." Let's keep him away from glass shards and peanut butter.

Read more about Live Review: Can Can / Living Things / Electric Six at Lenny’s, April 25 …

Telepathe Dance Mother Iamsound Records By Stephanie Roman Dance Mother is the debut full-length CD from Brooklyn-based electronic duo Telepathe. The first track, "So Fine," is driving piece of electro pop that cleverly draws the listener in with gorgeous tone and a perfect mix. Put this in your ear next time you're gliding through France on the Eurostar for […]

ATOMIC ART IN ATL By Stephanie Roman UK's underground Blitz Club and Batcave artist, clothing designer, and all-around live sketch badass, Jason Atomic will have one of his sketchbooks on display here in Atlanta. Rumour has it that Mr. Atomic and his partner in art-crime Mr. Deluxe may visit Atlanta this August to exhibit artwork and possibly perform with their live band, Fist […]

The Young AntiquesSoundtrack to Tear Us Apart I was first introduced to this band many years ago as a college student in Athens, GA. Perhaps I caught them live at The Lunch Paper around 2001…sounds about right. The band's name jogged my memory and I jumped at the chance to review their latest offering: "Soundtrack to Tear Us Apart." […]

The Lisps are a quirky vaudevillian act from Brooklyn, NY. Fronted by the blonde mini-vixen Sammy Tunis, this band started off the evening with a fun performance and collective visual aesthetic. Drawing from turn-of-the-20th century Americana influences, The Lisps would be right at home sharing a bill with a more futuristic act like Devo. They also win the […]

…from the brilliant show that was Dead Elvis, we move to a performance from Mary My Hope fronted by James Hall, who still continues to gig regularly with the soul and charisma of a young, living Elvis.

As the crowd swayed along to the driving rock of "Wildman Childman" and blissed out to "Suicide King", the scent of clove cigarettes and roses swept through the air. This evening Mary My Hope was the band that truly embodied the mingled purity, sinful delights, and the rush of youth that people came out to remember.

Read more about Metroplex/688 at Masquerade ATL 10/4/08 (part 2) …

…is scrawled on a giant wall poster commemorating the Metroplex–the club/compound that continued on where 688 left off. Its walls contained all manner of teenage angst, sex, drugs, drama, and cliques thrust together at a time when young people are vulnerable, confused, and arrogant.

Kind of like high school, eh?

Inside you could also find the bands, performers, and characters that gave birth to, and later defined Atlanta’s punk and alternative rock scene. Only twelve of these bands were on hand Saturday night to represent that era…and I say "only twelve" because seeing them makes one realize the depth and variety that was contained in the years of live acts at Metroplex & 688. As I’m still in my 20’s, I did not see this reunion show through the eyes of one who was there "back in the day," but that only makes listening to and learning about Atlanta’s early scene more exciting! And to see local concert-goers SMILING? Reward enough.

Read more about Metroplex/688 at Masquerade ATL 10/4/08: “The best high school reunion ever!” …

Standing room only creates a cozy buzz at this evening’s sold out comedy performance. Mishka Shubaly opens the set with a few guitar-accompanied tunes for jaded babies, drunks, and blue collar folk who’ve fallen on hard times. Kind of a rockabilly cousin’s eye view to get the evening going. He’s followed by Jason Barnes from […]