2009 After Dark Large


After Dark

Best Local Blog/Zine BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Pine Magazine
No one in town is on top of the interwebs more than Holly Lang’s PINE MAGAZINE. Lang’s site is linked to the gills with videos, MP3s and listings for the discerning Atlanta music patron. In light of so much quality independent news, arts, opinion and music coverage she provides, it seems dismissivemore...
No one in town is on top of the interwebs more than Holly Lang’s PINE MAGAZINE. Lang’s site is linked to the gills with videos, MP3s and listings for the discerning Atlanta music patron. In light of so much quality independent news, arts, opinion and music coverage she provides, it seems dismissive to relegate her site to the blog ghetto. But Pine sets a higher standard for the local fire starters while placing an emphasis on the art of disseminating information, not attitude. But the real secret weapons giving Pine so much street cred are the free, first Thursday of the month showcases at the Star Bar. Since starting the monthly concert series in January 2008, Pine has hosted more than 100, mostly Atlanta-based acts. If you’re looking for a show, an interview, a news bulletin or anything else that might enhance your time in the cubicle, Pine is the most user-friendly URL on the block. www.pinemagazine.com. less...

Best Club Event BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Fuck Yesss
The disco-punk jet set always looks its best come the first Thursday night of the month when FUCK YESSS rolls through the Drunken Unicorn. The scene says it all: Hipsters stand in a line that trails back to the Book House trying to get in on Atlanta’s premiere dance party. Le Castle Vania, Treasuremore...
The disco-punk jet set always looks its best come the first Thursday night of the month when FUCK YESSS rolls through the Drunken Unicorn. The scene says it all: Hipsters stand in a line that trails back to the Book House trying to get in on Atlanta’s premiere dance party. Le Castle Vania, Treasure Fingers, RRRUMP and hordes of other local talent spin records and click mice as they keep the dance floor grooving to the sounds of indie, electro, hyfy beats and world-class robot rock jams. www.myspace.com/fuckyesssatl. less...

Best art-punk band BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Carnivores

Best Local Country Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Whiskey Gentry

Best Soul or Jazz Songstress BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Phillippia

Best Local Electronic Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Lyonnais
As a signifier, “electronic music” can encompass everything from Tangerine Dream to Skinny Puppy. LYONNAIS (pronounced LAY-oh-nay) falls somewhere within the nebulous, gray area between drone, avant-garde and indie rock, as the local foursome gives rise to long, sustained tones andmore...
As a signifier, “electronic music” can encompass everything from Tangerine Dream to Skinny Puppy. LYONNAIS (pronounced LAY-oh-nay) falls somewhere within the nebulous, gray area between drone, avant-garde and indie rock, as the local foursome gives rise to long, sustained tones and slurred notes that tussle and fade into cinematic hues and abstract intentions. The sound is willfully vague, littered with sonic nooks that open up to reveal all sorts of hidden sound dimensions. www.myspace.com/teamlyonnais. less...

Best Local Experimental Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Facehugger
One of the most disconcerting acts to grace Atlanta stages in 2009, FACEHUGGER creates an atmosphere that eclipses the normal exuberance experienced at a live show. Drawing from a palette of proto-industrial noise and pop grooves in the vein of Suicide, Cabaret Voltaire and even Joy Division, the groupmore...
One of the most disconcerting acts to grace Atlanta stages in 2009, FACEHUGGER creates an atmosphere that eclipses the normal exuberance experienced at a live show. Drawing from a palette of proto-industrial noise and pop grooves in the vein of Suicide, Cabaret Voltaire and even Joy Division, the group turns out a surprisingly pleasing sound both antiquated and surreal. But the aggressive, hyper-manic performance of vocalist John Hannah is enough to jar an entire audience out of its comfort zone. www.myspace.com/facehuggeratl. less...

Best Local Folk Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Wild
The tree-hugging post-hippies of the ’80s stripped folk music of its bite in a way that surely caused Woody Guthrie to do back flips in his grave. Nobody understands that more than the kids in THE WILD. Such jittery, electric/acoustic folk-punk ballads as “We Will Drive These Warlords Out”more...
The tree-hugging post-hippies of the ’80s stripped folk music of its bite in a way that surely caused Woody Guthrie to do back flips in his grave. Nobody understands that more than the kids in THE WILD. Such jittery, electric/acoustic folk-punk ballads as “We Will Drive These Warlords Out” and “We Shall Overcome” are filled with gritty, ideological tales of hardship and determination, performed with fortitude and finesse. www.myspace.com/thewildatl. less...

Best Local Hip-Hop Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Hollyweerd
Remember that scene from “Chappelle’s Show” when Charlie Murphy recalls the time when the late Rick James came to his brother Eddie’s pad and started jumping up and down all over the leather sofa with his muddy platform boots on, yelling “Fuck yo’ couch, nigga!” Well, that’s HOLLYWEERDmore...
Remember that scene from “Chappelle’s Show” when Charlie Murphy recalls the time when the late Rick James came to his brother Eddie’s pad and started jumping up and down all over the leather sofa with his muddy platform boots on, yelling “Fuck yo’ couch, nigga!” Well, that’s HOLLYWEERD to the nth degree. Take the lineup: a self-styled savant who goes by “the Dreamer,” two full-time tat artists (Tuki Carter and Chris “the Love Crusader” McAdoo) from City of Ink, and a jazz-sax journeyman who calls himself the mythical Stagolee. That ain’t no rap group, it’s a band of gypsies. Since materializing out of thin air nearly two years ago, the four-man crew has busily crafted its own unruly narrative. The three mixtapes released in the past 12 months showcase the group’s penchant for combining sweet indie-pop incarnations with self-indulgent fantasy funk. It’s a nutty mix. Yet somehow they’ve managed to turn their wild inconsistencies — from constantly evolving musical influences including OutKast and the Doors to hit-or-miss live performances — into the main attraction. Like a traveling freak show, Hollyweerd piques our curiosity. No matter how odd, we can’t turn away for fear of missing what might happen next. www.myspace.com/hollyweerd. less...

Best Local Instrumentalist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Jeffrey Butzer

Best Local Traditional/World Band/Artist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Batata Doce
When BATATA DOCE first hit the scene around ’07, the group concocted a hybrid of Appalachian sounds over a traditional Brazilian backbeat. Over time, the group has shifted through varying musical textures of tropicalia, psychedelia and ’60s pop that culminates in a spacey, spicy meltingmore...
When BATATA DOCE first hit the scene around ’07, the group concocted a hybrid of Appalachian sounds over a traditional Brazilian backbeat. Over time, the group has shifted through varying musical textures of tropicalia, psychedelia and ’60s pop that culminates in a spacey, spicy melting pot of multicultural accents and dance music. www.myspace.com/batatadoce. less...

Best Local Jazz Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra
Unwilling to settle for restaurant gigs spent politely playing jazz standards, THE 4TH WARD AFRO-KLEZMER ORCHESTRA demonstrates a formidable balance of African-inspired rhythms and Yiddish inflections. The group’s original compositions, under the direction of trumpeter Roger Ruzow, are a barragemore...
Unwilling to settle for restaurant gigs spent politely playing jazz standards, THE 4TH WARD AFRO-KLEZMER ORCHESTRA demonstrates a formidable balance of African-inspired rhythms and Yiddish inflections. The group’s original compositions, under the direction of trumpeter Roger Ruzow, are a barrage of disciplined, baroque big-band numbers that evoke the sights and sounds of South Africa, Israel … and Cabbagetown. That sense of old-world style mixes with humor that’s both classy and rollicking to produce an old-world sound, attitude and direction. www.afroklezmermusic.com. less...

Best Local Record Label BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Double Phantom
The face of Atlanta’s indie-rock scene is ever-changing. Over the last year, the Balkans, the N.E.C., and Carnivores have all come to personify the next generation of young, unstoppable local acts, eager to push the envelope and foster their own brand of art-driven rock and experimental sounds.more...
The face of Atlanta’s indie-rock scene is ever-changing. Over the last year, the Balkans, the N.E.C., and Carnivores have all come to personify the next generation of young, unstoppable local acts, eager to push the envelope and foster their own brand of art-driven rock and experimental sounds. Releases from each of these acts have materialized baring the mark of DOUBLE PHANTOM. The label has become the defining sound of Atlanta rock circa 2009 by following the blueprint of tried-and-true DIY institutions. www.doublephantom.com. less...

Best Local MC BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Playboy Tre

Best Local Metal Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Withered
With Folie Circulaire , black-metal underdogs WITHERED unleashed the bleakest, most constrictive metal opus Atlanta has seen since Mastodon’s Leviathan. Every time the group takes the stage, slow, pulverizing grooves grind, bash and build to a climax of machine gun drums, helicopter head-banging andmore...
With Folie Circulaire , black-metal underdogs WITHERED unleashed the bleakest, most constrictive metal opus Atlanta has seen since Mastodon’s Leviathan. Every time the group takes the stage, slow, pulverizing grooves grind, bash and build to a climax of machine gun drums, helicopter head-banging and a bestial growl. While Mastodon was busy cracking the Skye, Withered punched a hole through the earth and reached deep into the bowels of hell to summon an epic, labyrinthine roar. www.myspace.com/withered. less...

Best Local Pop Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Abby Go Go
As relative newcomers to Atlanta’s music scene, ABBY GO GO has done their homework. The group draws from a mixed bag of noisy, drug-addled proto-punk and drone-rock luminaries, including the Velvet Underground, Stereolab, the Jesus and Mary Chain and other staples. But rather than simply imitatemore...
As relative newcomers to Atlanta’s music scene, ABBY GO GO has done their homework. The group draws from a mixed bag of noisy, drug-addled proto-punk and drone-rock luminaries, including the Velvet Underground, Stereolab, the Jesus and Mary Chain and other staples. But rather than simply imitate their heroes, the foursome stands on the shoulders of giants to offer a distinctly Southern vision of humid, spectral rock ’n’ roll that’s filled with an elegant, spaced-out plod. www.myspace.com/abbygogorocks. less...

Best Local Mixtape BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The 808 Experience: vol. 1
Who knew that when SMKA Productions released its debut mixtape, THE 808 EXPERIENCE: VOL. 1, in December ’08 that it would mark the first wave of the crew’s aural assault on Atlanta. Maybe their moniker, Super Market Knife Attack, should’ve been a dead giveaway. Executive-produced by nativesmore...
Who knew that when SMKA Productions released its debut mixtape, THE 808 EXPERIENCE: VOL. 1, in December ’08 that it would mark the first wave of the crew’s aural assault on Atlanta. Maybe their moniker, Super Market Knife Attack, should’ve been a dead giveaway. Executive-produced by natives 808 Blake, 7 King and Mike Walbert, The 808 Experience marked a marriage between the Old South’s affinity for 808 bass and the New South’s retro-ATLien craze. With a hodge-podge of unsigned artists, from the hipster-approved to the most ’hood, it bridged the best of both worlds. www.thesmkaexperience.com. less...

Best Film Made in Atlanta BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
“The Stand on Demand”
Let’s face it. Cable is full of reality TV shows that depict the fact and fantasy surrounding music’s pop celebs — many of whom reside right here in our city. But none of the shows rep the real like the mini-doc series “THE STAND ON DEMAND.” For three years, the Comcast OnDemand seriesmore...
Let’s face it. Cable is full of reality TV shows that depict the fact and fantasy surrounding music’s pop celebs — many of whom reside right here in our city. But none of the shows rep the real like the mini-doc series “THE STAND ON DEMAND.” For three years, the Comcast OnDemand series (available under Real City TV) has documented the underground hip-hop talent rarely seen or heard on the boobage tubage, including such local artists as Binkis Recs, DJ Rasta Root and Floyd the Locsmif. A sense of the city’s underlying culture emerges with each episode, as artists reveal the love of craft that keeps them committed in spite of their indie struggles. Produced by Eljay Williams, with still photography by his wife, Shari, “The Stand On Demand” is the best reason to re-up on that ovepriced Comcast subscription. www.myspace.com/thestandondemand. less...

Best Local Music Video BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
“Black and White”
The whole year long, Brittany Bosco dripped sweat on stages from Chicago to San Francisco and back promoting Spectrum — her independently released debut EP packaged in gold Bubble Wrap. But her most memorable performance comes in the three minutes and 21 seconds of the BangPop-produced videomore...
The whole year long, Brittany Bosco dripped sweat on stages from Chicago to San Francisco and back promoting Spectrum — her independently released debut EP packaged in gold Bubble Wrap. But her most memorable performance comes in the three minutes and 21 seconds of the BangPop-produced video for “BLACK AND WHITE.” A haunting visual display, it highlights Bosco’s subtler side and her smoldering, Sarah Vaughan-like vocal textures in a way barely hinted at onstage. Accompanied by naked piano keys, Bosco laments her forlorn lover while the camera taunts and teases her with tightly framed black-and-white shots and soft fades. She pulls off the nod to film noir without any unintended hokeyness, and instead perfectly embodies the era when ladies sang the blues wearing long, white satin gloves. And when she gently caresses her collarbone and lifts her doe eyes to the camera, it appears that the lost art of sophistication is on the come-up once more. www.myspace.com/brittanybosco. less...

Best Local New Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Balkans
Straight outta high school, the four fresh-faced teens who make up THE BALKANS won the hearts and minds of pretty much everyone who saw them play this year. Equally inspired by the reverb and kerrrang of ’60s surf rock, the energetic Merseybeat pop of the Beatles, and the ’90s inflectionsmore...
Straight outta high school, the four fresh-faced teens who make up THE BALKANS won the hearts and minds of pretty much everyone who saw them play this year. Equally inspired by the reverb and kerrrang of ’60s surf rock, the energetic Merseybeat pop of the Beatles, and the ’90s inflections of Radiohead, these kids are seasoned beyond their years. But they maintain their youthful abandon by concocting a jittery, fast-paced indie-rock grind so catchy and stylistic that it caught Atlanta by surprise. www.myspace.com/thebalkans. less...

Best Local Overall Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Gentleman Jesse
Since GENTLEMAN JESSE dropped his debut 7-inch, “I Don’t Wanna Know,” back in ’06, Atlanta’s consummate power-pop innovator has exerted a sweeping influence over the collective consciousness of the city’s native rock scenes. The emphasis he places on themore...
Since GENTLEMAN JESSE dropped his debut 7-inch, “I Don’t Wanna Know,” back in ’06, Atlanta’s consummate power-pop innovator has exerted a sweeping influence over the collective consciousness of the city’s native rock scenes. The emphasis he places on the art of songwriting, and the quick, concise pop inflections he’s mastered rise above the common vernacular of garage slop and punk-rock jitters. While the rest of the city’s other bands have watched and followed, he continues to reach for a higher plane of musicianship. Whether performing as the right-hand man in the new Paul Collins Beat, or wielding a bass guitar in the Carbonas, a local music renaissance has fallen upon Atlanta, and much of it is at the hands of Gentleman Jesse Smith. www.myspace.com/gentlemanjesse. less...

Best Local Producer BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Illastrate

Best Local Promoter BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Shameless Plug
We expected big things when the respective architects behind Art, Beats + Lyrics (Jabari Graham) and Broke $ Boujee (Fadia Kader) linked up with Atlanta music marketer Bem Joiner (Rebelutions) and mega-church marketer Jerald McBride to form a concert promotions team. But the onstage reunion of Goodiemore...
We expected big things when the respective architects behind Art, Beats + Lyrics (Jabari Graham) and Broke $ Boujee (Fadia Kader) linked up with Atlanta music marketer Bem Joiner (Rebelutions) and mega-church marketer Jerald McBride to form a concert promotions team. But the onstage reunion of Goodie Mob? Certainly, no one saw that coming — not even the members of Goodie Mob. Turns out SHAMELESS PLUG approached them, feeling that the time was ripe after rumors persisted for two years that the godfathers of Atlanta hip-hop had finally bonded behind the scenes. Coming on the heels of Vibe magazine’s investigative piece documenting the rise and struggles of Southern rap’s first family (the Dungeon Family, of which the Mob were founding members), the concert reflected the lifeblood of a subgenre. With so many promoters in the A — from run-of-the-mill to grade A — only a handful recognize their role as cultural curators. Count Shameless Plug among them. less...

Best Local Punk Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Predator
PREDATOR pounds every bit of angst and aggression into its songs with the power of a machine driven by three chords and pure, wall-punching fury. Sure, any punk-rock band can organize such disparate pieces into a manly tirade. But the trio of Mike Beavers (bass/vocals), John Necro (drums) and Brannonmore...
PREDATOR pounds every bit of angst and aggression into its songs with the power of a machine driven by three chords and pure, wall-punching fury. Sure, any punk-rock band can organize such disparate pieces into a manly tirade. But the trio of Mike Beavers (bass/vocals), John Necro (drums) and Brannon Greene (guitar/vocals) does it with style by stripping songs to their essentials, then drawing out a steady, aggressive plod with clean, razor-sharp edges that are minimalist by design but saturated with unadulterated catharsis. www.myspace.com/atlpredator. less...

Best Local Rock Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Howlies
With the arrival of its Kim Fowley-produced debut full-length, Trippin’ with Howlies, the Atlanta misfits HOWLIES made it clear that they had straight-up reinvented themselves, moving far beyond the pedestrian, college rock of their previous incarnation, Moresight. Driven by hooks and rich narrativesmore...
With the arrival of its Kim Fowley-produced debut full-length, Trippin’ with Howlies, the Atlanta misfits HOWLIES made it clear that they had straight-up reinvented themselves, moving far beyond the pedestrian, college rock of their previous incarnation, Moresight. Driven by hooks and rich narratives about finding girls, losing girls and getting loaded, songs from Trippin’ such as “Sea Level,” “Smoke” and “Dirty Woman” exhibit moments of pure pop genius, and the kind of raw rock elation you’d never want your parents and co-workers to find out about. www.howlies.com. less...

Best Local Singer/Songwriter BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Ben Trickey
The plight of the stark, lo-fi troubadour is not an easy one. In a post-Bright Eyes, post-Mountain Goats world, indie rock has seen just about every riveting trick one lonely man with a guitar can get away with — as well as the ones he can’t. But when BEN TRICKEY strums and sings aboutmore...
The plight of the stark, lo-fi troubadour is not an easy one. In a post-Bright Eyes, post-Mountain Goats world, indie rock has seen just about every riveting trick one lonely man with a guitar can get away with — as well as the ones he can’t. But when BEN TRICKEY strums and sings about the dark, emotional side of life as an imperfect man, you believe him. The characters and narratives in his songs resonate with somber timelessness, scorched tones and dirty production qualities that add depth to his frail and frazzled arrangements. www.bentrickey.com. less...

Best Place to Hear Local Music BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
529 Bar (Featured)

Best Local Rock Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Whores
Bearing witness to a WHORES show is like being crushed under the tread of a Panzer tank as it charges into battle. The guitar,-bass-and-drum trio’s brand of precision metal summons forth all sorts of macho emotions in such songs as “Daddy’s Money” and “Shower Time.”more...
Bearing witness to a WHORES show is like being crushed under the tread of a Panzer tank as it charges into battle. The guitar,-bass-and-drum trio’s brand of precision metal summons forth all sorts of macho emotions in such songs as “Daddy’s Money” and “Shower Time.” But just when the vulgar display of power becomes too heavy for the faint of heart, drummer Travis Owen throws them a middle finger. He then proceeds to bounce his drumstick on the floor, catch it, twirl and shoot another bird in one fluid motion that would make even Diamond Dave want to play drums. www.myspace.com/whoresmusic. less...

Best Local Song BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
“Sweet Georgia”
Warning: Do not attempt to ride out while bumping “SWEET GEORGIA” by Konvict/Def Jam signee Cyhi Da Prynce unless you’re prepared to spend a grip on gas. That’s because shawty gets around like Tupac — especially within the 13th colony. A twanged-out acoustic guitar and bare-bones backbeatmore...
Warning: Do not attempt to ride out while bumping “SWEET GEORGIA” by Konvict/Def Jam signee Cyhi Da Prynce unless you’re prepared to spend a grip on gas. That’s because shawty gets around like Tupac — especially within the 13th colony. A twanged-out acoustic guitar and bare-bones backbeat (Crown Kingz Productions) make a less than likely pairing with Da Prynce’s lazy, lyrical flow. But together they fit like shrimp and grits as the Stone Mountain native guides listeners through his stomping ground — which seemingly covers every speck of red clay south of the Appalachian Trail and north of the Okefenokee Swamp. He makes pit stops through towns (Forest Park, Macon, Dublin), colleges (Georgia Southern, Fort Valley, UGA), Atlanta thoroughfares (Campbellton, Bankhead, Glenwood), and even lock-ups (Hancock in Sparta and DeKalb County Jail). But buried within this veritable state anthem, Da Prynce delivers a winding narrative of his own dope boy travels and travails, as he reminisces from the back of a tour bus. And when he hoarsely sings the hook — “I say ohh-oh-ohh, swee-et Geor-jah” — it’s so heartfelt, it’ll put Ray Charles on your mind. www.myspace.com/dapryncehoodlum. less...

Best band to push Atlanta’s boundaries BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Hawks
There comes a time during every HAWKS show where you start to fear for your own safety. Maybe it’s in watching singer Mike Keenan strip naked and do the zombie walk through the crowd, kissing and singing to whomever he can get his hands on. Or maybe it’s seeing him stuff the microphone downmore...
There comes a time during every HAWKS show where you start to fear for your own safety. Maybe it’s in watching singer Mike Keenan strip naked and do the zombie walk through the crowd, kissing and singing to whomever he can get his hands on. Or maybe it’s seeing him stuff the microphone down some unsuspecting audience member’s pants and then finish the song with his face buried in their crotch. You’ll likely want to move to the safety of the bar and order a drink, but the cacophonous punk/metal melee unfolding on and off stage is just too awesome to miss. www.myspace.com/hawksisaband. less...

Best Local New Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Boog Brown
The future of hip-hop has a past, and her name is BOOG BROWN. Two years ago, she was just a restless Detroit native and recent college graduate who thought she’d find better opportunity and a good job Down South. So she loaded up her stuff and she moved to “Black Hollywood” — Atlanta,more...
The future of hip-hop has a past, and her name is BOOG BROWN. Two years ago, she was just a restless Detroit native and recent college graduate who thought she’d find better opportunity and a good job Down South. So she loaded up her stuff and she moved to “Black Hollywood” — Atlanta, that is. Shopping malls. Music stars. But Brown found herself more at home within the city’s underground scene, where she met such collaborators as producer Illastrate. Already, she’s proven herself to be that rare gem of an artist who can push a genre forward by taking it back to “The Essence,” when, as she raps with a warm, detached flow on her first single, “shit used to be credible/incredible vocab/no amount of swagger hide a wack verse.” The irony, of course, is that she unleashed that salvo, from her anticipated Miss Black America mixtape, smack dab in the middle of rap’s swag capital. Despite all our fair city has to offer an up-and-coming MC, Atlanta needs Boog Brown more than she needs us. We need to remember how it feels to hang onto the edge of every lyric, to pause in the middle of a verse and rewind, to find ourselves transfixed and transformed by the renewing power of a rhyme. Atlanta should be so fortunate. www.myspace.com/bbrownfbgm. less...

Best art-punk band BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Carnivores

Best band to push Atlanta’s boundaries BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Hawks

Best Club Event BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Fuck Yesss

Best Film Made in Atlanta BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Stand on Demand

Best Local Blog/Zine BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Pine Magazine

Best Local Country Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Whiskey Gentry

Best Local Electronic Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Lyonnais

Best Local Experimental Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Facehugger

Best Local Folk Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Wild

Best Local Hip-Hop Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Hollyweerd

Best Local Instrumentalist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Jeffrey Butzer

Best Local Jazz Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra

Best Local MC BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Playboy Tre

Best Local Metal Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Withered

Best Local Mixtape BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The 808 Experience: vol. 1

Best Local Music Video BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Black and White

Best Local New Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Balkans

Best Local New Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Boog Brown

Best Local Overall Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Gentleman Jesse
  • «
  • 1 (current)
  • 2

Best Acoustic Music Club/Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Eddie’s Attic (Featured)

Runner-up
Smith’s Olde Bar
1578 Piedmont Ave., 404-875-1522, www.smithsoldebar.com

Best After Hours Spot BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
El Bar @ El Ponce (Featured)

Runner-up
Clermont Lounge
789 Ponce de Leon Ave., 404-874-4783, www.clermontlounge.net

Best Bartender/Mixologist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Miles MacQuarrie at Leon’s Full Service

Runner-up
Darren Foley at Ship & Anchor Pub
5975 Roswell Road, 404-256-3550, www.dunwoodyrestaurantgroup.com

Best Bar to Hook Up BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Graveyard Tavern (Permanently Closed)

Runner-up
Dark Horse Tavern
816 N. Highland Ave., 404-873-3607, www.darkhorseatlanta.com

Best Blues Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Northside Tavern (Featured)

Runner-up
Blind Willie’s
828 N. Highland Ave., 404-873-2583, www.blindwilliesblues.com

Best Bowling Alley BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Midtown Bowl (Featured)

Runner-up
300 Atlanta
2175 Savoy Drive, 770-451-8605, www.3hundred.com

Best Burlesque Troupe BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Dames Aflame

www.damesaflame.com


Runner-up
Syrens of the South
www.syrensofthesouth.com

Best Burlesque Troupe BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Blast-Off Burlesque

Best Club Event BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Drunken Unicorn

Every first Thursday at Drunken Unicorn.


Runner-up
Sloppy Seconds

Best College Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Moondogs

Runner-up
Peachtree Tavern
3179-B Peachtree Road, 404-842-1700, www.peachtreetavern.com

Best Concert Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Variety Playhouse

Runner-up
The Tabernacle
152 Luckie St., 404-659-9022, www.tabernacleatl.com

Best Bar to Hook Up BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Johnny’s Hideaway

Runner-up
Bluepointe
3455 Peachtree Road, 404-237-9070, www.buckheadrestaurants.com/bp

Best Country Music Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Wild Bill Wholesale (Permanently Closed)

Runner-up
Cowboy’s
1750 N. Roberts Road, 770-426-5006, www.cowboysatlanta.com

Best Dance Music Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
MJQ Concourse (Featured)

Runner-up
Opera
1150-B Crescent Ave., 404-874-3006, www.operaatlanta.com

Best Dive Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Clermont Lounge (Featured)

Runner-up
Euclid Avenue Yacht Club
1136 Euclid Ave., 404-688-2582, www.theeayc.com

Best Drag Queen BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Charlie Brown

Runner-up
Mary Edith Pitts

Best Gay Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Mary’s (Featured)

Runner-up
Blake’s on the Park
227 10th St., 404-892-5786, www.blakesontheparkatlanta.com

Best Local Music Blog BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
OhmPark.com

Runner-up
Drive a Faster Car
www.driveafastercar.com

Best Jazz Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Churchill Grounds Jazz Cafe (Permanently Closed)

Runner-up
Sambuca
3102 Piedmont Road, 404-237-5299, www.sambucarestaurant.com

Best Jukebox BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
The Righteous Room (Featured)

Runner-up
The Earl
488 Flat Shoals Ave., 404-522-3950, www.badearl.com

Best Karaoke BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Mary’s (Featured)

Runner-up
Metalsome Mondays at the 10 High
816 N. Highland Ave., 404-873-3607, www.darkhorseatlanta.com

Best Latin Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Loca Luna (Permanently Closed)

Runners-up: Tie
Eclipse di Luna
764 Miami Circle, 404-846-0449
4505 Ashford Dunwoody Road, 678-205-5862
www.eclipsediluna.com
and
Chapparral
3326 Buford Highway, 404-327-5982
2790 NE Expressway Access Road, 404-471-1141
www.chapparralatlanta.com

Best Lesbian Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
MSR My Sisters Room

Runner-up
Bellissima
560B-Amsterdam Ave., 404-917-0220, www.myspace.com/bellissima_lounge

Best Local Blues Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Mudcat

www.mudcatblues.com


Runner-up
Breeze Kings
www.breezekings.com

Best Local Country Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Sugarland

www.sugarlandmusic.com


Runners-up: Tie
Zac Brown Band
www.zacbrownband.com
and
Slim Chance and the Convicts
www.myspace.com/slimchanceandtheconvicts

Best Local DJ/Personality BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Mike Czech

Best Local Electronic Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Judi Chicago

www.judichicago.com


Runner-up
Sensitive Chaos
www.sensitivechaos.com

Best Local Experimental Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Deerhunter

Best Local Folk Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Hope for Agoldensummer

Best Local Hip-Hop Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
OutKast

www.outkast.com


Runners-up: Tie
Collective Efforts
www.cecrew.com
and
The Wheeler Boys
www.myspace.com/thewheelerboys

Best Local Instrumentalist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Dixie Duncan

www.dixieduncan.net


Runner-up
Matt Baum

Best Local Traditional/World Band/Artist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Serenata Band

www.serenataband.com<br.
Runner-up
A Fight to the Death
www.afighttothedeath.com

Best Local Jazz Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
The Bonaventure Quartet

Best Local Record Label BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Nophi Recordings

www.nophi.net


Runners-up: Tie
Douchemaster Records
www.douchemasterrecords.blogspot.com
and
So So Def Recordings
www.myspace.com/sosodefmusic

Best Local Mainstream Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Mastodon

www.mastodonrocks.com


Runner-up
Manchester Orchestra
www.themanchesterorchestra.com

Best Local Mixtape BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
SMKA’s The 808 Experiment, Vol. 1

www.thesmkaexperience.com


Runner-up
B.o.B. vs. Bobby Ray
www.myspace.com/bobatl

Best Local New Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Attention System

Best Local Overall Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Black Lips

www.black-lips.com


Runner-up
Nerd Parade
www.nerdparade.net

Best Local Promoter BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
OK Productions

www.okproductions.net


Runner-up
Dude City Productions
myspace.com/dudecityproductions

Best Local R&B/Soul Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Rahbi

www.myspace.com/rahbi
Runners-up
Tie
Noot d’ Noot
www.myspace.com/nootdnoot
and
Janelle Monae
www.jmonae.com
and
Ruby Velle
www.myspace.com/soulphonics

Best Local Rock Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Nerd Parade

Best Local Singer/Songwriter BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Brian Wiltsey

Best Local Vocalist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Caroline Engel

Best Lounge BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Clermont Lounge (Featured)

Runner-up
Halo
817 W. Peachtree St. #E100, 404-962-7333, www.halolounge.com

Best Neighborhood Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Brick Store Pub

Runner-up
97 Estoria
727 Wylie St., 404-522-0966, www.97estoria.com

Best OTP Music Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
40 Watt Club

Runner-up
North River Tavern
8879 Roswell Road, 770-552-8784, www.northrivertavern.com

Best Outdoor Music Venue for Concerts BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park

Runner-up
Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood
2002 Lakewood Way, 404-443-5000, www.livenation.com

Best Place to Hear Local Music BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
The Earl (Featured)

Runner-up
Eddie’s Attic
515-B N. McDonough St., Decatur, 404-377-4976, www.eddiesattic.com

Best Place to Hear Music For Free BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
The Star Community Bar (Featured)

Runners-up
Tie
Piedmont Park
1071 Piedmont Ave., 404-876-4024, www.piedmontpark.org
and
Criminal Records
1154-A Euclid Ave., 404-215-9511, www.criminalatl.com

Best Place to Play Pool BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Twain’s Brewpub & Billiards

Runner-up
The Independent
931 Monroe Drive #205, 404-249-9869, www.theindependentatlanta.com

Best Acoustic Music Club/Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Eddie’s Attic (Featured)

Runner-up
Smith’s Olde Bar
1578 Piedmont Ave., 404-875-1522, www.smithsoldebar.com

Best After Hours Spot BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
El Bar @ El Ponce (Featured)

Runner-up
Clermont Lounge
789 Ponce de Leon Ave., 404-874-4783, www.clermontlounge.net

Best Local Blog/Zine BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Pine Magazine
No one in town is on top of the interwebs more than Holly Lang’s PINE MAGAZINE. Lang’s site is linked to the gills with videos, MP3s and listings for the discerning Atlanta music patron. In light of so much quality independent news, arts, opinion and music coverage she provides, it seems dismissivemore...
No one in town is on top of the interwebs more than Holly Lang’s PINE MAGAZINE. Lang’s site is linked to the gills with videos, MP3s and listings for the discerning Atlanta music patron. In light of so much quality independent news, arts, opinion and music coverage she provides, it seems dismissive to relegate her site to the blog ghetto. But Pine sets a higher standard for the local fire starters while placing an emphasis on the art of disseminating information, not attitude. But the real secret weapons giving Pine so much street cred are the free, first Thursday of the month showcases at the Star Bar. Since starting the monthly concert series in January 2008, Pine has hosted more than 100, mostly Atlanta-based acts. If you’re looking for a show, an interview, a news bulletin or anything else that might enhance your time in the cubicle, Pine is the most user-friendly URL on the block. www.pinemagazine.com. less...

Best Bartender/Mixologist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Miles MacQuarrie at Leon’s Full Service

Runner-up
Darren Foley at Ship & Anchor Pub
5975 Roswell Road, 404-256-3550, www.dunwoodyrestaurantgroup.com

Best Bar to Hook Up BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Graveyard Tavern (Permanently Closed)

Runner-up
Dark Horse Tavern
816 N. Highland Ave., 404-873-3607, www.darkhorseatlanta.com

Best Blues Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Northside Tavern (Featured)

Runner-up
Blind Willie’s
828 N. Highland Ave., 404-873-2583, www.blindwilliesblues.com

Best Bowling Alley BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Midtown Bowl (Featured)

Runner-up
300 Atlanta
2175 Savoy Drive, 770-451-8605, www.3hundred.com

Best Burlesque Troupe BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Dames Aflame

www.damesaflame.com


Runner-up
Syrens of the South
www.syrensofthesouth.com

Best Burlesque Troupe BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Blast-Off Burlesque

Best Club Event BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Fuck Yesss
The disco-punk jet set always looks its best come the first Thursday night of the month when FUCK YESSS rolls through the Drunken Unicorn. The scene says it all: Hipsters stand in a line that trails back to the Book House trying to get in on Atlanta’s premiere dance party. Le Castle Vania, Treasuremore...
The disco-punk jet set always looks its best come the first Thursday night of the month when FUCK YESSS rolls through the Drunken Unicorn. The scene says it all: Hipsters stand in a line that trails back to the Book House trying to get in on Atlanta’s premiere dance party. Le Castle Vania, Treasure Fingers, RRRUMP and hordes of other local talent spin records and click mice as they keep the dance floor grooving to the sounds of indie, electro, hyfy beats and world-class robot rock jams. www.myspace.com/fuckyesssatl. less...

Best Club Event BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Drunken Unicorn

Every first Thursday at Drunken Unicorn.


Runner-up
Sloppy Seconds

Best College Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Moondogs

Runner-up
Peachtree Tavern
3179-B Peachtree Road, 404-842-1700, www.peachtreetavern.com

Best Concert Venue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Variety Playhouse

Runner-up
The Tabernacle
152 Luckie St., 404-659-9022, www.tabernacleatl.com

Best Bar to Hook Up BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Johnny’s Hideaway

Runner-up
Bluepointe
3455 Peachtree Road, 404-237-9070, www.buckheadrestaurants.com/bp

Best Country Music Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Wild Bill Wholesale (Permanently Closed)

Runner-up
Cowboy’s
1750 N. Roberts Road, 770-426-5006, www.cowboysatlanta.com

Best Dance Music Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
MJQ Concourse (Featured)

Runner-up
Opera
1150-B Crescent Ave., 404-874-3006, www.operaatlanta.com

Best Dive Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Clermont Lounge (Featured)

Runner-up
Euclid Avenue Yacht Club
1136 Euclid Ave., 404-688-2582, www.theeayc.com

Best Drag Queen BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Charlie Brown

Runner-up
Mary Edith Pitts

Best Gay Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Mary’s (Featured)

Runner-up
Blake’s on the Park
227 10th St., 404-892-5786, www.blakesontheparkatlanta.com

Best Local Music Blog BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
OhmPark.com

Runner-up
Drive a Faster Car
www.driveafastercar.com

Best Jazz Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Churchill Grounds Jazz Cafe (Permanently Closed)

Runner-up
Sambuca
3102 Piedmont Road, 404-237-5299, www.sambucarestaurant.com

Best Jukebox BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
The Righteous Room (Featured)

Runner-up
The Earl
488 Flat Shoals Ave., 404-522-3950, www.badearl.com

Best Karaoke BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Mary’s (Featured)

Runner-up
Metalsome Mondays at the 10 High
816 N. Highland Ave., 404-873-3607, www.darkhorseatlanta.com

Best Latin Club BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Loca Luna (Permanently Closed)

Runners-up: Tie
Eclipse di Luna
764 Miami Circle, 404-846-0449
4505 Ashford Dunwoody Road, 678-205-5862
www.eclipsediluna.com
and
Chapparral
3326 Buford Highway, 404-327-5982
2790 NE Expressway Access Road, 404-471-1141
www.chapparralatlanta.com

Best Lesbian Bar BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
MSR My Sisters Room

Runner-up
Bellissima
560B-Amsterdam Ave., 404-917-0220, www.myspace.com/bellissima_lounge

Best art-punk band BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Carnivores

Best Local Blues Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Mudcat

www.mudcatblues.com


Runner-up
Breeze Kings
www.breezekings.com

Best Local Country Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Whiskey Gentry

Best Local Country Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Sugarland

www.sugarlandmusic.com


Runners-up: Tie
Zac Brown Band
www.zacbrownband.com
and
Slim Chance and the Convicts
www.myspace.com/slimchanceandtheconvicts

Best Local DJ/Personality BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Mike Czech

Best Soul or Jazz Songstress BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Phillippia

Best Local Electronic Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Lyonnais
As a signifier, “electronic music” can encompass everything from Tangerine Dream to Skinny Puppy. LYONNAIS (pronounced LAY-oh-nay) falls somewhere within the nebulous, gray area between drone, avant-garde and indie rock, as the local foursome gives rise to long, sustained tones andmore...
As a signifier, “electronic music” can encompass everything from Tangerine Dream to Skinny Puppy. LYONNAIS (pronounced LAY-oh-nay) falls somewhere within the nebulous, gray area between drone, avant-garde and indie rock, as the local foursome gives rise to long, sustained tones and slurred notes that tussle and fade into cinematic hues and abstract intentions. The sound is willfully vague, littered with sonic nooks that open up to reveal all sorts of hidden sound dimensions. www.myspace.com/teamlyonnais. less...

Best Local Electronic Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Judi Chicago

www.judichicago.com


Runner-up
Sensitive Chaos
www.sensitivechaos.com

Best Local Experimental Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Facehugger
One of the most disconcerting acts to grace Atlanta stages in 2009, FACEHUGGER creates an atmosphere that eclipses the normal exuberance experienced at a live show. Drawing from a palette of proto-industrial noise and pop grooves in the vein of Suicide, Cabaret Voltaire and even Joy Division, the groupmore...
One of the most disconcerting acts to grace Atlanta stages in 2009, FACEHUGGER creates an atmosphere that eclipses the normal exuberance experienced at a live show. Drawing from a palette of proto-industrial noise and pop grooves in the vein of Suicide, Cabaret Voltaire and even Joy Division, the group turns out a surprisingly pleasing sound both antiquated and surreal. But the aggressive, hyper-manic performance of vocalist John Hannah is enough to jar an entire audience out of its comfort zone. www.myspace.com/facehuggeratl. less...

Best Local Experimental Music Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Deerhunter

Best Local Folk Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The Wild
The tree-hugging post-hippies of the ’80s stripped folk music of its bite in a way that surely caused Woody Guthrie to do back flips in his grave. Nobody understands that more than the kids in THE WILD. Such jittery, electric/acoustic folk-punk ballads as “We Will Drive These Warlords Out”more...
The tree-hugging post-hippies of the ’80s stripped folk music of its bite in a way that surely caused Woody Guthrie to do back flips in his grave. Nobody understands that more than the kids in THE WILD. Such jittery, electric/acoustic folk-punk ballads as “We Will Drive These Warlords Out” and “We Shall Overcome” are filled with gritty, ideological tales of hardship and determination, performed with fortitude and finesse. www.myspace.com/thewildatl. less...

Best Local Folk Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Hope for Agoldensummer

Best Local Hip-Hop Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
OutKast

www.outkast.com


Runners-up: Tie
Collective Efforts
www.cecrew.com
and
The Wheeler Boys
www.myspace.com/thewheelerboys

Best Local Hip-Hop Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Hollyweerd
Remember that scene from “Chappelle’s Show” when Charlie Murphy recalls the time when the late Rick James came to his brother Eddie’s pad and started jumping up and down all over the leather sofa with his muddy platform boots on, yelling “Fuck yo’ couch, nigga!” Well, that’s HOLLYWEERDmore...
Remember that scene from “Chappelle’s Show” when Charlie Murphy recalls the time when the late Rick James came to his brother Eddie’s pad and started jumping up and down all over the leather sofa with his muddy platform boots on, yelling “Fuck yo’ couch, nigga!” Well, that’s HOLLYWEERD to the nth degree. Take the lineup: a self-styled savant who goes by “the Dreamer,” two full-time tat artists (Tuki Carter and Chris “the Love Crusader” McAdoo) from City of Ink, and a jazz-sax journeyman who calls himself the mythical Stagolee. That ain’t no rap group, it’s a band of gypsies. Since materializing out of thin air nearly two years ago, the four-man crew has busily crafted its own unruly narrative. The three mixtapes released in the past 12 months showcase the group’s penchant for combining sweet indie-pop incarnations with self-indulgent fantasy funk. It’s a nutty mix. Yet somehow they’ve managed to turn their wild inconsistencies — from constantly evolving musical influences including OutKast and the Doors to hit-or-miss live performances — into the main attraction. Like a traveling freak show, Hollyweerd piques our curiosity. No matter how odd, we can’t turn away for fear of missing what might happen next. www.myspace.com/hollyweerd. less...

Best Local Instrumentalist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Jeffrey Butzer

Best Local Instrumentalist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Dixie Duncan

www.dixieduncan.net


Runner-up
Matt Baum

Best Local Traditional/World Band/Artist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Batata Doce
When BATATA DOCE first hit the scene around ’07, the group concocted a hybrid of Appalachian sounds over a traditional Brazilian backbeat. Over time, the group has shifted through varying musical textures of tropicalia, psychedelia and ’60s pop that culminates in a spacey, spicy meltingmore...
When BATATA DOCE first hit the scene around ’07, the group concocted a hybrid of Appalachian sounds over a traditional Brazilian backbeat. Over time, the group has shifted through varying musical textures of tropicalia, psychedelia and ’60s pop that culminates in a spacey, spicy melting pot of multicultural accents and dance music. www.myspace.com/batatadoce. less...

Best Local Traditional/World Band/Artist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Serenata Band

www.serenataband.com<br.
Runner-up
A Fight to the Death
www.afighttothedeath.com

Best Local Jazz Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
The 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra
Unwilling to settle for restaurant gigs spent politely playing jazz standards, THE 4TH WARD AFRO-KLEZMER ORCHESTRA demonstrates a formidable balance of African-inspired rhythms and Yiddish inflections. The group’s original compositions, under the direction of trumpeter Roger Ruzow, are a barragemore...
Unwilling to settle for restaurant gigs spent politely playing jazz standards, THE 4TH WARD AFRO-KLEZMER ORCHESTRA demonstrates a formidable balance of African-inspired rhythms and Yiddish inflections. The group’s original compositions, under the direction of trumpeter Roger Ruzow, are a barrage of disciplined, baroque big-band numbers that evoke the sights and sounds of South Africa, Israel … and Cabbagetown. That sense of old-world style mixes with humor that’s both classy and rollicking to produce an old-world sound, attitude and direction. www.afroklezmermusic.com. less...

Best Local Jazz Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
The Bonaventure Quartet

Best Local Record Label BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Double Phantom
The face of Atlanta’s indie-rock scene is ever-changing. Over the last year, the Balkans, the N.E.C., and Carnivores have all come to personify the next generation of young, unstoppable local acts, eager to push the envelope and foster their own brand of art-driven rock and experimental sounds.more...
The face of Atlanta’s indie-rock scene is ever-changing. Over the last year, the Balkans, the N.E.C., and Carnivores have all come to personify the next generation of young, unstoppable local acts, eager to push the envelope and foster their own brand of art-driven rock and experimental sounds. Releases from each of these acts have materialized baring the mark of DOUBLE PHANTOM. The label has become the defining sound of Atlanta rock circa 2009 by following the blueprint of tried-and-true DIY institutions. www.doublephantom.com. less...

Best Local Record Label BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Nophi Recordings

www.nophi.net


Runners-up: Tie
Douchemaster Records
www.douchemasterrecords.blogspot.com
and
So So Def Recordings
www.myspace.com/sosodefmusic

Best Local Mainstream Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Readers Pick
Mastodon

www.mastodonrocks.com


Runner-up
Manchester Orchestra
www.themanchesterorchestra.com

Best Local MC BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Playboy Tre

Best Local Metal Act BOA Award Winner

Year » 2009
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2009 » After Dark » Critics Pick
Withered
With Folie Circulaire , black-metal underdogs WITHERED unleashed the bleakest, most constrictive metal opus Atlanta has seen since Mastodon’s Leviathan. Every time the group takes the stage, slow, pulverizing grooves grind, bash and build to a climax of machine gun drums, helicopter head-banging andmore...
With Folie Circulaire , black-metal underdogs WITHERED unleashed the bleakest, most constrictive metal opus Atlanta has seen since Mastodon’s Leviathan. Every time the group takes the stage, slow, pulverizing grooves grind, bash and build to a climax of machine gun drums, helicopter head-banging and a bestial growl. While Mastodon was busy cracking the Skye, Withered punched a hole through the earth and reached deep into the bowels of hell to summon an epic, labyrinthine roar. www.myspace.com/withered. less...

Browse by Category

After Dark
After Dark
CityScape
CityScape
Consumer Culture
Consumer Culture
Index
Index
Oral Pleasures
Oral Pleasures
Poets, Artists & Madmen
Poets, Artists & Madmen