Tag Archive for: atlanta music

WAR ON SLEEP CELBRATES DEBUT EP COOL SUMMER WITH RECORD RELEASE SHOW AT SMITH’S OLDE BAR ON JULY 18

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 7/6/25

Atlanta-based indie rock band War On Sleep will celebrate the release of their debut EP Cool Summer with a full-band performance at Smith’s Olde Bar (Atlanta Room) on Thursday, July 18, 2025. The show will feature support from fellow Atlanta artists Warfather and Ole Fateful. Doors open at 7 PM. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.

War On Sleep, the latest project from Eric Michaels (formerly of Paper Thick Walls and SAYERS) and guitarist Jacques Hebert, combines intimate songwriting with textured guitar layers and pedal steel. The Cool Summer EP was produced by multi-instrumentalist and longtime collaborator Ross Harrell, whose subtle, cinematic arrangements help bring the band’s nostalgic vision to life.

Their sound has drawn comparisons to The National, Wilco, and Pedro the Lion, and has already gained critical attention in the indie blog world. MP3hugger praised the band’s recent single “Some Men” as “a lovely statement, put together with a warmth that makes it even more accessible,” noting that “it was as if The National were at the controls and things were never going to get too hot and heavy.”

The Cool Summer EP explores themes of nostalgia, aging, and the quiet beauty in moments we once took for granted. Songs like the title track and “Some Men” reflect on friendships that fade and the struggle to balance art with adulthood. This release show marks the band’s first full live set and will include tracks from the EP and new material from their forthcoming full-length album.

Listen to the Cool Summer EP on Spotify on July 18th here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4l2FIlaqlnZj7SIIxuSclF?si=QQ0jW6asTomjLLpw21ZH1A

Eric Michaels – Lead Singer and Songwriter

Sam Britt – Lead Guitar

Dale Nacke – Drums

Jacques Rene Hebert – Lead Guitar

Bass – Max Heeden

Producer – Ross Harrell

EVENT DETAILS:
War On Sleep EP Release Show
with Warfather and Ole Fateful
Thursday, July 18, 2025
Smith’s Olde Bar – Atlanta Room
Doors at 7 PM | $12 advance / $15 day of show
Tickets: https://www.sobatl.com/events/war-on-sleep-debut-record-release-with-warfather-and-ole-fateful

OYE FEST 2025

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 6/18/25

Lineup Includes: Álvaro Diaz, Alexis y Fido, Snow tha Product, Macario Martinez, pablopablo, and more GA and VIP Tickets Options On Sale Now

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With all the robust energy, excitement, and flavor you’ve come to expect from the cultural movement known as OYE Fest, organizers are excited to announce details for this year’s event, taking place on October 04 in the heart of the city at Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s most well-known pre-game tailgating spot- ‘Lot 432.’ Featuring top-level production across multiple stages, the lineup will showcase a full spectrum of Latinx performers, including local, regional, and emerging talent. Returning to its indie-based urban roots that began in 2018, headliners for OYE Fest 2025 include Puerto Rican rapper Álvaro Diaz; reggaeton duo Alexis y Fido returning to Atlanta for the first time in ten years; Mexican-American singer, rapper, and activist Snow tha Product; street sweeper turned TikTok phenom musician Macario Martinez and Latin GRAMMY-winning sensation pablopablo.  

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By intentionally curating a platform for local and emerging Latinx artists, encouraging community cohesion and cultural pride- De Atlanta Pa’ Atlanta, OYE Fest has further expanded its lineup to reflect this inclusivity, with such artists as Grupo Rye; Calderoky; Uriel U.M.C.; DJ EU; Lilly Yan; Butch Vega; Felicita; B.Bruja; Jui; Dzuan Fresh; Rob Session; Montsy; Lizion; Eduardo Franco; Venez; Maria Ferreira; El Colmillo; El Cézar; Markez; Johnny Juelz; Gente de Noche; Ruthless Geo; DJ Noise, and Julio Van Bustos.  Luis Trevino and Julio Angel will host the one-day event.

Curated by co-founders Randall Ruiz and Margarita Rios, OYE Fest is more than just a music festival, blending music with art, culture, and progressive activism to provide representation and pride for Latinx creatives. Passionate about supporting causes vital to the Latin community, the festival gives immigrant advocacy efforts, such as DACA and organizations like United We Dream, a platform to be heard by a wider audience. It builds environments that are welcoming, inclusive, and safe for all — particularly emphasizing the voices of Afro-Latinx, queer, and women-identifying individuals. Additional details on represented programs, artists, vendors, and food will be announced in the coming weeks.

“OYE Fest creates spaces where Latin culture is celebrated and uplifted — because visibility leads to representation, and representation leads to change,” says Margarita Rios, co-founder of OYE Fest. “Since we began this in 2018, it’s always been more than just a music festival — it’s a cultural movement rooting Latinx identity firmly into Atlanta’s creative and social landscape.”

All ticket options for OYE Fest go on sale Wednesday, June 18 at 12p EST, starting at $65 before fees. General Admission tickets include access to the festival grounds, vendor market, and installations. VIP passes- 21+ include express entry, main stage VIP viewing area with first-come-first-served seating options, VIP bar, and air-conditioned restrooms. For full details and all ticket options, visit www.OYEFest.com. A ticket-carrying adult must accompany guests 16 years or younger, and children under 9 are free. OYE Fest is an All Ages event. 

Visit www.OYEFest.com to sign up and for the most up-to-date information on OYE Fest and all related events. Stay connected on Instagram and TikTok at @OYE.Fest and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OYE.Festival. 

HELMET AT THE MASQUERADE ATLANTA ON SUNDAY MAY 12 WITH GUESTS CRO-MAGS

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 3/19/24

Playing in Hell at the Masquerade

Sunday, March 12 Doors are 7pm, all ages

$27.50 Advance. Tickets here.

Helmet, an American Alternative rock band out of New York join forces with guest Cro-Mags, a hardcore band, for an evening that will blow you away. Maybe literally.

HELMET

Helmet is an American alternative rock band from New York City formed in 1989 by vocalist and lead guitarist Page Hamilton. Since 2010, the band has consisted of Hamilton, drummer Kyle Stevenson, guitarist Dan Beeman and bassist Dave Case.

Helmet has released eight studio albums and two compilation albums. After releasing their debut album, Strap It On (1990), on Amphetamine Reptile, Helmet signed to Interscope Records and released three albums for the label, including the highly successful Meantime (1992), Betty (1994) and Aftertaste (1997). Helmet broke up in 1998, but reformed in 2004, and has since released four more albums ― Size Matters (2004), Monochrome (2006), Seeing Eye Dog (2010) and Dead to the World (2016).

In June 2021 the band released via their website only a limited edition box set entitled “Move On” featuring 4 x 7” singles including the following covers and live tracks:

  • Move on (David Bowie) w/ More Bad News live
  • Mercy (Wire) w/ Rollo live
  • ETI (Blue Oyster Cult) w/ Blacktop live
  • I’m only sleeping (The Beatles) w/ Crisis King live

2023 saw the band return to the studio for it’s ninth album Left which was released by earMusic in November 2023.

CRO-MAGS

“It is 1981 in New York City: a distant planet, hard to see now. Beastie Boys is just being embryonically formed in a rehearsal space somewhere. Elsewhere, Butthole Surfers, Cro-Mags, Motley Crue, Napalm Death, Run- DMC, Sonic Youth, and Wham! are likewise coagulating.”

-Luc Sante “Beastie Revolution” introduction to Beastie Boys Book (2018)

The history of the Cro-Mags is integral to the history of Hardcore, it’s evolution from Punk and the development of alternative music genres such as thrash, cross-over, thrash metal, post punk and grunge to name a few. Numerous iconic bands from Metallica to Green Day, and individuals such as Dave Grohl have credited Cro-Mags with having a primal influence on their development.

The brain child of a very young Harley Flanagan back in 1981 (at the time 14 years old) when still playing with the Stimulators, Flanagan set out to start his own band. By 1982/83 he recorded the very first Cro-Mags demos consisting of 4 songs that would become the blue print for the seminal 1986 “Age of Quarrel.” He wrote all of the music, played each instrument and sang. Before long he was joined by Parris Mayhew and the two started writing music and auditioning band members. 

After several line-ups, 6 album releases (beyond the original demos) and 40 years of tours around the world, Cro-Mags remains one of the most iconic hardcore bands with tremendous reach and influence beyond the genre.  

HIGHBALL ATLANTA

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 11/27/23

On a beautiful autumn weekend in October, Atlanta music lovers descended on the Pullman Yards to be mesmerized and moved by the Futurebirds carefully curated line-up at the first annual Highball Atlanta! Featuring headliners like indie rock gods Band of Horses, indie folk sensations The Head and the Heart, and of course two nights of psychedelic country rockers Futurebirds this was one high energy rock fest!  On top of that, they boasted a local food truck park featuring Grindhouse Burgers and a large “High, There” activation from our friends The Georgia Hemp Co with CBD seltzers to try! Plus, opt for VIP for access to lounge area, separate restrooms, and bar!  


On Saturday, we arrived to get our passes and roamed the grounds, but we so glad to catch a new, American rock band, Wednesday. Out of Asheville and formed in 2017 by lead singer Karly Hartzman, they incorporate great reverb guitars, strong lyrics, all with that rock edge. The last song brought me chills as it was reminiscent of Deftones. Next up was Futurebirds, a band out of Athens, GA that formed at the University of Georgia between King, Womack, Johnson, and Miles. They are a high energy indie rock, psychedelic country mashup band with their first album, Hampton’s Lullaby, in 2010.  

Of the headliners, Friday was Band of Horses. This is a band that John and I listened to a lot when we first got together and when we first bought our home, so they are special to us! Lead by Ben Bridwell, they had a unique sound that no one was really tapping into at the time, an indie, alternative rock for sure but with long, soft, mellow, mesmerizing interludes that followed by classic rock guitar or piano!  We have their first album that came out in 2006, Everything All The Time and fell in love with “The Funeral” and “Is there a Ghost.” The second headliner was The Head and the Heart that performed on Sunday. ️ Lead by singer Josiah Johnson, they’re a lovely, energetic, indie folk band! Out of Seattle, they boast albums like their It’s, the Head and the Heart and most current is Every Shade of Blue. The singer jumped into the pit and engaged the crowd!   

The night before the big two-day festival, Highball threw a pre-party at the Loft in the Center Stage complex with the Jerry Garcia Cover Band out of Athens, GA.  Starting with a VIP band meet and greet and special lounge area, we got to hang out with the band for a while. The music started and the band covered famous Garcia tunes for eager fans. It was a fun night of psychedelic rock. 

We can’t wait to see what next year holds. 

SONIC REBEL’S DEBUT EP, WE MADE THIS WITH OUR HANDS, SET FOR JUNE 17 RELEASE

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/6/21

New Single And Video, “This Vibe,” Out Today
June 24 EP Release Show At Smith’s Olde Bar In Atlanta Announced
Hailed As “Electrifying” By The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 
Sonic Rebel’s Founder Tammy Hurt Collaborates With Grouplove’s Dan Gleason & Ben Homola, TJ Elias And Kevin Spencer On EP
View Video, Created By Greg Ellis (Pretty Lights), HERE

Download / Stream “This Vibe” HERE

 We Made This With Our Hands, the debut EP from Atlanta-based Sonic Rebel, will be released on June 17. The five-song collection calls to mind the genre-fluid discography and live sets that acts like Girl Talk, Beastie Boys, Fatboy Slim and Travis Barker have churned out coupled with the drum ‘n bass rabbit hole Sonic Rebel founder Tammy Hurt fell into for a spell. The sequence on We Made This With Our Hands provides the out, loud and proud, self-proclaimed “kick ass rock and roll drummer” the latitude to churn out a kaleidoscopic medley of sonic treats, aided by Grouplove’s Dan Gleason and Ben Homola, engineer TJ Elias and multi-instrumentalist Kevin Spencer. See below for track listing.
Today, Sonic Rebel shared “This Vibe,” the hypnotic new single from We Made This With Our Hands. Mr. Romanowski’s Dolby Atmos® mix of “This Vibe” will be released tomorrow, May 7 – so grab your headphones. Greg Ellis (aka theLazerShark), who is known for his remarkable lighting production on global tours for Pretty Lights and Steve Aoki, created the official video for “This Vibe” in 4K, which debuted today. View HERE.
Sonic Rebel’s debut live performance will be at Smith’s Olde Bar in Atlanta on Thursday, June 24. The EP release event, which kicks off at 9:00 PM, will also feature a DJ set from special guest Chozen. Tickets are available HERE.
In this feature article, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, hailed Sonic Rebel as “electrifying…[a] fusion of organic instrumentation and electronic razzle-dazzle.” Simply put, Sonic Rebel combines Hurt performing and layering aggressive rock drums over loud guitars, video game soundtracks, hip-hop beats, melodic pop, ambient/electronica orchestrations, and mesmerizing visuals. Beat keeping the bulk of her career for acts such as Paper Dolls, Indigo Girls, She Said!, Van Hunt, Michelle Malone, Wendy Bucklew and Minority Rules, Sonic Rebel is Hurt’s ambitious alter ego that’s evolved from being a traditional “sideman” acoustic drummer to a tenacious hybrid focal point armed with custom tracks perfect for remixes, mashups and licensing.
“I believe most music sounds better with live drums,” says Tammy Hurt, a native of Marietta, GA. “I wanted to give the music I love so much a little more grit and distortion. I can’t wait to start performing these mashups and taking them on the road in front of a live audience.
We Made This With Our Hands was recorded at Big Trouble Recording in Atlanta’s Little Five Points, where it was mixed by GRAMMY® Award-winning mixer Miles Walker. It was mastered by GRAMMY nominee Michael Romanowski at his San Francisco studio. As president of the Georgia Music Accord, Hurt was instrumental in developing the partnership with the GRAMMY Museum Foundation that will bring a GRAMMY Museum to Atlanta. She was featured on Billboard’s 2020 Pride list of industry-shaping LGBTQ executives. Hurt lays out her vision for Sonic Rebel in this mini-documentary.
Track Listing – We Made This With Our Hands
  1. Run
  2. Reign
  3. This Vibe
  4. Air Raid
  5. Big Riff