Tag Archive for: big night out

RIVAL ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS BIG NIGHT OUT FEAT. LAKE STREET DIVE & MARVELOUS 3

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/12/25

Hosted at the Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark, the Event is Part of a Series of Concerts Under the Stars in Public Spaces

Call off your dogs and grab your freak of the week because Big Night Out is back as a two-part story featuring Lake Street Dive and Marvelous 3, October 03 and 04 at the Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark. Presented by Atlanta festival producer Rival Entertainment, Big Night Out is a series of concerts under the stars in public places, which has included last year’s An Evening with CAKE, Big Boi, Futurebirds, Marcus King Trio, Moon Taxi, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, and others. 

Lake Street Dive, the genre-blending band with a sound described as “if the Beatles and Motown had a party,” will get the party started- headling night one. Hometown heroes Marvelous 3, who have recently enjoyed a resurgence and have recently played three sold-out nights at The Tabernacle to celebrate their 25th anniversary, will close out the festivities on night two. Additional details, including special guests, will be released soon.

Located at the Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark on the Atlanta Beltline Eastside Trail, which hosted last year’s near-capacity crowd, organizers are encouraging fans to take advantage of the proximity of the venue to several landmarks such as Inman Park (.3 miles), Ponce City Market (.5 miles), Krog Market (.6 miles), and Piedmont Park (1.2 miles). While the event will be walkable for many, there will also be a complimentary bicycle valet, ride-share drop-off locations, and nearby parking.

General Admission and VIP ticket options for Big Night Out will go on sale Friday, May 16, through Rival Entertainment at Big Night Out. Lake Street Dive has partnered with PLUS1, donating $1 per ticket to First Peoples Fund and their work supporting artists and culture bearers helping Native communities heal and thrive, and the PLUS1 LA Fires Fund, providing critical relief and long-term recovery support for individuals, families, and communities impacted by the devastating LA wildfires.  Big Night Out is an all-ages event. Free admission for children under seven with a ticketed adult.

Big Night Out is produced by Rival Entertainment. Visit www.BigNightOutATL.com for the most up-to-date information. Stay connected on Facebook @RivalEntertainmentATL and Instagram at @RivalEntertainment. Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark is located at 830 Willoughby Way, Atlanta, Georgia.

BIG NIGHT OUT ATLANTA

Posted by Liz Attaway, 11/4/20

There is a buzz that lifts through the air as the lights dim on stage, you hear several voices raise in excitement, several clap with enthusiasm, while others stand quietly in anticipation. A small group shuffles through the dark to their instruments as the lights go up and blaze into a prism of blues, greens, and reds. The crowd cannot contain itself and erupts in applause, singing, and joy. The future of live music hangs in the balance on this weekend of performances, because if done right, this could be the norm until we “get back to normal.” And Big Night Out is the path forward. With acts like Moon Taxi, Big Boi and his friends, as well as Futurebirds, and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, we can proudly announce that live music is back AND SAFE.

Everything was done to ensure the best concert experience, while keeping the attendees safe. Starting with the mask requirement for public spaces and to maintain a 6-foot distance was key. You can say that they’re required all day long, but without constant reinforcement, some people will have a few drinks and forget. We literally saw a group of people employed to tell people to put their masks back on in public spaces. Second key is the way they handle the crowd. With pods that separated the crowd into 2, 3, 4, and 6 into groups that were socially distanced 6 feet, this is how you keep people safe, yet can enjoy a great show. We wouldn’t be surprised if these “rage cages” caught on and started a trend. Yes, rage cage, write it down, it’s the future of enjoying music safely! Every time I heard this term, Smashing Pumpkins Bullet With Butterfly Wings lyrics pop into my head, “Despite all my rage, I’m still just a rat in a cage.” Insert rage in front of cage! Genius. But, back to pods themselves, this was a great experience in tandem with the mask requirements! We were VERY pleased with the whole experience. Good job, Big Night Out!

On Friday, we saw two fun bands perform, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Moon Taxi. Here’s a little bit about them and some photos!

Reminiscent of semi-local greats like Here Come the Mummies, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong kicked-off Big Night Out Atlanta. From the funky beats, to 70s grooves, to big band tunes, they’re a high-energy band that loves what they do! Maybe it’s the lack of live shows they get to do, but the enthusiasm permeates all their music and gets the audience excited. It culminates in long guitar solos, jams to island sounds, and fun sing-alongs like the Lion King Cover.

What struck us about Moon Taxi is that this is the product of all those years of rock-n-roll rolled up into one good band! The sounds of the 80s, electronica, indie rock, fast/slow rock of the early aughts, 90s reverb all permeate each song. This well-produced, smooth sounding, indie/alt rock group, has a great guitarist, fantastic singer, and a ton of energy. They mentioned that they hadn’t toured in 240+ days and you could feel every minute of the happiness of both the crowd and the band. Turn it up to 11!

Saturday night was delayed due to a huge rainstorm that dumped a boatload of water on the audience. Here’s some photos from that night, courtesy of Drew Dinwiddie.

Futurebirds are touted as an indie rock band with country rock elements, Wiki calls it, ‘Psychedelic Country.” Also according to Wiki, they have toured with Drivin’ & Cryin’, Grace Potter, and performed at big music festivals, like Bonoroo.

The Marcus King Band is a southern rock band out of South Carolina that mixes its sound with blues and big band.

Sunday night was all-in for the local former-Outkast great, Big Boi and boy, did he bring the crew to play!

Mixing in DJs, rock-rap of Kneel’n Rey, Killer Mike, Goodie Mob with CeeLo Green, Sleepy Brown, it was an all-out bass fest.  You could feel it right in the chest, and it was GLORIOUS. Performing OutKast favorites like Rosa Parks, Bombs over Baghdad, to Goodie Mob’s Cell Therapy, there wasn’t a lack of grooving and singing along. Big Boi and his pose always bring so much energy to their performances and this one was the same! I am a little partial to OutKast as they were popular when I was in college back in the day, and I love how much they mix sounds of the late 90s and early aughts with up tempo samples and maybe even a little hint of cotton-eyed Joe mixed in for fun. It was a fun time dancing, singing, and feeling the energy from each performance.

Did we mention we love the term rage cage? That’s really want the pods are and we hope to see more concerts and big festivals go this way. Getting live music back will help our souls and if it’s done this way, we’ll all feel safer for it. Welcome, back live music!

Photo Gallery:

LIVE MUSIC IS BACK IN ATLANTA WITH BIG NIGHT OUT 2020

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 10/4/20

IN CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK OCTOBER 23 – 25, 2020
The Socially Distanced Concert Series will feature: Moon Taxi, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Marcus King Trio, Futurebirds, and Big Boi & Friends
Tickets On Sale Friday, October 2nd at 12 p.m.
 
Atlanta, GA – Live music is back in Atlanta, with the introduction of Big Night Out, a socially distanced concert experience at Centennial Olympic Park, October 23, 24, and 25, 2020. Presented by Rival Entertainment and in coordination with the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, the City’s first-of-its-kind event will feature: Moon Taxi and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, on Friday, Marcus King Trio and Futurebirds, on Saturday, and Big Boi & Friends, featuring KP the Great on Sunday.  Introducing the new norm for live events, fans will be able to get outside and dance within their private pod, which will be available for parties of four or six. A six-foot walkway will be between each pod to provide further distance.
Following the necessary mandates set forth with the introduction of COVID-19, live music was faced with the reality of “first to close, last to open.”  With Big Night Out, Rival Entertainment is introducing a safe and responsible way to enjoy music again. Following State of Georgia and CDC guidance on outdoor gatherings, the event will include health checks, facemask requirements, touch-point hand-wash and sanitation stations, and social distancing. Park capacity will also be reduced by 90% to further the safety of fans, artists, and staff. Full safety information can be found at www.BigNightOutATL.com.
Tickets will go on sale Friday, October 2nd, at 12 p.m., starting at $50 per person plus fees for pods of four and six. Individual tickets are not available, and pods must be purchased as a whole.  For pod options and to purchase tickets, visit www.BigNightOutATL.com. This is an all-ages event. Big Night Out is produced by Rival Entertainment.