Crib Notes

Kazell spins at The Mark tonight

Tonight at the Mark Ultralounge, house music DJ Kazell will spin alongside fellow house DJ Keiran. That should be enough to get anyone who’s ready to dance after a long week to come out — especially if you managed to nab guest list entry before 11 p.m. But the event will also serve as a send off of sorts for the venue, which will be closing temporarily for renovations.

The the two-level Fairlie-Poplar club helmed by “King of Clubs”  Pablo Henderson will resurface, with Henderson involved, according to e-mails from Devin Walkley, co-founder of Liquified, which is hosting the party. Walkley said that more details would be released on Monday. We’ll keep you updated.

As one of the better — if not cozy — club experiences in Atlanta, with proven dedication to electronic acts both major and local, in addition to baller hip-hop nights and recently fringe scenes such as drum and bass, I can only hope the Mark does indeed continue.

(Photo courtesy Liquified Events)

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Your votes are coming in strong — nearly 2,000 in just over a week. Keep them coming! Vote today for Best of Atlanta 2009. You can vote for your favorites through July 31 at clatl.com/bestofatlanta, or vote through Facebook. We’ll publish the results on Sept. 23.

And don’t forget about the Filthy Rich Voting Party coming up next week — July 23, 9 p.m., at the Masquerade. Admission is only $5, with beverages and food included (while the rations last). Attractive Eighties Women and Hardy Morris of Dead Confederate are on the bill, and you can vote onsite.

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Anyone who shares the sentiments of Common’s classic “I Used to Love H.E.R.” will appreciate this piece from Dustin J. Seibert. I’ve often fretted over my love-hate relationship with undeniably addictive hip-hop beats and their often unapologetically ridiculous lyrics. I know you’ve heard it all before, but Seibert is refreshingly eloquent and real here.

(Apologies for the jacked-up cut-and-paste job. Here’s the link to the full article, courtesy BlackVibes.com: http://www.blackvibes.com/features/news/manifesto-grounds-divorce/)

I wish things could be like they were around 1996 when Nas, Biggie, OutKast, Jigga, Wu-Tang, The Pharcyde and Mobb Deep made me realize I wanted to spend the rest of my natural life with you. You were having your renaissance then; I introduced you to my family and friends, and I never kept you far from earshot. But then you got way too big for your baggy britches. Just over a decade ago, they lured you with money into a vapid, formulaic lifestyle, and you bit. You went from gritty rooftop videos in the boroughs to shiny suits and fishbowl cams. Puffy and the Louisianians whispered sweet nothings into your ear, greased your palms, and suddenly what I had to say wasn’t as important. It was like I couldn’t afford you anymore. And it’s gotten progressively worse. The profligacy that the major record labels provided you made you stop picking up the phone when I call; it clouded your judgment and made you put those of us who truly love you on the backburner. Who are these new cats you’re hanging out with? Young Jeezy? OJ Da Juiceman? Gucci Mane? Honestly…aren’t you a little old to be spending time with kids? You know I can’t stand them, yet you bring them to our home at all hours of the night, laughing, smoking and scuffing up my floors. Dudes like them used to grasp at your ankles for relevance, but now they’re big time. What part of the game is that?

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If the showcase at 595 North was intimate, Common’s concert at the Tabernacle on Wednesday, Oct. 8, with openers Janelle Monae and N.E.R.D., was just the opposite: loud, rowdy and packed to the rafters.

The crowd smashed in thick, angling for spots close to the stage. The look was comfortable fashion, not trying too hard but far from straight b-boy/b-girl apparel. Hardly a hoodie to be seen. In fact, birthday boy Chris Ogbuefi celebrated 25 decked in a black button down, alongside a nearby crew comparing Opi and Essie nail polish.

Janelle Monae

The interlude after Monae’s set and before N.E.R.D. seemed to go on forever, but classics from the Sugarhill Gang, Chubb Rock and Mary J. Blige kept folks content. Speaking of Monae, one guy in the crowd who’d never seen her perform had nothing but “awesome” and “hot” to say, referencing her stage diving and incredible guitarist.

N.E.R.D. blasted onto the stage, sending the crowd mad. The vibe was more rock show than hip-hop, complete with crowd surfing, and a few elbows. The makings of a pit seemed underway. The crowd sang along to just about all the songs, though I was disappointed they didn’t do more of their downtempo stuff, especially “Frontin’.” Toward the end of N.E.R.D.’s set, a few girls made their way on stage. By the end of N.E.R.D.’s performance, the stage looked like a video set, with fake money falling from the ceiling, and at least 15 ladies dancing like they hadn’t a care in the world. Nothing nasty, just good fun.

N.E.R.D.

It didn’t take nearly as long for Common to come out, which he did among a bar-like set up — selecting an “Angel” from the crowd a couple songs into his set, to sit and chill with him. By then he was sweatin’ but had all the necessary breath control, bouncing from one side of the stage to the next. Hardly the laid-back performance you might expect, Common’s energy didn’t wane from “The People” to “You Got Me” to some new tracks that were all uptempo and induced plenty of hand-clapping and dancing. Like the 595 show, he busted some freestyles with political and social references, and even some T.I. Indeed, we are all connected, from Chicago to Atlanta.

(Photos by Tara-Lynne Pixley)

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There’s been a slowdown in the number of overseas DJs over the last couple of years, especially with the closing of clubs like Eleven50. But WETBar, the Mark — and with this event, the Glenn hotel — continue to help Atlanta party like we’re across the pond. It’s on the rooftop, and it’s free — but it’s also first-come first-serve, so come come early (10ish).

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Urban Living, CL’s monthly “Shelter from bland living” section, is back, and looking for a few cool homes. Apartments, lofts and condos are also eligible. If you live in a neighborhood where CL is available and your place is unique somehow — interesting-looking, history-filled or funky fun — leave a comment below with a description, or e-mail chante.lagon@creativeloafing.com.

Maybe your love of film noir has turned your pad into a virtual movie set. Or maybe you’ve painstakingly renovated the original 19th-century wood design. Commercial kitchen in the basement? Secret hallways? Panic rooms? That’s all cool stuff.

Once you leave a comment, we’ll follow up and ask for a photo or two. Just keep in mind that if we feature your home in Urban Living this spring, you’ll be opening up your home to CL readers … so tidy up already.

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Normally a venue for tribute bands and the college crowd, Andrews Upstairs gives the stage over to Atlanta’s longtime, hard-working live hip-hop band Heavy Mojo. Through name and lineup changes, the guys still do their thing with incredible chops and energy live. Bellcurve, a new, equally ambient project from Aerial2012’s MichaelAngelo Wolfe, opens. $12. 9:30 p.m.

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Any drum and bass head who hears the phrase “All the massive!” can’t help but get amped. (But then, we’re talking about a relatively hyped group of people.)

Tomorrow’s Mass Transit is definitely a reason to be excited, not only for the stellar DJs lined up, but also in celebration of five years of 404 Audio.

I’m most excited about the Upbeats, who put it down last March, but it will also be interesting to hear live how AK’s hip-hop-inflected style has evolved. $30 (I know!). 10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12. The Masquerade.

AK1200 [Project 51 Records / POTD / Moving Shadow - Orlando, FL]
GRIDLOK [Project 51 Records / Virus / Violence Recordings - San Francisco, CA]
THE UPBEATS [BC Presents / Virus / Project 51 Records - Wellington, NZ]
RANDOM MOVEMENT [Creative Source / Liquid V / InnerGround Records - Columbus, OH]
TESTER
BRANDON B

Hosted by MC RACE ONE

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“SLAMradio,” a new radio talk show on WAOK-AM (1380), debuts tonight from 10-midnight with the topic “celebrity vs. reality.”

The show’s purpose is “to awaken and empower today’s Generation X as well as to keep everyone informed, educated as well as entertained,” according to an e-mail announcement distributed today.

The show is executive-produced by Chuck D, hip-hop pioneer and SLAMjamz label VP (thus the show’s name), and hosted by Enchanted PR’s Christal “CC” Jordan-Mims and Janol “Mecca” Holmes.

Surviving UGK member Bun B will be on hand, along with Chuck D for tonight’s discussion about the “perks and pitfalls of society’s obsession with celebrity life.”

If you’re not too busy clubbing, listeners are asked to call in at 404-892-2703.

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Ah, the pressure of New Year’s Eve. If you don’t do anything, you risk the superstitious result of having a lame 2008. Or maybe you use the “it’s amateur night” excuse to escape making plans. “Everything is too expensive,” is another good, albeit true, one. If you’d like to go out, but want to avoid the above scenarios, here are three worthwhile options:

Funk at the Five Spot. $20. 8 p.m. 1123 Euclid Ave. 404-223-1100. 18 and over. CL readers voted Entropy Atlanta’s Best Local R&B/Soul Act in 2006, and the Athens-to-East Atlanta group just gets better every year. That’s even more true for this show, as members of the P-Funk crew are scheduled to join the band. DJ Rock Most and the Danceformers will also be on hand. The Five Spot is an art-filled, no-frills neighborhood joint, so no worries about the posers who tend to flock to the big bashes. With ladies free before 9 p.m., $3 Terrapin, and $5 Jäger bombs, you can spend your cash on drinks and the Spot’s better-than-average quesadillas and sandwiches while you get funked up.

Drum and bass at the Mark. $15. 9 p.m. 79 Poplar St. 678-904-0050. 21 and over. 180 Degrees and Abstract Logic Recordings bring a bunch of Renegade Hardware DJs to the Mark for NYE 07/08. The main room — with probably the best sound for venues still hosting dnb parties, even if you have to throw ‘bows for dancing room — features Vicious Circle, Nocturnal, Tetradin, Atlanta’s Ideal and MCs Race One and Kakarot on the mic. Catch your breath — maybe, but at least some breathing room — in the lounge with Sunz of Mecha, REL-1, Eric Zbd, Viirus, Lee Stokes, and Wes’ed. All for the low, low price of $15 — less than most non-holiday dnb parties.

Hip-hop at Lenny’s. $5. 8 p.m. 486 Decatur St. 404-577-7721. 21 and over. Dropbombz.com serves your NYE needs with 5 Dollar Holla, a party on the cheap ($5 all night, ladies free before 10 p.m.), where you can also drink cheap ($5 Jäger bombs), but the quality of hip-hop is high. Ishues, Dres Tha Beatnik, Dropbombz, Rising Sons, Mr. SOS and Technolojesus are sure to show you a good time without feeling like you need bottle service to belong.

Whatever you end up doing, happy New Year’s!

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(photo courtesy www.pro-rock.com)

Depending on which side of the Warped Tour ticket aisle you’re on, vocals from Coheed and Cambria’s lead singer Claudio Sanchez — along with the band’s kicky riffs, melodramatic lyrics and even more dramatic storyline — are probably the biggest reasons to wait through the lesser-known acts or arrive earlier for bands that make it truly an all-day event. Opening for C&C on this tour but fully capable of headlining its own, CLUTCH is no such conceptual/nu-rock group, driving home straight-up stompers that you’d expect out of some no-frills guys from Up North. Eight full-length albums in, From Beale Street to Oblivion continues the low-end, gritty rock that’s kept Clutch in the game since ‘91. Look forward to the older stuff, and any side-project tracks they decide to throw into the set. The Fall of Troy also plays. $27. 7:30 p.m. The Tabernacle, 152 Luckie St. 404-659-9022. www.tabernacleatl.com.

For more Sound Menu, click here.

For more See & Do, click here.

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Just as I thought I’d be plastered by guilt for not attending Corndogorama, I can truly say I enjoyed the show, even if I wasn’t actually there.

Around 10:35 p.m. last night, Mastodon’s “Colony of Birchmen” breezed into my open bedroom window — more than a mile away from Lenny’s.

The guys in the band can officially brag, “You could hear us all the way on Moreland!”

(Photo by Mike White, www.deadlydesigns.com)

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