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8 greatest punk shows in Atlanta

Thursday, October 2nd, 2008

Sex Pistols at the Great Southeast Music Hall — Jan. 5, 1978
Delayed by visa troubles, the Pistols missed their New York tour dates, so they wound up playing their first U.S. show in Atlanta. They opened with “God Save the Queen,” after which Johnny Rotten told the crowd: “You can all stop staring at us now. We’re ugly and we know it.” Nine days later, the band was history.

Iggy Pop at 688 — 1980
The post-Stooges Iggy played at 688 every night for a week a few months after the club opened, forming a meaningful relationship with the metal pole in the middle of the stage. His set list, written on the wall, remained there for years afterward.

Ramones at the Agora Ballroom — early 1980s
Joey and the boys played Atlanta many times from the late ’70s through the mid-’90s (before they died), but are most fondly remembered from their shows at the Agora.

Read more here.

(Courtesy 688 Club)

Punk memories from years past

Thursday, September 11th, 2008

Were you at the Sex Pistols’ show at the Great Southeast Music Hall in 1978? Did you hang with GG Allin while he shopped for jock straps? Did you hook up with Wendy O. Williams after a show in Atlanta? Is your idea of a perfect rap song “Institutionalized” by Suicidal Tendencies?

On Oct. 4, the Masquerade Music Park will host the Metroplex/688 Reunion, an event celebrating the legacies of Atlanta’s two greatest punk music venues. In preparation for that happy day, CL would like to collect your memories of the city’s punk scene back in the day.

We invite you to send us your anecdotes, reminiscences and drug-fueled fever dreams about punk’s heyday in Atlanta. What were your favorite punk venues? Favorite local punk bands? Shows you’ll never forget? Crazy stories? Send ‘em on!

You can either comment to this posting or you can e-mail longer items to scott.henry@creativeloafing.com. I’m working on an article about Atlanta’s punk scene and would appreciate your contributions – you stinkin’ pigs!

688 reunion scheduled for Sat., Oct. 4 / Atlanta Music Museum launched

Sunday, August 24th, 2008

688.jpg

It’s official. The 688 reunion show is happening for real at The Masquerade on Sat., Oct. 4th. The show features reunions from several Atlanta bands from various eras gone by, all of home honed their chops at the gone but not forgotten 688 Club.

The show is set up up partially to benefit The Atlanta Music Museum, which serves as an online preservation site that’s dedicated to preserving Atlanta music history.

Regarding the reunion show, the Restraints reunion is the most unexpected addition to the bill. The group’s vocalist Chris Wood died in prison many years ago. More on this as the story develops.