Crib Notes

East Atlanta’s Earl doesn’t usually host musicals (and I don’t think they’re planning on booking Cats or Phantom of the Opera anytime soon), so this Thursday’s show should be out-of-the-ordinary for everyone involved. The Last of the Blue Eyed Devils is a musical of country tunes from members of County Hell, Mastodon, and West End Motel.

They’ve written a cycle of songs that might not end up on Broadway anytime soon, but definitely tell a story set to rootsy, Americana-tinged tunes. “It’s the closest thing I’ve ever done to a musical,” songwriter Tom Cheshire told me earlier this morning. “It’s based on my grandfather, actually. He was a Chilean sailor and each of the songs are based on travels and late nights that I read about in his journal. Like any good musical, there’s a little bit of love, a little bit of laughter, and a lot of loss.”

The band counts six members among them, including Jeff Moore on banjo and pedal steel, Brent Hinds on guitar, and the singing debut of Meredith Griffeth. In case you’ve heard the stories (yes, plural), local ne’er-do-well Brent Hinds has promised to stay out of any fights, at least until after the show. Considering that they’ll be trying something new, Cheshire explained, “We’ll all be on our best behavior.”

Anna Kramer & the Lost Cause open with a special, acoustic set. Thu., Feb. 26. 9 p.m. $7. The Earl. 488 Flat Shoals Ave. www.badearl.com.

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The name rang a bell and then some. And yet I was stunned that, after living in New Orleans for eight years, I’d never officially met Brandt Blocker, an award-winning musical-theater director in a city that loves the genre. Until now. Turns out Blocker’s been living in Atlanta the past three months, taking over as the artistic and general manager for Atlanta Lyric Theatre.

At the tail end of a lengthy chat to catch up on things New Orleans post-Katrina and Atlanta post-relocation, Blocker invited me to come check out the group’s “Summer Spotlight Cabaret at the Lyric” — a weekly series produced by Susan Atkinson of free (with suggested donations) performances Thursdays at 8 p.m. at the Byers Studio Theatre (see map) to provide a break for the summer heat and keep interest alive until the upcoming fall season.

Considering it offered a chance to kill two birds with one stone — meet someone I should’ve met eight years ago, and take a dip in the waters of Atlanta musical theater — I accepted.
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