Crib Notes

Since around Thanksgiving of this year the weekly Thursday night Kirkwood Ballers Club experimental open mic night has offered an early, online registration form to level the playing field for musicians who want to play each week, and to stimulate attendance.

This advancement in open-mic technology was hatched after a few disgruntled Ballers started balling about not being able to snag one of the eleven 15-minute slots available each week between 9 and 11:30 p.m.

“We used to have people coming out one week and singing up to come play the following week and we started getting a lot of flack for it,” says KBC founder Randy Castello.

The idea for online registration was spawned by his Tight Bros./Fifth Planet Press cohort Nisa Asokan who is using a similar means of RSVP for a group art show in Spring of 2009.

“It seemed like the right thing to do because not everyone wants to show up between 8:30 and 9 o’clock to sign up,” Randy adds. “Now they can do it from home and when they’re done they can start promoting right then and there. The response has been good and every week we only have about four or five slots left by the time we get there, and we’re seeing lots of new faces and lots of quality stuff.”

***NOTE:  The Kirkwood Ballers Club is canceled this week as it falls on New Year’s Day, but will resume next week at the Regular time and place.***

The Kirkwood Ballers Club takes place at the Highland Inn Ballroom Lounge on Thurs., nights. There’s no cover charge. Doors open 8 p.m. and the music begins at 9 p.m. 644 North Highland Ave. 404-874-5756. RSVP.

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If you want edgy, talk to Randy Castello. He’s earned a rep for nurturing emergent sounds and scenes as the talent buyer for Drunken Unicorn and the man behind Tight Bros Network promotions company. When he announced his split from Drunken Unicorn last week (due to undisclosed, irreconcilable differences), it sounded like the perfect time to talk to him about his evolution and how he has, in turn, affected Atlanta’s.

Continue reading Spotlight.

(Photo by Megan Macksey)

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Long-standing Atlanta punk, hip-hop, indie rock and experimental music booking agent Randy Castello (aka the face of the ubiquitous Tight Bros. Network) announced this weekend that he will no longer be working as “the official talent purchaser” for The Drunken Unicorn, where he has worked as an employee and focused the brunt of his booking activities for the last three years. In his place, Stickfigure Records owner Gavin Frederick has stepped in to fill the position.

When asked why he’s not doing the job anymore, Castello replied, “What, are you looking for some dirt? Who do you think I am, Dres tha Beatnik?”

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