Non-profit organization, Poverty is Real, based in Decatur, organizes fundraising concerts to aid organizations that work to fight poverty at a local level. Their first show, in June, presented a two-night concert series at Eddie’s Attic, raising $6,500 for Decatur Cooperative Ministry, a local group working to alleviate homelessness in the area.

Their mission is to identify cities throughout the nation and, at each location, join forces with an established organization already combating issues such as poverty, abuse, and homelessness at a local level. They then reach out to local musicians in each city to create a benefit concert series, and all funds raised at the show are infused directly back into the community through a donation to the partner organization.

Their next effort? Tonight they’ve got a fantastic lineup at the 40 Watt in Athens, partnering with an organization called Whatever It Takes, supporting their effort to fight poverty by promoting education in Athens. The benefit will feature some of Athens’ best talent including Futurebirds, Patterson Hood (guitarist and vocalist for Drive By Truckers), Claire Campbell (of Hope For Agoldensummer), Woodfangs, and My Cousin, The Emperor.

“One of the core principles of the Whatever It Takes initiative is collaboration with other organizations to maximize the effect we all have on our community,” said Ryan Lewis, Communications Director of Whatever It Takes. “Partnering with Poverty Is Real and the participating musicians and local businesses gives us an opportunity to showcase the creativity that makes Athens such a special town while providing people with an easy and fun way to help all children in Athens succeed in life.”

By now, you’ve undoubtedly heard about the Save Criminal Records campaign. It had a November deadline for fundraising. There have been countless concerts and rallies to help save Atlanta’s biggest record store and their efforts have made a difference. The store’s here to stay (for now).

Saving them from immediate closure was one step, but keeping them alive is another task. It’s rumored that SCR has saved the best benefit concert for last, and that this weekend’s “Real Criminal Records Benefit” is the final survival effort show.

The Cottage in East Atlanta is hosting Saturday’s “Real Criminal Records Benefit” that’s presenting one of the best lineups of Atlanta-area bands this year. The show is presented by The Cottage, Goldsoundz on WREK, Wholly Roller, Little Advances, Industrial Strength Promotions, Earth Shaking Music, and Casey Yarbrough and Order of the Owl.

The benefit’s lineup features some Atlanta favorites: A Smart, Mediocre Machine, Nomen Novum, Places, New Animal, Small Reactions and Christ-Lord. While Qurious was on the original bill, they’ve bowed out and it’s fitting that Wowser Bowser fills their slot before opening up for Athens pop-outfit, Reptar. You may recognize Reptar from their recent tours with Foster the People and Phantogram.

Here is the full lineup:

6:30PM - A Smart
7:15PM - Mediocre Machine
7:45PM – Nomen Novum
8:15PM - Places
8:45PM - New Animal
9:30PM - Small Reactions
10:15PM - Christ, Lord
11:00PM - Wowser Bowser
11:45PM - Reptar

For those unfamiliar with The Cottage, I’ll provide a little more insight on one of Atlanta’s budding concert venues. The Cottage is a vintage house located about a mile away from East Atlanta Village. It serves to record bands and put on lively house shows. There will be two stages this Saturday evening. Between bands, we recommend checking out the excellent patio space, as well as a rope swing and view of East Atlanta Stone Quarry.

The show is just $5 with all proceeds going to Criminal Records. There will be cheap drinks and catered food. It’ll be a wonderful Saturday evening to spend with some of Atlanta’s best.

The Raconteurs, with only a hand-full of shows of their calendar for 2011, played a sold-out crowed at The Tabernacle this past Sunday night. The supergroup featuring Jack White (The White Stripes), Brendan Benson, Jack Lawrence, and Patrick Keeler (the latter two of The Greenhornes) brought their two albums of material to The Tabernacle with no new material in sight.

That’s not so bad as the crowd seemed to know every word to each song and sang along as they kicked off with the title track from Consolers Of The Lonely before progressing into deeper tracks from Broken Boy Soldiers. Certainly folks may have wondered if Jack White would take a backseat (much like he does with The Dead Weather) to Benson and company, but White was in full rockstar-mode Sunday evening. Brendan Benson also brought along his friend and labelmate, Young Hines, to open up the evening.

Indie rockers and Elephant 6 fans everywhere rejoice. Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel is doing some long-awaited shows in early 2012, as well as an All Tomorrow’s Parties curation gig in the UK that was postponed from this December.

Photo by Phil Dokas

Mangum will be playing one solo show in Atlanta at Variety Playhouse on February 1 and two solo shows at Athens’ 40 Watt Club on February 10 and 11. Tickets for these shows go on sale today, Friday, November 11, at noon. Expect to spend over $30 a ticket. There is a 4 ticket limit per show.

Pick up your tickets here:

Wednesday, February 1 at Variety Playhouse

Friday, February 10 and Saturday, February 11 at the 40 Watt

Following tours with Cut Copy and Green Label Sound label-mates Chromeo in support of their self-titled, full-length with DFA, Holy Ghost! is now hitting North America with a never before seen six-piece live band. Their new single “I Wanted To Tell Her” (featuring Nancy Whang of LCD Soundsystem and Juan MacLean) is available for free download HERE.

They’ll be hitting Atlanta in a couple of weeks and Drive A Faster Car has a pair of tickets to give away. Jump below the flyer for details on how to win.

Holy Ghost!
Monday, November 21
Masquerade – Hell
Doors 8PM | $12 | All Ages

To win a pair of tickets to see Holy Ghost! at the Masquerade on Monday, November 21, comment on Drive A Faster Car’s Facebook Page with why you should win the tickets.

One winner will be chosen at random from the rule abiding contestants and notified via Facebook message by November 18. Upon confirmation, the winner will be awarded two tickets which they will receive at Will Call.

This Fall’s ArtMERGE, presented by MOCA GA, is a little different than their usual event. It will be free, no reservations or RSVPs are required, and it will be hosted at Westside’s The Goat Farm. The Goat Farm has been hosting local bands, art shows, film, theatre and more since 2009 amidst it’s renovation from an nineteenth-century cotton-gin factory to dynamic artist community.

There will be a variety of activities throughout the evening which you can join either independently or via caravan/carpool from MOCA.

5:30 p.m. – Leave MOCA GA. (Be on time; they aren’t waiting.)
6:00 p.m. – Meet at the sign in the Goat Farm parking lot.
6:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. – Tour begins at the Rodriguez Room and continues through the artist open studios.
7:15 p.m. – Blacksmithing demo by Corrina Sephora Mensoff.
7:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Shop in the Artist Market and revisit artist studios.
8:00 p.m. – Leave for MOCA GA. Independent travelers may stay as long as they wish. There are lots of places to eat on the Westside.

The tour will be guided by Corrina Sephora Mensoff, a Goat Farm studio resident. MOCA instructs to meet at the sign in the parking area which says you can’t park beyond this sign if you’d like to join and to dress for the weather with shoes appropriate for gravel trekking.

ArtMERGE will feature: 

• Rodriguez Room - The current exhibition in this gallery is Flowing as Water, a collaborative piece featuring the work of Corrina Sephora Mensoff (sculptural installation and paintings), Matt Gilbert (animations); and Ana Balka (sound).
• Goodson Yard - Tindel Michi/Amandine Drouet installation exhibition entitled “The Second Coming” is in the building and sculptures by Corrina Sephora Mensoff in the adjacent courtyard.
• Café/ Library - Beer, wine, water and soda available - Cash Bar
• Open Studios - Among the artists opening their studios are the following: David Baerwalde, Jane Garver (sculptor), Mark Hopper (metalwork), Tian Justman (fashion design), Ingrid Magnuson, Corrina Sephora Mensoff (metalwork), Dee Naalam (photography and mixed media), John Paul, and Vanessa Vadim (collages and recycled materials.) Also participating will be The Creatives Project “Artists in Studio” as follows:  Justin Rabideau & Nikki Starz (sculpture); Hannah Perner Wilson & Ashley Schick (printmaking and fabric arts); and Brandon Sadler and Marcy Starz (painting).
• Artist Market - Among the participating artists are Robin Canedy, Chelsea Darling, Emily Fisher, Robert Harrison, Tian Justman, Corrina Sephora Mensoff, Dee Naalam, and Vanessa Vadim, and Hannah Perner Wilson.
• Artist Performances will be presented by Neda Abghari, Chelsea Darling (fire performance), Robert Harrison (fire sculptures), Mark Hopper (mini-bronze pour); Corrina Sephora Mensoff (blacksmithing demonstration at 7:15pm) + the Glo Atlanta dancers will be doing a roving dance performance.

Here’s the latest video, “It’s Real,” by Domino Records’ newest lo-fi pop band, Real Estate. Their second album Days was released a few weeks ago and they’ve hit the road in support of it but have yet to announce any Fall tour dates closer than Memphis on their US tour. You may recognize Real Estate from last year’s opening slot with Girls. Check it out.

“Baby Missiles” is the first video from Philadelphia’s The War On Drugs new album, Slave Ambient, now out on Secretly Canadian.

The War On Drugs are heading South to Atlanta for a show at The Earl on Thursday, October 13th in support of this new album, with openers Purling Hiss and Carter Tanton.

Their bio impressively manages to omit any “rootsy” description sans the mention of their Springsteen, Petty and Dylan influences. To their credit, TWOD does bring rootsy well to an indie crowd by interlacing synths and organs, layering the instrumentals on thickly, unlike their influences’ stripped down no-fuss guitar-driven anthems.

West Elm and Etsy (swoon) are dropping into Atlantic Station on Thursday, August 11 to show off art, crafts and handmade goods from local etsy designers curated by Ginny Branch of New York-based My Favorite Color is Shiny.

I’m not entirely sure why they didn’t chose to leverage the score of local crafty badasses to help curate and would have been more impressed if they tried to rally with the likes of Atlanta’s Indie Craft Experience. Regardless, it should be a fun event and they’re bringing drinks, snacks and tunes!

RSVP to attend on their Facebook event.

This is a-freaking-mazing.