Steel Panther: All You Can Eat Tour

Steel Panther at The Tabernacle in Atlanta, Ga.
Photography by Bonnie M. Morét

 

The Tabernacle in Atlanta, Ga., was the place to be on April 27th for Steel Panther's All You Can Eat Tour. Their glam rock parody show was quite the party. 

Highlights below:

NOFX + Special Guests: The Hepatitis Bathtub Tour

Big Mike of NOFX

Punk Rock ruled the Tabernacle on Monday, April 25th, with NOFX, Direct Hit, Mean Jeans & KarbomB. 

Below are highlights of the evening:

Sunday was a Marvelous Night for a Moondance: Sir Van Morrison Wows Atlanta

Sir Van Morrison
Photography by Bonnie M. Morét

 

Dressed in his signature fedora, shades and suit, Sir Van Morrison (newly-knighted in February) played to a packed Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park on Sunday, April 24.  Singing classics mixed with covers, Sir Van wowed the crowd with the following set list: 

All Work and No Play

Close Enough for Jazz

By His Grace

Someone Like You

Wavelength

Sometimes We Cry

Real Real Gone

Baby, Please Don't Go / Parchman Farm / Don't Start Crying Now

Georgia on My Mind

Wild Night

Days Like This

Precious Time

I Can't Stop Loving You

Moondance

Brown Eyed Girl

Crazy Love

Whenever God Shines His Light

In the Garden

Jackie Wilson Said

Think Twice Before You Go

Gloria  

Below are highlights of the show:

2016 Atlanta Jazz Festival Press Conference

 2016 Atlanta Jazz Festival Poster Artist Yoyo Ferro with his wife,
Mayor Kasim Reed and Camille Russell Love.
Photography by Bonnie M. Morét

On Tuesday, April 5th, details about the 2016 Atlanta Jazz Festival were announced at a press conference at Atlanta City Hall with Mayor Kasim Reed.

“We are excited about the lineup for this year’s Atlanta Jazz Festival,” says Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “As our city becomes more international and our population younger, we are booking the festival to welcome these new audiences.  From the soulful groove of Gregory Porter, the hip-hop inspired brass of Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, and the sensuous stylings of Brazilian songstress Eliane Elias, we’ve got a wide variety of jazz flavors on three stages. And admission is free! Make plans now to join us for the 39^th Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival in Piedmont Park over Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-29.”

Complete lineup below:

2016 Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival

Stilt Walker at 2016 Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival
Photography by Bonnie M. Morét

Beautiful Blackburn Park hosted the Second Annual Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival on April 2nd and 3rd.  A myriad of activities, along with a kid- and pet-friendly atmosphere, it was the perfect place to meet friends, bring out-of- town guests or spend time with your family.

Sunday's highlights below:

America at Atlanta Symphony Hall on April 1st

America: Rich Campbell, Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley, Ryland Steen and Bill Worrell
 Photography by Bonnie M. Morét

America is a rock band that formed in England in 1970 by multi-instrumentalists Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek, and Gerry Beckley. The trio first met as sons of U.S. Air Force personnel stationed in London, where they began performing live.  Shortly after the members' graduation from high school, a record deal with Warner Bros. Records was in the works. 

Their first album was recorded at Trident Studios in London and produced by Ian Samwell.  Jeff Dexter, Ian's roommate was involved with the music business himself. He co-produced the album and became the trio's manager. 

The debut album was released in 1971 to only moderate success, although it sold well in the Netherlands, where Dexter had taken them as a training ground to practice their craft. Samwell and Dexter subsequently brought the trio to Morgan Studios to record several additional songs.  One of them was a Bunnell composition called "Desert Song." 

The song had its public debut at The Harrogate Festival, four days later, to great audience response. After several performances and a TV show, it was re-titled "A Horse with No Name."   The song became a major worldwide hit in early 1972. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in March 1972. America's debut album was re-released with the hit song added and quickly went platinum.  

Dan Peek left the group in May 1977, to begin his solo career.  He was an early pioneer of Christian music.  He died in his sleep on  July 24, 2011. 

With over forty years in the music business and a myriad of hits, the sound of America continues. Below are the set list from their performance and highlights Atlanta Symphony Hall on April 1st:

Set List: 

Tin Man

You Can Do Magic

Don't Cross the River

Daisy Jane

Riverside

I Need You

Here

Ventura Highway

Driving

Woodstock - (Joni Mitchell cover)

Cornwall Blank / Hollywood

'Til I Hear It From You - (Gin Blossoms cover)

The Border

Green Monkey

Woman Tonight

Only in Your Heart

California Dreamin' - (The Mamas & the Papas cover)

Lonely People

Sandman

Sister Golden Hair  

Encore:

A Horse With No Name