Arts & Events
As concert venues remain closed, parking lot concerts keep live music going
Atlanta's live music venues can re-open on July 1, but most are staying shut for now. Enter: the Parking Lot Concert series.
Q&A: KP The Great on his path from artist to executive, protest music, and more
Kawan “KP The Great” Prather’s multi-hyphenated career in the music business all started with him simply asking questions. The Vine City native hopped on the phone to chat about his storied career in the music business, making protest music, and his next ventures.
How Living Walls continues to inspire during the pandemic
Monica Campana, who launched Living Walls in the wake of the Great Recession with only $4,000—kickstarting a mural movement in the city that eventually would attract international artists—has witnessed the power of public art in trying times.
HBO is offering Atlanta-filmed Watchmen free to stream this weekend
HBO will offer all nine episodes of the critically acclaimed Atlanta-filmed series—which focuses heavily on themes of systemic racism, particularly in the police system—for free this weekend on its website.
News, memes, and activism: how Butter.ATL strives to tell authentic Atlanta stories
With over 60,000-plus followers on Instagram alone, Butter.ATL averages over 1.5 million monthly impressions online. More than half of their audience comes from the metro area. But in light of protests sparked by the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, there seemed to be less of a need for ATL-themed quarantine games and more of an opportunity to use the platform for community dialogue.
On The Daily Show, Trevor Noah addresses the death of Rayshard Brooks: “You don’t deserve to die for being drunk.”
On The Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noah—the filmed-at-home version of Comedy Central's The Daily Show—Noah discussed the "messy" killing of Rayshard Brooks by an Atlanta Police officer.
If Atlanta’s most famous hip-hop stars want to participate in activism, they’ll have to reckon with their own elite statuses
While it’s certainly possible to both empathize with protesters and feel pained to see the city in chaos, Atlanta's mainstream hip-hop artists also benefit financially from encouraging peace. As entrepreneurs and longtime ambassadors of a city that is a hub for Black businesses, their economic success and the continued growth of Atlanta are indisputably linked. Even if they came from the Black working class and genuinely wish to advocate for them, refusing to acknowledge this reality dilutes their messages.
Making of a legend: A new John Lewis documentary explores his many heroic stands
Because the documentary explores John Lewis’s life, it is also, by necessity, a contemplation of heroism and sacrifice, by people like him who came from the humblest of origins.
Skooly’s pandemic album release party didn’t feel like a pandemic event
Georgia's live performance venues, nightclubs, and bars are closed through at least the end of the month, but Atlanta rapper Skooly still had a new album to promote.
Things to do
What’s it like taking your kids to the zoo during a pandemic?
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the closing of schools, daycares, and attractions around the city, it’s become harder to fill the time. But a friend suggested I take my two young kids to Zoo Atlanta, and after learning about the safety measures, I decided to give it a try.
Bored? Atlanta theaters, museums, bars, artists, and more share digital shows and activities
If you’re getting antsy while staying home on lockdown, we’ve rounded up some of the city’s digital offerings from theater to cocktail hours.
5 Atlanta events you won’t want to miss: March 6-10
Atlanta United holds its home opener against Cincinnati, the Atlanta Science Festival kicks off, and Phoenix Flies spotlights Atlanta's history
Theater
After 25 years of leading Theatrical Outfit, director Tom Key takes a final bow
Tom Key planned to exit on a note of fanfare this spring, ending his 25-year run as artistic director of Theatrical Outfit, one of Atlanta’s oldest professional theater companies. COVID-19 intervened, but Key’s vision for producing theater that enlightens and uplifts eventually will prevail under the direction of his replacement, Matt Torney.
True Colors’ production of School Girls sparks conversation about colorism and pretty privilege
Director Tinashe Kajese-Bolden will bring Jocelyn Bioh’s School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play to life at True Colors Theatre Company, February 11 to March 8, as part of its She Griots season, in which black women star in or have written all shows.
The Bakery—an inclusive, experimental arts center—is but a moment in time. And that’s okay.
In October 2017, Willow Goldstein and her mother Olive Hagemeier opened the doors of the Bakery, what would become a constantly churning complex of spaces popular with young, queer, and creative Atlantans that have hosted large-scale puppet shows, space-rock operas, escape rooms, and so much more.
Visual Arts
Delicacy and strength coalesce in Atlanta artist Niki Zarrabi’s floral paintings
Painter Niki Zarrabi is not the first artist to draw inspiration from the femininity, fertility, and mortality of flowers, but her surrealist series on the subject, Femme Petale, feels fresh and modern.
How Living Walls continues to inspire during the pandemic
Monica Campana, who launched Living Walls in the wake of the Great Recession with only $4,000—kickstarting a mural movement in the city that eventually would attract international artists—has witnessed the power of public art in trying times.
From Yeezus to Nike: Your guide to the High Museum’s Virgil Abloh exhibition
The exhibition at Atlanta's High Museum of Art is like taking a walk through Virgil Abloh’s creative genius, including a mix of garments, video, music, rare sneakers, and works by his contemporaries.
Music
Q&A: KP The Great on his path from artist to executive, protest music, and more
Kawan “KP The Great” Prather’s multi-hyphenated career in the music business all started with him simply asking questions. The Vine City native hopped on the phone to chat about his storied career in the music business, making protest music, and his next ventures.
Remembering Little Richard, the Macon-born “architect of rock ‘n’ roll”
“He shaped musicians like Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Prince, and influenced how people dress and how they define themselves today,” says David Kirby, author of Little Richard: The Birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll. “He dreamed up a world that nobody thought possible.”
For Atlanta’s hip-hop and R&B artists, Instagram Live has become an unexpected source of community
With touring and recording largely halted due to the coronavirus outbreak, some of the city's most famous talents are connecting with fans through live battles, performances, and karaoke sessions.
Film
Making of a legend: A new John Lewis documentary explores his many heroic stands
Because the documentary explores John Lewis’s life, it is also, by necessity, a contemplation of heroism and sacrifice, by people like him who came from the humblest of origins.
What was filming in Atlanta now: How the film industry reacted to COVID-19 and what shot before sets closed
Like everything else, COVID-19 has put a temporary pause on the Hollywood of the South. But here's a roundup of what filmed in early March and how the virus has impacted the industry so far.
Where to stream Atlanta-filmed movies and TV shows
Looking for something to stream while social distancing? We've rounded up where you can find tons of Atlanta-filmed movies and TV shows.
