Month: July 2013

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The Nerve DJ’s 10th Anniversary at the Crowe’s Nest in College Park, Atlanta


The Nerve DJs are a Cleveland, Ohio-based coalition, but they decided to hold their 10th Anniversary weekend in Atlanta, Georgia, and I was an invited speaker. The event was held at the Crowe’s Nest in College Park, and many well-known industry people were present, including Janie Jennings of Industry Works and DJs United, veteran Cleveland DJ Cochise and Kermit Henderson of East Cleveland One-Stop. Although the event started late, resulting in the cancellation of some of the panels, it was a lot of fun, awards were given out, and a lot of artists got to perform.

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Big Oomp Records (@OOMPCAMPitsago) at Old National Discount Mall


There used to be Big Oomp Records stores all over Atlanta, not only in the flea markets and discount malls, but also freestanding store locations on Campbellton Road, on Ralph Abernathy Boulevard in the West End, and in Smyrna. Most of these have closed over the last several years, so I was thrilled to see that the Big Oomp location at the Old National Discount Mall in College Park is still up and running, with plenty of DJ Jelly mixtapes. As I walked past, they were playing a new song in memory of Trayvon Martin by Pastor Troy, whose new album The Streets Need You is due out July 30 from Madd Society Records and Select-O-Hits Music Distribution.

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Grabbing a Breakfast at Hilda’s in Atlanta’s Irwin Street Market


I had neither heard of Hilda’s nor the Irwin Street Market before I read about them on Yelp, but I decided to go there for breakfast last Saturday, and I’m glad I did. Hilda’s is a little breakfast cafe inside the Irwin Street Market in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward/Inman Park area, and it features a small menu of breakfast items which includes omelettes. Prices are reasonable, and the food and coffee are good. Besides Hilda’s, the market also includes a Mexican restaurant and Jake’s Ice Cream, which I didn’t try but which looked truly delectable.

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The Bo-Keys and William Bell Celebrate the Recording Academy’s 40th at the @LevittShell @Grammy365 @Electraphonic


Memphis soul revivalists The Bo-Keys have played a huge role in the rebirth of interest in the classic Memphis sound, and they have frequently provided the backing for Memphis soul great William Bell, so it was not at all surprising that Bell was tapped to perform at the Recording Academy celebration. He performed several of his biggest hits, including “I Forgot To Be Your Lover”, probably his biggest hit ever.

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Carla and Marvel Thomas Perform at the @LevittShell @Grammy365


First lady of Memphis soul Carla Thomas and her brother Marvel Thomas made rare Memphis appearances on Saturday night July 13 at the 40th Anniversary Concert of the Memphis chapter of The Recording Academy at the Levitt Shell. They performed several songs that had been written or made famous by their father, the late Rufus Thomas. Rufus and Carla’s unexpected meeting with Jim Stewart as Stax Records was moving into the old Capital Theatre on McLemore Avenue led to the label embracing the recording of Black music instead of the country and rockabilly they had intended to record, and thus changed the whole history of Memphis music.

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Shannon McNally (@McNally) Live at @LevittShell @Grammy365


Originally from the New York area, blues-roots singer Shannon McNally has lived a little bit of everywhere, from Austin to New Orleans, before choosing to settle down in North Mississippi. She has garnered national attention for her most recent release Small Town Talk, an album which celebrates the late Louisiana songwriter Bobby Charles, and has been extremely active in both the Memphis and North Mississippi music scenes. Her appearance at the 40th Anniversary concert of the Memphis Recording Academy chapter included a rousing rendition of “Ain’t No Love In The Heart of the City” and a couple of Bobby Charles compositions from her recent album.