When Saint Cloud landed in late March 2020, just as the world was sliding into lockdown, it felt less like an album release and more like a dispatch from the future. Here was Katie Crutchfield, the Alabama-born singer-songwriter behind Waxahatchee, standing on the other side of her own personal storm, sending out songs about resilience […]
Author Archives: Megan Anderson
Posted inColumns, Common Chords, Megan Anderson
The Breeders’ ‘Last Splash’: A joyfully warped masterpiece that bends the rules of alt-rock
Bringing it back to these shores, Dayton’s The Breeders may have started as a “side project” for Kim Deal, fresh out of the friction of the Pixies, but by the time Last Splash dropped in 1993, it was clear she wasn’t sidestepping anything — she was building her own empire out of distortion pedals, surf […]
Posted inColumns, Common Chords, Megan Anderson
Wet Leg’s ‘moisturizer’ is art-pop that exfoliates your cynicism
Similar to their sisters in sentiment if not genre, Wet Leg shares Florry’s deadpan vocal style that’s less about detachment and more about agency— using restraint as a form of power. They haven’t abandoned the sarcasm, side-eye, or sing-song taunts that made their 2022 self-titled debut album explode, but this time, they’re wielding those tools […]
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Florry’s ‘Sounds Like…’ finds beauty in imperfection
Still warm from the afterglow of Boat Songs and that moonlit Neil reverie, we drift into Florry’s world — looser, louder, and lit like a backyard hang that turned into a recording session. They’re a Philadelphia crew that comes across less like a band and more like a chosen family, bonded by late nights, shared […]
Posted inColumns, Common Chords, Megan Anderson
Neil Young turns a bank-branded pavilion into church, skips the sermon (and the new album)
Neil Young is one of the very few people on earth who can make a corporate-branded amphitheater feel like a cathedral. Not because he tries to — he doesn’t — but because the gravitational pull of his career, and the stubborn refusal to sand down its jagged edges, turns even a place named after a […]
Posted inColumns
MJ Lenderman channels slacker wisdom and Southern burnout on the brilliant ‘Boat Songs’
Coming off “On the Beach,” we now present to you the closest thing Gen Z has to a modern-day Neil: a slacker poet with a fuzz pedal, a fondness for heartbreak, and a voice that sounds like it’s thinking out loud. MJ Lenderman might not be running from the mainstream, but he sure as hell isn’t […]
Posted inColumns, Common Chords, Megan Anderson
Neil Young’s ‘On the Beach’ still haunts the American Dream half a century later
First, a quick word about what this column is all about. The big idea here at Common Chords is simple: All music is connected. Over the course of this series, we’re going to try to prove it — not with charts or genre tags, but with vibes, guitar tones, and emotional through-lines that make sense if […]
Posted inColumns
Fox Theatre celebrates legacy and community with must-see events all Summer long
From commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Save the Fox campaign to welcoming guests for the fourth annual Archives Day in partnership with the Atlanta History Center, Fox Theatre continues to shine a light on its history rich past while continuing to create new experiences for everyone who steps foot inside. With the Coca-Cola Film […]
Posted inReporter's Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Laughs in Spanish, Universal Parking expansions, Goodwill & Bank of America career fair, Fox Theatre Bourbon Bash, Coca-Cola film series
Horizon Theatre Company Presents Atlanta Premiere of Laughs in Spanish, May 23 -June 22 Part telenovela, part whodunnit, ‘Laughs in Spanish‘ comes to Horizon Theatre May 23 – June 22. High stakes Art Basel is about to begin in Miami, and the art has vanished from Mariana’s trendy modern art gallery! Chaos erupts—and so does laughter— in this fast-paced […]
Posted inReporter's Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Centennial Yards new Downtown ATL entertainment venue, AgLanta Grown, AWARE Wildlife Night Owl 5K, Petals and Poses yoga experience
Centennial Yards Selects Live Nation to Operate Downtown Atlanta’s Newest Iconic Entertainment Venue Photo renderings courtesy of Centennial Yards Company. Centennial Yards Company announced that it has executed a long-term lease with Live Nation, the world’s leading live entertainment company, to bring a new live music and entertainment venue to the heart of Downtown Atlanta. […]
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Applications open for the Fox Theatre’s All-Access Pass Program, providing students a behind-the-curtain look at entertainment jobs
The Fox Theatre’s All-Access Pass Program is a standout educational initiative offering high school juniors and seniors an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at vocational careers in the performing arts. As the newest sector of the Fox Gives initiative, the All-Access Pass Program began in the 2024/2025 academic year with Hart County High School, KIPP Atlanta Collegiate, […]
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April in Atlanta means festivals galore: Dogwood Fest, 420 Fest & Inman Park Fest all return
If you’ve spent a spring in Atlanta you know two things for certain: pollen and festivals. Spring is when everyone emerges from their long winter hibernation to play in the streets once more. This year, April is jam packed with festivals during every upcoming weekend, so although the pollen may hinder your mood — don’t […]
Posted inLatest News
40th Anniversary Virginia-Highland Summerfest returns June 7 and 8 with talent-packed lineup
Virginia-Highland Summerfest made its debut in 1985. Only taking two years off for the pandemic, the festival has continued to be an Atlanta staple for neighborhood regulars and newcomers alike. This year, for its 40th anniversary, Virginia-Highland Summerfest will return on June 7 and 8 to showcase local and regional bands. The festival, which is […]
Posted inColumns
Children’s Museum of Atlanta’s ‘XOXO: An Exhibit About Love & Forgiveness’ offers feelings-focused learning
Children’s Museum of Atlanta’s current exhibit, ‘XOXO: An Exhibit About Love & Forgiveness,’ made its debut in January and will continue until May 4. The exhibit provides the opportunity to think about and explore feelings through a variety of activities designed to help both children and their caregivers understand, appreciate and express their emotions. “At […]
Posted inLatest News
King Center and TK Elevator showcase eight-story visual in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
On Jan. 19, The King Center unveiled an 8-story visual of Martin Luther King Jr. walking hand-in-hand with Coretta Scott King. The digital illustration, designed by Larmarrous Shirley, gleamed from the TK Elevator Innovation and Qualification Center’s (IQC) iconic LED Mesh screen over The Battery. The display, visible from both I-75 and I-285, represents Dr. King’s legacy […]
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Stars aligned at Fox Theatre for Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song
Musical acts and speakers from all genres and walks of life graced the Fox Theatre stage on Sept. 17 to celebrate the upcoming 100th birthday of humanitarian, Nobel Peace Prize winner and “Rock & Roll President” Jimmy Carter. Jason Carter, grandson of Jimmy Carter gave opening remarks of admiration for his “paw paw.” He reminded […]
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Jane Goodall shares life stories, lessons and environmental legacy at Fox Theatre
On Sept. 11, Jane Goodall, world-renowned primate researcher, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, took the the stage in a sold-out Fox Theatre to share recollections about her life in “An Evening with Jane Goodall.” As soon as Goodall’s standing ovation concluded, she asked that Fox Theatre raise the lights over the audience. “I […]
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‘Rock & Roll President’ Jimmy Carter’s 100th birthday celebration at Fox Theatre upholds his musical legacy
I remember meeting a 100-year-old woman in the aisle of a grocery store here in Atlanta back in 2016. She was interested in what I was buying as she “liked to try new things,” but I was more interested in her, as she casually mentioned she had just celebrated her 100th birthday. I asked what […]
Posted inMegan Anderson
Things to do in Atlanta this June to kick-off an unforgettable summer season
Although summer doesn’t technically start until the solstice on June 20, the weather in Georgia is already heating up for the season, and Atlantans are returning to the familiarity of annual events sprawling all over the city. No matter which neighborhood you may find yourself in this summer, there surely will not be a lack […]
Posted inColumns
SweetWater 420 Fest ‘returns to roots’ with free admission and lineup change
SweetWater Brewing announced significant changes to this year’s SweetWater 420 Fest, including an updated lineup and an entirely free concert — with a $10 donation to its nonprofit partner, the Waterkeeper Alliance. The festival will still be held at Pullman Yards on April 20 and 21, and ticketholders who paid the original fee of $245 will be refunded. […]
