Ticket Alternative Giveways

As you no doubt know by now, we are a proud Ticket Alternative vendor, selling tickets to many of Atlanta's finest music venues with far less surcharges than that other, giant service that rhymes with Clicketsasster. Well, our TA friends gave us a pair of giveaway tickets for a TON of shows in honor of Record Store Day. Then RSD came in like a lion, sparing no one with its stampede-inducing claws (wha?), and we didn't get a chance to properly promote all the free shows we have up for grabs. Check out the list below and stop by to enter. Lots of great stuff!

Thursday, April 28: Silverstein/Bayside @ Center Stage
Monday, May 2: CSS/Sleigh Bells @ Center Stage
Wednesday, May 4: Daylights @ Drunken Unicorn
Sunday, May 8: Phosphorescent @ The EARL
Monday, May 9: Wintersleep @ The EARL
Thursday, May 12: Legendary JC's @ The EARL
Friday, May 13: The Kicks @ Smith's Olde Bar
Saturday, May 14: Please PleaseRockMe @ Smith's Olde Bar
Sunday, May 15: A Thousand Horses @ Smith's Olde Bar
Friday, May 20: Mogwai @ Center Stage
Saturday, May 21: Hackensaw Boys @ Smith's Olde Bar
Saturday, May 28: Packway Handle Band @ Smith's Olde Bar
Sunday, May 29: Brian Olive @ Smith's Olde Bar

Floating Coats Photos

If you weren't here on Saturday, you missed one heck of a performance from the one and only Floating Coats. The boys brought a torpedo keg of Sweet Water 420, which was promptly drained, and played for upwards of an hour and a half, selling a fat stack of their debut CD in the process. As always, it was a joy to have them on the DCD stage. Oh, and we took a few photos...

New. Release. Tuesday.

Pretty solid release week we've got here. Barring the tornadoes don't KILL US ALL tonight, those of you who have yet to make it in to the store to check out the fancy new bounty will still have the opportunity. Kidding! We're all going to be fine. (Hopefully.) Tornadic apocalypse or no, here's the latest and greatest on the shelves at good old DCD:

Rolling Stones (singles box set, '71-'06)
Emmylou Harris
Steve Earle
Explosions in the Sky
Times New Viking
Florence + the Machine (deluxe)
Poly Styrene
Tab Benoit
Of Montreal (EP)
Bootsy Collins
Thao & Mirah
About Group (Hot Chip side project)
Boris
Cass McCombs
T. Rex (reissues)
Holy Ghost
Eric Alexander
Augustana
...and more!

Floating Coats in-store and CD release this Saturday!

This Saturday, April 23, our pals in the Floating Coats will hold their CD-release party right here at Decatur CD. For the unfamiliar, the Coats have played in this store more times than we can remember at this point, certainly as much if not more than any other act in the entire universe, stretching as far back as That Foul Year Of Our Lord Twenty Ought Six, according to our blog. Well, these old-school DCD gangstas are releasing their debut CD, Old Overcoat, and dang it if we're not gonna celebrate. They'll perform at 7 p.m. and have told us they'll be bringing "plenty of beverages" to boot. Sounds like fun to us. Sign up at their Facebook event page, come by and see us Saturday night, and be sure to request that one song about the Atlanta Hawks.

New. Release. Tuesday.

Believe it or not, we're still kind of recovering from the most epic Record Store Day EVER. So, to the release list then!

The Kinks (deluxe reissues)
Gorillaz
Queens of the Stone Age (debut reissue)
Steve Miller
Mike Birbiglia (comedy)
I'm From Barcelona
MF Doom (box set)
Tune-Yards
The Belle Brigade
Bob Schneider
Ralph Stanley
Brian Setzer
...and more!

Record Store Day Info

Here's what we're up to today...stop by and see us!

* There are more than 300 Record Store Day exclusive releases coming out on Saturday, which is an unwieldy number to say the least. We're working our way through the stuff we got, and there is a TON. So, here's a cursory glance at some of the highlights. Please know there will be much more... Mumford & Sons 10", Fleet Foxes 12" single, Beady Eye 7-inch box set, Numero group compilation LP/CD/cassette, Civil Wars 7", My Morning Jacket vinyl reissues, Grinderman 12" single, Akron/Family LP, The Seeds 10", Tom Petty vinyl reissues, Guided By Voices tribute LP/CD, Franz Ferdinand covers LP, Vivian Girls 7", Jimi Hendrix tribute CD, Wild Flag 7", Bad Brains vinyl reissue, Crowded House vinyl reissue, Dio picture disc, Beach Boys 10", Of Montreal 12" single, Neurosis LP reissue, Sacred Bones LP compilation, Television live LP, Hank III vinyl reissues, Mississippi John Hurt LP reissue, James Blake LP, Lady Gaga picture disc, Foo Fighters rarities LP, etc. etc. etc. It's an intense batch of awesome stuff, and some of it is very limited.
* A special one-day-only 40% off sale on select non-RSD vinyl. Now, this is hand-selected stuff, which we will mark with stickers, and NOT all the other non-RSD vinyl. That's an important distinction to make, but we'll make it very clear and keep this stuff all together in the same spot. This special sale section will include titles from the likes of The Hold Steady, Cocorosie, Jonathan Richman, The Gossip, Metallica, Butch Walker, The Sadies, Josh Ritter, Tom Petty, Cold War Kids, Midlake, Ted Leo, Devo, Eric Clapton, Band of Horses and much more. We figure people are going to have vinyl fever on Saturday and the only prescription is a more vinyl!
* Starting at noon, we'll have Community BBQ sliders. What kind of sliders? Our man Stuart elaborates: "smoked brisket braised slowly with onions, garlic and Kansas City-style bbq sauce." Sounds good to us. Stuart will also be bringing a side to go with the sliders. We're getting hungry just thinking about it. Speaking of Community, were you aware they did catering? It's true! Check our their website for more details.
* Free beer all day (21+ only, of course), from our friends at Magic Hat Brewing. They've dropped off a veritable buttload of their spring seasonal, Vinyl lager, a drink we've featured here in the store at events past, and which the brewery describes thusly: "a beer with a deep amber hue, sweet malt taste and a slight balancing hop touch." Yum! Frankly, we couldn't think of a more aptly-named brew to drink while celebrating Record Store Day.
* The one and only King of Pops will be brandishing his chilled-out treats in front of the store starting around 2 p.m. This will be weather permitting, of course, so put in a good word with Mother Nature for us! If you've had a pop or two in the past, either the last time the King stopped by DCD or at any of his myriad other spots around the city, you know these things are the real deal and sooo tasty.
* Tickets giveaways from our friends at Ticket Alternative! We'll have a box for first names and phone numbers on this one, and while we're still confirming the full show list, it will include the likes of Phosphorescent, Wintersleep, Sleigh Bells, Mogwai, The Daylights and Sleigh Bells. Pretty sweet lineup, if we say so ourselves. Thanks, Ticket Alternative!

Record Store Day Cometh!

Just in case you had somehow forgotten, despite our insistent reminders in recent months, Record Store Day is this very Saturday, April 16! We'll have an email with more information about everything we have planned in the next couple days, but for now, hang tight and plan to be here this weekend! We can't wait.

New. Release. Tuesday.

Boy howdy, is this a big release week! It's almost like a special day is coming up, a day dedicated to records and record stores, a Record Store Day, if you will. Ha, if only! Anyway, lots of great stuff this week, and we've typed it all up in handy list form below. Go on, now, have a look:

TV on the Radio
Paul Simon
Alison Krauss
Foo Fighters
Bob Dylan (live, 1963)
Panda Bear
Meat Puppets
K.D. Lang
Low
Elbow
Rebirth Brass Band
Bell X1
Ponytail
Giant Sand
Crystal Stilts
Preservation Jazz Hall Band
Atmosphere
Vivian Girls
...and more!

Two Caroline Herring Release Shows at Eddie's Attic

Perhaps you've heard of Kickstarter, the self-proclaimed "largest funding platform in the world." It's a website that's helped myriad artistic projects around Georgia, from Chunklet's Indie Cred Test book to Kevn Kinney's upcoming album. It's a great site, where worthy artists can raise money for myriad endeavors, and those that contribute are treated to excellent rewards.

One of the latest Kickstarter success stories is Decatur's own Caroline Herring. We've been big supporters of her for a while, so seeing that her forthcoming album was more than doubly funded by friends and fans was an excellent thing indeed. It's a children's album called The Little House Songs, and we'll let Caroline's blurb from her Kickstarter page describe it:

"Last fall I decided to write an album of songs based on my children's favorite books. After sitting down with a big stack of them, I realized I simply couldn't get past the book on the top of the stack, The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton. “Once upon a time there was a little house, way out in the country…” The small and sturdy pink house wonders about those city lights far in the distance, and Burton describes and illustrates in great and wondrous detail how the city comes to surround her. Is there a way out for a dilapidated little house that longs to see the stars again? Described as one of the most beloved children’s books of the 20th century, The Little House inspired me as a child. Both of my children, Carrie and Sam, love the book as much as I did."

To celebrate, Caroline is playing two shows at Eddie's Attic next weekend. Here's the low down, via her website: "Come to Caroline's huge CD release party for her new children's album, The Little House Songs, based on the book The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton. There will be two shows on Saturday, April 16th at Eddie's Attic. Children of all ages are welcome! Caroline and her quartet will also have a show on Friday night, April 15th for those who like her music for adults..."

Sounds like fun to us! See you there, folks.

Decatur CD's Upcoming Show Guide - April

How long has it been since we posted a monthly show calendar? Tell you what, don't remind us. Instead, take a look below at all the crazy-awesomeness April has to offer, and remember: We can sell you admittance to any of the shows at Ticket Alternative venues.

TONIGHT: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart @ The EARL (SOLD OUT)
TONIGHT: Chris Cornell @ Center Stage
April 6: Joe Pug @ The EARL (early show)
April 6: Warpaint @ The EARL (late show)
April 7: The Infamous Stringdusters @ The Five Spot
April 7: J. Mascis, Kurt Vile @ The EARL
April 7: Lyrics Born @ The Masquerade
April 7: The Mountain Goats, Megafaun @ Variety Playhouse
April 8: Destroyer, The War on Drugs @ The EARL
April 8: Ricky Skaggs @ Variety Playhouse
April 8: Scissor Sisters @ The Tabernacle
April 8: Tedeschi Trucks Band @ Center Stage
April 9: Amos Lee, Mutlu @ Variety Playhouse (SOLD OUT)
April 9: Citizen Cope @ Center Stage
April 9: Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross @ Philips Arena
April 10: Carrie Newcomer @ Eddie's Attic
April 10: Floor, Hawks @ The EARL
April 14: Coheed and Cambria @ The Tabernacle
April 14: Fitz & The Tantrums @ The Loft
April 14: The Greenhornes @ The Masquerade
April 14: Jason Isbell, Maria Taylor @ The EARL
April 15: Caroline Herring @ Eddie's Attic
April 15: The Builders & The Butchers, Damion Suomi @ Drunken Unicorn
April 15: Atlanta Mess Around, Day One (Mickey, GG King, Hunx & His Punx, Oblivians, more)
April 15: The Raveonettes @ The Masquerade
April 15: Wanda Jackson @ The Loft
April 16: Atlanta Mess Around, Day Two (The Half Rats, White Mystery, Mind Spiders, Testors, more)
April 16: Caroline Herring @ Eddie's Attic
April 17: British Sea Power @ The EARL
April 17: Taj Mahal @ Variety Playhouse
April 18: Acid Mother's Temple, Shilpa Ray @ The EARL
April 18: Lady Gaga @ The Arena at Gwinnett Center
April 19: Bob Seger @ Philips Arena
April 19: Langhorne Slim @ The EARL
April 20: Overnight Lows @ The EARL
April 21-22: Joe Lovano @ Rialto Center for the Arts
April 22: Ponderosa @ Smith's Olde Bar
April 22: Pete Yorn, Ben Kweller @ Center Stage
April 23: The Kills, Cold Cave, The Entrance Band @ Masquerade
April 23: The Juan Maclean @ Sound Table
April 24: Titus Andronicus @ The EARL
April 26: Stephen Kellogg, Tift Merritt @ Eddie's Attic
April 26: The Watson Twins @ Smith's Olde Bar
April 28: John Mayall @ Variety Playhouse
April 28: Peter Bjorn and John @ The Masquerade
April 29: Todd Snider @ Variety Playhouse
April 29: Lucinda Williams @ Cobb Energy Center
April 30: Smith Westerns @ The Masquerade
April 30: Southern Culture on the Skids @ Star Bar
April 30: Wizard Smoke, Predator @ Drunken Unicorn

April Pre-Orders

Remember, when you pre-order a new release with Decatur CD, you SAVE two whole dollars. That'll buy you a coffee. Or a whole gallon of coffee if you pre-order several releases. We like coffee. And new music. And pre-orders. Check it out:

April 12: Paul Simon, TV on the Radio, Alison Krauss, Foo Fighters, Bob Dylan (live, 1963), Panda Bear, Elbow, Low, Brett Dennen, Meat Puppets, K.D. Lang, Rebirth Brass Band, Bell X1, Jonny (Teenage Fanclub, Gorky’s supergroup), Del McCoury/Preservation Jazz Hall Band, Generationals, Ponytail, Giant Sand (reissues), Crystal Stilts, Vivian Girls, Atmosphere
--
April 16 (RECORD STORE DAY): TBA
--
April 19: Queens of the Stone Age (self-titled debut reissue), Gorillaz, Steve Miller, Mike Birbiglia (comedy), I’m From Barcelona, MF Doom (box set), Tune-Yards, The Kinks (deluxe reissues), The Belle Brigade, Ralph Stanley, Brian Setzer
--
April 26: Steve Earle, Tab Benoit, Explosions in the Sky, Bootsy Collins, Emmylou Harris, Of Montreal (EP), Brandi Carlile (live), About Group (Hot Chip side project), Boris, Holy Ghost

New. Release. Tuesdays.

Pardon the brief blog lapse. To make up for it, below are the notable new releases from both last week (March 29) and next week (April 5). Let us know what you're looking for, as usual:

April 5:
Ray Davies (playing Kinks songs with the likes of Metallica, Spoon, Mumford & Sons, Billy Corgan and many more)
The Raveonettes
Robbie Robertson
The Kills
Ray Charles (live)
Alela Diane
The Smithereens
Cold Cave
Maritime
Burzum
The Submarines
Ha Ha Tonka
Ezra Furman
...and more!

March 29:
Charlie Haden
Black Crowes (vinyl reissue)
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Willie Nelson (Ray Charles tribute)
Snoop Dogg
Pearl Jam (expanded editions of Vs./Vitalogy)
Burzum (reissues)
...and more!