Venkman's | 740 Ralph McGill Blvd.

Lilac Wine
2017-07-20 19:30 - 22:30, 2017-08-03 19:30 - 22:30 (America/New_York)
Starting May 25th, Lilac Wine will perform at Venkman’s every Thursday beginning at 7:30pm! Admission is FREE! Dinner reservations can be made at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.
Lilac Wine is best described as a sweet and heady musical recipe. The main ingredients are unexpected song choices, skillful musicianship and adventurous arrangements that magically combine into music that both alluring and hypnotic for the listener.
For Rob Henson, founding member and bassist, Lilac Wine provides the ideal ensemble that can passionately play many musical genres other than the typical jazz and folk styles most commonly associated with acoustic groups.
As one of Atlanta’s most versatile musicians, Rob has played and/or recorded as a bass player with a wide array of musical groups including the Yacht Rock Revue, the Atlanta Symphony, Telegram, the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, Jukebox Fiasco, the Atlanta Ballet, and numerous singer-songwriters such as Shawn Mullins, David Ryan Harris and Vince Gill. From 2006 – 2012 Rob recorded and toured the United States with singer/songwriter Corey Smith, playing over 150 shows a year, as well as recording five studio albums, and opening for legendary acts such as ZZ Top, Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, Snoop Dog, and Eric Church.
In late 2013, Rob recruited first-call guitarist, singer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist Grant Reynolds to be the Swiss army knife of the future Lilac Wine lineup. Relocating from LA to his hometown of Atlanta in 2008, Grant has worked with many respected local music artists including Heather Luttrell, Brian Collins Band, Gareth Asher, Davin McCoy, Lefty Williams Band, Francisco Vidal, Sonia Leigh, and Yacht Rock Schooner. Known for his technical proficiency, adaptability, and well-rounded musicality, Grant also co-founded the electrifying Reynolds & Williams Band with Joel Williams (former Zac Brown Band guitarist), and has most recently toured and recorded with Collective Soul frontman Ed Roland’s new endeavor, “Ed Roland & the Sweet Tea Project.”
Unlike Grant and Rob, Larissa Mia is new to the professional music scene and Lilac Wine is her first band. As recently as a year ago, Mia did not sing in public, only for herself at home. Then she made a personal leap to singing at open mic events, which is where Henson and Reynolds found her. The two musicians were immediately taken with her voice that sounded so soulful it was like like mist on a cool damp night.
Mark Gresham, reviewing for on July 23, 2014 at Lilac Wine’s debut concert at Steve’s Live Music commented, “Her buoyant, often sultry voice comes with a remarkable natural musicianship, an ease of phrasing and infection with spot-on intonation, meshing beautifully with the playing of her seasoned colleagues.”
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Tickets are not available for FREE shows. For seating at a FREE show, please make reservations for the appropriate time at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.

Wasted Potential Brass Band + The Chris Paterno Band
2017-07-21 22:00
Wasted Potential Brass Band is a bonafide New Orleans-style Second Line brass band, based in Atlanta. Multiple readers-choice award winners in Atlanta’s Creative Loafing, WPBB is a favorite and parades, festivals and the streets of Atlanta in Little Five Points, Cabbagetown and Decatur. It’s what fun sounds like.
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Purchasing a General Admission ticket does not guarantee a seat/table.
Additional reservations are not required if a table, booth or banquette have been purchased via Ticketfly.
PLEASE NOTE: If earlier dinner reservations are made, your seats are not guaranteed for the show. For example, it is unlikely to be able to reserve a table at 8:00pm and keep it for a 10:00pm show. The only way to guarantee a seat for the show is to purchase table, booth, or banquette tickets.
Bar area and patio seating is reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Reservations for the Captain’s Room (private dining room) can be reserved for parties of 12-20 guests. For more info call 470-225-6162.

Princess Brunch: FROZEN in July Sing-a-long
2017-07-22 10:30 - 12:30, 2017-07-29 10:30 - 12:30
Dust off the crown and jewels and join us at the V for a sing-a-long party featuring one of the “coolest” animated hits of all-time. This musical experience invites audiences of all ages to sit back, “Let it Go,” and sing along with this special interactive screening of Disney’s beloved musical, FROZEN. Advance reservations are encouraged for this event. Frozen brunch screenings happen on July 1st, 15th, 22nd, and 29th
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
This is a FREE event! Tickets are not available for FREE shows. For seating at a FREE show, please make reservations for the appropriate time at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.

Chicken Pickin' Brunch with Sailing to Denver
2017-07-22 13:00 - 15:00
SAILING TO DENVER, AN ATLANTA BASED BAND IN THEIR SIXTH YEAR TOGETHER, IS SET TO RELEASE THEIR THIRD RECORD TITLED “WRITING ON THE WALL” EARLY 2017. THIS UNIQUE AMERICANA/ROOTS-ROCKACT HAS SPENT THE LAST FEW YEARS DEVELOPING AN ORIGINAL SOUND AND LIVE SHOW CULTIVATED AT LOCAL FESTIVALS INCLUDING THE SWEETWATER 420 FESTIVAL. THEY CAN REGULARLY BE SEEN AROUND TOWN AT MANY DIFFERENT VENUES, WEDDINGS, AND CORPORATE EVENTS AND HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO FEATURE AMAZING SPECIAL GUEST MUSICIANS FROM ALL OVER THE SOUTHEAST.
RESERVATION INFO:
Tickets are not available for FREE shows. For seating at a FREE show, please make reservations for the appropriate time at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.

NEW SENSATION - THE INXS TRIBUTE BAND
2017-07-22 22:00
NEW SENSATION IS THE LEADING INXS LIVE TRIBUTE BAND IN THE USA. BASED IN ATLANTA, THE BAND ADHERES TO INXS’ SOUND AND LOOK AND DELIVERS A UNIQUE CONCERT EXPERIENCE THAT CUTS ACROSS ALL AGES. THE SOUND IS THE CLASSIC INXS SOUND – SPIKEY, SLICK, SMOOTH, AND FUNKY.
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Purchasing a General Admission ticket does not guarantee a seat/table.
Additional reservations are not required if a table, booth or banquette have been purchased via Ticketfly.
PLEASE NOTE: If earlier dinner reservations are made, your seats are not guaranteed for the show. For example, it is unlikely to be able to reserve a table at 8:00pm and keep it for a 10:00pm show. The only way to guarantee a seat for the show is to purchase table, booth, or banquette tickets.
Bar area and patio seating is reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Reservations for the Captain’s Room (private dining room) can be reserved for parties of 10-24 guests. For more info call 470-225-6162, or email info@venkmans.com.

Bottomless Mimosa Brunch w/ Bob Bakert Quartet
2017-07-23 13:00 - 15:30
Featuring:
Mark Tucker – piano
Chris Riggenbach – bass
Ben Bailey – drums
Bob Bakert -guitar/vocals
Bob Bakert is a progressive guitarist who’s musical dexterity ranges from homegrown folk to sizzling jazz.
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Tickets are not available for FREE shows. For seating at a FREE show, please make reservations for the appropriate time at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.

Joe Gransden's Jazz Jam
2017-07-25 20:00, 2017-08-01 20:00, 2017-08-08 20:00
THIS IS A FREE EVENT. Tickets are not available for FREE shows. For seating at a FREE show, please make reservations for the appropriate time at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.
Venkman’s is the home of ATL’s most legendary jazz jam, hosted by Joe Gransden and his house band every Tuesday. Dinner reservations are available from 5:30p, sign-ups start around 7:30 PM and music starts around 8 PM. Everyone is welcome and it’s free!
Venkman’s features half-price bottles of wine on Tuesdays!

(Not Annoying) Trivia
2017-07-26 20:00, 2017-08-02 20:00
THIS IS A FREE EVENT. Tickets are not available for FREE shows. For seating at a FREE show, please make reservations for the appropriate time at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.
(Not Annoying) Trivia brings you everything you love about trivia – mind-bending questions, group camaraderie, great music, food and drink specials, prizes – without the one thing you don’t – annoying DJ chatter! Hosted by DJ Quasi Mandisco of Clermont Lounge fame with his trusty overhead projector, this uniquely Venkman’s take on trivia will get your competitive spirit racing without getting your blood boiling by hearing “Get those answers in” for the 500th time.
Sign-ups and music kick off at 7:30pm, with competition rocking at 8:00pm every Wednesday.

EARLY SHOW: Acoustic Beatles by Nick Niespodziani & Tim Smith
2017-07-27 19:30
Back by popular demand, Acoustic Beatles by Nick from Yacht Rock! Join us early on for solo acoustic versions of Beatles favorites. For this portion of the show, Nick will be taking requests via crayon drawings (crayons and index cards provided) so bring your inner 3rd-grade artist to help curate the show!
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Tickets are not available for FREE shows. For seating at a FREE show, please make reservations for the appropriate time at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.

EARLY SHOW: Spirko
2017-07-28 18:30 - 20:30
Jeff Spirko’s musical journey began at the young age of 3 years old in Syracuse, NY, where he began studying the classical violin. While growing up, with help from a very musical family Jeff played in orchestras, sang in choirs, and performed in musical theater productions. In high school, he earned All- New York State honors as both a violinist and a vocalist.
In addition to a rich musical background, athletics were just as much a part of everyday life growing up. In high school, Jeff was the captain of both the varsity lacrosse and soccer teams, earning All- New York State honors in lacrosse. After high school, Jeff attended Cornell University and was a member of the Varsity Men’s Lacrosse team, until an untimely knee injury ended his athletic career.
It was in the wake of this injury that his path changed courses. Learning to play the guitar, and perform around local bars, Jeff re-discovered his passion for music, both writing and performing. Honing his skills, he set out for Atlanta, GA after graduation, in search of a music career.
With a van packed, and his guitar and violin in the back seat, Jeff dove in to the Georgia music scene as a songwriter/ multi-instrumentalist (violin/ guitar/ mandolin/ piano/ banjo), playing with dozens of bands over many years, and sharing the stage with acts such as ZZ Top, Styx, Heart, Foreigner, Corey Smith, Love & Theft, Joe Nichols, among many others. In 2014, Jeff was voted ‘Instrumentalist of the Year’ by Atlanta, GA publication Creative Loafing.
In his new project, SPIRKO, Jeff steps from the side of the stage to the front, bringing with him an incredibly dynamic live show, catchy radio-friendly songs, and unique versatility as a performer.
Come along for the ride!
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Tickets are not available for FREE shows. For seating at a FREE show, please make reservations for the appropriate time at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.

Atlanta Funk Society
2017-07-28 22:00
Atlanta Funk Society is a Funk band from Atlanta, GA, playing classic hits from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, including everything from “Superbad” by James Brown, to “Whatcha Gonna Do For Me” by Chaka Kahn.
Started in the summer of 2010, the Atlanta Funk Society brought together a collection of some of the best musicians Atlanta had to offer. Founding members guitarist and vocalist Rob Lane (the Apostles) and bass player Kevin Scott (Col. Bruce Hampton, and others too numerous to mention) wanted to fill the need for a hard hitting funk band playing classic hits from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.
Their first call was to Jonathan Lloyd(Cadillac Jones, Lloyds Rocksteady Review), local trombone player and vocalist to put together the horn section which has included Deniz Felder, Jason Collier, Jon Marett (Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, OutKast, Goodie Mob), Prof. Eric Fontaine (just about every great band in Atlanta), and Taylor Kennedy (Soulphonics, Blair Crimmins). Next to join were guitarist Nick Johnson(Last Waltz Ensemble, Pharoh Gummitt) and drummer Duane Trucks(Derek Trucks, Pharoh Gummit) lending their unrivaled musicianship to the group. The keyboards were manned by Florida transplant and first call pianist Nick Rosen. Scotty Bryan (Cinetrope, 3052 dub Collective) stepped up the bands’ vibe with the addition of percussion.
The next critical piece was a female vocalist, and after a long search, Michelle Marshall came into the fold and showed what was up. The last piece was additional percussionist Yaya Brown to provide the perfect complement to Scotty Bryan and complete the driving rhythms of AFS.
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Purchasing a General Admission ticket does not guarantee a seat/table.
Additional reservations are not required if booth, table, or banquette tickets have been purchased via Ticketfly.
PLEASE NOTE: If earlier dinner reservations are made, your seats are not guaranteed for the show. For example, you cannot reserve a table at 7:00pm and keep it for a 9:30pm show. The only way to guarantee a seat for the show is to purchase booth or banquette tickets.
Reservations for the Captain’s Room (private dining room) can be reserved for parties of 12-20 guests. For more info call 470-225-6162.

Chicken Pickin' Brunch with Rodeo Twister
2017-07-29 13:00 - 15:00
Rodeo Twister play original rockabilly and honky-tonk music the way God intended it: without the use of them demon drums! But don’t worry your toes won’t tap or your hips won’t shake. The slap of the upright bass and the chugga-chugga of the rhythm guitar keep the beat just as good as the crack of snare – maybe even better. The three Twisters are veterans of Atlanta’s “Redneck Underground” roots music scene and have been members of so many “Best of Atlanta” lists they’ve lost count. Now all together for the first time, they’re bringing a huge crop of brand-new songs and choice covers plus a secret weapon – some of the sweetest two and three-part harmonies you’ve ever heard. And you can hear ‘em, too… without all that bangedy-bang of them demon drums!
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Tickets are not available for FREE shows. For seating at a FREE show, please make reservations for the appropriate time at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.

Elegant Bachelors Present: Wave That Flag - A Grateful Dead Celebration
2017-07-29 22:00
In July of 1995, the Grateful Dead played their final concert. On July 29, 2017, the Elegant Bachelors will honor their legacy and spirit with a Grateful Dead celebration. Originals, covers, side projects – they’re all fair game. So put on your favorite pair of Bob Weir shorts, take a step back, and Wave That Flag!
Featuring
Michael Chesin – guitar
Parker Smith – guitar
Tony Giordano – keys
Brandon Kunka – bass
Adam Goodhue – drums
The Elegant Bachelors were birthed out of action-packed necessity. Playing to bars, weddings, private parties and corporate events all over Atlanta, the band has prided themselves on playing songs that people want to hear, but don’t always hear. If it’s a non-stop dance party you’re craving, then look no further. The songs span the decades. The good times…well they span too. Come and stay awhile, but make your stay Elegant.
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Purchasing a General Admission ticket does not guarantee a seat/table.
Additional reservations are not required if a table, booth or banquette have been purchased via Ticketfly.
PLEASE NOTE: If earlier dinner reservations are made, your seats are not guaranteed for the show. For example, it is unlikely to be able to reserve a table at 8:00pm and keep it for a 10:00pm show. The only way to guarantee a seat for the show is to purchase table, booth, or banquette tickets.
Bar area and patio seating is reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Reservations for the Captain’s Room (semi-private dining room) can be reserved for parties of 10-24 guests. For more info call 470-225-6162, or email info@venkmans.com.

Bottomless Mimosa Brunch w/ Trio Deluxe
2017-07-30 12:30 - 15:30
TRIO DELUXE – smoky American Songbook standards and hot virtuosity from some of the best Athens/Atlanta musicians around: Andrea DeMarcus (Cicada Rhythm), Dan Coy (Bonaventure Quartet), and John Norris (lots of Athens bands).
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Tickets are not available for FREE shows. For seating at a FREE show, please make reservations for the appropriate time at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.

EARLY SHOW: Kyshona Armstrong + Jenn Bostic + Sarah Darling (songwriters in-the-round)
2017-08-04 18:30 - 20:30
For a singer-songwriter, there’s no more basic function than getting onstage and getting something personal off your chest. The therapeutic qualities of the experience have seduced countless confessional composers, some of whom make known that they hold unfiltered expression as their highest artistic aim.
Kyshona Armstrong started out enabling others to enjoy the healing properties of songwriting, and keeping her thoughts to herself. When you’re a music therapist to incarcerated and institutionalized adults and school children with emotional behavior disorders, artistic considerations aren’t even on the table.
“I definitely had to accept the fact that when I’m writing with a patient, whatever they want to do is what they want to do,” Armstrong tells the Scene as she nurses a latte in East Nashville. “It’s their song: ‘Even if it might not fit in a form, if that’s what you want to say, say it. We’re not writing a big hit. This is for you.’ ”
When Armstrong worked first in the state mental hospital, then the public school system in Georgia, she found that her co-writers often clung to chant-like, circular song ideas. “They would find this melody they liked and they would stick to it,” she explains. “It was theirs to keep. It wasn’t hard to hold onto.”
Armstrong had focused on oboe at the University of Georgia — that and steel drums, which she played in the college’s Hawaiian-shirt-sporting ensemble, Tropical Breeze. But since neither instrument was all that well suited to coaxing patients into musical self-expression, she got into singing, playing acoustic guitar and songwriting.
When describing the positions she held during her decade or so in the mental health field, she punctuates each chapter with the same phrase: “That got kinda heavy.” The weight of it was what eventually moved her to begin penning her own tunes.
“A lot of my first songs were dealing with what I saw my patients struggling with,” she recalls. “A lot of my songs were about the stories that I would hear from them. Because I can only take on so much of people dumping. So I had to get rid of it and shed it somehow. I think telling their stories was one way for me to go out in the world and be like, ‘There’s so much more happening out there.’ For me, that was therapeutic. I don’t like to talk about myself, but I’ll talk about everybody else if you want me to share a story.”
At a certain point, her emotional investment in her patients’ pain became too much to purge at coffeehouse open mics. “You’ve gotta know when to tap out,” she says. “I was like, ‘I’m not of any use to these kids if I can’t give myself as fully as I used to.’ ”
So Armstrong got on the college singer-songwriter circuit, blending skills of empathizing and entertaining. Her set lists might put a strummy version of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” next to “Confined,” a song she’d written with a couple of 20-somethings in the mental hospital. They were the hip-hop heads in the patients’ band — otherwise made up of Elvis-obsessed middle-aged men — and they’d wanted a song in the group repertoire that spoke to their own experience.
Besides teaching institutionalized adults and emotionally troubled school kids how to have healthy interactions with instruments in hand, Armstrong served a similar mission on the board of the Southern Girls Rock Camp in Athens, Ga. And that made her a shoo-in to volunteer at last summer’s Tennessee Teens Rock Camp, where she met a bunch of the women with whom she’ll perform at the girl group tribute She’s a Rebel a few days after playing her own show at 12th & Porter.
Armstrong moved to Nashville in January 2014, spending the first couple months commuting back to Athens to record her album Go, but easily made friends and landed bookings in local folk singer-songwriter, pop and soul scenes once she was around more. Smack-dab in the middle ofGo is a song that distills the insights of her therapeutic work and the artistic aspirations she’s developed since. Called “Cornelius Dupree,” it’s the turbulent channeling of a black man’s real-life experience serving 30 years in Texas for rape and robbery before being exonerated. Rather than narrate the external details of Dupree’s story, Armstrong gives voice to the searing physical and emotional strain he must’ve felt having to defend his innocence for so long.
Armstrong has reached the point where she embraces repetitive internal rhythms that emerge in some of her songwriting — likening them to both gospel spirituals and the viscerally simplistic utterances of her former patients — and she’s delivering her roots-soul originals with articulate warmth and newly claimed authority.
“I feel like I’m only just now stepping into this activist role,” she says, “or not activist, but someone who speaks out or brings up a subject that’s uncomfortable. In the past, I haven’t been the one to [say], ‘I’m gonna throw some mess on the table, and we’re gonna talk about it.’ But I want to be.”
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Tickets are not available for FREE shows. For seating at a FREE show, please make reservations for the appropriate time at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.

The Groove Orient
2017-08-04 22:00
The Groove Orient (TGO) is a high-powered, no-holds-barred, rock ‘n’ roll act based out of Orlando, FL. This five member group boasts a musical versatility and originality that many followers describe as ‘Florida rock.’ TGO has drawn attention from both local and national listeners, as they earned the title of Orlando Weekly’s best experimental band of 2014, as well as a feature in Relix Magazine’s 40th Anniversary issue.
TGO recently followed up their breakout EP Welcome to the Show, with the much anticipated release of their second EP Generation Y, at the House of Blues Orlando. Along with the House of Blues, TGO has also performed at the Florida Music Festival, Earthday Birthday, the Florida Citrus Bowl and the Suwannee Music Park, with numerous local and national festivals to come.
Harry Ong- Lead Vocals/Bass
Tommy Shugart- Hammond Organ/Electric Piano
Chuck Magid- Electric/Acoustic Guitar/Vocals
David Vanegas- Percussion/Bass/Vocals
Aaron “Bucky” Buckingham- Drums
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Purchasing a General Admission ticket does not guarantee a seat/table.
Additional reservations are not required if a table, booth or banquette have been purchased via Ticketfly.
PLEASE NOTE: If earlier dinner reservations are made, your seats are not guaranteed for the show. For example, it is unlikely to be able to reserve a table at 8:00pm and keep it for a 10:00pm show. The only way to guarantee a seat for the show is to purchase table, booth, or banquette tickets.
Bar area and patio seating is reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Reservations for the Captain’s Room (private dining room) can be reserved for parties of 12-20 guests. For more info call 470-225-6162.

Princess Brunch: Moana
2017-08-05 10:30 - 12:30, 2017-08-12 10:30 - 12:30
Join us at the V on the mornings of August 5th, 12th, and 26th for free screenings of Disney’s MOANA! Moana is a daughter of the chief of her tribe. Coming from a long line of navigators she sets off for a fabled island with her hero, the demi God Maui. Along the voyage they battle the treacherous ocean and all which it hides, all the while learning what the power love between friends can accomplish.
Admission is free with RSVP. A royal brunch feast and bottomless mimosas (for the adult kids) available for purchase.
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
This is a FREE event! Tickets are not available for FREE shows. For seating at a FREE show, please make reservations for the appropriate time at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.

Chicken Pickin' Brunch with Coyote Anyway
2017-08-05 13:00 - 15:00
A Coyote chorus howls against a fading summer swelter. The mellow jangle of rusty strings picked with a fierce intuition, refreshing like a crisp cold brew on a hot day. Coyote Anyway makes music like that. Both fresh and familiar. With a tip of the hat to a hundred years of American music, their sound is informed by classic wax from both sides of the tracks. A lazy country shuffle, a touch Bo Diddley flavored mambo, a few barnburner blues romps. Maybe when the lights go lower and the bar is filling, they turn up a bit and this potent blend sounds a bit like Rock & Roll, the way your grandpappy thought of it.
The story of Coyote Anyway is a long road with many forks. Comprised of Dave Kirslis , Matt Garrison, Zeke Sayer and Matthew Pendrick, the group has roots that run deep. All born and raised in Georgia, the members of this coyote collective have steeped in the rich music culture of the south, and digested its potent tonic to heart. It’s the sound of old friends coming together to play what comes naturally and what feels good. Over the years they have shared a thousand stages with some of the best around. “A real appreciation for tradition doesn’t mean you must be tied to the past…really it’s freeing. To use those sounds and ideas as spring board to our own twist on it, not unlike the way any one of our heroes did in their day.”
“Every member of this group is doing really great things on their own and with other projects and such,” says Pendrick. “I think that’s part of what makes it so fun. There’s a lot of mutual respect for each other as players and writers, so when we have a chance to get together, there’s a genuine excitement that comes from being in such good company.” Audiences around the South who have been privy to the band’s live set have said much the same. Toes get to tappin. Hearts get to bumping. Everybody have a real good time.
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Tickets are not available for FREE shows. For seating at a FREE show, please make reservations for the appropriate time at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.

Talking Dreads
2017-08-05 22:00
TALKING DREADS: NOT SO SAME AS IT EVER WAS
Talking Dreads began as a project born from the audacious notion that hardcore Heads-lovers wouldn’t mind a tinkering or two with their favorite Talking Heads tunes, and there is a lot of great music here that will make you stop, listen and smile a little bit more as you’re grooving along to the joyous rhythms and jubilant spirit of the island vibe.
Talking Dreads is the brainchild of Head Dread, Mystic Bowie, a Jamaican artist whose long and close relationship with Chris Franz and Tina Weymouth, founding members of Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club, began when he joined the latter group as a singer in 1996. He then recorded and performed with Tom Tom Club for nearly twenty years and continues to bear fruit from their unending collaborations.
This inaugural effort from Talking Dreads features an amazing lineup of stellar reggae stalwarts including Freddie McGregor [‘Rastaman Camp’, Bobby Babylon], ska-guitar master Ernest Ranglin (session player and arranger of Millie’s smash ‘My Boy Lollipop’, the Melodians ‘Rivers Of Babylon’, and countless other tracks], and Tarrus Reilly (‘Start Anew’, ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’) as well as a little help from punk-pop diva Cindy Wilson of The B-52s (‘Rock Lobster’, ‘Love Shack’).
Talking Heads’ music was a formative influence on Mystic Bowie since childhood. The marriage of Talking Heads jagged, Rhode Island art school punk with bouncing, sunny Caribbean rhythms appealed to him because “reggae’s dance-inspiring, feel-good vibe is universal as are many of Talking Heads’ songs. And don’t forget their intelligent, powerful lyrics! I’m convinced that there are a lot of music lovers who will appreciate this fusion as much as I do”.
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Purchasing a General Admission ticket does not guarantee a seat/table.
Bar area seating is first-come, first-serve.
Additional reservations are not required if a booth, table, or banquette has been purchased via Ticketfly.
PLEASE NOTE: If earlier dinner reservations are made, your seats are not guaranteed for the show. For instance, reserving a table at 8:00pm and keep it for a 10:00pm show is unlikely. The only way to guarantee a seat for the show is to purchase table, booth or banquette tickets.
Reservations for the Captain’s Room (private dining room) can be reserved for parties of 12-20 guests. For more info call 470-225-6162.

Bottomless Mimosa Brunch w/ The Hot Club of Atlanta
2017-08-06 13:00 - 15:30
Swing! The Hot Club of Atlanta Trio plays prohibition era speakeasy hot jazz & vintage American popular music from the time when Armstrong, Bechet, Benny, Basie, and Lunceford ruled the airwaves, and Peggy Lee, June Christy, and Anita O’Day captured hearts without autotune or twerking. On this night at Venkman’s, The HCA3 will feature drummer and bandleader Dana Fitzsimons, clarinetist Eric Fontaine, and pianist Bill Graham.
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Tickets are not available for FREE shows. For seating at a FREE show, please make reservations for the appropriate time at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.

CLOSED for a private event
2017-08-09 - 2017-08-10

Lilac Wine
2017-08-10 19:30 - 22:30
Lilac Wine is best described as a sweet and heady musical recipe. The main ingredients are unexpected song choices, skillful musicianship and adventurous arrangements that magically combine into music that both alluring and hypnotic for the listener.
For Rob Henson, founding member and bassist, Lilac Wine provides the ideal ensemble that can passionately play many musical genres other than the typical jazz and folk styles most commonly associated with acoustic groups.
As one of Atlanta’s most versatile musicians, Rob has played and/or recorded as a bass player with a wide array of musical groups including the Yacht Rock Revue, the Atlanta Symphony, Telegram, the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, Jukebox Fiasco, the Atlanta Ballet, and numerous singer-songwriters such as Shawn Mullins, David Ryan Harris and Vince Gill. From 2006 – 2012 Rob recorded and toured the United States with singer/songwriter Corey Smith, playing over 150 shows a year, as well as recording five studio albums, and opening for legendary acts such as ZZ Top, Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, Snoop Dog, and Eric Church.
In late 2013, Rob recruited first-call guitarist, singer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist Grant Reynolds to be the Swiss army knife of the future Lilac Wine lineup. Relocating from LA to his hometown of Atlanta in 2008, Grant has worked with many respected local music artists including Heather Luttrell, Brian Collins Band, Gareth Asher, Davin McCoy, Lefty Williams Band, Francisco Vidal, Sonia Leigh, and Yacht Rock Schooner. Known for his technical proficiency, adaptability, and well-rounded musicality, Grant also co-founded the electrifying Reynolds & Williams Band with Joel Williams (former Zac Brown Band guitarist), and has most recently toured and recorded with Collective Soul frontman Ed Roland’s new endeavor, “Ed Roland & the Sweet Tea Project.”
Unlike Grant and Rob, Larissa Mia is new to the professional music scene and Lilac Wine is her first band. As recently as a year ago, Mia did not sing in public, only for herself at home. Then she made a personal leap to singing at open mic events, which is where Henson and Reynolds found her. The two musicians were immediately taken with her voice that sounded so soulful it was like like mist on a cool damp night.
Mark Gresham, reviewing for on July 23, 2014 at Lilac Wine’s debut concert at Steve’s Live Music commented, “Her buoyant, often sultry voice comes with a remarkable natural musicianship, an ease of phrasing and infection with spot-on intonation, meshing beautifully with the playing of her seasoned colleagues.”
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Tickets are not available for FREE shows. For seating at a FREE show, please make reservations for the appropriate time at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.

Bret Busch Album Release w/ special guest, Tenement Halls
2017-08-11 22:00
Although Pills Lace & Confetti bears the name Bret Busch, it’s a product of working relationships formed over his 25-plus years as the singer of a half-dozen Atlanta bands, including Parlour, Pardner, Ramada and The Hollidays, projects that sprung from the same fertile Cabbagetown scene that launched artists like Cat Power and Benjamin Smoke.
The core team behind Busch’s new solo debut came from two wonderfully disparate ends of the musical spectrum—the indie-centric Merge Records roster (including members of Destroyer and The Rock*A*Teens) and the backing band of hyper-creative R&B star Janelle Monae.
It’s worth noting that when Busch isn’t making his own music, he moonlights as the lead singer of beloved Smiths tribute band Smithsonian, convincingly conjuring the expressive voice, tender heart and tongue-in-cheek melodrama of Stephen Patrick Morrissey.
“[T]he songwriting is rich and sumptuous. The lush guitars, punchy horns, and infectious grooves glide effortlessly beneath the singer’s smooth croon, which never seeks to usurp the song’s sparkling atmosphere.” – Immersive Atlanta
“… catchy toe-tapping … punctuated by a bright and energetic horn section. The summery vibe is contagious.” – PopMatters
“Busch’s admirable range as a vocalist creates a sparkling, laid-back pop album that highlights Busch’s eclectic influences including Jazz, Brazilian rhythms, and Country flourishes.” – No Depression
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Purchasing a General Admission ticket does not guarantee a seat/table.
Additional reservations are not required if a table, booth or banquette have been purchased via Ticketfly.
PLEASE NOTE: If earlier dinner reservations are made, your seats are not guaranteed for the show. For example, it is unlikely to be able to reserve a table at 8:00pm and keep it for a 10:00pm show. The only way to guarantee a seat for the show is to purchase table, booth, or banquette tickets.
Bar area and patio seating is reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Reservations for the Captain’s Room (private dining room) can be reserved for parties of 12-20 guests. For more info call 470-225-6162.

Chicken Pickin' Brunch with Sweetwater Creek Bluegrass Band
2017-08-12 13:00 - 15:00
Sweetwater Creek Bluegrass Band, a trio from Atlanta, Georgia
with tight harmonies and smooth picking, and featuring
Ernie Cole on bass, Penn McClatchey on guitar and David Mold on mandolin.
TICKETING & RESERVATION INFO:
Tickets are not available for FREE shows. For seating at a FREE show, please make reservations for the appropriate time at www.venkmans.com (see “Reservations”), or by calling 470-225-6162.
