By Summer Stanley. It’s been eons since RuPaul dominated the A-town underground club scene, plastering the city with his own posters adhered with wallpaper and wheat paste, frustrating any would-be hoodlums’ attempts to tear down his image. As he advertised himself in 1983, RuPaul is still “Red Hot.” At Outwrite Books, Atlanta’s foremost queer bookstore on the corner of 10^th and Piedmont, RuPaul is not in drag. Still, down to the orange silk

By Summer Stanley. As per usual, Luckie Food Lounge is in full swing with a full crowd on Wednesday night. DJ Infamous and co. man the turntables as the star studded, dudded-up crowd bump n’ grind to Nicki Minaj, Lil’ Wayne, and of course, the man of the hour, birthday boy Gorilla Zoe.

By Summer Stanley. Tucked away in the Virginia Highlands off of Monroe Street is a giant, bustling shopping center called Amsterdam Walk. Inside there are plenty of restaurants and bars to discover but there is one in particular where you will find the prettiest girls in all of Amsterdam, predominately cute girls who like

By Summer Stanley. To borrow the words of Tennessee Williams, treasured American writer, the Atlanta Book Exchange is “a world within the world.” Located across from Manuel’s Tavern, near the intersection of North and North Highland Avenues, the newer location of this Atlanta fixture boasts more space but less foot traffic than the beloved cottage in Virginia Highlands. Admittedly there was

By Summer Stanley. Think Sex and the City. Think vintage classic style with a young, edgy twist. Southern Dropout’s monthly trunk show at Mint Gallery delivers Carrie Bradshaw’s ideal shoes and more minus the Manolo Blahnik price tag. Tucked away nearby the Sampson Street lofts, Mint Gallery is nestled in a mostly residential area along John Wesley Dobbs Avenue. A non-profit gallery, Mint is renowned for promoting local artists, those fresh as well as seasoned. The cheap drinks and good music at the parties they host doesn’t hurt either.

By Summer Stanley. Thieves’ final performance and CD release party was at Kavarna Coffee Shop in Oakhurst [editor: area in Atlanta, GA] on Friday, January 15, 2009. The all-girl group, comprised of Jessie Calmes on vocals and guitar, Meta Gary on violin and vocals, Rene Lambert on bass and mandolin, and Khalilah Karim on backup vocals and accordion have come a long way to develop their sound of lilting, poetic folk. Directly after the post-show cigarette break, I gathered the band for some giggle-ridden girl talk, where they recalled their worst show ever, performing with the legendary Desk Ark, as well as a possible comeback.

By Summer Stanley. Everybody knows you have to belt the blues. And when the lights grow dimmer, and the mood becomes softer, you have to croon them. Sue G. Wilkinson, along with her eight member band gets you high when you feel low, and when you’re low they get down with you.

A veteran musician, Sue G. Wilkinson tackles the keys at the Five Spot in a rousing performance, with a spunk equal to any barroom brawl. But the Five Spot is no saloon, and this band is far from dive-ey. Rather, they’re lively. When joined with the bass, guitar, drums, trumpet, saxophone, not to mention the diva-licious backup babes, The Sue G. Wilkinson Band is an experience in jumpin’ and jivin’.

By Summer Stanley. Call me Ebeneezer Scrooge, but this particular holiday not even Mariah Carey’s Christmas album on loop was contagious enough for this grinch to catch the merry bug buzzing around the block. Vagina Jenkins, Atlanta’s premiere prima donna and Creative Loafing’s “Best Burlesque Dancer” finally launched me into the spirit of the season. The Big Freeze: A Holiday Spectacular, starring the Lady Miss Jenkins herself and local playwright Johnny Drago, is a blitz (bling+glitz) of local talent at the Eyedrum, the non-profit performance art space located just south of downtown.

By Summer Stanley. Kudos to Author’s Apology, truly a band of bleeding hearts, for displaying good form and sweeping their opening act last Tuesday. Aside from the emo blend and sappy sound, the songs resemble more a prayer booth confession than an apology. Nevertheless, the boys deserve praise for their enthusiastic performance and their oft-expressed gratitude for sharing the stage with such esteemed acts as forgetters and Gentlemen Jesse and His Men.