Our dear and talented co-founder Micah Dalton is working on his next studio album, but he needs your help!  Back his album today via kickstarter.com to help see his next album produced.

ATL Collective’s Official Site is Set to Launch Early 2012

Attention, folks! For our show tonight, ATL Collective presents LIVE Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”, we are going to be running another fan-submitted photo contest. At both shows, take pictures on your photo-friendly mobile device and upload them to our facebook page, for a chance to win! Best photo wins a free ticket to next month’s show, and the first to submit a photo wins a free ATL Collective t-shirt.

Sometimes, one hears musicians and listeners alike talking in pretty specific terms about something that, ultimately, is simply judged by the way it sounds. 

Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On (WGO) is musically complex in not only specific terms but in subtle nuances as well. It is a record that would be impossible to replicate; one can play all the notes but still not achieve the same sound, that intangible essence. 

Marvin Gaye was seemingly out of the music business in early 1970. His singing partner, Tammi Terrell, had died of a brain tumor. At this point, Gaye was definitely not interested in music. Nevertheless, he did perhaps the hardest and most admirable thing a person can do in life: made a come back, sharper than ever. 

Up until WGO, Gaye had been taking a more traditional approach to his musical arrangements and lyrics. Yet WGO totally shattered the mold. The music is vast. Gaye’s vocals are one of kind; there will never be another like him, and WGO is his showcase in effortless-mastery. His voice floats over the tracks in a commanding and nostalgic way. Lyrically, it tells the story of a man coming home from Vietnam to see that he has been fighting for a country that could care less about him and his contributions. He’s gotten a raw deal. I think it would cheapen the lyrics to call them political without clarifying that they are political in a social sense as well. Everyone can emphasize with a raw deal.

As for the music, the harmonies are lush, and the playing truly exhibits mastery of technique, art and compromise. These are the amazing Funk Brothers, a band who played on more number one hits than The Beatles, Elvis, The Stones and The Beach Boys combined. They are some of the most listened-to musicians ever, and WGO is the first time they were ever credited for anything. This is their showcase in musical mastery and teamwork. WGO is made up entirely of the people behind it. Marvin Gaye and The Funk Brothers came together and really brought it, and this album is a perfect combination of passion and experience – the quintessential example of someone at the top of their game. 

Sometimes we listen to music when we do other things. WGO is not one of those records. The music really has a way of opening up your ears, your mind and your soul. The music really makes you stop and listen. 

Want to know what’s happening? 

What’s happening is when a group of people get together with a shared vision. These people help bring out a most impressive strength in themselves and each other.  Smartly, they have the ability to compromise to be greater than they are by themselves. They give each other credit where it is due and, perhaps most importantly, they empathize. Then they go out and do something great.   Which is precisely what Marvin Gaye and The Funk Brothers came together to do on WGO.

– – Written by Benjamin Williams, contributing writer of the ATL Collective and musician with The Shadowboxers. 

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http://youtu.be/9orfrgu9lWw

Check out this video from last month’s show, featuring The Clash’s London Calling.

For More Information about our September 14 Show, Check Out our Facebook Event Listing

Thanks so much to everyone who came out to our show(s) last night.  Remember to like us on Facebook for ongoing updates on our upcoming Collective events, as well as performances by our featured artists.

Fans of the ATL Collective: don’t forget to bring your used gift cards (to go towards Plywood People’s gift card donation project) for a chance to win a year-long pass to the Collective and a free t-shirt.

But that’s not all… We’re also running a Phone Photo Contest on our Facebook page for tonight’s show.  The first five people to post photos on our Facebook page will win a free ticket to next month’s Collective.  And everyone who posts a photo will be entered into a drawing to win a free t-shirt.

Who’s in??

Followers of the Collective, just a reminder, there are two shows tomorrow night: one at 7:00pm (doors at 6:30pm) and one at 10:00pm (doors at 9:30pm).  All proceeds go towards the Plywood People organization.  Looking forward to seeing you all there.