Atlanta is sometimes called the unofficial âcapitalâ of the American South, and for good reason. Atlanta is a big, vibrant center of culture and commerce that has its own unique personality. If you ever visit, there will be no shortage of things to do. But you want to find the *best* things to do. For that, we think the people to ask are the musicians who live and perform in the city.
Recently, we invited cellist Okorie "OkCello" Johnson and acid jazz duo Arkose to perform at our Sunset Sessions show on a rooftop in Atlanta.
OkCello collaborates all over town, with everyone from Big Boi to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Noah Sills and Tad Adams, the duo behind Arkose, grew up in a town just north of Atlanta. Theyâve since become a fixture of the live music scene. Together, these artists gave us a great snapshot of the best spots to see shows, grab food and just enjoy the beauty of ATL.
Best Music Venues in Atlanta
It may not be shocking that OkCello would say Symphony Hall is his favorite music venue in Atlanta. Heâs a cello player, after all. But he would know the place: OkCello has played Symphony Hall himself with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, who call the venue home. (Did you know the strings in the REM song âLosing My Religionâ were recorded by members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra? Rock history, right there.) If youâve never seen a big orchestra in their home venue, we highly recommend doing it sometime, even if youâre not normally into classical music. However, even if you're not interested in the orchestra, itâs still worth checking out Symphony Hall. Besides the symphony, they also have lots of other concerts and events. Theyâre doing a New Year's show with Gucci Mane.
Arkose is a busy gigging band around Atlanta. When we asked their favorite music venue, there was no way they were going to limit themselves to just one. But the first venue they said, right off the bat, was Aisle 5. They described playing this spot as âalways goodââno mean feat for a place with as many shows as Aisle 5. One look at the venue's schedule for the next month shows a curated list of rap, soul, electronic, funk, blues, rock⌠and it keeps going. Whenever youâre in town, chances are there will be an interesting show at Aisle 5. Maybe even Arkose!
Arkose has played Smithâs Olde Bar countless times, even hosting a 20-week jam session there last year. They were sure to include it as a favorite venue, and they're not alone. Despite having a relatively small, 300-capacity music room, Smithâs is actually quite a legendary venue in Atlanta. Since opening in 1994, the stage at Smithâs Olde Bar has hosted world famous musicians including (deep breath) David Bowie, Train, Tom Morello, Bush, Band of Horses, Janelle Monae, Kings of Leon, John Mayer, B.o.B, Collective Soul, Kingâs X, The Wallflowers, Moe, Zac Brown Band, Butch Walker, Fishbone, Corey Smith, Jennifer Nettles, Lady A, Jason Isbell, Old Dominion, Chris Stapleton, The Revivalists, Luke Combs, and no doubt many more. What a list. Itâs also a very good bar. Itâs just one of those places, you know?
When Noah mentioned The Clermont Rooftop, Tad was quick to say that the venue is âup thereâ in more ways than one. Itâs among the most popular rooftop bars in the city, with a colorful and stylish vibe (including green astroturf) and a view of the skyline. You can see for miles into Downtown, Midtown and Buckhead, and take in just how green the city is from above. The cocktails are well reviewed, thereâs a taco truck, and thereâs a cool tower with a âHotel Clermontâ sign that's very Instagrammable. Depending on the night, you might catch live music, trivia or a movie showing. The Clermont Rooftop is also open later than youâd thinkâ1 a.m. on weekends!
Best Bar in Atlanta
You know the bar Cheers, where everybody knows your name? OkCello says his favorite bar, Chairs, is where everybody knows your shame. It sounds like our kind of establishment: a genuine community bar with plenty of seating (the name doesnât lie), good food, pool tables, darts, foosball, arcade games, TVs and lots of colorful locals who are friendly and really love the place. And get this: their kitchen takes orders until 11:30 every single night. You can be at the bar at like, 11 p.m. and get a brisket and some wings. Do you have any idea how rare that is? We are jealous.
Best Late Night Food in Atlanta
We got a real, genuine local gem from OkCello for his late night food spot: Hudson & Alphonse, a deli in a tiny building that gets rave reviews from locals. OkCello makes sure to mention the owners are out of New Yorkâso you can take their sandwiches seriously. The location is just south of Grant Park. Itâs small enough that you might miss it, if it werenât helpfully painted bright blue and yellow. They say you should order the Sham Sham.
Arkose knows late night food spots. Itâs part of the job description for a gigging band. We asked for their favorites, and they said one of their go-tos is Velvet Taco. This place is actually a chain in the southeast, with a few locations in Atlanta. They make some unconventional tacos, like a chicken and waffles taco, which probably sounds like an extra good idea when youâre drunk and itâs late. Speaking of late, credit to Arkose for nailing the âlate nightâ part of our question. Velvet Taco is open until 3 in the morning. That's *late* late.
Arkose ultimately settled on a very popular answer for late night food in the Atlanta area: JR Crickets, open until 2 in the morning. The place is essentially an institution, one of the prime wing spots in a city that has a lot of good chicken wings. Crucially, JR Crickets is a good source of lemon pepper wings, one of the most popular food items to come from Atlanta. Lemon pepper wings from JR Crickets were actually a plot point in an episode of Donald Glover's FX television show Atlanta.
Best Free Things to Do in Atlanta
For something to do in Atlanta thatâs free, OkCello likes to canoe at Sweetwater Creek State Park. You would never guess that youâre less than 30 minutes outside the city. Canoeing is only free if you already have a canoe, of course, but the park rents out canoes, kayaks, fishing boats and other watercraft during the warm months. You can also fish at the Reservoir, where thereâs a convenient bait shop. If water isnât your thing, there are also wooded trails all over the park. One of the trails runs along Sweetware Creek and eventually leads to the ruins of a cool old mill that burned down during the Civil War. For nature lovers, ranger tours take you deeper into the forest and show you more native plants. Atlanta is in a very green, naturally vibrant region, and parks like Sweetwater Creek are great for appreciating the natural beauty while youâre there.
You actually donât even have to leave the city limits to feel like youâre in the woods. Piedmont Park is a 189-acre urban forest located inside the bounds of Atlanta. Itâs one of those big city parks that seems to have everything you could want: playgrounds, swimming, trails, picnicking, tennis courts, softball, fishing, live events, etc. Youâll see everything from youth sports leagues to birthday parties to hikers and fishers. Youâll also find green space with a perfect angle of the Atlanta skyline, great for putting down a blanket, relaxing at the park and taking in the view.
If youâre looking for something free and a little less outdoors-y, Arkose also recommended wandering around Little Five Points. Itâs an eclectic âBohemianâ part of Atlanta, compact and super walkable. Visit this part of town for all your classic hipster needs: vintage stores, food markets, an indie radio station, vinyl shops, tattoo shops, street art, sidewalk performers, live theater, independent bookstores, you name it. Youâll know youâre in the right place when you see a giant 30-foot-tall skull (actually a restaurant called
The Vortex). Just a heads up: locals donât actually call the area Little Five Points. Itâs just Little Five. Itâs a canât-miss neighborhood. The creative community around Little Five means the people watching is top tier, and people watching is always free!
Best Places to Watch the Sunset in Atlanta
For places to go in Atlanta at sunset, Arkose went straight to West End, one of the cityâs oldest historic neighborhoods. We could see the area being perfect for a sunset stroll after a hot day. The streets are tree lined, and there are some really impressive old houses to look at while you walk. Some of the houses date back to the turn of the 20th century. The neighborhood of West End is in the National Register of Historic Places, and the residents there put a lot of pride into restoring and maintaining their unique homes. Think of a walk through West End like taking a free architecture tour (but without the yapping tour guide). You can even take a peek inside some of the houses yourself, like
The Wrenâs Nest, the museum inside the home of writer Joel Chandler Harris.
South of Little Five is East Atlanta, another area with an eclectic, creative vibe. East Atlanta is packed with beloved music venues, like
The Earl, where there is live music almost every night of the week, showcasing the best local bands. Sometimes thereâs even a surprise national headliner. East Atlanta is a great area to find yourself at sunset, grabbing food somewhere good along Flat Shoals Road before heading to a show.
Feeling Bored? GO Places!
Whether youâre traveling to Atlanta or just heading down the street to a local venue, life is more interesting when you go places. And wherever you go, from rooftop shows like
Sunset Sessions to DJ sets on the beach, youâll find Mackie products that make professional sound easy. Check out our
blog for more tips and GO Places with Mackie.
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