The City Lights Collective

✦ At one point, it seemed like music fell into clear boxes. Hip Hop, R&B, Rock, Soul, Gospel, Heavy Metal, and so on and so on. As time moves forward, however, so many young artists grab their influences from such disparate and diverse places that the lines either blur or the boxes disappear completely. Take Atlanta artist Teddy Oso. Is his music hip hop, or is it R&B, or is it Soul? The answer is yes. City Lights Collective Co-Host Jon Goode caught up with Teddy Oso to discuss his career and his new album Once Upon a Time in Phoenix. ✦ City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta's visual art print magazine, "GULCH", want you to get out and engage with the city's art scene. Each week, they spotlight five standout happenings, and today, they'll talk about: winding down summertime at the mystical South River Art Studios, building giant piñata sculptures for Living Walls's quinceañero celebration, and congratulating Atlanta Printmaker's Studio on an impressive 20 years in operation. ✦ Peter Essick is no stranger to capturing the world around him. Outdoor Photography magazine named Essick one of the 40 most influential nature photographers. For over twenty-five years, he was a frequent contributor to National Geographic Magazine. And now, he's documenting the ever-evolving city around him: Atlanta. In Essick's book "Work in Progress," he photographs construction sites from his drone—examining the various textures, colors, and environmental impact of development. When WABE arts reporter Summer Evans spoke with Essick, he began by discussing his inspiration for the book. ✦ Alicia Bognanno is the frontwoman of the Nashville-based rock band Bully. Known for her searing vocals and razor-sharp songwriting, Bognanno channels a mix of vulnerability and defiance into music that resonates with fans of punk and grunge alike. Bully plays the EARL this Wednesday, August 20, and when Bognanno joined City Lights Collective member Jacob Smulian, she explained how her relationship with her audience has changed over the years. ✦ The Mosaic Quartet, an all-women of color classical music ensemble, performs a free outdoor concert on September 13. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans has more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ Brunching in Atlanta is practically a sport, and many of us don't know how to play. There are strategies involved—arrive early to beat the rush of a crowd, or maybe you're a diner that prefers to make reservations. Regardless, you'll need good stamina to make it through bottomless mimosas and rich portions of pancakes and bacon. BUT in this economy, who has the money to drop $80 to $100 on breakfast food and drinks every weekend? In our new mini-series, "Brunchin' on a Budget," we look at several delicious AND affordable brunch spots in Atlanta. On today's installment WABE Arts Reporter Summer Evans heads to Castleberry Hill to visit No Mas Cantina. ✦ The Little 5 Points Alliance hosts its annual People Make the Place event on Sunday, and this year, awards will be presented to community members who focus on elevating the arts in the area. City Lights Collective Co-host Kim Drobes has more. ✦ A star is on the rise with the new music act "Star Forest." It's a colorful squad of animated creatures who deliver good vibes and positivity through the expansive Star Forest media ecosystem of music videos, catchy tracks, interactive experiences, and even a podcast. Some say it's like "Gorillaz" for kids – one thing's for sure, it's ambitious, joyful, inclusive, and downright psychedelic. "Star Forest" is launching its debut live event, "Cosmic Campfire," at Sandy Springs Cinema on August 16th, and the creator of the "Star Forest," Genevieve LeDoux, recently spoke with City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane to learn more. ✦ You know as well as we do that there is always a plethora of things to do in Atlanta, and we have earned the title of "The Cultural Capital of the South." Mike Jordan, senior editor at the AJC, and Sammie Purcell, associate editor at Rough Draft Atlanta, know this well too. They join us weekly to share a few of their picks for your weekend entertainment. Today, their mix includes a vintage expo, a brewery anniversary party, and a bioluminescent event at the Georgia Aquarium. ✦ Atlanta is a place of remarkable history, and the new audio-intensive project "Tales of Downtown Atlanta" shares that history alongside some creative storytelling. Part podcast, art exhibit, and old-school mix tape, "Tales of Downtown Atlanta" aims to become an audiovisual anthology of Atlanta. The project features short stories written, voiced, and visually amplified by notable Atlantans who offer a spirited tour of our historic downtown locations. Sundiata Rush, the creative behind "Tales of Downtown Atlanta," recently joined City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes to elaborate on his vision of stirring civic engagement and introducing the world to Atlanta's soul. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ Once a month in Grant Park, there is a night of music where community appears, and genres disappear. A night where no one, not even the musicians, knows what's going to be played. Collaboration and discovery are the name of the game when The Biological Misfits are on the bandstand. The Biological Misfits were put together by Craig M Garrett and featured the late great Malcolm Jamal Warner on bass. City Lights Collective Co-Host Jon Goode sat down with Craig to discuss music, community, and, of course, Malcolm. ✦ After raising 27 million dollars, Fernbank Museum of Natural History is set to embark on a two-year transformation, the biggest since it opened over 30 years ago. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans has the story. ✦ What do you dream of when you dream? That line comes up multiple times in Atlanta-based author Van Jensen's novel, "Godfall." And the answer, well, if you're Jensen, you dream of a unique story premise so compelling that it will start a bidding war for the TV rights. “Godfall” follows the story of David Blunt, the sheriff of a small Nebraska town during the time leading up to, and following, what should have been an extinction event – a miles-long object falling from space destined to crash into the Earth. That idea alone doesn't seem so unusual. However, when you discover what the gigantic object from outer space IS, then the book orbits into a world of its own. When City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes spoke with Jensen, the author explained how the idea for the novel originated. ✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at Arts ATL looking for cultural events to share with readers. He joins us weekly to share highlights, and today his mix includes surreal shadow puppetry and the Center for Puppetry Arts, Jimmie Vaughan of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and some Canadian Comedy at Atlanta Symphony Hall. ✦ Visual artist and music enthusiast Kosmo Vinyl bought his first LP when he was nine. He spent the next several decades immersed in music and began his professional career at London's pioneering indie label, "Stiff Records." In 1979, Kosmo started working exclusively with "The Clash" and stayed by their side until the punk icons disbanded in 1986. Over the years, Kosmo's record collection became legendary. In 2014, he began posting about his favorite releases on social media for his series, "Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week," and he joins us weekly to share the stories behind the records he treasures. This week, he tells us the story behind The Elgins' "Put Yourself in My Place." ✦ If you're looking for a close-to-home adventure, you might consider the North Georgia Mountains. Karen Warren is a long-time journalist and resident of the area, and her book, "100 Things to Do in the North Georgia Mountains Before You Die," outlines places to visit, restaurants to try, and day trips to take. When WABE arts reporter Summer Evans spoke with the author, Warren explained the inspiration behind the book. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ We live in a time where women's rights, visibility, and autonomy are under assault and being eroded daily. Writer Trenton Judson has decided to write a film that challenges and flies in the face of these attacks. Enter, Bad... well, the second word also starts with a B and rhymes with Mitch. So, for the sake of FCC-monitored radio, let's call the film BB. Enter BB, an independent vigilante film with a strong female lead that looks to challenge stereotypes, perceptions, and even your definition of the second B. ✦ "In Their Own Words" is our segment where creatives tell us who they are, what they do, what they love, and a few things you might not see coming. What things? Who knows, there's only one way to find out. Today, poet Deanna Repose Oaks takes the spotlight. ✦ LA star power thrives in Atlanta, as actor Kat Graham can attest. An Atlanta transplant since 2017, Kat starred in TV's megahit series "The Vampire Diaries" throughout its 8 seasons: she's also a dancer, author, musician, and recording artist with four studio albums. Now, the multi-talented performer stars in - and executive produces - the new Lifetime original movie "If I Run." It's based on a novel by Terri Blackstock about a suspenseful murder mystery with Graham's character falsely accused, on the run, and surviving on faith. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans spoke with Graham about this new film. ✦ This Saturday, August 16, the Star Bar in Little Five Points is hosting a benefit for Upbeat, an Atlanta nonprofit that helps musicians in need. City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes has more. ✦ There's been a lot of chatter lately about proposed budget cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, but what is the actual impact of these cuts on working artists, arts institutions, and the communities they serve? Who are the human beings whose livelihoods are at risk? City Lights Collective member Kelundra Smith recently spoke with Heather Infantry, CEO of The Giving Gap, to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ Have you ever watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off or The Wizard of Oz and thought, "Where are all the Black characters?" Dad's Garage is answering that burning question in their show "Blackground," which is on stage through September 27. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans sat down with Jon Carr, the artistic director of Dad's Garage and one of the show's participants to learn more. ✦ City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta's visual art print magazine, "GULCH", want you to get out and engage with the city's art scene. Each week, they spotlight five standout happenings, and today their mix includes: SCAD in 4D with Atlanta Photography Group, Trees Atlanta, and Lost in the Letters collaborating to bring us stories of Atlanta's canopy, and a global group show at ABV's headquarters in East Atlanta. ✦ WABE's Sounds Like ATL documentary series explores the vibrant Atlanta music scene. Each week, it either introduces or reintroduces you to a local artist, sharing their creative process and a few live performances. You can watch, dance, and sing along to new episodes every Wednesday on the YouTube channel, @WABE ATL. Here's a preview featuring Rex Evans. ✦ Originating over 50 years ago in Mexico City, Circus Vazquez has presented death-defying acts and mesmerizing entertainment since 1969. Their all-human cast of performers has come together from locations around the globe, including Italy, Africa, and even Ukraine. The Circus is returning to Atlanta on August 22, and they'll be pitching their tent at Plaza Fiesta on Buford Highway through August 24. When City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes caught up with ringmaster and performer Yan Vazquez, and aerialist Valeria Koshova, Yan began by explaining why his grandfather originated the Circus over 5 decades ago. ✦ When you think of iconic Georgia foods, pecan pie, peach cobbler, or boiled peanuts might come to mind. But a deeper dive into the state's culinary history reveals a much richer—and sometimes surprising—story. Taste the State: A Culinary Journey Through Georgia offers just that. Co-authors Dr. David Shields and Chef Kevin Mitchell take readers on a delicious trip through the state's food history—one recipe, one story at a time. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane spoke with the duo about the dishes that define Georgia and the deeper stories they tell. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ Grease is the word, and it's also the film we're screening for our next City Lights Cinema event. Join us at the Plaza Theater next Saturday, August 16, at 4 pm for a movie plus shenanigans. We'll have a couple of competitions ahead of the screening – one for the hand jive - the ridiculous patty-cake type routine that the entire graduating class at Rydell High does during the school dance, and we'll also be hosting a costume contest! So, throw on your favorite dancing shoes, leather jackets, and blue jeans and meet us at the Plaza Theater on August 16. Get your tickets now at WABE dot org slash events. ✦ Atlanta Influences Everything, as espoused by Tory, Ian, and Bem, speaks to the fact that what is local in Atlanta is national and even international. This is evident in the work of Korean American filmmaker Crystal Jin Kim. Her latest short film, Threadbeat Dad, was shot in Atlanta but is poised to reach the world. Kim joins City Lights Co-host Jon Goode, from her filmmaking residency in Jeju, South Korea, to discuss the film and her journey as a filmmaker. ✦ Brunching in Atlanta is practically a sport. There are strategies involved—arrive early to beat the rush of a crowd, or maybe you're a diner that prefers to make reservations. Regardless, you'll need good stamina to make it through bottomless mimosas and rich portions of pancakes and bacon. BUT in this economy, who has the money to drop $80 to $100 on breakfast food and drinks every weekend? In our new mini-series, Brunchin' on a Budget, we feature several delicious AND affordable brunch spots in Atlanta. On today's premiere installment, WABE Arts Reporter Summer Evans heads to Decatur to visit Pastries A Go Go. ✦ When we think of the European Master of Art, Atlanta might not be the first connection we make, but this story aims to revisit that assumption. Enter Athos Menaboni, an Italian-born artist, who moved to Atlanta in the 1920s. While here, he painted ceilings, murals, and even airplane interiors for Coca-Cola executives. But his most profound passion? Birds. From cardinals to crows, he painted them not just with scientific accuracy but with reverence. It led to him and his wife, Sara to publish Menaboni's Birds, a book now considered a Southern classic. City Lights Collective member Victoria Lemos shares more on this bit of Atlanta history. ✦ Are you a fan of music photography, but craving something more than a casual stroll through an exhibit? How about being surrounded by over 1,200 iconic images of rock legends, projected onto 40-foot-high walls, all synced to a high-octane soundtrack played through a state-of-the-art sound system? Amplified: The Immersive Rock Experience, now showing at Atlanta's Illuminarium, takes visitors on a full-body journey through the history of rock and roll. Created in partnership with Rolling Stone, the show blends legendary soundscapes with cutting-edge visuals to celebrate the artists and moments that defined generations. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane sat down with creative director Brad Siegel to learn more about the making of this immersive experience. ✦ In our series, In Their Own Words, we check in with our artistic community. This is where they tell us who they are, what they do, what they love, and a few things you might not see coming. What things? Who knows, there's only one way to find out. Today, we hear from Atlanta actor Christopher McDonald, who recently appeared in Superman. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ In good art, there is often beauty, offense, challenge, common ground, and that special little something that stays with you long after you've experienced it. When City Lights Collective co-host Jon Goode went to The Balzer theater to see the True Colors theater's presentation of "Ain't No Mo," by playwright Jordan E Cooper, he didn't know what he was in for but left knowing he'd just seen some good art. ✦ The 8th annual "Middle Age Cabaret: Cougar Club is a sizzling mix of burlesque, comedy, aerialists, and more. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans takes you to the cabaret. ✦ When thinking of foods that are deeply rooted in the American South, Grits might immediately come to mind. City Lights Collective members and food contributors Akila McConnel and Chef Asata Reid have the story behind the creamy porridge's history, AND how grits became a classic Atlantan dish. ✦ Alex "Cost One" Acosta lives at the intersection of art and community outreach. His non-profit organization, Soul Food Cypher, uses freestyle rap and lyricism as tools for empowerment. By showcasing the positive aspects of rap through cypher events and tournaments, the organization provides lyricists with a nurturing environment where their voice and artistry can grow. This year marks the 13th anniversary of their first freestyle cypher, and their next event is August 24, at Create ATL in Adair Park. When Soul Food Cypher founder Alex Acosta and Cypher member Rio Nkosi recently spoke with City Lights Collective Co-host Kim Drobes, Acosta painted a picture of a typical Cypher event. ✦ Visual artist and music enthusiast Kosmo Vinyl bought his first LP when he was nine. He spent the next several decades immersed in music and began his professional career at London's pioneering indie label, "Stiff Records." In 1979, Kosmo started working exclusively with "The Clash" and stayed by their side until the punk icons disbanded in 1986. Over the years, Kosmo's record collection became legendary. In 2014, he began posting about his favorite releases on social media for his series, "Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week," and he joins us weekly to share the stories behind the records he treasures. Today, he tells us the story behind X-Ray Spex's "Germ Free Adolescents." ✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at Arts ATL looking for cultural events to share with readers. He joins us weekly to share highlights, and today, his mix includes Monster-rama, The Black Martial Arts Cinema Double Feature at the Plaza, and a flute quartet at the Supermarket. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ Multidisciplinary artist Brill Adium argues that artistic styles are mere constructs—and that venturing beyond your creative comfort zone can spark innovative solutions to everyday challenges. His first solo show, "Brill Adium: Finding My Rhythm," is currently on view at One Contemporary Gallery through September 6. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans spoke with Adium, along with One Contemporary curator and director Faron Manuel, about this expansive exhibition. ✦ Sharon Van Etten is one of indie Music's most influential voices. Her latest record, "Sharon Van Etten and the Attachment Theory," marks a new chapter in her already illustrious songwriting career. The album explores her chosen family, her biological family, grief, aging, and the modern landscape that contextualizes us all. Van Etten has just announced new fall tour dates that will see her returning to the South in October. When City Lights Collective member Jacob Smulian spoke with the musician this past April, she explained the inspiration behind the title of her new album. ✦ Atlanta's vibrant world of cocktails and zero-proof beverages thrives in our bars and restaurants as well as our local distilleries and non-alcoholic bottle shops. Few may know this world better than Beth McKibben, editor in chief and dining editor at Rough Draft Atlanta. Beth's expertise is invaluable as she continually explores our city's elevated beverage programs and examines the latest trends in mixology. She joins The City Lights Collective monthly for "The Beverage Beat," and this month, McKibben discusses snack-size cocktails and why sometimes less is more. ✦ For some artists, Atlanta is a giant canvas. And that seems true for VAYNE, one of our city's most notorious, admired, and internationally recognized graffiti-style writers. You've likely seen his name in giant block letters, sprayed or paint-rolled on some of Atlanta's seemingly impossible-to-reach billboards and overpasses. And yet – there it is. Last year, VAYNE had his first-ever solo exhibition, and this spring, he was a featured artist at Oakland Cemetery's yearly Illumine event. When City Lights Collective Co-host Kim Drobes caught up with VAYNE, they discussed his life spent in the shadows yet seen everywhere. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ We've all felt a little "othered" at times, but the shy, serious, teenage Leela, born in India, and on the autism spectrum, might have a bit of extra insight into the feeling. She's the lead character in the acclaimed play "Orange" by Aditi Brennan Kapil, which opens at Stage Door Theatre on August 9 and runs through the 24. City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes recently spoke with director Amee Vyas about the play and how the story of teenage growth unfolds. ✦ Since 2014, re:imagine/ATL has been empowering the next generation of creatives through hands-on training, mentorship, and real-world media production. With programs that equip young people to navigate Atlanta's growing film and production industry — and provide access to professional opportunities — the organization is helping emerging talent build both skills and careers. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane spoke with Program Director Jessie Sparrow and program alum Syeara Dunlap to learn more about their work — and how they're using creativity to shape futures and communities. ✦ City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta's visual art print magazine, "GULCH", want you to get out and engage with the city's art scene. Each week, they spotlight five standout happenings, and today their mix includes: a story about how the Goat Farm is picking up where MINT left off, bringing the family to the High Museum for free, and explorations of Southern, Black, queer history and iconography. ✦ Comedian and podcaster Sean Jordan is following his life's calling to spread laughter and positivity to the masses, but these days, that can be a challenge. Especially as he balances fatherhood and life as a touring comedian, Sean strives to show up, hold it down, and turn life's ups and downs into material for his standup. You can see for yourself, as he makes his Atlanta debut this Friday, the 8th, at the Limelight Theater, and he spoke with City Lights Collective engineer Matt McWilliams ahead of the show. ✦ Several Georgia playwrights are showcasing never-before-seen works at this year's Essential Theatre Play Festival. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans shares more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ Atlanta is a city rife with creativity. One of the artistic endeavors that Atlanta, and Georgia for that matter, has seen hockey stick growth within is film making. Not to be forgotten, however, amongst the known stars, million-dollar budgets, and expensive studios are the indie-film makers. City Lights Collective co-host Jon Goode sat down with poet, indie-film maker, and Atlanta native Malik Salaam, director of the new film Cut, to discuss the movie, his journey, and Atlanta's indie-film scene. ✦ A speakeasy meets a night of jazz-opera fusion, R&B, and chill vibes this Saturday. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans shares more about "The Den on Queen" event. ✦ City Lights Collective member, podcaster, and self-proclaimed history nerd Victoria Lemos lives to research the stories behind Atlanta's treasures, and this week, she dives into the wild origin story of one of the city's most beloved institutions: Zoo Atlanta. It all started in Grant Park in the late 1800s, where an abandoned circus, a lumber magnate with a vision, and some very confused animals collided to create Atlanta's first permanent menagerie. In today's story from Lemos, you'll meet the city's first zookeeper, an "educated pig," and learn how a train car full of lions, monkeys, and even a dromedary led to what we now call Zoo Atlanta. We'll uncover how public parades, dime campaigns, and even elephants named Coca and Cola shaped the park's future—and why the city's love for the zoo never quite matched the funding behind it. ✦ You know as well as we do that there is always a plethora of things to do in Atlanta, and we have earned the title of "The Cultural Capital of the South." Mike Jordan, senior editor at the AJC, and Sammie Purcell, associate editor at Rough Draft Atlanta, know this well too. They join us weekly to share a few of their picks for your weekend entertainment. Today, their mix includes two separate food events – one for veggies and one for jollof, and a film festival in the suburbs. ✦ Award-winning photographer Jim Alexander has spent his life refining what he calls the art of documentary photography. A photojournalist, teacher, activist, media consultant, and entrepreneur, Alexander has amassed an impressive collection of images showcasing Black culture and human rights. He's also a dear friend of photographer Sue Ross, who has spent five decades telling the story of Black Atlanta through images of politicians, artists, literary greats, community leaders, and as she puts it, "just plain people." These two giants of photography have much in common, but it's their shared love for Music that is spotlighted in the exhibition, "We Are Music," currently on view at The Sun ATL. Both Alexander and Ross have seemingly endless collections of live concert photography. They've both been stage-side to capture images of some of Black Music's biggest names, including Dizzy Gillespie, Gladys Knight, Miles Davis, Run-DMC, Herbie Hancock, and India Arie - many of whom were photographed at Atlanta's annual Jazz Festival. City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes recently visited The Sun ATL to view the exhibition and was given a tour by the legendary photographers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ If you're looking for your next much-needed laugh, Atlanta comedian Joel Byars has plenty of them ready for you at his "Funny Fridays" comedy showcase. The next event in the series is scheduled for August 22 at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center and will feature performances by Lace Larrabee, Carlos Rodriguez, and Emily Holden. Byars recently joined WABE arts reporter Summer Evans to talk more about why he's committed to making our Fridays funny. ✦ Last May, when the pizzeria-arcade chain Chuck E. Cheese announced plans to retire its famous animatronic bands, the backlash was swift. After hearing this outcry, the company promised to keep a few of the bands across the nation. You may be surprised to hear that there was an outcry over Animatronics, but the art form, which brings mechanical and electronic figures to life, continues to hold the public's attention. In fact, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts offers a graduate concentration in Animatronics. It's true. If you're a fan of life-like, magical, moving figures with Dead Eyes (Jon's words, not mine), you don't have to travel far to get your fix. City Lights Collective member Wesley Boutilier brings us the story of a Six Flags Over Georgia ride that recently underwent a significant animatronic upgrade. ✦ Local artist Carl Janes knows that making art isn't a solo effort—it's as much about community as it is about creativity. Over the years, he has helped carve out spaces for Atlanta's local music and arts communities to gather, perform, and thrive—including his former East Atlanta home, The Secret Spot, and more recently, his location in Underground, called Inner Space. For his latest endeavor, he has teamed up with local brewery Halfway Crooks to curate a diverse Summer Sunday Concert series, which will run throughout August. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane recently sat down with Janes learn why he's bringing his Inner Space outdoors. ✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at Arts ATL looking for cultural events to share with readers, and he joins us weekly to share highlights. Today, his mix includes Black Writers Weekend 2025, and True Colors Theatre Company's adaptation of Jordan E. Cooper's Ain’t No Mo’. ✦ Artist and music enthusiast, Kosmo Vinyl. He spent several decades immersed in music and began his professional career at London's pioneering indie label, "Stiff Records." In 1979, Kosmo started working exclusively with "The Clash" and stayed by their side until the punk icons disbanded in 1986. Over the years, Kosmo's record collection became legendary. In 2014, he began posting about his favorite releases on social media as part of his series, "Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week," and he joins us weekly to share the stories behind the records he treasures. Today, Kosmo discusses the story behind Ann Peebles’ “I Can’t Stand the Rain.” ✦ The game of Pinball has seen a resurgence in popularity over the last decade, and for those who love the game, August 1 is considered National Pinball Day. City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes brings us the story behind the celebration. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ What's the unlikeliest place you can think of to start a podcast? Well, back in 2016, the creatives behind the hit podcast Ear Hustle launched their show from inside California's San Quentin State Prison. Their goal? To tell first-hand true stories of life during and after incarceration. The show is co-hosted by Earlonne Woods, who spent over 20 years in prison, and Nigel Poor, who first came to San Quentin as a photography instructor. The duo will be hosting a live taping of "Ear Hustle" at Terminal West on August 5, and they recently sat down with City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes to discuss what's in store. ✦ The Atlanta spoken word community is going through an extremely tough time. Actor, musician, spoken word poet, and brother to all, Malcolm Jamal Warner, suddenly and tragically passed away last week. To honor and celebrate his life, his art, and his legacy, a collection of some of the best poets in the nation, including Grammy award winner J Ivy, Tony award winner GA Me, Theresa Tha Songbird, Abyss, Queen Sheba, and many others are performing at City Winery tomorrow. Doors are at 11a.m. and the performances take place from Noon to 3pm. ✦ Tossing bean bags or rolling bocce balls—it's the kind of simple fun that can make you feel like a kid again. Only this time, maybe you've got a beer in hand. The Atlanta Cornhole and Bocce League is all about bringing that playful energy to a local pub near you. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans shares more on how these outdoor games are turning weeknights into something worth showing up for. ✦ The Pan African Festival returns on August 16 with the theme of Liberation Rising: Remember, Resist, Rejoice. Created by the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights, this is the festival's 5th year, and the event promises to bring music, food, dance, and discussion to the heart of Decatur. The Alliance's co-chair is Fonta High, and when City Lights Collective member Katina Pappas-DeLuca recently caught up with her, the leader began by explaining the organization's history and mission. ✦ Could the key to advancing AI, educating under-resourced youth, and even healing the divisions of our country lie in hip hop? Author Manny Faces thinks so. A longtime advocate for hip-hop culture and academia, Faces speaks with experts and explores this concept in his new book, "Hip Hop Can Save America!" City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane sat down with him to learn more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ 61 years ago, racial minorities had no legally protected right to vote. A new documentary film “Harmony of Freedom” reminds us of this unsettling fact while celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, through the power of music. WABE has partnered with Georgia State student conductor and filmmaker Jackson Allred to air “Harmony of Freedom” on August 4th. The film showcases orchestras from all over the state of Georgia performing composer Margaret Bonds’ “Montgomery Variations.” City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes recently sat down with Jackson Allred to learn more. ✦ Atlanta Pride, Georgia's oldest nonprofit organization serving our city’s local LGBTQ+ community, turns 55 this year. To celebrate, they’ve partnered with Out on Film and are showcasing queer resistance in the South - through a film screening and community summit. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans shares more. ✦ For nearly three decades, Dad's Garage has been become synonymous with improv comedy in Atlanta. And as their fans have put down roots and grown families here in Atlanta, so to has Dad's expanded their offerings to appeal to the next generation of comedy lovers. Performing Saturday matinee shows, Wowie Zowie is a playful and engaging experience for audiences of all ages. Kids get to let loose and see their creative ideas come to life on stage, while parents can enjoy an afternoon out of the house without suffering the oppressive summer heat. City Lights Engineer Matt McWilliams recently caught up with Dad's Garage ensemble player Avery Sharpe-Steele after a sold-out Wowie Zowie show. ✦ . You may be familiar with Toni Morrison, the Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning author of novels “Beloved,” “The Bluest Eye,” and more. But did you know that Morrison was also one of the first Black editors for a major publishing company? A new book, “Toni at Random,” examines Morrison’s years as an editor at Random House and the book’s author, Dana Williams, will celebrate her new release tomorrow, with a discussion at Atlanta’s Auburn Avenue Research Library. City Lights Collective member Alison Law recently caught up with Willams to talk about “Toni at Random” ahead of tomorrow’s event. ✦ City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta’s visual art print magazine, “GULCH”, want you to get out and engage with the city’s art scene. Each week they spotlight five standout happenings, and today their mix includes: prints galore at the Black Art in America Print Fair, love and care in a group show at the historical Haugabrooks Gallery on Auburn Avenue, and thoughtful textile explorations at Gallery Chimera. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ If artists are the heartbeats, pumping out music, then DJs are the people with their fingers on the pulse. People in-tune with the rhythms that allow you to feel how love, longing, and light in a song, and in your soul. There are DJs that play arenas, clubs, weddings, backyard BBQs, and every place in-between. They can make or break or night, but my goodness the right DJ can transform a dance floor into a time machine; into a place that can take you to the past, into the future, or just make time stand still. Atlanta has some of the best DJs on the planet. On our new series, “Thank You DJs” we'll sit down with DJs you know, DJs you don't, and DJs you should, so that we might know them, their journey, and their love for music a little better. First up DJ Greg Nyce. ✦ What do you do when you're stuck at home during the pandemic, with too much free time and no creative outlet? For Atlanta Symphony Orchestra bassist and composer Michael Kurth, you create a chamber group. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans shares more on the Ridibund Chamber Music Society. ✦ City Lights Collective member, podcaster, and self-proclaimed history nerd Victoria Lemos recently took a deep dive into the Southern institution that never sleeps — Waffle House. From its roots in a chance friendship in Avondale Estates, to being used as a FEMA disaster barometer, she traced how two neighbors turned a $4,000 investment into a 24-hour empire. This is more than just breakfast — it's a story of Southern identity, innovation, and two visionaries who made waffles a way of life. ✦ You know as well as I do that there is always a plethora of things to do in Atlanta, and we have earned the title of "The Cultural Capital of the South." Mike Jordan, senior editor at the AJC, and Sammie Purcell, associate editor at Rough Draft Atlanta, know this well too. They join us weekly to share a few of their picks for your weekend entertainment. Today, their mix includes free music, peaches, and a trip to the stars. ✦ It's been a long road since The Swell Season first captured hearts with their Oscar-winning song "Falling Slowly" and the hit film Once, which dramatized their real-life connection. That breakout moment led to a beloved Broadway adaptation and the release of their critically acclaimed second album, Strict Joy. Now, 16 years later, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová reunite for a new collection of heartfelt songs—and will bring their long-awaited return to Atlanta with a performance at the Woodruff Arts Center on August 2. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane sat down with the duo to discuss their reunion and everything that has unfolded in the years since. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ From street corners to collectors' closets, sneakers have become more than just footwear. They're currency, they're conversation starters, and they're Culture. In Atlanta, sneakers have found their way into exhibitions, college degrees, and even job opportunities. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans recently laced up to learn more about the billion-dollar industry behind the kicks that turn heads and spark hype. ✦ It's time to check in with our artistic community and hear from an artist in their own words. Today, we're catching up with poet Lauren Doriahna. She's an Atlanta lyricist, and she's here to share the rhyme and reason behind the art of language. ✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at Arts ATL looking for cultural events to share with readers. He joins us weekly to share highlights, and today, his mix includes a few options for Comedy and details on a 3-band show at the Garden Club with a few of Georgia's finest. ✦ Five Eight is playing the Garden Club with Magnapop, Anna Kramer, and Easy Now on Saturday. Five Eight emerged from the Athens scene in the late 1980s with live shows fans described as "brilliance bordering on a train wreck," delivered with frontman Mike Mantione's trademark honesty and immediacy. As mentioned, there's a documentary called "Weirdo: The Story of Five Eight," created by filmmaker and music journalist Marc Pilvinsky, which was filmed over a nine-year period. Ahead of the Five Eight show this Saturday, we listen back to Kim's 2024 conversation with Five Eight's Mike Mantione and documentarian Marc Pilvinsky. ✦ Artist and music enthusiast Kosmo Vinyl spent several decades immersed in music and began his professional career at London's pioneering indie label, "Stiff Records." In 1979, Kosmo started working exclusively with "The Clash" and stayed by their side until the punk icons disbanded in 1986. Over the years, Kosmo's record collection became legendary. In 2014, he began posting about his favorite releases on social media for his series, "Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week," and he joins us weekly to share the stories behind the records he treasures. Today, he tells us the story behind Them's version of "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue." ✦ In his YouTube documentary series "Our Voices, Our Lives," Atlanta-based filmmaker William Feagins Jr. shines a light on our city's creatives of color. The program has been running for 7 years, and City Lights Collective member Jacob Smulian recently spoke with the award-winning documentarian to learn more about the celebratory project. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ 0:30 - Atlanta's music scene is often associated with sold-out arenas, local small stages, or eclectic late-night venues. But hidden in corners of the city, another kind of music space is thriving, one powered by turntables, vintage speakers, and the warm crackle of vinyl. These are Atlanta's listening rooms, where music isn't just played; it's experienced. The rooms come in various flavors, shapes, and styles; almost all have opened within the last two years. City Lights Collective member Jacob Smulian has more. ✦ 11:24 - After three weeks of intensive workshops at Alliance Theatre's Palefsky Collision Project, twenty metro-Atlanta teens will showcase their original productions on July 25 and 26. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans shares more. ✦ 13:23 - Atlanta Artist Jym Davis describes himself as a myth builder. And that's true. However, the creative, better known as "False Face," is also a sculptor, photographer, online content curator, and a five-time National Park artist-in-residence. Davis's primary medium is elaborate and otherworldly papier-mâché masks inspired by nature. The artist then wears the masks in natural settings and captures their essence using performative photography. The result is enchanting. City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes recently spoke with Davis to learn more about his practice and how he curates his incredibly successful and beautiful Instagram account. ✦ 28:19 - Stone Mountain stands over 800 feet tall, making it the largest exposed piece of granite in the world. While it offers incredible views of the Atlanta skyline, it has a dark history and was once a well-known meeting ground for intolerance and hate. Photographer Jean Shifrin hopes to change that narrative by showcasing the diverse range of people who make the mile-long trek up to its peak year-round, and she aims to reframe Stone Mountain as a place for unity and diversity. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans recently spoke with the photographer about her new book, "Rise Above: On Top of Stone Mountain." ✦ 42:10 - Through light and sound, the sensory manifestations of mathematics, quantum physics, and vast archives of raw data are dancing on the walls of the High Museum this summer. In an immersive exhibition, critics are praising as "awe-inspiring" and "visceral," leading Japanese artist and electronic composer Ryoji Ikeda invites us to experience "data-verse." City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane recently spoke with High curator Michael Rooks about Ryoji Ikeda's epic installations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ 0:40 - The five main food groups that are important for anyone’s diet include—fruits, vegetables, protein, grains, and chocolate…okay, maybe not the last one. However, it remains an essential building block of a balanced diet. A new exhibition at the Museum of Design Atlanta, also known as MODA, explores the origins of chocolate, its evolution into a global commodity, and the designs of some of the most popular chocolate brands we know today. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans visited MODA to check out this delicious exhibition. ✦ 11:28 - We preview of this week’s WABE’s Sounds Like ATL music documentary series. For the unfamiliar, the show dives into the heart of Atlanta’s music scene. And each week, Sounds Like ATL spotlights a local artist—sharing their creative process and a few live performances. You can catch new episodes every Wednesday on the YouTube channel, @WABE ATL. Here’s a preview of the episode coming in a couple of day that features singer-songwriter, Kira. ✦ 15:03 - A new development is promising to reconnect neighborhoods and restore opportunity in the city’s core. It’s called BLVD NEXT and City Lights Collective co-host Jon Goode went to the groundbreaking ceremony to learn more about the arts organization that’s been tapped to collaborate. ✦ 26:42 - City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta’s visual art print magazine, “GULCH”, want you to get out and engage with the city’s art scene. Each week they spotlight five standout happenings, and today their mix includes: Blaxploitation film posters on display at ADAMA, live figure model drawing at The Supermarket, and the all-ages Contemporary Kids art program at Atlanta Contemporary. ✦ 38:12 - One of Atlanta’s own is heading to Switzerland this summer to participate in the first-ever “European Throat Singing Festival and Competition.” City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes recently caught up with Atlanta throat singer Aileen Loy ahead of her upcoming European adventure. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever is dancing into its 10th year in Atlanta on Saturday, July 26, in Candler Park. City Lights Collective member, Chantelle Rytter, has more on this odd Atlanta tradition that brings Kate Bush and Emily Brontë fans together in a public dance. ✦ Today marks the 5th anniversary of Congressman John Lewis' death. Lewis dedicated his life to advancing the cause of freedom and equality in America and was a towering figure in our country's struggle for civil rights. He inspired countless people, including the band members of the Cabbagetown band, Evan Stepp & The Piners. They recently released a single titled "Good Trouble," and Evan joined us recently to share the story behind the song. ✦ The West End's Portrait Coffee is hosting an event this weekend called "A Place to Play," and City Lights Collective co-host Jon Goode recently sat down with co-founder Marcus Hollinger to learn why play is not a game. ✦ Today, we trace the history of one of Atlanta's most nostalgic institutions: the Science & Technology Museum of Atlanta, or SciTrek. From its grassroots beginnings to becoming a downtown sensation, SciTrek brought science to life for a generation. City Lights Collective member, podcaster, and self-proclaimed history nerd Victoria Lemos recently traced SciTrek's journey through civic politics, fundraising highs and lows, and the love Atlantans still have for the museum today. If you grew up here (or wish you had), this nostalgic deep dive is for you. ✦ You know as well as we do that there is always a plethora of things to do in Atlanta, and we have earned the title of "The Cultural Capital of the South." Mike Jordan, senior editor at the AJC, and Sammie Purcell, associate editor at Rough Draft Atlanta, know this well too. They join us weekly to share a few of their picks for your weekend entertainment. ✦ ATL Comic Convention is this weekend, and a couple of the stars from the hit saga "Twilight" will be in town to participate. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans spoke with two of the vampires—actors Kellan Lutz and Jackson Rathbone, or for you fangs out there, that would be Jasper Hale and Emmett Cullen, ahead of their appearance at the Georgia World Congress Center. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ It's hard to believe that just a two-hour drive north of Atlanta, just past the end of 985 on Highway 441, brings you to a place where art, nature, and history converge in the most beautiful ways. City Lights Collective Member Zachary Brown recently hit the highway to learn more about the Hambidge Center. ✦ Atlanta's first-ever Halal Food Festival is coming to Atlantic Station on Saturday. Mouthwatering food such as tandoori chicken, shawarma sandwiches, kebabs, and gyros is just some of the cuisines being served by the over 80 vendors. ✦ What do you get when you mix sketch comedy, improv, and Georgia-grown talent with a dash of storytelling? That would be Sketchy Business ATL, a live showcase from Trilith Institute, the non-profit part of Trilith production studios. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane sat down with event host Christian Noel alongside Trilith Institutes co-founder Jeffrey Stepakoff to find out more. ✦ WABE's Sounds Like ATL documentary series dives into the heart of Atlanta's music scene. Each week, it spotlights a local artist, sharing their creative process and a few live performances. You can catch new episodes every Wednesday on the YouTube channel, @WABE ATL. Today, we preview the recent episode with Uriel UMC. ✦ What will the world look like 100 years from now? This question about the future inspired artist T.W. Pilar and creative technologist Ivan Reyes to construct the exhibition "Technoterria," an immersive exhibit currently on view at the Georgia Tech Library. ✦ Visual artist and music enthusiast Kosmo Vinyl bought his first LP when he was nine. He spent the next several decades immersed in music and began his professional career at London's pioneering indie label, "Stiff Records." In 1979, Kosmo started working exclusively with "The Clash" and stayed by their side until the punk icons disbanded in 1986. Over the years, Kosmo's record collection became legendary. In 2014, he began posting about his favorite releases on social media for his series, "Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week," and today, he shares the history of Tom Waits' song, "Jockey Full of Bourbon." ✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at Arts ATL looking for cultural events to share with readers. He joins us weekly to share highlights, and today, his mix includes a Plazadrome event with former TCM Underground host and film historian Millie De Chirico, and a daytime dance party hosted by drag superstar Lady Bunny. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

✦ Can you name a feeling? Dashill Smith and the musicians and vocalists that join him at TenATL certainly think so. City Lights Collective co-host Jon Goode recently went to visit TenATL in East Atlanta to learn more. ✦ In honor of MLB All-Star Week, Truist Park isn’t the only place in Cobb County to see baseball this summer. A new exhibition at the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art features the work of artist Mike Schacht—a prolific painter of baseball legends. ✦ Known to soap opera fans as the hold no prisoners mob by Sonny Corinthos on General Hospital, actor Maurice Bernard has earned several daytime Emmy awards and the attention of millions of fans. However, in recent years, he has stepped into the role of a lifetime: mental health advocate. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Bernard has used several platforms, including his podcast, State of Mind, to raise awareness about living with mental illness. He'll share his candid experiences at the Punchline on July 24th with his one-man show, Maurice Bernard: Live on Stage. ✦ Artist, illustrator and educator Faith Ringgold showed us our world through the eyes of young children in every medium you can think of –books, paintings, drawings, sculptures, even quilts. Trained and extensively honored in the fine art and academic circles of New York City, Faith Ringgold nevertheless focused her work on the children who remained her lifelong muse, working as an art teacher in New York City public schools for decades. Now, the High Museum is presenting the most comprehensive exhibition to date of Faith Ringgold’s art from her children’s books, including never-before-seen pieces. ✦ Municipal Support for the Arts ✦ They play on street corners, beneath overpasses, and in MARTA stations — creating the soundtracks of Atlanta’s daily hustle. But who are these street performers, and what drives them? WABE arts reporter Summer Evans explores the city’s vibrant busking scene and learns how it compares to other musical cities. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.