Article on Atlanta Concert Scene

Light season opens with new Gwinnett venue, dazzling jazz


By SHANE HARRISON
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution


Think of it as the calm before the summer storm. For pop music fans, the early part of the year is always a little sparse, but venues of every size will see a little action. There are certain to be new shows announced in the coming weeks, too.

In the bigger venues, Jimmy Buffett will bring a little summery flavor to the gray midwinter with a stop at Philips Arena on Feb. 1. Philips will rock again a couple of weeks later with Bon Jovi on Feb. 13. And, though their hair may not be arena-sized anymore, Jon Bon Jovi and his bandmates' music is still as big and blustery as ever.

The metro area recently scored a new pop music venue, and a couple of the early months' biggest shows will land at the 13,000-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center (no corporate name yet). After a sold-out December date at Philips Arena, Bruce Springsteen returns to the area for a Feb. 28 show at the new Gwinnett facility on his continuing tour in support of "The Rising," which was recorded here. Country music stalwart George Strait, scaling down from his big summer touring festivals, will also grace the Gwinnett Arena stage Feb. 21, followed by atmospheric British rockers Coldplay on March 6.

Moving down in seating capacity, introspective British singer-songwriter David Gray stops by the Fox Theatre on Feb. 4 with tunes from his latest critically acclaimed album, "A New Day at Midnight."

If you like things more diminutive, try the lovely indie-pop melodies of Luna at the Echo Lounge on Feb. 1. And a couple of re-formed bands will touch down in local clubs in the next few months: Boston post-punk outfit Mission of Burma, at the Echo on Feb. 20, and college radio favorites Toad the Wet Sprocket at the Cotton Club on March 7.

Most of country music's big guns don't come out until summer, but Gary Allan will venture into Cowboys on Feb. 21.

The real sparkle of these first few months of 2003 emanates from the world of jazz. Jimmy McGriff, Ramsey Lewis, Abdullah Ibrahim and Dianne Reeves are all scheduled to hit Atlanta by April. Then, in late May, comes the annual Atlanta Jazz Festival.

The schedule may look light now, but things won't seem so quiet once Music Midtown rolls around again. The 10th annual staging of Atlanta's genre-spanning music festival is scheduled for May 2-4.