The City Lights Collective

✦ The band DEVO has been holding up a funhouse mirror to America for nearly fifty years. They broke out of Akron, Ohio, in the late '70s with a sound that was part punk, part art experiment, and all warning signs. Their concept of 'de-evolution'—that instead of progressing, society was actually regressing—felt satirical back then. But looking around today, it feels eerily predictive. A...

✦ The late great Radcliffe Bailey was a painter, sculptor, and mixed media artist who produced work that was personal, global, beautiful, complex, and resonated in a way that stayed with you long after you'd seen it. He was a citizen of the world and Atlanta's own. On September 26, the Auburn Avenue Research Library will host a panel entitled "Southern Ground: The Legacy of Radcliffe Bai...

✦ Since 2010, The Goat Farm has served as home to artists of all types in Atlanta. After a brief period of renovations, it reopened in 2024 and is now bigger and better than ever. You can see it in all of its glory at this year's second annual SITE festival. Sprawling over the whole 12 acres of the Goat Farms property will be exhibitions and installations of all kinds. City Lights Collective produ...

✦ But first, one of the special things about the Atlanta art scene is the small and intimate art galleries that focus on a particular artistic style. City Lights Collective member Katina Pappas-DeLuca sat down with Anja and Jumbe Sebunya, the founders and curators of aKAZI ATL, to learn more about their gallery of contemporary African art and their upcoming exhibition titled "Peace, Reconciliation...

✦ From a memorable guest appearance in the hit TV show "Atlanta" to a leading role in the slasher "I Know What You Did Last Summer," Atlanta resident Tyriq Withers has spent the past three years skyrocketing into one of Hollywood's most desired newcomers. Now, he's taking on his most anticipated role yet in the upcoming Jordan Peele-produced thriller "Him." Withers plays Cameron Cade, an aspiring...

✦ The Out on Film festival has not only been a place where the diverse voices of the LGBTQ+ community can see themselves on the big screen, but it has also served as a safe haven, a place of education, and a family reunion. City Lights Collective co-host Jon Goode sat down with Festival Director Jim Farmer to discuss the origins of the event and what you can expect from Out on Film today. ✦ For th...

✦ When two of Atlanta's most innovative arts institutions—the Atlanta Opera and the Alliance Theatre—join forces, the result is bound to be something extraordinary. Their latest collaboration is a powerful new production of Fiddler on the Roof, the musical that has captivated audiences for generations. City Lights Collective member Zachary Brown recently spoke with two of the show's ac...

✦ On the 4th Monday of each month at Red Light Café, there's a variety show dedicated to chaotic goodness. It's called 'Joy Deficit' and the show always starts with a communal primal scream. City Lights Collective member Katina Pappas-DeLuca recently caught up with Joy Deficit's founder and host, Gina Rickicki, to tell us more about the scream and the show that follows. ✦ The Fulton County...

✦ Produced at Assembly Studios in Atlanta, CBS's "Beyond the Gates" follows the relationships, rivalries, and secrets that follow the residents of the fictional gated community of Fairmont Crest. The fall season of the first African American daytime soap opera kicked off on Monday and features a diverse lineup of veteran talents and fresh faces. Two of the latter include actors Colby Muhammed and...

✦ Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will perform a special one-night-only concert on Friday, September 19, and everything on the program is special. Superstar pianist Lang Lang will be the soloist for Beethoven's Majestic Emperor Concerto, and the internationally acclaimed conductor Gemma New will direct the ASO in two works by Mozart. WABE icon and City Lights Collective member Lois Reitzes recently spo...

✦ English actor and producer Jon Boyega gained international recognition for his role as Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy; however, that was not Boyega's first dip into science fiction. His debut feature-length film, 2011's "Attack the Block," and his most recently released film, "They Cloned Tyrone," both use the science fiction comedy genre to explore deeper social issues. Boyega appeared at...

✦ Today, it is more important than ever to state, define, and be clear about who you are. To do that, you may have to be bold, upfront, and... frank. To that end, a dynamic group of 11 queer artists, known as Frank, will present a diverse, multifaceted, and self-defining art show entitled "Being Frank: it is because I am." The show is at Ansley Mall from September 14 through the 17, and City Light...

✦ In the immortal words of The Notorious B.I.G., get ready to sit and conversate for a few, with Atlanta's own Killer Mike. Legally known as Michael Render, the rapper, entrepreneur, and activist has launched a new podcast called "Conversate with Killer Mike." The show is recorded from his Atlanta studio, where he and his friends dive into topics both local and global. City Lights Collective produ...

✦ Food is a story—its origins, makers, and how recipes travel globally. The series "ChefATL," produced by SCAD, explores the stories behind the foods that inspire Atlanta chefs. In collaboration with WABE, SCAD students spotlight Atlanta restaurateurs each episode. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans spoke with SCAD student Astrid Sims, and Dear and the Dove owner Terry Koval to learn more about...

✦ 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 so...

Today’s special show was recorded live from Dragon Con. Join City Lights Collective hosts Kim Drobes and Jon Goode as they talk to the diverse communities of Dragon Con. Learn about the art and music of the con and meet the people who help make Atlanta’s biggest fan-based pop culture convention a yearly spectacular. Guests include: Dragon Con’s Art Curator: Tracy Harvey-Bell Fine...

✦ 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. 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 delici...

✦ "Cinematheque," Emory's film screening series, leads us on a deep dive into the history, present, and possible futures of cinema every spring and fall. Beginning tomorrow, August 27, through December, "Cinematheque" looks back exactly 50 years to 1975, an explosive and groundbreaking year for film, with blockbusters like "Jaws," underdog hits like "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and offbeat ou...

✦ For decades, comedian and actor Jim Gaffigan has entertained audiences nationwide with his observational humor, personable stage presence, and a variety of film and television projects ranging from "Unfrosted" to his own self-titled comedy series. The eight-time Grammy nominee will be performing at the Atlanta Symphony Hall September 11-13 as part of his "Everything Is Wonderful Tour." He recent...

✦ Creative digital technologies have no doubt expanded the art of animation for filmmakers, yet there's still nothing like the wow-factor of a fully handmade film. Director, writer, and animator Sebastian Soler crafted, placed, and shot every frame of his new Action-Thriller "Spanish Moss," a traditional stop-motion work he emphatically calls a "labor of love." The edge-of-your-seat adventure is f...

✦ Break out your Flux Capacitor because when this show hits 88 miles per hour, you're going to see some serious…. stuff.  That's right, “Back to the Future, The Musical” is coming to the Fox Theater this September.  Bob Gale, co-writer of the original movies who helped bring to life Marty McFly and Doc Brown, has adapted the story for the stage, giving these beloved ch...

✦ Atlanta has increasingly become known for film production. Its ever-growing footprint is undeniable. Also undeniable is the growth of events, occasions, and festivals that celebrate and elevate Atlanta's films and filmmakers. One such event is the BronzeLens Film Festival, which is happening at Tara Cinema, August 20 through the 24th. BronzeLens turns sixteen this year, and it is clearly in the...

✦ 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 a...

✦ 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...

✦ 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 bas...