There are many hours of work required just to make even one hour of stage performance happen. Amos Rifkin knows first-hand the good, bad, and the ugly of being a road warrior gigging band musician and is using that knowledge to make the experience better through his company A Rippin’ Production (yes, the company name is a play on his own name).

Hi everybody. We are so thrilled with the interest and support we have received since launching Atlanta Music Grapevine just about 2 months ago. People are thanking us for what we are doing, recommending others to interview, and suggesting new features they would like to see us develop.

There is so much talent and so many interesting stories out there. We already have a long wish-list of interviews. Many are already scheduled. Many are being scheduled. We enjoy bringing you the in-depth stories like those we have published so far. However, sometimes we run into people who have a shorter story to tell. It might be a timely event, a new artist or businesses just getting started or a new music venue or open mic opportunity. We want to make sure we get these out to you, too.

So, we are excited to announce the launch of a new, additional format – Off The Vine. These stories will be shorter than our typical Spotlight stories, but will provide you additional insights into the latest happenings around the Atlanta music scene. We will continue to provide Spotlight stories once a week, but this more compact format will allow us to provide greater volume and variety of content for you. Let us know what you think.

We love what’s going on in Atlanta music and look forward to continuing to share the stories of our cool town.

Thank you for all of your support. Happy reading!

If you could bottle love in a song, it would be “Great Divide,” a song that comes from the heart of Mike Rizzi. When you meet Mike, you quickly learn that he is many things. As a person, he is: a good father, husband, son, and friend; he is funny, warm, and gracious. As a musician, he is: a master of his instrument, a melodic composer, a strong lyricist, a seasoned studio pro. But his love for his son, Kaden, shines above all else.

Who says you can’t develop long lasting relationships on Craigslist? Ten years ago, some guys who wanted to be in a band met through Craigslist. They got together, had immediate chemistry and started jamming and thus was born The Bitteroots. Now, ten years later, 200+ shows, five records and a number of band members who have come and gone, The Bitteroots are working on a new album and reminding Atlanta of why they have been so popular over the years.

The Last Chance Riders. That is a cool sounding band name. Yet you should not read too much into it. While it could give the impression of a group tiredly heaving up a final Hail Mary pass, hoping for a miraculous win, this Atlanta quintet is coming out of the gate strong with a string of impressive live shows and a new album.