JOI HEADLINES AUGUST WABE PRESENTS SOUNDS LIKE ATL SHOW

August taping of WABE’s live-concert series to feature ATL funk-hybrid Joi with opener Ansley Stewart, 8/9/22 at City Winery

Watch on WABE TV or wabe.org later.

ATLANTA (8/9/2022)—WABE, Atlanta’s choice for NPR and PBS, is giving over its WABE presents SOUNDS LIKE ATL stage at City Winery to one of Atlanta funk-favorite legends, Joi, for the August taping of the station’s live-music performance series. Atlantan Ansley Stewart opens the show at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 9, at City Winery. Tickets are available now at bit.ly/augslatl.

Joi is an Atlanta favorite, known for her incredibly moving, funk, soulful music. Born and raised in Tennessee, she became synonymous with the burgeoning Atlanta scene in the early nineties after relocating. 1994 saw her release a classic in the form of The Pendulum Vibe. Legendary filmmaker Mario Van Peebles chose to re-record her “Freedom” with the help of 60-plus vocalists, including Mary J. Blige, En Vogue, TLC, Aaliyah, and more. Backed by alternative luminaries Fishbone, she unleashed the oft-bootlegged Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome in 1997, followed by the epic 2002 offering Star Kitty’s Revenge. The latter yielded immortal smashes such as “Lick,” “Techno Pimp,” and “Jefferson St. Joe,” which paid homage to Joi’s dad Joe Gilliam (the NFL’s first black starting quarterback). Next up, 2006’s Tennessee Slim is the Bomb marked her first independent salvo, with favorites “I’m So Famous,” “Co Stars, and “I Love You Forever (Right Now),” which Joi performed on Netflix’s LUKE CAGE.

“I get excited to pull the machete out and clear my own path,” said Joi. “After all of these years, music is still a lifeline to sanity, memory, and inspiration for me. It’s the most powerful medium, for better or worse.”

Atlanta-based Ansley Stewart is a Soul Americana artist who embraces her southern roots. Stewart has become a fixture in the local music scene over the past seven years and is working on her second studio album to be released in the summer of 2022. Her songwriting debut came quickly after she launched a successfully funded Kickstarter campaign, completing her 6-song EP, “Light,” released in March of 2017.

Built around a desire to amplify Atlanta’s diverse and world-renowned musical community, each WABE presents SOUNDS LIKE ATL concert features live performances from a fresh lineup representing a variety of genres. Season 1 of the Tuesday-night, live-music series runs through November 8 at City Winery. Check past episodes at wabe.org/tv/sounds-atl. 

Upcoming shows include:

  • September: Latinx American Heritage
  • October: LGBTQ Pride

Stay tuned to @WABEATL on social for more information on performers, dates, and times. Complete lineups are also available on wabe.org and citywinery.com a month before the show.

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