As tea candles illuminated the faces of eager patrons and the soft pouring of cabernet echoed off the walls, City Winery Atlanta buzzed with excitement. Some onlookers were dressed to the nines in sleek black suits and floor-length dresses while others sported high-school-branded merchandise and scuffed sneakers. Old friends embraced while strangers exchanged pleasantries. The purple and red lights flickered, and a hush rolled over the crowd as the show began.
While the performers took their places — one at the piano and two on stools with their guitars — Micah Dalton, co-founder and artistic director of ATL Collective, welcomed the guests. ATL Collective is a nonprofit concert series designed to spotlight local musicians, create community among Atlanta artists and hopefully help artists launch their careers. The group began in 2009 by inviting talented local musicians to share the stage and reimagine their favorite classic albums.
ATL Collective hosted “Songwriters In-The-Round” at City Winery Atlanta on Oct. 23. Tickets for the show cost $25, and all proceeds support Camp Collective, a program that enables Atlanta musicians and songwriters to write, produce and record original songs. The camp is open to all ages, designed to create connections among the Atlanta music community and foster undiscovered talent.
The headlining performers included Prisca Strother, David Ryan Harris and Eliot Bronson. Each artist has a unique voice, effortless charisma and remarkable talent.
Strother, who is a music director for ATL Collective, dominated the stage. Her voice is reminiscent of P!NK, with awe-inspiring range and power. While she played the piano, her soulful voice reverberated off the walls. My table sat in silence, struck by the beauty of her vocals. Her song detailing the grief of losing her soulmate brought both my neighbor and myself to tears.
In contrast, Harris demonstrated his talent on the electric guitar, introducing a funky-blues energy to the crowd. Harris reminded me of Leon Bridges with his stunning falsetto and intoxicating rhythm. My favorite of his performances is what he dubbed a “sexy make out song,” although the singer admitted his present back pain has hindered him from feeling frisky.
Lastly, the folk singer Bronson brought the audience back down to earth with his acoustic guitar. His melancholic tunes “Empty Spaces” (2020) and “Time Ain’t Nothin” (2014) cut deep with their brutal honesty. Nevertheless, his beautiful voice was the perfect bandaid for the fresh wound.
In between rounds, Strother invited participants from Camp Collective to debut their original songs.
Clark May performed their unreleased “You Didn’t Count (Taste),” a searing breakup ballad written and produced with Strother. The singer’s admiration for Strother and his gratitude to Camp Collective were palpable.
“Camp Collective changed my life,” May said.
Brenda Nicole Moorer, Cory Mosser and Ben Holst then took the stage to perform their unreleased original, “Dan’s Place.” A fallen tree at 800 East Avenue in Atlanta and a local’s efforts to keep the tree upright inspired the song. The banjo, played by Mosser, emphasized the nostalgic energy of the track.
While the music was wonderful, the people made the evening even more special. The intense adoration these musicians have for Atlanta and for one another was obvious both on and off the stage. I felt like a stranger invited to a Thanksgiving dinner — and then given the honor of cutting the turkey. The family welcomed me instantly.
I also had the privilege of sitting with artists and therefore speaking with past ATL Collective performers. To my right was Erika JaNaé, a graduate from Georgia State University and a talented R&B singer. While the difference in quality between our voices during the final sing-along was embarrassingly humbling, watching her eyes light up with genuine excitement at every track was a beautiful sight. The night’s performers were her friends, mentors and inspirations.
ATL Collective has created a community in which musicians are supported in both their professional and personal endeavors. As a fly on the wall, I witnessed a night of companionship, fine-dining and, of course, wonderful music. If you are looking to discover new artists, new friends or even simply to enjoy a delightful ambiance, ATL Collective events are the perfect place to start.
