Mellow Mushroom co-founder Marc “Banks” Weinstein discusses the 50-year history of Atlanta’s hometown pizza chain. Plus, singer and multi-instrumentalist Benjamin J. Davidow takes the spotlight in our series, “Speaking of Music,” and Munir Meghjani and David Perdue detail the next installment of Comedy and Conversations, which takes place at the Margaret Mitchell House at Atlanta History Center Midtown this Thursday, June 27. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California...

Ray Kim, cellist and former member of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, and former musical director Jere Flint discuss the 50th anniversary of the ASYO. Plus, we hear about this week’s Southern Fried Queer Pride Festival, taking place at various locations around Little Five Points. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chef Deuki Hong and journalist Matt Rodbard discuss their new cookbook, “KOREAWORLD,” and their upcoming celebratory dinner at Chai Pani on June 25th. Plus, we listen back to Lois’s 2021 conversation with author and cultural historian Caseen Gaines about the 1921 history-making musical, “Shuffle Along.” Gaine’s book is “Footnotes: The Black Artists Who Rewrote the Rules of the Great White Way.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at...

Mo Rocca, the beloved “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!” panelist and CBS Sunday Morning correspondent, recently joined City Lights host Lois Reitzes on stage at First Baptist Church of Decatur for a conversation about his latest book, “Roctogenarians: Late in Life Debuts, Comebacks, and Triumphs.” The event was recorded in front of a live audience and presented by WABE, Georgia Center for the Book, the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, and A Cappella Books. See Privacy Policy at...

Artists Reginald C. Adams and Fabian Williams detail the “Absolute Equality” Juneteenth Mural Project. Plus, children’s book author Allison Hill discusses “Lolly the Left-Out Lobster,” and Quasi drummer Janet Weiss and multi-instrumentalist Sam Coomes stop by ahead of their upcoming show at the EARL on June 22. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fahamu Pecou, founder of the African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta, discusses their new exhibition, "A Shield Against the Darkness: The Art and Scholarship of Pellom McDaniels III," which is on view through June 28. Plus, Atlanta-based fashion designer Christian Allana details her involvement in the new incubator program from the fast-fashion company Shein called "Shein X Rescued." The program has designers use deadstock materials to help reduce global carbon dioxide emissions. See Privacy...

Music producer John Snyder discusses his role as project coordinator for the New Orleans Jazz Museum expansion. Plus, WABE’s H. Johnson stops by for the newest edition of our series, “H Johnson’s Jazz Moment,” and Sally Westmoreland details the upcoming Elizabeth B. Stephens International Organ Competition. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Multi-instrumentalist and producer Kabir Sehgal discusses his new album, “Guitar Spring: Music for a New Season,” as well as his many collaborations, including his meditation album with Lil Jon. Plus casting director Clifton Guterman takes the spotlight for our series, “Speaking of the Boom,” we hear about the upcoming “No Tables, No Chairs” event, and artist Artemus Jenkins details his new exhibition at Hidden Gallery, on view through the end of June.  See Privacy Policy at...

Director Ty Autry and featured playwright and performer Chayton Pabich Danyla discuss the first inaugural Lavender Fest at Out Front Theatre from June 19th through 23rd. Plus, we hear about Cooper Music School’s DIY musical instruments; Michelle C. takes the spotlight for our series, “Speaking of Music,” and “A Room of Her Own: Women Studio Artists from AXC’s 40-Year History.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at...

Former news anchor, actor, and author Mark Pettit discusses his new memoir, “ANKRBOY.” Plus, guitarist Mdou Moctar and bassist/producer Mikey Coltun join “City Lights” ahead of their June 13 show at Terminal West, and Laura Flusche, executive director of Museum of Design Atlanta, details their new exhibition, “Al Dente: The Design of Pasta.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Monica Campana, executive director of Living Walls, and Drew Borders, curator of the new Living Walls public mural project “I Am Mine / We Are Ours,” detail the artwork on the underpass at Arizona Avenue and Dekalb Avenue. Plus, composer Marcus Norris and librettist Adamma Ebo discuss the world premiere of their new opera, “Forsyth County is Flooding with the Joy of Lake Lanier,” on stage at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center on June 15, guitarist Quinn Sullivan stops by ahead of his...

Tugboat the Queen and Ginger Minj discuss “The Golden Gals LIVE” on stage at Out Front Theatre through June 16. Plus, Michael Myerz takes the spotlight for our series, “Speaking of Music,” author Lisa Frank details her new book, “MYCO-TOWN: A Magical Mushroom Fantasy Novel,” and we learn about a new audiobook project that aims to raise money for Ukraine. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Erika Miranda, the founder of Cafecito Productions, and Brooke Sonenreich, founder and organizer of ATLFilmParty discuss their event “A Night of Latine Filmmakers” at the downtown Switchyards. “City Lights” producer Summer Evans speaks with retired Airforce Staff Sergeant Stacy Pearsall about her PBS series “After Action.” Plus, we listen back to Lois Reitzes’ conversation with Atlanta farmer Jamila Norman discuss her HBO Max series “Homegrown,” which is now in its fourth season.  See...

Two new exhibitions are now on view at the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center in Madison, Georgia; that of Atlanta’s congressman John Lewis, and the prolific painter and multimedia artist Benny Andrews. Andrews produced a series of portraits called the John Lewis Series, currently on loan from the National Center for Human and Civil Rights. The works are being shown through next April as part of the Andrews Family Legacy Project and a permanent exhibition of art, writings and other archival...

Travel aficionado, TV host, and guidebook author Rick Steves shares his insights on incorporating live music into your travel itinerary. This is part of “City Lights’” recurring series “ATL Up and Away: Travel Tips with Rick Steves.” Plus, Jonathan Rockefeller, the creator of the show “Sesame Street the Musical” discusses why he wanted to bring the show to the Center for Puppetry Arts June 5-August 4. We listen back to Lois Reitzes’ conversation with Dope Coffee co-owners and co-founders...

Journalist, theatre critic and playwright Kelundra Smth and actor Tanya Freeman discuss the play “The Wash.” A story about the Atlanta Washerwomen’s Strike of 1881. Plus, we listen back to Lois Reitzes’ 2020 conversation with Dr. Eric Cervini. He’s the author of: “The Deviant’s War: The Homosexual vs. The United States of America.”  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Atlanta author Aisha Saeed discusses her new children’s book “Zuni and the Memory Jar.” We hear about this weekend’s events with the hosts of How You Do Atlanta. WABE jazz and blues host H. Johnson talks about saxophonist Louis Jordan. Plus, the Canterbury Choristers’ musical director, John King Carter, discusses their production of the one-act opera “Trial by Jury.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Flying Carpet Theatre Company artistic director Adam Koplan and music director Greg Sudmeier discuss their upcoming concert, “There’s No Business Like Show Business: A Tribute to Irving Berlin”, which will be held at the Breman Museum on June 2. Plus, Chattahoochee Nature Center’s events supervisor, Fabiola Clermont, shares this year’s line-up at the 25th annual Flying Colors Butterfly Festival. We hear from Atlanta poet Aurielle Marie.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and...

Director Amanda Washington and playwright Pearl Cleage discuss the new production of “Blues for an Alabama Sky,” which opens tomorrow at Actor’s Express and runs through June 23. Plus, we hear about the Atlanta high school student who placed second in this year’s “Next Narrative Monologue” Competition. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From WABE in Atlanta, this is City Lights. I’m Lois Reitzes – thank you for listening. Among the contributions to the world of music from Athens, Georgia, the band REM is one of the town’s biggest – not only in terms of the fame they would go on to achieve, but in the strength of their Athens roots. A new, comprehensive biography of the band is out now by author John Hunter. Later this hour, he joins us to discuss “Maps and Legends: The Story of REM.” See Privacy Policy at...

Theatrical Outfit director Matt Torney and actor Tess Malis Kincaid discuss “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” which is on stage at the Balzer Theater at Herren’s through June 16. Plus, Dr. Scott Stewart discusses popular scores of currently streaming hits, singer-songwriter Parker Smith takes the spotlight for our series, “Speaking of Music,” and we hear the story of Jacob Ruppert’s “All Day High Five.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at...

Camille Russell Love, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, details the 2024 Atlanta Jazz Festival, happening this weekend at Piedmont Park. Plus, Artist Gregor Turk and Druid Hills Presbyterian Church session member Eric Dusenbury discuss the new public art installation “Assembly,” which is on display on the church’s front lawn through April 2025. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at...

Improv actor, writer, and comedian Kevin Gillese discusses his new solo show, “7 Minutes in Kevin,” which is on stage at Dad’s Garage through June 8. Plus, we celebrate Jazz 91.9 WCLK’s 50th anniversary with station manager Wendy Williams and singer Alexandra Jackson. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Multimedia artist Judy Pfaff details her new exhibition, "A Walk in the Park," which is on view at the Johnson Lowe Gallery through June 28. Plus, we hear about the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony's upcoming concert, "Year of the Dragon," and H Johnson stops by for the latest installment of "H Johnson's Jazz Moment." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.