Another Idea for the Pavillion
With the World of Coca-Cola moving, it’s important to find another attraction to both help keep the building and Underground Atlanta vital. We’ve already suggested moving Sci-Trek there, but if that doesn’t work, there’s another need.
One of Atlanta’s biggest industries is music. Hundreds of artists record their records here and Atlanta is the home to the ‘Dirty South’ style of Hip Hop. A pavilion promoting our scene would surely be a winner with both Atlantans and tourists alike. Imagine hundreds of school kids touring a replica of Doppler Studios or the Streaming Media Suite at Crawford Communications. Additionally, the Atlanta music scene itself could get its due. Exhibits about Outkast, India Arie, The Temple of Hip Hop, and Lizz Wright could all be a vibrant part of the Pavilion. Even more important, it could focus on the business end of things and look at Jermaine Dupri, Dallas Austin, and L.A. Reid as the pioneers who put Atlanta on the map as a location where labels had to look for talent.
The Pavilion could also take the direction of looking at all kinds of Atlanta music including the ASO, Indigo Girls, Rene Marie, Collective Soul, and Alan Jackson. A tour of Atlanta History Landmarks would also be fun.
Setting up such a pavilion will also provide a focal point to help us promote Atlanta as a town for the music makers and power houses. Heck, the ability alone to record a one or two song kareoke demo in a real studio would be worth the price. Booths at Underground make a fortune doing this.
Atlanta is a city notorious for it’s ability to hype itself and this would seem to fall right into line and be fun!
July 30th, 2004 at 12:02 am
What’s more, before Nashville was known as a center for southern music, Atlanta was famous for hosting festivals and competitions for string-bands and other folk musician (including some of my distant relative) who played what would later become bluegrass, blues, and country music. Atlanta has a long, if gapped, musical history that could certainly be exploited.
August 6th, 2004 at 2:07 am
One day, I described Atlanta as being “such a big music town.” My neighbor turned her nose up in response. And she doesn’t understand why I laugh at her sometimes.
August 15th, 2004 at 5:30 pm
A music-oriented museum is in the works, although not necessarily for that site.
Please visit our online “vision statement” and pavillion prototypes at MuseumofMusic.org.
Thanks!