You’re walking down a street in Atlanta and suddenly you see… a building that looks like a boombox. There’s really no way to miss it. Or misunderstand what goes on there. It’s music.
In fact, the place itself is called The Music Room. And it’s one of Atlanta’s best underground music venues. It’s always on the cutting edge of what’s new and what’s hot, both locally and nationally. It’s either that or it’s a venue where you can get up close and personal with your musical heroes.
We spoke with owner Keiran Neely about how they got that distinctive façade and how The Music Room stays ahead of the pack.
Check out some of the upcoming events at The Music Room.
The front of your venue is quite distinctive. How’d that happen? Do people tend to wander in just out of curiosity?
It was a bit of an epiphany actually. The original idea behind the branding was analog playback devices and media. We knew we wanted a catchy way to get people’s attention. One day I was looking at the window structure and it just hit me – IT COULD BE A BOOMBOX! We knew an amazing sign painter and he really brought our idea to life
While the Music Room is still the name listed a lot of places, your site says the name is now MR327. What should we call you? And how did the other name start?
It’s The Music Room. MR327 is short for Music Room and our address is 327 Edgewood [Avenue]. We use that as an abbreviated moniker for some of our in house events and social media campaigns.
On to the music, when you’re bringing artists in, what do you look for?
Two things basically: Are they legends or are they up-and-coming, current, contemporary, and relevant?
What do you want people to come away from a night at The Music Room thinking?
WOW. That was an amazing experience. Not just the music, but the experience as a whole.
How do you like to discover new music? What influences your decision to see a new band?
Mostly recommendations from a few very trusted tastemakers in and around town.
What’s your favorite experience you’ve had at The Music Room? How about the craziest?
We hosted an artist/DJ named Francois K. He’s a living legend who helped produce so many iconic artists such as Depeche Mode, The Cure, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, King Crimson. We got the sound and the lights just right. It was a night I’ll never forget.
The craziest night: We booked a DJ by the name of Nicky Siano from NY. This guy is one of the godfathers of disco and DJ culture. Anyhow, that night the AC broke and we had a flood that stopped the whole event. It was horrible. Thank the gods that is behind us!
What’s your favorite part about the neighborhood you’re in?
It’s edgy and diverse.
What do you think about the Atlanta music scene overall? Where do you see it going in the future?
Seems like there is a very cool underground vibe in several different genres. Lots of very passionate individuals and groups grinding and hustling to make it happen.
Outside of work, what are you favorite things to do in Atlanta?
Sleep + eat!
Go out tonight, and any night. Jukely is a concert subscription that gives members guestlist access to hundreds of music events – for one price. Whenever you want to go out, you’ll always have something to do. Learn more and sign up at jukely.com.
