Photograph courtesy of the Masquerade
When Elena de Soto first arrived in Atlanta to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2011, she got off the plane and went straight to the Masquerade to see her favorite band, Balance and Composure, play. The cavernous alternative music venue had a national reputation not only for playing the best indie bands but also for welcoming anyone. “I found my hangout and my home right away,” de Soto says. As soon as she could apply for an internship, she did and never left. Now, de Soto is a talent buyer, booking the same shows that made her fall in love with the Masquerade.
The legendary venue has many stories like this with fans who come for rock, metal, punk, electronic hip-hop, country shows, and even dance parties in its hallowed, gritty halls. Now in its 35th year, the Masquerade has changed locations from the Old Fourth Ward to downtown but remains an independent venue for music of all genres. General manager Greg Green has been there since the beginning, booking big bands like Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails, and the Cranberries, and helping foster the careers of artists like Mitski, Hippocampus, and Bad Omens.
Photograph courtesy of the Masquerade
Green attributes the Masquerade’s success to its local, independent ownership. With three rooms of varying capacities—named Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory—the Masquerade has always been a unique venue where up-and-coming groups and more established bands can both find a stage. Now, the Masquerade is opening a fourth room, Altar, which has a 250-person capacity and food available for purchase.
Just a decade ago, the Masquerade couldn’t have hosted this many shows because they were still in the Old Fourth Ward in the DuPre Excelsior Mill. Back then, Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory were a little more literal because each was at a different level of mill. After the…
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