MIX MAGAZINE — Each June, Mix surveys facility designers and acousticians for their latest studio projects. This year’s “class” includes facilities in major and smaller U.S. markets, as well as new rooms and redesigns in Toronto, Monterrey and Rom. For more photos of these studios and others, visit mixonline.com. 

Brighter Shade Studios, Atlanta, Ga. ...  Zac Brown Band founding member John Driskell Hopkins is the proud owner of this beautiful new studio, built into the attic of his Atlanta residence. The facility was designed by Steve Durr and Matt Schlachter of Steven Durr Designs to create a warm and inspiring space for Hopkins’ ZBB-related work and more.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The world of eSports is taking over Austin this weekend with the third annual DreamHack Austin event at the Austin Convention Center. Mike Van Driel, the CPO of DreamHack, joined More than the Score to talk about the event, which, when it came to Austin in 2016, was the first DreamHack event in North America. It's since expanded to Atlanta, Denver and Canada. In all, the eSports convention travels to five countries around the world. After more than 20,000 attendees last year, Van Driel is expecting more than 30,000 to enjoy this year's event.

THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE —  Austin is renowned as the site of some of the most popular gatherings and festivals in the world, drawing in swarms of tragically hip music, tech, and film enthusiasts every year. Soon, though, the town's vibe will turn a shade geekier as crowds converge for one of the biggest, nerdiest parties in the country. Starting Friday, June 1, DreamHack Austin will return to the Austin Convention Center for a third year. The three-day video game competition and party, the American offshoot of a long-running series of gatherings originating in Sweden in 1994, is expected to draw 30,000 attendees from around the country and beyond, with millions more spectators globally watching events online.

IMMERSIVE ATLANTA — Look, we know we throw a lot of new music at you. We also know that not everyone who comes to this site has the time to be as involved with or informed about the local scene as maybe they’d like to be. So for those casual readers who either can’t or have no interest in keeping up with the parade of artists we try to cover, who may not know the difference between Bitter and Biters, we have created our TRIPLE THREAT feature. The premise is simple: Every Friday our writers will put their heads together and come up with three tracks that grabbed our attention over that week. Then we tell you why the songs are great and worth listening to. That’s it. Maybe some weeks we’ll have a guest commentator come in and share their favorites, but the format will always remain the same: three songs, some words, and we out. Enjoy.

CREATIVE LOAFING — Chelsea Shag has been hard at work this year, releasing a video for “Poise” and adding the final touches to a new EP, titled Satellites (out Fri., May 11). The EP has been in the works since 2016, and is a paean to letting go of past relationships, and thriving in new love. It’s easy to stay connected to the past as social media plays such a role in everyone’s daily life ... [MORE]

THE ESPORTS OBSERVER — Hi-Rez Studios  will bring its annual Hi-Rez Expo to DreamHack  Atlanta 2018, as part of a new partnership with the gaming/digital festival organizer.

Since 2015, the event has been used by Hi-Rez to not only reveal new games and content, but also to stage multiple esports tournaments. The 2017 Hi-Rez Expo featured the SMITE  and Paladins  World Championships for PC and console, all of which will be part of the DreamHack-hosted Hi-Rez Expo.

CBS46 ATLANTA, "Astrid in the ATL" — Atlanta-based post-production companies taking over Hollywood ... a conversation with Crafty Apes' Chris LeDoux and Moonshine Post-Production's Drew Sawyer.

WATCH: http://www.cbs46.com/clip/14277005/astrid-in-the-atl-atlanta-based-post-production-companies-taking-over-hollywood

ATLANTA (CBS46), "Astrid in the ATL" — Plucked from obscurity and trained by Grammy-winning producers, a metro Atlanta R&B singer is about to burn up the charts. 

WATCH: http://www.cbs46.com/clip/14267037/success-in-the-works-for-metro-atlanta-singer

BIZ 1190AM "THE DANA BARRETT SHOW" — Today, Dana talked with Drew Sawyer, Partner and Executive Producer at Moonshine Post-Production and Chris LeDoux, VFX Supervisor at Crafty Apes, in studio! They're talking about their road to industry success, the booming Georgia film industry, SXSW and the Atlanta Film Festival ...

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION — Onstage, John Driskell Hopkins cuts an imposing figure. With an ash-speckled beard that often extends to his chest, a towering top hat and some type of fretted instrument in his hands, Hopkins is the most recognizable member of the Zac Brown Band outside of its namesake. And when his mighty baritone bursts into the microphone – whether it’s for the band’s stellar cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” or one of ZBB’s melodically layered hits — eyebrows raise in impressed reaction.

Offstage, in his Converse sneakers and patchy, still-growing-for-the-summer-tour beard, Hopkins is a mere 6-foot-1, and essentially a walking bear hug ... (more)

90.1 WABE, NPR — More than 700 students from about a dozen Atlanta and DeKalb County high schools watched “Black Panther” for free Tuesday. Organizers with an Atlanta nonprofit, the Phoenix Leadership Foundation, rented out the Movie Tavern Northlake and gave students free popcorn, soda and lunch. Drummers in colorful African dashikis and head ties welcomed students to Wakanda as they stepped off charter buses. Wakanda is the fictional African nation in “Black Panther.”  Inside, there were more drummers, dancers and Black Panther in costume ... (MORE)

MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL — Blending a soulful combination of vocals and story-rich lyrics, the Atlanta-based, 24-year old Alex Guthrie and his band have created a synergy of 70s, southern blues bands through an infusion of soul, folk and rock.

Today, Guthrie and his band will release his new single, “Is it Me”— a prelude to Guthrie’s in-process new album. The new song was recorded and engineered by Zac Brown Band founding member John Driskell Hopkins at Hopkins’ new studio, Brighter Shade Studios.

Guthrie’s band includes bass player Jonathan Norwood, drummer Dave Ragsdale and keyboardist Adam Holliday...