Though the event was temporally and nominally linked to the N.F.L. — and came with a bevy of corporate sponsorships — football felt like an afterthought, and the crowd booed when periodic commercials for the league interrupted the music. Instead, the concert felt like the celebration of Atlanta that was unlikely to happen on Sunday. And it was part of a constellation of local events, many overseen by the Atlanta Super Bowl LIII Host Committee, that sought to highlight the city’s rich cultural past and present, including six nights of free, genre-spanning concerts at Centennial Olympic Park. (There were no shortage of unofficial parties, after-parties and after-after parties, as well, with many local artists packing multiple appearances into each night.) “I’m not going to say anything bad about Maroon 5 — I love Maroon 5,” said Maya Neguse, a 20-year-old student, as the concert began. “It’s just that they’re not lit enough for the Super Bowl.” Indeed, the arena was ready to move, responding with special enthusiasm to dance crazes that originated locally (“Swag Surfin,” “Crank That (Soulja Boy),” “Laffy Taffy”) and regional references. “If you went to Freaknik make some noise,” said Big Tigger, the night’s occasional M.C., at one point, referring to the storied black college spring break gathering. “If your mama went to Freaknik make some noise,” he added to much louder cheers, revealing the plethora of what he called “’90s babies” in the audience.<doc-sep>Jermaine Dupri and Hennessy celebrate those who Never Stop. Never Settle. during an exclusive Hennessy experience, DJ’d by D Nice, on Saturday in Atlanta. Credit: Lauren Cowart<doc-sep>Your complete guide to the best events happening in Atlanta leading up to the big game on Sunday, Feb. 3rd For the week leading up to Super Bowl LII on Feb. 3, Atlanta will play host to some of the year’s most star-studded parties, tastings, and concerts—featuring everyone from NFL legends and famous athletes to A-list celebrities and celebrated chefs. Below is your guide to the biggest, most exclusive events popping up all around the city, and ways for you to snag a ticket to join the celebrations: Super Bowl Opening Night Monday, Jan. 28, State Farm Arena Game week officially kicks off with this fan-favorite event, featuring players and coaches from the competing Super Bowl teams. Sponsored by Gatorade, it’s the only time the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams will be in one location before meeting on the field on Sunday. Fans in attendance can snag autographs, take photos with mascots and cheerleaders, and meet their favorite players. Tickets start at $29, and are still available. Get push notifications with news, features and more. Super Bowl LIVE Saturday, Jan. 26-Saturday, Feb. 2, Centennial Olympic Park The six-day “fan village,” produced by On Location Experiences, will feature live outdoor concerts, local food trucks, tailgates, and interactive entertainment—all for free! The concert lineup, curated by Atlanta icon and Grammy-winning producer Jermaine Dupri, includes Goodie Mob, DJ Smurf, and the Atlanta Bass All Stars. Get the full lineup here. Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest Thursday, Jan. 31-Saturday, Feb. 2, State Farm Arena Bud Light is known for their memorable game-day commercials, but this year they’re bringing their Super Bowl dominance straight to the city of Atlanta. For the first year, Bud Light and On Location Experiences are throwing a three-day party, which will include performances by Ludacris, Lil Jon, and Migos as part of EA Sports Bowl on Thursday night; Aerosmith and Post Malone on Friday night; and Bruno Mars and Cardi B closing out the festival on Saturday night. Tickets for all three nights are still available. 2018 MTV Video Music Awards - Show Credit: John Shearer/Getty Images for MTV Shaq’s Fun House Friday, Feb. 1, The Battery “Part music festival, part carnival, part circus, my Fun House blends superstar artists with a unique over the top interactive carnival experience,” said Shaquille O’Neal of his first Super Bowl party. Stars expected to perform include Migos, Lil Jon, T-Pain, Tiësto and Diplo. Guests of this bash will not go hungry: there will be a full-scale Waffle House pop-up and bites from STK Steakhouse. Tickets are still available. Pepsi Pre-Super Bowl Party Friday, Feb. 1, Planet Pepsi Does reading about all these parties give you serious FOMO? Well, if you can’t make it out to Atlanta, you can still join this exclusive party—from your own couch. On the evening of Friday, Feb, 1, fans around the world can go to thebreakfastclub.iheart.com/planetpepsi to see Travis Scott perform live (before he hits the stage during the halftime show on Sunday) at this otherwise invitation-only event. Leather & Laces Friday, Feb. 1-Saturday, Feb. 2, BELIEVE The sexy, two-night party is back for its 16th year. On Friday night, rapper Flo Rida will host the festivities with special guest Dallas Austin. On Saturday, models rule as Victoria’s Secret Angels Josephine Skriver and Lais Ribeiro take over, with appearances by NASCAR champ Kyle Busch and performances by Brandi Cyrus. Tickets are still available for both nights. Michael Rubin’s Fanatics Super Bowl Party Saturday, Feb. 2, College Football Hall of Fame Fanatics Executive Chairman, Michael Rubin is hosting this star-studded event, which will include a performance by Meek Mill and well as Cardi B. Expected attendees include Modern Family‘s Ty Burrell, Taran Killam and Shaquille O’Neal. ‘Big Game Big Give’ Charity Gala Saturday, Feb. 2, Estate of Jeff and Carrla Goldstein in Atlanta The stars are coming out for good cause. The annual, celebrity-studded charity event hopes to raise $2 million for The Giving Back Fund, a nonprofit that creates and manages charitable foundations and projects. Guests will be treated to a lavish night hosted by Ludacris and a musical performance by The Black Eyed Peas. To date, Big Game Big Give has raised more than $10 million for worthwhile causes around the globe. A limited number of tickets are available. black-eyed-peas-2000x1333 Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images Taste of the NFL: Party with a Purpose Saturday, Feb. 2, Cobb Galleria Centre NFL alums, chefs and celebrities—this year’s host is country star Martina McBride—will come together to raise money for hunger relief. Each NFL team franchise city is represented by a chef and a player, and guests can snack around the party to get a taste of each city’s culinary scene. This annual Super Bowl-eve gathering is all about good food, good wine, and doing good for those in need. Tickets are still available. Maxim Big Game Experience: ATL Royalty Saturday, Feb. 2, The Fairmont The annual Super Bowl bash will be filled with sports and entertainment stars. On tap as the entertainment: Maxim has tapped Diplo, Future and Jamie Foxx. Want to snag a ticket for this party? They’re still available. Sports Illustrated’s ‘Saturday Night Lights’ Party Saturday, Feb. 2, The College Football Hall of Fame Hip hop legends Snoop Dogg and Lil Wayne will hit the stage at SI’s epic pre-game bash. In addition to catching a set by DJ IRE and Dallas Austin and mingling with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit models, guests can also bid in a silent auction featuring sports and entertainment memorabilia, including Steve Young’s 49ers helmet, a Prince signed electric guitar, and a Peyton Manning Super Bowl game helmet. General admission and VIP tickets are still available. 20190104_grand_snoop-dogg_firsts-nt-19 Credit: BNEG Rolling Stone Live: Atlanta Saturday, Feb. 2, The Goat Farm It’s no surprise that Rolling Stone snagged an A-list musical roster for their game week bash. Artists scheduled to perform include Ludacris, Young Thug, Gunna, and Lil Keed, and DJ Questlove will do a set to close out the night. General admission and VIP tickets are still available. DirecTV Super Saturday Night Saturday, Feb. 2, High-End Entertainment Complex The Foo Fighters and Run the Jewels will take the stage at this annual Super Bowl eve bash, where a custom-built, 3-tiered, 72,000 square-foot venue will be constructed at Atlanta’s Atlantic Station. Limited tickets are still available. Guy Fieri's Vegas Kitchen & Bar Welcome Event Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty<doc-sep>
When the NFL announced that Maroon 5 would be headlining this year’s Super Bowl LIII, more than a few Atlanta artists were less than enthusiastic about the decision. In the interim between that September announcement and the Big Game Sunday, artists like Travis Scott and Atlanta native Big Boi have been added to the bill, but fans of the city’s flourishing music scene may have had their craving for local flavor better satisfied at Thursday night’s EA Sports Bowl, the unofficial kickoff to Super Bowl weekend. Atlanta’s newly remodeled State Farm Arena was home to the Welcome to Atlanta Showcase, which served as the first of three nights of concerts sponsored by Bud Light as part of their Super Bowl Music Fest. Metroboomin opened the show with a set that included favorites like Migos “Bad & Boujee” and Drake and Future’s “Big Rings.” Metro, wearing Todd Gurley’s number 30 jersey and a matching Los Angeles Rams cap wasn’t at all subtle about his allegiances: “Who f—in’ with the Rams?” he asked the crowd before reluctantly adding, “Okay, where my Patriots fans at” He then continued his set, which segued seamlessly into 21 Savage sauntering on stage to perform “A Lot” off his new “I AM > I Was” project, his Metroboomin’ collaboration “10 Freaky Girls” and smash hit “Bank Account.” Savage was followed by performances by Trippie Redd and Lil Yachty, who was met with cheers from the audience after asking “How many of y’all ready for Lil Baby?” Quality Control’s grip on the music industry couldn’t be much clearer as Baby hit the stage rapping his verse from his Drake collab “Yes Indeed,” before launching into the trap love gone bad anthem “Close Friends,” followed by “My Dawg.” By the time Baby was finishing his and Gunna’s “Drip Too Hard,” he had the entire arena worked into a frenzy, standing and rapping along. The QC lineup didn’t end there – Migos performed nearly a full concert set, beginning with “Hannah Montana,” followed by hits like “Pipe It Up,” “Fight Night,” “Slippery” and “N—as In Trouble.” For an evening that was supposed to be full of surprises, the biggest might have been a fully transformed Gucci Mane coming out to perform “I Get the Bag,” with a physique rivaling some of the athletes in attendance (and rendering him nearly unrecognizable to fans seated in higher sections of the venue). Migos’ extended set was followed by a DJ performance from Lil Jon that had fans literally leaning and rocking to Atlanta classics like “Knuck If You Buck,” and “If You Don’t Give A Damn.” “I’m sorry New Orleans Saints, but y’all ain’t in the Super Bowl,” Lil Jon taunted at one point, addressing the longtime rivalry between his local Falcons and Nola’s squad. “Sorry, but I’m a diehard ATLien.” Headliner Ludacris kicked off his finale set alongside his signature Big Head mascot for a rendition of “Welcome to Atlanta” that included Jermaine Dupri. DJ Infamous led Luda through a set list that included classics like “Area Codes,” “Ho” and “Pussy Poppin’” while dancers gyrated beside him. When Luda announced that it was time, he began to bring friend onstage, beginning with Ciara. She flawlessly executed the choreography to hits like “Oh,” “Goodies” and “1, 2 Step” and “Level Up” as a fan blew her flawlessly coiffed wavy extensions around her. “It’s history in here tonight,” Luda reminded the crowd before bringing out Atlanta legends T.I. and Young Jeezy to perform as well. At one point all three rappers stood beside each other as T.I. told the audience, “We are the mother—in’ culture. This is the generation that started all of this sh–, man. When you come to this city we are the gatekeepers.” “That was the real Super Bowl halftime show,” Power 105.1’s “The Breakfast Club” radio personality Angela Yee, who hosted the EA Sports Bowl livestream alongside Terrence J said of the event.