Twice a month on Friday night, the High Museum of Art stays open later than usual for High Frequency Friday and Friday Jazz. Both evenings invite people to see the High in a different light — beyond just a museum — offering music, dancing, cocktails, and mingling with art as the backdrop to it all.
People begin lining up for Friday nights at the High well before the doors open at 6 p.m. Crowds come dressed to the nines, transforming the museum into the city’s hottest pop-up nightclub for four hours featuring some of Atlanta’s best DJs and jazz musicians.
Right outside the entrance, food trucks and local restaurants like Bussin’ Jerk ATL and Williamson Bros. BBQ serve food alongside other businesses such as Just Add Honey, a Black-owned tea company located along the Eastside Beltline.
People who arrive early know to eat first, ordering baby back ribs, jerk chicken nachos, and saucy smoked pork sandwiches paired with peach tea. They sit at tables scattered outside in the courtyard.
Once the doors open, museum staff members begin scanning QR codes on tickets. The line moves quickly. People soon find the cocktails, beer, and wine inside and head toward the music.
The Friday night events at the High feature a signature cocktail, often nodding to the season, a particular upcoming holiday, or an exhibition on display in the museum.
“I’ll give our in-house mixologist, Bethany Brandon, a list of things she might want to highlight, and she creates magical drinks,” High Museum public engagement manager Yadira Padilla said. “We’ve also done mocktails in the past – most drinks we can make as mocktails.”
The High Lemondrop for September featured Grey Goose citrus vodka, cointreau, cherry simple syrup, fresh lemon juice, and sparkling cranberry juice. For October, A Higher Love mixed blueberry vodka, prunelle, fresh citrus juice, and sparkling lemonade. The drink drew inspiration from Atlanta’s Pride festival held annually on the second weekend of October.
High Frequency Friday
The High Frequency Friday series has gained momentum since its inception in 2019, selling out entirely for the last 20 months, according to Padilla.
For October, High Frequency Friday featured DJs Jash Jay, Final First, Jordan Rock, Mouse, and Mull. Ree de la Vega, an Atlanta DJ and the owner of music-driven restaurant Pisces on Edgewood Avenue, has organized the High Frequency Friday musical acts for years.
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“People go to museums with an open mind, so these DJs can mix it up with different genres and see what resonates,” De la Vega said. “I love to see how each DJ interprets their vision musically for the museum space. It’s not just a party – it’s a whole vibe.”
People attending High Frequency Friday echo De la Vega’s sentiments, who comment on the “great energy and the diversity of the crowd” and how the space is “comfortable, authentic and genuine.” One recent attendee said she planned to become a member of the High to continue coming to the monthly Friday night event for free.
But High Frequency Friday isn’t the only music-centered event taking place at the museum each month. On the third Friday of the month, there’s jazz.
Friday Jazz
Created by the membership department in the 1990s, Friday Jazz is one of the most consistently well-attended events at the High. It was originally conceived to drive membership, grow the High’s audience, and offer a unique experience combining visual arts and musical performances.
During Friday Jazz, musicians post up at two locations: outside on the covered terrace and inside at the Robinson Atrium. In colder months, the terrace musicians move to the Anne Cox Chambers lobby.
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According to Padilla, these locations have changed over the last two decades. While musicians have played within the High’s galleries in the past, offering two main locations for live entertainment makes it easier for people to chat with one another, sway or dance to the music, or take off to quietly explore the exhibits.
“This is an excellent event,” a regular attendee said of Friday Jazz at the High. “The band is outstanding and the ambience is exceptional.”
In September, Friday Jazz featured the smooth vocals of TC Carson in the atrium. Yes, the same guy who starred in the television series “Living Single”. Carson, who’s lived in Atlanta since 2015, was performing at Friday Jazz for the first time. He loves working in TV and film, but he’s most passionate about music.
“When I do music – and this is both good and bad for the musicians who work with me – I never do the same thing twice,” Carson said. “I grew up listening to all the jazz greats, and my mother was very musical.”
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“We always played music in the house on Saturdays,” he added. “We turned off the TV and did chores, and I loved hearing my mother sing, which she would only do while working.”
On the terrace that night, jazz singer Joanne Smith dazzled the crowd with a tune she described as being from “a juke joint.” A regular performer at Friday Jazz for years, Smith has been singing since the first grade. “The applause always got me going,” she said.
A night at the museum
Dressing for High Frequency Friday and Friday Jazz runs the gamut, from cocktail attire and sleek tailored suits to much more casual outfits with creative twists, including colorful glasses and hats.
With the exhibits open to those attending the Friday night events, Padilla said the museum turns into a giant photo op. But it also allows people to step away from the crowds while still being engaged in the music to find a moment for themselves amongst the art.
For one jazz event attendee, a Friday night at the museum is an exhilarating experience in Atlanta.
“To view this incredible art museum and appreciate the glorious artworks in such a stimulating environment is totally awe-inspiring.”
High Frequency Friday takes place on the first Friday of the month, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets are $30 per person for non-members. Friday Jazz takes place on the third Friday of the month, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets are $30 per person for non-members. Food and drinks are available. Museum exhibits open during the Friday events to High Frequency and jazz ticketholders.
