A Guide to Atlanta with Old Sea Brigade in Atlanta, Georgia

Old Sea Brigade is still a young project but singer-songwriter Ben Cramer is working to shape it into something special. The quiet melodies and vocals in his first single “Love Brought Weight” give off a calm and dreamy vibe. Definitely put this one on your winter playlist.

See what Ben had to say about creating music, connecting with fans and what makes his hometown unique.

Tell us about your city. I was born and raised in Atlanta. I’ve found myself living in different cities but always gravitating back to home. Atlanta is a very unique ‘bubble’ in the south that brings together people from all walks of life. It continues to grow rapidly, while offering a culturally and historically rich environment.

What is the best thing about Atlanta? There’s a lot of great things the city offers, but one thing that really stands out is how you can meet people from all over the world that live here. The city’s a huge metropolitan hub, mixed with a southern influence.

What is the worst? Traffic. Rush hour lasts from three to seven p.m.

If Atlanta was a person or character who would it be? Ted Turner. Nuts, ambitious, generous.

What would surprise tourists the most about Atlanta? The amount of roads that are named after ‘Peachtree.’

Describe a typical week in your life these days. For the most part, my week consists of work, writing and rehearsing. We’re starting to get more dates booked, so traveling is starting to take up more time.

What’s it like to be a musician/band in Atlanta? I think Atlanta has a lot to offer an up-and-coming band if they know their audience. For rock/indie bands, it’s not as saturated as other cities so it might be a little easier to make yourself stand out.

Old Sea Brigade on tour in Nashville. Photo via @oldseabrigade

What’s your favorite way to interact with fans, before, during and after the show? By talking to them and getting to know them. Old Sea Brigade is still a pretty small band right now, so when anyone shows interest in the band we try and make sure they know how appreciative we are of them coming to our shows and listening to our music.

What inspires your songwriting? A lot of the time I’ll come up with a lyric and build a song around it. When I’m writing, most of the time, I’m not thinking of one particular instance that inspired me. Sometimes I’m not sure what my song is about until I’m done writing it.

If you could tour with any band or artist from any time in history, who would it be? Tom Waits.

Do you have any pre-show rituals? Not really. Each show is different. I do get pretty nervous at times before shows. I try and just channel that into excitement.

Which bands/artists are you listening to these days? I’ve been enjoying this new artist from Tennessee named Julien Baker. I think her record is great. Also been enjoying Tobias Jesso Jr’s new record.

www.facebook.com/oldseabrigade

 

Atlanta photos by Lee Rankin.

 

This Yodel by Era Bushati

Comments
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City:Atlanta

Best place to eat:

There’s a burrito place called Willy’s. It’s like Moe’s but a billion times better.

Best place to drink:

There are a bunch of great bars in the Virginia Highlands neighborhood. Some of my favorite are Highland Tap and Hand and Hand.

Local tip:

Avoid I-285 at all cost.

If anyone was visiting what must they do?

Eat at Willy’s and walk on the Atlanta BeltLine.