The Romantics in Atlanta

About The Romantics

The Romantics formed in Detroit in 1977, hitting their stride when new wave and punk were still figuring out how to coexist. They made lean, efficient rock songs that did one thing really well: get stuck in your head. Talking in Your Sleep became their signature, a track so perfectly constructed it sounds like it should have been on the radio for decades before it actually was. What I Like About You came later and proved they weren't one-hit material—it's just as catchy, just as direct. Their whole thing was stripping things down. No excess, no pretense. They weren't reinventing rock, they were reminding people why the basic formula works. The band broke up in the 80s, reunited, broke up again, and came back once more because some songs are hard to let go of. If you've heard their stuff, you probably didn't realize how much of it you knew.

Their shows are straightforward and efficient. Crowds sing every word back to them, particularly during Talking in Your Sleep. There's a lot of movement in the room but it's loose, not mosh-pit intense. They play tight, don't waste time, and clearly enjoy the fact that people still show up.

Known for Talking in Your Sleep, What I Like About You, Gimme Some, One in a Million, Body Talk

The Romantics + Atlanta

The Romantics have maintained a quiet presence in Atlanta over the years, stopping by Blackburn Park in March 2019 for a tight eight-song set that felt like a greatest hits run without the nostalgia tour trappings. They opened with the propulsive "Rock You Up" and hit the obvious marks—"Talking in Your Sleep," "What I Like About You"—but the real moment came when they dusted off "Stone Pony," a track that showed they weren't just coasting on the radio hits. "Tomboy" and "She's Got Everything" gave the set some depth beyond the one-two punch of their biggest songs. It was the kind of show where you get exactly what you came for, no surprises, no extended jams, just the songs done right.

The Romantics in Atlanta News

• Lady A Launches ‘This Winter’s Night’ Tour With Holiday Cheer And Charity That Eric Alper · Dec 9, 2025
• How did Atlanta 1980s power pop band the Producers just miss major stardom? AJC.com · Feb 21, 2025
• A festival blooms in Brookhaven Rough Draft Atlanta · Dec 27, 2022
• Rick Springfield Unveils National Tour with Loverboy, Night Ranger, 38 Special & More Billboard · Jun 2, 2016
• Loverboy, the Romantics and Rick Springfield Announce Joint Tour Ultimate Classic Rock · Apr 21, 2015

Live Music in Atlanta

Atlanta's indie and alternative rock scene has always had a soft spot for stripped-down rock and roll. The city's DIY venues and mid-sized theaters have hosted plenty of post-punk revivalists and garage bands mining similar territory to what The Romantics built their name on. There's an appreciation here for bands that don't overthink things—that play with precision but without pretense. The Romantics fit naturally into that lineage, even as they represent an earlier wave.

Atlanta road trip to see The Romantics?

Stay in Buckhead or Virginia Highland for the neighborhood feel — tree-lined streets, good restaurants, walkable enough to actually enjoy yourself. For dinner, Sotto Sotto does excellent Italian in a no-fuss basement setting, or Rathbun's for steak if you want something more formal. Spend an afternoon at the High Museum of Art, then grab drinks at The Eagle, which has the kind of dark-wood-and-whiskey vibe that actually works. Catch a Braves game at Truist Park if timing lines up. The food scene here is legitimately good without being try-hard about it.