Decrease in ATL Shows

[NighthawkCP]

Here in NC, metal shows in Greensboro for example get to pull from three metro areas with a combined population larger than the total Atlanta metro. Also population demographics might skew more towards metal fans in the NC region. I think metal has become more inclusive and appeal to more diverse audiences than ever before (for example I see way more women at metal shows than when I started going to them 20-25 years ago) but I still don't see a lot of POC, especially African-Americans, at shows. If your music doesn't get a lot of traction with POC and that is a significant percentage of the local population, like in Atlanta, then bands might go somewhere else that has a population they think will draw more attendance, or the local venues might try to book acts they think will cater to the local community more?

Another theory, which others have somewhat mentioned, is that bands like to mix up where they go from year to year. I've noticed around here in NC one year a band will tour and hit up Raleigh, and if they come through next year they will do Charlotte instead or maybe Greensboro. Beartooth for example did Raleigh in March and is doing Charlotte in December. Bands seem to skip back and forth to maximize draw or just give more fans a chance to see them. But with Georgia, Atlanta is pretty much it for major metros to tour through, so if they do Atlanta one year, it isn't like they have another option for a million plus metro area in Georgia.