INsite Atlanta February 2008 Issue by INsite Magazine

8 February 62F0R0EE Vol. 16, No.

rtainment Monthly e t n E s ’ a t n a Atl tlanta.com www.insitea

INTERVIEWS Tracy Morgan Ky-Mani Marley Melissa Etheridge The Whigs

Charlize Theron Best Places to Eat on the Cheap in Atlanta Valentine’s Day Guide & Spring Break Destinations

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DUNWOODY/PERIMETER PT 770.350.4951 1155 Mount Vernon Hwy., #600 EAST COBB 770.973.3370 4400 Rosewell Rd., Ste. 115 HOLCOMB BRIDGE 770.640.8137 1475 Holcomb Bridge Rd., Ste. 189 JOHNS CREEK 770.623.9433 11720 Medlock Bridge Rd. LENOX/BUCKHEAD 404.233.8311 3232 Peachtree St. McDONOUGH 678.228.8011 2023 Jonesboro Rd. MIDTOWN 404.249.6404 75 Fifth St., NW, Ste. E

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The Launch Pad for Atlanta Night Life

CONTENTS • FEBRUARY 2008 • VOLUME 16.6

INTERVIEWS 13 14 15 18 19 23 25 26 27 34 35

CHARLIZE THERON FRANK CALIENDO TRACY MORGAN DUTTON / DACOSTA BOUNCING SOULS MELISSA ETHERIDGE VAN HUNT THE WHIGS KY-MANI MARLEY AMERICAN STEEL YAO MING

FEATURES PHIPPS PLAZA • BUCKHEAD • 404.814.9640

OPEN DAILY • PRIORITY SEATING AVAILABLE www.TheTavernAtPhipps.com

09 10 12 29 30 32

HIGH MUSEUM BUDGET DINING OSCAR PREVIEW VALENTINE’S DAY SPRING BREAK BAHAMAS

COLUMNS 05 06 07 07 08 16 19 20 22 22 24 37 38

UNDER THE LIGHTS ON TAP BOOKS WANTON DISTRACTION AROUND TOWN MOVIE REVIEWS VIDIOTS CONCERT CALENDAR ROAD WARRIORS WE GOT NEXT ALBUM REVIEWS AUTOMOBILES FANATIC

www.insiteatlanta.com STAFF LISTING Publisher Stephen Miller steve@insiteatlanta.com National Managing Editor Bret Love bret@insiteatlanta.com Art Director �� graphics@insiteatlanta.com Film Editor Matt Goldberg matt@insiteatlanta.com Local News Editor Glenn LaFollette glenn@insiteatlanta.com Local Events Editor Rav Mansﬁeld rav@insiteatlanta.com Sports Editor DeMarco Williams demarco@insiteatlanta.com Web Design Kalico Productions info@kalicopro.com PG 4 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

Contributing Writers / Interns: John Davidson, John Moore, Mathew Goldberg, Russell Fisher, Zena Scott, Margo Aaron, Andrea Hatter, Kim Guelcher, Richard Marsh, Tracy Gould, Mark Fitten, Dave Cohen & Russ Marshalek CONTACT US 2250 North Druid Hills Rd. #100 Atlanta, GA 30329-3118 phone 404-315-8485 website insiteatlanta.com ADVERTISING INFORMATION �� Editorial content of INsite is the opinion of each writer and is not necessarily the �� false or mi leading advertising or editorial content, nor do the publisher or edi�� information (any and all) in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written ��

Check out our Spring Break feature on page 30!

THEATER

100 Tequilas

Under The Lights

Lime Optional.

Theatrical Performances in February The Missionary Position

Feb. 15 - March 16 Horizon Theatre 404-584-7450 www.horizontheatre.com DEBATE THIS! IT'S THE MIDDLE OF ELECTION SEASON AND HORIZON IS ALL OVER IT WITH A SMART COMEDY STRAIGHT FROM CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS. While campaigning for the Republican candidate, agenda's collide. Roger's job is to turn out the vote from the religious right and boy does he believe what he's preaching. Neil, the money man whose accounting falls in an ethically gray area, wants their candidate to win at any cost. Political hypocrisy is revealed in this sharp-edged, satirical comedy. Horizon welcomes back one of Atlanta's most popular directors, Heidi Cline, to direct her fourteenth production at Horizon Theatre. Her past Horizon directing credits include I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, and The Water Coolers: An Office Musical. Discounts are available for Students, Seniors and Groups of 10+.

PLAYWRIGHT TARELL ALVIN MCCRANEY'S IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER IS AN ENTHRALLING COMING-OF-AGE STORY. It was the clear favorite of the 2007 Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Competition judges. Directed by Tina Landau (winner of the USA 2007 Ford Fellow in Theatre Arts), this World Premiere play on the intimate Hertz stage combines modern beats with mythic rhythms to create a passionate story that follows a young woman's move from girlhood to womanhood. The play uses powerful historical conventions, including Lorca and Yoruban folk culture, to establish an original and deeply cultural legacy that will guarantee a memorable night of theatre. In the Red and Brown Water is a dizzyingly poetic tale of difficult choices, profound relationships and sweeping emotions. It tells the story of Oya, a young woman facing difficult choices regarding her athletic talent, her attendance at college, caring for her ailing mother and her desires for a military man (while married to another man). The play, with its gorgeous language woven in to a haunting portrait of young womanhood, is based on Lorca and Yoruba myth.

Duke Ellington's Cat Romeo & Juliet Through March 16 Center for Puppetry Arts 404-873-3391 www.puppet.org EXPERIENCE A MUSICAL COLLAGE OF DUKE ELLINGTON'S LIFE THROUGH THE EYES OF HIS RIGHT-HAND…CAT! This brand new show by Artistic Director Jon Ludwig is presented as part of our 2007-08 Family Series in partnership with the National Black Arts Festival. Going on the road with the great Duke Ellington is one cool cat. But not everything is in rhythm when a couple of mischievous mice nab the Duke's newest suite. The Duke is upset, but his cat is on the case. Follow along as this jazzy feline searches for the stolen score through the life, times and music of an American legend. This show is a great introduction to jazz and American History for all ages! Puppeteers include: Julie Dansby, Michael Haverty, Katie Merritt, Spencer Stephens and Clint Thornton.

In the Red and Brown Water February 1 - 24 Alliance Theatre 404-733-5000 www.alliancetheatre.org

February 7 - 16 The Fox Theatre 404-817-8700 www.atlantaballet.com

ROMANCE YOUR ONE AND ONLY WITH THE GREATEST LOVE STORY EVER WRITTENSHAKESPEARE'S ROMEO & JULIET. She was a Capulet. He was a Montague. At 16, they met, fell in love, and the fateful die was cast. Come see how Atlanta Ballet uses the explosive power of dance to bring the story to life. Passion, hatred, innocence, betrayalseduce your senses amidst the glamour and romance of the Fox T h e a t r e . Composer S e r g e i Sergeyevich Prokofiev is considered one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century.

HIGH

high museum of art atlanta

Saturday, February 9, 7 p.m.–12 midnight $7 admission with a valid student I.D. ($18 general admission) Become a High Student Member and get in FREE!

Reserve tickets at High.org or call 404-733-HIGH. Winner Best Consignment Store

Shuttle service available at the AUC Library from 7 to 11:30 p.m.

Program Partners:

High.org | 404.733.HIGH | 1280 Peachtree Street N.E. PG 5 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

Chin Chin...

A Window Into Hong Kong.

LOCAL EVENTS

OnTap February EMAIL EVENTS TO ONTAP@INSITEATLANTA.COM

Feb. 9: The High Museum

“Most Memorable Meal Award”

COLLEGE NIGHT ART BREAK 2008

1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 – Where Magazine

“Mouthwatering Chin Chin spices things up”

– The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Jonathan Hillyer

“Best Chinese” 2002–2007 – INsite Magazine

“Best Chinese” 1998–2007 – Creative Loaﬁng

Earth-shaking dancing, ground-breaking music and world-wide art activities make up the 10 Year Anniversary of this event. Student patrons will be among the first to see "Georgia O'Keeffe and the Women of the Stieglitz Circle," and "TRANSactions: Contemporary Latin American and Latino Art," which open at the museum on that day.From 7 p.m. until midnight, the High will offer discounted admission to students with valid college ID. Questions: highmarketing@woodruffcenter.org or www.high.org.

February 8-10: Sheraton Atlanta

Craving a DragonCon fix? Well we've got your answer… DragonCon proudly presents Atlanta Comics Expo! The show kicks into high gear with features and events quite unlike the typical comic book show. ACE is a three-day celebration of comics and the visual arts, with programs and events designed to immerse fans and collectors into the exciting world of comics and pop culture. Be it graphic fiction, art prints, designer toys, Asian animation, films or costuming…ACE has something for every fan. Visit http://www.atlantacomicsexpo.com for more information.

Photo credit James Garner

Feb. 8-23: Stone Mountain

BIG APPLE CIRCUS

OPEN EVERY DAY!

Pop the cork, toss the confetti, let the revelry begin - the Big Apple Circus, celebrating its 30th Anniversary season, proudly presents Celebrate! - a brand-new show under its famous Big Top tent! The Big Apple Circus offers an intimate theatrical focus of their single ring. No one sits more than 50 feet from ringside. Enjoy the live, original musical score, a chic British ringmistress, and of course the lovable Grandma the Clown. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster at (404) 249-6400, www.ticketmaster.com

www.chinchinonline.com Best ��

Feb. 15-24: Philips Arena

RINGLING BROS. AND BARNUM & BAILEY

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Bellobration, an interactive and high-energy circus extravaganza . Bellobration features the mischievous, yet endearing, comic daredevil Bello, whose iconic tall orange hair, over-sized tuxedo and fearless approach to daredevilry have charmed audiences across the nation. Circusgoers will witness jaw-dropping stunts, high wire, high jinx, adrenaline-pounding trapeze and the amazing animals in a performance full of the latest in 21st Century technology. www.ringling.com

February 9: Front Page News 5Pts

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MARDI GRAS

FREE MOVIE PASSES

Stop by EATS (600 Ponce De Leon Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30308) to get your complimentary ticket to see

www.strangewildernessmovie.com Quantity is limited, first come first served!

IN THEATERS FEBRUARY 1, 2008 PG 6 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

Front Pages News in Little Five Points is the place to be on Saturday, February 9th for the Little Five Points Music & Food Festival. Gates open at 2pm and the festival will feature 6 bands & New Orleans food & beverages. Live music will be featured with Dash Rip Rock headlining the event at 8pm. A New Orleans menu with Jambalaya, Gumbo & Crawfish will be offered along with SoCo Hurricanes drinks & Miller Lite. Tickets are $10 Advance & $20 at the Gate. For Tickets & Info: www.L5PMardiGras.com

February 16: Variety Playhouse

DAN TYMINSKI BAND

Dan Tyminski just may be the closest thing bluegrass music has to a Renaissance man. As a mandolin player, guitarist, recording engineer and producer, not to mention a vocalist who can instantaneously switch from delicate harmonies to fiery leads, he’s spent time in two of music’s most prominent ensembles – first the Lonesome River Band and more recently with Alison Krauss and Union Station. Tickets available at the Variety box office (hours M-F, 12-6pm and nights of shows), at www.variety-playhouse.com and all Ticketmaster outlets .

Book Review THE REPLACEMENTS: ALL OVER BUT THE SHOUTING – AN ORAL HISTORY

Author: Jim Walsh BY JOHN MOORE

If any band of the past two decades is worthy of a no-holds-barred bio, it’s the booze-loving, stagefighting Replacements. Too bad you won’t find it here. This oral history was put together by Jim Walsh, a music writer who played in bands from the same Minneapolis scene that birthed The Replacements. Since his band played a handful of shows with The ‘Mats and ran in the same circles, one would think Walsh would have extraordinary access to the band members. Sadly, that’s not the case. Most of the interviews were taken from old articles band members participated in around the late ‘80s/early ‘90s, and there are no new interviews with frontman Paul Westerberg, which makes the book suspect from the start. The author also has a tendency to weigh down the history with too many unnecessary details (especially those describing Walsh’s own band). When it comes time to report on The Replacements’ most successful years– their time at Sire Records– Walsh skimps on any new details. The death of Bob Stinson is almost treated as an afterthought, as is the band’s eventual breakup. A group as influential as The Replacements deserves a far better re-telling of their career than “All Over But the Shouting.” In truth, even Wikipedia offers a better take on The Replacements than this book. Grade: D+

CELEBRITY CORNER

Wanton Distraction Skewed Views on Entertainment News BY MATT GOLDBERG �� BILLY BOB THORNTON and TOM WILKINSON will be joining JULIA ROBERTS and CLIVE OWEN for Tony Gilroy’s upcoming film, DUPLICITY. After his most recent film (which was also his directing-debut), MICHAEL CLAYTON, picked up seven Academy Award nominations on Tuesday, being on his next project ain’t a bad place to be. Thornton and Wilkinson will play rival CEOs of pharmaceutical companies as they race to corner the market on an innovation that will bring, according to the Variety story, “wild profits”. I assume it’s something to do with enhancing the penis. Giving it lasers, perhaps. “Viagra: Now with Lasers!” That’s the whole male marketing strategy right there. The commercials always refer to being able to stay harder longer as “male enhancement”. No. That is simply useful. Having my dick fire lasers? THAT is an enhancement. Owen and Roberts will play corporate spies who try to manipulate which company wins. I imagine that will involve writing the copy on the TV ads as delicately as possible. “Many men suffer from having penises that do not fire lasers. But now with Priczap, you can satisfy her for hours and then go fight the robots. Possible side-effects include strong desire to urinate, slight burning sensation, and exploding testicles. Do not take Priczap if you plan to have children or already have children. Ask your doctor if Priczap is right for you. If he says ‘no’, find a new doctor.” �� Somewhere in your drug-addled brain, you lost your mind. Maybe you couldn’t take the abysmal notices for ALEXANDER. Or you didn’t agree with the lukewarm response to the limp-dick

WORLD TRADE CENTER. Or maybe having the plug pulled on PINKVILLE and not being able to come back to your trusty Vietnam well pushed you over the edge. Maybe you’ve been crazy all along and no one noticed ‘til lately. Whatever it is, at least you had worthy source material. But now you’re a crazy person playing with feces as Variety reports that OLIVER STONE will make BUSH, not about

Alexander the Great (and should you accept that, you and Stone must be enjoying the same crop of psychedelic mushrooms), there’s not enough distance. The Bush White House is still a year from over, so the story isn’t even ﬁnished. But beyond that, here’s the story of George W. Bush: he was a spoiled brat who never had to work for anything in his life and decided to enter politics because he thought it would be a good gig. The end. There’s no mystery here; no deep, complex character. If you’re going to do a movie about a worthless President, why not just do a biopic of Gerald Ford? It would be funnier. �� CHRISTIAN BALE is in talks to play Melvin Purvis, the FBI agent who led the manhunt for John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) in Michael Mann’s upcoming PUBLIC ENEMIES. Some historians dispute that the reason Purvis hunted Dillinger is that his parents named him Melvin Purvis and he hated anyone with a cool name. Dillinger ﬁt the bill and, when he became Public Enemy #1, Purvis had cause to hunt him down. Of course, these historians can also be seen begging for change and saying that Jesus is in their pants, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t do the research.

Julia Roberts will be in Tony Gilroy’s upcoming film Duplicity. vagina or the alternative rock group, but about the life and presidency of George W. Bush. He’s tapped JOSH BROLIN to play our dumb president, because ruining his own career apparently isn’t enough. This film won’t be anti-Bush, but more along the lines of THE QUEEN, except where that movie was good and dealt with a worthy person worth examining, this film will be utter shit and could very well summon the antichrist. Even if you were to accept that Bush was as fascinating a figure as Castro, Nixon, Jim Morrison, Jim Garrison and

�� ANDREW JARECKI’S CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS was one of the must-see movies of 2003. But his upcoming ﬁlm, ALL GOOD THINGS, doesn’t look like it will have the same pedigree. From Variety, “Set in the 1980s, the story centers on the scion of a New York real estate dynasty (Gosling) who falls for a beautiful girl from the wrong side of the tracks (Dunst). But the fairy tale ends when the girl disappears. As a down-andout detective stumbles on info that may lead to the truth, the political stakes get higher and people close to the case end up dead.” It’s like CHINATOWN meets who gives a shit! And I think I know why she goes missing: because Gosling acted her ass oﬀ the fucking screen.

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LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT

College Night Coming to High Museum BY CHRIS GOOD

OLLEGE NIGHT HITS THE High for its tenth year on February 9th. Earth-shaking dancing, ground-breaking music and world-wide art activities make up this year’s event, aptly titled “College Night Art Break 2008: A World of Art.” The global theme continues throughout the special exhibition galleries, where artwork from Africa, Europe, Latin America and the United States will be on view. Student patrons will be among the first to see “Georgia O’Keeffe and the Women of the Stieglitz Circle,” and “TRANSactions: Contemporary Latin American and Latino Art,” which open at the museum on that day. From 7 p.m. until midnight, the High will offer discounted admission to students with valid college ID. Museum-wide gallery access all night, food for purchase and live music are just a few of the reason s students come back year after year. “College Night at the high was an extremely unique experience for me. It opened my eyes to a wide array of masterpieces in a relaxed setting and it gave me the opportunity to work in a fun-filled atmosphere,” said

Morehouse College junior, Herman Riley, who volunteered at College Night 2007. Over the last ten years, College Night

organizers have perfected the College Night run-of-show. Each year, planners receive input from High Museum of Art interns and work closely with student unions to find out what students want to see and do. In the past, College Night has included dance performances, student film projections and life-drawing in the galleries. This year, in keeping with the “world-wide” theme, activities aim for a global awareness. This year’s promotional partners include Sam Flax art stores and Alternative® Apparel

, which make for the best art-activities yet. Workshops will be set up in the Education Center, where students can D-I-Y an earthfriendly t-shirt from Alternative or take a turn on the World of Art paint-by-number mural provided by Sam Flax. Live music and dancing also rank high with students, so this year the High poached Art in the City favorite DJ Tabone to spin world music in the Stent Atrium. Throw in a live set from funk rock powerhouse Goldenfro, and you’ve got the aforementioned groundbreaking, earth-shaking dancing and music. Students have also expressed a love for Open Mic, so it’s back on the roster. Participants are encouraged to sign up for a time-slot in advance, so they can battle it out on the acoustic, poetic and dancing fronts. Mike Zarin is the special guest host to keep participants hyped. SCAD senior, Lake said, “I’ve heard there’s going to be a prize-wheel with giveaways from Starbucks and Chick-fil-A, places like that. I’m excited about that, because I love free food!” College Night Art Break 2008: A World of Art. High Museum of Art, Atlanta. 1280 Peachtree St. NE. 404-7334444, www.high.org. Questions and open mic sign-ups, e-mail highmarketing@woodruffcenter. org.

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DINING

Taste of the Month- Inexpensive Dining Some great places in town to get a good meal without breaking the bank Fritti

309 N. Highland Ave. 404.880.9559 www.frittirestaurant.com

Located in the heart of Inman Park, Fritti is Atlanta's most elegant pizza restaurant. They are nationally recognized for their pizza with continuous outstanding reviews and awards. Among them are Best Pizza by Citysearch and Creative Loafing as well as John Kessler’s Top 50 restaurants. For lunch, Fritti offers a variety of Anti-pasta dishes for $8 or less including offerings of portebello mushrooms, fresh calamari, and sicialian risotto and sausage croquettes. For Dinner, you are able to choose from their wide selection of Antipastas for just $4, three for $11, or five for $18. Most items on the menu are offered for Lunch and Dinner. Some of the popular salad offerings include the Bresaola di Tonno (Cured sashimi grade tuna, Ashland Farms micro arugula and lemon); $10. They also offer a great Ceasar Salad for $7. Among their great variety of pizzas include: The Salsiccia e Peperoni (Italian sausage and roasted peppers) $12.50; the Estiva (Fresh tomato, red onion, arugula) $12; and the Speck e Rucola (Smoked prosciutto, smoked mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and arugula) $13 . Fritti is also open for Brunch on sundays.

The Real Chow Baby

1016 Howell Mill Rd. 404.815.4900 www.therealchowbaby.com The Real Chow Baby is Atlanta's first and only cre-

ate-your-own stir-fry restaurant, complete with a market-fresh stir-fry bar and the hottest grill in the Southeast. The Real Chow Baby gives you the opportunity to make your own unique culinary creation with a delicious blend of Asian and American flavors that you choose yourself. For the flat rate of $11.99 for dinner and $7.99 for lunch, you may take unlimited trips to the stir-fry bar. Kids dine for only $6.99 and The Real Chow Baby Stir Fry “to go” is $8.99. Their signature dishes, featuring bold, delicious flavors from traditional Asian and American cuisines, are made from a fresh stir-fry bar loaded with more than 70 ingredients. Choose from over 45 different kinds of rice, noodles, fruits, vegetables, meats and seafood, all prepared daily from scratch. At The Real Chow Baby, you are your own boss. You choose the ingredients, you choose the sauce, and when it's done, you enjoy your creation. Start by filling a bowl with your choice of noodles, rice, vegetables, sauces, spices, meats, and seafood. You can customize your creation by selecting from the soup, salad, stir-fry, or Chow Baby wrap. Then their chefs will transform it into a delicious stir-fry on their custom-made, 60-inch flat top grill.

Eclipse di Luna

priced affordable, mostly between $3.95 and $4.95, to encourage multiple sampling. They offer several that are cheese based. These include the Quesos Espanoles, a tasting of Spanish cheeses with assorted accompaniments ($4.95). The Quesos Espanoles, a tasting of Spanish Cheeses with assorted accompaniments ($4.95). And the Pimientos Rellenos con Queso de Cabra which is a herbed goat cheese tomato sauce in crispy piquillo peppers ($4.25).

Eclipse features several chicken Tapas including the Pollo a la Parilla, a chicken breast grilled and marinated with red pepper salad and avocado (4.25). Another is the Guizo de Pollo con Aceitunas, rioja & olive with braised chicken ($4.50). Their pork dish Chamorro con Alubias is a ragu of pork bucco with white beans & balsamic molasses ($4.75). There are several seafood dishes to choose from including the Gambas al Ajillo which is sautéed shrimp & garlic with calabes pepper ($4.95). For mussels fans, try the Mejillones en Salsa Roja served in a spicy tomato broth with plum tomatoes ($4.75). Eclipse di Luna has won several awards from various magazines that include “Best Appetizers”, “Atlanta’s Top 100 Restaurants” and “Best Tapas”.

Eats

764 Miami Circle 404.846.0449 4505 Ashford-Dunwoody Rd. 678.205.5862 www.eclipsediluna.com

600 Ponce de Leon 404.888.9149 www.eatsonponce.net

With over two dozen Tapas to choose from, there is something here to please any taste. The Tapas is

An Atlanta landmark, Eats keeps their menu simple, their prices low and their dishes always made with the freshest ingredients. Their Pasta Plates

allow you to choose from a variety of pastas which aren’t priced accept for the cheese filled spinach tortellini which is $1. The sauces range in price from $4.25 and $5.25 and include: marinara, olive and garlic, pesto, alfredo, creamy marinara, turkey meat sauce and chicken chili. All pasta plates come with garlic bread and you can add on extras from meatballs to chicken breast which is just a dollar or two more. If you are not in the mood for pasta, they offer meat and vegetable plate dinners. The meat offererings includes their prized jerk chicken, lemon pepper chicken and turkey meatloaf. Some of the vegatables include: cous-cous, broccoli, green beans, and collards. Vegatable plates are priced at $4 for three or $5 for four. A meat and two sides runs $6.50 and $6.90 for three sides. You can also get chicken a la carte, salad and desserts.

Osteria

832 N. Highland Ave. 404.897.1414 www.osteria832.com Osteria 832 is located in the heart of the VirginiaHighland neighborhood in Atlanta. They serve a wide variety of affordable, delicious made-to-order salads, pastas and thin crust pizzas. For Brunch they serve organic, free range eggs in a variety of omlettes ranging from $7 to $9, Bruschetta French Toast for $4, in addition to their antipastas, salads and pizzas. Dinner offers a wide range of pizza ($8$10); Meat and Pasta dishes ($7-$13) plus thier antipastas and salads. Great wines as well.

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(404) 320-0101 N. Decatur Plaza

e Pl at t az u a

h r or N c D

Clairmont Rd. N. Decatur Rd.

Publix

www.mediterraneangrill.com

Corner of N. Decatur & Clairmont

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New Location! MIDTOWN

NOW OPEN! 404-917-1100

(10th and Monroe)

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NEW YORK STYLE PIZZA & MORE… GRANT CENTRAL & GRANT CENTRAL EAST

451 CHEROKEE AVE. (IN HISTORIC GRANT PARK) 404.523.8900 1279 GLENWOOD AVE. (IN EAST ATLANTA VILLAGE) 404.627.0007 PG 10 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

Doc Chey’s Noodle House

1556 N. Decatur Rd. 404.378.8188 1424 N. Highland Ave. 404.888.0777 www.doccheys.com Doc Chey's is the original pan-Asian noodle house in Atlanta. They are the recepient of numerous awards including: Best Noodle Bowl, Best Cheap Eats, Best Lunch Spot and Best Carryout from several publications. Their menu is truly pan-Asian; it encompasses the cuisines of China, Japan, Thailand, Korea and Vietnam. Menu categories include dim sum (starters), noodles, stir fries, soups and salads. Best sellers include the Spicy Thai Basil noodles consisting of wok seared vegetables and rice noodles tossed in a spicy Thai sauce, and the Szechuan stir fry, which includes a wide variety of vegetables stirfried in a traditional Chinese Szechuan sauce and served with white or brown rice. All noodles and stir fries are freshly wok'd to order and served with your choice of chicken, tofu, beef, and shrimp or veggies-only. Doc Chey's also offers a wide variety of handmade dim sum items under five bucks that are perfect for starters, such as Shanghai Dumplings, Fresh Vietnamese Basil Rolls, Thai Shrimp Rolls and Crispy Veggie Spring Rolls. The majority of menu items are under $8 and each meal is served with a smile.

Coyote’s Mexican Grill

2740 East College Ave. 404.373.9383 With the great food, low prices, strong margaritas and a live Mariachi band Friday nights, Coyote’s has built up a loyal following in the Avondale Estates area of Decatur. They offer twenty terrific combination platters priced at $6.75 or $6.95. Their seafood dishes range from $9 to $12.50. The burritos are popular here. Try their Burrito California is made with grilled steak or chicken with black beans, rice, cheese, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo ($7). Also try their Mexican Flag Burrito, stuffed with grilled chicken, onions, bell peppers and cheese($8). Coyote’s offers several lunch specials ranging from $4.75 to $8.25 that come with a $3.50 margarita special. They also offer a Premium Texas Margarita for just $7.99 and an assortment of giant fruit margaritas.

Grant Central Pizza

451 Cherokee Ave. 404.523.8900 1279 Glenwood Ave. 404.627.0007

Grant Central East is located in the heart of East Atlanta Village on the corner of Glenwood and Flat Shoals. It is the sister restaurant to Grant Central, the 14 year old original restaurant residing in Grant Park. The original was named after Grand Central Station for its NY Style pizza. Here you can find great pizza, subs and salads for under $10. You can also get pizza by the slice for $1.65. They have an open kitchen so you can check out your pizza as it comes out of the oven and there is a large dining area with plenty of tables to accommodate large groups. Grant Central East gives its customers the option of customizing their pizza, even when only ordering a slice. For an extra $2.00 you can get a single piece of pizza with any four toppings, and three bucks buys a slice of their house pizza, the Cardiac Arrest (pepperoni, spicy sausage, meatballs, ham and extra cheese), which is every bit as good as it sounds.

Mediterranean Grill

2126 N. Decatur Rd. 404.320.0101 985 Monroe Dr. 404.917.1100 www.mediterraneangrill.com

For over 6 years, their loyal customers have made family/chef-owned and operated Mediterranean Grill THE place in Atlanta for authentic Mediterranean food. Delight in fresh, homemade Middle Eastern and Greek specialties prepared to order with the highest quality ingredients. Everything from the imported chickpeas and olive oil to fresh produce carefully selected from the local farmers market. Their popular business lunch (plate of gyro, shish kabob and kafta kabob with rice and salad including drink)is just $6.49. The entrees range in price from the Falafel Plate ($6.95) to the Combination Feast ($8.95). Their sandwiches are popular for lunch and include: Gyro, Shish Kabob, Kufta Kabob, Chicken Kabob, Falafel and Vegetarian. For dinner, they have several well priced combinations including Jumbo Grilled Shrimp and Lamb Shank for $8.99.

Athen’s Pizza

Voted Best Greek Cuisine

–2006 & 2007

1341 Clairmont Rd. 404.636.1100 www.athenspizzaatlanta.com

For over 25 years, the Papadopoulos family has been serving up great Greek and Italian cuisine to the Emory area. Athens Pizza has been voted as having the Best Greek Cuisine in Atlanta on a regular basis by several publications. Don’t let the name fool you, there is much more than great pizza, as some of the favorite recipes on their Greek dishes go back 25 years and more! They offer a variety of pasta dishes including Spaghetti w/ marinara($5.95), Baked spaghetti with meat sauce and mushrooms($8.25) and Athens Lasagna ($8.95). Entrees are served with a Jr. Greek salad and garlic bread. Popular dishes are Mousaka (layers of eggplant, potatoes and ground beef in creamy bechamel sauce with spinich pie) for $8.95. And the Greek Style Oven Roasted Lamb cooked for hours in their own blend of spices for $10.75. Of course their are a variety of pizzas for as low as $3.50 (toppings extra). Specialty pizza range from $5.75 for a 6” to 19.95 for a 16”. Also served are a variety of wraps, platters and subs. Athen’s Pizza offers daily specails for lunch and dinner.

The Flying Biscuit

CANDLER PARK

1655 McLendon Ave. | Atlanta | 30307

BEST BRUNCH!

404.687.8888 MIDTOWN

1001 Piedmont Ave. | Atlanta | 30309

404.874.8887

1655 McLendon Ave. 404.687.8888 1001 Piedmont Ave. 404.874.8887 www.flyingbiscuit.com The Flying Biscuit serves great breakfast, lunch and dinner specials 7 days a week starting at 7 AM. One of Atlanta’s home grown gems, they are best known for their mouthwatering biscuits and original affordable menu items. For breakfast their signature dish is the Flying Biscuit Breakfast served with two large farm-fresh eggs with free-range chicken and sage breakfast sausage ($7.25). They feature several omelets including the health conscious Hollywood Omelet made from egg whites, spinach, mushrooms & mozzarella cheese topped with a warm tomato sauce($9.95). All items on the menu are offers throughout the day. They have a great Oven Fried Chicken (herb crusted chicken breast, grilled mac & cheese and collard greens) $10.95. A Coca-Cola Glazed Salmon with yukon gold mashed potatoes and wilted spinach ($11.95). Another southern inspired entree is their Shrimp and Grits (creamy white chedder grits topped w/ sauteed jumbo shrimp in a red pepper & tomato sauce) $11.95. They are currently offering a Friday night dinner special for $19.95. It includes one entree, glass of wine with salad, biscuit and dessert.

Best Cheap Eats AOL City Guide ‘07 Atlanta’s Best Bites Airtran Airways Sept. ‘07 Best Waitstaff Creative Loaﬁng ’06,’07 Best Place to take a First Date Creative Loaﬁng ’06,’07

Front Page News

1104 Crescent Ave. 404.897.3500 351 Moreland Ave. 404.475.7777 www.frontpageatlanta.com The Taste of New Orleans offers great cajun cuisine at low prices along with strong drinks in a laid-back and inviting atmosphere. Find great Po’ Boys and Subs including the Fried Shrimp Po’Boy $9.99 and the Turkey Club Sub $8.99. Front Page has award winning extra large burgers including the French Quarter Burger w/ melted cheese, sauteed mushrooms and onions for $8.99 and a Big Easy Burger with choice of cheese for $6.99. Great Jambalaya ($13.99) and Red Beans & Rice ($9.99) and Beer Battered Fish and Chips (Grouper Fillets) for just $12.99.

100,000 Combinations All You Can Eat $7.99 Lunch, $11.99 Dinner

1016 Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta, GA 30318 404-815-4900 www.therealchowbaby.com PG 11 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

ENTERTAINMENT

The

2008

BY MATT GOLDBERG

OSCAR RACE

OU’RE GOING TO READ THIS AND think I care waaaaaay too much about the Academy Awards. To that I’ll simply respond: “A movie critic, caring about which films are recognized for the highest honor a movie can receive? You’re right! That is ridiculous!” Yes, I know that the Academy mostly gets it wrong and will continue to get it wrong, and that’s just how it plays out. I might as well get mad at the mainstream media for making our political process one of personality rather than policy. But you won’t deny that it’s fun to get angry and you won’t deny that the award does matter, because it helps sell the film. Some of these films don’t deserve to be sold. They deserved to be fucked into oblivion. There’s one in particular that deserves to be fucked into oblivion followed by the abyss. I think I make it fairly clear which one that is. I’m also betting that there will be an Oscar ceremony this year. I think Hollywood vanity surpasses all, and with the recent successful negotiation with the DGA, I think the writers are going to get their deal in the next few weeks. My bet is that we’ll all see Jon Stewart hosting the awards, and nobody laughing because he’s holding up a mirror to the ridiculousness of the pageant. And now, the envelope please… PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE George Clooney- “Michael Clayton” Daniel Day-Lewis- “There Will Be Blood” Johnny Depp- “Sweeney Todd “ Tommy Lee Jones- “In the Valley of Elah” Viggo Mortensen- “Eastern Promises” Look, I’m happy with the Vig getting any nomination for anything. He’s a tremendous actor who deserves every bit of acclaim he receives. I wish the same could be said for Johnny Depp: I love the guy, but Sweeney Todd is not his film. It’s Helena Bonham Carter’s and, frankly, I would’ve liked to see a more surprising actor in the role. As for Tommy Lee Jones, his massive earlobes deserve the nomination and, in a world where he’d actually win this award, they should give the acceptance speech. I’m sure Emile Hirsch is happy with the “Fuck You” from the Academy. But it’s all a moot point: Day-Lewis is gonna win, so I can sleep easy on this one. PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Casey Affleck- “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” Javier Bardem- “No Country for Old Men” Philip Seymour Hoffman- “Charlie Wilson’s War” Hal Holbrook- “Into the Wild” Tom Wilkinson- “Michael Clayton” You’d think this was between Affleck and Bardem, but you’d be wrong. This award is Hal Holbrook’s, because this category always goes to Hollywood veterans. It’s just an unwritten rule. Look at the winners from the past ten years and you’ll see I’m right. PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE Cate Blanchett- “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” Julie Christie- “Away from Her” Marion Cotillard- “La Vie en Rose” Laura Linney- “The Savages” Ellen Page- “Juno” Blanchett is a tremendous actress, but no one should award The Golden Age for anything other than costumes and art direction. As it stands, they just insulted Amy Adams (Enchanted) and Helena Bonham Carter (Sweeney Todd). Again, it’s a moot point, because it’s between Christie and Cotillard. The edge goes to Christie because she’s the Hollywood vet and she played someone with Alzheimer’s. PG 12 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Cate Blanchett- “I’m Not There” Ruby Dee- “American Gangster” Saoirse Ronan- “Atonement” Amy Ryan- “Gone Baby Gone” Tilda Swinton- “Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.) In my burning hatred for Atonement, I forgot about Saoirse Ronan. After the cinematography of the Dunkirk scene, she’s the best part of the ﬁlm. But she’s the dark horse, and I think Blanchett’s going to get her second Best Supporting Actress win.

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY “Atonement”- Christopher Hampton “Away from Her”- Sarah Polley “The Diving Bell and the Butterﬂy”- Ronald Harwood “No Country for Old Men”- Joel Coen & Ethan Coen “There Will Be Blood”- Paul Thomas Anderson Please, for the love of Christ, don’t let Atonement win. It’s a shitty adaptation. Thankfully, I think the Coens are going to win this category. Maybe even Diving Bell. But who am I kidding? If the past few months have taught us anything, it’s that Hollywood hates writers. Fuck, give it to Atonement. ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY “Juno”- Diablo Cody “Lars and the Real Girl”- Nancy Oliver “Michael Clayton”- Tony Gilroy “Ratatouille”- Screenplay by Brad Bird; Story by Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco, Brad Bird “The Savages”- Tamara Jenkins Sadly, this will probably go to Tony Gilroy. It’s not that Michael Clayton is a bad script, but Juno’s the one that SHOULD get it. And I’d love to see Diablo Cody do a couple of kung-fu kicks on that stage. ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING “The Diving Bell and the Butterﬂy”- Julian Schnabel “Juno”- Jason Reitman “Michael Clayton”- Tony Gilroy “No Country for Old Men”- Joel Coen & Ethan Coen “There Will Be Blood”- Paul Thomas Anderson This? This isn’t that bad. I don’t think Reitman should get the nomination, and I don’t think Gilroy’s direction was anything amazing. I also wasn’t expecting the complete shunning of Into the Wild. But this award will go to either Schnabel or the Coens. Or, if those two cancel each other out, maybe Anderson gets it, which is equally great. BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR “Atonement” “Juno” “Michael Clayton” “No Country for Old

Men” “There Will Be Blood Everyone laughed when I said if I’d flip out when Atonement got nominated for Best Picture. “Oh, it doesn’t have a chance! Never mind the Golden Globe win and the BAFTA nominations and the absolutely misguided critical acclaim! That’s a slot that will be filled by a good film like Into the Wild! Now get off the edge of that tall building!” Who’s laughing now, bitches? NO ONE!

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE “No End in Sight” “Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience” “Sicko” “Taxi to the Dark Side” “War/Dance” Michael Moore won’t get it because he’s Michael Moore, and fuck the fact that his film is a non-partisan examination of one of the most important issues facing our country today. Maybe No End in Sight will get it. I just don’t know. My gut tells me War/Dance, but my gut is also very hungry. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR “Persepolis” “Ratatouille” “Surf’s Up” Thank god, Shrek the Third wasn’t nominated. If more people had actually seen Persepolis, it would have a better shot. As it stands, Brad Bird gets his second Oscar win for Ratatouille. He is legend. ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION “American Gangster”- Art Direction: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Beth A. Rubino “Atonement”- Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer “The Golden Compass”- Art Direction: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”- Art Direction: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo “There Will Be Blood”- Art Direction: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Jim Erickson Every time I see a nomination for Atonement, I die a little inside. I may well be a corpse by the end of this. They’ll find me and wonder how I died, so let me tell you now: ATONEMENT KILLED ME! Give this to The Golden Compass. Shitty film, but imaginative design. They couldn’t possibly nominate I’m Not There. Noooo... Didn’t you hear? The only great thing about that film is Cate Blanchett. No one told Todd Haynes that biopics have to be boring, predictable shit.

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”- Roger Deakins “Atonement”- Seamus McGarvey “The Diving Bell and the Butterﬂy”- Janusz Kaminski “No Country for Old Men”- Roger Deakins “There Will Be Blood”- Robert Elswit Please give this to The Assassination of Jesse James. Or No Country for Old Men. Or any nominee that’s not Atonement. And that’s just not the Atonement hatred speaking. Every other nominee is beautifully shot. Atonement has Dunkirk, and that’s it. The award is going to Atonement you say? Beautiful. Excuse me while I put this gun in my mouth. ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN “Across the Universe”- Albert Wolsky “Atonement”- Jacqueline Durran\ “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”- Alexandra Byrne “La Vie en Rose”- Marit Allen “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”Colleen Atwood I know that Atonement’s going to get it. It has period costumes and pretty dresses. Of the nominees, I’d like to see Sweeney Todd get the win because I think it has a better variety of costumes and they’re clearly designed with Burton’s photography in mind. Again, I think it’s all a slap in the face to I’m Not There. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR “Beaufort” Israel “The Counterfeiters” Austria “Katyn” Poland “Mongol” Kazakhstan “12” Russia Did you know that the foreign language nominees are completely fucked and that they’re having to change the rules? That explains this category. ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SCORE) “Atonement”- Dario Marianelli “The Kite Runner”- Alberto Iglesias “Michael Clayton”- James Newton Howard “Ratatouille”- Michael Giacchino “3:10 to Yuma”- Marco Beltrami So, not Nick Cave & Warren Ellis for The Assassination of Jesse James? So, not Johnny Greenwood for There Will Be Blood? Hey, Academy? Go unfuck your ears! ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SONG) “Falling Slowly” from “Once”- Music and Lyric by Glen Hansard and: Marketa Irglova “Happy Working Song” from “Enchanted”- Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz “Raise It Up” from “August Rush”- Nominees to be determined “So Close” from “Enchanted”- Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz “That’s How You Know” from “Enchanted”- Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz Do the same people who nominate the scores nominate the songs? Because they did a good job with the songs. ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP “La Vie en Rose”- Didier Lavergne and Jan Archibald “Norbit”- Rick Baker and Kazuhiro Tsuji “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”- Ve Neill and Martin Samuel Please, please, please let Norbit win. I want to refer to it as the Oscar-winning Norbit! Please, God, let it win…

Charlize Theron

COVER INTERVIEW

BY ALEX S. MORRISON

T DOESN’T TAKE A GENIUS TO recognize the fact that Charlize Theron is a gorgeous and talented actress. After all, the native South African was an accomplished model long before her 1997 breakthrough role in The Devil’s Advocate, and earned the Best Actress Oscar for Monster before reaching her 30th birthday. What’s less readily apparent to the casual observer is how smart and savvy the 32-year-old has been about approaching her career. While many of her 20-something peers were off flaunting their T&A in slasher flicks and teen comedies, the woman Esquire named 2007’s “Sexiest Woman On Earth” opted to go the indie route, working with directors such as Woody Allen (Celebrity, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion), Lasse Hallström (The Cider House Rules) and John Frankenheimer (Reindeer Games). And when most actresses would’ve been in their trailers, sipping soy lattes while waiting for their next call time, Theron was asking questions and taking notes, preparing for the next stage of her career. Monster was Theron’s first foray as a producer, and to hear her tell the story, it was a case of trial-by-fire. The 2003 film in which she played prostitute-turned-serial killer Aileen Wuornos almost never made it to the big screen, rejected by every major studio in Hollywood as too tough to sell. Made for an estimated $8 million, the film ultimately grossed nearly $35 million in the U.S. alone. It also whetted Theron’s appetite for producing projects that might not otherwise see the light of day, which include the 2006 documentary East of Havana and her current film, Sleepwalking. Sold at Sundance last year, the film stars Theron as a hard-luck single mom who abandons her 11-year-old daughter (played by AnnaSophia Robb), leaving her in the care of her slightly less irresponsible brother (Nick Stahl). According to East of Havana writer/director/co-producer Jauretsi Saizarbitoria, a longtime friend, the secret to Theron’s producing ability lies in her finely honed primal instincts. “She can smell passion like a hound dog does a rabbit,” Saizarbitoria says. “That’s always been her compass– her gut. She is, after all, a farm girl raised in the wilds of Africa. ‘No’ is not a word Charlize understands. If she doesn’t know how to do something, she self-teaches, or she surrounds herself with mentors, no matter how foreign the task. I think she genuinely loves the minutiae of filmmaking.... all the little things that other celebrity producers find tedious and mundane, she sees more as a riddle to be figured out.” We recently spoke to Theron about the challenges of filmmaking, what keeps her passionate as an actress and how big-budget studio films like this summers Hancock (in which she co-stars opposite Will Smith) fit into her career plan… or lack thereof. What are the primary factors you look for in a project? I try not to think of it as such a formulated process. I like to read, so I read a lot of scripts and try to go for a pure reaction. The first time you read a script is really important, so I try not to read when I’m tired,

Making Moves Behind the Camera

and I’ve never been able to not finish a script all the way through. I just try to be true to how I feel about it. I don’t think you can make decisions based on, ‘I can’t play a gay character again, because I’ve done that!’ I don’t think it’s that mechanical. It’s about what affects me. Having empathy and understanding for a character is one thing, but I want to be moved. I think the only formulated thing that I am pretty hard on is the director. It’s a lot to say yes to a film, and when you say yes to it, you’re really saying yes to one man… or woman. They’re the shepherd and it’s their vision, so unless I’m the producer I want to make sure as an actor that I approve that partnership. So, whether you’re an actor or producer, what qualities do you look for in a director?

that’s with somebody who isn’t gonna be your pal, but has a tremendous vision and talent, that’s what you do. But as far as an experience goes, it’s always a plus if you can work with somebody who has that talent and vision, but at the same time enjoys the experience of making a ﬁlm with an entire cast and crew. That’s the most enjoyable. I’ve had those experiences, and they’re very few and far between. But they are worth waiting for.

From ballet in your youth to acting and producing movies as an adult, you’ve been involved in creative arts for most of your life. What keeps you so passionate about what you do? I think your passion evolves and is always changing, but the core of it is just that it feels right. I don’t know how else to say it, but when I’m acting it feels right. It’s

I’M FASCINATED WITH TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO STAND IN SOMEBODY ELSE’S SHOES. I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE MAKE REALLY, REALLY BAD DECISIONS. Passion is a big one. Somebody that understands the craft of ﬁlmmaking. Talent is something that you can sometimes feel, and they need an understanding of what this business is about– what it is to make a movie– and an understanding of the material that they’re working with. I think the lesson that I’ve learned in my short career is that you can’t do that enough; you can’t spend enough time with a director to make sure that they are in complete understanding of what they have in their hands. Is it better to work with a director who has a strong vision of what they want, or someone who’s open to collaboration as the project moves forward? I think it’s great to be a director with a strong vision if it’s a good vision. I think that’s a beautiful thing. There are a few directors in this industry that are known for not necessarily being very collaborative, but when you look at their work, you know that he or she really knows what they’re doing. It might not be the kind of work environment you want to enter into, and I think as an actor or producer you have to know going into it what that relationship is gonna be. But I don’t think I have a problem with that. I think it’s great in this business when you make friends, but you can’t be doing this for friends. You’ve gotta do this for passion and because you want to grow and create something really great. If

not that it’s effortless for me, or even easy for me, but the things that other people consider hard feel good to me. I think it’s just kind of under my skin. For me, I’ve always been interested in this business overall. I’ve never wanted to just show up, hit my mark and say my lines. I have a sincere interest in and fascination with how you actually make a film. To other people, that might sound really ridiculous, but to me it’s compelling. Some people look at medical examiners and say, “How can you be passionate about going in and cutting open a body?” But I guess we all just have that thing that drives us, and for me, this has always been something that makes me want to get out of bed in the morning. That’s what I’m usually guided by: The day I don’t want to get out of bed to do something, that’s the day I’ll stop. Life’s too short to do something you don’t enjoy. What was it about Sleepwalking as a project that appealed to you as a producer? It reminded me in many ways of a lot of small projects that are out there. They’re considered small because they’re not part of the formula of what studios make money on, so they tend to never see the light of day. Independent filmmaking now is not what it used to be. Independent filmmaking has almost replaced studio filmmaking, so now there’s this even more independent form in which the budgets are under $5 million, which

is almost impossible to make. I had a lot of producers who were mentors to me who said, “You’re crazy to touch this, because these films are just impossible to find solid financing for.” I guess that was part of the challenge for me, because I really liked the script and it really moved me the first time I read it. It wasn’t just pretty and bowed-up.

This is arguably the most unlikable character you’ve played, other than Monster. Yeah, I guess I’m just fascinated by real things, and women like that are out there. I think as an actor, some people say you can’t be judgmental, but it’s more a question of understanding what life is about. I’m fascinated with trying to understand what it feels like to stand in somebody else’s shoes. I think sometimes people make really, really bad decisions. So the reason why I wanted to make the film was I believed in the material, I knew it would never see the light of day, especially with a first-time director, and I believed that it deserved to get made. I met a financier that I felt right about and became very good friends with, he felt the same way about the script, and there was never an issue with money. We got the budget that we wanted, and it was a tough challenge, but we went out there and made it. It’s way easier to develop a $15-$20 million movie. You’d think a smaller movie would be easier, but it’s not. Is it difficult going from a movie like Sleepwalking, where you’re involved in almost every aspect of production, to a big-budget blockbuster like Hancock? No. It’s different in the sense that I’m not doing pre-production or location scouting or trying to get the project off the ground, but once I’m on the set and working it’s not all that different. Somebody like [writer/ producer] Akiva Goldsman is inspiring to me, and I’ve always had an interest in the producers I’ve worked with. Nick Wechsler, who I’ve done five or six movies with, is a mentor to me, and even on movies like North Country where I wasn’t a producer I’m fascinated to be a part of that process. I’ve always been encouraged by my producers, because I truly have an interest in what’s happening with the budget and how to fix it when you miss a day of shooting. This is how I learned all the lessons about being a producer. I don’t just show up and say my lines. Having now been an actor and producer, do you have any aspirations to direct in the future? I don’t know what the future holds! (Laughs) If you’d asked me 10 years ago if I would produce, I would’ve probably said no, but I think your passion is always growing and changing. I know that I want to do things where I feel like I can actually bring something to the table. That was very important to me when I started producing, which was something I felt like I had enough knowledge to do. As a director, I don’t feel that right now, because there’s still more for me to learn. But I’m very happy with where I am today.

PG 13 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

COMEDY INTERVIEW

FRANK CALIENDO

Fist Impressions Of course, I’ve been working 10 times as hard ever since. (Laughs)

BY ALEX S. MORRISON

OU MAY NOT RECOGNIZE FRANK Caliendo by name, but you’ve almost certainly seen his face. Born in Chicago and raised in Waukesha, Wisconsin, the 34-year-old comedian has arguably become the most successful impressionist since Rich Little, famous for his uncanny impersonations of celebrities ranging from George W. Bush and Jay Leno to Dr. Phil and his signature impression, John Madden. These skills have earned him gigs as a cast member on MADtv, a recurring guest on Fox’s NFL Sunday and, most recently, his own sketch comedy show, Frank TV. We recently spoke with the increasingly successful comic about ﬁrst impressions, the writer’s strike and life on the road as a touring comedian. What were your early sources of comedic inspiration? I always liked standup comedy. I was a big Saturday Night Live fan and loved guys like Dana Carvey and Phil Hartman in high school, and watched guys like Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi all the way back in grade school. Then there was Robin Williams, and old school guys like Jonathan Winters. My dad was kinda goofy too, but I didn’t really have any personal reasons for getting into comedy. I was kind of a quiet kid, and didn’t really get into comedy until I was in college at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee.

PG 14 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

Were you a class clown in school? A little bit in high school, but I never got in trouble because of it. I started making jokes around eighth grade or so, but I was always careful to watch whether the teacher was getting mad or not. When did you first realize your talent for doing impressions, and who were your first ones? I’ve been doing little impressions of my teachers and friends my whole life. It was only in college, during my freshman year at University of Wisconsin- Parkside, that I tried doing some celebrity impressions at work. People were laughing so hard, that was the first time I thought about doing comedy professionally. The first clear impression I did was Jay Leno, then a little bit later I added people like Robin Williams, Tony Danza, Jack Nicholson, William Shatner and all those guys. What was the impetus when you actually tried doing standup for the first time? I think the real world made me decide to try it. Why go into the real world if you can do comedy? I graduated with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and wanted to go into TV, but I didn’t want to start out in a small city and have to work my way up all those years. So I thought, why not give comedy a try? It worked, and I was moving up right away. I just felt like I had to take a chance, because I didn’t want to work a real job for $4-$5 an hour.

What was the local standup scene like in Wisconsin at the time? I got into standup right when standup was dying. There were three or four comedy clubs in Milwaukee at the time, and only one of them¬– The Comedy Café– is left now. Before then, in the early ‘90s, comedy was huge, but I primarily played Milwaukee, Chicago, Green Bay and southern Indiana. What, in your eyes, makes a good subject for an impression? Somebody has to be unique and have a distinctive cadence to their voice. They have to be well-known enough to appeal to different audience demographics, because everything is so segmented nowadays. That’s why I started doing Charles Barkley– he’s all over the place with his commercials and stuff. You do a sports impression or a soap opera actor impression, and there’s only gonna be so many people who are gonna get it. But if you do somebody who’s in the news or a politician like current or former Presidents, everybody gets it. Then you can throw in somebody like Bill Walton, who’s a little more “out there.” What’s the process you go through to really nail an impression? I don’t really do anything specific anymore. I used to look in the mirror so I could see what I was doing, but now I just kinda hope I can figure it out. I’ll watch or listen to something on the Internet, but it’s mostly just about trying it out during my standup set here and there. The only process I really do these days is to say the alphabet to try to get the tone, pitch and cadence of the person’s voice right. Once you have that stuff, the vocabulary of what they say and their own personal dialect, a few of those elements can make it work. How did you get your breakthrough gig on MADtv? Well, I was on a TV show before that, called Hype, which was a sketch show on the WB that was sup-

posed to be sort of like Frank TV. When Hype got cancelled, I went straight to MADtv. I’d met with the MADtv producers before I started doing Hype, so I didn’t even have to audition the second time around. Two to three years later I started doing the Fox NFL Sunday stuff, and talking to Howie Long and Terry Bradshaw and those guys exposed me to a much bigger audience. Was there any fear involved when you stepped out on your own to do Frank TV? The show is pretty much all you. Nah, I went it and pitched it to them. Listen, I look at it this way: Most shows are gonna fail anyway, and everybody forgets about the shows that fail over time and you get another chance. So I wasn’t worried about that. But we only got five episodes of Frank TV in before the writers strike shut us down. We were doing very well, so we’re in this situation where we’re on a roll and we don’t have any more shows. We didn’t get to finish our run, and nobody’s talking about anything in Hollywood until the strike is finished. What are the best and worst things about life on the road as a touring comedian? Well, it’s a little bit different for me now because I usually just go [into a city] and do one night. Being away from my wife and kids stinks, but I’m only doing theaters now. In the last few years, when I was doing clubs, I’d be gone for four days at one club, working all day doing interviews at TV stations and on the radio. That was a lot of work. Now, I may be gone for a Friday and Saturday, but the trips are a lot shorter, so it works out well. How are you treated when you go back to Wisconsin now that you’re famous? Most of my family still lives there, but I’m usually only there for a short time and I kinda sneak around so I don’t get noticed too much. Sometimes people will [stop me on the streets], but I mostly get that in airports nowadays. They’ll ask me to sign autographs or do an impression, but most people are pretty polite about it, so it’s not so bad.

PG 15 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

FILM

�� CASSANDRA’S DREAM:�� –Matt Goldberg CLOVERFIELD:� �� –Matt Goldberg DEFINITELY, MAYBE:� �� PG 16 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

�� –Matt Goldberg HONEYDRIPPER:� �� –B. Love

J.J.Abrams is a genius. A monster? In New York City? People running for their lives? Something destroying Manhattan? “Cloverﬁeld” is the most unique movie in years. �� –DeMarco Williams OVER HER DEAD BODY:� �� –Matt Goldberg

MAD MONEY:�� RAMBO:� ��

�� –Matt Goldberg THE SIGNAL:�� –Matt Goldberg TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE:� ��

�� –B. Love THERE WILL BE BLOOD:�� –Matt Goldberg 27 DRESSES:��

�� –DeMarco Williams VINCE VAUGHN’S WILD WEST COMEDY SHOW:� �� –Matt Goldberg WELCOME HOME ROSCOE JENKINS:� �� –DeMarco Williams

FROM THE PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT YOU

MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING

AND

BECAUSE I SAID SO

COMES

THE FUNNIEST ROMANTIC COMEDY OF THE YEAR! “Hil arious! Don’t miss this one!” James Thomas, ABC-TV, St. Louis

“this is a 10!” Luis Muñoz, CBS-TV, SAN ANTONIO

She Died On Her Wedding Day, But She’s Not Letting Go Of Her Fiancé.

www.overherdeadbodymovie.com

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OPENS IN ATLANTA FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15 PG 17 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

FILM INTERVIEW

Charles S. Dutton and Yaya DaCosta, stars of the indie Honeydripper, talk acting in black and white. BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

OOK AT YAYA DACOSTA. THE pretty, super-sweet America’s Next Top Model runner-up-turned-actress is sitting next to longtime actor/director Charles S. Dutton and the image couldn’t be more awkward. The nerve of somebody from the movie studio to place the centerfold-ready New York native in the same interview session as the outspoken Dutton, a Hollywood veteran who’s got more combined Tony and Emmy wins (four) than DaCosta has movie credits (two). Nonetheless, something very magical occurs with the two at the table together. Though they don’t play relatives in the underexposed 50s era blues drama, Honeydripper, there’s an unspoken father/daughter kinship between them. Yaya looks at Dutton when he shares his knowledge about movies and she knows to stand clear when he gets emotional about the distinct color line on Broadway. You’d be wise to listen carefully to both. What drew you to this project? CSD- John Sayles is one of the last great independent filmmakers. So, his movies are always interesting. Actors like to act with directors like him. You know they’re not big, commercial films but they’re always good scripts and good stories and great characters. I’ve been wanting to work with John for a while, but I was never really available when he called on other pictures. I was off doing something else. That and the fact that Danny Glover and I have known each other for nearly 30 years and have never worked together- in a play or anything. This is actually our first time ever working together. When I knew Danny was attached, I said, Okay, this will be great. Also, when I read the script, it was just a great story. It was really vivid characters. You have to make them vivid. And John Sayles is a good human being. He and his wife Maggie are really good people. You don’t make any money doing a John Sayles movie or any independent movie, for that matter. You stay in shitty conditions. You stay in ugly, dirty, old trailers or run-down hotels where anybody can knock on the door anytime, day or night. [Fans] ask, “Can I have your autograph?” at three in the morning. Sounds like you’re speaking from experience. YD- It happened. A lot of times. CSD- For some reason, I always had those big ol’ girls come knocking at my door. But you do it because you know you’re going to be surrounded by a really good cast. You just have fun for five or six weeks working on a movie. That’s what drew me to this one. How was it working with Yaya? CSD- This lady here? Terrific. Absolutely terrific. I was so impressed with her. I’ve been saying this a lot, but I said, When I direct my next picture, I’m going to cast her in it. I didn’t know when the next

PG 18 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

picture was going to come. I remember saying it to her. I didn’t want to, but I said it anyway. I knew something would fall outta the sky. Normally when people say that, they don’t get back with the person ‘till seven years later. [I’d say] Remember that movie we were talking about? But they’d be big stars then. “Oh naw. What movie? I’m not doing any movie! How much you paying?” But I got a picture with Lifetime called Racing For Time. (The movie premieres in mid February.) What’s that about? CSD- It’s a true story. It’s inspired by a true story. It’s at a juvenile institution for young women. The real story took place in 1999-2000. It [takes place at] a prison where the state of California sent all of the worst girls and housed them in this particular prison- not because of their crime but because of their attitude. Some of the girls started with 60 days wound up doing 15 years for stabbing some other girl in prison. Matter of fact, it was so bad that the men guard preferred to work at a men’s prison. These girls were off the hook. They were going to transfer a bunch of them to a maximum-security adult women’s prison after a racial fight between the Latinos and the Blacks in the prison. A guard made a last-ditch effort to try one more thing to calm the girls down. He was a former football player and a track coach. He took 15, 20 girls and taught them how to run the 4x100 relay. He broke them off into teams. Four or five of the girls in the real story had terrific times in the 100-yard dash, so they eventually allowed the girls to race in the big, Californiawide track meet. The prison girls against the high school girls. Lo and behold, without proper training and without ever running on a regulation track, the girls won the 4x100 relay- but they got disqualified eventually because the girl on the third leg was outside the zone when she passed the baton off. It’s a really inspiring story. Yaya plays the lead role. The reason I love her dearly? She was the only girl of the four that said she could run and she could really run. The rest of them lied. Actors are delicious, terrific liars. YD- Oh, yeah. I can do that. You do whatever gets you that job. CSD- Yaya could scat. That’s what made the moviemaking part of it great. I didn’t have to double. As a matter of fact, they flew in this double from Orlando or Dallas and Yaya ran her into the ground. I said, Let Yaya do her own stunts! It’s a really inspiring movie and she’s absolutely wonderful in it. Yaya, how was this experience for you? Your last movie, Take the Lead, was about ballroom dancing, right? YD- This was very different. I think the root of the difference between the two has to do with what Charles was just saying about this general notion on set that we were making art. When I did the other movie, it was good. It was fun. I grew up loving Fame and all of that. But it wasn’t the same kind of

project. I didn’t feel that it transformed me as much as this did as an actor. Just being around so many greats [was memorable]. Sitting here, listening to Charles now, I’m like, Wow. I never missed an opportunity to soak in some kind of knowledge. I just listened to their stories and hear them onset joking around and reminiscing about the time when they were doing one of August Wilson’s plays. I was like, Wow, I can’t wait to do that. To also watch their way with each other. Like he was saying, there were no egos and just all love. That was a great experience. Coming into this business, you hear horror stories. You hear about divas and all of that. It was just none of that, which was good. For me, it was just a real crash course in making art. My uncle made me understand what I was feeling when I was down there. My uncle is a music professor and he also does a lot of musical theatre. He said that it was one of the closest movies he had seen to a play. It has a feel of being in a theatre. I think that’s what pulls the audience in so much. That’s what makes the characters feel so real. I felt that way from being on set. I haven’t done theatre- besides high school and college plays. For me, it was a little taste of what that experience will be like. Theatre seems to capture black life in a way that movies can’t. Do you get more leeway in the theatre? CSD- Putting it bluntly, it’s halfway less racist [on Broadway]. They don’t call it the Great White Way for nothing. The only time you’d get a black drama there was the occasional August Wilson play. You gotta look at it from a historical perspective. A Raisin in the Sun, in 1959, was the first black drama ever on Broadway. From ’59 up until the mid 60s, it was a long time before another drama came. Lorraine Hansberry’s second play, The Sign in Sid Brustein’s Window, had a brief stint on Broadway. From a regional theater point of view, or at least a producing point of view, the theatre has always been much more inviting and receptive to AfricanAmerican themed projects than Hollywood has. Hollywood has a history of it, but we all know that history of buffoons, clowns, etc. On the one hand, Hollywood is constantly searching for the next Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz, but they’re never searching for that next person if they’re African American. They’re not searching for the next Denzel. They’re not searching for the next so-and-so until 10 or 15 years later and you get someone to take that spot. You could be a great director, male or female, and that door in Hollywood may not open. But if you’re a great writer in the theatre, you’ll eventually find a home. It may not be immediately on Broadway, but it will be in a regional theatre somewhere. You might hone your craft thousands of miles away from where you live. You might live in New York and your play opens in a small theatre in San Francisco. Then it moves on from there to there. The regional theatre people get to see it and say, “Oh, this is a great piece of work.”

August Wilson is a prime example. The funny thing about it is that all of August Wilson’s plays started in the cradle of white theatre practitioners. They didn’t direct them, but that’s where he sent them to. They say it. I used to tell August this all the time: Had you sent this [play] to a black organization, we might not have ever heard of you. I don’t mean that disparagingly; they just didn’t have the scope to get August out the way August needed to be gotten out. Charles, you’ve been acting for a long time. Share your wisdom as to why good movies like The Great Debaters aren’t commercial successes? CSD- You can’t really explain that aspect of our life and our culture without really including so many things that have changed with us over the last 40, 50 years. The black community wouldn’t be where we are today if we still had the mentality and perseverance and outlook that we had 50 years ago. I say this all the time, as great as integration was, on one level it was the worst thing to ever happen to black people in America. When you talk about the lack of attention to those kind of things and that kind of stimulus, then you gotta talk about wanting to better your community and on and on. It’s all the same thing. You can’t take the arts and excise it from all the other problems. It’s all related. But to answer your question, in a general sense, this picture is not going to get the press and the promotion and the saturation that First Sunday will get. If they made a movie called Pickaninnies in Heaven and promoted it, we’d still go and see it. Somebody would be up there laughing. “Man, that was some funny shit!” But then, if you did a movie about Hannibal, the only way it would draw is if you had Denzel on an elephant and Al Pacino or Russell Crowe behind him on another elephant for it to become a successful film. It’s frustrating. A film like this should be devoured; just in the classical nature of it. Yaya and I were talking earlier. There was one review I read in New York that was kinda accusing Sayles of playing to stereotypes in this movie with the juke joint guys with the knife and the gun. You got the blind blues sage. Characters we’ve seen before. My feeling about stereotypes is this: There’s nothing inheritably wrong with stereotypes; it’s what you do with them. There are porters, butlers, maids and shoeshine boys. People got cut. I got shot in a damn juke joint in 1967. I know what it’s like in a juke joint. Those characters are real. You [can’t] demean them. I’m not talking about the director doing it; even the actors themselves. You’ve got to approach every role with some dignity. The director can’t say, “Can you play it with dignity?” Imagine that. You’ve got to start with that. Everything else will fall into place. It’s the sign of the times. If more of us, young and old, were in tune to appreciate the off-line films, not the big studio blockbusters, [that would help]. If you put more performing arts programs in the inner cities instead of bars and fried chicken joints, the crime would go down. That’s the power of the arts. The arts change people’s lives.

Vidiots This month’s DVD & VHS Releases

AMERICAN GANGSTER – One of the best crime films ever made, American Gangster is not just about a mafia mastermind, a moral-to-a-fault cop, or the influence of drugs in the black community. It’s about how all those elements mesh together, and how the exploration of it all would make your head hurt if you weren’t so damn entertained by electrifying performances and Ridley Scott’s honest direction. The great crime epics of The Godfather, Scarface and Goodfellas cast a shadow that can easily cover any contender. American Gangster confidently walks out of the darkness and stands alongside these giants of Crime cinema. Grade A- MG THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD – This tightly wound tale about the death

of the legendary outlaw (Brad Pitt, in his most sublime performance to date) plays like a Western fever dream, building slowly but assuredly to the foregone conclusion of the title. As Ford, Casey Aﬄeck delivered his second awardworthy performance of the year, his every frazzled emotion as raw as James’ primal instincts were honed. Props must also go to Nick Cave and Warren Ellis for the year’s best soundtrack, which eerily underscores the underlying tension of this haunting elegy. Grade B+ BL

PICKS OF THE MONTH THE DEVIL CAME ON HORSEBACK

After two tours in Iraq, Marine captain Brian Steidle found himself in Sudan as an unarmed military monitor for the African Union, bearing witness to a brutal civil conﬂict that has left more than 400,000 people dead. This documentary’s title refers to the government-sponsored Arab militias known as the janjaweed, who’ve been waging war against the black inhabitants of Darfur for years. Steidle used his camera lens to document the terrifying tragedy, capturing images of rape, torture, mutilation and murder in stomach-churning detail. This is an emotionally volatile call to arms that pulls no punches in exposing the atrocities of a racially motivated war, and arguably the most horriﬁc genocide the world has seen since Rwanda. BL

THE DARJEELING LIMITED – In his latest film, Wes Anderson tells the story of three brothers in competition as they attempt to reconcile with each other and their mother a year after their father’s death. The culture of India meshes well with Anderson’s visual style, yet he creates something distinct from the storybook quality of his previous films. The symbolism is thoughtful, if a little overdone to the point of humorous effect (the brothers are carrying around baggage wherever they go). But for all that Anderson gets right, the film never connected with me. Grade B MG ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE – Elizabeth (Cate Blanchett), under constant threat of assassination from Catholic

Spain and her imprisoned cousin, Mary Queen of Scots (Samantha Morton), has learned to accept her power and wield it effectively, and formed a bond with one of her ladies-inwaiting, Bess (Abbie Cornish). But the arrival of explorer/ pirate Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen) causes her to regress into a love triangle, wrestling with her overwhelming desire for personal love. Kapur has once again crafted a beautiful world, and the leading actors play their roles brilliantly. But with more interesting elements pushed to the side in favor of the same conflict we saw in the last film, this is an unworthy sequel and an unworthy portrayal of one of history’s most fascinating figures. Grade C+ MG

GONE BABY GONE – As a fan of Ben Aﬄeck on a personal and professional level, it’s been frustrating to watch the man piss his career away with a string of crappy movies and even crappier tabloid scandals. But the Good Will Hunting Oscar winner redeemed himself by writing and directing this taut noir thriller, getting career-making performances out of brother Casey and Michelle Monaghan as PIs investigating a missing child case in South Boston, while newcomer Amy Ryan is a gut-wrenching revelation as the missing girl’s drugabusing slut of a single mom. Grade B+ BL

MICHAEL CLAYTON

It’s hard to say why Tony Gilroy’s gripping legal thriller didn’t catch fire with audiences in the way that, say, Erin Brockovich did. But you can’t blame it on a trio of stellar performances from Tom Wilkinson as a lawyer who goes nuts in search of his soul, Tilda Swinton as the personification of corporate corruption and especially George Clooney (in a masterful turn every bit as impressive as his Oscar-winning role in Syriana) as the haunted fixer trying to stay alive long enough to make sense of it all. And those are just three of the reasons the thing garnered so many damned Oscar nods. BL

LUST, CAUTION – Taking place during the Japanese invasion of China during World War II , a theatre company-cumresistance group in Hong Kong plans to take down Chinese collaborator Mr. Lee (Tony Leung) by using the young but talented Wong Chia Chi (Wei Tang) to find a way into his heart. The plan backfires and the group dissolves, only to retry their mission three years later. As the affair between Mr. Lee and Chia Chi’s alter-ego, Mai Tee Tee, is consummated, the story catches fire. Like all of Ang Lee’s films, it’s richly shot, orchestrated and directed, with Wei Tang giving one of the greatest performances of the year. Grade B+ MG RENDITION – Abbas Il-Abrahimi is on his way to see his child and pregnant wife (Reese Witherspoon) when, after being implicated in a terrorist attack, he’s kidnapped from the Washington airport and any trace he was ever on the flight is erased. The film attempts to show the positions of the family, the victim, Muslims, politicians and those who struggle to answer the moral questions posed by our conflict. But director Gavin Hood (the Oscar-winning Tsotsi) goes the wrong way by shooting the film too cleanly for such a messy issue and, despite the Oscar pedigree of the film’s cast (Alan Arkin, Meryl Streep, Jake Gyllenhaal), there are no truly interesting characters. Rendition is a timely and important film, but it’s ultimately brought down by poor direction, uneven script and unremarkable performances. Grade C- MG

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

I WENT Bouncing Souls Frontman Greg Attonito FOR A WALK On His Surprising New Career BY JOHN B. MOORE

unk rock musician” doesn’t exactly seem like the perfect resume starter for a career in children’s books. Odd, then, that musician Shanti Wintergate and her husband, Bouncing Souls frontman Greg Attonito, managed to turn in a brilliant kid’s book on their ﬁrst attempt. But hell, if Shel Silverstein can write for Playboy and then churn out classic kid-lit, why not a couple of rock musicians? Written by Shanti and illustrated by Greg, “I Went for a Walk” is a great alternative to contemporary children’s books that generally tend to over-moralize or tie into some insipid TV show. Brilliantly drawn and wonderfully written, the story follows the narrator as he/she takes a walk around the universe. In true DIY punk spirit, the couple are publishing the book themselves and plan on taking the show on the road. Shanti and Greg talked to us recently about the idea for the book, working together and their upcoming book tour. How and when did you come up with the idea for “I Went for a Walk”? Shanti: Well, there wasn’t much of a plan, it just sort of happened. I was sitting at a café and the ﬁrst few lines of this story came to me. When inspiration strikes like that, you’ve got to take it while you can get it. I scribbled the few lines onto a nearby napkin and over the next couple of weeks it just kept evolving. At the time I knew it was a fun little story that would make a great kids book but I didn’t know how or when. Greg: I thought the story was great and we both thought it could be an amazing picture book with the

right illustrations. A year or two went by and Shanti asked me if I was interested in giving the illustrations a shot. So, I bought some paint pens and painted the first page. We thought it was just the perspective and style that the story needed. I was hired. Whew - Only 35 more to draw. Did either of you have any concerns about working on this project together? Greg: Our stoked feelings about the story and each other were strong enough to get us through the tough moments. Adding pressure to a creative project can stifle it and I managed to put a lot on myself. It’s important to be able to put your art/music/work on the shelf at the right times so you can come back to it with a fresh head. When I had some trouble Shanti would nudge me out of my self made pressure zone. Shanti: Greg and I actually work together pretty well. Our strengths manage to complement rather than conflict. We both have a similar artistic taste and I think we respect each others opinions. With both of us being artists/musicians we know how it feels when someone wants to change something that you’ve created. You have to present the idea very carefully. There were a few moments that I thought “someone” would never finish the illustrations, so I was probably very annoying to Greg. But hey... The book is here, isn’t it! All the illustrations are spectacular, don’t you think? How was the experience? Harder than you thought it would be? Greg: The experience although challenging was great. It was the first time in my life I really focused on visual artwork. There were a lot of drawings I

labored over that didn’t make the cut. I had put just as much time, energy and love into the drawings that didn’t make it as I did into the ones that made it. So it seemed to take forever. Together we put a lot of thought, time and energy into it. It has been very rewarding. Shanti: Yeah, I agree with Greg it took longer than I had expected but it’s been very rewarding. We really wanted it to be great and we wanted all the energy that went into the book to be positive. It was worth all the time spent. I actually wrote two more stories while the drawings for “I Went for a Walk” were being finished. Hopefully those will evolve into finished books soon. Once the project was finished, how did you go about finding a publisher for the book? Greg: From my experience in the music business I know there’s no point in waiting around for someone else to believe in your creation. You gotta put it out there and see what happens. We’re publishing the book ourselves on our imprint Hollywood Jersey.

us in the back of the book. We love you Jaydon. Any plans to do readings of the book together? Greg: Yes, We are planning a book release party in LA this September to be followed up by a two week book reading/music tour of the west coast. We will be visiting elementary schools, bookstores and public libraries. Another tour is planned for the east coast starting the last week in Oct. We’ll post the dates on our myspace page (www.myspace.com/iwent4awalk) and on our Web site (www.iwentforawalk.com). Shanti: We’re ﬁnding that so many schools are getting their funding for arts and music programs cut, so we’re excited to share this with the kids. Art and Music is such an important part of education and we’re happy to bring a little bit of both to kids and schools that might not have the opportunity otherwise.

Do you have children? Shanti: We don’t have children of our own but we consulted with our nephew Jaydon throughout the creation of the book. He took his job very seriously and inspected every page for taste, readability and artistic quality. From the age of 6-11 he’s been the “quality control” so to speak and he loves the book, especially the artwork. He’s actually pictured with PG 19 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

CONCERT

CALENDER

�� The White Leppard Crue �� DJ Maﬁoso & Guests �� Alejandro Sanz �� Anthony David, Jaspects �� 7 Sharp 9 �� The Howlies, The NEC, Thee Crucials �� Band of Heathens �� Kenny & Them �� Hand Job �� Norma Jean �� Zydefunk King Cake Party �� Grayson Hill �� Connor Christian & the Morningstar Revival �� Rock City Dropouts

�� Al Smith’s Midtown Jam �� Hadag Nachash �� Ponderosa, Junior League �� Chicago Joe Jones �� DROCK �� Francisco Vidal Band �� Toy TV, Big Strung Thumb �� Dex Romweber Duo �� The Good Good �� Bombadil, Georgia Fireflies �� Danielle Howle, Sonia Tetlow �� Chichenshack �� The Break �� The Velcro Pygmies �� StoneRider, The Lord Is My Shotgun �� 13 Day Mission, Mourdella �� Dougie MacLean �� Kinchafoonee Cowboys �� The Yum Yum Tree �� Gareth Asher, The Belleville Outfit �� The Santos Brothers �� Bob Marley in Soul �� Soulshakers �� US �� Rockets to Ruin, Leaderdog �� The Sweetloves, Ghostfinger �� Branded With Fear �� Slippery When Wet �� Donnie �� Passion & Poetry X Desire �� Gentleman Jesse & His Men �� Don Henry, Sally Barris, Tom Kimmel �� The Two Tigers �� Bodog Battle �� Breeze Kings �� The Breakfast Club �� The Bravery w/ Switches �� Captain Soularcat, Wombat �� Sovus Radio, Pink Police �� Harrison Hudon CD Release

Avril Lavigne @��(2-2)

COMPLIMENTARY PASSES

& Invite You and a Guest to a special advance screening of

�� Mardi Gras Party w/ Unzipt �� BioDiesel, Johnny Rabb, Clay Parnell �� Beverly Watkins �� GMCS: Cartel �� Walkin Sidewayz �� Rizzudo, Beat the Devil �� Eric Taylor, The Kennedys �� The Casanovas �� Trey Wright Trio �� Local Love Loud �� Fishmouth Fools Annual Reunion �� Girlz Girlz Girlz �� Avril Lavigne �� Bobby Lee Rodgers & The Codetalkers �� Bishop Don �� JJ Grey & Mofro �� Blackberry Smoke & the Georgia Satellites �� Luego �� Blues Envy �� Songwriter’s Open Mic �� Fat City Mild Cats �� Ralph Roddenbery �� The City Council, Elli Perry, Alexis Vear

To receive a complimentary pass, simply visit Chicago Nancy’s Pizza in midtown. Pases May be Picked up Tues–Thur from 2–6PM

No purchase necessary. One pass per person, each pass admits two. Tickets are limited and available on a ﬁrst-come, ﬁrst-served basis, while supplies last. Employees of all promotional partners and their agencies are not eligible.

Opens Nationwide February 22!

PG 20 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

�� Pierce Edens & The Dirty Work �� Francine Reed �� Blues Envy �� Van Halen �� McPherson Struts, Zelazowa �� Songwriter’s Open Mic �� Fat City Mild Cats �� Joe McGuinness �� Serj Tankian �� Hidden Element, High Tide Blues Band �� The Mighty Mighty Beat Down �� Nic Cowan, Francisco Vidal �� J.T. Speed �� Open Mic Jam �� Devon Allman’s Honeytribe �� Tres Bien

on February 19 Regal Atlantic Station at 7:30pm 265 Ponce De Leon • Midtown 404-885-9199

Van Halen @�� (2-10)

Jay Clifford @��(2-5)

�� The Mighty Mighty Beat Down �� J.T. Speed �� Open Mic Jam �� The Warm Cunns, Calling All Stars �� Jay Clifford

�� Al Smith’s Midtown Jam �� Alberta Adams �� The Pendletons, Delta Co. �� Jeremy Fisher, Brooke Waggoner �� Chicago Joe Jones �� Rock Box �� Francisco Vidal Band �� From The Jam w/ Hugh Cornwell �� Bonerama �� The N.E.C. �� International Pop Overthrow Festial �� WNDC’s Valentine’s Party �� The Good Good �� Liars, No Age �� Tim Finn, Denitia Odigie �� Chickenshack �� The Midwives

�� Blankety Blank �� Ace Frehley �� Snowden, Constellations �� The New Familiars, Barn Rats �� Tomi Isobe �� Deep Blue Sun �� The Twisted Tongue �� Mudcat �� Tyler Reeve �� The Devil Stole The Beat �� No Count Garage Throwdown �� The Drownout �� Chris Cagle

le Outﬁt

Ace Frehley @��(2-22) �� Ocean Street �� Heratio �� Black Mountain, Blood on the Wall �� Sara Hickman, Brain Ashley Jones �� Blues Highway �� Golden Fro & Nerd Parade �� Bill Shefﬁeld �� Black Party �� The Hackensaw Boys �� Howlies, The Clutters �� Victor Wooten Band �� International Pop Overthrow Festial �� Girlz, Girlz, Girlz �� A3C 2008 Preview Night �� Little Joey’s Big Band �� TOP FLR �� Ralph Ellis & Friends �� Brantley Gilbert �� Ike Stubbleﬁeld, Kingrat �� Allnightdrugprowlingwolves �� Dan Tyminski �� International Pop Overthrow Festial �� Bouldercrest Singing Group �� All Wood and Stones �� Blues Envy �� Vast, Rantings of Eva �� Dead Meadow, All the Saints �� Songwriter’s Open Mic �� Fat City Mild Cats �� Hired Gun Band �� Coco Montoya �� The Mighty Mighty Beat Down �� Melissa Ferrick �� J.T. Speed �� Open Mic Jam �� Poison the Well �� Ryan Bingham

�� SWEAT �� South City Blues Band �� Dropsonic, Traindodge �� Caroline Herring, Bo Bedingﬁeld �� Patrick Vining �� Apostles, Laura Reed, Deep Pocket �� The X Event �� Mudcat �� The Wrong Way �� Blue Mountain, Sons of Bill �� The Despised �� Tommy Emmanuel & The Greencards �� Wampus Cat Scanners �� Lori McKenna, Willy Porter �� Blues Envy �� Electa Villian, Kurt Reiﬂer �� Van Halen �� Keren Ann, Dean and Britta �� Fat City Mild Cats �� Ralph Roddenbery �� Guitar Hero Tournament �� The Mighty Mighty Beat Down �� A.J. Roach Trio �� J.T. Speed �� Open Mic Jam �� John Carrie & Moor Green

437 Moreland Avenue Little Five Points 404-681-9018

Tues & Thurs: Trivia 8pm Wednesdays: Texas Hold ‘em

LIVE MUSIC TUES–SUN Every Wednesday THE MIKE VEAL BAND Every Sunday FRANSICO VIDAL & FRIENDS Friday, Feb. 8 THE VILLIANS Saturday, Feb. 9 BRIAN WILTSEY & FRIENDS Friday, Feb. 15 SWAMI GONE BANANAS Saturday, Feb. 16 BRIAN WILTSEY & BASS MALONE Friday, Feb. 22 BRIAN WILTSEY & CRITTY UPCHURCH Saturday, Feb. 23 THE MIKE VEAL BAND Thursday, Feb 28 MIC LARRY & CHAIN LETTER Friday, Feb. 29 GARETH ASHER & JOEL WILLIAMS Saturday, Mar. 1 BRIAN WILTSEY & GARETH ASHER

��

Yer 15 Minutes Karaoke! Rotknee Presents the Best in Amateur Comedy 8PM,FREE DJ Sars & B Static on the One’s & Two’s in the Lounge

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www.starbaratl.com for Full Schedule of Events

�� Al Smith’s Midtown Jam �� The Winter Sounds, Bear Colony �� The Refugees w/ Cindy Bullens �� Chicago Joe Jones �� NodFactor 2 �� Francisco Vidal Band �� Gavin DeGraw �� Nine Inch Neils �� Benjy Davis Project �� The Preakness, Long Knives �� Carrie Newcomer �� Chickenshack �� Delicious �� Bloodkin, Backyard Tire Fire �� The Carbonas �� Blue Flashing Light �� The Breakfast Club �� Mausiki Scales �� The Dynamites, Cordero �� Michelle Malone, Caroline Aiken �� Black Cat Bone �� Lola �� Trotline �� Yo Mamma’s Big Fat Booty Band �� Dead Confederate �� Regina Spektor �� Sean McConnell �� Clay Walker

es Band

aggoner

�� Gwen Hughes, Kristin Markiton �� Chickenshack �� A Project Save Earth Green �� Hightide Blues �� The Devil Stole The Beat �� Corey Crowder

FRI.FEB29 THR.FEB28 SAT.FEB23 FRI.FEB22 SAT.FEB16 FRI.FEB15 THR.FEB14 SAT.FEB09 FRI.FEB08 THR.FEB07 TUESDAYS MONDAYS

�� Radio Cult �� Edwin McCain �� Scott Baston & Friends �� Southern Soul Sound Systems �� International Pop Overthrow Festial

Victor Wooten @��(2-15)

Gavin DeGraw @��(2-27) �� Al Smith’s Midtown Jam �� The Coathangers, Chopper, Mammals �� Jeff Holmes, Jeff Black �� Chicago Joe Jones �� Soul in Little Five �� Francisco Vidal Band �� Autovaughn, Plain Jane Automobile �� The Zydepunks, Grinder Nova �� Winter Ransom �� The Good Good �� Shannon Wright

PG 21 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

Road Warriors This Month’s Hottest Shows BY JOHN DAVIDSON 12/01 MODERN SKIRTS

02/09 THE HISS

Smith’s Olde Bar We still like The Modern Skirts but it seems like their once-palatable buzz is fading locally— it’s one of those tough situations where you if you gig too much locally, people start taking you for grated. Still, their piano-based pop is not only unique but good, and we keep hoping that something bigger comes along and pushes them to the next level. They’re also playing New Year’s Eve at Smith’s, so catch them early or late in the holiday season.

The EARL Everything was going great for the Hiss: they were a hot live act, their sound was in the same zip code as the Strokes, and they got hand picked by Oasis and the White Stripes on European tours. Only problem was, they barely had a domestic following outside of the small clubs in Atlanta and were soon swept by the wayside. The good news is that last summer’s Chocolate Hearts proves that the Hiss’ psychedelic garage moves are still alive and kicking.

02/08 YUM YUM TREE

02/10VAN HALEN

The EARL Since making the rounds on local best-of lists for 2002’s debut full-length, Reverse Engines, The Yum Yum Tree have had trouble staying on the radar. Sure, there was the Tetherball EP in 2005 and intermittent gigging as a stopgap, but ﬁve years is a buzz-killing eternity in a precious regional scene. Fortunately, the brand spankin’ new Paint By Numbers deﬁes the passage of time and lineup changes with another energetic dose of indie pop.

02/09 THE BRAVERY

Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre The Bravery were barely more than a Curefueled afterthought in the context of chart-dominating acts like the Killers and the Rapture in 2005, and they smartly retooled their sound with local uber-producer Brendan O’Brien for 2007’s The Sun and the Moon. The new Bravery ditches the new wave urgings in favor of modern rock, and damned if this band didn’t actually improve by doing so.

Philips Arena Few bands ever have had the inﬂuence of Van Halen—the Beatles and Stones were more lasting, of course, this foursome inspired thousands of guitar players and virtually invented the rock scene in Southern California. Given the amount of money at stake, it’s not all that surprising that the Van Halen brothers were able to reconcile with original lead singer David Lee Roth for a reunion tour. Word on the street is that the band is pretty solid after decades of abuse, and even Eddie’s kid Wolfgang is pretty serviceable on the bass. Is it really Van Halen without founding bass player Michael Anthony? That’s for you to decide, Spicoli.

02/14 LIARS

The EARL The Liars broke through in 2001 on the coattails of the Strokes’ press orgy, reminding the rest of the world that Gang of Four were one of the most overlooked post punk bands of all time. They Threw Us All I a Trench… was a hard listen at times, but the follow-up in 2004 (They Were So Wrong, We Drowned) was so confrontational that it was nearly unlistenable. The Liars got religion last year on their fourth, self-titled album by stripping away all of the caustic edges and revealing a lot of cool, pop smarts.

02/16 DAN TYMINSKI

Variety Playhouse Part of the mainstream appeal of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack was the beguiling remake of the classic “Man of Constant Sorrow” by Dan Tyminski. A multi-talented bluegrass player who also does some singing, Tyminski is probably best known for his role in Alison Strauss’ backing band, Union Station. The bluegrass community isn’t what you think it is— the good ole days of tub thumping and hayseed hillbillies has long been replaced by entertaining pros like Tyminski.

02/21 SHANNON WRIGHT

The EARL Shannon Wright is Cat Power for smart people—her songs are better, her lyrics are better, and she kills from the stage instead of hanging up the phone on the audience from time to time. But Wright often gets lumped into the same category of those coﬀeehouse folksingers, even though she probably shares more with Ani DiFranco as far as styles go. Intimate and wholly interesting, Shannon Wright is a worthy night on the town.

02/22 ACE FREHLEY Center Stage

WE GOT NEXT LITTLE BIG TOWN

BY B. LOVE

HE OLD ADAGE AMONG MUSICIANS is that you spend your whole life writing your first album, and then you only get maybe a year or so to write every album after that. Little Big Town has lived so much between their albums over the years that it always feels like a lifetime. Indeed, after kicking off their careers under the wing of a big-time record label, the band struggled for nearly a decade before anyone started to notice. The quartet of buttery-smooth harmonies-- Kimberly Roads, Karen Fairchild, Jimi Westbrook, andPhil Sweet—endured marital issues, children, and the predictable bumps and bruises of a hard touring band before finally

PG 22 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

The notion of a cretinous cat like Frehley taking the stage to perform without his band KISS at age 56 is kind of funny. The only Ace anyone has ever wanted was the one in the facepaint and moon boots, not some old dude croaking out the hits in crusty leather pants. Maybe we should just be happy that he’s alive and celebrate the fact that he’s still got the balls to play a young man’s game, something we all hope we can do when we’re ﬁve decades in.

02/23 BLUE MOUNTAIN

Smith’s Olde Bar If only modern Nashville could locate this much grace in country music. Actually, Blue Mountain doesn’t really play country but they often show a casual aﬃnity for the stuﬀ. Blue Mountain is Widespread Panic without the ‘shrooms, Son Volt without the voltage, and the Eagles without the attitude. Or at least something like that; maybe just a solid band that can play the lights out and bend your heartstrings at the same time.

02/23 DROPSONIC

The EARL Now that Dropsonic has finally rid themselves of the debacle that came with being the first rock act signed by hip-hop impresario Dallas Austin, they can finally get back to work on being the solid rock band they once were. Older and wiser doesn’t mean that the band is less hungry or even less good than they were a few years ago; it just means that the hard-to-pin-down buzz status might be gone forever.

2/13  2/15 “INTERNATIONAL POP OVERTHROW”

Vinyl After stints in L.A., Chicago, New York, Baltimore, Nashville, Liverpool, and a bunch of others, power-pop impresario David Bash’s IPO ﬁnally makes it to Atlanta for a few nights. Dozens of power pop acts take the stage, and despite decades of commercial indiﬀerence to the genre, Bash’s enthusiasm drives the festival year after year. It’s been a decade since he originated the roadshow in L.A., and the quality of great acts continues to surprise.

Artists on the verge of making it big

Latest Project: A Place To Land (Equity) Why You Should Care: Country music isn’t always what you think it is For Fans of: The Eagles, Dixie Chicks, Fleetwood Mac

breaking through in 2005 with their platinum-selling our own with our producer Wayne Kirkpatrick. This in tightly both vocally and emotionally, Little Big The Road To Here. Town has always stood strong and wanted more. As album was played for many people in Nashville, and “I think that we as a band had more to say this time although they said a lot of nice things about it, they Fairchild notes, “The fire has always been burning for just felt like it was just to risky a situation,” she says. this band. Nobody ever thought about quitting and around,” says Fairchild on a break from promoting the excellent new A Place To Land. “It was an intense nobody ever said they were gonna do a solo record or “So, we just had to keep staying focused, and the guys anything. There was one time when Kimberlee and time of writing and reflecting. Hopefully the growth at Equity, which is a smaller, indie label in Nashville, and maturity of the band, having been together for took the chance on us. But the goal was always just to I were driving from Nashville to Boston for a show nine years now, really shows on and laughing at ourselves for doing somethis record. We’re very proud of it YOU HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT NUTS AND HAVE A thing so crazy,” she says, “but I think that’s because we worked very, very hard part of being an artist. You have to be a LOT OF DRIVE AND AMBITION. THIS BAND KIND OF little bit nuts and have a lot of drive and going back and forth from the road to the studio all year,” she says. ambition. This band kind of has a ‘never HAS A ‘NEVER SAY DIE’ ATTITUDE. say die’ attitude. Nothing has ever come And unlike country stars like get the music out. We just knew we were gonna share that easy for the band, and we only do it because we Carrie Underwood, whose image is cookie cutter and really love the music,” says Fairchild. “We didn’t know smacks of a one-hit-wonder, Little Big Town has been the music and we just knew we would,” says Fairchild. “Part of the inspiration for the song ‘Boondocks’ was you could make money for a long, long, time.” clawing their way to success inch by inch. It’s hard to make time fly when you’re having fun, notes Fairchild. to defend our country roots,” she says, when asked if Now that Little Big Town has had a taste of their they got a lot of criticism for not sounding “country” “The lean years were very difficult, and that time dreams coming true, is it possible to rest easier? enough. “We’re all Southerners who grew up with seemed to go by very slowly. We kept waiting for the “You always dream,” says Fairchild. “We definitely moment when we’d actually get a shot, and we kept had big goals and aspirations as a band, but so many those kinds of values, and while you don’t have to be waiting and waiting for a fair shot. Now that we’ve fiunique opportunities have come our way—things Southern to identify with that song, there were naylike the Crossroads with Lindsey Buckingham. Those nally gotten that free shot and it kind of took off from sayers who picked at things like that in the beginning. there, now time seems to be flying by,” says Fairchild. We got compared to ABBA and whatever because we kinds of creative moments you hope and pray for, but The band is famous for their toughness, of the way the stars kind of have to align. Also, recording with were two blonds and two brunettes, and the criticism they adhered to their vision of a male-female quartet in those days wasn’t fun. That was challenging to John Mellencamp, and the things we learned from when plenty of people in Nashville told them that confront that, because we’re four musicians who love that experience; with all those things you find a little country music, but we wanted to do something a little piece of influence on us for A Place To Land,” she what they were doing wasn’t good enough or sellable. different. So, it took us awhile to maybe introduce “There were times when we wondered if the busisays. “But even after all that we still sort of feel like we’re just beginning as a band because there’s still a ness side would ever allow us the right opportunity,” ourselves to everyone and then for them to latch on lot of dreamin’ that we’re doing. We’re still dreaming says Fairchild. “Many, many people turned us down and believe in us,” says Fairchild. bigger, and that we can get a better chance to share Part of the reason the fanbase continued to grow in the process once we had left the Sony situation and these dreams with the world.” was the undeniable passion of the band. Locked started making our last record, The Road To Here on

MUSIC INTERVIEW

I AM A SURVIVOR

Melissa Etheridge On Her Personal Awakening BY BRET LOVE

T NO TIME IN ROCK ‘N’ ROLL history would a woman born in a small Kansas town best known for its prison be the most likely candidate for Next Big Thing status. So regardless of what you may think of her music, her lifestyle or her outspoken politics, Melissa Etheridge deserves your respect simply for defying the odds to become one of the most successful female rockers ever. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, Etheridge’s life in the years since has been one triumph after the next, from her fierce performance at the 2005 Grammy Awards and the 2006 birth of her twins with partner Tammy Lynn Michaels to her 2007 Oscar win for “I Need To Wake Up” and the release of the critically acclaimed The Awakening, her first new album since being diagnosed. We recently caught up with the 46-year-old singer-songwriter, touching on topics ranging from the highs and lows of her career to her milestone philosophical “awakening.” You’ve been a huge influence on a lot of women. Who were your primary influences during your formative years? I watched a lot of TV, so I was very inspired by Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball. Musically, there weren’t a lot of women I was inspired by. I loved Barbra Streisand, but she was just a great entertainer on a whole different level. Then there was Billie Jean King, so there have been different women in different areas who inspired me. Was it daunting when you were starting out as a songwriter, knowing there hadn’t been many women who’d paved this female rocker trail? Yeah! I remember studying Chrissie Hynde. She came out when I was in high school, and this new kind of New Wave rock ‘n’ roll was just barely being heard in Kansas. I thought what she wrote was really cool, but felt I was more like Bruce Springsteen. In the end, it made me want to create my own trail. When you were playing in local bands in Kansas as a teen, was there an active plan to become this huge rock star, or was that like some unattainable dream? No, this was my one goal in life! There was nothing else, man. I always wanted to be a singer when I grew up, especially in the ‘70s, when rock ‘n’ roll was so dominant, crazy, rebellious and artful. I wanted to live that life. It takes an egomaniac (laughs), and I think a lot of the ingredients of my repressed childhood [led me to it]. Emotions were very low, and when you don’t have something you overcompensate for it. I thought if I got onstage people would love me, and I’d fill up my hole with that. That drives you, and it’s a crazy road to go down. If you finally get it and don’t get a lot of therapy, you start shaving your head and crazy stuff like that. I’m on the other side now, and I want to open up a celebrity detox clinic for famous people. It’s maddening! (Laughs) When you confirmed your sexuality so boldly on Yes I Am, then sold 6 million records and earned a Grammy, was there a feeling of

I NOW BELIEVE THAT I CREATE MY REALITY EVERY DAY, AND THAT MY JOB IS JUST TO KEEP AS MUCH FEAR OUT OF MY LIFE AS I CAN. validation for you? I imagine it feels like being a circus performer on the trapeze, closing your eyes and diving oﬀ, (laughs) then bouncing oﬀ the net and back up to catch the other trapeze. So there was serious trepidation involved? Oh yeah! Are you kidding?! kd Lang had come out right before me, but she was kinda this caricature. I had to be honest, because my songs are very personal and people were asking me about it. I had to start being truth ful, because there comes a point where either you devolve into sickness or you stay in your truth. After I did it, I wondered what I was so afraid of. Coming out is a totally personal thing, and it’s only when you have accepted that this is what you are and love yourself for it and acknowledge that this is how your creator made you that I encourage someone [to do it]. You really have to know yourself inside. But when we keep these truths hidden, we become slaves to it. If we don’t process it, conquer our inner fears and put it out there, it just eats us up. Some of us even get cancer. I’m very much about truthfulness, and I think if we made an agreement that we would all be truthful about ourselves, it wouldn’t be so scary. From your relationships to the revelation that David Crosby fathered your children, you’ve been a longtime tabloid staple. How do you deal with intense media scrutiny of your personal life? I had to learn to laugh about

it, and to understand what tabloids are in our society. It seems that the big picture the media presents of how we’re all supposed to be living isn’t true, and it causes us great stress because we compare ourselves to that and think we’re imperfect. So when our celebrities are held up as this image of perfection, the tabloids show that it’s not true. We need to see that it’s a big lie that, if you’re rich and famous, you’re gonna be happy. That’s why people are fascinated by it. I wouldn’t change what I did, because it was important to me to get this stuﬀ out and I understand people’s desire to know what’s going on behind the scenes. But now I choose to live my life where I have no secrets, so I’m not worried that anyone will ﬁnd out about it. Is it easier to write songs when you’re happy,

or miserable? If you’d asked me this before I had cancer, I would’ve answered differently. Most of my catalogue is me trying to deal with the pain and misery of unrequited love and painful relationships, which makes for great rock ‘n’ roll. I’m not looking for that drama in my life anymore, so it would be untruthful for me to write about it. What is in my life is the drama of life¬– of love vs. fear and the other big issues we all face. So when we conquer the darkness within, do we inherently turn our attentions to the darkness around us? Yeah. As an artist, once you resolve things, you want to share the good news because you realize we’re all connected, and the experience we’re all having needs to be lighter than we’ve made it. How did the experience of battling cancer affect your life philosophy? It COMPLETELY changed! It was like somebody knocked me over the head, took out all my old priorities, re-focused them and put ‘em back in. I totally view life differently– the meaning of life, my art, my music, how I create, what I create, how I love… I’m so grateful that I had cancer because I’m a better person now. Before I had cancer, I believed with every fiber of my body and soul that life was about working, making money, consuming and trying to climb higher. Once chemotherapy

forced me to be still and that big ol’ wave I was trying to outrun crashed over me, I realized that it was all a lie that keeps most of us as cogs in this wheel. I now believe that I create my reality every day, and that my job is just to keep as much fear out of my life as I can. How have these major life developments impacted your songwriting in the years since Lucky was released? I’m no longer writing from a place of pain and despair, or searching for something. The song “Message To Myself” sums it up: I made every choice– each day I spent in Hell, I chose to stay there, because what you fear can make you weak. So now I’m just going to speak the truth. My writing is going to be as soulful and delightful as I can make it. I will still sing about the dramas of life– having happiness all the time isn’t what life is about– but I think it’s my job to create as I ﬂoat through these things. PG 23 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

MUSIC

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By B. Love, DeMarco Williams, John Davidson, John B. Moore, Matt Goldberg & Jon Latham

SHELBY LYNNE – JUST A LITTLE LOVIN’ (Lost Highway) Covering her destiny �� MARAH – ANGELS OF DESTRUCTION (Yep Roc) Rock and roll to the rescue �� PG 24 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

�� KAKI KING – DREAMING OF REVENGE (Velour) Evolving towards alt-pop accessibility ��

�� NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS – HERNANDO (Songs of the South) Bringing the jams to the juke joint

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YAK BALLZ – SCIFENTOLOGY II (FloSpot) A poor man’s Lupe

KATE NASH – MADE OF BRICKS (Interscope) My lovely mockney

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�� BEN FORREST DAVIS – ROUGHS (Bird Song) Former pop-punk turned sad

�� NOFX – THEY’VE ACTUALLY GOTTEN WORSE LIVE! (Epitaph) Punk legends live! (And clearly drunk) �� VARIOUS ARTISTS – …AND ALL THE PIECES MATTER: FIVE YEARS OF MUSIC FROM THE WIRE (Nonesuch) Somber tones from TV’s best show ��

�� DEL THE FUNKY HOMOSAPIEN – 11TH HOUR (Definitive Jux) MC missing a beat �� MAGNETIC FIELDS – DISTORTION (Nonesuch) Excellence is expected and delivered ��

�� JOE JACKSON – RAIN (Ryko) Less piss and vinegar makes for more miss than hit ��

�� TIME AGAIN – DARK DAYS (Hellcat) & BATTLE FLASK – PLEDGE YOUR ALLEGIANCE (Fallen Angels) LA street punks ��

Popularity Contest:

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THE PERISHERS – VICTORIOUS (Nettwerk) Swedish rockers with a Brit-pop jones JM: Though they’ve yet to attract the kind of worldwide attention earned by British bands like Snow Patrol and Keane, Sweden’s The Perishers essemtially play the same brand of lush, dreamy pop highlighted by intelligent lyrics. On Victorious, the group’s third album in 10 years, the band is in rare form, churning out an even dozen beautifully-crafted songs. The album starts off subtly with the downbeat “Midnight Skies” and “Never Bloom Again,” which sounds like something the British band Travis could have written, before moving into more uptempo songs like “Carefree.” From there the tracks vacillate between sweet, mellow ballads and faster pop songs. The band established itself early on as strong lyricists, but this album also ﬁnds The Perishers experimenting musically beyond the traditional drums/bass/guitar combo, mixing in banjo, vocoder and pedal and lap steel. Three albums into their careera, The Perishers may ﬁnally be getting the recognition they honestly deserve. (B+)

MUSIC INTERVIEW

The Influences Behind Van Hunt’s Thinking Man’s Funk BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

ISTEN, EVEN THOUGH VAN HUNT shops at boutiques and quotes people like Ayn Rand, the man has the same needs as more mainstream musicians. Like most everyone, the man appreciates Grammy nominations. (He has two, by the way.) Also, like many artists, the man feels pressure to be better each time a new CD comes out. (He has already done two, his self-titled debut in ’04 and On the Jungle Floor two years later.) So, when word got out that Hunt’s latest album, Popular, might be in limbo because Van and his label, Blue Note, were amicably separating, there were sad faces. People know that adventurous, Prince-appreciating artists like Van Hunt are already working within a small window to reach people; without backing from the label, that window turns into a peephole in a bird cage. When we spoke to Van Hunt via email (Van’s request, not ours), news hadn’t surfaced about the label split. Still, the groovy Dayton native had plenty to share about pop music, classical music and the music business in general. Tell me where you are geographically and emotionally at this very second. Are you having a good day, so-so day or a wish-I-were-still-in-bed day? I am in Los Angeles. I am having a very good day. And I believe the streak of good days is at 300. I’ve heard the album a few times through. To make something like that you have to listen to a lot more

than Prince and Sly Stone. What other influences (music, people, etc) do you think contribute to your sound? It is something that must be intrinsic. Because I had an opportunity to listen to one of my 12-year-old demos the other day. Some of the material sounded as if it could have been a part of this newest record. So, while my ability or courage to articulate and express myself have grown, my ideals have remained full and intransigent. Also, how can you go wrong with examples of freedom at work: like Zdzistlaw Beksinski, Zora Neale Hurston and Johann Sebastian Bach? Speaking of sound, a lot of artists I talk to from the Midwest say they grew up listening to artists on both the East and West coasts and that their sound is a reflection of both. Does that apply to you as well? Yes, but you would have to add the very farthest reaches of the north, south, east AND west to describe my sound. Is it just my ears or is there a clear difference in sound between this album and your two prior projects? It is just your ears. And there is a clearer view of my creativity on this album. In the bio it reads that you and your mom say Popular is an “interruption from the status quo.” Why is such an interruption necessary right now? Those are my mother’s words alone.

What song puts the biggest smile on your face? I will provide you with another quote: “Never has there been a time when men have so desperately needed a projection of things as they ought to be.” Ayn Rand [said that]. [Song wise] “Ur a monster, parts 1 & 2” puts the biggest smile on my face. I feel like I got away with something when I hear it. Are there any current artists you’d pay to see on stage right now? No. Tell me three performers, alive or dead, that you would have at your dream concert. Malcolm X, any top cellist’s performance of the Bach cello suites, and The Nicholas Brothers. You mentioned Bach twice in your answers. What do you find most interesting about the classical sound? If it weren’t the basis for all modern music, you could limit it to a “sound” or category-as I assume you mean. What I find most interesting about it is that after centuries upon centuries of its developed mastery, we modern musicians haven’t found a way to improve upon these compositions or even move away from them vertically or laterally. We have only taken small parts of them and denigrated them beyond recognition and in most cases beneath the definition of music.

High-ass gas prices. The ‘08 Election. There’s a lot going on right now. What piece of news has captivated your attention lately? Why? The only thing that comes to mind is the lady who accidentally smothered three of her children when she allowed them to sleep in the bed with her. That was startling. Beyond anything musical, what else do you think you do better than most people? No comment. What other thing(s) do articles written about you always seem to miss or mess up? They just don’t capture the level of silliness that lives in me. I mean very high levels of silliness. I laugh in my sleep like other people dream or snore. Relive one of the funniest moments you’ve ever had on the road. My tour manager tried to kill my lead guitarist with a tomato. And that is funny enough-no need for detail. What do you love most about being a professional musician? I love that it sounds like I’ve paid my dues, and I have. Now if I could just feel comfortable enough to get up on the stage and play with George Benson. PG 25 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

PG 26 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

JAMAICAN SON

MUSIC INTERVIEW

Ky-Mani Marley Follows In His Famous Father’s Footsteps BY BRET LOVE

HE SECOND YOUNGEST SON OF legendary reggae artist Bob Marley, Ky-Mani Marley is following older brothers Ziggy, Stephen and Damien to the top of the charts. Radio, his latest album, hit #1 on Billboard’s Reggae Albums Chart in its ﬁrst week of release on the strength of an accessible mixture of roots reggae, R&B, hip-hop and pop music. It also earned Marley a fan in singer David Lee Roth, who gave him an opening slot on the recently reunited Van Halen’s world tour. We recently caught up with Ky-Mani on the road to chat about his roots, his famous family and how Jamaican culture shaped the man he is today.

How did the roots of Jamaican culture impact the man you ultimately became? Well, the music of Jamaica speaks of revolution– of an oppressed people who, in order to survive, have to become rebellious. Jamaican music has always been at the forefront of the movement to unite Africa, even moreso than Africans themselves. When Nelson Mandela was incarcerated, the majority of the “Free Mandela!” songs were coming outta Jamaica. So we’re a very small island, but what we stand for makes us leaders on a global forefront, and a lot of our message comes through in our music. So as a man, Jamaican music gives me the courage to go out there and speak up for what’s right.

The music on your album is very diverse sounds, moving up the Reggae, Hip-Hop and R&B album charts simultaneously. Who were some of the artists who inﬂuenced you? I’m not just inspired by individual artists, but by good music on the whole. There’s no boundaries to what I listen to. The last two CDs I bought, one was Sam Cooke and one was Kenny Rogers. But everything that comes out of Jamaica inspires me.

You, Damian, Stephen and Ziggy have all had success on your own. What’s your relationship with them like? We have a great relationship. They were there for me from start to ﬁnish on this project. Like all brothers, we have our diﬀerences at times, but for the most part it’s a wonderful relationship.

I know you spent your first eight years in Jamaica and your mother raised you singlehandedly. What role did your father play in your life? I lost my dad when I was five years of age and moved to Miami when I was eight, but I remember stories my brothers would tell me about my dad picking us up when he was in Kingston. That was a very busy time [in his career], so as far as family time, there wasn’t enough of that. Which is understandable, because he had to step forward and fulfill that prophecy. But he still plays a very important part of my life today. I was raised without a father, but I’ve always had conversations with my mother, my grandmother and my brothers about what my dad would want for us and how he’d want us to go about it as disciplined children. Do you have any favorite memories from the island? For me, my fondest memories are always when I visit. There’s no place I enjoy being more than Jamaica, so every time I get an opportunity to go back, it’s definitely full of memorable moments. In my younger years I lived in Trelawney, but when I go back now I spend most of my time in Kingston.

Has there ever been discussion of recording an album together? Yeah, we’ve been discussing that for quite some time and actually have a lot of songs recorded together, so it’s just a matter of putting it all together and making it happen. We were planning on doing it early last year, but then we decided to do our respective albums ﬁrst, then come back together and do a Marley Family album. How did you get the gig opening for Van Halen on their big reunion tour? That was done through my management team and record label. Ultimately it was David Lee Roth who made the decision and went to bat for me. It was funny, because he didn’t know what to expect either, so I think when we started the tour and it paid oﬀ, he was kinda relieved that it worked. We sat and chatted a few times, and I think he liked the fact that [the match-up] was so unexpected. He didn’t want to end up touring with another rock band that wasn’t really cutting it and then have to go through the whole process again. I think he had a lot of respect for my father, for where we come from and what we stand for, and he was willing to give it a shot. So far, so good… How have their fans responded to your music?

I’M NOT JUST INSPIRED BY INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS, BUT BY GOOD MUSIC ON THE WHOLE. THERE’S NO BOUNDARIES TO WHAT I LISTEN TO.

Great! It’s overwhelming, because I’m performing in front of thousands of people every night who’ve never heard my name before, even if they know the last part of it. But they’ve been giving me a warm reception, and it’s reassuring to know that I’m along the right path. I do this from my heart and my soul, so it’s fulﬁlling to know that they’re feeling it. What are your favorite things to do when you’re in Jamaica? I like to drive to the country and through the hillsides going from Kingston to Ocho Rios, or from Kingston to Montego Bay. There are a lot of nice beachfronts and mountainsides, rivers and streams, so it’s a beautiful drive. I try to stay away from tourist attractions, but the Kane River is just starting to become popular with tourists. I prefer hidden locations with a nice vibe. I don’t frequent any restaurants or anything like that– I prefer home cooking. With your father being such a legend there,

how are you treated when you return to Jamaica now? I’m well received, but it’s more like being part of a family. My brothers and I, we don’t exclude ourselves from the people, so when they see us it’s just a familiar face. They can shake our hands and talk to us. But we deﬁnitely are treated well and respected from the ground up.

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PG 27 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

Buckhead 39 West Paces Ferry Rd. Atlanta, Ga. 30305 (404) 237-4664 Virginia Highlands 778 N. Highland Ave. Atlanta, Ga. 30306 (404) 874-6604 Sandy Springs 220 Sandy Springs Circle Atlanta, Ga. 30328 (404) 255-0026 Norcross 5161 Peachtree Parway, Suite 606 Norcross, Ga. 30092 (678) 987-3600 www.vanmichael.com

FEATURE

Valentine’s Day in Atlanta GREAT WAYS TO MAKE THE MOST FROM THE HOLIDAY

Contributing writers: James “Fletch” Fletcher AOL CityGuide; Bret Love; Margo Aaron Eclipse di Luna alentine’s Day has long been accused of being the world's

greatest "Hallmark Holiday" causing much angst and heartache to those who feel forced to partake in celebrations. Contrary to popular belief, the tradition of expressing admiration for your loved one(s) is a custom that dates back centuries to a certain Saint Valentine. Valentine was a priest during the Roman Empire living under the regime of an evil and oppressive emperor. The emperor decreed that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and/or a family and thus made the executive decision to outlaw marriage for young men. Valentine was staunchly against it and rebelliously continued to perform marriage ceremonies until he was discovered, sentenced to death, and proclaimed a Saint. Valentines Day was born in commemoration of his memory and to celebrate love and marriage. For Valentine’s Day 2008, we have found some great ways to celebrate the holiday.

Valentine’s Day Dining Agave Restaurant

764 Miami Circle 404.846.0449 4505 Ashford-Dunwoody Rd. 678.205.5862 www.eclipsediluna.com

Once you walk through the door, you feel like you’ve stumbled upon the best-kept secret in the city. Their festive, high-energy, interactive dining experience possesses an artsy setting as a backdrop with live entertainment and award winning specialty tapas. Enjoy a glass of wine, great food, live latin entertainment and the romantic ambiance.

Beleza

905 Juniper St. and 8th 678.904.4582 www.URestaurants.net

New to the bustling Midtown restaurant scene comes Beleza! Portuguese for beauty, Beleza is a celebration of body, nature, and indulgence. The small plate menu features local and organic ingredients. Their Brazilian inspired cocktails are made with local and exotic fruit juices and sweetened with agave nectar. Beleza is the purfect place to indulge in romance.

The Flying Biscuit

1655 McLendon Ave. 404.687.8888 1001 Piedmont Ave. 404.874.8887 www.flyingbiscuit.com

242 Boulevard 404-588-0006 www.agaverestaurant.com

The best place in Atlanta to go after waking up the moring after.

One of Atlanta’s favorite restaurants, Agave offers two romantically lit dining rooms as well as an enclosed patio with private fireplace. With 100 different tequilas on the menu, it is sure to get you in the mood. Reservations are recommended.

Keith Sweat

The Sun Dial Restaurant Westin Peachtree Plaza

210 Peachtree St. 404-589-7506 www.sundialrestaurant.com

Atlanta’s revolving restaurant in the sky offering unparalleled views of the city, has always been a Valentine’s Day favorite. This year they are offering a special Valentines Day menu priced at $65+ per person.

Mezza Lebanese Bistro & Wine Bar

2751 Lavista Rd., Decatur 404-633-8833 www.mezzabistro.com Mezza, a traditional way of dinning in which all menu items are served in small portions allowing couples to share from a large variety of dishes. This Zagat rated restaurant is one of Atlanta Magazine’s “Top 100 Restaurants in Atlanta” and has made the AJC’s list for top 50 restaurants, was also voted best Middle Eastern restaurant by both Insite Mag and Creative Loafing in 2007. Mezza serves a wide variety of wines and offers traditional Lebanese coffee or better know in the west as Turkish coffee along with a variety of unique desserts. Call for Valentine Specials .

The Tavern at Phipps

3500 Peachtree Rd. Phipps Plaza, 404-814-9640 www.TheTavernAtPhipps.com

In the heart of Buckhead, The Tavern at Phipps is a great place to go this year after a day of shopping with your special someone. Dark stained wood walls, imaginative cuisine and an inviting atmosphere set the tone for a romantic dining experience.

Sotto Sotto Restaurant

313 N. Highland Ave 404.523.6678 www.URestaurants.net Sotto Sotto located in Inman Park is one of the city’s best restaurants. The regional Italian menu changes seasonally and is dominated by standout entrees like hand rolled pasta and flavorful risottos. It is the perfect place to celebrate with that special someone. Book early as seating is limited.

Show $75 per couple; Show and Dinner $120 per couple

Hotel Specials If you are at the point in your relationship where you can say "Hey baby, I booked a hotel room for Valentine's Day" and not get slapped, then keep reading. There's nothing more luxurious than renting a nice hotel room for Valentine's Day. With room service and amenities, it's like a mini-vacation. The Georgian Terrace has a Valentine's Day package that includes champagne and breakfast starting at $235. Ritz Carlton Atlanta with a similar package starting at $345, but if you had a big tax refund this year, The Ritz Carlton Buckhead has a package for $20,008 that includes a suite, 2008 roses and a four-course meal. If that's a little out of your budget, but you still want to splurge AND you can take Friday off, Head to Sea Island and spend a long weekend at the Cloister. It's only $500-$900 a night.

Valentine’s Day Shows

The Georgian Terrace

Atlanta Civic Center

The Ritz-Carlton Atlanta

395 Piedmont Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30308 404-523-6275 www.atlantic civiccenter.com Crank up the love-o-meter and take your special someone to see Keith Sweat in concert with Johnny Gill and Lenny Williams. The only downside is it's you, your honey and about 4,598 other folks at the show, but with one sexy song after another, you're basically basically guaranteed a night of romance. Time: 8PM Tickets $51, $76

Bernard Linnette Churchill Grounds

660 Peachtree St. NE Atlanta, GA 30308 404-876-3030 www.churchillgrounds.com If you want live music excitement but something more intimate, catch the jazz stylings of Bernard Linnette at Churchhill Grounds. It's a sophisticated, sexy evening and later it's not so awkward if you wear a beret and and recite poetry. Plus, there are multiple sets so you can pick the show that best fits your dinner plans. Times: 7PM, 9PM, 10:30PM Cover: $20 cash set, $10 minimum purchase

Valentine’s Day Attractions Atlanta Botanical Garden

Valentine’s in the Garden February 14th 6 - 10pm 1345 Piedmont Ave. 404-876-5859 www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org Twice selected as Atlanta's most popular place to kiss (and even propose!), the Atlanta Botanical Garden creates a beautiful romantic evening for Valentine's Day. There is no better place in town to celebrate your love than in the Garden! Upon arriving in Day Hall, couples cozy up as they listen to live music, feast on decadent desserts and sip specialty mochas and flavored lattes from a gourmet coffee bar. Cash bars featuring champagne and delicious martinis will be available. Guests next stroll candlelit paths to the Gardens Under Glass to experience the beauty of exquisite orchids and glittering Fräbel glass sculptures (part of the current exhibit Orchid Daze with Fräbel: Glass Impressions.) Guests round out the evening with fabulous gourmet desserts. Desserts will include Triple Chocolate Brownie Bites, Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bites, and Chocolate Mousse Bon Bons and more! Tickets are available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com and in person at the Garden Gift Shop. $25 per member/$30 non-member.

Whole World Theatre

Valentine’s Day Party Feb. 14 9PM 1216 Spring St., 404-817-PLAY www.wholeworldtheatre.com

Atlanta’s favorite theatre company is putting on a special evening of Improv Comedy this Valentine’s Day. The evening includes a live Improv show by Whole World Theatre’s Main Stage Performers, dinner catered by Front Page News, bottle of wine, audience prizes and a delicious dessert bar.

659 Peachtree Street NE 404-897-1991 www.TheGeorgianTerrace.com

181 Peachtree Street, N.E. 404-659-0400 www.ritzcarlton.com

The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead

3434 Peachtree Road, N.E. 404-237-2700 www.ritzcarlton.com

The Cloister

100 Cloister Drive Sea Island, GA 31561 1.888.SEA ISLAND www.seaisland.com

Spas Blue Medspa

190 10th St. 404.815.8880 www.bluemedspa.com

Chosen as one of the top new spas in the world by Condé Nast Traveler, this swanky Midtown hotspot arguably offers Atlanta's most complete spa experience, from clinical medical esthetics and lifestylebased wellness programs to traditional spa services. If first impressions are everything, prepared to be impressed, as the multi-level spa's pristine white walls, cascading fountains and blue palette windows and decorative accents set a modern Mediterranean vibe that permeates before you even walk in the door. Blue Medspa's extensive range of services can be almost dizzying to first-time visitors, including advanced facial treatments, waxing, permanent cosmetics, makeup artistry, massages, body therapy, manicures, pedicures, hairstyling services and scalp therapy. Whether it's a simple relaxing massage you seek, a new hairstyle, or the remarkable body shaping the Smartlipo laser system offers, the spa's attentive service makes every customer feel like a VIP.

Neem Tree Spa

1198-B Howell Mill Road 404.351.8446 www.neemtreespa.com

Set in a bustling shopping center, Neem Tree Spa is like a serene oasis in the heart of Midtown. All of their treatments are rooted in Ayurveda, the 5000-year-old Indian science of health and healing based on the principle that our minds and bodies are inextricably linked. The rich hardwoods of Indian art and sounds of meditative Indian music and the rich tastes of herbal tea serve to wipe away the stress of the outside world. There, they offer a range of body, facial and massage treatments as well as full body waxing services in an elegant, exotic environment designed to transport you miles away from the stress of your daily grind.

Ageless Remedies

745 Chastain Rd., Suite 1000, Kennesaw & 4 other locations 678.213.3117 www.agelessremedies.com

While most spas focus their energies on helping their clients to relax and unwind, this rapidly growing, Atlanta-based medical spa and apothecary chain offers a broad range of products and services designed to give customers their own fountain of youth. You won't find anything in the way of massages here, but you will find a broad range of treatments such as microdermabrasion, chemical peels, anti-acne therapy, laser vein treatment, airbrush tanning, anti-wrinkle injectables and much more, all delivered by licensed technicians under the direction of a medical doctor.

See Valentine continued on page 34 PG 29 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

FEATURE

Spring Break 2008 S

pring Break is the most momentous week of a student's year. An incredible time with great friends that will be remembered forever. But in order to have those lifetime memories, you have to be in the right place. INsite serves as your guide to some of the most popular Spring Break destinations from Atlanta in 2

Scribble. Make sure you stay tuned to find out what else is in store for Spring Break 2008! In the mood for a Keg Party? You give the bartender Sandpiper Beacon Pool Area $75.00 (tax included) and you can have all the draft beer you want, all week long (see website for details). T-Shirts and souvenir cups are also available! Don’t forget all college spring break students staying at Sandpiper Beacon will receive all access Blue Party Bands for no cover charge into the World Famous Tiki Bar.

Quality Inn Gulf-front

Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort

Panama City Beach More than a quarter of a million college students likely will celebrate Spring Break in Panama City Beach, Florida this year. With 27 miles of pearly-white award-winning beaches, a gorgeous subtropical climate, and some of the largest and the hottest clubs, you can see why PCB is the Spring Break Capital of the World. Spring Break in Panama City Beach, Florida is what it' s supposed to be; good times on a beautiful beach, great entertainment from the hottest new bands in the nation, being surrounded by your peers from all over the USA looking to meet and greet, and of course there are the parties and making the memories that make the college years the best years of your life.

Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort www.sandpiperbeacon.com/springbreak 800.488.8828

Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort

PCB’s hottest Spring Break Destination this year is the Sandpiper Beacon Resort. This resort features 1000 feet of beach, outdoor pools, heated indoor pool, a Lazy River Ride and much more. On February 23rd, Spring Break begins. The Sandpiper is PC Beach party headquarters with special attractions and events throughout Spring Break season. Sponsors such as Stuff Magazine, Corona Extra, Red Bull, Classmate USA, Australian Gold, One Model Place and many others are on hand. This year there will be an extravagent fireworks show every Sunday Night at 10PM. Every Wednesday night starting at 8PM Evick, Brett Michael’s Band from VH1’s “Rock of Love” will perform. At Sandpiper you will find other top names in live entertainment such as The Wailers from Bob Marley Fame and DJ Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort Room Packages

One Room Unit

King Size Beds Available Refrigerator / microwave only Up to 4 persons

One Room Unit Plus

King Size Beds Available Full Kitchen facilities incl micro Up to 6 Persons

Two Room Unit

Three Room Unit

Full Kitchen facilities incl micro 1 bathroom Rooms up to 12 persons Two in room set-up

Beachfront Villas 2 Bedrooms 2 1/2 Baths 2 Private Balconies Up to 10 Persons

Large Beach Front

Full Kitchen facilities incl micro 60 Feet of Gulf View 2 Bedroom 1 bathroom 2 Bath Two in room set-up Private Balconies Rooms up to 10 persons PG 30 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

springbreakescapes.com 800-874-7101 The Quality Inn Gulf-front is your perfect choice to party with friends this Spring Break! Sharing the acres of choice beach property is Sharky's Gulf-front Restaurant and Beach Club and America’s Best Value Inn. All rooms are Gulf-Front with private balconies. They have a large heated gulf front swimming pool, with a sunning and picnic area. All rooms have cable with HBO and new 25" color TVs. Sharky's Gulffront Restaurant and Beach Club features great entertainment starting every day at 5pm! You are also within walking distance to gift shops, Gulf World, the fishing pier, motor scooter rentals, Go Cart rentals and great shopping. Of course, they offer all the beach amenties, like parasail rides, Jet Skiis, beach chairs & umbrellas, and beach volleyball--all on their private beach. 2008 rates start as low as $114 per night (minimum stay required) sleep up to 5 people. Rooms offer free deluxe continental breakfast buffet and free Sharky’s Pass with stay of 5 nights or more.

America’s Best Value Inn

springbreakescapes.com 800-874-7101 Guess what? They’re also right next door to Sharky's Beach Club...! On the other side of Sharky's is the Best Value Inn, same rooms as the Quality Inn just discounted a little. Either way you don't have to have a designated driver. Here again all you have to do is walk next door from Sharky's Beach Club. All Rooms are Gulf front with private balconies or patios. Large outdoor pool with a large sunning area and picnic area. All rooms have cable with HBO. 2008 Spring Break packages start as low as $94/night (minimum stay required - sleep up to 5). Rooms offer free deluxe continental breakfast buffet and free Sharky’s Pass with stay of 5 nights or more.

Origin Condominium

springbreakescapes.com 800-874-7101 The South Seas inspired luxury condominium Origin at Seahaven is now open. One of only a handful of interior corridor condominiums in Panama City Beach, Origin at Seahaven is a unique destination for vacationers, offering a variety of floor plans consisting of Polynesian and Island Easy decor rooms. The first class amenities include the Grand Pool Terrace with views of the Gulf of Mexico, covered heated spa, large built-in stainless steel grill for those family BBQ opportunities, close to retail shopping, next door to Sharky's and indoor/outdoor dining. The state-of-the-art fitness room includes the latest stationary equipment, aerobic equipment and free weights. The Grand Theatre with stadium seating for approximately 35 people. For luxury Spring Break vacationers, The Origin offers a heated pool and spa, studios and 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units. There is a four story pool deck and a 15th floor sunset deck with great views. Most units come with full kitchen washers and driers.

Beach Clubs

Sharky’s

www.sharkysbeach.com Walk right off the beach and sit down to a plate of chilled

raw oysters, a great burger, or delicious po-boy sandwich while sipping a Shark Attack hurricane and watching one of the awesome sunsets. Sharky’s hosts an all day beach party every day with great music, games and contests with top-shelf prizes as well as giveaways & samples from corporate sponsors. They also rent beach chairs, umbrellas, wave runners, parasailing rides, Dolphin tours, and more to help you make the most of your day art the beach. Get dressed for your night out and start it at Sharky’s with one of their famous seafood selections or a great steak. Either way, enjoy the complete Panama City Beach vacation experience without ever getting into your car. You haven not been a part of Spring break in Panama City Beach until you have partied at Sharky’s! Music, concerts, theme parties, contests and drink specials bring crowds of ‘breakers every night to experience a Spring Break legend. Plus the kitchen stays open until 2 am and your room or condo is just a few steps away!

Hammerhead Fred’s

www.hammerheadfreds.com A legend on Panama City Beach. From Ice-Cold Apalachicola Oysters, to one-of-a-kind Seafood Dishes. “Kick back on the front deck and enjoy a frozen drink while listening to the sounds of a steel drum band." Freds is local seafood....local flavor. Whether your looking for a great seafood dish or a great burger Fred's is the place! Don't forget to shop at Fred's store for those "World Famous" gifts and T-Shirts.

Tiki Bar @ Sandpiper Beacon Resort

www.sandpiperbeacon.com/tiki_bar.htm The Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort is home to one of the most popular hot spots for tourists and locals alike...The World Famous Tiki Bar! Located directly on the beach, the Tiki Bar serves up the best concoctions known anywhere! Best of all you can grab a cocktail and go directly to the beach, the pool, or straight to your room! No need to drive anywhere! Make sure you try one of the all natural frozen daiquiris! The expert bartenders at the Tiki will blend only the freshest fruits and other ingredients in making the tastiest strawberry, peach, banana, pina colada, margarita daiquiris found anywhere! Best of all, they are served in a souvenir Hurricane Glass that you can take home! Don't Forget your All Access Blue Party Bands! College Students staying at Sandpiper Beacon will Receive all Access Blue Party Bands for No-Cover Charge into the World Famous Tiki Bar. $10.00 Cover Charge for All Non-Guests of Sandpiper Beacon with College ID.

Spinnaker

www.spinnakerbeachclub.com The club that started it all! Here you will find twenty bars in one giant club complex. This is the home of huge daytime parties in the club and beachside. There are nightly drink specials, daily bikini pageants and best leg contests, great concerts, awesome food from the Paradise Grill... Spinnaker's is going to have something for every single Spring Breaker on the Beach. Spinnaker also hosts Panama City Beach’s best concerts at their Rock Arena.

Club La Vela

www.clublavela.com Club La Vela is billed as the largest nightclub in the USA. As such, Club La Vela has to continuously reinvent itself to stay on the cutting edge of entertainment and club life. By doing so, Club La Vela adds new theme rooms on a yearly basis to its already huge arsenal of onsite clubs all of which are located under one roof! Each theme room has its own atmosphere, ambience, feel, and audience. You'll find Hip-Hop, Bootie, and High-Energy Dance fans in the Thunderdome, Club La Vela's largest multi-story theme room featuring a sound system you can feel in your chest, and a lightshow like no other in North America! Club La Vela hosts the biggest and hottest contests on the beach. Be there as the most beautiful people on the beach compete in The Panama Jack Miss La Vela Bikini Contests, The Wet N Wild Wet T-Shirt Contests, or The Muscle & Fitness Male Hardbody Contests.

Daytona Beach Spring Break in Daytona Beach is a tradition that dates back to... well, a long time. With 23 miles of sandy beaches filled with Spring Break activity, pool deck parties and lots of hot Daytona Beach Clubs like the Ocean Deck, Razzles, and 600 North ready to rock, Daytona Beach is a great choice for your Spring Break. Daytona Beach is easy on the budget. With nearly a hundred affordable, "student-friendly" Spring Break hotels in the heart of the action, the’ve got the perfect choice for your Spring Break vacation.

Razzle's Nightclub www.razzlesnightclub.com

Located on Seabreeze Boulevard near A1A, it's just a few steps from the heart of Daytona's beachside. It's in front of the Plaza Resort and next to The Oyster Pub. Razzle's has over 15,000 square feet with great nighttime entertainment. Razzle's has been catering to Spring Breakers for over ten years with wild contests every night and big cash prizes. Look for the nightly free drink specials and party into tomorrow with the best mix of music, a huge dance floor, great drinks and drink specials and the most outrageous party atmosphere on the beach.

600 North 386.267.1611

Daytona's newest and most technologically advanced night club is the heartbeat of Spring Break– 600 North offers the best sound, light and video show in Central Florida. With a 50,000 watt soundsystem, matrix wall on the coast. 600 North and the Plaza Resort are the only live indoor/outdoor concert venue featuring world renown DJ's, bands and live entertainment. They have the largest pooldeck in Daytona and they party all day with the most outrageous cash contests for guys and gals including our famous bikini and wet t-shirt contests.

The Oyster Pub www.oysterpub.com

Located on Seabreeze Boulevard next to Razzle's, The Oyster Pub is the number one sports bar and is located in the heart of the Spring Break party district. Catch all the sports action you can handle on 30 TV screens including NCAA March Madness games. Cash in on 20ounce superdraft specials. The Oyster Pub is just a block from the beach and offers a full menu with everything from lunch, dinner and everything in between. The seafood is the best in the area at Daytona's largest Oyster Bar. For great food and drink and all the sports action all the time, head to The Oyster Pub on Seabreeze.

Ocean Deck Beach Club www.oceandeck.com

Just a half block from the Pier and directly on the beach at 127 Ocean Avenue. The Ocean Deck offers great food and great fun. Enjoy volleyball on the beach. Reggae music. When the sun sets, grab some dinner and get set for a wild reggae beach party...on the beach! The Ocean Deck has Florida's hottest island dance band and jams. Nightly drink specials and special promotions.

Jamaica Montego Bay and Negril are the two hottest areas for Spring Beak. Most flights into Jamaica fly into Montego Bay, so if you don’t want to drive, you should plan your vacation here. Aside from the breathtaking beaches, Mo’ Bay offers a jumping nightlife from bars with live reggae bands to Margaritaville, a three story party spot where in-the-water fun can be found with the giant water slide and floating trampoline. If you’re looking for fun in the sun, you’ll find it in Negril. The first thing you’ll want to do--indeed, you’ll feel compelled--is to hit the beach. The bow-shaped town hugs Seven Mile Beach, the longest continuous stretch of powdery shore in Jamaica--and one of the Caribbean’s most magnificent. After the sun sets in a spectacular splash of color, spend a relaxing evening at a restaurant or party down at a calypso beach barbecue. There’s even all-night dancing at local clubs. Reggae is beloved in Negril, as it is throughout the island. In fact, from time to time, Ziggy Marley comes to town, along with a host of other international entertainers.

Cancun

Foam parties, bikini contests and beer splash pools are as common as sunburns in Cancún in late-March and early-April. To be sure, this Yucatán hotspot seems ready-made for tropical treats and hedonistic fun fit for newly-minted adults still primed to have a rip-roarin’ adolescent good time. With more than 25,000 hotel rooms and annual revenue of $4 billion Cancún stands alone. It draws more visitors to Mexico than any other city, and ranks as one of the biggest resort towns in the world.

South Padre Island South Padre is just 30 miles north of the Mexico border, making it the only destination to party at 2 nations with one vacation! Padre is famous for hosting some of the hottest spring break parties, concerts and acts including; MTV, 50 Cent, Ludacris, D-12, Fat Joe, Hawaiian Tropic and Girls Gone Wild! Padre is located on the Gulf of Mexico, at the southernmost tip of Texas. Padre is fun, inexpensive and offers something for everyone! South Padre Island Texas is the southernmost U.S. spring break destination, offering lots of sun, clear blue waters and white sand beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. All beaches are publicly owned and the consumption of alcohol is legally allowed on the beach (kegs included!). Students can BYOB. Wide variety of nightlife. Nearly everything is walking distance in South Padre. There are taxis everywhere for just a few bucks, and run-

Warm white sand beaches, crystal indigo seas, world- class hotels, restaurants and nightlife make Cancun a perennial Spring Break favorite. A resort where you could keep busy 24 hours a day just participating in the many activities and tours available, and yet it remains a tranquil retreat where you could relax to your hearts content. In Cancun you can literally choose a pace and lifestyle to suit any frame of mind. Cancun is a resort for everybody, from college students on a strict budget to the rich and famous from all over the world. Cancun caters to all who visit and everyone should experience Cancun at least once. This is one of the reasons that Cancun is Mexico's most popular resort.

See Break continued on page 33

PG 31 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

TRAVEL

THE BEST OF THE BAHAMAS TEN TOP ACTIVITIES AND ATTRACTIONS BY BRET LOVE

COMMUNE WITH NATURE

Named for renowned Freeport-based philanthropist James H. Rand, the Rand Nature Center is a 100-acre sanctuary designed to preserve the natural habitat of Grand Bahama Island for future generations. Though located mere minutes from downtown Freeport, the center boasts a bevy of ﬂora and fauna that should appeal to nature lovers of all stripes. But bird-watching enthusiasts are in for a special treat, as the Center’s pond frequently attracts Antillean Peewee birds, Red-legged Thrushes, Stripe-headed Tanagers, the endangered Bahama Parrot, an occasional Kirtland’s Warbler and the prized West Indian ﬂamingos, the national bird of the Bahamas.

ESCAPE TO QUIET PINK SAND BEACHES

Looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of Nassau? Take the Bahamas Fast Ferries boat to Harbour Island, north of Eleuthera, where you can rent a golf cart to explore a sleepy ﬁshing village ﬁlled with quaint shops and restaurants serving seafood caught mere hours before. It’s also full of history, with sites such as Barracks Hill, Haynes Library, the Old Fort, the Sugar Mill and the Landing, many of which date back hundreds of years. Or you could just savor the sweet serenity of the crystal clear waters and gorgeous pink sand beaches.

EXPLORE UNDER THE SEA IN A PERSONAL SUB

Not quite ready to scuba dive, but still eager to explore the wondrous world beneath the waves? Try an aquatic adventure in Stuart Cove’s SUB (Scenic Underwater Bubble), a self-contained underwater motorcycle featuring a bubble that allows you to breathe without the use of snorkel tubes or regulators. With ascents guided by safety divers and a tethered buoy ensure you remain at a depth of 15-20 feet, the seahorse-shaped SUB slowly propels you around coral reef and alongside the colorful ﬁsh the Bahamas are known for, without ever getting your head wet!

FEED A STINGRAY

Beginning with a 25-minute ride through picturesque Nassau Harbor aboard a 65-foot catamaran, the Stingray Adventure at Blackbeard’s Cay provides visitors with a chance for one-on-one encounters with these graceful creatures. Taking place in a park located on the island, the visit begins with an educational brieﬁng on Southern Atlantic Stingrays before guests are allowed to snorkel in a massive lagoon ﬁlled with dozens of them. A scheduled feeding ensures that each guest will have personal contact with these elegant animals, who glide around and feed right from your hands. Lunch and drinks are also available.

GET CULTURED

PG 32 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

The Bahamas have been occupied and contested by numerous different peoples over the past 500 years, producing an immensely rich tapestry of artistic expression. The National Art Gallery of the Bahamas offers an overview of how these disparate influences affected the local culture, tracing the history of Bahamian art from the pre-Colombian era to the present. From ancient pottery to modern mixed media installations, the gallery provides visitors with a better understanding of Bahamian culture, as well as offering a variety of author readings, film series, family art workshops and talks with emerging artists on the local scene.

GO ISLAND HOPPING

Eager to explore all the Bahamas have to offer? Try the all-day Island Hopping Cultural Safari from Grand Bahama Island’s East End Adventures. The trip heads via speedboat to snorkel one of the Blue Holes off the island’s coast before heading to a quaint fishing village called Sweeting’s Cay. Here, you can explore the secluded settlement and devour a delicious native lunch before venturing to deserted Lightbourne’s Cay for sunbathing and shell-hunting. Finally, it’s back to the mainland’s Lucayan National Park, where you hike to inland caves, view mangrove habitats and learn about island history and culture.

PARRRRTY WITH PIRATES

The 700 islands of The Bahamas were frequently used as a home base by legends such as Sir Francis Drake, Blackbeard and Calico Jack during the Golden Age of Piracy, when they raided so many Spanish galleons that Spanish troops destroyed Nassau twice in retaliation. The arrrgh-worthy Pirates of Nassau Museum oﬀers an interactive experience complete with costumed guides, a walk-aboard replica of the pirate ship Revenge and replica weaponry ranging from pistols and riﬂes to swords and crossbows, teaching kids of all ages about the dangerous lives of the REAL pirates of the Caribbean.

SAMPLE LOCAL CUISINE

Seafood lovers won’t want to miss a trip to Nassau’s

Arawak Cay, the site of the massive celebration known as the Junkanoo Summer Festival. What began as a series of makeshift stall serving prepared conch has evolved into an extensive community of eateries oﬀering Bahamian delicacies such as conch salad, conch fritters, cracked conch, grilled shrimp and lobster, and a variety of ﬁsh dishes, all prepared with an elegant blend of spices. There is also a storytelling porch, an open stage and a grassy seating area for audiences where concerts and other special events are often held.

SHOP TIL YOU DROP

The 12-acre Grand Bahama Island shopping center known as the Port Lucaya Marketplace is a shopaholic’s dream come true. Inside its brightly colored, island-style clapboard structures you’ll find nearly 70 retail shops offering everything from dutyfree jewelry to fine china, nearly 100 straw market vendors, 13 restaurants, and a variety of artisans and hair braiders. Numerous water sports companies offer opportunities to charter a fishing or dive boat and arrange for various tours, while Count Basie Square features live bands five nights a week and occasional native shows featuring limbo and fire dancing.

SWIM WITH DOLPHINS

Animal lovers will have a blast at the awardwinning Dolphin Encounters on Blue Lagoon Island, which is just a short ride via catamaran from Nassau/ Paradise Island. Home to 19 Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins that have appeared in numerous films and TV shows, this entertaining and educational attraction offers visitors a chance to interact with our fineflippered friends in an up close ‘n’ personal setting. From hugging and dancing with guests to performing dazzling acrobatic feats and offering rides on their noses, these aquatic superstars make Dolphin Encounters one of the most acclaimed marine parks in its field. zzzzz... SHERATON CABLE BEACH RESORT, 694 rooms/suites, $$$, Nassau, 242-327-6000, www. cablebeachresorts.com. With a swim-up pool bar,

beachside restaurant and excellent snorkeling from their beach, you may not want to leave. SANDALS ROYAL BAHAMIAN, 404 rooms/ suites, $$$, Nassau, 1-800-SANDALS, www.sandals. com. In case the 13-acre property isn’t enough, this adults-only, 5 Star Diamond Award-winner has its own offshore island. CORAL SANDS HOTEL, 36 rooms, $$$, Harbour Island, 242-333-2350, www.coralsands.com. Considered one of the best small hotels in the Caribbean, this renovated gem is perfect those seeking a sense of solitude. mmmmm... LUCIANO’S OF CHICAGO, $$$, Nassau, 242323-7770. www.lucianosnassau.com. Homesick in paradise? Get a taste of upscale Italian at this stunning seaside ristorante. THE POOP DECK, $SS, Nassau, 242-3393-8175. www.thepoopdeckrestaurants.com. Come for the excellent fresh seafood, stay for the marina view and hundreds of celeb-signed menus. TWIN BROTHERS SEAFOOD & STEAK HOUSE, $$, Nassau, 242-328-5033. A delicious taste of down-home Bahamian cooking, not to mention the island’s best daiquiris. ahhhh... ISLAND HOPPING CULTURAL ADVEN TURES, $$$, Freeport, 242-373-6662, www.bahamasecotours.com. Snorkel the Blue Hole, explore a quaint fishing village, hunt for seashells and hike in caves, all in one day! NATIONAL ART GALLERY OF THE BAHA MAS, $, Nassau, 242-328-5800, www.nagb.org.bs. Tracing the history of Bahamian culture from the pre-Columbian era to the present. STINGRAY ADVENTURE AT BLACK BEARD’S CAY, $$, Nassau, 242-363-5940, www. stingrayadventure.com. Swim with stingrays in an experience that will literally have them eating right out of your hands. RAND NATURE CENTER, $, Freeport, 242-3525438. A 100-acre nature sanctuary that is, quite literally, for the birds, featuring the prized West Indian flamingos. shhhh… Dive the most colorful coral formations and schools of exotic fish. Explore the famous James Bond wreck in 40 feet of water, or dive the Cessna used in the filming of Jaws. See all this and more with the Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas options offered with SPIRIT VACATIONS packages. 800-617-3325. www. spiritvacations.com.

Break from page 31 ning free shuttles. Drinking age in Texas is 21, in Mexico it is 18. It is illegal to drink in public on areas of the main drag on Padre Blvd, but it is legal to drink on the beach. Most of the daily beach events are held in front of the Radisson, and this year Coca Cola is doing a huge beach concert area with many other beach activities. South Padre Island is the cleanest and safest beach in Texas, only 3 blocks wide and a few miles long but loaded with entertainment, night life, restaurants, and endless watersports and activities during spring break.

Altamaha River Bioreserve Spring Break in Georgia!

The BioReserve is more than a river and a marine estuary - it's marsh, swamps, barrier islands, hammocks, bottom land forests, bluffs and flood plain that make this make the Jewel in the Crown of Georgia's wild lands. The rich diversity of animal and plant life is a testament to the wisdom of protecting this "Last Great Place" in the world.

New Additions to the BioReserve as Spring Comes Early to Paradise !

A consortium of National, State and even local Gov'ts and NGO's have purchased well over a thousand adjacent acres of of fresh water tidal swamps and forests in recent weeks. Public access / camping on these additional land and water are expanded are now guaranteed. While that purchase was taking form, the City of Darien annexed the abandoned rice fields and forests that were maintained as wet lands for migratory birds and waterfowl and have accelerated the process of expanding bike trails, viewing towers and restoring access to wild life habitat.

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While open year round, Spring comes to the Altamaha River Bioreserve in February. Leaving Atlanta’s freezing temperatures and arriving along the banks of the lower Altamaha near Darien Georgia, the 70 degree average day time temperatures is a pleasant contrast. . Early in the year one can see alligators, otter and other animals warming in the sun. Many local birds as well as the migratory ones using the 'Atlantic Flyway' will be visible in early late winter/early spring. Manatees are rare this time of year, but then so are the mosquitoes. February and early March is the perfect time for camping with warm days and cool and nights. Buffalo Swamp /Lewis Island Natural Area, adjacent to the town of Darien, offers paddlers a rare tidal forest containing among other trees, large bald cypress, live oak and red cedar. While exploring its abandoned rice fields, over grown with fresh water vegetation, you’ll see abundant wildlife such as night herons and river otters along with mink and Swallow Tailed Kits. Plus the best fishing in the state with fresh brackish and salt water species all within a few miles of each other. Thirteen miles from Darien the Altamaha flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Ride the tide through the marshes of McIntosh County to the remote beaches. Explore the maritime forest, fresh water wetlands and the bone-yard beaches of Blackbeard Island. Altamaha Coastal Tours (912-437-6010) or Altamaha.com is a complete outfitter with sea kayaks, recreational kayaks, canoes and bicycle rentals. Shuttles are offered to several put-in sites, and day tours and overnight tours with experienced guides are available as well. Don’t wait for the heat to enjoy the Golden Isles and Georgia’s World Class Natural Area - The Altamaha River BioReserve.

Spring Break Guide 2008!

PG 33 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

MUSIC INTERVIEW

Communique Breakdown: The Return of a Punk Band BY JOHN B. MOORE

new record and the impact MySpace has had on punk rock.

UST THREE ALBUMS INTO THEIR EXISTENCE and on the verge of breaking through to the mainstream, having topped critics’ best of lists across the country, Oakland’s American Steel decided to call it quits in 2002… sort of. Basically, they changed their sound a bit, lost a member and rechristened themselves Communique. Five years later, completely out of the blue, the melodic punk band is back with Destroy Their Future, arguably American Steel’s strongest record to date. Now signed to Fat Mike’s (NOFX) indie stalwart Fat Wreck Chords, bassist John Peck spoke with us about getting the band back together, the

So why did the band decide to disband in 2002? Even though American Steel started putting out records in 1996, we began playing together in various capacities even a few years before that. So by the time we put out Jagged Thoughts, we’d been playing together for the better part of a decade, and we were feeling pretty burned out on a lot of our older material. We felt that, rather than try to go in a new direction and bum our fans out, we’d just end the band, which gave us the freedom to play whatever style of music we wanted.

Did all of you stay in contact much afterwards? Three of us – Ryan (Messay), Rory (Henderson) and me - continued to play together in Communique, and we put out two EPs and a full length, Poison Arrows, between 2002 and 2006. So we stayed in touch quite a bit, and did a lot of recording and touring together. Why did you decide to get back together? Communique was in sort of a hiatus, as it had reduced back down to being just the three of us. We wanted to tour and make records, and the five-year break since the first incarnation of American Steel made us able to enjoy some of the older songs again, so we thought we’d get back together with Scott and begin by rehearsing some of the older songs. We ended up having a lot of fun with it, and pretty quickly we’d put together an album’s worth of new material, and had talked to Fat Mike- who we’ve known and been friends with for many years- about putting it out. Had you changed much in the time off? As people? We’re somewhat better musicians from continuing to play and record. Personalitywise, I’d say we’re each the same as we’ve ever been, though maybe our intra-band dynamics have mellowed and settled a bit from when we were younger. One big thing that happened between the two stages of American Steel was that Ryan bought a recording studio (Sharkbite Studios in Oakland). We did our latest record there, along with Jagged Thoughts and all the Communique records, and it’s become a great place to record - we’re familiar with all the gear, and it’s a comfortable environment for us to work in. In your opinion, has the band’s sound changed much since you first started in the 90’s? Over the first three albums (self-titled, Rogue’s

March, and Jagged Thoughts) our sound changed quite a bit, but each of those albums had elements in common with the others - they all made heavy use of doubled vocals, and each album has a good deal of older influences - we all love music from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, and when we write songs together, apart from later punk influences, there are always some songs we take in different directions - Motown, folk, soul, and so on. Is there a general theme to the songs on Destroy Their Future? A lot of the songs go back to the more political themes of Rogue’s March, but as with all our albums, there’s also a lot of personal material that goes into the lyrics, and even the political songs have a very personal element. It’s been more than five years since you last wrote/recorded an album together as American Steel - was it hard to write the record or did you just pick up where you left off? Writing the songs for this record actually felt very natural. We’d had enough time away from playing punk rock that when we started again, it felt new again. It’s been great to combine the spontaneity of American Steel with the musicianship and recording knowledge we gained during our years in Communique. Hopefully, people will notice and appreciate that partnering. Where you surprised by how much punk music had moved into the mainstream in the five years since the band broke up? I don’t know whether I’d say its any more “main stream” now than it was in 2002; the difference we’re noticing is the absolutely insane number of bands out there nowadays. Each year, more and more bands that would have been completely unknown in years past have some sort of following or presence due to MySpace and all the MySpace-style sites out there. Is the band officially back together or is this a one-off album and tour? We’re playing it by ear at this point. What’s most important to us is that we only make records and tour if it feels natural to do so. We’ve been playing music together for long enough to know that it’s not worth doing if it starts to feel tedious. What are your tour plans? Again, we don’t have a grand plan for touring; we just want to play for as many people as possible in as many places, national and international, as possible. Right now we’re on tour with our good friends the Lawrence Arms, which has been a lot of fun. We’re doing some one-off shows this winter, and talking about doing more North American and possibly European touring this year.

Valentine continued from page 29

Valentine’s Day Specialty Stores

Valentine’s Day Web sites

Starship

The most incredible Valentine’s Day site there is RedEnvelope.com. They have every kind of thoughtful, funny or sexy gift imaginable. Shop from a array of chocolates, jewelry, perfums, and lingerie. Check out theholidayspot.com/valentine for everything from cheesy romantic gifts your mother-in-law would appreciate, like a "time for love heart clock" that would make a perfect desk paperweight, to teddy bears perfect for your boy or girlfriend and fink leather flasks for your friends. There are links to tons more ideas and gifts, but be sure to order with time for the gifts to arrive by the 14th! So you want to get him or her chocolate, but think that's too conventional? Worry no more. Visit mymms.com for a thousand ways to make personalized m&ms. From color to bag to message actually written on the candy, you are in charge of it all. And if you are a male, while these chocolate candy covered morsels will make any gal

20 Locations www.ShopStarship.com The official home of “MOREgasm”, Starship has put out all the stops for the sexiest day of the year. Find everything from adult movies, body oils & lubes, bondage/ fetish gear, erotic lingerie, candles & incense, lover’s gift cards and much more. Check out their Completely Cupid SALE offering 50% off select merchandise.

Inserection

404-888-0878 www.inserection.com The home of the Sexual Revolution. Inserection has multiple stores in Atlanta chocked full of merchandise to enhance your holiday. Choose from a wide assortment of XXX movies, party & gag gifts, lubricants/ massage oils, fetish accessories as well as many items specifically for couples and other adult novelties. PG 34 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

swoon, add a bouquet of flowers and you are set. Personalize your Valentine’s Day message on anything from picture frames, jewelry, pajamas, champagne glasses, T-shirts, and more at ThingsToRemember.com (Shown in Picture) If all else fails, however, there is nothing better or more romantic then the handwritten card, otherwise known as a love letter. Everyone loves being told how amazing and wonderful and beautiful and handsome and smart and talented they are and how they affected the life of that other person to such a great degree and how happy they are you are in their life. So, what reason is there not to let that person know through a card or letter? Oh, you aren't a good writer? www.love-letterromance.com/romantic.html has prewritten letter samples, templates, and tips for writing your own love letter. It helps you based on your relationship time-line status from "In the very beginning" to "That first I love you" to "I want you back" and more. Even if you are not planning on writing anything, the site is fun to check out.

SPORTS NEWS

No Country For Tall Men

Why China’s Yao Ming May Be the Best Big Man in the World BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

ROM THE LOOKS OF THE BEIJING SUMMER Olympics website, things are coming along wonderfully. Tickets are selling. Venues are being completed. Still, like with Athens, Sydney and Atlanta before it, China has to expect some last-second things it’ll need to take care of before officially opening its doors to the world on August 8. One thing the Asian nation won’t have to worry about is the preparedness of its most famous athlete, basketball sensation Yao Ming. The 7-6, 310-pound NBA all-star game starter is already in super shape for the Games’ grind. In the League’s top 10 in scoring (22.3 points a night) and averaging career highs in rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and minutes played, the beloved Ming is having his finest all-around season as a Houston Rocket. His personal glory has yet to get his team beyond fourth place in the Southwest Division, though. Not that his countrymen and women are much complaining. The sooner Ming’s Rockets are out of playoff contention, the sooner he can focus on bringing a Gold medal to the host land. Man, you’re swamped on the court and off of it. I appreciate [that] people care about me and watch me and support me. That’s a good feeling, you know? That’s a really good feeling. Hopefully, that can continue. I will keep on working hard.

What other centers are a handful for you? So many people ask that same question. I would say since Shaq moved to the East, so many centers are on the same level. Some guys like Tim Duncan play with their back to the basket more. Kevin Garnett plays more facing the basket. Right now, they really don’t have that many real centers. It’s really a mix of players that play the 4 and 5 position. There’s not much players like me, Shaq and [Zydrunas] Ilgauskas that only play center. Eddie Curry [too]. When you ask me about centers, it could be hard because they don’t have that many centers left. It’s really a mix of players— and it’s not just the 4 and 5; some players are 1 and 2 or 1, 2 and 3. [These guys that mix] They get more chances. They get more opportunities. When you can play two different positions, obviously, you have more advantage. When you play against different types of opponents, you can make your own choice. When you play against a guy that’s stronger than you, you can go outside and then penetrate to the middle. Not just your back to the basket and try to pound it inside. This is your first year with head coach Rick Adelman. What are your early thoughts about him? He’s a coach-players. He’s really good for listening to players and what they want. He didn’t just move his experience from the Sacramento Kings to Houston; he’s been changing. Okay, I got success at Sacramento. I’m going to move 100% [of that] to the Houston Rockets. No, he didn’t do that. During the training camp, he let us play for free and he learned who could

Yao, your overall numbers are great. But if there was one area you’d like to improve upon, where would that be? I want to cut down turnovers. That’s a big part of it. That’s been very frustrating my last two years. My turnover rate is going straight up like the elevators. Of course, my scoring is going up. I still want to keep the turnovers down.

EVERY IMPORTANT GAME COMES WITH GREAT PRESSURE. YOU CAN’T SAY, I WANT TO PLAY IN THE NBA FINALS BUT I DON’T WANT THE PRESSURE. THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE. IF YOU HAVE PRESSURE, YOU NEED TO FACE IT.

On the court, you’re the center of attention for opponents, too. When you play to a [certain] level, you’re going to get doubleteamed and triple-teamed—as soon as you catch the ball. They’re coming, just like we do to another team. We will not let Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett or someone of that level catch the ball and leave our teammate to guard on him. We will double-team, too. I’m not frustrated. When I see them coming, I know my next move is to ﬁnd an open teammate and move the ball out. Or feel the double-team before they’re coming. That’s the experience I’ve learned the last two years when they started double-teaming harder and harder. I do get frustrated with how sometimes I make the wrong decision. It must feel good having to play Kevin Garnett just twice now? That’s not just good for us. That’s good for all of the Western Conference. For us, he’s a very tough matchup…

do what. Like McGrady, people know he can penetrate, he can shoot, he can defense. [Adelman] still wanted to learn what’s the best for him. And what’s the best for me. With the rest of the guys, he learned each one. And then, everybody feels comfortable.

As a big man, how are you able to shoot nearly 87% from the freethrow line? Because I play so much inside, there’s going to be a lot of fouls. Sometimes [other teams] try to save even one point and they put me on the free-throw line. I still make it, which will be good for our team. In the last minutes of the game, I can play out there. Sometimes in the last minute on the court, people put their worst free-throw shooter out [of the game] to make sure that doesn’t happen. I still can help my teammates in the last minutes. How do I make them? We keep training. We keep

practicing that since we played basketball. My Chinese coach says that’s free points; you have no reason to give up. When Tracy McGrady is injured, a lot of pressure falls onto your shoulders. How do you handle it? I do have that pressure. But that’s human nature. When you have a man down, particularly one like Tracy McGrady, you would feel pressure. The problem is handling the pressure. Obviously, last night I didn’t do well. I’ll do better the next game. Every important game comes with great pressure. You can’t say, I want to play in the NBA Finals but I don’t want the pressure. That’s impossible. Those important games cause a lot of people to concentrate on it. I would be honest and say, I have pressure but I know how to handle it. If you have pressure, you need to face it. Do you have a pre-game ritual? Before I go to the court, I’m always repeating, “Today I’m facing…” Like last night with Stoudemire, I know he’s very athletic. He’s got a jumpshot outside. They’re going to put me in a lot of pick-and-rolls. Or like the next game against Dallas, I’ve already watched the film. It’ll be Eric Dampier. Maybe a lil’ bit of Dirk Nowitzki. There are mixed match-ups sometimes. I have to know what is my best game to try and beat them, like running down the court and trying to make them foul. Put them into foul trouble and make the free-throws. Yao, what exactly does it mean to have the Olympics coming to your country? That was a big deal for us, for my country. Our put a lot of passion, energy into preparing for these Games. When the Games is closer and closer, everyone cannot wait until the people come to China and [we can say], We are ready for you. We will give you feelings like you were just at home. That will be one of the best Olympics in history. You recently got married. How has that been? That’s a big step for me—even though I stayed with my wife for seven years already. The last couple of years before marriage we feel just like marriage even though we didn’t make that step. It just feel that way. After that, I still feel a lil’ bit different [now]. When I drive in the middle of the night, I know to slow down a lil’ bit. It’s not big changes; just small change. Hey, you’re a married man now. You need to slow down, calm down a little bit. That’s not meaning you’re losing passion; just know that you need to take care of people. Overall, what are your thoughts about American culture? I can’t give you an answer right now. Actually, I’m getting used to it. I can’t say that I like it or love it. I still miss home a lot. If you were to ask me a choice, I still would like home better. I’m getting used to [America]. I like the people here. They’re very friendly, people in my neighborhood, people in Houston. What’s this fascination you have with war history? I like war history. Well, for boys, they like to watch war movies. They like ships and aircrafts and soldiers. I don’t know what’s so interesting [to me] about history. When I was in high school, I enjoyed listening to stories. You can learn a lot of experience from that. Maybe you don’t be that big [and powerful] and lead a whole country, but you can learn something. How they handle the pressure. Don’t say I like war. I like war stories. Besides war history, what else do you enjoy? Video games. A lot of NBA players like them, but I’m a lil’ bit different: I play the PC games. I play a lil’ bit of Playstation. I like swimming. Before I played basketball, I tried out for the water polo team. They kicked me out and said I was too slow: “Sorry, you can’t make it.” I went and tried out for basketball. This was a long time ago, seven or eight years ago I would say in the summer. Children like pools. PG 35 • insiteatlanta.com • February 2008

AUTOMOBILES

2008 Mazda Tribute Touring 2WD Tested Price: $23,485 Engine: 3.0L V-6 Gas: 18 city/ 24 highway Warranty: 36-month/36,000 miles 2008 Suzuki XL7 Limited 3Row Navi FWD Tested Price: $27,299 Engine- 3.6L V-6 Gas: 16 city/ 22 highway Warranty: seven-year/100,000 miles What SUV should you purchase for under $30,000? Just about every car company out there has an answer or two to the query, but not all of them are worth trusting. The Hyundai Santa Fe is a wonderful place to start a budget-minded search. The Nissan Murano may be the best place to complete one. Nonetheless, the good folks at Mazda and Suzuki say, “Hold your checkbooks!” They both have new oﬀerings you may want to consider as good-riding, money-saving options for your daily commute. The Mazda Tribute is an interesting ditty. From the deceptive look of the totally redesigned

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SPORTS NEWS

FANATIC BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS “It’s like being a stepparent. I didn’t pick them. They didn’t pick me. They are trying hard. They are trying. It is a process. The effort is good. If it wasn’t I would say it publicly.” –ST. LOUIS COACH RICK MAJERUS, after his Billikens scored a modern D-1 record low 20 points in a January 10 game At press time we were still about week off from the SUPER BOWL, so the following quirky lil’ facts about the New York Giants/New England Patriots showdown could have changed. But whatever. Fanatic thinks they’re kind of fun anyways… To date, 3,205,733 people have attended Super Bowls… The team that has won the opening coin toss has lost the last four straight games… The Giants/Patriots match-up marks only the second time the Super Bowl participants also played each other in their final regular season game… 18 sets of brothers have reached the Super Bowl. Eli and Peyton Manning are the only sets of sibling QBs… When Giants punter Jeff Feagles, 41 years old, appears in the game, he’ll be the oldest Super Bowl partaker ever.

A Monthly Sports Must-See TV Wrap-up Top 5 Games This Month

“Today’s is another milestone toward our inaugural 2008 season in May. Atlanta is a city of dreamers and this week we have had time to reflect on what it means to dream and what can happen when you do. Little girls, like little boys, imagine playing in front of cheering crowds and achieving success in professional sports leagues. We believe Dream best captures Atlanta’s spirit and the core values of the WNBA. We look forward to the ATLANTA DREAM continuing to make history as we work toward our goal of transcending sports.” –Atlanta owner Ron Terwilliger We don’t profess to be the biggest hockey followers here at INsite, but even we can recognize dominance on the ice when we see it. The powerful DETROIT RED WINGS (37-10-4) are winning because they have three offensive wizards, Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom. On defense, they’ve stationed two impenetrable walls, Chris Osgood and Dominik Hasek, who are notorious for swatting away any six-ounce disc flying their way. The Patriots of the frozen pond seem destined for Lord Stanley’s Cup.

“What the minor league fan wants is an aﬀordable ticket, eat a hot dog, watch three or four innings and then take his kids home and put them to bed. You just can’t take your kid to a midweek major league game. It’s just too expensive. But this could enhance your desire to go to a Braves game over the weekend.” -said J.C. BRADBURY, author of The Baseball Economist, after it was announced that the Triple-A Richmond Braves were relocating to Gwinnett County We’ve reached the symbolic halfway point of the NBA season. Lots of things are going as planned –Boston’s dominance, San Antonio being San Antonio- but some things haven’t gone quite as scripted. Here are the biggest surprises thus far in the ’07-08 campaign: 3) The overachieving New Orleans Hornets (30-12) are 15-5 on the road; 2) The over-aged Miami Heat (8-33) had a recent three-game stretch of loses to bottom feeders Memphis, Minnesota and Milwaukee; 1) The out-of-nowhere Portland Trailblazers (25-18) are an amazing 17-4 at the Rose Garden.

“Stay the way you are, Jennie, you’re fired.” –DONALD TRUMP, to Olympic softball star Jennie Finch on Celebrity Apprentice after she expressed her distaste for the business world And finally… American Idol co-host Ryan Seacrest played strong safety in high school… The NHL is in talks about opening next season with games in Sweden and the Czech Republic… Tennessee-Martin guard Lester Hudson leads the nations in steals (3.4 per game) and is second in points (27.2)…In honor of the NHL all-star game coming to Atlanta, NHL.com named the greatest players ever to wear an Atlanta Flame jersey. The top three: 1) Dan Bouchard 2) Tom Lysiak 3) Eric Vail… The last time four teams received first-place votes in the final AP football poll before this year was after the 1977 season, when No. 1 Notre Dame, No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Arkansas and No. 4 Texas split up the top votes… You only have about 350 days left to reserve your hotel room in Tampa for Super Bowl XLIII.

Super Bowl

Duke vs. North Carolina

Daytona 500

4 5

(February 3, FOX, 6PM)

They’ve worked so hard for this moment. Some will have a minute to shine, others only 30 seconds. Ahh, the pressure of being a Super Bowl commercial.

(February 6, ESPN, 9PM)

Dick Vitale couldn’t have timed his return from an illness any better than with this greatest of basketball rivalries.

(February 17, FOX, 2PM)

The gentlemen start their chase of ’07 champ Jimmie Johnson at the 50th running of NASCAR’s biggest race.

Tennessee vs. Memphis

(February 23, TBD, 9PM)

The Tigers (18-0) and Vols (16-2) are playing so well that many are calling this the most important game of the NCAA season.

NBA All-Star Game (February 17, TNT, 8:30PM)

Call us emotional, but if Hawks star Joe Johnson doesn’t make the team, we’re boycotting The Closer and Law & Order.

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