INsite Atlanta March 2008 Issue by INsite Magazine

March 20F0R8EE

Vol. 16, No. 7

ertainment Monthly t n E s ’ a t n a l At tlanta.com www.insitea

Mathew Fox on LOST They Might Be Giants Angels & Airwaves Vivica A. Fox

March Madness +

Andre Benjamin on Semi–Pro, Fashion and the Future of Outkast

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The Launch Pad for Atlanta Night Life

CONTENTS • MARCH 2008 • VOLUME 16.7

INTERVIEWS 12 14 15 18 19 23 25 26 26 27 29 29 34 35

WILD WEST COMEDY SHOW MIKE EPPS VIVICA A. FOX MATTHEW FOX DIRECTORS OF THE SIGNAL ANDRE BENJAMIN EL CAMINOS THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS JASON RINGENBERG NADA SURF LYFE JENNINGS ANGELS & AIRWAVES JON POLL SUN

FEATURES PHIPPS PLAZA • BUCKHEAD • 404.814.9640

OPEN DAILY • PRIORITY SEATING AVAILABLE www.TheTavernAtPhipps.com

10 13 31 32 33 36

WINGS ATLANTA’S WEST SIDE TOURNAMENT TAKE OUT SPORTS BARS NORTH END BAR DISTRICT MARCH MADNESS

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

UNDER THE LIGHTS ON TAP BOOKS WANTON DISTRACTION AROUND TOWN MOVIE REVIEWS VIDIOTS CONCERT CALENDAR ROAD WARRIORS WE GOT NEXT ALBUM REVIEWS 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 • March 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 March Madness feature on page 36!

THEATER

Under The Lights Theatrical Performances in March Seussical the Musical

Aesop's Fables

SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL FOLLOWS the one and only Cat in the Hat as he guides a young boy named JoJo through a whirlwind tour of the magical world of Dr. Seuss. The timeless stories of Horton Hears a Who and Gertrude McFuzz and other tireless tales are tied together into one unforgettable celebration of perhaps the greatest children's literature of all time.

AESOP'S FABLES MAY BE OVER 2,000 YEARS OLD, but Red Herring Puppets makes these classic tales new again with their original rhyming version, The Lion, the Mouse & Other Aesop's Fables, playing March 4-30, 2008 as part of their 2007-08 Family Series. Full of music, animals and photo: Barbara Browning mischief makers, this version is sure to delight audiences of all ages with the stories, "The Lion and the Mouse," "The Tortoise and the Hare," The Owl and the Grasshopper," "The Fox and the Crow," The Crow and the Pitcher," and "The Stork and the Fox." Remember, it's never too late to learn a few valuable lessons about competition, bullying, friendship, patience and more.

Through March 23 Alliance Theatre 404-733-5000 www.alliancetheatre.org

Audiences will feel like they have stepped directly into the deliciously enchanting world of Theodor Geisel's imagination. The Alliance Theatre production promises to delight with larger-than-life costumes and outrageous sets plucked right from the pages of Dr. Seuss' books. Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, known also for Ragtime and Once on This Island, wrote the book, music and lyrics.

Jesus Christ Superstar March 4 -9 Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center 770-955-8000 www.cobbenergycentre.com

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, the groundbreaking theatrical masterpiece by the legendary writing team of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber is coming back to the stage. The first collaboration between Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber to be performed on the professional stage, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is one of the most popular and enduring works ever created for the musical theatre. Featuring such notable songs as Superstar, Everything's Alright and I Don't Know How to Love Him, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR earned five TONY nominations.

SUPPORTING A WELL - ROUNDED EDUCATION.

March 4 - 30 Center for Puppetry Arts 404-873-3391 www.puppet.org

Eurydice

March 14 - April 13 Alliance Theatre 404-733-5000 www.alliancetheatre.org YOUNG LOVERS ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE ARE SEPARATED from each other and must reside in the Underworld in a poignant and comic new take on the classic Greek myth. Playwright Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice is an emotionally moving and visually stunning play that takes the audience on a tragic journey of love and loss. Presented in partnership with Georgia Shakespeare and directed by Richard Garner (Georgia Shakespeare Producing Artistic Director), this exploration of love is staged on the intimate Hertz Stage. Powerful currents of emotion, humor and music combine in a fresh, new look at the timeless story of Orpheus from a female (Eurydice's) perspective. Eurydice tells the story of young Eurydice, who dies on her wedding day. Determined to be reunited with his beloved wife, Orpheus journeys through the Underworld intent on bringing Eurydice back to the land of the living. Eurydice, now reunited with her dearly loved late father, must choose between the love of her father and love for her husband. Emotions collide as she tries to hold on to love and life while discovering the harsh and tragic rules of death, memory and choices.

Now Available on DVD

�� The Broadway Musical

��

ON SALE NOW!

March 25 – 30 • The Fox Theatre Purchase tickets through authorized agents only.

Ticketmaster outlets • ticketmaster.com 404.817.8700

Group discounts for 15 or more call 404.881.2000 BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com

�� MUSIC AND LYRICS BY ROBERT LOPEZ & JEFF MARX BOOK BY JEFF WHITTY BASED ON AN ORIGINAL CONCEPT BY ROBERT LOPEZ & JEFF MARX DIRECTED BY JASON MOORE

Original Broadway Cast Recording Available on Masterworks Broadway. ‘AVENUE Q’ HAS NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED IN ANY MANNER BY THE JIM HENSON COMPANY OR SESAME WORKSHOP, WHICH HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS CONTENT.

PG 5 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

Chin Chin... OnTap March LOCAL EVENTS

A Window Into Hong Kong.

“Most Memorable Meal Award”

1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 – Where Magazine

“Mouthwatering Chin Chin spices things up”

– The Atlanta Journal Constitution

“Best Chinese” 2002–2007 – INsite Magazine

“Best Chinese” 1998–2007 – Creative Loaﬁng

EMAIL EVENTS TO ONTAP@INSITEATLANTA.COM

March 8: Philips Arena

HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS 2008 WORLD TOUR The World Famous Harlem Globetrotters are bringing their 2008 “Magic As Ever” World Tour to Atlanta on Saturday, March 8, 2008. Sponsored by Campbell Soup Company, the Globetrotters will take the court at the Philips Arena at 1:00 p.m. Great seats are still available at the Philips Arena box office, charge-by-phone at 404-249-6400 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase group or scout tickets, please visit www.harlemglobetrotters.com for more information.

March 8: Fox Theatre

OPEN EVERY DAY!

www.chinchinonline.com

Bill Cosby is, by any standards, one of the most influential stars in America today. Whether it be through concert appearances or recordings, television or films, commercials or education, Bill Cosby has the ability to touch people's lives. His humor often centers on the basic cornerstones of our existence, seeking to provide an insight into our roles as parents, children, family members, and men and women. Without resorting to gimmickry or lowbrow humor, Bill Cosby's comedy has a point of reference that people can relate to. Cosby brings his critically acclaimed live act to the Fabulous Fox Theatre for two performances 4PM and 8PM. Visit www.ticketmaster.com or call 404-817-8700

March 15: Underground Atlanta

127th ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE AND FESTIVAL

The parade begins at 12 noon on March 15, 2008 starting at Peachtree Street and Ralph McGill and proceeds past Woodruff Park. The parade then moves into Underground Atlanta where the celebration continues with live entertainment. The 2008 Atlanta St. Patrick's Parade will have over 200 units, including floats, bands of every kind, military units, Bagpipe & Drum Corps, thousands of children, clowns, high tech firefighting equipment, dignitaries from Ireland, and Honorary Marshal Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. For more information go to www.stpatsparadeatlanta.com

March 24: Gwinnett Center

ROCKSTAR TASTE OF CHAOS Rockstar Energy Drink continues as the title sponsor for the TASTE OF CHAOS Tour. This year’s line-up includes Avenged Sevenfold, Atreyu, Bullet for My Valentine and Blessthefall. JROCK invades America with performances by MUCC, D’Espairsray and The Underneath. Million-selling artist AVENGED SEVENFOLD will head up closing the night with their unique brand of rock. Avenged Sevenfold knows that it's a combination of the power of their music along with the dedication of their fans that has propelled them to where they are today. Tickets available at 404-249-6400 or online at ticketmaster.com.

March 29: Georgia Tech

AUTO SHOW

The Georgia Tech Auto Show was founded to bring together Georgia Tech faculty, staff, students, alumni, and corporate sponsors who have a passion for the automotive industry. All of the Georgia Tech affiliated are welcome to enter their cars, and the show is open and free to all spectators. The guest speaker will be a Georgia Tech graduate who now works for Tesla Motors, building one of the world's fastest electric production cars. For more information and registration, please visit www.GaTechAutoShow.com

March 30: Centennial Park

ING GEORGIA MARATHON 15,000 runners and wheelers, amateurs and professionals will take part in this 26.2 mile race (wheelchair race is half marathon distance). The start line will be positioned outside Centennial Olympic Park on Marietta St. in downtown Atlanta. The event coincides with the free Health & Fitness Expo located at the GWCC on March 28 and 29. The Expo is open to the public and offers exhibits and speakers. The weekend will kick-off with a concert by SISTER HAZEL at the Tabernacle Friday, March 28th. www.inggeorgiamarathon.com PG 6 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

Book Review X SAVES THE WORLD: HOW GENERATION X GOT THE SHAFT BUT CAN STILL KEEP EVERYTHING FROM SUCKING

Author: Jeff Gordinier BY JOHN MOORE

If anyone knows what its like to be the middle child, it’s the members of Generation X (I say this as a cardcarrying member of that generation, though we’re far too cynical to actually have cards). The only thing Baby Boomers like more than talking about how phenomenal their generation was– touting everything from dreadful acid-inspired music to “ending the War”– is reading about themselves in just about every other cover story in Time and Newsweek and in shelves full of books. Most accounts, however, fail to talk about the other wars they started, the environment the former hippies have trashed and the depth of materialism they subscribe to that has led to countless examples of corporate greed. Yeah, we remember Woodstock, because you won’t shut up about it. And let’s not get started on their spawn– the overly-coddled millennials– who’ve been burdened with an over-inflated sense of self-importance and entitlement. The good news is that I can stop there, because Jeff Gordinier does a remarkable job of tackling both generations in X Saves the World, while pointing out how those of us sandwiched between the two can ultimately right the ship. Gordinier, a former Entertainment Weekly writer, does an excellent job at using humor to pen his generational manifesto. He also does a solid job of pointing out just how many great innovations have come from the “slacker generation.” Gordinier also manages to offer some strong arguments for just how Gen X can save us, or at the very least keep everything from sucking too bad. I’ll take Nirvana over the Eagles or Miley Cyrus any day of the week.

Grade: A-

CELEBRITY CORNER

Wanton Distraction Skewed Views on Entertainment News BY MATT GOLDBERG �� talking about all the money you don’t have and will likely never have, to briefly mention what the next “TOY STORY” film will be about: Woody the cowboy and his toy-box friends are dumped in a day-care center after their owner, Andy, leaves for college. There’s a lot to gleam from this single sentence. First, we know that Andy grows up to be a total dick. I don’t care if children can enjoy the small amount of toys I still don’t play with on a daily basis: they’re MINE. I’m not going to throw them to a bunch of brats I don’t know. Andy’s toys don’t have a prayer. They’ll be ripped to pieces. Second, this also probably means that they’ll be interacting with a large group of toys that are already at the center and every major toy manufacturer is going to want to squeeze their product into the film. If Tickle-MeElmo isn’t in the film demanding that Buzz and Woody pledge their loyalty, then someone somewhere done fucked up. Clearly the film has a lot of potential and there’s a lot to be excited about. And you’ll have plenty of time to be excited because the film doesn’t come out till 2010. �� STREET FIGHTER” film was awful. An adaptation of the popular video-game series that hates numerals (for those keeping track, it’s taken over twenty years to get from the first game to “Street Fighter IV”), the film was a final shame for Raul Julia who passed away soon after the film and just one of many shames for Jean Claude Van

Damme. But now 20th Century Fox is giving it another go. Variety is reporting that Michael Clarke Duncan will play the boxer Balrog and Chris Klein will play the character of Nash, who is known

A New “Street Fighter” movie? Seriously? as Charlie in the US games and who no one gives a shit about because he wasn’t in “Street Fighter II: Championship Edition”. The characters from “Super Street Fighter II” barely scrape by (other than Cammy, who cares?), let alone one who ﬁrst appeared in “Street Fighter Alpha”. I already think this ﬁlm is a waste (a waste of what, I’m not sure. Celluloid...money...time...catering, perhaps?) but it will truly be a sin against mankind if there’s not a single joke about Balrog’s inability to kick.

�� the name of “mink”. I would barely accept that as a screen-name let alone the name of a man who wants to carry himself as a professional director. Here’s a hint: you’re not McG. Here’s another: Even McG isn’t that good. But despite naming himself after a small creature generally used in the making of coats while still expecting that people are going to take him seriously, he is hard at work on the next “MORTAL KOMBAT” movie. I’ll admit: the first “Mortal Kombat” was actually entertaining. It’s a fluke, but an entertaining videogame movie is like Halley’s Comet. And so it was that we got the atrocious “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation” as a follow-up. Now “mink”, wants to do a film that “isn’t so much a sequel as it is a ‘re-envisioning’(if that’s a word)* of the Mortal Kombat franchise from top to bottom. Today’s audience is a savvy involved group so the film must be A plus plus in every area in order to capture the magic of the first film. It is taking the entire concept to the next level across the board in every area visual design, story, cast, FX, photography and most importantly the fighting scenes. The original Mortal Kombat game was born a child of many visual loves by the creators at Midway so this latest version borrows heavily from that pioneering spirit and must be thought out and executed at the highest level in order for it succeed in today’s market place. This is no overnight task.’ Hey, as I said, I liked the first film, but “magic”? Really. Magic. And you’re not going to get A-plus anything because you’re making a Mortal Kombat movie and Mortal Kombat hasn’t been a popular franchise since 1995. As for the original “Mortal Kombat” game, that pioneering spirit was using photo-realistic, ultra-gory (for the time) violence and then letting kids get in on the fun. *It isn’t.

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�� Around Town ��

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PG 8 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

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THEATER

THE X,Y,Z’S OF “AVENUE Q” AVENUE Q FABULOUS FOX THEATRE MARCH 25 – MARCH 30

BY RAV MANSFIELD

venue Q” is a blend of the TV show “Friend’s”, HBO’s adult situations, and Sesame Street. Yep, you heard that right – 20-something problems (rent, relations, etc), racy dialogue, and puppets. Proving that mash-ups aren’t just for mixing 60’s rockers with current rap stars. This production brings post-modern ethos and irreverent humor to the Fabulous Fox Theatre. The play tells the story of Princeton, an optimistic college grad who comes to New York with big dreams and a tiny bank account. He soon discovers that the only neighborhood that he can afford is Avenue Q, but the neighbors seem nice: Kate Monster, a cute kindergarten teaching assistant looking for a soul mate; laid-back and easygoing Nicky and his roommate Rod, a Republican investment banker with a secret; out-of-work Brian, a stand-up comedian, and his fiancée’ Christmas Eve, a therapist with only one client, and Trekkie Monster, an internet addict. Together Princeton and his new found friends struggle to find jobs, dates and the ever elusive purpose in life. The original Broadway production won 3 Tony Awards (Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score) and was nominated for 5 Drama Desk awards and a Grammy. The New York Times proclaimed AVENUE Q as “a breakthrough musical of a very

different stripe. Savvy, sassy and delicious!” and Entertainment Weekly touted it as “one of the funniest shows you’re ever likely to see!” This play may be an homage to children’s television shows of the past but make sure to leave the tykes at home. This play is purely for adults as it contains full-puppet nudity. One of the creatures of “Avenue Q”, Trekkie Monster, may seem like the same puppet you have seen before until he sings his life credo - “The Internet is for Porn.” “Avenue Q” features music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, book by Jeff Whitty, based on an original concept by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx; and is directed by Jason Moore; puppet design by Rick Lyon, musical supervision by Stephen Oremus, choreography by Ken Roberson, scenic design by Anna Louizos, costume design by Mirena Rada, lighting design by Howell Binkley, and sound design by Acme Sound Partners. If “Superman” made the world believe a man could fly, “Avenue Q” confirms that puppets can grow up, love porn, and have just as many problems as their flesh and blood co-stars. This is a memorable show that will also teach you life lessons. Unlike most travelling Broadway shows, there is a ticket for every budget ($19.00 – $55.00) and can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com, or by phone at 404-817-8700.

100 Tequilas Lime Optional.

PG 9 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

DINING

Taco Mac

Taste of the Month-WINGS

Multiple Metro Locations www.tacomac.com

Where to find Some of Atlanta’s Best! Buffalo’s Cafe’

Roswell, Ga. by a Georgia Tech graduate in 1985. It was an immediate hit, and quickly expanded to more locations. There are now more than 50 Buffalo’s Southwest Cafe’s across the country. With wings this good, it’s no wonder there are so many Buffalo’s around.

Multiple Metro Locations www.buffaloscafe.com

Jocks & Jills / Frankie’s

Locos Grill & Pub 3167 Peachtree Rd. 404.233.1989 www.locosgrillandpub.com

Galleria 770.952.8401 Frankie’s 404.843.9444 CNN 404.688.4225 Norcross 770.263.0910 www.jocksandjills.com

Photo courtesy of Buffalo’s

Buffalo’s has been voted Best Wings multiple times in Atlanta polling. What makes them so special? According to executive Chef Shaun Curtis, “It’s the way they’re cooked and the special sauces we use. Our sauces are one-of-akind custom recipes that you can’t get anywhere else.” Their wings are always fresh, never frozen. The plump wings are deep-fried to perfection, doused in one of their 10 secret sauces of the customer’s choosing and served with rich blue-cheese dip. The original Buffalo’s Cafe was opened in

and Ginger. They also have Boneless Buffalo Bites on the menu along with a Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. Besides their Wings, they offer a wide variety of menu items with daily food and beverage specials.

When it comes to wings, the mantra at Taco Mac is “We did ‘em first and we still do ‘em best!” Taco Mac brought the southeast its first taste of Buffalo Style Chicken Wings back in 1979 when a couple of guys from Buffalo, NY on their way to Florida made a stop in Atlanta. After touring the city, they decided to stay and opened the first Taco Mac in Virginia-Highlands.

Back in 1986, when a couple of Atlanta Hawks players and a TBS announcer decided to open a sports bar, little did they know they would be creating an Atlanta institution. Over the years, Jocks & Jills has been synomous great food, fun and memorable events. In 1995 the popular Sandy Springs restaurant Frankie’s joined the group. Frankie’s has been voted America’s #1 Sports Bar by USA Today. Part of the success of Jocks and Jills lies in their great menu and delicious wings. They proudly label their wings “Jumbo” and they are bigger than most. Their wings come in seven unique flavors: the traditional Hot and Mild, BBQ, Teriyaki, Lemmon Pepper, Italian, Sesame

At Locos, wings are the thing. They serve some of the best chicken wings in the city. Whether you want hot, mild, honey, BBQ, Lemon Pepper, Teriyaki, or Honey Mustard; Locos has you covered! There are nightly drink specials on pitchers to help wash them down. Locos has 24 beers on draft to choose from. The menu also includes hot sandwiches, big burgers, seafood, and steak. Many UGA, Auburn and Ga. Southern grads who are familiar with Locos from their college days will find the Peachtree location inside the North End Entertainment district (See Page 33). This buckhead location boasts a patio that sports plenty of outdoor TV’s and a great view of Peachtree. Locos delivers their wings all over Buckhead 7 days a week from 11 to late.

The original Taco Mac location featured above can be found on the corner of Virginia and North Highland.

Their wings immediately had people talking and since then Taco Mac has consistently won awards for their them. They were voted Best Wings by INsite readers in 2007. Taco Mac wings are cooked to order to ensure a consistent standard of quality every time. The wings here are served with one of five types of sauce: Mild, Medium, Hot, Three Mile Island, and Death. All their wings have variations of the secret sauce that has been famous for nearly thirty years. As the popularity of Taco Mac's Buffalo Wings increased, cold beer and sports seemed like natural partners. The wall of drafts grew to offer the biggest selection of micro-brewed beers and imports in the south. People from all over the world could enjoy their hometown brew while watching their hometown sports team at Taco Mac. It became a favorite spot for customers to share an evening of food, friends and family. The wings here are delicious and the beer selection unparalleled. New locations opening soon at Philips Arena and Midtown.

MEET ME AT...

Home of Great Food, Fun & Spirits GALLERIA 1 Galleria Parkway 770-952-8401

PG 10 insiteatlanta.com June 2006

PG 10 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

CNN 1 CNN Center, Suite 265 NORCROSS FRANKIE’S 404-688-4225 7160 Jimmy Carter Blvd. 5600 Roswell Road 404-843-9444 770-263-0910

AN ATLANTA TRADITION SINCE 1986 WWW.JOCKSANDJILLS.COM

COMEDY INTERVIEW

Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show

On The Road With Director Ari Sandel and Comedian Bret Ernst BY MATT GOLDBERG

UST TRYING TO SIT DOWN AND speak with director Ari Sandel and comedian Bret Ernst of Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show has been a comedy of errors for me. Trying to find the room, having my recorder run out of juice, running to the hotel gift shop to buy new batteries, then making it back to the room all before the guys showed up definitely helped get me energized. Not that I needed it. Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show is everything a movie about a comic tour should be. It’s not only hilarious, but has a great cast of guys you’d love to hang out with. I got to do just that, speaking with them about life on the road and the life of a professional comic.

Atlanta, but we also went to El Paso, Little Rock and Lubbock. That’s how they picked the cities, and I knew [Vince] wanted to do stuff outside of LA, like the Southwest, the Midwest and the South. When you’re going across the country, what is it like seeing which jokes work in certain cities and which don’t? For instance, there’s one scene where one of you makes a joke about flip-flops and, in San Diego, that’s apparently verboten.

BE: In LA, there was this trend where all the rich white kids would be wearing trucker hats and dressing blue collar. I would make fun of that trend. But I was in Birmingham, Alabama and I would go, “You see these idiot kids with the trucker hats on?!” AS: And half the audience has trucker hats on! BE: Yeah! These guys really drive trucks! So you make those little adjustments.

You’re filming all these cities, but did the guys have any input where they’re saying, “No, use this take! I killed here!” Ari Sandel: You know, we didn’t really consult with them that much in the editing. When we were shooting, they had a lot of opinions. We indulged them in whatever they wanted to talk about or show because, when you’re shooting comedy, you want to get everything, and they know what makes good and bad comedy. But for the most part, when we were editing, we were in a room alone. It was me, Peter [Billingsley, executive producer], Vince, and a couple of the editors and producers. How did you get involved with the project? AS: I’d known Vince for about eight years. Peter Billingsley, his best friend and producing partner, was actually my very first boss. I met Vince and Ahmed [Ahmed, comedian] and Peter all at the same time. Vince knew the comics through Ahmed, and everyone’s really known each other for years, so there’s a rapport there. So how did the rest of the comedians get involved? AS: Well, Vince sees a lot of comedy through Ahmed, and Ahmed works out of The Comedy Store. Ahmed knew a bunch of other comics, so they went through a handful of names and decided, “Okay, here’s a group of guys we can get along with.” It all just kind of worked out How did you plan to direct 30 cities in 30 days? AS: The producers put it together with Vince. Usually something like that takes about six months. They put it together in about four weeks, so it was really crunch time. He picked the cities and decided that we want to take live comedy to towns that don’t usually get it. So we picked a lot of big towns we wanted to hit, like Vegas and PG 12 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

I DON’T PULL A MICHAEL VICK AND JUST TAKE-OFF RUNNING. I TRY TO STAY IN THE POCKET AND TRY TO READ AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THAT’S I GUESS WHERE THAT STYLE COMES FROM; IT’S JUST NATURAL, FROM THE FIRST TIME I STEPPED ON STAGE. Bret Ernst: Well, as a comedian, there’s certain things you do locally. Obviously, you wouldn’t want to do a joke about the Skybar in Austin, Texas because they won’t know what it is. Like the flip-flop thing, I think San Diego overreacted a little. But if you’re in a beach town and you’re making fun of flip-flops, that’s something Sebastian [Maniscalco, comedian] should have known. AS: He had a joke about trucker hats and people in the South weren’t laughing as much, and he’s like, “What am I, an idiot?! I’m making fun of trucker hats, and they wear trucker hats!”

Does going around the country help provide fresh material for comedy? BE: You don’t want to work out new material in this kind of situation. But when we got back to LA, there’s stuff we took note of. But on the road, you want to keep your Agame. Like I know for myself and most of the comics, I’ve got over an hour-and-a-half worth of material and there’s so much to choose from. But all the bits we choose, we have done before. We have our staple bits because there were ones that we did for the continuity of it. But then we would throw in some new ones just to keep it fresh, but they were already tried-and-true. But it was

never trying out new material. You don’t do that in front of three-thousand people. Bret, you have a more physical style of comedy. How did you come to that? BE: I’ve always been animated. I think maybe my Italian background; I’m mostly Italian so I talk with my hands a lot. I like to act things out. Like when I see my material and I see my jokes, I don’t see them in words. I see them in scenes. I try to add color to them and dimension and detail. I like to say “I stay in the pocket a lot,” I don’t pull a Michael Vick and just take-off running. I try to stay in the pocket and try to read as much as possible. That’s I guess where that style comes from; it’s just natural, from the first time I stepped on stage. When you look back on the film, what do you think is different now than when you filmed it? BE: I don’t really do any of the material I do in the film anymore. I still do the rollerskating thing and still make fun of the techno stuff. But just in general, you always grow as a comedian. You’re supposed to. Nine years ago, I’m definitely not the comic I am today. And two to three years later, I’ll be a different comic. I’ve gotten better. I’ve turned corners. That’s a term we like to use in comedy. Like “I turned a corner last night,” I have an equation with stand-up comedy. I equate it to the rate of free-fall in physics: velocity-speed-squared. Comedy is the same way but there’s no velocity. You plateau. But when you get better, you square yourself. And it’s riding out those plateaus. I’ve hit two levels since the movie. And a lot of that does have to do with the growth and performing in front of thousands of people. It’s a special skill. You have to make that adjustment, which I haven’t had to do since. For all the aspiring standup comics out there, what have you learned to avoid? BS: The thing to avoid is being overzealous. Understand what you’re doing. Focus on being funny. Everything else falls into place. There are a lot of comics out there; they’ve been doing this for two or three years, they want to record a CD and they’re trying to market. There’s nothing worse than leaving a show and there’s some guy, “Hey! Check me out on MySpace!” Make them come to you. But the only way you do that is to keep getting stage time, focus on your routine and know it’s gonna take a while. They always say: Six, 11 and 15 (years) are the milestones. At six years you start seeing stuff and get to be known. At 11, you hit a whole new thing, and 15 is the pinnacle. I’m just about to hit 11, so we’re gonna see if that’s true.

FEATURE

Atlanta’s West Side

A Neighborhood Spotlight on Restaurants in the Area THE WEST SIDE was formed along the railroad artery and former stockyards that fueled Atlanta's industrial growth in the beginning of the 20th century. In recent years people began moving to the area for its convenience to Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead and north on I-75. As young successful Atlantan’s moved in, so did some ground breaking restaurants. Below are just a few that are making waves.

The Real Chow Baby

1016 Howell Mill Rd. Atlanta, GA 30318 404.815.4900 www.therealchowbaby.com

Mike Blum and Damian Stento

The Real Chow Baby is Atlanta's first and only create-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. Principal owner Mike Blum built on his years of experience at well known Atlanta institutions including Bones, Fratteli Di Napoli and Kudzu Cafe. With the success of Bachanalia and Taqueria del Sol, he saw the West Side as new vibrant area that was ripe for cutting edge culinary cuisine. Upon opening in August 2005, people started come from all over to taste this unique restaurant. 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. 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. The Real Chow Baby is healthy, all-you-can-eat, and served quickly. There is no msg and they cook with zero trans-fat oils. All ingredients are delivered fresh each day. For the flat rate of $11.99 for dinner and $7.99 for lunch, you may take unlimited trips to their stir-fry bar. Kids dine for only $6.99 and The Real Chow Baby Stir Fry “to go” is $8.99. They are open for Lunch Monday through Friday and Dinner 7 nights a week with complimentary valet parking. They offer a full bar and are known for their popular Mojitos. Chow Baby was voted “Best Place for a First Date” the past two years. Coming soon in July, the Real Chow Baby will open their second location at the Cobb Galleria. It will be a 9,000 square feet, two story space that will seat 300.

Six Feet Under

685 Eleventh St. Atlanta, GA 30318 404.810.0040 www.SixFeetUnder.net

With the mojo generated from their original location in Grant Park, the owners of Six Feet Under began looking for another part of town to open their second restaurant. When a location became available on the Westside between Howell Mill and Northside Drive, they were sold. The West Side restaurant has all the amenities of the original and some added extras like a coffin-

shaped bar. It is a full service bar with 24 beers on draft with plenty of seating and Plasma TV’s surrounding it. The patio is a popular place in the spring as their 14 tables and patio bar fill up fast as diners look to take in the panoramic view of Atlanta’s skyline. On a clear day, you can see Kennesaw Mountain. Their mantra promises to offer good food at a fair price and have a fun, full service bar with a lot of beer. They have a unique focus on their locations as it relates to the historical significance of the community. They have a lot of great appetizers unlike any you’ll find elsewhere in Atlanta including Fried Calamari, Oysters Rockefeller, Fried Green Tomatoes, Alligator Bites, and Grouper fingers. Popular entrees include their Blackened Catfish platter served with killer cole slaw & whole fried okra. The Baked Grouper is a signature dish that is topped with roasted red peppers and parmesan and served with asparagus & spinach. Six Feet Under offers a variety of salads, soups and sandwiches plus assorted baskets of fried chicken fingers and seafood. They have a popular Bloody Mary Bar which pours on Saturdays 11am - 4pm and Sunday from 12:30pm - 4pm. Their Raw Bar consists of Oysters served on the Half shell, Peel n’ Eat Shrimp, Snow Crab Legs, mussels and clams. Six Feet Under is open for Lunch and Dinner 7 days a week.

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

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

West Egg Cafe’

1168 -A Howell Mill Rd. Atlanta, GA 30318 404.872.3973 www.westeggcafe.com

Owner Jennifer Johnson opened West Egg Cafe in March 2004. It is based on her college experiences at some of the wonderful breakfast and coffee shops in Ann Arbor, Michigan. West Egg is located in the "new" 1930s addition to the historic White Provision Company loft building at the intersection of 14th Street and Howell Mill Road. The name is derived from the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel The Great Gatsby and the fictional town bearing the name. West Egg is an independent coffeehouse and sandwich shop with a comfortable lounge area, free wireless internet access, and a bottomless cup of coffee. The cafe’ offers plenty of stand alone tables making it a good spot for morning meetings. The daily menu includes a variety of sandwiches and salads and a daily soup special. Breakfast is available all day every day, including pancakes, Belgian waffles, omelets, black bean cakes with eggs, build-your-own biscuits, the blue plate, and our fried breakfast wraps. The pastry case is stocked with muffins, scones, cupcakes, cookies, s'mores brownies, and other delicious baked goods. Their signature dish is the Fried Green Tomato BLT served on your choice of fresh baked bread. People also come from all over for their famous Coca-Cola cupcakes, which can be purchased individually or as a baker’s dozen. The coffee is ground from the West Side bean supplier Batdorf & Brunson which also provides the coffee beans for award winning neighborhood restaurant Bachanalia. West Egg Cafe has plenty of parking in the front and offers free valet service for overflow parking during peek hours. They are open seven days a week, 7 a.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. on weekends, closing at 4 p.m. every day.

Winner Best Consignment Store

PG 13PGinsiteatlanta.com March•2006 13 • insiteatlanta.com March 2008

FILM INTERVIEW

Mike Epps BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

HOUGH MIKE EPPS DOES FUNNY like LeBron James does fast breaks, the dude can get real really quick. No, seriously. In the following sit-down, the Indiana native who was absolutely hilarious in Next Friday, All About the Benjamins and last month’s Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins doesn’t blink when he speaks on the trappings of Hollywood. He goes from the heart about his early behavioral troubles, too. And he’s mad sincere about wanting to one day portray comedic hero Richard Pryor on the big screen. Were it not for the occasional comedic blip –“I would like to work with Britney Spears right now. She’s the hottest thing poppin’.”- you’d almost think you were listening to a heartfelt interview with Charlie Rose. Almost… Mike, how were you in school? I stayed suspended. I always had a school prank. Out of 94 days, I might have went to school 50 of them, straight up. I always had straight F’s. Had the comedy not worked out, what would you have done? The penitentiary. Well, not the penitentiary. I probably would’ve just been a dude that worked. At UPS or something? Not even that. How was I going to work at UPS? There seemed to be a lot of adlibbing during Roscoe Jenkins. Is that true? I think the reason why [director Malcolm Lee] hired all of us comedians –Mo’Nique, me and Cedric the Entertainer- was because he knew he could get that certain type of comedy timing, know what I mean? Michael Clarke Duncan and James Earl Jones [don’t have that]. With comedians, you’re going to get that adlib. I’m pretty sure you could tell when we weren’t doing the on-the-page stuff. But that was the great thing about working with Malcolm: he’s a smart-enough director to know how to use stand-up comics. Sometimes you see stand-up comedians in movies and they’re not funny. You be like, “Man, he’s funny. Why wasn’t he funny in that movie?” 9 times outta 10, the director didn’t really know how to use him, know what I mean? It’s kind of hard to make a comedian do thespian actor stuff with a script or some lines. That said, how did you approach more straightlined stuff like Talk to Me and Resident Evil? Well, I have, over the years, learned and understood that you have to have that or you will get pigeon-holed and typecast in the business. You have to have that versatility. And in order to have it, you have to work on it. So, I’ve been working on that structure, learning how to focus in on a script and read it and really get the comprehension of it and take that character and do research on him. I learned how to do that. What do you enjoy most, touring with comedy or doing movies? I tell you, I’ve really found out that without one or the other, neither one is good. If I didn’t’ do stand-up and didn’t have the ability to go out and touch regular, real people, I wouldn’t come off in the movies that great. You ever see actors like that? You be like, “What happened to him?” They jus separate themselves from regular people. Everybody in the world ain’t rich! Everybody don’t ride around in limos everyday all day. When you separate yourself from the regular world, you become just and entertainer and a socialite for those people that’s rich. You’re their star now. I try to make sure that I stay in touch with real people and be in their presence. PG 14 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

It really, really pays off. It takes a lot out of you, too. People drain you. If I wanna go out and go down to Gladys Knight’s [Chicken and Waffles] and have me four wings and a waffle, people gonna walk up to you and say stuff. It’s gonna be uncomfortable if you’re not the type of person that understands that this comes with it. I can’t get mad about this. I crack

know what I’m sayin’? He was a complete genius. There’s a heavy price to pay for being that. I learned how to appreciate and protect my craft and protect my blessing and not take it for granted and not let it destroy me. That’s the everyday ﬁght when have genius qualities or God blesses you with a gift. The ﬁght is just to keep your sanity. I make people laugh

EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD AIN’T RICH! WHEN YOU SEPARATE YOURSELF FROM THE REGULAR WORLD, YOU BECOME JUST AND ENTERTAINER AND A SOCIALITE FOR THOSE PEOPLE. YOU’RE THEIR STAR NOW. I TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT I STAY IN TOUCH WITH REAL PEOPLE AND BE IN THEIR PRESENCE. IT REALLY, REALLY PAYS OFF. a joke about people saying my name is Day Day [his character from the Friday series]. But I don’t care. That’s just a joke to me to make people think that I’m upset about [stardom]. So the stand-up comedy fuels the movies and vice versa? It really does. Stand-up comedy really does fuel the movies. Actors have actor’s workshops and improvisational things to work on their acting. My acting workshop is stand-up. That’s where I get my timing at. When I do stand-up, I get a chance to learn how to act. I’m doing a joke and acting like something. I be like, “If I do this in a movie or use some of my stand-up comedy…” There was a rumor that you were to play Richard Pryor in a movie. Is that still in the works? Well, I set with Richard Pryor for about a year. His wife said that I was doing the project. He died and then the family started ﬁghting over the estate stuﬀ. The project got put on hold. I got my hopes up high about it but I didn’t. I’m that type of guy. I’ve been let down a lot since I was a kid. I don’t let people psyche me up on shit. Show me the money. I learned that at an early age. I don’t wanna hear shit. As soon as I walk out the door, it’s back to reality. It ain’t there, so I ain’t trippin’. I’m just gonna go ahead and be the best Mike Epps that I can be right now. If the project happens, I know that’s in the Lord’s hands for real. Richard Pryor was a great man. If it’s meant for me to do it, there’s not going to be another dude that can do it but me. What did you learn from Richard Pryor? Richard Pryor taught me how to protect my craft and to appreciate it. That’s one of the downfalls that he had of being a great artist, you

all the time. I just be wantin’ to laugh sometimes. I want somebody to bust me up. It’s a heavy price to pay. You give up so much for the position. I just try to be normal as possible. I try to do normal things. I don’t have too many people or servants just doing stuﬀ for me. Fuck all of that. If I can’t ride down the street by myself, I don’t want it. When it start gettin’ like that, I quit ‘cuz I ain’t gonna be able to enjoy nuthin’. C’mon, man. I ain’t givin’ this up right here. Touching the people. Anything outside of that is nuts to me. Do you think that might have happened to Dave Chappelle? I couldn’t tell you about that situation. I’m explaining how I feel and what I’d do. I really can’t speak for another man. I really don’t know what happened with that brother. I know I’m not going to let them drive me crazy. I’ll quit. See, I’mma tell you something about me: I ain’t never been a snitch when I was in the streets. I’m not tellin’ nuthin’. I don’t know what you talkin’ about. I got some real old-school morals about me. Some old, blues, back-ofthe-ally morals about me. That’s a form of telling to me. I’m just not going to conform to [Hollywood]. I’ll just go get a job and that’s really me talking to my demons and the Devil. That’s who tricks you in the business. He puts you in a position where he says, “If you want this, you gotta do this right here.” You don’t know what’s really behind it. He’s behind it. He’s working through the best business in the world- show business. He works through the business. There you go, selling your soul and doing something for a bigger car. That’s all you’re going to get. You’re gonna get a bigger car and a bigger house than me by doing what they tell you to do. Wow!

You ain’t never seen a U-Haul behind a hertz. You can’t take none of this shit with you. You might as well live regular like the white folks do. They walk around here with billions of dollars with raggedy-ass jeans on and sneakers. You don’t see no jewelry on them. None of that. But I know what they get us with all the time. They really understand that young black men like power. We love power. We like to have power over people and we like to be kings. They use that shit on us. The average dude will sell his soul for that power. [In a stereotypical voice] “I want people to be semi scared of me. I wanna all the money. I wanna a bunch of girls. I wanna act like I’m running for president. I wanna still hang with niggas that’s shooting guns everyday and selling drugs.” That’s what the European knows about us, and they target us for that. They say, “You know what? They’ll do anything for this power right here.” How do I beat’em? I don’t want that. I tell’em in their face, straight-up, “So!” I’ll go get a job. I like working. I’ll get up right now, 6:30 in the morning and go clock in somewhere and crack jokes all day. I’d get off at 4:30, come home, take a shower, watch my programs, exercise or whatever and enjoy my life. I’d sit back and, in five years, a dozen people in show business will die rich. It’s the moral part about how I feel about life first. All of this is just stuff I talk about to keep me from going crazy. What profession would you get in if you ever got out of Hollywood? I’d really like to work with kids. I really like cussin’ kids out. I like to challenge kids ‘cuz they teach me a lot. I learn so much from kids. I go to juvenile facilities all over the country. I do a show for them first, have’em all dying laughing. I’ll talk about the guards. Say all the right things they want to hear me say. Then I’ll talk to them for 35, 40 minutes on similar stuff to what I was telling you about what they trickin’ us with. The reason I can talk to them like that is from experience. This is what has almost made me jack my life up- several times! Wanting things and trying to force my life in a way that it ain’t supposed to be. I can’t live like no mob figure. You can’t be a mob boss. You’re not Italian. It’s a white man’s world. If they locked Martha Stewart up, you know they’ll lock your black ass up! What saved you from falling trap to all of this? Early experiences. I got my experiences real early. Some people get it late. Some people don’t get it at all. They got some 60-year-old fools runnin’ around here, pants saggin’ with grey braids. Ain’t that crazy? You be like, “This nigga still in the game. Still talkin’ shit.” All of this happened to me real early. I had been in trouble and been incarcerated and all that before I was 20 years old. I feel like I was an OG at 20. When did you decide to pursue comedy as a career? At the time that I started, Def Comedy Jam was poppin’. Chris Tucker was poppin’ on there. Martin Lawrence was poppin’. People was gettin’ breaks. It was goin’ down. I had seen the possibility. Man, I can get that. When I knew I was on to something, people would just tell me I was funny. I was actually going around practicing [my routine] on people in just everyday life. I would say to myself, “Damn, this shit be workin’. I was seein’ if I could do it on cue. I was makin’ people laugh all the time, just bein’ me. Then I started gettin’ some one-liners together. I was talkin’ to the girls. My name was kinda poppin’ around the city in the after-hour clubs and the bars. I noticed how people would act when I came around. Everybody would be like, “Get’me, Mike. Talk about him!” I was onto something. I ran with it. I never did it for money. Still don’t til this day. My wife cuss me out everyday. [She asks] “What you gonna do when you can’t do it no more?” I said, “Shiiit. When is that? When I’m dead? I can do this forever.” I love to do it. I’mma be 70 years old, talkin’ crazy. Been married five times. Funny is funny till you die.

FILM INTERVIEW

Rumor Has It... THAT INSITE GOT A ONE-ON-ONE WITH CONTROVERSIAL ACTRESS VIVICA A. FOX. YOU HEARD RIGHT.

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

ATING 50 CENT. GETTING DUIS. Having breast enhancement surgery. If there’s something scandalous to be said about actress Vivica A. Fox, trust us, she’s already seen the headline- twice! Arguably the most gossiped about African American in the movie industry, Fox gets more media coverage for the things she does away from the camera than she does for the things (Two Can Play That Game, the Kill Bill series, HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm) she does in front of it… save for that lil’ illicit sex tape scandal a while back. Sorry, TMZ.com faithful, but when we finally coral the 43-year-old Indianapolis native, the mood is centered around Fox on the screen more so than the titillating stuff behind the scenes. In fact, Vivica’s latest project, Cover, is a small-budgeted pic that hits on a big issue that’s affected bedrooms in Black America for a few years now. Were we to divulge the details of the movie here, the film’s twist wouldn’t help but unravel itself. What we can do, however, is get Vivica’s thoughts on being a part of what could be an eye-opening cinematic movement. But who are we fooling? We went ahead and cleared up a couple of things we, umm, heard about on the internet while we had her attention, too. Tell me a little about your Indianapolis growing up. Wow. I’m proud to be a Hoosier. Went to Arlington High School. I left when I was 17. Gosh, I played basketball, volleyball, track, was a cheerleader. We won the 1982 City Girls Championship. I loved it. Glad that I was raised in the Midwest. Went to Breeding Tabernacle Church. My family still lives there. As a matter of fact, I’ll be headed their next Saturday for my momma’s birthday.

Since starring in Booty Call, how has Hollywood changed for you? Well, the beautiful thing is that we’re now producing and writing and directing more. Cover was directed by an African-American. When we did Booty Call, that was directed by Jeﬀ Pollack. Me, Jamie [Foxx] and Tommy [Davidson], they trusted us to make the script good, so we should have gotten a co-writing credit on that. But now we’re directing, so the images and stories of African-Americans are more correct. We still have those over-the-top comedies with your basic stereotypes. When it’s independently produced and directed, that’s where you’re going to get your better quality and grittier roles to portray. Any more small screen roles in your future? Absolutely. I just did a reality-based pilot for VH1 that I’m hoping gets picked up called Glam Squad. It stars myself and Philip Bloch, who’s an amazing stylist. I got the reality thing happening. I’m also in works with BET to try and develop a series called the Lashawna Cooper Mysteries which is kinda like the detective work I did on Missing. I don’t rule out the small screen. Whatever screen is available. I just try to make it happen and make it good. Wherever the projects are, huh? And the beautiful thing is that I’m producing my own projects. So, I’m really involved with the ﬁnished product that you see. You’re a headline maker, Vivica. Sometimes it’s for

positive stuﬀ and sometimes it’s for negative things. How do you stay upbeat living in that world? I’ve got thick skin and an amazing support group from my family who know me, who know my character and my heart. They know I’m just like everybody else. I make mistakes. But some of the things that are out there are just the toxicity of the internet. Anyone can make up a story about you, true or false, and just run with it. The people that care close to me and care for me know the deal. I always call them and give them a head’s up on what’s coming out. But I do wish that people, when they go to print negativity and lies, found out their facts ﬁrst and realize that I do have a mother, a father, a sister and a brother who have supported me. But I guess I’m the girl that can grab headlines. As Patti LaBelle once told me, “When they stop talking about you, baby, that’s when you worry.” You have to have thick skin and know who you are.

I’m letting it go, but my question to you is this: Can Hollywood relationships work? Of course they can. You guys just put us under such a microscope. Relationships here are just like anywhere. Some work and some don’t! We just happen to live in a ﬁshbowl and everyday people are fascinated about who we’re dating. I’m sure if we went into the private lives of every individual across America, some relationships work. Some folks get divorced just like we do. I wish you guys would just stop. We’re human! We just have a job where we get in front of a screen

Let me know if I’m reaching, but thick skin isn’t something you’re born with. That comes over time in Hollywood, right? Absolutely. Negativity sales- especially in today’s society. They’d print something bad before they print something good. That’s just the nature of the beast.

Understood. Three Can Play That Game comes out this year, right? It came out on DVD yesterday. I wish I could have got a theatrical release but it didn’t happen. But we did get the sequel done. As a producer, that’s what’s important to me.

tionships.” I’ve had one. I apologize. Let me not pluralize it. Please don’t. I was married once to a guy and I had one public relationship with a celebrity that was very short-term that you all cannot seem to let go of.

Valentine’s Day just passed. Vivica, you’ve had some public relationships… Don’t say “rela-

How often do you get to go back home? Probably about twice a year. There are some solid actors like Leon and Louis Gossett Jr. in Cover, but the message is what’s so powerful. Did that draw you to this project? Yes. Two reasons: the message and director Bill Duke. Bill and I worked together previously on [the TV show] Missing. I’ve been a fan of his as an actor for years. I thought he was amazing. Once we did Missing together, I said, Once you do something in the future, I’d love to work with you again. He contacted me directly and said, “I got us a project.” He oﬀered me the role to play Zahara. I got the script and the next thing I know we’re in Philadelphia making the movie. Were there many laughs on the set? Oh, absolutely. We had laughs. We’re all professionals, don’t get me wrong. When it’s time to roll [we knew it], but there were a couple of ﬂubs. [Duke] was very light-hearted. He’s an actor’s director. He knows what we’re going through. If some of the lines didn’t work, we took the time to massage that script and get it to make things work. We had good rehearsal time and a short shooting schedule. We took the rehearsal time to make sure that everything was on track, so when it came time to shoot, we just knocked it out.

Tell me about the project. Three Can Play That Game came about when I was doing Motives 2, another sequel I did to a movie I did with Rainforest Films with Will Packer and Rob Hardy who did Stomp the Yard. I just put it out there in the universe. So many different nationalities kept coming up to me and said how much they loved Two Can Play That Game, so I mentioned it to those guys. Six months later we shot it. A year later it’s now being released. It’s starring myself, Jason George, Terri J Vaugh, Tony Rock, Melyssa Ford, Jazsmine Lewis. Basically, Shante (Vivica’s character) moves to Atlanta and she is now a love therapist. She helps a couple of couples to go through the “love game.” It’s very similar [to the original]. I still talk to the audience, but now I’m more of a counselor. And what about this other indie… Yes, yes, yes. That was another one I did. I also just did The Slammin’ Salmon with Michael Clarke Duncan where I play an over-the-top rock star. I also did another independent film called Miss Nobody. I did another independent film called Streets. I’ve been doing a lot of independent films while the strike was going on.

I’VE GOT THICK SKIN AND AN AMAZING SUPPORT GROUP FROM MY FAMILY WHO KNOW ME, WHO KNOW MY CHARACTER AND MY HEART. THEY KNOW I’M JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. I MAKE MISTAKES.

With the strike over, the goal is to get back into the mainstream roles? Umm, you know? I just like working. I don’t have a problem doing the independent ﬁlms because that’s usually where you get a ton of roles at. The business has changed so much. People are independently doing their own thing all over the place. So, I don’t really turn my nose up. You’re always going to have your popcorn movies, but there’s no guarantee that that’s going to be a success or [if] an independent ﬁlm is going to be a success. Look at the success of Juno and how well that’s done. The thing is to just be involved with quality projects. Continue that growth and continue working. PG 15 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

FILM

�� BE KIND REWIND:�� –Matt Goldberg CHARLIE BARTLETT:� �� PG 16 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

�� –Matt Goldberg COVER:�� –DeMarco Williams DEFINITELY, MAYBE:�� –Matt Goldberg 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS, AND 2 DAYS:��

Sorry, people, but eventually Will Ferrell will hit that wall that Jim Carrey (looking for an Oscar) and Adam Sandler (being lazy) hit. So until then, enjoy ﬁlms like “Semi-Pro.” �� –Matt Goldberg SEMI-PRO:��

�� –B. Love SHINE A LIGHT:� �� –Matt Goldberg THE SIGNAL:� ��

�� GRADE: B+ –Matt Goldberg TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE:� �� –B. Love VINCE VAUGHN’S WILD WEST COMEDY SHOW:� ��

�� –Matt Goldberg VANTAGE POINT:� �� –B. Love WELCOME HOME ROSCOE JENKINS:� �� –DeMarco Williams

“INSANELY FUNNY!”

Shawn Edwards, FOX-TV

“WILL FERRELL IS HILARIOUS.” Renee Shapiro, ABC-TV

“YOU’LL LAUGH SO HARD YOU’LL DRIBBLE.”

“LAUGHOUTLOUD FUNNY.”

Mark S. Allen, CBS-TV

Steve Oldfield, FOX-TV

“A SLAM DUNK!”

Jim Ferguson, ABC-TV

www.semipromovie.com

SOUNDTRACK AVAILABLE ON

MOBILE USERS: For Showtimes - Text SEMIPRO with your ZIP CODE to 43KIX (43549)

STARTS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29

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COMPLIMENTARY PASSES

invite you and a guest to a special advance screening of at Regal Atlantic Station on Thursday night, March 13 at Midnight

To receive a complimentary pass, simply visit Chicago’s Nancy’s Pizza in Midtown. 265 Ponce De Leon • Midtown 404-885-9199

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. This movie is rated R.

OPENS IN THEATRES MARCH 14

PG 17 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

FILM INTERVIEW

LOST

& FOUND

Matthew Fox On His Hit TV Show, His Budding Film Career & Working With The Wachowskis How do you even ﬁnd time to do ﬁlms when you’re a lead character on a hit TV show? Touchstone has been very accommodating. I spent three and a half months in Berlin last summer making Speed Racer, and there was almost three weeks of overlap between my schedule on Speed Racer and Lost. Damon literally shot episodes out of order to accommodate my schedule, which is incredible. They’ve been very, very supportive of these projects I’ve been doing outside of the show, and I appreciate it because I’m really enjoying the process.

BY ALEX S. MORRISON

HOUGH HE CURRENTLY FINDS himself starring in TV’s most buzzedabout show (Lost) and the summer’s most eagerly anticipated family ﬁlm (Speed Racer), Matthew Fox’s seemingly brilliant career choices are in fact the result of either cosmic coincidence or grand design, depending on your perspective. Growing up on a ranch in Crowheart, Wyoming, where his family raised cattle and grew barley for Coors beer, the young man dreamed not of Hollywood glitz and glamour, but of working on Wall Street, ultimately earning an Economics degree from Columbia University. But when his girlfriend’s mother suggested he give modeling a try, Fox quickly found himself cast in TV commercials, and a new career was born. Few who watched his soapy breakthrough show, Party Of Five, would’ve expected Fox capable of the sort of brooding dramatic intensity he brings to his Lost character, Dr. Jack Shephard, which has earned him a Golden Globe nomination and a Screen Actors Guild Award. But the 41-year-old continues to prove himself a compelling performer with impressive turns in ﬁlms such as We Are Marshall and Vantage Point. During our recent interview in Santa Monica, Fox spoke passionately on subjects ranging from Lost’s detractors and morality’s grey areas to working with the visionary Wachowski brothers on Speed Racer.

How did you get involved with the Speed Racer project? Were you a fan of the cartoon growing up? I didn’t know Speed Racer at all. The Wachowskis asked to meet with me. I guess they’re fans of Lost, and they had an idea that I might be Racer X. But I went into the meeting never knowing anything about Speed Racer: I just wanted to work with the Wachowskis. That meeting went great, so I took the script home and I got the source material and watched a lot of Speed Racer. Then I went back to L.A. and really went after that role. Working with the Wachowskis and the cast on this particular film– it’s a game-changer, in my opinion– was an extraordinary experience. Having seen the Matrix films, did you have any expectations about working with the Wachowskis? None at all, no. They were very private, so you don’t really know much about them until you get to meet them and fall into their world. They really are artists. They create a world, and a big part of your job– particularly on a cartoon being turned into this whole world– is to spend all of your time trying to figure out what that world that they’re creating in their two heads is. You’re trying to crawl into that and find that image of X within the backdrop of what they’re doing. It was really, really amazing.

How does your life now compare to what you envisioned for yourself when you first started out as an actor? I never ever thought I’d be doing what I’m doing right now. Getting here has just been a series of opportunities, one leading to another. I never set out when I was 22 years old and said, “I want to be acting in big movies.” How surprised were you that Lost became the cultural phenomenon that it seems to have become? I’ve always believed in it being something very special from the moment I read the first script and met with [producers] J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof and the other people that were involved. I felt positive that it was going to be a very good show. You can never count on that translating into finding a massive audience, and what the show has done globally has just been astounding. I’m very surprised by it, but on the other hand I think the show deserves it. Some critics said the show lost its way last season. Did you agree? No, I didn’t feel that at all. The people that [criticized it] were all bandwagon jumpers. We won the Emmy and the Golden Globe– we were like this cultural [touchstone]– then we had a whole bunch of people jump on just because they couldn’t stand being left out. They weren’t really Lost fans to begin with, and they all went away. How did ABC’s announcement of a final end date for the series affect the way you guys approached telling the story? Damon campaigned for that, and I understand why. He’d always say to me, “If somebody told you that you were going to run a marathon tomorrow, but they weren’t sure whether they were going to make you run 18 miles or 26, you wouldn’t have any idea how to pace yourself through that.” He has the story in his head, but until he knew how many chapters he had to write that story in, it was PG 18 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

I’M REALLY HAVING A GREAT TIME RIGHT NOW. I’M GETTING A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH REALLY GREAT DIRECTORS. I THINK THAT TELEVISION IS MORE OF A WRITER’S MEDIUM AND FILMMAKING IS MORE OF A DIRECTOR’S MEDIUM, AND GETTING AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THESE TYPES OF DIRECTORS IS REALLY REWARDING. very difficult. Now that he has that, the story is going to have a lot of momentum and move quickly. Every episode is going to feel like it’s charging forward to the final conclusion of this story. One thing I like about Lost and your last film, Vantage Point, is that you’re never sure where people stand on the line dividing good from evil. What is it about these morality plays that attracts you as an actor? I guess I’m really interested in the gray areas. I’m not necessarily sure about any concept of good and evil, or black and white. I’m very interested in the concept of perspective– it’s something I think about all the time in my life, the ability for one event to happen and for two people to perceive that event so differently, depending on where they’re standing and who they are and what kind of agenda they have. It’s astounding to me, and I find myself running into it in my own life, in my relationships with family and friends. Then you extrapolate that out into conflicts between nation

states. It’s just unbelievable to me how many people walk around in this world thinking their version of reality is the only one that exists. How difficult is it for you to find film roles that are different from you character on Lost? I’m really having a great time right now. I’m getting a lot of opportunities to work with really great directors. I think that television is more of a writer’s medium and filmmaking is more of a director’s medium, and getting an opportunity to work with these types of directors is really rewarding. I’ve been doing this business for quite a while. I’ve taken it very slow, because I always felt that it was a marathon and not a sprint for me. I think the people that really go quickly in this business– the sprinters– go away quickly and a lot of times are not in it for the right reasons. For me it’s been sort of a slow, steady climb, finding the right projects and never doing a project as a means to an end.

When dad is starring in blockbuster films and a hit TV show, how do you keep your children grounded? Well, they don’t have any contact with the business part of it, and they don’t get to see any of the things I’m in. One of the things that I was excited about [with Speed Racer] is that it’s a PG-rated family movie. My kids came on set in Berlin and saw me in the full Racer X costume, and I didn’t want to scare them so I was like, “Hey!” They were like, “Daddy?!” I walked on set and my little boy turned to my wife and goes, “I want to be Racer X next Halloween!” What do you want to do with the rest of your career after Lost goes off the air? For me, it’s just sort of project by project, but I don’t think I’ll do television again. I think some of the best writing is going on in television, and in my opinion Lost is an example of that. The reason I want to do films from here on out is just because it gives me more control over my year. I love the idea that I can pour myself into something 110% for three months, and then it’s done. Then I’m unemployed again, and I use that period to hang out with people I love and nurture those relationships and do things that I love to do and reenergize myself until that next thing comes along that feels inevitable for me. When you’re working on a television series, that’s anywhere between six and nine months of your year locked into one character and one project. I would just like to have a little bit more flexibility than that.

Vidiots This month’s DVD & VHS Releases

ATONEMENT – This adaptation of Ian McEwan’s novel hits all the major plot points while missing character development and themes. Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and Robbie (James McAvoy) never develop beyond being star-crossed lovers who provide dramatic weight to the film’s real lead, Briony Tallis. At 13, Briony’s over-active imagination rips Cecilia and Robbie apart with an accusation she knows to be false, and the remainder of the story is her atonement. By the final twist, the film has been crushed under the weight of its aspirations. Atonement may carry itself as a prestige pic, but underneath its shiny exterior this adaptation is by turns unintentionally hilarious and unbearably melodramatic. Grade C- MG AUGUST RUSH – After a whirlwind night with rocker Lewis

PICKS OF THE MONTH ENCHANTED

Despite rave reviews from critics and audiences alike, you won’t see this romantic comedy on many Top 10 lists this year, because it’s simply not the sort of film critics are supposed to get behind. But with its subversive skewering of classic Disney stereotypes while simultaneously paying tribute to the timeless traditions Disney Princess fanatics treasure, its arguably the finest fairy tale film since The Princess Bride, not to mention the Mouse House’s most impressive effort since the dawn of Pixar’s dominance. BL

(Jonathan Rhys Meyers), cellist Lyla (Keri Russell) gets pregnant, then gets in a terrible car wreck. Her father (William Sadler) lies and says she lost the baby in the accident, but in reality he gave the child up for adoption. But the orphaned August (Freddie Highmore) doesn’t have time to wallow: He’s too busy escaping the orphanage to look for them. August meets a street-performing father figure (Robin Williams) that opens up a side story the film could’ve done without, but with Lyla on the hunt for the kid, you’re willing the two sides together from your seat. In the end, it’s a feel-good family film sprinkled with a little extra saccharine. Grade B- DM

DAN IN REAL LIFE – Dan Clay (Steve Carell) is a parenting ad-

vice columnist with three daughters. His wife died four years ago, but Dan has been so busy being a dad he hasn’t dated. During an annual family reunion, he meets Marie (Juliette Binoche), who sweeps him oﬀ his feet. Unfortunately, she’s dating Dan’s brother, Mitch (Dane Cook). From there, Dan is thrown into a moral conundrum that results in some light, warm-hearted comedy. If you can tolerate Cook’s shtick and you’re a fan of Carell, Dan in Real Life will win you over as a fun family ﬁlm that adults can actually enjoy. Grade B MG

HITMAN – There’s a lot wrong with Hitman. There’s a convoluted plot involving the assassination of the Russian president

and genetically engineered assassin Agent 47 (Timothy Olyphant), who’s trying to find why he’s now at the mercy of his own mysterious organization. There’s the lack of a serious antagonist or worthy foil for the unstoppable 47. There’s also the lack of a sense of humor. But all of this would be forgivable if the film had anything memorable in the action department, and that’s inexcusable in a film based around a guy who’s really good at killing people. Grade D+ MG

I AM LEGEND – You’ve heard the old saying, “No man is an is-

land”? That doesn’t apply in 2012, when a cure for cancer has wiped out most of the Earth’s human population. His family dead and gone, Dr. Robert Neville (Will Smith) has Manhattan all to himself. Deer run wild through Times Square. Weeds sprout through Big Apple streets. You’re watching Castaway, only with skyscrapers and vampiric bloodsuckers instead of sand and volleyballs. In fact, the only problem you’ll have with this 100-minute gut check is wondering how Neville found the juice to power iPods blasting Bob Marley and stovetops cooking eggs. Already a top choice for buddy comedies and July 4 action ﬂicks, with I Am Legend, Will proves he can conquer horror, too. Grade B DW

THE KITE RUNNER – Marc Forster’s adaptation of Khaled Hos-

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

Few ﬁlm fans would argue that the Coen brothers haven’t made consistently great movies over the course of their careers, but some might say that 1990’s Miller’s Crossing was the last time they made a movie as dynamic and visceral as this captivating morality play. Pitch-perfect performances from Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones and especially Javier Bardem vividly brought Cormac McCarthy’s brutal story to life, while Roger Deakins’ stunning cinematography is equally captivating. It deserved every Oscar it won. BL

seini’s bestselling novel is a good movie, but not a great one, and its central flaw in its faithfulness. The story follows the childhood friendship of storyteller Amir (Zekiria Ebrahimi) and his sidekick Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada), the son of his wealthy father’s servant, who defends Amir against bullies in pre-Soviet invasion Afghanistan. When it focuses on the 12year-old boys’ relationship, the film flies, making the horror that ultimately impacts Hasan more painful to watch. But the film falters when it focuses on mopey Amir as an adult, as he courts his wife, releases his debut novel and returns to Afghanistan to stand up to the Taliban in an effort to make good on his boyhood betrayal. Grade B BL

THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE – Halle Berry stars as Audrey

Burke, a housewife whose life is turned upside down when her developer husband, Steven (David Duchovny), is gunned down. Wracked with grief, she remembers at the last minute to invite Steven’s best friend, heroin addict Jerry (Del Toro), to the funeral. Audrey has always hated Jerry, but as she struggles to cope with her loss she turns to him for solace. When she asks him to move into the garage and help around the house, Jerry quickly finds himself filling his best friend’s shoes, teaching his son to swim, finding his missing daughter and even helping his widow fall asleep. Though at times Allan Loeb’s script feels manipulative and manufactured, Berry and Del Toro deliver effective turns that elevate the material above typical two-hanky fare. Grade B- BL

�� FILM INTERVIEW

The Directors of The Signal Talk About Their Homegrown Hit

BY BRET LOVE

HE SIGNAL IS A CREDIT TO ATLANTA, and to Atlanta filmmakers. When I first saw the film back in Janaury, I was excited to meet the writer-directors of this twisted vision of my hometown. David Bruckner, Dan Bush and Jacob Gentry are all incredibly well spoken and intelligent gentlemen who have made a film that not only succeeds on indie cred by twisting a familiar genre, but by understanding the nature of what makes a horror film horrifying. I sat down with them to inquire why they scared the hell out of me. When directing The Signal, how did you divide the various tasks, segments and requirements necessary for making it a cohesive film? David Bruckner: We wrote the story together, so we kind of conceived of what the whole thing would be based on ideas of different things we wanted to do in this apocalyptic setting. We’d all design our different stories based on that idea and come back and bring it together and take notes together. So in a sense it’s very collaborative, but also each film is what that film is intended to be.

Dan Bush: We broke the whole story down into index cards for each beat or action, arranged chronologically for the movie, and had it laid out on a timeline. Then we figured out what things we’d like to see from different perspectives, such that the same beat or moment would inform the previous moment or perspective in a whole new light. Jacob Gentry: We also had to create the universe and the rules of the universe. The fictional city of Terminus. By the way, I loved that the city was called Terminus, the original name of Atlanta. David: Terminus is to Atlanta as Gotham City is to New York City. And we wanted to create a mythology that was rooted in the town we knew and loved and inspired us, but also a mythical city. Jacob: With fairies and hobbits! [Laughter] David: It’s a place without context, and when you set it in Terminus instead of Atlanta, it becomes every city in a way.

everyone’s fears and desires are different, so we told it from three different points of view through a love triangle. Basically there’s a man, his girlfriend and her husband, and basically that love triangle is in that direction. Dan: And because the film deals so much with violence, a lot of it deals with how the

violence hits their brains and how they view what they do and what seems reasonable. If you can see the story from their perspective, they become human to you and you think you may go down the same rational path they did. But if we told the whole story objectively, then we wouldn’t have that. It would just be good guys and bad guys. Jacob: It’s also, hopefully, three times as good. It really works well with the pacing. Before you can even start to get settled, everything changes again.

see signal on page 35

THIS IS AN INDEPENDENT HORROR FILM AND, FOR THAT REASON, WE FELT AN OBLIGATION TO RUN WITH IT AND TAKE AS BIG A RISK AS WE POSSIBLY COULD INSIDE THE STORY. YOU MAKE A FILM THE AUDIENCE CAN’T TRUST. YOU CANNOT TRUST THIS WORLD OF THE SIGNAL.

Thematically, why did you choose to break the film up into three segments? Jacob: Well, thematically it’s how The Signal hits. Everyone feels it differently, and PG 19 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

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Folling Molly @��(3-6) �� St. Patty’s Day Fest �� Aclarion �� Bash, Zoroaster �� Pierce Pettis �� Jumpin’ Jukes �� Stop Drop & Roll �� Kink Patrol �� St. Patrick’s Day Massacre �� The Fire Apes �� Donnie McCormick & Friends �� Grayson Hill �� Need to Breathe, I Nine �� Grabass Charlestons �� The Might Be Giants �� Gary Pfaff, Angel Snow �� T. Bone Smith �� Fat City Wildcats �� The Dreaming �� Gareth Asher, Francisco Vidal �� Sons & Daughters �� Fat City Mild Cats �� DevilDriver, Napalm Death �� Airbourne, EndEverAfter �� Stampede �� Donna Jean & the Tricksters �� Crowd Control �� Nicole Atkins �� Crosstown Allstars �� The Riverboat Gamblers �� Bill Shefﬁeld, Donnie McCormick �� Switches �� We Fly Standby, Sound On Film �� Bob Mould Band �� Al Smith’s Midtown Jam �� Hotel Café Tour �� Wayne Hancock �� Kyle Patrick, Jesse Rubin �� Frankie’s Blues Mission �� Grits & Jelly Butter �� Earth Crisis, Terror �� The Unseen �� Danny Dudeck �� Francisco Vidal Band �� Dub Trio, Foreign Islands �� Hymns, Spottiswoode �� Mike Veal Band �� Good Good �� A3C Hip Hop Fest �� Acid Mothers Temple �� Jason Isbell �� Chickenshack �� Cinetrope �� Emery, Mayday Parade �� Baroness �� The Breeze Kings �� Tristan Prettyman �� Back Door Slam �� Carrie Ann Hearst �� Wrong Way �� Van Hunt �� A3C Hip Hop Fest �� Legendary Shack Shakers �� Robinella, Jay Clark �� Kerry Hill �� Nine Inch Neils �� Yellowcard, The Spill Canvas �� Mudcat �� Reckless �� Presidents of the United States of America �� Janelle Monae �� Blind Boys of Alabama

�� Taste of Chaos Tour �� Die! Die! Die! �� Fat City Mild Cats �� Ralph Roddenbery �� Stampede �� Mogus, LB Collective, Lingo �� Fu Manchu �� Chris Trapper �� Crosstown Allstars �� Sick Puppies �� Digitalism, Guns N Bombs �� Time Again �� Bill Shefﬁeld, Donnie McCormick �� Candlebox w/ Golden State �� Art Edwards �� Bodeans �� Al Smith’s Midtown Jam �� Rising Appalachia �� Frankie’s Blues Mission �� NodFactor 2 �� Danny Dudeck �� Francisco Vidal Band �� Kaki King, Matt Sheehy �� A Fine Frenzy �� Lions, Swank Sinatra �� Mike Veal Band �� Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks �� The Waybacks �� Elliot Morris, Drew Holcomb �� Chickenshack �� Toy TV �� The Breeze Kings� �� The Velcro Pygmies �� Eric Sardinas �� White Leppard Crue �� Mausiki Scales �� Underworld �� Silent Kids �� The Biscuit Burners �� The Rusty Rebel �� Will Hoge �� Xzamen �� Mudcat �� NSP �� Barry Manilow �� To Whom, Almost Heroes �� David Grisman Quintet �� Elevation

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, March 7 BRIAN WILTSEY & BASS MALONE Saturday, March 8 EDUCATORS Thursday, March 13 TY REYNOLDS BAND Friday, March 14 SWAMI GONE BANANAS Saturday, March 15 BRIAN WILTSEY & LANCE PRICE Thursday, March 20 GARETH ASHER & JOEL WILLIAMS Friday, March 21 VILLANS Saturday, March 22 BRIAN WILTSEY & MIKE MAGNO Saturday, March 29 BRIAN WILTSEY & HANK BARBEE

��

Spring Festival Issue COMING MARCH 28 For Advertising Information Call

404-315-8485 Kid Rock @��(3-11) �� Tron Jackson �� Big Time Entertainment �� Bishop Don �� Matthew Kahler �� Sana Blues �� Top FLR Presents �� The World of Drum & Bass �� Branded With Fear �� Slippery When Wet �� The Gourds, Shinyribs �� James Hall, Run Run Run �� Paramore w/ Conditions, Meese �� Mike Doughty’s Band �� Back to Music

SAT.MAR29 WED.MAR26 THR.MAR20 WED.MAR19 SAT.MAR15 THR.MAR13 WED.MAR12 SAT.MAR08 FRI.MAR07 THR.MAR06 TUESDAYS MONDAYS

McCormick Undone

�� South City Blues Band �� Planet Riders �� Southern Hostility �� Delta Moon �� Appetite For Destruction �� Toubab Krewe �� The Jungle �� Trent Tomlinson

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

ROMEO COLOGNE’S FUNK DISCO PARTY

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BRYAN SCARY & THE SHREDDING TEARS FREE �� MISSILE COMMAND

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BOBBY BARE JR. 9PM $10

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BLACK MONA LISA TRIAL BY FIRE AUDITIONING ALICE

MOD NIGHT WITH SOUTHERN SOUL SOUND SYSTEMS ST. PATS CELEBRATION WITH

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HYMNS

�� TEENAGE PRAYERS

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE 5 CARRIE ANN HEARST J. RODDY WALSTON & THE BUSINESS THE BEGGAR’S GUILD

LIONS

SWANK SINATRA

EARLY

JAMES HALL RUN RUN RUN DJ SEA-LARKE

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Every Thursday 10:30pm. Current School ID from Your School on the Scheduled Date Get You in FREE!

��

No Reservations. First Come, First Served. Doors Open at 10pm.

Gettin’ Our Spring On.

�� PG 21 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

Road Warriors This Month’s Hottest Shows BY JOHN DAVIDSON 03/02 VIC CHESNUTT

The EARL Vic Chestnutt is a curious icon in the world of college radio; his disability has given him an almost pet-like status among the stars who have peddled his brilliance, and his elliptical storytelling has never quite made the impact many thought it would. That he’s well into his second decade of making records may be the most surprising aspect of it all, but it’s a clue that his work has matured and improved with a grace that most never even aspire to.

03/09 VAMPIRE WEEKEND

The EARL This latest Internet buzz band—one that made the leap to the cover of SPIN magazine before the album was even released—continues the storied tradition of putting hype before talent. Vampire Weekend isn’t without talent, but their Graceland-meets-Talking Heads indie rock comes oﬀ as precocious and occasionally even bland. The bloggers smell a hit and we smell a band that will be about as relevant as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in two years’ time.

03/10 MICHELLE MALONE

Smith’s Olde Bar John Mayer was the ﬁrst person to sell big

from Eddie’s Attic since the Indigos did it over a decade ago. It’s sad, because Michelle Malone is ten times the songwriter and twice the stage presence. She’s ﬁercely independent, and her passion and talent come out in everything she does—check out any of her albums and you won’t be disappointed in the way she mixes rock, roll, and folk. Live, she’s one of the best performers this town has to oﬀer.

03/10 WHAT MADE MILWAUKEE FAMOUS

The Loft At Center Stage The little band with the long name ﬁnds itself getting more and more recognition, showing up in magazines and quite a few year end lists in 2006. Their eclectic blend of rock and pop recalls the stronger moments of the Flaming Lips with a dose of Ben Folds sarcasm, and this tour aims to capitalize on all the good press for their new album, What Doesn’t Kill Us.

03/12 BUILT TO SPILL 03/12 MEAT PUPPETS

Variety Playhouse Built To Spill is no longer the ﬂavor of the month, happy instead to grind out a career by playing to the fringe of the jam rock crowd and

laughing all the way to a respectable career. The Meat Puppets continue their comeback eﬀort, a career that is pushing three decades but still one fueled by blazing independent spirit.

03/18 BOB MOULD

Variety Playhouse Amazingly, Mould’s career is nearing the 30 year mark, and no matter how hard he tries or turns himself inside out, he’s always going to be the lead singer and most important part of Husker Du, the seminal post-punk band of the 1980s. His solo career has been very interesting, and his new album District Line continues his winning ways and intense musical curiosity.

03/21 GREAT NORTHERN

Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre Great Northern is a Los Angelesbased band whose debut doesn’t strike the typical chords of indie rock, metal, or Beckian weirdness. Instead, it’s carefully arranged, sweeping pop songs that are their calling card, a stirring mixture of Coldplay and Earlimart. Their new EP, Sleepy Eepy, continues the winning ways of last year’s debut full-length Trading Twilight For Daylight.

03/22 THE BLACK LIPS W/ THESUBSONICS

The EARL Formed in 2000 by a handful of Atlanta teens, the group’s loose “ﬂower punk” is one part

WE GOT NEXT THE FLATLINERS

BY JOHN B. MOORE

ONVENTIONAL WISDOM HAS IT that, unless you’re Hanson, chances are your teenage rock band is never going to make it past a couple of local talent shows. Obviously nobody shared this with the guys in The Flatliners.

Stooges snarl, one part Nuggets freak out, and one part Replacements fuck-all attitude. The Black Lips have turned into a reliably great live act, and tagging along for the ride is seminal garage act the Subsonics.

03/25 PERE UBU

Plaza Theatre Pere Ubu are a fractured punk band that would be totally obscure had they not been so allegedly inﬂuential. Dave Thomas and crew are uncompromising in their musical vision, yet that vision frequently clashes with convention in every way possible: at times the band seems intentionally abrasive in the way they deconstruct everything you think you know about rock music.

03/25 BODEANS

Variety Playhouse One of the great unsung bands of the late 80s, the BoDeans were famous nearly after the fact when “Closer To Free” became a hit intro for the television series Party of Five. Folky and now, probably past their prime, this band still has a not only a huge catalog of Midwestern-inspired songs to draw from, but a new album called Still that holds up pretty well.

03/26 STEPHEN MALKMUS AND THE JICKS

Variety Playhouse Malkmus’ fourth album since ditching the seminal Pavement ﬁnds him gaining a little more control over his proggiest instincts. He’s settled in well with his Jicks over the past couple of years, so expect a much more formidable sound than last time out. Eclectic indie popster John Vanderslice opens, making for a pretty good Wednesday night lineup.

Artists on the verge of making it big

Latest Project: Great Awake (Fat Wreck Chords) Why You Should Care: Because these Canadian teens somehow manage to make punk/ska seem relevant again. For Fans of: Against All Authority, Rancid, Big D and the Kids Table

The Canadian punk rock foursome has been throwing together three-minute punk nuggets since they were 14. A little older now, the group has just released their second album on pop/ punk taste maker Fat Wreck Chords. A powerful mix of punk and a little bit of ska, Great Awake is a solid testament to strong song writing and great musicianship. Frontman Chris Cresswell spoke with us recently.

Wreck Chords? We’d met Melanie (Kaye), who runs Fat Canada at a Lagwagon show last summer. Her assistant was a huge fan of ours who apparently would always talk her ear oﬀ about us, so when we approached her with some demos we’d recorded she took us seriously. And she dug the songs! She got back to us super quick, telling us she was going to send the songs to “Fat Mike in San Francisco,” leaving us thinking we’ll never hear anything back, but that’s cool. Mike called us two THE ACTUAL PUNK ROCK weeks later. We owe HARDLY ANY EGOS, AND our lives to a one Rob OTHER AND JAM TOGETHER. Thorton!

shows. And we always had this plan of starting to tour a lot when we finished high school. Once we’d finished high school our first record came out in stores across Canada and online, and we started to tour more and more. We just kept going and going, so there was no clear decision to be made. I think we’d already known all along that we wanted to play music. If you never give up on something you’re bound to get somewhere.

How did the band first ONE OF THE BEST PARTS ABOUT get together? COMMUNITY IS THAT THERE ARE Our guitarist Scott (Bringham) and I started EVERYONE’S STOKED TO MEET EACH playing guitar around PLAYING WITH BAD RELIGION AND ANTI-FLAG WAS DEFINITELY You guys have played the same time, taking lessons at a music school with some pretty well WAS ONE OF THE CRAZIEST SHOWS WE’VE EVER HAD. in town. We always talkknown bands: Bad Relied about starting a band, gion, Anti-Flag, Suicide ever since we were 5 years old. So once we’d both Everyone likes to point out how young you guys Machines. Have you ever been intimidated to are. Does that ever bother you? learned a few things on our guitars we started play with any of these bands? It doesn’t really bother us. It actually doesn’t When you’re a 17-year-old kid playing in a jamming together and eventually, through feeling come up that often when we talk to people. It’s punk rock band and you’re opening for Bad it out with different friends, started jamming written about more than it comes up in converReligion, your head is kind of a mess. You with Jon (Darbey, bassist) and Paul (Ramirez, drums). We started writing songs together when sation I think. We started young, and we know definitely feel like a little kid, and kind of like you we were 14 and haven’t stopped ever since. we’re a young band doing things that young don’t belong. But one of the best parts about the bands don’t usually get the opportunity to do. I actual punk rock community is that there are think we’re the luckiest dudes around to be able At what point did you guys decide to actually hardly any egos, and everyone’s stoked to meet to do what we’re doing at our age. make a career out of being in a band? each other and jam together. Playing with Bad During our last couple years of high school, Religion and Anti-Flag was definitely was one of we made sure every weekend was booked with the craziest shows we’ve ever had. How did you first come to the attention of Fat PG 22 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

MUSIC INTERVIEW

ANDRE BENJAMIN Renaissance Man

BY B. LOVE

ROM THE ATLIEN RAPPER OF Outkast to the funk-soul revisionist of his solo work, from acting in films like Semi-Pro and the forthcoming Battle In Seattle to unveiling his own Benjamin Bixby fashion line this fall, Andre Benjamin is the rare hip-hop artist who simply refuses to be pigeonholed. In a series of interviews in Los Angeles and his native Atlanta, we spoke with the multi-talented Benjamin on a broad variety of topics ranging from his early artistic influences and the changes in the music scene over the past decade to sociopolitical consciousness in hip-hop and his secret creative talent. You’ve always been one of the most eclectic artists in hip-hop. Who were some of the artists who inspired you when you first started making music? Well, I came into music as a rhymer, and the group that really made me wanna rap was Eric B & Rakim. There was something about the way Rakim put words together that made me wanna try it. But before that I listened to everything growing up, from Led Zeppelin and INXS to Depeche Mode and Grand Funk Railroad, from Ice Cube and Too Short to Brand Nubian and A Tribe Called Quest. Whether it was Prince, Sly Stone, Funkadelic or Joni Mitchell, I just liked anything that sounded good. I knew that I wanted to be able to make any kind of music I felt like making, but of course you have certain things that people respond to. There’s a “brand” people expect you to do over and over again, which I’m not really a big fan of. Do you find yourself rebelling against that sort of limiting categorization? Not intentionally, but I have to keep myself excited. I get bored really easily, so if I feel like I’m doing the same thing repeatedly it feels like I’m cheating, in a way. In the here-today-gone-tomorrow world of hiphop, you’re a storied veteran with 15 years of experience under your belt. For better or worse, how has the game changed most over that time? It’s just a new generation, and it’s easier to put songs out now. Back when we were signed, to have a record deal was the big thing. Record deals really don’t mean as much now, because you can use the Internet to get your music out and let people hear it. Record companies aren’t playing the same role that they used to because physical sales are going down and digital sales are going up. So now record companies are becoming Internet companies. How did you feel about Radiohead putting their In Rainbows album online and letting people pay

whatever they wanted to download it? Man, that made me feel so good! I bowed to them when I heard about that. It’s so cool and I really wish I could do it, but you can only do that when you’re not under contract with your record company.

You guys, along with Goodie Mob and Organized Noize, were instrumental in the ATL’s early hiphop explosion. Was there a particular moment when you realized the scene was about to bubble up on a national level? It really didn’t happen until we started recording Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. We were all just kinda hanging around the Dungeon and making songs, but until we went into the studio… And even then, we didn’t know. We didn’t really know until we hit the road and started to perform the songs, and people started to respond to this Southern kind of sound.

real space to it and real reverb. It was the most organic music.

How has it been for you, making the transition from music into acting? It was natural for me to get into films, but the acting process was unnatural. I’m good on the screen, but I’m terrible in auditions because I hate having to prove myself. I can’t juggle the two, so when I’m doing film I’m doing film and when I’m doing music I’m doing music. But I’m about to go back into the studio recording, and I’m always thinking of song ideas when come home from the set. I will always do music. What’s your next film, Battle In Seattle, about? It’s me, Charlize Theron, Woody Harrelson and Michelle Rodriguez, and it’s about the protests and riots that took place at the 1999 World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle. I play a protestor by

YOU JUST KINDA LIVE CRAZILY, THEN YOU GET OLD AND LOOK BACK AND SAY, “WOW, I’VE DONE A LOT OF [STUFF]!” YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE, SO YOU GOTTA DO AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. Why do you think today’s hip-hop scene is so lacking in sociopolitical content compared to when you guys were first starting out? Times change. I don’t think it’s a good or bad thing. I think people complain about music all the time, but at the end of the day hip-hop is about kids talking about what’s going on around them, and what other kids respond to. It lets you know where the community is at the time: If the music isn’t so good, maybe they’re more focused of looking great, cars, clothes and all that stuff. You can’t be mad at ‘em, cuz that’s just where the neighborhood is. If you want to fix it, you gotta fix the neighborhood. What kinds of music are you listening to these days? I hate to say it, but I don’t listen to much new music. I’ve been listening to a lot of John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy. I love ‘70s music like Parliament, Earth Wind & Fire, the Ohio Players, Bob Marley, Curtis Mayfield. I honestly thing the ‘70s had the best sound in music. The ’50s and ‘60s had a crude sound, which gave it a great character, but the ’80s were kind of too perfect and overproduced. The ‘70s had that sound that was in your face, but had

the name of Django who kinda keeps protesting fun and lighthearted, even when we’re getting arrested. Do you consider yourself a politically conscious person? Not really. I mean, I have my personal views on things, but my mind changes too much. It’s probably not a good thing to use my celebrity [for political purposes], because a lot of people vote a certain way just because one of their favorite celebrities said this candidate or that candidate was cool. They don’t take the time to ﬁgure out who’s the best candidate for them. I say do your research, because there are plenty of websites that break down where each candidate stands on the issues. See what you like, and don’t just vote a certain way because your favorite movie star or talk show host says they’re doing it. Other than music, is there anything in particular you’re obsessed with? I’m not really much of a collector, but I deﬁnitely love clothes. I’m always searching for cool items— jackets, trousers, boots– and I’m an avid eBay shopper. I have certain shops I love in Atlanta, New York and L.A. that I’ll visit when I’m in town.

What do you look for to define your fashion choices? Things that are special to me, and that I can’t really find in stores. Of course, certain things will always be made, like button-downs and polos and stuff like that. But the first collection of my clothing line, called Benjamin Bixby, is inspired by 1935 football [fashions]. I searched eBay to these old jerseys I’d never seen, and thought they’d look cool with a pair of jeans. So I went to Hong Kong and Italy and had things made based on how these old jerseys were made. I’ll look for boots or plaid pants, basically things that make me feel like an individual and not like I’m wearing the same thing everyone else is wearing from off the shelf. The line is coming out this fall, and will be carried in Barney’s stores. There are always rumors of beef between you and Big Boi. What’s the current status of Outkast? We’re both working on solo records, then after we finish those we’re doing another Outkast album.

What’s your solo album gonna sound like? I really don’t know yet. I’ve only written two songs in my head and haven’t really started recording. I’m just tinkering around now, so I’m really excited to see what it’s gonna sound like myself. I’m hoping it’ll be ready this fall. Were you disappointed by the reaction to Idlewild? Of course, but I actually knew before we released the album the response it was gonna get. I had a feeling about it, because it had a purpose, but it didn’t feel like all our other albums. The opportunities that we could’ve had to make it a better album, the record company didn’t step up. Is there any creative art form you’ve longed to explore, but haven’t had a chance yet? Yes! It’s funny, because before music, acting, clothing lines or anything, I used to draw and paint. That’s actually what my mom thought I would be doing when I grew up. When I was about to graduate from high school, I got letters from colleges like Savannah College of Art & Design wanting me to attend their schools. I want to be able to do enough pieces where I could travel around to show them at art galleries, but I just don’t have as much time as I used to. Speaking of which, you’re doing Outkast, a solo career, acting and running your own fashion line. How do you ﬁnd time to balance it all? You don’t. You just kinda live crazily, then you get old and look back and say, “Wow, I’ve done a lot of [stuﬀ]!” You only get one chance, so you gotta do as much as you can. PG 23 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

MUSIC

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

ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE ATTRACTIONS – THIS YEAR’S MODEL: DELUXE EDITION (EMI) World class songwriting �� JAMES MCMURTRY – JUST US KIDS (Lightning Rod) Americana’s unsung patriot…on his own terms �� PG 24 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

�� LIZZ WRIGHT – THE ORCHARD (Verve Forecast) & ERYKAH BADU – NEW AMERYKAH, PT 1: 4TH WORLD WAR (Motown) Handsome voices, pretty faces �� WHISKEYTOWN – STRANGER’S ALMANAC: DELUXE EDITION (EMI) The boy wonder ��

�� JACK JOHNSON – SLEEP THROUGH THE STATIC (Bushfire) Laid-back flip-flop strummer finally plugs in �� THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE – MY BLOODY UNDERGROUND (A Records) Overshadowed by hubris ��

�� DEM FRANCHIZE BOYZ – DA POINT OF NO RETURN (So So Def/Virgin) Don’t snap to judgment �� MICHAEL JACKSON – 25THE ANNIVERSARY OF THRILLER (Sony) & JANET JACKSON– DISCIPLINE (Island Def Jam) Chart-topping sibs get back to poppin’ ��

�� BOB MOULD – DISTRICT LINE (Anti-) Former Husker Du/Sugar frontman still relevant ��

�� SEVENDUST – CHAPTER VII: HOPE AND SORROW (7Bros) Still slinging sludge ��

�� BE YOUR OWN PET – GET AWKWARD (Universal Motown) Bratty Nashville teens finally live up to the hype ��

Appetite For Destruction, Or The Road To Redemption? An Oral History of The El Caminos AS TOLD TO BRET LOVE

ONG BEFORE THE BLACK LIPS, Deerhunter or any of Atlanta’s other current indie-rock hopefuls, there were The El Caminos, a hard-driving, hard-living group of miscreants who blazed through the city’s mid-‘90s rock scene. Comprised of vocalist JJ Garrison, guitarist Craig Chmelewski, bassist Paul E. Jones and drummer David Moore, the glam-inﬂuenced quartet once seemed destined to become the ATL’s Next Big Thing, until drugs, death and a prison stint tore them asunder. After a series of sold-out

reunion gigs, the band reunited to record the forthcoming Raised By Wolves, the album they had to abandon after Moore was arrested on drugrelated charges. Here, Garrison and Moore tell the band’s Behind The Music-worthy tale in their own words… JJ Garrison: In 1993, I was in the Go-Devils and Dave was in Magic Bone, and both of our bands broke up at the same time. We were two of the top bands in the Little 5 Points scene, so me and Dave didn’t want to stop yet. We decided to start a band together.

David Moore: All this Shoegazer stuff was going on at the time, so we decided to glam it up and do a T. Rex/New York Dolls/Dead Boys kind of thing. JJ: We started wearing makeup, jewelry, cheetah pants, glittery shirts and all that ‘70s glam shit. (Laughs) There was a little Poison in there, but our idea was to get back to the Ramones era of CBGB’s-style punk rock and give people a show. We had a female bassist named Karen Alvarez, who we called The Colonel, for almost a year. DM: We did the first album, Save My Soul Again, with a couple of friends who came in as session players, but it was mostly just me and JJ until Karen joined. JJ: We started playing around the Southeast as a 3-piece in late ’94, and we did this show at The Point where we saw this guy in the crowd who looked like Malcolm Young of AC/DC. At that time I was playing guitar, and he came up after the show and asked if we were looking for another guitarist. We said, “Not really,” but we invited him to come over and try out. DM: Then he tells us that he’s a package deal with his buddy Paul, who he’s been playing with since high school. They showed up for practice, jammed on a couple of songs and just kicked ass, so we had to figure out who was gonna fire The Colonel. (Laughs) JJ: So then we had our 4-dude power rock band. We were all in our early twenties, and we were ready to take on the world. We started touring right away, from Texas to California and Mexico and back, kicking ass all over the place. DM: Four guys in a van with all their gear and luggage on the road for two months at a time.

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

MUSIC INTERVIEW JJ: We actually picked up a rat in Hollywood! It jumped in the van somehow and we found it eating Starburst. We’d run into a town, see our friends, and they’d keep us drunk and drugged out for days. DM: The underground network was with us on those tours. We’d sleep on people’s couches and ﬂoors, or outside in the van. We were young, didn’t have any money, and didn’t have any jobs or houses back home, so we could just keep going. JJ: It was awesome until our van started breaking down, then things started getting a little sketchy. We came back home, moved out to Buford Highway, Damon [Moore, Dave’s guitarist brother] joined the band and in late ’95 we started recording Double Lock & Bleed, which was probably our best album. That was around the time people in Atlanta were starting to get into rock again, so you had bands like D Generation and Nashville Pussy coming around a lot, and packed crowds for local bands like Pineal Ventana, Super X-13 and Gargantua. DM: But the rock scene wasn’t as big as it is now. JJ: Yeah, it was more about all that 99X bullshit. By that time we were all starting to develop some pretty bad habits. DM: Damon had a pretty bad smack habit, and all of us were sort of borderline alcoholics for a while. Paul had to stop drinking and Craig stopped for a while, and we were all in pretty bad shape. Then, in early 1999, Damon actually OD’d and died right when we were in the middle of recording our third record, Sons Of Evil. Instead of straightening up, I went hard in the other direction and developed my own smack habit, got strung out on coke and speed, went in and out of rehab four or ﬁve times… JJ: We were drowning our sorrows and basically closing our eyes to what happened for a good three or four years after Damon died. We all went deep into our own weird worlds, clinging to the band as our last rope to sanity. The band was what kept us going…

see camino on page 35

PG 25 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

MUSIC INTERVIEW

ABC’S? 123’S? TMBG’S! An Interview with John Linnell from They Might Be Giants

BY JON LATHAM

OR OVER TWENTY YEARS, JOHN FLANSBURGH AND JOHN Linnell have created some of the wackiest, catchiest music on the alternative rock scene as They Might Be Giants. The accordionlaced anthems about James Polk, drum-playing worms, painters from Belgium, and the ongoing battles between Particle Man and Triangle Man helped garner a loyal fan following, and their sincerity in doing so paved the way for numerous “nerd rock” acts that followed their unapologetic example. In recent years, they have achieved a new level of success with a completely new crowd of fans: children. The Johns have just released a second full set of kid’s songs called Here Come the 1-2-3’s, and I spoke with Linnell about this new avenue in their career. How and when did the idea spark for They Might Be Giants to release music aimed at children’s audiences? It was a suggestion from someone at Rounder Records, I think. It wasn’t something we were taking very seriously at the time; we were working on many other projects at the time, including the score to the TV show, Malcolm in the Middle. The entire band was in the studio working, so it was kind of simple to cook up a little side project. We were surprised at the success the ﬁrst record [‘Here Come the A-B-C’s’] had when it came out.

Giants show? We’re not going to swear, and the songs that we play are not going to have dark imagery about death, divorce, or decay. We try to keep those elements out. Other than that, it is pretty similar [to a normal They Might Be Giants show]. We try to approach both with the same attitude. We are definitely not the Wiggles. Without being calculating, we inadvertently came up with something that parents don’t hate– a major achievement in the canon of children’s music. This album, and the podcasts in conjunction, is in affiliation with Disney. It’s good to see that they are being nice to you. We have been treated like artists, which is sort of a bizarre situation within Disney. The Else, your last album that was not kid-oriented, was released recently as well. There could be confusion with some parents who are unaware of anything but the kid’s album. Did that influence your standard releases in any way?

AS FAR AS THE DIRECTION OF THE PROJECT AND THE WORK THAT WE DO, WE ARE WEIRDLY IMPRACTICAL A LOT OF THE TIME. HAVING SAID THAT, WE TRY NOT TO DEFINE [OUR WORK], AND THE HAPPY RESULT OF THAT IS THAT WE HAVE A VERY BROAD RANGE OF FANS.

Has there always been a notion of accessible kids appeal? Mainly, early on, we did not want to be confused for a kids’ act. We wanted it to be one-hundred-percent clear that we were doing something very personal; we were writing pointedly for ourselves and were not a niche product. We wanted to do our music our own way, without having to define it, and after 20 years of doing that, we felt people got the idea. They know what a They Might Be Giants song is without questioning the purpose of it; it had its own reason for being. Our first album had an illustration on the cover by Rodney Alan Greenblatt, which is reminiscent of H.A. Rey and the Curious George books. When they first got the LP, Tower Records immediately put it in the children’s department; they looked at the cover and thought that’s where it belonged. We were feeling defensive about that kind of thing. We got over it eventually, but that was our initial posture. What can older fans expect from the family-friendly They Might Be PG 26 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

I think people have to pay attention to what they are buying. We’re not going to go out of our way to put warning labels on [our albums]. It’s not stuff that would necessarily upset children, it is just not specifically meant for kids. I suppose it’s difficult to make it clear enough. Any challenges in performing for kids as opposed to adults?

Very young kids don’t always face forward, and they don’t always applaud after a song. They sometimes talk in the quiet parts of the song, and generally seem less aware that this is supposed to be an event. They like playing with a band in the room with them. We try to have the same game face as we always do, only without being too snarky or offensive. We are not radically dumbing the show down; we still say a few five-syllable words. Do you guys have any other side-projects in the works? We have lucked into a lot of great situations. It’s worked out pretty well. For a long time, our managers suggested ways of doing things that would make more money, but I think we are somewhat neurotic about doing anything for an ulterior motive. As far as the direction of the project and the work that we do, we are weirdly impractical a lot of the time. Having said that, we try not to define [our work], and the happy result of that is that we have a very broad range of fans. As far as what’s next, I guess we’re going to do more [music] for dead people. Records for dead people is a market just waiting to be tapped into.

MUSIC INTERVIEW

Jason RingenbergRocking for the Kids BY JON LATHAM

N A SATURDAY NIGHT IN JUNE of last year, in front of a sold out crowd at the Exit/In in Nashville, cowpunk godfathers Jason and the Scorchers came back together for one night only. At the helm was Jason Ringenberg, decked out in a fringed, red shirt and a trademark old cowboy hat. The blistering set was an emotional jolt of energy for the loyal fans in attendance, some of which had come from as far away as Hong Kong and Scotland. Ringenberg, as always, was overflowing with energy; with the conviction of a street preacher, he ran around the stage with mic stand flailing. The hybrid stylings of the Scorchers [think George Jones mixed with Ramones] was the loudest threat to the Nashville machine in the ’80’s, and they continued on into the ‘90’s full force. On this night in June, they refused show their age. All the more impressive is the fact that this was not the beginning of the day for Ringenberg. His first gig was earlier in the day, at a local library. Jason Ringenberg has a “twin” who loves to sing songs for the kids, and sounds a heck of a lot like Jason in the process. He goes by Farmer Jason, and he has had quite the response from kids who like to rock. He has released two full-length kids’ albums and has made appearances at several music festivals, including the Austin City Limits festival. This year, Ringenberg will be taking Farmer Jason on the road while juggling both a solo tour as well as European dates with the Scorchers. What was the genesis of Farmer Jason? Farmer Jason originally started as a side project for fun, something I could enjoy with my kids and give them something to listen to when I tour. It has organically developed beyond my first expectations and now occupies most of my creative attention. I had heard at one point that you were in talks with Lion’s Gate to develop some kid’s programming. Farmer Jason obviously has TV potential but nothing is for certain at this stage. How did it feel to bring Jason and the Scorchers back last June in Nashville? That was without a doubt one of our 5 best shows ever. It was beyond any of us, and every minute was magic in its own way. The Scorchers, as well as Farmer Jason, are touring Europe this spring. What if any challenges are there in appealing to two demographics? As a live performer, I don’t have a lot of trouble changing personas. It’s about as easy as changing clothes. Sometimes though, I do get mixed up how to autograph posters or cds! Is it Farmer Jason, or Jason Ringenberg? Are childrens audiences tough critics? Your concentration level has to be at 100%. You can’t lay back even for a minute or they will lose interest. You just released ‘Best Tracks and Side Tracks’, a collection spanning nearly 30 years. What keeps your creative fire burning? I am genetically blessed with a high metabolism. I have to create or I feel bottled up. What can we expect next from Farmer Jason? Good Lord willing, we will be doing a DVD for Kid Rhino later this year. We also are working on some interstitials for the Nashville PBS station. What can we expect from Jason Ringenberg? Good Lord willing, lots of cracking shows and good looking outfits.

FREE TO BE YOU & ME

MUSIC INTERVIEW loved: Pavement, Sonic Youth, Sebadoh, Chavez, and The Pixies. Of course we didn’t sound like any of them, no-one can, but I can hear that eﬀort. Now, we’re much less self-conscious and just concentrate on giving the songs whatever we think they need. Is there a particular theme to Lucky? Yes, the theme is that even though life becomes more and more complicated as you get older and you lose some of the buoyancy of youth, you still have some control over your own happiness. I actually believe that you have total control, but I’m not personally able to live up to that, though I’m always trying. There is so much to be grateful for, so much to live for. There’s no easy way out from the diﬃculty of life, but one can hopefully learn to accept that change and chaos are just part of the landscape, and that landscape, just like nature, is perfect in its way.

NADA SURF ON THE LIBERATION OF INDEPENDENCE BY JOHN B. MOORE

N THE SPAN OF JUST OVER 10 years, Nada Surf has managed to morph from a potential one-hit wonder band into indie rock darlings. Their novelty hit “Popular” was an MTV staple for the better part of 1996, instantly flipping a switch on a blinding spotlight. But the next part of the story is almost cliché: the label couldn’t find an obvious hit on their follow-up record and, rather than being patient with the group, showed them the door. What’s not cliché is the band’s second act that begins with their follow up record, The Proximity Effect, taking off in Europe and eventually being selfreleased in the U.S. The sound on their sophomore record sounded nothing like the quirky alt-rock of “Popular,” settling on a more lush rock vibe that has stayed with the band ever since. Their recently released fifth album, Lucky, is yet another deftly crafted collection of indie pop songs. Frontman Matthew Caws spoke with us recently about the new record and the band’s not-so-easy music industry past.

real life questions like, “What do I want to be when I grow up?” A few years back the band took some time off before releasing Let Go. Did you consider dissolving the band at that point? If we’d dissolved the band, I’d have had to think about grad school or something... that was such a wonderful period in my life. Even though I was so disappointed that the Proximity Effect, which we’d worked so hard on, wasn’t released in the States until we did it ourselves, years after it was finished, the fact that we weren’t on a label anymore and that no-one was looking over our shoulders– having a hit really gets the suits interested in what you’re doing, but in an intrusive way– was so liberating. I worked in a record store for two years and really got excited about music’s possibilities again.

THERE’S ALWAYS BEEN SUCH ENCOURAGING ENTHUSIASM FROM AUDIENCES, WE’RE FRIENDS, AND WE LOVE THE SOUND THAT WE MAKE TOGETHER.

You guys have been playing together for more than 10 years now, in a time when most bands can’t hold it together for more then ﬁve. Why do you think you have been able to stay together for so long? Well, Daniel and I have been friends for years and years, since junior high, and in the same school since we were six or seven. We’ve also been lucky enough to have had interest in the band all along, even when we were dropped from our ﬁrst label and “couldn’t get arrested,” so to speak. There’s always been such encouraging enthusiasm from audiences, we’re friends, and we love the sound that we make together. Also, if we’d broken up, we’d have had to ask ourselves

So being let go from Elektra really did free you up to make the kind of music you really wanted to make? Yes, it really did. We were free to keep growing in our own way, free of the pressure to come up with something marketable on a large scale. Did you feel a lot of pressure following up High/Low? Absolutely. Because we seemed to appear out of nowhere, instead of coming up through fanzines and modest releases, we really weren’t taken seriously. I think we appeared kind of suspect to a lot of people; manufactured. So felt like we had so much to prove. How has the band changed since that first record? I think we’re a lot freer of influence. I’m really proud of that first record; and/but I can hear how we were consciously and unconsciously trying to sound like the bands we

You guys have gotten a reputation for writing beautiful, but lyrically melancholy songs. Do you agree with that, or do you see most of your songs as hopeful? I write most often when I’ve just had some internal or external difficulty but am on the upswing. When I’m really down the in the dumps, I’m in no mood to chronicle it, but when I’m starting to feel like I’m back in the saddle or soon to be in a better mood, I use music as an accelerator. Finding a new melody or a new way to say something is the best feeling in the world. Do you ever regret that “Popular” was your first introduction to the world? Yes, no, maybe? I guess I don’t. Having a song take off like that was a unique experience, and I’m very glad to have had it. As far

as it being so different from our other songs, I think we’re still all over the map enough to have that problem. Some people know us for “Blankest Year,” some for “Always Love,” some for “Blonde on Blonde” and some for our cover of “If You Leave.” Loud, soft, slow, fast, in between. Obviously the record industry is in an odd state right now. Do you think the Radiohead model of “name-your-own-price” is ultimately the way to release music now? It’s a very romantic idea, but I’m not sure that it’s a practical idea for everyone. Radiohead are lucky enough to be able to afford to take any risk. That being said, I’m not a businessman or an economist and have no idea how the “elective price/sell more copies” vs. “set price/sell fewer” question would play out for us. Hmm.... you know what? I’d love to find out. Maybe we can try it sometime. Do you have any advice for young bands that are just now starting to write songs and think about a career in music? I always think music is much more enjoyable when it’s a hobby, when you have some other career in mind. But to me, “hobby” is a word that can contain any level of enthusiasm. There was a postman in France who built a drip-castle the kind you make out of sand at the beach– made of cement over 30 year of weekends. It’s one of the most astonishing structures in the world. It’s called “le palais ideal du facteur cheval.” There are photos of it online. I think when you’re free of career concerns you ultimately make better art, because it’s freer. That being said, you have to know when to drop everything else and go for it. I guess my overall point is that if you do it purely for the love of it, you’re better off.

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PG 27 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

Hooks Can Be Deceiving

MUSIC INTERVIEW

EVEN BETTER THAN THE FIRST TIME – THE RETURN OF ANGELS AND AIRWAVES

THERE’S SO MUCH MORE TO R&B SINGER LYFE JENNINGS THAN A SCRUFFY VOICE AND MEMORABLE CHORUSES.

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

Just when you think you’ve got Lyfe Jennings pegged –Ohio native from the wrong side of the tracks. Goes to prison. Gets reformed. Blah, blah, blah- he throws you for a loop. See, he’s a talented R&B voice but he doesn’t just croon about disrobing some sistah. He’s got a platinum CD (Lyfe 268-192), a gold one (The Phoenix) and a couple of pretty popular songs (“Must Be Nice,” “S.E.X.”), but he doesn’t parade around videos in expensive brands and flashy cars. He gets on the radio to promote his spirited new album, Lyfe Changes, but instead of overselling the project, he starts rallying listeners to get out and vote. Damn, this cat is almost nothing like he appears. But then he slips. He says he’s about to start his own business. He must be getting into fashion or starting his own record label, right? Wrong again. Lyfe’s actually about to create his own furniture line. Ugggh. We give up… Your pre-record deal trials and tribulations are well documented. What are some of the post-deal things you’re most proud about? I’m proud that people find me so personable. People come up to me and they tell me their life stories. I appreciate the things they say they’ve changed in their life because of the music. I’m also proud of the fact that I can provide a steady income for my kids and my family and stuff like that.

bell-bottoms; we’re wearing saggy pants today. It’s just different things for different times, you know? What’s it like being on the road this time? It’s been good. It’s a new crowd for me. I’m out here with Wyclef. It’s a different genre of people. It’s a lot. It’s freer. I get to try new stuff. Expectations of me are not already set in stone ‘cuz a lot of people don’t know how I am on this tour. It’s really good. You’re getting a more white audience this time? Definitely. Wyclef has a great appeal to Caucasian fans. Lyfe, you’ve got some other things happening, too. Tell me about this furniture line you’re working on. Yeah, I’m working on this furniture line called The Lyfe Jennings Collection. It’s just something for urban individuals who don’t have the money to spend $6,000 or $7,000 on a piece of furniture but they still want that contemporary look. It’s for that market. Okay, is it kinda like Ikea-style stuff? Yeah, something like that- except it’s something with my name on it. Different designs from what you’re used to seeing at Ikea.

Who or what do you contribute most to keeping your head up when times were hard? My manager. He looked for a deal and went through all the no-money-having situations. I know you’re aware how your albums have almost a cinematic feel. Do movies hold a special place in your heart? I’m a real visual guy. Even when I write a song, I’m visualizing it happenin’. As fas as movies go, I like movies but I’m not super movie buff. I think I’m just more into visualizing it in my mind, so I can bring it to life. A lot of your peers don’t share your same creativity. Being someone in the business, what are your thoughts on R&B’s creative side? I think it’s in its sad state right now. It’s definitely still about material things and that glitz and that glamour. It’s definitely a market for that. Sometimes you wanna go to the club and have a care-free night. But I think there’s also a market for my type of music to where you wanna be thoughtful about stuff because clubs are only going to last a couple of hours; your life is gonna last forever. It just seems like too much is focused on Friday and Saturday nights. It definitely is a great amount of energy –from radio and retail- focused on that. But I mean, things change. Back in the day they were wearing their

kids or their signiﬁcant other.

When someone pops in this new album, kind of emotions do you want them to feel? This album is called Lyfe Changes. I just want them to be able to listen to it and get some inspiration for some changes they want to make in their life that they may or may not be putting oﬀ. Also, [I want fans] to be able to listen to the music with their families and not worry about the content. You know, cussin’ or something like that. It’s for their grandmamma, their

Beyond music and designing furniture, what other skill are you proud to own? I think I just have a way with words. I think I can put it together real good so people can understand. People take a simple message and make it complicated. But I try to keep the message as simple as possible. I think I got a gift for simplicity.

BY JOHN B. MOORE

T WAS HARD TO MISS THE FIRST Angels and Airwaves record. Former Blink 182 co-founder and current A&A front man Tom Delonge never missed an opportunity to trumpet his new band’s debut, at times claiming it the be “greatest Rock and Roll revolution” and “the best music in decades.” The band’s 2007 follow up, I-Empire, was rolled out with much less fanfare, and though not exactly the stuff of revolutions, it’s still a strong album, brimming with experimental rock. Drummer Adam “Atom” Willard, who has sat behind the kit for a slew of influential punk bands (Rocket From the Crypt, The Offspring, and many more), spoke with us recently about the band, touring and his role as a troubadour stickman. How different was it recording I-Empire vs. the first A&A record? We had been touring and playing together for over a year so we had a better idea of how to relate to each other, and it just flowed out. We knew more about what one of us meant when we were talking about song ideas or how to get a certain feel, and it made it way easier to flush out the songs.

two. Why did you ultimately decide to leave The Offspring? Was it just a case of being spread too thin? Mostly, scheduling was getting sticky....I definitely didn’t want to leave them in a bind where I was already on tour and they needed me. Do you still talk to the guys in The Offspring? Yeah, it’s all good Matt (Wachter) has been added to the band since the last record. Does he change the band’s dynamic at all? Did he fit in right away? He really did fit in well right away. I think we’re all cut from the same cloth. As far as the dynamic... picture a fire station where everyone gives everyone else a ton of shit.....all the time. That’s how we are now.

I THINK WE WERE LESS CONCERNED ABOUT BRANDING THE BAND TO THE WORLD FOR THE FIRST TIME. AND I THINK WE JUST WORK TOGETHER BETTER NOW, TOO. THE MUSIC DEFINITELY REFLECTS HOW WE FEEL.

I liked the first record, but it took longer to grow on me then this one, which seemed easier to get into. Was there a conscious decision to put more hooks into I-Empire? Right on! Glad you like it. No, not really. But I think we were less concerned about branding the band to the world for the first time. And I think we just work together better now, too. The music definitely reflects how we feel. Any songs in particular you really like off the new record? You can’t ask me that! I love them all. I guess “Call to Arms” is one I’m really proud of. “Breathe” is also so different from anything we’ve ever done. I love it for its unique spot on the record.

You’ve been a part of some great bands over the past decade or so, but they all have diﬀerent sounds. Is there a particular type of music you enjoy playing the most? I really love what I’m doing now. I get to be loud; I get to be technical; I get to help write the music. It’s pretty great.

What tour plans do you guys have? We are headed out for a U.S. tour for about 5-6 weeks in February, then Japan and UK in April and May. Then mainland Europe.

Is Special Goodness planning another album? Not currently. We actually recorded a bunch of songs a couple years back for a second release but decided we could do better. We just haven’t tried yet. I know you get this question a lot, but are there plans for Rocket From the Crypt to get back together for a new record or some more shows? Not that I know of... Do you get a lot of bands passing you their CDs at shows and on the street? Yeah we do.

Did you guys feel more or less pressure with the ﬁrst one out of the way? Kinda’ like what I was saying before, no. We were so excited to get back into the studio for this one. I think we put less pressure on ourselves this go around.

Do you listen to them? Yes we try to listen to all of them. Sometimes they are really good....and other times we don’t make past the ﬁrst chorus of the ﬁrst song.

Let’s talk about your other bands for a minute or

What bands have you been listening to a lot lately? The Raconteurs, Against Me! and Hank Williams Sr.

You’ve been quite vocal about the coming elections. Do you think your message of being informed is getting through to potential voters? You never know until voting day. A lot of people talk about the election that’s probably not even going to vote. What I try to talk about is people getting familiar with the candidates, not necessarily just going with what they hear. Obama is deﬁnitely a good candidate. He lacks, I guess, relationships [in politics]. It’s new for him. And Hillary Clinton is a great candidate. You look at her healthcare programs and you look at you’re voting for Bill Clinton. Do we necessarily want that? There’s a lot of things to consider. But you have to know something about the candidates to make a decision. PG 29 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

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DINING

MARCH MADNESS TAKE-OUT GUIDE

Places to go for Grub before settling in for the Games Baldinos

Marietta 80 Powers Ferry Rd. 770.321.1177 Doraville 5697 Buford Hwy. 770.455.8570 Since 1975, Baldinos Giant Jersey Subs has been recognized as the only true New Jersey submarine sandwich in the South. Their instore bakery assures the freshest rolls baked daily. Whether you are ordering Boar’s Head Golden Roasted Turkey Breast or one of Baldinos famous Italian Subs, the meat is always sliced when you order to insure the freshest sub possible. If you like it hot, Baldinos Cheesesteak is the “Best in town”. In fact, all their grilled subs, including Sausage Italiano and a variety of chicken subs are great because they are hot off the grill; not out of the microwave. Stuffed subs like Tuna, Marinated Chicken, Meatball and Vegetarian Stir-Fry top off a variety of more than 30 subs and salads. When you walk into a Baldinos sub shop, you will feel the difference. When you eat a Baldinos sub, you’ll know the difference. Like they say, “Yea we’re fresh, but in a good kind of way." March on in to baldinos and watch your favorite team or March on out with a baldinos Family Sub and enjoy the game at home with a few of your friends.

Buffalo’s Southwest Cafe’ Multiple Metro Area Locations www.buffaloscafe.com

Buffalo’s is best known for their award winning wings, but they offer much more. Come tournament time, Buffalo’s is the place to go. Here you will find a wide array of finger foods that are a perfect compliment to watching the games. They have two great chicken sandwiches, the grilled Barbwire and Buffalo dipped in their secret sauce. In addtion they offer burgers, baskets and popular southwestern specialties. Try their Trailblazer Sampler to share with friends. It comes with wings, cheese sticks, chicken tenders and tortilla chips with queso verde cheese dip.

Chicago’s Nancy’s Pizza

Midtown 265 Ponce De Leon 404.885.9199 www.nancyspizza.com

The name Chicago conjures up images of some of the best pizza in the country. Mike Glover opened the first Chicago’s Nancy’s in Atlanta in 2003. As he explains, “We commit ourselves to the customers being happy and make sure to thank them for coming to Chicago’s Nancy’s.” Part of what keeps them

coming is the freshness of their pizza. Dough is made from scratch every day, vegetables and toppings are delivered daily and their fresh spices are imported from all over the world. But they offer more than just great pizza; salads and sandwiches also fill their menu. Nancy’s is the perfect place to call when planning a get together large or small.

Jersey Mike’s Subs

Multiple Metro Area Locations www.jerseymikes.com Since 1956, Jersey Mike's has made authentic northeast style sub sandwiches, and today they are available at their 30 locations throughout Atlanta. What makes Jersey Mike's the most authentic, delicious sub available? They start with bread that's fresh baked every morning right in their stores. They cook their Certified Angus Roast Beef right at the stores no one else does that! And they fresh slice every one of their subs and prepare it right in front of you. Nothing is ever presliced, pre-packaged or pre-anything. From their fresh produce to their 99% fat free turkey to their albacore tuna, everything about Jersey Mike's says quality, and you can taste the difference. Ask for your sub Mike's Way, with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, oil, vinegar and spices for that authentic northeast taste. Tournament games are better when you start with Jersey Mike's. Go to their website and fill out your bracket for a chance to win a Premier Home Theater Package including a 46” flat panel HDTV! Catering trays are available for any size party. For the location nearest you, visit jerseymikes.com.

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Johnny’s NY Style Pizza

Johnny’s Pizza has come to be synonymous with great pizza and subs in Atlanta. The first metro area location opened in East Point in 1977. There are now 65 Johnny’s Pizza restaurants. The secret to their success is in the preparation. They always use the finest ingredients in their fantastic Pizza, Subs, Salads, Sandwiches, Strombolis, and everything else on their menu! Johnny’s restaurants offer dine-in, take-out and delivery. Please call your nearest location for special catering menus being offered for this year’s tournament.

The Final Four Dos and Dont’s of Bracketing O look for a talented depth pool. Of course, not every national champion team is going to have three bonaﬁde NBA players on its roster like Florida did last year. But if you’re expecting a team to make it to the Final Four without a single top prospect, tell Tattoo we said hello because you’re living on Fantasy Island. Depth, especially skilled depth, gets squads far into the brackets. Memphis (with Chris DouglasRoberts, Derrick Rose and Robert Dozier) and North Carolina (Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington, Ty Lawson) probably have the most future pros on their teams. That’s not to say teams like Kansas and Duke don’t have the legs for a long stretch of dancing, too. DON’T pick big upsets beyond the ﬁrst weekend. Last year only four games were won by teams that were

BEST PIZZA!

Multiple Metro Area Locations www.JohnnysPizza.com

STOP THE MADNESS! BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

Your Neighborhood Pizzeria!

more than one seed lower than their opponent. Simple translation: Don’t load your board with upsets. Don’t get us wrong though. We know that things sometimes happen if a school is named Valparaiso or Gonzaga. That said, there are two basic rules for picking upsets: 1) Don’t do anything crazy beyond the ﬁrst weekend. Teams that are supposed to win usually do by the Sweet 16; 2) In the ﬁrst round, go with a No. 11 over a No. 6 upset not the 13/4 or 12/5. And whatever you do, never, ever, ever, ever pick a 14, 15 or 16 seed to win… unless you’re the president of said institution. DO seek out a team that has a strong interior presence. Though point guards are a school’s engine, the centers and big forwards are the radiator—without it cool at the right times, the whole thing can blow up. Last year’s Final Four was absolutely loaded with skilled giants: Georgetown’s Roy Hibbert, Ohio State’s Greg

VOTED BEST SUBS IN ATLANTA

SPORTS Oden and Florida’s Al Horford. This March’s top bigs are Hansbrough, UCLA’s Kevin Love, Indiana’s D.J. White and Notre Dame’s Luke Harangody. The Irish haven’t gotten much ink on these pages because Harangody doesn’t have a lot of help (See the first paragraph). DON’T follow the crowd. If announcers Billy Packer and Jay Bilas are gushing over the Mountain West champ possibly upsetting the third-best ACC team, don’t just take their word for it. By all means, check out the squad’s regular season out-of-conference record. And while we’re on onside influences, put a filter on what you internalize from the in-office chatter. We can just hear that know-it-all at the water cooler now: “Those Volunteers are gonna rise from their late February shakiness in the tournament.” He could be right. But even if you follow his lead, it won’t help your case all that much because you two will have the same bracket. The dough is in doing your own thing. -DW FOUR BRACKETBUSTERS WE’LL NEVER FORGET �� 1991- The first time in tourney history that a No. 15 won anything beyond a few sympathy votes.

�� 1993- Wait a second. Was that who we thought it was running circles around the heavily-favored Wildcats? Yep, that was awkward-looking Steve Nash leading this upset. �� Remember, the defending champion Bruins had absolutely no answer for all of the Tigers’ backdoor antics? �� Second Round 2006- This was the game that put the Patriots on everyone’s radar and ruined everyone’s bracket.

PG 31 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

FEATURE

March Madness!

Where to Head to When the Tournament Tips off

H YES! IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN. Mass hysteria hits the country in what is known as MARCH MADNESS! As you settle in for the Big Dance, we at INsite would like to suggest some terrific places in Atlanta to watch the games, enjoy some great food and take in all the excitement!

Jocks & Jills / Frankie’s Galleria770.952.8401 / CNN 404.688.4225 Norcross 770.263.0910 / Frankie’s 404.843.9444 www.jocksandjills.com

Back in 1986, when a couple of Atlanta Hawks players and a TBS announcer decided to open a sports bar, little did they know they would be creating an Atlanta institution. Over the years, Jocks & Jills has been synomous great food, fun and memorable events. In 1995 the popular Sandy Springs restaurant Frankie’s joined the group. Frankie’s has been voted America’s #1 Sports Bar by USA Today. Throughout the tournament you will hear friends say, “Meet me at Jocks and Jills.”

Mo’s Pizza

3109 Briarcliff Rd. 404.320.1258

You may know about the burrito chain with the same name, but the original Mo’s resides on the corner of Briarcliff and Clairmont Roads just off the I-85 exit. They have been serving up great pizza for over 25 years. Mo’s menu isn’t limited to pizza either: sandwiches, subs, wings, nachos and salads ensure that anybody who comes here can find something they like. Mo’s uses the freshest ingredients; they make their own dough and grind their cheese daily. Come to Mo’s to catch all the tournament action. They have a great deck to hang out on, and plenty of new plasma TVs to watch the games. Mo’s is one of the longest running pizza joints in Atlanta, come in and see why they are one of the best!

The Red Door Tavern

3180 Roswell Rd. (1 Block N of Roxy) 404.846.6525

Now in their fourth year, The Red Door Tavern

MARCH MADNESS

BASKETBALL

GREAT SUBS, SANDWICHES, SALADS & WINGS Since 1980 CARRYING THE SEC & NCAA TOURNAMENT ON MULTIPLE PLASMA SCREENS

has quickly become a favorite watering hole among locals in North Buckhead. They are located on Roswell Road, one block north of the Roxy Theatre. The Red Door Tavern features a large outdoor deck in the front that offers a great view down Roswell Road in Buckhead’s West Village. They have “Bucket Specials” of Bud, Bud Light and Bud Select. They also have a “Draft Tower” a glass featuring 120 ounces of beer. The deck will

be the place to be Saturday March 15, as The Red Door holds their annual St. Patrick’s Day Blowout. It will feature green beer and Irish drink specials as well as an actual dancing Leprechaun on the bar. They are open 2pm to 3am each day and closed on Sunday. During the tournament, they will open at noon to catch those early round games.

Taco Mac

Multiple Metro Area Locations www.tacomac.com

Best known for their wall of drafts and great wings, Taco Mac offers the biggest selection of micro-brewed beers and imports in the south.

T h e combination of great beer and wings makes Taco Mac the perfect place to meet friends at tournament time. The new locations including Duluth, Kennesaw and Cumming offer an abundance of large

screens to catch all the biggest sporting events. The Lindbergh store (featured above) which is located in Lindbergh City Center, has over 100 beers on draft and a semi-mezzanine patio offering great views of the city. New locations to open this spring will be at Philips Arena and Midtown.

Highland Cigar Co.

245 N. Highland Ave. 404.477.2415 www.HighlandCigar.com

A favorite among cigar afficionados in Atlanta since opening in 2006. Located in Inman Park

The Launch Pad for Atlanta Night Life

$7 Large Cheese Pizza

Just off I-85 @ Clairmont (Corner of Briarcliff & Clairmont)

3109 Briarcliff Rd. | 404-320-1258

Get it online.

PHIPPS PLAZA • BUCKHEAD • 404.814.9640 Current Issue Back Issues Contests Links & More! www.insiteatlanta.com PG 32 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

OPEN DAILY • PRIORITY SEATING AVAILABLE www.TheTavernAtPhipps.com

FEATURE

March Madness!

Where to Head to When the Tournament Tips off

Jocks & Jills / Frankie’s Galleria770.952.8401 / CNN 404.688.4225 Norcross 770.263.0910 / Frankie’s 404.843.9444 www.jocksandjills.com

Back in 1986, when a couple of Atlanta Hawks players and a TBS announcer decided to open a sports bar, little did they know they would be creating an Atlanta institution. Over the years, Jocks & Jills has been synomous great food, fun and memorable events. In 1995 the popular Sandy Springs restaurant Frankie’s joined the group. Frankie’s has been voted America’s #1 Sports Bar by USA Today. Throughout the tournament you will hear friends say, “Meet me at Jocks and Jills.”

Mo’s Pizza

3109 Briarcliff Rd. 404.320.1258

The Red Door Tavern

3180 Roswell Rd. (1 Block N of Roxy) 404.846.6525

Now in their fourth year, The Red Door Tavern

MARCH MADNESS

BASKETBALL

GREAT SUBS, SANDWICHES, SALADS & WINGS Since 1980 CARRYING THE SEC & NCAA TOURNAMENT ON MULTIPLE PLASMA SCREENS

Taco Mac

Multiple Metro Area Locations www.tacomac.com

Best known for their wall of drafts and great wings, Taco Mac offers the biggest selection of micro-brewed beers and imports in the south.

T h e combination of great beer and wings makes Taco Mac the perfect place to meet friends at tournament time. The new locations including Duluth, Kennesaw and Cumming offer an abundance of large

Highland Cigar Co.

245 N. Highland Ave. 404.477.2415 www.HighlandCigar.com

A favorite among cigar afficionados in Atlanta since opening in 2006. Located in Inman Park

The Launch Pad for Atlanta Night Life

$7 Large Cheese Pizza

Just off I-85 @ Clairmont (Corner of Briarcliff & Clairmont)

3109 Briarcliff Rd. | 404-320-1258

Get it online.

PHIPPS PLAZA • BUCKHEAD • 404.814.9640 Current Issue Back Issues Contests Links & More! www.insiteatlanta.com PG 32 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

OPEN DAILY • PRIORITY SEATING AVAILABLE www.TheTavernAtPhipps.com

FILM INTERVIEW

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN Director Jon Poll On Charlie Bartlett

BY MATT GOLDBERG

IRECTOR JON POLL HAS MADE his feature film debut with Charlie Bartlett, a film some are calling the male Juno (which is funny, because that would be his road-not-taken). Poll has already had an interesting role by transitioning from editor to director and working with the brilliant Anton Yelchin, and is already set to follow-up with a raunchy sex comedy that comes out of the age of Judd Apatow (who Poll has also worked with in the past). We recently sat down with Poll in Atlanta to discuss his directorial debut. I was very charmed by the film and was wondering what attracted you to the project. Well, thank you, first of all. I was pretty picky. I’m not 22 years old. I had an opportunity to make a movie and I read a hundred scripts to find Charlie Bartlett. There were actually two that I loved. One was Charlie, the other was one I used to call “the female Charlie Bartlett,” and I think it’s better known as Juno now. In a way, Juno had the same thing I responded to in Charlie– a lot of humor, a lot of heart, and a lot on its mind. There’s an honesty and optimism that I found in Charlie. I love gritty, edgy films and Tarantino kind of films, and there are a lot of those these days that come from a dark, cynical place. Even though we do play a little fastand-loose in Charlie with a lot of dark issues, ultimately I think it’s an uplifting film. To me, it’s a movie about listening, and even though we play with the prescription drug-thing and get a few laughs out of it, it’s got a main character whose not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve. He finds that even though he’s searching for popularity, he’s really a listener and can help people. I personally find that inspiring. You have a really fantastic cast, but Anton Yelchin is amazing. What led you to casting him? There’s a funny story in that one. Before I even started casting, people asked me, “Who do you see in this part?” Well, I know the perfect person: Bud Cort four years before Harold & Maude. And I really was a little lost beyond that. I was talking with Jake Kasdan who directed Walk Hard and was working on his film before that, The TV Set with David Duchovny. I described the film to him and he said, “You have to see House of D. There’s this kid in it named Anton Yelchin,” So I watched House of D and Hearts in Atlantis and I was blown away. I thought, “Here’s this kid who has this really soulful and yet wise-beyond-his-years persona,” And especially in House of D, he was able to play things with a great sense of humor and gravity all at the same time. And I knew that was something PG 34 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

that Charlie Bartlett had to have. He’s such a mix of tones that I knew it was going to be the hardest thing: making jokes in scenes that were serious and having scenes that were serious have an aspect of humor. So I met Anton and the first thing I knew when we sat down and I asked, “What is it about Charlie that makes you want to play this character?” And he said, “I love how honest and optimistic he is,” And I kind of offered him the part at that moment but I waited for like an hour when dinner was over. Then I offered him the part and was told by the studio and all the producers, “Well that’s very nice, Jon, but you’re a first-time director and you don’t have the authority to do that,” And even they knew him, we went through the process of looking through eighty-two young and not-soyoung actors who were interested in the part, but was never any doubt in my mind that Anton Yelchin would be Charlie Bartlett. Clearly, we’re all going to be seeing a lot of Anton for years to come and he’s going to be in this little indie flick you may have heard of called Star Trek. How has your work as an editor translated into your directing? Well, mostly I’ve been very lucky to really learn so much working with Jay Roach, who also produced this movie. Also, he originally was going to direct the movie, but he helped me get a shot at directing this and backed me up and so I worked with him. I’ve worked with Mike Myers. I’ve worked with Judd Apatow. I’ve worked with Danny DeVito. I’ve worked with so many people who are both very funny and human and I’ve learned so much. Other than being a writer, by being an editor, there’s no better way to learn how to make a movie. Most people don’t know this, but an editing room is really where a film is put together. There’s a great old saying that I thought was Peter Weir’s when I had

a great training ground. I’ve worked with a bunch of first-time directors and if they haven’t been through the editorial process, they all say, “I wish I’d known what I know now because I would have done things differently. And even the studio said to me, “We know because you’re an editor, you’re just going to shoot the pieces you need!” And I said, “Well actually, because I’m an editor, I’m going to shoot all the pieces I may ever need because I need all that flexibility in the editing room,” And they were very kind

TO ME, IT’S A MOVIE ABOUT LISTENING. IT’S GOT A MAIN CHARACTER WHOSE NOT AFRAID TO WEAR HIS HEART ON HIS SLEEVE. HE FINDS THAT EVEN THOUGH HE’S SEARCHING FOR POPULARITY, HE’S REALLY A LISTENER AND CAN HELP PEOPLE. I PERSONALLY FIND THAT INSPIRING. the opportunity of working with him on Master and Commander, and I said, “Peter, I’ve always said this: A movie is written once with a pen, once with a camera, and the last pass is in the editing room,” And he said, “It is great, isn’t it? I didn’t say it. I just repeated it. I don’t know who said it,” But it is true, and it’s not something a lot of people know. So I’ve had the great opportunity to sit in dark rooms and judge the performances of many great comedic actors and serious actors as well. And I think that’s

to a movie on a small budget. I was originally budgeted 250,000 feet of film and I ended up shooting half a million. In all honesty, that really helped me make the movie. What’s next for you? A very different movie. It’s funny, because I took so long before I did Charlie and then when I found it, it was the very first movie I pitched to do and I got it. Since then I’ve read over 150 scripts, taken three movies, and as surprised as I was to do Charlie Bartlett, I’m even more surprised with what I get to do now. It’s a broad

sex farce– a true R-rated sex comedy. It’s called Something Borrowed and, as we all know, these things aren’t real until they happen, but I am attached. As we speak, we’re in negotiations with Anna Faris to be the star, who I think is as great a comedienne as we’ve seen in years. It’s about a 20-something girl and guy who couldn’t be more different. She’s a conservative doctor, he’s a very lackadaisical high-school basketball coach. And they meet and they fall in love at first sight and rush headlong into marriage. The one impediment in their way is that they have to get the approval of her maternal grandmother, who happens to be from New Orleans. They meet her and she doesn’t like the idea. Being from New Orelans, there’s a touch of voodoo in the family and she goes “Poof!” All of a sudden, Anna Faris is in a guy’s body, and the guy is in Anna Faris’ body. So the week before their wedding, they can’t tell anyone because they would be insane and they get to experience what it’s like to be in the opposite gender’s body. And basically what happens throughout the film is you get to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes and learn enough about them that by the time they do get married, they are of an understanding that they belong together. I’ll give you two tastes of how wild and crazy this gets: Imagine this guy in Anna Faris’ body after they’ve calmed down and realized they’re stuck with this for a few days, and he goes “Hmmm…” and he tries to masturbate. And he discovers along the way that it’s a lot more complicated for a girl than it is for a guy. Then there’s a scene later where they try to have sex together and it’s kind of odd at first; but it gets to the point where– and this is the crudest part of the movie– where they’re about to have sex and the guy says to her, “Alright, there’s got to be some ground rules: there’s no way I’m going to suck my own cock.”

Up Close With… SUN

MUSIC INTERVIEW

BY BRET LOVE

LTHOUGH SHE HAS HAD FOUR multi-platinum albums in her native Singapore, Sun’s career hit a whole new level when she topped the U.S. dance charts with her hit singles “Where Did Love Go,” “One With You,” “Without Love” and “Gone.” Introduced to worldfamous Fugees frontman Wyclef Jean, she signed a production deal to record her North American debut, recording the single “China Wine” with Elephant Man and Tyson Beckford. On the heels of recording two songs for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, BRET LOVE caught up with the world-traveling pop star. You’ve been extremely popular in Asia for years. Were you excited to learn that you’d become the first Asian singer ever to top the U.S. Dance Charts? Definitely, yes! It was like a dream come true. The song was “Where Did Love Go,” and it was during Christmas that my manager called to tell me the news. At first I thought he was joking, but when I realized it was true I was screaming and jumping around the room. How is it different, performing for Western audiences as opposed to Asians? It’s very different. In Asia, I’m accustomed to performing in bigger venues, playing open-air concerts for 10,000-20,000 people. So the audience is not that up close and personal. The first time I performed in America they brought me to all these different nightclubs and I was performing on stages the size of a table! At first I was kind of freaking out, because I wasn’t sure what to do, but as soon as I started the first song and saw people responding to me and coming up to dance with me, I had a lot of fun. People

signal from page 19 Jacob: Well, we would have a competition over kills. So you have three times as many good kills in the movie because we were all trying to one-up each other. Was there any point where you were creating a kill and just thought, “Man, I have real problems! I think I need professional help…”? Dan: Jacob has such a beat on killing people with iconic weaponry that I was like, “I’m not even going to try to touch that shit!” But what they do with the bodies after they’re dead… David: So he resurrects a head! [Laughter] David: No, it’s difficult when you deal with violence in a movie and to watch a movie that represents violence on screen. Sometimes you want to laugh at it in a satirical way and you want to watch it without getting off on this stuff, but at other times you do intend it to disturb [the audience]. Sometimes you intend for that awareness to exist at the same time, and it’s always a delicate place to operate from. Jacob: But you also want to take the audience on a roller-coaster ride with left turns at the right times. You want to pull back at the right time in the story to justify the story. And sometimes it is shocking and sometimes it’s in a horrible way because the movie takes these left turns. Sometimes you’re having fun with the violence and sometimes we give you something really horrible and harsh to watch and that makes you complicit and makes it a participatory experience for the audience. Dan: Basically, when we ere conceiving of The Signal, we realized it wouldn’t take much to push people over the edge. Once people felt that they were threatened by the people around them, then they would react with a certain frame of mind. Some people are very much part of the problem and other very much perceive themselves as part of the solution.

started taking oﬀ their shirts, which you never see in clubs in Asia. I was like, Wow! I didn’t know what to think…

“China Wine.” He introduced me to the Caribbean sound and I introduced him to the Asian sound, and in an hour or two the song was done.

How did you get hooked up with Wyclef Jean? It was actually through mutual industry friends. The Fugees were really big in Asia after they released “Killing My Softly,” so when I got the opportunity to meet him I just went for it. It was at his Platinum Sound Recording Studio in New York and I was sick and running a fever, but he was very warm and friendly. He immediately picked up his guitar and started singing a song about me, then I started singing with him, and that’s how we wrote our ﬁrst single together,

What do you enjoy most about getting a chance to tour all around the world? I really love getting to sample other cultures, especially trying all the diﬀerent cuisines. I love to eat! Are there any favorite travel destinations you’ve visited? As far as Asia, I love Singapore, and not just because I’m from there. Singapore is very cosmopolitan and cultural, but it’s also very friendly and welcoming.

THE FIRST TIME I PERFORMED IN AMERICA THEY BROUGHT ME TO ALL THESE DIFFERENT NIGHTCLUBS AND I WAS PERFORMING ON STAGES THE SIZE OF A TABLE! AT FIRST I WAS KIND OF FREAKING OUT, BUT AS SOON AS I STARTED THE FIRST SONG AND SAW PEOPLE RESPONDING TO ME AND COMING UP TO DANCE WITH ME, I HAD A LOT OF FUN.

There were definitely times when I just wished this was a straight zombie film. I can deal with zombies. This is a whole different beast. Jacob: It was kind of the evolution of the zombie film. It’s not a zombie film, but it played upon the conversation of what the zombie film had come to. We were sort of maxed out on the old form, and we want to find new forms and new ways to tell the story. And I think that it should kind of take it a step further, so instead of saying, “Oh my god, there’s a zombie! Run!” it’s like “What if I’m the zombie and I don’t even know it?!” The characters are rational and they have justifications for why they do what they do, so you don’t go gray in the face and say “I want to eat brains!” The guessing game is who is signalized and who isn’t, and figuring out who is affected by it makes it this entire city where, even with the way we do the signal– where it actually assaults the audience– then they’re brought into the question, too. Dan: I think the thing is, you can’t just have good kills. You have to be invested in the characters and the emotional world and the story. In order to do that, you have to be in the minds of the people that are affected by this thing. So there’s this adventurous spirit at one point and then yank back into the reality of the whole thing. Not to belabor the metaphor, but with all these left turns on this roller-coaster, are you ever worried that you’re going to fall off the tracks? David: This is an independent horror film and, for that reason, we felt an obligation to run with it and take as big a risk as we possibly could inside the story. You make a film the audience can’t trust. They can’t trust it. And if there’s anything that works in our film, I think it’s that: you cannot know where this ride is going. You cannot trust this world of The Signal.

camino from page 25 DM: Even though it was the vehicle that led us down that road in the first place! JJ: When Sons Of Evil came out, we toured a lot, but I barely remember any of it. We were basically just chasing down drugs a lot of the time. When I look back on that album, I remember making it, but a lot of the activities that went on around that time are foggy. It went on that way for a while, until Easy E [a.k.a. guitarist Eric Gagnon] came around. DM: He produced Sons Of Evil, then about a year after Damon died he joined the band and toured with us on guitar. JJ: When we got him in the band, we kinda kicked it into fifth gear and picked up right where we left off, getting messed up again and touring everywhere. We flew out to California and did a video shoot, and played Mexico so many times people started wanting our autographs. At one point we had Rick Rubin lined up to talk to us, but that never happened. There was an agent for the Black Crowes who’s a big-time music lawyer now that we had a couple of meetings with, but it never went anywhere. That’s when we started our own record label, Uncle Punk Records, to release Last Band Standing, which was the result of my brother Kevin coming back from Mexico, taking over all our management and promotion and getting our stuff online. We were like his four mules, and he was the caballero! (Laughs) DM: He was responsible for getting us all together for photo shoots and that kinda stuff, but we were so messed up at the time that I don’t know how he ever put up with us. JJ: Eventually the chicks in our life made us get our shit together. First Paul went off with Anastasia and stopped partying. He’d been blacking out and kicking doors open while driving down the road [before he met her]. When me and my wife Jackie started hanging out, we’d still have designated party time, but it wasn’t a whirlwind of seeing how much trouble we could get into. I had to be a normal person, so I just started backing off the throttle. Then Craig went to rehab. We were trying to tell David he needed to slow down, but he wouldn’t listen. DM: The year before I went to jail, I met this girl, who I’m still with now. She had a lot of money, so I

There are so many places to go shopping, and the city is so clean. I love Bali because it’s so beautiful, but you can have a great time there for very little money. I also love New York, because it’s such a melting pot of different cultures, it really reminds me of where I come from. When you’re on the road and lonely, what do you miss most about life back home in Singapore? My family! I’m very close to my mom, and for a while I was commuting between Asia and L.A., where my manager is. But now that I’m living in New York while recording the album with Wyclef, I make a point of talking to her on the phone at least once every other day. I miss her so much! I heard that you recently recorded a song for the Summer Olympics in China. What was that experience like? I’ve actually recorded more than one song– I’ve been named a cultural ambassador for the 2008 Summer Olympics– and it has been such a great honor. I got to perform at the Special Olympics in Beijing, and I’ve already recorded one song with Wyclef called “Destiny”) and one with David Foster, which we might change the name of but for now is called “The Light.” Both of those songs are being used in the promotional DVD they’re sending out to promote the Beijing Olympics, but they’re still working out the details on who will be performing during the opening and closing ceremonies. Other than music, do you have any major obessions? I’m very obsessed with Pinkberry. (Laughs) Do you know it? It’s a yogurt place, and I swear I could eat it several times a day. In fact, I think I’m going to have to go get one after we finish talking! didn’t have to work anymore. Pretty much all we did was speed, coke and hang out in bars all day because we didn’t have any responsibilities. We took it as far as you can take it, then I got busted on an outstanding drug charge from 1997 that I’d blown off my probation for. They happened to catch up with me and ran my name on a routine traffic stop, and the next thing I know I’m in the pen looking at two years of hard time! (Laughs) I was in Walker State, just north of Rome, for 14 months, and of course all I’d been thinking about was getting my hands on some drugs again. We didn’t even talk about putting the band back together for at least a year after I got out in 2004, because I was probably just as bad off as I’d been before I went in. But nobody knew about it because we weren’t playing together. Then Kiera and I started getting our shit together, and by that time Craig and Paul had bought the Johnny’s Pizza in Decatur, and JJ had his own painting business together. The guys were all getting married, and it was at JJ’s wedding that I talked to Paul, who was afraid if we got back together I’d turn into a huge fuck-up again. During the reception, I caught him in a soft-hearted moment and it was like something out of The Godfather: “Paulie, I’m reaching out to ya over here!” (Laughs) JJ: They kinda hugged and mended the fences, and in February of 2006 we decided to do a one-off comeback gig at the EARL. We sold it out and we kicked ass! It went so well that we decided to just keep going. DM: We played another sold-out gig on St. Patrick’s Day and it was the same thing. It felt fuckin’ awesome! It was great being back on stage and feeling good about it. We rehearsed our asses off before those two gigs, because we knew we had to bring it, and we really kicked ass. That’s when we started talking about finishing the record we’d been working on before I got locked up. JJ: We’d recorded five of the 14 songs before he went to jail, so now we’re back to finish it up. Paul and I never stopped writing songs. We started working on it in summer of 2007, and it was like putting on an old comfortable boot. It kicked so much ass that nobody cared what anybody else had done [in the past]. It was the same magic kind of thing as when Paul and Craig showed up that first night. The four of us just kinda fit together, and when we put it together, it’s like, BAM!

PG 35 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

SPORTS NEWS

Sure Shots Why March Basketball Doesn’t Have To Drive You Mad

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

Nolan Smith in the same night.

EFORE TODAY, THE ONLY SURE THINGS IN life were death, taxes and a mention of Britney Spears on the cover of US Weekly. INsite felt it was past time that something else was added to that list of certainties- teams we knew would make it to the Sweet 16 of the fast-approaching NCAA Tournament without a shadow of doubt. The calendar’s hit March, so that means all of our favorite schools (and faves to hate) have played at least 25 games, leaving us with plenty to gauge their postseason prospects. Don’t get us wrong though. Some emotional groups like Texas A&M and Connecticut are still hard to peg. Others like Kentucky and Ohio State might be hard-pressed even finding a spot by the time the bracket begins unfolding on March 20. Either way, the studs and squads mentioned below will definitely play a part in the Madness. Oh, and here’s one more guarantee: When the dust settles in the Alamodome on April 7, the North Carolina Tar Heels will be the last team standing.

LOUISVILLE – Don’t let the fact that Rick Pitino’s Cardinals have pretty much flown under the radar fool you. These guys have some serious game (Terrence Williams has two triple doubles this year), and they’re all pecking at just the right time. MEMPHIS – Honestly, we’ve been a bit skeptical of the Tigers for much of the year. But the way Chris DouglasRoberts and fab frosh Derrick Rose have thumped all

comers (Georgetown, Arizona and UConn to name three), it’s hard to ignore the truth any longer. NORTH CAROLINA – If Mike Beasley weren’t creating such havoc at Kansas State, the player of the year award would’ve been giftwrapped for Tyler Hansbrough (23 points, 10 rebounds a game) on December 25. If Ty Lawson is healthy, the national title will be at the campus by April 8. TENNESSEE – Thanks to a grooving Chris Lofton and the generous Smith “brothers” (JaJuan and Tyler, combining for about 6 assists per), the Vols have been handing out whippings season-long to formidable foes like Gonzaga and Vanderbilt. The charity work continues this month.

MIDWEST

BUTLER – The media loves A.J. Graves, but Mike Green (14/6/5) will be the man who leads this Cinderella to the ball. And if you think the guard only danced around Horizon League opponents, you’ll want a second opinion from Florida State and Texas Tech.

EAST

CONNECTICUT– With killers outside (A.J. Price), on the wings (Jeff Adrien) and in the paint (Hasheem Thabeet), these Huskies have been sniffing blood since January. A change in the calendar won’t curb their thirst.

INDIANA – Eric Gordon + D.J. White = 40 points a night. Sadly, the Hoosiers’ math gets a lil’ fuzzy once you equate the x factor Kelvin Sampson, a head coach with a sketchy recruiting record who may not have a job by the time you read this.

GEORGETOWN– Nowhere near the threat they were this time last year, John Thompson III’s Hoyas still have that knack for toughing it out in the second half. Oh, and they still have your favorite center’s favorite center, Roy Hibbert, under the rim.

KANSAS – When these Jayhawks are rockin’, it’s hard for anyone to stop’em. In fact, they didn’t lose their first game until January 30. If Darrell Arthur, Mario Chalmers and Darnell Jackson play to their capacity, they won’t see another “L” ‘til late March.

WEST

ST. MARY’S – Technically a “Gael,” this school’s mascot, is anyone of Irish ancestry. But seeing as how Patrick Mills, an Australian native, has led the West Coast Conference school out of hardwood obscurity, we’ll call it a technicality.

KANSAS STATE – It’s ironic that the country’s most consistent player, Michael Beasley, plays on one of the most unpredictable teams. One minute the Wildcats lose to Oregon, the next they upset rival Kansas. Because of Beaz, we’re betting they right things right away.

STANFORD – Though the Cardinal probably don’t have enough to dance too long, with the lanky Lopez twins, Brook and Robin, they have nearly 14 combined feet of interior footwork (and about 30 points) that should waltz into the second weekend.

MICHIGAN STATE – Meet the Spartans was a surprise box-office hit a few months back. It won’t shock anyone if Tom Izzo’s players add some drama to the brackets. To do so, star Drew Neitzel’s gotta win the Oscar for Best Performer with 5 Minutes Left in the Game.

UCLA – Just because you’re sleep by the time Bruins games go to halftime, that’s no excuse not to have witnessed the sensational Kevin Love (17 points and 11 boards). A hard worker who bruises and bounces like few others, Love will be primetime next year in the NBA.

SOUTH

DUKE – We know exactly why UNC coach Roy Williams hates the Dukies: No matter how inventive the gameplan, it’s nearly impossible to stop DeMarcus Nelson, Kyle Singler, Gerald Henderson, Greg Paulus, Taylor King and PG 36 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

TEXAS – No Kevin Durant, no problem. D.J. Augustin has been putting up points in bunches. He gave St. Mary’s 30 and flung another 27 at Texas A&M. If A.J. Abrams and Damion James keep doing their parts, there’s no need for Longhorn Country to worry.

MARCH MADNESS 2008

OPENING ROUND BEGINS ON MARCH 18 FINAL FOUR GAMES WILL BE ON APRIL 5 & 7

Almost Doesn’t Count – Davidson, Ohio State, Vanderbilt, Xavier, Pittsburgh Count On Choking – Arizona, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Purdue, Notre Dame

�� BY GLENN LaFOLLETTE

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Photo courtesy of Guinness ��

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PG 37 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2008

SPORTS NEWS

FANATIC BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS “It is understandable if some people do not understand the Chinese government policy on Darfur. But I am afraid that some people may have ulterior motives, and this we cannot accept. China is also concerned about the humanitarian crisis there, but we have been playing a positive and constructive role in promoting peace in Darfur.” - FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN LIU JI ANCHAO, on the Olympic host country’s response to the Sudan genocide Last year this whole NFL DRAFT thing was kind of snap, what with the mighty-armed JaMarcus Russell at the top of everyone’s list. The ‘08 crop of college bruisers is equally stout, but without that singular name coming out of everyone’s mouth first. Fanatic’s seen draft previews with Boston College QB Matt Ryan at the one, LSU defensive giant Glen Dorsey at the top spot and those with Arkansas RB Darren McFadden up there. Though either could give the floundering Miami Dolphins life, expect new GM Bill Parcells to fill the QB spot in free agency and offer the RB slot to the already-proven Ronnie Brown, leaving all 6-2, 316 pounds of All-American Dorsey for the picking. “Without him playing a game, you automatically say the Hawks are in the playoffs. They already got some unbelievable athletes, and then they’ve got a franchise player in Joe Johnson. And then you add another All-Star in Mike Bibby. That’s a phenomenal team.” –MIAMI HEAT STAR DWYANE WADE “Yes, it’s too soon to expect Bibby to have formed a mesh with his teammates, who are so used to playing without a point guard they can hardly be expected to know how to act when one’s on the floor. But it isn’t too soon to grasp what has become painfully obvious to everyone except Billy Knight and the team’s many owners: This coach isn’t apt to take any team anywhere worth going.” –AJC COLUMNIST MARK BRADLEY The BIBBYTOATLANTA deal wasn’t the only transaction buzzed about over the NBA trading season. The biggest deals, of course, were the Shaquille O’Neal-for-Shawn Marion trade, Jason Kidd-back-to-Dallas move and the mammoth 11-man handoff between Chicago (Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes

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

arriving), Cleveland (Wally Szczerbiak, Ben Wallace) and Seattle (Ira Newble, Donyell Marshall). Of all the wheelin’, this last one might make the most sense by May. In Szczerbiak, LeBron James ﬁnally has a comrade who can consistently drain it from deep. And in Big Ben, Zydrunas Ilgauskas has some help in the low post. This move might solidify a third seed in the East.

2008 MLB SPRING TRAINING HAS BEGUN

“I like challenges. The challenge of helping to turn a team around, to help get it to the next level, that gets my competitive ﬁres burning. I have the itch, and right now I’m trying to decide how strong that itch is.” –TV ANALYST KEYSHAWN JOHNSON, on a possible return to the NFL

Aaaah, BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING. If there’s a better time on the sports calendar (besides March Madness), Fanatic is clueless about it. Of course, with the players reporting to Florida and Arizona, all sorts of questions come with them. The main off-the-diamond one revolves around the steroids aftermath. The biggest on the field issue, in my opinion, has to be with how teams are going to stop the new-look Detroit Tigers. All-star shortstop Edgar Renteria said it best: “It’s like an all-star team.” There’s “Pudge” Rodriguez (hall of fame catcher), Gary Sheffield (480 career home runs), Jacque Jones (.280 career avg.), Magglio Ordonez (.363 and 139 RBI in ‘07) and some guy named Miguel Cabrera (.320, 34 homers and 119 RBI). The Boston/Detroit ALCS is going to be a blast in October. And finally… At press time the Washington Wizards (.472 winning percentage) were the 6th seed in the East. If they played in the West, they’d be tied for 12th… On Feb. 20, Chris Paul became just the second NBA player since ’74-75 to have a 30+ point, 11+ assist, 9+ steal night… Over the next five seasons, the cash-strapped Buffalo Bills will play one home game in neighboring Toronto to help increase the fanbase… Several eBayers were selling tickets over $1,000 for the Feb 23 No. 1 Memphis/No. 2 Tennessee clash… If you go to EASports.com, you can vote for the mascot the company will put on the cover of NCAA Football ’09 for the Nintendo Wii… Just in case you’re wondering, Kobe Bryant averages 36.6 points when he plays against Shaq… Might the announcement of Candace Parker, a redshirt junior, leaving Tennessee set a bold trend for early entries into the WNBA?

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1 2 3 4 5

NCAA Tournament First Round (March 20-21, CBS, TBD)

Those Tar Heels we talk about a page or two over begin their trek during the most exciting weekdays of the year.

Phoenix at Boston (March 26, ESPN, 7PM)

Might this be a preview of the NBA Finals? If KG, The Truth, Stevie and Shaq have anything to do with it, hell yeah!

Boston vs. Oakland (March 25-26, ESPN, TBD)

What’s “Play Ball!” in Japanese? The defending champs and the still-rebuilding A’s ﬁnd out.

North Carolina at Duke (March 8, ESPN, 9PM)

Knowledge that the winner of this hatefest probably assures itself of a No. 1 seed makes things more intense than usual.

McDonald’s AllAmerican Game

(March 26, ESPN, 9:30PM)

You’ve probably heard about prep stars Greg Monroe and B.J. Mullens. Consider this your intro to the super-baller Demar DeRozan.

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