INsite Atlanta June 2010 Issue

June 2010

www.insiteatlanta.com

Vol. 18, No. 11 FREE

Summer

The 2010

guide

The Season’s Hottest Events & Attractions in Atlanta & the Surrounding Areas.

Interviews with: Elizabeth Banks Jada Pinkett Smith • Queen Latifah • Deftones Gael Garcia Bernal • Jillian Michaels

CONTENTS • JUNE 2010 • VOLUME 18.11 Atlanta’s

Entertainment Monthly

INTERVIEWS 06 QUEEN LATIFAH 10 JILLIAN MICHAELS 11 GAEL GARCIA BERNAL 12 CARRIE RODRIGUEZ 15 JADA PINKETT SMITH 22 JESSE MALIN 23 DEFTONES 28 EVEREST 28 TWIN TIGERS 29 ELIZABETH BANKS

This striking Exhibition showcases real human bodies, dissected and preserved through a revolutionary process allowing visitors to see themselves in a fascinating way like never before.

10

BODIES...The Exhibition will enlghten, empower, and inspire.

11

FEATURES 08 OUTDOOR ADVENTURES 09 BURGERS 16 SUMMER MOVIE PREVIEW 24 SUMMER GUIDE 28 WORLD CUP

An Exhibition of Real Human Bodies www.BodiesTheExhibition.com

COLUMNS 04 AROUND TOWN 05 ON TAP 05 ON A DIME EVENTS 07 UNDER THE LIGHTS 13 MOVIE REVIEWS 14 VIDEO GAMES 14 VIDIOTS 18 CONCERT CALENDAR 19 ROAD WARRIORS 19 WE GOT NEXT 20 ALBUMS 31 FANATIC

15

EXPERIENCE YOUR

An Exhibition That Reveals The Strength of Your SENSES

29

www.insiteatlanta.com STAFF LISTING Publisher Stephen Miller steve@insiteatlanta.com National Managing Editor Bret Love bret@insiteatlanta.com Art Director / Web Design Michael T. graphics@insiteatlanta.com Music / Sports Editor DeMarco Williams demarco@insiteatlanta.com Events Listing Editor Glenn LaFollette glenn@insiteatlanta.com Special Features Editor Marci Miller marci@insiteatlanta.com

Follow us on the web!

LIFE IN THE DARK

Contributing Writers / Interns: John Moore, Jon Latham, Ryan Loftis, Matt Goldberg, Rodney Hill, Alex S. Morrison, Sacha Dzuba, Alec Wooden, Roger Presswood, Dave Cohen, Russ Marshalek, Jennifer Sefa-Boakye, Jessica Cole, Jennifer Williams and Matt Connor CONTACT US 2250 North Druid Hills Rd. #234 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 opinion of INsite, its staff, or its advertisers. INsite does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial content, nor do the publisher or editors of INsite assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. No content, i.e., articles, graphics, designs and information (any and all) in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from publisher.

© Copyright 2010, Be Bop Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Check out our Summer Guide on Page 24!

“For about an hour, visitors navigate different environments in complete darkness, relying on all senses except sight, and ask questions of their visually impaired guide, whose faces they don’t see until leaving. Stumbling in darkness makes the Dialog visitor appreciate how visually oriented the world is - how would you go grocery shopping? How would you cross the street? - as well as the reliance on other senses such as sound and touch to navigate the world.”

- Elizabeth Landou, CNN

INTERNATIONAL BLOCKBUSTER - U.S.A. DEBUT ONLY IN ATLANTA

www.dialog-in-the-dark.com

BOTH AT ATLANTIC STATION!

PRODUCED BY:

PREMIER EXHIBITION CENTER

PREMIER EXHIBITIONS (NASDAQ:PRXI)

PG 3 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

Around Town

Theatre/Film

The best series of the month may be the first series for the Atlanta Braves.

The Philadelphia Phillies come to Turner Field on June 1-2. If you want a night game, June 1 will have first pitch at 7:10, while Wedneday’s game will be in the afternoon at 1:05. Go to braves.com for ticket info.

Center Theatre will present the comedy “Avi Hoffman’s Still Jewish After All These Years! A Life in the Theatre” from June 10-13. Center is located at 5342 Tilly Mill Road in Dunwoody.

Visit centertheatreatlanta.org for tickets and scheduling.

The German Cultural Center will screen “The Mouse That Scored” on June 2 at 7pm. The movie is a kaleidoscopic portrait of an underdog on the big European football stage. The German Center is located at 1197 Peachtree Street. Visit Goethe.de/Atlanta for more info.

The Chattahoochee Race & Festival returns on June 12. The race begins at the Garrad Landing Park on Holcomb Bridge Road and ends at Riverside Park in Roswell. The festival itself is free with music, face painting, balloon artists and several vendors. Visit chattahoochee.org for more information.

Think you have what it takes to be a standup comedian? Try Laughing Skull’s Comedy Gold Open Mic on June 2 at 8pm. Tickets are only $10. Laughing Skull is located next to Vortex in Midtown at 878 Peachtree Street.

The Feminist Women’s Health Centeris looking for booth volunteers for the Reynoldstown Wheelbarrow Festival on June 12. The event runs from 9am-11pm. Volunteers will spread the word about Feminist programs and issues are the creative outdoor festival. Go to feministcenter.org for more details.

JUNE 1-2

JUNE 09

JUNE 02

Gwinnett Center will host the Pokemon Video Game Championships on June 5.

Registration begins at 8am for the tournament. The top 16 participants will advance to the Nationals in Indianapolis on June 26. Go to pokemonvgc.com for details.

JUNE 05

The Georgia State Rialto Center for the Arts will host the Jazz 91.9 WCLK’s Anniversary Benefit Concert on June 10 at 7:30pm.

Music lovers can enjoy the piano infusions of Carmen Lundy, who will headline the event. Concert tickets range from $45-$55. Visit wclk.com for more information.

JUNE 10

JUNE 10-13

JUNE 12

Music/Comedy/Sports

Don’t miss Jazz on the Lawn beginning on June 18. This jazz series presents special outdoor concerts featuring many of the area’s best musicians.

Surrounded by the natural beauty of Callanwolde’s lush grounds, it’s a great way to unwind and enjoy live music performed by some of the finest jazz artists in the Southeast. Bring a blanket and a picnic and enjoy these special concerts under the stars. Callanwolde opens its 2010 series with Kodac Harrison. Tickets are $15 per person. Visit callanwolde.org.

JUNE 18

JUNE 12

The High Museum of Art’s Friday Night Jazz series welcome Kevin Bales this month on June 18 from 5pm to midnight. This is free with purchase of a museum pass or free to members. Go to high.org for more.

Dr. J. Douglas Bremner, Psychiatrist, is investigating the brain mechanisms through which depression increases the risk of death in patients with cardiovascular disease. If you would to participate in this study, you must be diagnosed by a physician to have cardiovascular disease (coronary artery disease, heart attack, congestive heart failure, valvular heart disease…) either with or without depression. If you think you may have signs of depression, but have never been assessed, we can provide an assessment for you.

To learn more about this study, call Emory’s Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit at

404-712-2059 or kelly.tracey@emory.edu.

Procedures involve health and mental health assessments, MRI, PET and SPECT scans. All procedures will be performed at Emory University. Volunteers will receive compensation for their time.

Want an appetizer for the World Cup? The Atlanta Beat play two home games this month. They’ll face the Chicago Red Stars on June 19 at 7pm and the Philadelphia Independence on June 23 at 7:30pm. The Beat are a women’s professional soccer team and play their games at Kennesaw State.

JUNE 19

JUNE 25

The classic tale of “Hansel & Gretel” comes to the Center for Puppetry Arts on June 22. Tickets for patrons two and older are $16 (tax included). Visit puppet.org for additional showtimes.

Musicians Emmylou Harris and Tift Merritt will kickoff the Atlanta Botanical Garden concert series, Concerts In The Garden, on June 25 at 8pm. Tickets are $50.

Highland Inn Ballroom Lounge will welcome Laserbeam Kitty, Sonen, Sealions and Girls on Film on June 25 at 8:30pm. Tickets are only $5.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will present an Independence Day weekend show at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre from July 1-4. There will be a patriotic theme to the show with postconcert fireworks. Tickets can be found at atlantasymphony.org.

JUNE 18

Emory University, Department of Psychiatry is currently conducting a research study on Cardiovascular Disease and Depression. Cardiovascular disease or heart disease is an abnormal function of the heart or blood vessels and is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. For those who suffer from cardiovascular disease and depression, the risk of death is even higher.

Michael Ian Black comes to Laughing Skull Lounge June 18-20.

If you’re don’t remember him from VH1’s “I Love The 80’s” or his show “Michael & Michael Have Issues,” then you haven’t been paying attention. He’s one of the funniest comedians working today. Got to vortexcomedy. com for ticket info.

JUNE 25

The Atlanta Wine School will start a beginner’s course on June 15. For anyone not experienced in the differences between Merlot and Chardonnay, this may be something special for you. Visit atlantawineschool.com for pricing. The course starts at 7pm.

Other Stuff

JUNE 18-20

JUNE 22

JUNE 15

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RESEARCH

PG 4 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

Museums/Exhibits/Arts

JULY 1-4

Now You Know How Your Car Feels

$3 OFF ANY WASH OR DETAIL SERVICE

With Ad. Both Locations. Expires 7-15-10.

FREE EXTERIOR WASH W/ EMISSIONS TEST

1996 or newer vehicles. Not valid with any other offers or discounts. Ponce location only. Expires 7-15-10.

2 Locations

BUCKHEAD 2980 Piedmont Rd. (at Pharr Rd.) 404-846-4040

MIDTOWN 575 Ponce De Leon Ave. 404-876-3232

www.cactuscarwash.com

LOCAL

LOCAL EVENTS

On Tap this Month EMAIL EVENTS TO ONTAP@INSITEATLANTA.COM

Starting June 3: Fox Theatre

COCA-COLA SUMMER FILM FESTIVAL

It’s summer time, therefore you’re going to have a lot of options in Atlanta for enjoying classic films. The CocaCola Summer Film Festival is one of the best of those options with features like “The Blind Side” (June 3), “Ferries Bueller’s Day Off ” (June 4) and “The Breakfast Club” (June 4). We particurally recommend “The Wizard of Oz” on June 5 and “Jaws” on the same day.

Tickets are only $8 at the Fox box office.

June 5-6: Virginia-Highlands

VIRGINIA-HiGHLANDS SUMMERFEST

The scenic and historic Virginia Avenue is home to his annual summer event. The Highlands are alive with music, art and food during the two-day festival. There will be more than 200 artists, and if it’s music you’re looking for, the festival will feature Bob Schneider and Tonic on Saturday and Michael Tolcher and Mike Doughty as headliners on Sunday. And don’t worry about bringing the entire family.

The event has free admission with only donations taken.

Starting June 9: Technology Square

FLICKS ON FIFTH

If you haven’t figured it out already, there are plenty of movie experiences waiting for you this month around Atlanta. Flicks on Fifth is a free one, taking place in the heart of Midtown between Spring Street and 5th Street at Georgia Tech’s Technology Square. The series begins with “Sherlock Holmes” on June 9 and going until “Hot Tub Time Machine” on July 21. This month also features “The Hangover” (June 16) and “The Blind Side” (June 23).

June 12: Reynoldstown

REYNOLDSTOWN WHEELBARROW FESTIVAL The name speaks for itself. Reynoldstown’s Wheelbarrow Festival is an event serving the community and helping residents of the small East Atlanta neighborbood enjoy their unique atmosphere. Fortunately, we can enjoy it too with bands like the Soulphonics, Yonrico Scott Band, Newberry Jam and 3052 Dub Collective playing the day of the festival. The event kicks off at 11am and will continue until 11pm. Visit wheelbarrowfestival.com for info.

EVENTS HAPPENING FOR SMALL CHANGE IN ATLANTA

Know of a low cost event of happening? Event@AtlantaOnADime.com SUMMER LUNCH BOX SERIES

Every Wednesday through July, 11:30am – 2:00pm, lunch boxes $7 (prices may vary) Arts District Plaza (southeast corner of Peachtree and 15th Street intersection), Midtown midtownatl.com Enjoy a boxed lunch from some of your favorite midtown restaurants while listening to live music every Wednesday.

Participating restaurants includes Nickiemoto’s, Ri Ra Irish Pub, Spice Market, Opera, Rising Roll Gourmet, Evos, Livingston/Cafe’ Mims, Marlow’s Tavern, Gordon Biersch. Boxed lunches are available on a first come, first served basis. Cash only. Check site for menus and performers

FRIDAY NIGHT DRAGS

Every Friday Night through July, 6:00pm, $7 per person, children under 5 are free Atlanta Motor Speedway 1500 N Highway 41, Hampton, GA 30228 atlantamotorspeedway.com Entering the event’s fourth-full season, the schedule has been expanded to feature 17 dates to meet growing interest that averages 225 competitors, 90 show cars and nearly 5,000 fans each night. After three early-season, non-points practice dates, Friday Night Drags opens on June 4 with its first points event and will feature 15 classes of street-style drag racing on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s pit lane drag strip. Exterior parking is free and fans can also pay $20 to park on the AMS Infield.

THE AMAZING COW RACE

Saturday, June 5, 10:00am, $30 for team of two, $20 for individual Starting Line - Chick-fil-A at Lenox, 3393 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta www.tinyurl.com/theamazingcowrace

June 15-17: Turner Field

TAMPA BAY RAYS AT ATLANTA BRAVES

Interleague play is one of the best times of the year. That is especially true when you get to face one of the best teams in baseball. This game was against the Yankees or Red Sox the past few years. Those are traditional powers, but this season, Tampa Bay is one of the best in the Major Leagues.

Don’t miss this three-game set. Tickets start at only $6 for walk-ups. You can see pitching matchups and more ticket prices at braves.com.

June 17: Piedmont Park

SCREEN ON THE GREEN

The truth is Screen on the Green is happening all month long. “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” screens on June 3, while “Dreamgirls” will play on June 10 at the Piedmont Park free movie series, presented by Peachtree TV. But the best feature this month is clearly “Star Wars: A New Hope” on June 17. Take your children and make sure they remember the sci-fi series when it was still good. The event is free and begins at sundown in the park.

Join Chick-fil-A for a scavenger hunt and race between four of its Buckhead Chick-fil-A restaurants (Lenox Square, Phipps Plaza, Terminus, and Piedmont Road). Dressed as cows, participants will follow a provided map to participating restaurants. At each stop, they will answer Chick-fil-A trivia questions. The first four teams or persons to reach the finish line at Piedmont Chick-fil-A with all of the correct answers will win Chick-fil-A for a year. Proceeds from the event will benefit Atlanta Union Mission.

By Marci Miller WING AND ROCK FEST Saturday, June 5, 1:30pm – 9:30pm, Free Marietta Square (Downtown Marietta) .wingandrockfest.com

This annual event will bring together Atlanta’s top wing joints, live classic music and plenty of cold beer for an all day FREE outdoor music & food festival in downtown Marietta. Families with kids can check out the Kidzone with multiple inflatables and slides. Make sure to also sign up for the wing eating contest.

RED STRIPE MIDSUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL

Saturday, June 19, 5K at 8:30am, Festival begins at Noon, Free (wristbands for those 21+ can be purchased for $5 before 5pm, $10 after 5pm) Candler Park, 1400 McClendon Avenue NE, Atlanta midsummermusicfestival.com Come out and celebrate the hottest festival of the year, benefiting the Candler Park Neighborhood Organization and featuring music by The Wailers and Better Than Ezra. There will be an Artist Market, Go Green Zone, festival food, 5K, Cool Ray Kidz Zone and drinking activities.

JAZZ AT THE VILLA

Sunday, June 13 and Sunday, July 25, 5:30pm – 8:00pm, Free Villa Christina 4000 Summit Boulevard, Atlanta .villachristina.com Join Villa Christina for their live, free, family friendly concerts that showcase the hottest artists in classic and contemporary jazz. Staged outdoors on the grounds of Villa Christina, audiences will enjoy jazz while dining on fantastic food, prepared by the award winning staff. Schedule includes saxophonist Reggie Hines (June 13) and jazz singer Tabitha King (June 25).

SUMMER STROLL ON THE MILE

Sunday, June 13, 12:00pm – 4:00pm, Free Midtown: Peachtree St. from North Ave. to 15th St. facebook.com/summerstrollonthemile The Midtown Mile will host this familyfriendly neighborhood event that will highlight the sights, sounds, food and shops lining the blocks of Peachtree. Join for an afternoon of interactive activities and entertainment including cooking demos, food tastings, sidewalk sales, arts and crafts, live music, open houses and more.

ATLANTA ON A DIME! Receive updated events weekly. Sign up by e-mailing Subscriptions@AtlantaonaDime.com Enter on subject line: Sign Me Up INsite!

PG 5 � insiteatlanta.com � November 2009 PG 5 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

FILM

THE QUEEN’S COURT

Queen Latifah on her Love of Basketball, New Jersey & Juffling Careers

BY ALEX S. MORRISON

I

N ITS BRIEF THREE DECADES OF EXISTENCE, hip-hop has historically been the domain of men driven by testosterone and braggadocio. Widely known as the first lady of hip-hop, Queen Latifah emerged at the tender age of 18 and rapidly proved she could more than hold her own against macho peers such as Ice-T and Public Enemy. But even more impressive is the way she has sustained her 20-year career, moving from rapping to acting, singing and film production— ultimately proving a success in all of them.

Born Dana Owens, the girl who would be Queen grew up in East Orange, New Jersey, with a schoolteacher mother and a policeman father. Given the nickname Latifah (Arabic for “kind”) by a cousin at the age of 8, she was raised in the Baptist church and eventually led her high school basketball team to two New Jersey state championships.

The 40-year-old Jersey girl recently released Just Wright, a romantic comedy (co-starring fellow rapperturned-actor Common, Paula Patton and Phylicia Rashad) that pays loving tribute to both her favorite sport and her home state. We sat down with the regal one a few weeks ago to discuss her childhood in New Jersey, why hip-hop artists make great movie stars, and how she manages to juggle all the different facets of her bustling career.

Obviously, you’re a huge basketball fan. Have you ever gotten star-struck by meeting any of the players?

I have! I grew up in East Orange, New Jersey, and I used to live over a barbershop. Darryl Dawkins was one of the Nets players; he was the first guy to break a backboard, and he used to get his hair cut downstairs from me. I’d see that white Mercedes pull up and, (whispering) “Oh god, Darryl is downstairs!” I’d always say hello, and he was real cool. I had his poster on my wall. That was very exciting to me, you know? Local guy makes good. We live over a barbershop and here comes this big NBA basketball player who comes to get his hair cut right here! You get to touch greatness, if you will.

Your character reminisces a good bit about New Jersey.

I’m curious how much her story paralleled your own experience growing up there?

This character was kind of like Khadijah from Living Single– she was designed a little bit from who I am. She’s a black woman who’s an avid lover of sports, who enjoys competition but also enjoys dating and being a girl and being flattered. She still wants to find that perfect person. I think Leslie Wright is very determined and successful, but at the same time she’s not going to settle for less than the best, whatever that means for her. She’s just not that girl, and that’s kind of me. We’re the same in that sense.

I’ve always loved Jersey girls for some reason and I’ve never understood why. What is it about Jersey that makes Jersey girls different?

Jersey is a unique place. It’s right between Philadelphia and New York, two major metropolitan cities. People don’t always know that we have a nice little state tucked in between there, which we usually like. New Jersey is a beautiful state: There are a lot of farms and places where you can buy fresh produce, a lot of places where you can ride horses, and lots of orchards. There’s a lot more beautiful things there than people make it seem like. It’s not just about (Jersey Shore cast member) “The Situation.”

It’s a cool place!

There are a ton of hip-hop icons that have become movie stars now. Do you think the nature of the hip-hop genre somehow makes you naturally gifted storytellers?

Yeah, I think we automatically have an advantage because we’re already performing. We perform when we shoot videos, and when we write our rhymes we have to translate that and make you understand what we’re trying to say. It’s like spoken word. We have to come strong with it. We have to report it to you in a certain way so that you get it, and since we shoot videos we’re used to a camera in our face. So when we get on the set, it’s kind of like PG 6 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

relearning it in a different way, maybe toning it down or bringing it up.

You’ve got a new book coming out. What can you tell us about it?

The book is called “Put On Your Crown” and it’s about the moments that changed my life. People come to me all the time asking me to write books-- “Bring us something self-help, bring us something for kids”-- so I’m like, ok, I’ll write a book. I went to this luncheon where executives in the beauty industry were being honored and this woman got up and gave a speech about a moment that changed her. There are certain moments that stop you, and I knew from one second to the next that my life would never be the same. I thought, wow, all people can relate to that. Maybe you’re on a train and you smell someone’s perfume as they walk by and you fall in love, or maybe someone gets robbed on the train. Those moments can be great moments, happy moments or tragic moments. But you know that you’re experiencing something that you’ve never experienced before, and you know that you’ll never be the same.

What is one of those moments for you that you mention in the book?

One was the loss of my brother [Lancelot, who died in a motorcycle accident in 1992]. One was being nominated for an Oscar, because I knew I would never be the same after that. I knew my career went from here to here, and what was I going to do with it? It’s the way you handle those moments that makes it interesting to me. Maybe it’s the first time you had sex, or the first time you tried something that you shouldn’t have, like some drink or some drug. I’m really having more of a conversation in the book and sharing some of my experiences. Even my mom has a chapter in the book.

I almost feel like there are two Queen Latifahs, the rapper I grew up listening to and the Oscar-winning actress you are today. Was there a point at which you realized you’d fully made that transition?

Set It Off was the turning point for me. What I was trying to do with that movie was to change my image in terms of the types of roles I’d been doing and the type of roles that were being offered to me. For Living Single, Khadijah was patterned off of me and was kind of like me in a lot of ways, so she wasn’t a stretch. When I did Set It Off I wanted to do something that was so reverse of what people thought of me, image- wise, and [director] F. Gary Gray wanted to do the same thing. He was like, “I got to change. I got to do something different from Friday or Ice Cube videos or the things people typically see me doing.”

So we were on the same career trajectory. It just lined up perfectly, and we both went up from there.

You’ve mentioned that you’re not very good at juggling all these different things you have going on in your career– the books, the beauty products, the fashion line, the acting, the producing, the music… You’re obviously rich enough where you don’t have to do all this stuff, so what keeps you motivated to keep your fingers in all these pies?

I’m juggling even as we speak. What are you talking about? (Laughs) I just love what I do. I really enjoy it.

For me, sitting in here talking with you guys is not work to me. It took work to get me up today! It’s been a long week. But it’s not work in the sense that I have to really kill myself to have a conversation with you guys about what I do. I love what I do, and I don’t sign up to do anything I don’t like to do. So I can do ten things in one day IF I love what I’m doing. At the same time, I know I have to take a break, decompress and back off of it, to look at it from the outside or just ignore it completely. I do have a life and I make sure that I have that life, because otherwise Jill is a dull girl and we can’t have that.

Word has it that Hairspray 2 has gotten the greenlight.

Are you up for doing a sequel?

Tell them come on with the script already! We still want to make that happen…

I LOVE WHAT I DO, AND I DON’T SIGN UP TO DO ANYTHING I DON’T LIKE TO DO. SO I CAN DO TEN THINGS IN ONE DAY IF I LOVE WHAT I’M DOING. AT THE SAME TIME, I KNOW I HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK, DECOMPRESS AND BACK OFF OF IT, TO LOOK AT IT FROM THE OUTSIDE OR JUST IGNORE IT COMPLETELY. I DO HAVE A LIFE AND I MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE THAT LIFE, BECAUSE OTHERWISE JILL IS A DULL GIRL AND WE CAN’T HAVE THAT.

Under The Lights New Theatrical Performances SLASHER

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE June 15-20

Now thru June 19 King Plow Arts Fabulous Fox Theatre Box Office 404.607.7469 www.actors-express.com Ticketmaster 800.982.2787

TRUE LOVE LIES

Now Through June 20 Horizon Theatre Box Office 404.584.7450 www.horizontheatre.com

Horizon Theatre Company's 26th season continues with a laugh out loud take on the typical modern American family in TRUE LOVE LIES. Kane and Carolyn have the typical American family. All the usual trials and tribulations of Photo courtesy of Horizon Theatre living with teenage children. But when David, a lover from Kane's past, unexpectedly appears, their fashionable lifestyle starts to fall around their ears, as we look on, wondering what can possibly go wrong next. This (sometimes shocking) play will have you on the edge of your seat but secure in the knowledge that families survive all sorts of revelations, simply because they are a family. True Love Lies is written by Brad Fraser and directed by Lisa Adler.

Photo by Carol Rosegg

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, is the uplifting story of an American family forging a new life amidst the mighty challenges, heartbreaks, joys and triumphs that face them in the newly-settled heartland. It is also the story of young Laura Ingalls, as she begins her life as a young woman, finding purpose, and finding love. The play celebrates the pioneering spirit and the core values on which this country was founded. Little House on the Prairie stars Melissa Gilbert, who rose to fame as a child playing ‘Laura’ in the hugely successful NBC television series during the 1970’s, now continues her legacy on the prairie by taking on the role of Ma.

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA June 30 - July 18 Fox Theatre Ticketmaster 800.982.2787 www.broadwayacrossamerica.com

NBAF PRESENTS

2010 NATIONAL BLACK ARTS FESTIVAL Photo ©Lois Greenfield 2010

Actor's Express presents the Atlanta premiere of SLASHER, an outrageous new comedy by Allison Moore that was an audience favorite at the 2009 Humana Festival of New American plays.

When Sheena Chris Ozment Photography McKinney is cast in the slasher flick filming in her small Texas town, it might just be her big break. After all, she's young and buxom, and her character is the last girl standing. But accepting the role unwittingly unleashes Sheena's hostile, pillpopping mother's feminist rage on the lowbudget production in a burst of pitch-black hilarity, fake blood and real violence. It is this intersection of pop culture and feminism that playwright Allison Moore skewers in Slasher to hilarious effect.

www.theaterofthestars.com

14–18

JULY 2 010

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS FILM: BODY AND SOUL BY PIONEERING FILMMAKER OSCAR MICHEAUX���WEDNESDAY, JULY 14 Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon revives the lost art of live silent film accompaniment as he and a 16-piece big band performs his original score. Sponsored by Turner Voices, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. BRAZIL FEST AT THE NATIONAL BLACK ARTS FESTIVAL THURSDAY, JULY 15 Olodum opens the World Music Stage at Centennial Olympic Park, and Latin Grammy Award-winning Brazilian composer Ivan Lins headlines the Brazil Fest concert at Atlanta Symphony Hall, with Olodum and Marcia Bittencourt.

Enjoy everything from performances to panel discussions!

Presented in partnership with the Consulate-General of Brazil in Atlanta.

LEGENDS CELEBRATION: TO CURTIS WITH LOVE FRIDAY, JULY 16 The music of Curtis Mayfield continues to inspire audiences and influence artists. NBAF honors his music and legacy with “To Curtis with Love”. Sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company PHILADANCO THURSDAY, JULY 15 & SATURDAY, JULY 17 PHIL ADANCO celebrates their 40th Anniversary at the National Black Arts Festival with work by four exciting choreographers, and a new work choreographed by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar. The evening promises to be explosive!

Get your tickets early, you won’t want to miss this!

Sponsored by Macy’s NBAF GALA���SATURDAY, JULY 17 Return to a bygone era at NBAF’s “Stormy’s Supper Club” where you will be dazzled by Joe Gransden and his 16-piece big band, 16-piece big band, performances by Jasmine Guy, Avery Sharpe, and more! Special guest host Lynn Whitfield.

Formal evening wear or 1920’s-30’s period attire. Presenting Sponsors: UPS and The Coca-Cola Company

Join Us for this Global Celebration of Art and Culture at the Summer Festival TICKETS ON SALE NOW! �� WWW.NBAF.ORG

photo by Joan Marcus

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, the most successful and longest continuously-running tour in U.S. history comes to Atlanta for a farewell engagement at the end of the month.

Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux, Phantom tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of a Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it.

He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command. Winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical.

THE ATLANTA BEAT Women’s Professional Soccer

Individual Game Tickets Available NOW!

678.298.4780

www.theatlantabeat.com PG 7 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

TRAVEL

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE GUIDE HIS SUMMER, ENJOY THE THRILL of whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River in Tennessee, site of the 1996 Olympics. The Ocoee River is the premier rafting river in Tennessee and ranked one of America’s Top Ten Rivers. Guided whitewater rafting trips are offered by Outdoor Adventure Rafting. They offer a full day of rafting with a six-hour trip that lets you experience two sections of some of the finest white water in the nation. You start on the Upper River and get warmed up with heavy hits at Mikey’s and Edge of the World. After that comes the Olympic section which includes rapids like Humongous and Godzilla. Lunch is then offered before heading back on the Middle River for 5 more miles of continuous whitewater.

Besides whitewater rafting, OUTDOOR ADVENTURE RAFTING offers a wide variety of outdoor adventures in the Ocoee River TN area. They offer rappelling and rock climbing on a natural rock wall. This impressive climbing wall is a great place to take rock climbing lessons or practice climbing techniques and safety tips. You can take leisurely tubing trips down the Ocoee River which are great for the family. O.A.R. also offers a rope course supervised by their trained instructors which are great tests for interpersonal and team building skills. Newly added activity is paintball!

Come play several games such as Capture the Flag, Last Man Standing and more all under trained supervisors/refs. Activity time is 3 hours, consisting of as many different games as possible, and includes 500 rounds per participant.

Many of these Tennessee outdoor adventures are

available year round at our beautiful 20-acre outpost on the banks of the Ocoee River. Book a campsite or bunkhouse; reserve a pavilion. Camping, cabins and motels are as close as 15 minutes away. They’re located only 2 hours from Atlanta. Enjoy the Ocoee River region of southeast Tennessee this summer with Outdoor Adventure Rafting. Outdoor Adventure Rafting 629 Welcome Valley Rd. Ocoee, TN 37361 www.raft.com 800.627.7626 ALTAMAHA COASTAL TOURS is a complete outfitter with sea kayaks, recreational kayaks, canoes and bicycle rentals. Shuttles are offered to several put-in sites, and day tours and overnight tours with experienced guides are available as well. Located near St. Simon’s Island and 45 minutes south of Savannah, the BioReserve is a river and a marine estuary that is the Jewel in the Crown of Georgia’s wild lands. They offer the experience of interacting with

Bottle Nosed dolphins, wild horses and thousands of sea-birds. Trips range from kayaking through blackwater swamps of cypress knees and giant old growth forests to camping on deserted islands with whitesand beaches. Explore a half day excursion or get away for a multi-day adventure. Altamaha Coastal Tours Darian, GA www.altamaha.com 912.437.6010 Located in northeast Georgia, 23 miles from Athens on Ga. Hwy 281, the scenic BROAD RIVER has 70 miles of continuous navigable water. Most of this free flowing river is mild with no rapids. One section has exciting but easy Class II rapids, suitable for beginners yet fun for the more advanced paddler.

The Broad has the Waterfall, an avoidable 5 foot drop which is a definite thrill. The two basic trips are the upper 5 miles ( 2-3 hours) or 10 miles ( 3-6 hours) of moving water and the lower 6.5 miles of class II beginner whitewater ( 3-4 hours). Times will vary depending on water levels and skill levels. Mild and Scenic sections with beautiful views and vista’s of high bluffs, cliffs and of hardwood forest and wildflowers describe the bulk of the river. Most are suitable for day trips or for camping trips of up to 4 days. Broad River Outpost Danielsville, GA 30306 www.broadriveroutpost.com 706.795.3242

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE RAFTING

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE RAFTING

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Summer Fun Is Found On Rivers A Short Drive From Atlanta

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Taste of the Month-BURGERS!

The Vortex Bar & Grill 878 Peachtree Street 404-875-1667 438 Moreland Ave. 404-688-1828 www.thevortexbarandgrill.com

The original Vortex Bar & Grill opened up in Midtown in 1992. The family-owned corner pub soon earned a reputation for serving the best burgers in town and offering an excellent selection of drinks.

In addition to the great food and spirits, the owner’s off-beat humor and large collection of kooky decor became hallmarks of The Vortex.

In 1996 they took over the corner space in Little 5 Points that was currently being occupied by a vegetarian restaurant. A 20-foot high “Laughing Skull” facade was added to the building, which has since become an Atlanta landmark (pictured).

Vortex burgers are made with a half-pound of 100% choice sirlion and chargrilled to perfection. There are 20 varieties offered and you can create your own version with a unique combination of toppings. The beef in any of their specialty Vortex burgers can be substituted with veggie or black bean patty, a grilled chicken breast, ground bison or turkey patty.

The Vortex has been honored with “Best Burger” awards by several Atlanta publications. Popular selections include the Elvis, Spanish Fly and Double Bypass Burgers. They are also the recipient of “Best Veggie Burger”, “Best Beer Selection”, and “Best Neighborhood Bar” awards.

The Tavern at Phipps 3500 Peachtree Rd. 404-814-9640 www.TheTavernAtPhipps.com As Atlanta’s award winning “Hottest Spot for Cool Cocktails”, “Best Happy Hour”, “Best Bartenders”, and “Best Patio Scene”, the bar at The Tavern at Phipps has made a name for itself as one of Buckhead's premiere destinations for libations.

However, do not overlook the Tavern's menu fare, as this is a full serv-

ice restaurant offering two dining rooms, white linens, and plenty of seating on their popular outdoor patio. The restaurant is styled after the classic New York steakhouse with thick mahogany wood banisters, brick walls, and a tiled ceiling. The Tavern caters to the Atlanta elite and families alike. While the menu remains the same for lunch and dinner, it offers a wide range of items for those looking to grab a quick bite while shopping at the mall to those looking for an upscale sit down experience.

The Tavern's famous burgers are made from Grade A choice Midwestern beef, ground fresh daily. They offer a hearty 10 oz. burger to which toppings may be added to your taste.

For a real treat, try the Tavern Burger which boasts homemade stadium chili, bacon, melted cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion.

The Tavern has always been a staple at the upscale Phipps Plaza Mall for eighteen years and will continue to be the spot in Atlanta to see and be seen.

The Earl

488 Flat Shoals Rd. 404.522.3950 www.badearl.com

Located in the heart of the East Atlanta Village, The Earl is the kind of place you can hang out at all day. It is a great combination of restuarant, bar and concert hall. Featuring an amazing bar menu, moderately priced drinks and a music venue in the back, this is a place that can satisfy just about anyone in your group. Their burgers are well known and have received numerous awards including the EARL Burger, made with 100% Black Angus Beef. The Guacamole Burger is known for its “cowalicious goodness” and served with guacamole, salsa and cheddar, or the Blue Bacon.

The Earl is also an East Atlanta institution for great live music. Anything and everything can be heard, and the crowd varies with the bands.

National acts and the best of the emerging Atlanta music scene grace the stage nightly to packed crowds. The jukebox in the restaurant has one of the most eclectic group of albums in town. Bar regulars love the PBR tall boys that wash their burgers down with authority.

The open front offers a great view of downtown East Atlanta. There is also table sidewalk seating. With a casual atmosphere with an eclectic mix of patrons, you can’t go wrong with The Earl any night of the week.

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FITNESS

LOSING IT

YOU HAVE TO LEAD

BY EXAMPLE. YOU ARE YOUR CHILD’S PRIMARY ROLE MODEL, AND WHEN THEY SEE YOU PUTTING YOUR HEALTH FIRST THEY’RE GOING TO FOLLOW SUIT. MAKE IT SOMETHING YOU CAN DO AS A FAMILY.

Jillian Michaels Helps Families Put Their Lives Back Together, One Pound At A Time

BY B. LOVE

I

F YOU’VE NEVER WATCHED NBC’S reality show The Biggest Loser, you may not be familiar with Jillian Michaels, a personal fitness trainer who seems like a cross between the touchy-feely life coaching of Oprah and the drop-and-giveme-20 discipline of a Marines drill sergeant.

Michaels (who’s also pretty easy on the eyes) has several books and even video games to her name, but this summer she’s unveiling her own TV show, Losing It With Jillian, in which she goes into family’s homes to touch them how to eat right, exercise and deal with the personal issues that lead so many Americans into unhealthy habits.

We recently took part in a press conference with Michaels, in which she discussed her own journey to healthy mind and body and the emotional toll her interactions with these struggling families had on her personally.

Before you became a personal trainer you went through this yourself and lost a lot of weight. Can you talk about that?

I went up and down from the time I was a toddler until I was a teen. I got my heaviest after my parent’s divorce when I was 12 or 13. I was about 175 and 5’ tall– two to three

inches shorter than I am now and about 60 pounds heavier. Some of us are genetically predisposed to gaining weight when we don’t eat properly, while others can get away with murder, which I’m very bitter about to this day. But it was systemic within my family: My father was overweight and I learned the behaviors of bonding over food and late night eating and food is love and all of that stuff. After my parents’ divorce my mom, realizing I was angry and having problems in school and didn’t have any friends, got me into martial arts. That’s what turned things around for me over time. It took a year for me to take it seriously and appreciate what it was about, but that was where I learned to appreciate fitness as a means to transform your whole life.

What can you tell us about the new show and the families you worked with?

In this show you’ll see how physical and emotional health issues are really symptoms of deeper problems. We deal with the why, which we do on Biggest Loser as well, but you don’t see as much of it. I think of this show as behind the scenes of Biggest Loser, showing you all the stuff that America isn’t getting to see, like why they got unhealthy and all the tools we implement for them to use at home. One family

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lost a child 22 years ago when they were in their 20s, and now they enable each other with food. Food has become this thing to comfort the pain because no one’s talking.

When we get this family to communicate with one another and we create space for dialogue and healing, you’ll see that all of the various aspects– from health to the interpersonal dynamics of their relationships– fall into place.

entity and as individuals. But it’s definitely a rollercoaster ride, and it brings up so many different things for me of being a latchkey kid, going through divorce, losing loved ones. It wrecks you, but in the most beautiful way because you’re also a huge part of their healing process. I wouldn’t have it any other way, but honestly I think I’ve gone through a forest worth of Kleenex. So it’s pretty intense.

What was the biggest surprise for you in filming this show?

We thought it would be like I move in with families and teach them how to eat and how to work out and, yay, everybody’s happier and healthier. But we underestimate how intelligent we are as a society.

They already knew the information: They were ashamed to show me what was in their fridge and to make the foods they normally eat. That’s when we realized that the show wasn’t about calories and crunches.

It’s more about why people aren’t pursuing their dreams and living their best lives.

After doing the pilot, the show became kind of a life makeover. Of course there’s also the workouts and healthy cooking and all that stuff, but it’s much more about the why, not the what of health and wellness.

What are some of the best ways that parents can get their children interested in fitness and restructuring how they eat?

I have a great episode I just did with a 7-year-old and a 9-year-old in Detroit.

One of the things we did first is we made cooking fun. We played little games, like picking colors and then buying two fruits and two vegetables in their favorite color.

I also incorporated cooking so that they felt involved and invested in the foods: They would pick a recipe and we’d make it together, and I would explain to them the healthy ingredients and the differences of what they do in their bodies. Tell them the truth! The 7-year-old was upset because I was throwing away all these white processed breads they had in the house, so I sat her down and I took out a piece of my bread and a piece of her bread. I said, “What do you see in my bread?” She was like, “I see all kinds of stuff in there– nuts and seeds.”

So I explained what those things do for her body and how they’re going to help her grow strong and healthy and live a really long time. I asked her what she saw in her bread and she said, “Nothing.” And I said, “Exactly! There’s nothing in here that’s good for you.” I just leveled with her and she was horrified, so we threw it away. Kids are super smart. You can also sneak healthy stuff into their favorite foods and you don’t even need to let them know. But make it fun for them, invest them, incorporate them, educate them in the process.

Do your emotions get wrapped up in it because you’re getting to know them on a very intimate level?

Oh my god, I don’t think that I’ve cried so much in my entire life! I mean, every week I am hysterically crying. It’s horrible, and it’s definitely very strange. My show runner who travels with me, Stef Wagstaff, she’s like, “Jill, you’re becoming like the families when you move in!” I take on their accents, the way that they walk, the kind of things that they say. She said it was so strange the way I kind of meld into the families, like a sponge, taking on their dynamic and their personalities. I become very empathic, and I think it’s so that I can understand them and try to help them implement solutions that will work for them, both as a unique family

What about encouraging physical fitness?

PLEASE SEE JILLIAN ON PAGE 23

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Gael Garcîa Bernal on the Latin American Film Renaissance

you know what you’re looking for and it either comes along or you generate it, but most of the ATIN AMERICAN CINEMA HAS time it’s about timing and luck. Destiny plays a experienced an impressive renaissance in big part in it.” recent years, thanks in large part to direcWhat’s important to Bernal is the challenge tors such as Alejandro González Iñárritu (Amores of telling a good story, and gaining insight into Perros, Babel), Alfonso Cuarón (Y tu mamá tammankind by interpreting a character’s emotional bién, Children of Men) and Fernando Mereilles journey. “Acting is a path to wisdom,” he insists, (City of God, The Constant Gardener). “but it offers wisdom in a completely different way.

Aside from their ethnic heritage, another You learn a lot about the human condition, and thing these three directors have in common is a about yourself, through that process of investigaprofound respect for Gael García Bernal, who has tion with a character. I relate acting to a game, worked with each of them on at least one occalike you’re a kid playing pirates. You don’t stop to sion. In fact, the 31-year-old Bernal could be seen think, ‘Well, maybe the pirate should not be so as a lynchpin in the Latin film boom, acting, dibad.’ Once you begin to judge a character, you’ve recting and producing films that deal with themes defeated the purpose. I find the whole process of social justice. very enjoyable.”

The Guadalajara native’s immersion in the enterThe actor could say the same thing about his tainment industry began early: The son of modellife at the moment. He and his best friend, actor turned-actress Patricia Bernal and actor-director Diego Luna, formed Canana Films with partner José Angel García, he made his acting debut at the Pablo Cruz, developing, producing and distributage of one and became a telenovela heartthrob ing numerous important films (many of them when he was still in his teens. socio-politically-themed documentaries) in “My parents have always been an incredible Mexico. In 2007 Bernal directed his first feature influence on me,” he says. “I learned so much just film, Déficit, and in May he starred as Hollywood from being around them. It was so much fun to It-girl Amanda Seyfried’s love interest in Letters watch them perform every night. They’ve always To Juliet. But the biggest development in his life been very helpful, but have never tried to steer my has nothing to do with films: Bernal’s Argentinean career in any particular direction.” actress girlfriend, Dolores Fonzi, gave birth to son Bernal also became intrigued by sociopolitical Lázaro in Madrid last year. issues at a tender age, teaching Mexico’s indigHe admits to being excited about becoming a enous Huichol Indians to read when he was 14 first-time father, but Bernal remains circumspect and taking part in peaceful demonstrations during about how being a dad will impact his career the Chiapas uprising two years later. So perhaps choices. “Ever since I first wanted to be an actor it’s no surprise that the actor leapt at the chance I’ve been drawn to the necessities of the moment,” to play revolutionary leader Che Guevera twice, in he says, “focusing primarily on what’s coming up the little-seen 2002 miniseries Fidel and in the role next. You can have all your plans out there, but that helped to elevate his international recognidestiny plays its part: Some things may come, but tion, 2004’s The Motorcycle Diaries. some things might not. You never really know “I grew up surrounded by many exiles from until you live it, so we’ll have to see what happens.”

South America living in Mexico that were quite What’s happening for Bernal seems to be the leftist,” he recalls, “so I was affected by Che most fruitful period in his already impressive Guevera’s politics both directly and indirectly. career. In addition to Letters To Juliet, 2010 will When you study the Cuban Revolution it’s a story also find him co-starring with Kate Hudson in that’s still unfinished, and now it’s not even taught Earthbound and appearing in the Spanish producin public schools. But Che is one of the political tion También la Iluvia, a period drama about figures that was perhaps closest to the reality of Christopher Columbus. But the project that has modern Latin America.”

Hollywood buzzing is a biography about civilThe Motorcycle Diaries was one of one six rights activist and labor organizer César Chávez, films Bernal has appeared in over the past decade to which Canana was recently granted film rights. that have earned Academy Award recognition, It’s one of several films currently in development including Amores Perros at Bernal’s company, which (nominated for Best represents the Hollywood Foreign Film), (Y tu mamá “MY PARENTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN star’s continued dedication AN INCREDIBLE INFLUENCE ON también (Best Screento the Latin American film play), El Crimen del Padre ME...IT WAS SO MUCH FUN TO renaissance.

Amaro (Best Foreign WATCH THEM PERFORM EVERY “You try to do as much Film) and Babel (seven NIGHT. THEY’VE ALWAYS BEEN as you can to help each nominations, including VERY HELPFUL, BUT HAVE NEVER other out,” he says, “not Best Picture). When you TRIED TO STEER MY CAREER IN ANY only in Mexico but also in add Best Film nominaPARTICULAR DIRECTION.” Latin America in general. tions at Spain’s Goya We have a very strong Awards for 2001’s Sin bond in our community, noticias de Dios (which which is part of what’s co-starred Penelope Cruz) great about filmmaking. and 2004’s Bad Education There are a lot of great (which was directed by stories to tell in these Pedro Almodóvar), it’s an countries, so everything incredible track record for has been geared towards a young actor who’s barely the future and there are 20 films into his career. debates going on in every But the humble Bernal country. How do we build seems reluctant to take a society? That sense of credit for his canny career curiosity makes it an interchoices. esting region in which to “I take it on a case-bymake films, so I’m hoping case basis,” he says when this growth continues and asked how he selects opens Latin America up to his roles, “so it depends. the rest of the world.”

Sometimes you think

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The Old World of

CARRIE RODRIGUEZ

BY MATT CONNER

C

ARRIE RODRIGUEZ IS AN OLD soul. And she’s becoming increasingly at ease with that idea. After a major label run that went awry (as if we haven’t heard that story, eh?), Rodriguez is back to the standards of her uncommon youth -- one filled with Leonard Cohen and Townes Van Zandt. Her father, folk singer David Rodriguez, helped provide a musical heritage that had Carrie playing in bars all over Austin by age 12 and on her first European tour at 15. “I think I’ve just been lucky enough to get started early,” she says about being so accomplished at age 31.

Love and Circumstance is the new album, a covers effort you’d think was put together by someone twice her age. Guests like Bill Frisell, Merle Haggard and Buddy Miller accompany the impressive project that features Carrie’s twist on songs from M. Ward to Richard Thompson. It’s a much needed break, she says, to turn to the work of others in order to heal enough to make her own. And in the process, she finds a level of depth and ownership she never expected.

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When it comes to the collaborations, I’d love to ask about why you choose the players that you did. Not in a ‘I like her, but I don’t like him’ type of way, but how do you know who the song is telling you to let into the making and recording of it?

Sure, that makes sense. With Buddy, Lee Townsend, the producer and I, talked about recording Buddy and Julie’s song “Wide River to Cross” from the very beginning. As soon as I laid it down, I knew it would sound awesome with harmony vocals and I knew there was no one better than Buddy. [Laughs] Not just because he wrote the song, but in his version, the thing I love the most is his harmony vocals. So that was an easy one to come up with. Then thinking about that, we had Merle Haggard’s tune that I thought would be amazing as well. And he was so sweet to do it. He was on the road at the time with Robert Plant and he just happened to have a rig that he could record in his hotel room -- some fancy, new, modern thing. So he recorded that in his room while touring with rock stars. [Laughs] Very sweet that he made the time to do that.

Greg Leisz?

As far as Greg Leisz goes, I just think everything that he does is magical. It’s really hard for me to make a record and not ask him to be a part of it at this point. He’s recorded on everything I’ve ever done as far as solo projects. And he recorded on the last duet record I made as well. Aside from being a really sweet man and good friend, he’s just so insanely music. Everything he does is perfect.

The way he plays pedal steel with a vocal to me is so unique. He plays the pedal steel like a singer and it’s almost as if he’s harmonizing with your vocal and making it sound better. I think a lot of female singers love to use Greg for that reason. He wraps the sound around the vocal and makes it sound way better than if he wasn’t there. So I’m so grateful to have worked with him so many times and even to be able to call him a friend is wonderful. Not to mention he’s full of great stories; he’s worked with everyone from Joni Mitchell to Beck, and he loves to share crazy stories about that.

What about Bill Frisell?

Well, I probably have more Bill Frisell records than any other artists. I have almost everything he’s ever recorded. I love his spirit, his creativity. I love that he takes a Hank Williams song and turns it into something completely unique. He has such great taste, so it’s fun that he’s so into roots music and country mu-

sic, being such a consummate jazz player. It’s a very unique thing. Lee, the producer, is also Bill’s manager and has produced most of his records. That was the appeal to working with Lee, just because I’m such a fan of the records he’s made and I knew it would be a really good match. So going into it, I was hoping Lee would help facilitate some kind of musical situation with Bill for the record. And he did.

The nature of an album like this is so interesting. I would imagine it gives some fantastic opportunities to highlight or even pay tribute to songs that have moved you or allows for certain creative directions.

Yet an album release comes with a cycle of recording, press and touring, which I would imagine pushes some original material back in its timeline.

Did you wrestle with that at all?

I think it was a good time for me to take a break from recording some new songs. Getting out of my major label deal and starting fresh was a good time for me to evaluate what kind of songs I had been writing and what kind of songs I wanted to write. So in the process of choosing this group of songs, it’s helped me narrow down what is important to me.

For my next project, I already have a clearer vision of what my next original album will be like. So if it takes a little longer to come out, that’s okay. In a way, this record feels like my original material to me. I’m just so attached to these songs. [Laughs] So when I’m out playing them, I don’t really feel differently about them than when I’m playing my own songs, so in a way, it doesn’t feel that different than my other records.

That’s the first time I’ve heard that about a covers album before, in all the conversations I’ve had with artists over the years.

Maybe most people don’t feel that way. But I think I spent so much time with those songs by myself playing them and making them into something that felt like my own that I almost feel like I wrote them.

When I sing “Steal Your Love,” the Lucinda Williams song, it feels like it’s my song. I’ve just tricked myself into thinking I’ve written this fabulous song.

[Laughs] I’m thinking, ‘Damn, I’m good.’ No, it’s really just how connected I feel to the songs. I feel that connected to each and every song, so it’s been fun touring. I love playing them live with the band on the road.

How many of the original artists have heard your take on the song?

Lucinda finally just sent me an e-mail saying how much she loved it, and that was a relief. I was really glad. [Laughs] Buddy has heard it, obviously. My father has heard it. Richard Thompson liked his, which was nice to hear.

Really?

Yeah, he sent a really nice message to my manager about it, saying something like he never expected to hear that song as a country song and that he thought it was really heartfelt. As far as the others, I have no idea if M. Ward has heard his. I don’t know him personally. So the people I know personally have definitely heard their tunes. And of course, some of the folks are no longer with us. But I wonder if Merle has heard his. It’d be fun to see what he thinks about that tune.

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TRUMP Movie Reviews CARD EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP (R)

★★★★★ Release Date: April 16 (Limited)

Calling all documentary lovers! Heck, even nondocumentary fans should watch these 87 minutes of absolutely excellent storytelling. The draw of an elusive (not to mention illegal) art form makes EXIT through the gift shop more than simply a unique unfolding, but the story of an underground world told by the people and inspired by one bona fide wannabe (who may or may not have been used intentionally for comic relief). Thierry Guetta, a presumably insane man obsessed with filming, sets out to make a movie about street artists. He documents their lives, driven by the ultimate quest to find the infamous Banksy.

BY ForB. six LOVE years, he accumulates an entire roomful of unwatched tapes OF and AMERICA’S an increasing trail of doubtful S ONE MOST artists, hissuccessful film remaining locked in hisbusinessintentions. and high profile The journey is severely entertaining, tapping into men, Donald Trump was well known a mysterious culture illustrated by vibrant color, long before Survivor producer Mark Burnett creativehim pop to art,star iconic celebrities, art tapped in design, The Apprentice.

Butshows and, of course, painted elephants.

Luckily, Guetta did there’s no denying that the reality show find Banksy, who redirected the project towards turned Trump from a cartoonish curiosity a brilliant and fide hilariously candid story.

I can’t that I into a bona phenomenon, with hissay signahavecatchphrase– ever before been“You’re intrigued by graffiti, but I also ture Fired!”– inextricacan’t help butthe admit I love lexicon. it, evidence enough bly entering popthat culture ofAlthough my corrected ignorance to highly recommend The Apprentice initially floun- this incredible piece of entertainment. dered a bit in the ratings, Burnett and Trump Wiliams stumbled upon a winning formula by–Jenni recruiting second- and third-tier actors, athletes, models musicians for a celebrity edition IRONand MAN 2 (PG-13) of★★★★✩ the show. Now in its third May incarnation, Release Date: 7 The Celebrity Apprentice tosses disparate It’ s important to kick off the summer season stars such as rocker Bret Michaels,movie wrestler with a bang, and while Iron Man 2 easily met the Goldberg, baseball legend Darryl Strawberry, demands for a kick-ass weekend gross ($128 million former governor Ron Blagojevich and Sharon in the U.S. alone), it doesn’t short on Osbourne together for a fall variety of quality team- either.

Robert Downey Jr. and still challenges charming asdesigned hell? Check. building exercises to Strong supporting cast?

Check.

Bigger and better test their business mettle. action As tightly constructed “The sequences?

Donald,” asCheck. the crazy-coiffed real as the original?

Errr…

Iron Man 2 mayrecently not be quite estate magnate if often known, heldas good as the first film, but it’ s still a strong lead-in court with reporters to discuss the show’s to the impending current season.march of summer blockbusters.

After revealing himself as Iron Man to the entire world, Tony Jr.) has defiedthe expectations Can you tellStark us (Downey a little bit about selecby becoming even more of an egomaniac.

Declaring tion process? himself the savior of mankind, a one-man It’s very interesting, because so many nuclear deterrent, and so brilliant that it would take decades celebrities want to be on the show after the for someone to recreate his technology, Stark is success of the previous two seasons. We riding high… except that the Arc-Reactor energy wanted some athletes, some actors, some core he used to save his life is now slowly poisoning models and some wrestlers, so I would say him. Every time he uses the Iron Man suit to show probably six or seven people per spot we off and dazzle the world, his ego is literally killing were The is that him. turning Of course,down. his ego willhardest have to thing get in line: The we really have some good people that want government wants Tony to turn over the suit, rival toweapons go on very badly.Justin But IHammer guess maybe we’ll industrialist (Sam Rockwell) save them for the next show, because it looks wants to create a line of Iron Man-style suits for a fat like that’s going to happen. government contract, and Tony’s friend Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle) is forced to betray How is in this season going beand different thanan his pal order to save him.toOh, there’s also past angryseasons?

Russian physicist named Ivan Danko (Mickey Well, when havehis a success we’veto kill Rourke) who’s you building own suitlike in order had, you don’t like to do too many changes.

Tony. There are a lot of little storylines here, along What we mandatory do have isAvengers a different tone.

The castus with the set-up, reminding has They’veand been thatbeen Nickvery Furyinteresting: (Samuel L. Jackson) hisvery agent tough and very nasty,Johansson) but there’s a lot of Black Widow (Scarlett are also part of a bigger fun and humor with respect to what happens, universe that’s coming together over several films. which I don’t think to wehold haditintogether, the lastbutone.

Iron Man 2 manages the film With Joan [Rivers] anditwith [Morgan], is stretched so thin that beginsPiers to lose some of its itenergy was really nasty people hating each midway through.

Butreally nothing can overcome other.

These people hate other, but begins it’s Downey’ s performance and,each before the flick also funny.

I think might be the to fray, director Jon that Favreau charges intobiggest the third differentiation terms of the three casts. act to bring the inhouse down.

I was a little worried about Rourke and what he would do with such an Can you usually tell right the bat who and is odd character (a physics genius,off Russian prisoner going to do but wellheand who isn’t?Johansson doesn’t bird-lover), makes it work.

That’s the most interesting get to doalways much except look sexy (but she’squesvery good tion to me think myself at that) andbecause Cheadle, I’d wholike tooktoover the of Rhodey role asfrom being okay Howard, with people.

But often I’ll say, Terrence gets better and better as the “This one is going to performance be a star,” and then film progresses.

But the people willhewalk away talking Rockwell, who picks up the slack turns out toabout be a is dud.

You never really know. in the s second and leaves mark, leaving You feelfilm’ like you’veact known thesehiscelebrities

you laughing at almost all of his lines. Iron Man was and still is the best superhero movie debut, and it’s a tough act to follow. Unfortunately the simple structure provided by the origin story is no longer around to provide a solid backbone, and the film falters at times as a result. But when it works, which is most of the time, Iron Man 2 is a highly enjoyable movie and a great kick-off to the summer.

–Matt Goldberg

The Donald Waxes Rhapsodic On The Celebrity Apprentice, JUST WRIGHT (PG) “You’re Fired!” & Fixing NBC

A

★★★✩✩ Release Date: May 14

Have you read all the stories about how corn and derivativesreading such as corn arefor largely responsible through aboutsyrup them so many for the rapid rise in obesity in America?

Thisyou goodyears, but a lot of times somebody that intentioned but by-the-numbers romantic comedy don’t think of so highly turns out to be a star. is sojust damn corny andwhat cheesy, may leave You don’t know willyou happen withthe theater feeling the need to join Queen Latifah on pressure and the heat of battle. the Jenny Craig weight loss program. Latifah (who also produced the film) is undeniably charming What does a celebrity have to do to really as tough-talking physical therapist Leslie Wright, set themselves apart and show that they’re the sort of down-to-earth, low maintenance girl in it to win it? that every man wants to hang with, but very few I cantotell Seasons and 2 and want getyou with.from Wright seems1 resigned to her from the regular Apprentice, people reallyher fate in the Friend Zone, content with watching want to New win.Jersey EveryNets once in courtside a while you’ll beloved from even as her have a quitter, but it doesn’t happen often. gold-digging cousin Morgan (the delicious Paula IPatton) think the reason they do it is the level of schemes to wiggle her way to NBA All-Star intensity they feel for their charity. Unlike Scott McKnight’ s (rapper-turned-actor Common) the regular bedside.

But Apprentice, once the pointwhere guard somebody injures his knee works for the me playoffs– for a pretty good salary for a just before and just before his contract year, with this one the money goes to char-as comes up for renegotiation– the plot becomes ity.

Last year we real-life raised Nets’ millions of dollars. predictable as the chances of winning Everybody has a charity thatLatifah’ they slove; some a championship.

Naturally, character are foundations they’ve set up themselves becomes the broken baller’s rehab PT; Morgan heads years advance show.

I think they for thein(Jersey) hills of thethe second sheSo realizes the aging really moremay intense because charScott’s fight NBA career be over for good;it’s anda Wright ity fighting for. armor gradually fall in andthey’re her McKnight in shining love. There are some sweet moments (most of them What areofyour favorite challenges watch courtesy Latifah) and a great messagetoabout not the celebrities judging romantictackle? books by their covers, but the Well, wefilm doishave a lot bogged of different challengPG-rated ultimately down by enough es, whether we go back to theTyler selling the clichés and stereotypes to make Perryofjealous. lemonade or doing something very Patton’s one-dimensional characterelse is like thatbasic book without dealwhile with Common Proctor & The Ruleshaving come to life, hasGamWAY ble orchemistry Kodak, etc.

Sometimes [sponsor-based more on the basketball court than he does challenges] interesting, but they’re with either ofare the sort film’sof leading ladies. Queen Latifah expensive for admirably, us to do. The ratings acquits herself proving herselfsuggest eminently that theoffans’ favorite of the show comedy. by worthy starring in apart classic romantic far is the boardroom, andlaughably the boardroom Unfortunately, this at times bad effort isn’t it… gotten longer over the years because of has Love that. The challenges still have plenty of –B. time and we’re focused on both aspects, but we have been trying to lengthen the boardroom MACGRUBER (R) because of strong viewer requests. ★★★✩✩ Release Date: May 14 You’re likeago, a prosecuting attorney A few years the MacGruber sketches in on the Saturday boardroom.

Do youillustrated meter your approach tos Night Live perfectly the flaws on NBC’ different personalities? long-running late night comedy show. What more Yes, demonstrate I think youSNL’ deals lack withofdifferent people could creative inspiration differently.

I dealparody with Goldberg differently than a one-joke of MacGyver, an already than deal with Governor Blagojevich.

I cornyITV show more than a decade old? But recently, dealt with Dennis Rodman Joaninspiration.

Rivers the sketches have shown signs ofand genuine differently thanMacGruber some of the other contes-in the Segments where is trying to survive tants.

You haveor to have with thathis ability. poor economy dealing inner racist went beyond the mere “incompetent version of MacGyver” How do the youfoundation feel going back in the skit, boardthat was of the recurring and gave hope that theaidea of expanding room after little hiatus? MacGruber’s universe beyond control stimulate I just the get single a great kick room out ofwould it. I really likethe the movie to even heights itwriters a lot. ofThey want version to renew it forgreater another of absurdity. film isthinking weak on satire two or threeUnfortunately, seasons, andthiswe’re and short onIcomedic innovation. for about that. like having a littleThe bitmain of a joke break the first third of the film seems repeating the between shows, where it goestoonbeonce a year. villain’s ridiculously obscene name again and again. As an actor, Will Forte same deadpan detachment Do you ever feel has badtheabout firing someone, thatis has served SNL vets like Chevy Chase or it just partother of the job? and Will Ferrell well, but doesn’t seem I always feel bad…

No,the notmovie always.

Someto understand whatpeople. kind ofThe character MacGruber times I don’t like hard ones are shouldyou be. More than appealing, most of the when reallyannoying like and respect somebody otherthey characters MacGruber a great hero, but and make treat a mistake.

Like,asas an ex-

PRINCE OF PERSIA: SANDS OF TIME

Starring: Jake Gyllenhael, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina.

Director: Mike Newell. Release Date: May 28. Rating: PG-13 ★★★✩✩

Jake Gyllenhaal’s summer foray epitomizes all that’s good and bad about Hollywood summer spectacles. With respects to the pleasant aspects, the first 30 or 40 minutes in the Middle East exude creativity and ingenuity.

Gyllenhaal’s Dastan is a former orphan who managed to work his way into the King’s heart one day. Brought up like sixth century royalty, the nimble Dastan becomes a feisty soldier determined to prove to his extended family that he is worthy to fight. After a few well-executed battle scenes that show Dastan soaring like Spiderman one moment and avoiding projectiles, Matrix-style, the next, you begin to discount early inclinations of another Mummy unwrapping on the screen.

Then, abruptly, Hollywood’s other side peers its clumsy, contrived head. A beautiful princess (Gemma Arterton) and her people’s Dagger in Time – this powerful gadgetry allows its owner to temporarily turn the clock back to change the future – are the centerpieces of the film’s clutter.

Director Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) just can’t seem to make the time travel cool enough, the budding romance between the princess and TO BE A GOOD IT WAS A DastanIT realTURNED enough or OUT the villains (a slick group ofPHRASE, spooks calledBUT The Hassasins) stay THE VERY FIRST SHOW I WAS A LITTLE FLUKE. DURING on screen long enough. Had the feel of The Sands of Time’s initial 30 minutes not ONEsomething OF THEspecial CONTESTANTS ANDofI Persia USED WITH runEXASPERATED out, Gyllenhaal might have had here. Instead, Prince proves THE just another in the Hollywood desert.

FIRED!” WHEN [PRODUCER] MARK LINE,oasis “YOU’RE

BURNETT AND I AGREED TO DO THE SHOW WE DIDN’T HAVE –DeMarco OUTWilliams THAT. WE THOUGHT WE’D SAY, “GET THE HELL OF HERE” OR SOMETHING. he’s clearly unable to do much beyond killing folks. special effects) while delving a little deeper into what

makes Freddy Freddy, giving long-time fans an even fact that you raised such self-sufficient bigger tease to a hopeful end. children?

–Jenni theWilliams chilWell, I’m getting a lot of credit on dren. Everybody’s been asking about Ivanka and the answer is yes, (PG) she’ll be back on the RACING DREAMS show. But they’re very good kids. They went ★★★★✩ Release Date: May 14 to very good schools, and they were great Istudents. could not possibly carewait less about I couldn’t to getNASCAR. them onI enjoy the driving breakneck just would as much the show. Iathad no ideaspeeds the show be as into next guy, but a bunchwhich of menis(and Danica itsninth andwatching tenth season, pretty Patrick) circle an oval for several hours is not exactly amazing in the world of television.

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (R) my idea of a good time. But for 11-year-old Annabeth, That line, “You’re fired, ” became a pop cul★★★✩✩ Release Date: April 30 12-year-old Joshlots and of 13-year-old Brandon, a chance ture phenomenon. Can you talk about the There’s been news surrounding NBC With the inspiration of Wes Craven on his back, to race with Jimmy Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and lately, and your show does well for them. origin of it? director Samuel the reigns of yet their would be NBC a dream come they Whatilkyou think needs to true. do toFirst get back It turned outBayer to betakes a good phrase, butanother it Freddie Krueger nightmare, withfirst the show phenomenal to compete in the World Karting Association’s in the ratings game? was a fluke.

During the very I was have Haley assuming the of roletheof conthe classic National which(Chairman is to racingof what Well, IChampionship, aJackie littleEarle exasperated with one know Jeff Gaspin NBC horrific madman.

You’ve got to know the story by the Little League World Series is to baseball.and, Racing testants and I used the line, “You’re fired!”

Universal Television Entertainment) as now, which follows aMark groupBurnett of youngand teensI agreed that are inyou extreme reachrole. speeds of uphe’s to 70 When [producer] know,karts he’s that newcan to the I think seemingly they eachthat. startWe to see the mph, speedjob demons (andThey their to do the unrelated show we until didn’t have goingthese to doadolescent a spectacular at NBC. same scary man with blades for fingers, hunting them remarkably supportive families) travel across thought we’d say, “Get the hell out of here” or need more shows like The Apprentice. Notthe down when they fallall asleep. s creepier is thatwent the country to compete the year-long Championship something.

And of aWhat’ sudden America necessarily from ainreality standpoint, but mid-dream murders become a reality when the teens series, knowing a first-place finish can mean the crazy over the show. It happens to be a great they need shows that capture the imaginaactually die in real life, too. With the only way to stay difference between a career in the sport and an tion. catchphrase. TV Guide or one of the major alive being to stay awake, the dwindling group starts extremely expensive hobby. But Oscar-nominated Frankly, certain shows that are on should entertainment magazines did a poll and, after a race against time to unlock the mystery behind the documentary director Marshall Curry (Street Fight) “Here’s Johnny!” and one other great, it was be changed because, while they get some nightmare and end the haunting. In this franchise wisely recognizes that the trials and tribulations these #3 on the Top 100 phrases in television hispretty good reviews, they don’t get people reboot, predictable scares and cheesy lines create the kids face off the track are every bit as dramatic as the tory! So that was a pretty big honor. It’s been watching. It’s nice to get both. We’ve had foundation for a stereotypical horror film. You can tension they face each time the green flag is raised. an amazing thing and in anfright amazing phrase that Brandon’ Emmy nominations andtroublemaker a lot of goodwho ac- lives of course expect to jump or hide your eyes, s the mischievous just seems to work.

It colades passed our way, and that’s always really caught on, and but nothing really comes as a surprise and I certainly with his grandparents because his dad is a deadbeat; nice. may But ultimately youout have to have it’s been thing watch. didn’t loseananyamazing sleep. The filmtodoes begin with a racing be his only way of the small people town in watch.

NBC is going to really do well. I know fabulous opening scene, revisiting some of Craven’s which he lives. Annabeth is a girl blossoming into What do you moments think is your I think classic Krueger (with biggest new and accomimproved atheir youngleadership lady, torn and between herthey’re love of winners, the sport plishment, your business success or the so I think they’ll turn it around.

Kristen Wiig precious little do, last and season. what she Hamilton, fromtothe ample, Scotthas does doesn’t play to her unique performing skills.

The I had to let Scott go. I’m a great fan of Scott: action scenes are not well shot, and the special effects He won Olympic gold medals and he’s a great are cheap looking. could be forgiven the film champion.

But heThat understood that heif made were funnier, but unfortunately it’ s not.

On the a mistake on the show and I really had noplus side, it’s nice see Val Kilmer return to the comedy choice.

I felttovery badly about that, because genre after a long hiatus.

Hopefully he’ll find better I considered him to be a great person, abut I vehicle the next time around. have to do what’s right. It’s never fun, but it’s –Jay Wayne easier when I don’t like somebody or when they’re really, really bad.

PG 13 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

VIDIOTS

UPCOMING DVD RELEASES AND REVIEWS

BY B. LOVE & JOHN B. MOORE CAKE BOSS: SEASON 2 – Anybody who’s seen a Gordon Ramsey show knows that cooking is only a fraction of the hell chefs have to deal with in the kitchen. This TLC series follows 4th-generation baker Buddy Valastro and his family as they endure everything from obnoxious bridezillas and demanding customer complaints to unreliable suppliers, all in an effort to build business at their Hoboken-based bakery. It’s awkward and hilarious to watch, making the baking itself seem like a piece of cake by comparison.

DARIA: THE COMPLETE ANIMATED SERIES – Eight years after this animated show ended its run, the tailor-made-for-Generation X series is finally being released in its entirety.

A spin-off of Beavis and Butt-head, Daria centered on a cynical teen in a new high school and her perky, popular younger sister.

Holding up immensely well despite being mothballed for nearly a decade, the series makes us nostalgic with its late-‘90s references, reminding us of a time when MTV actually had a handful of decent shows.

FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN – After the success of Taken, you’d think a Liam Neeson thriller would get noticed, but this direct-to-DVD drama deserves a look. Based on a true story, the film stars Neeson as Irish-Protestant Alistair Little, who assassinated 19-year-old Catholic Joe Griffin in front of his younger brother in 1975. Now, 30 years later, Joe Griffin (the amazing James Nesbitt) is set to confront his brother’s killer on a talk show, but he has something other than reconciliation in mind. A taut, gripping, emotional exploration of Irish struggles.

HOARDERS: THECOMPLETESEASONONE – Growing up the child of a second-generation obsessive-compulsive, I know firsthand what it’s like to live with someone who can’t bear to part with their belongings. This gripping show takes us inside the homes of these hoarders and unveils the mental and emotional anguish that comes to control their lives, offering professional help and an organizer’s guidance in an effort to get out from under the oppressive burden of their compulsions. It’s spellbinding TV, if a bit too close to home for some.

PULLING JOHN – In the world of competitive armwrestling, John Brzenk is like Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Manny Pacquaio all wrapped up in one seriously muscle-bound package. Undefeated for 25 years, the legend is now 40, questioning his ability to keep winning in the face of promising youngsters such as American Travis Bagent and Russian Alexey Voevoda. Should he retire, or risk losing to give himself a new challenge? This skillfully crafted documentary will make you care deeply, even if you know nothing about the sport.

OSHIMA’S OUTLAW SIXTIES – Part of the Criterion Collection’s excellent Eclipse Series, this 5-DVD set spotlights the classic films of acclaimed Japanese director Nagisa Oshima, who is often referred to as the Godard of the East. Filled with serial killers, hedonists, corruption, criminals and raw sexuality, these five flicks (which include Pleasures Of The Flesh, Violence At Noon, Sing A Song Of Sex, Japanese Summer: Double Suicide and Three Resurrected Drunkards) are the work of a maverick talent infatuated with outsiders, establishing Oshima as one of the most provocative directors of the 20th century.

OTHER JUNE DVD/BLURAY RELEASES JUNE 1 – Alice in Wonderland �� ����� �������� ������� ����� �� ����� ����� ������ ������� ���� �� ������ ����� ��������� ����������� �� ����� �� ������������������������ JUNE 8 – ������������������������������������� Your Enthusiasm: The Complete Seventh Season �� ����� ������ ����� ����� �� ���������� ��� ������ ����������������������������������������������� Shutter Island JUNE 15 – ����������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������� ����� ��������� �� ����������� ����� ������������ ������������ �������� �� ����� ��� ����� �� ������ ��� Revolt JUNE 22 – ������������������������������������ ����������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������������������� Out of My League JUNE 29 – �������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������������� ����������� ��� ���������� ����� �� ������� ����� �� The White Ribbon

GAMES PEOPLE PLAY UPCOMING VIDEO GAME RELEASES AND REVIEWS

BY B. LOVE

ALPHA PROTOCOL (Sega)

Platforms: PC, PS3, X360 It seems appropriate that this action RPG centers on espionage, as the title seemed to sneak up on the gaming industry with surprisingly little farfare. Cast as a spy-in-training in Saudi Arabia, players are given excellent control over character customization, from appearance to interactions with other characters.

Completed missions allow you to upgrade stats such as Stealth and Sabotage, earning skills such as “Silent Run” and “Remote Hack.” The game play doesn’t quite measure up to obvious influences such as Mass Effect, but the complex conversation elements make it more intriguing than most shooters.

DEMENTIUM II (South Peak) Platform: Nintendo DS

Nintendo is notoriously short on mature titles, but this sequel to the 2007 hit is as intense as any handPG 14 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

held game could hope to be. The story follows William Redmoor, a supposedly psychotic man accused of murdering his wife who wakes up after a brain operation to find himself in a loony bin for the criminally insane.

There’s a creepy madman known only as The Doctor, whacked-out nutjobs around every corner, and over 16 different monsters that make Alien and Predator look cute and cuddly by comparison. Test your wits, nerves and sanity if you dare, but don’t blame us if you have trouble sleeping at night!

IRON MAN 2 (Sega) Systems: DS, PSP, PS3, X360, Wii The first Iron Man film was such an impressive adaptation, it’s no surprise that the sequel failed to measure up to expectations. While the video game tiein is a significant improvement on its much-maligned predecessor, it likewise falls short of the mark. On the positive side there’s the improved flight controls and the ability to play as either Tony Stark/Iron Man or Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes/War Machine. But on the negative side, there’s a half-assed story (which has nothing to do with the movie), mediocre graphics,

and her burgeoning interest in boys. And Josh is the All-American boy, a born winner who looks like a Wheaties box cover in the making. The stories of their lives are what makes us care about what happens to them on the track, and Curry paces the drama perfectly. You may not give a damn about NASCAR, but you’ll definitely walk away from Racing Dreams caring about these children who so desperately yearn to be a part of it.

–B. Love

ROBIN HOOD (PG-13) ★✩✩✩✩ Release Date: May 14 There’s nothing special about director Ridley Scott’s take on Robin Hood. He tries to ground the familiar story within a larger tale of political intrigue and an attempt by France to take over England, but this attempt at “realism” only dwarfs the mythical legend. The result is a plodding, joyless endeavor that pulls punches on its few action scenes and slogs through the drama. The movie starts out strong, kicking off with an exciting battle as the forces of King Richard the Lionheart (Danny Huston) storm a French castle and bowman Robin Longstride (Russell Crowe) shows he’s the world’s best archer. After Richard takes an arrow through the neck, Robin and his future merry men go AWOL, only to encounter Sir Robert of Loxley, who is returning to England to deliver the crown when he is ambushed by Sir Godfrey (Mark Strong) so that… my god, I’m bored already. The film has a big action scene at the beginning; another one at the end, and everything in between is dull political machinations.

The burden falls on Russell Crowe to make the film come alive, but the Oscar-winning actor fails completely, muttering his dialogue, flirting unenthusiastically with Marian (Cate Blanchett) and sleepwalking through the entire film. Without a strong central character or a fresh take, there’s no reason for this Robin Hood to exist. Instead of a rousing origin story, we’re left with a simplistic tale of Robin Longstride = Good, Tyranny = Bad. Stretch that idea out to 140 minutes and you have a film that should’ve been grand adventure, but instead is an absolute chore.

–Matt Goldberg

THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES (R) ★★★★★ Release Date: April 16 Some movies you anticipate, while others you discover.

Even in this age of trailers available for seemingly every movie available on dozens of websites, it’s so nice to just accidentally happen upon a film that surprises you, entertains you, shocks you and even manages a new way to move you. Though it beat out The White Ribbon to win the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar this year, the Argentine thriller The Secrets In Their Eyes plays out like an old-fashioned, stylish and incredibly satisfying gem from out of nowhere that you’ll feel lucky to have found for yourself. It’s the sort of movie that you’ll only want to share with your true movie fan friends, the ones who will see past the subtitles and pay attention to all the little details, wait patiently for the plot to unravel on its own time and really, really appreciate the experience when it pays off in spades. I am so in love with this movie that I saw it twice in two days. The film is expertly constructed abbreviated length and simplistic gameplay. Oh well, maybe the third time will be the charm…

RED DEAD REDEMPTION (Rockstar) Systems: PS3, X360 Hearing that director John Hillcoat was making a short film to promote this game told me all I needed to know I’d love it. If you haven’t seen his brutally epic western, The Proposition, this ultra-violent shooter brings its raw, reckless spirit to life. Even the story is similar: Outlaw gunslinger John Marston is forced to hunt down old partner-in-crime Bill Williamson in order to protect his own family, encountering lawmen, rebels and innocents along the way. Red Dead’s western world is impressively massive and exquisitely rendered, filled with colorful characters, a morality system and a broad variety of challenges along the way.

SPLIT/SECOND (Disney Interactive) Systems: PC, PS3, X360 It’s ironic that an ad for a racing title from Disney, the most family-friendly company of all time, would mock the childlike frivolity of Mario Kart, one of the most fun, family-friendly videogames of all time. But the developer is clearly not aiming for the kiddies with Split/Second, which was named Best Racing Game at E3 last year.

Set within a reality TV show, the race allows players to

as both a romance and a period mystery by director Juan Jose Campanella, who has directed TV episodes of House and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit stateside.

Benjamin Esposito (Ricardo Darin) is a retired court investigator dwelling on his most frustrating case, a 1974 rape and murder of a schoolteacher, trying to write a novel about it. He returns to his old office in Buenos Aires to visit with Irene (Soledad Villamil), his old boss who still works with the court, to stir up both her memories of the case and her feelings for him. Through their reminiscences and through Esposito’s novel, we then enter into a mystery where no scenes are extraneous, every detail - like a faulty typewriter, a closed office door, an old photograph – matters. All the characters are full and beautifully drawn. The story is emotional and devastating. This movie has one of the best screenplays I’ve seen since Oldboy, and there are wonderful scenes– like a chase through a soccer stadium– that are unlike anything else you’ll find at the movies right now. Seek this movie out. It feels like a classic.

–Benjamin Car

SHREK FOREVER AFTER (PG-13) ★★★★✩✩ Release Date: May 21 There’s a tipping point beyond which most creative enterprises evolve into commodities, milked by their creators (or the corporations who originally backed them) for every last dime. Shrek, a simple fairy tale about an ogre who falls in love with a princess, came along at an opportune time when Disney was struggling, computer animation was exploding in popularity, and Pixar had the heartwarming niche on lockdown. With their snarky sense of humor, meta in-jokes and actors such as Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy delivering some of the funniest performances of their careers, the first two films in the series put DreamWorks Animation on the map. But like so many franchises before it, Shrek seemed to stall on creative steam by the time the third film came along. Still, Shrek The Third grossed $800 million at the box office, so clearly Shrek Forever After was going to happen one way or another. The film finds Shrek (Myers) growing disillusioned with the idea of domesticity, bored, restless and longing for the adventure and anonymity of his younger years. After making a deal with the mischievous Rumpelstiltskin, he winds up in an alternate reality Far Far Away where the troll doll-haired midget is king, ogres are hunted, and his beloved Fiona (Cameron Diaz) has no idea who he is. So, like Jack on Lost, it’s up to Shrek to save the world, reunite with the girl, and assure everyone a heavenly kingdom. The story, which follows what life would be like if Shrek never existed, is clichéd and somewhat predictable, but the characters’ entertaining personalities help elevate the material. The once-potent pop culture references have lost a bit of their hipster bite– scenes portraying the ogre as a Hollywood-style celebrity and Rumpelstiltskin’s castle as a velvet ropestyle nightclub ultimately fall flat– but Antonio Banderas’ Puss in Boots and Craig Robinson’s Cookie deliver enough scene-stealing laughs to keep things moderately intriguing. In the end, Shrek Forever After is neither great nor terrible, instead plodding a just-good-enough middle ground that will ensure healthy box office returns… and perhaps another sequel.

–Mary Gabbett

completely destroy the city, triggering explosions to take out opponents and change the nature of the track. It’s an adrenaline-fueled blast, especially when playing with friends, but it’s still not as much fun as Mario Kart.

TRAUMA TEAM (Atlus) System: Wii One of the more unique gaming titles we’ve seen recently, Trauma Team allows you to play as a general surgeon, diagnostician, E.M.T., orthopedic surgeon, endoscope technician, and medical examiner, testing skills ranging from intelligent analysis and steady hands to pressure under fire in life or death situations. The hand-drawn story sequences were clearly inspired by Japanese animation, and each chapter offers its own unique play style. It’s not exactly Call Of Duty, but it’s definitely different.

OTHER JUNE VIDEO GAME RELEASES

Backbreaker (PS3/X360- 6/1), MorphX (X360, 6/1), Block Cascade Fusion (PSP, 6/2), SBK X Superbike World Championship (PC, PS3, X360- 6/4), Mega Man Zero Collection (DS, 6/8), Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP, 6/8), Toy Story 3: The Video Game (DS/PC/PS3/PSP/Wii- 6/15), Naval Assault: The Killing Tide (X360, 6/15), International Cricket 2010 (PS3/X360- 6/18)

FILM

MR. & MRS. SMITH

Jada Pinkett-Smith On Her TV Show, Hit Broadway Musical & Some Guy Named Will

BY B. LOVE

F

OR MANY YEARS SHE WAS RELEGATED TO THE formidable shadow of her hubby, Will Smith. But the artist formerly known as Jada Pinkett had a fairly fruitful Hollywood career (including the TV show A Different World and films such as Menace II Society, The Nutty Professor and Set It Off) long before she married the Fresh Prince.

These days it’s Jada who’s bringing home the bacon, juggling her role as an actress in films (such as the Madagascar series) and on TNT’s Hawthorne with multiple projects behind the camera, including writing and directing 2008’s The Human Contract and producing everything from The Karate Kid (starring her son, Jaden) to the Tony-nominated Broadway smash Fela!

We recently spoke with Smith from the set of Hawthorne, where she talked about everything from her return to TV to how she and Will continue to work together without driving each other insane… for the most part.

You’ve been performing ever since you were a kid. What originally inspired you to become a performer?

It’s just something that has always been in me, and I was just lucky enough to have a family that supported it. I’ve always been a ham, and from the time I was three years old I wanted to be on stage and in front of the camera. I loved to dance and I loved to act, so those were my extracurricular activities in elementary school. Then I went to the Baltimore School for the Arts, and after that the North Carolina School of the Arts for college, but I was only there for a year before I left for L.A. Were you one of those people who had a backup plan just in case this worldwide celebrity thing didn’t work out?

It was interesting because I called my mother at the end of my first year of college and said, “Here’s the deal: I’ve been doing this for a long time and I really need to get out into the world and see if I can make this happen. If not, I need to go to law school.” She said she’d send me to L.A. for a summer and we’d see what happened.

Luckily, by the end of the summer I had my first job.

You’ve been in the business over 20 years now. How has the way you approach your career changed over that time?

I used to be purely an artist, and I’ve had to learn about the business side of things. That’s been a difficult transition, because there’s a lot of things that you sacrifice on the other end. What I’ve learned to do is try to protect artists, because there aren’t a lot of people in this business these days that will do that for creative people. It’s all about exploiting. So, in learning the business, I’ve been able to meet great talents and allow them to have a safe, protected space in which they can create. I feel like that’s part of my purpose in being here, and being part of this TV show has helped me acquire more of the skills I need to do that.

You rose to fame on A Different World. What was the appeal of returning to television at this stage in your life? Didn’t you once say you’d never go back to TV? (Laughs) I did! That’s why you cannot say “never”! I was so adamant about it, but I came to a point in my life where I needed a

IF WE DIDN’T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE, IT WOULD ALMOST BE LIKE DYING. THIS IS WHAT WE DO AND WHO WE ARE. IT’S THE SOUL OF HOW WE LIVE, AND THE JOY IS IN FINALLY LEARNING HOW TO CREATE TOGETHER AND EXPANDING. higher-stakes game. Movies are very relaxed and you have a lot of time, but in television it’s like you’re making a movie every week.

For me to heighten my producer and acting chops and heighten my understanding of story I felt like me and my team– including my husband– really needed this. Now we can transfer that into any medium in which we want to tell a story.

What attracted you to the role of Christina Hawthorne?

She’s very much like me in terms of wanting to help and nurture people, but she’s also a go-getter who doesn’t apologize, so there were a lot of things we had in common. My mother was also a single parent nurse, so I’ve lived this life and knew it and understood it well. I’ve always created for myself, but this was something I wanted to create for others. I felt like this was something people would want to see me do. I’m very excited about this season because I’m getting more of an opportunity to explore the world and the character in ways we didn’t do last year.

How do you juggle being the center of an hour-long drama with your responsibilities as a wife and mom?

Well, my kids have me for the rest of the year, so when this time of year comes they understand that mom is gonna be doing her thing. Plus Jaden has The Karate Kid coming out, so he’s doing publicity for that and he’s in the studio recording a song for the soundtrack; my daughter Willow is about to come out with her album. So they’re being productive and doing their own things, being kept very busy living their lives. And Will is here on the set with me all the time, like a ghost executive producer. He’s very heavily involved in the show this year, helping me take it where I needed it to go, so we probably spend more time than we’d like working on this show together. But our family spends so much quality time together for the rest of the year that, for these three months, they give me a pass.

consignment shops

You and Will seem to have a great partnership: What are the keys to holding a show business relationship together long-term?

You just have to be committed, and sometimes that’s the hardest thing to do. You have to be determined to work through it when it inevitably gets unbearable. Every relationship hits a point where you think “I can’t do this anymore!” It’s inevitable, and it happens to the best of us. But you have to be committed, to bear down and work through it, as long as it’s not something that’s detrimental to your physical health or mental well-being.

You and Will have done some great work as producers, and Fela is particularly impressive. How do you guys choose your projects?

I’ve been a big fan of Fela since I was in my twenties, so I knew how fantastic his music is and how incredible his life was. When we got the offer to enter a partnership on that project, I was like, “We’ve gotta check this out, Will. Fela is amazing!” As soon as we saw the show, it was a done deal. Having the opportunity to create a situation where we could bring such a charismatic and impactful artist to life, while at the same time giving so many AfricanAmerican performers an opportunity to create this brilliant piece of work? That’s what I’m supposed to do! (Laughs) For us, it’s a responsibility: Can we put this out into the Universe and make things better? If so, let’s do it!

You and Will are obviously wealthy enough that you don’t need to do this for the money: What keeps you passionate about performing, producing and creating at this stage in your careers?

It’s just a part of us, you know? If we didn’t have the opportunity to create, it would almost be like dying. This is what we do and who we are. It’s the soul of how we live, and the joy is in finally learning how to create together and expanding. Our tentacles are just getting longer and longer as we help others to create and realize their dreams as well. At this time in our lives we feel like we’re here to facilitate and help others to create. I’m moving out of that “Me! Me! Me!” stage where it was all about Jada and into trying to leave a footprint that will help change the world, step by step.

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PG 15 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

FILM

SUMMER Movie Preview

BY RYAN LOFTIS

B

IG. THAT’S THE ONLY WORD needed to describe the 2010 summer movie season. Big stars, big franchises, big potential for big bucks. Moviegoers have always looked forward to summer as the most entertaining time of year at the movies: the largely lackluster winter and spring offerings are gone, the heavy Oscar material has yet to arrive, and the theatres are stuffed with wannabe blockbusters starring some of Hollywood’s most famous names. Nothing changes this year.

For some, this season may feel like a reunion: Old favorites such as Carrie Bradshaw, Buzz Lightyear and Bella Swan are returning after time away. For others, it may feel like taking back an old flame: Do they still have the qualities that once made us love them (we’re looking at you Cruise, Sandler, Ferrell)? It’s said there’s no sure things in Hollywood, but some of these movies will be exceptions to that rule (probably). Whoever the eventual winners and losers are, one thing is certain: This movie season will be as hot as the weather outside.

JUNE 4 GET HIM TO THE GREEK

The Stars: Jonah Hill, Russell Brand, Rose Byrne, Sean Combs, Elisabeth Moss The Plot: Ambitious record company intern Aaron Green (Hill) is in for a wild ride when he’s assigned to fly to London and bring hedonistic rock star Aldous Snow (Brand) back to Los Angeles for a concert at the Greek Theatre.

The Scoop: Brand originated the Aldous Snow character in 2008’s Forgetting Sarah Marshall and stole the movie from better known stars Kristen Bell and Jason Segel. He’s more than ready to star in his own movie. Always a dependable foil, Hill’s star should continue to rise with this picture.

KILLERS

The Stars: Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, Tom Selleck, Catherine O’Hara, Rob Riggle, Martin Mull The Plot: Today Spencer Aimes (Kutcher) us happily married to Jen (Heigl) and enjoying suburbia. But once he lived a very different life as an undercover government-hired assassin. He gets a jolting reminder of his past the morning after his 30th birthday, when he and Jen learn he’s the target of a multi-million dollar hit to be carried out by killers who have been stalking them for years. Now they must fight to not only save their marriage but stay alive.

The Scoop: This spring, Heigl finally got what she’d long wanted – an exit from Grey’s Anatomy.

Now it’s time for her to put up or shut up. Will she still have the drawing power that resulted in three straight hits – Knocked Up, 27 Dresses and The Ugly Truth – now that she’s hung up her lab coat? Working in her favor is The Ugly Truth, her previous collaboration with director Robert Luketic, grossed almost $90 million despite terrible reviews. Kutcher’s career could use a boost, PG 16 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

2010

and if 2005’sMr. & Mrs. Smith is any indication, audiences love seeing stars simultaneously cheat death and confront their marriage problems.

THE A-TEAM

The Stars: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copley, Jessica Biel, Quinton Jackson, Yul Vazquez The Plot: The 1980s TV series gets the multiplex treatment. A team of former Special Forces soldiers (Neeson, Cooper, Jackson, Copley) are framed for a crime they didn’t commit and must go rogue to prove their innocence and find the real culprit.

The Scoop: Bringing a classic ‘80s series to the big screen didn’t work 4 years ago with Miami Vice. Why should this be different? For one thing, Cooper is Hollywood’s Hot New Star with the success of last year’s The Hangover. Success here could make him legitimately bankable. Pity Quinton Jackson, though: No one replaces Mr. T.

THE KARATE KID

The Stars: Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith, Taraji P. Henson The Plot: The move from Detroit to China hasn’t been easy for 12-year-old Dre Parker (Smith), who’s become a target for the class bully. Hope comes from an unlikely source: Mr. Han (Chan), who’s not only a maintenance man but a master of kung fu who can teach Dre the moves needed to defend himself.

The Scoop: Jaden Smith has some big shoes to fill: his father, Will, is one of the world’s biggest movie stars. If he shows half the talent and charisma of his father, he’ll have no problem carrying this movie. Chan should do much better here than with his last “family friendly” effort, the flop The Spy Next Door. Since the 1984 original remains a beloved classic, it’s a good idea to change some of the plot details and avoid looking like a rip-off.

JUNE 18 JONAH HEX

The Stars: Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, Megan Fox, Will Arnett, Michael Shannon The Plot: Drifter and bounty hunter Jonah Hex (Brolin) has survived death, and now has one foot in the natural world and one in the “other side.” He receives an offer from the military: find and stop Jonah’s oldest enemy, terrorist Quentin Turnbull (Malkovich) and they’ll forget about the warrants on his head.

Gathering an army and preparing to unleash Hell, Turnbull wants Jonah dead.

The Scoop: Every movie adaptation of a comic book wants to join the league the Batman and Spider-Man franchises. Malkovich will no doubt make an excellent villain, but Brolin is a question mark. While undoubtedly a talented actor, he’s not the most obvious choice for an action here. Megan Fox is hot right now because of the Transformers movies, but saying people came to see her is giving her a little too much credit.

TOY STORY 3

The Stars: Voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Ned Beatty, Michael Keaton, Timothy Dalton, Jeff Garlin, Bonnie Hunt, Whoopi Goldberg The Plot: Times have changed. Little Andy is now ready to depart for college, and his toys – led of course by Woody and Buzz Lightyear – have been given away and are at the mercy of a roomful of wild children. As they fight to stay together – “no toy gets left behind” – there’s time for a love connection: Barbie meets Ken. The Scoop: On the minus side: It’s been 11 years since Toy Story 2. On the plus side: Both Toy Story, which ushered in the computer animated age, and its sequel remain beloved classics today.

On the minus side: John Lasseter, director of the first two films, has stepped down. On the plus side: new director Lee Unkrich co-directed Toy Story 2 as well as Monsters, Inc. and Finding Nemo, while Michael Arndt, who won an Oscar for writing Little Miss Sunshine, penned the script. The already excellent ensemble cast only gets better with the additions of Keaton, Dalton, Beatty, Garlin and Goldberg. This third installment should have no problem equaling the sky high standards of its predecessors.

JUNE 25 GROWN UPS

The Stars: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, David Spade, Salma Hayek, Maria Bello, Maya Rudolph The Plot: Five friends take their wives and kids and reunite at a lake house for Fourth of July weekend to honor their late basketball coach.

They discover that being older doesn’t necessarily mean being wiser.

The Scoop: Last summer Sandler tried once again to move into serious actor territory with

Funny People, and once again he failed. It’s no surprised he’s returned to co-starring with fellow former “Saturday Night Live” cast members under the direction of Dennis Dugan, two moves that have worked well for him in the past. Grown Ups will no doubt attract a lot of teenagers and make a nice profit, but with all the leading men in their forties, time may be running out for them to star in goofball comedies like this.

KNIGHT AND DAY

The Stars: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard, Viola Davis, Olivier Martinez, Paul Dano, Maggie Grace The Plot: A spy (Cruise) takes a lonely woman (Diaz) on a violent journey around the world to protect a battery holding the key to an infinite power source.

Hopefully it won’t get in the way of walking her sister (Grace) down the aisle.

The Scoop: Cruise’s drawing power isn’t what it used to be, so it’s a smart career move to pick a character similar to one of his most popular – Mission: Impossible’s Ethan Hunt. Diaz flopped last fall with the maudlin thriller The Box, and picking a sexy, fun role could be just the remedy.

JUNE 30 THE TWILIGHT SAGA: THE ECLIPSE

The Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Billy Burke, Elizabeth Reaser, Nikki Reed, Dakota Fanning The Plot: School graduation is not the only thing on Bella’s (Stewart) mind these days. A string of mysterious killings is occurring in Seattle. A malicious vampire is looking for revenge. Most importantly, she must choose between her love for Edward (Pattinson) and her friendship with Jacob (Lautner). The consequence of her decision? Only potentially igniting the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf.

The Scoop: Is Eclipse one of the summer’s few can’t-miss blockbusters? Do vampires have sharp teeth?

JULY 2 THE LAST AIRBENDER

The Stars: Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone, Dev Patel, Jessica Jade Andres, Aasif Mandvi, Shaun Toub, Cliff Curtis, Keong Sim The Plot: An adaptation of Nickelodeon’s animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, this

fantasy tells the story of Aang (Ringer) who must bring the Air, Water and Earth nations together to fight the Fire lord. A spirited girl and her brother are on Aang’s side; a disgruntled Fire prince is not.

The Scoop: It’s a good thing writer-director M. Night Shyamalan is trying something new. The failures of The Village, Lady in the Water and The Happening proved audiences were tired of his standard thriller with a surprise ending. Shyamalan established himself with The Sixth Sense, another movie anchored by an excellent child performance.

Lightning could potentially strike again.

JULY 9 DESPICABLE ME

The Stars: Voices of Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Will Arnett, Kristen Wiig, Danny McBride, Jack McBrayer, Mindy Kaling, Julie Andrews The Plot: Gru (Carell), the world’s greatest villain, has an ambitious plan: To steal the moon.

Complicating his plans is the desire of three orphaned girls to make him their dad.

The Scoop: Carell as a villain? He’s very talented, but we’ll have to see that to believe it. Disbelief aside, this will no doubt be a hit.

Carell’s last collaboration with writers Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul was the box office smash Horton Hears a Who!

JULY 16 INCEPTION

The Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine The Plot: Dom Cobb (DiCaprio) is the leader of a group of freelance thieves who insert themselves intro strangers’ subconscious while they are sleeping and steal their ideas for corporate gain. He agrees to take on a final job, one that’s very dangerous but could reunite him with his estranged family.

The Scoop: Director Christopher Nolan originally wanted to make a low-cost film, but ended up with a $160 million budget. Memento showed his mastery with the former scale of movies, while Batman Begins and The Dark Knight demonstrated his genius with the latter. In the midst of summer, here’s a thriller almost guaranteed to be not only intelligent but very good. Perhaps DiCaprio, who’s already established a fruitful actor-director relationship with Martin Scorcese, will be able to form another with Nolan.

THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE

The Stars: Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Teresa Palmer, Monica Bellucci, Toby Kebbell The Plot: Master sorcerer Baltazher Blake (Cage) is busy defending modern-day Manhattan from his arch-enemy Maxim Horvath (Molina), so he recruits an unlikely protégé (Baruchel) and teaches him the tricks of the sorcerer’s trade.

The Scoop: Disney, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, director Jon Turtletaub and Cage last collaborated on the “National Treasure” franchise. The ingredients are here for a similar monster hit.

JULY 23 DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS

The Stars: Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Lucy Punch, Zach Galifianakis, Stephanie Szostak, Bruce

Greenwood, Ron Livingston The Plot: All Tim (Rudd) needs for total career success is to invite the perfect guest to his boss’ annual Dinner for Extraordinary People, which rewards whoever brings the most eccentric guest.

Tim’s guest is Barry (Carell), who likes to recreate great works of art through dressing mice in tiny outfits.

The Scoop: With Rudd and Carell up front, Schmucks has undeniably established and dependable leads.

Director Jay Roach could recreate the artistic – if not commercial – success of his Meet the Parents.

SALT

The Stars: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor The Plot: A defector accuses CIA officer Evelyn Scott (Jolie) of being a Russian sleeper spy, forcing her to go on the run to prove her innocence.

The Scoop: Very few Oscar winners can kick ass like Jolie can. It almost wouldn’t feel like the summer movie season if she wasn’t.

JULY 30 THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU

The Stars: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie, Shohreh Aghdashloo The Plot: The film adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s short story stars Damon as David Norris, an ambitious politician about to win a seat in the U.S. Senate who meets and falls in love a contemporary ballet dancer (Blunt), only to find agents of the Adjustment Bureau, acting as the arbiters of fate, will do anything to keep them apart.

The Scoop: Adaptations of Dick’s work have had mixed results in the past, but when they’re successful they’re very successful – see Total Recall and Minority Report – or go on to become classics, as in the case of Blade Runner. While its director and cast seemingly have a hard time defining the movie’s genre there are definitely thriller elements, and Damon has had a lot of success with thrillers.

BEASTLY

The Stars: Vanessa Hudgens, Alex Pettyfer, MaryKate Olsen, Neil Patrick Harris, Peter Krause The Plot: Kyle Kingson (Pettyfer) is as mean-spirited as he is handsome, but he goes too far when asks Goth classmate Kendra (Olsen) on a date, then stands her up. She gets her revenge by casting a spell on him that gives him a hideous appearance and can only be broken by finding someone who will love him as he is. His disgusted father sends him away to Brooklyn, where he meets Lindy (Hudgens), who might be the key to regaining his old life.

The Scoop: Beastly has been described as a modern version of Beauty and the Beast, but this has an edge the Disney classic couldn’t have imagined. In playing a drug addict’s daughter, Hudgens has made a break from her squeaky clean “High School Musical” image. And no one would’ve expected to see former child tycoon Olsen as a Goth, although between this, The Wackness two years ago and a guest stint on TV’s Weeds, she’s establishing a resume of offbeat projects.

CATS & DOGS: THE REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE

The Stars: Voices of Christina Applegate, Michael Clarke Duncan, Neil Patrick Harris, Sean Hayes, James Marsden, Bette Midler, Nick Nolte, Joe Pantoliano, Katt Williams, Chris O’Donnell, Jack McBrayer, Fred Armisen, Paul Rodriguez The Plot: Cats and dogs must unite for the first time ever when Kitty Galore, a former agent for the cat spy organization MEOWS tries to take over the world.

The Scoop: This is a somewhat unexpected sequel, since the original came out nine years ago and was only a modest hit. Still, look at the vocal talent it attracted.

Remember when doing voice-overs meant an actor’s career was in trouble?

AUGUST 6

stardom, Roberts is still lovable. People who have never read Gilbert’s book will likely buy tickets to see her. It’s early in the season, but this role seems designed to generate Oscar buzz for Roberts.

THE EXPENDABLES

The Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, Randy Couture, Steve Austin, David Zayas, Giselle Itie, Charisma Carpenter, Gary Daniels, Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke The Plot: Barney Ross (Stallone) is the emotionless leader of a group of mercenaries hired to overthrow the brutal dictator of a South African country. But the mission is not what it seems and things go terribly wrong, forcing the team to abandon the job and leave their contact Sarah behind, facing certain death. Stricken with guilt, Barney convinces his team to finish the job and rescue the hostage.

The Scoop: At 64, Stallone is still a credible action star, as the most recent “Rambo” proved. But “Rambo” saw Stallone returning to an established character, while “The Expendables” has him portraying someone entirely new. Will audiences still be interested? A bigger question: Who would’ve thought Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago would one day be on the same side?

AUGUST 20

THE OTHER GUYS

The Stars: Starring: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson The Plot: Two second banana NYPD detectives (Ferrell and Wahlberg) get in over their heads while trying to solve a major case of financial fraud.

The Scoop: Last November Forbes magazine named Ferrell, once one of the movies’ hottest stars, the most overpaid actor in Hollywood.

Ouch. Reuniting with director Adam McKay, who guided Ferell to success with Anchorman, Talladega Nights and Step Brothers, seems like a good step towards getting his career back on track. Wahlberg showed talent for comedy earlier this year with Date Night (although Andy Samberg’s impression of him on Saturday Night Live is still funnier). The supporting cast is excellent, and it’s great to see the sadly underappreciated Keaton in a big picture again (he’s only heard in Toy Story 3).

AUGUST 13 EAT, PRAY, LOVE

The Stars: Julia Roberts, James Franco, Javier Bardem, Viola Davis, Billy Crudup, Richard Jenkins The Plot: The film version of Elizabeth Gilbert’s best-selling 2006 memoir tells the story of a woman (Roberts) with a seemingly perfect life who is nevertheless dissatisfied. She divorces her husband and begins a journey of self-discovery taking her around the world.

The Scoop: If you’re going to ask an audience to join a heroine on a two-hour self help mission, you better make her lovable. After 20 years of

THE SWITCH

The Stars: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Patrick Wilson, Jeff Goldblum, Juliette Lewis, Thomas Robinson The Plot: A single woman (Aniston) decides she wants a baby and undergoes an artificial insemination. What she doesn’t know is that her neurotic best friend (Bateman) has switched her sperm donor’s semen with her own.

The Scoop: The Switch was beaten to theaters by another artificial insemination comedy, The BackUp Plan. This would be a problem if not for the fact that come August no one will remember the Jennifer Lopez dud. With its talented cast, The Switch should have no problem rising above the very low bar its predecessor set. The plot sounds like a sitcom pilot, which means former sitcom queen Aniston should be right at home. But boo to whoever replaced the original title, The Baster, with this bland moniker.

AUGUST 27 GOING THE DISTANCE

The Stars: Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Ron Livingston, Jim Gaffigan, Kelli Garner, Rob Riggle, Christina Applegate The Plot: A journalism graduate student (Barrymore) struggles to maintain her relationship with a New York City music executive (Long) when she returns home to California.

The Scoop: For both Barrymore and director Nanette Burstein, Going the Distance represents a transition. This is the 35-year-old Barrymore’s first R-rated comedy. She had to grow up eventually. Following a successful – and Oscar-nominated – documentary filmmaking career, Burstein is helming her first fictional story.

PIRANHA 3D

The Stars: Jessica Szohr, Steven R. McQueen, Elisabeth Shue, Jerry O’Connell, Ving Rhames, Richard Dreyfuss, Christopher Lloyd The Plot: It’s spring break in Lake Victoria, which means thousands of party animals will be arriving. Also arriving: scores of man-eating piranhas set free by an underwater tremor.

The Scoop: This sounds like a “Jaws” rip-off.

Perhaps it’s appropriate that Richard Dreyfuss has a supporting role here. Of course, Dreyfuss is only one of several successful, acclaimed cast members you wouldn’t expect to see in an end of summer thriller. Maybe it was the size of the paycheck?

PG 17 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

CONCERT C LENDER SATURDAY MAY 29 529 Damnesia ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Saturday Night Fever EARL Innocent When You Dream EDDIES ATTIC Jackopiece FAT MATT’S Mike Delaney FIVE SPOT School of Rock FOX Neil Young HIGHLAND INN Return of DJ Lil’ Ray MASQUERADE The Pyschedelic Furs PIEDMONT PARK Atlanta Jazz Festival SMITH’S Nanyana Summer STAR BAR Bubbapalooza VINYL James Shealy WILD BILL’S Chris Cagle SUNDAY MAY 30 APACHE CAFÉ Spoken Word Open Mic EARL April Smith EDDIES ATTIC The Rescues FAT MATT’S Tony Bryant FIVE SPOT School of Rock PIEDMONT PARK Atlanta Jazz Festival SMITH’S Matt King MONDAY MAY 31 529 Darling Trees APACHE CAFÉ Characters w/ Chanson Presley FIVE SPOT Atlanta Funk Society PIEDMONT PARK Atlanta Jazz Festival SMITH’S Chris Jackson TUESDAY JUNE 1 529 Bukkake Boys APACHE CAFÉ MPC Orchestra FAT MATT’S Burning Time FIVE SPOT Open Mic MASQUERADE Flobots SMITH’S A Seriously Funny Show VINYL Greg Laswell WEDNESDAY JUNE 2 529 Magoo’s Heroes APACHE CAFÉ Al SMITH’S Midtown Jam THE EARL The Spits EDDIES ATTIC Ari Hest FAT MATT’S The Hollidays FIVE SPOT The Head MASQUERADE Passafire STAR BAR Lloyd’s Rocksteady Revue VINYL The Winter Sounds THURSDAY JUNE 3 529 Dead Rabbits APACHE CAFÉ XO Band THE EARL The Selmanaires EDDIES ATTIC Kina Grannis FAT MATT’S Chickenshack FIVE SPOT Funky Thursday w/ Operation GWINNETT ARENA Carole King & James Taylor HIGHLAND INN The Bloodplums MASQUERADE Puddle of Mudd SMITH’S Trampled By Turtles STAR BAR Free Energy VARIETY Badfish FRIDAY JUNE 4 529 Coathangers APACHE CAFÉ Nemesis Entertainment Presents CHASTAIN Diana Ross THE EARL Quintron & Miss Pussycat EDDIES ATTIC Vigilantes of Love FAT MATT’S Jumpin’ Jukes FIVE SPOT The Whiskey Gentry HIGHLAND INN The Pinx, Lacuna M MASQUERADE Rev. Horton Heat w/ Cracker SMITH’S Yelawolf STAR BAR Dropsonic TABERNACLE Imogen Heap VARIETY Toubab Krewe VINYL Ayo & Soultron SATURDAY JUNE 5 529 Perfect Attendance ANDREW’S UPSTAIRS Saturday Night Fever APACHE CAFÉ Moshav Band, DeLeon CENTER STAGE Eric Roberson THE EARL Plants & Animals EDDIES ATTIC Songwriter’s Open Mic Shootout XXXII FAT MATT’S Deacon Brandon Reeves FIVE SPOT School of Rock GWINNETT ARENA Daughtry HIGHLAND INN Gold Standard MASQUERADE Mono SMITH’S Col. Bruce Hampton & The Quark Alliance TABERNACLE Wonder Girls WILD BILL’S Dave Matthews Tribute Band VINYL Wakey Wakey

PG 18 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

SUNDAY JUNE 6 APACHE CAFÉ Spoken Word Open Mci CENTER STAGE AJ Alexander’s “Dat’s Tite” THE EARL Spanky & The Love Handles EDDIES ATTIC Poverty is Real FAT MATT’S Blues Envy FIVE SPOT School of Rock GWINNETT ARENA Chayanne SMITH’S Russ-T Cobb MONDAY JUNE 7 529 Twin Thunder APACHE CAFÉ Art Mondays EDDIES ATTIC Jim Lauderdale FAT MATT’S Kat & Nine Tales FIVE SPOT Atlanta Funk Society MASQUERADE Psychotica SMITH’S 4 for $5 Night TABERNACLE Too Fast For Love Tour TUESDAY JUNE 8 529 Vitamin B-3 APACHE CAFÉ Beat Fiends Producer Battle THE EARL The Entrance Band EDDIES ATTIC Richard Shindell FAT MATT’S Burning Time FIVE SPOT Open Mic MASQUERADE Framing Hanley SMITH’S Blue Rodeo WEDNESDAY JUNE 9 529 Turf War APACHE CAFÉ Al SMITH’S Midtown Jam THE EARL Neon Indian EDDIES ATTIC Brendan James FAT MATT’S The Hollidays FIVE SPOT The Issues MASQUERADE Passion Pit SMITH’S Diane Birch STAR BAR Lloyd’s Rocksteady Revue VARIETY Blitzen Trapper THURSDAY JUNE 10 529 Wymyns Prysyn APACHE CAFÉ Time 2 Shine CENTER STAGE Broken Bells THE EARL Southern Culture on the Skids EDDIES ATTIC Carrie Rodriguez FAT MATT’S Chickenshack FIVE SPOT Midnight Risers HIGHLAND INN The Fabric SMITH’S WRFG Benefit w/ Yonrico Scott Band FRIDAY JUNE 11 529 Bobby & the Soft Spot APACHE CAFÉ Double Take THE EARL Magnapop EDDIES ATTIC Packway Handle Band FAT MATT’S Sana Blues FIVE SPOT Gurufish HIGHLAND INN The Cogburns MASQUERADE Lovedrug PHILIPS Maxwell SMITH’S Andy Davis STAR BAR Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby VARIETY Yacht Rock Revue VINYL Six Shot Revival WILD BILL’S Skid Row SATURDAY JUNE 12 529 MonstrO ANDREW’S UPSTAIRS Saturday Night Fever APACHE CAFÉ Atlanta’s Next Fresh Thing THE EARL Disappears EDDIES ATTIC Chris Hillman FAT MATT’S Andy Makely Band FIVE SPOT Ugly Radio Rebellion HIGHLAND INN Little Tybee MASQUERADE Groove Stain PHILIPS Maxwell SMITH’S Autumnattics STAR BAR Jessica Lea Mayfield TABERNACLE Nas & Damian VARIETY Yacht Rock Revue WILD BILL’S Nitty Gritty Dirt Band SUNDAY JUNE 13 APACHE CAFÉ Spoken Word Open Mic EDDIES ATTIC Randall Bramblett FAT MATT’S Blues Envy FIVE SPOT Music Integrity for Youth SMITH’S Russ-T Cobb MONDAY JUNE 14 529 Living Rooms APACHE CAFÉ Art Mondays FAT MATT’S Kat & Nine Tales FIVE SPOT Atlanta Funk Society THE LOFT Talib Kweli & Hi Tek SMITH’S 4 for $5 Night

EDDIES ATTIC Aslyn FAT MATT’S Chickenshack MASQUERADE The Fold SMITH’S Liberty Jones VINYL Wake Today, Deas Vail

TUESDAY JUNE 15 529 Bass Drum of Death APACHE CAFÉ 16 Bars Hip Hop Orchestra EDDIES ATTIC Tom Russell FAT MATT’S Burning Time FIVE SPOT Open Mic MASQUERADE The Roller Disco SMITH’S A Seriously Funny Show

FRIDAY JUNE 25 529 Today The Moon, Tomorrow The Sun APACHE CAFÉ Funny Friday THE EARL Holly Golightly EDDIES ATTIC Mary Gautheir FAT MATT’S Little G. Weevil HIGHLAND INN Laserbeam Kitty THE LOFT Have A Heart Benefit MASQUERADE Greedy White Citizens SMITH’S The REMakes VINYL Sun Domingo

WENDESDAY JUNE 16 529 Jeremy Ray APACHE CAFÉ Al SMITH’S Midtown Jam THE EARL WonderRoot Battle of the Bands EDDIES ATTIC Mare Wakefield FAT MATT’S The Hollidays FIVE SPOT Brothers Marier MASQUERADE Amandla SMITH’S Anders Osborne VARIETY Concrete Blonde VINYL The Best Brothers THURSDAY JUNE 17 529 Falcon Lords APACHE CAFÉ Dope Poetz Presents THE EARL Thao * Mirah w/ The Most of All EDDIES ATTIC Caroline Aiken FAT MATT’S Chickenshack FIVE SPOT Honey Island Swamp Band HIGHLAND INN The Goldest SMITH’S Hightide Blues TABERNACLE 50 Cents presents The Invitation FRIDAY JUNE 18 529 Sun Toucher APACHE CAFÉ The Music Store THE EARL Futurebirds EDDIES ATTIC Joe Firstman & Josh Hoge FAT MATT’S The Stooge Brothers FIVE SPOT Wayside Riders HIGHLAND INN Giant Lion MASQUERADE FUZE SMITH’S Collective Efforts STAR BAR Jacuzzi Boys VARIETY The Wood Brothers VINYL Holier Than Thou

SUNDAY JUNE 27 AARON’S AMP Rascal Flatts APACHE CAFÉ Spoken Word Open Mic EDDIES ATTIC Ben Wakeman FAT MATT’S Blues Envy MASQUERADE The Few SMITH’S Russ-T Cobb VARIETY Dar Williams

SATURDAY JUNE 19 529 Weapons of Audio ANDREW’S UPSTAIRS Saturday Night Fever APACHE CAFÉ Speakeasy 9 THE EARL Modern Skirts EDDIES ATTIC Robbie Schaefer FAT MATT’S Mr. Chapman’s Quarterly Revue HIGHLAND INN 4th Ward Afro Klezmer Orchestra THE LOFT Sage Francis w/ Live Band MASQUERADE Brad McKendrick PHILIPS Hot 107.9 Birthday Bash 15 SMITH’S Blue Dogs STAR BAR Cadillac Jones TABERNACLE Silversun Pickups VARIETY Mason Jennings VINYL Nemesis Entertainment Showcase SUNDAY JUNE 20 APACHE CAFÉ Spoken Word Open Mic THE EARL Pocahaunted EDDIES ATTIC Jessi Lynn FAT MATT’S Blues Envy MASQUERADE Hawthorne Heights SMITH’S Russ-T Cobb

SATURDAY JUNE 26 529 Bouldercrest Singing Group ANDREW’S UPSTAIRS Saturday Night Fever THE EARL Coliseum EDDIES ATTIC Mike Willis FAT MATT’S The Swamp Funk Quartet HIGHLAND INN Tiki Luau Prom MASQUERADE Nimrod SMITH’S Roller Girls After Party STAR BAR Howlies VARIETY The New Pornographers WILD BILL’S Mother’s Finest VERIZON Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill VINYL Branded With Fear

MONDAY JUNE 28 529 The NEC APACHE CAFÉ Art Mondays THE EARL Comedy Death Match FAT MATT’S Kat & Nine Tales FIVE SPOT Atlanta Funk Society SMITH’S 3 for $5 Night TUESDAY JUNE 29 529 Freddie Gibbs APACHE CAFÉ Hip Hop Jam Session EDDIES ATTIC The Villains FAT MATT’S Burning Time FIVE SPOT Open Mic MASQUERADE HeartCakeParty, SMITH’S Marah VINYL Athlete WEDNESDAY JUNE 30 529 Isness APACHE CAFÉ Al SMITH’S Midtown Jam THE EARL The Atomic Rockets EDDIES ATTIC Noah Collins FAT MATT’S The Hollidays SMITH’S Please Please Rock Me TABERNACLE Hole w/ Foxy Shazam

MONDAY JUNE 21 529 Last APACHE CAFÉ Art Mondays THE EARL Dead Meadow FAT MATT’S Kat & Nine Tales MASQUERADE Good Old War SMITH’S 3 for $5 Night TUESDAY JUNE 22 529 The Kindness of Strangers APACHE CAFÉ Hip Hop Jam Session EDDIES ATTIC Comedy Night FAT MATT’S Burning Time FIVE SPOT Open Mic MASQUERADE Me Without You SMITH’S A Seriously Funny Show WEDNESDAY JUNE 23 CHASTAIN Collective Soul THE EARL Mack Lindsay EDDIES ATTIC Jackson County Line FAT MATT’S The Hollidays MASQUERADE Psychostick SMITH’S Down Since One THURSDAY JUNE 24 529 Hollow Stars APACHE CAFÉ Bang Out Live THE EARL Matt Pond PA

Rascal Flatts at AARON’S AMPHITHEATRE JUNE 27

Road Warriors

This Month’s Hottest Shows

BY SACHA DZUBA

JUNE 04 – IMOGEN HEAP

JUNE 01 – JIMMY GNECCO Vinyl

The frontman for Ours comes to Atlanta’s own Vinyl and he’s prepping for his first solo album release. Jimmy Gnecco has one of the best rock screams you will EVER hear. Though his perfectly controlled falsetto is similar to Jeff Buckley’s, he has a range and soulful vocal style that is entirely his own. He has released three albums with his band Ours, but keep an eye out for his solo release titled The Heart. The label Bright Antenna will release his album on July 20, 2010. Come to Vinyl and hear a sneak peek of what awaits your ear-holes in July.

JUNE 03 – BACKSTREET BOYS

Chastain Park Amphitheatre Backstreet’s back, alright! Though originally consisting of five, the boys are down to four including A. J. McLean, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough, and Nick Carter. Each of their albums reached the Top 10 on the Billboard charts and they are one of the biggest selling groups of all time. Did you know they’ve released three albums since their hiatus after Black and Blue? Touring in support of the recently released Playlist: The Very Best of the Backstreet Boys, the boys are full of slick dance moves, backup dancers, and hit-movie videos. Go on; scream your head off like a little girl seeing the Beatles or New Kids on the Block. You just can’t resist a boy band…

The Tabernacle Imogen Heap was once half of British electronic duo Frou Frou, but she has enjoyed a successful solo career truly beginning with her second album, Speak for Yourself. “Hide and Seek” and “Goodnight and Go” brought Miss Heap to national prominence and helped her selfproduced, written, arranged, and funded album become #2 on the dance/electronic album charts.

Her most recent album, Ellipse, continued in the same vein and style from her previous album and earned her a Grammy for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. Quirky Miss Heap is a vision of loveliness, never wearing the same outfit twice and mesmerizing you with her live performances. Listen out for “Bad Body Double”, that track continually gets stuck in my head!

JUNE 05 – DAUGHTRY

Gwinnett Center Arena Even though he finished fourth place in the fifth season of American Idol, Chris Daughtry is the the third most successful American Idol contestant in terms of record sales. He is behind only Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, who both won their respective seasons. Given a record deal by RCA Records, Daughtry released their self-titled debut album which sold more than one million copies after

just five weeks of release, securing the position of fastest selling debut rock album in history. With the release of Leave This Town, Chris Daughtry became the first ‘Idol’ to have two consecutive #1 albums. He’s got heart-felt lyrics, catchy melodies, and a passionate weathered voice which is unusual to hear in the cookie cutter genre of current Rock/Pop music. I still haven’t decided how I feel about his artsy rock ‘n’ roll side-burns beard thing though…

JUNE 09 – ACRASSICAUDA

The Masquerade This Iraqi band, whose name is latin for a species of Iraqi black scorpion, have literally been to hell and back to bring you their music. The band’s adventures of living day to day in a war zone were the subject of documentary film “Heavy Metal in Baghdad”. Bass player Firas al-Lateef says it best, “A lot of heavy metal bands talk and sing about war and death and destruction, but they haven’t experienced it. We have.” Be prepared for heavy, raw, passionate thrash metal with vocals that alternate between gutteral growling and clean singing.

JUNE 16 – CONCRETE BLONDE

Variety Playhouse Concrete Blonde, reunited, performing their classic album Bloodletting in its’ entirety! Did that grab your attention?!

It’s the twentieth anniversary of their album Bloodletting and the radio hit “Joey” that seemed to play on repeat in the 90’s on SO many radio stations across America. Lead singer Johnette Napolitano has a powerful, brutal, in your face singing style that oozes emotion and sincerity. This is going to be a sold out and packed show, I am SO excited to hear Bloodletting (The Vampire Song) live. The Vampires Rise!

WE GOT NEXT REVEREND PEYTON’S BIG DAMN BAND

BY JOHN B. MOORE

Chastain Park Amphitheatre As a solo musician and member of N e w - Wa v e / P u n k / Reggae-tinged Pop band The Police, Sting has received sixteen Grammy Awards for his works. He is rightly an inducted member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Sting has worked with numerous jazz greats (including Branford Marsalis and even Miles Davis) Though he’s probably best known as a solo artist for Ten Summoner’s Tales and “Fields of Gold”, he’s even released an album of elizabethan-era composer John Dowland’s music.

Plus, he’s Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen from the movie Dune. This guy is a legend, a fantastically talented musician and a brilliant songwriter. Two chances to see him, don’t miss these shows!

JUNE 30 – HOLE

The Tabernacle Courtney Love is back touring with a new formation of Hole and the first new album in 12 years.

Love was inspired by a visit from Linda Perry (4 Non Blondes) while she was in rehab and embarked on writing some very personal material. Last year Love told Billboard, “My hand-eye coordination was so bad, I didn’t even know chords anymore.” Personally, I’m disappointed that this isn’t an out and out Hole reunion. There is no Eric Erlandson, nor any appearance by the gorgeous Melissa Auf Der Maur either. *sigh* Check out Hole’s new album Nobody’s Daughter.

Artists on the verge of making it big

Latest Project: The Whole Fam Damnily (SideOne Dummy) For Fans of: Charlie Patton. Jimbo Mathus, The White Stripes’ acoustic stuff Why You Should Care: Because this burly Grizzly Adams look-alike (and his family) are delivering the gospel of real folk blues to the Warped Tour set.

There’s something amazing about seeing the Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band take the stage on the Warped Tour.

The neon-shirted teens in knock-off Ray Bans always look a bit puzzled as the trio takes the stage, the Reverend sporting enough facial hair to make Grizzly Adams jealous, his wife Breezy Peyton holding her washboard at the ready and drummer Aaron Persinger looking just as out of place as his band members while taking shelter behind the drums. But barely a minute into their first blues-soaked Americana set the kids¬– regardless of their background and iPod playlists– just get into it and the Hootenanny begins.

It shouldn’t work, but it does. From suburban punk rockers to Top 40 pop kids, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band always manages to win over the generation weaned on sarcasm and cynicism.

A

JUNE 28 & 29 – STING

With their third full length, The Whole Fam Damnily, coming out, the trio is once again hitting the road as part of this year’s Warped traveling circus. Rev. Peyton was kind enough to talk to us recently about winning over the kids, touring with the family and being discovered by Flogging Molly.

You guys played a few Warped dates last year and are on the entire tour this year. What reaction do you usually get from the kids in the audience?

Warped Tour fans are awesome. They are there to have fun, see some new bands, and let loose. About 30 seconds into our set the kids have gotten it, they are rocking out right along with us, and everyone is having fun. We play real music from the heart, and we love doing it. You can’t fake that, and the kids respond to that. I refuse to BS them or anyone else.

A lot of fans, myself included, discovered your band thanks to Flogging Molly. How did you first hook up with that band?

They just saw us play at a festival we played together. They asked us to go on tour with them. It turned out to be one of those days that affects your whole life. They turned out to be real people, real music fans, and real fun to hang out with. Flogging Molly is family as far as I’m concerned. They have been real mentors to us.

The songs on the new album seem to have some pretty original themes. Where do you get most of the fodder for your songs?

I get sick of the same heartbreak song getting recorded. I write about my life, my family, things I like, and things that piss me off.

I have always been proud that my songs were across the board.

There is so much to this life. I don’t know how people stick to just one theme or other. The melodies will sing words to me. It is hard to even control it sometimes.

I gotta ask, how did you become a Kentucky Colonel?

A Kentucky Colonel is the highest award the governor of Kentucky can give to a civilian.

Any perks to the title?

Kentucky Colonels seek no perks.

The band is you, your wife and your cousin. Is it harder or easier to be in a band with your family?

This band is easy when it comes to getting along. We all like the same stuff basically, and we all believe in the same stuff more or less. I think family is way easier. When it comes to songs... I write a song, and then bring it to the band. The Big Damn Band is awesome about trying out my ideas, and bringing the vision to life.

We are old school style musicians. We practice in some way or another every day, either by ourselves or together. Breezy and Cuz are some of the best in the world- literally. It makes it easy.

I read somewhere that a museum in your home state just had an exhibit on your band.

Yes, it was the Indiana Center for Folk Traditions. It featured some of our instruments, and interactive display with audio, and pictures. I was so honored. It really feels good to be recognized back home.

What’s next for the band?

Well we have this record release to look forward to, some really big tours, and a really fun music video for “Clap Your Hands”.

Making it was one of the best days I have ever had. All of the people in the video were volunteers. Wait ‘til you see it. It is amazing that so many people came together for the idea - just for the sake of making something awesome. Days like that fuel up the internal hope tank.

PG 19 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

MUSIC

MUSIC

Album Reviews

By B. Love, DeMarco Williams, John B. Moore, & Sacha Dzuba

B.O.B. – PRESENTS THE ADVENTURES OF BOBBY RAY (Rebel Rock/Grand Hustle/Atlantic) The perfect 21st century hip-hop superstar BL: It seems appropriate that B.o.B. is pictured in the liner of his debut album as some sort of largerthan-life superhero, creating massive tidal waves with his bare hands, causing earthquakes with his guitar, hovering in mid-air and causing ripples in space. Dude is just 21 years old and can already rap circles around 99% of the MCs on the modern scene, sing his ass off, play multiple instruments, write songs in practically any genre he cares to tackle, and produce his own tracks with the assured hand of a seasoned studio vet. Seriously, is there anything the kid can’t do?

B.o.B.’s quick rise began back in late 2008, when both Vibe and XXL magazines put him on their cover and proclaimed him one of hip-hop’s most promising young talents. The fact that the man waited another 18 months to perfect his craft before releasing The Adventures of Bobby Ray is a testament to a wisdom beyond his years, which comes across loud and clear on every track here.

I’m not much of a pop music fan, so it’s rare for an album to embed itself in my consciousness right off the bat. But B.o.B. imbues his music with an infectious mixture of intelligence and accessibility, charm and grit, melody and rhythm, lyricism and street swagger that makes it impossible to resist. A quick look at the impressive roster of guest artists the guy assembled– including Eminem, Lupe Fiasco, Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo, Janelle Monae and T.I.– and you’ll have a clear concept of how diverse his musical influences are. “Don’t Let Me Fall,” “Nothin’ On You,” “Airplanes,” “Bet I,” “The Kids,” “Fame,” “5th Dimension”… nearly every song here is a winning earworm. And at the age of 21, this progressive hip-hop wunderkind is clearly just getting started.

THE WEAKERTHANS – LIVE AT THE BURTON CUMMINGS THEATRE (Anti-) Canadian punks-turned-indie-rockers deliver a dazzling live disc JM: More than a decade after they formed, it’s still amazing to think that John K. Samson, the voice behind Canada’s The Weakerthans, is the same punkrocker that used to play bass for the skate punks in Propaghandi. The sounds of both bands are so drastically different.

While Propaghandi had the angst-ridden teen market in mind, The Weakerthans churn out beautifully crafted, melody-soaked, deeply introspective indie-rock.

Recorded before a hometown crowd in Winnipeg, Live at the Burton Cummings Theatre showcases the band at its very best. Musically and lyrically, you’ve got to be a raging cynic to find fault with these songs. The 18-track album (and accompanying DVD) does a decent job of picking from the band’s 4-disc catalog, including a fantastic take on “Pleas From a Cat Named Virtue” and an equally stellar version of “The Reasons.”

Live at the Burton is one of those rare concert recordings that manages to not only be a musthave for diehard fans, but also serves as a great primer for those who have never heard of the band before.

PG 20 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

The Dean’s List

A FIGHT TO THE DEATH – GESTURE OF A GENTLEMAN (Self-Released) Well-woven stylistic tapestries BL: When a band describes its sound as “Avant Western Americana Gypsy music,” educated music listeners will find themselves filled with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. After all, not every group can cite eclectic influences ranging from Calexico, Devotchka and Elliott Smith to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Buena Vista Social Club’s Ibrahim Ferrer and Ennio Morricone. But, at the same time, I’m not sure I’d love the musical fusion resulting from those disparate acts jamming together.

Thankfully, A Fight To The Death is nothing if not tasteful in their blending of diverse styles to create a well-woven tapestry that includes the aforementioned genres as well as elements of Latin music, jazz, surf-rock and more. The combination probably shouldn’t work, and yet it does, creating a uniquely rich sound that seems at once classic, modern and utterly timeless.

The album opens with “Grant Park,” a rollicking paean to the historic neighborhood that combines a walking bassline, atmospheric organs, syncopated drums, honky-tonk piano and a strummed ukelele backing frontman CJ Bargamian’s smooth vocals.

“Mothers & Fathers” is an excellent tango that showcases the band’s mastery of dynamics, starting off slow and sultry before building to a dazzling crescendo, and “Echoes” proves they know how to wrap their more esoteric inclinations inside an accessible jazz groove (with some killer vocal harmonies thrown in for good measure). From the funky-as-hell rhythm of “Fortune” and the eastern European drinking song vibe of “Glass” to the cinematic waltz of “Those Old Movie Days” and the high lonesome western balladry of the epic closer “Ten Degrees,” every song here offers its own distinctive pleasures. A Fight To The Death may be an Atlanta-based act, but Gesture Of A Gentleman proves they’re ready for the world

Rest of the Class CROWDED HOUSE – INTRIGUER (Fantasy) A return to near-perfect pop form MC: Neil Finn & Co. enjoyed such a splendid reunion with 2007’s Time on Earth that it’s not all that surprising a second go ‘round lands just a few years later. Intriguer is the first complete venture with the current Crowded House line-up, with originals Finn and Nick Seymour alongside Mick Hart (former Supertramp guitarist) and new drummer Matt Sherrod (after Paul Hester’s tragic death). Supporting cast aside, Finn’s still clearly at the helm for this latest collection.

Finn’s experienced tenor commands attention without straining a moment, whether it’s a pensive piano (“Elephants”), thundering percussion (“Saturday Sun”) or summer acoustics (“Falling Dove”) carrying the vocal. “Isolation” echoes and floats among the most beautiful tunes Finn’s ever penned, and “Saturday Sun” solidly opens things up. Some lyrical missteps on “Amsterdam” keep Intriguer from triumphant status, but it’s still a solid effort through and through. GRADE: B+

MUMFORD & SONS – SIGH NO MORE (Glassnote) British folksters channel CSN&Y JM: Leave it to a British band to play Americana better than, well, most Americans.

On their debut, Sign No More, this London quartet turns in an almost flawless album, with a timeless sound that draws influences that range from Crosby, Stills & Nash to Grant Lee Buffalo.

Songs like “Little Lion Man” and the title track succeed thanks to strong lyrics and even stronger harmonies. Hailing from the same UK folk scene that launched critic favs Noah & The Whale, Mumford & Sons have not received nearly as much buzz in the States but certainly have the songs to keep them around a lot longer.

From start to finish, Sigh No More is already one of the most satisfying debuts of 2010. GRADE: B THE CIVIL WARS – POISON & WINE EP (Sensibility Music) Promising acoustic/piano duo compels just enough MC: The sweet Southern duo of Joy Williams and John Paul White, together known as The Civil Wars, surprise with their depth of emotion and intimacy conveyed on the lead track of their latest EP, Poison & Wine.

Unfortunately, the beauty and grace displayed from the outset fails to fully carry over to the rest.

The title track garnered a Grey’s Anatomy placement and showcased the potential that’s buried beneath tracks like the meandering “Pressing Flowers” and the pretty “Go.” “Tip of My Tongue” charms with White’s fantastic vocal work and strong interplay between the duo, leaving the listener with a reminder of what could be. Not that any of the tracks on the EP are bad, per se, but they never quite measure up to their stunning beginnings. GRADE: B JANELLE MONAE – THE ARCHANDROID (Atlantic) Creative, conceptual and just a little kooky BL: I’ve been a Janelle Monae fan for several years, ever since I heard Metropolis Suite I: The Chase, the near-perfect EP that established her as a futuristic fusion of Freddie Mercury, Billie Holliday, Outkast and Lady GaGa. To say there’s nobody quite like her would be an understatement, and there’s no denying the conceptual creativity of her ambitious Metropolis Suite saga.

The complex sci-fi story involves a halfelf/half-human inventor, a mystical crown prophesied to be worn by a messianic savior, and Monae’s robotic alter ego Cyndi Mayweather, who yearns to free her people from an oppressive government. There’s a vast multitude of musical genres being incorporated, from funk and hiphop to jazz and soul, from classic pop and hard rock to Afrobeat and Broadway. If there’s one complaint to be made about The ArchAndroid, it’s that at times there seems to be too many great ideas being tossed into the mix, to the point where some songs sound like two different radio stations vying for the same frequency.

There’s a plethora of genius moments scattered throughout this ballsy, 70-minute

sonic saga. Orchestral overtures frame the suites (numbers II and III), the first of which opens with “Dance Or Die,” a furious Missy Elliottmeets-Fela funk-fest. That breakneck pace doesn’t let up for 11 minutes– until the lushly retro “Sir Greendown” switches things up with a Burt Bacharach-influenced ballad– and tracks like “Faster” and “Cold War” come across as borderline manic. But from the Big Boi-blessed “Tightrope” and the soulful “Oh, Maker” to the epic closer “BaBopBye Ya,” Monae continues to prove herself one of the most talented and promising singer-songwriters on the urban scene today. All she lacks is a good editor to teach her the occasional value of “less is more.”

GRADE: B+ THE SUCCESSFUL FAILURES – THREE NIGHTS (FDR) Prolific rockers score big again JM: With every new album this New Jersey rock band turns out it becomes more and more astonishing that this band is not huge. With Three Nights, their fourth release in four years, the band sounds like they were raised on a steady diet of Cheap Trick and The Replacements since birth and their latest is no different.

Straight forward American rock with clear vocals, witty lyrics and driving guitars, Three Nights includes some of the band’s best songs to date, specifically “Houston We Have a Drinking Problem” (which stealthily borrows a line some Cheap Trick’s “Surrender”) and “College Scholarship Blues.” Originally a one-off side project for Mike Chorba, frontman for the power pop band Dipsomaniacs, The Successful Failures have evolved into one of the most consistently great rock bands playing music today. GRADE: B THE GORILLAZ – PLASTIC BEACH (Virgin) Strength through (stylistic) diversity JC: Welcome to Plastic Beach, a land where recycling is the dream and capitalism is a curse.

Techno beats run rampant, and Snoop Dogg drops in to incorporate his conversational flow over some synthetic keys, letting listeners know, “The revolution will be televised.” And that’s just the beginning.

As fans have come to expect with any Gorillaz album, variety is a spice served through an explosion of disparate genres, but mostly centered in hip-hop. Damon Albarn, the creative genius behind the wildly animated crew who brought you hit songs like “Clint Eastwood” and “19-2000,” once again brings with him an assortment of colorful musicians to help him paint vivid portraits of life on Plastic Beach. Mos Def guests on “Stylo,” one of the album’s most noteworthy tracks, with Bobby Womack adding soul to a song that’s half Knight Rider trance, half East Coast rap. “Empire Ants” introduces a set of sultry strings that unexpectedly turns into an electro/synth-pop beat thanks to some help from Swedish band Little Dragon.

The songs that work best channel what made the Gorillaz famous in the first place— futuristic club beats topped with a socially conscious flow. The track “Sweepstakes” misses the target, coming off as a bit annoying thanks to Mos Def shouting the song’s title in a headache-inducing wail over and over and over again. But for the most part Plastic Beach is a solid success because the album stays true to its theme of anti-industrialization and excess, leaving you sonically surprised from track to track. As my co-worker said, “If you hadn’t told me this was The Gorillaz, I would never have guessed.” And did I mention that Lou Reed makes an appearance?

DON’T MISS THESE CONCERTS! ON SALE NOW! AUG 5

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On Sale Saturday, June 5 at 10am!

Tickets available at all Ticketmaster outlets including Publix Super Markets.

1.800.745.3000�����TICKETMASTER.COM Tickets also at the box office (M-F: 10am-6pm; Sat: 10am-2pm; Closed Sunday).

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Get news on the hottest concerts sent straight to your phone. Simply text “1400” and enter “Encore” to get information on concerts, performers and more! Standard text messaging rates apply. ©2010 Verizon Wireless Owned and operated by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Join us as we kick off the 2010 Delta Classic Chastain Concert Series!

Fri

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Diana Ross Collective Soul

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Liza Minnelli

with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band Mary Chapin Carpenter

JULY 24 Fri

JULY 30

Chris Isaak Marc Broussard

Boyz II Men En Vogue

Queen – A Rock and Symphonic Spectacular with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Fri

AUG 6

Serj Tankian

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AUG 13

Cyndi Lauper Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings David Rhodes

.38 Special Drivin’ N Cryin’

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Heart

Neko Case

The B-52s Blondie Train

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Charlie Wilson Angie Stone

Tickets available at all Ticketmaster outlets including Publix Super Markets.

1.800.745.3000

TICKETMASTER.COM Woodruff Arts Center Box Office

(Monday - Friday: 10AM - 8PM; Saturday: Noon - 8PM; Sunday: Noon - 5PM)

Group Sales 404.733.4848 Delta Classic Chastain Concerts at Chastain Park Amphitheater produced by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Promoter Concerts take place rain or shine. Artists and schedules are subject to change.

All sales final. No exchanges or refunds.

DELTACLASSICCHASTAIN.COM PG 21 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

MUSIC

WHO’S THE BOSS?

East ATL Village | badearl.com Fri. June 04, 2010 | 9:00PM OK Productions & Triple Ds presents:

QUINTRON AND MISS PUSSYCAT Gentleman Jesse| Barreracudas

Former D Generation Frontman Jesse Malin’s Solo Career Continues To Soar

Sat. June 05, 2010 | 8:30PM OK Productions presents:

PLANTS AND ANIMALS Lost in the Trees

Tue. June 08, 2010 | 8:30PM OK Productions presents:

BY JOHN B. MOORE

THE ENTRANCE BAND

I

The Growlers | Stonerider

F ALL WERE RIGHT WITH THE world, Jesse Malin would be huge right now. The karaoke kids on American Idol would be singing his songs on “Jesse Malin Night”; he’d be headlining stadiums, night after night; and Bruce Springsteen would be sharing a mic with him… well, he can check that last one off his list.

In bands since he was 13, Malin put in time with a number of groups (including the influential glam punk rockers D Generation) before going out on his own.

He’s put out more than half a dozen solo records since then, including 2007’s “Glitter in the Gutter,” which included a duet with The Boss.

His latest album, “Love It To Life,” is a fantastic collection of rockers that’s equal parts folk and punk. It is maddeningly brief at just 10 tracks, but probably his best collection of songs to date. Malin spoke recently about his new band, the fate of D Generation and getting sprung from cages

by Springsteen.

Wed. June 09, 2010 | 8:30PM Triple Ds presents: NEON INDIAN | Wild Nothing Thu. June 10, 2010 | 8:30PM OK Productions presents:

SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE SKIDS Grinder Nova

Thu. June 17, 2010 | 8:30PM OK Productions presents:

THAO AND MIRAH WITH THE MOST OF ALL These United States

Sat. June 19, 2010 | 9:00PM

MODERN SKIRTS | THE FEATURES Skybox

Mon. June 21, 2010 | 8:30PM

DEAD MEADOW

Abby Go Go Spirits and the Melchizedek Children Thu. June 24, 2010 | 8:30PM

MATT POND PA

Wintersleep | What Laura Says Fri. June 25, 2010 | 9:00PM

HOLLY GOLIGHTLY AND THE BROKEOFFS

Anna Kramer & the Lost Cause | Tiger! Tiger!

What’s the hardest thing about going solo?

You have to watch that you don’t surround yourself with musicians that are too mercenary hired guns or hacks. You need to have a BAND that you have chemistry with. It should feel like a gang, a bunch of folks that you could be running down the street with, chasing something. I always try to work with people that are my friends and share a similar vision. Even real bands aren’t always democratic...most work more as a benevolent dictatorship.

Fri. July 09 & Sat. July 10 | 9:00PM

THE EARL’S 11TH ANNIVERSARY! MAN OR ASTRO-MAN?

Tix available at Fantasyland Records, Decatur, CD, Criminal Records, The EARL & badearl.com

Fri, June 4

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What can you tell me about the new record?

It was made fast, raw and we had a lot of fun doing it. Ted Hutt is a great guy to work with. It started with 23 songs. I believe these 10 are the ones needed for most impact. It’s short and sweet like the albums I grew up with. It even comes on vinyl as well. I wanted to make a record that had a sonic thread, encompassed all my loves, from my hardcore roots through DGeneration through my so-called “singer/songwriter” solo records. I wanted there to be a sonic thread and have a band-like feel. I believe this is represented by my new group The St. Marks Social. This record is more rhythmic and can be played at parties and late night get-togethers.

Any guests drop by on this one?

Besides my band, some of the guests were Brian Fallon of Gaslight Anthem, who sang. Danny from DGeneration sang also.

Mandy Moore did some beautiful vocals on “Lonely At Heart” and Jagger-style “Waiting on a Friend” “oohs” vocals on a song called “Low Life In A High Rise”. Also Ryan Adams did some great guitars on “The Archer” and “Disco Ghetto” and some great harmonies on those songs as well and some James Jamerson soul groove bass as well. My friend Matt Madly offered some great background vocals on “All The Way From Moscow” while we were recording at his studio in Hoboken, New Jersey inbetween pizza and beer.

So is it true you were kind of on the fence about writing and recording again?

Yes I was depressed, broke, couch surfing and considering becoming a Rastafarian, a Rabbi, a comedian or just a mop-up boy at the last remaining peep shows in Times Square.

You went up to New Hampshire to do research on J.D. Salinger for a soundtrack.

Did you ever end up writing/recording those songs?

Yeah, just a bit shy of getting arrested by the Cornish, New Hampshire Police, came back with five songs, two of them appear on “Love It To Life” - “The Archer” and “Lonely At Heart”. The others will be used as well in time. Also got to re-read a lot of Salinger’s work and was blown away once again So you almost got arrested up there?

The cops Googled me or YouTube or something like that and saw a video of me singing a “Broken Radio” duet with Bruce Springsteen and let me go. I guess that’s why they call him “The Boss”.

Do you ever consider getting D Generation back together for a reunion show?

Not often, though I do love those guys.

We did three songs last year on a benefit with John Varvatos.

Anything else you want to add?

I look forward to taking these songs out on the road with the band burning some houses, shaking some trees and getting some spit on the microphone. We’ll be touring with Gogol Bordello in the U.S. Get the pit ready.

I LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING THESE SONGS OUT ON THE ROAD WITH THE BAND BURNING SOME HOUSES, SHAKING SOME TREES AND GETTING SOME SPIT ON THE MICROPHONE.

MUSIC

NEW EYES

Metal Icons Deftones Debut New Bassist (& Old Friend) on Album #6.

BY NATALIE B. DAVID

I

N 2008, DEFTONES WERE HARD AT work and nearing completion on Eros, what would have been the band’s sixth studio album. But tragedy struck in the form of a car accident that left bassist Chi Cheng in a minimally conscious state, and Eros was shelved in the hopes he could one day return to complete it.

Enter Sergio Vega. A longtime friend of the band and former bassist for ‘90s hardcore outfit Quicksand, Vega stepped in to play a few shows with the band and wound up collaborating on their latest album, Diamond Eyes. More akin to the band’s breakthrough album, 2000’s White Pony, than anything else they’ve released this decade, Diamond Eyes is an album imbibed with optimism, but is by no means soft.

Vega, the not-so-new guy, spoke with us recently about Diamond Eyes and what it’s like working with one of the most creative bands in metal.

Tell me about the history you have with the Deftones.

We met on the first Warped Tour. I was in a band called Quicksand and we were on the run of the first Warped Tour. We had some mutual friends and just set the tone there with our acquaintance.

In 1999, they were kinda stuck and needed somebody to fill in for Chi and tour with Black Sabbath and Pantera. They were doing that tour, so we got together on that, and that was cool because we had a short time to learn their set and had a couple of rehearsals. There was a lot riding on it for them because that was their biggest tour to-date, and that kinda created energy between us, because we were able to put it together in a couple of rehearsals and were able to go out there and do it like we had been carrying on longer. And I think the fact that as people we kind of hit it off, and had nice time with that, and that was the most important factor in my being involved this time.

So what was it like stepping back in this time, first because the band’s been around for so long, and it’s been a while since you played with them, but also because of the circumstances as to why you were brought in?

It was a lot more comfortable and mellow than you would think, and partially because my personal experience was with them as people. We’re friends.

I’m not constantly looking at it from the context of the shoes that I’m filling, and this and that. These are my friends. And I’ve known them, and it was

pretty simple. We just have a fondness for each other. I came out there, It was unclear of what my goal would be, if it would be me just to hang out or just play a couple of shows and stuff. And then the second day we jammed and played a couple of songs, and I think at that point it seemed like it pointed to that it would really make sense just to really invest the time and make another record.

I never really [worried] how people reacted. If I ever wanted that, I could jump online real quick and find a ton of people with a ton of things to say, who didn’t know me, or people who did know me, everything exists on the Internet. Depending on how I feel, I can find someone berating me, or who wanted me. And I know all of the blogs to go to, so depending on how I feel. I can custom tailor my experience.

[Laughs] If you need a pick-me-up for the day, you know where to go.

I go to the hardcore sites, where motherfuckers know who I am and love Quicksand more than anything so they’ll be like “Ahhhh!” Or if I need to feel more down to earth, I’ll go to people who are like, “Fuck him! Ughhhhh!” And what’s been cool about it, is people who do know who I am, are pointing it out for the people who didn’t know who I am, that I didn’t just come out of the void. So that wind of it has definitely mellowed out, so people who didn’t know who I am know that I’m a friend.

Yeah. Now, I guess, before or after you joined the band, was there any talk of the band dissolving or going on hiatus?

No. It’s hard for me to speak of it, not being present, but what I can surely say is that once they made the decision to move forward and called me, there’s never been anything to feel about that decision other than great. Everyone in that band is very creative, and fortunately I have something to offer as well, and that worked in the dynamic of the band and we got to compose together and had a really great time of it. They really like the act of creating and they love ideas, they love writing with their own ideas and other people’s ideas just as equally. So it’s always been about moving forward and ascension bringing things back to a good place and seizing the opportunity, Something that I notice when I listen to Diamond Eyes is it sounds like it’s not coming from as dark a place as the band’s previous albums. So what

JILLIAN FROM PAGE 10 You have to lead by example. You are your child’s primary role model, and when they see you putting your health first they’re going to follow suit.

Make it something you can do as a family. With my Boston family, the mom and the daughter took dance classes together and we all went canoeing on the Charles River together. We’ve been utilizing resources in these communities: One of our kids loved swimming, so we got him on a swim team at the Y. One of our girls wanted to be a majorette, and another one of our boys wanted to try out for basketball. So find an activity that your kids love that’s fun and social, and then set the example yourself. Make it something that you guys can do as a family where you’re healthy and active.

Can you talk about how the new show gives people a more realistic and practical timeframe in which to get healthy, as compared to the more competitive aspects of the Biggest Loser?

Of course! I’m glad you asked that question, because we’re seeing great [weight loss] numbers, but nothing like Biggest Loser numbers. With this show we’re going into people’s homes, which means they’re working full-time jobs. Some of our parents are working 60 hours a week just to make ends meet. We’re going into homes with two to three kids, young kids and teenagers, so these people are juggling real,

THERE WAS AN EXCITEMENT IN THE AIR THAT CHARGES EVERYTHING, FROM THE HEAVY STUFF TO THE MELLOW STUFF, SO IT’S ALL BRIGHT AND EXCITING. AND THAT’S JUST REALLY BECAUSE THAT’S WHERE WE WERE AT, AND THERE’S NO OTHER WAY TO COME ACROSS. was the collective mindset of the band when you all went in to write and record?

What had happened was, it was an application of our like conscious mind and subconscious mind.

And what we did that was intentional was with [Producer] Nick Raskulinecz. We set a template, kind of like a work flow. This is how we’re going to do it, what we were going to do from this time to this time, and we had everything organized.

And after that we just switched off and just started jamming. And what was coming out, nothing was preconceived in terms of it should be like this, or like that. There was an excitement in the air that charges everything, from the heavy stuff to the mellow stuff, so it’s all bright and exciting. And that’s just really because that’s where we were at, and there’s no other way to come across.

I know this time around, the creative process went differently. I read where you said the songs were built to be played live…

That’s the right words, but wrong concept.

Because of the way that we wrote the record, as a band in the rehearsal space, and with a lot of playing hours, every song has been played, has so much air time, that we can play them live. Basically, the quickest way to say it is that we fall into the habit of writing in the studio a lot and doing a lot of things, and tracking things and never having your song exist prior to its recording in a way that you can actually learn it to play it well. So, after the fact they were just performing songs that they had committed to albums. But in this instance, everything was born like, as a new band when you don’t have that opportunity. You learn your songs and play your set and you do your things, and we had our album that we could play from front to back before we went in for pre-production. Which is where you start to really look at the arrangements, and we already had an album. So that made everything a lot more pleasant, and now when we play live we

can just whip out any song. It’s not like a chore. We don’t have to learn it.

That’s awesome.

Yeah, it’s a nice thing. It’s a lot like being in a new band. A new band has to learn their set because they don’t know that they’re going to record anything, unless the band comes together as a group or has a deal or whatever, but often bands are forming, they’re building a set and committing it to memory.

And I think sometimes bands tend to become too reliant on just what they can do in the studio, so it’s refreshing that you guys started with the live music, and not just the studio stuff.

Well, and this is not to imply, that we didn’t utilize the technology, what we did was we took our Pro Tools rig on a laptop and I’d put up a couple of mics and we’d record our rehearsals and then Nick came in and did the same thing. But he took the extra step where he’d go back to his room every night and categorize them and everything so that if we were ever stuck on ideas or so jams, he’d pull out ideas that he’d already earmarked, that were ours. So instead of using technology as a means to piece things together, we kind of flipped it and just vomited out everything that we could and then had something to draw from if we needed to.

Now, I know that the band had been working on an album prior to Chi’s accident, and I know they shelved it. Was there ever any talk of bringing you in to finish it?

No, no, no, no. Never, because it’s just tacky for everybody involved. They’re not going to slam Chi like that, and they’re not going to do that to me.

We could write some songs together, so we just did that. Those guys aren’t stuck for ideas, so it’s not like, “Oh man, we’ll never write another song, so we better finish that.” [Laughs]

crazy lives. And by the way, we’re working within their family budget. So we’re working with their timeframe, their economic restrictions and their environmental restrictions: I have an episode where I’m on a farm literally in the middle of nowhere outside of Nashville. There’s not a Whole Foods around the corner, and even if there was that wasn’t economically viable for this family. So it’s about creating solutions based on all of those factors and the resources that they have available to them.

How has that affected the results you’re able to get?

What I’ve seen so far¬ is that the guys are losing about 50 pounds in two months and the women are losing around 30 pounds, which I think is awesome. But, you know, on Biggest Loser, I have guys lose 50 pounds in three weeks because all they’re doing is working out eight hours a day. So here we’re coming back after 6 to 8 weeks and they’re not done– it’s not that Biggest Loser finale moment– but they’ve gotten off their diabetes medication, their cholesterol has dropped 25 points and they’ve lost 50 pounds. It’s really showing America that they’re back on track, and the message here is that life is an ongoing journey. It’s constantly a process, and you’re either off course or you’re on course. So how do you utilize these tools and reboot your life to get back on track?

PG 23 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

FEATURE

2010 Summer Guide

FILM FESTIVALS FILM FESTIVALS: 2010 Coca-Cola Summer Film

Festival 2009 COCACOLA SUMMER FILM The Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival at The FESTIVAL

Fabulous Fox Theatre offers an outstanding The Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival at The line-up of the year's biggest releases as well Fabulous Theatre offers an outstanding line-up movies of all time.

The as some Fox of the classic of the year’s biggest releases as well as some of the classic movies of all time. Come early to see the movies and join in an Atlanta tradition including wine tastings at the Fox beginning at 5:30 p.m. Dates and movies were not available as of press time but for more information about the Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival, keep checking their web site at www.foxtheatre.org.

SCREEN ON THE GREEN

This popular summer movie series continues at its new home at Centennial Olympic Park with a dynamic line-upoff featuring titlesseasons Dream Girls (June 4), festival kicks with last featured Field of DreamsThe (June 11) and Alone Blind SideHome (June 3), (June along18) blockbuster with movie favorites of Oz likeMoviegoers The Wizard and Ghostbusters (June 25). are welcome (June 5, but 7:30pm), (June 2pm),baskets Jaws and to bring5,picnic food, no glassand a double-feature of The Breakfast Club and containers or alcoholic beverages can be brought Ferris Day 4). Additional into theBueller's park. Films willOff start(June at sundown, admission films 2010 Coca-Cola Film is free.inForthe more information andSummer complete list of Festival to be shown in July and August will restrictions, call (404) 222-PARK or visit be announced later in the summer. Come www.peachtreetv.com. early to see the movies and join in an Atlanta tradition including wine tastings at the Fox FLICKS ON 5TH beginning at 5:30 p.m. Dates and movies Flicksnot on available 5th returnsasthis to 5thbut Street were ofsummer press time forat thewith Coca-Cola more information Technology Square inabout Midtown an incredible Summer Film Festival, keep checking their web site at www.foxtheatre.org.

Screen On The Green

Side (June 23), The Hurt Locker (July 7), lineup of theMr. years’ including: Fantastic Foxblockbuster (July 14) titles and Hot Tub Time Quantum of(July Solace (June 10)free ,Slumdog Millionaire Machine 21).

This summer movie (June 17), Duplicity (June 24), Taken (Julyevery 8), series starts at dusk (approx.

9pm) Wednesday evening 9 through Monsters Vs. Aliens (Julystarting 15) and IJune Love You Man July on movie July 4th week).

(July 21 22).(no Thisshowing free summer series starts This will every be closed between Spring year Street9pm) at dusk5th (approx.

Wednesday evening Street startingand JuneWilliams 10 throughStreet July 24 so (noguests showingcan on bring and chairs viewJuly 4ththeir week).own Thisblankets year 5th Street will be for closed ing and dining. Moviegoers can eat in or between Spring Street carry any of the many restauout dinner at and Techwood Drive so guests rants located on 5th Street at Technology can bring their blankets Square.

The own event is scheduled rain or shine. and chairs for viewing and grills and pets at Leave coolers, umbrellas, dining. For a moreparking detailedis available in the surhome.

Hourly face at 5th please and Spring movielot schedule, visit Streets across from Barnes & Noble andorthe www.flicksonfifth.com callparking deck adjacent to the Georgia Tech Hotel and 404-894-2805.

Conference Center on Spring Street. For a more detailed movie schedule, please visit DRIVE INVASION www.flicksonfifth.com or call 404-894-2805.

Close out the summer with the ultimate moviethe Stars Movies Under experience.

Happening overlocal families and Mall of Georgia invites Labor Day Drive friends toweekend, gather on the lawn at the Village Invasion days some of coolsummer entertainenjoy Pavilionistotwo ment! Every Saturday throughout the summovies, hot music, car show, overnight camping and mallparty. will The hostmovies Movies amer, wildthe tailgate areUnder a mix ofThe classic Stars, freesci-fi night of movies and once more, where comedyaand titles.

The invasion again will guests can enjoy flicks, suchTheatre as The be happening at the featured Starlight Six Drive-In on Tooth Fairy, Transformers andinformation, Alvin andvisit the Moreland Avenue.

For additional Chipmunks: The Squeakquel under the stars www.driveinvasion.com. on an impressive 42-foot screen. To jumpstart the night, local bands and artists will deliver live musical performances on stage at the Village Pavilion starting at 6:30 p.m.

Great movie fare and cold drinks will be available for purchase all night at the sponsor tent. Guests are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets. For a complete schedule of movies and bands, visit www.mallofgeorgia.com or call (678) 482 - 8788.

Flicks on 5th

Flicks on 5th returns this summer to 5th Street at Technology Square in Midtown with an incredible lineup of the years' blockbuster titles including: Sherlock Holmes (June 9), The Hangover (June 16), The Blind

VIRGINIAHIGHLAND SUMMERFEST

Now in its 26th year, visitors to Virginia-Highland Summerfest can shop for original art, enjoy great

Featuring B-Movie Classics as Kingdom of the Spiders “Killer spiders all over town, and only William Shatner can stop them!” And Grizzly “70's Eco Horror classic with blood, gore, humor, and 18 feet of towering fury!”

The Iron Maiden All-star Tribute Band will be playing. Doors open at noon, Music starts at 2PM and Movies begin at dusk. The Starlight Six is located at 2000 Moreland Avenue SE in Atlanta. For additional information, visit www.starlightdrivein.com.

LOCAL EVENTS

Virginia-Highland Summerfest

Decatur Beach Party

Celebrate the beginning of summer in Decatur on June 18 as it turns its landlocked square into the Decatur Beach with 60 tons of sand, a kids' boardwalk, live music, a stage built across Ponce de Leon for dancing on the street. The Boardwalk features old fashioned carnival type games, as well as a moon walk and other inflatables. Music will be performed by The Reputations on the Community Bandstand Stage beginning at 5pm. Enjoy dancing in the street until midnight to the music of Terry Lee and the GTs. Tickets for adults are $10 at the gate and $6.50 in advance. Children under 12 are free (limit two per paying adult). No coolers, glass or pets in beach party area. For more information, visit www.decaturdba.com.

Peachtree Road Race

This year's Fourth of July Atlanta tradition will feature 55,000 runners competing in one of the country's best known 10K races. The race, which starts at Lenox Square, returns the finish line to its original home at Piedmont Park, which was forced to move last year due to drought conditions. Race PG 24 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

more information on DECATUR BEACH how to volunteer go PARTY Celebrate the beginning to www.atlantatrack- of summer in Decatur on June 19 as it turns its landlocked square into club.org. the Decatur Beach with 60 tons of sand, a kids’ boardwalk, live music, 4th of July at a stage built across Ponce Lenox de Leon forSquare dancing on the street. The Boardwalk Put on your red, features old fashioned white and blue, and carnival type games, as head to Lenox well as a moon walk and Square for the largest fireworks show in the other inflatables. Music Southeast. Activities for the whole family will be performed by a include the Kid Zone, featuring giant slides, The Reputations on rock wall, face painters, balloon artist, anthe Community Bandstand obstacle course and more.

Live musical beginning at 5pm. entertainment begins atStage 6 p.m. on Lenox Enjoy with dancing the Square's outdoor main stage theindazzling fireworks display beginning at approxistreet until midnight to mately 9:40 p.m. WSB-TV Channel 2 will the music of Terry Lee broadcast the festivities and livethe beginning at 9for GTs. Tickets to join in Atlanta's p.m. Everyone is invitedadults are $10 at the gate legendary celebration; admission free! and $6.50 inisadvance. www.lenoxsquare.com.

Children under 12 are free (limit two per paying Stone Mountain Park Lasershow adult). No coolers, glass or pets in beach party area.

For more information, visit www.decaturdba.com.

The Lasershow Spectacular this year features "Our Music is Our Music" with musical scores highlighting Georgia's diversified musical landscape. With displays of laser lights, graphics, characters and fireworks, this is an Atlanta attraction that is not to be missed. Heroes and sports medleys plus a patriotic finale including choreographed state-of-the-art graphics are also included.

Visitors will hear favorites like "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," "An American Trilogy" and "Celestial Soda Pop". Don't miss the Flame Cannon effect and the Laser Canopy that creates a ceiling of light right over guest's heads. The Lasershow is free with the $10.00 vehicle entrance to Stone Mountain Park. For more information call 770-498-5690 or visit www.stonemountainpark.com.

Starlight Drive-In Monster Bash

This popular summer movie series returns to its original home at Piedmont Park with a dynamic line-up featuring titles National Treasure (May 27), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June 3), Dreamgirls (June 10), and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (June 17).

The final film on June 24 is Jurassic Park, the "viewer's choice" selection. Moviegoers are welcome to bring picnic baskets and food, but no glass containers or alcoholic beverages can be brought into the park. Food and beverages can be purchased from on-site vendors. Moviegoers are also asked to leave pets at home. Umbrellas and high-backed chairs are strongly discouraged and grills of any sort are strictly prohibited. Films will start at sundown, admission is free. For more information, call (404) 222-PARK or visit www.peachtreetv.com/screenonthegreen/.

time is at 7:30 AM

so get up EVENTS: early. For LOCAL

Now in its 27th year, visitors to VirginiaHighland Summerfest can shop for original art, enjoy great food and listen to an exceptional array of live music. This year's event also features a parade, great food, a 5K race and an acoustic street party on Friday and Saturday nights. Activities designed for children will take place in the KidsFest area on Arcadia, adjacent to John Howell Park all weekend long. Regularly recognized by local media as one of Atlanta's best neighborhood festivals and consistently revered by art professionals as one of the best artists' markets in the southeast, Summerfest is a great event for the entire family. Dates and times include

June 5 (10am - 6:30pm) and June 6 (10am food and listen an exceptional arrayvisit of live music.

6:00pm).

For to more information, This year’s event also features a parade, community www.vahi.org/summerfest. dinner, a 5K race and an acoustic street party on Dragon*Con Friday and Saturday nights. Dates and times include Dragon*Con returns to6Atlanta 4 Days June 5 (7pm – 11pm), June (10am –for 6:30pm), andof nonstop fun-6pm). and excitement this Laborvisit Day June 7 (11am For more information, Weekend September 3 - 6, 2010. Located in www.vahi.org/summerfest. the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, The Marriott Marquis, The Hilton Atlanta and The SCIFISheraton, SUMMER CON and its Atlanta DragonCon Sci-Fi Summer Con rolls to Crowne Plazatake almost literally 30,000+ attendees will in Hotel downtown Atlanta-Marietta on June 12 - 14.the Sci-Fi over Atlanta.

Among highSummerare Con is a science fictionaand lights theAtlanta DragonCon Parade, seafantasy of convention featuring literary and media panel merchandise vendors, panels and programpop24-hour culture topic live you ming on virtually discussions, celebrityany Q&A’s, gaming, could think of, live performances, music, late night dances musical and theatrical film screenings, and a Walk of Fame, where media costume contests, a dealer’s roommost and much more. guests will be signing autographs.

Sean Visit www.sfscon.net for more information or call Aston (Lord of The Rings Trilogy), Linda 770-428-4400.

Hamilton (The Terminator), James Marsters (Buffy the Vampire Slayer/ Angel), Kevin DRAGON*CON Sorbo (Hercules), Chaske Spencer (Twilight Dragon*Con returns to Atlanta this Labor Dayare Saga), and Sam Trammell (True Blood) Weekend 4 – 7, 2009.slated Located the just a fewSeptember of the celebrities to in attend Hyattyears Regency Atlanta, The Marriott The this extravaganza.

TicketsMarquis, range from ordered at 770-909$25-$100 andand can Hilton Atlanta ThebeAtlanta Sheraton, DragonCon 0115 or30,000+ purchased at the door.theFor more expects attendees.

Among highlights information, visitParade, www.dragoncon.org. are the DragonCon a sea of merchandise vendors, panels and programming, live music and National Black Arts much more. Eric Roberts (DarkFestival Knight) Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek), Edward James Olmos (Battlestar Galactica), Kristy Swanson (Buffy the Vampire

Join the 2010 National Black Arts Festival (NBAF) at Centennial Park, July 14 - 18, as they kick off their annual Summer festival.

The NBAF World Music Stage features Roy Ayers, Common Ground Collective, Lizz Wright, Avery Sunshine, Radical Soul and more. World famous Afro Brazilian percussion group Olodum and celebrated Brazilian composer Ivan Lins headline the Brazil Fest Concert on Thursday, July 15. This year's Legends Celebration honors the music and legacy of Curtis Mayfield with a performance entitled, To Curtis With Love, on July 16 at Atlanta Symphony Hall. NBAF also presents PHILADANCO in By Way of the Funk as they commemorative 40 years exceptional dance performances and training to communities throughout the US and worldwide. For Atlanta socialites, the fabulous NBAF Gala returns on Saturday, July 17 with "Stormy's Supper Club" in the Grand Atrium at 200 Peachtree. Guests can expect to be dazzled

by Joe Gransden and his 16-piece big band, along with performances by Jasmine Guy and Avery Sharpe. Other festival highlights include an International Marketplace, Children's Educational Village, Pan African Film Festival at the Rialto Center for the Arts, NBAF Gallery Crawl and much more.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.nbaf.org or call the Woodruff Arts Center at 404-733-5000.

Reynoldstown Wheelbarrow Festival

Now in its 15th year, this annual event is shaping up to be the biggest and best ever.

Taking place on Saturday, June 12, festival organizers have been able to attract bigger names in entertainment, a larger selection of vendors and a diverse crowd of Atlanta neighbors enjoying the festivities. After "Taking it to the Streets" last year, neighbors and other city residents will once again have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of fun activities including a barbeque cook-off, an

January 9, 2011). The High will be the sole venue for the first exhibition to focus on Dalí's art after 1940. The museum will also hold much of its regular programming during the summer including Friday Jazz, lectures, family programs and much more

Georgia Aquarium

artist market, a parade, various musical performances on two stages, and a health fair.

All the proceeds from the festival go to neighborhood revitalization and public safety. For additional information, visit www.wheelbarrowfestival.com.

AREA ATTRACTIONS Zoo Atlanta

Enjoy over 1,000 of the world's most amazing animals, and take full advantage of exciting daily activities like keeper talks, training demonstrations, wildlife shows, and up-closeand-personal animal encounters. Special events happening this summer include Wild on the Rocks - Trader's Alley: Wildlife's Fading Footprints (June 19, 6pm to 9 pm).

Tour the Zoo's evocative new exhibit pathway, with a look at the controversial world of wildlife trafficking. Get the facts on tigers, sun bears and Asian turtles, and find out what Zoo Atlanta is doing to enlighten guests about this critical conservation crisis. Mix, meet, and mingle with cocktails and exclusive after-hours exhibit visits, followed by insights you'll be talking about all year. Also happening this summer at Zoo Atlanta is Summer Safari Day Camp, Family NightCrawler Sleepovers, Mommy and Me and Keeper for a Day Programs.

The World of Coca-Cola

With more than eight million gallons of fresh and marine water and more aquatic life than found in any other aquarium, you are sure to see things you've never seen before at The Georgia Aquarium. And this summer, they are offering a variety of deals for the entire family including the Summer Splash Pass for $40 which allows each guest 90 days of unlimited visits. This includes entry into Jazz Journey, a weekly Friday night jazz series happening May through September. Guests can also check out the new Planet Shark Predator or Prey exhibit now open at the aquarium.

For additional information, visit www.georgiaaquarium.org.

Laughing Skull Lounge

This summer, come for a laugh at the Laughing Skull Lounge, Atlanta's only fulltime progressive comedy club. This intimate comedy club setting of only 74 seats, along with today's "hippest" comedians, gives guests a comedy experience in Atlanta that they can not find any where else. And they can come early or stay late to eat at one of Atlanta's best restaurants, The Vortex. The Laughing Skull has a full line-up this summer and some of the highlights include Comedy Gold Open Mic (June 2), Michael Ian Black (June 18 - 20), Hal Sparks (July 15 - 18), Doug Benson (August 5 - 8), Marc Maron (August 12 - 15) and much more. Visit www.vortexcomedy.com for the complete schedule.

JUNE 5-6

www.vahi.org/summerfest.html Artist Market - More than 220 artists! Media includes: painting, sculpture, jewelry, glass, textiles/fiber arts, photography and graphics.

MUSIC LINEUP MAIN STAGE: SATURDAY 12:00pm Swamp Funk Quartet 1:30pm Lindsay Rakers Band 3:00pm Ryan Horne 4:30pm Bob Schneider 6:30pm Tonic

MAIN STAGE: SUNDAY 12:30pm Nic Cowan 1:30pm Crane 3:00pm Michael Tolcher 4:30pm Mike Doughty

Bodies…The Exhibition

The World of Coca-Cola is the only place where you can explore the complete history of the world's best-known brand. Taste over 60 different products from around the globe, experience their thrilling 4-D Theater (3D movie with moving seats), be amazed by a fully-functioning bottling line, give their 7foot-tall Coca-Cola® Polar Bear a big hug, see the world's largest collection of Coke memorabilia and view works by artists such as Steve Penley, Haddon Sundblom and Howard Finster in our Pop Culture Gallery.

For more information, visit www.worldofcoca-cola.com.

High Museum of Art

This summer, visitors still have time to catch the High Museum's popular The Allure of the Automobile (through June 20) exhibit which presents 18 of the world's rarest and most brilliantly conceived cars from the 1930s to the mid1960s. Another upcoming exhibit is European Design Since 1985: Shaping the New Century (June 5 - August 29) which traces the evolution of design with nearly 200 works by some of the most influential artists of this era and encompasses furniture, glass, ceramics and metalwork. Signs of Life: Photographs by Peter Sekaer opens on June 5 and is the first major exhibition dedicated to the work of the Danish-born American photographer Peter Sekaer. Later in the summer, museum visitors can also see Dalí: The Late Work (August 7 -

Located at the Premier Exhibition Center at Atlantic Station, BODIES . . . The Exhibition-which features actual human specimens-takes visitors through galleries providing an up-close look inside the skeletal, muscular, reproductive, respiratory, circulatory and other systems of the human body. Visitors will gain a once in a lifetime understanding of how elaborate and fascinating the body truly is. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.bodiestheexhibition.com

Dialog in the Dark

Also located at the Premier Exhibition Center at Atlantic Station, Dialog in the Dark, a groundbreaking exhibition, is an hour long experience where visitors are lead by blind or visually impaired guides through everyday environments in complete darkness where scents, sounds and textures become alive and are experienced in a whole new way. The exhibition takes visitors on a life changing journey that will challenge conventional thinking as they learn to "see" without sight.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.dialogtickets.com.

PG 25 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

Summer Guide SUMMER CONCERTS FILM ASO'sFESTIVALS: Classic Chastain

2009 COCACOLA SUMMER FILM FESTIVAL

The Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival at The Fabulous Fox Theatre offers an outstanding line-up of the year’s biggest releases as well as some of the classic movies of all time. Come early to see the movies and join in an Atlanta tradition including wine tastings at the Fox beginning at 5:30 p.m. Dates and movies were not available as of press time but for more information about the Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival, keep Classic checkingChastain their web site at is in full The Delta series swing again this summer. Some of the most www.foxtheatre.org. anticipated performances include: Diana Ross (JuneON 4), Collective Soul (June 24), Liza SCREEN THE GREEN Minnelli with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra This popular summer movie series continues at (July 2), Serj Tankian Elect the Dead its new home at Centennial Olympic Park with a Symphony (July 9), Ringo Starr & His All dynamic line-up featuring titles Dream Girls (June 4), Starr Band (July 10), Mary Chapin Carpenter Field of Dreams (June 11) and Home Alone (June 18) (July 17), and Chris Isaak (July 24). Tickets and 25). Moviegoers are welcome areGhostbusters available at(June www.ticketmaster.com or towww.classicchastain.com. bring picnic baskets and food, but no glass containers or alcoholic beverages can be brought Aaron's at admission into the park. Amphitheatre Films will start at sundown, isLakewood free. For more information and complete list of restrictions, call (404) 222-PARK or visit www.peachtreetv.com.

FLICKS ON 5TH

Flicks on 5th returns this summer to 5th Street at Technology Square in Midtown with an incredible

Atlanta's largest outdoor concert venue has another stellar line-up of shows this summer.

2010 summer line-up includes: Rascal Flatts (June 27), Brooks & Dunn (July 15), 311 (July 17), Vans Warped Tour (July 26), Dave Matthews Band (July 27), Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival (August 1), Vans Warped Tour (July 28), Flashback Festival (August 7), Lilith Fair (August 8), Jack Johnson (August 20), and Creed (August 29). Tickets are available at www.livenation.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

Sugarland (August 5) Now in its third season, the Amphitheatre has quickly become the entertainment destination for music lovers across the region. Set on 45 acres of beautifully-landscaped wooded land in Alpharetta, GA, the 12,000-seat Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park provides a unique setting for both music lovers and first-time concertgoers.

2010 summer line-up includes: Heads of State (June 26), Scorpions (July 14); Steve Miller Band (July 30); Sugarland (August 5); O.A.R. (August 15); Maroon 5 (August 21) and STS9 (August 28).

Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre

Located in south Cobb County, this publiclyowned facility has the capacity to host 2,400 people for everything from country to rock concerts and from plays to symphony PG 26 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

lineup of the years’ blockbuster titles including: Quantum of Solace (June 10) ,Slumdog Millionaire (June 17), Duplicity (June 24), Taken (July 8), Monsters Vs. Aliens (July 15) and I Love You Man (July 22). This free summer movie series starts at dusk (approx. 9pm) every Wednesday evening starting June 10 through July 24 (no showing on July 4th week). This year 5th Street will be closed between SpringHouse Street and Mable Barnes Amphitheatre Techwood Drive so guests orchestra performances. can bring their own blankets Highlights of the 2010 summer concert schedule include: and chairs for viewing and Tracy Lawrence (June 11), Travis Tritt (June dining.

For a more detailed(July 22), Survivor & Robinson 24), Smokey movie schedule, please Starship (August 13)visit and John Michael www.flicksonfifth.com or call 10). To order tickMontgomery (September 404-894-2805. ets, visit www.mablehouse.org.

Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater DRIVE INVASION

Close out the summer with the ultimate movie experience. Happening over Labor Day weekend, Drive Invasion is two days of cool movies, hot music, car show, overnight camping and a wild tailgate party. The movies are a mix of classic comedy and sci-fi titles. The invasion once again will be happening at the Starlight Six Drive-In Theatre on Moreland Avenue. For additionalB-52s information, (Julyvisit 24) www.driveinvasion.com.

Located in Peachtree City, The Fred has established itself as one of the leading outdoor entertainment venues in the metro Atlanta area and has hosted hometown favorites, national and touring acts for more than thirty years. Visit "The Fred" for a unique and intimate concert experience including Cheap Trick on June 5th. Other shows this summer include Christoper Cross and America (June 26), Boz Scaggs (July 10), B-52s (July 24) and much more. Visit www.amphitheater.org for the complete schedule and to purchase tickets.

NEARBY TRAVEL DESTINATIONS Panama City Beach, FL

Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort Within a half day's drive from Atlanta, Panama City Beach offers 27 miles of sugar sand award winning beaches. The Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort is one of the most popular vacation spots on the Florida Gulf Coast. Among the many ammenities, they offer a gigantic pool slide for the kids, a lazy river ride for all of the family, and a beach front pool with a large hot tub all offered free to guests. This summer, a stay at the Sandpiper Beacon also includes a beachside Polynesian and Fire Dancer Review, a Luau at the beachfront Tiki Bar, Hula lessons for the kids, and Family Movie Nights. Each weekend the smash hit duo "Gilligan Loves MaryAnn" performs daily at the Sandpiper Beacon Tiki Bar playing your favorite beach music, plus Family Friendly Karaoke every night from 6 to 10 p.m. For more information visit www.SandpiperBeacon.com or call 1-800-488-8828.

Mountain, Rock City Gardens, Ruby Falls and much more!

Athens, GA

Make the trip to Athens, GA for AthFest.

This annual arts and music festival is held each June in the city's historic downtown.

For the past 13 years, AthFest has showcased the best in local, regional, and nationally recognized Athens-based talent. Over 130 bands and artists will perform over the course of festival, which will be held June 2327, 2010. All performances on the two outdoor stages are open to all ages and are free of charge to the public. The evening's "club Asheville, NC food andtakes listenplace to an exceptional arrayand of live music. crawl" on the Friday Saturday LOCAL EVENTS: This year’s eventfestival. also features a parade, may community nights of the Wristbands be DECATUR BEACH PARTY purchased in advance or at the festival which dinner, a 5K race and an acoustic street party on Celebrate the beginning of summer in Decatur will to close to 20 Fridaygive andpatrons Saturdayentrance nights. Dates and times include on June 19 as it turns its landlocked square into music venues (venue age6 (10am restrictions apply).

June 5 (7pm – 11pm), June – 6:30pm), and the Decatur Beach with 60 tons of sand, a kids’ regarding will be available Details June 7 (11am -6pm). wristbands For more information, visit closer to the festival. AthFest 2010 headlinboardwalk, live music, a stage built across Ponce www.vahi.org/summerfest. ing artists include Bubba Sparxxx, Cracker, de Leon for dancing on the street. The Boardwalk Kinchafoonee, Modern Skirts, Packway features old fashioned SCIFIBand, SUMMER CON Groove. For Handle and Perpetual carnival type games, as Sci-Fiinformation, Summer Con rolls inwww.athfest.com. to Crowne Plaza more visit well as a moon walk and The Biltmore Estate Hotel Atlanta-Marietta on June 12 - 14. Sci-Fi other inflatables. Music Summer Con Atlanta is a science fiction and fantasy The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Need a quick getaway from Atlanta?

Then will be performed by Plantation convention featuring literary and media panel head out of town to the The mountain city on of the Reputations discussions, celebrity Q&A’s, 24-hour gaming, live Asheville, NC. Only 3 ½ hours away from Community Bandstand musical and theatrical performances, film screenings, Atlanta by car, this is one road trip that has beginning at 5pm. costume contests, a dealer’s room and much more. in all price ranges. something for everybodyStage Enjoy the Treat yourself to a stay at thedancing historicinGrove Visit www.sfscon.net for more information or call Park Inn Resort and Spastreet until midnight to 770-428-4400. thewhich music ofopened Terry Lee its (www.groveparkinn.com), and athe GTs. lobby Tickets for doors in 1913 and features grand DRAGON*CON with two gigantic 14-foot stone adults arefireplaces, $10 at the gate Dragon*Con returns to Atlanta this Labor Day five restaurants featuringand majestic of $6.50 in views advance.

Weekend September 4 – 7, 2009. Located in the footunder spa. 12 are the city and a 40,000 square Children Hyatt Regency Atlanta, The Marriott Marquis, The Another historic landmark Asheville is free in (limit two per paying Just 75 miles eastThe of Atlanta Atlanta,Sheraton, The RitzHilton Atlanta and DragonCon The Biltmore Estate (www.biltmore.com), an adult). No coolers, glass or pets in beach party area.

Carlton provides Lodge,attendees.

ReynoldsAmong Plantation expects 30,000+ the highlights 8,000 acre estate which is home to the 250For more information, visit www.decaturdba.com. guests legendary Ritz-Carlton service highare the DragonCon Parade, a sea of merchandise room Biltmore House, the Biltmore Winery lighted gracious southern hospitality.

The and over 75 acres of professionally manivendors,by panels and programming, live music and 251-room is secluded on theLeonard sparkling VIRGINIAHIGHLAND cured gardens. Finally, when planning a trip much more.Lodge Eric Roberts (Dark Knight) shores of Lake Oconee with 99 holes of golf SUMMERFEST to Asheville, time your visit to coordinate Nimoy (StarbyTrek), Edward James Olmos of (Battlestar designed the greatest architects the Nowone in itsof26th visitors to Virginia-Highland with theyear, many festivals taking place Galactica), Kristy Swanson (Buffy the Vampire game, award-winning Spa with southernfree!art,Check out this summer, Summerfest canseveral shop forare original enjoy great inspired service and exclusive Lodge advenShindig on the Green, (weekly free Saturday tures from fishing for large mouth bass to night concerts, July - September), River Arts waterskiing or canoeing. For information or District Studio Stroll (June 12 - 13), Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands (July 15 - 18), room reservations, call toll free (800) 2413333 or visit the website at www.ritzcarltonBele Chere Arts Festival (July 23 - 25), lodge.com.

Mountain Dance and Folk Festival (August 5 - August 7) and the Goombay Festival (August 27 - 29). For more information, visit Dollywood www.exploreasheville.com.

Chattanooga, TN

Less than two hours away from Atlanta, Chattanooga is a great summer destination.

Visit the Tennessee Aquarium on the Chattanooga Riverfront (www.tnaqua.org) and see why it was rated one of the top aquariums in the country. Take a remarkable journey from a cove forest high in the Appalachian mountains to a coral reef in the blue depths of the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way, see thousands of animals and three living forests . . . exploring life above and below the water's surface.

While there, visit the aquarium's return of the Love on the Tennessee Aquarium Rocks at Penguins Rock exhibit. Visitors will find themselves immersed in another season of romance at Penguins' Rock. The exhibit houses gentoo and macaroni penguins, two cold-climate species that will delight you with their playfulness. Also new this summer is the Chattanooga River Market. Beginning June 5, the Aquarium plaza will fill with music and some of the area's finest arts and crafts each Saturday all summer long. Visit www.chattanoogafun.com for a complete list of other great Chattanooga attractions including The Chattanooga Choo Choo, Creative Discovery Museum, Lookout

Adventure Mountain Marking a milestone 25th anniversary season, Dollywood, the award-winning 150-acre family adventure park located in Pigeon Forge near the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. now has a new attraction, Adventure Mountain. Adventure Mountain covers two acres of outdoor mountainside terrain and includes four entirely different adventure courses that range from easy to expert. Designed exclusively for Dollywood, Adventure Mountain features more than 140 obstacles, including swinging rope bridges, net ladders, rugged trails, flying islands, moving beams, and a tire traverse that must be navigated to complete each course. Also this season, a daily entertainment showcase will take place in the park’s Adventures in Imagination area along with photographic exhibits in Valley Exhibition Hall which trace the park’s growth from 1986 to today. In addition, appearing via multi-media presentations, Parton shares her most heartfelt memories with guests visiting this season. Dollywood’s 2010 season will also feature four festivals including Festival of Nations, KidsFest (June 11-Aug. 1, 2010) National Gospel & Harvest Celebration and Dollywood’s Babes in Toyland show. Visit www.dollywood.com or call 1-800-dollywood for more information.

RASCAL FLATTS

JUN 27

BROOKS & DUNN

JUL 15

W/ KELLIE PICKLER, CHRIS YOUNG

W/ GARY ALLAN

311 AND THE OFFSPRING JUL 17 W/ PEPPER VANS WARPED TOUR ROCKSTAR ENERGY MAYHEM FESTIVAL

W/ KORN, ROB ZOMBIE, LAMB OF GOD, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH AND MANY MORE!

FLASHBACK FESTIVAL LILITH FAIR

W/ SARAH MCLACHLAN, LORETTA LYNN, INDIGO GIRLS AND MANY MORE!

JUL 26 AUG 1 AUG 7 AUG 8

JACK JOHNSON

AUG 20

CREED

AUG 29

TOBY KEITH

SEP 2

JOHN MAYER

SEP 8

ALICE IN CHAINS

SEP 28

JONAS BROTHERS

OCT 14

W/ G. LOVE SOLO ACOUSTIC, ALO

W/ SKILLET, THEFT

W/ TRACE ADKINS

W/ OWL CITY

W/ DEFTONES, MASTODON

W/ DEMI LOVATTO AND MORE

Help us support a healthy environment. Offset your concert travel at www.nativeenergy.com/livenation

���������������� ������������ ���������������� CHARGE BY PHONE : 800-745-3000. ALL DATES, ACTS AND TICKET PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. TICKET PRICES SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE FEES.

ATLANTA’S HOTTEST CONCERTS ON SALE NOW !

MUSIC

TIGER, TIGER BURNING BRIGHT

Athens Band Twin Tigers Takes its Dreamy, Noisy Rock ‘n’ roll out for a big Summer Tour

BY ED MORALES

T

HIS SUMMER, MATTHEW RAIN is replacing the itemized check for an electric guitar. Rain is lead singer/ guitarist and co-founder of Twin Tigers, a “dream noise” band out of Athens that thrives in melodic interludes and blistering guitar riffs, and the heady musical stew is finding an audience. Twin Tigers was chosen to open for not one but two dynamic bands this summer, as both The Hold Steady and Interpol tapped the group for dates across the United States. Armed with a new album (Gray Waves) and a new drummer (its 10th!), Rain sat down to discuss touring, the importance of records, and not working at Applebee’s.

That’s one helluva a summer you guys have planned. How were you able to get booked on tours with The Hold Steady and Interpol?

With Hold Steady we were one of those bands on that long list wanting to be on the tour and they picked us, so I plan to find out more when I meet them. With Interpol Sam Fogarino, who is the drummer for Interpol, is a big fan so he convinced the rest of the group to take us. With tours like this it’s a competitive thing, not in the sense like you’re competing against each other, but there are a lot of people who want the opportunity you have.

Do you embrace the grind of the road?

If you don’t embrace tour, and that’s not your thing, you probably should stay out of rock n roll – that’s the only thing going right now especially if

you want to have a career. People don’t buy music the way they used to, so you’re in a situation where you have to be about tour and creating that experience with people, otherwise there’s nothing there.

What is your take on the music industry these days? Is making records not the end-all, be-all it used to be?

I disagree. Making records is everything it used to be. I think people who sit at desks and talk on telephones have less to gain, but even when bands were selling four times as many records that’s not where they made money. You don’t write songs thinking this is a product I’m going to turn over.

It’s like any other piece of art – it’s your experiences and creation and you’re trying to reach out and let people have that. If anything it’s become cheaper to make records… for making records the ceiling is constantly rising.

and co-founder), but are you set with the lineup with Forrest (Hall, guitarist) and Doug (Crump, drummer)?

Actually Doug’s not playing with us anymore so, no, we’re not all set (laughing).

Well, that’s why I asked.

We have had a lot of personnel changes – we’ve played with nine different drummers. A lot of people have this fantasy – they saw rock and roll documentaries from the ’70s and Almost Famous and they have this idea that being in a band is one big party and glamorous and it’s not any of that.

When you’re going out, especially like what we’re doing with support slots – you’re on stage for 45 minutes but you’re out 24 hours. When you’re in a

Did some of the songs adjust as you changed personnel? It’s been you and Aimee (Morris, bassist

Everest slows down to record their latest release, On Approach

S

INGING WAS THE ONLY THING left for Russell Pollard. After playing drums, bass and guitar for various bands like Sebadoh and Folk Implosion among others, Pollard decided to don the front man cap and play his own songs for the first time under the new moniker, Everest. And the results were absolutely thrilling.

If tour slots with Neil Young, My Morning

Jacket and Wilco for your debut album aren’t a confirmation, then nothing will convince you.

Ghost Notes was Everest’s debut and it featured an incredibly talented rock band having a deliciously good time. Yet if you were impressed before, wait until new tunes like “Let Go” and “Keeping the Score” hit your earbuds.

Pollard says the band took their sweet time on this one, making sure everything went exactly as planned. The results reveal the gorgeous handiwork of On Approach.

Being with Minus the Bear, how is that collaboration on the road?

I think it’s been good. We’re playing great shows to great crowds and they’re bringing out a lot of people. It’s a lot of younger fans, too, which is great for us. When we’ve done touring in the past with Wilco and My Morning Jacket and Neil Young, those were great tours as well, but this is a great tour for us to grab onto some new fans -- fans that can grow up with us. Minus the Bear are all super-nice guys, so it’s a really fun tour.

Were you ready for new material to play?

We were fairly ready, since we’d already been playing some of the songs before we ever made the record. Some of them we’d rehearsed to take to South by Southwest, so we were pretty ready to go. The songs are becoming their own thing even more so than the versions that are on the record, but that always happens. We’ve tried some that we hadn’t already worked out in front of audiences and that’s always a challenge, but usually we land on our feet.

THAT’S AN AMAZING FEELING, TO BE ABLE TO BE ON STAGE AND BE SURROUNDED BY YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS AND GUYS THAT YOU’VE GONE THROUGH SOME SHIT WITH AND KNOW THAT THEY HAVE YOUR BACK. PG 28 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

I read where your goal is not to be serving tables at the end of the year. How is that goal coming?

I’m getting closer and closer, it’s not like we’re making so much more money – we’re just out touring so we don’t get to work too much . . .

But it’s not like we wait tables at some sort of Applebee’s we get to work in a restaurant (The Grit in Athens) with a lot of creative intelligent people, not to say that would not be the case at a corporate chain restaurant, but you do get to work with more artistic personalities and people who might not be able to hold down a job at a different environment.

That brings me to Gray Waves. One of the things that impresses me about it is how much it feels like a cohesive album from start to finish even though some of the songs are a couple years old.

When you put the track-listing together you consider the emotional flow and the sonic emphasis, but it’s still the same band and it’s still that same story, The songs we recorded before we changed a good bit, some of them have very different dynamic shifts . . . for us it was just part of what needed to happen. We were really happy with the way it came off

TAKING THEIR SWEET TIME

BY MATT CONNER

smaller indie band you don’t have these luxuries that would make it this vacation you would like it to be.

The quotes from you on the new album are about having much more time on this project. But how quick was the time for Ghost Notes?

It was all told one month from the time we got started to having it mastered, but we only spent two weeks actually tracking it. So it was quick. I think at that time having been making records in the past and having various

experiences, we were in the mindset of just having fun and recording the songs and doing it live. Some of the best records ever made were recorded that way and even in shorter amounts of time.

Is Everest becoming the outlet that you hoped it would?

Yeah, it really is. It’s a group of musicians that can go anywhere that we want to go. That’s an amazing feeling, to be able to be on stage and be surrounded by your closest friends and guys that you’ve gone through some shit with and know that they have your back. Whatever you want to do, they will carry you. So that’s about as good as it can get for a musical outlet.

I know for a fact that I haven’t experienced this level of musicianship and communication in any other project, so I know it’s rare. It’s something that we talk about a lot and acknowledge and work on to make sure that remains the core of what we’re doing.

That has to open up your own creativity when you know the players around you can execute the constructs in your head?

Absolutely. Just for example, we have a bass player who can compose string arrangements. So right there, I’ve always wanted to do strings on a record and it’s always been a big ordeal of hiring a composer. Maybe you’re not on the same page with them, but with Eli, he just takes off for a couple of days and disappears into some crazy realm that he creates in and then comes back with the part. That’s just one example of what we can do amongst the five of us. We’re all engineers. We all can produce. So we’ve been able to take in that knowledge not only of our instruments, but the gear that we want to record on and how we want it to sound and how we can do that. So it’s pretty much perfect. It’s the ideal situation.

FILM

ELIZABETH TAILORS Actress Elizabeth Banks may go for laughs on TV and movies, but in real life, she’s sewing her own niche behind the Hollywood lights.

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

T

HE THING THAT MAKES Elizabeth Banks unique is the same thing that makes Derek Jeter, Southwest Airlines and Olive Garden special. While none of them do any one thing exceptionally, they all do a number of things pretty well.

Banks isn’t the drop-dead fox you might find plastered on a dorm room wall, but she more than suffices as arm candy. She isn’t the sure-fire box-office magnet, but in well-received movies like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, W and Role Models, she does her part with a script. Banks isn’t quite on Kristen Wiig or Courtney Cox’s comedic plane yet either, but as guest Avery Jessup on the smash 30 Rock, she easily slides in as Jack Donaghy’s love interest.

Put all of those elements together and you see why execs clamor for Banks, 36, in subtly silly roles. Add that with her desire to expand women’s position in Hollywood, and you get the sense Elizabeth is more serious than her portrayals hint.

You’ve done recurring roles on 30 Rock and Scrubs. Do you ever see yourself settling down into a series or do you like this dynamic of going back and forth between film and TV? I’m very happy going back and forth right now. I really love playing multiple characters.

You know, I’m not quite ready to commit to a single character for multiple years just yet.

But that said, you know, I never rule it out; life is long and you just never know. But it won’t be anytime soon.

Is there any chance that Avery could come back next year or is this wrapping it up for her?

I would say like with any show, and especially this show, you just never know year to year what the writer are going to decide they want to do or what direction they want to take things in. So, you know, it’s not quite wrapped up. It’s open-ended at the end of the season as to what’s going to happen.

You have great comedic timing. Is it something that you found came natural to you or have you had to hone it in some way?

Well, the great thing about comedic timing is you’re typically born with it. But I can be taught. So, the best people are born with it and, you know, they hone it after a long time.

I think I was born with a little bit of comic timing and the sense of humor. And I have just sort of an openness to laugh. The great thing about comedy is that, you know, there are rules to comedy that I really enjoy like three is funnier than two. Three is funnier than four Fart jokes are always funny. A man dresses as a woman, it’s funny. There’s just like a lot of rules to comedy. And the amazing thing about 30 Rock is that they break a lot of the rules or they explode them, but they also adhere to a lot of them too.

You’re an active participant on Twitter. Why is that so important for you?

I just like having a direct connection to my fans. To me, the power of Twitter is that.

And the great thing about Twitter, which the other social networks don’t have, is there’s no expectation of returning anyone’s Tweet to me. So, most of the people who Tweet to me, I actually read their Tweets. But, you know, I’m a busy person and I don’t have the time or the inclination to respond to everybody.

And the great thing about Twitter is that there’s no expectation to respond. Whereas, you know, if you’re on Facebook and it’s like, “Why don’t you friend me, you bitch?!” And I’m like, “Great, I don’t really want to be called a bitch on Facebook, so I’m not going to do that anymore.”

I’m sure you enjoy doing both movies and TV, but is there something you enjoy more than the other?

Well, they’re totally different things. The main difference between television and movies is that when you make a movie, you know the beginning, middle and end of your character’s arc. You always know where you’re going. You know how the story ends. When you make a TV show, they could decide tomorrow that I get hit by a car or I have a brother or, you know, I’m a lesbian. You just have no idea what they’re going to throw at you. So, the main thing about TV versus film is that you have to create characters that could be open to anything at any moment because, you know, the consistency of the character is really important. It’s important that the writers write a consistent character, that you play a consistent character but that you also feel like this character could go in any direction at any time.

Were you a big fan of 30 Rock before you got on there?

I was. I’m a huge Tina Fey fan. And I have a few friends on the writing staff. I think they’re all amazing. And, yeah, I was a huge fan of the show, of course.

What’s the criteria for you doing a guest spot on a show?

The criteria for me is the character is amazing. Am I actually getting to score comedically on the show, or am I just there to support everybody else? And, you know, I don’t want to go do TV and then be bored by what I’m doing on TV. So, it’s just [about] people who write something really exciting, you know.

Bill Lawrence on Scrubs always wrote me really fun, funny exciting stuff to do. I always felt like I was part of that ensemble. I feel the same way on 30 Rock. I feel very much a part of the ensemble when I’m there making the show. So, it’s really just looking for that sense of belonging.

The Next Three Days, with Russell Crowe, have you finished that?

Yes, we finished it. It comes out November 18. I’m very, very excited. It’s a great movie.

Can you tell me a little bit about it?

Yeah, I play a woman who is accused of murder. I go to prison and my husband, Russell Crowe, breaks me out and we go on the run. We had a lot of fun shooting that…

I THINK I WAS BORN WITH A LITTLE BIT OF COMIC TIMING AND THE SENSE OF HUMOR. AND I HAVE JUST SORT OF AN OPENNESS TO LAUGH.

You know, it’s a bit of a psychological thriller mixed with an action movie. And Russell’s amazing. It’s based on a French film called Por El (For Her). And I’m really, really, really thrilled about it. [Director] Paul Haggis is amazing. He wrote a great character for me. And I’m really excited for people to see it, yeah.

How did you get involved in the producing side of films?

I got involved with producing partially because there’s just a lack of interesting things for women to do in Hollywood. And, you know, I’m a sort of Type A personality who likes a little control in my life. So, it’s probably just gaining back a little control over what I’m doing in my daily life here in good old Hollywood USA. You’re directing too?

Yeah, I directed [a part of a yet-untitled] movie that’s going to come out in the fall that’s a series of comedic shorts that are put together into an overall movie sort of like New York, I Love You, Paris Je T’aime for comedy. [It was] inspired by Kentucky Fried Movie. And they brought together writers and directors from all over. And, you know, they had offered me a short to act in and they said, “Here’s all the great people that are writing and directing them” and it was all men. There was not a single woman on the list. And so I called—I’m friendly with, you know, everybody that was sort of involved. And I just called and I said, “Hey, I’ll definitely act in one for you. I think that’s great. I’d love to be a part of it but I’d really love to direct one as well. And I’m happy to pitch you some things and see if we can come with up something.” I knew I could find something that they’d like. And sure enough we did. We shot it, you know. Yeah, it’s been a couple months now.

What are your thoughts on the state of women in film and television both in front of

the camera and behind it?

The organization Women in Film just came out with new statistics. And like most other things in the world, Fortune 500 companies, or the Senate, we make up, I believe, less than [10] percentage wise of people behind the camera, whether it be produce writers or produce directors and producers, for that matter.

So, it’s a sad state of affairs, my friends.

Can you tell us about the movie The Details?

I can. It is sort of a black comedy. It’s a deep movie about myself and Toby McGuire. We play a couple who are having trouble in our marriage. And we sort of approach different people to sort of help us get through our marriage—help or hurt us, I suppose, get through our marriage. [This includes] Laura Linney, who gives an amazing turn in the movie. Kerry Washington, Ray Liotta and Dennis Haysbert [appear too]. So, it’s a really cool ensemble. And, yeah, it focuses really on Toby trying not to mess up his life.

Do you know what you’re working on next?

I don’t actually. For the first time in a long time, I don’t actually know what I’m going to do immediately next. I have some ideas, but nothing that I’m willing to talk about on this call today.

If you’re not working on something immediately, how are you going to spend your summer?

I’m almost definitely going to take a job.

It just depends which one I’m going to take.

But I’m almost definitely going to take a job.

So we’ll see. That will probably come to light in the next little bit. And if I don’t take a job, that will be fabulous because I have not been home for more than eight days in a row since July 4 of last year. I’m more than happy to spend my summer lying around my pool here in lovely Los Angeles.

PG 29 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

Batter Up!

SPORTS

GLOBAL WARMING Five reasons why the World Cup is the hottest party on the planet

Erotic Fantasies Found at Inserection F

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

ROM JUNE 11JULY 11, THE REST of the world will be glued to the television, earnestly watching 32 of the finest soccer-playing nations grind it out for a handful of precious goals in glorious stadiums across South Africa. The drama will be unmatched. The pageantry will be unbelievable. It will be the sporting event of the year and here’s why. . .

1. HOST WITH THE MOST

Doubters across the map have wondered if the World Cup would be too big for South Africa’s britches. People have worried about terrorism, questioned facility construction and even blogged about an infestation of snakes. Currently ranked 90th by FIFA, host South Africa will be doing all it can to prevent being the first host ever not to make it from the opening group stage.

2. THE MARQUEE NAMES

get all of the acclaim in the international papers, it’s overlooked teams from Chile, Ghana and even Italy (the ’06 World Cup champs) that may surprise some on the pitch. If you’re looking for two others quietly positioning themselves for decent runs this summer, go no further than Cameroon and Honduras. The former is led by threetime African Player of the Year Samuel Eto’o, one of the planet’s finest scorers.

The latter has a veteran tandem at its core, David Suazo and Carlos Pavon, that simply won’t let up.

5. NO SPAIN, NO GAIN

Anchored by more stars (Iker Casillas, Andres Iniesta and Fernando Torres) than a planetarium, Spain comes into the Cup with expectations that are simply out of this World. But with just one loss in their last 46 international matches, the hype is all their own conjuring. International bookies have Spain at 4-to-1 odds of winning the whole thing. Sounds about right.

With apologies to the Ivory Coast’s Didier Drogba, Brazil’s Kaka, Portugal’s Christiano Ronaldo and England’s Wayne Rooney, Argentine assassin Lionel Messi is probably the finest soccer player on the planet. He’s got the individual honors (’09 FIFA Player of the Year, ’10 European Golden Shoe) and team trophies (’08 Olympic Gold) to back up the claim. Now with homeland icon Diego Maradona as his manager, he’s arguably got the most pressure too.

3. THE U.S. HAS BALLS

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For all that’s said about how unenthusiastic America is about futbol, there seems to be more of it happening in the States. The MLS is expanding. The WPS is experimenting. Even next year’s EPL is getting more screen time. (If you’re lost, Google the initials.) Still, when it boils down to it, this nation won’t fully embrace the sport until a serious run is made. Team USA surprised many with its strong finish in last year’s Confederations Cup. Led by Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Tim Howard, Uncle Sam’s current squad could shock even more.

4. EVERY UNDERDOG HAS HIS DAY While the Spains, Germanys and Brazils

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SPORTS

FANATIC

A Monthly Sports Wrap-up

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS “Obviously it will be cold, but that’s what playing football is all about. I’ve been in the Super Bowl and I’ve been to a couple of Super Bowls and if you’re not in it, the Super Bowl is an event and it’s kinda a place to be and there’s no better place to be than New York City for that vibe and that atmosphere.”

–GIANTS QB ELI MANNING, after New York/New Jersey’s New Eli Meadowlands Stadium Manning was awarded the 2014 Super Bowl, becoming the first open-air facility in a cold region to host the event.

Sure, it’s only June, but lots of interesting surprises have already happened in the MAJOR LEAGUES. Here are five of the most shocking: 1) The light-hitting San Diego Padres have the most wins in the National League; 2) The overhyped Seattle Mariners have the second-most loses in the American League; 3) At press time, Toronto’s Jose Bautisa was leading the Majors in home runs with 15 in just 168 atbats. The left fielder only hit 13 in 336 at-bats a year ago; 4) Colorado’s Ubaldo Jimenez leads the Majors with an 8-1 record and a 0.99 ERA. The latter is aided, of course, by his April 17 no-hitter vs. Atlanta; 5) Speaking of the Braves, first-year phenom Jason Heyward is in the NL’s top five in home runs and RBI and is swinging his way to becoming the first rookie to make the league’s all-star game since 1981.

“But if he turned down the Lakers, turned down New Jersey, I can’t see him going to Cleveland. I think he’s happy, he’s content and they got some good players there. We’re about to make another [championship] run [at Duke]. He’s in a good place: Lifetime contract; involved with the business school… I’m trying not to be biased, trying to be objective. He really was what Dean Smith was 10 to 20 years. He is college basketball. He’s the face.

He knows he has a good thing going and I can’t see him leaving.” –Phoenix Sun/former Blue Devil Grant Hill, on the prospects of his excoach, MIKE KRZYZEWSKI leaving Duke to coach the Cleveland Cavaliers While we’re on the NBA, might as well join the free agency conversation that just about everyone in the sports world seems to be having these days. Here is Fanatic’s list of the five guys (not necessarily the top overall players) who’ve helped their summer signings most with pleasing postseason performances: 1) Amar’e Stoudemire; 2) Ray Allen; 3) John Salmons; 4) Tony Allen; 5) Shannon Brown.

“We’ve been to the Finals many times since winning the Cups (in 1974 and ‘75) and we’ve been disappointed each time. But this year I have a different kind of feeling. I mean, this team just won’t quit and I’m hoping, not predicting, that they continue to show the same kind of relentless play they’ve shown and can surprise the whole hockey world.” –PHILADELPHIA FLYERS CHAIRMAN ED SNIDER, on his overachieving team’s Stanley Cup chances And finally…

Slovakia is the only nation participating in the 2010 World Cup for the first time… All 18 former Cup champions have either come from Europe or South America… In Nike’s talkedabout “Write the Future” soccer ad, the words “World Cup” aren’t ever mentioned. Maybe that’s because Adidas is the official clothier for the event… Ronaldo has the most alltime goals at the Cup, with 15… Companies paid upwards of $125 million to be official worldwide sponsors of the event… The record for largest attendance at a single World Cup match is 199,854 for Brazil-Uruguay in the 1950 final in Rio de Janeiro… Speaking of Brazil, the next World Cup is scheduled there June 13-July 13, 2014.

Must-See TV 2. AtNBA Finals (Begins June 3, ABC, TBA) press time, the Suns and Magic were making hoops fans’ dream Lakers-Celtics rematch difficult to imagine.

3.AFrench Open (June 5-6, NBC, TBA) Federer-Nadal men’s final is a must. But we wouldn’t mind Williams-Kuznetsova or Williams-Henin finale on the women’s side.

4. Stanley Cup Finals Game 6 and 7

(June 9 and June 11, NBC, 8:00PM) The most memorable NHL postseason in memory becomes epic if Philly-Chicago draws out.

5. WeNBA Draft (June 24, ESPN, 7:00PM) know John Wall will go No. 1 to Washington, but the fun starts with Evan Turner or Demarcus Cousins at Philly’s No. 2.

Top 5 Games This Month

1. This World Cup (June 11-July 11, ESPN/ABC Networks, TBA) one needs no explanation.

PG 31 • insiteatlanta.com • June 2010

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