INsite December 2013 Issue

DECEMBER 2013

INSITEATLANTA.COM

VOL. 22, NO. 5 FREE

r e n r a G r e f Jenni e g i l B J y r a M

y Holiday e u s s I 3 1 20

s y a l p s i D t h g i L & s n o i t c a r t t A , s t n e v E

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TRAVEL THE WORLD IN ONE DAY Spectacular Lantern Festival Lighting Up the Night

Now through Jan. 05 Hosted at Turner Field

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PG 2 • December 2013 • insiteatlanta.com

CONTENTS • DECEMBER 2013 • VOLUME 22, NO. 5 Atlanta’s

Entertainment Monthly

INTERVIEWS 06 The Book Thief 12 Nick Lachey 22 Jeff Teague 27 Jennifer Garner 28 Dexys 28 Drag the River 29 Mary J Blige

22

FEATURES 08 10 11 14 15 16 21 24 26 30

Holiday Dining Best Christmas Movies Holiday Gift Guide Dr. Who Anniversary NYE Events Holiday Events Best Christmas Music Video Game Guide Holidays in Orlando Naughty Gift Guide

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COLUMNS 04 05 05 07 13 14 18 19 19 20 23 30

Around Town On Tap On A Dime Events Under The Lights Movie Reviews Home Releases Concert Calendar We Got Next Road Warriors Album Reviews Favorite Things Fanatic

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www.insiteatlanta.com STAFF LISTING Publisher Stephen Miller steve@insiteatlanta.com Managing Editor Bret Love bret@insiteatlanta.com Art Director / Web Design Nick Tipton nick@insiteatlanta.com Sports Editor DeMarco Williams demarco@insiteatlanta.com Local Events Editor Glenn Lafollette glenn@insiteatlanta.com Music Editor John Moore john@insiteatlanta.com

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Contributing Writers / Interns: Jon Latham, Ryan Loftis, Rodney Hill, Alex S. Morrison, Steve Warren, Dave Cohen, Jennifer Williams, Matt Connor, Ed Morales, Sacha Dzuba, David Weinthal, Benjamin Carr, Kalena Smith, Justin Patterson, Lee Valentine Smith, Amanda Miles, Patrick Flanary, Ian Coverdale

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CONTACT US 130 West Wieuca Road, Ste. 111 Atlanta, GA 30342 phone (404) 256-4328 • website insiteatlanta.com ADVERTISING INFORMATION (404) 256-4328 • ads@insiteatlanta.com 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 rner Jennifer Gaige knowingly accept false or misleading advertising Mary J Bl 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.

INSITEATLAN TA.COM

DECEMBER 2013 NOVEMBER

INSITEATLAN TA.COM

VOL. 22, NO. 5 FREE

rner Jennifer Ga ge Mary J Bli

NOVEMBER 2013

Holiday Holiday Issue

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2013

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Check out our Holiday coverage all throughout this issue! insiteatlanta.com • December 2013 • PG 3

Around Town Principal Pops Conductor Michael Krajewski will lead the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in “Cirque de la Symphonie” on Nov. 29-30, at 8:00 pm in Atlanta Symphony Hall at the Woodruff Arts Center. In this unique concert experience, which is part of the Orchestra’s POPS! Series, the audience will marvel at high flying aerialists, daredevil cyclists, and acrobatic feats of wonder — all set to classical masterpieces and contemporary hits. Go to woodruffcenter.org for details.

NOV 29

Theatre/Film/Performance

Are you a healthy adult male or female between 18 and 65 years old? You may qualify to participate in a clinical research study.

Comprehensive Clinical Development is conducting a research study you may qualify for if you are between the above ages, in good health and not taking any medications. You would be compensated up to $250 for time and travel. The research is not intended to treat a medical condition. Insurance is not needed.

Call 404-655-4385 or visit comprehensivecd. com for details.

ALL DEC

Dahlonega hosts its Old Fashioned Christmas from Nov. The Tuileries is one of the greatest 29-Dec. 22 with a mix of festive public gardens in the world. The lights and events. There will be Art of the Louvre’s Tuileries caroling, entertainment and a live theater. Go Garden at the High Museum to Dahlonega.org for event listings. brings Paris to Peachtree Street, with picturesque boxed holly trees on the piazza, Fox Theatre Holiday Tours will sculpture drawn directly from the grounds take place during this month of the Tuileries, Impressionist paintings, and of December, two hours prior a three screen video of a stroll through the to every performance of The garden. Go to high.org for more.

Nutcracker. Tickets are on sale now are open to the general public. They do not require a The Georgia Ballet will present ticket purchase to The Nutcracker. For more The Nutcracker from Dec. 6-8. The information, go to foxtheathre.org. timeless classic will be on display at the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre Park Tavern’s Southwest Rink is in the Cobb Civic Center. Visit gerogiaballet. open for use from Thanksgiving org for tickets and pricing. through Presidents Day. Skate all day for $15 from Sunday through The Horizon Theatre welcomes Thursday and $20 on Fridays and Saturdays “Madeline’s Christmas” from Hours are Monday-Friday 4:30pm-Midnight Dec. 7-31. This is the six year for (at 8:30pm begins Adult Skate until Midnight) the production. Tickets are only and Saturday-Sunday 10:30am-Midnight. Go $15 for adults and $12 for children. Go to to parktavern.com for details and ticket info. horizontheatre.com for more.

NOV 29

ALL DEC

ALL DEC

DEC 06

ALL DEC

DEC 07

Museums/Exhibits/Arts

Music/Comedy/Sports

Zoo Atlanta has a special program goings-on during the 1860s and the 1930s. Got on Dec. 7: How the Pandas Stole to atlantahistorycenter.com for more. the Zoo. Use night-vision scopes and telemetry to help Zoo Atlanta Vinings Jubilee will host Horse staff track down the black-and-white bears Drawn Sleigh Rides on Dec. 20 and the stolen gifts. Make an enrichment from 5-8pm. Consider this a gift for a Zoo animal and a present to take premium romantic experience. For home to a friend or loved one, and wake to a more information, got to viningsjubilee.com. continental breakfast and exclusive Zoo tour.

Book a program on zooatlanta.org.

Don’t miss “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at the Fernbank Create a yearly downtown Natural History Museum on tradition in Kirkwood. Join us Dec. 21. There will be screenings for a holiday event, including at 10:30am, 11:30am and 1:30pm. Go to local crafts and artists in our fernbankmuseum.org. holiday market, hot cocoa, local music from the schools and other artists, and a tree lighting. Bring canned goods or a toy for our Charity Holiday Drive. Visit facebook.com/ kirkwoodshomefortheholidays.

DEC 07

DEC 20

DEC 07

DEC 21

Janke Glassblowing Studios presents its annual “WinterGlassFest” on Dec. 14 from Noon to 6pm. There will be a glassblowing show, flame working demos, live music, kids craft corner, refreshments, open artist studios and an artist market. The studio is located at Studioplex, 659 Auburn Avenue NE. Admission is free. Visit jankestudios.com for more information.

DEC 14

The Atlanta History Center’s annual holiday program returns Dec. 14 from 10:30am-4:30pm.

Featured activities include flights of time travel to explore holidays past at Smith Family Farm and Swan House where guests encounter friendly “spirits” sharing their holiday

DEC 14

Celebrate Life’s Moments

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IN HISTORIC TOCO HILL SHOPPING CENTER

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404-634-3197 2891 North Druid Hills Road • Atlanta, Georgia 30329 PG 4 • December 2013 • insiteatlanta.com

Other Stuff

LOCAL EVENTS

LOCAL

On Tap this Month

EVENTS HAPPENING FOR SMALL CHANGE IN ATLANTA

Know of a low cost event of happening? Event@AtlantaOnADime.com

EMAIL EVENTS TO ONTAP@INSITEATLANTA.COM

Nov. 25-Feb. 17: Stone Mountain Park

SNOW MOUNTAIN

Spend a fun-filled day playing across five football fields of frosty joy. Zoom down the 400-foot hill all together in our family-sized tubes, or go it alone as a single rider.

From snowman building to snowball shooting, tubing to togetherness, enjoy all the moments that will make for the perfect snow day. New features for 2013 include Avalanche Alley adding an extra lane for more family tubing time.

Head to stonemountainpark.com for a complete listing of events and ticket pricing.

Now Through Jan. 5: Turner Field Green Lot

GLOBAL WINTER WONDERLAND

Hartsfield-Jackson is the world’s busiest airport, bringing 95 million passengers through Atlanta every year. So it makes sense that the city should host this new holiday celebration of global culture, complete with international music and cuisine, and a look at holiday traditions all around the world. Sundays will be culturally themed days, including a Latin Fiesta (Dec. 1), Asian Heritage Festival (Dec. 8), Black Family Celebration (Dec. 15), Europa Extravaganza (Dec. 22), and Caribbean Carnival (Dec .29). For more info, go to globalwonderland.com.

December 7: Georgia Dome

SEC CHAMPIONSHIP

Once again, this is a game that could easily be renamed “Prelude to a National Title.” The SEC championship game is truly a one of a kind. A member of the conference has gone on to win the past seven straight national championships. So a ticket to the Georgia Dome is a ticket to see the best in the country. Top-ranked Alabama faces either Mizzou or South Carolina for the league’s crown.

Get tickets, if you can, at secsports.com. The winner will go on to face [it doesn’t matter] for the title.

Dec. 27: Philips Arena

JAY-Z

What can be said of Jay Z that hasn’t already? Sure, he’s decidedly more corporate than in the “Big Pimpin’” days, but if you have not had the pleasure of seeing the king of hiphop live, then don’t miss a special concert at Philips Arena this month. Jay Z will perform on Dec. 27 at 8pm as part of the Magna Carter World Tour. There are few musical experiences as compelling. Tickets start at $32.50 and range to $150. For more details and tickets, head to philipsarena.com or to ticketmaster.com. Don’t miss seeing a living legend.

December 31: Georgia Dome

CHICK-FIL-A BOWL

It’s the Southeastern Conference against the Atlantic Coast Conference in Atlanta’s own annual New Year’s Eve tradition. Past matchups have featured the Auburn Tigers and the Virginia Cavaliers, and a great game between Clemson and LSU a year ago. Who will grace the Georgia Dome stage this season? Regardless of the teams, the Chick-fil-A Bowl remains one of the postseason’s best. Go to www.chick-fil-abowl.com for tickets. Expect the game to feature at least one top-10 team and great football.

December 31: Downtown Atlanta

PEACH DROP 2014

Atlanta’s own unique New Year’s tradition returns in Downtown Atlanta for the best and largest way to celebrate the changing of the calender. The annual Peach Drop comes back to with legendary rock band Kansas headlining a night full of fun and entertainment. There will actually be live music the entire day around Underground and Downtown Atlanta. The event starts at 11am and continues until 3am. Access is free. For a complete listing of bands and times, go online to www.peachdrop.com.

SIPS IN THE CITY CALLAWAY GARDENS PHOENIX FLIES HANUKAH HOOTENANNY: August, Check forLANDMARKS” Deals Through Feb. 28, FREE Website “CITYWIDE CELEBRATION OF LIVING FAMILY HANUKAH CELEBRATION Various Downtown Restaurants Callaway Gardens

March 5-20, Free 2, 5:15pm - 7:00 pm, Free Monday, December www.atlantadowntown.com 17800 US Hwy 27 Around the City Various Landmarks MJCCA Zaban Park, Dunwoody Pine Mountain, Georgia phoenixflies.org atlantajcc.org This summer promotion encourages callawaygardens.com

patrons to experience Downtown Atlanta The Phoenix Flies: AforCelebration Living Families are invited a special of Hanukah

on ice! Throughout the heated months of Admission tocreated Gardens is Hootenanny party &Callaway celebration at the MJCCA. Landmarks was in 2003 by The Atlanta July and August, featured restaurants in the complimentary through the end of this Festivities willCenter include Menorah lighting, Preservation as aa way to celebrate the Downtown District willrescue be month (Price isofnormally $15 for adults, songs, and aDining special performance of offering “Milton 25th anniversary the dramatic of the refreshing cocktails, hip happy $6.50 per signature child) guests with the by event Theproviding Bible Players.

Hanukah FoxMenorah” Theatre, an that changed Atlanta’s hours and deals that you won’t want to miss. dinner treats will be available for purchase the opportunity to enjoy time with their preservation outlook forever. This year, the list following thefriends show.

This event is free open Participating restaurants Atlanta family reconnecting inand nature. includesand free guided tours of include The Fox Theatre, to the community.

Grill, Azio Downtown, BLT Steak, Max Free admission includes the Virginia Piedmont Park, Historic Oakland Cemetery, Lager’s, No Mas! Cantina and The Sundial Hand Callaway Discovery Center, Day Civil WarOF Atlanta Walking Tour, Tullie Smith SEASON MAGIC ATSibley PIEDMONT PARK Restaurant.

Visit the website for a complete Butterfly Center, Horticultural Farm House, Margaret Mitchell House, the Through January 5, Check website for pricing list ofBeltline deals.

Center, Mr.Park Cason’s Vegetable Garden, new and much more.

Piedmont Park, MidtownAzalea Atlanta Bowl, Overlook Callaway Brothers piedmontpark.org Garden, Discovery Bicycle Trail, Pioneer AMERICAN CRAFT COUNCIL SHOW IN ATLANTA Log Cabin, Ida Cason Callaway Memorial The 3rd10-13, Annual Season of Magic$13 in Piedmont March Regular admission: Chapel, nature trails and daily programs.

Park runs through Children under 12: freeJanuary. Couples and families can enjoy Cobb Galleria Centerdaily horse-drawn carriage THE UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS rides in Piedmont Park, the only Atlanta Two Galleria Parkway, Atlanta park with carriage Visitors will be Feb. 10 27, Tickets range $15 - $35 craftcouncil.org/Atlantarides.from carriedField through Turner Greenthe Lothistoric areas of the park whileCapitol enjoying beautiful holiday lights and 521 Avenue, Atlanta This 3-day event is the largest juried fine craft ornaments under the scenic Atlanta skyline. universoulcircus.com Show in the southeast. The show has been During Season of Magic you can also enjoy the premiere marketplace for skyline regionalin fine carousel rides with the UniverSoul Atlanta the The Circus craft lovers and collectors, and offers guests background or romantic strolls through the continues itsworksurge the chance tothe meet andlights purchase from Park to enjoy festive and ornaments.

YELLOW JACKET to around the toptheofcountry. the live esteemed artists from To In partnership with Park Tavern, visitors can entertainment ranks FAN DAY reach first-time collectors and established craft also enjoy ice skating. with interactive funky Saturday, 6, 3pm –its6pm, Free collectorsAugust alike, the newest show category for rendition of a traditional Bobby DoddHOLIDAY Stadium Grant Field UnderTOUR DECATUR CANDLELIGHT participating artists isatHandmade $100.

UniverSoul has www.ramblinwreck.com OF HOMES Artists who sell workcircus. for under $100 will have captivated audiences December 6-7, 5:30pm-9:30pm, $20 for in Advance, their booths specially marked patrons around the world $25 Day of Tour Festivities at from 3ap.m. on Callaway Plaza interested inbegin starting collection. with its unique brand decaturga.com with music, prizes, inflatables and games for that blends circus arts, the kids.

From 4-6 p.m. the gates will open ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY FREEand OPEN HOUSE Take a walk down Street” the theater music. and fans can enter “Main the stadium toduring meet the March 12, 11am-3pm, Free 31st annual Decatur Holiday Candlelight Founded in Atlanta over 2011 Yellow Jackets.

Football players will be AtlantaofMotor Speedway Tour Homes.

The tour showcases the 17 position years ago, the at audience seated with their groups various 1500 Tara Place,along Hampton neighborhoods original willthewatch amazement as main stilt points on playinginDecatur’s field.

Head coach Paul atlantamotorspeedway.com thoroughfare and attracts visitors from around walkers make their way across a tight Johnsontowill sign autographs from 4-5 p.m. the areahorse experience the history and tradition rope, riders perform death-defying and will be available for photographs from of ourthe community during thefor holiday season.

Visit track’s Open House free.

Activities stunts, and contortionists bend into 5-6 p.m.

Please limit autographs to ONE include championship legends racing on the incredible and beautiful shapes. item perCAROLS player or coach. be the LARRY, & MO quarter-mile “Thunder Ring.This ”, freewilldrawings first opportunity to get the 2011 football Monday, December 9, 7:00pm, Free for big prizes, drive your own car on the track poster aspurchase well2011 as ofschedule cards, ticket CHEERSPORT NATIONAL The Theatre withFoxthe Labor Day NASCAR information and other items throughout the foxtheatre.org CHEERLEADING & DANCE tickets, fans can select their seats for the Labor afternoon.

Most campus parking lots will Day Race Weekend, tour the Speedway’s race CHAMPIONSHIP Kick off the season with this annual holiday organ be available. control Feb. 18 –tower 20 and suites, take photos with concert and sing-along with popular holiday the Atlanta Motor Speedway pace car $30 for 2-day pass Story. movie “A Christmas ” In addition, thereand willa SIMON GAMEPLAY TOUR NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner’s trophy, $20 for 1-day pass be snow falling on20 Peachtree Street from the Fox Saturday, August @ shop 10am,and Free discounts at5 AMS gift much and more.

Kids Under are Free Theatre’ s marquee, photos with Santa hot DiscoverWorld Mills Mall, Georgia Centerfor purchase. Free apple cider willCongress be Lawrenceville available www.simon.com 285 Andrew Young International Atlanta tickets are available online, at theBlvd., Fox Theatre cheersport.net ticket office, at Atlanta area Whole Foods The Simon GamePlay locationstour andwillallconnect Ticket fans of all ages to the hottest video games before Alternative outlets.

Bring it on…this electrifying cheerleading they are launched and available in stores. and dance competition features teams The recently launched Nintendo This 3DS competing from across America. gaming system will take center stage with year, it expects to grow larger than ever a “Nintendo Lounge, ” with couches, with over 9003DS teams participating, from snacks and games.

Nintendo also offer ages three through college. will Cheersport “Street Pass,”bytournament-style play loved using was founded all-star coaches who Nintendo 3DS devices.

GamePlay will competitive cheerleading and dance. feature 10 gaming pods, including 2 mature Check the website for the full competition zones, with products from instrusty leaders schedule. like SEGA, Capcom, 2K and Atari.

By Marci Miller 2011 SOUTHEASTERN HUNGER WALK/RUN 5KFLOWER SHOW THE 86TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CAROL Feb. 25 27, Adults $18 in advance) March 13, Noon-4pm, $25($15 for runners 8th ANNUAL GERMAN BIERFEST CONCERT

Youth/Student $7,27, Kids2 under 5 are Free Free for walkers Saturday, August – 7pmMorehouse Friday, December 6 @ 7:30pm, College Cobb Galleria Centre Parking is free $30 Online, $35 At7the Door Spelman College Saturday, December @ 7:30pm, Two Galleria Parkway, Turner Field Green LotAtlanta Woodruff Park, Downtown Atlanta Sunday, December 8@ 6:00pm, Morehouse College sehort.org 755 Hank Aaron Drive, Atlanta www.germanbierfest.com Free hungerwalkrun.org morehouse.edu Presented by celebrates the Southeastern This summer event the greatness Horticultural Society, this annual premier Join thousands of runners and walkers of German beer tradition in a isfamily-friendly This beloved holiday held annuallyat gardening event promotes preservation this annual event that benefits the Atlanta on three nights early in December.

The concert environment. Complete with authentic and awareness of flowers and features a combined chorus of both the Community Food Bank and five other local German food, activities for the kids, plants music Morehouse and Spelman College through andBierfest artistic expression. nonprofits.

Participants can register as aClubs team and fun,education the German isGlee not only presented inauthentic alternation with selections from Show activities include speakers, or individually online or register the juried day of the only German Bierfest in each individual Glee Club they perform special competition, kids’ activities, Landscape & the event.

There will beas activities for all ages Atlanta, but the only family-friendly beer arrangements of For Christmas carols, anthems, Discovery Gardens and more. includingasgames, livethe entertainment & more. festival well. price of admittance,

spirituals, and songs. people Gates open atAfrican noon, runbeer &7000 walk begin attendees can drinkthe all5KtheOver they can come from all over the southeast each year to at 2 p.m. safely consume.

Designated drivers are 10th OAKHURST WINE CRAWL attend ANNUAL the concerts, which are presented free of encouraged can attend for free. No one Saturday, 26, 4 pm-7 pm community. charge as aFeb. giftand of music to the under the age of 21 will be $25 in advance A-TOWN DAYfor Tasting Glass permitted to consume alcohol. $30 day26, ofNoon-8pm, event March $5A designated driver SKATE ATLANTIC STATION service will also be sitechildren for those Oakhurst Business14, District Lakewood Through February $13,on$10 underwho 5, find themselves in an unsafe condition to oakhurstga.org 2002 Lakewood Ave SE, Atlanta seniors, college students and military, groups of drive home.

20 or more are $10 atownday.com Atlantic Station in this year’s event will get Participants atlanticstation.com to sample wines from around theconcert, world A-TOWN DAY is a health festival, PIGS & PEACHES BBQcare FESTIVAL while exploring all the businesses in the and a 26 major of 5pm Awareness August & 27,day Friday - 11pm celebrating Billed as Atlanta’ s Largest Outdoor Skate Oakhurst neighborhood.

There will be 20 all things10am Atlanta.

A-TOWN Saturday – 10pm, Free DAY benefits Experience, Get ready to lace up your ice skates participating establishments and the event the Diabetes of Atlanta and The Ben RobertsonAssociation Community Center, Kennesaw and head to oversell to Atlantic Station.The Starting Nov. expects out quickly.

Bus B-Aware Foundation.

This event willFur feature www.facebook.com/PigsAndPeaches 15, kick off the holiday season with Skate Atlantic will be on hand to transport participants live music, poetry, car showopen-air and lotsice-skating of family Station, a 10,000-square-foot, from bar to bar.

Ticketsacannon-sanctioned be purchased friendly events.

The event features rink. Tickets are only available at the Skate Atlantic from Steinbeck’s Ale House, Ujoint, Backyard BBQ, Anything Butt Peach Station rink.

Ticket price includes skateand rental. and Karvana Coffee Shop, all located in Dessert PARK Contest, as well as a WEEK Kansas City INMAN RESTAURANT Oakhurst village.

Barbeque Society CHICK-FIL-A-BOWL PARADE & Professional FANFEST March 28-April 3, $15sanctioned Contest, which is31recognized Tuesday, December $25 & $35 for three-course meal as a Georgia State NATIONAL Championship Barbeque Cookoff.

Parade, 1:00pm – 2:30pm, IHOP PANCAKEFree DAY CELEBRATION inmanparkrestaurantweek.com Fan 2:30pm 6:30pm, per person, OverFest, $14,000 cash and prizes will be Tuesday, March 1,in7–am-10 pm,$17 Free Pancakes Children under 5 Inman are free awarded to House contest winners. food International of Pancakes Savor historic Park withBesides three-course Georgia Center for sale,World andCongress free music from of Locations throughout Metro Atlantaa number dinners from 11 local restaurants.

Proceeds chick-fil-abowl.com local and national acts, festival goershelps will IHOPPancakeday.com will benefit Project Open Hand, which be treated to a large Kid Zone (with many people prevent or Parade better manage The Chick-fil-A Bowl serves as thechronic official attractions FREE to families), vendor On thisthrough day, customers willunique receive one disease comprehensive nutrition care. kickoff for game day.

This bowl tradition features booths andstack sponsor exhibits.

The Silver free short (three) ofand IHOP’s famous $1 raffle tickets will be sold will go towards colorful themed floats, classic cars, cheerleaders, Wings paratrooper aerial exhibition team buttermilk pancakes.

All they askwill isdance that the charity.

The winner of the raffle win mascots, award-winning marching bands, returns to the event, and will jump into the patrons consider making a donation to agroups hosted hor d’ouerves, beer and wine party and more. This free event launches at the festival on Saturday, August 27.

Crowds support local children’s hospitals through at Park’s Edge Restaurant for thirty of their intersection of Peachtree Street and Baker Street will be Each treated to Network aPark wonderful display of Children’s Miracle or other local friends.

Inman restaurant will bring and concludes at the Georgia World Congress aerobatics and patriotic in charities.

Since beginning Center, leading fans into theperformances Chick-fil-A Bowl tastes from their restaurants foritstheNational winner. the There will also fireworks Pancake Day inhuge, 2006, IHOP FanFest.

Football fans of be all aages get The sky. winner willcelebration be announced atcan the endinto of grand finale. has raised than millionfor toa the spirit of more ACC SEC$5.35 competition with the restaurant week.vs.

Check the website attractions suchofasparticipating receiving, and kicking support in the passing communities in complete charities list restaurants. games, obstacle courses and rock climbing walls. which it operates.

FESTIVAL PEACHTREE LATINO The bands, cheerleaders mascotsFree of both Sunday, August 28, 11am and – 7:30pm, teams will be on hand to lead their fans in the Piedmont Park traditional fight songs and cheers. www.festivalpeachtreelatino.com

Festival Peachtree Latino has been the largest family & multicultural event in the southeast since 2000. They have featured hundreds of exhibitions, family activities, sporting events, parades, arts & crafts, ethnic foods and outdoor musical performances featuring renowned international musicians on two stages. The best part about it is that the event is absolutely FREE!! This year, Festival Peachtree Latino has more to offer, with new attractions and a larger schedule of musical performances.

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FILM

STEALING HEARTS

The Book Thief Brings A Beloved Bestseller to the Big Screen

BY JENNIFER SMITH WILLIAMS

A

S HOLIDAY FILM RELEASES go, The Book Thief is a long one. At 131 minutes, its story has a similarly complex depth as its monumental original manuscript (a 500+ pager), which was written

by Markus Zusak. But what the film lacks in conciseness, it completely makes up for in glorious yearning.

The film adaptation of Zusak’s book is beautifully executed, incredibly cast and delivered in a way that coats the misery of Nazi Germany with something hopeful and redeeming. In fact, the film is just as good as the novel (which spent six years on the New York Times bestseller list, thanks to the savvy approach of the filmmakers.

“What was supposed to be a short novella slowly turned into this 563-page book,” Zusak says after an Atlanta-area screening of the film in November. “So it was better to hand over the story to the screenwriters, because the result wouldn’t be as good if the movie turned out to be five hours long.”

As the audience laughs at his joke, the author points out that hearing people laugh at certain points during the movie was reward enough for him. It shows how they much enjoy the deeply personal stories that he remembers from his own childhood.

“Honestly, I thought no one would ever read [the book],” he admits. “I thought it was going to die a quick death, and we would

forget about it. Instead, now it’s a story that means the world to me. And since I’ve been living with it for seven years now, it means a lot to me that they did such a good job with it.”

The film’s French Canadian-born star, 13-year-old newcomer Sophie Nelisse, provides a central artery to this story’s chemistry. But the casting directors smartly surrounded her veteran actors, including the gentle and humorous Geoffrey Rush and the equally pleasing Emily Watson.

Though she mistakenly thought that she was going to be in a movie with Harry Potter’s Hermione, Emma Watson, and had only heard that Geoffrey Rush was “apparently a good actor,” Nelisse jumped into filming with gusto and a newbie’s willingness to soak up all that she could from her co-stars and production team. And she admits that, once she saw Shine, she knew that Rush was actually an awesome actor.

“There was a lot of pressure in the beginning,” she confesses. “I was really nervous, because if I was bad, then the movie would be bad, and then they would blame it on me. But it turned out that I was working with all of these amazing people who I could learn a lot from. It really was a honor just be on set with them. Plus, we had a lot of fun.

There are tons of blooper reels, and everyone was always doing gags.”

Of course, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed

. . .

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Nelisse is pretty amazing herself. The moment she comes on screen (not to mention walks into the theater where the screening was held), audiences can’t help but light up. Just 12 years old when the movie was filmed, she’s already mastered the fine art of balancing the line between being worn down, but not beaten up; downtrodden, but still hopeful.

For those who haven’t read The Book Thief, the story follows a little girl named Liesel, who loses her brother while on her way to a foster home. Along the way, she has to say goodbye to her Jewish mother, who’s on the run from Hitler. The tale is narrated by Death, but it’s an eloquent version of Death, with a rich, children’s storytelling-type voice courtesy of Roger Allam.

We’re eventually introduced to Liesel’s foster family, who have a few secrets of their own that make their struggle for survival as suspenseful as it is endearing. We watch the girl age from nine years old to 16, experiencing love, loss, and the overwhelming awe of discovery that makes it all so emotional.

Liesel loves books, but in the beginning she can’t read. Her journey to literacy mirrors her struggle to survive the devastating war.

But the story’s power goes well beyond the books. It delves into the words inside them and illustrates how a word– or better yet, a well-crafted group of words– can foster imagination of a life outside the reality of suffering. Overall, the film shows how a trip into the creative mind of one young girl can, in turn, inspire an entire community.

You might think a movie about poor Germans, and Jews living secretly in basements, would be dirty, sad and monochromatic (a la last year’s adaptation of Les Miserables). But, in keeping with the positive tone of Zusak’s novel, the film delivers toe-headed, rosy-cheeked children with perfectly parted pigtails and bright red sweaters. In fact, the dirtiest anyone gets is when the protagonist’s buddy covers himself in mud to innocently impersonate Jessie Owens, “the fastest man in the world.”

The story matures right along with Liesel, but counters every tough emotional blow with a romantic, sun-drenched scene of unconditional love and forgiveness.

Ultimately, this is the best way to hear a sad story. Stereotypical “happy” ending or not, the film has a genuine ending that spreads a good, hopeful message to a much wider audience than a harsher cinematic approach ever could.

The brains behind the operation, Downton Abbey director Brian Percival, claims that he looked for the sort of chemistry Sophie has with the rest of the cast for a long time before

he found this group. “You’ve really got to find the right pieces for your characters,” he says.

“The key to getting a natural performance is finding an actor that has a character close to the role they’re playing. You don’t want them to look like they’re acting. Sophie had that feistiness about her. She was a strong-willed girl. This role allowed her to be, rather than to act. Even though she is a brilliant actress.”

Surprisingly, when she first auditioned, Sophie didn’t even want the role. “I didn’t really want to audition,” she admits. “I was in gymnastics. That’s what I was doing. I was doing gymnastics, and I wanted to be in the Olympics. But I told myself, ‘Whatever, just go audition, because I’m not going to get the part anyway.’”

To her surprise, she got the callback. And by the time she read the script in L.A., she was in tears and sold on the role. Obviously, she got it.

So gymnastics made way for art, to give her more time to shoot in the afternoons. She dove head-first into studying the Holocaust, which her school hadn’t covered yet in their curriculum. Although just barely hitting double digits in age, the youngster watched Schindler’s List, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, The Pianist, Life is Beautiful and The Reader— gritty material that even mature adults have a hard time sitting through.

She read Anna’s Suitcase and covered a lot of ground in Berlin, studying the wall, the posters and monuments, and even visiting bomb shelters.

Was she overwhelmed by the emotional content? Hardly.

“Right when I read the script, I loved my character a lot,” she recalls. “I loved that she was sending a great message to all people, but especially to kids. And the cool part is that I got to play her over six years of time. So I was playing her at 16, and then literally three hours later I was 10 years old again. Then, the next day, I’m back at 14.

“Emotionally,” she continues, “it changed a bit every day. I was always really happy to be on set, but there were days where I would love the message so much that I would get home and just want to hug my sister. On other days I was a bit more depressed, especially the last day. I had to cry (on camera) all day, so I came home really sad. Crying all day is hard, so when you get home you just want to cry some more.”

We’re crying too, over the premature bets we placed in the 2013 Oscar Race. Trust us, this girl is one to watch. As is The Book Thief, one of the best Holocaust films we’ve seen.

See The Book Thief nationwide on Thanksgiving.

Under The Lights A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Through Dec 29 Alliance Theatre Box Office (404) 733-5000 AllianceTheatre.org/christmas

A Christmas Carol, the most heartwarming story of the season comes to life with holiday carols and stunning stage magic. In this tale of redemption Ebenezer Scrooge goes to sleep on Christmas Eve as a miserly, stone-hearted man and awakens on Christmas Day with a compassionate and benevolent heart after his encounter with three ghosts. This will be the final opportunity to see favorite Atlanta actor Chris Kayser, who has played the role of Scrooge for 16 of his last 20 seasons, as he is retiring after this year. “Brilliant writing, vivid characters, and a story that touches on the human condition in a way that bears up under repeated revisiting. It’s kept me coming back for 20 years,” said Kayser.

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER Now through December 29 Center for the Puppetry Arts

Office (404) 873-3391 Puppet.org

As one of the world’s most beloved tales of the holiday season, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer returns to the Center’s main stage.

This puppet rendition, adapted and direct-

ed by the Center’s Artistic Director Jon Ludwig, is sure to speak to the misfit in audiences of all ages. “I have always loved this story.” Jon adds, “It’s about Rudolph and Hermey finding their place in the world and realizing that everyone has a purpose.

That’s what the holidays are about: family and community.”

SANTALAND DIARIES

Now through December 31 Horizon Theatre (404) 584.7450

A magical tradition for the whole family.

Buy Early & Save

HorizonTheatre.com

Horizon Theatre Company is in holiday cheer as it reprises its popular production of The Santaland Diaries by award-winning satirist David Sedaris. Adapted from David Sedaris’ best-selling book Holidays on Ice, this holiday tale is a modern classic made famous when it aired on National Public Radio. The Play recounts the tale of his stint as a Macy’s Department Store elf named Crumpet who is played for the 15th year by Harold M. Leaver.

Joining Leaver this year as Crumpet’s sidekicks are Enoch King and LaLa Cochran.

You won’t want to miss Chris Kayser’s final season as Scrooge!

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By Charles Dickens Adapted by David H. Bell Directed by Rosemary Newcott

Healthy Males or Females 18 to 65 years old?

> 4 tickets > Parking > Family photo

> Pre-show choir performances

Family Nights are 11/29, 12/11, 12/12, 12/17 and 12/19

November 29–December 29

You may qualify to participate In a clinical research study

Tickets @ 404.733.5000

Comprehensive Clinical Development is conducting a clinical research study. If you are male or female between 18 and 65 years old, in good health, and not taking any medications you may qualify to participate.

Qualified participants will receive, at no cost, study related: Medical Exams and labs • Cognitive testing

alliancetheatre.org/christmas Plan your holiday party with Group Services 404.733.4690 Chris Kayser in the Alliance Theatre’s 2009/10 production of A Christmas Carol. Photography by Greg Mooney. *Cannot be combined with other offers and not valid on previously purchased tickets. Subject to availability.

Additional adult and child priced tickets can be added on.

You may be compensated up to $ 250.00 for your time and travel.

This research is not intended to treat a medical condition.

Insurance is not needed to participate.

Family Series on the Alliance Stage

6065 Roswell Road, Suite 820 Atlanta, GA 30328

Call: 404-655-4385 • www.comprehensivecd.com

insiteatlanta.com • December 2013 • PG 7

HOLIDAY DINING

Catering, Private Parties and Great Holiday Fare at Atlanta Restaurants Copeland’s Famous New Orleans Restaurant

3131 Cobb Pkwy 770.612.3311 1142 Barrett Pkwy770.919.9612 CopelandsAtlanta.com

Atlanta's Best Cajun restaurant is a great choice this holiday season. Copeland's is the home of the New Orleans Jazz Brunch Buffet.

Copeland's catering offers party pans with large take out portions of your favorite Copeland's dishes. Platters are centered around their signature Cajun Fried Turkeys and Holiday Honey Hams.

Order along with great sides of Red Hot Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce, Turkey Gravy, Homemade Biscuits and more. Copland’s catering can be ordered online at CopelandsAtlanta.com. They are now offering a $25 Gift Card with purchase of a $100 Gift Card.

Agave

242 Boulevard 404.588.0006 agaverestaurant.com

Candler Park 404.687.8888 Midtown 404.874.8887 flyingbiscuit.com Catering 404.849.2283

Chin Chin

3887 Peachtree Rd. 404.816.2229 Multiple Locations chinchinatlanta.com

From crab rangoons to cashew chicken, Chin Chin offers fine dining that won’t break the bank.

Chin Chin has several locations around metro Atlanta, each with the same great flavor, healthy portions and elegant décor. Their award winning chef has made Chin Chin a Best Of winner for many years. Chin Chin is available for private parties and their menu can accomodate catering orders large and small.

Bhojanic Indian Restaurant

Recognized as one of the “Top 100” restaurants in Atlanta and the “Best Southwestern Cuisine” Agave is where to celebrate with friends and family over the holidays. Agave has two beautiful dining rooms as well as an enclosed heated patio. The rooms can accommodate parties from 6 guests to 100 and are available for private party bookings. Now through December 19th they are adding a free $25 gift card to every $100 online gift card purchased from agaverestaurant.com.

The Flying Biscuit Cafe’

The Flying Biscuit’s Midtown and Candler Park (original) locations are offering new menu items along with beer and wine.

Their one of a kind award winning biscuits are the perfect addition to any holiday function. Call the catering hotline or check The Flying Biscuit website for great ways to make this year’s holiday party a memorable one.

Decatur 404.633.9233 Buckhead 404.841.8472 Catering Hotline 404.702.8301 bhojanic.com

Bhojanic serves authentic Indian fare using only the finest vegetables and meats.

The food you find at Bhojanic is exactly like the food cooked in the homes of Northern India. They offer full service holiday catering while providing the food, quality paper dinnerware, tablecloths, serving supplies, and HotBox (to keep your food hot for hours). Bhojanic has a stand alone catering business through ANIC (Atlanta North Indian Catering, Inc.) so they can accomodate any function. For those looking to book a holiday party or for private dining, Bhojanic recently opened a new location in Buckhead at Shops Around Lenox.

Fat Matt’s Rib Shack

1811 Piedmont Ave. 404.607.1622 fatmattsribshack.net

Atlanta’s favorite barbecue joint also caters! Barbecue lends itself perfectly for catering and where better to go than Fat Matt’s. They have great party packages set up to accomodate parties of up to 50 or more. Call their Catering Hotline 678-457-0275.

Baldinos Giant Jersey Subs

80 Powers Ferry Rd. 770.321.1177 5697 Buford Hwy. 770.455.8570 baldinos.us

Let Baldinos Giant Jersey Subs take the stress out of catering your holiday party. They have something for everyone from their assortment of famous subs to deli salads by the pound, cookies by the dozen and iced-tea by the gallon. Throw a great event that won’t break the bank. “It’s always a party when you invite Baldinos.”

Johnny’s Pizza & Subs

1810 Cheshire Bridge Rd. 404.874.8304 JohnnysPizza.com

Johnny’s Pizza has come to be synonymous with great pizza and subs in Atlanta. They specialize in NY Style pizza, which is thin in the middle and thick around the edges. Johnny’s offers plenty of specialty pizzas plus subs, salads, sandwiches and other popular Italian dishes including calzones, strombolis and lasagna. Go to their website to find the location nearest you.

Cellar 56

56 East Andrews Dr. Buckhead 678.244.3600 Cellar56.com

Cellar 56 intimate bar and comfortable dining room makes for the perfect place to celebrate the holidays with

agave restaurant agave restaurant an eclectic southwestern eatery

Your Neighborhood Pizzeria!

an eclectic southwestern eatery & tequila bar . est. 2000 & tequila bar est. 2000 Reservations at 404.588.0006 Reservations 404 588 0006 or online at: : or online at www.agaverestaurant.com www.agaverestaurant.com 242242Boulevard S.E.Atlanta Atlanta 30312 Boulevard S.E. . 30312

NOW THROUGH DEC 19TH Now throughth December 19

Buy a $100 Gift Card and get a $25 Gift Card for FREE! Purchase online at agaverestaurant.com

BEST PIZZA! PHOTOS BY MARK PETKO

ER! W INN Consistently Voted One Of Atlanta’s Best Restaurants BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY PARTY WITH US! INsite Magazine Best of Atlanta Winner

PREFIXED MENUS & PRIVATE ROOMS AVAILABLE Best Southwestern Cuisine & Best Margarita !!

PG 8 • December 2013 • insiteatlanta.com

ER! W INN

&

Multiple Atlanta Locations: www.JohnnysPizza.com

Holiday Dining Cont’d.

that special someone.

They offer an eclectic, boutique selection of more than 56 wines paired with a bistro menu that celebrates seasonal flavors and local purveyors.

Twin Peaks

3365 Piedmont Rd. 404.961.8946 twinpeaksrestaurant.com

Twin Peaks is more than great views.

The mountain lodgestyle sports restaurant features high-quality comfort food and an extensive selection of draft beers. This is a great place to get together with friends over the holidays.

They have private rooms that can be booked and a lively rooftop patio adorned with the beautiful Twin Peaks Girls.

Park Tavern

500 10th Street NE 404.249.0001 parktavern.com

The Park Tavern offers expansive views overlooking Piedmont Park making it a favorite for private parties.

They have a full in house party planning team to make your holiday event a memorable one. This time of year they transform part of their patio into the Southwest Ice Rink which is great fun for get togethers.

Park Tavern offers half-off sushi nightly from 10pm - Midnight and half-off bottles of wine on Wednesday nights. And don’t forget when it’s raining they pour $1 Drafts.

Savage Pizza

484 Moreland Ave. 404.523.0500 115 Laredo Dr. @ Clarendon 404.299.5799 SavagePizza.com

At Savage the pizzas and prepared dishes are made from scratch every day using homemade sauces, the best mozzarella, and fresh dough. In addition to their famous pizzas, they also have calzones, salads, subs and pasta. Savage has two locations conveniently located in Little 5 Points and Avondale Estates near Decatur so you can take a break and replenish from holiday shopping. Savage serves both lunch and dinner with indoor and outdoor seating and offers catering and delivery to the area. Call the location nearest you and let Savage handle all of your holiday dining needs.

PARTY PLANNING JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT EASIER!

Subs from $3.49 All Day! www.baldinos.us Marietta 80 Powers Ferry Rd 770-321-1177 (closed Sundays)

V oT e d B e s T i n d i a n 2013 | W e h aV e T h e B e s T C u s To m e r s!

3652 Roswell Rd. Buckhead landmarkdiner.com 404.816.9090

Spice up the Holidays with a Famous Cajun Fried Turkey & all the fixin’s Available for Take-Out Only.

Ask about our full service Catering and Delivery.

ER! W INN

• Cajun Fried Turkey•Louisiana Cornbread Stuffing • Red Hot Mashed Potatoes•Green Beans with Ham • Mashed Sweet Potatoes•Biscuits • Creole Corn •Turkey Gravy •Homemade Desserts

CUMBERLAND 770-612-3311 KENNESAW 770-919-9612

www.CopelandsAtlanta.com

ER! W INN

VOTED BEST SUBS IN ATLANTA

Landmark Diner

After hitting Phipps Plaza and Lenox Mall for your holiday shopping, what better place to head to than Landmark Diner. Find a wide variety of great sandwiches, salads, appetizers and dinner fare including chicken, veal, steak and seafood dishes. Plus they prepare great meals 24 hours a day! So whether you crave a 2 a.m. breakfast or an 8 a.m. steak, the dishes at Landmark Diner will hit the spot. The Buckhead location is now offering threecourse dinners for just $9.99; including dinner entree, soup & dessert. Deal offered from 2 - 9 pm daily.

Doraville 5697 Buford Hwy. 770-455-8570

NER! W IN

Book your holiday party at Bhojanic private dining and off premise

TradiTional indian food in a n o n T r a d i T i o n a l aT m o s p h e r e Buckhead | 404.841.8472

d e c at u r | 4 0 4 . 6 3 3 . 9 2 3 3

3400 Around Lenox Dr, Buckhead, GA 30326

1363 Clairmont Rd, Decatur, GA 30033

Shops Around Lenox N e xt t o C r at e & B a r r e l ™

J u s t N ort h of N . D e c at u r a n d Clairmont Rd Intersection

Join the Club become a Member

Receive Deals at Retailers and Win

FRee TickeTs

to Movies, concerts, Theatre shows & events More info at www.cinemoms.com

BEST

ER! W INN

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LIVE MUSIC LINEUP FOR DECEMBER

FRI 6 ......... RUMBLEFISH SAT 7 ..........THE BOO HOO RAMBLERS FRI 13 ....... WILLY JACKSON SAT 14 ..... MR CHAPMANS QUARTERLY REVUE FRI 20 ....... ROUGH DRAFT SAT 21 ..... DRY WHITE TOAST 24,25,26 .... CLOSED Merry Christmas !

FRI 27 ........ SWEET & SALTY SAT 28 ..... THE FREEBIRDS TUES 31 .... BEVERLY “GUITAR” WATKINS SUNS ........ SNAKE LEGS MONS ....... DRY WHITE TOAST TUES ......... BURNING TIME WEDS ....... THE GEORGIA FLOOD THUS ........ CHICKENSHACK

1811 Piedmont Ave. NE

404-607-1622

For Booking: 404-325-8846 insiteatlanta.com • December 2013 • PG 9

FILM

THE TOP 20 CHRISTMAS MOVIES

One Film Buff’s Humble Opinion

BY CHRISTIAN PEREZ

I

F YOU HAVEN’T NOTICED FROM all the decorations being put up in malls across the nation, the Christmas season is fast approaching. And with it comes the annual slew of holiday-themed films that take over our television sets from the first of December until the 25th. There are so many great holiday films to choose from, including hoary chestnuts such as It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle On 34th Street (which I’ll assume you’re as tired of as I am). But, after doing some digging into the vaults, I’ve compiled a list of what I feel are the best flicks to really get your egg noggin’. Some of these go a little off the beaten path and aren’t traditional “Christmas movies,” but they are set during the season. So, without further ado…

BAD SANTA

If you can handle a bit of raunchiness during your holidays, look no further than Bad Santa. This is a dark comedy, but never fails to bring the belly laughs. Billy Bob Thornton is fantastic as the sleazy, alcoholic mall Santa who really makes his living by robbing the various places he works for.

But the best part is the kid that Thornton “befriends” in order to crash at his house.

Once you see the gift he makes for Santa and the mishaps that occur in order to achieve it, hilarity ensues.

BATMAN RETURNS

Come for another dark and twisted film

by Tim Burton, but stay for a wonderfully odd performance by Danny DeVito (as the Penguin) and Michelle Pfeiffer in an equally wonderful, highly suggestive leather Catwoman suit. This is the flick that ensured that Burton wouldn’t be making another Batman film due to its shockingly dark tone and often frightening scenes of violence. But its bleak and cold presentation is great for any superhero fan who wants to explore the seedier side of the holiday season.

BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974)

Though director Bob Clark may be best known for A Christmas Story, which will appear later on this list, this Xmas horror gem is perfect for bringing both holiday cheer and horrified screams. The story is set during winter break in a sorority house,

where the girls are stalked by an unseen killer, who torments them with crude phone calls before picking them off one by one. It may not be some people’s definition of a Christmas classic, but it’s slashing good fun!

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS

OK, so it’s technically a TV show rather than a film. Still, this is a Christmas classic through and through. It doesn’t really feel like the holidays without the Peanuts gang (and Vince Guaraldi’s music), and this is a must-see during any Christmas movie marathon.

A CHRISTMAS STORY

Many people over the years have cried fowl about the enduring popularity of this film.

But in my opinion, it’s just not Christmas without at least five screenings of Bob Clark’s irreverent classic during TBS’ “24 Hours of A Christmas Story” marathon. Watching Ralphie pining after his beloved Red Ryder BB gun, his dad cursing and moaning about the heater and the neighbor’s dogs, his mom accidentally breaking the scandalous leg lamp (it’s fra-gee-lay), and his brother Randy not being able to put his arms down… Well, to me this film is what Christmas is all about.

EDWARD SCISSORHANDS

Personally, I feel that Tim Burton bordered on David Lynch-ian territory with this vibrant, pastel-laden film about a modernday Frankenstein monster who just wants to be loved, which is precisely why the movie makes it onto this list. It’s dark, brooding, and remains bizarrely enjoyable even after repeated viewings. Johnny Depp’s leather suit, Robert Smith-inspired hair, and innocent romantic charm will surely help spread the holiday cheer.

ELF

It took me some time to warm up to this one. But eventually I realized it’s truly a worthy addition to the seasonal viewing rotation. Will Ferrell is as funny as ever as an elf who leaves the North Pole in search of his real dad, and the surprisingly subtle turn from Zooey Deschanel as his love interest is charmingly open-hearted. Supporting turns

by James Caan, Bob Newhart and a scenestealing Peter Dinklage ensure the laughs keep coming at a steady pace. Jon Favreau has made some interesting directorial

choices over the years. Here, he presents a wonderful, modern Christmas tale that you can quote all year long.

GREMLINS

Director Joe Dante’s odd horror/comedy hybrid is downright awesome. We all know the rules that accompany owning a new Mogwai (no light, no water, no food after midnight)) just as well as we know the characters. But I still get giddy each time they forget. The movie can be frightening and mean-spirited at times, but it has kept its cool cache over the years thanks to the great special effects and the intriguing story of crazy creatures and broken rules during the Christmas season.

HOME ALONE (1 & 2)

Written and produced by the legendary John Hughes, the first two Home Alone films are among the most consistently fun and funny films I have ever seen. The Christmas shenanigans Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) gets himself into while fighting off two comically inept bandits (played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) never fails to bring a smile to my face. These are family-friendly classics from the mastermind behind The Breakfast Club and Pretty In Pink, and they’re fantastic in every single way.

HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

Though the animated version of this film is an undeniable classic, the live action adaptation starring Jim Carrey also deserves to be mentioned. Both tell the timeless Dr. Seuss tale of a grumpy, scrooge-like character who has a miraculous change of heart on Christmas day. The animated original is narrated by the marvelous Boris Karloff, while the Ron Howard film is carried almost entirely by Carrey’s maniacally over-thetop performance. For me, both are holiday classics.

JINGLE ALL THE WAY

A Christmas Story PG 10 • December 2013 • insiteatlanta.com

Some may consider this kiddie classic forgettable, but I dearly loved this movie as a child. It’s got two of my favorite super heroes, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad. What more can you ask for? It’s definitely intended for the young (and the young at heart), though totally worth a re-watch if you haven’t checked it out in a few years. It’ll surprise you with how enjoyable it remains.

METROPOLITAN

This Whit Stillman film isn’t exactly what you might consider a traditional Christmas movie. But it does follow a group of young intellectuals as they attend lavish holiday parties during the season, before retiring to an apartment to continue drinking and pontificating with each other late into the night. Of all the films on this list, this one is best suited for those who want an intriguingly thoughtful piece centering on the arrogance of wealthy youth.

NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION

This film is just hilarious, plain and simple.

Chevy Chase always brings the laughs, so I always give it a spin in between my various holiday festivities. I first saw this when I was very young, and even thinking about it now brings back fond memories of laughing at jokes I didn’t really get while spending time with my family. Randy Quaid’s cousin Eddie character remains a classic. And once you meet his dog ,Snots, you’ll be unable to hold back the laughter.

NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Everyone has seen Burton’s last contribution to this list. And though it can really be watched and appreciated during almost any time of year, the holly jolly season really adds to its festively quirky aesthetic. It’s fantastical, dark, and whimsical, with great music from composer Danny Elfman that makes for a great viewing/sing-a-long with friends.

Regardless of how you may feel about the holidays, this one will get you humming along with the classic tunes every time.

VARIOUS CLAYMATION CLASSICS

Rankin/Bass classics like The Year Without a Santa Claus, Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer, etc. are played on TV every year, and they never fail to delight. I began watching these at a very young age and, regardless of how old I get, I still find myself wholly invested in the story from the moment I start watching any of the various titles. These are pure, wholesome, and entertaining films that warm the heart and make you nostalgic for those childhood Christmas mornings. In short, a perfect way to get yourself into the spirit of the season!

Gift Holiday GiftGuide Guide

GREAT GIFT IDEAS FOR THE SEASON! SAM FLAX

SHOP DECATUR

VisitDecaturGeorgia.com Do your holiday shopping in the City of Decatur! Enjoy special in-store events, discounts and treats at Salon Red Kids, The Pinewood, Greene’s Fine Foods and more than 25 other participating shops and restaurants during Terrific Thursdays Dec 5, 12, 19.

ALEXANDER’S OF ATLANTA

Toco Hills • 404.634.3197 AlexandersofAtlanta.com Alexander’s Of Atlanta has aspired to be the finest and most respected jeweler in the Atlanta area for almost 50 years. We thrive from our steadfast commitment to providing the highest quality products and offer an uncompromised level of honest, ethical, and professional services possible. Celebrate Life’s Moments with Alexander’s Of Atlanta.

MISTER CARWASH

Midtown • 404.876.3232 Buckhead • 404.846.4040 MisterCarwash.com What’s in your stocking this year? Give the gift of a clean car from the best car wash in Atlanta, Mister Car Wash! Special holiday gift cards available. Buy 4 washes and get 1 FREE! This is a great addition to stocking stuffers. Check out our other gift options in stores or online at mistercarwash com.

Terrific Thursdays December 5 • 12 • 19

Northside Dr. Atlanta, GA 30318 CD1460 WAREHOUSE

(404)(Alpharetta 352-7200 Hwy) • 770.518.3300 Roswell Make Atlanta’sHill) Best• Art Store for 7 years Duluth (Pleasant 770.623.1552 running Your One Stop Gift Shop. Wide selecCDwarehouseatl.com tionWarehouse and great buys pricesand onsells Niche Gifts,Video Planners, CD Blu-ray, Holiday Cards, Taschen Books, Painting Games, DVD’s, CD’s and Vinyl.

They offer & Drawing sets. ofYou will Young Artist a great selection hard toalso find find and anew Department, Custom Printing & Framing releases like the latest from Eminem.

With as well as furniture. over 10,000 CD’s you should find what you’re looking for but if you can’t they will order it for you.

SHOP DECATUR decaturga.com thedecaturminute.com

JANKE STUDIOS boutiques and restaurants around downtown 659 Auburn Ave. Studioplex Decatur and Oakhurst Village offer deals and 404.584.0305 • jankestudios.com 6 Hand Blown Glass & Art Gallery located at Studioplex. Here you will find one of a kind hand blown glassware, custom lighting Auburn Ave. and659 gifts.

They have special items like the Atlanta Ga. 30312 heirloom ornaments featured for the holidays jankestudios.com as (404) well as 584-0305 glassware gift• certificates available.

JANKE STUDIOS

Hand Blown Glass & Art Gallery located at Studioplex. Here you will find one of a kind hand blown glassware, custom lighting and

UNIT 2 FITNESS

240ornaments Ponce Defeatured Leon Ave. 404.745.3019 for• the holidays as well as glassware gift certificates available. Don’t miss unit2fitness.com WinterGlassFest10 Saturday Get fit for the new year as UnitDec. 2 is 11 from currently 2014 classes.

Get Sand.”

12PM –signing 6PM. up “A for Celebration of Frozen in shape with classes in Brazilian Jiujitsu, Kickboxing, Crossfit Training and more.

They also sell all types of gear which makes a 5 Metro great gift! Area Locations

CD WAREHOUSE

www.CDWarehouseATL.com

CD Warehouse buys and sells Blu-Ray Discs, Video Games and DVD’s. They offer a great selection and carry many hard to find releases. Check out the Metallica CD Live at the Gimeys. It is an independent store exclusive and a very limited release. CD Warehouse has it for just $9.99!

JUNKMAN’S DAUGHTER 464 Moreland Ave (404) 577-3188 www.thejunkmansdaughter.com

Little Five Point’s favorite and largest store is stocked up this season with outrageous and irreverent gifts for the hard to please. Find thousands of seasonal items along with far out fashions and groovy accessories.

It’s time to get gifty! Do your holiday shopping in the

Decatur-insite-dec2013_horz.indd 1

AP

visitdecaturgeorgia.com

PR

D

C LO A L

E OV

City of Decatur. Enjoy special in-store events, discounts and treats at Salon Red Kids, The Pinewood, Greene’s Fine Foods and more than 25 other participating shops and restaurants during Terrific Thursdays.

Get the inside scoop on local favorites and holiday deals at our friendly Visitors Center at 113 Clairemont Ave. insiteatlanta.com • December11/18/13 2013 •4:44 PGPM 11

TV

SING OUT!

December 12 – 14

Gary Gulman

Gary Gulman is a Boston native whose humor is unique, clever and highly entertaining. He has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live and HBO’s ‘Dane Cook’s Tourgasm.

December 19 – 21

Owen Benjamin

Owen Benjamin was recently a correspondent on The Jay Leno Show and has appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, MTV’s Punk’d and Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham. He also played Marvin the bartender in the feature The House Bunny.

December 26 – 28

Dave Stone

Based in Atlanta, Dave is a co-founding member of the nationally acclaimed “Beards of Comedy Tour,”.

Dave was recently named “Atlanta’s Best Comedian,” and RooftopComedy.com awarded him their 2010 “ Silver Nail Award,”

Inside Andrews Entertainment District 56 E. Andrews Dr. NW Atlanta, GA 30305 • 678.244.3612 www.TheImprovAtlanta.com

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★ Catch Every College and Pro Football Game ★ 100 TVS ★ Open Air Bar Upstairs ★ Made from Scratch Food

PG 12 • December 2013 • insiteatlanta.com

Nick Lachey Sings the Praises of Vocal Competition on The Sing Off

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

A

S LEAD SINGER OF VOCAL GROUP 98 Degrees, Nick Lachey definitely knows a thing or two about singing. Now, as host of NBC’s The Sing-Off, the affable singer and pop-culture figure is ushering in a whole new generation of fans of vocalization, whether it’s acapella or with instrumental accompaniment.

The multi-platinum recording artist, actor and host is no stranger to reality TV, thanks to his role with then-wife Jessica Simpson. But now, as host of the popular singing competition show, he continues to encourage and promote vocal perfection.

Recently, Lachey spoke at length with the press to promote the return of The Sing Off, premiering Monday, December 9 at 9 p.m.

You recently turned 40 and you’ve had a great career so far. How have things changed for you, now that you have reached the big 4-0?

It hasn’t changed at all. It’s just a number, as they say. So no, everything feels the same, I feel the same, life is the same, so yes, no groundbreaking moment happened at 40, other than the fact that, the number changed. Everything else feels the same.

You are known for your a capella skills, how does that help with your hosting duties?

It’s given a lot to me and in some kind of way this is my way of giving back to the genre of a cappella. I think it takes incredible talent to do, an incredible talent to pull off. Oftentimes, I think people take it for granted and don’t realize how hard it is to do, which is why I feel like The SingOff is so special. I think there are so many people out there that are responding to it.

I mean, a cappella is kind of going through a resurgence; a renaissance, if you will.

With all the attention that The Sing-Off has brought to it, and movies like “Perfect Pitch,” I think there’s just such a passion right now out there for a cappella music.

You went back on the road with 98 Degrees earlier this year. Was it fun -- and how do you balance your musical and TV careers now?

It was a lot of fun. First of all, to get back together with those guys after more than a decade off and be able to go on the road

I MEAN, A CAPPELLA IS KIND OF GOING THROUGH A RESURGENCE; A RENAISSANCE, IF YOU WILL.

with New Kids on the Block, and Boyz II Men and be a part of a sold-out arena tour was very, very special and a great way to give back and experience performing with those guys again. So that was fantastic.

And yes, to balance the two, obviously it’s all about scheduling. We finished our last concert in Indianapolis on August 4, and started The Sing-Off August 5. So we went right from one into the other. But when you’re doing stuff that you’re passionate about and it’s exciting, then it’s easy to rally and kind of summon the energy to move from one to the other. I feel very honored and blessed to be able to do both.

A cappella is obviously big in your life, past and present. But is it something you’re bringing into your home? Are you and [wife] Vanessa [Minnillo] singing to your little one?

Well, music in general is big in our home.

Obviously, I’m a musician and my wife is a passionate lover of music, working in TV for so many years. And so there’s constantly music on in our house and yes, we sing to Camden every time we put him down for a nap or put him down for the night. So yes, technically there is a little a cappella happening in our house every day.

It’s usually ion the lullaby form, but it is happening every day.

As host, how much do you interact with the groups on the show? Have you been able to get to know them or do you mentor them at all?

Well, one of the cool things you’ll see as the season progresses, all of us kind of taking a turn and mentoring and trying to give some guidance to the groups as they go through this journey. There’s a lot of information they’re trying to process and taking all the judges’ comments. I have to tell you, some of the best performances you’ll see in the season come during that ultimate sing-off. It’s a really neat moment in the show. But you know, we all have moments where we don’t give our best and we kind of lay an egg on stage. And it gives those groups a chance to redeem themselves for a bad performance. It doesn’t necessarily take them out of the running of the entire competition. They have a chance to come back at the end of the show and prove that continued on page 22

FILM FILM

TRUMP Movie Reviews CARD ABOUT TIME (R)

 Seeing About Time for its science-fiction (specifically, time travel) aspect is like going to a PG-13 movie to hear the F-word: it may be there but it’s not the point. Lighthearted and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny, Richard Curtis’ (Love Actually) film is a litmus test for the true romantic, and I passed with flying colors. Its awkward hero, Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) is a younger, shorter, gingerer version of Stephen Merchant on Hello Ladies, only less abrasive. When he turns 21 his father (Bill Nighy) tells him the men in their family are ableB.toLove travel back in time to change their fate.

By After taking advantage of do-overs to woo and s one of AmericA’s most win Mary (Rachel McAdams, looking radiant successful and high profile businessas if themen, camera captures her through Tim’s Donald trump was well known loving eyes), Tim with the film’s long before survivorconcludes producer mark Burnett message, that whether you have the power tapped him to star in the Apprentice. But to repeatno your days or important there’s denying thatnot, thethe reality show thing is to make them as good as possible the first turned trump from a cartoonish curiosity time.

Seeing About Time will make into a bona fide phenomenon, with his 1/12 signa-of yourcatchphrase– day very good“You’re indeed.fired!”– inextricature –Steve Warren bly entering the pop culture lexicon.

THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN (NR)

 Who the hell invented nonlinear storytelling? It can be used effectively, but as The Broken Circle Breakdown bounces between the present and 7 years past, then adds an unspecified future time to the mix, it goes from annoying to confusing to infuriating. Didier (Johan Heldenbergh) and Elise (Veerle Baetens) have a daughter with cancer, so it’s a relief to go back, watch them fall in love and make beautiful music together as she joins his bluegrass band. Since many of their songs are spiritual in nature, Didier’s atheismreading could beabout ironicthem if it for weresointroduced through many years, a lot of times somebody you in earlier.but The band progresses fromthat playing don’t of so out auditorium, to be a star. livingthink rooms to highly bars toturns a large You knowiswhat willmentioned. happen with but just theirdon’t success never Elise pressure and her the heat battle. doesn’t quit job atofthe tattoo parlor, and we never learn if Didier has a day job. WellWhat a celebrity have to do toBelgium’s really made does and probably well-meaning, set themselvesforapart and show thatLanguage they’re submission the Best Foreign in it toOscar win it?has won major festival awards Film i can tell you Film from Awards seasonsnominations.

1 and 2 and So and European from reallylike I maytheberegular crazy. Apprentice, But if I am, people it’s movies want to win. every in a while you’ll this that made me once that way. have a quitter, but it doesn’t happen often.

–Steve Warren

The Donald Waxes Rhapsodic On The Celebrity Apprentice, “You’re Fired!” & Fixing NBC

A

Although the Apprentice initially flounTHE aBEST HOLIDAY dered bit inMAN the ratings, Burnett and trump  upon a winning formula by recruitstumbled Industry prognosticators underestimated ing second- and third-tier actors, athletes, how well moviefor would do at edition the box models and this musicians a celebrity office (it made over $35 million in just of the show. now in its third incarnation, five days) due toApprentice “race-related ” Since the celebrity tossesthemes. disparate whensuch areasfriendship, marital stars rocker Bretbetrayal, michaels,and wrestler problems baseball considered raceDarryl issues?

The latest Goldberg, legend strawberry, from governor Malcolm ron D. Lee (directorandofsharon 1999’s former Blagojevich The Best together Man) follows old college friends— osbourne for a variety of teamone about to break NFL rushing record building exercises andthe challenges designed to (Morris Chestnut), one a struggling writer test their business mettle. “the Diggs), Donald,others ” as theatcrazy-coiffed real (Taye various stages in their estate magnate often known, recently held personal lives—ifcoming together for a reunion. court to discuss show’sparty, Therewith are areporters host of laughs at thisthe holiday current season. especially the guys’ New Edition karaoke

performance. But there’s a more serious

Can you tell too. us a little about undertone, Hard bit news hitsthe theselecgroup, tion process? leaving everyone in tears. Lee keeps things it’s very interesting, because state so many from falling into a depressive with lightcelebrities want to be onfrom the show afterfriends the hearted interjections salacious success of the previous seasons.

We It’s (Terrence Howard andtwo Melissa De Sousa). wanted actors, just thesome rightathletes, seasonalsome mix of saucysome and nice. models and some wrestlers, so would Now that I think about it, this imay be asay “race” probably six all…as or seven per spot we need movie after in,people Hollywood studios were turning down. thewell-written, hardest thingdiverselyis that to race to make more we really have some good people that want cast pictures like this. to go on very badly. But i guess–DeMarco maybe we’ll Williams save them for the next show, because it looks like going to happen.

THEthat’s BOOK THIEF (PG-13)

 How is this going be different There are season plenty of sadtostories to tell than from past seasons? the Holocaust, but this adaptation of Markus Well, when you have a success like we’ve Zusak’s bestselling novel offers a refreshing had, you don’t like to do too many changes. point of view that makes it a must-see. If you What we do have is a different tone. the cast read the almost-600 page book, then you has been very interesting: they’ve been very already stories about tough andknow very Zusak’s nasty, but there’s also the a lotgood of people during that horrible time, but watching fun and humor with respect to what happens, them iillustrated onwe screen good. which don’t think had isinjust theaslast one.With cute semi-newcomer Sophie Nelisse as the With Joan [rivers] and with Piers [morgan], for allpeople thingsreally innocent, itprotagonist was really nasty hatingGeoffrey each Rush these as the loveable and each graceful foster other. people hate other, butfather, it’s and Emily Watson as the endearingly uptight, also funny. i think that might be the biggest worn out foster mother, gotcasts. a cast of differentiation in terms of you’ve the three personalities that will help restore your faith in humanity as tell a whole.

Thethestory is light, Can you usually right off bat who is yes, but that doesn’t takeisn’t? away from the fact going to do well and who that it’salways emotionally powerful, and quesworthy of that’s the most interesting talking about.

Whether it ultimately tion to me because i’d like to think ofgenerates myself or not, it’s still movie worth asOscar being buzz okay with people.

But aoften i’ll say, checking “this one isout. going to be a star,” and then he Smith know.

Williams turns out to be a dud. You–Jennifer never really You feel like you’ve known these celebrities

i think the reason they do it is the level of intensity feel for their (R) charity. Unlike DALLAS they BUYERS CLUB the regular Apprentice, where somebody  works for me for a pretty good a Matthew McConaughey andsalary JaredforLeto year, with this one the money goes to charare brilliant in this Jean-Marc Vallée film ity.

Laston year raised millions of Woodford dollars. based thewetrue story of Ron everybody has a charity that they love; some (McConaughey), a hard-partying, are foundations they’ve set up themselves homophobic Texas cowboy who contracts years in advance of the show. so i think they AIDS. Once diagnosed, Woodford is really fight more intense because it’s a chargiven 30 days to live. Grief-stricken, but ity they’re fighting for.

in denial, he continues to abuse drugs and alcohol researching his to condition What are until your favorite challenges watch and realizing AIDS isn’t just a homosexual the celebrities tackle? disease. named Well, weWorking do have with a lot aoftransvestite different challengRayon (Leto), he starts a buyers’ club es, whether we go back to the selling of theand begins selling unapproved AIDS lemonade or doing something elsemedication very basic to sickly members.

Woodford’s without having to deal with Proctor &story Gam-of transformation struggle[sponsor-based (against the ble or Kodak, etc.and sometimes disease and is compelling on challenges] arethe sort FDA) of interesting, but they’re its own, but McConaughey and Leto’s expensive for us to do. the ratings suggest performances make it marvelous.

The that the fans’ favorite part of the show by film isn’tis the freeboardroom, from flaws–andthethepacing was a bit far boardroom off gotten at times, withover too the many quick cuts–ofbut has longer years because works wonderfully thanks the two stars’ that. the challenges still havetoplenty of time shocking physical transformations and and we’re focused on both aspects, but wetopnotchbeen acting prowess. have trying to lengthen the boardroom –Christian Perez because of strong viewer requests.

GO FOR (NR)attorney in the You’re likeSISTERS a prosecuting  Do you meter your approach to boardroom.

The ever-reliable John Sayles combines different personalities?

Yes,best i think you deal withwith different people the of both worlds a movie that differently. i deal withinGoldberg looks like television, the sensedifferently that smallthan i deal with Governor screen entertainment is Blagojevich. often betteri than dealt rivers big- with theseDennis days. rodman Set onand theJoan U.S.-Mexico differently some of theofother contes-told border, it’sthan a whole season The Bridge tants. have without to have that ability. in twoYou hours, cliffhangers.

Fortyish Bernice (LisaGay Hamilton) becomes

How do officer you feeltogoing back in(Yolonda the boardparole Fontayne Ross), room afterher a little who was high hiatus? school BFF, just when she i just get a greatwith kick out of it. iconnections really like needs someone criminal ittoa lot. want renew it forson another helpthey locate herto estranged and get two threefrom seasons, we’re thinking himorback the and Chinese coyotes who about that. i like having a little bit a break have kidnapped him. Bernice is of Fontayne’s between shows, where it goes on once a year.

“Stay Out of Jail Free” card as they break all

the rules, setting out Thelma-and-Louise

Do youand everenlisting feel badthe about someone, style aid firing of retired police or is it just part of the job? detective Edward James Olmos. Some i alwaysoffeel not are always. some-but details thebad… mainno,plot unclear times i don’t like people. the hard ones are who cares when even the most insignificant when you really like and respect somebody characters have fascinating stories to tell. and they make a mistake. Like, as an ex-

Sayles gets a tad preachy about the need

HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE THE SEQUEL MAY NOT BE AS GOOD AS THE ORIGINAL (CRITICS ARE DIVIDED), BUT THIS SERIES CERTAINLY ISN’T GOING DOWNHILL AS FAST AS TWILIGHT DID. Our review:  for ex-cons to have a path to a legitimate lifestyle and, with a novel slant, the negative effects of drugs; but as a double-crosscultural female buddy movie these Sisters are in a class by themselves.

–Steve Warren

HOMEFRONT (R)

movie is about Daisy’s efforts to be reunited with Eddie. Rated R, the film has themes and language too intense for viewers young enough to believe it.

–Steve Warren

HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE (PG-13)

  The sequel may not be as good as the original Written by Sylvester Stallone and based (critics are divided), but this series certainly It Chuck turned Be a good phrase, isn’t going downhillBut as fastItas was Twilighta did. on the Loganout novel,toHomefront FLuke. durIng the very FIrst show I was a LIttLe stars Jason Statham as a loving dad with a Jennifer Lawrence gives more of a one-note exasperated wIthhand-to-hand one oF the contestants I used performance here, or maybeand one-and-a-half. secret skill in military-grade camps it up for the first hour combat.

After an undercover raid Elizabeth the LIne, “you’redrug FIred!” whenBanks [producer] Mark in an array of what look like Lady Gaga’s goes bad, he relocates to the bayou, where Burnett and I agreed to do the show we dIdn’t have he hopes to disappear into a simpler life. hand-me-downs. Presuming you know the that.thewe thought say,so“get the heLL outwith an far, Catching Fire begins Unfortunately, town he’s chosenwe’d isn’t story oF here” or soMethIng. necessarily “off the grid.” In fact, it’s pretty Arab Spring-type rebellion brewing in the much the worst place he could have gone. Districts, inspired by Katniss (Lawrence). fact that you raised such self-sufficient ample, scott Hamilton, from the last season.

Secrets come out, people come after him, Pres. Snow (Donald Sutherland) threatens children? i had to let scott go. i’m a great fan of scott: kill her mother and sister if she doesn’t and the fists start flying (not to mention to Well, i’m getting a lot of credit on the chilHe won olympic gold medals and he’s a great help quell the rebellion by about maintaining the rebar, two-by-fours and anything else dren. everybody’s been asking ivanka champion. But he understood that he made her sham romance with Peeta you can use as a weapon in the swamp). and the answer is yes, she’ll be back on (Josh the a mistake on the show and i really had no evenvery though There are novery life-changing show. But they’re good she kids.really they loves went choice. i felt badly aboutperformances that, becausein Hutcherson), Gale (Liam a cue from one, buthim the to funbecast includes a creepy to very goodHemsworth). schools, and Taking they were great ithis considered a great person, but i competition reality shows, the 75th Hunger James Franco, a strung-out Kate Bosworth, have to do what’s right. it’s never fun, but it’s students. i couldn’t wait to get them on the against each and a when witchyi don’t Winona Plus,orifwhen you’ve Games show. i pit hadformer no ideavictors the show would be other. into easier like Ryder. somebody Like a very special episode of Survivor got a pulse, Statham is worth watching do itsninth and tenth season, which is pretty they’re really, really bad. they formintemporary alliances while facing anything. amazing the world of television. whatever challenges the special effects –Jennifer Smith Williams That line, “You’re fired,” became a pop culcrew canbeen throw There are several There’s lotsatof them. news surrounding NBC ture phenomenon. Can you talk about the HOW IofLIVE new mostly lately,characters, and your show does underdeveloped, well for them. origin it? NOW (R)  including Finnick What you think NBC(Sam needsClafin), to do to another get back it turned out to be a good phrase, but it When you’re 16 and in love you can’t be potential love interest for Katniss; and in the ratings game? was a fluke. During the very first show i was by “distractions” like possibly Plutarch Heavensbee Seymour Well, i know Jeff Gaspin(Philip (chairman of nBc abothered little exasperated with one of theaconnuclear and world wartheorline, the“You’re fact fired!” that the Hoffman), the new entertainment) head gamemaker Universal television and,who as testants i used person[producer] you’re in mark love with is your Katniss’ President you know, he’sdemise new to with the role. i think Snow. he’s When Burnett and i cousin. agreed plots ending us forjobrevolution in the With the show exception of hints is The going to do prepares a spectacular at nBc. they to do the we didn’t havethat that.England We of the trilogy. not overly security-conscious, theout early scenes needsegment more shows likefour-part the Apprentice. thought we’d say, “Get the hell of here” or next –Steve but Warren of How I Live will have you wondering something.

AndNow all of a sudden America went necessarily from a reality standpoint, if the over director of TheitLast Kingtoofbe Scotland, they need shows that capture the imaginacrazy the show. happens a great tion. LLEWYN DAVIS (R) catchphrase. tV Guide or one of the Kevin Macdonald, could really havemajor made INSIDE frankly, certain shows that are on should entertainment magazines did aDaisy poll and, after  a standard teen romance.

(Saoirse be changed because, while getbluegrass some “Here’s one New other great, many who fell in lovethey with Ronan) Johnny!” is sent and from York ittowas the Like pretty good reviews, don’t get #3 on thecountryside top 100 phrases in television histhanks to the Coen they Brothers’ O people Brother, English to spend the summer watching. tory! a pretty honor. She it’s been nice to get practically both. We’vefoaming had Artit’s Thou?, I was with so herthat auntwas and three big cousins. uses Where an amazing thing an amazing phrase nominations a lot ofthey’d good acthe mouth when and I learned be reheadphones and and attitude to shut out that the atemmy just seems work. on, oldest and colades passed way, supervisor and that’s always teaming with our music T-Bone world untiltoshe fallsit inreally lovecaught with her it’s been an amazing thingMacKay). to watch. That’s Burnett nice. But for ultimately you have to have people this film set in Greenwich cousin, Eddie (George watch. nBc to really do There well. i know earlyis going ‘60s folk scene. were when things start blowing up. The lovers Village’s What do you think biggest their leadership and i think they’re of anticipation during the winners, opening are separated and is theyour second halfaccomof the chills plishment, your business success or the

so i think they’ll turn it around.

insiteatlanta.com • December 2013 • PG 13

scene, featuring the titular musician (Oscar Isaac) passionately performing a blues tune, “Hang Me, Oh Hang Me,” for a reverent audience at NYC’s Gaslight Café. But once the music stops, the film’s trouble starts.

Davis– loosely based on Brooklyn balladeer Dave Van Ronk– is an asshole of ungodly proportions, and this film is essentially 100+ minutes of comeuppance. “Everything you touch turns to shit,” screams singer Jean Berkey (Carey Mulligan), who’s married to Davis’ pal Jim (Justin Timberlake), after learning Davis may have gotten her pregnant.

“Like King Midas’ idiot brother!” That’s just one of many blows the protagonist suffers as he struggles to launch a solo career in the wake of his former partner’s suicide. It’s an epic journey that includes a lost cat, a heroin-abusing jazzman (John Goodman), a music exec who sees no money in Davis’ art (F. Murray Abraham), and disappointment at every turn. The music is fantastic, with references to folk legends like the Clancy Brothers and Peter, Paul & Mary, and Isaac delivers an Oscar-caliber performance. But ultimately the film, which won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, fails to measure up to lofty expectations.

–Bret Love

PHILOMENA (PG-13)

 You’ll hear the sound of laughter and the sound of tears in theaters showing Philomena, but The Sound of Music it ain’t. This true story offers the most vicious portrayal of nuns since last season’s American Horror Story. Irish lass Philomena Lee got pregnant as a teenager. Her parents threw her out but the local abbey took her in, selling her child and making her do four years of slave labor for “penance.” Over the years they’ve refused to give her information about her son. Now, 50 years later, Philomena (Judi Dench) tells

HOME RELEASES THE LATEST DVD, BLU RAY & VOD RELEASES

BY BRET LOVE AND JOHN MOORE

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: RELEASED! THE HUMAN RIGHT CONCERTS 1986-1998

This epic 6-DVD boxed set features a series of historic concerts presented by the Amnesty International to raise awareness/ funds for their human rights campaigns. Ranging from 1986’s 5-hour “A Conspiracy of Hope” to 1998’s 15-minute “The Struggle Continues,” these concerts feature many crucial musical artists of the past 40 years, including Miles Davis, Jimmy Page & Robert Plant, The Police, Joni Mitchell, Fela Kuti, U2, Bruce Springsteen, and Radiohead, with Peter Gabriel a constant presence. Extras include a documentary, interviews, Gabriel’s home movies of the 1986 tour, and more. –BL

FARSCAPE 15TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Jim Henson Productions’ cult sci-fi hit was years ahead of its time, offering morally complex tales of good vs. evil with killer set design and special effects, Henson’s trademark inimitable characters, and an infectious mixture of action, drama and comedy. This 20-disc collection features all four seasons of the show along with some great extras, although it still lacks The Peacekeeper Wars mini-series fans have been clamoring for since the set was first released on DVD. –BL

HERE’S EDIE: THE EDIE ADAMS TV COLLECTION

Half a century after its debut, actress/ singer Edie Adams’ groundbreaking TV show

PG 14 • December 2013 • insiteatlanta.com

her tale to a journalist, Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan), who uses his connections to help her in her quest for her son… and to get himself a good story. The movie could have been the year’s soapiest, but it’s leavened by a heaping helping of humor in the screenplay, which Coogan co-wrote. Dench is as perfect as you would expect but Coogan surprises by revealing a serious side in addition to his usual comedy. Director Stephen Frears balances the mixed emotions splendidly, but the plot could inspire a wave of arson fires at convents.

–Steve Warren

THOR: THE DARK WORLD (PG-13)

 The other day, while I was working on deadline, the guy who does my lawn kept passing by my window, banging a metal pipe on the mower as he rode around mulching up leaves. That sound was the aural equivalent of watching the latest film from the Marvel Universe, which pummels the audience with bombastic action in hopes that they won’t notice the wafer-thin plot. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is still working out his daddy issues, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is still nuttier than a fruitcake, and Jane (Natalie Portman) is still a brilliant scientist constantly distracted by her godly beefcake boyfriend.

The lead actors’ performances (including Anthony Hopkins as Odin) are uniformly solid and peppered with humorous moments, but the central plot about an ancient evil race returning to plunge the universe into darkness is as generic as they come. The problem with superhero movies these days is that Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy has shown us the depth that’s possible in a comic book adaptation. Viewed in comparison to The Dark Knight (or even The Avengers), Thor seems very mortal indeed.

–Bret Love is finally getting the attention it deserves.

Adams’ short-lived variety show featured innovative production techniques and a mind-boggling list of guest stars. This 4-disc collection boasts rare clips of Bob Hope, Rowan & Martin, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and many other legendary pop culture figures. There are also edgy skits featuring icons like Sammy Davis Jr., Bobby Darin. and Johnny Mathis. It’s a perfect gift for hard-toplease fans of Golden Age comedy on your Xmas list. –LVS

MARY HARTMAN, MARY HARTMAN: THE COMPLETE SERIES

Although it only aired on TV from January 1976 to May 1967, producer Norman Lear’s soap opera satire proved remarkably influential, with TV Guide naming it one of the Top 25 Cult TV Shows of a All Time. Equal credit goes to the stellar cast (including star Louise Lasser, Mary Kay Place, Dody Goodman, Martin Mull, and Dabney Coleman) and the insane storylines, including death by chicken soup and Hartman’s stint in a psyche ward. Until now only 25 episodes were available, but this 38-disc collection satisfies fans with all 325 episodes. –BL

TREME: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON

Season three continues to build on a solid foundation of engrossing characters and stellar music, with New Orleans residents still struggling to rebuild their lives two years after Hurricane Katrina. Expats are starting to return to the city, but they’re confronted with corrupt cops and con men looking to scam FEMA dollars. Though this season’s finale is not as shocking as the last, it ends with enough unanswered questions to keep you tuning in for more. –JM

COLUMN

DOCTOR WHO CELEBRATES TH 50 ANNIVERSARY

BY JOSHUA CARSTENS

I

’M A HUGE FAN OF SCIENCE fiction in general, and Doctor Who in particular. My love for all things about The Doctor started at a young age, and I thank my dad for that. But how do I capture 50 years of Doctor Who? Like this...

A few years ago, a co-worker asked me about the show, so I wrote an email detailing things she would need to know before watching an episode of the revitalized Doctor Who. She’d never seen a single episode, and I was attempting to give her the essentials.

Since I’m always trying to find new converts to the religion that is Doctor Who, I thought it would be good to take another crack at creating a simple primer for newbies: • First and foremost, Doctor Who is known for campy special effects. While this was truer for the original run (1963-89), it remains part of the show’s charm today. Enjoy it!

• The Doctor is a time traveler. More specifically, he is a Time Lord– a race of time travelers from the destroyed planet of Gallifrey.

• The Time Lords perished during the Great Time War. The Doctor was the only survivor.

I’ll contradict this later, but just go with it for now…

• Time Lords have the ability to regenerate, as long as they don’t die before the process begins.

This allows a mortally wounded Time Lord to transform into a fully healed physical form with a different personality and physical features, but the same memories.

• The Doctor’s name is a mystery, and that is fantastic. People simply refer to him as The Doctor, though he occasionally uses the alias John Smith. NEVER call him Doctor Who! • The Doctor travels through space and time in his ship, the TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimensions In Space). It’s also referred to as “The Blue Box” because of its appearance as a blue British Police Box. The TARDIS has a chameleon device that allows it to blend into its surroundings. This device malfunctioned while he was visiting 1960s England, and remains locked in this state. The Doctor liked the look so much that he never bothered to fix it.

• The Doctor likes to travel with at least one companion. Some are accidental, and others elect to come with him when asked.

• Many alien races have crossed paths with The Doctor, and some have become notable enemies. The Daleks are a war-like race of machines resembling a salt- or peppershaker, and their only purpose in life is to rid the universe of inferior species. Their most recognizable attribute is their metallic voice and catchphrase, “Exterminate!” They are, by far, The Doctor’s greatest adversaries.

Cybermen are a race of cyborgs always on the lookout for inferior races that are deemed compatible and ready to be upgraded. Similar to Daleks, the Cybermen are noted for their signature phrase, “Delete!” But the greatest individual enemy of The Doctor is a renegade Time Lord known as The Master.

Of course, I’ve left out some of the more interesting details, so as to not spoil anything if you’ve never watched the show before. For the most part, knowing this information should keep anyone from being lost. The series took a hiatus between 1989 and 2005 (with the exception of a TV movie in 1996), so they re-explained a lot when they started the new series in 2005.

Build-up to the 50th Anniversary episode has been a painstakingly slow process. Several trailers and production stills have been released on the Internet by the BBC over the months since series seven wrapped up earlier this year. There have been a lot of teases, with pictures of 10th Doctor David Tennant, current Doctor Matt Smith, and a previously unseen incarnation of The Doctor to be played by acting legend John Hurt.

Less than two weeks before the airing of the 50th Anniversary special, promotional information released by the studio identified this new Doctor as “The War Doctor.” This revelation gives credence to theories that the anniversary episode will cover the as-yet-unseen Great Time War. I get giddy just thinking about it!

Also in November, a mini-episode released to build excitement for the anniversary special showed the return of Paul McGann as the 8th Doctor. Its 7-minute run time was simple, effective, and utterly brilliant, bridging the gap between the 1996 movie and the upcoming special. For longtime fans, it was executed to perfection.

In anticipation, I’ve decided to re-watch my Top 5 favorite Doctor Who episodes: 1) “Blink,” Episode 10 in Series 3 (2007) 2) “Vincent and the Doctor,” Episode 10 in Series 5 (2010) 3) “Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead,” the Episode 9/10 two-parter in Series 4 (2007) 4) The initial reboot episode, “Rose,” in Series 1 (2005) 5) “Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways,” the twopart Series 1 finale (2005) Everyone has their favorite episodes, but I still like the original incarnations of Doctor Who, all the way from 1963 to the present. I suggest watching every episode you can, though. It’s a fantastic sci-fi show, for 50 years and counting....

Real D 3D presentation of the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special: The Day of the Doctor Monday, November 25 7:30pm at Regal Hollywood Theatre.

excitement, the Peach Drop is Atlanta’s favorite way of ringing in the New Year!

Chick-fil-A Bowl Georgia Dome

ACC vs. SEC Tue. Dec. 31 at 7:30PM Chick-fil-abowl.com

Downtown Countdown Hyatt Regency Atlanta Tuesday, December 31 DowntownCountdown.net

For the ninth year in a row, Atlanta's marquee New Year's Eve party, is returning to the luxurious Hyatt Regency, Atlanta on Peachtree Street. With a ratio of one bartender for every 70 guests and one buffet station for every 150 guests, you won't spend your New Year's Eve waiting in lines.

The event attracts a mid 20's to late 30's crowd, but everyone is welcome. They get a diverse crowd, both ethnically and agewise. There is also an even mix of singles and couples. With four huge party areas, the Downtown Countdown will have something for everyone. Dress is semi-formal, creative black tie optional. The general admission ticket areas offer limited seating. VIP Seating is available. This event usually sells out and they offer early purchase discounts.

STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9) The Tabernacle December 27, 28, 29, 30 & 31 TabernacleATL.com

Since forming in Atlanta over a decade ago, instrumental electronic rock band STS9 has experienced a meteoric rise to the forefront of the international music scene.

STS9 has done it all: from headlining stages at festivals such as the Ultra Music Festival, Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, Lollapalooza and Electric Daisy Carnival, to selling out shows around the country as an acoustic set-up in opera houses or as an electronic act in amphitheatres, to performing with Jay-Z in arenas, to running their own record label. The five night run at The Tabernacle culminating on New Year’s Eve will mark the bands 30th performance at the venue, the most of any other band.

The Chick-fil-A Bowl will hold its annual New Year’s Eve game again this year at the Georgia Dome. This year's teams have yet to be announced, but the game gets the fifth selection from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the first selection after the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Game Week includes the Parade, Coaches Luncheon, and FanFest. The 71,500-seat Georgia Dome is expected to be a sell-out. At 12:30 p.m. on game day, downtown Atlanta will come alive with the Chick-fil-A Bowl Parade. The parade will come to an end at the Georgia World Congress Center, where the Chickfil-A Bowl FanFest will draw 30,000 fans for a pre-game interactive football and tailgate experience including games, music, food and the pre-game team walks.

QUAD 714 Spring St. 404.870.0040 QuadAtlanta.com

Located on Spring Street near GA Tech, Quad is Atlanta's most popular 18+ dance club featuring the best of local and international DJ talent. They are open from 10pm 4am weekdays and 10pm - 5am on Friday and Saturday. Quad is also a favorite late night destination. Come Rage at Quad this New Year’s Eve.

Park Tavern 500 10th Street. 404.249.0001 ParkTavern.com

Peach Drop 2014

Ring in the New Year with the Best Michael Jackson Tribute band in the Southeast. For this all-inclusive event your drinks and food are covered all night and into the wee hours of the morning. Gourmet food to include hors d'ouvres, carving station, fabulous NYE specialties along with plenty of sides and salads to keep your energy up and dancing into the New Year. Live Music with the best Michael Jackson Cover band in the Southeast & Atlanta's Best DJ Spinning music in the Piedmont Room overlooking the Midtown Skyline.

Tuesday Dec. 31; 11AM until 3AM Free Admission; Underground Atlanta Peachdrop.com

AndrewsDistrict.com

Underground Atlanta

The 25th annual Peach Drop offers a full day of family fun and an evening of topnotch entertainment. Festivities will continue well into the morning with a variety of live performances, followed by the descent of the 800 pound Peach and a spectacular firework display.

Packed full of

Andrews District 56 E. Andrews Dr.

Andrews District has it all this New Year’s Eve. Balloon Drop with cash prizes. Billboard artist DJ Kidd Star, DJ Huda Hudia and DJ Rapko. “80′s R Us” performing live in Andrews Upstairs. And Buckheads only Ball Drop at midnight. insiteatlanta.com • December 2013 • PG 15

EVENTS

Holiday Celebrations PERFORMANCES

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Alliance Theatre, Nov 29-Dec 29 Alliancetheatre.com

Now in its 24th year, the Alliance’s production of Dickens’ timeless classic features Broadwaystyle stage design, beloved Christmas carols, and some of Atlanta’s finest thespians. This year’s version will likely be bittersweet, as Chris Kayser has announced it will be his last playing Ebenezer Scrooge, the tight-fisted, cold-hearted miser who is haunted by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. As Kayser steps down after 20 years, the Alliance also celebrates the debut of Jaden Robinson, a former foster child, in the role of Tiny Tim. It’s sure to be an emotional rendering of this perennial holiday favorite.

ATLANTA BALLET’S NUTCRACKER Fox Theatre, Dec 6-29 AtlantaBallet.com

The Atlanta Ballet’s annual production of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece has been an integral part of the city’s holiday season for over 40 years now. The show tells the timeless tale of young Clara Stahlbaum, who awakes at midnight on Christmas Eve to find her prized Nutcracker toy has come to life to do battle with the Mouse King’s army. From dancing snowflakes to lively Russian nesting dolls, the extravagant production is sure to prove a hit with youthful spirits ages 8 to 80.

A VERY MERRY HOLIDAY POPS Symphony Hall, Dec 19- 21 AtlantaSymphony.org

Principal Pops conductor Michael Krajewski is understandably excited about this year’s Holiday Pops concert, which will feature the ASO, various high school choruses, and a full drum line along with special guest Liz Callaway. Callaway, a Tony nominee and Emmy winner, made her Broadway debut in Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, and played Grizabella in Cats for 5 years. Still, she may have a hard time stealing the spotlight from the ASO’s popular jitterbugging Santa.

ASO GOSPEL CHRISTMAS Symphony Hall- Dec 8

PG 16 • December 2013 • insiteatlanta.com

AtlantaSymphony.org Putting a different spin on “feeling the Spirit,” the ASO Gospel Chorus started out as a Gospel Christmas Choir founded in the ‘80s by Sallie B. Parrish, a.k.a. “Atlanta’s First Lady Of Gospel.”

Now these amazing vocalists culled from churches across Atlanta lift every voice and sing under the direction of Leroy Henderson (Associate Music Director at Elizabeth Baptist Church). Conducted by Vincent Danner, the show will raise the Symphony Hall roof with a rousing mixture of traditional and modern gospel favorites.

ASO KID’S CHRISTMAS Symphony Hall, Dec 15 AtlantaSymphony.org Looking to turn your kids on to the joys of symphonic music? Start them off with this annual holiday favorite, which features conductor Jere Flint, narrator John Lemley, and the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra leading a hall filled with Christmas-loving kids as they get their holly jolly on. They’ll perform a variety of classic carols and popular favorites that audiences of all ages will want to sing and perhaps even (Jingle Bell) rock along with.

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER Center for Puppetry Arts, through Dec 29 Puppet.org If you grew up loving the Rankin/Bass Christmas special, you’d be forgiven for being skeptical about this stage adaptation of the claymation classic. But director Jon Ludwig and his talented team of puppeteers nail it, remaining lovingly faithful to the source material while adding some unique production twists that really bring the show to life. From the opening strains of “We Are Santa’s Elves” to the return of the Abominable Snow Monster, this is as “holly jolly” as a Christmas show can get.

URBAN NUTCRACKER Southwest Arts Center, Dec 21-22 Ballethnic.org Ballethnic Dance Company’s take on the beloved holiday classic adds an urban cultural twist, setting the story on Atlanta’s Auburn Avenue during the 1940s. The characters are more modern and funky, from “Reggae Ragdolls” and a spinning, leaping “Black Russian” to “Mother Spice & Her Tumbling Spice Drops” and the elegant “Brown Sugar.” With a “Coca Cola Pas de Six,” this is definitely not your grandmother’s stodgy old Tchaikovsky.

INVASION: CHRISTMAS CAROL Fabrecation Theatre, Nov 29-Dec 23; Alliance Theatre, Dec 15 & 18 DadsGarage.com Dickens’ beloved Christmas fable gets a major makeover in this irreverent production from the comedy masterminds of Dad’s Garage. A unique mixture of scripted drama and hilarious improv, the show features classic characters such as Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim, but each night they’ll be visited by different ghosts (which have, in the past, ranged from the A-Team to Ted Nugent), all of which are a complete surprise to the cast. Regardless of who shows up, one thing’s for sure: You’ll never again view this hoary holiday chestnut in quite the same way.

CHRISTMAS WITH THE ASO Symphony Hall, Dec 13 & Dec 14 AtlantaSymphony.org

Robert Shaw was a titan in the classical world, winning 14 Grammys, 1991 Kennedy Center Honors, and the first Guggenheim Fellowship ever awarded to a conductor. “Christmas With The ASO” was the holiday-loving legend’s gift to Atlanta, and this year marks the show’s 46th anniversary. Conductor Norman Mackenzie will lead the ASO Chorus, Morehouse College Glee Club, and Gwinnett Young Singers through Shaw’s 4-part musical take on the story of Christmas. If the sound of 400+ singers and musicians working in tandem doesn’t invigorate your holiday spirit, you may want to check your pulse.

EVENTS LIGHTING OF MACY’S GREAT TREE Macy’s Lenox Square, Thanksgiving Day Macys.com Though the name and location of the store have changed over the years, this annual celebration of the beginning of the Christmas season has otherwise been the same for 65 years now. It all began in 1948, when Rich’s department store put a large pine tree atop its flagship downtown Atlanta location, lighting it on Thanksgiving night. The famous Pink Pig monorail ride was added in 1953, and returned as a more conventional train ride in 2004.

Though Rich’s and Macy’s merged in 2006, the annual lighting of the Great Tree remains one of Atlanta’s most beloved and historic holiday traditions.

CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PARADE Peachtree St in Midtown, Dec 7 Choa.org If you can’t make it to the Big Apple for NYC’s legendary Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, this annual event benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is a scaled-down, free alternative. Peachtree St is magically transformed into “Santa Claus Lane,” with dozens of floats, giant balloon characters, and marching bands, making this the largest Christmas parade in the Southeast. But of course the main attraction is the arrival of Jolly Ol’ St Nick himself, ringing in the heart of Atlanta’s holiday season.

ATTRACTIONS

Global Winter Wonderland

G

lobal Winter Wonderland is a spectacular lantern festival and multicultural theme park at Turner Field now through January 5th.

Global Winter Wonderland provides guests with the opportunity to “travel the world in one day” and enjoy the largerthan-life lantern designs of landmarks from over 20 countries across the globe, such as the Statue of Liberty, Taj Mahal, and Eiffel Tower. The park will also offer over 20 carnival style rides and games, international cuisine, live entertainment, and shopping.

Produced by The International Culture Exchange Group, Global Winter Wonderland first launched in Santa Clara, CA in 2011 and is being presented in Atlanta by IGO Group, Inc. IGO Group founder John Lin wanted to bring a grand scale international event to Atlanta that would appeal to the city’s diverse cultures.

Global Winter Wonderland offers something for everyone at an extremely reasonable price. Tickets are $24.99 for Adults, $18.99 for Seniors, and $16.99 for Children 5 and up. Children 4 and under are admitted free. Tickets also include all rides and live entertainment. Global Winter Wonderland will be open daily from 5pm - 11pm.

To purchase advance tickets visit www. globalwonderland.com, or visit the box office located at Turner Field’s Green Lot.

STONE MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS Stone Mountain Park, through Dec 31 StoneMountainPark.com

This annual celebration at Stone Mountain Park is a family favorite holiday tradition. For 6 weeks the Crossroads village is lit up by 2 million lights, and the mountain’s famous carving is illuminated by a Christmasthemed laser show (hot chocolate and roasted marshmallows optional). Features like the Polar Express 4-D Experience and the Simply Christmas Musical Revue are not to be missed. There are also nightly Christmas parades featuring Santa and Mrs. Claus, sing-along train rides, photo ops with a beautiful Snow Angel and new this year, Rudolph and Abominable Snow Monster costumed characters.

WINTER WONDERLAND Fernbank Museum of Natural History through Jan 5 FernbankMuseum.org Now in its fourth year, Fernbank’s Winter Wonderland is one of the best Atlanta Christmas events for families. The exhibition features more than 30 festive trees decorated by a diverse array of cultural partners to reflect holiday traditions from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, North America and South America. For kids, there will also be a “Holly Jolly Film Fest” from Nov 30 to Dec 21, featuring family-friendly holiday films, seasonal crafts, a Dinosaur Dance Party, and a costumed Santa-saurus. It’s a wonderful way to learn more about holiday celebrations all around the world.

FESTIVAL OF THE SEASON Georgia Aquarium through Jan 4 GeorgiaAquarium.org This winter season, gather the family and celebrate the holidays at Georgia Aquarium!

‘Festival of the SEAson,’ the Aquarium’s monthlong celebration of the holidays, transforms the Aquarium’s galleries and exhibits into a winter wonderland incorporating live holiday musical performances, a spectacular light show, appearances by Santa and SCUBA Claus, the return of the Weeki Wachee Mermaids, and more!

Also experience FantaSEA in Lights.

This spectacular light show takes place throughout the Atrium once an hour with lights dancing from the ceiling to the walls to the floor, all choreographed to your favorite holiday classics.

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GIFT OF LIGHTS Atlanta Motor Speedway through Jan 11 Atlantagiftoflights.com The Gift of Lights at Atlanta Motor Speedway is now in its third year as Georgia’s largest holiday LED light show. The Speedway will once again be transformed into a magical winter wonderland. It’s bigger and brighter than ever before. Get the entire family into the Christmas spirit and see how over-thetop decorating looks while being able to brag you’ve driven on the famed Atlanta Motor Speedway oval. Over 50,000 people from all over the southeast take in the light display at this world famous sports facility each year.

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GARDEN NIGHTS, HOLIDAY LIGHTS Atlanta Botanical Garden, through Jan 4 AtlantaBotanicalGarden.org The season brightens at the Atlanta Botanical Garden with their spectacular holiday light show open nightly through January 4. It features 30 acres of both indoor and outdoor displays created with 1 million colorful LED lights. All of the garden’s pathways are lit up, with stars shining down from the canopies of hardwood trees, teal and blue lights illuminating a stretch of crepe myrtles, and a 27-foot-tall tree next to a fountain that reflects the twinkling lights in enchanting patterns. New features this year include several personalities from the summer exhibition Imaginary Worlds: Plants Larger Than Life.

Earth Goddess, the reigning grand dame of the exhibit’s giant topiary-like sculptures, makes a quick costume change to become the light show’s Ice Goddess. Twinkling lights weave through her 25-foot-long tresses, and her face glows with wintry radiance and icy sparkle, nestled beside the Cascades Garden waterfalls.

It is an amazing spectacle to behold. The stunning 24-foot-long, 9-foot-tall Poinsettia Wall returns in the Conservatory Lobby with new colors and patterns. The towering live Poinsettia Tree holds court in the Orchid Center Atrium amidst a profusion of tropical flowers and foliage set at ground level. Finally, look for more of the spectacular outdoor light displays – towering cone trees, funky

HOLIDAY IN LIGHTS Centennial Olympic Park, Nov 23-Jan 7 CentennialPark.com You’d have a better chance of finding ice cubes in Hades than you would of seeing snow in Atlanta on Christmas. But Centennial Olympic Park’s annual holiday celebration gives kids of all ages a chance to strap on their skates and take a spin on the city’s only outdoor ice-skating rink, with theatrical lighting and festive holiday music to set the wintry mood. The 21-acre park is also festooned with thousands of twinkling lights and a huge Christmas tree, with its stunning view of the city skyline making it a picturesque place for a nighttime stroll.

atlanta, georgia

with edkmo

LIGHT DISPLAYS

FANTASY IN LIGHTS Callaway Gardens, Nov 22-Dec 30 CallawayGardens.com Rated by National Geographic as one of the Top 10 Christmas Light Displays in the World, Callaway Gardens’ Fantasy In Lights is truly a wondrous sight to behold. The centerpiece is a 5-mile drive lined with 8 million lights, divided thematically into 14 sections that include “Snowflake Valley” and “Magical Christmas Garden,” with festive Christmas music playing throughout. There are also narrated scenes of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas and The Nativity; a Christmas Village offering holiday gifts and collectibles, food and photo ops with Santa and Rudolph; and a “Jolly Trolley” tour for those who’d prefer not to drive their own cars.

the tabernacle

with lunice

CHRISTMAS AT CALLANWOLDE Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, Dec 6-17 Callanwolde.org Callanwolde is one of the city’s most storied arts organizations. Their annual fundraiser finds the 27,000-sq ft Late Gothic Revival mansion– which has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973– decked out in fancy boughs of holly and fa la la by the ATL’s top interior and floral designers. With tours of the mansion, live performances, shopping and seasonal workshops, it’s one heck of a swanky way to welcome in the holiday season.

wrapped hardwoods, and the Great Lawn’s grand musical finale – that have made Garden Lights Atlanta’s much-anticipated in-town holiday tradition.

Charge By Phone: 800-745-3000. All dates, acts and ticket prices subject to change without notice.

Ticket prices subject to applicable fees.

MAGICAL NIGHTS OF LIGHTS Lake Lanier Islands, through Dec 31 LakeLanierIslands.com This winter wonderland offers enough more than enough holiday joy to get Scrooge and the Grinch into the Christmas spirit. Billed as the world’s largest light extravaganza, Magical Nights of Lights features a 7-mile drive filled with colorful themed displays such as “The 12 Days of Christmas.” At the end you’ll find an impressive array of carnival rides and games, blazing bonfires for roasting marshmallows, and Santa’s Workshop, where you can meet jolly ol’ St Nick himself!

insiteatlanta.com • December 2013 • PG 17

CONCERT CALENDAR FRIDAY NOVEMBER 22 529 Free Acid CENTER STAGE Rebellious Soul Tour EARL Anniversary Party EDDIE’S ATTIC Bobby Yang FAT MATT’S AJ & The Wild Oats FOX Joe Bonamassa LOFT Shahin Najafi MASQUERADE He Is Legend SMITH’S Col. Bruce Hampton TABERNACLE Third Eye Blind VINYL Matt Wertz SATURDAY NOVEMBER 23 529 4:20 Comedy Hour CENTER STAGE twenty one pilots EARL Anniversary Party EDDIE’S ATTIC Open Mic Shootout FAT MATT’S Swamp Funk Quartet FOX Joe Bonamassa LOFT Johnny Marr MASQUERADE Griz SMITH’S Stone Soup VARIETY Who’s Bad VINYL Paper Lights SUNDAY NOVEMBER 24 CENTER STAGE Jonny Lang EARL Alex Commins & Todd Prusin EDDIE’S ATTIC Jesse Terry FAT MATT’S Tony Bryant MASQUERADE Ab-Soul TABERNACLE MGMT w/ Kuroma MONDAY NOVEMBER 25 529 The Difference Machine CENTER STAGE Chance The Rapper EDDIE’S ATTIC Emily Kinney FAT MATT’S Pead Boy & The Pork Bellys LOFT Chance The Rapper MASQUERADE The Business TUESDAY NOVEMBER 26 CENTER STAGE The Stuffing EARL The Melodic EDDIE’S ATTIC Sonia Leigh FAT MATT’S Crosstown Allstars SMITH’S New Madrid TABERNACLE Janelle Monae VARIETY Chvrches WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 27 CENTER STAGE The Stuffing EDDIE’S ATTIC Stevens Layne FAT MATT’S Frankies Blues Mission FOX Yacht Rock Revue LOFT The Stuffing MASQUERADE Bro Safari THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28 EARL Wowser Broswer FRIDAY NOVEMBER 29 BUCKHEAD THEATRE Moon Taxi EDDIE’S ATTIC Ellis Paul FAT MATT’S Seminole Jackson FOX Jaheim SMITH’S Migrant Worker TABERNACLE Blackberry Smoke SATURDAY NOVEMBER 30 EARL The Romenz EDDIE’S ATTIC David Wilcox FAT MATT’S Kerry Hill FOX Yanni LOFT The Divas of the A SMITH’S Last Waltz Ensemble VARIETY Shawn Mullins VINYL Afton Showcase SUNDAY DECEMBER 1 CENTER STAGE Black Music Awards EARL Bonaventure Quartet EDDIE’S ATTIC Kristian Bush FAT MATT’S Snake Legs MASQUERADE Fates Warning PHILIPS Kanye West MONDAY DECEMBER 2 529 Mr. Elevator & The Brain Hotel PG 18 • December 2013 • insiteatlanta.com

EDDIE’S ATTIC Kristian Bush FAT MATT’S Dry White Toast MASQUERADE Protest The Hero STAR BAR Monday Night Comedy TUESDAY DECEMBER 3 529 Surrogates CENTER STAGE Chris Cornell EDDIE’S ATTIC Patterson Hood FAT MATT’S Burning Time LOFT Anthony Green SMITH’S Hugh Cornwell STAR BAR Shut Up & Dance WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 4 529 Hell Goat EARL Hawks EDDIE’S ATTIC Michael Magno FAT MATT’S The Georgia Flood MASQUERADE Koffin Kats STAR BAR Cheap Art THURSDAY DECEMBER 5 EARL The Deep Dark Woods EDDIE’S ATTIC Jamie Lynn Spears FAT MATT’S Chickenshack MASQUERADE Alestorm SMITH’S Noah Pine FRIDAY DECEMBER 6 529 Smithsonian BLIND WILLIE’S Nick Moss BUCKHEAD THEATRE Jason Isbell EARL The Locksmyth EDDIE’S ATTIC Charlie Mars FAT MATT’S Rumblefish MASQUERADE Monster Magnet SMITH’S Tab Benoit STAR BAR The Wheeler Boys VARIETY Carolina Chocolate Drops VINYL Saints of the Valory SATURDAY DECEMBER 7 529 Anchor Bends EARL Battle of Hastily Assembled Bands EDDIE’S ATTIC Packway Handle Band FAT MATT’S Boo Hoo Ramblers MASQUERADE Taproot SMITH’S The White Animals STAR BAR Andrew & The Disapyramids VARIETY Whiskey Gentry WILD BILL’S Jamey Johnson

FRIDAY DECEMBER 13 529 Brazos EARL Chad Shivers FAT MATT’S Willy Jackson LOFT Beatles v. Stones MASQUERADE Torch SMITH’S The Tom Petty Show STAR BAR Heart Attacks SATURDAY DECEMBER 14 529 Stay Productive CENTER STAGE Butch Walker EARL Little Tybee EDDIE’S ATTIC Kristy Lee FAT MATT’S Mr. Chapman’s Quarterly Revue LOFT Angie Stone & Friends MASQUERADE A Not So Silent Night PHILIPS Pink SMITH’S Chris Edmonds STAR BAR Heart Attacks VARIETY Yacht Rock VINYL Inviolate SUNDAY DECEMBER 15 EARL Everything is Terrible!

EDDIE’S ATTIC Ed Roland FAT MATT’S Snake Legs PHILIPS Andrea Bocelli SMITH’S Pause For Larry’s Paws VARIETY Over the Rhine MONDAY DECEMBER 16 EARL Trapper’s Cabin EDDIE’S ATTIC Ed Roland FAT MATT’S Dry White Toast FOX Vince Gill MASQUERADE Misfits STAR BAR Monday Night Comedy TUESDAY DECEMBER 17 EDDIE’S ATTIC Brian Collins FAT MATT’S Burning Time MASQUERADE Max Bemis PHILIPS Justin Timberlake STAR BAR Shut Up & Dance WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 18 EARL Keith Richards Birthday EDDIE’S ATTIC Alex Cooley FAT MATT’S The Georgia Flood STAR BAR Mice In Cars VINYL Neil Cribbs & The Rough Gentlemen

SUNDAY DECEMBER 8 EARL Georgia Slim EDDIE’S ATTIC Cowboy Envy FAT MATT’S Snake Legs MASQUERADE Thy Art Is Murder SMITH’S Awalim Dance Co. VINYL Nth Power

FRIDAY DECEMBER 20 529 Dax Riggs EARL Charlie Brown Christmas EDDIE’S ATTIC Ryan Horne FAT MATT’S Rough Draft MASQUERADE Diarrhea Planet SMITH’S Joanna Duff STAR BAR Toys For Tots Benefit Show VARIETY Abbey Road VINYL Revival SATURDAY DECEMBER 21 529 Torche EARL Charlie Brown Christmas EDDIE’S ATTIC Soul Suga FAT MATT’S Dry White Toast MASQUERADE The APOC Revelation SMITH’S Haley & Alexis Band STAR BAR Toys For Tots Benefit Show VARIETY Kingsized Holiday Jubilee SUNDAY DECEMBER 22 EARL Vito Romeo EDDIE’S ATTIC Joe Gransden’s Big Band FAT MATT’S Snake Legs VARIETY Rising Appalachia VINYL Afton Showcase MONDAY DECEMBER 23 FAT MATT’S Dry White Toast TUESDAY DECEMBER 24 FAT MATT’S Burning Time WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 25 EARL The Coathangers FAT MATT’S The Georgia Flood THURSDAY DECEMBER 26 EDDIE’S ATTIC Young Artists Showcase FAT MATT’S Chickenshack FRIDAY DECEMBER 27 BUCKHEAD THEATRE Futurebirds EARL Wham Bam Bowie Band EDDIE’S ATTIC Mike Willis FAT MATT’S Sweet & Salty PHILIPS Jay Z SMITH’S John Vournakis TABERNACLE STS9 VARIETY Satisfaction VINYL Afton Showcase SATURDAY DECEMBER 28 BUCKHEAD THEATRE North Mississippi All Stars EARL Ruby Velle EDDIE’S ATTIC Delta Moon FAT MATT’S The Freebirds SMITH’S The Swinging Richards TABERNACLE STS9 VINYL Afton Showcase

MONDAY DECEMBER 9 EARL Cass McCombs FAT MATT’S Dry White Toast SMITH’S The Grahams STAR BAR Monday Night Comedy TUESDAY DECEMBER 10 529 Pontiak EDDIE’S ATTIC Patterson Hood FAT MATT’S Burning Time STAR BAR Shut Up & Dance

SUNDAY DECEMBER 29 EDDIE’S ATTIC Brian Webb FAT MATT’S Snake Legs MASQUERADE Atlanta Battle of the Bands TABERNACLE STS9

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 11 529 Loraine EARL Liquor Store EDDIE’S ATTIC Joseph Arthur FAT MATT’S The Georgia Flood MASQUERADE Aaron Lee Tasjan STAR BAR Devon Allman VINYL Wax THURSDAY DECEMBER 12 529 Ethereal EARL Metroscene EDDIE’S ATTIC David Bromberg FAT MATT’S Chickenshack MASQUERADE The Devil Wears Prada SMITH’S Chinua Hawk VARIETY John Waters Christmas

THURSDAY DECEMBER 19 EARL Cottage Showcase EDDIE’S ATTIC Ryan Horne FAT MATT’S Chickenshack MASQUERADE Prey 4 AT SMITH’S Crashtown Molly

MONDAY DECEMBER 30 EARL Barreracudas FAT MATT’S Dry White Toast SMITH’S Zach Deputy STAR BAR Monday Night Comedy TABERNACLE STS9

Justin Timberlake at PHILIPS ARENA: Dec. 17

TUESDAY DECEMBER 31 EDDIE’S ATTIC Michelle Malone FAT MATT’S Beverly Watkins PHILIPS Widespread Panic SMITH’S Zach Deputy TABERNACLE STS9 VARIETY Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ WILD BILL’S Florida Georgia Line

Road Warriors

This Month’s Hottest Shows

BY SACHA DZUBA

12/07 - THE BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA: CHRISTMAS ROCKS!

12/05 - ALESTORM

The Masquerade If you like your metal with faux-ccordions and a little tongue-in-pierced-cheek humor, then you’ll be thrilled to discover Alestorm.

Captain Morgan and crew bring you their finest “True Scottish Pirate Metal”. Check out their latest dvd/cd release Live At The End Of The World. They’re sure to fill your flagon with the finest Pirate Metal Ale. Metal horns required!

12/06 - CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS

The Variety Playhouse Following their attendance at the first Black Banjo Gathering in Boone, North Carolina; musicians Dom Flemons, Rhiannon Giddens, and Justin Robinson, along with Sule Greg Wilson, created the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Their musical style is based on the traditional music of the Piedmont region of North and South Carolina, learned from oldtime fiddler Joe Thompson. All of the musicians in the CCD sing and trade numerous instruments including banjo, fiddle, guitar, harmonica, snare drum, bones, jug, and kazoo. Two new musicians, cellist Malcolm Parson and multi-instrumentalist Rowan Corbett, are joining the group for this performance and throughout the upcoming year.

This will be a farewell tour for founder Dom Flemons, as he leaves CCD to embark on his own solo endeavors. Don’t miss this fantastic evening of stringed-band and jug-band music of the Twenties and Thirties!

Cobb Energy Center The Brian Setzer Orchestra, fronted by threetime Grammy Award-winner Brian Setzer, brings their Christmas Rocks! extravaganza to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center. With a career spanning more than 30 years, Setzer has smash hits as the leader and founder of The Stray Cats, his 18-piece Brian Setzer Orchestra, and as a solo artist. His December concert will include Setzer’s legendary guitar magic on hits such as “Rock This Town,” “Stray Cat Strut,” and “Jump, Jive and Wail” and lots more, as well as his re-imagined and acclaimed holiday classics. Celebrate this holiday season with the coolest of cats!

12/12 - JOHN WATERS CHRISTMAS

Variety Playhouse It’s John Waters favorite time of year…which means it’s ripe for skewering! John Waters is “putting the X in Xmas” through his rapid-fire, seasonal monologue and performance. Explore and explode all your favorite traditions and rituals of the season with the “Pope of Trash”, including his religious fanaticism for Santa Claus, and collection of real life holiday horror stories.

Says Waters, “It’s my obsession with Christmas: what I want for Christmas, what you should want, how to handle every holiday disaster.”

This is an evening strictly for the Adults, leave the kiddies at home and wear a festive sweater.

12/14 - P!NK

Philips Arena Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter

and pop culture icon P!nk continues touring in support of her latest album, The Truth About Love. Though initially rising to fame as a cookie-cutter pop star, P!nk sought more creative control and has set a brilliant example of artistic empowerment. P!nk has her own mind, writes most of her own music (as well as music for other artists), has a great voice (live and recorded), and is a strong force for self-acceptance and self-esteem. Many of her songs focus on helping women feel comfortable in their own skin. I loved her video for “Stupid Girls”, where she parodied and lampooned celebrities such as Lindsey Lohan, Jessica Simpson, MaryKate Olsen, and Paris Hilton. The Truth About Love debuted at number one and showcases her continuous dedication to fearless and raw emotional expression through songwriting and performance. One of the best current female pop artists and a fantastic tour to see live, don’t miss her!

12/15 - ZOË KEATING

Terminal West Atlanta Zoë Keating, cellist, arranger, DIY musician and artist, is truly a one-woman orchestra. Using a laptop, multiple foot-controlled effects, and her cello, Keating performs and records loops and layers of cello sound; creating lush and lovely soundscapes and otherworldly music. Zoë’s self-released albums and DIY attitudes are emulated and admired by an adoring fan base of fellow musicians and music lovers alike. Keating, once a member of the cello-rock trio Rasputina (2002-2006), has performed and worked with a wide variety of music artists, including Imogen Heap, Mark Isham, Curt Smith, Amanda Palmer, DJ Shadow, Pomplamoose and Paolo Nutini. Zoë Keating isn’t merely an artist to hear, she’s an artist to follow, read about, learn about, and learn from; not to be missed!

12/16 - JINGLE JAM 2013: BACKSTREET BOYS, GOO GOO DOLLS, AVRIL LAVIGNE

The Arena at Gwinnett Center Star 94’s Annual Jingle Jam returns to the

WE GOT NEXT DIRECT HIT!

Gwinnett Arena with a fantastic line-up of musicians. One of the biggest selling groups of all time, Backstreet’s back, alright! A.J. McLean, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough, and Nick Carter are full of slick dance moves and tight harmonies. Johnny Rzeznik and the rest of Goo Goo Dolls crew dominated 90’s radio with hits such as “Iris,” “Slide,” and “Black Balloon”. Avril Lavigne is past her sk8ter boy days and best defined by a quote from Sir Ian McKellan “... a punk chanteuse, a post-grunge valkyrie, with the wounded soul of a poet and the explosive pugnacity of a Canadian.” The Fray are also along to bring their piano driven indie rock to party. This is sure to be a fantastic day of performances, especially for those who favor the up-beat boy band and pop-rock style.

12/20-12/21 - VINCE GUARALDI’S “A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS”

The Earl Jeffrey Bützer and T. T. Mahony, those multiinstrumental musical misfits, are returning to the Earl for their sixth year of bringing the music of Vince Guaraldis’ Charlie Brown’s Christmas to life. Robby Handley (bass), joins T.T. and Jeffrey to perform the beloved album in its entirety. Holiday projections, baked goods (limited amounts), and a recognizably bare Christmas tree will warm your hearts with holiday cheer. Opening the show will be The Small Reactions’ Rock ‘N’ Roll Christmas Extravaganza, featuring versions of Christmas covers by bands like The Sonics, The Ramones, The Wailers, The Trashmen, and others. Forget the fruitcake, this is the perfect gift for the holiday season!

Artists on the verge of making it big

Latest Project: Brainless God (Red Scare Industries) For Fans of: The Ramones, Dillinger Four, Teenage Bottlerocket Why You Should Care: With witty pop-punk songs that bring to mind The Ramones more than

BY JOHN B. MOORE

W

Carolina Chocolate Drops

ITH SIX SPLIT-SINGLES AND A DEBUT FULLlength already under their belts, Milwaukee’s Direct Hit! are finally in the right place to be able to sign to a bigger label and tour the hell out of their latest release.

Brainless God, the new record, features a dozen tight punk nuggets that recall everyone from The Ramones to Dillinger Four. Put out by Red Scare Industries– one-time home to everyone from Masked Intruder to Teenage Bottlerocket– the album is a perfect addition to that label.

Nick Woods, the frontman for the trio (which also includes Devon Kay and Danny Walkowiak) spoke with us recently about signing to Red Scare, working with producer Mike Kennerty from All American Rejects, and the ups and downs of being from the less cool Wisconsin town.

Green Day, these Milwaukee punks are making the genre fun again.

Let’s talk about the new album. What can you tell me about Brainless God? Is there an overall theme?

It took us about a year to write, and about a week of Mike Kennerty’s magic touch to make it good. It’s about how love, the apocalypse, a serial killer, and a cult help a battered woman find herself.

Did you guys really make a video for each song? How did you possibly work in a budget for that?

Yup, we made 12 music videos. Still working on ‘em, but I’m confident they’ll get done. We had a lot of friends help out for no money, basically. We spent probably a grand on costumes and practical effects and McDonald’s for everyone, and then maybe another $1,500 to have a pal of ours work the cameras and lights and shit. But our friend Dylan directed the whole thing for no money, our pal Caroline edited most of it for no money, her buddy Logan did the color and postproduction for no money, a bunch of our friends acted in it for no money... It was a real “team effort” as they say in the biz.

Lots of hours for no real thanks. We’re a lucky group of dudes to have people who believe in what we do, and have a positive mental attitude about staying up ‘til 5 am to run around in my wife’s Dad’s back yard over and over again.

You guys have been touring a lot lately and have plans for more. Do you rally actually enjoy it, as every band always claims to, or is it more of a necessity?

It has its ups and downs. I’d tour forever if I could come home every night at 6 PM and hang out with my wife and dog.

Like, if it were a regular 9-to-5 I’d be way more into it. But it’s hard to beat standing on stage for a half hour every night and having a room full of people tell you how awesome you

are. I don’t think there are many people who would pass that up given the chance. I love touring. But it definitely requires sacrifice outside of the band.

What’s your graduate degree in? Is it useful at all in a touring punk rock band?

I have a Masters in Business- advertising and marketing, for all intents and purposes. It’s never been useful when it comes to music. Everything having to do with touring, recording, and just being in a functional rock band, I’ve taught myself. My schooling helps me pay the bills, and I’m lucky enough to have a job where I can work from the road and still make a pretty solid income. So I guess in that respect it’s pretty useful. I can pay rent on an apartment, eat shit besides Ramen, and put gas in our tank when sketchy promoters fuck us over too many times in a row without having to stay home 49 weeks out of the year. So actually, yeah, when I put it that way, my degree’s pretty useful. It keeps me from wanting to kill myself, and makes touring a lot more feasible, financially.

You guys are from Milwaukee. What’s the toughest thing about being from there?

The fact that no one here really likes what we do, probably.

Milwaukee’s music scene is super hip-sounding, and we’re not a very hip-sounding band. Most groups like us skip playing here and go to Madison instead, where people dig the kind of tunes we write. I’d rather play more shows in my own backyard. But we’re not from fucking Calcutta or some shit, so that’s a real minor complaint. I like living in Milwaukee.

Most people here are pretty down to earth, you can drive a car around, the fish is good, and you can get away from people if you feel like it. There’s not a whole lot I can gripe about.

insiteatlanta.com • December 2013 • PG 19

MUSIC

MUSIC

Album Reviews JINGLE BELLS!

Morrissey croon over some old Spandau Ballet tracks. Which, strangely enough, is not quite as bad as it sounds in paper, but it’s not remotely original either.

With just 10 tracks, the trio (fronted

by Chris O’Brien) seems to have put minimal effort into their debut effort. The band, played with everyone in 2011which when ithas was originally released. from Alkaline Trio to State Radio, even Subsequent issues of the recording include a joined Candlebox– another band that’s “duet” with Buble and Bing, on a reworked, not exactly remembered originality questionably necessary butfor stillits enjoyable (or, well,of remembered at all)– version “White Christmas. ” on its 20th anniversary tour earlier this year, so clearly they’re impressing someone. Just not me.

MANHEIM (D+) STEAMROLLER A Fresh Aire Christmas HICKOIDS (American– Hairy Chafin’ Ape Suit (Saustex) Gramaphone) Cowboy punks pick up right where they left off 20 Theago second edition years of holiday fare from the often-maligned JM: It only took new-age conglomerate two tracks into still sounds and cold the Hickoids and distant as when it latest album to was released in 1988. be reminded of But it also remains a just how much favorite with listeners, we missed ‘em. offering familiar tunes The opening and highlighted by riffs from “TJ” traditional German carol “Lo,(which How A Rose E’er could Blooming, ” ancome emotional have easily frompiece an that old withstands Waylon and transcends synth Jennings song) the andSteamroller’s that familiartypical Southern onslaught. warble singing, “If you go to Tijuana, please don’t smoke no marijuana/It might JOSH GROBAN be laced with heroin or PCP,” is a clear, Noel (Warner)flag into the ground proving one-starred Thethe mega-selling holidayare album 2008 up that cowboy punks back.of Lock returns with thethe popular vocalist tackling the booze and pooch, because they the are predictable Night”) and the divine clearly ready(“Silent to party! (“Petit Noel”). in Thethe wondrous results An Papa institution southwest from the mid-1980s–1991, the band went on a hiatus of sorts for two decades, playing a few shows here and there before finally giving in to the fact that people actually missed them. They relented and put out the limited edition Harry Chafin’ Ape Suit EP in 2010.

LphAREttA Wy This full- length builds upon that threet release AnSELL OAd year-old and proves that these Lone Star State punks have been holding onto a slew of great songs, some decent ones, and a couple of so-so tracks. But all of them are punctuated with enough swagger and self-assured charm to win over even the deepest cynics.

The band first started talking about LEASAnt iLL this record in 1989, simply because it was an amazing name for anLvd album. You can At AtELLitE judge for yourself whether it was worth the decadeEhind and a half wait. Personally, I’m just glad that the band is finally back together.

(B+)

with Heyman singing, playing all of the instruments, and producing himself. As a result, this is entirely one man’s vision, for better or worse. On the positive side, there’s no one around to muddy his vision.

On the flip side, there’s also no one to question whether all of the songs are really album-worthy. are a stunning mainstream effort from one of Longtime fans of Heyman’s work know today’s best singers. what to expect, and will likely be quite happy this effort, flaws and all. For SUSANwith BOYLE everyone else, you may want to check out The Gift (Sony) 1991’s far better Hey Man.phenom’s (C) The Scottish pop-culture popularity has cooled a THE KENNEY-BLACKMONbitSTRING BAND The in the last few–years, but her second album Singing Tree (Cowboy Angel Music) Georgia-bred newgrass remains a testimony to her raw talent and immaculate delivery.

BL: Born and She’s issued follow-up raisedain metro cash-grab Christmasbut Atlanta, releasewith this ancestry year, but skip in and itsrural hokey duet tricks Georgia, and stick A pwith p a l athis c h one. ian Tennessee, and BARRYtheMANILOW wild West, it In Thetook Swing meOfa long Christmas (Arista) time to come to his thirdroots.

Christmas terms with my family’sFor country My album, Manilow stripped-down jazz grandparents fedtook me athesteady diet of Dolly, combo approach–with properly Mel Loretta, Johnny and Willie (not swinging, to mention Torme-styleBut results.

Hee-Haw). the cultured city kid in me rebelled against any music that reminded JOSHUA BELL boots, hoedowns, and any me of cowboy Musical Gifts From of Joshua Bell And Friends other stereotypes Southern redneck (Sony) ignorance.

Popular Bell 30, is joined by a number of By the violinist time I was alt-country artists guests for this collaborative holiday affair,Shelby with (particularly Gillian Welch and robust appearances

by Alison Krauss, Lynne), the O Brother, Where ArtPlacido Thou?

Domingo, Chick Corea and Branford Marsalis. soundtrack, and the field recordings of Alan Lomax made me a bona-fide convert.

I still hated “new country,” but traditional bluegrass artists like Bill Monroe and the Carter Family and “newgrass” acts like Nickel Creek and Bela Fleck worked their way into steady rotation. When Nickel Creek broke up in 2007, it was like watching close friends divorce.

Athens’ Kenney-Blackmon String Band is the closest thing I’ve found to Nickel Creek in the years since. Leading the group are fiddle player David Blackmon, a traditionalist who co-founded Blueground Undergrass and toured with the legendary Jerry Reed, and vocalist/multiinstrumentalist Jason Kenney, a Dahlonega boy who formerly played lead guitar with Corey Smith. Together with vocalist/multiinstrumentalist Noel Blackmon and double bassist Chris Enghauser (who teaches jazz bass at UGA), they form the finest Georgiabased bluegrass band I’ve heard.

Produced by John Keane (who also provides pedal steel and harmony vocals), RICHARD X. HEYMAN – X (Turn Up Records) the quartet’s debut album offers a refreshing Disappointment from a power-pop vet mixture of traditional Appalachian folk tunes and more modern originals, with occasional JM: Power-pop nods to the genre’s roots in England, rocker Richard Ireland and Scotland. Kenney in particular X. Heyman has establishes himself as a formidable singer/ been tragically songwriter with moving ballads such as overlooked “I’ll Follow You” and “Better Man,” but he’s for much equally adept at interpreting other people’s of the past !

NERWas work (see: Jonathan Byrd’s A W IN“Jesus two decades.

Bootlegger”).

For me, Noel Blackmon’s Unfortunately, vibrato-filled voice is an acquired taste his latest (and perhaps best suited to background release is not going to be the record that vocals), but “Jalisco” proves she’s a helluva finally gets him the mass exposure he WWW.C songwriter.

ButOUS it’s on instrumental DWAREH deserves. There are definitely some solid EAT L.COM tracks such as “Yew Piney Mountain” and Norman songs on X (see: “Verges on the Day”). But, Blake’s “Walnut River/Texas” that the band’s at 15 tracks, there is also a lot of mediocre prowess really shines. fare here that drags the release down.

Can’t wait to hear where their muse will His tenth solo album (like most of take them next. (A+) his others) truly is a solitary affair,

The Top Holiday Albums Of All Yule Time The Dean’s List

Reviews by Brett Love, John B. Moore & Lee Valentine Smith

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

E

MINOR ALPS – Get There (Barsuk Records) VERY CHRISTMAS SEASON BRINGS Two ‘90s favorites onand new this projectseasons’ a new batchcollaborate of albums,

slate includes a starry selection of LVS: holiday cheer from every possible genreJuliana of Hatfield music. New greetings from country-pop’s has enjoyed Kelly Clarkson (a commercial romp called an i n c r dible Wrapped In Red), soulful Mary J. Bligee (This career, with Christmas, a duet-heavy collection with guests a number Marc Anthony, Jessie J, and Barbra Streisand),of peaks and R&B nostalgia from Kool and The Gang (Kool valleys.

Her Christmas features a set of standards and two records new songs), even punk stalwartssolo Bad Religion are delightfully (a lean group of fast and ferocious rock aptly uneven affairs, veering between styles and titled Holiday Songs).

Television favorites qualities, the with creative of the a truly also get into with the spirit songszeal from brave pioneer. soundtrack of Mad Men. Even the cast of new project– a duo with Nada Surf’s DuckHer Dynasty have issued a batch.

Matthew Caws– continues the tradition.

TheyCROSBY co-wrote all the material and share BING the Christmas vocal and (MCA) instrumental duties with Merry an incredible balance, and the result is an The king of all Christmas engaging popversion record. songs, Crosby’s Recorded by Tom Beaujour, the disc of Irving Berlin’s “White echoes the jagged Christmas” is one of thestyles and sensibilities of popular both performers’ most records of past efforts. Album “I Don’t allhighlight time. Constantly in Know What To Do With MyitsHands” print since original is a crackling burst of hooksin and doubts, release the ‘40s, the complimented by the venerable lyrics that run throughout the song has sold, in various set. Great formats, wellharmonies, over 100 understated melodies and intelligent million copies. songwriting mesh here to wrap up the best Hatfield record in recent memory, seeding the inspiring potential for ELVIS PRESLEY a solid, hopefully enduring indie super-duo.

Elvis Christmas (RCA/ Sony) CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS – Leaving Combining Elvis’ Christmas Album Eden and Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas, this (Nonesuch) collection The rebirthis ofa two-fer “old time grab-bag music” of The King’s most popular holiday-themed songs from the ‘50s and the early ‘70s. Of course, BL:it includes Originally “Blue Christmas,” arguably oneknown of Elvis’ as most “old popular releases. time music,” country/ BARBRA STREISAND bluegrass The Classic Christmas Albumbegan (Sony) with Released in September, Classic combines to immigrants the singer-actress’ two holiday selections, the Southern 1967’s excellent A Christmas Album and her Appalachians, fairly recent return to the genre,who with 2001’s brought Christmas Memories. ’67 tracks find the with them the folk The musical traditions and singer at her creative peak, with lush Marty instruments of their homelands.

The Irish Paich arrangements, while theItalian 2001 songs fiddle, German dulcimer, mandolin, areSpanish of the more recent, David Foster-style guitar and West African banjo all production. satisfying bookend came intoAntheincredibly mix, played by blacks and of whites styles forinyour holiday contemplation. poor rural communities (who often worked and played together).

ANDYDurham’s WILLIAMS Carolina Chocolate Drops Thesomehow Andy Williams manageChristmas to evoke Album 100 years of (Columbia) history in a single song, reviving the stringAlthough he recorded least eight and jug-band music at tradition of official the early Christmas albums over the course his and 20th century with equal partsof faith career, theThe first one, is the members very fervor. fact from that 1963, all three best.

An end-of-the-Camelot-era classic, just so happen to be black is part of the their collection highlighted by the perpetualWhat’s charm, isbut ultimately irrelevant. favorite, The MostisWonderful Of more “It’s significant that theirTime Grammy TheAward-winning Year.” sound recalls a bygone era when music was simpler, deeper, and TONY moreBENNETT meaningful in the everyday life of the Snowfall, Tony Bennett Christmas commonthe man.

Album (Sony) Leaving Eden, their second album, is an From 1968,stunner, Bennett’swith beautiful collection infectious Rhiannon Giddens’ continues to radiate the warmth of season. wailing vocals and fierce fiddlingthe often front Arranged and conducted by noted tv and film and center. But while Giddens has proven soundtrack vet Robert Farnon, the record the group’s breakout star, she’s hardly the hasonly a timeless quality that has one: Don Flemons andendured Hubby the Jenkins decades.

Bennett added A Swingin’ Christmas are both powerful singers and multito his catalog in 2008, but Snowfall remains

PG 20 • December 2013 • insiteatlanta.com

the truly essential holiday release from the instrumentalists graceful entertainer. capable of delivering a rousing tune. Flemons kills it on the opening “Riro’s House,” a fiery barn-burner THE CHIPMUNKS with subtleWith IrishThe roots, as well as the bluesy Christmas Chipmunks “Boodle De Bum Bum.” In truth, I haven’t (Liberty/EMI) heard triobiggest this well balanced in continues terms of One ofa the albums of 1961 since Nickel went on hiatus. totalent be a popular holidayCreek novelty.

Mischievous Catch Alvin, them Simon when and theyTheodore, come to led town ‘munks by in December, before Flemonshuman leaves“parent” the band their perpetually perplexed to fly(Ross solo Bagdasarian) in 2014.

Dave romp through a wide range of holiday standards and skits, featuring the single “The Chipmunk NEILmassive YOUNG –hitLive At The Cellar Door Song (Christmas Don’t into Be Late).

An intimate journey the past” Fun for all ages.

THE BEACH BOYS

LVS: The The Beach Boys Christmas Album newest(Capitol) release In 1964, the Beach Boys followed from up “Little the Saint Nick,” their holiday hit from the year treasure trove before, of with a whole Neil Young’s albumsextensive of traditional live and original r e c o fare, rdings all delivered in the the captures familiar harmonyartist in late laden Beach 1970 Boy at the style. OfD.C. the bunch, Cellar Door in Washington, The tiny Brianengagement Wilson’s wistful club hosted a six-night for “Christmas Day,behind ” Young, who was touring at the time Jardine a After The Goldrush.featuring The setAlfeatures lead vocals, album, is the number of tracks fromon that excellent offered in versions thatreal arestandout strippedfor of pure even joy. release. the sparse production Christmas of the original “Tell Me Why,” “Don’t Let It Bring You VINCE GUARALDI Down,” and the title track are all included in A Charliewith Brown the well-paced set, bookended slightly Christmas (Fantasy) older classics including “Down by the River.”

First appearing in 1965 as the companion Unexpected surprises include bare-bones soundtrack to the classic animated Peanuts to takes on Buffalo Springfield’s “Expecting TV special, jazz legend Guaraldi’s quiet, often Fly,” “I Am a Child,” and the breathtaking moody set of songs has taken on a life of its Is album closer, “Flying on the Ground own with new interpretations, and annual Wrong.” reissues.

It is currently available insnapshot a deluxe gift The album is an incredible of package, with the newly remastered and where Young’s songwriting style wasalbum headed aatDVD the television show.it as a valuable thatof period, marking historic document. The gigs featured the VARIOUS ARTISTS of “Old Man,” which debut performances Awould Very Special Christmas (A&M/Universal) eventually find its way on to Young’s Originally issued to benefit Special Olympics next album, the monumental Harvest, over intwo 1987, the collection has spawned a number years later. The mesmerizing collection ofiskey tracks,treat often over-played on commercial a sonic from start to finish, but it’s radio and television. But it is undeniable an also worth having, simply for the rare, incredible time-capsule of popular music, prepiano-based rendition of “Cinnamon Girl.” grunge revolution. With appearances by U2, Whitney Houston, Sting, John Mellancamp, and Madonna, the all-star gang offer chilly renditions of standards. Worth having for the cover art by Keith Haring alone, the quadrouple-platinum-selling record remains a TRANSITSHOP – Velocity (Rock Ridge) favorite with several generations.

Philly band hits the ‘80s time machine and ultimately fails to impress NAT KING COLE The Christmas Song (Capitol) There’s Originally released in 1960 asJM: The Magic m e t hcool ing Of Christmas, this compilations oremains terriblyrelease. dated vocalist-pianist Cole’s most-popular about the At over 6 million in official sales and inclusion sound on countless various artists collections, theon the debut tracks are almost all instantly familiar with f u l l - l delivery, ength even casual listeners. Coles inventive fromcontinue Philly’s at one inviting and experimental, to Transit shop. influence jazz vocalists every Christmas.

And not in a “Cool, this has a real vintage throwback MICHAEL BUBLE feel to it!” (Warner) kind of way, but more of an, “I’m Christmas gonna recreate my ‘80snewnew wave It’s a no-brainer thatfavorite Buble, the records without adding anything newa to generation Sinatra/Bennett, would create the mix” feel.

Christmas album. And the selections are no The result a bitsold likelike an crazy affected surprise, either,sounds but the disc

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The Top Holiday Albums Of All Yule Time

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

E

VERY CHRISTMAS SEASON BRINGS a new batch of albums, and this seasons’ slate includes a starry selection of holiday cheer from every possible genre of music. New greetings from country-pop’s Kelly Clarkson (a commercial romp called Wrapped In Red), soulful Mary J. Blige (This Christmas, a duet-heavy collection with guests Marc Anthony, Jessie J, and Barbra Streisand), R&B nostalgia from Kool and The Gang (Kool Christmas features a set of standards and two new songs), even punk stalwarts Bad Religion (a lean group of fast and ferocious rock aptly titled Holiday Songs). Television favorites also get into the spirit with songs from the soundtrack of Mad Men. Even the cast of Duck Dynasty have issued a batch.

BING CROSBY

Merry Christmas (MCA) The king of all Christmas songs, Crosby’s version of Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” is one of the most popular records of all time. Constantly in print since its original release in the ‘40s, the song has sold, in various formats, well over 100 million copies.

ELVIS PRESLEY

Elvis Christmas (RCA/ Sony) Combining Elvis’ Christmas Album and Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas, this collection is a two-fer grab-bag of The King’s most popular holiday-themed songs from the ‘50s and the early ‘70s. Of course, it includes “Blue Christmas,” arguably one of Elvis’ most popular releases.

BARBRA STREISAND

The Classic Christmas Album (Sony) Released in September, Classic combines the singer-actress’ two holiday selections, 1967’s excellent A Christmas Album and her fairly recent return to the genre, with 2001’s Christmas Memories. The ’67 tracks find the singer at her creative peak, with lush Marty Paich arrangements, while the 2001 songs are of the more recent, David Foster-style production. An incredibly satisfying bookend of styles for your holiday contemplation.

ANDY WILLIAMS

The Andy Williams Christmas Album (Columbia) Although he recorded at least eight official Christmas albums over the course of his career, the first one, from 1963, is the very best. An end-of-the-Camelot-era classic, the collection is highlighted by the perpetual favorite, “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year.”

TONY BENNETT

Snowfall, the Tony Bennett Christmas Album (Sony) From 1968, Bennett’s beautiful collection continues to radiate the warmth of the season.

Arranged and conducted by noted tv and film soundtrack vet Robert Farnon, the record has a timeless quality that has endured the decades. Bennett added A Swingin’ Christmas to his catalog in 2008, but Snowfall remains

the truly essential holiday release from the graceful entertainer.

THE CHIPMUNKS

Christmas With The Chipmunks (Liberty/EMI) One of the biggest albums of 1961 continues to be a popular holiday novelty. Mischievous ‘munks Alvin, Simon and Theodore, led by their perpetually perplexed human “parent” Dave (Ross Bagdasarian) romp through a wide range of holiday standards and skits, featuring the massive hit single “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late).” Fun for all ages.

THE BEACH BOYS

The Beach Boys Christmas Album (Capitol) In 1964, the Beach Boys followed up “Little Saint Nick,” their holiday hit from the year before, with a whole albums of traditional and original fare, all delivered in the familiar harmonyladen Beach Boy style. Of the bunch, Brian Wilson’s wistful “Christmas Day,” featuring Al Jardine on lead vocals, is the real standout for pure Christmas joy.

VINCE GUARALDI

A Charlie Brown Christmas (Fantasy) First appearing in 1965 as the companion soundtrack to the classic animated Peanuts TV special, jazz legend Guaraldi’s quiet, often moody set of songs has taken on a life of its own with new interpretations, and annual reissues. It is currently available in a deluxe gift package, with the newly remastered album and a DVD of the television show.

NAT KING COLE

The Christmas Song (Capitol) Originally released in 1960 as The Magic Of Christmas, this compilation remains cool vocalist-pianist Cole’s most-popular release.

At over 6 million in official sales and inclusion on countless various artists collections, the tracks are almost all instantly familiar with even casual listeners. Coles inventive delivery, at one inviting and experimental, continue to influence jazz vocalists every Christmas.

MICHAEL BUBLE

Christmas (Warner) It’s a no-brainer that Buble, the newgeneration Sinatra/Bennett, would create a Christmas album. And the selections are no surprise, either, but the disc sold like crazy

SUSAN BOYLE

MANHEIM STEAMROLLER

A Fresh Aire Christmas (American Gramaphone) The second edition of holiday fare from the often-maligned new-age conglomerate still sounds and cold and distant as when it was released in 1988.

But it also remains a favorite with listeners, offering familiar tunes and highlighted by traditional German carol “Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming,” an emotional piece that withstands and transcends the Steamroller’s typical synth onslaught.

JOSH GROBAN

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The Gift (Sony) The Scottish pop-culture phenom’s popularity has cooled a bit in the last few years, but her second album remains a testimony to her raw talent and immaculate delivery.

She’s issued a follow-up cash-grab Christmas release this year, but skip and its hokey duet tricks and stick with this one.

BARRY MANILOW

In The Swing Of Christmas (Arista) For his third Christmas album, Manilow took the stripped-down jazz combo approach–with properly swinging, Mel Torme-style results.

JOSHUA BELL

Musical Gifts From Joshua Bell And Friends (Sony) Popular violinist Bell is joined by a number of guests for this collaborative holiday affair, with robust appearances by Alison Krauss, Placido Domingo, Chick Corea and Branford Marsalis.

Noel (Warner) The mega-selling holiday album of 2008 returns with the popular vocalist tackling the predictable (“Silent Night”) and the divine (“Petit Papa Noel”). The wondrous results

VARIOUS ARTISTS

A Very Special Christmas (A&M/Universal) Originally issued to benefit Special Olympics in 1987, the collection has spawned a number of key tracks, often over-played on commercial radio and television. But it is undeniable an incredible time-capsule of popular music, pregrunge revolution. With appearances by U2, Whitney Houston, Sting, John Mellancamp, and Madonna, the all-star gang offer chilly renditions of standards. Worth having for the cover art by Keith Haring alone, the quadrouple-platinum-selling record remains a favorite with several generations.

are a stunning mainstream effort from one of today’s best singers.

in 2011 when it was originally released.

Subsequent issues of the recording include a “duet” with Buble and Bing, on a reworked, questionably necessary but still enjoyable version of “White Christmas.”

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SPORTS

from Lachey on page 12

GET TO THE POINT

Fifth-Year Guard Jeff Teague is the NBA’s Latest Overnight Success

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

T

ONIGHT’S LOCKER ROOM scene is a bit surreal. The Atlanta Hawks’ two-time all-star, Al Horford, is buttoning up his shirt at his stall after a solid 20-point, eight-board outing versus Philadelphia. The timing couldn’t be more ideal for a quick interview with him, but there’s not a single reporter around him.

Everyone’s focus is on Jeff Teague, the Hawks point guard who’s quietly dazzled season-long to the tune of 19.4 points and nine assists a game. Though Kyrie Irving, Derrick Rose and a few others have higher profiles, if we’re going strictly off stats, the 25-year-old Teague is playing like one of the best point guards in the league. On this night, in fact, he dropped a career-high 33 points and handed out 10 assists.

If he keeps those kinds of numbers up — and the Hawks keep defying the odds in the standings— the scores of journalists looking for postgame quotes will only grow.

You took over quite a bit in the second half.

What happened?

[Hawks teammate] Mike Scott said, “They goin’ at you. Be more aggressive. Attack and do whatever you have to do to get a win.”

Did you see anything specific that allowed you to get to the basket?

Al and those guys were telling me to use my speed, and it was working out.

Anything specific you can build off from this game?

We just gotta take it one game at a time and keep playing defense. We’re going to score points, we can score, we just gotta get it on the defensive end.

I know we’re only a few games in, but how would you rate your personal performance thus far?

I’m just doing what the coaches ask me: be aggressive, stay in the lane and try to make plays for others. We’re doing a pretty good job, but we should have some more wins. We had some tough losses.

Coach Mike Budenholzer has been stressing to us how he wants you to be more aggressive.

How has he addressed that to you?

He pulled me in the film room and showed me some tape. He said be aggressive and make things happen. I tried to learn from those mistakes and do a better job tonight.

The Hawks lost a few games early in the year that they probably should have won. Is any of that still frustrating?

We’re a new team. We’re still gelling. We’re still trying to figure things out. We had miscues and turnovers down in the fourth [quarter] in a lot of games which made us lose. It wasn’t anything to do with anything else. It was all on us. We made turnovers. We missed shots. But we’re getting better. I think we’re doing a pretty good job.

How would you rate this as a career game?

It was okay… Nah, it was a good game for me. But you know we got another one tomorrow. That’s a good thing about the NBA: you can bask in the glory a little bit, but you gotta get back at it tomorrow.

We’re nine games into the season. Is the team about where you expected them to be? A little better? A little worst?

I never really put any expectations on this team. I kinda went in and said, “Be better everyday.” Me and Coach Bud say that every time we talk. Every day, every time just try to get better. Do something better than we did last game — that’s our motto.

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You mentioned mentoring the groups. What do you think is the most important piece of advice that you’re able to give them or to young students in high school or college, hoping to succeed in a cappella singing -- or the music industry in general?

I think it really, frankly, is hard work.

I’ve said many times I’m not necessarily convinced that 98 Degrees was the most talented group out there, but we were certainly willing to work as hard -- if not harder -- than any other group out there. And there really is no replacement for that. Work ethic and your desire to go the extra mile, can really set you apart and give you an advantage. It’s a lot of singing in a very condensed amount of time with a lot of pressure. You’re on a national television stage and you’re singing against some of the most talented singers in the country, and you really have to be on your game. You have to work hard. And if you’re not willing to work hard, you’re not going to do well on the show. That’s just a

You guys just went on tour this summer with 98 Degrees, do you feel like you still have the “It” factor like you guys did back then, and why or why not?

Well, of course, you’ve got to have the “it” factor. You can’t get out there on stage and perform in front of 18,000 screaming women if you don’t feel like you’ve got that “it” factor, still.

So we definitely did.

You know, we made an album we were very proud of and couldn’t have been more proud to be on stage each and every night with Boyz II Men and New Kids on the Block, and we certainly had a great time doing it. The music business has changed quite a bit since our last time on stage, but I know we all couldn’t be more proud of what we did this year, and all the things we’ve done throughout our career.

We’ve been truly blessed to have a long, long career and to have a lot of success. So, it’s been nothing but great memories and great moments this year and all throughout our career.

The Sing Off airs December 9 at 9 p.m. on NBC. Check local listings for more details.

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they still belong. So then, when the two low groups have the ultimate sing off, obviously the judges have to then decide on one of them to continue on and one of them to go home. But it’s a really cool, dramatic moment at the end of the show. And I think the diversity of the judges is really a strength of what The Sing-Off is all about.

fact. I think that’s really true for any walk of life, but especially in the music business.

It’s a cut-throat business, now more than ever, and you have to do something to set yourself apart from the competition. I think oftentimes a strong work ethic and going that extra mile can be the deciding factor.

Our annual poll is currently being conducted online at www.insiteatlanta.com Let us know how we can serve you better. Just take a few minutes to fill out a quick questionnaire. All participants have a chance to win tickets to area attractions, upcoming events, movie screenings, DVD’s & more!! We are stocked with goodies to give out.

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MERCHANDISE

OUR FAVORITE THINGS – 2013 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

BY B. LOVE

Y

OU CAN HAVE YOUR EASTER, Fourth of July, and New Year’s Eve: For my money, there’s no better holiday than Christmas. I love everything about it: twinkling lights, festive carols, the smell of a fresh Fraser Fir, and spending time with family. But what I love most about Christmas is that it’s the one time of year when people put more emphasis on giving than receiving.

Here are a few of our favorite things for the loved ones on your shopping list this holiday season:

FOR THE CHRISTMAS FANATIC…

Turntable Touch Control Zeal Optics allowing you to manage your music and calls easily.

The award-winning design looks great too, with durable aluminum frame, steel hinges and a shatterproof headband.

At Christmas, record labels always put out their best boxed set collections. Some of 2013’s finest include PAUL SIMON’S THE COMPLETE ALBUMS Nutrition COLLECTION, MILES DAVIS’ THE ORIGINAL Center Juicer RECORDINGS, SKYDOUGH: THE DUANE ALLMAN RETROSPECTIVE, AND THE RAMONES’ THE SIRE YEARS: 1976-1981.

I’ve been compared to Clark Griswold for the colorful cornucopia of decorations with which I festoon my house. So it comes as no surprise that I embrace the “cheesy” side of Christmas. My favorite 2013 discovery is the ROCK-O-RAMA FOR THE HOME CHEF… JUKEBOX from Mr. The older I get, and the Christmas (MrChristmas. more I travel for work, the com), which plays 20 more I appreciate quality classic songs from time (and quality food) at legendary artists like Bing home with family. The #1 Crosby, Eartha Kitt and item on my wish list this year Louis Armstrong. It also was the 8006 NUTRITION creates a festive musical CENTER JUICER from light show when you plug Omega (OmegaJuicers.com), your Xmas tree lights into a “masticating juice extractor” it. Can’t wait to put mine that ensures you get all the up!

Rock-O-Rama Jukebox vitamins/minerals from fresh Whether you wear fruits/veggies. It also makes them earnestly or ironically, everything nut butter, extrudes pasta, and grinds Skedouche (Skedouche.com) makes is spices or coffee. dripping with holiday cheer. Their line Speaking of coffee, our world travels of Christmas sweaters ranges from tacky have made us snobs, switching frequently to natty, and naughty to nice. Their between Panamanian, Colombian, and HOLIDAY REINDEER SWEATER Ethiopian varietals. The KEURIG RIVO DRESS (with matching BREWER (Keurig.com) boots) is particularly A Year in the Country Soap Set is our new favorite toy, fetching. allowing us to brew Our family loves espresso, cappuccino, or chocolate. This year latte quickly and easily, we’ll be stuffing our frothing milk at the touch stockings (and faces) of a button. with gourmet treats from The biggest change Edward Marc Chocolatier in my life this year has (EdwardMarc.com), been the realization that including PEPPERMINT I’m gluten intolerant.

SNOWFLAKE BARK, Fortunately, my lady PEPPERMINT MARSHMALLOW and my daughter are loving enough to POPS, and GRINCH POPS. All are make me gluten-free breads, cookies scrumptious and affordable (around $3). and cakes. The HAMILTON BEACH ELECTRICS ALL-METAL STAND FOR THE MUSIC LOVER… MIXER (HamiltonBeach.com) makes Though CD sales continue to decline, baking a breeze, with 400 watts of power, vinyl sales are on the rise. The LP-TO12 speed settings, and quick tilt-up head.

DIGITAL RECORDING SYSTEM from No wonder it’s the world’s top-rated mixer.

Audio-Technica (Audio-Technica.com) makes a cool gift for music fans, allowing FOR THE BEAUTY… you to listen to vinyl albums on your home I do my best to shower my girls with stereo via USB and easily goodies. This year my lady convert them into digital (who has been forbidden media files. to read this, lest she For those who miss ruin the surprise) will be the ‘80s, the IBT44 getting A YEAR IN THE BLUETOOTH COUNTRY GOAT MILK PORTABLE FM SOAP SET from Beekman STEREO BOOMBOX 1802 (AbesMarket.com). from iHome Created by The Amazing IBT44 Bluetooth Portable Boombox Race winners known as The (iHomeAudio.com) is a sleek retro throwback.

Fabulous Beekman Boys, this The SRS TruBass offers killer sound gorgeously packaged 12-soap collection amplified through 4” woofers and 1” is made of milk from the goats on their tweeters, and you can use their Radio upstate NY farm. app to access thousands of Internet radio She’ll also get her stocking stuffed with stations.

HANDBAG ESSENTIALS from Amala For audio on the go, REVO WIRELESS (AmalaBeauty.com), which includes HEADPHONES from Jabra (Jabra.com) Jasmine Hydrating Hand Cream, Cocoa offer rich Dolby Digital Plus sound, with Bean Rejuvenating Hand Cream, and

soothing Desert Fig Lip pocket size for easy portability.

Salve, all in a cell-phone When it’s cold outside, keeping your sized mini valise that’s tootsies warm is crucial. We’re big fans perfect for taking on our of Canada’s KAMIK BOOTS (Kamik. global travels. com), particularly the Men’s Snowcliff My daughter is just and Women’s Encore. Not only are they getting to the age where fashionable, they’re also waterproof, well she’s developing her own insulated and moisture wicking, with nightly beauty routine. I’m outsoles make to grip snow and ice. hoping she’ll enjoy ISOLA’S LIMITED Serious ski buffs (or anyone who EDITION HOLIDAY COLLECTION spends time outside in the cold) will love (IsolaBody.com), which includes three BEARTEK GLOVES (BearTekGloves. exfoliating body scrubs with com), a new “wearable tech” product the sweet scents of Brown aimed at skiers, snowboarders and Sugar & Caramel Apple, bikers. With integrated Bluetooth and Brown Sugar & Candied Fig, WiFi capabilities, the gloves allow you and Brown Sugar & Sweet to control your phone, music, or GoPro Cinnamon Pumpkin. devices with a simple tap of the fingers.

Given her obsession No more fumbling to take off your gloves with straight hair, I’m in freezing weather! fairly certain she’ll love We have our own travel website and the T3 TOURMALINE spend lots of time filming outside, so our PROFESSIONAL pick for 2013’s coolest new ski STRAIGHTENING & product is the ZEAL OPTICS Eagle Creek’s Tarmac STYLING IRON (T3Micro.

VIDEO + CAMERA GOGGLE AWD 28 com), which won a Best of (ZealHD.com). Using gloveBeauty Award from Allure friendly buttons on the side of in 2009 for its ability to the frame, you can capture 1080p eliminate frizz in a single HD-quality video and shoot 12 pass, leaving the soft, MP photos with a 170-degree smooth, shiny hair my tween wide-angle lens. With in-goggle seems to crave.

LCD screen and built-in mic, it rivals GoPro for action sports video.

FOR THE TRAVELER… Last year our travel was mostly overseas, but this FOR THE FASHIONISTA… year we’ve been doing more road trips.

Though we’re not super trendy, everyone The rugged MAGELLAN EXPLORIST in our family is style-conscious. So jewelry 710 (MagellanGPS.com) makes a great and accessories tend to be standard gift for adventurers, with 3.2 MP camera, holiday gifts in our house. mic, and speaker allowing you to record One of my favorite discoveries this year geo-referenced images and notes. It also is DUNE JEWELRY (DuneJewelry.com), includes complete road a Boston-based company networks for the US, that makes customized Canada, Western Europe silver jewelry and cufflinks and Australia, and major using sand culled from roads for the rest of the over 1200 different beaches world. around the world. Their I spent more than 130 Island Necklace is a stylish days traveling over the memento of special times past two years, and have together in special places. the art of packing down I’m also a fan of ANDREA Karma to a science. The KELTY BOCCHIO JEWELRY ASCENDER 22 (Kelty.

(AndreaBocchio.com), com) has become my go-to carryon, the work of a Brooklyn-based designer but it’s also capable of expanding to 55originally from Peru. Her collection and 70-liter checked bag sizes, with a blends traditional knit/crocheted Peruvian detachable rolling chassis and stow-away elements with hip, modern accents to shoulder strap. create a unique pan-cultural look that’s EAGLE CREEK’S TARMAC AWD 28 equal parts bohemian and metropolitan.

(EagleCreek.com) is like a modern-day KARMA (karmagifts.com) is a great safari trunk, offering 120 liters of space, company that sells clothing, accessories and durable polycarbonate construction, a other gifts, with a % of every sale supporting “No Matter What” warranty, and special charities (Russian orphanage, Cambodian features such as a lockable library, etc.). We were impressed quick stash pocket. It’s big by the bold colors and whimsical Martian Passport for our needs, but perfect designs of the matching purses, Watch for snowbirds who travel scarves and umbrellas in their for weeks at a time.

Boho Collection.

Of course, fashion’s not just for ladies anymore. Men will love FOR THE SKI BUFF… the MARTIAN PASSPORT Speaking of snowbirds, WATCH (martianwatches. ski season is upon us. com), a voice-controlled The HELLY HANSEN smartwatch that allows you to WOMEN’S STELLA make calls, listen/respond to JACKET (HellyHansen. texts and emails, and surf the com) is breathable, web without ever taking the phone out of waterproof, and PrimaLoft-insulated, your pocket. A Best of CES Finalist (CNET) keeping you warm or cool depending on and Popular Mechanics Editor’s Choice, the weather conditions and activity level. The NORTH FACE THERMOBALL JACKET watch’s voice command control will make your loved one’s Star Trek/Knight Rider (TheNorthFace.com) is great for men, dreams come true, ensuring a VERY merry using PrimaLoft insulation equivalent to 600-fill goose down and compressible to Christmas, indeed.

insiteatlanta.com • December 2013 • PG 23

2013 HOLI DAY Our Reviews of 25 of the Season’s Hottest Titles

BY BRET LOVE

I

WAS AMONG THE VERY FIRST generation of video game fanatics. I still remember when a friend from our church youth group bought the home version of Pong in the mid-‘70s; riding bikes to the arcade to spend hours playing Space Invaders and Galaxian a few years later; and getting my first Atari 2600 at the age of 12, becoming obsessed with games like Frogger, Pitfall and Yar’s Revenge.

It’s amazing to consider how far the video gaming industry has come in the last 35 years.

The new PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles are ushering in a bold new era in gaming, with incredible-looking titles like Forza Motorsport 5, Ryse: Son of Rome, and Dead Rising 3 (which we, unfortunately, were unable to get copies of before our press deadline). And when you consider the difference in motion recognition between the 2006 debut of the Wii Remote and the current iteration of the Xbox Kinect, it’s clear that developers are making progress at a remarkably accelerated rate.

Still, as a father with a daughter the same age I was when I fell in love with gaming, I’m glad Nintendo remains in the race, providing family-friendly options you won’t find on any other gaming system. Though mobile apps and online gaming may be taking an everincreasing share of this multi-billion dollar a year market, I hope console gaming titles like the ones reviewed below will be around for many years to come.

ASSASSIN’S CREED IV: BLACK FLAG

(Ubisoft) Platforms: PC, PS3/PS4, WiiU, X360/XOne The latest edition of Ubisoft’s open world adventure series immerses players into the Colonial-era Caribbean, where they take on the role of pirate Captain Edward Kenway. Trained

by Assassins, Kenway commands the crew aboard the Jackdaw, plundering and pillaging their way from the Bahamas to Jamaica.

From looting shipwrecks and swashbuckling sword fights to hunting in tropical jungles and searching for treasure amongst ancient ruins, the game play is diverse and constantly exciting.

In terms of graphics, the series has never looked better, making Black Flag a welcome return to form for fans disappointed by AC3.

CALL OF DUTY GHOSTS (Activision) Platforms: PC, PS3/PS4, WiiU, X360/XOne COD: Modern Warfare was regarded as a game-changer for the first-person shooter genre, but it feels as if the franchise has been on a slow, steady decline ever since.

Ghosts finds American special ops forces outnumbered and on the defensive against a South American alliance known as The Federation. The new Create-A-Solider feature gives players unprecedented character customization control, and the game is as visually stunning as you’d expect from the series. But from same-old campaigns and weak characters to infinite enemy spawning and lame killstreaks, this incarnation of COD feels… well, DOA. DEAD OR ALIVE 5 ULTIMATE

(Tecmo) Platforms: PS3, X360 If I’m being honest, my interest in fighting games waned shortly after the ‘91 release of Street Fighter 2.

But there’s no denying the fact that Dead or Alive has been one of the genre’s most influential franchises since its arcade debut back in 1996 thanks to its fast-paced action, storyline, and strategic elements.

DOA5 Ultimate is arguably the best in the series, adding 5 new characters, 5 new stages, and more of the borderline scandalous costumes for which the game is known. Not sure if it’s worth $40 for those who bought DOA5 last year, but it’s definitely one of the best fighting titles we’ve played in a while.

DISHONORED GAME OF THE YEAR EDITION (Bethesda)

Platforms: PC, PS3, X360 Dishonored immerses players in the otherworldly industrial whaling town of Dunwall, casting them as a supernatural, mask-wearing

PG 24 • December 2013 • insiteatlanta.com

assassin hell-bent on revenge after being framed for murder of the Empress. The game has cool steampunk-inspired technology, and the supernatural angle adds a distinctive twist.

But our favorite aspect is how the game allows you to improvise your own assassination style, reacting to how you play and reacting to your personal actions.

This edition includes the original game and official add-on content, including Dunwall City Trials, The Knife of Dunwall, The Brigmore Witches and more.

FIGHTER WITHIN

(Ubisoft) Platform: XOne That stuff I said about fighting games above?

Yeah, that all changes with the release of this hyper-realistic title, which makes incredible use of Kinect technology to deliver an immersive brawler experience. The next gen motion recognition makes this the next best thing to actually being Tyler Durden, punching, kicking, throwing, using combos and special moves to deliver an ungodly amount of whoop-ass on your opponents, whether they be real or AI. It’s perfect for getting in shape AND getting out holiday stress.

FORMULA 1 2013 (Warner Home Video) Platforms: PS3, X360 I’m no fan of NASCAR, but Formula 1 almost makes auto racing seem sexy. The title features all the flashy cars and skilled drivers you’d expect from the 2013 FIA Formula One World Championship. But it also includes the new F1 Classics game mode, which allows players to race as legendary drivers in famous cars from the 1980s. With pulse-pounding action, improved handling, and dynamic renderings of some of the world’s most iconic circuits, this is arguably one of the best racing simulations we’ve ever played.

GRAND THEFT AUTO V

(Rockstar) Platforms: PS3, X360 After a slight misstep with GTA4, Rockstar has returned with the franchise’s most ambitious effort to date.

The sprawling city of Los Santos is filled with D-list celebs, self-help gurus and assorted freaks, with players cast as one of three protagonists (former street gangster Franklin, ex-con Michael, or violent psychopath Trevor). The world is massive, the graphics are stunning, and the characters are all batshit crazy, with pulling off grand Heists the name of the game. For our money, it’s the best GTA ever.

JUST DANCE 2014 (Ubisoft)

Platforms: PS3/PS4, Wii/Wii U, X360/XOne I’m 45 years old, so clearly not the target audience for this pop music-centered dance title. But my tween daughter loves it, and I love

that playing it gives me one heck of a cardio workout. If you’ve seen any of the previous Just Dance titles, you know the scoop: Players try to match the moves on the screen and replicate them, either head-to-head or as a team. Songs run the gamut from current (“Applause,” “Blurred Lines”) to classic (“99 Luftballoons,” “Y.M.C.A.”), and the karaoke mode makes it perfect party fare.

KILLER IS DEAD (Xseed)

Platforms: PS3, X360 The latest title from revered gaming mastermind SUDA51 (No More Heroes, Killer 7), Killer Is Dead follows an assassin named Mondo Zappa who tracks down criminals with a ninja sword in one hand and bionic power in the other. It’s a weird, wild, and darkly wonderful world perfectly in keeping with SUDA’s gritty, ultra-violent style, which has drawn more than its fair share of detractors. Sure, it’s a bit arty for a bloody action epic, but if you dig mature, quirky Japanese anime, this is a perfect title for you.

LOST PLANET 3 (Capcom)

Platforms: PS3, X360 A mixture of third- and first-person shooter, this prequel to the Lost Planet franchise casts players as Jim Peyton, a blue-collar rig pilot working to prepare the planet known as E.D.N. III for colonization. As he and his co-workers as the Coronic base search for sources of thermal energy, they must battle the indigenous Akrid and extremely hostile weather conditions to survive. Though not as heavy on action as Dead Space (to which it’s often compared), the compelling storyline makes it a keeper.

MARIO & SONIC AT THE OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES SOCHI 2014 (Nintendo)

Platform: Wii U Pairing gaming titans Mario and Sonic should be like having Magic Johnson and Larry Bird on the same team. But, as the Dream Team proved in 2004, occasionally even icons fail to gel. Still, Sochi 2014 is easily the best title of the Mario & Sonic at the Olympics franchise, with challenging events and unique creative twists. The “Dream Events” are especially fun, including oddballs like Hole-In-One Curling and Snowball Scrimmage. There are still some issues with complex controls, which are especially problematic if you have 2 players and only one GamePad. But the series continues to improve with time.

MARIO PARTY: ISLAND TOUR (Nintendo)

Platform: Nintendo 3DS The 13th installment in the Mario Party series (and the second developed by Nd Cube) offers a welcome return to the traditional board game play for which the franchise is known. But this time around there are 7 different boards, each of which has its own rules. As you’d expect, Island Tour is more fun with friends, but for short-attention-span folks like me there are also 81 fun mini-games that will test your speed and concentration skills.

There’s nothing revolutionary here, but if it

VI DEOGAME GUIDE ain’t broke, why fix it? If we’re being honest, our family loves playing anything that features Mario, Yoshi, and their colorful cast.

NBA 2K14 (2K Sports)

Platforms: PC, PS3/PS4, X360/XOne You can have your baseball and football: For my money, basketball’s the most exciting sport in the world. This iteration of the sport’s most acclaimed video game title finds 2K partnering with LeBron James, who handpicked the eclectic mix of songs for the soundtrack (which ranges from Jay-Z and Eminem to Coldplay and Phil Collins). Changes from last year’s version are subtle, including more realistic dribbling, bounce-passing, more signature skills, and “Crews” mode for 5v5 online battles. But overall, the game feels more like a tentative step sideways than a bold step forward for the storied franchise.

NEED FOR SPEED RIVALS (Electronic Arts) Platforms: PC, PS3/ PS4, X360/XOne Blending some of the best elements of past NFS titles such as Hot Pursuit and Most Wanted, Rivals is an early favorite for best arcade-style racing title on PS4 and Xbox One. Like Grand Theft Auto, the new NFS offers open world exploration, but here you can choose between being a good guy (cop) or bad guy (racer). You can switch back and forth at random, switch between single player and multiplayer online on a whim, and use speed points to get killer upgrades. It’s far from realistic, but it’s certainly a helluva lot of fun!

PAC MAN & THE GHOSTLY ADVENTURES

(Namco) System: Wii U Fatherhood has many rewards, but one of the greatest is introducing your kids to things you thought were cool as a kid. I’m old enough to remember when Pac-Man was first introduced, so it’s been a blast for me to see my daughter take to the arcade classic. Ghostly Adventures is easily the franchise’s best title in decades, rebooting the character in a 3D platform that harkens back to fun-filled games like Banjo-Kazooie.

The storyline is incredibly simple, but the characters are engaging and the game play addictive, bringing the ‘80s gaming legend into the 21st century.

PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2014 (Konami)

Systems: PS3, X360 As a diehard fan of both soccer and gaming, I’ve always found that PES ranked a distant second to EA’s perennially awesome FIFA franchise. But at least it was always different, true to its fun arcade roots. So it’s simultaneously odd and impressive to see the developers taking PES 2014 in a more realistic simulation direction. This time around the graphics are sharper and flashier, with character renderings that make the game feel more emotional. But the spotty technical side of the AI can’t quite measure up by comparison, making for a title whose execution ultimately fails to match its lofty ambition.

RAYMAN LEGENDS (Ubisoft) Systems: PC, PS3, Vita, Wii U, X360 Michel Ancel (who also created Raving Rabbids) was universally acclaimed for Rayman Origins, which some praised as the best 2D platform title ever made. But Rayman Legends manages to improve upon the winning formula, with stunning animated graphics, LOL slapstick comedy, and challenging game play. The story finds Rayman (and pals Murfy and Globox) fighting new monsters that spread throughout the Glade of Dreams during a 100-year nap, from giant toads and dragons to ferocious sea monsters.

There’s remarkable depth and humor along the way, making this one of the year’s best familyfriendly titles.

RESIDENT EVIL REVELATIONS

(Capcom) Platforms: PS3, X360, Wii U If The Walking Dead has taught us anything, it’s that people can’t get enough zombies.

Originally released for Nintendo 3DS, this upgraded console version of Revelations delivers the relentlessly horrific action gamers crave. Set during the time between RE4 and 5, the story takes series favorites Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, Parker Luciani and Jessica Sherawat from a supposedly abandoned cruise ship to the city Terragrigia, each of which has been– SURPRISE!– overrun by the undead. The HD visuals are intense, and the lighting and sound make for an hauntingly immersive experience that’s much better than RE6.

ROCKSMITH 2014 (Ubisoft) Platforms: Mac/PC, PS3, X360 Though I’ve served as frontman/songwriter for more than a half-dozen bands, I’ve never managed to master the guitar. But Rocksmith 2014 promises to teach even butterfingers like me to play guitar in just 60 days. You simply plug in any guitar or bass with a ¼-inch jack, choose from the extensive library of over 50 songs, and start playing along. New features such as Session Mode (which allow up to 2 players to jam alongside a virtual band) and Instant Riff Repeater (which allow you to focus on certain difficult sections of a song) make this the ultimate title in musicrelated video gaming, as educational as it is invigorating.

SKYLANDERS SWAP FORCE STARTER PACK

(Activison) Platforms: 3DS, PS3/PS4, Wii/Wii U, X360/XOne It’s official: Skylanders is sorta like the new Pokemon, and the kids are crazy for ‘em. In addition to the sequel to last year’s Skylanders Giants, this starter pack comes with a “Portal of Power,” 3 Skylanders figures, a character collection poster, sticker sheets with secret

codes, and 3 trading cards. The game tells the story of the SWAP Force, who protected the volcano that replenishes the magic of Skylands until an eruption sent them to Earth and gave them the ability to swap parts of their anatomy and powers. There are more characters (256, to be exact), improved graphics, better level design, and new “Heroic Challenges” minigames. On the downside, it’s basically the same game with a bit more spit and polish.

But I’m fairly certain that the tween boys this title is aimed at will be too busy collecting Skylanders to notice.

SCRIBBLENAUTS UNMASKED: A DC COMICS ADVENTURE

(Warner Home Video) Platforms: Wii U, Nintendo 3DS We’ve been fans of the Scribblenauts franchise since it was introduced, and love how it forces you to use your imagination to solve problems. It’s a weird game, to be sure, seemingly simple on the surface but endlessly challenging in execution. Combining the puzzle platform with thousands of characters from the DC Comics world seems both bizarre and genius, with players cast as Maxwell on an epic quest through Atlantic, Gotham City, Metropolis, and other locales from the comics. Using the protagonist’s magic notebook to stop evil arch-enemies like Lex Luthor and The Joker is so creative and comical, you’ll wonder why nobody thought of it before. This is easily one of the year’s most inventive titles.

SUPER MARIO 3D WORLD (Nintendo)

Platform: Wii U Every time I play a title featuring everyone’s favorite Italian plumber, it takes me back to college, when my buddy Tony and I rushed home after class to play Super Mario World on the SNES. So perhaps there’s a bit of nostalgia coloring my opinion of the first multiplayer Mario platformer in a 3D world. Set in the new Sprixie Kingdom, the game allows you to play as Mario, Luigi, Peach or Toad– either solo or with friends– exploring an open world as gorgeous as anything Nintendo has ever created. The new cat power-up allows Mario to climb walls, pounce, and give enemies the Freddy Kruger treatment. And the GamePad allows you to play off-TV, freeze enemies and search for hidden secrets. All in all, it’s my favorite Mario ever.

THE ELDER SCROLLS ANTHOLOGY

(Bethesda) Platform: PC Originally designed as a medieval-style gladiator game, The Elder Scrolls has evolved over the past 20 years into one of the most successful RPG franchises in gaming history. Although 1994’s Arena was drubbed by critics, subsequent titles featured increasingly inventive plots, better graphics, more challenging quests and dungeons, and more expansive open-world exploration of Tamriel. This re-release puts

the entire series (including all downloadable content) into a beautifully packaged collection. Assembled like a book, the Anthology features each title in its original format. And while the early titles look outdated, the nostalgic collection boasts impressive depth and scope, plus a surprisingly cohesive storyline.

WIPEOUT CREATE & CRASH (Activision)

Platforms: Nintendo 3DS, Wii/Wii U, X360 Watching Wipeout is one of our family’s favorite guilty pleasures: From the brutal wipeouts of the desperate-for-airtime contestants to the snarky commentary of “Skunk boy” John Henson, it never fails to make us laugh. The $50,000 prize is nowhere near enough money to humiliate myself on national YV, but this game offers a chance to try navigating the famous Big Balls without the danger of breaking your face. Characters such as Patty Popstar and Zombie Zed are in keeping with the show’s intentionally campy tone, as are crazy courses such as Prehistoric Panic and Wipeout’s Ahoy. The new Course Creator feature is a fun addition, but this is really more of a simple plug-and-play party game.

ZUMBA FITNESS WORLD PARTY (Majesco)

Platforms: Wii/Wii U, X360/Xone In my opinion, the Wii Remote was one of the greatest inventions in video game history: For the first time, it forced gamers to get up off the couch and, to borrow a phrase from EA Sports, get “in the game.” Now, thanks to titles like Wii Fit, you can actually LOSE weight from playing video games. Zumba Fitness World Party works on multiple levels, with live action instructors teaching you dance styles from around the world (including Hip-Hop, Bollywood, and Capoeira) and helping you get in shape in the process. The World Tour mode mkes it feel like you’re working out in picturesque scenery around the globe, and the Progress Tracker tallies all your workout stats. And at $40, it’s a lot cheaper than a gym membership! insiteatlanta.com • December 2013 • PG 25

Visit Orlando Vi s i t Orlando for the Holi d ays THIS HOLIDAY SEASON’S EXCITING TRAVEL TRAVEL

MICKEY’S MERY CHRISTMAS PARTY

(DISNEY WORLD)

Disney World, Sea World Orlando & Universal Orlando have Decked their Halls with Fun for the Whole Family!

NEW EXHIBITS & ATTRACTIONS

BY MARCI MILLER

BY MARCI MILLER There is no better way to celebrate the holidays then

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a trip to Orlando to visit the theme parks. From MERICA’S FAVORITE VACATION Walt Disney World Resort to Sea World destination has a new slogan, “Orlando MakesOrlando Me Smile”! to Universal Orlando, all the parksabout deck iftheir hallsthinking in a of And there is plenty to smile you are spectacular, holiday style! season.

Pack upAll thethe family, make visiting Orlando this holiday majorand parks havethe trip south to the ultimateinwinter you special holiday celebrations place wonderland. that are certainWhether to thrill and entertain member of thefrom family.

The hardest parttowill choose toeach make the drive Atlanta or decide fly,beit’strythe ing to fit it all in during onecan vacation. most wonderful gift you give this year. Check out all the great activities events happening this holiday season.

WALT DISNEYandWORLD

Gather your loved ones and celebrate the season with the WALT DISNEY RESORT yuletide festivitiesWORLD at Walt Disney World Resort. It’s an especially During the holiday season Magic enchanting time of the year! So The whether you Kingdom marvel at aisfireworks transformed with festive wreaths, bows, garland, sparkling extravaganza or sit back and let your spirit be revived by the story lights, parades trees.than Mickey’s Very that started it all,and this towering holiday is Christmas sure to be more memorable.

Merry Christmas is 2009 currently running through The special eventsParty for the holiday seasonshows include the December 20. Guests can enjoy all the holiday splendor with following: MICKEY’S VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS is aholiday special lively stage shows, spectacular fireworks,PARTY a unique event held each winter on select nightsStreet, at Magic Kingdom parade and snow flurries on Main U.S.A. You should theme park that requires a separateatticket attend. Thiswhich also experience the attractions NewtoFantasyland festive celebration opened last year.features: the enchanted CASTLE DREAM LIGHTS Cinderella Castle, MICKEY’S UPON A For theonholiday season, Jungle Cruise ONCE will temporarily CHRISTMASTIME PARADE, with decor, a special appearance transform into “Jingle Cruise”complete with festive holiday by Santafor Claus an exclusive extravaganza names thehimself, Jungle Cruise boatsholiday and a fireworks slew of seasonal — HOLIDAY WISHES: CELEBRATE THE SPIRIT OF THE jokes from the Skippers to their passengers. The Cinderella SEASON, live entertainment featuring Disney Characters, meet Castle transforms into a glimmering ice palace for the and greet opportunities throughout Magic Kingdom theme park holidays 200,000 white lights and guests with somewith of your favoriteshimmering Disney Characters, complimentary are treated nightly dramatic cookies and hot cocoato, athe magical snowcastle fall oncelebration Main Street,and U.S.A. stage show. and many of the most popular Magic Kingdom attractions. The Candlelight Processional at Epcot is a.m. a timeless holiday event will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 on select dates in offering that sure combines seasonal music poignant 2009, so make to check the website forwith morethe information. reading of theinclude Christmas story byAROUND a celebrityTHE narrator, Other events HOLIDAYS WORLD  accompanied by PROCESSIONAL. a mass choir performing melodies, CANDLELIGHT Guests seasonal at the Epcot Theme park invited tolive getorchestra into the Christmas spiritNovember and enjoy this and are a 50-piece nightly from 29 magical of the30.

Christmas story by a Neil celebrity narrator.

The throughretelling December Crowd favorites Patrick Harris event has become essential family tradition many-once and Gary Sinise an return to America GardensforTheater stageyou experience it, you may be inspired to share it everyfeatures year with the on select nights.

Holidays Around the World ones you love. storytellers from who share traditions and lore from their The OSBORNE FAMILY SPECTACLE OFThe DANCING homeland throughout World Showcase. fun continues LIGHTS takes at Disney’s Hollywood Studio Theme with meet andplace greets with Santa and Mrs. Claus, plusPark the and is a massive seasonal display featuring millions of holiday nightly IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, laser, light, lights perfectly synchronized to music. Guests will be amazed by fireworks display capped with a seasonal finale. the sheets of multi-colored lights that blanket buildings, twirling The Osborne Family Dancing Lights at Disney’s carousels, heavenly angelsSpectacle and evenofSanta and his reindeer.

Hollywood takes place on the atStreets America MICKEY’S Studios JINGLE JUNGLE PARADE AnimalofKindgdom through Jan.will 5, lift 2014. massive display features Theme Park yourThis spirits with aseasonal merry blend of traditional millions of dancing lights, plus animated displays and holiday wonderment wild revelry of Disney’s Animal3-D BY MARCI MILLERandtothe effects synchronized holidayCharacters tunes amidst snowfall.

Kingdom Park. Delight in Disney dancing to traditional Celebrate safari style as Disney’s Animal is wilder holiday music in this joyous celebration for allKingdom ages.

MERICA’S FAVORITE VACATION than everdestination this season.

Mickey and his pals rejoice in FESTIVAL OFwinter THEhas SEASONS takes“Orlando place in Downtown Disney a new slogan, Makes Me Smile”! retail district.

FromisOnce Upon aaToy withbeat its exclusive playthings traditional music with world twist during the Andholiday there plenty to smile about if you are thinking of by Hasbro and Disney to World of Disney, themajor most humongous visiting Orlando this holiday season.

All the parks2,have daily Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade through January 2014. character emporium in theshopping world, shoppers bound find the special celebrations in place that certain to to thrill and Get allholiday your Christmas doneareatare Downtown Disney perfect items. don’t forget to take photo entertain each member of the family.

The hardest part willwith be tryduringholiday Festival of theAnd Seasons and enjoy liveyour entertainment, Santa ing to himself! fit it all in during onestreet vacation. holiday carolers, a lively party, plus photo ops with For more information, visit http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ Santa and Santa Goofy.

WALT DISNEY WORLD holidays.

For more visit disneyworld.disney.go.com.

Gather yourinformation, loved ones and celebrate the season with the yuletide festivities at Walt Disney World UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORTResort. It’s an especially SEAWORLD enchanting timeORLANDO of the at year!

So whether you Resort marvelbegin at a fireworks Holiday celebrations Universal Orlando Waves of holiday spirit splash over the park during extravaganza or sit back and let your spirit be revived by the story December 5 and run through January 1. Universal Orlando Seaworld’s Christmas Celebration.

Families and that started it all, this holiday is sure to be more than memorable.

Resort brings music home for the holidays this year as itfriends kicks The special events forthe thespirit 2009series holiday seasonMANNHEIM include the can once again enjoy of Christmas during off a brand-new holiday concert featuring following: SeaWorld’s holiday-themed showsCole and and festivities.

New this STEAMROLLER and artists Natalie Chris Isaak.

MICKEY’S VERY CHRISTMAS PARTY is Empire a special season is the park’sMERRY newest attraction, Mannheim Steamroller – the iconic holidayAntarctica: music masters who of event heldmore each winter selectalbums nightsWish. at Magic the Penguin and Elmo’s Christmas JoinKingdom Rosita, Grover, have sold than 30on million worldwide – performs at theme parkStudios that requires totogether attend.

This Zoe and Cookie Monster asCHRIS theyticket work to on help Elmo Universal on Dec.a 5.separate ISAAK performs Dec. 12 festive celebration features: the enchanted DREAM findNATALIE his Christmas wish!

Antarctica is CASTLE ongoing while Elmo and COLE performs on Dec. 19.

Each concert begins LIGHTS on Cinderella MICKEY’S ONCE UPON A after thatare night’s Macy’s Holiday Parade.

Natalie Cole and Chris shows taking placeCastle, through December 31st.

CHRISTMASTIME PARADE, complete with a special appearance Isaak will performNight a mixtells of holiday classicsstory alongnever with their O Wondrous the greatest told, most with by Santahits.

ClausThe himself, an exclusive fireworks extravaganza popular performances will holiday take place at the Story new Music more than 30 carols, based upon the Christmas and — HOLIDAY WISHES: CELEBRATEoutdoor THE SPIRIT OF THE Plaza – a brand-new, state-of-the-art, permanent concert told through the eyes of a variety of Disney live animals.

Winter SEASON, live entertainment featuring Characters, meet venue located in the heart oficetheskating Universal Studios theme park.

Wonderland on Ice is an extravaganza where and greet opportunities throughout Magic KingdomStudios themefeatures park The MACY’S HOLIDAY PARADE at Universal Christmas comes to life Disney throughCharacters, towering complimentary water fountains, with some of your favorite the world-renowned balloons and floats from Macy’s Thanksgiving magnificent fireworks and some of the talented ice cookies and in hot cocoa , aCity. magical snow falltomost on Street, U.S.A. Day Parade New York In addition theMain parade, Universal skaters inofthe world.

SeaWorld invites guests to experience and many the most popular Magic Kingdom attractions.

The Studios guests can enjoy performances by marching bands from the grace and beauty of our Shamu family during the nightevent will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. on select dates in across the country, a nightly Christmas tree lighting, and specially time show, Shamu Christmas Miracles.

Thrilling seasonal 2009, so make sure to check the website for more information. themed holiday shows including The Blues Brothers, Woody Otherrings eventsout include HOLIDAYS AROUND  music as whales soar through the THE air inWORLD this special Woodpecker’s Kidzone and Barney.

CANDLELIGHT PROCESSIONAL. Guests at the Epcot Theme holiday performance.

At Islands of Adventure, the popular Dr. Seuss book “How the park are invited to get into the• Christmas spirit and enjoy this December 2009 PG 26 • insiteatlanta.com December 2013 • insiteatlanta.com magical retelling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator. The event has become an essential family tradition for many-once you

Clyde and Seamore’s Countdown to Christmas features

Santa’sStole helpers, Clyde and Seamore, who are bringing their Grinch Christmas” is brought to life in GRINCHMAS, a ownstage brand of comedy this year. loveable live show featuring to anChristmas original musical scoreOur

by Mannheim sea lions, along with few mischievous a comical Steamroller.

During theashow, six songs are otters, performed by a liveelf, cast, Grinch and The Whos Whoville.

As a part and aincluding winteryThe walrus or two, search forfrom Santa.

SeaWorld of the Grinchmas celebration, will Reflections: also have theFireworks opportunity celebrates the season duringguests Holiday to meet The Grinch. and Fountains Finale, with soaring fountains, dazzling lights, The celebration continues at the threetoon-site at and festive fireworks, choreographed joyoushotels holiday Universal Orlando– LOEWS PORTOFINO BAY HOTEL, musical favorites.

HARD and LOEWS ROYAL PACIFIC At theROCK park’sHOTEL Wild Arctic attraction, guests embark on RESORT – all of which will glisten with holiday decorations. a heart-warming journey to the North Pole aboard The Hotel guests will be immersed in the spirit of the Polar Express Experience. Discover the sights, season sounds,with and tree-lighting ceremonies, special musical performances, holiday smells of the season as family and friends are immersed “dive-in” movie presentations and holiday dining events. Loews in the dazzling wonder holiday Portofino Bay Hotel kicksofoffthis thebeloved season on Friday,classic.

November Upon arrival at the North Pole, guests can meet 27 with ‘Holiday Harbor Nights’, a wine tasting, foodSanta and jazz Claus himself, andpiazza. encounter astounding animals in a to celebration on the Hard Rock Hotel welcomes Santa wintery wonderland. the Kitchen restaurant on Fridays in December and Loews Royal In addition to theinincredible seasonal shows and Pacific Resort rings the new year with ALOHA 2010, a New attractions, the amazing Sea of Trees includes more Year’s Eve celebration. than 100can massive trees, sparkling, lighted and Guests also enjoy theeach holiday cheer at CITYWALK choreographed holiday tunes, making a dramatic with decorations, to liveclassic music on the plaza stage and strolling entertainment on select dates throughout event. AllMarket, holiday display on SeaWorld’s center lake. Thethe Christmas entertainment the Mannheim concert, is located on the– including park’s Bayside Pathway,Steamroller features unique included part of admission to Universal Studios or Islands of artisans asand culinary delights.

Adventure.

Finally, Sea World has two other Orland attractions you and For more your familyinformation, will want tovisit check out. Aquatica is a one-ofwww.UniversalOrlando.com. a-kind waterpark that is home to some of the world’s most

(DISNEY WORLD)

SHAMU CHRISTMAS MACY’S HOLIDAY PARADE (SEAWORLD)

thrilling water rides, featuring 38 slides, rivers and lagoons

SEA WORLD ORLANDO and 84,000 square feet of white, sandy beaches. Aquatica’s

This holiday season, families and friends can celebrate like never exclusive attractions promise unlimited fun, sending guests before at SeaWorld Orlando. Guests can take an exciting trip to on North amazing adventures and through breathtaking the Poleundersea aboard The Polar Express Experience.

Plus, enjoy animal exhibits.

Aquatica is located across the from three all-new shows: Winter Wonderland on Ice, anstreet ice-skating SeaWorld Orlando, on International Drive. spectacular; Clyde and Seamore’s Countdown to Christmas, a Discovery Cove is a and place where you andChristmas, your family holiday-themed comedy A Sesame Street evencan the touchones andcan swim with dolphins, with mysterious rays,Bird little celebrate the spirit ofwade the season with Elmo, Big snorkel of exotic fish, hand-feed tropical and otheramong Sesamethousands Street friends. birds in a free-flight aviary andWild relaxArctic on pristine beaches.

Through January 3, SeaWorld’s transforms into the North Pole, and is getting there half the fun.guests THE aPOLAR Guest attendance limited to isabout 1,300 day, EXPRESS EXPERIENCE is based on the film from Warner Bros. ensuring no overcrowding and extraordinary guest service.

Pictures aboutpackages a doubting boy who an extraordinary Day Resort areyoung available withtakes and without the train ride toDolphin the North Pole Experience. on ChristmasChildren Eve. As guests embark signature Swim must be at on The6 Polar Experience, classic scenes from the movie least yearsExpress old to swim with dolphins. areFor recreated in a multi-sensory experience immersing passengers more information, visit SeaWorldOrlando.com. in special lighting, scent, sound and motion effects. Upon arrival at the North Pole, guests will discover a winter wonderland UNIVERSAL ORLANDO surrounded by holiday cheer encounters.

This year, experience the and onlyamazing holidayanimal celebrations where An all-new holiday-themed ice-skating spectacular, WINTER your whole family can be themselves—naughty, nice anda Grinch Stole Christmas” is brought to life in GRINCHMAS, WONDERLAND ON ICE,From debuts November7,27 at SeaWorld’s everything in-between.

December 2013 –Mannheim January 4, live stage show featuring an original musical score by Bayside Stadium and continues select nights through January 3.

2014, you comes can see breathtaking balloons and floats,magnificent sing along Steamroller.

During six songs are performed a live Christmas to the life show, with towering water fountains,by with everyone’s favorite green meanie, and top it all off with cast, including The Grinch and The Whos from Whoville.

As a part fireworks and some of the most talented skaters in the world as of the Grinchmas celebration, guests will also have the opportunity live music by one of the world’s most beloved holiday artists. they dazzle and delight families this holiday season. toFamilies meet The At Universal’s Islands of Adventure, will be filled canGrinch. enjoy this all-new Christmasfamilies comedy with their Theholiday celebration at the on-site with cheer as Grinchmas comes to along lifehotels throughout favorite loveable seacontinues lions Clyde andthree Seamore, withata few Universal Orlando– LOEWS PORTOFINO BAY and HOTEL, Seuss Landing. can watch the heartwarming live mischievous ottersGuests and a jolly walrus or two.

Clyde Seamore’s HARD ROCK HOTEL and LOEWS ROYAL PACIFIC show, Grinchmas Wholiday Spectacular, featuring The Countdown to Christmas runs on select nights November 27 RESORT – all whichfrom will glisten with accompanied holiday decorations.

Grinch January and theof3.Whos Who-ville by an through Hotel guests will be immersed in the spirit of the season withAT original musical score with

by Mannheim Steamroller.

Celebrate the holidays friends from SESAME STREET tree-lighting ceremonies, special musical performances, holiday SEAWORLD all-new festive and fun musical celebration, For many of- it’s us,an The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is “dive-in” movie and holiday diningfamilies events.can Loews A Sesame Street presentations Christmas. thethe show, a TV tradition this time ofFollowing year.

Once legendary New Portofino Bay Hotel kicks off thetheir season on Friday, November create wonderful with friends from Sesame Street York City paradememories ends, many of its balloons and floats are 27 withcharacter ‘Holiday meet-and-greets.

Harbor Nights’, aFamilies wine tasting, food anda jazz during can also enjoy sent straight to Universal Studios Florida’s very own holiday celebration onexperience the piazza.forHard Rock Hotel welcomes Santa to unique dining the whole family: Elmoand andan Friends spectacular featuring marching bands, clowns, the Kitchen restaurant on Fridays in December and Loews Royal Christmas Breakfast. appearance from Santa The parade runs2010, daily from Pacific Resort rings in thehimself. neweven year with ALOHA New And that’s not2013 all….there are more holiday events ata Sea December 7, – January 4, 2014.

Year’s Eve celebration.

World including SHAMU CHRISTMAS … Miracles where Shamu Addingcan to also the enjoy celebration this year is the return of Guests thebright holiday cheer CITYWALK Stadium comes alive with lights andatglowing candles as Mannheim Steamroller; the biggest selling Christmas artist of with decorations, live music on the plaza stage strollingthe Christmas carols abound and Shamu splashes toand celebrate all time!

Universal Orlando is thrilled to welcome them back entertainment on select dates throughout the event.

All holiday holiday season. MAKAHIKI CHRISTMAS LUAU , a South Seasentertainment – including the Mannheim Steamroller concert, is for live performances on select Saturday and Sunday nights style festive celebration including tasty island cuisine keeping with included as holiday partThe of admission to orAnd Islands in December. show is included withStudios your theme parkof the ancient traditions of Universal the Pacific Islands.

NEW Adventure. admission Annual Pass.

YEAR’S EVEorAT SEAWORLD, featuring a musical extravaganza For more information, Don’t forget Jake Elwood Themusic.

Blues Brothers including the best in and pop,visit Latin andand swing At the stroke of www.UniversalOrlando.com.

Holiday Show.

Grabsky your get ready rock midnight, the evening willsunglasses shine evenand brighter with atovibrant

Visit Orlando

TRAVEL

CASTLE DREAM LIGHTS

MICKEY’S MERY CHRISTMAS PARTY WINTER WONDERLAND ON ICE GRINCHMAS (SEAWORLD)

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON’S EXCITING NEW EXHIBITS & ATTRACTIONS

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and roll as theytoperform snow falling on Delancey Street fireworks show celebratewith the festivities.

SEA WORLD ORLANDO about the holidays at SeaWorld, visit atFor themore end information of each show.

This holiday season, families and friends can celebrate like never www.SeaWorldOrlando.com.

For more information on vacation packages and ticket before at SeaWorld Orlando. Guests can take an exciting trip to offers visitPole UniversalOrlando.com/holidays. theSoNorth aboard The Polar Express Experience.

Plus, don’t wait totomake your holiday plans in in Orlando as enjoy space So don’t wait make your holiday plans Orlando as three all-new shows: Winter Wonderland on Ice, an ice-skating at area hotels is filling up fast.

For more information, and to space at area hotels is filling up fast.

For more information, spectacular; Clyde and Seamore’s Countdown to Christmas, a help in your planning, visit www.orlandoinfo.com. and to help in your planning, visit orlandoinfo.com. holiday-themed comedy and A Sesame Street Christmas, even the little ones can celebrate the spirit of the season with Elmo, Big Bird and other Sesame Street friends.

Through January 3, SeaWorld’s Wild Arctic transforms into

CASTLE DREAM GRINCHMAS THE POLAR EXPRESS LIGHTS (UNIVERSAL EXPERIENCE ORLANDO)

MACY’S HOLIDAY PARADE SHAMU CHRISTMAS

(UNIVERSAL ORLANDO)

GRINCHMAS

FILM

ACTORS WITHOUT BORDERS

Jennifer Garner on Matthew McConaughey, Ben Affleck, & Dallas Buyers Club

BY ALEX S. MORRISON

T

HE FIRST TIME WE AT INSITE met Jennifer Garner was at the 2003 press junket for Daredevil, the legendarily weak comic book adaptation in which she co-starred opposite Ben Affleck. A decade later, Garner is married to Affleck, and increasingly busy balancing the demands of raising three kids with roles in four movies scheduled for release in the next year.

In the first, Dallas Buyers Club, she costars opposite Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto as Dr. Eve Saks, a nurturing immunologist. Based on a true story, the film centers on Ron Woodroof (McConaughey), a machismo-drenched womanizer from Texas who thought of AIDS as a gay disease until he was diagnosed as HIV-positive in the mid-80s.

Given just one month to live, Woodroof went on to defy the odds, saving myriad lives in the process.

Garner recently sat down with journalists to discuss the new film, including McConaughey and Leto’s shocking weight loss and how she balances acting and motherhood.

This is obviously a very different movie than the last time Matthew and you worked together. What’s your take on what he’s done with his career over the last 4 years?

It’s so exciting, but it’s not a surprise to me at all. Probably the best thing that happened to a lot of us is that romantic comedies have finally been dug and put into a hole in the ground. They were great, and really fun to do, but this [film] is not one. Anyway, what Matthew is in the middle of… I heard somebody say this yesterday… What’s it called? A reconnaissance!

He was as prepared and committed and had the same crazy work ethic when we did Ghosts of Girlfriends Past as he did for this film. He’s a fantastic actor, a real personality, and he’s charismatic as hell.

So it’s

great that he actually [got this part]. The reason it sat on the shelf for 15 years and didn’t get made was that it was waiting for Matthew to play Ron.

What surprised you most about the story?

Well, to play this doctor, I went back and read everything I could find from ’81-’82 to about ’88-’89–- all the medical journals, everything I could find having to do with H.I.V. and AIDS. With medical journals, it’s like reading something in Greek. It’s a whole other language. After enough hours, I did start to be able to say, “This puzzle piece wasn’t here back then. They hadn’t found this yet.” In all the research I did, I never saw Buyers Club mentioned once. So I think it’s pretty cool that there’s history happening around us all the time on the fringes, and we don’t always have the full story.

What was the one thing you wanted to make sure you accomplished with this role?

It sounds corny, but I wanted to stay grounded so that the boys could fly. I wanted to be the quiet through-line, not trying to compete with them, so they could give these performances of their lives. And honestly, I just wanted to never screw up a take because I didn’t want to waste any of their energy. They were putting a lot out there, and not giving themselves a lot back.

So the last thing I wanted to do was joke around or not know my lines or flub a mark or anything. I just wanted to be good.

What was the most surprising thing you discovered about your character?

My character is an amalgam of several people, which they didn’t tell me. So I spent a long time trying to find her on the microfilm at the library, and Googling, and reading all these journals, and thinking, “They talk about this specific

I ACTUALLY HATED MAKING THIS MOVIE, AND I NEVER SAY THAT, BECAUSE I WAS SO DISTURBED WATCHING THESE BOYS DO THIS TO THEIR BODIES. I JUST WANTED IT TO BE OVER.

journal in the movie, and she’s not in there anywhere!” I finally called them and they said, “Oh, we forgot to tell you, she’s made up.” So my character did not exist. But imagine the pressure the medical industry was under at that time to come up with an answer– any kind of cure, any kind of explanation, anything to help prevent it.

Reading even Time Magazine from that time period, you’re reminded of the fear and incredible bigotry that showed its ugly face, and how much people who had anything to do with the disease were isolated. It was a huge thing to be a doctor working with H.I.V. and AIDS patients, because you didn’t know what would happen. They used to go in wearing hazmat suits, because they didn’t know if you could catch it from being in the same room. It was a big deal.

When did you first see Matthew and Jared lose all that weight, and what was your reaction?

We’d been seeing Matthew lose weight in pictures before he ever got the job. And then I went down to New Orleans to do a camera test, and I saw him. I chatted with him and was totally normal, and then I went into another room and [took a deep breath] and collected myself, because it gave me the shakes to see him look so ill. The amount of weight he lost over the next five weeks was alarming. What you see on screen, it was so much worse in person. He put plumpers in his jeans and cheeks and tanned himself when he was trying to look healthy, but he was thin all the time. Jared got the job and just stopped eating. You couldn’t look at him. I just wanted to feed him. I kept saying, “My daughter has a cold and I made some homemade chicken broth with nothing in it. Do you think…?” And he’d go, “Nope.” I just left it alone, because it was really their journey, and they didn’t want me pushing food on them. But they never made a big deal about it. As much credibility as their weight loss gives their performances, their performances transcend the weight loss.

Was it disturbing to have to deal with this daily?

Awful. I hated it. I actually hated making this movie, and I never say that, because I was so disturbed watching these boys do this to their bodies. I just wanted it to be over.

Was it a hard movie to leave behind emotionally at the end of the day?

Not to condescend to men, but women have to multi-task on a whole different level. I had three kids [on set] with me. So whenever I had a minute, I was nursing or pumping. I was trying to arrange what was going to be for dinner that night, and telling teachers, “The kids will be back Tuesday with their dad, but I’m going to be here until Friday. When is Show & Tell day? I want to make sure we don’t miss it.”

So it was very different.

Is there still a pretty even balance when you’re working and Ben’s not, or vice versa?

We try our best, but it doesn’t always work out that way. This fall we’ve both been working, which doesn’t work that well. It’s tricky, but our kids are great and they have great grandparents. We also have really close friends that are godparents.

We’re lucky we have that, but kids need parents. My jobs aren’t as intense as Ben’s.

I make it home for bedtime, I drop them off at school, and I have days off. But our kids are used to seeing us a lot. We’re actors, so we’re unemployed a lot of the time. Ben was home for a year, and I’ve been home most of their lives. So they’re used to fresh cookies when they walk in the door and that kind of stuff. I got home last night and there was a note from my 7-year-old, “Mama, please make my favorite brookies.” It’s these brownies that are cookies. So it was 9 o’clock and I made the flippin’ cookies so she could have them in her lunch today, because that’s what you do.

Is Ben already practicing the Batman voice at home?

Right now he’s in Missouri making Gone Girl.

Do you ever ask him for advice about work?

He’s just always telling me, “Simple is better, Jen. Don’t get seduced by what they’re doing. Just keep it simple.”

What are you working on next?

I have one more movie before I really am taking a break, and that’s Men, Women & Children with Jason Reitman. I love him! insiteatlanta.com • December 2013 • PG 27

MUSIC

COME ON & SOAR

The Return of the Band Formerly Known As Dexys Midnight Runners

BY JOHN B. MOORE

N

EVER SAY NEVER… IT MAY HAVE TAKEN 25 years, a line-up change, and a rechristening of sorts, but Dexys (formerly known as Dexys Midnight Runners) have finally put out a follow up to their third album. The English band– best known in the U.S. for the wildly infectious early ‘80s hit, “Come On Eileen”– has just released their latest LP, One Day I’m Going to Soar. While there’s no obvious Celtic-tinged singles on this one, it carries on the band’s strong tradition of blending soul and pop influences. Original band members Kevin Rowland (vocals and guitar) and Jim Paterson (trombone) have recruited a few new members for the latest offering, and have shortened their name to Dexys. But the songs on their latest record are among some of the best the group has ever recorded. Age has matured both the sound and the lyrics.

Rowland and Paterson were kind enough to swap some e-mails back and forth recently, discussing their decades-long absence, the name change, and the obligation to trot out “Come On Eileen” for their U.S. audiences.

So it’s been almost 30 years since the last proper studio album for the band. Why was now the right time for a comeback?

Kevin Rowland: The stars were aligned. We tried before, but nothing really seemed to work properly until now. With hindsight, we had to go through all that stuff to get where we are now. There was a lot of frustration along the wait, but it all seems worth it now.

Jim Paterson: Kismet, Fate, call it what you will. It was just meant to happen. I hadn’t played the trombone for sixteen years, but when Kevin and Dexys came a calling I had to climb into my attic and find my cobweb-covered case. The only group I would do that for is Dexys.

How long have you been working on the songs that are on this new record?

Rowland: Some of them were written 20 years ago, but we have worked on them a lot since then. Some were demoed and re-

drafted up to 4 times. Paterson: The songs Kevin and I co-wrote together were originally from the late ‘80s/early ‘90s. We’d cowritten six or seven songs, and I suppose they were always going to be used one day. They got worked on, changed, always improved and, if they weren’t right, we’d either bin them or save them for later.

What was behind the decision to shorten the band’s name?

Paterson: Everybody called us Dexys anyway. It’s just to show that we are not a revival band: We’ve moved on.

Rowland: We wanted to say, ‘It’s us, but we’re not the same.”

We’ve moved on.

There have been some Dexys members from the ‘80s that aren’t on this record. Was anyone upset that you’ve decided to continue on without them in the band?

Rowland: There were basically three different lineups on the three Dexys albums from the ‘80s. Jim and I are the only constants, so it’s possible that some were upset, but I don’t know. We’ve always done whatever we thought was best for the music.

Paterson: Dexys are bigger than any individual, apart from Kevin, who basically is Dexys. Every incarnation has been brilliant.

When you’re touring now, does the audience still want to hear the songs that you wrote and recorded decades ago? If so, does it bother you?

Rowland: That’s not the case in England, where we play One Day I’m Going To Soar in total. It’s now turned into a ‘show’ in its own right. Even after we’ve played the album, and we play some old Dexys favorites, we don’t do a greatest hits show. Here in the US, it will be like starting all over again. But whether we succeed or fail, we will do things on our own terms. Paterson: There will always be some people who just want the hits, which I can understand. But, in our case, that would make a very short set in the U.S.A. What we give the audience is a spectacular show, something which sends them home in awe. In the U.S. we will play “Come On Eileen” because it’s the right thing to do, but you’ll already be gobsmacked

DRAG THE RIVER The Drought is Finally Over

BY JOHN B. MOORE

I

T’S BEEN A TOUGH FEW YEARS FOR fans of Colorado-based alt-country act Drag the River (not to be confused with singer-songwriter Michelle Malone’s former backing band). The group has let four years lapse since they released a number of 7” singles and a collection of rare songs, and five years since they put out a proper studio record. But now the drought is finally over.

Though Drag The River is sometimes comprised of just singer/guitarists Jon Snodgrass and Chad Price, they brought out the full band (including J.J. Nobody on bass and Dave Barker on drums) for their latest, self-tilted release.

Though still country at its core, the album is their loudest, most rock-influenced effort to date. It also happens to be one of their best.

Snodgrass is the first to admit that the band

has been a bit lax in finding their way back into the studio together. The fact that he, Price, and the others are also involved in a slew of other bands and solo projects is the main reason why.

In a rare break from the band’s touring duties, just days before he and Price culled down the group to a duo for a special festival show, Snodgrass was kind enough to talk with us about their hiatus, the future of the band and the likelihood of another Scorpios record.

So it’s been a while since you guys put out any new music for Drag the River.

I gotta be honest but we used to make records every year. If we didn’t do something every year, I felt really lazy. But I was doing different stuff, and so was Chad, and we didn’t really put the effort into Drag the River stuff. I feel like we’re kind of starting all over again.

So was it a conscious decision to sit down and write songs for a new full length, or did you write and record sporadically and suddenly realize that you had all of these songs?

This is how lax we were being: We made this vinyl-only record, because the demos we made for this new record– 20 songs in all– were really good. So we made a record called 2010 Demon, and we’re like, “All right, in 2011 we’ll put out the next one!” Well, we just finally got around to it. But we took our sweet-ass time, and I think it turned out pretty good.

Is it a full band playing on this one?

Oh yeah! It’s a rock and roll record. Well, the majority of it is rock. There’s a couple of songs that would be called country because, come

PG 28 • December 2013 • insiteatlanta.com

I COME OFF STAGE EVERY NIGHT AND THINK, “I’M THE LUCKIEST BLOKE ALIVE.” by the time we get to it. In Britain, we’ve omitted it and nobody has complained. I think we got respect for sticking to our principles.

I had read somewhere recently that you started Dexys Midnight Runners as a reaction to the punk scene of the time. Can you talk about that a bit?

Rowland: Not really. We probably said that at the time ‘cos it sounded good, though we did think there wasn’t enough emotion in music at that time. It felt so right to look back to soul for inspiration.

Paterson: I don’t think it was as calculated as that. It was just time for something new. I love punk and rock. My all-time hero is Alice Cooper. To react against something you love seems a bit crazy. If it was just to create an image, then OK. What’s next for Dexys?

Rowland: We would really like to bring our show One Day I’m Going To Soar to the US. But we don’t know if that will happen.

Paterson: The next step is to hopefully let the people of America see One Day I’m Going To Soar being performed live, with “Come On Eileen” and a few others thrown in as well. You all deserve to be part of this phenomenon; even I can’t believe how good it is. I come off stage every night and think, “I’m the luckiest bloke alive.”

I’m drained emotionally and physically, yet I can’t wait to do it again. We need to share it, and I hope it will happen.

on, we’re a country band. Actually, I call us a Midwestern band, but it’s a rock record.

we play those songs live they come out sounding heavy duty. We played in a small place in San Francisco the other night and we didn’t have a sound check. When we played those two songs back-to-back, it was loud! We were like, “Oh shit, we should’ve eased into this a bit.”

You and Chad both have very distinct writing styles and are both involved with a slew of other projects. How do you approach the songwriting for Drag the River, as opposed to one of your solo records, or another band, Xtra Mile is putting out this record. You’ve or even a Jon and Chad worked with them in the THERE’S A COUPLE OF duo record? past, at least in the UK, SONGS THAT WOULD BE When we first did those 20 CALLED COUNTRY BECAUSE, when they put out the album demos, we almost had to make you did with Frank Turner COME ON, WE’RE A a rule, because we always end COUNTRY BAND. ACTUALLY, (Buddies). up doing stuff by ourselves Yeah, that album is actually I CALL US A MIDWESTERN or with other bands. So we getting a proper, wider BAND, BUT IT’S A ROCK had to make sure we touched release soon.

RECORD. each other’s songs, even in the demo stages. Sometimes they just aligned, but I How did you first connect with the label? can think of a couple of songs where I thought, Well, I guess because of that thing. Frank and “I would’ve phrased that differently.” There were I recorded it, and originally we were just going other songs that Chad had had for a long time to write and record an album in a day and put that were just a verse and a chorus, and I’d say, it on the Internet for people to have. It actually “This song needs a bridge.” Then everyone in the sounds more like a podcast: There’s all this band was like, “Now we got something!” It went talking, and it’s very lo-fi. After we did it, I said, from being an ok song to one of the better songs “I like this! I’d like to have it out as a record.” He on the record. He obviously did the same thing agreed, and (Xtra Mile) was his label, so they put for me. it out. It was a natural thing.

You’ve already started touring again, so I assume you’re playing these songs live now. Do you have any from this new album that you really enjoy playing?

I really like playing the first two songs on the record (“Wichita Sky Line” and “Not That Kind.”)

I like turning our amps up. Those two songs come out back-to-back, and they’re like guns a-blazin’. This record is rock ‘n’ roll, and when

Have the two of you talked about putting another album out together?

We said we were going to do something together every year, but he’s really busy and I’ve been busy. We talked about doing Buddies 2: Buddies Take Manhattan. Someday we’ll do something. We did a holiday song last year that we gave away. If you keep your ears open, it will pop up again.

MUSIC

A VERY MARY CHRISTMAS

The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul on Her First Ever Holiday Album

BY ALEX S. MORRISON

W

HEN MARY J BLIGE RELEASED HER debut album, What’s The 411, back in 1992, she was dubbed “the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul” by Uptown Records exec Andre Harrell. At the time, her gritty urban sound stood in stark contrast to the slick pop of Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.

Now, having won 9 Grammys, sold 50 million albums, and made Rolling Stone’s list of “100 Greatest Singers of All-Time,” the Bronx-bred diva is showing fans a softer side on her first-ever Christmas album, A Mary Christmas. The R&B legend was gracious enough to field some questions from us about this most wonderful time of the year.

I read that you spend time in Georgia as a child. What do you remember about the time you spent here?

As a little girl, every summer my mom used to send us down south because we lived in not such a good neighborhood in the Bronx, and she didn’t want her children outside playing in that neighborhood. She sent us down south to stay with our grandparents, and those were some of the best times of my life. I remember my aunt and parents watching soap operas with my grandparents. My sister Ashley went to school down there in Savannah.

Can you talk to me about how the church music you grew up with impacted you as a singer when you started doing it professionally?

When I was 13-14 yrs old, I started going to church in New York. In the Baptist and Pentecostal church, the music was always great gospel music. It’s very up close and personal. It was soul. It was anointed. It’s all those things that we need now. In church, you can express how you feel from the depths of your soul. If you’re singing “I’m Looking For A Miracle,” you are really looking for a miracle. You’re pouring your heart out to the Lord.

What kind of music did your parents listen to when you were a kid, and how did it influence your style?

My mom always played the Staple Singers. They were her favorite vocalists. She also played Jackie Moore, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding... My mom was the soul queen. My dad was a funk band musician. He played the bass, piano and some of everything. When he was around, he played a lot of Parliament-Funkadelic, Kool & The Gang, Confunkshun, and James Brown. He even played some rock ‘n’ roll. He had a lot of records. But my mom was strictly soul and gospel, like the Clarke Sisters and Shirley Caesar.

What was your feeling about Christmas when you were growing up? Was it your favorite holiday?

Oh yeah, I love it! It just makes you feel so happy and joyful. As I kid, I just wanted to love everybody all the time. When Christmas came, there was something extra in the air that made you want to give, hug, eat, and be around family.

Do you have any favorite Christmas memories from your childhood that stick out?

When I was about seven years old there was this commercial for this doll baby called Dancerella. My

sister and I would go crazy over that commercial. We really wanted that doll, and we told our mother that we wanted it for Christmas. We didn’t think she was going to get it, because she was a single mother. But whatever mom could do, she would do. Well, mom got us that doll for Christmas, and we were so happy when we opened our box and saw that Dancerella was in it.

You’ve been a professional singer over 30 years now. What took you so long to do a Christmas album of your own?

Timing is everything. When it’s time to do something, it’s time to do it. I believe it was just the right time to do it.

The label never asked for one before, but it was something I always wanted to do. I even mentioned it a couple of times to my team, but the label just didn’t ever feel that it was time. Finally, the head of the label said he wanted me to do a Christmas album, and it wasn’t something I couldn’t wait to do.

What was the biggest challenge for you in making A Mary Christmas?

Just making something that would be seen as a classic.

Making something that will stand the test of time. Making something people will be able to bring out every single year and listen to and love, the way we, as children, loved Nat King Cole. They played his songs so much on the radio. It means so much to us to this day. When I hear his music [at the holidays], it brings a tear to my eyes, this feeling and this time of the year. I wanted to make something memorable for people¬– something they would feel in their gut that will give them good memories.

Were there any particular songs that you couldn’t wait to wrap your hands around?

I couldn’t wait to wrap my hands around the Nat King Cole song that they played on the radio when we were kids [“The Christmas Song”]. And I could not wait to do my version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” I love Jazz and soul music, and I felt like I could do a jazzy soul version of that. Also, “Do You Hear What I Hear?” and the Donny Hathaway Christmas song, “This Christmas.” And you’ve got to hear my version of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”! It’s Christmas, so you can get away with doing fun stuff and trying different things from what you usually do. Normally, you have to be careful because your fans are looking for a certain thing. But for Christmas, as long as you nail it, your fans are like, “I didn’t know she could do that!”

Can you talk about how the music industry has changed in the last few decades and how you’ve adapted?

The Internet has obviously changed everything in the music industry. The thing thjat I have in my favor is that I’m always touchable and relatable, not far away. It helps me when I engage in social media and we connect to the Internet without looking crazy or doing frivolous things, but doing things that are important, like sending out tweets that are encouraging, helpful and important to people’s lives. I think you have to use the Internet wisely and choose your words wisely, because they’re out there forever.

Is your women’s’ charity still going?

We’re still going as strong as we can go, and still building. My whole dream as a child was to never see another woman suffer– being abused, having low selfesteem, or having a lack of education. These are the things my foundation can provide, such as GED programs, childcare assistance, computer rooms, and scholarship programs. Education encourages and gives confidence to people. So many women have gotten their GEDs and have graduated from colleges. I’m really in this thing, and I want to see women prosper and be more confident.

You seem to enjoy giving back by working with young artists, both on reality shows like American Idol and through your Matriarch Records label.

What do you get out of the mentoring process?

I feel good about passing on the things that I’ve learned in this business. They really want to be successful, have people respect them, and have people love them for what they do.

It makes me feel good to pass on information that can help them, as well as tell them what not to do. I love to tell them the truth, because I KID, I JUST WANTED TO LOVE EVERYBODY they can’t grow SOMETHING EXTRA IN THE AIR THAT MADE without it.

IT JUST MAKES YOU FEEL SO HAPPY AND JOYFUL. AS ALL THE TIME. WHEN CHRISTMAS CAME, THERE WAS YOU WANT TO GIVE, HUG, EAT, AND BE AROUND FAMILY.

insiteatlanta.com • December 2013 • PG 29

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SPORTS

FANATIC A Monthly Sports Wrap-up

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS “In and of itself, [Jimmie] Johnson’s sixth Sprint Cup crown extends the legacy of a driver whose unlikely discovery and unparalleled rise has left an indelible imprint on NASCAR. In the bigger picture, it places him on the doorstep of a kind of greatness only two men have been able to reach.”

-NASCAR.COM’S DAVID CARAVIELLO AFTER JOHNSON’S SIXTH NASCAR TITLE, leaving him just one short of tying Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty So much for the BROOKLYN NETS super team, right? Fanatic wasn’t much of a believer in the senior citizen-laden squad to begin with. Still, there have been a number of hardwood happenings that have caught us off guard. Here are the three biggest shocks after one month of action: 3) That other Big Apple bunch, the New York Knicks, is just 1-5 at Madison Square Garden; 2) Jeff Teague’s impressive run with the Atlanta Hawks (see interview); 1) Portland’s legit 9-2 start.

“We’re disappointed by [winning at Illinois] 60-35. We didn’t cover whatever spread that we needed to, didn’t score enough points to boost up our rating. That’s a reason why we’re disappointed with the way that we played. It’s reality.” –OHIO STATE CENTER COREY LINSLEY, after the Baylor Bears inched closer to the Buckeyes in the November 17-released BCS standings KENTUCKY, KANSAS, MICHIGAN STATE AND DUKE (INsite’s preseason No. 1 team) have sure looked great in their first few games. But if you’re already growing tired of ESPN’s incessant coverage of the

fab foursome, we suggest keeping an eye on these three teams in December before they really come alive in February: 3) Georgia Tech; 2) Xavier; 1) Baylor.

“General manager FRANK WREN is already dealing with a money pit he created with the signings of B.J. Upton and Dan Uggla, neither of whom have lived up to their deals. If Wren can acquire a No. 1 pitcher –Tampa Bay’s David Price is the most often heard rumor but that might be pie in the sky – he’ll need to clear more salary room and probably deal at least one current starter.

So locking into a [Tim] Hudson deal didn’t make sense.” –Atlanta Journal Constitution’s David O’Brien, after longtime Atlanta Brave Tim Hudson signed with the San Francisco Giants And finally…

In three NFL seasons, Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton has amassed 10,099 passing yards and 1,775 more on the ground. The only person with those kinds of numbers in a three-year span is Randall Cunningham…

How different is the level of play between the NBA’s Eastern and Western Conferences right now? If the New Orleans Pelicans (4-7 at press time, good for 13th in the West) were in the East, they’d be the seventh seed right now in the playoffs… Preliminary Nielsen reports suggest that the November 17 affair between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs was the most-watched November NFL game since 1996… With the Sochi Winter Games just a few months away, there’s no better time to start getting excited about cities rumored to be competing for the 2024 Summer Games: St. Petersburg (Russia), Rome and Boston.

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A player like that, you have to live and die defending him one on one. If he makes big shots, you have to go to the other end and stay poised.” –New Mexico guard Dairese Gary, on JIMMER FREDETTE, BYU star and college’s leading scorer

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