INsite Atlanta July 2015 Issue

JULY 2015

1992 

23 Y

INSITEATLANTA.COM

015 EARS  2

VOL. 23, NO. 12 FREE

Hottest Summer Festivals & Concerts!

MUSIC Issue

The

Music Midtown • Imagine Mayhem Festival • Warped Tour • Wheels of Soul

ROD STEWART WITH SPECIAL GUEST

RICHARD MARX

FRIDAY JULY 10

SATURDAY AUGUST 1

Sunday July 12

WITH SPECIAL GUEST

LEE BAINS III & THE GLORY FIRES

FRIDAY AUGUST 21

SATURDAY AUGUST 22

JULY 15

FRIDAY JULY 17

AUGUST 25

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19

VZWAMP.COM

FRIDAY JULY 24

FRIDAY AUGUST 14

SATURDAY AUGUST 15

FRIDAY AUGUST 21

SATURDAY JULY 25

SATURDAY AUGUST 22

SATURDAY AUGUST 8

AUGUST 26

THIS IS A NO TABLES SHOW. OUTSIDE FOOD & BEVERAGES ARE NOT ALLOWED.

n It’s a

DELTACLASSICCHASTAIN.COM Delta Classic Chastain Concerts promoted by ASO Presents support the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

FRIDAY AUGUST 28

SATURDAY AUGUST 29

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19 charliewilsonmusic.com

Available Now

ASOs t Presen

r

Summe

OW AT: N S T E K IC T Y BU AST E R • TICKETM UFF ARTS SETH MACFARLANE WITH THE ATLANTA

Friday

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

SEPTEMBER 18

PG 2 • July 2015 • insiteatlanta.com

• THE WOROBDORX OFFICE CENTE IRELESS • VERIZOITNHWEATRE AMPH ICE B OX O F F

WITH SPECIAL GUEST

THE GOODBYE GIRLS

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 6

CONTENTS • JULY 2015 • VOLUME 23, NO. 12 Atlanta’s

Entertainment Monthly

INTERVIEWS 11 Mary Lynn Rajskub 15 Kristian Bush 16 Collective Soul 16 Doria Roberts 17 Barenaked Ladies 17 Beach Boys 18 The Briggs 18 Banditos 18 World War IX

11

FEATURES

15

08 10 12 19 21

ATL’s Best Burgers July 4 Celebrations Summer Music Fests Music Venue Guide Music and Movies

COLUMNS 04 05 06 06 07 14 20 22 22 22

Around Town On Tap Under The Lights Station Control On A Dime Events Album Reviews Movie Reviews EDM Tracks Favorite Things New Releases

16

17

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 Marci Miller marci@insiteatlanta.com Music Editor Lee Valentine Smith lee@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, John Moore, Amanda Miles, Patrick Flanary, Ian Coverdale

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Check out our Summer Music Festival Guide on page 12!

JULY 2015

1992  2

015 3 YEARS  2

INSITEATLAN TA.COM

VOL. 23, NO. 12 FREE

Hottest Summer Festivals & Concerts!

MUSIsIC sue The

Music Midtown • Imagine Mayhem Festival • Warped Tour • Wheels

of Soul

Receive Deals at Retailers and Win Free Tickets to Movies, Concerts, Theatre Shows & Events

More info at www.cinemoms.com insiteatlanta.com • July 2015 • PG 3

Around Town JULY 11

JULY 18

Piedmont Park

High Museum of Art

Atlanta Street Food Festival The Atlanta Street Food Festival showcases the top Atlanta area food trucks and brings awareness to this growing community. Attendees will also enjoy a day full of high-quality, main-stage entertainment and experience a mix of local bands. No dogs are allowed. Admission to the festival is free, but you must purchase a wristband to buy food or beverage at the festival. Visit atlantastreetfoodfestival.com.

JULY 16

Summer Film Festival: Jaws The Fox Theatre

The Fox Theatre's popular Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival celebrates the 40 Year Anniversary of Steven Spielberg's 1975 film "Jaws" (PG).

Arrive early for a pre-show experience with live music from Larry-Douglas Embury on the Mighty Mo organ along with vintage cartoon screenings. Special tours will also be available prior to the film, allowing guests to experience guided tours through the projection booth, screening room, celebrity dressing rooms and the iconic Fox Theatre stage while learning about the history of movie palaces and William Fox’s innovations. Visit foxtheatre.org

Events and Performances taking place this Month

Local, national and international dance experts, scholars and performers introduce the NBAF season focus on dance across the African Diaspora in a day-long symposium that examines the national and global impact and the history, traditions and rich variety of dance forms that emerged from the 18th century to the present. The symposium considers the extraordinary contributions of trailblazing dancers and choreographers during this time. The event is in partnership with the High Museum of Art. For tickets visit nbaf.org

The versatile comedian crafted some of the series’ most memorable characters during his 10 years on the popular late night show.

Such characters included Leon Phelps, The Ladies’ Man and Lionel Osbourne, as well as uncanny impressions of OJ Simpson, Ike Turner and Sammy Davis Jr. Meadows also played school principal in the hit comedy Mean Girls and recently co-starred with Adam Sandler and Chris Rock in the blockbuster comedy Grown Ups.

JULY 18

JULY 23

NBAF Symposium

Returning Home: Life After the Civil War Atlanta History Center

After the Civil War, life changed for those living in the South. With activities designed for a variety of ages, learn about this transitional period by interacting with soldiers returning home from the battlefield, families mourning the loss of loved ones, and recently freed enslaved workers. Experience a Civil War encampment that explores these themes and become a part of the reenactment with simulations, crafts and activities. Visit atlantahistorycenter.com

JULY 23 - JULY 25 Tim Meadows Atlanta Improv

Tim Meadows is one of the longest-running cast members of Saturday Night Live.

Test Prep Academy Summer Dates Announced!

Downtown

Peachtree-Dunwoody

GMAT: July 22 – Sept 9 GRE: July 23 – Sept 10

GMAT: July 25 – Sept 19 LSAT: July 26 – Sept 20

Act Now! Prices reduced to Only $695!

Summer / Fall courses. Pricing good until 9/29/15. Use Discount code INSITE for savings.

Smash Mouth

Atlanta Botanical Garden

Atlanta Botanical Garden Concert Series heats up July 23 with the appearance of Smash Mouth performing with Toad the Wet Sprocket and Tonic. The band may be best known for their 1997 hit "Walkin' on the Sun." More recently the band has adopted retro styles covering several decades of popular music. They have also performed numerous covers of popular songs, including the Monkees' "I'm a Believer", War's "Why Can't We Be Friends?" and Simple Minds' "Don't You (Forget About Me)", Visit atlantabg.org

JULY 24

Theresa Hightower

Callanwolde Fine Arts Center

Callanwolde’s Jazz on the Lawn showcases a lineup of Atlanta’s finest jazz treasures

Commodores Atlantic Station

Commodores are a highly successful soul and funk inspired group from Tuskegee, Ala. that formed in 1968. They achieved mainstream popularity in the '70s and their soulful hits such as “Easy” and “Nightshift” have had strong airplay for decades. They met as freshmen at Tuskegee Institute and signed to Motown having first caught the public eye supporting The Jackson Five on tour. Visit atlanticstation.com

THROUGH JULY 26

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type Center for Puppetry Arts

Cows that type?

Chickens on strike?

Farmer Brown can’t believe his ears!

Join the barnyard fun in this new adaptation of the award-winning children’s book. "Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type" won a 2001 Caldecott Honor and is on the National Education Association’s list of “Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children.” Visit puppet.org

dON’T MiSS THESE July EVENTS...

Friday, July 17, 6PM Visual arts Program: Gallery Hop I “Intersecting Disciplines: Visual/Art/Dance” Guests enjoy visual art and dance on this guided tour to Bill Lowe Gallery, Alan Avery Art Company and ZuCot Gallery.

Tickets: $30

SuNday, July 19, 6PM

SaTurday, July 18, 9aM-5PM

SuNday, July 26, 3PM

Symposium: “Dance Across the Diaspora: A Historical Lens on a Black Cultural Movement” Learn, listen and participate while exploring the impact and history of dance across the African Diaspora.

Tickets: $75 (includes free admission to the High Museum and master class with Savion Glover), $20 Students location: High Museum of Art

Film Program: Film Screenings and Conversations: “Representing Us: Black Dance in Film.” Screening of Stormy Weather (1943). A film series which focuses a critical and historical lens on dance through films and honors the rich contribution of black dance performers in film.

Tickets: Free location: Center for Civil & Human Rights

Performance and Conversation with Savion Glover “SoLe Sanctuary” Celebrated tap master Savion Glover offers an astounding tribute to his mentors!

Tickets: $30 ($20 students) location: Rialto Center for the Arts

For full 2015 Season Schedule and Tickets go to NBAF.org

CALL TODAY! PG 4 • July 2015 • insiteatlanta.com

JULY 25

National Black Arts Festival continues its 27-year tradition of offering stellar artistic and educational programs in music, dance, film, visual arts, theater and literary arts!

The GSU Test Prep Academy features Dr. Gary Cohen (aka Dr. Test Prep) one of the country’s premier test prep instructors. His unique insights and teaching style are both educational and entertaining.

(404) 413-3932 or email tpa@gsu.edu www.execed.gsu.edu

performing a mix of classic and contemporary jazz, swing, fusion, smooth and blues.

Surrounded by the natural beauty of Callanwolde’s grounds it is a perfect setting for summer outdoor concerts. Unwind and listen to an evening of live music. Guests are invited to bring a blanket and a picnic and enjoy these concerts in the Callanwolde Amphitheater. Visit callanwolde.org

NBAF is supported by the City of Atlanta, the Fulton County Arts Council and by local and national government funders, corporations, foundations, businesses and individuals.

NBAF15_Insite_QtrPg_Ad_FINAL.indd 1

6/24/15 3:57 PM

On Tap this Month

12TH AnnUAL

MAJOR EVENTS COMING TO ATLANTA

July 4: Lenox Square to Piedmont Park

AJC PEACHTREE ROAD RACE

e AJC Peachtree Road Race, organized by Atlanta Track Club, is the largest 10K in the world. In its 46th running, the AJC Peachtree Road Race has become a Fourth of July tradition for thousands of people throughout the metro Atlanta area and beyond. 60,000 runners follow a course that starts at Lenox Square, travels down Peachtree and finishes at Piedmont Park in Midtown. Visit PeachtreeRoadRace.org

July 5 - August 2: Atlantic Station

BB&T ATLANTA OPEN

e 2015 BB&T Atlanta Open has announced a great line-up of players including two time champion John Isner and doubles champs the Bryan Brothers. In addition, this year offers an exhibition featuring 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick on Monday, July 27.

Besides the tennis there will many fun, exciting special events taking place daily throughout the tournament at Atlantic Station. For more visit BBTAtlantaOpen.com.

Saturday, August 22 2pm-7pm Woodruff Park

July 11: The Fabulous Fox Theatre

ANTHONY BOURDAIN

Chef, author, and raconteur Anthony Bourdain is best known for traveling the globe on his stomach, daringly consuming some of the world's most exotic dishes on his hit TV show Parts Unknown on CNN. For one night only, Bourdain will spend the evening sharing candid, unyielding insights about his life's work and travels, including an open question and answer session with the audience. Tickets at foxtheatre.org

July 15: Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

ROD STEWART

Sample 35+ German Beers German Food German Music Sports, Games + Activities

Rarely has a singer had as full and unique a talent as Rod Stewart. A profound writer with an unmatched eye for the tiny details around which lives turn, shatter, and reform and a voice to make those details indelible.

If ever any rocker chose the role of everyman and lived up to it, it was Rod Stewart. e two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee is touring for his first new album in almost two decades. Tickets at vzwamp.com

Includes commemorative sample glass and all the beer samples you can safely consume.

Must present valid ID . No alcohol consumption under 21.

July 24: Chastain Park Amphitheatre

WWW.GERMANBIERFEST.COM

IDINA MENZEL

Tickets on Sale Now! $35 ADVANCE / $40 DAY OF SHOW

@GermanBierfest | facebook.com/germanbierfestatlanta

Idina Menzel’s amazing Broadway career features starring roles in 'Rent' and 'Wicked' while winning a Tony for the latter. She has also appeared in TV and film, striking box office gold voicing the character of Queen Elsa in the animated film 'Frozen.' Menzel sang the centerpiece song 'Let It Go,' which went on to become a Top 5 pop hit and she received a Tony nomination for her role in the musical. Visit classicchastain.com

July 25: Decatur Square

DECATUR SLIDE THE CITY Summer time is here, and Decatur is bringing 1,000 feet of slick vinyl to brighten the streets! Come dressed to impress as you slide the length of three football fields. "Slide the City" is a family friendly slip-and-slide water party event with live music, food, drinks, water and, of course, the biggest slip and slide ever to hit asphalt. e slide is on West Ponce de Leon Ave from Clairemont to Ponce de Leon Place. Decaturdba.org insiteatlanta.com • July 2015 • PG 5

Under The Lights ON STAGE THIS MONTH

UPRISING

July 17 - Aug 23 Horizon Theatre Box Office (404) 584-7450 HorizonTheatre.com

Jellicle choice and announces which of them will go up to The Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life.

Cats is directed by Ricardo Aponte and Choreographed by Jennifer Smiles. Book is

by T. S. Eliot with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

MEMPHIS

July 23 - Aug 30 Aurora Theatre Tickets (678) 226-6222 AuroraTheatre.com When Sal discovers a hypnotic revolutionary hiding in the field, she and her free back community will never be the same.

The passions of this man-on-the-run from John Brown’s Raid thrust Sal into a stormy romance and a desperate journey to save a boy and her own spirit. A sweeping story laced with bluesy tunes, danger and sweet touches of magical realism about finding freedom on your own terms.

CATS - LYRIC THEATRE

July 17 - 19 Cobb Energy Center

By Phone 800-745-3000 Ticketmaster.com On just one special night of the year, all Jellicle cats meet at the Jellicle Ball where Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader, makes the

Jive along to the brassy beats of Beale Street in 1950s Memphis, where the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll reels in an aspiring R&B DJ, who just happens to be white, to spark change in the deep South. Rock 'n' roll's pioneering DJ, Huey Calhoun, is just the guy to move this iconic sound from radio to TV. Memphis was the birthplace of Rock 'n' roll in the South, but there is a lot more to the story than happened at Graceland.

Winner of the 2010 Tony Award for Best Musical. In a co-production with Theatrical Outfit, the Aurora Theatre brings this powerhouse show to their Lawrenceville stage. Memphis is a tuneful tale is sure to strike a chord with music lovers of all ages!

TV

JUNK FOOD TV

Fulfill Your Cravings on Lifetime this Summer

BY BENJAMIN CARR

S

OMETIMES WE ALL NEED SOME junk food TV. You’re tired, stressed out and just need some mindless entertainment to pass the time. The options on Netflix or HBO take too much effort and what is on basic cable just doesn’t taste all that good. The answer can be found in that network of “Television for Women” called Lifetime. I know what you’re thinking but it’s not the Lifetime you remember. It’s not all Wife Swap and Reba anymore. This summer Lifetime is filled with all sorts of new, magnificent trash to fill your empty hours and stoke the flames of your guilty heart.

DANCE MOMS, the reality show with the promos featuring the angry, obese lady screaming at little kids who cannot pirouette that you’ve probably made a conscious effort to avoid for years, is back for a new season. But Dance Moms is a damn good show. Because when teacher Abby Lee Miller and all the moms stop screaming, the show focuses on some incredibly talented girls, including the sensational Maddie Ziegler doing good or at least interesting work. Ziegler, who was hired by pop singer Sia to star in several music videos, is only one of the girls that now get the show’s spotlight. This new season has shown all the girls who range in age from 10 to 13 move to Los Angeles to launch professional careers in entertainment. The moms still offer plenty of drama and get upset that their little angel isn’t getting her solo dance. It’s a better show but still maintains its junk-food sensibilities.

For some fantastic TV that’s cleverly masked as junk food, the network’s new drama series

A Sweeping onn Yo Your Own SSw weeeeping ping ing Journey JJo ou o urney About About Finding Finding FFreedom Fre reedom edo m o Your O Ow wn TTerms erms

uprising

a Rolling WORLD PREMIERE BY GABRIELLE FULTON DIRECTED BY THOMAS W. JONES II

JULY 17-AUG 23, 2015 Tickets start at $25!* Call to ask about our Special Group Rates! *Sales Tax Not Included.

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PG 6 • July 2015 • insiteatlanta.com

Station Control

A Deadly Adoption

UNREAL is an absolute must-see. Set behind the scenes of a dating reality show (not unlike The Bachelor), Unreal features cutthroat producers - with only an ounce of their human dignity left - manipulating a handsome, lying bastard of a suitor named Adam (Freddie Stroma) and some fame-hungry, desperate and naive contestants into creating “reality TV moments.”

Producer Rachel (Shiri Appleby) the protagonist who’s trying to maintain her humanity still compromises all her integrity when her own job is on the line. No character in the show escapes corruption. It’s delicious TV from seasoned Buffy writer Marti Noxon and Sarah Gertrude Shapiro, who worked as an actual producer on ABC’s The Bachelor.

With programming like this and treats like A DEADLY ADOPTION - a dark, pulpy and very Lifetime Movie, which inexplicably and hilariously featured stars Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig, Lifetime is a great place to indulge this summer for men and women alike.

The Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater

EVENTS EVENTSHAPPENING HAPPENINGFOR FORSMALL SMALLCHANGE CHANGEININATLANTA ATLANTA

Know Knowofofaalow lowcost costevent eventhappening? happening?Event@AtlantaOnADime.com Event@AtlantaOnADime.com By ByMarci MarciMiller Miller

Free Admission Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga Marietta on the Square tnaqua.org/college-days mariettaga.gov College students, faculty and staff can take Grab your American wearthroughout your red, advantage of special flag, savings white and blue and celebrate America's inthe month of February at the Tennessee dependence with a parade and celebration Aquarium, IMAX 3D eater and River on the Square.

Enjoy live concerts, arts Gorge Explorer. efree Aquarium’s College and crafts show, food, carnival games Days Discount offers college students,and facthe e admission Marietta Indeultyfireworks and staff finale. half-price to all pendence Day parade has more than 115 three attractions. entries with over 40 floats and approximately 2,000 participants. Over 100 unique UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS arts and crafts vendors will be on hand plus February 4 – March a huge interactive play1 area.

ICE CREAM FESTIVAL

DON’T MISS OUR SPOTLIGHT SHOWS:

MJ LIVE! Michael Jackson Tribute Concert

July 11

ety of health and wellness vendors. ere fun activwill be fitness routines and other HERITAGE WINTER CLASSICS: ities for the entire family including enterJULES & THE GENTS tainment and an ice cream eating Sunday, February 15, 4:30pm – 6:30pm, competition.

Heritage Sandy Springs $5 per Person

heritagesandysprings.org Saturday, July 25; 9:00am - 4:00 pm

CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVERconcert see Heritage Winter Classics ries will conclude with jazz SUMMER SPLASH group Jules &

the Gents performing a selection of jazz Free; Excludes Craft Rental songs from the 20's-60's.

Morgan Falls Dam Park Atlanta resident Julie Stein leads the group which integrates The Green Lot at Turner Field visitsandysprings.org jazz standards from the greats like Louis Saturday, July 11; 12:30 - 5:30 pm Tickets start at $20; Discounts Available Bring your kayak or raft andAntonio beat the Jobim, heat Armstrong, Miles Davis, ATLANTA FOOD FESTIVAL universoulcircus.com with a six-mile float along the ChattaBenny Goodman, Coltrane and more.

Free Generalconnects Admission; Parking up- hoochee River during the annual Summer UniverSoul with$5 progressive, Jim R. Miller Park, Marietta e river journey takes approxiwardly mobile, urban pop cultures from Splash.

RAG-O-RAMA SALE mately 3 After DOLLAR completing the float, atlfoodfest.com around the world with a stellar production Little 5hours.

PTS February 21 & 22 food and enjoy an afternoon of live music, Taste and sample variety of dishes from that blends circusaarts, theater and music.

Sandy Springs -family February 28 & March 1 fun for the entire during festivities metro Atlanta's very own restaurants, It’s fresh, cool and hip approach to live fam- ragorama.com caterers and food trucks.

Kidsitwill enjoy at Powers Island. Guests can bring their ily entertainment has earned a coveted own kayak, canoe or raft, or rent one from the zone, equipped with top inflatables, spotfun as one of Ticketmaster’s ten most one Getofready for Rag-O-Rama's biggest sale of our local outfitters. waterslides, a rock climbing wall, bungee requested family attractions. the year, e Dollar Sale! Shoppers never jumping and bouncy houses. Arts and know they will 28what - August 2 find for $1.00. Rag-Oalso be on site. e At- July crafts vendors will Rama carries current, classic, and vintage FREE PARK DAY lanta Braves B.A.T Team will be in atten- INT’L WEEK styles, FASHION men's & women's clothing and acFebruary 2015, FREE dance with14-16, their inflatable batting cage for Ticket prices vary depending event cessories, one-of-a-kind itemsonand much Local national parks the kids.

No alcohol willnationwide be served or sold Various Downtown more. Shoppers canLocations buy, sell or trade gennps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm during the festival. atlantaintlfashionweek.com tly used items. Sale takes place during the final twodesigners, weekendstwelve this month.

Visit one of Georgia’s national parks for With fifty runway shows, Thursday, July 16; At Dusk free during President’s Weekend. Partici- six celebrity events and four fashion workDIRTY DANCING pating parks include Chattahoochee River shops, this HISTORY has become one of the largest BLACK PARADE Free Movie ScreeningArea, Chickamauga fashion National Recreation events the year.– 5pm, Enjoy FREE five days February 28, of 12:00pm TOWN BrookhavenNational Military Park, ofHistoric and Chattanooga learning sessions live entertainment, MLK/Sweet Auburn Districtand Cumberland Island National Seashore, Fort network events. townbrookhaven.net Frederica National andyear Fort blackhistorymonthparade.com Movies on the Town isMonument back for a third AugustMonth 1; 11am - 4:00pm Pulaski National Monument. e Black History Parade celebrates on the green space at Town Brookhaven. Saturday, the culture, heritage, history and accomScreenings take place every ursday SOAP BOX DERBY American plishments of Black/ African through AugustBIG 6th (no movie NIGHT week of July $32 JAZZ FEST: BAND Vehicle Registration; Free Admission people in the United 4th) at dusk. andFREE announcements Historic February 14,Music 8:00pm, Fourth WardStates Park and from across the world. e parade features marching two hours prior. Bring cooldadsrock.com begin approximately Emory’s Schwartz Center bands, entertainers, dignitaries, civic your blankets, come early, grab dinner at arts.emory.edu the past 2 years, a section of road overgroups, non-profits, celebrities, corporate one of our restaurants to eat on the green For looking Historic Fourth Ward Park is the Comeand hearwatch the Emory Big Band andweek Fac- groups, artistic expressionist, entertainspace the movie of the thefun CDR Festival with yourBand friends ulty Jazz forand freefamily. as they close out the home mentofand for Soapbox the wholeDerby family.

Saturday, July 25; 11 am - 6:00 pm

KC and the Sunshine Band

July 3

MARIETTA 4TH CELEBRATION Month of February, 50% off Tickets

Free to attend three-day Emory Jazz Fest. Other Jazz Fest Piedmont Park, 10th & Charles Allen Dr. shows with paid admission include Irvin atlantaicecreamfestival.com Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra on February and Regina Carter is fun event features7America’s favorite with theIceGary Motley Trioincludes on February dessert, Cream!

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www.amphitheater.org • 770.631.0630 201 McIntosh Trail • Peachtree City, GA 30269

Your Neighborhood Pizzeria!

as racers and their wooden cars lined the street. Helmets were donned and goggles lowered as the pint sized drivers entered their vehicles for the start of the race.

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Taste of the Month-BURGERS!

Where to Go for the Best Burgers in Town Twin Peaks Restaurant

Buckhead 3365 Piedmont Road (404) 961-8946 twinpeaksrestaurant.com

Twin Peaks Restaurant, the rugged mountain lodge known for its ultimate man cave setting and beautiful Twin Peaks Girls, offers high-quality comfort food with a wide array of sandwiches and salads to choose from. Twin Peaks’ scratch-made menu features generous, man-sized portions of classic American favorites like slow roasted Grilled Meatloaf, butterbrushed Flat Iron Steak, hand-prepared Mozzarella Cheese Sticks and fresh Buffalo wings. The most popular item, however, is the Twin Peaks Cheeseburger.

These classic burgers are cooked to order and served up on buttery challah-inspired buns with caramelized onions, a choice of five cheeses, and fresh veggies like green leaf lettuce and Roma tomatoes. For those looking to get a little more adventurous with their burger, Twin Peaks also offers its special Hangover version, topped with an egg cooked over medium and Texas smoked bacon. Twin Peaks has an extensive selection of 29-degree draft beers from 32 taps. The girls pour and serve into huge ice-cold, frosted mugs. There are private rooms available for bookings and a lively rooftop patio with great views of the city and of course the Twin Peaks girls.

Gordon Biersch Brewery

mium ground sirloin and grilled to order. Gordon Biersch originals include their signature Cheeseburger and the Marzen Barbecue Burger served with smoked bacon and marzen barbecue sauce. Also try their selection of Kobe burgers and the California burger served with sliced avocado. The menu offerings are constantly being updated with fresh new items, seasonal creations and daily lunch specials. They feature a madefrom-scratch American menu with bold international flavors. This summer check out their new Small Plates menu featuring individual and shareable appetizers. So come in to either of the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants this summer for a hand crafted brew, outstanding burger and great time!

American Roadhouse Virginia Highland 842 North Highland Ave (404) 872-2822 american-roadhouse.com

American Roadhouse is celebrating 25 years of providing quality food and service to Atlanta.

Located in historic Virginia Highland neighborhood, this Zagat rated restaurant offers generous portions and down-home service. There are several great burgers on the menu. The Hickory Burger is made with thick bacon, cheddar & barbecue sauce. Their Turkey Bacon Burger is as the name implies; made with hand-formed ground turkey, turkey bacon & Muenster cheese. The Hoppin’ Jalapeño Burger comes with pepper jack cheese, pickled jalapeños & crispy onions. After a night out in Virginia Highland you might want to try their Hangover Cure Burger which is topped with bacon, double American, fried egg & crispy onions. Others on the menu include the Whistle Stop Burger topped with fried green tomato & pimento cheese and the classic Cheeseburger that comes with your choice of american, swiss, cheddar, muenster or pepper jack cheese. Sides include fries, sweet potato fries, mac & cheese and much more. Enjoy with a cocktail or your favorite beer. Open 7 days a week - 7am to 3pm.

George’s

Midtown - 848 Peachtree St. (404) 870-0805 Buckhead - 3242 Peachtree Rd (404) 264-0253 gordonbierschrestaurants.com

Virginia-Highland 1041 N. Highland Ave (404) 892-3648 georgesbarandrestaurant.com

Gordon Biersch is an upscale brewery restaurant specializing in handcrafted German lagers brewed in-house. Both Atlanta locations feature an on-site brewery where Gordon Biersch Brewmasters create their award-winning house beers, as well as limited-time seasonal brews.

The burgers at Gordon Biersch go hand in hand with their great brews. All of their 8 oz steakburgers are made with USDA choice pre-

George’s, the iconic Virginia-Highland establishment now celebrating their 54th anniversary keeps winning over new fans of their famous burgers. These burgers are made from 100% ground chuck, hand-pattied, charbroiled and served on a lightly grilled whole wheat bun with lettuce, tomato, red onions, and a pickle spear.

It comes with choice of fries, potato salad,

25 Years Serving Atlanta’s Best Breakfast, Lunch and Brunch!

Open 7 Days a Week Monday – Friday 7am – 3pm

Hours: 7am – 3pm • 7 days a week Located in Historic Virginia Highland Neighborhood 842 North Highland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306 • (404) 872-2822

American-Roadhouse.com

PG 8 • July 2015 • insiteatlanta.com

Farmburger Buckhead (404) 816-0603 Decatur (404) 378-5077 Dunwoody (770) 454-2201 Farmburger.net

Farm Burger is about more than just a great burger. It is a labor of love that satisfies its founder’s personal commitment to animal welfare, ecological agriculture and sustainability practices. In an era where the concept of “Farm to Table” has become little more than a commodity, Farm Burger has created its own self-contained agricultural and economic ecosystem which keeps dollars in the local economy while restoring the productivity of its pastures. While championing all things local, their grass feed beef is raised right here in Georgia. With their communal tables and lack of pre-designed burgers, Farm Burger encourages participation from its customers. There are wide assortments of toppings starting with the basics that come free with your burger to the more extravagant for a dollar or two more. If you prefer something unusual but you want to be sure it will be good, try one of their Blackboard Burgers or the Daily Burger which varies by location. All Farm Burger burgers are grassfed, antibiotic and hormone-free, locally raised, ground fresh, made in-house and griddled to perfection!

The Downwind Restaurant

Dekalb Peachtree Airport 200 Airport Rd. #201 (770) 452-0973 downwindrestaurant.com

How many restaurants can boast patio seating with views of airplanes taking off and landing? The Downwind Restaurant & Lounge, a family owned establishment off of Clairmont Road can. Not only is their view superb, the food is fabulous too. The Downwind menu has many outstanding offerings

including their award winning burgers. The Classic Downwind was voted “Best Burger in Town” and is built from a half pound of choice lean ground beef served with lettuce, tomato and onions on the side. You can also go beef free with their Veggie Burger or try one of their new healthy options including the Salmon Burger and Turkey Burger. Also find great sandwiches including the blackened chicken, roasted turkey or homemade tuna. Plus Greek specialties like the Spanakopita and Greek Spaghetti. They offer a full bar and live music every Friday night from 7pm - close. Downwind Restaurant is family friendly with an aviation themed playground for kids. Downwind Restaurant is open Monday through Saturday 11:00am - 10:00pm and closed on Sunday.

Cheeseburger Bobby’s Buckhead (678) 732-9531 Marietta (770) 919-9110 Sandy Springs (404) 600-2484 cheeseburgerbobbys.com

Cheeseburger Bobby's was founded in 2007 by brothers Richard and Bobby Stoll, who wanted to provide people in their area a fast casual dining experience that focused on the freshest ingredients and the most inventive menu. At Bobby's you can order a gourmet hamburger or a sizzling hot dog and top it any way you like it at the "Build Your Own Burger Bar".

Cheeseburger Bobby's offers its patrons the freshest ingredients, from its gourmet hamburgers to its wide variety of freshly prepared toppings with which to prepare "The Best Burger". It all starts with fresh, never frozen 100 % U.S. beef, seared on a grill after you order it and served on a lightly buttered, toasted bun. The rest is up to you. Order up a Bobby’s specialty burger like the Smokehouse, Mushroom & Swiss or Black & Bleu. Or build your own choosing from a variety of cheeses and colorful veggie toppings. With more than a million different possible combinations, you can build a burger that’s just as unique as you are. Cheeseburger Bobby’s has ten metro area locations. Find one near you!

Stillhouse Buckhead 56 East Andrews Drive (678) 244-3601 stillhouseatl.com

Using all of the moonshines available in Georgia, Stillhouse derives its name from its in-house cocktail program where moonshine is employed as the base ingredient to create classic cocktails. The carefully crafted cocktail menu is complemented by the ultiBurgers Continues on Next Page

e Magazine sit

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Best of Atlanta

IN

coleslaw; swap out for tater tots or onion rings for just a little more. There are many great burgers on the menu to choose from. Some of the favorites include the Bleu Cheese Burger, Mushroom & Swiss Burger, Turkey Burger and the Hawaiian Burger.

They also offer a Lamb Burger plus a Vegetarian and Black Bean Burger. George’s now has a full bar and with that offers their Bourbon Burger with a kick. Besides burgers, George’s offers a wide range of salads and sandwiches. You will find everything from Shrimp Po Boys, Grilled Chicken Wraps, Patty Melts, Reuben sandwiches and even a blackened Mahi Mahi sandwich. There is a kids menu and they offer a wide selection of draft and bottle beer and wine served by the glass or bottle. George’s is open for lunch and dinner. Sunday (11:30am - 9:30pm); Monday (11:30am - 10:30pm); Tuesday Thursday (11:30am - 11pm); Friday -Saturday (11:30am - 12am).

2014

WINNER!

100% GRASSFED RAISED on the SWEET of the SOUTHEAST GRASSES www.farmburger.net decatur • buckhead • dunwoody

Buckhead, 4365 Roswell Rd. Marietta, 125 Barrett Pkwy.

Sandy Springs, 5975 Roswell Rd.

Includes Burger, Fresh Cut Fries & Med. Drink Expires 8/31/15 Valid at Buckhead, Marietta & Sandy Springs locations.

www.cheeseburgerbobbys.com insiteatlanta.com • July 2015 • PG 9

mate burger experience with locally sourced ingredients and inspired toppings.

Adjacent to the back bar are two lit chalk board menus and daily specials. There are over a dozen unique burgers to choose from. The Buckhead Burger comes with two beef patties, Duck Confit & Goat Cheese, Green Tomato Relish, Pickle Beats and fresh Spinach. Their Steak & Eggs offers two beef patties, Deviled Eggs, Cheddar Cheese and Green Tomato Relish.

Many of their burgers are built without any beef at all like their Duck Burger, Spicy Louisiana Crabcake Burger, Black Eye Pea Burger and Fried Oyster Burger.

Compliment your burger with their thickcut fries, one of their delicious sides, salads and desserts. And don’t forget about the Moonshine. Find a variety of unique specialty drinks to help wash it all down.

The Earl

East Atlanta - 488 Flat Shoals Rd. (404) 522-3950 badearl.com

Located in the heart of the East Atlanta Village, The Earl is the kind of place you can hang out at all day. It is a great combination of restaurant, bar and concert hall.

Featuring an amazing bar menu, moderately priced drinks and a music venue in the back, this is a place that can satisfy just about anyone in your group. Their burgers are well known and have received numerous awards including the EARL Burger, made with 100% Black Angus Beef. The Guacamole Burger is known for its “cowalicious goodness” and served with guacamole, salsa and cheddar. The Blue Bacon is topped with grilled mushrooms, bacon and blue cheese. There are also vegetarian options including the Portobello Mushroom and Black Bean burgers. The open front offers cafe’ seating with a great view of the East Atlanta scene. At night anything and everything can be heard on the back stage while the crowd varies with the bands. National acts and the best of the emerging Atlanta music scene grace the Earl nightly to packed crowds. The jukebox in the restaurant has one of the most eclectic group of albums in town. Bar regulars love to wash Earl burgers down with their PBR tall boys. With a casual atmosphere and eclectic mix of patrons, you can’t go wrong with a visit to The Earl.

EVENTS

Hudson Grille

7 Metro Area Locations HudsonGrille.com

PEACHTREE ROAD RACE

Hudson Grille is the perfect place to catch the game, meet up with friends for a great meal or enjoy drinks from one of their expansive bars. All of their burgers are halfpound, hand-pattied. The signature Hudson Burger is a double patty with chili, jalapenos, onion rings, cheddar, jalapeno cheese. The Maker’s Mark Burger is made with Maker’s Mark Bourbon BBQ, applewood-smoked bacon, cheddar and crispy onions. Bulldog fans may like the #UGA Breakfast Burger served with fried egg, smoked bacon, BBQ mayo and cheddar cheese. There is also a "Build Your Own" option with plenty of unique toppings to experiment with including bacon-mustard jam, habanero marmalade, smoked chili cream cheese and fried egg. Visit Monday thru Friday for lunch as they offer specials for $6.95. On Mondays receive double Loyalty Points and $5.95 Burgers (includes two toppings and a side). Tuesday offers two for one appetizers while Wednesday has half-priced desserts.

July 4 The AJC Peachtree Road Race is a Fourth of July tradition in Atlanta. 60,000 runners compete in one of the country’s best known 10K races.

The race, which starts at Lenox Square, once again has its finish line at Piedmont Park in Midtown. Race time is at 7:30 AM so get up early to line-up along Peachtree and cheer on the runners. Event participants and spectators are strongly encouraged to take MARTA. MARTA will begin running at 5 a.m. on race day. For more information on the event visit PeachtreeRoadrace.org

4TH OF JULY AT LENOX SQUARE

The Vortex Bar & Grill

July 4 For over half a century, Lenox Square has celebrated stars and stripes in grand tradition with activities for the entire family. This year’s activities will include musical entertainment, food concessions and the largest fireworks display in the Southeast. Headlining the Independence Day event for the 5th year in a row will be Atlanta’s premier cover band, Party on the Moon. They will take the stage at 7:45 p.m. and play until the fireworks show begins at approximately 9:40 p.m. Everyone is invited to experience Atlanta’s patriotic celebration as Lenox Square lights up the sky on the Fourth of July! For more information visit the Lenox Square site Simon.com

878 Peachtree Street (404) 875-1667 438 Moreland Ave. (404) 688-1828 thevortexbarandgrill.com

STONE MOUNTAIN PARK: FANTASTIC FOURTH CELEBRATION

The Vortex Bar & Grill is one of Atlanta‘s original burger joints. There are well over 20 original burger creations on the menu, and you can even build your own by choosing a unique combination of toppings. All the variations of this world famous hamburger are made with 100% choice ground sirloin and are grilled to perfection over an open flame. The Vortex is also a drinking man's bar, featuring one of Atlanta's largest selections of beer and spirits. The Little 5 Points location features a 20-foot high "Laughing Skull" facade. While the Midtown location is host to the world's smallest full-time comedy venue, the Laughing Skull Lounge, hidden in the back.

AWARD WINNING

s r e g r u B

since 1961

A BURGER JOINT In Virginia Highland 1041 North Highland Ave. 404.892.3648

JOIN US FOR WOMEN’S WORLD CUP! GeorgesBarAndRestaurant.com

PG 10 • July 2015 • insiteatlanta.com

JULY 4 CELEBRATIONS

July 2 – 5 Experience the Lasershow Spectacular an Atlanta tradition that promises to wow your family with state-of-the-art digital graphics and awe-inspiring effects. The show includes a lighting feature at the base of the mountain shining up like fingers of light showcasing the 825 foot mountainside. The addition of an overhead laser canopy effect immerses you as if you are part of the show. Also, laser

mirror bounce shots from all directions on the lawn create the effect of lasers jumping over your head. Enjoy the refreshed music playlist featuring 10 new songs including “Let It Go”

by Idina Menzel, “Home” by Phillip Philips and Pharell Williams’ “Happy.”The special patriotic fireworks finale will immediately follow the Lasershow all four nights! Visitors may bring blankets and lawn chairs. For more information visit StoneMountainPark.com.

CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION

July 4 Centennial Olympic Park’s 4th of July Celebration will offer fun and entertainment for the entire family, including free music from The United States Air Force Band of the West and Atlanta’s number one fireworks display.

Come relax on the Great Lawn and celebrate Independence Day with Centennial Olympic Park. This year’s 4th of July celebration will once again be broadcasted by local ABC affiliate WSB-TV. The fireworks are scheduled to begin at 9pm. Parking will available at the Red Deck Parking Garage, which is located on Andrew Young International Blvd. across from the Georgia Dome and the Georgia World Congress Center. Parking will be at a premium due to other citywide events happening during the same time period. It is recommended that you purchase parking in advance. For more information visit CentennialPark.com.

ATLANTA BRAVES VS. PHILLIES INDEPENDENCE DAY FIREWORKS

July 4 Spend July 4th with the Braves and stay after the Phillies – Braves game and enjoy the best fireworks display in the southeast. The AllAmerican Fireworks Spectacular will feature incredible fireworks displays choreographed to patriotic music. Game starts at 7:15pm with fireworks immediately after. For ticket information visit AtlantaBraves.com.

CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION

Live Music & Entertainment • Full Bar • Daily Specials • Takeout Available

Downwind Restaurant & Lounge at the Dekalb Peachtree Airport

Mon-Fri 11am-10pm • Saturday Noon-10pm • Sunday Closed

770.452.0973 • 2000 Airport Rd. #201, Atlanta www.downwindrestaurant.com

COMEDY

“WE’RE IN THIS MOMENT TOGETHER”

Mary Lynn Rajskub is Much More Than 24’s Stressed-out Computer Nerd

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

S

taken an interest in fostering comedians.

HE’S INSTANTLY RECOGNIZABLE The last time you were in town someone took from her role as eccentric computer you to the Clermont Lounge. That’s a rite of expert Chloe O’Brian from TV’s popular passage for visitors who want to experience 24 series, but Mary Lynn Rajskub is also a something a little, um, …different while gifted comedian, writer, artist and musician. they’re in town.

Besides the hit FOX show, her impressive Yeah, that was Marshall. And you know, it credits include “2 Broke Girls,” “It’s Always was really fun. There was a genuinely good Sunny In Philadelphia,” and “@ Midnight.” band playing. It was a little weird, maybe She’s a master of live improv and is an inslightly creepy, but for the most part, it was demand guest for music videos, including just a good hang. It’s a complete circus of memorable cameos with Sheryl Crow (“A people-watching in that place.

Change Would Do You Good”), Beck (“New Pollution”) and Weezer And just since the last (“The Good Life”). Her time you were in town, abstract art has graced the television industry the walls of influential has become a whole new art galleries and she’s playing field. performed her raucous Oh yeah. Well, from my JULY 16–19 one-person shows in end, even in the past month Hollywood. Currently done Laughing Skull Lounge or two, I’ve seen a big with her 24 duties, she’s influx of really interesting laughingskulllounge.com pilots and project ideas staying busy with “a blur” of roles in a number of new, coming along. Content is indie films and is poised to just the name of the game embark on another national tour of comedy now. There’s so many more alternatives to the clubs that brings her back to town this month. traditional network pilots. The networks still Rajskub, one of the finest modern alternative offer the carrots of good money and all that, comics, spoke with INsite recently from her but it sort of seems like those types of shows home in Los Angeles. are old-fashioned now. I’m reading three scripts right now that are so unique; just stuff You’re coming back to the Laughing Skull for you’d never see on mainstream television, and the third year in a row. Will you be trying it’s changing all the time. I think the changes out new material during the gig? are forcing the networks to keep up. Like that The Laughing Skull is a great place to try show [on FOX], The Last Man On Earth, I out stuff. It’s interesting for me because I had think the premise of that would’ve never been a few 24 fans who travelled to see me there accepted until recently. Because things are and were sort of surprised by the vibe of changing, I think they’re kind of forced to try the room. It’s a little bit funky back there in new things to capture people’s attention. I that backroom. As a comedian, I quite enjoy think it’s a fun time for stuff, creatively. that. It lends itself to trying out stuff. There’s something about that room that is conducive And the new expansion of outlets could very to going off track – in a good way. I’m looking well change the status of 24, if it ever returns. forward to coming back. And [owner] There was talk of a 24 movie at one point.

Marshall {Chiles] is great. I think all clubWhat happened? owners have a love of comedy, but he’s really I don’t know. It’s hard to say with 24. It’s such an interesting example. For a movie to work, you have to have a theme or an idea that really resonates with people. And 24 does have a leg up because of the fans. It’s a brand name that people have heard of, so I’m kind of surprised that they haven’t moved forward with a movie already, just from a business sense.

MARY LYNN RAJSKUB

who know the act and know themselves, and is also free to go in and out and around it in that moment.

A lot of people don’t know about your connection to music, you play guitar and sing and starred in several music videos.

Well, I used to have a comedy band [Girls With Guitars], but I don’t really play or practice. It makes me really happy when I’m in that environment but I’m not very skilled. But you know, I do have an idea for a song. I don’t know if I’ll have enough time to get it together by the time I get to the Laughing Skull or not.

It’s a song that sort of compliments my act. It would be a new and welcome addition, I just haven’t gotten around to doing it yet. I play guitar very badly, which can almost work for comedy. If you’re gonna play bad guitar, do it during a comedy act, and you can get away with it.

If Jimmy Fallon, Conan O’Brien and Adam Sandler can play guitar, so can you.

There ya go. Well, my guitar playing is on par with Adam Sandler, way back when. I know some chords and I can kinda, almost carry a tune, but I can’t really strum in time. But I’m going to do it anyway!

You’ve said your stand-up comedy was an early form of therapy. Has it evolved as you’ve become more recognizable over the years?

You know, I still can’t figure it out. The longer I’m a performer, the more mysterious it is to me. I really don’t know why I perform at all. I think that’s why I turned to comedy, because there’s a conflict, deep inside of my soul. I don’t want people to look at me, but I do want people to look at me. I don’t want to speak, but I want to be heard. I don’t wake up and think, “I’m gonna go put on a costume and get some attention!” That’s really not my thing.

It has much more of an immediate reaction / instant gratification vibe than the visual arts.

I think performing sort of forces me to be in the present moment. And that is the beauty of stand-up or improv. There really is nothing like watching a skilled stand-up, insiteatlanta.com • July 2015 • PG 11

Summer

MUSICGuide

VANS WARPED TOUR

(July 2 - Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood) This summer marks the 21th anniversary of the Vans Warped Tour, which is kinda remarkable when you consider how many other bigname festivals (see: Lilith Fair, Smoking Grooves, H.O.R.D.E., etc) have come and gone over that time.

But this year’s lineup continues the trend of fewer and fewer A-list acts on the bill, with leather-clad rockers Escape the Fate, alternative hiphop MC Lars, hardcore icons Senses Fail and Atlanta’s own Family Force 5 among the few artists who have mainstream name recognition. Pop-punk fans and emo revivalists will likely still find plenty to love about the festival, but the Warped model seems to be getting dangerously long in the tooth.

TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND WHEELS OF SOUL SUMMER TOUR (JULY 17 -Verizon Wireless

PG 12 • July 2015 • insiteatlanta.com

Amphitheatre) Rolling across America on a sizzling summer run, Tedeschi Trucks Band’s “Wheels of Soul” tour brings the Grammywinning, 11-piece blues-rock dynamo together with soul sensation Sharon Jones and the DapKings, and acclaimed guitarist Doyle Bramhall II. Formed in 2010 with a spirit of adventure that saw Tedeschi and Trucks shelve their equally successful solo careers, Tedeschi Trucks Band has quickly become the vanguard of modern roots music. Combining inspired Memphis soul with post-war electric blues and classic songcraft into an award-winning sound, TTB has captured the admiration of both concert audiences and critics worldwide.

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings have been hailed as one of the leading forces in the revival of classic soul and funk. The Brooklyn based 11-piece group delivers sharp, danceable funk grooves, impassioned singing and sweet soul hooks that stay in your head for days on end.

ROCKSTAR MAYHEM FESTIVAL

(July 29 - Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood) The Warped Tour’s sister festival enters its 8th season, picking up where Ozzfest left off in providing maximum headbanging opportunity for the diehard metalheads of the world. This year’s headliners– 35-year veteran thrash gods Slayer– are coming off a blistering set at Bonnaroo. They’ll be joined on the main stage by theatrical Danish metal legend King Diamond, supergroup Hellyeah (which features members of Mudvayne, Nothingface and Pantera), and Ohiobred metal core band The Devil Wears Prada. The Victory Records side stage will feature up ‘n’ coming artists such as Knoxville deathcore band Whitechapel, Wisconsin death metal band Jungle Rot and several others.

NICKI MINAJ’S THE PINKPRINT TOUR

(August 2 - Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood) Upstart MC Azealia Banks sarcastically noted recently that the “Best Female MC” category at the BET Awards should be filled with Nicki Minaj in five different wigs. All jokes aside, Nicki truly is dominating the game just that much. Few other rappers, female or male, could anchor a major-venue tour like this summer’s Pinkprint. But here the flamboyant New York rapper is headlining a multi-city show with big names (boyfriend Meek Mill), hot newcomers (Rae Sremmurd, Dej Loaf ) and an R&B princess (Tinashe) opening the show.

IMAGINE MUSIC FESTIVAL

(August 29 & 30 – Masquerade Music Park) Imagine Music Festival makes its triumphant return to Historic Old Fourth Ward & Masquerade Music Park over Saturday and Sunday, August 29 & 30. This

is where the world’s top electronic dance music acts come together.

The festival features multiple stages hosting the very best musicians, DJ’s and bands. This year’s line-up includes Dada Life, Datsik, The Glitch Mob, Chromeo, Griz, Lil John and dozens more! Visit ImagineFestival.com

MOTLEY CRUE AND ALICE COOPER

(August 30 - Philips Arena) Remember last year, when we said the August 16th Verizon Wireless Amphitheater appearance by Motley Crue would be your absolute last chance to see them play live in Atlanta?

Guess what, they’re back!

Still wringing out dollars and frequent flyer miles from their “All Bad Things Must Come To An End” tour, they’ll once again be joined by legendary rocker/snake-handler/ conservative golfer Alice Cooper as their special guest star. The Crue arrived at last summer’s national press conference in a New Orleans-style Funeral Procession heralding the end of their professional life as rockers. As a stunt, they also signed a “binding” Cessation of Touring agreement, marking the era as their absolute last, final tour, ever.

Right. So see them this year, or wait till next summer’s “historic reunion and/or going out of business sale” tour.

ONE MUSICFEST

(September 12 - Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood) Quietly budding into one of the ATL’s biggest annual musical moments, One Musicfest is the smorgasbord of sound for hip hop fans who are annually underfed by Music Midtown, Shaky Knees and the city’s other festivals. While Lauryn Hill is the marquee name here, fans aren’t quite sure if they’re going to get the Miseducationspitting L. Boogie from ’99 or the mundane one from ’09. Luckily, when it comes to rap titans also on the bill like Raekwon/

Ghostface, The Roots, Scarface, Wale and A$AP Rocky, they know exactly what they’re getting—lots of lyrical heat to go perfectly with the 90-degree

forecast.

MUSIC MIDTOWN

(September 18 and 19) Piedmont Park For its 22nd year, Atlanta’s biggest music festival has firmly established its Piedmont Park domain. Old timers will remember that the enduring festival’s original run was from 1994 to 2005 in sweltering Midtown parking lots, returning six years later in 2011 with the scaled-down, current production. In the early days, the festival ran an entire weekend and often drew over 300,000 revelers.

Now back to a two-day event, with fewer stages, bigger acts and much higher prices, this year’s offerings include superstar headliners Elton John, Drake, Van Halen and Sam Smith. Other guests throughout the event will include new favorites Holzier, Run The Jewels, The Airborne Toxic Event, and August Aslina. Established acts such as Panic! At The Disco and Jenny Lewis will bookend heritage artists Billy Idol and Lenny Kravitz. Also on the bill: Elle King, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Kodaline, Rozzi Crane and Tove Lo. Promoters promise even more acts will be announced before the event.

JANET JACKSON’S UNBREAKABLE TOUR

(September 26 – Chastain Park Amphitheater) When word got out that Janet Jackson was releasing her first album since 2008, we knew a tour coinciding with the project wouldn’t be far behind. What we weren’t quite expecting, though, was such a grand-scale endeavor; the Unbreakable tour has already announced 36 dates. Fans will undoubtedly hum along to the pop icon’s new single “Love,” but they’ll scream to the top of their lungs when the music for “When I Think Of You,” “What Have You Done For Me Lately” and her other smashes come on.

IT’S AN EPIC WEEKEND OF FANDOM FUN! Get Your Membership Now and Save!

Dragon Con Night at The GA Aquarium

Meet stars from your favorite movies and TV shows

Live Music and All Night Dance Parties

Thousands of hours of programming & special events

Comics, Costumes, Games and so much more!

Huge Vendor Halls

The Legendary Dragon Con Parade

Labor Day Weekend, September 4–7, 2015 Hotels and more info at DRAGONCON.org insiteatlanta.com • July 2015 • PG 13

MUSIC

Album Reviews

REVIEWS BY BRET LOVE, LEE VALENTINE SMITH AND JOHN B. MOORE

The Magnificent Moodies The Moody Blues

(Esoteric Recordings)

Everywhere you look, there’s another anniversary in music, and the opportunistic record companies of the world are more than eager to cash in on any wave of nostalgia imaginable. But for the 50th anniversary of The Magnificent Moodies, originally released in July of 1965, Esoteric Recordings have really upped the ante on repackages. With direct input from the original band, including future Paul McCartney and Wings collaborator Denny Laine, the original LP is augmented by an astonishing amount of tracks, taken directly from the original 4-track tapes, compiling a generous supply of 43 bonus tracks, with 29 previously unreleased. Packed in a convenient little CD-size box, with a welldocumented 24-page book, surrounded by postcards and a (folded) poster, the songs bristle with the raw energy of a real British R&B band at its youthful best. Naturally, it includes “Go Now,” the best-known single of this era, but the real treat is the wealth of newly unearthed sonic and literary information. This is not the mystic, overlypretentious Moody Blues from the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, this the original sound of the fertile Birmingham scene, the gritty, industrial English Midlands town that also produced ELO, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and even the English Beat.

–Lee Valentine Smith

Bill Wyman

Back To Basics

(Proper Records)

vocalist looked back into his archive and found five unreleased songs. Adding another eight new titles, Back To Basics was born.

The result is a pleasingly retro, low-key affair that bests the Stones often-overblown blues excursions by miles. Here, his utilitarian low-end anchors a set of songs that suit the 78-year-old singer well. With expressed influences Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen and JJ Cale on the table, Wyman’s British growl fills in the cracks with a slightly menacing growl, as typified on the featured track “What & How & If & When & Why.” Don’t expect to hear it on commercial rock radio, but it would’ve fit nicely into the drive-time line-up of 96 Rock in the 80s. The hornpunctuated, rhythm-heavy jaunt flows along with delightful abandon on highlights such as a new look at “Stuff (Can’t Get Enough),” “Just A Friend Of Mine” and “I Got Time.”

Definitely for Stones fans, but a must for any good, roots-loving Anglophile.

–Lee Valentine Smith

Whitewash Shibboleth

(Sad Cactus Records)

(Fat Wreck Chords)

Jimmie Rodgers) is the twosome’s strongest album since that first, fortuitous record.

Both singers still sound remarkable strong and trade back versus like an old married couple. Of the 14 tracks here, the highlights include the endearing “Missing Ol’ Johnny Cash,” with Bobby Bare sitting in, and the obligatory Willie weed song, “It’s All Going to Pot” (particularly sly considering one of Haggard’s best known songs, “Okie From Muskogee,” begins with the line “We don’t smoke marijuana in Muskogee”). There is also a great version of Dylan’s oft-covered “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright.” The rest of the album, including new material for the two and a number of other different writers, is standard Willie/Merle fare and that’s still a hell of a compliment.

–John B. Moore

Dengue Fever

The Deepest Lake (Tuk Tuk)

The first studio album from New York’s Whitewash is so steeped in hipster cred that of course they had to issue it on cassette tape. Despite that eye-roll inducing move (no one should put an album out on tape in 2015, I don’t care how retro you think you are), the band actually has a powerfully impressive sound to fall back on.

Shibboleth is a fantastic mix of atmospheric pop, jazz and psychedelic folk all crammed into nine tracks. The sound is wholly original, moving from breezy mellow moments like “Member” and “Dissociative Episode” to the moody electronic, sound samples of the album closer “Reprise.” The experience is so creative, you can almost forgive them for putting the album out on cassette (almost).

–John B. Moore

Vol. 4

PG 14 • July 2015 • insiteatlanta.com

The Real McKenzies Rats in the Burlap

Bunnygrunt

Bill Wyman hasn’t made a solo record since 1982’s self-titled collection and before that, his other two records were released in the dark ages of the ‘70s. So, for his first album under his own name in 33 years, the less-than-prolific, but nevertheless legendary ex-Rolling Stones bassist and

The CD and cassette version of the album (cassette, sigh) also includes eight bonus tracks. Hidden among those add-ons is the fantastic (and hopefully) autobiographical, ridiculously charming rocker “Don’t Forget Who Your Friends Are.” That one song alone would be worth the price of the record, but lucky for you there are plenty of others great songs here competing for your attention.

–John B. Moore

(HHBTM) While the band and label are still opting to describe Bunnygrunt as “Cuddlecore,” I think Power Pop does just fine here as a descriptor. The latest from the St. Louis band, Vol. 4, their sixth album, is brimming with infectiously addictive songs that span anywhere from one-to- seven minutes, but the band really excels when focusing on three-minute sing-alongs like “The Book That I Wrote” and “Frankie is a Killer,” jangly guitars, pounding drums and male/female vocals trade-offs.

It’s been 23 years and 10 records since The Real McKenzies first start out, so there are no surprises here; at this point you know what you’re getting with these Scotch/ Canadian punk rockers. It’s been three years since their last record and with another lineup change, but the band still sounds just as solid as they did with their 1995 debut.

The group crams 14 songs onto Rats in the Burlap, by sticking to a lightning fast riffs, machine gun drumming, plenty of pipes and a three-minute max time limit for each song. Unlike many of their Celtic Punk peers who tend to get weighted down in often preachy political and social themes, the Real McKenzies are the fun drunks at the party, best highlighted here by the track “Bootsy The Haggis-Eating Cat.” Fill the whiskey glasses and prepare to listen to this one loud.

–John B. Moore

Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard Django And Jimmie

(Legacy) Willie and Merle are no strangers to sharing the recording studio. There was the 1983 Outlaw Country classic Poncho & Lefty, the decent follow up, 1987’s Seashores of Old Mexico and the duo brought in Ray Price for 2007’s Last of the Breed. But Django And Jimmy, (named after the duo’s heroes Django Reinhardt and

Quick name your favorite modern indie bands that blends surf rock with decades old Cambodian pop music… If you can name someone other than Dengue Fever, you are far, far cooler than me.

On their sixth studio album, LA’s Dengue Fever have perfect a truly eclectic sound that really shouldn’t work, but really does.

For those not familiar with the band, it takes a few listens and an open mind to appreciate, but by the third go round, you’ll likely be wondering why this band has not bubbled up beyond the hipsters and world music aficionados.

Songs like “No Sudden Moves” and the “Taxi Dancer” give slight nodes to psychedelic rock, but it’s the more poppy songs that really stand out with this outing, like the catchy “Rom Say Sok”. There really are few bands out there today that are doing what Dengue Fever does and given their latest record, there’s probably no need, as newcomers would likely just pale by comparison.

–John B. Moore

MUSIC

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Best of Atlanta 2014

LITTLE COUNTRY, LITTLE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Sugarland’s Kristian Bush on Musical Diversity, Publishing & Going Solo

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Anderson. When you’re in Georgia, you’re being influenced by a fertile local community, whether it’s Savannah, Macon, Augusta or Atlanta. You can’t help but take that stuff forward. As a country artist, it’s great to have a huge country fan base, but those fans are also fans of urban, gospel, soul and oldies.

[Sugarland] singing country melodies over southern rock music. So, if you’re from Georgia, you’ve been given permission to experiment because the people before you parted the waters. I’ve never been as free, musically speaking, as I’ve been as a Georgia artist. It is one of the most beautiful feelings to be so embraced by Nashville, America, Europe and even Australia for being who we are.

As a native of the state, it’s been interesting to see Georgia coming to the forefront of country music over the last decade.

It’s strange to know that there are more people in the Top 20 Country acts from Georgia than there are from Nashville!

Sugarland was probably in the middle of that conversation. The beginning has Travis Tritt, Alan Jackson, Trisha Yearwood and, even before that, Whispering Bill

And now you’ve also got a new solo album you put together.

I’ve been working on it for almost two years, but I didn’t know it was an album when I started working on it. I usually write 10-12 songs a year. We take the best of those songs and make Sugarland records, and back in the day we would make a Billy Pilgrim record. I’ve been on a consistent creative cycle for a long time. But in the last two years I’ve written about 300 songs, with 300 recordings. I started putting a song out once a week on my website, but not telling many people. Eventually people in the business started to hear the songs.

How did it become an actual band?

The CMA organization sponsors a 4-person songwriter tour, and asked me to do their European tour. I hadn’t put a band together yet, but I said yes anyway. I

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Voted Best BBQ in Atlanta! immediately called my brother Brandon, who had just booked a meeting with local band Larkin Poe, which I wanted to look at for Songs of the Architect. We met, I wrote a song with them, and we thought they were incredible musicians– very charming and super funny ladies. They left and Brandon said, “They should be in this band!” We decided to put together an allGeorgia band. We went after Tim Smith, a bassist who’d been on the road with Sheryl Crow. The girls flew in from Atlanta, and I used my old Billy Pilgrim drummer– who I stole back from Better than Ezra– and that’s my band.

How do you balance Sugarland and all these other projects as you move forward in your career?

My solo career and Sugarland can both happen at the same time. My voice and Jennifer’s voice can both be on the same radio stations [without it being a problem]. It was a real eureka moment when I realized that was possible! As for the publishing and the part where I get to be producer/songwriter/mentor, that’s a passion that can unfold at anytime. I try to produce a couple of records a year, and, now that I’m on a bender of continuously writing, I’ll co-write with as many people as I can.

’s

OST PEOPLE KNOW KRISTIAN Bush primarily as the guy with the goatee who plays guitar behind Sugarland’s comely singer, Jennifer Nettles. But Atlantans recognize that the 44-year-old Tennessee native has a career dating back to Decatur’s burgeoning folk scene of the late ‘80s.

Tell me about your new publishing Bush originally moved to the city from company, Songs of the Architect.

Sevierville (hometown of Dolly Parton, I’ve always had this fantasy that, if I whom Bush and his brother once opened could have a record label, I could help out for) in order to pursue a Creative Writing bands the way I was helped out. Then the degree at Emory. He immersed himself in record business changed, and I watched the local music scene, becoming friends the bottom line of those things move, and with acts such as the Indigo Girls. By I realized that that is not the best way to the mid ‘90s he’d become semi-famous help anybody.

As I found more and more as one-half of alternative folk-rock duo success with Sugarland, I started to see Billy Pilgrim, who were signed to Atlantic how the structure of publishing works: A Records and scored a couple of Top 5 songwriter is either selfsingles. published or they have In 2002 he connected I’VE ALWAYS HAD THIS a publisher who collects with fellow Decatur folkies FANTASY THAT, IF I money for them whenever a Kristen Hall and Jennifer COULD HAVE A RECORD song is played on the radio, Nettles to form Sugarland, LABEL, I COULD HELP television, or film or sold on blending elements of folk, OUT BANDS THE WAY I a disc or download. I decided Southern rock and country WAS HELPED OUT. to create a publishing to create a mainstreamcompany so that it could accessible sound. Their collect my money.

When I realized that success in the years since Hall left the band I had built all of these roads, I thought, in 2005 has been well-documented, with “Why not offer it to my friends,” because five #1 country singles, over 14 million I already went through the trouble of albums sold, with 69 award nominations figuring out how to do it. and 18 wins.

Now, with Sugarland on hiatus, Bush is returning to his musical roots in more ways How did you find the bands you’re than one. He and his multi-instrumentalist working with now?

The first thing I did was ask the 3-4 brother Brandon (former keyboardist for people who worked for me to bring me Train) have scored and produced music their favorite unsigned band without a for a series of promos for Atlanta’s Turner publishing deal, and I offered them all Classic Movies. Their publishing company, publishing deals.

We’ve got bands like Songs of the Architect, is helping local Today the Moon Tomorrow the Sun, indie bands find ways to make money with Telegram, and some others in the works. their music. And now they’ve combined I’m so interested in helping these bands forces with Atlanta duo Larkin Poe and a and singer-songwriters locally in a way few other friends to record Kristian’s first that doesn’t hold them back from making solo album. choices to succeed. They may have a great song, and I can take that song and shop You’ve played all kinds of music, from rock and folk to country and pop. Can you it in L.A. or Nashville, or help facilitate getting that song into a TV show or movie. talk about those diverse influences?

I also have a Decatur studio, called The The South is a fertile ground for Projector Room, which the whole thing is creativity. If you look at James Brown or based around. It’s the clubhouse for Songs Otis Redding’s stuff, they’re singing gospel of the Architect. melodies over soul music, which is like

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MUSIC

MUSIC

COLLECTIVE SOUL RETURNS THE ART/ACTIVIST 20 Years Into Their Career, the Atlanta Band Releases See What You Started By Continuing

BY ALEX S. MORRISON

A

Success breeds confidence. People always ask me if it was hard to write to the second album, but the hardest for me was the first. After that, I could actually afford to pay rent. All I could do was focus on what I always wanted to do, which was to be a songwriter. I always felt it was easy from that point, because I could focus and not worry about a second job or things that can take your time away from what you want to do.

POLOGIES IN ADVANCE IF THIS next sentence makes you feel old: Collective Soul reached its 20th anniversary in 2014. To celebrate, the band is releasing its ninth studio album, See What You Started By Continuing, in September.

Originally formed in Stockbridge, Georgia to record a songwriter’s demo for frontman Ed Roland, Collective Soul was signed to Atlantic You spent some time up north during college.

Records during the mid-‘90s What brought you back to Atlanta? alt-rock boom and went on to TWENTY YEARS I love Atlanta’s culture. If I need to record seven No. 1 hits (including AND STILL HAVING A go anywhere on this planet, I’m just breakthrough single “Shine”) and BAND AND ENJOYING one flight away with Delta. My family sell more than 10 million records.

EACH OTHER’S and friends are here. My children Despite going to Boston’s COMPANY IS THE are here now. I love having a place Berklee College of Music and BIGGEST WIN. to raise a family like Atlanta, for the touring all around the world, IT’S THE LONGEST diversity. It has history, some of it Roland (who also fronts a new RELATIONSHIP I’VE bad. They burned it to get it right, so side-project, the Sweet Tea EVER HAD. that’s cool. We’re a culture in Atlanta Project) insists he’s never even that has learned from its mistakes. considered living anywhere other than Atlanta.

It is a very forward-thinking city, but with that We recently spoke with Roland about career southern culture. milestones, future goals and the new album.

How are you feeling about the 20th anniversary of Collective Soul?

Twenty years and still having a band and enjoying each other’s company is the biggest win.

It’s the longest relationship I’ve ever had. It took a lot of work and a lot of effort out of everybody.

The new album is called See What You Started

by Continuing. What is the significance of the title, and what can fans expect?

I thought it was interesting after 20 years that we’re continuing kind of where we started. We’re still making the same kind of music, with a lot of loud guitars. We are very excited about the record. We made a conscious effort to do rock riffs and I only play piano and acoustic on this. I left all the guitar up to Jessie. I think I played four songs on the piano, which is not the norm for Collective Soul.

How would you say the overall sound of the band has changed over the last 20 years?

You can’t stretch too far because you have an audience. My other band, Sweet Tea Project, is more acoustic. I can’t bring those instrumentations into Collective Soul or people would wonder what the hell. With Collective Soul, it is guitar-based, riff-based. The only thing that has changed over the 20 years is that we’ve gotten better. Steve is a better guitarist.

I’m a better guitarist/singer. I feel I’m a better songwriter and a little better bass player, which in turn makes us a better band and more confident.

I wanted to find out about your involvement with the TJ Martel Foundation and your other charity work. Is it important for you to give back to the community?

Yeah, I try to do as much as we can when we’re home because it is my community. I learned about TJ through a benefit in New York and I met the people behind it. I truly love their passion about giving back. Last year I did something for the Chastain Foundation Conservancy, which is very important because I live in that area and my children go to school there and play in that park. Every year I do two shows at Edddie’s Attic and pick different charity organizations to give money back to. I started that nine years ago because we were gone so much that I thought it would be good to see my friends and make them pay money to give back to the community. This year, I did it for individuals. It’s the first time I’ve ever done that.

I did it for a cousin of mine that was seriously injured and had doctor’s bills, and I did it for Sunshine Diaz. Her husband, Paul, owns Tree Studios and had a brain hemorrhage. Once again, they’re my neighbors and my friends. That is the other thing I love about Atlanta. If you ask for something from your community, they they do it from the heart. I love that!

What else do you have coming up this year?

This will be Collective Soul’s year. It’s a big year for us with our ninth studio album. My goal was always to have ten so I’m one away.

East Atlanta’s Singer-Songwriter Doria Roberts

I FOUND MY PERSONAL AND ARTISTIC VOICE HERE.

BY ALEX S. MORRISON

F

OLK/JAZZ MUSICIAN DORIA Roberts—who co-owns East Atlanta Village’s popular Urban Cannibal restaurant with her wife, chef Calavino Donati— knows about the importance of giving back more than most musicians. A 19-year veteran of the Atlanta music scene who has performed at Lilith Fair and the Montreux Music Festival, Roberts and Donati were trying to get pregnant in 2013. They thought they’d been successful, only to realize that the lump in the singersongwriter’s belly was actually a fibroid tumor.

Although such tumors are common in women and usually benign, the health scare proved a harrowing ordeal. We recently caught up with Roberts to talk about her roots in the Atlanta music scene, her health ordeal and her many current and forthcoming projects.

You’ve been playing the ATL scene for as long as I can remember. Were you born here, or were you a transplant?

I’m a transplant, but I’ve been here 19 years. I came here to be my cousin’s birth partner, and had no intention of staying. The baby came a few weeks early and I went out one night to give them some alone time. I went to Eddie’s Attic, won the open mic night and qualified for the Bi-Annual Shoot-Out the following week. I won that, too, and used the $1,000 and publicity momentum to relocate permanently. The cost of living in Atlanta compared to other major cities was, and still is, phenomenal. Because of that, I had the opportunity to do my music full time within five years of releasing my first CD. Initially I was really nervous about living in the South. I came here in 1996, the year of all the bombings. But the more I left to tour—10 months out of the year at its height—the more I looked forward to coming back. I found my personal and artistic voice here. I became less afraid of the social tension, and used it as inspiration for my activist work and my art.

Let’s discuss your 2014 health scare. Can you explain what happened?

We’d been trying to get pregnant and thought we’d succeeded in November 2013, but it turned out to be a really aggressive, fast-growing fibroid tumor. These are common in women and tend to be more prevalent in African-Americans, but they’re usually benign. Within a month I looked like I was 5-6 months pregnant, and during surgery my doctor discovered that it was fusing

PG 16 • July 2015 • insiteatlanta.com

to my nervous system. I could’ve lost bodily function below my waist if we’d waited even four more weeks to operate. That was sobering and frightening.

You were helped by MusiCares, the nonprofit arm of the Grammys. Can you talk about what they did to help you through your crisis?

Musicares is a philanthropic arm of The Recording Academy, and was originally founded to help musicians with chemical dependencies.

It still does that, but has evolved into helping musicians manage basic healthcare and also helps when they’re in financial need during medical crises. They do that with supplemental emergency grants, and consider coverage for your medical bills as well as your primary household expenses like mortgage/rent, gas and electric. Even though you don’t have to be a member to benefit from MusiCares (just a professional musician), I joined the Chapter and served on the Board of Governors for five years.

I just really appreciated that the GRAMMYs had a philanthropic arm and was doing good.

Thankfully, I was able to get health insurance in the nick of time through the ACA. My medical expenses were in the $40,000+ range, but my liability was only $6,000-$7,000 once my ACA plan kicked in. That was still a lot, because we had to close [Urban Cannibals] for three weeks and I couldn’t work for the eight weeks during my recovery. We lost a lot of our household income. I applied for another grant and they took care of it.

So I’m 100% debt free from two surgeries (one of them major), and that is as close to a miracle as I can fathom in this day and age.

What’s going on with you musically these days?

I’m re-recording my latest project, Blackeyed Susans. I originally released it in 2011 after raising the funds to do it on Kickstarter, but was never able to support it with a tour because my store wound up on the Food Network and we just got too busy. I was literally doing vocal and guitar takes in between making batches of biscuits and desserts at my shop. So, artistically speaking, I never really felt happy with the end result. Also, I was chosen as the independent music consultant for the law firm that’s leading the charge for fair royalty rates on the Hill.

I penned an essay entitled “Taylor Swift, Spotify and the Musical Food Chain Myth” that went quasi-viral and caught the law firm’s eye. I’m excited to be able to contribute to my community this way, and am astounded that my path has led me here.

MUSIC

THE ‘LADIES ARE GENTLEMEN

Barenaked Ladies Celebrate a Quarter-Century of Music and Humor

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

O

NE OF THE BIGGEST BANDS from the ‘90s “alt-rock” explosion was Barenaked Ladies. A fixture on commercial alternative radio, such as Atlanta’s now-defunct 99X, the Canadian band’s catchy and quirky mix of acoustic pop and folky rock has earned the group major success worldwide. Originally a quintet, the band is now comprised of Ed Robertson (vocals and guitar), Jim Creeggan (bass, vocals), Kevin Hearn (keyboards, guitars, vocals) and Tyler Stewart (drums, vocals) and has just added Silverball to its considerable canon of albums.

BNL is currently on the road, headlining this year’s edition of the “Last Summer On Earth” tour, with special guests Violent Femmes and Colin Hay. Bassist Creeggan recently spoke with INsite by phone before a show in Cincinnati, Ohio.

songs that I could instantly hear the band play, and that inspired me and Kevin to come up with some tunes, too. So creatively, now we don’t have any chance to second-guess each other on anything.

This is the third BNL album with the band as a four-piece. Did the departure of [co-founder] Steven [Page in 2009] change the songwriting methodology of the band?

When we did the first one, of “the trilogy,” we didn’t know what to expect. But Ed was really, oddly liberated when he had to come up with stuff on his own. I think it really boosted his confidence to do some co-writing with Kevin Griffin of Better Than Ezra on the second one. And for me, I’ve always contributed a tune here or there, but now I’m counted on more to be a writer. I can take chances with these guys, and so can Kevin [Hearn], and

it’s brought more out of everybody.

Did Kevin’s time working with Lou Reed during his final years change his songwriting?

Yeah, I think he gleaned a lot from that experience. He was always a good songwriter, but he’s even better now. And he has lots of stories, too. Like, they played “Walk On The Wild Side,” and they played the riff over and over again, and after, like 20 minutes, Lou finally goes, “There! You finally got it!”

The band knew [Decatur CD owner] Warren Hudson when you both worked for Reprise, right?

Oh yeah, we had a great regional staff back then and Warren in Atlanta was great. He’s a veteran, man. I remember him saying to us, when “One Week” was number one, “You know what guys, I just want you to know that this

It must be fun being on tour with the Violent Femmes.

Yes! Those guys were huge influences on us over the years. And they let me play with them every night on “Gone Daddy Gone,” so it’s been great and a huge thrill for me, personally.

I think we wouldn’t play like we do, in the first place, if it weren’t for them. There’s so many times, I’ll be playing and I’ll go, “Oh yeah, I think this is because of those guys!”

The new album is really good; how is it settling in with you guys, at this point?

Ed, really quickly, came up with a batch of

BARE NAKED LADIES

JULY 12 • 7:30PM • Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre • vzwamp.com

doesn’t happen every day, so enjoy it, OK?” He’s seen it all. I’m gonna stop in and see him when we’re in town because I’ve been nuts about buying a lot of vinyl lately. We’re releasing a vinyl of Silverball, too. I can’t wait to put it on my own turntable and listen to it. I know the album so well, but I’m really looking forward to hearing it on vinyl.

The vinyl listening experience is unlike any other.

Absolutely. I got into jazz records during the compact disc era and just recently, I’ve started going back to listen to the record versions of my favorite albums I knew so well from CDs. And man, Paul Chambers’ bass just came right through the speakers! It just gets you closer to the music. And you’ve got to have a place for them. You know, records take up a lot of space.

BNL is known and loved for your humor within the songs, on the records and in the live show banter. But has humor even been detrimental to the band?

Humor has always been a counterpoint for us. We enjoy humor, and making each other laugh. But sometimes, I think we’ve made a mistake by leading with a song that makes us laugh first. Like “Another Postcard” [from 2003’s Everything For Everyone album]. It’s just a stupid song about a guy receiving postcards with pictures of chimpanzees. I kinda think that was the wrong thing to lead off with, from that album. With that, there’s no point to jump off from. It’s like, “What are those guys doing?”

ENDLESS SUMMER, AGAIN

Mike Love on the Beach Boys’ timeless celebration of sun and fun

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

T

HE BEACH BOYS ARE THE QUINTESSENTIAL rock band of the summer season. With an impressive catalogue of nearly three dozen studio albums, their songs about cars, girls, surfing and all the pleasures of the beach are instantly recognizable. Since 1961, along with multiinstrumentalist Brian Wilson, the chief architect of the popular group’s sound has been singer-songwriter Mike Love.

As Wilson mined the group’s often experimental music, Love provided the decidedly catchy lyrics for many of the band’s biggest songs of the ‘60s, including “I Get Around,” “Good Vibrations” and even “Kokomo,” in the early ‘80s. As the other members splintered off over the years, Love has remained the driving force of the core group, again leading the 2015 edition of the band, along with longtime member Bruce Johnston on keyboards and vocals. Their July show in Atlanta falls on (almost) the exact 50th anniversary of release of their hit single “California Girls.”

Speaking from his southern California home, Mike Love spoke at length with INsite about the band’s history, The Beatles and the never-ending appeal of summer.

The Beach Boys/Beatles connection goes way back, long before your initial trip to India for a Transcendental Meditation course in February of 1968.

Oh yes, Bruce and I actually travelled to see them in concert, and met them in Portland [in the mid-‘60s]. The guy who’d lined up the Beatles appearance there set it up, and we’d played there, too. So we met the guys backstage and we were talking to them, mainly about cars, THE and with George [Harrison], it was cars and sitars.

incredible sense of humor and has taught more people TM in North America than, I think, any other individual teacher.

And TM has been a major influence on you ever since. Do you still practice it?

Oh yes. I did this morning and I have every day since 1968. It’s meant to be practiced twice a day, so that’s what I do. In the morning and again in the evening. If BEACH not, I don’t think I’d have the energy and strength and adaptable and flexibility to be able to do what BOYS I’ve done for as long as I’ve done it. We’ll probably JULY 24 • 8PM do 120-130 shows this year, and with the ups and downs of personal life, as well as group life, Atlanta Botanical Garden it helps diminish the stress and expand creativity and positivity. atlantabg.org

The trip to India was a particularly historic and creative gathering. The Beatles were there and of course the Beach Boys, Donovan -- and even Mia Farrow and her sister Prudence.

It was a really good situation because we all weren’t there in an entertainment mode, it was in meditation mode. It was pretty neat to be there at the Maharishi’s invitation for what turned out to be a teacher training course.

I was so new to it; I’d only learned about it a couple of months before that. So the meeting in ’68 was pretty phenomenal.

That was a real Beatle-bonding time for you and the other participants.

Yeah. Well, Ringo wasn’t there for too long. Maybe a few days, but George and John and Paul stayed for quite a bit longer. In fact, I came back to the US because we had some touring set up, and they stayed for longer than I did.

And from that, came a number of incredible moments.

By ’71 or so, we’d studied to become teachers of TM in Majorca.

And John Lennon wrote that song “Dear Prudence” while we were there for Prudence Farrow [sister of Mia and daughter of actress Maureen O’Sullivan] who was also there. Prudence went on to become a great teacher and got her Ph.D. in Sanskrit from Berkley. I spoke to her recently; she’s a great lady, with an

You’ve said that re-creating the famous Beach Boys songs every night in concert is actually “recreation” for you.

It is. Our focus is to try recreate the songs as close to the records as possible, because those records are why the audience is coming out to listen and to see you. So we’re obsessed with making those harmonies right.

Fifty years ago this summer “California Girls” broke the mold of the whole “surf” thing and becoming a hugely creative, experimental force.

By 1965 we’d gotten to the point where we weren’t always talking about cars or girls or the beach. As we matured we got more experiences. The words, “I’m getting bugged drivin’ up and down the same ol’ strip, I’ve gotta find a new place where the kids are hip,” you know, that’s “I Get Around,” from late ’64. And it’s showing, even then, that there was some desire to look for more than just the material and the object-driven things that we’d once focused on. So we did get a bit more introspective as we went along. insiteatlanta.com • July 2015 • PG 17

MUSIC

THE BRIGGS

NASHVILLE’S BANDITOS

Make a Return, for Now

BY JOHN B. MOORE

T

HE BRIGGS HAVE BEEN PRETTY low key since the 2008 release of Come All You Madmen, unless you’re a fan of any LA sports team. In that case, you couldn’t go into a stadium in the city for the past few years without hearing their song “This is LA” scream out like a city-wide anthem.

Singer/guitarist Joey LaRocca put out a solo record a few years ago and the band made an attempt to put out another Briggs record, but the plans were put on hold and the recorded songs shelved after a label deal fell apart. But two years after the aborted comeback, the band is finally putting out a five-song EP on their own label and touring the west coast with 7 Seconds.

LaRocca spoke recently about the new EP, becoming a dad and the band’s future.

It’s been seven years since the last proper album. What have you guys been up to?

Yes, it’s been some time. Around 2009, we got pretty burnt. We were touring constantly, our van and trailer got stolen; we were ready to take a break. Shortly after that I became a dad and spent a lot of time home being a dad and I actually wrote and recorded a solo record, Traveling Salesman, Pariah, Me. I toured some on that while still intermittently doing some Briggs stuff. The Los Angeles Kings picked up our song “This Is LA” as their official anthem and in turn nearly every LA sports team used it in one way or another. That kept things going a bit but as far as being a full-time touring band, it wasn’t really in the cards anymore for the way our lives were changing.

Why was now the right time to release new music?

We actually made a few attempts over the last few years to “get the band back together”

but once we all got into a room and started really looking at it, we all just had other lives we had created and The Briggs just didn’t really fit anymore. But about a year and half ago, we actually wrote a records-worth of songs. Jason and I listened back to some of the tracks and thought it would suck to just let these songs rot away and never be heard. So we just said, “fuck it” and decided to put it out.

What was the line-up for this EP? We have some amazing dudes helping us out who have awesome bands of their own as well.

Derik Envy is the bass player and singer for a bad ass band True Rivals and Jake Margolis from Shell Corporation is in there too.

When did you write and record the songs on this one?

Well, in mid2013 I believe these were put together, so they’ve been sitting around collecting dust for a bit.

Have you started thinking about your next full length or is this more of a farewell album?

Don’t necessarily have a plan to do a fulllength at the moment but I don’t really see any sense in calling it a farewell release. The response has been insane for the EP, I was honestly a little scared to bother releasing it because I was afraid no one gave a shit and it would fall on deaf ears but the feedback and the flood of warm, excite messages of gratitude that we’re releasing something new has been overwhelming.

As far as a finite plan for a record, we’ll just have to see what the future brings, I guess.

What’s next for the band?

We have some great shows on the west coast lined up, some I can’t disclose just yet, and we’re gonna try and get out and about to see our friends all over the place. It just has to make sense for our lives but it’s shaping up.

WORLD WAR IX

Combine Comics & Punk Rock

BY JOHN B. MOORE

J

USTIN MELKMANN HAS A LONGSTANDING fascination with GG Allen. As a result, he started his own gritty punk rock band, World War IX that reveals in fun, aggressive, loud punk rock.

He also loves drawing, but could never match illustrations of his other heroes in the Marvel comic universe, coming closer to offbeat underground comics like R. Crumb; sort of the punk rock version of illustrators. It seems only fitting then that Melkmann has managed to marry his two passions, melding his albums with accompanying comics.

The latest example is the autobiographical EP, If One of These Bottles Should Happen to Fall, detailing his decision to finally sober up. As raw as it is brave, the record and comic are just the latest offering from one of the most original punk bands calling New York home right now.

Melkmann traded some e-mails back and forth recently to talk about the band, his drawing style and sobering up.

PG 18 • July 2015 • insiteatlanta.com

Make Their Debut

BY JOHN B. MOORE

I

T SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY NAIVE thought: your band will play a short set at a dinky club at SXSW, one of literally thousands of bands from across the globe playing that same week, in the hopes that someone from a label will be in the audience that night, happen to catch your set and will offer to put your record out.

Naïve? Of course it is, but that’s pretty much what happened to the punk/country/ southern rock six- piece Banditos. The Nashville, by way of Birmingham, crew descended on Austin last year and managed to so impress the folks at Bloodshot Records that the venerable indie label agreed to rele6ase the band’s self-titled debut this spring.

Drummer Randy Wade spoke recently about the band, their signing and how a shared interest in the Georgia Satellites and ZZ Top united a band nerd, a couple of grindcore kids and a girl who grew up singing in the church choir. Enjoy!

Can we start out by talking about how the band first got together?

We all met years ago through the Birmingham music scene. Most of us played in other bands in our teens, then Banditos kind of formed on a whim in late 2010. Ever since then we’ve been going strong.

How did you guys come to the attention of the folks at Bloodshot?

Some of the bloodshot folks came out to see us at SXSW in 2014.

From ZZ Top and the Muscle Shoals sound to the Georgia Satellites, you have amazing taste in music that many 20-somethings

Can you talk a little bit about your connection to comics? When did you first get the idea to combine comics with the music?

I’ve been drawing most of my life. As far as combining the comics with our band World War IX, that goes back about seven years. I had just finished an autobiographical comic about my obsession with GG Allin (eloquently titled Slap In The Face: My Obsession With GG Allin), and well, I wanted to keep talking about myself. I figured there’s plenty of laughable disasters that happen in WWIX so why not make those humiliating gems the focus of my comics.

Which are you more passionate about, punk music or being a comic writer/artist?

I absolutely love them both the same. These days I can’t even really separate the two. That said, I definitely enjoy rocking more than drawing. Pounding away on my guitar and coming up with exciting riffs is straight up meditative.

Is the latest EP, If One of These Bottles Should Happen to Fall, autobiographical?

It is autobiographical! Our singer/front man extraordinaire Filthy Phill wrote the words, based on cues from my experience of getting sober.

have likely never listened to before. Who first turned you on to the some of the bands that influenced your music?

It’s funny that most of the bands/artists we are compared to nowadays are what we all grew up hearing our parent’s listening to but we actually met at all ages punk/hardcore shows in Birmingham. We just sort of came full circle right around the time that the band came together, I guess.

So what other music did you grow up listening to?

We were all over the place when we were younger. Mary (Richardson) grew up singing in church choirs. I was kind of a band nerd, and when I first met Corey (Parsons) and Danny (Vines), they were playing in a grindcore band at a skate shop that Jeff (Salter) worked at. Steve (Pierce II) was a shredder too, we met him not long after that.

What can you tell me about the new album?

We’re all really happy with it and can’t wait to put it out! I think there’s something for everyone on it.

You all have been touring for a while now.

What’s the hardest thing to get used to about constantly being on the road?

It’s hard to pick a hardest thing; I feel like everyone would give a different answer. I think we can all agree that living out of a van with five other people for weeks at a time can make you a little crazy. Understanding that is probably the hardest thing.

So what’s next for the band?

More of the same! After we release the album in May, we’ll be touring most of the summer. Coming to a town near you.

What made you decide to go sober?

Why did I do it?

Why did I hang up my six pack? You know the phrase “Check Yourself, Before You Wreck Yourself?”

Well, I never checked myself, and suffice it to say, I wrecked shit out of myself! After two decades of nonstop “partying” I needed to stop. My life was starting to veer off into “unmanageable” territory, and that’s no good.

What’s next for you?

World War IX is about to go on our fourth U.S. tour, and we’ve already got a couple of new tunes in the works. As far as my cartooning is concerned, the good people over at The HardTimes.net, that incredible Onionesque punk humor site, have recently started publishing my comics, which rules to no end. And, I just started the official World War IX bio comic. Our story MUST BE TOLD!

OUTDOOR VENUES

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

Encore Park, Alpharetta 404.249.6400 vzwamp.com Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre has quickly become the entertainment destination for music lovers across the region.

Set on 45 acres of beautifully-landscaped wooded land in Alpharetta, the 12,000seat Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park provides a unique setting.

2015 summer line-up includes: R5 (July 10); Barenaked Ladies (July 12), Rod Stewart (July 15) and O.A.R. (August 25).

Chastain Park

Buckhead 404.733.5012 deltaclassicchastain.com Chastain Amphitheatre is one of the great outdoor concert venues in the country. It is an ideal setting to combine dining al fresco with a diverse range of musical talent. Among the top performances for the 2015: Idina Menzel (July 24); Keith Sweat (July 25) and the Gypsy Kings (August 14)

indoor entertainment venue also showcases some great concerts. Highly anticipated concerts this year include: Shania Twain (August 1) and Motley Crue (August 30).

The Fox Theatre

660 Peachtree St. 404.817.8700 foxtheatre.org The city's oldest and most revered venue is best known for its theatrical performances. However they do house musical acts from time to time and many say it is among the best concert atmospheres they have experienced. Upcoming concerts include: My Morning Jacket (August 7) and Culture Club (August 12).

Cobb Energy Center

2800 Cobb Galleria Pkwy 770.916.2800 cobbenergycentre.com The Cobb Energy Centre is a premier venue for Broadway shows, ballet, concerts, opera, family performances and events. Check out Fifth Harmony (July 20).

Arena at Gwinnett Frederick Brown Amphitheatre The 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy. 770.813.7600

Peachtree City 770.631.0630 amphitheater.org Located in Peachtree City, "The Fred" offers a unique and intimate concert experience. It has established itself as one of the leading outdoor entertainment venues in the metro area. Anticipated shows this summer include: KC and the Sunshine Band (July 11); Queen Nation (July 24); Peter Frampton & Cheap Trick (August 15).

Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood

2002 Lakewood Way 404.443.5000 livenation.com Atlanta's largest dedicated concert venue in the Southeast. Superior sound reproduction, advanced lighting capabilities and clear, unrestricted sightlines make Aaron’s Amphitheatre the favorite summer concert site for the avid music fan.

Some of their hotly anticipated upcoming shows include: Vans Warped Tour (July 24); Fall Out Boy (July 30); Mayhem Festival (August 15) and Lil Wayne (August 31).

Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre

Mableton 770.819.7765 mablehouse.org Located in south Cobb County, Mable House Amphitheatre seats 2,400 people for everything from country to rock to plays to symphony orchestra performances. This year they are offering a free summer of Candlelight Concerts that start at 8pm. Check website for details.

INDOOR VENUES Philips Arena

100 Centennial Park 404.584.7825 philipsarena.com Home to the Hawks, Atlanta's largest

gwinnettcenter.com

As part of the 80 acre Gwinnett Center campus, The Arena is a state of the art 13,000 seat facility. It boasts widened seats, a high-end sound system along with acoustical enhancements and versatile lighting. Check out Marco Antonio Solis & Camila (August 22).

Masquerade

695 North Ave. NE 404.577.8178 masq.com Masquerade offers three rooms for indoor concerts along with outdoor concerts in their Music Park. Featured shows include: Hollywood Ending (July 10); Guttermouth (July 13) and Jesse Malin (July 22).

The Tabernacle

152 Luckie Street livenation.com

404.659.9022

This turn of the century church turned concert venue attracts some of the biggest national acts. Check out Rob Bell (July 16); Iron 7 Wine (July 20) and Brandon Flowers (August 17).

Center Stage

1374 W. Peachtree St. 404.885.1365 centerstage-atlanta.com This multi-level music complex houses Center Stage, The Loft and Vinyl. Center Stage is the largest of the three and books national acts including: Bilal (July 18); The Vamps (July 24) and MGK (July 30).

Variety Playhouse

1099 Euclid Ave. L5pts 404.521.1786 variety-playhouse.com This is Little Five Points' largest music venue, but it can also be one of its most intimate. The Variety has great acoustics and sound combined with an eclectic mix of artists. Shows this summer include: Kate Pierson (July 17); Leon Russel (July 19) and Kristian Bush (August 1).

The Earl

488 Flat Shoals Ave. 404.522.3950 badearl.com An East Atlanta institution for great live music. Anything and everything can be heard at The Earl and the crowd varies with the bands. National acts and the best of the emerging Atlanta music scene grace the stage nightly to packed crowds.

In July catch: Dick Diver (July 11); Mudcat (July 25) and Adron (July 31).

Smith's Olde Bar

1578 Piedmont Ave 404.875.1522 smithsoldebar.com Expect to see the best national, regional, and upcoming acts while enjoying the laid-back, intimate atmosphere. Check out Rick Gunn (July 9); Eric Dodd (July 17) and Sam Holt Band (July 18).

Wild Bill's

2075 Market St. 678-473-1000 wildbillsatlanta.com Duluth complex is one of the largest country-music dance club and concert halls in the country. They are renovating this summer and have limited shows.

Eddie's Attic

Decatur Square. 404.377.4976 eddiesattic.com Decatur's most prominent music venue was made famous by the frequent appearances by the Indigo Girls and they still offer some great acts. Upcoming performers: Eliot Bronson (July 17); Allgood and the Bitter Roots (July 18); Jay Brannon (July 22).

Fat Matt's Rib Shack

1811 Piedmont Rd. 404.607.1622 fatmatts.com You like ribs? You like the blues? You can get both seven nights a week. Live music begins at 8pm and come often, because you never know what blues legend is going to stop bye. Coming up in July is Atlanta Boogie (July 17); Cody Matlock (July 24) and Beverly Watkins (July 31).

Star Bar

437 Moreland Ave. 404.681.9018 starbaratl.com This Little Five Points music cathedral keeps packing them in. The Elvis Shrine is still alive and well. Upcoming July shows include: Nine Pound Hammer (July 11); Thelma and the Sleaze (July 18).

Iris

2715 Buford Hwy. 770.240.6377 irispromotion.eventbrite.com Iris is Atlanta’s biggest EDM showcase.

Check out these shows: DJ Icey (July 4) and Nina Las Vegas & SPL ESP101(July 11).

Northside Tavern

1058 Howell Mill Rd. 404.874.8745 northsidetavern.com Legendary blues and barbecue keeps them coming to the Westside. Regular acts include: Ike Stubblefield (July 11) and Stonny Brooks (July 17).

529

529 Flat Shoals Ave 404.228.6769 529atlanta.com This popular East Atlanta venue has been attracting a large following. Highlighted shows in July include: PLS PLS (July 17) and I Want Whiskey (July 30).

The Georgia 120 Tavern

1440 Roswell Rd. 770.509.3320 120tavern.com Formerly operating as Sidelines, sports have given way to live music. Upcoming shows include: All or Nothin’ (July 25) and Project: Roenwolfe (August 8).

Buckhead Theatre

3110 Roswell Rd. 404.843.2825 thebuckheadtheatre.com Embracing the deep musical heritage of Georgia and the Southeast, The Buckhead Theatre has been the site of sold-out shows of every musical genre, rock, country, hip hop alternative, and more. Upcoming shows include: Stephen Stills (July 18); Aquarium Rescue Unit (August 7); Kacey Musgraves (August 27).

The Strand

3110 Roswell Rd. 770.293.0080 earlsmithstrand.com Located on Marietta Square, The Strand served as a major motion picture house in 1935. Over the years it has undergone many transformations and reopened in 2009. Checkout Motown Sounds in July.

Terminal West

887 West Marietta St. 404.876-5566 terminalwestatl.com Terminal West is a 7,000 square feet music and special events venue in historic west midtown of Atlanta at the King Plow Arts Center. Upcoming acts include: Jelly Roll (July 11) and Salva (July 17).

10 High

816 N. Highland Avenue 404.873.3607 darkhorseatlanta.com The 10 High is located directly below the Dark Horse Tavern in the heart of the Virginia Highlands neighborhood. The venue is a favorite spot for local music lovers and bands as well. Friday, Saturday and Tuesday nights feature live band karaoke with Metalsome Inc.

Blind Willie’s

828 North Highland Ave. 404.873.2583 blindwilliesblues.com Iconic blues joint in Virginia Highland.

Featured acts coming soon include: Selwyn Birchwood (July 18); Eddie Shaw & The Wolfgang (July 31).

The Drunken Unicorn

736 Ponce de Leon Ave. thedrunkenunicorn.net The Drunken Unicorn is a live music venue located below Friends on Ponce.

This month check out: The Pine Box Boys (July 6); Twin Trances (July 10) and Marriages (July 31). insiteatlanta.com • July 2015 • PG 19

FILM

INTO THE WILD Movie Reviews

Bear Grylls On Celebrities, Survival & Running Wild

from keeping myself alive. It’s definitely more challenging whenwouldn’t you’re taking of-age dramedy be the somebody Sundance 1/2 who’s done nothing like this before.

You’ve got darling that it’s become if that were all director/  of the outdoors as a boy. My parents and toscreenwriter think for them aFamuyiwa lot of the had time.toBut it’s been Rick his story.

With close to a billion in worldwide box office, grandparents took me backpacking in the exciting to be able to take these guys away. my verdict on Jurassic World be more Appalachian mountains and tocouldn’t our rustic cabin Because of some unfortunate circumstances, IMalcolm love seeing when they’re getsthem stuckcome with alive a backpack full of irrelevant.

If you have the slightest interest in on Lake Hartwell, where I learned to set up facing difficult terrain and big challenges, dope and his squad has to figure out how toboth the movie you’ve already seen it and formed camp, fish, start a fire (and cook on it), forage emotionally and physically.

It’s great helping get rid of the product.

The dopes choose to your own opinion. just for the record... for wild berries and,But most importantly, respect people overcome that, whether it’s a fear of sell it.

A way-too-complicated side story with Steven Spielberg is onlythat an Mother executiveNature producer the beauty and bounty has heights orand snake or college whatever it is. weighs Bitcoins shady mentors this time but his pawprints – and elements of to offer. things down, keeping the movie from being his filmsWild - areWith all over thisGrylls, one. Itthe mocks Onother Running Bear Were they givenpiece any of kind of training a transcending cultural cinema like corporate sponsorship while flaunting product British adventurer does the same thing beforehand to prepare them?

Famuyiwa’s Brown Sugar or The Wood. Still, its placement all about theme parks’ greed with some ofand theit’s world’s biggest celebrities.

When it comes to training, wemessage said, about don’t-judge-a-CD-by-its-cover and lack of to concern visitors’Ben safety while It’s thrilling watch for a nervous Stiller “You’ve just got tojourneys bring two things– a big clear people’s personal is resoundingly it’s meant to boost attendance at Universal’s rappelling down a mountain on Scotland’s Isle bag fortitude and asome big backpack full of about andofcould help spark more dialogue parks.

There’sTom overArnold half anconquering hour of set-up ofown Skye, a terrified his enthusiasm– and we’ll do the best when racial stereotypes around the country. We hope before the action starts, but athen rarely lets fear of heights by traversing treeitover a 50outthe there. ” The fun thing about it helps affable Shameik Moore getitaisfew up, drop even ifinitOregon, seems familiar from the three we’re foot and a boyish Zacfirst Efron that they’re not too prepared, you know?

We roles that would otherwise go to Jesse Eisenberg Jurassics (anda Jaws).

The park hasCatskills. created aBut stoked to see wild beaver in the wing it together, and you see them on camera or Josh Hutcherson, too. And honestly, if the new,makes genetically modified, “prehistoric” what the show even 50-foot more interesting is learning andwinner makingismistakes, low-budget able to doand all ofthat’s that,the that creature, the Indominus which of course the rare, honest glimpse itRex, offers of these stars fun real part of it.

The only training I would be pretty dope. Three Stars did with is Bigger! Louder!

Faster! than anychallenges of the of emotionally overwhelmed by the any of them was with Zac, because I wanted –DeMarco Williams others. themselves (It’s also female, don’tinsay Hollywood pushing to thesolimit some of the to skydive with him. So I gave him some world’s most wilderness areas. is sexist.)

Ofbeautiful course she will get loose, training for couple INSIDE OUTathat, (PG) of hours the day before.

Grylls– a former reservist in theespecially British endangering over 20,000 visitors, But beyond everyone else just arrived  Special whooflater the twoForces young(SAS) nephews parkclimbed marketer with that fortitude andorI said, Whether you’re aand popenthusiasm, culture pundit Everest and crossed the(an North and Bryce Dallas Howard earlyAtlantic frontrunner “We’ll do it altogether. ” merely a diehard movie-lover, Pixar’s 20the angood inflatable forNorthwest next year’s Passage Razzie). inThe guy isboat– dino year hot streak that began with the release recently spoke to Pratt us about viaiscell whisperer Chris and the show bad guy Of all the places you’ve been, what’s the place of Toy Story in 1995 is both remarkable and phone from a little cove off the south coast Vincent D’Onofrio, who wants to weaponize that you connect with the most? of England. unrivaled. Every single one of its 15 feature the animals and use them to fight wars. The Home! (Laughs) A lifetime of doing this has films has at least rating 3D is unexceptional and while the effects may taught mereceived two things.

OneanisAthat I dofrom love the Where did the idea Running Wildcompete come CinemaScore; they’ve earned 15 Oscars; have improved in 22for years, they can’t adventure. I love being out there. It’s where from?

I know did popular their average worldwide is over with the thrillyou of seeing them forepisodes the first time, Iand come alive, and it’s where I gross perform at my ofespecially Man Vs Wild with Will Ferrell $600 million. when they’re called on toand shore up best.

I love the wildernesses we’ve gone to Jake Has this concept been Whenthe youworld, consider success Pixar suchGyllenhaal. a weak script. around andthe it’sparallel such a privilege.

But germinating in your mind ever since? honcho John Lasseter has had since taking over –Steve Warren going away a lot has also taught me the value Yes. Those Man Vs Wild shows [with guest Chief Creative Officer for aparent ofashome.

You know, I’ve got lovelycompany family, stars] Disney in 2006 (see: Tangled, Wreck-It DOPEhave been very successful all around the with three young boys. It’s the greatest Ralph, driving world.

Frozen andI’m Big up Hero 6), it’s virtually Once we were done with that show, force when a mountain or in impossible a jungle– a weAs wanted to revisit this format.

Wethe knew to imagine other me studio having the movie says when it opens, wordit shining lightany making work hardatomore get out was a format that meanings: worked and, me, it’s just influential or dominating impact on its industry. “dope” has three 1) afor generic of there in one piece. really fun because youofgetillegal to know people Pixar/Disney’s success is not just a matter of reference to any kind drugs; 2) a and it’s such a good dynamic.

So it was exciting advancing technology even creating person who readily makes stupid decisions; 3) People lookCGI up to you as a or survival expert. getting through all thethat’s health andcool. safety for animated slang for something really Ashoops. you Ismore theresophisticated a particularnarratives teacher that you would Not a lotexpect, of it isour planned, so that was quite films. Like The Muppets and Looney Tunes might lead, Malcolm (Shameik credit for giving you the most survival a Moore), mountain us toconnection climb before wethree. evenIt’s before them, Pixar elevates the art form by hasforsome to all knowledge? started.

NBC us through that,ofand creating that effectively beyondBut dope thathelped Malcolm and his band Well, tostories be honest, I don’t feeloperate like I’matatwo fought a few of those battles.friends (played by levels– kids’ movies that resonateoffeven more geeky-but-not-quite-weird survival expert.

When I started doing Man deeply Inside Out, the latest Kiersey Clemons and Tony Revolori) are so Vs Wild,with I feltgrown-ups. like more of a survival expert You have a with lot of‘90s experience withthey from Monsters, Inc.the andmilitary.

Up director enamored hip-hop dealing culture that because I’d just left That’sPete where I these harsh climates and wild places. But is Docter, all is arguably their smartest, most wear retro Jordans, religiously listen to Brand learned of my survival skills. But the soulful more it a lot of responsibility to take someone who filmthe to date. thissensitive I’ve done, more I realize that I’m Nubian and rock flat-top haircuts. What’s more, ofand doesn’t have experience in dealing with these The of story 11-year-old Riley of (voiced a jack a lotfollows of things, but a master very they do all of this while living in inner-city conditions?

by Kaitlyn whosebetter life is climbers, turned… well, little.

EveryDias), day I meet better Los Angeles, where cats get jacked for their Yes, it’s a nightmare! When I’m on my inside out better when career changes find her about family skydivers, survivalists.

The thing sneaks and have run-ins with socially conscious own I’ve got nothing to worry about apart uprooted from idyllic Minnesota to urban me is that I’ll always work damn hard, I’ll drug dealers (A$AP Rocky) on the daily. But San Francisco. Leaving behind friends and somehow Malcolm finds his own lane, even familiarity, Riley’s tumultuous transition is excelling to a point academically that Harvard examined through the five colorful characters is on his radar. He’s got his eyes on a particular who embody our core emotions– Fear (Bill girl (Zoë Kravitz), too. Of course, this coming-

BY BRET LOVE

I

JURASSIC WORLDMY(PG-13) DEVELOPED LIFELONG LOVE

A LITTLE CHAOS PG 20 • July 2015 • insiteatlanta.com

THE WILD IS VERY REVEALING. YOU GET TO KNOW PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT YOU NEVER DO OTHERWISE, BECAUSE THEY’RE UNCOVERED AND VULNERABLE. YOU GET TO KNOW THEIR STRUGGLES, THEIR DOUBTS, THEIR TRIUMPHS, THEIR HIGHS AND THEIR LOWS.

always keep cheerful even when it’s miserable, and I always go for it. But as for the training, 99% was from the military and I learned a bunch as a kid with my dad, who’d been a commander and a climber and loved all this stuff. He’ll be turning in his grave if I only Hader),him Anger Black),He’s Sadness (Phyllis credit with(Lewis 1 percent… about 50%!

Smith), Disgustme (Mindy Kaling) Joyactually But he taught the love of it, and which (Amy Poehler). counts for everything.

Poehler is perfectly voice-cast as the irrepressible leader, a perky blue-haired pixieon Have you had a chance to take your boys whoofstruggles to maintain control over Riley’s any these adventures? emotional asrest Riley’s circumstances Yes, I getnerve to do center that the of the year, when send her into a psychological downward spiral. we don’t have TV cameras around us. They But each of the other character actors carries love it! Right now I’m in a little cove off the their share the dramatic south coastofofboth England, lookingand at allcomedic three weight,stark withnaked Smithin(The proving a boys, the Office) sea in the pouring potentI’mscene stealer. rain. sheltered under a fallen tree, trying to Thisout is some foryou. a But keep of thedeep, rain dark whileterritory talking to film ostensibly aimed ButDNA, the for they love it. They live at it.children.

It’s in their bittersweet mood is broken up with just enough sure. sweetness and light (including some muchneededvisited slapstick from Richardplaces.

Kind as You’ve sosilliness many inhospitable Riley’sdoimaginary friend, you a colorful How you nail childhood down the places want to elephant film in? named Bing Bong) to keep kids from getting bored… or needing therapy.

Well, we try and pick diverse terrains. The Isle offilm Skyeisinboth Scotland is just barren The a melancholy musingand on windswept, and rainy. Sotoweadolescence contrasted the transitioncold from childhood that the hot deserts dramatic and awith psychological study and on the positiverock faces of Utah.emotions If somebody real wish to role negative play has in a ahealthy go somewhere,balance. we pickYet, that.

But really, it’s all psychological in timeless Pixar about diversity challenging terrain. fashion, it’s also and a lotthe of fun.

–Bret Love Has there been a place you’ve traveled that was so incredibly difficult that you have no ALOFT (R) desire 1/2 to go back?

Probably theAloft blackmake swamps of Sumatra, Movies like me long for the where the tsunami hit in 2001 and decimated simplicity of “Once upon a time... ” narratives athat bigtell part of the island.

It’s just this stinking, a story from beginning to end.

I didn’t black, rotting swamp,alternating with all ofbetween these mind Love & Mercy crocodiles feeding off the human corpses. periods some 20 years apart6500 because I knew something of what happened to Brian Wilson in between, but when Aloft tries the same thing it doesn’t dispense information, even on a need-to-know basis. Twenty years ago Nana (Jennifer Connelly) is raising two young boys, Ivan the falconer and little Gully, whose cancer sends Nana in search of The Architect (William Shimell), a possibly phony faith healer. Nana discovers she may have genuine healing powers herself. In the present Ivan (Cillian Murphy) is married with a son and is sought out by a French-speaking journalist, Jannia (Mélanie Laurent). He’s angry to learn she’s just interested in Nana, from whom he’s long estranged, but then he insists on going along to find her. Small details are omitted in a manner more annoying than intriguing, and more than an hour passes before we begin to learn why Ivan and his mother are apart. At the end I was left with major questions about what happens to the characters, again in an annoying, not intriguing way. The birds allow for some sweeping Canadian skyscapes and

JURASSIC WORLD

They lost of a lot of lives in that disaster, and it’s become a disease-ridden, crocodile-filled, snake-filled place. So yes, I’m not going to hurry back to that one.

What is it about being in the wilderness that aerial landscapes, but the human part of Aloft is speaks to you personally? earthbound can’t get up. You get to know The wild isand very revealing.

Warren people in a way that you never do –Steve otherwise, because they’re uncovered and vulnerable.

WHEN (PG) You getMARNIE to knowWAS their THERE struggles, their doubts,  their triumphs, their highs and their lows. And When Marnie Was There a day after ifSeeing stuff happens in the wild, it’s unpredictable.

Inside Out, I was struck by the coincidence Things can go wrong very quickly, and I’ve–got the young animated heroines are athese year guys apart in a massive responsibility to keep age andBut both are that challenge. dealing with relocation. For alive.

I love a few minutes I was imagining the emotions atWhat workdo in you the brain 12-year-old thinkofitasthmatic, is that makes a celebrity Anna.

She’s ruled by Depression, not just want to do this kind of adventure?

Sadness. by foster she feels They’reRaised not doing it forparents, the money, the like an outsider home as well as in school. fame, or theatexposure.

These guys have She’s all of sent stay don’t with aneed working-class auntAnd andthe uncle that.toThey to take risks. in the country, There truth of doing where this is the thatair it is cleaner. a risk. You’re her dominant is Curiosity, going to look emotion like you’re not brave especially or strong, regarding a mysterious house. When or whatever.

I think it’sold a testament to theAnna meets Marnie, who the to house, Joy takes idea that people at lives heartinlove challenge themselves.

These guys have all reached over as they become secret BFFs. It’s not hard topread of their profession, allfriendship, have that to a lesbian subtext but intowe their yearning If ourSappho lives orthan ourSapporo; family’s as if Annainside: were more livesthis were reallyfalse on as thethe line, have Iquestion got what but proves pressing it takes towhether survive?Marnie Almost guys becomes is all realoforthese imaginary. saidInside one ofOut the comparison best bits wasfades having spaceasand The as well, the timescript to think aboutmore life and luckytothey rich provides thanhow enough focus haveEven been.

The outdoors doesitthat.

It creates on. without the gimmick delves deeper bonds between people and gives us space into a girl’s psyche.

It’s far tooitcomplex for very to breathe.

At the of it, all them had a young viewers, but end for those of aofcertain age it’s smile on their face and ato light in theirculture eyes that an excellent introduction Japanese money buy. Fame doesn’tand do it.

Drugs that cancan’t stimulate their interest keep them don’t do it.

Booze doesn’t do it.

It’s the power from developing xenophobia. It’s being shown the wild,times and I’ve seen it and a tonsubtitled in people. atofdifferent in dubbed versions, but anyone old enough to appreciate it should be able to read the titles and get the full cultural experience. When Marnie Was There is the best animated film in years, including Inside Out. –Steve Warren

LILA AND EVE (R)

1/2 I’ll watch Viola Davis in anything, but it’s sad to see her squander her time and talent on a project so unworthy of her. Lila and Eve might have been a fun revenge caper if Davis didn’t make us take the whole thing so damn seriously. Jennifer Lopez shares top billing for what is really a supporting role, and while she’s deglamorized to play a ghetto dweller, her acting chops don’t get seriously challenged; she’s more like part of Davis’ audience. Lila’s (Davis) 18-year-old son is an innocent victim of a drug-related drive-by shooting in Atlanta.

His bereaved mother goes to a support group, Mothers of Young Angels, and chooses Eve (Lopez), the least likely prospect, for her

sponsor. Frustrated by a lack of police action, the women start their own investigation and dealers’ bodies pile up faster than the police can log them in. The women’s skills are literally incredible – if they worked for the police the city’d be crime-free in no time – and a late twist multiplies the preposterousness factor of all that’s gone before. The script is as weak on minor details as major ones, and panders to female viewers by throwing in a neighbor as a love interest for Lila. (Where was he when she had time for romance?) If they couldn’t bring everything else up to Davis’ level, they should have called the movie Madea and Eve and let Tyler Perry have fun with it.

–Steve Warren

A LITTLE CHAOS (R)

1/2 I don’t know if Alan Rickman has always wanted to direct, but I hope he’s gotten it out of his system with A Little Chaos, his second film, made 17 years after his first. It’s one of those historical dramas the British usually do well; but the subject, characters, culture and mindset are so French, it feels wrong for everyone from King Louis XIV (Rickman) on down to try to out-French each other in English with English accents. What’s worse is that watching this story of a gardener is like watching grass grow.

Sabine De Barra (Kate Winslet), who’s actually more of a landscape architect, is subcontracted

by Andre Le Notre (Matthias Shoenaerts) to build an element of the gardens at Versailles.

The film aspires to be to plants what foodie movies are to cuisine but is hampered because Sabine’s project is a less than verdant outdoor ballroom in an arena-like setting. Sabine’s level of independence and acceptance seems unusual for 1682, but we’re just waiting for her to hook up with Andre. It takes nearly half the movie for any sexual tension to develop between them, when we learn she’s a widow and he and his wife “have an arrangement.” There’s more to learn about Sabine, but it’s withheld far too long and makes her occasional flash-thoughts about little girls confusing, if not creepy. A Little Chaos is the kind of movie that would be held for Award Season if it were any good.

–Steve Warren

3 ½ MINUTES, 10 BULLETS (R)

 The saddest thing about Marc Silver’s documentary is that it feels like a cliché: another unarmed black teenager shot and killed by a white man who claimed self-defense. The most impressive thing is how visually interesting it manages to be when so much of it is made up of footage from fixed cameras in a courtroom.

1/2

I won’t give any spoilers for those who, like me, have forgotten the outcome of the case.

In Jacksonville FL on November 23, 2012, Michael David Dunn confronted four young African Americans in an SUV about the volume of the music they were listening to outside a convenience store. Dunn fired into the SUV several times, killing 17-year-old Jordan Davis.

The film’s sympathies are obvious, with two grieving parents, three surviving friends and a girlfriend speaking for Davis and only Dunn, self-characterized as “a victim who’s being blamed,” his fiancée and his defense attorney taking his side. Also on trial is Florida’s “Stand your ground” law, which lets armed civilians shoot in response to a “perceived threat,” however delusional they might be, with no “duty to retreat” when they have a chance to avoid bloodshed. There are obvious parallels to the killing of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman, which is still fresh in everyone’s minds. 3 ½ Minutes, Ten Bullets is as gripping as any fictional courtroom drama, and I hope we never get so jaded as to think of a film like this as the same-old same-old.

–Steve Warren

DO I SOUND GAY? (NR)

 I watched Do I Sound Gay? with one eye on the calendar to make sure it was still 2015. With the exception of a handful of very old school comics the lisping, mincing stereotype of gay men went out with the 20th century. Still, if David Thorpe is concerned about sounding too feminine, there must be other men with the same fear. This documentary is for them, and those who love them. Thorpe describes himself as a writer in his forties who grew up in South Carolina but lives in Brooklyn with two cats.

After a boyfriend moves out and with no new ones on the horizon, he starts obsessing about his voice and photographing his obsession.

He asks the title question of strangers on the street and gets a wide range of responses. He consults a speech pathologist in New York and a voice coach in Los Angeles; and with an eye on the box office he gets comments from Margaret Cho, George Takei, Don Lemon, Tim Gunn, David Sedaris and Dan Savage; and includes Celluloid Closet-style clips of gay stereotypes from old movies plus the TV likes of Paul Lynde, Liberace and Charles Nelson Reilly. Although school bullying, sometimes based on how a person talks, is still a major problem, by the time an openly gay man reaches his forties, Savage is correct to call a concern about his speaking voice “the last bastion of internalized homophobia.”

–Steve Warren

FILM

MUSIC & MOVIES

10 Fantastic Films Worth Watching

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

BY CHRISTIAN PEREZ

F

OR THIS MONTH’S EXPLORATION of movie history, we’re going to look at films that go hand in hand with music. We’re going to examine some that are actual concerts, some documentaries, and some that simply have wonderful scores/soundtracks that are often more remembered than the actual film.

When researching this piece, I immediately wrote down the films of Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen. It would take up the whole issue if I were to discuss the great musical choices in their filmography, so they must just be understood as great. I also originally had Once and Dancer in the Dark on my list. But they have both appeared multiple times in my previous columns, so being left out to make way for other films to shine.

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE

When this film was released, it was wellreceived by many of my peers. But it appears that the appreciation has diminished as time goes on, and I cannot understand why. It’s not a perfect film by any means, but it’s wholly enjoyable hearing the Beatles’ legendary songs in this context. If the rendition of “Let it Be” doesn’t get to you, check your pulse!

ANVIL: THE STORY OF ANVIL

You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who knew this metal band before this rock doc was released.

But prior knowledge of their lengthy career isn’t a requirement to appreciate one of the most interesting and inspiring documents of a hardluck band you’ll ever see. These guys have been at it for too long, with too little recognition, and their story is captivating.

HESHER

INSIDE OUT

This one is all about using music to help establish a character. Joseph Gordon Levitt plays the titular role– a rough, tattooed jerk with a good heart that’s just barely visible. We meet him with a guitar crunch and then follow along with him, with the music of Metallica allowing us to see precisely who he is and how set he is in his ways.

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS

The Coen Brothers and T. Bone Burnett are a match made in heaven, and O Brother, Where Art Thou is usually a given for a piece like this. Instead, I decided to touch on their latest collaboration, the more subtle and somber tale of a New York folksinger in the ‘60s. This film lives and breathes its distinctive time and setting. And while the characters and plot are strong on their own merits, it’s the music that drives the story.

shower, I’ll lay in my towel and watch.

SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD

I love Edgar Wright’s work. And while his Cornetto Trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World’s End) is his calling card, this is a marvelous addition to his catalogue, with a delightful punk spirit. The music is kickass, the visuals are kickass… It’s just cool all around. And what’s cooler than being cool?

SHIT HAPPENS!

The most obscure selection on this list (only fans of the band Every Time I Die have even heard of it), this is unlike any music documentary I’ve seen. At two hours long, it features the hilarious band on tour, splicing in concert footage set to their studio recordings. Somehow, they even make these moments comical. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, as they are a hardcore band. But I’d be surprised if you didn’t find something to laugh at as these goof balls spout SHINFO (shitty information) and generally dick around.

SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT Yeah, I had to include this one. It hasn’t necessarily withstood the test of time in terms of laughs. But, when I saw it years ago, I really liked profanity-laden songs such as “Uncle Fucka,” “What Would Brian Boitano Do?” and “Kyle’s Mom’s a Bitch” sung by cartoon children. It remains a fun watch 15 years later, and a worthy addition to the expansive South Park canon.

STOP MAKING SENSE

The Talking Heads are a good band. Director Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs) has made some phenomenal films. Put them together and you get a fascinating concert experience. If you don’t know the band all that well, this will make you love songs you never knew before, while ushering you into the lives of the musicians. I may be over-selling the film, but it’s stuck with me ever since I first saw it.

Stop Making Sense

SCHOOL OF ROCK

I find it fascinating that indie icon Richard Linklater directed this mainstream hit, but it’s a marvelous film. In lesser hands, it could’ve been hokey comedic drivel. But it turned out to be a humorous history lesson on all things rock, with a protagonist (Jack Black) who refuses to give up on his dreams and encourages others to do the same. If this one’s on TV after I get out of the insiteatlanta.com • July 2015 • PG 21

FILM

MUSIC

TRACKS NEW RELEASES EDM Rolling Underground THE LATEST DVD, BLU RAY & VOD RELEASES

BY BRET LOVE AND JOHN MOORE

Beyond the Reach Long past his leading man heyday, Michael Douglas is finding a great second act playing villains.

This is one of his creepiest turns yet, playing a rich businessman who goes with a local tracker (Jeremy Irvine) to the Mojave Desert to hunt big game. Douglas’ character accidentally shoots another local man, buries the body, then tries to kill his guide.

Though wildly over-the-top and crammed with clichés, the cat-and-mouse thriller is still fun and Irvine does a commendable job his own against a snarling Douglas.

Black Church, Inc. The association between megachurches and greed is nothing new, but it’s still shocking to see the evidence laid out so starkly. This pointed documentary focuses on black church leaders– mainly celebrity pastors Rev. Eddie Long, Rev. T.D. Jakes and Rev. Creflo Dollar (who recently asked his congregation for $60 million to buy a new jet– and the“love offerings” given to them by their followers. As the film reveals, financial abuse in the name of religion is not limited to this trio, but is actually a widespread (and growing) problem at churches across the country.

The Decline of Western Civilization Collection There aren’t many movies that can accurately claim to be a definitive time capsule of a cultural movement. But Penelope Spheeris’ 1980 film– which defined L.A.’s then-emerging punk scene via performances and interviews with Black Flag, The Circle Jerks, Fear and more– remains an enduring pop culture classic. Though the 1988 sequel (on L.A.’s metal scene) and the 1998 film that completed the trilogy are less essential, this 4-disc collection marks their debut on Blu Ray and includes a 40-page booklet, extended interview sequences and a new Dave Grohl commentary.

That Show With Joan Rivers At a time when women were still fighting for equal rights, Joan Rivers’ sharp-tongued sass proved female comics could be just as biting and edgy as her male peers, paving the way for icons like Roseanne Barr and Margaret Cho. That Show premiered in 1968 and was one of the first syndicated daytime talk shows. This 4-DVD set compiles all 29 episodes, each of which features Joan delivering hilarious monologues and interviewing celebs like Johnny Carson, Lily Tomlin and James Earl Jones. It’s an early glimpse of what would prove to be an unstoppable force of nature.

Timbuktu This Oscar-nominated 2014 drama about the occupation of Mali by ISIL/ISIS forces may tell a fictional story, but the facts the FrenchMauritanian film is based on are all too real.

After hardcore Islamists invade the city of Timbuktu, music is banned, women are given 40 lashes for being in a room with a man they’re not related to, and a couple is buried up to their necks in sand and stoned to death for adultery.

The central storyline about a simple cattle herder sentenced to death after accidentally killing a fisherman is heart-wrenching, but director Abderrahmane Sissako tells it with remarkable emotional aplomb.

PG 22 • July 2015 • insiteatlanta.com

BY BLUE SULLIVAN

Bonobo

“Eyesdown” (Sasha Remix) This song is not quite old enough to be a “Retro Pick”, since it came out in late 2013, but it’s wonderful enough to deserve its own distinction. With mournful keys seemingly on loan from DJ Shadow’s first album, Entroducing, and smoother-than-silk soul vocals that remind one of Sade on really good pills, this song is perfect for listening to on headphones on a midnight train ride, watching the world sweep by and bobbing your head.

Ben Sims

“Freaks (Kink Unreleased Acid Mix)” The title really says it all. Starting out like Trent Reznor decided to try tribal house, with static heavy beats propelling the song at a breakneck pace, it then settles into a straight acid house track circa early 2000s, basic but utterly compelling.

John Digweed & Nick Muir

“Raise (Electric Blue Rescue Mix)” Since we gave a shout-out to his former partner (Sasha), I figured we might as well throw some love to Digsy as well. This remix of an already brilliant house track tosses extra fuzz, dirt and grime on it, as if soundtracking an utterly insane action scene in a future Mad Max sequel. (Sidebar: if you haven’t seen Mad Max: Fury Road yet, shame on you.) Plus, I have a special penchant for anything that has my name it. (And no, I didn’t do it. If I could make tracks like this, I wouldn’t be writing.)

To hear these brilliant tracks, and a few more that weren’t mentioned, check out our EDM mix at www.mixcloud.com/tracksuits.

This month’s mix comes from the inimitable TJDJ, and you should check it out as soon as humanly possible. Special thanks to him and my brother Jody for their help in curating this column.

Also, check out my new dating advice book, “Your Ex-Boyfriend Will Hate This”, available now via Amazon!

MERCHANDISE

SUMMER VACATION ESSENTIALS

BY BRET LOVE

HE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER have officially begun, making this a great time to take a vacation and beat the heat!

Whether you’re a galavanting globe-trotter or a close-to-home staycationer, our guide can help you find gear to make your summer travels a bit smoother:

SKINCARE (BioRepublic.com) has launched the first eco-friendly Sheet Masks on the market.

Options for the 15-minute facial treatments include Illuminating Pomegranate Crush, Purifying Green Tea Detox and Revitalizing Aloe Rescue, with masks made from bamboo fiber and packaging made from biodegradable, recycled materials.

LUGGAGE

SHOES

T

With airlines increasingly strict, suitcase choices are becoming more and more important.

For those who believe bigger is better, the Helion 80 from DEUTER (Deuter.com) offers Germanengineered style and flexibility, converting from rolling bag to backpack and offering tons of interior space (30 x 16 x 14”)… The expandable Flyte AWD 26” from EAGLE CREEK (Shop.EagleCreek.

UGO BAGS com) is even roomier, with 100-liter capacity and a durable 4-wheel chassis… For those who prefer to travel light, the expandable T-Pro Bold 22” Carry-On from TRAVELPRO (Travelpro.com) is small and sporty, with foam-padded SWIMWEAR pocket for laptop protection and a water-resistant pocket for food/drink or swimsuits…

But our favorite new bag is a 22-incher from UGO BAGS (Ugobags.com), which allows you to personalize component colors and print your own photos on the side!

MOLTON BROWN

SWIMWEAR

Finding swimwear with a flattering fit can be a struggle for many people, particularly those with, shall we say, “ample assets.” So my lady was thrilled to discover two new-to-us lines whose bikinis WATER SHOES hug her curves perfectly. We knew BARE NECESSITIES (BareNecessities.com) as a lingerie brand, but were delighted to learn they also offer sexy suits such as Sunsets’ Vero Beach Envy Halter and Freya’s Inferno Convertible CAMERAS Swim Top in cup sizes up to G… The underwire Enhancer Bra bikini top from VENUS SWIMWEAR (Venus. com) is similarly supportive, and available sizes up to DDD…. For the fellas, there’s TARIFA & COMPANY (TarifaandCompany.com), DIRECT SOUND a line that allows you to customize every detail, including pattern, length, cord/ pocket color and monogram.

BATH/BEAUTY

A recent trip to the Galapagos Islands reminded me how much havoc summer travel wreaks on your skin and hair. The Frequent Traveller Set from MOLTON BROWN (MoltonBrown.com) is designed to help counter the negative effects of sun, sea and sleeplessness, with Sea Moss Bath & Shower Gel, Coco de Mer Body Lotion, sleep-inducing Cedrus Temple Soother and more. It’s like a mini-spa treatment in a handy clear travel bag… Hawaii’s OLA TROPICAL APOTHECARY (HawaiianBodyProducts.com) offers an After Sun Healing Remedy specially formulated with natural ingredients to help treat skin overexposed to the sun, with soothing Aloe Vera, Coconut Water, Seaweed and antioxidantrich Noni Fruit… Atlanta’s BIOREPUBLIC

New shoes are rarely about reinventing the wheel. But the UNEEK line from KEEN (KeenFootwear.com) more than lives up to its name, using simple two-cord construction to create colorful, comfortable open air shoes perfect for hiking, boating or water activities…

The Point Breeze Sport Skimmers from SPERRY (Sperry.com) are slightly more conventional, but the simple, lightweight water shoes are cute and comfortable… My daughter’s favorite new line this year is OKA-B (Oka-B.com), which offers fun, fashionable waterproof shoes such as the Carson Ankle-Strap Sandal in 13 different colors ranging from lilac and orchid to dirty martini.

CAMERAS

It’s been four years since we bought our GoPro, so now we’re upgrading the camera we use for outdoor and underwater adventures. FAB.COM has a great deal on the Veho Muvi HD K-series K2 Action Cam bundle, which includes the 16MP camera, battery, tripod mount, waterproof case (good up to 100 meters) and other accessories for $249– nearly half the price of GoPro’s Hero 4… We’re also looking forward to stepping up our video production game this year with the TLC200 Pro HDR Time Lapse Camera from BRINNO (BrinnoUSA. com), which allows you to take time-lapse photographs and instantly create HD videos at 1280 x 720 resolution, with no post-processing required. Our summer sunset shots are gonna be the bomb!

TECH

Ever since our travel blog took off in 2012, documenting our travels has been both a job and an adventure, making tech gear absolutely essential. We use 500GB Wireless Mobile Storage from SEAGATE (Seagate.com) to back up our photos and videos. It also has its own Wi-Fi network, allowing you to wirelessly stream media or files to up to 3 different mobile devices…

The new Galaxy S6 Case from LIFEPROOF (Lifeproof.com) is another essential for us, providing waterproof, shockproof, dirt proof protection for my lady’s Samsung even in the most rugged environments… The Serenity II Headphones from DIRECT SOUND (ExtremeHeadphones.com) seem like the most essential piece of travel gear ever. They offer TruSound tonal accuracy, a “Red is Right” feature for identifying ear cups in dim lighting, and an exceptional Noise Reduction Rating of 33.4dB, which ensures we’ll be packing them for our 20+ hours of flying to get to East Africa in September.

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