INsite Atlanta June 2021 Issue

JUNE 2021

C

9 YEARS! 2 G N I T ELEBRA

INSITEATLANTA.COM

VOL. 29, NO. 10 FREE

John Haitt Styx

SUMMER Guide Fun is Back in the ATL!

CONTENTS • JUNE 2021 • VOLUME 29, NO. 10

music at

the fred 2021 concert season presented by:

29 R AT I N G CELEB

YEARS!

Atlanta’s

Entertainment Monthly

INTERVIEWS 06 Van Dyke Parks

07

10 Terminus Records 11 Styx 12 John Hiatt 13 The Rubinoos

The Best live music experience

FEATURES

limited tickets available for 2021 socially distanced concerts

04 Summer Movies

SATURDAY JULY 10 GEORGIA PLAYERS GUILD Presents “Georgia Rhythm - Hits from Georgia Artists” & TRIBUTE - The Music Of The Allman Brothers Band

08 Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC

SATURDAY, AUGUST 7 WHO’S THAT GIRL – The Ultimate Diva Experience SATURDAY, AUGUST 21 NATURAL WONDER – The Ultimate Stevie Wonder Experience and BOGEY & THE VICEROY

FOR DETAILS VISIT w w w . a m p h i t h e ate r . o r g PG 2 • June 2021 • insiteatlanta.com

09

07 Summer Guide

09 Atlanta’s Best Burgers

06

COLUMNS 03 Around Town 04 New Releases 05 Station Streaming 14 Album Reviews

11

insiteatlanta.com STAFF LISTING Publisher Steve Miller steve@insiteatlanta.com Art Director / Web Design Nick Tipton nick@insiteatlanta.com Managing Editor Lee Valentine Smith lee@insiteatlanta.com Local Events Editor Marci Miller marci@insiteatlanta.com Music Editor John Moore john@insiteatlanta.com

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JUNE 2021

S! TING 29 YEAR CELEBRA

INSITEATLANTA.COM

VOL. 29, NO. 10 FREE

John Haitt Styx

SUGMuiMER de Fun is Back in the ATL!

Around Town

Local Events taking place this Month

JUNE 4

JUNE 11

City of Decatur; 5 - 9pm

Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre

DECATUR FAB FRIDAY

MOVIES IN THE PARK SERIES

Dine and shop outside at FAB First Friday in Decatur, June 4. Enjoy a reimagined night out with expanded patios, curbside storefronts, sidewalk pop-ups and an open-air tent market on the plaza. Wear a mask and come on out the first Friday of the month from 5 to 9 pm. Look for "fab" deals as retailers and restaurants partner up to support each other. More information at visitdecaturgeorgia.com. Follow on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for updates.

JUNE 11

JUNE 12

The Green at Sandy Springs

CD Warehouse Store Locations

CITY GREEN LIVE: UPTOWN FUNK

RECORD STORE DAY

The 2021 Movies in the Park Series kicks off June 11 with the screening of children’s favorite Ferdinand. The animated movie about a sensitive bull who would rather grow flowers than fight matadors in the ring. Other screening this summer include How to Train your Dragon: The Hidden World (July 9) and Tom and Jerry (August 6). Doors open at 7:30pm and movies start at 8:00pm. Movies are shown rain or shine, free and open to the public. Visit Facebook.com/MHBAmp for more info.

City Green Live is a series of free concerts on the Green at City Springs. You won't want to miss this Bruno Mars tribute band that will have the whole family dancing on Friday, June 11. is is a free event and no ticket is needed. Gates open at 5PM and show starts at 7:30pm. Bring a blanket or a lawn chair. Food and drink is available on site, or bring your own. Only alcoholic beverages sold on site are allowed. Later this month see Randall Bramblett (June 25).

Visit CD Warehouse on Saturday, June 12 and celebrate Record Store Day. Stores are located in Duluth on Pleasant Hill Rd. and Kennesaw on Barrett Pkwy. is national event recognizes the vinyl record and those great album covers. To honor Record Store Day, CD Warehouse will be buying and selling vinyl records throughout the month. e event celebrates record stores in the US and abroad. Find out more at Facebook.com/CDwarehouse.

LANTERN PARADE

JUNE 3 - 17

JUNE 20

VAN GOGH: THE EXPERIENCE

Get your lantern ready for the Sandy Springs Take it to the River Lantern Parade on Saturday, June 5 at Morgan Falls Overlook Park. Preparade activities in the Steel Canyon Golf Club (460 Morgan Falls Road) will run from 7 – 9 p.m. and will feature food, entertainment, and children’s activities. e parade will step off at 9:00 p.m. to make its way down to Morgan Falls Overlook Park where participants will be able to catch a glimpse of some spectacular floating lanterns on the river. More info at citysprings.com/events.

Midtown, Grant Park, and East Atlanta

Heritage Amphitheatre

JUNE 5

Morgan Falls Overlook Park

BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD LIVE!

Alliance Theatre is taking its familyfriendly Beautiful Blackbird Live! concert on tour around Atlanta this month.

Featuring original music composed by Eugene H. Russell IV and inspired by Ashley Bryan's children's book Beautiful Blackbird, this free family friendly concert will have you on your feet celebrating the uniqueness of each and every one of us. Shake your tail feathers and dance to the music. For tickets and info visit alliancetheatre.org/blackbirdtour.

CONCERTS BY THE SPRINGS

RUNNING THRU NOVEMBER 15 Pullman Yards in Kirkwood

Concerts are back at the Heritage Amphitheatre in Sandy Springs this month with Bumpin’ the Mango. Formed in 2012, Bumpin' the Mango has become Atlanta's top funk & soul band. Ten of the Southeast's finest musicians make up this musical brotherhood. is is a free event and no ticket is needed. Bring a blanket or a lawn chair.

Food and drink is available on site, or bring your own. Gates open at 5PM and show starts at 7:30pm.

is 360-degree, immersive digital art experience allows visitors to take an aweinspiring journey into the incomparable universe of Vincent van Gogh. anks to digital projection technology, visitors can explore his incredible life, work and his secrets like never before.

Using cutting-edge 360-degree digital projections, a one-of-a-kind VR experience, and a uniquely atmospheric light and sound spectacular, this is an exhibit is unlike anything seen before. Visit vangoghexpo.com.

Your Neighborhood Pizzeria!

JULY 9

JUNE 11

MOVIES IN THE PARK SERIES • Doors open at 7:30pm • 8pm show time • Rain or shine • FREE Family Fun

5239 Floyd Rd. Mableton, GA 30126 Box Office: (770) 819-7765 Facebook.com/MHBAmp

Atlanta’s Favorite Pizza!

Multiple Atlanta Locations: JohnnysPizza.com insiteatlanta.com • June 2021 • PG 3

FILM

SUMMER MOVIE PREVIEW JUNE 4

Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension and more.

SPIRIT UNTAMED

in theaters An epic adventure about a headstrong girl longing for a place to belong who discovers a kindred spirit when her life intersects with a wild horse, Spirit Untamed is the next chapter in the beloved story from DreamWorks Animation.

BLACK WIDOW

JUNE 11

IN THE HEIGHTS

In theaters and on HBO Max The creator of “Hamilton” and the director of “Crazy Rich Asians” invite you to a cinematic event, where the streets are made of music and little dreams become big. In Washington Heights, the scent of a cafecito caliente hangs in the air where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this vibrant and tight-knit community. At the intersection of it all is the likeable, magnetic bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines and sings about a better life.

LUCA

JUNE 18

debuts exclusively on Disney+ (Rated PG) Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, Disney and Pixar’s original feature film “Luca” is a coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides.

Luca (voice of Jacob Tremblay) shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, Alberto (voice of Jack Dylan Grazer), but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: they are sea monsters from another world just below the water’s surface.

THE HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD

in theaters The world’s most lethal odd couple, bodyguard Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) and hitman Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson) are back on another life-threatening mission. Still unlicensed and under scrutiny, Bryce is forced into action by Darius’s even more volatile wife, the infamous international con artist Sonia Kincaid (Salma Hayek).

As Bryce is driven over the edge by his two most dangerous protectees, the trio get in over their heads in a global plot and soon find that they are all that stand between

HOME THEATER

NEW RELEASES THE LATEST DVD, BLU RAY & VOD RELEASES

OUR FRIEND (Universal)

As if the past year of uncertainty, isolation and fear hasn’t been tough enough on the collective world, why not pop in an emotionally manipulative movie about a wife, mother and friend dying of cancer? Oddly enough, there is something cathartic about this drama starring Dakota Johnson as Nicole, who is dying. Her husband Matt (played by Casey Affleck) is unraveling so their best friend Dane, played brilliantly by Jason Segel moves in to PG 4 • June 2021 • insiteatlanta.com

JULY 9

Europe and a vengeful and powerful madman (Antonio Banderas).

12 MIGHTY ORPHANS

in theaters A true story of the Mighty Mites, the football team of a Fort Worth orphanage who, during the Great Depression, went from playing without shoes, or even a football to playing for the Texas state championships. Over the course of their winning season these underdogs and their resilient spirit became an inspiration to their city, state, and an entire nation in need of a rebound, even catching the attention of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The architect of their success was Rusty Russell, a legendary high school coach who shocked his colleagues by giving up a privileged position so he could teach and coach at an orphanage.

THE ICE ROAD

JUNE 18

available on Netflix After a remote diamond mine collapses in far northern Canada, a ‘big-rig’ ice road driver (Liam Neeson) must lead an impossible rescue mission over a frozen ocean to save the trapped miners. Contending with thawing waters and a massive storm, they discover the real threat is one they never saw coming.

F9

JUNE 25

in theaters Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto is leading a quiet life off the grid with Letty and his son, little Brian, but they know that danger always lurks just over their peaceful horizon. This time, that threat

help with the kids. Based on a true story, Our Friend manages to skip a lot of the cliches that usually weigh down this type of movie, for a surprisingly compelling view. In defense of all involved, the movie was finished in 2019, but not released until now.

LAND (Universal)

In Robin Wright’s debut as a director, she also stars in this drama centered around Edee, a woman can no longer cope with her old life and leaves the city and those memories for the secluded mountains of Wyoming to outrun family tragedy and those who simply want her to go back to the way she was before. She’s nearly killed by her surroundings but helped by

will force Dom to confront the sins of his past if he’s going to save those he loves most. His crew joins together to stop a world-shattering plot led by the most skilled assassin and highperformance driver they’ve ever encountered: a man who also happens to be Dom’s forsaken brother, Jakob (John Cena, the upcoming The Suicide Squad).

JULY 2

THE FOREVER PURGE

in theaters Adela (Ana de la Reguera) and her husband Juan (Tenoch Huerta) live in Texas, where Juan is working as a ranch hand for the wealthy Tucker family. Juan impresses the Tucker patriarch, Caleb (Will Patton) but that fuels the jealous anger of Caleb’s son, Dylan (Josh Lucas). On the morning after The Purge, a masked gang of killers attacks the Tucker family—including Dylan’s wife (Cassidy Freeman) and his sister (Leven Rambin) forcing both families to band together and fight back as the country spirals into chaos and the United States begins to disintegrate around them.

in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access In Marvel Studios’ “Black Widow,” Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger. Scarlett Johansson reprises her role as Natasha/Black Widow, Florence Pugh stars as Yelena, David Harbour portrays Alexei/The Red Guardian, and Rachel Weisz is Melina.

JULY 23

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA: TRANSFORMANIA

in theatres Drac and the pack reunite with your favorite monsters for an all-new adventure that presents Drac with his most terrifying task yet. When Van Helsing’s mysterious invention, the ‘Monsterfication Ray” goes haywire, Drac and his monster pals are all transformed into humans and Johnny becomes a monster! In their new mismatched bodies, Drac, stripped of his powers and an exuberant Johnny, loving life as a monster, must team up and race across the globe to find a cure before it’s too late. With help from Mavis and the hilariously human Drac Pack, the heat is on to find a way to switch themselves back before their transformations become permanent.

JULY 30

SUMMER OF SOUL

JUNGLE CRUISE

in theaters and Hulu In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion. Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The footage was never seen and largely forgotten until now. The feature includes never-before-seen concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia

Walt Disney Studios Inspired by the famous Disneyland theme park ride, Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” is an adventure-filled, rollicking thrill-ride down the Amazon with wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff and intrepid researcher Dr. Lily Houghton.

Lily travels from London, England to the Amazon jungle and enlists Frank’s questionable services to guide her downriver on La Quila— his ramshackle-but-charming boat. Lily is determined to uncover an ancient tree with unparalleled healing abilities—possessing the power to change the future of medicine.

a hunter also escaping his own family tragedy.

The plot is a little predictable at times, but Wright’s acting saves the movie; That along with the remarkable beauty of the cinematography. Wright didn’t pick an easy movie for her first attempt at directing a feature but does an impressive job with the material she has.

television in the early 1990s - before streaming and DVRs – you had to make an effort to catch the show.

Cheesy? Absolutely, but the 10-season series that led to the more adult fare like Melrose Place and eventually Models Inc. was addictive and dissected after each episode.

This new collection captures all 215 hours of the series along with an additional 220 hours of behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, promos and a gag reel.

BEVERLY HILLS 90210: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION (CBS DVD/Paramount)

Nostalgia catnip for Gen X, this massive 75(!) disc collection of the original teen prime time soap opera is the alpha and omega of this series. Long before it’s if-y reboot, this tale of two good looking, but naive mid-western teen siblings new to Beverly Hills was appointment

TV

Station Streaming

CHARACTERS TO ROOT FOR

BY BENJAMIN CARR

T

V SERIES THAT CENTER ON A character’s return to the spotlight have an immediate audience connection.

We want the characters we love to get all the success and happiness we secretly desire.

We want to believe that second chances are possible and that dreams can come true. And television can provide us with those satisfying returns to glory.

Three new shows center on such returns, and they are all excellent pieces of entertainment.

RECORD STORE DAYS JUNE 12TH & JULY 17TH Girls5Eva

Hacks

GIRLS5EVA (Peacock)

HACKS (HBO Max)

Actress Jean Smart appears to know a thing or two about comebacks, even though she never really left the spotlight herself since her first success on Designing Women in 1988. Since moving on from the series, Smart has achieved greater successes with each passing year, winning three Emmy Awards and developing a diverse resume that includes roles on 24, Fargo, Frasier, Watchmen and Legion. And she’s currently appearing on two shows for HBO Max. She plays the wisecracking mom of Kate Winslet’s detective on the great Mare of Easttown. In the Max original series Hacks, Smart plays a past-her-prime comic named Deborah Vance, who is clinging to her Las Vegas show, hawking jewelry on QVC and cutting ribbons at pizza restaurants just to stay afloat.

When her agent suggests she hire an edgy, bisexual millennial played by Hannah Einbinder to write her jokes, Vance balks at the suggestion.

Yet the two of them find an uncomfortable working relationship, born out of desperation.

Clearly inspired by the life of Joan Rivers, much like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel before it, Hacks is a tremendous showcase for Smart, which allows her to steal every scene, be funny and heartbreaking all at once.

Another show about has-been celebrities clinging to the spotlight, the zany, ridiculous Girls5Eva produced by the makers of 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt features Busy Philipps, Paula Pell and Broadway stars Sara Bareilles and Renee Elise Goldsberry as members of a one-hit-wonder Spice Girlsadjacent girl group. When their hit gets sampled by a rap star, the women take that as a cue to reunite, even though they are in their 40s and have completely separate lives. In fact, one of them is a divorced, lesbian dentist and another one shoots wayward geese at the airport.

The humor here is exceedingly broad, but the show is very funny and full of great parody music. And the performers here can actually sing. Goldsberry, who won a Tony for Hamilton, steals every scene. She’s fantastic.

SUPERMAN AND LOIS (The CW)

The new CW series about the Man of Steel and his favorite Daily Planet reporter takes a decidedly different and unexpected turn away from the usual stories to present its own comeback narrative.

In this show set after the Crisis on Infinite Earths miniseries that hit the DC Comics shows last year, Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch play the title characters. But in this series the two are already married with kids and she knows his secret identity. When a tragedy forces the family to leave Metropolis for Smallville, Clark considers the move to his hometown as a chance to reconnect with his twin sons, Jonathan and Jordan, who discover very quickly why their father hasn’t been around a lot. Of course Jonathan and Jordan may have powers of their own.

Much of the series centers around parenting, and it has a very strong heart to match its action and heroics. It’s really compelling to see a different and unexpected take on Superman, one that allows him to be a complicated adult in a healthy marriage. It’s a really surprising return.

DULUTH

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KENNESAW

50 Barrett Parkway at Bells Ferry Road next to Barnes & Noble (770) 425-3472

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insiteatlanta.com • June 2021 • PG 5

MUSIC

WORD CYCLE

Van Dyke Parks Discusses His Latest Project

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

A

Cool Clothes - Cool People - Little 5 Points

428 Moreland Ave NE Atlanta (Next to Vortex) 404-523-0100 • Open 10am – 10pm(ish) Psychosistersatlanta

PG 6 • June 2021 • insiteatlanta.com

Psycho_sisters

Psycho_Sisters_Atl

ONE-HOUR CONVERSATION with Van Dyke Parks is almost twice as long as his incredible debut Song Cycle (1967). Like that recording, it seamlessly runs the gamut of every theme imaginable within a lush conversational suite of emotive wordplay, pouring fourth as missives from an uninhibited prophet. He effortlessly shifts from extended ruminations on religion, classical music, Tin Pan Alley songcraft, Jesus, Skrillex, Vic Chesnutt, Berlin, the South, the West Coast, Brian Wilson and much, much more.

A mere transcription can’t do justice to the lyrical flow of the brilliant songwriter-arrangerproducer-raconteur, freestyling tangential from his home studio in Los Angeles. So just grab a copy of his latest album, a truly inspired longdistance collaboration - in son jarocho style, no less - with singer, songwriter and harpist Verónica Valerio of Veracruz, Mexico.

Van Dyke Parks Orchestrates Verónica Valerio: Only in America, arrives this month from BMG/Modern Recordings on digital and vinyl editions, with evocative cover art by fellow legendary artist-musician Klaus Voormann.

So I just did this record with a woman from Veracruz. I’ve never met her. She plays the harp and does poems. It’s something of supreme unimportance to any one of us so blessed in the First World, but to think that there’s another parallel culture there who built pyramids 3000 years before the Egyptians. Figured out the mathematics of the stars. So when this girl asked me to assemble a record for her, I told her I didn’t know anybody in the industry, and I was totally passe, and no one would be interested in a codger rocker doing poems orchestrated from the Yucatan.

But that is what I did in quarantine, with the good faith of this woman. And great trust and long-distance love with every string player.

There are seven strings. Three violin lines, two violas, one cello, one bass. I always use seven.

I use a septet. And I thought, maybe I would surround this person with a septet to preserve this language.

Because as I look at our man-centered life, when I look at us, I’m talking about the bipeds.

When I look at what we’ve done to the Earth, in the extinction of species and language, I wasn’t ready to anesthetize myself in this pop bubble, this hall of mirrors of pop music. I remember Joni Mitchell. She was punished for advancing so far beyond her last record, she couldn’t carry her audience forward with her. I don’t mean to do that. In this project I just did, I decided to look somewhere else, and hope that everyone would regard this as a testament, as a triumph, in the browning of America.

Crossing the aisle. Remembering what Lawrence Ferlinghetti said, ‘Pity the nation that knows only its own language, whose breath is that of money, and who sleeps the sleep of the too well-fed.’ I was hungry. There’s a reason for everything that I do. None of it is a whimsy. Yet, I am totally controlled by the events around me. In 1971, when I did Discover America with the 28-member Steel Band needing their hotel bills paid and so forth, I focused on Trinidad.

Everything was calypso. Why? Because I was surrounded by Trinidadians, who were Calypsonians and musicians.

I’m telling you, if you want a toe-tapper, this is going to be a good record. I will tell you something, Lee. I was lucky to find this label, I should admit to you. Girl asked me to do a

record. I told her I had no connection. I don’t know anybody. I emailed her back. This is a stranger. I emailed her back, ‘I don’t know anybody. Nobody’s going to take my call. I’m passe. Codger rocker.’

And then I felt bad about it. So I wrote back to her, ‘But I’d love to hear some of your stuff.’

So she sent me some of her stuff. I am amazed.

So I threw a string arrangement together, the way I do.

I said, ‘I’m going to put this girl on a pedestal.’

She should be in a concert hall, not playing a coffee house in Merida, Mexico. Put this girl on a stage. Take her to Veracruz, and then to the city. Take her to Madrid. I’ve played in Madrid.

I’ve played there. People will cross the aisle to me.

This is what’s great about this, that my plan, what am I doing for music, for the very institution that I so deeply am indebted to? I’ll tell you what. I’ve written this music that can be put on a laptop, and printed, and delivered to musicians who are out of work, looking for something interesting to play. Get a string section together. You want to throw five woodwinds on her? We got ‘em.

She’s totally uncomplicated about things, that is, yes means yes. That world. She’s a hero of folk music down there. Her grandfather built harps. She’s from a celebrated musical family.

A dynasty of Mexican musicians. She plays minimal harp with this poetry. We’re not talking Disco Madness here. You don’t get that here but there are rhythms.

I want to look for emotional elasticity and come away from this project knowing that I’ve got this girl an opportunity, which she didn’t expect, to validate her work and to make mine mean something. And to do what I do best, which is to surround myself with superior talents, or issues, or topics for review. Just to surround people with this, to be with superior people in a way, find some superiority, and elevate the whole. This is what I got out of it.

So, I’m like Randy Newman. I go everywhere, I eat everything. I just am not wrapped in a persona that looks like it’d been to New Orleans. I go places in my music. I want it to go with me. I don’t want to end up like Joni, just having to go to my art and find it in a frame. I just want folks to embrace this music, I’m very happy about it.

Only In America is available from most music retailers on June 11 or via this link vandykeparks.lnk.to/OnlyInAmerica.

SUMMER JUNE Flicks on the Bricks Duluth Town Green

Guide

FRIDAY, JUNE 4

Enjoy a free movie while sitting under the stars on Duluth Town Green. The movie starts at 8pm. Enjoy themed entertainment, live music and food trucks before the show.

See family friendly favorites Black Panther on Friday June 4th, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Friday, August 6th and The Wizard of Oz on Friday, September 3. Flick’s on the Bricks is presented by the District of Duluth. Visit DuluthGA.net for more information.

Spring Festival on Ponce

Olmstead Linear Park SAT & SUN JUNE 5,6

Spring Festival on Ponce is a two day local arts and crafts event held at the Historic Olmsted Linear Park. The park is located on the corner of Briarcliff and Moreland. Event takes place on Saturday June 5 10am - 5pm and Sunday, June 6, 11am 5pm. The Artist's Market features arts and handmade crafts from over 150 local and regional artists. There is a Children's Park, local food and beverage concessions and live acoustic entertainment. Attendance is free. Stroll the event while enjoying the art on display and the historic gardens. This is a wonderful opportunity to appreciate the vision and legacy of one of America's most celebrated landscape architects, Fredrick Olmsted, Sr. Visit festivalonponce.com.

Atlanta Spring Wine Festival Historic 4th Ward Park

SATURDAY, JUNE 5

The 4th Annual Atlanta Spring Wine Fest will be held on Saturday, June 5th from 15pm at Historic 4th Ward Park. There will be over 50 wines on hand as well as a selection of beer and cider. Enjoy live music and DJ Qtip in cool tent. Free bottled water plus plenty of fun and games and food available for purchase.

Unbreakable, acrylic souvenir tasting glass comes with ticket. For more information visit AtlantaWineFestivals.com.

Roswell Spring Arts Festival Roswell City Hall

SAT & SUN JUNE 12,13

Roswell is known for its preservation of history, a celebration of the arts, and cultivation of the entrepreneurial spirit. Event takes place on Saturday June 12 10am 5pm and Sunday, June 13, 11am - 5pm.

This festival is an art festival for Artists by Artists, letting the artist have a voice in the creation and operations of the festival. This event will feature approximately 100 painters, photographers, sculptors, metalwork, glass artists, jewelers, and more! The Festival will also offer artist demonstrations, live acoustic music, plus gourmet food trucks with healthy alternatives and music and dance performances.

In addition to the Roswell Spring Arts and Crafts Festival, Roswell celebrates the arts through its Cultural Arts Center. Visitors can enjoy the pleasures of visual and performing arts in this beautiful historic community. Visit RoswellArtFestival.com.

Frederick Brown Jr.Amphitheater Peachtree City, GA

SATURDAY, JUNE 19

Parrot heads unite as A1A: The Official Jimmy Buffett Tribute Band takes the stage on Saturday, June 19. Sing along to your favorite “Trop Rock” hits by Margaritaville’s own, Jimmy Buffett.

Lead vocalist and guitarist, Jeff Pike will sail the proverbial ship straight to paradise with his energetic and family-friendly renditions of Buffett favorites such as “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Fruitcakes,” “Margaritaville,” and more.

Black Jacket Symphony presenting the Music of The Eagles takes place Saturday, June 26. Georgia Players Guild presents The Music Of The Allman Brothers Band on Saturday, July 10. Departure the Journey tribute band plays on Saturday July 24. Natural Wonder The Ultimate Stevie Wonder Experience with Bogey & The Viceroy perform Saturday, August 21.

Face to Face A Tribute to Elton John & Billy Joel takes place Saturday, September 18. ABBA Revisited is on Saturday, October 2nd. Tickets at amphitheater.org.

Atlanta Summer Beer Fest

Drive-in Concert Series

The Atlanta Summer Beer Fest features over 150 beers from local and other great breweries from all over the country. The event takes place Saturday, June 12 from 4 - 8pm at the Historic Fourth Ward Park. Besides the suds, the Fest also offers a selection of wines. There will be live music and plenty of fun attractions. Be sure to check out their Facebook page to get all of the updates. Tickets are $45 in advance, $50 after June 3 and $60 the day of the event.

Purchase tickets at AtlantaSummerBeerFestival.com.

Back by popular demand, Cobb Parks and the Anderson Theatre are producing a full summer drive-in concert season.

Featuring local actors, singers, and musicians. Once On This Island is a rousing Calypsoflavored tale of one small girl who finds love in a world of prejudice. Other concerts include In the Groove (July 17) and Drive-In Cabaret (August 21). The DriveIn Concerts features local professional actors and musicians. Purchase tickets at andersontheatre.org/drive-in.

Historic 4th Ward Park

SATURDAY, JUNE 12

Cobb County Civic Center SATURDAY, JUNE 19

insiteatlanta.com • June 2021 • PG 7

TRAVEL

OMNI GROVE PARK INN

Enjoy the Mountain Air in Asheville, NC

BY STEVE MILLER

A

S GEORGIA GETS VACCINATED and people are venturing out, many are making plans to get away. Some are still not ready to get back on an airplane and are looking for destinations in the southeast. The Omni Grove Park Inn, the historic mountain retreat in Asheville, NC is the perfect place.

Just a short drive from Atlanta, Asheville is nestled between five mountain chains that include the Great Smokies, the Appalachians and the Blue Ridge Mountains. The city has long been recognized as a place for arts, culture, wellness and healing.

Edwin Wiley Grove, known as the “Father of Modern Asheville” purchased the property in the early 1900’s and in 1911 Grove began to plan the development of a grand hotel on his beloved Sunset Mountain. Four-hundred men worked 10-hour shifts six days a week.

With only the use of mules, wagons and ropes, massive granite boulders were unearthed from the mountain to build the hotel. The Grove Park Inn opened on July 12, 1913, three days shy of one year from its ground breaking. Modeled after the grand old railway hotels of the West, it is listed on the national register of historic places and has been host to many famous guests including ten American presidents. It’s also been a favorite spot for America’s most famous statesmen, poets, artists and musicians.

Upon entrance is the Great Hall which measures 120 feet across and features 24foot ceilings and two gigantic 36-foot stone fireplaces. The resort’s grand lobby is famous for the elevators hidden in the chimneys of the fireplaces, which transport guests to their rooms.

GUEST ROOMS

The Omni Grove Park Inn has 513 guest rooms: 142 in the original Main Inn; 204 in Sammons Wing; 167 in Vanderbilt Wing, including 14 suites; 28 rooms and 1 Penthouse Suite on the private Club Floor. All are graced with cottage-style windows that open onto spectacular views of the mountains and courtyard with vintage details including original oak Arts and Crafts-style furnishings.

Mountain View Rooms are surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains and expansive greens of the historic golf course with king, queen or double beds and modern amenities. Resort View Rooms are located in the historic Main Inn, overlooking either the Spa gardens or the historic courtyard in front of the Main Inn. Classic Rooms are cozy with king or queen bed and views of the gorgeous resort landscape.

These rooms are perfect for value conscious travelers who want to experience the charm and intimacy of the historic Main Inn.

SPA

Since its inception, The Omni Grove Park Inn has been a health and wellness destination for those looking for rest and rejuvenation in the pure mountain air of Asheville, NC. The PG 8 • June 2021 • insiteatlanta.com

Spa focuses on the area’s prominent natural surroundings by bringing the outdoors in with mineral water, natural light and rock formations. The $50 million, 43,000-squarefoot subterranean Spa features cavernous rock walls, arches and tunnels, with numerous water features throughout the facility and 16,000 square-feet of amenity space. There are indoor and outdoor pools, steam, sauna and spa services like massages, body and skin therapies. As the sun sets, fireplaces, starlight, candlelight, and moonlight add a warm glow to the breathtaking stone facility.

Embracing its prominence as a premier destination for well-being, The Spa at The Omni Grove Park Inn is consistently voted as one of the top resort spas in the world.

RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES

After the spa you can check out the resort’s other activities including tennis, golf, swimming, aerobics, work out room and much more. The Sports Complex offers complimentary access to all guests. The 50,000-square-foot facility features cardio and weight rooms, instructor-led yoga and fitness classes, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, and an indoor swimming pool. Personal trainers and tennis professionals are available for private and group instruction.

Framed by the splendor of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the historic Grove Park Inn Golf Club celebrates the spirit of mountain golf. The par-70 course is contoured out of the rolling landscape with tree lined fairways, challenging bunkers and receptive bent greens. The elevated tee boxes assure that you get amazing views with each drive.

The course is considered one of the top golf courses in North Carolina and in 2015 the course was been recognized by Golfweek as one of the “Best Resort Courses”.

DINING

Asheville, NC is recognized as having one of the strongest, most innovative culinary scenes in the country. At The Omni Grove Park Inn you will find four of the finest, locally sourced

restaurants in town as well as four bars and lounges serving cocktails, beverages and light fare.

Vue 1913 is an American Brasserie offering guests a comfortable and stylish setting for a leisurely meal designed only with the love of food in mind. This blend of American and French cooking is highlighted by a marvelous selection of wine from an abundant French cellar cultivated over the years. With its art deco decor and panoramic view of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Vue 1913 is the perfect fit for your everyday dinner plans and your special occasions.

Sunset Terrace, located just off the lobby, offers majestic views of the city and spectacular mountain sunsets. Here you will find the finest hand cut steaks, premiere chops and fresh seafood. Partnering with local farmers, their chefs and staff provide a truly memorable dining experience as you look out over the mountains. The restaurant is the iconic spot for dinner in Asheville and is a winner of the 2014 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Sunset Terrace is a covered al fresco dining option and is open March through November and as weather permits in the colder months.

EDISON, craft ales + kitchen is an inventive bar and restaurant that brings together the food culture and local flavors of Asheville, with expansive indoor and outdoor seating and spectacular views of the Mountains. Named for frequent historical visits from Thomas Edison and his “Vagabonds” (Edison, Harvey Firestone and Henry Ford), EDISON serves NC craft beers, small batch bourbons, handcrafted cocktails, and regionally inspired food in a contemporary, fun, and artistic setting. Several renowned artists who celebrate the creativity of the area and call this community home are showcased in the indoor dining room, offering patrons a true Asheville experience.

Blue Ridge is a farm-to-table artisanal buffet overlooking the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Art of Breakfast served each morning will redefine all that you imagined breakfast could be. Two massive rooms are filled with amazing breakfast options, including a yogurt bar, doughnut buffet, and great gluten free options. Don’t miss the award winning Friday night Seafood Buffet, Saturday night Prime Rib Buffet and phenomenal Sunday Brunch. It’s the perfect way to end any week.

The Great Hall is flanked by immense 36-foot wide stone fireplaces. The Great Hall Bar is a wonderful place to meet before dinner, to relax

upon arrival, or the wind down with a drink in the evening. Enjoy appetizers, entrees, light fare and desserts throughout the day, as well as nightly entertainment.

Presidents Lounge caters to your before and after dinner plans. Enjoy a glass of wine, local craft beer and classic cocktail while looking out across the cityscape of downtown Asheville.

WEDDINGS

The Omni Grove Park Inn is a truly romantic destination for weddings. Choose from numerous reception and wedding venues that each offer stunning city and mountain views, including the magnificent Skyline Room with floor-to-ceiling windows, the historic Country Club, rich in romantic charm offering two westward facing outdoor terraces. The Inn also provides a Wedding Professional to assist you throughout your experience, along with a strong culinary staff and in-house floral design team that will customize menus and arrangements utilizing the freshest local ingredients and flowers.

KIDS

The Omni Grove Park Inn offers a wonderful selection of kids programs and camps with arts and crafts, swimming games, sports, snacks and lunch, as well as a playground for little ones.

Children’s Programs supervised by qualified staff are available for guests ages 5-12.

OMNI SAFE & CLEAN

The Omni Grove Park Inn continues to adhere to updated safety measures and is following new protocols under their Omni Safe & Clean program. These include: All associates wear masks and gloves and are subject to daily health screenings, limited or contactless check-in and check-out, high touch areas are cleaned and disaffected each hour. Additional detailed information can be found on their website.

Grove’s original vision of a place of rest and comfort continues to evolve to serve a modern audience and today his Inn remains one of America’s most beloved destinations. Only a few hours away from Atlanta by car, this is one road trip that has something for everybody.

OMNI GROVE PARK INN

290 Macon Avenue, Asheville, NC 28804 (828) 252-2711, www.omnihotels.com/ hotels/asheville-grove-park Reservations (800) 438-5800

Best Burgers in the ATL! Farm Burger

’S BEST VOTED ASHEVILLE BURGER FOR 7 YEARS! NOW OPEN IN VIRGINIA HIGHLAND

Six area restaurants and at Mercedes-Benz farmburger.com

ers down with their PBR tall boys. With a casual atmosphere and eclectic mix of patrons, The Earl is an East Atlanta gem.

In 2021, Farm Burger celebrates over 10 years serving locally and ethically sourced food to multiple diverse neighborhoods!

Founded in Atlanta by farmer and rancher Jason Mann and restaurateur George Frangos, Farm Burger offers 100 percent grassfed, grass-finished beef burgers, as well as other thoughtfully sourced menu items including chicken burgers, vegan offerings, farm-fresh salads and more.

Farm Burger's mission has been focused on bringing communities together through seasonal, chef-driven menus. As the connection between consumers and farmers, Farm Burger is committed to leading the fast-casual industry in forging a sustainable food future through meaningful restaurant experiences. Its signature FB Burger ranks among Food & Wine’s Best Burgers in the U.S. In 2018, 2019, and 2020, Farm Burger earned a spot on the Good Food 100 Restaurants™ List for its work to promote good food and sustainable food systems.

Currently, there are 12 locations across the Southeast.

Irby’s Tavern

Buckhead - 322 East Paces Ferry Rd. 404.254.1333 irbystavern.com

Atlanta’s hometown sports bar, Irby’s Tavern is a celebration of our fair city’s sports and culture. This Buckhead establishment is a sanctuary for all those who are proud to call Atlanta home. Irby’s menu consists of great burgers, wings, sandwiches and salads. Irby’s has six mouthwatering burgers that all come with their famous house-cut fries. Both inside and patio are open along with curbside pick-up and delivery to the Buckhead area. Irby’s has plenty of popular drafts on tap, wine and house cocktails. Enjoy $4 drafts on Wednesday and Thursdays. Come for Whiskey Wednesdays and Trivia at 8pm.

Follow them on Instagram for events plus weekly and daily specials @irbystavern.

The Earl

East Atlanta - 488 Flat Shoals Ave. (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.

Their burgers are well known and have received numerous awards including the EARL Burger, made with 100% Black Angus Beef. The open front offers cafe’ seating with a great view of the East Atlanta scene. Bar regulars love to wash Earl burg-

HOBNOB

Alpharetta; Brookhaven Dunwoody; Atlantic Station Hobnobatlanta.com Like their name implies, HOBNOB is a neighborhood tavern providing a warm

and inviting atmosphere for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Come in to watch sports with your friends or to gather with family. Home to one of the largest bourbon lists in the Southeast along with an extensive selection of craft beer and signature hand-crafted cocktails. It is a spirited scene for socializing but the menu of classic, Southern-inspired comfort food, cozy environs and undeniably affable service are truly what account for the tavern’s popularity across Atlanta.

Many come for their outstanding burgers.

HOBNOB was awarded “Best Burger” by the AJC in 2019 and is the recipient of several prominent awards including “top under-the-radar burger chain in America”.

HOBNOB burgers are served on Alon's Bakery brioche buns and the burgers are made with local, grass-fed, Stone Mountain Cattle Co. black angus beef patties. Instead of one, their burgers are served as stacked two 4 ounce patties. The Hobnobber Burger is a monster with three 4 ounce patties. Others on the menu include the Americana, Chop House, Down South and Turkey burger. All burgers and sandwiches come with French fries.

Flatiron

East Atlanta - 520 Flat Shoals Ave. (404) 688-8864 flatironatl.com The Flatiron is located in the historic flatiron building on the corner of Flat Shoals and Glenwood in the heart of East Atlanta Village. It is a favorite hangout among residents and those visiting the area. Open since 1997, their friendly and professional staff and great bartenders keep their customers coming back. Build your own 1/2 Pound Angus Beef burger using their variety of toppings or try one of their originals like the namesake Flatiron Burger.

11:00 am am – 9:00 pm pm DAILY TAKEOUT • DELIVERY • CURBSIDE PICKUP • PATIO

678.732.0900 • FARMBURGER.COM • 1017 N HIGHLAND AVE VOTED BEST NEIGHBORHOOD TAVERN

ALPHARETTA 6690 Town Square at Halcyon BROOKHAVEN 804 Town Blvd in Town Brookhaven DUNWOODY 1221 Ashford Crossing in Perimeter Place ATLANTIC STATION 245 18th Street

www.hobnobatlanta.com

IRBY'S TAVERN Atlanta’s Hometown Sports Bar Follow-us on Instagram for Events plus Weekly and Daily Specials @irbystavern Sunday-Thursday: 11 AM to Midnight • Friday-Saturday: 11 to 2 AM

322 East Paces Ferry Road NE • Atlanta 30305 (404) 254-1333 • irbystavern.com

Drive-in Concert Series SATURDAY, JUNE 19

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND

Calypso flavored tales to music

Cobb County Civic Center Parking Lot

548 South Marietta Pkwy SE Marietta, GA 30060 Box Office: (770) 528-8490 andersontheatre.org/drive-in

SATURDAY, JULY 11

IN THE GROOVE Your favorite Motown tunes SATURDAY, AUGUST 24

DRIVE-IN CABARET 80’s & 90’s toe-tapping hits

insiteatlanta.com • June 2021 • PG 9

MUSIC

HANDS-ON RECORD MOGULS

The Bransford Brothers Revitalize the Terminus Records Catalog

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

T

WO DECADES AGO, TERMINUS Records was one of the most prolific and respected independent record labels in the country. The Atlantabased company produced or licensed an impressive catalog of over thirty projects in a whirlwind five-year period.

Specializing in roots, rock, jazz and electronic music, the indie operation was formed in 1999 by brothers Jeff and Steve Bransford, Fast-forward to 2021 and Terminus is back in action as a vinyl reissue label with a new partnership with Mempho Records.

Just in time for Record Store Day this month, Terminus is debuting three titles on June 12. Precious Bryant’s Fool Me Good, Col. Bruce Hampton’s Arkansas, and Danny Barnes’ Dirt On The Angel will be available at select independent record stores in deluxe editions featuring colored vinyl, 180 gram pressings and reimagined artwork and packaging.

Later in the year more albums will follow, including offerings from Dave Schools’ improvisational rock band Slang, singersongwriter Jerry Joseph, bluesman Boyd Rivers and the psychedelic funk of Big Ass Truck. INsite recently spoke with busy entertainment executive Jeff Bransford from his Atlanta office for all the details.

It’s great to see this new wave of activity from Terminus. I still have most of these titles in my CD library from their original release nearly two decades ago.

Now they’re getting the deluxe vinyl treatment.

Well, that was the point. We feel that some of these were overlooked back in that time. With the vinyl resurgence, there will be folks that’ll certainly be happy to have these in their collection.

Who knew there’d be a day for people to remember that they loved records? For the die-hard collectors, Record Store Day is every day.

We feel the exact same way. I had floated this idea to some of my pals over at Record Store Day and they were really encouraging. Then we got three titles that were accepted this go-around and I’m really excited about it.

How did you pick the first three from the entire catalog?

Record Store Day has a vetting process they go through and we submitted almost all of our titles for consideration. Their board chose those first three. We’re really pleased with the way the packaging came out, the audio, just everything. We’re just glad those records are finally being released in this format.

These releases mark the vinyl debuts of all three titles in the initial batch.

That’s correct. Besides Arkansas, this is the vinyl debut on everything. Then we did brand new packaging, often reimagining the artwork completely. There’s new artwork on the Danny Barnes album as well, by Flournoy Holmes, who I’m sure you know.

Of course. He brings so much local history to every project. You also have PG 10 • June 2021 • insiteatlanta.com

a good website for the reimagined Terminus titles.

It’s our first soiree into e-commerce in terms of Terminus. Back in the day, you just sold records at record stores. Now it’s a whole new game.

effect of, ‘You should start a record label.’

I didn’t know where to even begin. That’s when he said, ‘Well, I own the masters to a couple of my records.’ That’s really how Terminus started. I had no idea what I was doing but I learned on the job.

Obviously, there’s been a ton of changes in the industry since this catalog was first issued on CD. Yeah. That was at a time where I stepped away from it in 2005-ish. The industry was at a crossroads at that point, in terms of the intro to file sharing and the dawn of streaming. It seemed like the industry didn’t know where it was going for a minute there. So yeah, we’ve endured a lot of changes and now we’ve come full circle back to the resurgence of vinyl.

You can’t get any more organic than that.

We ran pretty hard for about five or six years and then I just hit a point. The industry was at a crossroads but now, as I say, we’re coming full circle. Our vibe now is more in the zone of reissues. I don’t have the desire to break bands, pay for tour support or all the trappings of traditional label services. I think it scratches my creative itch to be able to put out a few good records a year and we already have some pretty fun plans for 2022.

For the uninitiated, let’s talk about the history of Terminus. You started it around 1999, right?

That’s right and like a lot of great stories in Atlanta, it started with a dinner with Colonel Bruce. I’d moved back to Atlanta from Mississippi. I was a club owner and promoter over there and owned a little record store. I was just ready for a change. One night I went to dinner with the Colonel and he said something to the

Like you needed a few more things to juggle.

(Laughs) Yeah, I guess I really have three main day-jobs. I produce a festival in Memphis, which is called Mempho Music Festival. It’s October 1-3 this year.

We’re also promoting a bunch of shows at different venues throughout Memphis.

Besides that, I run a production company and we produced the Kevin Hart special for Netflix. We have executives in charge

of production for a Fox show debuting this month called Crime Scene Kitchen. So yeah, I’d say we’ve got quite a few projects going on.

You seem to be literally all over the map, but there’s still an intrinsic Georgia vibe to the Bransford empire.

Absolutely. With the records, everything is being manufactured at Kindercore in Athens and we’ve really enjoyed working with those guys this year. We actually drove an 18-foot box truck over to Athens just last week. We just didn’t trust all these records for the Record Store Day release to be shipped so we rented a truck, drove to Athens and then to ThinkIndie, our distributor over in Birmingham. We didn’t want any damages, so we just loaded up the truck and drove them ourselves.

Now that’s a hands-on operation!

My back is still feeling it, but we think it’s worth the extra effort. We just want these records to be perfect.

For more information on all Terminus Records releases, visit the company at terminusrecords.com and for other Record Store Day goodies, check out recordstoreday.com.

MUSIC

DOWN TO EARTH

After a Successful Interstellar Mission, Styx Explores Matters Closer to Home

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

Y

after a cataclysmic event. Little did we know that a cataclysmic event was about to descend upon the planet after we’d recorded it!

OU MIGHT NOT KNOW IT FROM A cursory listen, but Crash Of The Crown, the latest release from Styx, was mostly As such, it’s a really strong follow-up to The recorded before the pandemic.

Mission, which was a proud return-to-form Prophetically, the classic rockers offer a 15for Styx. song cycle that deftly summarizes the cultural Quite honestly, that’s the reaction that so and personal upheaval of the moment, as many people I’ve spoken to, such as yourself. predicted from events of the recent past. The set They were very pleasantly surprised for that alternately praises individual accomplishments record as were we as a band. We’d really over a myriad of obstacles with an intensely committed ourselves so much to the touring personal delivery. The result is a passionately aspect of it. As a band with a legacy of Styx and relatable sonic parable, tailor-made for bands of the progressive rock era openminded 2021 listeners. in general, the live performing has ...YOU’RE NOTICING A perfect bookend to 2017’s become absolutely central to our The Mission, the new collection THINGS AND ACTING existence. But then suddenly the features founders Tommy Shaw UPON UNUSUAL stars’ kind of lined up in a certain (guitars, mandolin, banjo, vocals), CIRCUMSTANCES. way that songs from The Mission James Young (guitar, vocals) just began to bubble up. They THAT, TO ME, IS and Chuck Panozzo (bass) kind of demanded to be recorded. with Todd Sucherman (drums, WHAT CRASH OF THE Fortunately, Universal Music got CROWN IS percussion), Lawrence Gowan involved with the band again and (piano, B3 organ, synthesizers, ALL ABOUT. they got excited about the record. mellotron, vocals), Ricky Philips So as a result, we got the first class (bass) and producer Will treatment that the band was accustomed to Evankovich (guitars, mandolin, synthesizers from back in the ‘70s and ‘80s. and soundscapes).

The 17th studio album from the legacy band New audiences are discovering it, along with is set for release this month via Alpha Dog 2T/ the rest of the Styx catalog.

Ume. Audiophiles can savor the new tracks on Absolutely. It’s been incredible and we’re 180-gram vinyl as well as the usual digital and amazed to order new vinyl pressings of it to CD platforms. meet the demand. Then we realized about two Recently, before a run-through of the band’s years into it, we could actually play an entire latest set, INsite spoke with Styx vocalist/ show where we played that album and then a keyboardist Lawrence Gowan. bunch of Styx hits from the past along with it.

We did that in Las Vegas and we were about to Like so many projects these days, Crash Of The do that in New York, just as the pandemic hit.

Crown was born of the pandemic.

Right. It’s been an incredibly difficult time for It’s healthy that the fans embrace the new everyone but it’s also been a great opportunity music - because, as you know, it could be to discover new things and to look on familiar the other way around. They could go, ‘Oh things from a different point of view. To look yeah, I love the band, but I just don’t like the up and notice what’s really of value and what new stuff.’ we can kind of discard without too much Right. And that’s a prerogative, too. The great pain, too. So for us, we’ve been very careful, thing about Styx I think, is that the breadth of like a lot of bands have been, and oddly it’s the work encompasses such a mass audience. kind of sharpened the focus on the record as Some people hear Styx as a band that came we worked on it. I think we were about two up with some classic pop hits. And on this thirds of the way through recording when the record, they’ll find a little bit of that in there. I pandemic hit. I’d done a good chunk of my think a song like “Sound The Alarm” is a great keyboard parts already, but consequently as I pop song. But then from my standpoint, I’ve started looking at the lyrics of a lot of the songs always been very drawn to the more progressive it looked like we wrote them after the lockdown side of Styx. So I try to keep that feeling in last March. But we didn’t! I think only two songs there wherever I can. Our producer really were written after the pandemic. So now it was very accommodating to both sides of that works as a very positive kind of uplifting theme, equation. That really allowed a conversation, where you’re noticing things and acting upon a real musical conversation, to predominate unusual circumstances. That, to me, is what throughout the album. That’s where I think a Crash Of The Crown is all about. It’s renewal

song like “Crash of the Crown” is a good choice to be the very first song we’ve gone out with from this one. It’s very adventurous music. It’s like three songs crammed into one.

And as you well know, it’s not easy to combine pop fans with prog fans.

Some bands that adapted some prog elements have been able to do that. I think Genesis were very much able to do it. But I think Styx were the first outside of the UK. And I was just saying it to the guys, what really attracted me to the band was - outside of the UK, they were the first band to use progressive rock elements to a very effective degree. Styx was able to reach a mass audience and I think that’s really what defines the band in a lot of ways. It’s called being musically adventurous, not falling into one set way of doing things, while evolving and kind of testing out even newer things. This ways, there’s truly something for everyone.

Absolutely, that’s the best way to do it. But with a legacy band such as Styx, you have to satisfy people who’ve been there since the very beginning. At this point, that’s nearly fifty years.

Yeah. That’s a tall order because the greatest compliment I ever hear from people is when someone says to me, ‘I found a band in 1979’ or ‘I saw Styx in 1981 doing The Paradise Theater tour and you guys are just as good today.’ That, to me, is the ultimate compliment. If someone’s been around that long and they’re still getting off on their band, then that’s the highest compliment.

Then the naysayers come along…

And that’s really accepted, too - because they choose to be more true to what they grew up on. I can understand that as well. I understand it, I really do. I want Peter Gabriel to be back in Genesis, except the problem with that is that I want Phil Collins still to sing leads. So maybe I don’t know what I want, but you always want everything from your youth to remain as it once was. But in the trajectory of a band, a band has to be bold if it needs to make changes and hopefully it’ll bring along as much as the audience while being as faithful to them as possible.

Unlike a lot of those influential bands, even Genesis in my mind, Styx has been able to maintain a uniform sound.

I would attribute that to the guys who’ve been around the longest in the band. Because when Todd and I and Ricky want to paint a little more outside the lines, they can quickly put the reins in, so to speak, and keep us from venturing too far afield. It is a certain sound and the instrumentation really hasn’t changed too much. It’s two guitars, bass, drum and keyboards, so that was the lineup of the band.

And that’s still the lineup of the band.

I like the fact that you bring such a fresh perspective to the organization, because not only are you a well-established part of it, you are able to look at it from the outside as well. Whereas James Young, for example, certainly can’t.

Yeah. And both are equally valued viewpoints, funnily enough. Todd’s the same way, Ricky’s the same way. I mean, I’ve been in for a quarter century almost. So we’ve seen the band from the audience and we’ve seen it from the inside. We’re the ones that are constantly trying to tell them to kind of go a little bit further outside the margins, and they’re pulling us back. I think that little tug of war leads to some very creative friction.

Suddenly something that you felt was a little too far field gets pulled into the center and finally common ground typifies that. That’s an exciting thing. I think it’s that little give-andtake, that little bit of creative friction, that causes the sparks to keep flying in Styx. Now we can slip in a new song, and probably not even announce it as a new song and it works right along with all the classic tunes. I think that’s where Styx is at, right now. And that’s a good place for any musician to be.

Styx celebrates the release of Crash Of The Crown on June 18, album release day, with a special double-bill performance with Collective Soul. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. at Ameris Bank Amphitheater. insiteatlanta.com • June 2021 • PG 11

MUSIC

FOLK YOUR FEELINGS

John Hiatt Teams with the Jerry Douglas Band for an Emotional Journey

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

D

WRITING FOR ME IS LIKE THERAPY. IT’S HOW I FIGURE THINGS OUT, GET MY BEARINGS ON THE MAP OR FIGURE OUT WHERE I’M AT - BY TELLING THE STORY.

EPENDING ON WHO YOU ASK, Leftover Feelings is John Hiatt’s 24th or 25th studio album - not that he’s counting. In conversation, he actually seems surprised by the size of his catalog.

It’s a veritable library of genre-defying singer-songwriter fare, beginning with the erudite blues-rock of Hanging Around The Observatory in 1974.

On his latest, he’s joined by the Jerry Douglas Band for a rootsy set of songs recorded over four days last October in Nashville’s RCA Studio B. Produced by Douglas with a batch of songs penned by Hiatt, the disc resonates with the iconic history of the modest building, filtered through the considerable talents of the assembled musicians.

As they recorded in the cradle of over 200 Elvis tunes, the tile-floored studio rocked with an energetic band vibe brimming with heartfelt folk, old-time bluegrass and emotive country blues.

Songs like “Long Black Electric Cadillac” and “Mississippi Phone Booth” should please the Americana crowd and lead track “All the Lilacs in Ohio,” as well as “Little Goodnight” and the poignant reality of “Light Of The Burning Sun” stand with Hiatt’s most inciteful lyricism.

INsite caught up with Hiatt by phone from his home in West Nashville.

The past year must’ve been your longest time off the road in your entire career.

In my entire 35-year marriage, this is the longest I’ve ever been home in one chunk.

My wife and I joke that we’ve spent more time together this year than we have the other 34 put together. I’ve been writing some and playing but mainly I just took the opportunity to be with my family more.

That’s the most precious thing to me but it’s been the most difficult to make time for over the years. I’ve learned a lot of things about myself. And it ain’t necessarily pretty.

That’s why we need to get this thing over soon, the introspection is exhausting.

(Laughs) That’s right! I’ve met myself and I’m getting tired of me as company.

Well, you’re in good company on this new record. It sounds like a real ‘band album’ rather than just a studio project.

That was our hope when Jerry and I got together with this notion of making something. But it’s Jerry’s band, he’s worked with these great players for probably the last five years or so.

Did you have any specific sort of sound in mind when you walked into the studio?

When I went in the first day, I had no idea what we were going to come up with. I don’t think Jerry did either, but he may have had a little bit more, because he’s played with those guys. We cut “All The Lilacs in Ohio” first. I remember we were sitting in a booth listening to the playback - with our masks on, you know and we were all delighted with the funny little racket that we’d just created. The only parameters we had was, ‘Let’s not have drums.’ We can make enough racket between the five of us. We don’t need a drum, we’ve got enough rhythm. Let’s just see how that goes - with the idea that if we PG 12 • June 2021 • insiteatlanta.com

want. Wasn’t it Miles Davis who said, ‘The first duty of a musician is to get past his instrument’? Get over the fact that you’re playing an instrument, get over the fact that you’re singing and then it all joins up in this room that adds a certain sonic quality to the whole thing.

Not only do you have to get over all those things, at Studio B you have to get over that Elvis “X,” too.

Oh my God, yeah! I’m glad they didn’t point that out to me until like the third day, because I might’ve been somewhat intimidated. They showed me where he stood when he did all his vocals. The X is actually still there. I bent down and kissed it like the guys at the Indy 500 do when they win the race.

You’re a brave man to kiss the floor during a pandemic, but it was also courageous to include a song like “Light of The Burning Sun.” Jerry says it was one of the hardest ones to do on the entire project.

Yeah. It was a song about the death of my oldest brother when he was young. He was 21 and took his own life. I was 11, the sixth of seven kids. It’s just something that survivors of someone who’ve taken their own lives, we all share. It’s an ongoing, lifelong thing that you just have to work through. I guess it took me all these years to finally write about it. Writing for me is like therapy. It’s how I figure things out, get my bearings on the map or figure out where I’m at, by telling the story.

wanted a drum, we’d get somebody in, but it just felt good.

It really worked. The “Lilacs” video looks like you all had a blast.

We were just so delighted to be able to get together and make music under those conditions. We did about 13 songs. Some were new, a couple weren’t. We did one that I’d written 33 years ago about our youngest who was a colicky baby, called “Little Goodnight.” I’d never recorded it, but I played it when I was singing the songs to Jerry, mostly for shits and giggles. Then he called me back and said he wanted to do it.

I said, ‘Well better late than never, I guess.’

Was it your idea to record in Studio B? Golly, man. I’d been thinking of trying to get in Studio B for the last couple of years. It’s not an easy studio to get time in. They run tours through it as part of the Country Music Foundation, so it’s a tourist attraction. They’ll let you come in at night and do sessions but you have to break down every time so they can get ready for their next tour. Somehow - I’m sure it was because of the pandemic and the tours were either slowed down or had dwindled to nothing - we were able to get in for four days.

Had you ever worked in there before?

I’d never worked there. Of course, I’ve known of it. It’s funny, it’s at the bottom of 16th Avenue South, and when I came to town in 1970, what they call Music Row was 16th Avenue South and 17th Avenue South. It was just those two streets. All the businesses were in these little houses or small buildings, very humble looking operations. Then the songwriters like myself, we’d stay in boarding houses on the same two streets and there’d be five, six, seven songwriters in a boarding house, paying 15 or 20 bucks a week for a room, a hot plate and a bed. That was the atmosphere when I got here. I knew what was going on down there, with the Everly Brothers and Elvis and all these great records, but I’d never been in it.

It must have been wild, finally walking in there and feeling all those ghosts. There’s a very creative vibe in that little building.

All the music that’s been made in Studio B is still in there. It’s oozing out of the walls.

But it’s not an easy room to sound good in, as we’d been told, and Jerry knew from working with Chet Atkins over the years.

In a space like that, you’re not only playing your music, you’re also playing the room.

Yeah, definitely. The room is involved from the downbeat on. That’s what you

So it was truly a Leftover Feeling.

It really is the story of what happened and it was cathartic to finally go ahead and get it out. I wasn’t really sure that we needed to record it, to be honest with you.

I said that to Jerry. He said, ‘No, we need to do it. People have been through this.’ It’s something that bears talking about.

It’s an incredibly personal and artistic statement.

You’ve got to live it because these stories are all we have. At the end of the day, I think that’s what one human carries on to the next human. It’s how we communicate, how we see the bigger picture. It’s even how we lie to each other. But that’s also how we say we love each other. It’s how we expand on the whole experience.

It’s worked for a long time too, because this is, what, your 24th or 25th album?

You know what? I don’t know. Have I made that many? I’m just delighted when I can write a new song, that’s for sure. Every time I start one, I don’t have any idea how to write it. But you go through things, your friends go through things, the world goes through changes and you write about the journey. Isn’t that what we’re doing right now? We’re writing about the journey. It always changes, it takes many weird twists and turns. I mean, I’ll be 69 in August.

When I was younger and burning like a rocket out of hell, 40 seemed unattainable to me. Now to be 69 and enjoying my life, it’s a marvelous thing.

Leftover Feelings by John Hiatt and the Jerry Douglas Band is available via all music retailers and from newwestrecords.com.

MUSIC

ROCK AND ROLL IS ALIVE

PLAYBACK

The Rubinoos New Record was Recorded on a Cassette in 1976 the great artists. Overdubbing? Nah, not much. Playing at different times? Why would you want to that?

But, again, you’re consistently doing music that could very well have been recorded in ‘77. From Home sounds like it could be from any particular year of your career.

I totally agree with you. I just think it is a Rubinoos record. When it came from, that could be up for grabs. The only thing maybe identifiable is the way the recording is approached by the engineer, that might be different than they would do back in the ‘70s but other than that, not much.

Yep Roc is a good place for a band like The Rubinoos.

I think so. They have a lot of Americana and roots acts and we are definitely the most pop act on there. But they love all kinds of music and they’ve been so excited about our stuff.

And if you have to have a label-mate, Nick Lowe isn’t a bad choice.

Oh, yeah. We’ve met over the years since like 1978. He’s written some of the best pop music ever recorded. And his entire career has been amazingly consistent and satisfying.

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

I

N NOVEMBER 1970, CHILDHOOD friends Jon Rubin and Tommy Dunbar The Rubinoos to play at a high school dance in Berkeley, California. Their set consisted of ‘50s rock, played with a slightly defiant punk attitude. Six years later, the youthful musicians booked a one-day recording session at CBS Studios. The resulting music from that day have emerged as the band’s latest album, The CBS Tapes.

The archival record is a fitting bookend to the band’s most recent release, From Home, produced by singer-songwriter Chuck Prophet. The band’s straight-ahead power pop approach has served them well since the early days of punk and new wave. Tracks such as “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Rock And Roll Is Dead” quickly carved the musicians a spot in the influential Beserkley Records roster along with likeminded craftsmen Greg Kihn and Jonathan Richman.

Sidelined by the pandemic, founder Jon Rubin recently spoke at length with INsite about the band’s history and catalogue in addition to his work with The Mighty Echoes and the estate of Kevin Gilbert and.

Due to the pandemic, you’ve missed a whole year of gigs. As the leader of an active, touring band since 1977, how does that feel?

I haven’t even seen the guys in the band for almost a year and a half. We talk regularly, almost daily, but we haven’t seen each other.

That’s never happened before, so it’s very odd. It’s been sobering, I guess. That’s how I look at it, really sobering. And it really makes you value the time you have and the people you love and doing the things you want to do. On the positive side, I did play a lot of clarinet. My wife plays flute and piano, so we’ve played a lot of duets. That was a lot of what we were doing and that’s been really fun. When this is all over, I suspect you’re going to see a really big explosion of creativity. Because I think people, especially

younger artists, have just been cooped up and not being able to do anything, get out and play, or anything. We’re pretty roadworn so missing a year of touring, well, okay, we can do that.

From Home (2019) was a great record but obviously there was no way to tour it.

Yeah, that was the album Chuck Prophet produced. We’d done five dates where we were playing material from it and we were getting ready to do a tour of Europe and Japan. All that was canceled, of course.

Now the record’s a year and three-quarters old - from the release date. By the time we start playing again, it’ll be at least two years old if not more. That’s been a very frustrating thing for us because we’d really worked hard to prepare ourselves for those tours and to prepare the new material. Of course, we’re not the only ones who’ve had that kind of issue. So the way we’re thinking of addressing it is just pretending the last year and a half never happened and our new album just came out.

It doesn’t sound dated, so that’s a perfect mindset for it.

Well, thank you. I really appreciate that.

We’re not the most prolific band in the world but we do try pretty hard to pick songs that we think are good for our records. Not every record is perfect by any means, but materialwise, we try really hard to make sure there’s not a lot of C-level stuff on them. Chuck was very enthusiastic about the whole thing, which was a good injection of inspiration for us. I think also the way we went about recording that record, interestingly, has a lot in common with The CBS Tapes which was just a setup and play session. When we did From Home, we also just set up and played. They way rock and roll music used to be recorded.

You guys were on the Armed Forces tour with Elvis Costello and the Attractions for a while, weren’t you?

Yeah, for the whole tour in the States. It was 56 shows. I watched about 40 of them at least. They were just on fire, totally on fire. Nick showed up a few times during that tour, for sure. I’d go, ‘Hi, Nick. This is Jon from the Rubinoos.’ And he goes, [adopting British accent] ‘Oh, you did that song Rock and Roll is Dead.’ And I go, ‘Yeah, that was us.’ He goes, ‘When that song comes on the radio, I want to drive my car into the canal.’

He was funny.

Were you surprised when Yep Roc wanted to release The CBS Tapes?

I was shocked, actually. It’s been sitting around for a while. I think it comes straight off cassette. I think we have the multi-tracks but we didn’t really want to mix it because that really wasn’t what it was. It was a direct to 2-track thing. We played it for Chuck and he just went nuts. Then he played it for Glenn and the guys at Yep Roc and they were just so into it.

So on November 3, 1976, the band just strolled in the studio for a session. All these

years later, it’s finally seeing the light of day.

What was the band mindset on that day?

Really what we went in to do that day was to get sounds, to just get comfortable being in the studio. We’d only recorded a couple of times before that. Maybe three or four sessions total in our career at that point. They told us to just play whatever we wanted. For us, that’s like setting the bull loose in the china shop, basically.

The Rubinoos are a pop group, but that batch of recordings is very punk.

We were little hippie kids but we were kind of young punks in a lot of ways, so a lot of the stuff is tongue in cheek. A lot of it’s just what made us laugh. It’s what we thought was fun to play or stuff we would probably never record otherwise. We were really into a lot of the punkier bands at the time although punk rock really hadn’t been named yet. But stuff like Iggy and the Stooges and The Sonics and a lot of the garage bands. So we started this other band initially called Alfred Cooper and then sort of quickly changed names to Psychotic Pineapple, which actually became a real proto-punk band. Rubinoos duties became more and more heavy so we left and were replaced by a couple of our friends. Psychotic Pineapple went on to make what I consider to be a quintessential proto-punk album called Where’s the Party, which you should definitely listen to. I think you’d like it a lot.

The CBS Tapes isn’t a jokey record, but a lot of is definitely fun.

We didn’t take ourselves seriously, but we were serious about what we were doing. That’s never changed for us. Some of the album is pretty much what we’d do in our live shows from that era, before we’d made our first ‘real’ record. A lot of the things we would do back then, we would do just for audience reaction - like “Sugar Sugar,” “Heartbeat, It’s A Lovebeat” or stuff like that. We just wanted to get people to react, good or bad. We didn’t care. Normally they’d boo or yell at us or throw stuff. Eventually they’d learn to like it. There really wasn’t much else going on in the Bay Area like what we were doing at that time. So we were fairly isolated in that sense, but it was okay. The thing about the music scene in Bay Area in general was the fact that it was pretty supportive. It wasn’t extremely competitive so everyone could do whatever they wanted - and somehow there was always an audience for it.

For more on The Rubinoos and the entire Yep Roc roster, visit yeproc.com.

That’s the best way to do it, with everyone in a room playing together.

Exactly. It’s so funny, you think about all insiteatlanta.com • June 2021 • PG 13

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MUSIC

Album Reviews

REVIEWS BY JOHN B. MOORE

Juliana Hatfield

Sour Ops

The cliched adage about oppressive presidents making for great music fodder, was wildly overused during Trump’s nightmare rein. But on Blood, her latest, Juliana Hatfield managed to prove that adage true once again.

Much like’s 2017’s Pussycat, politics is all over Blood making for some of Hatfield’s strongest songwriting in decades. The uncertainty around the COVID pandemic – the album was mostly recorded in Hatfield’s home due to the global shut down – can also be heard throughout the record on songs like “Mouthful of Blood” and the vivid “Had A Dream.” Even the deceptively peppy music on “Nightmary” - easily of the album’s best moments – belies the lyrics (“I’m living in a nightmare and I can’t wake up/the whole world is controlled by fascist blood-sucking thugs”). That same song finds Hatfield writing one of the best lines of her career with “I lost another friend to Jesus/ she had nothing to believe in but the myth of redemption/we’re all damned in her defense.”

The record ends on “Torture,” a song that’s a little subdued compared to the nine that led up to it, but a solid addition, nonetheless.

Hatfield use of different guitar pedals throughout and filling the album with a slew of electronic effects like Mellatron flutes and even strings add to the darker feel of the record, but also make for a satisfyingly eclectic sound. At 10 tracks, Blood manages to be succent with not a single superfluous song and manages to quite accurately sum up the feeling of the past four and a half years.

Across 10 tracks of solid power pop guitars and super sharp hooks, Nashville’s Sour Ops reminds the world that Music City USA is more than just country bands and Americana singers.

On X, the band’s latest, they pull together six singles released during last year’s pandemic and top it off with four new songs. Though the album is not exactly pandemic themed, there are plenty of songs here about loneliness, missing out and in the case of “Contagious” - their most confrontational track yet about the pandemic - the current state of the world.

In fact, the track “When They Let You Out,” about heading back into the world without a map, could be the soundtrack to this summer once a finally vaccinated population starts to leave their homes.

Sour Ops is the brainchild of Prince Harrison, who also holds down gigs as an architect, graphic designer, videographer, photographer and owner of the band’s label. Sour Ops also includes member from a slew of Nashville and Memphis bands, including Sixty-Nine Tribe, Snakehips, Triple X, Neighborhood Texture Jam, and Tav Falco and Panther Burns.

You can hear echoes of everyone from Urge Overkill and The Plimsouls to Cheap Trick on X and while they aren’t exactly blazing an entirely new path musically on the record, they have turned out a pretty satisfyingly album, nonetheless.

Blood (American Laundromat Records)

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The pride of New Hampshire’s music scene is back with another beautifully satisfying garagetinged power pop album with Looking For Trouble.

Deftly marrying influences like The Ramones, The Jam and The Flamin’ Groovies, the second album from Marino (who also put in time with The Connection) is obvious proof that the first solo record wasn’t a fluke. Breezy, catchy and remarkably fun, he churns through 15 tracks (including 3 bonus songs) in no time, each clocking in at an average of two-and-a-half minutes, a Ramones-worthy feat.

The record opens with the garage-y singalong, “Even The Score,” setting a solid road map for what follows. The guitar is deceptively simple, a powerful sonic punch, and a tight rhythm section that serves his catchy vocals well. Although the record is crammed with great tracks, “At Night,” with the carnivallike organ intro-ing and outro-ing the song is a standout; an addictive power pop nugget that’s tough to shake even hours after you last listened to it.

Another wildly entertaining effort Marino.

Also happens to be his best yet.

X (Feralette Media)

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

When God Was Great (Hellcat Records)

While their 11th album, When God Was Great, may have been recorded during the unprecedented global pandemic, it certainly didn’t do a thing to temper The Mighty Might Bosstones’ trademark party vibe. Even though COIVID is alluded to here throughout (especially on the song, “M O V E,”) the band still fills the record with horns-heavy dance jams that fit perfectly into their cat logue.

At 15 tracks, When God Was Great, is a glorious example of the band at its greatest, ska- punk acolytes that can write one hell of a catchy, lyrically smart track. You have to go all the way back to 2000’s Pay Attention to find an album that is song for song this consistently solid in The Bosstones’ cannon.

“With all of this time on our hands, we started writing at a quickened pace and we were really inspired. As grim as everything around us was in the outside world, this was the most fun we ever had making a record” said frontman Dicky Barrett. And that fun is infection, on tracks like “The Killing Of Georgie (Part III),” the album opener “Decide” and “Bruised,” quite possible the band’s greatest autobiographical anthem and a song that’s bound to be a live staple until the wheels fall off. There is also a stellar ska/reggae cover of CCR’s “Long As I Can See The Light.”

The group brought in longtime producer Ted Hutt and Rancid’s Tim Armstrong to coproduce and come off sounding revitalized.

The Bosstones have never put out a bad record – even though some are certainly better than others - but this latest is reminiscent of the band’s three best albums – 1994’s Question The Answers, 1997’s Let’s Face It and Pay Attention.

When God Was Great is the clearest sign yet that as a society we’re going to be just fine. To quote from “Bruised”:” We might be bruised/ But we’re not broken/We might be down but we’re not out”.

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