INsite Atlanta October 2017 Issue

OCTOBER 2017

26 YE G N I T A R ELEB

INSITEATLANTA.COM

ARS!

VOL. 26, NO. 3 FREE

Haunts

& Events

HalloweeN e u Iss C

Tours

Michael McDonald, • Fall Patio Guide

OPEN TONIGHT & EVERY NIGHT IN OCTOBER plus Nov. 3, 4 & 5!

Rated #1 Haunted House of All-Time”

CHECK OUT ESCAPE THE NETHERWORLD www.EscapeTheNetherWorld.com

- Hauntworld.com

2NEW ALL

HAUNTS FOR 2017!

6624 Dawson Blvd | Norcross, GA 30093 FINAL YEAR IN NORCROSS!

www.FEARWORLD.com

www.FEARWORLD.com

PG 2 • October 2017 • insiteatlanta.com

NETHERWORLDHAUNTEDHOUSE

CONTENTS • OCTOBER 2017 • VOLUME 26, NO 3 @ sycamore stre

et

#decaturga EARS! ING 26 Y T A R B E CEL

Atlanta’s

Entertainment Monthly

INTERVIEWS

12 Michael McDonald 13 Netherworld 14 Peter Noone 15 Cracker 16 Max Weinberg 17 Cameron & Rhea 17 Dave Schools

12

FALL

13

FOR

FEATURES 07 08 10 11

Say hello to autumn with seasonal shopportunities: Storefront Saturday, Oct. 28 and special holiday deals on Terrific Thursdays in November and December.

Best Sandwiches Fall Patio Guide Halloween Guide Costume Guide

COLUMNS

Visitors Center 113 Clairemont Ave. | visitdecaturga.com |

Decatur-atl-in-site-oct.indd 1

16

04 Around Town 05 On Tap 06 Atlanta on a Dime 18 Station Control 18 New Releases 18 Movie Reviews

DECATUR.

9/26/17 5:36 PM

17

insiteatlanta.com STAFF LISTING

Publisher Stephen 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 Movie Editor Steve Warren s.warren@insiteatlanta.com

Follow us on the web!

Music Editor John Moore john@insiteatlanta.com Contributing Writers / Interns: Alex. S. Morrison, Dave Cohen, Benjamin Carr, Demarco Williams MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 76483 Atlanta, GA 30358 WEBSITE • insiteatlanta.com ADVERTISING INFORMATION (404) 308-5119 • ads@insiteatlanta.com Editorial content of INsite is the opinion of each writer and is not necessarily the opinion of INsite, its staff, or its advertisers. INsite does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial content, nor do the publisher or editors of INsite assume OCTOBER 2017 VOL. 26, NO. 3 FREE responsibility should such advertising or editorial Haunts Tours & Events appear. No content, i.e., articles, graphics, designs and information (any and all) in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from publisher.

INSITEATLA NTA.COM

HaIsllosueweeN C E L E B R AT I N

© Copyright 2017, Be Bop Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Check out our Halloween Guide on page 10.

G 26 YEARS!

Michael McDonald, • Fall Patio

Guide

insiteatlanta.com • October 2017 • PG 3

Around Town FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 Spencer Ludwig

Ferst Center for the Arts @ GA Tech

Trumpeter and singer Spencer Ludwig merges jazz and pop style for a sound that simmers and swaggers with soul. Following three years as lead trumpet with indie pop act Capital Cities, the release of the song Diggy in a Target commercial catapulted his career. Spencer has just released his new single Got Me Like this month, showcasing both his trumpet talents and dynamic, diverse vocals. Atlanta guitarist and vocalist Chelsea Shag opens the show. Tickets at arts.gatech.edu and 404-894-9600.

PERFORMING THROUGH OCTOBER 29 Project Dawn

Horizon Theatre

Karen Hartman’s gritty, gripping, and shockingly funny play Project Dawn receives its Atlanta premiere at Horizon Theatre this month. Go behind the bench in this inspired by-real-life story of the women on both sides of the law in Project Dawn, an innovative court designed to transform the lives of women in the sex trade. In this daring and vital tour de force, seven actresses double as victims/participants and Court staff. Tickets at HorizonTheatre.com

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7 Great Atlanta Beer Fest SunTrust Park

The Great Atlanta Beer Fest moves this

Events and Performances taking place this Month

year from Turner Field to Suntrust Park taking place on Saturday, October 7, 15pm. It’s taking place inside the stadium using the concourse, both levels of the Chop House, and the games of “The Sandlot” (kids zone) will be open to beer fest patrons. Over 150 beers and 25 wines to sample, live music and college football and the big screens. AtlantaBeerFestivals.com.

garden games, tours and more. The event supports the Unity Garden, a half-acre urban farm dedicated to growing fresh, organic, natural plants and vegetables to teach local schoolchildren where their food comes from. This event is supported by Whole Foods Market. Tickets may be purchased at HarvestontheHooch.org.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13

Nick Offerman: Full Bush

Spanish Harlem Orchestra

Ferst Center for the Arts @ GA Tech

Spanish Harlem Orchestra, the two-time Grammy-winning salsa and Latin jazz band, sets the standard for big band excellence.

Directed by world-renowned pianist, arranger, and producer Oscar Hernández, the 13member all-star ensemble has reintroduced the classic sounds of salsa to music lovers worldwide. Tickets at arts.gatech.edu and 404-894-9600.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15 Harvest on the Hooch

Chattahoochee Nature Center

Enjoy food from farm-totable- to-your mouth at the annual Harvest on the Hooch taste fest Oct. 15 at the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell. In addition to featuring local restaurants and breweries, the event includes live music, farm animals,

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19 Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

Humorist, woodworker and New York Times best-selling author, Nick Offerman brings his highly successful Full Bush solo stand-up show to Marietta. Offerman will return with a collection of his sawdusty musings on survival in the wild, living with enthusiasm, and most importantly, the cultivation of fulsome body hair. Tickets at CobbEnergyCentre.com.

OCTOBER 20 - 22 Taste of Atlanta

Old Fourth Ward Park

Taste of Atlanta, the city's original food festival, moves to their new location at Old Fourth Ward Park. Experience delicious tastes from more than 90 of Atlanta's favorite restaurants. Sample exceptional food, wine, beer, and cocktail tastings and participate in seminars and food pairings and relaxing music cafes. Feast on Taste of Atlanta's fantastic programming in five different live demo areas. Watch chefs go head to head on the Home Plate Main Cooking stage or go Inside the Food Studio where Atlanta's top foodies will teach you about Atlanta's food history and current trends.

Visit tasteofatlanta.com

OCTOBER 24 - 29 The Color Purple

Atlanta's Fox Theater

Direct from Broadway, The Color Purple is the Tony Award-winning revival of the truly remarkable musical adapted from Alice Walker’s best-selling novel. Fourteenyear-old Celie is at the center of this epic tale of 40-years in the life of a family in rural Georgia. When Celie is forced by her abusive father to marry a cruel farmer, she is separated from all that she loves. Ultimately, Celie conquers the odds to find her voice and her strength, coming into her own. FoxTheatre.org/ColorPurple.

OCTOBER 25 & 26

La La Land in Concert Atlanta Symphony Hall

Experience the original musical film like never before as La La Land will screen at Atlanta Symphony Hall Wednesday, October 25 and Thursday, October 26 with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra playing the score along to the film. Winner of 6 Academy Awards® including Best Original Score and Best Original Song, La La Land tells the story of Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a dedicated jazz musician, who are struggling to make ends meet in a city known for crushing hopes and breaking hearts. Set in modern day Los Angeles, this original musical about everyday life explores the joy and pain of pursuing your dreams.

You Will Love The Moment Freshwater Cultured Pearl Set Necklace, Bracelet and Earrings QSET - 10391

Exclusively at QSET - 10391

A L E X A N D E R S O FAT L A N TA . C O M 4 0 4 - 63 4 -3 19 7 2891 NORTH DRUID HILLS ROAD TOCO HILL SHOPPING CENTER PG 4 • October 2017 • insiteatlanta.com

On Tap this Month MAJOR EVENTS COMING TO ATLANTA

Daily through Oct 29: Festhalle in Helen, GA

HELEN, GEORGIA OKTOBERFEST

Beer, brats, bands and Lederhosen - the Helen Oktoberfest has them all! Join the longest running Oktoberfest in the United States, taking place every day in October through October 29. e Helen Festhalle houses the event. German-style bands from around the country and around the world play on the stage.

Grab your partner and take a spin on the dance floor to lively Polka music. Visit the helenchamber.com.

Live Music Dancing

Brats Beer

October 7: East Atlanta Village

PROJECT PABST

e 2nd annual Project Pabst Atlanta is as an East Atlanta Village block party at intersection of Flat Shoals and Glenwood. e daylong event will feature three stages and performances from iconic punk rocker Iggy Pop, guitar rock gods Dinosaur Jr, Grammy-nominated Los Angeles-based soul collective e Internet, boundary-pushing performer Peaches and more.

Event is 21 and over. Visit atlanta.projectpabst.com.

October 13 - 15: Piedmont Park

ATLANTA PRIDE FESTIVAL

e Atlanta Pride Festival coincides with National Coming Out Day. e Official Kickoff Party returns to the Georgia Aquarium on Friday, October 13. is event that has now become a tradition for many and launches the Southeast’s largest Pride Festival. e Parade begins at 1 p.m. on Sunday from the Civic Center and enters the Piedmont Park through the Charles Allen entrance. Visit atlantapride.org

September 28 – October 29 Mondays–Thursdays 6-10:30pm ($8) Friday 6pm-Midnight ($8) Saturday 1pm-Midnight ($10) Sundays 1-7pm (Free)

1074 Edelweiss Strasse • Helen, GA 30545

For more information, contact the Alpine Helen Chamber of Commerce at 706-878-1619

HelenChamber.com

Oktoberfest Festhalle Friends

October 15: Downtown Decatur Square

DECATUR CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL

Come and enjoy an afternoon of beer tasting on the Decatur square. More than 80 of the finest American craft breweries are showcased at this annual event sponsored by Brickstore and Twains Brewpub. Enjoy live music on the Community Bandstand, DJ and food from local restaurants available for sale. All tickets are sold online and usually sellout. No tickets are available at the gate. Details at decaturfestival.com.

October 22: Piedmont Park

AIDS WALK ATLANTA & 5K RUN AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run, produced by AID Atlanta, benefits thousands of people living with HIV/AIDS in Greater Atlanta. Since its inception in 1990, AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run has increased awareness of HIV/AIDS throughout the community and has involved hundreds of thousands walkers, runners and volunteers. All funds raised here, stay here in Atlanta. Information at AIDSWalkAtlanta.com.

October 22: Atlanta Symphony Hall

MICHAEL MCDONALD

Michael McDonald returns to Atlanta Symphony Hall this fall with special guest Marc Cohn this month.

Five-time Grammy Award winning vocalist and acclaimed singer/songwriter Michael McDonald's showcases his new release Wide Open, his first album of new music in nearly a decade. e record features special guests including Warren Haynes, Robben Ford, and Branford Marsalis. Tickets at atlantasymphony.org

REGISTER NOW! AIDS WALK ATLANTA & 5K RUN 10/22/2017 Pack Register at: AIDSWALKATLANTA.COM Tweet @AIDSWALKATLANTA #AWA5K | #PACKTHEPARK

the

Park

insiteatlanta.com • October 2017 • PG 5

Saturday & Sunday, October 21 & 22 Saturday & Sunday, October 28 & 29

BROOKHAVEN ARTS FESTIVAL SMYRNA FALL JONQUIL

EVENTS HAPPENING FOR SMALL CHANGE IN ATLANTA

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

By Marci Miller

October 11 - 28

Saturday & Sunday, October 14 & 15

Center for Puppetry Arts Adult Tickets $24.50; Puppet.org

Free; Olmsted Linear Park FestivalonPonce.com

THE GHASTLY DREADFULS

FESTIVAL ON PONCE

e Ghastly Dreadfuls return from the afterlife for another season of supernatural storytelling with a chilling cast of characters that has made it an Atlanta cult classic. e Ghastlies will perform frightful fan favorites, including 11:59, Grim Grinning Ghosts, e Girl in the New Dress. A night full of creepy characters, screamworthy stories and scary songs.

Saturday, October 14

e Festival on Ponce is a 2-Day local arts and crafts event held at the Olmsted Linear Park. e Artist's Market features arts and handmade crafts. ere is a Children's Park, local food and beverage concessions and live acoustic entertainment. Attendance is free. Stroll the event while enjoying the art, the historic gardens and appreciate the legacy of one of America's most celebrated landscape architects.

TASTE OF ACWORTH

Saturday, October 21

Marietta Square; 10am - 5pm Free admission; acworthbusiness.org

LITTLE FIVE POINTS HALLOWEEN PARADE

e Superior Plumbing Taste of Acworth offers more than 25 restaurants and 100 booths featuring businesses from around the greater-Acworth area. ere will be a local entertainment stage, complete with a dog show and a High School Team Cooking Challenge, children’s activities, lots of food, and more! More than 18,000 people are expected to attend the 2017 event. Plan to bring your family to experience a true “Taste” of Acworth.

Free; Festival from noon to 11 pm Parade 4 - 6 pm l5phalloween.com Head to Little Five Points this Halloween season for the 17th annual Halloween parade and festival. e festivities will consist of live entertainment on two stages, great food selections and shopping from local artisans who, along with the area businesses, provide a wide variety of offerings for festival attendees. e Parade begins on Euclid and ends at Freedom Parkway.

behind Brookhaven MARTA Free; BrookhavenArtsFestival.com

Free Admission; Village Green in Downtown Smyrna; smyrnacity.com

e 13th annual Brookhaven Arts Festival showcases over 140 artists with musical performances taking place over the two days. Enjoy art, terrific food, music, kids’ activities and a classic car show on Sunday from 1 – 4pm e festival is located at 4047 Peachtree Rd. behind the Brookhaven MARTA station. ere is plenty of FREE parking in the MARTA lot.

e Fall Jonquil Festival takes place Saturday, October 28 from 10 am - 6 pm and Sunday, October 29 from 12 pm - 5 pm.

Featuring hand-made arts & crafts booths, local non-profit booths, puppet shows, live music, plenty of festival foods, a local entertainment stage and all types of children's activities.

Saturday, October 28

TASTE OF KENNESAW

STOREFRONT SATURDAY

Shops across Downtown Decatur Store Discounts; VisitDecaturGA.com On Saturday, October 28 Decatur's stores come together to host Storefront Saturday, a city-wide shopping event. e day includes prizes, pop-ups, snacks, specials, and oh-so-much more at participating local shops.

Saturday November 4

Downtown Kennesaw Free admission; Kennesawbusiness.org Taste of Kennesaw offers samplings from over 30 local restaurants for just $1 - $4.

Partake in their beer garden, Kids Zone, sample delicious food, and sit back and listen to great music. e Main Street stage offers local entertainment all day and culminates with a free concert at 6:00 p.m.

Little Five Points Halloween Parade Saturday, Oct 21 • FREE l5phalloween.com

taste

ON!

d o o f , n u f c &ore! musim

DOWNTOWN ACWORTH OCTOBER 14

november 4, 2017 11AM-8pm

Downtown Kennesaw : Free admission

2017

Fun for the Entire Family!

Local Food, Live Entertainment

& Good Times

150 ARTISTS & CRAFTERS

T YOUR E G

FREE ADMISSION

REceive Updated Events Weekly. Sign Up by Emailing Subscriptions@atlantaonadime.com Enter on the subject line: Sign me up Insite!

OCTOBER 28 & 29 VILLAGE GREEN IN DOWNTOWN SMYRNA

The Jonquil Festival has a history of over 20 years and will feature over 175 hand-made arts & crafts booths, local non-profit booths, puppet shows, live music, plenty of festival foods, and children’s activities.

Artisans are from all over the southeast and feature their own hand made crafts, paintings, clothing, furniture, jewelry and much more.

PRESENTS

OF TASTE

KENNESAW

PG 6 • October 2017 • insiteatlanta.com

Saturday, October 28 - 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Sunday, October 29 - 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.

SMYRNACITY.COM

Taste of the Month...Sandwiches! baldinos Giant Jersey Subs

Marietta 80 Powers Ferry Rd. (at Hwy. 120) 770.321.1177 I Doraville 5697 Buford Hwy. (Just north of 285) 770.455.8570 Milton 12890 Hwy. 9 (1/8 mile West of Windward Pkwy.) 678.580.0434 Baldinos.us

Voted best in Atlanta again this past year, baldinos Giant Jersey Subs® is recognized as the only true New Jersey sub sandwich in the South. Their in-store bakery assures the freshest rolls baked daily. Throughout October they are offering up a different specialty sub each day for just $3.99! baldinos Giant Jersey Subs® also serves homemade soups and fresh baked cookies and brownies. For catering they offer single subs, party subs, deli salads by the pound, cookies by the dozen, and iced-tea by the gallon that won’t break the bank. Head on in to baldinos Giant Jersey Subs® and watch your favorite team, or head on out with a baldinos® Family Sub (pictured) and enjoy the game at home with a few of your friends.

TAILGATE TAiLgATe HEADQUARTERS HeADquArTers

2150 Powers Ferry Rd. 770 .955.4413 HarrysPizzaandSubs.com

OCTOBERSpecialS SPECIALS OctOber

Harry’s Pizza and Subs

Since 1989, Harry’s has been serving exceptional pizza and subs to Atlanta. As you walk in the door, you experience an authentic New York vibe. Not only do they serve real New York style pizza, they are also known for their oven baked subs. Their Steak and Cheese is made with top round steak on French bread. The Chicken Philly comes with grilled chicken sautéed in Teriyaki and the Chicken Parmesan is a house favorite. Harry’s offers daily specials on menu items and always has a special on draft beers. Visit on a Wednesday night and play a few rounds of BINGO, or come on a Thursday to find the restaurant filled for weekly trivia.

Harry’s is a great place to visit during football season and watch on the big screens downstairs as well as in the upstairs dining area. Stop by and visit Rich, Ilene, and the family, and see for yourself why Harry’s is always filled with happy, pizza loving customers!

Mo’s Pizza

3109 Briarcliff Rd. 404.320.1258 MosPizza.com

Mo’s Pizza has been serving up great pizza and subs for over 30 years. Here you will find a huge Italian Sub made with ham, pepperoni, genoa salami, mozzarella, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions and Italian dressing. Their Italian Sausage comes from a special recipe and is sliced and grilled with onions, topped with Marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Their Philly Cheese Steak is real sirloin steak that is trimmed and sliced on premise and grilled with onions and topped with American cheese. Come to Mo’s this fall to watch all your college and pro football games on one of the plenty of new plasma TVs offering great views from any table. They are one of the longest running neighborhood restaurants in Atlanta, come in and see why their customers say they are one of the best.

Athens Pizza House 1341 Clairmont Rd. 404.636.1100 AthensPizzaAtlanta.com

Since 1966 Athens Pizza has been serving up great Greek and Italian cuisine to the Emory / Decatur area. Some of the favorite recipes on their Greek dishes go back over 50 years!

They have many terrific sandwiches on their menu with a Mediterranean flair. For example their half pound burger comes on grilled Ciabatta bread topped with roasted red pepper feta spread. There is also a Greek style oven roasted lamb sandwich on French roll. The Italian Sub comes with Athens Greek dressing, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, cappicola, pepperoni, Genoa salami and provolone cheese. While your here most haves are their Veal Parmesana, Roasted Lamb or the Oven Baked Chicken. Athens Pizza offers daily specials for lunch and dinner and has an extensive catering menu. Athens Pizza is Zagat rated and winner of several awards including Best Greek Cuisine. The restaurant can also accommodate parties large and small with their private room.

Downwind Restaurant

Dekalb Peachtree Airport 2000 Airport Rd. #201 770.452.0973 DownwindRestaurant.com

Downwind boasts an outstanding menu including award winning sandwiches. They have a fabulous Turkey Club Sandwich (as shown). Other popular choices include Salmon Blt's, Chicken Salad, Egg Salad, Tuna salad and BLT’s. They also have great burgers! All seafood at Downwind is "Wild Caught" as pilots fly in from Florida bringing Flounder, Sea Bass and fresh Fish of the Day. Get it as an entree or as a specially made sandwich. Downwind Restaurant is family friendly with an aviation themed playground for kids. Open Monday-Friday 11-9 and Saturday noon-9, closed Sunday.

Savage Pizza 484 Moreland Ave L5P 404.523.0500 115 Laredo Dr. Avondale 404.299.5799 SavagePizza.com Savage Pizza prepares all the sandwiches using only the freshest vegetables and top quality meats, cheeses, and breads. On Savage's menu you'll find thoughtfully prepared dishes made from scratch every day. Their Italian Sub is made with fresh cuts of capicolla, salami, pepperoni and provolone -served hot, crusty and melted. The Turkey-Cheddar Sub comes with smoked black forest turkey and cheddar cheese served hot. Try Savage's Eggplant Parmesan Sub; breaded and baked eggplant, red tomato sauce, mozzarella, provolone and parmesan. Savage serves both lunch and dinner, has indoor and outdoor seating and offers catering and delivery.

Nancy’s Pizza

$3.99 $3.49

ALLDAY DAY ALL MONDAY: Baldinos Combination (34) with your choice of side

Monday – baldinos Combination (#4) w/ your choice of side TUESDAY: Turkey out with (#18) Lean Smoked Turkey & Cheese Tuesday – Turkey out with (#18) Lean Smoked Turkey & Cheese WEDNESDAY: Itzza Meatball (#12) with choice of soup or side Wednesday ItzzaGrilled Meatball (#12) w/ choice&ofToasted! soup or side THURSDAY:–The American – Grilled Thursday – The Grilled American – Grilled & Toasted!

FRIDAY: Meatless combo – Tuna (#10) or Veggie Stir Fry (#27) w/side Friday – Meatless Combo – Tuna (#10) Veg Stir (#27)13w/orside SATURDAY: Steak Out-A-Steak Sub Your ChoiceFry(#11, 19) saTurday SteakSpecial Out - Any Steakwith Subchoice Your Choice 13, or 19) SUNDAY: –Italian – (#15) of soup(#11, or side sunday –MARIETTA: Italian Special – (#15) DORAVILLE: w/ choice of soup or side MILTON 80 Powers80Ferry Rd. Ferry rd.

Hwy. 9 5697 Buford Hwy. Marietta: Powers Doraville: 569712890 Buford Hwy. (770) 321-1177 (678) 580-0434 (770) 455-8570 (at Hwy 120, 1/4 mile east of Big Chicken) (1/4 mile outside i-285) 770-321-1177 770-455-8570

Harry Says: My Pizza is the BEST! Don’t settle for less!

6 WINGS, SLICE OF PIZZA, AND A DRINK

• Pizza • Harry’s Speciality Pizza • Oven Baked Subs • Pizza By the Slice • Spaghetti • Calzones • Appetizers • Fresh Salads • Wings

$8.99!

2150 Powers Ferry Road • Atlanta • 30339 770-955-4413 • harryspizzaandsubs.com Live Music & Entertainment • Full Bar • Daily Specials • Takeout Available

Downwind Restaurant & Lounge at the Dekalb Peachtree Airport

265 Ponce De Leon 404.881.0111 NancysPizza.com

Chicago has arguably the best pizza in America and that great pizza can be found at Nancy’s Pizza in Midtown. The Second City is also known for their sandwiches and Nancy's has all the favorites including Italian Beef, Chicken Club and Meatball along with delicious appetizers and signature salads. Visit their newly expanded and renovated restaurant. Both rooms display multiple TV screens and are perfect for large parties and private events. Nancy’s Pizza is also a great place to call when planning a tailgate or gettogether as they provide take-out, delivery and catering.

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

770.452.0973 • 2000 Airport Rd. #201, Atlanta www.downwindrestaurant.com insiteatlanta.com • October 2017 • PG 7

Fall Patio Guide

City Winery Atlanta

close. Downwind is family friendly with an aviation themed playground for kids.

650 North Avenue. Midtown 404.946.3791 CityWinery.com

Mo’s Pizza

3109 Briarcliff Rd. 404.320.1258 MosPizza.com

Places to Go when Dining Outdoors!

Loca Luna

550-C Amsterdam Ave. 404.875.4494 loca-luna.com

Samba. Salsa. Merengue. They have it all at Loca Luna, where you'll find live Latin music nightly and savory dishes from Spain, South America and Latin America.

Their location on Amsterdam Ave offers a tropical outdoor patio with Midtown skyline view. Enjoy a wide range of Snapchat worthy tapas. The happening bar is open till 2:30am on weekends.

Make sure to try their world famous Mojito. They feature live Latin music every night on their large dance floor and the hottest DJ's spin late night on Fridays and Saturdays. There is plenty of free parking and free valet available.

Athens Pizza House

1341 Clairmont Rd. Decatur AthensPizzaAtlanta.com 404.636.1100

Since 1966 the Papadopoulos family has served up great Greek and Italian cuisine to the Emory / Decatur area. Athens Pizza is the recipient of various awards including Best Greek Cuisine in Atlanta.

Don’t let the name fool you, there is much more than great pizza, as some of the favorite recipes on their Greek dishes go back generations! As the weather accom-

modates in fall, diners head out to their patio. Their patio can also be booked for private parties. Athens Pizza offers an extensive catering menu for events.

Agave

242 Boulevard SE 404.588.0006 AgaveRestaurant.com

Located in the heart of historic Inman Since opening last year, City Winery has taken Atlanta by storm. The concept of combining great wines and culinary innovations in an intimate setting of live music is unlike anything this city has seen. City Winery’s patio is a favorite destination for those heading to Ponce City Market. It’s a great setting to meet for a cocktail after work, dinner or for brunch on the weekends.

The Downwind Restaurant

Dekalb Peachtree Airport 2000 Airport Rd. #201 770.452.0973 DownwindRestaurant.com

Mo’s has been serving up great pizza in Atlanta for over 30 years! But the menu isn’t limited to pizza: sandwiches, subs, wings, nachos and salads ensure that anybody who comes here can find something they like. Check for daily lunch and dinner specials. Everything is made using the freshest ingredients including the dough built from scratch every day. In fall, their front deck is the place to be. Families and friends gather to enjoy food and drink, watch the Falcons and college football on one of their many screens.

Escorpion

Consistently voted the Best Southwestern restaurant in Atlanta, Agave uses only the freshest ingredients to create chef inspired dishes with an authentic southwestern flare. Agave’s menu is a unique blend of eclectic southwestern cuisine and extensive tequila bar that goes great with al fresco dining. Start with their two for one appetizers at the bar; available from 5pm 7pm seven days a week. Then head to your table on their romantic southwestern designed patio with fireplace. With creative daily specials, award winning margaritas and great ambiance one can see why this is a Cabbagetown favorite.

800 Peachtree St. Midtown 678.666.5198 urestaurants.net

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. Downwind boasts outstanding offerings including award winning burgers, great sandwiches and some of the best seafood in Atlanta. They offer a full bar and live music every Friday night from 7pm to

Escorpion is a regionally inspired Mexican tequila bar and cantina from chef-owner Riccardo Ullio. The restaurant captures the authentic tastes and ingredients indigenous to the country as Escorpion’s food and drink menus are rooted in Mexican flavors and culture.

Your Neighborhood Pizzeria!

Check Out Our New Menu!

We’ve kept all your favorites & added several exciting new dishes.

n o w o n e r We a e.com!

Reserv

Atlanta’s Favorite Pizza!

Multiple Atlanta Locations: JohnnysPizza.com

PG 8 • October 2017 • insiteatlanta.com

Find familiar favorites like queso dip, quesadillas, and burritos. Also explore more exotic specialties like Tinga, a Mexican meat dish made with pork and sausage, slowly cooked and served in a corn tortilla. The atmosphere is electric making Escorpion one of the hottest restaurants in Midtown.

Savage Pizza

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

This eclectic neighborhood restaurant is a favorite hangout among residents of Little 5 and Avondale Estates. Both locations offer ample table seating inside and large patios. Savage prepares all their menu items using only the freshest vegetables and first quality meats, cheeses, breads and pastas. On their menu you'll find innovative homemade sauces, fresh dough and thoughtfully prepared dishes made from scratch every day. They offer is a wide variety of salads, subs, calzones and of course pizzas to choose from.

Park Tavern

500 10th Street NE 404.249.0001 ParkTavern.com

The Patio at Park Tavern has one of the best views in the city overlooking Piedmont Park and the Midtown Skyline.

This amazing backdrop provides for a great atmosphere and is dog-friendly. The large climate controlled patio includes table seating, private cabanas, an oyster bar, fire pits, and TV's to catch your favorite teams in action. The patio can be transformed for weddings, private events, and Spooktacular concerts and events.

The Struts and Mondo Kozmo take the stage Saturday, Oct. 28th for Saints & Sinners. Visit parktavern.com for more information and to buy tickets. Park Tavern offers half-off Sushi nightly from 10pm - Midnight, 1/2 priced bottles of wine on Wednesday, and $1 Drafts when it rains Park Tavern pours.

Fritti

309 N. Highland Ave. 404.880.9559 FrittiRestaurant.com

Located in the heart of historic Inman Park, Fritti is nationally recognized for its pizza. It is authentic Neapolitan and prepared according to traditional artisan methods in a state of the art wood-burning oven. This world class oven can maintain a temperature of 1,000 degrees and cooks pizza unlike anything you have ever experienced. Their patio is among the hottest places to be in Inman Park as the entire dining room opens up to the lively street scene. Along with their award winning menu Fritti is known for their great value. Fritti offers a variety of

antipasti dishes for $10 or less along with all pizzas between $10 - $14.

Eclipse di Luna

764 Miami Circle 404.846.0449 4505 Ashford Dunwoody 678.205.5862 EclipsediLuna.com

Eclipse di Luna set the trend in Tapas style restaurants in Atlanta. They offer a high-energy dining experience with live entertainment nightly and an artsy setting as a backdrop. With over two dozen award winning tapas to choose from there is something to please any taste.

The Tapas is affordably priced to encourage multiple sampling. Eclipse di Luna has been named as one of "Atlanta's Top 100 Restaurants" and "Best Tapas". Both their locations offer open-air al fresco dining that makes for an incredible atmosphere. Upon entering you feel like you’ve been transported into an exotic locale. Voted Best Tapas by INsite readers several years running.

Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant

848 Peachtree Street 404.870.0805 3242 Peachtree Road 404.264.0253 GordonBiersch.com

Gordon Biersch is an upscale brewery restaurant specializing in handcrafted German lagers brewed in-house. The onsite Brewmasters create their award-winning house beers as well as limited-time seasonal brews. This month try their Oktoberfest menu and pair with the new seasonal beer Festbier. The menu offerings are constantly being updated with fresh new items, seasonal creations and daily lunch specials. Check out their new Small Plates menu featuring individual and shareable appetizers. Both locations offer large patios; Buckhead comes with an outdoor fireplace. So come in to either of the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants this fall for a hand crafted brew, outstanding food and great time!

Twin Peaks Restaurant

3365 Piedmont Rd. 404.961.8946 TwinPeaksRestaurant.com

Twin Peaks, the mountain lodge-style sports restaurant in Buckhead and its beautiful Twin Peaks girls offer great views! All three patios: street level, second floor open air and lively rooftop are serviced by the outgoing Twin Peaks wait staff. Twin Peaks Restaurant offers highquality comfort food with a wide array of sandwiches and salads to choose from.

Choose from an extensive selection of 29degree draft beers on 32 taps while the girls pour and serve into huge ice-cold, frosted mugs. Several rooms are available for private parties, corporate or holiday functions.

AtlAntA’s Best tApAs RestAuRAnt

ATLANTA’S BEST LIVE LATIN MUSIC 7 NIGHTS A WEEK! 4505 AshfoRd dunwoody Rd. 678.205.5862 764 MiAMi CiRCle 404.846.0449 eclipsediluna.com

Soak up the sun!

PATIO SEATING Great Subs, Sandwiches, Salads & Wings Since 1980

(Mondays Only)

$7.95 Large Cheese Pizza!

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

3109 Briarcliff Rd. • (404) 320-1258 • MosPizza.com insiteatlanta.com • October 2017 • PG 9

INsite’s Guide to Halloween Haunts, Tours and Costume Suppliers Haunts

Netherworld

In the former Georgia Antique Center 6624 Dawson Blvd. Norcross 404.608.2484 fearworld.com Open Every Night in October plus Nov 3 - 5

Netherworld Haunted House returns for a final season at their haunted home of more than two decades in Norcross, Georgia.

Offering the most unearthly and terrifying season yet, Netherworld fans can expect new effects, sets, and scares that’ll fulfill the massive adrenaline rush they have been anticipating all year. Netherworld is a walkthrough dark attraction filled with terrifying live actors, amazing special effects and incredible monsters that have thrilled and terrified visitors since 1997.

This year features two all new haunts ...

Primal Scream and Mr. Grendel’s Funhouse of Horrors in 3D. Also available on site this year: The Mangler’s Fear Machine (3 Minute Escape Game), a new scary operation game called Insectophobia, Behind the Scenes Tours (booked in advance on the website only), new photo opportunities with the Netherworld monsters, ability to purchase onsite concessions, and the expanded Netherworld gift shop and museum.

Camp Blood

2277 Whooping Creek Rd. Carrolton, Ga. 30116 CampBlood.com 770.854.CAMP (2267) Open Thursday - Saturday nights thru October 28th and Sunday, Monday & Tuesday – October 29, 30 & 31st. The Frights begin at 9pm. Box office closes at 11pm weekdays and midnight on Friday & Sat.

Now in their 27th year, Camp Blood offers three great adventures. First visit Nightmare Inn - where your nightmares begin and tell us what haunts YOUR nightmares so we can try and make it come to life for you next year. As you leave Nightmare Inn you will find yourself suddenly on the legendary Camp Blood Trail! The trail is nearly a half mile of redneck terror where chainsaw wielding psychos try to separate you from your group. Take part in Zombie Shootin’ where you get 50 rounds of paintball ammunition to fend off an attack of redneck zombies and undead hillbillies. You can double your fun and ammo to 100 rounds by upgrading to the Ultimate Zombie Shoot for only $10 more. There are plenty of things to do while you wait your turn to enter the haunt including a redneck fortune teller named "maw maw", sitting by the campfire and singing songs with "paw paw", watching a movie in the "Redneck Theatre", visiting the gift shop, concession stand and paintball pro-

TWO LOCATIONS IN ATLANTA Atlanta (Downtown) • Buford (Mall of Georgia)

s e i t r a P y a Birthd Date Night Corporate Events BOOK YOUR EVENT TODAY!

Please call 678-288-6555 or visit

www.paranoiaquest.com

PG 10 • October 2017 • insiteatlanta.com

shop or playing carnival games to help raise money to buy toys for kids at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Be sure and purchase your carnival game tickets from the owner, Michelle at the box office window and do your part in putting a smile on a kids face this Christmas.

Camp Blood & Nightmare Inn is only $20 for both haunts. You can add the Zombie Paintball Shoot to your existing Camp Blood Ticket and make it a combo for only $10 more! Zombie Paintball Shoot tickets NOT sold as a solo attraction.

Tickets can be purchased in advance online at www.campblood.com. Watch for updates, guest appearances and other info on facebook.com/camp.blood.haunt

Paranoia Quest

Downtown - 72 Broad St. (corner of MLK) 678.828.4410 Mall of Georgia - 3333 Buford Dr. (by Smokey Bones) 678.288.6555 ParanoiaQuest.com

Paranoia Quest is one of the kind Adrenaline-pumping adventure. Picture this: You're locked in a building like a haunted house with a group of friends (or complete strangers) and the only way to escape are through solving puzzles, clues, tools, and wit...! Put your logic and skills to the test with fully immersive scenario like a "Zombie Apocalypse". This adventurous scenario is better known as “escape the room," and they’re trending all over the globe! Join in on the scary,

mystery, team building, mind-bending experience.

Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights Orlando, FL HalloweenHorrorNights.com/Orlando Select nights through November 4

This month, Universal Orlando celebrates Halloween Horror Nights.

Unimaginable horrors come to life in five spine-chilling “scare zones” filled with menacing scareactors that stalk guests’ as their prey. Joining these horrific street experiences are nine disturbingly real haunted houses and two outrageous live shows – creating the ultimate Halloween event that no soul can survive. Plus, after 26 years of Excellent Halloween Adventures, Bill and Ted are bringing their Farewell Tour to Halloween Horror Nights.

Tours

Haunted Happenings Aurora Theatre Lawrenceville, 678-226-6222 AuroraTheatre.com In the mood for a thrill? Join Aurora Theatre for spooktacular fun with three ways to take a scary stroll on a moonlit night in Metro-Atlanta’s oldest city. The Lawrenceville Ghost Tour, highlighted by a trip to the old jail, takes place every night in October. Lawrenceville Haunted Cemetery Tour explores the nationally

renowned paranormal hot spot on weekends. Brews & Boos - Lawrenceville Haunted Pub Crawl is a 21 and over bawdy tour which includes libations.

Looking for something spooky inside with comfortable seating?

Attend Abigail/1702, ten years after the Salem witch trials, the notorious young accuser Abigail Williams seeks salvation, only to find her new life haunted by terrors of the past. There’s also Spirits & Spirits, an adults-only evening of spooky storytelling and cocktails in their mainstage theatre. It’s a creepy, crawly season full of devilish fun at Gwinnett’s favorite theatre!

Makeup , Foggers, Black Lights, Strobe Lights, Wigs, Accessories and much more! Norcostco has the country’s most outstanding collection of rental costumes available. Original costumes found nowhere else including Drag Wear, Masquerade and Rave/Club Wear. You will also find Atlanta’s largest selection of professional, air-brush and FX make-up, prosthetics, zombie kits, vampire teeth and more! Costumes are offered in the widest possible range of sizes. Because their extensive inventory covers all periods in costume history, they have virtually any costume you can imagine.

Fox Theatre Ghost Tours

Psycho Sisters

Fox Theatre, Midtown 855-285-8499 FoxTheatre.org

Join the Fox Theatre for their 5th annual Ghost Tours this Halloween season. A motley crew of historical spirits and specters will join guests as they walk the haunted halls of one of the city’s most treasured landmarks to learn about ghastly sightings or unexplained bumps in the night. Spooks and scares will be around every shadowy corner as guides recount supernatural tales collected from theatre staff and contractors over the years. Tours run up to every 20 minutes and are approximately 60 minutes long. Not recommended for children under the age of 10.

Costumes & Accessories

Norcostco Atlanta Costume

2089 Monroe Dr. 404.874.7511 norcostco.com Extended hours Oct. 6 – Nov. 2

Atlanta’s theatrical superstore for more than 40 years rents and sells: Costumes,

Little 5 Points 428 Moreland (Near Vortex) 404.523.0100 FB psychosistersatlanta

Psycho Sisters in Famous Little 5 Points, Atlanta is Far Out! If you love timeless fashion, Psycho Sisters offers you the best of every era vintage, mixed in with more desirable current funky trends. Let Psycho Sisters super friendly sales team help you create an outrageous Halloween costume, the perfect outfit for any party or special occasion, or simply mix and match our pieces to originally express yourself. If you're a lover of accessories, Psycho Sisters offers a dazzling array of masquerade and specialty masks, steam punk items, sunglasses at $10, top hats & tutus, cowboy and combat boots, hosiery, colorful wigs and wings, belly dancer garb, classy costume jewelry and so much more. If you love leather & lace, fur & fringe, sequins & anything sparkly, then Psycho Sisters is your Sugar Daddy for Fashion.

COSTUMES

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2017 YOUR PSYCHO SISTERS TEAM /PSYCHOSISTERSATLANTA 428 MORELAND AVE NE ATLANTA (NEXT TO VORTEX) 404-523-0100 • OPEN 10AM – 10PM(ISH)

insiteatlanta.com • October 2017 • PG 11

MUSIC

MICHAEL MCDONALD KEEPS RUNNIN’

Legendary Vocalist and Multi-Instrumentalist Returns with a Solid New Album

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

O

your name came up.

Yeah David and I wrote a song together that he recorded [on Syktrails] and I also recorded a version of it. It was a big thrill for me, as you can imagine. He’s one of America’s treasures as a songwriter. And as a friend, I just enjoy him so much. He’s a very unique person. He sees things with a kind of intelligence that most of us have to run to catch up with.

NCE A PUNCHLINE FOR hipsters, Michael McDonald is finally receiving some decidedly overdue respect from a broad swath of fellow artists and listeners. His instantly recognizable voice is a part of music’s DNA at this point, from his considerable canon of work with the Doobie Brothers, his solo releases and collaborations with the likely Sunday, October 22 And he’s not afraid to speak (Ray Charles, Steely Dan) to out, to put it mildly.

Symphony Hall the improbable (Thundercat).

(Laughs) No, he’s not.

After forays into Motown and atlantasymphony.org But we need that. It always holiday collections, his new ruffles a lot of feathers to hear album Wide Open is his first the truth, but God willing, there’ll always batch of originals in 17 years. Currently on be somebody willing to tell it. Like now, tour in support of the disc, the soft-spoken there’s so much [going on] that we should Tennessee resident spoke with INsite on a have been past years ago. We certainly recent day off. shouldn’t be passing along racism and all these maladies to the next generation. We all You’re coming back to Symphony Hall, thought we’d be the generation that would after a holiday show there a while back and finally do away with it. But there’s still some then the all-star Last Waltz tour earlier work to be done. this year.

It’s a beautiful venue. I really enjoy playing As a man of faith and an artist, how do there. With the Last Waltz, for some reason, today’s events affect your work? the house stayed lit so we could actually see Well when it comes to faith, I don’t speak the audience and it was just a beautiful place for anyone else. My relationship with the to look out on.

God of my understanding doesn’t have anything to do with anyone else. So much of Last time I was backstage at Symphony religion is man trying to create God in his Hall, I was talking with David Crosby and own image so they can control other men.

MICHAEL McDONALD

PG 12 • October 2017 • insiteatlanta.com

I think we need to move away from that and find God inside of us. When I start to get all churned up and angry, I’ve learned that I’m the problem. Basically, I have to walk the walk - and we do have to stand up sometimes.

What a time to be releasing a new record.

It’s definitely an interesting time, especially for the record business. Who even knows what the record business is anymore? We put these things out there in hopes of something but I figure if it just boosts ticket sales a little bit for the live performances, I’ll be happy.

It’s a very Nashville record, but it’s certainly isn’t country.

I know what you mean, the core players on it are all Nashville guys. But that’s a good city for that because there’s such a great pool of talent, especially guitar players. You can’t find a bad guitar player in Nashville. It’s be like finding a bad restaurant in Chicago.

The song “Hail Mary” from the new album is a great statement of being and redemption. What was on your mind when you did that one?

Well that’s pretty much it, what you just said. I do this a lot - maybe to a fault - I’ll take a personal feeling, maybe more of a singular personal feeling, and put it into the context of a male-female relationship. That’s just for the purpose of having a motif for the

lyric. On a personal level, it’s kind of about the thing we all experience at my age. You hear so many people go, ‘You know I still feel like I’m 15 in my head.’

Right, but sometimes the body doesn’t cooperate.

Yeah, I think it’s something we wrestle with as we get older. You might think, ‘When I’m 65 I’ll just sit on the porch and stare at the lawn.’ But that’s not really what happens to us. Look at some many of the bands that are touring now, some of the guys are in their ‘70s and they’re just hittin’ their zenith, you know? I find that inspiring. For the baby boomer generation, I don’t think we feel that we’re supposed to go hang it up somewhere.

For some reason, we feel that we need to keep trying to make a difference or keep shooting for a goal.

HALLOWEEN

SCARE NUMBER ONE!

Netherworld Sweeps Away the Competition as it Entertains Fright Fans of All Ages

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

A

S IT CELEBRATES ITS 20TH AND final year in its current location, Netherworld continues to be one of the leading haunted houses in the country. Known for utilizing original and often elaborate creatures and themes while steering clear of tired old slasher movie scenarios, its often ranked the number one haunted house in the nation.

The dark-themed, walk-through event is conveniently located in a shambling, multi-level warehouse space, just a bit north of Spaghetti Junction in Norcross. Next year it moves a few miles down the road to Stone Mountain and is currently teasing the new location with a Netherworld-branded Escape Room attraction.

INsite spoke with co-founder Billy Messina, as he prepared the current location’s final season.

What’s new this year?

The big thing this year is we’re bringing 3-D back. People love it and it’s a really cool sort of retro way to say goodbye to this current location as we look back on all the years we’ve been here.

We did it a long time ago so it’s a fun thing to look back on. We’ve made these great Netherworld 3-D glasses for the occasion. We’ve opened up the escape games from last year, too. Now people can check out the new location as they enjoy three fully-functioning escape games. And we’ll have clowns this year. You know people always love and love to hate - clowns.

The great thing about Netherworld is never relies on standard horror-film themes. It’s popular now, but it must have been a big risk in 1997.

When we started, most haunted houses relied heavily on the fake Freddy Kruegers and Jasons, but we’ve always wanted to be original. My partner Ben Armstrong and I wanted to do things differently and we’ve relied on popular culture to an extent while we added deeper elements of history, folklore and even Lovecraft-type scenes into the story.

Since you help create the original storylines, does it force you to raise the scare-bar each year?

It’s extremely important to us that we create something totally new every year. We do try to top ourselves but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to do. And just space-wise, we’ve expanded so much.

Year two of Netherworld was the space where the gift shop and cue-line are now. A few years ago, we introduced lasers and people went bananas for

that. We love the big stuff - with people hanging from bungees and flying over the audience and trees coming to life or whatever. We have a staff of around 300 very talented people, so it’s a pretty elaborate operation.

For the uninitiated, please describe the current layout. This year the upstairs and downstairs sections are called “Primal Scream” and “Mr. Grindel’s Funhouse of Horrors (In 3-D).” What can we expect to see?

Since it’s our last year we decided to break out the 3-D again for the Funhouse. It’s a very clown-centric show, filled with some pretty thrilling surprises. Upstrairs, Primal Scream is, in short, what happens when Mother Nature gets angry. We’ve got parasitic fungi, tree monsters and animal beasts. It’s the Earth trying to crush humanity sort of thing. It’s really neat to do because it gives us the opportunity to create a whole new line of monsters.

Are people desensitized to the shock factor these days?

Somewhat, but I’ve found that people still like to be scared. Our mantra has always been to scare and to entertain, because if you say you’re only planning to scare people, that’s just a blanket statement. Ultimately our goal is to entertain and we’re going all-out to make this the best season yet. When you go into a haunted house, you’re getting a real-life thrill. You’re walking into a real, live horror movie. There’s a lot of scary stuff.

Here, you’ll walk by a forest of trees and then one reaches out to grab you. That’s pretty scary! It never ceases to amaze us when we see people go running and screaming across the parking lot as they come out of the show.

Netherworld opens at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, 7 pm weekdays through October and at 7:30 p.m. Nov 3 -5. Visit www.fearworld.com and www.escapenetherworld.com for tickets and more information.

The Only Thing We Over Look is the Park!

LITTLE 5 POINTS

428 Moreland Ave. NE 404-523-0100 Open 10am–10pm

THE BEST OF EVERY ERA 1920s–NOW

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When It rains We Pour $1 Drafts! • parktavern.com

CLOTHING • ACCESSORIES

/PSYCHOSISTERSATLANTA insiteatlanta.com • October 2017 • PG 13

MUSIC

“HERMAN IS PETER NOONE IS HERMAN” British Invasion Song and Dance Man Looks Back on an Incredible Career …THE SONGS ONLY MAKE SENSE IF YOU CAN LIVE IN THAT MOMENT. AND THAT MOMENT ISN’T NOW.

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

O

F THE TOP BANDS FROM THE British Invasion, perhaps none are more symbolic of the highenergy vaudeville-style entertainment of the movement than Herman’s Hermits. After forming in Manchester in 1964 with then 15-year-old frontman Peter Noone on vocals and occasional guitar, the band enjoyed a string of worldwide hits before going their separate ways in 1971. Their sunny, instantly recognizable pop sound harkens back to the carefree “cabaret” days of the gritty British dance halls.

Post-Herman, Noone enjoyed a wildly varied career that included solo recordings, a successful Broadway play, television roles and even a brief foray into the skinny-tie world of New Wave.

Today he leads a new generation of Hermits who’ve now been together for longer than the original line-up but the sound and act harken to the fresh-faced innocence of the early ‘60s.

INsite caught up with Noone at his home in Santa Barbara.

Your daughter Natalie Noone played Eddies Attic a few months ago.

She’s in London right now. She’s just made a record and she’s over there tryin’ to make a deal with all her lawyers, publicists and all that stuff. It’s not the business as I knew it anymore. You got in a van and you made enough money to pay for petrol to put in the van to be able to go play music. Eventually you got enough fans that some label said, “Well let’s let them make a record.” If you were lucky, you made a record that people

PG 14 • October 2017 • insiteatlanta.com

heard. If you had a hit, then they asked if maybe you had another one in you. Then when you had two, they said, “Let’s make an LP!” Then you recorded your repertoire. Now it’s far more complicated.

In the ‘60s “social media” was actual faceto-face communication.

When we was comin’ up, we didn’t play too many bars because we were too young. So we played for groups of young people. They weren’t drinkin’ and they weren’t noisy, they were fans of music. The event was for music, but now you’ve got to fight over people’s conversations. Like in the folkie clubs, there’d be somebody with a guitar but the beat bands were entertainers, weren’t they? We used to do lunchtime sessions at the Plaza in Manchester and girls would go with their sandwiches and dance with each other. Maybe a few boys would dare to talk to them.

Dance halls were also a big deal.

My parents would take us and they’d dance.

People danced. Now it’s been replaced by joggin’ or something but back then it was dancin’ and they’d have a big band with a girl singer. There must have been a dozen people on the stage. Then The Beatles came along.

They could do all of that, and Paul could even sing like a girl and play the bass at the same time. You could get it all in one little band!

And they had to be entertaining because the big bands were entertainers. They were high energy and enthusiastic. Now you have to get a hit single someway and play loads of gigs where people go, “Who is that?” And then stand there and be judged. Bein’ a solo act

isn’t easy. The beauty of bein’ in a band with lads is you’re a team. You could fight for each other like Marines.

But bands also break up.

Yeah when Herman’s Hermits broke up, we thought we’d all just sort of do our own projects. Everybody had been in that band since they were little boys and everybody wanted to do something different. I wanted to be on Broadway.

But you managed to do something that very few of your British Invasion peers were able to do, by participating in two very distinct musical movements. Did you like New Wave?

It’s what Herman’s Hermits would have become, I think. If we’d been 23 then. See, when we broke up in 1971, we were about the same age as the Stones when they first met each other. We were a boy band and we didn’t even know it!

You mentioned 1971. You guys were working in the shadow of psychedelia, Woodstock and Was that an early goal for you?

Vietnam. Music was changing so quickly. Did During the time Herman’s Hermits were that impact the pop nature of the band? really hot in America, people would offer me What we’d become was a show. Like a Broadway shows, but my manager would, Broadway show, but it was pop Top-40 records. on occasion, not even tell me about the We were too young to be an oldies act, so we offer. Because if I was working then the band became a cabaret act. I was the person at the couldn’t work. We were getting 25-grand or something a night so it was ridiculous for me front who tells the stories or a written joke. It was good for me personally but it was tough on to even think about it. I thought they were offering the role to me because I was Herman the band. There just wasn’t a place where we’d really be comfortable. Some of the guys wanted of Herman’s Hermits. I didn’t realize you had to get heavier but I thought that was kind of to have talent to be on Broadway. It took me ludicrous. We brought John Paul Jones (Led ten years to finally get Pirates of Penzance. It Zeppelin) in for one tour, and the other Hermits took me ten years to even get good enough didn’t like that idea. So we became song and to audition for it. Then when you do get the dance men. part, you’re surrounded by people who work at it every day. They Do you consider take the tap lessons the onstage, cheery and all that. It’s like, Herman persona to be a shit, these people work STARRING character? harder than rock and Well I didn’t use to, but roll people! We’d just people that don’t know rehearse the same song Thursday, October 19 me have suggested that. every day, but they City Winery You see, I know that had like five gigs going citywinery.com/atlanta Herman is Peter Noone every day. I was always is Herman, I know that. enthusiastic about But perhaps when I’m working but I realized it wasn’t all about natural ability. But eventually onstage, there’s some sort of unconscious, I did over a thousand performances of Pirates. Stanislavski-type method that has created this person that I can become. I used to think, ‘How can I possibly sing “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A In the meantime, you made a really good Lovely Daughter” if I don’t believe it?’ I have to new wave record with The Tremblers get inside the songs and believe them. in 1980.

Yeah we were about to do the second one, Even after all this time? which would have been the good one, but Yeah because it’s easy for me to be 17 again. I Pirates of Penzance came along. I signed on can go there in my head. I have to because the for six months and I was gone for three years with it! So by the time I could get back to it, it songs only make sense if you can live in that was a sort of conglomerate with Nigel Olsson moment. And that moment isn’t now. When you hear your record on the radio in its entirety, on drums from the Elton John band and all it’s like seeing your painting in a gallery. I that. So they were busy and everyone drifted can remember exactly who was there and on to the next dollar. It could have developed where it was and how I felt. So I go and find into something else, but we didn’t give it long enough. that moment.

HERMAN’S HERMITS PETER NOONE

MUSIC

CRACKER TO CROCKFEST Almost an Athens band, ‘90s Alternative Faves are Still Crankin’

ATLANTA’S FIRST URBAN WINERY, INTIMATE MUSIC VENUE, RESTAURANT & PRIVATE EVENT SPACE 650 NORTH AVENUE NE, SUITE 201, ATLANTA, GA 30308 PONCE CITY MARKET | CITYWINERY.COM/ATLANTA | 404.WINERY1

UPCOMING SHOWS

OCT 1

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

T

HE LINE-UP FOR THIS YEAR’S Crockfest blends elements of classic rock, country and alternative. The variety pack mix of ZZ Top and Toby Keith pretty much echoes the ingredients of every Cracker album from the past quarter century. Yep, they’re on the bill, balancing a cool ‘90s alternative aesthetic with the modern country of mindset of Midland.

Blasting on the scene as grunge was captivating the nations collective consciousness, the rock/ punk/Americana/soul blend of Cracker has outlasted nearly every one of its peers. Anchored by singer-songwriters David Lowery and Johnny Hickman, the ever-evolving group is now comprised of a tight backline core of Athensbased players.

Currently touring in support of 2014’s Berkeley to Bakersfield, the band’s actual setlist is anyone’s guess until (and most likely during) showtime, with their only constant being genre-spanning rock and roll.

INsite spoke with co-founder Johnny Hickman from his studio in Colorado.

Congratulations on Cracker’s quarter-centuryplus anniversary.

Every day I wake up and pinch myself. David and I really started the band in in ’91 or ’92, just hangin’ out and writing songs for what would soon become Cracker. At the time it was just us in a beat-up little house in Richmond. We’d decided to move there from California because it was just a cheap place to live and we were broke.

oct 9-10

Incognito Early & Late Shows

Songhoy Blues

oct 11

VICTORY SPOT BRUNCH

OCT 1

THE WEIGHT BAND

OCT 2

JOHN POPPER

OCT 3

TOMMY FLEMING

OCT 4

COMEDY & COCKTAILS IN THE DEN

OCT 4

ELEPHANT REVIVAL

OCT 6

AN EVENING W/ ANNE STEELE & MATT ALBER

OCT 7

JOHN OATES

OCT 8

AMBROSIA

OCT 12 JERRY DOUGLAS OCT 13 KEN & DREW OF SISTER HAZEL OCT 14 CRAIG FINN & THE UPTOWN CONTROLLERS OCT 14 WUSSY MAG PRESENTS PEEP-SHOW (LATE SHOW) OCT 15 10,000 MANIACS (EARLY & LATE SHOWS) OCT 16 BUMPIN’ THE MANGO OCT 18 THE ALTERNATE ROUTES W/ NICK FRADIANI

What was the basic early plan for Cracker?

Well number one we realized that bands always break up at band meetings. So let’s never have a band meeting. Let’s just do it the Mick and Keith way. Lots of bands have tried it, like Steely Dan for example. Every so often, they’ll bring certain musicians back into the fold. It’s actually been very good for David and I to have had the opportunity to have worked, recorded and toured with some of the best musicians in the business.

But the thread is the signature sound.

Yeah, some way it always ends up sounding like Cracker. David’s a very distinctive singer and songwriter and together we have a certain style.

It always sounds like us but it’s great to have had people like David Lovering from The Pixies or Jim Keltner, one of the best drummers in the entire world, play with us. We’ve had incredible live line-ups over the years. Most of the people we like to work with are in other bands and do other things as well.

OCT 19 HERMAN’S HERMITS STARRING PETER NOONE (EARLY & LATE SHOWS)

oct 24

Max Weinberg’s Jukebox

OCT 20-21 BODEANS OCT 22 JIMMIE DALE GILMORE & DAVE ALVIN OCT 23 LYNETTE SKYNYRD OCT 25 HOWIE DAY OCT 26 ELLIE HOLCOMB W/ CARLY BURRUSS OCT 28 SAM BUSH W/ DANNY BURNS BAND OCT 29 CASEY JAMES

Average oct 27 White Band Early & Late Shows

OCT 31 CLUBESQUE

NOW OPEN FOR LUNCH! 11am-3pm | mon-sat

In 25-something years, you’ve weathered a lot of changes in the music industry.

Yeah but I try to stay positive with it. As you are surely aware, David is a real advocate for making sure we all get paid the way we’re supposed The most recent record, Berkeley to to and figuring out ways to keep October 7 Bakersfield, managed to look back the big corporations to not exploit Verizon Wireless and forward. us or use our music without Ampitheater Yeah for the Berkeley disc, we got permission. We’ve really managed vzamp.com the Kerosene Hat guys back together. to keep going for over a quarter That was our breakthrough [in 1993]. century now with help from our fantastic fanbase. We’ve recently noticed a whole That’s the one that sealed the deal as far as influx of young fans that were just babies when legacy and commercial radio appeal. the first record came out, or maybe they weren’t Yeah, that was like this most recent one, too. even around yet.

We just had ideas for a rock record and we had ideas to write a more roots, Americana-flavored That’s a giant milestone. one. That’s what we throw into the stew on every I think that’s a wonderful turning point for a record. We never edit our influences - it all just band, to be able to stick around long enough and comes naturally to us. That’s why David and I stay active long enough to get there. We haven’t became friends to begin with. We’d been to see stopped much and we’ve been lucky to work each other’s bands. There was this little bit of a with so many great musicians and such a great mutual admiration thing going and a curiosity to resource of musicians. see how it would fit together. Even in the punk and new wave days, we were the guys who also Since you’ve had so many great players in the loved Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash. band, does that change your original vision or intent?

Yet commercial alternative radio readily In our case, really by design when we started embraced you. working together, we’d both been in bands and And you know what? We were just as surprised signed to labels. We’d been through the machine by that as anyone else! We just played what was a little bit already and we’d been friends for in our bloodstream but this was the time of about ten years before we started working on grunge. For the most part, I think we were sort songs together. We came to the conclusion that of an oddity. I remember doing shows where democracies don’t really exist in most bands. It’s we’d do “Teen Angst” and all our rockers, then kind of a myth, that “all-for-one-and-one-for-all” we’d pull out some of our more country stuff like stuff, you know? It’s usually one or two people at “Lonesome Johnny Blues” or “Mr. Wrong.” At the very core of it, if you really look at it. In our some shows, we’d get some pretty confused looks case, we call ourselves the founding fathers of from the audience. But that was always a plus for Cracker. We talked about it really early on, before us. When everybody was trying to sound like a there was a band.

Seattle band, we just couldn’t give a damn.

CRACKER

insiteatlanta.com • October 2017 • PG 15

MUSIC

MAX WEINBERG BY REQUEST

Hall of Fame Drummer’s New Project Lets the Audience Call the Shots of Law and Order. I got in quite a groove.

One night Mark Stein, my best friend and manager, called and said, ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘Eating Haagen-Dazs and watching television.’ He said, ‘We’ve gotta get you back on the road.’ He had this idea and I was very intrigued. I said, ‘What you’re describing sounds like a human jukebox.’

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

W

hen he plays with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, drummer Max Weinberg is always on alert for deviations from the setlist. Known as “audibles,” the selections can change the course of the show in an instant, keeping the band and the audience on their toes.

After an exhaustive world The birth of a cool idea. tour in celebration of The Yeah, you know sometimes River, the E Street Band is you’ll go see a band and now scattered across the Tuesday, October 24 maybe they don’t play your country with their own favorite song. Well we City Winery projects as Springsteen satisfy that urge, from a list citywinery.com/atlanta readies his one-man show of about 400 songs. It’s just for a Broadway run. about anything you might In addition to leading want to hear. It’s two hours of literally just a society orchestra and a 23-piece swing calling it out. I don’t know if anyone has quite ensemble, Weinberg is touring the country done it this way before. As a journeyman with his Jukebox, a small powerpop combo musician, my toolbox is just my drumset. and a long list of several hundred song I grew up listening to drummers like Cozy selections. The list is projected on a screen Cole or Sandy Nelson or DJ Fontanta from and the audience calls the tunes.

Elvis’ band. So the songs we are doing are Weinberg, who also served as Conan some of the songs that inspired me to become O’Brien’s Late Night bandleader/comedy foil a drummer when I was a kid. And some for 17 years, spoke about the new band with that made me a better drummer as I was INsite during a late-night conversation. growing up.

MAX WEINBERG

When did the Jukebox concept begin?

At the end of February of this year, we ended The River tour in New Zealand. Once you’re finally done with a tour like that you really just collapse. I came home and basically slept, ate ice cream and watched reruns

Tell us about the live show.

It’s a party, total audience participation.

I go out in the audience and sometimes I’ll interview people about the songs they want to hear and I ask them why they want to hear it.

It’s occurred to me that in this band I’m like

Dave Clark the drummer and Dick Clark the TV host.

It takes a special kind of band to be that spontaneous.

I’m a bit of a geek when it comes to playing it just like the record. People know these songs and they expect to hear them the way they remember them. We’re talking about songs that are 40 or 50 years old or even older so we do our best to recreate them.

These guys are in a power pop band called the Weeklings and they can play just about anything.

Do the requests ever stump you?

One of our first shows was at City Winery in New York. Somebody called out for “I Can See For Miles” by The Who. I’d never played it and The Who didn’t even play it that often but I’ve heard it a million times. I’ve got the kind of musical memory that if I’ve heard a song a couple of times, I can play it. I remember the fills, I remember the feel. It’s a crazy memory thing. So we played “I Can See For Miles” and it brought the house down! I was channeling Keith Moon.

You’re playing much smaller venues with this tour. Do you enjoy the bar stages?

I do and I think the audiences enjoy seeing us play up close. It makes for an even greater immediacy to the performances.

In your case, people know your musical

history and they also have a direct connection to you via the familiarity of television.

Yeah, 17 years with Conan. Both in New York and L.A. Someone figured out that I was gone for about 6 of those years on tour with Bruce. But NBC and GE, who owned NBC at the time, were very much in favor of the touring. It was a great way to meet a lot of the company’s clients all over the place.

Conan’s Late Night preceded Jimmy Fallon with well-thought out bits that would have gone viral in today’s world.

You know a lot of that early stuff shows up on You Tube. Sometimes I’ll see a little of it. I still think Conan is one of the funniest, smartest guys. There was no doubt, even from the beginning, that he was going to rise. And he’s doing such great stuff on TBS now.

MUSIC

ALL TOGETHER NOW

Hard Working Americans Release a Unifying New Live Collection

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

S

then - while we were rehearsing in Nashville this week - we wrote a new song and we played it for the first time last night.

That’s a ton of stuff to sort through.

I think it’s the old rule of keep ‘em guessing while trying to stay one step ahead of yourself.

With cats like these and such an amazingly gifted songwriter like Todd Snyder, anything is possible. It’s really a great feeling to be out there playing songs we haven’t even recorded yet.

INCE THE ‘60S, LIVE ALBUMS have served as both filler between studio releases or as a captured moment of greatness. In the case of Hard Working Americans, We’re All In This Together serves as both a solid live documentary and a bridge to an already-completed collection due next year.

The prolific supergroup is led by singersongwriter Todd Snyder and bassist Dave Schools from love Todd’s rap on the album HARD WORKING Iabout Widespread Panic - with able the folksinger trying to support from Neal Casal, Duane AMERICANS find his way.

Trucks, Chad Staehly and Thursday, October 5 Yeah, he’s looking for answers Variety Playhouse Jessee Aycock. All are seasoned and was told it would be blowin’ variety-playhouse.com players who have jammed with in the wind, but the wind isn’t the best of ‘em, while delivering telling him anything. Then this precision-honed variations of a band comes along. So where are we going? That steadily increasingly canon of innovative material. seems like a good place to be because we don’t The record bristles with the combined even know where we are going as a human race, excitement and loose-limbed carnival spirals but we need to remember we really are all in of the best of the Allmans, Grateful Dead and this together.

Widespread Panic. The genial Schools, who continues to till the fertile fields of Athens and Every time I think of you, I think about the laid-back wine country greenery of the west [mutual friend] Vic [Chesnutt, the late singercoast, spoke with INsite from a recent tour stop songwriter from Athens]. in Dallas.

Yeah, it’s been ten years now, right? Our musical family is getting smaller. People are How’s the tour going so far? leaving this plane of existence and leaving some We’ve kind of surprised ourselves. We’re sort really big gaps. We’ve lost family members of stumping this live album right now but we’ve and mentors and people we consider to be our also recorded and mixed a whole new studio spiritual leaders. Even with [legendary producer] record that’ll be out sometime in early 2018.

Johnny Sandlin passing just a couple of days ago; We’ve started playing those songs already and he was a man who taught me how to detect a PG 16 • October 2017 • insiteatlanta.com

groove. But as Jim Morrison said, ‘No one here gets out alive.’

The older we get, the more it happens.

That’s what my mom told me when she was about my age. When a lot of people she’d loved and friends who’d passed in their ‘50s, she said, ‘The longer we live, the more people we have to say goodbye to.’ For me, this year in particular has been about picking up where people who have influenced me have left off.

Duane Trucks and I have been talking a lot about the importance of carrying on. Like with Bruce [Hampton]. If he had ever thought his passing would stop anyone from carrying on and continuing to raise their own bar artistically, he would have been mortified. That’s what we have to do when we cross the 50-yard line. We have to find some young ‘uns and give back.

Can we talk about “Hampton 70” for minute?

[The tragic show in May at the Fox where Col. Bruce Hampton actually died at the end of the performance.]

Well you know I was onstage when it happened. I still don’t know what to say about it. That’s how shamen and kings and great men go out - via a celebration of love and respect, surrounded by people they’ve touched. The shock lasted for weeks before the grieving even really started. And then Gregg [Allman] passed away. I was like, ‘Man, the hits just keep comin.’’

But that seems to be the lesson of the year. Keep truckin’ on, ‘til you can’t truck no more.

The new record is definitely a celebration of the live spirit.

We record everything. It’s a lesson we’ve learned from the Dead and the Allmans and Phish and even Panic. The whole idea of the tour was to make it like a revue with what Todd was calling “invocations,” his intros to the songs. He’s always working on those because they bring the audience together. For this, most of it came from Iron City in Birmingham and we filled it in with a song from Atlanta and one from L.A. But mostly it’s the full live show from Iron City.

That’s the best way to do it.

That’s the whole thing about We’re All In This Together. With all that is going on right now can we get away for a couple of hours and see a show and dance around and have some fun? The message is simple, let’s find out what we have in common, share a groove and have a good time.

COMEDY

TAKE MY WIFE …ON TOUR

Comedy Duo Rhea Butcher & Cameron Esposito on Comedy Bus we both hung out there together. We did do one comedy show [at the Highland Inn] while we were there.

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

T

OURING CAN EITHER MAKE or break a band, so the fact that seasoned comedy duo/civil rights activists Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher are crossing the country like rock stars in a bus should be the stuff of comedic gold.

They originally met in the tough Chicago comedy/improv scene and bonded during road gigs. Thus, their Back to Back tour, which arrives this month at the Variety Playhouse, is a milestone in the married couple’s life. Not only is it their first time in a bus, it’s their biggest tour yet.

The pair, who also share a TV show (NBC Seeso’s Take My Wife) and a podcast (Put Your Hands Together), will each perform separate sets and then join together for stories and improvised riffs in the second half. They talked with INsite by phone from their home in California.

It’s great the tour will be coming to Atlanta.

Have you played here before?

Rhea: We were there for Garry Marshall’s last movie “Mother’s Day.” Cameron was in it and

Dual acts are still pretty rare in comedy.

Cameron: Yeah. There are acts like the Lucas Brothers or the Sklar Brothers, but it’s hard.

That’s why they’re rare. I’m amazed that we can do it but I love that Rhea makes me laugh on stage. I think it’s actually cool for an audience to see a couple’s affection for each other as they are joking about whatever other nonsense we’re talking about.

It’s a great time for live comedy on the road solo, duo or group.

Rhea: Oh absolutely, it’s like the whatever period comes after the golden age time right now. For us, this is our first time taking a bus and we’re pretty excited about that! It’s the whole thing. It’s been a little while since we’ve been on the road so we’re looking forward to hitting this many cities and seeing some people.

Since you’re both on Kill Rock Stars, it’s definitely a punk tour.

Rhea: Absolutely. They have a great stable of comedians on that label and it’s a very punk rock family business that we have going, so it really works together.

Touring can bring out the best and the worst in people.

Cameron: I think anybody who works with their spouse or has a family business can relate

COMPLETE FILM WITH SCORE PLAYED LIVE BY THE ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

to how stressful it can be. And what if your family business is also travelling on a bus! Being onstage by yourself can be lonely. So it’s really great to have a partner who wants to hop on the bus with you.

On Take My Wife you offer a bit of altered reality with a message.

Cameron: Yeah it’s definitely based on us and the themes and the moments ring true but they aren’t 100 percent autobiographical. But when you’re in an under-represented group, both as queer people and as women, you have to make a choice. Are you going to step out and be a voice for an under-represented community or not? And I feel like we made that choice a long time ago.

Is it hard to joke during times like these? Or is this the best time for it?

Cameron: It’s a scary time for a lot of people.

For me and a lot of people we know it’s a lot to try and joke through because every day feels like ten years’ worth of disasters.

Best Latin Music Best Latin Dancing

But there’s redemption ahead.

Cameron: Yeah. The LGBT community is experiencing the fastest progressing civil rights movement in the history of our country. That’s part of the reason why the blowback is so specific and so big right now. It’s people that are afraid, trying to slow the wheels of a train that has already gone. It’s left the station.

Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher perform at the Variety Playhouse October 3.

IN CONCERT LIVE TO FILM CONDUCTOR: NATHAN ASPINALL with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performing the underscore MUSIC, LYRICS & SCORE

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insiteatlanta.com • October 2017 • PG 17

TV

MOVIES

Movie Reviews

BY STEVE WARREN

KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE (R)

 When the people on screen are having more fun than you are, you know you’re watching a bad movie. Actually, Julianne Moore is the only one who seems to be enjoying herself in this Kingsman sequel – but she must have looked at her paycheck before every scene to look so happy. She plays Poppy, who runs “a global monopoly on the drug trade” from her theme park/hideout in Cambodia. She has all members of Kingsman, the independent intelligence agency operating out of a Saville Row haberdashery, killed; but two escape: Eggsy (Taron Egerton), the young man who was recruited and Eliza Doolittled in the first film, and his boss, Merlin (Mark Strong).

Later they discover a third musketeer, Harry (Colin Firth), who we thought was dead but only lost one eye and his memory. The remains of Kingsman team up with their American counterpart, Statesman, which operates out of a Kentucky distillery. That allows much of the film’s humor to come from trading in Southern stereotypes, circa Beverly Hillbillies. Poppy’s master plan is to infect all her customers worldwide with a slow-acting virus, and announce she’ll release the antidote if the U.S. will legalize all drugs and grant her amnesty. (This would force her to lower her prices and pay taxes, so what’s her point?) The President (Bruce Greenwood) sees it as a chance to win the War on Drugs by killing off all addicts. The trailer suggests nonstop action, but there are plenty of stops and the action itself is often disappointing. Oh, and Elton John plays himself. When Monty Python was silly it was still more intelligent than most serious drama, but this movie makes Michael Bay’s worst look like a Harvard graduate thesis film.

MARK FELT: THE MAN WHO BROUGHT DOWN THE WHITE HOUSE (PG-13)

1/2 Remember the last time the Washington swamp was drained? That story was told better in All the President’s Men, but here it is for a new generation from a new perspective. Mark Felt (Liam Neeson) is a 30-year man with the FBI in 1972 when the Watergate break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters occurs.

As Deputy Associate Director Felt thinks he’ll move to the top spot when J. Edgar Hoover dies; but one of the President’s Men, an outsider, gets the job instead. It quickly becomes obvious that the people caught at Watergate had close ties to Nixon,

his inner circle and the Committee to REElect the President (CREEP); so the White House tries to stop the investigation, despite the FBI’s supposed independence. Felt, a Democrat, is so bitter about everything and so hostile toward everyone, he should be the prime suspect when someone starts leaking classified information to Time magazine and the Washington Post, which dubs him “Deep Throat.” While all this is going on, Felt and Audrey (Diane Lane), “the perfect little FBI wife,” are searching for their hippie daughter who’s been missing for a year. Although Felt is portrayed as a hero, he’s so unpleasant most of the time that it’s hard to root for him. It’s like current politics, where you root against the other side instead; but that’s not the best way to make a movie. Lane has only a few scenes and tries too hard to make the most of them. If this amazing story is new to you you’ll be lost amid the plethora of characters, many of whom seem interchangeable; but if you keep your eye on Felt and Nixon (playing himself in archival footage), you’ll get the gist.

MANOLO: THE BOY WHO MADE SHOES FOR LIZARDS (NR)

 “Manolo: The Man without whom the Women of Sex and the City Would Have Gone Barefoot” would have been a more commercial title for this odd portrait of shoe designer Manolo Blahnik. Being fashionchallenged myself, I hoped this would be that rare documentary that would arouse my interest in a topic I cared nothing about. It didn’t achieve that goal but it often kept me interested in the film itself. Director Michael Roberts shamelessly travels to more countries than a Bond movie, employs clever animation behind opening and closing credits, and features reenactments not only of moments from Manolo’s life but also a scene from one of his favorite movies, Blonde Venus, with the drums beaten with shoes instead of sticks. A number of celebrities – friends, customers or both - sing Manolo’s praises, from Rihanna to Anna Wintour (“The Devil Wears Manolo” – there’s another title!). I’m not a fan but I can’t afford his shoes anyway so it doesn’t matter what I think. While he comes across as a flamboyant gay stereotype, no one seems to know of his ever having had sex with anyone. He’s apolitical, hates crowds and says he wants to be alone when he’s at home. Roberts, a fashion journalist making his first film, seems to know Manolo as well as anyone; and by the end of his film you will too.

See the rest of our movie reviews at insiteatlanta.com/movies.asp

PLOTS ASK TO JUST GO WITH IT

BY BENJAMIN CARR THE GOOD PLACE (NBC)

PG 18 • October 2017 • insiteatlanta.com

The Good Place

On the surface, this returning program seems just as bright and delightful as it was last year.

But looks can be deceiving. As we learned in the first season finale, the show is and has always been set in Hell. Ted Danson’s character Michael, once thought to be an angel, was revealed as a demon from Hell intent to torture our heroes in new and inventive ways. Kristen Bell’s character Eleanor - a bad, bad seed who still has the audience’s rooting interest - has become savvy to the afterlife where she is trapped, but she is still powerless against the Devil and his machinations. In spite of the new season’s crazy premise the show is entertaining feels fresh.

GHOSTED (Fox)

A show about a secret government organization investigating paranormal phenomena has returned to the airwaves on Fox. But Ghosted doesn’t bring us a new Mulder and Scully. It brings us Leroy and Max, played by gifted comedians Craig Robinson (The Office) and Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation). The show is silly but solid. Max is a bookstore clerk and former scientist, his life destroyed after the possible UFO abduction of his wife. Leroy is a mall security officer, formerly a missing persons detective with the LAPD. A secret agent with an organization called The Underground names them in a video before he is abducted by aliens, so they are recruited to find him. Suddenly both are on the run from headless monsters, zapped by lasers from spaceships and pulled into the mystery surrounding Max’s wife. It is all very zany.

STAR TREK: Discovery (CBS)

Now that the CBS All Access show has premiered, the veil of secrecy surrounding its premise has been revealed. It is the story of First Officer Michael Burnham, in the years before Kirk and Spock, nearly instigated an intergalactic war with the original Star Trek monsters, the Klingons. Sonequa MartinGreen stars as the impulsive, Vulcan-raised human Michael. And the character and actress are fascinating. The deep dive into a darker, more violent and less hopeful Star Trek may turn off some fans. But, for others, it may just be a relief to see these worlds again.

HOME THEATER

NEW RELEASES THE LATEST DVD, BLU RAY & VOD RELEASES

By John Moore

ALICE COOPER – WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE SPECIAL EDITION

(Eagle Vision/Alive) This Alice Cooper DVD set - including the 1976 “Welcome To My Nightmare” concert film as well as a TV special (“Alice Cooper: The Nightmare”) from the year before - manages to do the seemingly impossible, being both nostalgically dated and simultaneously timeless. The onstage effects, the costumes, the use of freakishly large puppets in both Alice Cooper’s live show and the ABC TV special reek of the 1970s, but the music, even four decades later, is still as emotionally and impactfully relevant. Even if you’re not a longtime Alice Cooper fan, the sheer fascination of this live set and the TV special should be enough to pull anyone in.

JANE’S ADDICTION – ALIVE AT TWENTY-FIVE (Cleopatra/MVD Visual)

KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE

Station Control

A lot has happened in the 25 years since Jane’s Addiction last released their fantastic, one-time swan song Ritual De Lo Habitual: The band split up and got back together

several times; Front man Perry Farrell invented the modern-day touring rock festival with and guitarist Dave Navarro managed to join and quit a slew of different bands. To celebrate the album’s silver anniversary, the group toured the globe in 2015 and 2016 to play the album in its entirety. Their show at Irvine Meadows Amphitheater in Irvine, CA is captured brilliantly here in the concert film (on Blu Ray, DVD and CD). The set features all the groundbreaking album tracks in their original order, plus a handful of other fan favorites. Twenty-five years later, Jane’s Addiction shows they are still relevant.

HYPE! [COLLECTOR’S EDITION]

(Shout! Factory) In 1996, as grunge was finally starting to fade from popular culture, filmmaker Doug Pray put out the seminal documentary about the genre and the Seattle music scene that created it. In the two decades that have passed since its initial release, Hype!, has gone on to become the chief reference point for just about any book or article about the scene. Shout! Factory is finally giving the documentary its first ever Blu-Ray release with this collector’s edition that includes all new commentary from the director, several interviews and performances that never made the original. It also includes the Peter Bagge animated short “Hate.” Fly the flannel and lace up the docs for another viewing.

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