INsite Atlanta September 2014 Issue

SEPTEMBER 2014

INSITEATLANTA.COM

VOL. 23, NO. 2 FREE

Fall TV Lineup Future of HBO NFL Preview

FalL

v i a t s l e S F Great Atlanta Beer Fest Taste of Kennesaw National Black Arts Festival Taste of Smyrna • North Georgia State Fair Candler Park Fall Fest • East Atlanta Strut Fall FolkLife • Avondale Autumnfest Atlanta Greek Festival •Atlanta Pride Decatur Craft Beer • Taste Of Atlanta Georgia Craft Beer • Atlanta Lobster Festival

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PG 2 • September 2014 • insiteatlanta.com

CONTENTS • SEPTEMBER 2014 • VOLUME 23, NO. 2 Atlanta’s

Entertainment Monthly

INTERVIEWS 06 Future of HBO 08 Tom Arnold 14 Bear Grylls 15 Better Call Saul 21 Aerosmith 22 Nathan Maxwell 22 Dinosaur Pile-Up 26 Andrea Martin

08

FEATURES 09 12 16 19 24

Best Burritos Fall TV Preview Fall Festivals Travel to Charlotte NFL Preview

14

ON SALE NOW! September 23-28

COLUMNS 04 05 05 07 10 11 20 23 23 25 25 26

Around Town On Tap On A Dime Events Under The Lights Movie Reviews Station Control Album Reviews Road Warriors We Got Next Track Suits Home Releases Favorite Things

FoxTheatre.org/MammaMia 855-285-8499

21

26

www.insiteatlanta.com STAFF LISTING Publisher Stephen Miller steve@insiteatlanta.com Managing Editor Bret Love bret@insiteatlanta.com Art Director / Web Design Nick Tipton nick@insiteatlanta.com Sports Editor DeMarco Williams demarco@insiteatlanta.com Local Events Editor Marci Miller marci@insiteatlanta.com Music Editor Lee Valentine Smith lee@insiteatlanta.com

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Contributing Writers / Interns: Jon Latham, Ryan Loftis, Rodney Hill, Alex S. Morrison, Steve Warren, Dave Cohen, Jennifer Williams, Matt Connor, Ed Morales, Sacha Dzuba, David Weinthal, Benjamin Carr, Kalena Smith, Justin Patterson, John Moore, Amanda Miles, Patrick Flanary, Ian Coverdale CONTACT US 130 West Wieuca Road, Ste. 111 Atlanta, GA 30342 phone (404) 256-4328 • website insiteatlanta.com ADVERTISING INFORMATION (404) 256-4328 • ads@insiteatlanta.com Editorial content of INsite is the opinion of each writer and is not necessarily the opinion of INsite, its staff, or its advertisers. INsite does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial content, nor do the publisher or editors of INsite assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. No content, i.e., articles, graphics, designs and information (any and all) in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from publisher.

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SEPTEMBER 2014

INSITEATLAN TA.COM

VOL. 23, NO. 2 FREE

Fall TV Lineup Future of HBO NFL Preview

FalL

FestivalS

Great Atlanta Beer Fest Taste of Kennesaw National Black Arts Festival Taste of Smyrna • North Georgia State Fair Candler Park Fall Fest • East Atlanta Strut Fall FolkLife • Avondale Autumnf Atlanta Greek Festival •Atlanta est Pride Decatur Craft Beer • Taste Georgia Craft Beer • Atlanta Of Atlanta Lobster Festival

Check out our Fall Festival Guide on page 16! Photo credit for Georgia Tech is Danny Karnik/GT Athletics. insiteatlanta.com • September 2014 • PG 3

Around Town

Atlanta Neighborhood Happenings and Events this Month

THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21

SEPTEMBER 13

Center For Puppetry Arts

Fountains of Olde Towne

Mother Goose

Mother Goose is missing! Help Mary Mary sort out nursery rhymes with Humpty Dumpty, Little Bo Peep, Jack & Jill, and all the other citizens of Rhymeville while looking for clues to Mother Goose’s whereabouts. Filled with music and audience interaction, this show will have you tapping your toes, clapping your hands, and singing with your little ones! Puppet.org

East Cobber Parade & Festival

SEPTEMBER 4 - 7

The parade includes over two thousand participants and more than eighty groups in floats, marching bands, classic cars, and more. The East Cobb Parade is sometimes referred to as the candy parade as nearly all floats toss candy to the crowd. After the parade, you can enjoy live entertainment, arts and crafts, food and drinks, and carnival games in the parking lot of The Fountains of Olde Towne Shopping Center. Visit Marietta.com

Stone Mountain Park

SEPTEMBER 20

Yellow Daisy Festival

Marietta Grassroots Festival

More than 400 artists and crafters from 38 States and two countries display their works for your appreciation and purchase.

Daily live entertainment, Children's Corner activities, and crafter demonstrations throughout the event as well as fabulous festival foods. Yellow Daisy Festival is free with paid parking admission.

Visit StoneMountainPark.com

The Marietta Grassroots Festival is a free music festival in Marietta Square showcasing metro Atlanta’s amazing musical talents. The event coincides with Marietta Street Fest which features 75 exhibitors.

Visit MariettaGrassRoots.org

SEPTEMBER 13 & 14

Sandy Springs Festival

Atlanta Arts Festival Piedmont Park

The Atlanta Arts Festival is a professionally-juried fine arts event that is ranked among the Top 100 Fine Art & Design Shows in the country. Atlanta Arts Festival brings 200 local and nationally recognized artists from an eclectic mix of 12 mediums.

Festival-goers will enjoy artist demonstrations and classes, live music, crafts for the kids and festival cuisine. For more information visit AtlantaArtsFestival.com.

PG 4 • September 2014 • insiteatlanta.com

Historic Marietta Square

SEPTEMBER 20 & 21 Heritage Green

There is something for everyone at the S a n d y Springs Festival. Virtually every kind of art imaginable is represented in the juried Artists Market, the Gas South Children's Park and Teen Territory features huge inflatables, arts & crafts, a petting zoo,

and face painting for all ages. The official start to the Festival is the annual Sandy Springs Lightning 5K/10K, the stages are filled with entertainment and all genres of music, and attendees can nibble on delicious bites throughout the weekend. Visit SandySpringsFestival.com

SEPTEMBER 20 & 21 Roswell Arts Festival Historic Roswell Square

Nestled in the heart of historic downtown Roswell, the 48th annual Roswell Arts Festival features artists, entertainment and children's activities throughout the weekend. Free Event. Visit RoswellArtsFestival.com

SEPTEMBER 24

Experience Hendrix Cobb Energy Centre

The Experience Hendrix tour has been paying homage to the musical genius of Jimi Hendrix for over a decade, bringing together a diverse, all-star aggregation of extraordinary guitarists including multiple Grammy-winning Kennedy Center honoree Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Black Label Society’s Zakk Wylde. Visit CobbEnergyCentre.com

SEPTEMBER 26

Robert Glasper Experiment Ferst Center for the Artrs

American jazz pianist and record producer Robert Glasper won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album in 2013 for "Black Radio," in which he explores fusions of jazz and hip hop. He performs with drummer

Robert Glasper Experiment Ferst Center Sept. 26

Mark Colenburg, saxophonist/vocalist Casey Benjamin and bassist Derrick Hodge as an electronic act that defies genre norms.

Visit FerstCenter.org

SEPTEMBER 27

Kennesaw Craft Beer Fest The Depot Park

Featuring over 100 beers, live music, great food and tons of fun. General admission tickets are $35 in advance, $40 after September 18, and include beer samples and entertainment. Food is not included with ticket. Visit kennesawcraftbeerfest.com

SEPTEMBER 27 & 28 Duluth Fall Festival Downtown Duluth

The Duluth Fall Festival will feature over 250 Artists Booths and provide continuous entertainment during the weekend as more than 20 acts will perform a variety of music and dance. The festival includes a full fledged carnival with ferris wheel, merrygo-round and more. The weekend begins with a parade at 10am on Saturday.

Throughout the weekend, street performers, such as puppeteers and the festival scarecrow mascot will entertain guests.

Visit DuluthFallFestival.org

On Tap this Month MAJOR EVENTS COMING TO ATLANTA September 6: Turner Field

GREAT ATLANTA BEER FEST

Atlanta Beer Festivals will host the 4th Great Atlanta Beer Fest at Turner Field from 3 - 8 pm on Saturday, September 6. is event will feature 150+ beers, ciders, and a small selection of wines. ere will be live music with the Geeks Band, College Football on Big TVs, fun and games on Scout’s Alley and around the event. e Chop House will host Atlanta’s newest Breweries. Visit GreatAtlantaBeerFest.com

September 7: Georgia Dome

ATLANTA FALCONS HOME OPENER

e Atlanta Falcons open the 2014 regular season at home versus their division rival New Orleans Saints. e Falcons and Saints rivalry always makes for a great matchup, regardless of the records. And that was certainly the case last season, when the Saints held off Atlanta on the final play of their home opener. Eight of the last 10 matchups were one-possession games. Visit AtlantaFalcons.com

September 13: Aaron’s Amphitheatre

ONE MUSIC FEST

is year’s One Music Fest features 3 stages, and enlarged main stage, and two huge video monitors. ere will be a pit in front of the main stage for extreme music lovers. Artists appearing this year include: Nas, Kenrick Lamar, Amel Larrieux, Bilal, MethodMan and Redman, Daley and Isaiah Rashad. ere will be twice the amount of food trucks along with an exclusive VIP Lounge. OneMusicFest.com

September 19 & 20: Piedmont Park

MUSIC MIDTOWN

Now in it’s fourth-consecutive year, Music Midtown returns to Piedmont Park. ey are known for combining current stars in music with legendary acts. is year’s stellar line-up includes: Eminem, Jack White, Zac Brown Band, John Mayer, Lana Del Rey, Lorde, Iggy Azalea, Bastille, Run DMC, Gregg Allman and many more. e event is held on three stages over two days. Visit MusicMidtown.com

October 4: Georgia International Horse Park

MILLER LITE CHILI COOK-OFF

e 35th annual Great Miller Lite Chili and BBQ Cook-Off is back at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, GA. e annual event attracts 15,000 attendees every year looking for a day filled with amazing chili, live music, and activities for all ages. Proceeds for the event go to Camp Twin Lakes which provides life-changing experiences for Georgia children. Visit eAtlantaChiliCookOff.com

EVENTS HAPPENING FOR SMALL CHANGE IN ATLANTA

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

By Marci Miller

CONCERTS ON THE SQUARE

September 6, 13, 20, 27 7pm – 9:30pm

BLUE SKY CONCERTS

September 3, 10, 17, 24 Noon –1:00pm Free Downtown Decatur Square decaturdba.org During the month of September, the city of Decatur is offering two free concert series.

Concerts on the Square will take place every Saturday night at the Community Bandstand on the square in downtown Decatur. Concertgoers are encouraged to pack their picnics, bring the quilts and blankets and enjoy an evening of musical entertainment. Blue Sky Concerts offers a break from the daily grind by offering a free concert every Wednesday afternoon.

DRIVE-INVASION

Saturday, September 6, 10am – 1am $25 Adults, Kids 10 and under Free Turner Field Green Lot drive-invasion.com Drive-Invasion has become Atlanta’s premiere annual event celebrating drive-in culture. is event features great food, a classic hot rod car show and the world’s greatest b-movies projected under the stars. ere will also be twelve bands on two stages, artist market, kids zone and food trucks. Bring your own grill and alcohol. Limited to 1500 car spaces.

INMAN PARK RESTAURANT WEEK September 22 – 28, $15, $25 or $35 Inman Park inmanparkrestaurantweek.com

Inman Park’s restaurant week is a great way to sample many of Atlanta’s best restaurants at a discounted price. All of the fourteen participants will offer a three-course tiered menu which will be either $15.00, $25.00 or $35.00. e restaurants that are included are: Barcelona Wine Bar, Folk Art, Fritti, Il Localino, Kevin Rathbun’s Steak, North Highland Pub, Parish, Pure Taqueria, Rathbun’s, Sotto Sotto, e Albert, e Wrecking Bar and Wisteria.

SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE MUSEUM DAY LIVE!

Saturday, September 27, FreeFree Various Museums throughout the City smithsonianmag.com/museumday Enjoy free general admission for you and a guest at hundreds of museums and cultural venues nationwide. Download the Museum Day admission card from the website to receive free admission at participating locations. Venues in the Atlanta area include the High Museum of Art, Museum of Design Atlanta, Center for Puppetry Arts and many more!

SKATERAID

Sunday, September 28, 2-7pm, $10 Adults, $5 Students 109 New Street, One Block West of the Avondale MARTA Station skateraid.net is Skateboarding, Art and Music Festival’s mission is to support families who are dealing with the tragedy of pediatric cancer. e festival will feature skateboarding, scavenger hunt, art, live music, food, music, merchandise and prizes. All funds generated through SkaterAid are donated to the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children's Butterfly Fund, which helps families pay the bills while they are caring for a sick child.

ATLANTA STREETS ALIVE

Sunday, September 28, 2pm – 6pm Free Downtown Atlanta atlantastreetsalive.com Atlanta Streets Alive is an annual event where the streets of downtown are closed to cars and opened to people. Bring your bicycle or just your feet, and get ready to explore your community streets in a safer, healthier, more livable way. e proposed route is a 5 mile loop on N. Highland , Highland, Boulevard and North Avenue. is same route drew over 83,000 Atlantans to run, walk, dance and play in the streets last year. Event also features activities including a bicycle parade.

Atlanta Streets Alive Sunday, Sept. 28 atlantastreetsalive.com

October 4: Georgia Dome

ATLANTA FOOTBALL CLASSIC

Come celebrate the Atlanta Football Classic with tickets starting at just $10 at the Georgia Dome. e Atlanta Football Classic is one of the nation’s largest Black college football games pitting South Carolina State vs. North Carolina A&T. e event is also 100 Black Men of Atlanta’s largest fundraiser for it’s mentoring, academic support and scholarship program. Visit AtlantaFootballClassic.com

RECEIVE UPDATED EVENTS WEEKLY. SIGN UP BY EMAILING SUBSCRIPTIONS@ATLANTAONADIME.COM ENTER ON THE SUBJECT LINE: SIGN ME UP INSITE! insiteatlanta.com • September 2014 • PG 5

TV

THE FUTURE OF HBO

CEO & President of Programming on Game Of Thrones, True Detective & More

BY ALEX S. MORRISON

F

ROM OZ AND THE SOPRANOS TO Six Feet Under and The Wire, HBO has a storied history (and enough Emmy Awards to fill Tony Soprano’s mansion) that proves it’s not just TV. But with venerable shows like True Blood and Boardwalk Empire winding down this year, and Damon Lindelof’s show The Leftovers not quite measuring up to expectations, the pressure is on HBO to unveil a lineup of new shows that will hopefully produce another Game of Thrones-style breakout.

President of Programming Michael Lombardo and Chairman/CEO Richard Plepler recently sat down with media during the HBO portion of the TCA Press Tour to discuss returning shows such as GOT and True Detective. They also spoke about several new shows currently in development, including a series created by American Horror Story’s Ryan Murphy and an update of the classic ‘70s sci-fi western, Westworld.

Do you have any concerns about George R.R. Martin finishing the books before Game of Thrones catches up with him?

MICHAEL LOMBARDO: Obviously, George is an integral part of the creative team on this.

So, with respect to next season, every step and every move is being choreographed, very closely, with him. Certainly, after next year, we will have to figure it out with George, if his

book’s not finished. We’re in conversations with him, but we’re not concerned about it.

RICHARD PLEPLER: And of equal importance, David [Benioff] and Dan [Weiss] are in constant conversation with him. They’re working, as they always have, very closely to model the future. So we’re not losing any sleep over that, at all.

You’ve already picked up Game of Thrones for Seasons 5 and 6, which are going to cover the next book. Is there anything you can conceive of that would prevent HBO from carrying out the entire run of the story?

PLEPLER: No. Our line to George has always been, “You keep writing, and we’ll keep making the show.”

LOMBARDO: We’re committed to it, and Dan and Dave are committed to it. So, as long as David and Dan are in– as they are– we’re happy.

So, just because you haven’t picked the show up beyond Season 6, it’s no indication that there is a possibility of it ending there?

LOMBARDO: No, we’re not talking, at this point, about ending the show in the next two years.

What can you say about the first two scripts for the new season of True Detective?

LOMBARDO: The two scripts that we have are– and I hate to jinx it— even more exciting

than the first season. Nic [Pizzolatto] is an incredibly talented writer, and he’s blown us away with the first two episodes. We’re in conversations now on the cast. I assume at least some announcements will be happening in the next week.

How do you feel Silicon Valley and The Leftovers are going so far?

LOMBARDO: We’re really pleased with both of them. I think Silicon Valley is an unexpected delight and joy. With comedy, it’s tough to find something that’s smart, fresh and funny, and casting is critical. It’s been a really happy experience. The press responded to it and the audience responded to it, and we couldn’t be happier. And The Leftovers is really a terrific show. I think Damon [Lindelof] is one of the most talented writer/showrunners out there.

I think it was a big swing. The first episode is already up around 7 million viewers. It’s a tough show, in the sense that it deals with some painful and challenging human emotions, like pain, despair and sadness. But creatively, the show is really exceptional.

Both True Blood and Boardwalk Empire will conclude their runs this year, leaving you with a vacuum in the drama line-up. What is your strategy for drama going forward from here?

LOMBARDO: The truth is, we respond to quality. The lesson for us, from True Detective, is that sometimes it comes in different forms.

Sometimes it’s more of an anthology series than a more traditional series. Sometimes it’s in a miniseries form. What we’ve definitely learned is, when quality comes, don’t worry about the package that it’s in. You hope your choices and your development leads to a mix of things.

We’re about to pilot a show that you’d call a franchise show, with Westworld. And we have a

number of other projects poised to go forward that are more traditional, grounded dramas.

What we’ve always bet on is variety and quality.

And that’s what we’ll do going forward, as well.

What is the progress of Westworld, and how similar will it be to the film?

LOMBARDO: We hope that we’re going to start shooting this summer. We’re casting right now, and announcements will come out when those deals happen. It’s similar to the film, but only in construct. Obviously, it takes place sometime in the unspecified future, in an amusement park populated by robots. Beyond that, it’s its own thing. The script is one of the more exciting scripts we’ve read in a very, very long time. Tonally, it’s very different. At the same time, it has some of the basic elements that make the idea of it really exciting.

What is the status of the new Ryan Murphy series, Open?

LOMBARDO: Ryan is in New Orleans doing American Horror Story. Our hope is that in the fall, when the actors become available to do some more shooting on the pilot, we can try to figure it out. Our experience with Ryan has been nothing but exciting and productive, so we’d love nothing more than to figure out something with the show. We both agree that there’s some stuff that needs to be done.

Don’t Sweat the

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Under The Lights

EMIERE R P D L R WO

ON STAGE THIS MONTH BULL DURHAM

Sept 3 - Oct 5 Alliance Theatre Box Office (404) 733-5000 AllianceTheatre.org/bulldurham

Bull Durham is a new musical based on the beloved 1988 film. It tells the story of three lives brought together by America’s two favorite pastimes, love and baseball.

Veteran catcher “Crash” Davis has been brought to the Durham Bulls to prepare rookie Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh, a hot rod pitcher with a “million dollar arm and a five cent head,” for the majors. Annie Savoy, self-appointed high priestess and muse of the Bulls, has a hard decision to make every season she transforms one lucky player from an also-ran to an all-star by sharing with them her wisdom, experience, and bed. The love triangle heats up quickly as each character struggles with their own desires and hopes for what the future holds.

SESAME STREET LIVE

Sept 12 - 14 The Fox Theatre (855) 285-8499 FoxTheatre.org The characters from Sesame Street come to life as Elmo, Grover, Abby Cadabby, and their friends welcome Chamki, Grover's

friend from India, in Sesame Street Live.

Together, they explore the universal fun of friendship and celebrate cultural similarities, from singing and dancing, to sharing cookies! Join the fun and make a memory with your friends and family!

MAMA MIA!

Sept 23 - 28 The Fox Theatre (855) 285-8499 FoxTheatre.org/MammaMia

A mother. A daughter. 3 possible dads. And a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget.

The funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise.

On the eve of her wedding, her daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago. The story of Mamma Mia! is propelled by the timeless songs of ABBA in this enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship, and every night everyone’s having the time of their lives!

Based on the motion picture, a pitch perfect blend of comedy, baseball, and steamy romance.

s as Ticket 25 $ low as

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You can help a couple build the family they’ve dreamed of by donating your eggs...and receive $7,000 for doing it! Donation is completely confidential and health screening is provided at no charge. If you are a non-smoking female between the ages of 21 and 31 and are interested in more information about egg donation, please visit our website or e-mail us at

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Durham Bulls Hat and T-Shirt Night Giveaways!

The first 100 fans to show their Bull Durham ticket will receive a complimentary Durham Bulls hat or t-shirt.* Visit alliancetheatre.org/bulldurham for more details.

September 3–October 5 Tickets @ 404.733.5000 alliancetheatre.org/bulldurham Groups 404.733.4690

Book by Ron Shelton Music & Lyrics by Susan Werner Directed by Kip Fagan Based on the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture written and directed by Ron Shelton

*While supplies last, giveaways are not guaranteed. Giveaway will take place 1 hour prior to curtain. Valid for same night ticket only.

With additional support provided by

Presented by

Series on the Alliance Stage

Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs

insiteatlanta.com • September 2014 • PG 7

LOCAL

IT COULD BE WORSE… You Could Be Tom Arnold!

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

A

CCORDING TO HIS WEBSITE, comic/actor/writer/producer Tom Arnold is “The star of more than one hundred movies, and three good ones.” His self-depreciating sense of humor has taken the Iowa-born performer from his early days of prop-comedy with goldfish in the early ‘80s, to roles in some of the highest-grossing films and popular television shows from the past three decades - with well-publicized substance addictions, and a few failed marriages along the way. Best known for his co-starring stint on “Rosanne,” with his then-wife Rosanne Barr, and “True Lies,” with Arnold Schwarzenegger, he stays busy, producing and creating television shows, writing screenplays and books, acting and volunteering for charities – while working a full-slate of standup shows, including a stop at Atlanta’s Improv this month. He recently spoke with INsite from his home in Los Angeles.

Your Neighborhood Pizzeria!

On your most recent television appearance, you were repelling down the side of a mountain with [British explorer] Bear Grylls. But doing stand-up can be just as dangerous at times, too.

It was frightening! But yeah, stand-up is frightening, too. You’re standing on a cliff there. I feel if I’m gonna go out, I’m gonna go all-out. I love it, it makes me get up every day and do stuff. I have to write, and I’m always working on something. Stand-up is the luxury that I have that I’ve always done and I can always do. In the back of my mind, I know that if everything else fails, I can go on the road every week if I have to, to support my family.

You have a responsibility to get out there and try to entertain people.

Who were your earliest comedic influences?

I can remember, many times as a kid, we’d bail hay and that’s a pretty hard job. At the end of the day, we’d set up speakers on a flatbed and listen to Richard Pryor records over and over. It’d be all these white kids out there, just really digging Richard Pryor.

How did you get your start in comedy? Did it start with The Goldfish Review?

When I went to the University of Iowa, real comics would come to our Student Union and I would open for them and they were great.

But a guy named Joel Hodgson stayed at my place for a while.

BEST PIZZA! ER! W INN

&

Multiple Atlanta Locations: www.JohnnysPizza.com PG 8 • September 2014 • insiteatlanta.com

The “Mystery Science Theater” guy?

Yeah! That’s him, he’s a very creative guy.

He used props and funny signs and things.

We were talking and he told me, “You’ve gotta be different.” And I said, “Then that’s what I’ll do; this guy I respect is telling me to be different.” I looked around my room and I had a bowl of goldfish and I said “Well, ok, I’ll be the goldfish guy.” I started taking them on stage and they’d do these tricks and stunts. It was a silly thing, but it got me an audition for Letterman almost immediately. Because it was different. I wasn’t a good enough comedian to do it, but they’d say, “Oh, you’re the goldfish guy!” Eventually I leaned that I had to find my own thing, but I did that for a couple of years.

How did you develop your own style?

In 1983, I moved to Minneapolis and they had a bunch of comedy clubs there. I learned quickly that you’ve got to find your own voice.

I LEARNED QUICKLY THAT YOU’VE GOT TO FIND YOUR OWN VOICE.

Were you involved in the music scene there, as well?

Oh, yeah! I worked at First Avenue, which is where they did “Purple Rain” with Prince.

And I knew the guys from The Replacements and Husker Du and all that, so those were the people I partied with. They liked comedy and I liked music. I think all comic actors want to be musicians or athletes and we realize pretty early on, we can’t be athletes. And musicians tend to be really funny. Their road stories are much funnier than comedians’ stories, because it’s a rough gig. But I also loved George Carlin, and I got to know him and Richard Pryor, too, when I got out here. And Robin Williams.

Do you have a good Robin Williams story for us?

When I worked in the meat packing plant -- I worked there for three years -- and Mork and Mindy was on back then. I would dream these dreams, very real dreams, where we were pals and we worked together. Then I’d wake up and it’d be 5 am and time to go to the meat packing plant! Just looking around that plant, it was so depressing. I had to will myself to stop having these crazy dreams because it was so devastating to wake up from them and see that this is your life.

Years later, I’m making a movie called “Nine Months” with Robin Williams and it’s the same as in my dream! We’re pals and hanging out and making each other laugh. I want my [16-month old] son to have dreams and be realistic, but it’s hard for me to say that when literally, all of my crazy dreams have come true, and probably better.

You’ve been active in TV and film since the late ‘80s. Looking back, what sort of changes have you noticed?

It’s so fragmented now. In 1989, I think, was the first time I was on Rosanne. I remember 47 million people watched it and it was number one. Now, if you get 4 million people watching you have a hit show. I was spoiled a little because we had such great writers and producers and cast. I thought, “So this is how it goes.” And my first real movie was “True Lies” and that was a big hit. And again you think, “Oh, this is how movies go.” But you learn pretty quickly that’s not the case and you just have to keep hammering away at it.

Tom Arnold performs at the Improv, September 18 – 20. Shows at 8 and 10 pm Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit www.theimprovatlanta.com.

Where to go for a Burrito!

Willy’s Mexicana Grill

25 Locations Atlanta / Athens Catering 404.422.7107 willys.com

Willy's Mexicana Grill offers a host of Fresh-Mex menu items made from the freshest ingredients. Each order is custom prepared right in front of the customer. These include Willy's award winning signature California-style burritos. Willy's is vegetarian-friendly offering marinated and grilled tofu and veggie burritos. Beans and rice are cooked daily using no lard or animal products. Also on the menu are a variety of salads, quesadillas, nachos and tacos. Enjoy a margarita and burrito on the patio at Piedmont Park, Howell Mill, Edgewood and now at the newly opened Brookhaven location. Visit Willy's for Trivia on Wed and Thurs at 8pm at Howell Mill and at Kennesaw every Wed at 8pm. Come early as seating is limited. Willy's caters and delivers to a crowd! Taco Bars, Fajita Bars, Nacho Bars, Platters, Breakfast and more are perfect for tailgating, social gatherings or business functions of any size. Are you planning an outdoor event?

Order the Willy's Truck to cook on site and jazz up your event! Call 404.422.7107 or order online. Coming soon: Sandy Springs (early Sept) and Peachtree City (early Dec).

Raging Burrito & Taco

141 Sycamore St. Decatur 404.377.3311 ragingburrito.com

Raging Burrito is a full service restaurant with full bar. Their menu features hearty burritos, tasty tacos, large salads, quesadillas and more. They have many specialty burritos including the fajita, chipotle barbecue, blackened Tilapia and the Cajun Killer. However many customers decide to create their own. For those inclined to customize, choose from a flour, wheat or spinach tortilla and then pick from over 50 fillings ranging from jerk chicken to mushrooms, broccoli, feta cheese, & roasted garlic. On weekdays they offer free chips & dip from 11am to 3pm. Located on Decatur Square find one of the best patio scenes in the city. As the weather cools down, their garden patio heats up and comes alive in the fall. While relaxing on their patio, enjoy one of the 16 Craft Beers that they offer on tap or follow your burrito with a frozen or 1800 Reposado Margarita.

Agave Southwestern Restaurant

242 Boulevard SE 404.588.0006

agaverestaurant.com

Consistently voted Best Southwestern Restaurant, this Cabbagetown eatery is an

Burritos • Tacos • Quesadillas • Empanadas • Beer • Wine • Margaritas

In Beans We Trust!

BEST TACOS IN ATLANTA Check for our Daily Specials!

Atlanta favorite. Agave uses only the freshest ingredients to create chef inspired dishes with a authentic southwestern flare. The menu appeals to a wide cross section of tastes and styles. Their Veggie Burrito comes wrapped in a hot flour tortilla stuffed with mushrooms, spinach, pintos, ancho black beans, sautéed julienne vegetables & hatch green chiles, topped with mild cheddar & roasted tomatillo sauce & served with spanish rice.

Tomatillos

1242 Glenwood Ave. 404.622.9448 tomatillos-atlanta.com

Tomatillos is relatively new to East Atlanta but has already earned a large following. The restaurant is named after the Tomatillo which their signature sauce Salsa Verde is made from. Owners Margaret and Eric Kaiser have brought over many of the time honored traditions from the old Tortillas on Ponce. It’s in their logo “In Beans We Trust” and just like Tortillas, beans reign supreme! Like everything else on the menu, their burritos are made to order and come with rice, pinto beans, cheese & salsa fresca in flour, wheat or spinach tortilla. Customize your burrito using any of their inspiring ingredients including potato green chili, slowcooked brisket, shrimp, steak, tofu and more. They also serve award winning tacos.

Try their catfish and fried chicken tacos or come Tuesday for the Crunchy Taco Special offering three tacos for $5 or three and a margarita for $10. Tomatillos has a full bar, great margaritas and also serves up some of the best wings in East Atlanta.

Chipotle

25 Metro Area Locations Chipotle.com

A simple menu, fresh ingredients, and attention to detail is what has made Chipotle such a success. Their slogan “Food with Integrity” means ingredients that are unprocessed, family farmed, added hormone free and organic. Chipotle was born with the idea that food served fast did not have to be a typical fast food experience. Today Chipotle offers a focused menu of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls (a burrito without the tortilla) and salads made from fresh, high-quality ingredients and prepared using classic cooking methods in a distinctive atmosphere.

Through its Food With Integrity mission, Chipotle makes better food by seeking ingredients that are sustainably grown and naturally raised with respect for the animals, the land, and the farmers who produce it.

raging

Burrito Voted #1 Since 1996!

1242 Glenwood Ave • East Atlanta 404.622.9448 3820-WMG College Ad-Insite-2p.pdf 1 8/27/14 9:17 AM tomatillos-atlanta.com

& taco

ON DECATUR FREE ValidatEdSQUARE! PaRking!

Sunday & Tuesday 11am – 10pm • Wednesday 11am – 11pm

Friday & Saturday 11am – 2am Sunday Brunch 11am – 3pm (Full Menu also Available)

Voted #1 since 1996

Enjoy onE of our 16 craft BEErs on tap or Margaritas on our HugE gardEn patio Decatur, GA •

ragingburrito.com • 404-377-3311

insiteatlanta.com • September 2014 • PG 9

FILM

INTO THE WILD Movie Reviews

Bear Grylls On Celebrities, Survival & Running Wild

BY BRET LOVE

I

CODE BLACK (NR) DEVELOPED MY LIFELONG LOVE

1/2  of the outdoors as a boy. My parents and I’ve worked with medical students forina the dozen grandparents took me backpacking years and have never respected them as much Appalachian mountains and to our rustic cabinas watching thisI documentary. onI did Lakewhile Hartwell, where learned to set It upstarts deceptively, with headlines about the health camp, fish, start a fire (and cook on it), foragecare crisis, expect somethingrespect political. for wildleading berriesyou and,tomost importantly, Well, there’s little that of that, mostly between the beauty and abounty Mother Nature has lines; but this portrait of the Emergency tothe offer.

Departments of theWith old Bear and new L.A. On Running Wild Grylls, theCounty Hospitals (the replacement was built British adventurer does the same thing to meet earthquake standards), “the celebrities. birthplace of with some of the world’s biggest focusesBen on Stiller the people, It’semergency thrilling tomedicine, watch a ”nervous especiallydown student residents,on who choose to rappelling a mountain Scotland’s Isledo this kind of work and do it in one of a handful of Skye, a terrified Tom Arnold conquering hisof hospitals that by treat indigents, evenover if they’re fear of heights traversing a tree a 50- not in life-threatening TheZac old Efron building, foot drop in Oregon,situations. and a boyish with its most critical stoked to legendary see a wildC-Booth beaver infor thethe Catskills.

But cases, was allowed waive a lotinteresting of regulations what makes the showtoeven more is that bindhonest the new one. Now doctors spendstars more the rare, glimpse it offers of these time fillingoverwhelmed out paperwork thanchallenges attendingofto emotionally by the patients,themselves some of whom pushing to thewait limit18inhours some or of more the world’s most beautiful to be seen.

(The title wilderness refers to anareas. overcrowded Grylls–room.) a former in the try British waiting Thereservist young doctors to fight the Special later climbed systemForces to get (SAS) back towho their patients.

Filmmaker Everest and crossed Atlantic and and Ryan McGarry wasthe oneNorth of those students the Northwest Passage in anatinflatable started shooting activity the oldboat– hospital recently us about via cell for the spoke record.toHe sharesthe hisshow personal history, phone fromschool a little track cove off coastcancer from high starthe to south stage four of England. survivor to doctor/filmmaker. It’s as amazing a story as any in the film, which has been picked Where did the for Running Wild come up by CBS for idea a dramatic series pilot. from? I know you did popular episodes –Steve Warren of Man Vs Wild with Will Ferrell and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Has(NR) this concept been A FIVE STAR LIFE germinating in your mind ever since?  Yes. Those Vs Wildinshows [with Here are Man two movies one, one of guest them far stars] have been very successful all around more unusual (and, to my mind, better) the than world.

OnceIfweyou were with that the other. likedone to travel andshow, have ever webeen wanted to revisit this format. knew“secret it tempted to answer one ofWethose was a format worked and, for in me,theit’swork just of shopper” ads,that you’ll be interested really because you getwhose to know Irenefun (Margherita Buy), job people is to visitand and it’sevaluate such a good dynamic.

So it was exciting luxury hotels as a “mystery guest.” She getting all the and safety hoops. goes tothrough places that lookhealth like heaven and searches Not a lot of it is planned, so that was quite for their slightest imperfections – kind of like a what mountain for usmovies. to climbDirector before we I do with andeven co-writer started.

But NBC helped us through that,against and Maria Sole Tognazzi stacks the deck fought a few of those battles.

Irene in her private life. Her job keeps her from having a “normal” life like her sister (Fabrizia You have who a lothas of experience Sacchi), a husband dealing and two with daughters. these harsh climates and wild places. But is Irene’s best friend is a former lover, Andrea it a lot of responsibility to take someone who (Stefano Accorsi), a hot guy with an organic doesn’t have experience in dealing with these food business and a pregnant current girlfriend. conditions?

When and Irene make such perfect Yes, it’shea nightmare!

When I’ma on my couple as friends, it’s cheating not to explain why they own I’ve got nothing to worry about apart broke up 16 years ago and haven’t gotten back together. Likewise the potential for exciting hookups on the road is minimized. That’s necessary to set up the either-or of a cheesy “chick flick” about a woman who can’t “have it all.” With Irene living like James Bond– without the violence– there’s a chance to explore Paris, Berlin, Marrakech, Shanghai, Gstaad and Tuscany. But, like our heroine, we spend most of our time alone in those fabulous hotels.

–Steve Warren

FLAMENCO FLAMENCO (NR)

1/2 You either like flamenco or you don’t– or, as we aficionados say, you either like flamenco or you haven’t seen and heard it performed properly. If anyone can help you make up your mind it’s Carlos Saura, the Spanish octogenarian who has featured it in several films, including a revue (Flamenco) and ballet versions of Carmen and Blood Wedding. Saura is credited as writer and director here, but there are no words other than song lyrics (no PG 10 • September 2014 • insiteatlanta.com

from keeping myself alive. It’s definitely more challenging when you’re taking somebody subtitles– the singers’ emotions get the message THE WILD IS VERY who’s done nothing like must this before.

You’ve got across), so his “writing” have consisted REVEALING. YOU GET TO toofthink for them a lot of thethe time.

But20-plus it’s been selecting and sequencing film’s KNOW PEOPLE IN A WAY exciting toWhile be ablewetothink take of these guys away. numbers. flamenco mainly THAT YOU NEVER DO Iinlove seeing them the come alive when they’re terms of dance, term embraces vocal OTHERWISE, BECAUSE facing difficult terrain and big challenges, both and instrumental styles as well. Nearly half of THEY’RE UNCOVERED AND emotionally andare physically.

It’s great helping the film’s songs merely sung and played, people that, whether a fear of VULNERABLE. YOU GET TO with noovercome dancing except when theit’sperformers heights or snake or whatever it is. is done KNOW THEIR STRUGGLES, can’t quite stay still.

Each number against a different backdrop, mostly paintings, THEIR DOUBTS, THEIR Were they givenand anybeautifully kind of training lit dramatically photographed TRIUMPHS, THEIR HIGHS beforehand to prepare them?

by Vittorio Storaro.

Some of the singing may AND AS ABSURD ASTHEIR IT MAYLOWS. SEEM, FRANK PROBABLY CONTAINS MORE TRUTH ABOUT THE ROCK When it comes to training, we said, to be too intense if you’re not accustomed INDUSTRY THAN MOST DOCUMENTARIES ON THE SUBJECT. “You’ve just got to bring two things– a big Iberian soul. The music ranges from complex 1/2 bag of fortitude and a big backpack full of handclapping to twin jazz pianos but mostly Our review:  enthusiasm– andThe we’ll bestofwhen features guitars. agedoofthe some the always evenLearning when it’sthe miserable, They lost a lot of lives me in that disaster, (Odeyakeep Rush)cheerful look sexier. truth phones, theofmovie makes wonder how and I, too, we’re out there. about it is performers may” The makefun youthing wonder if flamenco and go forJonas’ it. Butpassion– as for theand training, it’s become aindisease-ridden, crocodile-filled, aboutI always life awakens can would react such an emergency.

Prepare to that they’re not too prepared, you know?

We is a dying art form. If so, we’re all the more 99% was from military and I him learned a snake-filledMother place. Nature So yes, atI’mhernot going to rebellion be farthe behind?– putting at odds experience most extreme– wing it together, and you see them on camera grateful to Saura for preserving it at its best. bunch as a kid with myMonaghan), dad, who’dhis been a for hurry to that with Asher (Cameron rival but alsoback prepare forone. typical disaster film clichés, learning and making mistakes, and –Steve that’s the Warren commander and a climber and loved all this Fiona’s lack of affection.

Where can I get an as the townspeople seek refuge in the school and fun real part of it. The only training I did with stuff.

He’llthat be will turning hismemories grave if I of only What iswhile it about being wilderness that injection eraseinmy this church, we wait toin seethe if the Fuller family any of them FRANK (R) was with Zac, because I wanted credit with 1 percent… He’s about 50%! speaks you personally? stupid him movie? saves thetoday. to skydive 1/2 with him. So I gave him some But he taught me the love of it, which actually The wild is very revealing. –Colleen You get Ann to know –Steve Warren McNally training for afive couple of hours day before.

For about minutes, Frankthe seems like a counts for everything. people in a way that you never do otherwise, But beyond that, everyone else just arrived typical rock-and-roll fantasy. Jon (Domhnall because they’re and vulnerable.

IF I STAY (PG-13) with that fortitude enthusiasm, I said, KUNDO: AGE OFuncovered THE RAMPANT (NR) Gleeson) is trying toand write songs. Heand seems 1/2 to know their struggles, their doubts, Have You get  you had a chance to take your boys on “We’ll do it altogether. ”  to get the proverbial Big Break when the any these for adventures? triumphs, their highs and their Theoftrailer If I Stay– in which Chloe Grace theirKorean director Jong-bin Yoonlows. isn’tAnd in keyboardist for a visiting band attempts suicide Yes, I get to do that the rest of the year, when if stuff happens in the wild, it’s unpredictable.

Of all the places you’ve been, what’s the place Moretz’s Mia plays the cello, has a bohemian Kurosawa’s league– at least not yet– but he’s hours before their local concert and Jon is hired we don’t have TV cameras around us. They Things canseen go wrong very quickly, got family, meets a boy, gets into a car crash and obviously that you connect with the most? the master’s workand andI’vepaid to play the gig. Before long he’s sequestered love Right now I’m in amuch little cove the the attention. a massive This responsibility to keep these guys Home! (Laughs) A lifetime of doing this has falls it! into a coma– is so betteroffthan historical epic is full of scenic with the a remote lakeside cottage, England, looking all three alive. Butand I love that challenge. taught meband two in things.

OneIrish is that I do love the south moviecoast itself,ofit’s annoying.

Bothatwere derived grandeur flashing, clashing swords. While and from then on nothing that happens is like boys, stark naked in the sea in the pouring adventure. I love being out there. It’s where from the same decently acted, mildly hokey it’s set in Korea in the 1860s, the story could you’ve or heard before. Unless, What do you think it is makes a celebrity rain.

I’mbut sheltered under a fallen tree, to take Ianything come alive, andseen it’s where I perform at my footage, the editors of the trailer aretrying so much place in America in that the near future.

The like co-writer Ronson, you weregone involved want to do this kind of adventure? keep out of the rain while talking to you.

But best.

I love theJon wildernesses we’ve to better at determining what tension can drive distribution of wealth has reached a point with thethe realworld, band and whose thisBut they love it. They live it. It’s in their DNA, for They’re notmajor doinglandowners, it for the money, the with around it’sstory such inspired a privilege. narrative that I wish they’d switched jobs with where a few in league one.

The band, with an unpronounceable name fame, or the exposure.

These guys have all of sure. going away a lot has also taught me the value the director. Everything the trailer did right– government officials (“the first public-private and unlistenable music, spends a year recording that.

They don’t need to take risks.

And of home. You know, I’ve got a lovely family, setting up characters and the heart of the story enterprise”), have cheated the workingthe poor an album, but doesn’t care if anyone ever truth of doing this is that it is a risk. You’re You’ve so many inhospitable with three young boys. It’s the greatest driving before visited delivering the shocker twist– places. is out of out of what little land and food they have and hearswhen it. They in a mental ward a How do you nail down the places you want to going to look like you’re not brave or strong, force I’mgot uptogether a mountain or in a jungle– order in the movie. Instead, we get the car crash have virtually enslaved them. Bandits known and, with their tendency to implode onget stage, whatever. I think it’s a testament to the film shining light making me work hard to out and in? coma before we care about characters. asorthe Chusul clanatdoheart whatlove theytocan to even the idea that people challenge should perhaps never have left.

Jon wants to Well, we try and pick diverse terrains.

The of there in one piece.

Even worse, we get Moretz running around the score, Robin Hood style. While there are too themselves. These guys have all reached get ahead. Frank (Michael Fassbender), the lead Isle of Skye in Scotland is just barren and halls of a hospital as a disembodied spirit who many characters to keep track of, it boils down top of their profession, but we all have that windswept, cold and rainy. So we contrasted singer, look already a head. made ofexpert. papierPeople uphas to you as aIt’s survival narrates endlessly about her past with her family toyearning a conflict between Jo-Yoon inside: If ourwealthy, lives or ruthless our family’s that with the hot deserts and dramatic rock he wears itteacher 24/7. Itsthat painted face Ismâché there and a particular you would and Adam, a rock star boy who loves her, all in (Dong-won Kang), who was born in a brothel lives were really on the line, have I got what faces of Utah. If somebody has a real wish to seemsfor curiously probably because credit giving expressive, you the most survival flashbacks.

It’s like Ghost, but with half the plot. and is competing with legitimate relatives for his it takes to survive? Almost all of these guys go somewhere, we pick that. But really, it’s all Fassbender’s behind it. Frank is protected knowledge?

So much of the movie lacks punch or tension, inheritance; and poor butcher Dolmuchi (Jungsaid one of the best bits was having space and about diversity and the challenging terrain. somewhat Clara (Maggie Gyllenhaal), Well, to bebyhonest, I don’t feel like I’m atheir and it’s a shame because there’s potential here. woo renamed he joins time Ha), to think about Dochi life andwhen how lucky theythe Theremin player.When Jon remains something survival expert.

I started off doingofMan Mirielle Enos (TV’s The Killing) and Joshua clan.

The swords keep clanging away to provide have been. The outdoors does that. It creates Has there been a place you’ve traveled that anWild, outsider thismore communal setting,expert though Vs I feltinlike of a survival Leonard (The Blairdifficult Witch Project) are great as spectacle, while people diverseand martial artsusskills bonds between it gives spaceare was so incredibly that you have no sometimes his ideas are embraced by Frank.

As because I’d just left the military. That’s where I Mia’s rocker parents.

Stacy Keach manages to more suggested by editing than actually to breathe. At the end of it, all of themshown. had a desire to go back? absurd as Frank probably learned allitofmay my seem, survival skills.

But thecontains more make an impression with a small part. As the smile on their face and a light in their –Steve Warren eyes that Probably the black swamps of Sumatra, aboutthe themore rock Iindustry thanI’m most ofmore this truth I’ve done, realize that boyfriend, Jamie Blackley is terribly bland– so money can’t buy. Fame doesn’t do it. Drugs where the tsunami hit in 2001 and decimated the subject. adocumentaries jack of a lot of on things, but a master of very much so that it nearly derails the whole movie. THE ROBIN HOOD don’tLAST do it.OF Booze doesn’t do (R) it. It’s the power –Steve Warren a big part of the island. It’s just this stinking, little. Every day I meet better climbers, better With a title that poses a question, it should  of the wild, and I’ve seen it a ton in people. black, rotting swamp, with all of these skydivers, better survivalists. The thing about matter morefeeding whether Miahuman stays. corpses.

I hate to complain about a movie being too crocodiles offorthenot 6500 THEis that GIVER me I’ll(PG-13) always work damn hard, I’ll –Benjamin Carr good for its own good. But, when you go for a  trashy true story about a middle-aged movie You’ve probably asked yourself, “How bad can INTO THE STORM star’s affair with a teen, you’re looking for sleaze, a movie be with Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges  not art. Kevin Kline makes a terrific Errol Flynn, in it?” The Giver is the answer. It’s one of those On graduation day, there’s often a feeling of resisting the temptation to wink at the audience. movies that keeps reminding you of better uncertainty about the future and the notion Dakota Fanning is also great as Beverly Aadland, ones. The opening scene is the ceremony from that anything could happen. For Silverton a wannabe entertainer who’s 15 when she hooks Divergent where young people are assigned to High student Donnie Fuller (Max Deacon), up with the faded idol in 1957 and stays with him their positions in life. The main characters are this day is about his chance with the girl he’s until his death in 1959. Susan Sarandon, if not the platonic triangle of two boys and a girl from pining over, freedom from his strict dad (the at her best, is still overkill casting as Florence, the Harry Potter stories. And so on. Novelist school’s vice principal, played by Richard the stage mother who pushes her daughter into Lois Lowry may have published her book in Armitage) and experiencing an unprecedented Flynn’s arms, pretends not to know what’s going 1993, well before those films’ source novels, onslaught of deadly tornadoes. In a span of a on for as long as possible while doubling as pimp but they beat her to the screen. In her futuristic single day, Director Steven Quale’s film unfolds, and chaperone, and ultimately cashes in on the totalitarian society, people get daily injections to documentary-style, through the camera lenses affair by collaborating on a book. Shooting in keep them from feeling emotion. So what’s the of Donnie and his younger brother Trey (Nathan Georgia, writer-directors Richard Glatzer and basis of the kids’ friendship? Or the anger of the Kress). They’re both thrill-seeking amateurs, and Wash Westmoreland do a nice job of recreating Chief Elder (Streep) when anyone deviates from professional storm chasers who risk their lives the era, even if cracks in their budget sometimes “The Way Things Should Be”? The only one to go into the storm for that once-in-a-lifetime show. They’re just too respectful of their allowed to know any history is the Receiver of shot. While twister films are not usually on the subjects, when this should have looked like TMI Memories (Bridges), but he becomes the Giver top of my to-watch list, from the opening scenes on TBT on TMZ. when his successor is named: Jonas (Brenton I was swept up in the intensity. In an age where –Steve Warren Thwaites), who was 12 in the book but is 18 most people have video cameras on their mobile Check insiteatlanta.com/movies.asp for all movie listings. here to make his sexless relationship with Fiona

FRANK

TV COLUMN

STATION CONTROL “Mork is dead.”

BY BENJAMIN CARR

O

F ALL THE WAYS I’VE VALUED Robin Williams, this is the one that makes his death resonate the most to me. That silly statement– something of a joke, considering all that the great star could and should be valued for– reminds me of the scope of our loss. It reminds me of how many jokes we all received, how much time we spent in this man’s audience, how much he changed and grew in front of us. It reminds me of how much I enjoyed watching this silly, crazy man in rainbow suspenders (or a red jumpsuit with a silver triangle on his chest) say “Nanu, Nanu” when I was 4. Back then I loved Mork second only to Kermit the Frog.

Whenever I go into the Center for Puppetry Arts, my first stop is always at the Kermit display. I just stand there staring at him, unsure of whether to cry or giggle or squeal. He’s there, just behind glass, and the kid in me still just wants to hug him. The pane of glass is the only thing separating us, just like it was when I was a little boy whose Mom told him he’d hurt his eyes if he kept sitting so close to the screen.

Robin Williams was a tremendous talent– a great actor, a huge movie star and one of the greatest comedians who ever lived.

His tragic passing feels like a robbery of the culture. He was a force of nature unlike anything we’d seen before. And now that he’s gone, we won’t ever get it back.

My inner 4-year-old, watching TV at the babysitter’s house while waiting for my mom to come get me, has lost an alien friend that would visit him at the same time

every day and help him understand that everybody is a little bit of a weirdo trying to figure out how to fit into the world. Losing that connection to my childhood just makes me feel older, balder, grayer.

Our relationship with television is different than our relationship to other forms of art. A photograph will always look the same. A movie and book will always tell you the same story, over and over, providing a capsule of a particular time. But television is in our living rooms. It tells stories that continue for years. It shows us familiar faces that we grow to love like family, like Robin Williams on Mork & Mindy and, nearly 40 years later, The Crazy Ones.

I never met Robin Williams, though friends of mine had. But television tricked me into feeling like I knew him. Television made me love him.

Witnessing someone grow, age and change creates a bond between you and an actor, or you and a character. TV infinitely echoes the effect that Richard Linklater’s Boyhood showed us over the course of three hours in cinemas this summer.

Television builds our affection in ways that brief visits on the big screen cannot do nearly as well. Movies make a star seem larger-than-life. But television puts that person in your house, just on the other side of the glass, over and over again, until you feel like part of them belongs to you.

To some people, the cast of Friends WAS their friends. You feel like you’re part of the group eating takeout in the living room on The Big Bang Theory.

At any moment¬– thanks to memories,

YouTube or reruns– we can see Christina Applegate as a teenaged Kelly Bundy, even after we hear of her breast cancer diagnosis. Part of the reason Bryan Cranston impressed us so much on Breaking Bad was because, after Malcolm in the Middle, we thought we knew what to expect from a goofy dad.

We hear that Lauren Bacall died, and we can revisit clips of her on The Tonight Show or What’s My Line?, seeing who she was at age 25, 35 or 80. James Garner is in a TV time capsule that we can revisit anytime we feel like seeing a young Maverick or a grizzled Rockford, or the grandpa on 8 Simple Rules. We have a greater appreciation for Elaine Stritch because 30 Rock showed those of us who never got to see her on Broadway just a bit of what she could do.

Betty White’s tremendous cultural impact comes, not just from her exceptional talent, but because of the medium she was in: Many of us have laughed with her weekly for nearly 40 years.

With the late, great Robin Williams, there has never been a time in my life when I was not familiar with him.

Every new fall season introduces us to some new story, and some new face.

Some of the ones we’re just now meeting will eventually

become like family to us. We’ll celebrate them and follow them and watch them grow and evolve for decades. When we inevitably lose someone like that, it’ll hit us hard as a collective culture. And it’s all because television brought them into our lives and made us feel like family.

insiteatlanta.com • September 2014 • PG 11

TV

2014

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

L

EAVES ARE ALREADY STARTING to fall and there’s a crisp feeling in the air. That means it’s time once again for the new Fall TV season. Every year, as the 2013-2014 TV season officially ends, a new batch is trotted out for your enjoyment (and ratings and advertising dollars). Some shows have graduated and moved on to DVD (Breaking Bad, Being Human, Warehouse 13), and many were cancelled. So now is the perfect time to get to know the 20142015 hopefuls. As usual, the networks’ fare comes from every possible genre: romantic comedies (“Selfie”), murder mysteries (“How To Get Away With Murder”), political dramas (“Madam Secretary”), sitcoms (“The McCarthys”) and plenty of comic-book heroes. Some familiar faces are set to continue and return (Debra Messing, Katherine Heigl, Martin Short) and some new reality programming (“On The Menu,” “Utopia”) is on the way. But in honor of the title of one of our favorite new show, let’s look at the new shows in alphabetical order, from A to Z.

A To Z

NBC Premieres: Thursday, October 2 at 9 pm.

The stars: Ben Feldman, Cristin Milioti, Lenora Crichlow, Christina Kirk.

The shill: Just what we need, a sweet, romantic comedy starring Ben Feldman of Mad Men. Actually, we do! This clever take on the tired format of boy meets girl details a relationship from beginning to its ultimate conclusion. Feldman is “A” as in Andrew and Milioti is Zelda with a “Z,” hence the title.

The skinny: Fans of How I Met Your Mother will likely love it. And darn it, the show is so endearingly sweet, it’s hard to complain about it. The cast takes the been-there, done-that relationship premise and gives it a cinematic depth, which is quite rare for such an otherwise lightweight vehicle - but here, it really works.

Bad Judge

NBC Premieres: Thursday, October 2 at 9 pm.

The stars: Kate Walsh, John Ducey, Tone Bell, Theodore Barnes.

The shill: The always enjoyable Walsh (Private Practice, Fargo) is featured as one of L.A.’s most respected judges. The twistup is her non-judge(mental) life is a wreck.

She’s a party girl who often finds herself in compromising positions.

The skinny: Walsh handles the part with her predictable ease, making the show’s interesting juxtaposition of community morals and personal immorality intriguing. It’s worth watching just for Walsh’s sensational character study of the flawed central figure.

Black-ish

ABC Premieres: Wednesday, September 24 at 9 pm.

PG 12 • September 2014 • insiteatlanta.com

FALL TV from A TO Z We Watched the Newest Batch of Fall Television Shows (So You Don’t Have to) The stars: Anthony Anderson, Laurence Fishburne, Tracee Ellis Ross.

The shill: Comedian and show creator Anderson tells the story of his character’s quest to forge a distinct cultural identity for his family, while living in an upper-class neighborhood.

The skinny: The comedy of a middle-class black family in an affluent, predominately white, environment has been done before, but in the p.c. age, and in the hands of gifted comic Anderson, this time the results are more thought-provoking than offensive.

Fishburne, as expected, in the role of Anderson’s dad “Pops”, steals the show.

Constantine

NBC Premieres: Friday, October 24 at 10 pm.

The stars: Matt Ryan, Charles Halford, Harold Perrineau.

The shill: Based on the DC Comics series Hellblazer, Ryan stars as John Constantine, a noted demon hunter and former occult denizen. He’s called into action to help balance between good and evil (of course) with the aid of an angel named Manny (Perrineau).

The skinny: Comic book heroes are always good for ratings and there’re everywhere this fall.

Here, with Ryan front and center as the brooding, dark magician and True Detective’s Halford and Lost’s Perrineau on board, the cast is as strong as the mysterious material.

Cristela

ABC Premieres: Friday, October 10 at 8 pm.

The stars: Cristela Alonzo, Carlos Ponce, Terri Hoyos, Sam McMurray.

The shill: Based on comedienne Cristela Alonzo’s stand-up material, the sitcom centers around the title character’s life in law school, at a busy law firm and at home.

The skinny: Alonzo is likable as the star, but the important premise of the cultural roles of traditional MexicanAmericans seems to get a bit lost in the sometimes-forced situational jokes. Still, THE FLASH the ensemble piece is fast and funny with Terri Hoyos especially strong in a pivotal supporting role.

The Flash

CW Premieres: Tuesday, October 7, 8 pm.

The stars: Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Rick Cosnett, Danielle Panabaker.

The shill: Barry Allen (Gustin) is a brilliant, but socially awkward, forensic scientist intent on avenging a tragic past. As he seeks to uncover the facts about his mother’s murder, he is struck by lightning, and wakes from a nine-month coma with superhuman traits.

The skinny: Gustin makes a fine, mildmannered scientist and superhero and it’s a slick, seamlessly produced, yet predictable, action fest, with plenty of impressive special effects to divert the audience. The supporting cast is dandy and it respectfully filters the DC Comics mindset through the CW drama lens.

Shane Harper.

The shill: MTV’s stylish new teen drama breezily examines the underbelly of a popular theme park, while wallowing in the weepy, behind the scenes personal interactions of the operators. Bianca Santos is featured as a jaded teen who spent her formative years at the park.

The skinny: The soap opera travails of carny life, as seen through the decidedly gauzy lens of MTV, with the target audience for this one seemingly limited to brooding, troubled teens and/or aging, homebound weirdoes.

Forever

How To Get Away With Murder

ABC Premieres: Monday, September 22 at 10 pm.

The stars: Ioan Gruffudd, Alana De La Garza, Judd Hirsch, Joel David Moore.

The shill: Gruffudd is New York City medical examiner Henry Morgan, with a twist: he can’t seem to die and stay dead. Not a problem to most people, but it begins to annoy this guy.

The skinny: In this interesting examination of immortality, the medical examiner studies the dead to find a clue about his own peculiar malady. Welsh charmer Gruffudd, no stranger to fantasy roles, is, um, lively and the decidedly dead-pan Hirsch balances the scales nicely with satisfying and generally lifeaffirming results.

Gotham

FOX Premieres: Monday, September 22 at 8 pm.

The stars: Ben McKenzie, Sean Pertwee, Jada Pinkett Smith, Erin Richards.

The shill: Another superhero series, this one created by Bruno Heller, and based on characters appearing in and published by DC Comics, including characters in the Batman franchise.

The series features Ben McKenzie as a young Bruce Gordon, with assorted Gotham City heroes and villains.

The skinny: Continuing the enduring popularity of the DC Comic series, and with appearances by the Penguin, the Riddler, Catwoman, the Joker, Poison Ivy, Harvey Dent and even the cold but popular Mr. Freeze, the first sixteen episodes should be a comic-lover’s dream come true.

Happyland

MTV Premieres: Tuesday, September 30 at 11 pm.

The Stars: Bianca Santos, Camille Guaty,

ABC Premieres: Thursday, September 25 at 10 pm.

The stars: Viola Davis, Liza Weil, Billy Brown, Katie Findlay.

The shill: A legal action drama with Davis as a by the books law school instructor in Philadelphia. Her students compete for a slot at her respected law firm. And of course, their best lessons are often learned out of the confines of the school, as murder enters the picture.

The skinny: Producer Shondra Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal) has another hit on her hands with this one, as the acting and premise are superb and the scripts bristle with crispy, witty dialogue and wonderfully realistic scenarios. Davis leads an exceptional and fresh-faced band of players and the results are worthy of binge-watching, when the series hits DVD.

Jane The Virgin

CW Premieres: Monday, October 13 at 9 pm.

The stars: Gina Rodriguez, Justin Baldoni, Brett Dier, Andrea Navedo.

The shill: The wacky events in the life of Jane Villanueva. She’s a virginal young Latina woman, accidentally artificially inseminated by her doctor during a checkup. Whoops! To add further drama, the donor is married, an ex-playboy / cancer survivor. But wait, there’s more! He’s also her former teenage crush.

The skinny: The highly improbable and often forced comedy comes from the accidental pregnancy situation and the embarrassing aftermath of the insemination.

But will it make it to the second trimester?

Legends

TNT Premiered: August 13, 9 pm.

The stars: Sean Bean, Ali Larter, Amber Valletta, Morris Chestnut.

The shill: A psychological thriller from the makers of “24.” An undercover FBI agent (Bean) changes himself into a different person for each case. The twist comes when a “mysterious stranger” arrives and ultimately causes the agent to reevaluate the nature of his own sanity.

The skinny: Shakespearian thespian Bean

is perfect for romancing these over-the-top characterizations and the show has already gained a fairly rabid following thanks to social media. Stylishly produced with quick cuts and brain-scrambling plot turns, the show is a solid contender for lasting success.

The Librarian

TNT Premieres: December 2014.

The stars: Noah Wylie, Bob Newhart, Jane Curtin, Olympia Dukakis.

The shill: From the movie series comes this continuation of the fantasy themed saga. Wyle plays an “insecure but brilliant” man who thinks he’s taking an easy and secure job as a librarian; instead, he gets taken on a wild ride into a world of fantasy and adventure that spans centuries.

The skinny: The possibilities are endless and the potential for expanded storylines are already extending into next year, as TNT has ordered 10 episodes, with new characters played by a number of special guests, including Rebecca Romijn, John Larroquette and Lindy Booth.

Madam Secretary

CBS Premieres: Sunday, September 21 at 8 pm.

The stars: Tea Leoni, Keith Carradine, Tim Daly, Bebe Neuwirth.

The shill: A former CIA agent (Leoni), and her former boss, who just happens to now be the president of the United States is offered the job of Secretary of State. With an off-beat take on political matters, she tackled the job, as she balances her life a wife and mother.

The skinny: Yes, there are physical similarities between talented actress Leoni and a certain former president’s wife, but surely television would never play on current events for story fodder and attention. Right?

The always serviceable Carradine works well as the president and the overall feel of the show is comfortable. Strong support from Daly and Neuwirth seal the deal.

Manhattan Love Story

ABC Premieres: Tuesday, September 30 at 8 pm.

The stars: Jake McDorman, Analeigh Tipton.

The shill: Using the device of voiceover, the inner thoughts a New York City-based guy (McDorman) and the object of his affection, a Midwesterner (Tipton) as they endure a new romance.

The skinny: Hearing the inner-dialogue thought process and emotive tribulations of a budding romance is unique. The attractive cast, headed by the central couple, but surrounded by friends and co-workers, is thankfully likeable enough to warrant a bit of voyeuristic eavesdropping. Worth a listen just but don’t tell the NSA about it.

Marry Me

NBC Premieres: Tuesday, October 14 at 9 pm.

The stars: Ken Marino, Casey Wilson, Sarah Wright, John Gemberling.

The shill: A romantic comedy about a happy couple (Marino and Wilson), who definitely want to get married but just can’t find the proper way to propose.

The skinny: The engaging comedy tries as hard as its protagonists to get it right, but the admittedly weak plot device weighs down the otherwise stellar ensemble show, with sappy and often just plain silly results. Better call it off, before it’s too late.

The McCarthys

CBS Premieres: Thursday, October 30 at 9 pm.

The stars: Tyler Ritter, Laurie Metcalf, Jack McGee, Joey McIntyre.

The shill: A Boston-based sports-nut family is the central plot element of this new sitcom, very loosely based upon the life of series creator Brian Gallivan. Trouble and forced hilarity brews when the gay, sports-averse son is hired as the dad’s assistant basketball coach.

The skinny: The abrasive, loud-mouthed family is just as painful to read about as to watch. Hopefully the show will find an early demise, even though kitsch fans might enjoy seeing Joey McIntyre of New Kids on the Block in a starring role.

Mulaney

Fox Premieres: Sunday, October 5 at 9:30 pm.

The stars: John Mulaney, Elliott Gould, Martin Short, Nasim Pedrad.

The shill: Another sitcom with a comic, this one stars Mulaney as a comedian living in New York City with roommates Jane (Pedrad), a personal trainer, and another comedian.

His life changes when he’s hired as a writer for a legendary comedian and game show host (Short).

The skinny: An incredibly talented cast can make even the weakest scripts come alive and Mulaney and Short, in particular, are game for the task. With Elliott Gould along for the ride, it’s got a “Just Shoot Me” kind of feel and with the considerable star power, it works as a completely enjoyable, if slight at times, show.

The Mysteries Of Laura

NBC Premieres: Wednesday, September 17 at 10 pm.

The stars: Debra Messing, Josh Lucas, Laz Alonso.

The shill: Messing returns to TV as NYPD homicide detective Laura Diamond, who balances the pressures of work with the stress of home-life with her rowdy twin sons and almost-ex-husband.

The skinny: A lighthearted drama sure to please fans of Messing’s ravenous Will And Grace and Smash fans. She’s an infectious presence, at once glowing and overwhelmed by the demands of her career and family dramas.

NCIS: New Orleans

CBS Premieres: Tuesday, September 23 at 9 pm.

The stars: Scott Bakula, Lucas Black, Zoe McLellan, C.C.H. Pounder.

The shill: Nola gets its own franchise of the popular crime drama, with Bakula and Black solving spicy crimes in the Big Easy.

The skinny: One of TV’s most popular dramas has a built-in audience, so this location, with the inevitable jazzy hijinks should tread water easily. We’re waiting for NCIS: Ferguson for some real drama, but CNN and MSNBC already have that covered, but stay tuned.

On The Menu

TNT Premieres: October, TBA. The stars: Ty Pennington, Chef Emeril Lagasse.

The shill: Cooking shows are all the rage, but this is the first cooking competition show

to give viewers at home the chance to taste the dishes they see on screen. Pennington (Extreme Makeover: Home Edition) hosts with Chef Emeril Lagasse on hand as Menu Master. Each episode centers on a different American food business, including chains and stadium concession stands to parks and cruises. Home cooks will be challenged to create the next signature menu item for each enterprise. The winning dish will immediately go on the menu, giving viewers at home the chance to go try the dish the very next day.

The skinny: Watching a chef prepare food is about as exciting as televised bowling, but this series, with its sly retail tie-ins, allows for a tasty alternative to the stale reality of the standard cooking show.

Red Band Society

FOX Premieres: Wednesday, September 17, 9 pm.

The stars: Octavia Spencer, Dave Annable, Charlie Rowe, Rebecca Rittenhouse.

The shill: The “Red Band Society” is a sort-of Glee, with a talented cast of misfit kids. The twist here is, they have cancer. The medical drama stars a large group of kids portraying the patients and details their interactions and life.

The skinny: Shot in Atlanta, and featuring the always delightful Spencer from the electrifying Get On Up biopic; the show has a heart-tugging appeal. The great cast makes the dramatic plots -- often wavering between uplifting, maudlin and tragic – believable and usually enjoyable.

Scorpion

CBS Premieres: Monday, September 22 at 9 pm.

The stars: Katharine McPhee, Elyes Gabel, Robert Patrick, Eddie Kaye Thomas.

The shill: A geek-power action drama, based on the adventures of “real-world” genius Walter O’Brien, Scorpion centers on a gaggle o’ nerds who form a group to unravel the world’s most complex problems.

The skinny: In the wake of Big Bang Theory, geeks are taking over the airwaves, and for good reason, they know how! Here, Katharine McPhee is adorable as the diner waitress who serves as the group’s constant and mediator.

Patrick is strong in his role as Agent Gallo and the realistic hacking sequences are supposedly based on actual techniques.

Selfie

ABC Premieres: Tuesday, September 30 at 8 pm.

The stars: Karen Gillan, John Cho, Tim Peper, Da’vine Joy Rudolph.

The shill: Karen Gillan (from the enduring “Doctor Who” franchise), adopts an American accent for this retelling of the tired and creaky version of Pygmalion and/or My Fair DRACULA (NBC) Lady. The twist here is that it takes place in today’s social media-driven world. Gillan’s version of Eliza Doolittle is determined to become famous via the internet. Her self-absorbed Instagramming and Facebooking has left her without any real friends or the necessary skills or any actual common sense. Henry Higenbottam (John Cho) arrives to aid in revamping her sullied image.

The skinny: Gillan is her usual adorable self, but with an annoyingly forced accent. Cho does his best to keep a straight face as the storylines sag under the weight of pretension and pop culture expiration dates.

Stalker CBS

Premieres: Wednesday, October 1 at 10 pm.

The stars: Dylan McDermott, Maggie Q, Victor Rasuk, Mariana Klaveno.

The shill: This provocative action drama, from the fertile and yes, a bit twisted, mind of The Vampire Diaries’ Kevin Williamson, has attracted some early criticism due to its mature themes. It follows a division of the LAPD that deals with stalkers, voyeurs, and love-obsessed freaks who target their objects of desire in threatening ways.

The skinny: The early publicity and hype can’t mask the fact that this is yet another crime drama of society’s dark and wormy underbelly.

The titillating subject matter can only increase its ratings, at least temporarily, but the performances by solid pros McDermott and Maggie Q float the boat on a sea of polluted and perverted storylines, with predictable, albeit stylishly filmed, results.

State of Affairs

NBC Premieres: Monday, November 17 at 10 pm.

The stars: Katherine Heigl, Alfre Woodard, Adam Kaufman, Shelia Vand.

The shill: Often devalued actress Heigl returns to TV in the guise of a top CIA attaché, saddled with the assignment of briefing the president Constance Payton (Woodard) on the daily threats to security. Also she hunts for terrorists who killed her former fiancé, who was also the president’s son.

The skinny: Grey’s Anatomy fans will swoon at the return of Heigl, and her work here is fairly solid. Woodard is fine and appropriately ironic as the president with manufactured executive-office pathos left and right, equating to a pot-boiler of a series that is as strangely satisfying as it is current.

Transporter: The Series

TNT Premieres: October, TBA. The stars: Chris Vance, François Berléand, Andrea Osvárt, Charly Hübner.

The shill: Spun from the popular Transporter film series, the series follows the events and concept of the film trilogy, the continuing adventures of Frank Martin (Vance), a freelance courier for hire. He offers to deliver anything, anywhere, with no questions asked, if the price is right.

The skinny: The big-budget production has found homes on various international outlets, including Germany’s RTL, France’s M6, HBO Canada and others. Now firmly in the grasp of TNT, the show should thrive and continue as it airs this fall.

Utopia

TRANSPORTER FOX

Premieres: Sunday, September 7 at 8 pm.

The stars: 15 regular people.

The shill: The cast of fifteen men and women, selected from over 5,000 potential contestants, representing different walks of life, are placed into isolation and filmed, twenty-four hours a day for one year. While there, they must create their own society and figure out how to survive. The live streams began on August 29, and continue online with twice a week episodes on FOX. Every month three pioneers may be voted off and sent back to their everyday lives.

The skinny: The cast, including “Bella,” a 45 year-old real estate agent from Griffin, Georgia, are the stars in this scrappy battle of wits. The concept has been done before, but the sheer ambitious nature of the year-long project is intriguing in itself. Can they form a real Utopia or is it just the magic of reality television? insiteatlanta.com • September 2014 • PG 13

FILM

INTO THE WILD

Bear Grylls On Celebrities, Survival & Running Wild

BY BRET LOVE

I

DEVELOPED MY LIFELONG LOVE of the outdoors as a boy. My parents and grandparents took me backpacking in the Appalachian mountains and to our rustic cabin on Lake Hartwell, where I learned to set up camp, fish, start a fire (and cook on it), forage for wild berries and, most importantly, respect the beauty and bounty that Mother Nature has to offer.

On Running Wild With Bear Grylls, the British adventurer does the same thing with some of the world’s biggest celebrities.

It’s thrilling to watch a nervous Ben Stiller rappelling down a mountain on Scotland’s Isle of Skye, a terrified Tom Arnold conquering his fear of heights by traversing a tree over a 50foot drop in Oregon, and a boyish Zac Efron stoked to see a wild beaver in the Catskills. But what makes the show even more interesting is the rare, honest glimpse it offers of these stars emotionally overwhelmed by the challenges of pushing themselves to the limit in some of the world’s most beautiful wilderness areas.

Grylls– a former reservist in the British Special Forces (SAS) who later climbed Everest and crossed the North Atlantic and the Northwest Passage in an inflatable boat– recently spoke to us about the show via cell phone from a little cove off the south coast of England.

Where did the idea for Running Wild come from? I know you did popular episodes of Man Vs Wild with Will Ferrell and Jake Gyllenhaal. Has this concept been germinating in your mind ever since?

Yes. Those Man Vs Wild shows [with guest stars] have been very successful all around the world. Once we were done with that show, we wanted to revisit this format. We knew it was a format that worked and, for me, it’s just really fun because you get to know people and it’s such a good dynamic. So it was exciting getting through all the health and safety hoops.

Not a lot of it is planned, so that was quite a mountain for us to climb before we even started. But NBC helped us through that, and fought a few of those battles.

You have a lot of experience dealing with these harsh climates and wild places. But is it a lot of responsibility to take someone who doesn’t have experience in dealing with these conditions?

Yes, it’s a nightmare! When I’m on my own I’ve got nothing to worry about apart

from keeping myself alive. It’s definitely more challenging when you’re taking somebody who’s done nothing like this before. You’ve got to think for them a lot of the time. But it’s been exciting to be able to take these guys away.

I love seeing them come alive when they’re facing difficult terrain and big challenges, both emotionally and physically. It’s great helping people overcome that, whether it’s a fear of heights or snake or whatever it is.

Were they given any kind of training beforehand to prepare them?

When it comes to training, we said, “You’ve just got to bring two things– a big bag of fortitude and a big backpack full of enthusiasm– and we’ll do the best when we’re out there.” The fun thing about it is that they’re not too prepared, you know? We wing it together, and you see them on camera learning and making mistakes, and that’s the fun real part of it. The only training I did with any of them was with Zac, because I wanted to skydive with him. So I gave him some training for a couple of hours the day before.

But beyond that, everyone else just arrived with that fortitude and enthusiasm, and I said, “We’ll do it altogether.”

Of all the places you’ve been, what’s the place that you connect with the most?

Home! (Laughs) A lifetime of doing this has taught me two things. One is that I do love the adventure. I love being out there. It’s where I come alive, and it’s where I perform at my best. I love the wildernesses we’ve gone to around the world, and it’s such a privilege. But going away a lot has also taught me the value of home. You know, I’ve got a lovely family, with three young boys. It’s the greatest driving force when I’m up a mountain or in a jungle– a shining light making me work hard to get out of there in one piece.

People look up to you as a survival expert.

Is there a particular teacher that you would credit for giving you the most survival knowledge?

Well, to be honest, I don’t feel like I’m a survival expert. When I started off doing Man Vs Wild, I felt like more of a survival expert because I’d just left the military. That’s where I learned all of my survival skills. But the more of this I’ve done, the more I realize that I’m a jack of a lot of things, but a master of very little. Every day I meet better climbers, better skydivers, better survivalists. The thing about me is that I’ll always work damn hard, I’ll

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

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

But he taught me the love of it, which actually counts for everything.

Have you had a chance to take your boys on any of these adventures?

Yes, I get to do that the rest of the year, when we don’t have TV cameras around us. They love it! Right now I’m in a little cove off the south coast of England, looking at all three boys, stark naked in the sea in the pouring rain. I’m sheltered under a fallen tree, trying to keep out of the rain while talking to you. But they love it. They live it. It’s in their DNA, for sure.

You’ve visited so many inhospitable places.

How do you nail down the places you want to film in?

Well, we try and pick diverse terrains. The Isle of Skye in Scotland is just barren and windswept, cold and rainy. So we contrasted that with the hot deserts and dramatic rock faces of Utah. If somebody has a real wish to go somewhere, we pick that. But really, it’s all about diversity and the challenging terrain.

Has there been a place you’ve traveled that was so incredibly difficult that you have no desire to go back?

Probably the black swamps of Sumatra, where the tsunami hit in 2001 and decimated a big part of the island. It’s just this stinking, black, rotting swamp, with all of these crocodiles feeding off the 6500 human corpses.

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

What is it about being in the wilderness that speaks to you personally?

The wild is very revealing. You get to know people in a way that you never do otherwise, because they’re uncovered and vulnerable.

You get to know their struggles, their doubts, their triumphs, their highs and their lows. And if stuff happens in the wild, it’s unpredictable.

Things can go wrong very quickly, and I’ve got a massive responsibility to keep these guys alive. But I love that challenge.

What do you think it is that makes a celebrity want to do this kind of adventure?

They’re not doing it for the money, the fame, or the exposure. These guys have all of that. They don’t need to take risks. And the truth of doing this is that it is a risk. You’re going to look like you’re not brave or strong, or whatever. I think it’s a testament to the idea that people at heart love to challenge themselves. These guys have all reached top of their profession, but we all have that yearning inside: If our lives or our family’s lives were really on the line, have I got what it takes to survive? Almost all of these guys said one of the best bits was having space and time to think about life and how lucky they have been. The outdoors does that. It creates bonds between people and it gives us space to breathe. At the end of it, all of them had a smile on their face and a light in their eyes that money can’t buy. Fame doesn’t do it. Drugs don’t do it. Booze doesn’t do it. It’s the power of the wild, and I’ve seen it a ton in people.

TV

WHO YA GONNA CALL?

Better Call Saul: The Challenge of a Spin-Off for One of TV’s Most Critically Acclaimed Dramas

BY ALEX S. MORRISON

C

REATING A SUCCESSFUL SPINoff for a critically acclaimed show is a Herculean task. AfterMASH couldn’t do it. Neither could Joey (Friends), Joanie Loves Chachi (Happy Days), or The Tortellis (Cheers).

But even the failure of The Lone Gunmen (which he co-created) didn’t deter former X-Files writer/producer Vince Gilligan from putting his considerable muscle behind Better Call Saul, the new Breaking Bad spin off.

The series– a period piece initially set in 2002– focuses on the life of shady lawyer Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) before, during and after the events on Breaking Bad took place.

Co-produced by Gilligan and showrunner Peter Gould (who created the character of Saul), with two former BB writers among the production staff, the show was one of the Fall TV season’s most eagerly anticipated… until it was pushed back to early 2015. Fortunately, the show has already been picked up by AMC for a second season.

This summer Gilligan and Gould sat down with reporters during the annual Television Critics Association press tour to discuss the question that compelled them to create the show, whether certain Breaking Bad characters will be making a return appearance, and what we can expect from Saul.

In theory, we know where this story is going.

How limited are you by Breaking Bad and where Saul goes there?

VINCE GILLIGAN: That’s a damn good question. It’s a challenge.

PETER GOULD: It reminds me a lot of when we started Season 5, and we had the machine gun in the trunk. We knew that that was the right image, at the beginning of Season 5, but we had no idea how the hell we were going to get there.

GILLIGAN: It’s a leap of faith, or stupidity, into the unknown. I thought it was going to be easy, going forward, because we know who this guy is. But we didn’t really know who this guy was at all. He was a really interesting supporting character. We know where this guy is going. But we can’t in the first episode have him lose an arm or an eye or something like that.

Is there any chance of you bringing Gus back for this show?

GILLIGAN: There’s always a chance, yeah.

GOULD: These are all characters that we love. There’s so much more to say about Gus, and we certainly love Giancarlo [Esposito].

Having said that, we’re trying to make something that stands on its own that has entertainment value, and that’s not just seeing a series of old favorites. It’s not the series equivalent of a clip show. So we’re trying to balance these things out.

You’ve already been picked up for an even longer second season of 13 episodes. How will you juggle that with Battle Creek?

GILLIGAN: Battle Creek is a show that I’m real proud of, from more of a spectator point of view. I don’t have as much to do with that show, in its current ongoing form, but I’ve seen the first episode and it’s really good. Luckily, I’m working with Peter who is very easy. We’re partners.

We’re working 50/50 on this, and it’s an interesting experience for me. I’d like to be more of a delegator but I’m a bit of a control freak. It’s easier to let go with Peter because Peter created the character of Saul Goodman. Peter created this wonderful character who we identified with, in the first season or two, as being someone we thought could bear the weight of a spin-off. I can only work on one thing at a time, so it’s going to be Peter, more and more, as the series progresses.

How far ahead of Breaking Bad does this story start?

GILLIGAN: It’s 2002. We never completely nailed down when Breaking Bad took place. We tried hard to not be too specific as to when it was, but now we have to be a little more specific than we’re comfortable with. It is, indeed, a period piece. I can’t believe it, myself. It feels like it was yesterday, but it was 12 years ago. And there is a certain amount of effort, and blood, sweat and tears that goes into making it as factual and related to the period as possible.

What can you say about the new characters?

GOULD: We have Michael McKean playing a character named Chuck, who is Saul’s brother. We have these two comedy legends working together, which is exciting. He’s one of the main characters that we’ve introduced, and he’s just a tremendous performer. He’s just great, and he also answers questions about Spinal Tap. GILLIGAN: We also got Rhea Seehorn, who is a wonderful actress. She is just as cute as she can be, and is just a wonderful, funny actress, but also capable of a great deal of depth. She was a lot of fun to work with. And Michael Mando is an excellent young actor.

There have been some reports that the show may not following a complete linear narrative, and that it will jump back and forth in time, maybe having some action taking place during the events of Breaking Bad, or even after. Is that something you’re considering?

GILLIGAN: I think the best way to answer this and not get in trouble is that you saw from Breaking Bad that we like non-linear storytelling. We like jumping around in time.

I would definitely point you in the direction of anything that was possible on Breaking Bad, storytelling-wise, is possible on Better Call Saul. It’s fun for us to be as non-linear as possible. insiteatlanta.com • September 2014 • PG 15

I

Fall festival guidE

f you thought the spring was a busy time for festivals in Atlanta, wait until you see INsite's Fall Festival Guide. It is chock full of events happening throughout the metro area. And boy, do we love our festivals!! Stop by any of the ones listed below and you are sure to see packed crowds filled with people of all ages and backgrounds. Many of these festivals have a similar theme: food, music, kid's area, local performers, arts and crafts, vendors and more. Many have free admission or a small admission fee. Check the individual websites for more details.

SEPTEMBER FESTIVALS GREAT ATLANTA BEER FEST

September 6 3 - 8pm Turner Field greatatlantabeerfest.com The Great Atlanta Beer Fest returns to Turner Field on Saturday, September 6th .

There will be over 150 beers to sample from across the country. Enjoy live music from The Geeks Band, watch college football on the BIG TV’s, plus fun and games at the Turner Grand Entry Plaza where the event is being held.

PG 16 • September 2014 • insiteatlanta.com

TASTE OF KENNESAW

Sept. 6 11am - 8pm Downtown Kennesaw kennesawbusiness.org Bring your family out to Taste Of K e n n e s a w S a t u r d a y September 6 to sample over forty local restaurants from the Kennesaw and Cobb County area. Admission is free and samples are just $1 - $4. Grab a cold beverage from the beer garden, sample delicious food, and sit back and listen to great music. The Main Street entertainment stage will have local entertainment all day and culminate with a concert at 6:00 p.m. There will be an enormous Kids Zone with interactive inflatables. Parking will be available throughout the downtown area as well as Adams Park and First Baptist Church of Kennesaw.

NATIONAL BLACK ARTS FESTIVAL

September 6 8pm The Rialto Center nbaf.org The National Black Arts Festival (NBAF) is the longest-running multi-disciplinary arts festival of the African Diaspora. Each year the festival presents works and exhibitions from renowned legends as well as

emerging young artists. The Legends Celebration on Saturday September 6, is a festival favorite recognizing artistic luminaries across the NBAF disciplines.

Spotlight Series curator Wynton Marsalis is this year’s Music Legend. He is joined by Ntozake Shange (Theatre), Dr. Samella Lewis (Visual Arts), Maurice Hines (Dance) and Melvin Van Peebles (Film).

Other upcoming NBAF events in September include Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet at Variety Playhouse on September 11. Marcus Roberts Trio will perform at Center Stage on September 18.

TASTE OF SMYRNA

September 13 11am - 8pm Downtown Smyrna smyrnacity.com The Taste of Smyrna is food, fun and music all day long! Nibble and nosh your way around the Village Green on Sat., Sept. 13.

Admission is free and samples can be purchased from $1 up to $4.

Plan to sample all Smyrna’s finest

restaurants and listen to acoustic music on the beautiful Village Green and the Market Village. At 7 p.m. there will be a live concert at the City Hall Stage. The kids will have a blast at the Kids Zone on the Quad Bungee, 24’ Rockwall, 33’ inflatable Shark Slide, bounces, 120’ rollar coaster obstacle course and more!

NORTH GEORGIA STATE FAIR

Sept. 18 - 28 Jim Miller Park Marietta northgeorgiastatefair.com As the largest fair in metro Atlanta, the North Georgia State Fair attracts nearly 300,000 people every year from North Georgia and neighboring states. The fair features live music, free attractions and shows, farm animals, flower shows, blue ribbon competitions, local entertainment, and delicious fair foods.

Enjoy free concerts by great country and contemporary Christian artists including: Kenny Rogers, Travis Tritt, Craig Campbell & more! There are also games and rides on the Great James H. Drew Exposition midway– one of the largest carnival midways in the United States, featuring the Wildcat Rollercoaster and the Georgia Mountain Lift, the longest lift in

the state of Georgia at more than 2,000 feet.

New for 2014 is the Sky Flyer. The tower of the ride is a sky-scraping 100 feet high.

Also returning this year is the fan favorite Sea Lion Splash. Admission to the fair is $7.00; Children 10 and under are free.

Discounted fair tickets are available thru Sept. 19 at Walgreens stores.

CANDLER PARK FALL FEST

September 27 & 28 Candler Park candlerparkfallfest.com

Atlanta’s best family-friendly arts and music festival is celebrating its 14th year!

With a challenging 5K, Tour of Homes, live music, local food, fun-filled Kids Zone, and over 110 artist booths this free festival is not to be missed. The 5K kicks things off on Saturday before gates open at noon. Be sure to check out the tasty offerings of local restaurants and Atlanta Food Trucks while enjoying an astonishing total 16 bands over the two days. As of press time the final lineup was still being worked on but we can confirm that Candler Park’s own Francine Reed will perform in one of her last public appearances before she is inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. Closing Saturday night will be the Western Sizzlers.

FOLK LIFE FESTIVAL

SEPTEMBER 27, 10:30am - 4:30 pm atlantahistorycenter.com/folklife

A highlight among Atlanta’s fall festivals, the Fall Folklife Festival at the Atlanta History Center marries the Southern ways of good food, local brews, friends and family, and the joy of making memories.

Held each year during the first weekend of autumn, guests spend the day exploring the sprawling 33 acre campus and learning how Southerners prepared for the changing of the seasons in years past. With a cool crisp feeling in the air, attendees experience and participate in an assortment of scheduled and ongoing activities in the museum and at the 1860s Smith Family Farm. Observe the craftsmanship of traditional folk art practices throughout the farm including blacksmithing, woodworking, and much more. Enjoy the sounds of folk and bluegrass music. Explore Southern foodways with local chefs and farmers. Listen to folk tales from storytellers. A variety of animals are on hand at the petting zoo, while food trucks and draft beer are available.

EAST ATLANTA STRUT

September 27 East Atlanta Village eastatlantastrut.org The 16th annual East Atlanta Strut is a free, volunteer run neighborhood festival that celebrates and promotes the diversity of art, music, food, drink, funkiness and family that is East Atlanta. The festival takes place Saturday September 27 from 10 am - 9 pm, providing a day of fun for all ages. Live music will appear on five stages plus a Comedy Stage, Artists Market, Carnival Stalls, Community Booths, Kid’s Village and the Strut Parade kicking off this year at 2 pm. All festival proceeds are put back into the neighborhood and its community outreach. Leave the car at home.

Parking will be limited to neighborhood side streets so take public transportation.

OCTOBER FESTIVALS AVONDALE AUTUMNFEST

October 4 & 5 Avondale Estates autumnfestavondale.com Experience AutumnFest in Avondale Estates, October 4-5, with an artist market, live entertainment , artist demonstrations, food trucks, a chef demo area and KidsZone.

Sponsored by DeKalb Medical and the AJC, explore the work of more than 90 regional artists representing a diversity of styles and media. See favorites such as the Southeastern Snake Encounter’s Reptile Wagon, and live music by Ashley Rivera, Tribute-A Celebration of the Allman Brothers Band and headliner The Swimming Pool Q's. AutumnEats returns with local chefs preparing delicious tastings with locally farmed and sourced ingredients. Enter the apple pie contest and win cash prizes. Join the Avondale Arts Alliance for their ArtsParty, on September 4th at the Tudor Square Event Space.

Attend the official kickoff party, Harvest Shindig on October 3rd, $10 entry fee, with proceeds benefiting local arts programming. For details, visit the Facebook event pages: ArtsParty 2014, Harvest Shindig 2014. Festival thours are 11 am - 6 pm, rain or shine and admission is free. Details on website or follow on Facebook: AutumnFest Arts & Music Festival and Twitter: AEAutumnFest.

ATLANTA GREEK FESTIVAL October 9 - 12 Greek Orthodox

Cathedral atlantagreekfestival.org

Saturday Sept. 27 NooN–9pm SuNday Sept. 28 NooN–9pm 110 Artist Booths • Food Trucks • Kid’s Village • 5k Road Race Tour of Homes • Stilt Walkers, Jugglers, Clowns & more!

FraNciNe reed + the WeSterN SizzlerS

16 muSical actS appeariNg over tWo dayS! www.CandlerParkFallFest.org Continued on Page 21

Enjoy food, fun and "Opa" at this year's Atlanta Greek Festival, which brings all the aromas, sounds, tastes and traditions of Greece to your doorstep. Enjoy authentic Greek food and pastries (including a festival drive thru for those short on time), cooking demonstrations, church tours, music, and dancing with special audience participation. Adults are $5 and children 12 & under are admitted free. This year’s festival takes place Thursday October 9th from 5pm - 10pm; Friday Oct. 10th from 5pm – 11pm; Saturday Oct. 11th from 11am - 11pm; and Sunday Oct. 12th from 11am - 7pm. The Greek Orthodox Cathedral is located at 2500 Clairmont Road, Atlanta. Go online, for special promotions and to purchase tickets.

sip and savor decatur Saturday Oct. 18 noon to 5 on the square

ticketS available Sept. 15 at noon • online

decaturbeerfestival.org

visitdecaturga.com

Decatur-insite-beer festival-2014.indd 1

8/26/14 4:31 PM

NORCROSS ART FEST October 11 & 12 Downtown Norcross norcrossartfest.splashfestivals.com

This popular Art Fest makes its home on the charming streets of historic downtown Norcross. Artisans from across the country exhibit their imaginative artwork amidst the enchanting shops, eateries and boutiques. In addition to the artist market, the Kidz Zone awaits children of all ages with the free children’s art pavilion, face painting, inflatables and energetic rides. Continuous entertainment on Thrasher Park’s intimate stage welcomes listeners each year with oldies, blues, jazz and musical surprises. The fantastic food row always draws hungry shoppers with its large variety of tasty treats.

11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Downtown Kennesaw, GA

(Main Street / Depot - Downtown Kennesaw) FOR MORE INFO 770-423-1330 KENNESAWBUSINESS.ORG

insiteatlanta.com • September 2014 • PG 17

ATLANTA PRIDE FESTIVAL

October 11 & 12 Piedmont Park atlantapride.org The 44th Annual Atlanta Pride Festival is the largest event in the United States to coincide with National Coming Out Day. The Official Kickoff Party returns to the Georgia Aquarium on Friday, October 10.

This event that has now become a tradition for many and launches the Southeast’s largest Pride Festival. The Parade begins at 1 p.m. on Sunday from the Civic Center and enters the Piedmont Park through the Charles Allen entrance.

DECATUR CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL

Saturday October 18, Noon - 5PM Downtown Decatur Square decaturbeerfestival.com Come and enjoy an afternoon of beer tasting on the Decatur square. More than 100 of the finest local, American and international beers are showcased at this annual event sponsored by area distributors and Decatur's restaurants and pubs. Enjoy live music on the Community Bandstand and food from local restaurants available for sale.

Admission is $40 per person and includes a commemorative tasting glass. Tickets go on sale Monday September 15. Don’t delay as tickets sell out fast. All tickets are sold online through Ticket Alternative. No tickets are available for purchase at the

gate. You must be 21 or older to attend and no animals allowed at the festival.

FESTIVAL ON PONCE

Oct. 18 & 19 Olmsted Linear Park festivalonponce.com

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.

GEORGIA CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL October 25 Candler Park georgiacraftbeerfestival.com

The Festival on Ponce is a local arts and crafts event held at the Olmsted Linear Park in Atlanta. There is something for everyone: Artist's Market featuring arts and handmade crafts, a Children's Park, local food and beverage concessions and live acoustic entertainment. Attendance is free and visitors are encouraged to stroll the event to enjoy the art on display and the historic gardens. This is a unique and wonderful opportunity for locals and visitors to appreciate the vision and legacy of one of America's most celebrated landscape architects, Fredrick Olmsted, Sr.

TASTE OF ATLANTA

October 24 - 26 Tech Square, Midtown tasteofatlanta.com

Celebrating their 13th year, Taste of Atlanta is the city's premier food festival. Where else can you sample amazing food from all over the city all in one place? Experience delicious tastes from more than 80 of Atlanta's favorite restaurants, exceptional food, wine, beer, and cocktail tastings, seminars and food pairings and relaxing music cafes. Feast on Taste of Atlanta's fantastic

visual arts. This event will feature up to 185 fine painters, photographers, sculptors, leather and metal craft persons, glass blowers, jewelers and more. Admission is free.

The Festival will also offer visitors the opportunity to view artist demonstrations, enjoy live entertainment, participate in hands-on arts activities, and enjoy festival foods and beverages.

ATLANTA LOBSTER FESTIVAL

The Georgia Craft Beer Festival is back for its second year in Candler Park on Saturday, October 25 from 1:00pm – 6:00pm. Over 30 top breweries from around the state will be showcasing their signature craft beers and attracting beer enthusiasts from all over Atlanta. The festival will include an afternoon of games, live entertainment, a variety of food selections from the city’s top food trucks and over 100 craft beers to sample. All ages are welcome. Attendees must be 21 years of age to participate in beer samples. Tickets range from general admission to VIP, which includes entrance into the festival one hour earlier, access to the VIP area, air-conditioned bathrooms and exclusive beer samples. Proceeds from the event will benefit The Georgia Craft Brewers Guild, a trade organization representing craft breweries and brewpubs in the state of Georgia.

EARLY NOVEMBER CHASTAIN PARK ARTS FESTIVAL

November 1 & 2 Chastain Park chastainparkartsfestival.com The Chastain Park Arts Festival is a twoday outdoor event with an emphasis on

November 2 Candler Park atlantalobsterfestival.com

There’s a new food fest in town. Atlanta Lobster Festival is coming to Candler Park on Sunday, November 2nd from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and is sure to provide the ultimate in seafood delicacies. This inaugural outdoor festival will include an afternoon of live music, arts and crafts, light bites from a selection of the city’s top restaurants, as well as a variety of craft beer and wine options. Prime selections of lobster will be provided and prepared by executive chefs from all over the city, showcasing their signature crustacean-inspired dishes.

All ages are welcome, as tickets range from general admission to VIP featuring exclusive tastings, complimentary craft beer, wine, specialty cocktails and more.

Proceeds from the culinary event will benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, dedicated to making kids better today and healthier tomorrow through specialized care programs.

Free Admission  Beer Garden  Kids Zone  Acoustic Music All Day  Francisco Vidal Band Concert 7-9 pm 

...on the beautiful Village Green and Market Village in downtown Smyrna…info 770-423-1330 PG 18 • September 2014 • insiteatlanta.com

TRAVEL

CHARLOTTE, NC: TWO REMARKABLE HOTELS IN THE QUEEN CITY

BY MARCI MILLER

I

F YOU ARE LOOKING TO TREAT yourself to a fabulous weekend away but don’t want to jump on a plane, take a ride north on I-85 to Charlotte, NC. Known as a major U.S. financial center (the second largest after New York) the city is also home to the Carolina Panthers NFL Team, the Charlotte Hornets NBA Team, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, AAA Charlotte Knights Baseball team and the U.S. National Whitewater Center. Nicknamed the Queen City, Charlotte boasts two of the finest hotels in the Southeast. This summer INsite had the opportunity to check out the accommodations. We didn’t want to leave!

The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte: A Leader in Eco-Friendly Design

The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte is located in vibrant Uptown Charlotte, within convenient walking distance of many of the city’s shopping, dining, cultural, sports, entertainment, and business destinations.

The contemporary Ritz-Carlton is a sleek 18-story, 146-room building that seamlessly integrates green and sustainable practices with the rigorous, world-class standards of The Ritz-Carlton brand. The five year old building is LEED® Gold-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council and an ecofocused rarity among top-tier city hotels.

Their green/vegetated, highly-reflective roof combined with aggressive water conservation and recycling programs support the contemporary Ritz-Carlton property’s commitment to its surroundings. The hotel’s green roof is home to a chef’s garden and two beehives which house 100,000 seasonal honeybees whose natural honey is used for hotel culinary purposes, guest amenities, and honey-oriented spa treatments.

Complimentary weekday morning hybridvehicle transportation is provided for guests and the hotel offers free parking for electric and hybrid vehicles. They also have 150 guest bicycle storage spaces to encourage nonmotorized enjoyment of city. Hotel rooms are designed for the plugged-in traveler and feature charging sanctuaries able to charge 1,500 different electronic devices. From recycled aluminum meeting room tables to recycled leather furniture, the sustainable mahogany to locally-curated art highlighted by an in-lobby pottery gallery, the hotel offers a striking look at the beauty of nextgeneration hotel eco-design.

Plan an event: The hotel has a fascinating 6th floor wing called The Design Studio, which features seven rooms offering a virtual wedding tour, where brides can plan every portion of their wedding. The Design Studio is filled with wedding cakes, décor items and other wedding/reception samples which brides can touch and feel. It also has a private tasting room and a honeymoon planning area (where the team can make honeymoon

reservations and special hotel arrangements at any Ritz-Carlton property in the world). If you like wine, Urban Sip (15th floor) offers premium wines by the glass (the largest selection in the region), as well as tapas, small bites, spirits and more. Weekend jazz is featured. Open Thursday-Saturday.

Stay and Play 24: Stay & Play 24 is a flexible departure package enabling guests to check in at any hour and then enjoy occupancy of their room for a full 24 hours.

Stay & Play 24 was recently expanded to every night of the week, based on availability.

“The purpose of this expansion is to let our guests really experience what Charlotte has to offer, regardless of the day,” said David Rothwell, general manager for The RitzCarlton, Charlotte. “Charlotte has recently unveiled a new baseball stadium, and it offers a wealth of year-round sports and outdoor adventures, live entertainment, famous museums in walking distance of the hotel, and more. We’ve successfully tested this package as a Saturday-only offering, and we now look forward to letting future guests turn their one-night stay into a Charlotte minivacation –any day of the week.” Packages are valid to December 30, 2014, based on availability from $349 USD per night. Package includes: Luxury accommodations, $50 food and beverage credit, Complimentary In-room Internet access, Overnight valet parking, and guaranteed 24-hour stay regardless of checkin time. 201 East Trade Street Charlotte, NC, 28202 (800) 241-3333 www.ritzcarlton.com/ charlotte

The Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge: A Luxury Retreat within the Queen City

Just south of the city of Charlotte is the Ballantyne area which sits on what used to be the Morrison hunting preserve. The 2,000-acre development is practically a town unto itself. Within its borders is a 535acre corporate park, which includes office buildings, shopping, an 18-hole, daily-fee golf course and The Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge, a member of the Luxury Collection

by Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge guests enjoy resort-style amenities such as a luxurious spa, salon, indoor pools, seasonal outdoor pool, tennis, fitness, championship PGA golf course, and four-star dining at Gallery Restaurant. The hotel features elegant guest rooms and suites, a lodge group retreat and a spacious cottage. Upon entering the hotel, you’ll forget that you are in a bustling Charlotte suburb and will feel as if you are in a resort far away from the rest of the world. The lobby has an elegant feel and features detailed woodwork and upscale furnishings. It’s perfect for an afternoon tea or business meeting.

Guest rooms also have a stylish feel and suites are huge and feature two separate rooms for sleeping and sitting. The property also features the 40,000 square foot Lodge at

THE RITZ-CARLTON, CHARLOTTE

THE BALLANTYNE HOTEL & LODGE

Ballantyne which includes 35 guest rooms, meeting space, break-out rooms, spacious social areas with vaulted ceilings, a secondfloor loft with pool tables and much more.

While at the hotel, take the time to visit The Spa at Ballantyne. Spa offerings include ritualistic spa treatments, full-service salon, wellness services, fitness facilities, outdoor and indoor pools, eucalyptus steam rooms, cherry wood saunas and relaxation lounges. The Spa also offers a Gentleman’s Favorites section, exclusively featuring the Organic Male product line. Treatments specifically customized for men include the Distinguished Male Facial, Gentleman’s Pedicure and Gentleman’s Manicure, as well as a selection of customized massages.

The Golf Club at Ballantyne is a championship PGA public golf course that provides exceptional golf tournaments and outings, daily play, lessons by Dana Rader Golf School and overnight golf packages.

The Par 71 course is situated on a dynamic terrain with multiple water features, enjoyed by golfers of all skill levels.

If you are looking for a gourmet meal on your trip, look no further than the Gallery Restaurant, which serves contemporary American fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. The farm-to-table inspired menu changes seasonally to provide the freshest local ingredients. The private dining room offers intimate space for private meetings, rehearsal dinners, events and holiday parties. Gallery Bar offers an impressive wine and Scotch selection.

The restaurant features an exclusive display from local contemporary art provider Shain Gallery. Shain Gallery’s captivating display represents a variety of styles and techniques featuring local, regional and nationally recognized artists. All art in Gallery Restaurant is available for purchase and

rotates regularly.

Upcoming events at the Gallery Restaurant this fall include a series of beverage tastings with complementing light bites. All tastings are $25 per person. The Scotch Society of Ballantyne invites Scotch fans of all levels to gather monthly to sample Scotch paired with complementing small plates. Also, to celebrate National Bourbon Heritage Month in September, Gallery Restaurant is featuring bourbon cocktail specials along with daily burger specials throughout the month. Finally, Afternoon Tea is served Tuesday through Saturday from 1pm to 5pm year round.

The Ballantyne also makes a great spot for a destination wedding. Brides love The Ballantyne for its selection of elegant event spaces, stunning views for wedding day photography, great service, and delicious cuisine. The Ballantyne spa and salon offers complete wedding day preparation for the wedding party and visiting guests. Many of the grooms plan small golf outings for bachelor weekends or wedding weekends as a way to share quality time with visiting family and friends.

Take a trip to The Ballantyne, featuring some enticing packages which include internet and valet parking. The Fall and Winter Getaways offer a $50 credit toward spa, dining or golf. The Girls Getaway includes a $200 credit (for spa or dining) per room per night and two cocktail tasting flights at Gallery Bar. The Guys Getaway features a $200 credit (for golf or dining) per room per night and two Scotch tasting flights at Gallery Bar. Both the Girls and Guys packages can be reserved for one or two nights and are valid for Friday and Saturday stays. 10000 Ballantyne Commons Parkway Charlotte, NC, 28277 (800) 325-3589 www. theballantynehotel.com insiteatlanta.com • September 2014 • PG 19

MUSIC

Album Reviews

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

THE DEAN’S LIST

into a slick, soulful rock format, crafting songs like “Sugar High” with the mature authority of an act with twice their age and history. “Jesse” is a delightful and evocative narrative with the added bite of truth, offered with a straightforward delivery that leaves their previous polite harmonies as a distant memory. On the opening “Jailbreak,” the duo displays their message and confident new direction with well-worn metaphors of freedom, ultimately hammering it home with the fierce declaration of “Stubborn Love.”

Look for our interview with the duo in next month’s issue.

SIA

1000 Forms of Fear

(Monkey Puzzle/RCA) A success story 13 years in the making.

BL–I first fell in love with Sia Furler’s voice back in 2001. The Australian native was one of several talented singers featured on Zero 7’s debut album Simple Things, but it was her voice– bluesy, melancholy, and prone to unexpected runs of dynamic passion– that stood out, particularly on “Destiny.”

A few years later I stumbled upon an import of her second album, Colour the Small One, in an indie record store, and became obsessed with her electro-acoustic take on downtempo acid jazz. The album wasn’t released in the U.S. until a few years later, when “Breathe Me” became a breakout single after being used in the series finale of HBO’s Six Feet Under. But Sia avoided the spotlight, refusing to pose for magazine photos and turning her back to the audience during TV appearances. Despite a Top 30 Billboard ranking for her 2008 album, Some People Have Real Problems, Sia remained a cult success at best.

In recent years she’s garnered much more acclaim for her songwriting skills than her solo work, cranking out hits for Rihanna (“Diamonds”), David Guetta (“Titanium”), Ne-Yo (“Let Me Love You”), and seemingly every female pop star in the world (Beyoncé, Britney, Celine, Christina, Katy Perry, etc.). 1000 Forms of Fear is her first solo album since 2010’s We Are Born, and it suggests that Sia might finally be ready to be a pop star in her own right.

You’ve already heard the lead single, “Chandelier,” which exemplifies Sia’s hit formula: There’s an infectiously funky verse, a gradual dynamic build, and an anthemic chorus rife with memorable melody and overpowering emotion. For old school fans, more subtle tracks like “Big Girls Cry,” “Eye of the Needle” and “Cellophane” (with lyrics like “Look at me, I’m such a basket case/ While I fall apart, you’ll hide all my pills again”) seem more honest and closer to her emotionally fragile, openly damaged heart. But it’s hard not to root for songs like “Fire Meet Gasoline”– big, bold, bombastic pop designed to thrust Sia into the solo spotlight. Which, to be honest, seems like the place her talent was always destined to be.

BONNIE RAITT

Nick of Time (Capitol/UMe)

Blues-rock queen’s classic finally gets the vinyl treatment.

PG 20 • September 2014 • insiteatlanta.com

JM–Although Bonnie Raitt was nearly 20 years into her career by the time she released her 10th album, Nick of Time, it was that record that ultimately brought her blues-infused rock to the masses.

The UMe label has just re-released this seminal album on vinyl in honor of its 25th anniversary, re-mastering it from the original analog tapes.

Nick of Time went on to sell five million copies and snag a handful of Grammys (including Album of the Year) and it remains just as relevant today as it was when it was first released. Songs like the title track, “Thing Called Love,” “Love Letter” and “Have a Heart” still hold up remarkably well. As do some of the deeper cuts that were never released as singles, most notably the weeper “Too Soon to Tell” and the Raitt-penned “The Road’s My Middle Name”.

Here’s hoping the equally great Luck of the Draw will get the same vinyl treatment in a few years.

LARKIN POE

Kin (RH Records)

Sisters doing it for themselves.

LVS–Although they’re still in their 20s, the sisters in the ambitious folkpop duo known as Larkin Poe are hardly open mic amateurs. Their body of work contains a number of rootsy, bluegrass-flavored releases and critically acclaimed performances around the world, and they were recently tapped by Sugarland’s Kristian Bush to be part of his solo project.

The Atlanta-based siblings, Rebecca and Megan Lovell, began their career playing with their older sister as a trio billed as The Lovell Sisters. As Larkin Poe, the duo takes on a slightly more raw sound, with Rebecca on electric guitar and Megan on lap steel.

It would be fair to say they’ve filtered the country elements of their former sound

REST OF THE CLASS LEE BAINS III & THE GLORY FIRES Dereconstructed (Sub Pop)

Southern rock-loving punks trod down familiar paths.

issuing a collection of lovely synth-pop songs, many of which are anchored

by Vince Clarke’s (ex-Depeche Mode) insistent beats and sinewy bass lines.

Stylishly produced by Richard X, the lead single proves a fitting choice to introduce the album. “Elevation” is the centerpiece of the record and the defining moment in this new batch of songs.

Declarative, reverb-drenched (but not lost in the ‘80s) vocals, tasteful synths, and love- and relationship-based themes abound throughout. “Promises” and “Be The One” are equally strong, with Andy Bell’s always-emotive vocals alternately suggesting an intriguing balance of regret and elation, often in the same breathy statement. (B+) Erasure plays September 17 at Symphony Hall.

GRAMERCY ARMS

The Seasons of Love (Reveal Records) JM–On their sophomore effort (and first for the venerable Sub Pop label), Alabama’s Southern rock/punk hybrid Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires loses none of the grit from their 2012 debut album.

Dereconstructed is an overall solid effort, capably mixing the genres, but with a few slip-ups along the way. The biggest problem is that the vocals get drowned out most of the time in a barrage of distorted guitars. When Bains’ vocals can be heard over the noise, on songs such as “The Weeds of Downtown” and “Flags,” you start to realize just how much you miss it once it gets swallowed up again by the guitar swells a track or two later.

The Glory Fires’ music seems to be equally influenced by Lynyrd Skynyrd, AC/DC and Social Distortion, with some great tunes spread out among the 10 tracks. The band isn’t exactly treading much new ground here, as successful groups like Drivin ‘n’ Cryin’ and Two Cow Garage have been forging these trails in the Southern/ Midwestern mud for more than a decade now. But there are definitely some great songs on the record that hint at a better album in the making. (B-)

ERASURE

The Violet Flame (Mute)

Stunning return from the enduring synthpop duo.

LVS–If you’ve written off Erasure during the past few years (or perhaps forgotten about them entirely), you aren’t alone.

Their last truly good album was Nightbird, and that was way back in 2005. But don’t call The Violet Flame a return to form.

It’s just Erasure doing what they do best–

Constantly rotating supergroup makes sweet pop music.

JM–The second album in six years by this expansive collective, which features a revolving cast of prominent musicians, boasts members from bands like Belly, Guided By Voices, Nada Surf and Letters to Cleo, among many others. But the core of the group still includes Dave Derby (Dambuilders/Lloyd Cole), Rainy Orteca, Sean Eden and Kevin March.

The group’s latest album is a solid collection of straight-ahead pop music (with no prefix to couch the genre) you need not feel guilty about digging. There are a couple of weak spots here and there, but songs like the catchy “Winter Light” (which features backing vocals from Sparklehorse’s Kendall Meade) and the horn-heavy “The Night is Your Only Friend” (with Letters to Cleo’s Kay Hanley) more than make up for it. Gramercy Arms is gradually making it ok to dig pop music again, one record at a time. (B)

MUSIC

ROCK THIS WAY

Aerosmith’s Tom Hamilton on the Future of the Legendary Rockers

BY LEE VALENTINE SMITH

A

Did the new material work well in the live show, EROSMITH IS ONE OF THE or do the fans just want the old favorites? last fully-intact classic rock bands still It’s pretty normal with a new album, the standing. Often referred to as “The audience doesn’t want to hear a lot of it, until Bad Boys From Boston,” their heavy mix of they’ve already decided they like it. You know, blues-based rock has remained a constant, even they come to the show, they’ve saved up their during successful forays into pop-metal. Since money, went shopping and bought a nice their beginnings in the early ‘70s, the group outfit to wear and they’ve been anticipating all has endured frequent internal frictions as they the songs they love, that they want to hear. So produced an incredible string of hit records, sometimes, if you overload your set with brandearning them the title of best-selling American new material off the new album, rock group. This summer, the reaction can be a bit muted. “…HAVING HAD vocalist Steven Tyler, guitarists But we are playing a lot of the Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, THE EXPERIENCE older, ‘70s stuff, while making drummer Joey Kramer and WE’VE HAD, WE sure not to disappoint the people bassist Tom Hamilton are back who are into, you know, the on the road, along with Myles KNOW THE THINGS Pump album, and the sort-of Kennedy and Slash for the Let THAT AREN’T THE later, second-era Aerosmith Rock Rule Tour. Hamilton was stuff. Right now, I feel like we’ve briefly sidelined with issues last THINGS TO BLOW UP got a really good mixture of all year from long-term effects of TOO MUCH. BECAUSE of it. radiation, but he’s back on tour with the band and spoke with THEN YOU JUST GET With a catalog as deep as Insite recently from his home in Aerosmith’s, obviously even DESTRUCTION Massachusetts. some of the greatest hits have to FROM IT. be left out.

Now that your record deal with You’re right, we do have a lot Columbia is done, how does it feel to be one of to choose from. There’s a classic, ‘70s Aerosmith the most famous indie acts? song called “Last Child,” and it’s always a crowdPretty good! We haven’t even really been pleaser, but that one is on hiatus as of the last few talking about what we’re gonna do next, as far gigs, and we’ve put in “Big Ten Inch,” off our third as recording. We’ve got another two months of album. We’ve been playing “Kings And Queens,” touring, and then we’ll have to see. That subject which we haven’t played in a long time, off of our will come up or we’ll just go back on the road, I Draw The Line album. We’d been playing “Come don’t know. But if we’ve got, say, two songs that Together” a lot and that one’s now on hiatus. are really strong, we could always release them So we’ll give some of the songs a break and add like that, or wait till we have a whole album. others and just alternate, so it makes it difficult The good thing about now is, there are a whole but in a really neat way. We have the songs, but lot of different ways to get the fans some new the thing we really want to get good at is the Aerosmith music. sequence, so they flow into each other and build and create climaxes and dynamics.

Does this represent a new crossroads for the band and did the less-than-spectacular sales Is that your job, or is that a democratic of [2012’s] Music From Another Dimension decision? change your writing habits?

Joey does it a lot, but everybody has input. It’s Yeah, there are so many countries that are a result of sitting around with a blackboard, and opening up to us, a ton of Aerosmith fans, and just arguing it out. they are starting to come into an economic situation where enough kids can buy tickets Do you adapt the show for different regions? where we can go there and play. That’s one of the Sometimes when we go to different areas of major new things that’s going on, the other side the world, we’ll try to adjust it for the area we’re of that is what we do, in terms of coming up with in. Like, in South America, they like to rock, new music. Obviously, we need to keep hacking but they also like to hear a lot of those ballads. away at that. The fans were very clear about how It’s really amazing. Even the kids who are really they felt about that album. It was a mystery to us into rock want to hear songs like “Crazy” and why more of ‘em didn’t go for it, but maybe we “Cryin” and all that stuff. But then, up in the can learn from that.

States, sometimes they want to hear the sort-of ethereal part of Aerosmith, which is represented by “Dream On” and “Livin’ On The Edge,” those types of songs. It’s pretty hard, but I think we’ve managed to put a pretty good set together.

between some of the bandmates from time to time. How is the weather now?

Things are great right now. There’s always stuff that comes up, but things don’t grow beyond what they should be, like they used to. Back when you’re young, you’re ready to stand up and duke it out, every little bit, but having had the experience we’ve had, we know the things that aren’t the things to blow up too much. Because then you just get destruction from it.

You’re famous for being the peace-keeper of the band.

Yeah. I get called the “voice of reason” sometimes. People will bounce what they want to say off me, before they say it to whoever they’re mad at. They can rehearse the situation with me and hopefully I can give them a little insight. It’s like, “Ok, if you say that like that, then the other guy is gonna hear it like it’s a personal attack, even if what you’re saying is something you feel strongly about, just try to say it in a way that’s not personal.”

This Let Rock Rule Tour with Slash and Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators sounds like the perfect rock guitar orgy.

Yeah, you said it. Six-string heaven! When those guys are out on stage, the audience is all in the room, listening. We’ve had a lot of great bands out with us in the past, but they go on stage, usually everybody’s still out buying hot dogs. Slash is very on-the-money, his skills and his imagination are awesome, and what he’s expressing on the guitar is very strong. So it

makes us feel good that we are providing more music for the audience.

Aerosmith is on national tour this summer. Check local listings for a venue near you.

Do you have any new music ready from your own backlog of tunes?

Yeah, I do. Some could be Aerosmith songs and some, I’m not sure. It really comes down to, what does Steven want to sing? Otherwise, I’ll have to see what I can do with them, I can’t really sing ‘em. Although, that’s not 100 percent, with the technology that’s out today, you can build up a vocal track pretty well, even if you have a limited instrument to do it with. Some people use that as a way to cheat, but for me, it could be a way to compensate for what I’ve had to sacrifice, just to survive cancer. But I do have a few songs, so there are a lot of possibilities.

Aerosmith is known for having a bit of tension insiteatlanta.com • September 2014 • PG 21

MUSIC

PEACE PUNKS

Nathen Maxwell on The Bunny Gang and Flogging Molly

BY JOHN B. MOORE

N

ATHEN MAXWELL IS PRETTY BUSY WITH his day job, playing bass for one of the most successful Celtic punk rock bands in the world, Flogging Molly. Let’s be honest, even with their Celtic influences aside, they’re simply one of the best things going in punk rock, period. But in-between his endless tours with Flogging Molly, Maxwell still finds time, occasionally, to work on his side project, The Bunny Gang. It’s been five years since Nathen Maxwell and The Bunny Gang put out their debut album, White Rabbit. But now they’re back with a fantastic follow up, Thrive. Maxwell was cool enough to trade some e-mails back and forth with us to talk about his new record. Enjoy!

I went and pulled out your last solo record and realized there was a rabbit on the cover and now your new band is called The Bunny Gang. What’s the deal with the rabbit theme?

The Bunny Gang means peace punks. The rabbit represents new life and abundance. To make a change these days, quite often you must do it from within the belly of the beast. Many have been and will continue to be sacrificed in order for us all to thrive. Also, the punk rock crew I grew up with in the South Bay of L.A. is called the Original Bunny Gang, or OBG PUNX. Is this band the same one that performed on White Rabbit?

White Rabbit was recorded like more of a solo record. My father Maxwell laid down the drums, and then I overdubbed all the other instruments, rhythm guitar, vocals, melodica and bass. Afterwards, the producer, Ted Hut, laid down some lead

guitar, space echo, etc. For Thrive, it was recorded as more of a full band experience, with Nat Lort-Nelson on lead guitar, Mike Peralta on bass and Maxwell on drums.

It’s been about five years since the last record. Obviously you’re pretty busy with your day job. Did you start writing these songs years ago, or did you wait until you had a break with Flogging Molly and then write and record them all at once?

Thrive is a collection of both brand new songs and songs that have been stirring around for some time.

TO MAKE A CHANGE THESE DAYS, QUITE OFTEN YOU MUST DO IT FROM WITHIN THE BELLY OF THE BEAST.

Why did you decide to record in El Paso? What was the experience like?

I discovered Sonic Ranch in El Paso during Flogging Molly’s Speed of Darkness recording. I immediately fell in love with the location, studio, and people. I knew then that that was where I wanted to do my next record.

One of the songs that really jumped out the first couple of times I listened to the record was “Sirens in the City.” Can you talk about the story behind that one?

Back when I was still living in L.A. I was working with a great musician and friend named Scott Abels. He showed me the riff, and then I went home to Harbor City and just wrote mainly about what I heard through my bedroom window– helicopters above and sirens through the city.

Has Flogging Molly finished the next record yet?

Flogging Molly is currently putting plans together to record our new record this year.

Do you guys plan to tour at all when the record comes out?

Playing music live is and always has been a huge part of what drives me. I plan on playing this music whenever and wherever possible.

Do you know what to expect?

A great time!

You guys are also hosting the Salty Dog Cruise early next year. That sounds equally amazing and scary. How did that come about?

Pirates and the Sea. It’s just meant to be!

What is next for you?

To keep on keeping on.

NATURE VS NURTURE

The UK’s Dinosaur Pile-Up Revives the ‘90s Alt-Rock Sound

BY JOHN B. MOORE

I

T TOOK A WHILE FOR MATT Bigland to find the right guys to round out his band, Dinasaur Pile-Up. But the singer/guitarist is convinced he now has “the lineup to end all lineups.” The English band, which plays a brilliant brand of ‘90s-influenced college rock, is currently touring the U.S. as the opening act for the recently active Brand New (and drawing almost as much attention as the headliners).

Bigland spoke with us recently about that tour and what it takes to assemble the perfect lineup.

The band has had a revolving lineup since you first started. How long has this lineup been in place?

This lineup has been the lineup for about

a year now. And it’s the line p to end all lineups. I asked Mikey (Sheils) to join the band about four years ago, and we’ve been touring ever since. We knew Jim (Cratchley) for pretty much the same amount of time, maybe even longer actually. I toured with Jim in his band before his last band, so we’ve known each other for ages, and we’d end up on festivals together, etc., all the time. Both Mikey and Jim were actually fans of Dinosaur Pile-Up before they joined. So when Jim’s last band came to an end it was an easy fit to step in with me and Mikey.

If I remember correctly, you essentially recorded the debut album by yourself and then finalized the rhythm section after the songs were recorded. How did you approach the recording of Nature Nurture?

That’s right. I knew exactly what I wanted

to do with the first record and I just found it easier to go and do it myself. I’ve always found writing and recording easier on my own. It’s weird. Nature Nurture was actually recorded in the same way, although it wasn’t intended to be that way. When it came around to going into a studio, we were in a tight spot. We only had one shot at these studio dates we had secured, and Mikey couldn’t be there. So I re-learned all the drum parts and recorded on my own again. I’m a drummer first in my mind, but now that Jim’s in the band we’re all just clawing to get in the studio together.

You are back in the U.S., now supporting Brand New. How has the tour been going so far?

It’s our third tour over here, and obviously touring with Brand New is just a total blast for us. They are amazing live, but also just such great people to hang out with. And the crowds have been really accepting of us, which is nice, as fans of such a cult band can sometimes be a bit standoff-ish, you know?

So you were fans of the band’s music before being asked to support them on tour?

Yeah, we were. I got into them when “Sic Transit” blew up, when I was still in school, along with a bunch of other alternative bands. I taught myself some tunes of theirs, and then when they released Daisy my mind was blown.

PG 22 • September 2014 • insiteatlanta.com

You guys have also played with some other amazing bands, like The Pixies. Was that intimidating at all? Did you get to interact with Frank Black and the others?

When we toured with the Pixies it was intimidating, yeah, but still awesome! We’re

pretty new, and getting thrown into venues that big with a band as infamous as that…

Chatting with Kim Deal was just a total headfuck, and we are obviously huge fans of that band. We didn’t talk with Frank too much, because he’s a pretty insular dude. However Joey (Santiago) liked to hang out, so that was cool. I’ll never forget hearing “Where Is My Mind,” looking at the Pixies from the side [of the stage]. It was just insane! We’ve had the pleasure of playing with a whole bunch of other bands, like Cage The Elephant and Middle Class Rut. The funny thing that’s similar between them all is that they’re super nice people.

Have you started thinking about work on the next record yet?

I’m always thinking about the next record! I was probably thinking about the next one as I was walking out the studio after recording the last one. I’m a really creatively restless person, so I’m always way too excited about the next step. When I’m off the road, I write almost everyday.

What’s next for you?

As soon as we get back to the UK we have a couple of weeks at home, in which I’ll be producing a record I’m working on with these three Japanese dudes that sound like Weezer, Nirvana and The Ramones. They’re awesome!

Then straight after that we’re heading over to Japan to play the Summersonic Festival in Tokyo and Osaka. Nature Nurture is being released later in the year over there, which we’re all just so stoked about. And we’ve never been to Japan, so we’re just generally pumped. This year, shit has just turned in to a non-stop global head-fuck, which is flat-out AWESOME!

Road Warriors

This Month’s Hottest Shows

BY SACHA DZUBA

9/09 - KINGS OF LEON

Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood Hailing from Tennessee, Kings of Leon are southern rockers that brought the fire and brimstone of edgy southern blues rock in their early efforts.

The three Followill brothers and cousin garnered critical acclaim early in their musical career overseas and especially in the UK. They’ve grown together as a band and accordingly have grown as musicians, adding to and changing their musical style. Their latest effort, Mechanical Bull, will please their early fans with southern rock and blues cuts; but expands their sound to include elements of alternative and arena rock. These boys are definitely southern rock royalty; listen out for hits “Use Somebody” and “Sex on Fire” and don’t miss this chance to bow down to the kings!

9/10 - 9/13 – PROG POWER XV

Center Stage ProgPower USA XV is the premier festival in the U.S. dedicated to progressive and power metal music; especially focusing on bands from overseas that might not have the chance to play for American audiences. Initially starting in Lansing, Illinois; all subsequent editions of the festival have been held right here in Atlanta, Georgia, at Center Stage. Each year fans the world over descend on Atlanta to experience the

once in a lifetime, exclusive performances and the metal camaraderie of like-minded fans. This year’s extensive lineup includes Pagan’s Mind, Overkill, Seventh Wonder, Stratovarius, Pain Of Salvation, Jon Oliva’s Pain, Leprous, Orden Ogan, Voodoo Circle, and Withem, along with many others. A fantastic few days of music mayhem and an opportunity to meet fellow metalheads and prog-lovers; metal horns required!

ences of ska and reggae in her debut. Her second album shifted to synth pop and she is moving onward to add dub step, funk, and piano ballads with her latest album, Sheezus. Biting social and political commentaries are delivered with anti-pop lyrics in a sing-song style; she pulls no punches. Lily Allen is an artist with something to say, and she says it, no holds barred.

9/19–9/21, 9/26 & 9/27 – GARTH BROOKS

Delta Classic Chastain Park Amphitheater Husband and wife, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, decided to dispense with their muchloved individual bands and pool their talents.

Their excited, sizable, and devoted fan bases, along with movers and shakers of the music industry alike were eagerly awaiting the Tedeschi Trucks Band’s studio debut, Revelator; which landed TTB both a best blues album Grammy and a blues music award for album of the year.

Continuing their forward momentum with the release of Made Up Mind, there isn’t a shred of doubt that Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, and their superb bandmates are one of the finest blues bands to see live; don’t miss them.

Philips Arena Since his debut in 1989, American country music singer and songwriter Garth Brooks has become one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time; selling over 190 million records, with six albums achieving diamond status. After nearly a decade-long retirement from touring and creating new music, Garth Brooks is returning to the stage and will release a new album in October.

Still one of a few musicians to refuse iTunes, Brooks’ catalog of music will be available for digital download for the first time ever, exclusively through his own website. Brooks is known for integrating rock elements into country music as one first crossover artists to lead in both country music and pop charts. The antithesis to the “bro country” and “hick hop” currently reigning in the charts, Brooks stated that his new songs would continue in his own western “cowboy song” style. Don those boots, get your line dancin’ skills ready, and be sure to sing along with all your “Friends in Low Places”; a welcome return of a country music powerhouse.

9/17 – LILY ALLEN

9/24 – EXPERIENCE HENDRIX

9/12 – TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND

The Tabernacle Lily Allen is a British pop songstress in the vein of Britney, Katy, Kylie, and Rihanna; with a significant difference. Lily regularly espouses a depth within her lyrics not regularly present in the music of her peers. She is often the subject of tabloid attention due to her outspoken and unfiltered nature and comments. Miss Allen’s musical inspirations are diverse, with clear influ-

Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center The Experience Hendrix tour has been paying homage to the musical genius of Jimi Hendrix for over a decade. Bringing Jimi’s music to life and recreating his songs is a diverse aggregation of extraordinary musicians anchored by original member of several Hendrix bands, bassist Billy Cox. The all-star lineup also includes legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Johnson, Rich Robinson,

WE GOT NEXT HEMINGWAY

Doyle Bramhall II, Chris Layton, Eric Gales, Henri Brown, Noah Hunt, Tony Franklin, Scott Nelson, and Tim Austin. Each of these artists collaborate to reinterpret signature songs such as “Little Wing,” “Fire,” “Purple Haze,” and “Voodoo Child”. The enduring influence and music of Jimi Hendrix lives again; come worship at the ‘Electric Church’ and feel his music directly connect to you and ignite your soul.

9/26 – OK GO

Terminal West Possibly the world’s most creative band, OK Go is defined by a vision that eschews boundaries for boundless creativity. Bursting with infectious songs, OK Go explores endless creative endeavors: creating elaborate and artistic videos seen the world over; immersive and surprising live performances; apps and op-eds and a host of other ambitious and fun experiments. Their forthcoming album, Hungry Ghosts will be very diverse stylistically, encompassing a more electronic sound than previous efforts and influenced by 80’s acts including Prince, INXS, the Cure, and New Order. This concert is a no brainer, OK? Go!

9/27 – SHONEN KNIFE

529 Shonen Knife, an all-female Japanese pop punk band, has been rocking stripped-down songs with lyrics sung in both English and Japanese since 1981. They made fans of some of the most seminal 90’s alt. rock bands such as Nirvana and Sonic Youth, and were championed by legendary dj John Peel. Influences include 70’s punk rock and new wave, but Shonen Knife constantly emphasize positivity with upbeat melodies and heavily-accented, sunny, lighthearted lyrics.

Their latest release is Overdrive, a tip of the hat to 70’s hard rock. Journey into their musings on food, fantasy and daily life in Osaka. I truly hope their hit “Tomato Head”, made famous on Beavis and Butthead brings the house down. Don’t miss these exotic ladies from the far east and their magical tunes.

Artists on the verge of making it big

Latest Project: Pretend to Care (6131 Records) For Fans of: Sunny Day Real Estate, Braid and The Get Up Kids Why You Should Care: Because, by wearing their emo influences right out front, this Portland quartet is helping to revive the once-maligned genre.

BY JOHN B. MOORE

I

T’S A BALLSY MOVE TO NAME YOUR band after one of the greatest writers this country has ever produced.

Thankfully, the guys in Hemingway have turned in a hell of a debut with Pretend to Care; 10 songs of emo that wouldn’t sound out of place if it came out alongside Sunny Day Real Estate in the ‘90s. Singer/guitarist Benjamin Ward spoke with us recently about how the band first came together, working with producer Jack Shirley and learning to embrace the emo tag.

Can you start off by talking about how the band first got together?

Yeah. The band got started as just a fun project in my friend’s basement playing Jawbreaker covers, with Ryan (Harper) on bass and myself on guitar. Ryan and I have been in quite a few bands in the past, mostly all hardcore, and he has always been on guitar and I’ve always played bass. So it was just a fun switch-up on instruments from what we were used to and playing different

kinds of songs. I eventually started writing my own songs and, as we got more serious, we got Jared (Ridabock) on drums and moved Ryan over to lead guitar. I asked Justin (Mozer), who was my co-worker at the time, to play bass. And here we are.

Do you guys share similar musical influences? Any that would surprise people?

Ryan and I definitely always seem to be on the same page when it comes to bands that have influenced us. But with the other two it’s usually a bit more difficult to find common ground. We usually tend to agree on music in groups of threes, with one person feeling indifferent. I honestly think that the only artist we can agree on collectively as a band is Drake.

How long have you been working on the songs that made it on Pretend to Care?

It varies, but a majority of them are almost a year old. Ryan and I had been working on at least six of them for quite some time before we even knew who we were going to record with. But I always knew I wanted to have 10 songs that would make the final cut. So after we had set a recording date we kind of just jammed out a few more to make it 10.

Are you ok with people tossing around the “emo” tag when discussing your music?

Totally. We have nothing against it. We knew going into this the sound we were going for and describing it as emo always seemed like the best way to convey that sound.

Was Jack Shirley your first choice to produce?

He most certainly was.

How well did you work with him in the studio?

In the past we had recorded a few songs here in Portland at various places, and I was never really satisfied with the end result. I had known about Jack from the countless bands he has recorded and had heard only good things about him from friends in Joyce Manor and Souvenirs about their experience with him.

I somehow convinced the rest of the guys to make the trip to the bay (which is an 11 hour drive) so that I could finally get the sound I wanted. Jack was extremely nice to us, and had a good understanding of what we were going for. We all seemed to work really well together… maybe a little less so with me, since I would get a little picky at times. But all in all I would say it was a very successful experience.

How did you guys connect with 6131 Records?

Sean (Reid) from 6131 hit me up after hearing about us from a tour we did on the west coast. I think he saw our name on a flyer or saw us on Cavistapes, and luckily gave us a listen. I’ve always been very familiar with 6131 and the bands they have worked with, so I was pretty stoked to say the least.

What’s next for the band?

Tour. Just hoping to play to new people in new places promoting the album and having a whole lot of fun. I’m definitely already thinking about new songs for down the road and I look forward to working on them and releasing them with 6131.

Those were all the questions I have. Anything else you want to cover?

Nah. That felt fine. insiteatlanta.com • September 2014 • PG 23

SPORTS

2014 NFL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

R

AY RICE. JOHNNY MANZIEL. MICHAEL SAM. We’ve heard the names repeatedly this summer for things that happened far from the football field. Thankfully, come the NFL’s opening weekend, that narrative changes.

As football fans, all the conjecture and side chatter from ESPN’s talking heads gets old pretty darn quickly. We don’t know about you, but here at INsite, we could care less about sexual preferences and social lives; the only thing we want is good, clean football... oh, and a Super Bowl match-up between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots in Arizona on February 1.

1. SEATTLE

NFC

There are some things not working in the favor of a Seahawks repeat —star corner Richard Sherman is on the curse-causing Madden ’15 video game cover; the fact that no defending champ has returned to the Super Bowl the next year, let alone won it, since the ’04-05 New England Patriots — but there is simply too much of the aforementioned Sherman, the awesome Marshawn Lynch and the still-ascending Russell Wilson to ignore.

2. SAN FRANCISCO

During QB Colin Kaepernick’s ice bucket challenge, he didn’t flinch under the chilly conditions, even saying “I don’t get cold” in the video. If you had weapons like Frank Gore (1,128 rushing yards), Anquan Boldin (85 receptions) and Patrick Willis (104 tackles) on your side, you’d remain pretty cool, too.

3. GREEN BAY

Opposing defenses don’t really have an answer for Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson and Eddie Lacy, but the injury bug just might. How the squad responds to starters B.J. Raji’s torn bicep and JC Tretter’s fractured knee determines how close it’ll get to Glendale.

4. NEW ORLEANS

It’s almost unfair to pair the Saints’ air game (NFC-leading 4,918 passing yards) with a formidable rushing attack, but with Mark Ingram’s emergence between the tackles, that’s exactly what the now-cringing NFC South must face.

5. CHICAGO

We can argue all day about whether the Brandon MarshallAlshon Jeffrey combo makes up the league’s best wideout tandem. What can’t be debated, however, is that the Bears’ shaky defense needs to wake from a long slumber.

6. ATLANTA

Injuries were the Falcons’ main issue a year ago. Luckily, the spry Julio Jones appears all the way back from a foot issue. But with Sam Baker and Sean Weatherspoon out for the season, the Birds’ playoff hopes have come down to earth.

7. PHILADELPHIA

Some of the Eagles’ numbers were eye-popping a year ago: QB Nick Foles’ 27-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ration; the team’s NFL-pacing 160 rushing yards a game. Still, the stat they need to fix: six, as in the number of years since the franchise won a playoff game.

8. DETROIT

The Lions have more weapons (Calvin Johnson, Reggie Bush, Matthew Stafford) than the set of The Expendables 3. But if they keep shooting blanks in December (0-9 the last two years), it doesn’t really matter.

9. ARIZONA

Irked by all the hype surrounding the Seahawks’ Sherman, Cardinals corner Patrick Peterson did everything short of calling himself the position’s top player. We won’t quite co-sign just yet, but we will say the do-everything player has officially taken the crown of “Arizona’s best athlete” from Larry Fitzgerald.

10. DALLAS

The Cowboys are the Seth Myers of football. They’re not bad enough to kick them off the stage (Dez Bryant’s hands alone prevent that), but when you sit and think about what they’ve ever really done (8-8 for three straight seasons), you don’t come up with much.

PG 24 • September 2014 • insiteatlanta.com

Seattle’s Richard Sherman

11. WASHINGTON

Sixteen touchdowns and 12 picks just won’t cut it. But before the Skins Nation grows completely fed up with RGIII, they need to see what he can do with Pierre Garcon on one side and the always-lethal Desean Jackson on the other.

12. NEW YORK GIANTS

Something about Eli Manning was just off a year ago. And in the preseason action (19 of 37 in pass attempts at press time) we caught this year, it doesn’t appear that the emotionless signal caller has figured the issue out yet.

13. MINNESOTA

Matt Cassel might be the Week 1 starter behind center, but if he’s to hold off talented rookie Teddy Bridgewater for an extended period, he better get out of Adrian Peterson’s way and make sure he gets 50-yard darts to WR Cordarrelle Patterson.

14. TAMPA BAY

We’re all for Lovie Smith as the Bucs head coach, but pardon us for not completely buying into Josh McCown being the right man to get the ball to Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans down the field.

15. CAROLINA

The only hurting thing hurting Cam Newton more than his bruised ribs right now are his eyes. The dude’s pupils have to ache every time he looks at the bumbled bunch of receivers he’s throwing to this year.

16. ST. LOUIS

If it wasn’t for overrated news (Michael Sam’s personal life) and heartbreaking headlines (Sam Bradford’s second torn ACL), the Rams wouldn’t be mentioned in sports sections at all.

1. NEW ENGLAND

AFC

Last year was an off one by Tom Brady’s ridiculous standards (60.5% completions, 11 INTs). Should Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola keep out of the trainer’s room, the future hall of famer will make a healthy return to the top of the Mount Rushmore of QBs.

2. DENVER

Embarrassed in every way imaginable in a 43-8 Super Bowl debacle, the Broncos went out and tightened up the defensive side by signing Demarcus Ware, Aqib Talib and T.J. Ward.

Sadly, the only cure for Wes Welker’s concussions might be taking a permanent spot on the sidelines.

3. INDIANAPOLIS

The only thing keeping Andrew Luck and Co. from building off last year’s impressive 11-5 run and becoming true Super Bowl contenders is a defense that isn’t sure if it wants to be decent or dominating.

4. PITTSBURGH

Not sure if you’ve noticed or not, but these Steelers have plummeted into mediocrity (16-16 the last two years). Western Pennsylvania is hoping a rejuvenated Ben Roethlisberger and a roster of youngsters (Le’Veon Bell, Markus Wheaton) can bring some new life.

5. CINCINNATI

The Andy Dalton-to-A.J.-Green connection is so prolific that the exploits on the other side of the ball — linebacker Vontaze Burfict led the NFL in tackles in ’13 — have greatly gone unnoticed. That changes for the Bengals this year.

6. SAN DIEGO

By the time this season concludes, the underappreciated Philip Rivers will be in the NFL’s all-time top 30 in passing yards, TDs and completions. He could add “AFC Champ” to that year-end tally if teammates are as consistent as he’s been.

7. KANSAS CITY

While there are some obvious holes in the Chiefs’ long-term plans — the feeble offensive line and sketchy secondary — the team still has one of the planet’s most versatile players, Jamaal Charles (19 total TDs), on its roster.

8. BALTIMORE

Ray Rice should have been suspended for at least eight games for his role in the domestic violence incidence with his thenfiancée. Torrey Smith and Steve Smith Sr. should combine for 18 TDs. These Ravens should put up quite the fight in the competitive AFC North.

9. NEW YORK JETS

This team of ho-hum hitters has a stretch in October where they face San Diego, Denver and New England in consecutive weeks. By then, Geno Smith will have either cemented himself as the organization’s QB of the future or the guy who’ll fetch Michael Vick water for the next two years.

10. HOUSTON

We honestly like a lot of the Texans’ pieces (Arian Foster, DeAndre Hopkins, Jadeveon Clowney), but as long as Ryan Fitzpatrick (five games under 185 yards passing in ’13) is making the moves in the pocket, Houston is playing checkers in a league built for chess.

11. TENNESSEE

If Jake Locker is to “make” in his make-or-break fourth year, he’ll need a gang of relatively unknown guys (Bishop Sankey, Justin Hunter, Kendall Wright) to be really good really fast.

12. MIAMI

The Richie Incognito bullying scandal turned the Dolphins locker room into a media circus. Though underrated QB Ryan Tannehill is still the ringleader, and Lamar Miller is the backfield lion, Miami is far from being the Greatest Show on Turf.

13. BUFFALO

Rookie receiving sensation Sammy Watkins has world-class hands, legs and agility. Let’s just hope he has the hunger to learn the Bills’ playbook and the patience to wait on E.J. Manuel to work out his kinks.

14. CLEVELAND

Unlike many folks who are already fed up with Johnny Manziel’s antics, we kinda like the free-spirited rookie’s ways. And trust us, by the time these bumbling Browns get to Thanksgiving, we’ll all be in need of a good laugh.

15. OAKLAND

So-so roster moves (adding Matt Schaub, Justin Tuck, Maurice Jones-Drew) can’t hold a candle to rumors of the beleaguered franchise possibly relocating from the Bay Area back to L.A. or even trying out San Antonio.

16. JACKSONVILLE

Though Blake Bortles showed promise in the preseason, he’ll need at least a season to supplant Chad Henne as the No. 1 QB option. Heaven knows how long he’ll need to get this franchise (no winning season since ’07) out the trash heap.

MUSIC

FILM

TRACK SUITS HOME RELEASES Track Suits 6: Filthy Fury

BY BLUE SULLIVAN

B

ECAUSE I WENT A BIT LONG in the mouth extolling the virtues of this month’s tracks, let us dispense with formalities like a proper introduction and get to this, The Most Important Singles Column in Human History (copyright pending).

London Grammar – “Strong (RAC Remix)”

Whenever I meet someone inexplicably holding forth on the “genius” of Lana Del Rey, I internally calm my (rapacious) desire to laugh scornfully in said pontificator’s face by imagining that they are actually talking about the rightful heir to the world-conquering diva throne, London Grammar. This is the second track by her featured here. The first was the best dance song of the last twelve months, Arty’s skyscraper-sized remix of “Hey Now.” Though this is also a remix, it goes the exact opposite direction, stripping everything except for LG’s haunting croon, a handful of tastefully applied synths and a beat that sounds just on the edge of a deep Ambien dream. The result is a Bond-score-worthy ballad that should soundtrack every high school breakup from here to Manchester.

Dog Blood – “Next Order”

Words cannot properly express how sheepish I am at admitting how much I enjoy this. Why? Because Dog Blood represents the shockingly effective collaboration between Boyz Noize and the crown prince of electrotackiness, Skrillex. My EDM-snob bona fides compromised (perhaps irreparably), I will note that the success of this comes not from combining the (alleged) strengths of these two festival headliners. Rather, its unqualified triumph comes from lying prostate at the altar of Exit Planet Dust-era Chemical Brothers. However, the fact that “Next Order” could fit snugly on that Big Beat template setter isn’t a knock, because this isn’t cover band facsimile. It’s goofily-smiling fandom transformed into something joyful.

Retro Pick:

Basement Jaxx – “Get Me Off”

The Bristol duo has a new album, Junto, that I reviewed elsewhere this month. Short version: it exists and doesn’t embarrass itself.

But instead of getting that, go to iTunes and procure this essential part of any proper dance collection. A single of the Jaxx’s landmark 2001 album, Rooty, “Get Me Off” is the rare “sexy” dance track that allows you to remove the air quotes. Sexy? This song is so viscerally obscene that you expect it to get hauled off in cuffs halfway through. It also boosts a bass line so fat and filthy that strippers might blush on the pole.

If you would like to hear this month’s tracks– and a few more great ones we didn’t have room to write about– check out our “Track Suits Mix” at: www.mixcloud.com/ tracksuits. Special thanks to TJDJ in DC and my impeccably tasteful brother, Jody, for their help in curating this column.

THE LATEST DVD, BLU RAY & VOD RELEASES

BY BRET LOVE AND JOHN MOORE

BOARDWALK EMPIRE: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON In its fourth season, HBO’s Prohibition-era drama continued to build dynamic tension.

Nucky Thompson (the great Steve Buscemi) may have come to a peace agreement with his gangster rivals, but the feds are closing in, Harlem drug kingpin Valentin Narcisse (Jeffrey Wright) is launching all-out war with Chalky, troubled nephew Willie wants to join the family business, and a new flame in Florida (Patricia Arquette) has him looking for a way out. Expect season five to send the Terence Winter/Martin Scorcese classic out with one helluva bang.

LOCKE Written/directed by Steven Knight (Eastern Promises), Locke is like no film you’ve seen, thanks to the performance of Tom Hardy. The story follows a car ride from Birmingham to London, after construction foreman Ivan Locke learns that a co-worker he had a one-night stand with has gone into premature labor. Phone calls find Locke being fired from his job (for leaving the night before he’s supposed to supervise a huge project), kicked out of the house by his wife (for infidelity), urged to come home by his sons, and begged to hurry by the mother of his baby. Hardy’s masterful turn is a mustsee.

PARKS & RECREATION: SEASON 6 Parks & Rec is one of those rare TV shows that has grown on me a lot more over time.

I’ve been a fan of Amy Poehler ever since her Upright Citizens Brigade days, but it took me a few seasons to appreciate the show’s incredible supporting cast, particularly Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza and Chris Pratt.

Season 6 found Pratt off filming Guardians of the Galaxy and Rob Lowe and Rashida Jones leaving halfway through. But the show continued to thrive, focusing more on Leslie and Ron, while elevating the roles of characters such as Donna, Jerry and Councilman Jamm.

THE WAHLBURGERS: SEASON ONE Given the current state of reality TV, filled with vapid C-list celebrities and backstabbing nobodies who will step on anyone to grab their 15 minutes, this series (based around a Boston hamburger joint co-owned

by Donnie and Mark Wahlberg, and run by their chef brother) is surprisingly sweet.

The show is written and staged, just like every other series masquerading as “reality” (Hey, look who’s visiting the restaurant!

It’s Donnie’s girlfriend, Jenny McCarthy!).

Regardless, once you accept the forced storylines, it’s an enjoyable show.

WILLIAM SHATNER’S GET A LIFE The title comes from the famous Saturday Night Live sketch, in which William Shatner implores a group of geeky Trekkies to “Get a life!” This documentary, based on Shatner’s book, is much more positive, with Captain Kirk and his camera crew following around a range of fans from different backgrounds to find out why Star Trek plays such a defining role in their life. The story is pretty universal, with the core message being that people just want to be a part of this fantasy world.

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C

OMIC ACTRESS ANDREA Martin– a vet of television, Broadway and films– portrays Ceil Engel in the NBC summer comedy show Working the Engels. The busy Martin has built a career on playing loveably off-beat characters in the ground-breaking Canadian series SCTV, as well as on stage in Pippin and Godspell and in the film My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The New York and Toronto-based actress spoke with the press recently from Portugal. She was audibly excited about her new series, which is a landmark co-production of US and Canadian television studios.

What is the most challenging thing about making this series, as compared to SCTV? This is kind of pathetic but I guess the hours.

And we shot it in Toronto, during the winter, so the hours were extremely long, like 5:00 a.m. calls, and by 11 o’clock we’d be home and you’d have to drive through the snow to get home. So I think the schedule was challenging.

But once I got on the set, I was voracious.

As a comic actor and writer, do you get to pitch in to the story? How much is scripted and how much is ad lib?

I think that it’s probably 90 percent scripted and 10 percent adlibs when the cameras were on. But I would say there was an enormous amount of collaboration before we started filming. We’d do a table read and I might say, “Maybe we could do this and maybe we can change this a bit.” So it did feel very free and collaborative.

Did the cast do anything off-set to get a family-type bond set up? Or was it all through the table reads?

There was an insanely quick sense of intimacy with these kids and me. We had one dinner party, and then we did a table read, and then we had another little dinner, the producers threw for everybody creatively involved. I just think it was very instant chemistry, and everybody comments on that it seems like we’ve known each other for a long time and that it does seem like a family. And it really felt like that immediately; sometimes that happens. Maybe because it was in PG 26 • September 2014 • insiteatlanta.com

I

T’S HARD TO BELIEVE SUMMER is almost over, but in just a few short weeks we’ll be ushering in our favorite season of all. Fall in Atlanta is always gorgeous, as are the new fashion styles ladies will be SHABBY APPLE sporting this year:

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How was your character originally described to you? And have you added anything to it that wasn’t originally scripted?

As an overly protective, overbearing mama bear is how I remember it. I think I probably took away something. I think they originally wrote it maybe with a harder edge, or maybe much more narcissistic and I probably softened that a bit. I wanted her to kind of live through her kids. So, they became her focus, as opposed to her becoming her own focus.

What was about the character that made you want to play her?

Primarily the fact that I identified with being a mom of two grown kids. I have two sons – they’re 31 and 33. So, I really understood the pitfalls of being a mother with two grown sons and still trying to be in their life, or enabling them, or, being way too consumed about their lives when they’re grown men. So I thought that it was relatable and I thought I could make that funny because I understood it.

BY BRET LOVE

Canada; but it did feel really smooth and trusting from the very beginning.

How much did working on Working the Engels feel like coming full circle for you, having started out with SCTV in Toronto?

Gosh, it did feel completely full circle, because we were actually shooting the series maybe five minutes away from the studio that we shot SCTV in. And it was Toronto, of course, and I have a house in the same area that I used to have a house in doing SCTV, so the route to work was the same. So, it was kind of like a flashback.

When you shoot a series that’s originally meant for Canadian television, but then sold to the States, is there a different mindset for the approach?

There’s a huge difference. Shooting something in Toronto as opposed to New York or L.A. where I’d shot other series. There’re really no distractions; it’s all about the work.

That’s how we shot SCTV. We were really isolated from media or networks. That’s not nice to say, but, you know, we had a little bit more freedom obviously.

You have great comedic timing. Is it something that’s natural to you?

I think that my timing is natural. I think it’s really hard to teach timing. I think people can be funny, for sure. Beautiful actors who have only done drama can be funny, but it depends on the material. But I think timing, you’re born with it actually.

What do you think it is about Working the Engels that will make it a fan favorite show?

Well, I think it’s a cozy, intimate and fun.

Sometimes it’s physically comedic, and at other times, I think it’s relatable between the mom and the kids, too. I think it’s a wonderful way to spend an evening in the summertime.

I think it’s approachable, light and funny and I hope people will feel the same way.

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CRAGHOPPERS C4 BELTS (C4Belts. com) is new to us, offering a line of “quality belts that give back.” Their name, C4, stands for “Choose your Color, Choose your Cause.”

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