INsite Atlanta March 2009 Issue

Page 1

M a rcho.270F0R9EE

Vo l. 17, N

tainment Monthly r e t n E s ’ a t n Atla ta.com

insiteatlan

Your Guide To

March

madness

Plus interviews with

JENNIFER ANISTON

Jimmy Fallon, Michael Cera & The Indigo Girls


EXPLORE THE NORTH END �������� &

Tuesday ��������������� ������������������� Wednesday ������������������ �������������������� ����������� Thursday ������������� �������������� Friday & Saturday

Fri, Mar 13

Sat, Mar 14

Fri, Mar 20

Trotline

SLIPPERY WHEN WET

CRAIG CAMPBELL

Sat, Mar 21

Fri, Mar 27

Sat, Mar 28

Poptart Monkeys

Blackberry Smoke (Ass Kickin’ Southern Rock)

JUPITER COYOTE

(Country Cover)

VOTED BEST ������������ VOTED BEST ���������������

(Rock Cover)

(Bon Jovi Tribute)

THURSDAYS THIS MONTH Thr, Mar 12 Thr, Mar 19 Thr, Mar 26

������� ����

(Rock Cover)

������������������������������

��������� (Rock Cover)

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(Nashville Country)

with Patrick Smith

Thr, Apr 2

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Thursday Nights Rock! NO COVE COVER R ���������������������������������������������������������

VOTED BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR ������������������������������������ ����������������������

Monday:������������������ Wedednesday: ���������������������� Thursday:������������������ Sweetwater & Wine Specials and introducing...

15% OFF All Deliveries

�������������� more with FREE ��������������� MARCH MADNESS with coupon

BiG FRiDAYS!

$2 DRAFT BEER

Sun & Thur ������������� �������

· 120” Scree ns · Sit Down Restaurant · Full Bar · Free Wi Fi

������������������������� (404) 842-9997

�������������� �������� ����������� ����������������

404-233-1989 ������������������������ ����������������������������������������������� �����������������������������������������

3177 & 3179 PEACHTREE RD. | BUCKHEAD


Do you know any one who says they are hearing voices other people don’t hear? Do you know anyone who believes other people are reading their mind or are plotting to harm them? These experiences may be terrifying and can cause fearfulness,withdrawal, or extreme agitation. If you know anyone suffering from these symptoms, they may be eligible to participate in a research trial for schizophrenia. All studyrelated procedures, doctor’s visits, and study medication are provided at no cost. You may be compensated for your time and travel.

To learn more about this research study, please contact:

Dr. Brian Bortnick

6065 Roswell Road, Suite 820 Atlanta, Georgia

404.459.6699

������������������������������������������������

BRAND NEW Kid’s Program! ����������������������� ���������������������������

Head Instructor ‘Pan American Champion’ Master Roan ‘Jucao’ Carneiro

Home of the $199 Per Year Gym Membership

��������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������ �������������������������������������������������������������������

����������������������������������������������������������������� PG 3 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009


MAKE YOUR LIFE

EXTRAORDINARY

CONTENTS • MARCH 2009 • VOLUME 17.7

8 Ways to Great

Atlanta’s

Entertainment Monthly

INTERVIEWS

For an experience beyond books and lectures… Life University prides itself on instilling eight core life proficiencies in every course. From psychology to biology, students receive a solid foundation in integrity, citizenship, and leadership. Just to name a few. These skills and values will allow our graduates to not just succeed within their respective fields, but to succeed with an ability to change the world.

Programs of Study: Doctor of Chiropractic Master’s of Sport Health Science Associate Degree Programs Computer Information Management Life Coaching

����������������������������������������

Bachelor Degree Programs Business Administration Computer Information Management Biology Exercise Science Nutrition Dietetics Psychology Biopsychology General Studies

LIFE.edu • 800-543-3202

10 JIMMY FALLON 12 JENNIFER ANISTON 15 JENNIFER MADSEN 20 INDIGO GIRLS 21 NEW FOUND GLORY 22 JOE BUDDEN 24 THE DEAD 27 MICHAEL CERA 28 THE ROCK 29 DWYANE WADE 30 AMY ADAMS

FEATURES

12

22

08 EAST ATLANTA 11 WINGS 18 HIP-HOP UNDERGROUND 24 SPORTS BARS 25 TAKE-OUT 26 MARCH MADNESS

COLUMNS 05 ON TAP 05 ON THE CHEAP EVENTS 06 AROUND TOWN 06 BOOKS 07 UNDER THE LIGHTS 13 MOVIE REVIEWS 16 CONCERT CALENDAR 19 ROAD WARRIORS 19 WE GOT NEXT 22 AUTOMOBILES 23 ALBUMS 30 FANATIC

28

30

www.insiteatlanta.com STAFF LISTING Publisher Stephen Miller steve@insiteatlanta.com National Managing Editor Bret Love bret@insiteatlanta.com Art Director Michael T. graphics@insiteatlanta.com Music / Sports Editor DeMarco Williams demarco@insiteatlanta.com Events Listing Editor Glenn LaFollette glenn@insiteatlanta.com Special Features Editor Marci Miller marci@insiteatlanta.com Entertainment Editor Matt Goldberg matt@insiteatlanta.com Web Design Michael T. graphics@insiteatlanta.com PG 4 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009

Contributing Writers / Interns: John Moore, John Davidson, Jon Latham, John C. Snider Benjamin Carr, Ryan Loftis, Mike Brune, Matt Goldberg Mitchell Hughes, Alexis Gray, Rodney Hill, Rebecca Crosby, Zena Scott, Alex S. Morrison, Blue Sullivan Michele Fontanelli Arnett, Roger Presswood Dave Cohen and Russ Marshalek CONTACT US 2250 North Druid Hills Rd. #234 Atlanta, GA 30329-3118 phone 404-315-8485 website insiteatlanta.com ADVERTISING INFORMATION �������������������������������������������� 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 mi leading 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.

© Copyright 2009, Be Bop Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Check out our NCAA Feature on Page 26!


LOCAL EVENTS

OnTap in March EMAIL EVENTS TO ONTAP@INSITEATLANTA.COM

March 12-15: The Georgia Dome

ACC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

The Atlantic Coast Conference brings all the excitement of its college basketball tournament to Atlanta. The opening round kicks off on March 12 and the championship game takes place on Sunday, March 15 at 1:00pm. Several other events will take place in conjunction with the tournament. The Fanfest will take place throughout the tournament at the Georgia World Congress Center. The FREE event features ACC corporate partner booths, food/drinks, an official tournament merchandise store, interactive games, basketball court, face painting, daily giveaways, special appearances and family fun. Visit www.theacc.com.

March 14: Atlantic Station

SHAMROCK 'N ROLL ROAD RACE

Celebrate this St. Patrick's Day by listening to music, eating good food, qualifying for the Peachtree Road Race and giving back to the community by running a 5K or 10K. The 5K race kicks off at 8 a.m., followed by the 10K at 8:30 a.m. and both end with a downhill finish. Dogs and strollers are welcome, and all entrants will receive a moisture-wicking, technical running shirt. Unique awards will be given in a variety of categories including the first kilt-wearing finisher in both 5K and 10K. Register for $25 through March 6 and for $30 after March 6 online at www.shamrocknroll.org.

March 14: Downtown Atlanta

ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE ‘09

This year is expected to be the largest St. Patrick's Parade & Festival since the first one held 150 years ago. The 2009 Atlanta St. Patrick's Parade will have over 200 units, including floats, bands of every kind, military units, bagpipe & drum corps, Irish dancers, clowns, horses, antique cars, and dignitaries from Ireland. The parade will begin at the intersection of Ralph McGill Boulevard and Peachtree Street and ends at Underground Atlanta with vendors, food, free entertainment, music and dancing. Visit www.stpatsparadeatlanta.com.

March 14-22: World Congress Center

INTERNATIONAL CAR SHOW

Area automotive enthusiasts will once again have the opportunity to shop and compare hundreds of new vehicles. There will be over 600 new cars, trucks and SUVs on display from over 30 different manufacturers. The Atlanta show is the largest automotive event for the Metro Atlanta dealers and is one of the 10 largest auto shows in the nation. Atlanta Falcons D.J. Shockley and Grady Jackson are scheduled to appear at the show on March 21. For more information, please visit www.ajcautoshow.com.

March 20-21: Atlanta Symphony Hall

CLASSICAL MYSTERY TOUR

The Classical Mystery Tour performs live in concert at Atlanta Symphony Hall, led by conducter Michael Krajewski. The four musicians in Classical Mystery Tour look and sound just like The Beatles, but Classical Mystery Tour is more than just a rock concert. The full show presents some 30 Beatles tunes sung, played, and performed exactly as they were written. The Classical Mystery Tour is the best of The Beatles like you've never heard them: totally live. For additional information, please visit www.atlantasymphony.org.

March 29: City of Atlanta

ING GEORGIA MARATHON

This neighborhood-based event will begin at Centennial Olympic Park, and travel through 26.2 miles of metro Atlanta area's most interesting and historic areas including the Sweet Auburn District, Inman Park, Midtown, Downtown and the city of Decatur. Along the way it will pass landmarks including the King Center, and Carter Center, before returning to Centennial Olympic Park for the finish. Other events taking place during the race weekend include a Half-Marathon, 5K run, kids run and a health and fitness expo. For more information, please visit www.inggeorgiamarathon.com.

ATLANTA ON THE

CHEAP!

EVENTS HAPPENING FOR SMALL CHANGE IN ATLANTA TOP EVENTS FOR SMALL CHANGE IN SEPTEMBER

Know about a low cost event or happening in Atlanta? Email atlcheap@insiteatlanta.com

SALMON RUSHDIE LECTURE

Thursday, March 19, 4PM Free Emory Cannon Chapel www.filmstudies.emory.edu 404-727-6226 The author and distinguished writer in residence at Emory University hosts a forum on film and literature. This is part of the Emory Great Novels Made into Great Films lectures series.

GEORGIA WINE HIGHWAY WEEKEND

March 21 - 22 Check website for hours Various Georgia Wineries $20 a person, free for designated driver www.georgiawine.com 706-878-9463 Visit Georgia's wineries for open houses and local wine tastings. For the $20 fee (collected at the first winery you visit), you get a Wine Highway Weekend glass that allows free entry to all other participating wineries. See website for list of wineries; check individual web sites for hours, directions and special events, including food, live music, discounts and more.

B TEAM-PAY WHAT YOU CAN NIGHT Monday, March 23 8PM Dad’s Garage Theatre 280 Elizabeth St. Atlanta www.dadsgarage.com 404-523-3141

You can't beat the deal at this popular improv comedy club. Check out the hysterical production, "The B Team" on March 23 and admission is whatever $$ you have in your pocket. The B Team tells the story of a rag-tag group of self-proclaimed 'freedom fighters' who are a ridiculous mess. Check Dad's Garage website for more info and a complete show schedule, all at affordable prices.

TURNER FIELD OPEN HOUSE

Saturday, March 28 12-4PM Free 755 Hank Aaron Drive, Atlanta www.braves.com 404-522-7630 The Atlanta Braves will host a free open house

featuring alumni autograph sessions, autographed item giveaways, tours of the stadium and Braves Museum and Hall of Fame, a "Select-a-Seat" event and much more. Fans will have the opportunity to win autographed items and prizes throughout the day.

GRAND OPENING OF CALLANWOLDE’S RETREAT

Wed. April 1st 11am - 1PM Free 980 Briarcliff Rd. NE, Atlanta www.callanwolde.org This event is open to the entire community and will include free entertainment at the Callenwolde's new outdoor amphitheater, a tour of the new gardens and a preview of the completely restored Samuel A. Goldman Retreat. Complimentary refreshments by Avenue Catering will be provided.

WEDNESDAY WINDDOWN

Centennial Olympic Park 265 Park Avenue West, Atlanta Wed., April 1st 5:30pm - 8pm Free www.centennialpark.com 404-222-PARK Atlanta's longest running FREE concert series kicks off its season on Wednesday, April 1. Relax with an evening of live entertainment every Wednesday in the park's Southern Company Amphitheater. Enjoy everything from jazz to contemporary music performed by favorite local and national touring acts.

LINCOLN: THE CONSTITUTION AND THE CIVIL WAR

Ongoing through April 26; $8 adults, children free Jimmy Carter Library, Presidential Museum 441 Freedom Pkwy., Atlanta www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov 404-331-3492 Celebrate Abraham Lincoln's 200th Birthday with this fascinating exhibit. Explore how one individual, who was deeply committed to the belief that citizens can make a real difference, exercised leadership at a pivotal time of crisis for the nation, the Constitution, and the course of freedom worldwide. From families to Civil War buffs and history scholars, everyone is sure to be engaged by this exhibition. Atlanta on the Cheap by Marci Miller

ATLANTA ON THE

CHEAP!

L I A E-MNEWSLETTER Be the first to receive Cheap Deals being offered around town Sign up by emailing

newsletter@insiteatlanta.com

No obligation. Your e-mail address will not be sold or given to another party. May cancel subscription at any time.

Best of all, it’s FREE! PG 5 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009


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. . . X T I E S N E WHMES TO IGNORANCE IS CO

DEFINITELY NOT BLISS

At the Feminist Women’s Health Center’s brand new clinic, we provide all the FACTS you need to understand your own body and to make the best choices for your gynecological health. � � � � � � � � �

�������������������������������� ������������������������ ��������������� ������������������������� ������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������� ����������������������� �������������������������� ����������������������������� 1924 Cliff Valley Way Atlanta, GA 30329

404-728-7900 www.feministcenter.org PG 6 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009

Surgi-Center License 044-287

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Book Review THINGS I’VE LEARNED FROM WOMEN WHO’VE DUMPED ME Edited by Ben Karlin BY JOHN B. MOORE An anthology about relationships written by guys sounds about as appealing as… well, talking about relationships with guys. But thanks to a stellar list of authors (heavy on comedians like Jon Stewart, Patton Oswalt, Stephen Colbert and Will Forte) and the comedy-friendly topic of getting dumped, the task of reading this anthology becomes that much more compelling. The essays are offered as lessons of sorts– far from practical, but extremely funny nonetheless. Among the best is David Wain’s (co-creator of sketch comedy troupe The State) “Persistence is for Suckers” and Oswalt’s almost self-explanatory “Dating a Stripper is a Recipe for Perspective.” A few of the pieces stand out as a bit weaker (like Bob Odenkirk’s relationship seminar bit, which loses steam about a paragraph in, and Bruce Jay Friedman’s short story “She Wasn’t the One,” which feels completely out of place in this collection). But they’re just a couple of minor distractions in an otherwise solidly humorous collection. Edited by former Onion e d i t o r / Daily Show producer Ben Karlin, the anthology is a lot more fun than any book on failed relationships deserves to be. Grade: B


ops

Under The Lights

Major Theatrical Performances this Month Class of 3000 LIVE

26 MILES

www.alliancetheatre.org

www.alliancetheatre.org Get on board for a world premiere by Pulitzer Prize finalist Quiara Alegría An '83 Hudes. Buick Regal may be an unlikely place to find out what family really means, but when Beatriz and her estranged daughter head off into the night on a spontaneous road trip, neither mother nor daughter are prepared for what they're in for. This funny and tender new play reminds us that the best souvenirs on the road of life are the relationships we make along the way - and that sometimes all it takes to find yourself is the power of family, Spanish in five words a day…and a herd of buffalo.

Thru - March 29 Alliance Theatre Box Office 404.733.5000

Experience the wildly original hit animated series as it leaves the small screen and jumps full throttle onto the stage at the Alliance. André Benjamin (OutKast's André 3000) developed this story of an international music star who flees his own celebrity to return to Atlanta. But new musical inspiration is just around the corner when he's discovered by a group of young musical prodigies at a performing arts middle school - in a desperate search for a music teacher. Class of 3000 LIVE is a hometown Atlanta original, harnessing the power of self-expression to inspire all ages to live their dreams.

SPAMALOT

Mar. 17 - 22 Cobb Energy Centre Tickets 404.817.8700 www.MontyPythonsSpamalot.com

Lovingly "ripped-off" from the internationally famous comedy team's most popular motion picture, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Monty Python's Spamalot is the winner of three 2005 Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Director (Mike Nichols). Richard Chamberlain will wear the crown of King Arthur when Richard Chamberlain he takes the stage in Atlanta as part of the National Tour. Directed by Mike Nichols, Monty Python's Spamalot features a book by Eric Idle, based on the screenplay of Monty Python and the Holy Grail by Monty Python creators. Telling the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and their quest for the Holy Grail, Monty Python's Spamalot features a chorus line of dancing divas and knights, flatulent Frenchmen, killer rabbits and one legless knight.

Mar. 20-Apr. 12 Alliance Theatre Box Office 404.733.5000

Agave Restaurant An eclectic southwestern eatery & tequila bar est. 2000 Cabbagetown / Grant Park Dinner nightly at 5pm 404-588-0006 www.agaverestaurant.com

OLD MAN AND THE MONKEYS & OTHER CHINESE TALES Through - Mar. 15 Puppetry Arts www.puppet.org 404.873.3391

Old Man and the Monkeys & other Chinese Tales is presented as part of the Center's 200809 Family Series, and runs March 3 March 15, 2009. In this compilation of five traditional and non-traditional tales of Ancient China, stories of compassion, consideration, and the greatest ping-pong match of all time, are told with the grace and precision that only classically trained, veterans of the puppetry stage can tell. Critically acclaimed puppeteer, actress and Beijing Opera singer, Yuquin Wang and master puppeteer and graduate of the Beijing Puppetry Art School, Zhengli Xu, perform short vignettes that are told with beautiful music, ornate characters and, remarkably, no dialogue! Old Man and the Monkeys & other Chinese Tales will be presented in the Downstairs Theater. Showtimes are: Tues - Fri @ 10:30am & 12pm; Sat @ 11am, 1pm, & 3pm; Sun @ 1pm & 3pm.

Voted Best Southwestern Restaurant 2008 Insite Magazine, Creative Loafing, Atlanta Cuisine, The Sunday Paper, Jezebel Magazine

WINNER BEST CONSIGNMENT STORE

SELL US YOUR TRENDY CLOTHES SANDY SPRINGS (404) 255-5578

PSYCHOSISTERSSHOPS.COM

LITTLE FIVE POINTS (404) 523-0100 PSYCHO-SISTERS.COM

90’S GOTHIC

PG 7 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009


Grant Park East Atlanta Village

The Glenwood

1263 Glenwood Ave. East Atlanta 404.622.6066 www.glenwoodatlanta.com

A Neighborhood Spotlight on businesses in the Area STELLA Pasta Pizza Spirits Agave Restaurant 563 Memorial Dr. across Oakland Cemetery 404.688.4238 www.StellaAtlanta.com

Voted "Best New Restaurant" 2008 by INsite Atlanta readers, Stella is a Grant Park favorite known for their affordable prices, delicious rustic Italian food and commitment to the community. The menu features hand-tossed pizzas, made-from-scratch pasta sauces, a full bar, weekend brunch and plenty of affordable options under 10 bucks. Over the past year, Stella raised $10,000 for neighborhood schools, organizations and the Grant Park fire station renovation. Owner Rich Chey played a key role in organizing major dine-out events including the recent Dine Out for a Safer Atlanta to raise money for the John Henderson reward fund, and also the Dine Out for Atlanta Tornado Relief. Be sure to dine for dinner at Stella on April 5 to celebrate the eatery's first birthday with free cake, a yelling contest, ice cold Stella Artois beer and goodies for the kids. Best of all, proceeds will be donated to Atlantans Together for a Safer Atlanta. Stella is located in Grant Park across from historic Oakland Cemetery at 563 Memorial Drive. Open for lunch and dinner daily, and brunch every Saturday and Sunday. For more information, visit www.StellaAtlanta.com.

242 Boulevard SE Cabbagetown/Grant Park 404.588.0006 www.agaverestaurant.com

Agave has been voted by several publications as Best Southwestern as well as being voted on of the “Top 100” restaurants in Atlanta. They have two beautiful dining rooms as well as an enclosed patio area. The tables on their romantic patio with fireplace and southwestern design are prime seating in spring. Agave uses only the freshest ingredients to create chef inspired dishes with a authentic southwestern flare. Their exceptional tequila

bar and wine list coupled with exceptional service make Agave a Grant Park favorite. Their tequila selection is the largest in the city at over 85 and 10 different award winning margaritas. They also boast a wine selection of over 100 from around the world. Enjoy the Margarita that was just voted the "Best Cocktail in Atlanta" by the AJC for only $7.50. On March 17 Agave is offering a Herradora Tequila Dinner; details are posted on their website and reservation is required. Be sure to sign up for Agave's VIP Email List which features huge monthly discounts on dinner and details on all of Agave's special events. Go to www.agaverestaurant.com

The accolades keep coming for this chef-driven gastropub in the East Atlanta Village. Named "Best Gastropub" in 2007 and 2008 by Atlanta Magazine, The Glenwood has also been featured as one of the "Twenty Five Great Meals Under $20.00". Most recently, The Glenwood was named one of the "Fifteen Best New Restaurants" by Atlanta Magazine. Chef Angel Sutor presents an eclectic, farm to table menu focusing on local and organic products. The menu changes seasonally, and includes a hearty Weekend Brunch, and late night offerings. New to the award-winning fare: small plates, featuring combinations of the finest artesian cheeses and imported charcuterie to compliment a list of 45 exceptional wines by the glass. The beer list boasts over 180 worldclass selections. A recently completed expansion doubles The Glenwood's indoor seating and offers a non-smoking environment with a wine bar. The new space has ample seating for large parties and can be arranged for special events, private parties, and wine tastings. A favorite with The Glenwood patrons is the beautiful off-street outdoor garden deck. Zagat Rated. Free Parking. WiFi.

The Earl

amazing bar menu, moderately priced drinks and a music venue in the back, this is a place that can satisfy just about anyone in your group. Their burgers are well known and have received numerous awards including the EARL Burger, made with 100% Black Angus Beef. The Guacamole Burger is known for its “cowalicious goodness” and served with guacamole, salsa and cheddar, or the Blue Bacon. The Earl is also an East Atlanta institution for great live music. Anything and everything can be heard, and the crowd varies with the bands. National acts and the best of the emerging Atlanta music scene grace the stage nightly to

packed crowds. The jukebox in the restaurant has one of the most eclectic group of albums in town. Bar regulars love the PBR tall boys that wash their burgers down with authority. The open front offers a great view of downtown East Atlanta. There is also table sidewalk seating. With a casual atmosphere with an eclectic mix of patrons, you can’t go wrong with The Earl any night of the week.

Traders

485 Flat Shoals Ave. SE 404.522.3006 www.TRADERSatlanta.com Traders is a unique retail space with a mixture of furniture, home accessories, gifts and novel-

488 Flat Shoals Rd. 404.522.3950 www.badearl.com Located in the heart of the East Atlanta Village, The Earl is the kind of place you can hang out at all day. It is a great combination of restuarant, bar and concert hall. Featuring an

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East Atlanta Village 485B Flat Shoals Avenue | Atlanta, Georgia 30316 404 522 3006 | tradersatlanta.com

VOTED TOP 15

NEW RESTAURANTS 2008 by Atlanta Magazine

1263 Glenwood Avenue | Atlanta, GA 30316 404.622.6066 | www.glenwoodatlanta.com LUNCH Friday 11:30 AM to 4:00 PM | BRUNCH/LUNCH : Saturday and Sunday 11:30 til 4:00 DINNER: Sunday through Wednesday 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM, Thursday 5 to Midnight, Friday and Saturday 5:00 PM to 1:00 AM PG 8 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009


ties. They carry Rowe upholstery, Zocalo and Sitcom case goods as well as end tables and coffee tables. Here you will find a wide selection of lamps and decorative vases, sconces and artwork. This spring find really cool hanging peace signs made from copper. They are one foot in diameter and the copper will patina over time. In keeping with the peace theme this year Traders has hanging bird feeders with glass centerpiece with the words "Love" and "Peace" in blue and green glass. You can also get these as yard stakes. They also have Bird Houses that look like the old Streamline RV's. Traders carries several scented candle lines including Votivo and Archipelago; and Zinnia unscented candles. Traders also has many Body and Bath lines including: Archipelago Milk, Morning, Mint, Pomegranate and Sugar. They have a wide selection of Pre de Provence French soaps. Plus Thymes eucalyptus, lavender and ginger milk. There is also a great children’s baby section full of toys, puzzles and plush animals for that special child. The baby section has books for new Moms and Dads, Onesies, Dishsets and much more. Part of the store is devoted to fun novelties mostly based in political and sex humor. Check out "The Bitch Kit" is a kit that helps you decide if you or your friends qualify as a true Bitch. Also find old fashioned tin banks that read "Saving up for some good weed" and "Saving up for Jesus". Traders opened eleven years ago in April 1997 across the street in what is now the Eye Too space. The current location is approximately 4,000 square feet of floor room making it the largest retail shop in East Atlanta.

Holy Taco

1314 Glenwood Ave. East Atlanta 404.230.6177 www.holy-taco.com

Holy Taco has become an East Atlanta institution with a clean, welcoming atmosphere that includes a spacious arbor covered patio. Their Pan-Latin menu is created from only fresh, natural ingredients. Everything at Holy Taco is priced reasonably and can be ordered to create a large or small meal depending on the diner’s appetite. A broad range of appetizers like arepas (cornmeal cakes), tostones (fried plantains), fried rum chicken bites and fried yucca start a meal and run only $4 each. There are four kinds of salsas to choose from, plus chile con queso and guacamole ($2 per salsa or all four for $6). Evening diners can choose from an expanded menu of platos like grilled flank steak ($11) and tortillas stuffed with chicken ($10). There are

quesadillas ($4) too and tortas – delicious small sandwiches on ciabatta ($4.50) as well as tacos ($2.50) for which the restaurant in named. The tortas, quesadillas and tacos come with a variety of fillings from vegetarian beans or three cheese to pork and poached chicken.

Dining at Chin Chin is pure pleasure 2 NEW LOCATIONS!

MuLan Chin Chin Chinese and Sushi (Suwanee) �����������������������������������������������

Grant Central

451 Cherokee Ave. 404.523.8900

Chin Chin

Grant Central East

����������������������������� (Alpharetta)

1279 Glenwood Ave. 404.627.0007 East Atlanta

��������������������������������� Buckhead/Brookhaven ������������������������������������ �����Cobb Grant Central East is located in the heart of East Atlanta Village on the corner of Glenwood and Flat Shoals and is the sister restaurant to Grant Central, the 15 year old original restaurant residing in Grant Park. The original was named after Grand Central Station for its NY Style pizza. Here you can find great pizza, subs and salads. The relaxed atmosphere is reflected by the friendly tattoo-adorned staff. They have an open kitchen so you can check out your pizza as it comes out of the oven and there is a large dining area with plenty of tables to accommodate large groups. If you dropped most your cash at the local bars don't worry, because $2.00 will get you started with a slice, and for under $10.00 you can get an assortment of salads, sandwiches, and pizzas. Grant Central East gives its customers the option of customizing their pizza, even when only ordering a slice. For an extra $2.00 you can get a single piece of pizza with any four toppings, and three bucks buys a slice of their house pizza, the Cardiac Arrest (pepperoni, spicy sausage, meatballs, ham and extra cheese), which is every bit as good as it sounds. So if you're in the mood for great pizza or just hungry after a night out at the bar next door, head over to Grant Central East.

������������������������������������� ������� 2001-2008 Best Chinese – INsite

1998-2008 Best Chinese by Creative Loafing 2008 Best Chinese – Sunday Paper 2001-2002 Best Chinese by Atlanta Jewish Times Readers

"Mouthwatering Chin Chin spices things up." – AJC "Chin Chin...a window into Hong Kong." – Buckhead Weekly 2 1/2 Stars – Knife & Fork

�������������������������������� ������� ���������������������������������� ������������� ���������������������������������� ������� & OTHER LOCATIONS DELIVERY (LIMITED AREA; MIN $10)

�������������������� FULL BAR SERVICE

WWW.CHINCHINONLINE.COM Watch our Open kitchen & experience the Art of Chinese Cooking!

Eastside Lounge

485a Flat Shoals Avenue 404.521.9666 www.eastsidelounge.net Sleek and modern, warm and inviting. Eastside Lounge's decor and mood captures the attention off all who relax by the dark red walls, giant paintings and eclectic video projections. They offer an extensive selection of wine, liquor and beer. Customers can order anything from a shot of Jager to a vintage wine. Eastside Lounge is a destination for those who want to get away from the overcrowded bar scene taking over the rest of Atlanta. DJs and musicians play live Monday thru Saturday. They boast an excellent dance floor with a state of the art sound system that is sychronized to their large screens.

Available in Stores March 24th PG 9 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009


FILM INTERVIEW

NIGHT MOVES

Jimmy Fallon Takes Over for Conan O’Brien BY BILL STUPAY

A

FTER MANY successful years on Saturday Night Live and several mediocre movies, comedian Jimmy Fallon is trying his hand at a whole new form of entertainment altogether, hosting a late-night talk show. On the heels of a brief stint filling in for David Letterman a few years back, Fallon was tapped by producer (and longtime SNL honcho) Lorne Michaels to take over Conan O’Brien’s empty chair. His new show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, premiered on Monday, March 2, and Fallon recently held a conference call to talk about his new venture. What made this right for you? I wanted to try movies, so I gave it a shot. I had two shots, and I didn’t really do it. On the

second movie I got to meet the girl that would be my wife, so that was really great. Then 2008 rolls around and (Lorne Michaels) called me. He said, “Hey, remember that thing we were talking about five years ago?” When I left Saturday Night Live, he said, “We’re going to have to replace Co-

Coming Next Month!

Reserve Your Space Today!

Call 404-315-8485 for Details

PG 10 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009

nan eventually. Keep that in the back of your head.” Six months before NBC made any sort of announcement. I was hearing rumors that I was the next host, but no one had contacted me at that point. I talked to (Lorne) and had a couple of conversations with (Rick Lovelin), so I knew I was on the short list. But I didn’t know who else they were going for. I know that (Lorne) only wanted to do it with me. How do you think your talk show will be different? We’re younger. We’re into tech stuff, gadgets, phones, video games. We’ll treat a video game premiere like a movie premiere. I’m just going to be honest with what I like. We’re not going to hide the fact that people are on the Internet all day. Most kids come home from school and they don’t go to their TVs first. They check their emails, or some blogs, or some sites. We’re not going to hide the fact that people use the Internet. We’re going to try to be as interactive as possible with our fans. I’m currently on Twitter and Facebook and Flicker and Dig. I still have to figure out how that’s going to work. If it doesn’t work, it’s still fun to experiment and try stuff. It’s 12:30am, so I honestly just want to keep people awake… or at least give you one joke to go to bed with.

with Tony Bennett and you can play with Jay Z. It sounds great and it makes me look good.” Then number two, they’re from Philly, which is only an hour and a half on the (Esella) Train. Then I said, “Number three, we’re in New York. If you want to play after the shows, there’s endless clubs you can play,” because I know they love to perform. ?uestLove looked at me and says, “What if someone like Herbie Hancock comes into town. Can we have him play with us?” I was like, “Herbie Hancock? Yeah, absolutely!” He and Tariq both nodded their heads. They said, “We think we want to do this.” On top of that, they’re funny as hell, so they’re going to do sketches. It’s going to be good. A lot of people forget that being an interviewer is a very tough skill. What are you doing to prepare to be a good interviewer? Every morning I sit with my wife to the right side of me and I ask her what she’s going to do that day. And then we run a clip and go to a commercial. I realized after the first two test shows that it is tricky. I think the hardest part for me is you have these segment producers that pre-interview your guest. They give you these bullet points of what funny stories they have, and your job as the host is to hit on these bullet points. But the first couple I’ve done I’ve been a little nervous. I think the more calm I get and the more I make people feel at ease, I’ll make sure they look good. That’s my job, to make them shine. I think between that and my house band, it’s going to be a good show.

I’D LOVE TO TALK TO THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND. IF YOU HAVE HER EMAIL, OR ANY WAY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HER, I’D LOVE TO JUST PICK HER BRAIN AND TELL HER HOW MUCH I LOVE HER.

How did you get the Roots to be your house band? I was talking to my friend (Neil Brennan), who worked on the Chappelle Show. He says, “You know who you should get to be your house band? You should get the Roots.” I called them up and said, “I’d love to talk to you about being my house band.” I didn’t hear back for two weeks, then their manager called me back. They said, “We’d love to talk to you.” I set up a meeting with me and my producers, The Roots and their managers. I said, “Number one, you’re going to raise the bar for what a house band could be. You can play

You mentioned that you have full time bloggers and that you’re on Twitter. What’s the goal of having this special media stuff? The goal is to give my fans other ways to enjoy Late Night in ways that haven’t been done in the past. You can check out the website, or you can talk directly to me. We’re willing to try it and experiment. See what happens. I think it’ll be fun. We’re not trying to hide the fact that people are on the Web. We’re the first show to really acknowledge that people use the Internet. Is there anyone you can’t wait to interview? I’d love to talk to the Queen of England. If you have her email, or any way to get in touch with her, I’d love to just pick her brain and tell her how much I love her.


Taste of the Month Wings MARCH MADNESS Where to find Some of Atlanta’s Best Locos Grill & Pub

3167 Peachtree Rd. 404-233-1989 www.locosgrillandpub Locos is famous for their wings, subs and great pitchers of beer. During tournament time, wings are the thing. They serve some of the best chicken wings in the city. Whether you want hot, mild, honey, BBQ, Lemon Pepper, Teriyaki, or Honey Mustard; Locos has you covered! There are nightly drink specials on pitchers to help wash them down. Come in on Big Beer Fridays and get Giant Beers and Monster Margaritas at a small price. Locos has 24 beers on draft to choose from. The menu also includes hot sandwiches, big burgers, seafood, and steak. Many UGA, Auburn and Ga. Southern grads who are familiar with Locos from their college days will find the Peachtree location inside the North End Entertainment district (See Inside Cover). This buckhead location boasts a patio that sports plenty of outdoor TV’s and a great view of Peachtree. Locos delivers their wings all over Buckhead 7 days a week from 11am to late.

The Wing Factory

Chastain Square, Roswell Rd. 404-255-4460 www.wingfactory.com The name tells the story – or most of it, anyway. At the Wing Factory, wings are indeed serious business with over 20 flavors to choose from, there are plenty of tongue-burning options to please pepper pros but there are also enough subtle and complex “alternative” flavors to suit the less adventurous palette. But don’t let the name mislead you; this operation has a lot more to offer than saucy chicken wings. The menu also features plenty of snack-y apps, “big” salads, grilled-to-order burgers and a wide range of signature sandwiches. The variety on the menu is mirrored by the diversity of typical customers at the Wing Factory. On any given night, you can pull up a stool with an easy-going, sport-focused bar crowd (the Wing Factory has a full bar and plenty of beers on tap), or you can stake your claim to a booth or table in the ample dining room amidst a hodge-podge of families, little league baseball teams, and 20- and 30-something groups. Either way, there’s always a TV in sight, hot food at hand and a casual, dressed-down vibe throughout the building. With a truckload of new flat screens installed last Fall, the Wing Factory should be the place to be to catch every game of NCAA hoop madness this March. All the games on TV, beers on ice and wings piled high on your table – that’s a combo that is tough to beat.

Manuel’s Tavern

BASKETBALL

GREAT SUBS, SANDWICHES, SALADS & WINGS CARRYING THE SEC & NCAA TOURNAMENT ON MULTIPLE PLASMA SCREENS

Since 1980

$7.50 Large Cheese Pizza

(Mondays Only)

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

3109 Briarcliff Rd. | 404-320-1258

Carrying NCAA Basketball Games private rooms available Great Wings, Sandwiches, Burgers and Salads 602 N. Highland Ave.(@ corner of North Ave) Atlanta, GA 30307

������������������������������������ �������������������������������������������

COMPLIMENTARY PASSES

602 N. Highland Ave. at corner of North Ave. 404-525-3447 www.manuelstavern.com In 1956 Manuel Maloof bought Harry's Delicatessen, a quiet sandwich and beer joint on the corner of North and North Highland Avenues in Atlanta. The store featured a front of Stone Mountain granite and an interior of makeshift counters and fluorescent lights. Manuel wanted to create from this a neighborhood watering hole a place where people could get together for good food and drink. One can find at any given time a broad cross-section of American culture rubbing elbows at the bar, discussing the news item of the day, arguing the merits of a sports team, or espousing the idea of the century. Though Manuel has passed and Robert has retired, the Tavern is still owned and operated by the Maloof family and run by several loyal employees. Their Buffalo Wings are a menu favorite, especially at tournament time. The serve them 10 for $6.95 or 20 for $12.95. They come big, plump and juicy and have been honored by CitySearch as the Top 10 in the city. They gave it 5 stars in their recent review. The reviewer comments, “I never knew a chicken wing could taste so good! Perfectly fried to a crispy brown, the roaster size wings remain moist and juicy inside. Tossed in sauce, dunked into some incredible, chunky blue cheese and prepare to lick your fingers!”

BUY - SELL TRADE & RENT

���������������� ������������� ��������������������

3432 Clairmont Rd.

404-320-7418

www.usedmagazines.com

Wednesday, March 11 at 7:30pm Midtown Art Cinema www.iloveyouman.com No purchase necessary. While supplies last. Limit one pass per person. Tickets are available on a first come first serve basis. Each pass admits two people.

For a chance to receive a complimentary pass, simply visit

VIDEOS DVD’S MAGAZINES FAX 404-320-7337

invites you and a guest to an advance screening of

������������ ������������������

Sandy Springs: 6125 Roswell Rd. Suite 101A, 101B • 404-256-1116 Roswell: 710 Holcomb Br. Rd. #240 • 770-992-4485 NEW LOCATION Acworth: 3466 Cobb Pkwy Suite 120 • 770-974-5585 10am – 2am Every Day • www.shopsmoke911.com

IN THEATRES MARCH 20TH

CELEBRATE MAN DATE DAY ON THURS., MARCH 19TH

PG 11 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009


The Second Coming OF JENNIFER ANISTON

FIM INTERVIEW

BY ALEX S. MORRISON

T

HOUGH SHE’S BEEN PORTRAYED in the media as the woman scorned ever since ex-hubby Brad Pitt began his relationship with Angelina Jolie on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith in 2005, 2009 is shaping to be the best year of Jennifer Aniston’s life. Sure, the former Friends star has experienced a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs over the course of her 40 years, but lately she seems to be on a hot streak. Since its release on Decem-

ber 28, Marley & Me has emerged as one of the biggest films of Aniston’s career, grossing over $140 million in the U.S. alone. With February’s He’s Just Not That Into You bringing in nearly $60 million at the box office in its first two weeks and two more films scheduled for release later this year, Aniston’s career seems to soaring once again. And she has a certain mischievous pooch to thank for the boost. While her on-again/off-again relationship with musician John Mayer has been the subject of in-

I’VE BEEN LUCKY TO HAVE THINGS COME TO ME THAT CREATIVELY FULFILL ME, AND THOSE ARE USUALLY THE INDEPENDENT FILMS, JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE MORE FREEDOM.

PG 12 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009

tense tabloid scrutiny of late, the actress admits the mundane family situations explored in Marley & Me were a big part of her attraction to the film. “I wanted to be in the movie [because] it wasn’t about the girl trying to get the guy or the guy trying to get the girl, and then they ride off into the sunset. This is sort of the sequel to that,” she suggests, “where you get to see the ins and outs of a relationship over 15 years and have a human thread that’s funny just because life is funny. I loved it, and really responded to the material.” After a film career filled with broad comedic fare such as Bruce Almighty, Along Came Polly and The Break-Up, Marley & Me offered Aniston a rare chance to display her dramatic chops. Alongside co-star Owen Wilson, she plumbed her emotional depths in scenes that dealt with serious subjects ranging from relationship struggles and child-rearing issues to death and mortality. “Those were really hard,” she says of the film’s final scenes. “That was the last two weeks of shooting, so it was fortunate that that came at the end because you don’t always get to shoot in order. Those were the days where I was just bubbling over with emotion. I was just hoping that I would be able to look at the lines while I was on set and remember them.” Aniston seems to have welcomed the challenge of playing one half of real-life couple Jennifer and John Grogan (on whose best-selling book the film was based). She insists that honoring the original material was a huge priority for the cast and crew, and suggests that the relatable nature of the true-to-life film made it resonate with audiences on a profound emotional level. “It’s a true story, and it’s a simple story. I think people go to movies and they escape with these big crazy plotlines, but here is a movie where people are actually going ‘I went through that.’ Even if you don’t have a dog or you’ve never been in married, you [can relate to] the simplicity of it.” The film was a rare mainstream hit for the actress, who has often seemed to do her best work in indie film fare such as The Good Girl and Office Space. Now, having moved from TV to film, genre to genre and independent to mainstream, Aniston has proven she can handle anything Hollywood dares to throw her way. Still, she acknowledges that it can be tough finding projects that challenge her. “I’ve been lucky to have things come to me that creatively fulfill me,” she admits, “and those are usually the independent films, just because you have more freedom. But this particular movie is rare, where you hit all the notes, and it was unbelievably fulfilling. This one was a home run, but they don’t always happen that way.” Lucky? Perhaps. But, coming along five years after Friends said goodbye, Marley & Me and He’s Just Not That Into You certainly seem to herald the second coming of Jennifer Aniston’s career. Yet she refuses to acknowledge that it has all been part of some grand plan for success. “I’ve never plotted out how I was going to become famous,” she insists. “I just really wanted to do good work ever since I was at a High School of Performing Arts and my Russian acting coach told me I was a disgrace to the theatre. I was determined to prove him wrong, but I never had my eye on a prize. Before Friends, I had a graveyard of [failed] sitcoms. I was just happy to get a job every year. I got the opportunity to do films while I was on Friends, and somehow was welcomed into the other side. I crossed over…” And now, dismissing rumors of a Friends movie, she seems extremely unlikely to ever look back.

TOP DOGS

Marley proved top dog at the box office last Christmas, but he certainly wasn’t the first canine thespian to win audience’s hearts. Here are five of our favorite films featuring our 4-legged friends:

LASSIE COME HOME (1943)

Stars: Roddy McDowell, Elizabeth Taylor, Donald Crisp, Elsa Lanchester The REAL star: A gorgeous collie Why We Love It: Lassie escapes from her new owner in Scotland and makes the long journey back to the destitute British family who’d been forced to sell her. Three-Hankie Moment: When Toots is killed trying to save her master.

OLD YELLER (1957)

Stars: Dorothy McGuide, Fess Parker, Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran The REAL star: A mischievous Labrador Retriever Why We Love It: A boy left to take care of the family ranch when his father goes off on a cattle drive in the 1850s adopts a yellow mongrel that ultimately wins their hearts. Three-Hankie Moment: If you don’t tear up when Yeller gets put down, you have no soul.

101 DALMATIONS (1961)

Stars: The voices of Ben Wright, Martha Wentworth, Betty Lou Gerson and J. Pat O’Malley The REAL star: See the title! Why We Love It: Adorable pups stolen by one of film’s greatest villains, Cruella De Vil, must make their escape or be turned into a fur coat that’d make PETA cry. Three-Hankie Moment: Two dogs and their masters fall in love simultaneously.

BENJI (1974)

Stars: Patsy Garrett, Allen Fiuzat, Cynthia Smith, Peter Breck The REAL star: A streetwise mutt with the most expressive eyes you’ve ever seen. Why We Love It: A homeless stray saves two kidnapped children who feed and play with him against their parents’ wishes. Three-Hankie Moment: Any time there’s a close-up on the canine star’s sad eyes.

MY DOG SKIP (2000)

Stars: Frankie Muniz, Diane Lane, Luke Wilson, Kevin Bacon The REAL star: A Jack Russell Terrier. Why We Love It: A shy boy growing up in Mississippi circa 1942 comes of age with a little help from his playful puppy. Three-Hankie Moment: The ailing Skip tries to jump on the bed, but can’t, so Jack gives him a push.


FILM

FILM

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������������� CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC (PG) ��������������������������� ���� �������� ��� ����� ����� ����������� ����� ���������� �������� ��������� ���������� ����� ������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������� ����� ����� ������ ������ ���� ����� ��� ������ ���� ��������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������ �������������� ������� ��� ������ ����� ��� �������� ������� ��� ���� ������ ����� ������� ������������ ���� ���������������������������������������������� ���� ��������� ���� ����������� ��������� ������ ������������������������������������������������ ������ ��������� ������ ��� �� ���������� ����� ������ ���������������������������������������������� ������ ���������� ���� ��� ���� ����� ������������ �� �������� ����� ������ ���� ������������ ��� ������ ��� ��� ��� ���������� ������� ����� ��� ���� ����� ���� ��������� ����� ��� �������������� ���� ���� ������� ��� ������������ ����� ��� ������ ������������� ���� �������� ���������� ����� ������ ��� �������� ���������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� ��������������������� –Rebecca Crosby

FANBOYS (PG-13)

��������������������������

�������� ���� �������������� ��� �������� ��������� ������ ����� ����� ������ ����������� ����� ������ ���� ������� ��� �� �������� �������� ������ ���� �� ���� ��� ���������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������� ������ ��� �������� ����� �������� ����� ������ ������ ��� ����� ����� ����� ������������� ������ ����� �������� ���� �������� ����� ���������� ����� ���� ���������������������������������������������� ���� ���������� ���� ������ �� ������ ���� ��� ���� ����������������������������������������������� ���������� ������ ��������� ���� ������������� ���������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� ����� ����� ������ ����� ��� ������� ��� �������� ���� ����� ������� ����� ���� ����� ������ ��� ����� ����� ������ ������������������������������������������������ ��������������������������������������������������� ��� �������� ���� ������� ������� ����� ���������� ������ ������� ���� �������������� ���������� ����������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������� ���� ����� ����� ������������ ����� ����� �� ������ ����� ���� ��������� ���� ���� ����������� �������� ��� �� �������� ��� ���� ��� �������� � ���� ������ �������� ���� ���� ����� ����� ������ ���� ��������� ������� ����������������������������������������������� ��� �������� �� ��������� ��������� ��� ����� ��� ��������������������������������������������� ������ –Matt Goldberg

HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU (PG-13) �������������������������� �������������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� ������������� ����� ���� �� ����� ����� ������ ����� �������������������������������������������� ����� ���� ���� ���� ����������� ���� �������� ��� ����� ����������� ���� ��������� ��� ������ ������� ������������ �������� ���� ����� ����� ������� ��� ��������������������������������������������������

���������������������������������������������� ���� ������ ������� ����� ����� ��� ���������� ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� �������� ����������� ������ ��� �������� ��� ������� ������������������������������������������������� ������� ����� ��������� � �������� ��� ����� ��������� ����� ������ ����� ������������ � ������ ������ �� ������ ������ ���������� ������ ������ ����� �������� ��� ������ �� ���� ������ ��������� ��� ���� ����������������������������������������������� ������ ����� �������� ��� ������ �� ������ ���� ��� ��������� ������ ���� ���� �������� ���� ��� ����� ����������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������� ������������� ������� �������� ����������� ����� ������ ������� ���� ��������� ��� ��� ����� ��������� ������������������������������������������������ ��� ������ �� ������������� ������� ���� ������� ������� ��� ���� ������� ����������� ����� ���� ��� ������� ���� ���� ������� ����� ���� ����������� ������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������� ������� ������� ��� ��������� �������� ��� ���� ���� ����������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� ����� ����������� � ������� ���� �������� ����� ���������������������������������������������� ��� ��� ����� ���������� ������� �������� ������� ���� �� ������� ������������ ������ ����� ���������� ����� ���������������������������������������������� ����������������������� –Matt Goldberg

I LOVE YOU, MAN (R)

����������������������������

������������������������������������������������� ������� ������ ������ ����� ������� �� ��������� ������ ����� ���� �������� ������ ���������� ���� ������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� ��� ��������� ����� ������ ��������� ������ ��� ���� ���� �������������� ������� ������ �������� ��� ����� ������������������������������������������������ ������������ ���� ������ ������ �������� ������ �������� ���������� ���� ��������������� ����� ������� ����������������������������������������������� ��������� �������� ���� ������� ���� ������ ���� ����� �������� ��� ���� ������ ��� ����� ����� ������ ������� ���� ���� ����� ��������� ���� ����� ��� �������� ������ �� �������������� ���� ������� ������� ����� ��� ���� ��������� ��� ���� ����� ����� ��� �������� ������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������ ��������������������������������������������� ���� ������ ���� ���������� ���� ����� ������� ���� ����������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� �������� ���� ����� ������� ��� ���� �������� ���� ������ ��������� ������� ���� ������ ����� ���� ������ ��������� �������� ���� ���� ����� ���������� �������� ������� ���� ����� ��� ���� ���������� ��� ����������������������������������������������� ������ ���� ����� ���� ��������� ������ ���� ����� ��� ����������������������������������������������� ���������� ����������� ������� ����� ������ ������ ��� ������������� –DeMarco Williams

THE LENA BAKER STORY (N/A) ���������������������������

����� ������� �� ����������� ����� ����� �������� ���������� ������ ���� ��������� ��� ��� ��������� ����� �������� ������ �������� �������� ����� ��������������������������������������������� ���� ��� ���������� ������ ������� ����� ����

CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOL

�������������������������� ���� �������� ��� ����� ����� ������� ���������� �������� ��������� ������ ��������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������� ���������������������������������� ����� ����� ������ ������ ���� ����� ��� � ���������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������� �������������������������������������� �������������� ������� ��� ������ ����� Billy Crudup (above) undergoes his transformation into Dr. Manhattan in “Watchmen.” If you ������� ������ ����� ������� ������� weren’t aware, Crudup is the voice of the Mastercard comercials and lover ��� of ���� electricity. ������������������������������������ ���� ��������� ���� ����������� ����� �������������������������������������� ������ ��������� ������ ��� �� ���������� � ����������������������������������� ������ ���������� ���� ��� ���� ����� ��� �������� ����� ������ ���� 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WATCHMEN

coming this month

March 20: Knowing (PG-13)

HE’S JUST NOT THAT INT

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March 27: Monsters vs. Aliens (PG)

PG 13 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009


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TAKEN (PG-13)

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–DeMarco Williams

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THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (PG-13) ��������������������������� ������� ���� �������� ������ ����� ����� �������� ���� ��� ����������� ��� �� ����� ������� ��� ������� ��������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������� ������ ����� ������ ��� ����� ��� ������������� �������� ���� ���� ������ ������ ������ ������ ���� ������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������� ������ ����� ���������� �������� �������� ����� ��������� ������� ���� ��� ������ ��� �� ����������� ����� ������ �������� ��������� �������� ���� ������������������������������������������� ������ ��������� ���������� ������� ��������� ���������� ����� ������ ����� ��������� ������ ���������� �������� ������ ������ ����� ������ ���� ����� ��� ����� ���� �������� �������� ����� ����� ����������� ������� ������� ����� ��� ������ ������� ������ ���� ����� ������� ���� ������� ��� ��� ������ ��� ���� ��������� ����� ����� ������ ������� ��� ������������ ���� ���������� ������� ����� ���� ������ ��� ������� ���� ����� ���������� ���� ����� �� ����� ��� �� ���������� ����������� ����� ��� ���� ��� ���� ����� �� ������ ������� ��������� ���� �������� ����� ���� ��� �� ������ ������� ���� ������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������ ���������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������ ������� ��� ����������� ������ ���� ��� ����� ��� ����� ���������������� –DeMarco Williams

WALTZ WITH BASHIR (R)

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THE WRESTLER (R)

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��������������������������� �������������������������������������������� ������� ���������� ���� ��������� �������� ��� ����������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������ �������� �������� ���� ��������� ��� ���� ������ ������ �������� ��������� ��� �� ������������� ��� ���� ������� ����� ����� �������� ���� ����� ��� ������ ��� ���������� ������� ���� ����� ��������� ����������������������������������������������� ����� ������ ����� ������ ���� ������ ����� ����� ��������� ����� ��� �� ������ ������������ ������ ��������������������������������������������� ��������� ���� ������ �������������� ������ ���� �� ������������������������������������������������� ��������� ������ ����� ��� ��� ���� ����� ��� ������� ���� ������������������������������������������������ ����������������������������������������������� ��� ����� ������� ���� ����������� ������ ��� ��� �������������� ����������� ���� ������� ������ ���� ������������� ������������ ����� ��� �������� ����� ��������� ��� ������� ������ ��� ��������� �� ���������� � ������ ���� ���� �� ����� �� ���������� �������� ����� ����������� ������ ������������ ����������������������������������������������� �������� ���� ������ �������� ���� ��������� ������ ���� ���� ������� ������� ���� ����� �� ������� ��� ������������������������������������������� ������ ���� ������ ������ ��� ����� ��������� ��� ����������� ���� ����� ��������� ������������� ���������������������������������������������� ���� ������� �������� ����� ������� ������ ������ ����� ������� ��������� ����� ���������� ���� ��������� �� ���� ��� ������ ���� ��� ���� ��� ��� �� ���� �� ������� �������� � ������� ����� ��� ���� ����� ����� �������� ���� �������������� ������� ���� ����� ������ ��������� ��� ��������� ������ �������� ������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� ����� �������������� ��� ������� ������� ��������� �������������������������� –Matt Goldberg


Second Act

FILM INTERVIEW

Virginia Madsen Finds Career Heaven in B-Movie Hell F BY B. LOVE

sippi and The Rainmaker. But by the late ‘90s casting directors had stopped calling, and the actress found .SCOTT FITZGERALD ONCE WROTE, herself relegated to B-movie fare in order to pay the “There are no second acts in American lives.” Clearly the legendary author failed to foresee bills. “It wasn’t frustrating,” she insists, “because my the career trajectory of Virginia Madsen, who rose goal was to work in my chosen profession and not to film fame in the mid-‘80s only to fall from Holhave to wait tables. What I resented was being lywood grace a decade later. Now, after the success underestimated. My career was going in the wrong of Sideways, the 47-year-old’s career is hotter than direction. I was working, but the work was less and ever, with two high-profile films in 2009. less satisfying. Doors were closing right and left, and Raised in Chicago by a firefighter father and wasn’t even getting a chance to read for the roles I I homemaker-turned-writer mother, the younger wanted. You can’t blame anybody else, so I had to do sister of actor Michael Madsen recalls being drawn something to turn things around.” to performing from a very To that end, she started early age. “From the time taking classes and I could walk,” she recalls, I KNEW I WANTED TO BE ON workingacting in indie films “I knew I wanted to be on STAGE, MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH and TV shows like The stage, make people laugh Practice and American and get applause. It was my AND GET APPLAUSE. IT WAS Dreams before ultimately dream, but there was never MY DREAM, BUT THERE WAS landing her second career a thought that I wouldn’t as Maya, make it. I don’t know why NEVER A THOUGHT THAT I breakthrough love interPaul Giamatti’s I was so self-assured, but I est in the Oscar-winning MAKE IT. WOULDN’T was very driven and ambiSideways. “I was very fortious from an early age tunate to get that role,” she to become a professional admits, “because it gave me two things. It gave me actress.” opportunity, because when you have a movie that’s When it became obvious that she wasn’t going to successful, you’re suddenly on a list and have an grow out of her obsession with performing, there opportunity to pick and choose roles, or to just not was much discussion within the Madsen family. work. The other thing it gave me was confidence.” While her mother urged her children to do what That renewed sense of confidence has led to roles they loved, others insisted Virginia find something in films such as A Prairie Home Companion, The to fall back on. “I always thought that was terrible Astronaut Farmer and The Number 23, as well as advice, because why would I want to fall back? Even if I had some sort of second career,” she reasons, “the this year’s horror hit The Haunting In Connecticut. “That was a script I’ve been looking for ever since imagery of falling back into a safety net seems like I did Candyman. I love the horror/fantasy/sci-fi a terrible thing. You should encourage people to do genre, but it’s hard to find good scripts like that. something and do it well.” The actress tested the thespian waters with a sum- I read about 12 of them, because they’ve become so popular, but the scripts were lousy– they either mer program for high school seniors at Northwestgrossed me out or they were exploitive. But that ern, then went to junior college to study teaching, script was well-written and with a first-time director “just in case.” After a couple of small acting jobs in Chicago, she landed her first big break playing Prin- I was really impressed with, so the whole package was there for me.” cess Irulan in director David Lynch’s Dune. Now, with a starring role in director Mira Nair’s “Dune was an ideal first job,” she gushes of the cult just around the corner, Virginia Madsen is Amelia classic, “because I really didn’t have to do much. I looking forward to taking control of her own Holyhad a monologue in the opening, but after that I was destiny. “I just want to keep working in quality wood just a glorified extra, which was fantastic because I films,” she says of her future goals. “I’ve formed a got to learn from actors who were members of the production company and I’d like to get that up and Royal Shakespeare Company. And of course there running so I can do more work behind the camera was Sting without many clothes on, which was in the creative side of producing. I’ve gotta get my awesome!” son into college in the next few years, so I’ve got to Dune opened the doors for Madsen, leading to look out for him first and foremost.” roles in films such as Candyman, Ghosts Of MissisPG 15 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009


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�������������� ���������������� Yacht Rock Revue ����������� I DO MUSIC ������������� Sandra Hall ������������ Glory Hounds �������� Gringo Star ������������ Will Kimbrough ���������� Burning Time ��������� Jeff Snipe ������������������� El Scorcho ����������������� The Egg ���������������� Zydefunk ���������������� Wes Loper Band ������� Nathan Angelo �������� Howlies �������� Scott Munns & Woody ������� Richard Thompson ����� Hightide Blues ���������������� ���������������� Red Hot Chili Peppers Tribute ����������� Tortured Souls ������������� Francine Reed ������������ Moein ������������ Iron Mullet �������� The Annuals ������������ Maura O’Connell ���������� Sana Blues ��������� Ralph Roddenbery ���������� Next Big Thing ���������������� Eddie Tigner & Uncle Sugar ���������������� The Wrong Way ������� The Hackensaw Boys �������� Blackberry Smoke ���������� Modest Mouse �������� Gareth Asher ������� Morrissey ����� Connor Christian ����������� Departure �������������� �������� Jason C. Waller ����������������� Long Shadows ������������ Claire Lynch ���������� Blues Envy ��������� The Groovement ������������������� Propagandhi Paint it Black ������� Day of Fire ���������� Cardinals �������� Francisco Vidal Band �������������� ������������� Clark Ashton ������������ Songwriter’s Open Mic ���������� Uncle Sugar ��������� Mudcat & Little Brother ������� Bullet Boys ���������� The Pogues ���������������� ����������� KRS ONE ������������� Cazanovas ����������������� Dr. Sketchy’s Boozer Doodle ������������ Justin Townes Earle ���������� Crosstown Allstars ��������� Open Mic Jam ������������������� Ozomatli ����������������� King Kahn & the Shrines ���������������� Tyler Reeve Band ������� Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers �������� Mike Veal ����� Lisa Hannigan ������������������ ����������� Al Smith’s Midtown Jam �������������� Burnt Bacon �������� Clem Snide ������������ Antje Duvekot ���������� Frankie’s Blues Mission ��������� Oh Hai PreLaunch Party ������������������� Less Than Jakes ����������������� Craig Owens ���������������� Carter’s Chord ������� Delta Moon’s Side Porch �������� Wighat �������� Mike Veal Band ����������������� ����������� Time 2 Shine ������������� Deacon Bluz ������������ Estelle �������� Little Tybee ����������������� Fire Bad…Trackside Good ������������ Kathleen Edwards ���������� Chickenshack ��������� Oliver Wood ������������������� Axail Discorrelation ����������������� Alesana

PG 16 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009

���������������� Another Hero ������� RaBidEars �������� StereoType ����� Josh Hoge ��������������� ���������������� Wilco vs. Weezer ����������� Shrimp N Grits ������������� Sandra Hall ������������ Jaguares ������������ Brandon Perry �������� Electric Shadows ����������������� The Vaginas ������������ Pat McGee Band ���������� Nites Mostly ��������� Deep Blue Sun ������������������� Heather Williams ����������������� Madball ���������������� Soul Shakers ���������������� Trotline ������� Homeroom �������� The Subsonics �������� Swami Gone Bananas ������� Lucero ����� Tyrone Wells ����������� Slippery When Wet ����������������� ���������������� U2 Tribute ����������� UGQ Experience ������������� Houserocker Johnson ������������ Brandon Perry �������� The Goldest ����������������� Spectremen ������������ Evan Mchugh ���������� Work In Progress ��������� Random Rabbit ��������������������Tetrarch ����������������� The Bouncing Souls ���������������� Ike Stubblefield ���������������� Slippery When Wet ������� Billy Joel & Elton John ������� Sonia Leigh �������� The Flying Eyes �������� Brian Wiltsey Band ������� Junior Brown ����������� Neal McCoy ��������������� �������� Teel Montague Cook ����������������� Benefit for Rick Bowers ������������ Avondale Charter School ���������� Blues Envy ����������������� 10 Years ������� Black Dominoes Radio �������� Francisco Vidal Band ��������������� ������������� Nathan Morgan Band �������� The Love Language ������������ Songwriter’s Open Mic ���������� Uncle Sugar ��������� Andrew Black ����������������� Watchout! There’s Ghosts ������� Peace of Mind Orchestra ���������������� �������� Bullhead Clap ������������ The Buddy O’Reilly Band ���������� Crosstown Allstars ��������� Open Mic Jam ������������������� Cold ���������������� Tyler Reeve Band ������� Christopher Alan Yates �������� Mike Veal & Barry ������� Adele ����� Razorlight ������������������ ����������� Al Smith’s Midtown Jam� ������������� Fatback Deluxe �������� Junior League Band ������������ The Bowmans ���������� Frankie’s Blues Mission ��������� Bill Frisell & Greg Leisz ���������������� Dean Dollar Band ������� Delta Moon’s Side Porch �������� Orange Hat �������� Mike Veal Band ������� Bill Frisell & Greg Leisz ����������������� ����������� Urban Music Showcase ������������� Tommy Brown ������������ Ian Schumacher �������� “Jax” Thurston Tribute ����������������� Midnight Risers ������������ Cadillac Sky ���������� Chickenshack ��������� Herman Put Down The Gun ���������������� Aclarion ������� Wilx �������� Big Trouble in Little Five ���������� Rockstar Taste of Chaos Tour �������� Brian Pienezeik & Friends ����� Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band ��������������� ���������������� Grass Roots ����������� 3 on 3rd ������������� Sweet Betty


Ghosts

������������ Moby Dick �������� AC Newman ����������������� The Proof ������������ Golden ���������� Rick Carter Project ��������� Roots of Creation ������������������� Almost Kings ����������������� Groovestain ���������������� Donna Hopkins ���������������� Craig Campbell ������� Boombox �������� Pardner �������� Slip Tripman ������� Victor Wooten & JD Blair ����� Jamie McLean ����������� ZOSO ����������������� ���������������� Frontiers ����������� Kelsy Davis �������������� Francine Reed ������������ Pistol Town �������� Nerd Parade ������������ Bobby Yang ���������� Andy Makely Band ��������� The Movement ����������������� ViRAM feat. Ed Rush ���������������� Chicken Raid ���������������� Poptart Monkeys ������� Boombox �������� Rocket 350 �������� ShamJam Shuckfest ������� Ani Aifranco ����� Label Me King ����������� Jamey Johnson ��������������� �������� Gene Ween Band ���������� Blues Envy� ������������ Jimmy Robbins ��������� Mr. Lucky ���������������� Chicken Raid ������� Dave Daniels & the PTA �������� Francisco Vidal Band ��������������� ������������� Stooge Brothers �������� Spindrift ������������ Songwriter’s Open Mic ���������� Uncle Sugar ��������� Joe McGuinness ������� Glenn Tilbrook & the Fluffers ���������������� ������������� Joe Price ������������ Gomez & Josh RItter �������� Efterklang ���������� Crosstown Allstars ��������� Open Mic Jam �������� Glasvegas ������������������� Emmure ����������������� Hurdle the Dead ���������������� Tyler Reeve Band ������� The Gourds Stimulus Package �������� Mike Veal & Barry ������������������ ����������� Al Smith’s Midtown Jam� ������������� The Electromatics ������������ Pendulum �������� Nomo ������������ Kaiser Cartel ���������� Frankie’s Blues Mission ��������� Sideways Jump ����������������� Bang Camaro ���������������� Dean Dollar Band ������� Val Emmich �������� Mike Veal Band ������� Butch Walker ����������������� ����������� Producers Swap Meet ������������� Sweet Betty ������������ Warped �������� HEALTH ������������ Darrell Scott ���������� Chickenshack ��������� Broke & Boujee ������������������� Cut Copy ���������������� Sun Domingo ������� Tab Benoit

�������� Thee Crucials �������� StereoType ������� The Original Wailers ��������������� ���������������� Unzipt ����������� Alex Lattimore �������������� Houserocker Johnson ������������ Rocco Deluca & The Burden �������� Dead Confederate ������������ Ari Hest ���������� The Blues Barons ��������� Snarky Puppy �������� Wale ������������������� Devils Wears Prada ���������������� Mudcat ���������������� Blackberry Smoke �������� The Forty-Fives ���������� Collective Soul �������� The Educators ������� Punch Brothers ����� Guerilla Radio ����������������� ���������������� Mel & the Party Hats ����������� ATL Got Jokes! �������������� Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin ������������ Connor �������� The Selmanaires ������������ “He Said, She Said” Project ���������� Nathan Morgan ��������� Spiritual Rex �������� Matt Wertz ������������������� Kottonmouth Kings ����������������� Last November ���������������� Mudcat ���������������� Jupiter Coyote ������� Bloodkin �������� Mr. Fernando ������� Raphael Saadig ����� Wrong Way ����������� Eric Church ��������������� �������� Catch 23 ������������ Cowboy Envy ���������� Blues Envy ��������� Fundraiser Night ������� Paradise Daze �������� Francisco Vidal Band ������� Chick Corea

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MUSIC

SOUNDS OF THE UNDERGROUND Atlanta Has Emerged As An Urban Music Mecca. So Why Does The Indie Hip-Hop Scene Get No Love?

BY B. LOVE & DEMARCO WILLIAMS

Q

UICK, NAME FIVE GREAT HIPhop acts to have emerged from the ATL’s indie scene in the last five years. Can’t do it, can you? The simple fact is that while the city’s urban music scene may have attracted attention around the world via chart-toppers such as T.I., Ludacris, Jermaine Dupri, Usher, Young Jeezy and Soulja Boy, Atlanta hasn’t produced much in the way of widely known underground talent in the years since artists such as Outkast and Goodie Mob were elevated to notoriety. Hip-hop’s other major centers of activity– New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and the Bay Area– have long proven fertile breeding grounds for up ‘n’ coming talent, with local record labels such as Rawkus, Stones Throw, Definitive Jux, Hiero-Imperium and Quannum Projects providing safe havens through which they could develop without the pressures of major label sales expectations. But while Atlanta has certainly produced more than its fair share of talented indie hip-hop artists over the past decade, the scene has never managed to coalesce into a bona-fide movement. The question is, why?

BACK IN THE DAY

Back in 2001, Creative Loafing’s then-Music Editor Roni Sarig wrote a cover story called “Hip-Hop’s Underground Avengers,” the subtitle of which suggested that, “As Atlanta’s mainstream urban music industry keeps rolling out the hits, an independent community rooted in hip-hop culture grows.” Through interviews with local hip-hop notables that included MF Doom, Company Flow rapper Bigg Jus and Public Enemy mouthpiece Chuck D, Sarig painted a convincing portrait of an ATL underground poised on the precipice of becoming hip-hop’s Next Big Thing. And with a thriving music scene that had attracted legends such as EPMD’s Erick Sermon, DJ Red Alert, and Phife of A Tribe Called Quest to the city, few at the time would’ve doubted the city’s bright future as a haven for rising urban talent. D.R.E.S. tha Beatnik (a.k.a. Philadelphia native Andre Lett), a human beatboxer who once toured Europe with The Roots and continues to host a weekly MC battle at the Apache Cafe, claims that the years between 1999 and 2003 were the apex for Atlanta’s indie hip-hop scene. “There was an insane level of talent that was coming out of Atlanta’s hip-hop underground,” he says, before clarifying, “which should never be confused with Atlanta’s rap underground. There was a level of camaraderie and competition– everybody wanted to make sure they had the livest stage show on the planet. It was very culture forward. At that point, Atlanta started getting its national presence felt. Artists were actually getting distribution deals and being able to exercise their independent chops, to make their mark and be able to sustain a career doing it.” But even before this era, when Outkast and Goodie Mob were rising to national prominence, there was a vibrant underground scene that included artists such as Prefuse 73, turntablists such as DJ Shortee and DJ Faust, and groups like El Pus, Mass Influence and the Micronauts. According to Brian Knott, the founder of Arc The Finger Records and organizer of the annual A3C Festival who moved to the city 12 years ago, the scene’s evolution since his arrival can be broken down into distinct waves. “That first crew of folks was Mass Influence, Justin Hale, Hemisphere, and an electronic band called PH Balance,” he recalls. “That was the crew that brought along groups like Minamina Goodsong. They had a good crowd, but there was PG 18 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009

never any infrastructure in Atlanta to support it. We started the label and signed Minamina, Psyche Origami and Collective Efforts. Binkis Recs (whose frontman, Jax, unexpectedly passed away after collapsing onstage in November) was doing really well. We put some more infrastructure behind it and were able to get everybody out on the road. We were putting records out nationally and internationally. We had the benefit of more Internet stuff, so we were able to get more fans in a lot of different places. We did a good job of licensing to TV, so it helped spread those things a little bit more. That was the biggest difference between that first phase and our phase.” But Arc The Finger wasn’t the only local business providing support for the burgeoning community. College radio stations such as WRAS (Album 88) and WREK gave up ‘n’ coming hip-hop artists airplay. Record stores such as Earwax and Criminal Records gave them retail outlets through which to hawk their indie wares. Record labels such as LaFace, Rowdy and So So Def helped develop their talents on a national level. Elemental Magazine gave them print exposure. Promoters such as Vagabond Productions (owned by Speech), FunkJazz Kafe and Groove Essentials mounted concerts featuring nationally known artists such as Digable Planets, The Roots and The Fugees, often booking local groups as their opening acts. And clubs such as MJQ and Yin Yang Café gave ATL artists performance venues through which to build a following. “Atlanta’s underground height was the Yin Yang days, when you had India Arie coming through playin’ and Bonecrusher workin’ in the kitchen,” says Larry of Proton, one of the few groups from the scene’s heyday who continue making music today. “Sometimes he’d come up and spit. You had groups like us. We’d perform, then Andre from Outkast would come through and sit in the front row. Goodie Mob would just be hangin’ out. It wasn’t pretentious. You had Joi just hangin’ out at the Yin Yang, which is now Apache.” Clearly the city was developing an infrastructure at the turn of the millennium that could’ve helped nurture the next Arrested Development, Outkast or Cee-Lo Green. But other than Gnarls Barkley, Green’s collaboration with iconic producer (and former Athens resident) Danger Mouse, the ATL hasn’t produced a nationally respected underground hip-hop act in years. And the reasons for the scene getting waylaid are as varied as the people you speak to on the subject.

99 PROBLEMS

Earwax Records owner Jasz is understandably bitter about the failure of the ATL underground scene, as his retail outlet’s fortunes seemed inextricably tied to the scene’s success. With his flagging business now limited to online sales, Jasz places part of the blame on close-minded radio stations and part on listeners who insist on the familiar tunes they know and love. “There was no room for [indie artists] in commercial radio,” he insists. “88.5 and WREK did what they could, but V-103 and Hot 97 weren’t going to play that stuff. Now, if you bring a DJ a hot underground joint, who’s going to play it? Rasta Root and all them cats can’t drop it in their set ‘cuz they’re worried about their dancefloor. It ain’t that the Proton joint ain’t good; it’s that the crowd’s mindset is not receptive. You gotta hit’em in the head with familiarity. But there was a time back in the ‘90s when we were receptive. Now, it’s like trying to grow a flower in the midst of a forest of tumbleweeds and dandelions.” Killer Mike– the Outkast associate who achieved Top 10 success with his 2003 debut, Monster, before returning to the indie world– concurs that the ATL underground scene of today is much more stylistically segregated than the one in which he came up. “In [clubs like] 559 and Sharon’s Showcase,” he recalls, “you could see Outkast, Goodie Mob, Master P and Splack Pack. You had those bridge groups. Now, the lines have become so rigid, you don’t see that much anymore. That’s what scares me: If the audience is only getting exposed to their artists, how do other artists get introduced? How do people get to know a dope-ass dude like B.o.B., if he can’t [get played at the clubs]?” But D.R.E.S. and Knott believe that Atlanta’s problems are emblematic of an industry-wide tightening of the financial belts over the past decade or so. D.R.E.S. insists the scene continues to produce talented, marketable indie hip-hop artists, but says that record labels are too scared to take chances on unproven commodities. Knott, meanwhile, offers the perspective of an entrepreneur who was forced by the harsh realities of the music business to abandon Arc The Finger in favor of other, more profitable ventures. “I’ll never sell another record!” he says emphatically. “I’m sittin’ at my office, looking at a wall with the leftover inventory. That’s enough of a reminder that people don’t wanna be buying records right now. We got press all over the country because we

were this tiny label putting out records that sounded like they were coming out of the five boroughs in 1994. People were really responsive to it, but at the end of the day it’s off the radar. Mainstream media takes a very narrow viewpoint on that which is good and they pump it, pump it, pump it ‘til it’s dead. There’s some great stuff that gets through… I think Kanye is unbelievable. Those things have amazing commercial potential, and happen to get pushed through and worked the way they’re supposed to. A lot of this game is just getting in the right place at the right time. It’s a tough, tough, tough business.”

YES WE CAN

It’s a commonly held belief that the music industry tends to work in cycles that seem to come around every eight years or so (and often coincide with new presidential administrations). If that’s the case, could the ATL underground benefit from an impending cultural shift away from the snap, crunk and trap sounds that have dominated rap in recent years? Though Jasz remains pessimistic, others seem buoyed by the promise of hope they see in local artists such as Alpha Noise Project, Future Shock, The 808 Experiment, Hollyweerd, Gripplyas, B.O.B. and Proton. What’s needed, they say, is– to borrow the name of one of the scene’s most enduring acts– collective efforts. “We should be more collaborative with our energies and our movements,” says Proton’s Larry. “Being crabs in a barrel doesn’t really benefit anyone.” “If all the artists that made up the underground got ambitious enough to make sure their ass is covered and be smart about licensing their catalog and move towards a much bigger picture of securing distribution,” agrees D.R.E.S., “it could happen.” “Major label fame is a great fertilizer for independent success,” suggests Killer Mike. “I’m not successful yet ‘cuz I haven’t built a brand that not only keeps me afloat, but other artists. It’s cool to be on a Carnival cruise ship, but to own your own tugboat and to have your own crew on there… that’s a helluva thing. Rap has provided an alternative to drugs and crime. When dudes are tryin’ to put their people on, they’re just tryin’ to get an alternative to that bullshit.” If there’s a lynchpin that has held the scene together through the tough times, and which offers hope for a future in which ATL hip-hop is as rich and diverse as the Big Apple’s, it’s Knott’s annual A3C Hip-Hop Festival. Launched six years ago as a way for Arc The Finger’s artists to align themselves with like-minded nationally known acts, the 3-day event finds folks like Collective Efforts and Proton performing alongside Souls of Mischief, Little Brother, Biz Markie, Juice Crew and other leading lights on the indie hip-hop scene. With this year’s festival scheduled for September at the CW Midtown Music Complex, Knott seems cautiously optimistic that, for Atlanta’s underground hip-hop scene, a change is gonna come. “If people are doing something and making moves,” Knott says, “they end up on the A3C. Last year we had Proton, Supreme, Gripplyers, B.O.B., Collective Efforts and Binkis Recs. We were well ahead of the curve on this new Atlanta scene that’s happening. There’s absolutely an eye towards trying to highlight what’s special about Atlanta. It’s just this seamless thing between new and old sorta working together, focusing on what’s interesting nationally but definitely with an eye towards what’s going on in our own backyard. I keep my Rolodex open and my radio, media and distribution contacts [open]. It keeps me dialed in to what I’m doing and keeps my eyes open for what’s next.”


Road Warriors This Month’s Hottest Shows BY JON LATHAM 3/4  BAD BRAINS

this one’s sold out; Heaven knows I’m miserable now.

Masquerade One of the pioneering bands of the hardcore punk movement of the early 80’s still know how to bring the thunder. With a venue like the Masquerade, you may be as close as you can get to the excitement of being part of the sound that influenced a whole new generation of hard rock. Sure to be a knockout show.

3/7  MORRISSEY

Variety Playhouse If moody, heartbroken crooning is more your style, then why not let the Mozz tickle your fancy? From his days with The Smiths to his lengthy solo career, Morrissey has never minded ruffling feathers with his biting words that he delivers so smoothly. Certainly, there will be choice words from him as he highlights material from his latest release. Shame to say

3/7  MODEST MOUSE

Tabernacle One of indie rock’s finest acts come to rock the Tabernacle. To loyal fans, they are one of the great bands of this generation, and should be very enticing to new listeners as well. Sceptacle? Dig in to their albums, and you will find there is more bite than just the bark of their breakthrough single from a few years back, “Float On”.

3/8  RYAN ADAMS AND THE CARDINALS

Tabernacle Ryan Adams can be quite a handful depending on his mood, but amidst his insecurities is a prolific amount of great songs that have stacked up over the last several years. His backing band, the Cardinals, has become a tight-knit unit, a real force to be reckoned with on a real good night, which continues to be the case just about every night.

3/8  PROPAGANDHI

The Masquerade Canada’s greatest (only?) anarchist punk band brings their blistering live show to Atlanta.

Known as much for their intellectuallychallenging lyrics– railing against everything from sexism and homophobia to capitalism and fascism – as their driving, metal-infused punkrock, the club is likely still recovering from their last show a couple of years ago. Supporting their soon to be released fifth record, Supporting Caste, the band is bringing fellow hardcore punks Paint it Black along for the ride.

Variety Playhouse Fans are crazy about Ani. Could it be her doit-yourself motivation that drove her to release all her material independently? Could it be her no-holds-barred political stances? Could it be her chameleon-like artistic shifts from album to album? Could it be her recognizable guitar work? Could it be the songs? How about all of the above?

3/9  THE POGUES

3/24  THE GOURDS

Tabernacle Just after the buzzing in your ears from Flogging Molly wears off, the Pogues, with their classic line-up in tact, make their way to Atlanta. Here’s a great night of music with an imitated but never duplicated group of pub dwelling tales woe.

3/10  OZOMATLI

Masquerade The cultural diversity of California shines bright in Ozomatli. Weaving Urban beats with Latin and South Asian influence brings a world party vibe with a rockin’ hip-hop attitude. Percussive work along with tight horns seal the deal. I dare you not to dance.

3/14  ELTON JOHN/ BILLY JOEL

Philips Arena Two of Rock’s legendary piano men share the stage again. Be prepared to sing along, as this set is guaranteed to be packed with timeless fan favorites. I, for one, have my fingers crossed that Elton pulls out some ‘Tumbleweed Connection’ material.

3/21  ANI DIFRANCO

WE GOT NEXT THE WELCH BOYS

4/1  BOOKER T. & THE DBT’S

Variety Playhouse Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Booker T. Jones might very well have come up with the most recognizable organ riff ever when he kicked off “Green Onions” with Booker T and the MG’s back in the day. Now he is releasing a new solo record called Potato Hole. For the sessions, he enlisted the mighty sound of the Drive-By Truckers to back him up. Jones and the Truckers will be cooking for sure when they hit the Playhouse stage. April Fool is you if you miss it.

Artists on the verge of making it big

Latest Project: Drinkin’ Angry (I Scream Records) For Fans of: The Street Dogs, The Ducky Boys, Dropkick Murphys Why You Should Care: There’s a whole lot more to Boston Punk Rock than the Dropkick Murphys.

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

B

Smiths Olde Bar Americana runs wild with the fine sound of the Gourds. Always a crowd favorite when they come to Smiths, the fellas are even showing their appreciation on this visit. Two folks can get in for the price of one ticket. I call that a bargain (cue the Who).

ORN OUT OF THE ASHES OF TWO OF Boston’s most underrated punk bands, The Blue Bloods and Slapshot, The Welch Boys have a sound that is decidedly working class Boston and still fiercely independent. Their debut on Sailor’s Grave did a decent job of introducing them to the world, but it’s Drinkin’ Angry, their two-years-inthe-making follow-up, that is going to force punk fans to really pay attention. Eighteen songs of anger, tension and bar room poetry unfolding in just over 45 minutes, the record is much more focused than their debut, showcasing a stellar band that has finally found its voice. TJ Welch, former member of The Blue Bloods and guitarist/founder of The Welch Boys, spoke with us recently about their new record,

the death of their original drummer and finding time to tour.

humor. In between the lines, you may also hear a little hope and faith. Something’s got to keep us going.

What have you guys been doing since the last record came out? We have been writing and recording new material, and playing occasional live shows. We would like to make a third disc within a couple of years. Since we do not tour that much, we like to do videos. We worked with director Stefan Glidden on a video for “Head in the Sand”. It’s up on our MySpace page. We are in the process of working on an animated video for Police Dog with another director. Other than that, we may get a chance to tour in Europe this summer. We are working with our label I Scream to make this happen.

Do you even need a record label nowadays to get your music out there? I think that the Internet is a great way to get your music out there on your own... DIY is king in the world of punk, but I have found that sooner or later, as a band grows, they need an established label. I think record labels are necessary. Even in the age of MySpace and mp3’s, bands still need the influence, connections, and distribution of a label. Generally, we are artists and not music business people, and we do best when concentrating on producing music. A good label can handle much of the other business aspects of making sure that our music is out there in both CD and MP3. They make sure that the music is promoted, and sold at the proper places. Record labels have the machine in place to do more than a band could do on their own.

How does Drinkin’ Angry compare to the last record? The debut CD was a band finding its sound. We were still feeling things out when we recorded that. I like the disc, however, our song writing was not evolved yet. I think that we are more complicated on this disc. We are also musically more mature. We lost our drummer and good friend to drugs, and that shook us all up. We have endured divorces, births, deaths, addictions, and a world gone to hell. The music is angry and dark, with a healthy dose of disregard and black

How tough is it for you guys to find time nowadays to write, record, practice and tour? It is very difficult to tour, or even play out locally with any regularity. Most of us are married, with young kids. We have tough jobs with long hours. I work two jobs. On the other hand, writing and recording music is easier. We can do that without having all of the band members present. We have the use of technology to record and refine our demo material. When we have a CD’s worth of demo songs, then we go into a good studio like the Outpost, and record with a great producer like Jim Siegel.

The Boston scene has always had a distinctive sound. Is it still a pretty tight community? Yes, for 30 years this town has produced some of the best punk music ever made. The community is tight. All the bands know each other. We all have a reverence for bands that have come before us. Gang Green, SSD, Bosstones, Dropkicks, DYS, The FU’s, Mission of Burma, Slapshot, Jerry’s Kids, Darkbuster, The Unseen, The Ducky Boys, The Freeze... this list goes on forever. We know that we have something special here, and we are glad to have our scene. This is a rock and roll town. Most bands are made up of working class kids. There is not a lot of flash and image. The fashion consists of jeans and a t-shirt. Our nectar is a two dollar and fifty cent 16 oz. can of Pabst Blue Ribbon. We like our old Marshall amps and we don’t like to use effect pedals. Subject wise, our music is similar to rap music. It comes from the city streets. We all show up at each other’s shows. We buy each other beers, we buy each other’s shirts and CD’s. The club scene is pretty good. There are still a lot of all-ages matinee shows going on. There is a unique set of circumstances that goes into producing the Boston sound. I love it. What’s next for the band? I think the most important thing now is writing new material. We would like to do a third disc within two years, and we need to get going now to do that. Right now, we are trying to write a song for a UFC fighter from Maine, Marcus “The Irish Hand Grenade” Davis. He likes our stuff, and he asked us to try to write something. Gotta try to help out a fellow Irishman. PG 19 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009


MUSIC INTERVIEW

The Yin & Yang of Indigo Girls Emily Saliers & Amy Ray On The Differences That Keep Them Together

BY BRET LOVE

A

LITTLE BIT FOLKSY AND A little bit rock ‘n’ roll, Indigo Girls Amy Ray and Emily Saliers have always found strength in their differences. Sure, Emily has been pegged as the kinder, gentler, more spiritual Joni Mitchell acolyte, while Amy’s more intensely passionate approach was obviously influenced by punk-rock legends such as Chrissie Hynde and Hüsker Dü. But while many of their contemporaries from the late ‘80s singer-songwriter scene have faded from view (see: Suzanne Vega, Natalie Merchant), the Indigo Girls have remained potent and relevant for over 20 years and counting. Still, their road has not always been smooth. As self-proclaimed “opinionated lesbian folk-rockers,” they met with their fair share of resistance in the male-dominated music industry. Signed by Epic Records in 1988, the duo released a string of Gold and Platinum albums (including 1989’s Indigo Girls, 1990’s Nomads Indians Saints, 1992’s Rites of Passage and 1994’s Swamp Ophelia), becoming Grammy Award fixtures and Lilith Fair headliners in the process. But with the music industry’s sharp decline, they were unceremoniously dumped from Hollywood Records after just one album, finding themselves consigned to the indie world for the first time since 1987’s Strange Fire. Now the dynamic duo is back with their own label, IG Recordings, and a new album called Poseidon & the Bitter Bug that highlights their dichotomous nature via two CDs featuring acoustic and electric versions of the same songs. In keeping with that theme, we recently spoke with Amy and Emily in separate interviews, covering topics ranging from their musical compatibility and their struggles with sexism in the music business to career longevity and the upsides of artistic independence.

to the local scene.” AMY: “Being women definitely put us at a disadvantage. There are times when the trend is for more women to get played on the radio or get signed more frequently, but it’s typically just a trend, then there’s a backlash. It doesn’t serve women that well, because we’re not normally on par where the playing field is level. We didn’t focus on that and become bitter about being held back as women, but we definitely noticed it. You have to work a little harder, but that’s another thing we tried to turn into an asset, finding our community and playing for people who supported women in music. So it ultimately became our strength. There’s always sexism in radio and the media, except maybe for Top 40, but that’s not what we do.” ON THE CHANGES THAT HAVE ROCKED THE MUSIC INDUSTRY OVER THE PAST DECADE AMY: “You could write an encyclopedia about the changes in the music industry! (Laughs) Obviously the big thing was the corporate mergers and the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which allowed a company to own a lot of radio stations or media outlets. That really shifted things for musicians, because it created this sort of monolithic playlist in these various formats. If you were on it you were in like Flynn, but if not you were out of luck. It became harder to get on the radio and to get into print media, because all of the independent publications started disappearing due to lack of advertising dollars or got bought out

and turned into something different. So that limited our access, but the Internet started booming and gave us more access. I think it’s still working itself out, but I think the Internet is potentially great for independent musicians. The major labels went through a period of incredible greed and gluttony, with overblown budgets and overpaid executives and CDs that were too expensive, so they made their own bed. I think they focused on the wrong aspects of their companies, and those bad decisions are coming home to roost. I do think that, for all the negative things that have happened, there are a lot of positive possibilities that are happening. But I also lament the loss of community radio and independent print media.” EMILY: “When broadcasting was opened up to corporate purchase, it changed the face of radio forever. When I was coming up there were regional hits that spread across the country, and it was more interesting, less homogenized and less corporate-controlled. I think the loss of that hurt the music business, and it hurt when major labels didn’t jump on the digital bandwagon and continued to charge too much for CDs. And when we got signed, record labels were more about nurturing bands instead of kicking them out after one failed attempt at a Top 10 single. What’s interesting now is how with iTunes and downloading, everything is focused on singles. As a culture we seem to have shorter attention spans, and that’s reflected in the music industry as well.” ON BEING UNCEREMONIOUSLY DROPPED BY HOLLYWOOD RECORDS

ON WHAT EACH PERSON BRINGS TO THE TABLE AMY: “Emily is a great musician. Her musical vocabulary is vast, so she can find cool intervals and unusual chord voicings. She’s a good songwriter, with a real knack for striking melodies and catchy lyrics, and we have slightly different vocal ranges that work well together.” EMILY: “Amy was the one who held down the guitar parts early on, but now she’s broadened her range to the point that she can do a lot of things very well. But I think the thing she’s best at is just rocking hard, even in her ballads and mid-tempo songs. She has a strength and an edge that’s very different from what I offer, and we wouldn’t be who we are without that.” ON THE DIFFICULTIES OF BEING WOMEN IN A MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRY EMILY: “There was a lot of sexism and homophobia, especially early on. Amy really knows how to run a sound system, and that wasn’t appreciated by a lot of the guys in the clubs. Radio jocks can often be obnoxious and sexist, and record labels don’t know how to market opinionated lesbian folksinger-rockers, so there’s always a commercial aspect that never got fulfilled in the way it might have had we been a different kind of female band, but we never cared about that. To be honest, it hasn’t affected us much: We just did what we do. We were influenced by a lot of local female musicians, like Caroline Aiken, who really took us under her wing. We’ve always felt connected PG 20 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009

EMILY: “We had a long relationship with Epic Records– they were good to us and supported us– but then it ran its course. I wanted to try a smaller label, and Hollywood looked like it had the resources to bring us to the next level, because as a band that’s been around 25 years there’s a way that you can plateau. They made so many promises and seemed so excited to have us, so when they dropped us it was like, ‘Screw this! We’ll be independent.’ Amy was totally happy, because she wanted to go indie a long time ago.” ON HOW BEING INDIE ARTISTS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS IMPACTED THE RECORDING PROCESS EMILY: “Being dropped and having monetary restrictions led to time restrictions in the studio. We only had our rhythm section (featuring drummer Matt Chamberlain) together for four days, so we ended up making the record very quickly, which I found quite exhilarating. We moved from one thing right to the next without belaboring over decisionmaking, just sort of feeling in our guts when it was right. [Producer] Mitchell Froom is really good at that, so in a roundabout way being independent proved to be exciting because of the energy.” AMY: “I think it subconsciously gives you a sense of freedom, but on a more concrete level we had to do it faster and on a lower budget, which was no big deal. When that happens, your community obviously steps up to the table: Southern Tracks gave us a good deal on studio time, Mitchell Froom gave us a good deal… everyone understood we were independent now and needed to make the record very quickly. On a business level it was easier in some ways, because we didn’t have to rush to make a certain release date or pick the best single. We were able to time it to our lives. You get to make your own choices and have more discretion.” ON HOW POSEIDON & THE BITTER BUG REFLECTS THEIR DICHOTOMY AS ARTISTS EMILY: “In reflecting on it, [the electric/ acoustic approach of Poseidon & the Bitter Bug] really lays out what it is that we do: We write songs separately, then we get together and practice them, and there’s a very organic approach that’s laid out in the acoustic version of the record. But we also enjoy collaborating with other players, plugging in electric guitars and rocking out a bit, and I think that’s reflected in the other CD. It just seemed like a natural thing, and since it didn’t take long to record the acoustic version, it was like, why not?”

I THINK WE’RE LUCKY. WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT CORE AUDIENCE THAT STICKS WITH US, LISTENS TO OUR MUSIC AND COMES TO OUR SHOWS, AND DOESN’T LOOK AT MUSIC FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF TRENDS.

ON HOW THEY’VE BEEN ABLE TO SUSTAIN CAREERS WHILE MANY OF THEIR PEERS HAVE FALLEN BY THE WAYSIDE AMY: “I think we’re lucky. We have a really great core audience that sticks with us, listens to our music and comes to our shows, and doesn’t look at music from the perspective of trends. From time to time, if we get a song on the radio or get coverage in more media, we may add to that base audience, but it’s that small core that relates to us that has sustained our careers. It’s made up of a lot of great people– teachers, poets, activists and authors– who are contributing to the world, and hopefully we’re doing that too, so there’s a lot of mutual respect. That’s a blessing, and that’s really hard to find.”


MUSIC INTERVIEW

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Everything Old Is New Again W BY JOHN B. MOORE

ITH NEARLY HALF A DOZEN records already under their belt and more than 10 years of touring, New Found Glory had paid their dues. Two years ago they had a few Gold records on the wall and a pretty sweet deal with Geffen Records. But, looking around, they realized they were on a label where no one understood who they were, where they had been and where they were going. With very little promotion from Geffen, NFG’s fifth album was released and pretty much left to die. Getting dropped from the label may have been the best thing to happen to the South Floridabased band. Taking a little time to regroup, the band started experimenting, putting out a covers album and an EP of hardcore songs. Now, two years after walking out of Geffen, the band is back with a brand new record and a new home, having signed recently to Epitaph Records. Guitarist Chad Gilbert spoke with us recently about the band’s journey.

So after being free agents for a while, you guys decided to sign with Epitaph. Can you tell me how that came about? As soon as we announced we were off Geffen, Brett Gurewitz from Epitaph was the first to call me. It was too soon to do anything right away. It’s almost like when you have a breakup with your girlfriend, you kind of have to take care of certain emotional issues before you move on. It’s not exactly like that, but we weren’t ready to make any decisions at that time. We didn’t know what to do, so we told Brett we weren’t ready, we talked to a bunch of different labels and we went ahead and made our record first. We brought it to a bunch of people and Brett and Epitaph have a really cool thing going and all of them are real fans of music and real fans of our band. We played a show in LA and everyone from Epitaph came and they had a party the next day to meet us. We went to the party and one of the employees had a black eye that he got from stage diving at our show and it’s kind of funny going to a record label office and all of the people there love music and know the history of music. It is very much unlike a major label where everyone is wearing suits and trying to figure out what’s going to be cool. Were you guys shocked at all to see your relationship with Geffen end or were you pretty glad it was over and ready to move on to the next thing? It was an on to the next thing kind of deal. I’m not trying to diss anyone really, but you can look at the timeline of the band… we had our self-titled CD, Sticks and Stones and Catalyst, which were all three very successful records and we had great promotion and a lot of backing and support from our label and the people who were behind those labels weren’t at the label anymore and we were brought over to Geffen (after being on MCA for years). When we got moved over, there was a whole new staff and all new people

working for us who didn’t know about our band or our history and with Coming Home we didn’t have the same kind of promotion we used to have. When it came time to do the next record, Geffen had a new president who didn’t know much about the band and we were like “this situation kind of sucks,” so it was kind of a joint agreement (to leave). At first Geffen wanted to keep us, but put us on Octone, a label they had acquired. We were like, why be on Geffen, but move to a sub label? We just wanted to start fresh with something new. It must be nice to be on a label where the founder and president is in a band? Oh, it’s awesome. I can talk to Brett Gurewitz about music and I’m talking to the dude from Bad Religion. Were you a Bad Religion fan growing up? I’m not going to lie, I’m a fan of the hits. I love lots of Bad Religion songs, but Stranger Than Fiction was my favorite record. I love that record, but to say I have always been a huge fan… growing up they were in my CD collection. What can you tell me about the new record? The album’s called Not Without a Fight and I would say the songs are pretty much like everything New Found Glory. I don’t want to sound cliché or corny, but I feel like any New Found Glory fan is going to like this record. If their favorite

album was Coming Home, there are some things that melodically mirror that; if their favorite album is Sticks and Stones and the older faster stuff, there’s some songs on here that mirror that. It’s doesn’t sound like a record that is trying to redo stuff we’ve already done. It’s a step forward musically. It’s a very guitar riff-driven record. It’s something you can almost play air guitar to. The energy of it has more of the older feel of New Found Glory, but melodically it sounds like some of our later stuff.

You guys recorded with Mark Hoppus (from Blink 182/Plus 44). Was this your first time working with him? Yeah. We’ve toured with Blink. One of the reasons we started working with Hoppus was when we were making this record, all producers wanted to hear demos and we are a little defense about this. We have seven albums and six records; you don’t need a demo. Established bands still make demos, but when we record we put our heart and soul into it, even if it’s a demo. We don’t want to spend two weeks making a demo sound amazing. We called Hoppus and said we want to do the record with you. He said “I’m honored.” We asked, “Do you want to hear anything.” And he said “No. I know you guys know how to write songs”. We went into the studio, he heard them and that’s it. He gave us the tools we needed to make the record we wanted to make. In the studio he’s a total blast. He’s super funny. Almost to a distraction he’s so funny.

IT’S A STYLE AND EVERYTHING COMES AND GOES AND THAT’S WHY NEW FOUND GLORY IS JUST GOING TO BE WHO WE ARE AND NOT PLAY INTO IT. WE’LL ALWAYS HAVE OUR DIEHARD FANS. IT’S FUN. WE LOVE PLAYING.

Are you guys feeling reinvigorated by a new label and a new album after some time off? Yeah, we had some time off to really get our priorities straight personally and learn more about what we want to do with this band. A couple of us went through some really bad break ups and one of the only things in our lives that has been really true to us has been our band. I think that’s what a lot of this record is about. Have you seen a lot of changes in this band either musically or how you interact with each other? Definitely. I remember when this band first started, me and our guitar player Steve (Klein) we would always be the ones butting heads the most. But now we talk the most outside of the band. We were always the most unlikely pair to do that. I threw a cookie tin at his head once when we were 17 and we used to fight crazy like brothers. I think the difference is now that we kind of do what we want to do rather than listen to what a lot of others are saying to us. In the last two years we released that EP, Tip of the Iceberg, and we did things on our own terms. We were without a label, without management and were in a real transition period and we did everything ourselves. We had our biggest headline tour in England. Ten years ago everyone was striving to get on a major label. Do you think that mindset has changed? Yeah, I think if you’re a band and you tour and have great songs, you can make it happen whatever label you are on. Definitely major labels can blow up a band and they have more opportunities than smaller labels, but that’s the quick route. The quicker you get bigger, the quicker you disappear. I think bands that get on indie labels tend to grow more as a band. Now with the Internet, it’s almost safer to get on an independent label that really loves your band. There are a lot of bands that I interview that have hardly been together for a year and they are so concerned about making it big. I know. There are a lot of newer bands that seem so concerned about the business side of things and the look and the style and they forget that the main thing is writing the songs. You can have a bright colored t-shirt, but without a song… It’s really weird to me. It’s a style and everything comes and goes and that’s why New Found Glory is just going to be who we are and not play into it. We’ll always have our diehard fans. It’s fun. We love playing. Do you plan to tour a lot behind this new record? Oh yeah. We’ve got a tour that starts in March. I think we’re going to be “working the record” for the next two years. We’ve got a lot planned and Epitaph has a lot of cool ideas. We’re going to stay busy. When we stay home for too long we get anxiety and want to go out and play shows again. At this point, it seems like we’ve been playing shows longer in our lives than when we haven’t. Or at least close to it. PG 21 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009


MUSIC INTERVIEW

MAN VS. MACHINE Once deemed dead after dealings with Def Jam, rapper Joe Budden’s doing things differently in the digital age.

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

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OU WON’T HAVE TO DIG LONG on the web to find out where Joe Budden’s been. One of the rap industry’s prized upstarts back in ’03 thanks to a club banger, “Pump It Up,” and well-received self-titled album, Budden became a ghost in the machine once it was time to follow-up his initial successes with a second release. Hip hop sites say a beef with then-Def Jam prez Jay-Z caused the long delay. In this interview, Budden, 28, echoes the same things. But Joe’s not sweating any of that anymore. Consider the Harlem native in the midst of a rhyming re-boot. With an October ’08-released, downloadable-only album (Halfway House) still getting love, a just-dropped full-length (Padded Room) stirring blogosphere buzz and news of a rap supergroup damn near causing a virtual riot, Joe Budden doesn’t need to worry about much besides keeping his Wikipedia page updated. In what ways have you evolved since “Pump It Up?” Business-wise, I kinda grab the bull by the horn. I’ve surrounded myself with my own cabinet of people, nobody was brought to me. I’m kinda taking control of my own destiny. Whatever is going to happen will happen on my watch, which is a big change from when I first came in. Musically, I’d like to say I get better with each day that passes. I’m practicing on my craft, working on my craft. The same advice I give to aspiring artists I take heed myself. It’s constant work.

Is that spat with Saigon old news? Yeah, it’s old news.

Y’all cool? I’m not going to say that we’re cool. I’m not gonna say that I’m going to call him tomorrow and invite him over for lunch. But it’s over and done with in both of our opinions. With Padded Room, what are you most excited about? First of all, I’m excited just to be able to release it. For somebody who wasn’t able to do it for so long, it’s really a big deal to me. And second of all, I’m excited for the fans to be able to walk into the store and purchase a Joe Budden album. I’m excited for them to hear it, take the plastic off, read the credits and do everything we used to do with rap albums that we love and anticipated. Speaking of reading the credits, productionwise, give me a couple of names that helped you out? A bunch of up-n-coming producers. The Klasix did a lot of [the mixtape] Mood Music. Dub B did the majority of my first album. Blastah Beatz is a guy out of France, representin’ Team Jump-Off. He’s a phenomenal, phenomenal producer. They pretty much did the entire album.

Anybody exciting you musically? That’s hard to say ‘cuz music excites me period. So, the list would be extremely long. I could FOR AS MANY FANS AS I HAVE, go on for days and I PROBABLY HAVE DOUBLE THE days. [The new supergroup] Slaughterhouse AMOUNT OF HATERS. I DON’T excites me. Royce da KNOW, MAN. I TRY TO BE AS 5’9”, Crooked I, Juel Ortiz. Those guys make SINCERE AS POSSIBLE WITH me push the pen that THE LISTENER. much harder.

With Def Jam, did you feel like an outsider and that the decisions were made for you? Umm, I was really young at the time. Everything was happening so fast. I couldn’t really come to grips with everything. I was taking a lot of suggestions from different people. Now all of that has changed. I wanna be in control of my own destiny.

Anything beyond music of interest to you right now? We got a black president, so that’s always captivating. Other than that, that’s really the biggest deal to me. It’s what I’ve paid the most attention to the last year and a half. I’m happy with the outcome. I’m up on my current events, but that’s where I’ve spent most of my time. Do the happenings in DC and other current events ever influence what you rap about? No, not at all. Politics is one thing I choose to stay away from musically. I was listening to Sirius Radio the other day and the young lady was doing a poll of who the better MC was- you or Saigon. Most callers chose you. What do folks like about your sound? For as many fans as I have, I probably have double the amount of haters. I don’t know, man. I try to be as sincere as possible with the listener. I’ve done that for so long that I’ve developed a really close connection with the fans and established some type of relationship with them that’s deeper than just fan-to-artist, artist-to-fan. PG 22 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009

Pardon the ignorance, but do y’all have an official project in the works? Yes, yes. You gotta go Google it. Your ignorance is excused. I released a digital album in October with the song called “Slaughterhouse,” featuring all of us. The energy and response was so crazy. The buzz was nuts. It was something we wanted to continue. It’s something we wanted to keep going. People are extremely excited about. We did a show last week, sold out. It’s been sold out 10 times over. Everybody who’s a fan of hardcore hip hop, where lyrics matter again, they will definitely enjoy what we’re doing. In what ways have the digital movement helped your career? It saved my career. Without it, I don’t know where I’d be. Like I said, it’s public knowledge that I was in a situation on a label where I wasn’t able to release music for whatever reason. When you’re an artist, especially an artist such as myself, it’s therapeutic and your source of venting [to release music]. It’s really important. So, for us to be in the day and age where modern technology can do all of these wonderful, beautiful things where you can release music from your home and have the masses hear it? I can’t imagine where I would be without it.

AUTOMOBILES THE RIDES OF MARCH FAST LANE

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS Name – 2009 Nissan Murano S AWD Tested Price – $30,920 Engine – 3.5L/V-6 Gas – 18 city/ 23 highway Warranty – Three-year/36,000 miles

Name – 2009 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD Tested Price – $40,135 Engine – 3.7L/V-6 Gas – 15 city/21 highway Warranty – Three-year/36,000 miles Kids, there was a time when car commercials didn’t focus on highway fuel efficiency or pollutants. 30second spots at one time talked about maneuvering and all the Jetsons-like gadgetry to be found in the cockpit. We all wanted to know what that button was for and what this screen displayed. Now, when people step onto a car lot –yes, there are people who still do that- they inquire about silly thinks emission standards and the cost to fill up. Well, leave it to the forward thinkers over at Nissan and Mazda to spend equal time with gizmos as they do with going green. Before going any further, we have to admit the Mazda CX-9 (and the slightly-less hulking CX-7) is

2009 NISSAN MURANO S AWD

one of our favorite things to gawk at on the road. It’s sleek. It’s ridiculously curvy. It’s the car Doc in Back to the Future would’ve driven had he known about crossover SUVs. Beyond its suave exterior though, the vehicle handles tremendously (Independent Front MacPherson strut, rear multi-link suspension), seats seven comfortably and actually isn’t the gas guzzler you might think. But really, what’s a $40,000 semi-luxury SUV without the bells and whistles? Stocked with a comprehensive DVD navigation system ($2,300) and standard blind-spot monitoring, it certainly isn’t the fabulous ’09 CX-9, for sure. The Nissan Murano, a crossover pioneer and one of the best-selling entries in its class, doesn’t quite hark images of Total Recall with its styling. Still, it turns heads with a unique build that always seems at least a season ahead, design-wise, over most of its competition. (Actually, the stop/start ignition button still generates the occasional Wooow from passengers.) Beneath all the good looks, however, there lies a SUV with a few shortcomings, one of which you’ll notice almost instantly when you sort of spring forward after shifting from reverse. Though there aren’t any other major complaints about the actual ride, the Murano never hugs the road quite like the CX-9 does. Yeah, we know there’s a $10,000 difference in the two stickers, so something surely had to give. But we don’t care if it’s 2009 or 2209, it’s tough putting a price tag on comfort. CX-9 (A) Murano (B)

2009 MAZDA CX-9 GRAND TOURING AWD


MUSIC

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By B. Love, DeMarco Williams, John Davidson, John B. Moore, Matt Goldberg & Jon Latham

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��������������� ������������������������������������������������ ����� ������ �� ����� �������� ���������� ������ ����� ����� ������� �������� ���� ��������� �������� ��� �������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������� ��������������� THE LOVED ONES – DISTRACTIONS EP Philly punks with a jones for Springsteen impress ���� ��� ������ ����� ���� ����� ��� ���� ����� ����������� ����� ��� ����� ����� ������� �������� �� �������� ��� �������� ��������� ���������� ����� ������� ������ ������������������ ����������������� ������ ����� ����� ���� ���� ���� ��������� ������� ��� ����� ��������� ������� ���� ����������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������ ��������������������������������������������������� ���� ���� ��� ���� ������ ����� ������� ������� ������ ������ ��� ���� �������� ���� ��� ���������� ��� �� ������� ��������� ���� ���� ������ ������� �������� ������ ������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� ������������� ��������� ������ ���������� ���� ������ ������� ����������� ���� ����� ����� ������ ������� ���� ��������� �� ���� ����������� ����� �������������� �������� ������ �������������� ��� ������ ���� �������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� �������� ����� ���� ������ ����� ����� ��� ������ ����� ����� ������������������ VARIOUS ARTISTS – NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL MOTOWN (Universal) Digital Age, meet Motown. Motown, meet the Digital Age ���� ����� ��� ���� ������ �� ������ ���������� ��� �������������������� ����� ���� ������� ������ ���� ��� ���� �������������������� ���� ���������� ������� ���� ��� ����� ����� ������ ����� ��� ��������� ���� ����� ����� ����� ����� ���� ������������������������������������������������� ���������� ���� �������� ���� ��� ������� ��������� ���� ��������� ��� �������� �������� ������ �������� ������ ���������������������������������������������������� ���� ���� ������ ����� �� ����� ������� ������ ���� ����� ���� ������������ ������� ������� ��� ���� ����� ������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� ����� �� �������� ���� ��� ������������ ��������� ���� ���������� ��� ���� ������ ����� ������� �������� ���� ���� ���������� ������� ��� ������� ��������� ���� ������������ ����� �������� ��������� ��� ���� ������� ��� ���� �������� ��� �������� ��� ������������ ����� ���������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������ ��� ������ ���� ����� �������������� ��� ���� ����� ���������� ������� ������� ��� ����� ��� �������� �� ���� ����� ���� �������� ������� ����� ��������� ������ �������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������� � � � � � ������� ����� ����� ������ ����� ������� ��� ����� ������������� ��� ���� �������� ������� ���� ������� ��������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������ ��������������������

MUSIC

INDIA ARIE – TESTIMONY: VOL. 2, LOVE & POLITICS (Soulbird/Universal Republic) A touch of magic from the talented ATL native ���� ���� ������� ����� ��������� ����� ��� ������ ������� ������� ������ ������ ��������� ������ ����� ��� ���� ���������� ���� ����� ����� ������ �� ���������� �������� ������� ����� ���� ��������� ����� ������ ��� �������� ������� ����� ����������������������������������������������� �� ������ ������ ��� ������ ��������� ��� ������ ��� ������������������������������������������������ ���������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������� ��������� ������ ��� ���� ������������ ���� ������� ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������ ����������������������������������������������� ��� ���������� ������������� ����� ����� ������� ����� ������� ���� ������������� ���������� ������������ ������ ���� ������� ���� ������������ ������������������������������������������������ �������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������ ������ ��� ������ ����� ������� ������ ����� ������ ���� ��������� ��������������������������������������������������� ��� ������� ����� ������� ���� ����� ��� ��������� ��� ������ ��� ���� ������� ����� ����� ���� ����� �������� ���� ���� ������� ����������� ��� ���������� ����� ���� ���� ����������������� �������� ����������� ������� ����� ������ ����������� ����� ���� ��� �������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������ ������� ���� ����� ���������������� ���� ���������� ��������������������� �������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������� ������� ������� ���� �������� ������ ��� ������ ����� ������������������������������������������������� ������� ������ ����� ����� ����� ������� ����� ���� ������������������� THE TAMBOUREENS – LADIES AND GENTLEMEN (Selfreleased) Gen Y discovers power-pop ���� ������� ��������������������� ��� ���� �������� �������� ����� ����������� ���� ���� ������������� ������ ������ ���� � � � � � � � � � � � � �� ����� ����� ��� ��������� �������� ����������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� ������������������� ������������������������������������������������� ���� ���� ����� ���������� ������� ���� ����������� �������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������ ��������������������������������������������������� ������� ������� �� ���� ������ ���� ��� ����� �������� ��� ����������������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������������������� ������������������ �������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� �������� ������� ������� ���� ������ ����������� �� �������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������ ������� ������� ���� ����� ������� ������� ����������� ��� �������� ������ ����� ���� ������� ��������� ���� ���������������������������������������������� �������������

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LISA LEFT EYE LOPES – Eye Legacy (Mass Appeal) Another unfortunate psthumous release

By B. Love, DeMarco Williams ����������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������������������� ������ ��� ���������� ����������� ���� ��� �� ���� ���� BLACK LIPS – 200 MILLION THOUSAND (Vi ��������������������������������������������������� Replacing rock ‘n’ roll with stumble ‘n’ sneer ����������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� ���� ��� ������������������������������������������������� ������ ����������������������������������������������������� ���� � ��������������������������������������������������� ������� ��� ���� �������������������� ���������������������������������������������������� ���� �� �������������������������������������������������� ������ ���������������������������������������������������� ����� ����������������������������������������������������� ��� ������ ��������������������������������������������������� ������� ���������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������� �������������������������������������������������� ������������������� ������ ���� ���������� ��������� ��� ������� ����� ���� ����������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������� �������� ���������� ���� �� ����� �� ����� �������� ��� �������� ���� ���� ��������� ���������� ����� ������ ���� ����������� ���������������������������������������������������� ���������� ��������� ���� ����������� ���� �������� ��������������� ���� ������������ ����� ��� ����� ���������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������� ����������� ��� ������ �������������� ��������������������������������������������������� ����� ��� ����� ��� ���� ���� ����� ������� �� ������ ��������� ���� ������� ������� ������������� ��������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������� �������������� ������������ �������� �������� ���� ��� ��������������������������������������������������������� �������������������������������� �������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������ ������ ���� ������ ��� ��������� ����� ��� �������� ��� ���� ���������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� ���� ����������� ���� ������������������������������������������� ��������� ��� ������������� �������������������������������������� ������������������������������������� ����������������� ������������������������������������ ����� ������ �� ��������� ������ ����� ����� ���� ������� �������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������ ������� ����������������� �������������������������������������� �������� ����� ����� ������ ��������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������� ������������������ ��������������������������������������������� � � � � � ���� ������ ���� ��� ���� ������� ������OF���� ��� ���� RIVERS CUOMO – ALONE II:���������������� THE HOME RECORDINGS RIVERS CUOMO (Geffen) ������ ����������� ����� ��� ���� ������� � �������������������������������������� Weezer frontman can’t stop recording ����������������������������������� ����� ������ ���� ���������� ����� ������� �� �������� ���������� ���������������������������������������� �������������������� ���� ���������������� ���������� ������� ������� ��������� ������������������� � �������������������� ������� ������ ��� ���������� ���������� ��� ���������������� �������� ���� ����������������������������������� ���� ����������� �������������� ��� ������������� ���� ����� �������� CESAR ������� COMANCHE����������� – DIE IN YOUR LAP (AB Backpacker hip-hop found along Tobacco Ro ������������������� ��������� ��� ����� ��� �������� ��� ��������������� ������� �������� ����� ��� ���� ����� ���� �������� ��� ����� ���� ����� ���� ������� ����� ���� ������� ���� ��� ���� �������� ��������������������������������������������������� ������� �������������������������������������������������� ������� �������������������������������������������������� ������� ������������������������������������������������� ������� �������������������������������������������������������� ������� ������������������������������������������������ ������ �������������������������������������������������� ������� ������ ������� ���� �������������� ������ ����� ����� �� ����������������������������������� �������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������� � � � � � ����� ����� ���� ���������� ������ ������� ���������� ������������ ��� ���� ���� ��� ������������������������������������������������ ������ ������ ����� ������������� ������ ������ ������ ������ ����� ����������� ��� ���� ��� �� ������� �������������� ����� �������� ������ �������� ����� ���� ������ ��� ���� ������ � ���� ����� ����� ��������� �������� ����� ��������������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� ��������� ����� ������������ �������� �������� ���� ��� ���������������� ��� ����������� ������ ��������������� �������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������ ����� ����� ���� �������� ������� ��� ��� ��� �������� ����� ������� ���������� ��� ����� ����� ��������� ���� �� ���� ��� ������ ������ ����� ��� ��� �� ������ �������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������ ����� ������������� ��������������� ��� ������������������������������������������������� ����� ��������������� ������� ������� �� ��������������������������������������������������� �������� ���������� ���� ������������ � ������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������� �������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������� ������������������������ ��������������������������������������

PG 23 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009


March Madness!

Where to Head to When the Tournament Tips off well as outside with plenty of seating on their popular patio.

Mo’s Pizza

3109 Briarcliff Rd. 404.320.1258

Smith’s Olde Bar

1578 Piedmont Ave. 404.875.1522 www.smithsoldebar.com

You may know about the burrito chain with the same name, but the original Mo’s resides on the corner of Briarcliff and Clairmont Roads just off the I-85 exit. They have been serving up great pizza for over 25 years. Mo’s menu isn’t limited to pizza either: sandwiches, subs, wings, nachos and salads ensure that anybody who comes here can find something they like. Mo’s uses the freshest ingredients; they make their own dough and grind their cheese daily. Come to Mo’s to catch all the tournament action. They have a great deck to hang out on, and plenty of new plasma TVs to watch the games. Mo’s is one of the longest running pizza joints in Atlanta, come in and see why they are one of the best!

door deck in the front that offers a great view down Roswell Road in Buckhead’s West Village. They offer “Bucket Specials” of Bud, Bud Light and Bud Select. They also have a “Draft Tower” a glass featuring 120 ounces of beer. The deck will be the place to be Saturday March 14, as The Red Door holds their annual St. Patrick’s Day Blowout. It will feature green beer and Irish drink specials as well as an actual dancing Leprechaun on the bar. They are open 2pm to 3am each day and closed on Sunday. During the tournament, they will open at noon to catch those early round games.

Tavern at Phipps

3500 Peachtree Rd. 404.814.9640 www.TheTavernAtPhipps.com

The Red Door Tavern

3180 Roswell Rd. (1 Block N of Roxy) 404.846.6525 The Red Door Tavern who just celebrated their 5 Year Anniversary, has quickly become a favorite watering hole among locals in North Buckhead. They are located on Roswell Road, one block north of the Roxy Theatre. The Red Door Tavern features a large out-

Voted Best Happy Hour, Best Patio, Best Bartender, Best Looking Waitstaff, and Best Martini, Buckhead’s The Tavern at Phipps is the place to be during March Madness. They have large HDTV’s behind the main bar as

THE DEAD: Goin’ Down

the Road Feelin’ Good BY JON LATHAM

A

S THE FIRST SPRING UNDER THE NEW administration’s rally cry of “yes we can” steadily approaches, the sense of optimism and hope that brought Barack Obama to the White House brings with it the rebirth of a long-held, American tradition that spans the past four decades; the Dead is truckin’ yet again. Surviving members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, and Mickey Hart have revived the group after a four-year hiatus that sent all four musicians in separate musical endeavors amidst accounts of inner turmoil. As it seems, the bad vibes have been cleared away; the Dead first reunited to help raise funds for President Obama’s campaign in October of last year at the “Change Rocks” benefit concert in Pennsylvania. Though Grateful Dead figurehead Jerry Garcia has been gone for over a decade, the band’s cultural significance continues to thrive, most evidently in the Deadhead fan base that has grown out of multiple generations who have discovered the feel-good jams and improvisational creativity that the Dead pushed to the edge night after night through years of touring. Their influence is felt in the jam-based rock scene, heralded now by bands like Dave Matthews Band, Umphrey’s McGee, and the newly reunited Phish. Hearing them talk about their status as the Dead, it becomes clear that the music still has an impact on these four musicians that cuts deeper than the iconic, symbolic cultural importance that they have become. “Music is what we do and we do it together really well and it seemed like the right time [to regroup],” Hart explains. “We kind of cleaned out our closets and came back for the right reasons to play together.” Weir shares his enthusiasm about the level of musiPG 24 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009

cianship in the band. “I think all of us are playing a little less and listening a little more. This is something that happens to musicians as they mature but it’s happened to us and we’re benefitting mildly from it.” “The rest of it is going to be fulfilled in the music,” continues Hart, “That’s really where it’s all at. It comes right down to the experience on stage, and I look forward to bringing the best possible version of me to the stage and I’m sure everyone else is going to do the same, so it can be really exciting, a lot of fun.” If the Dead looks like a nostalgia act, it’s news to these guys. For them, any chance to take the stage together is a chance to break ground in territories uncharted by the past incarnations of the band. “I’ve been working with my own band now for almost 10 years and the perspectives of other musicians that have come through my band have helped evolve my appreciation for [the Dead’s] music in a way that makes me want to see what’s going to happen when we get back together [on stage],” Phil shares. As for what would pull Lesh from his successful solo efforts, “A lot of it is curiosity on my part; it’s the question mark that’s really pulling me in, what’s gonna happen and the fact that we cannot predict what’s going to happen.” Coming together at this point has caused quite the

At Smith’s you will find total entertainment. The downstairs bar is divided into three rooms. The Game Room features five Pool tables, Dart boards and Golden Tee Golf. Adjacent to it is their Dining Area. They have plenty of seating where tables can be combined for large parties and generous booths surrounded by large screen TV’s. During the tournament, Smith’s will hang the brackets on the wall to keep track of your favorite teams. They have a full menu, but what are most popular are their wings, chicken fingers and burgers. Another favorite is their BBQ brought in exclusively from Fox Brothers. During the tournament ask for their March Madness specials. Next to the Dining area, holds one of the most impressive bars in the city. The room is surrounded by booths and new plasma TV’s for those looking for the perfect seat to watch the games. After the games have finished, go upstairs to watch some of the best live music Atlanta has to offer. There is live music 7 nights a week. Everyone has played here, from your favorite local band to David Bowie.

Chicago Nancy’s Pizza

Midtown 265 Ponce De Leon 404.885.9199 Buckhead 3167 Peachtree Rd. 404.842.9997 www.nancyspizza.com

Chicago conjures up images of some of the best pizza in the country and Chicago’s Nancy’s Pizza does it to perfection here in Atlanta. The Buckhead location is a full sit down restaurant with full bar. It boasts 120” flat screens which will be tuned to your favorite game. They are offering $2 Draft Beer Sunday and Thursday throughout the basketball tournament. Buckhead is also offering a “One for One” lunch combo this month. Receive a slice of cheese pizza, a small garden salad and soft drink for one low price of $6.95 (Dine in only). Midtown is offering a chance to win lower level seats to Hawks games by joining their Loyalty Club.

The Corner Tavern

East Pointe 2783 Main St. 404.768.0007 Little 5 1174 Euclid Ave. 404.521.0667 Edgewood 464 Edgewood 404.577.2310 www.thecornertavern.com

MUSIC INTERVIEW buzz among the throng of Deadheads that have been waiting since 2004 for the next go-round. The fans of the Dead, like the band itself, is somewhat of iconic proportion. Kreutzmann elaborates, “The audience is one of the most unique audiences there is and the peacefulness and love that they express for one another is probably the highest thing there is. One message that I hear really clearly from Deadheads is that we miss you guys, we wish you guys were playing again--and that really makes you want to do it.” “[We have] three or four generations of fans,” chimes in Weir. “In the shows that I’ve been playing in the past five years or so, there are more and more young people showing up,” Lesh adds. “It’s interesting because they’re all too young, or they seem to be too young, to have heard the Grateful Dead with Jerry, so somehow they found out about this music. It’s touched them in some way and they’re coming to see what it’s all about.” The ability to bring the legacy of the Grateful Dead’s music to the younger demographic is an obvious point of pleasure for Lesh. Since starting up Phil Lesh & Friends, the bulk of the material performed has been Dead tunes. “I’m personally very glad that we’re going to be able to get back together and give a great The Dead experience, from us.” Joining the four original Dead members on this trek will be Jeff Chimenti, who played keyboards in Weir’s solo project Ratdog, and jam-scene mainstay Warren Haynes, who holds two notable day jobs as guitarist in the Allman Brothers Band as well as guitar duties in his very own group, Gov’t Mule. Though such talent

winds up the line-up beautifully, the guys still keep an ear out for their fallen leader. “I hear [Jerry],” Weir explains. “I can feel him, ‘No don’t go there. Yeah, go there. No. No, don’t go there. Go there,’ and I either do it or don’t, just like I always did.” Mickey recalls fond memories of a Dead with Garcia at the helm. “He brought a nuance to [our music], besides the obvious melody and so fourth, inner workings and how it all flowed. It’s inherent in the music now because that’s the way it is. It’s all of that other stuff, the weave of it all. “He’s all over; he’s all through the music,” Lesh adds. “His presence will never diminish for us.” With a new millennium in full swing, the Dead have steered away from new studio material, but continue to release archival live material using multiple sources of output. “Since we don’t make studio records anymore, we haven’t had an occasion to be dealing with that aspect of [the] music distribution agenda,” explains Lesh. “We do have a download series that’s coming out from Rhino [Records], of older shows. So in the future I’m sure that we’re going to be offering some of these tour shows for download depending on how good they are. And so you know, we’re trying to be with it. “ And thou the election is fully behind us, it is worth noting that the Dead remain politically minded. It might not be as preachy as Bono or Eddie Vedder, but it was the hope and spirit of change that Barack Obama that brought the four together in October. As Lesh puts it, “One of the things that Grateful Dead music tried to bring, and tried to convey to everyone we play to, is hope for the future, hope and joy in life and a feeling of infinite possibility.” Older and wiser, the Dead seek to bring a sonic depth to those possibilities, so that the hope they conveyed then will find its purpose in the here and now. It might be a comeback for this legendary traveling show, but it seems far from the truth when one ventures to think that the warmth and pleasure that their music has brought for the last four decades never really stopped at all.


DINING

Your Neighborhood Pizzeria!

MARCH MADNESS TAKE-OUT GUIDE

Places to go for Grub before settling in for the Games Baldinos Giant Jersey Subs

Marietta 80 Powers Ferry Rd. 770.321.1177 Doraville 5697 Buford Hwy. 770.455.8570 www.baldinos.us Since 1975, Baldinos Giant Jersey Subs has been recognized as the only true New Jersey submarine sandwich the in South. Their in-store bakery assures the freshest rolls baked daily. Whether you are ordering Boar’s Head Golden Roasted Turkey Breast or one of Baldinos famous Italian Subs, the meat is always sliced when you order to insure the freshest sub possible. If you like it hot, Baldinos Cheesesteak is the “Best in town”. In fact, all their grilled subs, including Sausage Italiano and a variety of chicken subs are great because they are hot off the grill; not out of the microwave. Stuffed subs like Tuna, Marinated Chicken, Meatball and Vegetarian Stir-Fry top off a variety of more than 30 subs and salads. When you walk into a Baldinos sub shop, you will feel the difference. When you eat a Baldinos sub, you’ll know the difference. Like they say, “Yea we’re fresh, but in a good kind of way." March on in to baldinos and watch your favorite team or March on out with a Baldinos Family Sub and enjoy the game at home with a few of your friends.

location for special catering menus being offered for this year’s tournament.

Chicago’s Nancy’s Pizza

Midtown 265 Ponce De Leon 404.885.9199 Buckhead 3167 Peachtree Rd. 404.842.9997 www.nancyspizza.com

The name Chicago conjures up images of some of the best pizza in the country. Mike Glover opened the first Chicago’s Nancy’s in Atlanta in 2003. As he explains, “We commit ourselves to the customers being happy and make sure to thank them for coming to Chicago’s Nancy’s.” Part of what keeps them coming is the freshness of their pizza. Dough is made from scratch every day, vegetables and toppings are delivered daily and their fresh spices are imported from all over the world. But they offer more than just great pizza; salads and sandwiches also fill their menu. Nancy’s is the perfect place to call when planning a get together large or small.

BEST PIZZA!

&

Chin Chin

Brookhaven 3887 Peachtree Rd. 404.816.2229 Multiple locations ww.chinchinonline.com

Multiple Atlanta Locations: www.JohnnysPizza.com

Johnny’s NY Style Pizza Multiple Metro Area Locations www.JohnnysPizza.com

Johnny’s Pizza has come to be synonymous with great pizza and subs in Atlanta. The first metro area location opened in East Point in 1977. There are now 65 Johnny’s Pizza restaurants. The secret to their success is in the preparation. They always use the finest ingredients in their fantastic Pizza, Subs, Salads, Sandwiches, Strombolis, and everything else on their menu! Pizza can be ordered by the slice for $2.00. Medium pizza start at $9.25 and large at $12.25. Johnny’s restaurants offer dine-in, takeout and delivery. Please call your nearest All three Corner Tavern locations are fun hangouts offering billiards, darts, trivia and flat screen TVs tuned to the latest games. They also offer live music with bands playing at Little 5 on Tuesday night and Sunday night at the other locations. The Corner Tavern is known for their upper class pub fare and great beer selection. Little 5 Points has 27 beers on tap, East Pointe has 14 and the Edgewood location, Atlanta's only American Taproom, has over 100 American micro-brewed beers & native wines. Enjoy $6 Car Bombs at this location through the month of March.

Locos Grill & Pub

3167 Peachtree Rd. 404.233.1989 www.locosgrillandpub.com

With a great deck overlooking Peachtree featuring a projection TV and many more of plasma TV’s inside, Locos is the place to be for March Madness. The location featured is located at Buckhead’s North End bar and shopping district.

Chin Chin is consistently voted Atlanta’s Best Chinese restaurant. Chin Chin offers over 30 lunch specials between $6.50 and $7.50. They have a TV at the bar of their Brookhaven location featured to catch up on the latest games. Chin Chin is also a great option for take-out. Their appetizers range from the spring rolls ($2.95) to the Soft Shell Crab ($9.50). They have a variety of superb noodle dishes including Vegetable Lo Mein ($7.95). Other popular menu items include: General Tso’s Chicken ($11.50), Shredded Beef and Bell Peppers ($10.50) and Skewer Chicken with Szechuan sauce ($9.95).

www.baldinos.us

VOTED BEST SUBS IN ATLANTA teams there own space. They provide 8 flat screen hi-definition plasma TV’s on premises. For the Thursday games they open at 7pm and

Locos is famous for their great wings and sandwiches as well as for their assortment of beers. At this location you will find 24 different drafts to choose from among their full bar. Come on Friday and enjoy their Giant Beers and Monster Marjaritas.

Moondog’s

3179 Peachtree St. Buckhead 404.231.4223

This always happening party bar will be the place to be during the biggest games of this year’s basketball tournament. Moondog’s is made up of multiple rooms that include pool tables, tables for card games and dart boards. This allows large groups of fans from opposing

then at 8:30pm on Friday and Saturday. They don’t close each night until 3AM so there is no need to head out to the party after the game; you are already there.

Manuel’s Tavern

602 N. Highland Ave. 404.525.3447 www.manuelstavern.com

Plan your tournament get together at Manuel's Tavern. They offer free parking, a full catered menu and do not charge a room rental fee. They offer event spaces, both private and semi-private, that hold from 25-150 people. In addition

to their private rooms, the 1st level houses their famous bar, large-screen TV and 2 smallerscreened TVs. The 2nd Level has two smallerscreened TVs.

The Wing Factory

Chastain Square, Roswell Rd. 404.255.4460 www.wingfactory.com With a truckload of new flat screens installed last Fall, the Wing Factory should be the place to be to catch every game of NCAA hoop madness this March. All the games on TV, beers on ice and wings piled high on your table – that’s a combo that is tough to beat.

PG 25 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009


SPORTS NEWS

Which Way to Detroit?

In a Year With More Twists (and Turned Knees) Than We Can Recall in Recent Memory, these 12 Teams Likely Have the Gas to get Into the Final Four. BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

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EPENDING ON WHAT WEEK YOU WERE paying attention to college basketball, a different team looked like a sure thing. One day it was North Carolina. The next it may have been Pittsburgh. Shoot, when we last checked in late February, Memphis had become world beaters. But such is the joy of March. 65 teams enter the tournament with a dream. Maybe 10 have a realistic shot at reaching Detroit’s Ford Field. Oklahoma is one of those talented few, but Blake Griffin’s knees and concussion are a mild concern. Marquette is another, but Dominic James’ season-ending foot injury has certainly crippled its chances. And then there’s Davidson, the surprise of last year’s dance. Without a 100% Stephen Curry, they may not even get an invitation, let alone a win. But be it injuries or inconsistent play, no school looks invincible. Still, one in this dazzling dozen will win it –INsite’s money is on UNC- but its ride through the brackets won’t be an easy one.

(THE ALMOST) FAB FOUR CONNECTICUT

The other night Huskies head coach Jim Calhoun got his 800th career victory. He’s got a chance to add six notches to that total with a tourney sweep. But to do it, Hasheem Thabeet needs to man up in the paint, Jeff Adrien’s gotta keep punishing opponents like schoolboys and A.J. Price has to hit threes like a wild child.

NORTH CAROLINA

OKLAHOMA

The SEC hasn’t roared much on the national hoops radar this year. But that slight could prove beneficial for a Marcus Thornton-led Tiger team that clawed its way past the likes of Florida and Tennessee, and may pounce into the Sweet Sixteen.

Seeing what likely national freshman of the year Willie Warren could do in All-American Blake Griffin’s absence (50 points in two games) was eye-opening, yes. But it’s a resounding “Hell no!” to those who think the Sooners are championship caliber without Griffin in the middle. Here’s hoping all that ails him will be better by mid March.

PITTSBURGH

If you haven’t seen Panther big guy DeJuan Blair play…umm, hold up. Is that even possible? The fearless forward is not only 6-7, 265, but he’s also got gaudy stats: 16 points and 13 boards a night. A consistent Pitt will easily advance four CONNECTICUT’S times in the postseaJEFF ADRIEN son if Blair plays like Blair and Levance Fields has his usual flair.

When Ty Lawson has the wheels turnin’ from the point guard slot and Tyler Hansbrough is doing what he typically does in the center role, there isn’t a team on this list that can hang with the Tar Heels. Combo guards Wayne Ellington and Danny Green only make UNC that much more of a handful.

LSU

MEMPHIS

NORTH CAROLINA’S TY LAWSON

(THE NEARLY) ELITE EIGHT DUKE

The Blue Devils haven’t been to the Final Four since ’04, so there’s definitely some motivation here. That Kyle Singler, Greg Paulus and Jon Scheyer’s names are sometimes prefaced with the word “soft,” might inspire too.

KANSAS

On last year’s national title-winning club, Sherron Collins was more of a role player. On this season’s impressive squad, he’s the clear leader. The Jayhawks will need all of his 18 ppg and Cole Aldrich’s 11 rebounds if they’re to have any chance at a repeat.

LOUISVILLE

The Cardinals have been one of our favorite teams this year. In Terrence Williams, Earl Clark and Samardo Samuels, they have three talents the NBA can’t wait to get its mittens on. If the trio keeps its minds off playing for the Pistons, they may end up in Detroit for the Final Four.

NCAA (ALMOST) FAB FOUR PG 26 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009

Arguably the country’s hottest team (The Tigers were riding a 19-game winning streak at press time), Memphis will be no joke in late March if fine freshman Tyreke Evans and super senior Robert Dozier keep up their Batman-andRobin routine.

MICHIGAN STATE

The Big 12 better hope the NCAA selection committee doesn’t put any of its teams in the Spartans’ path. Led by swift sophomore Kalin Lucas, this Big Ten heavy has already defeated Oklahoma State, Texas and Kansas this year.

UCLA

With continual talk about talented underclassmen leaving for the league, we often forget to acknowledge the athletes who stay in college all four years. Bruins Darren Collinson and Josh Shipp are seniors we suspect will be taking kids to school in the tourney.

WAKE FOREST

A 27-point loss to Miami and heartbreakers to an average Georgia Tech and North Carolina State might crush most teams’ spirits, but these Demon Deacons are far from typical. Jeff Teague may get ACC player of the year. James Johnson and Al-Farouq Aminu get double-doubles nearly every night. BIG NAMES, SHORT STAYS:

ARIZONA STATE, CLEMSON, GONZAGA, TEXAS AND WASHINGTON IF THEY’RE INVITED, WATCH OUT:

FLORIDA, DAYTON, UTAH, VMI AND WEST VIRGINIA


FILM INTERVIEW

MR. NICE GUY Michael Cera, Hollywood’s Most Normal Boy Next Door BY B. LOVE

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ROM EDWARD FURLONG AND Corey Feldman to Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan, history is littered with cautionary tales about the inherent dangers of becoming famous too young in life. For every Jodie Foster, who earned her first Oscar nomination at the age of 14 and went on to become one of the most successful leading ladies in Hollywood history, there have been hundreds of young actors and singers who either burned out in a fiery blaze of tabloid glory or simply faded into obscurity (see: McCauley Culkin, Haley Joel Osment) before they were even old enough to drink. Then there’s Michael Cera. Born in the suburban Ontario city of Brampton in 1988 to an Italian father and a French Canadian mother, Cera appeared in films such as Frequency and Confessions of A Dangerous Mind before finding fame at the age of 15 as the star of the cult TV comedy Arrested Development. In 2007 he had back-to-back breakthrough roles in Juno and Superbad (which together grossed over $250 million). Now, the 20-year-old recently ranked #1 on Entertainment Weekly’s “30 Under 30” list is headlining this month’s Youth In Revolt, one of several films that promise to make him an even bigger star in 2009. But what seems even more remarkable than Cera’s considerable successes (including his last film, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, which grossed nearly four times its $9 million budget) is the fact that he seems completely oblivious to it. He arrives bright and early for our interview looking closer to his Youth In Revolt character Nick Twisp’s age (14 in the C.D. Payne novel on which the film is based) than his own, clad in the outfit which he has helped to make something of a slacker teen trademark: hooded sweatshirt, tight jeans, well-worn sneakers and a bright red backpack that makes him look more like a high school student than a bona-fide star who earns millions of dollars per movie. He is unfailingly polite, asking for permission to fix himself a cup of coffee (a job usually handled by fawning publicists) before sitting down, then apologizing for delaying our interview by what may have been a minute or two at most. Though clearly thoughtful and intelligent, his answers come in halted fits and starts, punctuated by pregnant pauses and his favorite word, “nice,” which he uses no less than a dozen times over the course of our conversation. With Cera, what you see truly seems to be what you get, as the actor has a shy, awkward, mildly uncomfortable demeanor much like that of the characters in which he has specialized. “[Emotional discomfort] is my favorite thing,” he admits with a sheepish grin. “I always end up in situations where I don’t know too many people. I’m not very social, so I feel extremely uncomfortable. But there’s some secret pleasure I take in things going

horribly wrong.” It’s a pleasure he has embraced since the onset of puberty, when he and a friend– inspired by the irreverent comedy of Tom Green and HBO’s sketch comedy series Mr. Show– decided that making themselves laugh was far more important than trying to be cool or fit in. In 7th grade the actor (who was appearing in local commercials at the time) started wearing a pink bicycle helmet to school, adopting a fake persona to interview classmates. “We didn’t care if people thought we were

They’ll tell me they like my work or someone will shout something out, but it’s always very pleasant. I dunno, do people really change because of fame?” he asks earnestly. “I’ve never met someone who has, so I think that was bound to happen to that person no matter what they did in their life.” Perhaps Cera’s comfort with his newfound celebrity comes from the fact that all of his previous projects have been centered around collaborative ensembles, rather than star vehicles that put all of the focus on one or two central characters. The improvisation-

[EMOTIONAL DISCOMFORT] IS MY FAVORITE THING. I ALWAYS END UP IN SITUATIONS WHERE I DON’T KNOW TOO MANY PEOPLE. I’M NOT VERY SOCIAL, SO I FEEL EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE. BUT THERE’S SOME SECRET PLEASURE I TAKE IN THINGS GOING HORRIBLY WRONG.

losers,” he recalls fondly. “I was excited about people thinking I was an idiot.” This affinity for awkwardness served him extremely well in his Arrested Development role as George-Michael Bluth, an uncomfortable teen with an inappropriate crush on his cousin Maeby; as Paulie Bleeker, a shortshorts-clad geek who unwittingly fathers an illegitimate child in Juno; as Evan, a horny high school senior trying to score with gorgeous girls way out of his league in Superbad; and as Nick, a lovelorn musician pining for his unattainable ex-girlfriend in Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. But surprisingly enough, Cera claims to feel no awkwardness whatsoever with the astronomical ascent to fame these roles have brought him. “I’ve been enjoying it. I really like working and being on sets, so it’s nice to be able to continue doing that. If I get recognized in the street it’s normally just a brief exchange.

based approach of these projects allowed Cera to play a heightened version of himself, and the actor acknowledges that it’s his favorite style of acting. “It’s fun, just having a conversation [in character], because it always feels real when you’re just talking off the top of your head. You can always create options on the set and make decisions later in the editing room, rather than having to go back and reshoot. I took some classes at Second City in Toronto,” he recalls of his improv training. “I guess I learned something from that, but the biggest thing is to just listen. I think anyone can do it, because if you can have a conversation you can improvise, as long as you’re not trying to be funny. That’s when you can start to trip yourself up.” In the eyes of many critics, this naturalistic approach to humor offers a refreshing change of pace from the tawdry gross-out comedies on the ‘90s and early aughts. Some

have gone so far as to compare Superbad and Nick & Norah to the classic John Hughes teen films of the ‘80s, such as The Breakfast Club, Pretty In Pink and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. “I like anything that feels authentic and comes from someone’s heart,” Cera says when asked about the appeal of these films to his generation. “I watch a lot of movies, and I’ve never liked those gross-out comedies. Sometimes you read a script and there are things that don’t ring true, but you can work with the director and the writers on fixing it. I’ve always found that it’s best to work with people that are collaborative and open-minded. People who aren’t afraid of forfeiting control always come up with the best product.” With another ensemble cast that includes Steve Buscemi, Ray Liotta, Justin Long and Jean Smart, Youth In Revolt seems likely to continue Cera’s string of successes, albeit the first one to feature him as the lead around which the entire story is based. The story follows Nick Twist, a troubled teen who falls for a gorgeous dream girl (played by newcomer Portia Doubleday) as his trailer trash parents teeter on the brink of divorce. “It’s directed by Miguel Arteta (Chuck & Buck, The Good Girl), and I love the book by C.D. Payne on which it’s based. It’s about a young guy who meets a girl on a family vacation and becomes obsessed with her. I’ve read the book like five times and really love the character,” Cera says, his voice rising in a rare burst of passion, “so I was excited to do it. I think the movie will be really good.” The film is just one of four films the actor has scheduled for release in the next year or so. The Year One, directed by Cera’s Ghostbusters idol Harold Ramis, finds him and Jack Black cast as lazy hunter-gatherers on an epic journey after being cast out from their primitive village. In director Edgar Wright’s (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World, Cera stars as a man who must vanquish his new girlfriend’s evil ex-boyfriends in order to win her heart. But the project that really has fans buzzing is the recent announcement of official plans for an Arrested Development movie, which will reportedly feature the original cast reunited for the first time since the show’s cancellation in 2006. Though the deal had not been finalized at the time of our interview, Cera seemed cautiously optimistic about returning to the quirky character that made him famous. “We had a good run. Three seasons was more than I ever expected when we started, because right off the bat we were told it wasn’t doing too good. But it’s nice to have people who really love it, and it feels like a tight-knit group of people who come up and talk about the show. I would only want to be a part of the movie if it was gonna be really good,” he insists, “because I think it’s good to go out on a high note, end with a bang and leave them wanting more. I don’t think it would be worth doing unless it would live up to the expectations that might come with it.” PG 27 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009


FILM INTERVIEW

DWAYNE JOHNSON Get A Piece Of “The Rock”

BY B. LOVE

mance or breaking box office records? What’s important to me is being true to the character. Of course box office records are great, and you keep your fingers crossed and hope people will come out, watch the movie, spread word-of-mouth and do all the things that a good solid movie that delivers people’s money’s worth is supposed to do.

H

E WAS SOOOOO NICE!” This is the response of a young journalist upon meeting Dwayne Johnson (a.k.a. The Rock) for the first time, as if she somehow expected the former pro wrestler to stand up mid-interview, rip off his form-fitting shirt, raise his trademark eyebrow and bellow his signature line, “Can you smell what The Rock is cooking?!” But those days apparently have long since passed. Now, the super-suave Johnson is a burgeoning superstar who, having made the gradual transition from athlete to action hero, seems set on becoming a bona-fide thespian. He initially spread his wings by delving into comedy (in a series of memorable appearances on Saturday Night Live, in a scenestealing turn as a transvestite in 2005’s Be Cool, and opposite Steve Carell in last year’s Get Smart). But after strutting his dramatic stuff in Gridiron Gang, Johnson has moved on to family films such as the box office blockbuster The Game Plan and this month’s Race To Witch Mountain, portending a career of greater depth than you’d expect from a man once best known for coining phrases such as “jabroni” and “smackdown.” We recently spoke with the 6’3”, mixed-race (half African-American, half Samoan) son of a pro wrestler about where his career is going, and just how far he’s come from where he’s been. There was a time in your life when you weren’t on such a positive path. Can you talk about that? That was a time in my life when I was making the wrong decisions, hanging around with the wrong people, and running the streets doing a lot of things that I should not have been doing. I was very fortunate that I had someone who cared about me and invested time in me. It was my arresting officer, when I was 14 years old, who said, “I want you to stop screwing up and go out and play football for your freshman team.” I didn’t learn overnight. I was a work in progress, and I continued to get in trouble because I thought he was full of it and that I had all the answers. But I didn’t know anything, and I continued to get arrested until I was 17, when my high school football coach in Pennsylvania invested even more time in me. What kind of stuff were you doing? Fighting and theft... It was bad, and I know what sports did for me. I didn’t realize it as a freshman. For me it was just a way to make my arresting officer happy so that, in the event I did get arrested again, maybe he’d let me go. It wasn’t until I got older that I understood the value of not only having someone who cared, but the value of sports and what that can do for you; the value of commitment and hard work and sacrificing your time after school to go to practice and do all those things that you carry with you for the rest of your life. Was there anyone in particular who helped guide you through the transition from wrestling to acting? There was one particular guy I’ve talked about in the past. His name is Pat Patterson, and I actually modeled my character in Be Cool after him. He’s a very proud gay man– very funny guy– and he’s been like a father figure to me. We spent a lot of time together, and creatively he was the guy who made sure I understand the value of simply wanting to entertain and taking your ego out of it. I think it’s best when you approach things in that way– ego is the great inhibitor of success a lot of times– and do what’s best for the audience so you can take them through a myriad of emotions. Between him and this great [WWE] writer named Brian Gwartz who consistently challenged me, we found a lot of humor in this world of heightened, over-the-top conflict, and that was a great place to be. What was the key to successfully crossing over? PG 28 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009

Is it fair to say that athletes who become actors seem to be typecast as action heroes, and historically don’t seem to be given much of a chance to act? Sure. Hollywood’s an interesting machine, and once you realize that you begin to understand the ebbs and flows of it. The Scorpion King was all action, but I knew even then that I wanted to become a versatile actor. I just wasn’t getting the material that allowed me to do that. Be Cool was a really defining moment, because after that Hollywood was like, “Who knew?!” and everything I was getting was comedy. From dressing in drag to kissing Steve Carell, you seem to be willing to do just about anything to get a laugh. I love self-deprecating humor. It’s my favorite type of comedy, so if there are ways to inject it into my projects I’m all for it. There’s a lot of that in Race To Witch Mountain as well. I like to strike a balance between that and finding some sort of arrogance in the character, even when it’s an unsuccessful one. That combination of endearing and arrogant can be very funny.

WHEN I STARTED ACTING IN MOVIES, I DIDN’T HAVE A BACKGROUND IN THEATRE AND MY PARENTS WEREN’T MOVIE EXECUTIVES, SO I DIDN’T HAVE THAT CONNECTION. BUT I THOUGHT I HAD PRETTY GOOD INSTINCTS, AND I LOVED THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD AND PERFORMING. Making the transition was primarily about surrounding myself with great actors. In my first role in The Scorpion King, we had Michael Clarke Duncan and Grant Heslov, who’s also a great writer now as well– and a studio and director who supported me. I had to be as fully prepared as I could possibly be. Not that I was gonna deliver an Oscar-winning performance, but as long as I was prepared and gave the best performance I could give, I knew I had a shot at being decent. A lot of people from other entertainment mediums– whether it’s athletes like Schwarzenegger or rappers like 50 Cent– come to Hollywood and dive right into leading roles. But you seemed pretty deliberate in picking your roles. I think it’s important to choose carefully. The thing you don’t wanna do is work from a place of money, and I was fortunate to come into it with a pretty penny, so the money wasn’t motivating me as much as the work and the material. A lot of people who wanna crossover into acting come into it saying, “I’m gonna try the acting thing.” If you go into it with that attitude, you’re not gonna get much out of it. But if I see an athlete or musician who’s been really driven to succeed, I’m gonna put my money on that person, because you can apply that same mentality to acting. It’s tough to be a good actor, and it’s really hard to make a good movie. What’s more important to you: Delivering a good perfor-

You’ve gradually moved into more family friendly fare. What was the appeal of Race To Witch Mountain? Well, I love that it was made with Disney, and I love that I was able to combine some of the grittiness and intensity of the contemporary action movies I’ve done in the past with other elements I appreciate, such as heart, humor, family and a little bit of fantasy. We set the story in Las Vegas, and I play a cab driver named Jack Bruno. These kids who have magical powers get in my cab, and from there the race is on. We really treated the movie like a Disney ride, so the title is very fitting because there’s a very relentless drive to it. I really loved the idea of this guy who doesn’t have much now and has made a lot of mistakes along the way, but gets the opportunity to make a defining decision that allows him to save the world. And after this you’re playing the Tooth Fairy in the movie of the same name? Laughs) Yeah, yeah... I have a really bad shoulder injury in the movie, and one of the wings is beautiful and the other is a little messed up one that doesn’t quite grow correctly, making me fly into things. We’re going after heart and humor and a little touch of fantasy, so I’m excited about it. It’s going to be really funny. To borrow the name of one of your films, are these career moves all part of the game plan? When I started acting in movies, I didn’t have a background in theatre and my parents weren’t movie executives, so I didn’t have that connection. But I thought I had pretty good instincts, and I loved the entertainment world and performing. That [wrestling] world that I came from benefited me greatly: That four hours on television every week was my theatre, performing in front of audiences of 20,000-30,000 people. But growth was always the goal. I really admire actors like Tom Hanks, Will Smith and George Clooney, who’ve had the type of career I aspire to have and are able to go from genre to genre and do a broad variety of movies. I love having the ability to go from action to drama to comedy, and will hopefully find a little bit of success in all of them.


Roars vs. Wade Though Dwyane Wade gets love on South Beach, you almost hate how the Miami Heat star’s being treated nationally.

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

D

WYANE WADE AND DOMINIQUE Wilkins have a couple of things in common. Of course, the obvious similarity is that they’re both better at basketball than 99.99% of the planet. The other is that they have the unfortunate burden of playing their best in the shadows of other superstars. Nique did what he could with the Atlanta Hawks in the 80s while in Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson’s constant shadows. Miami’s D-Wade has been consistently super –We’ll excuse the Chicago native for last year’s numbers because he was hobbled with injuries- while LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have consistently sat in the limelight. Hell, you almost forget Dwyane’s the only one of the three with an NBA Finals MVP (’05-06). The Heat, having dealt with lowly preseason expectations and a midseason Shawn Marionfor-Jermaine O’Neal trade, are shocking the league with its present fifth-place position in the East. All the while, Wade, a five-time all-star, has averaged over 28 points and seven assists per night. In Miami’s first four games after the mid-February all-star break, Wade averaged nearly 36 points, with highlights being a 50-point explosion and a 31-point, 16-assist show. Amazing, right? But TNT and ESPN were so focused on Cleveland and L.A.

they probably never noticed the stats. Still, if team records hold steady through April, the Heat’s first-round opponent in the playoffs will be Dominique’s Hawks. Maybe then the former star can offer Wade some insight on keeping classy even when the camera’s elsewhere. Dwyane Wade, on his all-around game being overlooked It does. A lot of people don’t understand that

I do have the ball in my hand a lot. I might shoot 20 shots or more, but I pass the ball a lot as well. I set my teammates up for good shots. So, to me it’s about not only making plays for yourself, but making plays for others. Early on in the game when my shot is falling the way it is, I know later in the game, the defense is gonna change a lil’ bit and I’m gonna be able to hit my guys.

SPORTS NEWS On playing through injuries It’s that time of the season where everyone is banged up. Everyone is just banged up. Now we got a couple of days off before we play [again]. It’ll give everybody an opportunity to go get healthy and get some rest and come back and get this homestand [going]. On his team’s current status in the standings I’m very satisfied. Anytime you leave out West with a winning record, it’s always good. This is our second time out here. The last time we left with a winning record as well. So, I’m very, very positive. All we can do is keep going, knowing that when we look in the standings, a lot of teams are right there with each other. We’re right there in the mix of everything. Now we gotta go home. We have some very tough games at home coming up. We gotta take it one game at a time but we gotta take care of business. On his team staying in February trade swirls It’s part of the NBA. I think guys gotta understand that it’s a business. You just gotta go out there and perform- no matter if you’re gonna get traded or not. You gotta go out there and perform- no matter if your name is in the rumors or not. I think guys are professional enough to know that it’s just a part of the business. At the end of the day, you gotta sell yourself and perform no matter what. So, hopefully, guys continue to do that. On NBA road trips At the end of a road trip, sometimes you have a letdown and come and play a team that’s only won eight games. You don’t want them to do that. So, I came out early aggressive. After that, everybody started pitching in. It’s the end of a 13-, 14-day road trip. Some highs, some lows. It’s a lot of letdowns that happen in these games.

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SPORTS NEWS

FANATIC BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS “While watching the finish of the FBR Open, I think I noticed two signs of the current recession. Charley Hoffman was wearing a logo on his shirt from Waste Management. I think you can make up your own joke here. And James Nitties, despite being in one of the final groups, was wearing a plain, black cap with no logo. That never used to happen on the PGA Tour. If some logo-less rookie played his way onto TV on the weekend, he always scored a Shaquille quick hat or bag deal.” –GOLF.COM’S GARY O’Neal VAN SICKLE Speaking of golf, TIGER WOODS’ return to action at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship was mostly forgettable. However, Woods’ return to the world of commercials has already gotten off to a great start. If you missed his tongue-in-cheek, “I’m Back!” spot with Nike, do yourself a favor and YouTube the funny 60-second clip right now. “I think I’m the only player who looks at each and every center and says to myself, ‘That’s barbecued chicken down there.’ If I can get the touches like that, it doesn’t matter who is down there. They’re going to have to double or triple me down there. If they don’t, especially with the way I’m shooting free throws, they will have to pay.” -Phoenix Sun center SHAQUILLE O’NEAL, after his 45-point night on Feb. 27, his biggest in six seasons Back in November, the Associated Press reached out to 31 NFL teams about their possible interest in acquiring MICHAEL VICK. While most chose not to respond for fear of tampering, six clubs said they might be interested. With Vick’s time in the slammer coming to an end, it’ll be interesting to see if Carolina, Seattle, Tampa Bay or some other club gets to seriously talking to the Falcons, the team technically with rights to Michael until 2013. “How does the man some consider the best pitcher in baseball make less than Jim Calhoun? The answer lies in MLB’s wacky salary arbitration

A Monthly Sports Must-See TV Wrap-up Top 5 Games This Month

rules. TIM LINCECUM hasn’t yet accumulated enough service time to qualify for arbitration, and the Giants are in no particular hurry to sign him to a multi-year deal. Next season will be a different story: [San Francisco mayor] Gavin Newsome will have to sell the naming rights to all of his future children with Jennifer Siebel to keep him in San Francisco.” –Deadspin.com’s Rick Chandler, after Lincecum, the ’08 NL Cy Young winner, signed a $650,000, one-year deal with the Giants …And in other baseball news, MANNY RAMIREZ just turned down another of the L.A. Dodgers’ $40 million-plus offers. “The knee-jerk reaction to this move is what you’d expect: This is just Dan Snyder overpaying for another veteran player, instead of building through the draft. The Skins are just trying to win the offseason championship ... again. But this deal is different than some of their past mistakes, at least on paper. This isn’t like the Brandon Lloyd debacle, when they traded picks, then overpaid, for an unproven receiver who was ultimately a massive bust in D.C. Or like when they landed Deion Sanders and Bruce Smith, two players with huge name recognition, but not much left in the tank.” –Sporting News’ Chris Mottram, after the Washington Redskins’ eye-popping seven-year, $100-million signing of defensive tackle ALBERT HAYNESWORTH

And finally… The Pacers are the only team to beat Boston, Cleveland, Orlando and the Los Angeles Lakers -- the top four teams in the NBA… Taping for the new season of Pros vs. Joes begins in March. The football participants are Steve McNair, Pacman Jones, Tim Brown, Simeon Rice, Priest Holmes and Rich Gannon. The basketball competitors are Alonzo Mourning, Robert Horry, Glen Rice, Antoine Walker, Shawn Kemp and Steve Francis…Vijah Singh is an endorser for Stanford Financial. Yep, the same R. Allen Stanford the SEC says perpetuated an $8 billion fraud… Trinity College (CT) recently won its 11th straight squash title and extended the nation’s longest win streak to 202 matches.

1 2 3 4

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5

Arnold Palmer Invitational

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NCAA Regional Finals (March 28-29, TBD, CBS)

The last teams standing in Boston, Phoenix, Indianapolis and Memphis make up the ’08 Final Four.

San Antonio at Cleveland (April 5, 1PM, ABC)

No offense to Celtics and Lakers fans, but this matchup may actually be the NBA Finals preview.

Big East Championship Game (March 14, 9PM, ESPN)

No offense to ACC and Big Ten fans, but this title game may actually produce the next national champ.

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FILM INTERVIEW

An Enchanted Life

Amy Adams on Acting, Oscar and Her Ascension to Stardom BY B. LOVE

R

AISED IN A MORMON FAMILY OF seven children in Castle Rock, Colorado, Amy Adams comes by her trademark sense of wide-eyed innocence honestly. A singer in her high school choir and apprentice dancer who dreamed of becoming a professional ballerina, she worked at The Gap to support herself before landing a dinner theater gig that led her to Minnesota, where she got a small part in the 1999 film Drop Dead Gorgeous. Even after moving to L.A. and landing a highprofile part opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Catch Me If You Can, it took several years before Adams found her breakthrough role in the low-budget indie film Junebug, for which she earned her first Oscar nomination. By 2007, her breathtaking beauty and vivacious vocal talents had earned her the lead in Enchanted, which proved Disney’s most successful family film in years and established its redheaded heroine as a bona fide star. Now, coming off another Oscar nomination for her dramatic supporting turn opposite Meryl Streep in Doubt, Adams has two major movies in the pipeline, co-starring with Ben Stiller in May’s Night At The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian and reuniting with Streep for August’s Julie & Julia. We recently sat down with Adams for an interview in which she proved both remarkably humble and effortlessly charming. When you were growing up, who inspired you to believe in your dreams of being an actress? PG 30 • insiteatlanta.com • March 2009

There were different people along the way. It was a slow growth towards moving to Los Angeles: I didn’t get the courage to move out here until I was 24. It took me a long time to realize that New York and L.A. weren’t these big, scary places, but were just regular places with regular people. It took me a long time of being here to feel comfortable with declaring that I was an actress pursuing a career in film. Even now I don’t feel very comfortable with titles, like “film actress” or “movie star.” I just think of my profession as being a performer. Once you made a conscious decision to own that, did your dreams start to happen more quickly? No. (Laughs) I’ve been lucky to always work, so I really can’t complain too much. There are definitely actors who are more talented than I who haven’t had the same opportunities, but I did work very hard to get to where I am now. You had quite a few TV and film credits to your name before Junebug, but that seemed to be the role that got Hollywood’s attention. Did that Oscar nomination open a lot of doors for you? I don’t know if it was the nomination or the attention that it brought to Junebug, but it also brought people’s attention to my previous work. I went a long time without people making the connection to all my different films, so I think that was the first time where I was really identified. It absolutely brought amazing opportunities and introduced me to so many people, and it was just a really wonderful experience.

Enchanted was immediately pegged as a modern Disney classic. Were you a fan of those films growing up? Yeah, I spent so many hours in front of them in my childhood and teenage years that I knew them well. There was no need to study. So if anything, I tried to avoid them when we were making the movie because I didn’t want to do an imitation of one of the previous princesses. I wanted to create a new character. I’ve always been attracted to characters who are positive and come from a very innocent place. I think there’s a lot of room for discovery in those characters, and that’s something I always have fun playing. And I didn’t treat it like it was a joke: I treated it like it was Chekhov. You’re coming off your second Oscar nod for playing Sister James in Doubt, which was a very different sort of role for you. How did you get into that character? There was a lot in the script. [Writer/director] John Patrick Shanley really created this world that he was familiar with, and he introduced us to that time and place during the rehearsal process by sharing about his own experiences, and that really helped. Of course I also did the actor research of looking at books and trying to understand the look and feel of what was going on outside of the church during that time as well. Sister James was based on his first grade teacher, Sister Peggy, who was our technical advisor, so I was able to talk to her about what it was like to be a nun at that time. She was a great resource. When you’re still relatively early in your career and working with legends like Meryl, Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio and Julia Roberts, is it tough to avoid being awestruck? I can’t allow myself to be awestruck once the cameras start rolling. Of course, if it’s during the rehearsal process or a table read, I’ll let myself look at them and sort of absorb their energy and ability. But when I’m in a scene, I have to look at them as their character. But there was one moment, during the final scene of Doubt, where I had a really hard time divorcing

myself from her performance. Even when we were shooting her coverage, I was just crying all day, because what she did was so beautiful. I was definitely in awe and inspired by her. What can you tell us about your role in Night At The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian? I play Amelia Earhart, who’s come to life for a night in the Smithsonian. It was awesome, and I had so much fun chasing Ben Stiller around the museum. I ripped my pants a lot, and once you see the movie you’ll understand why. There was a lot of action, and they were some very tight pants! (Laughs) How do you stay grounded at this point in your career? I’m so busy. I also just surround myself with people who are pretty honest with me. At least I’d like to believe they’re honest with me. They’re not afraid to tell me no or to let me know when I’ve stepped out of line, and that’s to me the most important thing. I have a really great support group, and I think that’s the key.


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