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November 2007
Be there for B5
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Photo: Chapman Baehler Photography
R&B pop quintet B5 returned to stores shelves in September with their second album, “Don’t Talk, Just Listen,” and second single “In My Bedroom” is starting to make an impact on radio. The Sean “Diddy” Combs-mentored group reached the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 chart with its self-titled debut album in 2005.
B5’s biggest exposure came as a result of appearances on two of the biggest selling albums of recent years, the original “High School Musical” and “Hannah Montana” soundtracks.
The group is made up of Atlanta’s Breeding brothers — Dustin, Kelly, Patrick, Carnell and Bryan. The mostly teenage fivesome will treat the hometown fans to a performance and CD signing on Saturday at Gwinnett Place Mall in Duluth. They’ll be appearing as part of fashion and music retailer DTLR’s “Ultimate Holiday Experience,” which runs from noon until 3 p.m. Dec. 1.
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Atlanta producer/singer Butch Walker loses possessions to Calif. wildfires
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ABOVE: Butch Walker performed at the Songs for Kids Foundation charity event in May 2007. Credit: RODNEY HO
Talk about bad timing. Atlanta producer/singer Butch Walker, who has written songs for Avril Lavigne, Bowling For Soup, the Donnas, Pink and Fall Out Boy, lost all his possessions over the weekend after wildfires destroyed in a home he was renting from Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea in Malibu, Calif.
Walker, who once fronted Marvelous 3, in recent years had been spending more and more time in L.A. on his producing work and less time in Atlanta so he and his wife had recently taken key items from his Atlanta home and moved the stuff to Malibu. Walker was in New York at the time of the fire.
“I lost everything I’ve ever owned,” Walker said in a release. “Every master of every song I’ve ever recorded, every piece of recording equipment, guitars, drums and things I’ve collected over the years, cars, motorcycles, every family memorial, heirloom, picture and document we ever had. … Gone. I feel like I finally know the difference between ‘going back’ and ‘going home.’ “
According to 99X’s event director Mike Kee at the AIR Awards Thursday night, friends and family are digging up photos and memorabilia for Walker.
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Locals Rising
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Photo courtesy Big Hassle Publicity
Several of Atlanta’s best local indie bands will play together at the Variety Playhouse on Friday, Nov. 30.
The Black Lips, Deerhunter and Snowden have all garnered international attention and taken their live shows to Europe. Friday’s opener the Selmanaires will hit the road with a vengeance once the quartet’s second album, “The Air Salesmen,” hits stores in January.
Who do you think might be the next graduate from Atlanta’s underground? Manchester Orchestra (above) is one of the up-and-coming Atlanta bands we love. Tell us about your favorite local bands.
Miley Cyrus wows the tweens at Gwinnett
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
John Thurman had a plan after the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus concert ended Wednesday night. He knew he had no prayer of meeting the actress/singer, much less getting an autograph. So he targeted Cyrus’ used water bottle.
He asked every security guard in sight to help him out. All of them said no as they, gently but firmly, told him to just go home. But he persisted. A sympathetic camera guy finally went back and got it to him. “There are some good people in this world,” the good-hearted man told Thurman.
Thurman’s souvenir wrapped in a concert program, he beamed. “I plan to frame it,” said the Lakeside High School freshman. (He also owns a water bottle once used by teen pop star JoJo.)
Yes, a water bottle which touched Cyrus’ lips is worth framing because that’s how big a deal this Disney phenomenon has become.
In a gender sense, Thurman was an anomaly. Most of the fans at the long sold-out concert were female tweens. There were so few guys there, the arena temporarily converted several men’s bathrooms into women’s.
And like many attendees, he and his mom Cindy risked their pocketbooks by using a scalper. They planned to meet the scalper at the arena at 4 p.m., three hours before the concert. But he didn’t show up until 6:45 p.m. as the pair cooled their heels, worried they might end up with nothing. The scalper, they said, cut the price from an agreed-upon $300 per ticket for fifth-row seats and even gave them better seats: two second-row seats for $500.
“We figured he simply couldn’t sell the tickets at a better price and he ran out of time,” said Cindy.
Both worried that the dude, who disappeared into the shadows, had given them fakes. But they were fine.
In fact, Chris Hendley, arena booking director, said the hysteria over counterfeit tickets was much ado about not much at all. He said fewer than 20 people had fake tickets. A Ticketmaster official, though, told Hendley they were “some of the best they’d ever seen.”
Judy Edwards of Sandy Springs nabbed tickets at cost as part of the Hannah Montana fan club. Her 9-year-old daughter Kimberly is such a fan, they saw the concert twice: in Nashville last Friday when Cyrus turned 15 and Wednesday night. (The Nashville tix through a broker cost her $168 apiece, nearly triple face value.)
“It was awesome,” Kimberly said moments after Cyrus left the stage. She saw “Corey in the House” Disney star and Atlantan Kyle Massey in the house, and with her best friend Daniela Bishop, got autographs. (See photo below). Daniela loved when the streamers flew out. Kimberly was wowed by the pyrotechnics.
Indeed, the production values were Disney-level impressive, with a tri-level stage, huge video screens, confetti and eight backup dancers, who dressed up like teens but looked far beyond high school age. Cyrus, as her alter ego Hannah Montana, dressed in spangly, bright dresses and sang upbeat pop tunes about “Life’s What You Make It” and I’m-just-a-regular-gal cuts such as “Just Like You” and “Nobody’s Perfect.”
The second half of the concert featured Cyrus’ “normal” brunette self. She opened as a rocker chick, with some leather and chains thrown in, but this is Disney edgy so it wasn’t anything the parents would find alarming. She eventually donned a dress for a Latin-inspired “Let’s Dance,” then wore a Catholic schoolgirl uniform for the “Hannah Montana” theme song “Best of Both Worlds.”
Though Thurman dubbed her “hot,” Cyrus isn’t the sexual vixen Britney Spears was at a comparable age wearing a schoolgirl getup. Cyrus has retained a girl-next-door quality and tons of teenage spunk. She showed no extraneous skin, offered no lyrical innuendo in her songs. Vocally, she’s a less snotty Avril Lavigne, a more accomplished Ashlee Simpson.
And no matter how popular Cyrus may be, Disney already has positioned its next headliner: the Jonas Brothers, who could be this generation’s Hanson, three energetic mop-topped guys ranging from ages 15 to 20.
At times, the gals screamed even louder for the trio than for Cyrus. Jami, 10, of Oxford, was one of those Jonas Brothers fans and she was even luckier than most people at the arena: her grandmother Leslynn Abbott won tickets from Kicks 101.5.
When her principal at East Newton Elementary informed her of the news Wednesday, Jami literally screamed in the office into the phone.
Paste’s Best Albums of 2007
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The National. Photo: Abbey Drucker
It’s that time of year again, when visions of Top 10 lists begin dancing in critics’ heads.
One of the first listmaking entities to enter the fray this year is Decatur-based Paste magazine. They went all out with this one, ranking the 100 best albums of the year. Here’s the magazine’s Top 20:
- The National - “Boxer”
- Arcade Fire - “Neon Bible”
- Bruce Springsteen - “Magic”
- The White Stripes - “Icky Thump”
- Feist - “The Reminder”
- M.I.A. - “Kala”
- Wilco - “Sky Blue Sky”
- Modest Mouse - “We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank”
- Band of Horses - “Cease to Begin”
- Iron & Wine - “The Shepherd’s Dog”
- Radiohead - “In Rainbows”
- Avett Brothers - “Emotionalism”
- Amy Winehouse - “Back to Black”
- Loney, Dear - “Loney, Noir”
- Kanye West -“Graduation”
- Ryan Adams - “Easy Tiger”
- Josh Ritter - “The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter”
- Miranda Lambert - “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”
- Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - “Living with the Living”
- Blonde Redhead - “23”
What’s your take on the list? What’s missing? What should’ve been much lower?
Suzanne Vega at Variety Playhouse
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Shortly after 9 p.m., Suzanne Vega stepped out onto the Variety Playhouse stage solo and began her most popular hit, “Tom’s Diner”, an a capella song describing a moment gazing out of a New York City window.
A full-house crowd of mostly long time fans listened raptly as she made her way through a selection of songs stretching all the way back to her 1985 eponymous debut album. Touring in support of her latest, six years in the making, “Beauty and Crime,” the still waifish Vega, dressed somberly in a blue tunic over skinny black jeans, sang in her signature crisp, clear diction. Some songs accompanied by a full band, others by her own solo acoustic playing and others by just a bass guitar.
In between songs, Vega was warm and engaging, sharing stories behind the songs, which ranged from the smoky jazz of “Caramel” to the saucy “(I’ll Never Be) Your Maggie May, ” which imagines the Rod Stewart song from the woman’s point of view. Many of them were peppered with the underlying ode to her hometown, New York, and all complete with the small details requisite to Vega’s work.
At one point, before one of her newest songs saying, “I think New York is a woman, but not always a lady. What is Atlanta?” Over the faint answers of “Atlanta is a woman” one loud shouted response rang out: “A drunken homeless man,” which seemed slightly odd, but funny, given the audience. Tucked in the seats were professor-looking type, with the slightly too long, salt and pepper hair clothed in turtlenecks and leather jackets, with maybe a sweater vest or two thrown into the fashion mix. Interspersed were the college girls wearing newsboy caps and ironic tees, and the gaggles of men in their mid-30s sipping beer clustered around the tables on the sides.
Vega, told of her first love, a fellow summer camp counselor, the subject of “Gypsy.” “I gave him a song. He gave me a bandana.” And when audience members became comfortable enough to shout out song requests, “Wooden Horses!” she gently said, “No. No. No. We don’t do those anymore. Those are the sad divorce songs. Now I am married, so maybe in another 25 years.” And went on to finish her play list, work her way through two encores and more than one standing ovation.
Set list:
Tom’s Diner
Marlene on the Wall
New York is a Woman
Ludlow Street
Carmel
Gypsy
(I’ll Never Be) Your Maggie May
Left of Center
Blood Makes Noise
Angel’s Doorway
Pornographer’s Dream
In Liverpool
Luka
Tom’s Diner (with full band, modeled after the DNA electronica version)
Encore #1
Zephyr & I
The Queen and the Soldier
Encore #2
Small Blue Thing
Rosemary
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Hawthorne Heights’ Heartbreaking Cancellation
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Photo: Selena Salfen / Victory Records
Tonight’s Roxy show by Ohio pop-punk combo Hawthorne Heights has been canceled under very sad circumstances.
The band’s 26-year-old guitarist, Casey Calvert (second from left above), died in his sleep sometime Friday night or Saturday morning following a show in Detroit. The other bandmembers found out about his death as they were about to start their soundcheck at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. on Saturday afternoon. The band posted a message on the official Hawthorne Heights Web site later that day, Nov. 24. It reads, in part:
“Today is probably the worst day ever … Casey Calvert passed away in his sleep last night … We’ve spent the entire day trying to come to grips with this and figure out as much as possible. At this time we’re not sure what exactly happened. Just last night he was joking around with everyone before he went to bed. We can say with absolute certainty that he was not doing anything illegal.” See the entire statement at the band’s online home: www.hawthorneheights.com.
The promoter for the Atlanta show, Live Nation, has announced that refunds are available at point of purchase.
Akon all over the music scene
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Today marks the end of quite the work week for Atlanta rapper-singer-producer Akon.
Sunday he picked up his first American Music Award. Two days later the Grammy Awards sent out a press release saying it would announce the nominees for the 50th annual ceremony Dec. 6, and that Akon will be among the presenters. (Presenters are usually nominees as well - so that should make at least one hometown act to cheer for). Thanksgiving night his local imprint Konvict Music had a big signing party planned for its new artist, guitarist/bassist Tony Love, at Lotus Lounge. And the news on Billboard magazine’s site today is that Konvict’s singer-rapper-producer extraordinaire, T-Pain, has - count them - four singles in the top 10 of its Hots 100 chart.
According to the publication, that’s the highest number of simultaneous top 10 hits for any artist since hip-hop mogul 50 Cent did it in April 2005.
What is it about Akon and T-Pain? Their distinct voices - (or in T-Pain’s case, vocoder)? Gifts for melody? Or are you completely baffled by their appeal?
Ne-Yo Explains His Exit From R. Kelly Tour
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One week into R&B superstar R. Kelly’s tour there’s already troubles, and if what Ne-Yo says is happening backstage is true, there could be more.
Atlanta’s R&B singer-songwriter abruptly left the “Double Up” tour this week - leaving fellow local talents Keyshia Cole and J Holiday on the bill - “and it ain’t because I did something wrong, I’ll tell you that much,” he told the nationally-syndicated Russ Parr Morning Show Wednesday. (Though it doesn’t air here, Hot-107.9’s “A Team Morning Show” ran the audio minutes later).
“The PC terms that I’m being told to use [are] that we couldn’t come to a fair contractual agreement,” Ne-Yo said. “Basically, the way it goes is this: My people are going in fighting with R. Kelly over stuff that anybody else would just give me. And it’s not like I’m asking for anything crazy. For example, the first show, Columbus, Ga. …This man took all seven dressing rooms and told me to get dressed on my bus.”
“Can’t nobody be in the hallway when he walks through - just little silly stuff like that…As an artist, I have the utmost respect for that man. You can’t take away from the fact that he’s a musical genius. But as a person, as a person, I can’t lie, I lost a little respect for him on this one.”
T.I. and Friends Top Charity Goal for Hosea
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday morning Atlanta rapper-actor T.I.’s publicist issued a statement about his charitable efforts for Thanksgiving, including his hope to raise $150,000 among his “celebrity friends” for the Hosea Williams Feed The Hungry Thanksgiving Day Dinner Event.
Tuesday afternoon, he delivered.
Confined to his lakefront home, facing felony weapons charges, T.I. got on the phone with V-103’s Ryan Cameron and solicited money from fellow music industry types. Fellow rapper-actors Big Boi and Busta Rhymes, R&B singer Ne-Yo and music moguls Jermaine Dupri, Michael “Mr. Collipark” Crooms, Polow Da Don, Devyne Stephens and Kevin Liles answered his call - literally, on the air - and Cameron says they came up with a total of $167,000.
T.I. Hosts Charity Thanksgiving Dinner - In Spirit
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta rapper-actor T.I. and his Grand Hustle K.I.N.G. Foundation are hosting Thanksgiving dinner for the needy Thursday.
But by “host”, we gather the press release announcing this effort meant, “financed.” T.I., as you may recall, is on bond and restricted to his lakefront Jonesboro home, after authorities said he illegally tried to buy machine guns and silencers last month. His charitable ways continue, however, with the dinner at his Club Crucial (2517 Donald Lee Hollowell Pkwy) from 6 to 9 p.m. . Plus, his label rep says he is donating 400 turkeys to the Atlanta Parks & Recreation Center, to distribute to Atlanta familes. And “T.I. has and continues to reach out to celebrity friends to help raise $150,000 for the Hosea Williams Feed the Hungry Thanksgiving Day Dinner Event.”
Seasonal Sounds
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You know the stores are going to jump the gun on the holiday season. That’s a given. The decorations are decking the halls of retail outlets everywhere, even before we ignite the lights on our jack-o-lanterns.
The garland and tinsel have been deployed, but what about music? It isn’t even Thanksgiving, yet you can hear the strains of “Jingle Bells” and “Winter Wonderland” in the air. Is it too soon to haul out the holiday tunes?
When do you start playing those old familiar songs? Is Thanksgiving Day the appropriate time, or do you what for the big shopping day that follows? And when the time is right, which album do you pull out first?
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Akon announcing Grammy nominees
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The nominees for the 50th annual Grammy Awards will be announced Dec. 6, and Atlanta rapper-singer Akon - who just won his first American Music Awards days ago - will be among the presenters.
That pretty much means Akon will also be among the nominees. (After all, it’s pretty impolite to invite someone to tell the world about the music industry’s biggest night, and then turn around and tell that person, “Oh, but you can’t come.”)
Akon will join legendary producer Quincy Jones, rockers Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park and million-selling country newcomer Taylor Swift at the podium at the Music Box @ Fonda in Hollywood, Calif., at a bright, early, and very un-superstar-like hour of 8:30 a.m. .
ATL on VH1 Soul Vibe Awards
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sigh. Another day, yet another awards show, it seems like.
Next Monday Hot-107.9 is presenting its annual Dirty Awards. This past Sunday there was the American Music Awards, where metro Atlantans T.I., Akon and Casting Crowns picked up honors. And on a far more low key show on Monday, our city was well-represented as well.
VH1 Soul and Vibe magazine aired an hour-long program on VH1 last night, billed as either the 2007 Vibe Awards or the VH1 Soul Vibe Awards Special - depending on where you were looking. And once again, Atlantans were everywhere: As “presenters” (Big Boi of rap duo OutKast, music, film and and TV producer Dallas Austin, songwriter-producer Sean Garrett) - though the packaged show didn’t actually happen in a venue; nominees (R&B superstar Usher, rapper-actors Ludacris and T.I., producer Polow Da Don. DJ Drama); and winners (R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo for Best Collabo on “Make Me Better,” by Fabolous; rap group the Shop Boyz’ “Party Like A Rockstar” for ringtone; and - pictured above - rapper-singer-producer T-Pain’s “Buy U A Drank” for song of the year).
Is anybody else out there surprised that “Drank” beat out the inescapable “Irreplaceable” by Beyoncé in the song of the year category? Or Robin Thicke’s “Lost Without You”, for that matter? Did you even happen to stumble upon this show on VH1 Soul or VH1? And if so, what did you think?
Atlanta well represented at the AMAs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The ATL got plenty of love tonight at the American Music Awards on ABC.
T.I. (currently stuck at home following weapons possession arrest) won favorite male hip-hop artist and album. Akon won best R&B/soul male and Ne-Yo performed a duet with Rihanna. Usher presented Beyonce a special honorary award and sent his wishes to Atlanta native Kanye West for his mom’s death.
Plus, Atlanta country duo Sugarland (below), in a pure “to the left, to the left”-field performance, dueted with Beyonce with a country-fied version of her No. 1 hit “Irreplaceable.” That’s inspired! My colleague Sonia Murray said the song was originally meant by the songwriter to be a country song for Faith Hill.
Finally, McDonough’s Casting Crowns won for best contemporary inspirational act after being nominated last year and losing to Kirk Franklin.
Bobby Brown show a bit stiff
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What was suppose to be grown and sexy seemed more like loud and wrong. Without question, Atlanta was ready for the New Jack Swing tour on Friday at the Civic Center that promised old-school jams by Guy, After 7, K-Ci & JoJo and Bobby Brown.
But while half the show made fans sing along and/or jump from their seats to dance, the other half reminded many that we’re getting older and when it’s gone, it’s gone.
It was a good, even if slow, start as After 7 warmed up the crowd with some singable love songs. The group obviously put forth some effort — with coordinated suits and moves.
K-Ci & JoJo, on the other hand, seemed like they just rolled onto the stage. For the record, K-Ci kept on most of his clothes, but the duo’s show was definitely bare bones. They went through songs like “Life” and “If You Think You’re Lonely Now” but the weakened voices and lack of showmanship made the performance seem like an afterthought. And we still can’t figure out why K-Ci jumped on the shoulders of a burly, security-type just to “interact” with fans.
Then what the audience thought was the finale hobbled onto the stage … Bobby Brown. The crowd went crazy with excitement, especially because many speculated he might not show at all. We can appreciate his working through the pain of an injured ankle, but his performance was underwhelming (as one fan noted, it seemed like a rehearsal). Beyond humping the stage and air, he couldn’t dance, and he shoved “new” songs down our ears when what we really wanted was “Roni” and “Don’t Be Cruel.” We got a few grooves, but what happened to “My Prerogative”? A few friends popped in briefly: fellow New Edition member Ronnie DeVoe helped Bobby with his attire and mic, while Keith Sweat made a surprise cameo at the end of one song. And to close it out, he brought a little girl on stage to dance for us … why and shouldn’t she have been at home in bed?
After this many fans left thinking the show was over. But Guy, or rather, Aaron Hall of Guy, was the night’s closer — and surprisingly the night’s biggest hit. While Bobby did at least have a band on stage, Aaron had musicians, backup singers and light displays. Finally, someone seemed prepared to put on a show. Sure he had a few missteps, including racy “dancing” with a young woman from the audience (even Aaron commented that he was getting too old for those antics). But his voice was strong as he went through hits like “Let’s Chill” and “I Miss You,” which made many couples get up to dance in the aisles. Plus, he spent the majority of his show in the crowd (and not on a security guard’s shoulders). Thank goodness for sweet endings.
What did you think?
The Police still magic in return to Atlanta
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ABOVE: A shot I took from section 116 with a cheap Sony Cybershot camera. Get the real deal photos here by our fine staff photographer Jenni Girtman.
The 21 year wait is over and the magic is still there.
After more than five months on tour, the Police arrived triumphantly to a packed Philips Arena Saturday night, the legendary trio’s first appearance in Atlanta since the Amnesty International concert in June 1986 at the long-gone Omni Arena.
For years, fans have been clamoring for the Police to reunite, but the trio found other pursuits. The fact Sting’s solo career took off didn’t exactly force him back into the other two’s arms. Only now, more than two decades later, have they decided to cash in their chips, and the pent-up demand made the tour a slam dunk across the globe. So far, after 53 dates, the Police have grossed an astounding $171 million, by far the biggest of the year of any group. The group kerplunked another estimated $3 million in the till tonight (helped by the fact they sold tickets behind the stage, too.)
With ticket prices ranging from $52 to $227 (before Ticketmaster charges), Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland didn’t waste the audience’s time with new songs, superfluous patter or particularly off-the-wall takes on their known nuggets. Rather, the three kept the concert tight and bright, racing through 19 mostly greatest hits over an hour and 45 minutes, from a hearty “Synchronicity II” to a poignant “Invisible Sun.”
Harking back to their first Atlanta stop at the Agora Ballroom back in 1979, the Police truly kept it simple— no backup singers, no brass section, no keyboardist. But they produced a deep, rich sound that easily filled the upper reaches of the arena thanks to the still-supple vocals and skilled bass play of Sting, the proficient (if not terribly exciting) guitar work of Summers, and the joyous, propulsive beat of Copeland.
Summers, bless his heart, is a bit of a dour stage presence who seldom cracks a smile. But Sting’s impish grin and confident milieu more than makes up for it. In fact, the still lithe 56 year old wore a tight white cut-off T-shirt (that probably cost $100) better than most 26 year olds. He was always aware of his audience, encouraging them to sing or clap along, keeping most fans on their feet the entire concert.
Copeland (his muss of hair now mostly gray but still boyishly thick) banged away with the energy of a teen-ager. He had an especially good time with a set of percussion instruments behind his drumkit (including a gong and a xylophone) during a more jam-like take on “Wrapped Around Your Finger” from their final and biggest album “Synchronicity.”
The playlist featured virtually all the big hits (“Spirits in a Material World” and “Murder By Numbers” were exceptions) and most of the arrangements hewed closely to the originals. For instance, they fortunately opted for the original take on “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” rather than the dirge-like 1986 version. And the obnoxious yet catchy “Can’t Stand Losing You” still packs a punch in the gut 28 years later.
The Police will be back tonight and there are still good seats left, at least at the $92 and $227 price levels, based on a check tonight on Ticketmaster.com.
Here’s the set list, which they have seldom veered from on this North American tour. “Spirits in the Material World,” “Murder by Numbers” and “The Bed’s Too Big Without You” were played elsewhere but not at the Saturday night gig.
1- Message in a Bottle
2- Synchronicity II
3- Walking on the Moon
4- Voices Inside My Head/When the World is Running Down, You Make the Best of What’s Still Around
5- Don’t Stand So Close To Me
6- Driven To Tears
7- Hole In My Life
8- Truth Hits Everybody
9- Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
10- Wrapped Around Your Finger
11- De Do Do Do De Da Da Da
12- Invisible Sun
13- Walking In Your Footsteps
14- Can’t Stand Losing You
ENCORE I
15) Roxanne
16) King of Pain
17) So Lonely
18) Every Breath You Take
ENCORE II
19) Next To You
R. Kelly in Atlanta
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta R&B artists J Holiday, Keyshia Cole and Ne-Yo opened for R. Kelly Thursday night at Philips Arena - in that order.
That’s significant perhaps for no other reason than when Kelly’s nationwide tour launched in Columbus, Ga. the night before, Cole didn’t show. According to Beyoncé of Hot-107.9’s “A-Team Morning Show” - who told her listening audience she attended the first date - Cole protested the size of her dressing room, and then the fact that she had to go on before Ne-Yo.
Now being on the cover of Vibe and Essence magazines, and having a popular show on BET is is great and everything, but do you think Cole is a bigger artist than Ne-Yo? Is there a song in her two-CD catalog that has had as wide of an appeal as Ne-Yo’s “So Sick”?
And getting beyond that, if you were in the near sold-out crowd, what did you think of the concert as a whole?
Sugarland Rising
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Photo: Marc Baptiste
Atlanta’s Sugarland is on a roll. The band — Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush — won the vocal duo of the year award at last week’s Country Music Association Awards and their current single “Stay” is a Top 20 country hit. The pair’s platinum sophomore album, “Enjoy the Ride,” jumped from No. 28 to No. 13 on the latest Billboard 200 album chart, likely a direct result of the duo’s appearance on the CMA show.
Now they’ll be performing on the Sunday, Nov. 18, telecast of the American Music Awards show, so they might get another boost from that.
Do you have any special memories of these local musicians made good? Remember a particularly fine Jennifer Nettles Band show, or a fine show from Bush’s days in Billy Pilgrim? Or how about those early Sugarland gigs, when Kristen Hall was still in the mix?
Regina Spektor cancels tonight’s show
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
New York singer-songwriter Regina Spektor has postponed tonight’s show at the Tabernacle downtown. Atlanta radio station Dave FM announced Thursday afternoon that the vocalist, currently on the road promoting her new album “Begin to Hope,” collapsed on stage at the Ryman Auditorium during a performance in Nashville Wednesday night. Spektor has rescheduled her Atlanta show for Dec. 5 at the Tabernacle. Tickets for tonight’s show will be honored on that date.
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The Boss Returns
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Photo: Danny Clinch
The Boss is coming back to Atlanta. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will play Philips Arena on April 25, and the tickets go on sale this Saturday (Nov. 17) at noon.
It’s sure to be one of the hot tickets in Atlanta in the coming months. Planning to be in line (or online) Saturday to secure your spot at the show? Or are you hoping to score Widespread Panic tickets for the Athens band’s New Year’s shows (Dec. 30 and 31)? Those go on sale Friday (Nov. 16) at 10 a.m.
Tickets for both shows will be available through www.livenation.com, the Philips Arena box office, or through Ticketmaster charge by phone at 404-249-6400.
What concert are you most looking forward to in the near future?
Atlanta All Over the Newsstands
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On Any Newsstand, U.S.A., Atlanta artists are dominating national magazine covers.
There’s R&B superstar Usher on the cover of Essence with his new bride Tameka; R&B singer Monica on Sister 2 Sister, where inside she discusses her second child on the way; teen hip-hop sensation Soulja Boy, and the veteran executive/producer that signed him, Mr. Collipark, on the Source; rapper Yung Joc on Murder Dog; rapper/actor T.I. on Complex - and get this, he has on an apron and carving gear in his hands like he’s about to take on a Thanksgiving turkey; and we just found out that R&B singer Keyshia Cole will be on the latest Vibe (above), hitting retailers this week.
Have you picked up any of these publications? Learn anything new about one of your favorite artists? Or did you think a particular article was a complete waste of eyeball?
Diamond Nikes: Desirable or Dopey?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The news on our front page today that Atlanta hip-hop superstar Antwan “Big Boi” Patton will get a free pair of $50,000, diamond-decorated Nikes — courtesy of Atlanta retailers Laced Up and Prriya and Chintans Diamonds - got us thinking: At exactly what point did hip-hop culture cross the line, lookwise?
Was it when New Orleans rapper Baby (pictured above) claimed to have spent $500,000 to have diamonds glued to his teeth? How about decades before, when Slick Rick piled his gold rope chains around his neck so thick that the slender artist looked like he might tip over?
Or are you thinking putting diamonds on sneakers is a logical step for a culture that has led the way in fashion, among other mediums? (Hey, it does come after the diamond-studded bra.)
Did the CMAs get it right?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sugarland (vocal duo of the year), 17-year-old Taylor Swift (horizon award for newcomer) and Rascal Flatts (top vocal group) were among the most notable winners during the CMA awards on Wednesday. Do you agree or was another act robbed? Who should have walked away a winner in Nashville?
Alicia Keys in Atlanta
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Once again, it has been an amazing time for live R&B music in Atlanta of late.
The crowd at the Georgia Depot is probably still regaining its senses after Jill Scott’s electric private show last week. (And not just because Bailey’s liquer was pouring - heavily). The next night members of Scott’s incredible 11-piece band - including Atlanta drummer Lil John Roberts - sat in with Joi, and a local all-star line-up of vocalists including Anthony David, Philippia and Kerisha Roi. Three days later hip-hop legend Queen Latifah tried her hand at such sweetly soulful tunes as Phoebe Snow’s “Poetry Man” and the Pointer Sisters’ “How Long (Betcha Got A Chick On the Side” at Symphony Hall.
And then last night, there was Alicia Keys.
To celebrate the Frank and Wanda Morning Show’s ninth year on the air at V-103 - as a frequent ratings leader, no less - the nine-time Grammy winner headlined a free show at the Tabernacle Tuesday, where she previewed her third CD “As I Am,” in stores next Tuesday.
As J Warren of Decatur’s Vibes, Music and More put it, the songs she played from the new album often sounded like “Alicia discovered John Lennon.” Very heavy on the Beatles influences.
Were you among the hundreds who won tickets to the show? What’s your take on the new material? Do you think her being sick - as she conceded from the stage - affected her performance? Or if you weren’t there, but have heard her new songs “No One” and the very “Purple Rain”-like “Like You’ll Never See Me Again,” what are your thoughts of/hopes for her new direction?
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Back To Front
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With today’s release of hip-hop legend Jay-Z’s “American Gangster” CD, and burgeoning R&B superstar Chris Brown’s “Exclusive,” a lot of Atlanta producers and songwriters are getting some major exposure.
Some of them have long had it — like Jermaine Dupri (who contributed to “Gangster”), and T-Pain, Jazze Pha and Bryan-Michael Cox (who are on “Exclusive”).
But there are also local talents on these projects who are still becoming household names (Sean Garrett, DJ Toomp, Adonis); some of whom even have plans to — or are at least being prodded to —become recording artists themselves.
With behind-the-scenes Atlanta wonders like Johnta Austin and The Dream also on the verge of such a shift, it makes one wonder: What are the chances of these guys winning at both sides of the highly unpredictable music industry? Sure, one can easily point to Atlanta’s Ne-Yo as an example of someone who successfully transitioned from backdrop (writing “Let Me Love You” for R&B singer Mario) to spotlight. Then again there’s the relative thuds like Timbaland…
Rate Our Music Weekend
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you’re reading this with one eye open, and the other still sleeping, it’s understandable.
It was an incredible weekend on the live Atlanta music scene. Among the highlights: Oscar nominee, one-time rapper and current standards singer Queen Latifah was at Symphony Hall Friday. Our own country superstar Trisha Yearwood returned to the Fox Theatre Saturday. And on Sunday night what was supposed to be a mere visit to the Velvet Room - to promote his “American Gangster” CD in stores tomorrow - turned into a mini concert when rap mogul Jay-Z performed, along with Freeway and Beanie Siegel.
Did you attend any of these events? Got a mini-review for us? Or did you see an act this weekend that wasn’t mentioned, but worth talking about?
Smashing Pumpkins shows rescheduled
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Smashing Pumpkins shows at the Fox Theatre that were postponed for illness October 30 and 31 have been re-scheduled for Thursday, November 15 and Friday, November 16.
Anyone with original tickets for Oct. 30 can use them for Nov. 15 and those with Oct. 31 tickets can use them for Nov. 16.
Good tickets are available at Ticketmaster for both dates since some folks have gotten refunds.
Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin was admitted to an Atlanta hospital after experiencing some chest discomfort right before the originally scheduled Oct. 30 date, according to the www.foxtheatre.org Web site. He was given an angiogram which revealed a partially blocked artery. He rested at the unnamed hospital overnight and was released on Halloween.
“The good news is that my heart checked out. No damage,” Chamberlin told fans on the www.smashingpumpkins.com Web site. “Basically a small build up of plaque on one of my arteries. This combined with stress, fatigue and all of the other good things that go along with being on tour was the cause of my pain. So obviously we had to postpone the end of the tour while I recover.”
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Hip-Hop at the Movies
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
While embattled Atlanta rapper/actor T.I. occasionally appears in the commercials for the Denzel Washington/Russell Crowe movie “American Gangster” - in theaters today - he is not the most prominent of the hip-hop acts involved.
Both Common and RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan are also in the tale of real-life gangster Frank Lucas. And while they all speak, RZA probably has the most screen time.
None of them, however, do anything particularly remarkable in this film - though it is funny to see the usually smooth and confident T.I. play someone a little corny.
What Atlanta rapper do you think has made the most of his movie moment? Andre “Dre” Benjamin in “Idlewild”? Antwan “Big Boi” Patton in “ATL”? Or are you of the opinion that no hometown hip-hop act can match, say, Queen Latifah in “Set It Off” or fellow Oscar nominee (and one-time rapper) Will Smith in “Pursuit of Happyness”?
Get Pasted — For a Pittance
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Decatur-based Paste magazine is taking a cue from Radiohead. They’re both letting consumers decide how much they want to pay.
While Radiohead offered fans a download of new album “In Rainbows” for any price they wanted to pay, Paste has one stipulation. The minimum price for a one-year subscription is $1, which regularly goes for $19.95. They’re even encouraging gift subscriptions, so multiple subscriptions are possible as long as there is a valid address. They’ll be offering this special promotion through Nov. 12, so get it while you can.
Paste — which covers music, film, books and other entertainment options — continues gathering awards and accolades, too. It was named the magazine of the year by the PLUG Independent Music Awards for 2006 and 2007.
How much would you be willing to pay? Will you take them up on the offer?
