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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2008 > January > 28
Monday, January 28, 2008
R.E.M.’s next album back to rock roots
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
According to advance reports, longtime R.E.M. fans should be pleased when the Athens-birthed band’s new album “Accelerate” drops on April 1.
According to Billboard writer Jonathan Cohen, who’s heard an advance copy of the disc (Surely, Buzz’s copy is in the mail …), listeners can anticipate a return to the band’s rockier roots on the upcoming 11-track, approximately 35-minute set.
Reports Cohen on billboard.com: “Opener ‘Living Well’s the Best Revenge’ sets the tone, with a prominent lead guitar figure from Peter Buck, thumping, melodic bass lines and backing vocals from Mike Mills and a rapid stream of lyrics from frontman Michael Stipe. The track almost seems like a musical cousin to ‘Just a Touch’ from 1986’s ‘Life’s Rich Pageant.’ “
The album’s uptempo first single, “Supernatural Superserious,” is due to hit radio next month, and the band was in New York last week to shoot a video for the track (we’re assuming this is for posting on youtube.com and remhq.com, the band’s official Web site, since the act, like most bands, would get more exposure on the virtually video-free MTV these days by doing a guest shot on “The Hills”…).
The band also has posted a snippet of the single for fans to check out on its Web site.
On remhq.com, band manager Bertis Downs posted this message to fans from New York City: “While here we made a video in the Lower East Side, filmed by Vincent Moon of Arcade Fire (among many other artists) fame. Vincent’s working style is spontaneous and fun-loving, so going from storefront to storefront on Rivington Street was certainly a unique and memorable experience. And of course, in the age of YouTube, we already have ‘rushes’ on the Web.”
The band also has announced a tour in support of “Accelerate” that’s set to commence in Vancouver on May 23 and end locally at HiFi Buys Amphitheatre on June 21. On sale dates weren’t immediately known at deadline Monday.
EX-BRAVE RAMIREZ NOW AN EX-BACHELOR
Before reporting for spring training as a Seattle Mariner next month, former Atlanta Braves pitcher Horacio Ramirez tied the knot with Veronica Palacios in Atlanta over the weekend. The Mableton couple were married at Morningside Baptist Church in Atlanta, exiting the nuptials to a mariachi band. The couple, family and friends then headed to the Twelve hotel to celebrate. EventScapes rep Sharon Kraun told Buzz on Monday that the entire soiree was assembled in less than a month. The Atlanta-based special events firm handled the flowers and decorations. EventScapes owner J Wilbur Smith said via e-mail: “The couple wanted to include a nod to their cultural heritage with an elegant, but effervescent feel, to the nuptial decorations.”
The wedding guests partied at Atlantic Station’s Twelve hotel’s ballroom, complete with a salsa band and buffet stations offering everything from steak to sushi. A portion of the ballroom also was transformed into a cozy lounge with sofas, throws and coffee tables.
Following dinner, a DJ spun dance music and guests later enjoyed another full spread of ballpark food and s’mores served up on the back patio fire pits. We’re told the couple is now in the Caribbean on their honeymoon.
ON MY TIVO AND IPOD
Patti LaBelle, veteran R&B singer whose new Good Life line of foods includes hot sauces and relishes:
“I like ‘Forensic Files’ and the Discovery Channel, watching the animals and mobster movies and gangster movies,” said LaBelle who headlines the Hands On Atlanta benefit concert Thursday at Philips Arena downtown. “There’s a dark side to Miss Patti. I like dark days and rain and snow. I don’t like sun, and I don’t like water. I don’t even listen to music in my free time. I’m a very strange person. When I’m home with free time, like today, I just flip channels and think about what I’m going to cook.”
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Actor John Forsythe is 90. Actress Katharine Ross is 68. Actor Tom Selleck is 63. Singer Bettye LaVette is 62. Talk show host Oprah Winfrey (above) is 54. Director-actor Ed Burns is 40. Actress Heather Graham is 38. Actor Sharif Atkins (“ER”) is 33. Actress Sara Gilbert (“ER,” “Roseanne”) is 33. Actor Andrew Keegan (“Party of Five”) is 29. Guitarist Jonny Lang is 27.
OVERSCENE
NHL strike force
Players assembled here for the NHL All-Star game, including: Atlanta Thrashers Marian Hossa and Ilya Kovalchuk (right), along with Brian Campbell, Jarome Iginla, Dion Phaneuf, Rick Nash, Joe Thornton, Alex Ovechkin, Zdeno Chara, Thomas Kaberle, Scott Gomez, Mike Richards, Erik Johnson and Rick DiPietro bowling at Ten Pin Alley at Atlantic Station. CNNers T.J. Holmes and Betty Nguyen also were spotted. We’re told that Kovalchuk even treated family and friends to three lanes of VIP bowling.
Contributing: Sonia Murray and news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Celebrities come out for All-Star event
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s not always easy to spot a celebrity, even if you know one is in your midst. For example, Buzz swears we saw that dude from “Weeds” (Andy Milder) walking around Philips on Saturday night during the 2008 NHL All-Star weekend.
But it’s like anything else, when you stop looking, that’s when you walk within two feet of Matthew Modine (“Vision Quest,” “Full Metal Jacket,” and also — hmmm, “Weeds”) in the club lounge. Modine, looking all slick and Zamboni’d in dark suit and a goatee, had center-ice seats about 10 rows up. He was on a guest list that included The Hives, actress Alyssa Milano and Taylor Kitsch, the “Friday Night Lights” star who was a judge in Saturday night’s SuperSkills event. Here’s a quick roundup of some of the events.
THIRD PERIOD: A HUGE HIT
There’s nothing like the screech of adolescents at 10 a.m. Hockey was supposed to be the focus this weekend, but the loudest screams were for the Jonas Brothers at the Verizon Wireless/NHL Rockin Skate Saturday at Philips. And when the pop-rock trio actually got on stage for its closing eight-song set — wow!
Fans were beyond psyched. Peachtree City 14-year-olds Taylor Kemp, Katie Ginther and Jessica McCloskey displayed a homemade sign that read: “Hello Beautiful Hold On To Your S.O.S. When You Look Me In The Eyes” — a greeting made up of songs from the Disney stars’ latest self-titled CD.
The long-haired pin-up Kitsch co-hosted, along with Milano and Atlanta’s five-time Grammy winner Usher (whose nonprofit organization New Look benefited from the ticket sales).
But even the one-time teen fave himself seemed to realize that those in the half-full arena wanted to hear the Jonas Brothers. The mostly up-tempo show (“Year 3000,” “That’s Just The Way We Roll”) slowed only twice. The girls raised their cellphones and free glo sticks to “Hello Beautiful” and “When You Look Me In The Eyes.” The trio closed with the charging “S.O.S.” For a touching yet hilarious snapshot of innocent youth, check out the reader comments at ajc.com’s Music Scene blog. Here are some of our “faves.”
“When they showed them walking into the arena on the big screen, I screamed so loud and so strong I almost fainted! I almost fainted when they came out on stage! I love the Jonas Brothers!”
“THAT WAS THE MOST AMAZING CONCERT EVER!!! The goodnight and goodbye dance. Not to mention that Joe was staring at me the whole concert. He waved and smiled at me too. Not even kidding.”
“We saw their limo leave and … you could see through so we waved and Kevin waved back and Joe rolled down the window and said thanx for coming, hope you guyz enjoyed it!! We said we did … but we were so embarrassed when they rolled the window down cause their CD was playing in our car.”
SECOND PERIOD:TOP LINE
So, what’s Milano been up to since making those guest appearances on “My Name is Earl?” Designing high-fashion hockey gear for the gals, of course.
Milano (“Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star,” “Poison Ivy II” and “Who’s the Boss”) used the event to launch Touch, a new line of clothing for female hockey fans. The line is very body-conscious and includes tops, denim, dresses and outerwear priced from about $50 to $100. The merchandise will be available for purchase in early spring at www.shopnhl.com and selected boutiques throughout the U.S. and Canada. From what we’ve seen so far, Touch might land overzealous male fans in the penalty box.
FIRST PERIOD: OPENING FACE-OFF
Though Usher walked the red carpet at the Wyclef Jean concert to kick off the weekend at the Tabernacle on Friday, he did not discuss his father’s death days earlier, his campaign appearance with Barack Obama on Tuesday or his New Look Foundation.
On stage, however, he warmly welcomed the near-capacity crowd and paused a few times for applause and adoration. “It’s all about the love in here tonight,” he remarked.
Actually, the Jean concert was about a lot of things. Before the talented musician wrapped up his set after midnight, he had addressed the country’s economic state (“I love America — we’re going in a recession right now”); poked fun at the president; flashed back to his days with the pioneering hip-hop trio the Fugees (playing “Fu-Gee-La” and “Ready Or Not”); and welcomed Atlanta rapper-producer Akon to the stage (with whom he performed Jean’s recent single “Sweetest Girl - Dollar Bill”). Willie O’Ree, the first black player in the NHL, Atlanta City Council member Kwanza Hall, Bert Weiss of Q100’s “The Bert Show”, Slim of 112, and Nicci Gilbert of Brownstone all attended.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Actor Alan Alda is 72. Singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan is 40. Rap artist DJ Muggs with Cypress Hill is 40. Rapper Rakim is 40. Singer Joey Fatone of ‘N Sync is 31. Singer Nick Carter of Backstreet Boys is 28. Actor Elijah Wood (“The Lord of the Rings”) is 27.
OVERSCENE
An Eagle Fly-By
Reggie Brown at the Mellow Mushroom on Monroe Drive, where the Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver (and former UGA star) was having a pepperoni, sausage, green pepper, roasted red pepper and pesto calzone with a shot of Crown Royal to wash it all down.
Contributing: Nedra Rhone, Sonia Murray and news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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