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Home > Atlanta Music Scene > Archives > 2008 > March > 24
Monday, March 24, 2008
Will you give George Michael one more try?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
George Michael hasn’t been on tour in the United States for a whopping 17 years. But the British singer is planning a return this summer, stopping at Philips Arena July 31.
There are no specific prices or sales dates yet for the Philips Arena concert, though they will like go on sale the weekend of April 5, with some pre-sales available via an iTunes package. The only information as of this writing on ticketmaster is for a date in Minneapolis, where prices range from $50 to $175.
Michael, 44, compiled 15 solo hits in the U.S. between 1984 and 1995 (i.e. “Monkey” “Father Figure,” “Freedom ‘90”) but hasn’t had a major hit album stateside in more than a decade. His most recent release, a greatist hits compilation called “Twenty Five,” which came out in the U.K. in 2006, arrives here in April.
Over the years, the former Wham! singer has had his fair share of legal wranglings with record companies and the infamous 1998 incident when he was caught by cops “engaging in lewd act” in a public toilet in a park in Beverly Hills. He got rid of his home not far from that site and rarely appears in public in Los Angeles as a result but mocked himself in a fictional park scene during the finale of the Ricky Gervais series “Extras.” His partner of 12 years, art gallery owner Kenny Goss, is based in Dallas. Michael recently had cameos on the ABC show “Eli Stone,” where the lead character sees the singer when nobody else can.
According to USA Today,, he felt his earlier U.K. tour was too much of a party so he’s dropping his campiest songs “Wake Me Up (Before You Go Go” and “I Want Your Sex.” But he will sing “Careless Whisper” although “I don’t particular enjoy singing” it. He’s also retiring the leather, though he will wear sunglasses and a suit on occasion.
Why return now? Michael calls it a “rounding off” of his career’s first phase. “I don’t want to do anything on this scale again,” he says. “No more stadiums. I’d like to be the Tony Bennett for my generation.”
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The Tabernacle may be closed until May
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Tabernacle, the 98-year-old downtown church-turned-concert venue, is looking at a May reopening after being damaged in the tornado.
Peter Conlon of Live Nation, which operates the Tabernacle, said Friday that the building is structurally sound. The concert hall underwent inspections and tests this week.
Among parts of the building that will have to be replaced are some of the stained-glass windows, which blew out in the tornado. They’ll get new ones, Conlon said. “We want it to be as nice, if not nicer, when we reopen it, ” he said.
At the moment, there’s no word on what will happen to the shows — or tickets purchased for them — scheduled between now and May, including the Elvis Costello performance on April 28.
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T.I. and Family, At Easter
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A kind photographer named Sydney George sent us these behind-the-scenes shots of Atlanta rapper-actor T.I. during his first public appearance since he went under house arrest in October for allegedly purchasing machine guns.
So we thought we’d share them with you … along with this video.
Here he is with New Birth Missionary Baptist Church’s Bishop Eddie Long, who held Easter service for some 30,000-plus people at the Georgia Dome
T.I. and his expecting girlfriend, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Tameka “Tiny” Cottle.
T.I. and longtime friend/business partner Jason Geter
T.I. with his sons King C’Andre (in front, in grey suit and blue tie), Domani Uriah (in blue suit) and Messiah Ya’Majesty (in grey suit, orange tie), Cottle with her niece Kelsey (behind her), her daughter Zonnique (in front of her) and T.I.’s daughter Dejah Iman
Were you among the tens of thousands at the Georgia Dome Sunday? Were you surprised that a judge allowed T.I. to attend? And if you were there, what did you think of T.I.’s address about AIDS? (MORE PHOTOS from the Georgia Dome)
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Tickets to ’70s band Yes go on sale Friday
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Will promoters for Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park slate another oldies act for the new facility?
And if so, what band?
“Yes,” answers both questions.
Tickets for Yes, the long-standing, ’70s progressive rock band, go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Ticketmaster.
The concert is 8 p.m., Aug. 4, at the soon-to-open open-air venue in Alpharetta.
The group spun its career from 1969 through the early 21st Century and will reprise some of its most popular tunes: “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” “Roundabout,” “Leave It,” and “Rhythm of Love,” among others.
Along with performances featuring the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra — ASO owns and operates Encore Park — Yes joins a parade of classic rock acts booked for the outdoor stage, including the Steve Miller Band with Joe Cocker on May 26.
For tickets, contact the Ticketmaster Web site or call 404-249-6400.
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Jermaine Dupri Presents Brutha
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Seemingly everywhere you turn on TV there’s yet another unknown singer looking for attention.
But with the exception of MTV’s “Making The Band” series, you rarely see what happens once that artist gets it.
Peachtree TV’s “Jermaine Dupri Presents: Brutha”, debuting tonight at 8 p.m., capsulizes that experience.
In short, it’s about five talented brothers (pictured above) from California who’ve come to Atlanta to score a record deal. And they’ve got eight days to prepare for a performance in front of Dupri and other Atlanta music scene tastemakers such as A&R power Shakir Stewart, Grammy winners Johnta Austin and Daron Jones of 112, as well as “lifestyle specialist” Kenny Burns.
It’s an interesting, whirlwind of a glimpse of what recording artists do to prepare for success — racing viewers through Grady, Anthony, Poppa, Jacob and Jared’s encounters with a rigorous artist development consultant, choreographer, vocal coach, producer and stylist.
And it’s a flattering showcase of some of the people (Stewart, Marvin McIntyre, Jazze Pha) in the local music industry, and their favorite places (Knitch, Uptown Restaurant and Lounge, Opera) to hang out.
Without giving too much away here about Brutha’s fate, it’s already been reported in Peach Buzz today SEE HERE that a network is looking at making this a series shown across the country.
From what you may have heard on Hot-107.9 this morning - on which they performed - or perhaps what you see in accessatlanta.com’s exclusive online gallery HERE, are you interested in following these guys into stardom? The industry seems to be wide open for such an act. Why do you think there are so few male OR female groups these days?
