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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2006 > April > 04
Tuesday, April 4, 2006
Circus maximus: Arena is filled with wild sights
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Cirque du Soleil has returned to Atlanta, and the new “Delirium” is intense.
The hyper-energetic spectacle is on a quick three-day stop at Philips Arena as part of the troupe’s first arena tour.
Dancers fly, flip and balance on one hand. They pound on drums the size of space ships. And they all move in sync with live music — an eclectic mix of modern rock, funk, electro jazz and tribal-inspired sounds.
It’s visually stunning, with 540 feet of projections (the size of almost four Imax screens) of larger-than-life images, everything from waves crashing to starry nights to flakes of snow.
But it’s also hallucinogenic, with dramatic images of doors that won’t open, twirling tropical flowers and performers spinning in the sky. One actor on stilts angrily mumbles. Another performer floats in a balloon.
“I am a former ICU nurse, and patients would have what we called ‘ICU psychosis,’ and as I was watching this, I thought, ‘Maybe it’s something like this,’ ” said Susan Swift, who traveled from Franklin, N.C., to see the show.
Harrison Peer of Atlanta also struggled to make sense of the visual and sound frenzy, but he enjoyed it.
“Very deep,” Peer said. “Not sure what it all means, but there’s a lot of components. And every time the music stops, they start back up with something new and exciting.”
According to its creators, “Delirium” is “the quest for balance in a world that is increasingly out of sync with reality.”
To get tickets for tonight’s show, call Ticketmaster at 404-249-6400.
Georgia’s greatest
R.E.M., record producer Dallas Austin and music mogul Jermaine Dupri are among the artists slated for induction into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame this year.
“This annual event allows us to shine the spotlight on our state’s wonderful music industry and the talented and creative people who have made Georgia a hub for music of all types,” said Bobbie Bailey, chairman of the Friends of Georgia Music Festival.
The 28th annual awards banquet, to be held Sept. 16 in the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, will recognize artists who have made significant contributions to Georgia’s music industry. They include Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band.
Beyond ‘Seinfeld’
Dom Irrera is one of those funny comics who has never become a big star. His best known role: playing a prop comic on an episode of “Seinfeld” in 1994. But the often salty Italian (who does not normally use props) has developed enough of a fan base to headline the Punchline regularly for the past two decades. He’ll be back this weekend.
“Atlanta was actually one of my first cities to headline,” Irrera told Buzz. “It also has the hottest babes. It’s a great mix of people.”
Irrera still marvels over the power of his brief “Seinfeld” appearance. “I get recognized in New Zealand!” he said. “I had no idea at the time this would end up becoming one of the greatest sitcoms ever.”
First comes love, then …
Tom Cruise told a German tabloid in its Monday edition that he wanted to tie the knot this summer with fiancée Katie Holmes, after the birth of their baby and the release of his new movie, “Mission: Impossible III.”
Cruise was in Germany to plug the film on the country’s popular “Wetten Dass …” (“I’ll Bet …”) TV show. He said on the show Saturday that two pilots were at the ready to fly him home should Holmes go into labor.
“If Katie calls, I’m gone,” Cruise said, insisting that he wanted to be present at the birth of their first child.
Cruise confirmed to Bild that he and
Holmes planned to marry. “First the baby, then the film,” he was quoted as saying. “Then, in summer, we want to get married. I won’t let this woman get away.”
Cruise is starring in and co-producing the third installment in the “Mission: Impossible” series, filmed in China and Italy. It is due to be released on May 5.
Glasses up
The High Museum Wine Auction took in a record $2.6 million over the weekend at Atlantic Station, a 16 percent increase over last year. Auction sales alone were more than $1.4 million, also a record. (Sponsorships, ticket sales and donations make up the rest.) The highest bid of $91,000 was made on a wine-tasting for 20 with Julian and Susan LeCraw, an Atlanta couple with a renowned collection.
Concerts announced
The Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre in Cobb County has a heavy Southern accent this summer. Acts include Atlanta-based classic rockers Kansas (May 6), local R&B group B5 (June 3), Southern-fried rockers .38 Special (June 9), new-school country star Terri Clark (June 16), old-school country act Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers (June 23) and “American Idol” winner Ruben Studdard (July 15). Prices range from $15 to $55.
Celebrity birthdays
Poet Maya Angelou is 78. Bandleader Hugh Masekela is 67. Actor Craig T. Nelson (“Coach”) is 62. Actress Caroline McWilliams (“Soap”) is 61. Actor Robert Downey Jr. is 41. Actor Heath Ledger is 27. Actress Jamie Lynn Spears (“Zoey 101”) is 15.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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