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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2007 > January > 09 > Entry
Angelou plans ‘A Pledge’ at King concert
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Poet-novelist-activist Maya Angelou will read her latest poem, “A Pledge to Rescue Our Youth,” at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s 15th annual “A King Celebration” memorial concert, to be performed Thursday at the King International Chapel at the civil rights leader’s alma mater, Morehouse College. The show will be broadcast nationally on the King holiday (locally on WABE-FM, 90.1).
In 1959, the civil rights leader appointed Angelou to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, as its northern coordinator. At the invitation of Bill Clinton, she was only the second poet to speak at a presidential inauguration. She’s now spokeswoman for a series of “Dream in Color” events sponsored by Target that seek to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Among holiday events across the country, the ASO is the only orchestral performance. Target will hand out a free CD of past “King Celebration” highlights.
Grammys run-up
Generating buzz for the 49th Grammy Awards show, Feb. 11, starts early. Tuesday night at 8, the Atlanta chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences will play host to several Georgia nominees at Phipps Plaza’s Tiffany & Co. for a private event. A record number of nominees associated with the Peach State are in the running this year — 52 by one count. Mall rats and other members of the gawking public should be able to catch the bejeweled likes of Ludacris, Jane Fonda, T.I., Akon, Third Day and Field Mob walking up the red carpet.
And more harmony
Remember Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder crooning “Ebony and Ivory”?
Well, that’s kind of what Q100 and V-103 are cooking up this Sunday with a special “Unity” mixer/party at Lotus Lounge in the refurbished Lindbergh Center. The goal: bring Q100’s predominantly non-African-American audience and V-103’s mostly black crowd together.
A few months ago, Q100’s Bert Weiss had called V-103’s Frank Ski on the air to discuss “Survivor” when the reality show had separated its tribes by race. But the discussion soon segued into Atlanta’s nightlife scene and why most clubs cater specific nights to specific races.
“This is supposed to be the city too busy to hate,” Ski told Buzz. “Whites and blacks don’t party together. When Vision was open, Friday night was my night, and Saturday was Bert’s night.”
So they decided to try this experiment in racial mingling, picking the night before the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Lotus was open to the idea, but Weiss said “we ran the idea by some club owners, and they thought it would never work.”
Since the two stations are rivals and share some audience, Ski said it took a bit of finesse to get V-103’s management to agree. “It was like the Middle East peace talks,” he joked.
Weiss, who said his management was fine with the idea from the start, has no clue how many people will show up but said it’s good to start in a relatively small space like Lotus, which fits about 400 people. “If we do well, we can always go somewhere bigger later on,” he said.
Jurassic nights
In the Ben Stiller comedy “Night at the Museum,” the dinosaurs and other exhibits come to life after hours. But the hit movie, No. 1 at the box office for three weekends straight, seems to be bringing extra life to a variety of dino places — including Atlanta’s Fernbank Museum of Natural History — during regular hours, too.
New York’s American Museum of Natural History, whose exterior is featured in the film, reported a 20 percent increase in attendance during the holidays. And on Monday, Fernbank claimed an 18 percent attendance boost since the film’s opening. During the two weeks spanning Dec. 22-Jan. 5, the Atlanta museum drew 21,841 visitors, up from its same-period average for the five previous years of 18,504.
“The film is revealing the wow factor that lies around every corner at a place like Fernbank Museum of Natural History,” says spokesperson Brandi Berry, who acknowledges that people pushing to see Fernbank’s ambitious “Imperial Rome” exhibit of art and artifacts before it closed Jan. 3 may have been a factor, too.
In any case, Fernbank is looking to another movie to help it through the inevitable post-holiday blahs. The Imax film “Hurricane on the Bayou,” capturing the impact of Hurricane Katrina, opens there Jan. 20.
Overscene
R&B singer-songwriter Algebra and bassist-rapper Divinity (taking a holiday break from playing in Beyoncé’s all-female band), both at David Ryan Harris’ weekend performance at Smith’s Olde Bar. Harris was himself taking a break from playing with fellow former Atlantan John Mayer; an opportunity that’s afforded him a brush (of sorts) with Oprah Winfrey.
“I tried to slip her my CD, because I really think she should do a show about women who are crazy about their bodies,” Harris said, recalling when he accompanied Mayer on Winfrey’s popular TV chat show. “And I think [my song] ‘Pretty Girl’ should be playing when she does it,” he added with a laugh. “Anyway, she appeared, like, right before the show was supposed to start. And was gone — like magic — when it was over. So I didn’t get a chance to hit up almighty Oprah.”
Celebrity birthdays
Singer-songwriter Joan Baez is 66. Guitarist Jimmy Page is 63. Singer-songwriter Crystal Gayle is 56. Pop star Dave Matthews (left) is 40. Pitcher Jay Powell is 35. Supermodel Maggie Rizer is 29. British royal girlfriend Kate Middleton is 25.
HIGH FIVE
Top 5 Songs on 92.9 Dave FM
For the week of Jan. 1-7
1. Keane, “Nothing in My Way”
2. Snow Patrol, “Chasing Cars”
3. Ray LaMontagne, “Three More Days”
4. John Mayer, “Belief”
5. Gomez, “See the World”
Source: Mediabase 24/7
Contributing: Rodney Ho, Howard Pousner, 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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