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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2007 > November > 30 > Entry
Seedy, smelly Santa’s not for everybody
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Leave it to Criminal Records in Little Five Points to offer a counterculture alternative to that high-end Phipps Plaza Santa. Today, for the fourth year running, hundreds of fans of the indie music emporium are expected to line up to have a photo taken with a particularly nasty St. Nick, played by Atlanta raconteur Henry Owings. Parents, be warned, this really bad Santa sports a bottle of booze, a smelly stogie and an even worse reeking suit.
And Criminal customers love him.
“Some people look at him and think it’s completely horrible,” concedes Criminal Records owner Eric Levin. “But other families have adopted this as their yearly Christmas picture and bring the children and Grandma along. If the kids are cool and their parents are cool, this is a good tradition for you. But you have to like getting yelled at. He gives a full performance.”
Customers can retrieve their free snapshots by going to Criminal.com next week.
Says Levin: “I’ll be behind the camera, snapping away. We tried this with a professional photographer, but they wanted everything perfect and that’s not what this is really about. You gotta keep that line moving!”
The Criminal Records Santa will be not so proudly on display today from noon to 6 p.m. at 466 Moreland Ave.
FRAM HONORED
The March of Dimes bestowed on 99X Program Director Leslie Fram the lifetime achievement award at its annual radio shindig Thursday night at the Intercontinental Hotel in Buckhead. The organization also raised $110,000, $10,000 more than its goal. Jimmy Baron, who worked with Fram for more than a dozen years at 99X until last year, introduced Fram.
“In my career, I’ve spent a significant amount of time flying around the country to banquets presenting Leslie with plaques,” he said. Baron, who is now producing a potential reality show for a major broadcast network, joined 99X in 1993 from Chicago. “I was looking to leave Chicago,” he said. “I was working for a guy who was temperamental and irrational and a raging jerk. I couldn’t wait till I came here so I didn’t have to deal with that type of personality.”
This got a big laugh because it’s well known Baron and fellow Morning X alum Steve Barnes, who was not in attendance, didn’t get along. And maybe, just maybe, this was an allusion to Barnes. Or maybe not.
PLEDGE TIME
For its pledge drive campaign tonight, WPBA 30 is pulling out the big bows. Specifically, “Bowfire,” a new TV special featuring the superstar string group created by artistic director Lenny Solomon. The jazz violinist is even flying in for an in-studio appearance Saturday night starting at 8:30. Bowfire has attracted a global following by daring to merge hip-hop, classical, jazz, Celtic and Chinese influences into an energized stage show with fiddling dancers.
“We look at them each night and just marvel,” Solomon told us this week, laughing. “It’s really quite amazing.”
While he was on the phone, Solomon spilled that the group is returning to the Fox Theatre for a scheduled May 8 gig. He says the venue is among the group’s favorites.
“Both aesthetically and acoustically, it’s just a jewel,” he says. “We’re looking forward to going back.”
As you might expect, Solomon says that having so many diverse players in Bowfire lends itself to some continuing musical education on tours. “You’ll be backstage and suddenly your ear is being pulled into a dressing room by what someone is playing,” Solomon says. “You walk in and inevitably ask, ‘What is that you’re doing!? We’re all constantly learning from each other.”
“Bowfire” debuts at 8:30 on WPBA 30 Saturday night.
CHELKO ART SALE TO HELP CHARITY
Collectors of late Atlanta artist Paul Chelko will want to head to his Buckhead gallery today through Monday. That’s when more than 500 pieces of his original works — from hand-painted clothing, ornamental vessels and original oils, pen and ink pieces — will be sold to help settle the artist’s estate and to provide some financial legs to the Chelko Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women and ending gender discrimination. According to foundation president Randi Layne, 25 percent of sales will go to the charity. Prices will range from $100 up to $50,000.
“Paul personally earmarked many of the pieces that will be sold,” Layne told us Friday. “I’ve already heard from many of his collectors who are excited about this opportunity.”
Chelko’s Gallery, at 5200 Peachtree Road, Suite 3413, will be open from noon to 6 p.m. today through Monday. When you arrive at the address, call 404-993-0306, and you’ll be buzzed up.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Joyce is very trusting.”
— WSB-TV Action News anchor Monica Pearson on Thursday night’s broadcast as reporter Joyce Oscar gallantly walked across a busy rush-hour Alpharetta intersection during a live shot. Oscar was reporting on a police crackdown on motorists who fail to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Today: Actor-director Woody Allen is 72. Actress-singer Bette Midler is 62. Comedian Sarah Silverman is 37.
Sunday: Actress Julie Harris is 82. Bassist Nate Mendel of Foo Fighters is 39. Actress Lucy Liu is 39. Singer Nelly Furtado is 29. Singer Britney Spears is 26.
Contributing: Rodney Ho 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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