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I know you’re a very private person, and you’re probably still smarting from your recent breakup with rock star and former Atlanta resident JOHN MAYER (pictured). But I’d like to personally invite you to attend your ex’s sold-out headlining gig at local radio station Star 94’s annual STARFEST concert tonight at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. I’m not a former Eddie’s Attic fixture and I haven’t penned ubiquitous soft-rock hits like “Your Body is a Wonderland” and “Daughters.” I haven’t fronted my own blues trio, either. And my new concert film wasn’t bundled in as a freebie with purchase of a new Blu-ray player, as John’s “Where the Light Is” was. But I also don’t make his ridiculous guitar faces, either, and I’ve never dated Jennifer Love Hewitt or Jessica Simpson. Oh, and I won’t make you sit through opener OneRepublic. What do you say?
Kevin
Photo: Matt Cardy/Getty Images The first Monday in September was originally set aside as a day off for working stiffs. But that one day has long since morphed into the extravaganza we know and love as LABOR DAY WEEKEND. As befits its status as the undisputed big daddy of holiday weekends, the coming three-day (or more) blowout offers Atlantans a number of ways to commemorate the end of summer in style. Here are our favorites: With two days of movies, killer tunes, a bitchin’ car show, overnight camping and the mother of all tailgate parties, DRIVE INVASION has staked an undisputable claim as the ATL’s premier hipster celebration. This year’s event includes comedy (“Blazing Saddles,” “Kentucky Fried Movie”) and sci-fi classics (“Barbarella,” “Forbidden Planet”), as well as Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers, the Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash and Atlanta garage-rockers the Forty-Fives. Saturday and Sunday at the Starlight Six Drive-In. www.driveinvasion.com. Now in its third year, the DECATUR BOOK FESTIVAL has grown into a nationally recognized feather in the city’s cap (the fact that the fest’s daily-paper sponsor covers books now mostly as an afterthought is just a delightfully ironic bonus). This year’s impressive roster of national and local names includes Billy Collins (Friday’s keynote speaker), Pearl Cleage, Rick Bragg, Eric Jerome Dickey, Karin Slaughter, Elizabeth Dewberry and Roy Blount Jr., as well as a closing concert by Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers on Sunday. For complete schedules and other information: www.decaturbookfestival.com. Last but not least, DRAGON*CON, Atlanta’s annual passport to other worlds, offers a stellar lineup (pun intended) of sci-fi, fantasy, comics and pop-cultural figures, from “Heroes” hottie Hayden Panettiere (pictured) to Kevin Sorbo, Edward James Olmos (“Battlestar Galactica”), Avery Brooks, Adam West and Beau Bridges. Oh, yeah—and hundreds of self-proclaimed geeks in elaborate costumes. Friday-Monday at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Atlanta Hilton and the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel. www.dragoncon.org.
Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images I couldn't be more thrilled! In an early draft of my column, I write the following about Sarah Palin: "One excellent VP choice was suggested for McCain by former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina on Fox during the Democratic National Convention. Considering the alienation of women over Obama’s treatment of Hillary Clinton, why not pick a woman? How about Sarah Palin, the young, attractive and out-spoken governor of Alaska? I could live with that. With one son in the Army and another with Down’s syndrome, Palin intimately knows the challenges that face American families, the specters of war, inadequate health care and narrow educational options, and she knows how hard it is for women to break down barriers in the world of work."
I wanted McCain to pick Bobby Jindal as his running mate, but back in July it became clear that Jindal, who took office as Louisiana’s governor in January, intended to stay in Louisiana. Joe Lieberman would also have been a good choice. But all the indications are that the GOP has successfully steamrolled the fiercely independent John McCain into playing ball with the religious right. It looks as though he’ll be choosing Mitt Romney. Or maybe Tim Pawlenty. Either one will be poison for the Republican ticket. Either one will insure that the GOP loses the White House. The GOP theocrats have utterly underestimated the group of people who have stood by John McCain longer than anyone else—the irreligious independents, people who may believe in God but who certainly never wanted religion to become the focal point of any political campaign. - Grant Park Summer Shade Festival: Tastings at Corks & Forks, a 5K race, music (including Geoff Achison, pictured) and lots of fun stuff for the kids. Aug. 30-31 at Grant Park. www.summershade.org.
- Skirts: Petticoats to Crinoline: Skip the expensive museum thing and scope out some fashion at the Auburn Avenue Research Library, showcasing garments worn by black women from 1887-1950. Through Sept. 22. www.afplweb.com/aarl.
- Summer Spotlight Cabaret: Atlanta’s Lyric Theatre hosts its final musical cabaret performance of the season Thursday Aug. 28 at 8 p.m., with complimentary wine and nibbles.
Sherlita Patton (wife of Antwan "Big Boi" Patton) and Tracy Valentine's fabulously fashionable P Valentine boutique is closing up shop, despite their celebrity clientele. The store is dropping prices dramatically to rid themselves of inventory. The last open day is Thursday, so scoot over there before all the goods are gone forever. Earlier this month, Republic of Georgia President Saakashvili took the same action that any leader would take to hold his country together in the face of what looks suspiciously like a classic Russian infiltration and incitement job, a leftover from the days of Putin's old alma mater, the KGB. Americans cannot imagine having a state try to secede and the severe security problem that would present--even though such a secession by numerous states was brutally--though rightfully-- put down in the American Civil War. Even if Barack Obama were president, if a state tried to secede, he'd send in the troops to keep it from happening bc of the extremely dangerous security risk the renegade state would present to the other US states. He might be raking in millions from his musical artistry, but Jermaine Dupri can't seem to share the wealth with his employees of Café Dupri, which mysteriously shut down last week. “The economy has changed dramatically and people just aren’t eating out as much anymore,” Dupri told AllHipHop.com. “People are cutting back everywhere and a lot of companies, including Café Dupri, are feeling the effect. For the past two months business at the Café has been down and if the business isn’t making money, I feel its a smart move to shut it down. Bottom line: if it doesn't make money, it doesn't make sense.” Employees of the cafe recently appeared on local television station WSB-TV saying they weren't paid for their work after showing up last week and seeing a sign that read, "Thanks for patronizing Café Dupri. We have closed indefinitely." The Georgia Aquarium just announced the addition of a female manta ray named Nandi to the 6.3 million gallon Ocean Voyager gallery. Nandi makes Georgia Aquarium the only aquarium in the United States to ever house a manta ray and one of only four aquariums in the world to display this species. Nandi will join four whale sharks and thousands of other animals in the world’s largest aquarium exhibit. No shrinking violet, Nandi, who measures more than nine feet across and weighs approximately 456 lbs, flew 9,000 miles on a chartered 747-200 aircraft from Durban, South Africa through Cape Verde, Africa, to Atlanta. The manta ray was under the care and supervision of Georgia Aquarium and uShaka Marine World professional staff and maintained by a highly advanced marine life support system. Nandi was rescued from shark nets off the coast of Durban, South Africa, in April 2007 and rehabilitated by uShaka Marine World, the largest marine park in Africa. She has lived in uShaka for the past year, but we're pleased as punch that Nandi's here in the ATL for us to see her. “Sweeney Todd” filmmaker Tim Burton is 50 on Aug. 25. We’re just gonna come out and say it: Over. Rated. Rocker Gene Simmons (pictured) is 59 on Aug. 25. And if you think his KISS makeup is scary, you should see him without it. Food personality Rachael Ray is 40 on Aug. 26. Is it just us, or does her perpetually perky countenance make Paula Deen look normal by comparison? Ritalin-deprived comic actor Jack Black is 39 on Aug. 28. When will Oscar finally recognize his talent for portraying one-note, hyperactive man-boys? Speaking of entertainers who’ll never grow up, Michael Jackson is 50 on Aug. 29. Buy him something nice, won’t you, Bubbles? “Charlie’s Angels” actress Cameron Diaz is 36 on Aug. 30. Don’t you just get the feeling she’s a royal pain in the rear in real life?
Photo: Dave Etheridge-Barnes/Getty Images
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