Poets, Artists & Madmen

Atlanta’s cultural scene is a mirror image of the city itself: bustling with talent, flush with options, more than a little bit transient, certainly far-flung, but always full of surprises. There is a little bit of this over here, a little bit of that over there. There are all these seemingly disparate pieces, but without much of a unifying element.

So it goes in the cultural life of a still-growing New South city, where there will often be something old (the Fox Theatre), something new (BEEP BEEP Gallery), something borrowed (the High’s Louvre exhibit) and something that might just blow you away (take your pick). This year’s winners show that we are, indeed, a city that is alternately changing and staying the same. Sometimes it’s both; what could be hipper than hanging out at that old battle axe of a drive-in, the Starlight? How cool is it to see an artist as red-hot as a Radcliffe Bailey or a Fahamu Pecou at the traditional High Museum?

We have a population just large enough to support the gonzo stylings of spoken-word guru the Subliminator one night and a theatrical tribute to the late newspaper columnist Celestine Sibley the next. With one foot in the past and another in the future, Atlanta’s cultural scene may be a bit of a balancing act, but it’s fun to watch straddle.

— David Lee Simmons

Best Place to See a Movie BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick

Starlight Drive-In Theatre and Flea Market

You can see the major Hollywood releases at practically any neighborhood cineplex, but will you enjoy the experience? At a time of high ticket prices and audience misbehavior, going to the movies can be more trouble than just waiting a few months for the DVD release. STARLIGHT SIX DRIVE-IN nearly alwaysmore...

You can see the major Hollywood releases at practically any neighborhood cineplex, but will you enjoy the experience? At a time of high ticket prices and audience misbehavior, going to the movies can be more trouble than just waiting a few months for the DVD release. STARLIGHT SIX DRIVE-IN nearly always guarantees a joyous communal experience, no matter whom you're with, what snacks you're eating or whether you're watching Pirates of the Caribbean or Grindhouse. (Honorable mention: For technical excellence, check out Fernbank's IMAX screen at least once.) less...

Best Theater Company BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick

Theatrical Outfit (Featured)

Since opening the Balzer Theater at the old Herren's Restaurant space alongside the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts, THEATRICAL OUTFIT has proven itself the best place in town to see a play. The Outfit originally relied heavily on theatrical chestnuts after making the risky move downtown, but hasmore...

Since opening the Balzer Theater at the old Herren's Restaurant space alongside the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts, THEATRICAL OUTFIT has proven itself the best place in town to see a play. The Outfit originally relied heavily on theatrical chestnuts after making the risky move downtown, but has since presented increasingly daring and intriguing choices, particularly in the 2006-07 season. Shows such as Waiting to be Invited and Shiloh Rules addressed such eternal Southern themes as segregation and the Civil War from original perspectives, while The God Committee offered the kind of crackling, real-time excitement only live theater can provide. Is it worth the effort of going downtown? The answer is a resounding "Yes!" less...

Best Alternative Art Space BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick

Foundation One Gallery

627-B E. College Ave. 404-806-0925 http://www.foundationonegallery.com A welcoming, nicely laid-out East Decatur Station gallery with a Juxtapoz style, FOUNDATION ONE GALLERY is run by graphic designer and Moscow native Ivan Annikov. The gallery expresses Annikov's taste for urban, graffiti and comic-inspiredmore...

627-B E. College Ave. 404-806-0925 http://www.foundationonegallery.com A welcoming, nicely laid-out East Decatur Station gallery with a Juxtapoz style, FOUNDATION ONE GALLERY is run by graphic designer and Moscow native Ivan Annikov. The gallery expresses Annikov's taste for urban, graffiti and comic-inspired artists in Atlanta and farther afield, from Brooklyn to Finland. If you can't make one of the sceney openings, the photo-packed website is the next best thing for checking out the art and the crowd. less...