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Decatur's After
Dark Quiet
Upstaged by
Art/Bar/Cafe
The quiet of downtown Decatur late at
night is so severe that even the pigeons
haven't discovered available housing among
freshly erected multi-story buildings.
Not a single skinhead, teenage punk or
spare change seeker waits along the deserted
city streets in the evening. It has, for several
decades, been the lifeless buffer between
Atlanta's bustling intown neighborhoods and
burgeoning perimeter suburbs to the
northeast
Lately, however, the occasional rumble of
Marta's underground stop in the heart of this
sleepy little village has begun to be
challenged, even after the sun goes down,
with the opening of restaurants that serve after
the southern dinner hour.
The most progressive nightlife venture to
attempt breaking this after-dark silence is the
new Upstage Cafe at 515 North McDonough
Street, across from the DeKalb County
Courthouse and within a stone's throw of the
Marta station.
Neatly nestled upstairs above the long
deserted first floor department store (Belk's)
turned ill-fated restaurant (Occasions),
Upstage has developed a concept in
entertainment/food service which even it's
international sister city hasn't attempted. Self-
proclaimed to be an "art/bar/cafe," it has
succeeded.
"We're trying to offer an alternative to the
downtown sports bars," explains Upstage
general manager Jim Williamson. Obviously,
owner John Tullos didn’t stop at the chain
model success pattern established by the
Peasant group, either.
A house specials menu of black beans and
rice, pasta jambalaya, and grilled fish are all
priced under $10, complemented by
sandwiches, salads and appetizers in the $5
range. Freshly baked desserts provide the last
temptation.
"Our menu will change seasonally,"
manager Williamson notes, "because our
recipes are based on the availability of fresh
herbs and authentic local dishes of the
region." For instance, a house speciality
planned for the winter menu is "ffogmore
stew," a combination of new potatoes, onions,
Italian sausage, shrimp and red wine, served
with a side of french bread.
Upstage Cafe manager Jim Williamson
As enticing as the menu is the
contemporary approach to exposing the artists
and performers of the area. On entering,
customers climb a gallery stairwell toward an
expansive two-way choice of experiences. To
the left double doors open into a 100-plus-seat
cabaret which dedicates an equal amount of
attention to a flexible stage and expansive
gallery wall space.
To the right, a horse-shoe full-service bar is
surrounded by natural wood tables and looks
out through glassed-in walls onto a large deck
and uninterrupted skyline. All together, it is
clean, classy and creative. It is just what you
would expect to find in Greenwich Village. It
is surprising for Decatur.
Currently featuring the paintings of Miles
S. Boyd and Edward Lewis through October
15, entertainment at the Upstage changes
weekly with performances at 9 PM
Wednesday through Saturday.
Writer/performers Pearl Cleage and Zaron
Burnett will appear September 14-17,
followed by singer/songwriters Caroline
Aiken on Septemmber 21 and Mike Whitney
on September 22. Avant-garde musician
Bruce Hampton and his Arkansas Travelers
will perform September 23-24, with John
O'Connor filling the space on September 28
29. Closing the month's calendar will be Arts
Alive, a dance event featuring Several
Dancers Core and the African Dance
Ensemble September 30 and October 1.
For information about Upstage showings,
performances or dining options, contact
manager Williamson at 373-8270; or, better
yet, stop by before their late night closing
(midnight weekdays, 2 AM weekends) and
fill out a card for the Upstage mailing list. ,
You'll discover a unique little pocket of
atmosphere up there on the roof in quiet
downtown Decatur.
-John Blizzard
Romanovsky & Phillips:
Just Plain Queer
WARNING! The reviewer
of this album is in actuality
a rock-n-roller, and all
comments concerning folk
music should be viewed in
that light.
That said, let's talk about
Romanovsky & Phillips’
new album Emotional
Rollercoaster (Fresh Fruit
Records). Ron Romanovsky
and Paul Phillips are two gay
guys, unabashedly so, and
this is their third album
together. The unabashed
gayness is perhaps their
strongest point: very few of
the “women's music”
performers are as out there
as these two. From songs of
love gone (almost) bad
(“Emotional Rollercoaster”
and “I've Created a
Monster”) to songs with a
more socio/political bent
(“Living with AIDS” and
“The Sodomy Song”), their
songs are just plain Queer.
Songs like “Straightening
Up the House” portray the anxieties, the
rituals of making our homes “straight” for the
impending parental visit (We'll decorate the
guest room so it looks like it's been
used!Separate our wardrobes or she’ll really
be confusedy-right down to the realization
that maybe we should chuck it and just
clean...
The Advocate has called Romanovsky &
Phillips “The Smothers Brothers of the ’80s,”
and while there are a few glimpses of that on
Emotional Rollercoaster, the duo’s humour
shines through much better on their previous
album, Trouble in Paradise. Ron
Romanovsky does most of the writing here,
as well as playing guitar and piano on most
cuts. The harmonies of the two are on target,
but some of the vocal arrangements are
overdone, such as Paul’s “answering” of
Ron’s lead vocal line by repeating it (quite
common in folk music; see warning above).
This technique worked much better on
Trouble in Paradise.
Produced by E. Marcy Dicterow-Vaj,
Carol Dix, and Ron & Paul, Emotional
Romanovsky & Phillips
Rollercoaster is not as strong an album as
Trouble in Paradise, (well produced by
Teresa Trull with back-up musicians from
Windham Hill). And the song selection is a
little weaker here: there's a certain naiveteb
in, for example, "The Woman Next Door"
(about domestic violence) especially
compared to Tracy Chapman’s “Behind the
Wall.” In Romanovsky & Phillips’ version
“she’s finally safe now alone with her
son.. .the long night of healing has just
begun” while in Chapman’s version “the
police always come too late if they come at
all.” This naiveteb, coupled with the album’s
simple folk melodies, does become tedious
after a few listenings, unlike Trouble, which
fairly whipped along with innovative
arrangements and some really witty lyrics.
Reviewer’s note: Romanovsky & Phillips
will be performing at the Unitarian
Universalist Church on 10131188,8 pm,
produced by Sister Sister. Be there.
—KC Wildmoon
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Be A Part!
ACTING WORKSHOPS
Leading to a December 1988 community production of
For Love & For Life II
Five weekends beginning Saturday October 1
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Little 5 Points Community Center, corner of Euclid and Austin
$10, but no one will be excluded for lack of funds
Limited to 25 participants; call 584-2104 to register
Southeastern
Arts, Media and
Education Project
How To Get the Most
From Your Doctor
1. Talk to someone you trust with your deepest concerns.
2. Formulate personal goals for your health.
3. Co-design actions for achieving the results you want.
4. Get started soon.
I would be pleased to use my training and experience to help you
enjoy reaching your goals.
1375 Peachtree Street,
Suite 187, Atlanta
872-5260
STOSH OSTROW, M.D.
General Practice
3^