The Fox, The Gorilla, The Legend

I’m calling 2023 The Summer of Fun. Last summer was real sucky.  Last summer we dealt with multiple health issues and tragically lost a beloved family member. We had absolutely zero fun in the Summer of 2022.  So, we figured we were due for an exciting, interesting summer this year. Living in a suburb of metro Atlanta, Georgia, we have access to lots of music, art, sports, cultural events, and a hoppin' airport. Taking advantage of our location and some extra spending money, we made plans for some fun activities and a few trips this year. Scattered throughout our summer calendar, we have several concerts lined up.

We just attended our first concert of the summer, and it was a real doozy! It was a fabulous concert at The Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta. The concert was Boz Scaggs and Keb’ Mo’. So, Boz Scaggs is a 1970s/1980s musical icon who sings a jazzy, bluesy, easy music style. You can find his music just about anywhere. His Silk Degrees album was an anchor in the soundtrack of my college career. I remember “Lido Shuffle”, “Georgia”, “Lowdown”, “What Can I Say”, and more songs constantly echoing through the halls of my Freshman dorm. Even so, Boz Scaggs is not an artist that I follow, or even think about much. The opportunity to see him in concert presented itself at a time when we could take advantage. When I realized that he was touring with Keb’ Mo’, I was totally in. Keb’ Mo’ sings in a bluesy style, with a crystal clear voice and a great collection of contemporary roots music. I love his vibe. If you're not familiar with Keb' Mo', you should check his music out. He's really good. All that, and a bag of chips. I thought Boz Scaggs would perform an upbeat, jazzy, feeI-good concert; but, I was just as excited to see Keb’ Mo’. Maybe even more excited.

The Fox Theatre in Atlanta is a cultural institution. As a brief background: the theatre opened in 1929 as a Shriner’s Temple. It boasted a lavish combination of Egyptian and Islamic architecture.  A few years later it was purchased by Fox Enterprises. One of its earliest claims to fame was its star-studded festivities surrounding the world premiere in 1939 of the epic film Gone With The Wind. While it wasn’t the official location of the film’s opening (that was Loew’s Grand Theatre across town, no longer standing), it was an integral part of the festivities with Clark Gable, Vivian Leigh, and the gang. Lots of pomp and circumstance.

I realize there is some 21^st century kickback on the classic movie Gone With the Wind. Let’s just say they would never make that movie in today’s times. Not with its questionable themes of racial stereotypes, spousal rape, and more. Apparently, even back in its day, there was controversy and protest. But, nonetheless, it was a major, groundbreaking movie of the times, and widely celebrated.

The Fox Theatre enjoyed much success and much failure over the years. Its history includes bankruptcy, rescue projects, and restorations efforts. Because of its storied history and lavish architecture, The Fox Theatre is on the list of National Historic Landmarks.

Of course, I did not attend the Gone With the Wind events in 1939. I’m not THAT old. But, I did see the movie Gone With The Wind at The Fox Theatre when I was a child. In summer 1968, my family took a weekend trip to Atlanta GA. It was about 3.5 hours from my home in South Carolina. At the time, Atlanta was the biggest city I had ever visited. I don’t remember all the details about the trip, but I do remember 3 big city excursions.

Excursion Number 1:

My first visit* to The Fox Theater was on that trip to Atlanta in 1968 for a re-showing of the original Gone With The Wind. As a kid, I remember sitting in the elaborately decorated theatre watching the movie. The movie went on and on. There was a little bit of action and A LOT of dialogue. I didn’t know many of the historical references, so I was mostly in the dark as far as plot went. I remember that FINALLY, there was a closing scene in which Scarlett O’Hara, broken and dismayed, standing among dismally drab radish plants, bravely vowed, “ I will never be hungry again!” Ok, good ending. I remember that the heavy red drapes closed on the movie screen, the lights came on, and then my dad announced that it was intermission. Inter-What? He replied, "Intermission. The 2^nd half of the movie will start in a few minutes."  I cried out in disbelief. The only thing that kept my head from exploding was that my dad took us into the lobby to buy a box of popcorn. Without that, I would never have made it through the next 1.5 hours of the epic drama.

_{* Full Transparency -- It's possible we actually went to a different regally decorated theater, like Loew's Grand Theatre, I'm not 100% sure. But I like the story better at The Fox.}

Excursion Number 2:

On our 1968 Atlanta trip, we also visited the zoo, which I believe was called Grant Park Zoo . My current research says that during that timeframe the zoo was being renovated to accommodate open spaces with natural animal habitats. Not sure, but my memory is of animals in small cages. At 8 years old, I hadn’t been to many zoos because there weren’t any around us. Maybe the zoo was modernizing, but I picture the old traditional zoo with caged bars. I do remember seeing the zoo’s new arrival, its only gorilla, a youngster named Willie B.  Over the years, Willie B., the great Silverback, became a beloved symbol of conservation efforts at (the updated and renamed) Zoo Atlanta, and he died in 2000 at the ripe old age of 45. Apparently, he was eulogized by US Ambassador (and former mayor of Atlanta) Andrew Young, with 5000 people in attendance. Yep, I saw Willie B. when he was a little tot. Photos from zooatlanta.org

Excursion Number 3:

The final excursion that I remember on that 1968 trip to Atlanta was going to watch the Atlanta Braves baseball game. Back in those days there weren’t many ballgames shown on TV where we lived. We did not have much exposure to baseball. But, my dad wanted us to go to a Major League Baseball game, and The Braves were the closest team, having relocated from Milwaukee in 1966. I remember our seats being very high in the stadium. I also remember the game being long (again with the looong timing). I remember some cheering and ballpark hotdogs. Recently, I was absolutely thrilled to find the program that my dad had saved from that 1968 game. Here are some interesting pics from the program. 

The Braves beat the New York Mets 4-2. By looking at the stats that my dad kept, I realize that I watched Hank Aaron, Phil Neikro, and Joe Torre play.  At first glance, I thought that Hank Aaron had scored a Home Run, (how exciting!!), but on closer look, I think he had a hit, then scored when Joe Torre hit a Home Run on the next at bat. I think that’s how to read the stats chart. Still exciting!

In case you don’t know, Hank Aaron went on to break the Major League Baseball record for most Home Runs in 1974. He was threatened and targeted by racist agitators as he neared Babe Ruth’s longstanding record. But, he had plenty of fans, too.  When I saw him play in 1968, his Home Run total was 490.  Six years later, he hit his 715^th Home Run to break the record. This, from the program, shows some of his accomplishments so far, as of the Braves/Mets game we attended in summer 1968.

So, there’s my walk down memory lane, which brings us back to today. I cannot tell you how much we enjoyed the Boz Scaggs/ Keb’ Mo’ concert at The Fabulous Fox Theatre. But I will try.  Keb’ Mo’ performed with a driving but chill beat, with captivating guitar picking and strumming, and an incredible band. His voice just dug into your soul. We wanted to listen to more and more, and the audience let out a collective “Awwwww” of disappointment when he announced the end of his set. Boz Scaggs was energetic and spry for a 79 year-old. His voice carried clear and smoothly. He embraced blues roots and jazz roots and played with a masterful band. After one particularly intense sequence of solo instrument performances, I was completely exhausted from giving it my all, connecting with the music. I know, weird. On the big hits, I was on my feet, dancing, singing, and celebrating the art of music. (I mean, singing the song “Georgia” in Georgia? C’mon people, let’s get rowdy!)

So, there you have it. The Fox, The Gorilla, and the Legend. That’s my story about a trip from my Past and an excursion in my Present. Tell me what fun or exciting things you can recommend, because I’m ready for more fun in my Future!