ROB BECK | 3.19.2008
coming to Atlanta a lot lately, it’s because he
has. But he just can’t seem to make himself
stay away from us — and who’s complaining?
“I'm very picky about working in any one city
too many times because I love doing what I do,
but I also want people to miss me,” says Moran,
who helps kick off a fabulous spring party lineup
with his Easter Sunday jam tea dance at Opera
with C2 Productions.
“But this has been one of those years where
Atlanta has just given me back a lot of love every
time I'm there, and I just want to give it back.”
The boys sure do love Moran, so much so that
they line up around the block whenever he blasts
into town. His Easter Sunday party will surely be
no exception, given what he has planned for his
holiday stint in the dirty south.
“I come with an arsenal,” he says. “My guns
are fully loaded. I always work on music every
week, so I always have new things available.”
That cutting-edge style is all part of the hot
sound the boys have come to expect from
Moran, and he’s not planning to disappoint.
“I think that at this point, people are familiar
with my overall energy,” he says. “I'm not
always playing song by song, I'm playing by
what I feel is moving them and moving me at the
same time.”
The superstar looks forward to his first gig at
the 1150 Peachtree venue since it reopened
under the name of Opera last year. The
atmosphere, he says, is perfect for his particular
brand of beats.
“When I play I just feel like I'm in an opera
anyway,” he says. “Not a dramatic opera where
people are dying, but just giving those long, sexy
journeys. It sounds to me like that place is the
perfect forum to create that.”
man behind the mission, Chris Coleman, who
could become Atlanta's go-to party boy for
spring, with big names scheduled monthly
through the season.
Moran says he’s heard good things about
Coleman from pal Manny Lehman, who also
makes his return to Opera at a C2 party coming
up on April 13.
“Manny had given me such awesome reports
of the experiences that he had working for
Chris,” Moran says. “I was like, ‘Whoa, I want to
get me some of that!’”
When it comes down to his set on Easter,
even if you think you've heard the biggest song
of the night, don’t think for a second Moran is
done with you yet. As per his legendary talents,
the money shot could come when you least
expect it.
“I don’t have to wait for the biggest song to
come on to feel like I’ve had the biggest
moment of the night,” he says. “I try to do
what’s going to create the maximum amount of
emotional return from everybody.”
Moran-inspired emotional high, Atlanta is
more than ready to rock through the months
until summer.
DJ Phil B plays a prelude to Moran’s Easter set the night before at WETbar, and Traxx
Atlanta also gives the boys an excuse to break
their Lent fasts early that same night.
Fernando Jardim and his Carioca parties at
the Bodyshop are starting to heat up on a
monthly basis as well, and WETbar aims to keep
the party going with upcoming sets from the
almost impossibly gorgeous DJ Escape on the
Global Groove Tour, the too-hot-to-touch DJ Tracy
Young, and the always sexy DJ Kio Kio. Thank
you all for providing eye candy along with the ear
candy. For that, we salute you!
The Heretic continues to up its ante, too.
They bring the talents of DJ Joe Gauthreaux to
rock the house in April, the night before Manny
Lehman returns for his C2 throwdown and CD
release party.
For the boys who get a little stir crazy with
only in-town parties, Athens has its annual
Boybutante Ball, while Birmingham offers
another chance to see Moran at the Rites of
Spring series, both in April.
And finally, get ramped up right for summer
with two more out-of-town blockbuster sets of
parties: Pensacola’s Memorial Day Weekend
blowout is just around the corner, with the
bacchanalia that is Gay Days in Orlando hot on
its heels.
Pack some ice, kids, because it’s gonna be a
hot season!
|
