Contemporary+Partnership

Copyright 2004 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution The Atlanta Journal-Constitution August 26, 2004 Thursday Home Edition SECTION: accessAtlanta; Pg. 35P

LENGTH: 334 words

HEADLINE: VIZARTS: They'll party arty to hail partnership

BYLINE: JERRY CULLUM

SOURCE: For the Journal-Constitution

BODY: ENGAGEMENT PARTIES can get downright out of hand when they're supposed to. And "Engagement," the art party Saturday marking the new partnership between the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center and IMAGE Film and Video Center, headlines two performance groups for whom getting out of hand artistically is what it's all about.

For the record, it's IMAGE who's moving in, and the Contemporary is hosting a "celebratory fund-raiser" that features dance-friendly art rock and a burlesque show on a mission.

GYPSY CABARET: Gogol Bordello has been an underground phenomenon in New York since 1998, if anything can be underground after rocking out the Whitney Biennial. Nine members serve up what's been called a multicultural musical meltdown of Gypsy cabaret fronted by an elegantly mad Ukrainian, Eugene Hutz. With the help of two drum-and-cymbal-banging female sidekicks, he climbs stage equipment, flings himself into the crowd and generally incites a frenzy that The New York Times called "raucous, sweaty, tuneful and recklessly vibrant." (See gogolbordello.com for more.)

NAUGHTY FUN: The Rebelles Burlesque brings a deliciously edgy silliness to the new-style burlesque revival. Self-described as "15 dames" performing under the slogan "For a good cause, wrongdoing may be virtuous," Asheville's Rebelles say they're united by their "love of sex, theater, pop culture, music, political satire and burlesque's most essential element --- the tease." (Check out therebelles.com for more detail.)

TUNES, TOO: DJ Icarus Diver from Atlanta's Sakai Crew breaks away from his usual turntables at Azul in Decatur to round out "Engagement" with a dance mix of deep, soulful house and downtempo sounds.
 * THE 411: $25 for the entertainment and open beer and wine bar; $75 for the buffet and VIP area in addition. 8 p.m. Saturday. Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, 535 Means St. N.W. 404-688-1970, www.thecontemporary.org, www.imagefv.org. Tickets available online at ticketalternative.com.

GRAPHIC: Photo: Gogol Bordello joins the Rebelles Burlesque and DJ music for the "Engagement" party at Atlanta Contemporary Art Center.

LOAD-DATE: August 26, 2004