We thought this issue went away, but it's rising up from the ashes to provide headaches to area restaurant owners and musicians once again.

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Department is holding several meetings, the next one is on Jan. 24 at 6 p.m., to address the current regulations of restaurants, nightclubs, bars and lounges. The most recent proposal being discussed would eliminate sources of entertainment inside such establishments after midnight if they are within 400 feet of residential areas. The city is concerned that some restaurants may technically meet the current definition of a nightclub, bar or lounge.

The Charlotte Zoning Ordinance currently defines a nightclub as any commercial establishment serving alcoholic beverages and providing entertainment for patrons including bars, lounges and cabarets. A restaurant is defined as an establishment designed, in whole or in part, to accommodate the consumption of food and/or beverages.

As we stated last year when this subject was brought up -

For establishments in areas such as Elizabeth (Kennedy's, Philospher's Stone, etc.), Plaza Midwood (Snug Harbor, Common Market, etc.) and locations outside of uptown, this would mean no live or recorded music, no karaoke, no comedians, no playing pool or other entertainment-related activities after midnight. (In other words, it would affect some of the city's better music clubs in some of its more artistically adventurous neighborhoods. Uptown establishments would not be affected.) Does anyone else hear the Footloose theme song in their head?

The Jan. 24 meeting will be held in room 267 at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center (CMGC), 600 E. Fourth St.

OK, so it would have been cooler if John Lennon had fronted Nirvana last night. (Actually, it would have been cooler if Kurt Cobain had fronted Nirvana last night, but I digress.)

We gotta admit it: our hopes and expectations were pretty damn low when we heard "the cute Beatle" would be filling in for the late Cobain during Wednesday night's Nirvana "reunion" at the 12/12/12 Concert to benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy. Thoughts of Macca wailing "Rape Me" had us a bit nervous, although we could envision a hearty "Helter Skelter."

Surprise! Macca and the Nirvana dudes - drummer Dave Grohl, bassist Krist Novaselic and guitarist Pat Smear - hit it out of the ballpark. They even introduced a brand new song. And it's a good song. Very "Helter Skelter"-ish.

He opened Western ears to non-Western sounds.

• Shankar in 2009

According to the New York Times...

Mr. Shankar had suffered from upper respiratory and heart ailments in the last year and underwent heart-valve replacement surgery last Thursday, his family said in a statement.

Mr. Shankar, a soft-spoken, eloquent man whose performance style embodied a virtuosity that transcended musical languages, was trained in both Eastern and Western musical traditions. Although Western audiences were often mystified by the odd sounds and shapes of the instruments when he began touring in Europe and the United States in the early 1950s, Mr. Shankar and his ensemble gradually built a large following for Indian music.

The Asheville, N.C., festival formerly known as Moogfest has been renamed as the Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit for 2013 due to Moog Music Inc. deciding not to re-license the name to AC Entertainment.

From 2010 to 2012, Moogfest hosted a variety of acts including Massive Attack, Thievery Corporation, Orbital, Tangerine Dream, Jonsi, Richie Hawtin, Carl Craig and Brian Eno.

"We're taking this opportunity to rethink the event a bit and challenge ourselves," AC Entertainment CEO Ashley Capps says. "While we are still focused on Halloween weekend, that time of year has its difficulties and we've been encouraged to consider other options."

Creative Loafing will be on top of this story, bringing new developments as more details are released.

Charlotte singer/songwriter Grey Revell may be best-known these days for his YouTube sensation "Gone Gone," featured in a Hewlett-Packard TV ad that's swept across Latin America and Eastern Europe, creating a viral-like buzz everywhere, it seems, but here at home. Now, Revell is using his talents to help two young babies whose mother, a friend of Revell's, died during childbirth.

Recorded in Belmont, I Don't Leave Friends in Darkened Houses is a three-song digital EP highlighted by the Latin-tinged psych-folk title track. All of the album's proceeds between November 27 and January 6 will go directly to the Snyder Twins, Reverie and Jackson, both born healthy on November 25, but will sadly never get to meet their mother, Michal Friedman. Michal died hours after giving birth, due to complications from a C section.

Ever since August of 2011, when it was announced that Avett Brothers bassist Bob Crawford's daughter was battling brain cancer, fans have shown their support and inquired for updates. Hallie, who is about to turn 3, has finished her chemotherapy and recently started preschool, but that doesn't mean there aren't other children who need help.

"The support Hallie and our family have received from the music community has been astounding," Crawford says. "Fans, friends, fellow musicians, writers and producers have lifted us up and carried us through these dark days. Of course, we believe strongly in the power of prayer and we ask everyone to say a prayer for Hallie and all the other children who are fighting cancer."

When Hallie was first diagnosed, Crawford went on hiatus from touring with the Avett Brothers. He recently rejoined the group, after one year away, as Hallie's condition improved. Crawford recently spoke to CL about Hallie for our cover story on the Avett Brothers.

Musician Ben Folds, who grew up in Winston-Salem, N.C., hit Twitter on Sunday to pitch his band, Ben Folds Five, as a pit band for a Charlotte Bobcats game this season.

Folds sent out Twitter messages to his followers:

(and this one to Bobcat player Mike Kidd-Gilchrist):

And the Bobcats replied:

Ben Folds Five had their first hit with "Brick" in the mid-1990s. The band's piano-driven brand of rock was filled with sarcasm and wit. After a 2000 breakup, Folds released six solo albums before reuniting with Ben Folds Five in 2011.

No word yet if a deal has been finalized, but keep an eye, and ear, out to see if it happens.