Coming soon!
Just saw this posted at pollstar.com and the Neighborhood Theatre Web site: The Black Crowes on Nov. 6 and 7, 2008!
This week’s new releases (4/15)
Here’s a quick rundown of some of the albums being released today: Apocayptica Worlds Collide Asia Phoenix — Yep, they’ve reunited…who would have guessed? Mariah Carey E=MC2 ::yawn:: Not much…
Won’t someone please help poor Bob Johnson?
So now Bobcats owner Bob Johnson is complaining that he’s losing “significant money” because Charlotte isn’t doing enough to support the team. This is from a man who, during “negotiations” with former City Manager Pam Syfert, got everything he wanted from the city including a big free Uptown arena and the right to sell its…
More photos from Wicked
If you’re one of the many people who could NOT snag a ticket to Wicked, you can at least enjoy these extra photos and check out the review in the Arts section.
News Roundup, 4/15/08
McCain calls for a summer ‘gas-tax holiday’: Sen. John McCain called for the federal government to suspend the 18.4 cent federal gas tax and 24.4 cent diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day. He also called for the United States to stop adding to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and thus lessen to some extent…
Wachovia in trouble
— Cartoon by Jim Hunt
Legend to perform after all?
Soul vocalist John Legend was scheduled to just host this week’s concert at Amos’ Southend starring Estelle, the first artist on his new record label. But based on an e-mail sent out today by the event’s promoter, it looks like Legend may belt out a few tunes after all. Here’s the e-mail: HOT OFF THE…
Legend to perform after all?
Soul vocalist John Legend was scheduled to just host this week’s concert at Amos’ Southend starring Estelle, the first artist on his new record label. But based on an e-mail sent out today by the event’s promoter, it looks like Legend may belt out a few tunes after all. Here’s the e-mail: HOT OFF THE…
Water rates rise due to conservation?
Putting a break on watering lawns and washing cars at home may have saved the city’s water supply, but it didn’t stop the Charlotte City Council from raising the water rates by 15 percent. So what’s John Q. Public supposed to do now? Use water like there’s no tomorrow to justify the rate increase? Or…
Dismay at the dog park
Mecklenburg County dog parks will soon be open to everyone, and many dog owners aren’t happy about it. Some say they’ll stop using the parks altogether. Recently, a petition was still circulating that urged the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department to keep the Pooch Pass, a swipe-pass system designed to keep out dogs that…
News Roundup, 4/14/08
Accused priest in Mecklenburg jail: Rev. Robert Yurgel, a Catholic priest, was booked around 9:15 a.m. at Mecklenburg County jail on April 13, charged with having sex with a 14-year-old boy in Charlotte in 1999. The jail’s Web site expects him in court on April 15. Full story: Charlotte.com Clinton, Obama focus on faith at…
Could this be the next episode of Snapped?
My father is alive because of a heart transplant, so I pay close attention to stories about organ donations. The story of the former Hilton Head Heritage golf tournament grabs me because there is something about it that just smells fishy. Today, I noticed that the Georgia Bureau of Investigations isn’t quite ready to rule…
Faith?
It’s a bird. No it’s a plane. No, it’s superwoman also known as Kathie Lee Gifford who has returned to morning talk in the form of co-host of the Today Show’s unnecessary fourth hour. She is looking great, enthusiastic and back to her annoying self. I had the opportunity to get reacquainted with Mrs. Gifford…
Female Version of “The Showoff”
This position is kind of a back handspring meets fellatio. It is known to demonstrate the athletic ability of a woman, while giving the man a very nice top down view. The position begins with the man and woman standing and facing in same direction with the woman four feet in front of man. The…
All hail The Surge(tm) !
Kudos to Gen. David Petraeus for not being the trained liar Bush probably would have preferred at this week’s congressional hearings. At least the general didn’t spout the rightwing media’s mendacious mantra of “Everything’s going great in Iraq, victory is just around the corner.” Here’s a quick recap of Petraeus’ testimony: 1. The Surge(tm) has…
News Roundup, 4/11/08
New options for fighting N.C. gangs?: The governor’s task force on gangs says the number of gang member across the state is 14,5000. Warren Turner, Charlotte City Council member, said Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have identified more than 150 gangs in the city with approximately 1,800 members. Bills now linger in the N.C. House and Senate that…
Register to vote – deadline today!
Just a friendly reminder: You must register by today to be eligible to vote in the upcoming primary!
Outdoor music?
With all this warm weather hitting town, I’m ready to go out and sit on a patio and find some good music… so where is it? Are there patios in town with live music? Alley Cat downtown has bands on the patio… who else?
Goodbye sweet piggy
By Hillary Clinton Well, my campaign just got a lot less kick- you- in- the- nuts- with- a- steel -toe- boot- then- slash- your-throat- with- a- jagged- shiv- while- you’re- doubled- over. In other words, Mark Penn, aka the Grand Douche, has left team Hillary. In the end, he insisted on trading cocaine with some…
News Roundup, 4/10/08
Bush backs pause in withdrawals from Iraq: After meeting with Gen. David Petraeus, the top military commander in Iraq, and U.S. ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crock, President Bush said he would reduce combat tours from 15 months to 12 months. The shortened tours would apply only to troops deployed on or after Aug. 1 and…
Whisky River opens
Since when did Tuesday become Booze-day? There were more people at Whisky River last night than there were on Saturday. There was the soft opening on Friday, the grand opening on Saturday, and then last night was Dale Earnhardt Jr’s V.I.P grand opening. And according to my NASCAR buddy, Jr. has another V.I.P opening tonight,…
Whisky River opens
Since when did Tuesday become Booze-day? There were more people at Whisky River last night than there were on Saturday. There was the soft opening on Friday, the grand opening on Saturday, and then last night was Dale Earnhardt Jr’s V.I.P grand opening. And according to my NASCAR buddy, Jr. has another V.I.P opening tonight,…
Join The Party
If you haven’t experienced one of the blow-the-roof-off Purgatory parties held by Single Cell Productions, then what’s the delay? The critics’ choice for Best Place to People-Watch in Creative Loafing’s 2007 edition of Best of Charlotte, this regularly held BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadomasochism) event offers the usual weekend night amenities – drinking, dancing and socializing…
R.I.P. Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston passed away this past Saturday, at the age of 83. Certainly, Heston deserved the scorn he earned for his standing as a right-wing zealot — here was the guy who became president of the NRA and who campaigned for both Bushes — but it’s only fair to note that earlier in his life…
American Idol – Top 8
America’s largest karaoke contest had the top 8 singers perform inspirational songs last night… . Here are my thoughts on last night’s contestants: Aussie Invasion — Really?!? A neckerchief?!? Again?!? His Morrison thing was in full effect tonight. He hit some of the high notes, but he’s not Steven Tyler. Whitney-me — She’s not Whitney…
News Roundup, 4/9/08
Charlotte judge on probation for DWI: Superior Court Judge Karl Adkins entered a guilty plea without admitting guilt, which is considered the “Alford” plea to his DWI charge in March. Adkins was arrested in October on speeding and DWI charges. Court records stated he had a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent, which is the…
More Shine a Light photos
Check out a review in the film section.
A KISS of artistic talent
Many people know Paul Stanley the musician. He’s the “Starchild” who’s been the frontman of the band KISS for 35 years. Most people aren’t aware, however, that he’s also a painter. Not only the kind of painter who sits at home and paints as a creative outlet, but the kind of painter who sold roughly…
Diary of a CATS rider
The true tale of a commuter who ditched her car to ride public transportation for five days
Where do we go from here?
It has been 40 years since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn., while standing on the balcony outside his room at the Lorraine Motel. King was there to support striking sanitation workers, African-American men who endured horrible working conditions for poverty wages. While King’s staff was opposed to him going, as…
Step back strippers
South Carolina pol proposes an end to lap dances
Put down your Tasers
I made a mistake in last week’s column (“A death of convenience”), which was critical of a local policeman’s role in the death by Taser of 17-year-old Darryl Turner. Ironically, my error made the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Taser policies seem more reasonable than they really are. In the column, I wrote that “Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers…
Theater: Defy gravity!
Blumenthal Performing Arts Center presents Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz. Wicked is the tale of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch, long before Dorothy ever came to Oz. This Tony Award-winning Broadway smash sold out for its Q.C. premiere at Ovens Auditorium in record time, but…
Comic Proportions
Published by Vertigo (DC Comics). Written by Harvey Pekar. Art by Various. The Deal: Harvey Pekar’s award-winning and groundbreaking autobiographical comic book series American Splendor is back — and it’s being brought to you by a brand-new publisher. Non-comic fans may be familiar with American Splendor because of the hit film of the same name…
In the stacks
Next week, the Public Library of Charlotte-Mecklenburg County could decide to push for a new Uptown library that would be a rare partnership in the library world: a private developer helping fund a public resource. The library board and the Spirit Square Community Task Force are expected to hear presentations April 16 on a possible…
Sports: Not just horsin’ around
Make it a family affair this weekend at the 2008 Charlotte Jumper Classic. Watch the nation’s best horse and rider teams show off their skills and enjoy three days of activity-packed equestrian fun. There is something for everyone here, including vendors, face painting, balloon artists, jugglers and clowns for the kids. Children ages 5-12 can…
Chat Room S&M
Going onstage to go online
Letters to the editor
Who’s the man? I was glad to see Mr. Mackey on the cover this week because I wanted to hear his side of the story (“The Nick Mackey you didn’t know” by Cheris Hodges, April 2). I am very disappointed in the reporting. Claiming that other people didn’t want him to be sheriff because they…
Auto: The thrill of the open road
Going through a mid-life crisis but your wife won’t let you get a motorcycle? Never fear, we have just the thing for you. Take a head-turning ride on the brand new 2008 Can-Am Spyder this weekend. This badass roadster is the love child of a motorcycle and convertible sports car with two wheels in front…
The Blotter
MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE: A woman reported that a former flames threw a beer bottle through the front window of her home. Inside the beer bottle she found a letter to her. RUDE HOUSEGUEST: A 32-year-old woman reported that she let one of her friends stay with her for a few weeks. Everything was cool,…
Last week on the CLog …
40 years later and … “America needs to go beyond reminiscing about King and start connecting his messages to current issues … Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, ‘Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.’ That’s still true today. Lack of access to quality health…
Music: All jazzed up
Bebop your way over to the Mint Museum of Art today for the legendary vocal stylings of Barbara Nail. She will be joined by David Pankey and his band to pay tribute to the top women of classic jazz. Reminisce with these eclectic musicians as they celebrate Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn and Billie Holiday. Free…
Karma Cleanser
Dear Karma Cleanser: I know it’s typical for brides-to-be to have jitters, but I have been through this before and this time it’s different. I am 36 and my fiancé is almost five years younger than me. We’ve been engaged for two years and dated seriously for three. Our wedding is coming up in early…
Selfish acts
Will someone please tell young women that taking your clothes off for money is not a feminist act? Somewhere along the way, the definition of feminism has gone awry. Although there is not one way to define feminism, most would agree that it involves the empowerment of women. Notice the term “women” because it is…
Art: What makes a man … or woman?
Maybe you wanted to play with Barbies and wear high heels as a young boy. Or when you were a little girl your favorite toys were G.I. Joes and Matchbox cars. What kind of impact does society have on gender roles? The Light Factory asks just that in their outreach program entitled Images of Manhood…
A 7-year-old alone
These days I wonder about the sense of sending a 7-year-old alone to the liquor store to pick up a pack of Salem menthols, as this practice pretty much exemplified my upbringing. But in my parents’ defense I have to say that maybe they were just products of the times. In the ’60s there were…
Cecil Dowdell
Cecil Dowdell is the ultimate businessman. He is publisher and editor of Silk magazine; founder of the Choices Foundation, which helps runaway girls get their lives back on track; and a successful auto broker. “I decided to do all the things men like; money, women and cars,” Dowdell says. “Right now, we’re covering the southeast…
Party: Leave your hat at home
Get sexed up tonight for Tilt on Trade’s NMotion Vice Tuesday. This ain’t your usual dress down drinking night; you need to be in your hottest designer duds to get into this party. DJ ROW$HAY and DJ SUPA SKIP will bring the house down with top 40 hits and hip-hop inside while the techno Djs…
Stargazer
Aries The Ram: (March 20 — April 19) This is to be an incredibly busy period. Parts of your mind are scattered into so many corners that it is hard to pull everything together. It might help you organize your thoughts if you diagram their connections. For All Signs: The cosmic picture shows that the…
Introducing ‘The Thong Song’ crooner
Dru who? The R&B group Dru Hill featuring Sisqo (far right) scowl at the camera during their after-concert party at Club Eclipse on Friday, April 4. And the winner is … CL Editor Carlton Hargro (left) and Marketing Coordinator Lauren Tigrett (far right) present NoDa resident Kenny Campbell the “Neighborhood of the Year” award…
Food: Overeat guilt-free
At Charlotte’s annual Taste of the Nation you can eat heavy for the hungry. Culinary delights come to you from over 20 Charlotte area restaurants and culinary schools in hopes that you will stuff your face to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. Live entertainment will set the mood and a live and…
Film Clips
New Releases NIM’S ISLAND If your kids have been totally weaned on ADD-addled animated flicks that mostly coast on crude humor and instantly dated pop culture references, then this clearly isn’t the film for them. If, however, said children still find as much enjoyment (if not more so) in opening a book as in piloting…
Attacked at home
The people of Dilworth are beside themselves. You can hear it in their voices in television news interviews. They can no longer walk to their favorite urban eateries without worrying they’ll be hit over the head during an armed robbery. Those who do venture out are being encouraged to carry keychain alarms to use if…
A step back in culinary history
And didn’t your parents tell you not to play with your food?
View from the Couch
GANGSTERS COLLECTION VOL. 3 (1931-1940). Warner Bros. Entertainment’s third grouping of their classic gangster flicks – Vol. 2 was originally called Tough Guys Collection but was recently renamed and repackaged for the sake of continuity – includes the usual suspects, fellows by the names of Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney and Edward G. Robinson. All 12…
It’s baaaaccckkk!
That’s right; Pop Life — the bohemian-flavored nightlife event presented by Creative Loafing and The Sol Kitchen — is back for the spring. And this time, it’s moved to a brand-new location: Loft 1523 (1523 Elizabeth Ave.). The fun starts April 30 and runs every Wednesday after that. Be there or … uh … be…
CD Review: Joseph Arthur
The Deal: Prolific singer-songwriter releases the first of four EPs leading up to a full-length in August. The Good: If he wasn’t already, Joseph Arthur is about to move into the seriously prolific singer-songwriter category with his latest, Could We Survive. The six-song EP is the first of four that Arthur will release in 2008,…
Join the club
Wine clubs are alluring but disconcerting. Trusting someone to send you blind beverage selections can be a freeing albeit vulnerable experience, much like having your server at an authentic Chinese restaurant choose your meal. You might end up eating cold, slimy jellyfish, but at least you’ve learned something. Wine clubs are convenient and becoming more…
Prairie hometown companions
Nurtured by the Charlotte Folk Society, the funky, voluble, old-timey Carolina Chocolate Drops have evolved at warp speed since they were hastily put together for the Black Banjo Gathering up at App State three years ago — from obscure curiosity to international phenomenon. They’ve returned from a tour of The Netherlands, Ireland, England, Scotland, France…
CD Review: Michael Burks
The Deal: Red hot bluesman ready for prime time. The Good: Mix the raw sting of Albert King, the frost of Albert Collins and the psychedelic experimentation of Jimi Hendrix with a man who sings like Robert Cray channeling B.B. King and you’ve got the recipe for a blues powerhouse. But Michael Burks is his…
In need of more eating options
It’s 2 a.m. — last call for alcohol! You don’t have to go home, but you do have to get the hell out of the bar. So where are we going? I don’t know about you, but I’m freakin’ hungry at this point in the evening … Where’s an Uptown girl to go to eat…
Virgin territory
An ancient culture is rising. India is rising. Pundits predict India will be one of three superpowers over the next two to three decades, along with fellow Asian muscleman China and the United States. It’s befitting that a superpower has its own superheroes. Indian cultures, religions and mythology hark back millennia. The quintessential Indian literary…
CD Review: The B-52s
The Deal: Dance-rockers release first studio album in 16 years. The Good: The band’s never been known for powerful lyrics or amazing music – instead known for putting their own spin on new wave. It’s pop and fun and just about everything you’d expect from The B-52s. It’s as if they never missed a beat…
A heavy heartbeat made with the hands
There are two universal modes of human musical expression. One is the human voice. The other is percussion. Every cultural strain on the planet uses some form of percussion to express a unique musical style. Percussive beats can symbolize a ritual or procession or create the backbeat and rhythm of musical expression. The trance-inducing forces…
He’s with the band
Scorsese makes beautiful music with the Stones
Meet Jimmy Buffett’s sister
• Reid’s Fine Foods will host a book signing April 11 for restaurateur and author Lucy Buffett (yes, she’s the younger sister of singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett). This Buffett owns Lulu’s in Gulf Shores, Ala. Her Crazy Sista Cooking: Cuisine and Conversation with Lucy Buffett includes 150 recipes. 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. 225 E. 7th St., 704-377-1312.…
CD Review: Reggie Rymes
The Deal: 27-year-old Raleigh native now living in the Q.C., hip-hop artist Reggie Rymes releases Portrait of a Struggle. The Good: The nine-track disc focuses on the message more than the music. Not to detract from the beats, but the words are the centerpiece providing the message of struggles on the street and in life.…
‘Butts rubbed nightly’
South Carolina barbecue eatery serves up regional delights
Music Menu
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9 Shelby Lynne This jazz-country chanteuse knows how to wrap vocals around a lyric, no matter how simple the words may be. Her most recent disc, Just a Little Lovin’, is a prime showcase of Lynne’s range and vocal inflection. On this recording she reinterprets Dusty Springfield songs with a spare jazz and…
On the road again
Susan Tedeschi out to showcase new music, band
