Best of Charlotte 2010

Aug 3-9, 2010 / Vol. 24 / No. 23

Best bets in Charlotte comedy, Aug. 10-14

As the headline suggests, here are a few of the best places to find comedy events in Charlotte — from stand-up to improv to sketch comedy and more. For a complete listing of all comedy visit www.CharlotteComedyLIVE.com. Tuesday, Aug. 10 Taboo Tuesday Stand-up Open Mic at 8 p.m. Back in a brand new location, Taboo…

Anita Overcash

Anti-hate-group protesters get creative

You’re no doubt familiar with the dimwits of Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas.  They’re the hate-group bozos who travel around the country displaying “God Hates Fags” signs, and claiming (at graveside services, no less) that U.S. soldiers are being killed because God hates America for tolerating homosexuality. Lately, counter-protesters at WBC events have gotten pretty…

John Grooms

Back to the Future

Several years ago when I banned high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) from my house, one of the hardest products to give up was Heinz ketchup. I grew up with Heinz and had been a dedicated consumer. My family preferred Heinz as well. Recently, thankfully, Heinz has introduced “Simply Heinz,” ketchup made with sugar and not…

Tricia Childress

Origami and ninjas at Dharma Lounge

Check out this cool event at Dharma Lounge this Saturday (Aug. 7). In addition to music by DJ Jah Sun Rising and songstress Christine Navarro, there’s also supposed to be some sword action from ninjas.

Anita Overcash

Church carnival: Step right up and kill the President

Today, your faithful scribe wants to do something a little different. Rather than blab on about something, er, I mean, rather than offer my finely etched musings on important matters, I want to recommend some telling stories from cyberspace, and offer links to them. So, umm, here goes. * Obama’s the target at church carnival…

John Grooms

What’s behind Jones’ resignation from ASC board?

As the late Buck Owens sang, my heart skipped a beat yesterday, but not because a woman was walking down the street. It happened when I read the first three words of an Observer headline: “Harry Jones resigns,” and I got all excited; a split second later, though, I read “from ASC board,” and the…

John Grooms

Tonight’s Top 5, 08/05/10

The top five nightlife-related events going down tonight, Aug. 5, as chosen from the folks at Creative Loafing. • Faber Magazine launch party at Revolution • Cinco de Drinco at Hickory Tavern • College night at Bar Charlotte • The Heavy Sandwich at Visulite Theatre • Pulse Thursdays at Mez

Kimberly Lawson

Lollapalooza in Chicago this weekend

I’m heading up to the Windy City to cover Lollapalooza 2010 in Chicago this weekend. The three-day festival is now in a single location, for all-day music. Having been to Bonnaroo for the last four years and checking out Voodoo Fest last year in New Orleans, I’m curious to see how Lollapalooza stacks up. I…

Jeff Hahne

Crawling with clowns

Clown around this Saturday with The Evil Clown Bar Crawl and School Supply Drive. The event will start out at Amelie’s French Bakery where participants will make a donation (school supplies) to benefit A Child’s Place, an organization that works to provide adequate education to homeless children. Participants will be provided will clown make-up for…

Victoria Creasy

Portia

3 songs currently playing in ipod: Frank Sinatra “Come Fly With Me”, Clipse “Big Dreams” and Amel Larrieux “Gills and Tails” i love: “My vintage Smith Corona typewriter, tea sets, and being a photographer and graphic designer. hometown: Dobson, NC i want to be remembered for: “Thinking fast and not being afraid of getting my…

Jasiatic

Levi, Bristol and the Wasilla Hillbillies

Does the following story make you think of any particular American cultural sub-group? First, Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston had an illegitimate baby boy, Tripp, even though Bristol’s mom was a full-tilt advocate of pre-marital abstinence. Levi’s mom was more into crystal meth, and was busted. Bristol’s mom attended a church where she was protected…

John Grooms

S.C. GOP congressman slams Tea Party ‘demagogues’

Rep. Bob Inglis is a six-term Republican congressman from South Carolina (1993-99, 2005-present). Needless to say, you don’t get to that position in S.C. without toeing a very conservative line. Inglis, in fact, was one of the leaders of the Clinton impeachment effort, and enjoys a 93-percent lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union. Even…

John Grooms

Racist comix roil Tea Party waters

In case you’ve missed it, a lot of people are madder than a snakes with a migraine about some unbelievably racist comics that have made the rounds in Tea Party World. Called Tea Party Comix, the black and white pages show Pres. Obama, in stereotypical blackface and in various guises, including evil superhero. He’s shown…

John Grooms

Today’s Top 5: Tuesday

Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Aug. 3, 2010 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. • Creative Loafing’s Best Of Charlotte Party at Butter • James Sibley at Lake Norman Comedy Zone • Bill Hanna Jazz Jam at Double Door Inn • Trivia…

Anita Overcash

BEST PRE-GAME HANGOUT DOWNTOWN

It’s in the sauce. That unmistakable, tangy taste of New York-Style pizza. And Fuel Pizza, which originated on Central Avenue’s bohemian Plaza Midwood enclave, does New York-Style pizza oh-so right. Their downtown restaurants are perfect for pre-game fueling, or post-game munchies. Hell, the place was even packed with NRA gunslingers during the group’s recent Charlotte…

BEST PET SUPPLY STORE

Pawtique is a holistic pet store located in Ballantyne. You’ll fall in love with this place when being happily greeted by the friendly store staff and Beauregard, the boutique’s resident cat who sits on the counter greeting customers. Anything you want for your pet that’s organic, Pawtique has it. The shop carries organic pet food,…

Comic review: Buzzard No. 2

The Deal: Writer/artist Eric Powell takes Buzzard, one of the characters from his popular horror/humor comic book series (and soon-to-be animated TV show) The Goon, and sets him off on a three-issue solo mission, fighting to save a town from some monstrous influences. The Good: I’m ashamed to say that I slept on Powell’s work…

Carlton Hargro

Bizarre crimes from Charlotte police files

Dirty Criminals: Police were called to a local Dollar Tree after three men shoplifted from the store and got away with it. Employees told officers that the men made off with a bottle of Jergens hand soap, a bottle of Irish Spring body wash and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. I would check all the…

Ryan Pitkin

James and the Giant Peach, Piranha among DVD reviews

JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH (1996). The gang behind 1993’s wildly inventive The Nightmare Before Christmas — director Henry Selick and producers Tim Burton and Denise Di Novi — reunited three years later for another offbeat animated excursion, this one based on the book by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory author Roald Dahl. After the…

Matt Brunson

Weekly horoscope Aug. 4-10

Leo The Lion (July 22-Aug. 22) Take a fresh look at where you want to direct your attention. Use this month to let go of past hurts and take a deep breath of healing energy. Reorganization of all kinds is going on around you, but you can remain within the center of yourself and avoid…

Vivian Carol

BEST RADIO SHOW

OK, when you check out the WFAE website, click the Charlotte Talks tab and see the range of topics Mike Collins and his intrepid staff manage to cover in a typical month on his live one-hour morning talk show. Politics, culture, science, health, recreation — the whole gamut passes in review, far beyond the breadth…

BEST NEW STORE (OPENED IN LAST 12 MONTHS)

For all you fitness buffs out there, Lululemon Athletica has opened a colorful showroom in Charlotte. The products (apparel, equipment and more) you’ll find in this mini-retail store, which opened April 30, were made by athletes for athletes. The hours are limited (Thursday through Saturday) because unlike a regular retail location, a showroom carries a…

CD REVIEW: 22-20s’ shake/shiver/moan

THE DEAL: English blues-rock band The 22-20s releases second studio album, first since reformation in 2008. THE GOOD: The band draws the listener in with the first notes of “Heart on a String,” a blues-rock song with driving drum beat and smooth rock vocals in the tone of, I hate to say it, Bono. Notice…

Jeff Hahne

Implications of the streetcar to nowhere

Most people probably don’t think of the controversial Charlotte streetcar as a racial issue, but that’s pretty much what it was. The streetcar, the first mile-long leg of which will cost $37 million, has never really been a high priority for the Uptown crowd. It wasn’t even on the list of expensive transit priorities sold…

BEST LOCAL NEWSPAPER REPORTER

One of the media’s key roles is to lift the proverbial veil shielding government and corporations. As the Mecklenburg County government reporter at The Charlotte Observer, April Bethea does just that. But unlike some of her predecessors, this Charlotte-born reporter embraced social media, allowing her to draw her readers into her work like never before.…

BEST SHOE STORE

Don’t let the name fool you: Black Sheep sells way more than just skateboards. In fact, this South End retail shop is the exclusive area dealer for many brands, including limited edition shoes from Nike SB, Supra, Adidas Skateboarding, Vans, and DC. Score! 1504 Camden Road, Suite 200 704-333-1423 www.blacksheepnc.com

CD REVIEW: Matrimony’s The Storm & The Eye

THE DEAL: Belfast, Ireland, transplant Jimmy Brown, formerly of the band Airspace, and Charlotte’s Ashlee Brown, formerly of Flagship, team up for six-song folk-rock album under the name Matrimony. THE GOOD: Both strong singers in their own right, the combination of their vocals can be aurally mesmerizing. Along with solid songwriting is the perfect production…

Jeff Hahne

EXHIBIT: The Lost Art Form of Artistic Artistry

As a member of the art collective God City, local visual artist wOlly Vinyl has (over the last few years) created some of the city’s most provocative works of art. Expect this trend to continue in his latest solo show, The Lost Art Form of Artistic Artistry, which will explore “the concept of creation and…

Carlton Hargro

LOCAL COLUMNIST YOU’RE SICK OF

Powell is a very talented writer, and we suppose well-to-do Old Charlotte ladies need their own columnist. But after years and years of Powell turning tragedies into gossipy “personal” stories, enough is simply enough. Give it a rest, and give the rest of us a break.

BEST HAIR SALON

With multiple locations around town, Modern Salon & Spa can always fit you in. And if you aren’t particularly picky about your locks, you can get a nice cut for under $30 with one of their “Mantra” stylists. Various locations. www.modernsalonandspa.com

Where to find it: Ojos de toro

An Irish ornithologist told me that Americans are known for naming birds after their color – bluebird, goldfinch, red-shoulder hawk. European birders find this quality quaint. Yet along the same lines, Mexican bakers have named many of their products for their shapes. Along the shelves of a Latino bakery, you can find the popular conchas…

Tricia Childress

Broadway brings the heat

Triple digit heat waves in Manhattan may slow down the tourists scrambling to cram in a dinner and a show — or locals simply panting to exit the Times Square subway station. But they haven’t dampened enthusiasm along the Great White Way. Three of the musicals headed for Charlotte in the PAC’s 2010-11 Broadway Lights…

Perry Tannenbaum

BEST HEALTH CLUB

While a Metro Membership card can get you through the door at any YMCA in the area, the Harris Y has something for everyone, young or not, with children or without, in-shape gym rat or fitness dilettante. Some like the indoor and outdoor pools, and the water-park activities. Others wouldn’t miss yoga. The aerobic, sculpt,…

Time for free transit

  As that great American, Desi Arnaz, would’ve put it, I’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do. Which probably means I didn’t ‘splain myself well enough the first time. Two weeks ago, I wrote a column that was dismissive of the city’s plans for a 1.5-mile streetcar “starter kit.” Afterward, e-mails from angry liberals piled up,…

BEST PLACE TO BUY CDS

Sure, we’ve joked that this one should be called the “Lunchbox Records” award, but we also have to give credit to Manifest. It’s competed against the Best Buys in town and continues to consistently offer great deals on local and national music. There’s a bit of everything and a change in ownership hasn’t downgraded a…

Can binaural beats improve your mood?

I’ve been hearing about the positive effects of binaural beats and how they can alter your state of mind. Can listening to a strange tone for hours on end really put me in a different mood other than annoyed? Should I be worried that my Xbox 360 is going to make me have a seizure…

Cecil Adams

Wikileaks’ Afghan War diary

Wikileaks.org has done it again, publishing thousands of classified documents about the U.S. war in Afghanistan. The website provides a secure platform for whistleblowers to deliver documents, videos and other electronic media while maintaining anonymity. Last March it released a video shot from a U.S. military helicopter over Baghdad, exposing the Army’s indiscriminate killing of…

Amy Goodman

BEST PLACE TO BUY DVDS

A repeat winner. Just because the focus is on music doesn’t mean movies get slighted. The store’s inventory of both new and used DVDs is impressive, and it now carry Blu-rays as well. 6239 South Blvd. 704-552-8448 www.manifestdisc.com

An open letter to the man who robbed me

Dear Burglar: I hope this letter finds you unwell. I am writing to express my extreme disappointment in the actions that you have taken by recently breaking into my home. I have lived in my wonderful Charlotte community for five years. My neighbors and I are good, hardworking people who actually like each other and…

Nsenga Burton

THEATER: The Sunset Ltd.

Author Cormac McCarthy is an expert at penning thought-provoking themes to paper. Though, he’s better known for his novels — No Country For Old Men, All the Pretty Horses, The Road, Blood Meridian, among others — McCarthy has also dabbled in play writing. This resulted in The Sunset Ltd., which 3M Productions is bringing to…

Anita Overcash

3 questions with Shanae Callier, Hooters girl

Shanae Callier, a recent graduate of UNCC, wants you to think of her as more then just a wing slinger. Callier has been a Hooters girl at the Uptown Charlotte location since August 2008. With goals of becoming a financial advisor for a major company in Charlotte, she starts small by advising customers on which…

Alexis Greene

Best of Charlotte 2010

To state that the past 12 or so months have been exciting times for Creative Loafing is to put it mildly. Between new ownership, new hires and a new redesign (introduced last issue), the ride has been as wild as any offered by the roller coasters at Carowinds. Yet no matter what happens behind the…

ART: Elf’s One-Man Art Show

Move over, Santa. Local artist (and tattooist at Anything’s Possible in Mooresville) Elf is bringing his canvassed goodies to Baku Gallery at Fu’s Custom Tattoo in NoDa. In the exhibit Elf’s One-Man Art Show, on view Aug. 6-31, the pictured “Fallen Angel” will be featured, along with a range of other styles, including portraits, abstract…

Anita Overcash

CL previews upcoming concerts (Aug. 4-10)

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 4 BLACK COBRA San Francisco dirge and doom rockers make a hell of a racket for a duo. The thickly rolling guitars and pounding drums slither along while effects and howled vocals load up on the bombast. Black Cobra tosses in psychedelic and spacey effects while taking Black Sabbath on a joyride. Also…

BIGGEST WASTE OF TAX MONEY

Here’s what a $35,000 investigation gets you … that’s right, nothing. The City of Charlotte took taxpayer dollars to pay for an investigation into the alleged sexual harassment of city staff by Councilman Warren Turner. What we found out after the investigation was final: Turner might have acted inappropriately — and he might be Santa…

FILM: NoDa: The Evolution of North Charlotte’s Historic Art District

NoDa is ever-changing, and this evening Back in the Day history committee for Historic North Charlotte Neighborhood Association wants to reflect on that thought exactly. The 1996 documentary NoDa: The Evolution of North Charlotte’s Historic Art District (produced and directed by Jerry Kirk and funded by Jack Burke) will be screened at The Evening Muse.…

Anita Overcash

Nightlife profile: Jennifer Mason

Jennifer Mason, co-owner of the event promotion company SOCIALFLOCKERS (along with partner Michael Murphy), says that all she needs for an awesome night on the town is good company and maybe her favorite drink, a strawberry swirl frozen margarita from On The Border. She’s worked in marketing and sales for more than 20 years, so…

Victoria Creasy

BEST THING TO SHOW OFF TO OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS

Granted, all the parts aren’t open and humming, but the new Cultural Campus (Gantt Center, Bechtler Museum, Knight Theater, Mint Museum) has given visitors to Charlotte’s center city a reason to bring their cameras — and tourists a cluster of quality attractions to tour. Architecture is most exciting at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art…

THEATER: Othello

Emotions (especially the bad ones) can be dangerous sometimes. Road rage is the perfect example, but since that was before William Shakespeare’s time, he stuck with the pure perils of jealousy and prejudices in his Othello. Collaborative Arts’ Charlotte Shakespeare Festival continues with indoor showings of a tragedy at McGlohon Theatre. Free, but $5 donation…

Anita Overcash

EXHIBIT: Elf’s One-Man Art Show

Move over, Santa. Local artist (and tattooist at Anything’s Possible in Mooresville) Elf is bringing his canvassed goodies to NoDa. In his exhibit, on view Aug. 6-Sept. 3, “Fallen Angel” (left) will be featured, along with a range of other styles, including portraits, abstract pieces and fantasy works. Free. Monday-Thursday, 12 p.m.-8 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 12…

Anita Overcash

MUSIC: Find Your Muse open mic at The Evening Muse

It’s Find Your Muse open mic night at The Evening Muse this and every Monday. Musicians, grab up your music gear and head over to perform one of your own creations in front of a crowd. No one can guarantee they’ll be liked, but constructive criticism is always helpful! Get there early to snag a…

Anita Overcash

Dinner for Schmucks serves big laughs before wearing out its welcome

Whereas American filmmakers often prefer to produce comedies like Killers, French filmmakers frequently choose to produce killer comedies like The Dinner Game. An award-winning money machine that premiered in its homeland back in 1998 (it reached our shores the following summer), this adaptation of a popular stage play was a subversively funny picture about a…

Matt Brunson

BEST ART GALLERY

RIP. This gallery brought marginal to Main Street and Uptown to NoDa for more than 20 years. Center of the Earth spanked Charlotte’s tight-fannied, buttoned-down image for two decades with offerings that ranged from insipid to sublime. Once a diamond in the rough, long a lighthouse for a vast and ignored demographic, and now a…

MUSIC: Archeology at Snug Harbor

Portland-based indie act Archeology digs into the Q.C. for a performance at Snug Harbor tonight. Currently on its summer tour, the band — whose 2010 CD release, Memorial is an airy mixture of jingly poppy-tinged relics — will perform with other indie acts Standard Fare out of the United Kingdom and Charlotte-based The Flash Alchemy.…

Anita Overcash

Hypernova escapes Iran to find new life

America has always welcomed all kinds of imported music — from Europe (The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Phoenix, Bjork, etc.) and Australia (John Butler Trio, AC/DC, etc.) — but you rarely hear about bands from the Middle East, and it wasn’t until 2007 that the first band from Iran came to the United States. What took…

Jeff Hahne

BEST CONCERT OF PAST 12 MONTHS

It’s never easy to narrow it down to just one show — there have been plenty of great ones in the last year. This time around, however, we’re picking The Avetts’ CD release show last fall. Not only was it a celebration of a local band being on a major label, but it was heartfelt…

ART: Embodied exhibit

Lark and Key Gallery’s latest exhibit, titled Embodied, explores human forms and their relationship with the outer world (both in fantasy or reality). Features contemporary figurative works by artists Susan Hall, Duy Huynh, Elizabeth D’Angelo and Paula Smith. Exhibit continues through Sept. 25. Free. Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (9 p.m. extended hours during Southend Gallery…

Anita Overcash

High fives all around

Five is an important number in the nightlife equation. 5 p.m. is when happy hour starts, though you know the saying — “It’s always “5 o’clock somewhere.” And the 5th (of May) is the day Americans adopt the popular Mexican holiday as their own and celebrate it as an excuse to drink tequila. But for…

BEST PLACE TO FIND A PRESENT FOR SOMEONE

Locally made stuff is always good stuff, and you’ll find plenty of handmade goods at NoDaRioty’s All Arts Market. From jewelry and accessories to paintings, sculptures and even soap, you’ll find the perfect gift at this event, which goes down a number of times throughout the year at Neighborhood Theatre. Be original and buy local.…

Book review: Bruce Watson’s Freedom Summer

If you were there, you remember a lot about the long, hot, historic summer of 1964. If you weren’t there, then here’s a gripping book that will tell you all you need to know about the hottest story of a pivotal year in U.S. history: Freedom Summer. By 1964, the Montgomery bus boycott was seven…

The milkman cometh

If you’ve made the trip around the sun more times than most, you might remember the days of the dairy delivery truck and its spiffy uniformed driver. Then, local dairy farms brought glass-bottled milk, foil-wrapped butter, cream, and cartons of eggs to the back door. But doorstep freshness was replaced by multitask shopping. Picking up…

Tricia Childress

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