Aug 31 – Sep 6, 2010

Aug 31 - Sep 6, 2010 / Vol. 24 / No. 27

Today’s Top 5: Monday

Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Sept. 6, 2010 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. • Harptallica at The Milestone • Charlotte Labor Day Parade Uptown • Matthews Alive at Stumptown Park • Monday Night Pint Night at Dandelion Market • The Monday…

Locke Foundation favors post-disaster price gouging?!

Yesterday, Gov. Perdue declared a state of emergency on the North Carolina coast, which automatically triggered the state’s price-gouging law. Attorney General Cooper said, “We’re warning price gougers that you can’t use a storm as an excuse to make an unfair profit off of consumers.” Anyone who was in Charlotte after Hurricane Hugo hit remembers…

Fashion’s Night Out at Butter

Thursday, Sept. 9, promises to be a great night of fashion, as Effie Loukas — owner of Lotus boutique — and Butter bring you their edition of Fashion’s Night Out. A worldwide initiative to support and celebrate fashion, this local endeavor will bring together more than 10 locally owned boutiques, a bunch of salons, stylists…

Drunk, anti-Muslim bigot gets butt kicked

If you’re of the progressive sort with a kinda dark sense of humor, here’s a little something to get your Labor Day weekend off to a good start. Anti-Muslim fever, as you know, is being stoked across the country by the likes of Gingrich and Limbaugh, but it was just a matter of time before…

Bailed-out Bank of America gets Tea Party account

If you thought a business’ practices were immoral and dangerous, would you give them your money? How about if you had conducted national campaigns against the specific practices that benefited the business in question? No, didn’t think so. Good for you for being consistent. That’s apparently not a priority at the Tea Party Express, for…

Today’s Top 5: Thursday

Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Sept. 2, 2010 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. • Suspicious Minds exhibit at The Light Factory • Rope at Duke Energy Theatre • Business & Pleasure Vol. 1: The Approach at Dressler’s Metropolitan • The Glitch…

Tryon Street News

On the south side of the square, the line was out the door during lunch at the newly opened mini Amelie’s, a French Bakery and Cafe , 330 South Tryon. This is Amelie’s second store. To the north, Cassie Parson, co-owner of Grateful Growers Farm, operator of one of Charlotte’s favorite food trucks, and one…

Booming business in Myers Park

Myers Park is hot, hot , hot – and I’m not talking about Montford Drive. In the newly opened Tranquil Court (Selwyn and Colony) Bill Ryan has opened Clean Catch Fish Market. The fin and shell fish is pricey, but pristine and worth it. The selection is not what you will find anywhere else in…

Now, Obama, end the other needless war

One of my favorite political columnists, Robert Scheer, runs the Truthdig website, where today he writes about the so-called “end” of American combat in Iraq. Much of his column today is highly quotable, but one sentence took me aback for its optimism. After justly noting the massive disaster the Iraq war has been for the…

Labor Day special at Chima

Celebrate Labor Day by not laboring over a meal in the kitchen. Chima Steakhouse is offering their dinner for $34.50 from Monday, Sept. 6 to Thursday, Sept. 9. Mention the code “Labor Day” when booking your reservations. 139 South Tryon St. Charlotte, NC 28202 For reseravations: 704-601-4141

Hemp, hemp wonderful hemp

According to the Hemp Historian, the first marijuana law in our land was enacted in 1619 in Jamestown mandating that hemp be grown. That should be no surprise, though, since the stuff is so incredibly useful. Do a quick Internet search for hemp products and you’ll find everything from food products to fuel. In fact, Treehugger.com has…

Three Stooges now in charge of courts and CMS communications

On Wednesday, Aug. 11, Butler High School student and football player Osvaldo Sombo, 17, was arrested and booked on two charges of rape and one charge of sexual battery. The court system followed its usual policy, and mailed a letter to CMS to let them know of the arrest. CMS received the letter on Monday,…

ART: Contemporary Mosaic Art exhibit at Ciel Gallery

Mosaics have always thrilled me. The way in which tiny multi-colored objects like glass, porcelain and other materials come together to form unison and detail as art is fascinating. I could spend hours staring a mosaic down, taking in piece by piece of its content. Needless to say, I’m more than a little excited about…

‘Ghost trains,’ donations to CMS and more headlines

Sometimes, there’s so much going on that it just makes sense to write about more than one topic. That’s the case this week, so here goes: • Any death marks a time for sadness, but I’m confused at the particular brand of mourning over the death of the Charlotte man who was recently killed by…

Falling into film

The summer frivolity at the multiplexes is now behind us, and it’s time to get serious. From now until the end of the year, moviegoers can count on nothing but meaty, pensive dramas guaranteed to rack up industry awards and critics’ accolades. We’re talking about movies like, uh, Jackass 3-D? Saw VII? The remake of…

FESTIVAL: Festival of India

Curry and Indian cuisine go hand in hand, but there’s a lot more to the culture than spicy-filled aromas. During the two-day indoor/outdoor Festival of India — to take place at Knight Theater in Uptown Charlotte — folks can experience a taste of India (better than watching Julia Roberts in Eat Pray Love) through the…

Help save the Internet!

  Google and Verizon’s recently announced plan for “net neutrality” is an enormous disaster waiting to happen for regular, everyday Internet users — aka you and me. Luckily, it’s not too late to stop it. Much of the current controversy grew from the waffling and inaction on net neutrality by Charlottean, and former FCC Chairman,…

More fall film events

AFGHAN STAR Charlotte Film Society’s Saturday Night Cine Club continues with monthly screenings of foreign and independent films. After this screening there will be a discussion led by Dr. Robert Reimer, CFS Vice-President and Chair and Professor of Language and Culture Studies at UNC-Charlotte. For more information, visit www.charlottefilmsociety.org. Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m. $5-$8. Theatre…

DANCE: Who Got Served? Breakdance Jam

Bust a move or simply kick back and watch, as breakdancing enthusiasts come together for the annual Who Got Served? — Breakdance Labor Day Weekend Jam at The Breakfast Club. Hosted by MC Bluez, this event features a dance contest with cash prizes ($200-$400 is up for grabs), music by DJs and a live performance…

Nightlife profile: Alarica Starchaser

  Alarica Starchaser wants to let you know that it’s OK to have a fetish. As a go-go dancer for Single Cell Productions for the past five years, she supports it, and it’s her job to make you comfortable at Charlotte’s largest fetish parties, Alloy at Closet and Decadence Project at Amos’ Southend. Creative Loafing:…

Variety of genres land in Charlotte this fall

Regardless of the season, or month for that matter, there’s always a great variety of music passing through Charlotte at venues of all sizes. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the shows set to hit the Queen City this fall: Lamb Handler, Zoe Vette & The Revolvers — In the mood for some straightforward…

MUSIC: Harptallica

Two ladies playing the harp may not sound like something you’d run out to see on a Monday night, but when you find out they’ll be playing Metallica cover songs, it becomes a whole lot more intriguing. They’re not going to stick to just the softer songs, either — they tackle it all and bring…

Shattered elbow, label trouble hasn’t stopped Autolux

A drummer’s shattered elbow. Delayed album releases and label struggles. If you only read the history of Autolux, you may assume that it’s the story of a band that’s constantly facing hurdles and adversity in order to live its dream. If you talk to drummer Carla Azar, you get a completely different picture — one…

More fall concerts

BELK THEATER Sept. 24-25: Charlotte Symphony, Elgar; Oct. 1-2: Charlotte Symphony POPS, The Duke Ellington Orchestra; Oct. 2: Charlotte Symphony Lollipops, The Emperor’s New Clothes; Oct. 8-9: Charlotte Symphony: Dvorak – From the New World; Oct. 16: Cosi fan tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Oct. 29: Charlotte Symphony POPS, Leann Rimes; Oct. 30: Charlotte Symphony…

ART: Up(grade)town exhibit at Green Rice Gallery

Artist Holly Spruck did some traveling across North America, Europe and Asia in order to spawn her newest creation of works. But see her worldly-inspired artwork for yourself as Green Rice Gallery displays her solo exhibit, Up(grade)town. The exhibit runs through Sept. 26. Free. Gallery hours: Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 12 p.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday,…

Raw school: Simplee Sushi

Simplee Sushi 8320-607 Pineville Matthews Road. 704-543-4081. Hours: Monday to Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; dinner hours, Monday to Thursday 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., until 10 p.m. on Friday; Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Café side with bubble tea and Japanese desserts opening this fall. In the restaurant business, location is not…

Artist John Hairston unleashes Children of the Atom

Listening to John Hairston Jr. reminisce about the first time he was introduced to art and illustration, you can hear in his voice that this is his life’s work. The North Carolina native fondly remembers his elementary school field trip to the Mint Museum where an exhibit called That’s All Folks!, featuring animation cells and…

SPECIAL EVENT: Argentina Wine Tasting

Argentina is considered the “fifth largest producer of wine in the world,” according to H. Johnson and J. Robinson’s book, The World Atlas of Wine. It’s not surprising then, that there’s a demand for some of the superb wines made in that region. Tonight during Villa Antonio’s Argentina Wine Tasting, you can try — and…

3 questions with Nancy Hucks, salad dressing maker

Nancy Hucks grew up loving good food — specifically bleu cheese salad dressing — because of her mother’s affinity for it. Her parents, Claude and Dora Little, opened a steakhouse in Mooresville called The Little Kitchen in 1968. Mrs. Little had been working on her own bleu cheese salad dressing recipe for some time, and…

Fall visual arts events

ATHERTON MILL 2010 Carolina’s Got Art!. Sponsored by Elder Gallery, this is the second annual juried exhibition for artists from North and South Carolina. For more information, visit www.carolinasgotart.com. Oct. 1-30. 2000 South Blvd., Charlotte. CHRISTA FAUT GALLERY Dream Point. Featuring paintings by Herb Jackson. Oct. 1-Nov. 30. Holiday Jewelry Show and Group Exhibition. Featuring…

Comic review: Dracula: The COmpany of Monsters

The Deal: Rising publisher Boom! Studios releases the first issue of a new comic that appears to be about a corporation acquiring the remains of the legendary vampire Dracula. The company’s ultimate goal is to resurrect Drac and … after that, I’m not really sure what. Time will tell, I suppose. The Bad: Let’s start…

Where to find Dried Broad Beans

  The Italians call them fava beans, but throughout most of the English-speaking world, they are known as broad beans. Occasionally, you’ll see these pale-green beans, either shelled or in their lumpy pods at farmers markets and grocery stores, or on upper-end restaurant plates around town in the spring. Although these beans are popular in…

Show me the underwear at Brief!: A Fete for Fashion

Twenty-five exquisite male models with chiseled bodies, wearing nothing but underwear? Ladies, we’ve hit the jackpot. In a world where a lingerie and swimsuit fashion show usually means women paraded down a runway, advertising sexy and alluring, finally, the gods have smiled down upon us and brought Brief!: A Fete for Fashion back again for…

Exhibit: Edmund Lewandowski

Take the short jaunt to Rock Hill, S.C., to witness Edmund Lewandowski — Precisionism and Beyond. Hailing from Milwaukee, the late painter (who served as chair of Winthrop’s Department of Art and Design from 1973-84) endeavored to “illustrate the beauty and energy of American industrialism.” The show runs Sept 6-Dec. 9. (Public opening Sept. 10,…

Bill Murray lifts Get Low

Of all the actors who broke through in the 1960s, Robert Duvall is one of the great ones, ranking up there with Gene Hackman and Michael Caine. Yet with rare exception, it’s hard to think of a great Robert Duvall performance following his career-topper in the 1989 TV miniseries Lonesome Dove. Even his most acclaimed…

More fall events

12TH ANNUAL CHARLOTTE OKTOBERFEST Sample from more than 350 of the craft brewed beers in the Southeast and from around the world. There will also be live entertainment, games (table tennis, foosball, corn hole and many others in the Creative Loafing Beerlympic Village), food and more. Proceeds go to The National Kidney Foundation of North…

Exhibit: Dwell in Possibility

Lark & Key Gallery and Boutique is always flowing with creative forces. Its latest exhibit, Dwell in Possibility (through Sept. 26), is showcasing works by Women Centered Art Co-Op members (like the pictured “Cardinal Direction,” by Caroline Coolidge Brown). The show raises awareness of the powerful artistic opportunities that can emerge through the unleashing of…

Rotten eggs and our broken democracy

What do a half-billion eggs have to do with democracy? The massive recall of salmonella-infected eggs, the largest egg recall in U.S. history, opens a window on the power of large corporations over not only our health, but over our government. While scores of brands have been recalled, they all can be traced back to…

The Charlotte Literary Festival adds a touch of soul for 2010

This month, the Charlotte Literary Festival makes a comeback — and in yet another incarnation. Hosted by the NoDa-based used book retailer RealEyes Bookstore, the fifth annual festival is adding music to its slate of programming this year. According to Darren “Jaz” Vincent, owner of RealEyes and founder of the festival, joining forces with the…

Bizarre crimes from Charlotte police files

Shape Up: Employees at a local Walmart called police after they caught a man shoplifting. They told officers they saw the man concealing property in his waistband before trying to leave the store without paying for it. When the man was confronted, it was found that he tried to steal a couple of T-shirts and…

Josef von Sternberg box set among new DVDs

3 SILENT CLASSICS BY JOSEF VON STERNBERG (1927-1928). While Josef von Sternberg is most famous for his numerous collaborations with lover, discovery and legend-in-her-own-right Marlene Dietrich, the Austrian-born filmmaker has also been heralded for directing three of the most enduring films to emerge from the waning years of the silent film era. Beckoned to Hollywood…

Fall comedy events

BELK THEATER David Sedaris. Mon., Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m. $25; Lily Tomlin. Sun., Oct. 24, 7 p.m. $19.50. 130 N. Tryon St., Charlotte. 704-372-1000. www.blumenthalcenter.org. CAROLINA ACTORS STUDIO THEATRE (CAST) Robot Johnson. Late Night Series. Sept. 25, 10 p.m.; Oct. 30, 10 p.m.; Nov. 20, 10 p.m.; Dec. 11, 10 p.m. $15. 1118 Clement Ave.,…

Can a nuclear plant withstand a direct hit by a tornado?

Recently an outbuilding at a nuclear power plant received a glancing blow from a tornado. Fortunately no real harm was done, but it started me wondering: are nuclear power plants built to withstand a direct hit from a tornado? — Dee Barnett, Fort Worth There’s a range of possible answers to this question: 1. Yup,…

The Last Exorcism: Devil of a time

The prospect of journeying to Hell and back seems less daunting than sitting through another horror yarn made in the faux-documentary style of The Blair Witch Project, but The Last Exorcism proves to be a pleasant surprise — even more so since Hostel gorehound Eli Roth is listed as one of the film’s producers. Unlike…

Putting the tail in tailgating

  A couple of Saturdays ago, between the Zac Brown Band concert and the Panthers game, Charlotte was just one big tailgate. It seems as though nowadays we tailgate for any occasion … games, races, concerts. Just about everything except church. Now I’m not talking about going to a bar and drinking. I’m talking about…

Fall Guide 2010

It’s that time of year again — time for Creative Loafing to present its picks for the top people, places and things to do for the fall. Check out all the great stuff on the following pages, and then look online for hundreds of more events. The Fall Guide: Ultra-talented Scott Weaver plunges into the…

Weekly horoscope Sept. 1-7

Virgo The Virgin (Aug. 22-Sept. 22): You are bright, playful and far more talkative than is normal for you this week. Your critic is quieter, which allows your deeply creative self to emerge into the sunlight. Many will be enjoying new people in their lives. A romance is probable. Those with children have cause to…

Ultra-talented Scott Weaver plunges into the season

In one way or another, if you’re a resident of the Q.C., you’ve most likely heard of or know Scott Weaver. But just how you know him could vary based on the many endeavors he’s tackling at any given moment. His divergent repertoire includes former work as a buyer at the retail shop Boris &…

How CMPD turned a dunk into a brick

It could be the trial of the decade. Two Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers were brutally shot to death at close range, from a distance of less than three feet. It was more of an execution, really. The conviction of accused cop killer Demetrius Montgomery should be a slam dunk for the prosecution, with police work double-checked,…

Museum debut puts Uptown in ‘Mint’ condition

On Oct. 1, The Mint Museum Uptown will open its doors and let flow the greatest concentration of highbrow cultural mojo this town has probably ever seen. The new Mint (located at 500 S. Tryon St.) is the anchor and the brightest light of the Wells Fargo Cultural Campus. The physical presence of the building…

Capsule reviews of films playing the week of Sept. 1

THE A-TEAM “Overkill is underrated,” opines group leader “Hannibal” Smith (Liam Neeson) at one point during the course of The A-Team. Clearly, the man isn’t talking about summer films, wherein the whole point of many of these heavily hyped efforts is to render everything louder, larger and more expensive. Still, as far as costly packages…

Actor’s Theatre gets The 39 Steps running

With more than 140 characters to show us in its travels across 1930s Europe, you can safely say that the pace of Actor’s Theatre’s The 39 Steps will be absolutely frantic. “I feel like a prize fighter!” says Maret Seitz of the grind artistic director Chip Decker is putting her through. “Chip put on the…

THEATER: Queen City Theatre Company’s Rope

Murder and erotic behavior are well in tact for Queen City Theatre Company’s latest theater production, Rope. The play, directed by Glenn T. Griffin, is based off of the written work by Patrick Hamilton that was brought to the big screen by Alfred Hitchcock in 1948 and has since been revived in London. In an…

CL previews upcoming concerts (Sept. 1-6)

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 1 THREE BAD JACKS If a healthy helping of punk-infused rockabilly is what you’re looking for, then by all means, this is where you need to be. Slapping bass, a hint of Elvis, some Ramones mixed in — Three Bad Jacks are sure to leave you greased up and rocked out. The openers…

More performing arts events

September MARY POPPINS Combining original stories by P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney film, the Tony Award-winning Mary Poppins, produced by Disney and Cameron Mackintosh, includes song favorites such as “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Let’s Go Fly a Kite,” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidociousis.” Sept. 1-19, times vary. $32.50 and up. Belk Theater, 130 N.…


Recent

Gift this article