DECEMBER 31 – WEDNESDAY
If you’re a fan, how much incentive do you need to see this show? First, it’s on New Year’s Eve. Second, The Derek Trucks Band have a new disc out, the jazz-flavored Soul Serenade. And third, the nephew of original Allman Brothers drummer Butch Trucks is a top-notch guitarist in his own right and since 1999 an integral part of the Allmans. With his own group, Trucks and Co. concentrate more on blending jazz, rock, blues, Latin, Eastern Indian and other world music into the sound that now defines the DTB. The show is at the Visulite, with openers Scrapomatic (DTB singer Mike Mattison’s side project). Tickets are $35 for all the festivities; doors open at 8pm. Call 704-358-9200 for details. (Schacht)
If you don’t have New Year’s plans yet or just need to kill time before dinner or in between bars, stop by the Downtown Countdown to 2004! on the square between Trade and Tryon Streets from 9pm-1am. Enjoy cold beer and music minus the outrageous New Year’s cover charges. Vendors will offer drinks, funnel cakes and all the traditional street fair grub. No New Year’s Eve countdown would be complete without fireworks, which start at midnight. Visit www.holidaysinthecity.org for details. (Grossman)
JANUARY 1 – THURSDAY
The 4th Annual Dell Curry-Bank of America High School Basketball Shootout begins today at 10:30am in the Beck Student Activities Center at Charlotte Latin School. Featuring eight girls’ teams, eight local and regional boys’ teams, and eight national boys’ squads, the tournament also boasts over 15 players ranked among the top 100 in the country. In addition, some 10 NBA Scouts and 80 college scouts will be attending the tournament this year, which drew a record crowd 14,000+ fans last year. Tickets are $7 for students/youth per day, $10 for adults per day, $15 for a three-day student/youth tournament pass, and $24 for a three-day adult tournament pass. Tickets can be purchased at the Arboretum Chick-Fil-A, the Dell Curry Foundation office (1608 East Blvd., Suite 30), by phone at 704-332-KIDS, and most area Krispy Kreme locations. Proceeds from the tournament go toward aiding and assisting youth living in Charlotte’s low-income communities. For more information, log on to www.dellcurryfoundation.com. (Davis)
JANUARY 3 – SATURDAY
It’s been a long time coming — seven seasons, to be exact — but for the first time since being one Packers loss away from the Super Bowl, the Carolina Panthers are ready to take another crack at the NFL playoffs. As the NFC’s number three seed, they’ll face the Dallas Cowboys on Wild-Card Weekend, playing at Ericsson Stadium at 8pm tonight. Interestingly, it was the Cowboys whom the Panthers beat during their previous playoff appearance, before falling to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game. Then again, it was also the Cowboys who beat the Panthers earlier this season, albeit in a game played in Dallas. At any rate, for those not interested in messing with scalpers, the game will be televised on WSOC-TV Channel 9. For those interested in ticket updates,
call 704-522-6500. (Brunson)
World-class illusionist Lyn Dillies joins the Charlotte Philharmonic for Magic at the Philharmonic tonight at 8pm at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Belk Theater. Hailed as one of America’s top illusionists, Lyn captivates audiences with her eye-defying illusions, hypnotic lighting and, most of all, her dazzling personality. Selections include Barry Manilow favorites (for you “fanilows” out there) and highlights from Guys & Dolls. Tickets range from $17.50-$35 and may be purchased by calling the Philharmonic Box Office at 704-846-2788. Visit www.charlottephilharmonic.org for details.
One of the means by which the Neighborhood Theatre’s new ownership hopes to capture the imagination of the locals is by broadening the palette of events at the theater, including items like Neighborhood Freak Show. Part costume party, music show and freak bazaar, the event will feature live music by Etheric, Eli Jeremiah and Shadowflag, “psychedelic lighting” and drum circles, sketch comedy and crafts vendors, and “mad-hatted people” — whoever they might turn out to be. Free tickets to upcoming Theatre shows will be given away to those wearing the most innovative costumes coming through the door. We’d tell you more, but it’s probably plainly apparent already whether this is your bag or not; then again, nothing ventured, nothing gained. The festivities get underway at 8pm and run through 2am. Tickets are $7 and available only the night of the show. For more information, call 704-358-9298. (Schacht)
JANUARY 5 – MONDAY
The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center’s Monday Night Movie Series starts up again this month with showings of four Cannes Film Festival favorites. Tonight’s picture is the Palme d’Or nominee 24 Hour Party People, about the Manchester music scene in the 70s. Upcoming features are Michael Moore’s incendiary documentary Bowling for Columbine (January 12), which earned a special award at Cannes; Punch Drunk Love (January 19), the atypical Adam Sandler comedy for which Paul Thomas Anderson copped the fest’s Best Director prize; and Roman Polanski’s Palme d’Or winner, the Holocaust drama The Pianist (January 26). All movies begin at 6:30pm in Spirit Square’s McGlohon Theatre. Tickets to each film cost $5 ($4 for seniors), with popcorn, soda and snacks available for $1 apiece. For more info, call 704-372-1000. (Brunson)
JANUARY 6 – TUESDAY
The first First Tuesdays concert of the new year will be held at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church today at noon. Bring your lunch and enjoy a free performance by Tatiana Karpova, Anna Hunsucker, Matthew Lavin and William Wright as they play Gabriel Faure’s Quartet No. 1, in C Minor. The church is located at 115 W. 7th St. Call 704-335-0009 for details. (Grossman)
This article appears in Dec 31, 2003 – Jan 6, 2004.
