The Deal
Between The Country Music Association Music Festival in Nashville and Bonnaroo about an hour away in B.F.E., there was a lot of good live music in Tennessee this past weekend.
The Good
Darius Rucker and Kid Rock are now considered country artists. Kid Rock was even the encore act for the concerts Friday night with a line-up including Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean, Zac Brown Band, Rodney Atkins and Jake Owen. Kid Rock even supplemented Sheryl Crow for Martina McBride. My favorite show was Lady Antebellum … in addition to the 5-year-old who was dancing on the otherwise unoccupied stage earlier at McFaddens.
Meanwhile Wynonna Judd had a family reunion on stage with her band-member, her mother. Wynonna arguably has the most soulful voice in country music, though there’s a new minority country singer on the map … well, at least at CMA Fest, and that's Rhonda Towns.
The Bad
It was the Coca-Cola 600 all over again … the concert was put on a rain delay before a drop of rain even hit the ground. They interrupted Reba McEntire during her set to clear the stadium, only to wait over an hour for it to rain on the parade, but pass by as quickly as a parade. The show went on … kinda. Rascal Flatts and Julianne Hough didn’t end up going on, but Hootie did, without his Blowfish. Along with Dierks Bentley, and Brad Paisley who played up until 2 a.m. Julianne Hough will be in Charlotte, however, playing at Whisky River’s one year anniversary party (stop back by on Wednesday for your chance to win a ticket to the concert you can only win tickets to).
And I don’t mean to be mean, but Wynona Judd kinda looked like a villain in Star Trek on stage.
The Verdict
There is live music everywhere in Nashville. From the stage of LP Stadium to the street corners. There was either live music or karaoke at every bar we went to. There’s even a bar where the bartenders serve you while singing, and a strip club with naked karaoke in Printer’s Alley.
And when did John Rich become the P-Diddy of country music? He even has his own very exclusive and essentially hidden club in downtown Nashville called The Spot where lots of celebrities can be spotted.
CMA Fest 2008 ... 2000 and late
The Garden and Gun Club got shot down, and Halo has been planted in its place.
Apparently some lawn jockey magazine in Charleston called the Garden and Gun threw a hissy fit about the Garden and Gun Club sharing its name — and with a slap of a gavel, the Garden and Gun Club had to change its name … to Halo.
Well, to me it’s irrelevant because the whole time it was open I for some reason kept referring to it as the Gun and Garden Club.
Anyway, same scene, same music, same cool patio … but now you can hear the Uptown Amphitheatre from it, starting with The Fray this Saturday.
Aside from a revamped interior, the only difference is now they’re going to have benefit parties and Burlesque shows — the La Petit Mort Burlesque Revue to be exact.
Halo is having its grand opening this Friday for the Global Fever 4 International Party with DJ Nickankis and DJ Kosta X. And right next door is the Fillmore that opens next weekend with Corey Smith.
I felt inclined to check out Taste of Charlotte considering there was an emcee, karaoke contest, “Dance your @$$ off” dance party, the “Little Blue Choo Choo” and a Single Ladies dance off with the Lady Cats right outside my window luring me outside.
And further down Tryon there was an inflatable mechanical bull, a rock climbing wall, a “Frik-N-Frak” booth and an entire bathroom display with actual tubs and showers ... Random. It was like a mixture of an N.Y.C. street fair and Speed Street.
The most interesting thing at Taste to me was the “Other White Meat Tour” … a tour?! For some reason this doesn’t make me just think of pork — but it does make me wonder, what is the other white meat? ... Spanish? And chicken could essentially be the other dark meat, right?
What better to do this weekend than to save the world?
Friday night The Chuckleheads will make you chuckle for charity.
The Chuckleheads will kick off the "Friday Night Funnies Comedy Series" at City Cafe Restaurant, 128 S. Main St. in Mt. Holly, with a charity show benefiting the Community Relief Organization. Show starts at 8 p.m. and admission is free but donations are accepted. The Community Relief Organization (CRO) of Mt Holly is an organization created and supported by local churches to help those less fortunate by providing food and other items.
Also on Friday, there's a charity event in Rock Hill. Country singer Chris Young — he's a Nashville Star winner — will be performing two shows at the Long Branch Saloon for a benefit for the SCLEOA. Tickets are $12 and it's going on at 7 and 10 p.m.
And on Saturday you can be a shopping saint in Misa's Closet, a consignment sale at The Residence at SouthPark (Penthouse 529) with the sale benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Misa's Closet will be a consignment sale created by Misa Hylton, award winning fashion stylist and the creative mind that developed iconic images such as Mary J. Blige, Little Kim, Lisa Raye, Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah, Kimora Lee, Fat Joe and 50 Cent, to name a few. There will be an admission fee of $25 for the VIP Pre-Sale from 10 a.m. to noon and $5 for the public sale from noon - 4 p.m. any items that do not sell will go to "Dress for Success" Charlotte.
And on Sunday there's a Festival of Hope in loving memory of Hope Stout at Beantown Tavern at the Fountains (on the corner of Audrey Hell and Tom Short) from 2 - 6 p.m. with live music from The Wax Gurus.
Meanwhile, Pops in the Park and the Marshall Park Music Festival both start this Sunday. Party in the parks with jazz music by day at Marshall park and the Charlotte Symphony by night at Symphony Park.
By Bailie Thompson
Last Saturday afternoon started off a bit rainy in the Queen City, but when the clouds parted and the sun started shining the 4th Annual Stonefest got fired up at The Philosopher’s Stone. The Philosopher’s Stone is known for being one of those local hangouts where everyone knows everyone and good music and good times can be found — especially at their Stonefest.
Stonefest IV was the perfect opportunity to sit outside, eat some BBQ and enjoy the tunes of several regional jam, rock and reggae bands.
One Big Love kicked off the show at about 2 p.m. The band creates unique grooves; a little reggae-infused with danceable beats and a saxophone to top it off. Then they transition into a DJ-backed ‘intelli-rap’ hip-hop set that is refreshingly smart and even pokes fun at all of the rappers that only flow about bling.
When I first heard the name Gastrolounge I thought it was a place you go to get colonics ... not so much. SOUL Gastrolounge is actually the new hot spot in Plaza Midwood ... and perhaps Charlotte in general.
SOUL is fine dining by day, nightclub-lounge by night. In other words, get there by 7 p.m. on the weekend if you plan to eat, because most people stay to play when the music gets turned up and the lights turned down at 10 p.m. But it’s not the kind of place you mind waiting for a table though because of the beats and the bar, tended by mixologist Kyle Crabtree who puts the Level 3 sommelier to shame.
SOUL serves sushi and tapas ... small plates, not so much small amounts of food. Just enough food to coat your stomach for a night out, but not put you in a food coma. And despite the name, the food doesn’t make you gassy — compliments to the chef Patty Greene, the menu master behind Carpe Diem.
While tailgating typically surrounds sports, now it IS a sport ... it even has its own league.
The National Tailgating League is a newly formed organization created to make tailgating games such as Cornhole, Ladder Golf and Washer Toss an organized sport.
The green flag, kick-off for the NTL presented by Budweiser is this weekend, Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24, at Lowe's Motor Speedway, surrounding the Coca Cola 600. There will be two tournaments on each day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon — both open to the public. Each tournament will hold 50 teams and while the cost to play is a mere $20 per person, the prizes include $500 cash, suites passes and tickets to the fall race.
In other words ... get to the track, park your car, do your stretches, put on your game face and strut to the “Eye of the Tiger” theme song in your head to the site of the NTL Cornhole tournament at the corner of Highway 29 and Morehead Road, directly across the street from the speedway — stopping to collect free shit along the way, like Will Ferrell loofahs from Old Spice, beads and keychains from beer girls, and Tylenol and Tums.
NASCAR is one of the biggest tailgating sports in the world and Memorial Day is one of the largest tailgating parties of the year. Tailgating is essentially an American tradition … while women break out the recipes, the guys break out the rivalry.
So, while tailgating recipe books are being published, the fire and ice grill and cooler combo is mass produced, sporting event parking lots become more decorated, and new tailgating games get created, the National Tailgating League is makes it official … tailgating is a sport.
You can register to join the league here.
And stay tuned because this week on Brittney After Dark I am giving away tickets to the 600 courtesy of Bank of America.
By Tiffany Handy
When you have to have something and nothing else will do, what’s the word for that? Oh yeah, crave!
Tuesday I went to check out Crave, a new dessert bar located behind Cans. I was expecting overpriced cake and martinis; however, I was pleasantly surprised to find the contrary. As soon as I walked in, I saw a sign that read “Bottomless Wine $15.” Cheapo for a wino!
After playing a couple rounds of Connect Four (don’t ask, they just brought it to us), I ordered one of their many cheesecakes — Southern Pecan. Although $7.95 may seem like a lot to pay for cheesecake, the caramelized pecans and rich flavor made it more than worthy; it’s a splurge in taste more so than the wallet.
Each page of the menu offers something different. You could order a cheese plate for $8.95 to go with your wine, or choose from the variety of desserts ranging from cup cakes to crèmes, all priced at $7.95. They also have a full service bar and lists of martinis that either fall under Lust or Euphoria ranging from $11-$12.
So, Cinco De Mayo, or as my friend likes to call it “Drink O De Mayo,” is aqui (that's Spanish for here). Yet another day that gives us Nightlifers an excuse to drink.
Party-goers, be sure to block off your schedule for 1900 Mexican Grill’s block party,…por que? Porque Simplified is playing and there will be salsa chugging, sombrero tossing and jalepeno eating... what a way to spice up Cinco De Mayo. Also, there’s a chance to win a vacation to Cancun, Mexico... although you might want to hold off on booking it until after the Swine Flu has passed. There is a $5 donation towards the American Cancer society and the festivities start at 4.
And at Whiskey River, it’s time to ditch the whiskey and fiesta with $3 Cervezas and $4 Tequila Shots. “No Time for Siesta, Time for Fiesta” is 18 and up, but based on their boots and bikinis event, I’m wondering if the dress code will be boots and a sombrero? A party bus will be at U and U Village at 10….so students, break into summer and out of exams with a night at "Tequilla River."
La Paz on South Blvd., will offer live music from Lundy and The Beach Walkers (previously Cravin’ Melon) and Cubby from 96.1 The Beat will be hosting the La Paz Olympics — but the only marathon here will be who can drink the most tequila shots and remain standing the longest. 1 tequila, 2 tequila 3 tequila... floor! And, of course, there will be drink specials on Landshark, Bud Light Lime, Bud Light, Margaritas and more. Music and Olympic sign ups start at 6 and the games begin at 7.
Other Restaurants and Bars hosting Drink Specials:
Howl at the Moon — $3 Corona and Corona Lights, $5 Blue Margaritas and $18 mega Margarita Buckets. Party starts at 8 and doesn’t end until you’re seeing red, white and green.
Wild Wing – The Logic will be performing and drink specials include $2.50 Coronas and Corona Light, and $3 Patron and House Margaritas.
Salsas at Carmel Road — Live music from a DJ, have Cinco De Mayo souvenirs, and are offering the chance to dance, sing, and drink.
On the Border on Providence Road — (south of the Uptown border) houses live music from 5-10, drink specials, and family fun.
Don Pedro — Order a special Margarita and get a free T-shirt!
Monterrey Mexican Restaurant at Park Road — Order a pitcher and get a free T-Shirt.
As for me, I already got laid at Strike City’s Dos De Mayo... and by laid I mean given a Hawaiian lei — not very Mexican but at least I got something better than a t-shirt right?
As in the Quail Hollow ... Wachovia ... whatever you want to call it, Championship.
Before this weekend, the only golf tournament I had been to before was the Panther’s golf tournament where I had to “drive a celebrity” around in a golf cart. Well this “celebrity” insisted I had a beer with him, which kind of made me wonder about the laws of drinking and driving golf carts.
But that doesn’t really count, nor does it compare to the Quail Hollow Championship where I got a crash course in golf, on the course.
Seeing as how I host a show about motorsports, my friends made an analogy of golfers to NASCAR drivers so that I would understand. They decided that Boo Weekly was the Carl Edwards, Camilo Villegas the Kyle Busch, Phil Mickelson the Dale Jr. and Tiger Woods the Jimmie Johnson. I meanwhile just rooted for Brendon de Jonge because he went to Virginia Tech and was representing Charlotte.
I also learned that when the golf referees throw their hands up that it means to shut up.
Whenever a player makes an eagle, I think the crowd should be like Nelly and drop down and get their eagle on. And I have also come to the conclusion that men should be women’s caddies and carry our purses.
Meanwhile, another one of my friends was being the “Honorary Observer” for Ross Fisher – she even got a hat that said “Honorary Observer.” And as we walked over the river and through the woods around the course we observed the Hendrick’s family home, Coach Fox’s new monstrosity of a house and a home that looked like it was transplanted from Savannah with a sign reading: “Player’s Shelter.” We also saw some “grounds groupies” and what looked like the cast of The Real Housewives of Charlotte.
Cameras and cell phones are outlawed at golf tournaments so I had to wean myself off my crackberry and am thus unable to provide you with a pic, but I was able to capture the tournament oriented block party that was relocated this year from Phillip’s Place to Piedmont Town Center.
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