8 Days A Week 

Talky Texas musician Jerry Jeff Walker is getting a bit long in the tooth for his former "outlaw" description, but he's still cranking out countryish tales and putting on good shows. Walker appears tonight at 8pm at the Neighborhood Theatre with his band, The Gonzo Compadres. Tickets to see Mr. Bojangles are $40, available by calling 704-358-9298.

Children's Theatre of Charlotte will present Jean-Claude van Itallie's The Serpent, a postmodern adaptation of the Adam and Eve story, with asides on contemporary life, starting tonight on the Black Box Stage. The show will run tonight at 8pm and May 16, 18-19 at 7:30pm. All tickets are $6. For more information, call 704-333-8983 or visit online at www.ctcharlotte.org.

THURSDAY 16

The hilarious David Cross of the short lived but amazingly funny Mr. Show on HBO will perform at Tremont Music Hall tonight followed by a performance by Ultrababyfat. The show is slated to start at 8pm. Tickets are $13 each. For more information, call 704-343-9494.

Shadowlands, the love story of C.S. Lewis (author of The Chronicles of Narnia and The Screwtape Letters) and American poet Joy Davidman, starts tonight at the Off-Tryon Theatre. The show will run Thursday-Saturday May 16-25 at 8pm. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors. For more information, call 704-375-2826.

The Yorkville Players and Victory Pictures will present One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest by Dale Wasserman at the McCelvey Center in York, SC. The play will run for three consecutive weekends with curtain times each evening at 8pm. The show dates are tonight through May 18, May 23-25 and May 30-June 1 with a special matinee performance on June 2 at 3pm. Tickets are $12 per person. For more information, call 803-628-5025 or visit online at www.yorkvilleplayers.com.

Carolina Voices presents Hooray for Hollywood! -- At The Booth tonight through May 18 at 8pm and May 18-19 at 3pm. All performances will be held in the Booth Playhouse of the Performing Arts Center. Included are songs from The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, An American In Paris, Casablanca and many others -- along with a special patriotic salute to WWII Hollywood spectaculars. Tickets are $20 for Gallery and $25 for Orchestra seats. For more information, call 704-374-1564 or visit online at www.carolinavoices.org.

Theatre Charlotte will present the Neil Simon and Cy Coleman musical Sweet Charity continuing tonight at the theater. The show runs today, tomorrow, and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2:30pm. Tickets range from $15-$20. For more information, call 704-334-9128.

FRIDAY 17

The Afro-American Children's Theatre presents a stage version of Toni Morrison's drama The Bluest Eye, tonight through May 19 at Spirit Square. Showtimes are Friday at 7:30pm, Saturday and Sunday at 4pm. Tickets are $14 for adults and $12 for children. For more information, call 704-372-1000 or 704-372-7410.

Americana pioneer James Talley, one of the overlooked gems in an overcrowded genre, will play tonight at 8pm at the Neighborhood Theatre. Called "The Godfather of Americana" by the Nashville Scene, Talley has been a critical favorite for years, and even boasts a high-profile fan in Rosalyn Carter, who called Talley her favorite musician. No word if he's smoked cheebah on the roof like Willie Nelson, however. The opening act is David Childers. Tickets are an outta-sight $10, available by calling 704-358-9298.

The Charlotte Symphony Season Finale will feature American conductor JoAnn Falletta and Van Cliburn Gold Medalist Jon Nakamatsu making his CSO debut with Gershwin's jazz-inspired Concerto in F. All performances will be held in the Belk Theatre of the Performing Arts Center. The evening begins with pre-concert talks at 7pm, and the show starts at 8pm. Tickets range from $12-$55. For more information, call 704-972-2000 or visit online at www.charlottesymphony.org.

Ellie Mannette, the "father of the modern steel drum" (hey, somebody had to update all those old pre-modern steel drums) headlines the Steel at the Square 2002 event today and tomorrow in Charlotte. Activities include an after-school demonstration at C.N. Jenkins Presbyterian Church with the 100 Black Stars Steel Orchestra, a pan construction workshop tomorrow, and a free public concert tomorrow at 8pm at the Duke Power Theater. For more information or to enroll, call 704-375-7300, or email SIDEMNYA@aol.com.

SATURDAY 18

Tonight at 9pm, one of the most popular NASCAR events, The Winston, in effect an all-star race, takes place at Lowe's Motor Speedway, with defending champion Jeff Gordon attempting to retain his crown by racing in three stages against drivers who've won races during the past year. Tickets for The Winston start at $20 and go way up, and are available by calling 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.

Hands On Charlotte, one of the most successful volunteer organizations in the country, kicks off its 10th Anniversary Hands On Charlotte Day. Registration and opening ceremonies begin at 7:45 in Marshall Park, and the event will conclude there with a closing celebration. Individuals, companies, and families are invited to attend the popular volunteer event, which will take on projects all over Charlotte. For more information, call 704-333-7471.

The Charlotte Sting -- who last season pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in sports history by starting off very poorly and winding up in the WNBA championship series -- and who ain't going nowhere, thank you very much, take on the Minnesota Lynx in preseason action tonight at 6pm at the Charlotte Coliseum. For tickets, call 704-522-6500.

The Allure of East Asia opens at the Mint Museum of Art today. The exhibit, which will run through July 14, features over 100 objects chronicling the aesthetics and techniques that produced beautiful ceramics, furniture, textiles and crafts for thousands of years. Museum hours are: Tuesdays 10am-10pm, Wednesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, and Sunday 12-5pm. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and students, and free for children under age 6. For more information, call 704-337-2000 or visit online at www.mintmuseum.org.

Today is the Celebrate France! Foire at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont. On hand will be a French cafe, music, talks, flowers, food, puppets, family events and more. Tickets are $8 for adults, and $4 for children, available at the door. For more information, call 704-825-4490.

The 20th Annual Lake Norman Festival takes place today from 9am until 5pm in downtown Mooresville. Featured are an array of food, crafts, rides, music, and other goodies. For more information, call 704-664-3898.

SUNDAY 19

Children's Theatre of Charlotte presents The Velveteen Rabbit, the classic tale of a toy that's loved so much it becomes real (kind of like a kiddie Twilight Zone thing), this afternoon at 4pm in the Children's Theatre. This is the last night for the show, but also the only night in which tickets aren't sold out. Tickets are $9 for center and $6 for side. For more information, call 704-333-8983 or visit online at www.ctcharlotte.org.

In memory of Malcolm X, the Afro-American Cultural Center will present a 74th Birthday Celebration, entitled Honoring Malcolm, from 7-9pm at the cultural center. Local and regional artists from all disciplines will come together to pay homage to the civil rights leader in a community-wide showcase. The event is open to the public. For more information, call 374-1565.

The Charlotte Children's Choir will present their annual Spring Concert, Rhythm of Life, at Matthews United Methodist Church at 3pm. For more information and ticket prices call 704-374-1892.

MONDAY 20

The Pop Disaster Tour, featuring popular pop-punk acts Green Day, Blink-182 and Jimmy Eat World, will play the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre tonight at 7pm. Tickets are all $32.50, available by calling 704-522-6500. See our interview with Blink-182's Tom DeLonge in this issue.

The Charlotte Sting, featuring homegirl Andrea Stinson, guard Dawn Staley, and Anne Donovan, the tallest basketball coach in history, are still in Charlotte and are taking on the Cleveland Rockers in preseason action tonight at 7pm at the Charlotte Coliseum. For tickets, call 704-522-6500.

WEDNESDAY 22

Author and Davidson College graduate Catherine Landis will appear at the Little Professor Book Center on Park Road tonight at 7pm to sign her new book Some Days There's Pie. For more information, call 704-525-9239.