Arts & Entertainment 2014

Best Of 2014

Jim McGuire

Best Library: Little Free Library (Pictured: Midwood Park)

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Staff Picks

Best Exhibition

Mario Botta: Architecture and Memory at the Bechtler Museum

420 S. Tryon St. 704-353-9200

http://www.bechtler.org

Charlotte houses one of only two buildings in the U.S. designed by prolific Swiss architect Mario Botta, and the Bechtler chose to… Continue

Best Showcase of Women Who Rock with Their Cameras

Women of Vision at the Mint Museum Uptown

500 S. Tryon St. 704-337-2000

http://www.mintmuseum.org

Because girl power.
Continue

Best Art/Community/Environment Partnership

Aurora Robson and CPCC Sculpture Students in the Exhibition Synthesis

Robson, a McColl Center for Art + Innovation Artist-in-Residence, designed a course implemented by Central Piedmont Community College sculpture students under Ashley… Continue

Best Use of Carpet Padding

Henrique Oliveira’s FASCIA exhibit at Projective Eye Gallery

In one of the most important exhibitions of the year (curated by Crista Cammaroto), Brazilian artist Henrique Oliveira presented a strange, amorphous… Continue

Best Comedy Specials

Queen City Theatre Company’s Things You Shouldn’t Say Past Midnight and CPCC Summer Theatre’s Over the River and Through the Woods (tie)

We weren’t sure if, when or where QCTC would return, so it was truly special when the company came roaring back in… Continue

Best Drama

CAST’s Sizwe Bansi Is Dead

There was plenty of drama backstage and at board meetings this past season at CAST as the company implausibly imploded, but that… Continue

Best Musicals

Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte’s Passing Strange and Children’s Theatre of Charlotte’s The Reluctant Dragon (tie)

Once upon a time, there was only one game in town — namely, CPCC’s Summer Theatre — if you were looking for… Continue

Best Arts Haven

UpStage

3306-C North Davidson St.

It isn’t a malevolent plot, but it’s no accident that most of Charlotte’s new guerilla theater groups are gravitating to UpStage. Since… Continue

Best Arts Showcase

Dupp & Swat

2424 N. Davidson St., Suite 112B

http://www.duppandswat.com

Though not a museum, gallery, theater or even a club, Dupp & Swat has built up a reputation as the premiere place… Continue

Best New Theater Tradition

The Blumey Awards

Talk about an instant success. Each of the three annual stagings of The Blumey Awards at Belk Theater has been greeted with… Continue

Best Identity Crisis

Charlotte Ballet, formerly North Carolina Dance Theatre

701 N. Tryon St. 704-372-1000

http://www.charlotteballet.org

Scrolling down the list of local performing arts companies, the roll call lingers long in the C’s. So why, after years of… Continue

Best Escape Act

Charlotte Symphony Orchestra

While the San Francisco, Nashville and Minnesota orchestras have been embroiled in crisis, gasping for life fighting labor and money woes, the… Continue

Best Kept Cinematic Secret

Ayrsley Grand Cinemas

9110 Kings Parade Blvd. 980-297-7539

http://www.ayrsleycinemas.com

OK, given the steady stream of customers, maybe it’s not that big a secret. But folks who tend to do all their… Continue

Best Event for Hanging Out with Insatiable Nymphomaniacs, Zombie Cheerleaders and Michael Fassbender in a Giant Fake Head

Back Alley Film Series
A previous BOC award winner, BAFS deserves repeat honors for continuing to bring the wild and wacky branch of cinema to Charlotte… Continue

Best Reason to Revisit the 1980s

Made in 1984 Film Series

The movie year of 1984 was such a great one that CL even devoted a cover story to it. Coincidentally, the Main… Continue

Friendliest Celebrity

Henry Winkler at Mad Monster Party

Most celebrities at conventions tend to be cheerful — nobody’s gonna want an autograph from someone who’s bellowing at them — but… Continue

Best Library

Little Free Library

Take a book, leave a book. Or take two books and leave no books. Or take no books and … you get… Continue

Comedian Hostess with the Mostess

Blayr Nias

This local stand-up comedian hosts monthly Almost Famous Comedy Shows at The Comedy Zone. But her main focus — no matter what… Continue

Best Comic Book by a Charlottean

Wolverine & The X-Men by Jason Latour

Latour had huge, brightly colored boots to fill when he took over the title this year, as the book’s former writer was… Continue

Best Uptown Takeover

Jazz

When a watering hole called Jonathan’s expired some 20 years back, so did America’s indigenous art form here in Charlotte. But swingers,… Continue

Best Indie Label Debut

Bless These Sounds Under the City’s self-titled album

Finely crafted in every sense — musically, lyrically, sonically. It’s the kind of album that stays on steady rotation and gives you… Continue

Best Major Label Debut

Montibello Memories by Matrimony

A lot of bands get signed to major labels and get in the fast lane of pop music and what’s gonna sell.… Continue

Best WTF Was That?

Andy the Doorbum Record Release Party

Only 100 tickets were sold for this warehouse event that left those in attendance saying, “What the fuck did I just witness?”… Continue

Best Reason to Wait in Line for a Concert

Jack White at The Fillmore

People drove from Chicago. A guy flew in from San Francisco. There were tents in line before there was daylight. Was it… Continue

Best Reason to Wait in the Rain for a Concert

Outkast at Funk Fest

First there was an hour delay for lightning. Then there was an hour delay for the stage setup. People were tired, cranky… Continue

Best New Fest

Reverb Fest

Straight outta the gate, Reverb Fest creator Phil Pucci put on a showcase of some of Charlotte’s finest musicians. With two stages… Continue

Best Old Fest

God Save the Queen City

Looking for a great way to hear some of the best local, regional and national musicians all in one day for one… Continue

Best Booking

The Fillmore

1000 N.C. Music Factory Blvd. 704-549-5555

http://www.livenation.com

By mid-year, The Fillmore had more than 20 sell-outs, thanks to a diverse lineup that included Jack White, Phantograms, Weezer, The Head… Continue

Best Place to Stay a While

Snug Harbor Wednesday Residencies

1228 Gordon St. 704-333-9799

http://www.snugrock.com

Aside from giving bands a place to work out a solid regimen of music over the course of a month, the Wednesday… Continue

Best On the Brink Act

Forever FC

There’s a reason we put this hip-hop collective on the cover in September. Consistency is key and these guys deliver. Hell, even… Continue

Best Export

Young and In the Way

Charlotte metal band Young and in the Way brought pig blood to Asheville’s Lexington Avenue Brewery, sprayed it around and caused the… Continue
Reader Picks

Best Museum

Winner: Mint Museum Continue

Best Art Gallery

Winner: Harvey B. Gantt Center of African-American Arts + Culture Continue

Best Art Exhibit (Traveling)

Winner: The Kinsey Collection: Shared Treasures of Bernard and Shirley Kinsey - Where Art and History Intersect at The Harvey B. Gantt Center of African American Arts + Culture (June 29, 2013-Oct. 12, 2013) Continue

Best Art Exhibit (Local)

Winner: “Matches” by Brandon Brooks Continue

Best Art Space

Winner: NoDa Continue

Best Art Space Outside of Charlotte

Winner: Summer Street Plaza, Boston Continue

Best Display of Public Art

Winner: Romare Bearden Park Continue

Best Local Visual Artist

Winner: Monique Luck Continue

Best Local Performing Artist

Winner: Woody Williams aka Funky Geezer Continue

Best Theater Company

Winner: Children’s Theatre of Charlotte Continue

Best Local Actor (Male or Female)

Winner: Toochukwu Anyachonkeya Continue

Best Theater Show of Past 12 Months

Winner: The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess at Belk Theater (July 15-20, 2014) Continue

Best Movie Theater (Quality of Films)

Winner: Studio Movie Grille Continue

Best Movie Theater (Quality of Presentation)

Winner: Studio Movie Grille Continue

Best Charity Event

Winner: 24 Hours of Booty Continue

Best Place to Hear Spoken Word

Winner: Upstage Continue

Best Improv Group

Winner: Over The Counter Improv Continue

Best Place to See Comedy

Winner: The Comedy Zone Continue

Best Local Comedian

Winner: Tom Stover Continue

Best Drag Show

Winner: The Scorpio Continue

Best Drag Performer

Winner: Beth Ann Phetamine Continue

Best Fine Arts Photographer

Winner: JoAnn Sieburg-Baker Continue

Best New Band, Formed In Past 12 Months

Winner: Organik Musik Continue

Best Local Band (Originals)

Winner: Flagship Continue

Best Local Band (Covers)

Winner: Nita B. and the Swingin’ Soiree Continue

Best Local Album of Past 12 Months

Winner: Hectorina’s A Thousand Jackals Continue

Best Solo Music Performer

Winner: Andy the Doorbum Continue

Best Female Singer

Winner: Trish Andrews Continue

Best Male Singer

Winner: Pete Lents, Howl at the Moon Continue

Best Drummer

Winner: Tyler Thomsen, Grown Up Avenger Stuff Continue

Best Guitarist

Winner: Dave Haywood, Howl at the Moon Continue

Best Rapper

Winner: Terence Williams of Organik Musik Continue

Best Local Songwriter

Winner: Lenesto Page of Organik Musik Continue

Best Open Mic Night

Winner: Find Your Muse at Evening Muse Continue

Best Concert Venue (Quality of Sound)

Winner: The Fillmore Continue

Best Concert Venue (Quality of Performers)

Winner: The Fillmore Continue

Best Concert of Past 12 Months

Winner: Juicy J at The Fillmore (April 7, 2014) Continue

Best Music Event of Past 12 Months

Winner: Warped Tour Continue

Best Place to Hear Country Music

Winner: Coyote Joe’s Continue

Best Place to Hear Jazz

Winner: Cajun Queen Continue

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