Cover Story
Smoke This Issue: The 411 on 420
In the beginning, God created jazz and Jack Kerouac, and He saw that it was good. He putteth them together into a garden of earthly delights and sayeth unto them: Taketh from the land and learn to read and write with impeccable grammar and play thy scales correctly and linearly. The Great One also warned:…
Sunset Club, 4/22/12
Photos from the Battle for the Cure fundraising event on Sunday, April 22.
Neighborhood Theatre, 4/20/12
Photos from the 420 party, featuring the musical stylings of Eyes of the Elders
Today’s Top 5: Monday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
TEDxSummit in Doha with @dbirdy: Day 5 & 6
TEDxSummit Desert day shenanigans!
RiverRun Wrap 2012, Part 2
More news and reviews from Winston-Salem’s annual (and excellent) film festival.
Bachaco at Evening Muse tonight (4/22/12)
Bachaco Much like the big-bottomed ant that shares its name, all it takes is one (sound)bite of Bachaco’s cumbia-dancehall-reggae fusion to get your entire body shaking. The Miami-based band, with members hailing from Venezuela, Colombia, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the U.S., plays high-energy, feel-good music that’s become emblematic of the Latin alternative scene in South…
Middle East Festival at Queens
Middle East Council of the Carolinas’ annual shindig happens today.
RiverRun Wrap 2012, Part 1
News and reviews from Winston-Salem’s annual (and excellent) film festival.
The Edge Beauty Week
Get advice from expert stylists and claim your free giveaways at The Edge Beauty’s Spring Fashion Show.
Mixology event fundraiser at Discovery Place
The Mixology: Combine Science with Celebration event will feature a variety of food and drink stations hosted by top area chefs.
Dave Desmelik plays Common Market tonight (4/21/12)
DAVE DESMELIK I thought guys like this were a dying breed. Plain-spoken and earnest, Dave Desmelik delivers his high country, coffee-house Americana in a road-weary voice suggesting hard won acceptance and serenity. Introspective lyrics are married to plaintive harmonica and a breezy acoustic guitar shuffle, but there’s a hint of bitter almond in the air.…
Violins of Hope at Belk Theater (4/21/12)
VIOLINS OF HOPE UNC Charlotte’s College of Arts & Architecture sponsors this unique series, wherein 18 restored violins that survived the Holocaust – (looking at you, Ahmadinedouchebagjad) – now bring us music again. Some were played in the concentration camps, others belonged to the Eastern Euro Klezmer culture the Nazis all but eliminated in their…
Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun play Snug Harbor (4/21/12)
TODAY THE MOON, TOMORROW THE SUN Atlanta-based indie electro-fuzz-rock quartet Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun have been on the road full-time since 2009. In that time, they’ve polished both their live show and their ability to pack out a dance floor. Lead singer Lauren Gibson delivers her lyrics like a more swaggering, sensual Emily…
Follow the gnome to Genome
New exhibit opens with a reception tonight.
Clad in creativity
Charlotte Seen’s Passport For Fashion showcases new styles.
World party time
Charlotte World Parade & Festival offers a culturally merry time at Independence Park.
Weekend Film Review: In Darkness
Here’s what’s new on the cinema scene.
Recipe: Strawberry and Banana Muffins
At only 121 calories each, these aren’t the heavy, cupcakes without the icing you find at most coffee shops.
Empowering women through fashion
Local women-led non-profits host an event that brings a unique collection of global fair trade jewelry and accessories to Charlotte.
Marigny, 4/19/12
Photos from Thursday’s drink and drown party.
Phoenix, 4/19/12
Photos from Cameo Thursdays at Phoenix.
Democratic National Convention 2012 Notebook: Protesters and Pushback at Romney’s ‘Prebuttal’
Latinos in the crowd said they wouldn’t support the presumptive Republican candidate if he vowed to eliminate the Dream Act.
Live review: The Pretty Reckless, Visulite Theatre, 4/19/2012
The Pretty RecklessVisulite TheatreApril 19, 2012 Photo by Jeff Hahne “Sorry you guys have to wait so long,” Pretty Reckless guitarist Ben Phillips told the waiting crowd, a soft reminder that the band was already running 30 minutes late for their set at the Visulite Theatre on April 19, 2012. “Here’s some booty shorts, or…
Same address, funnier bigots
Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte brilliantly portrays Clybourne Park.
Today’s Top 5: Friday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
9th Annual Cash Bash starts tonight at Puckett’s Farm Equipment (4/20/12)
9th Annual Cash Bash This annual event not only pays tribute to the music of Johnny Cash, but also offers an opportunity to see some of the area’s finest rockabilly and honky-tonk bands. This, the first of two nights, will feature Asheville’s Southbound Turnaround, Charleston, S.C.’s Sky Paige & The Original Recipe, Greensboro’s The Malamondos…
The Explorers Club play Evening Muse tonight (4/20/12)
THE EXPLORERS CLUB The Charleston-based combo’s new album, Grand Hotel, as well as their early material, will get listeners looking at the copyright date. Wait. This was released earlier this year? Not the late ’60s or early ’70s? The band’s muse lingers in an unmistakable late-’60s southern California pop vibe, with a dash of psychedelia,…
Levon Helm: 1940-2012
A friend of Levon Helm’s gave me fair warning: “Don’t mention Robbie Robertson early in your discussion with him. You won’t be able to get him to talk about anything else. He’ll just go off!” Helm, of course, is the soulful, Arkansas-born singer and drummer who died Thursday at 71 after a 15-year, on-and-off battle…
Levon Helm dead at age 71
Levon Helm, drummer and singer for The Band, died of throat cancer on Thursday, April 21, 2012. He was 71. His Website offered a simple message: Levon Helm passed peacefully this afternoon. He was surrounded by family, friends and band mates and will be remembered by all he touched as a brilliant musician and a…
Mitt Romney ignores himself in Charlotte ‘prebuttle’
He can throw a punch, but can he lead the fight?
The 20 Greatest Rock Films Ever Made
An oldie but goodie from the CL archives (March 21, 2007), Part I.
Greatest Rock Films: The Best Also-Rans
An oldie but goodie from the CL archives (March 21, 2007), Part II.
The 10 Worst Rock Films Ever Made
An oldie but goodie from the CL archives (March 21, 2007), Part III.
Best & Worst Rock Films: Mark & Jeff’s Takes
Five years ago, in the March 21, 2007, issue of Creative Loafing, we ran “Music For The Movies: The 20 Greatest Rock Films Ever Made.” The piece and its sidebars — The Also-Rans and The 10 Worst — proved to be so popular, that we’ve elected to reprint the package circa its fifth anniversary. As…
Celebrate Record Store Day on April 21, 2012
Record Store Day will be held on April 21, 2012. Celebrated on the third Saturday of April each year, the event celebrates music and independently owned record stores. Lunchbox Records in Plaza Midwood will open at 9 a.m. and be open until at least 9 p.m. They’ve got a full list of the releases they…
Virginia Foxx: Creative Loafing’s dunce of the week
The representative and chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training proves just how out of touch she is.
The Pretty Reckless at Visulite Theatre tonight (4/19/12)
THE PRETTY RECKLESS In an earlier life, model turned actress turned songstress Taylor Momson played one of several interchangeable glam brats on the CW’s Gossip Girl. Her latest role, fronting loud hard-pop band The Pretty Reckless, is “rock bitch in heat” aka “front woman template model A” aka “slutty jailbait on drugs.” But don’t let…
Sensoria starts to make sense
Theater review of Play It Again, Sam and more.
Early voting begins today
Go be an American.
Opening Friday
What’s new this weekend in area theaters.
Hit the high notes for World Voice Day
Carolina Voices’ Festival Singers stretch their chords.
TEDxSummit in Doha with @dbirdy: Day 4
The M.I.A., Reggie Watts and shisha. Just another day in Qatar.
Today’s Top 5: Thursday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
Vanity Theft to rock the Milestone (4/19/12)
VANITY THEFT All-gal combo from Ohio’s got the upbeat pop ditties that sound as if written in the garage, where the guitars ably tackle the drums while the vocalist belts out loosely written lyrics. It takes awhile to get into their groove, and the tunes are generally well-phrased, but they’re most interesting when the guitars…
In Darkness sheds light on WWII incident
IN DARKNESS *** DIRECTED BY Agnieszka Holland STARS Robert Wieckiewicz, Benno Furmann Director Agnieszka Holland’s Europa Europa, which was all the art-house rage back in the early 1990s, related the true story of a Jewish boy who, during World War II, concealed his identity by pretending to be German and joining the Hitler Youth. For…
Jay Bakker takes a lesson from mom and dad
As the son of famed televangelists Jim Bakker and the late Tammy Faye Messner, Pastor Jay Bakker has worked to step out of their ubiquitous shadow and create his own niche. However, the founder of Revolution Church in New York City is returning to his hometown of Charlotte, and not just to visit old friends…
Citigroup shareholders reject executive-compensation proposal at annual meeting
They surprised the board in Dallas and probably sent shivers up a few spines in Charlotte, too.
Dick Clark dead at age 82
The TV icon died after a massive heart attack at the age of 82.
All About Style: A visit to Oomph Boutique
Our girl T. Strong stops through the women’s boutique to chat with the owner.
The return of Alive After 5: A look at the players
Welcome back Alive After 5, along with your motley crew of usual suspects!
TEDxSummit in Doha with @dbirdy: Day 3
Finally met someone who knows where Charlotte is!
HuDost at Evening Muse tonight (4/18/12)
HuDost Multi-instrumentalists Moksha Sommer and Jemal Wade Hines join forces as HuDost, a world music group for which that title seems too limiting. They bring the definition to life as Sommer sings in at least a dozen languages, often taking on the identity of the characters she sings about. The music is often driven by…
Leftover Salmon play Visulite tonight (4/18/12)
LEFTOVER SALMON The jam circuit has long been the province of the bluegrass/rock ‘n’ roll fusion – but that was hardly the case when Leftover Salmon took electric instruments to rootsy Americana more than two decades ago. The improv pioneers charmingly dub their style “polyethnic Cajun slamgrass,” mashing bouncy cajun and funk rhythms with high-energy…
Hipsters, time to move
Yahoo Travel has identified the top 10 cities for the skinny jean aficionado.
Deer Professionals buck the trend
Graphic design and illustration show at Johnson & Wales.
Eat With Your Dollars: Sourcing your salmon
Sushi talk: Farming salmon has become the most popular method of bringing this fatty fish to your table – but not without risks.
Today’s Top 5: Wednesday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
Smoke This Issue: Music
To simplify things for you, dear readers (and OK, for us, too), we have compressed stoner culture into three basic categories for our music recommendations. We know there are more varieties of stoners, but we figure if you don’t fit some way into one of these, you either ought not be smoking weed or you…
Smoke This Issue: Arts
Bechtler Museum of Modern Art: Clearly museums of modern art were made for stoners. I mean, seriously. Why do you think Pablo Picasso made those bizarro cubist faces with eyes in the wrong places? Who do you think Paul Klee’s little geometric shapes and figures are for? How about the scribblings of Karel Appel or…
Smoke This Issue: Eats
Why did Creative Loafing come to me for a list of stoner-friendly Charlotte restaurants? Maybe they were thinking, Hmmm… Who would be knowledgeable of both food weed? … Hey, let’s call Davis! After giving it some thought, I decided that listing a bunch of restaurants probably wasn’t the best idea for this item. For one…
Smoke This Issue: Film
Reefer Madness, aka Tell Your Children, The Burning Question, Doped Youth, Love Madness (1938) As this legendary turkey so convincingly proves, it takes only a single puff on a marijuana cigarette to not only turn decent, cleancut kids insane but also drive them to — oh, the horror! — dance to fast music! The most…
Smoke This Issue: The Facts
Weed in North Carolina North Carolina is very normal, for better or worse, in its dealing with marijuana, says Ron Wright, a Wake Forest University law professor. While it’s not legal for medical use like it is in California, where even a mosquito bite gives you access to some seriously sticky shit, possession of weed…
Smoke This Issue: Style
* In my experience, people who own head shops are skittish. Once, my boyfriend and I stopped into one that shall remain nameless (but conveniently located near a Dairy Queen and a Fuel Pizza in Plaza Midwood) to purchase some synthetic weed. Hey, it’s legal! The sales associate practically cowered behind the counter when I…
Smoke This Issue: The Web
• www.stonerfood.net — Stoner Food, one of the Web’s better ganja-oriented blogs, brings together possibly the best cannabis culinary knowledge you could imagine. Cooking with marijuana is (allegedly) very complicated, but many will say it’s worth the effort to save your lungs. Make your ever-expanding Buddha belly happy by sipping pot-laced tea and munching on…
Review: 25 Most Stylish event
So many fashion-forward folks all under one roof.
Autism Speaks hosts the “Light It Up Blue” gala
Fundraiser aims to support global bio-medical research into autism.
TEDxSummit in Doha with @dbirdy: Day 2
Camels, horses and Sheik Faisal’s private museum, oh my!
3 questions with Kevin Zraly, wine expert
It could be argued that having extra money for booze in college is just as important as showing up for an exam. Kevin Zraly definitely had his priorities in line during the educational heyday. As a history student, his side job was waiting tables, which introduced him to the wonderful world of wines, and a…
The long, hot march of climate change
The Pentagon knows it. The world’s largest insurers know it. Now, governments may be overthrown because of it. It is climate change, and it is real. According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, last month was the hottest March on record for the United States since 1895, when records were first kept, with…
CD Review: Sidi Touré’s Koïma
As I write this review, armed Islamist groups have just captured Gao, in northern Mali, and the country’s National Commission on Human Rights is reporting rapes and looting throughout that city and others along the Niger River in the southern Sahara, including the fabled Timbuktu. Singer/guitarist Sidi Touré, whose second American-released album is due this…
Remembering a past springtime concert at UNCC
By John Grooms Nearly every spring, as the earth warms and new blooms and pollen greet the eyes and nose, my mind starts to wander to episodes from past springs. This year, I’ve been pondering an amazing April concert at UNC Charlotte, one I attended ages ago April 10, 1976, to be precise, with some…
The Eyes of the Elders have it
Two MCs trading verses is commonplace in hip-hop, but having a live band bringing the noise instead of a DJ isn’t quite as prevalent. Combine that with two distinct physical presences — one guy who looks like a homeless Jesus and the other an intimidating, “6-foot-8 dude with an afro” — and people are bound…
Torta reform: Las Delicias Bakery
There is something so sensual and cheekily naughty about biting into a warm sugar-sprinkled golden churro and having the gooey caramel interior ooze into your mouth. Too often, churros are old, cold and formerly frozen. A churro made fresh from a family recipe and sold warm from the fryer is an unexpected pleasure one you…
City could derail DNC protest group
A young woman in a white blouse and colorful neckerchief leans against a wall in a law school. Her shaved head hovers over her phone as she checks her text messages. Though she seems like any other person present at the school on Saturday, Loan Tran is at the forefront of a burgeoning grassroots movement.…
Eye of a media storm: Floyd Collins
The signature moment of Floyd Collins occurs soon after the musical begins, when Floyd discovers the place that the media will subsequently name Sand Cave. Transported by dreams of curio shops, lines of tourists, and money, money, money for his family, Floyd sings “The Call,” an extraordinary concept by songwriter Adam Guettel. Part wonder, part…
A nation of Rhythm-A-Ning
In Chromophobia, artist David Batchelor writes about the disdain of color that has long been part of Western culture — how muted tones symbolize power and bright color is trivialized or feared as representing the foreign, the feminine or the weak. I was reminded of this passionate little book when I saw the exhibition Rhythm-A-Ning,…
Bizarre crimes from Charlotte police files (April 18)
G Thang: Three suspects were arrested on McAlway Road last week during a narcotics investigation. Police seized $212, three cell phones and $170 worth of marijuana, defined in their report as “Kush or That Loud.” One, two, three and to the fo’, Snoop Doggy Dogg and Dr. Dre is on the force. Beauty is pain:…
Weekly horoscope (April 18-24)
Taurus The Bull (April 19-May 19) The sun returns “home” to your sign this week. You likely will find it to be energizing. Now is the time to focus on new plans for this next year of your life. Take a fresh look at where you want to direct your energy. It is appropriate that…
Capsule reviews of films playing the week of April 18
AMERICAN REUNION Where all the sequels to 1999’s American Pie — 2001’s American Pie 2, 2003’s American Wedding and now American Reunion — go wrong is that none manage the balancing act between sweetness and seediness as well as the original film, instead tipping the scale toward the bawdy end to an unnecessary degree. And…
Interview: Recyclable designer Maria Allen
Maria Allen, 19, is a survivor, literally. She evacuated with her family to Charlotte in 2006 after Hurricane Katrina left her with only a few belongings. Though she was forced to start over in a new town, Allen found her calling to fashion by trying to maximize the limited selection of clothing she had left.…
Local options for yoga gear abound
New-age hippies and Hindu followers looking for a higher spiritual awareness aren’t the only ones busting a tree pose nowadays. In recent years, yoga has morphed into something so mainstream, even the Christian-based YMCA is offering classes. From back bends to forward bends, arm balances to inversions, there are yoga poses for everyone. “If you…
Jennifer Roberts, the underdog
Jennifer Roberts is an athlete at heart whose endurance might be enough to prepare her for the race of a lifetime. The Mecklenburg County Commissioner is the lone Democrat among 10 Republicans and one Libertarian vying for Republican incumbent Sue Myrick’s vacated congressional seat. The GOP has controlled the 9th District, which includes parts of…
CD Review: M. Ward’s A Wasteland Companion
Two or three tracks into his seventh LP, it’s plainly obvious: M. Ward is making the same record yet again. Ward fans probably began intuiting this trend after his fourth full-length, 2005’s breakthrough Transistor Radio, but for the first time some of the vintage blues-folk and old-school rock feel … Xeroxed. Still, we didn’t hold…
DNC protesters still battling with Charlotte over permits
The Coalition to Protest at the DNC said it would take the city to court if it didn’t cough up a parade permit.
