Hair today, art forever
Orange Olive is a salon with style.
NRA board member: 30-round clips ‘just an advantage’
If you are wondering how in the world the National Rifle Association can publicly oppose restrictions on the sale of high-capacity gun clips — particularly in the wake of the Tucson shootings in which a stone-cold nutcase killed six people and wounded 13 others, using a gun with a 30-round clip — well, wonder no…
Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Leather and Lace … with your ex
On Feb. 12, the South End strip club is hosting a “Love on The Rocks” party. And your entry is free if you show up with a picture of you and that ex.
GOP asked: Will seniors have to return $250 to government?
You have to wonder whether Republicans in Congress are starting to regret having voted to repeal health care reform. Many people are up in arms over the prospect of losing some of the reform act’s more popular provisions such as being able to get insurance despite having a pre-existing condition, and keeping kids on their…
Audiofloss — Vol. 5, No. 1: The return of Slick & Rose
Ta-da — Audiofloss is back for a brand-new season of shows.
I’m turning the ‘Flirty 30’ today
Thirty years ago today, I was being squeezed out of my mother’s vagina. Well, actually I was being ripped out of her stomach via emergency C-section. Hence, I woke up this morning the big 3-0. And I just discovered some new wrinkles under my eyes. Happy Birthday to me. I don’t really mind exiting my…
N.C. checkpoint procedure under investigation
The ACLU responds to widespread complaints of discrimination
This week in Charlotte’s undocumented youth …
An undocumented teenager may have been held as a slave; students who support the DREAM act to convene in Raleigh
Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, 1/22/11
Guests who attended the Catawba Riverkeeper’s fundraiser at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art Saturday evening were treated to a special tour of the museum
The Mayor’s impromptu Twitter Q&A
Let’s see if the Mayor will hold another impromptu Twitter town hall.
The Onion, now showing on IFC
Check it out.
McColl Center, 1/21/11
The art exhibit (Dis)Comfort opened with a reception at McColl Center of Visual Art on Friday evening.
100 percent renewable energy is possible by 2030
What are we waiting for?
Today’s Top 5: Monday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
Neighborhood Theatre, 1/21/11
Mindelixir presented Bass Church 5 at Neighborhood Theatre Friday night.
Live review: Ronnie Burrage w/ Branford Marsalis
Petra’s Piano Bar gets hit with amazing jazz talent for Jan. 23, 2011, concert.
Paula Deen’s Kitchen officially open at Harrah’s Cherokee Hotel and Casino
A quick review of Paula’s new restaurant.
Live review: Those Darlins, Shovels & Rope, Lamb Handler
Triple threat hits Snug Harbor for fantastic Jan. 21, 2011, concert.
I’m turning the ‘Flirty 30’ today
Is 30 the deadline for single women?
Bacon and pretzel toffee
The bacon and pretzel toffee combined with a layer chocolate and a dusting of fleur de sel (sea salt) will satisfy that sweet/savory craving.
Today’s Top(less) 5: Monday
Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date.
LezView: An interview with Holly J and Dana Williams
Take a peek at local show that looks at issues, entertainment and relationships in the LGBT community.
No Strings Attached: Black mark, not Black Swan
Natalie Portman should have just said no.
The Green Hornet has some sting
Goofy approach to superhero saga works some of the time.
This weekend’s top nightlife events (Jan. 21-22)
What are you doing this weekend?
Dylan Gilbert covers MJ’s “I Want You Back”
Band releases free download of song.
Why Santa is like a bad ex-boyfriend
A woman’s first heartbreak … Santa.
Joe Lieberman, whiny, sexist jerk: Good riddance
Is there anyone in U.S. government as damned annoying as Joe Lieberman? Joe’s sad-sack tone and whiiiiny voice are bad enough and have led to his nickname “Senator Droopy Dog.” But it’s the guy’s pig-headed stubbornness, even in the face of documented, contradicting facts being placed in front of him, that nails the “Most Annoying”…
Nationwide, Latinos targeted in hate crimes
An article in the Huffington Post brings to light one of the biggest civil rights issues of our time
Poll: Fox is most distrusted name in news
FoxNews, as its announcers will tell you ad infinitum, has the highest cable news ratings. That never ceases to dismay me, but it’s true. At the same time, however, at least as many people can’t stand Fox as like it. A new annual poll by Public Policy Polling of Americans’ attitudes toward TV news found…
Extreme Makeover: Muffin edition
Baking queen Dorie Greenspan’s recipe for lemon poppy seed muffins gets a healthy makeover.
Bluprint restaurant opening Uptown
Bluprint will be opening on Trade Street in Uptown Charlotte (near Morton’s) in the next weeks. The restaurant touts itself as “The Bluprint for how restaurants should be run.” With a self-described style of “eclectic comfort,” their breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus include items like Bluberry pancakes, sweet potato crepes, aloha panache, and “peace &…
Today’s Top 5: Friday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
Today’s Top(less) 5: Friday
Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date.
Weekender, Jan. 21-23
Check out these events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area this weekend.
Arringtons: a new place to buy sex toys in an old location
Not only can you get your club gear (stripper clothes) and novelties (dildos) from this shop, there are people there to do your makeup and nails.
Aloha, cheap lunch
For $7.25, you can get a giant tray of food. These “plate lunches” come with macaroni salad, steamed rice, and veggies.
Plaza Midwood Community Radio
Site offers streaming audio of Charlotte area bands.
God help us: Sue Myrick wants a gun
“Sue’s the queen of political paranoia, so for her to be upstaged by a couple of upstarts from her own state, well, let’s just say it’s been a rough week.”
Opening Friday
What’s new in theaters this weekend.
Bar Charlotte, 1/19/11
Widget wrestling went down at BAR Charlotte on Wednesday, Jan. 19.
Night review: An Afterbirth Casserole Productions potluck
The most awesome part of it all was the vagina-esque exit of the haunted house. Seriously folks, it was like climbing out of the womb all over again
Tonight’s Top 5, 01/20/11
The top five nightlife-related events going down tonight, Jan. 20, as chosen from the folks at Creative Loafing.
Where’s WikiLeaks’ Bank of America docudrama?
People heard “big” and “bank” and figured the Q.C.’s big bank was it.
What’s in your booze?
Good question.
Walmart’s healthy strategy
Revamping recipes, lowering prices … #FTW! (That’s “for the win,” non Twitter folks.)
Today’s Top 5: Thursday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
Today’s Top(less) 5: Thursday
Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date.
PHOTOS: Penguin Drive-In
In the six-week turnaround, the restaurant went through a mini makeover with a new menu, some new furniture, new windows designs with penguin logos.
Citizen Kane makes Charlotte appearance
Orson Welles’ masterpiece will be screened this Saturday at ImaginOn.
STS9 cancels tour
STS9 has canceled their upcoming tour, including a scheduled date at The Fillmore Charlotte in March, due to the band’s bassist being diagnosed with cancer. A statement by David Murphy was posted on the band’s Web site: Greetings Family, Friends and Fans, I’m writing to share with y’all some news I’ve received recently. I have…
Young men get the pleasure, young women get the shaft, says new study
What this study doesn’t point out, like a lot of these studies, is that women want the pleasures of sex and don’t want to marry everyone who gives them an orgasm.
Paste posts fake 2011 Bonnaroo lineup
Lineup has not yet been officially announced.
GOP ‘health care repeal’ is La-La Land fantasy world
Today, the Republicans who took over the House of Representatives are demonstrating their positive, practical agenda for improving the lives of Americans by engaging in an elaborate fantasy. They intend to pass a bill that would repeal the health care reform passed by the last Congress. Afterward, the bill will be voted down in the…
Steven Colbert, Jon Stewart dismantle Sarah Palin’s media persona
Reminds us that Palin is the mainstream media.
Half of U.S. citizens have pre-existing conditions
In related news, two NC Dems switch sides on health care vote.
New club Re:Public opens Jan. 29
The venue formerly known as Alley Cat will reopen next weekend.
Is Charlotte a shopping destination?
Charlotte ranks #11 on Forbes list of the 25 best U.S. cities for shopping.
Tonight’s Top 5, 01/19/11
The top five nightlife-related events going down tonight, Jan. 19, as chosen from the folks at Creative Loafing.
Butter, 1/18/11
Jersey Shore’s Vinny stopped through Butter Tuesday night.
Concert announcement: Iron & Wine, The Low Anthem
Iron & Wine will perform at Amos’ Southend on April 26, along with The Low Anthem. Tickets go on sale on Jan. 21 at 10 a.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $24 on the day of show.
More bands added to 2011 Vans Warped Tour
A handful of bands have now been announced for the summer festival.
Theater review: Billy Elliot
Critic Perry Tannenbaum takes a look at the Ovens Auditorium production
Today’s Top 5: Wednesday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
Foo Fighters tease new album
Foo Fighters have posted a brief clip on their Web site to tease to their upcoming album, which is due this spring. The clip is from the song “Bridge Burning.” Sounds like they’re getting things heavy again:
Coachella lineup announced
The lineup for Coachella has been announced. Taking place in California in mid-April, the festival will feature headliners Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire, Kanye West and The Strokes.
Today’s Top(less) 5: Wednesday
Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date.
Best bets in Charlotte Comedy, Jan. 18-22
Here are a few of the best places to find comedy events in Charlotte this week.
Credit card fraud hits Cabo Fish Taco
Credit card fraud at popular eatery is a part of a nationwide fraud practice.
Karma Ultra Lounge, 1/15/11
Photos from Saturday night partying at South Charlotte’s Karma Ultra Lounge.
How Dell ‘incentives’ backfired on N.C. taxpayers
One of the central parts of the state’s “jobs program” is to keep pouring money into private companies that agree to relocate to North Carolina. Corporations these days routinely milk states’ budgets, and even play states off each other, in order to get paid to come to a state where their profits would rise even…
Party like it’s your birthday …
Brittney Cason’s Flirty Thirty birthday party
Ready your wallets, it’s Arts & Science Council fundraiser time
I’m not joking. I challenge you to match my $52 donation.
College: High school, part II?
Step it up, kids.
The pollutants in your fat could make you sick
In gross, annoying health news, because pollutants are stored in our fat, when we melt the fat on our ass those pollutants are re-released into our bloodstream … and they could make us sick. Here’s more from MSNBC.com: Weight loss may have an unwanted side effect, according to a new study in the journal Nature:…
Today’s Top 5: Tuesday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
This week’s new releases (1/18/2011)
Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new in stores this week: Gregg Allman Low Country Blues James Blunt Some Kind of Trouble The Decemberists The King Is Dead Pearl Jam Live on Ten Legs Social Distortion Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes
Night review: A night out at Karma Lounge
Karma Lounge (located at 1925 Westinghouse Blvd.) has added its name to the list of local venues vying for a spot in the lucrative nightlife market in the Q.C.
Tonight’s Top 5, 01/18/11
The top five nightlife-related events going down tonight, Jan. 18, as chosen from the folks at Creative Loafing.
Today’s Top(less) 5: Tuesday
Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date.
Girl Talk blends together a helluva musical stew
The first thought that runs through many minds when they hear the music of Girl Talk is usually, “How does this guy not get sued?” Many artists and musicians have been sued for much less. After all, Girl Talk not only uses riffs and rhythms from songs but also entire verses and choruses for his…
FILM: For-Adults-Only Monday Movies
Gaston County Public Library’s 2011 For-Adults-Only Monday Movies series (featuring award-winning foreign and independent films) continues today with a screening of the thriller, Storm. The film — about a trial against a former commander of the Yugoslavian National Army who is accused of the killing Bosnian-Muslim civilians — is a fast-paced mystery taking place in…
CL previews upcoming concerts (Jan. 19-23)
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 19 GRANT HART Hart’s contribution as drummer and co-songwriter for groundbreaking 1980s rockers Hüsker Dü still reverberates in the world of indie rock. Last year’s Hot Wax is his third solo release and first in a decade, and is stacked with cogent, lacerating as well as reflective songs that tap into Hart’s songwriting…
THEATER: Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words at Booth Playhouse
There always seems to be a lot of gossip surrounding celebrities. Whether serious or silly, most of us will take it either way. With that in mind, you’ll want to check out Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words, when it pays a visit to Booth Playhouse. The hit comedy features rando but true fun facts…
An open letter to District Attorney Andrew Murray
Chris Radok’s murder was the first of 2011 and the first to occur on your watch. As Mecklenburg County’s new prosecutor, you’ll help determine the value of his life. How your office handles this case will set the tone for those that follow. It will show the county’s defense attorneys whether single-digit murder sentences are…
COMEDY: Funny Bone Improv at The Comedy Zone Fort Mill
Funny Bone Improv doesn’t seem to care much for New Year’s resolutions. The motto for its upcoming show is “Forget about losing weight, getting sober, or finally taking that pesky paternity test. It’s time to give up!” For more information, visit www.funnyboneimprov.com. $10 ticket gets two people into the show. 8 p.m. The Comedy Zone…
Chris Radok, R.I.P.
Chris Radok was murdered at age 55, on Monday, Jan. 10. From 1994 to 2006, Chris had worked for Creative Loafing, mostly as photographer and photo editor, both freelance and full-time. The last time I worked with him was about a year ago, when we co-operated on a cover-story photo essay about the Urban…
A tale of two sheriffs
The Tucson massacre that left six dead and injured 14, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, brought into sharp public focus the local sheriff, Clarence Dupnik. He’s been the sheriff of Pima County, which includes Tucson, Arizona’s second-largest city, for 30 years. For the 20 years before that, he was a police officer. Dupnik has gained attention…
‘Dynamite’ diet with nutritionist Angela Gallo
About now you’re probably wrestling with the guilt of not sticking with your New Year’s resolution to lose some weight and get in shape. And to make matters worse, you probably packed on a few extra pounds during the holidays. You’re feeling bloated, lethargic, and your clothes are becoming uncomfortably snug. Well, don’t panic. We’re…
Author Jon Lansdale grabs some mainstream respect
The Bottoms (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, $14.95) Joe Lansdale is a master of outrageously over-the-top thrillers, horror novels and “country noir” stories. He has a huge cult following, and The Bottoms, originally published nine years ago, is probably his best work. Vintage has now given Lansdale the kiss of respectability he’s been denied for years, by…
Bizarre crimes from Charlotte police files
The Great Heist: A 19-year-old man called police after being robbed by two unknown suspects. He told officers he was standing in front of a local Exxon when two men dragged him into a car and kidnapped him. The men didn’t hurt him but ultimately robbed him of $15 and a Black & Mild cigar.…
Eating tips from Charlotte-area trainers
In today’s world of crash diets, larger-than-life weight loss TV shows, and hundreds of self-help books on health and wellness, it is very easy for the average person to be confused when it comes to losing weight healthily and happily. The truth is that there is no one definitive answer. We are all built differently,…
EXHIBIT: Dis(Comfort)
McColl Center For Visual Art’s exhibit, Dis(Comfort) (opening reception on Jan. 21, from 6 p.m.-9 p.m.) features artists John Osorio-Buck and Scott Townsend. Osorio-Buck has built his own camper-inspired traveling vessels made from recycled materials, symbolizing “the American pioneering spirit and a failed utopia.” Meanwhile, Townsend’s interactive installations are described as using “narrative and personal…
Can liquor be used as an emergency antiseptic?
I think wine and beer have some microorganisms in them, but their alcohol concentration must make them sterile, right? That’s why they can be used as antiseptics in an emergency. Or so goes the urban legend they taught us in medical school (full disclosure: I’m an MD). I’ve never used liquor for this purpose myself,…
In search of gluten-free grub
In the not-so-distant past, I was able to go into a grocery store and pick up a random snack or loaf of bread without reading the label. But now — since discovering that I have 22 food allergies — I never blindly grab an item; these days I have to investigate any and all ingredients.…
EXHIBIT: Four Artists in Ascona
Bechtler Museum of Modern Art’s newest exhibit features four artists who lived/worked near the Bechtler family’s summer home in Ascona, Switzerland. Works on display include symbolic compositions by Julius Bissier, landscapes by Ben Nicholson, abstract collages by Italo Valenti (including the pictured piece, a combination of collage and painting on paper, titled “Palinuro”) and sculptures…
Weekly horoscope (Jan. 19-25)
Aquarius The Waterbearer (Jan. 19-Feb. 18) 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. Mars has also entered…
Nightlife profile: Mindelixir
Promoter, touring DJ, producer, manager, label A&R guy, music industry analyst and booking agent — Mindelixir isn’t kidding when he says he barely has time to sleep. The Charlotte-based music machine has seen more success than he ever imagined; his monthly bass party, Bass Church (the next one happening Jan. 21 at Neighborhood Theatre), draws…
Artist Marcia Jones works through her pain
In the world of Marcia Jones, art is pain made pretty. It is where Jones, a painter, sculptor and performance artist, feels safe to speak of delusional states, dysfunctional relationships, being vulnerable and “The MS thing.” “I’ve utilized art as a voice,” she says, “but I’ve let that voice kind of hide behind pretty pictures.…
Capsule reviews of films playing the week of Jan. 19
BLACK SWAN Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan is a messy masterpiece. Like Apocalypse Now, Eraserhead and Aronofsky’s own Requiem for a Dream, it’s one of those films that will force viewers to either reject it outright or allow it to burrow into the brain and remain there for days, weeks, months on end. It’s a character…
The joy of grass-fed beef
You may or may not realize this, but when you bite into a big, juicy hamburger, you’re getting much more than you bargained for … especially if your burger came from a restaurant chain or a typical grocery store. Unless it’s labeled “organic” or “grass-fed,” chances are your burger contains antibiotics, hormones, steroids and more.…
The A-Team and Buried among new home theater releases
ANIMAL KINGDOM (2010). Crime flicks are so commonplace, so been-there-done-that, that one trick isn’t in avoiding the clichés and stereotypes but rather in mixing them up so that viewers are never sure which characters will exhibit the expected behavior. The Australian drama Animal Kingdom follows suit: It knows that boys will be boys and boys…
Charlotte’s very own Sarah Palin: Bill James
As I was watching the Arizona shooting massacre unfold on television and all of the subsequent discussions surrounding the role former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s political rhetoric played in fueling such incidents, I immediately thought about Charlotte’s very own Palin — County Commissioner Bill James. James has been offending people for more than a decade,…
Rabbit Hole: Good grief
One of the best films of 2010, Rabbit Hole features a devastating performance by Nicole Kidman that would deserve every Best Actress prize on tap were it not for the presence of Black Swan’s Natalie Portman on the awards scene. Kidman is all coiled tension and seething anger as Becca, who, along with her husband…
CD REVIEW: The Bear Romantic’s Firewood
THE DEAL: Harvard singer Jesse Clasen releases his debut, nine-song solo effort under the name The Bear Romantic. THE GOOD: Local singer Clasen has a unique, nearly-falsetto vocal style that often reminds me of the late Blind Melon singer Shannon Hoon. His debut solo effort kicks off with “Stay Mine,” a simple acoustic rhythm and…
Blue Valentine: Heartache tonight
Ingmar Bergman’s superb 1974 release Scenes from a Marriage went beyond allowing the viewer to feel like a fly on the wall: It made the viewer feel like a fly pinned to the wall, privy to everything going on in the room but unable to flee from the scene when things got nasty. A similar…
CD REVIEW: The Heart is a Drum Machine Soundtrack
THE DEAL: Flaming Lips guitarist Steven Drozd offers mostly instrumental movie soundtrack. THE GOOD: Let’s get right to it — the stand-out track here is also the lone vocal contribution, a cover of “Rocket Man” featuring the voice of Tool’s Maynard James Keenan. Keenan’s vocal style, in addition to the pulsing beep of a heart…
Made In Dagenham slightly stirring
Made In Dagenham is the sort of lighthearted and faintly inspirational picture that the British can make in their sleep — and occasionally have. Audiences who never grow tired of films in the tradition of The Full Monty, Waking Ned Devine and Calendar Girls (to name just three of many) are sure to lap up…
THEATER: Southern Baptist Sissies at Duke Energy Theatre
Religion and sexuality butt heads in Queen City Theatre Company’s latest theater production, Southern Baptist Sissies. The play follows the lives of four homosexual guys, struggling to keep their faith as it clashes with sexual desires — deemed as “evil” by the Baptist church they attend. From laughter to tears, the show takes its audience…
Where to find it: barbeque
Anyone who is a true aficionado of barbecue will tell you that some of the best ‘cue in town is that made for fundraisers. Folks who have a passionate love of the process volunteer time and effort to make thousands of pounds of barbecue to be sold in one or two days. This is the…
FOOD: Queen’s Feast: Charlotte Restaurant Week
Foodie alert! Hopefully you’ve got an appetite — and some extra cash — because during Queen’s Feast: Charlotte Restaurant Week, eating is a must. Select upscale restaurants in Charlotte and the surrounding area will feature prix fixe three-course (or more) dinners for $30 per person (not including tax and gratuity). This is a savings from…
Meat them at Selwyn: The New York Butcher Shoppe
A cake shop, fish market, wine and chocolate shop, coffee/art shop, a German chocolate shop, and a butcher shop all have opened on a small section of Selwyn Avenue in Myers Park. For the Charlotte gourmand, Selwyn is the closest we have to an organically grown gourmet strip. The story of The New York Butcher…
FILM: Citizen Kane at Wachovia Playhouse
Orson Welles’ 1941 Citizen Kane has been cited as the greatest film ever made from so many different quarters — the American Film Institute, the long-running Sight and Sound survey, even Creative Loafing’s own poll way back in 1998 — it’s a wonder that a Congressional law hasn’t been passed making it required viewing for…
3 questions with Julia Simon, chef
Born a visual artist, Julia Simon found that she could paint not only with a paintbrush but with truffle oil, vibrant vegetables and a multitude of fragrant ingredients. She casually refers to herself as a “food pornographer,” but uses the title “food nerd” in mixed company. Professionally, Simon is a painter and personal chef —…
THEATER: The Graduate at Theatre Charlotte
The Graduate comes to life on the stage of Theatre Charlotte. Based off the feature film, it follows Benjamin Braddock, a recent college grad facing his family’s many expectations (which, of course, does not include an affair with a married woman) for his future. Recommended for ages 16 and up. $8-$24. Jan. 23, 2:30 p.m.;…
