Cover Story
Charlotte’s Matron Saint of Music and More, Mary Virginia Federal, Turns 100
Mary Virginia Federal, mother of beloved Charlotte musician Lenny Federal, turns 100 this week. Her large Catholic family is part of the backbone of the Queen City.
WATCH: Rapper Black Linen Premieres New Album, Singer Darian La Sparrow Stuns Crowd Monday at Petra’s
Charlotte rapper Black Linen premiered his new album and singer Darian La Sparrow mesmerized the crowd with her silky smooth but nuanced jazz vocals Monday night at Petra’s in Plaza Midwood. It was Le Anna Eden’s inaugural “Session: A Listening Party,” in which the singer-songwriter hosts nights of local musicians she wants Charlotteans to hear.…
Masterminds, Pinocchio, Poltergeist sequels among new home entertainment titles
(View From The Couch is a weekly column that reviews what’s new on Blu-ray, DVD and streaming sites. Ratings are on a four-star scale.) JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK (2016). Here’s the thing about 2012’s Jack Reacher, the first picture based on one of Lee Child’s popular novels: While it made “only” $80 million stateside,…
Live photos: Bassh, The Underground (1/28/2017)
Band featuring Matrimony’s Jimmy Brown gets support from Grand Shell Game and Bruce Hazel.
Gold: American hustle
GOLD ** (out of four) DIRECTED BY Stephen Gaghan STARS Matthew McConaughey, Édgar Ramírez (For a look at the Best & Worst Films of 2016, go here). Just because a movie is Oscar bait doesn’t mean members of the Academy will necessarily take the bait. Sometimes, they’re able to recognize an awards imposter right off…
Man Killed by Undercover Police Officer in East Charlotte
Shooting follows alleged hit-and-run near Eastland Mall site
Can Charlotte Really Afford Major League Fútbol?
A last-minute attempt to pull the wool over Charlotte and Mecklenburg County officials stalls — for now.
Battleground, Inferno, The Mad Magician among new home entertainment titles
(View From The Couch is a weekly column that reviews what’s new on Blu-ray and DVD. Ratings are on a four-star scale.) BATTLEGROUND (1949). While World War II pictures were popular as the global skirmish unfolded, the end of the conflict in 1945 also signaled an end to Hollywood’s glut of related movies. The 1946…
The Blotter: Designer Drugs in Disguise
That’s a Downer There are countless ways that drug dealers come up with to hide their stash, whether it’s a hidden compartment in their car or even keeping an entirely separate dope house to do business in. One ecstacy dealer was caught in west Charlotte last week trying to hide their stash by disguising it…
The Oscar Noms: La La Land of Plenty
(For sidebars on the year’s best movies as chosen by Academy members, film critics and moviegoers, head to the bottom of the page.) When the nominations for the 89th Academy Awards were recently announced, it was easy to imagine those snagging nods to take a cue from La La Land and break out in joyous…
What to Choose: 10 Days of Dining Deals
Twice a year, restaurants across the Charlotte area offer 10 days of prix fixe menus to diners from across the economic spectrum. Restaurant Week, which is popular in cities across the country, is fondly known here as Queen’s Feast. The goal is to make some of Charlotte’s fine-dining establishments accessible to all, evoking the feeling…
Hattie’s Looks to Step Up as Charlotte’s Next Music Venue in Light of Recent Closures
When Jackie DeLoach opened Hattie’s Tap & Tavern, she had no intention of ever owning a music venue. However, the city’s music scene has changed drastically over the last two years, as venues old and new have shut their doors, leaving local bands with fewer options to showcase their talents. Now, with the help of…
How To Turn a Bar Into a Legitimate Music Venue
“Clarity is key.” That’s a phrase that Zac McBee kept coming back to as he walked around Hatties Tap & Tavern showing Creative Loafing all the things he plans to do in the bar to make it a legitimate music venue by the time summer rolls around. “We can have clarity and you don’t have…
After 25 years, Richard Jones’ Sub One Sandwich Shop Keeps Cruising
Some shops just don’t need to advertise. It’s word-of-mouth from respected locals that gives certain locally owned shops and restaurants long-term sustainability as others, despite elaborate attempts, struggle to stay afloat. Word-of-mouth has kept the small deli Sub One, nestled into a tiny strip mall on Graham Street, a favorite go-to lunch spot for years.…
March of the Matriarchs
CL spoke with a few of the more than 10,000 people who participated in the Women’s March on Charlotte Saturday, Jan. 21
Digital Noir Unleashes the Dark Side
Goth, industrial, darkwave, death rock – like a demon spawned in the fires of Hades, the music cherished by Charlotte’s dark community goes by many names. Regardless of terminology, fans know the drill: swirling synths, guttural bass, mechanized beats and sepulchral vocals either from the violated tomb or the soulless matrix – take your pick.…
Resistance Is Our Birthright
More than 10,000 people of all ages, races and gender identity marched into Romare Bearden Park in Charlotte last Saturday in a show of love and unity that could only be described as breathtaking. The Women’s March on Charlotte was an act of peaceful resistance the likes of which I have never seen in my…
Connect with Culture Day Opens Things Up in the Charlotte Arts Scene
We all need a good connect, and the Arts and Science Council of Charlotte is hooking everyone up with a free day of arts fun in venues around Mecklenburg County. We’ve picked eight diverse ideas ranging from history to music to photography, but the list below is just a brushstroke in the mural that will…
Mark Doepker Talks About His Art, Politics and Racist Haters
In October, Mark Doepker was driving his VW bug Uptown when a man accosted him and destroyed a piece of his art — a Black Lives Matter cube he’d installed to the top of the car. Doepker said the man, John Schmidt, who owns Midtown Search Group LLC, a boutique executive staffing company, had a…
