Jul 20-26, 2010

Jul 20-26, 2010 / Vol. 24 / No. 21

Chipotle puts the “free” in tax free weekend

Chipotle Mexican Grill is taking part in tax free weekend by giving you a free burrito, salad, order of tacos or bowl. So, how does that work? It’s a buy-one-get-one free deal. Just stop by any Charlotte Chipotle store Tuesday, August 3, or Wednesday, August 4, and save the receipt. Go back on tax free…

Priscilla Tsai

3 of 4 oil lobbyists are former fed employees

If you’re like a lot of Americans these days, you’ve probably suspected that oil companies have too much influence on the federal government. (Just as you no doubt “suspect” that 2+2=4.) If you’ve wondered how the oil barons get to do pretty much whatever they want without fear of much regulation — and keep reeling…

John Grooms

Elaine Marshall: Richard Burr apes Jesse Helms’ racial tactics

U.S. Senate candidate Elaine Marshall lit into Richard Burr yesterday, comparing the senator with his former mentor, Jesse Helms, for his use of “secret holds” to block the nominations of minority judges to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. Marshall raked Burr over the coals for putting the holds on Pres. Obama’s nominations of Judges…

John Grooms

Philly Opera Company entertains market

Another cool idea using surprise to gain an audience’s attention and bring more interest in a not-so-popular form of music… In April, more than 30 members of the Opera Company of Philadelphia teamed up with the Reading Terminal Market as they sang “Brindisi” in the aisles, entertaining hundreds of shoppers. Bravo! \\\\\\\\\\

Jeff Hahne

Sen. Diaper Dave vs. Judge Cradle Snatcher

The Stupid(est) Thing of the Week, which is usually a Friday feature,  was announced yesterday — but not to worry, there are always lots of contenders, and this week was particularly ripe for the picking. So here is the top runner-up for this week’s SOTW Award: the GOP U.S. Senate primary in Louisiana. Sen. “Diaper”…

John Grooms

Health care public option alive and kicking

Congress may have passed a health care reform law, but that doesn’t mean the fight for a stronger public option is over. Yesterday, Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), co-chair of the House’s progressive caucus, introduced a bill that would offer consumers a choice between private plans and a public plan that would make insurance more affordable.…

John Grooms

Sherrod’s firing: disgrace all around

“It hurts me that they didn’t even attempt to see what is happening here, they didn’t care.” — Shirley Sherrod. Consider this an early edition of our usual Friday feature, Stupid Thing of the Week. Shirley Sherrod was unceremoniously fired  from her job at the Dept of Agriculture (USDA), just a few hours after FoxNews…

John Grooms

Tonight’s Top 5, 07/22/10

The top five nightlife-related events going down tonight, July 22, as chosen from the folks at Creative Loafing. •I Love NY DJ Series at Butter NC •Rita’s Gift + Grown Up Avenger Stuff + The Isaac Spiveys at The Milestone •Uptown Thursdays at Bar Charlotte •The Dating Game at Petra’s Piano Bar •Open Mic Night…

Victoria Creasy

Utility companies trying to greenwash climate legislation

And who’s at the center of it all? Duke Energy’s own Jim Rogers, of course! Here’s the deal: Right now, two things are happening in parallel. The first is getting all the attention, but the second is, in practical terms, more significant. Yet the first may screw up the second. Let me explain. The first…

Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman

Summer celebration at Common House

Head to Common House this Saturday (July 24), from 12 p.m.-12 a.m., for a summer celebration that features cornhole tournaments, sleeping bag races, food and drink specials, live music by Jerry Joseph (at 7 p.m.) and a bike giveaway. Admission is free.

Anita Overcash

Al-Qaeda mag or Onion parody?

Lately, I’m worried about Sue Myrick, and fully expect her head to explode sometime soon. No, Sue’s not hearing more voices from her coffeemaker, at least as far as I know. But it’s clear that her tight, fevered focus on all things Muslim is loosening her bolts, if you know what I mean. That’s why…

John Grooms

Concert announcement: Drive-By Truckers

Drive-By Truckers will play The Fillmore Charlotte on Halloween night – Sunday October 31. Doors will open at 6 p.m. that night for a costume contest prior to the show. The winner will receive a six-month pass to any concert at The Fillmore Charlotte. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, July 21, at 10 a.m. via…

Jeff Hahne

2010 Carolina Music Awards winners

On July 18, in Raleigh, the Carolina Music Awards were held honoring music from, well, the Carolinas. Here’s a list of winners — some of whom are from the Charlotte area, including Todd Brown, Echo Code and Amanda Pollard: Rock Male Todd Brown of Withstand Rock Female Jaycee Clark Rock Group/Band Echo Code R&B Male Jason…

Jeff Hahne

Sarah Palin and Shakespeare

Who knew former half-term governor Sarah Palin was a poet? A championship-caliber language mangler, maybe, but a poet? What a shock. La Palin was roundly ridiculed all over the Web yesterday for tweeting a word that’s not found in any known dictionary: “refudiate,” a kind of bastard son of “refute” and “repudiate,” we suppose. Levi…

John Grooms

Dilworth housing tiff nothing like Ballantyne

Knee-jerk reactions are not the exclusive property of any political persuasion or group. That was obvious yesterday, as a friend and I met for lunch. At one point, my friend left the table, leaving me to, eavesd … um, accidentally overhear a youngish, white couple at the next table, who were chatting about the Charlotte…

John Grooms

BEST LOCAL TV ANCHOR

Paul Cameron has been on TV for a long time, a lot longer than a lot of us have been born, but no one in Charlotte delivers the news the way Cameron does. He makes you feel as if he’s connected to everything he’s reporting on — from the tragic to comedic. He even makes…

BEST MEMBER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

A repeat winner, albeit formerly as a city councilman. Our new mayor is Charlotte-born and Davidson-educated. Only the second African-American mayor in the city’s more than 300-year history, Anthony Foxx was elected during one of the most trying eras imaginable — The Great Recession — for the South’s banking capital. But you’re as likely to…

BEST BOOKSTORE

A repeat winner. With the current trend of big bookstores offering almost everything as well as books, no place does it better than Borders. There’s fresh coffee while you browse books, CDs and DVDs. Regardless of your age or interest, there’s a good chance you’ll find something to occupy your time at Borders. It’s your…

BEST DIVE BAR

A repeat winner. You’ve got to give it up to a place that so purposefully defies Charlotte’s wannabe ultra-sexy brand of watering holes. The Thirsty Beaver embraces its dive bar status and, as a result, enjoys a loyal clientele of folks who refuse to be categorized. Good tunes, cheap brew and a laid-back environment is…

The death of a trolley

It’s perhaps the most obscene waste of cash the city of Charlotte has ever seen. Yet it merited just three lines in The Charlotte Observer two weeks ago. The other media outlets in town appear to have bypassed the story completely. Around here, that’s how you know something really important happened — as in, more…

BEST LOCAL TV METEOROLOGIST

A repeat winner. Few things in Charlotte are as consistent as our schizophrenic weather and the local staple with the cool hair and even cooler name telling us all about it. Larry Sprinkle is a Charlotte icon. Whether it’s 20-somethings who remember him visiting their elementary schools or Boomers that remember his booming voice on…

WORST MEMBER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

As CL columnist Tara Servatius so neatly put it, “Would somebody please just fire Harry Jones?” The county manager drew the community’s wrath when he accepted a $38K bonus on the heels of cutting county jobs and denying raises for the rest of his serfs. Add Jones’ slow-on-the-uptake response to the DSS embezzlement scandal, and…

BEST COMIC BOOK SHOP

A repeat winner. A few years ago, we got rid of this category because one store — Heroes Aren’t to Find — kept winning. And since bringing back this entry, it looks like we may be resorting to our previous policy once more. Fact is, with its frequent in-store events that feature big-time artists and…

BEST PLACE OPEN UNTIL 2 A.M.

For the late-night crowd, The Penguin offers great down-home food if your aim is to sober up some or a full bar if your aim is to go down swinging. In what used to be a ‘50s ice cream parlor, The Penguin is definitely a throwback, catering to any crowd, really. 1921 Commonwealth Ave. 704-375-6959

My night as a bartender

I have a newfound respect for bartenders. Don’t get me wrong — I’ve never had anything but love for someone who fixes me alcoholic beverages, but I never realized just how hard tending a bar actually was until I did it myself. Recently, I was a guest bartender at Whisky River to raise money for…

BEST LOCAL TV NEWS REPORTER

You’ve seen those commercials where the local reporter talks about their station. But when Brigida Mack came back to TV, at WBTV, her commercial about being a nightside reporter became the talk of Facebook. She makes the news personal and relevant. Now that she’s giving away $300 with the Pass 3 On segment, everybody’s looking…

BEST USE OF TAX MONEY

A repeat winner. The Lynx was a big step forward, but not if money problems mean some regular bus routes have to be cut. If Charlotte is to ever — ever — live up to the “world-class” designation, we’ll have to find a way to finance a better organized, more complete transit system, including more…

BEST NEW BAND, FORMED IN LAST 12 MONTHS

Known in its earlier incarnations as Bruce Hazel and Some Volunteers, the current lineup has a decidedly rock outlook and deeper focus. Hazel, always the consummate front man, leads the way, but his band is packed with talent as well — David Kim, Mark Lynch, Shawn Lynch, Chad Wilson. The storytelling style of Springsteen with…

BEST PLACE OPEN AFTER 2 A.M.

A repeat winner. Hallelujah for Amélie’s! This bakery, open 24 hours a day, can satisfy all types of hunger, be it for breakfast or a midnight snack. It offers a wide variety, including fresh breads, soups, tartines and sandwiches. And on the sweet side, there’s an assortment of pastries, tarts, desserts and cakes to choose…

Unplanned pregnancies — fact vs. fiction

A few weeks ago (in the July 7 issue of Creative Loafing), I wrote about the tragic events surrounding the fatal stabbing in Charlotte of 18-year-old Laqueda Antoinette Hall by 16-year-old Tyesha Roberts. Roberts allegedly fatally stabbed Hall during an argument over the father of both of their children. I discussed how these two young…

Nsenga Burton

BEST LOCAL SONGWRITER

When David Childers, recipient of countless BOC awards, goes on record saying you’re the best young songwriter in town, then by God, it probably means you’re the best young songwriter in town. So who are we to argue with that? Fast-forward a few years after the fact and Strauss is still at the top of…

BEST BEER SELECTION

A repeat winner. Travel the world without ever leaving Charlotte, “Beer Knurd” style. Whether you’re into ales, lagers, porters or ciders, Flying Saucer’s arsenal of more than 300 different types of beer from around the world is sure to get you cultured. 9605 N. Tryon St., Suite A 704-717-8179 www.beerknurd.com

BENEFIT: Alloy party at Closet

Single Cell Production’s Alloy — a kinky music and dance party — will invades Closet Nightclub on July 23. This event features DJs Prototype 9, Torchure, Mixtress Krikett, Danni Darko and more to spin an eclectic mix of sounds. And it’s for a worthy cause, as proceeds raised benefit the Stop AIDS Worldwide Project. For…

Anita Overcash

BEST LOCAL WEBSITE

The future of journalism is really community news. Covering your town in a way the majors can’t is what keeps local people reading, and CLTBlog has taken that idea and run with it. Their website isn’t just visually stunning but also has neighborhood-specific content that the majors often overlook. Nothing like a little guy to…

MOST MISSED OLD BUILDING

The old joint on Clarkson Street didn’t go down without a fight. After being designated for demolition in 2006, more than 13,000 people stepped up to stop the hit, but even a National Historical designation for its cultural significance couldn’t keep the building around. Sure, it was a hole in the wall, but it was…

BEST LOCAL MALE VOCALIST

The soft-spoken William has a smile offstage but an onstage growl that’s equal parts Southern rock and emotional angst. He’s got the tone of Seven Mary Three’s Jason Ross … soaked in a bit more whiskey. The band has tightened up on its latest release, offering the perfect venue for William’s voice to shine.

COMEDY: Young Comedians Special at Fort Mill Comedy Zone

It’s comedian Johnny Millwater’s birthday and he wants to have some laughs. But laughing at one’s self — which should be easy, because he’s hilarious — isn’t as fun as laughing at someone else. So, Millwater came up with the idea for Young Comedians Special, a show featuring four of Millwater’s favorite young comedians, including…

Anita Overcash

MUSIC: The Barbershop and Salon Tour

Live music leaves the traditional confines of concert halls and clubs in Charlotte to take the “stage” at some of the city’s most frequented hair boutiques as part of The Barbershop and Salon Tour. Organized by the Q.C.-based firm Y2 Management, the tour will showcase up-and-coming local artists — such as the award-winning poet Bluz…

Carlton Hargro

BEST LOCAL COLUMNIST

A repeat winner. Question: What Charlotte-area columnist can make folks laugh one week by staging a mock debate between congressional candidates Tim D’Annunzio and Harold Johnson, and another week piss off people (especially conservatives) by lambasting the city’s anti-immigrant policies? Answer: Creative Loafing’s own John Grooms. The writer of the award-winning weekly opinion piece Boomer…

WORST EYESORE

Specifically, the vegetable oil silos on South Boulevard, as seen from Old Pineville Road.

BEST LOCAL FEMALE VOCALIST

Not just another pretty face on the music scene, Kroener has range, power and enough presence to draw your attention into the music. Subtly sweet one moment and releasing a raspy scream the next, it’s the perfect balance in the band’s music.

Predators: Not worth pursuing

It may not have seemed like much at the time, but in retrospect, 1987’s Predator now stands as one of the better pictures on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s surprisingly underwhelming resume, behind only the first two Terminator films and Total Recall. Predators, on the other hand, won’t seem like the cream of anybody’s crop; instead, time will…

Matt Brunson

THEATER: Sweeney Todd: The School Edition

How ’bout a shave? Theatre Charlotte’s Student Theatre Guild is presenting Sweeney Todd: The School Edition, so here’s your chance. Based on Hugh Wheeler’s book and Stephen Sondheim’s musical, this thriller follows a barbaric barber who returns to 19th century London to exact his revenge on the corrupt judge who framed and exiled him. When…

Victoria Creasy

LOCAL ISSUE YOU’RE SICK OF

Yes, it should have been finished long ago, but getting the last bit of the big ol’ ring built is not the earth-shattering issue some folks seem to think it is. That part of the county can do without the convenience-store-at-every-exit clutter that marks our highways; plus, shouldn’t the priority be widening the part of…

BEST CLUB/PARTY DJ

Being a DJ is easier now than it ever was. With just about every suburban music geek with a laptop being one software program away from getting in the business, truly good DJs stand out. DJ DR has had a stranglehold on rocking the crowd in Charlotte. A true crate digger, he’s primarily vinyl but…

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice lacks magic

It isn’t a Jerry Bruckheimer production if the movie doesn’t hit the ground running, and sure enough, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (** out of four) gets off to a frantic start with a whirlwind sequence in which reams of centuries-old back story and endless exposition are dumped on the audience’s collective head in order to quickly…

Matt Brunson

FILM: The Good, The Bad and The Weird

Tonight The Charlotte Film Festival, The Light Factory and Carolina Cinemas team up to present a special treat for film buffs. A restored version of The Good, The Bad and The Weird will be screened at Carolina Cinemas Crownpoint Stadium 12. This Western is set during the 1930s in a clash-ridden zone of the Manchurian…

Anita Overcash

BEST AREA TO LIVE IN CHARLOTTE

Cool without the advertising, this repeat winner only reinforced why it’s the best area to live in the past year. Continued good eats and tons to do, this harmonious clashing of cultures and ideas invites hipsters, creatives, transplants and regular working folks alike. Their pride is constantly on display; no fancy street signs or lamp…

BEST ART SHOW

Gallery owner Larry Elder put together a risky juried show that exposed the sumptuous underbelly of the goings-on in visual artists in North and South Carolina. More than a thousand works were submitted; one in nine made the cut. This show was little noted during its run, but will be long remembered by any who…

BEST CONCERT VENUE (LARGE)

It’s just what Charlotte needed — no longer are many bands passing us by for Cary and Atlanta. With capacity of 5,000 people, it’s the perfect venue for warm summer nights — great sound and lighting and a small lawn if you feel like kicking back. Sure, people will complain about beer prices, but this…

Weekly horoscope July 21-27, 2010

Leo The Lion: (July 22-Aug. 22) No matter how well meaning you are, others may misunderstand and be offended. The issue is over ego. If the Other needs to cling to it, let it be. You have a grasp of the big picture and many around you cannot fly in the ethers with you or…

Vivian Carol

THEATER: Girls Only: The Secret Comedy Of Women

Girls night out, anyone? Blumenthal Performing Arts Center’s Girls Only: The Secret Comedy Of Women is taking what we all know as a night of female-oriented fun to a whole ‘nother level. The cast — comprised of two middle-aged women who read and reflect on their childhood diaries, as well as a range of feminine…

Anita Overcash

WORST INTERSECTION

A repeat winner. Also known as Confusion/Confusion/Irritation/Irritation.

BEST LOCAL ARTIST

Stephanie Neely squeezes the elixir from roses onto her palette, mixes it with her own magical blend of emotional and spiritual mojo and delivers riveting translations of God’s greatest floral gift. Her paintings of roses are showstoppers and contemplative coups, gifts borrowed from her studio granddaddies Vermeer, Caravaggio and Rembrandt. Neely’s flowers will take you…

BEST CONCERT VENUE (MEDIUM)

Earlier this year, the Neighborhood Theatre was thisclose to shutting its doors. Instead, the public came out in droves and showed as much love as they could, convincing the management company, JEM, to stay on board. What other venue this size regularly holds free concerts, art events and some of the best big shows in…

Vans Warped Tour remains fresh, consistent

Long days spent walking the pavement between countless stages as punk, rock and/or something slightly emo hits your ear drums. In the blink of an eye, one band is done and the next one is kicking it into high gear. Yep, just another day on the Vans Warped Tour. Not much has changed over the…

Jeff Hahne

PARTY: Creative Loafing’s ‘Soft Launch Party’

Hop on over to Snug Harbor tonight and be one of the first folks in Charlotte to feast your eyes on Creative Loafing’s brand-new look and features. Joining forces with Snug for this event — which we’re dubbing our “Soft Launch Party” — us folks at CL will be on hand giving away ass-loads of…

Carlton Hargro

BEST FESTIVAL

This annual three-day food festival in Uptown has become an end-of-spring staple for Charlotte. An eclectic range of local restaurants provides the various vittles with kitchen crews under vending tents turning out the savory samples. Part food fair, part bazaar, you can also find vendors hawking everything from pillow pets to chiropractic services. There’s always…

BEST MUSEUM

420 S. Tryon St. 704-353-9200 www.bechtler.org

BEST CULTURAL INSTITUTION

The McColl Center is unique: You don’t just see the art — you get to interact with the artists, see them create, pick their brains about their process, about what makes them tick. Now into the second decade of its existence, the Center has grown into an internationally renowned artist residency program, while also growing…

BEST CONCERT VENUE (SMALL)

It’s got the perfect ambiance/coffeehouse vibe while catering to the solo acoustic acts as much as bigger rock bands. The venue draws consistently for its Monday Find Your Muse Open Mic nights and rarely hesitates to give a new artist a chance. There’s a reason that big names keep coming back — it’s as much…

3 questions with Lisa Burris, restaurateur

Lisa Burris has a knack for making food so good, it will remind you of the stuff your grandma used to make. Burris, a Johnson & Wales University Charleston graduate, has done a little bit of everything in the culinary industry, having worked as a server, private chef and caterer before opening up her own…

Victoria Creasy

Book review: James Sullivan’s 7 Dirty Words

When George Carlin died in 2008, lots of people who had grown up with the late comedian/writer/actor’s sardonic worldview were stunned. It was as if they had realized too late how much Carlin meant to them. He had morphed from a successful comic into a counterculture icon in the 1970s, when his hilarious railing against…

BEST PLACE TO PEOPLE-WATCH

The residents of Charlotte’s distinct neighborhoods all have their unique set of charms, and it seems that all paths converge in enjoyably eclectic NoDa. What’s your flavor? Hippie, rasta, yuppie, funky, hipster, preppy, punk, something else entirely? Whether you’re grooving at one of Salvador Deli’s outdoor shows or savoring a heady brew at Revolution Pizza,…

BEST CULTURAL EVENT

In May, the artist collective Dugg Dugg brought together institutions and groups large and small to string together an amazing range of events that spanned 10 days and multiple venues all around the city. It was an unusual mix of media and talent, ranging from drawing to theater, music to yoga and discussion forums to…

BEST CLUB FOR MUSIC

Soul Gastrolounge isn’t exactly a nightclub, but the Plaza Midwood-based eatery pumps out the best music in the city every night. Soul’s rotating cast of DJs — cats like That Guy Smitty and Scott Weaver, among many others — regularly spin an eclectic mix of house, soul, ancient R&B, rockabilly and a ton of other…

Micmacs mixes and matches ideas

Most modern filmgoers may be more familiar with Michael Keaton than Buster Keaton, but modern filmmakers worth their salt are skilled and knowledgeable enough to reach back into the medium’s distant past to find true inspiration. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the endlessly inventive director of Amelie and The City of Lost Children, has approached Micmacs by invoking…

Matt Brunson

Bizarre crimes from Charlotte police files

Online Shopping: Police responded to a disturbance call at a local Belk store after two females got into an argument and one was assaulted. Employees told officers that the suspect entered the store without permission and started yelling at the victim. When the 26-year-old victim refused to leave, the suspect threw a computer keyboard at…

Ryan Pitkin

BEST LOCAL ACTOR

A repeat winner. Everybody who produces plays in Charlotte would love to lure Robert Lee Simmons into their next show. Whether he’s terrorizing the Irish at Actor’s Theatre in The Lieutenant of Inishmore, thrilling the demure Lizzie as Starbuck in The Rainmaker at CP, or intimidating trailer trash in the title role of Killer Joe…

BEST PLACE FOR A FIRST DATE

Crave has the same ingredients for a great first date as many other nightspots in the city: a warm and cozy ambiance coupled with tasty cocktails. But it’s the cupcakes that make it No. 1. Red Devil cupcakes with white chocolate frosting? Oh yes. Gentlemen, unless you’re a total douchebag, bringing a lady to this…

Where to find: Swai

With labeling of seafood becoming more important, a “new” fish is showing up on the fish counters. Swai is a river fish farmed in Southeast Asia — Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos — and is one of the common components of those cuisines. In the past, Swai was often mislabeled as “Catfish.” Part of this…

Tricia Childress

Do microwave ovens kill bacteria?

If I take a piece of pizza that’s been sitting on the table awhile and microwave it for one minute, would that kill bacteria and decrease the chance of food poisoning, or am I just eating nice hot bacteria? — David Chattin-McNichols Your query contained the elements of a rewarding investigation, David: microwaves, pizza, food…

Cecil Adams

BEST LOCAL ACTRESS

For once, let’s hand it to the ingénue. Whether she’s thoroughly modern Millie Dillimont, Dorothy in Kansas and Oz, or most recently, Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Caroline Bower gives these perky, plucky heroines just a tad more depth than we’re used to. We caught her moonlighting beyond the pale of sugary musicals in…

BEST BOWLING ALLEY

A repeat winner. It’s not your typical bowling alley. Strike is cutting edge and has a nightclub feel to it with wall-to-wall plasma screens that play music videos and show sporting events, plush seating for non-bowlers to cheer on their favorite team, a full bar and an extensive food menu. With all these amenities, Strike…

Store Wars: Rating Charlotte’s best (and worst) grocers

In the ever-growing phylum of food retailers (supermarket, grocery store, warehouse, supercenter, flagship, convenience store), Charlotte seems to have them all (except those “w” stores we are missing: Wegmans Food Market and Whole Foods Market). Having a mixture is a good thing for food lovers, bargain hunters and minimalists. Once again, Creative Loafing sent me…

Tricia Childress

Inception: Dream weaver

“It’s just a dream, one of those that goes on and on, Scene after scene, with the rhythm of a gypsy song. When I really woke, I was frozen in between, Didn’t know who I was, it was a dream inside a dream.” — Joan Baez, “The Dream Song” What would noted dream warrior Sigmund…

Matt Brunson

LOCAL HERO

In a city that’s often devoid of culture, Dennis Darrell was a man on a mission to spread the gospel of independent film across Charlotte. Through his Reel Soul Cinema group, Darrell, who died this year, hosted regular film screenings — most of which focused on African-American movies — and in the process helped to…

BEST MOVIE THEATER (QUALITY OF PRESENTATION)

The moviegoing experience as a grand night out, this opulent theater is located alongside the Mez restaurant and a bar, which translates into encouragement to take your grub and booze into the auditorium with you. And audiences attending movies at night don’t have to worry about children and teens disrupting their show, since the premises…

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR

So this isn’t a bar in the traditional sense. You won’t be able to pull up a stool with Cliff and Norm, but you will still have one of the broadest selections of beer and wine to choose from, as well as a pretty awesome space to enjoy it in. Nestled in Plaza Midwood, it’s…

CD review: Stoned for Murder

The Deal: Charlotte quartet Stoned for Murder independently releases debut, self-titled CD. The Good: Down the road in Atlanta, it seems like a metal band is created once every seven minutes (just a rough estimate). Now in the Queen City comes a Southern metal quartet with solid songwriting, guitar solos that aren’t tantamount to jerk-off…

Jeff Hahne

BEST RADIO PERSONALITY

WFAE is lucky to have Scott Graf. If you’ve tuned into 90.7FM over the past few years, you’ve probably heard him reporting on a multitude of homegrown and national topics. His 2008 series on the Buffalo/Charlotte connection highlighted the changing demographics in both cities, and how they’re directly linked to each other. Graf continues to…

BEST LOCAL CHARITY

If not for the folks at Loaves & Fishes, Charlotte would be much the worse for wear after the past couple of lean years. They have literally given food to everyone who’s come to them. Now, that may be a miracle (as the group’s name implies), but it’s more likely a testament to Loaves &…

BEST MOVIE THEATER (QUALITY OF FILMS)

A repeat winner. A recent dumping ground for Manor movies that needed to give up their prime Providence Road marquee slots (not a bad thing, since it kept good movies in town longer), this venerable Charlotte theater has lately been snagging its own fair share of first-run independent titles. Among its accomplishments, it showcased the…

BEST DOWNTOWN BAR

If you’re looking for a quiet place to sit and have a drink without hearing any foreign accents, you might want to look elsewhere. Connolly’s is small in size — upstairs and downstairs — but has just enough wiggle room to navigate your way to the old-style bars, especially when a U.S. or Ireland soccer…

CL previews upcoming concerts (July 21-27)

WEDNESDAY, JULY 21 Dave Matthews Band People who enjoy the annual summer ritual of seeing DMB better soak up every moment of this one. The band will be on a hiatus after this year, so who knows when they’ll be back. The band is still riding high on its latest, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux…

Haiti, six months after the earthquake

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — July 12 marked the six-month anniversary of the devastating earthquake here in Haiti that killed as many as 300,000 people and left much of the country in ruins. Up to 1.8 million people are living in squalid tent cities, with inadequate sanitation, if any, no electricity and little security, or any respite…

Amy Goodman

BEST LOCAL TV NEWSCAST

With lead-ins that sound like movie trailers, high-end graphics, anchors that stand at their desk like something important is going down and snazzy sound effects to boot, it’s no wonder WBTV’s evening news program is a Charlotte fave.

BEST GAY/LESBIAN BAR

The owners of Bar at 316, which is housed in the building previously known as Liaisons, recognized that the pink paint on the outside wasn’t doing it. In fact, they completely redid the place, and it looks fantastic. Sure, maybe the ceramic deer head in one of the first-floor rooms is a bit creepy, but…

A streetcar? Meh.

When I first heard that the city of Charlotte is getting a $25 million federal grant to help build a streetcar “starter line,” I reacted the same way as a lot of other folks: Great. We’re shredding our school, park and library systems, but there’s money for a friggin’ streetcar. That thought, however, came about…

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