Cover Story
Who killed El Barto?
“If graffiti changed anything it would be illegal.”. — Banksy Over the past few months, he’s been one of the most talked about people in our city. He’s a hero to the people, a menace to landlords and lawmakers are trying to kill him. He’s El Barto. El Barto first appeared early one morning in…
First Drip (7/1/15): Official says last night’s church fire not arson
The news you need to know today.
Opening Wednesday
What’s new in theaters for the holiday weekend.
Drunk Gab: What I overheard one night in the next stall
And tales of the poor newlywed who got his nails done.
Live photos: Andy the Doorbum, The Milestone (6/28/2015)
Local musician says farewell, for now.
First Drip (6/30/15): Neighbors rally for local artist hit by drunk driver
The news you need to know today.
Today’s Top 5: Tuesday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
Today’s Top 5: Monday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
Portraits of Plaza Midwood Pride
Charlotte residents share their opinions of the recent Supreme Court ruling at impromptu block party.
First Drip (6/29/15): Kerr Putney to be sworn in as new Chief of Police
The news you need to know today.
Seth Lord: The farce awakens in Ted 2
TED 2 *** DIRECTED BY Seth MacFarlane STARS Mark Wahlberg, Seth MacFarlane As a huge fan of 2012’s Ted, the box office smash that found writer-director Seth MacFarlane lending his voice to a talking teddy bear, let me just say that the prospect of a sequel excited me more before the release of MacFarlane’s 2014…
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl: Topic of cancer
ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL **1/2 DIRECTED BY Alfonso Gomez-Rejon STARS Thomas Mann, Olivia Cooke “Me” is Greg (Thomas Mann), a high school student who prefers to march to his own beat and not become too close to anyone. Earl is, well, Earl (RJ Cyler), tagged a “co-worker” by Greg but really his…
First Drip (6/26/15): Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage in all 50 states
The news you need to know today.
Opening Friday
What’s new in theaters this weekend.
First Drip (6/25/15): Burning of black church said to be intentional
The news you need to know today.
Bizarre crime from Charlotte police files (June 25)
Eyeing That Last Wing: Police responded to an assault call at an east Charlotte apartment complex at 1 a.m. and found a teary-eyed man who still had lingering feelings about being assaulted three hours earlier. The 19-year-old victim told police he was working at Wingstop at 10 p.m. and was assaulted by a customer, who…
Weekly horoscope (June 25-July 1)
For All Signs: The horoscope of an individual is essentially a circular diagram of our sun with its rotating planets, drawn for the time and date of birth and taken from the point of view of the birthplace. The positions of the sun, moon and each of the planets in the solar system is mathematically…
To wed or not to wed
Wedding season is upon us, and I’m doing something I never specifically pined for — I am getting married. As a feminist, I never felt the need for a proposal, a ring, a white gown and veil, or Daddy “giving me away” at a fairy-tale to-do where I would toss a bouquet and my tipsy…
The Island of Dr. Moreau, Soul Plane, The Young Lions 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.) FLED (1996). My fondest memory involving Fled isn’t even on the screen; instead, it was the priceless moment on TV’s Siskel & Ebert when Roger Ebert dismissed the action film by stating, “I…
Theater review: Anything Goes
In olden days, when Cole Porter was composing his first musicals, his songs and lyrics were outstanding, the scripts written by his collaborators were superb, but the songs had only a tenuous connection to the plot. Originally premiered on Broadway in 1934, with a book by seasoned playwrights P.G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton — already…
Lager isn’t a bad word
If you’re like me, you remember when you became a craft beer drinker. Suddenly, you’re in the middle of a flavor revolution, and the first order of business was to turn your back on the fizzy yellow swill that previously epitomized your conception of “beer.” No longer did mass-produced offerings define your beer intake, you…
CD review: Jaggermouth’s Synthetic Me
There’s two ways I could approach reviewing the new album from Charlotte rock quintet JaggerMouth. I could play the part of the jaded rock critic that trashes the album for its lack of originality. I could be the guy who complains that it’s not breaking any new ground and I’ve heard it all before —…
A fond farewell (for now) for Andy the Doorbum
I don’t remember when I first met Charlotte musician Andy the Doorbum. It could have been at a concert. It might have been while I was doing a photoshoot with Jucifer at the Milestone. The band, Andy and I were sharing stories for hours as the metal duo broke down their massive stage setup the…
Get into the Groove 8
The Charlotte music scene has never been an easy hurdle for instrumental and jazz bands. Not a big enough audience? Possibly. Not a solid jazz venue to call home? Perhaps. Not enough talent? Definitely not. It’s possible some of our readers have already paid big money to see members of the Charlotte instrumental collective Groove…
Offering Rachel Dolezal a trip on Transracial Airlines
I watched the growing spectacle surrounding Rachel Dolezal, the now ex-Spokane NAACP president and outed white woman in black face, and became more incensed by each new fact revealed by the media. Forget the fact Dolezal appropriated an identity that took up space for authentic women of color and academics when she could have been…
