Jun 30 – Jul 7, 2009

Jun 30 - Jul 7, 2009 / Vol. 23 / No. 18

Calls for change haven’t halted in Iran

The Twitter stream might be a little quiet, but some Iranian religious and political leaders continue to push for change — despite the potential for violence. Iran continues to emit wisps of turmoil at the highest levels. First, there’s the unprecedented statement by the Association of Researchers and Teachers of Qom–the religious center of Iraq–in…

Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman

Local YouTube guy gets on stage with Beyoncé

Beyoncé performed last week in Atlanta, and she brought local radio guy/stuntman Cubby (from 96.1’s Brotha Fred’s AM Mayhem) on stage to show off a little of his moves. Here’s the video: If you’re wondering WHY Cubby was chosen to get up on stage with Beyoncé, you obviously haven’t seen THIS video (which to date…

Kimberly Lawson

Lay Off, Macduff

Count the Thane of Cawdor among the newly unemployed. North Carolina Shakespeare Festival has just announced that it has axed Macbeth from its 2009 schedule “to weather this unprecedented economic downturn.” That leaves NCSF with a “season” that includes a single production, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, previewing on September 19-20, opening on September 24, and…

Perry Tannenbaum

Wanted: An inner editor for Palin

On the Fourth, people at the big cookout we attended talked a lot about Sarah Palin’s resignation announcement. That is, when they weren’t talking about Mark Sanford (best overheard exchange: “I want to send an e-mail to Jenny Sanford but I don’t know her address.” “Try jenny@luvguv.com.”). But back to Palin, whose resignation led to…

John Grooms

BOGO Blizzard Treats at Dairy Queen

For all you ice cream enthusiasts out there: When you sign up Dairy Queen’s Blizzard Fan Club, you’ll get a coupon for two Blizzard Treats for the price of one. Yum. Happy brain freeze! Sign up for the fan club here.

Priscilla Tsai

Food news from Providence Café, Athens Foods

• Providence Café, 110 Perrin Place, 704-376-2008, is offering three courses for $28 during July. • Athens Foods is offering $12,000 in cash prizes for the winners of “Make it Fabulous with Fillo” recipe contest. The contest begins Aug. 1 and runs through February 1, 2010. Athens is seeking “original, quick and simple recipes” using…

Tricia Childress

Sale of the day: Lotus/Civilian

Lotus & Civilian are having a 10-75% off sale on current styles of shoes andclothing! Lotus & Civilian stores carry their own brand of chic, trendy clothing along with shoes and accessories to compliment their many styles. Civilian – Phillips Place 6908-C Phillips Place Court 704-554-1908 Lotus – Dilworth 1247 East Boulevard 704-332-2047

Kimberly Lawson

Suite, 7/1/09

It was LEVEL Wednesdays at Suite on July 1. That means it was ages 18 and up. Check out these photos from the EpiCentre club. Photos by Christian Yoder.

Priscilla Tsai

Today’s Top(less) 5: Monday

Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, July 6, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. •Half priced Cosmos. •$5 Table dances at Teddy Bears. •Steak and Shrimp at The Men’s Club. •Monster…

Mustang Sally, Mayor of Bang Town

Hagan supports public option. We think.

Yesterday, Sen. Kay Hagan announced her support of the health care reform package proposed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, of which she is a member. Hagan’s announcement means that, after contradictory statements by the senator triggered a huge grassroots campaign to push her toward support of a public option as part…

John Grooms

Upcoming: Peek-A-Boo Model/Talent Search

Join them this Saturday (July 4) from 1 p.m-5 p.m. for their BIGGEST Model/TALENT Search held yet! Every model/talent agency in North Carolina has been cordially invited to attend! For this one day event….enjoy 25 percent off all Couture Collections plus one of North Carolina’s Elite Photographers will be there to help build your portfolio.…

Kimberly Lawson

“Suppressed” EPA writer not even a scientist

In case you haven’t heard the latest craze among right-wing talkers, it’s about Al Carlin, an Environmental Protection Agency analyst who stated his skepticism about global warming. Conservatives are saying that Carlin’s views on climate change were suppressed by EPA honchos because they didn’t agree with Obama administration opinions. Now, it’s true that conservatives are…

John Grooms

Independene Day sale at Venus Phli

Check out Venus Phli today and tomorrow (July 3rd & 4th) to take advantage of up to 50 percent off of designer’s specials. $60 Naughty Monkey Sale (selected styles) and 10 percent off other selected styles. Venus Phli Boutique 3039 B South Blvd. 704-521-6005

Kimberly Lawson

Beyoncé launches Sasha Fierce clothing line

WWD.com is reporting that Beyoncé and Tina Knowles are planning to capitalize on the singer’s alter ego and launch a junior apparel label in her name: Sasha Fierce for Deréon. The clothing line will be ready just in time for the back-to-school shopping season. The collection, which is inspired by Beyoncé’s stage presence (she is…

Kimberly Lawson

Earth Fare and the beef product recall

Earth Fare says it has not been affected by the recall of beef products from JBS Swift Beef Company due to E.coli contamination since their beef is supplied by small-scale, local ranches. JBS Swift Beef Company, a Greeley, Colo., establishment is voluntarily expanding its June 24 recall to include approximately 380,000 pounds of assorted beef…

Tricia Childress

Grohl, Jones, Homme — the ultimate power trio?

There’s a trio that’s in the studio after being a rumor for the last four years. And after hearing word that it’s finally happening, I can’t wait to hear it. Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones and Josh Homme are working together in what could be considered the ultimate power trio. Grohl, of Nirvana and Foo…

Jeff Hahne

Michael Jackson appears on piece of toast

If you’ve been alive on Earth at any point in the last 30 or so years, you’ve engaged from time to time in celebrity worship. Sorry, don’t try to say you haven’t, it’s just not believable. So, regarding Michael Jackson’s untimely death after an amazingly creative career and sad life, well, umm, I’m just saying…

John Grooms

Sale of the day: Jordanos

It’s time for the bi-annual season sale at Jordanos, a men’s and women’s boutique: Everything, including sale merchandise, is 25 percent off. Get in where you fit in. 7804 Rea Rd # B 704-543-8800

Kimberly Lawson

Today’s Top(less) 5: Thursday

Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, July 2, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. •Kick Ass Lunch at The Men’s Club. •Latin Night at Cosmo’s. • Chateau Noir Hosts: After Work…

Mustang Sally, Mayor of Bang Town

Koon of Carnage

In the cool, cool, cool of the evening, it’s still rather hot in Charlotte. So you have a good excuse to flee to the mountains where longtime Queen City favorite Rebecca Koon is starring in Blowing Rock Stage Company’s upcoming Suite Surrender, opening this Friday. The North Carolina premiere of Michael McKeever’s old-timey farce marks…

Perry Tannenbaum

Yet another GOP politician unhinged

Louisiana and South Carolina may share a reputation for producing wacked out, goofy, or just plain odd politicians, but those states have nothing on North Carolina. We’ve already introduced you to N.C. political weirdos like Congress members Sue Myrick, Patrick McHenry and Virginia Foxx, as well as N.C. House of Representatives Minority Leader Skip Stam.…

John Grooms

Step into style at Seventy-Two Shoe Boutique

Looking for chic shoes at an affordable price? Seventy-Two Shoe Boutique in Blakeney is having a sale from July 2-6, including deals of up to 50 percent off regular prices on designer footwear, 25 percent off handbags, and an additional 20 percent off already reduced items. Spend $150 or more and earn $50 off your…

Aviva M. Cantor

Nas teams up with a Marley

Nas and Damian “JR Gong” Marley will release Distant Relatives this year. NAS & DAMIAN “JR GONG” MARLEY DISTANT RELATIVES preview from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

Jeff Hahne

Sale of the day: Circa

The women’s clothing boutique Circa at The Fountains kicks off its summer sale this week, with 25 percent off your entire purchase. 8145 Ardrey Kell Road 704-845-0433

Kimberly Lawson

Today’s Top(less) 5: Wednesday

Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, July, 1 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. •Free line dancing lessons for the ladies. •Poker night at TILT. •Salsa social at World Dance Center.…

Mustang Sally, Mayor of Bang Town

But seriously folks …

Are you ready for a former professional comedian as U.S. Senator? You may as well be, because the Minnesota Supreme Court has confirmed that Al Franken was the winner of the election in that state. You remember? There was an election w-a-a-a-y back in November? Franken’s move to the Senate will give the Democrats 60…

John Grooms

Michael Jackson viewing on Friday

A public viewing of Michael Jackson is scheduled for Friday at the Neverland Ranch. Yeah, how much chaos is going to take place? I can see it already — women falling on the coffin and hysterically in tears while anti-pedophile protestors stand outside the gates.

Jeff Hahne

Recipe: Blueberry Pound Cake

Don’t let the “pound” in the name if the recipe scare you. This recipe doesn’t actually require a pound of sugar, a pound of butter, and a pound of flour; nor does it cause you to gain a pound. This Blueberry Pound Cake is from Cooking Light. It tastes full fat, but actually uses low…

Priscilla Tsai

Worse-than-Madoff weasels should go down, too

Championship caliber chiseler Bernie Madoff was rightfully sentenced to 150 years, i.e., the rest of his life, in prison yesterday for gypping many people out of their savings through the the biggest Ponzi scheme in history. The way I see it, that’s one down — one of several crooks-in-suits who should be headed to jail.…

John Grooms

Wells Fargo is into SunPower

Renewable energy is all the rage these days (thank goodness). For SunPower, that translates into a financial boost. Wells Fargo, parent company of Charlotte-based Wachovia Corp., will finance the solar power systems that SunPower will design, build, operate and maintain. Customers hosting the systems will buy the electricity from SunPower. “We see increasing opportunities over…

Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman

Redman, Methodman, Ghostface canceled

The Redman, Methodman and Ghostface show at Amos’ Southend on Aug. 4 has been canceled. The promoter is working to reschedule the show. In the meantime, etix will be issuing refunds in the next two days.

Jeff Hahne

Time is of the essence

Clothes are obviously the most important aspect of your visual image (aside from conditioning). But I must warn you: Do not underestimate the value of a fine timepiece to your clients. High net worth professionals (and those aspiring to be) absolutely notice the small accouterments of your wardrobe. Quite often, my clients compliment me on…

William Wilson

The bakery is closed

“When you gonna let me sample the goodies?” You’re familiar with the saying “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” — that’s Shakespeare for you non-reading folks. The Goodies, peach cobbler, cookies, cream puffs or whatever you call the female genitalia — it’s still the same — but stepping to a female…

Shameika René

Bikini turns 60

When the bikini first made its debut at a poolside fashion show in Paris 60 years ago, the designer had to enlist a stripper to wear it because the models refused. My, how times have changed. Check out this photo gallery from Slate documenting the early days of the two-piece, once scandalous, swim suit.

Kimberly Lawson

Sale of the day: J. Jill

J.Jill in Northlake Mall is closing, so take advantage of their going out of business sale. 50 percent to 70 percent off women’s apparel, accessories and footwear. 6801 Northlake Mall Drive 704-921-2000

Kimberly Lawson

Michael Jackson refund or … nothing?

Michael Jackson was scheduled to perform 50 shows in London as a form of comeback/farewell. As we all know by now, Jackson died of cardiac arrest and those concerts will never happen. A refund policy has been announced that people who bought tickets can get a full refund, or can keep the ticket as a…

Jeff Hahne

CD Review: The Mars Volta’s Octahedron

The Deal: Prog-rockers slow things down a notch for band’s fifth album. The Good: From the first notes of “Since We’ve Been Wrong,” you can tell the latest effort from The Mars Volta is going to be different from the previous four. After a long, drawn-out (more than a minute) note slowly breaks way to…

Jeff Hahne

COMEDY: Kurt Green at Lake Norman Comedy Zone

Comedian Kurt Green is a pretty funny guy, but he may offend some with his humor — particularly church folks and proud parents who may have gotten a little too creative with their children’s names. Check Green out when he performs at Lake Norman Comedy Zone, located upstairs in Galway Hooker Pub in Cornelius. Full…

Anita Overcash

All hell breaks loose in Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia No. 1

Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia No. 1 Published by Marvel Comics. Written by Matt Fraction. Penciled by Marc Silvestri. The Deal: This comic serves as the first chapter in the highly promoted multi-part crossover. In this issue, all hell breaks loose in San Francisco and the X-Men can’t seem to handle it — so in comes…

Carlton Hargro

CL previews upcoming concerts (July 1-5)

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1 Projexorcism Think of Ed Cooper’s Projexorcism project as something of the visual equivalent of ambient musician William Basinski’s The Disintegration Loops. Using a mess of projectors, VHS, live recording and real-time decay of old film, Cooper’s audio-visual collages are a joy to behold, whether or not you happen to be holding at…

MUSIC: Thriving Ivory

Thriving Ivory features lead singer Clayton Stroope’s moving vocal skills and piano man Scott Jason’s acoustic rhythms in perfect proportions. These elements and the talents of Drew Cribley (guitar and back up vocals), Bret Cohune (bass) and Paul Niedermier (drums) come together to create a golden mellow rock sound. If you’re a fan of the…

Kate Robinson

Bizarre crimes from the Charlotte police files

Delivery: A 19-year-old woman called police after receiving threats over the phone from multiple suspects. The suspects have called her five times a day for the last week and made statements such as, “Bitch, we’ll come over there and beat your ass.” Teenagers these days – too lazy to go get their ass beat ……

Ryan Pitkin

CD Review: Scott H. Biram’s Something’s Wrong/Lost Forever

The Deal: Another Texan making more miles than money. The Good: On the crowded highway of nomadic troubadours, what makes one dude’s confessions compelling and another’s a pity party often comes down to how they process the endless miles and sparse crowds: Are they perpetual stepping stones, or punch-the-clock facts of life? Nobody’s questioning the…

John Schacht

Book review: K Blows Top by Peter Carlson

In 1959, when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev visited the United States for nearly two weeks, the trip turned into one of the grandest, most outlandish and surreal spectacles of the Cold War. It launched the term “media frenzy,” and turned into a traveling cyclone of international intrigue, media insanity, fierce disputes, loud jokes, angry speeches,…

Did soldiers really frag officers in Vietnam?

I recently read a speech by Noam Chomsky in which he says that during the Vietnam war “soldiers were fragging officers.” I, a man too young to have served in that conflict, have heard this before but thought it was just a rumor. Can you shed some light on this dark matter? — Tom, Chicago…

Cecil Adams

Health insurance leeches bleeding America dry

“What country in its right mind would pay millions of people to deny other people health care?” — Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Nickel and Dimed It’s the Fourth of July, so here’s an idea for a renewal of the spirit of the Declaration of Independence: Let’s declare our independence from health insurance companies. Let ’em…

Undo the coup

The first coup d’etat in Central America in more than a quarter-century occurred last Sunday in Honduras. Honduran soldiers roused democratically elected President Manuel Zelaya from his bed and flew him into exile in Costa Rica. The coup, led by the Honduran Gen. Romeo Vasquez, has been condemned by the United States, the European Union,…

Amy Goodman

Transformers sequel a sorry mess

To both my horror and delight — horror because of my general disdain for the Michael Bay oeuvre, delight because of my desire to enjoy every picture I see (contrary to popular belief, film critics don’t enter a theater wanting to hate the movie; what sort of dreary, masochistic career would that make?) — I…

Matt Brunson

Weekly horoscope: July 1-7, 2009

Cancer The Crab: (June 21-July 21) You and/or your partner are shifting into a more confrontive place. This could be cleansing for both at best. At worst, there are elements of obsessive thinking and criticism involved. Be intentional about keeping an open mind and don’t insist on black and white answers. If necessary, suggest this…

Vivian Carol

Away We Go: Smart yet smug

One of the best films of 2008, director Sam Mendes’ Revolutionary Road offered a powerful and penetrating study of a bickering couple trapped by the conformity they felt defined — and controlled — their lives. Mendes’ latest picture takes a different tack, examining a loving pair who forge their own path in an attempt to…

Matt Brunson

Cap and trade: Wrecking the economy gallon by gallon

What would you think of an energy policy that increases pollution, jacks up the cost of fuel and increases our dependence on foreign oil and oil refining? Nobody would sign up for that. But that’s exactly what Congress did last week when it passed “cap and trade” — one of the most harebrained pieces of…

My Sister’s Keeper: Worthy weeper

Making a weepie for mass audiences can’t be that hard: Just place a person in a tragic situation and steer clear of the resultant flood. But making a weepie that doesn’t feel manipulative, exploitive or sloppily sentimental is another matter altogether. With My Sister’s Keeper, an adaptation of Jodi Picoult’s novel, director-cowriter Nick Cassavetes largely…

Matt Brunson

THEATER: Fight Club

“The first rule of Fight Club is: You don’t talk about Fight Club.” Oops … well, now you know why I’m not in the club. Citizens of the Universe promises you an evening of bloody brawls and deranged enlightenment, as they perform Fight Club, a play by Dylan Yates based on the popular film and…

Anita Overcash

Cheri: An affair to forget

Michelle Pfeiffer has been excellent in all manner of movies, but in such period pieces as The Age of Innocence and Dangerous Liaisons, she has proven to be especially memorable, ably portraying passionate yet stifled women who find themselves as constricted by the mores of society as by the corsets they don under their dresses.…

Matt Brunson

The Proposal: Worth considering

After the stereotypical rom-com inanities of 27 Dresses, director Anne Fletcher partially redeems herself — as both an able filmmaker and a progressive woman — with her latest effort, The Proposal. Working with debuting screenwriter Pete Chiarelli, she’s managed to put out a picture that paints its heroine in one-dimensional strokes only part of the…

Matt Brunson

SPECIAL EVENT: Grease Sing-Along

From time to time, we all need to stretch out the ol’ vocal chords, whether we have talent in the music realm or not. In this case, a sing-along event comes in handy. It’s all about fun and games when Theatre Charlotte presents a Grease Sing-Along with a film screening with subtitled song lyrics, so…

Anita Overcash

Year One, Quality Zero

Biblical times were milked for raunchy but riotous laughs in Mel Brooks’ History of the World: Part I and Monty Python’s Life of Brian, but the well seems to have run dry when it comes to Year One, a disastrous comedy that’s the cinematic equivalent of an old-fashioned flogging. Jack Black and Michael Cera, never…

Matt Brunson

Sangria and boxed wine conserve cash

After my annual July 4th party, the recycling bin brims with a mountainous pile of wine bottles. I imagine the recycling guy considers me a lapsed Friend of Bill, but it doesn’t matter — our nation’s birthday is the day to enjoy everything. In honor of our America’s independence, here are some creative tips to…

Taylor Eason

HOLIDAY: 4th of July celebrations

The typical 4th of July celebrations include fireworks, live entertainment and food. So Red, White & Boom seemingly has it all. Make sure you’re Uptown so you can see fireworks fly across the sky as the Queen City celebrates the nation’s birthday. The fireworks, lasting around 20 minutes, will be staged from Central Piedmont Community…

Anita Overcash

Basil is Thai-ing too hard

The allure and timelessness of Charleston is primary in the psyche of Charlotte. That CH city oozes history and charm while ts grand and old (that’s 10 years in hospitality-industry speak) restaurants are dependent on tourist dollars to turn a profit year after year. Charleston is often the envy of Charlotte’s restaurant community, which in…

Tricia Childress

Happy birthday, Whisky River!

At Whisky River’s one-year anniversary party last week, Mayor Pat McCrory got on stage (with some added dramatics from the free-flowing Bacardi) and made a public announcement that Whisky River is his favorite bar in Charlotte … and I’m going to have to agree with him. In my own little “BC After Dark” Best Of…

Brittney Cason

THEATER: Metamorphoses at Carolina Actors Studio Theatre

Get ready to get wet (or maybe not, depending on just where your seats are), at Carolina Actors Studio Theatre’s performances of Metamorphoses. The stage, a pool, is the perfect way to delve deep into ancient myths from the past, including those starring Poseidon and other characters down for a splash. Continues through July 12.…

Anita Overcash

Aerosmith showcasing classic album in its entirety on new tour

There’s a growing trend in live music these days for bands to perform one album in its entirety. It’s not a new concept, but it’s one that seems to be taking over a handful of summer tours — Mötley Crüe and Dr. Feelgood, Public Enemy and It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us…

Jeff Hahne

CD Review: Bother

The Deal: Mid-90s band regroups in 2007, records new album, Bothered, released independently on May 30, 2009. The Good: The album opens up with “Bless Me,” immediately showcasing a heavy influence from Alice in Chains that’s evident throughout the album’s 10 tracks. The band keeps lyrics simple while showcasing a variety of music styles from…

Jeff Hahne

THEATER: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Got a golden ticket? Well, that’s OK if you don’t. You can buy a ticket (though it may or may not be golden) to watch as CPCC’s Summer Theatre stage performances of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory — based on the film adaptation by Gene Wilder of Roald Dahl’s 1964 book. And don’t forget…

Anita Overcash

Recent

See all

Gift this article