Jun 8-14, 2010

Jun 8-14, 2010 / Vol. 24 / No. 15

N.C.’s Etheridge flaunts his a-holeness

A video of Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-N.C.) has gone viral on the web, and for good reason. Etheridge is shown walking down a street near the Capitol, when an anonymous, young reporter steps up to him and asks him if he “fully supports the Obama agenda.” Real quickly, two things: 1. That’s an obviously stupid…

John Grooms

Tonight’s Top 5, 06/14/10

The top five nightlife-related events going down tonight, June 14, as chosen from the folks at Creative Loafing. • Monday Night Mixer: Wine Tasting Part 2 at Prevue • Monday Night All Stars at Double Door Inn • Monday Fun Day at Dixie’s Tavern • Mixtape Monday with 44 Kraken, Dick Tracey, DJ Slurp at…

Kimberly Lawson

Bonnaroo – Saturday preview

Well, we’re at the halfway point and it’s gonna be another blistering hot day here in Manchester, Tenn. — heat index is 100 all weekend. My day will start off in The Other Tent which turns Latin today, as Bomba Estereo starts it off. I’d love to see Imelda May, but she’s on the other side…

Jeff Hahne

A visit to Blu Basil

If you are looking for something light, but also more substantial than just a salad of leafy greens, I suggest you try one of their salads.

Priscilla Tsai

Revolve celebrates one year

Before Revolve Upscale Men’s Consignment Store opened up, let’s be real — consignment stores were for the ladies. After all, it’s women who buy the clothes, wear the clothes, and recycle the clothes. Now, a year later, owner Amy Pickard has shown us that, indeed, consignment can be about the fellas, too. Saturday, Revolve will…

Kimberly Lawson

More immigrants = Drop in crime?

There’s a new study, published last month in Social Science Quarterly, and viewable at ScienceDaily that will no doubt drive anti-immigrant supporters all kinds of bug-eyed crazy. The study tests ideas from Harvard sociologist Robert Sampson, who said the sharp drop in crime rates during the last two decades may be linked to the quick…

John Grooms

Help pick BP’s new logo

LogoMyWay.com  has a great idea. The site is holding a design contest for a new BP logo, in the wake of the massive oil spill in Gulf of Mexico. Check out the contest site here, and vote for your favorite. Here are two of this writer’s picks, including one that incorporates the old Sherwin-Williams paint…

John Grooms

Bonnaroo report — Thursday preview

Well, I’ve gotten my final experiences with indoor plumbing and hot showers for the next four days… I’m headed to Manchester, Tenn., and four days of heat, music and, hopefully, rain-free skies. There are chances for scattered thunderstorms all weekend, but I’m sure that won’t dampen the weekend’s music. Meanwhile, local news reports say traffic…

Jeff Hahne

McCartney joke brings out the wingnuts

It’s pretty funny listening to the folks who are mad at Paul McCartney — sorry, Sir Paul McCartney — for cracking a joke at former President George W. Bush’s expense the other day. McCartney received the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from President Obama at the White House last week. The prize is sponsored by…

John Grooms

Libertarians support repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

That headline may sound like confirmation of the adage about politics making strange bedfellows, but it’s not so surprising that three Libertarian Congressional candidates in North Carolina endorse repealing “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.”  Lon Cecil, Tom Rose and Daryl Holloman, who are running for Congress as Libertarians in the 12th, 2nd, and 3rd Congressional Districts,…

John Grooms

HeroesCon, 6/5/10

When it comes to comic books, the Queen City was the place to be this weekend. The annual comic-oriented convention HeroesCon (held at the Charlotte Convention Center from June 4-6) was bigger than ever. Here are pics from HeroesCon on Saturday. Read more about HeroesCon here. Photos by Kate Robinson.

Priscilla Tsai

Trim that beard at Taste of Charlotte

Hey, scruffy Charlotte dudes, now’s your to clean up your act. WAHL, a leading manufacturer of grooming products, will be coming to Taste of Charlotte this weekend to help the area’s unkempt men get a handle on their facial hair for free. This way you guys can nosh down on food at the Taste festival…

Priscilla Tsai

Not your average banana cream pie

The weather’s hot and this cool dessert is just as hot and sultry. This version of banana cream pie has a spicy kick as well as a nip of alcohol. Hints of curry flavor mingle in the sweet graham cracker crust and the cream of the pie is spiked with rum. Thin slices of ripe…

Priscilla Tsai

Mixtape review: Cee-Lo’s Stray Bullets

The Deal: Yet another Down South hip hop icon jumps into the mixtape game but this one’s a little different. The Good: Who else can have Goodie Mob and The B-52’s on the same project? Seriously. Part Gnarls Barkley, part Curtis Mayfield-y, part Kurtis Blow, part classic soul and 80’s pop, this collection of songs…

Mike McCray

Baby Gaga does “Telephone”

Um, yeah, there’s something disturbing about this… Some woman decided to have her 3-year-old daughter spoof Lady Gaga, complete with handcuffs and backup dancers. \\\\\\\\\\

Jeff Hahne

Blackwater up for sale, defends its ‘performance’

Blackwater, the “security firm” that served as U.S. mercenaries in Iraq and got themselves into all kinds of legal trouble as a result, is up for sale. The company, now called Xe Services although no one seems to use that name, is being sold, said founder Eric Prince, because “Performance doesn’t matter in Washington, just…

John Grooms

Weekly horoscope June 9-15, 2010

Gemini The Twins (May 20-June 21): You remain somewhat “woolly-headed” until the 10th. After your ruling planet, Mercury, shifts into your sign on the 10th, your attitude will be jovial and social. Don’t push yourself beyond your limits because the weekend activities may push back. For All Signs: The Jupiter/Uranus conjunction continues to dominate the…

Vivian Carol

Theater review: Ice Fishing on Europa

Carolina Actors Studio Theatre has taken more than its share of chances over recent years. They installed a second boxagon space at 1118 Clement Avenue for a revolving presentation of Omnium Gatherum in 2007. They jumped ahead of Charlotte’s Latin theatre curve with Limbo in 2008, and they triumphed in 2009 with the magnificent waterworld…

Perry Tannenbaum

Alice in Wonderland, The Wolfman among new DVD reviews

  ALICE IN WONDERLAND (2010). Here’s the problem with the vast majority of movies based on Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel, Through the Looking-Glass: They’re too tame, too hesitant and too conventional to really tap into the more unsettling aspects of an immortal fantasy that provides as much satisfaction for adults…

Matt Brunson

Theater review: My Fair Lady

Scenery and music both make favorable first impressions at CPCC Summer Theatre’s season opener, My Fair Lady, but neither impression proves to be durable. As attractive as I find Timothy Baxter-Ferguson’s design for the London cityscape that opens the show, the pub where Alfred P. Doolittle seeks refuge — and is repeatedly thrown out of…

Perry Tannenbaum

Get Him to the Greek: Brand name

A semi-sequel to Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek is the latest film to emerge from the Judd Apatow factory, which means the picture will take great pains to show it can be sweet and sincere while simultaneously dishing out the sort of vulgar gags that have become the status quo in modern…

Matt Brunson

Theater review: The Comedy of Errors

“Blow wind and crack your cheeks!” declaims a tragic Shakespearean hero. “With heigh-ho, the wind and the rain,” sings his fool. But the wind and the rain aren’t buffeting King Lear as Collaborative Arts launches their fifth annual Charlotte Shakespeare Festival. Instead, they’re whipping across The Green Uptown, adding unpredictable challenges and laughs to The…

Perry Tannenbaum

CD Review: The Black Keys’ Brothers

The Deal: Akron, Ohio, blues-rock duo return with sixth full-length album. The Good: I’m in no way a big fan of falsetto, but damned if singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach can’t make it appealing as hell on the album’s opening track, “Everlasting Light.” While in the past, the band’s sound offered a front-porch, stripped-down blues, they experiment…

Jeff Hahne

The Gaza freedom flotilla: Framing the narrative

They called it “Operation Sea Breeze.” Despite the pleasant-sounding name, Israel’s violent commando raid on a flotilla of humanitarian aid ships, which left nine civilians dead, has sparked international outrage. The raid occurred in the early-morning hours of May 31, as the six vessels laden with humanitarian aid were still in international waters, bound for…

Amy Goodman

Otis Taylor’s brand of blues is always evolving

Sometimes you can convey as much emotion in a grunt or sigh as you can via lyrics and instrumental notes. It’s about a mood and an image joining together to form a total image. Like a work or art, it’s open to interpretation. That’s the way Otis Taylor likes it. He admits he’s not the…

Jeff Hahne

THEATER: The Dixie Swim Club at Theatre Charlotte

Some friendships are tranquil and lifelong, while others are turbulent and short-lived. But true friends are there for you when you need them the most and that’s a concept Donna Scott Productions — creator of both The Body Chronicles and The Fairy Tale Chronicles — hopes to capture with its premiere production of The Dixie…

Lesli Frazier

City of Your Final Destination: Cancel trip

Although billed as the latest Merchant-Ivory production, The City of Your Final Destination is actually director James Ivory’s first feature without his longtime producer and film partner, the late Ismael Merchant. It’s hardly an inspiring way to carry on the brand name. Then again, the tony label hasn’t exactly been producing topflight pictures since the…

Matt Brunson

FOOD: Taste of Charlotte

It’s all in the name of food during Taste of Charlotte. Folks line the streets of Uptown to fill their bellies with pure culinary delight. This annual event features food from a jumble of Charlotte restaurants (including Amelie’s French Bakery, Brazas Brazilian Grill, Caribbean Hut, Chen’s Bistro, Mert’s Heart & Soul, Namaste Indian Restaurant and…

Anita Overcash

I think I’ve become a bitch

I don’t know what has gotten into me — other than perhaps some hormones — but I have been a raging bitch as of late. Even worse than when I was a TopCat and was constantly hungry and pissy from dieting. It all started with the Sex and the City 2 prescreening party at Mez,…

NIGHTLIFE: Decadence Project

JUNE 12 — Single Cell Productions has filled Charlotte with a zesty zap of fetish events over the years. Kicking Purgatory (its best known event) to the curb and starting fresh, it returns with its baby, Decadence Project. The show’s theme is “Communion of the Flesh.” Skin will be exposed, alcohol available and kink in…

Anita Overcash

How to eat sensibly while on vacation

Maybe you have big travel plans this summer or just planning a few days out and about seeing local sites. Either way, traveling away from home and eating out can put a dent in your budget. However, with a little preplanning, you can save money and still eat well. A Room With A Kitchen: More…

Susan Palmquist

FILM: Bright Road

If you’re looking for a great (and cheap) way to spend a Sunday afternoon, here’s an idea: The Classic International Black Cinema Series. The series, curated by local film expert Felix Curtis, was designed to shine a spotlight on forgotten, but outstanding, Africa-American films. This month’s screening focuses on legendary actress Dorothy Dandridge and her…

Carlton Hargro

3 questions with Robin Taylor Murphy, cupcake designer

Have you ever received a cupcake and not smiled? Robin Taylor Murphy, owner of Queen City Cupcakes, believes she’s making the world a happier place one cupcake at a time with her custom-made cupcakes. For her, each tiny dessert is a mini-masterpiece. Creative Loafing: How did you get started in the industry? Robin Taylor Murphy:…

Kimberly Lawson

MUSIC: Find Your Muse open mic at The Evening Muse

It’s Find Your Muse open mic night at The Evening Muse this and every Monday. Musicians, grab up your music gear and head over to perform one of your own creations in front of a crowd. No one can guarantee they’ll be liked, but constructive criticism is always helpful! Get there early to snag a…

Anita Overcash

CD review: M4 Messenger

The Deal: Charlotte band releases debut album, Illusions of Control, via 7th Planet Records on June 13, 2010. The album was recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by Joe Kuhlmann. The Good: Animal Bag guitarist Rich Parris and bassist Otis (now singing and playing guitar) join with drummer Benji Rogers and bassist Tim McDonnell for new…

Jeff Hahne

BOOK SIGNING: Dan Ariely at Joseph-Beth Booksellers

An author who writes books about the benefits of being irrational? Sounds like a book we shouldn’t put on the list of things to read, but shying away from quick assumptions, Dan Ariely a New York Times best-selling author and social scientist, isn’t really full of complete nonsense. His first book, Predictably Irrational, explained how…

Anita Overcash

CD Review: Nas & Damian Marley’s Distant Relatives

The Deal: Hip-hop and reggae royalty team up for an album that skillfully meshes the two genres while raising money for charity. The Good: Thank God this album didn’t turn out to be a 13-track “We Are The World” record – this is a grown man’s album. Damian Marley produced the entire album except for…

Mike McCray

COMEDY: John Leguizamo

John Leguizamo is best remembered by me as that sneaky Capulet in Romeo + Juliet — the version with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. But, these days it seems he mostly wants to be remembered as one thing and that’s a “Klass Klown” (which is the title of his latest stand-up comedy show). Stopping in…

Anita Overcash

Deliberate dumbassedness in right-wing radio

A friend of mine, I’ll call him Ron, ventures into “Right-wing Radio World” a couple of times a week, and now and then delivers what he calls “Reports from the dark side.” In a way, it’s a valuable service, since I can’t subject myself to the likes of Limbaugh & Co. for more than five…

Discover new crime fiction

With summer underway, the usual “Junk vs. Substance” arguments about beach reading rear their sunburned heads again. It’s no big secret that the most popular beach reads, by far, are mysteries and thrillers, and those genres provide plenty of ammo for both sides of the Junk/Substance fight, from the wretched repetitiveness of James “Book of…

What budget cuts mean for library programs

By now, you’ve heard about the big budget crisis facing the public library system of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. Nearly half of the system’s budget is projected to be slashed, which means 16 branches may be forced to close and more staff will be laid off. Mecklenburg County Manager Harry Jones is recommending a budget…

Cheris Hodges

Bizarre crimes from Charlotte police files

Population Control: Employees at a local Wal-Mart called police after a man stole something that they no longer wanted. An employee was in the back of the building disposing of a large amount of expired yogurt; an unknown suspect approached and asked if he was throwing the items out. The employee responded that he was…

Ryan Pitkin

CL previews upcoming concerts (June 9-15)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9 Ben Deignan The Atlanta native looks and at times sounds like music industry giant John Mayer with a bluesy, soulful voice, and a pension for a catchy blues hook to reel in the potential listener who wants to groove. Deignan has a self-titled EP out full of easy-on-the-ears tunes often about the…

A recap of HeroesCon

So, another HeroesCon has come and gone. If you attended this year’s edition of the city’s largest comic book convention, I hope you had a good time. Although I’m totally exhausted from this past weekend’s festivities, I enjoyed myself immensely. I particularly got a kick out of: • Meeting artist Ming Doyle and getting a…

Carlton Hargro

Reinventing journalism

If the Federal Trade Commission gets its way, in 20 years, most of Charlotte’s local news will come from the government. A freakish, almost Orwellian report released by the FTC two weeks ago calls for the “reinvention of journalism.” In the report, the commission declares traditional journalism’s profit model dead and proposes to fill the…

What secret technology is DARPA hiding from us?

I recently stumbled on the online Straight Dope and, since you seem to be the guru of all things, decided to ask a question. How many years ahead of us is DARPA, technologically, and what secrets do you think they may be hiding from us? — A curious kid P.S. Do you think a rail…

Cecil Adams

The tradition of hate continues

“The action of President Roosevelt in entertaining that nigger will necessitate our killing a thousand niggers in the South before they will learn their place again.” — Sen. “Pitchfork Ben” Tillman speaking about President Theodore Roosevelt hosting Booker T. Washington at the White House in 1900. OK, is it just me or does it seem…

Nsenga Burton

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