Jun 9-16, 2009

Jun 9-16, 2009 / Vol. 23 / No. 15

Leave those hookahs alone

As Muddy Waters sang, “I’m a full-grown man, way past 21.” So, as a more mature person, ahem, my first thoughts when I read the Observer Monday pamphlet’s story on the possible disappearance of hookah smoking from Charlotte area bars and lounges were the thoughts of a near-geezer: “So what? Hookah smoking is nothing more…

John Grooms

Homemade crocodile bags

This is kind of disturbing, considering we’re in a recession. French luxury goods group Hermes apparently is hard pressed to keep up with the demands for luxury leather bags, which can cost over $48,000. There just aren’t enough crocodiles, apparently. “It can take three to four crocodiles to make one of our bags so we…

Kimberly Lawson

S.C. politician: Escaped gorilla is ‘Michelle’s ancestor’

As if South Carolina politicians didn’t have enough problems being seen as backward knuckle-draggers, well-known S.C. Republican activist and former state elections commission chairman Rusty DePass had to step in a big pile of his own crap over the weekend. DePass elicited howls of outrage when he posted a comment on a political blog regarding…

John Grooms

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, June 15, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. • Get your mate a lap dance at The Gentleman’s Club, couples welcomed. • Steak, Shrimp and…

Mustang Sally, Mayor of Bang Town

Blogaroo from Bonnaroo ’09: Saturday

OK, so, here’s the situation… The Internet service here is complete crap. I’m working on another night of four hours of sleep and my frustration level is quickly growing. I’ll give a brief rundown of Saturday, but will update with a full report on Monday of the weekend’s events, with photos. I hope you understand,…

Jeff Hahne

Blogaroo from Bonnaroo ’09: Friday preview

The sun was out this morning, before quickly becoming overcast. I can only hope that the floodgates don’t open again. After an early-morning press orientation meeting, the music will get started at This Tent with Tift Merritt. Toubab Krewe is set to open things at The Other Tent. While Animal Collective is on Which Stage,…

Jeff Hahne

South Park eatery scores 82

Um. Yuck. The Charlotte Observer reports: The inspection report for Maki of Japan in the food court shows food debris on utensils that were supposed to be clean, and no hand soap anywhere in the store. Inspectors also noted that eggs, chicken and beef were all stored at the wrong temperature. Maki of Japan scored…

Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman

Vending machines with after-party slippers

What a freakin’ great idea. Ladies, how often are you limping back to the car after a night of dancing and clubbing in some fantastic-looking, toe-pinching heels? I’m telling you, the walk from The Forum to the 7th Street parking garage is much too long after dancing for hours. Or how about trying to walk…

Kimberly Lawson

Sale of the day: The Wedding Mall

Check out this huge bridal store clearance sale at The Wedding Mall. Take up to 60 percent off MSRP of all bridal gowns, prom, mother’s, and bridesmaids dresses in stock. 1809 Sardis Road North 704-844-6255

Kimberly Lawson

Today’s Top 5: Friday

Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, June 12, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. • Street Sweeper Social Club (with NIN/JA) at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre • New Works by Paul Stanley at Wentworth Gallery • Takeover Fridays at the Mint Museum of…

Kimberly Lawson

Today’s Top(less) 5: Friday

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, June 12, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. •Nothing risque, nothing gained. •Party until 5 a.m. at Club Onyx. •Start your party at breakfast at…

Cheris Hodges

Edwards’ sour legacy

Yesterday was former U.S. Senator John Edwards’ 56th birthday, and that brings mixed feelings. I once had high hopes for Edwards, and I supported his Presidential campaign because I agreed with his progressive/populist views. In fact, I wish Obama had listened to Edwards when, in reaction to Obama saying health insurance companies should be “at…

John Grooms

Free samples of Ciao Bella

Good news, everyone! Ciao Bella is sending out their “Gelato Mobiles” this summer to hand out free samples of their delicious gelatos, ice creams, and sorbets at retailers on the East and West coasts. Over the next two weeks, Ciao Bella will be in Charlotte handing out samples at Harris Teeter stores. The 3.5 oz.…

Priscilla Tsai

Holocaust Museum shooting: Homeland Security warning was right

The anti-Semitic nut who killed a guard at the Holocaust Museum in Washington yesterday was the latest proof that a maligned Department of Homeland Security memo was right on the money. Earlier this year, when the DHS warned of the possibility of increased violence by right-wing extremists, conservatives had a fit. The FauxNews/Rush crowd got…

John Grooms

Food news: The Other White Meat Tour, CSA

• On June 8, following The Other White Meat® Tour, the National Pork Board donated 530 pounds — or 2,650 meals — of pork to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. • A Charlotte area farm is being featured on national news: On Friday, June 12, NBC affiliates may air a story about CSA (Consumer…

Tricia Childress

Slam Charlotte @ Theatre Charlotte, 6/10/09

Slam Charlotte’s Concrete Generation featured Quenten “Q” Talley, Boris “Bluz” Rodgers, Miesha “Ocean” Rice, Tavis Brunson, Bathsheba Rem, Charles “CP Maze” Perry and Filmore Johnson. They previewed their set they’re going to take to next month’s national slam poetry competition. Slam Charlotte has won the top title two years in a row. They performed at…

Priscilla Tsai

Restaurant news: Max’s Ally, Providence Café

• Max’s Ally, 355 John Galt Way in Afton Village, welcomes back Executive Chef Brendon Murphy who was responsible for the original menu. Murphy, a Johnson & Wales University graduate who also co-hosted the PBS food show Fingerprints with his brother, plans to utilize local ingredients on his new summer menu. • Providence Café, 110…

Tricia Childress

Parent company of Boyles Distinctive Furniture files bankruptcy

As the housing market went down, I guess it would make sense the furniture market would as well. The housing and retail downturn caught up Wednesday with the N.C. parent company of Boyles Distinctive Furniture as it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Conover-based Hendricks Furniture Group and sister company Classic Moving and Storage plan…

Kimberly Lawson

Taking over the Mint

Takeover Friday is taking over the Mint Museum of Craft + Design tomorrow night, and you should definitely join them. Mingle and network with members of Charlotte’s fabulous gay community, doing what they do best: having a good time. You’ll have full access to the entire museum, including the dramatic rooftop, where DJ Edward Jones…

Kimberly Lawson

Making sex better for both of you

A lot of articles are written about how to make sex better for her or him, but how do you make sex better for the both of you? Women’s magazines focus on what women should do to please a man and men’s magazines focus on how to make a woman scream. But sometimes, you just…

Mustang Sally, Mayor of Bang Town

KISSing canvases with Paul Stanley

If you didn’t know it, Paul Stanley, long-time guitarist and vocalist for the metal band KISS, has put down the guitar/mic and picked up a paint brush. Stanley, who visited Charlotte last year to show off his abstract creations, will visit again for his exhibition New Works by Paul Stanley on Friday, June 12 and…

Anita Overcash

Today’s Top 5: Thursday

Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, June 11, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. • Summer Concert Series: The Dickens Band at The Shoppes at University • Banjoist Bela Fleck at Neighborhood Theatre • 2009 Points Bonanza Disc-Golf Competition at Reedy Creek…

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, June 11, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. • Chocolate Summer Camp. • Have a penthouse dance at The Gold Club. • Surf, Turf and…

Mustang Sally, Mayor of Bang Town

Huntersville welcomes Huntersville Vintage

We love vintage. Check out this news release from newly opened Huntersville Vintage: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE On June 5, 2009 Huntersville Vintage located at 501 S. Old Statesville Road, Suite A is opened their doors to the public. Huntersville Vintage is not to be mistaken as your average vintage store. Huntersville Vintage, a vintage boutique…

Kimberly Lawson

Samantha Webster

Samantha Webster was born and raised in a small, Southern North Carolina town that not even the greatest writer could dream up. She spent the majority of her teenage years driving all over the Carolinas to see bands perform, subsequently earning her the nickname of “Band Aide” and gaining her the friendships of a gaggle…

Web Editor

Christian Yoder

Christian Yoder is an editorial intern for Creative Loafing hailing from Monroe, NC. Yoder is a rising senior at UNC-Chapel Hill where he studies Journalism and Mass Communication. His previous journalism experience includes working for The Daily Tar Heel, Carolina’s independent student newspaper, and performing digital media work for student organizations around campus. Yoder has…

Web Editor

Adults vs. Crybabies in NC House

Late yesterday, a crucial committee vote took place in the House in Raleigh that showed some unexpected backbone and, well, adulthood, from state lawmakers. The House Finance Committee approved a mix of new and/or increased sales taxes, higher income tax rates for wealthy taxpayers, and new corporate tax rules.  While the grown-ups in Raleigh, i.e.,…

John Grooms

Live review: The Decemberists

The Decemberists Raleigh Memorial Auditorium June 4, 2009 The Deal: The Decemberists played Raleigh Memorial Auditorium with openers Blind Pilot. The Good: Despite being a rather obsessed and decidedly uncool fan of The Decemberists, this was my first time seeing them live. As the soundtrack to my graduate school experience, my expectations for this show,…

Beth Gilstrap-Barnes

Opening night: The Phantom of the Opera

This is big: Staged performances of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera — adapted from Gaston Leroux’s novel — are back in Charlotte at Belk Theater for the first time since 2001. Having seen this long-standing, award-winning Broadway musical in the past, I’m telling ya, you need to snag yourself a ticket and…

Anita Overcash

Ready for the ‘Roo

Tent, check. Water, check. Camera, check. It’s almost time for Bonnaroo! I’ll be sending out Twitter messages and posting daily blogs right here from the festival site in Manchester, Tenn. this weekend. While Tweets will start on Thursday, the blogs will kick off Friday morning.

Jeff Hahne

Upcoming: Cutiepparel at The Boulevard

On Friday, June 19, The Boulevard at NoDa hosts Cutiepparel by SEY. Custom children’s clothing by local designer Sydney Yurksaitis 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. 453 E. 36th St. 704-332-0142 Email info@blvdnoda.com for more information.

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, June 10, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. • Ladies’ Night Line Dancing at Coyote Joe’s. • Salsa social. • Fabulous Feast at The Men’s…

Mustang Sally, Mayor of Bang Town

Eddie Bauer may file bankruptcy

Does anyone wear Eddie Bauer anymore? Three-consecutive years of losses and a high debt load may be too much for Eddie Bauer Holdings (EBHI)to overcome. The outdoor clothing retailer may seek bankruptcy protection as soon as this week, according to five people with knowledge of the discussions. Read the rest of this USA Today story…

Kimberly Lawson

Father’s Day restaurant specials

If you are looking for a place to take dad out to eat on June 21, here is a list from OpenTable.com of Charlotte restaurants that are offering special Father’s Day meals and deals. Carpe Diem Restaurant Treat Dad to a 2-course meal featuring favorites like our buttermilk chicken breast, crab cakes, or eggs Benedict…

Priscilla Tsai

RushmoreDrive closes

Just got word that the Charlotte-based, black-targeted search engine RushmoreDrive.com is out of business. And the Web site BlackWeb 2.0 even printed portions of Rushmore CEO Johnny Taylor’s resignation letter. More to come …

Carlton Hargro

Israel’s problems blamed on ‘Borating’

We don’t deal with foreign news too often on this blog, but this is too good not to pass along. The government of Israel is holding hearings in the Knesset, its legislature, before the Defense and Security Committee, to determine why Israel’s image is so bad in much of the world. A reasonable person might…

John Grooms

More tales from China…

The acts that followed Black Tiger got better and better. Super VC was a large group; rhythm and lead guitars, bass guitar, drums and a singer who played keys. I was surprised to find that the group’s music had a mellow intensity that was welcome after Black Tiger’s set. Indeed, after hearing a few songs,…

Eric Mullis

Rock and Rye knocks colds out

Not feeling too great? Is the sharp contrast of the hot weather outside and the freezing temps inside the office causing you to sniffle? Just fix yourself a drink! A drink of rye whiskey sweetened with rock candy and perhaps some fruits and bitter herbs, Rock and Rye was once believed to be a cure-all…

Kimberly Lawson

Who is all star Chuck Taylor?

Ever wonder where the most popular sneakers get their names from? Well, here’s a neat informative piece on WSJ.com. For example, did you know that ADIDAS did not get its name from the acronym, “All day I dream about soccer”? Who’d have known?

Kimberly Lawson

Capsule reviews of films playing the week of June 10

Current Releases ANGELS & DEMONS Angels & Demons, the follow-up to the international smash The Da Vinci Code, feels like nothing more than a cross between a Frommer’s travel guide and a scavenger hunt, as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon hits all of Rome’s holy hot spots gathering up clues as if they were empty Dr.…

Matt Brunson

The free market’s marked men, from the Niger Delta to the Amazon

Ken Saro-Wiwa and Alberto Pizango never met, but they are united by a passion for the preservation of their people and their land, and by the fervor with which they have been targeted by their respective governments. Saro-Wiwa was executed by the Nigerian government Nov. 10, 1995. Pizango this week was charged by the Peruvian…

Amy Goodman

Defiance, Revolutionary Road among DVD reviews

DEFIANCE (2008). The 1970s TV miniseries Holocaust and the 2002 theatrical release The Grey Zone touched upon the topic, but Defiance might be the first celluloid outing to focus exclusively on the efforts of Jews to violently oppose their Nazi oppressors during World War II. Certainly, it’s an overdue entry in the long history of…

Matt Brunson

THEATER: Evil Dead: The Musical

One word: Zombies. Two words: Zombies singing. You’ve got to go see Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte’s newest production: Evil Dead: The Musical. Gore and humor made the Evil Dead film series a hit. If you’ve ever seen one of the movies, you know what I am talking about. Blood doesn’t just drip from injured victims;…

Anita Overcash

MUSIC: Jane’s Addiction and Nine Inch Nails

At a recent tour stop in southern California, reviews raved Nine Inch Nails’ set was devoted mostly to b-sides and other “obscure” material, while Jane’s Addiction — comprised of its original lineup of front man Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, bassist Eric Avery and drummer Stephen Perkins — rocked out a variety of songs from…

Anita Overcash

DANCE: Big Mamma D’s House of Burlesque at Visulite Theatre

It’s dance time again with none other than Charlotte’s Big Mamma D and her House of Burlesque. This show, titled “Bond-age: Shaken and Stripped,” differs from some past performances though, as it is dedicated to James Bond and other characters from the popular spy films. Special guests include White Lightnin’ Burlesque and Midnight Magnolias. 18…

Anita Overcash

THEATER: Mama Knows Best at CPCC’s Pease Auditorium

Some families get along and some don’t, but the goal behind World Renowned Entertainment’s play Mama Knows Best is to encourage youths to make positive decisions in their lives, which includes selecting a mate to wed. In Mama Knows Best, it’s clear the foundation of a strong family is made up of both a mother…

Anita Overcash

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. If you’re a musician, be sure to grab up your music gear and head to The Evening Muse to perform a few of your musical creations in front of a crowd. (No one can guarantee they’ll be liked, but constructive…

Anita Overcash

Big View Diner has a grand vision

Big View Diner rises from the corner of a busy intersection in south Charlotte. You can’t miss it: The building sprouts protruding angles reminiscent of the extreme architectural style which dominated the fast-casual restaurant landscape for several decades before coming to an abrupt end in the 1980s. Even the casual script font of the logo…

Tricia Childress

THEATER: The Phantom of the Opera at Belk Theater

This is big: Staged performances of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera — adapted from Gaston Leroux’s novel– are back in Charlotte at Belk Theater for the first time since 2001. Having seen this long-standing, award-winning Broadway musical in the past, I’m telling ya, you need to snag yourself a ticket. The chandelier…

Anita Overcash

COMEDY: James Gregory at McGlohon Theatre

Funniest man in America? I’m not sure about that. Comedian James Gregory is bound to offend some, including hardcore environmentalists obsessed with endangered species and global warming. Gregory has been quoted as saying, “If you want me to be concerned about endangered species, you need to convince me that we’re about out of chickens.” You…

Anita Overcash

A double standard: Nikki McPhatter matters

Last week, Bonnie Sweeten, a 38-year-old suburban Philadelphia mom who told police she and her nine-year-old daughter were abducted after a traffic accident, was found to be lying. This is the crackpot who prompted a national search because she allegedly called from the trunk of a car saying that two black guys, in a black…

Nsenga Burton

Digging into Aaron Gwyn’s The World Beneath

In his new novel, The World Beneath, Aaron Gwyn writes about a boy who has gone missing, a man who finds a mysterious hole in his backyard and a sheriff eager to find answers. For six years, Gwyn has been a professor at UNC-Charlotte, where he mainly teaches fiction writing courses. His debut short story…

Anita Overcash

Practice makes perfect: Tasting terroir in wine

Like the violin I misused as a tot, wine requires practice. I don’t read many books about it, although I definitely should; I don’t study it much anymore, although that might make me sound smarter. But I drink. A lot. Not to alcoholic levels — though the thought has fluttered in my throbbing, hungover head…

Taylor Eason

Chew: Tastes great

Chew No. 1 Published by Image Comics. Written by John Layman. Art by Rob Guillory. The Deal: It’s the debut issue of Chew, the new ongoing monthly series from writer John Layman and artist Rob Guillory. The book chronicles the adventures of police detective Tony Chu — who happens to be “cibopathic,” which means he…

Carlton Hargro

Sonia Sotomayor hates men, will gavel

U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor clearly believes that she’s smarter than the men who cross her path. In fact, she seems to have something of an unhealthy obsession with the idea. Last week, her Democratic defenders in the White House and Congress tried to pass off her now infamous “wise Latina woman” quote from…

Metamorphoses makes a splash

Look at the opening chapter of Genesis and you’ll find that water predates creation. In Greek mythology, chronicled by the Roman poet Ovid, water is also eternal, predating even the gods. And in both accounts, as wickedness sprouts up and creation goes wrong, water covers the entire earth to purge the world’s evils and enable…

Perry Tannenbaum

TV on the Radio changes complexion of experimental rock

In late December, Rolling Stone named TV on the Radio’s latest disc, Dear Science, the best album of 2008. “The year’s finest rock record was also the one that sounded the most like America in 2008, with infernal visions of war and economic desperation,” the magazine wrote. That much is true. But while Rolling Stone…

Mark Kemp

Epic Arts says farewell to QC with Dancing at Lughnasa

People may not remember that Charlotte should be in the middle of a Mary Zimmerman festival right now. But Epic Arts Repertory scrapped plans to do Zimmerman’s adaptation of The Arabian Nights and instead is saying farewell to the Queen City with Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa. County Donegal is the setting for this Irish…

Perry Tannenbaum

Getting ready for Bonaroo

No matter what the temperature is when you are heading to Manchester, Tenn., it always feels 10 degrees hotter when you’re standing in the middle of the shadeless farmlands that make up Bonnaroo. The four-day music and arts festival being held from June 11 to 14 will feature plenty of great music, along with the…

Jeff Hahne

Bizarre crimes from the Charlotte police files

Blazin’: An employee at a local gas station called police after witnessing a man shoplift from his store. He told officers the man grabbed a case containing 50 Bic lighters and ran off with it. He’s obviously on the way to some sort of concert. Two Birds, One Stone: A 19-year-old male told police that…

Ryan Pitkin

Writer Debby Wallace dies

Debby Wallace, who recently penned the book Home of the Blues: 35 Years of the Double Door Inn, died last week. Wallace, who was a retired registered nurse, had turned to freelance writing in recent years, contributing articles to various medical news outlets along with local publications such as Charlotte Magazine and Amps 11. “Debby…

Jeff Hahne

Who made money during the 1929 stock market crash?

I recently discovered your site/column, and after spending days and nights reading, I’m convinced you are indeed the world’s smartest person and so best qualified to answer my question: Who made money during the 1929 stock market crash? I know being so smart, you’re probably laughing all the way to the bank during this one.…

Cecil Adams

CL previews upcoming concerts (June 10-15)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10 Ted Leo & The Pharmacists Churning out record after record of the type of intelligent pop/soul/reggae-fueled punk that lunkheads like Green Day aspire to but couldn’t reach given several lifetimes, the Head Pharmacist’s progenitors are Weller, MacGowan, Strummer, Parker and Costello – smart, sardonic songwriters with a romantic streak who know the…

Weekly horoscope for June 10-16, 2009

Gemini The Twins: (May 20-June 21) Mercury travels through your sign between June 13 and July 16. During this period there likely will be greater emphasis on communications, errands and other short distance travels. Your mind will be quick and your attitude persuasive. You are loaded with ideas. Write them down to remember later. For…

Vivian Carol

The Once and Future King Jerry Colbert in Camelot

If you hurry on over to Halton Theater, you’ll likely discover that Jerry Colbert is pulling a Robert Goulet on us. Goulet was the dashing Canadian baritone who arrived on Broadway in December 1960 and starred as Lancelot Du Lac in Camelot opposite Julie Andrews — and Richard Burton — taking “If Ever I Would…

Perry Tannenbaum

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