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Film Issue 2012: The horror! The horror! of Mad Monster Party
“The zombies were having fun; the party had just begun. The guests included Wolf Man, Dracula and his son.” With apologies to Bobby “Boris” Pickett, Charlotte’s Mad Monster Party sounds a helluva lot more eventful than the singer’s “Monster Mash” bash. Even acknowledging the further participation of Igor and The Crypt-Kicker Five in Pickett’s 1962…
Review: Charleston Fashion Week 2012
A winning combination of the city, its locally owned shops and a stellar, professional fashion show.
Whisky River, 3/23/12
Check out photos from Friday’s 80s prom party.
Charlotte Film Festival Preview: Pig
Thriller will be screened tonight as part of the Charlotte Film Festival.
March Madness at Post & Gray
The home goods and furniture shop celebrates 3 years.
Two 16-year-olds arrested for Hickory cab driver murder
Emily Katherine Starnes and Consandra Nicole Tyree will be tried as adults, says police captain.
Today’s Top 5: Monday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
Monologues for a worthy cause
Women Exposed: Mating, Motherhood and All the Madness stars local celebrities.
Showing My Joy some love
Sergei Loznitsa’s film is described as an ultra-nihilistic parable of post-Communist Russia.
The Black Keys play Bojangles Coliseum (3/24/12)
THE BLACK KEYS There’s no way in hell I can listen to “Lonely Boy” without a foot tap, finger snap, head bob or some kind of illegitimate dance move going on — usually I’m alone in my car though. Needless to say, the arena’s gonna be rockin’ when the Ohio duo struts and grooves through…
English Beat play Neighborhood Theatre (3/24/12)
ENGLISH BEAT I razzed (well, a wee bit) these Two-Tone heroes a while back for tilting toward nostalgia act. Then I saw ’em again and all was forgiven. Dave Wakeling, who’s morphed into a socialist SoCal surfer (“gnarly, comrade!”) and his “hired hands” were clearly keeping the spirit alive without diluting it even in toaster…
Frontier Ruckus play Evening Muse tonight (3/24/12)
FRONTIER RUCKUS The Ramseur Records signee uses the plaintive sounds of bowed saw, melodica, fiddle and banjo to draw desolate wintry plains-portraits of loneliness and suburban decay (they’re from Michigan, and their 2010 full-length was called Deadmalls & Nightfalls; capiche?). But they also augment that with fanfaring trumpets and huge percussion for Matthew Milia’s summery…
Stair climbing in Race to the Top
Participants race in a hefty climb up the Duke Energy Center building.
Cast your vote for Classical Idol
Concert raises money for Charlotte Symphony funding.
Weekend Film Reviews: The Hunger Games; We Need to Talk About Kevin; Chico & Rita
Here’s what’s newly covered on the cinema scene.
Theater review: Bad Dates
Collaborative Arts production may actually be the ticket for a good date.
Review: Man Up, An Event For Gentlemen
An event that celebrates men, fashion and local businesses equals a good time.
Shiprocked at Snug Harbor, 3/22/12
Photos from the weekly Thursday night shindig.
Freak Fest at Common Market, 3/22/12
Photos from the Charlotte Craft Beer Week event on March 22.
Recipe: Deviled Eggs, just in time for Easter
Food blogger Kelly Davis shares how to make a simple batch of the dainty finger food.
Hamilton Loomis rock Double Door Inn (3/23/12)
HAMILTON LOOMIS Unabashedly straightforward with his blues, R&B and funky rock, Loomis has a singular mission: to bridge the old with the new. The multi-instrumentalist excels on six strings with thick riffs, precise licks and crooning that eschews all pretensions. For those seeking good-time party music with a groove-laden rhythm section, accented by horns, the…
Chris Webby plays Tremont tonight (3/23/12)
CHRIS WEBBY This Connecticut-born MC turned heads last December when his EP, There Goes The Neighborhood, shot past Jay-Z, Kanye, Drake and Lil Wayne to sit atop the iTunes rap charts for a day. For his fans, it’s was “about time.” For others, it was “Who is this kid?” The 23-year-old is six mixtapes into…
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Local art its explore the many parameters “beauty” in Women Centered Art’s new exhibit.
Today’s Top 5: Friday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
The Hunger Games: Great taste, less filling
THE HUNGER GAMES *** DIRECTED BY Gary Ross STARS Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson So, read any good books lately? As anyone with even the faintest trace of a pulse has heard, The Hunger Games, the eagerly awaited adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ smash bestseller, has finally hit theaters, and even though I’m not Catholic, let me…
We Need to Talk About Kevin: Bad seed writ large
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN *** DIRECTED BY Lynne Ramsay STARS Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly Of all the nomination flubs made this past January by the Academy of Harvey Weinstein Arts and Sciences — no Michael Fassbender; only two nominated songs; Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close absurdly in the running — the most…
Chico & Rita hits a few wrong keys
CHICO & RITA **1/2 DIRECTED BY Fernando Trueba & Javier Mariscal STARS Limara Meneses, Eman Xor Ona Rather than filling the Best Animated Feature Film roster with critical underachievers like Cars 2 and Gnomeo & Juliet, members of the Academy of Harvey Weinstein Arts and Sciences went international this year, pitting France’s A Cat in…
Savannah vamps again
Béla Fleck, Del McCoury, Ruthie Foster, Joshua Redman and more perform at the annual Georgia music fest.
What A Girl Wants is at 72 Shoe Boutique, Blacklion Dilworth
72 Shoe Boutique celebrates its grand opening this Saturday at Blacklion Dilworth.
282 discusses Charlotte music
Music editor Jeff Hahne guests on internet television show.
Union County school should be sent to the principal’s office
Western Union Elementary sends home an offensive and weird letter intended to celebrate Black History Month.
Tara Servatius makes a golden fried mistake
A former Creative Loafing columnist’s troublesome illustration causes her to resign from her newest gig.
Should I discuss racism with my toddler?
This morning on the way to daycare, I asked Luki if we could hold off on our conversation about the weather and the seasons for a few minutes. There was a story on NPR I wanted to listen to. It was an update on the Trayvon Martin saga, a news piece I’ve been following closely…
DNC Notebook: Clearing the way for minority businesses
Local minority coalitions are peeved at DNCC’s diversity plan and committee staff members volunteer in the Queen City.
Opening Friday
What’s new in theaters this weekend.
Backwoods Payback at The Milestone tonight (3/22/12)
BACKWOODS PAYBACK No reason to leave the boogie out of heavy music — and Backwoods Payback doesn’t. Yeah, this Pennsylvania band owes plenty to fistfights ’n’ whiskey gutter rock a la Clutch, but there’s also a heavy-lidded, bong-rattling, weed-smoking (let’s not kid ourselves here) Southern blues-swing. There’s enough riff-worship here to make Sabbath fans happy,…
Today’s Top 5: Thursday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
An introduction
“Everybody Loves Baby” — the rage of baby-blog culture, circa ’09 — is back and now on CL’s “Sex & Love” blogsite.
Garden Party at Slate Interiors
It’s time to start decorating that backyard.
Jukebox the Ghost at Snug Harbor tonight (3/21/12)
JUKEBOX THE GHOST Philadelphia’s Jukebox the Ghost has been touring nonstop since the band’s 2010 release, Everything Under the Sun. The schedule has been so rigorous, in fact, that vocalist Tommy Siegel underwent vocal surgery. With another album of sunny pop on the way this summer, they’re making their way around the country, turning their…
Charlotte Talks about monsters
CL Film Editor Matt Brunson, professor Jonathan Crane and filmmaker Conor McCullagh will discuss horror films with host Mike Collins.
Holocaust exhibits tell stories
The upcoming Violins of Hope series features exhibitions, film screenings and educational programs that revolves around the oppression of Jews.
New Familiars play Evening Muse tonight (3/21/12)
The New Familiars Even if I wasn’t hosting the monthly Off the Record event, I’d still be attending this event. After all, I created the series because it was something I wanted to see — onstage interviews combined with acoustic performances in a unique Unplugged-meets-Storytellers concert. This month’s show will feature Charlotte folk-rockers the New…
GayCharlotte Film Festival begins tonight
Fourth annual event runs through March 24.
All About Style: Talking with fashion designer Tara Davis
The Charlotte designer shares where she’s been, what she’s doing with her line Flow By Tara Davis.
Misogynistic white men are not a dying breed, unfortunately
A whole new generation is buying into the garbage being peddled by right-winged He-man woman haters.
UMF documentary holds one-night-only showing on March 22
Ultra Music Festival is world’s largest EDM event.
Today’s Top 5: Wednesday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
Film Issue 2012: Everyone’s favorite uncle: Forrest J Ackerman
If Lon Chaney is known as “The Man of a Thousand Faces,” then one of his biggest fans could be called “The Man of a Thousand Names.” Forrest J Ackerman, who died in 2008 at 92, was known affectionately by countless nicknames, among them Forry, Uncle Forry, Dr. Acula, 4E, The Ackermonster and Mr. Sci-Fi.…
Film Issue 2012: Clunkers filmed in the Queen City
Although The Hunger Games wasn’t screened early enough for a review to appear in this issue, you can find CL’s review on our website this Friday and in print next week. Here’s hoping this heavily hyped film lives up to expectations. And if it doesn't … well, let’s hope it’s not as terrible as the…
Film Issue 2012: Playing in the Hunger Games
After getting the itch to play hooky from life by once again becoming an extra in a Charlotte-area based Hollywood film — I have previously appeared in Shallow Hal, Talladega Nights, Leatherheads and, more recently, the Showtime series Homeland — I got the call from a local casting agent to appear in The Hunger Games.…
Film Issue 2012: Casablanca celebrates 70th anniversary
Rick and Ilsa. Laszlo and the letters of transit. Captain Renault and his charming corruptibility. “As Time Goes By.” “Here’s looking at you, kid.” You know the routine. So round up the usual accolades for 1942’s Casablanca, which celebrates its 70th anniversary in style. Generally cited along with Citizen Kane, Gone with the Wind and…
The Descendants, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy among new home entertainment titles
CASABLANCA (1942). Rick and Ilsa. Laszlo and the letters of transit. Captain Renault and his charming corruptibility. “As Time Goes By.” “Here’s looking at you, kid.” You know the routine. So round up the usual accolades for 1942’s Casablanca, which celebrates its 70th anniversary in style. Generally cited along with Citizen Kane, Gone with the…
CSO Pulse: Classical music with an after-party
The symphony isn’t on the weekend agenda for most 20- or 30-somethings in Charlotte. And it’s not because of the music. It’s more likely the ritualistic seriousness of symphonic audience etiquette. Sitting still and quiet for two hours in uncomfortable formalwear — heaven help you if you need the bathroom — seems almost directly contrary…
CD Review: The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond
This is the spooky soundtrack to Hunger Games, the long-awaited, highly hyped film based on the wildly popular tween book trilogy. Music is assembled by T Bone Burnett, the same person who put together soundtracks for O Brother Where Art Thou, Cold Mountain, Big Lebowski and I Walk the Line. Rest assured, Burnett has perfect…
World Water Day spotlights coal-ash contamination in local ponds, rivers
On Sept. 14, 2010, two women entered a public hearing on coal ash in Charlotte bearing stories and gifts they made for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. As the women offered their gifts — one a jar of water and another some homemade ginger-cinnamon syrup — the EPA staffers recoiled. Anne Pringle, from South Carolina,…
CD Review: The Jordan Klemons Trio’s New Road
Sure doesn’t seem like there’s much in the way of jazz coming out of Charlotte these days, but when you do come across it, it’s usually worth taking note.
What’s new in brew: Charlotte Craft Beer Week
Pirates vs. ninjas, cats vs. dogs — some rivalries have been with us since time immemorial, and we’ve all got an opinion. Now, the early 21st century brings us another point of contention to contemplate: beer people vs. wine people. Granted, one’s preference for beer or wine has long come riddled with a host of…
Gin!: North Carolina again finds the G-spot
Currently, North Carolina has a handful of distillers.
Around the World in 80 Days: 10 hands spanning the globe
When Jules Verne created Phileas Fogg in 1872, he gave his readers a protagonist who embodies the most radical contradictions. So regulated is Fogg in his daily habits that he fires his valet for preparing his shaving water 1 degree Celsius too cool. Yet the starchy, regimented Englishman is ready to leave home and country…
Bizarre crimes from Charlotte police files (March 21)
Fast and furious: A 52-year-old woman called police after experiencing a scare during her daily cardio. The woman told officers that she was walking down a road near her home in south Charlotte when she noticed a car approaching. In the driver seat was a woman she had been having problems with. As the car…
Weekly horoscope (March 21-27)
Aries The Ram (March 20-April 19) You may have some bright ideas, but the circumstances force you to wait. This is a rare time for Aries in which your feelings or your body tell you to stop, in no uncertain terms. It is hard on the nerves, but this time will pass and you will…
Capsule reviews of films playing the week of March 21
THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN Finally, here’s one seven-year itch that can be scratched. When 2004’s The Polar Express made film history as the first animated movie to be created wholly by employing the motion-capture process, we instantly recognized that we were in the presence of something ghastly. Awkward and unsightly, the ersatz innovation rendered all…
Terror, trauma and the endless Afghan war
We may never know what drove a U.S. Army staff sergeant to head out into the Afghan night and allegedly murder at least 16 civilians in their homes, among them nine children and three women. The massacre near Belambai, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, has shocked the world and intensified the calls for an end to the…
Return of the hero: Harry Taylor stands up — again
Harry Taylor is all about standing up, particularly when there’s a need. That’s one reason why the longtime activist and former Democratic nominee for Congress is vying for an at-large seat on the Board of County Commissioners. Taylor says the commission’s reputation for personal attacks and general dysfunction has disillusioned many citizens rather than inviting…
Greg Mann and his rare Ann-Margret collection inspire and shine
Marilyn. Audrey. Casablanca. Elvis. One-word bonanza stars mass-marketed every year in calendar kiosks and knickknack stores across the country, all trying to embody the elements of style and glamour from a bygone decade tinged in nostalgia. But what about the other shining stars? Given the pop-culture prevalence of the top icons plastered on Target “vintage”…
Interview: Makeup artist Krista Scott
MAC makeup artist Krista Scott seems like the girl next door — but with a $600 tattoo covering half of her back. The design, of a pinup girl with long black hair and a bold red lip surrounded by makeup brushes, represents beauty. “I am an artist and people are my canvas,” Scott says. The…
