The List: Charlotte on YouTube
Anyone can be a star — at least among one’s friends — thanks to YouTube. The video site also provides a platform for some pretty funny rants, raves and electioneering techniques. 1. David Thompson complains to the City Council about a rogue helicopter pilot, “terrorist pussies” and George Shinn’s alleged campaign to harass him. Priceless.…
Visit the MySpace Music Page
Did you know that we have a new home over at MySpace? That’s right! We’ve created a MySpace Charlotte music page where you can find Charlotte-area bands or music fans. The URL is: www.myspace.com/clcharlottemusic There’s also a page for Creative Loafing – Charlotte at www.myspace.com/creativeloafingcharlotte See you there!
Help a Cat Displaced by Gentrification
Did you see the story WCNC did last week about the cats abandoned as their owners vacated Morningside Apartments? Beverly Deruby, a woman who’s been rounding up help for the cats, has been flooded with calls from people looking to help. Morningside property owner Rob Pressley has given her a limited time to retrieve the…
The Buffet
Name of Kama Sutra Position: The Buffet Getting into position: The man is instructed to withdraw from the woman during intercourse and strike her violently to the womb. On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate position (1 as horrible, 10 as sexual nirvana)? I would rate it as lowly 3 and…
Sweet Molly
One of the first celebrity interviews I ever conducted was with Molly Ringwald back in 1986. It was during the actress’ reign as a mid-80s icon for the high school set, and she (and other cast and crew members) were promoting Pretty In Pink, one of the films she made with writer-director John Hughes. Working…
Things to do in Charlotte for $5 or less
LEARN TO MEDITATE Take it from loyal practitioners of meditation: There’s nothing like it to take the stress of your workday off your shoulders. That’s why the Pain & Rehab Institute is offering a free class in the breathing techniques and imagery used in ancient qi gong meditation (betcha didn’t know there was more than…
Market Price
Mouthful
Hot embers
Mouthful 70Corkscrew 72Good Eats 75
The Devil Went Down to Louisiana
Money has been raised, books have been written, specials have been televised, and all that was missing was a movie. As fate would have it, that missing element has been fulfilled at last as New Orleans still struggles to get on its feet in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The Weather Channel presents a MacGillivray…
Daron Vincent’s Top Five
Culture Surfing
Rock of ages
We, the people, have largely chosen to remain silent while America undergoes ever-heightening throes of self-destruction. Some manage to find their voice in this darkness, though. With her fiery contralto, cracked by grit, age, anger and the wages of hard-won wisdom, Mavis Staples has shaped her April release, We’ll Never Turn Back (Anti), into a…
All funked up
George Clinton, groovemeister extraordinaire, inventor of alterna-funk and one of America’s musical greats is from Kannapolis, N.C. Prolific architect of booty shaking funk like “Atomic Dog” and earlier gems like “Maggot Brain” and “One Nation Under a Groove,” his longevity and relevance is still going strong after 50 years in music. Few music veterans maintain…
More Than Just Mrs. Johnny Cash
You won’t be surprised to hear that Wildwood Flowers: The June Carter Cash Musical was first presented in Nashville at a theater named for Roy Acuff next to the Grand Ole Opry. What you may not know is that there was plenty of Charlotte talent involved in that original 2005 production — two former CL…
CL previews upcoming shows
WEDNESDAY 5.16 The Flat Tires It’s all about brawls, honky tonk women and booze — specifically the working man’s elixir, PBR. North Carolina Hellbilly posse the Flat Tires haul along plenty of tire irons to pound out their brand of country-punk and rockabilly. They hit the stage with the proverbial pedal to the metal and…
Laurie Koster’s Top Ten
Laurie Koster describes her connection to the music industry as “a local and regional music liaison, web designer, representative, confidant and reference point for artists, venues, media, press, booking agents and promoters.” Her Web site (www.lauriekoster.com/happenings.htm), which was started in early 2003, is a great place to find in-depth info on upcoming shows around town.…
Keep on Trucking
Burn Baby Burn 86Hit & Run Reviews 88Music Menu / Soundboard 91On MySpace:myspace.com/clcharlottemusic
Fluffy
Hot linx
View From The Couch
APOCALYPTO (2006). Mel Gibson may or may not be a sorry excuse for a person, but as has been the case since the first brutish caveman painted a beautiful mural on the cavern wall, it’s as important as ever to separate the individual from his artistry. And for the first half of Apocalypto, it looks…
Watching For Kicks
Film Clips 48View From The Couch 49Films In A Flash 50
A might wind
Books
Spring-ing for vino
Corkscrew
The How-To Guide to Summer Fun
You’re not ready for summer. No, seriously, you’re not; you’re not ready to go swimming off the coast of Spain (or even in the pool at your apartment complex), you’re not ready for that looong hike up King’s Mountain, you’re not ready to fire up that grill at the family cookout, you’re not ready to…
Film Clips
Current Releases BLADES OF GLORY Unless he keeps his eye out for innovative fare like Stranger Than Fiction, Will Ferrell might find himself driving his career into a rut. Blades of Glory shows the strains of the comedian trying to keep himself contained in a box: His Chazz Michael Michaels, a coarse sex addict who’s…
How to survive a summer music festival
Whether you’re staying around the Q.C. for Ozzfest or the Vans Warped Tour, or heading west for Tennessee’s Bonnaroo, you should always be prepared to make the most of a summer music festival. From staying hydrated to looking the part, here’s a quick guide of what you should or shouldn’t do: • Tickets — It’s…
What we’re up to
The Plug
Big pimpin’ & big parties
When I go out, the drink I tend to order most often is a water on the rocks with a twist (I’m a cheap date); but for some people around the world, my free tap water with lemon is more like a glass of Cristal because they don’t have access to clean water. That’s why…
How to go hiking and live to talk about it
North Carolina and the surrounding states have some of the best hiking in the nation. But with hiking, what you get out of it usually depends on the research you put into it first. The first step is to ask yourself what you want to see and how much you’re willing (and able) to do…
Everybody
Thrill Jockey; Release date: May 8, 2007 The Deal: First record in four years continues the Chicago band’s pop evolution. The Good: Throughout the ’90s, The Sea & Cake tended to sound like Tortoise with lyrics. Characterized by the same deep rhythmic grooves molded by drummer extraordinaire — and founding Tortoise member — John McEntire,…
A tale of naked whoa
Advice Goddess
How to have a no-strings-attached summer fling
Googling the phrase “summer fling” primarily yields results like, “How to make that summer fling last all year round.” Fooey. Flings are supposed to be sexy, fun and short-lived. Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary states that a fling is a “casual or brief affair or a period devoted to self-indulgence” — and the best time to…
Licker’s Last Leg
Ipecac; Release date: May 8, 2007 The Deal: Queens of the Stone Age producer Chris Goss partners up with Nine Inch Nails’ Jeordie White (aka Twiggy of Marilyn Manson). The Good: It’s a combination of both bands in some ways with a little bit of “What the hell is that?” thrown in. The first track,…
N.C. serial killers agree
Citizen Servatius
How to turn your pad into paradise
Those lucky bastards, with their beach vacations, cruises and trips overseas. “When are you going to get a tan, Karen?” they sneer with contempt masked only by the hand shielding their eyes from the glare from my legs. Not all of us can afford to watch the sun rise on St. Tropez. Hell, some of…
The Reminder
Interscope; Release date: May 1, 2007 The Deal: Canadian chanteuse offers up sophomore album. The Good: Following up on the success of her debut solo album, Let it Die, the former Broken Social Scene singer aims to win over more fans — if they haven’t been turned already. From sleepy Norah-Jones-style ballads such as “How…
Scott English
Profile
How to get a tan without getting skin cancer
Skin cancer is a bitch. As the most common form of cancer, more than one million cases are diagnosed annually. In 2006 alone, the American Cancer Society estimated that 10,710 peopled died from the disease — that’s the equivalent of roughly half the student body at UNC-Charlotte. While these numbers are scary, what’s even scarier…
Tremont Music Hall
May 6, 2007 The Deal: Three local bands open for Burden Brothers, featuring former Toadies singer Vaden Todd Lewis and former Rev. Horton Heat drummer Taz Bentley. The Good: White Dwarf and their two-piece (a la White Stripes) act opened the evening with a brief set. The songs sounded similar, having the flavor of a…
The useful brother
Moodswing
More how-to tips
WET & WILD • Waterskiing Safety: “Don’t ski in water that is not at least five-six feet in depth. Shallow waterskiing increases chances of skis hitting bottom or the skier hitting unseen obstacles under water, resulting in injury.” Source: www.waterski.about.com • A Better Backstroke: In an article on USOlympicTeam.com, Olympic champion Lenny Krayzelburg advises swimmers…
Tremont Music Hall
May 4, 2007 The Deal: Ours rocked the Casbah with three opening acts that consisted of solo artists Taylor Redding (of the band Evoka), April Bauer and James Hall, who played with his band. The Good: Despite having not released an album since 2002’s Precious, Ours has never ceased touring. They last played Tremont when…
Little woof
It’s a mistake many apartment dwellers make. They decide they simply must have dog, and they go out and buy a Golden Retriever or a Siberian Husky. Without a yard or lots (and lots) of exercise, many breeds then turn their homes and their lives upside down. Here are a few ideas of dogs that…
Summer Listings
June Film FAMILY MOVIE FESTIVAL: Free Movie series with G and PG movies presented by the Holly Springs Branch Library. Call for movie titles. Most Saturdays. 919-567-4000. Raleigh, N.C. FREE MOVIES AT THE LAKE: June: Night at The Museum; June 10: Charlotte’s Web; June 17: Happy Feet; June 24: Astronaut Farmer. Show starts at dusk.…
I Like the Way You Move
Moves, grooves and world premieres galore are what you’ll find at North Carolina Dance Theatre’s presentation of Rhythm & Moves. Just try to contain yourself when the West Charlotte High School Drum Line (the best in Charlotte) takes over the show during Uri Sands World Premiére. The beat goes on in a World Premiére by…
Karma Cleanser
Dear Karma Cleanser: I discovered, by accident, that my girlfriend has stopped taking birth control pills. She didn’t tell me beforehand, nor did she warn me that we should be using a different kind of contraception. This makes me suspect that she was intentionally trying to get pregnant. We are both still in college. We…
Listen to the beat
For 25 hours, participants at the first DrumStrong event in Weddington kept a constant rhythm going in order to help raise money in the fight against cancer. While drumming was the focus of the event, others took time to dance or hula hoop to pass the time and take a break from drumming.
Get Your Motor Running …
For the next two weeks Charlotte will be a hotbed for all things NASCAR. From film screenings to Speed Street, a variety of events along with some intense racing will take front and center … ya know we weren’t called NASCAR Valley for nothing. The action cranked up Wednesday night when the NASCAR NEXTEL Pit…
Gemini
The Twins: (May 20 — June 21) This time favors travel to places near the water. You are restless and in need of a change of venue. If you are unable to travel, make it a point to try new restaurants or do something novel. You have a desire to expand your horizons and now…
The Blotter
HOW NOT TO STEAL: A man stole a bottle of Viader Cabernet, valued at $100, from a wine store. A short while later, he came back to the store … hoping to get a refund. PEOPLE WHO TEXT TOO MUCH: Two people began harassing a man by phone and by text message. They told him,…
South of the border sizzlers
Arts Agenda 54Books 58Advice Goddess 60ArtsPulse
Carolina Cool
Did the disappearance of the “reporter” in the latest Cheerwine commercial bum you out? Well, cheer up! Salisbury is throwing Cheerwine’s 90th Anniversary Celebration. Born and raised in the small North Carolina town, the tasty, cherry beverage first popped on the scene back in 1917 during a sugar shortage. Luckily for you, there will be…
Word of the Week
Chinch: n. a bedbug Example: Last week I spent the night at my friend Lee’s house. As we were getting ready for bed, I called out cheerfully, “Don’t let the chinches bite!” She must have taken this the wrong way because she bit me.
A shining light goes out in Africa
Breaking the Sound Barrier
Crackers of the world, unite!
Boomer With Attitude
Beam Me Up, Funky
You want the funk? You got it! George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic will hit the stage at with about 25 band members. From “Atomic Dog” to “We Want the Funk (Tear the Roof Off),” the Kannapolis-bred Clinton has had fans getting funky for decades. Wear comfortable shoes — Clinton’s concerts usually last for an average of…
Things CL loves about the Q.C.
Two Charlotte staples that I love are Bill Spoons Barbeque and Mr. K’s for their great food, great service and great prices on quality eating. The barbecue, slaw, hushpuppies and tea at Bill Spoons are incredible and no one serves up a cheeseburger and milkshake like Mr. K’s. Both restaurants are family-owned and operated (located…
Letters to the editor
Law With a Twist After reading Tara Servatius’ column (Citizen Servatius: “The Nifong Protection Act,” April 25), and listening to her interview with Attorney Jim Cooney on WBT, one can only come to one conclusion regarding the proposed laws to limit the requirement that prosecutors reveal exculpatory evidence to the defense: Our legislators and the…
Spidey’s back in black
At last, it’s here. The third installment of the beloved Spider-Man series (one can hope, can’t she?). RECAP: Peter and Mary Jane are together — YES! Harry will fulfill his father’s legacy as the Green Goblin — BOO! And the moment we’ve all been waiting for, Spidey turns black — OH YEAH! Spider-Man™ 3: The…
