Redneck Scavenger Hunt at Speed Street
Speed Street, for lack of better terms, is interesting. They set up a bunch of turkey leg and fried food stands up in Uptown and have one big party that includes a varied roster concerts ranging from country to R&B to rock, NASCAR driver appearances and free shit. Kind of like a county fair. We…
PETA vs. Charlotte carnivores
It seems like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (aka PETA) is pissed at Charlotte’s meat-eating community. Check out the press release they just sent: ALICIA SILVERSTONE BARES ALL IN PETA CAMPAIGN Sexy Ad to Air in ‘Fattest City’ Charlotte During World Vegetarian Week Charlotte, N.C. — Showing off her fit, veggie-powered body, sexy…
Screw the Brits!
I’m sick of this new trend of female British soul singers. First it was Amy Winehouse. Now it’s Duffy and Adele. Sure these ladies are talented as hell, but the current spotlight that’s being thrown on them makes it seem like the only talented female soul singers live in the United Kingdom. And that just…
Energy drinks & alcohol: more buzz, less thrilling
The next time you’re tempted to have a Red Bull and vodka — or to get in the car with someone who’s been drinking that lovely beverage combination — think twice. I still can’t fathom why some people want to ruin good vodka by adding the taste of bad bubblegum, but that’s not why you…
Screw the Brits!
I’m sick of this new trend of female British soul singers. First it was Amy Winehouse. Now it’s Duffy and Adele. Sure these ladies are talented as hell, but the current spotlight that’s being thrown on them makes it seem like the only talented female soul singers live in the United Kingdom. And that just…
Screw the Brits!
I’m sick of this new trend of female British soul singers. First it was Amy Winehouse. Now it’s Duffy and Adele. Sure these ladies are talented as hell, but the current spotlight that’s being thrown on them makes it seem like the only talented female soul singers live in the United Kingdom. And that just…
Speed Street, 5/24/08
Photos by Gisella Pons
Speed Street, 5/23/08
Photos by Chey Scott
Suite grand opening, 5/23/08
Photos by Charlotte Vibe Photography
Coyote Ugly: good decision, wrong reasons
The Police Department has changed its mind about Coyote Ugly coming to the Uptown area, and now plans to cancel its support for a liquor license for the planned bar at Fifth and Church Streets. It’s another of life’s little ironies that a good decision was made for dubious reasons. Who really needs a cheeseball…
Dead Man’s Blowjob
Kind of like those old spaghetti westerns, the dead man’s blowjob may seem a little corny, but damn they sure are good!The idea behind this technique is that pain intensifies pleasure. Just the same as ice, hot wax, whips, and gerbils with Vaseline and a toilet paper roll… well, maybe not that last one, but…
Quote this
“Before tonight, Skye had never done coke — or any drug, other than sips from her father’s wineglass. But she wielded the accoutrements with surprising grace. When the line vanished, she sat up and ran one finger across the bridge of her nose — her face smooth and white as a teacup … My premonition…
Alive After 5, 5/22/08
Photos by Tricia Gillis
It’s not music, but…
Chris Rock will be performing at Ovens Auditorium on June 26. Tickets go on sale on May 30 through livenation.com, ticketmaster and the box office.
The Weekender
Friday, May 23 Film Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: 65 years old isn’t old enough to slow Indy’s alter ego, Harrison Ford, and here’s the movie to prove it. The plot is hush-hush, but CL has film critic extraordinaire Matt Brunson’s review online for you to have a heads up on…
All Romeo’d out
My question about Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux’s new ballet, Romeo and Juliet, might seem polite next to my wife’s. Seeing the cavalier with Shakespeare’s top billing shortchanged on soloing opportunities, I inquired in my print review, “Wherefore art thou, Romeo?” Sue’s question was more blunt and pertinent: why? Why am I dragging her to ANOTHER Romeo and…
EA Sports…’Get in the Game!’ (or party)
They say, “Get in the Game!” but the EA Sports launch party for the 2009 NASCAR video game at Whisky River last night was not easy to get into. My friend, Larken, who is like the mayor of Uptown Charlotte called me and asked me if I could get him a ticket because his favorite…
As if the Souljah Boy wasn’t bad enough
Check out this new dance, disturbingly named “Whoop Rico.” \\\\\\\\\\
The top 10 sexist moments from the trail
By Hillary Clinton After consulting some outside sources (Geraldine Ferraro), it appears I got more screwed by sexism than Barack did by racism. Probably because I lost. But just for kicks, I thought I’d recount my top 10 most sexist moments on the trail: 10. The Obama Bro’s Before Ho’s t-shirts. It’s not that I…
Whisky River, 5/21/08
Photos courtesy Brittney Cason
BET Awards — nominees announced
BET announced the nominations for the 2008 award show that goes down June 24 in California. It looks like this year’s going to be off the chain with Usher kicking off the live performances, and more by Mary J. Blige and Nelly. Nominations include trail-blazers like Snoop and Mary J. Blige and young-guns like T-Pain…
Obama reaches milestone
With a fiery speech made in Iowa, the site of his first primary win, Sen. Barack Obama began to set his sight on November. It was there they announced that they had won the majority of pledged delegates. With the math and momentum firmly on his side, Obama began to look forward to November; he…
R Smelly’s bump and grind
Finally, the trial of R&B singer R Kelly has started. After eight years of delay, Kelly is finally facing charges of child pornography, for allegedly engaging in sexual intercourse with an underage girl and videotaping it. Brilliant. Not only an alleged pedophile, but clearly not the brightest star out in the universe. I’m sure that…
Times are hard, but faking a death?
Woman uses fake obit to keep creditors at bay The Associated Press CHARLESTON — A South Carolina woman said she was trying to buy time from creditors when she claimed her daughter died in the Air Force in Iraq. A paid obituary appeared in The Post and Courier of Charleston earlier this month for Lt.…
My summer of food
The challenge was laid down last weekend. I was out to dinner on a Saturday night with friends, and I was enjoying the best meal that I have had in months, at a place called Latorres Uptown. Now I had little to no clue this place existed and I started to wonder how many great…
Even the parrots in Japan are smart
I wish my dog could talk … TOKYO, Japan (AP) — When Yosuke the parrot flew out of his cage and got lost, he did exactly what he had been taught — recite his name and address to a stranger willing to help. Lost in Tokyo, Yosuke the parrot was able to give his name…
Shifting tides
The big tickets at this year’s Spoleto Festival USA
Speed Street invades Uptown
Plenty of bands, and a lot more, will invade downtown this week for the annual Food Lion Speed Street event. Aside from a number of NASCAR drivers making appearances at the free event, a handful of bands will be performing. Seether, Flyleaf and Kellie Pickler are among the acts set to perform on Friday. Chevelle…
CD Review: Ike Reilly
The Deal: If you thought you knew Ike Reilly, you’ve got another think coming, and boy is it a good one. The Good: Reilly falls somewhere between Bob Dylan and Graham Parker. His angry, witty lyrics are delivered in a Dylan-esque snarl backed by slashing guitar riffs that recall The Rumor’s guitarist Brinsley Swartz. The…
Talking Baby! triumphs
Charlotte is not what I’d call a capital of sketch comedy or song parody. Look how Charlotte Squawks epitomizes the lameness: Given a year to put together an evening-length revue, their writers mostly misfire on new material and pad their programs with dubious hits from their dubious past. So I was pleasantly surprised with the…
CL previews upcoming shows
THURSDAY, MAY 22 Eric-Scott Guthrie One-fourth of The New Familiars, Guthrie is well-known around the Charlotte music scene. Aside from his main focus of the Familiars, he also hosts the Monday night open mic night at the Muse. If you’ve been to any of those, you’ve probably heard him play some of his solo stuff.…
CD Review: Santogold
The Deal: Debut album from latest “buzz” victim backs up the hype. The Good: When people were talking so much about M.I.A.’s album last year, I expected big things – it was at the top of many “Best Album” lists. I expected great vocals, original lyrics, music that crossed the lines between just about any…
Bizarre crimes from the Charlotte police files
bump and grind: A 37-year-old woman was outside the county jail when a man grabbed her by the waist and hips before running away. The woman said she didn’t know the man. FAMILY FEUD PT. 1: A 39-year-old man said a family member called him and said, “Watch your mother f***ing back because I’m going…
Palestine hotel on target list in Baghdad
More than five years have passed since the invasion of Iraq, since President Bush stood under the “Mission Accomplished” banner on that aircraft carrier. While these fifth anniversaries got some notice, another did not: the shelling of the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad, by a U.S. Army tank, on April 8, 2003. The tank attack killed…
CD Review: Neil Diamond
The Deal: Legendary singer returns to formula of his last record, hits number one for the first time in his career. The Good: It’s hard to believe that Diamond hasn’t had a number-one album before his latest release, but judging by the success he had with 12 Songs, maybe it’s not so surprising that he…
Cheap Thrills ’08
50 fun things to do in Charlotte for $5 or less
Why do we put up with lousy service?
The other day, I made a couple of 20-somethings stare at me as if I had bugs crawling out of my nose. All I did to generate their wide-eyed disbelief was tell them about how people used to buy gasoline for their cars: you’d pull in next to the pumps and a service station attendant…
CD Review: The Raconteurs
The Deal: Jack White’s other band releases sophomore album. The Good: White’s influence and vocals are heavy on the album, but this isn’t The White Stripes. The band stands on its own with its own brand of rock. Every once in a while, an album comes out that isn’t defined by a single, but judged…
Karma Cleaser
Dear Karma Cleanser: I realize this is a little unusual, but I thought I’d give it a shot. I came across this letter posted on a gay sex site. It was totally out of place there, so I thought I’d do the guy a favor and pass his note along to someone who could maybe…
You go girl
Driver Chrissy Wallace zooms into history
Sports: SPEED STREET begins
SPORTS
The human hair trap
Grant is alive, and that fact alone is evidence that I am a changed person. “I now promote peace and harmony and all that important shit,” I tell him, spouting some of the canons of the yoga ashram Annie had me join recently. I am gingerly sipping my Yogi tea, which tastes like dusty, ground-up…
How these candidates plan to win in November
If the May 6 primary showed politicians anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. A lightning rod of controversy, Nick Mackey defeated Drew Saunders in the Democratic primary for N.C. House District 99. This fall, he will face Republican Dempsey Miller in the general election. Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board member Vilma Leake beat Mecklenburg County Commissioner Norman…
Comedy: Bring on the laughs
COMEDY
Stargazer Horoscope
Gemini The Twins: (May 20 — June 21) There are symbols that suggest you are involved in a celebratory occasion or a vacation-like atmosphere. However, you have concerns about family members or property that nag you from the background. You know you will be happiest if you focus on the positive energies. For All Signs:…
To meet affordable housing need, city may shift strategy
Two years ago, a coalition of housing advocates hoped the city’s Housing Trust Fund would give money to rehab Sandhurst Apartments and turn the aging west Charlotte complex into an affordable housing venture. That effort failed, but it looks as if the idea — renovating existing apartments to fill a need for lower-income housing —…
Film Clips
Current Releases BABY MAMA With Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler and other comedians routinely hoarding the screens in our nation’s multiplexes, here come Tina Fey and Amy Poehler to remind audiences that girls just want to have fun. Indeed, the Cyndi Lauper hit of that name is granted its own karaoke-set scene, and its inclusion is…
Last week on the CLog …
Hmmm … : “And why is it that since the Dilworth neighbors are experiencing more crime … that fighting criminals is a bigger priority? Neighbors in west, east and north Charlotte have been dealing with these problem for years and the city council and police seemed to turn a blind eye.” Taser rage: “Two recent…
Sports: Happy hour is over
SPORTS
View from the Couch
NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS (2007). Given the emphasis on history in the National Treasure franchise, this follow-up to the 2004 original reminded me of a line from the Herman’s Hermits tune about that jolly historical figure Henry the Eighth: “Second verse, same as the first.” In other words, NT2 is essentially the same movie…
The double standards of student-teacher sex abuse
What’s with the recent spate of female teachers preying on their male teenage students? It seems as if every week, there is a story about some “hot” teacher under fire for going down under with a male student. Perhaps the phenomenon is not as prevalent as the media makes it seem, but when a school…
Festival: A time of remembering
Festival
Royal treatment
Fantasy sequel bests its predecessor
Marti Ackerman
After sitting in front of a computer for 22 years, Marti Ackerman decided it was time to try something new. Her spirituality and knowledge of tribal cultures led to the opening of Tribal Wisdom in March. “My partner and I really wanted to open up this store,” Ackerman says. “What we found is that when…
Theater: Mad men in one room
Theater
The rosé renaissance
Outside, the mercury hit 87 degrees. One swing of the door and the humidity slaps my face, sweat streams from my pores, and my fresh application of face powder degrades to a clumpy, taupe mess. I don’t have a pool, but launching our lowly, old-school sprinkler offers a modicum of relief. I feel like a…
From country to hip-hop
Ripe for the pickin’ The Local Tomatoes do their folky jam at the Novello Festival Press launch for the book Making Notes: Music of the Carolinas, last Wednesday, May 14 at Visulite Theatre. Hip-hop wonder Producer Ninth Wonder spins vintage hip-hop classics at Woods on South last Friday, May 16, to help promote Soulmade,…
Homage by Paul Sires
Exhibit: Homage by Paul Sires Dates: Showing now through June 27 Location: Center of the Earth Gallery, 3204 N. Davidson St. Info: 704-375-5756 or www.centeroftheearth.com Modern sculptor Paul Sires shows his latest work of elegant granite sculptures at the noted Center of the Earth Gallery. Sires’ structural and balanced pieces offer the strength of the…
In the bank
Converted space provides respite in Matthews
Mixed Media is Back!
If you’re a member of the local media workforce — and that includes newspapers, magazines, TV stations, radio stations, public relations firms, Web sites, freelancers and more — you need to check out Mixed Media 2.0. What is Mixed Media? It’s Creative Loafing’s official media mixer. And honestly, we just want to give folks in…
Where’s Pedro?
Now Open: • Owner Chip Wallach recently opened a TOPZ Healthier Burger Grill, known for air-baked, never-fried areo fries, onion rings and 100-percent Angus chuck burgers. Hours: 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday; Sunday 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. 15025 Lancaster Highway in the Old Lancaster Highway Shopping Center. • Wonder what happened…
Baseball bookkeeping
John Feinstein uses a simple but effective method to take fans inside the world of big-time professional sports. He makes friends with an athlete or two, earns their trust and then bores in for a year-long look at their lives. Beginning with his smashing debut in 1986, Feinstein established himself as the brand name in…
Derrick Dewalt, general manager at Morton’s
Derrick DeWalt has been in the food service industry for over 30 years. He rose through the ranks, starting out as a dishwasher when he was just 15 years old. His love affair with food started when he was little in his grandmother’s kitchen. “I have always been interested in food, from a very young…
Charlotte Bestsellers List
1. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne 2. The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream by Barack Obama 3. A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle 4. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson 5. Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt…
Mother mayhem in Queen City
My mom, the queen bee, came down to the Q.C. to celebrate Mother’s Day. Now, my oldest sister is 44 years old. I haven’t really partied with her, let alone our mom — a sweet Southern lady from Louisiana. So, I didn’t really know what to expect when I brought her along with me for…
More wine events and a market in the Q.C.
MAY 21 — Wine Tastings. Stop by and taste wine at Harper’s To Go Go’s every Wednesday evening. Wine experts will be around to answer questions about the wines, including pairings and pricing. Guests who choose to purchase a mix-and-match case of wine will receive a 10-percent discount. You can also purchase take-out food from…
Review of Fantastic Four No. 557
Fantastic Four No. 557 Published by Marvel Comics. Written by Mark Millar. Art by Bryan Hitch. The Deal: Writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch continue their run on “The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine.” This issue wraps up the multipart Nu-World storyline. The Good: The writing and art on this book has been top-notch since…
Stephanie’s Id finds balance between genres
It was a serendipitous meeting — when Stephanie’s Id siren Stephanie Morgan walked into the studio of Asheville sculptor John Payne, there it was hanging from the ceiling — the title for the band’s next record. Morgan found herself so fascinated with Payne’s sculpture of a whooping crane, made from scrap metal and animated by…
CD Review: Hayden
The Deal: Under-rated Canadian reaps his Harvest. The Good: First things first: The oddity of Canadian mope artist Hayden releasing a record for the dirty blues label Fat Possum gets less weird upon closer inspection. After all, wintry piano elegies and lonesome Neil Young twang is just Great White (boy) North blues; that it sounds…
Getting Creative with Linda York Fisher
Subject: Linda York Fisher. Fort Mill writer Linda York Fisher’s dream of publishing a full-length novel has finally been realized. Her first book, Enraged: One Man’s Journey into Freedom (Outskirts Press, $12.95), was 20 years in the making; a former Charlotte native, she put her writing dreams aside while she raised a family and held…
Rock of ages
Filter returns to road after six-year hiatus
CD Review: Ours
The Deal: Finally, after six years, Ours releases its third album. The Good: From start to finish, the album captures previous and expected Ours sounds, while straying into murkier territory both with the lyrical and musical content. The first track, “Mercy,” declares the album’s overall feel with tight drum beats, intense guitar gusts and singer…
