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Summer Guide 2012: Beach Blanket NASCAR
Start your engines! As part of our annual guide to all things summer, CL is taking you on a cruise, NASCAR way, to meet a few of the more desirable guys and gals on the boulevard of broken rotors. Racing, of course, is synonymous with Charlotte. Just check out the sights and sounds during Speed…
Anticipation for East Boulevard Sidewalk Sale
A preview of the shops participating in the East Blvd. Sidewalk Sale on Saturday, June 2nd.
Jerry Joseph & The Jackmormons at the Visulite Theatre tonight (5/30/2012)
JERRY JOSEPH & THE JACKMORMONS Overcoming drug abuse, self-destruction and squandered talent, Jerry Joseph has emerged as a road-ravaged populist and poet. Insanely prolific, he’s collaborated with Vic Chesnutt, Dinosaur Jr.’s J. Mascis and Widespread Panic, singing of sex, disaster and redemption. Powerhouse trio the Jackmormons are equal to anything Joseph brings, be it no-frills…
Doc Watson dies at age 89
Influential guitarist leaves indelible mark on the music world.
Democratic National Convention 2012 Notebook: 100 Days Out, ‘I’m There’ Is the Message
But just where is North Carolina?
Charlotte’s stylish new women’s clothing boutique Vestique opens
Co-owner says East Boulevard “just felt right.”
Church of Misery at Tremont Music Hall tonight (5/29/2012)
CHURCH OF MISERY While their infatuation with serial killers and exploration of dark corners of the human soul informs their lyrics, these Japanese doom metal maestros can rattle the rafters like there’s no tomorrow. Diving into psychedelic stoner-sludge, with plenty Sabbath and Electric Wizard-influenced riffs and moody effects fused into the blend, Church of Misery’s…
The Sting, We Need to Talk About Kevin among new home entertainment titles
(View From The Couch is a weekly column that reviews what’s new on Blu-ray and DVD.) GONE (2012). Let’s give this much credit to Gone: It plays it straight. In an era in which filmmakers come up with increasingly convoluted ways to trick audiences with all manner of daft plot pirouettes, this thriller respects viewers…
Book reviews: The Cove, Summer of ’68: The Season That Changed Baseball and America Forever
The Cove by Ron Rash (Ecco, 272 pages, $26.99). A smart and sensitive young woman named Laurel lives with her brother Hank in a deeply shaded, some say cursed, cove near Marshall, N.C. Hank has returned, missing a hand, from the ongoing First World War, and spends much of his time trying to rebuild and…
Polyphonic Spree at the McGlohon Theater Tonight (5/28/2012)
POLYPHONIC SPREE If you’ve got any real mileage on your odometer, it may seem weird to talk about this act as seminal because it doesn’t seem that long ago that Dallas native Tim DeLaughter and his robed choir took SXSW and “the music industry” (look it up) by storm in 2000. But holy shit, a…
Where to find it: European-style pastries, Colombian empanadas
The small town of Stallings seems an unlikely setting for a pastry nexus. But it is. Last year, Grand Asia Market opened a spot-on Chinese bakery with dozens of buns, egg tarts and mooncakes. Nearby is Lucy’s Bakery & Deli, located in an abbreviated white strip shopping center fronting Potters Road. Though small, Lucy’s has…
Otis Taylor at the U.S. National Whitewater Center Tonight (5/27/2012)
OTIS TAYLOR “We all got to die. But some people got to suffer before they die.” Iconic and iconoclastic bluesman Otis Taylor is stark, uncompromising and hypnotic. His “Ten Million Slaves” introduced many to his signature sound – nimbly plucked banjo melded to distorted guitar. While Taylor’s dragged-across-the-tarmac vocals are pure blues, they engage with…
Summer Guide 2012: Film
For the rest of the 2012 summer slate, it’s going to be a tough climb to the top. That’s because The Avengers opened the season by smashing numerous box office records with the same ferocity that Hulk smashes his enemies. In fact, only one film realistically has a shot at outgrossing the superhero saga. Hint:…
Recipe: Thai Curry Chicken Salad
Combining the taste of spicy green curry with the contrasting texture and sweetness of the green apples.
Ancient Cities at Visulite Theatre tonight (5/26/2012)
ANCIENT CITIES If you were a fan of Stephen Warwick before (and you should’ve been), buckle up – we may not be in Secondhand Stories land anymore. OK, sure, that’s hyperbole and based on the one song – and a Shannon cover, at that – I’ve heard from his new group, Ancient Cities. Still, based…
Bizarre crimes from Charlotte police files (May 24)
Junk in the trunk: A man was arrested at a Target near Uptown last week after pushing his luck too far while shoplifting. As he perused the lingerie aisle, the suspect shoved 35 pairs of women’s underwear down his trousers. Ol’ fat pants was apprehended by the exit. scardy cat: A 26-year-old woman called police…
David Childers internet concert tonight (5/25/2012)
Interested in seeing David Childers perform, but not interested in leaving the comfort of home? Childers will be performing live on StageIt on May 25 with special guest Randy Saxon. The show will take place at 8 p.m. and feature some favorites as well as unreleased songs over the course of 30 minutes with a…
Carlleena Person: 1979-2012
Some people measure life by accomplishments. Others measure it by the amount of money they have in their bank accounts. Carlleena Person, a vibrant visual artist that Charlotte just had the misfortune of losing, was too damn busy living to worry about either. When charged to write about her, I was initially apprehensive. I did…
Meeting will address dangerous east Charlotte apartment
“This is a slum,” said Luis Rodriguez, a community organizer with Action NC, to a group of tenants at the Heritage Park apartment complex in east Charlotte on Thursday night. “When I think of slums I think of high rises in New York City, but this is a slum right here in Charlotte.” Rodriguez has…
Weekend Film Reviews: Men In Black III; The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel; Sound of My Voice
What’s new and covered in theaters.
RE:Public, 5/25/12
Photos from Tony Dize’s concert.
Sound of My Voice: More clarity required
SOUND OF MY VOICE **1/2 DIRECTED BY Zal Batmanglij STARS Brit Marling, Christopher Denham More often than not, it’s a compliment to state that a particular film could stand to be longer, since it generally means that either the characters or the storylines are so compelling that we don’t want our visit to their celluloid…
Men in Black III: Where there’s Will, there’s a way
MEN IN BLACK III **1/2 DIRECTED BY Barry Sonnenfeld STARS Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones It’s been 15 years since the release of the delightful Men in Black and a decade since the escape of its lamentable first sequel, and in the interim, audiences have been clamoring for another follow-up only slightly more than they’ve…
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: The Avengers for the elderly
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL **1/2 DIRECTED BY John Madden STARS Judi Dench, Maggie Smith The Avengers for the elderly demographic, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel replaces the likes of Captain America, Iron Man and Thor with such art-house superheroes as Maggie Smith, Judi Dench and Bill Nighy. It’s a sound ploy releasing this low-key…
Will Leviathan violinist assert herself?
Livia Sohn will take over this year’s Spoleto Festival with plenty of performances.
Racing through Uptown
Food Lion Speed Street Festival kicks off NASCAR frenzy.
Hrvrd at Neighborhood Theatre tonight (5/25/2012)
HRVRD What started as a post-rock outfit has matured into an atmospheric amalgam of experimental art and music. Having recently signed to Equal Vision Records and dropped the vowels in the previous Harvard band name, this Charlotte quintet doesn’t have a weak link in the mix. Instead of sounding cluttered, the band’s songs are calculated,…
Snug 600 at Snug Harbor Tonight (5/25/2012)
SNUG 600 Now five years in, this rock ‘n’ roll Memorial Day celebration promises 16 bands over a full weekend. Temperance League’s big, Springsteenian heartland rock headlines a Friday largely populated by overdriven Americana. Especially digworthy is Hungry Girl’s reckless garage-R&B. Saturday’s a bit punkier – with highlights like the blindingly positive, yet still street-smart…
Weekly horoscope (May 24-30)
Gemini The Twins (May 20-June 21) Mercury enters your sign on the 24th. Normally it would turn you into a Chatty Cathy. But this time the caveat issue is that you are probably much more sensitive to what others think this week. You may perceive anything as a critique. Don’t wallow. This is temporary. For…
Concurrent Rhythms in a small space
Since its August 2011 opening, the Projective Eye Gallery at UNC Charlotte’s Center City Building has presented a dizzying array of stuff: a temporary mural by local artists, a cross-disciplinary performance/installation by faculty members, a video project by an international artist, the crowd-pleasing Violins of Hope, and now Concurrent Rhythms, a collection of digital works…
All About Style: Menswear designer Joseph Abboud launches new line
Belk now offers the new line, “Black Brown 1826.”
Inaugural Gnarnia music festival announced
Festival will be held on Aug. 9-11 in Beech Mountain.
Author Tamar Myers shares Congo influences
For Tamar Myers, eating hippopotamus salad was a normal Sunday afternoon treat at boarding school in the Belgian Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). Elephants and monkeys were another story. She’ll be the first to tell you how unappetizing the exotic creatures were to her then-young taste buds. “The monkey was bad because…
CD Review: Dandy Warhols’ This Machine
After 18 years together the Portland bohos known as the Dandy Warhols might be getting older, but their new album, This Machine, casts an ironic, sarcastic, arch overview of life as they see it. The new music is as hooky as ever, yet loaded with sudden turns and pleasant surprises in its somewhat stripped down…
Stray thoughts near the end of pregnancy
My child may become a great writer or musician. What’s most probable is that he’ll be an ordinary person, just like most of us, just like my dad.
Closing the Charlotte Museum of History would leave a void in our legacy
It houses some of our most treasured artifacts and the strongest connections to our past
Opening Friday
What’s new in theaters this weekend.
Birth of the Blumeys
Charlotte-area theater buffs team up for new awards ceremony.
Giant Squid at the Evening Muse Tonight (5/24/2012)
GIANT SQUID Leave it to a band that’s resided in forward-thinking havens like Sacramento and Austin to come up with “progressive, doomy, aquatic metal” and actually make it sound good. Favoring cello, trumpet and ethereal female vocals alongside metal’s traditional chugging guitar and demon roars, Giant Squid’s often marine-themed compositions have won the band enthusiastic…
I, Me and Mine: The super-rich enter Sociopath Land
I hope you’re enjoying the new parade of bad behavior by the super-rich. There’s certainly been plenty of it from the “We can do whatever we want at any time, and to hell with you if you don’t like it” crowd. Here are some examples, both local and national, that show what I mean. We…
Ex-CRVA CEO Tim Newman charged with a DWI
He was also charged with hit-and-run property damage and failing to give his information.
Democratic National Convention 2012 Notebook: Youth is served (but will they vote?)
Young voters swayed the 2008 election in Obama’s favor. Will they do it again this year?
Watch out, Spoleto — Ailey Dance is on fire
Find out what’s in store for Spoleto 2012.
Summer Guide 2012: Arts/Entertainment
COMEDY May The Comedy Zone Charlotte at NC Music Factory — May 23: Johnny Millwater. Live show and TV taping of Crazy Late with Johnny Millwater; May 24-27: Charlie Murphy; May 30-31: Julie Scoggins. 900 N.C. Music Factory Blvd., Suite B3, Charlotte. 980-321-4702. www.cltcomedyzone.com. The Comedy Zone Fort Mill at Madison’s On The Corner —…
Summer Guide 2012: Music
Most people are ready to listen to music under the sun or stars when the summer concert season arrives, but there’s as much going on indoors this year as there is at Charlotte’s two outdoor amphitheaters. Here’s the official CL take on a few dozen upcoming shows: JUNE 2 — Is it love or is…
Summer Guide 2012: Late-night dining
Stuck in the thrashes of summer in the South, the best time to get out and play is after the sun goes down. Sure, water provides moderate relief during the days, but balmy yet tolerable nights are where it’s at. Activities include outdoor competition (cornhole, ladder gold, horseshoes, etc), music festivals, dancing in the street…
Summer Guide 2012: A fashion photo shoot gone wild
Taking cues from spring/summer 2012 fashion showcases, including those of Marni, Bottega Veneta, Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton, this season’s trends range from textured and travel-inspired to pretty and uber-girly. Check out photos from a recent shoot documenting our three favorite looks for the hot weather. TRIBAL Boasting ethnic touches accented with animal prints, exotic…
Summer Guide 2012: Thrill seekers look to intramural sports
Dodgeballs probably haven’t slammed off their bodies in more than 20 years. But put one in their hands, and it’s like they’re back on the playground. That kind of childhood exuberance is what members of the Mecklenburg Athletic Club have to look forward to this summer. Jason Rockhold and James Ungerer founded the group in…
What mad pursuit?: Underneath the Lintel
It’s written into our national DNA, graven in our souls as our birthright: the pursuit of happiness. So it’s no wonder, then, that stories casting a skeptical eye on single-minded pursuit — like Les Misérables, Don Quixote, or “The Beast in the Jungle” — seem foreign to us. Perhaps that’s why the hero of Glen…
Capsule reviews of films playing the week of May 25
THE AVENGERS The Avengers is, quite simply, a brainy and brawny blast. It’s a culmination of numerous super-sagas that have been building toward this moment, and it manages to trump every last one of them. In this instance at least, too many cooks have not spoiled the broth, as writer-director Joss Whedon and co-writer Zak…
Help me name my baby: Updated with survey results!
The most pressing issue here is that this baby still doesn’t have a name. So, I’m opening the floor to you, dear CL readers.
