May 3-9, 2011

May 3-9, 2011 / Vol. 25 / No. 10

Best bets in Charlotte comedy, May 10-14

As the headline suggests, here are a few of the best places to find comedy events in Charlotte — from stand-up to improv to sketch comedy and more. For a complete listing of all comedy visit www.CharlotteComedyLIVE.com. Tuesday, May 10 Gorilla Preschool Improv Comedy at 8 p.m. Shows similar to Whose Line is it Anyway.…

Anita Overcash

Photos: Sunflour Baking Company

With home-made Pop Tarts, giant, flaky, buttery chocolate croissants (amazing!), cookies, big cinnamon buns, cupcakes, and fresh breads rolling out of their kitchen, Sunflour Baking Company is a spot of sunshine in Elizabeth.

Priscilla Tsai

Let’s Get Reel at the Mint

The Mint Museum’s Let’s Get Reel music and movies series continues on Tuesday (May 10) with a screening of O Brother, Where Art Thou?, a film about three Depression-era escaped convicts trying to return home. Free live music starting at 6 p.m., followed by the movie at 7 p.m. Film is free for Mint members;…

Anita Overcash

Bar Charlotte, 5/5/11

Bar Charlotte continued with its weekly Thursday night Barkini contest, and with Cinco de Mayo celebrations going on, the sombreros and Corona were in full effect.

Priscilla Tsai

Free Yoforia for moms

Moms can stop in any Yoforia store on Mother’s Day (THIS Sunday, for those of you bad children who didn’t remember) and get a free cup* of Yoforia.

Priscilla Tsai

Suite, 5/4/11

Suite was the final stop on Carolina Nightlife’s Mariachi Madness Countdown to Cinco bar crawl on Wednesday, May 4.

Priscilla Tsai

Education-slaughtering budget passes N.C. House

The N.C. House passed its version of the state budget yesterday in a 72-47 vote. The $19.3 billion budget includes massive, historic cuts to education in a state that has long prided itself on having better schools and better university and community college systems than most other Southern states. In all, the budget will translate…

John Grooms

The WTF Album

As we have perused hundreds of albums to compile the best 150 photos from the past three years, there have been a few shots that have been … well, interesting.

Kimberly Lawson

Whisky River, 5/4/11

Whisky River was one of the stops on the Mariachi Madness Countdown to Cinco bar crawl, which took place Wednesday night, courtesy of Carolina Nightlife.

Priscilla Tsai

Free tickets to the NC Brewers and Music Festival

If the beer and festivities at the Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival happening this Saturday in SouthPark aren’t enough for you this month, enjoy more local craft brews and live music at the North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival next Saturday, May 14. The festival, presented by Rural Hill, will be held in Huntersville and…

Priscilla Tsai

Press now serving liquor

Uptown’s wine bar Press just announced that they will now be serving liquor, along with their beer, wine, and sake. Press 333 W. Trade Street Charlotte, NC 28202 704-370-3006 Related Stories

Priscilla Tsai

Renewable energy money being spread around North Carolina

A number of news articles have recently been circulating about renewable energy grants being awarded to operations in North Carolina. Here are a few of the headlines: Wake Forest gets $145K grant for biodiesel project — The Winston-Salem Journal Local operations receive $600k for energy efficient projects — The Jacksonville Daily News Western North Carolina…

Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman

Coming soon: Catwalk for a Cause

When can you see a fashion show featuring a local boutique and support a good cause? You can with the 2nd Annual Catwalk for a Cause, presented by Lavendar Boutique, which will raise money for the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation. If you remember last year’s Catwalk for a Cause, this year is promised to be even…

Jennifer Malone

Dress for Success Power Walk

The weather is nice and bathing suit season is just around the corner, so how can you pass up a 5K? The Dress for Success Power Walk — taking place at Freedom Park, bright and early this Saturday morning (May 7)— gives you the opportunity to burn up some extra calories. It also helps promote…

Anita Overcash

This week’s new releases (5/3/2011)

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new in stores this week: Beastie Boys Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2 Brandi Carlile Live at Benaroya Hall With The Seattle Symphony Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues Jennifer Lopez Love? Stevie Nicks In Your Dreams Sade The Ultimate Collection Shinedown Somewhere in the Stratosphere Sixx A.M. This Is Gonna Hurt

Jeff Hahne

Today’s Top 5: Tuesday

Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, May 3, 2011 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. • Interpol at The Fillmore • The Wood Brothers at Visulite Theatre • James Sibley at The Comedy Zone Lake Norman • Body & Soul exhibit at The…

Anita Overcash

THEATER: Faith Healer

Sometimes, you just gotta have faith. That’s what Starving Artist Productions — the theater group behind The Birth — is doing while staging playwright Brian Friel’s Faith Healer. Three characters reflect on the 20 years they’ve spent together traveling the countryside of Scotland and Wales: Frank a faith healer, Grace his mistress/wife and Teddy the…

Anita Overcash

Island holiday at Twilight Caribbean Restaurant & Bar

Caribbean cuisine is as distinct as the languages and cultures throughout the region, and the foods of the 7,000 islands that comprise the Caribbean seem destined to be eaten on sunny days and in warmer weather like now. While Charlotte has many food emporiums of those island nations with direct flights from the Charlotte Douglas…

Tricia Childress

FILM: Rammbock: Berlin Undead

Charlotte loves some zombies. In fact, these days just about everyone does. Given these findings AMC Concord Mills 24 should be infested for the upcoming special screenings of Rammbock: Berlin Undead. Filmmakers Marvin Kren and Benjamin Hessler teamed up to produce the horror flick that’s set in Germany. The film is about a heartbroken man…

Anita Overcash

3 questions with Chris Woodrow, wine sommelier

If chianti, cabernet or even moscato rings bells within your heart, you may want to know this guy. Chris Woodrow is the owner of Vin Master Wine, the newest hangout in the city’s vibrant South End community. The Philadelphia native, who’s made his home in Charlotte since 1994, has a palette for wine similar to…

Debra Renee Seth

MUSIC: Talib Kweli at Amos’ Southend

What can you say about an artist whose career is aging like a fine wine? Kweli may be more popular now than he ever was with Mos Def in Black Star or Hi-Tek in Reflection Eternal. Certainly the commercial success is nice but his flow hasn’t dipped a bit, and if anything, is more honed…

Mike McCray

Uh Huh Her plans for two releases this year

The list of actors who try their hand at music seems endless these days, but there are also a handful of musicians who find themselves in front of the camera — and not just for music videos. Leisha Hailey became a familiar face through her acting stint on The L Word. Now that she’s back…

Jeff Hahne

SPORTS: Charlotte Roller Girls

Charlotte Roller Girls (the whole big pictured gang of ’em) look so nice when they’re smiling. It’s almost hard to imagine them — their faces focused and serious during bouts — clobbering their opponents during a heated, action-packed jam. This weekend, you can see their game face during a double header at Grady Cole Center.…

Anita Overcash

CL previews upcoming concerts (May 4-8)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4 ZIGGY MARLEY Roots reggae can never be parted from the Marley clan, and after nearly two decades of recording with the Melody Makers and on the solo tip, Ziggy Marley glides along with potent songwriting, not afraid to bring in jazz, soul and R&B in just the proper amounts. Marley taps varied…

Letting the CATS out the bag

For the last few issues — as part of our 2nd annual focus on transportation — Creative Loafing has been examining the people, places and issues that come into play when you think and talk about traveling around the city. So far, we’ve highlighted two- and four-wheeled-related topics; this week, we’re wrapping up our three-part…

Cheris Hodges

Nightlife profile: Dean ‘Dino’ Baskin

Roughly five years ago Warren, the only other bartender at Elizabeth Billiards, looked across the bar at Dean “Dino” Baskin and said, “Why don’t you come on over here and see if you can reach the top shelf?” It was only when Baskin, coming in at a whopping 5’5″, proved successful in this challenge that…

Jordan Bullington

Book review: Meg Wolitzer’s The Uncoupling

The Uncoupling by Meg Wolitzer (Riverhead, 288 pages, $27.99). Novelist Meg Wolitzer’s output has been uneven, but when she’s on, she’s one of the more interesting American writers today. Generally classified as a New York writer who pens novels about wealthy suburbanites, Wolitzer transcends, and at times subverts, that played-out genre with a penetrating eye…

CD REVIEW: The Plaza Family Band’s Wee Jamboree

THE DEAL: Local musicians release second benefit album for Plaza Presbyterian Weekday School. THE GOOD: Mike Strauss, Hope Nicholls, Clifton Castelloe, Cassie Adams, and at least a dozen others, as The Plaza Family Band, offer 18 songs of all kinds aimed at children. Opening with the silly “Down By the Bay,” there are plenty of…

Jeff Hahne

Lots of good stuff at Free Comic Book Day

The national geek holiday known as Free Comic Book Day hits comic book shops nationwide once again on May 7. So that means, once again, readers will be able to stop by their local comic retailer and snag dozens of specially marked titles — made available by a wide range of publishers — for free.…

Carlton Hargro

CD REVIEW: Ellie Goulding’s Lights

THE DEAL: Brit songstress Ellie Goulding releases U.S. version of Lights album. THE GOOD: From the moment it kicks off with “Lights,” the disc makes it clear that an indie form of electro pop is its cornerstone. Songs are so catchy, almost infecting from that point on. There’s the synth heavy/dance-floor cozy single, “Starry Eyed,”…

Anita Overcash

EXHIBIT: Robert Henri and Ireland

More than 40 works (including “My Friend Brien,” pictured) painted by Robert Henri between 1913 and 1928 will be on view in the nationally touring exhibit From New York to Corrymore: Robert Henri and Ireland. The American impressionist was always fond of landscapes, but once he visited Ireland, he became fond of people, too. After…

Anita Overcash

The good they do: Planned Parenthood

This is a true story about Planned Parenthood. More than 20 years ago, when my wife became pregnant, we were jolted into a realization of what unplanned parenthood was all about. Our thoughts about having children were too vague to really be called plans, but suddenly, there we were with a big, important choice to…

EXHIBIT: Classic Beauty

By the looks of her realistic oil paintings, Diane White likes some pretty darn tasty things. The Pittsburgh artist — whose works are currently being showcased at Elder Gallery — creates still lifes of high-piled coffee cups from namely chains, Chinese takeout (see “The Fortune,” pictured) and more traditional seen-on-canvas items, like fruits and vegetables.…

Anita Overcash

Dissecting Franklin Graham’s far-right crusade against Islam and Obama

On Easter Sunday, the Rev. Franklin Graham went on national television and told ABC’s Christiane Amanpour that he might support Donald Trump for president, and then questioned both President Obama’s Christianity and birthplace. Graham thus completed his journey to the far-right wing of American politics. It’s been a public trip that began after the 9/11…

Bizarre crimes from Charlotte police files

Bright Futures: Employees at The Creek Lounge on Monroe Road called police after their building was broken into last week. Sometime during the afternoon, someone broke in and took a 32-inch flat screen TV and $1,700 worth of neon signs — including a frog, a lizard, a blue marlin, a Carolina Panthers sign and many…

Ryan Pitkin

Letting the CATS out the bag

For the last few issues — as part of our 2nd annual focus on transportation — Creative Loafing has been examining the people, places and issues that come into play when you think and talk about traveling around the city. So far, we’ve highlighted two- and four-wheeled-related topics; this week, we’re wrapping up our three-part…

Cheris Hodges

Are bananas about to become extinct?

My co-worker shocked and baffled me by reporting that, in ten years or so, bananas will be extinct. Refusing to take him at his word, I searched on the Internet for some sort of verification/debunking of his claim. Seeing arguments either way about the likely outcome of the looming banana blight, I humbly turn to…

Cecil Adams

Police beating raises few eyebrows

Houston burglar Chad Holley, 15, was already face down on the ground in a surrender position, hands behind his head, when Houston police officers stomped, kicked and beat him in 2010 in a now infamous Internet video. The four officers were quickly fired — then arrested and indicted. All four are currently awaiting trial. Two…

Weekly horoscope (May 4-10)

Taurus The Bull (April 20-May 20) The new moon occurred in your sign on May 3 and you are looking at new ways to refresh your perspective. There is assistance from your unconscious or from behind the scenes to help you see yourself in a new light. Perhaps someone from your past may get in…

Vivian Carol

Mumina Abu-Jamal’s death sentence declared unconstitutional

The death-penalty case of Mumia Abu-Jamal took a surprising turn this week, as a federal appeals court declared, for the second time, that Abu-Jamal’s death sentence was unconstitutional. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in Philadelphia, found that the sentencing instructions the jury received, and the verdict form they had to use in the…

Amy Goodman

Capsule reviews of films playing the week of May 4

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU One person’s religious beliefs is often another person’s existentialist theories, and The Adjustment Bureau offers plenty of theological fodder to go around. Because it tinkers with notions involving God and chance and destiny and all that other stuff that’s fun to discuss, it might turn off those types of folks who misunderstood…

Matt Brunson

NIGHTLIFE: Su Casa at Dharma Lounge

Dharma Lounge presents, once again, Su Casa — the nightlife event formerly known as Mi Casa. Along with a new name, this time around, the monthly multimedia shindig (featuring photography, film, and a genre-bending mix of music) serves up the fresh sounds of two world-class local DJs: That Guy Smitty and DR. Oh and there…

Carlton Hargro

Fast Five: Maximum overdrive

FAST FIVE *** DIRECTED BY Justin Lin STARS Vin Diesel, Paul Walker Stating that Fast Five is the best of the Fast and the Furious series is perhaps like claiming that the Big Mac is the best hamburger served at McDonald’s: It’s not so much a declaration of excellence as an example of damning with…

Matt Brunson

MUSIC: Mic Night at Flying Saucer

Each and every Monday, Flying Saucer is not only opening its doors, but also its mic. The Mic Night will be hosted by DJ DZL and Johnny of 106.5 FM, and it’s a night for folks to show off their skills (or shortcomings). Drink specials too. No cover charge. Flying Saucer, 9605 N. Tryon St.…

Morgan Jones

French legends shine in Potiche

A Continental cousin to those plucky British comedies in which working-class peons struggle against their bourgeois employers (latest example: Made in Dagenham), the French romp Potiche is primarily an excuse for audiences to once again spend quality time with those two titans of Gallic cinema, Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu. Teaming up for the umpteenth…

Matt Brunson

FILM: O Brother, Where Art Thou?

The Mint Museum’s Let’s Get Reel music and movies series continues today. Screening O Brother, Where Art Thou?, a film about three Depression-era escaped convicts, trying to return home. Free live music starting at 6 p.m., followed by the movie at 7 p.m. Film is free for Mint members; $5 for non-members. The Mint Museum…

Anita Overcash

Where to find it: Corned Beef Sandwich

A reader writes in looking for a “great” corned beef sandwich. While corned beef sandwiches are easy to find throughout the city, finding places that transform an ordinary beef brisket into a delicious corned beef is trickier. A typical brine recipe calls for salt, cinnamon, mustard seeds, juniper and allspice berries and ginger, but making…

Tricia Childress

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