Nov 7-13, 2012

Nov 7-13, 2012 / Vol. 26 / No. 37

Cover Story

Music Issue 2012: Where’s the black music in Charlotte?

Ask any local about the music scene in Charlotte and most will agree — this is not Funkytown. There’s no definitive version of the Motown Sound or iconic area like Beale Street. And despite producing black music lions from George Clinton to Anthony Hamilton, the Charlotte area’s musical rep doesn’t get any better when you…

Emiene Wright

Bizarre crimes from Charlotte police files (Nov. 8 edition)

Beer Bash: A woman notified police of some beer-drinking neighbors on a third-floor balcony last week. The problem wasn’t their drinking; it was how they disposed of the containers. The men were throwing the empty bottles into the parking lot below, even smashing the back window of a car. Shit Happens: A man called police…

Ryan Pitkin

Winter squash: The other pumpkin

When it comes to fall festivities, winter squash gets the shaft. Whether it’s pumpkin pies, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin rolls or pumpkin cupcakes, winter squash takes a backseat to the pumpkin craze. But many Charlotte eateries make good use of the wide variety of squash grown in the Charlotte area: They may fool you by calling…

Kelly Davis

Bean Vegan Cuisine: Not your mother’s meatloaf

As an omnivore, I can choose to eat at any restaurant and select any dish off the menu. Plus, not having food allergies or intolerances, my choices are limitless. This, however, is not the situation for many people. If you have food allergies or health concerns, selecting from a menu can be dicey. And for…

Tricia Childress

Skyfall: The spy who loved us

SKYFALL ***1/2 DIRECTED BY Sam Mendes STARS Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem Any list of the 10 best James Bond films would have to include 2006’s Casino Royale and the latest installment, Skyfall. That’s a pretty impressive batting average for Daniel Craig, who’s appeared in only three out of the 23 movies starring the dapper British…

Matt Brunson

The Sessions: Virgin territory

The Sessions **1/2 DIRECTED BY Ben Lewin STARS John Hawkes, Helen Hunt The 1996 Oscar-winning documentary Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O’Brien is a compelling look at the acclaimed writer who, having contracted polio as a child, spent his life in a state of paralysis, largely confined to an iron lung until…

Matt Brunson

Caress me down

I’ve never gotten naked for work, but when a masseuse calls and asks you to review his services — free of charge — dropping trou goes from unprofessional to just another day at the office. Work hard I did Monday when someone from Eden Therapy and Massage called and asked if I’d review owner George…

Ana McKenzie

Latinos make for unprecedented election

Republicans spent nearly the entire election trying to impede minorities from voting, redistricting to divide races and introducing discriminatory voter-ID bills. But their efforts proved fruitless Tuesday — at least in the big race. Exit polls showed minorities overwhelmingly supported President Obama, and Latinos could have possibly swayed the election. “Ten percent of the electorate…

Ana McKenzie

Makeup artist Jami Svay introduces new hair accessory line

You could say Jami Svay is a bit unconventional. But only in the best sense of the word. A natural beauty oozing with confidence, Svay is the makeup artist who wears no makeup. “When most people see me, I just have on lip gloss and sunglasses,” she admits. Originally an inspiring fashion designer, Svay studied…

Lauren Blake

Streetcars, stadiums and taxes, oh my!

Congratulations! You’ve reached the Boomer With Attitude inner sanctum, also known as Ask BWA. This is where readers ask your humble correspondent questions of great public interest and other readers ask moronic questions while insulting me. I’ve axed the latter this time around, so let’s get started. Readers seem to have tax money, transit and…

John Grooms

Weekly horoscope (Nov. 7-13)

Scorpio The Phoenix (Oct. 23-Nov. 20)The “rules and regs” weigh heavily on your shoulders with Saturn in your sign. This is normal at the beginning of this transit. Within a few weeks you will become acclimated to the responsibilities. This week, a part of you wants to escape. Don’t burn bridges in your wake. For…

Vivian Carol

Getting Bent

It’s not enough that we’ve had countless misquotes and alterations to philosopher George Santayana’s famous quote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Some, especially here in the South, missed the one-liner’s point altogether. From immigration to constitutional amendments that ban gay marriage, bigotry looms on the forefront — preventing the…

Anita Overcash

This week’s concert listings (Nov. 8-Nov. 14)

** Bullet points indicate CL’s critics’ picks** Thursday, Nov. 08 Blues/Roots/International Aris Quiroga Nieto (The Wine Cellar, Cornelius) Bayou Butch Lucas (Villa Antonio (Ballantyne)) Latin Thursdays (Dream Nightclub, Matthews) Classical/Jazz/Smooth Beats and Keys (Encore Bistro and Bar) John Alexander (Blue Restaurant & Bar) Nano Trio, J-Raf (Evening Muse) Country/Folk * Luke Mitchem; Crystal Bright and…

Forging forward: Lute

The year 2012 has seen homegrown rapper Lute — born Luther Nicholson — make national noise, but he’s not living off his music just yet, and the garden center at a local Walmart beckons. That’s where Lute works. “People that have seen me in Creative Loafing are like, ‘Oh, that’s the dude that was in…

Mike McCray

Elenora Fagan balances life between rock and rap

As each act leaves the stage during Hip Hop Rises at the Chop Shop on Oct. 26, most artists simply place the microphone back in its stand and walk off into the crowd. When Elenora Fagan ends its extended set, the quartet makes sure the mics are in place … and then dismantles the drum…

Jeff Hahne

Finding the soul of Charlotte’s scene

One of the first questions I asked after moving back to sweet home Carolina in 2002 was, “Where’s the music scene in Charlotte?” I’d known and loved the scene I left when I moved to New York City in the mid-’80s: Charlotte’s avant-hillbillies Fetchin’ Bones and scuzz-punks deluxe Antiseen were ripping clubs apart from the…

Mark Kemp

The Voluntourists: J.D. Lewis and sons

When J.D. Lewis was a kid, he loved watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom on television. The nature show made him wish he could travel to Kenya. Years later, when his then-13-year-old son Jackson announced he wanted to help others, Lewis, 54, was reminded of his childhood dream. He decided to take Jackson and his…

Joanne Spataro

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