Cover Story
Muslims in Charlotte: Islam is here, and it would like to be your neighbor.
Arissa El-Amin is on the phone setting up a play date for her 5-year-old son. It’s a mommy thing, she says with a laugh. Since moving to Charlotte nearly 20 years ago, El-Amin says she’s found a city with a strong spiritual base. It’s also a city that can be very clueless about El-Amin’s faith:…
Madi Diaz’s smooth, stylish storytelling tonight (10/10/11)
At Tremont Music Hall.
Shot Silk’s blues-tinged riffs tonight (10/8/11)
With Mego and Greevace at Neighborhood Theatre.
Kill Devil Hill’s raucous hard rock tonight (10/7/11)
With Planet 9 and 21st Century Goliath at Tremont Music Hall.
Joshua James’ expansive acoustic tunes tonight (10/7/11)
At The Evening Muse.
Nurses’ textured, avant-pop pieces tonight (10/8/11)
With Dominant Legs at Tremont Music Hall.
Richard Buckner performs work from latest LP tonight (10/6/11)
At The Evening Muse.
Other Lives bring Okie-style, spacey soundscapes tonight (10/5/11)
Opening for Mates of State at Visulite Theatre.
Reagan rises from grave in support of Obama’s taxes on the rich
No sooner had President Obama proposed to enact “the Buffett rule,” which would close tax loopholes that allow millionaires to skip out on paying their fair share in taxes, conservatives started wailing about “class warfare.” What these kneejerk right-wingers don’t seem to remember is that their icon, President Ronald Reagan, agreed with Obama’s approach. Reagan…
Dharma Lounge, 10/1/11
Dharma celebrates two years in the nightlife game.
Photos from Lore Emelio’s All Things Grand show
Certainly, all things were grand at local fashion designer’s fall 2011 showcase event.
Mecktoberfest, 10/1/11
The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery hosted the Mecktoberfest on Saturday — German food, music and beer all around.
All Things Grand A fashion show, 10/1/11
Local designer Lore Emelio presented her fall 2011 collection during All Things Grand, held Oct. 1 at the Silver Hammer Studios.
Hey NFL, can we recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month?
When will the league will address domestic violence?
The New Yorker notes GOP kingmaker Art Pope’s takeover of N.C.
The New Yorker has caught on to what political observers in North Carolina have been gradually waking up to: the power and influence of Art Pope. In a 10-page story by renowned author Jane Mayer, titled “ State for Sale: A conservative multimillionaire has taken control in North Carolina, one of 2012’s top battlegrounds.” It’s…
YouTube to world governments: Whatever you say, Sir
Long live the corporatocracy.
Suite, 9/30/11
Photos from the Halloween fashion show — it’s never too early to be thinking about costumes.
Puscifer headed to Charlotte in November
Maynard’s other band to perform on Nov. 27, venue to be announced.
Theater review: Seussical
Quite a spectacular show — with a 100% chance of bubble showers — and an energetic cast.
Today’s Top 5: Monday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
Tickets selling fast for Oktoberfest
If beer had a heaven, I’m sure it’d look like Oktoberfest.
Today’s Top(less) 5: Monday
Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, October 3, 2011— as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. • Monday Effen Monday at The Uptown Cabaret • Monday Madness at Club Onyx • The Blue Plate…
Live review: David Mayfield Parade
David Mayfield didn’t just walk out on to the Evening Muse stage, he strutted like a peacock.
BofA’s message to people who bailed them out: Fuck You
The country’s biggest bank, and Charlotte’s own Overlord, Bank of America, has a special message for its customers who helped bail out their greedy, incompetent asses: Fuck You. The bank’s happy greeting comes in the form of a new $5 monthly fee for customers who use a BofA debit card. According to The New York…
Grand opening Keaton’s Cupboard offering men’s fashion
The grand opening event of Keaton’s Cupboard will begin at 10 a.m. and run through 6 p.m.
John Lennon in Charlotte
The Beatle gets a toast.
Versona Accessories opens in Charlotte
A new accessory store, featuring jewelry, handbags, candles, etc., opens in the Arboretum.
Portugal. The Man makes TV debut
Band performed “So American” on Conan last night.
Today’s Top 5: Friday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
Today’s Top(less) 5: Friday
Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date.
Weekender, Sept. 30-Oct. 2
Check out these events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area this weekend.
Planned Parenthood & allies sue N.C. over demeaning, invasive abortion law
In late July, the General Assembly passed one of the most extreme abortion laws in the country. Today, because of N.C. lawmakers’ zeal for kissing the religious right’s butt, that law’s constitutionality is being challenged in court by Planned Parenthood, the Center for Reproductive Rights and the ACLU. The groups announced today that they will…
Tonight: Beija-Flor trunk show at Our Place
Looking for something fashionably fabulous to do tonight? Look no further! Our Place boutique is hosting a trunk show and designer reception for the luxury Brazilian made denim brand, Beija-Flor jeans and Turkish jeweler, Gypsy. This locally owned mother/daughter duo will give the women of Charlotte a one-stop destination to the entire collection of Beija-Flor…
Sylvia Robinson, who helped launch hip-hop with Sugar Hill Records, dies at 75
She also scored hits with Mickey & Sylvia in the ’50s and as a solo singer in the ’70s.
Opening Friday
What’s new in theaters this weekend.
Bands pay tribute to Pink Floyd on late night TV
So far, The Shins, Foo Fighters and MGMT have offered cover songs.
Young people aren’t having safe sex
Young people aren’t using condoms, despite the danger and ignorance of it all.
Latin American Coalition co-sponsors free citizenship workshop for immigrants
Not a U.S. citizen, but want to become one?
Hangin’ in Charlotte with Greenpeace’s Kumi Naidoo
I did, and you can, too.
Style Stalker: Stephanie Genter Cook
The co-owner of Niche says she doesn’t stick to trends.
Crawl Space: John Hairston, Jr.
The local artist describes his style as a hybrid of the cartoons he watched as a child and the graffiti movement of the early 80s.
Another case of the double standard in sex offender cases
Women are treated differently in molestation cases.
Swig: How to make Apostrophe Lounge’s Smokin’ Hot Martini
Some Ciroc Red Berry, cranberry juice, and what else?
Monkee’s hosts Frye trunk show
The best part of this trunk show is not that you will be leaving with a beautiful pair of Frye boots or shoes, but you will also be helping a good cause.
Reminder: Lore Emelio presents All Things Grand
On Oct. 1, Emelio and her team will take over Silver Hammer Studios to present a runway show of her latest designs.
Today’s Top 5: Thursday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
Suzanne Westenhoefer at The Comedy Zone
Suzanne Westenhoefer performs at The Comedy Zone on Oct. 4.
Today’s Top(less) 5: Thursday
Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, September 29, 2011— as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. •Bottle Popping Thursday at Club Onyx •What The Buck Thursday at Bar Charlotte •The Blue Plate Special at…
Nancy Grace says nipple “judged guilty without a trial”
Sometimes it’s just fun to see something stupid happen to a bad person, as long as it’s not painful. Last night something stupid happened to one of the worst people on the planet: Nancy Grace. The CNN jabberer and former prosecutor has become one of the most repulsive individuals ever to host a television program,…
“Neighbors for Equality” launches in response to N.C.’s anti-gay marriage amendment
Group plans to push back against Amendment One.
A Blue dessert reception for a good cause
Your $10 donation at the door goes to benefit My Sister’s House.
Ahwooooo! Werewolves of Charlotte
The Light Factory presents hair-raising film series in October.
Dream House trailer
Thriller opens this Friday, Sept. 30.
Democratic National Convention 2012 Notebook: A balance of politics and business
With visions of economic gain and a burnished international profile, the city of Charlotte, N.C., is graciously extending a bipartisan business welcome to the 2012 Democratic National Convention. At least, that was the message at the Chamber office on Tuesday.
Poverty in North Carolina – getting worse, not better
Meanwhile, back in the corporate accounting offices …
If you suck at dating, read this
The best ways to screw up a date.
Groupon deal for Zizi’s Vegetarian
Up to 59 percent off vegan fare.
Utilities Commission urged to put squeeze on Duke Energy before merger approval
Raleigh’s News & Observer ran a great piece about the Duke Energy-Progress Energy merger that we hope gets lots of attention. Rob Schofield of N.C. Policy Watch and Al Ripley of the N.C. Justice Center urge the Utilities Commission, which is currently considering the mammoth monopolies’ merger, to use the hearings to do more to…
Today’s Top(less) 5: Wednesday
Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date.
Energy demand down
Rates still going up.
Today’s Top 5: Wednesday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
Homebrew Vol. 5 — first five bands announced
Release party to be held on Nov. 4.
Charlotte Seen Fashion Week: Sept. 24
The last day of the Charlotte Seen Fashion Week.
Charlotte Seen Fashion Week: Sept. 23
More designers, and a ReModel show too.
Charlotte NC Fashion Week: Sept. 23
Emerging designer showcase included collections by Alice Andrews Designs,T.2 Design Group, MEW Designs and more.
This week’s new releases (9/27/2011)
Wilco, J Cole, Blink-182, Chickenfoot among the new albums hitting stores today.
Charlotte Seen Fashion Week: Odelia Rouse, AugustBrandon, Kevin Vain
Three designers showcased their collections at CSFW on Thursday, Sept. 22.
The People’s Choice Awards at Charlotte Seen Fashion Week
Want to know whom the audience picked to win the People’s Choice Award on Thursday, Sept. 22?
What Charlotte could do with $11 million instead of giving it to Bissell Companies
City Council, touting its decision as a job-creating tool, voted last night to reimburse Bissell Companies up to $11 million for road improvements the company plans to make during its expansion of Ballantyne Corporate Park. Bissell wants to add a million square feet of office space to the area, with most of the space ostensibly…
Charlotte NC Fashion Week: Sept. 22
The Pavilion at EpiCentre was the sight for a boutique and emerging designer fashion show.
Rockers to the Rescue benefit at The Chop Shop, 9/24/11
The Humane Society of Charlotte hosted a charity event at The Chop Shop on Sept. 24.
Banned Books Week: Get your Charlotte Mecklenburg public library card today
Be sure to read them all!
Elements opening reception at McColl Center, 9/23/11
The art exhibit Elements looks at the invisible particles all around us.
Kissing a girl on a plane can get you kicked off if you fly Southwest
L-Word star kicked off Southwest Flight. Southwest is the official airline of GLAAD, though.
50/50 trailer
Comedy-drama opens this Friday, Sept. 30.
Moneyball: Solid triple play
Like a businessman settling into his recliner after a hard day’s work, Brad Pitt has slid into middle age with an ease that’s both pleasurable and enviable to watch. Pitt’s always been a fine actor, of course, but around the turn of the century, he’s really upped his game, from his quirky turns in Snatch…
3 questions with Chris Speaks, Crown Station barista
Chemistry, to the majority of us, is illustrated by lab coats and frothing test tubes. To Chris Speaks, resident barista at the coffee house and pub Crown Station (1425 Elizabeth Ave.), artisan coffee culture has a chemistry and an art all its own. Speaks, who relates being a coffee slinger to a Christian bartender, started…
Abduction: Escape as quickly as possible
Sure, it’s easy to pick on the Twilight guy. Because who’s gonna rush to his defense other than smitten Team Jacob fans? Make no mistake about it: Abduction (*1/2 out of four), in which Taylor Lautner is handed his first starring role in a motion picture, will never, ever, ever be mistaken for a good…
Tennessee collective Ten Out of Tenn spotlights the songs and support
Too often, musicians are in it for themselves. Forget collaborating with anyone else, they’re more concerned about earning a buck and winning over fans than helping out fellow singers and songwriters. It’s especially true in cities with larger music scenes, such as Nashville. Enter the folk movement known as Ten Out of Tenn. The Tennessee-based…
Killer Elite: Run-of-the-mill
The assembly-line thriller Killer Elite is basically what The Expendables 2 would look like if everyone except Jason Statham decided to bail on the project. A fussy action film that’s heavy on the firepower and the testosterone but short on anything resembling complexity or wit, this stars Statham as Danny, a former assassin whose mentor…
CD REVIEW: Gideon Smith & The Dixie Damned’s 30 Weight
THE DEAL: Former Antiseen roadie Gideon Smith continues down his own Southern rock path with The Dixie Damned and their third album, 30 Weight. THE GOOD: Gideon Smith’s deep vocals conjure up images of Jim Morrison, Glenn Danzig or Elvis Presley, while the music is slathered in distortion, blues riffs and/or metal grooves driving it…
Place faith in Higher Ground
Based on the memoir by Carolyn S. Briggs (with the author sharing screenplay duties with Tim Metcalfe), Higher Ground is an honest and probing look at Christianity, a stance that makes it an anomaly in an industry that tends to paint all members of the faith as little more than Bible-thumping rednecks. Up in the…
CD REVIEW: Bill Toms’ Memphis
THE DEAL: Road toasted rock from the heartland. THE GOOD: You might not know the name, but a lot of the music sounds mighty familiar. Bill Toms spends a lot of time in Springsteen territory on his latest release, Memphis. Toms has a history with Springsteen, who produced Toms’ first record, American Babylon, during Toms’…
Staging a war on a frugal budget: CPCC’s The Civil War
A quixotical example of what can be accomplished with ludicrously little manpower, props, or narrative.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ Broad Foundation award not so pretty on the inside
The Broad Foundation rewarded Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools last week for doing some things very well — things many other American public school systems struggle with, such as improving student performance in some of the neediest areas. And for a day or so, everyone was all smiles. You’d never have guessed that the very mention of the…
Exhibit: Alternative Realities
Doma Gallery’s new group exhibition features photographic works printed on canvas and fabric by artists Heather Freeman, Aspen Hochhalter and Jeff Murphy. The processes by which it’s being presented (on canvas and fabric, rather than paper) is drastically apparent. Subject matter reflects manipulations of landscape, portraiture and composition. Opening reception on Oct. 7, from 6…
Exhibit: Table Manners: Functional Pottery For Your Table, A Visual Feast For Your Eyes
Lary & Key Gallery’s new exhibit focuses on homemade food and handmade items, with the importance of visually pleasing arrangements in regard to the food. Potters including Jennifer Mecca, Amy Sanders, Linda Christianson, Victoria Christen, Amy Evans, Ursula Hargens, Allison McGowan, Connie Norman, Gillian Parke, Kari Radasch (see her pictured cake plate), Paula Smith and…
RSVP for the Fabulous Frocking Boutique Tour
Scoop Charlotte and Yelp Charlotte have partnered for a great concept — and I’m a little jealous that we didn’t come up with it ourselves. Introducing the Fabulous Frocking Boutique Tour. Ladies, jump on a bus (courtesy of Ragin’ Uptown) and be escorted around town to some of the area’s best local shops, enjoy some…
Bizarre crimes from Charlotte police files
Dress to Impress: Employees at a local Walmart called police after catching a woman stuffing socks and leggings into her purse. She was taken to the security office, but yelled, cursed and used physical force against the security guard in an attempt to get away. When police arrived, they placed her under arrest, whereupon she…
New Charlotte store openings: Versona Accessories, Social Status
This week, two new shops land on Charlotte’s retail scene for your shopping pleasure. On Sept. 29, an accessories boutique opens its first location, in the Arboretum (8124 Providence Road). Versona Accessories (which also plans stores in Columbia, S.C., Baton Rouge, La., and Louisville, Ky.) will offer jewelry, handbags, shoes, belts, scarves, hair accessories, sunglasses…
Could I take down a T. rex with my Beretta 9mm pistol?
Would I be able to take down a fully-grown T. rex armed only with my Beretta 92FS 9mm pistol and a full clip? What about with a 12-gauge shotgun? — Jeramie Powers At a meta level, the research department was impressed with your question, Jeramie. What with tsunamis, tornadoes, and looming sovereign debt default, Little…
Item of the Week: Salt crystal lamps from Ionic Salts
Salt crystal can come from all over the world, but it is primarily found in the Himalayan foothills of central Asia. The Charlotte-based company Ionic Salts uses this material to produce a line of merchandise said to offer many health and aesthetic benefits, including help to improve one’s “chi.” At present, Ionic Salts carries salt…
Weekly horoscope (Sept. 28-Oct. 4)
Libra The Scales (Sept. 22-Oct. 22) You very likely will encounter someone who wants you to hurry toward a decision. There is a sense of restlessness in another that makes you edgy. Your preference is to rein inward and move slowly, carefully. Look inside yourself to see if you are repressing your own disturbance. Is…
Mr. Goodwill Hunting reveals his living space
Rashon Carraway is dressed for business. Sporting a striped blue-and-white collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up, vest and slacks, and a pair of what my folks in Georgia would simply call church shoes, Carraway’s attention-grabber is his fuschia bowtie. What might surprise you is that he picked up some elements of his outfit —…
Capsule reviews of films playing the week of Sept. 28
BAD TEACHER It’s no Bad Santa, but Bad Teacher brings just enough naughty behavior to the table to make it a decent watch for viewers tired of PG-13 timidity. In her best role since 2005’s underrated In Her Shoes, Cameron Diaz plays Elizabeth Halsey, a gold-digging middle-school teacher who, having just been dumped by her…
Style stalking Kaliope Bambauer-Pattakos
Let’s just say her name isn’t the only unique quality about this aspiring artist. The Dolce Vita (in NoDa) bartender is a big fan of tattoos, fashion and jewelry design and metalsmithing. When she’s not working, she spends her time dabbling in all things art. She’s currently apprenticing at Fu’s Custom Tattoo and hopes to…
Ben-Hur, The Others among new home entertainment titles
BEN-HUR (1959). For over a half-century, this mammoth production has held the record for the most Oscar wins with 11, a feat tied in recent years by Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. While it may be depressing to interpret that as meaning the Academy believes these to be…
Where to find it: Breakfast Tacos (and Burritos)
Size matters, especially in tortillas. Generally, tortillas are made with wheat flour or corn flour and are made into two sizes. The full plate size is typically used for burritos while the smaller size seems perfect for a slimmer taco. Breakfast burritos are readily available, but this is not true for the breakfast taco. Key…
The real ponzi scheme is Wall Street
If 2,000 tea-party activists descended on Wall Street, you would probably have an equal number of reporters there covering them. Yet 2,000 people did occupy Wall Street last Saturday. They weren’t carrying the banner of the tea party, the Gadsden flag with its coiled snake and the threat “Don’t Tread on Me.” Yet their message…
Why religious tolerance is fundamental
“It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are 20 gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.” Is this the heretical assertion of some misguided infidel? The feeble claim from someone who has become completely apathetic? The confused rant of an anarchist? Actually, the source of…
50/50: Seth Rogen lessens the odds
The new comedy-drama 50/50 centers around a cancerous presence, and that refers to Seth Rogen as much as it does to the malignant tumor found located on the spine of young Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Carve Rogen out of the picture, and its chances of being a truly moving film about people coping in sickness and…
La Guerrerense Tortilla Factory and Bakery brings soul — and sweets — to the neighborhood
As far as a neighborhood bakery concept goes, La Guerrerense Bakery and Tortilla Factory in Monroe is unique. When Argentine native Gabriel Hrebien bought a Mexican tortilla bakery two years ago, he knew he would have to continue making tortillas since his business is in the middle of a densely populated Mexican ex-pat neighborhood. All…
Did Barclays help U.S. banks get undeserved foreign tax credits?
Of course some Charlotte-based banks are implicated.
Today’s Top 5: Tuesday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
