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Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Arts Art openings this week
Posted By Anita Overcash on Wed, Sep 10, 2014 at 1:34 PM
Check out these new exhibits, opening this week in Charlotte and the surrounding area.
British Invasion at Bechtler Museum of Modern Art: The exhibit showcases lithographs, drawings, sculptures and paintings created by British artists, including Henry Moore, Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth and Bridget Riley. Oh, and while you're there: Check out the new exhibit, The Firebird: Celebrating Five Years in Charlotte. The main focus is on the Firebird sculpture that stands outside of the museum. Created by Swiss sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle and marking its spot along Levine Center for the Arts in 2009, the exhibit tells the story of the sculpture from past to present. Sept. 10-Feb. 18. $4-$8; Free for members and children 10 years old and under. Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, 420 S. Tryon St. 704-353-9200. www.bechtler.org.
Re/Presenting HIV/AIDS at Davidson College's Van Every/Smith Galleries: The exhibit, featuring 12 artists and a variety of mediums, highlights the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic from both scientific and artistic perspectives. Exhibit continues through Oct. 5. Free admission. 315 N. Main St., Davidson. www.davidsoncollegeartgalleries.org.
In the Hood at New Gallery of Modern Art: Through satirical installations, Willie Little parallels the KKK’s and the Tea Party’s rise to mainstream awareness, as well as juxtaposing ideas between the Tea Party and hip-hop culture. In the exhibit: a 20-foot tall KKK hood; a gold-leafed, diamond-encrusted Mercedes Benz medallion; a gown adorned with black tea bags; and minstrel-like dolls, created by painting white dolls black. Reception on Sept. 11, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Exhibit continues through Oct. 2. Free admission. 435 S. Tryon St. 704-373-1464. www.newgalleryofmodernart.com.
Arts Violin program remembers tragedies of the Holocaust
Posted By Anita Overcash on Wed, Sep 10, 2014 at 11:08 AM
The traveling Violins of Hope exhibit - a showcase of restored violins that trace back to Jews from the Holocaust-era - visited Charlotte back in 2012, when it stopped in at UNC Charlotte. Hearing about it about it made me think of The Pianist, an autobiography by Polish-Jewish pianist and composer Władysław Szpilma. The book, later inspiring a movie of the same title (you might remember Adrian Brody in the lead role), told the tale of a musician’s survival during German Nazis' occupation in Poland. But this blog post is about strings, not keys.
The Violins of Hope exhibit inspired UNC Charlotte professor James A. Grymes to write a book, appropriately titled, Violins of Hope: Violins of the Holocaust - Instruments of Hope and Liberation in Mankind's Darkest Hour, published by Harper Collins in late August.
On Thursday, Grymes will read selections from the book at UNC-Charlotte's Robinson Hall. The book's pages are filled with research on the violins and their owners, each tracing back to powerful and chilling stories. Grymes also writes about Amnon Weinstein, the Israeli violinmaker who restored the violins in the exhibit. Live music will accompany the readings.
Admission is free, but RSVP is required. To reserve tickets, call 704-687-1849 or email boxoffice@uncc.edu. Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m. UNC-Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd. coaa.uncc.edu.
Arts / Today's Top Five Today's Top 5: Wednesday
Posted By Anita Overcash on Wed, Sep 10, 2014 at 9:38 AM
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Sept. 10, 2014 as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.
• Footloose at Theatre Charlotte
• Pinback at Chop Shop
• Screening of How To Survive A Plague at Davidson College
• British Invasion exhibit at Bechtler Museum of Modern Art
• Ghost Trees at Snug Harbor
First Drip First Drip (9/10/14): Immigration advocates urge CMS to allow undocumented volunteers, fire at Wake County nuclear plant, more
Posted By Ana McKenzie on Wed, Sep 10, 2014 at 8:12 AM
Immigration advocates urged Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board members to allow undocumented parents to volunteer at CMS schools. As its policy stands, the district requires drivers licenses and Social Security numbers of all volunteers. But some say that policy excludes undocumented parents. CMS doesn't keep numbers on how many undocumented children it has in its schools, however there are about 27,000 Latino students. School board members did not decide on the matter.
File this under weird news in Wake County. A laundry machine, of all things, caught fire at the Harris Nuclear Plant in the southern part of the county. Fortunately the fire was put out immediately. And before you ask, apparently the machine is there for cleaning staff to wash rags.
Alabama is extraditing a father back to South Carolina after he allegedly killed his five children, whose ages ranged from 1 to 8. The bodies of the children, who were reported missing in South Carolina, were discovered in Alabama.
More bad news for the NFL this week. Jerry Jones is being accused of sexual assault by a woman who made news a few weeks ago by releasing compromising photos with the Dallas Cowboys owner. Jana Weckerly filed suit in Dallas this week, claiming Jones sexually assaulted her and then tried to talk her into signing a confidentiality agreement. Weckerly is seeking $1 million.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Comic Afterthoughts The Pull List (9/8/14): The Whedon Three Way (and a goodbye)
Posted By Andy Smith on Tue, Sep 9, 2014 at 12:06 PM
Dark Horse Comics knows how to milk a few bucks out of a name.
That’s why this week sees the release of The Whedon Three Way — three-comics-in-one for only a buck. The one-shot introduces readers to comic book incarnations of some of Joss Whedon’s best-known properties, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel & Faith, and Serenity: Leaves on the Wind. The collective creative team includes brother Zack Whedon, Christos Gage, Victor Gischler, Georges Jeanty, and more.
Really, though, three comics for $1 is a pretty great deal. And you can’t argue with quality, either, as the Whedon fanbase continues to grow, despite his lack of involvement with the comic book medium (unless you count directing one of the biggest Marvel films of all time, and its sequel).
So check it out, if you can spare the buck. Otherwise, don’t miss the second installment of Death of Wolverine, which wowed us all with its first issue. See what else is out after the jump.
And now, a goodbye. Unfortunately, in light of the recent purchase of Creative Loafing, my regular column must end due to budgetary changes.
My wife and I moved to Charlotte in June 2013, and I started writing Comic Afterthoughts shortly after arriving here. Every week, it's been a privilege to talk comics and cover local events for this blog. And despite this news, I look forward to seeing (and debating with) you at area shops and conventions. For now, if you're still interested in my thoughts on new releases each week, you can check out my Twitter page. But expect the occasional photo of my dogs, too.
I do plan to make the occasional reappearance in CL's print edition, but for now, I'll say, see ya around.
Now, and I mean it this time, check out this week's line-up of new releases. See you Wednesday.
Arts / Today's Top Five Today's Top 5: Tuesday
Posted By Anita Overcash on Tue, Sep 9, 2014 at 9:00 AM
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Sept. 9, 2014 as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.
• Spiral Bound at McGlohon Theater
• Made in Charlotte Film Competition Awards Party at Suite
• The Weeks and Junior Astronomers at Tremont Music Hall
• Citizens' Climate Hearing at Myers Park Baptist Church
• Angie Aparo and Levi Lowery at Evening Muse
First Drip First Drip (9/9/14): City Council extends streetcar, video incriminates Ray Rice, more
Posted By Ana McKenzie on Tue, Sep 9, 2014 at 8:17 AM
City Council once again voted in favor of the controversial streetcar, at last night's meeting. Members approved a $150 million extension plan despite concerns over rising costs. Republicans Kenny Smith and Ed Driggs voted against the measure, as did Democrats Claire Fallon and Michael Barnes.
A Dutch reports claims a large number of outside fragments, or what could have been a "proximity" warhead, brought down a Malaysia Airline flight in July over pro-Russian rebel-held parts of Ukraine that killed about 230 people mostly from the Netherlands.
Had it not been for a TMZ video showing him knocking out his then-fiance, Ray Rice would have played the next Baltimore Raven's game, against Cleveland. "A man who hit a woman so hard he dropped her like a rag doll and left her lifeless-looking body face down on the elevator floor for several moments — before trying to clear her feet of the elevator door as if she were a cumbersome piece of furniture he was moving — was supposed to go to work like every other American in two weeks’ time."
Municipal courts are to be reformed, a police review board added, in Ferguson, Missouri, after a white police officers shot and killed a black, unarmed 18-year-old, a death heard 'round the world. Ferguson City Council will hold public hearings to gather more ideas for change.
Monday, September 8, 2014
News Godless church comes to (gasp!) Charlotte
Posted By Ana McKenzie on Mon, Sep 8, 2014 at 3:15 PM
A godless church. It’s OK to say out loud. A church with no (G)(g)od, religion or faith.
Two comedians in London were on their way to a gig when they started talking about God — or, rather, how they didn’t believe in God. From that conversation came the Sunday Assembly, a gathering space created last year for nonbelievers that has spread to cities everywhere, becoming the fastest-growing church in the world, so says the Daily Beast. Charlotte’s first Sunday Assembly is scheduled for Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. For more information — and to find out whether the phenomena will catch on in this holy city — we turned to the event’s co-organizer, Richard Fortuna. The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Arts / Today's Top Five Today's Top 5: Monday
Posted By Anita Overcash on Mon, Sep 8, 2014 at 9:00 AM
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Sept. 8, 2014 as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.
• Terry Bozzio at Neighborhood Theatre
• Gay Men's Chorus of Charlotte Open Rehearsal at St. Martin's Episcopal Church
• Screening of Resistance at UNC Charlotte Center City
• Find Your Muse Open Mic featuring Matt Phillips at Evening Muse
• Knocturnal at Snug Harbor
First Drip First Drip (9/8/14): Duke to build eight natural gas plants, destroying ISIS will take years, more
Posted By Ana McKenzie on Mon, Sep 8, 2014 at 8:05 AM
Duke Energy will still rely heavily on fossil fuels to supply the Carolinas with energy over the next 15 years but will incorporate more natural gas into the mix. The company recently released its 15-year plan, which says it will build eight natural gas plants between 2015 and 2029.
North Carolina regulators apparently forgot to make sure employers of construction workers who received federal assistance in 2009 adhered "to a host of labor laws and tax codes directing employers to pay unemployment taxes and to withhold federal and state income taxes and Social Security taxes from workers’ paychecks."
Destroying ISIS could take until the end of President Obama's term. The just-announced campaign includes air strikes, which are currently underway, and training Iraqi military, Kurdish fighters and possibly some Sunni tribes. The last leg of the campaign, which would destroy the army in its hideout in Syria, will likely be executed by the next president. Why ISIS may not be as powerful as we think.
British markets aren't sure if Scotland will, indeed, declare itself independent from the United Kingdom. In other British news, Kate and Will are expecting their second child.
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