Check out these events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area this weekend— as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.

Friday, Nov. 11
Fancy Pants Dance
Hilton Charlotte Center City
Pants aren’t just vital to our wardrobe anymore. Art For Life — an organization supporting children and families facing serious illnesses and disabilities through art education — has a different function in mind. Its fundraising event, Fancy Pants Dance, wants folks to give their garments an artistic makeover. A “fanciest pants” contest determines who’s got the best (and most creatively decked out) fanny-covering threads. Live music, dancing and live/silent auctions are featured throughout the evening’s festivities. May the best pants win.

• Film Foodies who’ve heard of the acclaimed El Bulli, a high-end eatery in Roses, Spain, will undoubtedly find The Light Factory’s latest screening in its First Run Films series tasteful. Directed by Gereon Wetzel, the documentary El Bulli: Cooking In Progress went behind the scenes of the now closed (as of July 2011) culinary mecca’s training months. Side note: For those not familiar, it used to close for six months out of the year in preparation for seasonal menus. The restaurant’s renowned Spanish chef, Ferran Adrià, aka “Salvador Dali of the kitchen,” is praised for his detailed study of food as avant-garde art. More...

• Comedy Fans of brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans will want to pay a visit to The Comedy Zone Charlotte this weekend. Best known for their TV roles in In Living Color and The Wayans Brothers, the seemingly inseparable duo has gone from sitcoms to stand-up. More...

Check out these events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area this weekend— as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.

Friday, Nov. 4
Jeff Hahne's Homebrew Vol. 5 CD Release Party
Neighborhood Theatre
Freebies are great; so great that I used to grab them whenever I spotted them. The down side to that was an increase in clutter. Needless to say, I’m more careful about what I pick up now and I’m not going to recommend you snatch anything that’s not worth it. Jeff Hahne, my co-worker/music editor at Creative Loafing, is also choosey, especially in the realm of music. His annual compilation CD is a conglomeration of 15 handpicked Charlotte-area bands of varying genres. Tonight during its release party at Neighborhood Theatre, you can get it for free and watch some of the bands — Temperance League, Lucky Five, The Cement Stars, Side by Side and The Bear Romantic (pictured) — included on it, perform. Enjoy!

• Arts 11:11, the title of local artist Erich J. Moffitt’s exhibit at Custom/Espada Bicycles in NoDa — opening tonight — is simple enough. It’s November and the year is 2011. The whimsical illustrations in the solo showcase are a whole ‘nother story. Multifaceted in appearance, the colorful wonderland of works are derived from Moffitt's creative ideas for future children’s books. More...

• Arts Who doesn’t love variety (especially when it comes to art)? Tonight at Ciel Gallery, folks can take a glimpse at new works by members of Charlotte Artery (including Julie Benda, Sharon Dowell, Teresa Hollmeyer, Paul Keysar, Bev Nagy, Isaac Payne, Terry Shipley, Natalie Abrams, Diane Pike, and Pamela Winegard), displayed in the fall exhibit, which has an opening reception, from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. More...

Saturday, Nov. 5
Retro Prom-O-Rama
Freeman's Pub
It’s misleading to think the sexy, tatted-up ladies who make up Riot Dolls (all pictured) — an all-female group promoting femininity and diversity through the beauty of curvy inky-limbs, which they feel is somewhat void in the mainstream modeling industry — are just eye candy. Though they aren’t strangers to striking a pose, the gals are rabid about promoting arts and organizing creative ways to raise money for local charities. Currently they’re primming up for the Retro Prom-O-Rama, celebrating styles from the 1920s to the ’50s to benefit The Shelter of Gaston County, A Battered Woman’s Residence and Resource Center. At the event, folks will have the opportunity to down some brews and surrender to sybaritic jitterbug boogies as live music freshens the dance floor. There’s also a prom king/queen ceremony, a Miss Hot Rod Honey pin-up pageant, a silent auction and art show. Sounds like the prom you wish you’d had, right?

Check out these events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area this weekend— as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.

Friday, Oct. 28
Brendon Walsh
The Mill
You don’t have to have a twisted sense of humor to be a comedian, but Brendon Walsh has it down pat. The prankster has been known to exploit things as innocent as birthday cakes and puppies for kicks. Walsh — who has starred on NBC’s Last Comic Standing and Comedy Central — also appeared in The Unbookables, a documentary film about the difficult task of stand-up success. Judging by the fact that he’s on tour, it looks like he’s still in the game. DeVan Penegar hosts with openers, including Chris Layton and former Charlottean, now Atlanta-based, comic Carlos Valencia. Halloween costumes are welcomed.

• Nightlife For many folks, holidays are the prime time for doing some much needed inebriation. In its sixth year, the annual Halloween Howler Costume Bar Crawl makes the drinking-too-much (at Buckhead Saloon, Town Tavern, Tilt, Howl at the Moon, and Suite) experience even better with its dressing-up encouragement. The better the costume, the more unrecognizable you’ll be when you start stumbling around like a fool. Costume contests (best overall guy costume, best overall girl costume, most creative and sexiest) too. More...

• Nightlife Most comic book fans are always looking for good reason to geek out and dress up as their favorite superheroes. Spider-Man, Iron Man, The Hulk, Thor, Captain America and their rivals are all credible candidates for a nighttime transformation at Suite’s Marvel Halloween Party. DJ Marvel spins to keep the dance floor animated, while a costume contest (no superpowers allowed) raises the bar for some friendly competition. More...

Saturday, Oct. 29
NoDaWeen
Neighborhood Theatre
NoDa is still a kick-ass neighborhood, even if some of its most prominent art galleries have closed. To celebrate Halloween, the annual NoDaWeen features four events: KiDaWeen, a child-friendly fest with apples-bobbing, face-painting, storytelling, a costume contest and a screening of Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were Rabbit; Freaky 5K Twilight Race, an evening run with prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for fastest male and female runners and best costume; Dinner and a Movie, with Halloween-inspired trivia, dinner served from Mac’s Speed Shop and a screening of the 1976 horror flick Carrie (’70s prom attire is encouraged); and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a midnight movie showing with prop bags. All proceeds benefit the NoDa Neighborhood Association — a nonprofit promoting the arts, supporting local businesses and aiding charities — so in addition to some fun, you’ll also be helping the ’hood continue to thrive.

Check out these events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area this weekend— as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.

Friday, Oct. 21
El Dia de los Muertos
Baku Gallery and Pura Vida
In Mexican tradition, El Dia de los Muertos (English: Day of the Dead) is a time to remember deceased loved ones. The holiday (which sounds more gloomy than it is) is also somewhat of a celebration of life, since festivities are shared among friends and family. In NoDa, Pura Vida is decorating with a colorful exhibit of sugar skulls as well as an altar where folks can contribute flowers, photos, food and drink. Next door at Baku Gallery, art by local artists (William and Lauren Puckett, Joel Tracy, Joey Vernon, Amanda Powell, Hayley Lakeman, Jake Thorsell and more) also pays homage to the spirited.

• Music As if Charlotte hasn’t reached its peak with Romare Bearden fever, the Charlotte Symphony’s Bearden 100 concert at Belk Theater continues to honor the much-loved artist with Carolina roots. The show will feature music by composers Duke Ellington and Aaron Copland paired with Bearden’s images of Harlem, Southern life and Mecklenburg County. Jacomo Rafael Bairos conducts. More...

• Film The American Institute of Architects and Bechtler Museum of Modern Art have joined forces for a new Architecture + Film series that is described as investigating “themes in modern and contemporary architecture through the lens of film.” Tonight’s screening, Infinite Space: The Architecture of John Lautner, is a documentary following the life and work of Lautner, a prolific California architect of the 20th century and protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright. Chris Jarrett (UNCC Professor and Director of the School of Architecture) will speak and lead a discussion about the film as well. Reception begins at 6 p.m., discussion/film screening at 7 p.m. More...

Saturday, Oct. 22
Plaster Body Workshop
Ciel Gallery + Mosaic Studio
Folks who have ever wondered what it would be like to have a mold of yourself will find Ciel Gallery + Mosaic Studio's Plaster Body Casting a worthwhile experience. It isn't often the opportunity arises to be cast in plaster by an expert, but today Tina Alberni - one of Ciel's partners and the artist facilitating the workshop - is looking for faces, hands, or feet to lather in gooey substrate. The safe and fast plaster technique results in what could be described as a work of art and/or a creepy centerpiece for Halloween, depending on how you look at it.

Check out these events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area this weekend— as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.

Friday, Oct. 14
The Addams Family
Ovens Auditorium
Blumenthal's Broadway Light series takes a creepy and kooky turn this week. The Addams Family musical, created by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, takes the freaky fam we all came to love from Charles Addams' cartoons and TV/movie spinoffs and puts them directly in the spotlight. How Wednesday Addams could get a nice, normal guy - Lucas Beineke from Ohio - for a boyfriend never ceases to amaze me. But nonetheless, that's what happens, and when the couple's "undying" (pun intended) love grows stronger, a dinner social between the two families is in order at the ghost-infested mansion. Luckily the outcome is more believable. It all turns out to be one of the most deviant, disastrous dining experiences ever. Cheers to that.

• Music Formed in 1989, the alt-metal group Helmet broke up in roughly a decade later, only to reform in 2004. Though the only constant in band members has been founder Page Hamilton, the group — performing tonight at Neighborhood Theatre - has released three albums since its reunion, most recently Seeing Eye Dog in 2010. The band combines heavy, distortion-fueled with guitar with crisp drums and clear vocals. More...

• Theater Carolina Actors Studio Theatre has a way of making folks take a deeper look into the psyche. Its latest production, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde adds a strange case of experimental touches to 19th-century author Robert Louis Stevenson's already lurid novella, which has been spruced up for the stage thanks to Jeffrey Hatcher's dramatic adaptation. The tale of split personalities, transformations, deception, morality (good vs. evil), is gripping enough, and what better time than around Halloween to touch down. More...

Saturday, Oct. 15
Portrait for Hell
Actor's Theatre of Charlotte
It's not every day that a horror flick is filmed in the Carolinas, but Nosfilmatu Productions has sunk its teeth deep into the setting, which has been twisted into a down right frightening place to buy real estate. Portrait For Hell was written and directed by Thorin Thompson and stars local theatrical talents Michelle Harkness and Berry Newkirk who act as a couple fresh into their first home. Shortly after moving in they begin experiencing nightmares and hauntings. When wifey takes to painting while unconscious, her husband begins to learn more about what is apparently a century-old mystery.

• Benefit Zombie alert! For those with a liking for undead fiends, dressing in your grotesque best for the fifth annual Charlotte Zombie Walk should be a no brainer. The event benefits Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina and Costumes for Kids. More...

• Festival Christopher Columbus Italian Club of Charlotte’s annual Ciao Italia Festival has switched locations this year (it’s being held at St. Matthew Catholic Church), but it still promises a day of all things Italian. Food, pastries, wine, beer, music, dancing, activities and more will have you screaming ‘Mamma mia!’ in no time. More...

Sunday, Oct. 16
15 Short Film Festival
The Evening Muse
The 15 Short Film Festival might not be the most pleasurable thing for your ass, but it's certainly entertaining enough to have you pinned to your seat (with hopefully a quick stand-up break) for however many hours it takes to screen 20 films (15 minutes or less each). In its fifth year, the fest - started up by Charlotte natives Ryan Walker, Antonio Diaz and Keith Whatley - features selections from a number of different countries (12 are representing this go-round) in varying genres. This includes Paths of Hate (pictured), an animated flick by Polish director Damian Nenow about the action-packed (and obviously bloody) adventures of two fighter pilots in grueling WWII-era combat.

Check out these events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area this weekend— as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.

Friday, October 7
Lost x Found Exhibit
Expada Bicycles
Local surreal artist Scott Partridge tries to keep track of his works, but over the years, certain pieces have disappeared. In his musings over where they might have ended up, Partridge came up with the idea for his latest show, Lost x Found. The exhibit features recreated past-time art by Partridge. A new massive painting with folks from Partridge’s Facebook page will also be on display. Take it from someone who’s already seen it, it’s pretty darn impressive. Opening reception tonight, from 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

• Theater Imagining skaters inside the confines of the rather tight Duke Energy Theatre is a little bit far out — until you consider Queen City Theatre Company is behind it all. In its latest production of Xanadu The Musical, there will be wheels, squeals and ’80s flashbacks. For those unfamiliar with the cult classic that starred the lovely Olivia Newton-John, the flick follows the journey of a magical Greek muse who journeys from the heavens of Mount Olympus to Venice Beach. And the cause for such travel? To inspire a struggling artist to follow his dreams of opening a roller disco. More...

• Benefit Hospitality House of Charlotte — a nonprofit organization that provides affordable lodging for families who are undergoing medical treatment — wants folks to take off their dressy clothes, throw on some pajamas and come on over to Pavilion at EpiCentre to help them raise money. The event, PJs For A Cause, welcomes sleepwear-clad partygoers with a night of music (DJ Jazze Jime and On The Border, an Eagles tribute band) and jammie contests for “Most Creative,” “Best Couple,” and “Sexiest.” More...

Saturday, October 8
Weird Al Yankovic
Ovens Auditorium
Just when you thought the release of a new Weird Al Yankovic album was bleak comes Alpocalypse. The new disc, Yankovic's first full-length studio album in five years, brings destruction to the pop landscape with parodies of popular radio-friendly numbers. This includes "Perform This Way" (based off of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way"), "TMZ" (based off of Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me"), "Party in the CIA" (based off of Miley Cyrus' "Party in the U.S.A.") and other mainstream tunes all headed for hilarious impending doom.

• Special Event Beer, beer and more beer is pretty much the mantra for the 2011 Charlotte Oktoberfest. Folks with a fancy for bubbling brews can taste (sip or chug) samples from notable breweries known for their crafting. Food (brats, hot dogs, pretzels) should be consumed with care. The more you eat, the more you drink. Just be careful not to overdo it, so that you don’t end up spending the majority of your time by the toilet. Live entertainment and games (table tennis, foosball, corn hole and others) in Creative Loafing’s own Beerlympic Village. More...

• Music Shot Silk has only been performing for a few months, but this Charlotte rock quartet is already developing a solid stage presence. Singer Katie Dunn has a comfortable approach to her performances while guitarist Hayley Lakeman drives forth the tunes with Tool-like riffs soaked in a hint of blues. If it’s this good already, I can’t wait to see how they continue to develop down the road. With Mego and Greevace at Neighborhood Theatre. More...

Sunday, October 9
Latino Americano Festival
Symphony Park
Charlotte’s Festival Latino Americano has the reputation of overdoing it, with its massive gathering of Latino talents. Visual artists, dancers, food (lots of vendors make it hard to choose what to munch on, so be sure to bring extra cash) and music thrive at this cultural fiesta. This year’s line-up of bands includes the likes of Xperimento (pictured), Jose Conde and Aterciopelados, along with many more throughout the day. And it’s only $5 to get in. Can you say bargain in Spanish?

Check out these events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area this weekend— as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.

Friday, Sept. 30
A Night of Indie Music and Comedy
The Mill
Mixing comedy and music in one show is a nice combination. Not only do you get to laugh, but you also get to relax the muscles in your face, as is the case during A Night of Indie Music and Comedy at The Mill. This Friday, folks can get their comedy fix from DeVan Penegar and Michael Robinette. Music by Alexa Woodward and Ukrainian-born/Brooklyn-based Alina Simone (pictured) will follow. Simone, known for her more melancholy folk-esque sounds, went more rampant with rock on her recent disc Make Your Own Danger. The songstress — whose fam emigrated to the U.S. after the KBG blacklisted her father — had last released 2008’s Everyone is Crying Out to Me, Beware, a tribute of Siberian punk-folk singer Yanka Dyagileva covers sung entirely in Russian. Simone also just put out her debut memoir, titled You Must Go and Win. Seems she most certainly has a way with words.

• Music Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, the new Nashville explosion is palpable in pop music, but don't let this band get lost in the shuffle as just another act trying to get over on where they're from instead of what they play. The band managed to tour constantly since forming in 2006 and sell tens of thousands of albums without a label or a booking agent. The same indie spirit that drives their music, which doesn't easily fit into a box, also strives to tap into the humanity in us all. Performing tonight at The Evening Muse. More...

• Film Make the tread over to Gem Theatre in Kannapolis today for the Modern Film Festival. This year's fest will screen 12 indie movies (some of which were filmed right here in the Carolinas). Live music, belly dancing, a zombie walk and gala are also in the mix. More...

Saturday, Oct. 1
Alta~Cation's Echo Fashion Show and Art Gala
Grand Central
As if we didn’t get enough fashion flaunting last week (during not one, but two fashion extravaganzas here in the Q.C.), now comes Alta~Cation’s Echo Fashion Show and Art Gala at Grand Central. Models divulge designer (Alta~Cation and Gone Ape) garb — see a sample of Alta~Cation apparel, pictured — as well as jewelry (by Dawn Stevens and Jackie Ramer). But this isn’t just an apparel-absorbed affair. Musicians (Electric Coma, Victoria Sage Ethridge and Deadstar Blues) and visual artists (Ashley Pierson-Ibarra, Carlleena Person and Kat Murphy) are slated to participate as well. Cash bar available for the merry swigging of bevs. And best of all, the whole thing is free — though, donations (moola and/or art supplies) will be accepted and given to Charlotte Urban Ministries Artreach 945. Don’t be a freeloader.