CLCLT.COM | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 VOL. 30, NO. 36
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COVER STORY THE HALLOWEEN GUIDE: 31 Spooktacular Things to Do.
BY ANITA OVERCASH AND RYAN PITKIN THIS WEEK’S COVER WAS DESIGNED BY DANA VINDIGNI.
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Check out our big list of Halloween events on page 24.
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NEWS&VIEWS DIRTY WORK IN THE DARK: Ethics case leaves questions unanswered about McCrory’s meeting with Duke. BY RHIANNON FIONN 12 CLASS IN SESSION 12 THE BLOTTER 13 NEWS OF THE WEIRD
14
FOOD THE PARMASTER AND HIS DISCIPLE: Easy
eggplant parmesan techniques.
BY ARI LEVAUX 16 THREE-COURSE SPIEL
22
ARTS&ENT THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Reviews of Grace for President and Fall Works.
BY PERRY TANNENBAUM 20 FILM REVIEWS
28
MUSIC
MANDOLIN ORANGE PUSHES FOR EXTRA PULP: Chapel Hill-based band talks Blindfaller and more.
30 CD REVIEW 32 SOUNDBOARD
18
ODDS&ENDS
18 TOP 10 THINGS TO DO 34 HOROSCOPE 34 NIGHTLIFE 35 CROSSWORD 36 SAVAGE LOVE
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NEWS
FEATURE
A room at the Governor’s Mansion, where records from dinner meetings between the McCrory administration and Duke Energy seem to have disappeared.
LETICIA SAMUELS
DIRTY WORK IN THE DARK Ethics case leaves questions unanswered about McCrory’s meeting with Duke BY RHIANNON FIONN
W
HILE THE NORTH Carolina Ethics Commission earlier this year dismissed a complaint against Gov. Pat McCrory’s office related to a meeting with Duke Energy officials and other issues, advocates say key questions remain unanswered. 10 | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | CLCLT.COM
In particular, the process did not provide any more insight into a 2015 dinner between state officials, Duke Energy’s CEO and key staff. Advocates have raised questions about the timing of the meeting, which took place just days before the state issued key permits for two coal ash sites.
“They just looked at it on its face and didn’t dig — they didn’t have time to,” says Therese Vick of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL), who authored the complaint. In its decision, obtained by Southeast Energy News last month*, the commission said
there are not “facts sufficient” to determine a violation. Records requests by BREDL and media organizations have failed to turn up an agenda or notes from the meeting. One expert says the commission acted within the scope of its duties. “Based on my review of the complaint,
Commission determination and state law, it appears to me that the Commission acted within the scope of its statutorily imposed parameters, a scope that it does not have the legal authority to exceed,” says Norma R. Houston, a lecturer for UNC Chapel Hill’s School of Government. When asked to comment on the meeting, Duke Energy spokesperson Paige Sheehan responded via email, “As a highly regulated company, we seek to have constructive discussions with regulators and elected officials where we respond to their questions and update them on a variety of issues that are of importance to the state and its citizens.” At the time the meeting was disclosed by WRAL, a Raleigh TV station that discovered it through a review of public records, a McCrory spokesman said the discussion “included topics about the economy, the environment, energy and job creation.” State officials at the time declined to discuss further details. During an Oct. 18 debate between McCrory and gubernatorial candidate Roy Cooper, the state’s attorney general, the governor broke his silence about the meeting. McCrory, a longtime former employee of Duke Energy, stated that during the dinner meeting he and his guests discussed coal ash legislation that he later vetoed. However, his statement does not match the timeline of events. The North Carolina General Assembly passed the Coal Ash Management Act in 2014, which became law without McCrory’s signature in August of that year. The dinner meeting at the governor’s mansion took place 10 months later, and the vetoed bill in question wasn’t introduced in the General Assembly until a year after that. McCrory did, in fact, veto a coal ash bill in July 2016, objecting to the creation of a Coal Ash Management Commission whose purpose would have been to watchdog the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality during the statewide coal-ash cleanup process. While the Cooper campaign did not respond to requests for comment, it did release a statement immediately following the debate pointing out the governor’s gaffe. The governor’s office referred all requests for comment to McCrory’s campaign chair, Ricky Diaz, who did not respond to multiple requests.
COAL-ASH LANDFILL PERMITS ISSUED FOLLOWING DINNER MEETING
The four-page ethics complaint, received by the Commission on June 26, 2016, cites potential violations of the State Government Ethics Act, including the June 1, 2015, dinner between McCrory, Duke Energy CEO Lynn
Gov. Pat McCrory. Good, Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Donald van der Vaart, “and various legal counsel” at the governor’s mansion. The complaint also accuses the McCrory administration of using NCDEQ media resources for political purposes and cites a lack of transparency by state government regarding public records requests and the controversial dinner meeting. In the complaint, Vick writes, “Four days after the meeting between the governor, Duke Energy and the DEQ secretary, permits were issued for two controversial coal ash landfills in Lee and Chatham counties.” A press release announcing the issuance of those permits was published via NCDEQ’s website on June 5, 2015. At that time, Vick says, “There had already been a violation at the Brickhaven location (in Chatham county); the violation was for doing something they didn’t have a permit for.” Vick suspects the new permits were an outcome of the dinner meeting. “I think that Gov. McCrory has a unique relationship with Duke Energy,” she said. Requests for comment sent to NCDEQ Communication Director Mike Rusher went unanswered. A March 2016 profile on NCDEQ Secretary van der Vaart in the Triangle Business Journal included this comment from him, “‘If you look at my publicly available calendar, you’ll find I have meetings with Duke all the time,” he says, adding that he meets with all kinds of groups, from the state’s largest utility to the Sierra Club. ‘There’s nothing secret about that meeting.
CARICATURE BY ARTIST DONKEYHOTEY. ORIGINAL PHOTO BY HAL GOODTREE.
That’s a great example of a non-issue.’” In its Notice of Dismissal, dated July 26, 2016, the Ethics Commission writes, “After reviewing the complaint and other information provided by Complainant, the Panel determined that the complaint did not allege facts sufficient to constitute a violation within the Commission’s jurisdiction.” Vick, however, notes that the state agencies that may be in possession of those facts have been unwilling to make them public. “Our compilation was pretty specific,” she says, referring to the portion of her complaint alleging NCDEQ’s failure to disclose information in response to public records requests. In the complaint, Vick explains that she submitted a public records request to NCDEQ “asking for information related to DEQ staff meeting with representatives from Duke Energy. The information on the June 1 meeting was withheld. Also troublesome, the meeting was not disclosed during the discovery process related to challenges to two environmental permits regarding coal ash disposal.” Information about the meeting was requested as part of the discovery process for a BREDL lawsuit regarding the mining permits and also as a separate public records request. “We know that van der Vaart was there (at the dinner meeting), and he was one of the people that we had specifically asked for a list of any contacts he had with anyone from Duke Energy,” said Vick; “We found out about the dinner when the media found out.” On July 21, 2015, at the request of BREDL, the North Carolina Attorney General’s
office issued a memo to NCDEQ stating, in part, “As you should already be aware, your Departments are under a continuing obligation to preserve all records related to coal ash.” The memo continues: “This litigation gives rise to a legal duty to preserve records that may be potentially relevant to the case, and to prevent destruction of such records. The failure to adequately perform this duty, even when inadvertent or unintentional, can have serious consequences, including sanctions from the court.” At the time it broke the news of the meeting, state officials told WRAL that no records of what was discussed at the dinner existed: “In response to a public records request, the Department of Environmental Quality said Secretary Donald van der Vaart neither received an agenda for the meeting nor recorded the discussion in any way. A similar request to the Governor’s Office yielded only emails and calendar entries arranging the meal and the meeting, but officials say there were no emails or other documents detailing what topics were discussed or why exactly the meeting was called.” “By statute, neither the commission nor its staff may comment on or provide any documents related to any complaint or possible complaint against someone covered by the Ethics Act,” wrote Pamela B. Cashwell, assistant director of the North Carolina State Ethics Commission. “Complaints and responses filed with the Commission and reports, other investigative documents and records of the Commission connected to an inquiry, are confidential and not matters of public record.” The Commission’s dismissal letter was provided to Southeast Energy News on Sept. 22 by Vick with the approval of BREDL’s attorney. The Notice of Dismissal states that McCrory was notified of the allegations on June 27 and that the commission forwarded the complaint to McCrory on July 8 “and initiated a preliminary inquiry.” On July 20, “the Panel reviewed the information resulting from the preliminary inquiry.” And on July 26, the Notice of Dismissal was signed by Perry Y. Newson, Executive Director for the Panel. The commission’s dismissal of her ethics complaint has not deterred Vick. “If we don’t continue to push — the communities being impacted by coal ash and other things — to bring this information into the sunshine, they are going to keep doing their dirty work in the dark. They are certainly not trying to be transparent,” Vick says. *This article was originally published by our news partner Southeast Energy News on Oct. 19.
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VIEWS
CLASS IN SESSION
STUCK IN THE MIDDLE Duvernay’s 13th highlights a quandary for black voters the world’s prisoners. One in three prisoners ALTHOUGH I FULLY intend to are black men and more than 60 percent of exercise my right to vote in the upcoming American prisoners are people of color. This presidential election, I am not pleased with has resulted in a new slave labor force where the two candidates of choice. This quandary prisoners are forced to work for 12 cents an became even more exasperated for me after hour for corporations like Victoria’s Secret recently viewing Ava DuVernay’s provocative and Walmart. Sobering stats, but what took documentary, 13th, a film that chronicles in me to task in how this relates to the election great detail the intersection of race and mass is how the Clintons and Trump are depicted incarceration in this country. in the documentary and the roles they have The film title references the 13th historically played. amendment to the Constitution, ratified You see, Ronald Reagan and his boo in 1865 and stating, “Neither slavery Nancy — with her historical “Just Say No” nor involuntary servitude, except as a catchphrase — may have started the War punishment for crime whereof the party on Drugs, but it was the Clintons who shall have been duly convicted, shall exist provided the weapons needed to fight it. In within the United States, or any place subject 1994, President Clinton signed an infamous to their jurisdiction.” Now you might say, federal crime bill that decimated already“What does that have to do with the voting marginalized communities by tearing families process?” I will tell you, but first, let’s have part and leaving countless children a talk about mass incarceration. without parental support. Hillary Michelle Alexander, noted may not have signed the author of The New Jim law, but her now infamous Crow, does an excellent job characterization of urban of breaking down how a youth as “super-predators” loophole in the 13th kept in step with the Amendment created historical characterization the blueprint for mass of black men as violent incarceration. Some white and predatory. folks were pissed off that Trump’s less than there were a bunch of free stellar history is also CHARLES slaves running around, revealed in his reaction to the which, in their eyes, brought EASLEY case of the Central Park Five. the entire South’s infrastructure Trump took out ads denouncing to a grinding halt. five black teenagers who were falsely The 13th Amendment loophole imprisoned for raping a white woman in should have jumped out at you when you 1989. He called for the execution of the young read the language stating that slavery and men, who were later exonerated. The most involuntary servitude are wrong, “except as a disturbing visual of the film, however, as it punishment for crime.” In order to continue relates to this election season, shows Trump to practice legislated white supremacy, the sharing statements at recent rallies like, “In powers that be had to criminalize black folks, the old days protesters would be carried out jailing them for minor stuff like loitering. on stretchers.” Trump continues to share This was the first wave of mass incarceration incendiary statements as DuVernay shows of black folk, all for the sole purpose of using angry white Trump supporters being violent them as cheap labor. against black protesters. These contemporary Criminalization has played perhaps scenes of aggression are juxtaposed against the largest part in this evolution of white archival footage of civil rights protesters. The supremacy, and prisons have now become result is both chilling and repugnant. cash cows — keeping them at capacity a Some critics say 13th does not offer priority. There is a direct relation to how solutions. I find it amusing that the blacks are treated by authority figures and mainstream always expects the marginalized the pressure to fill prisons. The pervasive to fix systems created and controlled by the and consistent narrative of black folks being oppressors. What DuVernay does is silence violent justifies the power structure to the voices in our heads that tell us that we lock them up en masse. Mass incarceration as people of color are being paranoid about authorizes aggression against brown bodies. historical policy and issues of race that aid The film 13th shares some staggering in our oppression. However, it should also statistics on America’s prison population. Peep make us even more vigilant in holding those this: the U.S. represents only 5 percent of the who seek our vote to task. world’s population but holds 25 percent of BACKTALK@CLCLT.COM 12 | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | CLCLT.COM
NEWS
BLOTTER
BY RYAN PITKIN
BOO A 62-year-old man filed a police report after being assaulted with a Halloween decoration last week. The man said he was standing outside of his Myers Park home when he got into an argument with a neighbor. According to the report, “the argument turned into a physical altercation when the victim stated that the suspect threw a large pumpkin that struck him on the left side of his torso.” The suspect then drove off in their car. The man suffered minor injuries, including a bruised ego, but did not need medical attention. DON’T START SHIT There are worse
things to be hit with during an argument than a pumpkin, as one woman learned in east Charlotte last week. The woman told officers that she was arguing with someone when the person suddenly threw a cat’s litter box at her, striking her in the leg. The woman was not injured, although one could argue that, if the litterbox was full, that’s a grievous injury in itself.
UMMM
WHAT A 15-year-old boy apparently fell victim to some sort of fraud last week in east Charlotte. The kid apparently was ripped off for a pair of shoes, probably by someone on the internet, but the police report left more questions than answers. For those who are into translations, try your hand at this language, which is the CMPD’s way of saying that a kid got catfished: “The victim stated that the listed suspect made a representation about a past or existing fact or a future event that is false and was calculated and intended to deceive, and the representation does in fact deceived (sic) the victim, and the suspect obtained the listed property.” Sounds like when you’ve got a five-page paper due and two pages of ideas.
THESE DON’T WORK A thief in the NoDa neighborhood was looking for a pharmaceutical rush last week, but was surely disappointed after checking his stash after the fact. A 23-year-old woman told officers that someone broke into her car and stole 20 pills in her prescription Adderall bottle. The thief wouldn’t be getting much done by popping them, however, as the victim added that she had run out of her prescription and had filled the bottle with Advil in case of a headache. JACKPOT An east Charlotte man who filed a police report after his home was broken into last week was clearly a foodie, as he felt it necessary to give the proper description of each food product the thief had walked out with. The 72-year-old man told officers that someone broke into his home in the Tanglewood neighborhood and stole 12 eggs, a spiral ham, four pounds of Bulgarian cheese, some domestic cheese, filo
dough, 10 pounds of shrimp, candy bars and a batch of baker’s chocolate. It’s probable the man offered such descriptions in hopes police would find the food, but it’s all the more probable that food was eaten within the hour.
SHOPPING SPREE A suspect was
apparently playing their own game of Supermarket Sweeps at a Walmart in northwest Charlotte last week, although there were no cameras and employees weren’t playing along. Management called police to report a shoplifter who had grabbed a seemingly random cache of items and made a dash for the door before being stopped by security officers. The suspect was caught with Budweiser beer (a staple in the average Walmart shoplifter’s booty), paper towels, laundry detergent and a bag of dog food. The report was later updated after officers found that the man was also attempting to conceal a Citronella candle. We don’t want to know where.
TEARY EYED A student took things to
the next level last week during a fight with another girl in the hallway at Mallard Creek High School. According to the police report, a female student assaulted a 17-year-old girl while the two were in a hallway walking to class. Following the fight, police seized a bottle of pepper spray from one of the students, but it’s unclear whether she ever got a chance to use it. I’m sure the students standing nearby could tell you.
I DESERVE IT While it’s already rude
to not tip those in charge of serving you food, one young customer at Five Guys at SouthPark Mall last week decided he would take it a step further. Apparently thinking that the service was so bad that he was owed a tip instead of obligated to give one, the kid simply reached in the tip cup and grabbed $25. Employees stopped the kid and called police, and the suspect was referred to a program for juvenile suspects.
THREAT OF THE WEEK A New York
man recently showed his hand a little early during an argument with a woman living in Charlotte. The woman filed a report stating that the man called her and said, “I’m going to come burn your house down with you in it and nobody will know it was me because I live in New York.” Safe to say, now that this threat is officially on the record, that’s not such a great idea. Blotter items are chosen from the files of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty.
NEWS
NEWS OF THE WEIRD
TOO MUCH TIME ON THEIR HANDS
POT FOR PETS As nine states next month ask voters to approve some form of legalization of marijuana, a “new customer base” for the product — pets — was highlighted in an October New York Times report. Dogs and cats are struck with maladies similar to those that humans report in cannabis success stories: seizures, inflammation, anxiety, arthritis and other pain and subsequent social withdrawals. The “high”-producing THC element cannot be used because it is notoriously toxic to dogs, but other elements in the drug seem to work well not only for dogs and cats but, by anecdotal evidence, pigs, horses and domesticated wild animals.
Tammy Jones opened their guns-andcoffee store in an old bank building in Hamilton, Virginia, in August, but despite the controversies about the ease of gun acquisition in America, their Bullets and Beans shop has had a harder time pleasing government regulators over the coffee than over the firearms. Kevin told Washingtonian magazine that there were no problems in getting gun-shop and firearms-instruction permits from state and federal agencies, but several local-government roadblocks delayed the coffee-sales permit: the property being zoned for “retail” but not food or drinks; permission to open certain businesses near residences; and a coffee shop’s need to have “parking.”
COMPELLING
LATEST
England’s Bath University, publishing in a September issue of Nature Communications, report success in creating enduring live mice without use of a fertilized egg. The researchers showed it possible that a sperm cell can “trick” an egg into becoming a full-featured embryo without a “fertilization” process, in which distinct genomes from sperm and egg were thought to be required, at least in mammals. The scientists were thus able to “challenge nearly two centuries of conventional wisdom.”
BY CHUCK SHEPHERD
EXPLANATION
In September, Charles Lawrence III, 60, was sentenced to eight years in prison for attempted sexual assault despite his claim that it was just bad eyesight that caused the problem. He had arrived at a house in Fairfield, Connecticut, to have sex with a male he had met online, but the event turned out to be a “To Catch a Predator” sting. Lawrence, an accountant, claimed that, in text messages with the “boy,” he had seen “18” as his age, when, according to police evidence, the text read “13.” Bonus: Lawrence knew “Predator” newsman Chris Hansen socially and commuted daily on the train with him, according to Lawrence’s lawyer.
NO DEFENSE A 23-year-old woman on a bus in Istanbul, Turkey, was attacked by Abdullah Cakiroglu, 35, in September because, as he told police, he had become “aroused” by her wearing shorts. Initially, he was not arrested, but after a protest on social media, police came to get him — though for “inciting,” not assault. He told police, “I lost myself” because the woman had “disregarded the values of our country,” and “my spiritual side took over, and I kicked her in the face.” GOVERNMENT IN ACTION Kevin and
RELIGIOUS
MESSAGES
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin declared Oct. 13 Oilfield Prayer Day to cap a statewide initiative of mass wishing for improved performance of the state’s energy industry, which has been in the doldrums recently with the worldwide drop in oil prices. Though the initiative’s founders, and the associated Oil Patch Chaplains, were largely Baptist church leaders, the governor emphasized that all religions should be praying for a more prosperous industry.
PAST TIME The baseball-like “pesapallo” might be Finland’s national game, reported The New York Times in September, despite its differences from the American pastime. The ball is pitched to the batter — but vertically, by a pitcher standing next to the batter — and the batter runs the bases after hitting it, though not counterclockwise but zigzag style, to a base on the left, then one on the right, then back to the left. The game was invented in Finland in 1920 and has achieved minor notoriety, with teams from Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and Australia vying for a “world cup” that so far none has been able to wrest from Finland. Reassuringly, however, “three strikes” is an out in Finland, too.
In an October profile of tech developer and startup savant Sam Altman, The New Yorker disclosed that “many people in Silicon Valley have become obsessed with the simulation hypothesis” — that “what we experience as reality” is just some dark force’s computer simulation, as in the movie “The Matrix”. “Two tech billionaires,” the magazine reported, are “secretly engag(ing) scientists” to break us out of this alternative universe we might be trapped in. One prominent member of the tech elite remarked at a Vox Media conference in June on how the “simulation hypothesis” seems to dominate all conversation whenever the elites gather.
NEW WORLD ORDER Scientists from
THE WAR ON DRUGS (1) In September,
police in Thurmont, Maryland, announced the culmination of a two-month-long undercover drug operation at the Burger King with two arrests and a total seizure of 5 grams of marijuana and two morphine pills. (2) On Sept. 21, as part of a six-target raid using “militarytype” helicopters by the Massachusetts State Police and the National Guard, drug warriors halted the criminal enterprise of Margaret Holcomb, 81, of Amherst, seizing the one and only marijuana plant in her yard that she had planned to harvest soon for relief of her arthritis and glaucoma.
COULDN’T STOP MYSELF (1) Joshua Hunt, 31, was arrested in October inside St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where
he had gone to check on his 9-month-old son, who was being treated for an injury. Police said that while in the ward, he snatched another visitor’s purse and took a cellphone and credit cards. (2) Brittany Carulli, 25, was arrested in Harrison Township, New Jersey, in October, charged with stealing a medic’s wallet from inside an ambulance. The medic had allowed Carulli in the ambulance to grieve over her boyfriend’s body after he was struck and killed by a car.
THE PASSING PARADE (1) Jeffrey Osella, 50, was arrested in August in Westerly, Rhode Island, after allegedly firing corncobs at his neighbor’s house, using a PVC “potato gun,” as part of their long-running feud. When Osella answered the door, officers said he was shirtless, with corn kernels stuck to his chest. (2) On Oct. 1, Michael Daum, 55, began his year in residence as the town hermit of Solothurn, Switzerland, having been chosen from among 22 self-entertaining applicants. The hermit will be required to maintain the town’s isolated hermitage, but also, paradoxically, be called on at times to engage with arriving tourists. NOTW CLASSIC (October 2012) (1)
Condemned Ohio inmate Ronald Post, 53, asked a federal court in September (2012) to cancel his upcoming date with destiny on the ground that, after almost 30 years of prison food, he’s too fat to execute. At 480 pounds, “vein access” and other issues would cause his lethal injection to be “torturous.” Update: He won the sentence-commutation, but he died in prison in 2013. (2) British murderer-sadist Graham Fisher, 39, is locked up in a high security hospital in Berkshire, England, but he, too, has been eating well (at about 325 pounds). In August (2012), he was approved for gastric-band surgery paid for by Britain’s National Health Service at an estimated cost, including a private room for post-op recovery, of the equivalent of about $25,000.
CLCLT.COM | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | 13
FEATURE
FOOD
ARI LEVAUX
Instant Parma
THE PARMASTER AND HIS DISCIPLE Easy eggplant parmesan techniques BY ARI LEVAUX
A
RMANDO PAOLO, FOUNDER of Armando’s Pizza
in my home town of Cambridge, Massacusetts, had the kind charisma that could make a kid feel cool with just a simple show of recognition. But the real honor was 14 | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | CLCLT.COM
years later, when he showed me how he prepared eggplant cutlet. He passed away a few weeks ago, just as I finally hit my eggplant stride, and had something worthy of his attention. Not only is it really good; it comes together in about as much time as it takes to call Armando’s and
order an eggplant sub with everything on it. Growing up, when I wanted a sub I’d just walk over and order one-often pausing enroute at Emma’s Pizza to puzzle at the menu before announcing to myself, out loud, that I was going to go to Armando’s instead. I did this to hear Emma recite all of her Italian
four letter words in rapid succession, and for the thrill of dodging flying wads of pizza dough. My Instant Parma was built on what I learned and absorbed from Armando, but differs in several ways from his eggplant submarine sandwich that inspired me. The
slabs of eggplant are thicker, as I don’t have a deli slicer. The dish is served in a baked pile, rather than a roll. And while Armando’s subs were tooled to be consistent, cookie cutter copies of one another, mine changes with the season, and what’s in my fridge. Back in the summer, when folks would practically pay you to adopt their excess zucchini, I would layer in some slices, along with peppers and fresh tomatoes when available. In winter it’s simpler, like some onion slabs and mushroom slices layered in amongst the cheesy, sauce-drenched eggplant cutlets. One definite no-no is meat. Eggplant is a meaty vegetable, and when prepared right can be as lusty as a steak. The main thing is to have the eggplant and sauces ready ahead of time, and some kind of meltable cheese on-hand. Armando used provolone; I prefer parmesan. Everything else is bonus. To assemble, begin with a layer of eggplant on the bottom. This will turn out to be the best layer, as it will soak up all the drippings from above. Next comes sauce, then cheese and grated/pressed garlic. Now, add your zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, onion, olives, or whatever else you think might work. Then, another layer of eggplant, sauce, garlic and cheese. Because of variables in how the eggplant and tomato sauce were made, it’s best to add salt, if necessary, at the table. Bake at 350, covered, for about 40 minutes. Then uncovered for another 20. And that’s it. Couldn’t be simpler, assuming the eggplant and sauce are in
place. Maybe it took a little bit longer than calling for a sub, unless you called at lunch time, but active prep time is about the same. The success and ease of this dish comes down to your sauces and cutlets. Here is what I do.
EGGPLANT CUTLETS
Cut the eggplant into ½-inch slices, either crosswise or lengthwise, and place them in layers in a colander. Sprinkle each layer with salt as you layer, at a rate of a teaspoon per eggplant. Let it sit and drain for at least an hour, ideally longer, then gently press on the eggplant with a plate to squeeze out more water. Toss the slices in olive oil, about a third of a cup per four eggplants. Double the oil if you wish, depending on how much you like olive oil. Dredge each slice in seasoned flour, then plunge it in a bowl of beaten eggs with a splash of milk, and then bread crumbs or panko flakes. The seasoned flour consists of 1 teaspoon each of black pepper, garlic powder and paprika, and a half teaspoon of nutmeg powder, for each cup of white flour. Lay the cutlets on a tray and bake at 400. As soon as you catch a whiff of browning, turn them. Remember, the bottoms will brown first, so be vigilant. When golden on both sides, let them cool to room temperature. Pop the whole tray in the freezer, and transfer the frozen cutlets to freezer bags and freeze.
SIMPLE OVEN TOMATO SAUCE
Virtually any uncommitted tomato sauce will do. By “uncommitted,” I mean they don’t have any strong flavors that would clash with certain dishes. You don’t want to use homemade ketchup, for example, because you don’t want the cinnamon, clove and sugar. I have two uncommitted tomato sauces that I go to when parm calls. One is a simple
oven sauce that’s just tomatoes and a tad of salt. It’s simple but has a huge flavor. My other sauce is uncommitted salsa (which, you know, basically means tomato sauce in Spanish). The salsa doesn’t have cumin or cilantro or anything crazy like that. Only ingredients that happen to go well in a parm, like tomatoes, onions, peppers and garlic. Sometimes I’ll use one sauce, sometimes the other, and sometimes I’ll even mix them. I don’t have space for the salsa recipe, but here is what I do. You could easily adapt this recipe, which uses fresh tomatoes, to instead use canned, fire-roasted tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half and lay them on a cookie sheet, cut sides down, and roast them at 400 degrees until the tomatoes collapse into round, wrinkled piles. Remove the tray from the oven. When the tomatoes are cool, lift off the skins and squeeze them between your fingers so the juice falls back onto the tray. Or leave the skins on if you like a little texture. Dump the remaining juicy pulp into a thick-bottomed pot. Blend it first if you want, but I like it chunky. Simmer on low heat for an hour or two-until it reaches your desired thickness. Season with salt. The sauce can be frozen, or canned in sterilized jars, adding a tablespoon of vinegar for each quart for acidity. Pretty much any mild-mannered tomato sauce will do, if you’re in a pinch. And if you want to finish it with an Armando’s flourish, serve it with chopped fresh tomatoes and onions, and chopped hot and sweet pickled peppers. AKA everything. BACKTALK@CLCLT.COM
CLCLT.COM | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | 15
FOOD
THREE-COURSE SPIEL
ROOM FOR GROWTH Pop Up Produce founder Amanda Zullo joins the food desert fight BY RYAN PITKIN
EARLIER THIS YEAR, when Amanda Zullo was awarded $5,000 in grant money from the Emerging City Champions Fellowship, a partnership between 8 80 cities and the Knight Foundation, she thought her idea for Pop Up Produce would just be a side gig. She soon realized, however, that Pop Up Produce, which aims to empower residents living in food deserts to grow their own food at home, was going to be a much larger part of her life than anticipated. She scaled back her role at the firm she was working at and began working full-time to grow Pop Up Produce. Since the company launched on August 20, Zullo and her team have been able to donate 122 urban gardening starter kits to folks living in food deserts or attending Title I schools, while also starting six community gardens at schools, in neighborhoods or at rec centers. Creative Loafing spoke with Zullo about what she’s been able to accomplish in such a short time, as well as how she hopes to follow-up on the impressive start. Creative Loafing: What is the mission for Pop Up Produce? Amanda Zullo: The mission is to empower families and individuals to grow their own food, while educating them on the benefits of fresh produce. Instead of just being like, “Here, thanks for buying, good luck,” we try to think of it like a doctor’s role. Send in your progress, follow up visits, people share through the hashtag #ProduceForProgress to see how they’re doing. I do a weekly check in with them. If they need any help, then we’re able to provide that aid, so it’s a way to loop in the affluent side helping the more in-need side of Charlotte. It’s a way to build community together. What’s your experience been like in being able to reach out and help youth with community work like this? It’s huge. Initially, I wasn’t thinking of the youth, I was thinking everyone from youth through elderly. I hope if we’re able to continue the work, if we get more grant funding, then I can start building that demographic beyond the youth. I think the elderly would really benefit from this as well. But with the kids, they’re born into these situations that they can’t control. If you can empower and educate them at a young age when they’re these bright sponges, then hopefully you can use this opportunity to retrieve and alleviate them out of this issue, so that way they can have upward mobility in their own life. So, in terms of health, not only 16 | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | CLCLT.COM
ALEX WALKER
Amanda Zullo (in green) works with kids in a garden at Shamrock Gardens Elementary School.
are people super excited about Pop Up because of the community aspect and raising awareness about food deserts, there are also lots of health professionals saying, “This is awesome.” You would not believe how many kids are in third grade and already have Type 2 diabetes. It literally is a byproduct of what they’re eating. Is it important to balance between teaching the basics of gardening and breaking bad eating habits that may already be forming at a young age? It’s both. I always think of Pop Up as, it’s a cute idea initially, it’s this cute concept that maybe someone wants to learn. But I think the challenge is to have it be the catalyst in their mind to activate change. Now that I’m learning how to grow too, it’s not as easy as you initially might think. I mean, it’s challenging, but you start developing a greater appreciation for nature, for where your food comes from, and it also teaches about patience. We live in a very fast-paced life, but nature adheres to its own timeline and so I feel like with the kids there are so many lessons beyond just the eating side. The goal is for us to be able to continue in the locations we’re at, hopefully add more locations, so we can provide a sustainability component. If we’re only there for a year, hopefully more, but we can at least have four seasons to teach kids about seasonality with food. By the time the food is ready to eat, they can begin to taste the difference. Hopefully, they can take that knowledge home back to their parents and say, “Mom, I don’t want that, I want this.”
Beer Release Events 10/26 - 5pm-9pm
Brain Bucket Bock (6.6% ABV) Special release, small batch available only in the taproom
11/2 - 5pm - 9pm
Muddy Waters American Brown Ale (5.0% ABV) Special release also available in the market November 7th for a limited time.
11/9 - 5pm - 9pm
Purple Blaze Lager (5.5% ABV) Special release, small batch available only in the taproom
blueblazebrewing.com
CLCLT.COM | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | 17
THURSDAY
27
SAINT MOTEL What: On first listen, Saint Motel sounds like just another radiofriendly, indie-pop band out of L.A. The group changed my mind through a live broadcast from ACL Music Festival that showed depth, improvisation and energy via a horn section. Saint Motel had a couple of hits from their last EP and the first single, “Move,” from last week’s new album, saintmotelevision, is climbing up the charts. Hippo Campus opens. When: 8 p.m. Where: The Underground, 820 Hamilton St. More: $15-$75. 704-916-8970. fillmorecharlottenc.com. — JEFF HAHNE
18 | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | CLCLT.COM
THURSDAY
27
DAY OF ABSENCE AND KISS MY BLACK ANGST What: OnQ Productions is doing it big for its 10 year anniversary. This “black-to-black” double feature includes performances of Kiss My Black Angst and Day of Absence. The latter, penned by playwright Douglas Turner Ward, is set during the civil rights era and is a wake up call for white residents who find all the town’s black folks missing. When: Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 2829, 8 p.m.; Oct. 30, 3 p.m. Through Nov. 4. Where: Duke Energy Theatre, 345 N. College St. More: $28. 704-372-1000. blumenthalarts.org. — ANITA OVERCASH
THINGS TO DO
TOP TEN
JABARI
Saint Motel THURSDAY
FRIDAY
FRIDAY
28
FRIDAY
28
SMOOTH HOUND SMITH What: This Nashville-based duo, comprised of Zack Smith and Caitlin Doyle, does bluesy folk rock right. Take the band’s “Stopgap Woman Blues,” a brisk track that comes alive through harmonica, tambourine and rustic, fingerpicked guitar. The group released its sophomore album, Sweet Tennessee Honey, earlier this year and is currently touring to support it. The DuPont Brothers open the show. When: 8 p.m. Where: The Evening Muse, 3227 N. Davidson St. More: $10-$12. 704-376-3737. eveningmuse.com. — OVERCASH
28
DANNY BROWN W/ MAXO KREAM AND ZELOOPERZ
YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU
What: Performing with Detroit rapper Danny Brown, who got his start with Reser’vor Dogs, is Houston-based Maxo Kream, a Nigerian-American hip-hop artist who released The Persona Tape this year and Zelooperz, a 21-yearold Detroit rapper and member of Brown’s Bruiser Brigade. His 2016 album, Bothic, is already generating buzz from Pitchfork for its unusual approach to rapping.
What: When the time comes to introduce the significant other to the parents, there’s no stress for some and dread for others. Sounding similar to The Addams Family and The Birdcage, this comedy involves a grandfather who collects snakes and a family driven by passion rather than finances. Now, let’s see how an uptight, normal bunch takes to all that.
When: 8 p.m. Where: The Underground, 820 Hamilton St. More: $26. 704-916-8970. fillmorecharlottenc.com. — OVERCASH
When: Oct. 28-29, 8 p.m.; Runs through Nov. 13. Where: Theatre Charlotte, 501 Queens Road. More: $27. 704-376-3777. theatrecharlotte.org. — OVERCASH
Danny Brown FRIDAY
TIMOTHY SACCENTI
Phantogram SATURDAY
NEWS ARTS FOOD MUSIC ODDS
Crabtoberfest SATURDAY
SATURDAY
29
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
29
MONDAY
31
30 BRUNCH SO HARD CLT
CRABTOBERFEST
PHANTOGRAM
What: The Charlotte-based Carolina Fish Market will host this all-you-can-eat blue crab festival. Beer, shrimp and oysters will be sold separately on site. CFM won’t be selfish about their blue crab servings, but you will need to sign a shellfish waiver. Kids 12 and under get in for just $10. Bonus: Halloween costumes are welcome and there will be a costume contest with prizes.
What: Hot on the heels of the Oct. 9 release of the band’s third album, appropriately titled Three, electrorock duo Phantogram is back on the road. The band proved its range via its side project with Big Boi, called Big Grams. Now they’re back to focus on their own path with renewed energy — something that drives their live shows — and the first single from the new album, “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore.”
What: This is the kickoff to “a boozy brunch series” launched by Liberate Your Palate, The Broken Spoke and Nom Knowledge that centers around music, food and cocktails. The menu includes lemon pancakes, fried apples and salmon croquettes over grits with gruyere sauce, while you and friends can share a communal punch bowl at the table. There will also be tunes from DJ Smitty and interactve adult games at each table.
When: 12 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Where: The Unknown Brewing Co., 1327 S. Mint St. More: $40-45. carolinafishmarket. com/bluecrab.
When: 8 p.m. Where: The Fillmore, 1000 N.C. Music Factory Blvd. More: $25. 704-916-8970. fillmorecharlottenc.com.
When: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Where: The Broken Spoke, 227 Southside Drive. More: Free entry, registration required. liberateyourpalate.com.
— RYAN PITKIN
— HAHNE
MONDAY
— PITKIN
31
THE RECORD COMPANY
KAYO DOT
What: Influenced by a range of classic artists including John Lee Hooker, Rolling Stones and The Stooges, L.A. rock trio The Record Company brings forth a retro brand of rock that sounds raw and honest. The band’s debut album, Give It Back to You, was released in February and the lead single, “Off the Ground” cruised to No. 1 and the followup, “Rita Mae Young,” isn’t far behind it.
What: This band likes to mix things up on the musical front. The group is known for its avant-garde nature, whether its metal, jazz or classically focused. Its latest EP, Plastic House on Base of Sky features harsh, sometimes gloomy electronics that go along with the album’s tone — described as an “exploration of our mechanical post-human future present.” Lyricist Jason Byron has dabbled in the occult, which pairs well with these ethereal vibes.
When: 8 p.m. Where: Visulite Theatre, 1615 Elizabeth Ave. More: $15-$17. 704-358-9200. visulite.com.
When: 9 p.m. Where: The Milestone Club, 3400 Tuckaseegee Road. More: $8. 704-398-0472. themilestoneclub.com.
— HAHNE
— OVERCASH
CLCLT.COM | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | 19
ARTS
FILM
PARAMOUNT
Tom Cruise in Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.
NOT WORTH JACK Tom Cruise dud only serves as a shrine to its star BY MATT BRUNSON
I
T’S A SHAME Popstar arrived in theaters first, because a better title for Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (*1/2 out of four) would have been Jack Reacher: Never Stop Never Stopping. Here’s Tom Cruise once again showing he has no intention of issuing a cease-anddesist on properties that present him in the 20 | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | CLCLT.COM
absolute best light possible: saintly, heroic, indestructible, and able to leap cavernous plotholes in a single bound. Here’s the thing about 2012’s Jack Reacher, the first picture based on one of Lee Child’s popular novels: While it made “only” $80 million stateside (pocket change for a superstar whose films usually cross the $100 million line), it was actually a good fit for
Cruise, allowing him to play his strong and silent routine in the service of a twisty and gripping thriller populated with interesting characters and even more interesting casting choices (Werner Herzog as the villain!). But all such viewing niceties have fallen by the wayside for this dreary sequel, which seems to exist for the sole purpose of serving as a vanity project for its aging star (who also
produced). The first film featured the sweet line-up of Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, David Oyewolo and Robert Duvall — clearly, that was too much A-list talent taking the spotlight away from Cruise, so this one only offers that actress who pops up in Marvel movies now and then. Said actress, Colbie Smulders, is the one whose character gets the narrative ball rolling
something that threatens the country/the world/the stock market/the Applebee’s special/what-have-you. The script by Michael LeSieur (whose previous credit, You, Me and Dupree, earned my vote as the worst picture of 2006) never ventures outside of any known comfort zones, but that’s not to say the actors don’t work wonders within it. Gadot is appropriately silky and sinewy, Fisher again proves her worth as a first-rate (and underrated) comedienne with her contagious effervescence, Galifianakis continues to become less annoying and more likable with each subsequent turn (this might be his best role to date), and Hamm again reveals the prankster’s soul buried underneath the matinee-idol looks. As the cherry on top, the villain of the piece is played by a stand-up comic who really should be getting more film work, and he contributes a few expertly executed zingers. Even with that cast, I can’t quite recommend anyone spending movie-theater prices to keep up with these Joneses. But as a Netflix rental down the line? That’s the ticket.
Jim the hair guy
Presents
1213 STUDIO Jon Hamm, Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher and Gal Gadot in Keeping Up with the Joneses. for Reacher, as she’s framed for espionage and wrongly imprisoned. No problem for our hero, who finds that breaking her out of jail is no more difficult than flipping a light switch and proceeds to do so in about the same amount of time it takes the rest of us to comb our hair. Now on the run, the pair are accompanied by a teenage girl (Danika Yarosh) who may or may not be Reacher’s daughter from a long-ago tryst. JR:NGB manages to be both ludicrous and lethargic, always a deadly one-two punch. The principal villains (a government official and a skilled assassin known as — insert guffaw here — The Hunter) are both so nondescript that I honestly wouldn’t be able to pick the actors playing them out of a police lineup. Even Cruise seems bored, going through the sort of mechanical,
megalomaniacal moves that thankfully haven’t yet crippled the sturdy Mission: Impossible franchise. If he doesn’t care about this project, why should we?
SO IS THE new comedy Keeping Up with the Joneses (**1/2 out of four) unwatchable because it cruelly wastes the efforts of a solid cast, or is it watchable because a solid cast blessedly saves it from itself? That’s the question du jour when it comes to a picture graced with four bright performances but hampered by a plot that felt recycled even back when Millard Fillmore was president. Zach Galifianakis and Isla Fisher play the Gaffneys (Jeff and Karen), the sort of suburban caricatures whose lives are so dull, they decide having sex is too much effort
FOX
(even when the kids are away at camp) and opt instead to watch TV. Jon Hamm and the Amazonian Gal Gadot (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Wonder Woman) play the Joneses (Tim and Natalie), the sort of suave, gorgeous creatures who move into the neighborhood and immediately stick out like a carrot in a bowl of ice cream. Jeff accepts the newcomers at face value, but Karen has her growing suspicions, particularly when she sees the couple surreptitiously sneaking out of the cul-de-sac at odd hours. Eventually, it’s revealed that the Joneses are spies, but are they on the side of right or wrong? As far as viewers are concerned, that’s a no-brainer, and the plot proceeds with the usual boilerplate about someone wanting to stop someone else who’s wanting to acquire
A co-op salon and spa in the heart of Plaza-Midwood
1213 STUDIO.COM CLCLT.COM | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | 21
ARTS
THEATER
JOHN MERRICK
Grace for President runs through Nov. 6 at Wells Fargo Playhouse.
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Reviews of Grace for President and Fall Works BY PERRY TANNENBAUM
W
E’VE BEEN FAVORED
with a couple of Grace shows from Children’s Theatre of Charlotte over the years. There were two productions of Amazing Grace, a charming but trifling little piece, in 1999 and 2005. Before the encore, there was the incomparably richer Boundless Grace, deeply 22 | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | CLCLT.COM
infused with African rhythms and culture, that won Creative Loafing’s Show of the Year laurels in 2000. So for those of you who recall those pre-ImaginOn productions, it may be important to emphasize that there’s no kinship between them and the current world premiere of Grace for President through
Nov. 6. Mary Hoffman created the previous Grace, of Gambian descent, in a series of books that depicted her heroine with playacting impulses rather than political ambitions. Grace Campbell is a more recent brainchild by Kelly DiPucchio, slightly browner in LeUyen Pham’s illustrations than her Woodrow Wilson Elementary teacher,
Mrs. Barrington, but never assigned to an ethnic group. From the first page on, DiPucchio’s Grace is more about feminism than racial pride. Mrs. Barrington brings a poster to class at the start of the school year with all the US presidents on it, and Grace asks, “Where are the GIRLS?” After getting the lowdown,
Grace stews at her desk momentarily before announcing that she would like to be president. Despite the snickers from several of Grace’s classmates, Mrs. Barrington deems this impromptu ambition to be a “star-spangled idea” — clear proof that DiPucchio intended her story as a musical all along. Clocking in at 57 minutes, Joan Cushing’s adaptation actually expands upon DiPucchio’s slender volume, with a robust — and resourceful — song list. When Grace starts campaigning against Thomas Cobb, the nominee from Mr. Waller’s class, Grace and Thomas sing in debate-like counterpoint, not harmony, each candidate spouting a separate line. And while it’s doubly lamentable that a two-party system is axiomatic in this story and that genders represent the party lines, when the guys sing “Boys Boys Boys,” it rings like a barbershop quartet. Cushing does churn out some pabulum along the way in explaining what elections are, but she bravely follows in DiPucchio’s footsteps in trying to explicate that grim Founding Fathers albatross, the Electoral College. We skim over some fairly muddy waters when Barrington and Waller establish a system where each of their students represents one of the states, unevenly weighting their votes. The outcome partly redresses the inequity. Cobb seems to have a lock on the election because the boys hold the majority of the electoral votes. Our intrepid heroine therefore comes up with a platform designed to change some minds, listening to her classmates while Cobb mainly coasts. Party lines have held fast when we reach the end of the roll call of states, so the election is still up for grabs as Sam, representing Wyoming, gets set to cast his measly three electoral votes. “My vote counts!” Sam sings out, an epiphany yet to be reached by millions of unlikely American voters. I won’t tip the results of this suspenseful election, but I’ll credit set designer Anita J. Tripathi with heightening the tension by dropping down an electronic scoreboard over her gallery of presidents to give us a running total of electoral votes until the confetti moment when the shunned wallflower Sam makes his decision. We’re supposed to greet the result with jubilation, but overall, the students of Woodrow Wilson Elementary are even more set in their voting patterns than adult Americans. Although director Michelle Long pilots the most polished production I can remember at Wells Fargo Playhouse (the smaller ImaginOn theater), I found myself fighting the notion that this wasn’t really a Charlotte production. Most of the seven-
GRACE FOR PRESIDENT $12-$28. Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 29, 11 a.m. & 3 p.m.; Oct. 30, 2 p.m. & 4 p.m. Through Nov. 6. ImaginOn’s Wells Fargo Playhouse, 300 E. 7th St. 704-973-2828. ctcharlotte.org.
member cast is new to the Charlotte scene, all except one are making their first 2016 appearance, and all the designers seem to be making their Uptown debuts. Youngsters shouldn’t have any problem warming up to Talia Robinson as Grace. Her sunny optimism in launching her campaign is only slightly clouded by the prospect of opposition, and Robinson’s attitude toward her classmates usefully blends the callings of public service and leadership. After starring last December in the title role of another Cushing world premiere, Ella’s Big Chance, Margaret Dalton as Mrs. Barrington is the most familiar face we encounter. She gives us that ideal teacher we never had, not only radiating energy and encouragement but also drawing inspiration from her pupils’ ideas. The other Ella alum in the cast, Sean Powell, infuses Thomas Cobb with a patrician smugness as he initially intimidates Grace, singing his own praises in “My Accomplishments.” Until the denouement, Powell keeps the concept of doing for others totally alien to Thomas. Shivam Patel’s debut as the outcast Sam is as impressive as Robinson’s, for suffering often has deeper roots than righteous indignation. While Grace is affirming that girls can now win as never before, Patel makes Sam’s discovery that he matters just as heartfelt and liberating.
in its unflagging exuberance than it was before. Surely newcomers to Charlotte Ballet performances must have been wondering how they could follow such a barrage of fastpaced bravura. Those of us who had seen Ohad Naharin’s Minus 16 at Spoleto Festival USA had no such worries. The spectacular core of the work is Naharin’s setting for the traditional Passover seder song, “Echad Mi Yode’a,” in a frenzied recording by The Tractor’s Revenge. Naharin sits 18 dancers in semi-circle before us, all of them clad in black suits, white shirts, and black fedoras, emblematic of Israel’s ultra-orthodox Jews. Each time we reach the end of a stanza, 17 of the dancers rise to their feet in a prayerful wave that sweeps the group from left to right. The eighteenth dancer catapults himself to the floor in an epic flop, as if shot from a cannon — or flung from the explosion of a terrorist bomb. What I called the “regimented hysteria” of Naharin’s choreography is compounded as we draw closer toward the end, for the “black hat” Hasidim do the unthinkable: they begin
throwing more and more of their clothing into the air until all their outer garments — from hats to shoes — lie in a chaotic pile in front of them. Unforgettable. Yet the suite began innocuously — and comically — with Maurice Mouzon Jr. from Ballet II standing in front of the stage at intermission, morphing from motionlessness to tentative dancing to bodacious acrobatics before the ensemble’s prelude to the core ritual. Things lightened up immediately after the mass rending of garments, with a bouquet of Harold Arlen songs and some truly hilarious — and spontaneous — hijinks with Dean Martin’s “Sway” as the prime backdrop. All of the troupe came out into the audience and chose partners whom they led onto the Knight stage. A block party broke out with a cornucopia of delights: sensuousness, grace, shyness, awkwardness, and hambone scene-stealing were all abundantly on display.
AS CHARLOTTE BALLET launched its 2016-17 season, the final season for JeanPierre Bonnefoux as president and artistic director, one thing became very evident during the Fall Works program: Bonnefoux’s successor won’t need to do any rebuilding. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen so much energy expended by so many dancers so brilliantly. Five of the 18 dancers we saw are new to the troupe this year, and one — a soloist! — was recruited from Charlotte Ballet II, the company’s apprentice ensemble. When we first saw Dwight Rhoden’s rousing paean to ‘80s club culture, The Groove, kicking off the 2012-13 season at Knight Theater, it was almost exhausting to watch at the end of that program. This year, it led off the evening in the you-ain’tseen-nothin’-yet slot, no less astonishing CLCLT.COM | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | 23
HAUNTED HARBOR
What: Considering that everyone’s favorite dive bar and music venue in Plaza Midwood is named after a famously haunted harbor in Staten Island, it only makes sense that the venue itself becomes haunted at this time of year. This two-night event includes first-night performances from Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, El Malpais and The Brokeoffs, with a second night that includes a long line-up including but not limited to Andy the Doorbum, Patabamba and the aptly named Must Be the Holy Ghost. When: Oct. 28, 10 p.m.; Oct. 29, 10 p.m. Where: Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St. More: $8. 704-561-1781. snugrock.com.
HAUNTED BREWERY TOUR
What: Newer establishments can be haunted, as well. Birdsong Brewing Co. will host free haunted brewery tours for the second year after last year’s tours to celebrate the release of its MexiCali Stout were such a hit. This year’s event will also coincide with the 2016 MexiCali release, and will feature free tours through the entire production facility, which will be turned into a haunted house of sorts. One never knows where employees may be hiding. Festivities include a costume contest with prizes. When: Oct. 29, 6:30 p.m. Where: Birdsong Brewing Co., 1016 N. Davidson St. More: Free. 704332-1810. birdsongbrewing.com
RETRO HORROR FILM SCREENINGS
What: Each October, Ayrsley Grand Cinemas in southwest Charlotte screens retro horror flicks prior to Halloween. If you haven’t been for any of this year’s showings yet, which included films ranging from Rosemary’s Baby to Alien,
24 | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | CLCLT.COM
costume contest, 11 p.m. When: Oct. 29-30. Where: Abari Game Bar, 1721 N Davidson St. More: 980-430-4587.abarigamebar.com.
you’ve got one week left. Between Oct. 28 and Nov. 3, you can catch screenings of both Halloween and Halloween II each night. The best part? The ticket prices are retro, too. You can sit tight and watch both movies for the price of one ticket to a modern-day CGI crapfest. Or, just spring for a $5 ticket and see one. When: Oct. 28-Nov. 3; 7 p.m. (Halloween), 9 p.m. (Halloween II) Where: Ayrsley Grand Cinemas 14, 9110 Kings Parade Blvd. More: $5-$10. 980-297-7540. ayrsleycinemas.com
HALLOWEEN BASH AT ASS CLOWN BREWING COMPANY
OCTOBER MURDER MYSTERY DINNER
What: This is not a Halloween-exclusive event at Maggiano’s Little Italy at SouthPark Mall, but to participate in a spooky homicide investigation just three days from the holiday only adds to the mood. Attendees will need to put their detective hats while they ignore red herrings in their search for elusive clues. It’s all fun and games until you become the lead suspect. Bonus: the game comes with an amazing family-style dinner with too much to offer for us to begin to list it all here. Just come hungry. When: Oct. 28, 7 - 10 p.m. Where: Maggiano’s Little Italy, 4400 Sharon Road More: $65 (two tickets). 704-916-2300. facebook.com/MLICharlotte/.
THE SPIRITS OF ROSEDALE PLANTATION
What: You’d better believe (or not) that there are plenty of spirits lurking around a 200 year old plantation. This tour of the historic Rosedale Plantation takes visitors on a night tour of the grounds — including the first floor of the home, the kitchen basement and the gardens. Along the way you’ll hear stories about the plantation’s former residents, whom
possessed greed, metal illness and other epidemics. That’s not to forget some of the plantations slaves, whose freedom and rights were restricted. Going to a spot with so much history makes this “spirits” tour all the more eerie. When: Oct. 28-29. Tours start every 20 minutes beginning at 7:20 p.m. Last tour begins at 9:20 p.m. Each group is limited to 15 people and tours last approximately 45 minutes. Please arrive 10-15 minutes prior to your tour time for check-in. Where: Historic Rosedale Plantation, 3427 North Tryon St. More: $15. 704-335-0325. historicrosedale.org.
ABARI MONSTER BASH
What: Plan to dress up and jam out to Halloween music from the ‘80s and ‘90s (Collectr spins from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.) during this monster bash. But that’s not the best part: Abari will be allowing its patrons to play horror-themed games (like Ghostbusters, Monster Bash, Revenge From Mars, Scared Stiff, Carnevil and Area 51) for free and PBR drafts will be $1. Costume contest: kid’s costume contest, 4 p.m. and adult
What: Just because clowns have a bad reputation these days doesn’t mean you shouldn’t support and love the ones that arean’t out wrecking havoc and scaring the heebie-jeebies out of unsuspecting folks. Yes the clown labels on this brewery’s bottle are creepy as hell, but we can guarantee you won’t be worried about them after a few drinks. Gift certificates will handed out to folks sporting the scariest, funniest, and most original costumes. There’s also music from Dubber and a special beer release. When: Oct. 29, 6 p.m. Where: Ass Clown Brewing Company, 10620 Bailey Road, Suite E, Cornelius. More: 704-995-7767. assclownbeer.com.
BOO BASH
What: How about some honky-tonk on Halloween? There’s also a costume contest (and moola is in the mix: $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, $200 for third place and $100 for fourth place) that’s hosted by The New 103.7’s Big Sexy. Live music from Out Of The Blue from 9 p.m. until close. Not sure what to wear? Be creative, dress as a coyote and don’t be afraid to let out a howl or two. When: Oct. 29, 7 p.m. to 2 p.m. Where: Coyote Joe’s, 4621 Wilkinson Blvd. More: $10. 704-399-4946. coyote-joes. com.
HALLOWEEN DAZE AT RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL
What: Carolina Renaissance Festival celebrates Halloween with trick-or -treating around the 25-acre festival village. There will also be a Halloween treasure hunt and a Halloween costume contest with prizes. In addition to a full day of regular festival entertainment, there will also be the “Knights of the Living Dead” a zombie jousting challenge, three times daily throughout the Halloween weekend. When: Oct. 29-Oct. 30, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Where: Carolina Renaissance Festival, 16445 Poplar Tent Road, Huntersville. More: $13-$23. 704-896-5544. royalfaires.com/carolina/.
RAISING SPIRITS: DOC PORTER’S EXCLUSIVE BOURBON LAUNCH
What: Not those kind of spirits... For something different this Halloween, try hitting up Doc Porter’s Distillery. There will be craft cocktails, heavy hors d’ oeuvres, music, and a presentation about the distillery’s bourbon by owner and head distiller, Andrew Porter. There’s also a raffle and silent auction. Proceeds from the evening will be benefiting Safe Alliance. Where: Doc Porter’s Distillery, 232 Peterson Drive. When: Oct. 27, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. More: $30. 704-266-1399. docporters. com/bourbon.
BIG MAMMAS HOUSE OF BURLESQUE HALLOWEEN SHOW
What: Big Mamma and her entourage of beauties are putting on this Halloweenthemed burlesque show. For more information, visit ncburlesque.com.
There’s also a a midnight costume contest. The talented DJ Spider spins, too. When: Oct. 29, 9 p.m. Where: Visulite Theatre, 1615 Elizabeth Ave. More: $18-$21. 704-358-9200. visulite. com.
SCAROWINDS
What: There’s not much we really need to say about this haunted attraction, as it’s been getting rave reviews for years now. For the folks who have never been, this could be one of your best choices if you like rides and don’t mind being startled. Just walking around the park is frightening as you’re approached by fiends and grotesque creatures. Add to that some pretty thrilling haunted houses and you’ve got your scary fix. When: Friday-Sunday, 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. Where: Carowinds, 14523 Carowinds Blvd. More: $34.99 and up. 704-588-2600 carowinds.com/scarowinds.
MATTERS OF GRAVE IMPORTANCE
What: Take a glimpse into the past, present and future of local cemetery history with local historian and preservation expert, Jason Harpe. Harpe will be giving visitors an intimate look at historic cemetery preservation, and will demonstrate live preservation techniques in the Polk Family Cemetery. Spooky! When: Oct. 29, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Where: President James K. Polk State Historic Site, 12031 Lancaster Highway, Pineville. More: $2-$5. jameskpolk.net/events. html.
SHE WHO WATCHES
What: CL theater critic wrote about this PaperHouse Theatre production last week and we can’t help but think it couldn’t have come at a better time. It’s an adaptation of J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s spellbinding horror classic novella, Carmilla. And it’s all set at Frock Shop, giving the show
ARTWORK COURTESY OF RICK GUEDES
an interactive, experimental feel. Laura, the story’s protagonist, is haunted by a nightmarish experience from her childhood. Upon waking she discovers a teen-aged girl in her bedroom who later disappears into thin air. Years later, with that memory etched into her brain, she is revisited and, again, it’s in the bedroom. When: Oct. 27-30, 8 p.m. Where: Frock Shop, 901 Central Ave. More: $30. paperhousetheatre.com.
MOTOWN ZOMBIE PROM
What: This party will feature Motown music and encourages folks to dress in their zombie best. That means throwing on your best prom wear for what amounts to a pretty unique evening. Who says zombies only like brains? Zombie latte, anyone? When: Oct. 29, 8 p.m. Where: Eaglespeak Coffee House, 3907 South Blvd. More: eaglespeakcoffee.com SEE
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facesandvoicesofrecovery.org.
CARVED 2016
MILESTONE SHOWS
What: Every year, local bands come together for this special Halloween showcase. They dress up and perform songs by other bands and it’s pretty awesome to watch. Here’s what’s slated to go down this year: Oct. 28 will feature The Bleeps as Madonna, Minimums as Green Day, Automatic Fantastic as ZZ Top, Van Huskins as Superchunk, Glimpses as Oasis, October as Celtic Frost, Gore Gore Luchadores as Your Favorite Wrestling Icons; Oct. 29 will feature The Dead Men as Eminem, Knowne Ghost as Death Cab for Cutie, Suit City as At The Drive In, Porch Mob as Die Antwoord, Fat Geoff as R. Kelly, Tiny City as Miley Cyrus, Rothschild as Brand New, Tom, Hanks as The Clash, Take The Fall as Sum 41. When: 9 p.m. Where: Milestone, 3400 Tuckaseegee Road. More: $8-$10. 704-398-0472. themilestoneclub.com.
PETRA’S HELLA HALLOWEEN SHOW
What: DJ Monsterpiece will be playing on the patio while, inside, you’ll find performances from the likes of Joshua Cotterino, No Me Toques and Farewell Albatross. When: Oct. 29, 9 p.m. Where: Petra’s, 1919 Commonwealth Ave. More: $8. 704-332-6608. petraspianobar. com
HAUNTED MILL
What: Longtime (a whopping 20 years!) haunted attraction with 40 actors, darkness, crazy mazes, animation effects, chainsaws and more. There’s also blacklight mini golf for the faint of heart.
26 | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | CLCLT.COM
Blackout weekend starts in November so come before then if you want to see all the disturbing sights, otherwise mosey around in the dark and hope for the best. When: Oct. 26-31; Nov. 4-5. Where: The Haunted Mill, 6325 W. Wilkinson Blvd, Belmont. More: 704-829-6455. thehauntedmillnc. com.
GRAVE DIGGERS BALL
What: Kiss 95.1 FM has been throwing what has become perhaps Charlotte’s most well-known Halloween party for 17 years now, and this year promises to be one of the biggest in the city once again (so big it’s almost always held in a parking lot). Afrojack will perform and attendees can participate in one of the biggest cotume contests in the Carolinas. Also, opening act Marc E. Bassy, known for his hit song “You & Me” featuring G-Eazy, will warm the crowd up for a night of booze and boos. When: Oct. 29, 6 p.m.- 11 p.m. Where: 500 N. College St. More: $15-$1,500. kiss951.com/events/ grave-dig gers-ball-2016- featuringafrojack-and-marc-e-bassy/
CASINO NIGHT + HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION DUKE MANSION
What: Play authentic casino games in cocktail attire. There will be food and drink from Chef Harrison Booth, dancing and music from house band, Bad Daddies. There’s also a silent auction. This is an annual fundraiser for the preservation of The Duke Mansion. When: Oct. 28, 8 p.m. Where: The Duke Mansion, 400 Hermitage Road. More: $75 per person. 704-714-4453. biddingforgood.com/DukeMansion.
STIGMA UNMASKED
What: The Center for Prevention Services is hosting this debut masquerade ball, Stigma Unmasked. It’s a formal with dancing, entertainment and silent and live auctions. Organizers aim to to raise awareness about the harms of substance use and mental health. When: Oct. 29, 7 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Where: The Big Chill, 911 E. Morehead St. More: $25-$50.
What: Piedmont Culinary Guild presents this event with local chefs, mixologists, food artisans, food educators, and other culinary professionals who will be carving pumpkins. Vote to see who gets the title of “Carved 2016 Champion.” Added bonuses: There will be a corn-sheller for popcorn-on-the-cob, an apple press for fresh cider, an antique John Deere tractor “ice cream machine” for making samples of fresh ice cream, all of which are provided by local area farms. There will also be activities for children, a silent auction, food (Bleu Barn Bistro and Your Mom’s Donuts will be onsite) and more. When: Oct. 30, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Where: Lenny Boy Brewing Co., 3000 South Tryon St. More: $5 for kids 11 years old and under; $18 for all others. eventbrite.com/e/ carved-2016-piedmont-culinary-guildtickets-27675750916.
THRILLER HALLOWEEN BASH AT ROXBURY
What: The 15th annual Thriller Halloween Bash and Costume Party will take place at everyone’s favorite ‘80s- and ‘90s-themed dance club. If you’ve been practicing alone for the last 34 years, you’ll finally get the chance to join in the famous “Thriller” video group dance with other living (undead) people. The bartenders are in charge of picking their favorite costumes for prizes, so a good tip won’t hurt. When: Oct. 29, 8 p.m. - 2 a.m. Where: Roxbury Nightclub More: $8. facebook.com/roxburynightclubuptown
SCARRIGAN FARMS
What: On select October nights, the folks at Carrigan Farms will transform
HALL-OWEEN AT THE HALL
What: This is a family-friendly option that features trick-or-treating, crafts and games, and a screening of Jake and the Never Land Pirates: Trick or Treasure/Night of the Golden Pirate Pumpkin. Kids are encouraged to wear costumes. When: Oct. 29, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Where: Nascar Hall of Fame, 400 E. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. More: $10. 704-654-4400. nascarhall. com.
PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST AT FLYING SAUCER
What: This event is BYOP (bring your own pumpkin, as well as carving tools). Just be careful during the carving process if you’ve been tapping into the Saucer’s craft beer. Winners will be announced at 5 p.m. and will receive a tour of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company’s North Carolina brewery. When: Oct. 30, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Where: Flying Saucer, 9605 N. Tryon St. More: Free admission. beerknurd.com.
HALLOWEEN ASYLUM
their 130 acre farm to a scary, haunted trail featuring a “fun house,” a 3D maze, a “tragic bus” and corn maze. It’s an annual event that’s fun for the whole family. When: Fridays-Sundays. Through Oct. 31. Where: Carrigan Farms, 1261 Oak Ridge Farm Highway, Mooresville. More: 704-664-1450. scarriganfarms. com.
ZOMBIE HOLLOW
What: Gastonia’s haunted attraction. Trail tours begin at dusk and it’s all set around an apocalypse theme. Think: a virus that’s created hungry undead fiends. When: Oct. 27-31. Starts at 7 p.m. Runs through midnight on Fridays and Saturdays; Runs through 10 p.m. on Sundays and week nights. Where: Zombie Hollow, 330 Lewis Road, Gastonia. More: $5-$10. zombiehollownc.com.
What: The best part of a costume party is taking it all off at the end of the night, so why wait until the end of the night? That was a joke, as you’ll probably get tossed from Uptown Cabaret if you simply start getting naked as a guest, but a Halloween party at the strip club can never be a bad thing either way. The pre-party starts at 5 p.m., but things really start to heat up just after midnight with a $500 costume contest kicking off at 1:30 a.m. Bonus: the late-night breakfast buffett starts at the same time, so this could be the perfect nightcap if you haven’t partied yourself out elsewhere. DJ Red will be spinning all night. When: Oct. 29, 5 p.m. Where: Uptown Cabaret, 108 E. Morehead St. More: uptowncabaretclubs.com/ halloween-asylum/.
FRIGHT AT THE KNIGHT
What: The Charlotte Symphony is always coming up with ways to fit merge classical music with fun new themes and this may be one of the best yet. For this special concert they’ve picked up scores from horror movies. Enjoy the sounds from Halloween, Poltergeist, IT, Psycho, and more from the comforts of Knight Theater seating.
5 CHURCH CHARLOTTE’S HALLOWEEN BASH
What: For a chic atmosphere for celebrating Halloween, 5Church has got it going on. Starting at 10 p.m., DJ Guiseppe spins. There will be a costume contest with a $200 gift card up for grabs. And what would the shenanigans be without some late-night grub? There will be caramelized pork steam buns and lamb burgers. Wash it all down with a signature cocktail, like the Viper or Bourberry. When: Oct. 29, 10 p.m. Where: 5Church, 127 N. Tryon St., Suite 8 More: Free admission. 704-919-1322. 5church.com.
TRICK OR TREAT ARTWORK COURTESY OF RICK GUEDES
When: Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. Where: Knight Theater, 430 S. Tryon St. More: $29. 704-372-1000. blumenthalarts.org.
What: It’s said that if you walk up to comeone’s house and ring their doorbell on Halloween night and say “Trick or treat,” they will just give you candy. It’s worth a try. When: Oct. 31, nighttime Where: Wherever More: You should probably dress up.
CLCLT.COM | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | 27
MUSIC
FEATURE
SCOTT MCCORMICK
Mandolin Orange performs at McGlohon Theater on Oct. 28.
MANDOLIN ORANGE PUSHES FOR EXTRA PULP Chapel Hill-based band talks Blindfaller and more BY ANITA OVERCASH
F
OR ANDREW MARLIN
(vocals, mandolin, guitar, banjo) and Emily Frantz (vocals, violin, guitar) of Mandolin Orange, trees hold a special significance. The band, which specializes in a blend of Americana, roots amd country-fused folk, released its fourth album, Blindfaller, on Sept. 30 via Yep Roc Records. 28 | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | CLCLT.COM
The term “faller” — meaning one who cuts down trees — was combined with the word “blind” to reference the concept that one doesn’t know what they are destroying. On the album’s cover you’ll also see what appears to be trees ablaze — though the cover is a bit ambiguous. As Marlin notes, it could also be a UFO landing or sunshine among the trees. But the idea of fire goes hand in
hand with one of the most compelling tracks on the album, “Wildfire,” as well as with the disc’s overall feel of impending doom. The track “Wildfire,” was written with slavery and the Civil War in mind. That era plays an important role in the past and present racial climate. “This song came from growing up in the South and being taught Southern pride,
but not being taught about this history of oppression that’s attached to that,” says Marlin, who currently resides in Chapel Hill. Some lyrics from the track read as followed: “Civil War came, Civil War went /Brother fought brother, the South was spent/ But its true demise was hatred, passed down through the years/It should have been different, it could have been easy
MANDOLIN ORANGE W/ DEAD HORSES $15 and up. Oct. 28, 8 p.m. McGlohon Theater, 345 N. College St. 704-3721000. blumenthalarts.org
/But pride has a way of holding too firm to history /And it burns like wildfire.” Along with Southern pride and its shady past comes another heavy-hearted critique of religion and politics as heard on “Gospel Shoes.” Growing up in the Bible Belt, Marlin realized the strengths and weaknesses of religion. “I think that anybody who wants to believe in a higher power and if that brings them peace and strength, that’s definitely a good thing but when you have a certain religion or faith that oppresses other peoples freedom then I can’t get behind that,” he says. He was inspired to write the song after hearing a snippet of a speech by Ted Cruz, the Republican U.S. senator from Texas. “I think separation of church and state was one thing our country was founded on and we tend to overlook that sometimes.” While both “Wildfire” and “Gospel Shoes” tackle more controversial subject matter many of the other tracks on the album stumble around more personal content. Marlin feels that the album’s final track “Take this Heart of Gold” is the most personal to him. It’s about being in a longterm relationship. “You’re not always going to be this knight in shining armor and the person you’re with is not always going to be this perfect mold of a human,” Marlin says. “That’s not why you decide to settle down with someone. You decide to be with somebody because you take the good and the bad together.” Other tracks on the album reflect on love and heartache. Take, “Cold Lover’s Waltz,” a dramatic track that comes alive through orchestration via string section flare. Frantz takes the reins singing on this song about unrequited love. “I lost my mom at a young age and I think that sometimes instead of writing songs about death, that feeling of loss, comes out very easily in a breakup tune,” says Marlin. “I’m able to take some of those feelings and apply those and just move around a few lyrics and all of a sudden instead of it being a song about losing someone you love to death, it’s a song about losing someone you love and a relationship ending.” For the songwriting process, Marlin approach Blindfaller in a different way than previous releases. Rather than writing songs
The cover of Mandolin Orange’s Blindfaller. for the band, he wrote them as if he were writing them for someone else. “Over the years I’ve written so many songs, and you just have to find new ways to get inspired and that was a fun way for me to step outside of myself a little bit and it gave me this whole sense of freedom,” he says. Keeping change in mind, the band also invited other musicians into the studio to record with them and this time around they allowed them to have a more forefront role, rather than being in the backdrop. This line up included Clint Mullican on bass, Kyle Keegan on drums, Allyn Love on pedal steel and previous collaborator, Josh Oliver, on guitar, keys and vocals. Blindfaller was recorded live in the studio with a natural goal. Many of the recorded tracks are first takes and much of the instrumentation was somewhat spontaneous, lending to a more harmonic, array of sounds — from dashes of electric and acoustic guitar and bass to fingerpicking mandolin and banjo and sweeping fiddle that comes together and also ventures out on its own for rhythmic solos. Marlin
SCOTT MCCORMICK
believes the result of the instrumentation is an album with more personality and character. On the band’s website bio for the newest album they refer to lots of winking and head nods during the recording process. The personality of Blindfaller will be reflected when the band performs live on Oct. 28 at McGlohon Theater. The band will perform as a five-piece band rather than as a duo, setting the current tour apart from other past gigs. Although they’ve had other musicians featured on past albums, including 2013’s This Side of the Jordan and 2015’s Such Jubilee, which garnered praise from the likes of NPR and Rolling Stone, Blindfaller’s soundscapes have taken on a more solid, connected chemistry of instrumental wonder. “For this record we wanted to keep that same idea to go do the live shows as we did with the record, which is having a few more personalities on stage and expanding some of the solo stuff a little bit to let the songs breath more than maybe Emily and I can do on our own.” AOVERCASH@CLCLT.COM
CLCLT.COM | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | 29
MUSIC
REVIEW
RBTS WIN KING SUMMER EP TIDAL PRISM; RELEASE DATE: OCT. 21, 2016 King Summer, the new EP from Ashevillebased psych-pop trio RBTS WIN, is only three songs long. But considering that vinyl copy of the last RBTS full-length album, Palm Sunday, at my house is beginning to wear thin from too many spins, I was excited to hear some new stuff when I heard about King Summer. The EP does what good EPs tend to do, which is to give a taste of how the group’s grown since Palm Sunday while leaving me, the listener, wishing for more. King Summer brings RBTS WIN back from the more hardcore sounds of Dap City, the name of the group’s collaboration with Rapper
Shane of Charlotte, to a synth and boom-bap sound more typical of a RBTS WIN release. “King Summer,” the EP’s lead-off and namesake track, sets the tone with soulful
synthesizers set over a subtle but brooding beat that certainly inspires head nods. The lyrics, which deal with oppression and the preference of the powers that be to keep those under them divided, couldn’t be more timely here in Charlotte, where we’ve argued over House Bill 2 and the Charlotte Uprising all year long. The second track, “Same Ghost,” also finds lead singer Cliff Worsham grappling with some of life’s heavier issues, as he tries to encourage listeners to use what little time they have on Earth to follow their passion as opposed to someone else’s goals. The beat has a bit of an underlying carnival feel thanks to the repetitive calliope keyboard sounds, but not in a gimmicky, campy way. The song itself is far from anything clownish, and isn’t as upbeat as the lead track. While “King Summer” might have you dancing with your lady in the living room, “Same
Ghost” inspires more of a roll-up-and-sit-backon-the-couch feeling. The third track, “Heart Eyes,” brings back the funk, ending the EP on a danceable note. The song carries a motivational message, bringing the themes of all three tracks full circle. Perhaps what surprised me most about the EP is the desire to tackle life’s broader issues, with a focal point on love for oneself and those who differ from you as opposed to what one would commonly think of as a “love song.” Despite the emoji-inspired title of the last track, all three songs are more introspective looks at how one lives their own life as opposed to your typical cuffing season fare. All in all, despite the whole thing being over in just under 13 minutes, it’s a fun ride that will be sure to get you moving and thinking, maybe even simultaneously, and that’s the type of musical multitasking you rarely get to experience anymore. — RYAN PITKIN
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CLCLT.COM | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | 31
MUSIC
SOUNDBOARD
OCT. 27 POP/ROCK *Band of Horses w/ The Shelters (The Fillmore) It Looks Sad, Naked Naps, Blossoms (Petra’s) J. Robbins and Daria, Throttlerod (Milestone) Jim Garret Trio (Comet Grill) Jordan Smith (McGlohon Theater) Primate Fiasco (The Evening Muse) *Saint Motel w/ Hippo Campus (The Underground) *Shiprocked w/ Mndsgn, Dirty Drummer (Snug Harbor) Tommy Castro & The Painkillers (Double Door Inn)
MON 10/31
EMAIL BACKTALK@CLCLT.COM
All Hallow’s Twirl w/ DJ Bret Law (Visulite Theatre) Mirror Moves w/ Cody Hare and Jason Herring (Petra’s)
HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B *Danny Brown w/ Maxo Kream, Zelooperz (The Underground)
POP/ROCK
WED 11/2
LADY PARTS JUSTICE LEAGUE THU 11/3
RAINBOW KITTEN SURPRISE WED 11/16
32 | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | CLCLT.COM
HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B
POP/ROCK
DJ/ELECTRONIC
NOW HIRING INTERNS. THE BRIGHTER, THE BETTER.
The Band Stringfield (Tin Roof) 3 Piece Bucket (Puckett’s Farm Equipment) *Elizabeth Cook w/ Derek Hoke (Stage Door Theater) Randy Franklin & The Sardines (Double Door Inn)
*Charlotte Symphony Altsounds: Fright At The Knight (Knight Theater)
The Band Stringfield (Tin Roof) Gabrielle Sophia (Puckett’s Farm Equipment) The Lenny Federal Band (Comet Grill) Patrick Sweany (Double Door Inn) *Travis Tritt (Coyote Joe’s)
SUN 10/30
COUNTRY/FOLK
CLASSICAL/JAZZ/SMOOTH
COUNTRY/FOLK
SAT 10/29
OCT. 29
The New Artist Showcase w/ Marquis, Tiffany Taylor, Yung Optu, Mulodic, Anna Mae, Jayoungin (Amos’ Southend)
OCT. 28
FRI 10/28
The Lenny Federal Band (Comet Grill) *Mandolin Orange w/ Dead Horses (McGlohon Theater) Smooth Hound Smith The DuPont Brothers (early show) (The Evening Muse)
76 & Sunny (Tin Roof) *Band of Horses w/The Shelters (The Fillmore) *The Bleeps as Madonna, Minimums as Green Day, Automatic Fantastic as ZZ Top, Van Huskins as Superchunk, Glimpses as Oasis, October as Celtic Frost, Gore Gore Luchadores as Your Favorite Wrestling Icons (Milestone) Fright Night Music Showcase (Amos’ Southend) Greyhounds w/ The Cerny Brothers (late show) (The Evening Muse) *Haunted Harbor Night One w/ Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, El Malpais, Dan Melchior, The Brokeoffs (Snug Harbor) Joe the Show (Tin Roof)
*Big Mammas House of Burlesque (Visulite Theatre) *The Dead Men as Eminem, Knowne Ghost as Death Cab for Cutie, Suit City as At The Drive In, Porch Mob as Die Antwoord, Fat Geoff as R. Kelly, Tiny City as Miley Cyrus, Rothschild as Brand New, Tom, Hanks as The Clash, Take The Fall as Sum 41 (Milestone) Decades Rewind (Knight Theater) Fear & Loathing in NoDa w/ Evergone, Radio Lola, The Mollywops, Aarodynamics (Neighborhood Theatre) *Haunted Harbor Night 2 w/ Patabamba, Ahleuchatistas, Poontanglers, Spirit System, Must Be The Holy Ghost (Snug Harbor) Jess Klein w/ Gaelynn Lea (early show) (The Evening Muse) Joe the Show (Tin Roof) Petra’s Hella Halloween Show featuring DJ Monsterpiece, No Me Toques, Joshua Cotterino, Farewell Albetross (Petra’s) Phantogram w/ The Range (The Fillmore) Silver Wings (Comet Grill) Walker Lukens (late show) (The Evening Muse)
OCT. 30 CLASSICAL/JAZZ/SMOOTH Incognito w/ Maysa (Knight Theater)
POP/ROCK Eric Hutchinson with Humming House and Matt Mackelcan (Visulite Theatre) *Machine Gun Kelly (The Fillmore) Omari & The Hellraisers (Comet Grill)
OCT. 31 DJ/ELECTRONIC *The Chainsmokers (Bojangles Coliseum) Knocturnal (Snug Harbor)
POP/ROCK Find Your Muse Open Mic (The Evening Muse) *Kayo Dot, Antares, Solemn Shapes (Milestone) Locals Live: The Best in Local Live Music & Local Craft Beers (Tin Roof) The Monday Night Allstars (Double Door Inn) The Record Company with Muddy Magnolias (Visulite Theatre) Touche Amore w/ Tiny Moving Parts, Culture Abuse (Neighborhood Theatre)
NOV. 1 CLASSICAL/JAZZ/SMOOTH Bill Hanna Jazz Jam (Double Door Inn)
COUNTRY/FOLK Open Mic with Jeff & Al (Puckett’s Farm Equipment) Red Rockin’ Chair (Comet Grill) Tuesday Night Jam w/ The Smokin’ Js (Smokey Joe’s Cafe)
DJ/ELECTRONIC *PBR Art Showcase w/ DJ’s Ahuf, Spclgst & Rapper Shane (Petra’s)
HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B NF - Therapy Sessions (The Underground)
POP/ROCK Bill Hanna Jazz Jam (Double Door Inn) Oso Oso w/ Big Eyes, Dead Bars, Dollhands (Snug Harbor) Red Rockin’ Chair (Comet Grill) Umbra, Surgeon, Lord Almighty, Moynoq, KRVSADE (Milestone)
NOV. 2 COUNTRY/FOLK Original Singer Songwriters Night (Puckett’s Farm Equipment)
POP/ROCK Charming Disaster, The Lady Comes First, Em Young (Milestone) *El Malpais (Snug Harbor) Modern Heritage Weekly Mix Tape (Snug
Harbor) Open Mic/Open Jam (Comet Grill) The Revivalists w/ Stop Light Observations (The Underground) Songwriter Open Mic (Petra’s) Switchfoot w/ Relient K (The Fillmore) Tosco Open Mic (The Evening Muse)
COMING SOON
THIS FRIDAY
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Pluto for Planet (Tin Roof)
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TRAVIS TRIT T
LIMITED ADVANCE TICKETS $20 ALL OTHERS $25
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THIS SATURDAY
BOO BASH
BEST COSTUME CONTEST IN CHARLOTTE
$1800 CASH PRIZES TICKETS ON SALE $10
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Sonata Artica (Nov. 6, The Fillmore) Switchfoot and Reliant K (Nov. 2, The Fillmore) Bob Dylan (Nov. 6, Belk Theater) Fitz & the Tantrums (Nov. 9, The Fillmore) Reel Big Fish (Nov. 9, The Underground) Stevie Nicks and the Pretenders (Nov. 10, Time Warner Cable Arena) Keller Williams (Nov. 11, Neighborhood Theatre) Drive-By Truckers (Nov. 12, The Fillmore) The Marshall Tucker Band (Nov. 13, Bank of America Stadium) Evanescence (Nov. 15, The Fillmore) Local H (Nov. 16, Visulite Theatre) Russ (Nov. 16, The Underground) Sloan (Nov. 17, Visulite Theatre) The Bellamy Brothers (Nov. 17, Don Gibson Theatre, Shelby) Yellowcard: The Final World Tour (Nov. 17, The Fillmore) Good Charlotte (Nov. 18, The Fillmore) A$AP Ferg and Playboi Carti (Nov. 21, The Underground) Maxwell, Mary J. Blige and Ro James (Nov. 22, Spectrum Center) The Black Lillies (Dec. 1, Visulite Theatre) Josh Ritter (Dec. 2, McGlohon Theater) I Love The 90s w/ Vanilla Ice, Salt-N-Pepa, Color Me Badd, Coolio, Tone Loc, Rob Base (Dec. 4, Spectrum Center) Trans-Siberian Orchestra (Dec. 8, Spectrum Center) Southern Culture on the Skids (Dec. 9, Visulite Theatre) Chatham County Line (Dec. 16, Neighborhood Theatre Benji Hughes (Dec. 24, Snug Harbor) The Avett Brothers (Dec. 31, Bojangles’ Coliseum) * - CL Recommends
NEED DIRECTIONS? Check out our website at clclt.
com. CL online provides addresses, maps and directions from your location. Send us your concert listings: E-mail us at aovercash@clclt. com or fax it to 704-522-8088. We need the date, venue, band name and contact name and number. The deadline is each Wednesday, one week before publication.
NOVEMBER 5
BRET T YOUNG
LIMITED ADVANCE TICKETS $12 ALL OTHERS $15
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NOVEMBER 11
MICHAEL RAY
TICKETS ON SALE NOW $10
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NOVEMBER 19
RUSSELL DICKERSON TICKETS $10 AT DOOR 1-2-3 NIGHT
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NOVEMBER 26
CHRIS LANE WITH MORGAN WALLEN
LIMITED ADVANCE TICKETS $15 ALL OTHERS $18
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DECEMBER 3
TYLER FARR SPECIAL GUEST BEN GALLAHER LIMITED ADVANCE TICKETS $22 ALL OTHERS $25
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DECEMBER 17
COLE SWINDELL SPECIAL GUESTS TRAVIS DENNING AND COLE TAYLOR LIMITED ADVANCE TICKETS $22 ALL OTHERS $25
WILD1-2-3 NIGHTS
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CLCLT.COM | OCT. 27 - OCT. 2, 2016 | 33
ENDS
STARGAZER
FOR ALL SIGNS: This is yet another week of relationship focus. Give attention to partner(s) in life and think about what we have learned from each other. Rise above the mundane situation and see the bigger picture of your relationship(s). If the personality of that person irritates you, then there is something important to learn about yourself. People who aggravate us are often reflecting some part of our hidden self. ARIES: You must consciously evaluate how you will manage to meet your personal needs and yet remain connected to the “other” in your life. Someone may be “returning” after a time apart, which offers another opportunity to share. TAURUS: You are particularly devoted
to resolving shared financial issues at this time. This focus includes partner’s income, debts, concerns regarding income tax, social security and finances you may share.
GEMINI: Life becomes less complicated this
week. You are tuned into those around you and willing to assist in whatever way possible. Give yourself time for self-exploration and relaxing. Your intuition is strong.
CANCER: Your heart and mind may be in
conflict over projects. This is a good time to reorganize drawers, closets, or maybe your desk. The act of putting clutter into order will clear your mind.
LEO: Give attention to that which gives you a sense of long term security. Your property or home may be the focus of attention. A lovely gift may come to you through a relative who thinks you are worthy to take care of a treasure. VIRGO: You and your partner or a close
friend have the opportunity to enjoy leisurely time together. This is a good time for deep conversations and reflection on your spiritual life. Allow your intuition to flow and guide you.
ENDS
LIBRA: A new person enters the scene to assist with problems you may be having with a child or a lover. This is someone who can see many points of view and will assist you in the situation. Criticism is uncalled for in this situation. However, things must be handled with integrity and respect for all concerned. SCORPIO: During the next week you
will be contemplating your existence. You are thinking about how you can position yourself in order to feel more sense of meaning in your work, your family, and your relationships. Some may be pondering on the level of the spiritual. You may have some very creative ideas.
SAGITTARIUS: This week you may embark
on a project. Your career or life direction is blending harmoniously with what you feel is the “right” thing to do. People with power are giving help and/or education as you need it.
CAPRICORN: A friend or helper is a
supporting background player in the territory of career or life direction. This person, who is probably a female, will be working on your behalf to help improve your status. You may never learn about what she is doing to help you.
AQUARIUS: A new person or an option is present in your career. The “new” one offers positive ideas and encouragement. You may be mixing business and pleasure. Business takes on a more collegial quality.
PISCES: Communication with those from
a distance will be favorable. The time is auspicious for activities related to travel. You have a poetic turn of mind at this time. You likely will enjoy reading spiritual or philosophical material.
Are you interested in a personal horoscope? Vivian Carol may be reached at 704-366-3777 for private psychotherapy or astrology appointments. Website: www.horoscopesbyvivian.com.
NIGHTLIFE
MAKING FRIENDS AT CORNER PUB And gaining carbs via tachos later, I knew I’d made the right decision. My OVER THE PAST couple weeks the co-workers and I discussed everything from running theme has been spending more time the “Charlotte riots” to political ideals and with friends and letting loose. In the process, everything in between. I’ve learned that while drinking during the Side note: Have you ever tried tachos? week fosters great conversations, more than Picture nachos and sub tater tots for the one glass of wine is still a bad idea. Nevertheless, a mid-week escapade took chips. They are to die for. I have now ordered me to The Corner Pub. Located at the corner them there four times in the past month. of N. Graham Street and W. 7th Street, this The next day, my best friend and I popular Fourth Ward hangout serves up were coordinating date night at McGlohon great food and has drink specials every single Theater for a show. I asked her to meet night of the week. A co-worker of mine, me at Corner Pub so we could grab a drink who lives above The Corner Pub in the beforehand. And guess what? The same building, had spoken of epic bartender knew my drink order nights of hanging out on the and followed with, “Tachos patio. She and a few others with queso, chili, sour cream, meet for “wine club” on jalapenos and ranch on the Tuesdays. Why? Well, $3 side?” #officialregular glasses of wine, of course. After the show, when The first time I we returned, another visited Corner Pub regular who had shared was completely by his chicken wings the happenstance. My conight before strolled worker peer-pressured past. We continued our me into grabbing a couple AERIN SPRUILL conversation from the night drinks between work and a before. My bestie and I were show at The Fillmore. As soon feeling cultured after our show, so as we walked in, she ordered a we were more than happy to continue drink for both of us. When the bartender our artistic journey as he shared poetry in didn’t ask for her debit card I knew I’d found the form of spoken word and prose. While a true neighborhood bar. Shortly after, I was we didn’t want the night to end, we had to sipping and chatting with the regulars. One, accept the fact that the morning would be with amazing blonde dreads, noticed I was there before we knew it. wearing a skirt similar to one she’d picked Friends. Drink specials. Karaoke. Tachos. up but was too long for her to wear. Then she Panthers hangout. Check! It’s official, if ran up to her apartment to bring it down! you’re looking for a neighborhood bar any Talk about making friends?! day of the week, The Corner Pub is lit! (And The following Tuesday, I was added to you can actually park on the street there — the “wine club” group chat and made special shh.) arrangements for my car. Five glasses of wine
LILLY SPA
704-392-8099 MON-SUN 9AM-11PM LOCATED NEAR THE AIRPORT EXIT 37 OFF I-85 WE ACCEPT ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS
SOUTH ON BEATTIES FORD ROAD THEN FIRST RIGHT ON MONTANA DRIVE (LOCATED 1/2 MILE ON THE LEFT | 714-G MONTANA DR) 34 | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | CLCLT.COM
ENDS
CROSSWORD
SCHOOL ORDERS ACROSS
1 Loch monster moniker 7 -- Tome 10 Party giver’s abbr. 14 Disk units 19 And much more of the same: Abbr. 20 Waters off Fla. 21 Part of BSA: Abbr. 22 Target for an exterminator 23 Start of a riddle 25 “Me neither” 26 Hunky-dory 27 Address book no. 28 Riddle, part 2 31 Polar vehicle 33 Puts on the burner again 34 Fair-haired folks 35 Saintly glow 38 On top of that 39 Wall St. insider, maybe 41 Brewery oven 42 Riddle, part 3 49 Crooner Jones 50 Lament 51 Perp’s charge 52 “Later, Jose” 55 Ample 57 Trawl, e.g. 58 Typical Tiger Beat readers 61 Brewery tank 62 Round hairdo 63 Riddle, part 4 66 Toshiba rival 68 Neighbor of Arg. 69 U.K. “Inc.” 70 Riddle, part 5 79 “-- -Ca-Dabra” (1974 tune) 83 Stadium shout 84 Without help 85 With 4-Down, gear up 86 Newbies, so to speak 87 Die marks 89 Numbered hwy. 90 Like red soil 92 Ore- -- (maker of Zesties!) 93 Riddle, part 6 98 “Mamma Mia” quartet 100 Suffix for an enzyme 101 Stadium shout 102 Vatican site 103 Detonate 105 African cat
109 Meat stamp inits. 112 End of the riddle 117 Cal. units 118 Holy Roman emperor known as “the Great” 119 Ian who played Bilbo Baggins 120 Riddle’s answer 122 Ban Ki-moon heads it, for short 123 Run up -- (drink on credit) 124 “A,” in Caen 125 Submissive 126 Big mattress maker 127 Setup on eHarmony 128 Signing need 129 Many stage mutterings
DOWN
1 Colorful amphibians 2 Merman of “Gypsy” 3 Warrior’s suit with small, overlapping plates 4 See 85-Across 5 -- -bitsy 6 Audio effect 7 Ketchup, e.g. 8 Words after attorney or heir 9 Language of early inscriptions 10 Rampaged 11 L.A. hazes 12 Stylish Wang 13 Rigidly formal 14 Bar fight 15 Gave an attentiongetting shout 16 Fallen suddenly 17 Clicked-open greetings 18 Least bold 24 “The Skin of -- Teeth” 29 Author -- Hubbard 30 Peters out 32 Penn & Teller, e.g. 36 July gem 37 Bonobo, e.g. 39 “Law & Order” actress -- de la Garza 40 Push away 42 Razor choice 43 Slip up 44 High-end hotel chain 45 Antagonists 46 Way to go 47 Glenn of the Eagles
48 Laces into 53 Sculler’s tool 54 Bourbon and Wall: Abbr. 56 Funny Sahl 58 Govt.-issued security 59 Snaky swimmers 60 Bank (on) 63 God that’s part goat 64 Conical woodwind 65 The date 6/6/44 67 Earthen pot for liquids 70 Tax-taking org. 71 Tot’s break 72 One given to ostentatious display 73 Golf vehicles 74 Offering-plate share 75 Notion, to Fifi 76 Eye creepily 77 -- tide 78 About 5.88 trillion mi. 80 Wedding VIP 81 Traveled by bus, e.g. 82 “That is -- commentary” 86 Old toy company 88 Defrosts 90 Rises slowly 91 Always, in odes 94 Neck part 95 West African tree 96 Oscar winner Guinness 97 Rhea relative 98 Monastery heads 99 Actress Danner 104 Wake -- cold sweat 105 B soundalike 106 Macduff, e.g. 107 Tunesmith Harold 108 Pork product 110 Sir Arthur Conan -111 Mules’ sires 113 Landlocked African land 114 Tiny amount 115 Fanta, e.g. 116 Grandson of Adam 121 College dept.
SOLUTION FOUND ON P. 36.
CLCLT.COM | OCT. 27 - NOV. 2, 2016 | 35
ENDS
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or two of sex in per week, and enjoy porn I LOVE MY wife, but I have a lot without guilt the rest of the week. And of resentment, disappointment, and if you’re concerned about the amount of insecurity over our sex life. Right now, porn you’re watching, try this trick: Lie with kids and our busy lives, she’s on the couch or the floor or the guest bed, content with sex once a week or so, and stroke your cock (even if it’s soft), and I need relief pretty much every night to think dirty thoughts. Your cock will get help with my insomnia. What’s more, hard and you’ll get off. It’s how most people I really don’t enjoy porn at all, but if masturbated before the internet came and we aren’t having intercourse, there’s ruined everything, WOES, and it still works. pretty much no other way for me to get off. Blame it on my fundamentalist When I met my partner of three evangelical upbringing, but I fear my years, I thought I’d hit the jackpot: a porn use becoming an addiction. It Dom who packs a wallop but knows how makes me feel dirty. I would love a to listen and loves group sex. We have had solution to this problem that doesn’t some rough patches, especially since involve me jerking off in a dark room he has had increasing financial by a computer screen after my trouble/underemployment, wife falls asleep every night. whereas I am back in All I want to do is feel school and have too close to my wife, orgasm, many jobs. I see him and sleep. I think she does sincerely care and taking advantage of wants to help me, but me financially. So my is just so tired and busy desire is to DTMFA. with her career and our But when I talk about kids. I just don’t know my feelings in the what to do. relationship, he argues When Orgasms with me. I don’t think I DAN SAVAGE Enable Sleep can stay with him, but I also don’t want to have a You’ve been married four conversation about leaving. years, you have more than one Sincerely Troubled Under child, you both work — and if you divide Constant Kriticism household labor like most couples, WOES, your wife is doing more/most of the cooking, We do not need someone’s consent to cleaning, and child care. But even if you were leave them. Breakups are the only aspect of childless, living in a hotel suite with daily our romantic and/or sexual lives where the maid service, eating only room service, and other person’s consent is irrelevant. That throwing your underpants out the window means you don’t have to win an argument to after one wearing, WOES, it would still break up with your boyfriend, STUCK, nor be unreasonable to expect PIV intercourse do you have to convince him your reasons every night of the week. You’re never going are rational. You just have to say, “It’s over; to get it seven nights a week. So make the we’re done.” It’s a declaration, STUCK, not a most of the PIV you’re getting, broaden conversation. your definition of sex and get another night Email Dan Savage at mail@savagelove.net. SOLUTION TO THIS WEEK'S PUZZLE
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