Queen City Nerve Issue 4_2019

JANUARY 16 - JANUARY 29, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

FOOD:

NEWS:

Cash bail runs out P. 6

A YEAR IN ROCK:

Queen’s Feast widens its reach P. 20

Skylark Social Club Turns One

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Charlotte’s Cultural Pulse STAFF

PUBLISHER • Justin LaFrancois jlafrancois@qcnerve.com EDITOR-IN-Chief • Ryan Pitkin rpitkin@qcnerve.com

EDITORIAL

ASSOCIATE EDITOR • Courtney Mihocik cmihocik@qcnerve.com STAFF WRITER • Pat Moran pmoran@qcnerve.com

ART/DESIGN

ART DIRECTOR • Dana Vindigni dvindigni@qcnerve.com

ADVERTISING

Pg. 3 Jan. 16- Jan. 29 , 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

SALES DIRECTOR Aaron Stamey • astamey@qcnerve.com To place an ad, please call 980-349-3029 Queen City Nerve welcomes submissions of all kinds. Please send submissions or story pitches to rpitkin@qcnerve.com.

Queen City Nerve is published every other Wednesday by Nerve Media Productions LLC. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Queen City Nerve is published by Nerve Media Productions LLC, based in Advent Coworking at 933 Louise Ave., Charlotte, NC, 28204. www.qcnerve.com. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/queencitynerve; on Twitter at @qc_nerve; on Instagram at @queencitynerve

NEWS & CULTURE

6 Cashing Out Is Mecklenburg County’s cash bail system in its last days?

BY RYAN PITKIN

5 EDITOR’S NOTE by Ryan Pitkin 8 THE SEEKER by Katie Grant 9 SCANNER by Ryan Pitkin

ARTS

10 Audio Undead Sci-fi noir podcast places Charlotte in the wake of a zombie apocalypse

BY COURTNEY MIHOCIK

LIFELINE

12 How not to kill your social life

MUSIC

16 Crossing Borders and Traveling Blue Ana Lucia Divins bridges cultures through song

BY PAT MORAN

14 SNAP SHOTS: Skylark Turns One by Justin Driscoll 18 SOUNDWAVE

FOOD & DRINK

20 A Feast Fit for A Queen City Charlotte restaurants prepare three-course meals at fraction of price

BY COURTNEY MIHOCIK

24 THEBUZZ

COVER DESIGN BY: Dana Vindigni

PHOTO BY: Justin Driscoll JANUARY 16 - JANUARY 29, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

NIGHTLIFE

26 Tips From Last Night by Justin Zelewski 27 Horoscope 28 Crossword 30 Savage Love

FOOD:

NEWS:

Cash bail runs out P. 6

A YEAR IN ROCK:

Queen’s Feast widens its reach P. 20

Skylark Social Club Turns One

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EDITOR’S NOTE

ON MY SOAPBOX

Paint the town blue

Pg. 5 Jan. 16- Jan. 29 , 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

BY RYAN PITKIN

The Nerve’s presence is growing.

You might have noticed the sudden appearance of newly painted marine blue newspaper boxes that popped up around the city on the morning of Jan. 2.

Seemingly overnight (actually not seemingly, it happened overnight), these marine blue boxes popped up in 40 spots ranging from University City to the West End to South End ... well all the ends really.

Or maybe you didn’t notice, because who the hell pays attention to newspaper distribution boxes but me?

As with everything involved in starting this business, putting a bunch of distribution boxes on the street seemed like a simple enough process on paper, but thousands of dollars and more than 100 labor hours later, fate proved us wrong.

My paint-stained business partners and I placed the last of the boxes down in front of the BLKTECH Interactive storefront in Camp North End at 2 a.m. on Jan. 2, just six hours from the time we would start delivering our third issue.

But let’s rewind.

It all started at a Winston-Salem graveyard.

No, not the amazingly picturesque graveyard in Historic Old Salem. I’m referring to the back

parking lot at the Winston-Salem Journal, where hundreds of newspaper boxes had been standing like gravestones for God knows how long.

We took a walk through the old graveyard back in November when we signed a contract with the WSJ to print our paper.

It was among this necropolis that we found about 50 boxes that were still in wrapped in cardboard, and had therefore escaped the elements to this point.

Upon unwrapping one, we found that they were boxes meant to hold Skirt Magazine, a Charleston-based publication that still prints issues but no longer distributes in these parts.

The boxes were a beautiful shape that can’t be found around Charlotte, and the fact that each one was still in pristine shape made the decision easy. Upon agreeing on a price with our printers, we made a deal and returned in December with a U-Haul ready to haul our loot back to the Queen City.

That’s when the real work began. The boxes were a sparkling green, which was nice and all, but didn’t vibe with our brand. So after hitting the local Home Depot and deciding on which color best meshed with our logo (marine blue), then spending an unseemly amount of money

PHOTOS BY GRANT BALDWIN (GRANTBALDWINPHOTO.COM)

Ryan Pitkin (black sweatshirt) and Justin LaFrancois hard at work to get those boxes on the street.

on everything else we would need, we began the biggest arts and crafts project we’ve ever took part in.

We rolled each and every box we had, a total of 58, into my business partner Justin LaFrancois’ backyard. That would became our home base of operations for the entire week of Christmas. As friends and family celebrated the holidays and exchanged presents, we sanded, sprayed and brushed our way closer to 2019.

First order of business: sand the paint off of every last box. Once we finished that project, which was no short order, then came the primer, which we applied with a sprayer.

About three days in, we were ready for the final step: the marine blue paint, all done by hand.

Justin and I spent many hours working with just the two of us, and Justin painting alone as I spent some family time on Christmas Day, but we were not alone in all of our work. Justin’s mom Marietta came out to help despite her fighting a cold. Much props are owed to local musicians The Business People and Justin Fedor, as well as photographer Grant Baldwin, who came by on a Saturday to help us put what we hoped would be the finishing touches on the first round of boxes.

We wrapped up around 1 a.m. on that Sunday morning knowing that rain was approaching but believing that the boxes would be plenty dry by then. How wrong we were.

Anyone with experience painting outdoors

already knows what we learned the hard way that day — that paint doesn’t really dry at all when it’s on steel and the temperature is under 60 degrees.

I woke up early that Sunday morning and drove to Justin’s house hoping that any damage done by the rain would be minimal, but I was in for a rude awakening. I walked in on him stuffing his face with a sub, which I immediately took to be a bad sign. We had planned on hitting a local brunch spot to celebrate our progress, but his facial expression alone told me that was clearly not going to happen.

In his backyard, every box was crying blue tears onto their resepctive tarps. The primer below the paint glared mischievously at us, knowing we had never wanted to see it again.

So yet again, we went to work, re-doing the countless hours of painting we had put in over the weekend. And that’s how we ended up spending a total of 126 hours over the span of eight days doing something we thought we could knock out in a weekend.

So when you see our boxes out on the street, just know that a lot of love went into those. We know they’ll get tagged, scratched and dented over time, as they are now wild and free on the streets of CLT, but just know each one of those boxes has two proud parents who only get to see them when we feed them twice a month.

So please treat them right.

RPITKIN@QCNERVE.COM

CASHING OUT

Is Mecklenburg County’s cash bail system in its last days?

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I

BY RYAN PITKIN

t was springtime 2018 when Nicholas “Nico” Rodgers, owner of the Charlotte-based 123 Bail Bonding, noticed that something was changing in his home county. The amount of bonds he was writing for “clients,” people in need of bail money to get out of jail, was dropping dramatically. Today, he says he rarely works in Mecklenburg County anymore.

“Six months to a year ago, Mecklenburg was one of my busiest counties,” Rodgers says. “Now I can count on one hand the bonds that I write in Mecklenburg County in a month’s time. If I had to pay my bills and take care of my family with the bonds I write in Mecklenburg, I would’ve been closed my doors months ago.”

The shift has been a purposeful one, implemented slowly in recent years by a number of departments within the county’s criminal justice system. Some people believe the movement was spearheaded by Mecklenburg County Chief Magistrate Khalif Rhodes, who during his 2018 campaign for district judge was a vocal advocate for bail reform in the county.

Rhodes ran on a platform centered on bail reform, but lost to senior district attorney Kristen McCallum, who was critical of Rhodes’ leniency.

Rhodes remains the county’s chief magistrate, overseeing 34 magistrates who make decisions about how a criminal suspect can leave jail following their arrest. Rhodes’ office has five choices for each suspect: to be released on their own recognizance, which means signing a written promise to appear in court; an unsecured bond, which holds the defendant financially liable if they do not appear in court; release to a third party, which in Mecklenburg County consists of implementing a risk assessment

tool (described below); a secured bond, which orders payment due upon release; and a release under condition of house arrest or electronic surveillance.

Over the last year, Rhodes has worked to increase the number of written promise releases and unsecure bonds for suspects that his office doesn’t believe to be a threat to others. Although he did become a spokesperson for the county’s efforts during last year’s campaign, Rhodes points out that he’s just following county statutes, which state that he and his team must release suspects by the “least restrictive means” possible.

“Even though I was out there running and speaking publicly about things that we were already doing privately, I tried to assure folks throughout the campaign that it was definitely more than just me and that this was something that, in Mecklenburg County, we are right for doing,” Rhodes says. “Mecklenburg County is ripe for this change because, unlike most places, everybody that’s in a position that needs to be on board is on board ... There’s a number of folks at the table that all are committed to doing this work. As a county, folks have taken ownership over this.”

It’s not just folks within the system who want to see a change. The bail reform movement has been growing in Charlotte and statewide in North Carolina. Long criticized as financially and racially unjust, organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union have put their full support behind

efforts to not only reform the cash bail system but to do away with it completely.

As part of ACLU’s national Campaign for Smart Justice, which aims to cut the country’s jail and prison population in half, the North Carolina ACLU chapter has begun work on ending the for-profit cash bail system that it says “strips people of their rights, targets poor people and people of color, and hurts families and communities,” according to the organization’s website.

Formed in 1920, for nearly a century the ACLU has been known as an organization of lawyers fighting for constitutional rights. But following the 2016 election, the organization began to branch out into social work.

“When the administration changed, the tone of the country began to change,” says Kristie Puckett Williams, who was hired in August to lead the local Smart Justice campaign.

“So the ACLU thought that they could do other and more things,” she continues. “Not just litigation, but how to really become involved in the electoral process and how to use their social capital and their branding to bring awareness to issues that everyday people may not know.”

The ACLU began hiring community organizers like Williams who have experience in the criminal justice system. Ten years ago, Williams found herself locked up on a drug trafficking charge through the second and third trimesters of her pregnancy.

She has since cleaned up and in 2011 began

doing advocacy work around some of the issues she experienced firsthand, including domestic violence and addiction.

“I thought that’s what my life’s work was going to be, but then I thought about how incarceration disproportionately affected black and brown people,” Williams recalls. “Domestic violence affects everybody; addiction, everybody. But incarceration disproportionately affects black and brown people, so how do I use my own experience and the platform that I was given from going around speaking about violence and all these things, now to focus on incarceration?”

Part of that transition involved learning to listen instead of speak. Williams says her priority as she works on the Smart Justice campaign in Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties is to gather residents who may be unfamiliar with the bail reform movement and hear what they have to say, rather than preach the positions of the ACLU. She organizes community meetings and sets rules related to respecting whomever is speaking, regardless of whether other participants agree. She admits that neither she nor the organization has a clear-cut answer on what the end of cash bail will look like, because that answer has to come from the community itself.

In March 2018, Atlanta, Georgia, implemented a no-cash-bail policy for all non-violent misdemeanors. When I ask if that’s something that could be used as a model for her work locally,

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she reiterates that it’s up to the members of the communities she works in.

“What has to happen is the community will have to listen to the people who are closest to the problem to get what that solution is,” Williams says.

“It is my belief that those closest to the problem are closest to the solution, but furthest from the resources and the power. And those of us who have access to the resources and the power are dubious to make those resources and power accessible.”

Williams is optimistic about seeing bail reform measures implemented in Mecklenburg County thanks to the fact that leaders like Rhodes and his adviser, Chief District Judge Regan Miller, have already taken steps to minimize the negative impacts of the cash bail system and decrease population of the county jail, even if she disagrees with the way that’s being carried out.

Before Rhodes was appointed chief magistrate in 2017, the county had already begun implementing programs to address the growing disapproval with cash bail nationwide.

In 2015, the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners voted to allow the county to act as a pilot site for a pretrial risk assessment tool developed by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation.

The tool assigns a number score to every suspect arrested for a crime. The score is meant to rank the likelihood that they will show up for court or commit criminal activity in the future. The scores are used in deciding whether someone can be released with conditions such as drug testing or some other type of supervision.

The risk assessment tool has been viewed as a success by many working within the criminal justice system.

“We have a really good collaborative system put together with all our judicial partners,” Jessica Ireland, program manager for Mecklenburg County pretrial services, told NC Policy Watch last April. “We try to use the jail space more wisely so people who can be released with little to no supervision will be.

Remember, these people are presumed innocent. A lot of them are only in jail because they don’t have the money to get out.”

Ireland cited data showing that 93 percent of those participating in the pretrial system between November 2017 and February 2018 showed up for their court dates, and 85 percent of them had no new charges between their initial arrest and court date (simple traffic offences were included in that stat).

Williams, however, doesn’t believe the pretrial risk assessment is working. She fears that leaning on

Kristie Puckett Williams (above), field organizer with ACLU North Carolina, in her Charlotte office.

Nicholas “Nico” Rodgers (below), owner of 123 Bail Bonding, near his office on North Tryon Street.

risk assessment as the tool to fix what’s wrong with the cash bail system will leave behind those who don’t pass the test, who are often the community’s most vulnerable to begin with.

“Risk assessment has been shown to be inherently racist and biased against black people, trans people, young people,” she says, “so what we don’t want is people to be locked up without the opportunity of having a bond either.”

She isn’t alone in her criticism. In 2014, thenAttorney General Eric Holder warned that risk assessment tools carry risks of their own.

Risk assessments, he said, “may inadvertently undermine our efforts to ensure individualized and equal justice. By basing sentencing decisions on static factors and immutable characteristics — like the defendant’s education level, socioeconomic

PHOTOS BY RYAN PITKIN

PHOTO BY RYAN PITKIN

background or neighborhood — they may exacerbate unwarranted and unjust disparities that are already far too common in our criminal justice system and in our society.”

Rhodes says that as a black man, he remains aware of the inherent biases involved with risk assessment tools and takes those into consideration before sending someone to pretrial services rather than assigning an unsecured bond.

“Some of the things that go into there are convictions, and so if you have a predisposition to having higher contact with law enforcement, then you statistically have a higher chance of having more convictions,” Rhodes says, referring to stats prove it’s more likely for African-Americans or other minorities to come in contact with police.

“So that automatically heightens the bar for certain

segments of society. The implicit biases that are built into there are hard to deal with, but it’s better than what we’ve done in the past, which is nothing.”

Rodgers fears that the leniency with which magistrates are granting unsecured bonds and other forms of pretrial release will eventually backfire on the county. He says he sees himself and other bondsmen as “buffers” between those charged with criminal acts and the police, who can’t be bothered to go find every suspect that skips out on a court date.

Although he admits that it’s money that motivates him and other bondsmen to seek out and find suspects who have skipped bail, it’s not just the financial issue that makes him weary of this new willingness to hand out unsecured bonds.

“I sound passionate about this because, guess what, I do care,” Rodgers says. “I’ve got a wife, I got three adult daughters, I’ve got a granddaughter, I’ve got a son, I’ve got kids out here that can be hurt one day in one of these conditions because Mecklenburg County don’t want to do their job. Now when you let somebody out of jail, you don’t have no kind of buffer.”

Rodgers, who is currently in the process of launching a nonprofit called From Prison to Purpose to help former inmates stay out of trouble, doesn’t appreciate the way people in his line of work are painted by bail reform advocates. He feels skeptical about the future of his industry.

“There’s some bail bondsmen out here that’s running wild and reckless and they deserve to be off the streets, they’re no better than the criminals,” he says. “But there’s also some bondsmen and some companies out here that’s doing good for the community and really want to help people. They’re not out here trying to take people’s last. They say we’re predatory lenders and we can’t even advertise on Google no more. It’s been ran down. I’m sure the business won’t even have another five years if it keeps running like this.”

For Williams, what happens in the next five years is up to the community.

“What we do know is this: If you have money, you get out, if you’re poor, you stay in, and that ain’t right. That’s just the basic bottom line,” she says.

“So it’s important for us as organizers to gather this information from the community and allow the community to be empowered enough to say to the legislature, to their elected officials, ‘This is what we want to see happen.’”

So the future of cash bail in Mecklenburg County depends on our community.

What’s it going to be?

RPITKIN@QCNERVE.COM

Armada_Nerve Word Search_Jan 19.pdf 1 1/11/2019 4:03:17 PM

THE SEEKER AN ESSENTIAL OIL

Yoga and CBD combine for max relaxation

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BY KATIE GRANT

While cannabinoid (CBD) oils and other hemp-based products are growing in popularity and availability around Charlotte, the union of yoga and cannabis isn’t quite a modern day concept. To Westerners, the combination remains unfamiliar yet intriguing as the stigma around cannabis gradually fades.

According to Jessica Dugan, an expert in plantbased medicine who leads a “Ganja Yoga” class in Oakland, California, the earliest mention of cannabis was discovered in The Vedas, or sacred Hindu texts, which were compiled around 2000 to 1400 B.C. The Vedas state that cannabis is one of five sacred plants to Hindu followers. For centuries, it’s been known to liberate users from fear and anxiety. Both of these beliefs are why I personally ingest CBD on a daily basis — or at least when I remember to.

CBD oil and yoga are a powerful duo, and it’s easy to see why folks have begun combining the two. The Sanskrit word “yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning to control, yoke or to unite. As a practice, yoga is meant to help us create a better union with our truest selves. So, given the opportunity to add the leverage of a natural substance that helps nourish the mind-body connection I seek by calming my anxiety, which is just one of the effects of CBD, experiencing a CBD oil-themed yoga class was something I wanted to check out as soon as I learned it was within reach.

It was my first time at Carolina Yoga, which is located in Fort Mill. I made the trip south of the border specifically for the CBD yoga class. While CBD shops and products have been popping up all over the city, this was was the first I had heard of anything like it. I was psyched to be part of this innovative new-age breakthrough.

I checked in at the front desk, eagerly anticipating the one-two punch of a CBD oil yoga session. I settled onto my mat among the other curious yogis in the room while our teacher handed each of us a sealed, single-dose applicator containing a 500-milligram mix of coconut and CBD oils. This we could take at our liberty, along with a CBD salve for external use. Based on seeing a

handful of yogis read their package and set it aside without partaking, my assumption was that they were perhaps still a little apprehensive.

I understand the trepidation since I was once in their shoes, not knowing how CBD would make me feel. I eventually found that it benefits my mental state by reducing everyday anxiety. Let me be clear when I say that CBD oil does not make work or personal issues dissipate. It does, however, affect how I react to situations, allowing me to feel more relaxed and present.

Our teacher was incredibly knowledgeable, explaining how a cannabinoid is just one of many compounds found in the cannabis plant. While the concentrations and the uses of CBD oils and other similar products vary, they have shown potential for relieving pain, seizures and anxiety. She also made it clear that one of CBD’s key benefits — and the reason that it’s legal in North Carolina — is that it is non-psychoactive, meaning it doesn’t get you high.

Thankfully I didn’t walk into class with high expectations — sorry, I couldn’t help myself. CBD oil is the perfect supplement for someone like me who doesn’t like feeling high but can appreciate a waning of anxiety.

I opened the plastic applicator and took a dose of CBD oil. Taking a few deep breaths to get settled on my mat, I followed the teacher’s cues as she guided us through our evening practice. A nonheated, restorative flow couldn’t have been more ideal, complimenting the anxiety-reducing CBD oil perfectly. We spent the majority of class moving through one grounding pose to the next, using a bolster and blocks for additional support.

For someone like myself who finds it challenging to calm an overly analytical mindset, moving slowly with intention is the most effective way to subdue fluctuations of the mind. For me, time spent on my mat is like a really juicy therapy session.

The whole experience was a new and sublime way to recuperate from holiday stress and wind down from the weekend. I can envision integrating this potent pair into my own personal practice without having to seek a themed yoga class.

SCANNER SMOOTH CRIMINALS A report from December tells the tale of a not-so-clean getaway in the University area last month. According to the report, two unknown suspects broke into a secure area on Orr Road shared by multiple auto-related businesses on that street. The suspects got into a Mercedes and tried to drive off in it, but soon learned that the tire was flat. However, that didn’t stop these two rascals from continuing their reallife version of Grand Theft Auto. They then went to the other side of the business and tried to drive a Nissan Titan truck through the gate, but couldn’t get it open. They took a sledgehammer to the lock on the gate until it broke. They got back into the truck but the bad transmission finally gave out and they couldn’t drive that anymore either. Third time’s a charm, so they got into a Ford Explorer and drove off with that, but not before ramming two trucks and a van with it on their way out of the lot.

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COP-YCAT Police found a disturbing collection of items in a man’s home in the Genesis Park neighborhood recently, and arrested a man who wanted to be just like them. Officers seized from the home mutliple police volunteer IDs, a blue and red light bar, handcuffs, dogs tags with a bullet attached (yeah, we’re not really sure either), two handcuff keys, a chaplain’s law enforcement badge, an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement badge, a CIA hat and, of course, a small amount of cocaine to top it all off.

UNSECURE One suspect didn’t bother going through the process of collecting all those items to impersonate authorities, but instead just saw an opportunity and jumped at it. According to a security guard working at an apartment complex at the intersection of East W.T. Harris Boulevard and Albemarle Road, the victim parked his security vehicle and walked up to the door of an apartment to talk to a resident there. Within just 8 minutes, someone jumped into the Ford Explorer and drove off in it.

BRICK SHOT A 36-year-old woman called police after some vandals started laying bricks right onto her car. The woman told officers that at some point between 3 and 8:45 a.m., unknown suspects threw a brick at the windshield of her Jeep Wrangler while it was parked outside of her apartment at the Kelston Place apartments in east Charlotte. While the glass didn’t break entirely, the Jeep was still difficult to drive, as the brick was still stuck halfway through the windshield where it struck. The victim listed the total damage at $500.

NEGAN Police responded to a man’s home in north Charlotte recently after it was brought to their attention that the man was going through a manic episode and should have anything with which he could harm to himself or others taken away. Police seized the man’s pocket knife and a bat with barbed wire wrapped around it, because that’s an absolutely normal thing to be in possession of at any time.

TURBO BOOST A 22-year-old man turned to police last week after he said he was assaulted while trying to scooty poot around town. The victim told officers he was riding his electric scooter down the Light Rail Trail in South End when a stranger who was walking in the opposite direction suddenly slapped him on the back of the neck as he passed.

The victim wasn’t injured but wanted the assault to be documented.

MISSED CONNECTIONS A 53-year-old north Charlotte man filed a police report claiming that sometime over the span of a month, multiple people had been given his address through dating websites, leading to a slew of uninvited guests for him and his wife. The victims are unsure who keeps giving away the address, so the report was filed as a non-criminal incident, but needless to say, they’d like the parade of romantic hopefuls to stop.

IN THE CROSSFIRE A 39-year-old east Charlotte man walked into an argument he wasn’t involved in last week and came out feeling like he

might have to move. The man told police that he was walking up to his apartment at about 2:30 p.m. on a recent afternoon when he saw the suspect next door harassing someone else. The suspect began to yelling at him for no apparent reason, according to the report. By the time all was said and done, the victim told police his neighbor had threatened to shoot him and blow up his car and apartment, which wouldn’t be smart considering he lives in the apartment next door. Despite that, the victim told police he believes his neighbor would carry out those threats.

CAR GO Police responded to the scene of a hitand-literal-run in south Charlotte last week after a man left his vehicle at the scene of a crime, but probably regretted not taking some of his stash with him. The man reportedly wrecked the car at the intersection of I-77 and Tyvola Road then immediately took off on foot without contacting police. Well, police came anyway, and they later listed the items they found in the car when they arrived: a Taurus PT709 Slim 9-millimeter handgun, a Samsung Galaxy 8 cellphone, weed, a traffic ticket in the suspect’s name, ammunition and a bag of blue pills. The report doesn’t state what the pills are exactly, but there must have been a shitload of them, because their value was listed at $6,700.

JACKPOT One Charlottean opened up a package that was wrongfully delivered to their home in northeast Charlotte recently and found something equivalent to finding a $20 bill in an old coat pocket. This person wasn’t cool with the mislabeled mail, however, and called police. The package started out harmless enough: a 10-piece cutlery set and a package of coasters. But at the bottom of the box the unsuspecting resident found some marijuana products mailed in from places where state governments have gotten their shit together and legalized the plant. In the box, the reporting person found a package of Tangerine Dream weed, some sort of edible weed s’mores and two pre-rolled blunts, all of which would later be wasted when the police came to pick it all up.

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WRONG MOVE One incident that recently went viral on local news stations and social media platforms deserves a mention this week. Early this month, a woman reported that a man attempted to kidnap her by forcing her into his car in a shopping center on Statesville Avenue in north Charlotte. The woman escaped the man, then smartly ran into the nearby Bushiken Karate Charlotte Dojo. Not so smartly, the suspect followed her inside, where he met with sensei Randall Ephraim, who administered an ass beating. The suspect was transported to the hospital to be treated for injuries before being taken to jail.

All reports are pulled from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department files. Suspects are innocent until proven guilty.

AUDIO UNDEAD

Sci-fi noir podcast places Charlotte in the wake of a zombie apocalypse

Pg. 10 Jan. 16 - Jan. 29, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

F

BY COURTNEY MIHOCIK

or the right price, detective Samwel Sift can find any of your zombiefied loved ones and bring back their heads.

Hey, everybody’s got to survive somehow after the zombie apocalypse.

In a new podcast released and produced by Stationary Hobo Productions, writer and producer Kevin Patterson and sound engineer Adrian Parrish create a detective mystery in a noir-style world of post-zombie-apocalypse Charlotte.

Case for the Cure takes place several years after The Fall, aka the zombie apocalypse, and Charlotte is declared a “Free Zone” where survivors can live without fear of zombies invading to search for victims to turn.

By using the city’s established train tracks, the mayor shipped the zombies — also known as chompers, diaspora, lost ones and the strayed — out of the city, which has developed into a city-state headed by The Authority. While the Free Zone is rid of chompers, there is little freedom in entering and leaving the zone.

Samwel Sift (voiced by Patterson) is assigned a new case by The Authority to find out what scientist Frank McCormick is up to at his compound on U.S. Route 321 in Hickory.

Neuroscientist Dr. CeCe Daniels (voiced by Lauren Spano) joins Sift. She’s a spunky, strong female lead that keeps Sift on his toes. Together, they leave the Free Zone and spy on McCormick’s compound. Does he have the cure for the zombie virus or is he cooking up something more sinister?

The dark and cynical noir style fits perfectly with the post-zombie-apocalypse world that is the setting for so many popular stories today.

The hybrid of genres hasn’t gone completely unexplored — see graphic novel The Awakening — but Patterson saw plenty of untapped potential in it and pioneered a podcast.

“I’ve always liked noir a lot. I especially like noir when it takes a funny angle,” Patterson said. “And so I was kind of debating noir and thinking about all the zombie tales out there, and realized that the noir world and zombie apocalypse world are similar in that there’s no real heroes; everyone’s done something bad and those two worlds seem to overlap a lot.”

Patterson took a script that he had written a few years previously and reworked it into something consisting exclusively of dialogue, then workshopped it for feedback. At first, some constructive critics felt the story needed more, pointing out that the script was just people talking, which wasn’t enough to piece together a full story. Patterson stuck with it, writing, producing and directing the podcast, which he released in November 2018.

The dialogue decision wasn’t a hard one for Patterson — neither was the way he approached a decision faced by the writers of any zombie story: do the chompers run or do they walk?

There are two schools of thought when it comes to zombies, and it’s become a classic debate within zombie fandom. Should they be 28 Days Later zombies, sprinting full-speed toward

their target, or Night of the Living Dead zombies, shambling and crawling?

Patterson went with the latter, citing the late king of zombie horror movies, George A. Romero.

“I just went with slow walkers, because I felt noir is kind of classy so I should use classy zombies,” Patterson chuckled. “In my mind, they’re the classic, Romero [style], you know, slow-walking zombies. Very easy to deal with them, if you don’t get outgunned.”

The decision adds to a lack of urgency that fits the noir genre, as well.

“They’re not climbing in the windows because humanity just turned to zombies two weeks earlier. It’s not that

immediate sense, but I do think they’re the biggest threat,” he stated.

Since it’s several years after the outbreak — and humans have built a sanctuary in the city-state of Charlotte — the most immediate threat is surviving each other, according to Patterson. When it becomes a free-for-all in a post-apocalyptic setting, how does society manage to keep from falling into anarchy?

A post-apocalyptic, zombie-inhabited landscape is the perfect setting to answer those questions.

“They’ve survived, humanity has clearly survived and will continue to survive,” he stated.

“Now, how are we going to rebuild and what do

we want that to look like? Is it just about your own survival?”

The style of storytelling plays its role in that as well.

“I think the noir does that too,” Patterson stated. “It pretends that no one cares, but people have higher motivations that they really keep on the low down.”

Raiders and traders facilitate the flow of the economy in a world that operates around survival, using I-77 in north Mecklenburg as a means of collecting tolls. Anyone who wants to pass must fork over 1 percent of everything they have with them. The plot point is a not-so-subtle stab at the city’s plans to erect a toll system on that stretch of highway. But paper money doesn’t mean much in a post-apocalyptic world. Sift usually receives payment for his services in cans of tuna or other foodstuff.

Satire aside, Patterson knows what brings true fans to a zombie story: zombies.

However, building a world full of zombies is hard when there aren’t visuals involved in the storytelling. Admittedly, it would be more appealing to see rather than hear a zombie get its head smashed in, but that’s where Parrish comes in.

Parrish and Patterson have worked together on a number of film and audio projects, but as talented as Parrish is at engineering audio, he admitted that creating a story using solely that was tricky. For example, how do you record a bar scene, so easy to set in a film or narrated text?

“We have a scene where we have two

Trafficked

Wednesday Jan. 24, 2019

January's installment of the #ShapingCLT series will focus on the issues of sex and human trafficking and tackle solutions via transparent discourse and a variety of activities.

TICKETS: http://bit.ly/2s0gg8s

Adrian Parrish works on sound production for the podcast.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STATIONARY HOBO PRODUCTIONS

“THE NOIR WORLD AND ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE WORLD ARE SIMILAR IN THAT THERE’S NO REAL HEROES, EVERYONE’S DONE SOMETHING BAD.” Pg. 11 Jan. 16 - Jan. 29, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

Kevin Patterson, ‘Case for the Cure’ producer people who are talking in a bar,” Parrish said. “So how do we want to record that so that in the end once we add sound effects and stuff, it feels like that’s where we’re at? It was kind of tricky.”

Sound effects like Dr. Daniels’ heels clicking through a warehouse and the van ride out of the Free Zone were mixed in by Parrish to add to the zombienoir world they created. Overall, despite the difficulties presented by podcasting — layering audio and getting the sound effects just right — it’s much easier than creating a film, according to Parrish.

“It’s just easier to create that world when you’re creating it just sonically. It was a really cool experience. I got to put to use some of my audio design and audio production,” he said.

That’s good for him, because the story doesn’t end after the four episodes of the debut season.

Parrish and Patterson plan to keep building the universe in a second season.

While the first season was meant to introduce Sift and his reconnaissance skills, in the second season, audiences can expect to learn more about

PHOTO COURTESY OF STATIONARY HOBO PRODUCTIONS

Kevin Patterson voicing Samwel Sift.

the origin of The Fall, the Free Zone and the mayor, all while following Sift through his case assignments.

According to Patterson, Dr. Daniels won’t be the female lead in the second season, but she will be a peripheral character. Another strong female lead will take her stead and play opposite of Sift as the audience learns more about the zombie-free city-state that is Charlotte.

Like most movie or television show releases, the production wrap will be accompanied by a party. Although unlike projects that celebrate a premiere, Patterson decided to throw a more delayed party on Feb. 17 at Petra’s.

“I realized my cast, they never had a moment — like in a movie you go, you do this thing and then celebrate together. Well I’m just releasing this on iTunes and Stitcher,” Patterson said. “I feel like I never gave them a night to be proud of. So that was the original motivation but I think it’ll be a fun night. I know it’s weird to do a release party when

PHOTO COURTESY OF STATIONARY HOBO PRODUCTIONS

Lauren Spano voicing Dr. CeCe Daniels.

‘CASE FOR THE CURE’ PARTY Free; Feb. 17, 8-10 p.m.; Petras, 1919 Commonwealth Ave.; petrasbar.com

it’s already out there.”

The bright side of the party postponement?

Attendees will have time to listen to the podcast beforehand.

In the end, Patterson’s pairing of zombie apocalypse and noir-style storytelling may seem unlikely, but the witty characters and snappy oneliners between Sift and Dr. Daniels mix well with the gruesome reality of the savage “strayed” and the search for a cure.

If nothing else, in the case that the zombie apocalypse ever hits the Queen City, at least we know what it will look like.

CMIHOCIK@QCNERVE.COM

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 16TH CHRIS KATTAN

What: Whether you remember him as Mango, Mr. Peepers, a Butabi brother, Corky Romano or any one of the hundreds of characters he played as one of Saturday Night Live’s longest-serving castmembers, it’s hard just to look at Chris Kattan and not laugh, thanks to all the golden comedic memories he’s given us.

More: $20-25; 7 p.m.; Comedy Zone, 100 NC Music Factory Blvd.; cltcomedyzone.com

THURSDAY, JAN. 17TH MOTHER JONES IN HEAVEN

What: Mostly known now as a mediocre online media outlet, that outlet’s namesake Mary Harris Jones was a prominent labor representative and community organizer through the turn of the century. This play opens with her arrival in heaven, as she realizes it’s exactly like her favorite Irish pub.

More: $20-25, runs through Jan. 26; 8 p.m.; Warehouse PAC, 9216 Westmoreland Road, Suite A; warehousepac.com

FRIDAY, JAN. 18TH

LIFELINE

Pg. 12 Jan. 2 - Jan. 15, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

JAN. 16TH-JAN. 22ND

ROARING ’20S BIRTHDAY BEER RELEASE

What: To celebrate the birthdays of both its brew master and sales rep, Bold Missy has concocted a Suffragette Dark Berry Kettle Sour for release at this Gatsby-themed party. Show up in costume for the chance to win a prize or just party like it’s the 1920s.

More: Free; 5-10 p.m.; Bold Missy Brewery, 610 Anderson St.; boldmissybrewery.com

SATURDAY, JAN. 19TH DOLLAR SIGNS, LATE BLOOMER

What: Dollar Signs was originally just a solo project performed at Evening Muse open mics by Erik Button. Over the years, he’s brought on four more to form one of CLT’s best indie rock outfits. Stay tuned in the days leading up to this one for big news from the group.

More: $10; 10 p.m.; The Evening Muse, 3227 N. Davidson St.; eveningmuse.com

SUNDAY, JAN. 20TH BUBBLY BENEFIT BRUNCH

What: Don’t let the price tag keep you away, since this immersive brunch benefits the American Cancer Society. GoodRoad is living up to its good name with a food truck, live DJ, art and production facility tours. Do good and eat good for brunch this week.

More: $35-220; 11 a.m. - 4 p.m..; GoodRoad CiderWorks, 117 Southside Dr.; tinyurl.com/BubblyBenefitBrunch

MONDAY, JAN. 21ST MLK BREAKFAST WITH SOLEDAD O’BRIEN

What: The fact that renowned journalist Soledad O’Brien is the keynote speaker for this annual MLK holiday event should be all the moitvation you need to attend, but the added fact that proceeds will be used to provide youth and families in the northwest corridor with programs to improve academic outcomes should lock it in.

More: $45; 8-9:30 a.m.; Charlotte Convention Center, 501 S. College St.; tinyurl.com/MLKSoledad

TUESDAY, JAN. 22ND PANIC! AT THE DISCO

What: Once derided as Pablum! At the Emo, Panic! At the Disco is theatrical, overwrought and all over the musical map — but they’re not bland. Their 2016 masterpiece Death of a Bachelor tackles show tunes, R&B and Frank Sinatra with confidence and panache.

More: $30.75-70.75; 7 p.m.; Spectrum Center, 333 E. Trade St.; spectrumcentercharlotte.com

Social Calendar a little light?

Check out

QCNERVE’S LIFELINE

for cool events happening in the queen city!

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 23RD WAREHOUSE TALKS

What: Learn about Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACES, and their impact on individual and community outcomes at a showing of the documentary film Resilience. After the screening, catch a panel discussion that includes local and national experts, and take an opportunity to understand your own ACES score.

More: Free; 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Warehouse 242, 2307 Wilkinson Blvd.; warehouse242.org

THURSDAY, JAN. 24TH MATT DE LA PEÑA

What: New York Times-bestselling children’s book author Matt de la Peña is joining the Trinity Episcopal School during its annual Freedom Fete, a celebration of those who lead the struggle against social injustice. He will share his insight on family and community in literature.

More: Free, RSVP required; 7-9 p.m.; Trinity Episcopal School, 750 E. 9th St.; tinyurl.com/MattdlPena

FRIDAY, JAN. 25TH

LIFELINE

Pg. 13 Jan. 2 - Jan. 15, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

JAN. 23RD-JAN. 29TH

GYPSY SOUL: A THOUSAND YEAR’S JOURNEY

What: If you’ve never seen local seven-string guitarist Vadim Kolpakov and the VS Guitar Duo, this would be the best time to get acquainted, as Kolpakov will bring some other internationally renowned musician friends to help tell the story of the Romani people and their remarkable migration from India to Europe.

More: $24.50 and up; 8 p.m., repeating on Jan. 26; Booth Playhouse, 130 N. Tryon St.; tinyurl.com/GypsySoulBooth

SATURDAY, JAN. 26TH FORTNITE SOLO TOURNAMENT

What: Whether you’re looking to show off your Fornite skills and dunk on some players, hone your battle royale strategy or just want to watch players duke it out, head to CLT Esports’ Fortnite solo tournament. Even if you don’t do as well in the first round, there’s a second one to redeem yourself.

More: $25-30; 3 p.m.; Command Post Gaming Center, 8700 Pineville-Matthews Rd.; clt-esports.com

SUNDAY, JAN. 27TH JON SPENCER

What: Rock ‘n’ roll was birthed amid cries of “You call that crap music?” Jon Spencer gets this. From the abrasive noise rock of Pussy Galore to the gravelly grooves of Jon Spencer’s Blues Explosion, Spencer celebrates rock’s fun and reckless transcendence.

More: $17-20; 7 p.m.; Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E. 36th St.; neighborhoodtheatre.com

MONDAY, JAN. 28TH END OF ART PARTY

What: Throughout January, Petra’s month-long gallery show features work by staff and friends of the beloved Plaza Midwood joint. Monday is your last chance to check it out. Capping the celebration are performances also by staff and friends — Sinners & Saints, Landless, LeAnna Eden and DJ Pucci Mane.

More: Free; 7 p.m.; Petra’s, 1919 Commonwealth Ave.; http://petrasbar.com/

TUESDAY, JAN. 29TH CHER

What: In her signature song Cher wonders if she can turn back time, but with judicious plastic surgery she’s made it stand still. Her career spans a ’60s pop duo, a ’70s TV variety show and current gay-icon and drag-queen-inspiration status.

More: $37.95 - $157.95; 7:30 p.m.; Spectrum Center, 333 E. Trade St.; spectrumcentercharlotte.com

Social Calendar a little light?

Check out

QCNERVE’S LIFELINE

for cool events happening in the queen city!

PHOTOS BY JUSTIN DRISCOLL

Pg. 14 Jan. 16 - Jan. 29, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

The guys at Skylark Social Club are celebrating the business’ first birthday on Jan. 18, and co-owner Justin Driscoll has been documenting with his camera through it all. In a time when local venues showcasing local talent are few and far between, we wanted to shout them out with a spread of Driscoll’s year in Skylark shots. Keep rocking...

Blyre Cpanx & Scarlett Storm — 2 girls 1 tour

Probably Will

Regan Brow n

Pg. 15 Jan. 16 - Jan. 29, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

HoJo, aka Coma Eastwood

TRAVELING BLUE: FROM LATIN AMERICA TO NEW ORLEANS Free; Jan. 26, 3-4:30 p.m.; Nations Ford Road Elementary School, 7050 Nations Ford Road; artsandscience.org

Ana Lucia Divins (left) and Tenya Coleman perform Traveling Blue.

PHOTO BY JO ROGERS

CROSSING BORDERS AND TRAVELING BLUE

Pg. 16 Jan. 16 - Jan. 29, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

Ana Lucia Divins bridges cultures through song

A

BY PAT MORAN

na Lucia Divins was just 25 when she emigrated from her native Colombia to the United States alone with just a few hundred dollars and a single piece of luggage.

“I moved to try to forget, heal and start all over again,” she recalls.

She didn’t stay in Miami long. After meeting her future husband, an American-born Charlotte native, Divins moved to the Queen City to realize her ambitions and dreams. Today, the 43-year-old

singer, songwriter, educator and mother of two performs a distinctive mix of jazz, blues and LatinAmerican folk songs with guitarist Carlos Crespo as Café Amaretto Duo. Divins has also teamed with Charlotte-based jazz singer Tenya Colemon to present a series of interactive and educational performances under the banner Traveling Blue: Live Music from Latin America to New Orleans.

As part of the Culture Blocks program hosted by the Arts & Science Council, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and Mecklenburg County Parks and

Recreation department, the pair will perform Traveling Blue on Jan. 19 at the library’s Beatties Ford Road branch, and they conclude their concert series at the Charlotte Museum of History Feb. 23 as part of the museum’s African American Heritage Festival.

Between those two performances, they’ll also perform Traveling Blue on Jan. 26 at Nations Ford Road Elementary School as a component of ASC’s Connect with Culture Days, a smorgasbord of arts, science and history experiences across Mecklenburg

County.

With her whirlwind performing schedule, Divins seems to have exceeded her 18-years-long wish to begin again in a new country and city, but why was a fresh start necessary in the first place?

Divins says she had a happy childhood growing up in Cali, Columbia. She remembers being surrounded my music and falling in love with it at an early age.

“Music was a part of every celebration and family gathering,” Divins says.

Ironically, the music that fascinates her today

Pg. 17 Jan. 16 - Jan. 29, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

— Latin American folk genres like bolero, trova and other slower tempo songs — didn’t interest her in her youth. Divins thought of those folk styles as background music, she explains, old songs that belonged to her mother and grandparents. She preferred newer sounds, like contemporary tunes coming from Spain, and she sang those songs in music contests in her hometown.

Then a near-tragedy shattered her world.

“When I was 25 I was kidnapped by the ELN,” Divins remembers. The ELN, or National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional), is an armed Marxist group involved in Colombia’s decades-long armed conflict. Among its many illegal sources of income is the kidnapping and holding for ransom of tourists and Colombians.

In 2000, Divins fell prey to a collective kidnapping in Cali. Four days later, she was released without her family having to pay a ransom.

“To this day I don’t know why I was released,” Divins says. “My family in Colombia is not wealthy by any means.”

She considers her deliverance a kind of divine intervention, a second chance. But Divins’ new creative life in the States only kicked into gear when she returned to her roots. She began to reexamine her culture, including the music that she had initially dismissed as background sound.

“Music became a way for me to reconnect and stay connected with my roots and native language,” Divins says.

She credits motherhood as the catalyst for her exploration. In 2001, when Divins gave birth to her son Nicholas, she began to wonder what language she should speak around the new infant, and again with his sister Natalie, who arrived two years later.

Would it be Divins’ Spanish or her husband’s English?

Divins realized that other bilingual households must be asking the same questions, so in 2007 she partnered with children’s author, storyteller and educator Irania Patterson to form Criss Cross Mangosauce. The name of Divins and Patterson’s entertainment and education project was in itself a bilingual mix of cultures — the Latin mango colliding with the American schoolroom term for sitting cross-legged (Criss Cross Applesauce).

The two Latina moms took their act on the road, performing in schools, community centers and libraries to share their Hispanic heritage and Spanish language in a fun, bilingual and educational way.

They also released bilingual CDs and books. Criss Cross Mangosauce started garnering attention in Charlotte’s performing arts community, and in 2009 Divins received the ASC’s Latino Artists Initiative

Grant. This fueled Divins’ exploration of the music of her youth, but it also fired a new passion — the desire to use music to bridge cultures and introduce a bilingual cultural connection to adult and family audiences beyond the classroom.

“I’m interested in how music goes beyond entertainment,” Divins says.

Often, when Latinx people move to the United States they lose all connection with their “background” music, she explains, and there is considerable power in reconnecting people with their memories through music. Music also brings people together and helps to forge new communities, she maintains.

Witnessing how people react when they participate in a sing-along is an example of that community-building in its primal state, Divins continues. She also started focusing on the educational aspect of many of her performances.

“I’m intentional about explaining the origins of songs, some interesting facts about each song, or some of the cultural connections,” she explains, “and I do it in English.”

In 2010, Divins started devoting more time to her solo music and community projects. Through the social service project Flag of Hope, she collaborated with musician and producer Alonso Ordoñez. Working with Ordoñez, Divins wrote and recorded the single “Land of Hope,” a smooth Latinflavored combination of blues and jazz.

Divins crafted the tune to dovetail Flag of Hope’s concept of unity, diversity and community, she says.

As Criss Cross Mangosauce wound down, Divins started performing with guitarist Carlos Crespo.

As she adapted her lilting alto and powerful-yetrelaxed phrasing to Crespo’s percussive cascading strumming, Divins discovered connections between her beloved Latin music and American blues and jazz. As Café Amaretto Duo, Divins and Crespo started playing art galleries and cultural events and gatherings in 2014, but they realized they could do more to develop their cross-cultural and bilingual exploration of Latin and North American music.

Meanwhile, Divins met African-American jazz singer Tenya Colemon through ASC, and they attended mutual educational sessions together.

The two hit it off and planned a collaboration between Crespo and guitarist John Gurske, who was playing with Colemon. They assembled a show in which Café Amaretto Duo performs a set of jazzand blues-inflected Latin music before Colemon performs jazz and blues tunes in her style.

“At the end we do a bilingual set of songs together where we combine our styles of English

‘Traveling Blue’ at Camp North End.

and Spanish music,” Divins explains.

In 2014, Traveling Blue debuted at Theatre Charlotte. Audience reaction was extremely positive, Divins remembers. The show exposed Divins’ music to Colemon’s audience and vice versa, increasing exposure for each singer.

“And once again, there’s no better way to connect people and communities than music,” Divins says. “We have the Latino community and the American and African-American communities coming together and learning from each other.”

Since that performance, Divins and Colemon had been talking about bringing the show back bigger and better than ever. Divins found a way last year when she discovered Culture Blocks.

The program, designed to bring the arts into communities by staging performances in libraries, parks, recreation centers and community spaces, proved a perfect fit for Traveling Blue.

Last October, Divins and Colemon kicked off a series of Traveling Blue performances with an open air concert, a full band show featuring Divins, Crespo, Colemon, Gurske and drummer Trevor Cook at Camp North End. The following show in November was in a more intimate setting, the

PHOTO BY @JO_ROGERS_PHOTOGRAPHY

Sugar Creek Library. For library shows like that, Traveling Blue includes a cultural component, Divins says, a PowerPoint presentation where images and song lyrics are displayed.

“We bring up key facts and connections,” Divins explains. “We bring more to the show that is educational and interactive when we do it in these smaller settings.”

A show in December at the Scaleybark Library added guest cellist Victoria Ypres-McLaughlin. For the upcoming Traveling Blue show on January 19, saxophone player and teaching artist Carl Ratliff will join the fold. In addition to encouraging community and cultural connections, Divins hopes Traveling Blue’s co-mingling of soul-stirring tunes will also clear up a few longstanding misconceptions about Latin music in Charlotte.

“Every time you say Latin music, people immediately think of salsa, merengue, and bachata — these noisy energetic genres. Don’t get me wrong. I love those. They’re part of my heritage,” Divins insists. “But I want people to recognize the richness, heritage, beauty and diversity within the Latin music genre.”

PMORAN@QCNERVE.COM

SOUNDWAVE JANUARY 17 POP

Music Open Mic (Crown Station) Jesse McCartney (Fillmore) JAZZ/CLASSICAL/ INSTRUMENTAL

Tenor Madness: Three-Day Celebration of Tenor Saxophone Masters (Stage Door Theater) Opera Carolina First Night: Carmen (Belk Theater) COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Nate Randall Duo (RiRa) Mike Strauss Trio (Comet Grill)

ROCK/PUNK/METAL Cuzco, Moa (formerly Sam The Lion), Tyler Baum - Pedal Andy Wood, Seth Rosenbloom (Evening Muse) Steel Soliloquist (Petra’s) King Tuff, Stonefield (Visulite) Skylark Social Club One Year Anniversary Party:(Skylark Jeff Austin Band with Nicky Sanders w/Akita (Rabbit Social Club) Hole) The Ruach Shabbat Experience (Rabbit Hole) Roshambeaux (Tin Roof) ABACAB The Music of Genesis, Irrashional (Visulite) Shana Blake and Friends(Smokey Joe’s Café) Patois Counselors w/ Contour, Zodiac Lovers, Daddy’s Tigerdog, Church Girls, Family Friend (Petra’s) Beemer (Snug Harbor) Teen Mortgage + the Shandies, Amity Pointe, Sunday Boxing (Tommy’s Pub) JANUARY 18 The Armory (Tin Roof) ROCK/PUNK/METAL A Sound of Thunder, Lords of the Trident, Edenkiss, King’s X, Sound and Shape (Neighborhood Theatre) Knightmare (Milestone) Fort Atlantic (Evening Muse) Chunky Daddy (RiRa) Phantom Phunk, Radio Lola (Evening Muse) JAZZ/CLASSICAL/ INSTRUMENTAL

Tenor Madness: Three-Day Celebration of Tenor Saxophone Masters (Stage Door Theater) DJ/ELECTRONIC

Out of this world dentistry finally in your neighborhood!

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Dub Dynasty 2nd Edition: Mojo Le Fay, DJ You, Killtrak, Churro (Crown Station) COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Scotty McCreery, Jimmie Allen, Heather Morgan (Fillmore) Lenny Federal Band (Comet Grill)

JANUARY 19

Pg. 18 Jan. 16- Jan. 29, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

DJ/ELECTRONIC

Afro Pop Vol.28: Afrobeats, Soca, Drums (Crown Station) Digital Noir: DJ Price, DJ Spider (Milestone) Hip Hop Vs R&B Karaoke Feat. B.simone (Underground) ROCK/PUNK/METAL

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Noda

2100 North Davidson 704-688-7120

Greg Laswell (Neighborhood Theatre) Dollar Signs, Late Bloomer, Ol’ Sport (Evening Muse) Badfish - A Tribute To Sublime, Ballyhoo!, Little Stranger (Fillmore) Phat Lip, Darby Wilcox, Dale (Petra’s) Whitty, Nige Hood, Killakwabo, BTR, TuKool Tiff, Indigo Jo, Kyng Rash, Stitchy C, Jon Notty, DJ SPK & host Pink Scorpio (Skylark Social Club) #LocalOnly Saturday with DJ Teddy & Mike Boyer (Milestone) Kayla Vega (Primal Brewery)

Aloha Broha w/ The Longest Hall, Sibannac (Snug Harbor) Pluto For Planet (Tin Roof) Pistol Town (RiRa) Eve to Adam (Rabbit Hole) JAZZ/CLASSICAL/INSTRUMENTAL

Tenor Madness: Three-Day Celebration of Tenor Saxophone Masters (Stage Door Theater) COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Jupiter Coyote (Visulite) Chris Lane, Gabby Barrett (Coyote Joe’s) Chelsea Locklear, AlderRose (Evening Muse) Bill Noonan Band (Comet Grill)

JANUARY 20

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Metal Church Sunday Service (Milestone) Omari & the Hellhounds (Comet Grill) Skewed EP Release Show w/ TKO Faith Healer, Minthill (Petra’s) Winter Jam 2019: Newsboys United (Spectrum Center) Bobaflex (Rabbit Hole) RAP/HIP HOP/SOUL/FUNK/R&B

Bone Snugs-N-Harmony (Snug Harbor) Dave East (Underground) COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Elenowen, Rodney Eldridge (Evening Muse) ROOTS/INTERNATIONAL

CLANNDARRAGH (RiRa)

JANUARY 21

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Find Your Muse Open Mic: Heart Hunters (Evening Muse) RAP/HIP HOP/SOUL/FUNK/R&B

Jazz Jam Hosted by Occie Davids, Troy Conin, & Ron Brendle (Crown Station) Knocturnal (Snug Harbor) Comethazine, Lil Gnar (Underground)

SOUNDWAVE JANUARY 22

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Open Jam with the Smokin’ Js (Smokey Joe’s) Lincoln Durham, Zack DuPont (Evening Muse) Panic! At the Disco (Spectrum Center) Human Pippi w/ Lofidels (Snug Harbor) VISTA (Skylark Social Club) COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Red Rockin’ Chair (Comet Grill) 1037 WSOC Tanner Guitar Pull: Chris Young, Walker Hayes, Granger Smith, Rodnet Atkins, Morgan Evans, Dillon Carmichael (Coyote Joe’s) RAP/HIP HOP/SOUL/FUNK/R&B

Soulful Tuesdays hosted by DJ Chopstickz (Crown Station) GLBL (Snug Harbor) DJ/ELECTRONIC

GLBL (Snug Harbor) Lost Cargo: January Edition (Petra’s) DJ Blake (Tin Roof)

JANUARY 23

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

January Residency: Modern Primitives w/ Pinky Doodle Poodle, Paint Fumes, The Wormholes (Snug Harbor) Quincey Blues (Smokey Joe’s Café)

Pg. 19 Jan. 16 - Jan. 29, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Josh Christina (Evening Muse) Allison de Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves (Sugar Creek Brewery)

JANUARY 24

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Deathcrown, Divine Treachery (Milestone) The Shana Blake Band (Smokey Joe’s Café) Carolina Vibes, Akita (Petra’s) CBDB, Orange Constant (Visulite) COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Chatham Rabbits, Lauren & Lane (Evening Muse) Bentwater (Comet Grill)

DJ/ELECTRONIC

Le Bang (Snug Harbor)

JANUARY 25

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Magic Beans, Kitchen Dwellers (Heist Brewery) Popa Chubby (Neighborhood Theatre) The Eccentrics, The Safety (Evening Muse) Aloha Broha, Rowdy Leaf, Leith K. Ali & Izar Estelle (Milestone) The Menders w/ King Cackle, Black Iron Gathering (Snug Harbor) Mo Lowda & the Humble, C2 & the Brothers Reed, Arson Daily (Visulite) Uncle Buck, Pinky Doodle Poodle, No Whammy, Cheveron (Tommy’s Pub) Thirsty Horses (RiRa) The Jump Cut (Tin Roof) COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Robbie Fulks (Evening Muse) Colt Ford, Carter Winter (Coyote Joe’s) Lenny Federal (Comet Grill) RAP/HIP HOP/SOUL/FUNK/R&B

Hella Collab: A Hip-Hop Producer Open Mic (Crown Station) Player Made (Snug Harbor) JAZZ/CLASSICAL/INSTRUMENTAL

Charlotte Symphony: Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances (Knight Theater) The XMen Live (Rabbit Hole) ROOTS/INTERNATIONAL

Gypsy Soul: Vadim Kolpakov & Friends (Booth Playhouse) Shen Yun (Belk Theater) DJ/ELECTRONIC

Space Jesus, Huxley Anne, Of The Trees, Minnesota (Fillmore) Mirror Moves (Petra’s) DJ Overcash (RiRa) Visit qcnerve.com for the full listings.

Cajun Queen’s mahi mahi dish.

A FEAST FIT FOR A QUEEN CITY

PHOTO BY ALEX CASON

Charlotte restaurants prepare three-course meals at fraction of price

A

Pg. 20 Jan. 16 - Jan. 29, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

BY COURTNEY MIHOCIK

s many longtime Charlotteans know, if you’re looking for the right time to try that restaurant that’s been on your radar but remains just out of your price range, Queen’s Feast is the time to strike.

Moving into its 11th year, the biannual Queen’s Feast, better known as Charlotte Restaurant Week, celebrates its first iteration of 2019 from Jan. 1827. Since its inception, Queen’s Feast founders Bruce and Jill Hensley have spearheaded the event, connecting Charlotte residents with affordable three-course meals and introducing countless folks to the city’s thriving food scene.

Back in 2007, before the idea was even halfcooked, there were only about 20 versions of restaurant week across the country. Bruce and Jill were running Hensley Fontana, a public relations and marketing firm they founded in 1985, when one of Bruce’s clients suggested he look into starting a restaurant week in Charlotte. He had never heard of the event, but the idea grabbed him immediately.

Working off of the blueprint of Denver, Colorado’s restaurant week, the Hensleys launched the first Queen’s Feast with 42 participating restaurants in July 2008.

Then financial disaster hit when the economy tanked later that year, and it looked as though Queen’s Feast would be a one-hit wonder.

“Restaurants started closing and they were dying and they were hurting, because all the corporations cut their expense accounts and nobody was going out and nobody was spending money. So the restaurants were really, really dying,” Bruce said. “We are a for-profit entity so we were not going to do it the following January of 2009, and then the restaurants started coming to us and asking us to do it because they were hurting so bad.”

Despite losing American Express as sponsor and cutbacks from media partner Charlotte Observer, the January 2009 restaurant week was a success.

“To make up for the shortfall of support and sponsorship and partnership, we had to more than triple the price of the entry fee for the restaurants.

We thought that was going to be our death,” Bruce said. “But it wasn’t. The lousy economy was our springboard to success.”

Since then, the event has grown in participants and popularity. This year, 137 restaurants in nine counties will be taking part.

“Last I checked, there were over 150 restaurant

Pg. 21 Jan. 16 - Jan. 29, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

QUEEN’S FEAST: CHARLOTTE RESTAURANT WEEK $30 and up; Jan. 18-27; Participating restaurants (next page); charlotterestaurantweek.com

weeks across the country now,” Bruce said. “So it’s a concept that pretty much took off, and we were fortunate enough to be sort of on the ground floor, since there were about two dozen when we began [planning] in 2007.”

The benefits of Queen’s Feast go two ways; the diners and restaurants reap the rewards of 10 days of culinary bargains.

For restaurants, it’s a jump start for sales in a season when people are less likely to venture out for dinner.

After paying a $1,000 entry fee, the various eateries receive priceless promotions and marketing through Hensley Fontana. Furthermore, it’s a chance to inject new concepts into the Charlotte dining market.

For diners, it’s a chance to sit down at a spot that they wouldn’t normally, for a fraction of the price. Each participating restaurant offers at least one three-course meal at either $30 or $35 a pop, with many offering additional special menu options.

Many restaurants run their Queen’s Feast menus concurrent with their regular menus and find that not all diners want to stick to the deals.

The Hensleys carefully vet each restaurant that applies to offer up their own version of a Queen’s Feast. They look to ensure that not only can each restaurant offer a mid-to-upscale meal at a $30 or $35 price point, but that they can also handle a high volume of diners for the duration of the event. Bruce knows diners will recognize quickly what’s a good deal and what’s not, so patrons need to see that they’re receiving a steep discount for high-quality fare.

Ultimately, Queen’s Feast is about restaurants bringing in new customers and making lifelong regulars.

“That’s what I hope the dining public gets out of it, a true experience for what the restaurant is, who they are, what their concept is,” Bruce noted. “And to come back.”

Cajun Queen, an Acadian restaurant on 7th Street in the Elizabeth neighborhood, has participated in Charlotte Restaurant Week since its beginning.

Situated in an old house like many businesses in the neighborhood, Cajun Queen has been around since 1985, and owner Tim Freer hasn’t changed much on the menu since those early days.

As the saying goes, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

Freer and his chef have made tweaks here and

We already have this vibe that we’re looking for. We’re not looking to change it, we’re looking to expose all the people that haven’t seen it to that vibe.

TIM FREER, CAJUN QUEEN OWNER

Tim Freer of Cajun Queen in front of his restaurant.

there, like taking pork chops off the Queen’s Feast menu and replacing them with a delicious pasta dish that’s quicker to cook, but the special event menu has always included the dish Cajun Queen is best known for: crawfish étouffée.

The roux-based sauce is hot and spicy, includes cooked crawfish and served over rice. It’s the restaurant’s No. 1 seller throughout the year. For dessert, Cajun Queen is doling out key lime pie.

Cajun Queen won’t be operating any differently than they normally do for Queen’s Feast, Freer said.

Customers can expect live music nightly as they would any other time of the year, this time joined by a special menu, of course.

“People ask us if we do anything special for Mardi Gras, for instance. I’m like, ‘Well, every day is Mardi Gras,’” Freer said. “It’s hard for us because we do live music every night of the week already. We already have this vibe that we’re looking for. We’re not looking to change it, we’re looking to expose all the people that haven’t seen it to that vibe.”

While nearby restaurants like Cajun Queen continue on as Queen’s Feast mainstays, Charlotte Restaurant Week continues to expand to cover ground well beyond the city limits.

As far as 18 miles west of Center City Charlotte, in McAdenville, a new restaurant is preparing for its first year of restaurant week.

Table & Market opened in December 2017.

PHOTO BY ALEX CASON

Owner John Bailey wanted to to iron out the kinks at his new restaurant before jumping into an event like Queen’s Feast. It was important to Bailey that when Charlotte diners ventured out to Gaston County to visit his restaurant, Table & Market made a good first impression.

“I grew up in this area and have seen Queen’s Feast expand since its inception and I knew that it was something that I wanted to get involved in,” Bailey said. “We waited purposefully ‘til we had been open a year and felt comfortable with dealing with that crowd and having people come from, say, the Charlotte area, as opposed to the Gaston County area. So we wanted to make sure that when we did it, we did it right.”

From the looks of things, Bailey and his team have all the right ingredients for Queen’s Feast. On the menu for Charlotte Restaurant Week, a locallymade pimento cheese from Blessed With Zest foods leads into a steak, chicken or fish offering for dinner.

Patrons will have the variety and upscale dining experience they’re looking for at Queen’s Feast.

At the end of the day — or week, if you will — it’s not just about the sales for Bailey. Even though Table & Market is stationed a bit further than most Charlotteans are usually willing to travel, he hopes diners get more than just high-quality food at a discounted price.

“What we want people to be able to do is not

only experience the food from a classically trained chef, but also to be able to experience some of the history that we have here in town and get to know McAdenville for something beyond just Christmastown and coming over here in December to ride through the lights,” Bailey said of the town’s reputation for its residents’ synchronized holiday decorations.

The ever-trending rise in food costs paired with the not-always-necessary expense of eating out — especially so soon after the holidays — are the sort of challenges that Bruce and Jill tackle when they plan Queen’s Feast. But over the last decade, diners have continuously shown they’re willing to use this time to leave their culinary comfort zones and take advantage of the slashed prices, enjoying a three-course meal they may not expect to find in their neighborhoods — or miles away even.

“What we really encourage people to do is to use Charlotte Restaurant Week to get out of your typical routine, get out of your neighborhood, go across the county, go to another city, try a new concept,” Bruce said. “The investment is not nearly what it could be outside of restaurant week. And that’s what we use it for — my wife and I use it to go try places we never tried before. That’s the fun in it.”

CMIHOCIK@QCNERVE.COM

CHECK PLEASE This year’s Queen’s Feast includes 137 restaurants from nine counties. We barely have room to fit them so we’ll just shut up and list them.

Visit charlotterestaurantweek.com for more details.

CABARRUS COUNTY

LANCASTER COUNTY, SC

ROWAN COUNTY

73 & Main Restaurant ($35) Basilico’s ($35) Bonefish Grill ($35) Rocky River Grille ($35) The Speedway Club ($35) Union Street Bistro ($35)

Red Rocks Cafe - RedStone ($35)

Morgan Ridge Vineyards & Brewhouse ($35)

LINCOLN COUNTY

SOUTH END

CATAWBA COUNTY

MATTHEWS

BOCA ($35) Cafe Rule & Wine Bar ($35) FOURK ($30) Highland Avenue Restaurant ($35) Standard Oyster Company ($30) WOOD ($30) COTSWOLD

Bistro La Bon ($35) Mezzanotte ($30) DILWORTH

300 East ($35) Bonterra Dining & Wine Room ($35) Dilworth Tasting Room ($35) Dolce Ristorante ($35) Fiamma ($35) Fran’s Filling Station ($30) EASTOVER/MYERS PARK

Napa on Providence ($35) Primo Prime ($35)

Pg. 22 Jan. 16 - Jan. 29, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

ELIZABETH

The Cajun Queen ($35) Carpe Diem Restaurant & Caterers ($35) Caswell Station ($30) GASTON COUNTY

Estia’s Kouzina ($30) McAdenville Table & Market ($30) Old Stone Steakhouse ($35) Webb Custom Kitchen ($35) IREDELL COUNTY

Epic Chophouse ($35) Jeffrey’s Restaurant ($35) On the Nines Bistro & Cocktails ($35) Table 31 ($35)

Chillfire Bar & Grill ($35) LOSO / MONTCLAIRE SOUTH

Carolina Prime Restaurant & Steakhouse ($35) Bonefish Grill ($35) Sante’ Restaurant ($35) MIDTOWN

Dressler’s - Metropolitan ($35) Maharani ($30) Mama Ricotta’s ($35) The Melting Pot ($35) Pisces Sushi Bar & Lounge ($30) Vivace ($35) MONTFORD

Burtons Grill & Bar ($35) ROCKSALT ($35) MOUNTAIN ISLAND LAKE

Heirloom ($35) NODA/PLAZA MIDWOOD

Heist Brewery ($30) NoDa Brewing Company with TIN Kitchen ($35) Bistro La Bon ($35) Yama Izakaya ($30) NORTH MECKLENBURG COUNTY

Alton’s Kitchen & Cocktails ($35) BLOCK Bistro ($35) Bonefish Grill - Huntersville ($35) Dressler’s - Birkdale ($35) Firebirds Wood Fired Grill - Northlake ($35) Kabuto Japanese Steak House & Sushi - Lake Norman ($30) The Melting Pot - Lake Norman ($35) Mickey & Mooch - Lake Norman ($35) Red Rocks Cafe - Birkdale ($35) Sabi Asian Bistro ($30) QUAIL HOLLOW/PARK CROSSING

Ilios Noche ($30)

Big Ben British Restaurant & Pub ($35) Luciano’s Ristorante Italiano ($35) Nikko Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar ($30) O-Ku Sushi ($35) Sullivan’s Steakhouse ($35) Tupelo Honey Cafe ($30) YUME Ramen Sushi & Bar ($35) Zeppelin South End ($35) SOUTH CHARLOTTE

Bonefish Grill ($35) Civetta Italian Kitchen + Bar ($35) CO ($30) Firebirds Wood Fired Grill - Stonecrest ($35) Gallery Restaurant ($35) Global Restaurant ($35) Harper’s - Pineville ($30) Mickey & Mooch - Arboretum ($35) New South Kitchen & Bar ($35) Pearlz Oyster Bar ($35) The Porter’s House ($35) Stone Mountain Grill ($30) Ted’s Montana Grill ($35) Via Roma ($35) Vine American Kitchen ($35) SOUTHPARK

Aqua e Vino ($35) BAKU ($35) Brio Italian Mediterranean ($35) Bulla Gastrobar ($35) Cafe Monte ($35) Corkbuzz Restaurant & Wine Bar ($35) Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House ($35) Firebirds Wood Fired Grill ($35) Harper’s ($30) Maggiano’s Little Italy ($30) McCormick & Schmick’s ($35) Oak Steakhouse ($35) Paco’s Tacos & Tequila ($35) Red Rocks Cafe ($35) Ruth’s Chris Steak House ($35) Toscana Ristorante Italiano ($35)

Upstream ($35) Village Tavern ($35) WP Kitchen + Bar ($35) SOUTHWEST CHARLOTTE

37SOL Southwest Kitchen & Tequila Bar ($30) TapHaus49 ($30) UNIVERSITY

Harbor Inn Seafood ($30) UNION COUNTY

The Trail House ($30) UPTOWN CHARLOTTE

5Church ($35) 204 North Kitchen & Cocktails ($35) Aria Tuscan Grill ($30) Bernardin’s at Ratcliffe ($35) BLT Steak ($35) Brazz Carvery & Brazilian Steakhouse ($35) Caffe Siena ($35) The Capital Grille ($35) Chima Brazilian Steakhouse ($35) City Smoke ($30) Eddie V’s Prime Seafood ($35) Essex Bar & Bistro ($35) Evoke ($35) Fahrenheit ($35) Fin & Fino ‘A Social Seafood House’ ($35) Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse ($35) Loft & Cellar ($35) Luce Ristorante e Bar ($35) Malabar Spanish Cuisine ($30) McCormick & Schmick’s ($35) Mimosa Grill ($35) Morton’s The Steakhouse ($35) Ruth’s Chris Steak House ($35) Sea Level NC ($35) Stoke ($35) YORK COUNTY, SC

Fish Market Bar and Grill ($35) Lily’s Bistro ($35) The Pump House ($30)

Learn how to get a

Pg. 23 Jan. 16 - Jan. 29, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

Galaxy S8 FREE!

Ask an associate for details.

877-573-5302 SMARTPHONE BOGO: Limited Time Offer. Select locations. Must buy each iPhone 8 64 GB ($699.99) on 0% APR AT&T Next (30 mos. at $23.34/mo.) or AT&T Next Every Year (24 mos. at $29.17/mo.) with eligible service. Tax on full retail price of both due at sale. After all credits, get iPhone 8 64GB for free. Max credit may be applied towards other eligible iPhone 8/8 Plus models priced up to $950, which will be discounted but not free. iPhone X is not eligible.

Req’d Wireless: Eligible postpaid wireless voice & data svc on both devices (min. $65/mo. for new svc with autopay and paperless bill discount. Pay $75/mo. until discount starts w/in 2 bills. Existing customers can add to elig. current plans If you cancel wireless svc on one, will owe that device balance of up to $950. Activation Fee: up to $45/each. Return: Return w/in 14 days. Restocking fee up to $45 each may apply. Add’l BOGO terms for customers w/consumer acct & Subscriber Paid User acct: Purchased device must be on Subscriber Paid User acct & free/discounted device must be on the consumer acct. Billing addresses for Subscriber Paid User & consumer accts must match. Req’s elig. postpaid wireless voice & data svc on both devices. Combined min. elig wireless svc is $73.50/mo. ($28.50/mo. on Subscriber Paid User acct + $45/mo. on consumer acct after autopay & paperless bill discount. Pay $83.50/mo. until discount starts on consumer acct w/in 2 bills.) Bill Credits: Applied in equal amounts to device over entire agmt term & will not exceed $700. Both wireless lines must be on same acct, be active & in good standing for 30 days to qualify. To get all credits, free wireless line must remain active, with eligible service, and on agmt for entire term. If you cancel service, upgrade or pay up/off agmt early your credits may cease. Limits: May not be combinable w/other offers, discounts or credits. Purchase, financing & other limits & restr’s apply. Participation in this offer may make your wireless account ineligible for select other offers (including select bill credit offers) for a 12 month period. See store or att.com/iphone8offer for offer details.

GEN. WIRELESS SVC: Subj. to Wireless Customer Agmt (att.com/wca). Credit approval required. Svcs not for resale. Deposit: May apply. Limits: Purch. & line limits apply. Prices may vary by location. Taxes, fees, monthly, other charges, usage, speed, coverage & other restr's apply per line. See att.com/additionalcharges for details on fees & charges. Promotions, terms & restr’s subject to change & may be modified or terminated at any time without notice. AT&T service is subject to AT&T network management policies. See att.com/broadbandinfo for details.

IV Technologies Inc. NRO PD T 0118 5327 E

DILWORTH BAKERSFIELD

Monday: $3 Jack Daniels Tuesday: $3 Tres Generaciones, $10 Don Julio 1942 Wednesday: $3 Bulleit Bourbon Thursday: $3 Espolon Friday: $3 George Dickel No. 8 Saturday: $3 Lunazul Sunday: $3 Larceny Bourbon 300EAST

Monday: Half off wines by the glass Tuesday: Half off beer cans & Italian reds Thursday: $3.50 local drafts & $8.50 Matilda Wong cocktails Sunday: Half off wine bottles, $5 mimosas & bloody marys, $6 Bellinis BAD DADDY’S BURGER BAR

Pg. 24 Jan. 2 - Jan. 15, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

Monday: 20-oz. draft for 16 oz. price Tuesday: $5 specialty cocktails Wednesday: $3.50 local drafts Saturday & Sunday: $5 bloody marys & mimosas

DILWORTH NEIGHBORHOOD GRILLE

Monday: $4 Crown & Down Tuesday: $4 drafts, $12 pitchers, $5 flights of North Carolina drafts Wednesday: Half-priced wine bottles & martinis Thursday: $12 domestic buckets, $18 import buckets Friday: $3 craft drafts, $5 flavored vodka Saturday: $5 mason jar cocktails Sunday: $4 bloody mary SUMMIT ROOM

Tuesday: $4 drafts Wednesday: Half off glasses of wine Thursday: $7 Summit cocktails

SOUTH END COMMON MARKET SOUTH END

Monday: Half off select pints Tuesday: Free beer tasting 5-7 p.m.

Wednesday: $2 off select pints, wine tasting 5-7 p.m.

DILWORTH TASTING ROOM

Tuesday: Free charcuterie board with purchase of wine flight Wednesday: Half off Toki highball Thursday: Half off Pinot Noir bottles Sunday: $8 Blue Panther cocktail when Panthers are winning BIG BEN PUB

Monday: $5.50 20-oz. NoDa craft beer, $2.00 off vodka Wednesday: $5.25 20-oz. Spaten, half-priced wine bottles Fri: $5.50 20-oz. Crispin & Guinness, $5 Dale’s Fireball shot Sat: $5.50 20-oz. seasonal beers, $5 mimosas and bloody mary Sun: $5.25 20-oz. Boddington, $5 mimosas and bloody mary MAC’S SPEED SHOP

Monday: $3 pints, $5 Titos Tuesday: Half-priced wine, $3 mystery draft Wednesday: $4 tall boys, $5 Lunazul Blanco Thursday: $3 mystery cans & bottles, $4 Jim Beam

Friday: $1 off brewery of the month (Cigar City), $5 Fireball Saturday: $1 off North Carolina pints, $6.50 vodka Red Bull Sunday: $4 bloody marys and mimosas GIN MILL

Monday: $5 Titos & New Amsterdam, $4 craft beer Tuesday: Half-priced wine Wednesday: $4 draft beer Thursday: $2.50 PBR, $5 Jack Daniels & Titos

UPTOWN ROXBURY NIGHTCLUB

Friday: $5 flavor vodka drinks, $5 fire Shots, $3 beer bottles Saturday: $5 fire shots, $4 Zima, $3 beer bottles CAFFE SIENA

Monday: $5 local craft beer, $5 infused martinis Tuesday: $4 Miller Lite, $6 Jim Beam Wednesday: $4 Sam Adams, $6 Finlandia

Do you want your bar or restaurant featured in The Buzz?

Contact Ryan Pitkin rpitkin@qcnerve.com

vodka Thursday: $4 Yuengling, $6 signature cocktails Friday: $4 Coors Light, $6 Jack Daniels Saturday & Sunday: $6 mimosas, $4 bartender’s beer special, $8 jalapeño-infused loaded bloody mary

Friday: $5 Fun-Dip Shots, $5 Crown Royal Black Saturday: $5 Gummy Bear Shots, $5 big mimosa, $6.50 double bloody mary Sunday: $5 Big mimosa, $6.50 double bloody mary

Bull Sunday: $5 Deep Eddy Flavors, $1 off tequila, $5 White Gummy Bear Shots $4 Draft special everyday!

BILLY JACK’S SHACK

HATTIE’S TAP & TAVERN

SANCTUARY PUB

WORLD OF BEER

Monday: $7 Bulleit & Bulleit Rye, $3 Yuengling & PBR APA Tuesday: $6 Tuaca, $6 Tullamore Dew Wednesday: $3 Birdsong, $5 Sauza, $6 Espolon Thursday: $2 Bartender Bottles, $6 Crown Royal Sunday: $3 Birdsong, $3 Tall or Call

Monday: $1 off moonshine & moonshine cocktails, $3 domestics Tuesday: $1 off all drafts, $7 Jameson Wednesday: $1 off bottles and cans Thursday: $4.50 wells Friday: $5 Fireball, $1 off local bottles and cans Saturday: $4 mimosas $5 Brunch Punch, $5 Fireball Sunday: $4 mimosas, $5 Brunch Punch, $5 Fireball, $10 champagne bottles

Monday: $6 Pabst & Paddy’s Tuesday: $5 Fireball Wednesday: $3 mystery craft beers Thursday: $6 margaritas Friday & Saturday: $5 well drinks Sunday: $10 domestic buckets

PLAZA MIDWOOD

Monday: $2 domestics, $4 well drinks Tuesday: $3 pints, $5 Deep Eddy’s Vodka Wednesday: $3.50 NC Drafts, $5 Bulleit, 1/2 price bottles of wine Thursday: Half-priced signature cocktails, $2 Tecate cans, $3 Dos Equis & Modelo Friday: $3 Yeungling drafts, $6 Crown Apple Saturday: $3.50 pub cans, $6 Jameson Sunday: $2 mimosas, $4 bloody marys, $10 domestic buckets

Monday: $2 off NC drafts and spirits Tuesday: 25 percent off bottles and cans, $5 mules Wednesday: Half-priced wine, wheats and sangrias Thursday: $4 old school, $4 well, $4 signature shots Friday & Saturday: $3 shot of the week Sunday: $2 mimosas, $3 bloody mary and beermosas

NODA JACKBEAGLE’S

Pg. 25 Jan. 2 - Jan. 15, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

Monday: $5 Cuervo margaritas Tuesday: $3 drafts, $5 vodka Red Bull Wednesday: $1 off whiskey Thursday: $6 Deep Eddy’s vodka Red Bull

NODA 101

Monday: $4 Ketel One Lemon Drop, $4 Wells, $5 Camerena Tuesday: $6 Seasonal Cocktails, $6 Jameson, $4 Grape Gatorade Wednesday: $1 off Whiskey, $5 Green Tea Shot, $6 Blue Balls Thursday: $5 Jagermeister, $6 vodka Redbull, $6 Oxley Gin Cocktail Friday: $5 Fireball, $6 vodka Red Bull, $6 Jameson Saturday: $6 Tito’s, $5 Fireball, $6 vodka Red

WHISKEY WAREHOUSE

Monday: $3.50 George Dickel Lemonade Tuesday: $3 Michelob Ultra, $6 classic cocktails Wednesday: $4 drafts, $3 sparkling rosé Thursday: Half-priced wine, $3 Truly cans Friday: $5 remix classics, $4 Corona & Corona Light Saturday: $2.50 Miller Lite bottles, $3 Dos

Equis drafts Sunday: $2.50 Bud Light, $5 Tito’s Saturday & Sunday: $2 mimosas, bloody mary bar

ELIZABETH CASWELL STATION

Do you want your bar or restaurant featured in The Buzz?

Contact Ryan Pitkin rpitkin@qcnerve.com

ORDER UP

Dos and don’ts when ordering from the bar

Pg. 26 Jan. 16- Jan. 29, 2019 - QCNERVE.COM

BY JUSTIN ZALEWSKI

WELCOME TO 2019! I have noticed that not everybody caught the advice I offered up in my debut as a nightlife columnist. This month I’m going to take one of my small pieces of advice from the December column and go in depth. We are going to start with the first basic step once you get to the bar: the order.

You are probably asking yourself, “Self, has Z lost his damn mind? I know how to order a drink from a bartender!” Well I am here to tell you that some of you have no fucking clue what you are doing when you approach the bar. Now this may just sound like a whiny rant. We as bartenders should shut our mouths and do our jobs and make the drinks, right?

But I’m here to make both of our lives easier. Soon, my friends, you will know.

Before we dive into the shallow end of the pool, there are a few things to consider.

First: What type of bar or restaurant are you in?

Bars come in all shapes and sizes. You have your dive bars, craft cocktail bars, nightclubs, college bars, neighborhood watering holes, breweries, biker bars, saloons, Irish pubs, high-volume bars, hippy bars and the list goes on. Each one of these establishments offers a different experience, but they all have the same goal: taking your order and getting it to you as quick as possible. Sounds simple, right?

This should be the most harmonious part of the interaction between a bar guest and a bartender. For some reason, it’s this interaction that has been the bane of my existence, and many others in my field.

Lets start with a simple example. You would not go into Subway and ask for sushi, right? Then do not go into a busy nightclub or any high-volume bar and ask to sample a craft beer. It is a nightclub, not a brewery.

Don’t walk into a dive bar asking for a Murto Made Vodka dirty martini with bleu cheese-stuffed olives.

You are at a dive bar, dumb-dumb, order your whiskey and coke or PBR and keep it moving.

Common sense should be your rule of thumb.

It’s as simple as knowing your surroundings, which will make your night more enjoyable and make your bartender not want to pretend you are Casper.

Now that you can read the room, we’re going to go into the dos and don’ts of ordering.

Do be ready before you approach the bar with your order. You probably have a routine when you go out for the night; you get ready in your favorite outfit, meet up with friends and enter a bar. That would mean you have somewhere between one and two hours before you even approach a bartender. I am not asking the world of you, just have an idea of what you want to drink. This order will not be a life-altering decision.

Do not ask me to make a drink that you had at that place in Cancun on spring break that was blue and fruity and sweet. I slept through my mindreading classes in high school and I have more than likely never gone on spring break with you.

Do not wave me down like a New York cabbie; whistle at me; yell, “Hey, hey, hey, hey!” like you just found a dead body in the bathroom; touch me; snap your fingers; flash money at me like a stripper; make weird noises; or use any other inappropriate way to get my attention. I am not Helen Keller, I can see and hear you. Chances are that I am taking care of a guest that came before you and will take care of you as soon as I possibly can.

Do start a tab if you are planning on having more than one round. Do not spend a night closing a tab 500 times when a bartender is busy.

Do not order 15 drinks and then ask me to split it four ways — one with cash, two with cards and one with change from your cup holder in your car.

Do not wave me down, then when I ask you what you want, turn around and ask what your friends are having, start a Snapchat, or do anything other than tell me your full drink order.

Do not ask for free drinks, a strong drink, or a “hook up.” If you want a stronger drink, order a double. This is not Let’s Make a Deal, it is more like Deal or No Deal.

For the ladies, do not give me the old, “I’m on his tab.” Who is he? Do you even know who he is?

“That guy over there, I don’t know his name,” does not work for me.

Those of you that have never been behind a bar may be offended. Or you may take a look in the mirror and realize that you are an offender. In my lifetime, I will not stop global warming, build a wall, take a wall down or solve world hunger. But through this column, I do have the opportunity to make my life better and make your experience at a bar better. Just remember, do tip your bartender.

JANUARY 23-29

JANUARY 16-22 ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Romantic aspects are high at this time for single Lambs looking for love.

Warm and fuzzy feelings also are at enhanced levels for Rams and Ewes in paired relationships.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) This week favors what Taureans dote on — namely, love and money. Look for more meaningful relationships for both singles and pairs, as well as an improved financial outlook.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) All lingering shreds of that recent bout with boredom are dissipated as you eagerly accept a challenging offer. Your positive mood persuades others to join you in this venture.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) You might need validation for a possible solution to a situation involving someone close to you. Consider asking a trusted friend or relative to help you with this problem.

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LEO (July 23 to August 22) Investigate carefully before agreeing to assist a friend or colleague with a personal problem. There might be hidden factors that could emerge later that will create problems for you.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Your decision to work with an associate rather than go it alone, as you first proposed, brings an unexpected bonus.

Be careful not to be judgmental. Allow for free and open discussion.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) A loved one’s health problem could, once again, make demands on your time and attention. But this time, make some demands of your own, and insist that others pitch in and help.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) This is a good time for the traditionally staid Scorpion to plan adjustments in your day-to-day schedules. Be more flexible and allow for more impromptu, offthe-cuff actions.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Avoid creating unnecessary fuss over a situation you don’t approve of. If it’s going to work, it will do so despite your objections. If it fails, it will do so without a push from you.

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Although you’re getting kudos and other positive reactions to your suggestions, don’t let the cheers drown out some valid criticisms. Better to deal with them now than later.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Following your keen Bovine intuition pays off, as you not only reassess the suggestions some people are putting in front of you, but also their agendas for doing so.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You continue on a high-enthusiasm cycle as that new project you’ve CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Working assumed takes shape. You’re also buoyed by the with a trusted colleague could open your mind anticipation of receiving some good news about a to exploring some considerations you previously personal matter. dismissed out of hand. The weekend brings news from a loved one.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Your eagerness AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Resolving a recent problem leaves you in a good position to strengthen your influence on how things get done.

But continue to encourage ideas and suggestions from others.

to immerse yourself in your new assignment is understandable. But be careful that you don’t forget to take care of that pressing personal situation as well.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) This is a good time to learn a new skill that could give a clever Cat an PISCES (February 19 to March 20) A new friend edge in the upcoming competition for workplace suggests an interesting opportunity. But check it opportunities. Enjoy the arts this weekend with out before you snap at it. It might be a good deal for someone special. some people, but it might not work in helping you reach your goals.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) You could risk creating an impasse if you insist on expecting more BORN THIS WEEK: You have a way of helping from others than they’re prepared to give. Showing people solve their problems, making you a most- flexibility in what you’ll accept could prevent a respected counselor and trusted friend. stalemate.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Although you can weigh all factors of a dispute to find an

agreeable solution for others, you might need the skilled input of someone you trust to help you deal with an ongoing situation of your own.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) The good news is that your brief period of self-doubt turns into a positive “I can do anything” attitude. The better news is that you’ll soon be able to prove it.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) This is a good time for Sagittarians to start making travel plans while you still can select from a wide menu of choices and deals, and not be forced to settle for leftovers.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Like your zodiacal sign, the sure-footed Goat, you won’t allow obstacles in your path to keep you from reaching your goal. Don’t be surprised by who asks to go along with you.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Let your head dominate your heart as you consider the risks that might be involved in agreeing to be a friend’s co-signer or otherwise act as his or her backup in a financial matter.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Prioritize: Resolve to close the door and let your voicemail take your phone calls while you finish up a task before the end-of-week deadline. Then go out and enjoy a fun-filled weekend.

BORN THIS WEEK: Your capacity for care and compassion helps to bring comfort to others.

2018 KING FEATURES SYND., INC.

APT OCCUPATIONS

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ACROSS

1 Ship parts 6 One in a veil 11 Very small: Prefix 15 Sealed, say 19 Early TV’s Stu 20 Posteriors 21 Stick -- in the water 22 Songwriter’s creation 23 Martin the ticket collector?

26 Actor Bana or Stoltz 27 Pay to play poker 28 Game with Wild cards 29 Clinton the doctor?

31 Caught at a rodeo 33 Pollen lover 34 Hardly fresh 35 Worldwide 38 Ellington the Peppermint Pattie factory worker?

45 More greasy 49 Ending for Israel 50 Ilk 51 Car owners’ org.

52 Kelly the minister?

54 “Let’s go!”

55 Former Apple messaging software 57 See 64-Down 58 Primate studier Fossey 59 Benny the golfer?

61 Markey and Bagnold 63 Actor Hinds of 2017’s “Justice League” 65 Negligent 66 Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s purview 67 Bailey the philosopher?

72 Folder flap 75 Meal tie-on 76 Rice-based Spanish dish 77 Ivory’s counterpart 79 Benatar the dairy owner?

85 Fuzzy stuff 87 Departure 88 Standoffish 89 Karmann -- (bygone VW sports car)

90 Nolte the clockmaker?

92 Skeleton part 93 + 94 Ariz.-to-Kan. dir.

95 Girls in the family 96 Liotta the lamp designer?

100 Gets dilated 102 Basic deg. for designers 103 Supermodel Carangi or actress Scala 105 End profit 110 Behar the chef?

116 Airport stat 117 Hotel chain 118 Morales of film and TV 119 Arden the demolition contractor?

122 Shady giants 123 Get-out-of-jail money 124 Super-mad 125 “The Flea” poet John 126 Blog addition 127 Pot for stew 128 Lauder of makeup 129 Evil smile

DOWN

1 Get gold, e.g.

2 Target Center, e.g.

3 Smacks 4 Spork parts 5 -- -cone 6 “Viva Zapata!” star 7 Alter totally 8 Reply to “Who’s in charge here?”

9 Bounced down the court 10 Actress Davis of two “Matrix” films 11 Spam, say 12 Langston Hughes poem 13 Athletic team assoc.

14 Film anew 15 Not wobbly 16 Throw 17 Troop body 18 Pt. of MIT or STEM 24 Nuclear reactor tube

SOLUTION ON PAGE 30 25 Polar vehicle 30 Polar pixie 32 Curved arch 36 High jump on a skateboard, informally 37 Lacking a key, in music 39 “Semper Fi” mil. branch 40 Weirdo 41 Rubik of cube fame 42 Aiea’s island 43 Broccoli -44 Kit -- (candy bars) 45 Poet Nash 46 Twisted wit 47 -- lazuli 48 Frosted 53 Abbr. on a pay stub 54 “Please, Mommy, will you let us?”

55 “Veni,” in English 56 Nero’s 160 59 Villain in Disney’s “Aladdin” 60 Waitress on TV’s “Alice” 62 Spruce (up) 64 With 57-Across, Ali ring strategy 68 Abate 69 “Fighting” Big Ten team 70 Cut, as pizza 71 Cold and wet 72 Like poison 73 Japanese cartoon art 74 Measures of memory

75 Scaring cry 78 -- noire 79 One of Henry VIII’s Catherines 80 Et -81 Mug in a pub 82 Jamaican citrus fruit 83 Mean ruffian 84 Wife on “The Addams Family,” to her hubby 86 Cover for a truck bed 90 Crystal rubbers, perhaps 91 Jab deliverer 93 Control in a clinical study 97 Certain wind player 98 Very loudly, musically 99 9-to-5er’s weekly cry 101 Main dish 104 Art house film, often 106 Went aboard 107 Nitrogen compound 108 Words after all or hole 109 San Fran gridder 110 All-terrain vehicle 111 Fjord city 112 Tasty tubers 113 Egg-shaped 114 Eye, in Paris 115 Nut with caffeine 116 Rock finale?

120 Perched 121 LP replacers

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BIG LITTLE LIES

Kink or insecurity?

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BY DAN SAVAGE

I’m a middle-aged man dating a younger guy. He wanted to be a “boy” to a Dom top daddy, and I was happy to oblige. The sex is amazing, and we click as people, too. Then a couple days ago, he told me he wanted to explore small penis humiliation (SPH). I was taken aback — not by the request, but because his penis is NOT small! It’s not huge, but it’s at least average. And it’s thick! I’m not super hung, so it’s not that he seems small in comparison — I have maybe an inch on him.

When I pointed this out, he claimed I was just trying to make him feel better about his small size! He said I was patronizing him. He ended the conversation by saying he would drop it, since it was obviously making me uncomfortable. Honestly, I am uncomfortable with it.

I just can’t imagine bringing myself to go on about how small his dick is when I’m actually thinking how much that thing would hurt if he were to top me. But my bigger concern is that doing SPH might feed into possible body dysmorphia. The way he reacted to being told his penis wasn’t small was a red flag — it told me this isn’t just a fantasy. It’s not that he wants to be made to FEEL it’s small; he really believes it is small. How is this different from telling a skinny boyfriend what a big fat pig he is? I really like this guy, and I think this could go somewhere. I want to be GGG, but not at the cost of his mental health.

NEED OBJECTIVITY, SAVAGE, PLEASE HELP!

“The boy expressed a desire to play out a specific scene; he did not request a fact-check on his dick size,” said Dr. Reece Malone, a board-certified sex therapist with a doctorate in human sexuality. “The boy’s disappointment is understandable, especially if he was feeling hopeful that the request would be met with enthusiasm and mutual excitement.”

Your boy was probably nervous when he brought SPH up, NOSPH, and his reaction to your reaction — his complaints about feeling patronized, his demand to drop the subject — was likely motivated by shame. Not shame about the size of his dick, but shame about this particular kink. He was open with you about other kinks right away, but sharing those kinks probably didn’t make him feel as vulnerable as sharing this one did. He held SPH back until he felt he could really trust you. And after he worked up the nerve to tell you about his biggest turn-on, your response was to argue with him about whether his dick is small enough to qualify him for SPH play. “I think it’s important that NOSPH revisit the conversation to examine if his reaction felt shaming,” said Dr. Malone.

“While I appreciate NOSPH’s concerns,” continued Dr. Malone, “SPH scenes don’t require one to have a small dick. It’s fully engaging in the role-play itself that’s hot and exciting. It really is no different if a daddy’s skinny boyfriend wanted to engage in a fantasy where the thought of being a ‘big fat pig’ was hot and exciting for him.”

Now, if he had a history of bulimia, telling him he’s a “big fat pig” could be harmful; likewise, if he had a history of bigorexia, telling him he’s a “skinny little shit” could be harmful. Your boyfriend may have a distorted idea about average dick size — most likely distorted by porn — but odds are good he’s one of millions of people out there who have eroticized their anxieties and insecurities. So long as he isn’t contemplating some dangerous or stupid way to make his cock bigger (like getting liquid silicone injected into his genitals, something that led to the death of a gay man in Seattle last year), you can engage in SPH without doing him harm.

“But NOSPH should ask more questions and engage in a dialogue on how his boy wants the scene played out, and if and how it would change their sexual dynamic overall,” said Dr. Malone. “It’s also fair for NOSPH to share his own concerns about feeding into body dysmorphia. He also has the right to set boundaries or decline the scene altogether.”

Agreed! Limits and boundaries aren’t just for subs, bottoms or slaves. Doms, tops, Masters and Mistresses get to have limits and set boundaries, too. If you can’t go there, you aren’t obligated to go there. But it might make you feel better about going there, NOSPH, if you bear in mind that you can mock his tiny cock (during sex play) and reassure him about his cock (during aftercare). If your boy doesn’t feel like he has to win an argument about how small his cock is to get the SPH he wants, he might be willing to admit — or finally be willing to

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accept — that his cock isn’t really that small.

Dr. Reece Malone is the creator of “Last Longer in Bed: 6 Steps to Master Premature Ejaculation.”

You can learn more about Dr. Malone and his work at reecemalone.com.

Give the gift of the magnum Savage Lovecast at savagelovecast.com; mail@savagelove.net; @ fakedansavage on Twitter; ITMFA.org

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