Queen City Nerve - October 19, 2022

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JUSTIN LAFRANCOIS jlafrancois@qcnerve.com

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RYAN PITKIN rpitkin@qcnerve.com

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KARIE SIMMONS ksimmons@qcnerve.com

STAFF WRITER PAT MORAN pmoran@qcnerve.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

NEWS & OPINION

4 Election Guide 2022 by Ryan Pitkin We’re not in the primaries anymore

ARTS & CULTURE

8 The Weirdy Beardy Comic King by Pat Moran

Chris Rigo’s journey from rock ‘n’ roll to X-Men — and back

Ten Cool Things To Do in Two Weeks

Soundwave

Halloween Guide 2022

MUSIC

Can We Be Candid? by Autumn Rainwater

Autumn Rainwater chats with Ivy Sole before her homecoming

FOOD & DRINK

Matters by Dezanii Lewis

The Colliers prepare for second annual BayHaven Food & Wine Festival

LIFESTYLE

It Out by

Love

Spruill

Thanks to our contributors: Aerin Spruill, Rayne Antrim, Dezanii Lewis, Autumn Rainwater, Sara English, Ariel Martini, Grant Baldwin, Clay Williams and Dan Savage.

Pg. 3

BY RYAN PITKIN

ELECTION GUIDE 2022

US SENATE

This is arguably the biggest race in North Carolina, and one of national importance, as candidates will fight to fill a seat that’s been held by Richard Burr for nearly 20 years.

Cheri Beasley (Dem)

Beasley was the first Black woman to serve as the chief justice of the NC Supreme Court, doing so from 2019-20. She ran for a full term in 2020, but lost by only 401 votes to Associate Justice Paul Newby. She’s running on a platform that includes lowering costs, creating good-paying jobs and expanding access to health care statewide.

Ted Budd (Rep)

During a debate against Beasley in early October, Budd said he agreed with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, insisting that decisions on abortion rights should belong to each individual state, and stated that President Joe Biden’s recent decision to pardon all federal possession of marijuana charges “sends a bad message to children.”

Shannon W. Bray (Lib)

Bray’s website states that he works at the Department of Defense, though he described himself as a “tech entrepreneur” to the Charlotte Observer. His main platform issues involve investigating the government for spying on its residents, lowering taxes and repealing the War on Drugs.

Matthew Hoh (Green)

In August, Hoh won a court battle to put his Green party on the ballot this election after they faced allegations of fraud during the petition process. Hoh is running on an anti-war platform, but not just overseas, “it’s also the wars against the working class, the continued racial injustices, the War on Drugs, the criminal for-profit health care system, [and] our unsustainable housing crisis.”

Alma S. Adams* (Dem)

US HOUSE (12)

Tyler Lee (Rep)

Adams has served in the 12th District since winning a special election to replace former rep Mel Watt in 2014. She is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Congressional Arts Caucus, and was a staunch opponent of President Donald Trump during his time in office.

A real estate investor who says he was inspired to run in 2020 when the government called strip clubs essential, Lee wants to put a freeze on all immigration to the United States and increase funding to the military to stand up to China and Russia.

US HOUSE (14)

Jeff Jackson (Dem)

N.C. Sen. Jackson bowed out of the Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate against Cheri Beasley in December 2021, throwing his support behind her before hopping into the race for the House of Representatives’ 14th, which covers much of Gastonia and southern Mecklenburg.

Pat Harrigan (Rep)

A veteran like Jackson, Harrigan went into firearms manufacturing while his opponent practiced law following their respective years of military service. He has spoken in support of reforming the country’s gun laws and immigration policies.

ABOVE: Cheri Beasley

BELOW: Ted Budd

Clockwise from top left: Pat Harrigan, Jeff Jackson, Tyler Lee with Mike Pence and Alma Adams with Barack Obama.

We’re not in the primaries anymore

STATE JUDICIAL

N.C. SUPREME COURT ASSOC. JUSTICE SEAT 3

Lucy Inman (Dem)

Inman was a court reporter before joining the courts herself. In 2010, she was appointed by Gov. Beverly Perdue to act as a special superior court judge, and in 2014 won her appointment to the statewide Court of Appeals, where she’s authored more than 500 decisions. Learn more at lucyinmanforjustice.com.

Richard Dietz (Rep)

Dietz serves alongside Inman on the N.C. Court of Appeals, to which he was appointed by Gov. Pat McCrory in 2014. Dietz has argued at the U.S. Supreme Court in favor of “straw purchases” of guns, which allow for someone to buy a gun on behalf of someone else. Learn more at judgedietz.com.

N.C. SUPREME COURT ASSOC. JUSTICE SEAT 5

Sam J. Ervin IV (Dem)*

As an incumbent, Ervin has been a member of the N.C. Supreme Court since 2015. He served on the North Carolina Court of Appeals before that, from 2009 to 2015, and before then was a member of the North Carolina Utilities Commission. Learn more at ervinforjustice.org.

Trey Allen (Rep)

Allen works as general counsel for the state’s Administrative Office of the Courts. He began as a judge advocate in the U.S. Marine Corps, then completed a clerkship with then-Justice Paul Newby, of the N.C. Supreme Court. Learn more at treyallennc.com.

N.C. COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE SEAT 8

Carolyn Jennings Thompson (Dem)

Thompson is a former District Court judge and Superior Court judge with over 25 years of combined legal and judicial experience. Learn more at carolynthompsonforjudge.com.

Julee Tate Flood (Rep)

According to her website, working as in-house counsel and advisor for a multi-state veterinary services business she co-founded with her husband as well as an attorney at the Court of Appeals has given Flood “diverse legal, business, and institutional experience.” Learn more at juleeflood.com.

N.C. COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE SEAT 9 Brad Salmon (Dem)

Brad Salmon is a founding partner at the Salmon Law Firm. Previously, he served as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 51 and a legislative liaison at the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. Gov. Roy Cooper appointed him to serve as District Court Judge to Judicial District 11 in November 2021. Learn more at judgebradsalmon.com.

Donna Stroud (Rep)*

N.C. COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE SEAT 11

Darren Jackson (Dem)*

Chief Judge Donna Stroud has served on the NC Court of Appeals since her election in 2006 and began serving as chief judge in January 2021. She spent 16 years in private practice until her election in 2004 as a District Court Judge in Wake County. Learn more at judgestroud.com.N.C. COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE SEAT 10

Gale Murray Adams (Dem)

Upon graduating from law school, Adams joined the United States Navy as a Judge Advocate General (JAG), where she represented defendants who were charged with various criminal and military offenses or who were being administratively processed out of the military. Since then, she has worked in private practice, served as assistant district attorney, and as a public defender. Learn more at judgegaleadams.com.

John M. Tyson (Rep)*

Judge John M. Tyson was elected statewide in 2014 and presently serves on the North Carolina Court of Appeals and as Vice Chair of the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission. He also served as an elected Republican judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals from 2001-2009 and was commissioned as a recall judge from 2009 to 2014. Learn more at judgejohntyson.com.

STATE REPRESENTATIVES

N.C. STATE SENATE DISTRICT 39

DeAndrea Salvador (Dem)

Mark Robseon (Rep)

N.C. STATE SENATE DISTRICT

Joyce Waddell (Dem)

Bobbie Shields (Rep)

N.C.

SENATE DISTRICT

Natasha Marcus (Dem)

Bonnie Leone (Rep)

DISTRICT

Rachel Hunt (Dem)

Cheryl Russo (Rep)

N.C. HOUSE DISTRICT 88

Mary Belk (Dem)

Anne Marie Peacock (Rep)

N.C. HOUSE DISTRICT 92

Terry Brown (Dem)

Mario J. Robinson Sr. (Rep)

N.C. HOUSE DISTRICT 98

Christy Clark (Dem)

John R. Bradford III (Rep)

N.C. HOUSE DISTRICT 99

Nasif Majeed (Dem)

Michael Anderson (Rep)

Jackson is running for his first full eight-year term after being appointed to the NC Court of Appeals by Gov. Roy Cooper in 2020. Learn more at judgedarrenjackson.com.

Michael J. Stading (Rep)

Stading worked as a prosecutor in Mecklenburg County, then became a District Court judge. In 2016, he became a JAG officer in the United States Air Force, where he continues to serve as a Captain today. Learn more at michaelstading.com.

N.C. HOUSE DISTRICT 101

Carolyn G. Logan (Dem)

Steve Mauney (Rep)

N.C. HOUSE DISTRICT 102

Becky Carney (Dem)

Cynthia Eleanor Clementi (Rep)

N.C. HOUSE DISTRICT 103

Laura Budd (Dem)

Bill Brawley (Rep)

N.C. HOUSE DISTRICT 104

Brandon Lofton (Dem)

Don Pomeroy (Rep)

N.C. HOUSE DISTRICT 105

Wesley Harris (Dem)

Joshua Niday (Rep)

N.C. HOUSE DISTRICT 106

Carla Cunningham (Dem)

Karen Henning (Rep)

N.C. HOUSE DISTRICT 107

Kelly Alexander (Dem)

Mark Alan Cook (Rep)

N.C. HOUSE DISTRICT 112

Tricia Cotham (Dem)

Tony Long (Rep)

COMMISSIONERS AT-LARGE

Pat Cotham (Dem)*

Cotham is serving her fifth term on the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners, her first elected office. She is a trustee to the N.C. Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, a Democratic National Committee member and a delegate member of the Executive Council of the N.C. Democratic Party. Learn more at tinyurl.com/ PatCotham.

Leigh Altman (Dem)*

Before serving on the Board of County Commissioners, for which she is currently in her first term, Altman worked as a public-interest attorney for over 17 years, including serving as an assistant attorney general for the State of Georgia, a guardian ad litem for seniors in Mecklenburg County, and a staff attorney at Charlotte’s Council for Children’s Rights. Learn more at leighaltman.com.

COMMISSIONERS BY DISTRICT

DISTRICT 1

Elaine Powell (Dem)*

Currently serving her second term, Powell was a longtime volunteer in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools before joining the Board. She is running on a platform of citizen engagement, stewardship, public education, economic growth, and community health and livability. Learn more at electelainepowell.com.

Ross Monks (Rep)

Monks is a US Army Veteran of the First Gulf War and has 30 years of experience in Fortune 100 companies in the manufacturing and industrial services sectors. He is anti-medical mandate, anti-property taxes, and pro-Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Department. Learn more at monks4commissioner.com.

DISTRICT 3

George Dunlap (Dem)*

Having served 14 years as District 3 rep, Dunlap currently chairs the Board. According to his website, he prioritizes affordable housing, economic development, community safety and education as the issues he is most passionate about. Learn more at vote4dunlap.com.

Dianna Benson (Rep)

As Voter Registration Co-chair with the Mecklenburg County GOP, Benson is an active member of the Mecklenburg Black Republican Club, closely follows local government, including speaking at board and council meetings, and wants to reach out to the Black and Christian conservative communities.

DISTRICT 6

Susan Rodriguez-McDowell (Dem)*

DISTRICT 4

Mark Jerrell (Dem)*

Arthur Griffin Jr. (Dem)

Griffin was born in Charlotte’s Good Samaritan Hospital and raised in its First Ward neighborhood. He worked as a litigation paralegal at Legal Services of Southern Piedmont for 20 years and has served as a member of the Central Piedmont Community College Board of Trustees as well as on the CharlotteMecklenburg Schools Board of Education for 17 years. Learn more at griffin4mecklenburgcounty. com.

Tatyana Thulien (Rep)

According to her website, Tatyana Thulien is a public figure, speaker, journalist, and instructor who hails from Kiev, Ukraine. She states her platform issues as including “fair property taxes, public health, education, harmonical development, [and a] safe and friendly environment.” Learn more at vote4tatyana.com.

Currently in his second term on the Board, Jerrell says he is focused on efforts to support social justice, equity and improving the lives of all people in Mecklenburg County. He currently serves on the Inter-Governmental Relations Committee (Chair), as well as the Economic Development, Environmental Stewardship and Health and Human Services committees. Learn more at mark4thepeople.com.

Raymundo Fuentes (Rep)

Fuentes worked for Charlotte Water for eight years followed by 27 years as the Environmental Compliance Manager for Coca-Cola Consolidated. He wants to work to make Mecklenburg County more safe, clean and affordable. Learn more at rayfuentes.org.

DISTRICT 5

Laura Meier (Dem)*

Currently in her first term as District 5 rep, Meier chaired the Charlotte Women’s March’s Racial Equity Group in 2017 and, before that, worked as a teacher at a high school that focused on drop-out prevention and as director of an after-school program for middle school students from the Brookhill neighborhood. Learn more at meierformeck.com.

Matthew Ridenhour (Rep)

Ridenhour served on the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners for three terms before being unseated by Susan Harden in 2018. This year’s election is a rematch of the 2020 match-up in District 5, which Meier won by less than 3,000 votes. Learn more at voteridenhour.com.

Currently serving her second term on the Board, Rodriguez-McDowell describes herself as “a leader who follows science, values life and believes in a woman’s right to decide.” She currently serves on nine committees. Learn more at mcdowell4meck.com.

Jeremy Brasch (Rep)

Brasch is an Air Force veteran who has volunteered with Wills for Heroes and believes that inflation is the number one threat facing Americans today, and would therefore like to lower property taxes.

CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG SCHOOL BOARD

DISTRICT 1

Rhonda Cheek*

First elected to the Board of Ed in 2009, making her the longest tenured member, Cheek announced she would not be seeking a fourth term, then changed her mind and filed before the August deadline. She now faces a crowded race in District 1. Learn more at rhondaforcms.com.

Melissa Easley

Easley has worked as a science and social studies teacher in CMS for 10 years and co-founded North Carolina Teachers United, the largest pro-public education support and resource group in the state. She aims to repair relationships with teachers, staff and community; bring equitable resources to the lowest performing schools; and create student-focused goals to support high academic achievement. Learn more at easleyforcms.com.

Hamani R. Fisher

Since moving to Huntersville in 2005, Fisher has served as director of student ministries at New BirthCharlotte, a ministry dedicated to children in grades K-12 and their families. He currently serves as the Pastor of Life Center International Ministries and president of City Dive Inc, a 501c3 outreach organization. Learn more at fisher4cms.com.

Bill Fountain

Having retired in June 2020 after 10 years of teaching in CMS and Christian private schools, Fountain has become a fixture at county meetings, decrying any number of the district’s policies that he claims are brainwashing children. His LinkedIn page says he is running to “arrest wokeism” at CMS and has sent text messages to voters claiming he will “stop CMS school board from transgendering our children.”

Ro Lawsin

Lawsin is a 21-year Mecklenburg County resident who served in the US Air Force before retiring and becoming actively involved in his children’s schools. He’s running on a platform of school safety, student outcomes and accountability/transparency. Learn more at rolawsin.com.

DISTRICT 2

Juanrique Hall

Hall is a long-time volunteer and football coach at West Charlotte High School, and since December 2021 has been serving with the city’s Alternative to Violence pilot program along the Beatties Ford Road corridor. Learn more at instagram.com/juanriquehall.

Monty Witherspoon

Learning that a child’s zip code often determines their quality of education inspired Witherspoon to get involved with schooling after reflecting on his own experience in CMS. Out of that reflection he launched the #Witherspoon4Students movement. Learn more at witherspoonforstudents.com.

Thelma Byers-Bailey*

Byers-Bailey was elected to the Board of Education in 2013 to represent District 2. A native Charlottean, she graduated from West Charlotte High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in physics and math from Fisk University. She holds a law degree from St. Louis University Law School and master’s degree from the St. Louis Joint Degree Program. Learn more at cmsk12.org/Page/28.

DISTRICT 3

Gregory “Dee” Rankin

Early in his career, Rankin was an educator in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and also taught in the charter and private school system before entering the nonprofit sector. He founded the nonprofit Future L.E.A.D.E.R.S. in 2007, through which he has mentored, provided leadership and life skills workshops, and given scholarships to youth in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area. Learn more at rankin4education.com.

Steven Rushing

Rushing launched a “kid taxi” company that brings kids to school and drops them off for a fee.

DISTRICT 4

Carol Sawyer*

Running for a second term on the CMS Board, Sawyer has been an active CMS volunteer — serving as a ‘reading buddy’, tutoring students, organizing field trips, and leading science activities. “As an education advocate I have worked to reduce class sizes and high-stakes testing, and increase educational equity in our schools,” she says. Learn more at sawyerforschools.com.

Stephanie Sneed

Sneed says her vision is that all students regardless of race, gender, nationality or socioeconomic class are college- and career-ready upon graduation. Learn more at sneed4education.com.

Clara Kennedy Witherspoon

Witherspoon retired from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools System on Jan. 1, 2022, after working in the district and supporting school leaders in implementing a multi-tier framework to provide academic and behavioral interventions for students needing more support. Learn more at cspoon22.org.

DISTRICT 5

Lisa Cline

Cline’s vision is to raise learning and performance expectations for students while “empowering teachers to teach the North Carolina Standards using creative methods rather than giving them a prescribed curriculum purchased by taxpayer’s dollars.” Learn more at clineforschoolboard.com.

Trent Merchant

Merchant served on the CMS Board from 2006-11 and would like to help steer the search for a new superintendent after a recent string of short-term office holders. Learn more at trentmerchant.com.

DISTRICT 6 Summer Nunn

Nunn says she is running for the CMS Board because “CMS has seen inconsistency in leadership and planning accompanied by a lot of noise and costly mistakes that are causing frustration among parents, CMS employees, and the community.” Learn more at summernunnforschoolboard.com.

Sean Strain*

Strain is seeking a second term on the Board after a first-term that saw him butting heads with his more progressive colleagues over issues such as COVID-19 policies and the search for a lasting superintendent. Learn more at seanstrain.com.

Michael Watson

During his seven years of living in District 6, Watson says he has had the opportunity to be both an active father maneuvering through elementary, middle, and high school; and also an engaged community volunteer. He has served on an administrative team for All Pro Dad, as well as been an active member of the School Improvement Team and PTA Vice President of Events at Polo Ridge Elementary. Learn more at watson4cms.com.

SUPERIOR COURT | SOIL & WATER

NC SUPERIOR COURT DISTRICT 26A - SEAT 1

Donald Cureton Jr. (Dem)

Paulina N. Havelka (Rep)

NC SUPERIOR COURT DISTRICT 26B - SEAT 1

Kimberly Best (Dem) Matt Osman (Rep)

Mecklenburg Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor

Nancy Carter

Alonzo Hill

Tigress Sydney Acute McDaniel

Hunter Wilson

Barbara Bleiweis

THE BEARDY WEIRDY COMICS KING

Chris Rigo’s journey from rock ‘n’ roll to X-Men — and back

BY PAT MORAN

It’s a rare Saturday off for Chris Rigo, but he’s planning to wake up the next day at 3 a.m., pack a van with comic books and video games, hit the road and set up for a comic convention in Greenville, South Carolina. Sara English, Rigo’s partner for 22 years, is pitching in, heading out to set up for another con in Winston-Salem.

“It’s hard work,” says Rigo, “One comic doesn’t weigh anything, but just try moving long boxes [of comics]. One long box can weigh anywhere from 40 to 100 pounds.” The bearded 36-year-old is a fulltime comic book dealer who says he’s proud to be one of the biggest in the region.

Rigo and English, who teaches at RowanCabarrus Community College, tag team conventions on most weekends, traveling throughout the Southeast. Even on this relatively relaxed day, the couple is planning to hit a flea market in Rowan County. Rigo buys comic book collections on a weekly basis to stock his stall at conventions and Beardy Weirdy’s Comics, a brick-and-mortar store he opened in Concord in 2019, but he says yard sales and flea markets are also good ways to source stock.

In addition, Rigo launched his own convention, Concord Micro-Con, at Cabarrus Brewing Company in 2017, in part to give artists and fellow dealers in the industry a place to set up on Free Comic Book Day, one of the biggest retail days in the business.

“You must be willing to work,” Rigo says, “If you’re not, it’s not going to work.”

Rigo started collecting comics when he was 8 years old, and his first job was bagging and sorting comic books at a shop in Fort Mill when he was still in elementary school. Smitten with the X-Men: The Animated Series, which ran from 1992-97, Rigo counts Giant Size X-Men Volume 1 as his favorite comic in his collection.

“It’s the best-selling comic book of all time,” Rigo says. “Unfortunately, that also means it’s one of the most common comic books of all time, so it’s

not worth anything.”

Growing up in the 1990s, Rigo preferred the Silver (1956–1970) and Bronze Age (1970 to 1985) comics, as well as anything published by Marvel. At Beardy Weirdy’s Comics, he deals exclusively with back issues of vintage comics. Likewise, for convention appearances, he stocks few if any new issues.

“It’s 100% old stuff and collections,” Rigo says.

Although he loves vintage comics, Rigo’s decision to deal with older issues instead of new product is based on economics rather than aesthetics. Distribution of new issues from industry

giants like DC and Marvel has become needlessly complicated and unreliable, he says.

“It’s not that new comic books aren’t great, but right now it’s such a hassle, and the return is almost nothing,” Rigo says.

He’s appreciative, however, of the high profile that comics enjoy in today’s popular culture, a position he ascribes in part to the myriad of movies set in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe).

“Most of them are good. Some are weak. If nothing else, it’s an accepted culture [today].”

Not so when Rigo grew up. In the ’90s, he notes, comics were decidedly uncool.

“You were looked at as a dork or a nerd,” he says. “There were a lot of negative connotations associated with comics.”

So, as he entered high school, Rigo set aside his comics and stopped working at a comic shop. He started to learn how to play guitar, bass and drums.

Comics would not dictate Rigo’s first career choice. Instead, he became a rock musician.

Sugar Glyder’s ascent and crash

The saga of Charlotte alt-rock band Sugar Glyder is a tale too common in the music industry — a band of metaphorical brothers and one sister grinding away for close to a decade and eventually

garnering acclaim, only to disintegrate on the cusp of national success.

After recording and releasing two LPs and a handful of EPs, high school friends Rigo (guitar, percussion), Daniel Howie (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Bobby Mathews (drums) and Emily Aoyagi (bass), aka Sugar Glyder, signed with Warner Bros. Records subsidiary ORG Music in 2012. The following year, the band released its major-label debut, The Eyes: They See. Then it all began to come apart at the seams. Aoyagi jumped ship first, to be replaced by Robby Hartis of Charlotte band the lights, fluorescent, but the band split up the following year.

“The reason we broke up is that we ran out of money,” Rigo offers. “Once you get signed, you haven’t climbed the ladder, you’ve just put your hand on the first rung of that ladder — and there’s a lot more work to move up.”

Rigo says he misses cowriting songs with Howie, whom he describes as an excellent and gifted vocalist.

“We had a good thing,” Rigo says. “It was a challenge writing together, because we looked at things from different sides, but I always liked it.”

Rigo says stresses and resentments grew within the band after they inked the deal with ORG Music. Booking was taken out of Rigo’s hands, and the label

COURTESY OF CHRIS RIGO

SUGAR GLYDER PLAYS A SHOW IN 2012.

ARTS

insisted that Sugar Glyder take down most of their music back catalog from iTunes and other online outlets.

Both measures hurt the band financially. The online music embargo cut off a lot of the band’s funding. Booking was handled by a national agency that put the band on geographically impossible routes that Rigo calls “pure trash.”

“Our guarantees on our last tour, which we had no part in booking, was only $100 a night for four people,” he says. At age 27, Rigo was broke and burnt out when he made the call to cancel a date in Washington state that was physically impossible to reach. As a result, Sugar Glyder has played in every state besides Alaska, Hawaii and Washington.

However, Rigo’s fractious decision split up the group.

“It broke my heart,” Rigo says of the split. “I’m glad that we got as far as we did, but I don’t talk with any of them anymore, because it was a nasty breakup.”

Comics to the rescue

Throughout Sugar Glyder’s rise and fall, Rigo held onto his love for comic books. He showed his collection of thousands of comics to English when both were still in high school, and was encouraged that she thought they were cool, too.

After attending classes at UNC Charlotte between Sugar Glyder tours, Rigo earned a degree in psychology. Soon after graduating, the comics floodgate opened. To offset the financial burden posed by Sugar Glyder, Rigo sold comic books on eBay to supplement his income.

Starting in 2012, Rigo started supplying the now-defunct Save-Point Video Games near UNC Charlotte.

“I was their secret weapon,” he says. “Every Monday, for almost a decade, I would go in and restock the store.”

Rigo still found time to pursue music, but now he did it for enjoyment rather than a career track. Recently he’s played in the local band The Kodiak Brotherhood. Staring in 2010, he taught English to play drums, and as the duo Solar Cat, the couple played Snug Harbor and Tremont Music Hall and recorded comic book-themed songs about characters like Dr. Strange. In 2014, The Evening Muse hosted a show for the duo’s sole physical release, Tales from the Savage Land “The Savage Land is a tongue-in-cheek rip from

The Land That Time Forgot — dinosaurs and stuff in Antarctica,” Rigo says.

The band didn’t really break up — Rigo and English continue to live together — but the act fell by the wayside as English earned her master’s degree and Rigo turned to comics, attending his first con in 2015. By his reckoning, Rigo has done more shows that any dealer he knows in the Carolinas.

going to go to the museum and I’m going to shoot the place up.’” Rigo let the man go with the money.

“This is a lesson learned early,” Rigo says. “Be careful with your words. Say what you need to, and don’t say anything more.”

Another call to examine a collection had a much happier outcome. A father and son duo asked Rigo to come to the Carolina Renaissance Festival to see a 15-to-20-year-old collection of comics in the attic of their dungeon attraction.

Rigo, who loves the Renaissance Festival, pulled his van to the dungeon, and went through boxes and boxes of treasures, although several needed care after their tenure in the nonclimate-controlled dungeon.

Rooting around in attics and other long-cloistered spaces has also yielded some unexpected oddities.

“One of the most bizarre things I’ve found was a ‘love contract’ that was from the 1990s,” Rigo says. “It consists of two people agreeing to have intercourse on a specific date.”

Rigo believes that due to new movies and shows by Marvel, more younger people are getting interested in comics, too.

“I love to see that,” he says. He also loves that comics continue to grow more diverse, featuring male and female superheroes that are Black, Asian, Native American and more.

Despite the runaway success of his business, Rigo recently found time to record new music. It was 2020, and the world — and therefore comic conventions — had shut down due to the COVID pandemic. One other reason for Rigo’s freedom to create is bittersweet: Both of his parents passed recently and he’s no longer tasked with taking care of them. As a result, his music can also be called bittersweet. Rigo recorded and released an EP Feel the Hate in October 2021.

“It’s songs about love loss and the specters that lurk in the dark,” he says. Over layered, sometimes jarring alt-rock tunes that suggest Nick Cave conspiring with My Bloody Valentine to create deceptively blissful pop, Rigo’s open-ended lyrics employ a battery of supernatural metaphors.

The follow-up EP Blood in the Water drops on Oct. 28. Here Rigo accentuates the uneasy beauty of each composition by pairing a major key with dark musings, or combining a minor key melody with lyrics that are positive.

“In Blood in the Water there’s a lot of elemental aspects,” Rigo says. “There are two things that are pretty much universal with living on Earth. There’s blood in your veins and you need water to live. We’re basically water anyway.”

When recording his songs, Rigo eschews auto tune, punch ins or sound replacements. He says he prefers leaving some “bumps and bruises” in the music.

Like touring in a rock band, acquiring comic book collections comes with a set of challenges. Rigo has crawled through dusty, confined attics where he’s found several dead animals. He’s gotten his hands dirty to reach boxes of comics, only to have the once cherished issues crumble to dust in his hands.

In 2014, Rigo was robbed. A client who had previously sold a collection to Rigo in Concord asked the comic book dealer to come to him. Their exchange was friendly and Rigo figures he must have mentioned on the phone that English worked at the Schiele Museum Of Natural History in Gastonia.

Rigo traveled to meet the client, who took the money and ran. Rigo went after him.

“We were running down the street,” Rigo remembers. “He said, ‘If you call the police, I’m

Inflated markets, bittersweet music

The billion-dollar comic book industry continues to boom. In 2021, Rigo says, the collectibles markets were artificially inflated, leading to the highest record-breaking prices he had ever seen. The reason for inflated prices, he says, is there was more money circulating.

“I personally think it was more of a speculator market [impacted by] how healthy cryptocurrency was at the time,” Rigo says. “Also, there weren’t any conventions going on, so everyone was [buying and selling] online.”

At the conventions he works on a weekly basis, Rigo is happy to see younger people attending. Traditionally, the market, at least for vintage comics, is dominated by people in their 30s to their 60s.

He also filmed, directed and edited impressionistic music videos for the title track off Blood in the Water and the tune “Devil in Disguise” off Feel the Hate He plans to produce a video to accompany his song “Spark in the Dark” later this year.

Rigo says he’s grateful that he was able to pursue a music career so many years ago, and he’s excited to be releasing and creating new music now.

“My goal at this point is to put out music on a yearly basis,” he says. He also loves that his childhood hobby of collecting comics has become a full-time career.

“Touring in a band and traveling to conventions is very similar in the sense that you drive to new cities and states, move a bunch of heavy things, and hope that people buy your stuff.”

PMORAN@QCNERVE.COM

CHRIS RIGO AT CABARRUS BREWING COMPANY.

PHOTO BY SARA ENGLISH

MIGHTMARE, DREAMBOAT, DARBY WILCOX

Mightmare is the new solo dark pop-indie rock project by Sarah Shook of Chapel Hill’s Sarah Shook & the Disarmers. The debut album, Cruel Liars, dropped earlier this month via Kill Rock Stars. Shook cites getting sober and finding affordable therapy through Open Path Collective as a spur for a change in musical (and life) direction. Featuring distorted guitar, grinding synth stabs and drum loops, single “Saturn Turns” contains nary a trace of the rootsy music that has defined Shook in the past. Explosive Charlotte rockers Dreamboat and dark country goddess Darby Wilcox support.

More: $12; Oct. 19, 9:30 p.m.; Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St.; snugrock.com

NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY

Opened in 1994, the NC Music Hall of Fame started holding induction ceremonies in 2009. Past honorees include Charlotte natives Jodeci, Anthony Hamilton, K-Ci & JoJo, Fantasia, and Charles Whitfield, plus NC legends Andy Griffith, Nina Simone, Roberta Flack and more. This year’s inductees include Grammy Award-winner Stephanie Mills, six-time Grammy nominee Nnenna Freelon, Chic’s co-founder and legendary producer the late Bernard Edwards, gospel icon Janet Paschal, and the late country pioneer Charlie Poole. Select inductees and other entertainers will perform during the ceremony.

More: $75; Oct. 20, 7 p.m.; Gem Theatre, 111 W. 1st St., Kannapolis: northcarolinamusichalloffame.org

JON SPENCER, IT’S SNAKES

Before brilliant garage rock conceptualist Jack White rose to fame, before The Black Keys assimilated the tenets of blues rock, there was Jon Spencer, a multiple-genre pile-up of fury, fuzz guitar and shabby-chic futurism. Bubbling up on the scene with cacophonous noise rockers Pussy Galore, Spencer went on to apply a wired, punk-infused wrecking ball to blues and R&B with The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Spencer’s latest outfit, The Hitmakers, apply the same carbolic touch to rock, funk electro-boogie and a psychedelic swamp of industrial sleaze. Hope Nicholls’ sublimely hard-ass It’s Snakes rounds out the bill.

More: $16.30; Oct. 20, 9:30 p.m.; Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St.; snugrock.com

RESIDENT CULTURE FIVE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY

Resident Culture Brewery celebrates its five-year anniversary with a party centered around the beer, skate and art cultures in Charlotte. The pop-up skate park takes center stage with a theme that pays homage to east Charlotte’s disappeared DIY skate parks and thriving skate culture. Comfy Skate Lessons’ Radeem Walls serves as emcee/announcer for the skating activities and competitions. The pop-up skate park features buyable work from local artists including Fred Smith, Dustin Brown, Cheeks McGee and in-house illustrator Maryssa Pickett. As always, don’t drink and skate. Resident Culture will also release special anniversary bottles.

More: Free; Oct. 22, 10 a.m.; Resident Culture, 2102 Central Ave.; residentculturebrewing.com

‘JACK-O’

In 1995, a bunch of talented people gathered to make a low-budget supernatural thriller. The plot: On Halloween night, a pumpkin-headed demon rises from its unmarked grave wielding a nasty-looking scythe to exact bloody revenge on the family that imprisoned him 80 years earlier. We hoped to make a profitable shocker. To our surprise, we captured the spirit of Halloween in a cult classic that received a hidef Blu-ray restoration this year. Like its namesake, the movie has risen from the dead! Plus, a Q&A with Cathy Moran (actor) and myself (co-producer/screen writer/monster Pat Moran) following the screening.

More: $12; Oct. 22, 8 p.m., Oct. 24 & 26, 7:30 p.m.; Independent Picture House, 4732 Raleigh St.; independentpicturehouse.org

‘DEAR EVAN HANSEN’

Time Out calls this wildly popular, honestly emotional Broadway hit musical “Faust for highschoolers,” and that description sounds pretty much on-target. A lonely and insecure to the point of incoherence teenager inadvertently becomes a social media sensation and a symbol of the kindness absent in high school society. The fact that this assessment is all based on a cruel prank gone horribly and unexpectedly wrong, puts the likable protagonist under unbearable but believable tension. With surging tunes by songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land), there’s nothing cheap or saccharine about this show.

More: $34.50 and up; Oct. 25-30; Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St.; blumenthalarts.org

WEDNESDAY NIGHT LIVE: CROSSING THE LINE TO FREEDOM

UNC Charlotte Orchestra presents an evening of music and poetry by African American artists, joined by guest performers Erika Rush and Mahari Freeman. As well as being a sought-after soprano, Charlotte native Freeman is a voice instructor and founder of La Voix Academy, a music school based in Charlotte. She is currently on the voice faculty at CPCC. The program includes “Daybreak in Alabama,” by Langston Hughes and “Lyric for Strings” by George Walker, yet the centerpiece is four “Songs of Harriet Tubman” by contemporary composer Nkeiru Okoye. More: Free; Oct. 26, 6:30 p.m.; Harvey B. Gantt Center, 551 S. Tryon St.; ganttcenter.org

VAPTOBERFEST

The VAPA Center’s community of artists celebrate “Art, Everyday” with an open-air arts market featuring paintings, photography, sculpture, crafts, and bath and beauty products from local artists. The market is followed by a skate party at VAPA’s own disco skate rink (bring your own skates). Live music featuring Power 98’s No Limit Larry as emcee rounds out the evening. The family-friendly activities include the food trucks Uptown Grill & Beatz, D’licious Foods 313 and Funnel to Heaven, along with a costume contest, games and more. The event is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council.

More: Free; Oct. 29, Noon, VAPA Center, 700 N. Tryon St.; vapacenter.com/vaptoberfest

CLERKS III -THE CONVENIENCE TOUR

At this point, Kevin Smith cannot repeat the fresh what-the-fuckedness of the original Clerks, so with Clerks III, he wisely doesn’t try. Foul-mouthed Randal is still berating customers from behind the counter of the Quick Stop convenience store, abetted by the not-quite-willing Dante, when Randal suffers a heart attack, mirroring Smith’s own heart attack in 2018. This prompts the characters to help Randal make a movie about the convenience store, so that the movie-within-a-movie’s plot mirrors Clerks. It’s meta but meaningful. Smith is on hand for a Q&A.

More: $29.50 and up; Oct. 30, 7 p.m.; Knight Theater, 420 S. Tryon St.; blumenthalarts.org

JACK-O-LANTERN JAMBOREE

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden hosts this familyfriendly Halloween event. Family-friendly needn’t be lame, however. This soiree is designed as a fall carnival, a get-together devised by Goosebumps author R.L. Stine and America’s poet laureate of the dark holiday Ray Bradbury (I made-up that last title). Anyway, you can visit Lost Hollow for carnival games including Mummy Bowling, Witch Hat Ring Toss and many more. Or you can join the staff for arts and crafts, like Paint Your Own Pumpkin in the Levine Pavilion. Come in costume to take part in that contest.

More: $14.95; Oct. 30, Noon; Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, 6500 S. New Hope Road, Belmont; dsbg.org

JACK-O-LANTERN JAMBOREE

of Dainel Stowe Botanical Garden

JON SPENCER

Photo by Ariel Martini

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

The Front Bottoms (The Fillmore)

Max & Iggor Cavalera (The Underground)

Summoner’s Circle w/ Casket Robbery, Angel Massacre (The Milestone)

Mightmare w/ Dreamboat, Darby Wilcox (Snug Harbor)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Wyatt Easterling w/ Richard and Carter McDevitt (Evening Muse)

JAZZ/BLUES

House of Funk (Middle C Jazz)

FUNK/JAM BANDS

Perpetual Groove (Neighborhood Theatre)

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

TV Party: Halloween (Petra’s)

Jon Spencer and the Hitmakers w/ It’s Snakes (Snug Harbor)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Steve Lacey (The Fillmore)

Mark Black w/ Robyn Springer (Middle C Jazz)

SINGER-SONGWRITER/ACOUSTIC

Brent Cobb & Hayes Carll (Neighborhood Theatre)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Lizzo (Spectrum Center)

OPEN MIC

Open Mic Night (Tommy’s Pub)

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Kind Hearted Strangers w/ The Brothers Gillespie (Evening Muse)

Bakalao Stars w/ Mofungo Rock (Evening Muse)

gogoPilot w/ The Menders, The Sour (The Milestone) Moon Man w/ Nabiha, Boy AC (Petra’s)

Ritualz w/ Biocarbon13, Solemn Shapes, IIOIOIOII (Skylark Social Club)

Chris Reed & The Bad Kids (Smokey Joe’s Cafe & Bar)

JAZZ/BLUES

Gregg Karukas (Middle C Jazz)

Davy Knowles (Neighborhood Theatre)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

David Cook (Booth Playhouse)

Demi Lovato (CMCU Amphitheatre)

Deep Fried Disco (Snug Harbor)

CLASSICAL/INSTRUMENTAL

Charlotte Symphony: Queens of Soul (Knight Theater)

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Ray LaMontagne (Belk Theater)

Joe Robinson (Evening Muse)

Hippo Campus (The Fillmore)

Stevie Nicks (PNC Music Pavilion)

The Bleeps w/ The Rufftons, Deconblues (Skylark Social Club)

Mercury Dimes w/ Eavesdropper, Craigzlist Punks (Tommy’s Pub)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Eric Roberson (Booth Playhouse)

Byron Juane w/ Cyanca, Danielle Apicella (Evening Muse)

JAZZ/BLUES

Grace Kelly (Middle C Jazz)

Sam Fribush Organ Trio w/ Braxton Bateman (Petra’s)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICA

Warren Zeiders (The Underground)

The Dirty Guv’nahs w/ Supper Club (Neighborhood Theatre)

FUNK/JAM BANDS

Cosmic Collective (Birdsong Brewing)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Digital Noir w/ DJ Spider, DJ Price (The Milestone)

Neggy Gemmy w/ Espirit, Death’s Dynamic Shroud (Snug Harbor)

CLASSICAL/INSTRUMENTAL

Charlotte Symphony: Queens of Soul (Knight Theater)

Charlotte Symphony: Symphony Spooktacular (Knight Theater)

SINGER-SONGWRITER/ACOUSTIC

Nate Randall (Heist Brewery)

Eric Steven Chesson (Primal Brewery)

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Steve Vai (The Fillmore)

Carpool w/ Latewaves (The Milestone)

Eastside Holiday Party ’22 (Tommy’s Pub)

CLASSICAL/INSTRUMENTAL

Big Mingus Band (Knight Theater)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Bilmuri (Neighborhood Theatre)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Travis Tritt w/ Chris Janson (Bojangles Coliseum)

LATIN/WORLD/REGGAE

Through the Roots w/ Anella Herim, Maya’s Embrace (Visulite Theatre)

MONDAY, OCTOBER 24

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Witchtrap w/ Black Mass, Nemesis, Night Attack (The Milestone)

JAZZ/BLUES

The Bill Hanna Legacy Jazz Session (Petra’s)

Patt Mostle Jazz Session (Tommy’s Pub)

LATIN/WORLD/REGGAE

Imarhan (Snug Harbor)

OPEN MIC

Find Your Muse Open Mic (Evening Muse)

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Marcus King (The Fillmore)

School Drugs w/ Pet Bug, Quinn Rash, Squirt Vile (The Milestone)

Lorna Shore (Neighborhood Theatre)

The Iron Horses w/ Old Heavy Hands, Jupiter Hearts (Snug Harbor)

JAZZ/BLUES

The Dominican Jazz Project (Middle C Jazz)

Alfred Sergel IV Tet w/ Greg Jarrell, Troy Conn, Ron Brendle (Visulite Theatre)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Lost Cargo: Tiki Social Party (Petra’s) SINGER-SONGWRITER/ACOUSTIC

Influences & Originals (Tommy’s Pub)

WEDNESDAY,OCTOBER 26

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Beach Goons w/ Moon Tide Gallery (Amos’ Southend)

Short Fictions w/The Most,WildTrees,Youth League (Snug Harbor)

Tim Holehouse w/ Brightr, Prehistoric Jon (Tommy’s Pub) HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Ivy Sole w/ Autumn Rainwater (Neighborhood Theatre) FUNK/JAM BANDS

Twiddle (The Underground)

JAZZ/BLUES

Courtney Puckett and Friends w/ MICVH (Evening Muse) POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Jake Scott (The Fillmore)

Dancing with the Stars of Charlotte (Middle C Jazz)

Anees w/ Michael Minelli (Visulite Theatre)

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer

Afraid to Die w/ Stay Inside (Amos’ Southend)

Cory Branan w/ Ryan Lockhart (Evening Muse)

The Bronx w/ Drug Church, Robot Monster (The Underground)

Darsombra w/ Ego Death Machine, January Knife

(The Milestone)

Bad Suns (Neighborhood Theatre)

Nordista Freeze w/ Family Video, Top Achiever (Petra’s)

JAZZ/BLUES

Riding the Freeway of Love (Aretha Franklin tribute) (Middle C Jazz)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICA

The Longest Johns (Visulite Theatre)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Shiprocked! presents Witches (Snug Harbor) OPEN MIC

Open Mic Night (Tommy’s Pub)

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

The Mongos w/ Anna Kimm (Evening Muse)

Keith Serpa (Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts)

Fractured Frames w/ Mafia, Detest the Throne, Valar Morghulis (The Milestone)

Leaving For Arizona w/ Regence, Contact Comfort, Come In, Travis! (Petra’s)

Greta Van Fleet (Spectrum Center)

Thousand Dollar Movie w/ It’s Snakes, Hellfire (Tommy’s Pub)

Patrick Davis & His Midnight Choir (Visulite Theatre)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Rileyy Lanez w/ Liv Heavenly, Lily Massie (Evening Muse)

Jooselord w/ Bog Loaf (Snug Harbor)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Alaska Thunderfuck (Neighborhood Theatre)

Dieselboy (SERJ)

JAZZ/BLUES

Marcus Johnson (Middle C Jazz)

CLASSICAL/INSTRUMENTAL

Charlotte Symphony: Beethoven Pastoral (Knight Theater)

SINGER-SONGWRITER/ACOUSTIC

Ephraim Sommers (Birdsong Brewing)

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Leilani Kilgore w/ Modern Alibi (Evening Muse)

Halloween Fiasco 2022 (The Milestone)

Sunset Revival (Primal Brewery)

Evergone w/ King Cackle (Smokey Joe’s Cafe & Bar)

JAZZ/BLUES

Special EFX All Stars (Middle C Jazz)

SINGER-SONGWRITER/ACOUSTIC

David Gibson (Heist Brewery)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

AWOLNATION (The Fillmore)

Cassette Rewind ’80s Halloween Bash (Amos’ Southend)

Nightmare on Trade Street (Neighborhood Theatre)

CLASSICAL/INSTRUMENTAL

Charlotte Symphony: Beethoven Pastoral (Knight Theater)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Boo Bash 2022 (Coyote Joe’s)

FUNK/JAM BANDS

Cosmic Collective w/ Mia Gladstone, The Broomestix, DJ Booty & The Hoefish (Snug Harbor)

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Lucas Jagneaux & The Roadshow w/ Justin Clyde Williams (Evening Muse)

Great American Ghost w/ 156/Silence, Hazing Over, Violent Life Violent Death (The Milestone)

Shadow of Intent (Neighborhood Theatre)

SINGER-SONGWRITER/ACOUSTIC

Lisa de Novo (Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts)

JAZZ/BLUES

Bell Family feat. Winston & Poogie Bell (Middle C Jazz)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Hazy Sunday (Petra’s)

VISIT QCNERVE.COM FOR THE FULL SOUNDWAVE LISTING.

HALLOWEEN GUIDE TWENTY-TWENTY-BOO

BY RAYNE ANTRIM AND KARIE SIMMONS

Each year, we compile a rundown of local haunts, happenings and Halloween parties where you can show off your costume, grab some candy and throw back a few witches brews (if that’s your thing).

More than our guides of past years, 2022 includes plenty of events that focus on being active, supporting local vendors, experiencing arts and live music, getting out in nature, and doing it all while dressed as a sexy David Tepper or something (sorry for that image).

Beyond the Grave Tour

On this historic, ghostly walking tour by Carolina History & Haunts, guests are guided by lantern light as they listen to stories and explore the sites where some of Uptown’s departed inhabitants are said to still linger. Tours meet in the Truist Tower Outdoor Plaza.

More: Ongoing, times vary; $13-$15; Uptown Charlotte; carolinahistoryandhaunts.com

Stroke Halloween Course

Each October, Stroke turns its indoor mini-golf course into a haunted indoor mini-golf course.

More: Ongoing through October, times vary; $15; Stroke, 1318 Pecan Ave., Suite 101; strokeputt.com

‘Evil Dead: The Musical’

An outdoor rock musical stage play by Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte based on the Evil Dead franchise in which five college friends go to an abandoned cabin in the woods to party but accidentally unleash an evil force that takes them out one by one. This is ATC’s final production as the theatre company is closing due to ramifcations from the pandemic.

More: Now through Oct. 30, 8 p.m.; $20 and up; The Barn at MoRA, 8300 Monroe Road; atcharlotte.org

On Point Picks: Retro Horror

A guaranteed great movie specifically selected to fit the theme of the night: retro horror. The only catch is attendees don’t know the title until they get there.

More: Thursday, Oct. 20, 7-9 p.m.; Donations encouraged; VisArt Video, 3104 Eastway Drive; https://tinyurl.com/OnPointRetro

IN THE DEADLY NIGHTSHADE, NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM YOUR PURPOOSE

A live variety show featuring collaborations between the shadow cinema stylings of Night Shade and performance artist Poose The Puppet. Night Shade will bring the horror comedy while Poose The Puppet will leave audiences with a feel-good experience.

More: Thursday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m.; $7-$10; Petra’s, 1919 Commonwealth Ave.; petrasbar.com

Crossroads Cinema: ‘The Addams Family’ & ‘Hocus Pocus’

Watch The Addams Family and Hocus Pocus on a jumbo screen with surround sound and retro arcade games against the backdrop of the historic Ford Building. Don’t forget to bring your own lawn chair.

More: Thursday, Oct. 20 & 27, 7:30 p.m.; Free; Camp North End, 300 Camp Road; camp.nc

Charlotte Symphony: Symphony Spooktacular

A frightfully fun concert by Charlotte Symphony Orchestra featuring eerie tunes like “Night on Bald Mountain” by Mussorgsky and “In the Hall of the Mountain King” by Grief. Throw in a costume contest for good measure.

More: Saturday, Oct. 22, 11 a.m.; $19 and up; Knight Theater, 430 S. Tryon St.; blumenthalarts.org

Pumpkin Carving at Divine Barrel Brewing

A family friendly event where supplies are provided to carve your spooktacular jack-o-lantern.

More: Saturday, Oct. 22, Noon-5 p.m.; $5; Divine Barrel Brewing, 3701 N. Davidson St., Suite 203; divinebarrel.com

Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics

A live concert filled with multisensory musical experiences. The Charlotte Strings will perform songs like Micheal Jackson’s “Thriller” and theme songs from Stranger Things and Beetlejuice.

More: Oct. 25, 27 & 31, 7 & 9 p.m.; $40-$50; The Barrel Room at Triple C Brewing Company, 2832 Griffith St.; tinyurl.com/CandlelightClassics

BOOllantyne

A ghoulish graveyard, pumpkin contest, costume runway show, and spooky shorts accompanied by local pianist Marc Hoffman, plus Hocus Pocus on the big screen. Food and drink trucks will be on site.

More: Friday, Oct. 28, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; $10 after

4 p.m.; Ballantyne’s Backyard, 11611 N. Community House Road; tinyurl.com/BOOllantyne

Halloween Haunted Trail

A “Not So Spooky” trail and a “Full Fright” trail presented by Matthews Playhouse in the woods behind the Matthews Community Center.

More: Oct. 28-30, 5:30-6:30 p.m. & 7-10 p.m.; $10; Matthews Community Center, 100 E. McDowell St., Matthews; matthewsplayhouse.com

Candy Crawl and Monster Market

Kids trick-or-treat from merchants and volunteers while adults shop from more than 20 local vendors. Music by Funk n Fashion, activities with Upcycle Arts and axe throwing with Axe in Motion.

More: Friday, Oct. 28, 5:30-8:30 p.m.; Free; Alley next to Snug Harbor, 1226 Gordon St.; tinyurl.com/ MonsterMarket

STROKE’S HALLOWEEN MINI-GOLF COURSE.

COURTESY OF STROKE

‘90s Halloween Throwback Party Music by Enrage (a tribute to Rage Against the Machine) and Check Your Head (a tribute to the Beastie Boys), plus a costume contest with $100 cash prize.

More: Friday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m.; $18-$20; Amos’ Southend, 1423 S. Tryon St.; amossouthend.com

Monster Mash Halloween Party

Costume contest, “haunted” brewery tours, dance music and spooky vibes.

More: Friday, Oct. 28, 8-11 p.m.; Free; Legion Brewing West Morehead, 2013 W. Morehead St., Suite 200; legionbrewing.com

Zombie Prom

Grab your boos and meet at Skylark Social Club for a Halloween-themed prom with a costume contest and drag show hosted by Misster and Vegas Van Dank, featuring King Perka $exxx, Luna Rei, Molar Decay and Dragula’s Maddelynn Hatter.

More: Friday, Oct. 28, 9 p.m.; Free; Skylark Social Club, 2131 Central Ave.; tinyurl.com/ ZombieProm2022

Running Scared 5 Miler/5K & Monster Mile

A family-friendly 1-, 3- and 5-mile run around the Wesley Heights neighborhood near Uptown that starts and finishes at Midnight Mulligan Brewing. There will also be face painting, games, food trucks, beer and music.

More: Saturday, Oct. 29, 9 a.m.; $22.50 and up; Midnight Mulligan Brewery, 2215 Thrift Road, Unit A; runningscared5miler.com

Carolina Renaissance Festival: Halloween Daze and Spooky Knights

Already the Carolinas’ largest costume party, the Carolina Renaissance Festival becomes the place to celebrate Halloween. Additional activities include trick-or-treating, a Halloween treasure hunt, costume contest and the Knights of the Living Dead zombie jousting challenge. Children 12 and under get in free.

More: Saturday & Sunday, Oct. 29-30, 9:30 a.m.5:30 p.m.; Free-$32; Carolina Renaissance Festival, 16445 Poplar Tent Road, Huntersville; carolina. renfestinfo.com

Owl-O-Ween

Meet the resident owls, trick-or-treat the Raptor Trail, learn about spooky creatures, try interactive

activities and compete in a costume contest.

More: Saturday, Oct. 29, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; $8$12; Carolina Raptor Center, 6000 Sample Road, Huntersville; carolinaraptorcenter.org

Plaza Midwood Fall Crawl

The day kicks off with a kids story time presented by Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and a costume parade for the neighborhood’s little ones, then back to the park for local music, beer, wine, bounce houses, an ’80s selfie station, axe throwing and a vendor village. Food trucks will also be on site, including a Soul Gastrolounge food truck (yes, THAT Soul Gastrolounge).

More: Saturday, Oct. 29, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Free; Midwood Park, 2100 Wilhelmina Ave.; plazamidwood.org

VAPtoberfest

No, it’s not a vape shop, its the VAPA Center, which we find infinitely more interesting. Wear a costume and shop an open air arts market with photography, sculpture, crafts, and bath and beauty products by local artists. Bring your own skates for the rollerskating party, plus food trucks, games and live music featuring Power 98’s No Limit Larry as emcee.

More: Saturday, Oct. 29, noon-9 p.m.; Free; VAPA Center, 700 N Tryon St.; vapacenter.com

Super Abari Monster Bash: Resurrection

All spooky games will be on free play all day. After 5 p.m., there will be a DJ, “horrifying cocktails” and a costume contest with first, second and third place receiving a bar tab and other prizes.

More: Saturday, Oct. 29, Noon-2 a.m.; Free; Super Abari Game Bar, 1015 Seigle Ave.; superabarigamebar.com

NoDaWeen Freaky 5K

A fun run through one of Charlotte’s most historic and spookiest neighborhoods. Costumes are encouraged and prizes will be awarded during a post-run party at NoDa Company Store. Proceeds benefit NoDa Neighborhood and Business Association community projects. Register by Oct. 26.

More: Saturday, Oct. 29, 5 p.m.; $40; NoDa Company Store, 3221 Yadkin Ave.; nodaween.com

Spooks & Selfies Costume Party

Dress up and take pictures against special spooky themed backgrounds, such as Stranger Things. Music

by DJ Prestige. Adults only.

More: Saturday, Oct. 29, 7-10 p.m.; $50; Picture Project CLT Selfie Museum, 5648 E. Independence Blvd.; pictureprojectclt.com

Shipwrecked Halloween Ball with Yacht Rock Revue

Yacht Rock Revue brings soft rock hits of the ‘70s and ‘80s to the stage for what’s billed as the smoothest Halloween party in the Queen City. Costume contest with prizes and official afterparty at Bazal Gallery Nightclub. Proceeds benefit The Shaul Boys’ Toys annual toy drive.

More: Saturday, Oct. 29, 6-11 p.m.; $30; Avidxchange Music Factory, 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd.; tinyurl.com/ShipwreckedHalloweenBall

Rich & Bennett’s 21st Annual Halloween Pub Crawl

Charlotte’s original Halloween bar crawl is back with over 25 participating locations throughout Uptown. A ticket gets you access into each location, drink specials, exclusive event merch, giveaways, costume contests and raffles.

More: Saturday, Oct. 29, 1-10 p.m.; $15 and up; Uptown Charlotte; richandbennett.com/halloween

Biketoberfest

An annual benefit for Sustain Charlotte that includes a bike ride through South End, Uptown and Historic West End, as well as a shorter route for families and people who prefer to walk. Participants are invited to dress in costumes as they visit curated destinations and local businesses while collecting stamps in an event passport. The more stamps, the greater chance of winning prizes at the after party at Triple C Brewing.

More: Sunday, Oct. 30, noon-4:30 p.m.; $35; Triple C Brewing, 2900 Griffith St.; biketoberfestclt.org

Great Elizabeth Pumpkin Wall Lighting Ceremony

A giant display of pumpkins carved each year by residents in the Elizabeth neighborhood.

More: Sunday, Oct. 30, 6:30 p.m.; Free; 2023 Greenway Ave.; elizabethcommunity.com

Petrafied

Music from Invader Houses, Pheny and Solis, with sounds from DJ Monsterpiece on the back patio. Midnight costume contest with $100 cash prize.

More: Monday, Oct. 31, 8 p.m.; $7-$10; Petra’s, 1919 Commonwealth Ave.; petrasbar.com

PICTURE PROJECT CLT’S ‘STRANGER THINGS’ ROOM.

COURTESY OF PICTURE PROJECT CLT

CAN WE BE CANDID?

Autumn Rainwater chats with Ivy Sole before her homecoming

BY AUTUMN RAINWATER

I should’ve known a FaceTime call with Ivy Sole wouldn’t just be any regular interview. In fact, the Charlotte native took me with her as she walked down the street to get food near her home in Philly, where she’s currently attending The Wharton School at UPenn.

Our chat came up after my editor noticed she and I are on the same lineup for a show coming up at Neighborhood Theatre on Oct. 26, and he figured, who better to do an Ivy Sole interview than the contributor who will be sharing a stage with her?

The Homecoming Stop, our first time on a bill together, is part of a six-city tour for Ivy’s latest project Candid, which includes performances in places like Brooklyn, New York; Washington, D.C.; and Atlanta. Throughout the tour, she’s brought out other acts like Bathe, Yani Mo and, for The Homecoming Show, yours truly.

Ivy has performed this year at festivals including Afropunk in NYC and Firefly Musical Festival in Dover, Delaware. She’s currently preparing for Pitchfork Music Festival in Berlin in November.

During our chat, we cackled about the last time we saw each other, which was at a Player Made show at Snug Harbor in 2019. While we talked, I had to continuously double back to the questions I had planned to ask her as we kept getting distracted with catching up.

The rapper, singer, producer Ivy Sole released Candid in February (on my birthday too! talk about a present!), which she explained is her ode to living life as her best and truest self, accepting the past and being present with self ... so much so that she got “Candid” tattooed on her chin. She has been on a journey of self discovery, coming out as non-binary. She now uses she and they pronouns.

I watched her roll out Candid via Instagram with Spotify billboards and visualizers. Ivy is currently nominated for a UK Video Music Award for her “Talk

That Talk” single. As it turns out, being candid is Ivy’s strength.

Autumn Rainwater: So what is the premise behind the Candid project? Where’d the name come from?

Ivy Sole: You know, parents be lying to you … But not because they want to but because they feel like they have to ... And I’m finally old enough to where my parents aren’t lying to me anymore (laughs) and that I can receive candid answers from my loved ones about themselves, my childhood, the world and even about myself.

It seems to be a common theme amongst our peers where experiences in your childhood appear in adult life present-day, mostly linked to generational trauma and the layered Black experience.

Maybe I would’ve had more empathy for my parents if I knew the whole story.

Right, and because I have perception now, I have more empathy for my parents now because … Honestly, what did they know?

They don’t know SHIT! (laughs) But they think they know it all!

They don’t! And I think they were onto something with some things like, “You don’t know what love is,” and they were right in a time … but because they didn’t either!

Ivy and I had similar experiences with our upbringing in the church and how we identify in the world present day as opposed to high school. I found solace in speaking to being Black and identifying as queer and the challenges that come with that in family dynamics.

Ivy Sole: I identify as non-binary and I was introduced to the concept of non-binary and trans identity in high school, and I was like, “No, not me

AUTUMN RAINWATER (FAR LEFT) WITH IVY SOLE (FAR RIGHT) AT A PLAYER MADE SHOW IN 2019.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AUTUMN RAINWATER

MUSIC FEATURE

… it doesn’t make sense, my church said that you’re born in the body that you’re born in. Fuck that shit. I’m about to marry a man anyway,” and I did not feel like I had the space to be cool with it until I left home and it still took time.

Not even actively seeking it or embodying it, just being cool with it, and now I can do that in my music. I don’t have to be or sound like anything I don’t want to sound like.

How has leaving home and relocating to Philly helped you as a Black queer artist, or inspired your sound, rather?

I think one of the beautiful things about Philly is queerness and Blackness are one in the same. My closest friends are gay and they told me if I had to lose my (given) family that I would be OK, but I’m glad I didn’t have to ... Also, there’s a longstanding tradition here of soul music that nurtured me before my arrival.

And there is a history of North Carolinians finding their way north — like John Coltrane, Nina Simone, Romare Bearden — and enmeshing themselves in their new place, and I’m stoked to finally be bringing back what I’ve become back to the crib.

I recently re-listened to Candid with fresh ears for the first time since its release. “Call Me” is a standout track that has an early-2000s sound that parallels the visual to a tee, and a Lil’ Wayne interpolation in the hook as you sing, “Call me, so I can make excuses for you”. I also love the melodic changes in “Dangerous” and “Easy To Kill” makes me want to kick through someone’s door. What’s your favorite song on Candid?

Currently, it’s “What You Deserve.”

Is there any specific reason?

I like the storytelling in the song … Also, I added additional production and subtleties to it. Lee Clarke is an amazing producer and artist who I’ve been growing a relationship with and his approach to this record and my storytelling on it feels like a strong match.

I also love the subtleties in the additional drum programming that Ethan Tomas, my manager and creative partner, added.

How do you feel about performing old music? Sometimes I want [past singles] “Lonely” and “Growing” to go away … I

love that people love those songs because they were true to me in a time and in ways. “Growing” is still a song I love and identify with — I have it tatted! But how ironic that I want to be released from “Growing” because of growth? (laughs) It feels against the law to say that.

No, no ... that’s wack. It’s like I have no agency … I lose all my agency when people say, “Do ‘Dreamgirl!’” I don’t know how it happened, it got released to Spotify in a time where ... I guess that’s what people wanted to hear and people keep discovering it and keeping it alive because I think it’s about to hit 10 million streams and I literally am sick of the song. (laughs)

So how do you combat that, performer to performer?

I rap new shit over old beats all the time, and I really fuck with doing covers a lot. People generally don’t expect it and you know, if people know the song they’re gonna be excited to hear it.

I’ve done a verse of Jill Scott’s “Slowly Surely” and Erykah’s “Window Seat” before. People love it.

What has been the best part of this project for you?

My favorite element of this project was actually creating the narrative podcast. It’s an audio film where I had a bunch of friends read a script as an addition to the project itself.

We also recently had a pop-up where I brought the homies together for an art exhibit. The music videos and covers and social media posts are cool but those two were a highlight for me.

What sets Candid apart from all your other projects?

Well, I can’t decide what people like, but honestly, I feel like this is the best music I’ve ever made.

The Candid Tour: Homecoming Stop will be on Oct. 26, 8 p.m., at Neighborhood Theatre.

REPRESENTATION MATTERS

The Colliers prepare for second annual BayHaven Food & Wine Festival

BY DEZANII LEWIS

Subrina Collier and her husband, three-time James Beard Foundation nominee Chef Gregory Collier, didn’t always intend on launching the BayHaven Food and Wine Festival, a year event that prominently features Black culinary artists from around the world in Charlotte, but after attending numerous festivals in the city where Black chefs weren’t featured, they felt the time had long since passed to do so.

“I didn’t want us to be an afterthought at festivals,” said Subrina Collier. “I wanted Black folks to be a primary focus in the festival.”

That’s just what will happen — again — when the Colliers host the second annual BayHaven Food and Wine Festival at Camp North End from Oct. 1923.

While her chef husband may get the lion’s share of media attention, BayHaven is technically Subrina’s baby.

“I needed to do this festival for me because when I went to other festivals, I would go to certain cities where I didn’t see the representation reflective of that city,” she said.

The couple was inspired to name the festival after their respective roots in Memphis, Tennessee. Subrina is from the Frayser neighborhood, also known as the “The Bay,” while Greg comes from the Whitehaven neighborhood.

The collaboration doesn’t end with the name. Drawing on their two-decade experience in the culinary arts, the couple works together closely to make the event a success.

Subrina taps into her background in hospitality to oversee aspects of the BayHaven Food and Wine Festival that have to do with front-end logistics, from customer service to hosting and planning activities. Greg, on the other hand, handles logistics related to the food and culinary artists.

It’s a foundation built upon their experience working together at two restaurants the couple co-owns: Leah & Louise and Uptown Yolk. And a foundation that BayHaven has only improved upon.

“I think that actually made our foundation a little bit stronger,” Subrina said of the festival.

The festival was also borne out of a desire to showcase the many ways in which Black people flourish culinarily. Noting that Black people can be shoehorned into one style of cooking, Subrina thought the festival would be a great way to display their talents.

“When they think of Black people, sometimes we get boxed into soul food or traditional; macaroni a certain way, collard greens a certain way, chicken a certain way,” she said. “You can have all these ingredients and the technique be done in different ways. These chefs do that.”

After attending Greek and Italian festivals in her old neighborhood, Subrina felt that Black people

could do something similar.

“I didn’t know there were levels to [Greek and Italian food] until I went to this festival and tried different foods,” she said. “I want that same thing for Black food.”

The festival will feature a variety of different cuisines including vegan, vegetarian, wild game and seafood.

A new start

The couple moved to Phoenix, Arizona, from Memphis while Gregory was in culinary school. Once he completed his studies, they wanted to move to a place where Black entrepreneurs could thrive.

They wanted to remain in the South, but didn’t want to return to Memphis. Their research led them to Charlotte, but it was just out of reach.

“We could not afford Charlotte so we found Rock Hill, [South Carolina],” Subrina Collier said.

In 2012, they found a location where they could open a restaurant and start small. The Yolk, a breakfast restaurant, provided them the perfect opportunity to learn the restaurant industry and make mistakes.

Since they were in an obscure town where they were relatively unknown, the couple had to play it safe.

“Greg was able to be creative with breakfast and it’s a little bit harder because you’re in a smaller country town,” she said. “So you have to watch how creative you are, but people were really receptive after trusting us and trying our cuisine and trusting what we did.”

After successfully operating the restaurant, they launched Soul Food Sessions, a pop-up dinner series hosted by a group of chefs, in 2016. After doing the pop-ups for two years, the couple went on a tour, sponsored by Coca-Cola, to Baltimore, Maryland; Washington, DC; Charlotte; and Charleston, South Carolina.

In 2019, the couple relocated The Yolk to Charlotte and renamed it Uptown Yolk.

Opened in summer 2020, Leah and Louise faced troubles due to the pandemic but has surpassed those to become one of the city’s most critically acclaimed restaurants.

The Memphis-style juke joint is named after Gregory’s late sister and grandmother, both of whom inspired Gregory’s cooking.

PHOTO BY CLAY WILLIAMS

ATTENDEES INCLUDING CHARLOTTE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER VICTORIA WATLINGTON AT THE 2021 FESTIVAL.

“My baby sister Leah and my Granny Louise both died too soon for me,” Greg said upon announcing his intentions to open Leah & Louise in July 2019. “In the kitchen, Leah was always fun and creative, and my Granny was always classic and consistent with cooking and techniques.”

Uptown Yolk closed due to the pandemic, but is set to reopen by December 2022 or January 2023, said Subrina.

With the success of their restaurants and Soul Food Sessions, Subrina had the desire to do something on a larger scale, but she needed the time to plan it.

A party for everyone

Having launched the BayHaven Food and Wine festival just a year ago, the Colliers had to learn a lot and learn it quickly. Experience has been the best teacher, allowing them to learn the ways in which they can improve the festival this year.

“I didn’t have a foundation the first year. So you’re kind of shooting in the dark and learning as you go,” Subrina said. “We have a foundation this year. I know what to expect a little bit better. Certain things you can’t verbally teach people. You have to just go through it.”

There were several facets to confront, with the hardest part of launching any new venture being capital. For the Colliers, that was no different, but Subrina said they were able to make it work.

“You are putting up a lot and waiting to either get return on the back end or you might lose money because it’s a lot of capital,” she said. “Fortunately, you get great sponsors that still want to assist.”

Another difficult aspect involves the planning and logistics. Sometimes it helps to have another hand in the pot. Veteran chef and James Beard Foundation award-winner Ricky Moore has worked with the Colliers on the festival since its inception and, like them, he thought an event like this was overdue.

“What Greg and Subrina is doing is really bringing things forward,” he said.

Moore has been in the culinary industry for about 30 years and in that time he has not seen many events like BayHaven.

“There was a time where people who looked like me would go to all these events across the country and you can barely see any African Americans working these events,” Moore said. “You’ll see a sprinkle here and there. It’s gotta be more. Why aren’t they being invited? Why aren’t they being showcased?”

Representation matters

Subrina agrees with Moore’s observations, and thinks this shouldn’t be such a novel concept.

“I think people have become more conscious of it. I think after 2020 a lot of folks were conscious of stuff,” said Subrina Collier. “Folks act like Black folks just came out in 2020, but that’s another conversation.”

“We are here, we’re present, we are crafts people, we are skilled professionals,” added Moore. “We’re well traveled and we have influenced a lot of the culinary culture in this country.”

While the focal point of the festival is to showcase Black talent, that doesn’t mean other communities aren’t invited.

“It’s for everybody,” Subrina Collier said.

According to Moore, it’s not only encouraged for others to come, it’s necessary.

“I support everybody outside of the community coming to check it out,” he said. “We need more people outside our community coming to see it and feel it.”

Moore said he hopes that attendees will feel like they’ve been missing something by not attending events like this sooner. He also thinks it will influence future generations.

“People need something, somebody, to connect with, that looks like them, to see the possibilities,” he said. “That’s what I was looking for when I was coming up.”

This year’s BayHaven Food and Wine Festival will feature a college homecoming theme, as Subrina Collier said colleges and universities have been some of the festival’s most vocal supporters.

Given the theme, it’s going to be a party and the Colliers want everyone to have fun, but they also want it to be a learning experience.

“Life is hard so we just want to make sure people have a good time,” Subrina told Queen City Nerve. “Everybody can learn something. Not only have a good time but learn. I want you to learn about more Black cuisine and beverage makers. It’s not only for showcasing, it’s for educating and having a good time while you’re doing it.”

Both Moore and the Colliers intend on doing this festival every year that they are able to do so. It’s not only fun, but important.

“I think it shines a light on that question asked by the New York Times. There was a question that was asked, ‘Where are all the Black chefs?’” Moore said.

He thinks the BayHaven Food and Wine Festival will help answer that question.

“What do you mean where are they?” he asked. “They’re here.”

BY LINDA THISTLE

TRIVIA TEST

BY FIFI RODRIGUEZ

1. GEOGRAPHY: What is the coldest ocean on Earth?

2. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What kind of animal is represented by the scientific order Proboscidea?

3. LANGUAGE: What does the Greek prefix “pan-” mean in English?

4. MEDICAL: What is the common name for Hansen’s disease?

5. LITERATURE: Which 1970s nonfiction book begins with the line, “We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold”?

6. THEATER: Who wrote the Tony Award-winning play “The Heidi Chronicles”?

7. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: The Empire State Building in New York has how many stories?

8. ACRONYMS: In photography, what does the acronym SLR stand for?

CROSSWORD

PLACE A NUMBER IN THE EMPTY BOXES IN SUCH A WAY THAT EACH ROW ACROSS, EACH COLUMN DOWN AND EACH SMALL 9-BOX SQUARE CONTAINS ALL OF THE NUMBERS ONE TO NINE.

9. FOOD & DRINK: Which country produces a cheese called Manchego?

10. HISTORY: Who was the first House Speaker in U.S. history?

LIFESTYLE COLUMN

AERIN IT OUT

A LESSON IN JUDGMENT

Proved wrong and loving it

BY AERIN SPRUILL

“I’m so excited not to have plans tomorrow,” I lamented to my boyfriend after a long weekend of selfimposed overindulgence, followed by two “school night” commitments.

“Well, we’ve got tickets to a show at Visulite tomorrow,” he responded. News to me, I thought to myself and proceeded to have a baby mental tantrum. I knew a hump day show for this nightlife owl would quickly devolve into a state of disrepair until the following Monday afternoon. Then I remembered that one of my girlfriends (who was also going to the show) was celebrating her birthday at midnight, which meant there was no escaping this one.

He sent me the flyer from Visulite Theatre’s IG, a rudimentary graphic depicting John Moreland and special guest Caroline Spence in an annoyingly fuzzy

typeface and an ’80s-style double-exposure image of who I assumed was Moreland (you know, the kind with an ethereal-looking floating head?) smack dab in the middle of a plain white square backdrop. Enticing.

Don’t let my undeniable country twang fool you, if you’d asked me if I’d heard of Tulsa-born, “Americana and alt-country” singer/songwriter John Moreland before that day, I would’ve choked on my sweet tea and replied with one of my country ass colloquialisms, “I don’t know that man from Adam,” which, for those of you who don’t speak Southern Baptist, simply means I don’t know that person at all.

Then I would’ve followed with some version of, “Have you seen Watchmen on HBO? Yes, I know its depiction of The Black Wall Street Massacre follows an alternate history but I still don’t want nothin’ to do with Tulsa.”

Ask my friends, they’ll tell you. So I did what any sensible (read: a deep South skeptic from the sticks of NC) person would do, I Googled, “John Moreland on racism.”

I found an article on the first page of results, “How John Moreland Became Miranda Lambert’s Favorite Songwriter” from Rolling Stone. Sounds promising; Miranda seems to stay above the fray when it comes to controversy. And there I found my green light for attendance, a quote from Moreland, “I don’t believe in Satan. I think the devil is just anything that sucks. I think the devil is just like assholes and racists and homophobes: all the shitty things about the world.”

Now if that didn’t make me want to finger-whistle, hoot, holler, and whatever else you do at a country show, I don’t know what would.

It was chilly when the sun went down that evening, but standing in front of Visulite with all its “historical humility” as the taste of the Magners Irish Cider I just chugged hung on my lips, I felt oddly cozy. The lobby is no frills, like the “vestibule” of an old church. Dust gathered in the corners, a single decorative rug far too small to make the space feel homey, an entryway table holding absolutely nothing with a few flyers for shows (most likely long past) hanging above it on the wall, and the light smell of mothballs in the air.

All indicators that the message one needs to hear is inside, not seen on the outside.

We entered quietly so as to not interrupt the scratchybut-sweet-voiced Caroline Spence in the midst of telling

a quite funny bit on how her next song was inspired by post-drunk feels. Same, girl.

Spence was delightful, quirky, and charming, which made me wish we’d gotten there in time to see her whole set. But it came to an end shortly after we settled into stools on the edge of the bar. And soon after, a quiet John Moreland stepped through the red curtain and beneath a panel of Austrian scalloped curtains walking toward a chair on center stage.

A gentle giant and man of few words, Moreland’s calm demeanor, and humble presence performed the only introduction needed as he sat down, quietly tuned his guitar, and maybe mumbled a few discernible words of thanks. A single disco ball hanging over the crowd caught my gaze spinning slightly as he twisted and plucked. A couple of intentional strums and I knew to return my gaze as Moreland began to play “Hang Me in the Tulsa County Stars.”

The moment you hear his husky twang you know he can carry a tune, but its genteel nature is irresistible, drawing you in as if he’s whispering a melancholic, earnest, and contemplative letter into your ear.

Though concerned he would be “whistling a different tune,” my trepidations were put to ease from the outset and before you knew it, I was heading to the swag table to buy the boyfriend High on Tulsa Heat on vinyl. Sometimes stepping outside of my comfort zone has its rewards.

INFO@QCNERVE.COM

LIFESTYLE

OCTOBER 19 - 25

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) This is a good time for the usually outspoken Lamb to be a bit more discreet. You still can get your point across, but do it in a way less likely to turn off a potential supporter.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Good news: All that hard work you put in is beginning to pay off. But you need to watch that tendency to insist on doing things your way or no way. Be a bit more flexible.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You might want to delay making a decision on the future of a long-standing relationship until you check out some heretofore hidden details that are just now beginning to emerge.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Your reluctance to compromise on an important issue could backfire without more facts to support your position. Weigh your options carefully before making your next move.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) This is a good time for ambitious Leos or Leonas to shift from planning their next move to actually executing it. Your communication skills help persuade others to join you.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Relationships -- personal or professional -- present new challenges. Be careful not to let a sudden surge of stubbornness influence how you choose to deal with them.

HOROSCOPE

BORN THIS WEEK: You have a gift for understanding people’s needs. You have a low tolerance for those who act without concern for others.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) You might need more facts before you can decide on a possible career change. But you should have no problem making a decision about an important personal matter.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) You’re respected by most people for your direct, nononsense approach to the issues. But be careful you don’t replace honest skepticism with stinging sarcasm.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) A newly emerging situation could require a good deal of attention and some difficult decisionmaking. However, close friends will help you to see it through.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Family matters need attention. Check things out carefully. There still might be unresolved tensions that could hinder your efforts to repair damaged relationships.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Of course you deserve to indulge yourself in something special. But for now, tuck that bit of mad money away. You’ll need it to help with a looming cash crunch.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) A temporary setback in your financial situation is eased by changing some of your plans. You’ll be able to ride it out quite well until the tide turns back in your favor.

PUZZLE ANSWERS

OCT. 26 - NOV. 1

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Someone has some suggestions to offer regarding your new project. You might find them helpful. Remember to avoid speculation and to stick with just the facts, dear Lamb.

BORN THIS WEEK: You seek balance, but not at the expense of justice. You would make a fine judge.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) An old friend suddenly reappears. Whether this proves to be a boon or a bane in the Bovine’s life depends on the reason for this surprising reappearance. Be cautious.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Vital information finally emerges, allowing you to make that important personal decision. You can now move your focus to an upcoming professional development.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) You might not like seeing so many on-the-job changes. But some of them could open new opportunities for your Moon Child talents to shine to your best advantage.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Expect a challenge to the usual way you do things. Although you might prefer the tried-and-true, once you take a good look at this new idea, you might feel more receptive to it.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A close friend could offer advice on how to handle a difficult family matter. But in the end, the decision has to be made based on what is best for you and those you love.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Family problems are best worked out when all those concerned contribute suggestions that will ease tensions. Stay with it until a workable solution is found.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Expect to hear more about an offer that has piqued your interest. You earn respect for insisting on solid facts, not just a fancy talk about potential opportunities.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) What seemed to be a reasonable workplace request might need to be defended. Don’t fret. You have both the facts and a surprise ally on your side.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) A bit of capriciousness might be just what you need. Plan to kick up your heels in a round of fun and games with family and friends this weekend.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Although some of your plans might have to be put on hold, things do begin to take a turn for the better by midweek. Your financial crunch also eases.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Your financial picture begins to brighten by week’s end. There are also favorable changes in your personal life. Someone you care for has good news to report.

FrederickMuhlenberg.

Spain.

Singlelensreflex.

102.

WendyWasserstein.

“FearandLoathing inLasVegas”(HunterS. Thompson).

Leprosy.

“All”(panorama,etc.).

Elephants.

TheArcticOcean.

Trivia

SAVAGE LOVE CRUSHING LOADS

That special feeling

BY DAN SAVAGE

I’m a 71-year-old gay man married to a much younger man. That’s all fine, not relevant so much as just info. Fifteen years ago, I briefly took Prozac. While it dulled my sex drive, the orgasms I did manage to have while taking Prozac were off the charts. I even talked to my doctor about it at the time and he just sort of shrugged and said enjoy it. Okay, fine. But a little more than 15 years later — off Prozac for most of that time (I didn’t stay on it long) — my orgasms are still off the charts. My husband’s last a kind of normal-ish five-toeight seconds but mine continue for a good 30 seconds and leave me unable to function after. Possibly related, from time to time I get a short but slamming headache. I also very rarely experience unpleasant orgasm-related disorientation, like a sense of “déjà vu” that lasts for hours. I have been to a neurologist about this but was offered no explanation. I worry these orgasms might be permanently debilitating to me. Do you think I could be harming myself with these massive mindblowing events? I am having sex about twice a week and they are always like that.

MASSIVE ORGASMS AND NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS

Some people get intense headaches immediately before or after climaxing, and while “sex headaches,” as their doctors call them, can be extremely annoying, they’re not life-threatening. If you’re using Viagra or poppers (which should never be used together), that could be causing or worsening your sex headaches.

As for your other symptoms, a recent study written up in The Times of London could offer some guidance. The study, published in a peer-reviewed medical journal,

focused on post orgasmic illness syndrome (POIS), a rare sexual dysfunction that afflicts a tiny percentage of men. Basically, men can become allergic to their own sperm cells, and their own immune systems mount a response to those “left behind” sperm cells that exit the balls but not the body.

“Many health providers do not know about it, let alone the public,” the study’s lead author, Andrew Shanholtzer, a medical student at Oakland University, told The Times of London. “It is more than likely that it is underdiagnosed, with many sufferers out there.”

Seeing as symptoms include feelings of fatigue, disorientation, and headaches, along with an assortment of flu-like symptoms, MOANS, it’s possible that you’re one of those undiagnosed sufferers.

The study details how Shanholtzer treated a younger POIS sufferer whose symptoms sounded a lot worse (and a lot less fun) than yours: a cough, swollen lymph nodes, hives. The use of an antihistamine reduced the severity of this man’s symptoms by more than 90%. The study will be published in the November 2022 issue of Urology Case Reports (“Post orgasmic illness syndrome successfully treated with antihistamine: A case report,” Shanholtzer, et al), if you want to print it out, show it to your doctor, and give the recommended antihistamine — fexofenadine — a try. Or, hey, maybe it was the Prozac you briefly took 15 years ago and an antihistamine won’t help.

All that said, MOANS, we all gotta go sometime … and I can think of much worse ways than being taken out by a massive orgasm in my eighth decade of life.

Listen to Dan on the Savage Lovecast; send questions to questions@savagelove.net; follow Dan on Twitter @ FakeDanSavage.