Queen City Nerve - April 5, 2023

ARTS: Divine Barrel mixes

arts and craft beer. pg. 6

MUSIC: N.C. Brewers & Music Fest returns for 11th iteration. pg. 10

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NEWS & OPINION

6 Arts

Crafts by Ryan Pitkin

DEATH BY DISTRIBUTION?

Advocates say proposal to punish drug dealers more harshly will increase overdoses

BY TAYLOR KNOPF, NC HEALTH NEWS

With drug overdoses and deaths increasing in North Carolina, as they have in many parts of the country, a bill to strengthen penalties for illegal drug distribution is quickly moving through the state legislature.

Senate Republicans introduced Senate Bill 189 in early March during a news conference where lawmakers were surrounded by law enforcement and families who have lost loved ones to drug overdoses. Some North Carolina sheriffs and prosecutors say they need this bill to impose higher penalties and lengthier prison sentences on people who distribute fentanyl — the potent synthetic opioid that’s been added to many street drugs in recent years.

“Incarceration should also be used as a tool to help stop people from distributing, selling fentanyl and other drugs. And putting criminals who distribute fentanyl behind bars will help to disrupt the supply of fentanyl and send a clear message that this kind of behavior will be unacceptable,” said bill sponsor Sen. Michael Lazzara (R-Jacksonville) during a legislative committee meeting.

The bill sailed through the Senate with unanimous support and is awaiting a committee hearing in the state House of Representatives.

But some substance use experts say this approach to a public health crisis will likely cost more lives.

“This law feels like death by 1,000 paper cuts, because they’re all minor changes — all of which are harmful and none of which we have any reason to believe actually reduces the harms of the drug supply in our community,” said Jennifer Carroll, a substance use researcher and assistant professor of anthropology at North Carolina State University.

As the drug overdose epidemic has steadily worsened over the past decade, state lawmakers have tried several approaches in attempts to curb the problem — from legalizing syringe exchanges to funding addiction treatment to harsher penalties for drug distribution. In 2019, lawmakers passed a “death by distribution” law that allows prosecutors to charge someone with second-degree murder

if they sell drugs to someone who then dies of an overdose.

Senate Bill 189 would essentially strengthen the state’s death by distribution law. Advocates for people who use drugs say these types of laws only disrupt the drug supply, which creates more potential for overdoses. Additionally, with seconddegree murder charges on the line, advocates say people using drugs will be hesitant to call for emergency services if someone overdoses.

“Funds desperately needed to bolster public health in vulnerable, and often overlooked, communities are instead funneled to outdated and fruitless tactics that do nothing to save lives,” reads a statement issued by the North Carolina Survivors Union, a community-led statewide harm reduction organization of people impacted by drug use.

Harm reduction organizations aim to reduce the negative effects of drug use by providing sterile injection and drug use supplies, testing for hepatitis C and HIV, providing an opioid overdose reversal drug called naloxone, and other supplies and resources to people in active substance use.

Drug dealer vs. drug user

In his 36 years as a prosecutor, Ernie Lee said he’s seen some of the same people cycle in and out of jails and prisons and continue to use drugs. Now he’s seeing multiple generations of people in the same families using drugs and getting arrested.

Lee is the district attorney for Sampson, Duplin, Jones and Onslow counties — rural counties in eastern North Carolina with few treatment options for mental health and substance use issues.

“There has to be punishment, but I also wish there could be more treatment while you’re being

punished,” Lee said while at the state legislature supporting Senate Bill 189. “Because otherwise it just becomes a revolving door. It becomes very expensive for the state of North Carolina. Also it’s just the right thing to do. These people have problems.”

Lee said people in his area of the state need to be able to get help locally instead of being forced by lack of options to travel hours away to the Triangle area.

But Lee and many other prosecutors draw a firm distinction between people using drugs and drug dealers.

“For those people out there selling drugs, I have no sympathy for them, because they are basically profiting off of others’ misery,” Lee said. “I’ve not been hesitant about prosecuting an individual for second-degree murder, where they cause the death of someone by selling drugs to them.”

Advocates for people who use drugs say the line between dealer and user isn’t so clear cut. Some people who use drugs will sell enough drugs to support their own drug habit or to supply just their friends or family members with drugs.

People who use drugs are encouraged, for safety reasons, not to use drugs alone. So if someone has supplied drugs to someone they are using with, and that person overdoses, those folks are going to hesitate to call for help — for fear of being charged with second-degree murder, advocates say.

Good Samaritan Law

People are always encouraged to call for help in the event of an overdose. And a 2015 update to the state’s 2013 Good Samaritan Law provides limited immunity from certain drug possession charges if someone calls 911 during a medical emergency.

Senate Bill 189 sponsors say they still want people to call for help, and the bill would add possession of up to 1 gram of fentanyl to the Good Samaritan Law protections in North Carolina.

But advocates have long said the state’s Good Samaritan Law doesn’t go far enough. There are questions as to whether the victim of the overdose or others at the scene of an overdose would receive the same limited legal protections from arrest or prosecution if someone called for help.

“It’s really hard for folks to want to put themselves at risk for any type of engagement with law enforcement,” said Ainsley Bryce, executive director of Holler Harm Reduction in Madison County.

Bryce said that there were 17 overdoses reported to Holler Harm Reduction in the first two weeks of March. People at only two of those incidents called 911 for help because they didn’t have naloxone available.

“That’s 15 people who were just not willing to interact with law enforcement because they were afraid of arrest,” she said.

“These laws don’t offer protections, and they’re

IN FY 2021-22, THERE WERE 46 DEATH BY DISTRIBUTION CASES FILED BY DISTRICT ATTORNEYS STATEWIDE. ADOBESTOCK

NEWS & OPINION FEATURE

not even necessarily being followed by the letter,” she added. “We still have those being arrested for paraphernalia that they should be covered under. So I can’t imagine adding a law like this to the books, what that’s going to look like for our folks.”

What the data shows

North Carolina’s death by distribution law — which the latest legislative proposal seeks to strengthen — was passed in 2019 and went into effect Jan. 1, 2020.

In 2019, law enforcement agencies and district attorneys said they needed the death by distribution laws to put dealers behind bars and curb drug overdoses in the community. Advocates, including Carroll, told lawmakers at the time that death by distribution laws would decrease 911 calls during an overdose and would lead to a more unstable illegal drug market and more fentanyl entering the drug supply.

At the time, no one could have predicted a global pandemic, which substance use experts and people on the ground said also greatly disrupted the drug supply and increased overdoses. Whatever the combination of factors, fentanyl-involved overdose deaths have only climbed since 2019.

The number of overdose deaths in which fentanyl was detected more than doubled from 1,490 in 2019 to 3,062 in 2022, according to the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

The NC Department of Health and Human Services’ Opioid and Substance Use Action Plan Data Dashboard shows a decrease in reported law enforcement overdose reversals across the state since 2018. While not all counties have reported their law enforcement reversal data to the state, those that did show a decrease over time.

In the fiscal year spanning from 2019–’20, there were 10 death by distribution cases filed by district attorneys statewide, according to data collected by the NC Administrative Office of the Courts. In 2020–’21 there were 35 death by distribution cases, and in 2021–’22, there were 46 cases.

A review of the data from the Administrative Office of the Courts shows that Harnett County prosecuted the most over the three-year span, with 11 total cases. That county has seen a 142% increase in overdose deaths from 2018 to 2021, according to state data. The latest available rate of overdose deaths in Harnett was 52.2 per 100,000 people, while the statewide rate of overdose death is 38.5 per 100,000 people.

Closure for families

District Attorney Lee told senators gathered in a committee in March about a case he prosecuted in 2016 after a woman in his county came to him and asked him to charge the person who sold the drugs that killed her loved one. North Carolina has had a form of a second-degree murder charge on the books for drug distribution since the 1980s.

“I worked for the Onslow County sheriff at that time and we were able to bring charges against an individual after extensive investigation to prosecute that case,” he said, “And he was convicted of seconddegree murder. And so I’m very passionate about this.

“I have people calling me continuously: What can you do to help my son? What can you do to help my daughter? What do you do to help my family?” Lee said.

The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association also released a statement supporting Senate Bill 189, saying it would protect law enforcement officers and the public.

“I thank the committee for standing up for supporting the families today and families across North Carolina [who] have lost family members to these overdoses and fentanyl poisoning,” Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page told one senate committee.

Carroll, along with researchers Brandon Morrissey and Taleed El-Sabawi, surveyed North Carolina prosecutors to better understand their reasons for pursuing death by distribution cases, also known as drug-induced homicides. NC Health News reviewed their findings, which are in the peer review process.

Two-thirds of survey respondents reported having charged someone with a drug-induced homicide in the past. Respondents indicated that two of the highest-rated reasons for bringing death by distribution charges were “justice for the deceased” and “justice or closure will be obtained for the family of the deceased.” Carroll added that the respondents were less confident that death by distribution cases would stop overdoses.

“We found that one point prosecutors really agree on is that these laws will bring some sort of closure to the family,” Carroll said. “That is not a valid use of prosecution.”

In Madison County, Bryce said she knows many local residents who have lost loved ones to overdose who do not want closure in this way.

“Who’s gonna feel better that their son-in-law’s suddenly arrested for murder after they’ve lost their daughter?” Bryce said. “I know a lot of folks locally

who have lost someone to overdose, and I don’t know anybody who’s gunning for vengeance on the person who provided the drugs in the first place. That’s not really a top priority. I think the top priority is ensuring that there’s safety available if that person is looking for it.”

What will help?

Advocates for people who use drugs want to see the same energy and money put toward public health solutions that have been shown to reduce overdose deaths.

“It is time for lawmakers to recognize the failings of the Drug War and come to the realization that we cannot punish our way out of the overdose crisis,” reads the statement from the Urban Survivors Union.

“Instead, we must prioritize a communityinformed, culturally competent and evidencebased approach to finally address this public health crisis,” the Union added. “That means investing in accessible, humane drug treatment, funding harm reduction strategies and passing a stronger Good Samaritan Law that aligns with the problems facing North Carolinians today.”

Other countries have dealt with drug overdose

epidemics in the past and have taken seemingly radical but effective strategies to reduce deaths, get people into treatment and weaken their illegal drug markets.

Carroll said the United States has been using a criminal justice approach to drug use for decades and it’s not working.

“If it was going to help, it would have helped by now,” she said. “They are basically positing a … strategy for reducing overdose that is ignorant and wrong.”

“It would be really, really great if the same energy went into things that we actually know reduces deaths — that we actually know keeps young people safe,” Carroll said, “and that we actually know brings people out of crisis if they are living with substance use disorder.”

This article first appeared on North Carolina Health News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. North Carolina Health News is an independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit, statewide news organization dedicated to covering all things health care in North Carolina. Visit NCHN at northcarolinahealthnews.org.

ARTS FEATURE

ARTS & CRAFTS

Divine Barrel is one of many breweries uplifting the local arts scene

BY RYAN PITKIN

Sunlight gleamed in through the open garage door as people packed into Divine Barrel Brewing Co. just as the sun prepared to set on March 23. Still, the lights were dimmed enough to make things dramatic in the corner of the taproom where owner Gavin Toth prepared to make his major unveiling.

Following a speech from local artist Shefalee Patel, leader of the creative collective Namaste Artists Charlotte, Toth pulled back on a rope, dropping a curtain and exposing a brightly colored 12-by-8-foot mural depicting two blank, dancing human figures backed up by a beautiful but chaotic mosaic of neon colors.

The crowd of nearly 100 art patrons applauded wildly before DJ Pawan dropped a track that sounded like a mix of traditional Indian music, hip-hop and electronic dance music, with Patel leading her collective — 15 of whom participated in creating the newly unveiled mural — in a traditional dance.

For Charlotte Is Creative cofounder Matt Olin, the scene was exactly what he originally envisioned for Drop Series, an event series that commissions artists for large-scale murals before then turning those same murals into beer can designs to be distributed throughout the Carolinas by Divine Barrel.

“This is a really cool way to say, ‘Alright we’re going to create this really dramatic, theatrical vibe event where we’re literally going to drop a curtain to reveal a brand new mural,’” Olin told Queen City Nerve. “As a guy from the theatre world, I just love the drama around that.”

The March party was the second Drop Series, which launched in November as a quarterly event, beginning with a mural from three artists associated with the #BeattiesFordStrong movement: Ricky Singh, Ty McBride and Danyelle Ray.

At Drop Series Vol. 2: Bollywood, Beer & Art, cans of Divine Barrel’s new brew, Drop Series Vol. 1: Going Together, were stacked on the bar while glasses of the Berliner weisse-style ale with blood orange, guava and pineapple flowed from the taps all night.

The cans depict a triptych featuring each artist’s panel from the mural, including the artists’ respective Instagram handles, the #BeattiesFordStrong mural and a QR code that allows drinkers to learn more about the movement as well as the Drop Series.

For Olin, the partnership with Divine Barrel, which will distribute the cans in locations all around North and South Carolina, is the perfect intersection of his organization’s two top missions: compensation for local artists mixed with innovative exposure.

“One of the cornerstone ideologies of Charlotte Is Creative is championing collaboration between the creative community and the business community.

And that doesn’t just mean the big guys, the corporate community, but also small and mediumsized businesses as well, like Divine Barrel,” Olin said.

“Their willingness to take that piece of art and put it on a beer can that gets distributed around the Carolinas … it was just this sweet spot where it was like, ugh, this is that collaboration that we’ve been looking for with the Divine Barrel folks. It just came after years of exploring and keeping our eyes and ears open for the right concept.”

Divine intervention

Speaking with Queen City Nerve on the patio of Divine Barrel shortly before the most recent unveiling, artist Ricky Singh said the partnership with Divine Barrel was a natural progression. Toth and the Charlotte Is Creative team had already been supportive of the #BeattiesFordStrong movement, but this gave a chance to expand it out from activations on the west side to put it in front of a new NoDa audience.

“It’s exciting to see a dream that I’ve had for quite some time actually come to life,” Singh said of the partnership. “I feel like it was one of my first thoughts or conversations I might have had with Gavin years ago. ‘What if?’”

Toth himself may not remember that exact conversation, but he does have evidence that it took place. While going through his phone one day in early April, after the brewery had already hosted two Drop Series events, he came across a message in his Notes app: “Beer is art, mural project with can releases.”

According to Toth, it has been part of Divine Barrel’s mission since opening in 2018 to invite collaboration with Charlotte creatives. The brewery hosts a rotating display of local artists, curated by Matt Alvis with Art Cart NoDa and Tough Ass Crew, as well as regular events that spotlight local talent, from a “yarn bombing” by local fiber artist Pam Imhof to the series of OneBand concerts that invite musicians of all experience levels to get onstage and perform together, often for the first time.

“I think [art and craft brewing] go hand-inhand, when you look at how a lot of galleries that keep closing, now some are starting to emerge again, but people need to continue to take these opportunities in these larger spaces,” Toth said. “Breweries can be galleries for everybody.”

The brewery also hosts the NoDaHood Market, which features local artisanal entrepreneurs to sell their wares. The last event featured more than 100 vendors, a NoDaHood record.

PHOTO BY GRANT BALDWIN DJ PAWAN PLAYS AT THE MARCH 23 DROP SERIES VOL. 2: BOLLYWOOD, BEER & ART SHOW.

ARTS FEATURE

“Making those connections is so key, because just like beer, we gotta sell it to make money, and artists love their craft, and they probably want to make their money off of it eventually, too.”

Toth emphasized that Divine Barrel does not take any cut from art sold during Alvis’ rotating exhibits at the brewery.

“We want them to be successful, too,” he said. “They’re a small business.”

Giving artists space

Divine Barrel is far from the only local brewery that is engaging with the local arts scene. In NoDa alone, which long ago began a transition from arts district to “entertainment district” (read: bars), breweries have been creating space for artists pushed out of shuttered or repurposed galleries.

On April 29, The Chamber by Wooden Robot will host its second annual Astro Pop Mural + Music Festival, a popular event that features a slew of local artists live-painting large-scale murals along with live music, food trucks and beer. The event, organized by local artist and Wooden Robot employee Brett “TWOKAT” Toukatly, was well-attended during its inaugural iteration in 2021, but had to be postponed in October 2022.

“It’s important that Wooden Robot keeps the culture of art and music alive in a neighborhood they’re new to,” TWOKAT told Queen City Nerve in 2021. “I wanted to put them on the map in NoDa’s eyes as someone who is supportive of the arts scene.

“I wanted to make sure this is about what NoDa’s been for so long,” he continued. “There’s been a lot of changes and a lot of new construction, but I like to think the reason people are coming here is because it’s been the arts and music district.”

Elsewhere in Charlotte, Protagonist Beer will host the SXSE23 festival (South by South End) on the same weekend, organizing a three-day event from April 27-29 that will include film screenings, a comedy night and a music festival.

For Olin and Charlotte Is Creative co-founder Tim Miner, who launched their organization with the sole goal of connecting the local arts scene to the local business community, breweries make a natural venue to host those connections.

“We’ve been rallying around this idea of craft beer as creativity for years, so this idea of using their taprooms, their physical brick-and-mortar space to be a place where creativity and artistry is celebrated, that’s just so aligned with how we feel

about the community and how we feel about these collaborations between the creative community and the business community,” Olin said. “We’re going to continue championing this and the more this can be happening the better.”

The diversity question

It’s a well-known fact that the craft beer scene has a problem with diversity, an issue that Ricky Singh acknowledged during the Drop Series Vol. 2 event. For him, it’s an opportunity to push his message in front of a new audience.

#BeattiesFordStrong was created in response to a mass shooting that took four lives during a Juneteenth celebration on Beatties Ford Road in 2020 — not just to memorialize the victims but to push back against the media narrative that the Beatties Ford corridor is nothing more than a collection of crime-ridden neighborhoods.

“There’s a notion of a negative connotation that goes with the words Beatties Ford Road or the west side often, as much as there’s such a positive history and present that is there, and I think projects like this that uplift the west side and continue to show a spotlight that the west side is a big part of Charlotte history. This opportunity to have cans in stores around the state, I’m hoping people will Google

Beatties Ford Road and will find all the positives that are going on in the west side,” Singh said. “My hope is that it spreads and that people see the west side as a place of growth, historical value; we have a sense of pride.”

Fellow #BeattiesFordStrong artist Ty McBride agreed.

“It’s a good way to get the appreciation of the message on both sides,” she said. “We can’t preach the same thing to the same group of people over and over. We all need to support each other so that it kind of bridges the gap and I feel like art can be that bridge. So that’s what we’re here to do.”

For Toth, the hope is that events like Drop Series not only expose artists like Singh and McBride to new audiences but bring a more diverse crowd into Divine Barrel.

“We want everyone to know that Divine Barrel is open to everyone regardless of ethnicity, anything, sexual orientation, you name it, as long as you’re just happy to be here,” Toth said.

“With the Drop Series you’re seeing a mixing of cultures, too, where yeah you’re bringing people who may not have been to Divine Barrel or a brewery before, but also the cool thing is when the new can comes out with the old mural right as we drop the new mural, you’re seeing artists who may not have

met each other, may not run in the same cultural circles, meeting each other and mixing together and sharing ideas, and that’s really what it’s all about.”

Olin agreed, pointing out that the mix of creatives that attended Drop Series Vol. 2 were not the type of crowd you’d see on any given Sunday at a Charlotte brewery.

He added that Divine Barrel has the potential to be the bridge that McBride referenced, seeing as how it’s placed directly on the border of NoDa and the rest of east Charlotte — home to Charlotte’s most diverse neighborhoods.

“That’s really where I get excited about the drop,” he said. “When you see the Namaste Charlotte community came together and saw their work on the wall, they saw themselves reflected in that work, and it was just an opportunity to gather around art in a place that’s kind of like a fault line for different communities in Charlotte and to allow for those collisions, that intersection, those conversations to happen. It’s super intentional and we’re just so gratified to see it actually happening and it’s working.”

All it took was a little flair for the dramatic.

RPITKIN@QCNERVE.COM

PHOTO BY GRANT BALDWIN

A MURAL CREATED BY NAMASTE ARTISTS CHARLOTTE HANGS IN DIVINE BARREL BREWING.

GROOVE 8 Courtesy of Tosco Music 4/8

ACTION SERIES

More: Free; April 7, 9 p.m.; Goodyear Arts, 301 Camp Road; goodyeararts.com

4/8

INTERNATIONAL NOIR: ‘MEMORIES OF MURDER’

Before garnering Oscar acclaim with Parasite, Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho helped to catch a serial killer. His 2003 flick Memories of Murder is based on a notorious string of South Korean killings in the late 1980s. This gritty and intense procedural, which follows three investigators who are hopelessly in over their heads, is laced with coalblack humor. It rekindled interest in the cold case — so much so that the culprit was identified in 2019. A post-screening discussion with UNC Charlotte Film Studies Lecturer Sam Shapiro follows the April 16 screening.

More: $8; April 11-16, times vary; Independent Picture House, 4237 Raleigh St.; independentpicturehouse.org

SAT 4/16

JOHN COLTRANE, ‘MILES & COLETRANE: BLUE (.)’

Photo by Hugo van Gelderen 4/13-4/16

‘INTO THE WOODS’

A humorous, humane and wondrous pastiche of a fistful of Perrault and Brothers Grimm fairy tales, Stephen Sondheim’s and James Lapine’s modern classic Into the Woods took Broadway by storm in 1987. The strength of Into The Woods has always been that Sondheim and Lapine embrace the contradiction and weirdness of fairy tales — supposedly comforting stories where children are orphaned, stepsisters mutilated and grannies devoured. This stunning revival comes with much of its Broadway cast intact, including Montego Glover as The Witch, Stephanie J. Block as The Baker’s Wife and Gavin Creel as Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf.

More: $35 and up; April 11-16, times vary; Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St.; blumenthalarts.org

OPENING CELEBRATION: SEEING STARS

“I remember the first time I saw the stars,” wrote fantasist Beth Revis. “I thought they changed everything. I thought they changed me.” Hedy Fischer and Randy Shull have sifted through the firmament of contemporary North American art, amassing a game-changing collection that champions diverse voices in the arts while foregrounding social justice issues. Seeing Stars: Works from the Fischer/Shull Collection of Contemporary Art includes paintings, sculpture, photography and mixed-media pieces from Sanford Biggers, Kehinde Wiley, Simone Leigh and more. The opening celebration includes music and remarks by Seeing Stars curator Dexter Wimberly.

More: Free; April 13, 6 p.m.; Gantt Center, 551 S. Tryon St.; ganttcenter.org

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‘MILES & COLTRANE: BLUE (.)’

An enriching character study and a riveting play, Miles & Coltrane: Blue (.) is also a musical rumination on creativity and its human costs. Quentin Talley’s On Q Productions, which premiered Miles & Coltrane: Blue (.) in Charlotte in 2008, revives the production, which depicts the personal and professional relationship between the two jazz legends — titans whose brilliant collaborations, including the legendary albums Round About Midnight and Kind of Blue, reshaped the boundaries of music and popular culture. This musical biography blends award winning actors, musicians and poets.

More: $28 and up; April 13-16, times vary; Booth Playhouse, 130 N. Tryon St.; blumenthalarts.org

Even if you think you’ve never heard Groove 8, you probably have. Drawing on ’70s jazz funk and ’90s U.K. acid jazz, Groove 8 has been producing its celebratory instrumental fusion of funk, soul and R&B since 2008. The band’s syncopated rhythms are centered on a heavy-hitting horn section that has included both Adrian Crutchfield and Joey Hayfield, both of whom toured with Prince as part of the New Power Generation. The restless DJHaytch4Now dabbles in everything from R&B hip-hop bop to lo-fi background beats. Wilmington hip-hop artist Fuzz Jaxx fills the bill.

More: $7; April 8, 8 p.m.; Petra’s, 1919 Commonwealth Ave.; petrasbar.com

4/14

SCIENCE ON THE ROCKS

Discovery Place Science’s monthly after-hours, adults-only social event offers an evening of cocktails, animal encounters, science shows and hands-on lab experiences in a kids-free environment. Patrons can check out exhibits like Top Secret: License to Spy, which features activities based on a James Bond-style exotic locations and high-tech gadgetry. Guests can also add on tickets to the IMAX presentation Planetarium: Edge of Darkness, which explores our solar system with a spectacular flight through the cliffs of comet 67P, breathtaking close-ups of Ceres and Pluto, and the first-ever look at a dwarf binary planet.

More: $18-22; April 14, 6 p.m.; Discovery Place Science, 301 N. Tryon St.; science.discoveryplace.org

FRI TUE

SUN4/16

CLASSIC BLACK CINEMA SERIES: ‘THE WORLD, THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL’

In this 1959 dystopian drama, a coal miner (charismatic Harry Belafonte) emerges from a cave-in to find all the buildings still standing after a nuclear holocaust, with nary another soul in sight. When Belafonte travels to an eerily abandoned New York City, the plot turns into a lethal love triangle between him and two other survivors: a luminous Inger Stevens and a bigoted Mel Ferrer. Racism rears its ugly head as Belafonte and Ferrer stalk and battle each other in the steel canyons of Manhattan.

More: $7-$9; April 16, 2 p.m.; Gantt Center, 551 S. Tryon St.; ganttcenter.org

EXHIBIT OPENING: CAPTURED IN CARTOONS

When the GOP-controlled N.C. legislature overrode Gov. Cooper’s veto of their gun bill a day after another school shooting, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Kevin Siers depicted N.C. Senate leader Phil Berger, House Speaker Tim Moore and a hooded “Gun Lobby” grim reaper as “The 3 Branches of NC Government.” This exhibit, titled Captured in Cartoons, puts Siers’ spotlight on the GOP’s ghoulish enabling of the wholesale slaughter of our state’s children in the context of centuries of cartooning, where visitors can explore cartoons from throughout Charlotte’s history. The opening celebration includes a conversation with Siers.

More: $5; April 15, 2 p.m.; Charlotte Museum of History, 3500 Shamrock Drive; charlottemuseum.org

SAT4/15 4/18

KRISTINE LESCHPER, NINA REYSER, KARAOKE

Under the moniker Mothers, Kristine Leschper released coiling idiosyncratic songs that draw on the stark, skeletal sounds of post-punk and contemporary freak folk. Under her own name, she’s shifted to percussion, synthesizers, strings and fluttering woodwinds to craft baroque compositions that recall 1970s experimental rockers Henry Cow. Drawing on her background in contemporary classical composition, Nina Ryser’s experimental pop draws on lush synths, vocals and electronics. Karaoke tills a post-punk/dance field similar to Leschper’s Mothers, but with a playful streak that nods to 1980s new wavers The Waitresses.

More: $17.30; April 18, 9 p.m.; Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St.; snugrock.com

KADEY BALLARD

Photo by Matt Cospeer 4/7

MUSIC FEATURE

A FESTIVAL ON A HILL

NC Brewers & Music Festival returns to Huntersville

BY PAT MORAN

On May 12, the North Carolina Brewers & Music Festival returns to Historic Rural Hill nature preserve in Huntersville. The two-day family-friendly event offers a curated lineup of over 40 breweries, allowing festivalgoers to camp out amid a landscape graced with hiking trails and Colonial-era farm buildings. Tying into the outdoor, rain-or-shine activities is a carefully coordinated soundtrack for the beer fest; a lineup of nine artists and bands, many with North Carolina connections, are artfully chosen to complement and enhance the bucolic setting and the craft beers that festivalgoers will find on tap.

That means the bands chosen for the event fall into a loosely defined genre that Micah Davidson calls “grass roots-oriented indie-Americana.”

“I think we’ve stayed consistent with that genre,” says Davidson, founder and owner of Charlotte-based agency Midwood Entertainment, which curates and consults on venues, festivals and events. The 45-year-old former booking agent has been programming the North Carolina Brewers & Music Festival since it launched in 2010.

“Certainly, it’s a team effort,” Davidson says. “We all get together and discuss ideas.”

At the end of the day, however, it’s Davidson who makes the decisions and picks the bands.

“For the North Carolina Brewers & Music Festival, the marketing is about the overall experience,” Davidson says. “So, the lineup … must be something that falls in line with the overall brand. It’s on a farm. It’s camping. So, bluegrass and indie Americana is really where I’d like to stay.”

This year marks the 11th iteration of the festival — the event was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s also a watershed for the festival — the year the NC Brewers & Music Fest decided to go bigger.

“This is the year we probably spent the most money,” Davidson says. May 12 marks the largest Friday night headliner the festival has ever booked: North Carolina-based Grammy

Award-winning progressive bluegrass group The Steep Canyon Rangers. Filling out the bill is a mix of local and regional favorites and Americana up-andcomers including Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, 49 Winchester, SUSTO, Lilly Hiatt, Kaitlin Butts, Time Sawyer, Kiely Connell and Paleface.

“For the people that aren’t super happy with the lineup, it’s my fault,” Davidson says. “For the people who absolutely love the lineup, it’s also my fault.”

The business of entertainment

Born in Roanoke, Virginia, Davidson went to the College of Charleston before “politely being asked

to leave,” Davidson says. Instead of going to class, he was throwing large parties and concerts at frat houses.

“I guess I was born to do events,” he says, laughing. After moving to Charlotte in 1999, Davidson started working as the general manager of The Double Door Inn, the storied but since demolished venue in Charlotte’s Elizabeth neighborhood. He also became a booking agent. In 2009, Davidson met Jeff Fissel, who was then the executive director for Historic Rural Hill. Fissel was considering launching a beer festival and had some interest in booking The New Familiars, a Charlotte band that Davidson was managing, to play it. But Davidson got more involved than just booking his band; he and Fissel launched the North Carolina Brewers & Music Festival together in 2010.

In September 2015, Davidson started Midwood Entertainment with nine artists and two festivals. As the business grew, Davidson moved away from being an agent and hired other agents. In the wake of the COVID pandemic, Midwood Entertainment shut down its talent agency division in 2021, now just focusing on event production and talent buying.

Davidson runs the company and organizes both

events: the NC Brewers & Music Festival as well as Tennessee’s Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion in September. Meanwhile, Monica Smith oversees the agency’s venue division, which programs for seven venues on the East Coast, as well as one in Colorado. One venue, The Harvester Performance Center in Rocky Mount, Virginia, is an exception. There Davidson is the director of operations.

In the meantime, Davidson partnered with John Crawford of Codex Sound in Hickory. Amid the pandemic, Codex Sound famously launched the No Contact Concert Series, an online streaming concert experience. Codex Sound currently handles production for all Midwood Entertainment’s events in the southeast.

Crawford has been handling the production component of the NC Brewers & Music Festival since its founding. Davidson also partnered with Charles Willett, controller of NoDa Brewing Company. Willett handles the beer component of the festival, including alcohol sales and coordinating with brewers for the festival’s beer tasting on Saturday.

In 2019, Davidson, Fissel, Crawford and Willett launched Five String Productions LLC, which bought 50% of the festival from Rural Hill. Five String Productions produces the event, while the farm, which owns half, helps produce it. Profits from the festival are split 50/50, with Rural Hill’s cut benefiting the historic property.

Making a festival sing

Davidson remembers the very first NC Brewers & Music Fest only lasted one day on one single stage. It didn’t become a two-day event until three years later. This year, the festival’s music performances are spread out over Friday and Saturday, and camping runs Thursday through Sunday. The beer tasting still takes place on Saturday afternoon, with this year boasting more than 40 brewers, including NoDa Brewing Company, Cavendish Brewing Company, Protagonist Beer, Legion Brewing, Royal Bliss Brewing and more.

When it comes to booking the festival, Davidson begins looking for likely performers a few weeks after the previous year’s fest has wrapped.

“Starting around June 1, I start working on headliners for the following year,” Davidson says.

Starting with a blank slate, Davidson looks at other festivals’ lineups, as well as other lineups Midwood Entertainment puts together for other events and venues. While

NC BREWERS & MUSIC FESTIVAL IN 2017

COURTESY OF NCBMF

MUSIC FEATURE

it’s financially and logistically advantageous for both the company and artists to book shows across the spectrum of Midwood Entertainment ‘s events, Davidson maintains diversity between the different lineups. He also pays attention to what is going on in the industry and talks to his agent friends.

“There is always going to be an idea that somebody else has that I might not have thought about,” Davidson says.

He also turns to Spotify, checking out the Discover Weekly Playlist and Release Radar. One of his favorite things to do is go down the rabbit hole of the “fans also like” section of any particular artist.

“It becomes a sort of a science, where after you’ve dug in as long as I have, you just … know what you’re looking for,” Davidson says.

Despite his music business savvy and experience, Davidson insists he never books a festival according to his personal taste.

“Nobody is buying a ticket to come spend time with me,” he says. “I’m designing a lineup for the people who want to come out and have a good time, with the goal of selling tickets and creating experiences.”

That said, Davidson also trusts his gut about what fits the fest and who within the event’s chosen genre of indie-Americana is going to break big.

This year, Davidson knew the festival wanted to go bigger on Friday night. With Steep Canyon Rangers being from North Carolina and getting hotter in the genre, the band was Davidson’s number one headliner choice.

As for booking Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway, Davidson says the decision was a no-brainer; Tuttle just won a Grammy and she’s red hot.

Tuttle herself is equally enthusiastic about playing the festival.

“North Carolina has always been such an important part of the roots music community,” Tuttle says. “From the great Doc Watson to the Avett Brothers, I’ve found so much inspiration all across the state. I love any chance to come play music in North Carolina.”

The great John Hyatt’s daughter Lilly has forged a robust career with her unflinchingly honest songs that are anchored in no-nonsense guitar-based country rock. Davidson was eager to showcase her at the NC Brewers & Music Fest.

“I like Lilly’s stuff quite a bit,” Davidson says. “I’ve been a fan of hers for a good five or six years.”

While Davidson has booked Charleston-based SUSTO at some of his venues before, this will be the

first time he’s had the durable and popular act on one of his festivals.

“When we got the invite to play NC Brewers Fest, we were excited because we knew they would be curating a great lineup of artists we know and love,” says SUSTO’s Justin Osbourne. “It’s been a couple years since we performed in the Charlotte area, and we’re excited to be back.”

For other acts on the bill, Davidson turned to his personal connections in the business — ties that extend to local and regional favorite Time Sawyer.

“Not only have I known them for years and years, but they also were an artist that was part of the [our] agency division,” says Davidson.

He has also booked Time Sawyer for the upcoming Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion.

The band’s frontman Sam Tayloe sees NC Brewers & Music Fest as an opportunity to continue connecting with audiences.

“We are trying get closer to understanding the world every time we play, so hopefully that comes through here at this festival,” Tayloe says. “It helps to have so many other groups that we appreciate playing that weekend too. It’s always a team game.”

A band that Davidson is particularly excited to add to the team is 49 Winchester. Like the lever action repeating rifle suggested by its name, the band can pack a mighty kick, but more often this tears-in-your-beer Americana/alt-country outfit trades in yearning melodies, heartfelt harmonies and gentle nostalgia. Davidson predicts that the band will be the festival’s breakout artist.

“They are absolutely exploding,” he says. “I’ve been a fan of those guys for a long time. During the pandemic when me and the guys from Codex Sound produced The No Contact Concert Series, 49 Winchester was one of the bands we had on it.”

He notes that the band recently announced that Luke Combs is taking them on tour with him to Europe this fall.

“I think [the festival is] a really cool showcase of roots music in an area that we love visiting and performing in,” says 49 Winchester’s Chase Chafin. “It’s shaping up to be an awesome event all around.”

Davidson cites two of the younger performers on the festival bill as a result of paying attention to what’s going on in local music scenes. Rebellious honky-tonk-imbued singer songwriter Kaitlin Butts recently played The Evening Muse, selling out the venue her very first time on stage. An agent friend told Davidson about Butts’ performance there.

“I said, ‘Great, if she’s got a buzz, then let’s throw her on an event. Let’s give her an opportunity to play in front of a bigger crowd,’” he recalls.

Similarly, Kiely Connell came to Davidson’s attention through another agent friend.

“I did my research on her, and she’s fantastic,” Davidson says. “I like having the opportunity to break an artist. Whenever possible, I like to be able to look back and [know] that I knew about that artist before anybody else.”

“I’m excited to play in one of my favorite states again, especially at a festival that features local breweries,” Connell says. “I’ve been a fan of craft beer since I was old enough to drink.”

However the festival’s performers play in front of Rural Hill’s crowd, Davidson seems content that he’s crafted a diverse and satisfying bill, which does much to help differentiate t NC Brewers & Music Fest from other beer festivals.

“We’re going on 11 years,” Davidson says. “We are a true camping festival. We take all weekend, and to some extent we are more of a music festival that has a beer-tasting component.”

To that end, the festival showcases the music aspect most prominently in the event’s name and in its marketing, he adds.

On a broader level, Davidson sees the fest as an opportunity for music lovers to unplug, unwind, and perhaps reconnect a little.

“There are a lot of things these days that seem to be pulling people apart,” Davidson says. “So I love to see these events where it doesn’t really matter what anybody’s beliefs are. They’re all just coming to have a good time together.”

PMORAN@QCNERVE.COM

THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL FEATURES A LINEUP OF BEER FROM OVER 40 BREWERIES. COURTESY OF NCBMF

There are stories behind every beer in Charlotte

Birdsong Brewing:

Birdsong is the largest majority female-owned brewery in Charlotte. Their recipes are inspired by music and their beer is often named after songs.

Petty Thieves Brewing:

Built on secrets hiding in plain sight, Petty Thieves Brewing sits at a sacred crossroads on the city’s only true East-West boulevard and experiences the only known phenomenon of two consecutive daily sunsets. The brewery is rumored to hold secret meetings each astronomical conjunction in its Black Lodge.

Divine Barrel Brewing:

An unusually lovely, award-winning brewery, Divine Barrel is focused on supporting the arts and Charlotte community and being the most welcoming taproom for anyone to enjoy.

Town Brewing:

Within the first two years of being open, Town Brewing brought home back-toback gold medals from the Great American Beer Festival to Wesley Heights. Both awards were for Cruise to Nowhere, a session sour ale with mango, guava, passion fruit, blood orange and hibiscus.

Lost Worlds Brewing:

Lost Worlds is known for its innovative beers and commitment to guest experience. The taproom is open seven days a week and features six year-round brews, called Basecamp Beers, and a rotating selection of limited-release beers, called Adventure Series. Located in Cornelius, the biergarten is the perfect place to plot your next adventure.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Joywave (The Underground)

Lofidels w/ Public Circuit, Spookystack, Boy A/C (The Milestone)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

TC Superstar w/ Leone & The Ascension, Babe Club (Snug Harbor)

FUNK/JAM BANDS

Igor and the Red Elvises (Neighborhood Theatre)

OPEN MIC

Tosco Music Open Mic (Evening Muse)

Open Mic Variety Show (Starlight on 22nd)

THURSDAY, APRIL 6

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Hawthorne Heights (The Underground)

Kamikaze Zombie w/ Nemesis, Victim Complex, 11 to Midnight (The Milestone)

Rosegarden Funeral Party w/ Dead Cool, Adam Cope (Snug Harbor)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Pouya (The Fillmore)

Mary Mack w/ Kashh, Syh Gudda, Baby Cheef, Joose Lord, KRU, Itzdolph (The Rooster)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

NC Bluegrass Jam Night (Birdsong Brewing)

JAZZ/BLUES

Karen Briggs w/ Bobby Sparks (Middle C Jazz)

FRIDAY, APRIL 7

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

ANTiSEEN w/ Self Made Monsters, Hembree & the Infidels (The Milestone)

Donnie Doolittle w/ Spirit System, One of Nine (Snug Harbor)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Party 101 w/ DJ Matt Bennett (The Underground)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Austin Meade w/ Dillan Dostal & the Mikele Buck Band (Amos’ Southend)

Rachel Baiman w/ Heather Maloney (Evening Muse)

Leo Kottke (Neighborhood Theatre)

JAZZ/BLUES

Maysa Leak (Middle C Jazz)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Shame Gang w/ Devn, Lord Jah Monte Ogbon, Autumn Rainwater (Evening Muse)

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (Aretha Franklin tribute) (Knight Theater)

FUNK/JAM BANDS

Wolf! w/ Joe May (Heist Brewery)

SATURDAY, APRIL 8

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Mike Farris (Evening Muse)

Aurora’s Hope w/ Jameson Tank, Sub-Vertigo (Evening Muse)

Bob Fleming & the Cambria Iron Co. w/ The Silencing Machine, Shanked, Tiny City, Merit Badge, Ryan Lockhart, This Can’t Be Real (The Milestone)

Angeles w/ Below 7 (The Rooster)

Of Good Nature w/ Sam Burchfield, Virginia Man, Oceanic (Visulite Theatre)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

K Camp (The Underground)

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (Aretha Franklin tribute) (Knight Theater)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Thurston Howell (Amos’ Southend)

Boulevards w/ Connor Kelly & The Time Warp, Taylor AP Williams (Snug Harbor)

The Taylor Party (The Fillmore)

ACOUSTIC/SINGER-SONGWRITER

Neal Carter (Birdsong Brewing)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Carolina Drivegrass (Primal Brewery)

JAZZ/BLUES

Maysa Leak (Middle C Jazz)

Groove 8 w/ Fuzz Jaxx, DJHaych4Now (Petra’s)

SUNDAY, APRIL 9

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Blab School w/ Julian Calendar, Hey Richard (The Milestone)

The Reticent w/ Den of Wolves, Fault Union (The Milestone)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Masego (The Fillmore)

Zae France (Neighborhood Theatre)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Dougie Poole w/ Coughing Dove, Riggings (Petra’s)

MONDAY, APRIL 10

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Scott Yoder w/ The Real Dolls, Rhinestone Pickup Truck, Hiram (The Milestone)

JAZZ/BLUES

Tommy Castro & the Painkillers (Neighborhood Theatre)

The Bill Hanna Legacy Jazz Session (Petra’s)

TUESDAY, APRIL 11

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Killswitch Engage (The Fillmore)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Jake Wesley Rogers (The Underground)

¡Bugalú! (Petra’s)

FUNK/JAM BANDS

Cosmic Jam Sessions (Crown Station)

DONNIE DOOLITTLE JOINS SPIRIT SYSTEM AND ONE OF NINE AT SNUG HARBOR ON APRIL 7.

PHOTO BY JOSH ROB THOMAS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Queensrÿche (The Fillmore)

A Life Worth Taking w/ The Cancellations, The Sour, Jackson Fig (The Milestone)

JAZZ/BLUES

Menastree w/ MoonShaker, SuspencefulMusicPlaying (Snug Harbor)

OPEN MIC

Carolina Waves Showcase and Open Mic (Evening Muse)

Open Mic Variety Show (Starlight on 22nd)

THURSDAY, APRIL 13

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Fozzy (The Underground)

Dirtybutt w/ Walt!, Mazerot, Fuckpxnk, Matty, Apolloislame, Lil Degen, Willows Grave, Quinn Rash (The Milestone)

Young Mister w/ Bridal Party, La Brava (Petra’s)

JAZZ/BLUES

Colby Dobbs & Friends (Middle C Jazz)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Liz Hopkins w/ AZUL (Evening Muse)

CLASSICAL/INSTRUMENTAL

Our Planet Live in Concert (Knight Theater)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Yugo w/ Wild Love, Take Lead (Snug Harbor)

FRIDAY, APRIL 14

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Dexter & the Moonrocks w/ Cigarettes @ Sunset (Amos’ Southend)

Under the Rug w/ Basic Printer (Evening Muse)

Built to Spill (The Underground)

Gorod w/ Cognitive, Summoning the Lich, Flub, Krosis (The Milestone)

Father John Misty (Neighborhood Theatre)

The Chain (Fleetwood Mac tribute) (Visulite Theatre)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Chris Cagle (Coyote Joe’s)

Daniel Jeffers (The Rooster)

JAZZ/BLUES

Marcus Anderson (Middle C Jazz)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Cannoli (Evening Muse)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC

Skinny Puppy (The Fillmore)

APE Audio Series (Starlight on 22nd)

FUNK/JAM BANDS

The Riff Raff (Smokey Joe’s Cafe & Bar)

SATURDAY, APRIL 15

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

The Plot In You (The Underground)

The Rush Experience (Rush tribute) (Amos’ Southend)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Grits & Biscuits (The Underground)

Shankai and the Gooney Tunes w/ Woody (Starlight on 22nd)

JAZZ/BLUES

Spyro Gyra (Middle C Jazz)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Robbie Fulks (Evening Muse)

Elonzo Wesley (Primal Brewery)

FUNK/JAM BANDS

Eden Hill w/ Secret Formula Band (Evening Muse)

Cosmic Collective w/ Stimulator Jones, Lemon City Trio (Snug Harbor)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Lucius w/ Danielle Ponder (Visulite Theatre)

Digital Noir w/ DJ Price (The Milestone)

CHRISTIAN/GOSPEL/RELIGIOUS

Brandon Lake (Ovens Auditorium)

SUNDAY, APRIL16

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

The Summer Set (Amos’ Southend)

Troubleshoot w/ Sweet Anne Marie, Condition Oakland, Showalter (The Milestone)

Dreamwell w/ The Holy Ghost Tabernacle Choir, Demon Teeth, Subvertigo (The Milestone)

The Lemon Twigs w/ Chris Stamey (Visulite Theatre)

JAZZ/BLUES

Dee Lucas w/ Gino Rosario, Shemaine (Middle C Jazz)

FUNK/JAM BANDS

Mike D & The Rhythm Kings (The Rooster)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Ruston Kelly (The Underground)

CHRISTIAN/GOSPEL/RELIGIOUS

Jonathan McReynolds (Knight Theater)

MONDAY, APRIL 17

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Samia w/ Christian Lee Hutson (Visulite Theatre)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Wilder Woods (Neighborhood Theatre)

TUESDAY, APRIL 18

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Whitechapel (The Underground)

The Wallflowers (Neighborhood Theatre)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Kristine Leschper w/ Nina Rysper, Karaoke (Snug Harbor)

FUNK/JAM BANDS

Cosmic Jam Sessions (Crown Station)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Alexandra Kay (Amos’ Southend)

VISIT QCNERVE.COM FOR THE FULL SOUNDWAVE LISTING.

FOOD & DRINK FEATURE

FEMME-ENTATION

The women behind the beer of Birdsong Brewing Co.

BY KARIE SIMMONS

For more than a century, beer has been overwhelmingly thought of as a masculine product — made by men and for men — due in large part to early marketing campaigns that portrayed beer as the elixir of masculinity.

After Prohibition was repealed in the United States, beer was thought of as the “manly” alternative to the feminized cocktail. During World War II, advertisers framed beer as a domestic comfort for which soldiers risked their lives.

Beer marketing in postwar America played into the strict gender roles of the 1950s by creating an image of beer as a man’s drink. Women were valued as promotional vehicles and over time have become increasingly sexualized in beer advertisements as the commercial beer industry uses heteronormative sex to sell beer to men.

Today, the masculinity of beer is so ingrained in our culture that it’s perceived as a social norm; men and beer just go hand-in-hand. But that wasn’t always the case. The vast majority of ancient brewers were actually women.

From the Sumerians to the Vikings to the Egyptians, women brewed ale —and later, beer — both for religious ceremonies and as a calorierich, staple beverage. Fermenting was a routine household task and some women sold their brews in the marketplace.

Men only replaced women as brewers once production breweries spread across the world and industrialization picked up — in other words, once money got involved. Since then, female brewers have been trying to get back into the industry they were pushed out of, often working harder than their male counterparts to prove themselves and be faced with less opportunities.

Birdsong Brewing Company, located along North Davidson Street in Charlotte’s Optimist Park neighborhood, is proof of what history has already told us: Women can make beer — good beer, including year-round favorites like Jalapeño Pale Ale, Paradise City IPA and Rewind Lager along with

seasonal, small batch and limited release brews.

Co-owned by husband and wife, Chris and Tara Goulet, Birdsong employs women in all stages of its production and distribution, including Mikala Pratt and Andrea Frohlich, two brewers who make up half of the brewery’s four-person production team.

In a mainly male-dominated industry, Birdsong is flowing from a different tap.

A place where females thrive

Prior to opening Birdsong Brewing, Tara Goulet was managing a local bakery while her husband was working in the corporate world. Both were ready for a change and turned to their friend, Goulet’s coworker at the bakery, Conor Robinson, who was learning how to homebrew.

The couple thought Charlotte was missing a small neighborhood brewery — Olde Mecklenburg Brewery was the only craft brewery in the city at the time — so they invited friends over to pitch a business plan and serve Robinson’s beer. That’s how Birdsong Brewing began.

With Robinson’s help, Birdsong Brewing opened in 2011 next door to NoDa Brewing’s original location on East 26th Street, where Seoul Food Meat Company is today.

Goulet said the initial idea for Birdsong was “a little taproom and to distribute some kegs to a handful of restaurants around the city.” That’s as far as they ever thought the business would go.

However, the brewery quickly outgrew its first

space and moved up the street to its current location at 1016 N. Davidson St. in 2016.

Goulet said they didn’t set out to hire women specifically, just whoever was the best fit for the job; in several instances those hires happened to be women. She said Birdsong’s first hire was a woman for the taproom and another as the brewery’s first salesperson, and it just kind of snowballed from there.

“I don’t know if we were attractive to women that were in the beer industry or interested in getting into the beer industry, but we definitely have just naturally, organically, been a brewery where females have just thrived,” Goulet said.

Prior to joining Birdsong three years ago, Frohlich got her start in the beer industry in Miami. She said the scene there was dominated by men and she didn’t know any women working in production, which made it difficult to break in.

While bartending at a brewery, she created her own opportunities by voicing her interest in production and showing an eagerness to learn. She

PHOTO BY GRANT BALDWIN BIRDSONG BREWERS MIKALA PRATT (LEFT) AND ANDREA FROHLICH.

FOOD & DRINK FEATURE

also networked with bartenders and breweries in her area, which opened some doors, but not many.

“I would volunteer to just be back there like washing kegs,” Frohlich said.

A few people helped Frohlich along the way and little by little she began to gain experience, eventually assisting at the brewery and experimenting with recipes through homebrewing.

Frohlich ended up leaving Miami because there wasn’t enough room for her to grow in the industry and she wanted to get paid for her work. Hiring breweries were looking for people with real production experience, but no one was willing to offer her any.

“They didn’t specifically say male, but you’d wait a couple of weeks, and then they hire a guy with, like, 15 years experience,” Frohlich said. “No one was giving me any opportunities anymore so I had to move on.”

When Frohlich moved to Charlotte, she took a bartending job in the taproom at Birdsong Brewing, though she made it clear in her interview that her ultimate goal was to work on the other side of the glass. It wasn’t long before she was given the opportunity to dip her toes in, splitting her time between bartending and production before fully transitioning to brewing.

Frohlich said she’s noticing a shift in the industry and it’s becoming more normal to see a female brewer, which helps show others the job is an option.

Such was the case for Pratt, who had never worked in beer production prior to joining Birdsong but liked the idea of a physical job that was also creative.

“You definitely have to learn a lot of new things, and it’s definitely very physical what we do back there, but some women like that,” she said.

With only bartending experience under her belt, Pratt had to learn everything about the brewing process on the job. She said Birdsong has been a welcoming environment and the other brewers have been inviting.

“I never felt like I was a burden to anybody. They were all very willing to help and teach me everything and that’s how I got started,” Pratt said. “And here we are, almost two years later and starting to brew.”

Brewing isn’t glamorous

On a typical day at Birdsong Brewing, there are four people working in production: Frohlich, Pratt, Robinson and Jack Bannon.

“They all share pretty much all of their responsibilities back there other than brewing on the big production system,” Goulet said. “So it’s Conor, Jack and Andrea taking turns on the big system and everybody has a chance to brew on the pilot system that wants to, even outside of the production department.”

Goulet explained that the big system is 30 barrels and used for making Birdsong’s year-round staples, plus seasonal and limited releases. The pilot system is only a barrel and a half, so it’s used for oneoff and experimental brews. Birdsong releases a new batch every week in the taproom on Thursdays, which means the brewers are always testing out new recipes.

Frohlich has brewed a beer with oysters, called Clustershuck Oyster Stout, and another with popcorn called Chaise Lounge — a light and refreshing cream ale with fruity, floral aromatics and a hint of toastiness from popcorn.

“I was in the kitchen popping popcorn for like eight hours,” she said. “It was so worth it.”

Last fall, Pratt and Frohlich collaborated on State of Grace Red Ale, which was dark red in color with

While Pratt enjoys the people and the atmosphere at Birdsong, Frohlich’s passion lies in creating recipes and the scientific side of brewing.

“I find it fascinating, just the whole brewing process really. My favorite thing to do is just be out there,” Frohlich said, referring to the production area. “I call it my zen zone.”

Anyone can brew

Frohlich and Pratt say people are surprised to learn they’re brewers and not just bartenders, which shows the stigma women face working in the brewing industry.

“We need to normalize the fact that we can all make beer,” Frohlich said. “I wish that we could stop the whole [shock] reaction of ‘Oh my god, you’re a girl and you make beer?’”

“They give you the look and it’s just like, what did you want me to say? I’m just here to serve you and to please you?” Pratt added.

“They see you and they already put you in this box, like this is probably what you just do and that’s the only thing,” Frohlich said. “It’s really annoying.”

Women are often doubted for their strength and, due to the physical nature of modern-day craft brewing, are assumed to be less capable than their male counterparts. Frohlich said this stereotype, and others, are breaking down as more women join the industry, put in the work and teach others.

flavors of light roast, malt and a hint of toffee.

Pratt recalled that they didn’t order the ingredients they really wanted to use in time, so they had to make due with what was on hand. Their main goal for the red ale was just to make it red.

“I think we used like five different malts,” Frohlich said. “That was quite a challenge because Conor was like, ‘It’s not gonna be red.’ And we’re like, ‘Well, watch.’”

Frohlich and Pratt said they often get told by people not in the brewing industry that their job is cool and they’re so lucky. While they agree and love what they do, they insist it’s not glamorous; there’s a lot of sweating, moving heavy hoses, squatting and bending, burning yourself and being on your feet.

“It’s like, 80% of brewing is cleaning,” Pratt said. “It’s not you come into work and you’re brewing all the time. There’s a lot that goes into it.”

Goulet gives the brewers credit for how hard they work behind the scenes.

“It’s very physically challenging,” Goulet said. “People look at it as a unique industry to be in and a unique job to have, but you know, let them come in and do it for a day and see what they think.”

Goulet said it’s important that people see that it can be done — women can make beer and operate a brewery at all levels.

Goulet thinks it’s trending that way, at least in Charlotte. She’s one of a handful of women owners in Charlotte’s brewery scene, including Suzie Ford at NoDa Brewing, Rachael Hudson at Pilot Brewing, and Sarah Brigham at Sycamore Brewing, all of whom are part of a husband-and-wife team. Hudson also serves as Pilot’s head brewer.

“It is a very community-oriented industry and I think it’s welcoming because of that, and I’m optimistic that the industry will continue to shift and be more inclusive,” Goulet said.

“The stereotype is that women can’t do the job, but it can be done and we’ve been really successful,” she added. “I want those other breweries that might be not sure about bringing women on to see that it could be only good for you. You should try it.”

To any women interested in brewing, Pratt and Frohlich say just go for it. After all, as history tells us, women were involved with beer in the past, so why leave its future up to the men?

PHOTO BY GRANT BALDWIN MIKALA PRATT HOSES DOWN THE FLOOR AT BIRDSONG BREWING.

SUDOKU

BY LINDA THISTLE

TRIVIA TEST

BY FIFI RODRIGUEZ

1. AD SLOGANS: Which company was advertised with the slogan, “Think Outside the Bun”?

2. TELEVISION: Which TV show spawned the spinoff sitcom “Mama’s Family”?

3. U.S. CITIES: In which city would you find the USS Arizona Memorial?

4. ANATOMY: What are the bones that make up the spine known as?

5. GEOGRAPHY: What is the lowest point in the United States?

6. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What is the traditional material in a 40th anniversary gift?

7. MOVIES: What is the name of the tow truck in the animated movie “Cars”?

8. CURRENCY: Which former president is depicted on the U.S. $50 bill?

9. LANGUAGE: What does the texting

CROSSWORD

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Brewing up plans for spring

BY KATIE GRANT

Between warmer weather and March Madness, the Queen City has been pulsing with the urge to play outside. Travel sites state this is one of the best times to visit our fair city before the humidity settles in. The question is, where should we venture once the weekend arrives but want to avoid traveling far? A brewery, naturally!

Charlotte’s local beer scene fuels the city’s heartbeat, and Birdsong Brewing in the Optimist Park neighborhood is a mainstay. One of Charlotte’s first breweries, it opened in 2011 when the city’s brewery culture was budding. The brewery proudly holds the title of the first solar-powered brewery in Charlotte! But while Charlotte is arguably an IPA town, what brought me to Birdsong recently is their late March Thursty Thursday release: Golden Brown.

Golden Brown is a whiskey barrel-aged American Strong Ale with honey, lemon and chamomile tea. The best flavors in a Hot Toddy to soothe your throat have

been instilled in a beer — just in time for allergy season!

Fun fact: The beer’s namesake was inspired by the song “Golden Brown” by The Stranglers, featured in a scene from Snatch (which was released the year I graduated, so I needed a refresh and YouTube’d it). It’s the scene where Brad Pitt’s bare-knuckle boxer character, Mickey O’Neil, knocks out Gorgeous George in a fight, putting the two folks who organized the fight (including pre-action star Jason Statham) between a rock and a hard place. But I digress.

Not a barrel-aged beer drinker? I also recommend the Jalapeño Pale Ale. The Birdsong team — womenled, as you know if you’ve been reading this paper front to back — starts by brewing Free Will Pale Ale and then adds fresh jalapeño peppers without the seeds so that you can enjoy the bright flavor of the jalapenos with a subtle kick.

And for my fellow bloody mary lovers, this one is for you: Open a can of Jalapeño Pale Ale, rim a glass with Falcon and Flash Jalapeño Pale Ale smoked sea salt, pour the beer into the glass, saving enough room to top with your favorite bloody mary mix, and serve with a citrus wedge and any other preferred bloody mary trimmings.

Falcon and Flash is a craft spice company in Charlotte focusing on small-batch blends, smoked sea salt and snacks. It’s a little early to consider the holidays, but you want to remember these folks when it’s time to start crossing names off your shopping list.

While visiting the North Davidson Street taproom earlier in March, I purchased a ticket to their Spring Oyster Roast on the March 25, which would have happened rain or shine. It was raining when I left the house, but the sun shone when I parked (happy spring!). I therefore spent the afternoon feeling overdressed in a hoodie and unprepared with no sunglasses.

My ticket covered two dozen oysters with lemon, crackers, cocktail sauce and hot sauce. While this standard array of condiments is typical to enhancing the oyster’s flavor, I can proudly share I have graduated to slurping the oysters straight off their shell. If vodka is within reach, I’m just as happy to shoot it.

A portion of the proceeds from the Spring Oyster Roast benefited the nonprofit Time Out Youth, whose mission it is to support LGBTQ+ youth by offering vital programs, fostering unconditional acceptance, and creating safe spaces for self-expression through

leadership, community support and advocacy.

Birdsong isn’t the only brewery strategically partnering with nonprofits. Hi-Wire Brewing recently hosted “Books and Buddies Book Swap,” supporting Billies Buddies Animal Rescue. The manageable $10 entry fee goes to the pups and allows book lovers to read up to three gently used books.

Besides feeding my obsession with oysters and books, I also am nurturing my infantile green thumb. Did you know Hi-Wire also hosts a monthly plant swap? It takes place on the last Wednesday of the month, allowing folks to grab a beer, meet new people and swap clippings.

This warm weather has even had me looking beyond the Queen City, as far as the Wilmington ale trail and beyond. Makai Brewing in Ocean Isle Beach is a coastal favorite and has just celebrated five years of brewing. It crafts various styles, so there’s something for everyone — even someone like me during my extended beer hiatus. Plus, they now offer yoga and beer on Sundays in the taproom. Beware of the price tag, though. At $20 per person, expensive even by city standards, you can expect a dizzying tab at the end of your afternoon outing.

All you have to do next is grab your bibliophile buddies, plant parents, fellow yogis or beach bums and “cheers” one another during this season of sunshine, new beginnings and many beer-fueled adventures.

april

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Someone you relied on might resist your request for help. Get the facts behind their decision before jumping to conclusions. You might be in for a surprise.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) It’s a good time for the winter-weary Bovine to start plans for spring redecorating. Indulge in something super beautiful for your home. You deserve it.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) An inner conflict might keep you from taking the first step toward healing an old wound. Seek the advice of a trusted friend for help in dealing with your uncertainty.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Change can bring confusion. You need to take a strong stand to make sure your rights are respected despite all the fuss and fury going on around you.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Your financial situation continues to improve, although you still need to watch those expenses. Something from the past could affect a current situation.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Problems adjusting to a new job and unfamiliar surroundings might tempt you to give up. But hang in there -things get better in time.

BORN THIS WEEK: You are a caring person who often puts your own needs aside to help others. You have a gift for cultivating beautiful gardens.

5 - 11 April 12 - 18

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) A situation has you puzzled. Be patient. The answers you seek will soon come from a source very close to the person at the center of your curiosity.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Your usually active social life is in super-high gear through this week. Your hectic party-going pace eases into a period of quiet time by the weekend.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) You need to start narrowing down those several new options that have come your way to just the two or three you really want to pursue.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) It’s a wise Water Bearer who nurtures a fading friendship back to vibrant health. At work, a once-shelved idea is suddenly being reconsidered.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You might feel swamped by a flood of work-related obligations, but the support of a trusted associate helps you get through each one successfully.

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Change is still dominant for Rams and Ewes, both in the workplace and in their private lives. This is also a good time to look at a possible relocation if that has been one of your goals.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Doing things for others is what you do well. But don’t forget that Bovines thrive on the arts, so make some time for yourself to indulge your passion for music and artistic expression.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) While the Romantic Twin considers where to go for an upcoming vacation, the Practical Twin will start making travel plans now to take advantage of some great bargains.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Your sensitive nature helps you deal with a difficult emotional situation. Be patient and continue to show your sincere support wherever (and for whomever) it is needed.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) You’re making progress as you move through some unfamiliar territory. And while there might be a misstep or two along the way, you’re heading in the right direction overall. Good luck.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Some good news arrives -- and just in time to remind you that you’re making progress. Perhaps things aren’t moving as quickly as you’d prefer, but they’re progressing nevertheless.

BORN THIS WEEK: Although you like things to go smoothly, you’re not shy about making waves when you believe the situation calls for it.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) This is a good week to step back and assess the facts that have recently emerged, to see where they can be used to your advantage. Also, don’t hesitate to make changes where necessary.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) You should begin to experience some support from those who now agree with your point of view. This should help counter the remaining objections from die-hard skeptics.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21)

Don’t let your aim be deflected by trivial matters as you try to resolve a confusing situation. Take time to find and thoroughly assess the facts before making any decisions.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) The possibility of moving to another location has come up. But, before you dismiss it as unworkable, it’s worth checking out just in case it does have some merit after all.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) New relationships, personal or work-related, show mixed signals. Best to assume nothing. Let things play themselves out until you have something substantive to work with.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Your ability to make needed changes without causing too much, if any, negative ripple effect comes in handy when dealing with a sensitive matter either on the job or in the family.

SAVAGE LOVE SISTER, WIFE

Little miss understanding

BY DAN SAVAGE

I married my high school girlfriend after college. We were happy, and the sex was fantastic. Then she fell in love with a woman and came out — just to me — as bisexual or possibly a lesbian. Our relationship somehow survived this tumult, and we decided to start a family. We are now in our 50s, our children are grown, and I have not had sex for approximately two decades. My wife long ago lost any desire for intimacy with me or anyone else. My sex drive is as strong as ever but limited to strictly solo activities. My wife remains mostly closeted in terms of not being out to her friends and family, with one exception: one of her sisters, who is single. My wife is overseas currently (for work), and we’ve been geographically separated for four years now.

That’s the background. I’m writing to you about the bizarre event that took place over the weekend: I was texting with my wife’s sister and out of the blue she writes that she has my wife’s permission to sleep with me. This was totally unexpected and caused a panic attack on my part. It felt wrong. I was at a loss as to what to say. She assured me, still via text, that this was OK with my wife, and it would be a safe “sister-in-law with benefits” arrangement. She also has physical needs that are unmet, as she is single, so we’d be helping each other. My wife and I had discussed having an “open” marriage, with each of us seeking “girlfriends.” My wife has said she is OK with this, but I am not, as I fear having a girlfriend — I fear either of us having a girlfriend — could throw our home and family life into chaos and potentially result in divorce, which wouldn’t be fair to the children. Believing my sister-in-law actually had my wife’s permission to at least raise the subject, I went a bit down the road with her via text (things got explicit) and I experienced something I haven’t for 20 years: the elation of an imminent sexual encounter.

Of course, I needed reassurance that my wife was actually OK with this, so I asked her. Well, it seems there was a major misunderstanding. My wife was appalled, utterly so. According to my wife, her sister “joked” about sleeping with me

when the two of them were discussing the details of their relationships and their sexualities, and my wife only jokingly agreed. Now I feel guilty that I even considered having sex with my wife’s sister, to say nothing of the guilt I feel about the wedge this has driven into a close sisterly relationship. My wife doesn’t want to discuss this any further. I get that it is weird, especially if it were to be condoned by all parties. But I want to share more about how I feel with my wife. I don’t think she understands how depressing it is to feel that you’ll never be intimate with anyone ever again. That may not be a struggle for my wife, who says she feels no sexual urges at all, but it is for me. I’ve been told by both my wife and my sister-in-law to forget this conversation ever happened, so we can all move on. But I find I can’t move on. So, what do I do?

SEEKING INSIGHT SOMEWHERE

First, I’m not the Supreme Court. I can’t overrule your wife and order her to discuss something she refuses to discuss, SIS, much less order your wife to allow you — the husband she doesn’t wanna fuck — to go and fuck her sister, who, despite having raised the subject, to disastrous effect, also doesn’t want to discuss the matter further. If you need to talk about this at length with someone, SIS, confide in a friend and/or talk to a therapist.

Second, you haven’t had sex in 20 years, SIS, and it’s understandable that you entertained the first serious offer you’d gotten in decades. Your wife’s sister essentially offered a cheeseburger to a starving man. That you took a tiny little bite out of that cheeseburger before thinking to ask your vegan spouse if it was okay for you to have a cheeseburger … albeit a cheeseburger made with ground sister meat … isn’t something your wife should hold against you for the rest of your life, even if she’d rather not discuss it.

Third, you have your wife’s permission to fuck other women — even date other women — so long as you aren’t dating and/or fucking one of her relatives. So, instead of grieving the pussy you’re never gonna get again (your wife’s) or allowing yourself to obsess about the pussy you never should’ve been offered (your sisterin-law’s), SIS, I would encourage you to get some pussy that doesn’t share quite so much of its DNA with your

wife. Prioritizing stability when your kids were young was completely commendable, SIS, but your kids are grown now. And if you’re so starved for sex that you find yourself jumping at highly inappropriate offers — and “sisterin-law with benefits” more than meets that threshold —you would be well-advised to seek sex with a more appropriate potential partner than to wait for the next inappropriate offer that comes along. Yes, sex can create chaos. Hell, sometimes I think sex is chaos. But controlled chaos > uncontrolled chaos.

Fourth and finally, SIS, your wife tells you she’s asexual and does not experience desire … and while that may be true … there’s a chance it’s not. While asexuality is both real and valid and vice-versa, people have been known to lie to their spouses about important things no one should lie about. And maybe I’m old and jaded, and maybe I should keep my mouth shut, but I could see someone who married her cis male high school sweetheart before realizing she was maybe/probably/ most likely a lesbian claiming to be asexual — not just to get her off the hook of having to fuck her husband, whom she may actually love, but to spare her husband’s feelings. It’s not that she doesn’t want to have sex with you, but that she doesn’t want to have sex with anyone. And that may be true. Your wife could be asexual. Or she could have a girlfriend on the other side of the world that you don’t know about.

P.S. Maybe I’m jaded and maybe my sample is skewed (definitely my sample is skewed), but something about the conversation your wife had with her sister — the disastrous conversation that led to this whole mess — has my spidey senses tingling. Seeing as your wife is asexual and decades into a loving but sexless marriage and she and her sister were close … she wouldn’t have much to say to her sister during a conversation about their relationships and their sexualities? Besides “still asexual,” and, “still married,” of course, but I can’t imagine those two statements would elicit the joke your sister-inlaw made and the misunderstanding it led to.

P.P.S. Now go get laid.

My hub and I enjoy your columns and it’s opened our minds about sex a lot. We recently gave each other the okay to try to fulfill our monogamish fantasies IRL but haven’t acted on them yet. But I did meet a guy online, who is also married, and we’ve been having the most incredible cybersex. It’s turned into regular chats, and we’ve talked about meeting up in person. Why am I feeling kind of guilty about this? The hub knows I’m fucking around online with this guy, and it even turns him on! I find myself thinking about this other guy all of the time. Should I end it? Or keep having fantastic orgasms without the hub?

WIFE AND NAUGHTY TEASE

Seeing as you brought this question to me, WANT, and not a priest or an uptight monogamy fetishist posing as a couples’ counselor, I’m gonna go ahead and tell you what you wanted to hear: Keep fucking around with this

guy online and IRL, if you get a good feeling from him after you meet up in person. New relationship energy (NRE), which is what you’re feeling for this guy, can be intense, but it’s always temporary; so, go ahead and enjoy it as long as it lasts. As for the guilt, well, people who do and enjoy things they’ve been told — for no legitimate reason — they’re not supposed to do or enjoy, e.g., gay sex, extramarital sex, kinky sex, seeing a sex worker, etc., they sometimes convince themselves that having the decency to feel bad about what they’ve done (at least during their refractory period) means they’re still good and moral people. I’m here from the future — I’m here from your future — to tell you that you don’t have to feel bad about what you’re doing with your husband’s permission, WANT, and to his delight. Unless feeling bad about it turns you on, of course, in which case you can enjoy that and enjoy feeling bad about that, too.

We splurge on a housecleaner a couple times a month while we’re at work. We always make sure to tidy up our personal items before she comes, but this week I accidentally left not one but two vibrators by the bathroom sink. I had forgotten to put them away after I washed them and I was in a rush! Total accident! When I returned home to a clean house, the vibes were neatly laid on the bathroom counter. I am not a person with shame around sex, but this made me feel so embarrassed! She should not have had to see/touch those! Should we apologize? If so, how to bring it up in a way that’s not awkward? Should we pay her extra for that session? I’m so embarrassed and don’t want her to feel demeaned.

VERY INTENSE BLUSHING-ENHANCED SITUATION

What does your housecleaner know now that she didn’t know before? Assuming she’s never spotted one of your sex toys before — an assumption I would classify as semi-reasonable (at best!) — she now knows, thanks to your shocking carelessness, that you have sex and that you, like millions of other adults (and surely one or two of her other clients), sometimes use sex toys. Even if she was shocked and mortified and disappointed in you, VIBES, I think you should follow your housekeeper’s lead; she didn’t make a big deal about it and you shouldn’t make a big deal about it. Just like your hole, VIBES, the memory hole is there to be used.

P.S. Once after we very specifically asked that our room not be made up during a week-long stay at a hotel, we came back after breakfast — on the very first morning we were there — to find the two dozen sex toys and fifty pounds of bondage gear we’d left strewn all over the room neatly arranged on the shelves of our walk-in closet. If we could look the little old Slovenian lady who cleaned our room in the eye every day for the rest of that week, you can look your housecleaner in the eye, too.

Send your burning questions to mailbox@savage.love; podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love!

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