Queen City Nerve - May 17, 2023

News: Disturbing allegations at south Charlotte cemetery pg. 4

Arts: The making of a comic book hero pg. 6

CO U NT Y O U R CARTON S

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NEWS & OPINION

4 Gross Negligence by Ryan Pitkin

Lawsuit makes disturbing claims about south Charlotte cemetery

5 Lifeline: Ten Cool Things To Do in Two Weeks

ARTS & CULTURE

6 Drawing From Experience by Karie Simmons Local illustrator explores what makes a hero in debut comic book

MUSIC

8 A Port in a Storm of Conformity by Pat Moran Snug Harbor celebrates 16 years

10 Soundwave

FOOD & DRINK

11 No Place of Anger by Rayne Antrim Angry Ales remains a mainstay of Montford Drive

LIFESTYLE

12 Aerin It Out by Aerin Spruill

12 Horoscope

13 Puzzles

14 Savage Love

Thanks to our contributors: Grant Baldwin, Rayne Antrim, Aerin Spruill, Jonathan Golian, Justin Driscoll, Lydia Bittner-Brand, Zach Sinclair, Ralph PH, and Dan Savage.

GROSS NEGLIGENCE

Lawsuit makes disturbing claims about south Charlotte cemetery

BY RYAN PITKIN

Attorneys are moving forward with legal action against York Memorial Park in south Charlotte after ownership at the cemetery tried to have a lawsuit that makes disturbing allegations of grave desecration and other offenses dismissed.

Filed in March, a class-action lawsuit against Carothers Holding Company, LLC, and its subsidiary Stonemor North Carolina LLC, which owns York Memorial Park, claims that, due to negligence by the owners, cemetery management has consistently lost track of people buried at the cemetery, sold plots that didn’t exist, desecrated graves and punctured vaults while doing exploratory digging, and buried bodies — including those of babies — on top of one another.

A recent motion to dismiss filed by the cemetery owners in their own defense attempts to poke holes in the class-action lawsuit, though a source familiar with the case said the plaintiffs plan to file an amended complaint that will address the issues raised by the motion to dismiss before May 31.

The case is just the latest in a series of allegations against ownership at York Memorial that goes back to 2012, when three plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against Stonemor on behalf of their deceased relatives that made similar claims of negligence at the cemetery.

While the class action lawsuit was moved to federal court in April, a separate lawsuit filed by Robin Morris, a former general manager at the cemetery who turned whistleblower after being fired in 2021, remains in superior court, where it’s been requested for a jury trial.

Morris’ suit claims that, after coming on as an account executive in 2010, she was regularly directed by the owners to make false and misleading claims to families shopping for cemetery plots at York Memorial, including selling plots that the cemetery knew not to be available and failing to ensure that the cemetery plots purchased by and for family members would be the same plots that people were buried in.

Things came to a head for Morris in September 2020, according to the suit, when the brother of Vanessa Little Mack came to York Memorial to visit his sister’s grave.

The suit claims that ownership had directed

Beyond her personal experience with the Little Mack family, Morris claims in her suit to have witnessed some of the actions alleged in the classaction suit, including an especially disturbing claim that the cemetery repeatedly buried babies on top of each other in the same spot over a span of years “to the extent that an area of the cemetery is commonly referred to among workers as ‘the hill of babies.’”

workers, domestic workers and even infants.”

One of those people mentioned in Morris’ lawsuit, Vanessa Little Mack, remains a symbol of racial prejudice in the city. One of 11 victims of Henry Louis Wallace, a sexual predator and serial killer who stalked and killed Black women in Charlotte between 19901994. Many believed Wallace was only able to remain active for so long because of police investigators’ apathy for his Black victims.

Morris and other employees “to conceal from the members of the Little Mack family that the location of her remains were unknown. Further, the designated location which had been told to the Little Mack family by Defendants as the gravesite of Vanessa Little Mack was not her gravesite. In fact, as part of furthering the intentional concealment, the Defendants had caused a headstone for Vanessa Little Mack to knowingly be placed on an empty grave.”

Morris claims to have become more aggressive in her pushback against these deceptive practices, complaining more consistently in meetings, until “the anxiety, mental anguish and psychological suffering” that came about as a result of being forced into lying to customers and families caused her health to deteriorate, placing her on medical leave.

When she returned from leave in January 2021, she was fired without reason, according to the suit.

Morris’ lawsuit makes many of the same claims as the class-action suit, which was brought by Hubert Simpson, a Charlotte man acting on behalf of his “multiplicity of family members” buried at the cemetery, including his mother, aunts, uncles, cousins and great aunts and uncles.

A history of prejudice

Morris also claimed that people were routinely not buried next to the person they were contracted to be buried next to and that improper record keeping led to a slew of disturbing discoveries, as cemetery staff repeatedly unearthed bones in previously unknown grave sites while digging new graves for plots that had been contracted out.

For these reasons, the class-action lawsuit, though filed by Simpson, makes claims on behalf of all persons who purchased internment rights or services at York Memorial Park from Jan. 1, 1969 to the present.

It’s believed that York Memorial has been involved with the burial of more than 28,000 people since its founding.

“This class of persons represent and affect a substantial population of the African American community in Charlotte-Mecklenburg County, North Carolina,” the lawsuit reads. “Such class of persons include the gamut of members of the African American community ranging from prominent historical Civil Rights leaders of the 1960s, to business leaders, as well as educators, cafeteria

Nearly 30 years after her murder on Feb. 20, 1994, Little Mack is once again serving as a symbol of mistreatment of Black bodies in Charlotte. However, more importantly, Morris’ lawsuit also serves as a reminder that Little Mack is more than a symbol — a family member with loved ones who still miss her dearly.

Local attorneys Pamela Hunter and N. Clifton Cannon Jr., who are representing Simpson in the classaction lawsuit, are asking for more than $200,000 in damages, as well as other measures including that each claimant be entitled to the conveyance of the respective burial plot that they purchased.

For many, however, that may be impossible, as the lawsuit states, “The acts of these Defendants has resulted in the eternal loss of opportunity for this Class to know and feel confident that the final resting place of their beloveds are indeed the final resting places of their loved ones.” RPITKIN@QCNERVE.COM

YORK MEMORIAL PARK CEMETERY IN SOUTH CHARLOTTE.

PHOTO BY GRANT BALDWIN

REEL OUT CHARLOTTE OPENING NIGHT

Charlotte’s annual LGBTQ+ film festival puts queer lives and triumphs on the big screen. Opening night features an eclectic mix of free short films, with audience members voting for Best Short at the end of the screenings. Subsequent nights feature Soy Nino, a Chilean/French trans coming-of-age tale; American drama Big Boys, in which a queer 14-year-old learns the importance of coming out to himself; trans/political documentary

A Run For More; and a free screening of Edgar Wright’s masterpiece Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, co-presented by Charlotte Gaymers Network.

More: $10-$80; May 17, 7 p.m., Independent Picture House, 4237 Raleigh St.; independentpicturehouse.org

THE WARNING, PLUSH, HOLY WARS

A trio of sisters from Monterrey, Mexico — guitarist Daniela, drummer Paulina and bassist Alejandra — make up The Warning. The band crafted its thundering and energetic brand of metal-infused pop rock while the eldest sister was barely in her teens, going viral with a vigorous, less brooding and more tuneful cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” Already with a third LP, Error (2022), under its belt, the trio reminds us uncannily of Charlotte’s now defunct all-female fivepiece Reason|Define. While The Warning’s lyrics aren’t as gripping as R|D’s, the tunes rock, are well-played and fun as hell.

More: $25; May 18, 7 p.m.; The Underground, 820 Hamilton St.; fillmorenc.com

‘ANGELS IN AMERICA, PARTS ONE & TWO’

Queen City Concerts, a theatre company fired in the cauldron of the COVID pandemic and created from the livestream quarantine platform, turns its attention to a play about a similarly transformative plague. Tony Kushner’s multiple award-winning two-part behemoth is set during the 1980s AIDS epidemic, but it’s about America, from sex and cruel religions to unrepentant Trump mentor Roy Cohn. With corrosive comedy, Kushner’s masterpiece questions the state of American politics, values, morality and discrimination. A ticket gains admission to parts one & two, spread over two nights.

More: $25; May 18-21; Georgia Tucker Fine Arts Hall, 2800 Campus Ridge Road, Matthews; qcconcerts.com

PATRICK DAVIS & HIS MIDNIGHT CHOIR

Eschewing his reputation as songwriter to such as Guy Clark, Jimmy Buffett and Imelda May, Patrick Davis pays tribute to his father, gifted guitarist Rusty Davis, on his latest album, Carolina When I Die. Here Davis recasts himself as a six-string slinging, storytelling Southern troubadour, much like his dad. Written alongside longtime Jason Isbell guitarist Sadler Vaden, the LP sounds and feels rooted in 1970s soul, with tunes steeped in Davis’ influences including Ray Charles’ smooth soul, Jackson Browne’s populist folk-rock and the big-band bombast and celebratory sprawl of Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs & Englishmen

More: $25; May 19, 8:30 p.m.; Visulite Theatre, 1615 Elizabeth Ave.; visulite.com

PARAMORE, BLOC PARTY, GENESIS OWUSU

Precocious teenaged pop punks when the band released its 2005 debut LP All We Know Is Falling, Paramore became Warped Tour staples and landed on in-store soundtracks for Hot Topics across the nation. Eighteen years later, the band has abandoned its signature proto-emo mall rock for the jagged, sinister sounds of post punk circa 2000. Vocalist Hayley Williams retains her rangy, ferocious singing though, and her vocal rollercoaster is something to witness awestruck. Speaking of 2000s post punk, tour mates Bloc Party are the real deal, hooky eclectic art punks who inspired Paramore.

More: $100 and up; May 23, 7 p.m.; Spectrum Center, 333 E. Trade St.; spectrumcentercharlotte.com

ASHLYN URIBE, BRUCE HAZEL & JOHN WILLIAM HARRELL, SOLIS

With powerful vocals, bright production and sensual yet raw lyrics, Ashlyn Uribe stakes a foothold in a genre dominated by fellow Charlottean Natalie Carr — irresistible tunes that mirror her listeners’ lofty hopes, deepest dreams and harrowing disappointments. Hazel (Temperance League) and Harrell (Hectorina) cross the crooning cool of Harry Nilsson with the enthusiastic creep factor of a sideshow carnival barker. We’re sad to see Leonardo and Kellie Solis bowing out of Loto Café, but it’s always great to hear their band Solis’ dark, often winsome brand of dreamlike electronic pop.

More: $7; May 26, 8 p.m.; Petra’s, 1919 Commonwealth Ave.; petrasbar.com

‘EMPIRE OF THE DARK’

The convoluted plot of actor/director Steve Barkett’s shoestring-budgeted action epic Empire of the Dark involves pan-dimensional Satanists and a Ray Harryhausen-styled stop-motion demon. Full disclosure: Barkett appeared in a sci-fi feature that Queen City Nerve staff writer Pat Moran (yours truly) produced in 1993, the similarly titled Dark Universe. Here, Barkett looks more like a HVAC repair guy than the two-fisted action hero he enthusiastically portrays here, and the ace supporting cast worked frequently with indie auteur Fred Olen Ray. Barkett’s scatter-shot yet entertaining effort brings back a lost world of gung ho micro-budgeted 1990s moviemaking.

More: $10; May 26-27, 9:15 p.m., May 31, 7:15 p.m.; Independent Picture House, 4237 Raleigh St.; independentpicturehouse.org

BLACK GAZE: THROUGH A WOMAN’S EYES RECEPTION

During the pandemic, photographer Titus Brooks Heagins launched a year-long mentorship program to address the lack of resources offered to Black photographers. In its second year, the program spotlights the work of eight emerging Black female photographers. Black Gaze: Through a Woman’s Eyes embraces and explores vulnerability, empathy and strength through the lens of Black women. A reception kicks off the show and includes a meet and greet with photographers Mariah Tyes, Trinity Thompson, Lisa Brown, Veronica C. Rushton, Merisa Ari, Deven Talford, Brittani Taylor and Daija Peeler.

More: Free; May 27,6 p.m. ; VAPA Center, 700 N. Tryon St.; lightfactory.org

RYAN ADAMS & THE CARDINALS

After his legendary Raleigh-based garage-rock group Whiskeytown fizzled in the late ’90s, songwriting genius Ryan Adams embraced alt-country stability with The Cardinals. Throughout the 2000s, Adams alternated the Cardinals with a solo career that brought him mainstream fame amid tabloid infamy. Now, Adams and The Cardinals are back, a bit less country this time around. Driven by ambition, Adams has also driven off the rails on occasion, ironically by the key to his songwriting strength, the need to lower veils on painful chapters of his life.

More: $25 and up; May 30, 8 p.m.; Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre, 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd.; avidxchangemusicfactory.com/skyla-amphitheatre

THE GRAES

CJ and Cassie Grae were musicians at a local Black church when they met. While dating, the Wilmington duo found they were musically as well as romantically compatible, and launched their act while planning their wedding. Citing The Civil Wars and Ed Sheeran as influences, The Graes create music that connects with their listeners in ways that conversation can’t. In the warm folk confessional “Reagan’s Dream,” the couple’s enfolding harmonies part for soaring vocal solos that entwine with CJ’s rippling acoustic in an enraptured chorus, “Your gravity pulls me in.” The duo is hosting this rendition of Find Your Muse Open Mic.

More: $5; May 29, 7:30 p.m.; Evening Muse, 3227 N. Davidson St.; eveningmuse.com

PARAMORE

Photo by Ralph PH 5/23 PATRICK DAVIS

Photo by Zach Sinclair 5/19

DRAWING ON EXPERIENCE

Local illustrator explores what makes a hero in debut comic book

BY KARIE SIMMONS

As a kid, Batman was everything to Frank Antonio. He would spend hours at a time glued to the TV watching Batman: The Animated Series and looking at comic books starring The Caped Crusader. Whenever his parents allowed him to pick out a new comic book at the store, he always gravitated toward Batman. There was something about the superhero’s aesthetic — the ears, his long, draping cape and dark, Gothic feel — that drew Antonio in. Batman looked like he should be a villain, but he was the good guy.

Antonio was obsessed with the art in comic books and would stare at the bright colors and action scenes, often glazing over the adult themes and subtle nuances he didn’t understand. At that age, he hadn’t yet grasped that someone made the comic book in his hands, let alone the work that went into each page. He especially didn’t think that one day he’d create his own.

The 37-year-old Charlotte illustrator understands that process now after spending the past five years creating his first comic book, RISE OR FALL, a story about how far ideals can take a man and how, when they fall short, it can become hard to tell who’s a hero and who’s not.

Released on May 3, the 44-page, full-color book is available at Heroes Aren’t Hard To Find comic book store in the Elizabeth neighborhood, and online at frankantonio.bigcartel.com.

Antonio will promote RISE OR FALL at HeroesCon on June 16-18 at Charlotte Convention Center, where he’ll be on Indie Island — a curated section of HeroesCon’s Artists Alley featuring artists from the world of indie comics.

It’s a dream come true for Antonio, who began as a fan reading comic books off the shelf and recreating the pictures, hoping to one day draw for mainstream comics. That is, until he realized he has his own stories he wants to tell.

“I thought the best way to do that would be to create my own characters, create my own story, look inward, put a little bit of myself in some of these characters and narratives, and then after a while, it turned into this,” Antonio said.

Creating characters

Antonio has been chipping away at RISE OR FALL for the last five years in between storyboarding and animation projects for commercials and movies. He drew the entire comic book in Photoshop on a tablet using a stylus pen — first as quick, small thumbnail sketches that he later refined and colored.

For some pages and panels, he drew the pictures first then decided what the characters would say, which he said isn’t typical in the industry.

“In a lot of bigger comics they break up the responsibilities. There’s the writer, the penciler, the inker, the colorist,” he said. “That it’s all on me, I can kind of play around with that process.”

With RISE OR FALL, Antonio said he wanted to create something heavily character-based that existed in a real-world setting — New York City in the 1990s — and also had fantastical elements, such as people with superpowers known as The Sentries.

The first chapter follows the perspectives of Matteo Ortiz and Ethan Cutler, two very different characters whose worlds will eventually collide. There are people with supernatural abilities out there, and one young man is about to become one of them. But with heroes come villains, and Ethan and Mateo are about to find out which camp they fall into.

RISE OR FALL is about what happens when you think your life is supposed to go one way and then one thing changes everything and how you react after that, Antonio explained. Do you roll with the punches? Do you ascend and try to be the best

version of yourself? Or do you fall into a role of anger, resentment and entitlement?

“I tried to look into myself, like, how in times have I been my best self? And how in times have I been my worst self?” Antonio said. “And let me see how I can put that into these characters so they feel somewhat relatable within this world that has people who can fly and who can shoot things out of their eyes, to ground them a little bit with human experience and emotion.

“There are some characters that we’ll meet that you may think they’re the protagonist, and at some point they’re maybe not as great as we thought. And vice versa,” he continued.

Antonio said some of the characters and story beats — events, actions and choices that prove the arc of a character’s development — in RISE OR FALL

are somewhat based on real-life experiences as well as observations.

Matteo and Antonio are both Puerto Rican, though Matteo identifies more specifically as “Nuyorican” — slang for someone of Puerto Rican descent who lives in New York City. Antonio said he hasn’t seen much Latino representation in comics and originally defaulted to a white male character as his lead before realizing he hadn’t made a conscious decision.

“I’m not white. I don’t know what it is necessarily to be white, but I am Puerto Rican and I have my own experiences. Why don’t I put that into the main character?” he said. “Hopefully, there’ll be other Puerto Ricans or people who are Latino who will read it and say, ‘This character looks like me. I relate to that.’

PHOTO BY LYDIA BITTNER-BAIRD

FRANK ANTONIO HOLDS A COPY OF ‘RISE OR FALL.’

ARTS FEATURE

“Once I made that decision, it definitely helped to inform the rest of the story — setting-wise, motivation-wise, culture-wise and language-wise because there’s a bit of Spanish in there.”

Building a world

Creating an original, made-up world for a comic book is difficult, but recreating a place and time that already exists is its own challenge as readers are keen to spot inaccuracies.

Antonio said he was up for that challenge when he decided to set RISE OR FALL in New York City in the ‘90s. He thought it would be fun to include callbacks to the outfits, music, references, culture and style of the time.

But he also had to make sure he got it right, so he researched and looked at pictures of the city in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s — from the graffiti on the subways to the cityscape to what types of cars were on the streets.

The first chapter of RISE OR FALL is heavily influenced by this ‘90s aesthetic, as well as movies set in New York City like the 1990 live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film, and what Antonio called “doomer movies,” where the climax is always destroying the city — Escape from New York, King Kong, and Godzilla, for example.

“A lot of those movies, they always made New York look wet, like it had just finished raining and there was smoke always billowing through the streets, and I really wanted to do that in this book,” Antonio said.

“New York has that draw for whatever reason,” he continued. “It’s also a city that I think most people would recognize and could connect to in some way, even if they’ve never been there.”

Antonio made a point to use colors popular in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s in RISE OR FALL — fluorescent pinks, bright yellows, light blues and purples — a stark contrast to his early childhood drawings of Spider-Man, Batman and Wolverine, which were void of color due to his own insecurities, he said.

He also showcases his style of using shadows and light to inform a scene.

“If there’s a light in the room, I definitely want the viewer to notice,” Antonio said. “There’s one scene that’s inside a seedy hotel and there’s one light and it’s this bright red light, so I make sure that all the characters are lit that way, and hoping that it gives it a mood or some kind of tense feeling.”

RISE OR FALL is intentionally presented like a movie. The colors and lighting within scenes look cinematic and many of the panels are slim and horizontal like a movie screen. Antonio said he wants readers to see and feel the story in motion.

“I want people to take time with each page because there are a lot of panels that don’t have any text to them, and I’m trying to tell the story just through the visuals,” Antonio said. “If they’re anything like me, from when I was a kid, they’re gonna want to take their time reading it.”

The next page

The plan is for RISE OR FALL to be 12 chapters, but Antonio assured he won’t be tackling them at the same pace as this first one. He intends to finish them much faster and already has a script in place for Chapter 02.

While the first chapter is about establishing Matteo and Ethan, what their motivations are and how they seem to be on two different trajectories, Antonio said going forward, their lives will be torpedoing more and more toward each other and it’s going to change them, for better or worse.

He also intends to do more world building, as the story doesn’t just stay in New York City, and introduce more colorful characters.

Now that RISE OR FALL is out, Antonio said he’s excited and a little scared for what’s to come because, for what felt like a long time, the story had been in the planning stages and a work in progress. With the release of the first chapter comes expectations, yet he’s just trying to catch his breath and take it all in.

Antonio said it’s rewarding thinking about how his life has come full circle — from being a kid and picking comic books off the shelf to now putting his own on a shelf for someone else to enjoy.

He likes to think as a kid he would have been interested in RISE OR FALL, had it been on the same shelf as his beloved Batman, but admits he’s a little biased.

“Maybe my parents wouldn’t let me buy it, but I would at least pick it up and be like, ‘Can I buy this?’ And they’d tell me no, or maybe I’d have to wait until I’m 16 and then I would make a mental note and on my birthday I would go and buy it.”

RISE OR FALL might not be appropriate for young readers due to some adult themes and language, though Antonio noted “it has good messaging about the difference between being a good person and a not-so-good person.”

KSIMMONS@QCNERVE.COM

ARTWORK BY FRANK ANTONIO

SCENES FROM ‘RISE OR FALL.’

A PORT IN A STORM OF CONFORMITY

Snug Harbor celebrates 16 years

BY PAT MORAN

Plaza Midwood was a different place in 2007. Funky diner The Penguin’s iconic sign marked the arts district’s epicenter and a modest strip mall housed alternative boutique Boris & Natasha. Nearby, a loft that once housed comedy troupe The Perch lay vacant, two years before Soul Gastrolounge opened. Dive pool hall Elizabeth Billiards anchored a wide open parking lot, and across the street on Gordon Street, a bar called Fire & Ice had just shut down. That was when Scott McCannell called the building’s owner.

“We tried to get the ball rolling,” McCannell says, “Fortunately, it worked out for us.”

McCannell’s rolling ball is Snug Harbor, and the nautically themed bar’s momentum has only accelerated since 2007. Hosting an increasingly eclectic bill of local and national alternative, rock, folk, metal, country, classical, rap, dance, electronic, R&B and more, the sturdy haven for diversity has arguably become Charlotte’s most vital independent music venue. On May 19, Snug Harbor celebrates its warm embrace of the challenging, outré and astonishing with its 16-year anniversary celebration featuring infectious Raleigh-based Latin fusion band Tumbao and Brooklyn Afro-funk collective Kaleta & Super Yamba Band, fronted by former Fela Kuti sideman Leon Ligan-Majek.

“It will just be a fun, energetic danceable night,” says Snug Harbor talent buyer Zach Reader.

The start of Snug was a less elaborate, though no less energetic, affair. The bar opened on a Thursday night, and with no bands booked, McCannell’s friend and sometime roommate Scott Weaver offered to DJ.

“I enjoyed that experience and I had missed having a regular gig of my own like that,” says Weaver, a multidisciplinary creative who works as a musician, painter, makeup artist and interior designer. “So I said, ‘How about if I make Thursdays a thing?’ “

Weaver’s gig developed and grew into a much bigger production. For ten years, that production, entitled Shiprocked!, became Charlotte’s longest

running and most famous underground party, breaking outlier artists and enthusiastically promoting LGBTQI+ acceptance. The party ceased being weekly in 2017, but Shiprocked! continues, at least once annually as part of Charlotte Pride celebrations, with an occasional additional iteration.

All that, however, was in the future as McCannell assembled a team that helped put Snug Harbor on the charts.

Alabama native Weaver had arrived in Charlotte in 1995, first house-sitting for Hope Nicholls and Aaron Pitkin when their band Sugarsmack went on a national tour. Weaver made friends and explored the city.

After he’d seen some memorable shows at Fat City, Weaver introduced himself to the club’s talent buyer and booker McCannell. The two became friends, and started playing together in Charlotte band Babyshaker.

When the lease on the former Fire & Ice premises became open, McCannell reached out to his friend Daylon Brumfield, who was a production manager at what was then Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. With their third partner, food and music business owner Kelly Call, the trio sealed the deal on the building that became Snug Harbor.

“I remember all of us being at band practice, and going over to [Snug Harbor] to do some odd jobs to help out,” Weaver says. “It was a friends and family effort to get that place going.”

all those other parties I threw.”

Among the go-go dancers, drag queens and burlesquer dancers, Weaver began to assemble a party ensemble.

“[It was] our version of either Warhol superstars or John Waters’ stable of performers,” Weaver offers. “That was the Shiprocked! crew.”

Meanwhile, Chris Burns, working as general manager of nearby Diamond Restaurant, noticed the carefree and creative atmosphere and exploits at Snug Harbor.

“I’d wanted to work for Scott McCannell and Kelly Call for quite a while,” Burns says. “The first opportunity to work at Snug came with a door shift for Shiprocked!”

Burns jumped at the chance to get his foot in the door at Snug Harbor. Shortly after that, he picked up an occasional bar shift when available. Over time, Burns became a full time bartender, then manager, and finally general manager, a position he holds to this day.

As GM, Burns handles scheduling, banking, social media, hiring, customer relations and employee relations, as well as any issues that might arise on a daily basis.

Shiprocked! helped get Snug noticed. Besides being a great party, it was innovative. Shiprocked! changed Charlotte’s nightlife, particularly transforming drag and how it was perceived. It all started because Weaver was tired of the boring drag he’d seen in town.

“Here drag was what people expected, female impersonators lip-synching to classic or current pop songs,” Weaver says. His cross-country travels had exposed him to a different drag — a wilder, more satirical form of art and entertainment he dubs “punk drag.”

From safe harbor to Shiprocked!

“From a young age, I always wanted my own spot,” McCannell says, “just to support the local scene and bands coming through town.”

But McCannell had to work his way up before he could act on his dream. From 1995 to 1998, he booked bands at now-demolished NoDa music venue Fat City. (He returned for two years before the club closed for good in 2003.) In his tenure at Fat City, McCannell booked acts like Blonde Redhead, HR of Bad Brains and Archers of Loaf. McCannell also worked at Plaza Midwood eatery Dish for three years while playing drums in bands including Appalucia and Latino Chrome.

Weaver, who was McCannell’s roommate at the time, says the bar’s iconic piratical look was always part of the plan, and the ornamental touches came mainly from decorations in McCannell’s bedroom. “Scott actually had a pirate bedroom!” Weaver says.

Starting in 1998, Weaver was becoming known for throwing increasingly elaborate theme parties with a flair for the dramatic. He brought that aesthetic to Shiprocked!, booking live music, burlesque, go-go dancers and drag queens in a full blown variety show.

“Scott probably knew that I was going to run wild with it,” Weaver says. “He himself had been at

Weaver found what he was looking for in Plaza Midwood — two wild and funny performers who couldn’t get gigs at the city’s staid venues. As BethAnn Phetamine and Lilith DeVille, A.J. Barker and Justin Crego pushed boundaries, blending aspects of performance art and stand-up comedy to their acts.

“Nobody was booking them. They were too weird. They didn’t fit the mold,” Weaver says.

He promptly recruited them for Shiprocked! After receiving exposure from the boisterous longrunning party, Barker and Crego’s alter-egos went from getting zero drag bookings to appearing on the main stage in front of thousands at Charlotte Pride in just a few short years.

“I pushed them, but they wouldn’t have gained a following were they not really fun and great at what they did,” Weaver says.

A SHIPROCKED! CROWD OF YEARS PAST.

PHOTO BY JUSTIN DRISCOLL

Booking, noise police and COVID

McCannell started off booking bands at Snug before handing the task over to Brumfield. In 2012, Brumfield moved to Austin, leaving McCannell and Call as co-owners of Snug Harbor. That year, Jason Michel came onboard as a co-owner. Derek Ghent, who’d been with the business since the beginning, also became a partner. In addition to being coowner, Ghent handles payroll and timekeeping, and is company CFO. Michel left in 2017 and Call passed away suddenly the same year — a tragic and unexpected loss for Plaza Midwood and the city as a whole.

Rounding out the current Snug Harbor crew are Rachel Herberg and Tommy Heffner as bartending shift managers along with Burns. Matt Shane is the bar’s supply manager.

Meanwhile, Zach Reader had been booking bands for local shows since he was 16, eventually launching Recess Fest with partner Casey Malone. He started going to Snug Harbor shows and began to play the venue as a solo act under the name Ultimate Optimist. In time, he formed friendships with McCannell and Michel, and came onboard as the venue’s talent buyer in 2013.

“It was [booking] multiple shows at once,” Reader says. “I definitely hit the ground running.”

If Reader has anything resembling a booking philosophy it would encompass being open to just about everything.

“When I started at Snug, I already had an eclectic interest and taste in music,” Reader says.

He credits Michel with inspiring him to plan cross-genre bills.

“I grew to love and appreciate that, and building bridges between genres,” says Reader, who compares booking shows to making mixtapes. “It’s like planning out a mixtape that stays fluent, constantly combining things to so every kind of person … is coming together in that room.”

McCannell praises Reader for solidifying Snug Harbor’s place on the musical map, making it a place where artists always look forward to coming back.

Weaver has played the room as a member of three bands: Babyshaker, Snagglepuss and his most recent group, Miami Dice, which will play Snug Harbor this summer.

“Everybody I know that tours simply loves playing there, and it’s because of the people,”Weaver says. “The sound guys treat you right. Everybody there loves music.”

“When you walk into Snug in the daytime, it’s

not impressive,” McCannell says. Once performers hear the sound check, however, their spirits rise, McCannell notes, and following the wonderful vibes performers encounter while playing, they are hooked and anxious to come back.

The music coming from Snug Harbor that engages both audiences and performers also ironically caused the venue owners some grief. Starting in 2011, and recurring through the next few years, city officials floated changes to Charlotte’s noise ordinances that would bar music coming from clubs like Snug Harbor that are within 400 feet of a residential area after midnight. In Snug Harbor’s case, many of the residences were built and populated long after the venue had been established.

“I never understood why anyone would move right next to nightlife and then complain about nightlife,” McCannell says. “If a residential project is built in close proximity to an existing venue or entertainment district, the builders should be responsible for noise mitigation, especially since they use nightlife as a selling point.”

Any grief caused by noise policing faded into insignificance when compared to the greatest threat posed to Snug Harbor’s and many other businesses’ futures: the COVID pandemic and the shutdown imposed to counter it.

McCannell remembers making the decision to close before Gov. Roy Cooper announced the shutdown.

“Between karaoke and shared microphones and close quarters, we said, ‘We’re going to have to shut this down for a little bit.’ That little bit turned into 15 months. It was a challenge.”

In response to the shutdown, Snug Harbor and other Charlotte venues came together and created the Charlotte Independent Venue Alliance (CIVA). The group successfully lobbied Charlotte City Council for rent relief, McCannell says.

When it came time to finally reopen, only one employee chose not to return to Snug Harbor, Burns says, and that was because they left town to attend college.

“That says a lot about the owners and how well they treat us,” Burns says.

A snug little legacy

After a decade of beneficent debauchery, Shiprocked! went out with a bang, Weaver says.

“The grand finale had a shocking turnout,” Weaver says. “The line was down the block for two hours. We turned the whole place into a carnival — which was the theme.”

Other regular parties have become legendary at Snug, including Elevator Jay’s Player Made: An Ode to Southern Hip-Hop and the b-boy and breakdancing party Nocturnal.

When asked to name the highest of highs, the proudest, most memorable aspect of all his days at Snug Harbor, Weaver unhesitatingly picks one word: “inclusion.”

“I’ve had people come up and say that Snug Harbor was a safe space for them, whether they were a queer kid or not,” he says. “They wanted to share with me gratitude that it provided a place that made them welcome. I am very proud of that, because that was the goal.”

That inclusivity is embodied in Snug Harbor’s

embrace of outsiders, performers shunted to the fringe, who later dragged the reluctant mainstream into relevance. Weaver says he’s proud of booking Cakes da Killa, a then obscure queer rapper from New York he heard being verbally abused on NYC hip-hop station Hot 97.

“Now I could never afford to book him,” Weaver says. “He tours all over Europe, and he’s in fashion magazines.”

Reader is proud of booking inspired science fiction rapper/galactic soundscape designer Brother Aten, an alter ego of former Charlotte-based artist Maf Maddix, whose swirling sounds of dark matter radiation and philosophical soothsayer flow orbit far beyond the reach of alternative music.

“I loved his music and wanted to get him into the room,” Reader says. “He’s gone on to some pretty big sound exploration projects in Europe.”

Reader thinks people find a strange kind of continuity in Snug Harbor’s open minded-embrace of outsiders, especially in a changing neighborhood that is drifting away from bohemian diversity and towards corporate conformity.

“Not just Snug Harbor, but all the venues [in Charlotte] have stood the test of … time,” Reader says, acknowledging the contributions of Petra’s, The Milestone, Tommy’s Pub, Skylark Social Club, The Evening Muse and others.

“I don’t think we would last if we … were forced to cater to some specific thing. I think there’s authenticity in having everything be so eclectic.”

PMORAN@QCNERVE.COM

DAIKAIJU PERFORMS AT SNUG HARBOR.

PHOTO BY JONNY GOLIAN CHRIS BURNS

PHOTO BY JUSTIN DRISCOLL B-BOYS AT KNOCTURNAL PHOTO BY JONNY GOLIAN

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Origami Angel w/ Pinkshift, Sweet Pill (Amos’ Southend)

Angel Du$t w/ Life’s Question, Jivebomb, One by One (Snug Harbor)

FUNK/JAM BANDS

Dopapod w/ The Talismen (Visulite Theatre)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Brian Dunne w/ Skylar Gudasz (Evening Muse)

Sydney Sweeney w/ Sunny Lett (Neighborhood Theatre)

THURSDAY, MAY 18

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

blankstate. w/ Moving Boxes (Evening Muse)

Sepultura w/ Kreator (The Fillmore)

The Warning (The Underground)

Seven Year Witch w/ Tristan Tritt (Neighborhood Theatre)

Paint Fumes w/ The Whiffs, Comino, Civil Rats (Snug Harbor)

JAZZ/BLUES

The Voltage Brothers (Middle C Jazz)

CLASSICAL/INSTRUMENTAL

Dixon’s Violin w/ DR.MFR (Neighborhood Theatre)

FRIDAY, MAY 19

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Jackyl w/ Silver Tongue Devils (Amos’ Southend)

Plini (The Underground)

Bullet for my Valentine (The Fillmore)

The Not Likelys w/ Problems, The Menders, Nosey Neighbor (The Milestone)

Death of August w/ The Enemy Within, Kept in Ruins, AYMB (The Rooster)

Patrick Davis and his Midnight Choir (Visulite Theatre)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Arden Jones w/ Sarcastic Sounds (Neighborhood Theatre)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Jason Eady w/ Ben Danaher, Michael Cansler (Evening Muse)

Leah Marie Mason w/ Daniel Jeffers (Evening Muse)

JAZZ/BLUES

Alex Bugnon (Middle C Jazz)

CLASSICAL/INSTRUMENTAL

Charlotte Symphony: Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 (Knight Theater)

EXPERIMENTAL/CROSS-GENRE

Swansgate w/ Celeste Moonchild, Coughing Dove (Petra’s)

SINGER-SONGWRITER/ACOUSTIC

Liam Pendergrass (Primal Brewery)

LATIN/WORLD/REGGAE

Kaleta & Super Yamba Band w/ Tumbao (Snug Harbor)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

James Brown: Tribute (Starlight on 22nd)

Home Room w/ Jenna Gilmore, DJ Sashimi, Dark Adaptation, DJ Natii-Lee (Tommy’s Pub)

SATURDAY, MAY 20

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Mindvac w/ Tongues of Fire, Mutant Strain, Plan B (Snug Harbor)

Bill George w/ Warp Street Band, Dead Letter Band (Starlight on 22nd)

84 (Van Halen tribute) (Amos’ Southend)

JAZZ/BLUES

Alex Bugnon (Middle C Jazz)

SINGER-SONGWRITER/ACOUSTIC

John Gurske (Primal Brewery)

My Sister, My Brother (Evening Muse)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Logan Halstead Trio w/ Taylor Hunnicutt (Evening Muse)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Digital Noir Goth Prom feat. DJ Spider, 20th Century Boy (The Milestone)

LATIN/WORLD/REGGAE

Kenia Os (The Underground)

CLASSICAL/INSTRUMENTAL

Charlotte Symphony: Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 (KnightTheater)

FAMILY

School of Rock Charlotte: 2-Day Split (Visulite Theatre)

SUNDAY, MAY 21

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

The Spongetones (Evening Muse)

Dark Funeral (The Underground)

Sleeping with Sirens (The Fillmore)

Godsmack (PNC Music Pavilion)

Victim Complex w/ Bog Loaf, Lifed, Lil Skritt (Tommy’s Pub)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Arsena (Middle C Jazz)

SINGER-SONGWRITER/ACOUSTIC

Val Merza (The Rooster)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Hazy Sunday (Petra’s)

Ape Audio (Snug Harbor)

LATIN/WORLD/REGGAE

Ballyhoo! w/ The Harbor Boys (Neighborhood Theatre)

Anuel AA (Spectrum Center)

FAMILY

School of Rock Charlotte: 2-Day Split (Visulite Theatre)

MONDAY, MAY 22

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Band-Maid (The Underground)

Naum w/ Wet Basement Project, Bergenline, Benz (The Milestone)

Pearl & the Oysters w/ La Brava, System Exclusive (Snug Harbor)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

The Beach Boys (Belk Theater)

JAZZ/BLUES

The Bill Hanna Legacy Jazz Session (Petra’s)

OPEN MIC

Find Your Muse Open Mic (Evening Muse)

TUESDAY, MAY 23

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Solemn Vision w/ Oak, Ash & Thorn; Blackwater

Drowning (The Milestone)

Paramore (Spectrum Center)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Lost Cargo: Tiki Social Party (Petra’s)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

The Bros. Landreth w/ Falllift (Neighborhood Theatre)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 24

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Hotel Mira w/ Negative 25 (Neighborhood Theatre)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

En Attendant Ana w/ Sweet Homé (Snug Harbor)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Matthew Alexander w/ Rob McHale (Evening Muse)

JAZZ/BLUES

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra w/ Wynton Marsalis (Belk Theater)

THURSDAY, MAY 25

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Badflower (The Underground)

Black Tusk w/ Restless Spirit, King Cackle (The Milestone)

Barcerado w/ Charlie Lamprecht (Petra’s)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Bryston Tiller (The Fillmore)

JAZZ/BLUES

Chairmen of the Board (Middle C Jazz)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Lee Brice, Randy Houser, Mitchell Tenpenny, Gillian Smith, Mitch Rossell (Coyote Joe’s)

EXPERIMENTAL/CROSS-GENRE

Snug Music Awards (Snug Harbor)

OPEN MIC

Open Mic Night w/ Finn Castelow (Tommy’s Pub)

FRIDAY, MAY 26

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Palm Palm (Evening Muse)

Greg Puciato (The Underground)

The Backseat Lovers (The Fillmore)

Cevilain w/ Regence, Conado, Ink Swell (The Milestone)

Wine Pride w/ Cor de Lux, Day & Dream (Snug Harbor)

Space Lazers w/ Joe McGovern (Tommy’s Pub)

The Orange Constant w/ Pocket Strange (Visulite Theatre)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Dillon Carmichael (Coyote Joe’s)

Jude Moses w/ Erin Williams Banks (Evening Muse)

JAZZ/BLUES

Robyn Springer w/ Ziad Rabie, Rodney Shelton (Middle C Jazz)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Jared Jamaal w/ Cheeno Ghee, Slade the Supreme, Makeda Iroquis, NXGXL (Neighborhood Theatre)

Jones McShine w/ Jessie B, Petie Boi, Crackle Kapone, Bigg Coop, Matt Corleone, Aaron Thor, T-Kief and B-Villainous (The Rooster)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Ashlyn Uribe w/ Bruce Hazel, JohnWilliam Harrell, SOLIS (Petra’s) Disco Blood Bath (Skylark Social Club)

SATURDAY, MAY 27

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Wastoid w/ Light the Fire, Ghost Chant, Physical Digital, Loss of Consciousness (The Milestone) Strike the Tower w/ Antigone, Inferior Design, Mydas XXII (The Rooster)

StormWatchers w/ Crystal Spiders, Holy Roller (Tommy’s Pub)

Spiderwebs (No Doubt tribute) w/ Black Fly Chardonnay (Alanis Morissette tribute) (Amos’ Southend)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Grandson w/ K. Slay (The Fillmore)

Natalie Carr w/ Cal Maro, Te’jani Inuwa (Visulite Theatre)

JAZZ/BLUES

BK Jackson (Middle C Jazz)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

The Woodland Critters (Primal Brewery)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Seemerc, Chandler Sinclair, Samson Sound, Mike Venum (Evening Muse)

Latrice Royale (Neighborhood Theatre)

Deep Fried Disco (Snug Harbor)

SINGER-SONGWRITER/ACOUSTIC

Tamra Simone (Starlight on 22nd)

SUNDAY, MAY 28

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Abyssal Frost w/ Slugcrust, Regions, Shanked (The Milestone) Dead Reckoning w/ The Coursing, Sacrificial Betrayal (The Rooster)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Lucas Grabeel w/ DJ Jeffrey, Life by Michael (The Fillmore) Beatfreaq (Starlight on 22nd)

LATIN/WORLD/REGGAE

UltimaNota (Middle C Jazz)

Celtic Session Sunday w/ Alan Davis & His Lot (Tommy’s Pub)

MONDAY, MAY 29

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

America Part Two w/ Latewavs, Snakes for Sale, Ape Piss (The Milestone)

JAZZ/BLUES

The Bill Hanna Legacy Jazz Session (Petra’s)

OPEN MIC

Find Your Muse Open Mic feat. The Graes (Evening Muse)

TUESDAY, MAY 30

ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals (Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre)

Prison Affair w/ Mutant Strain, C.I.Ape, Quinn Rash (The Milestone)

Nic at Nite (Petra’s)

FUNK/JAM BANDS

Dead & Company (PNC Music Pavilion)

VISIT QCNERVE.COM FOR THE FULL SOUNDWAVE LISTING.

NO PLACE OF ANGER

Angry Ales remains a mainstay of Montford Drive

BY RAYNE ANTRIM

Walking upon the creaky steps of the wooden patio, neon-red lights beam against the glass doors to a neighborhood’s favorite restaurant. A sign on the patio reads “Feelin’ Good as Hell,” a good description for the emotions emitting from the ironically named Angry Ales, a place many have called on for a sense of community over its last 22 years in business. The neighborhood bar is a bit of a pioneer, as the street has been built up around it over the past two decades. From juicy, homemade burgers to huge cups of beer, Angry Ales has been a cornerstone for walkable nightlife on that cozy strip along Montford Drive — what began as a small cut-through from Park Road to Woodlawn Road has since been built up as its own nightlife district near the Park Road Shopping Center.

Alongside Moosehead Grill, Angry Ales has stood its ground amidst the inevitable change that happens within a growing city. Establishments have come and gone within the neighborhood — Good Food, Brazwells, Duckworth’s, Maverick Rock Taco, as well as Park Lanes turning into what Charlotteans now know as Bowlero.

“Montford is ever-evolving, for sure,” says Rich Henson, who’s managed Angry Ales for the last 15 years. “There have been places that were torn down, and there have been places that have changed ownership and name several times. Of course, COVID changed everything. But I think the street has evolved and will continue to be a hub of entertainment and restaurants where people can go and hang out.”

Henson has seen many changes along Montford Drive during his time there.

“Angry Ales and Moosehead have served as the cornerstones for Montford and have been here for a long, long time. Brazwell’s [Pub] has been here, and then the bowling alley changed hands and names, but they’re back at it, attracting a great crowd. We’ve got a really good mix,” Henson said.

Oftentimes, developers come to a place in order to expand a market or try to garner foot traffic. Montford found its growth to move at a steady pace.

“We naturally grew up as a walkable, sort of entertainment spot. That’s one of the things I like about Montford,” Henson stated.

The strip of restaurants and bars has undergone adaptations and changes to meet newcomers in the neighborhood. In order to keep Park Road’s spirit alive, Angry Ales seeks to continuously solidify the growing community, Henson said.

“We’re a true neighborhood establishment. We try to offer our guests a fun environment and place for anybody to come,” he added. “You get to see the ideas that everyone [on Angry Ales’ staff] comes up with, and how that immediately impacts people. You get to be a part of celebrations and common gathering points, like when there’s a Panthers

game or when Appalachian State wins a national championship; you’re a part of a collective victory with the people that are here.”

Sports watch parties aren’t the only thing Angry Ales takes pride in. The restaurant and bar holds one of Charlotte’s longest running trivia nights with Tuesday night Music Trivia, Wednesday night Pop Culture, and Thursday night Name That Tune.

Without community and people supporting one another, places like Angry Ales wouldn’t exist. Neighborhood favorites would wash away with the wave of change and would be nothing but a nostalgic memory. Yet, here the people prevail and cheer their neighbors on.

“We really are nothing without the customers that we have that support us,” Henson expressed.

He thanked those over the last two decades who’ve been loyal to Angry Ales and continue to show up to the neighborhood bar, despite all the changes to the area and even as other establishments have come and gone.

It’s that support that has Angry Ales optimistic about sticking around for another 20 years or more, and that feels good as hell.

PHOTO BY GRANT BALDWIN

SPORTS WATCH PARTIES AND TRIVIA NIGHTS ARE BIG DRAWS AT ANGRY ALES.

PHOTO BY GRANT BALDWIN ANGRY ALES HAS BEEN IN THE MONTFORD NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 22 YEARS.

AERIN IT OUT GRAB YOUR PARTNER

Learning to do-si-do at Coyote Joe’s

BY AERIN SPRUILL

“Dancing tonight? I’m (100 emoji) going with a couple of girls. Feel free to join! 7:15-9:15.” Insert the “It was at this moment, she knew she fucked up” sound effect and you have my reaction to that particular Hump Day text.

For weeks, I’d been talking up the possibility of getting footloose and fancy-free at Coyote Joe’s for Ladies’ Night line-dancing lessons with my girlfriend and maybe twice quasi-bailed due to poor planning. There was no backing out this time.

Now y’all know I’m down to be the Queen City’s melanated guinea pig, but we all know this Black girl’s feet are better built for the “heel toe” than a do-si-do. (If you don’t know what that means, Google it, no time for culture-’splaining.) And yet, here I was, looking for the perfect fit knowing good and damn well I’d most likely be sitting this one out.

In the four years since my last visit to the Cracker Barrel of Charlotte music venues, I’ve racked up four pairs of cowboy boots, the latest being the official ones of the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders — “We dem boys!” But those boots ain’t made for walking, let alone dancing. Instead, I donned a black pair with a graphic depicting a white skeleton taking a selfie appropriately named “Yippee Ki Yay.”

Now that’s what I call new boot goofin’.

From the looks of the packed parking lot, you would’ve thought there was going to be a full-fledged country music show featuring a big-name headliner. And while the “BEST house band in the country,” Out of the Blue, seemed to be celebrating a milestone of some sorts, it was clear as soon as I walked in that the main event was the rug-cuttin’.

On Wednesday nights, the sprawling space, copious amounts of neon signs, a center-stage American flag, and countless taxidermied animals take a back seat to, by my best guess, around 100 pairs of booty shorts and cowboy boots moving in tandem around the outskirts of the dance floor. My eyes couldn’t believe the country music wet dream this visual conjured for the boot-scootin’ boogie-ers of Charlotte.

If the sweat-stained pits, shvitz-y staches, and clammy hugs weren’t enough of a deterrent, the intricacy of the footwork alone would’ve been enough to keep this rookie on the sidelines for her first line-dancing

rendezvous. After all, I may have been dressed for a hoe down but after a long day of work, all this baby girl wanted was a hoe bath.

Thankfully, I was saved by “How’d we dooo?!” (I think that’s what was being said anyways) as everyone clapped celebrating the conclusion of that particular sequence of steps. The sea of line dancers slowly parted and all eyes were on Mitchell Mullis, the head line dancer in charge, according to the website. Decked out in a red polo, dark blue jeans, black boots, cowboy hat, and a mic, it was clear that Mitch (may I call you Mitch?) wasn’t there to play games.

His swift demo rivaled a spring chicken and once he was done, all the chicks got in line. Mullis made it look deceptively easy AF, breaking down each step and helping dancers put a dance together piece by piece before speeding everything up. Somehow everyone came out the other end looking like a semi-pro line-dance troop ready to perform the routine full out.

After two line-dance lessons for singles and one for couples (or so I was told, y’all know I showed up on BP time!), the lessons ended and the house band began. At this point, free bull rides for the ladies began but beware, the fellas may just beat you to warming up the seat.

As I watched one of my girlfriends — who’d already shown out on the dance floor sprinkling each routine with a personal flair — ride the bull as if she were built for the PBR circuit, I sat humbled and oddly excited by the realization that every line dancer isn’t created the same. The icing on the cake? I learned she was once a legit professional dancer.

So first and foremost, if the thought of hitting an eight-count in front of other people sounds like your worst nightmare, don’t go with a pro. But know, you won’t be the only one making a blunder and honestly, the missteps are more entertaining to watch than the calculated two-steps.

Also, don’t forget to snag some cash lest you just enjoy paying ATM fees; this is a cash-only establishment. And last but not least, leave your inhibitions at the door. Because let me tell you, everyone else will.

INFO@QCNERVE.COM

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Aspects indicate a potential for confusion or misunderstanding. Keep those lines of communication open between you and your mate or significant other.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Romantic aspects are strong, but confusing. Be alert. Use your good Bovine sense to avoid charging into something that isn’t quite what it seems to be.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Working out problems with family members or others close to you should be your priority. Travel aspects are strong, especially in job-related situations.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) The Cancerian Crab likes to take charge of things. But be careful you don’t pinch off more than you can hold, or you might find it all slipping out of your grasp.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) A new opportunity beckons Leos and Leonas who are ready to take on some tough challenges. Family matters continue to improve, but still need close attention.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) What seems to be a disappointment could be a blessing in disguise. Use that good Virgin mind to analyze the situation and learn some valuable lessons.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) There are some conflicting considerations that will need careful sorting out. Remember: You do best when you’re able to balance sense and sentiment.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Aspects show conflicting signs around friendships. Be careful about taking advice from someone who might have an agenda that is not in your best interests.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Relationships are supposed to be about give-and-take, but you might find that you’ve been doing all the giving while getting little in return.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Sometimes indecision can be a positive factor in helping to resolve doubts about a potential commitment. Don’t be rushed into acting before you feel ready to do so.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Take off those rosecolored glasses and see this new situation for what it is -and for what it isn’t. Remember: You haven’t been told the whole truth yet.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Watch that you don’t drain your energy reserves as you dive into a new and increasingly demanding project. Take time out for rest and relaxation.

BORN THIS WEEK: You live your life on a finely tuned balance between the perception of a Taurus and the curiositiy of a Gemini. You excel in the arts.

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Single Lambs looking for love could find Cupid aiming at someone you thought (wrongly) was uninterested. Paired Sheep could soon make plans to move into new pastures.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Level that sharp Bull’s eye of yours directly at the target you’re after. Don’t let yourself get sidetracked by any misleading or deceptive attempts to distract you.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Early enthusiasm gives way to a more reflective attitude, as you assess the potential of a new job. Avoid questionable advice. The ultimate decision should be yours.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) You might need to reassess the responsibility you’ve taken on. Consider delegating some of the tasks to people you trust and focus on those things you do best.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Don’t be shy about sharing new ideas with your workplace colleagues. Their warm reception and trusted support will soon have you purring with satisfaction.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) That uneasiness over a potential commitment should be confronted and dealt with realistically. Find out why you’re delaying an important decision.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Your business venture gets back into high gear after a brief period of sputtering. Don’t be discouraged. Stay with it. Your hard work and patience will pay off.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Watch out for a tendency to let things slide in hopes that a problem will correct itself. You need to be more proactive than reactive if you want to see change.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) A wilting relationship could recover and be coaxed back into full bloom, as long as there is a strong commitment to your partner to make the relationship your priority.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Before you accept a new job offer, check on the status of a promotion you were promised in your current workplace. Then, make a decision.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Expect to find yourself in a teaching situation on the job, which you will no doubt enjoy. Don’t be surprised if you get to learn a few things as well.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You’d love to make a big splash with your new project. But you’d be wiser to introduce it to your colleagues in a more restrained way and let it speak for itself.

BORN THIS WEEK: You’re a practical person who also has a sense of adventure. You have a capacity for leadership that others often tap in to.

SUDOKU TRIVIA TEST

BY FIFI RODRIGUEZ

1. ANATOMY: What is a common name for lateral epicondylitis?

2. GEOGRAPHY: What was the country of Portugal known as in Roman times?

3. MOVIES: What are the final words spoken in the movie “The Shawshank Redemption”?

4. LITERATURE: Which novel series includes a fictional place called Godric’s Hollow, England?

5. SCIENCE: What is cytology?

6. TELEVISION: What is the name of the ranch in the 1960s western show “Bonanza”?

7. U.S. STATES: Which state has the longest cave system?

8. FOOD & DRINK: In which country were bagels invented?

9. HISTORY: What kind of beetle was revered by the ancient Egyptians?

10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is the largest lizard on Earth?

BY LINDA THISTLE

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.

©2023 King Feautres Syndicate, Inc. All rights reserved.

SAVAGE LOVE CHICK LIT

Left on read

BY DAN SAVAGE

A lot of studying is being done on pornography and what it does to our brain. My question: Are there any studies being done on erotic writing? “Women’s Romance Literature” is absolutely exploding in the online self-publishing sector, and my wife is an avid consumer. “Spice” is the euphemism they use but — wow — romance lit is a hot dish. My wife consumes countless e-books and audiobooks, and there seems to be a huge community of readers like her out there. Erotic lit has been very good for our relationship; we listen to scenes together and I help bring my wife to orgasm with my hands or tongue. It’s a fun way to be intimate! And listening is definitely less intrusive when we’re “coupling” than watching other people go at it on a screen. Anyway, back to my question: There are lots of studies looking into the effect of porn movies and pornographic images on the brain. But has anyone studied the impact of erotic literature on the brain? It’s got to be the oldest form of titillating art we have. What’s it doing to us?

LESSONS IN TITILLATION

“I haven’t come across neurological studies of erotic writing or literature,” said Dr. Kelsy Burke. “That doesn’t really surprise me since the questions scientists ask about sexuality usually reflect broader social and cultural interests — in this case, research on ‘porn’ is almost exclusively about it as a visual medium, not the written word.”

Dr. Burke is a sociologist and the author of The Pornography Wars, a terrific new book about the neverending culture war over pornography. Suffice it to say, LIT, if Dr. Burke hasn’t run across studies into the kind of dirty stories your wife enjoys reading, those studies don’t exist. And while there are a lot of warring studies that look at the impact of pornographic images — moving and still — on our brains, much of the data being generated are pretty useless.

“There’s a lot more talk about pornography and the brain than there are definitive empirical studies,” said Dr. Burke. “And a lot of the talk stems from groups with a political or religious interest in opposing porn. Academic studies, on the other hand, offer mixed results and no definitive conclusions about how porn impacts the brain.”

So, despite all these warring studies and claims — from opponents and supporters of porn — we simply don’t know if pornographic images and videos are warping our brains.

“Here’s what we do know: Our brains process visual images 60,000 times faster than text,” said Dr. Burke. “One of the better arguments, in my opinion, about the

potential harm of internet porn — which is actually not exclusive to porn at all and applies to all video-streaming websites — is that the quick succession of videos and rapid processing of all of those images is what sucks us in, sometimes for longer than we would like.”

We all know people who watch too much TV, play too many video games, and spend too much time on TikTok, all media served up on the exact same screens that serve up porn, and all serving up the exact same dopamine hits. But while people express concerns about “screentime” when it comes to Ted Lasso or Minecraft, the combo of sexual pleasure, sexual agency, and the potential for sexual exploitation fuels a unique moral panic about the porn we watch. And there’s generally little concern expressed about people who spend “too much time reading,” even if they’re masturbating to what they read.

“And while we can have a huge queue of romance lit on our Kindles,” said Dr. Burke, “we aren’t likely to stay up all night binging one after the other, as we might do with, say, Netflix because our brains will tire from all that textual processing.”

So, your wife could be a graduate of the Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics speed-reading program, but there’s a limit — a much lower limit — to the number of dirty stories she can consume in a single day and/or wank. (Evelyn Wood? Anyone get that reference? Anyone? Bueller?) But the same moral scolds who’ve successfully banned books with LGBT themes and characters, as well as books that delve into wrongs committed against Black people and other people of color (slavery, Jim Crow, the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Internment of the Japanese, etc., etc.), are starting to go after romance novels. Books written by Nora Roberts, a popular (and PG) romance novelist, were just pulled from the shelves in a high school in Florida after an activist with the right-wing group Moms for Liberty complained. (You know who was reading Roberts’ books before they got banned? Teachers. You know who’s reading them now? Teenagers.)

“I doubt we’ll see a surge in research on what affect Roberts’ writing has on our brains, not only because banning books is purely political theater,” said Dr. Burke. And we may not see a surge in that kind of research because we ultimately don’t need it. “Neuroscientists already know that the stories in our heads are hugely important to our sexual pleasure,” said Dr. Burke. “These stories — our thoughts and feelings — can help or hinder our sexual experiences. It sounds like for you and your wife, it’s helping.”

Follow Dr. Burke on Twitter @kelsyburke and visit her website kelsyburke.com to learn more about her work.

I’m a 32-year-old gay man living in a large US city. I sometimes hook up with college guys through the apps. I’m always upfront about what I’m looking for and I try to honor the campsite rule. Occasionally I see the same person more than once and will take them out for dinner or drinks, where I always pay since I remember being a broke college student. This year, I started hooking up a couple of times a month with a 21-year-old guy. Turns out he’s from a very wealthy family — not household names, but super rich. I don’t know exactly how much money he gets from his family, but he let me know money isn’t an issue for him and insists on paying if we go out. I asked him to alternate who pays so it doesn’t feel uneven. He also bought me a small gift for my home that cost less than $40. When it’s just dinner or small things, I don’t mind too much. But this summer he’ll be doing an internship in Europe. I’ve always wanted to go to the city where he will be working, and he’s offered to fly me out around my birthday, pay for nice hotels, and cover other expenses like meals. If he were my age, I would accept, but it feels wrong somehow due to the age gap. It’s just so much money for someone that young to be spending, but is it okay since he has access to a family fortune? Based on everything I know, he can easily afford it, but would I be wrong to accept? What are the ethical concerns of having a sugar daddy fuckbuddy who’s so young?

Additional context: I’ve been very clear I’m not interested in dating, and he’s expressed the same. We describe each other as friends, we both date and hook up with other people, we’re both on PrEP and I’ve encouraged him to get tested for STIs regularly. I have no connection to his family, I don’t work in the field he’s going into, we don’t use terms like daddy/boy, and he knows I’m financially comfortable, so this gesture seems to be motivated by generosity, not pity.

SPENDY HOLIDAY ON WEALTHY UNDERGRAD’S POCKETBOOK

His motives could be pure — he could just be generous — or he could be motivated by a desire, possibly subconscious, to control you. When an extremely wealthy person brings an urchin like you or me into their orbit, SHOWUP, we get a glimpse of a world we could never access on our own. The conscious or subconscious awareness that we could be exiled from this world at any moment might lead us to put up with things we wouldn’t tolerate from someone who wasn’t flying us all over the world and picking up the tab for fancy hotels.

That said, it doesn’t sound like your fuckbuddy is being excessively and/or manipulatively lavish, only appropriately and proportionately generous, and I think you should accept his offer. Pick up a few checks, SHOWUP, and enjoy the ride.

P.S. Don’t marry Connor.

My sister died last year as a result of breast cancer. I was moved at how, during the last six

months of her life, my brother-in-law, niece, and nephew bonded in a manner that allowed them to support each other as they faced the daunting task of caring for my sister. My niece has returned to college, while my nephew moved in with his father during my sister’s illness. Last month, I arrived several hours earlier than expected (some miscommunication involved) to a house-sit; when I let myself in, I learned that my brother-in-law and 27-year-old nephew had been sleeping in the same bed. I think they may even have been naked. When I questioned my brother-in-law privately as to the propriety of this practice, he responded that the intimacy of sharing a bed was facilitating their healing from my sister’s death. I retain some reservations with regard to their sleeping arrangements. Several friends in whom I’ve confided have stated that the matter is none of my business. What do you think I should do?

KEEP EXCLAIMING “YIKES!”

I think you should knock — on front doors, not bedroom doors — when you arrive early, even if you’ve been entrusted with a key.

P.S. I’m so sorry for your loss.

P.P.S. Since your nephew and brother-in-law are both adults, KEY, there isn’t really anything you can do about this. And since grief can be very deeply weird, I think you should take your brother-in-law’s explanation at face value — and take the advice of your friends — and mind your own business.

P.P.P.S. When we barge into someone else’s house unannounced — particularly when we barge far enough in to learn intimate details about sleeping arrangements and nighttime attire — we have no one to blame but ourselves for the mental images that may plaque us for the rest of our lives.

P.P.P.P.S. If your brother-in-law is fucking your nephew — let’s just name the thing we’re all worried about — that’s obviously not okay. And if that’s what’s going on here (and we don’t know that it is), perhaps knowing you know or suspect will bring your brother-inlaw and your nephew to their senses … and they will stop fucking each other and get the help they need, KEY, which would mean you’ve already done all the good you can do.

P.P.P.P.P.S. You might want to ask your nephew a few questions privately — or you might have to ask him a few questions privately (no one wants to ask their nephew questions like these) — to make sure this hasn’t been going on all his life and doesn’t know how to escape the abuse … if he’s being abused … which may not be the case.

P.P.P.P.P.P.S. Unlike last issue’s questions — which I’m sure were fakes — this is one of those questions I hope is fake.

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

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