LIFELINE: A DOSE OF REALITY

WHERE DO WE STAND NOW? Photo by Lorie Shaull

7/28

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WHERE DO WE STAND NOW?

BOOM, the annual three-day festival of art and performances, first detonated in 2016 and went virtual last year — but that isn’t all the fest did in 2020. Last summer, when protests followed the murder of George Floyd, BOOM Charlotte partnered with BLKMRKTCLT, Charlotte is Creative and The Roll Up CLT to create the arts showcase ACT:NOW, which returns this year. Hosted by Boris “Bluz” Rogers, the event features musicians, artists and dancers such as Ife Michelle; Philip Cherry, Ali Steele, Quentin Talley and Wonderworld and so much more. More: Free; July 28, 7 p.m.; online.; boomcharlotte.org

AUGUST RESIDENCY: NO FUTURE

Before he started sporting a MAGA hat and supporting Trump, John Lydon (AKA Johnny Rotten), sang about “No Future” and sounded like he meant it. Obviously, it’s time for a loud, fast and often diverse music genre based on hope, defiance and anger to reclaim its punk clarion call. Snug’s August residency presents a series of free punk shows that embrace a liberal and open idea of what punk is. The Aug. 4 opening show features Telepathics, Adam Cope, Distemper, and DJs Fat Keith Richards and Robert Childers. More: Free; Aug. 4-25, 10 p.m.; Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St.; snugrock.com

SPECIAL ED Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

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WILMA, SUNDAY BOXING, INK SWELL

Back in March, we raved about Wilma, praising drummer DJ Buchanan’s hi-hat hisses, bassist Viky Leone’s labyrinthine lines that bubble like a witch’s cauldron and Matthew Leone’s whiplash guitar riffs that swoop and circle like carrion-seeking birds. The hard-rock combo, which takes its name from a Helmet song and not the Flintstones character, balances moments of serene beauty with heatseeking missile attacks that ratchet up the tension. Charlotte’s Sunday Boxing, Belmont’s Ink Swell and New York’s Added Color fill out the bill. More: $8; July 29, 8 p.m.; The Milestone, 3400 Tuckaseegee Road; themilestone.club

MUSICOLOGY: THE ART OF THE SAMPLE

A recent spin through our Twitter feed found people still debating whether P. Diddy should still be paying Sting $730,000 a year for using an uncleared sample of the creepy Police hit “Every Breath You Take.” Jazz N Soul Music and Radio Rehab skip that debate but embrace the sample when they present Quentin Talley and The Soul Providers and The Mighty DJ DR essaying a musical mash-up of hip-hop and R&B featuring versions of the old-school hits that inspired hip-hop legends. More: $30 and up; July 31, 6:30 & 9 p.m.; Stage Door Theater, 155 N College St.; blumenthalarts.org

SPECIAL ED, CHUBB ROCK, MONIE LOVE, POSITIVE K

The era of grunge and Ren and Stimpy is back! Special Ed, who scored the hits “I Got It Made,” “Think About It” and “I’m the Magnificent,” all off his 1989 debut album Youngest in Charge, headlines this oldschool rap show. The ’90s-centric roster includes Chubb Rock, who released an unbroken string of commercially successful albums in the early part of the decade, British female rap artist and two-time Grammy nominee Monie Love and Positive K, who scored a 1992 hit with “I Got a Man.” More: $32 and up; July 31, 9 p.m.; Underground, 820 Hamilton St.; fillmorenc.com

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BODY PARTY FITNESS CLASS

Led by Body Party founder Maxie Williams, Body Party Fitness is a fun and dynamic dance class incorporating cardio moves that promise to usher participants into “an electrifying, high-energy dance fitness experience that you will never forget!” Participants will dance to classic and contemporary hip-hop and R&B music designed to raise the heart rate and make the body break a sweat. Class members are advised to arrive at the Gantt Center five to 10 minutes early to get the full experience and to bring water to stay hydrated. More: $5; Aug. 5, 6 p.m.; Harvey B. Gantt Center, 551 South Tryon St.; ganttcenter.org

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ALLEGORICAL OPENING RECEPTION

After singing for and writing songs with Steely Dan, Carole King and others in the early 1970s, David Palmer discovered a passion for digital photography. He has spent the last 10 years shooting and retouching and, in general, learning the craft. Over time he has developed a style he calls Romantic Realism. His photographic series Habitat features the intriguing work of L.A. makeup artist April Metcalf. Writer and artist Peter Sacks calls Palmer’s photographs “a kind of photographic equivalent of magical realism.” More: $35; Aug. 6, 7-10 p.m.; Gallery C3 at Alchemy at C3 Lab, 2517 Distribution St.; c3-lab.com/events

NOW TIMES: A WELCOME BACK GALLERY SHOW

Petra’s in Plaza Midwood has always been one of our favorite spots, a music venue that feels like your living room where you can catch up with friends while listening to free jazz from beyond the galaxy or see mind-blowing art shows. Petra’s finally reopens on Aug. 1 and will ring in their first Friday in a big way: a show featuring work from 26 artists as well as music by Petrov, Alan Charmer, Quad and DJ Saudade. More: $7-$10; Aug. 6, 8 p.m.; Petra’s, 1919 Commonwealth Ave.; petrasbar.com

UNPLUGGED+LIVE CONCERT: HUNTERSVILLE

Founded in 2013 by R&B artist Arsena Schroeder, The Unplugged+Live Series is a touring concert series in support of independent singer-songwriters like herself. Schroeder’s Dear Soul Music Co. brings the jamboree to Huntersville with Charlotte folkster Nathan Story, a consummate craftsman who puts lush emotion into each note on his guitar. Local vocal dynamo Mercury Carter, a soul singer who boasts an incredible multi-octave range, will also perform. More: Free; Aug. 7, 5 p.m.; Veterans Park, 201 Huntersville-Concord Road, Huntersville; dearsoulmusic.co

YOU KNOW HIS NAME (JOEDANCE FILM FESTIVAL) Photo courtesy of JFF

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PETROV (NOW TIMES: A WELCOME BACK GALLERY SHOW) Photo by Madelyn Blair

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JOEDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

The Joedance Film Festival takes its name from founder and director Diane Restaino’s son, Joe, who passed away over a decade ago after battling cancer. Diane held the first Joedance Film Festival in 2010, screening two Sundance films at her Uptown Charlotte townhome and raising $950. Now for the second consecutive year, Joedance presents a virtual festival, featuring 25 films created by filmmakers with a connection to North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. Joedance will also highlight student films on Saturday, Aug. 7. Proceeds benefit rare pediatric cancer research at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital. More: $30 and up; Aug. 5-7; online.; joedance.org/festivalhome