YES! Weekly - October 2, 2024 by YES! Weekly

Goes Beyond MATTY SHEETS

MATTY SHEETS GOES BEYOND

atty Sheets has gone beyond, as he has for so many before, with spirits high. The beloved Greensboro storyteller, musician, artist, writer, humanist and bandmate, left the building on Friday, September 27,

THE EPIC CHOPHOUSE group of restaurants grows out of the Charlotte metro...This is the most modern, upscale, downright spectacular-looking restaurant in the Triad.

Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com

EDITORIAL

Editor CHANEL R. DAVIS chanel@yesweekly.com

YES! Writers IAN MCDOWELL MARK BURGER

KATEI CRANFORD JIM LONGWORTH

DALIA RAZO

LYNN FELDER

JOHN BATCHELOR

PRODUCTION

Senior Designer ALEX FARMER designer@yesweekly.com

Designer SHANE HART artdirector@yesweekly.com ADVERTISING

Marketing ANGELA COX angela@yesweekly.com

The Halloween season is in full swing for the OLD TOWN FILM SERIES, with a selection of five shockers set to be screened on successive Thursdays beginning at 7 p.m. — with one exception — at the Old Town Neighborhood Center, 4550 Shattalon Drive, Winston-Salem.

At its best, which is a decent portion of its 90-minute running time, AMBER is an engrossing thriller in the Hitchcockian mold, replete with a never-

jangling synthesizer score by Don Miggs and a simple but effective premise.

10 Early voting in North Carolina begins next month, giving voters the power to decide the outcomes of this year’s federal, state, and local elections.

14 Launched in 2009, Westerwood ART & SOLE is a walking tour of artist’s studios in Greensboro’s historic Westerwood neighborhood.

16 Piedmont Blues Preservation Society kicked off its fall season with its annual Road to Memphis PBPS BLUES CHALLENGE on Sunday, September 22nd, 2024 at Gashill Drinking Room at the Ramkat in Winston-Salem.

TRAVIS WAGEMAN travis@yesweekly.com

Promotion NATALIE GARCIA

DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT ANDREW WOMACK

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PICKIN’ IN THE PARK GREENSBORO BALLET

TBY JOHN BATCHELOR

he Epic Chophouse group of restaurants grows out of the Charlotte metro. Their ﬁrst property was born in Mooresville in 2010, in a building that dates back to 1888. A second installation opened in Fort Mill, South Carolina. A Raleigh incarnation is in the works. In between, the Greensboro property opened this summer.

As much as I admire and support repurposing historic properties, as this team did at the outset, there is nothing old about the Greensboro location. On the contrary, this is the most modern, upscale, downright spectacular-looking restaurant in the Triad. Illuminated glass shelves tower over the bar. An enclosed, temperature-controlled ﬂoor-to-ceiling wine rack separates dining areas. A similar structure frames the bar area.

“You feel like you’re in New York,” quoth Jackie, one of my wife’s bridge partners. I would add Las Vegas to that ambiance assessment. Either way, this is clearly top-tier in appearance, and the food ranks among the elite as well. Unobtrusive Rat Pack music paired with wall images extend the mood. The wine list contains familiar selections, mostly from California, albeit wide-ranging in scope, thus accessible for most patrons. Bar fans will be attracted to the martini and mixed drinks menu.

I usually complain when a restaurant charges for bread. Here, however, it’s worth the cost ($5). A basket contains plenty to share among a party of four, crusty and ﬂavorful, the contents ranked among the top-ranked breads in the Triad.

On one visit, our party just sat in the bar and had drinks and appetizers.

Wagyu Meatballs are large — a generous starter for two, adequate for four. Their deep, rich beef ﬂavor is extended with marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese, plus a dollop of ricotta.

I would quarrel over the name Crab Fritters. To me, that implies more breading, a denser texture. I would call these mini-crab cakes, and they are exceptional, exuding the ﬂavor of fresh crab meat from jumbo lumps, held together by incantation. They rest in beurre blanc sauce, sharpened slightly with lemon, a lovely complement. Thinly-sliced fried tobacco onions rest on top.

Shanghai Shrimp are not on the menu. You have to read this column or know somebody who has inside information to know about their existence. They are worthy of the quest, however, crisp and ﬂavorful, lightly touched with a Chinese spice ﬂavored mayonnaise.

On another visit, we had a starter in the traditional sequence, before main courses.

Calamari Bellissimo, noteworthy for

fairly tender texture, is crusted with corn ﬂour and fried crisp, intensiﬁed with peppadew and pepperoncini peppers, decorated with a little shredded Romano cheese.

The entrée menu is wide-ranging, albeit reﬂecting the chop house/steak house concept.

Petite Filet Mignon is an eight-ounce cut, less petit than usual. Both ﬂavor and texture are commendable, with special credit going to the crust of the steak, a function of a high-temperature sear. Short Ribs are braised, tender enough to be pulled apart, if you are so inclined. The ﬂavor is deep and rich, enhanced with a Burgundy demiglace. These are plated over Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, the rich sauce oozing across the mound.

Tenderloin Kabobs are based on ﬁlet mignon tips, just about fork tender with solid depth of beef ﬂavor. You get about eight ounces, interspersed and broiled with red peppers, zucchini, and yellow squash, Yukon Gold mashed potatoes in a separate bowl alongside.

Beef Wellington, here entitled The Legendary Wellington, is a classic, welcome anywhere but seldom seen. A filet mignon is covered with duxelles (finely chopped mushrooms and shallots) and enclosed in a pastry shell, in this case commendably crisp and flavorful. A Madeira wine demiglace is provided for enhancement, but my wife and I found

Chow Down with John Batchelor at Epic Chophouse

it too salty, although it may be ﬁne for other patrons.

We ventured into the seafood section on one visit and found the experience just as enjoyable as the meats. Sea Bass is sautéed to a light brown crust and plated over fresh spinach, wilted, all enhanced with a lemon sorrel beurre blanc sauce. The interplay of ﬂavors is exquisite.

I consumed my fowl fare selection, Stu ed Carolina Chicken, over two nights. Portions here are typically generous, this one especially so. The menu advises twelve ounces, and that looked about right to me. Two breast halves are split and ﬁlled with a blend of spinach, bacon, ham, and provolone cheese. The exterior is coated with crisp breadcrumbs, earning points on all criteria — ﬂavor, appearance, and texture.

You get a choice of side dishes.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts are not overcooked — a compliment — and thus provide the simple, natural ﬂavor of the vegetable, laced with balsamic syrup. Crisp French fries come in a paper cone. They actually taste like potato! Potato pancakes are particularly inviting. So are the mashed potatoes. Peasant cabbage is a simple preparation, simmered just enough to soften the shredded leaves, again allowing the natural ﬂavors to predominate. Asparagus with hollandaise is more complex, the vegetable al

Bread

Wagyu Meatballs

Calamari Bellissimo

Petite Filet Mignon with Peasant Cabbage

Beef Wellington with Asparagus Hollandaise

Tenderloin Kabobs with Mashed Potatoes Shanghai Shrimp Crab Fritters

French Fries

dente, the sauce commendably rich and lemony-tart. I would reorder any of these again.

We were able to round out one evening with dessert. The Chocolate Lava Cake in the accompanying photo is conﬁgured for Arleen’s birthday. It’s a rich chocolate cake with a thick, oozing chocolate ﬁlling. Although second hand, I have a dessert story that is just too good to leave out. Epic serves a huge slice of layer cake. “Did you make this?” Jackie asked Leigha, our server. “No,” Leigha replied. “If I could make this, I would already be married.” They may not all be as quick-witted as Leigha, but servers here are well informed, and deliveries are well-paced. The website names multiple partners along with corporate chefs and sous wchefs.

I wound up my visits to Epic with three observations. My wife and I got two entrées on takeout. The other Epic locations have an online ordering feature. It is not functional at the Greensboro site. When I tried to call in the order, I was informed that you have to come in person and place your order at the bar. As I left, I spoke to an individual who appeared to be a manager, and he said the online system would be provided eventually, it’s just not up and running yet. Understandable, but this needs to be changed ASAP. I also wonder about what else might happen eventually. Many restaurant companies that have multiple locations bring in an opening crew that does everything right, while holding prices to an introductory level, but gradually handing

Shaved Brussels Sprouts

o the operation to another crew and inching up the tab. I hope Epic’s Greensboro operation sustains its level of performance where they are now. They have set a standard that cannot be lowered. Whatever the future holds, go now! Finally, it should come as no surprise that I want to eat more here. In fact, I have already made reservations for another dinner and invited some highly critical friends. Watch my blog for further Epic developments! !

JOHN BATCHELOR has been writing about eating and drinking since 1981. Over a thousand of his articles have been published. He is also author of two travel/cookbooks: Chefs of the Coast: Restaurants and Recipes from the North Carolina Coast, and Chefs of the Mountains: Restaurants and Recipes from Western North Carolina. Contact him at john.e.batchelor@gmail.com or see his blog, johnbatchelordiningandtravel.blogspot.com.w

WANNA go?

Epic Chophouse

301-F Pisgah Church Road Greensboro 27455 336-274-6030 epicchophouse.com

Hours: 5-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 5-9 p.m. Sunday

Appetizers: $8-$25

Salads: $11-$14

Soups: $10-$12

Burger: $18

Entrées: $17-$89

Desserts: $8-$15

Most recent visit: September 27

Old Town Film Series raises shivers with Halloween horrors

The Halloween season is in full swing for the Old Town Film Series, with a selection of five shockers set to be screened on successive Thursdays beginning at 7 p.m. — with one exception — at the Old Town Neighborhood Center, 4550 Shattalon Drive, Winston-Salem. As always, admission is free and audiences are welcome to bring popcorn and refreshments.

The series was conceived and implemented by lifelong movie buff Michael DiVitto Kelly, who has personally selected each film with an eye toward broadening the horizons of its audience — while also providing an entertaining night at the movies.

Things get off to a scary start Thursday with 1997’s The Relic (rated R), directed by Peter Hyams and based on the novel by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, pitting Tom Sizemore, Penelope Ann Miller, Linda Hunt, and James Whitmore against a voracious, godlike creature lurking in The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.

The series will unleash the awardwinning 2008 scare-fest Splinter (rated R) on October 10. The feature directorial debut of Toby Wilkins and set in Oklahoma, the film sees Shea Whigham, Paulo Costanzo, and Winston-Salem’s own Jill Wagner battling a monstrous Splinter parasite in a rundown service station. The creature turns its victims into hosts, thereby spreading the contagion — and no one is safe.

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The selection for October 17 is an acknowledged classic of the genre: Night of the Demon (1957), based on the M.R. James story Casting the Runes and directed by Jacques Tourneur. Released in the United States as Curse of the Demon , the film stars Dana Andrews as John Holden, a scientist who specializes in debunking supernatural hoaxes. But when he encounters the mysterious Prof. Karswell (Niall MacGinnis), who is supposedly the leader of a diabolical cult, Holden’s skepticism turns to stunned belief, and then abject terror when he realizes he may be the next intended victim.

Adding a bit of humor to its wicked brew of horror, writer/director Eli Craig’s 2010 award-winner Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (rated R) is on tap for October 24. Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine play the title characters, a pair of lovable, bumbling backwoods hillbillies mistaken for serial killers by a dim-witted documentary film crew. Confusion reigns supreme when it transpires that there’s an actual serial killer in their midst and the bodies start dropping.

Finally, on October 31 (Halloween), the Old Town Film Series again pays homage to Stephen King, the subject of its September offerings, with the landmark 1980 mini-series Salem’s Lot , based on King’s 1975 best-seller. King envisioned Salem’s Lot as a combination of Peyton Place and Dracula , in which the sleepy Maine town of Salem’s Lot becomes a hotbed of vampirism. Directed by Tobe Hooper, the star-studded cast includes David Soul, Lance Kerwin, Bonnie Bedelia, Lew Ayres, Ed Flanders,

George Dzundza, Geoffrey Lewis, Fred Willard, Reggie Nalder (as the ghoulish vampire Barlow), and the legendary James Mason as Barlow’s insidious right-hand man Straker. Due to the length of the mini-series, this screening will begin at 6 p.m.

More than 18 months ago, Kelly inaugurated the Old Town Film Series, which was inspired by a similar program he instituted in South Florida when he worked for the Broward County Library. He’s pleased with the progress and the programming but admits some adjustments had to be made.

In Florida, “I had the luxury of working at busy libraries where attendance was always good,” he said. “It takes a while to get the word out that you have

the best film program here at the Old Town Neighborhood Center. One thing I like about the Old Town Neighborhood Center is the setting: It’s a cool place to show films, nestled amongst the trees and a community park. No matter where I show them, the goal remains the same — to offer people of all ages, great movies for free.”

Kelly will introduce each film and there will be an informal discussion after each screening.

For more information, call 336-9223561 or 954-649-8053, or e-mail divittokelly@gmail.com . !

Mark Burger

Contributor

ROUNDUP]

SUBMITTED BY

Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County presents the fourth and ﬁnal event in their 9th Annual Parks Concert Series: Pups in the Park with West End Mambo on Sunday, October 20 from 2-5 p.m. at Triad Park in Kernersville. The event series, presented in partnership with Forsyth County Government, provides free, family-friendly concerts showcasing local and national musicians in beautiful outdoor venues

The October 20th concert features West End Mambo, a band comprised of musicians from North, South, and Central America that performs a ﬁery mix of classic salsa from bolero and rumbas to guaracha and son montuno. Their repertoire includes original orchestral salsa arrangements which they have performed with the Winston-Salem and Greensboro Symphonies.

Audience members are invited to bring their canine companions for this special “Pups in the Park” concert and learn more about local animal rescue efforts. Well-behaved dogs (on leash) are welcome to enjoy the beautiful grassy ﬁeld of Triad Park.

Pups in the Park with West End Mambo takes place at the Triad Park Amphitheater (9652 W. Market Street in Kernersville). Free parking is available adjacent to the amphitheater. Gates open at 1 p.m.; the concert will be 2-5 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs, and may bring

a picnic or purchase food from vendors onsite. Wine, beer, and water will be available for purchase, with all proceeds supporting Arts Council. No outside alcohol is permitted. Kids of all ages are invited to participate in family-friendly arts activities sponsored by Publix Charities.

In the event of inclement weather, the concert will take place at Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts (251 N. Spruce Street in Winston-Salem). Check Arts Council’s website and social media for day-of venue updates.

Visit intothearts.org/parks for more information.

Series partners include Publix Charities, Foothills Brewing, Ra aldini Vineyards, RH Barringer Distributers, and First Bank. Media partners include Best of Winston, Triad City Beat, Triad Voice Magazine, WFDD, WSNC, WTOB, and YES! Weekly !

ARTS COUNCIL of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County is the leading advocate of arts in our region and seeks to enhance and support the local artistic and cultural landscape. Established in 1949 as the ﬁrst arts council in the nation, the pioneering organization is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024. Arts Council owns and operates a campus which includes the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts and Hanesbrands Theatre. In 2023, it hosted 670 on-campus events with 60,000 attendees and distributed over $1.2 million in grants, beneﬁting over 800,000 people. Additionally, Arts Council is the largest funder of Arts Education for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.

KATIE HALL NICOLAS

A little girl lost in suspenseful Amber Alert

At its best, which is a decent portion of its 90-minute running time, Amber Alert is an engrossing thriller in the Hitchcockian mold, replete with a never-jangling synthesizer score by Don Miggs and a simple but e ective premise.

The self-explanatory plot, conceived by co-writers Kerry Bellessa (also producer/director) and Joshua Oram, is essentially a remake of their 2012 found-footage thriller debut (also titled Amber Alert) but jettisons the found-footage gimmick — no great loss — for a more straightforward approach. The change is for the better.

The ﬁlm wastes no time getting underway, as youngster Charlotte Kirk (Ducky Branson) mysteriously vanishes from a neighborhood park in Louisville, KY, after being approached by a Toyota Camry. At the same time, part-time Uber driver Shane (Tyler James Williams) is picking up Jaq (Hayden Panettiere). She’s on her way to a blind date, and he’s a divorced father late for his son’s birthday party. Su ce to say that circumstances will cause them to miss their prior appointments.

When the Amber Alert is posted by the police, Jaq and Shane happen to be directly behind a Camry, and thus begins a game of cat and mouse, executed in trim, nononsense fashion. Amber Alert is not without its exploitation elements, but it’s also a rather potent cautionary tale. Despite the considerable technology at the disposal of law enforcement, the sort of crime depicted here can happen anytime, anywhere, and to anyone.

Doubling as executive producers here, Panettiere and especially Williams bring humor, emotional heft, and a pleasing chemistry to the proceedings, which goes a long way. There’s also nice work from Kevin Dunn and Saidah Arrika Ekulona as the beleaguered but compassionate cops on the case, and an appropriately edgy turn by Kurt Oberhaus as the twisted, twitchy villain.

Inevitably, the ﬁlm culminates in the villain’s lair, a creaky and creepy farmhouse in the middle of nowhere that could have been lifted from any other horror ﬁlm. Yet Jaq and Shane don’t go blindly into harm’s way. Their reasoning for wanting to rescue Charlotte is arrived at in a reasonably credible fashion. With its topical storyline and committed cast, Amber Alert may not break new ground but works on its own terms.

— Amber Alert is playing in theaters and is available On-Demand. !

“BRIGITTE

BARDOT COLLECTION”

(Kino Classics): The title tells all in this DVD selection ($34.95 retail) of four feature films showcasing the talents of the quintessential French sex kitten, who celebrates her 90th birthday this year: 1956’s Naughty Girl (Cette sacrée gamine) was co-scripted by Bardot’s then-husband Roger Vadim; 1961’s Please, Not Now! (La bride sur le cou) was co-written and directed by Bardot’s by-now-ex-husband Vadim; 1967’s Two Weeks in September (A coeur joie) finds Bardot torn between Laurent Terzie and Jean Rochefort; and cowriter/director Jean Aurel’s 1969 romantic romp Les femmes (Women). Each film is in French with English subtitles and each boasts audio commentary. Kino Classics has also released Naughty Girl and Two Weeks in September as standalone Blurays (each $29.95 retail), both with audio commentary and theatrical trailer.

BRINGING

OUT

THE DEAD

(Paramount Home Entertainment): Director Martin Scorsese brings his trademark kinetic energy to this sleek, surreal, awardwinning 1999 adaptation of Joe Connelly’s non-ﬁction best-seller, adapted by long-time Scorsese collaborator Paul Schrader, following disillusioned New York City paramedic Nicolas Cage over three eventful nights on duty, augmented by Robert Richardson’s slick cinematography and a ﬁrst-rate ensemble including Cage’s then-wife Patricia Arquette, John Goodman, Ving Rhames, Marc Anthony, Cli Curtis, Aida Turturro, Schrader’s wife Mary Beth Hurt, and wild-eyed scenestealer Tom Sizemore. Some observers complained about the episodic, fragmented storyline, but it’s entirely faithful to Connelly’s book. The 25th-anniversary “Paramount Presents” 4K Ultra HD combo ($39.99 retail) includes exclusive cast and crew interviews and theatrical trailer. Rated R.

COCAINE WEREWOLF (Cleopatra Entertainment/MVD Entertainment Group): Full moon fever strikes a ﬁlm crew shooting a low-budget horror ﬂick in Pennsylvania when a bloodthirsty werewolf goes on a drug-fueled rampage — slaughtering cast and crew with vicious abandon — in director Mark Polonia’s genre spoof, available on DVD ($14.95 retail) and Blu-ray ($19.95 retail), each boasting bonus features.

CROCODILE (Synapse Films/MVD Entertainment Group): Yes, they’ll make a special-edition Blu-ray ($29.95 retail) of anything – including this hapless Thai

[VIDEO VAULT]

BY MARK BURGER

DVD PICK OF THE WEEK: KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS (Kino Cult)

Never mind Arachnophobia (1990) or Eight-Legged Freaks (2002), this enduring 1977 sci-ﬁ favorite is the deﬁnitive spider shocker directed with tight e ciency by former stuntman John “Bud” Cardos and starring the one and only William Shatner in full hero mode.

The swaggering Shatner plays “Rack” Hansen, the resident macho veterinarian in the Arizona’s “peaceful” Verde Valley (as pointed out in Smiley Burnette’s opening theme song!) puzzled by recent mysterious livestock deaths. Enlisting the help of brainy and beautiful enotomologist Diane Ashley (Ti any Bolling), Rack comes to the conclusion that overuse of pesticides has deprived

the local spider population of natural prey. As a result, the angered — and hungry — arachnids have set their (eight) eyes on larger targets …

It’s not long before the spiders assemble en masse and begin laying waste to Verde Valley and its residents, a likable lot including Woody Strode, Shatner’s thenwife Marcy La erty, David McLean, Lieux Dressler, Natasha Ryan (in her feature debut), Altovise Davis (in her feature debut), and Roy Engel (in his ﬁnal feature). Editor Steven Zaillian would go on to win an Oscar for scripting Schindler’s List (1993) and become a producer and director himself, and the ﬁlm’s score is culled from episodes of “The Twilight Zone,” including memorable compositions by the legendary Jerry Goldsmith.

Kingdom of the Spiders (touted as “a living, crawling hell on earth!”) was a surprise sleeper on the drive-in circuit, then enjoyed two prime-time runs on ABC and subsequent late-night broadcasts on CBS, thereby earning a financial windfall for the filmmakers — including Shatner, who had points in the film. Those with an aversion to spiders might be advised to look elsewhere, but this is a quintessential B-movie classic: Taut, tight, and scary — and the ecological bent lends a touch of credibility (relatively speaking).

The special-edition Blu-ray ($24.95 retail) includes multiple audio commentaries, retrospective interviews, theatrical trailer, and more. Rated PG.

shocker, made in either 1979 or ’80 and directed by Sompote Sands, in which a noname cast battles a gigantic, voracious crocodile, mutated by atomic radiation, is unleased by a monsoon. Easily one of the worst rip-o s of Jaws (1975), the murky cinematography and haphazard special e ects don’t help matters any. Some movies are so bad they’re funny, but no such luck here. This “crock” is for die-hard genre addicts only. Bonus features include audio commentary, deleted and alternate scenes, theatrical trailer, and more. Rated R.

THE DRAGON PAINTER (The Milestone Collection/Kino Lorber): The Blu-ray bow ($29.95 retail) of director William Worthington’s silent 1919 adaptation of Mary McNeil Fenollosa’s novel with Sessue Hayakawa as an eccentric, obsessive young painter convinced that ﬁancée Tsuru Aoki (Hayakawa’s real-life wife) is a princess who has been turned into a dragon. Bonus features include collectible booklet, restoration documentary, the

“PERIL & DISTRESS” (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): A double-feature 4K Ultra HD combo ($49.95 retail) of a pair of PG-rated British suspense thrillers produced by EMI Films under the executive auspices of ﬁlmmaker Bryan Fobes: Director Robert Fuest’s And Soon the Darkness (1970), starring Pamela Franklin, Michele Dotrice, and Sandor Eles; and director John Hough’s Eyewitness (also 1970) — adapted by a Mark Hebden novel by future Oscar winner Ronald Harwood and released in the Unites States as Sudden Terror — with Mark Lester, Britt Ekland, Lionel Je ries, Jeremy Kemp, and Peter Vaughan. Bonus features include audio commentaries and theatrical trailers.

SQUIRM (Kino Cult): If Kingdom of the Spiders is the quintessential spider movie, then writer Je Lieberman’s 1976 feature directorial debut is likely the deﬁnitive “killer earthworm” movie — and a perennial cult classic — as downed power lines in rural Georgia drive worms to feast on human victims. The low-budget seams show, but Rick Baker’s suitably stomach-churning makeup e ects and likable performances by Don Scardino and Patricia Pearcy keep the momentum going and the scares coming. This is one ﬁlm that lives up to its title, and as such the squeamish are forewarned. The specialedition Blu-ray ($24.95 retail) includes audio commentaries, retrospective documentary, theatrical trailer, and more. Rated R.

silent Hayakawa/Worthington collaborations His Birthright (1918), which Hayakawa produced and co-stars Aoki, and The Man Beneath (1919), and more.

FRIDAY THE 13TH (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment Group): Back we go to the accursed Crystal Lake in this limitededition 4K Ultra HD combo ($49.95 retail) of director Marcus Nispel’s listless 2009 remake of the 1980 slasher favorite, with Derek Mears as the murderous, hockeymasked ﬁend Jason Voorhees and Jared Padalecki, Daniele Panabaker, Amanda Righetti, Ryan Hansen, Aaron Yoo, Travis Van Winkle, and Richard Burgi as potential (and likely) victims. Less inspired by artistic aspirations than ﬁnancial ones, this was a box-o ce hit but thankfully spawned no follow-ups. Bonus features include the R-rated theatrical version and unrated “Killer Cut,” multiple audio commentaries, collectible booklet and postcard, retrospective interviews and vintage featurettes, deleted scenes, electronic press kit, and more.

“YOUNG SHELDON”: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON (Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment): Iain Armitage stars as the precocious mathematics genius Sheldon Cooper in this award-winning, top-rated CBS comedy “prequel” series spun o from “The Big Bang Theory” detailing his childhood in East Texas, with Big Bang Theory creators and executive producers Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro on board, and executive producer (and sometime director Jim Parsons) reprising his role as the adult Sheldon, with Zoe Perry, Lance Barber, Montana Jordan, and Annie Potts (Perry’s real-life mother) rounding out the regular cast in all 14 episodes from the 2024 (and ﬁnal) season, available on DVD ($24.98 retail). Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment has also released the selfexplanatory “Young Sheldon: The Complete Series,” consisting of all 141 episodes from the entire 2017 - ‘24 run of the series, available on DVD ($99.99 retail). !

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies.

Questions to Ask Yourself this Election Season

BY CHANTÉ RUSSELL Communications Manager | Public School Forum of NC

Early voting in North Carolina begins next month, giving voters the power to decide the outcomes of this year’s federal, state, and local elections. These elections, particularly at the state and local level, will directly impact our daily lives. While the enthusiasm surrounding both presidential candidates is evident, we cannot forget the importance of down-ballot elections. Here are some essential questions to ask yourself before selecting North Carolina’s lawmakers: Are expansions to the private school voucher program what’s best for our children, or for private schools?

In September 2023 North Carolina became the ninth state to o er universal tax-funded private school vouchers. Following this expansion, even North Carolina’s wealthiest families are eligible to receive money to send their children to private schools, regardless of whether those children have ever attended public school. With this decision, state lawmakers are choosing to send hundreds of millions of dollars per year to private and religious schools that can practice discriminatory admissions policies. Of the 200 schools that received the most taxpayer funds from vouchers through the Opportunity Scholarship Program during the 2023-2024 school year, 89 percent practice discrimination in the admissions process in some form — often targeting religion, disability, or sexual orientation; fewer than half are accredited and only 2 percent require teachers to be state-certiﬁed, which is a requirement for all North Carolina

public school teachers. Additionally, North Carolina has some of the weakest accountability measures in the nation, meaning there are minimal standards in place for ensuring the quality of education students receive using these taxpayer-funded vouchers.

How will the Parents Bill of Rights and similar legislation impact students and schools across the state?

In August 2023 the General Assembly overrode Governor Cooper’s veto to enact Senate Bill 49, which some have called “The Parents’ Bill of Rights” while others have called it North Carolina’s “Don’t Say LGBTQ+” law. Some requirements of this law include that school sta must notify parents prior to any changes in the name or pronoun used for a student by school personnel, parents must be able to access their student’s school library records, and educators may not engage in conversations with students in kindergarten through fourth grade about gender or sexual identity.

Curriculum and school materials

should be — and already were — designed to be age-appropriate. There is a di erence, however, between a curriculum that is inappropriate for young children and a curriculum that is inclusive and representative of the diversity of identities and experiences among our students and their families.

At the beginning of the 2023-24 school year, it became clear that this law majorly disrupted school operations and caused anxiety among educators. As a result, lawmakers pushed the e ective date back to January 1, 2024, at the request of Superintendent Catherine Truitt. While parent involvement in the lives and education of their children is critically important, at best SB49 simply adds to educators’ workloads and demonstrates a lack of trust in them as professionals. At worst, it contributes to hostile school and home environments where students feel unsafe.

As a state, what are we doing to address our lack of school funding e orts?

In 2023 North Carolina ranked 48th in the country on per-student spending and 49th on funding e ort – the amount we spend on education as a percent of our GDP. This is the result of decades of disinvestment in our public schools. In both 2015 and 2018, judges in the 30-yearold Leandro school funding case ruled that North Carolina is failing to meet its constitutional obligation to provide every child with a sound basic education. In 2019 the Comprehensive Remedial Plan was introduced to address these shortcomings, but lawmakers have since refused to fully fund the plan.

Research shows that teachers are the number one school-related factor a ecting student outcomes, but North

Carolina continues to fall behind in teacher pay. This year we ranked 38th in average teacher pay and 42nd in starting teacher pay. Schools across the state have also had to deal with facility issues and a lack of support sta , both of which can seriously hinder e orts to create positive learning environments. Our public schools can thrive, but not if we don’t give them the resources they need to do so.

What do I want for North Carolina’s future?

Currently, North Carolina is the secondbest state for businesses. We were ranked ﬁrst in this category, but this year Virginia took that spot with one of the cited reasons being the state’s strong public education system. Public education advocates have said for years that we cannot remain a top state for business if we are unwilling to adequately prepare our state’s future workforce. Continuing down this path of disinvestment in education will have e ects that will be felt even outside of our school communities.

Beyond economic impact, political divisiveness has plagued our communities in recent years. Research shows that well-funded, high-quality education leads to a reduction in crime and better health outcomes, contributing to vibrant and thriving communities. It is time to move past divisiveness and toward strengthening our communities, but that decision must be made collectively at the polls.

To ﬁgure out which North Carolina House and Senate districts you’ll be voting in this year visit ncleg.gov/FindYourLegislators, then head to ncforum. org/candidatesurvey to see where your candidates stand on these issues. !

Chanté Russell

ACROSS

1 U.K. equivalent to an Oscar

6 Trinidad and —

12 Baggage screeners’ org.

15 Moose kin

19 American poet — Baraka

20 Basra natives

21 Balloon pilot

23 Upon initial sight

25 Twilight time, to poets

26 Diplomacy

27 Performs an axel, e.g.

29 Arizona-to-Kentucky dir.

30 Mauna —

31 Square-cut building stones

34 Glossy fabric with an elaborate floral pattern

37 Rule, in brief

38 Atomic cores

42 Playpen toy

43 Baby’s breath and cowherb are members of it

47 “Gung Ho” actress Rogers

51 Sondheim’s “Everybody Ought to Have —”

52 Like a laundromat washer, for short

53 Closer to now

55 Swam some pool lengths

58 Florida city near Miami

61 Bits of land in eau

62 Material on a Q-tip

65 Person howling

66 — Lingus

67 Ancient Palestine

68 Bamboo eaters

69 Jackson 5 #1 hit of 1970

72 — and pestle

73 Wage recipients

74 Leg midpoint

75 Alternative to apple pie

79 Jewish villages of old 81 Debonair

82 Greasier

85 French cathedral city

86 Burger meat

87 Crispy-skinned fish dish

91 “Oz” co-star Walker 94 Having a saintly ring 95 “— minute!”

96 Noted presidential matriarch

101 Many KFC pieces 103 Singer DiFranco 104 Squeal (on) 105 Papal crowns 109 Job honcho 110 Cubic — (fake gem) 113 What seven key words in this puzzle are 117 Native of Fiji or Nauru 118 Well-reasoned

Four-page sheet

Lease topic

Green prefix

Auditory stimuli

Lieu

DOWN 1 Nanny’s cry

Qty.

10-year-old student, often

Carrier with

Matty Sheets Goes Beyond

Matty Sheets has gone beyond, as he has for so many before, with spirits high.

The beloved Greensboro storyteller, musician, artist, writer, humanist and bandmate, left the building on Friday, September 27, 2024. Encircled in song, in good spirits — with the voices of friends callin’ and voices crying across the internet.

For Triad music folks, it’s Alpha and Omega’s kingdom come. A guiding light to so many musicians — through his laundry list of musical endeavors and nearly 20 years at the open mic helm, Matty’s impact as an artist — and as a friend — remains practically indescribable — undeniable, yet untraceable — his inﬂuence will spread long after we’re all underground. A true legacy.

Legacy that will continue in the open mic variety, with special guest hosts in his stead, at the Continental Club for the honorary “Matty Sheets Open Mic” series — carrying forward on October 2. As well as with the release of his catalog, including the upcoming “Stray Dogs” album Sheets recently recorded at Fallen Trees Studio in Mount Airy.

“This week I will host the open mic here at The Continental Club. It’s always going to be a Matty Sheets Open Mic, but this one will be especially for him, from me,” Hayes said, acknowledging the weight of this ﬁrst posthumous session. “If you have a Sheets song you love, come play it. Have a song to sing, then sing it. No early sign-ups this week, because I want everyone to get a fair chance to honor the man. I’ll be there at 6 p.m. this week with a pen, a ﬂute, and my own voice. Come add your energy to the community grieving and celebrating our dear friend.” Just remember his simple rules: “No hate speech, be cool to everybody.”

And the community is grieving. While Sheets shifted gears like a champ following his diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis in late 2016, the sudden deterioration of his health shook the Greensboro music world. He was slated to host his annual open mic at the N.C. Folk Festival in late August but felt unwell. And in September, he sought care for what was presumed to be MS complications. Turns out, it was end-stage colon cancer.

The past couple of weeks have been a blur of privacy and sharing a profound love for a profound man. And in those last weeks, he was profoundly positive. And characteristically hilarious.

Content with the paths he laid — in life (and at open mics at the eras of the Flat Iron, Westerwood, New York Pizza, Common Grounds, the Green Bean, Bull City Ciderworks, and the Continental Club); and in tons of bands (Funky Static, Deviled Eggs, Big Red Rooster, Eating The Invaders, The Goodbye House, Come Hell or High Water, Cold Soda, Sugar Meat, Dildo of God, Laila Nur and the Love Riot, The Muslims, Lightweight, The Baby Teeth, Magpie Thief, and The Fumble Muckers; plus a string of eponymous Sheets varieties: The Blockheads, Slowdriv-

ers, Nervy Bees, Cold Rollers, Citizens, and A Band of Friends — along with the ones I’m forgetting and his work playing with folks like Georgie Harris, Harrison Barrow, and Ben Singer).

Trying to encapsulate a list of his artistry is overwhelming — he was the ultimate supporter. The ultimate cheerleader, in ways that felt unique…though he was also a sly dog with a quick wit, who made everyone feel that way.

As Rae Alton, who co-hosted the Avant On Air radio show on WUAG with Sheets and myself, noted: “His enthusiasm for the success of complete strangers was as innate as it was symbiotic.” He’d spin yarns to warm up crowds — or scream out a “YEEEEAAAHHH” to pump the energy. Sheets isn’t technically his actual last name, though it feels foreign to call him by anything else — he exists as prime examples of both legend and human being.

The myth of Matty Sheets extends well beyond the Triad borders. When my neighbors from Athens, Ga. talked about moving to Greensboro, the only thing they knew about the city involved instructions from Athens folks to “ﬁnd Matty Sheets” upon arrival. In a similar vein, when Robert Stoesen was searching for local music after having spent decades living elsewhere, “one of the ﬁrst names I kept hearing was Matty Sheets,” he said. “Matty was the local scene’s paramount ambassador, encourager, and instigator. In good times, he moved among all its spheres, and even when he had to slow down, he was always active. I can’t even say how many people I met through or because of Matty. If you are or have been involved in the GSO scene, he a ected your life, whether or not you ever met him.”

And those spheres extend well beyond music — having hosted a pre-pandemic “Drink and Draw” at the Artist Bloc, “I need to say that Matty was a fabulous visual artist,” Stoeson added. “If he’d never done anything in music, there’s no doubt he could have made a name for himself in a visual arts scene.”

And as the star of 2010’s Greensboro 48hr Film Project “Best Film,” (The Adventures of Martin Dockery, Horologist) Sheets’ enigmatic presence transcended stage and screen. He was also a welcome sight on “The Martha Bassett Show.” The deﬁnition of a charismatic, multitalented, multi-hyphenate artist.

“Captain of a very quirky ship,” as Quilla put it. A wonderful captain, indeed. It’s been an honor to count myself among Matty’s crew of friends. I’m forever grateful I got to tell him the ways he shaped me as a person. And I’m not alone. “It’s tough to ﬁnd the words to express how deeply his friendship has helped me access my love for myself and others and art and music so wholly and thoroughly,” said Georgie Harris in a tribute all the way from Atlanta.

A similar story rings from Laila Nur. “Matty inspired me to keep picking up that guitar and keep coming back to the Flat Iron. I’ve often said his name when asked about my biggest musical inspirations. My love of Greensboro as a music town has always orbited around Matty. He’s a center of gravity.”

It’s heavy. To me, Matty has been a co-host, co-worker, co-conspirator, and a friend. Till the end. He brought warmth to that cold blue hospital room — introducing us to his nurses as “soul siblings,” each by name. Eyes weren’t exactly dry, but laughs remained abundant. Sto-

Katei Cranford

Contributor

PHOTOS BY CHARLIE H. STERN

ries were shared. I’ve always loved his “Nashville” song, so I guess it’s ﬁtting to have held his hand before hitting the highway west.

Like the man he was, Matty’s transition into the ether was pretty dang poetic. News of his cancer hit our friends’ circles just before Ameriglow’s ﬁrst show in eight years. At the Flat Iron, with Instant Regrets (half of which are former Blockheads). It was serendipitous — the day he had surgery we were all singing together in the place that was practically home. A place for our roving pack to return to our circle. Stray dogs, together.

As the main dog rests, his circle of support shines. As his manager and buddy, Laura Jane Vincent insisted: “He was very peaceful and very happy and he had a wonderful sendo .”

“It’s funny because if he was around for it, ‘he’d be like damn LV did you see that?!’” Joyful, humbling. His immediate team still has work ahead. “Donna, Emily, and I hope to create some sort of fund or scholarship from any sales or streams for future musicians in need, in his name and honor,” Vincent explained. “Another music scene on some other plane of existence needs him now. We got his back and we’ll take care of things here. I found him in this lifetime so I’m certain I’ll pick him up for another ride to our show someday somewhere once again.“

Emily Stewart, agreed. “Basically, what y’all need to know is this man’s positivity is the only thing that kept me going the past few weeks as the bombs got dropped on us one after another in the hospital. I didn’t hear a negative word cross his lips. From a song about shark boots born in my living room to a song about popsicles born in his, he was so ready to turn it all into art. And the music was always so clearly the medicine. He told me — about 30 minutes after the inoperable diagnosis — that ‘I’m really proud of my life. There’s nothing I missed. We went to Philly, we went to Austin, we went to Alabama on the way. I ate cheese grits three times in one day!’” “He wanted us all to tell our stories and be vivid in our existence,” Stewart continued, “and I won’t ever hold back again, because Matty Sheets is in my corner. Neither will you!”

And within that corner is a barrel of laughs. Sheets’ humor was otherworldly — which is what Donna Smith holds most dear. “He was so funny and giving–right until the end. He looked out for his friends and told us many times that he would be OK as long as there would be music where he was going. Which we, of course, assured him there would be.”

“He was proud of what he’d done and said he didn’t have anything on his bucket list that he hadn’t accomplished,” Smith continued. “Mere hours from his exit, he was still making us laugh. I’ll never forget how he handled the inevitable, or forget to honor his legacy of love and true friendship. He was a safe space for so many, and he was my safest space for many years.”

Matty was the sort of dude who harnessed happiness however it came: playing cards behind bars or ukele’s till dawn. Snagging deals on cedar top Yamaha’s at Greensboro Music, singing into dive bar ﬂoorboards; or playing through ampliﬁers of his dreams (which came true when recording his upcoming “Stray Dogs” album). Always a little scru y — for all the posi-vibes he radiated — Matty fettered no bullshit. Declaring MS as more pleasant than falling in love, he was a gas to be around at all speeds of his life. He was invigorating — wirey, electric. Sometimes exhausted, but always enthused.

Not one to complain in the traditional sense, we’d often

snicker and commiserate and bitch about the powers that be — all stemming from a place of concern in ways certain folks can’t understand — or won’t understand. And it so often made me feel so much better. This world can be mighty dismissive of the type of folks who’d sell their car to buy an ampliﬁer. Or make a home in the bushes behind their work. But Matty turned those experiences on their head — becoming a beacon of support across the board.

A beacon for those who need it, who’d just as quickly ﬂip the purveyors of injustice, Matty took the charge against the proposed GSO noise ordinances by storm. I guess it’s ﬁne to declare he’s responsible for all those “Shhh. Roy Carroll is sleeping” stickers all around town. He didn’t care enough about the man to Carroll’s name, but delivered the insult with precision. Spelling Roy’s tantrum out far and wide. I still encounter them in bars and downtowns all over the East Coast.

As Raving Knave Dave McLean recalled: “They turned the Greensboro folk world upside down in last night’s Center City Park performance of Matty Sheets and the Blockheads, breaking with a reverent tradition of playing unampliﬁed songs of the people and appearing onstage with an electric guitar. One fan shouted, ‘What would Woody Guthrie say, Matty?’ Sheets looked deﬁant and at one point was heard to tell the band, ‘Play it fucking loud.’”

Matty loved the brief period of time Greensboro was considered the “loudest city in North Carolina;” a title he certainly helped us earn. Snark and attitude weren’t exactly his trademark, but there was a twangy sorta sass in his sensibilities. A mantra to make posi-vibes happen if you cannot to be confused with “posi-vibes only.” Upbeat, but real. A genuine article — funny af — and a snappy damn dresser.

“I don’t know anyone who has enabled more new and original musical creation personally,” said Atiba Berkely, capturing a bit of the joy of being among Matty’s contemporaries. “Watching him, growing with him, loving him is

an honor. Talking hip-hop, ska, blues with him is always an adventure and a journey.”

Ultimately, as fellow Fumble Mucker Kit Dean, said: “Words fail. Thank you is not enough. I love you is not enough.” …though Matty would have likely shooed the sentiment. “He’d be like, ‘Dude, shut up, what are you saying?’” Dean reckoned. “And then threaten to kick me out of or ban me from whatever thing we were doing, even if it was my thing. The grin, the laugh. Tough love was never so sweet, kind, and supportive.”

Listening to his songs, Matty’s tough and tender nature resonates. “Swimming Pool,” “Shitty Day,” “Candy,” are samples of his wonderfully salty songs that have been looping in my head lately. On that note, Blockheads fans should rejoice at the marvel of the “Sea Legs” album hitting streaming platforms after far too long. According to Blockhead Jess “Lil P” Pennell, “with permission from Matty and signed o by the boss, Laura Jane Vincent, it’ll ﬁnally be up for streaming soon for the ﬁrst time ever. Some of the best years of my life were spent alongside him and the other blockheads, playing his songs and recording this album. We worked very hard on it and I can’t wait to share it with you.”

Vincent agreed. “I promised Matty and I promise you all now that in coordination with those closest to him and with those who created the music with him, we will protect and copyright his music and put it all out there for the world to hear.”

It’s an avenue Suzanne Sta ord laments to not have explored more fully. “I’m pretty devastated that there is very limited documentation of our 10 years of that band,” she said, recalling the magic of their time in Come Hell or High Water. “I feel like out of all the people he played with, our musical bond and friendship was perhaps di erently special. We got into the heart of really good rock n’ roll together,” she added, musing their handful of musical projects. “He was deﬁnitely my soul brother.”

Sta ord has started a “How I met my friend Matty Sheets” t-shirt fundraiser through Cut the Music Prints. Oddly enough, I can’t recall how he and I ﬁrst met. I think it was with Taylor Bays, at a Big Red Rooster show. I take comfort in knowing they’re plucking and laughing together again.

For now, there’s comfort in knowing how much love and music he conjured. As we say so long to the physical, his memories shine: “Gold is gold is gold is gold,” after all. And they’ll keep shining. In the open mics that bear his name. At the upcoming Tate Street Fest. Down in Glendon; where folks will shout his praises, sing his songs; and rejoice with the vigor he instilled in us as people — as artists.

While our time with him as we knew it ends — his time with pain and struggle and worry is gone. The elephant is lifted as he ascends into the ether — with the light of his memory and the impact of his presence shining through us.

Though our hearts may be tattered — and it has everything to do with you, Matty — here’s till we meet again.

Friends and fans, please save the date for a memorial event on Sunday, November 10. Time, location, and details to be announced. Meanwhile, the ﬁrst posthumous Matty Sheets’ open mic, hosted by Erin Hayes, goes down on October 2 at the Continental Club in Greensboro. . !

KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who enjoys spotlighting artists and events.

Westerwood Neighborhood announces

Art & Sole Art Walk and Studio Tour

Launched in 2009, Westerwood Art & Sole is a walking tour of artist’s studios in Greensboro’s historic Westerwood neighborhood. Artists open their spaces to the public and visitors can explore Westerwood’s tree-lined streets while enjoying a day of creativity and community.

This year the event will be held on Saturday, October 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The rain-or-shine event is free and open to the public.

Artwork will be available for purchase directly from the artists, o ering a unique opportunity to support our thriving local arts scene and meet the artists.

The Westerwood neighborhood is located just west of Downtown Greensboro. Designated parking and information locations will be provided.

“After a ﬁve-year pandemic hiatus, we are excited to announce the return of Westerwood Art & Sole this October,” says co-founder Ann Lynch. “My vision began to percolate the year I moved to Westerwood, and bubbled up when I began working at the United Arts Council as the Director of Development and noticed so many arts supporters and artists had Westerwood addresses. I soon realized I had moved to what I like to call ‘Greensboro’s most creative neighborhood.’ The event attracts visitors from all over and our local artists are looking forward to

launching a new decade of the Westerwood Art & Sole Art Walk and Studio Tour!”

This year, a record 31 artists will be showing including painters, printmakers, potters, sculptors, ﬁber artists, woodworkers, and photographers. Artists include:

• Leslie Burnside - Photography, Painting

• Anne Cassity - Mixed Media

• Victoria Clegg - Fiber Arts

• Paige Cox - Fiber Arts

• Riley Cox - Fiber Arts

• Ashe Engebretson - Digital and Traditional Drawing, Painting, Stu ed Animals

• Martha Garrett - Pottery

• John Gibbs - Painting, Mixed Media, Sculpture

• Michael Gleason - Wood Boxes, Cutting Boards, Turnings, and Free Standing Furniture

• Margaret Godwin - Painting

• Verónica Grossi - Painting, Drawing

• Ann Lynch - Functional Ceramics

• Don Morgan - Painting, Digital Art Prints

• Evan Morrison - Selvage Denim, Full Grain Leather Products

• Dan Nicholson - Clay, Pastels, Parlee Noonan Painting, Calligraphy

• Michael Northuis - Painting, Drawing, Sculpture

• Hollis Oberlies - Photography, Graphic Design

• Teresa Owens - Painting, Mixed Media

• Hannah Persinger - Painting, Hand Painted Clothing and Accessories, Printmaking

• Neal Persinger - Painting

• Scott Pope - Photography

• Patrick Rowe - Pottery

• Audrey Sage - Fine Metal Jewelry, Woodblock Printmaking

• Dafne Sánchez - Watercolors, Ceramics

• Beth She eld - Mixed Media, Found Objects

• April Simmons - Painting

• Karine Thoresen - Painting

• Jayme White - Mexican Folk Art

• Nichos Alisha Wielfaert - Painting, Fabric Design

• Edwin Young - Painting, Fabric Design For event updates and additional details, visit westerwoodneighborhood. com/art-sole Or Westerwood Art and Sole on Facebook and Instagram. !

Paige Cox

Hannah Persinger - Cafe Open

Ann Lynch - Ceramic Display

Parlee Noonan - One Ear Up

NEW SEASON BEGINS OCTOBER 1

Side by Side with Nido Qubein is a 30-minute, behind-the-curtain conversation with people whose influence and impact are felt throughout the state of North Carolina and beyond. High Point University President Nido Qubein, an internationally known author and business consultant, digs beneath the surface conversation to reveal insights and inspiration from each special guest. Featuring both timeless and topical themes, the weekly series runs yearlong on PBS North Carolina.

HOW MANY OF THESE INTRIGUING INTERVIEWS HAVE YOU SEEN?

Founder and CEO, Kind Lending

WILLIAM KENNARD Chairman, AT&T

RUSSELL WEINER CEO, Domino’s Pizza

GINGER AYDOGDU Founder, Simply Southern

and Senior

DANIEL LUBETZKY

Founder and Executive Chairman, KIND Snacks

TUNE IN TUESDAYS AT 7PM OR WATCH ON DEMAND video.pbsnc.org and the PBS app

CYNT MARSHALL CEO, Dallas Mavericks

GLENN STEARNS

REV. CHRIS HODGES

Founder

Pastor, Church of the Highlands

SCOTT BAXTER CEO and Chair of the Board, Kontoor Brands

PBPS announces 2024 PBPS Road to Memphis Blues Challenge winners and new weekly Blues Jam for community members

Piedmont Blues Preservation Society kicked o its fall season with its annual Road to Memphis PBPS Blues Challenge on Sunday, September 22nd, 2024 at Gashill Drinking Room at the Ramkat in Winston-Salem. A packed blues crowd came out to support local challengers in the Band and Solo/Duo categories. The three judge panel observed a diverse presentation of blues music styles from this year’s challengers. The talent level for all involved was impressive ranging from the purest of blues sounds to new genre-fused takes on the tradition. This annual event brings out experienced players in addition to those beginning blues careers as professionals.

BLUES CHALLENGE WINNERS

PBPS is excited to announce Africa Unplugged as the winner of the band category. Hailing from Durham, Africa Unplugged is a dynamic group fronted by djembe master, guitarist, and songwriter, Atiba Rorie. The band uses traditional percussion instruments from West Africa in combination with guitars and bass this creativity results in a funky and soulful blues-inspired modern take on tradition using both English and a language dialect from Mali in their lyrics.

The winner of the Solo/Duo category is a familiar face in the local Blues & Old Time scene, Mark Dillon. This year he won as a musical Duo teaming up with guitarist and singer Robert Bohinski in a new project titled The Right Reverend Dr. Dillon and Bob. Based in the Triad region this new Duo brought a delightful energy that centered the guitar picking styles for which Piedmont Blues originated from. These two Blues Challenge winners will now head to Memphis, TN, and represent the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society at the International Blues Challenge in January 2025. Stay tuned for more updates on how you can support and be involved in their journey.

The International Blues Challenge will be hosted by The Blues Foundation from January 7-11, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn., and is the world’s largest gathering of Blues acts competing for cash prizes and industry recognition. It’s where the best new Blues bands, solo/duo acts, and young talents

donations that allow PBPS to provide free community access to blues performances as an intentional cultural development practice. We are looking for new players to bring life to this new location at the Stumblin’ Pig on Tuesdays starting in October and we hope to see you there!

SUPPORTING THE BLUES

Join us in making a meaningful impact on the Blues community. We are always seeking new PBPS members. Memberships are paid annually or monthly. Members are entitled to Piedmont Blues discounts and beneﬁts. To become a member visit https://piedmontblues.org/support-bluesculture/pbps-memberships/

As a patron or donor, you can become an integral part of preserving and promoting Blues music. Your generosity helps sustain the Blues in North Carolina, ensuring its rich heritage continues to thrive. !

from around the world take their act to the international stage. In 2022, PBPS representative T.C. Carter from T.C. Carter Band took home the Gibson Guitar Award for Best Band Guitarist. Matt Hill and Abe Reid have taken ﬁrst place in the contest representing PBPS as well.

BACKBEAT BLUES JAM PROGRAM EXPANSION IN MEBANE

The Stumblin’ Pig at 208 W. Clay Street in Mebane is the newest venue in the area to adopt this weekly blues program. This new weekly jam hosted by blues and gospel veteran and former owner of the Red Lion in High Point Gary Redd kicks o on Tuesday, October 1 from 7 to 10 p.m. This

is a free 21+ open jam and allows community members to sign up and play live each Tuesday. The event caters to musicians and encourages them to bring their favorite instrument to plug in and play music with other eager community members. The Backbeat Blues Jam is a program hosted by the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society to build community by creating a space for the oral tradition of teaching and playing Blues music in the African American Folk tradition of a jam.

The Backbeat Blues Jam has been a staple program in various venues across the Triad since 2018. Blues players at all levels of experience come together to create music and community. Venues make

THE PIEDMONT BLUES PRESERVATION SOCIETY (PBPS) is a 501c3 historical, educational, and charitable nonproﬁt dedicated to the preservation and presentation of the culture and music known commonly as the Blues; this form of music has evolved historically from the culture and experiences of African-Americans including work songs and spirituals. Our organization represents Blues culture through educational programs, and workshops, with a focus on historical accuracy and cultural authenticity. We collaborate with other nonproﬁts and with regional and global businesses to highlight the Piedmont as a place to not only live but a place to experience rich culture. Our services support cultural development, public health issues, educational initiatives, and societal concerns while promoting local businesses, tourism, and the arts, in the true spirit of the Blues.

PRESS RELEASE

2024 Blues Challenge Band Winner Africa Unplugged. Pictured from left, Will Darity, Lamar Lewis, Atiba Rorie, Butler Knowles, (not pictured) Elisha Harris.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PBPS ARCHIVES

2024 Blues Challenge Solo/Duo winner The Right Reverend Dr. Dillon and Bob, Mark Dillion and Robert Bohinski.

ASHEBORO

Four SaintS BrEwing

218 South Fayetteville St. | 336.610.3722

www.foursaintsbrewing.com

thursdays: taproom trivia

Fridays: Music Bingo

oct 19: Jamie trout

CARBORRO

Cat’S CradlE

300 E Main St | 919.967.9053

www.catscradle.com

oct 2: SPrintS

oct 2: Violent Femmes

oct 3: Blue goose Kaboom, Cuffing Season, Jacks reese

oct 3: Kishi Bashi

oct 4: Carrtoons

oct 4: la luz

oct 4: Sankofa reunion

oct 5: landon Conrath

oct 5: M. ward

oct 5: the Moss

oct 7: Fib, nick normal, guitar, Saturnalias

oct 10: Braless, Madisinn, Bella peadon, taylor Sharp

oct 10: nilufer Yanya

oct 11: Skylar gudasz

oct 11: the Hourglass Kids, Julia.

oct 12: the wildmans

oct 14: BabyJake

oct 14: david Cross

oct 14: Vundabar

oct 15: Homeshake

oct 17: Jonathan richman ft. tommy larkins

oct 17: Mama’s Broke, allison de groot + tatiana Hargreaves

oct 18: atmosphere

oct 18: Fidlar

oct 18: Porches

oct 18: the dead tongues

oct 20: illuminati Hotties

oct 20: Matthew Sweet acoustic trio

oct 21: Bob Mould Solo Electric

oct 21: Kate Bollinger

oct 22: French Police

oct 23: dogpark

oct 23: Jordy Searcy

oct 24: Foxing

oct 24: illiterate light

oct 25: Boris “amplifier worship Service”

oct 25-26: the ocean Blue

oct 26: rainbow Kitten Surprise

oct 27: Chaparelle

oct 29: Saturdays at Your Place

oct 29: Jamila woods & tank and the Bangas

oct 30: uz Jsme doma, weird god, Server

oct 31: Slow teeth

CHARlOttE

BoJanglES ColiSEuM

2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600

www.boplex.com

oct 11: ana Barbara

oct 19: Marca MP

oct 24: Men at work

oct 25: durango Fest

oct 30: Mania

tHE FillMorE

1000 NC Music Factory Blvd | 704.916.8970

www.livenation.com

oct 1: JinJEr with Hanabie and Born of osiris

oct 1: Zheani

oct 3: inayah

oct 4: Mother Mother

oct 4: Marauda

oct 6: Marc E. Bassy & Skizzy Mars

oct 9: the wldlfe

oct 10: atsuko okatsuka

oct 11: Fozzy

oct 11: tori Kelly

oct 12: Joywave

oct 13: Blxst

oct 13: Peezy

oct 14: inhaler

oct 15: Cuco

oct 16: Social distortion

oct 16: Homixide gang

oct 17: Myles Smith

oct 17: two Feet

oct 18: railroad Earth

oct 18: little Stranger

oct 19: Elyanna

oct 19: wyatt Flores

oct 20: dylan gossett

oct 22: Jesse McCartney

oct 23: ricky Montgomery

oct 25: Kasbo

oct 26: Eliene

oct 27: danny ocean

oct 27: Mark ambor

oct 29: Show Me the Body

oct 29: david Kushner

oct 30: the Black dahlia Murder & dying Fetus

oct 30: Coco & Clair Clair

oct 31: livingston

oct 31: Cold war Kids

PnC MuSiC PaVilion

707 Pavilion Blvd | 704.549.1292 www.livenation.com

oct 5: Marco antonio Solis

oct 7: Post Malone

SKYla CrEdit union aMPHitHEatrE

former Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre

820 Hamilton St | 704.549.5555 www.livenation.com

SPECtruM CEntEr

333 E Trade St | 704.688.9000

www.spectrumcentercharlotte.com

oct 3: MaXwEll

oct 9: gold over america tour 2024

oct 17: Carin leon

oct 20: For King + Country

oct 22-23: uSHEr

oct 25: rainbow Kitten Surprise

oct 27: Jelly roll

oct 31: don toliver

ClEmmOnS

VillagE SquarE

taP HouSE

6000 Meadowbrook Mall Ct | 336.448.5330

www.facebook.com/vstaphouse

oct 3: Kelsey Hurley

oct 4: dustin York

oct 5: wesley Bryan Band

oct 10: Sam Swanson

oct 11: the terrible twos

oct 12: throwdown Jones

oct 18: Black glass

oct 26: Heartbreaker

duRHAm

Carolina tHEatrE

309 W Morgan St | 919.560.3030 www.carolinatheatre.org

oct 2: BEat

oct 4: Chris Botti

oct 5: number drummer live!

oct 10: todd rundgren

oct 18: Jose gonzalez

oct 20: Music in Miniature

oct 26: Celtic thunder

oct 29: Mania — aBBa tribute

oct 31: rick wakeman

dPaC

123 Vivian St | 919.680.2787

www.dpacnc.com

oct 1-6: & Juliet

oct 9: america

oct 10: the Black Crowes

oct 11: Matteo lane

oct 12: tHE tHE

oct 17: Hillary Clinton live

oct 18: Charlie wilson

oct 19: iliza

oct 20: the temptations & the Four tops

oct 23: the life and Music of george

Michael

oct 25: lewis Black

oct 26: Brett Young

oct 27: Straight no Chaser

wednesdays: reeves open Mic

Fourth thursdays: old-time Jam

oct 5: Ben Sollee

oct 11: amythyst Kiah w/ Maia Kamil oct 12: the Brothers Comatose

gREEnSBORO

BAND AUDITIONING

Rock Mix for talented, dedicated, artsy, female musicians!!! - 1 4string electric bass guitar. - 1 analog synthesizer/organ. Must sing when playing your pro gear right on originals songs, lyrics music. We are writing own band songs, music. Do you want to play your instrument with the right real band Musicians??? You could just be the one that fits our band name. What are you waiting for??? Don’t hold back your dream... Must be ages 30’s to 40’s. No drugs, drunks, ego, or scammers. For more Info: Email madstix76@ymail.com and include heading so we see it. We are in Winston-Salem, NC

ComEdY ZonE

1126 S Holden Rd | 336.333.1034

www.thecomedyzone.com

oct 1: T.J. miller

oct 4-5: Jess Hillarious

oct 9: Cousin Tiera

oct 10: Chase Anthony

oct 11-13: Adele Givens

oct 16: Zoltan Kaszas

oct 17: Gigi LeFlair

oct 18-19: Big Baby And Friends

Common GroundS

602 S Elm Ave | 336.698.388 www.facebook.com/CommonGroundsGreensboro

ConE dEnim

117 S Elm St | 336.378.9646 www.cdecgreensboro.com

FLAT iron

221 Summit Ave | 336.501.3967 www.flatirongso.com

oct 1: david Sanborn Tribute

oct 2: Will overman & William matheny

oct 3: The Heart Collectors, mild Goose Chase and Folkknot

oct 6: Colin Cutler & Hot Pepper Jam w/ Audrey Smith rebecca Porter

oct 8: Cat ridgeway & The Tourists +Johnny manchild and the Poor Bastards

oct 9: dawn Landes + Tyrone Cotton

oct 10: The Cyril Lance Collective

oct 11: Cigarettes @ Sunset w/ Bedroom division + SCoBY

oct 12: The Stolen Faces

oct 14: John moreland

oct 15: Abigail dowd’s Songwriter Series ft. Joy Clark

oct 16: Biana Jade w/ dapYP and natalie Carr

oct 17: megan Jean’s Secret Family w/ Kyle Caudle & Timberline + don merckle

GArAGE TAvErn

5211 A West Market St | 336.763.2020 www.facebook.com/GarageTavernGreensboro

GrAndovEr rESorT

2275 Vanstory Street Suite 200 | 336.294.1800 www.grandover.com

Wednesdays: Live Jazz w/ Steve Haines Trio

GrEEnSBoro CoLiSEum

1921 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400 www.greensborocoliseum.com

oct 13: Ken Carson

oct 13: Peso Pluma

oct 15: Asking Alexandria

oct 16: That mexican oT

oct 17: Stevie Wonder

oct 18: Aggie Homecoming Step Show

oct 19: 2024 Aggie Homecoming Concert

HAnGAr 1819

1819 Spring Garden St | 336.579.6480

www.hangar1819.com

Sep 25: Signs of The Swarm w/ Cane Hill, ov Sulfur, 156/Silence, A Wake in Providence

Sep 27: norma Jean w/ darkest Hour & no Treaty

Sep 28: nervosa w/ Lich King, Hatriot, Blackwater drowning, dying oath

Sep 29: nanowar of Steel w/ Tragedy

oct 4: unityTX w/ Silly Goose, mugshot

oct 5: united We dance: The ultimate rave Experience

oct 5: The Home Team w/ Arrows in Action, Super American, Pulses

oct 9: demon Hunter w/ impending doom, War of Ages, opponent

oct 10: rain City drive w/ Belmont, until i Wake, Siamese, nightlife

oct 11: Sabbath

oct 12: Wither The Fallacy w/ Attracting the Fall, Fault reset, reflect refine, Cadaver delende

oct 16: undeath w/ Kruelty, Gates To hell, divine right

oct 19: Chappell roan night

oct 25: Pain of Truth / dying Wish w/ outta Pocket, Balmora, Ends of Sanity

oct 26: miss may i with in Hearts Wake, Traitors, Bloom

LiTTLE BroTHEr

BrEWinG

348 South Elm St | 336.510.9678

www.facebook.com/littlebrotherbrew

Wednesdays: Trivia

Fridays & Saturdays: Free Live music

PiEdmonT HALL

2411 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400 www.greensborocoliseum.com

rodY’S TAvErn

5105 Michaux Rd | 336.282.0950

www.facebook.com/rodystavern

STEvEn TAnGEr CEnTEr

300 N Elm Street | 336.333.6500

www.tangercenter.com

oct 4: nate Jackson

oct 5: Keith Sweat

oct 8-13: Juliet

oct 16: Price is right Live!

oct 17: Joe Gatto

oct 19-20: Paw Patrol

oct 24: Levar Burton

oct 25: Gate City Blues Festival

oct 26: Straight no Chaser

oct 27: The Life and music of George michael

THE idioT BoX

ComEdY CLuB

503 N. Greene St | 336.274.2699 www.idiotboxers.com

Thursdays: open mic

oct 4-5: Stewart Huff

oct 17: The Greener Side

oct 26: Erik Terrell

WHiTE oAK

AmPiTHEATrE

1921 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400 www.greensborocoliseum.com

WinESTYLES

3326 W Friendly Ave Suite 141 | 336.299.4505 www.facebook.com/winestylesgreensboro277

high point

1614 dmB

1614 N Main St | 336.883.4113 https://www.1614drinksmusicbilliards.com/

oct 5: Kwik Fixx

oct 25: mad Hattors — Halloween Bash

GooFY FooT TAProom

2762 NC-68 #109 | 336.307.2567 www.goofyfoottaproom.com

HiGH PoinT BiSTro

3793 Samet Dr. #165 | 336.875.4444 https://www.facebook.com/p/High-PointBistro-61552711048428/

HiGH PoinT THEATrE

220 E Commerce Ave | 336.883.3401 www.highpointtheatre.com

Sep 26: Tannahill Weavers

Sep 27: Scythian

Sep 28: dancing with the Sisters

oct 5: Alexander Star and the Golden People

oct 12: Peter noone

oct 19: Kelly Swanson

PLAnK STrEET TAvErn

138 Church Ave | 336.991.5016 www.facebook.com/plankstreettavern

SWEET oLd BiLL’S 1232 N Main St | 336.807.1476 www.sweetoldbills.com

www.facebook.com/TheDeckJamestown/

www.facebook.com/BreatheCocktailLounge Wednesdays: Karaoke

Sep 24-27: iBmA — Bluegrass ramble

Sep 27: Thurston Howell

Sep 28: victor Wooten & The Wooten Brothers oct 2: micky and the motorcars oct 3: HoL! w/ Jkyl & Hyde

oct 4: The Elovators w/ Cisco Adler, Bikini Trill

oct 5: marauda w/ Beastoi

Oct 11: Joywave

Oct 12: Tape B w/ Levity and Mythm

Oct 13: Artemas

Oct 15: DJ Shadow w/ Lunice

Oct 17: Little Stranger

Oct 18: Lotus

Oct 19: Railroad Earth w/ Big Richard

Oct 20: Will Hoge

Oct 24: Battle of the Broker Bands

Oct 25: Cosmic Charlie

Oct 27: Rapsody

Oct 31: Ghostly Gala Halloween Rave

RED HAT AMpHiTHEATER

500 S McDowell St | 919.996.8800 www.redhatamphitheater.com

Sep 27-28: iBMA World of Bluegrass Main Stage

Oct 1: Kehlani w/ Flo & Anycia

Oct 2: Violent Femmes

Oct 3: Conan Gray

Oct 4: Lake Street Drive

Oct 9: Vampire Weekend w/ Cults

Oct 13: Ray LaMontagne + Gregory Alan isakov w/ The Secret Sisters

Oct 15: Stephen Sanchez w/ The paper Kites

Oct 16: Jungle

Oct 18: Lainey Wilson

Oct 19: Becky G

Oct 20: Judah & the Lion w/ Abe parker

Oct 25: Quinn XCii

Oct 26: Chase Atlantic

LENOVO CENTER

1400 Edwards Mill Rd | 919.861.2300 www.thepncarena.com

Sep 26: Kirk Franklin

Oct 8: Nicki Minaj

Oct 10: Casting Crowns, We The Kingdom, Mac powell, Katy Nichole, Terrian, David Leonard

Oct 18: Jeff Dunham

Oct 19: Sabrina Carpenter w/ GRiFF

Oct 25: Little Big Town

Oct 26: Rainbow Kitten Surprise

winston-salem

EARL’S

121 West 9th Street | 336.448.0018

www.earlsws.com

Mondays: Open Mic

FiDDLiN’ FiSH

BREWiNG COMpANY

772 Trade St | 336.999.8945

www.fiddlinfish.com

Tuesdays: Trivia

Sep 27: Hotwax & The Splinters

Sep 28: Beer & Bluegrass

Oct 4: Sam Robinson

Oct 11: Kris Atom

Oct 18: Joe Dowdy Trio

Oct 25: Evan Blackerby

Oct 26: Cosmic Charlie

FOOTHiLLS

BREWiNG

638 W 4th St | 336.777.3348

www.foothillsbrewing.com

Sundays: Sunday Jazz

Thursdays: Trivia

Sep 27: Michael Chaney

Sep 29: Megan Doss

Oct 2: Mystic Muse

Oct 4: COiA w/ Russell Kelly

Oct 5: Natalie Goodrich

Oct 9: Craig Vaughn

Oct 11: The Raven and the Road

Oct 12: Big Bump & The Stun Guns

Oct 13: Sam Swanson

Oct 16: Taylor Williams Group

Oct 20: Anna Mertson

Oct 23: Grizzly panda

Oct 30: Red Umber

MiDWAY MUSiC HALL

11141 Old US Hwy 52, Suite 10 | 336.793.4218

www.facebook.com/midwaymusichallandeventcenter

Mondays: Line Dancing

MUDDY CREEK CAFE & MUSiC HALL

137 West St | 336.201.5182

www.facebook.com/MuddyCreekCafe

THE RAMKAT

170 W 9th St | 336.754.9714

www.theramkat.com

Sep 25: Chuck Owen & ReSurgence

Sep 26: palmyra, William Hinson

Sep 27: Time Sawyer

Sep 28: Jesse Dayton, Ghalia Volt

Sep 29: Everclear

Oct 3: Houndmouth

Oct 4: Shinyribs

Oct 5: Boy Named Banjo

Oct 10: Jake Shimabukuro

Oct 11: Victor Wooten & The Wooten Brothers

Oct 16: Chris Renzema

Oct 18: into The Fog

Oct 19: Atlanta Rhythm

Oct 23: Deer Trick, Justin and The Cosmics

Oct 24: LOGAN

Oct 25: Chameleons, The Veldt

Oct 26: FemFest Xi

ROAR

633 North Liberty Street | 336-917-3008 www.roarws.com | www.roarbrandstheater. com

WiSE MAN BREWiNG

826 Angelo Bros Ave | 336.725.0008 www.wisemanbrewing.com

Thursdays: Music Bingo

Oct 4: Zack Brock Band

Oct 5: Salem Smoke

Oct 26: Boo’s, Booze, and Brews Halloween Bash

Natalie Garcia

[

[2.

[3. U.S.

[4. GEOGRAPHY: Where are the Maldives (islands) located?

[5. MUSIC: Who was the ﬁrst woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

TEST]

[6. TELEVISION: What is Dorothy’s job on The Golden Girls?

[7. MATH: Which number doesn’t have a Roman numeral equivalent?

[8. LITERATURE: In the Harry Potter series of novels, what was Lord Voldemort’s name before he changed it?

[9. ANIMAL KINGDOM: Which dog breed doesn’t “bark?”

[10. FAMOUS QUOTES: Who wrote the poetic line about fall, “Nature’s ﬁrst green is gold?”

[SALOME’S STARS]

Week of October 7, 2024

[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Mars, your ruling planet, will soon begin a journey that will open up a growing number of romantic and fun-ﬁlled possibilities. Put this surging Arian energy to good use and explore it to your heart’s content.

[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) This is the time to prepare for a career move coming up next month. Update your resume. Get those proposals in shape. And don’t forget to bu up that Bovine self-conﬁdence!

[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Your Gemini instincts will guide you to the right people who might be able to help you get over a career impasse that has been holding you back. Expect to make changes.

[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) You’re getting closer, but you still have a way to go before reaching your goals. Continue to stay focused, no matter how di cult it can be for the easily distracted Moon Child.

[LEO (July 23 to August 22) Your Leonine pride might be keeping you from

getting to the source of a disturbing situation. Don’t be shy about asking questions. Remember, information is power.

[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) It’s a good time to shake up your tidy little world by doing something spontaneous, like taking an unplanned trip or going on a mad shopping spree.

[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) This is a good week to get advice on your plans. But don’t act on them until you feel sure that you’ve been told everything you need to know to support your move.

[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Be careful. You might be probing just a little too deeply into a situation that you ﬁnd singularly suspicious. The facts you seek will begin to emerge at a later time.

[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) This is a good week to make new friends and look for new career challenges. But ﬁrst, get all those unﬁnished tasks wrapped up and out of the way.

[cAPrIcorN (December 22 to January 19) Relationships need a fresh infusion of tender, loving care. Avoid potential problems down the line. Stay close to loved ones as the month draws to a close.

[AQuArIus (January 20 to February 18) Take things nice and easy as you continue to build up your energy reserves for a big change that comes in when the transformational planet Pluto reenters your sign later on next month.

[PIsces (February 19 to March 20) This is the absolute right time to let those often-hidden talents shine their brightest. You’ll impress some very important people with what you can do.

[BorN THIs week: You are impelled by a need to find the truth, no matter how elusive. You would make a wonderful research scientist or an intrepid detective.