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I possess many CDs/ DVDs/ back issues of science fiction/ fantasy/horror periodicals (including Cinefantastique, G-Fan, Castle of Frankenstein, Cult Movies, Starlog, World of Fandom, Fangoria, Film Facts, et al.). Interested parties should email me (“Mufasa”) at katsdad1102@gmail.com.
At the Greensboro City Council May 7 meeting, District 3 representative Zack Matheny spoke for ten minutes about safety, health, and crime issues at the Interactive Resource Center at 407 East Washington St.
4 In one of the most original, functional property transformations ever, Jennifer Smith, owner of MOZELLE’S, converted a building that was once a diner into what is, if not strictly speaking, fine dining, then pretty close, in a casual sort of way.
6 The School of Filmmaking at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) is giving the community an opportunity to experience the ARTISTIC TALENTS of its third — and fourth-year students with free screenings this week, which will be available in person and on demand.
7 On Sunday, millions around the world celebrated MOTHER’S DAY. A holiday that has been super commercialized. We’ve all seen the commercials for
4 8 14
flowers, candy, balloons, trinkets, and jewelry to remind your mom that she’s the best mom ever.
8 By the time the title appears onscreen — nearly 20 minutes in — TAROT is already a lost cause.
12 Spring is back in the pedal for GEARS AND GUITARS, as the “biggest party on two wheels” returns to downtown Winston-Salem, springing into action May 24-25.
14 Bands and beers and tasty bites, oh my! BEER CO., the lil’ hallway bottle shop on McGee in Greensboro, is turning 10 years old with an afternoon thrasher featuring metal maniacs BloodRitual and the hardcore dummies in Döltz, starting at 4 p.m. on May 19.
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The Greensboro Bound Literary Festival returns May 16-19 with a lineup of 59 authors, 29 events, and 3 workshops. All Saturday author events are 100% free to the community. Workshops are pay-whatyou-want with proceeds used to compensate the workshop facilitators. View the full schedule at events.greensborobound. com.
New York Times best-selling author James McBride (“The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store”) will open the festival on Thursday, May 16 on the campus of UNC Greensboro. Friday, May 17 will feature North Carolina’s own Ayesha Rascoe, host of NPR’s Weekend Edition and editor of the new collection “HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience.” Saturday, May 18 will be a day packed with authors and topics ranging from the culture of video gaming with a panel sponsored by the UNCG featuring Carmen Maria Machado and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah to the lasting pop culture phenomenon of Mean Girls with an insider’s look with Jennifer Keishin Armstrong to a workshop with #1000wordsofsummer creator Jami Attenberg. Saturday will close with New York Times best-selling author Silvia MorenoGarcia. The festival will close on Sunday, May 19, with a ticketed brunch at the Historic Magnolia House in celebration of the life and work of the late Randall Kenan and this year’s One City, One Book read, “The Carolina Table: North Carolina Writers on Food,” which was edited by Kenan. This year’s festival includes 17 North Carolina authors, including Marjorie Hudson, J. Dana Trent, Diane Flynt, Julia Ridley Smith, and Hallie Hill. Topics range
from YA romance, mental health, the opioid epidemic, the history of apples in the South, cultural critique, eco-distress, belonging and displacement, stories our bodies tell — and many, many more! There is truly something for everyone!
For the smallest of readers, we will present four children’s authors in five presentations, including read-alongs from Meera Sriram, Molly Felder, and Mariana Llanos. Greensboro Bound will also present the Guilford County Poet Laureate program reading featuring the best and brightest budding student poets who have worked this year under the tutelage of well-known Greensboro poet, Josephus Thompson, III.
“We are thrilled to continue Greensboro Bound’s rich tradition in the local and literary communities,” said Lex Orgera, Executive Director of Greensboro Bound. “The 2024 festival holds a special place in my heart as my first in leading the organization, and I am beyond proud to announce our thrilling, diverse, and engaging lineup of authors and topics. Our diversity of authors has always been our strength, and I am eager to reach new audiences this May.”
This year’s festival is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts; UNCG University Libraries; UNCG Esports program; a Creative Greensboro/City of Greensboro Sustaining Creativity Grant; the North Carolina Arts Council; and Casa Azul — among many other foundation, corporate, and individual donors. These generous gifts allow us to keep Greensboro Bound 100% free and to continue the work of binding our community together through stories. !
In one of the most original, functional property transformations ever, Jennifer Smith, owner of Mozelle’s, converted a building that was once a diner into what is, if not strictly speaking, fine dining, then pretty close, in a casual sort of way. The restaurant opened in 2008. A lot of the
seating is outdoors, under large umbrellas, and this is the perfect time of year to utilize the setting. Fall is great, too. The rest of the year is determined by temperature and accommodations/adaptations the staff makes for the space. Seating inside is somewhat limited. One row of tables lines the front, just beyond the open kitchen. Another smallish spice flanks to the side. Given space limita-
tions, reservations are always a good idea, and given this restaurant’s wellearned popularity, those slots tend to be taken fairly well in advance. Plan ahead.
The restaurant is named after Jennifer’s grandmother. Mozelle was her first name.
and heat, but the heat is not excessive, and I had no difficulty eating it a bite at a time, although you could cut it up and add it to the dip. (I’ll bet this was a contribution from the line cooking staff that I observed.)
Jay Pierce is Executive Chef. I have been following and admiring him for decades, in Greensboro in addition to Winston-Salem. He has helmed Mozelle’s kitchen for six years, modifying and updating a menu that he inherited. The food here follows a Southern theme, with emphasis on local providers when possible. While there is a set menu, the website promises that accommodations to any dietary request can be made. (As a courtesy, I would urge patrons with unusual requests to call ahead.)
Adult beverage service is limited to beer and wine. (No bar, no mixed drinks or liquor.) As is the trend these days, the wine list contains mostly unfamiliar selections. But servers are knowledgeable enough to make informed suggestions, and small tastes (gratis) were provided to assist decision making. I think such service is mandatory for wine lists like this, so Mozelle’s passes the test.
The Disco Turkeys have signed a 9-foot-tall player for the game from Ringling Bros Clown College! Tickets $10 for chairback stadium seats and GA. Game held at Wake Forest University’s Couch Ballpark
The food passes any test I might apply, with room to spare.
A starter of Southern Spring Rolls combines pulled pork with shredded collards and Napa cabbage, plus diced shiitake mushrooms, seasoned with sesame and ginger, in a crisp fried shell. Three are sliced on the diagonal and presented over leaf lettuces. A creative variation on a staple from another cuisine. Artichoke-Spinach Dip places the artichoke first in name and primary in flavor. A chile toreado — blistered chile pepper — rests alongside. It lends flavor
Salads can be converted to entrées with the addition of a protein. My wife ordered a Caesar sans supplement, and found Romaine lettuce, very lightly dressed, cut into bite-sized pieces, topped with crisp croutons. The flavor of Romaine lettuce stands in the forefront. The seasonal section of the menu provides a Spring Bowl, likewise adaptable. This is big, an entrée-sized portion of arugula, green peas, radish slivers, freekeh (toasted wheat kernels), and pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds), decorated with tortilla chips, all dressed in avocado dressing. It’s really tasty, functional as a vegetarian entrée or a substantial separate course. I guess any restaurant that follows a Southern theme, even if it is not a strict adherence to tradition, has to have two classic entrées. Shrimp and Grits here are unusually rich, a function primarily of sherry cream sauce. The menu vows that the shrimp are wild-caught American, supplemented with serrano ham and diced sweet peppers. The shrimp are deveined and cooked just-right-tender. For its Fried Chicken, the kitchen uses boneless breast meat, lightly battered and tender, a more sophisticated rendition than the heavier traditional Southern style. This comes with macaroni and cheese — a stellar preparation that uses cream, Parmesan, and Tillamook white cheddar cheeses, and al dente green beans, maybe more at home in a kitchen in southern France than North Carolina, quite tasty and fresh.
Meat Loaf fits the Southern theme, as
well, in this case, two patties of blended beef (from Brasstown Beef — a superior product) and locally-raised pork, with melted havarti cheese, topped with tomato marmalade. Cheese grits host the presentation, along with spicy, fresh collard greens. (I don’t think it’s too much to ask that the stems be more thoroughly removed.)
The obligatory Salmon entrée is seared as precisely as I have ever encountered, crusty on the exterior, soft and moist inside. This is surrounded by a mild coconut curry sauce that marries well with the cheese grits, further decorated with a little arugula salad on the side of the plate.
Partly because the website promised vegetarian selections, but mostly just because it sounded good in the menu description, guest Jerry ordered Tomato Pie. The hand-rolled crust generates excellent flavor in its own right, hosting sweet, meaty Stanislaus tomatoes and a succotash of corn and edamame (soy beans, which provide protein), seasoned with Blue Plate mayonnaise and fresh basil, extended with sharp cheddar and ParmigianoReggiano cheeses.
Mozelle’s names Toddle House Chocolate Pie in homage to the former occupant of this space. A very long time
ago, I carried a newspaper route on Elm Street by the Toddle House in Greensboro, where I traded a daily paper for pie. Chocolate was a favorite then, and this version could become one now. Mozelle’s is good anytime, but spring is best. See you there. !
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.
Mozelle’s 878 W 4th Street Winston-Salem 27101 336-703-5400 mozelles.com
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. every day
Appetizers: $13-$22
Salads: $7-$15
Soups: $7
Entrees: $16-$34
Desserts: $10
Most recent visit: May 7
SUBMITTED
Salem Band is excited to announce a special collaborative performance event with the incredible Paperhand Puppet Intervention (PPI)! PPI has not been to Winston-Salem since 2017, so Salem Band feels it is time to host them again for the community to enjoy. Accompanied by music by Salem Band, PPI will display puppets in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and styles: https://www.paperhandpuppet.org/. This is a sponsored project of the Arts Council of WinstonSalem & Forsyth County and funded through ARPA supported by the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners. The program includes a Sound of Music medley, “Teddy Bear’s Picnic,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and music from Aladdin Salem Band will play music from original American puppetry including the “Batman Theme,” “Muppets Greatest Hits” and Sesame Street. “Dance for a Clown” features Salem Band clarinet soloist Alexis Batista-Rios performing on the E-flat clarinet — you’ll have to attend the concert to find out more about this unusual instrument!
Featured musical selections with PPI include Alfred Hitchcock’s theme, “Funeral march for a Marionette”; Harry Belafonte’s upbeat “Turn the World Around”; and the jazz classic, Birdland. PPI will display puppets relating to the music, with various birds, goats, woodland animals making an appearance.
Paperhand Puppet Intervention’s Misson includes: Using diverse styles of puppetry and artistic expression to create works that inspire, promote social change, and are deeply rewarding for all involved.
Our vision is inspired by our love for the earth and its creatures (including humans). Paired with Salem Band’s Mission to o er free concerts to the community we serve, this collaboration will be accessible to the entire community: outdoors, free (seating is first-come-first-served — no tickets required), and geared towards all ages. Be sure to bring a lawn chair, and please observe and respect the roped-o areas — they are reserved spaces for PPI to transfer puppets into and out of Salem Square — and some pf the puppets are much larger than life!
Your opportunity to sing will also be on the program — Salem Band plays hymns from the Moravian band books on each summer concert in fulfillment of another part of our Mission: To maintain and promote the Salem Band as the oldest, continuous mixed wind ensemble in the nation while honoring its Moravian heritage.
All Salem Band concerts are free and open to the public. Contact Music Director Eileen Young at musicdirector@ salemband.org or 336-413-2180 for more info. !
Established in 1771, SALEM BAND is the oldest, continuous mixed wind ensemble in the nation, celebrating 253 years. Eileen Young, Music Director. Visit our webstie, www.salemband.org, or Facebook for more information https://www.facebook.com/SalemBandFan/
Salem Band 2024 Summer Concert Series: Puppet Magic will take place Sunday, May 28, 2024, at 7:30 p.m., at Salem Square, 649 S. Main Street, Old Salem in Winston-Salem. There will be pre-concert music by SB Brass Quintet at 6:45 p.m. This event is free.
The School of Filmmaking at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) is giving the community an opportunity to experience the artistic talents of its third — and fourth-year students with free screenings this week, which will be available in person and on demand. The latter screenings will be made available from Thursday through Sunday.
The third-year films will be screened at 7 p.m. Thursday in the ACE Main Theatre, located on the UNCSA campus, 1533 S. Main St., Winston-Salem. For more information, visit https://www.uncsa.edu/ performances/events/20240516-thirdyear-films.aspx. The fourth-year films will be screened at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Friday in the ACE Main Theatre. For more information, visit https://www.uncsa. edu/performances/events/20240517fourth-year-films.aspx.
On the verge of completing her third year as the School of Filmmaking dean, Deborah LaVine is excited by the variety of student films and the opportunity for the community at large to enjoy them. “I hope they see the scope of distinctly di erent ideas,” she said. “Our films range from fantasy to romantic comedies, from documentaries to animation, and films with puppets. They capture the imaginations, concerns, and unique outlook on the world each of our students are encountering.”
Some films may contain adult themes and/or language — and tackle a wide variety of topics while employing the latest in state-of-the-art filmmaking.
Looking ahead to the future, “entering my fourth year remains an adventure, one that teaches me something new every day — most especially patience and the understanding that our school is very large and filled with strong, passionate, distinctly di erent individuals whose job will always be to take a stand for what they believe in.”
This year’s line-up of short films consists of Clocked Out, The Tide, Spade, It’s About You, The Red Canary, The Muse (which features flashing lights), Vanishing Point, Polyester, Flag of Bone, and No Strings Attached. The films range in length from 3½ to 14½ minutes long. The entire program runs less than two hours.
The fourth-year films, which range in length from 5 minutes to 19½ minutes long, consists of Born This Way, Tortilla Woman, Fall Towards the Heavens (animated), Pucks in Deep, Koexistenz, Belly of the Beast, Playing Around (animated), Hail Mary, Gibbous Devotion (animated), The Judas Project, Philophobia(animated), In Spite of Ourselves, and Half Moon Motel. This program also runs less than two hours.
“The school, and Winston-Salem as a community, benefit from the filmmakers who come to town and share their experience of the world. The films o er disparate and profound points of view that ask their audience to consider positions they might not traditionally encounter.”
Given the changing landscape of the industry, it sometimes seems that the traditional ways of seeing films are becoming antiquated, but LaVine doesn’t subscribe to that opinion. “While the industry is going through some selfevaluation,” she confirms, “the need for that unique shared experience that happens in a cinema, or theater of any kind, is more necessary than ever. As technology leads us toward deeper relationships with machines, sitting next to each other in the dark seeing and hearing a story in real time is truly precious.”
The o cial UNCSA website is https:// www.uncsa.edu/. !
See MARK BURGER ’s reviews of current movies. © 2024, Mark Burger.
On Sunday, millions around the world celebrated Mother’s Day. A holiday that has been super commercialized. We’ve all seen the commercials for flowers, candy, balloons, trinkets, and jewelry to remind your mom that she’s the best mom ever.
Or your wife that she’s taken on a job that no other woman could fill.
According to the National Retail Federation, Mother’s Day spending was expected to reach $33.5 billion this year. That is the second-highest spending amount in the history of the survey, after last year’s record of $35.7 billion spent.
According to the NRF, shoppers will spend roughly $254 per person on Mother’s Day gifts and celebrations. While they are estimating that 84 percent of Americans will celebrate the holiday, they expect more than $3.2 billion to be spent on flowers for the occasion.
The truth of the matter is that there is simply no gift on this planet that could compare to the amount of work that mothers put in day in and day out to ensure that their families and households run as smoothly as possible.
And as e ortlessly as mothers make it seem and as glamorous as it can often look on social media, motherhood is hard.
I mean extremely hard.
Hear me out.
The definition of mothering is “the act of caring for or protecting like a mother.” That act is not limited to children you’ve given birth to or children at all. I like to think that most women at some point or another have taken on the duty of mothering others, friends and family included.
These include those who can’t or don’t have children, aunties, stepmothers, neighbors, and family friends. At some point, they all care for, impart wisdom in, and protect your children.
Our friends mother us. They protect our feelings and us; care for us when we are down, and have our backs when we need them the most.
Personally, as a mother, I have plenty of friends who mother me. They remind me to tap into my health, monitor my needs, and not work myself to death. Some of them are mothers and some of them are not. However, that does not change their acts of service.
Our elders mother us, related or not. They share their lived experiences with us so that they can protect us from the consequences they faced when they were young. They impart wisdom in us in hopes of making our paths just a little bit easier.
As we wrap up Mother’s Day celebrations, let’s not forget that we are “mothered” 365 days of the year by many who may not be a mother at all.
That fact doesn’t make them less appreciated. !
This is why it is equally important for me to shout out the women who “mother” others, as well.
is the current editor of YES! Weekly and graduated from N.C. A&T S.U. in 2011 with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. She’s worked at daily and weekly newspapers in the Triad region.
By the time the title appears onscreen — nearly 20 minutes in — Tarot is already a lost cause.
We’ve been introduced to the typical group of dumb kids, college students spending a weekend together in a remote mansion in the Catskills (!). They’re meant to be bosom buddies but the chemistry between them is negligible. When they run out of beer — now that’s scary! — they root through the house before coming upon a padlocked cellar door with a sign reading “Keep out.” Naturally they don’t, instead discovering “old astrological stu ,” including a hand-painted deck of Tarot cards in an old wooden box. Conveniently, resident “final girl” Haley (Harriet Slater) is well-versed in the Tarot and proceeds to read everyone’s fortune. By the time she’s finished, and the title comes up, their fates are essentially sealed, and so is the film’s. What they don’t realize, but the audience certainly does, is that they’ve found spirits — just not the kind they were looking for. Once back at school, where they appear to be the only
students on campus, they summarily (and predictably) begin meeting gruesome fates in a fashion much like the Final Destination franchise.
This hoary adaptation of the 1992 Nicholas Adams novel Horrorscope trots out the familiar horror tropes: Banging doors, flickering candles, and other things that go bump in the night. Scripted by executive producers and first-time co-directors Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg, the narrative of Tarot follows a stupefyingly predictable trajectory. In the later stages, however, it begins to incorporate awkward touches of black comedy, as if the filmmakers simply got bored with their conventional storyline (join the club) and were trying to spice things up. It does not work. Very little in Tarot does.
Aside from Larsen Thompson (as the first victim Elise) and Slater (who brings some pluck to her role), the other characters are generic and dull. Jacob Batalon, Avantika, Anna Halberg, Wolfgang Novogratz, Adain Bradley, and Humberly Gonzalez are stick figures, and Batalon’s attempts at comic relief reek of desperation. Noted Irish stage actress Olwen Fouéré turns up as an eccentric astrologer whom the potential victims seek out, and she provides the requisite (and endless) exposition, thereby padding the proceedings in draggy, talky fashion. !
See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies. © 2024, Mark Burger.
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At the Greensboro City Council May 7 meeting, District 3 representative Zack Matheny spoke for ten minutes about safety, health, and crime issues at the Interactive Resource Center at 407 East Washington St.
“I sent you all an email in regard to the email we received from Assistant City Manager Davis regarding the IRC’s restructuring decision,” said Matheny at the beginning of his comments.
By “restructuring decision,” he meant the IRC expanding its hours to include being open between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. Monday through Friday. Founded in 2009 as a day campus for the city’s unhoused population, the IRC, which is not open on weekends, has in recent years closed at 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Last year, council funded expanded hours at the facility, and in January the IRC launched its 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekday Drop-in Program, which the city’s website describes as “the first phase of transitioning its services to being accessible 24/7 to better address issues of homelessness in the community.”
After noting that four districts include or border the IRC property, Matheny said that problems there should be the concern of every council member, as they a ect the whole city.
“And for the IRC to make a decision to no longer allow families is concerning,” said Matheny. “There have been more calls at the IRC than there have been calls of nuisance at three establishments we’ve been able to shut down in the last 12 months. If you ask our legal department, the fact that we’re allowing the IRC to operate, they should be thankful. But they’re not operating under conditions that are good. And so, it’s almost as if we’re keeping folks who probably need more help than we can give, and pushing families out into the street. That’s a problem.”
According to IRC Executive Director Kristina Singleton,
Matheny’s reference to “a decision to no longer allow families” at the IRC is incorrect. In an email Singleton sent to Council on Friday, she wrote:
“Since our doors opened in 2009, we have never taken families or minors at the IRC, with the exception of white flag emergency shelter, in which they were referred to organizations that serve families as quickly as possible.” Matheny’s remarks included his claim of having learned “at meetings today and yesterday that the amount of sexual assaults, on women and men, has increased.” When asked if they had happened inside the IRC, he replied, “They were right outside,” and did not indicate whether the assaults had occurred when the center was open and sta ed.
The email Matheny referred to from Assistant City Manager for Public Safety Trey Davis was sent to Council, city managers, and Police Chief John Thompson on April 2 with the title “IRC Safety Concerns.” In it, Davis stated:
“City and County management o ces have received multiple calls for concerns with the IRC, impacting neighboring businesses and overall quality of life in this corridor. An increase in activity has generated concerns for first responders and impact on call response to other
emergency needs in the city. Call response data indicates a more than 200% increase in calls for service from this time last year. Guilford County EMS communicated that sta have responded to 97 calls to the IRC in the last 30 days (46 of which were in the past week). A recent interaction with EMS sta prompted immediate requests to GPD and GFD leadership for assistance in devising an immediate action plan, but also a safe, long-term solution. EMS leadership has notified their sta that until we can find a safe and sustainable resolution, we are implementing an automatic GPD response for all EMS/GFD calls and recommending all EMS and Fire units wait and stage for GPD to advise that the scene is safe to enter.”
When asked about Matheny’s statement about sexual assaults “right outside” the IRC, GPD Public Information Manager Annette Ayers sent a link to Guilford County’s Community Crime Map, which lists the following incidents on East Washington Street this year, with no address, only the block on which they occurred.
These included listings for “Sex O ense — Male Rape” on May 6 at around 4 a.m., on the 200 Block of E. Washington, and “Sexual Assault Fondle” on April 10 at 10 a.m., on the 300 block. Listings for the 400 block (the IRC is at 407) included “Sexual O ense — other” at 12 a.m. on April 4; and three assaults that were not listed as sexual.
In a email, Matheny wrote that he learned of sexual assaults near the IRC “through my conversations with folks on the street.” Of the incidents listed on the crime map, he wrote:
“While [those listings] should be enough, like many cases, the numbers that are unreported are another issue. I would think most are unreported. Men prefer not to report an assault, and women remain scared.”
Singleton sent the following response to Matheny’s allegations:
“Two of these were not on IRC campus, and we can’t be responsible for things that happen elsewhere in the city. Of the other incidents, unfortunately, being the lowest barrier resource center in Greensboro means that we will sometimes have to help people with issues of domestic violence, mental health and physical health. We believe in fighting poverty, not the people experiencing it. The
reported incidents of violence have not increased over last year, although calls to emergency services may have increased due to there being more people at the IRC since the expansion of our hours. Our guests that live on the street could call from anywhere, but now they are able to be here with the extension of our hours. Also, keep in mind any of our guests have the right to call 911, as any community member does, for needed services at any time.”
On April 3, Matheny forwarded an email to Council “from one of my unhoused friends” which described the following alleged conditions at the IRC:
“Spring has o cially begun in the homeless community, which means we are seeing spikes in our numbers, from new arrivals, put on top of the numbers who are out of the pallet houses and hotels . . . the IRC is still untenable, and the only solution is for the city to take it over . . . we are reaching a boiling point, and unless this is all addressed, it will get far worse and be a full-blown crisis.”
On April 18, Matheny emailed Council that “the fighting that is breaking out has become a large issue” and “the amount of drug dealing and open crack smoking has become extremely prevalent.”
Responding to Matheny’s comments at the May 7 meeting, Davis referred to IRC as “a potential nuisance” and said “we’ve been trying to work with the IRC as our partners to address some of the potential issues” and that his o ce is working on a document to provide to the IRC executive team about these problems.
In her email, Singleton wrote:
“I believe the IRC has much to be proud of in the context of a nationwide housing crisis. Many communities do not have a CoC at all, much less one with more than 60 partner organizations working to address homelessness. The solutions to homelessness in Greensboro are much
bigger than one organization. Simultaneously, we are proud that the IRC has been able to extend hours to a 24/7 model in such a short period of time and limited budget. For reference, the City’s commitment of $297,566 of the requested $920,800 covers 4 full-time sta members, 2 part-time sta members, and one security person designated for the 1st and 3rd shift Monday-Friday.”
Singleton wrote that, since hours were expanded, “The IRC saw record numbers of unduplicated guests,” serving 979 individuals in April. “That’s 208 more people than we did the month before and 444 more people than we did in April of last year. (Please see attached number reports and forecast).”
She described the IRC as working with police, the fire department, and EMS to address the higher need presented by this increase in numbers. “Solutions currently underway are adding an on-site nurse and additional sta ng during the 2nd and 3rd shifts to mitigate the calls to emergency services.”
Singleton described the IRC’s successes in the last year as having surpassed 2022’s “client referrals and attainments to temporary housing, despite a community-wide shortage of shelter and a ordable housing,” and stated that the center’s Rapid Re-Housing team had “housed 12 households” in its first year of operation, while the Doorway program in Pomona Park “served 81 individuals this past winter despite a capacity of 56 beds available at any one time.”
“When we speak of the shortcomings of the IRC,” wrote Singleton. “We enter into conversations with the humility of knowing we can’t solve it alone — we implore you to enter into them informed by the sheer volume of need and of our good faith e orts to address it.”
At the May 7 meeting, Mayor Nancy Vaughan defended Singleton.
During Matheny’s comments, Vaughan interrupted to say “Part of the problem is that the IRC has become the place where people are sent — they are over-capacity — to blame them for the problem is kind of unfair.” When Matheny became more heated, Vaughan said “Zack, what’s the alternative, close ‘em?,” to which Matheny said, “Let’s help them.”
Vaughan told YES! Weekly, “I really think they’ve been swamped by more people than they can be expected to handle, and I repeat what I said about it being unfair to blame them for that.” !
IAN MCDOWELL is an award-winning author and journalist whose book I Ain’t Resisting: the City of Greensboro and the Killing of Marcus Smith was published in September of 2023 by Scuppernong Editions.
SATURDAY /// MAY 25
BAILEY PARK
PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR CYCLING
69-Mile Fondo · 8 a.m.
42-Mile Fondo · 8:30 a.m.
Greenway Ride · 10 a.m.
WINSTON-SALEM CYCLING
CLASSIC AT BAILEY PARK
Amateur Criterium Racing
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Professional Criterium Racing 5:30 to 8:15 p.m.
FREE Concerts All Day
FRIDAY /// MAY 24
FOURTH STREET & MARSHALL STREET
STREETS OF FIRE
7 to 9 p.m.
High-Speed Bicycle Sprints
FREE LIVE MUSIC
Beginning 5:30 p.m.
Spring is back in the pedal for Gears and Guitars, as the “biggest party on two wheels” returns to downtown Winston-Salem, springing into action May 24-25. A sonic extension of the esteemed Winston-Salem Cycling Classic, over the past decade or so, Gears and Guitars has grown into a life of its own. Following a few years in its late summer shift, the 11th annual cycling-event/music-fest hybrid takes on a breath of fresh springtime air, with two days of racing and free concerts — ensuring bands will rock, bikes will roll and bevies will flow around a blossoming Bailey Park and Innovation Quarter. In the cycling world, the popular “Street of Fire” sprint returns on Friday; along with the Saturday Fondos and Criterium races. Music-wise, Gears and Guitars 2024 takes on some twang Friday night, with performances from High School Reunion, Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, and Lucero. Saturday hosts a double-duty a air with local hero Doug Davis and two concert blocks: an afternoon session with Whiskey Bent, Beggars Banquet, and Camel City Yacht Club; followed by an evening concert featuring Davis’ Radio Silence opening up for the Fray.
For the gearheads and speed freaks, the festival once again kicks o with the whirlwind “Streets of Fire” Friday night sprint racing. Notably the highlight for chief operating o cer Ray Boden, the drag race-style event ignites along “Restaurant Row,” inviting a range of competitors in both amateur and professional categories. Boden enjoys the pedal-to-the-metal accessibility: “Anybody can pedal really fast,” he said. “You can show up in jorts and a mountain bike and give it a shot. You don’t really need a racing bike or change gears — it’s just put your head down and pedal as hard as you can.“
“It’s going to be a hot night in downtown Winston-Salem! Kick back in one of the street-front bars or restaurants for dinner and drinks and watch the show.”
For music folks looking for some heat of their own, concerts kick o with a “Friday after 5” cover band flair at Merschel Plaza featuring High School Reunion, starting at 5:30 p.m.
“We’re thrilled to be making our Gears & Guitars debut this year!,” said drummer and vocalist, Ben Noland. “The
roster of talented bands and musicians who’ve played this event over the years is staggering, and we’re humbled and excited to add High School Reunion to the list. Hopefully, this will be the first of many to come!”
“We’re also excited to play on 4th Street in the newly refurbished Merschel Park Plaza space,” Noland continued. “It should be a great way to kick o the festival and set the tone for the weekend!”
Boasting the classic origins of three buds forming a band after the world shut down, Noland is joined by Sam Metzler (bass, keys) and guitarist Dixon Kinser — all three share vocal duties, along with a singular goal: “to bring the party and fun to everything we do.”
“We bring the party every single time,” Noland said, backing up their experiences as a private band-for-hire; along with their public gigs (they’ll be at Stock + Grain in High Point on Aug. 10). “Everything we do is intentional and curated for maximum enjoyment, crowd engagement, and fun. We’re strictly a cover band and try to play only the best in high-energy rock/ pop classics from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s.”
Graduating classes from ‘78-’02 are likely to hear their hits. “No matter how old you are or what kind of music you’re typically into, you’re going to recognize the songs we play, and you’re probably going to like what you hear!”
The experience is two-fold when it comes to Gears and Guitars. “We’ve all been spectators before — both for the races and for the music — and we’re excited to be performing this year,” Noland said. “The lineup of music is great all weekend and the crew always does a great job.”
Following High School Reunion, music moves over to Marshall Street as the sprints take o and twang takes over the stage. Sarah Shook and The Disarmers will make their way over from the Triangle to shake things up, starting at 7:30 p.m., with
their “high-lonesome” blend of “ferocious indie country rock”; and tracks o their new album “Revelations,” which have been landing placements across playlists near and far (even in the New York Times).
Though for Noland, it’s the Friday night closers that seal his deal. “I’m most excited about Lucero,” he admitted, recommending their take on Jawbreaker’s “Kiss the Bottle” o the 2005 album “Nobody’s Darlings.” “I’ve seen them so many times and they’re great.”
Considered something of kings amongst the “alt-country lifers,” Lucero hails from the music motherland of Memphis, TN. They’ve also got a newer album of their own: 2023’s “Should’ve Learned by Now,” a heartful ripper of a record that Pitchfork’s Stephen M. Deusner succinctly considered an “endearing and impassioned album about drinking and the many reasons we do it.”
Lucero caps the night, starting at 9 p.m., before headin’ out on a country-punk tour of their own with the Mezingers and the Dirty Nil, running through the summer.
Fans longing for bottle-loving lyrics will likely enjoy the Saturday opening selections from the mysterious “Whiskey Bent,” a discernibly low-profile WinstonSalem outfit o ering “three drinks, a chord, and the truth” in “bass boat country rock” flavors, starting at noon at the Bailey Park Fountain.
The afternoon block will roll into a double-feature cover show (and the first of two Doug Davis specials), with Beggars Banquet at 1 p.m.; followed by Camel City Yacht Club at 3 p.m.
O ering a feast for Rolling Stones fans, Beggars Banquet features Davis in the Jagger role — though fans shouldn’t expect “chicken-wing arms or the ‘pointypointy’ moves,” Davis is more of a straight-playin’ man. “I’ve got to tell you — I am NOT a tribute band guy!” he explained. “But we DO want to put on a great rock ’n roll show.”
“The way I try to think of it is that we
want to put on the show that you would want to see if you knew the Stones’ music but had no idea what they looked or acted like,” he continued. “All proper respect to those who find something they have a passion for and are able to bring their skill to recreating, but it’s just not a world I really live in. What I loved from the beginning about the Beggars Banquet guys — and they found me, randomly, back in 2020, when they had recently lost their previous singer — is that they are definitely NOT a ‘wig’ band. No one is attempting to do a visual impression. Everyone in this nine-piece band has taken care to really do their homework and to treat the music with respect and passion.”
While there’s much to be said for Davis’ original music — which comes in the Gears and Guitars Saturday evening concert — there’s a certain irony (and underlying musical appreciation) in eschewing tribute band theatrics, but wrangling several of the area’s premiere cover experiences (Davis is also the linchkingpin of the Vagabond Saints Society).
Taking on a more “themeband” approach to the circuit, Vagabond Saints Society’s upcoming sets (debuting at Incendiary Brewing’s Lewisville Beach Blast on June 22) will feature “Sounds of the Summer,” an open-ended celebration of summertime jams: “the beach, the heat, vacation, murder hornets. All the usual stu ,” along with selections that have “ruled the airwaves” of summers past. “I started thinking about how many fantastic songs we could incorporate and still be able to mix up genres and decades a bit,” Davis said. “I usually like our shows to be a little more specific, but this one seemed like a good idea for the big summer festival shows we’ll play.”
Smooth summertime jams are music for the soul for Camel City Yacht Club captain, Thurston Howard III (and his land-loving “alter ego” Clay Howard). While the Saturday set will mark Camel City Yacht Club’s o cial Gears and Guitars debut, Howard’s no stranger to the Gears and Guitars stage. “It’s still a thrill,” he said. “I love what Ray is doing to bring great shows to WS. Gears and Guitars is a nice focus on the Triad every year, and he’s incredibly supportive of local acts by bringing us along to give us some exposure. Ray is the real story when you mention Gears and Guitars — his support is amazing.”
Praising the Yacht Club crew — Tom, Kip, Charlie, and Fanny — who’ll be on deck, playing “all your smooth favorites,” Howard stewards a sense of community across his work — whether it’s in the covered en-
deavors with Camel City Yacht Club (and stints with Vagabond Saints Society) or as an original musician coming up on threedecades of albums and performances. With a full summer schedule, Camel City Yacht Club is sailing right along; they’ll be in Lewisville on June 7, at CoHab in High Point on July 6, and will close out the Coalpit Live series on Labor Day Weekend. In original tunes, Howard will debut his latest group, “Clay and Fran” (with Fran Sandifer, Brad Cardille, and Joey Barnes), at “Rock the Block” in Greensboro’s Sunset Hills on June 13.
But it’s Gears and Guitars that have Howard’s gearing really turning. “I really like the idea of an afternoon session with bands that are mostly a big group of friends in a round of tribute and covers through the afternoon, with attention going to the original music later in evening block,” he said, pointing to Davis’ shining second show of the day: Doug Davis and Radio Silence that opens for the Fray. “It’s icing on the cake.”
With cycling action rolling along all day — Fondos encircling the greater city limits and world-class criterium races rounding the boundaries of Bailey Park — Davis’ tunes will usher Gears and Guitars’s concert crescendo, starting at 8 p.m.; before the Fray closes out the 2024 festival at 9 p.m.
Even with Davis pulling double duty, the Gears and Guitars o erings are but a fraction of his work. A conscious purveyor of “indie-folk-Americana-singer/songwriter-middle-aged-white-guy-with-a-guitarmusic,” Davis’ work with Radio Silence “is an attempt to get back to something that feels like it’s more inclusive of all the music that’s been a part of my makeup.” And up the amps, just a bit.
“I’ve been heavily into a more singersongwriter/Americana mode over the past 20 years,” he explained. “And that’s definitely a part of what we’re doing here, but there’s also a lot of indie rock, power pop, classic rock, post-punk, and all kinds of other things in my makeup that haven’t really seen the light of day in a while. I want to start pushing the envelope again as soon as I can, but right now, I’m actively trying to create something that I think of as my own ‘comfort food’ music, to try to remember who I am a bit, after all these projects I’ve been involved with.”
There’s a certain sort of personality crisis that comes with the territory — and yes, that’s an attempt at a New York Dolls reference — among countless side gigs, Davis is directly involved with Beggars Banquet, Vagabond Saints Society, the Friday Night Music Club fundraising series, orangebearfruit (with Howard), Magnolia Green, and the “Misery Loves
Company Traveling Road Show” co-bill package he’s semi-o cially formed with Couldn’t Be Happiers. On top of all that, “I do also live half of my life in the studio, as a producer,” he explained. “So with Radio Silence, it feels really good to be able to turn a huge bulk of my attention to the music that I care the most about. I don’t think I’ve ever really stopped making that music, but until now, it’s always been, in e ect, a side project.”
“I have no illusions about what impact another middle-aged white guy with a guitar can make in this crazy and unpredictable music world,” Davis continued. “But I’m determined that, for once, I’m going to spend some time making no excuses and no compromises and seeing where that road might lead.”
In other avenues, Davis and Couldn’t Be Happiers will roll their “Misery Loves Company Traveling Road Show” into the Flat Iron on May 29. “I’ve gotten to be really close pals with Jodi and Jordan from the Couldn’t Be Happiers over the past few years. I’ve produced a number of recordings for, and with, them. We’re putting the finishing touches right now on their new album, and I think it’s going to be a really phenomenal record. At the end of last year, as I started thinking about my new booking strategy for 2024, I realized that they were doing a lot of the same kinds of shows that I wanted to be playing, and so we decided it might be a lot of fun to pitch in together and book as many co-bills as we can.”
By June, Davis’ musical roads will lead right onto somebody’s front porch in Greensboro during Dunleath Porchfest on June 8; with a stripped-down, semi-acoustic band featuring Terry VunCannon on lap steel, Adam Bennett on bass, and Lionel Sanders on percussion. “I love the bigger, more rock-oriented shows,” he said. “But I have such a great time stripping the songs down to essentials and playing in this format. All of these guys are superintuitive. We don’t do a lot of rehearsing - they just do their homework and then come in and really pay attention to each other to create a sound.”
“When you’re no longer 20 years old and in a musical ‘gang,’ it’s a daunting prospect to try to take anything resembling a ‘band’ out on the road,” Davis continued, musing the connections between his web of players and projects. “What I’m trying to do these days is to have a bit of a flexible rotating lineup of musicians, so that I can book whatever I’m able to book, and then pool my crew to see who’s available.”
Being a bit coy with his backing arrangement for Gears and Guitars, “I wanted to pick some guys who were not only proficient enough, musically, to have the depth to follow me down a variety of paths, but
were also largely musicians that I had not played a great deal with,” he said, “to bring something fresh to the table.”
“I’m extremely excited and honored that I get the chance to play two sets, and I know that there are a lot of local folks that would love to be involved, so I don’t take that lightly,” Davis continued, beaming. “I think it’s an amazing thing that Ray and his team have brought to Winston. Although my parents are avid cyclists, I know next to nothing about bikes, I’m afraid. But every year, I absolutely love being at Gears and Guitars and
sensing the energy in the air.”
“Cycling and live music may or may not seem like an obvious match, but it just works, and I love to be a part of it, as a spectator or as a participant.”
Gears and Guitars returns with two days full of action — both on and o the saddle; and on and o the stage — once again bringing the “biggest party on two wheels” to Winston-Salem, May 24-25. !
KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who enjoys spotlighting artists and events.
Bands and beers and tasty bites, oh my!
Beer Co., the lil’ hallway bottle shop on McGee in Greensboro, is turning 10 years old with an afternoon thrasher featuring metal maniacs BloodRitual and the hardcore dummies in Döltz, starting at 4 p.m. on May 19.
Celebrating the brews and buds and years gone by, Beer Co.’s owner/ operator, Matty Gerringer, is raising a glass to the shop and its patrons with an unusually stacked rager of show.
“Warning: it’s gonna get loud!,” he said. “We’re celebrating 10 years of shenanigans with food and specials. They’re gonna be bangers.”
As the party rolls into the evening, Gerringer is planning to host a few favorite regulars and softer singersongwriters for the sounds more typically found in the space — but he’s looking forward to upping the amps and the volume for the afternoon party.
“The show is all really good friends that have been coming in and out of the shop for years and supported Beer Co., even before it was mine,” he explained, musing the diverse crowds of his clientele and ways they’ll come together for the party. “I’m excited for the show and nervous seeing how it’s a little larger, louder setlist than normal. But ultimately, I’m stoked. My regulars are what keeps the doors open and I can’t thank them enough.” “I love this city and this community. I hope to continue for another 10 years,” he added, turning to his own Beer Co. history. “I’ve been at Beer Co. for seven years now and I just recently bought the store from Josh Coe. We’ve been friends a long time — even longer than the store’s been around.”
“I love and owe him a ton,” Gerringer continued, extending similar a ection to “Seth, Savannah, Dale, Cridge; and Maverick, Sadie, and Ella May, the shop dawgs.”
“Oh!,” he blurted, “and Love to the Legacy Irons boys, too!”
BloodRitual’s Ben Roberts also praised Legacy Irons,
the neighboring tattoo shop — ”it’s arguably the best tattoo shop in the United States,” he said. Looking back over the years, “the downtown crowd is different but a lot hasn’t changed on that block–it’s still a place where you can always run into someone you know, and that camaraderie spreads over into BeerCo. It’s a bottle shop but it’s got a neighborhoody ‘I’ll walk by and see who’s around,’ vibe.”
Reflecting on the milestone, “As a local business owner myself, it’s a testament to quality and an immense amount of hard work for a small business to hit 10 years. Greensboro is rapidly changing and what it needs is more locals owning and operating to hold true to what this city was before the massive amount of development and change comes our way and radically changes the landscape.”
As a Greensboro native, co-owner of Acme Comics (and the purveyor of the new downtown shop on Davie St.) Roberts holds a personal and professional stake in ways downtown expands beyond the confines of Elm Street — an expansion he attributes to local, community-oriented outlooks and spots like Beer Co. And an expansion that extends way beyond downtown.
“Acme Comics has grown immensely since 2014,” he said. “We’ve been open for 40 years and the past five have been the strongest in the company’s history. A lot of that comes down to o ering up new ideas and ventures, while also partnering with local businesses that we have an immense amount of respect for. For instance, when we collaborated with Little Brother Brewing for a beer collaboration — BeerCo carried it. It’s not an insane concept; but it feels good that local is supporting local, in a variety of interesting ways.”
Looking back on the distant horizon of the summer of
2014, “I wasn’t even yet employed by Acme at that time. There was no way of knowing that such a major shift was coming my way. It feels like I’ve grown with the city quite a bit.”
Turning to his music, “I was in the midst of the band that predated BloodRitual and we were hitting the ground running playing shows. Feels like a lifetime ago so it’s fun to date it by the longevity of Beer Co.”
And with that, when it came to playing Beer Co.’s birthday party, joining the freakfest seemed natural. “I can’t pass up a good time in such a weird place to play,” he said. “It’s gonna be packed, but isn’t that where the best punk and metal shows happen? A bunch of friends crammed into a tiny little room sharing the experience of music.”
“Döltz is always up to something and whatever they have planned will be truly nutty,” he continued. “I don’t want to give away any BloodRitual secrets but we intend to make it the best time we can. If you have a poncho I’d suggest you bring it.”
For the dummies in Döltz — the fairly recent formation featuring Paezor’s bassist Matt Goshow and drummer Dean Stikeleather, with guitarist Brad Morton (Hu er, Essex Muro, and Jenny Besetzt) and “big bastard” vocalist Zack Taylor — the idea is simple: “10 years? More like 10 beers!”
Responding in unison like the Station creatures from “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey,” “Matty had been talking about wanting to do a show for a while now, but we just couldn’t see how Zack was going to fit inside the building,” they explained. “We’re excited to see how that’s gonna work out.”
“We’re looking forward to cranking our full stacks up to 11,” they added. “This will go down as the ultimate Beer Co memory: remember it later, but only if you were there today.”
While I’m not sure what that means, I do know there are surprises in-store — Döltz loves to share treats and trinkets, a detail I’m privy to by proxy, for reasons worth mentioning: the guitarist and I are hitting our own little 10-year milestone as a couple this summer. In fact, biking to “that new Beer Co. spot” was among our first dates. It’s wild how the years go by in a blink–and it’s certainly a reason to party. But lest my journalistic integrity be questioned: I assure you, objectively, Döltz rips. And Beer Co. is a little downtown Greensboro gem worth celebrating.
Cheers! !
Week of May 20, 2024
[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) The cautious side of your usually adventurous nature stands you in good stead this week. Someone might, indeed, be trying to pull the wool over the Sheep’s eyes.
[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Planetary alignment still causes unsettling situations. Consider delaying matters that aren’t a priority until the weekend. Cheer up! The next such alignment isn’t until 2028.
[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Family matters take precedence. Spend more time with those close to you. A career move sounds promising, but ask for more facts before making a decision.
[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Your watchword this week is “tact!” While honesty is, of course, the best policy, it’s best to temper your tendency toward bluntness with discretion.
[LEO (July 23 to August 22) Nothing pleases our Leos and Leonas more than knowing they’re admired, and this week, you’ll be overwhelmed with compliments. Enjoy the adulation. You earned it.
[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) You’re making progress in your dealings with a troubled loved one. Continue to o er understanding and support. You’ll soon see positive results.
[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Change is favored this week. You might want to reassess a situation that
has become too demanding. Also, reconsider that job move you rejected earlier.
[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) A loved one returns after a long separation. At work, a decision is made that could lead to the changes you hoped for. The next step is up to you.
[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) This is a good time to set things straight in your personal relationships. Some decisions might be di cult but necessary if you’re to turn things around.
[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Cupid rules the Capricorn Goat’s heart this week. It’s a good time to start a new romance or rea rm your commitment to your current beloved.
[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Travel and entertainment are favored for the rest of the month. You earned this good time. Enjoy it with friends and family members.
[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Someone you’ve been close to reveals a secret that could put this relationship at risk. Consider the full impact of the admission before making a decision.
[BORN THIS WEEK: You have a sense of justice that sometimes makes you a mite too judgmental, but it also makes you a trusted and loyal friend.
© 2024 by King Features Syndicate
crossword on page 9
on page 9
by
Fifi Rodriguez[1. GEOGRAPHY: Which European country has the largest population?
[2. TELEVISION: Which sitcom features a character named Ron Swanson?
[3. SCIENCE: What are the three layers of the Earth?
[4. MOVIES: Which 2001 movie has a famous “bend and snap” scene?
[5. MONEY: What is a modern U.S. penny made of mostly?
[6. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a common name for an animal in the Leporidae family?
[7. LITERATURE: Which children’s book contains the line, “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast”?
[8. ANATOMY: Where is the pinna located in the human body?
[9. HISTORY: Who was the fourth president of the United States?
[10. BUSINESS: What did Amazon sell exclusively when it started business in 1994?
10. Books.
Ear. 9. James Madison.
Rabbit or hare. 7. “Alice in Wonderland.”
© 2024 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
