YES! Weekly - June 19, 2024

GREENSBORO SUMMER SOLSTICE

GREENSBORO SUMMER SOLSTICE

As the longest day shines on the world, the fairies and folks behind the Greensboro Summer Solstice Festival will celebrate the festival’s 20th solar rotation.

Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com

EDITORIAL

Editor CHANEL R. DAVIS chanel@yesweekly.com

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

DI LISIO’S celebrated its 10th anniversary in April of this year. This is real family Italian. Maria and Tony Di Lisio are the owners; he is also the chef.

a

In “ QUENTIN TARANTINO: A Graphic Biography,” author Michele Botton pays homage to Tarantino in a graphic format, condensing elements of his personal and professional life into a breezy, if rather simplistic, tome.

Here we go again. THE WATCHERS opens with a breathless sequence in which a nameless hiker races panic-stricken through dark and foggy woods while menacing shadows and sounds dog his every staggering step.

4 6 16

10 After a stint as manager of Granville County, DUDLEY WATTS, a native of Durham, was tapped to manage Forsyth County, a position he’s held since 2006. Now after 18 years of service to the community, he is retiring.

14 The stars were out on Friday, June 14 at the fourth annual ARTS LEGACY AWARDS at the Van Dyke Performance Space, located at 200 N. Davie St. in Greensboro.

16 THE SHOALDIGGERS, 2023’s “Not Your Average Folk” winners, are returning to Greensboro for a double-album release with the “Wake Forest Sea Shanty Orchestra” Folkknot, on June 22 at the Flat Iron.

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Marketing ANGELA COX angela@yesweekly.com

TRAVIS WAGEMAN travis@yesweekly.com

Promotion NATALIE GARCIA

DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT ANDREW WOMACK

We

The Winston-Salem Symphony and Kaleideum are joining forces to present Mysterium, an immersive musical experience set for Thursday, June 20, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. This unique event, which will captivate all five senses, is part of the Symphony Unbound series, which breaks free from the norms of classical music by taking music outside of the concert hall and into the community.

Attendees are in for an unforgettable evening filled with three distinct musical and visual encounters spread across Kaleideum’s experiential learning spaces, located at 120 West 3rd Street in downtown Winston-Salem. As guests explore the museum, they will be treated to a series of intimate performances, each accompanied by a curated selection of signature drinks and light bites thoughtfully paired with the musical ensemble on each floor. A string quartet will serenade spectators on one floor, a jazz duo will play on another, and a percussion duo will delight in the digital dome.

The grand finale takes place on the rooftop beer garden, where a horn quartet will perform against the backdrop of the downtown skyline. A cash bar will be open as twilight transitions into nightfall, providing a breathtaking experience not to be missed.

“We are thrilled to present Mysterium as part of our Symphony Unbound series, which will truly be a musical experience on every level. Our mission at the WinstonSalem Symphony is to bring music to life, and this special event promises to do that like never before with live performances, interactive exhibits, and delicious food and drinks in a vibrant atmosphere,” said Winston-Salem Symphony Music Director Michelle Merrill. “As someone whose family loves visiting Kaleideum, I’m excited to invite music lovers and young professionals into this great downtown space for a fun, musical, and multisensory journey that showcases the innovative spirit of our Symphony and community.”

Mysterium draws inspiration from the enigmatic Russian Romantic composer Al-

RELEASE

exander Scriabin. In 1903, he began to work on a massive, participatory work he called Mysterium, which delves into the realm of mysticism, envisioning a synesthetic journey where touch, smell, and sound converge. Upon Scriabin’s death in 1915, only sketches of Mysterium remain but his ideas of interactive and multisensory musical performances continue to inspire musicians and audiences.

The Symphony Unbound concert series pairs traditional, “classical” music with other genres through innovative concert formats, taking the art form out of the concert hall and into unexpected venues throughout the community. The series launched in 2018 with a sold-out performance at the Ramkat. This concert and the Winston-Salem Symphony are supported by Season Presenting Sponsors Bell, Davis & Pitt, P.A.; Chris and Mike Morykwas; the Arts Council of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County; and the North Carolina Arts Council.

Due to the exclusive nature of this postwork event, attendance is limited. When purchasing tickets, attendees will register for one of three groups — each named for a di erent sense and each group will begin on a di erent floor following the cocktail hour. Secure your tickets for this evening of music, drinks, and food, starting at $49, by visiting wssymphony.org or contacting the Box O ce at 336-464-0145.

Subscriptions and single tickets can be purchased online at wssymphony.org or by calling the Symphony box o ce at 336464-0145. For more information about the museum, visit kaleideum.org. !

Chow Down with John Batchelor at Di Lisio’s

BY JOHN BATCHELOR

Di Lisio’s celebrated its 10th anniversary in April of this year. This is real family Italian. Maria and Tony Di Lisio are the owners; he is also the chef. Tony was born in Naples, Italy. He came to Winston-Salem to work with Maria’s father, also from Naples, at Ciccione’s Pizza.

The interior space is fairly small. Tables are a little close, with additional seating on the patio. Decorative prints follow the Italian theme. It’s not a white tablecloth kind of place, either literally or figuratively speaking. Cloth table covers are black, napkins red. Servers are friendly, almost familiar, and knowledgeable. I got the impression that many of them have been here for some time.

The bar here merits special praise for a mean Margarita — the classic, with real agave syrup if taste serves me right, as well as an Italian variation. If you are with others, you might also consider a Rum Bucket. I’ll have this when I can share it; I can’t do this alone! The term

“bucket” is accurate. Drink orders come out to the table pretty fast. My first visit ended sooner than my wife and I would have expected. We ordered a starter right away, intending to allow a little extra time to peruse this lengthy menu. But when it arrived, we were taken aback.

This was Frito Misto — fried seafood. The portion was so large, we doubted if we would be able to eat anything else, and that turned out to be the case. It wasn’t just the size of the serving. It was the fact that we did not leave a single morsel on the platter. I cannot recall having fried salmon before, but these approximately inch square pieces are lightly crusted and crisped, but not overcooked, leaving a moist tender interior. Novel, and very good. The calamari consists of almost all rings, plus a baby or two, lightly crusty, just a little firm, on a par with what I have had in other good restaurants that I have praised. Likewise the shrimp — large, slightly crisp, just a little firmer than ideal, but still good. This comes with marinara sauce — a thick, sweetish version, based on San Marzano

tomatoes. A sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and leaves of arugula complete the presentation.

On other visits, we skipped a first course and went directly to entrées. This worked out just fine, and we were able to feed ourselves a second night with leftovers every time.

The House Salad provides a glimpse into the attention to detail that characterizes this kitchen. Instead of just dumping greens out of a bag, which, to be candid, is typical of most restaurants, even the good ones, Di Lisio’s adds shredded carrot, sliced radish, olives, cucumber slices, and red onion strips, with all ingredients bright and fresh and chilled crisp. The house Italian dressing is pleasantly mellow, not sharp.

Bread deserves special mention as well. Crusty rolls are made in-house and served hot, accompanied by quality extra virgin olive oil blended with finely minced fresh basil, parsley, garlic, and Italian spices. It’s the best bread dip I have encountered in the Triad.

Pastas, in particular, travel well, and they often taste even better after the in-

gredients have had a little time to blend together. I noticed a lot of takeout and delivery going out the door. We tried three traditional selections. Spaghetti and Meatballs is based on homemade meatballs, blended into that lush marinara sauce. The large ground beef meatballs are studded with Parmesan cheese bits. Penne, Sausage, and Mushrooms place fennel-laced Italian sausage pieces and sliced mushrooms in the named pasta, also in rich marinara sauce. Lasagna layers ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, plus ground beef, between sheet pasta, baked in tomato sauce. These are all very good renditions of these family staples. I would look forward to having any of them again. Salmon is topped with slivered almonds and stu ed with crabmeat, yielding a multilayered flavor profile that serves the main ingredient well, although we thought the salmon was cooked just a little more than ideal. The crabmeat tastes pleasantly fresh, though. Three large, tender grilled shrimp peeked over the side. The salmon is presented over a bed of fresh spinach.

Bread

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Frito Misto

Classic Margarita

House Salad Salmon Chicken Picatta

Chicken Piccata uses breast meat, tender and moist. Virtually all Italian restaurants serve this, but to me, the criterion that separates the upper echelon from the rest is balance, and Di Lisio’s scores on this base. The level of lemon and capers is just right, adding accent and a bit of intensity without overshadowing the chicken flavor itself. A real winner.

So is Veal Osso Buco, although here, it is prepared in an unusual way. Most renditions braise the veal on the bone and serve it bone-in. Di Lisio’s braises the veal to a literal fork-tender level, and serves it pulled o the bone. The result is the most tender I have encountered with flavor of unusual depth. But wait, there’s more! White button mushrooms and sliced Portobellos are incorporated into a supremely rich cream sauce, with the veal blended in. This can be ordered over risotto or with ravioli. I chose the latter and found excellent pulled veal filling in the pasta shells. This combination produces an abundance of flavors, all playing beautifully o each other. I love it! Fried spinach leaves add décor, but I don’t think they do much for flavor. I ordered a side of spinach. It’s fresh, accented with a little garlic, sharpened with just the right amount of lemon juice. Several awards are framed on the wall to the left, as you enter. Di Lisio’s has earned top honors several times in the

past from YES! readers, and just won Best Italian in Forsyth County in this year’s awards. The restaurant was twice named one of the 50 Best Old School Italian Restaurants in the U.S. (https:// www.aol.com/51-best-old-school-italian-110400612.html).

Accolades well deserved. I look forward to many happy returns. !

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.

WANNA go?

Di Lisio’s Italian Family Restaurant 301 Brookstown Avenue Winston-Salem 27101 336-546-7202

https://www.facebook.com/Dilisios

Hours: 4-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 4-10 p.m.

Friday & Saturday

Appetizers: $12-$20

Entrées: $18-$49

Desserts: $8

Most recent visit: June 8

Osso Buco

Penne, Sausage and Mushrooms

Spinach Lasagne

visions The Tao of Tarantino, in graphic terms

For more than 30 years, Quentin Tarantino has been at the front rank of American filmmakers. Although his 1992 debut feature Reservoir Dogs was only a modest box-o ce success, his status was assured by his 1994 follow-up Pulp Fiction. He has lived a charmed cinematic life, having the luxury to pick and choose his projects at will — and sometimes seemingly at whim — knowing full well that his worldwide legion of fans will revel in every bit of pop-culture minutiae and endlessly quote the snappy, sometimes profane dialogue he writes. Such is his distinctive touch that an entire sub-genre has been labeled “Tarantino-esque,” although his devotees know full well the di erence between mere imitators and the originator.

In “Quentin Tarantino: A Graphic Biography” (Frances Lincoln/Quarto Group; 128 pages hardcover; $19.99 retail), author Michele Botton pays homage to Tarantino in a graphic format, condensing elements of his personal and professional life into a breezy, if rather simplistic, tome. As the book is uno cial and unauthorized, nothing scandalous is divulged, and there’s little here that will be a revelation to his fans. It really doesn’t delve into Tarantino’s personal life but reads instead like a series of highlights.

But, for the ravenous fan base that

craves all things Tarantino, they’re likely to gobble it right up. This volume, which will likely become a collectible, follows the 2022 publication of his best-selling memoir “Cinema Speculations,” which devoted an entire chapter (“SecondString Samurai”) to my friend and mentor, long-time Los Angeles Times film critic Kevin Thomas. Indeed, Tarantino had vowed that his next and final film would be called The Film Critic. His decision earlier this year to scrap the project made headlines.

Whether Tarantino makes good on his promise to retire hardly matters, as he’s certainly made his mark on the cinematic landscape, and “Quentin Tarantino: A Graphic Biography” works better as a celebratory tribute to his talent and tenacity than an in-depth insight into what makes Tarantino tick. Not that his fans will mind one bit.

The o cial website is https://quarto. com/books/9780711290761/quentintarantino-a-graphic-biography.

For those movie mavens with a penchant for the past glories of Hollywood greatness, the University Press of Kentucky has published James Bawden and Ron Miller’s “They Made the Movies: Conversations with Great Filmmakers” (392 pages hardcover, $40 retail), a self-explanatory series of interviews that follows in the same fashion as the earlier Bawden/Miller collaborations: “Conversations with Classic Film Stars: Interviews from Hollywood’s Golden Era” and “You Ain’t Heard Nothing Yet: Interviews with Stars from Hollywood’s Golden Era” (both 2017), and “Legendary Television Stars: Interviews from the First Fifty Years” (2021).

The illustrious line-up of filmmakers interviewed by Bawden and/or Miller is a

stellar one: Frank Capra, Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kramer, Mervyn LeRoy, Robert Wise, Billy Wilder, Richard Fleischer, Ralph Nelson, Delbert Mann, Rouben Mamoulian, Looney Toons legend Chuck Jones, and John Frankenheimer (this critic’s favorite director), to name a few. Some conversations are detailed and lengthy, others maddeningly brief, but each o ers clear evidence of the enthusiasm with which Bawden (who died in 2021) and Miller approached their work and their subjects. If one is familiar with the works of these directors — and this writer is — then some of these interviews may not be particularly enlightening, but for those not as steeped in their work, “They Made the Movies” is an easy, enjoyable read, much like the earlier Bawden/Miller books.

With baseball season in full swing, Dorian Hairston’s “Pretend the Ball is Named Jim Crow: The Story of Josh Gibson” (118 pages hardcover, $44.95 retail; softcover, $21.95 retail) o ers a unique glimpse into the sport of baseball, racism in American society, and the life of Josh Gibson (1911-’47), the hard-hitting catcher (and later a manager) who spent most of his career playing in the Negro Leagues and would be posthumously inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.

With the color barrier in full force during his career, Gibson never received the accolades he was due simply due to his color. Hairston tries, sometimes very successfully and sometimes a little pre-

tentiously, to get into Gibson’s head and decipher the ambitions and anguish in both his life and career. There’s no question that Hairston is utterly sincere, and that comes across with absolute clarity in this slim but often thought-provoking collection of poems.

Yet there’s the undercurrent of sadness throughout. Had Gibson remained healthy — he was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1943 and died four years later at age 35 — he very well might have broken through to the big leagues alongside Jackie Robinson, who tends to receive the lion’s share of credit for singlehandedly breaking the color barrier, even though other Black ballplayers were in the running at the same time. Even Satchel Paige, who was in his 40s at the time, managed to break through and pitch a few seasons with the Cleveland Indians. (Indeed, Paige held the distinction at that time of being the oldest man to debut in Major League Baseball.)

Josh Gibson never got that chance. Circumstances, fate, and the racism of the era were against him. For his many accomplishments in the Negro Leagues, his may be one of the quintessential “whatif” stories of professional baseball. The o cial University Press of Kentucky website is https://www.kentuckypress.com/. !

See MARK BURGER ’s reviews of current movies. © 2024, Mark Burger.

Mark Burger

Contributor

[ WEEKLY ARTS ROUNDUP]

PIEDMONT WIND SYMPHONY PRESENTS “PATRIOTIC POPS IN THE PIT”

with a segue into “Stars and Stripes Forever.”

The Piedmont Wind Symphony is thrilled to announce its upcoming concert, “Patriotic Pops in the Pit,” taking place on Sunday, June 30, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. at the Coal Pit at Incendiary Brewing. This concert is a part of Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County’s 75th Anniversary celebration. This free, family-friendly event promises an evening filled with patriotic music, community spirit, and local delights.

Under the baton of Music Director & Conductor Mark A. Norman, the Piedmont Wind Symphony will perform an inspiring repertoire celebrating American heritage and patriotism. The evening will open with “The Star-Spangled Banner,” followed by Morton Gould’s “American Salute.” “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” arranged by Moore and featuring guest conductor Kinard Douthit, will be performed next. Stephanie Foley Davis will captivate with Leonard Bernstein’s “Somewhere.” Brian Balmages’ “Eternal Flame” adds a contemporary touch. After intermission, the concert continues with “76 Trombones” by Meredith Willson, arranged by Leroy Anderson, and Gould’s “Yankee Doodle.” The grand finale features Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture”

“This concert is a wonderful opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate our nation’s music and spirit,” said Mark A. Norman, Music Director & Conductor. “We are excited to be back in such a unique and inviting venue as the Coal Pit at Incendiary Brewing.”

Audience members are encouraged to bring family, friends, and lawn chairs to enjoy this festive event. The location at Incendiary Brewing o ers a vibrant atmosphere with local downtown businesses providing food, drinks, and more, making it a perfect summer evening out.

Join us for this spectacular celebration of music and community! For more information, please visit piedmontwindsymphony.com !

Founded in 1989, the PIEDMONT WIND SYMPHONY is dedicated to presenting high-quality wind band literature and diverse musical experiences to the Winston-Salem community and beyond. Under the direction of Music Director & Conductor Mark A. Norman, PWS continues to inspire and entertain audiences with innovative programs and exceptional performances.

BRIANNA CANTWELL

The Watchers brings a new Shyamalan to the big screen

Contributor

Here we go again. The Watchers opens with a breathless sequence in which a nameless hiker races panic-stricken through dark and foggy woods while menacing shadows and sounds dog his every staggering step. Eventually and inevitably, he takes a fall, and within seconds is yanked out of frame, at which point the film’s title materializes ominously onscreen.

It’s like déjà vu. All over again.

Based on A.M. Shine’s 2022 novel, The Watchers has been clumsily adapted by first-time director/screenwriter Ishana Night Shyamalan, the daughter of M. Night Shyamalan (one of the film’s producers). It’s slow-moving scare fare that tries for a slow-burning approach but can’t sustain much interest or intensity. It is not, however, the worst movie that M. Night Shyamalan’s name has appeared on — not by a long shot.

Dakota Fanning, very composed and competent, plays Mina, an aimless, rootless American expatriate eeking out a living at a Galway pet store. Still nursing hurt over the death of her mother 15 years before, Mina is the prototypical hero(ine) with a past, which she must come to terms with when faced with unspeakable horror, which is right around the corner.

That transpires when she is tapped to drive a rare bird from Galway to Belfast and finds herself stranded in the middle of a remote forest in western Ireland. First, her phone dies, then the car dies … and, to some extent, the movie does as well.

This, of course, is no enchanted forest, as she soon learns from a trio of strangers (Georgina Campbell, Oliver Finnegan, and Olwen Fouéré) holed up in a cabin that has become their refuge from the titular “Watchers.” It is Fouéré’s Madeline who provides some sketchy exposition regarding their tormentors and the seeming hopelessness of their predica-

ment. Fouéré played essentially the same character in the recent, equally dire Tarot, saddled with rattling o prognostications of doom.

The characters are so blandly conceived that The Watchers becomes an exercise in style, but there are only so many ways to make the forest frightening, and the film exhausts them fairly quickly. Fanning does her level best but is forced to coast along by presence alone.

That the titular characters are “shape shifters” portends potential surprises along the way, but when those are revealed — Shyamalan evidently shares her father’s penchant for third-act twists — they’re not particularly surprising. The character of Mina has secrets, which are displayed in an early sequence where she visits a Galway tavern, but they have little impact on the overall narrative, even when it seems that perhaps they should.

Nevertheless, The Watchers isn’t a total loss. There’s enough here to suggest that Shyamalan has a future as a filmmaker, given better material and, more importantly, better handling of that material. In addition, aside from the foreboding forest, the Irish locations are quite picturesque. You take what you can get. !

See MARK BURGER ’s reviews of current movies. © 2024, Mark Burger.

Mark Burger

BLIND WAR (Well Go USA Entertainment): Andy On toplines director Huo Suiqiang’s 2022 action blowout (originally titled Mang zhan) as a former SWAT team captain blinded in the line of duty who is forced to wage a one-man war against an international human-trafficking ring when his daughter is abducted. In Chinese with English subtitles, available on Blu-ray ($29.98 retail).

CLUB ZERO (Film Movement): Producer/director/co-writer Jessica Hausner’s award-winning black comedy stars Mia Wasikowska as an enigmatic, energetic teacher at a prestigious international boarding school, where she bonds with her students over her treatises on “conscious eating” — while also clashing with suspicious headmistress Sidse Babett Knudsen until the situation descends into darker psychological territory. Both the DVD ($29.95 retail) and Blu-ray ($34.95 retail) include interviews and director’s masterclass.

DUNE: PART TWO (Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment): Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya (Coleman) return in encoring producer/director/co-screenwriter Denis Villeneuve’s epic, PG-13-rated science-fiction saga based on Frank Herbert’s best-selling novels, which sees them in pursuit of those treacherous inter-galactic conspirators who destroyed his family and threaten the future of the universe, backed by an allstar cast including Javier Bardem, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Christopher Walken, Lea Seydoux, Stellan Skarsgard, Charlotte Rampling, Dave Bautista, and UNCSA School of Drama alum Stephen McKinley Henderson, available on DVD ($19.99 retail), Blu-ray ($24.99 retail), and 4K Ultra HD combo ($29.99 retail), each boasting a bevy of behind-thescenes featurettes for Dune devotees.

THE FLYING SWORDSMAN (Well Go USA Entertainment): Originally titled Xue shan fei hu and also released as The Hidden Fox, writer/director Qiao Lei’s wildly stylized martial-arts fantasy — based on Jin Yong’s 1950 wuxia serial Fox Volant od Snowy Mountain, stars Huawei Zhao as the titular character, a warrior possessing mystical powers on a perilous quest to defeat the “Eight Villains” and claim a hidden treasure. Although the CGI effects and incessant flashbacks sometimes overwhelm (and reshape) the story, Zhao makes

BY MARK BURGER

DVD PICK OF THE WEEK: CHINATOWN (Paramount Home Entertainment)

LA

FEMME

A masterpiece. A perfect film. One of the best films of the 1970s and a true classic.

That about says it all for director Roman Polanski’s scintillating, savage, and complex 1974 thriller, a quintessential film noir with its roots firmly planted in the history of pre-World War II Los Angeles, a city rife with graft and corruption belied by its sun-dappled elegance.

Jack Nicholson is first-rate as J.J. “Jake” Gittes, a private investigator specializing in divorce cases. Gittes doesn’t necessarily play by the rules, but he does have a moral code, and his cynical armor isn’t enough to insulate him

from corruption and moral degradation on a scale has never encountered before.

Faye Dunaway, equally superb, plays Evelyn Mulwray, the wealthy woman who hires Gittes to investigate her husband’s murder, which Gittes might have inadvertently been complicit to. She’s the quintessential, elegantly icy femme fatale, but her glamorous demeanor masks a deep vulnerability. Then there is John Huston as Mulwray’s father, power broker Noah Cross, whose avuncular attitude masks some dark secrets of his own.

With razor-sharp precision, Robert Towne’s peerless script peels away the layers of deception and duplicity, creating a gripping, tightly coiled narrative, and there’s no beating Jerry Goldsmith’s magnificent score, which ranks as one of his best. Like much of Polanski’s work, there’s a pervasive air of menace and unease throughout Chinatown that builds and builds, ultimately leading to a shattering denouement and the unforgettable last line: “Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.”

Although Nicholson, Dunaway, and Huston are so dominant, let’s not forget the solid supporting cast: Perry Lopez, Burt Young, Diane Ladd, John Hillerman, Bruce Glover, James Hong, Roy Jenson, Dick Bakalyan, and Polanski himself in a vivid cameo as a switchblade-wielding thug.

Chinatown earned Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Art Direction/Set Decoration, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Original Score, and Best Sound — but only Towne took home the statue, for Best Original Screenplay.

The 50th-anniversary 4K Ultra HD combo ($39.99 retail) includes audio commentary, retrospective and vintage featurettes and interviews, theatrical trailer, and the R-rated 1990 sequel The Two Jakes directed by Nicholson and written by Towne. Rated R.

for a handsome, athletic hero, and the action scenes unquestionably deliver the goods. A surefire cult contender. In Mandarin with English subtitles, available on DVD ($19.99 retail).

IN THE COMPANY OF KINGS (Virgil Films/Kino Lorber): In his feature debut, Robert Douglas produced and narrates this well-intentioned but meandering documentary feature the examines (sometimes sketchily) the legacies of such champion boxers as Larry Holmes, Tim Witherspoon, Leon and Michael Spinks, Earnie Shavers, and Bernard Hopkins, and how they overcame such factors as racism, economic hardships, and even fight promoter Don King (who, naturally, isn’t interviewed) to achieve success. There are some good scenes, particularly when Hopkins revisits his

NIKITA (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment): A limited-edition 4K Ultra HD ($45.99 retail) of Luc Besson’s award-winning, slam-bang action blowout (also released as Nikita) starring Anne Parillaud as a violent junkie surreptitiously recruited by a shadowy organization that transforms her into a fearless, ferocious assassin. A triumph of style over substance, augmented by Thierry Arbogast’s flashy cinematography and Eric Serra’s pounding score, with Parillaud (then married to Besson) in top form and solid support from Tcheky Karyo as her recruiter and Jeanne Moreau as her mentor. In French with English subtitles. Rated R.

old Philadelphia stomping grounds, but too often the film lacks a consistent focus despite the obvious enthusiasm of Douglas. The DVD ($19.95 retail) includes trailers.

IO CAPITANO (Cohen Media Group/ Kino Lorber): Producer/director/cowriter Matteo Garrone’s award-winning drama details the journey of Senegalese immigrants Seydou Sarr and Moustapha Fall (in his feature debut) from Dakar to Italy and contend with hardships and tragedy along the way. This earned an Academy Award nomination for Best International Feature Film. In French and Wolof with English subtitles, available on DVD ($19.95 retail) and Blu-ray ($29.95 retail), each replete with Q&A session and theatrical trailer.

“MONK”: SEASON SEVEN (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): In his signature role, Tony Shalhoub portrays Adrian Monk, a former San Francisco police inspector suffering from an extreme case of obsessive compulsive disorder recruited to lend his unorthodox expertise to the toughest cases, in all 16 episodes from the 2008-‘09 season of the critically acclaimed, light-hearted USA Network mystery series created by writer/producer Andy Breckman, with regular cast members Traylor Howard, Jason Gray-Stanford, and Ted Levine joined by guest stars Gena Rowlands, Sarah Silverman, Hector Elizondo, Robert Loggia, Joanna Pacula, David Strathairn, John Turturro, Steve Zahn, Bob Costas, Brad Garrett, Melora Hardin, and others. That season, Monk earned Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Shalhoub, of course) and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (Rowlands), available on Blu-ray ($49.95 retail), replete with audio commentaries, webisodes, and more.

“PHILO VANCE COLLECTION” (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): The title tells all in this Blu-ray triple feature ($39.95 retail) of an early talkie franchise based on the best-selling mystery novels by S.S. Van Dine and headlining William Powell as the dapper, debonair, and tenacious titular sleuth: The Canary Murder Case (1929) co-stars Jean Arthur and Louise Brooks, The Greene Murder Case (also ’29) co-stars Arthur and Florence Eldridge, and The Benson Murder Case (1930) co-starring Paul Lukas, William “Stage” Boyd, and Eugene Pallette. Bonus features include audio commentaries. !

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies.

Over the past 20 years, North Carolina has had its share of municipal scandal and controversy. Town and city managers have made news for everything from sleeping with co-workers to domestic disturbances. And even on a good day, it’s not unusual to see local governing boards get into heated arguments about one thing or another, usually involving the allocation of tax dollars. But in the midst of this turbulence, Forsyth County has enjoyed largely smooth sailing when it comes to governance and administration, and for that we have Dudley Watts to thank. After a stint as manager of Granville County, Watts, a native of Durham, was tapped to manage Forsyth County, a position he’s held since 2006. Now after 18 years of service to the community, he is retiring. I first met Dudley three years ago when we launched Forsyth County Connections, a monthly television series that keeps residents informed about various public services and programs. I caught up with Dudley recently during a taping of our TV show and we talked about his life and career.

JL: Tell me about your childhood and

SPEAK YOUR MIND!

Dudley Watts Steps Down

what activities you were into.

DW: I kinda did everything, but nothing all that well. I was a pole vaulter in high school, but I never made it over the bar (laughs). I played football for a while and played tuba in the band. I was active in the church youth group and was an Eagle Scout. My father passed away from cancer when I was in high school, so my mom and I had to run a small convenience store for a while. Those were tough times, but I learned a lot and it really shaped my life.

JL: You graduated from N.C. State and did graduate work at UNC before landing jobs in communications and government. What attracted you to the county manager job in Forsyth?

DW: It was a dream job in a dream place. Mom grew up in Lexington, so I had family in the area and Forsyth had a long history of good local government.

JL: You submitted your final budget earlier this month, and, as always, things went o pretty much without a hitch. How has that process worked so well?

DW: I’ve got a group of department managers who care very deeply about providing high-level service to residents, and they do so in a very fiscally responsible way. They scrutinize requests, and then my job has always been to provide the commissioners with recommendations, but to do it in a way that gives them an ability to change it and really make it theirs.

JL: Let’s talk about economic development and highlight some projects that have come to fruition during your tenure, starting with Innovation Quarter.

JL: What about Caterpillar?

DW: Caterpillar was recruited here and built a tremendous facility. They then converted to a subsidiary company and are doing some manufacturing of heavy mining equipment. It has been a real success.

JL: Smith Reynolds Airport is doing well too.

do we need to do?”, and the results have been pretty remarkable.

JL: Let’s also mention that during your tenure as county manager, there has been an expansion of and addition to parks, and places for people to have fun, like Tanglewood and Festival of Lights.

DW: A lot of that was driven by the Board of Commissioners and what I observed that they were invested in. For example, one of the things I heard a lot about back then was getting the campground at Tanglewood back up and running, so we did, and it has been a remarkable success, producing a couple hundred thousand dollars in revenue for the county every year which supports county operations. It’s also great to develop new parks like Belews Lake Park which we’ll open up soon and the agricultural park near Tobaccoville. Preserving open space is part of maintaining quality of life for this community.

JL: Do you feel pretty good about how the County is doing these days?

DW: Yes. The facility and infrastructure side of it is good. There have been a lot of investments and not a lot of deferred maintenance through that. We are an organization that really focuses on providing a good quality level of service, but within the confines of not trying to buy any more government than we need.

JL: What will you miss about being County Manager?

DW: When I started here back in 2006 and I’d drive down Liberty Street, all those buildings that are now the vibrant Innovation Quarter, they were all shuttered, and the amount of change since then has been tremendous. The county and the city played an integral role in making that happen by making incentives available to developers.

DW: Yes. That land has always been owned by the county, and it used to operate with a separate governmental authority, but several years ago we collapsed it into a county department. Mark Davidson worked through that transition as the leader there and he is now a department manager in the county. That gave Mark access to bond financing opportunities and the support of the county infrastructure, plus we got a lot of federal and state money there. We’ve expanded facilities and improved the maintenance overhaul operation. The terminal building is getting ready to be updated, and we’ve got two new hangars there which adds to the bottom line.

DW: I’ll miss the people. I have been blessed in my career to work with wonderfully dedicated sta and elected o cials. They all have this high level of expectation of the community and how we treat people. I’ll also miss the excitement of working on projects that will set the stage for something that you know will be good in the future.

JL: What will you not miss?

JL: Your thoughts on Whitaker Park?

DW: Whitaker Park was being discussed right when I arrived.

JL: You’ve always had a vision for developing downtown Winston-Salem. Talk about what we’ve come to know as the “Downtown Strategy.”

DW: Some of the stress of Thursday board meetings, but I’ve always enjoyed them after they were over (laughs). But seriously there’s not too much that I won’t miss because this has been a remarkable opportunity for me.

All in all, it has been an amazing career for the pole-vaulting boy from Durham who never made it over the bar, then managed to raise it for the rest of us. !

YES! Weekly welcomes letter to the editor. Our VOICES page allows readers the opportunity to share comments, opinions, and views regarding the issues that a ect us all. Please limit your letters to 250 words or less and include your name, address, and daytime phone number. Only your name and community will be printed. The other information is needed for author verification. Unsigned letters will not be published. Letters are limited to one per month. YES! Weekly reserves the right to edit or withhold any letter from publication for libelous content. Letters to the Editor represent the opinion of their writers, not that of YES! Weekly and its employees. Hand-deliver, email chanel@yesweekly. com, or mail your letter to YES! Weekly, Attention: Letters to the Editor, 5500 Adams Farm Lane, Suite 204, Greensboro, NC 27407

It was a Reynolds facility that was underutilized, and the company worked with a non-profit development authority along with city and county support to revitalize that area which is now amazing. Purple Crow is in there and so is Second Harvest Food Bank, and some apartments are being developed. That was another area of the county that was shuttered which is now vibrant.

DW: Winston-Salem City Manager Lee Garrity came in about the same time that I did, as did Jason Thiel who was head of development, and there was clearly an e ort to revitalize downtown. Back then the Mayor used to joke that if you shot a cannon down 4th Street at 5 o’clock, you wouldn’t have to worry about hitting anybody (laughs). So, we got with Jason and with folks in the community and said, ‘Where’s the county’s footprint, and what

JIM LONGWORTH is the host of Triad Today, airing on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. on ABC45 (cable channel 7) and Sundays at 11 a.m. on WMYV (cable channel 15) and streaming on WFMY+.

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Dudley Watts

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Soak up the sun with the 20th annual Greensboro Solstice Festival and Triad celebrations

Katei Cranford

Summertime is here y’all! And celebrations abound across the Triad on June 22. As the longest day shines on the world, the fairies and folks behind the Greensboro Summer Solstice Festival will celebrate the festival’s 20th solar rotation — with music and merrymakers and a dazzling fire finale — at the Greensboro Arboretum in Lindley Park.

For “Head Faerie” Susan Sassmann, it’s a summertime dream paired with a mission aiming to ”create an experience for our festival-goers that blends local artisans, performers, and budding entrepreneurs with a little bit of magic and a lot of love, opening up imaginations to the possibilities in each of us.”

Looking back over 20 magical years, “we’re proud to have gotten to this benchmark,” she said. “I think it’s because the city wanted it and we responded to the need. During these challenging times with so much division, we are happy to provide so much joy for so many in the hopes that it will carry on in the hearts and minds of Greensboro citizens.”

When it comes to the festival, Sassmann, the “dream team” of organizers, and attendees alike wear those hearts of joy on their sleeve — accented by the glitter and wings of the cosplay element

that’s blossomed over the festival’s tenure. “The dress-up factor increases each year and now it’s safe to say that we have the best ‘people-watching event’ in town.”

Vendors and wares are well-stocked with fae-inspired duds, and several body artists are on hand to turn attendees into their own walking works of art.

The festival’s feast for the eyes (and ears) goes far beyond fashion — and beyond what Sassmann and the “dream team” could have imagined at that first festival in 2005. “It was intended to be a one-time-only event,” she said. “We held it in the Bicentennial Gardens on a Tuesday evening. There was a mystery about the celebration that brought droves of people eager to see what it was.”

“We knew immediately that we had struck a nerve in the hearts of Greensboro citizens. We had no idea how it would grow, but each year more people flocked to the event as we added music, then vendors, buskers, and eventually the Parasol Parade, Drum Circle, and Fire Show.”

Led by percussionist Sandy Blocker (University Accompanist at Elon University), the hour-long drum circle follows the Parasol Parade (with accompaniment from Too Phat Brass Band) — inviting participation from the audience and igniting the energy that culminates with the festival’s Fire Finale.

“It’s a crescendo that leaves participants giddy,” Sassmann said, “it’s a full participation rhythmic experience that welcomes both drummers and dancers.” There’s also the Circle Sounds immersive experience led by Lyn Koonce. As the longest day sets, the festival heats up

— literally — with fire spinners and LED hoopers — setting the crowd figuratively a blaze, “....a perfect ending to any enchanting festival.”

That enchantment has firmly cemented the Solstice celebration as a Greensboro summer tradition; drawing crowds of around 5,000 attendees, “along with 100 entrepreneurs bringing their hand-crafted items and artistry to the audience.”

Nestled where the arboretum and Lindley Park intertwine, the festival grounds feature two band stages and a vendor “Bazaar” bustling with artists, makers, and merchants. Meanwhile, mermaids will be lounging — ready to mesmerize — in the Arborteum’s Butterfly Garden; and buskers will be bouncing around with bursts of entertainment.

“There’s ample space to meander through the gardens, relax under a tree with a cold beverage, and watch the delight on the faces passing by,” Sassmann said, turning to the independent artists and buskers to be found. “The Golden Mime is a favorite — she sprinkles faerie dust on kids and adults. There’s pirates, stilt walkers, and wandering minstrels really add to the ambiance of Solstice and the fire performance at dusk brings the day to a close as the sun sets and we close this day for another year.”

All the while, behind the scenes, the experience is wrangled by a “dream team” of folks — each with their own whimsical title — turning festival dreams and delights into reality. For Stuart Stanley (aka “Captain of Stage”), it’s a labor of love. “I love the whole ‘vibe’ that our attendees, vendors, performers, and sta

bring year after year,” he said. As a musician, thespian, and “enthusiastic kilted weirdo,” Stanley has been involved with the Solstice celebration for “well over a decade,” and regards the team as family. “I’m so proud to be a part of this 20thyear celebration!”

As Captain of the Stage — technical “stages” — Stanley helps present eight musical groups gracing the two stages: the “BHHS-Yost & Little Stage” featuring Taboo Sue, Pure Fiyah Reggae Band, the Too Phat Brass Band, the Chris O’Leary Band, and SunQueen & The Soular Flares; and the “Serenity Stage” with Jessie Dunks, Maia Kamil, and the Queen Bees. For the Queen Bees, the super-trio of electro-folk from Kate M. Tobey, Molly McGinn, and Quilla — it’s a buzz. “We’re really excited to be a part of this year’s summer solstice festival,” they said. “It’s all about celebrating community, nature, and the feminine spirit — three things we live for!” Kamil and Dunks echoed the a ection for community. “Greensboro is where I first started performing and where I found deep musical kinship,” Kamil said. “My band and I are so excited to perform new and old songs for the solstice festival in a community that we love so much.” Dunks is especially excited to celebrate their own summer kicko (and second time performing for the festival).

“Everything about the festival embodies Summer,” they said. “The music, the vibe, the food — the 90-degree weather — and I’m excited to bring some of my favorite original songs to the stage!”

The vibes radiate from SunQueen Kelcey Ledbetter — a festival favorite and

Contributor

PHOTO BY BONNIE STANLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY ALEX FORSYTH

soulful elemental powerhouse. “Invigorating. Inviting. Encouraging. That’s how I’d describe GSO Summer Solstice Fest!,” Ledbetter said. “This will be our third year performing and our sixth year attending. I can genuinely say it gets better each time with great vendors, a message of self-love, incredible music, and an awesome crew! We leave feeling inspired and impatiently waiting to do it all over again next year! See y’all soon on the Berkshire Stage!”

Festival first-timer Chris O’Leary is equally excited. “We’re really psyched,” he said. A Billboard-charting bluesman (who toured with Levon Helm), O’Leary exalted his knockout rhythm section — drummer Chuck Cotton and bassist Shiela Klinefelter — and their connections to the Greensboro community.

While Too Phat Brass Band will be a new musical o ering for the festival, a few members have graced the Solstice stage before with the Unheard Project GSO. “They had a great time celebrating the longest day of the year,” said Too Phat’s “band dad” and vocalist Jeremy Goad. “We’re excited to share our love for New Orleans second-line brass band parade music with our community at this year’s Greensboro Summer Solstice Festival!”

Goad will be joined in the Too Phat lineup by Daron Loftin on trumpet, Shane Wheeler on sax, Leroy Pridgen IV on trombone, Chase Butler on sousaphone, and Jobias Jackson on drums; with a strong possibility of special guests.

“The beautiful thing about brass players is the mutual appreciation of New Orleans’ brass band tradition as the root of many of the genres in which we play today, so recruiting people to play with us is pretty easy,” Goad explained. “The collaboration in our local scene is fantastic. If you’ve seen a horn player in one of your favorite local or regional acts, chances are they’ve played with Too Phat or Unheard Project GSO.”

It’s that sense of collaboration and celebration of community — combined with a reverence for natural, solar wonder — that Sassmann considers the core of the solstice celebration.

“There is a respect for the beauty of nature and the warmth of humankind that seems to envelop the crowd,” she said. “The celebration crosses economic and racial lines and brings out people of all ages to dance together, eat and drink, and shop together while supporting everything local!”

“Promoting local vendors and talent is at the forefront of our thoughts, along with the goal of engaging our diverse community with each other and the arts. We want the Greensboro Summer Solstice to spark creativity in our community and provide a stimulating and awe-inspiring event that will impart an everlasting memory for the entire family.” Sassmann and her team also aim to keep admission a ordable: entrance is $10, and children 12 and under are free.

“Really, volunteers are the backbone of the day,” she continued. “Greeting guests, pouring beer, and parking cars. It’s an eclectic mix of people, tastes, and sounds that bring it all together to make such a special event possible. We maintain a kindness vibe and a celebratory tone that’s often hard to find.”

“As the day progresses, the energy rises and despite it being the longest, and sometimes hottest day of the year, once 5 p.m. kicks o the parade, you can feel the creative spirit and sense of community all around.”

Those spirits and communal senses radiate across the Triad. While the Solstice Celebration o ers flights of fancy and a Parasol Parade in Greensboro; in Winston-Salem rainbows shine as the

PrideWS festival pops o around downtown with a parade of its own.

Meanwhile, SECCA is putting some soul in the Solstice — and launching the 2024 installation of the Southern Idiom concert series — with a full band show from “intergalactic soulster” Sonny Miles. The Winston-native landed on former President Barack Obama’s “Favorite Music of 2019” playlist, and released his latest album, “Gamma”, in February. He’ll be joined on the lakeside stage by Kenny Wavinson, Greensboro’s purveyor of vibey, melodic “Lakewater Rock.”

As the longest day envelopes the world — there’s a bounty of ways to soak up the sun and the energy of community, with music, food, and art across the Triad in celebration on June 22.

The 20th Greensboro Solstice Festival runs 2-10 p.m. at the Greensboro Arboretum and Lindley Park; true colors shine at PrideWS in downtown Winston-Salem, with the parade rolling at 11 a.m.; and Sonny Miles o ers out-of-this-world soul with a splash of Kenny Wavinson’s “lakewater rock,” at SECCA, starting at 6 p.m. Happy Solstice, Triad music lovers. !

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

DOWNTOWN

Soular Flares

Jessie Dunks

Too Phat Brass Band

PHOTO BY AUDREY LAMBERT

PHOTO BY JON MCLAWHORN

The 4th Annual Arts Legacy Awards honors local artists

Chanel R. Davis Editor

The stars were out on Friday, June 14 at the fourth annual Arts Legacy Awards at the Van Dyke Performance Space, located at 200 N. Davie St. in Greensboro. Presented by Royal Expressions Contemporary Ballet Studio, and kicking off the city’s Juneteenth activities, the awards ceremony is designed to celebrate Black artists who have created legacies in Greensboro, the Triad, and beyond. Sponsored by Creative Greensboro, the City of Greensboro and Lincoln Financial, the event, which began in 2021, is a formal ceremony that includes a dinner for honorees and their guests, along with a tribute show to honor their service to the community. It was emceed by award-winning author and poet Lavinia Jackson also known as Momma Love. The 2024 honorees included the following people: Clement Mallory — Poetry; Toni Shaw — Photography; Wesley L. Williams, Jr. — Dance; Fred “Funki” Mills — Music; and Sybil Lynch — Singer. Mallory is a performance artist and a professional poet from Brooklyn, New York by way of the Van Dyke Project in Brownsville. He has performed on many stages both great and small, from Broadway to the famous Apollo Theater to local theaters, libraries, universities, clubs, bars, streets, and subways. He graduated from the State University of New York at Oneonta with a B.A. in Political Science and a Minor in Pre-Law, and is a member of the Mu Kappa Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. In

2010, he founded Kids Poetry Basketball Inc., a literacy program designed for kids ages 4-13, where the kids learn how to read, spell, and identify poetry words while playing basketball.

Mallory received a tribute via spoken word by other poets, including a special piece by his wife Jasmine.

“I’m so humbled,” he told the crowd.

Shaw is the principal photographer and owner of Shaw Photography Group. Born in Burlington and raised in Altamahaw, she is an acclaimed Greensborobased contemporary photographer who has gained both critical and commercial recognition for her photography.

She has an Associate Fellowship Degree in photography and has played an integral role in helping many students see the important role art is to the community. Early years her resume includes work in the advertising and graphic design industry. Since moving

on to photography, her resume includes working with companies such as Food Lion, and Wells Fargo, publications such as Essence and Savory , as well as many trade and local magazines. She has shot people like Fantasia, Patti LaBelle, Rev. Jesse Jackson and his family.

“One of the most important things that we can do as an artist is make what we do count,” she said.

Shaw received a dance tribute from The Pointe Company and Technique Conservatory, one of the first businesses she began photographing in Greensboro.

Our community is a tapestry of diverse backgrounds and experiences, and it is through our collective efforts that we continue to promote unity and progress,” she said. “Through my lens, I strive to tell stories that resonate with people from all walks of life. I am humbled to be recognized for my contributions to this art form.”

Williams is a former college football player, teacher, dancer, choreographer, and entrepreneur. He attended North Carolina Central University and is the founder of Suah African Dance Theatre, a dance theater company based in Greensboro. He has been in residency at several colleges and universities, such as Duke University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, N.C. School of The Arts, Stevens College, Lincoln University, Fayetteville State University, Radford University, WinstonSalem State University, and has worked alongside master teachers such as Dr. Chuck Davis, Mabel Robinson, Dr. Maya Angelou, Mr. Sherone Price, Jan Van Dyke, Rod Rogers, Ava Vinesett and Thaddeus Bennett.

He received a dance and musical tribute from the Suah African Dance Theatre’s dancers and drummers.

“Instead of looking for peace, let us

seek harmony. Seek harmony first and then peace will be waiting for you at your door,” Williams said when asked what advice he would give to budding artists. “I was excited to be invited to this because there are so many beautiful artists here.”

Mills received a posthumous award for his contribution to music. His family accepted his award.

Mills was a versatile figure in the music world, serving as a vocalist, keyboardist, writer, arranger, and producer, boasting a rich history in the industry. He notably co-founded the acclaimed band Sweet Dreams and has collaborated with renowned artists such as Betty Davis, CHOPS, Teddy Riley, and labels like Atlantic Records, Mercury Record, and Sugarhill Records.

“I feel like my daddy left this world free,” said his daughter, Stevii. “This has been a blessing and we are so grateful.”

Lynch, known mononymously as Sybil, is a soul diva who gained notable success in her career with songs from the mid-1980s into the mid-1990s. An alumna of N.C. A&T SU, she started her music career with the group Ce Ce & Company before she left to sign with Next Plateau record label. She achieved worldwide crossover hits with her

cover versions of Dionne Warwick’s hits “Don’t Make Me Over” and “Walk On By,” which were released in 1989 and 1990, respectively. In 1997, Sybil terminated her contract with Next Plateau Records with a Greatest Hits Album, and later that same year, she released her last album to date, “Still a Thrill,” which was released in Europe and Japan only. Afterward, Sybil kept touring and releasing new house/dance singles. She currently works in higher education in the Triad area.

“The advice that I would give to those who are trying to express themselves through music and art would probably be to be true to who you are and stop trying to conform. I think people aren’t successful in certain genres because they are trying to be something that they are not,” she said when asked what advice she’d give to up-and-coming artists. “Acknowledging your strengths while acknowledging your weaknesses allows you to step into a space where you can be who you are.” !

CHANEL R. DAVIS 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.

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The Shoaldiggers, 2023’s “Not Your Average Folk” winners, are returning to Greensboro for a double-album release with the “Wake Forest Sea Shanty Orchestra” Folkknot, on June 22 at the Flat Iron.

From rolling seascapes to the hollers of the Great Smoky Mountains, Shoaldiggers shows are a “swamp grass blast.”

Based in Hillsborough these days, several members of the whopping nine-piece band have been known to call Greensboro home.

“We have so much fun here,” bassist Daryl White said, musing the location’s motivation for celebrating the release. “There’s a pure love for music and art; and so many supportive people we’ve been lucky enough to meet. It only seemed natural to collaborate with our new nautical friends, Folkknot!”

The Shoaldiggers dig it

“Plus, we love the Flat Iron,” he continued. “Amazing sound and super friendly sta , factor in their in-house recording set up and it’s no wonder they were our desired venue.” Ever the roving recorders, “We plan to make a live recording of the show, so we’re calling all Shoalmates in the Triad to come out and hoot and holler with us, please.”

The Shoaldiggers themselves roll up to nine-piece deep and blaze through a couple dozen instruments in their average set — and on their new record, “Striking Fire.” “We’ll be an 8-piece that night, only missing our trumpet,” White explained, referencing scheduling as cat-herding–though the group is accustomed to rolling with the waves and punches.

Variety is the spice of Shoaldigger life.

“Before the pandemic, we mainly played as a full band,” White continued, “but since then we have embraced the many configurations that we can employ. From a three-piece string band, to a three or four-piece cosmic swamp jazz — flute, saw, and percussion — and really anything in between. We spend a lot of time re-organizing who is doing what solos depending on personnel.”

While the onstage body count ranges from shoestring three-piece string bands to the full lineup kit and kaboodle — their connection with fans remains immutable. A ectionately dubbed “Shoalmates” in the “Shoal Army,” the Shoaldiggers themselves are drawn to build relationships and create experiences–on stage and in the recording booth.

“We have a lot of friends and former members as guests on ‘Striking Fire,’” White said. “We’re so lucky to have them. All in all, I believe, 17 people appeared on the record.”

A full house of guest artists and styles, the album o ers a mix of classic country, surfy punk rock, psychedelic blues, meaningful ballads, and the Shoaldiggers trademark “peppy swampgrass.”

White reckons songs like “Stop Signs” would pair nicely between Modern English and Agent Orange — the band certainly o ers a not-your-average folk genre variety. Variety they liken to the natural elements of Old North State. “We love that N.C. has so much diversity,” he said. “Not just musically, but geographically. We love it all, the ocean, beach, swamp, sandhills, piedmont, foothills, and mountains.”

As for the evolution of their sound, White invokes the wedding cliche: something old, something new. “We try to draw from our ‘old’ and varied musical influences and then inject them with ‘new’ inspired creativity, often blending genres and styles,” he said. The result is that blend of Shoaldigger “swampgrass”: wild and ancient sounds civilized just enough in time and tune, melded into an original o ering.

Keeping up with the wedding band analogy, there’s bound to be something borrowed from an array of influences. “Our influences range from every corner of the musical globe,” White noted. “We obviously lean towards human-created vibrations versus computer emulation, but even a slamming robot dance jam can make it into our playlist. Our percussionist, Nick Mitchell, has vast knowledge of Celtic and traditional European instruments and adds a lot of diversity to our sound through those means.”

And that diversity ranges, from the traditional stylings to the funky “acid jug band folk bangers,” all of which cater to the personalities and experiences of the primary songwriter — but while there’s

Katei Cranford

Contributor

a wide variety, the Shoaldiggers dig in unison. Their songs are di erent, but not disjointed.

Instrumentally, “there’s something about the double dueling musical saws that make the hair on the back of your neck stand up,” White mused, expanding on the saw’s impressive range beyond a tool chest. “Allison Zirkel plays the deeper, sustaining tenor saw, while Steve Cowles plays the higher piercing alto saw. Something always sounds ancient and spooky once a saw is playing — put two together and get ready for your little toe to shoot up in yer boot.”

Little toes shoots and loads of imagery abound. “Each song is its own baby, with its own creation imagery and personality,” White said. “They grow and change based on what each player feeds them. It’s fun to watch them grow up and change, the best part is… they never die.”

“While each song has its themes, we try to paint a lyrical picture that allows your imagination room to fill in the dots in your own magical way,” White continued, turning to the 12 tracks on “Striking Fire.” “We’re very proud of our lyrics and they are printed on the inner sleeve.”

Shifting from lyrical pictures to literal pictures, “the cover features an underwater, yet desert landscape, hinting at the fact that while we walk around on the ground here, we are just bottom dwellers in a gaseous sea above.”

Expounding the metaphorical nature of the album art (the work of guitarist Chris Knotts), ”basically, the front highlights the way things aren’t what they first seem.” It’s a notion carried across the Shoaldiggers’ first two full-length albums. “The back cover is a nighttime desert scene with a school of fish flying in the air, and our ‘Jolly Worm’ sign projected on the clouds above.”

With a nod to the pirates of the N.C. coast, the Shoaldiggers have their own insignia: the Jolly Worm, a one-eyed cat skull with crossed bone hammer and saber. Drawing on a beloved pet now passed, “Worm was the sweetest, one-eyed, deaf, white cat that belonged to Allison and I,” White explained. “Since she was deaf, she would curl up directly in front of the kick drum at band practice. She loved the vibration and we love keeping her spirit alive!”

With spirits alive and sails high, there’s a nautical nature to the Shoaldiggers repertoire; with the album title derived from the song “Aquatic Neanderthals,” which was written on a surf trip to Puerto Rico. “You’d never guess that from the lyrics,” White said, dropping fun facts and connecting the titular chorus: “striking fire on the seafloor / like aquatic neanderthals.”

“It’s a reference to falling while surfing a coral reef and hitting — or striking — fire coral. We try to have double triple meanings available, choose your own adventure style.”

Across their adventure, White points to Steve Cowles’ pandemic-era addition to the fold. “He brings so much soul and diversity with him, from the growl and screams of his superb sax playing, to the melodic masterpieces on the flute and his soaring saw — sometimes in the same song.”

While White enjoys reflecting on their evolution over the years, it’s the adventure ahead he’s most interested in. “We’re definitely proud of our sound, and it evolves naturally as we continue to create new original tunes together. We already have a few new songs for the next record that are very unique and groovy.”

One, “Sangoma,” was recorded at Black Rabbit Audio as part of their “Not Your Average Folk” contest winnings. “Tom Troyer is brilliant and patient,” White said, turning to the track. “‘Sangoma’ has this psychedelic jungle Indonesian vibe and moves in and out of 5/4 rhythm — although you’d never know it unless you’re specifically counting.”

“It’s an earworm the size of Texas.”

Perhaps the song will worm its way into their set at the Flat Iron. Either way, despite their variety of sight and sound, the plan remains the same: “Keep moving, keep writing, keep recording, keep having fun, keep making friends, keep making memories, keep making Shoalmates.”

The Shoaldiggers celebrate the release of “Striking Fire” with a live-recorded, double-release show with Folkknot (and their new album “All Good Things”) at the Flat Iron on June 22. !

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

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CARBORRO

CAT ’S CRAdlE

300 E Main St | 919.967.9053 www.catscradle.com

Jun 20: Alesana

Jun 21: Kim gordon

Jun 22: Rose City Band

Jun 23: Elliott Fullam

Jun 24: Future Islands

Jun 25: All Under Heaven

Jun 25: Jenny lewis

Jun 28: whitehall

Jun 29: The Sandwich Shoppe Showcase

Jun 30: of Montreal

CHARLOttE

BOJAnglES COlISEUM

2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600 www.boplex.com

Jun 21: Jay wheeler

Jun 27: That girl lay lay

THE FIllMORE

1000 NC Music Factory Blvd | 704.916.8970 www.livenation.com

Jun 19: The Menzingers

Jun 19: Silversun Pickups

Jun 20: wilderado

Jun 21: Yoi Toki

Jun 22: Bingo loco!

Jun 30: Matisse

PnC MUSIC PAvIlIOn

707 Pavilion Blvd | 704.549.1292 www.livenation.com

Jun 22: Outlaw Music Festival: willie nelson, Bob dylan, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Jun 26: Alanis Morissette, Joan Jett And The Blackhearts & Morgan wade

Jun 27: Maroon 5 & Maren Morris

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

CLEmmOnS

vIllAgE SqUARE TAP HOUSE

6000 Meadowbrook Mall Ct | 336.448.5330

www.facebook.com/vstaphouse

Jun 20: Pushin’ georgia

Jun 21: Tracen Hollow

Jun 22: Muddy Creek Revival

Jun 27: Anna Mertson

Jun 28: Sons of Bootleg

Jun 29: The Real goodsong Ft. Ben Robinson

DuRHAm

CAROlInA THEATRE

309 W Morgan St | 919.560.3030 www.carolinatheatre.org

dPAC

123 Vivian St | 919.680.2787 www.dpacnc.com

May 16-Jun 9: The lion King

ELKIn

REEvES THEATER

129 W Main St | 336.258.8240 www.reevestheater.com

wednesdays: Reeves Open Mic

Fourth Thursdays: Old-Time Jam

Jun 22: Maggie Rose

gREEnSBORO

BARn dInnER THEATRE

120 Stage Coach Tr. | 336.292.2211 www.barndinner.com

Jun 8- Jul 27: love Machine The Musical

CAROlInA THEATRE

310 S. Greene Street | 336.333.2605 www.carolinatheatre.com

Jun 24: Condado

CHAR BAR nO. 7

3724 Lawndale Dr. | 336.545.5555 www.charbar7.com

Jun 20: daniel love

Jun 27: luc & Chloe gravely

COMEdY ZOnE

1126 S Holden Rd | 336.333.1034 www.thecomedyzone.com

Jun 20-21: Ms. Pat

Jun 22: Shaun Jones

Jun 28-29: Tony Roberts

FlAT IROn

221 Summit Ave | 336.501.3967 www.flatirongso.com

Jun 19: Hannah Kaminer & The wistfuls

Jun 20: wIld Roots & lua Flora

Jun 21: R.A.P. Ferreira

Jun 22: The Shoaldiggers + Folkknot

Jun 29: donnie doolittle + Blood Ritual + Instant Regrets

gARAgE TAvERn

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

Jun 21: Southern Hustle Band

Jun 22: Stereo doll

Jun 23: Kelsey Hurley

Jun 28: Ragtop Betty

Jun 29: dear Sister

Jun 30: doug & deland

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

Jun 21: FEId

Jun 22: Jhene Aiko

HAngAR 1819

1819 Spring Garden St | 336.579.6480 www.hangar1819.com

Jun 19: Aaron west & The Roaring Twenties w/ Future Teens, Maura weaver

Jun 28: dead Reckoning w/ To Be King, Until They Bleed, Sacrificial Betrayal, violent End

lITTlE BROTHER

BREwIng

Trivia

PIEdMOnT HAll

| 336.373.7400 www.greensborocoliseum.com

Jun 20: Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls ROdY’S

Jun 19: The Beach Boys Jun 20: Josh gates live! Jun 22: Shane gillis

Jun 27: david Spade Jun 29: Sonic Symphony

jamestown

ThE DEck

118 E Main St | 336.207.1999

www.facebook.com/TheDeckJamestown/

Jun 20: Seth Evans

Jun 21: carolina Ambusha

Jun 22: Jokebox Revolver

Jun 27: The Aquarius

Jun 28: No Strings Attached

Jun 29: Radio Revolver

kernersville

BREAThE

cockTAil louNgE

221 N Main St. | 336.497.4822

www.facebook.com/BreatheCocktailLounge

Wednesdays: karaoke

Jun 29: Journey Tribute Band

kERNERSvillE

BREWiNg compANY

221 N Main St. | 336.816.7283 www.facebook.com/kernersvillebrewing

Thursdays: Trivia

liberty

ThE liBERTY

ShoWcASE ThEATER

101 S. Fayetteville St | 336.622.3844

www.TheLibertyShowcase.com

oak ridge

BiSTRo 150

2205 Oak Ridge Rd | 336.643.6359 www.bistro150.com

Jun 22: limited Engagement

Jun 29: Two for the Road

raleigh

ccu muSic pARk AT WAlNuT cREEk 3801 Rock Quarry Rd | 919.821.4111 www.livenation.com

Jun 19: maggie Rogers

Jun 23: Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Robert plant & Alison krauss: outlaw Fest

Jun 26: Red hot chili peppers

Jun 27: Alanis morissette

liNcolN ThEATRE

126 E. Cabarrus St | 919.831.6400 www.lincolntheatre.com

Jun 20: Josh & Joe play The Dead. Josh Daniel & Joe may

Jun 21: undertow

Jun 28: The convalescence w/ monochromatic Black, gorepig, The coursing, Dreadnight

RED hAT AmphiThEATER

500 S McDowell St | 919.996.8800

www.redhatamphitheater.com

Jun 18: An Evening with goose

Jun 21: cody Jinks

Jun 28: Bailey Zimmerman

pNc ARENA

1400 Edwards Mill Rd | 919.861.2300

www.thepncarena.com

Jun 12: Justin Timberlake

Jun 22: Tim mcgraw

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

FooThillS BREWiNg

638 W 4th St | 336.777.3348

www.foothillsbrewing.com

Sundays: Sunday Jazz

Thursdays: Trivia

miDWAY muSic hAll

11141 Old US Hwy 52, Suite 10 | 336.793.4218 www.facebook.com/midwaymusichallandeventcenter mondays: line Dancing

ThE RAmkAT

170 W 9th St | 336.754.9714 www.theramkat.com

Jun 19: Steve Earle, caleb caudle

Jun 20: Del mccoury Band

Jun 21: Sneakers

Jun 23: Spafford

Jun 26: Flower in Bloom

Jun 28-29: 1love Festival

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

Jun 21: council Ring — pink Floyd Tribute

Jun 22: James kent & the giant peaches

Jun 28: Souljam

Jun 29: clara Dean Trio

Natalie Garcia

Juneteenth Black Food Truck Festival

6.15.24 |

Juneteenth Celebration: Fantasia

6.15.24 | Downtown

|

Downtown Greensboro | Photos by Natalie Garcia

High Point

Photos by Chanel Davis

R&B Soul Picnic

6.15.24 | High Point | Photos by Chanel Davis

Triad Cultural Arts Juneteenth Festival

6.15.24 | Winston-Salem | Photos by Morgan Davis

[SALOME’S STARS]

Week of June 24, 2024

[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Avoid having someone else take credit for a project that you started by finishing it yourself. Then it will be you lovely Lambs who will be wearing those well-deserved laurels.

[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) The facts about a new opportunity are still emerging. Wait until they’re all out in the open, then use your keen business sense to help make the right decision.

[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You might feel confused or even hurt by a friend who suddenly puts distance between you. If they won’t discuss it, don’t push it. An explanation should come in time.

[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Your willingness to be part of a team opens doors that had been shut to you. Keep them open by honoring your promises, even when your commitment seems to be wavering.

[LEO (July 23 to August 22) Congratulations! You’re really getting things done to purrfection. And don’t forget to take a catnap now and again to keep those energy levels up and bristling for action.

[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Your plain-talking honesty is admirable, but sometimes sharp words can leave painful scars. Be careful that what you say doesn’t come back to hurt you.

[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) A stress-filled period takes a positive turn as you deal with the underlying problem. Act now to avoid a recurrence by changing some basic rules in your relationship.

[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your rising energy levels make it easier for you to achieve some important objectives. This could lead to a big boost in how you’re perceived, both at home and on the job.

[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) A changing picture begins to emerge as you learn more about an o er that seemed so right but could be so wrong. Look to a trusted adviser for guidance.

[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Spiritual aspects are strong. Take time to reflect on the path that you’re on and where you hope it will lead you. It’s also a good time to reach out to loved ones.

[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) You could be assuming far too many responsibilities, whether it’s at work or in personal matters. Be careful that you’re not weighed down by them.

[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You’re getting closer to your goals. And since nothing succeeds like success (or the promise thereof), don’t be surprised to find new supporters swimming alongside you.

[BORN THIS WEEK: You are always the first to try new ventures and confront new challenges. You inspire others with your courage to follow your bold examples.

[TRIVIA TEST]

by Fifi Rodriguez

[1. GEOGRAPHY: Which country’s native name is Cymru?

[2. HISTORY: Which country is the first to recognize same-sex marriage?

[3. MOVIES: Who voices the character of Frozone in the animated movie The Incredibles?

[4. FOOD & DRINK: What is the primary ingredient in baba ganoush?

[5. LITERATURE: The movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is based on a short story written by which American author?

[6. MEASUREMENTS: How many grams are in a pound?

[7. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What cultural phenomenon is celebrated on May 4?

[8. TELEVISION: Rhoda Morgenstern is a sidekick in which 1970s TV sitcom?

[9. SCIENCE: What is the process called when iron is coated with zinc?

[10. U.S. STATES: What is the only vowel that is NOT the first letter of a state?

10. E.

9. Galvanization.

8. The Mary Tyler Moore Show

7. Star Wars movies.

6. 454 grams.

© 2024 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

CROSSWORD] crossword on page 11

sudoku on page 11

© 2024 by King Features Syndicate

1. Wales.

2. The Netherlands.

3. Samuel L. Jackson.

4. Eggplant.

5. F. Scott Fitzgerald.