YES! Weekly - July 31, 2024 by YES! Weekly

STOP The Violence

4 It could be said that the OLD TOWN FILM SERIES has had a better track record than the big studios this summe...

“For the month of August, I thought I’d add a little levity and focus on adventure films,” Michael DiVitto Kelly explained.

5 The stars are out in Winston-Salem as internationally acclaimed actresses, actors, producers, directors, performers, and beyond take over the city for the INTERNATIONAL BLACK THEATER FESTIVAL, held through August 3, 2024.

7 Everybody, including Eddie Murphy, cruises on auto-pilot through BEVERLY HILLS COP: AXEL F (now on Netflix), a belated sequel that feels — and plays — less like a reboot than a well-worn retread of the earlier films.

10 A recent edition of YES! Weekly included an editorial entitled, “School Choice? Or Schools’ Choice?” The words that follow are my RESPONSE FROM A PRIVATE SCHOOL LEADER’s point of view.

14 According to Mayor Nancy Vaughan, there will be a VOTE ON FUNDING the Interactive Resource Center at the Monday, August 5 Greensboro City Council Meeting.

16 MASON VIA’s “New Horizons” keep stretching beyond his 2022 album of the same name...the Danbury-raised “newgrass” wunderkind is on the move — and stopping through the Triad for a homecoming show at the Arts Place of Stokes County on August 4.

The Old Town Film Series caps o the summer with thrills aplenty

It could be said that the Old Town Film Series has had a better track record than the big studios this summer, having screened such classics as the original Jaws (1975), the original Star Wars (1977), and both the original 1951 version and 1982 remake of The Thing

Of course, these are tried-and-true crowd-pleasers, and August’s selections are much in the same vintage vein, having been selected by series creator (and life-long movie buff) Michael DiVitto Kelly, the recreation center supervisor at the Old Town Neighborhood Center (4550 Shattalon Drive, WinstonSalem), where the series is presented, each screening taking place 7 p.m. on successive Thursdays.

“For the month of August, I thought I’d add a little levity and focus on adventure films,” he explained.

Thursday’s screening transports audiences back to 1985 — and then back to 1955 — with Back to the Future , the head-spinning time-travel adventure from writer/director Robert Zemeckis

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under the auspices of executive producer Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment. It boosted Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd to bigscreen stardom, made the DeLorean an iconic automobile, won the Oscar for Best Sound Effects Editing, was nominated for three more (Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound, Best Original Song — “The Power of Love”), and spawned a pair of sequels.

“As a ‘80s kid, I loved this movie — a fun premise with so many great moments throughout,” Kelly said.

On August 8, co-producer Ben Stiller embarks on the adventure of a lifetime in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013), a contemporized version of James Thurber’s classic 1939 short story (earlier adapted into a 1947 Danny Kaye vehicle), featuring Kristen Wiig, Shirley MacLaine, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, Patton Oswalt, and Sean Penn. “Stiller plays Walter Mitty, and daydreams about being the hero type,” said Kelly. “When the job is upended, Mitty will become everything he’s dreamed about … for real!”

Earning his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor, Johnny Depp sets sail for adventure in the August 15 selection, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), the first in the ongoing big-screen Disney franchise, the film also earned Oscar nominations for Best Makeup, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects.

“Like the Disney (theme-park) ride itself, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl , is a thrill ride — minus the long lines and expensive park fees!” Kelly said. “Johnny Depp was born to play Captain Jack Sparrow, which he modeled after longtime friend and Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. A terrific cast and a rousing film score composed by Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer make this a special movie treat.”

OLD TOWN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER 4550 SHATTALON DR.

michaelke@cityofws.org or 336.922.3561

Regarding the August 22 selection, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004), Kelly has chosen a film that sputtered financially despite the highpowered star trio of Jude Law (playing the title character), Gwyneth Paltrow, and Angelina Jolie, and marks the only feature film from writer/director Kerry Conran to date.

“Simply put, this 2004 sci-fi action/ adventure yarn is a cinematic marvel,” Kelly said. “ Sky Captain was one of the first films to be shot entirely on a ‘digital backlot’ blending actors with CG surroundings. While it garnered many positive reviews, it didn’t fare well at the box office. Conrad was heavily influenced by watching such classic sci-fi films as Fritz Lang’s Metropolis and the original King Kong , and by the designs of Norman Bel Geddes, an industrial designer who did work for both the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair and 1939 New York World’s Fair.”

The next and final film of August,

scheduled for the 29th, hardly needs an introduction: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). The first big-screen collaboration between long-time friends George Lucas (executive producer/ story writer) and Steven Spielberg (producer/director) cemented Harrison Ford’s super-stardom in the iconic role of intrepid archaeologist Indiana Jones. Yet again the first in a long-running screen franchise, Raiders of the Lost Ark earned Academy Awards for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Sound Editing, and Best Visual Effects, with additional nominations for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, and the big one, Best Picture. Kelly is an unabashed admirer. “ Raiders is considered one of the greatest films of all time, and I wholeheartedly agree. I can’t wait to show it!”

All of the films are rated PG except Pirates of the Caribbean, which is rated PG-13.

The Old Town Film Series has again been presenting its “Kids Summer FilmFest,” a selection of family-oriented films that are suitable for all ages. These films will be shown at 2 p.m. Thursdays: Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (Thursday) and Kiki’s Delivery Service (August 8th).

As Kelly notes, the Old Town Film Series is a great way to embrace and enjoy the magic of movies and is considerably cheaper than streaming services — because it’s free. Audiences are welcome to bring popcorn and refreshments. Kelly will introduce each film and there will be an informal discussion after each screening. !

For more information, call 336-922-3561 or e-mail michaelke@cityofws.org.

Mark Burger

Contributor

Chanel R. Davis Editor

The stars are out at IBTF

The stars are out in WinstonSalem as internationally acclaimed actresses, actors, producers, directors, performers, and beyond take over the city for the International Black Theater Festival, held through August 3, 2024.

The festival, which held its opening event Monday in the lobby of the downtown Marriott on Cherry Street, brings more than 130 performances to Winston-Salem’s venues and more than 65,000 theater fans to town and includes a star-studded celebrity gala, a fashion show, theater workshops, ﬁlm festivals, a midnight poetry slam, and an international vendors market.

“Your presence here reflects the shared passion of the arts and more specifically in Black theater and the critical role it plays in our community. Today marks a significant moment for us. Not only is it the 45th anniversary of the North Carolina Black Repertory Company but it is also the 35th anniversary of the International [National] Black Theater Festival. This milestone is not only a reflection of our organization’s growth but also a testament to the unwavering support and dedication of all of you — our community, our partners, and our patrons,” said Eric Sadler, board chair of N.C. Black Rep. “Our mission is to always support Black theater and to keep our stories alive. Whether it’s to enrich lives through artistic expression or supporting emerging arts, we believe that art has the power to inspire, provoke thought, and unite people through all walks of life.”

The Opening Night Gala kicked o this year’s event on Monday night with a parade of African drummers and dancers of Otesha Creative Arts Ensemble followed by a procession of more than 25 celebrities of stage, television, and ﬁlm. According to the organization, a selection of new works, world premiers, and Black classics will be performed by national and international professional Black theater companies at multiple venues throughout Winston-Salem.

Celebrity Co-Chairs Tamara Tunie and Clifton Davis are excited to participate and encouraged attendees to come out, meet guests, and enjoy the shows. Tunie is an American ﬁlm, stage, and television actress, director, and producer. She is best known for her roles as attorney Jessica Gri n on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns and as medical examiner Melinda Warner in the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Davis is an American actor, singer, songwriter, minister, and author who wrote The Jackson 5 hit “Never Can Say Goodbye” in 1971. He has numerous Broadway credits, including “Hello, Dolly!”; “Aladdin”; “Wicked”; and his Tony Award-nominated turn in “Two Gentlemen of Verona,” among others. “It is such an honor to be here and serve as co-chair with this incredible human being, Mr. Clifton Davis,” Tunie said. She described the hospitality of the city and its residents, adding that it is all part of the experience of the festival. “That’s what makes it unique and truly special,” she said. “It’s my ﬁrst time being here but it will not be my last.” Davis echoed that sentiment.

“This is an exciting experience for me, as well. I get to meet so many wonderful people,” he said. “It’s just won-

derful to meet so many people whose faces I know, and I’ve seen their work, but I get to meet them and say hello. What a great showcase.”

This year the theater will focus heavily on the community with numerous free and family-friendly events throughout the city. There will be free shows focusing on social issues, stage readings, a voter registration drive, historical exhibits, a youth talent showcase, a block party, and more.

“This festival is focused on the community. Community and young people. Community and building that next generation of theatergoers,” said Jackie Alexander, artistic director and producer of the IBTF.

A few free community events include a voter registration drive at the Benton Convention Center on Wednesday; a Civil Rights Icon exhibit that will be on display for the week; a stage reading of “Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom” at 5:30 p.m. that tells the story of Lynda Blackmon Lowery, the youngest participant of Selma’s Voting Rights March in 1965. On Saturday, there will be a children’s play “Telling our Stories through Poetry.” On Friday and Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Benton Convention Center, there will be a virtual reality screening of Young Thang, based on an African Tale about acceptance and believing in yourself.

“What we’ve done is curate a whole week of free events for the community because it’s all about you guys. We have room for everybody,” he said.

A grant from the Henry Luce Foundation fueled a partnership among Wake Forest’s School of Divinity, the University’s Wake the Arts Center, and Winston-Salem’s N.C. Black Repertory Theatre (N.C. Black Rep). The grant provided funding for two plays to be written for and premiered during this year’s International Black Theatre Festival (IBTF).

“I’m just so excited to be here. I’m so excited for Wake Forest School of Divinity to be a part of this festival and to be a part of a unique experience in this festival. That experience is really utilizing theater to explore and examine the depth, complexity, and some of the challenges that occur when you think about religion, race, and the quest for justice in the U.S.,” said Corey D. B. Walker, Dean of the School of Divinity and Wake Forest Professor of the Humanities.

The project, “Finding Holy Ground: Performing Visions of Race and Justice in America,” was announced in January 2022 with a $250,000 grant. The following September, playwrights JuCoby Johnson and Eljon Wardally were

selected to each receive a $10,000 commission, developmental workshop support, and fully staged productions of their plays.

“I’m so glad that this festival has taken on its intentional name, international. Because the questions that we’re raising are not just questions about the United States, they’re not just questions about Winston-Salem. These are global questions about the worth, value, and dignity of what it means to be human in the world,” Walker said. Heritage is written by Johnson and directed by H. Adam Harris. This play will be performed on Wake Forest University’s Reynolda Campus in the Ring Theatre. The play takes place in the world of a small storefront church in a rapidly changing neighborhood facing the threat of demolition after their beloved pastor/patriarch dies suddenly. After being away for many years, Mahalia (the preacher’s daughter) returns, reopening old wounds and asking a timeless question: “Can you ever really escape your past?” The soundtrack of the play fuses Black gospel hymns and punk rock music.

I Am…a Shepherdess is written by Wardally and directed by Bianca LaVerne Jones. It will be performed on the Harold C. Tedford Mainstage. The ﬁlm is based at a wedding rehearsal and explores how four women navigate the trials and tribulations of being Black women in America while ﬁnding humor and solace within the bonds of their sisterhood. Threatened by an outside incident, they must confront what haunts them in order to heal each other.

“By bringing stories to life on stage, theater allows people to connect emotionally with characters and their experiences. It has the power to foster empathy and can motivate people to take action towards positive change,” said Reynolds Professor of Dance Christina Soriano via press release. “We are honored to help create this important bridge for our community and for the 65,000 festival attendees.”

Other city events include the IBTF Film Fest, the city’s Old School Block Party, and the TeenTastic Initiative. The Old School Block Party will be hosted by comedian Tyrone Davis, August 1-3 from 7 to 11 p.m. at Corpening Plaza in downtown Winston-Salem during the festival. Triad residents can enjoy three nights of free, live entertainment, and a variety of food trucks.

The Teentastic event will be held August 2 and 3 at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds. The family-friendly event will feature a variety of activities and entertainment including a fashion show, plays, dancers, a DJ, and games. Events begin at 7 p.m. each night and there will be food options on site. All ages are welcome.

The IBTF Film Festival will be held at a/perture Cinema, located at 311 W. 4th St., during festival week. The film festival celebrates independent filmmakers of color for their contributions to the industry. There will be films ranging from documentaries to dramas playing that week. Attendance is free. !

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.

WANNA know?

For more information, visit https://ncblackrep.org/internationalblack-theatre-festival/.

[ WEEKLY ARTS ROUNDUP] ARTS ON FIRE MONTH AND THE ANNUAL IRON POUR

SUBMITTED BY

JASON R. LAGESSE Director of Mixxer

Since humans first learned to harness the power of fire, it has been a wellspring of imagination and innovation. Fire has enabled us to cook food, stay warm, and protect ourselves. Our mastery of fire has led to countless advancements in the arts and sciences, including metalworking, which shaped the course of human history.

On August 10, Mixxer Community Makerspace kicks o its annual Arts on Fire Month. Over five weeks, Mixxer will host over 50 classes themed around fire for makers and creators of all ages and ability levels. The month culminates on September 15 with Mixxer’s 5th Annual “Iron Pour.” An iron pour is not just a practical method for making tools or parts; it’s also a dramatic artistic expression, showcasing the transformative power of fire. Mixxer’s Iron Pour is a day-long event in collaboration with the Winston-Salem Food Truck Festival and will feature fire-themed classes, demonstrations, vendors, kids’ activities, and the opportunity to make your own cast iron creation.

But wait…what is Mixxer Community Makerspace?

Have you ever wanted to make something for your home, like a farmhouse-style dining table or a cool cutting board? Or learn how to make jewelry, sew buttonholes, or learn to weld? Only to realize that the cost to get started is way higher than you thought and those YouTube videos aren’t too

helpful? That’s where Mixxer Community Makerspace comes in. Their mission is to grow a creative community that provides equitable access to tech, tools, and knowledge regardless of experience or background.

Mixxer is a non-profit organization where members pay a monthly fee to have access to the facility and its amenities. There you will find a woodshop, artisan and crafting areas, forges, 3D printers, and much more. The sta provides free training on any of the tools to help you complete almost any project you can imagine. While they have an awesome array of tools, gadgets, and equipment, the community at Mixxer is its greatest asset. That is why the name is Mixxer: they are a diverse mix of people with varied backgrounds and experiences who share a passion for making and creating and love to share knowledge with others. It is not uncommon to walk into the building and find members helping each other work through problems, learn new skills, and share ideas.

Not a Member? That’s OK! Memberships start at $35 a month, you can sign up online at www.wsmixxer.org/membership. If you want to see everything in action, you can go by Mixxer for a tour or check out one of our classes. !

MIXXER is located in the Industry Hill section of Downtown Winston-Salem on Martin Luther King Drive, between the Ramkat and the Winston Cup Museum. We are open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. You can ﬁnd more information about classes, memberships, and Arts on Fire Month at www. wsmixxer.org.

Back to Beverly Hills with Eddie Murphy

Everybody, including Eddie Murphy, cruises on auto-pilot through Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (now on Netflix), a belated sequel that feels — and plays — less like a reboot than a well-worn retread of the earlier films. A fifth installment is reportedly in the works, but if this is any indication it’s high time for Axel Foley to turn in his badge and call it a day.

The extremely lazy screenplay, credited to story writers Will Beall, Tom Gormican, and Kevin Etten, contrives a way for Foley to once again depart Detroit for the sunny environs of Southern California, where he promptly outsmarts and outwits those around him while

bringing down the bad guys.

Yes, it’s old-home week, with Judge Reinhold (as Billy Rosewood), John Ashton (as Taggart), Paul Reiser (as Je rey), and Bronson Pinchot (as Serge) clocking in for routine assignments. New to the fold are Taylour Paige as Axel’s estranged publicdefender daughter, and Joseph GordonLevitt as the Beverly Hills cop with whom she was romantically involved in the past. No points for guessing whether Axel and his daughter eventually put aside their di erences or the former lovers reunite — both under ﬁre, no less.

The ﬁlm is numbingly steeped in nostalgia, with Lorne Balfe’s score relying heavily on Harold Faltermeyer’s original score and such ‘80s tunes as “The Heat is On,” “Neutron Dance,” and “Shakedown” (arguably Bob Seger’s worst hit) duly trotted out during the action scenes, which are — once again — punctuated by Murphy’s trademark wisecracks. The overwhelming familiarity of the basic storyline indicates the ﬁlmmakers opted to simply redo old, tried-and-true material without

aspiring to anything new. Even the digs at the Beverly Hills milieu are musty. There isn’t much that ﬁrst-time feature director Mark Molloy brings to the party. The identity of the principal villain can be ascertained on sight, so there’s no suspense. Watching Murphy go through his motions isn’t without its attributes, but he’s coasting here. In tiny roles, Afﬁon Crockett (as a grumpy golf-course valet) and Murphy’s real-life daughter Bria Murphy (as an aggressive young policewoman) earn more laughs than the principals, which doesn’t bode well for the overall endeavor. Luis Guzman and Christopher McDonald also turn up, to no discernible e ect.

There’s something vaguely disheartening about Axel F, especially when one takes into account that the project has been in development on and o for the better part of 25 years. Simply put, the wait wasn’t worth it, and that’s a shame — because this deﬁnitely had the potential to re-energize the franchise. It doesn’t. Case closed. !

Mark Burger

Contributor

Gail Cooper

ALIENOID:

RETURN TO THE FUTURE (Well Go USA Entertainment): Writer/ director Choi Dong-hoon reunites with Ryu Jun-Yeol, Kim Tae-ri, and Kim Woobim for this follow-up (originally titled Oegye+in 2bu) to their award-winning 2022 science-ﬁction saga continuing the adventures of Jun-Yeol’s 14th-century magician after being whisked to the present day and obtaining the priceless Divine Blade, which makes him the target of aliens determined to destroy mankind. Both the DVD ($19.99 retail) and Blu-ray ($29.98 retail) include original Korean (with English subtitles) and Englishdubbed audio options, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and trailers.

CANNIBAL APOCALYPSE (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): John Saxon toplines this 1980 shocker (originally titled Apocalypse Domani and also released as Cannibals in the Streets and Invasion of the Flesh Hunters) as a troubled Vietnam veteran whose past comes back to haunt him when war buddies Tony King and John Morghen (AKA Giovanni Lombardo Radice), who have developed a taste for human ﬂesh, go on a rampage through the streets and sewers of Atlanta, infecting those they bite. An oddball combination of exploitation (replete with stomachchurning gore) and serious-minded apologia regarding American guilt regarding the war, with Saxon giving a fully committed performance. Obviously not for all tastes, but a cult favorite — one of many directed by Anthony M. Dawson (Antonio Margheriti), a stalwart of Italian exploitation. Both the special-edition Blu-ray ($29.95 retail) and 4K Ultra HD combo ($39.95 retail) boast bonus features including audio commentary, retrospective interviews and featurettes, and more.

“THE GAME OF CLONES: BRUCESPLOITATION COLLECTION, VOL. 1” (Severin Films): The death of Bruce Lee in 1973 at the height of both his career and the martial-arts genre spawned a spate of knocko s that “paid tribute” and/or ripped-o his legacy while also making a fortune among his fans. The trend was called “Brucesploitation” and lasted the better part of a decade. Some were better than others, and quite a few were laughably absurd. This limited-edition, self-explanatory Blu-ray collection ($199.95 retail) is the ﬁrst in a proposed series, which inidicates how many of these ﬁlms there were. David Gregory’s award-winning 2023 documentary Enter the Clones of Bruce Lee, a thorough exploration of the “Brucesploi-

[VIDEO VAULT]

BY MARK BURGER

DVD PICK OF THE WEEK: SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE’S SHERLOCK HOLMES (Severin Films)

Peter Cushing donned the deerstalker for his second stint as the immortal sleuth, this time for the BBC in 1968, and proved again to be an outstanding Sherlock Holmes — even if the series didn’t always measure up to his level. With conviction and assurance, Cushing dominated the proceedings with stalwart support from Nigel Stock as Dr. Watson, who added some bluster but never allowed the character to become bu oonish. The stories were reasonably faithful to the original Conan Doyle stories, but although this was BBC’s ﬁrst color series and a ratings blockbuster the network tended to pinch pennies (or

pence) on budgets and schedules, which reportedly irked Cushing, much as it did his BBC predecessor Douglas Wilmer. The videotape format, another indication of the budget, is initially distracting as well. Nevertheless, for aﬁcionados of both Holmes and Cushing (yours truly included), you simply can’t go wrong.

The two-disc Blu-ray ($34.95 retail) includes the six surviving episodes of the series — the two-part Hound of the Baskervilles, The Sign of Four, The Blue Carbuncle, A Study in Scarlet, and The Boscombe Valley Mystery — the rest having been discourteously erased by the BBC — as well as audio commentaries, vintage Peter Cushing audio interviews, missing episode clips, and more.

Continuing the theme, Severin Films has released a special-edition Blu-ray ($29.95 retail) of the 1962 whodunit Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace (originally titled Sherlock Holmes und das Halsband des Todes), a British/German co-production loosely based on Doyle’s The Valley of Fear and scripted by Curt Siodmak, starring Christopher Lee as Holmes and Thorley Walters as Watson, directed by Terence Fisher. Despite the talent involved, the ﬁlm is a big disappointment but not without its merits, particularly the performances of Lee and Hans Sohnker as Professor Moriarty. Bonus features include original German (with English subtitles) and English-dubbed audio options, audio commentary, vintage interview with Fisher, trailers, and more.

tation” phenomenon, is accompanied by such vintage favorites as The Clones of Bruce Lee (1980), Enter Three Dragons (1978), Enter the Game of Death (1978), Goodbye, Bruce Lee: His Last Game of Death (1975), Bruce and the Iron Finger (1979), Challenge of the Tiger (1980), Cameroon Connection (1984), Super Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1974), The Dragon Lives (1976), The Dragon, The Hero (1980), Rage of the Dragon (1980), The Big Boss Part II (1976), and The Black Dragon vs. The Yellow Tiger (1974). Bonus features include 100-page book, audio commentaries, roundtable discussions, featurettes and outtakes, retrospective interviews, trailers, and more. The o cial Severin Films website is https://severinﬁlms.com/.

MEETING THE BEATLES IN INDIA (Unobstructed View): Morgan Freeman narrates writer/director Paul Saltzman’s self-explanatory 2020 feature documentary, which details the 1968 pilgrimage by the Fab Four (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo

STARTING OVER ( Kino Lorber Studio Classics): In producer/director Alan J. Pakula’s 1979 romantic comedy, Burt Reynolds gave one of his best, most uncharacteristic performances as a recently divorced man pursuing a relationship with schoolteacher Jill Clayburgh but still pining over ex-wife Candice Bergen. Based on Dan Wakefield’s best-seller, this marked the feature debut for television veteranturned-producer/screenwriter (and future Oscar winner) James L. Brooks. Clayburgh earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actress and Bergen for Best Supporting Actress, but Reynolds expressed disappointment for being overlooked. Charles Durning, Frances Sternhagen, Mary Kay Place, Austin Pendleton, and Wallace Shawn round out an appealing cast and Sven Nykvist’s cinematography is terrific, but the film -- very much a product of its time -- feels a little dated. The Blu-ray ($24.95 retail) includes audio commentary. Rated R.

Starr) to India to study transcendental meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, which inspired their most proliﬁc songwriting period. Saltzman, then a photographer, covered the Beatles’ visit and the ﬁlm makes extensive use of his personal collection of photos, available on Blu-ray ($24.95 retail), replete with extra scenes and trailer.

SIX IN PARIS (Icarus Films Home Video): In 1965, ﬂedgling producer (and future director) Barbet Schroeder enlisted the services of six French directors to each fashion a short ﬁlm about the city of Paris, and the compilation (originally titled Paris vu Par …) explores the City of Light through the eyes — and camera lenses — of such legends as Claude Chabrol, Jean Douchet, Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Daniel Pollet, Eric Rohmer, and Jean Rouch. In French with English subtitles, available on DVD ($26.98 retail) and Blu-ray ($38.98 retail), each replete with bonus interviews.

SUBMARINE COMMAND (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): The Blu-ray bow ($24.95 retail) of director John Farrow’s 1951 military melodrama focusing on traumatized World War II veteran William Holden (a silent production partner) when called upon to command his old submarine during the Korean War, where his past demons resurface (no pun intended). One of the earlier ﬁlms to address Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), this features an earnest cast: Nancy Olson (her fourth and last screen teaming with Holden), William Bendix, Don Taylor, Arthur Franz, Darryl Hickman, Jack Kelly, and Jerry Paris. The generic title is somehow appropriate given the predictable trajectory of the storyline. Bonus features include audio commentary.

TODD RUNDGREN: “LIARS LIVE” (Cleopatra Entertainment/MVD Entertainment Group): A self-explanatory Blu-ray ($20.95 retail) showcasing the Grammy-nominated, Philadelphia-born singer/songwriter Todd Rundgren (who also produced) as he performs live in Albany, NY in 2005 to promote his acclaimed 2004 album Truth featuring such selections as “Bu alo Grass,” “Fascist Christ,” “God Said,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Love Science,” “Sweet,” “Born to Synthesize,” “The Want of a Nail,” “Hello It’s Me,” the title tune, and others. Bonus features include slide show and trailers. !

AUG. 17-24, 2024 AUG. 17-24, 2024

Marcos Giron

Chris Eubanks

A recent edition of YES! Weekly included an editorial entitled, “School Choice? Or Schools’ Choice?” The words that follow are my response from a private school leader’s point of view. Recently, former Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, poignantly commented on school choice. “So are you for school choice or not? We already have a choice system in education.” She goes on to say, “If you are of means, you will move to a district where the schools are good and the houses are expensive, like Palo Alto, California. If you’re really wealthy, you will send your kids to private school. So who’s stuck in failing neighborhood schools? Poor kids. A lot of them minority kids.”

As a school choice advocate, I am not against public schools, but rather for parental choice. This belief rests upon a fundamental conviction that a child’s parents or guardians, not the state of North Carolina, are best equipped to determine the rightful place for a child to

BY DR. TIM HOLLAND

learn. In short, parents should make the choice they believe to be in their child’s best educational interests. As such, we must necessarily reframe thinking around student funding from that which is entitled by the state, to that which is entitled to the family.

Many will choose public education for their children. We need good public schools. Simply put, there are too few schools of any kind (e.g. public, private, charter) to effectively serve an entire state’s educational needs.

With respect to this issue, there are some who seek to convey private schools’ value proposition by denigrating public education. This view is in poor taste, short-sighted, and accomplishes nothing.

Too many caring professionals feel called to public education. Criticizing the institutions they serve denies the importance of the essential work they do each day.

As the leader of a classical, Chris-

tian school, I serve alongside a host of educators who feel called to our mission. I believe in what we do, and take great pride as we teach students how to think, rather than what to think. We pursue what’s true, good, and beautiful, and desire that our students contribute to the common good. Long before our students decide how they will make a living, we want them to learn how to live. When they know what makes life worth living, then making a living will follow suit.

Below, I seek to address some common objections and share some of the benefits a private education yields. A common refrain from public school advocates concerns private school educators’ lack of certification. It is true that while some private schools may require teachers to be certified, many do not. At Caldwell Academy, we are more concerned with a teacher’s qualifications than their certification. Allow me to explain. Whereas certification by North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruction requires a bachelor’s degree and a passing score in the appropriate licensure test, qualification observes a different, and I would argue, higher standard. Private schools will differ, but at my school, we look for three things: 1. Experience, 2. Degree, and 3. Faith.

Experience: While not every faculty member has lengthy experience in the classroom, many do. For those newer to the profession, we look for aptitude and offer mentorship along the way. Further, experience is not defined by time alone. The kind of experience matters as well. For instance, we have uncertified teachers who have taught at the college level. It is those very qualifications which allow them to continue as adjunct faculty in dual enrollment courses on our campus.

Degree: We also value the type of degree that a teacher has earned. Many of our teachers have advanced degrees (e.g. masters or doctoral) which greatly enrich the value they deliver to students.

For our teachers at middle and upper school levels, in-field degrees (e.g. math, history, biology, etc.) enhance their effectiveness, too, given the subject matter they teach.

Faith: Finally, as a faith-based school, our faculty agree to a statement of faith and Christian role model agreement.

Because we are mission-driven, this qualifier uniquely positions members of our faculty to successfully fulfill their duties in the classroom. Additionally, it solidifies our bond with parents when they entrust us with their child’s education.

The Opportunity Scholarship program has allocated no small sum for families wishing to enroll their children in private schools. Its expansion has made funding available to all families believing that all children should have access to school choice dollars regardless of socioeconomic status.

Public school advocates contend that the allocation of these funds would be better served in under-funded public schools. However, any assertion that public schools alone are the rightful recipients of educational funding falls short. A foremost reason is the assumption that granting public schools more funds will inevitably lead to improved outcomes for students. Sadly, we have decades of evidence which suggests otherwise. When public education advocates call for accountability, I say, we welcome the opportunity to compare apples to apples to determine how well students are being served.

Another concern expressed by public school advocates concerns admission requirements. Any mission-driven organization employs certain standards to ensure it can faithfully deliver on its expressed purpose. That purpose is not to be exclusionary, but rather to let those who wish to join our community know what we value. Those values will not be universally agreed upon, but help us welcome those who share these beliefs. In short, value neutrality doesn’t exist. Public schools are no exception.

A single article is insufficient to cover all of the complexities involved in such an important topic.

Nevertheless, using a written forum to exchange ideas is beneficial. If you’ve read this far, I can only assume you care deeply about North Carolina and our future. For this reason, I thank you and hope that I’ve offered you some worthwhile perspectives to consider as a citizen of our great state. !

DR. TIM HOLLAND has served as Head of School at Caldwell Academy in Greensboro since 2020.

DOORS @ 6:30PM // SHOW @ 7:30PM

It’s time to experience Lee Greenwood’s performance of heartfelt lyrics that have captured the hearts of Americans for the past 40 years. “God Bless the USA” went far beyond what Greenwood expected when he wrote it in the back of his tour bus in 1983. It was also #1 on the pop charts after 9/11. In addition, CBS News voted “God Bless The USA” the most recognizable

song in America. This is an event for families and friends to join and sing along to favorite patriotic and country tunes. Get ready for this special opportunity to enjoy a live event that celebrates the

Stop The Violence: Week of activities honors late Commissioner

“She believed in the betterment of people. So us killing each other, leaving bodies, and not caring? That was not her. She loved genuinely and she fought with a passion. I feel like she would be sad about 23 homicides because that’s not normal.”

That is what Ingram Bell, Gate City Coalition Organizer, said of how the late Commissioner Carolyn Q. Coleman would react to the number of homicides in the City of Greensboro. It’s also the reason why she’s adamant about the city taking part in the 4th Annual Carolyn Coleman

Week of Peace, held August 5-10.

“The importance of the Carolyn Coleman Week of Peace is to honor the legacy of Commissioner Carolyn Coleman because she was such an epitome of change and hope in our community as well as one of the fighters that helped get the cure violence program brought to this city,” Bell said. “She was one of the commissioners who believed in the program when we first were looking into bringing this program to our city. So we definitely want to honor her, her life, and her legacy for an entire week.”

The organization has planned various activities to be carried out throughout the city including banner and sign paintings at Windsor Recreation Center, located at 241 Summit Avenue, and a Peace Ride on Tuesday night, which is National Night Out.

“We just lost a 19-year-old woman, we just lost another man at the corner of

English and Wendover at the Autozone in broad daylight. We have a bunch of homicides in our city. It’s imperative and important that we ride during National Night out to acknowledge the keeping the peace,” Bell said.

The week continues with a Candlelight Vigil at the corner of Carolyn Coleman Way and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, which is part of the target area for Gate City Coalition. On Thursday, they will visit Hampton Homes, Smith Homes, the Martin Luther King Jr. area, the Overland Heights, and the Hickory Trials area.

“We will have community cookouts and water fights on both sides of town. One at Sussmans Street Park and the other will be in Overland Heights,” she said.

On Friday, the will be a job and information fair for felons and the community at 241 Summit Ave., and on Saturday there will be a community cookout and kickball tournament at the A&T Farm Shelter, located at 2644 E. Florida St.

“We’ve partnered with community members from across the city and we’re going to do a community kickball game. Each side of town has its own team that they’re going to put in the kickball game. We have food, we have vendors, we have NC Works coming out with their van, and we have Triad Health Project and N.C. Black Alliance. We have a bunch of different things going on including bounce houses, games for the kids, free food, music, and then some conversation about gun violence awareness. It’s going to be a huge event.”

Bell said she hopes the events help put a spotlight on gun violence in Greensboro.

“Our end goal is to bring awareness to gun violence, to call for a cease-fire throughout the week, that no more bodies drop next week, that everybody is

at peace, that everybody puts their guns down and try to celebrate and honor the life and legacy of Commissioner Coleman,” she said. “At least do something that is positive. We can’t end gun violence. There will never be an end to violence but if we can pause some of the disputes and pay homage to our elders, acknowledge the work that they put in, and see that there is so much more for us to do than murder each other, no matter what that looks like.”

Coleman died on January 26, 2022. Coleman served as District 7 Guilford County Commissioner for 20 years, representing the Pleasant Garden community and Eastern Greensboro. The community leader was known for her activism. She was among the first of three students arrested in sit-in demonstrations in Savannah, Georgia. She dedicated her life to challenging racial inequities.

On a professional level, she served as a member of the NAACP as a member of the national staff for over 28 years in capacities such as Regional Youth Direc-

Chanel

Commissioner Carolyn Q. Coleman

tor, Alabama State Director, N.C. State Director, and Southern Voter Education Director. She was appointed to work for two terms as Special Assistant to North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt. Coleman held a Master of Science degree in adult education from North Carolina A&T University and studied at Memphis Theological Seminary.

She was first elected to the Guilford County Board of Commissioners in December 2002, where she served as the county’s First African American Chairwoman in 2005 and received the North Carolina Association of Black County Officials’ Frederick Douglass Award for her efforts during the pandemic.

Coleman took up many causes including advocating and facilitating the County’s Feeding the Communities Program which provided 8,000 boxes of food to families in need between December 2020 and July 2021; advocating for a livable wage and leading a multi-year push for a minimum wage of $15 per hour rate for county employees, school nutrition workers, and school

bus drivers; she worked to ensure that all businesses including minority and women-owned had equal access to government contracting opportunities.

“I think she would be saddened because this isn’t what she wanted for her community. Considering she marched with King and was with the NAACP, she believed in the empowerment of her community. I believe she would be saddened about this many homicides in her community,” Bell said. “Shooting someone is not normal. That’s not something you want to have to sleep with at night or something families want to deal with. Losing a loved one to gun violence is so hard and it’s something that you don’t want to wish on anyone.” !

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING! There’s so much more online.

Council says IRC must require ‘accountability’ from homeless

According to Mayor Nancy Vaughan, there will be a vote on funding the Interactive Resource Center at the Monday, August 5 Greensboro City Council Meeting.

The IRC, as it is commonly known, provides resources for the unhoused.

Established as a day campus in 2009, it became a 24/7 drop-in center earlier this year. After this transition, the facility, which had 632 guests in June 2023, saw that number increase to 804 last month, exhausting funds, and pushing staff and basic services such as washing machines and toilets to the breaking point.

Vaughan’s remarks suggest the proposed funding if approved, may be $300,000 rather than the $895,000 the IRC says is optimal to address complaints from nearby businesses about trash, crime, excrement, and people sheltering on neighboring property.

At the July 25 work session, Vaughan and several council members indicated that this could be contingent on the IRC requiring “accountability and responsibility” from its guests and establishing better relations with surrounding

businesses. Vaughan said Council may consider further funding in six months, but this depends upon what she called these “deliverables.”

As previously reported, the IRC expanded its hours while the number of those experiencing homelessness in Guilford County increased from 482 to 641, with approximately 230 having no access to emergency shelters. Greensboro Urban Ministry has not replaced the beds it lost during the pandemic, and the city’s plan to turn the former Regency Hotel into permanent supporting housing collapsed in a $3 million boondoggle.

During last Thursday’s work session, Council heard a presentation and comments by the IRC’s Executive Director Kristina Singleton, Board Chair Jim King, and Director of Programs Bennita Curtain.

Singleton said part of the funding request was for an unarmed security guard from an outside contractor, who will be walking the outside perimeter and “monitoring all the areas,” including bathrooms. After queries from council, Singleton clarified that this did not mean only one security guard, but that one would be on duty at a time, with multiple shifts and “security monitors” (a term indicating on-site persons, not surveillance devices) giving 24/7 coverage.

Singleton also said the IRC is working

on coordinating visits from the K-9 Unit of the Greensboro Police Department.

Singleton acknowledged that the IRC had not been ready to expand its hours in such a short period. “Our original plan was to do this over a three-year period, but the community showed up in a way we were not prepared for.”

“More and more people were staying on our property after hours,” said Curtain. “We knew that wasn’t safe, and the best thing seemed to be to open up.”

Although Singleton suggested that optimal long-term funding would be $1.8 million, with half of that coming from the city and half from the county, she acknowledged that no formal request has been made to Guilford County Commissioners.

“We have not committed anything for this year,” said Guilford County Board of Commissioners Chair Skip Alston, who attended the work session. “It’s not anywhere in the county’s budget as far as a promise or a commitment.”

District 5’s Tammi Thurm asked Singleton if the IRC has “budgeted for washing machines, bathrooms and showers being replaced?” In May, most of the stalls and urinals in the men’s guest restroom were broken.

“We feel we’ve been able to cover those with grants,” said Singleton. “This past year, we received a $50,000 grant for updating plumbing and toilets. We’ve received general operating funds from

multiple foundations that we can use for washers and dryers and things like that.”

At-Large Representative Hugh Holston told King the IRC must contact nearby businesses. Calling those businesses “an integral part of the community,” District 1’s Sharon Hightower told King it’s “critically important” that IRC guests “give them respect.”

“I have met with some of the neighbors,” said King. “Andy Zimmerman included, and I will continue to try to develop that relationship that will at least keep that dialogue going.”

Zimmerman, a prominent Greensboro developer who is board chair of the cityfunded nonprofit Downtown Greensboro Incorporated, has voiced concerns about the IRC. He does not own property near the facility.

Vaughan asked King how he intends to make IRC guests “accountable” for issues like trash.

“If we need to, we will ban people,” said King, “and if someone’s unruly, we’ll call GPD and have them actually arrested.”

Restating a concern from the previous meeting, Thurm asked Curtain how many IRC guests are from outside Greensboro, as “I’m hearing these newcomers are the ones causing all the problems.”

Curtain replied that “there’s not a good way to verify that,” as “most people are going to report Greensboro

Ian McDowell

Contributor

zip codes when we do our intakes.”

“What we are scanning with those newly coming to our center is people aging out of foster care, people who can’t afford their rent anymore because they’re on a subsidized income, and especially the elderly – that’s what we’re starting to see a real increase in. They’re mostly Guilford County.”

At-Large Representative Marikay Abuzuaiter also expressed concern about recent intakes.

“I’m not saying people can’t be rehabilitated, but sometimes they come in to use the system in a bad way and want to go outside and create some havoc and sell drugs or do a myriad of other things. Are you seeing any of that, and is there any way on the intake to track it? I understand you’re trying to help everyone who comes in the door, but I do believe that some people are walking around thinking they can do whatever they want. There’s got to be some kind of rules.”

“Those rules are behavior-based,” replied Curtain. “There’s no way to

anticipate intent at intake. That’s why we’re talking about the increase in staff and security, so we can catch what’s going on in the parking lot.”

“We need to wrap this up,” said Vaughan an hour and 40 minutes into the meeting. “My thought is that we will go ahead and put on the next agenda, funding for the next six months, and that will be the 300,000 we had allocated.”

“I think that is the plan, and I support it,” said Hightower. “I think we all support the IRC, and I’m sick of those emails coming in that make it like we don’t. But we have a financial responsibility for all our citizens to make sure we are accounting for the dollars we are spending. Supporting our homeless population is important, and we want them to move from homelessness to being housed, but they too have some responsibility.” !

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

Singleton, Curtain, King, Alston and Thurm

Mason Via’s Homecoming at the Arts

Mason Via’s

“New Horizons” keep stretching beyond his 2022 album of the same name. Now on his own after bowing out of Old Crow Medicine Show earlier this year, the Danburyraised “newgrass” wunderkind is on the move — and stopping through the Triad for a homecoming show at the Arts Place of Stokes County on August 4.

While he was listed by NPR as one of the “top 10 bluegrass artists thriving in modern Nashville,” Via’s heading south — following his heart and making a new home in Gainesville, Florida while his ﬁancée (a picker of her own — formerly of the UNC Bluegrass Band, and 2022 Mount Airy Fiddlers’ bluegrass ﬁddle champ) Waverly Leonard, attends the University of Florida College of Medicine.

Simultaneously unloading a U-Haul and packing up for tour, Via remarked on the smaller bluegrass scene in Gainesville — the land of Tom Petty and Against Me!, of Less Than Jake and the Fest — with loads of punks (yet fewer pickers), there’s an excitement at his new sense of place.

“The future’s looking good,” he said, staring down a hot late-summer calendar that starts with the homecoming show and ends with a Midwest tour — with ﬁddlin’ shenanigans and a rip-roaring Outer Banks bachelor party retreat in between.

“I don’t know how I’ll survive,” he said, grinning and looking back on the handful of years — American Idol to Nashville skylines and Grammy nominations. Tours across 47 states and a couple of continents.

While he relishes his experiences at the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman, Via is very much looking forward to heading back to his own “mother church”: the “mecca of bluegrass” that is the Old Fiddlers’ Convention in Galax, Va.

“I’m just gonna live it up in the mud there and soak everything up through osmosis,” he said. “I just want to get back up and connect with everybody, starting at the Arts Place of Stokes County.”

“Honestly, I booked this around going to Galax,” he continued, “Ya know, getting back to my roots a little bit. I grew up go-

ing there — and that’s where I started to want to play this music — ever since I was a little kid.”

Balancing the stretch of years since — and those since he’s been able to attend, “it’s funny, as a kid you dream of joining a big band — but once it happens you can’t keep the schedule you want or once had. Like I couldn’t take a week o to go to Galax when I was in Old Crow. And I’ve missed it.”

“It’s been four years,” he continued. “So it’ll be interesting — it’ll be di erent. But it’ll be great.”

The same can be said for Via — rounding into his mid-20s, gettin’ hitched, calling Florida home. He’s a far cry from the youngin’ on American Idol — shaped by a whirlwind of experiences — now gearing up for a di erent sort of whirlwind and new horizons ahead. “I’ve been so on the go the last few years, that now it’s like getting to come back home and getting to play my own music again with the full band sounds amazing.”

“I’m bringing some amazing pickers, too,” he said, praising his roster of Nashville delights: Oliver Bates Craven on ﬁddle, George Guthrie on banjo, bassist Jed Clark, and Ben Hill on mandolin. Referring to Craven as the “secret ingredient,” Via praised both Craven’s ﬁddle work and vocal prowess-o ering the former on tracks like 2020’s Halloween release “Mardi Gras” (featuring the sensational Sierra Ferrell) and the latter on Via’s newest single “Hey Don’t Go.”

Appearing as a standalone single, a stripped-down version will appear on Via’s upcoming self-titled record–keeping in tune with an album that’s assured to be Bluegrass to the bone — with features Rhonda Vincent, Ronnie Bowman, and Junior Sisk anchoring only a few of the Bluegrass heavyweights wrangled by producer (and featured mandolin player) Aaron Ramsey.

Ramsey’s connections from his time in Mountain Heart bleed across the record: Je Partin (East Nash Grass) appears, playing bass and dobro; Jim VanCleve (Appalachian Roadshow) o ers some ﬁddle; plus banjo from Jason Davis and double-guitar from Kyser George (Shadowgrass).

As “Mason Via,” the album, takes shape, Via the dude is enjoying the wide open nature a orded by following his own direction — at something of his own pace.

“It’s been fun,” he said, describing his return to a solo summer — with a ection for

his time in Old Crow, but an appreciation for forging his own road ahead.

“What I’ve loved about it is really seeing the whole open world of anything’s possible,” he added, recalling boundaries and boxes — not entirely dissimilar to his experience on American Idol — Via is enjoying a new sense of chaos in the face of self-direction; the duality which encompasses senses of uncertainty that accompany open-ended freedoms. That duality shines on his recent stand-alone single, “Hey Don’t Go,” which Via describes as “evoking the “transitions that shape our lives.”

“It’s about recognizing unstoppable fates and the diverging paths they create,” he continued. “While it’s been over for a while, the heart never wants it to end.“ Poignant stories shared over jovial melodies, Via’s lived experience — and his choosing to pursue his own music over continuing in Old Crow Medicine Show — transcends what was initially a love song he penned with Barton Davies (Boy Named Banjo).

But Via’s heart isn’t resting in the past — he’s bursting to drop the record and share his music — he’ll join Joshua Quimby on a late Summer tour. With the ﬁrst ofﬁcial single o the self-titled album due early Fall.

“It’s funny how the seasons go and tables turn,” Via said, praising both Quimby’s appearance on the record and unique style of Country music; and recalling ﬁrst meeting during the “Jubilee” release-signing at the famed Grimey’s record store in Nashville. “He was in line and I already followed him on Instagram. I looked up and was like ’ You’re that dude!’,” Via explained. “He ended up being the ﬁrst person to o er me some dates when I told him I was leaving the band.

He’s the most down-to-earth dude, really. We ended up writing a song together and playing some tunes. Now we’re sharing a bit of a tour and hopefully, we’ll get to write some more.”

“Really, the future is wide open,” Via continued. Given his new Gainesville leanings, it’s hard to not hear a Tom Petty reference in the sentiment (though Via also penned a “Wide Open” reﬂecting on his apprenticeship with the Virginia Folklife Program, so there’s that). Regardless, he’s hunkering down with the gators, blustering up a swampland Bluegrass scene, and “ﬁguring out this whole living in Florida thing.”

“I know one thing,” he added, turning to his date in Danbury: “It’ll be good to get back home and give it hell.”

Harkening the hashtag #nevermissaSundayshow, with a grit that almost goes against his Bluegrass boy-next-door demeanor, “We’re gonna turn that into something else,” he said. “Be ready to come with dancing shoes on. Get your Bloody Mary brunch on or bring out the mimosa trays — or just enjoy some ice cream. It’s gonna be fun. Y’all come out, let’s get the party going.

Mason Via brings the party home with a homecoming show, on August 4 at the Arts Place of Stokes County in Danbury. !

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

Katei Cranford

Contributor

PHOTO BY KIT WOOD

• FIND your next art adventure on our Art Events Calendar

•

STRANGE FRUIT FESTIVAL

COLIN CUTLER

RACHAEL KEPLIN PETER DELIGDISCH

ASHEBORO

FOUR SAINTS BREWING

218 South Fayetteville St. | 336.610.3722

www.foursaintsbrewing.com

Thursdays: Taproom Trivia

Fridays: Music Bingo

Aug 3: River & Rail

Aug 24: Kelsey Hurley ft. Lonnie Britton

Aug 31: Emily Burdette

CARBORRO

CAT’S CRADLE

300 E Main St | 919.967.9053

www.catscradle.com

Aug 2:Tumbao!

Aug 3: The Blazers

Aug 4: Bent Knee

Aug 7: The Palms

Aug 8: Watchhouse

Aug 8: Vagaries

Aug 9: Bats & Mice

Aug 10: Amanda Anne Platt and the Honeycutters

Aug 10: Lazer Dim 700

Aug 11: Hege v, Secret Monkey Weekend

Aug 15: Dr. Bacon, Hustle Souls, The Up and Up

Aug 16: Evan Bartels

Aug 20: Andrew Bird and Amadou & Mariam

Aug 22: River Whyless

Aug 23: Washed Out

Aug 24: Conway the Machine

CHARLOTTE

BOJANGLES COLISEUM

2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600 www.boplex.com

Aug 3: Ramon Ayala

THE FILLMORE

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

Jul 31: Forrest Frank

Jul 31: The New Pornographers

Aug 2: Caspian

Aug 3-4: The Band CAMINO

Aug 8: Taking Back Sunday

Aug 9: Lazer Dim 700

Aug 10: We the Kings

Aug 10: Lucky Daye

Aug 11: Black Pistol Fire

Aug 24: Homixide Gang

Aug 24: Crumb

PNC MUSIC PAVILION

707 Pavilion Blvd | 704.549.1292 www.livenation.com

Aug 2: Limp Bizkit

Aug 3: I Prevail & Halestorm

Aug 4: Cage The Elephant & Bakar

Aug 7: Glass Animals

Aug 9: Hank Williams Jr. & Old Crow Medicine Show

Aug 10: Train, REO Speedwagon & Yacht Rock Revue

Aug 13: Earth, Wind and Fire & Chicago

Aug 16: Dan And Shay, Jake Owen & Dylan Marlowe

Aug 17: Junior H

Aug 18: Lauryn Hill & The Fugees

CLEMMONS

VILLAGE SQUARE

TAP HOUSE

6000 Meadowbrook Mall Ct |

336.448.5330 www.facebook.com/vstaphouse

Aug 1: Kelsey Hurley

Aug 2: Ragtop Betty

Aug 3: The Terrible Twos

Aug 8: Megan Doss

DURHAM

CAROLINA THEATRE

309 W Morgan St | 919.560.3030 www.carolinatheatre.org

Aug 18: Rumors of Fleetwood Mac

Aug 29: Steve Earle

DPAC

123 Vivian St | 919.680.2787 www.dpacnc.com

Jul 30-Aug 4: Mamma Mia!

Aug 7: Ellen DeGeneres

Aug 9: Anthony Hamilton

Aug 10: The Rocket Show Man

Aug 11: Greg Gutfeld

Aug 16: Trey Kennedy

Aug 17: Air Supply

Aug 23: One Vision of Queen

Aug 24: Impractical Jokers

Aug 25: Avatar The Last Airbender in Concert

ELKIN

REEVES THEATER

129 W Main St | 336.258.8240

www.reevestheater.com

Wednesdays: Reeves Open Mic

Fourth Thursdays: Old-Time Jam

Aug 3: Memphis Thunder ft. Taylor Vaden

GREENSBORO

CAROLINA THEATRE

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

Aug 10: Workers Work Live

Aug 24: Chad Eby & Friends

CHAR BAR NO. 7

3724 Lawndale Dr. | 336.545.5555 www.charbar7.com

Jul 18: William Nesmith

Jul 25: COIA

Creepers

Aug 9: Jeremy Short

Aug 10: Whitsett with Moving Boxes, Come Clean and Elder Bright

Aug 14: Zack Brock with Cole Brown

Aug 18: TreeHouse! w/ Rockstead

Aug 20: Thin Lizzy Tribute

Aug 24: Chatham Rabbits

Aug 30: The Nubeing Collective w/ Katie.Blvd

Aug 31: JER w/ Dollar Signs

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

Jul 27: Boys Like Girls

Jul 30: Jamey Johnson

HANGAR 1819

1819 Spring Garden St | 336.579.6480

www.hangar1819.com

Aug 1: Black Stone Cherry w/ Nonpoint & Cadence

Aug 3: Levels w/ Reece Young

Aug 7: Oxymorrons w/ VRSTY

Aug 8: Iam Tonhi

Aug 15: King 810 w/ The Last Ten Seconds Of Life, Extortionist, The Coursing, Encre Noire, Wither The Fallacy

Aug 16: Crypt Kicker

Aug 17: Novas Fade w/ Sond, Fiction Parade, To Begin A New, Seven Kinds of Ape

Aug 23: Scream It Loud — Emo Part LITTLE BROTHER

COMEDY ZONE

1126 S Holden Rd | 336.333.1034 www.thecomedyzone.com

Aug 2-3: Christian Johnson

Aug 9-11: DeRay Davis

Aug 16-17: Dominique

Aug 20: Anthony Rodia

Aug 23-25: DL Hughley

FLAT IRON

221 Summit Ave | 336.501.3967

www.ﬂatirongso.com

Jul 31: Starsapien, Unheard Project GSO and Grayscale Whale

Aug 2: Colby T. Helms & The Virginia

Wednesdays: Trivia

Fridays & Saturdays: Free Live Music RODY’S TAVERN

Jul 31: Daniel Love

STEVEN TANGER CENTER 300 N Elm Street | 336.333.6500

www.tangercenter.com

Aug 17: Frankie Valli

Aug 18: Idina Menzel

ThE IdIoT Box

ComEdY CluB

503 N. Greene St | 336.274.2699

www.idiotboxers.com

Thursdays: open mic

Aug 8: Charlie Vergos

Aug 9-10: Kevin mcCaffrey

high point

hIgh PoInT ThEATrE

220 E Commerce Ave | 336.883.3401

www.highpointtheatre.com

Aug 10: lee greenwood

SwEET old BIll’S

1232 N Main St | 336.807.1476 www.sweetoldbills.com

Jul 31: Benji morris

Aug 1: Banjo Earth

Aug 8: metro Jethro’s

Aug 28: Benji Solo

kernersville

BrEAThE

CoCKTAIl loungE

221 N Main St. | 336.497.4822 www.facebook.com/BreatheCocktailLounge

wednesdays: Karaoke

Aug 3: gipsy danger

liberty

ThE lIBErTY

ShowCASE ThEATEr

101 S. Fayetteville St | 336.622.3844 www.TheLibertyShowcase.com

Aug 3: deana Carter

Aug 9-10: gene watson

Aug 10: Jeff Parker & Company

Aug 16: Sail on — The Beach Boys Tribute

Aug 17: Twitty & lynn

Aug 23: nathan Stanley

Aug 24: Stephen Freeman — Elvis Tribute

raleigh

CCu muSIC PArK AT wAlnuT CrEEK 3801 Rock Quarry Rd | 919.821.4111 www.livenation.com

Jul 31: The doobie Brothers

Aug 3: Cage The Elephant

Aug 9: Train & rEo Speedwagon

Aug 12: Chicago

Aug 16: glass Animals

Aug 17: dan + Shay

Aug 21: Styx & Foreigner w/ John waite

lInColn ThEATrE

126 E. Cabarrus St | 919.831.6400

www.lincolntheatre.com

Aug 2: Sleeping Booty

Aug 3: Cosmic Charlie

Aug 8: Jazz is dead

Aug 9: Fireside Collectice

Aug 17: Panic Stricken

Aug 23: The ultimate michael Jackson Experience

Aug 24: hallpass & george w/ Bell Tower Blues

Aug 30: The lemonheads

rEd hAT AmPhIThEATEr

500 S McDowell St | 919.996.8800 www.redhatamphitheater.com

Aug 1: Jamey Johnson w/ Southall

Aug 10: 311 w/ AwolnATIon & neon Trees

Aug 12: Joshua Bassett

Aug 13: Still woozy w/ michelle

Aug 16: Tate mcrae

Aug 27: Bush — loaded

Aug 30: Ivan Cornejo mirada Tour

PnC ArEnA

1400 Edwards Mill Rd | 919.861.2300

www.thepncarena.com

Aug 30: blink-182

Aug 30: Childish gambino

winston-salem

FIddlIn’ FISh

BrEwIng ComPAnY

772 Trade St | 336.999.8945

www.fiddlinfish.com

Tuesdays: Trivia

Aug 2: Bluegrass Blend

ThE rAmKAT

170 W 9th St | 336.754.9714

www.theramkat.com

Jul 31: Isabelle Parker

Aug 2: 95 live w/ 9th wonder & dJ SK

Aug 7: noidEA

Aug 8: Jess Klein, grant Peeples

Aug 9: Chuck mead & The grassy Knoll Boys, matt Smith & Cowboy Spankers

Aug 10: Vision Video, Forrest Isn’t dead

Aug 10: hege V, Secret monkey weekend

Aug 17: American Theory, Condado, worthingtons law

Aug 19: Tatsuya nakatani, micheal Jackson & Chi Sharpe

Aug 21: Isabella Parker

Aug 23: nirvani, glide

wISE mAn BrEwIng

826 Angelo Bros Ave | 336.725.0008

www.wisemanbrewing.com Thursdays: music Bingo

Weekly Specials

$2.50 Domestic Bottles & All Burgers $10.99 TUE: 1/2 Price Wine | WED: $4 Draft THU: $8 Bud Light Pitchers & $3 Fireball

Band Schedule

JULY 31 Benji Morris AUGUST 1 Banjo Earth AUGUST 8 Metro Jethro’s

Photos by Natalie Garcia

PRESENTS

hot pour

[BARTENDER OF THE WEEK COMPILED BY NATALIE GARCIA]

NAME: Priscilla, call me Cilla.

BAR : Thirsty Pallet in Winston-Salem

AGE:

35. I had to Google this because I forgot how old I was.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

Check out videos on our Facebook!

336 Babyyyy! WSNC is home for life.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BARTENDING?

In my old lady voice, “it’s been 84 years…” It’s only been about 2,922 days, but who’s counting. I truly enjoy bartending and behind the scenes while managing the BEST team of bartenders.

HOW DID YOU BECOME A BARTENDER?

I grew up in restaurants, my father is a chef so I was always taught that the industry folks are some of the best people you can have in your corner and I’ve been apart of it ever since. I was a traveling trainer for a corporate restaurant so that opened the door for me to become a lot of things within the industry, from server to bar manager, kitchen manager and eventually general manager. Bartending just always owned a little piece of my heart so I jumped out of corporate and joined the downtown Winston-Salem community.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO MAKE?

That’s a tough one. I love ﬂavors like lavender, ginger, and passion fruit so I play a lot with those! I enjoy creating new menus when I actually have the time to play. For those of you who know Jax, she is my partner in crime on drink creations.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO DRINK?

I’m basic, throw me a green tea shot and I’m a happy lady, but if I have a dress on I’ll take your ﬁnest bottle of red wine.

WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AS AN AFTER-DINNER DRINK?

PBR (kidding, unless you’re into that, not judging). I love chocolate and coconut, and of course a really cool candy or graham cracker rim. The possibilities are endless.

WHAT’S THE STRANGEST DRINK REQUEST YOU’VE HAD?

A creamy pickle martini. I love pickles, but man I just couldn’t wrap my head around throwing some heavy cream in a glass with pickle juice and vodka.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT BARTENDING?

Making new friends who become family, sitting on the patio and people watching on 4th Street, and being introduced to new music. I love when everyone starts singing in the bar; it’s a pretty awesome moment, especially when I get to sing along to Celine Dion.

WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF BARTENDING?

I forgot what a sleep schedule felt like. But I also thrive on 4 hours of sleep so I’ll be OK. The most challenging part is convincing someone to drink water when they need it. It’s like convincing a toddler to eat their vegetables.

WHAT’S THE CRAZIEST THING YOU’VE SEEN WHILE BARTENDING?

Well, I work downtown so I’m convinced I can write a book with all the crazy I’ve seen. I think a woman throwing corn on the cob at people would have to be a pretty odd moment for me, or it could’ve been the dog driving his owners truck down 4th Street.

WHAT’S THE WEIRDEST THING YOU’VE FOUND IN A BAR BATHROOM?

Well, I don’t think I can share the WEIRDEST things I’ve found, but Jell-O shots shoved into the light ﬁxture was an odd ﬁnd because no one can get up there without a ladder.

WHAT’S THE BEST/BIGGEST TIP YOU’VE EVER GOTTEN?

Over a $1,000. We called him mystery man because he bought everyone’s drinks and left the bar after handing me a ton of rolled up $100 bills. I have to say though, I LOVE when my regulars bring me gifts from their trips. It’s always a special treat.

Tuition-Free at GTCC

2020-2024 graduates from any Guilford County high school (public, private, or registered home-school) are eligible.

• In-state tuition and college/course fees are 100% covered.

• $500,000 available for full-time or part-time enrollment at GTCC.

Applying unlocks everything. Let us know you want in. gtcc.edu/accessamazing

[SALOME’S STARS]

Week of August 5, 2024

[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Don’t gnash those pearly whites because you might have to delay your plans. This could give the Lucky Lamb a better perspective of what’s been done and what still needs doing.

[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Scoring ﬁnancial bull’s-eyes is easy for the focused Bovine who knows the ins and outs of the marketplace. But even with your success record, caution is still the watchword.

[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Watch your tendency to romanticize a situation that should be given closer scrutiny. Better to be suspicious now and ask for an explanation, or face a sad surprise later.

[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A bruised self-conﬁdence can make things di cult, unless you accept the fact that you have what it takes. Ignore the critics and concentrate on believing in yourself. Good luck!

[LEO (July 23 to August 22) Congratulations on what you’ve accomplished! But this is no time to curl up with some serious catnapping. Your rivals are probably already working on plans to overtake your lead.

[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Your adventurous side wants to play a more dominant role this week, and you might want to oblige. Try to arrange for a getaway with a special person.

[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Taking logical approaches to pesky workplace issues can help resolve even long-standing problems. A shift in policy

might catch you by surprise. Be alert to signs of change.

[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your kindness and compassion are exactly what are needed in dealing with an awkward situation during the early part of the week. Share the weekend fun with family and friends.

[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Keeping your focus straight and true is a good way of getting your points across. Save any variations for a later time. Meanwhile, the musical arts are important this weekend.

[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Reject advice to cut corners in reaching your goal. Better to take a little more time to do the job as you promised. You’ll gain new respect for your honesty and integrity.

[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Don’t allow a troublesome situation to grow so big that it will be increasingly difﬁcult to deal with. The sooner you speak up, the sooner everyone will be able to beneﬁt from the resolution.

[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Confronting someone who is making a lot of mistakes could be the kindest thing that you can do both for this person and anyone else who could be adversely affected by the errors.

[BORN THIS WEEK: You absolutely glow when you see beautiful things, and everyone around you is warmed by your light.

CROSSWORD

crossword on page 11

on page 11