YES! Weekly - September 4, 2024 by YES! Weekly

NEW HUES OF AMERIGLOW

acob Darden is reigniting his roving and revolving warped-Americana outﬁt, Ameriglow, in all new hues and unwritten possibilities, starting with a show amongst friends and family, featuring Instant Regrets and Jonny Alright at the Flat Iron on September 15.

Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com

EDITORIAL

Editor CHANEL R. DAVIS chanel@yesweekly.com

YES! Writers IAN MCDOWELL MARK BURGER

KATEI CRANFORD

JIM LONGWORTH

DALIA RAZO

LYNN FELDER JOHN BATCHELOR

PRODUCTION

Senior Designer ALEX FARMER designer@yesweekly.com

NATTY GREENE’S did not originate the brew pub concept, but I credit owners Ashleah and Chris Lester with establishing this wildly popular genre firmly in downtown Greensboro’s personality.

Halloween is still a month away, but the celebration of all things scary and spooky begins early with the WREAK HAVOC HORROR FILM FESTIVAL (WHHFF), which will be unleashed September 14 and 15 at Marketplace Cinemas, 2095 Peters Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem.

THE DELIVERANCE (now on Netflix) has absolutely nothing to do with James Dickey’s novel Deliverance or John Boorman’s subsequent 1972 screen adaptation and marks a distinct change of pace for producer/director Lee Daniels.

4 6 16

10 Something delightful happened in the Fall of 1984. On Sunday night, September 30, at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, CBS premiered MURDER SHE WROTE, a light-hearted drama series about Jessica Fletcher, a widowed mystery novelist who helped Cabot Cove law enforcement solve murder cases.

14 North Carolina is the second state in the nation to make PURCHASING SEX

A FELONY. The new law takes effect December 1, 2024, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.

16 The North Carolina Folk Festival is thrilled to welcome TAE LEWIS, North Carolina native and alum of NBC’s The Voice, to the 10th annual festival.

Designer SHANE HART artdirector@yesweekly.com

ADVERTISING

Marketing ANGELA COX angela@yesweekly.com

TRAVIS WAGEMAN travis@yesweekly.com

Promotion NATALIE GARCIA

DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT ANDREW WOMACK

[SPOTLIGHT]

UNITED WAY TO HOST MOONLIGHT MADNESS 5K, MONSTER MILE ON SEPTEMBER 13

FOOD TRUCKS, CRAFT BEERS, AND POST-EVENT FAMILY FRIENDLY PARTY PRESS RELEASE

United Way of Forsyth County will host its annual Moonlight Madness Race and 2024 campaign kick-o at Bailey Park in downtown Winston-Salem on Friday, September 13. The race is open to the public and is suitable for a wide range of runners from beginner-level runners to elite competitors.

The event will o er four separate races, including a timed Monster Mile and a Two-Headed Monster Challenge, both starting at 7:20 p.m. as well as an untimed mile family fun run/walk beginning at 7:21 p.m. The featured event of the evening is a timed 5K run/walk starting at 8 p.m. In addition, there will be food trucks available beginning at 6 p.m., along with craft beer selections and live music provided by DJ Diesel from Cheers MC starting at 6:30 p.m. The event will conclude with race awards and a family friendly glow party lasting until approximately 9:30 p.m.

Runners can form teams with friends, family, co-workers, or anyone else. Teams that register ﬁve or more racers will receive a $5 discount on their registration fees. Teams that register ten or more racers will get a reserved space to set up

for the party in the park. The largest team will receive a special award alongside the overall and age group ﬁnishers in the 5K and Monster Mile. Additionally, in partnership with The Race Series, all participants will have the opportunity to receive awards and points via their grading system.

Moonlight Madness is sponsored by Reynolds, Truist, Leonard Ryden Burr — Jason Bragg Realtor, Foothills Brewing, Splendor, and Fleet Feet. !

Convener. Collaborator. Catalyst: UNITED WAY OF FORSYTH COUNTY brings the community and its resources together to solve problems that no one organization can address alone. Its vision is to create a world-class community where no one lives in poverty, and everyone holds the power to access the opportunities and resources needed to thrive. For more information about United Way of Forsyth County, please visit uwforsyth.org.

Tannahill Weavers

SEPTEMBER 27, 2024

DooRS @ 6:30PM Show @ 7:30PM WANNA know?

For additional information and race registration, please go to runsignup.com/Race/NC/WinstonSalem/MoonlightMadness.

Chow Down with John Batchelor at Natty Greene’s

BY JOHN BATCHELOR

Natty Greene’s did not originate the brew pub concept, but I credit owners Ashleah and Chris Lester with establishing this wildly popular genre ﬁrmly in downtown Greensboro’s personality. The restaurant celebrated its 20th anniversary in August. Patio seating has been expanded, and lots of furniture has been made from recycled or reclaimed wood. The on-premises brewery operation has been signiﬁcantly enlarged as well. Leftover grain from the brewing process is given to local farmers for animal food. Although expansion has now been accomplished, survival was by no means certain during COVID. The restaurant celebrated its rebirth with a three-day block party last month. Event spaces can host large parties.

Ambiance involves a bit of a tradeo . You can exchange reﬂected sound from the hard surfaces inside (where our server had di culty hearing our order) for the street noise (of which there is an abundance) if you sit outside, in the very attractive (and cooled) beer garden.

Food follows the pub fare theme — casual, with easy snacking, plus plenty of burgers and sandwiches, as well as full-size entrées. Selections are especially well-matched to go with beer, as you would expect, but there is also a wine list that is appropriate for the setting, as well as full bar service. No one is likely to go wanting here. I especially liked the beer sampler, which provides tastes of several brews. I would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite.

We started our visits with selections from the “Bites” section of the menu.

Blistered Shishito Peppers are roasted, softish, but not to the blistering point. These require some stamina. On ﬁrst bite, you get a bit of stingy heat, moderated by a really tasty remoulade sauce. But each successive bite builds on the previous one. I like spicy food, but my wife and I were only able to consume about half of the serving. Fans of hot food will become devoted, however.

The menu says the Grilled Shrimp are wild-caught, and I would not doubt it. Their inherent ﬂavor is very good, enhanced with citrus, and our serving was cooked just-right-tender. A side remoulade sauce lends additional ﬂavor and bite. Deviled Eggs are plated on a long board, with pickles in the middle. The

along with ﬁnely diced scallions. This is a striking presentation in addition to being a tasty snack.

In a pub food concept, burgers are essential. I ordered the Carolina version for my ﬁrst try. The kitchen constructs this with cole slaw over the patty, ladled with Natty’s Chili — tasty, with a few red beans, plus cheddar cheese, red raw onion, and beer mustard on a brioche bun. This thing is a monster, one of the biggest portions of ground beef I have encountered, and it generates quality depth of ﬂavor, cooked just as ordered. The Horseshoe combines that big patty with melted Swiss cheese, plus sautéed mushrooms and onions, sharpened with horseradish mayonnaise. This particular cheese is especially well-matched for mushrooms and onions. Another front runner in the burger race.

We were not happy with the Big Time sandwich, though. From the menu description — Angus corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, beer mustard, and thousand island dressing on grilled ryewe were really anticipating some serious ﬂavors. And all the condiments delivered

on the promise. But lots of fat and gristle, unpalatable on the bite and clearly evident upon visual inspection, undermined enjoyment. We returned this, with the gracious cooperation of our server. If someone in the kitchen had trimmed the meat, I think this would probably have been a winner.

The Cohiba is a local variation on the Cuban sandwich. A baguette, pressed and toasted, hosts roasted pork loin, ham, pickles, Swiss cheese, and horseradish mayonnaise, all decorated with barbecue sauce. Pressing and toasting the bread adds positive notes to the ﬂavor.

Natty’s Chili is a clear winner. Ground beef and Neese’s sausage are simmered with green peppers, onions, and ﬁnely diced chipotle peppers, topped with a dollop of sour cream, plus shredded cheddar cheese, diced jalapeño peppers, and chopped onions, crisp tortilla chips alongside. I rank this in the upper echelons for local chili preparations.

Our ﬁnal selections came from the “Plates” section of the menu.

I rated the Carolina Catﬁsh high in the catﬁsh waters. A fairly heavy, very crisp breading of Cajun-spiced cornmeal-

which I really liked — coats fresh catﬁsh from a farm in Ayden, N.C., a trustworthy source. The ﬁsh tastes clean and fresh, well served by remoulade sauce. Salmon is seasoned with just a little blackening spices (one alternative) and grilled. My serving fell a bit toward the dry side. The menu says this is sourced from Canada, and it tastes pleasant and fresh. The other preparation alternatives are simply salted and peppered, or lemon peppered, or doused with barbecue sauce.

Most dishes come with one or two sides. Cole slaw consists of pale cabbage, cut coarse, interspersed with flecks of carrot, heavy on a mayonnaise-based slaw dressing. French fries are handcut, and they actually taste like potato (definitely not a given with most French fries, whose flavor is often closer to paper or cardboard). I also like the fresh potato chips — likewise clearly recently originating in a real potato, fried crisp, no grease evident. I guess my favorite, however, would be the sweet potato fries. They are pleasantly crisp, the real thing. The website lists the following key personnel: Brian Holdridge, General

Fried Catﬁsh

Carolina Burger with French Fries

Cohiba

Big Time

Manager; Russell DeSantis, Manager; Nelson Jackson, Executive Chef; and John Wallinger, Head Brewer. Clearly, this team has earned a popular following. The restaurant was just about packed, inside and out, even on weeknights, when we visited. !

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.

$799,900

Natty’s Chili

Horseshoe

Wreak Havoc Horror Festival commemorates 10th anniversary

BY MARK BURGER

Halloween is still a month away, but the celebration of all things scary and spooky begins early with the Wreak Havoc Horror Film Festival (WHHFF), which will be unleashed September 14 and 15 at Marketplace Cinemas, 2095 Peters Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem. Festival times are 1-10 p.m. both days. Tickets are $15 (one day) and $25 (both days) and are available exclusively at the theater. For more information, visit http://www.wreakhavochorrorﬁlmfest.com/2024-fest.

Like its predecessors, this year’s festival boasts a selection of feature films (The Invisible Raptor, A Stranger in the Woods, Grimmwood, and Migraine) and shorts (including Alicia, Black Dragon, Friend Request, Bobby Came Home, Call Ghost, Night Out, She, Tag, and A Walk in the Park, to name a few), but it also marks a major milestone in that it’s the 10th annual Wreak Havoc Horror Film Festival. The festival was conceived by festival director Dan Sellers and assistant director Sammie Cassell, both lifelong film bu s and filmmakers themselves, with a distinct predilection for science-fiction, fantasy, and horror.

“I’m so thrilled we’ve reached this important benchmark with the ﬁlm festival,” Sellers said. “It represents a tremendous amount of work from a lot of seriously talented folks. We’re glad that we’ve gotten to share such wonderful cinema with people who otherwise might not have seen it.”

“I’m also elated about reaching 10 years of Wreak Havoc,” Cassell concurred. “We’ve had the pleasure of working with some awesome judges who’ve put in a lot of time and energy watching ﬁlms, and we’ve met some wonderful ﬁlmmakers.”

For a sneak preview, check out the o cial trailer for the festival: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=REzS4pIYkt8

“The 10th-year celebration festival of Wreak Havoc will have a tremendous line-up,” said Zack Fox, general manager of Marketplace Cinemas. “We are thrilled to partner up with Sammie and Dan for our fifth year and to keep another fantastic local film festival in Winston-Salem. I am proud in the last seven years to have worked with a wonderful group of film festivals — RiverRun, 48HFP [48

Hour Film Project], OUT at the Movies, and Wreak Havoc — at our cinema.”

“Getting theaters to support ﬁlm festivals is di cult at times,” Cassell admitted. “Typically, festivals end up in single or two-screen venues, so it’s nice to partner with Zack Fox and Marketplace Cinemas. They do a great job promoting and screening everything from blockbusters to independent North Carolina ﬁlms.”

Assembling an appropriate selection is no easy task, Sellers confirmed. “We received about 100 submissions which we then whittled down to 23 in our o cial selection,” he said. “It’s always a di cult decision and unfortunately, every year we find ourselves having to decline some really great pieces. One way we’ve been able to acknowledge these films has been through an ‘Honorable Mention’ designation. This year, we have almost as many Honorable Mentions as we do o cial selection films!”

Nevertheless, both Sellers and Cassell are pleased with the 10th-anniversary line-up. “Every year we’ve been so lucky to host an amazing showcase of incredible shorts and features, and this year is no exception,” Sellers said. “We’re particularly thrilled to feature a handful of films made by Carolina filmmakers. It’s always a pleasure to screen a film and catch a friend or past collaborator in the credits. That’s happened more times than I can count.” Cassell is more succinct: “Getting local films is always cool,” he said. “We always like to support local films.”

The festival’s 10th anniversary coincides with the 40th anniversary of Spookywoods (https://www.spookywoods.com/), North Carolina’s perennially popular Halloween attraction located in Archdale, and it’s only appropriate that these two titans have entered into a collaboration this year.

“We are very fortunate to have Spookywoods sponsoring us this year,” Cassell said. “When I presented Tony [Wohlgemuth] with the opportunity, he jumped all over it. Tony and the crew there love all things scary! We’ll have

4TH

some nice giveaways associated with Spookywoods for our attendees and we’ll be showing the commercial at the festival.”

In addition to their festival and ﬁlmmaking endeavors, Sellers and Cassell also conceived the self-explanatory Wreak Havoc Film Bu s Podcast (https://www.wreakhavocproductions.com/podcast) and the “Carolina Haints” Podcast, which explores the legends and lore of the Tarheel State.

“Wreak Havoc Film Bu s has undergone some changes,” Cassell revealed.

“Dan has stepped aside to concentrate on wrapping up ‘Carolina Haints’ and starting a new podcast [‘Folk’], so I contacted our buddy and fellow judge Chad Hunt, who agreed to co-host, and our friend Cissy Butler has rounded out the crew, with occasional help from Cissy’s daughter and scream queen Lilie. We’re now exclusively on YouTube and put out a video every other week.”

“‘Carolina Haints’ is returning with a new podcast called ‘Folk,’ which will be similar in style but a new show altogether,” Sellers said.

But ﬁrst, there’s the matter of the 10th-anniversary ﬁlm festival, and everyone’s ready to get down and dirty and scary — and have a screamingly good time.

“One thing I personally love about this festival is North Carolina has a large horror-filmmaker community and this is a superb way for local filmmakers to showcase their films on the big screen and network with other likeminded filmmakers and fans,” said Fox. “With the new and improved schedule and this excellent of local North Carolina and worldwide horror films should make for a wonderful festival that is not to be missed.” !

WANNA go?

The o cial Wreak Havoc Facebook page is https://www.facebook. com/WreakHavocHorrorFilmFest/and the o cial website is http:// www.wreakhavochorrorﬁlmfest.com/. The o cial Marketplace Cinemas website is https://www.mpcws.com/.

[ WEEKLY ARTS ROUNDUP]

SAM “THE DOT MAN” MCMILLAN TO BE CELEBRATED AT ARTS COUNCIL

Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County is pleased to announce its upcoming exhibition, “A Dotted Tribute,” a celebrating the life and art of Sam “The Dot Man” McMillan. The exhibition will showcase local WinstonSalem folk art legend Sam “The Dot Man” McMillan and the remarkable works of living artists Natalie Jester and Angel Fant. Held at the Main Gallery of the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, the show will run from September 6 to October 26, starting with a public opening reception on Friday, September 6th from 5 to 7 p.m.

Born in Robeson County in 1926, Sam eventually made Winston-Salem his home. His life was as colorful as his art, with a career that spanned work in tobacco and cotton ﬁelds, truck driving, furniture making and repair, and various handyman jobs. Remarkably, Sam didn’t begin painting until his 60s. His art, known for its lively scenes adorned with a multitude of colorful dots, transformed everyday objects into joyful masterpieces. Even his beloved Dalmatian, Helen, who ﬁttingly had spots of her own, appeared in some of his paintings. Sam was a regular presence at folk festivals, particularly the Kentuck Festival, and sold his work from his home on 701 Northwest Boulevard in Winston-Salem until his passing in 2018. In addition to honoring McMillan, “A Dotted Tribute” also highlights the work of Angel Fant and Natalie Jester. Both artists share McMillan’s penchant for painting on unconventional sur-

faces, such as furniture and garments. It was Fant who introduced Jester, an emerging talent, to McMillan’s inﬂuential work, creating a vibrant dialogue between past and present. Jester’s work is inspired by Sam in many ways. She aims to represent the future of art as it evolves while honoring and incorporating the legacy of artists from the past, such as Sam. She enjoys painting on canvas, clothing, and furniture. Natalie’s colorful and creative style reﬂects her desire to create art that is intriguing and deeply meaningful.

The exhibition will be further enriched by the contributions of Bob Moyer, a longtime friend and collector of McMillan’s art. Moyer has generously lent pieces from his private collection and shared personal stories of Sam, infusing “A Dotted Tribute” with the spirit and essence of Sam the Dot Man. We invite the community to join us in celebrating this extraordinary exhibition that bridges past and present, and to experience the unique and colorful world of Sam McMillan alongside the dynamic works of Angel Fant and Natalie Jester. !

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

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

Band Schedule

SEPTEMBER 4

Bryce Hensley

SEPTEMBER 26

Doobe and The Accomplices

BY KATIE HALL NICOLAS

The Deliverance (now on Netflix) has absolutely nothing to do with James Dickey’s novel Deliverance or John Boorman’s subsequent 1972 screen adaptation and marks a distinct change of pace for producer/director Lee Daniels. It’s a dramatization of the 2011 Ammons Haunting in Gary, Ind., although the names have been changed and the locale shifted to Pittsburgh. It’s the acclaimed filmmaker’s maiden foray into the horror genre, and although the film doesn’t quite succeed overall, it’s more than just a mere exploitation shocker.

Andra Day plays Ebony, a single mother who has recently moved into her third house in a year with her children (Anthony

The Deliverance: To hell and back

B. Jenkins, Caleb McLaughlin, and Demi Singleton) and her mother Alberta (Glenn Close), who is battling cancer. Ebony’s estranged (and unseen) husband is in Iraq and she struggles mightily to keep a roof over her head and food on the table, despite an ongoing bout with alcoholism. It would seem Ebony already has enough demons in her life, and Daniels carefully, assuredly conveys the dysfunctional family dynamic, aided in large part by actors who play their well-deﬁned roles with absolute conviction. This goes a long way in making The Deliverance as e ective — and a ecting — as it is. These are believable people caught up in something beyond their comprehension. Because of the human element, the ﬁlm’s set-up is strong, although the payo is less so.

The swarm of flies buzzing throughout the house is the first warning flag, with more to come, as each of Ebony’s children begins behaving strangely. Alberta, who was not exactly an ideal mother herself, attempts to convince Ebony that the root of the problem may be of supernatural origin,

but her daughter is adamantly opposed to the idea despite the mounting evidence. Whenever faced with a crisis, Ebony tends to lash out at those around her, whether it’s Cynthia (Mo’Nique), the sympathetic but no-nonsense social worker, the doctor (Colleen Camp) who treated the children, or Rev. Bernice James (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor), the expert in all things supernatural who begs her to “conduct a deliverance” and cast out those unclean spirits bedeviling her.

Inevitably, circumstances force Ebony to confront the fact that, yes, her house is haunted and her children possessed, which entails the traditional tropes of exorcism movies — guttural growling, levitation, sleepwalking, vomiting, as well as a few new ones best not disclosed. It is here, unfortunately, that The Deliverance first goes the standard route and then goes o the deep end, replete with flying bodies and CGI pyrotechnics in a flaming, frenzied climax that’s nothing we haven’t seen before. !

Brandy Clark

Grammy Winner (2024 Best Americana Performance)

Country Music Award Winner (2014 Song of the Year)

Tony Nominee (“Shucked” on Broadway)

Friday, September 6th @ 8:00 PM

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies.

Mark Burger

Contributor

“ARCTIC CIRCLE”: SEASONS 1 — 3 (MHz Choice/Kino Lorber): A self-explanatory six-disc DVD collection ($69.95 retail) of all 22 episodes from the 2018’23 seasons of the critically acclaimed mystery series (originally titled “Ivalo”) initially pairing Iina Kuustonen’s Finnish police inspector and Maximilian Bruckner’s German virologist as they face a potentially lethal viral outbreak in frosty Finland, then depicting Kuustonen’s subsequent cases, with Pihla Viitala, Mikko Leppilampi, Janne Kataja, and newcomer Venla Ronkainen rounding out the regular cast. Each episode is available in original Finnish (with English subtitles) and English-dubbed audio options.

“CALL MY AGENT!”: THE COMPLETE SERIES (MHz Choice/Kino Lorber): The title tells all in this eight-disc DVD collection ($79.95 retail) of all 24 episodes from the entire 2015-’20 run of creator Fanny Herrero’s popular, award-winning comedy/drama series (originally titled “Dix pour cent”) set against the backdrop of a high-powered Parisian talent agency where the agents jockey for position while dealing with — and sometimes contending with — their show-biz clients. The series earned an International Emmy Award nomination for Best Comedy in 2016, then won the award in 2021. The regular cast includes Camille Cottin, Thibault de Montalembert, Gregory Montel, Liliane Rovere, Fanny Sidney, Laure Calamy, Nicolas Maury, and Steﬁ Celma, with a star-studded line-up of guest stars (playing themselves) including Sigourney Weaver, Juliette Binoche, Isabelle Huppert, Jean Reno, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Nathalie Baye, Cecile de France, Audrey Fleurot, Jean Dujardin, Monica Bellucci, Beatrice Dalle, Claude Lelouch, and others. In French with English subtitles.

CHAINS OF GOLD (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): John Travolta (also a coscreenwriter) headlines this insu erably earnest urban melodrama as a dedicated Miami social worker determined to rescue teenager Joey Lawrence from the clutches of crack kingpin Benjamin Bratt. Originally ﬁlmed in 1989, this languished on the shelf before a quiet cable premiere few years later. A career low for Travolta, also wasting the talents of former ﬂame Marilu Henner (as Travolta’s ex-wife), Bernie Casey, Conchata Ferrell, Tammy Lauren, and reliable Hector Elizondo (as the typically wise but weary cop), available on Blu-ray ($24.95 retail). Rated R.

[VIDEO VAULT]

BY MARK BURGER

DVD PICK OF THE WEEK: HIGH CRIME

(Blue Underground/MVD Entertainment Group)

At long last — over 50 years — Enzo G. Castellari’s high-octane 1973 crime drama (originally titled La polizia incrimina la legge assolvo) ﬁnally arrives on digital. It’s high time for High Crime!

Long-time Castellari collaborator Franco Nero headlines as Vice Commissioner Belli, a hard-driving policeman who uncovers evidence linking a series of murders to the international heroin trade. His informant and uno cial mentor Cafiero (Fernando Rey), a “retired” crime boss, informs him that a new, more powerful faction of the mafia has infiltrated the region — and infiltrated the police department as well. Belli shares his findings with Com-

missioner Scavino (American import James Whitmore), who is promptly gunned down before a meeting with the district attorney.

Belli is given Scavino’s job and intensiﬁes his investigation, which puts him — and his loved ones — in the crosshairs. Nero’s formidable screen charisma is on full display here, playing Belli with a teeth-gnashing intensity that perfectly conveys a character so enraged by the corruption around him that he’s hell-bent to crush it, especially when it hits close to home. He receives sterling support from the everreliable Whitmore (who exits the proceedings far too early) and Rey, basking in the internation fame achieved in the Oscar-winning The French Connection (1971) and playing a very similar character here.

There are numerous action highlights, including an early car chase that favorably recalls The French Connection and Bullitt (1968). The screenplay, credited to ﬁve writers (including Castellari) is occasionally convoluted, but at least it aspires to be more ambitious than the average shoot-‘em-up. High Ctime isn’t just ripe for rediscovery, but discovery.

The DVD ($19.95 retail), Blu-ray ($29.95 retail), and limited-edition three-disc 4K Ultra HD/CD combo ($59.95 retail) boast such bonus features as original Italian (with English subtitles) and English-dubbed audio options, multiple audio commentaries, alternate ending, retrospective interviews, theatrical trailer, and more. Rated R.

THE COUNTRY GIRL (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): A 70th-anniversary Blu-ray ($24.95 retail) of screenwriter/director

George Seaton’s 1954 adaptation of the Tony Award-winning Cli ord Odets play, starring Grace Kelly as the plain-spoken, long-su ering wife of alcoholic, over-thehill actor Bing Crosby, contending with their marital woes while persuading him to appear in a new play whose director (William Holden) is both infuriated by and attracted to Kelly until he learns the source of their problems. A ﬁrst-rate soap opera dominated by three actors in top form, with Kelly a surprise winner for the Best Actress Oscar and Seaton’s adapted screenplay likewise honored, with additional nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Crosby), Best Art Direction/Set Decoration (blackand-white), and Best Cinematography (black-and-white). Bonus features include audio commentary and theatrical trailer.

DIGIMON ADVENTURE 02: THE BEGINNING (Shout! Studios/Toei Animation/Shout! Factory): The long-running, proﬁtable anime franchise created by Akiyoshi Hongo celebrates its 20th anniversary with this full-length feature directed by Tomohisa Taguchi that follows the 2020 feature Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna and serves as the series ﬁnale for Digimon Adventure 02 as it depicts the adventures of the DigiDestined children who have now grown into adulthood. The DVD/Blu-ray combo ($26.98 retail) includes both original Japanese (with English subtitles) and English-dubbed audio option, director’s introduction, and more.

THE

DEATH TO SMOOCHY (Shout! Studios/Shout! Factory): Co-star/director Danny DeVito’s 2002 black comedy pits disgraced, embittered kiddie-show host Robin Williams against peppy replacement Edward Norton, who seems too good to be true, backed by a zesty cast including Catherine Keener, Jon Stewart, Michael Rispoli, Harvey Fierstein, Tracey Walter, Vincent Schiavelli, Todd Gra , and an unbilled Robert Prosky. This was a box-o ce ﬂop and earned mixed reviews but managed to ﬁnd a fervent cult following and o ers some hearty laughs despite an uneven storyline that doesn’t take full advantage of its satirical potential. The special-edition Blu-ray ($34.95 retail) includes audio commentary, retrospective interviews, behind-the-scenes featurette, extended and deleted scenes, bloopers and outtakes, and more. Rated R.

LINGUINI INCIDENT (MVD Entertainment Group): Writer/director Richard Shepard’s ﬂippant 1991 farce sees sassy waitress Rosanna Arquette and dashing bartender David Bowie hatching a plot to rob the trendy Manhattan restaurant they both work at, with Marlee Matlin, Eszter Balint, Buck Henry, Viveca Lindfors, Andre Gregory, Lewis Arquette, and Maura Tierney (in her feature debut) along for the ride. This strives too hard to be hip and quirky, although Shepard claimed that pre-release re-editing hurt the ﬁlm. Everybody tries hard but it’s not enough to establish a steady momentum. The “MVD Rewind Collection” Blu-ray ($34.95 retail) includes both the R-rated theatrical version and unrated director’s cut, audio commentaries, collectible booklet, the documentary The Making of “The Linguni Incident,” director’s introduction, photo gallery, and more.

WHEN EIGHT BELLS TOLLS (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): A special-edition Blu-ray ($24.95 retail) of director Etienne Périer’s 1971 adaptation of screenwriter Alistair MacLean’s 1966 novel, starring Anthony Hopkins as a British agent investigating a series of hijackings in the Irish Sea, with Nathalie Delon the resident femme fatale, Jack Hawkins, Corin Redgrave, Derek Bond, Ferdy Mayne, and scene-stealer Robert Morley as the head of British intelligence (“Uncle Arthur”) in support. An early big-screen lead for Hopkins and an obvious attempt to kick o a James Bond-type franchise, but the ﬁlm’s reception was (deservedly) middling. Not bad but merely watchable, although the scenery’s nice. Bonus features include audio commentary and theatrical trailer. Rated PG. !

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies.

Something delightful happened in the Fall of 1984. On Sunday night, September 30, at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, CBS premiered Murder She Wrote, a light-hearted drama series about Jessica Fletcher, a widowed mystery novelist who helped Cabot Cove law enforcement solve murder cases. For 12 seasons, the show was comfort food for hungry viewers, and a ratings hit for the Tiffany Network. It spawned a series of TV movies, and after four decades, re-runs of the hour episodes are still on the air. It was a show that quickly achieved cult status and made a global superstar out of a once shy theatre actress from England. That actress was my friend Dame Angela Lansbury.

I first met Angela when I produced and moderated Women in Prime, for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in March of 2007. It was a special evening I put together for the Academy to recognize outstanding TV actresses and female producers, with Angie as the honored guest. That night we had a wide-ranging conversation about opportunities for women in Hollywood, and about the barriers they face in grabbing those opportunities, such as gender and age discrimination, and stereotyping.

Speaking of which, Murder She Wrote producers originally offered the part of Jessica Fletcher to All in the Family star Jean Stapleton, but when she turned down the role, they reluctantly turned to Angela. That’s because they had stereotyped Angie as a theatre actress and thought the multiple Tony winner and Oscar nominee would not want to do television. They were wrong, thank the Lord.

During its first five seasons, Murder She Wrote was a perennial top ten favorite, and in its subsequent six seasons, it never fell out of the top 15. But CBS in all of its wisdom decided to tinker with the prime time line-up in season 12 and move Murder She Wrote from its Sunday night perch to Thurs-

Murder She Wrote Turns 40

days, where it fell to #58 in the ratings. Realizing its blunder, the network returned Murder She Wrote to Sundays for what would be its last few episodes, including the series finale which was broadcast on May 19, 1996. Lansbury then starred in a series of four Murder She Wrote TV movies, after which Jessica Fletcher retired from network fare in 2003, but continues to solve murders in re-runs.

My friend Angela Lansbury passed away in October of 2022 at the age of 96, but I will always remember our time together at the TV Academy’s Women in Prime event.

What follows are highlights from our conversation.

JL: I think all of the early Murder She Wrote episodes were written by men, and you were outspoken about the fact that men didn’t always write for women the way they should. Did you ever get any women writers?

AL: We never had women writers. We never did. I wanted to have women writers. Thank goodness my brother was the story editor for a while because at least he knew what I was wanting to achieve in the way of helping Jessica to grow out of Cabot Cove, and put her foot in the larger pond, get out in the

was, it wasn’t just women that I heard from. It was also men. Middle-aged men and older men adored Jessica, and to this day they still do. But the mail I got from women was just astronomical, and I still get it. It’s quite extraordinary. Women just decided they were going to be like Jessica Fletcher. They became writers, and they pulled themselves together. They lost weight thanks to the book, and they became absolutely fascinated by what was possible for women of our age to attain. So, the feedback was tremendous.

At the end of our panel discussion, I asked Academy Chairman Dick Askin to present Angela with a plaque that recognized her as a “ Pioneer for Women in Television .”

world and interact with more interesting people. He enabled me to do that, but we couldn’t go very far afield with that format.

JL: In 1987 you wrote “ Positive Moves: My Personal Plan for Fitness and Well Being, ” and I heard that the book was inspiring for a lot of women. Speaking of which, tell me about the feedback you’ve received from women who said you had a positive impact on their lives.

AL: I’ve had some wonderful feedback from the theatre roles I’ve played, and from the movie roles I’ve played, not so much with The Manchurian Candidate. It took me years to live down THAT role (laughs). I started Murder She Wrote when I was 59 years old, coming up to 60, and I got into television because I felt I hadn’t made any real money in the years I had been in the theatre and movies, and the time had come for annuity, you know? (laughs) You have to think about these things. And so, I got into television, thank God. But I was lucky to fall into an extraordinary role, a role model for women of my age. Women had never been represented in the way Jessica Fletcher approached her middle age, and for the first time, those women really counted for something. But the interesting thing

When the deafening standingroom-only applause died down, Angie thanked the Academy and then I took the opportunity to thank her for helping me get my wife Pam to the altar. I explained that following our first meeting, Pam was none too impressed with me, nevertheless, I persevered. I learned that her all-time favorite TV show was Murder She Wrote, so I packed up my entire VHS collection of Jessica’s mysteries and dropped the tapes off to Pam at work. Soon afterward she agreed to go out with me, and eventually we tied the knot. Angela laughed and said, “What a wonderful story! I can’t believe it. ”

There’s no telling just how many lives Angela Lansbury touched, and how many people she helped along the way. One example occurred during the filming of a Murder She Wrote episode. As the story goes, guest star Van Johnson could see how the grueling production schedule was wearing on his buddy Angie. He told her she had made enough money and didn’t have to keep working and suggested that she should just walk away. Angela told him she would not think of quitting because hundreds of people depended on her for a living. That was Angela in a nutshell. It’s no mystery to know why she was so beloved. She was always thinking of others. Always a team player. Always giving us all she had to give. It’s a nice sentiment to remember on this 40th anniversary of Murder She Wrote. !

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+.

Jim Longworth

Longworth at Large

Pam Cook, Angela Lansbury and Jim Longworth

New hues of Ameriglow

Jacob Darden is reigniting his roving and revolving warped-Americana outﬁt, Ameriglow, in all new hues and unwritten possibilities, starting with a show amongst friends and family, featuring Instant Regrets and Jonny Alright at the Flat Iron on September 15.

Wavering the pendulum of Piedmontliving, Darden is back in Greensboro these days — walking the lines from his time in Texas and mountain-living. Goofy and grounded — self-deprecating as ever — a stalwart of hawk-eyed seriousness that busts out in grins and giggles, there’s a fresh enthusiasm in the mix. And an energizing certain sort of uncertainty wafting in the Ameriglow air.

Air that remains fermented with the Slim Jim snaps and 1970s solid-state peaveys, of course. That’s how Darden, a textbook indie-rock wailer with the soul of a crooning rock ’n’ roller rolls; in whispers and thumps.

Counting on more of the former, his latest era of Ameriglow follows the strippeddown format established on 2020’s

“exoteric and esoteric” album, “Slavic Tongue, American Film.” Released during the mad pandemic summer, Darden initially postponed its release show — with a pause, like most everything, lasting longer than anyone could have imagined.

Living in Asheville at the time, he’s since come down from the mountain — and come down to himself, squaring his ideals and issues stretched out over song — long before Ameriglow’s 2013 debut release “Anti-americana: Speaking to the unconscious mind of the Southwest.”

Looking through the years of Ameriglow, the notion began as a “Godfrey,” a concept Darden dreamed up as a bridgepoint from 2009, a transitional jump from the indie-folk he was truckin’ in Israel Darling. “The ﬁrst recordings were transcribed on an eight-track Tascam in an attic and then later revisited in the studio around 2013,” Darden recalled, linking the eras across Ameriglow. “Those reincarnations are what stand now. You know the saying that it takes a tribe to raise a child, well Ameriglow was my kid, and I was lucky enough to be surrounded by a mammoth tribe of genuine lovely talented individuals.”

Moving to the present, Darden’s luck remains as Ameriglow beams with a fresh pocket of plugged-in players that reach further beyond his periphery of buds. The current lineup features an entirely di erent sect of Greensboro music makers

— the jazz youngins, as I often call them — with stringman and pedal steeler, Jimmy Washington, as the lynchpin to this latest operation.

Admittedly, the new “glowers” aren’t all that young — but it’s notably strange to become a certain age (hello, 40), where there’s a whole, polished generation of musicians a step below your contemporary zone. Time keeps rolling in the wildest ways, and Ameriglow keeps rolling in tandem — busting beyond the backlot and keying into a whole new music world–naturally, almost by accident.

“Meeting Jimmy was pure coincidence,” Darden insisted. “I had asked an old friend if they knew of a pedal steel player because I was getting the itch to create

again. It’s hard enough to ﬁnd pedal steel players to begin with, and especially good ones who aren’t 70 years old.”

“It’s an old-world craft as far as I’m concerned,” he continued, recalling that ﬁrst interaction with Washington. “One night my friend linked us up and we hung ‘till the early morning passing tunes around, and a friendship developed. Turns out, we share many of the same goals and constructs about what we wanted out of life and music.”

Not one to shy from evolution himself, Washington’s transversed his own eras of sonic development since his days playing guitar in the UNCG-centric indie-funk group, Reliably Bad. Moving across a host of strings, he’s all over the place these days; playing with folks like Drew Foust and Taylor Ap Williams. Unsurprising from a dude who walks the grooves between Louie Shelton, Binky Griptite, and Tommy Brenneck.

It’s a healthy contrast to Darden’s somewhat reclusive state this past decade. “I haven’t actually truly played live in 8 years, besides a few one-o solo bills,” Darden noted. “Jimmy got me out of my shell. He then went on a side quest to ﬁnd a good lineup. I trust Jimmy because I realized immediately after a few sitdowns that his musicianship was proliﬁc — the kid can play anything — and he has the integrity of some old soul gentleman.” And it was that integrity to which

Katei Cranford

Contributor

Darden deferred when it came to building the backline; supported by drummer Zac Covington and bassist Joe Harris. For Washington, the selection came naturally. “The rest of the lineup are friends who I played with and trusted to be able to learn music on a short notice,” he said. “Zac is known for being the guy in town that can nail most genres of music behind a kit. Especially on short notice. Joe was someone who played with me a few times and I saw a lot of potential in him because of his natural musicianship.”

A marked departure from Ameriglows of the past, Darden’s apprehension faded quickly. “After the initial awkward meet and greet, I understood why Jimmy tapped Zac and Joe,” he said. “All of us come from di erent points on the music spectrum, both input and output, but I dig that. That creates culture and helps a project move into a new state of being.“

“Plus being around decent folk is a plus,” Darden added, “and they are properly decent.”

And as Ameriglow moves into that new state of being, Darden is feeling a new sense of enthusiasm. “I’m fucking stoked to be stoked,” he said, bluntly. “I felt I had lived in a dark cloud for years with no writing, played the guitar once every season, and didn’t see myself ever pursuing music again.”

“But I felt there was more in the tank, more to say,” he continued. “The people closest to me have always shoved me in that direction and there was enough support from the community that I suppose I got my conﬁdence back. Feeling estranged from something you love is no way to live.”

Echoing attitudes explored on previous records, Darden is starting new — rather than make a record, Ameriglow will make an experience. Test their waters. Tweak the glow.

“I did the giant behemoth of sound,”

Darden explained, gravitating to the array of sounds across his catalog. “You know–the grunge noise, the shoegaze pop, etc etc, but at the core of it has always been the humiliation of the human element. The new pared-down lineup was actually Jimmy’s idea, but when peering back to the birth of these projects it’s a perfectly queer full circle. Makes sense to go home.”

Walking back on the backlog path of backlot tunes, “we’re honing in on the purity of the tracks,” Darden explained. “What does it take to get down the road, leave all the magic tricks behind, and just play the fucking music? The songs will speak for themselves.”

And they’ll speak volumes at the upcoming show. “We are playing a long set, the longest I personally have ever played,” he noted. “We’re pulling from the entire roster and even from albums that never saw a stage.”

Taking the long haul down Ameriglow roads, paved with their own permanent impermanence, “Jimmy and I decided to start with this revival of sorts, have our friends and family come out for a communal night, and we will see where it goes,” Darden said. “Possible surprises may happen.”

Steering ahead. “I’m a nervous wreck,” he admitted, “but the band seems to be captains of cool. And I believe in their coolness.”

Plus they’ll be amongst friends and folks in the glow of their debut show. Doug Pike, the drummer in Instant Regrets, is a longstanding “glow vet.” “He actually held two di erent positions in Ameriglow at two di erent times,” Darden noted, emphasizing that Instant Regrets is “currently one of my favorite bands and that’s not just in Greensboro. Jared, Je , Kelly, and Dougy Dougy have molded a sound from their personal journeys that is beyond radatadical.”

“Plus, Jonny Alright comes from the same living breathing organism that is Greensboro’s collective scene, he always brings the noise.” Breathing in the strength of his surroundings, “Again, I’ve gotta say that I am stoked to be stoked,” Darden insisted. ”I’m lucky enough to have friends and family share the stage.“

Speaking of family and future, “I’m going to be an Uncle come the end of September,” he added. “That’s enough to keep me going for many years. Stoked to see ya soon, Henry.”

Truth be told, Darden’s pretty stoked to see the rest of y’all, too. Catch a glimpse of Ameriglow at the Flat Iron on September 15. !

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

SONGS FROM THE ROAD BAND

Songs From The Road Band is an Asheville, North Carolina based bluegrass supergroup who takes flight with virtuosic picking, singing, and Grammy award winning songwriting. Several of their most recent singles have gone to the top of the Bluegrass Today Grassicana chart. Join the Yadkin Arts Council on September 7th for a live performance on the Willingham Theater stage!

The Anti-John Law: State makes buying sex a felony

North Carolina is the second state in the nation to make purchasing sex a felony. The new law takes e ect December 1, 2024, and applies to o enses committed on or after that date.

In June, Governor Roy Cooper signed House Bill 971, one provision of which rewrote Section 4. (a) of General Statute 14-205.1(a) to state “any person who solicits another for the purpose of prostitution is guilty of a Class I felony for a ﬁrst o ense and a Class H felony for a second or subsequent o ense.”

A Class I is the least serious felony classification, punishable by anywhere from four months to two years in prison. A Class H felony can result in a sentence of up to 39 months in prison. In the past, many first o enses under either classification have received house arrest or probation in lieu of prison time. Prior to this revision, the maximum penalty for purchasing sex from a consenting adult was a misdemeanor.

While the verb “solicit” can mean attempting to either sell or purchase something, here it only applies to the purchaser (colloquially referred to as a “John”), and not to the person either selling or performing the sexual act. In North Carolina, performing sex work is still a Class 1 misdemeanor, while a ﬁrst o ense for “promoting” or “advancing” prostitution (acting as a pimp or operating a brothel) is a Class F felony.

Assistant Chief Chris Schultheis of the Greensboro Police Department stated this about the new law:

“The passage of House Bill 971, speciﬁ-

cally the amendment to G.S. 14-205.1(a), acknowledges the potential victimization of those engaging in prostitution and places the legal burden on the person who is soliciting the act, with the goal of preventing further victimization. Additionally, by increasing the penalty for the solicitation from a misdemeanor to a felony, it can act as a greater deterrent and ultimately reduce victimization. As the law has yet to take e ect, it may take some time to see if this legislation has the desired e ects. But from a victim assistance standpoint, it is a deﬁnite step in the right direction.”

The primary sponsors of HB 971 were Representative Kevin Crutchﬁeld (R), whose 83rd district includes Rowan and Cabarrus counties, and Senator Buck Newton (R), whose District 11 includes Greene, Wayne, and Wilson counties.

The new felonies make no distinction between those who purchase sex from a person coerced into prostitution or from one voluntarily engaging in sex work, but the revised statute also contains multiple sections aimed at human tra cking. These provisions include making unlawful disclosure of victim conﬁdentiality a Class C misdemeanor and requiring all hotel

and motel employees, including thirdparty contractors and maintenance sta , to take biannual courses in recognizing the signs of human tra cking.

The revised statute also requires the disclosure of certain criminal history in child custody pleadings, prohibits viewing pornography on government networks and devices; and allows college campus police to access the Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Automated Data System.

Schultheis also stressed the importance of the sections of the statute dealing with the hotel industry.

who purchase sex. One of those consequences is being arrested.”

Strickland said that she and Nikki Miller, director of operations for the Apexbased anti-tra cking organization Shield North Carolina, expected pushback when they asked legislators to increase penalties for buying sex.

“Over the past several years, we have seen the shift in prostitution from what was once taking place on street corners to what is usually now transpiring through digital communications leading to a covert meeting at an arranged location. Oftentimes, these locations are lodging establishments. The educational and training component of this bill provides for a level of awareness amongst the sta of these establishments to look for signs of potential human tra cking and establish reporting procedures. The hope is that the sta can help direct resources and law enforcement to these covert locations to locate and assist victims of human tra cking.”

One organization that pushed for this law is the N.C. Demand Reduction Task Force, which worked with Crutchﬁeld and the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys on revising the statutes. Pam Strickland, founder of N.C. Stop Human Tra cking, a nonproﬁt operating out of GCF Church in Greenville, N.C., was a member of the legislative team.

“We’re so excited about this legislation,” said Strickland. “The Demand Reduction Task Force was created to reduce demand for both sex tra cking and labor tra cking. One of our strategies for doing that is to create consequences for people

“We didn’t get hardly any, and many were very supportive. This was last year, and we were unable to get it introduced in time for the long session. So, when Crutchﬁeld introduced it in this year’s short session, we were again pleasantly surprised, as that’s not normally the time when new laws are introduced, but is more often about the budget. But it got introduced, zoomed through committees and went right to the house ﬂoor, passed unanimously, the same thing happened in the Senate, and then Governor Cooper signed it. The only questions we got in committee were about the hotel training, with none about making buying sex a felony.”

Strickland said she expects much higher attendance the next time her organization trains law enforcement in conducting reverse sting operations against purchasers of sex. A reverse sting operation is an attempt to arrest criminals by selling an illegal commodity rather than attempting to purchase it, such as when an undercover narcotics o cer poses as a drug dealer rather than a buyer.

“Earlier this year, we conducted a reverse sting training which only 30 people attended. What we heard from law enforcement is that it takes a lot of sta , planning, and time to do a reverse sting operation against sex purchasers. Even if it’s completely successful, they end up with a handful of misdemeanors. It didn’t make sense in terms of return on investment. Now that it’s a felony, we anticipate much higher attendance from

Ian McDowell

Contributor

Pam Strickland of N.C. Stop Human Tra cking

Representative Kevin Crutchﬁeld Senator Buck Newton

law enforcement in the future. We look forward to working with law enforcement, DAs, and judges, because the law doesn’t do any good if they don’t use it.”

In 2021, Texas became the ﬁrst state to make buying sex a felony, when Governor Greg Abbott signed a law increasing the maximum penalty to two years in prison for a ﬁrst o ense. State Representative Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston), the author of the bill, said “We know the demand is the driving force behind human sex tra cking. If we can curb or stamp out the demand end of it, then we can save the lives of numerous persons.”

In signing this legislation, Abbott introduced what’s commonly known as the Nordic Criminal Model approach to sex work to the United States.

Also known as the End Demand model, the Equality model, and Neo-Abolition, this approach was developed in Sweden in 1999, where it was based on the claim that all sex work is sexual servitude and no person can consent to engage in commercial sexual services. While the main objective was to abolish the Swedish sex industry by punishing consumers, it was also intended to make working conditions more di cult for sex workers. Ann Martin, Head of Sweden’s Tra cking Unit, acknowledged this, stating “It shouldn’t be as easy as it was before to go out and sell sex.”

The law enforcement model introduced in Sweden, and subsequently adopted as national legislation in Norway, Iceland, Canada, Northern Ireland, France, Ireland and Israel, has been criticized by the Global Network of Sex Work Projects, as well as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, all of which allege that it

increases incidents of violence against sex workers.

Decriminalize Sex Work, a national nonproﬁt with o ces in New York City, Austin, El Paso, Miami, New Orleans, and D.C., agrees. According to “Equality Model or Nordic Model of Prostitution Explained” at www.decriminalizesex.work, by encouraging reverse sting operations leading to the “entrapment” of sex purchasers, laws based on this model cause those purchasers to “pursue anonymous interactions in remote locations,” increasing the danger to sex workers from their clients. “Keeping sex work in the dark jeopardizes the harm reduction strategies sex workers use to keep themselves safe and leaves them vulnerable to predators and criminals.”

A former Manhattan sex worker now retired to the Triad, who agreed to comment anonymously on the new statute, is highly critical of it.

“This legislation and its models are rooted in a misogynistic ‘protection’ perspective and harm sex workers more than help them,” she wrote in a recent email. “These laws conﬂate coercion with agency and in doing so, remove the acknowledgment of agency for all sex workers who choose their profession. Hammering down on existing laws to prosecute tra ckers would be a more logical and rational way of legislative problem-solving. Presuming victimhood for all sex workers is inaccurate and inhumane.” !

IAN MCDOWELL is an award-winning author and journalist whose book I Ain’t Resisting: the City of Greensboro and the Killing of Marcus Smith was published in September of 2023 by Scuppernong Editions.

N.C. Folk Festival Welcomes N.C. Native and The Voice Alum Tae Lewis

The North Carolina Folk Festival is thrilled to welcome Tae Lewis, North Carolina native and alum of NBC’s The Voice, to the 10th annual festival. Hailing from Goldsboro, Lewis’ country sound quickly elevated him to a fan favorite on season 25 of the competition show.

Lewis, age 31, graduated from Rosewood High School in Goldsboro, N.C. in 2010 and made his way to Nashville, Tenn. to pursue his dreams of country music stardom. His love of singing and songwriting was sparked by the gospel music he was surrounded with at church during his upbringing, and country artists like Rascal Flats, Dan & Shay and Vince Gill helped shape his distinctive sound. Along with landing a song placement on the longrunning Showtime series Shameless in 2023, Lewis was propelled to stardom during his time on the musical competition series The Voice, where he was coached by singing and songwriting duo Dan & Shay and country music legend Reba McEntire on season 25 in 2024. Lewis made it to the semifinal round of the competition with his performance of “Wanted” by country artist Hunter Hayes. Additionally, Lewis was named the Tractor Supply Emerging Artist of the Year, receiving mentorship from country music stars Lainey Wilson and Lauren Alaina. The Goldsboro native is no stranger to struggle, however. Tae Lewis’ turn toward country music was at first difficult for his family and the music scene to accept, coming from a family of pastors and with many venues denying him gigs over confusion and doubt about a Black country

artist. At one point, he even found himself experiencing homelessness and living out of his car. Lewis’ fortunes changed when he was discovered by the Black Opry, at home for Black artists and Black fans of country, blues, folk and Americana music.

“We could not be happier or more grateful to have Tae joining us for our 10th anniversary festival,” said Jodee Ruppel, Executive Director & Chief Development O cer of the N.C. Folk Festival. “Tae is a fantastic representative of the new talent in country music and of all the great artists who call North Carolina home. We are emphasizing the theme that folk is for everyone at this year’s festival, and we are thrilled to have Tae join us and share in that spirit.”

Tae Lewis performs from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, September 6 on the Depot Stage at the 10th anniversary North Carolina Folk Festival. Admission is completely free and open to everyone. For more information, visit www. ncfolkfestival.com.

The 10th anniversary North Carolina Folk Festival presented by Cone Health is September 6-8 in downtown Greensboro. With stages across downtown and pre- and post-festival parties at favorite Greensboro venues, the N.C. Folk Festival is a free event open to the public all weekend long. !

THE NORTH CAROLINA FOLK FESTIVAL is a nonproﬁt organization (501(c)(3)) that honors, celebrates, and shares the meaningful ways communities express their creativity and cultural traditions through music, dance, food, crafts and other folk arts to enhance appreciation of diverse traditions and contribute to community vibrancy and inclusivity.

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Jon Muq Tae Lewis Bio Ritmo Olive Klug Demeanor Holler Choir Ethno USA

Oxente Lakota John Wild Roots Old Heavy Hands Emanuel Wynter Blue Ridge Girls Unheard Project

Sam Fribush Organ Trio feat. Calvin Napper and Charlie Hunter Candice Ivory Ensemble Elias Alexander Abby Hamilton

Abigail Dowd Drew Foust & the Wheelhouse Colin Cutler & Hot Pepper Jam

Dashawn Hickman presents Sacred Steel, feat. Wendy Hickman She Returns From War Caique Vidal & Batuque

THE WAR AND TREATY

MIPSO

LOS LONELY BOYS

CARBORRO

Cat’S CradlE

300 E Main St | 919.967.9053

www.catscradle.com

Sep 5: Buzzcocks

Sep 5: Happy landing

Sep 6: Caiola

Sep 6: James McMurty

Sep 7: daniel Nunnelee

Sep 8: rob Ickes & trey Hensley

Sep 8: the dismemberment Plan

Sep 9: Karl denson’s tiny Universe

Sep 10: King Buzzo & trevor dunn

Sep 11: Built to Spill

Sep 12: Hotel Fiction

Sep 13: Jesse Fox

Sep 14: Ballyhoo

Sep 15: Cedric Burnside

Sep 16: Healy

ChARlOtte

BoJaNglES ColISEUM

2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600

www.boplex.com

Sep 5: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Sep 25: Kirk Franklin

Sep 26: anne WIlson

Sep 27: Keb’ Mo & Shawn Colvin

Sep 28: america

tHE FIllMorE

1000 NC Music Factory Blvd | 704.916.8970

www.livenation.com

Sep 4: lamp

Sep 6: leprous

Sep 6: Manchester orchestra

Sep 7: the Pigeons Frasco dogs tour

Sep 8: Jeezy

Sep 9: Powerwolf

Sep 10: Common and Pete rock

Sep 10: Wild rivers

Sep 12: Paper route Empire: gigantic Muney tour

Sep 13: all the Feels r&B

Sep 14: the airbourne toxic Event

Sep 15: Yung Bleu

Sep 19: Montell Fish

Sep 20: alec Benjamin

Sep 20: Mickey guyton

Sep 21: old 97’s

Sep 23: lawrence

Sep 24: the Sisters of Mercy

Sep 25: Mariana trench

Sep 26: StrFKr

Sep 26: Briston Maroney

PNC MUSIC PavIlIoN

707 Pavilion Blvd | 704.549.1292

www.livenation.com

Sep 6: Megadeth

Sep 7: Boyz II Men

Sep 11: rob Zombie & alice Cooper

Sep 13: My Morning Jacket & Nathaniel rateliff and the Night Sweats

Sep 14: Sebastian Maniscalco

Sep 15: Meghan trainor, Paul russell & Chris olsen

Sep 18: Korn

Sep 19: Hootie and the Blowfish

Sep 20: Cody Johnson & ashley McBryde

Sep 22: Breaking Benjamin & Staind

ClemmOns

vIllagE SqUarE

taP HoUSE

6000 Meadowbrook Mall Ct | 336.448.5330 www.facebook.com/vstaphouse

Sep 7: Kids in america

duRhAm

CarolINa tHEatrE

309 W Morgan St | 919.560.3030

www.carolinatheatre.org

Sep 6: dweezil Zappa

Sep 14: Stayin’ alive — a tribute to the Bee gees

Sep 23: Mat Kearney

dPaC

123 Vivian St | 919.680.2787

www.dpacnc.com

Sep 3-8: Clue Broadway

Sep 9: giggly Squad live

Sep 11: Emmylou Harris

Sep 12: arrival from Sweden — the Music of aBBa

Sep 13: Kurtis Conner

Sep 20-21: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

elKIn

rEEvES tHEatEr

129 W Main St | 336.258.8240

www.reevestheater.com

Wednesdays: reeves open Mic

Fourth thursdays: old-time Jam

Sep 7: Walter trout

Sep 13: the Waybacks

Sep 27: the arcadian Wild

Sep 5: Cactus tate

Sep 6-7: rodney Perry Sep 12: the Christi Show

Sep 13-15: gary owen

Sep 15: deric Cahill

Sep 18: Craig Conant

Sep 20-21: the Magic of Eric Eaton

Sep 5: the ain’t Sisters

Sep 6-7: NC Folk Festival after Party

Sep 14: Boulevards

grEENSBoro ColISEUM 1921 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400

www.greensborocoliseum.com

Sep 6: atul Purohit garba Night

Sep 7-8: Hot Wheels Monster trucks live glow Party

Sep 13: Boombox Fest reloaded

Sep 13: Umesh Barot garba Night

Hangar 1819

1819 Spring Garden St | 336.579.6480

www.hangar1819.com

Sep 4: Dark Tranquility & amorphis w/ Fires In The Distance

Sep 6: Taylor acorn w/ Mind The Drive

Sep 7: (Hed) PE w/ Waking Tera

Sep 10: The Fall Of Troy w/ The number 12 Looks Like You, Strawberry girls, rhododendron

Sep 11: Oceano w/ To The grave, VCTMa, Half Me, Larcenia roe

Sep 13: Shrek rave

Sep 18: nails w/ 200 Stab Wounds, Mammoth grinder, Tribal gaze

Sep 19: Emarosa w/ Laur Elle, Val astaire

Sep 20: PeelingFlesh w/ Snuffed On Sight, Corpse Pile, Two Piece, Torture, Khasm

STEVEn TangEr CEnTEr

300 N Elm Street | 336.333.6500 www.tangercenter.com

Sep 13: Travis Tritt

Sep 24: Keb’ Mo’ & Shawn Colvin

high point

1614 DMB

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

Sep 6: Parallel Lives

Sep 7: Maiden Voyage

Sep 13: When Lightning Strikes

Sep 21: Black glass

Sep 27: When Darkness Fails

Sep 28: Taking Back Sadder Days

HIgH POInT THEaTrE

220 E Commerce Ave | 336.883.3401

www.highpointtheatre.com

Sep 6: Omari Dillard

Sep 20: Killer Beaz

Sep 26: Tannahill Weavers

Sep 27: Scythian

Sep 28: Dancing with the Sisters

SWEET OLD BILL’S

1232 N Main St | 336.807.1476 www.sweetoldbills.com

Sep 4: Bryce Hensley

Sep 26: Doobe and The accomplices

liberty

THE LIBErTY SHOWCaSE THEaTEr

101 S. Fayetteville St | 336.622.3844

www.TheLibertyShowcase.com

Sep 6: Blackhawk

Sep 14: Tg Shepard

Sep 21: Wilson Fairchild Sons of the Statler Brothers

raleigh

CCU MUSIC ParK

aT WaLnUT CrEEK

3801 Rock Quarry Rd | 919.821.4111 www.livenation.com

Sep 6: Boyz II Men

Sep 7: Megadeth

Sep 13: Hootie & the Blowfish

Sep 18: Creed

Sep 21: Staind & Breaking Benjamin w/ Daughtry

Sep 28: Eye To Eye

LInCOLn THEaTrE

126 E. Cabarrus St | 919.831.6400

www.lincolntheatre.com

Sep 5: 49 Winchester

Sep 5-7: Hopscotch Music Festival

Sep 11: Buckethead

Sep 12: Harvey Street w/ Easy Honey, Odd 39

Sep 13: Tablao Flamenco

Sep 14: Bring Out Yer Dead

Sep 20: Shane Smith & The Smiths

Sep 21: Black Pumas and Cory Wong

Sep 21: Lily rose

Sep 22: Old 97’s

Sep 24-27: IBMa — Bluegrass ramble

Sep 28: Victor Wooten & The Wooten Brothers

rED HaT aMPHITHEaTEr

500 S McDowell St | 919.996.8800

www.redhatamphitheater.com

Sep 4: Falling In reverse

Sep 6: Justin Moore & randy Houser

Sep 11: Omar apollo

Sep 12: Meghan Trainor w/ Paul russell & Chris Olsen

Sep 14: Carolinadaze Music Festival

Sep 17: KaLEO

Sep 21: Black Pumas & Cory Wong

PnC arEna

1400 Edwards Mill Rd | 919.861.2300

www.thepncarena.com

aug 30: blink-182

aug 30: Childish gambino

Sep 6: Martin Lawrence

Sep 10: Hans Zimmer

Sep 11: Cigarettes after Sex

Sep 13: Twenty One Pilots

Sep 15: $uicideboy$

winston-salem

FIDDLIn’ FISH

BrEWIng COMPanY

772 Trade St | 336.999.8945

www.fiddlinfish.com

Tuesdays: Trivia

Sep 6: raincheck Bluegrass

Sep 13: Swamp rats

Sep 20: Province of Thieves

Sep 21: Oktoberfest 2024

Sep 27: Hotwax & The Splinters

FOOTHILLS BrEWIng

638 W 4th St | 336.777.3348

www.foothillsbrewing.com

Sundays: Sunday Jazz

Thursdays: Trivia

Sep 1: Camel City Blues

Sep 6: anne & The Moonlighters

Sep 7: Taylor Mason

Sep 8: Dalton allen

Sep 13: Justin Cohen

Sep 14: Jaclyn Yee

Sep 15: James Vincent Carroll

Sep 20: Eddie & Josh

THE raMKaT

170 W 9th St | 336.754.9714

www.theramkat.com

Sep 6: The Barons, The Coyotes

Sep 7: rumors aTL

Sep 12: Cashavelly, Housewife

Sep 13: Beggars Banquet, Mean Street

Sep 15: Paul Thorn, Phillip Lammonds

Sep 18: Shannon Curtis

Sep 19: The Wildmans

Sep 20: Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, Skylar gudasz

Garcia

[SALOME’S STARS]

Week of September 9, 2024

[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) This might surprise you, but you’re not always right about everything. A troubled loved one needs you to be less demanding and more understanding. Kindness encourages openness.

[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Your Bovine instinct guides you well this week. A change of heart might be the wisest course to take. A trusted friend o ers good advice, so listen closely.

[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Be more sensible where money is concerned. An urge to splurge needs to be put aside for now. Later, you’ll be able to indulge yourself with the things you want.

[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A past health problem recurs and needs attention. It might not be serious, but your family and friends deserve reassurance. Meanwhile, you get news about a job opening.

[LEO (July 23 to August 22) A romantic encounter with a loving Libra could make the Lion a happily purring Feline this week. Be open to Cupid’s encouraging signals. In addition, a workplace change is coming.

[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) This is a good week for mending fences with family and friends. Put those minor irritations behind you and rebuild those once-precious relationships.

[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Someone might try to get you to reveal a secret that you vowed to keep sacred. Stick with your commitment to your promise and reject all attempts to get you to give it up.

[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) This is a good time to change some longstanding routines. Let yourself be more ﬂexible in adapting to new situations. You’ll appreciate what happens next.

[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) A chance to travel opens up. Consider asking someone who has recently become very special in your life to go with you. Good things are always better when shared.

[TRIVIA TEST]

by Fifi Rodriguez

[1. GEOGRAPHY: How many lakes are in the Great Lakes Basin?

[2. MOVIES: What is the little girl’s last name in the ﬁlm Matilda?

[3. TELEVISION: What is the name of the teacher on the animated kids’ series The Magic School Bus?

[4. LITERATURE: In which historic period is Jack London’s novel “Call of the Wild” set?

[5. U.S. CITIES: Which city’s nickname is “City by the Bay”?

[6. ANATOMY: How much of the human body is made up of water?

[7. SCIENCE: What is heliology?

[8. HISTORY: Which world leader’s birth name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?

[9. ASTRONOMY: In what year did a U.S. astronaut land on the moon?

[10. ENTERTAINERS: Which famous actor who starred in The Notebook was once a member of The Mickey Mouse Club?

answer

8. Pope Francis. 9. 1969. 10. Ryan Gosling.

[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) A neighbor is revealed as the source of some upsetting events, but you need to be wary of a confrontation until you have absolute proof. Other neighbors can help.

[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) A business decision needs to be made. Be aware that what you decide will a ect a close associate. Talk it over with them before making your move.

[BORN THIS WEEK: Money is strong in your aspect. You not only know how to make it, you also know how to enjoy it.

[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) An investment opportunity needs closer scrutiny. You’re not getting all the information you need. On another note, a personal relationship bodes far more positive potential.