YES! Weekly - December 25, 2019

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December 25-31, 2019 YES! WEEKLY

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DECEMBER 25-31, 2019 VOLUME 15, NUMBER 52

14 5500 Adams Farm Lane Suite 204 Greensboro, NC 27407 Office 336-316-1231 Fax 336-316-1930

YES! WEEKLY’S TOP PEOPLE OF 2019

Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com EDITORIAL Editor KATIE MURAWSKI katie@yesweekly.com Contributors IAN MCDOWELL KRISTI MAIER JOHN ADAMIAN MARK BURGER KATEI CRANFORD TERRY RADER JIM LONGWORTH

As the dawn of a new decade draws near, would like to dedicate our last issue of 2019 to some of the PEOPLE IN THE TRIAD that made this year count.

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PRODUCTION Graphic Designers ALEX FARMER designer@yesweekly.com AUSTIN KINDLEY artdirector@yesweekly.com ADVERTISING Marketing TRAVIS WAGEMAN travis@yesweekly.com LAUREN BRADY lauren@yesweekly.com MAXI BENBASSAT maxi@yesweekly.com Promotion NATALIE GARCIA

DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT KARRIGAN MUNRO We at YES! Weekly realize that the interest of our readers goes well beyond the boundaries of the Piedmont Triad. Therefore we are dedicated to informing and entertaining with thought-provoking, debate-spurring, in-depth investigative news stories and features of local, national and international scope, and opinion grounded in reason, as well as providing the most comprehensive entertainment and arts coverage in the Triad. YES! Weekly welcomes submissions of all kinds. Efforts will be made to return those with a self-addressed stamped envelope; however YES! Weekly assumes no responsibility for unsolicited submissions. YES! Weekly is published every Wednesday by Womack Newspapers, Inc. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. First copy is free, all additional copies are $1.00. Copyright 2019 Womack Newspapers, Inc.

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This piece started out so very basic: A popular UNDERGROUND SUPPER CLUB transfers to a brick-and-mortar. But after speaking with the enthusiastically interested parties, it became clear that there’s much more to the story. No matter how you cut it, it’s a story of friendship, vision and the glowing support of a community.

8 At this time of year and especially on Christmas Day, many people in the Triad and around the world are happily opening presents, sharing meals and enjoying time away from work to observe the holidays.

However, for some people who already have A CHALLENGING TIME in the day-to-day, this season can be hard, said Ashton Hall...

9 Now, author Victoria Amador pays high tribute to the star in OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND: LADY TRIUMPHANT, an aptly titled – and aptly respectful – biography that explores the triumphant lady’s life and career, in a comprehensive and thoroughly entertaining fashion.

10 Coming on the heels of last year’s Emmy-nominated documentary Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes and this year’s Showtime mini-series The Loudest

Voice, BOMBSHELL is a dramatization of the circumstances that led to the downfall of the controversial CEO of Fox News...

11 As we celebrate and enjoy this holiday season, let’s not forget that there are people beyond our immediate circle of family and friends who could benefit from our LOVE AND GENEROSITY. Over the past decade, I’ve been able to showcase scores of community organizations on my “Triad Today” television show, and in the process, I’ve learned that there are several ways we can help these agencies help others. The first is to donate goods. Second is to donate money. And, third is to donate our time.

20 Triad natives in the NYC afrobeat group, the SUPER YAMBA Band are again teaming-up with Dance from Above to bring the 4th annual “Super Yamba and Friends” holiday show to the Crown above the Carolina Theatre on Dec. 26.

21 The Brooklyn-based Super Yamba Band have turned their end-of-the-year show in Greensboro into an exuberant and joyous annual HOLIDAY EVENT. They assemble a crew of musical collaborators to celebrate Afrobeat music...

DECEMBER 25-31, 2019 YES! WEEKLY

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EVENTS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS | BY AUSTIN KINDLEY

be there

DRAG QUEEN MYSTERY

MIRACLE ON CHERRY STREET THUR-TUE

THUR 26-31

THUR 26

FRI 27

SAT 28

SAT 28

MIRACLE ON CHERRY STREET ANNUAL DAY AFTER

HOLIDAYSLAM 2019

MURDER BY DEATH

DRAG QUEEN MYSTERY

WHAT: Butcher & Bull, a contemporary take on a traditional steakhouse located in the Marriott Winston-Salem, is bringing the popular holiday pop-up bar Miracle on Cherry Street to the Triad for the first time. Miracle on Cherry Street will provide a Christmas experience like no other, transforming the restaurant into a winter wonderland featuring a festive menu of signature cocktails and dishes, holiday music, and décor including lights, garland, ribbons, tchotchkes and more!

WHEN: 11 a.m. - Midnight WHERE: Butcher & Bull.

425 N Cherry St, Winston-Salem.

WHAT: The BIGGEST Firestar Pro Wrestling event of the season is Holiday Slam! Join us as we celebrate an successful year of professional wrestling as we close out 2019 with a banger!

WHEN: 7-9:30 p.m.

WHERE: The Firestar Arena.

517 Medley Street, Greensboro.

MORE: General Admission Tickets are $15.

Tickets for Kids age 5-10 are $5. Tickets can be sold at door. Kids under the age of 5 in for FREE with Paid Adult.

WHAT: Murder By Death’s eighth full-length album The Other Shore is a space-western about a ravaged Earth, its fleeing populace, and a relationship in jeopardy. It’s an epic journey rocketing toward the unknown-in the universe, within the characters represented through 11 songs, and through the band’s evolving sound. But basically, the quest poses the ultimatum: Stick with what you have, or risk it all to find something new.

WHEN: 9 p.m.

WHERE: The Blind Tiger.

1819 Spring Garden St, Greensboro.

MORE: $20 tickets.

WHAT: The residents of the Crooked Tail Cat Café need your help to solve a mystery!

It’s time to play Sherlock, so bring along your best Watson to the Crooked Tail Cat Café’s Murder Mystery Party. You’ll spend a fun-filled evening with the cats guessing who-done-it at a party hosted by our resident drag queens, Regina Kelly and Roseanna Thorne.

WHEN: 7-9 p.m.

WHERE: Crooked Tail Cat Cafe.

604 S Elm St, Greensboro.

MORE: $20 tickets.

CHRISTMAS TOURS & TASTING WHAT: Didn’t get what you really wanted for Christmas this year? Come on in for a special day of Tours and Tastings. By chance, this has become an annual tradition for us here at the distillery, so bring the Family, or ditch the family, and come try all of the award winning spirits that we make.

WHEN: 12-5 p.m.

WHERE: Fainting Goat Spirits.

115 W Lewis St, Greensboro.

MORE: Tours and tastings are $10 a person and include a tour of our distillery, a tasting of our spirits, and a whiskey glass.

Give the gift of music!

3 Concerts C t $99!

TANGER OUTLETS MASTERWORKS

TANGER OUTLETS POPS

FAREWELL SYMPHONY Artyom Dervoed, guitar

BROADWAY & BEYOND WITH BEN CRAWFORD

MAR ��, ����

Broadway star, Ben Crawford, returns to Greensboro for a celebration of classical musical theatre and modern hits on New Year’s Eve!

FEB �����, ����

ODE TO JOY

Lyubov Petrova, soprano Nancy Maultsby, mezzo Rodrick Dixon, tenor Federico De Michelis, bass Greensboro Symphony Master Chorale

DEC ��, ����

Dmitry Sitkovetsky, violin Gerard Schwarz, guest conductor

FEB ��, ���� Artyom Dervoed, guitar; Dmitry Sitkovetsky, violin GSO String Quartet MAY ��, ���� Marjorie Bagley, violin

FEB ��, ����

THE PAUL SIMON SONGBOOK

Explore the unique artistry and music of the legendary Paul Simon on Valentine’s Day!

MAY �, ����

MAESTROS AND MENDELSSOHN

RICE TOYOTA CHAMBER

APR ��, ����

AN EVENING WITH MATTHEW MORRISSON Star of stage and screen, Matthew Morrison, will perform LIVE with the Greensboro Symphony in ann evening of sophisticated enjoyment.

ORDER NOW! GreensboroSymphony.org or 336-335-54556 x224 YES! WEEKLY

DECEMBER 25-31, 2019

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[SPOTLIGHT]

GIVESBORO RETURNS, BRINGING CHARITY AND SOLIDARITY TO DOWNTOWN GREENSBORO

NEW YEAR’S EVE WITH

BY IAN MCDOWELL

“Givesboro shows what our locally-owned business community here in Greensboro are made of,” said Michelle Kennedy, executive director of the Interactive Resource Center and At-Large Representative to the Greensboro City Council. “It consists of compassionate folks who want to work together toward solutions to homelessness.”

“For our second year in a row, we’re working with local businesses to support the IRC, a local nonprofit that helps the homeless community, while also encouraging shoppers to come downtown to shop, save money and buy local,” said Jenn Graf, owner of Vintage to Vogue on South Elm Street. “It’s a win-win situation all the way around! Greatness is not what you have; it’s what you give.”

The collective effort organized by Graf, in collaboration with a variety of downtown and other local businesses, works in several ways.

Shoppers purchase a $10 discount card that can be presented at participating retailers, restaurants and businesses throughout Greensboro’s downtown area. Customers at those participating establishments can also make donations of small change via the Givesboro tins beside each resident’s cash register. Some participating businesses give customers the option of rounding up their sales, with the extra change going towards the Givesboro’ program.

The 2019 Givesboro Discount Card participating businesses and how the card works at each is as follows: 1618 Downtown (Round-Up Program). Antlers and Astronauts (10% off purchase). Aspen Boutique (10% off purchase). Blue Denim (10% off purchase, excluding alcohol. Boho Salon (15% off purchase). Bonchon (10% off purchase).

Chez Genese (free drip coffee with purchase). Crooked Tail Cat Café (10% off purchase). Deep Roots (Round-Up Program). Elsewhere (free Saturday tour, must make a reservation ahead of time).

Emerge Skin Therapy (15% off purchase and Round-Up). Greensboro Day Spa (10% off purchase). Hudson Hill (10% off purchase). Jade and Co. Salon (10% off purchase). Jerusalem Market (10% WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

off purchase). Just Be (10% off purchase). Meraki Handmade (10% off purchase and half-off a cup of coffee). Moore Music Company¥ 10% off purchase, excluding instruments).

Oscar Oglethorpe Eyewear (10% off purchase).

Polish and Threads (10% off purchase). Scuppernong Books (10% off purchase). Stolen Skate Shop (15% off purchase). Terra Blue (10% off purchase). Vintage to Vogue Boutique (10% off purchase, excluding alcohol).

Vivid Interiors (15% off purchase, some exclusions apply). Undercurrent (10% off purchase, excluding alcohol). The Well Café and Juice Bar (10% off purchase).

White and Wood (10% off purchase, excluding alcohol).

All proceeds from the sale of Givesboro cards, as well as tin donations and other programs, will go to the Interactive Resource Center, “Guilford County’s only day resource center for those currently facing, experiencing or coming out of homelessness.” According to IRC associate director Kristina Singleton, the organization’s day campus provides a variety of services to people dealing with those issues, including assistance getting licenses or IDs, jobs and medical care.

Givesboro discount cards can be purchased at Antlers & Astronauts, Aspen Boutique, Emerge Skin Therapy, Greensboro Day Spa, Little Brother’s Brewing, Meraki, Vintage to Vogue Boutique, and Vivid Interiors.

“The visibility this campaign provides through local businesses increases awareness of homeless issues in Greensboro and money raised will assist those most vulnerable among us,” wrote Kenney to YES! Weekly last year, when the Givesboro program was being inaugurated. “Not to mention, all money spent in a local business and as part of this campaign helps contribute to our local economy.”

“It’s very important we help each other out,” said Easa Hanhan, co-owner of Jerusalem Market. “When businesses and customers help each other, it just makes downtown a growing and better place. As the saying goes, all boats rise.”

The Givesboro campaign coincides with Triad Local First’s #BuyLocalSeason and runs through Dec. 31, 2019. For more information, check out www.givesboro.org. !

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

DREW HOLCOMBE AND THE NEIGHBORS DEC. 31 • 2019

GREENSBORO COLISEUM TICKETS ON SALE NOW TICKETMASTER.COM GREENSBORO COLISEUM BOX OFFICE

DECEMBER 25-31, 2019 YES! WEEKLY

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Machete sharpens with community support PHOTOS BY TAL BLEVINS

YES! WEEKLY

DECEMBER 25-31, 2019

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his piece started out so very basic: A popular underground supper club transfers to a brick-and-mortar.

But after speaking with the enthusiKristi Maier astically interested @triadfoodies parties, it became clear that there’s much more to the Contributor story. No matter how you cut it, it’s a story of friendship, vision and the glowing support of a community.

It all started at the former LaRue Restaurant in Greensboro, where chefs and couple Kevin Cottrell and Lydia Greene worked together to make creative and delicious dishes. There, they met a man who saw their talent and wanted to do something bigger and more special.

The popular dinner club launched over

a year and a half ago after Tal Blevins, who’s originally from Greensboro, moved back to be closer to his family after 21 years of living in San Francisco. Blevins wanted to also make a social impact here but found himself in similar waters in the Gate City as the Golden Gate City.

The tech writer and publisher missed the Modern American food scene of San Fran, until one day he tasted Cottrell and Greene’s food.

“Food and beverage have always been a passion,” Blevins said. “As long as it’s good, I’ll enjoy it, and when I tasted their food, it reminded me of what I was missing from San Francisco.”

Blevins said he was involved a bit in the underground restaurant scene with Lazy Bear, a two-star Michelin dinner party concept restaurant he invested in that started out as a pop-up.

“Their food, the plating and the creativity of it,” Blevins said. “It reminded me of those early days at Lazy Bear.”

Blevins approached Cottrell and Greene with the idea of starting a supper club in Greensboro, and Cottrell and Greene took the leap. Coming up with a name, Blevins said they always kept going back to Cottrell’s childhood story of playing in the woods with a machete.

“The food is inspired by childhood memories, modernized but evocative,” he explained. “It seemed perfect.”

Then, what started out as 12 people in his dining room, turned into a 20-person sit-down dinner, two times a month.

Running out of space and creating quite the demand, the group started pondering the idea of an actual space. But it couldn’t have been possible without what Blevins and Cottrell agree was the support of local culinary leaders such as Crafted’s Kris Fuller, 1618’s Nick Wilson, Undercurrent’s Wes Wheeler, and the Norman family from Fainting Goat Spirits.

“Our dinners started out with members of the restaurant community and quickly grew from that,” Cottrell said.

“We were all building each other up and Kris Fuller was a huge help to us by looking for restaurant spaces with us and offering advice.”

During the process, Fuller joked that her Crafted-The Art of Street Food location would be perfect for their concept.

But veiled in humor, often lies the truth.

And one day, Fuller’s joke was a true offer. After reimagining her restaurants and her family’s time commitment, the

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restaurateur decided it was time to close Street Food, and she suggested the group open Machete at her spot located at 600 Battleground Ave. in downtown Greensboro. Fuller said it was “love at first bite,” and she offered to help in any way she could.

“We met several times over the course of a year, and then it’s as if the stars aligned,” she said. “Mom and I needed some extra time to focus on family and Tal, Kevin and Lydia still needed a space, so here we are. Crafted-the Art of Street Food has had great success over the years, and so to be able to pass the torch on and have such great food continue in the space we built just makes my heart warm.”

Much of the Street Food staff will be absorbed in other Crafted locations, but Machete will hire them back. Cottrell said he’ll take on the role of executive chef, while Greene will act as chef de cuisine.

Andy Schools will curate the cocktail program that Cottrell said, “will be simple and refined, where the ingredients shine.”

With an opening slated for early 2020, possibly February, Machete will offer a full-service Tuesday through Saturday dinner menu, an a la carte menu similar to their Machete pop-ups, and once a month community table dinners on Sunday that will bring back memories of the burgeoning supper club days. The cuisine WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

will be modern American, inspired by the food they’ve been serving for almost two years. “We will be fine dining,” Cottrell said. “But we won’t be white-tablecloth.

We don’t want to come off as pretentious at all. We want people to feel comfortable in the first five minutes.”

“A rising tide is only going to lift all ships,” Blevins said. “And this really is about the community’s support. We want to build a food culture here in the Triad. We’ve been able to develop great friendships with the culinary community here, and we know they get it. We don’t really have the restaurant concentration here to even have to be competitive.

We all have the opportunity if we can all work together to create something special, be collaborative, recommend each other, enhance one another and be a community. It can be so powerful.” !

KRISTI MAIER is a food writer, blogger and cheerleader for all things local who even enjoys cooking in her kitchen, though her kidlets seldom appreciate her efforts.

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Machete will be located at 600 Battleground Ave., Greensboro. If you’re interested in job opportunities or would like to be added to the email list, visit machetegso.com. Expected opening: February 2020.

DECEMBER 25-31, 2019 YES! WEEKLY

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Art journaling brings gift of healing

t this time of year and especially on Christmas Day, many people in the Triad and around the world are happily opening presents, sharing meals and Terry Rader enjoying time away from work to observe the holidays. HowContributor ever, for some people who already have a challenging time in the day-to-day, this season can be hard, said Ashton Hall, a 15-year-old WinstonSalem artist and freshman at Ronald Wilson Reagan High School. For the first time, she is opening up to share how she makes the dark days more bearable for those in need of a creative outlet.

Hall has over 20 art journals. What began as sketches and drawings soon became extraordinarily well-illustrated comic characters, both real and imagined, with words and phrases to express her feelings or favorite song lyrics, movie lines or events happening in the world.

Hall learned that by drawing what she was feeling, she was able to calm herself down. She said she doesn’t always add words to her drawings, although some do have a hard-core meaning when she does.

For example, she was so moved by a documentary about anorexia, where the fashion industry glorified eating disorders.

She drew a female with a flat stomach and tiny waist with protruding ribs and the model’s perceived thoughts, “My lungs feel so heavy and tight, I wish I could remove every rib in my body to make myself prettier, thinner, better. And even then, it makes me feel miserable— I CAN’T EAT.” After watching school shooting videos, Hall made a drawing of kids holding protest signs with, “March for Our Lives” and “Protect Kids, Not Guns.” Hall said she was really inspired by hundreds of kids who were being so strong and still fighting for their rights to be safe right after a traumatic experience. She said, “These kids had passion before this happened.

They may have been confident and happy like the main character in the drawing with dyed orange hair, but now they are all changed.”

One drawing was born out of listening to a song with lyrics questioning what to do regarding taking depression medicaYES! WEEKLY

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“World on Fire (and) I Can’t Eat” by Ashton Hall tion that inspired a drawing of a figure in all pink. Hall said her character looks happy with really cool hair and tattoos, but she is actually hurting inside. It’s similar to a recent self-portrait, “Nothing Lasts Forever,” where she wishes she could smile and mean it.

Other drawings near and dear to her heart include one of a former friend that ended on a harsh note.She called it “Chapter Closed,” to express how it feels to lose a friend when you once considered them the person you would share everything with. Recently, she has found a new friend who is a an artist “with a good vibe” who is giving her advice on art and inspiring her to practice more.

Hall said she was about 4 or 5 years old when she accidentally painted over one of her babysitter’s paintings. She said she did this after getting excited by her canvases, brushes, acrylic paints and watercolors.

The babysitter’s son, Jacob, was a digital artist and created Disney-like cartoons on the computer, Hall said, which really influenced her to create characters similar

to his, but preferred to draw by hand but not as realistic.

Hall said she was moved to a higher level in art after taking art classes all three years in middle school and in elementary school. Her art teacher had a huge collection of professional Prismacolor pencils, and once she tried them, she really liked the way they blended, especially since they weren’t too exact or neat. She likes a little messiness in her drawings, and colored pencils remain her favorite medium today.

Hall said she is inspired daily by her mother, Denise Hamilton McKibbin, in her creative performances as an actor and professional singer. McKibbin recently played The Acid Queen in “Tommy” at the Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance and is practicing for January’s “Disaster!”

“Being a creative person myself, I understand this is what you want to focus on,” McKibbin said to her daughter.

Hall said that if she could change one thing in this world, it would be with the school system, so that talented artists

could receive the same kind of credit that those who excel in science, technology, engineering and math do. She said she believes artists will be the ones who have different ideas to fix things. She hopes to become an art teacher or an art therapist.

“I believe that everyone should have something like this to fall back on to express how you feel,” Hall said. “Especially if you don’t have friends or family to talk to. Having a creative outlet or a social media page makes you feel a lot less alone.

Drawing makes me feel like I have control because I have to focus in order for it to turn out good. As long as I have my art, I know I’ll be okay.” !

TERRY RADER is a freelance writer/editorial/content/ copy, creative consultant/branding strategist, communications outreach messenger, poet and emerging singer/songwriter.

WANNA

go?

See Ashton Hall’s work at www.instagram.com/ aesthetically_pleasing_dirtbag/

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De Havilland biography is truly Triumphant OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND: LADY TRIUMPHANT by Victoria Amador. Published by University Press of Kentucky. 406 pages. $34.95 retail.

Not only is Olivia de Havilland one of the great actresses of HolMark Burger lywood’s golden era, having won two Academy Awards and countless Contributor accolades, but she’s also a survivor of that era.

Indeed, at age 103, she’s still with us – living comfortably in retirement in France, where she has resided for over 60 years.

Now, author Victoria Amador pays high tribute to the star in Olivia de Havilland: Lady Triumphant, an aptly titled – and aptly respectful – biography that explores the triumphant lady’s life and career, in a comprehensive and thoroughly entertaining fashion. After all, the lady deserves nothing less.

Amador certainly has special insight into de Havilland’s life, having corresponded with her for the better part of 40 years and visiting with her several times. This lends warmth and friendliness to the biography, but although Lady Triumphant celebrates the lady and her life, it’s not merely a fawning fan letter. It’s a well-researched, well-rounded, eminently readable portrait of a great star whose impact went beyond her performances.

In 1943, she filed suit against Warner Bros. after the studio tacked on another six months on her seven-year contract because she’d spent some time on “suspension” for not accepting roles that the studio (or, more specifically, studio boss Jack L. Warner) felt she was contractually obliged to make. The end result became what is known as the “De Havilland Law,” and it exists to this day.

Even de Havilland’s sister, Joan Fontaine, with whom she feuded, said: “Hollywood owes Olivia a great deal.”

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Needless to say, that feud with Fontaine is duly covered here, as are de Havilland’s two marriages (both of which ended in divorce) and various romances (including an important one with filmmaker John Huston). Yet, thankfully, they are not depicted in salacious or gossipy terms.

After all, Olivia de Havilland is a lady – and the proper

measure of decorum is observed, without in any way compromising or diminishing the overall charm or impact of this biography.

Actually, it’s rather nice to see that sense of decorum maintained.

As the last surviving cast member of Gone With the Wind (1939), arguably Hollywood’s most beloved film, it’s the film she’s most associated with – and she’s proud of it. But her other screen triumphs – including her Oscarwinning turns in To Each His Own (1946) and The Heiress (1949) – are duly covered, not to mention A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935), Captain Blood (also ‘35), The Adventures of Robin Hood (1939), The Snake Pit (1948), and Hush … Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964), to name but a few. The lady made a lot of movies, and a lot of them were good, with many qualifying as classics.

Of course, not every film’s a winner, and such doozies as the bloated Harold Robbins adaptation The Adventurers (1970) and Irwin Allen’s killer-bee farrago The Swarm (1978) are here, too. It’s amusing to note that, on the latter film, de Havilland consented to have bees crawl all over her during her death scene (which actually was cut from the movie). For the disaster epic Airport ‘77, in which a 747 crashes into the Bermuda Triangle (where else?) she gleefully volunteered to be doused with gallons of water during the crash sequence, essentially throwing down the gauntlet for her co-stars. If she was going into the drink, so were they. The lady was nothing if not a trouper.

It’s that aspect that seems to dominate the biography. Olivia de Havilland’s been through a lot, both on and off the screen, but she was never bowed, never cowed. She came through it all, the good and the bad, with class, grace, style, and guts. Triumphant to the end.

The official University Press of Kentucky website is www.kentuckypress.com/. !

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies on Burgervideo.com. © 2019, Mark Burger.

DECEMBER 25-31, 2019 YES! WEEKLY

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[MOVIE TIMES]

The floodgates of Fox burst in Bombshell

RED CINEMAS

Coming on the heels of last year’s Emmy-nominated documentary Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes and this year’s Showtime miniseries The Loudest Mark Burger Voice, Bombshell is a dramatization of the Contributor circumstances that led to the downfall of the controversial CEO of Fox News who died in 2017 not long after being ousted over repeated allegations of sexual harassment.

John Lithgow plays Ailes in Bombshell, and although he’s not the main character, his presence hangs over the proceedings like a dark cloud. The story of his downfall is certainly widely known, and it falls to producer/director Jay Roach and screenwriter/producer Charles Randolph to bring a fresh, engaging perspective to it. To a large extent, they have succeeded.

Bombshell does a good job distilling various plot elements and characters (some of which are composite) into a cohesive and concise narrative.

There’s an irony in the film’s title, as the trio of leading ladies – Charlize Theron (also a producer), Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie – certainly qualify as

glamorous bombshells, and their characters are not without glamor, either.

Kidman plays Gretchen Carlson, the former Fox television commentator whose sexual-harassment lawsuit against Ailes got the ball rolling. Theron plays Megyn Kelly, the Fox news anchor compelled to investigate the story, even as co-workers urge her to support Ailes.

Robbie plays Kayla Pospisil (one of those aforementioned composite characters), a newcomer to Fox News whose ambitions lead her straight into Ailes’s office – and straight into trouble.

Initially, Bombshell has a tangy satirical tone, but that stops sharply – and can be traced to the one scene in which the three leading ladies are in the same frame.

They’re in the elevator at Fox, each destined for the second floor, where Ailes’s office is located, each believing they’ve been summoned by him. The viewer knows the score, and so do they. The satire cools, and the drama intensifies. It’s a jarring transition, but a necessary one. As the scandal escalates, the Fox newsroom begins to feel like a bunker under siege, fraught with suspicion.

There’s a good cast on hand, even in small roles: Kate McKinnon, Allison Janney, Connie Britton, Mark Duplass, Brooke Smith, Katie Aselton, Jennifer Morrison, Holland Taylor, Alice Eve, Robin Weigert, Elisabeth Rohm, and Malcolm McDowell, deliciously inspired casting as Rupert Murdoch. As for Lithgow, who’s played heavies before (Blow Out, Cliffhanger et al.), he’s never been clammier or creepier, yet the most important facet of his performance is making Ailes a human being.

Special mention must be made of the film’s makeup, which is astonishing. Kidman resembles Carlson more than enough to be credible in the role, Theron is a dead ringer for Megyn Kelly, and although Lithgow is better-looking than Ailes ever was (so to is Russell Crowe, who played Ailes in The Loudest Voice) he’s admirably repulsive. !

Adam Sandler, on edge in Uncut Gems It may sound like faint praise to say that Adam Sandler does his best acting work (to date) in Uncut Gems, but it’s absolutely true, and the speculation that his performance is award-worthy is not merely hype. Eschewing his patented comedic tendencies, he gives an aggressive, driven performance in a raw, rough film that equals his aggression and drive.

Sandler’s Howard Ratner is a successful jeweler in New York City’s diamond district, yet success isn’t enough. He’s got a wife (Idina Menzel), he’s got a family, and he’s got a mistress (newcomer Julia Fox). He loves them all – although it’s not always apparent – but he loves to gamble more than anything.

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DECEMBER 25-31, 2019

desperate lows, literally from moment to moment, Howard appears to spend every waking moment on a tightrope, torn between his responsibilities, which he increasingly neglects, and making the next bet.

Howard is the architect of his own destruction, which is chillingly conveyed in the film’s screenplay, written by sibling directors Josh and Benny Safdie, and Ronald Bronstein, who also edited the film with Benny Safdie. Howard is not a likable character, conning and scamming his way through life, but he is a compelling one and Sandler tears into the role with a ferocity that is something to behold.

Eric Bogosian (enjoying his biggest and best screen role in years), Judd Hirsch, Lakeith Stanfield (recently seen in Knives

Dec 27 - Jan 2

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER (PG-13) LUXURY SEATING Fri - Mon: 12:35, 3:50, 7:05, 10:20 Tue: 12:35, 3:50, 7:05 Wed & Thu: 12:35, 3:50, 7:05, 10:20 CATS (PG) LUXURY SEATING Fri - Mon: 11:20 AM, 1:55, 4:25, 7:10, 9:40 Tue: 11:20 AM, 1:55, 4:25, 7:10 Wed & Thu: 11:20 AM, 1:55, 4:25, 7:10, 9:40 KNIVES OUT (PG-13) LUXURY SEATING Fri & Sat: 11:30 AM, 2:20, 5:10, 8:00, 11:00 Sun - Thu: 11:30 AM, 2:20, 5:10, 8:00 LITTLE WOMEN (PG) Fri & Sat: 11:25 AM, 2:25, 5:20, 8:15, 11:10 Sun - Thu: 11:25 AM, 2:25, 5:20, 8:15 PARASITE (R) Fri & Sat: 11:40 AM, 2:30, 5:40, 8:30, 11:20 Sun - Thu: 11:40 AM, 2:30, 5:40, 8:30 STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER (PG-13) Fri & Sat: 11:00 AM, 1:25, 2:15, 3:00, 4:40, 5:30, 8:00, 8:45, 9:30, 11:15, 11:55 Sun & Mon: 11:00 AM, 1:25, 2:15, 3:00, 4:40, 5:30, 8:00, 8:45, 9:30 Tue: 11:00 AM, 1:25, 2:15, 3:00, 4:40, 5:30, 8:00, 8:45 Wed & Thu: 11:00 AM, 1:25, 2:15, 3:00, 4:40, 5:30, 8:00, 8:45, 9:30 STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER 3D (PG-13) Fri - Thu: 11:45 AM, 6:15 UNCUT GEMS (R) Fri - Mon: 1:10, 4:05, 7:00, 9:55 Tue: 1:10, 4:05, 7:00 Wed & Thu: 1:10, 4:05, 7:00, 9:55

DABANGG 3 (HINDI) (NR) Fri - Sun: 3:10, 9:40 Mon: 12:00, 3:10, 6:20, 9:40 Tue: 12:00, 3:10, 6:20 Wed & Thu: 12:00, 3:10, 6:20, 9:40 HERO (TAMIL) (NR) Sun: 6:20 PM PRATI ROJU PANDAAGE (NR) Fri: 6:20 PM Sat: 12:00 PM THAMBI (NR) Fri: 12:00 PM Sun: 12:00 PM BLACK CHRISTMAS (PG-13) Fri - Thu: 11:00 AM JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL (PG-13) Fri & Sat: 11:00 AM, 12:20, 1:45, 3:05, 4:30, 5:50, 7:15, 8:35, 10:00, 11:20 Sun & Mon: 11:00 AM, 12:20, 1:45, 3:05, 4:30, 5:50, 7:15, 8:35, 10:00 Tue: 11:00 AM, 12:20, 1:45, 3:05, 4:30, 5:50, 7:15, 8:35 Wed & Thu: 11:00 AM, 12:20, 1:45, 3:05, 4:30, 5:50, 7:15, 8:35, 10:00 RICHARD JEWELL (R) Fri - Mon: 11:00 AM, 1:50, 4:40, 7:30, 10:20 Tue: 11:00 AM, 1:50, 4:40, 7:30 Wed & Thu: 11:00 AM, 1:50, 4:40, 7:30, 10:20 DARK WATERS (PG-13) Fri - Thu: 12:00 PM QUEEN & SLIM (R) Fri & Sat: 2:55, 5:50, 8:45, 11:40 Sun - Thu: 2:55, 5:50, 8:45 A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD (PG) Fri - Thu: 2:05, 4:35, 7:05 FORD V FERRARI (PG-13) Fri - Mon: 11:00 AM, 9:35 Tue: 11:00 AM Wed & Thu: 11:00 AM, 9:35

Out), radio talk-show host Mike Francesca (in his feature debut), and former NBA superstar Kevin Garnett also score in supporting roles. In the case of Garnett, who plays himself, it’s particularly impressive as the context in which he appears is not necessarily flattering.

Augmented by Darius Khonji’s stylish cinematography and Daniel Lopatin’s nerve-jangling score, Uncut Gems is a bit long on the long side – an “uncut gem,” perhaps? – but it never loses its grip, and much of that is due to Sandler’s superb turn. He’s not hedging his bets here. He’s taking a risk, and the risk pays off bigtime. !

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies on Burgervideo.com. © 2019, Mark Burger.

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voices

Plenty of ways to give this holiday season

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s we celebrate and enjoy this holiday season, let’s not forget that there are people beyond our immediate circle of family and friends who could benefit Jim Longworth from our love and generosity. Over the past decade, Longworth I’ve been able to at Large showcase scores of community organizations on my Triad Today television show, and in the process, I’ve learned that there are several ways we can help these agencies help others.

The first is to donate goods, the second is to donate money, and the third is to donate our time. Of course, some nonprofit groups can benefit from all three types of giving. In no particular order, below are just a few organizations to which you might lend your support.

United Way of Forsyth County United Way of Forsyth County “brings the community and its resources together to solve problems that no one organization can solve alone.” That mission includes being engaged in a number of important initiatives, such as the 10-year plan to end chronic homelessness. “The Forsyth Promise,” which supports and promotes the success of every child at every age, and strives to increase the high school graduation rate to 90%. As well as, “Place Matters,” a campaign to reduce poverty in targeted neighborhoods. For more information, or to make a donation, visit www.forsythunitedway.org.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest N.C. Unfortunately, the Piedmont Triad has one of the worst hunger problems in the nation, and that includes the problem of childhood hunger. To help alleviate the hunger problem, Second Harvest Food Bank distributes food to churches and nonprofit agencies that feed hungry people in an 18-county area. You can write a check directly to the food bank, or you can drop-off non-perishable food items at a number of locations in our area. For more information call (336) 784-5770, or visit www.hungernwnc.org.

Goodwill Industries of Northwest N.C. Each year, thousands of people in WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

Northwest North Carolina are served by workforce development programs that are administered by Goodwill. Those programs are supported, in part, by the clothing and other items we donate, which are then sold at Goodwill retail stores. That means, the more items you donate, the more people who will get back to work. Goodwill also welcomes monetary donations. For more information, call (336) 724-3621 or visit www. goodwillnwnc.org.

Cancer Services, Inc. Their stated mission is “to enhance the quality of life for those living with cancer, and to provide the gift of life through education.” Their services include patient advocacy, medication and financial assistance, providing equipment and supplies, offering peer support groups, and much more. Ninety percent of funds donated to Cancer Services, Inc. goes directly to providing client services. In addition to money, you can also donate used equipment and supplies. Call (336) 760-9983, or visit www.cancerservicesonline.org.

the latter of which provides an uplifting experience for children with severe disabilities and terminal illnesses. To make a donation or learn more, visit www. pettyfamilyfoundation.org.

The P.O.W.E.R. of Play Foundation Founded by former NFL star Ricky Proehl and his wife, Kelly, the foundation works with at-risk youth, teaching them important life lessons in a structured, sports-centered environment. The 22-acre park also features the city’s first universally accessible playground for kids ages 5-12. To make a donation or for more information, call (336) 665-5233, or visit www.proehlificpark.com.

Carolina Donor Services and Red Cross There can be no greater gift at this holiday season than the gift of life, and that’s why you might consider donating blood and signing a donor card. Either gesture requires only a few minutes of your time, and will almost certainly result in saving someone’s life in the future. You can reach Carolina Donor Services at 1 (800) 200-2672, or at www. carolinadonorservices.org. You can call the Red Cross at (336) 333-2111, or via the internet at www.redcross.org.

Please remember that your donations of time, money, or goods to area community organizations are vitally important, not just now, but throughout the coming year. It’s also a way for us to expand the circle of people we care about, and that’s something worth celebrating in this season of giving. !

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).

Greensboro Urban Ministry This organization is on the front lines when it comes to providing emergency assistance. Greensboro Urban Ministry provides homeless families in Guilford Count, a safe, temporary environment.

Volunteers are needed to prepare and serve meals, manage shelters, tutor children and perform a variety of other duties. Monetary donations are also much appreciated. Call (336) 271-5959, or visit www.greensborourbanministry.org.

Mountain Valley Hospice This nonprofit program serves a 16-county area in North Carolina and Virginia and provides personalized care for patients at the end of life, as well as comfort to families. Mountain Valley Hospice has six regional offices and operates two hospice homes. They also specialize in care for terminally ill children and veterans. To give money or inquire about volunteering, call 1(888) 789-2922, or visit www.mtnvalleyhospice.org.

Petty Family Foundation NASCAR legend Richard Petty and his family support a number of charitable organizations including, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Victory Junction Camp, DECEMBER 25-31, 2019 YES! WEEKLY

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[NEWS OF THE WEIRD] UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT

WJAR reported that an unnamed substitute teacher was fired on Dec. 16 for smoking marijuana in a classroom at North Attleborough High School in Chuck Shepherd North Attleborough, Massachusetts.

Peter Haviland, principal at the school, said students reported the incident and the teacher was removed from the school premises. Haviland also said the teacher not only used the drug, but led a discussion in class about marijuana. Campuses in the district are drug-free. Well, they were.

UPDATE

Last year during the holiday season, former NASA engineer Mark Rober of Santa Clarita, California, created a glitter bomb exploding package in response to having a package stolen from his front porch. This year, Rober has a new and improved version: When it is touched, the BBC reported on Dec. 17, the box explodes in glitter and emits an unpleasant odor along with a soundtrack of police chatter. As a coup de grace, it also takes a video of the thief and uploads it to the cloud. One of the sponsors for Rober’s project is “Home Alone” actor Macaulay Culkin. Rober calls it a labor of love: “I have literally spent the last 10 months designing, building and testing a new and improved design for 2019,” he said.

FAMILY VALUES

It may not be the oldest fruitcake still (mostly) uneaten, but it could be the most beloved. The Detroit News reported that the Ford family of Tecumseh, Michigan, has been cherishing Fidelia Ford’s fruitcake since 1878 — over five generations. Julie Ruttinger, great-greatgranddaughter to Fidelia, inherited the confection from her father, Morgan Ford, who kept it in an antique glass compote dish in his china cabinet until his death in 2013. It doesn’t much look, or smell, like a fruitcake anymore (“Smells like old people,” Morgan once said), but Ruttinger is determined to keep Fidelia’s legacy alive. Each year, Fidelia made a cake that was meant to age until the next Christmas season. But in 1878, she died before her cake could be enjoyed. When Morgan was buried, the family tucked a piece of the cake into his jacket pocket. “He took care of it to the day he left the Earth,” Ruttinger said. “We knew it meant a lot to him.”

IRONY

Two workers with the Chicago Park District were spreading salt on an icy lakefront bike path on Dec. 11 when their pickup truck hit a slick spot and slipped into Lake Michigan, the Associated Press reported. It was halfway into the water before it got stuck on a breakwall. The workers were able to escape the truck and move to the shore uninjured. Park District spokesperson Michelle Lemons reminded Chicago residents that the path slopes toward the water and lake levels are high.

“It might not look like it’s dangerous, but it could still be a sheet of glass,” she said.

NO GOOD DEED

Virginia Saavedra, 37, ran to a home in Sophia, North Carolina, on Dec. 11, telling the resident she had just escaped being kidnapped by a stranger. When the man let her sit in his truck to warm up while he called 911, Saavedra allegedly stole the truck, according to the Randolph County Sheriff ’s Office. Officers responding to the 911 call spotted the truck and engaged in a 26-mile high-speed chase before trapping the truck. The Associated Press reported Saavedra then rammed a patrol car before trying to flee on foot. She was eventually charged with more than a dozen crimes, including felony assault with a deadly weapon on a government official.

BRIGHT IDEA

Around 7:30 a.m. on Dec. 18, an unnamed 17-year-old girl jumped a fence at Fresno Yosemite International Airport in Fresno, California, and climbed into the cockpit of a private airplane parked there.

She put the pilot’s headset on and was able to start one of the engines of the small plane, but instead of flying away, she steered the plane into a chain-link fence, causing substantial damage to the aircraft, the Fresno Bee reported. Airport officials said she appeared disoriented when officers reached the plane, but no others were endangered in the incident.

She was booked into juvenile hall on charges of theft of an aircraft.

GOVERNMENT IN ACTION

A sharp-eyed Twitter user spotted an unexpected country on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Tariff Tracker list: Wakanda. The fictional country from the “Black Panther” film made the list of free trade agreement partners.

USDA spokesperson Mike Illenberg told NBC News on Dec. 18 the agency had used Wakanda to test the tracking system and had forgotten to remove it from the list.

“The Wakanda information should have been removed after testing and has now been taken down.”

COMPELLING EXPLANATION

Police in Tooele, Utah, conducting a welfare check on 75-year-old Jeanne Souron-Mathers on Nov. 22, found the woman dead of natural causes in her apartment, but as they searched further, they came upon the body of her husband, Paul Edward Mathers, in a freezer chest. With his body was a notarized letter, signed by Mathers and dated Dec. 2, 2008, stating that his wife didn’t kill him. “We believe he had a terminal illness,” police Sgt. Jeremy Hansen told Fox13. Paul was last

YES! WEEKLY

DECEMBER 25-31, 2019

seen alive on Feb. 4, 2009, at a doctor’s appointment at the Veterans Affairs hospital. Investigators are probing whether the couple made the plan so that Jeanne would continue to receive her husband’s government benefits. A neighbor, Evan Kline, said: “The story ... was her husband walked out on her. ... It was probably the plan for her to keep the money because it was her only source of income.” Officials believe she received at least $177,000 in benefits over 10 years.

OOPS

A driver in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England, caused an “enormous bang,” according to witnesses, on Dec. 14 when he lighted a cigarette in his closed car after spraying air freshener. Nearby buildings shook from the impact, and the car’s windshield was blown out, along with windows of nearby businesses, the Manchester Evening News reported. The driver sustained only minor injuries. West Yorkshire Police said the situation could have been worse and implored people to open their windows when using aerosol cans and open flames.

HOLIDAY SHENANIGANS

— A group of Santas participating in SantaCon — a bar-hopping tradition in New York City — brought muscle along with Christmas cheer to a Long Island Railroad train on Dec. 14. According to the New York Daily News, two men were fighting on the train around 6 p.m. when one of them, a 45-year-old, stabbed the other, 22, in the leg. Neither of the men was dressed as Santa, but the Santas on the train subdued the suspect until the train reached Queens. The victim was taken to a hospital, and the MTA arrested the stabber.

— Security officers at Vilnius Airport in Lithuania got in the holiday spirit with confiscated items seized during the screening process, reported United Press International on Dec. 12. Apparently having a lot of time on their hands, the officers built a Christmas tree using items such as scissors, knives, lighters and other goods. Lithuanian Airports called the tree an “educational masterpiece” and warned: “If you don’t want your personal, yet prohibited, belongings to land on our next year’s Christmas tree — better check out the baggage requirements before you pack for your next flight.” !

© 2019 Chuck Shepherd. Universal Press Syndicate.

Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.

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YES! Weekly’s People of 2019

DECEMBER 25-31, 2019

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CHRIST Y JO

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too, because this year, they are doing those people has been the most rewardthings that they don’t normally do,” ing part of 2019.

Lawson said. “I’ve just not ever been “That is a wonderful feeling to be able the person who likes to ask people for to grow in that respect,” he said. “People money—but with this campaign, I have keep participating on either side of the really had to become more comfortable stage, and that gives you reinforcement because the worst thing someone can say that you are doing the right thing. Anis no.” other thing I am very proud of this year, as Lawson said Theatre Alliance had in previous years, is our inclusiveness of been blessed in the past with generous all people that want to be involved with supporters, and still do. However, this us. We really don’t discriminate at all. year, he said they’ve had to ramp up their When you allow yourself to be open and fundraising efforts in order to meet their free like that, it is amazing the results. We $1,500,000 goal. So far, according to have people with all levels of talent, all the website, they have raised $950,000, skill sets, persons with disabilities that which is 63% of their overall target. Lawparticipate actively with our group. That son said these funds would go toward is just rewarding and reaffirming that we moving expenses and renovation costs. are doing the right thing.”

“It has made us at Theatre Alliance Lawson said Theatre Alliance strives to very aware of things we do well; have something for everybody it has also made us aware because being a comof things we could do munity theatre means better and continue to representing the N O improve upon from entire community. a community out“We don’t just look. It gives us want to be the a place to grow white theatre or to, and a goal to the gay theatre, shoot for.” or any theatre— Lawson said we want to be his personal goal a theatre for for 2020 is to all people,” he provide the best said. “To me, it is live theatre in the important that we Triad. represent that on PHOTO BY DANCING LEMUR “For the group, it our stage and in our PHOTOGRAPHY is to have a successaudience.” ful capital campaign and Lawson said the crowning work toward our new space and achievement of 2019 for Theatre making it as inviting and as exciting as Alliance was initiating its capital camintimate as our current space, if not more paign to move into a new space at 650 W. so,” he continued. “And involve even more 6th St. by summer 2021. people in Winston-Salem and the Triad, “[It] has been a very big learning because we are so passionate about theexperience for me as well as the entire atre, we want everyone to experience it.” group—something we have not really enLawson said if anyone is not in a posicountered on this scale before,” he said. tion to afford to see a live show, there are “It has consumed us, and it will do that opportunities to come to Theatre Alliance for the next year, too, until we get into shows by volunteering or ushering for an the new space —which is actually a year evening. and a half from now—just this year, it has “Or if that is not possible, then just ask been a whirlwind of trying to do what we us, and we will find a way to get you in to always do, which is present 12 mainstage see a show,” he said. “Live theatre should shows a year plus other special events not be denied to anyone. We love sharing and coordinating this campaign.” our talent and art with people because Lawson said above all, 2019 was a we all have stories to tell, and we all need growing experience for him and the rest to hear those stories.” of the Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance.

Lawson said end-of-the-year donaLawson said he self-identifies as “a tions could be made via the Winstoncontrol freak,” so he’s had to learn how Salem Theatre Alliance website at www. to delegate and ask for help—which he theatrealliance.ws. The second half of admitted is a hard thing for him to do. the season includes a staged reading of “I’ve had to grow, and the people “The Absolute Brightness Of Leonard around me and support me had to grow,

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Den,” and “Fuel The Sun.” She wrote s the that all were co-written and produced dawn of

by Tian Garcia of 502 Records and are a new now available for streaming on Spotify. decade Johnson has big plans for 2020 on the draws near, YES! silver screen.

Weekly would like to “I will be finishing up shooting and dedicate our last ishave also been cast as the lead in a highsue of 2019 to some budget feature film, although I am not at of the people in the liberty to release any more information Triad that made this Katie Murawski just yet,” she wrote. year count.

Her goals for 2020 include finishing Christy Johnson up pre-production for a music video for Johnson is a Editor “Fuel The Sun” with SV2 Studios along Triad legend and with releasing more tracks throughout an up-and-coming the year. “triple threat” as a “I’ll also be busy shooting films, writprofessional actress, singer-songwriter ing music, and speed skating. I hope to and award-winning speed skater extraorattend Nationals again this year in Cedar dinaire.

Rapids, Iowa,” she noted. “Look “I am honored and humbled out for the 2020 release for this recognition,” wrote of my films, from V2 Johnson when asked N Pictures and featurhow it felt to be O S ing the track “Live chosen as one of For The Dream” YES! Weekly’s from my melodic People of 2019. hard rock band “YES! Weekly Dreamkiller as has always been well as from so supportive Jesse Knight throughout Films and Mad my career. I am Ones Films.” thankful for the To keep up many opportuniwith Johnson’s ties in which I’ve music, join her been afforded, and mailing list at www. it feels wonderful to PHOTO BY MICHAEL WILSON reverbnation.com/ share the spotlight with ChristyJohnson and visit her other notable people from website www.ChristyJohnsonOfthe Triad.” ficialSite.com. To learn more about the The year 2019 was huge for Johnson. films she was in and will be in, visit her After winning her first speed skating IMDb page, www.imdb.me/ChristyJohngold medal 20 years ago, she won again son. this year in her division at Nationals in Spokane, Washington.

Jamie Lawson “My teammates and I also won several Jamie Lawson is the artistic and relays and hold the current national executive director of the Winston-Salem record in one event,” she wrote. “I truly Theatre Alliance. Lawson made the list enjoy skating quads and inlines for the because of his dedication this year to Piedmont Speed Team, and I’m ecstatic curating inclusive plays centering LGBTQ+ to have been named their 2019 Female characters and voices.

Quad Speed Skater of the Year.”

“It is such an honor, and I am just flatNot only that, on Nov. 7, YES! Weekly tered really,” Lawson said of being named received a press release stating that one of YES! Weekly’s People of 2019.

The Producers Choice Honors Legends “But, the important thing to know about Series Event selected Johnson to “receive me is, for all the success that appears the accolade for ‘Outstanding Female we have at Theatre Alliance, it is not just Singer-Songwriter’ at the 2019 Las Vegas me. There are a lot of people behind me F.A.M.E. Awards” held on Nov. 13. making those cogs turn. I am just kind of Johnson wrote that 2019 changed the face of the group. I couldn’t do what her life because it marked the debut of we do without a lot of help.” her journey as a solo artist in the music Lawson said that seeing new faces world. She has released three singles this both on and off stage, and retaining year: “Shadows of My Soul,” “The Devil’s

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volunteers to help canvas and to do “election protection work.”

For more information about Common Cause and to keep up to date, visit the Common Cause website, www.commoncause.org/, and its social media pages.

Jen Brown Jen Brown is the founder of the Engaging Educator and Fearless WinstonSalem, which was established on May 30, 2018. This was a big year for Brown because her book “Thinking on Your Feet” was published by McGraw-Hill, and Fearless grew to over 4,000 members in only a year.

“Last October, I got an email through my info account on my website,” Brown said. “They filled it out, and it came in and said ‘Hey, I am from McGraw-Hill, would you like to write a book?’”

Brown said she couldn’t believe it was real until the publisher gave her a deadline of three months to write the book. “Thinking on Your Feet” was released on Nov. 8 of this year, N and Brown said the book is about being a better communicator.

“Years ago, I was approached when I was living in New York by a publisher, and they asked me to write a book,” Brown explained. “I went back to my improv troupe and told them. The director, a gentleman, was like, ‘What do you have to say about improv that hasn’t been already said?’ And then one of my team members said, ‘Yeah, do you really have anything new to offer?’ So I turned down the publisher.”

She said she doesn’t regret it, but “I did it because of what other people thought of me,” and she ended up self-publishing years after that.

“So, when McGraw approached me this time, I was in a much better headspace to actually say yes to something like that.

I really do think it is because I dealt with my own demons through having Fearless open.”

“I am very open about how I have PMDD (premenstrual dysmorphic disorder),” she continued. “I was suicidal, and I had every aspect of depression to the point where I was diagnosed with PMDD and severe depression at the same time.

Part of my getting through it wasn’t just taking my medication and going to therapy, but it was showing up for [Fear-

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Alyssa Canty Alyssa Canty is a Winston-Salem native and the youth program manager for the national office of the nonpartisan, grassroots organization Common Cause.

Canty said Common Cause fights for voting rights, redistricting reform, money in politics and prison reform. Common Cause also works with the census—which she noted is happening in 2020 along with the 50th anniversary of Common Cause.

“It is definitely exciting because I think it really does show how TY people are invested in civic engagement work and helping other young people vote,” she said in response to being chosen as one of YES! Weekly’s People of 2019.

One huge success that Canty had this year was winning the MTV Leaders for Change grant for her team’s “plans for increasing civic engagement from HBCUs.” “With HBCUs not being the majority still, it has been like a lot of really cool recognition. I think it is great that recognition has been centered around my work with historically black colleges,” she said of winning the grant. “That is the thing that has been exciting, to be able to say MTV came to A&T. They were able to highlight and give that university a voice.”

Not only was this year life-changing for Canty, but it was also exactly what she needed to keep her passion for the work she does.

“It was a good motivator,” she said of 2019. “I think sometimes, there is so much to do with civic engagement, and it is not always going to be an instant win; it’s a lot of stuff over time. It was a nice motivator to know that we are doing good work and people know we are doing good work, so we have to keep at it. I think sometimes you get burned out, and I think that was something that was about

to affect me—being burned out. I was in the same job for four years, so it was also exciting to see that other people see the great work we did in North Carolina, and they were ready to invest in something and expand it to other states. It definitely was a year that I needed to be like, ‘OK let’s keep pressing and doing this.’”

Another accomplishment she made this year was during her time as a campus outreach coordinator at Common Cause North Carolina. She said one of the things that she was working tirelessly on was getting Winston-Salem State University’s voting site restored.

“We had great success with WinstonSalem State University this year as one of our campuses. They lost their voting site on campus for years. The school had to provide students with a bus so they could vote on election day.”

She explained that since WSSU didn’t have a voting site, early voting wasn’t even an option for the students.

“This year, our students were able to work with the board of directors and get their voting site back,” she said. “Not only does that benefit the campus, but the surrounding community that is also AfricanAmerican.”

Canty said she is optimistic about what 2020 holds, especially since it is an election year.

“I am excited because I think that even though there is always that over-arching statement of like, young people don’t care—people of color don’t care—and there is apathy and stuff like that. But I feel like I have seen students and met students where they are at, and I feel like they have a completely different narrative. I am just excited about all the lightbulbs of the 25-year-olds and younger to just turn on and be energized. I am definitely excited about the energy around the election.”

Canty said her primary goal for 2020 is to continue to expand the work Common Cause does in the Triad.

“Personally, I [would like to] keep learning,” she continued. “To keep experiencing life as it comes. If the election season is anything, it could change in a matter of minutes or seconds. So just keep living it and experiencing different things and be ready for whatever.”

Canty said primaries would be held in March, and later on in the year closer to election day, Common Cause will need

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Pelkey,” on Jan. 10, 2020. Mainstage shows include “Disaster!” running Jan. 1719, 2020, and Jan. 23-26, 2020; “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story” running Feb. 1416, 2020, and Feb. 20-23, 2020; “Evita” running March 13-15, 2020, March 20-22, 2020, and March 26-29, 2020; “Something Wicked This Way Comes” running April 17-19, 2020, and April 23-26, 2020; “Urinetown” running May 15-17, 2020, and May 21-24, 2020.

less] consistently.”

Brown said that opening Fearless made her put up good boundaries in her life and also realize that she is not defined by her work.

Among her personal accomplishments this year, Brown said the big success for Fearless was that it became fully selfsustainable in September by its members (through Patreon).

“We have increased what teachers make when they have classes,” she said.

“We started doing Small Business Saturday that we tripled in size since last year.”

Brown said Fearless has also recently rolled out its women-owned business directory, with over 300 businesses included.

“We are working with Flat Iron School to make it searchable and an app, and get adaptable for other cities,” she said.

“So right now, Bentonville, Arkansas, wants to have a version of the app for their women-owned business community.”

Brown said the best part of the app and directory is that it will be free to use.

“These things exist in other cities, but it is pay to play,” she explained. “That doesn’t level any playing field.

And there will be no logos because I don’t want people to make a judgment based on someone’s graphic design skills, or where they are at in their business, I want them to make a judgment when they go and try whatever the good or service is.”

Brown said membership at Fearless starts at $1 because “it shouldn’t be just here for people who afford it.” For those that can’t afford $1 a month, Brown said they could help her post on social media or do other odd jobs for the betterment of the space.

As far as 2020 goals, Brown said Fearless is looking to open a pop-up space for women-owned small businesses. She said this pop-up would give women the opportunity to run their business for a month and not have to pay rent.

“Just to give them a chance downtown,” she said. “To see both if their idea is feasible and to contribute to the greater good of women running businesses in Winston-Salem.”

Brown’s parting words of wisdom for the start of the upcoming decade is to “choose kindness.”

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I feel I have worked through that, I don’t feel the need to paint cigarette butts.

So I think that is one big change, and also paying attention to what people are responding to.”

Another big accomplishment for Franco was her two installations at the High Point Furniture Market this year and her first gallery exhibition at the Wherehouse Art Hotel in Winston-Salem. This year, other than Triad murals, Franco has painted murals in Jacksonville, Denver, and Miami, at the famous Wynwood neighborhood known for its public art.

“It was like five people on one wall, but like I don’t care, I can die now,” she joked.

“I kept saying every year, ‘I just want to paint in Wynwood,’ and it was actually a Gina Franco really legit wall right in the smack in the Gina Franco is a Triad mural artist who middle of everything.” has literally made her mark on the area For Franco, this was the year of through her public art. Franco said she “no more excuses.” Her son turned 18, is honored to be chosen as one of YES! and she had decided a long time ago as Weekly’s People of 2019 because “it is soon as he was an adult, she was going always nice to know that people are to focus on herself. watching. Being recognized for me as an “The sky is the limit now,” she said. artist is important,” she said. “The fact “And of course, I still take care of that the public notices is the reason why him—feed him and stuff, but it is like I I do it.” don’t have that where I can’t go out of This year was big for Franco because it town for two weeks if I want. Or if was the year that she quit her job to I am painting a mural until become a full-time artist. midnight, he is going to “I was working for GuilGIN be fine because he is ford County Schools up A grown.” until the summer,” Franco said she she said. “I was due is excited for the back in August, coming year, and but I decided not one of her goals to go back.” is to do more She said her public art, as biggest acwell as play and complishment experiment with was being able another medium to paint “Rainand 3-D art. bow Alley,” which “I want to do a is the alley off sculpture, even if it Washington Street PHOTO BY Q.L. RICHARDSON is just one,” she said. “I in downtown GreensPHOTOGRAPHY don’t know how it is goboro. ing to be fabricated or what I “Rainbow Alley was a big am going to use.” one, just as far as the shares it Franco said she wants people to got, the size of it was like physically the interact with her art and take selfies with biggest thing I have done, and just how it. In fact, her next project taking place in many people it impacted,” she said. “It early spring 2020 will be very interactive. had the most reach than anything I have She said it would be on the Southend of done so far.” downtown Greensboro near Area-ModIn 2019 alone, Franco can’t count how ern Home Furnishing. many public art installations she has “It is going to be one of those destinadone or contributed on both in the Triad tion murals,” she said. “If you walk by and abroad. that thing and don’t take a picture, I Franco said her art has evolved from didn’t do a good job. Even if you live here being more personal to incorporating or just visiting, you are going to have to more of the community and the people share with people that you are in Greensshe is painting for. boro. I am really excited about that.”

“When [my mom] died of lung cancer, Franco said that she is extremely optiI was kind of responding to that,” she mistic about what 2020 holds and that said. “A lot of my work had to do with adthe New Year will be “on and poppin’.” diction that I was processing. Now that

other NO votes; we want to take these people to task on that.”

Jones said the voter education workshop would launch in January and February 2020.

“We need to continue, for my people specifically, to say engaged so that we are not so reactionary,” Jones said.

“Frederick Douglass once said, ‘Agitate, agitate, agitate.’ I want to see my people, specifically young people, young black girls and women, be powerful, continue to confront even when it is hard and when it hurts,” she said. “Don’t play easy, don’t play nice if you want to see real change.”

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Miranda Jones Miranda Jones is a special education teacher at North Forsyth High School and has been a steadfast activist with the groups, Hate Out of Winston and the Winston-Salem Local Organizing Committee.

“I am super honored,” she said of being chosen as one of YES! Weekly’s People of 2019. “What is more important is whenever I get recognition or acknowledgment, I look at it as ‘how can I use this platform to do more or do greater work for my community?’”

At the beginning of 2019, Jones was instrumental in getting the Confederate statue removed from downtown Winston-Salem, and toward the end of the year, she was one of the people fighting for a mandatory African-American class to be implemented at WinstonSalem/Forsyth County Schools.

Jones attributed Hate Out’s biggest accomplishment this year to get the S statue removed from NE downtown.

“When the statue came down, for me, it was like ‘OK, what is next,” Jones said.

The WSFC School Board voted not to make the AfricanAmerican class mandatory, which is what Hate Out was fighting for, but the board did establish more multicultural electives. Jones said that endeavor was both a failure and success. She explained it was a success because it is “a step toward equity,” and she said it was a failure because the class is still not mandatory.

“I did not take it personally, because we failed the children,” she said. “At my school, we had recently had national history day, and I went to ask the children, who is that on the board. When I went to this one board, and I asked two girls, ‘who is in this picture?’ They said ‘oh, that is Martin Luther King,’ and I said ‘no, that is Thurgood Marshall.’”

She said she sees children with misinformation going into the word, and perpetuating the issue that Hate Out

has worked hard to fix. In 2020, Jones said that Hate Out and the LOC would continue to “engage and confront.”

“We plan to be at the board meetings,” Jones said. “We have already sent some recommendations for the African-American studies committee, they are going to start meeting in March, and they want to meet twice a year, but that is absolutely not enough. We also want to know who is going to be on this committee.”

Jones said her personal goal for 2020 is starting up a youth book club called “Mahaba” and hosting it at Fearless.

Jones said Mahaba means “love” in Swahili, and she wants the book club to be centered around a love for African-American people and culture. Her goal is to get the book club up and going mid-January or early February.

“I really want to push literacy, cultural literacy, among young folks,” Jones said.

“I want to be able to do it in a no holds barred kind of way.”

Jones said she is honored to be apart of the Winston-Salem Portrait Project, which will unveil in summer 2020. The Portrait Project is “a project organized by artists Kisha Bari and Jasmin Chang, through the Winston-Salem Forsyth County Public Art Commission. The project is envisioned as a photographic portrayal of the community. A portrait made of its many faces, displayed where people come together and where they are divided.” Jones said that she, among various other community members, would be posted on billboards throughout the WinstonSalem greenway.

“I am so ecstatic about that,” she said. “Just to be whatever I can be as a visual representation for black girls to harness their power and use it. That is super important to me, and to be apart of this is really important to me.”

Jones said, in 2020, she also wants to do more work with the LOC on voter education as well as with Siembra, established in 2017, as “an organization of Latinx people defending our rights and building power ‘with papers and without papers.’”

“Our mantra is, we want people to weaponize their vote, to vote smart,” Jones said. “When we look at the school board, we are going to remember there was only one YES vote, and all of these

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“A big part of the book is really thinking about what you want—thinking about what the person you are talking to wants— really listening and being present in the moment,” she said. “Attend to both wants and compromise in the middle.”

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“THE GOOD GU YS ”

“I don’t agree with the system, and I based on social change,” Danielle said. partnering with a/perture cinema for an “The Good Guys” at WTOB am hoping it changes next year, inter“We choose what we want to focus on event that will lead up to the art-house Bob Scarborough, Richard Miller, nationally,” Tenijah Renée said. “You and what is very important to us at the cinema’s red carpet party for the Oscars. and Ken Hauser are banking on the designers, and the moment.”

“We want to be the radio station of Three men have kept the “Good Guy” designers are not getting everything they For the “everyday wear” category, Winston-Salem,” Hauser said of one of reputation of the WTOB radio station need, and they should probably have Angel said they designed clothing that his long-term goals. “Anything the city alive ever since they took over about five money coming from the show since they showed how “everyone is affected by gun needs, we are here for them.” years ago. Ken Hauser is a co-owner and are paying for it.” violence.”

Co-owner Bob Scarborough’s goals marketing/sales representative of the Another goal that Tenijah Renée has “Each one [of the 15 garments] reprefor 2020 are to expand WTOB’s news WTOB radio station, located on Trade for the New Year is launching her own sented a different industry such as edudepartment and coverage, as well as Street in downtown Winston-Salem. The beauty and skincare line she calls “Hajication, medical, public safety, celebrities, expand and have more sales representaGood Guys were chosen as YES! Weekly’s net Beauty.” Hajinet is her name spelled government,” Angel said. tives.

People of 2019 because of the work they backward, and she wants her brand Angel said that each outfit was “We are doing nothing more do to promote and highlight local to “embrace your natural also stitched with orange than what broadcasting music as well as their dedicabeauty.” thread because orange was meant to do, and tion to serving local TOB “It is in the process is the color of gun vioserve the people that nonprofits.

W T of being tradelence awareness. For the signal covers,” “It feels really AT GH marked,” Tenijah domestic violence Scarborough said. good, and we apRenée said. “It’s awareness, Angel “That means preciate that very about embracsaid they used entertaining, much, and we ing your natural purple because informing, chalreally appreciate beauty and that is the lenging, and the partnership connecting color associated finding ways to we have with with nature. with domestic solve issues.”

[YES! Weekly] I have a glow violence awareFor more on the local body butter, and ness. information music scene,” basically, it is like “We were about The Good Hauser said things that replace selected as trendGuys at WTOB, visit regarding how he makeup.” setters in Paris by the website, www. felt being chosen as PHOTO BY J. SINCLAIR PHOTO BY EYEAM Her tagline is “own Fashion Week Online, wtob980.com/. one of YES! Weekly’s PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY your beauty with Hajinet and quite a few other People of the Year. “The Beauty.” Presently she has magazines in Paris,” Angel “No Punching Bag” three shows that we are dodeveloped shampoos, conditioners, said, describing one of NPB’s biggest designers Angel, Tenijah Renée, ing: ‘George Hamilton V Piedmont facial cleansers, mascara oil, and more. achievements of 2019. and Danielle Fant Opry Time,’ ‘Chuck Dale’s Combo Corner,’ The line will be released in January 2020.

“Probably Paris,” Tenijah Renée said Angel Fant and her daughters Danielle, and ‘Your Local Music Checkup with Dr. Coming up, the Fants plans to collaboon what she 19, and Tenijah Jon Epstein,’ one of the things we really rate with an Egyptian photographer with thought their bigRenée, 18, are wanted to do is highlight the music scene PHOTO OF ANGEL BY ANTHONY HAWKINS a photoshoot of their designs sometime gest accomplishall co-designers here in this area.”

TENIJAH BY SANTINO HOLNAGEL in January 2020. In April, NPB also has a ment of 2019 was. of their sociallyHauser said that a big accomplishment DANIELLE BY GRACE FUNDERBURK showcase planned in collaboration with “Although I was conscious fashion of WTOB this year was helping raise Venture Café. NPB’s website is presexcited about New clothing line called money for children with down syndrome ently under construction, so to keep up York.”

“No Punching Bag.” through Farmstock in July. to date, check out their Facebook page, As for their plans Angel said they “It was held at Rizzo’s in Clemmons, www.facebook.com/Nopunchingbagdefor 2020, the started designand we had 16 bands,” Hauser said. “It signers.

Fants want to ing as a famwas sort of a tribute to Woodstock.” take NPB across ily in 2015, and He said that this year changed WTOB Faith McKnight the globe. the name “No because they noticed a demographic This year was full of trials and tribu‘We have Punching Bag” change from the older crowd to the lations for Faith McKnight, owner and global invitacomes from younger generations. “That is a really rebaker of The Sweet Truth Baking & tions everytheir experience freshing thing that we haven’t expected, Catering in Winston-Salem. where,” Angel with domestic young people calling up,” he said. “To “That feels like I have arrived finally,” said. “We keep violence. This year have a local DJ in the window that you said McKnight on how it felt to be chosen getting messages was significant to can call and request a song, that is rare.”

TE L L N IJ as one of YES! Weekly’s People of 2019. from people to do the family of designFor 2020, Hauser said WTOB is excited E I AH “That is a high accolade. You are the only February, but we keep ers because their work to continue to grow and make a difRENEE, AND DAN newspaper that has done a story on me.” saying no-September was featured at both New ference in the community. Hauser said McKnight’s biggest achievement this because it can get very costly York Fashion Week and Paris WTOB has a big music festival planned year has been moving her baked goods with designer fees.”

Fashion Week. for July 2020 that honors George Haminto a brick-and-mortar space as well as One of their goals in 2020 is to raise Angel said they choose different ilton IV, a Winston-Salem native who expanding her inventory by adding her enough funds to attend Milan, Paris and various social issues and design clothwent on to be a country music icon in the own bottled drinks to the menu.

New York Fashion Weeks. ing to express it. The theme they chose 1950s. Hauser said the festival would “I got certified by the state to start “We usually don’t raise money until to present at New York Fashion Week take place at and benefit the Crossnore bottling my own drinks at the Enterprise three months before, but it might be (in September 2019) was gun violence Children’s Home & School. There is also Shared-Use Kitchen. I am also one of something we have to fundraise for awareness, and for Paris Fashion Week a Halloween bash planned for 2020, in their caterers and bakers.” all year long,” Angel said. “We haven’t (in February 2019), it was domestic addition to other promotional events, McKnight had a rough year with her decided if that is the way we are going to violence. both new and old. family. She lost her grandmother in do it or not.”

“We basically choose our inspiration In January 2020, Hauser said WTOB is DECEMBER 25-31, 2019 YES! WEEKLY

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“I am excited, and I am ready to continue Pride, I don’t want it just to be a one-time thing,” Spring said. “Looking toward the future, hopefully, I will be doing more art and more community work.

Follow High Point Pride on Instagram to stay up to date on news and upcoming events.

Marcus Deon Smith By: Ian McDowell Kay Smith said her brother Marcus Deon Smith often expressed that he wanted to live the rest of his life in Greensboro. Tragically, he did, after begging the police officers, he’d asked for help to stop hurting him. As previously reported, Smith died downtown during the 2018 North Carolina Folk Festival, after being fatally hogtied by the Greensboro police officers he asked to take him to the hospital. The officers, who never put him under arrest, have stated they restrained him because they feared he might kick out the window of the ITH patrol car in which M S they intended to transport him in.

Although the autopsy found drugs in his system, the State Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide, citing its principal cause as the restraint.

In the Greensboro Police Department press release, and in Chief Wayne Scott’s introduction to the compilation body cam video of Smith’s death, the restraint used on Smith was repeatedly referred to as “RIPP Hobble,” a term trademarked by RIPP Restraints International. The term is also used in the GPD’s directives manual, which warns of its potential danger. After YES! Weekly reported that RIPP Restraints ships their device with instructions to “NEVER HOGTIE A PRISONER” (the other side of which depict how to use the restraint to keep the detainee from kicking without putting them in a potentially fatal position), the police claimed to use “RIPP Hobble” as a generic term for a variety of near-identical restraints which, they allege, come without instructions.

In July and again this month, the GPD refused to comply with public information requests for purchase records of the specific device used on Smith.

The controversy has come up at every Greensboro City Council town hall meeting in 2019. At one particularly dramatic

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said. “The words of wisdom [for 2020] is no matter how many things get thrown at you, always stand your ground and keep moving forward. Never look back because the past is behind you, and that is why it is behind you. You are supposed to keep your head forward.”

The Sweet Truth Baking & Catering is located at 2723 Farmall St. in WinstonSalem.

Paula Spring Paula Spring is a High Point-based artist and the founder and co-organizer of the first-ever High Point Pride festival held at COHAB in November.

“I am very happy and honored,” Spring said of being chosen as one of YES! Weekly’s People of 2019.

Spring said her biggest achievement this year was organizing and putting together High Point Pride.

“I have never done anything like it, and all the planning and new experiences of it—I had to get out of my comfort zone and talk to a lot of people, network a lot, email a lot, talk on the phone—yeah, it was definitely my biggest achievement.”

Spring said she believes High Point Pride was a success because she was aiming for 300 attendees, and that is about what they got.

“It was just really nice to see people from my community, and a lot of people I knew from school and local businesses in High Point, it was awesome,” she said.

“I am already in the works of planning the next one, but I am also trying to plan smaller events throughout the year to keep the High Point LGBTQ community active.”

Spring said, coming up in the New Year, she wants to try to have an event every month starting with one in January.

“Not too big or small, just to have this community doing something constantly,” she said. Along with this goal is another to build a force of volunteers to help her with the next Pride festival in 2020.

“I am really excited for next year,” Spring said. “I have a few other projects, hopefully coming into the works next year.”

One of those is a collaboration with organizer Gui Portel, and their project “No Esta En Venta,” which is an immersive exhibition giving Latinx and undocumented artists a platform.

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March, her mother in July, and her grandmother’s sister also in July.

“That changed my life because I am the matriarch of the family now,” McKnight said. “I am the oldest child, so everyone is looking to me.”

But this year wasn’t all bad. Her daughter got accepted into five colleges, including her first choice, East Carolina University, and McKnight’s other daughter just had a baby recently. She also said she won a portion of her compensation from the alleged sexual assault she experienced while she was in the military.

“I’ve had some losses, but I have also had some blessings,” she said. “You know how God moves some things around for you. Some things have to be removed for other things to come into place. I feel that is what happened to me, and it just made me stronger.”

McKnight said she is “going hard” into 2020.

“They had an official ribbon cutting for me in November with D.D. Adams and Jeff MacIntosh— NG that brought me a lot of exposure,” she said. “I am also live on Yelp now, and it drove up to my business 63%.

My gross from last year tripled.”

Her goal for 2020 is to apply for financial assistance from the City of Winston-Salem to help continue the upkeep of her space.

“For 2020, I am looking to expand and hope I keep up,” McKnight said. “I am still a one-woman show, and I am trying to find a baker.”

McKnight said this year really showed her what it is like to be a business owner and now a brick-and-mortar owner. She said she hopes to expand into a bigger space and move her certified bakery from her home to her shop so that it is all in one place. Eventually, she wants to create a café setting. Another one of her goals is to establish her catering business as well.

“I really want to stay in my community,” she said, noting that she doesn’t plan to move out of her neighborhood.

With the space she has, she also lets other women in the community who don’t have a shop of their own sell their stuff out of her brick-and-mortar.

“I am getting ready to throw a party, an end of the decade dance on Dec. 27 in Thomasville at Bella’s Event Center,” she

meeting, South Carolina pastor David Kennedy (who was played by actor Forest Whittaker in the 2018 movie Burden) led a packed and largely African-American audience in singing a song calling Chief Wayne Scott a “lying racist” and demanding his firing, to the obvious consternation of council. Such outbursts led to the council’s controversial attempts on imposing “civility” and even restricting what matters the public can address when speaking to them from the podium (as previously reported, the latter seems to have been largely abandoned).

In April, the Greensboro City Council announced it would vote on an independent investigation into Smith’s death, only to table that motion two weeks later, after the Smith family filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the eight GPD officers, the city, and two members of Guilford County EMS. In August, Chief Wayne Scott announced his upcoming retirement at the end of January 2020 but stated the decision was not influenced by the Smith case.

On the last day of the 2019 North Carolina Folk Festival, the anniversary of Smith’s death was remembered with a candlelight vigil on the 100 block of Church Street.

Many attending the vigil said they’d first heard of the tragedy from local rapper and folk musician Justin Harrington, aka Demeanor, speaking about the case at A&T and the Blind Tiger. Harrington, now planning a project with his aunt, Rhiannon Giddens, has told YES! Weekly he intends to continue to publicize the case. Meanwhile, Marcus Deon Smith’s parents Mary and George Smith, and his sister Kay Smith continue to mourn. “This Christmas is very hard for our family,” Mary said. “Marcus would be 39 today if it weren’t for what eight Greensboro officers did to him last year.

He would be at our house cutting his brother’s hair, and his dad’s, if it weren’t for a police department that thinks it’s okay to kill people who they assume don’t have families and communities that care about them.” !

KATIE MURAWSKI is the editor of YES! Weekly. She is from Mooresville, North Carolina and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a minor in film studies from Appalachian State University in 2017.

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Super Yamba and Friends return to Greensboro

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riad natives in the NYC Afrobeat group, the Super Yamba Band are again teaming-up with Dance from Above to bring the fourth annual “Super Katei Cranford Yamba and Friends” holiday show to the Crown above the Contributor Carolina Theatre on Dec. 26.

The line-up features a supergroup of old friends from prior bands along with Dance from Above acts Fifty Foot Shadows, Niervas, and THEFACESBLUR. “I think everyone in the house band this year has done it before, but never on the same year,” said Yamba drummer Daniel Yount. “We’ve got members from Brand New Life, Reptar, Big Something, and even Approaching April for God’s sake! It’ll be special.”

Yount and his cohorts are esteemed musicians and experienced party-throwers who helped organize Tate Street Festival and Walkerfest back in their Greensboro days. Now residents of Brooklyn, Super Yamba, fronted by juju and Afrobeat veteran Leon Ligan-Majek (aka Kaleta), are considered part of the NYC the Afrobeat ecosystem; and continue demonstrating a commitment to good tunes and love for their hometown.

It’s hard for Yount to believe they left the Triad six years ago.

“Tate Street isn’t the same, but downtown seems to be thriving much more than when I lived here in my 20s,” he said.

Maintaining loyalty to Cookout over the NYC Shake Shack staple, Yount misses the ease of getting around Greensboro, his friends and family, “and not to mention all the great food that they don’t have in the north like Biscuitville and barbecue.” But otherwise, he’s not looking back. They’ll ring-in 2020 with a New Year’s Eve banger: a sold-out show, opening for St. Paul and the Broken Bones at the Brooklyn Bowl.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers with special guest

Veronica Cartwright DISCUSSION & SCREENING Friday, January 10 · 7 p.m.

HANESBRANDS THEATRE, 209 N. Spruce Street, Winston-Salem

Saturday, January 11 · 5 p.m.

RED CINEMAS, 1305 Battleground Avenue, Greensboro “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” is an American science fiction horror film directed by Philip Kaufman and features Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum and Leonard Nimoy along with Veronica Cartwright. Cartwright will participate in an onstage discussion about the film and its production.

Tickets: $12 at door or riverrunfilm.com YES! WEEKLY

DECEMBER 25-31, 2019

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUPER YAMBA

It’s a proper cap on a big year for Super Yamba. “Surreal is the best way to describe it,” Yount said of their August appearance on Adult Swim’s FishCenter Live.

“Time stands still when you’re in Adult Swim world,” he added.

As for favorite Yamba moments of 2019, “playing the Apollo Theatre has to be the one,” Yount said. The icing on the cake came from their record being voted one of Bandcamp’s “Best Albums of Summer.” Released in September on Ubiquity Records, Mèdaho is the first official full-length from the group. “The label is a great fit for us and they’re getting the music into people’s hands all over the world,” he noted.

Team Yamba may have their eye on the world, but they keep their hearts close to home. “It’s 100% a family affair and I can’t say that enough. As we get older it becomes more and more special to keep making music with each other,” Yount said. Their concept of family ripples beyond bloodlines, and from that spirit the holiday show tradition began.

“Daniel and I have been making music together for the past 21 years, and everyone in our wake has had to put up with it,” said Seth Barden, bassist from Brand New Life. “Music has brought together so many good people, I cherish the ability to help be a part of bringing our Greensboro family together, both on stage and in the crowd.”

Brand New Life saxophonist Casey Cranford agreed. “It’s always a joy to play with these people who I learned the fundamentals of music with,” he added.

“They’re my brothers. I’m really excited about the show.”

They’ve grown together as musicians.

And in the spirit of the holiday season, they look to party.

“Well, it’s really all about bringing as many of us together to play music where we grew up for our friends, family and our hometown,” Yount explained. “It’s been amazing to keep it going for several years and it’s such a beautiful thing to have these guys drive in from wherever to make it happen,” Yount said. “It’s a big lovefest!”

Super Yamba plans to spread the love with a full-band visit in the coming months. But first, it’s a time for hometown homies, celebrating togetherness through song--the importance this year being poignant as they honor Yount’s father, Joe, who passed away on Dec. 19.

“I’ll be playing this one for my Dad,” Yount insisted. “He got me into music and has been the biggest supporter of me, and all the bands over the years. Obviously he’s attended all of the holiday shows (and usually lent us gear to make it happen). It’s gonna be tough but I know he’ll be with us in spirit.”

Celebrate the spirit of this musical family as Dance From Above Presents: Super Yamba and Friends on Dec. 26 at the Crown above the Carolina Theatre in downtown Greensboro. !

KATEI CRANFORD Is a Triad music nerd who hosts the Tuesday Tour Report, a radio show that runs like a mixtape of bands touring N.C. the following week, 5:307p.m. on WUAG 103.1FM.

WWW.YESWEEKLY.COMW

New York-based Super Yamba Band brings Afrobeat home for the holidays The Brooklyn-based Super Yamba Band have turned their end-of-theyear show in Greensboro into an exuberant and joyous annual holiday event.

They assemble a crew of musical collaborators to celebrate Afrobeat music from Nigeria, big-band funk John Adamian from Benin, and groovy @adamianjohn polyrhythmic variants from other regions of West Africa. The band has roots Contributor in the Triad. Several of its members went to school together at Grimsley High School in Greensboro, playing in bands in the region before they moved north to plug into the thriving Afrobeat scene in New York City.

“This is the fourth year that we’ve done this holiday show,” said drummer Daniel Yount, who spoke to me by phone last week as members of the band drove down from New York to North Carolina for a Greensboro show on Thursday, Dec. 26. “We play a lot of Super Yamba music and a lot of deep-cut Afrobeat covers.”

Afrobeat used to be a fairly obscure musical sub-genre. The funky and hypnotic long-form style was known mainly through the work of the Nigerian bandleader and activist Fela Kuti, who died in 1997, and whose records had long been extremely hard to find. But over the last 20 years, a series of deluxe reissues, biographies, the Fela! musical and tribute bands have spread his fame while streaming platforms have made the once ultra-rare recordings accessible to anyone with a phone.

Super Yamba Band are part of a wave of bands that have sprung up to make 21st-century Afrobeat in America, paying tribute to the tradition, folding in new touches, and digging even deeper into the recorded history of West African dance music.

“The Afrobeat scene up in New York City is so incredible,” Yount said. “It’s definitely the capital of American Afrobeat.”

In the 1960s and ‘70s, the dance music of West Africa was deeply influenced by the funk of James Brown, taking that mesh of heavily rhythmic horn sections, interlocking braided guitar patterns, simmering organs, call-andresponse singing, and highly syncopated percussion sections, with hand drums, shakers, bells and drumset.

The music, in the case of Fela, drew on some aspects of Yoruba tradition from Nigeria, as well as aspects of popular Afro-Cuban dance music, but his lyrics also served to call out government corruption and exploitation of natural resources by multinational corporations and vestiges of Britain’s colonial infrastructure. But not all of the popular music of the era was as overtly political as Fela, who ended up suffering at the hands of the police for WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

his outspoken positions. Juju giant King Sunny Ade made music that dialed down the tempos a bit while remaining funky, folding in more percolating talking drums and almost psychedelic washes of slide guitar.

Yount and several of his bandmates in Super Yamba, who was also in a band called the Brand New Life in the Triad, have had the good fortune of getting connected with masterful musicians from West Africa, artists who taught them techniques and also served as dynamic frontmen as ambassadors for the music. About eight years ago, while still in Greensboro, they teamed up with Mamadou Mbengue, a griot from Senegal residing in North Carolina at the time, who fronted Mamadou’s Fantastic Band, an ensemble that some of the members of Super Yamba played in. Mbengue also instructed Yount and percussionist Evan Frierson in the talking-drum technique and in the mbalax rhythms of Senegal, which have their own sets of complex asymmetrical timeline patterns, or claves, as well as heavily accented rhythmic intro sections.

“He really took our curiosity about that kind of music to a new level,” said Yount of Mbengue’s guidance. “He’s a big part of why we got into all that. We felt like we were

studying with someone who was really knowledgeable.”

Not long after the members of Super Yamba Band relocated to New York City in 2013, they made another fortuitous connection with a West African musician who had expert knowledge of tradition and who was eager to collaborate with some young and talented American musicians.

Kaleta, a singer, guitarist and percussionist, who has recorded with and fronted Super Yamba Band since 2017, worked both with Fela and King Sunny Ade. Kaleta has lived in Nigeria and in neighboring Benin, a country with its own deep and funky popular music traditions, having produced legendary bands like Orchestre Poly Rythmo De Cotonou. Kaleta won’t be at this holiday show in Greensboro, but he’s working with the band on new material in hopes of recording another album in the coming year.

Because of their connection with Kaleta and their own musical interests, Super Yamba Band might be one of the few groups in the American Afrobeat renaissance playing music with a focus on Benin. One difference in the large-band funk and groove music that came out of Benin is that many of the bands emerged from a military-music background, and the arrangements are often more crisply assembled, and the songs draw on the traditional vodoun rhythms of the region as well as homegrown proverbs and revolutionary sloganeering.

In addition to studying with West African musicians, Yount also credits some of the band’s musical prowess and wide-ranging curiosity to their experience playing in the marching band and jazz bands at Grimsley High School, under the direction of Stefan Stuber.

“He was just an incredible band director and a big influence on us,” Yount said. “Our marching band would be playing Earth, Wind & Fire, and Stevie Wonder, and Tower of Power.”

Yount said he would never have guessed that those high school friendships and musical connections would be so long-lasting, durable and meaningful. Friends and musical collaborators from around North Carolina, and as from New York City, Atlanta, and elsewhere will assemble in Greensboro for this Afrobeat blowout event.

Expect a night of dancing and extended grooves, with a dynamic light show and plenty of energy to burn off through any holiday fatigue.

“It kind of becomes a big super band,” Yount said. !

JOHN ADAMIAN lives in Winston-Salem, and his writing has appeared in Wired, The Believer, Relix, Arthur, Modern Farmer, the Hartford Courant and numerous other publications.

WANNA

go?

See Super Yamba Band at Greensboro’s Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St., on Thursday, Dec. 26, at 9 p.m. $10/$12.

DECEMBER 25-31, 2019 YES! WEEKLY

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Submissions should be sent to artdirector@yesweekly.com by Friday at 5 p.m., prior to the week’s publication.

Visit yesweekly.com and click on calendar to list your event online. home grown muSic Scene | compiled by Austin Kindley

ASHEBORO

FOUR SAINTS BREWING

218 South Fayetteville St. | 336.610.3722 foursaintsbrewing.com Dec 28: Tail Light Rebellion Jan 3: Ziggy Pockets Jan 4: Tyler Millard Jan 10: The Jakob’s Ferry Stragglers Jan 18: Matt Walsh Jan 19: The Randolph Jazz Band Jan 25: Brother Oliver Jan 31: William Nesmith Feb 1: Tyler Millard

CHARlOttE

BOJANGLES cOLISEUM

2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600 www.boplex.com Dec 31: charlie Wilson Feb 14: 3rd Annual Queen city Blues Festival Feb 22: ABBA Feb 22: Lauren Daigle Feb 28: Josh Gates Feb 29: Dancing with the Stars: Live!

2020 Tour Mar 6: The Steeldrivers Mar 21: Winter Jam

cMcU AMPhIThEATRE

former Uptown Amphitheatre 820 Hamilton St | 704.549.5555 www.livenation.com May 8: AJR May 24: Russ Jun 24: Good Vibes Summer Tour 2020 Aug 13: David Gray

ThE FILLMORE

1000 NC Music Factory Blvd | 704.916.8970 www.livenation.com Dec 28: The Purple Madness - Tribute to Prince Dec 31: hippie Sabotage Jan 3: Face 2 Face: Elton John & Billy Joel Tribute Jan 4: Ultimate 80’s Party ft. Tiffany Jan 16: The Disco Biscuits Jan 17: Grace Potter Jan 18: Badfish - A Tribute to Sublime Jan 24: The Devil Makes Three

Jan 25: Matoma & Two Friends Feb 1: Who’s Bad Feb 5: Raphael Saadiq Feb 6: Greensky Bluegrass

OVENS AUDITORIUM

2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600 www.boplex.com Dec 31: charlie Wilson Mar 6: The Steeldrivers Mar 7: celtic Woman

PNc MUSIc PAVILION

707 Pavilion Blvd | 704.549.1292 www.livenation.com May 29: The Lumineers Jun 2: Ozzy Osbourne Aug 8: Journey w/ Pretenders

SPEcTRUM cENTER

333 E Trade St | 704.688.9000 www.spectrumcentercharlotte.com Jan 21: celine Dion Jan 30: chance The Rapper Feb 1: Toby Mac Feb 7: Andrea Bocelli Feb 21: Marc Anthony

ThE UNDERGROUND

The Sportscenter Athletic Club is a private membership club dedicated to providing the ultimate athletic and recreational facilities for our members of all ages. Conveniently located in High Point, we provide a wide variety of activities for our members. We’re designed to incorporate the total fitness concept for maximum benefits and total enjoyment.

We cordially invite all of you to be a part of our athletic facility, while enjoying the membership savings we offer our established corporate accounts.

3811 Samet Dr • HigH Point, nC 27265 • 336.841.0100 FITNESS ROOM • INDOOR TRACK • INDOOR AQUATICS CENTER • OUTDOOR AQUATICS CENTER • RACQUETBALL BASKETBALL • CYCLING • OUTDOOR SAND VOLLEYBALL • INDOOR VOLLEYBALL • AEROBICS • MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM WHIRLPOOL • MASSAGE THERAPY • PROGRAMS & LEAGUES • SWIM TEAMS • WELLNESS PROGRAMS PERSONAL TRAINING • TENNIS COURTS • SAUNA • STEAM ROOM • YOGA • PILATES • FREE FITNESS ASSESSMENTS F R EE EQUI PM E N T O R I E N TAT I O N • N U R S ERY • TEN N IS LES S O N S • W IRELESS I NTERNET LOUNGE

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December 25-31, 2019

820 Hamilton St, Charlotte | 704.916.8970 www.livenation.com Jan 4: Angry chair & Third Eye w/ Glycerine Jan 10: Shoot To Thrill Jan 11: Sugar Jan 17: case Jan 18: The Dead South Jan 19: American Authors & Magic Giant Jan 24: Ripe National Jan 30: Mt. Joy Feb 4: The Adicts Feb 5: Peekaboo Feb 10: Poppy Feb 16: EarthGang Feb 21: Wallows Feb 22: Queensryche Feb 24: Allen Stone

ClEmmOnS

VILLAGE SQUARE TAP hOUSE

6000 Meadowbrook Mall Ct | 336.448.5330 Dec 27: Blain Kes Dueling Pianos Dec 28: Jill Goodson Jan 3: DJ Bald-E Jan 4: Dam-Fi-No Band Jan 10: Whiskey Mic Jan 11: Jukebox Rehab

dAnBuRy

GREEN hERON ALE hOUSE 1110 Flinchum Rd | 336.593.4733 greenheronclub.com

duRHAm

cAROLINA ThEATRE

309 W Morgan St | 919.560.3030 www.carolinatheatre.org Jan 17: Travis Tritt Jan 18: Motown Throwdown Tribute Jan 21: Three Dog Night Jan 23: Jake Shimabukuro Feb 6: The Fab Four - The Ultimate Tribute Feb 13: Tao Feb 14: Arlo Guthrie Feb 25: Drew & Ellie holcomb

DPAc

123 Vivian St | 919.680.2787 www.dpacnc.com Jan 26: Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons Feb 6: The Black Jacket Symphony presents Journey’s Escape Plus Greatest hits Feb 7: Nashville Songwriters

ElKIn

REEVES ThEATER

129 W Main St | 336.258.8240 reevestheater.com Dec 31: Reeves house Band - New Year’s Eve Jan 10: Travis Meadows Jan 11: Wayne henderson + Presley Barker Jan 17: Ward Davis Jan 25: The Travelin’ Mccourys Feb 7: Seth Walker & cruz contreras Feb 21: Lonesome River Band

gREEnSBORO

ARIZONA PETE’S

2900 Patterson St #A | 336.632.9889 arizonapetes.com Dec 27: 1-2-3 Friday

ARTISTIKA NIGhT cLUB 523 S Elm St | 336.271.2686 artistikanightclub.com Dec 27: DJ Dan the Player Dec 28: DJ Paco and DJ Dan the Player

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BARN DINNER THEATRE 120 Stage Coach Tr. | 336.292.2211 Feb 1: Mahalia Mar 7: 9 to 5 Apr 4: Beehive: The 60’s Musical May 1: Motherhood The Musical

BEERTHIRTY

505 N. Greene St Dec 27: High Cotton Dec 28: Charlie Hunter and Geoff Clapp Jan 3: Craig Baldwin Jan 10: Poundcake Jan 17: William Nesmith Jan 24: Dave Moran Jan 31: The Hedrick’s Feb 7: Jeff and Kathy Brooks Feb 14: Craig Baldwin Feb 21: Bruce Drake

THE BlIND TIGER

1819 Spring Garden St | 336.272.9888 theblindtiger.com Dec 26: Brice St Dec 28: Murder By Death Dec 29: 10 Years Dec 30: David Childers & The Serpents w/ Paleface Dec 31: New Years Eve w/ The Breakfast Club - 80’s Tribute Band Jan 3: American Hair Band Jan 4: Trial By Fire - A Tribute to Journey Jan 8: The Almost - If I Believed You Tour

CAROlINA THEATRE

310 S. Greene Street | 336.333.2605 carolinatheatre.com Dec 27: Friday Reggae Vibes Jan 19: Mipso Jan 19: Pearl & The Charlotte Holding Company

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THE CORNER BAR

1700 Spring Garden St | 336.272.5559 corner-bar.com Dec 26: live Thursdays

COMEDY zONE

1126 S Holden Rd | 336.333.1034 thecomedyzone.com Dec 27: Burpie w/ Travis Howze Dec 28: Burpie w/ Travis Howze Jan 9: WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley

COMMON GROuNDS 11602 S Elm Ave | 336.698.388 Dec 27: Bigdumbhick

CONE DENIM

117 S Elm St | 336.378.9646 cdecgreensboro.com Jan 23: Blac Youngsta Feb 11: The Wailers Feb 18: British lion Feb 29: Jim Breuer Mar 4: Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes Mar 8: Puddle of Mudd May 7: Mascadine Bloodline

FlAT IRON

221 Summit Ave | 336.501.3967 Dec 26: Jive Mother Mary Dec 28: Jake HaldenVang (Season 17 – The Voice) Dec 31: New Years Eve Celebration w.

WAlRuS Jan 4: The Hypnotic Conquest Jan 10: No One Mind w. Jenny Besetzt, Humanize Jan 11: The Sun God w. lofield, Tide Eyes Jan 17: Bob Fleming & The Cambria Iron Co. Jan 18: Distant Future w. GSO

Jan 24: Totally Slow Jan 25: The Shoaldiggers w. Emily Stewart, Chuck Mountain Feb 1: J. Timber (Full Band) Feb 8: Sam Frazier & The Side Effects Feb: Viva la Muerte Feb: Run Home Jack w. Janet Flights, Dead Casual, Windley, Condado Feb: Shiloh Hill

GREENE STREET CluB 113 N Greene St | 336.273.4111

GREENSBORO COlISEuM 1921 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400 www.greensborocoliseum.com Dec 31: The Avett Brothers Feb 13: Brantley Gilbert Feb 15: Winter Jam Feb 29: lauren Daigle

lITTlE BROTHER BREWING

348 South Elm St | 336.510.9678 Dec 28: Craig Baldwin Jan 11: Jakobs Ferry Stragglers

PIEDMONT HAll

2411 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400 www.greensborocoliseum.com Feb 12: Fitz & The Tantrums Feb 22: Tesla Feb 29: Young Dolph & Key Glock

RODY’S TAVERN

5105 Michaux Road | 336.282.0950 rodystavern.com

THE IDIOT BOx COMEDY CluB

HAM’S NEW GARDEN

1635 New Garden Rd | 336.288.4544 hamsrestaurants.com

502 N. Greene St | 336.274.2699 www.idiotboxers.com Dec 27: Kenyon Adamcik Jan 3: 40 First Jokes of 2020

lEVENElEVEN BREWING

THE W BISTRO & BAR

1111 Coliseum Blvd | 336.265.8600 Dec 26: zac Messick and Claire Dec 27: Andy Brower and Matty Sheets Jan 3: Chris McIvor Jan 4: Dusty Cagle

324 Elm St | 336.763.4091 @thewdowntown Dec 27: Karaoke Dec 28: live DJ Dec 29: live DJ

the good guys

Playing the Greatest Music of All Time Local News, Weather, Traffic & Sports

stream us at wtob980.com

PROUD SPONSOR OF Your Local Music Checkup with Dr. Jon Epstein | Every Monday @ 7pm Chuck Dale’s Combo Corner | Every Other Wednesday @ 6pm George Hamilton V Piedmont Opry Time | Monthly Show December 25-31, 2019 YES! WEEKLY

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whitE oak ampithEatrE

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

high point

aftEr hourS tavErn 1614 N Main St | 336.883.4113 afterhourstavern.net Dec 28: Charlie Dog Dec 31: new Year’s Bash w/ Soc monkee

GoofY foot taproom 2762 NC-68 #109 | 336.307.2567 Jan 4: David Lin Jan 11: Stewart Coley Jan 18: Zac kellum Jan 25: tony andrews feb 1: Jacob & forrest feb 8: tyler Long feb 22: Banjo Earth Band

ham’S paLLaDium

5840 Samet Dr | 336.887.2434 hamsrestaurants.com Dec 27: Spare Change Dec 28: Cory Luetjen & tBB

hiGh point thEatrE

220 E Commerce Ave | 336.883.3401 www.highpointtheatre.com feb 15: Barbra Lica Quintet feb 20: nY Gilbert & Sullivan players feb 21: the Brubeck Brothers Quartet mar 12: Georgia on my mind - Celebrating the music of ray Charles mar 20: Sons of mystro mar 21: Croce plays Croce apr 4: Jump, Jive, & wail! ft. the Jive aces may 3: raleigh ringers

jamestown

thE DECk

118 E Main St | 336.207.1999 thedeckatrivertwist.com Dec 27: vinyl tap with 52/10 Dec 28: heads up penny Dec 31: nYE Bash with Brothers pearl Jan 9: Craig Baldwin Jan 10: Jaxon Jill Jan 11: Soul Central Jan 16: Cory Leutjen Jan 17: rockit Science Jan 18: whiskey foxtrot Jan 23: Jacon vaughn Jan 24: Spare Change Jan 25: Jill Goodson Jan 30: kelsey hartley

kernersville

BrEathE CoCktaiL LounGE

221 N Main St. | 336.497.4822 facebook.com/BreatheCocktailLounge Dec 31: new Years party w/ DJ mike Lawson

J.pEppErS SouthErn GriLLE

841 Old Winston Rd | 336.497.4727 jpeppers.com may 14: James vincent Carroll

lewisville

oLD niCk’S puB

191 Lowes Foods Dr | 336.747.3059 OldNicksPubNC.com Dec 27: karaoke Dec 31: the offenders, new Year’s Eve party Jan 3: karaoke Jan 4: Dante’s roadhouse Jan 10: karaoke Jan 11: Cumberland Drive Jan 17: karaoke Jan 18: Stoned rangers Jan 24: karaoke Jan 25: Casino night for afSp feb 7: karaoke feb 8: Exit 180 feb 14: karaoke feb 15: Juke Box revolver feb 21: karaoke feb 22: Lasater union feb 28: karaoke feb 29: Corey Leutjen & the traveling Blues Band

liberty

thE LiBErtY ShowCaSE thEatEr

101 S. Fayetteville St | 336.622.3844 TheLibertyShowcase.com Jan 11: the Legacy motown revue Jan 18: ronnie mcDowell Jan 25: Confederate railroad feb 8: Little texas feb 22: Dailey & vincent feb 29: Stephen freeman

raleigh

CCu muSiC park at waLnut CrEEk

3801 Rock Quarry Rd | 919.831.6400 www.livenation.com Jun 2: the Lumineers

rED hat amphithEatEr 500 S McDowell St | 919.996.8800 www.redhatamphitheater.com may 9: aJr

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December 25-31, 2019

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Jun 2: Local Natives and Foals w/ Cherry Glazerr Aug 14: David Gray

pNC ArENA

1400 Edwards Mill Rd | 919.861.2300 www.thepncarena.com Feb 11: Celine Dion Mar 4: Zac Brown band w/ Amos Lee & poo Bear Mar 12: Billie Eilish Mar 13: The Millennium Tour: Omarion, Bow Wow, Ying Yang Twins, Lloyd, Sammie, pretty ricky, Soulja Boy, and Ashanti Mar 20: Michael Bublé Mar 22: Winter Jam 2020 May 19: JoJo Siwa Aug 1: Harry Styles

winston-salem

BuLL’S TAvErN

408 West 4th St | 336.331.3431 facebook.com/bulls-tavern Dec 26: Brother Bear & Co. Dec 27: Stig Dec 28: Jukebox rehab & Whiskey Foxtrot Dec 31: NYE 2020 w/ The Wright Avenue Jan 11: Barefoot Modern Jan 17: Easy Honey Jan 18: My Brother Skyler Jan 24: Doctor Ocular Jan 31: The Lilly Brothers Feb 1: The Dirty Grass players Feb 8: underground Springhouse Feb 21: Space Koi Feb 22: Jack Marion and The pearl Snap prophets

BurKE STrEET puB 1110 Burke St | 336.750.0097 burkestreetpub.com

CB’S TAvErN

3870 Bethania Station Rd | 336.815.1664 Dec 28: Line Dancing w/ pat

FiDDLiN’ FiSH BrEWiNG COMpANY 772 Trade St | 336.999.8945 fiddlinfish.com Dec 30: Old Time Jam

FOOTHiLLS BrEWiNG

638 W 4th St | 336.777.3348 foothillsbrewing.com Dec 28: Marcus Horth Band Dec 29: Sunday Jazz Dec 31: roaring 20’s NYE party Jan 5: Sunday Jazz Jan 8: Hazy ridge Jan 12: Sunday Jazz Jan 15: The Local Boys Jan 18: Souljam www.yesweekly.com

Jan 19: Sunday Jazz

MAC & NELLi’S

4926 Country Club Rd | 336.529.6230 macandnellisws.com Dec 27: Whiskey Mic

MiLLENNiuM CENTEr 101 West 5th Street | 336.723.3700 MCenterevents.com

MiLNEr’S

630 S Stratford Rd | 336.768.2221 milnerfood.com Dec 29: Live Jazz

MuDDY CrEEK CAFE & MuSiC HALL

5455 Bethania Rd | 336.923.8623 Dec 28: phillip Craft Dec 28: Celtic Christmas w/ CandelFirth Dec 29: rob price and Jack Breyer Jan 2: Country Dan Collins Jan 4: rob price and Jack Breyer Jan 9: Country Dan Collins Jan 11: phillip Craft Jan 12: rob price and Jack Breyer Jan 14: Albert Lee Jan 16: Country Dan Collins Jan 18: phillip Craft Jan 19: rob price and Jack Breyer Jan 23: Open Mic w/ Country Dan Collins

THE rAMKAT

170 W 9th St | 336.754.9714 Dec 27: A Tribute to Tom petty’s Wildflowers by The Civics Dec 28: Emma Gibbs Band, Life in General Jan 3: Natural Wonder - The ultimate Stevie Wonder Experience Jan 4: The Gibson Brothers Jan 9: The Steel Wheels Jan 14: Branford Marsalis Quartet

SECOND & GrEEN

207 N Green St | 336.631.3143 2ngtavern.com

WiNSTON-SALEM FAirGrOuND 421 W 27th St | 336.727.2236 www.wsfairgrounds.com

WiSE MAN BrEWiNG

826 Angelo Bros Ave | 336.725.0008 Dec 28: Gipsy Danger Dec 31: New Year’s Eve w/ DJSK

OUTDOOR ICE RINK

NOVEMBER 15 thru JANUARY 26 VF Seasonal Plaza at LeBauer Park, 208 N. Davie St VISIT:

WWW.PIEDMONTWINTERFEST.COM FOR RATES AND TIMES

CONTACT:

PIEDMONTWINTERFEST@GMAIL.COM FOR PRIVATE RESERVATIONS December 25-31, 2019 YES! WEEKLY

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[FACES & PLACES]

by Natalie Garcia

AROUND THE TRIAD YES! Weekly’s Photographer

YES! WEEKLY

DECEMBER 25-31, 2019

McLaurin Farms Christmas Lights 12.22.19 | Greensboro

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hot pour PRESENTS

[BARTENDERS OF THE WEEK | BY NATALIE GARCIA] Check out videos on our Facebook!

BARTENDER: Anthony Castillero BAR: 913 Whiskey Bar & Southern Kitchen

913 Whiskey Bar 12.21.19 | Greensboro

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AGE: 34 WHERE ARE YOU FROM? Greensboro, NC HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BARTENDING? 10 years HOW DID YOU BECOME A BARTENDER? I needed a change of scenery.

I started as a barback for a local nightclub called Much.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT BARTENDING? Being creative with ingredients and experimenting with different flavors.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO MAKE? Smoked Maple Old Fashioned WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO DRINK? Rum & Coke WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AS AN AFTER-DINNER DRINK? Bees Knees, or an Aviation.

WHAT’S THE CRAZIEST THING YOU’VE SEEN WHILE BARTENDING? Usually involves nudity or people falling downstairs, sometimes both. Unfortunately, I saw a lady tumble down a rather lengthy wooden staircase once. She tripped at the top and fell forward, head over heels all the way down. It sounded like someone dumping a bunch of baseballs down some stairs. Then she slapped the floor.

Her husband called the next day to see if anyone found any teeth... we did not.

WHAT’S THE BEST TIP YOU’VE EVER GOTTEN? A couple hundred bucks, but I’m a sucker for baked goods!

DECEMBER 25-31, 2019 YES! WEEKLY

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Awake The White And Wint’ry Queen @ Van Dyke Performance Space 12.20.19 | Greensboro

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DECEMBER 25-31, 2019

[HOROSCOPES]

[LEO (July 23 to August 22) You can make this New Year a roaring success.

Start by readjusting your goals to reflect the changes in the economy. Your den mate offers both wise and loving support.

[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) You’ll have many fine opportunities in this New Year. But be warned: Reject offers of “help.” You work best when you’re free to be your own creative self.

[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) The New Year brings challenges that can change many things in your life. You need to be prepared not only to confront them, but also to deal with what happens afterward.

[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) The New Year brings new opportunities for change. But you need to be ready to move from the comfortable status quo to the challenging unknown. It’s up to you.

[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) The New Year offers changes that you might feel you’re not quite ready for. Best advice: Deal with them one step at a time, until you’ve built up your self-confidence.

[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You have what it takes to set your goals quite a bit higher this year. Learn what you need to know and put what you learn into your efforts. A partner offers loving support.

[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Your most important New Year’s resolution should be to work out problems with a family member in order to avoid continuing misunderstandings. Do it soon, for both of your sakes.

[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Travel is a dominant aspect of the New Year. This could mean relocating to another city (or even another country) in connection with your education or your career.

[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) In true Gemini Twin fashion, you’re conflicted about a decision you know you’ll have to make in this New Year. Best advice: Get the facts before you make any commitment.

[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) The New Year has much to offer the intensely determined Scorpian, who isn’t afraid to take on challenges and stay with them until they surrender their rewards.

[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) This New Year brings news about a change you’ve been anticipating. You might have a problem persuading a loved one about your new plans, but he or she will soon go along with them.

[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A friend offers you an exciting opportunity for this New Year. Although your positive aspects are strong in most respects, caution is advised. Investigate before you invest. © 2019 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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[THE ADVICE GODDESS] love • sex • dating • marriage • questions

CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN CAMERA

I have a new roommate, and she’s uncomfortable with the cameras in the common areas (living room and kitchen). This Amy Alkon became an issue for her after I saw video Advice of her being careless Goddess with my furniture and texted her and asked her to stop.

My last roommate had no problem with the cameras, which I got after my home was broken into. My current roommate knew the deal when she moved in, but now she’s very uncomfortable and complains about this constantly, saying it’s affecting her mental health. She wants the cameras either removed or turned off when she’s home. —Annoyed Sure, Socrates said at his trial, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” This reflected his love of the pursuit of wisdom, not a desire to be under constant surveillance by his roommate and get random texts like “No sandals on the couch, dude!”

Consider why your roommate might take issue with living in a two-person police state. Privacy, as explained by legal scholar Alan Westin, involves people’s right to choose what information about themselves gets released to others. Our longing for privacy comes out of our evolved concern for protecting our reputation — others’ perception of the sort of

person we are. This became vital when ancestral humans started living cooperatively, improving their chances for survival by sharing food, work, and defense against the elements and murderous strangers.

Having a rotten reputation could get a person booted from their band and made to go it alone — not a good thing at a time when “getting dinner” meant outracing and bludgeoning a rodent.

Our reputation has a guard dog, and it’s an emotion that gets a bad rap: shame.

Contrary to popular belief, shame is not “unhealthy” or “toxic.” Cross-cultural research by evolutionary psychologist Daniel Sznycer suggests that shame is actually a social status management tool that helps us avoid being downgraded by others. Sznycer and his colleagues explain that the desire to avoid the feelbad of shame motivates us to “conceal damaging information” about ourselves and often deters us from behaving in icky, dishonest, or unfair ways so we preserve our social standing.

The need to guard our reputation makes us behave differently when we have an audience. Knowing we are on camera removes a measure of freedom from us — freedom to relax and be ourselves. Consider, for example, the mealtime version of “Dance like nobody’s watching”: “Eat lunch like a member of the Donner Party.”

Yes, your roommate knew about the cameras before she moved in. But a good deal of social science research finds that we’re pretty bad at predicting how we’ll actually react to things. Also, we can’t just choose to power down the reputationdriven anxiety we feel when we know we’re being watched. Ultimately, it seems

answers [CROSSWORD] crossword on page 13

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fairest to turn the cameras off when she’s home or only have them in the entryways and outside windows. The cameras should be for safety purposes — so you can alert the cops when a burglar has popped in — not so you have indisputable proof that your roommate has been chipping away at your leftover Chinese takeout.

BETWEEN A LOCK AND A HARD PLACE

My upstairs neighbors, a lesbian couple, are my best friends. We have keys to each other’s apartments and just walk in and out. I love this, but I don’t want them walking in when I’m with a guy. If I call them to tell them I have plans and it’s just a hookup, I’ll get disapproving looks and lectures about how I won’t be able to handle it, will be miserable, etc. How can I keep them from walking in and also keep them from knowing what I’m up to? — Downstairs Neighbor There are things your friends don’t need to know about you, and “Who wears the Jimmy Carter mask when you’re in bed?” is one of the biggies.

You can hang some item on your door-

knob — a little charm, an elastic bracelet, etc. — to signal to your neighbors, “Um, now is not a good time!” (and, of course, let them know this new code). To solve the other part of your problem — unsolicited opinions about your sex life — consider using “strategic ambiguity.” Organizational communications researcher Eric Eisenberg points out that clear communication is not always in our best interest. Sometimes, being purposely vague, leaving room for “multiple interpretations,” is ideal, reducing conflict and preserving relationships.

Basically, you need to pair a clear message about when it’s a bad time to come in with an unclear message about why. This transforms a sign that would’ve meant one particular thing — I’ve ordered in from Tinder Eats — into a sign that could mean any number of things: I’m sick. I’m napping. I’m on a phone call. I’m spread-eagled over a mirror trying to decide whether Martin, my mole, is cancerous. !

GOT A problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol.com (www.advicegoddess.com) © 2019 Amy Alkon Distributed by Creators.Com.

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