YES! Weekly - April 27, 2022 by YES! Weekly

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THE BLIND TIGER

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KATIE BLVD

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April 27 - May 3, 2022 YES! WEEKLY

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APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2022 VOLUME 18, NUMBER 17

12 5500 Adams Farm Lane Suite 204 Greensboro, NC 27407 Office 336-316-1231 Fax 336-316-1930

DOLLARS & SENSE

Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com EDITORIAL

Last week, Greensboro City Council unanimously voted for a $135 million general obligation BOND REFERENDUM for proposed city projects. The referendum will be held on Tuesday, July 26, from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., as part of the city’s general election. On the ballot will be $30 million in housing bonds, $70 million in parks & recreation bonds, $14 million in firefighting facilities bonds, $6 million in law enforcement facilities bonds, and $15 million in transportation bonds.

Editor CHANEL DAVIS chanel@yesweekly.com YES! Writers IAN MCDOWELL MARK BURGER KATEI CRANFORD JIM LONGWORTH NAIMA SAID

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The horror genre has shifted in recent years, branching out to unorthodox storytelling to convey fear and curiosity. 4 LEAGUES MEDIA, an independent production company out of Greensboro, has used that recent to shift to its advantage. 6 ...as part of the original film’s 45th anniversary, The IDIOT BOX Comedy Club has again joined forces with Marketplace Cinemas (2095 Peters Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem) to present “May the 4th,” an evening of sketch and stand-up comedy celebrating the Star Wars phenomenon in a laugh-filled, light-hearted fashion. 7 Local Greensboro poet, serial entrepreneur and father, Josephus Thompson III is launching his first children’s book, “POETRY IS LIFE” on May 1st. 8 For those of you old enough to remember the debate over SINGLE-SEX EDUCATION, and how VMI fought to remain an all-male institution, you’ll recall that a number of prominent women joined that fight.

Mohamedou Ould Slahi spent 14 years imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, beginning in 2002 until his release in 2016, without ever having been charged with a crime. During his incarceration, he penned the memoir GUANTANAMO DIARY, which detailed the constant abuse and torture inflicted upon him by his CIA captors. 14 After shootings that the City of Greensboro reports describe as being associated with the BLIND TIGER, as well as subsequent code inspections, the fate of the popular 34-year-old music venue at 1819 Spring Garden Street remains unclear. So is what actually happened, but there is evidence that the second shooting incident occurred while an after-hours event was still occurring inside the venue at 5:40 a.m. 18 KATIE BLVD is busy. Her work as a visual artist can be seen scrolling along digital billboards in downtown Greensboro, meanwhile her music bumps from Etc.GSO in Glenwood, every second Saturday, as part of her latest monthly “Beats Batch” series.

travis@yesweekly.com KAREN GRISSOM karen@yesweekly.com Promotion NATALIE GARCIA

DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT ANDREW WOMACK 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 2022 Womack Newspapers, Inc.

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Katie Podracky ARTWORK—STEPHANIE BAILEY

[SPOTLIGHT]

EXPLORE NORTH CAROLINA WITH KATIE PODRACKY

BY JORDYN WHITTED DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS | ARTSGREENSBORO Like most people, Katie Podracky found herself looking for a new hobby during the 2020 lockdowns. A spontaneous day trip to Haw River state park quickly turned into a NC state park challenge. The Podracky family raced across North Carolina, discovering each of the 41 state parks as shutdowns spread across the state. The family was making significant progress when a close friend raised the stakes: a painting per park. With her extensive background in art, Katie accepted the challenge. Katie graduated from Washington and Lee University with a double major in biology and art. She then pursued a master’s in art at Savannah College of Art and Design and later education at UNC Pembroke. With this impressive background in art, Katie taught art in public schools for several years. Rekindling her connection with art helped her adjust to life with children. “I could have lost myself to motherhood,” says Katie. “Painting is my time to do what I want. It makes me feel human.” Prior to the state park challenge, Katie mainly used oils on large canvases, but she switched to gouache and watercolors during her travels. She now sells a combination of these pieces in her online print shop, Katie Wall Art. On her website, she sells both her originals and prints, while also offering commissioned pieces. Katie recently received an artist support grant from ArtsGreensboro, which helped her launch her print shop and all the supplies she needs for her studio. “I’m WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

extremely grateful for this opportunity to grow and expand my passion with the world,” she says. Donations to the ArtsGreensboro ArtsFund help artists like Katie upgrade equipment and technology to help their careers flourish. “Art is energizing,” Katie exclaims when asked about her passion for art. She recently began offering online classes to inspire others. She encourages artists at all skill levels to take time out to paint. Lessons are shared on her website, allowing viewers to advance at their own pace. For more information about Katie Podracky, her print shop, and online classes, visit https://www.katiewallart.com/. To donate to the ArtsFund and support artists like Katie, visit artsgreensboro.org/ donate. !

COLOR YOUR WORLD APRIL 21–30, 2022 In Person and Online

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4 Leagues Media hits the big league

he horror genre has shifted in recent years, branching out to unorthodox storytelling to convey fear and curiosity. 4 Leagues Media, an independent Naima Said production company out of Greensboro, has used that recent Contributor to shift to its advantage. 4 Leagues Media was founded in 2015 by Dan Robinette (Director), Aaron Sorgius (Cinematographer), Jeff Cox (Lead Producer), and Jeremy Tassone (Editor). The company was born out of Robinette’s lifelong passion for horror films and a desire to do something creative by pooling the talents of this group of colleagues and friends. Following the 2017 release of its successful short film, Tethered, 4 Leagues Media garnered praise from audiences on the local and national film circuit. This inspired the team to expand the short into a feature. “Tethered follows the story of Solomon, a blind boy who was abandoned by his

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APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2022

mother on an isolated farm where he has to abide by three rules. After years of becoming accustomed to his routine, Solomon realizes his routine has hindered him from a life-changing discovery,” said Kayla Stuhr, co-producer/co-director of the film. After a production delay in 2020, the film was completed in early 2021 after only three weeks on set. It was recently released and is available on demand. Tethered was acquired by Gravitas Ventures for distribution in North America and has been screened at a variety of festivals across the country and internationally. Although a horror film, the production team was wary of marketing the film as such due to the lack of stereotypical and generic tropes normally recognized in the genre. Instead, the film is more of a slow burn, is atmosphere-focused, and offers ambiguity the audience can sit and play with, which are the types of horror the company tends to lean more towards. Stuhr, a Scottish-American artist, joined 4 Leagues Media in 2015 when she moved to Greensboro from Scotland after graduating with an Animations degree from Edinburgh College of Art. “I didn’t expect to make films in Greensboro, but after meeting the original crew of 4 Leagues at the screening of their first

short film, Samca, I knew this company had more to offer,” Stuhr said. “Since we are a small company, we all wear many hats, using our interdisciplinary skills for pre-production which includes writing, storyboarding, creating prop effects, and directing the film among other things. With the feature film Tethered, it was a much bigger endeavor than our previous

shorts, so we had extra crew with specific skill sets to help.” Tethered was shot on Wild Wing Farm, roughly 400 acres of wooded farmland owned by Brack and Josh Culler, located in Thomasville. “The farm is where we also originally shot the short film. It was a stunning location and perfect for the atmosphere we were trying to convey,” Stuhr said. “Part of the reason we love shooting in North Carolina is because there is so much variety of scenery at your doorstep, you don’t have to travel very far. You have the mountains, the coast, the city, or in our case secluded woodland. It adds a whole lot of production value without having to build anything or spend a ridiculous amount of money. Compared to Los Angeles, where every location you want to shoot will charge you because that is the industry there, here, filmmaking is still something special. It is not an everyday occurrence that someone wants to film something on your property and throughout our experience on the farm, we always felt so supported. We had no need to go anywhere else.” With an isolated setting and limited cast in mind, 4 Leagues Media were particular about casting since Tethered was a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) production. The cast consists of LA-based Alexandra

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Shape our community’s future for the next 50-100 years.

for the school bond. The average school building in Guilford County is more than 55 years old and in desperate need of heating, roofing, plumbing, technology and security upgrades. Brody and Dana Bett on set Paul, whose past work includes Christine, American Flyers, Dragnet, and nine seasons on Baywatch, LA-based Kareem Ferguson who recently appeared in HBO Original TV series, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Jared L. Cook from Walkertown had his acting debut in the short film version of Tethered, and the feature film was his second acting appearance. Also appearing in the film are Chris Demm of The Two Guys Named Chris Show on Rock 92, and Brody Bett, a 12-year-old musician from Greensboro, managed by his supporting mother Dana Bett, and known for his voice-over work on Nickelodeon’s Bubble Guppies, where he plays the singing voice for Gil. “I was close to a cast member, Chris Demm, who contacted me about an audition opening for Tethered, and he thought Brody would be perfect for the part of young Solomon. I was hesitant at first about the horror aspect but after realizing the more psychological and mythological aspect to it rather than gore, I knew

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The $1.7 billion school bond will:

it would be okay,” said Dana. “When it comes to filming, you come to realize the true horror is in the underscore and effects which are implemented in post-production. The day after Brody tried out, we got a call saying he got the part.” After three days on set, shooting from sunrise to sundown, and learning to adjust to white-colored contacts, the young Brody didn’t want it to end. “It was quite the adjustment for me at first, but I am always up for something new, and I am so blessed I went through with it because I got to work with some well-experienced and wonderful crew members that treated me like I was family,” he said. “It was overall an amazing experience and felt natural to me since young Solomon is sweet and loves his mother, so it felt like I was playing myself, minus the dramatics.” For more information and a list of streaming sites, visit https:// www.4leaguesmedia.com/. !

• Ensure every school in Guilford County receives technology and safety upgrades, such as wireless connections, increased bandwidth and digital locks.

NAIMA SAID is a 23-year-old UNCG theatre graduate and host of Heeere’sNeeNee Horror Movie Podcast.

www.smartschoolbond.com

• Renovate, rebuild and construct 34 schools across the county designed for today’s learning environment. • Expand Career & Technical Education, STEM, Arts and Early\Middle College opportunities to children of all income levels and demographics. • Create facilities 1.5 times more efficient to operate, lower energy costs and reduce operating expenses. • Create nearly 20,000 local jobs as construction takes place over the next 7-10 years. Strong public schools benefit our entire community by preparing talent for the workforce, attracting and retaining businesses and supporting economic development. More information about the school bond and the fraction of a penny (0.25%) sales tax to help repay the bond can be found at

Citizens from across the community are supporting the school bond and fraction of a penny sales tax for schools. Scan here to hear their stories.

Turn out to vote on May 17

(or vote early starting April 28) and vote YES and YES at the bottom of the ballot.

APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2022

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Sending up Star Wars … The farce is with them! In May of 1977, a little-heralded fantasy extravaganza called Star Wars became both a Hollywood and cultural phenomenon, arguably the biggest entertainment franchise in hisMark Burger tory. It has spawned prequels, sequels, and spin-offs, to say Contributor nothing of countless rip-offs, inspired a worldwide legion of devotees, and introduced such terms as Wookiees, Jawas, Ewoks, Droids, and Jedis into the language. Now, as part of the original film’s 45th anniversary, The Idiot Box Comedy Club has again joined forces with Marketplace Cinemas (2095 Peters Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem) to present “May the 4th,” an evening of sketch and stand-up comedy celebrating the Star Wars phenomenon in a laugh-filled,

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APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2022

light-hearted fashion. The event will take place Wednesday, May 4th. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with first-come, firstserved seating, and the show will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 (advance) and $15 (day of show) and are available here: https://www.mpcws.com/ upcomingevents/1353-may-the-4thsketch-and-stand-up-comedy-show. The show is recommended for audiences 18 years of age and older. “May the 4th” riffs on the Star Wars universe in a no-holds-barred fashion, and audiences are encouraged to don Star Wars-themed costumes to win a bevy of prizes, including gift cards, T-shirts, and more. “We’re bringing comedy from a galaxy far, far away to the cinema,” said Zack Fox, general manager of Marketplace Cinemas. “I am a huge Star Wars fan — I love all the movies,” said Jennie Stencel, creative director and owner of The Idiot Box. “I cry every time I watch Darth Vader die … and I even like Jar Jar Binks!” It’s a foregone conclusion that Darth Vader and (perhaps especially) Jar Jar

Binks will be in for their fair share of ribbing during the event, and let’s not forget the unforgettable (?) “Ewok Celebration” from Return of the Jedi — also known as “Yub Nub,” for those playing at home. “After the sold-out success of the North Carolina Comedy Festival night at Marketplace Cinemas back in September, we teamed up with Jennie Stencel and The Idiot Box to host monthly — and sometimes bi-weekly — stand-up comedy shows at our cinema,” Fox said. “They’ve been a terrific and fun time, and our audiences and customers keep asking for more live comedy events.” “We have loved having shows with Marketplace,” said Stencel. “It’s such a great theater with wonderful owners! We’re super-ready to try new things and we have been having great crowds.” For more information or advance tickets, call 336-725-4646 or visit the official Marketplace Cinemas website at https://www.mpcws.com/. The official Idiot Box website is https://www. idiotboxers.com/. !

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Josephus III to launch children’s book, “Poetry is Life” on May 1st Local Greensboro poet, serial entrepreneur and father, Josephus Thompson III is launching his first children’s book, “Poetry is Life” on May 1st. “Poetry is Life” is about a journey into the discovery of poetry and how it connects and influences our lives every day. The book is ideal for children ages 3 to 9 years old. “The inspiration behind this book stemmed from the books I was purchasing for my three-year-old daughter. I noticed the lack of diversity and representation is everything for Black children and children of color,” said Thompson. Both a teacher and lecturer in the public and collegiate school system, Thompson founded The Poetry Project, where he works in educational and corporate settings focusing on “Education through Correlation,” utilizing poetry as a catalyst for literacy, leadership, and service. He has developed The Poetry Project Institute, a series of Professional Development workshops for teachers to provide them with resources and training on the use of spoken word in the classroom. He also coaches The Gate City Youth Slam Team. As the host of 90.1FM’s The Poetry Café his voice is heard weekly over the airwaves as he showcases talented artists from all over the world in the genres of poetry, hip-hop, and R&B to name a few. The

Josephus Thompson iii show also tours nationally and has been featured on Amazon Prime! Thompson has performed for Oprah, opened for Kanye West, Floetry, and shared stages with The Last Poets. His work has taken him to Australia, London, Seoul, and South Africa, as well as back and forth across the United States. Thompson’s first book signing will take place on Sunday, May 1, 2022 at 1 p.m. at Scuppernong’s Books, located at 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro, N.C. The book can be purchased for $12.99 at http://josephusiii. com/product/book. !

BREWSFEST BEER FESTIVAL EST.

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[ WEEKLY ARTS ROUNDUP]

ARTS & BUSINESS EXPO THIS SATURDAY!

BY SHANNON STOKES Director of Artist and Partner Services Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County and HUSTLE WinstonSalem are partnering with Visions Event Center for an Art & Business Expo at Liberty Plaza this Saturday, April 30, noon to 4 p.m. Visions Event Center is located on the ground floor of the Liberty Plaza building at 102 W 3rd St, N Liberty St, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. In 2020, Arts Council partnered with ByGood Coffee to produce a series of Art Pop Up vendor events for local artists. The purpose of the Pop Ups was to provide a source of income for artists in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Art & Business program is a continued effort to support artists recover from the pandemic and for Arts Council to continue to build upon community relationships. The Arts & Business Expo will include vendors who make and sell fine arts,

crafts, soap, skincare, candles, jewelry, antiques, food, plants, clothing, accessories, and more! Some local vendors featured include: Oh My Goodness Wellness Bar Types of Her by Artist Tyamica Mabry Singing Bird Jewelry Brand The Candle Nook My Own Skin Boutique ARTS COUNCIL is the chief advocate of the arts and cultural sector in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. Our goal is to serve as a leader in lifting up, creating awareness and providing support to grow and sustain artistic, cultural and creative offerings throughout our region. We acknowledge that it takes every voice, every talent, and every story to make our community a great place to live, work, and play. Arts Council is committed to serving as a facilitator, organizer, and promoter of conversations that are authentic, inclusive, and forward-thinking. There are over 800,000 art experiences taking place in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County annually. To learn more about upcoming arts and culture events happening in our community please visit www.cityofthearts.com.

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Female leadership needed in female sports

or those of you old enough to remember the debate over single-sex education, and how VMI fought to remain an all-male institution, you’ll recall Jim Longworth that a number of prominent women joined that fight. Longworth While producing a at Large 1993 documentary about the value of single-sex institutions, I interviewed a number of highly successful women, all of who had either attended or managed an all-female college. Cynthia Tyson, then president of Mary Baldwin College told me, “Women increase in their self-esteem in a singlesex institution, and that leads to higher achievement for them when they go out into the world of work.” Others, like attorney Anita Blair, told me that girls and young women have different develop-

mental needs from those of boys. Several years ago, former Girl Scout CEO Lane Cook told me that those developmental differences still exist, saying, “Girls thrive in an all-girl-led environment.” The bottom line is that girls and young women still need and deserve to be led by strong female role models. It’s why an increasing number of companies now support STEM programs and activities just for girls, such as Inmar’s girls’ robotics team. It’s why Big Brothers, Big Sisters still recruits adult females to mentor young girls. Yet with all the emphasis on nurturing girls, our society is falling short when it comes to women’s sports. Who’s the most successful coach in women’s college basketball? A man. Who did Greensboro College just hire to coach women’s soccer? A man. But wait a minute. Didn’t Title IX make things better? Just the opposite according to a 2019 report by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics and Sports (TIDES). In 1972, just prior to Title IX, “women held 90% of the head coaching positions for women’s teams.” But as big money started pouring into women’s sports, more male

¡Viva Mexico! ¡Viva America!

Ballet Folklorico De Los Angeles FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2022 DOORS OPEN @ 6:30PM SHOW STARTS @ 7:30PM

Having already distinguished itself as the nation’s premier Mexican folk dance company, Ballet Folklorico de Los Angeles has worked with Grammy Award-winning artists Lila Downs and Mariachi Los Camperos, shared the stage with Morrissey and Las Cafeteras. They recently had the opportunity to work with Disney Studios on a magical performance in celebration of Pixar’s new movie, Coco, at the D23 Expo.

Raleigh Ringers

SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2022 DOORS OPEN @ 1PM // SHOW STARTS @ 2PM Since its founding in 1990, the Raleigh Ringers handbell choir has been dazzling audience with its unique interpretations of sacred, secular and popular music. Under the direction of David M. Harris, the ensemble has performed in 39 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, in several cities in France, in Canada, and on the Hour of Power at the Crystal Cathedral in California.

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coaches were attracted to the salaries being paid to lead women’s teams. As a result, TIDES reports that today, women now hold less than half (40.8%) of the head coaching jobs for women’s teams. That figure improves to 61% if you only count Division 1 teams, but it still begs the question: Why aren’t ALL women’s teams coached by women? Speaking at a 2017 Digital Leadership Summit for Women in Sports, Holly Warlick, former University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach said, “We’ve got to understand that there’s a lot of women who are not coaching that are really, really good…a lot of young kids coming out right now, I think, will make great coaches. But it’s hard to get in. We gotta give them that opportunity.” Perhaps the way to improve the odds on those opportunities is for the NCAA to adopt a variation of the NFL’s Rooney Rule, where college athletic directors would be required to interview and seriously consider a woman for every job opening in women’s sports. And while the hiring situation among the college ranks is disturbing, I am also

alarmed by the dearth of women coaching youth sports. I recently corresponded with Alex Kerman with the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, and he confirmed that of the 6.3 million adults who coach youth teams up to age 14, only 30.7% are women. But how can this be in an era when the public and private sectors alike are touting the importance of adult female role models for girls? There is no empirical evidence to back me up, but I have to believe that just as young women can benefit from female mentors in STEM programs, so can they also benefit from female leadership in sports. That’s why I encourage women to volunteer to coach local youth sports teams, and why I urge the NCAA to adopt a proactive stance on the hiring of women as head coaches for women’s teams. Girls interested in athletics at all levels deserve to be coached by someone who looks like them and understands their developmental needs. ! 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).

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flicks Purging the past in

Guantanamo Diary Revisited

ohamedou Ould Slahi spent 14 years imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, beginning in 2002 until his release in 2016, without ever Mark Burger having been charged with a crime. During Contributor his incarceration, he penned the memoir Guantanamo Diary, which detailed the constant abuse and torture inflicted upon him by his CIA captors. The book was finished in 2005 but not published until 2015, becoming an immediate international sensation. Ironically, he was forbidden from reading his own memoir upon publication. Slahi received further attention when the book was adapted into the critically acclaimed 2021 film The Mauritanian, which starred Jodie Foster, Benedict Cumberbatch, Shailene Woodley, and for which Tahar Rahim received a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of Slahi. Some five years after his release, Slahi teamed with filmmaker John Goetz to make Guantanamo Diary Revisited, a fascinating and remarkably even-handed documentary feature in which Slahi expresses his sincere desire to invite his former tormenters to tea. As he sees it, the best form of “revenge” is forgiveness. The well-paced film, which is augmented by Daniel Regenberg’s terrific score, details Slahi and Goetz’s efforts to contact his former captors, including the one ominously identified only as “Mr. X,” whom Slahi considered the worst perpetrator. It is here where the film takes a decidedly different tack than what may be expected. As Goetz interviews Slahi’s captors, they express their own points of view. Many still believe that Slahi was directly involved in recruiting a number of the al-Qaida terrorists responsible for the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, despite the fact that there was never quite enough WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

evidence to convict him. On the surface, Slahi is affable and agreeable, yet even Goetz finds him enigmatic to an extent. That, some of the captors opine, is key to Slahi’s ability to manipulate people — or reconfigure past events — to back up his claims. It’s clear that Slahi and his former captors have endured long-lasting emotional trauma as a result of their experiences. Some of his captors are more willing than others to communicate and/or reconcile with him (even if only via a computer screen), and a few aren’t willing at all. As far as they’re concerned, Slahi is a war criminal. It’s this ambiguity that lends Guantanamo Diary Revisited much of its power and suspense. This is a sobering film that dredges up the past, forcing its subjects — and, indeed, its viewers — to question their own attitudes and opinions. In one memorable exchange, a former CIA operative accused Goetz and the filmmakers of taking Slahi’s side, perceiving him as an innocent victim while castigating and criticizing their actions, and there’s merit in that argument. Was Slahi an unwilling, or even unwitting, accomplice to al-Qaida? Did his captors exceed the levels of forcible “persuasion” they committed or were they following orders? Is it possible that both sides are partially right and also partially wrong? It’s not just about perception, but about the time and place where these events took place. Literally overnight, the world changed, and it’s hardly surprising that there would be victims on both sides, no matter how close or disparate those sides are. Offering ample food for thought, to say nothing of discussion, Guantanamo Diary Revisited is not only a compelling film, but also — dare it be said? — an important one. — Guantanamo Diary Revisited is available on VOD and on DVD ($19.95 retail) from Cinema Libre Studio. The official website is https://guantanamorevisitedfilm.com/. ! See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies on Burgervideo.com. © 2022, Mark Burger.

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[NEWS OF THE WEIRD] NO LONGER WEIRD

Can we all agree that any alligator walking anywhere in Florida — on a golf course, down a street, through a parking lot, wherever — is no longer Chuck Shepherd news, let alone weird news? This moseying gator, for instance, is NOT weird: In Venice, Florida, a large alligator walked through a neighborhood on Easter morning on its way to Harrington Lake, United Press International took the time to report, for whatever reason. The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office took a video — slow crime day. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was notified, but did not respond BECAUSE THIS IS NOT NEWS.

ANTI-SOCIAL MEDIA

The Federal Aviation Administration has revoked Trevor Jacob’s pilot’s license, The New York Times reported on April 20, after concluding that Jacob purposely abandoned a plane he was flying and filmed it crashing into the Los Padres National Forest in California while he parachuted to the ground. Jacob then posted the 13-minute video on YouTube, calling it “I Crashed My Plane.” The FAA said Jacob acted in a “careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.” In the video, the propeller can be seen as it stops spinning, and Jacob opens the door and jumps out with a parachute and a selfie stick. The FAA noted, “During this flight, you opened the left side pilot door before you claimed the engine had failed.” The agency also noted that Jacob did not contact air traffic control, try to restart the engine or look for a safe place to make an emergency landing. But he got 1.7 million views!

REMEMBER TO BACKUP YOUR PHONE

A woman in her 40s on a visit to Olympic National Forest probably won’t want to go back anytime soon after a harrowing experience at the top of Mount Walker on April 19, The Olympian reported. The anonymous woman dropped her cellphone into a vault toilet (a waterless, nonflush toilet typically found at campgrounds and near hiking trails) and attempted to fish it out using her dog leash. Instead, she fell headfirst into the abyss; she tried to escape on her own but ended up calling 911 with her recovered phone. Fire crews from Brinnon, Washington, fashioned a platform she could stand on, and they pulled her

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out and washed her off. First responders, who said she was lucky not to have been overcome by toxic gases, encouraged her to seek medical attention because of her exposure to human waste.

GOVERNMENT IN ACTION

Citizens in Cornwall, England, are fuming after the St. Blaise Town Council ordered that 1,000 daffodils in the Old Roselyon Play Area be cut down because they can be poisonous if eaten and could give children diarrhea, Metro News reported. But a spokesman for the Roselyon Play Park Committee called the move “preposterous” and “totally bonkers.” He went on to explain that the land was once an orchard and was home to so many of the flowers that a part of it was called Daffodil Walk. Residents took to social media to protest the directive: “When I was in primary school, every year we were given a daffodil bulb to grow ... Funny, I don’t remember trying to eat them or anyone being poisoned.” Another said, “Daffodils are also poisonous to dogs, (but) even my mutt has the common sense not to eat them.”

TAKE A DEEP BREATH

Tom Jozsi, a 60-year-old maintenance worker in Kenosha, Wisconsin, was in the dentist’s chair when his visit turned anything but routine, WISN-TV reported on April 18. Jozsi was getting a cavity filled when he inhaled an inch-long dental drill bit. “I didn’t really even feel it going down,” he said, but the bit was deep in his right lung, a CT scan showed. Pulmonary expert Dr. Abdul Alraiyes and his team at the Aurora Medical Center-Kenosha decided to try a catheter that’s used for the early detection of cancer, allowing them to reach the small bit and pull it out without any harm to Jozsi’s lung. Today, the bit is displayed on a shelf in Jozsi’s home.

FOCUS

One unidentified person in Dublin, Ireland, was responsible for making 90% of all noise complaints received at Dublin Airport in 2021, United Press International reported on April 19. The person averaged 34 complaints per day, totaling 12,272 for the year. They nearly doubled their number from 2020, 6,227, and are already on track for a new record in 2022, with a daily average of 59. The company that runs the airport says it responds to each complaint and works with communities on issues such as aircraft noise. !

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[KING Crossword]

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Who to Who?

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Dollars and Sense: Breaking down Greensboro’s $135 million bond referendum

ast week, Greensboro City Council unanimously voted for a $135 million general obligation bond referendum for proposed city projects. The referIan McDowell endum will be held on Tuesday, July 26, Contributor from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., as part of the city’s general election. On the ballot will be $30 million in housing bonds, $70 million in parks & recreation bonds, $14 million in firefighting facilities bonds, $6 million in law enforcement facilities bonds, and $15 million in transportation bonds. When this referendum first appeared on the council agenda last November, it was scheduled for April 26. Last week’s vote moved the date but did YES! WEEKLY

APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2022

not change amounts or categories. A bond referendum allows voters to authorize municipal funding through the sale of bonds. Unlike revenue bonds, general obligation (G.0.) bonds are not backed by collateral and do not repay creditors via income generated by funded projects. Instead, they are funded by the city’s creditworthiness and ability to levy taxes on its residents. G.O. bonds often finance major capital projects beyond the scope of the annual operating budget and fund facilities that will be used for many years in the future. By voting “YES” on the referendum categories, citizens authorize an increase in property tax to repay the bonds. Repayment is spread across a number of years, so costs are shared by current and future taxpayers. Greensboro may only hold a bond referendum on one of the following dates: that of the municipal general election; that of any other state or county general election; that of the primary election in any

even-numbered year; or that of any other election requiring all county precincts to be open. The most expensive category in the upcoming referendum is the $70 million parks & recreation bond, which is approximately 52% of the $135 million total. Twenty million dollars of it will go to the Greensboro Science Center and $50 million to the planned Windsor Chavis Community Center in Nocho Park at 1010 Duke Street off East Gate City Boulevard. In an email response to YES! Weekly, mayor Nancy Vaughan described the Science Center as “one of the most rapidly growing attractions in North Carolina” and stated, “they have invested their money well and are a destination for many families.” Vaughan called the Nocho Park facility that will receive $50 million “a project unlike any other in the country, a state-of-the-art community center in one of our most underserved areas.” In agreement with Vaughan, District 3 representative and mayoral challenger

Justin Outling also praised the project. “I would especially point to the WindsorChavis-Nocho joint-use facility as being worthy of strong support,” wrote Outling in an email. “It meets a long-standing need in an area which will greatly benefit from it.” District 1’s Sharon Hightower told YES! Weekly she pushed for this project and supported the $2 million 2016 bond that paid for its design. “The highest bond is in the parks and rec bond,” said Hightower. “The majority of that bond is to build a facility that will be in an underserved area. It is an area that we are continuing to invest in, and we’ve got to show that’s a priority as well. That facility speaks to people’s quality of life, but it’s also providing services that really will benefit everyone, and will be a highlight in an area where investment has not been to the level it should be. And this is only the beginning of putting investment in those neglected underserved areas of Black and Brown communities. We know people love parks and rec facilities, so we

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felt sure that, once people understand the purpose of that, and see where it’s at, they will happily support this endeavor.” While mayoral challenger Mark Cummings did not respond to our request for comment on the bond referendum, candidate Eric Robert disagreed with Vaughan, Outling, and Hightower. “With one of the highest crime rates in America for communities our size, we expect taxpayers to vote for $70,000,000 for parks and rec?” wrote Robert in a Facebook message. “The proposed bond allocation suggesting that parks and rec get 80% more than transportation and 60% more than housing clearly demonstrates the lack of basic understanding of the issues that have been plaguing us for decades. It may also help explain why things have been getting worse and not better. It also supports the imperative need for term limits.” Although Outling and Hightower support $50 million for the rec center, both said they wished the housing bond was higher. “You ask whether 30 million in bonds for housing is sufficient,” wrote Outling. “Anyone who has followed the local housing market and skyrocketing rent prices knows the answer is no. Because of the tremendous upward pressure of inflation, coupled with limited housing stock, I am WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

concerned we will see more seniors and others with fixed or limited incomes driven into homelessness by the lack of affordable housing.” “Housing certainly is a priority in the city of Greensboro,” said Hightower. “But that housing bond is only to provide opportunities for private developers and interest to invest in the city of Greensboro. It’s not for the city of Greensboro to build out. That is not what we do. We provide the space and the opportunity and places for housing. That’s what it becomes about when we talk about affordable housing.” While Hightower said she wanted more than $30 million for housing, she noted, “it is a little higher than the 25-million-dollar bond we passed in 2016, and we have expended all of that.” She also said that the bond “allows us to utilize those dollars in that particular way, and doesn’t pigeonhole us into using only the big guy, but lets us provide some assistance to minority small business contractors.” Vaughan offered background on the housing bond. “In October of 2020, the Greensboro City Council passed a 10-year housing plan. We commissioned this study from HR&A Advisors to forecast our housing needs. The consultants were very specific that we need to increase our housing stock and its affordability. In addition to the overall

need for housing, the report highlighted the need to focus on housing for people and families at the lower end of the economic spectrum. We cannot fund this housing plan through our regular budget. We need specific funds that we can leverage with private builders to get the maximum number of units we need.” Vaughan wrote that the bond will also allow for investment in the workforce by increasing down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers. “Every day we hear about the lack of housing choices and rising rents. Since the HR&A report, the need has intensified and this bond will give us a greater ability to respond.” Vaughan stated that the $6 million in law enforcement facilities bond “will allow us to finish the police headquarters downtown and to modernize our record-keeping,” and that the $14 million firefighting facilities bond 5 million “will modernize existing firehouses.” Many of those stations were built before women were accepted as firefighters, and require updating to accommodate them. Finally, she said that the $15 million in transportation bonds “will give us the opportunity to leverage money from the federal government for additional electric buses.” The city’s website at greensboro-nc.gov describes earlier general obligation bonds

at the Bond Information tab under Departments >> Financial and Administrative Services. According to the site, the $17.6 million 2020 bond project for “Fire Stations, Equipment, & Training Facilities” financed capital improvements that replaced two outdated fire stations, demolished and rebuilt a fire training structure, and purchased updated fire equipment and software for an improved alert system. In 2019, the $94 million bond project for the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts financed the completion of that public-private partnership project. In 2018, a $32 million bond project financed the Eugene Street parking deck. In 2016, the $126 million bond referendum passed. This included $25 million for safe and affordable public housing; $38.5 million in community and economic development bonds primarily intended to improve downtown streets; a $34.5 million parks & recs bond, much of which went to build the Greenway; and a $28 million transportation bond, of which $18 million was for resurfacing roads throughout the city. ! IAN MCDOWELL is the author of two published novels, numerous anthologized short stories, and a whole lot of nonfiction and journalism, some of which he’s proud of and none of which he’s ashamed of. APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2022

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Blind Tiger first to face safety review board following shootings & citations After shootings that the City of Greensboro reports describe as being associated with the Blind Tiger, as well as subsequent code inspections, the fate of the popular 34-yearold music venue at Ian McDowell 1819 Spring Garden Street remains unclear. Contributor So is what actually happened, but there is evidence that the second shooting incident occurred while an after-hours event was still occurring inside the venue at 5:40 a.m. The first incident, five days earlier, was around 10:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13. A call came into the 911 emergency center from a nearby business stating that multiple people with firearms were running YES! WEEKLY

April 27 - MAy 3, 2022

through the venue’s parking lot. Then the caller reported gunshots. The 911 recording concluded with the caller stating “There’s two cars racing away right now. One’s a black sedan. One’s a silver SUV. There’s multiple cars fleeing, actually.” In an April 18 email to Mayor Nancy Vaughan, Assistant City Manager for Public Safety Trey Davis described both the April 13 incident and the one that occurred at or near the same location on early Easter Monday. Davis first summarized the 10:45 p.m. incident on April 13: Officers responded to the Blind Tiger in reference to shots fired. When officers arrived, unknown subjects were still discharging firearms behind the business. Officers observed several vehicles fleeing the scene and located one victim in the parking area. One person suffered a minor gunshot injury to his hand and was treated by EMS and released. While officers were on scene, another person arrived at Wesley Long Hospital suffering from two gunshot

wounds to his back. Officers made contact with a vehicle believed to be involved. They detained two subjects and seized an ARstyle rifle and a .45 caliber handgun from the occupants of the vehicle, along with a sell and deliver quantity of marijuana. He then described what happened at 5:45 a.m. on Monday, April 18. Officers were at the intersection of Warren and Spring Garden when they heard discharging coming from the area of the “Blind Tiger.” Upon the arrival at the “Blind Tiger,” officers were advised that two patrons had been struck by gunfire. Both people had tourniquets applied to their legs by security staff and were transported to Moses Cone in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. . .. Security staff was adamant that a subject tied to that vehicle was removed from the establishment before the shooting and possibly had a verbal altercation with subjects in the parking lot before discharging/shooting. Blind Tiger advised they appeared to

have captured video of the shooting on their security system. Six shell casings were located in the parking lot and one road across from the business. Both the term “patrons” and the reference to “security staff” suggest that an after-hours event was occurring at the venue. In an April 18 email to District 1’s Sharon Hightower, Vaughan wrote: “Blind Tiger may have been acting as a 2:00-6:00 club which falls outside of ABC and ALE since technically they are not allowed to serve alcohol. I’ve asked [City Attorney] Chuck [Watts] to see what we can do to ensure that 2:00-6:00 clubs operate in a safe manner. There are only a few but GPD has identified them as a growing concern.” YES! Weekly obtained a purported security video of the April 18 incident and it shows what appears to be a section of Spring Garden in front of the Blind Tiger. Eleven people walking on the sidewalk pass in front of the camera. Off-camera

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shots ring out and the group flees. An off-camera male voice shouts “I’m on the floor” multiple times, and then something unintelligible. The video was sent to Davis, who has not stated whether he believes it to depict the incident, or if it is the same video the venue’s security allegedly shared with police. The Blind Tiger incidents will be the first test of the city’s newly formed Safety Review Board. In an April 20 email, Davis explained the process. As outlined in the City of Greensboro’s Safety Review Board policy (attached), multiple acts of violence occurred at this location triggering a Safety Review. The initial engagement with the business occurred today, and entailed site visits by Neighborhood Development (Code Enforcement), Engineering and Inspections, and the Fire Marshall’s office. GPD continues to follow up on the incidents that occurred and assisting ALE with any alcohol-related violations. The site visits revealed numerous safety and code violations, as well as, unpermitted structural changes. Based upon this, the owner/ operators were advised the location will be temporarily closed. The Safety Review Board will convene within seven days. This meeting will include a staff member from Engineering and Inspections, Fire, Neighborhood Development, Police, and a Peer Business Owner. The purpose of this Board meeting is to collaborate with the owner or any subtenant in an effort to prevent future violent incidents at the property. At the conclusion of this Board meeting, the City Safety Review Board may prepare a Corrective Action Recommendation, pending the business resuming operations. In a phone call concurrent with that email, Davis said, “I want to give you some information on just why the Safety Plan Activation has focused specifically on Blind Tiger.” He then stated that, on April 13, “there was a very large crowd at an event there when two people were injured by gunfire” and pointed out the description of the April 18 incident, which “showed that security staff from the Blind Tiger were involved.” Davis emphasized something he’d stated to other media. “The Safety Plan is not an ordinance. It doesn’t really have anything punitive, but gives us the opportunity to draw on other resources within the city to engage the business and say look, what’s happening there, and ask what can we do so that they can stay open.” Davis said, “The first step is to engage them so that these components are about safety. The violent incidents alert us to the location. Here, we have two vioWWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

Assistant City Manager Trey Davis speaks during council

lent incidents in a very short span of time. The police department will work with ALE to ensure that no alcohol violations have occurred. So, on a preliminary engagement with the owners, we discovered a number of violations.” On Friday, YES! Weekly obtained reports from Fire Marshal T.R. Henshaw and from Troy Powell, manager of the Community Improvement Division of Neighborhood Development, which detailed why the Blind Tiger had been temporarily closed by the city. The fire marshal’s report cited open junction boxes, missing breakers, piggybacked surge protectors, and “extension cords replacing permanent wiring in numerous locations,” as well as “missing, hidden or obstructed” fire extinguishers and “combustible materials in mechanical rooms.” It cited “significant alterations without permits and inspections.” Powell’s report described “numerous non-residential code violations, developing probable cause for an Administrative Hearing to be scheduled for May 17, 2022, at 9 a.m. in the Code Compliance Office.” Powell cited “failure to maintain” the exterior structure “so as not to pose a threat to the public health, safety or welfare,” and “failure to maintain windows, skylight, door frames in sound condition, good repair, and weather-tight.” Powell also described interior code violations relating to handrails, doors, and surfaces, as well as “unsafe stairs and unsafe walls.” Under the heading of “Significant Alterations without Permits or Plans Review,” Powell listed “relocation of fire alarm panel, leaving holes in the

walls; new partition walls created, limiting fire escape” and “new doors created through a block wall.” His report cited open electrical boxes, “missing breakers creating electrocution hazards,” and “cords used in place of permanent wiring with piggyback surge protectors,” as well as blocked or covered duct system vents, and failure to maintain public toilets in “safe, sanitary, and working condition.” In further email, Davis stated: “The Executive Officer of the Vice Narcotics Division has spoken to owners Brad McCauley and Daniel Forman. Both have been cooperative and engaged in the conversations that have taken place regarding the operational aspects of the business involving the security measures they deploy inside and outside of the venue, the methods their security uses to prevent violence, the necessity to contact Guilford Metro 911 in the event a disorder occurs prior to it escalating into violence, and hiring law enforcement for various events to supplement their security measures.” YES! Weekly reached out to co-owner Brad McCauley via texts and phone messages. McCauley texted back, “I am planning on having all media outlets out to the Tiger this coming week for questions and answers to all the events that have occurred last week as well as the reasons for the shutdown. Please reach out to me Monday for the exact day and time. We are meeting with the city on Monday, so most likely it will be Tuesday or Wednesday.”

McCauley called shortly after that text message and said he was on speakerphone with Forman and general manager Doc Beck. He called his situation “not quite what it’s been shown in the media” and said, “we have some issues against Nancy Vaughan and a couple of other people who have been inaccurate, which is why we want clarity with everything.” “We’re trying to get a press conference approved at the venue,” he continued. “We’re doing our best, and everything they came up with on their list is almost complete, so that’s not an issue. We’re definitely going to do as much as we can to give you as much information as we can. After we meet with the city, I’ll give you a call.” McCauley did not call on Monday but answered his phone Tuesday morning. He apologized for not yet having a date for his intended press conference, and said that city officials were “coming out here every 15 minutes” with new inspections. He initially offered to provide copies of the latest inspection documents, but called back and said “my attorney advises me not to do that until we can have our press conference and give the press copies of everything all at once.” Editors Note: According to a post on the Blind Tiger’s Facebook page Tuesday afternoon, the venue is now open with shows beginning Tuesday night. ! IAN MCDOWELL is the author of two published novels, numerous anthologized short stories, and a whole lot of nonfiction and journalism, some of which he’s proud of and none of which he’s ashamed of. APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2022

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[FACES & PLACES] by Natalie Garcia

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Greensboro Food Truck Festival 4.24.22 | Greensboro

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Breathe Lounge 4.23.22 | Kernersville

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Sweet Old Bill’s 4.23.22 | High Point

APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2022

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HEAR IT!

The many avenues of Katie Blvd

atie Blvd is busy. Her work as a visual artist can be seen scrolling along digital billboards in downtown Greensboro, meanwhile her music bumps from Katei Cranford Etc.GSO in Glenwood, every second Contributor Saturday, as part of her latest monthly “Beats Batch” series. It’s all part of a desire to “create works that move people, and spaces that lift the underdog,” Blvd said. “My goal truly is to introduce people to the world of production, and show artists that they don’t have to seek overseas or California to collaborate with a great producer.” With an eye on building bridges for local musicians and producers, Blvd finds herself at the precipice of several avenues. “I feel like I can be perceived as a different facet of my work to everybody,” she

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noted, relaying her work as a vocalist and guitarist against beat making and rapping. “Truly, I’m an intersection of all the interests and works I create. I’m a singer and a producer, a painter and a collage artist. Not one or the other, because they all overlap!” Meshing visual arts and music since childhood, Blvd grew up around the Raleigh area before moving to Greensboro

to study at North Carolina A&T State University. “My first musical experiences were through showcases at A&T, then I was introduced to the local music scene through Darlene McLinton at The Artist Bloc.” Praising her alma mater for connecting her first music group, Earth Tones, “A&T put us all in the environment to let fate pull together this intersection of people,

and I’ll never forget those few years we were making music together.” As a visual artist, “I’ve been a graphic designer before I knew what it was,” she explained, with memories of making birthday cards for her mom as an eightyear-old. These days, she works for a creative agency in downtown Greensboro — her art appearing in ads for companies like Cone Health and the Guilford College Bryan Series. As a freelancer, Blvd specializes in music promotion materials — honing skills as the visual force behind Earth Tones, and its successor of sorts, the MTROKNWN beat collective — as well as working with Prez from In the Beat of the Night and Flat Iron through the start of the year. She’s also recently partnered with Let’s Talk: Durham to illustrate accompaniments for interviews. Equally multifaceted as a musician, her upbringing involved daily piano lessons; and playing violin in her school orchestra — an instrument she still occasionally throws into songs. “I specifically play guitar, bass, and keys on my tracks,” she

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LIVE MUSIC Earth Tones explained. “Even if I’m making beats, most of them include a bass line played in, and a little synth or guitar added to amp up the track.” Gear-wise, Blvd is “in love” with her Stagg electric guitar. “It played like water and I felt connected as soon as I picked it up,” she said, expressing a similar adoration for her KORG Nanopad. “It’s been a game changer for playing in my unquantized drum sequences,” she added, with a “shout out to the Dilla heads!” Calling J Dilla “the largest influence of all,” Blvd relayed an obsession with, “music that really connects to the soul and jazz that I grew up on.” And lists other influences amongst Lianne La Havas, Mos Def, Madlib (plus Quasimoto), MF DOOM, Hiatus Kaiyote, Little Dragon, Lalah Hathaway, Butcher Brown, DJ Harrison, Robert Glasper, and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson. “Just to name a few,” she added, turning to her taste for music that holds “connection to the culture and societal movements of the generations before mine.” It’s a concept encapsulated in her “serial nostalgic” byline. “My playlists incite that authentic, soulful feeling of sounds from the past,” she continued. “My parents were old school, so around the home we didn’t listen to hip hop. I heard mostly R&B artists like Maxwell, Anita Baker, Sade, and Kem from my Mom, and my dad introduced me to funk and jazz like Parliament-Funkadelic, Herbie Hancock, and Hiroshima.” Within her own work. “I want to cultivate a sound that was undeniably hip hop, but feels freeform like jazz and alternative enough to catch you off guard,” she noted. “I bridge inspirations from Brazilian bossa nova, wavy beachy tones, and heavy basement hip hop drums with call-andresponses inspired by my connection with funk and some of the Gullah energy that WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

comes from my family.” As a vocalist she pulls from deeper registers, and rappers who “spit heavy with sweet voices like Monie Love and Ladybug Mecca.” Thematically, Blvd walks narrative lines of self-discovery, uplifting the underdog, and challenging societal norms — concepts woven across her first solo album: “Like Watching Paint Dry” and her two “Blvd Bumps” beat tapes: “Vol. 1: The Fun Ones” and “Vol. 2: Reality Bytes.” And she’s conceptualized launching the Beats Batch series, “a beat show for peace,” aimed at patching holes in the Triad beat scene. Referencing collectives in major NC cities, Blvd noted ways MTROKNWN once offered a Greensboro sampling amongst the work of Charlotte’s Vacation Pay, Durham’s Raund Haus, and Raleigh’s Genius Party. “Beats Batch was created to fill that space with an event that’s for everyone,” she said, “not for competition or notoriety. For peace!“ The first two sessions have featured members from Earth Tones and MTROKNWN like Suff Dele, Professor X, DEViANt Sounds, C.R.I.S.T.E.N, Tango.WAV, and Dallasito, among Blvd’s newer colleagues like the Gentleman Boss, Lautlos, and Ceem. T.M. Beyond the batch, she’s staying busy: a new single, “Next One Gone” with Suff Dele is in the works; as is “Sunnyside,” an intended summer release with Tango. WAV. Her second full-length album, “Jaywalker,” (featuring Weirddough and DJ Harrison) should drop by early fall. In the beat world, fans can soon expect a love-themed third volume from her “Blvd Bumps” series: “For You and Yours.” Meanwhile Beats Batch 003 goes down at Etc.GSO on May 14. ! KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who enjoys spotlighting artists and events.

THIS WEEK

ROAR BRANDS

THEATRE EVENTS

Thursday 4/28

Souljam | 6pm | Fords Food Hall Daniel Snipes | 6pm | Est! Est!! Est!!!

Friday 4/29

Torch Songs | 6pm | JL Caspers Rewind | 8pm | Fords Food Hall DJ Fish | 8pm | Mayfair Club

Saturday 4/30

Torch Songs | 6pm | JL Caspers Xcentrix | 6pm | Fords Food Hall DJ RichyB | 8pm | Mayfair Club

Friday, 5/13 | 7pm

Jukebox Rehab

ROAR SHOCK COMEDY Winston-Salem’s Only Monthly Comedy Showcase

Thursday 5/3 | 8pm

Derby Party Saturday, 5/7 | 4pm OFF TO THE RACES

Friday, 5/20 | 6pm

Britishmania

Please join us for the races, drink specials and contests. “Pre party on the Rooftop”

TRICAST CONTEST TO WIN TICKETS FOR TWO TO BRITISHMANIA $100 FOR BEST DRESSED MALE AND FEMALE! COME DRESSED TO IMPRESS!

633 North Liberty Street | Winston-Salem, NC 27101 www.roarws.com | www.roarbrandstheater.com APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2022

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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 www.foursaintsbrewing.com Thursdays: Taproom Trivia Fridays: Music Bingo May 1: Randolph Jazz Band May 3: Joe Blandino May 7: Tim Wolf May 14: Caeland Garner May 15: Honky Tonk Jam w/ Mark Dillon & Friends May 21: Creatio Jun 4: William Nesmith

Charlotte

Bojangles Coliseum

2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600 www.boplex.com Apr 28: Zach Williams Apr 29: David Spade May 1: No Cap Comedy Tour May 6: KEM & Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds May 8: Ricardo Arjona May 15: Kountry Wayne May 29: Dean Cole Jun 1: Bonnie Raitt

CMCU Amphitheatre former Uptown Amphitheatre 820 Hamilton St | 704.549.5555 www.livenation.com May 3: Khruangbin May 16: Leon Bridges Jun 5: Barenaked Ladies

The Fillmore

1000 NC Music Factory Blvd | 704.916.8970 www.livenation.com Apr 27: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Apr 28: Indigo Girls Apr 29: Lukas Nelson and Promse of the Real Apr 30: Jacob Collier May 1: The Regrettes May 2: Koffee May 3: Dying Fetus May 4: Mariah The Scientist May 5: Young M.A. May 5: Snog Aalegra May 6: Heather Land May 6: Hayden James May 7: Nardo Wick May 7: LP May 11: The Carousel tour ft Anthony Green, Laura Jane Grance, and Tim Kasher

PNC Music Pavilion

707 Pavilion Blvd | 704.549.1292 www.livenation.com Apr 30: Jimmy Buffet May 8: AJR & Gayle May 12: Tim McGraw May 20: Dave Matthews Band

Spectrum Center

333 E Trade St | 704.688.9000 www.spectrumcentercharlotte.com Apr 28: Journey May 4: Casting Crowns and We The Kingdom May 8: Mount Westmore May 18: J Balvin

clemmons

Village Square Tap House

6000 Meadowbrook Mall Ct | 336.448.5330 www.vstaphouse.com | www.facebook. com/vstaphouse Apr 28: Joey Whitaker Apr 30: Soundkraft May 5: JVC and Anna Mertson May 13: Whiskey Mic Jun 2: JVC w/ Stewart Coley

durham

Carolina Theatre

309 W Morgan St | 919.560.3030 www.carolinatheatre.org Apr 29: Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular May 1: The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle May 2: The Movement May 3: Melissa Etheridge May 5: Beth Hart May 6: The Steeldrivers May 7: Rissi Palmer May 7: Stay Prayed Up May 11: Joe Jackson May 14: Leonid & Friends May 25: Béla Fleck Jun 3: Robert Earl Keen Jun 4: Ray LaMontagne Jun 5: Empower Experience Jun 9: Happy Together Tour

DPAC

123 Vivian St | 919.680.2787 www.dpacnc.com Apr 27: Hannah Gadsby May 3-8: My Fair Lady May 11: Triangle Rising Stars May 12: Get The Led Out May 17-Jun 5: HAMILTON Jun 7: Bonnie Raitt Jun 8: Chris Rock Jun 10: Jo Koy Jun 11: Chelsea Handler Jun 14-19: Jesus Christ Superstar Jun 22 : Puscifer

ELKIN

Reeves Theater

129 W Main St | 336.258.8240 www.reevestheater.com Fourth Thursdays: Old-Time Jam May 6: Phatt City May 13: Bill & The Belles May 27: Jeff Little Trio May 28: Reeves House Band YES! WEEKLY

April 27 - May 3, 2022

greensboro

Arizona Pete’s

2900 Patterson St #A | 336.632.9889 www.arizonapetes.com Apr 26: Escape The Fate w/ The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Violent New Breed May 2: Xavier Wulf May 24: After The Burial & Thy Art Is Murder w/ Currents & Brand Of Sacrifice

Barn Dinner Theatre 120 Stage Coach Tr. | 336.292.2211 www.barndinner.com Apr 9-May 7: Crowns Mar 14-Jun 25: Groovin’ Jul 8-Aug 6: Soul Sistas

Baxter’s Tavern

536 Farragut St | 336.808.5837 www.baxterstavern.com Apr 29: The Stallions Apr 30: Big Bump & The Stun Gunz Jun 4: Southern Sounds Band Jun 18: Shoot To Thrill Jul 2: High Fidelity Jul 3: Cory Luetjen & The Traveling Blyes Band Jul 10: The Pink Slips Jul 15: Spindle 45 Jul 16: Killing Fiction

Carolina Theatre

310 S. Greene Street | 336.333.2605 www.carolinatheatre.com May 1: ABBAFAB May 4: Future Fund 10 May 8: Always... Patsy Cline May 15: Dori Freeman May 19: Chelcie Lynn May 20: Drew Shamir: The CLRTHRY May 21: Colin Cutler May 22: Songwriters in the Round in the Crown Jun 4-5: Spring Concerts 2022 Jun 9: JJ Grey & Mofro Jun 17: Shrek The Musical

Comedy Zone

1126 S Holden Rd | 336.333.1034 www.thecomedyzone.com Apr 29-30: Tyler Chronicles May 5: Shayne Smith May 6-7: Shaun Jones May 12: Ca$h-Out Comedy May 13-15: Comedian CP May 20-22: Lavar Walker May 27-29: Benji Brown Jun 10-12: Ryan Davis Jun 17-18: James Murray

www.yesweekly.comw

Flat Iron

221 Summit Ave | 336.501.3967 www.flatirongso.com apr 28: Saphron apr 29: Glory Fires, totally Slow, Sugar Meat apr 29: lee Brains + the Glory Fires w/ Suzanne apr 30: Hustle Souls May 3: night teacher w/ Wild root rising May 5: Jack Marion & Pearl Snap Prophets May 6: Unheard Project - Shane Wheeler May 8: Jeff Plankenhorn and Scrappy Jud May 14: royal Jelly May 20: Justin Cody Fox Jun 2: 2nd today Jun 3: tyler Meacham Jun 4: Chuck Mountain

GaraGE tavErn

5211 A West Market St | 336.763.2020 www.garagetaverngso.com

GrEEnSBoro ColISEUM 1921 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400 www.greensborocoliseum.com May 3: Shinedown May 21: Banda MS May 27: Erykah Badu & Friends Jun 8: Chris tomlin Jun 11: Keith Sweat, Monica, tevin Campbell, tamar Braxton, Silk Jun 24: Hank Williams Jr. Sep 10: alan Jackson

lIttlE BrotHEr BrEWInG

348 South Elm St | 336.510.9678 www.facebook.com/littlebrotherbrew apr 29: Good Watts May 20: Stray local

PIEdMont Hall

2411 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400 www.greensborocoliseum.com May 21: asking alexandria w/ atreyu

rodY’S tavErn

5105 Michaux Rd | 336.282.0950 www.rodystavern.com May 25: SoundKraft

SoUtH End BrEWInG Co. 117B W Lewis St | 336.285.6406 www.southendbrewing.com tuesdays: trivia night May 12: tony & Katy Jun 4: Jon Ward Beyle Band Jul 14: decades

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StEvEn tanGEr CEntEr

300 N Elm Street | 336.333.6500 www.tangercenter.com apr 30: Get the led out May 5: KEM & Babyface May 7: a String Spectacular May 10: Steve Martin May 17: rita Moreno May 20: Chicago May 21: Kenny G Jun 8: Bonnie raitt Jul 5: the Masked Singer Jul 7: vince Gill Jul 23: Jeezy & K. Michelle aug 5: Southern Soul Summer Explosion

tHE IdIot Box CoMEdY ClUB

503 N. Greene St | 336.274.2699 www.idiotboxers.com apr 30: Pedro Gonzalez May 21: Mo alexander Jun 4: Kevin McCaffrey

WHItE oaK aMPItHEatrE

1921 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400 www.greensborocoliseum.com May 25: the Smashing Pumpkins Jun 18: Crowder aug 5: ZZ top aug 28: Jamey Johnson

SWEEt old BIll’S 1232 N Main St | 336.807.1476 www.sweetoldbills.com apr 28: Banjo Earth May 5: JB and Company May 12: Chris Sheppard May 19: Banjo Earth

KErnErSvIllE BrEWInG CoMPanY 221 N Main St. | 336.816.7283 kernersvillebrewing.com thursdays: trivia May 22: Brews-a-Palooza

lewisville

jamestown

old nICK’S PUB

tHE dECK

118 E Main St | 336.207.1999 www.thedeckatrivertwist.com apr 29: the Plaids apr 30: Simerson Hill May 6: retro vinyl May 7: decarlo May 12: Ethan Smith May 13: Patrick rock May 14: Stereo doll

kernersville

BrEatHE CoCKtaIl loUnGE

221 N Main St. | 336.497.4822 www.facebook.com/BreatheCocktailLounge Wednesdays: Karaoke Fridays: dJ apr 28: Jessie dunks

191 Lowes Foods Dr | 336.747.3059 www.OldNicksPubNC.com Fridays: Karaoke Jun 18: Carolina Pines

liberty

tHE lIBErtY SHoWCaSE tHEatEr

101 S. Fayetteville St | 336.622.3844 www.TheLibertyShowcase.com aug 13: dailey & vincent aug 20: Gene Watson

oak ridge

BIStro 150

2205 Oak Ridge Rd | 336.643.6359 www.bistro150nc.com apr 30: renae Paige

high point

aFtEr HoUrS tavErn

1614 N Main St | 336.883.4113 www.facebook.com/AfterHoursTavernHighPoint Jul 9: living temptation

GooFY Foot taProoM 2762 NC-68 #109 | 336.307.2567 www.goofyfoottaproom.com May 21: the Williamsons May 28: Michael Chaney Music

HaM’S PalladIUM 5840 Samet Dr | 336.887.2434 www.hamsrestaurants.com apr 30: Shugga daddies

HIGH PoInt tHEatrE

220 E Commerce Ave | 336.883.3401 www.highpointtheatre.com apr 29: viva Mexico! viva america! May 6-8: Cinderella May 13-14: Celtic legends May 15: raleigh ringers May 21-28: recital 2022 Jun 4-18: recital 2022 Jun 23: Miss nC outstanding teen

FREE Shredding Event Join the Sedgefield Woman’s Club Saturday, April 30, 2022 from 10am – 1pm

Adams Farm Shopping Center (Harris Teeter) | 5710 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro This post tax date shredding date is the perfect time for you to get rid of all those old documents! This is the opportunity to have those confidential documents destroyed on site for FREE. Safely dispose of those personal papers! We are raising awareness that consumer fraud and identity theft are becoming an epidemic in our communities so let us help you. We will also be collecting donations of canned goods, books and Styrofoam. Items will be donated to the David Wilson Food Pantry, Family Services of the Piedmont, Interactive Resource Center, Salvation Army and the Styrofoam will go to Tiny houses to help the homeless.

April 27 - MAy 3, 2022

YES! WEEKLY

rEd hat aMPhithEatEr

raleigh

CCU MUSiC Park at WalnUt CrEEk

3801 Rock Quarry Rd | 919.821.4111 www.livenation.com May 17: kiSS May 21: tim McGraw May 24: the lumineers Jun 3: Morgan Wallen

linColn thEatrE

126 E. Cabarrus St | 919.831.6400 www.lincolntheatre.com apr 29: Spring in tha Carolinas apr 30: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong May 2: teddy Swims May 6: town Mountain May 8: Freddie Gibbs May 11: lucius w/ Celisse May 12: Jantsen w/ Space Wizard, Superave May 13: aly & aJ May 14: nightrain - Guns n’ roses tribute May 15: tray Wellington Band w/ Sunny Miles (Solo) May 19: ray Wylie hubbard May 20: Joe hero May 21: the Band of heathens w/ reed Foehl May 22: kidd G w/ robyn ottolini

500 S McDowell St | 919.996.8800 www.redhatamphitheater.com apr 28: nine inch nails May 7: aJr May 10: the offspring May 16: rex orange County

PnC arEna

1400 Edwards Mill Rd | 919.861.2300 www.thepncarena.com May 16: Casting Crowns, We the kingdom Mar 22: John Mulaney

winston-salem

BUll’S tavErn

408 West 4th St | 336.331.3431 www.bullswsnc.com Wednesdays: karaoke apr 29: the kind thieves apr 30: Scene kid Saturday May 20: Sun dried vibes

Earl’S

121 West 9th Street | 336.448.0018 www.earlsws.com apr 28: Will Jones apr 29: time Bandits apr 30: aaron hamm & Big river Band

MUddY CrEEk CaFE & MUSiC hall

May 5: Wild Goose Chase May 6: river ridge Band May 7: Jason Moss & the hosses May 12: Will Jones May 13: ashes & arrows May 14: Megan doss Band May 20: Jonathan Parker Band

137 West St | 336.201.5182 www.muddycreekcafeandmusichall.com thursdays: open Mic night w/ Country dan Collins Jun 18: Muddy Creek Band

Fiddlin’ FiSh BrEWinG CoMPanY

thE raMkat

170 W 9th St | 336.754.9714 www.theramkat.com apr 29: daniel donato, withdrew May 3: orquesta akokan May 5: Mauve angeles, Earl May 7: tribute to Chris Garges May 12: Spirit System, irata, Petrov May 13: tyler nail, his & hers May 14: Stryper, the Fifth

772 Trade St | 336.999.8945 www.fiddlinfish.com May 12: Jessie dunks May 27: Camel City Blues Jun 3: Pat Bourque

FoothillS BrEWinG 638 W 4th St | 336.777.3348 www.foothillsbrewing.com apr 27: Sam robinson May 1: Sunday Jazz May 8: Sunday Jazz

MidWaY MUSiC hall

WinSton-SalEM FairGroUnd

11141 Old US Hwy 52, Suite 10 | 336.793.4218 www.facebook.com/midwaymusichallandeventcenter Mondays: line dancing w/ denise apr 29: Brett tolley and Friends apr 30: Sprockett May 6: Sidekix May 13: Brett tolley and Friends

421 W 27th St | 336.727.2236 www.wsfairgrounds.com May 19-20: Classic Country Concert

WiSE Man BrEWinG

826 Angelo Bros Ave | 336.725.0008 www.wisemanbrewing.com thursdays: Music Bingo apr 30: liam and the nerdy Blues Jul 16: love & valor

Small Business Spotlight

Listen every Sunday at 9 AM for WTOB’s Small Business Spotlight. Hosted by Josh Schuminsky, you will learn about the many small, locally-owned businesses in the Winston-Salem area. 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.

MAY 1

Denise Heidle - Lewisville/Clemmons Chamber of Commerce Timothy Walker - Small Batch Beer Company THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

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

YES! WEEKLY

April 27 - MAy 3, 2022

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last call

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

BACKBONE TO THE FUTURE

I’m a man in my 60s. Looking back on my romantic life, I was always the guy women spent time with when their husband or boyfriend wasn’t Amy Alkon paying attention to them or while they Advice waited for the right Goddess guy (status, power, money) to show up. I’m good-looking, but I realize from reading you that I never had enough “mate value,” never mastering the essence of Cialdini’s “scarcity principle.” I’m a retired teacher. For 20some years, I taught kids who had severe behavioral problems. While parents, grandparents, and school personnel appreciated what I did, it didn’t hold much long-term interest for women. My wife left me for someone with much higher “mate value.” I keep thinking that all of this could have been avoided if I had only chosen a profession with high-end “mate value.” — Alone You were never going to be the guy for those women who pictured themselves spending lazy summer afternoons in Martha’s Vineyard (as opposed to Martha’s Laundromat). However, your having a middlin’-bucks job instead of a megabucks one probably wasn’t the root of your mate retention issues. It turns out that there’s more to

mate value than money and a “high-end” job. In fact, evolutionary psychologist David Buss did a massive cross-cultural survey looking at what men and women want in a partner, and kindness topped the list for each. (Yes, kindness — which was pretty much your job description.) Intelligence was another list-topper. What wasn’t on the lists at all? A partner who’s a pushover — always available, never any pesky boundaries. Accordingly, you mention psychologist Robert Cialdini, whose “scarcity principle” I’ve referenced. Basically, we value — and want — what is out of reach and seems hard to get, not what seems hard to get rid of. That “hard” truth might seem like reason for you to keep looking back with despair. However, within it is actually a message of hope — an action plan. The reality is, you’re in a better position than ever to land and keep a woman. As I often explain, there are sex differences in what men and women prioritize in a partner, with men valuing looks far more than women do. (Youth and beauty are evolution’s version of a billboard advertising health and fertility.) This means that women’s mate value is higher when they’re, say, in their early 20s. And that’s why 22-year-old guys find 22-year-old women seriously hot — as do the grandpas of those 22-year-old dudes. Meanwhile, a 22-year-old guy is essentially gum under the tire of a 32-yearold guy’s Mercedes. Because women prioritize status and resources in a male partner, men’s mate value tends to increase as they get older and more ac-

answers [CROSSWORD] crossword on page 11

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once a week like the trash guys the city sends to your neighborhood. What happens is that you transform your default behavior — how you behave when you react automatically — to acting like a man instead of like the male friend who braids women’s hair while they’re waiting for the guy they are having sex with. As for the practical steps to becoming the new bold you: Figure out what seems fair and right, and then say “no” to everything outside that box. (Generosity is good. Generosity that knows no bounds is a lust’s executioner.) Assert yourself even when you’re scared to do it. Sure, you’ll feel uncomfortable, especially the first few times. However, you should slowly begin to do better with the ladies — and maybe even find love, despite it being clear that the only fur you’d ever get a woman would come with the rest of the hamster or the cat. !

complished. Cruelly, women’s mate value declines with age. On a more positive note, what also tends to go is the notion some younger women have that massive character flaws can be outweighed by a massive mansion. Women with a thing for bad boys may likewise come to see the excitement in a man who pays the bills the boring way — through online banking instead of online identity theft. In short, there are plenty of women who’d want a guy like you — providing you mend your ways. Going back to that “scarcity principle,” what needs to become scarce is your willingness to be a convenient option instead of a priority. Though this has been your default state — for decades — it doesn’t have to remain that way. As I explain in my new “science-help” book, “Unf*ckology: A Field Guide to Living with Guts and Confidence,” “your feelings are not the boss of you. It’s not what you feel; it’s what you do.” In fact, by repeatedly acting assertively, you’ll actually rewire your brain. This isn’t to say the old rollover kitty behaviors go away. Unfortunately, there’s no giant neural eraser that comes around

GOT A PROBLEM? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave., #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or email AdviceAmy@ aol.com (www.advicegoddess.com). Follow her on Twitter @amyalkon. Order her latest “science-help” book, Unf*ckology: A Field Guide to Living with Guts and Confidence. ©2022 Amy Alkon. Distributed by Creators.Com.

TR ASURE The

CLUB

A D U L T E N T E R TA I N M E N T A N D S P O R TS B A R & C LU B

[WEEKLY SUDOKU] sudoku on page 11

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THETREASURECLUBS.COM APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2022

YES! WEEKLY

Let the summer adventure begin. Camp sessions will include:

Give your teen a summer adventure to remember with the latest tech and knowledgeable instructors from a wide range of industries.

GTCC’s Titan Tech is a week of sessions filled with fun, hands-on experiences that allow your teen to explore some of the hottest potential careers. Space is limited. Sign up now.

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9 REGISTRE ATION DEADLINE Call 336-334-4822 Ext. 50611 or email titantech@gtcc.edu for more information.

• The Scrub Life Dive into health sciences and see what makes them critical to our survival. • Digital Art & Design Turn your ideas into reality using the latest graphic design and illustration tech. • Cyber Titans Workshop Explore the foundations of cyber crime and digital forensics using the latest tools to learn hacking basics and investigate mobile phones. • Learning Digital Surveillance & Ethics: How We Are TARGETED Learn how web and social media giants keep us hooked to digital content using demographics/psychographics, search engine optimization, analytics, algorithms, and many other tools.

• Phantastic Photos & Viralicious Video 101 Discover the latest in professional photography and videography techniques to produce amazing photos and attention-grabbing videos. • Let’s Make a Record! Explore behind the scenes of audio production as campers create, record, modify, and master music in the studio.

2022 Titan Tech Summer Sessions

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• Destination Delicious Meet the Green Machine, GTCC’s own food truck and create fun food in a mobile kitchen.

• Iron Man’s Fab Lab Learn basic safety, MIG welding and robotic welding fundamentals in our state-of-the-art training facility.

Learn more at gtcc.edu/titantech

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• Culinary Curious Find out if you can take the heat and work in the top restaurant kitchens.

Ages 13-18 : June 13 – 17 (Monday – Friday) 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Total Cost: $230 Location: Guilford Technical Community College, Jamestown Campus