encore December 26, 2019 - January 7, 2020

VOL. 36 / PUB. 26 • THE CAPE FEAR’S ALTERNATIVE VOICE FOR 35 YEARS • DECEMBER 25, 2019-January 7, 2020 FREE

encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com 1

HODGE PODGE Vol. 36/Pub. 26 December 26-January 7, 2020

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MUSIC pg. 16 • By Shannon Rae Gentry Andrew Kasab brings his love of string instruments to the Fermental stage. Photo by Jennifer Lagrange

word of the week CHAM-PAIN (N)

By:

A New Year’s Day hangover caused by cheap, sugary sparkling wine.

“Shannon was in a world of cham-pain after drinking too much Andre.”

enc

ore

staf f

COVER STORY • pgs. 4, 8, 18, 22, 28, 43 As the decade draws to a close, encore writers look back at the last 10 years of community and environmental change, music (including the opening of the Wilson Center, which hosted Grace Potter in 2016), film, theatre, and drinks.

EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief:

Shea Carver >> shea@encorepub.com

Staff Editors:

Shannon Rae Gentry >> shannon@encorepub.com Jeff Oloizia >> jeffrey@encorepub.com

Art Director/Office Manager:

Photo by Tom Dorgan

win of the week

FILM pg. 23 • By Jeff Oloizia Emma Grace Wright’s directorial debut shines a spotlight on people with disabilities. Photo by Matthew Ray Photography

Susie Riddle >> ads@encorepub.com

Chief Contributors: Gwenyfar Rohler, Anghus, Tom Tomorrow, Mark Basquill, Rosa Bianca, Rob Brezsny, John Wolfe, Joan C.W. Hoffmann SALES General Manager/Owner: John Hitt >> john@encorepub.com

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Megan Henry >> megan@encorepub.com John Hitt >> john@encorepub.com Shea Carver >> shea@encorepub.com Brian Venegas >> brian@encorepub.com Published weekly on Wednesday by HP Media; opinions of contributing writers are not necessarily the opinions of encore.

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ALSO INSIDE THIS WEEK P.O. Box 12430, Wilmington, N.C. 28405 encorepub.com • (910) 791-0688

THEATRE pg. 29 • By Shea Carver Opera House opens its 2020 season at Thalian Hall, with the madcap musical in drag, ‘La Cage aux Folles.’ Photo by Erik Maasch Photography

Live Local, pgs. 4-5 • News of the Weird, pg. 6 • Op Ed, pg. 7 • Music, pgs. 16-19 • Art, pg. 20 • Gallery Guide, pg. 21 Film, pg. 22-24 • Theatre, pgs. 28-30 • Dining, pgs. 34-43 • Extra, pg. 46 • Calendar, pgs.48-62 • Crossword, pg. 63

2 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

January 13 & 14

at

7:30 pm

Wilson Center

TickeT cenTral • 910.362.7999 • WilsoncenTerTickeTs.com encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com 3

COMMUNITY CHANGE Gwenyfar reflects on 10 years of living local and area decisions that change the community.

DECADE OF

Stock photo

COMMUNITY CHANGE

Gwenyfar reflects on Live Local over the last 10 years

T

he Live Local column began around Thanksgiving in 2009, in a completely different world, by a very different person. The impetus was to see if I could fulfill a year-long challenge to not shop at chain stores or online, or eat at chain restaurants. In other words, I wanted to see if I could spend an entire year investing my money exclusively in this community supporting small, locally owned businesses.

I thought it would be a chronicle of visiting farmers’ markets, answering questions about where to buy items everyone assumed were big-box store exclusives, like mattresses (Harrell’s Department Store), sheets and towels (Tomlinsons), or even smaller, un-thought-of stuff, like packaging tape (Stevens Hardware). I did cover those topics, but along the way, I discovered so much more about how our fragile ecosystem of a local economy fits together. More so, its survival is actually in our hands—not some shadowy puppet master’s far away.

But that power scares most people. We would rather not know or take responsibility for it.

Just for a little context, allow me to travel back to 2009 and share what led to Live Local’s beginnings...

Our small, family-owned, independent book store was still in the same location it had rented for 26 years, across from Front Street Brewery. Walmart was try-

BY GWENY

FAR ROHL

ing to take out the few remaining brickand-mortar businesses, and the evil online empire owned by Jeff Bezos (yes, Amazon) was on a high-speed trajectory to shut down every independent book store in America. Manufacturing was getting off-shored and job loss was staggering.

Main Streets across America got a lot of attention at election time, but otherwise were ignored as something “quaint” like novelty wallpaper. The economy was in a tailspin. Furloughs of government employees began because there was no money to pay them and keep essential services open (yes, I consider the library an essential service). The massive bank bailout, the TARP program, was implemented in 2010 to save the banks that were “too big to fail.”

In the midst of those ashes, the 99% Occupy Movement arose to draw attention to the rest of the country not in the 1% wealth bracket. The movement highlighted an insane debt-cycle racket that controls everyone else’s life through banks.

Meanwhile, the building the bookstore occupied for 26 years was condemned, due to neglect by our former landlord. In the midst of trying to move 150,000 books and find a new location, my father began a multi-month hospital odyssey.

The year 2010 stands out as the worst,

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ER

most educational and most beautiful year of my life. That Jock didn’t leave me is amazing. The man had shoulder-high stacks of boxes of books in his house for 11 months. There was a path to our bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. He jacked up floor joists to keep the house from collapsing. I was a mess of stress, anger, grief and fear, lashing out in terrible, angry ways.

Surrounding it all was the purchase of a new space for the bookstore, a massive construction project to open to the public, and a handicapped bathroom renovation at my parents’ house. Oh, and I was virtually living at the hospital—with no income coming in at all.

That year was my darkest hour in an ongoing nightmare. Yet, at every turn, someone surprised me with their generosity and kindness. The day we moved the bookstore’s inventory into storage was one of the most moving and powerful days of my life. I still cry when I talk about it, and probably will until my dying day. Hundreds of people showed up to move us to safety.

Ten months later, when we began unpacking in the new space, people showed up again and again, to help get boxes out of storage and books onto shelves.

If that wasn’t a turning point in my life, nothing will be. It made me have to slowly rethink everything I thought I knew about the world and my place in it. That’s what I’ve been doing for the last nine years. Because, initially, I set out with this column to change my world, with a goal to get people to stop shopping at Walmart.

While I explored these experiences and connections, the world shifted drastically.

Our film industry in North Carolina, for example, saw huge swings—from episodic television series and feature films spending money like an intoxicated heiress at a casino, to almost nothing. That happened in a calculated move courtesy of our NC General Assembly. With the death of the film incentive, they effectively exiled over 4,000 professional-level jobs out of our state.

Along the way they also passed the “bathroom bill” (HB 2), and have repeatedly assaulted voters’ rights and civil liberties.

Then the GenX/Chemours story made headlines with the revelation that the wa-

ter we drink, bathe in, brush our teeth with, and give to our children and animals, is poisoned. Though the public outcry was loud, by and large, very little has been done to addresses this problem.

Then the New Hanover County Commissioners declared war on their constituency. The opening salvo actually was pretty standard and fairly quiet: Project Grace came as a plan to move the museum and rebuild the main branch of the New Hanover County Library, complete with highend apartments atop it. (This is a highly condensed version; please, read our previous coverage for a more in-depth look.)

On its face, it was just another example of a “done deal” with the powers-that-be destroying something good that served the public for no real visible public benefit.

In spite of pushback, it seemed like business as usual: they didn’t care about our opinions and were going to do what they wanted.

Next, came our county-owned hospital system possibly put up for sale and becoming private—for no discernible reason that would actually benefit the public. And just last month WAVE Transit—our public bus system—came under fire. Three of the county commissioners have voted against the other two to eliminate county funding

Nationally, it has been crazier, moving from the inauguration of Barak Obama in 2009 to the impeachment hearing of Donald Trump in 2019. That’s part of why the Live Local column has changed: The words “American economy,” “local,” and “small business” have taken different meanings.

What was a well-meaning grassroots effort to refocus and bring some balance back to the economy has been taken to the extreme in rhetoric of isolationists and nationalists. That journey has been an odd one to endure.

So I began Live Local with an extreme vision, and in the process have seen a pendulum swing that is startling. Again, after an outward surprise, I have to go inside and ask questions to prepare for the answers that sometimes prove to be a longtime coming—and difficult to process.

I know I continue to do business with and support my neighbors. I like shopping and eating with people who recognize me by name when I walk in the door. These intangible connections are part of what makes life worthwhile for me—and they are more valuable than anything I can put a dollar figure upon.

The face of community has changed drastically in the last decade. According to the US Census Bureau, our population was a little more than 106,00 in 2010. By 2018

it was more than 122,600. Face it, we live on a delicate peninsula and there is a finite point for the density and impact our area can absorb. But that’s also a vast change in the daily life of our area. There are conversations about what our future can and will look like that are very different from what they would have been 10 years ago.

One thing we need to talk about is the value of our Historic District. We have colonial-era architecture—not a lot of it, but some—and more than many cities in the American South. That is a valuable economic asset, but if we don’t champion it, as more people move here with no connection to it, we will lose it in favor of strip malls and wider streets.

It is hard to move somewhere new and learn the area. I am guilty of losing patience with the storm of newly relocated yankee retirees bemoaning all the problems with living in the South and with Southerners in general. It is hard to remember they are homesick and have just gone through a profound life change: leaving all their friends, family and familiarity. In addition to our much-lauded Southern hospitality, we encourage them to become fully integrated parts of our community and help them learn about living here.

biggest personal challenges I face. But if we are going to survive as a community that can have a conversation about our future, we must welcome and educate our newest members.

Looking back at the last decade of Live Local, I realize I set out to change the world, and in truth it is the ongoing lessons from the village around me that have changed me. So, thank you. I am such a flawed and hopeful person. Thank you, for not giving up on me. I promise I will continue to try to be worthy of all the lessons so I can bring something to the conversation, and together we can try to move forward.

GIVE US A TRY...

! s l a e d .com

Oh, dear gods! What a canary in the proverbial coal mine.

for the service.

Buyers save, businesses soar!

It is hard. That might be one of the

encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com 5

marijuana in a classroom at North Attleborough High School in 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. [WJAR, 12/17/2019]

UPDATE

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-great-granddaughter 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.” [Detroit News, 12/13/2019]

UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT WJAR reported that an unnamed substitute teacher was fired on Dec. 16 for smoking

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. [BBC, 12/17/2019]

IRONY Two workers with the Chicago Park District were spreading salt on an icy lakefront bike path on December 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. [Associated Press, 12/11/2019]

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.

[Associated Press, 12/13/2019]

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.

6 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

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. [Fresno Bee, 12/18/2019]

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.” [NBC News, 12/18/2019]

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 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. [Fox13, 12/16/2019]

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.

[NY Daily News, 12/14/2019] 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.” [UPI, 12/12/2019]

encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com 7

DECADE OF ENVIRONMENTAL

BY JOHN WOLFE

W

CHANGE

hen my steadfast editor, Shea Carver, asked me to write a retrospective for the last issue of the decade, I was surprised to find I had written 81 articles for this wonderful publication. As I perused my catalog to write a look back over the decade, I was glad to find in every story lay a fond memory, a chance to grow and learn something new. I was delighted my prose has gotten (a little) smoother, and developed into something I can call my own.

Writing has given me an excuse to live the life I’ve always wanted to; I’ve gotten to do incredible things with this work—going places and meeting people I never would have otherwise. I’m quite proud of what I’ve done here. For this I’m exceptionally grateful to you, dear reader, for putting up with me all these years.

Choosing a path to a not-so-destructive future nc.gov/cafo-map.

I’ve written about overdevelopment, about how the people who run our city, under the guise of looking toward the future, are bulldozing our past. Look at the shift from green to gray happening all around us: Wilmington is the new Florida, a once-verdant place quickly growing too big for its bridges. Where is the balance?

Airlie Road was once the prettiest road in Wilmington, a cathedral we could drive through. Now, we see razed lots, awaiting cookie-cutter McMansions, and oak trees that took hundreds of years to grow being down ad nauseum across our city. What a But this is a rather self-gratifying exer- tragedy. These places, once gone, cannot cise, looking back at what I’ve typed in the be replaced in our lifetime. last 10 years. As always, I want to shift the One of the biggest stories I’ve covered focus outward to the natural world around for this magazine was Tap Watergate, us. How has our environment, locally and the ugly discovery that fluorochemical globally, changed in the past decade? Welp, pollution from the DuPont/Chemours pour a drink (a rather strong one because compound upstream was making its way most of it is bad news) and let’s break it from our river into our drinking glasses. down...

Last week, the Sweeney Water Treatment

I’ve written several articles about hog farms, including one in which I half-seriously suggested pumping all the state’s pig waste into Wendell Murphy’s River Landing gated golf-course community in Wallace. I calculated the walls would need to be 17-feet high to contain it all (I’m still very much in favor of making this happen). As of now, there are still over 100 million hogs and chickens living in factory farms in North Carolina, defecating into our drainage basin with impunity. The new swine permit issued in April 2019 sketched out a new groundwater monitoring program, but did nothing to address the continuing problems of environmental justice.

There are no signs that putrid pink waste lagoons will disappear from our lowlands.

If you’d like some visual sense of the scale of the problem, might I suggest spending a mired morning perusing the NC DEQ’s CAFO map [pictured]? It’s available at deq.

plant began installation of granular activated carbon filters to remove the PFAS from our drinking water, at a cost to the customer of only $46 million (plus an additional $2.9 million yearly to maintain).

They’re predicting it will come online by 2022. Chemours has been barred from discharging PFAS-containing wastewater into the river since December of 2017, and last February, thanks to the hard work of Cape Fear River Watch and NC DEQ, Chemours signed a consent order to build a thermal oxidizer, which will capture the PFAS air pollution at the facility, with remedial steps to clean up sediment and groundwater hopefully forthcoming. It’s expected to cost them upward of $200 million to fix the problem—which, funny enough, they announced they were suing DuPont for in July.

So that’s a glimmer of good news, but it doesn’t change the fact that for 37 years,

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residents of the Cape Fear Region were drinking this chemical cocktail without knowing it. Even today, the persistence of these chemicals in the environment can be plainly seen. Plus, financially every month, we are still paying for it. Dr. Detlef Knappe, the scientist who spearheaded the research paper which illuminated the GenX problem, said in October utilities can expect to see PFAS in raw water drawn from the Cape Fear “for decades to come.”

However, what I’ve written about most of all is the many-headed hydra of anthropogenic climate change, still the biggest problem facing our planet today. The planet has continued to warm, with Australia expecting a record heat wave of over 120 degrees F this week and the sea ice at the polar cap disappearing faster than ever before (a continued downward trend shows the extent of ice has not returned to pre-2007 levels, and it’s estimated that 95% of sea ice older than four years is gone). Our coastal region is particularly susceptible to the stronger and more frequent storms that climate change will bring, a fact we experienced during Hurricane Florence two years ago (which FEMA just announced topped half a billion dollars in infrastructure recovery spending in the state due to the storm). At least in April the Trump administration announced it was putting plans to expand seismic testing and drilling for oil and natural gas in the Atlantic on hold … indefinitely.

One thing I’ve learned in my past eight years as an environmental journalist is it’s necessary to get out from behind the desk as often possible and spend time out in the environment. This is why, after publishing depressing stuff like this, you’ll often find me heading down to my boat to untie my lines and raise my sails. I reach a point where I just can’t think about it anymore, so to stay somewhat sane, I don’t. May-

be that’s a weakness on my part, maybe I’m just running from problems. I don’t know. What I do know is I’m much happier when I’m on the water.

Despite everything I’ve written, our Cape Fear River remains a magical place.

When I’m out there, I don’t think about the pig poo and fluorochemicals coursing through the water below—or at least they’re easier to ignore. I watch the pelicans and goofy cormorants greet the dolphins who sidle up alongside to say hello. I bask in the warmth of the winter sun as it tracks across the wide, blue cloud-peppered sky, and feel the fresh breeze against my cheek, filling my sails. When I shut off the noisy, smoking motor, silence and sanity prevails. I hear the world whispering to me. Using ancient tools of patience and sensitivity to conditions, my boat works with the wind to take me where I want to go, rather than fight against the way the world is. I feel hope again. When this is possible, I think, What else might be?

Where will the next 10 years take us? I think it mostly depends on how we choose to get there. Will we keep on bashing against the wind and waves with the machinery of mankind, fighting the natural world at every opportunity? Or will we find the civility and patience to listen to our planet, to wait until the tide is right and the wind is in our favor, before going where we want to go?

Down one path lies our future. Down the other, our self-destruction. Choose wisely, humanity. Our next decade is a critical one.

encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com 9

TOAST OF THE TOWN Local favorites Striking Copper will play Waterline Brewing Company’s New Year’s Eve party.

Courtesy photo

SOUND

BOARD

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26 Circus Industry Night [3PM] Juggling Gypsy, 1612 Castle St.

CAM Café Music: noteworthy sounds [6PM; free] Cameron Art Museum, 3201 S. 17th St.

Chris Luther (6pm; free; Solo Jazz Guitar) Tarantelli’s, 102 So. 2nd St.

Trivia from Hell’s [7:30PM; FREE]

Hell’s Kitchen, 118 Princess St.

Rockin’ Trivia w/ Party Gras Entertainment [8PM; FREE] Fox & Hound, 920 Town Center Drive

Beach Ave N.

jeff gover [7PM]

taylor lee and co. [9PM]

SeaWitch Cafe and Tiki Bar, 227 Carolina

ON OUR LOT

Tuesday __________________________________________ > > > THURSDAY

$3.75 Red Oak Draft $4.00 Wells 65¢ Wings, 4-7pm

$3.75 Hay Bale Ale

> > > Tuesday $3.75 Sweet Water $4.00 Absolute Lemon Drop

> > > WEDNESDAY $3.75 Wicked Weed $4.00 Margaritas

> > > FRIDAY $3.75 Pint of the Day $4.00 Fireball

> > > saturday $4.00 Green Tea

> > > SUNDAY $5.00 Bloody Marys & Mimosas

N. Water Street & Walnut street, Downtown Wilmington 910-762-4354

KARAOKE

w/DJ Damo, 9PM

2 KILLIANS • 4 MAGNERS

$ 50

$ 00

Thursday ________________________________________

TRIVIA

8:00 P.M. • PRIZES! • $250 YUENGLING DRAFT $ 50 3 FIREBALL SHOTS

Friday & Saturday __________________________

100 S. FRONT ST. 910-251-1832

LIVE MUSIC in the courtyard on Friday & Saturday MONDAY

$2.75 Domestic $3.50 Select Drafts $4 Fireballs!

TUESDAY

$3.50 Local Draft Brew

(Foothills Hoppyum IPA, Red Oak)

Sunday ___________________________________________

WEDNESDAY

2 BUD & BUD LIGHTS

BREAKFAST BUFFET 9:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M. • $4 MIMOSA’S

10 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

Ibiza Nightclub, 118 Market St.

$3.00 PBR 16oz cans $3.00 Coors Light $6 Redbull and Vodka

LIVE MUSIC $ 00

Thirsty thursday (10pm; free)

THURSDAY

1423 S. 3rd St. DOWNTOWN WILMINGTON (910) 763-1607

FREE PARKING

> > > Monday

Jimmy’s at Red Dogs, 5 North Lumina Ave.

$5 Jameson

$3 Lagunitas $6 Knob Creek 1/2 price bottles of wine

FRIDAY

$3.00 Michelob Ultra $5.00 Lunazul Tequila All Floors open SATURDAY

$3 Miller Lite $3.50 Modelo $4 Smirnoff Lemon Drop shots $5 Raspberry Smirnoff w/mixer All Floors open SUNDAY

$3 Corona & Corona Light $4 Mimosa $4 Bloody Mary $5 Margarita

Your neighborhood drafthouse with a menu full of lowcountry favorites.

Join us for a hot meal and a cold pint.

40 BEERS ON TAP

#TAPTUESDAY...

THE BEST DAY OF THE WEEK: $3 SELECT PINTS & TEAM TRIVIA 7324 Market Street • 910-821-8185 www.ogdentaproom.com OPEN 7 DAYS AWEEK

Max Levy Duo [6PM; FREE; Jazz]

Randy McQuay [7pm]

The Drum Circle [7:30PM; FREE]

RuckerJohns, 5564 Carolina Beach Rd.

Holiday Inn Resort, 1706 N. Lumina Ave.

Bottega, 723 N. Fourth St.

Emily Roth [7pm]

Reel New Year’s Eve Bash! [6pm; $10]

The Sour Barn, 7211 Market St.

The Reel Cafe, 100 S. Front St.

Chris Luther (6pm; free; Solo Jazz Guitar)

Jared Michael Cline [8pm; free]

Trivia & Taco Tues. w/ Sherri ‘So Very!’ [7pm]

Tarantelli’s, 102 So. 2nd St.

Pour Taproom, 201 N. Front St.

Local’s Tavern, 1107 New Pointe Blvd.

stephen gossin and zach brindisi (9:30pm; free)

john roy [7PM and 9:30PM; $15]

Hell’s Kitchen, 118 Princess St.

Dead Crow Comedy, 265 North Front St.

2020 NEW YEARS EVE GALA and the Broadway classic “La Cage Aux Folles” [7pm; $165]

miles atlas (9pm)

Mark Sinnis and 825 [8pm]

Thalian Hall, 310 Chestnut St.

Bourbon St., 35 N. Front St.

Fermental, 7250 Market St.

john roy [7PM and 9:30PM; $15]

Steel County Express [8:30pm]

New Years Eve Party at Flytrap Brewing! [7pm; free]

Dead Crow Comedy, 265 North Front St.

Locals Tavern, 1107 New Pointe Blvd #9

Flytrap Brewing, 319 Walnut St.

Dos Eddies [8PM]

Justin Fox Trio [10pm]

New Years Celebration [7pm]

Banks Channel, 530 Causeway Dr.

Jimmy’s at Red Dogs, 5 North Lumina Ave.

Fermental, 7250 Market St.

Ben and Heather [7PM]

Blue Footed Boobies [10pm]

NYE Karaoke + 80s Dance Party [7pm]

Holiday Inn Resort, 1706 N. Lumina Ave.

The Palm Room, 11 E. Salisbury St.

Satellite Bar and Lounge, 120 Greenfield St.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29

Bottega’s Roaring 20’s New Year’s Eve Karaoke Party [7pm]

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27

Jeff Gover [7PM] Stoked Restaurant, 313 Canal Dr., Carolina Beach

Mango Band [8PM]

Books, Beer, and Jazz Piano with James Jarvis (3pm; free)

Locals Tavern, 1107 New Pointe Blvd #9

Old Books on Front Street, 249 N. Front St.

The Scaries / Zodiac Panthers / Toothsome [8PM]

Benny Hill Sunday Jazz Jam (7pm; free) Burnt Mill Creek, 2101 Market Street Unit 7

Reggie’s 42nd Street Tavern, 1415 S. 42nd St. The Was [9pm] Jimmy’s at Red Dogs, 5 North Lumina Ave. Stephen Gossin and Zach Brindisi [9:30PM; FREE] Hell’s Kitchen, 118 Princess St.

Max Levy and the Hawaiian Shirts [9:30PM]

MONDAY, DECEMBER 30

Satellite Bar and Lounge, 120 Greenfield St.

Trivia Night at The Goat and Compass (6pm; free)

Into The Fog [10PM]

Goat & Compass, 710 N Fourth St.

Duck and Dive, 114 Dock St.

Trivia from hell’s (7:30pm; free)

Justin Fox Trio [11:30PM]

Hell’s Kitchen, 118 Princess St.

Wild Wing Cafe, 1331 Military Cutoff Rd.

Anything Goes Open Stage (8pm; free)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28 Jeremy Mathews [6:30pm; free]

The Juggling Gypsy, 1612 Castle St.

JV Flanagan [9PM] Jimmy’s at Red Dogs, 5 North Lumina Ave.

Sweet n Savory Cafe, 1611 Pavilion Pl.

Tuesday 1/2-price wine bottles serving over 22 craFT beers • all abc perMiTs

Pool tables, jukebox, neighborhood fun

NYE, 10:30pm1:30am Ethan Hanson & Will Maxwell

Benny Hill’s Jazz Jam Every Sunday, 7-10pm

Waterline Brewing Company, 721 Surry St.

Phantom Playboys Swinging New Year’s Eve! [8pm; $20] Lazy Pirate Sports Grill, 701 N. Lake Park Blvd., Carolina Beach

New Years Eve with The Feebs [8pm; $20] SeaWitch Cafe and Tiki Bar, 227 Carolina Beach Ave N.

New Years 2020 [8pm] Stoked Restaurant, 313 Canal Dr., Carolina Beach

Karaoke w/ DJ Damo [9pm; free] The Harp, 1423 S. 3rd St.

227 CAROLINA BEACH AVE N. (910) 707-0533 • seawitchtikibar.com

FRI 12/27 THURS 12/26 JEFF GOVER BACON GREASE SUN 12/29 SAT 12/28 NDAY UNCLE HAIRY SUNDAY FU TUES 12/31 NYE BASH with THE FEEBS SeaWitch will be closed for annual maintenance from January 1st – January 7, 2020.

We will reopen on Wednesday, January 8th at 4:00 PM.

Ibiza’s New Year’s Eve Party [9pm] Ibiza Nightclub, 118 Market St.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31

Stoked Restaurant, 313 Canal Dr., Carolina Beach

Anything Goes Open Stage (8pm; free)

New Year’s Eve Roaring 20’s Party [9pm;

Jimmy’s at Red Dogs, 5 North Lumina Ave.

List your live music, trivia and open mic nights online and in print!

It’s super easy!

1. Go to www.encorepub.com 2. Click on calendar tab 3. Click on red add your event button and fill in the info

Monday Mules $5

New Year’s Eve “Sun & Moon” Party with Striking Copper [7pm]

Travelin Jones [7pm]

FREE

2101 MarkeT sT uniT 7 (910) 599-4999

Bottega, 723 N. Fourth St.

Marvelous Funkshun [9pm]

The Juggling Gypsy, 1612 Castle St.

Mon.-Thurs.: 4pM-12:30 aM Fri.-saT.: 4pM - 1:30aM sun: 4pM-11pM

www.encorepub.com

www.RuckerJohns.com VISIT WWW.RUCKERJOHNS.COM FOR FRIDAY MONDAY DAILY SPECIALS, MUSIC & EVENTS Cosmopolitan $4.50 Select Appetizers 1/2 Off after MONDAY 5pm in bar and patio areas Watermelon Martini $6.50 DAYSeasonal Big Domestic22oz.

Draft Domestic Beers $2 Draft SamALL Adams Blue Pool Martini $6$5 Pizzas Bottles $3 TUESDAY TUESDAYSATURDAY Jack Be Chill $7.50 1/2 Off SelectLIVE Bottles of Wine IN THE JAzz BAR 22oz Deschutes Black Butte Absolute Dream $5 Bottles Half Price ofPorter Wine $5.50 $ 50 NC CraftAbsolut Bottles $3 5 • Pacifico 2 Willow Wit Dream $22oz Weeping WEDNESDAY Beer $5.50 WEDNESDAY 1/2 Off Nachos after 5pm 22oz $ 50 Edward Teach Peach in bar andMiller patio Light areas Pints

1 Coronoa/

$ 50 $5.50 Wheat Domestic Pints $1.50Lite Bottles 2 Corona $ SUNDAY Corona/Corona Lt. $2.50 Margaritas/Peach Margaritas 4 Margaritas on the Rocks $4.50 All Flat Breads $6 after 5pm THURSDAY in bar and patio areas THURSDAY $ $ $3 Mimosa Appletinis 4, RJ’s Painkiller 5 Truly Lime Spiked and $ 50 Mary $4 Bloddy 2 Red Stripe Bottles Sparkling Water $3 Domestic $ 50 Pints $1.50 2 Fat Tire Bottles 22oz. Tropical Lightning 5564 Carolina Beach Road IPA $5.50 FRIDAY(910)-452-1212 $ 50our website Sinking Bahama Mama $7 $4, 007Visit Cosmos 3 www.RuckerJohns.com $ 1/2 Off All Premium Guinnessfor Cans daily3specials, music and Red Wine Glasses upcoming events $

Island Sunsets 5

SATURDAY encore | november 6-12, 2019 | www.encorepub.com 11 $

RIDING SOLO Singer-songwriter Jeremy Mathews rocks Tipsy Goat Bottles and Taps on New Year’s Eve. Right: Jenny Lynn plays RuckerJohns on January 2.

Courtesy photos

$50]

Duck and Dive, 114 Dock St.

Tipsy Goat Bottles and Taps, 1930 Castle Hayne Rd., Suite 120

Pour Taproom, 201 N. Front St.

Port City Shakedown [10pm]

New Year’s Eve Dance Party [9pm; $30]

Wild Wing Cafe, 1331 Military Cutoff Rd.

Tails Piano Bar, 115 S. Front St.

New Year’s Eve Party [9pm]

New Years Eve with Ethan Hanson and Will Maxwell [10:30pm]

The Rusty Nail, 1310 South 5th Avenue

Burnt Mill Creek, 2101 Market St. Unit 7

New Year’s Eve ‘20 [10pm]

Jeremy Mathews Live on NYE! [8pm; $50]

Street

Tidal Creek Open Mic [6pm; free] Tidal Creek Co-Op, 5329 Oleander Drive. #100

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1 Zack Mexico / Evening Shadows / Dubtown Cosmonauts [4pm] Reggie’s 42nd Street Tavern, 1415 S. 42nd

THURSDAY, JANUARY 2 Circus Industry Night [3PM] Juggling Gypsy, 1612 Castle St.

Great Assortment of Books

From our WWT family to yours, wishing you a Happy

We have a great assortment of books featuring local authors & area history NOW available online.......go to our website to checkout our collection. www.wilmingtonwatertours.net

Hanukah and a bright & Merry Christmas full of peace, wonder and love.

Our Schedule Closed Dec.23 - 25th DECEMBER 26 12, 1, 2, 3 & 4 pm ~ 50 min. narrated $12

Spirit of the Holiday Cruise

DECEMBER 27 12, 1, 2, 3 & 4 pm ~ 50 min. narrated $12

ONLY 3 DATES LEFT DECEMBER 27-29

5:30 pm - Spirit of the Holidays $20 DECEMBER 28 & 29 12, 1, 2 & 3 pm ~ 50 min. narrated $12 5 pm & 6:30 pm - Spirit of the Holidays $20 DECEMBER 30-31 & JANUARY 1 12, 1, 2, 3 & 4 pm ~ 50 min. narrated $12

Book Now as we are already filling up!

Visit us on the Riverwalk! 212 S. Water Street 910-338-313 4 • email: info@wilmingtonwt.com

HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE

Follow us

BAR ON BOARD WITH ALL ABC PERMITS

Complete Schedule: wilmingtonwatertours.net

12 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

Cruise the Cape Fear River while enjoying the sites, sounds and tastes of the Holidays.

Local Musicians will perform Christmas/Holiday Carols. Featuring Holiday Cocktails from our Full Bar and Holiday Goodies.

1 hour cruise... $20

CAM Café Music: ron and luis [6PM; free]

RCB [8:30pm]

Cameron Art Museum, 3201 S. 17th St.

Locals Tavern, 1107 New Pointe Blvd #9

Chris Luther (6pm; free; Solo Jazz Guitar) Tarantelli’s, 102 So. 2nd St.

Tumbleweed and Ellis Dyson and The Shambles [8:3pm; $7]

Trivia from Hell’s [7:30PM; FREE]

Bourgie Nights, 127 Princess Street

Hell’s Kitchen, 118 Princess St.

Rockin’ Trivia w/ Party Gras Entertainment [8PM; FREE]

Courtesy photo

SATURDAY, JANUARY 4 The Girls / Tuk Smith [8pm]

Fox & Hound, 920 Town Center Drive

Gravity Records, 612 Castle St.

D&A_Music910 [6pm; free]

Andrew Kasab [8pm]

Lucky Joe Coffee, 1414 S. College Rd.

Fermental, 7250 Market St.

Jenny Lynn [6pm]

Asylum Presents: Nocturama [9pm; $5]

RuckerJohns, 5564 Carolina Beach Rd.

Juggling Gypsy, 1612 Castle St.

Slick Mahoneys [7pm]

CRUEL BY NATURE Heavy metal band God of Nothing plays Gravity Records alongside Basilica, Nuclear Desolation, and Deadly Edibles on December 8.

Edward Teach Brewing, 604 N 4th St.

MONDAY, JANUARY 6

Thirsty thursday (10pm; free)

Trivia Night at The Goat and Compass (6pm; free)

Ibiza Nightclub, 118 Market St.

Goat & Compass, 710 N Fourth St.

Trivia from hell’s (7:30pm; free)

FRIDAY, JANUARY 3 Brittany Davis [7pm] Stoked Restaurant, 313 Canal Dr., Carolina Beach

Medicated Sunfish / Never Ending Fall [8pm; $10] Reggie’s 42nd Street Tavern, 1415 S. 42nd Street

Hell’s Kitchen, 118 Princess St.

The Drum Circle [7:30PM; FREE]

Anything Goes Open Stage (8pm; free)

Bottega, 723 N. Fourth St.

The Juggling Gypsy, 1612 Castle St.

Anything Goes Open Stage (8pm; free)

TUESDAY, JANUARY 7 Trivia & Taco Tues. w/ Sherri ‘So Very!’ (7pm; free)

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8 Tidal Creek Open Mic [6pm; free]

The Juggling Gypsy, 1612 Castle Street

Karaoke w/ DJ Damo (9pm; free) The Harp, 1423 S. 3rd St.

Tidal Creek Co-Op, 5329 Oleander Drive. #100

Wine Down Wednesday & Karaoke [8pm; free] Ibiza Nightclub, 118 Market St.

Local’s Tavern, 1107 New Pointe Blvd.

UPCOMING EVENTS COAT DRIVE COMEDY SHOW

DECEMBER 29, 7 P.M. • $12

PHANTOM PLAYBOYS SWINGIN’ NEW YEARS EVE!!!

DECEMBER 31, 8 P.M. • $15

TUMBLEWEED + ELLIS DYSON AND THE SHAMBLES

JANUARY 3, 8:30 P.M. • $7

Sell tickets to your event today at encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com 13

DISCOVER NEW MUSIC AT 98.3 THE PENGUIN

STEADY HAND Veteran Nashville songwriter Travis Meadows visits the Reeves Theater January 10.

Courtesy photo

REGIONAL

THE ORANGE PEEL 101 BILTMORE AVE., ASHEVILLE, NC (828) 398-1837

Holidays

12/27: The Space Cowboys & the Cosmic Girls: A Tribute To Jamiroquai 12/28: Clutch 12/30: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong 12/31: Shovels & Rope 1/2: Slice of Life Comedy Open Mic! 1/3: Jeff Santiago & Los Gatos 1/4: Jon Reep 1/8: DirtyBoys, 10 Cellphones, Kill Marqo, Lil Connie

THE REEVES THEATER & CAFE 129 W. MAIN ST., ELKIN, NC (336) 258-8240 12/27: The B3 Social Club 12/31: Reeves House Band 1/10: Travis Meadows

NEIGHBORHOOD THEATRE N. DAVIDSON ST., CHARLOTTE, NC (704) 358-9298

from the Penguin

12/27: Toubab Krewe 12/28: New Potato Caboose 12/29: Scarface with Full Band 12/30: Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band 1/4: Sufaces - SOLD OUT

THE FILLMORE

SPECIALTY SHOWS: THE EVENING EXPERIMENT WITH ERIC MILLER, WEDNESDAYS 7-9PM THE FRIDAY NIGHT PANIC JAM FRIDAYS AT 8PM ACOUSTIC CAFE SATURDAYS FROM 7-9AM ETOWN SATURDAYS AT 9AM PUTUMAYO WORLD MUSIC HOUR SUNDAYS AT 8AM

WWW.983THEPENGUIN.COM

14 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

820 HAMILTON ST., CHARLOTTE, NC (704) 916-8970 12/28: The Purple Madness - Tribute to Prince 12/31: Hippie Sabotage 1/3: Face 2 Face: Elton John & Billy Joel Tribute 1/4: 102.9 The Lake Presents... ULTIMATE 80’s PARTY featuring TIFFANY

THE FILLMORE UNDERGROUND 820 HAMILTON ST., CHARLOTTE, NC (704) 916-8970 1/10: Shoot to Thrill - All female AC/DC Tribute

DURHAM PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 123 VIVIAN ST. DURHAM, NC

CONCERTS

(919) 688-3722

1/8: The Simon & Garfunkel Story

LINCOLN THEATRE 126 E. CABARRUS ST., RALEIGH, NC (919) 821-4111

12/27: Laura Reed & New Reveille 12/28: Comrades and Nomads 12/29-31: Big Something 1/3: Winter Metal Fest 1/4: LowBrow & Steamroom Etiquette 1/5: Afton Music Showcase, featuring: Bonafide Fabian, HighlyGifted and friends , OG, Amanda Blackmarsh, The Gypsy Mystics , 600PhlyBoi & Guests 1/10: Who’s Bad 2020 (The Evolution of Pop)

MOTORCO MUSIC HALL 723 RIGSBEE AVE, DURHAM, NC (919) 901-0875

12/28: M8alla, G Yamazawa, The Beast & Special Guests 12/29: Sarah Shook and the Disarmers 12/31: Raund Haus x Runaway NYE 1/3: Integrity 1/4: Hillary Begley 1/8: Art Alexakis

CAT’S CRADLE 300 E. MAIN ST., CARRBORO, NC (919) 967-9053 12/27-1/5: Cat’s Cradle Turns 50

CAT’S CRADLE BACK ROOM 300 E. MAIN ST., CARRBORO, NC (919) 967-9053

12/27: The Merch Holiday Party 1/3: The Blazers - How to Rock Reunion 1/4: Subliminal Surge / Snake Shaming 1/9: Song Traveler’s Writer’s Night 1/10: Hiss Golden Messenger

UPCOMING EVENTS THURSDAY, JANUARY 2 | 6:30PM | Men’s Basketball vs JMU ½ Price Day: ALL game tickets ½ price, ALL food concessions ½ price Halftime – K-9 in Flight Dog Performance – www.airmutts.com

FRIDAY, JANUARY 3 | 7:00PM | Women’s Basketball vs Delaware Halftime – K-9 in Flight Dog Performance – www.airmutts.com

SATURDAY, JANUARY 4 | 7:00PM | Men’s Basketball vs Towson Halftime – Halo Hoops Performance Giveaway – All youth in attendance will receive a voucher for the women’s basketball game on January 5

SUNDAY, JANUARY 5 | 1:00PM

Women’s Basketball vs Drexel

encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com 15

FINGER- PICKIN’ GOOD Andrew Kasab brings his love of string instruments to the live stage at Fermental.

Photo by Jennifer Lagrange

ADDED

DIMENSION

BY SHANNON RAE GENTRY

“B

ig stages are fun,”says string instrumentalist Andrew Kasab, “but I love the intimate, right-nextto-your-audience shows. There’s nothing quite like making jokes with folks while entertaining the pants off them.”

True to form, the Raleigh-based musician is returning to play Wilmington’s Fermental on January 4. He describes Fermental as a home away from home, where he can share belly laughs and good times. While Kasab will draw from his latest, expansive 24-track album “Fish” (2015), he also will perform some of his newer songs-in-progress.

“As ‘Fish’ was an immense hurdle for me to put together, I am in the process of recording a new album that should be out in early 2020,” he says. “I am also planning on recording another live album as I tour nationally in 2020. I keep picking up the guitar and finding something new I hadn’t discovered before, and love to cook up the comfort food of music, too.

After all, how can anyone refuse a plate

DETAILS ANDREW KASAB Saturday, January 4, 8 p.m.

Fermental, 7250 Market St. Free • www.andrewkasab.com of that?”

An American finger-style guitarist, Kasab plays harp guitar and, occasionally, harmonica and ukulele. For the past 30 years he’s combined traditional and contemporary techniques. However, it’s the tone of the strings and the box of the instrument which ultimately define his sound.

“I like playing to what the tool in my hands can accomplish well,” Kasab explains. “The smaller Martin OM-28 [guitar] I use has a shorter frequency range than the harp guitar, so doing a more folk-driven, snappy finger-style technique rather than a more rounded tone with both hands drives the smaller guitar better.”

Having grown up in the Maryland suburbs of Washington D.C., Kasab praises area schools’ emphasis on music. It’s where he picked up the ukulele and trumpet. Kasab’s mother and older brother were both very musical. He enrolled in piano lessons at age 5, and took private guitar lessons with various teachers.

“While I still have a great love for wind instruments,” he explains, “I have always enjoyed seeing and feeling vibrations of a string instrument. The way that chords and melodies intertwine has made me feel at home on fretted string instruments.

16 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

The way a string can resound and resonate is incredible; you can feel it swell and change in dynamic or do quick, staccato bursts, smooth, legato runs or lush chords.”

Instrumentalist Andrew Kasab returns to Fermental

Kasab first picked up the harp guitar in 2007 after watching artists like Michael Hedges and Stephen Bennett play the instrument. American harp guitars have either hollow arms, double necks or harplike frames for supporting extra bass strings. They look quite elaborate—large, yet elegant. They’re also expensive, which is why he decided to make his first one out of two acoustic-electric guitars.

ly written and recorded on a six-string and is heavy on percussive rhythm that evokes a traditional Irish dance beat, usually associated with a bodrum (Irish drum). Songs like “Leaves” showcase Kasab’s alternative tuning on the harp guitar, wherein strings are tuned (low to high) E-A-D-F#-A-D and the sub bass strings are G-F#-C#-A-D-F#.

“[I] played that Frankenstein of an instrument for a few years,” he quips. “After switching through several different harp guitar models, I have settled into a Timberline T60c with K&K Pickups, and it is by far one of the most resilient instruments I have taken out on tour. From being an acoustic artist (as well as an electric bassist/guitarist), I have always loved expansive styles and sounds, which led me to this extended range instrument.”

According to the musician, harp guitar expands his sonic range and adds dimension. He is drawn to traditional players like William Eaton (harp guitar) and Carlos Nakai (Native American flute). He also credits his progressive flair to modern rock, country, jazz and blues artists, like Willie Nelson, Jimi Hendrix, Charles Mingus, JS Bach, Jerry Garcia and Doc Watson.

“I [strive] to craft music along the lines of influencing artists who, I believe, were imitating other instruments and reimagining them on a bass, guitar, organ, etc,” he says. “That, to me, is an essential element to the guitar.”

“Fish” features a range of genre influences and finger-picking techniques. On it, Kasab tried to capture the most comprehensive sampling of instrumental material in one album. “IRE” was original-

“Rather than having the sub bass strings separated from the top guitar strings, I viewed the instrument as a whole and it allowed me to expand upon the guitar parts into the lower tones rather than using the bass strings as supporting notes for a guitar chord,” he details. “I also use the right hand and left hand independently, allowing for a swaying bass line and swirling harmony to be completed at once.”

Whenever he tours, Kasab says he usually camps, encountering all kinds of inclement weather, wildlife and wonders of nature along the way. “You cannot beat playing music next to a campfire under the stars,” he says. “Trail 505” was inspired by hiking up the trail of the same name in Eldora, Colorado, a few years back. He found himself in awe of a herd of caribou with a backdrop of snow falling heavily on the mountain.

“I had never run down a mountain before but was lucky to make it down in the near white-out conditions,” he says.

“Within an hour, over 4 feet of snow fell and I would not have made it back down the trail. It was pretty nuts, and [wouldn’t be] the last time I ended up running down a mountain.”

encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com 17

BIG BANDS (L. to r.) Sarah McLachlan is among many big names to hit Wilson Center’s stage over the last decade, while the Record Company have returned to play ILM numerous times.

Photo by Tom Dorgan

DECADE IN

BY SHANNON RAE GENTRY

J

ust like the beginning of the decade, the idea of writing a reflection on roughly 10 years of conversations in music started off as an exciting endeavor. Just like actually living through the decade, I’m exhausted. Once I started shuffling through my mind’s filing system and scribbling down names of musicians, I quickly realized: “I’ve talked to a lot of fucking people.”

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not complaining. The perk of having homework every week is talking to talented, passionate and driven local, national and international musicians. That being said, here are some (but not even close to all) of the standout talents, conversations and happenings from the last decade of music in ILM.

LOCAL LOVES

Some of my favorite locals to talk to always have more to say about how our community makes the music than they do about playing the music itself. They touch on kinship and harmony, unique to Wilmington.

Travis Shallow continues to be an open book in his music-making. When he spoke about his sobriety in 2017, he touted deep appreciation for friends like Bob Russell.

Russell completes Shallow’s full band, The Deep End, who released “The Great Divide” that same year.

It’s rare I get to be a fly on the wall as a band rehearses and interacts with each other. I’ve spoken with Striking Copper a few times since sitting in on a practice in 2015. This was before their debut album, “Mirror,” came out in 2016, and follow-up single, “Running to You,” in 2018. We dished on albums, singles, and marriages in the encore pages. It could have been the nostalgia of sisters Ali Donnelly and Jacquie Lee perfecting the “Hocus Pocus” theme song for a special Halloween show they were prepping for, but I’ll always re-

member walking into their mic check and hearing their haunting harmonies in person for the first time.

The Midatlantic broke our hearts when they split about two years ago. I sat down with band founder and mandolin player Jason Andre for the first time over a cup of Grinders’ coffee in 2015. It was right before they released their well-received, full-length album, “Sound Over Water.” The band was successful by 2016: They culled a large local fan base with their almost punk take on bluegrass and were playing lots of shows, including an appearance at FloydFest. However, they pumped the brakes in 2017. When a little birdie (by the name of Jason Andre) told me they were coming back in 2019, my next question was, “When can we talk?”

Anna Mann is someone I’ve often spoken with over the last decade at length about Wilmington music. She, along with Will Daube, founded Carolina Pine Music Festival and Productions back in 2013.

Though Carolina Pine went on hiatus for a couple of years, Mann brought it back just last month to much appreciation.

I actually knew Anna as an intern at another local paper many moons ago; her quiet demeanor is what has always stood out to me. Now, I think it’s just humility.

Between founding Carolina Pine Fest and Alt-zalea, and promoting local bands like Dirty White Rags, she’s done more in music during this decade as a promoter than I think she’s been given credit for at times.

Another behind-the-scenes staple in Wilmington right now is Catherine Hawksworth, owner and operator of Modern Legend. Hawksworth is also in the music-booking game, working alongside Sean Thomas Gerard (Onward, Soldiers) at Bourgie Nights. I particularly enjoyed our back and forth on her perspective on today’s music scene earlier in 2019: “Right now seems to be a very inspiring time for Wilmington,” she told me, referring to the

18 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

upcoming Riverfront Park venue and new young local bands, like Team Player and Wax Imperials. In my opinion, she is among the “young blood” and hungry people she praises and promotes.

I’m sure we’ll hear more from Hourglass Studios’ Trent Harrison. Hourglass got its start in 2010, and ever since several local musicians and bands have recorded their work alongside Harrison. Countless artists I’ve interviewed over the last decade have expressed their gratitude and respect for him.

Plus, Harrison is ending the decade with a reopening of Live at Ted’s–a significant win for a decade that saw the loss of beloved small downtown music venues like Soapbox, Ziggy’s/Throne Theater/BlueEye Muse, The Whiskey and Calico Room.

POLITICAL PUNCH

It’s not surprising that right around 2016 more conversations revolved around politics in music. Ani DiFranco’s 2016 tour, dubbed “Paint Congress Blue,” was a not-so-surprising reflection of her progressive politics. Her decades-long career has always involved political activism.

“Obviously, I’m putting out my wishes for the next election cycle,” she admitted in January before the 2016 primaries, a wish that wasn’t exactly granted in November.

In 2019, just a day after Congress voted to impeach Donald Trump, I can’t help but think about what DiFranco said then: “I think it’s dangerous to just focus on the presidential battle. Meanwhile, democracy is more complicated and the other races happening in these other states are as much or more important. . . . I think we have a real opportunity in coming years to make important changes in terms of climate change, criminal justice, etc.”

I consider myself lucky to have spoken to three members of the Drive-by Truckers. While Jason Isbell has long been

MUSIC

Shannon looks back on memorable people, moments and music in ILM departed from the Southern rock group, Isbell, Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley are all Southern-bred and marry historic and current social-justice issues and politics with music seamlessly. The latter two have worked together for more than 30 years. I spoke to both of them about their 2016 album “American Band.” They write about some pretty significant (and depressing) shit from the decade, such as political scandals, Black Lives Matter and Charlottesville. What I admire most about artists like Cooley and Hood is not just how they tell a story with their music but how they manage to gut-punch listeners with history and facts behind it. Whether unrepentantly pissed or hopeful, goddammit, they’ll make you feel it.

(I’m excited for Drive-By Truckers’ January 2020 release “The Unraveling”— hopefully we’ll get to chat about it before another Wilmington show!)

IN MEMORIAM

This decade saw the loss of many icons in music: Etta James and Donna Summer (2012); Prince and David Bowie (2016); Tom Petty (2017); Aretha Franklin (2018); and Dick Dale (2019).

I can’t help but think about conversations I’ve had with musicians who have since passed. They stand out because these individuals took time (like most everyone I speak with) to share what they love and why they love it. The difference,

for me, is there won’t be another interview or another time to “dig deeper” into an album or story behind a song.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Gregg Allman in 2016 before his scheduled performance at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater.

One of my favorite stories from him came from a memory about his first guitar and his brother, Duane: “He said, ‘What you got there, little brother?’” Gregg remembered. “‘This is capital M, capital Y—MY guitar.’”

Allman fell ill and ultimately couldn’t perform at GLA. His band, however, played a free show to a large, grateful crowd.

While Allman sadly passed less than a year later, I like to remember another sentiment he left with encore: “The big blessing is to have your undying passion also be the way you make your living.”

Guitarist Neal Casal was so kind and humble when I spoke to him in 2015.

Casal, who passed in August 2019, was considered a “hired gun” in some bands but came to Wilmington in July that year as part of the Chris Robinson Brotherhood and returned in August with Hard Working Americans. He was a prolific performer and songwriter, too, having written five hours of original intermission music for the 50-year Grateful Dead’s Fare Thee Well tour. Nevertheless, whenever I’d ask about his various roles and accomplishments he would gently steer the conversation back to CRB and Chris Robinson. “If it wasn’t for Chris, I never would have done the Grateful Dead set music,” he said. I wouldn’t be in the Hard Working Americans; all of it started with him.”

Salvación had released a brand new EP entitled “Keep Up The Fire” when I connected with drummer Carlos Denogean in 2016. An enthusiastic player and promoter of heavy metal throughout ILM—and drummer for Weedeater—he and his cohorts founded Wilmington’s first annual classic heavy-metal fest Thou Shall Rock.

It was probably one of the first real conversations I had with someone about this particular genre and subscene in the music community—and Denogean wanted to showcase and celebrate it. “The metal scene in Wilmington is diverse and vibrant,” he explained, “and the fan base is equally spirited.” Denogean passed away in August 2018.

In retrospect, I remember my 2017 interview with Chuck Mosley (Faith No More) to be quite poignant. He laughed and quipped his way through his personal anxiety and professional demons. Even while thriving in the world of punk rock, he talked about struggling with being “an outcast among outcasts.” After parting ways with Faith No More, he said there was an unfair image portrayed to the world—one full of erratic and destructive behavior that Mosley conceded to but was always trying to separate himself from. “I’ve been known to self-medicate,” he said, “but music is something I always come back to. I don’t need anything else, it just takes me somewhere where everything is alright.”

Mosley passed away in November 2017.

SEEING STARS

With the addition of the Wilson Center in October 2015, Wilmington has seen a lot of big names. From Liza Minnelli at their opening night gala to next February’s soldout Diana Ross show, the Cape Fear Stage knows entertainment, especially those who tap into nostalgia.

I was stoked to talk to R&B legend Aaron Neville in 2016; he had so much to say about making music and trying to avoid being pigeonholed by the music industry.

Just as well, I was thrilled to speak with Patrick Simmons of The Doobie Brothers in 2017 about his delight when folks sing along to “Jesus is Just Alright.”

However, 15-year-old me squealed in delight when I called Jewel (2016) and Sarah McLachlan (2019). The two women held prominent places on the soundtrack of my pre-teen to full-on emotive teenage years.

While we’re talking about awesome female voices at Wilson Center, Grace Potter sparkled and shined, literally and figuratively, during her 2016 performance. It’s a rock show I’m not sure Wilson Center has topped yet...

WHERE TO?

The Record Company is significant to this kind of reflection because I think they (metaphorically speaking) represent Wilmington’s trajectory in live music. This rock ‘n’ roll three-piece originally was booked at Bourgie Nights for their first Wilmington show in 2016, but moved to downtown’s now-shuttered Throne Theater to meet ticket demand. Fast forward a couple years later, they returned to play Brooklyn Arts Center in 2018 and again in June 2019 in an ever-larger venue, GLA. The Record Company and others’ growing popularity is something I’m glad we can continue to accommodate. Something lead singer Chris Vos said to me before their first show reminds me, while these venues (and their varying sizes) have played very important roles in what music we see here in ILM, the people that fill the seats are ones ultimately steering the ship.

“They always say ‘the band sold it out,’ and I always say: The band didn’t sell it out; the people sold it out—the people that support the music.”

So there you have it, Wilmington. Keep buying tickets, support your favorite local, regional and national bands whenever they play so they’ll continue to come back … and I can keep to these amazing, talented artists.

TALKIN’ ROCK Drive-by Truckers’ Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley have shared the stage in ILM several times in the last decade.

Photo by Tom Dorgan

encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com 19

BETTER TOGETHER 2019 No Boundaries artists display a collaborative piece alongside Wilma W. Daniels and board member Vicky Smith at their opening reception in November.

F

or many people, the beginning of November marks the start of a slow descent into the long tunnel of winter. For the dozen or so residents of the No Boundaries International Art Colony, however, it is an idyll—two weeks of uninterrupted creative time amid the natural splendor of Bald Head Island.

The fruits of their labor are now on display at CFCC’s Wilma W. Daniels Gallery.

A closing reception will take place Friday December 27; though, the works will remain on view through January 10.

No Boundaries was founded in 1998 by Wilmington artists Pam Toll, Gayle Tustin and Dick Roberts. Taking place annually over the first two weeks of November, the residency provides artists reprieve from business and distractions of everyday life. It also offers free ground transport, food and accommodation in three historic beach cottages known as Captain Charlie’s Station.

In 2019 the colony hosted 13 artists from an applicant pool of almost 40. That may seem a high acceptance rate, but for many artists with day jobs, it can be difficult to get time off. There’s also a matter of expectations: selected artists are expected to produce two pieces during their time on Bald Head—a dictum that No Boundaries president Scott Relan says is a turn-off to some applicants. Those willing to take the challenge are still rewarded tenfold.

This year’s residents included several locals, as well as artists from as far as Turkey, Spain and Japan. Many attendees return year after year, and some are referred by the colony’s alumni. One artist, Dorry Spikes of Wales in the U.K., found the colony on Instagram. Despite their differences, the artists are bound by a common desire: to channel inspiration into meaningful art.

Many of the pieces on display at Wilma W. Daniels Gallery were obviously inspired by the colony’s natural sur-

ARCADIAN

Courtesy photo

BY JEFF OLOIZIA

DETAILS NO BOUNDARIES INT’L ART COLONY CLOSING RECEPTION Friday, December 27, 6-9 p.m.

Exhibition on display through January 10, 2020, M-F 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. or by appointment CFCC’s Wilma W. Daniels Gallery, 200 Hanover St. Free and open to public roundings. Some depict Captain Charlie’s Station in a way that’s instantly recognizable. Others take a more abstract approach. Turkish artist Hande Akalin was initially hesitant to paint the landscape, but eventually relented after a deer visited her while she was working. She painted the scene in her trademark Eastern European style in “The Island.”

Others take inspiration from the artists themselves. After learning of a mysterious murder on the island, Spanish artist Iñigo Navarro Davila painted his fellow residents in a series of macabre tableaus, staged to look like scenes from a horror film. Former No Boundaries intern and UNCW alum Barbara Anne Thomas painted her companions at dinner, using a ghosting technique inspired by an Avett Brothers music video. Several residents chose to incorporate into their own work Yvette Molina’s “Coy Wolf”—a large, wearable animal head constructed from cardboard boxes (see Davila’s “I Will Eat You All With My Paper Teeth” at right).

In addition to providing time for art, No

20 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

Boundaries encourages artists to socialize. Each night, the residents are treated to a meal prepared by local chefs and friends of the colony. During these dinners, artists can unwind and share ideas—even work together on a collaborative painting.

Other events are more spontaneous.

One night, Molina organized an impromptu processional, in which costume-clad residents marched from the cabins to the beach. The parade was captured in a video playing at the exhibit.

Relan says, despite the oft-serious nature of proceedings, “ad-libbed activities end up being what the colony is really about.”

Artists who attend No Boundaries tend to view it as a personal Arcadia. Thomas expresses her gratitude for “time to breathe, time to think, time to be social, time to be curious, time to paint, time to reflect.” Gayle Tustin says, even after 20 years, attending the colony is “an awe-inspiring experience.” Spikes calls it “magical medicine.”

ART

Bald Head Island artist residency continues to inspire ing, though, than that of Davila. At first, he worried he’d made a mistake leaving his family in Spain. After spending two weeks with the other residents at No Boundaries, he could hardly bring himself to leave.

“There were great affinities and friendships and understanding that even now surprise me,” Davila writes. “I consider my Perhaps no testimony is more affect- stay there a gift.”

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In addition to our gallery at 210 Princess Street, Art in Bloom Gallery partners with local businesses to exhibit original art in other locations. Current art exhibits: View a pop-up art exhibit, “It’s About Time” with original art by a variety of artists through December 27, 216 N. Front Street. (former Expo216 Building). Regular hours are Tuesday-Sunday from noon until 5pm. Join us for a closing reception on Fourth Friday Gallery Night, December 27, 6-9pm. Meet the artists, enjoy snacks, and listen to guitarist Roger Davis.

Experience a new pop-up art exhibit at the MC Erny Gallery with original art by Georgeann Haas (acrylic and mixed media on paper) and H.M. Saffer, II (oil on canvas and panel) through January 17, 2020.

Art in Bloom Gallery is delighted to host the exhibit in the MC Erny Gallery on the third floor of WHQR Public Radio at 254 N. Front Street. Regular hours are 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday except December 24-26. Meet mixed-media artist, Georgeann Haas, on Fourth Friday Gallery Night, December 27, 6-9 pm.

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“Works of Art by Kirah Van Sickle” continues through February 3, Platypus & Gnome Restaurant, 9 S. Front Street. The artist’s acrylic and mixed media works combine found objects and papers with paint glazes.

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Wilma D Daniels Gallery presents: The No Boundaries International Art Colony exhibition opens, featuring the works of national and international artists. This year’s exhibition features artists from Japan, Spain, Turkey and the United States.

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NOT- SO -TERRIBLE TEENS ‘Snowpiercer,’ ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ and ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’ are among Anghus’ picks for the best films of the 2010s.

Courtesy photos

DECADE

BY ANGHUS

I

’ve never been a fan of applying math to movies. Films were meant to be experienced and discussed, not reduced to pass/fail mechanics or as=signed a number to denote value. So instead of boring you with a ranked list, here are the films over the last decade that I thought were worthy enough for further discussion, all based on my personal, terrible taste.

Parasite (2019) and Snowpiercer (2013) Directed by Bong Joon-ho Bong Joon-ho is one of the most gifted

directors working today. He is a masterful storyteller who can create the most plausible tragedies from the most fantastical set-ups. “Snowpiercer” is a mental dystopian story of culture clash. It takes place on a perpetually moving train where the havenots decide it’s time to overthrow their elitist overlords by battling their way from the caboose to the engine. “Parasite” is a story that shares a similar theme of the haves versus the have-nots on a much smaller scale. Both films are absolute gut-punches that effectively use elements of horror and drama in unique ways.

Into the Abyss (2011) Directed by Werner Herzog

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Of all the films released in the last 10 years, this is the one I’ve watched the most.

It’s a riveting documentary from Werner Herzog about a heinous crime committed by teenagers and the subsequent consequences for their horrific actions. Herzog, the most gifted documentarian of our lifetime, weaves his way through escalating tragedies and bureaucratic processes associated with the death penalty. There are so many real-life moments he captures—soul-stirring realities that surround the burden of ending someone’s life. The final moments, when Herzog is interviewing a former prison guard, who details the moment he could no longer participate in state-sanctioned murder, might be the most compelling drama captured on film this century.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) Directed by Wes Anderson As I write this list, I’m noticing a common theme in my choices: melancholy. Wes Anderson’s most ambitious movie chronicles the recollections of an elderly hotel owner detailing his days as a lobby boy in one of Europe’s most eccentric institutions. Ralph Fiennes delivers the most fun and flamboyant performance of the decade as M. Gustave, a legendary (and heavily perfumed) concierge who believes in delivering a quality experience for his guests and occasionally bedding them. After one of his elderly matrons dies and leaves him a priceless

22 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

painting, Gustave and his lobby boy end up on the run. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is the most perfectly distilled of Wes Anderson’s cinematic efforts and a sad, beautiful fable filled with quirky characters.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014) Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu I like films and filmmakers that make bold choices. “Birdman” is a wonderful example of the unapologetic filmmaker—Alejandro Iñárritu—taking a lovely saunter through the mental breakdown of an aging movie star desperate to be considered a respected actor. The cast is exceptional, with career-best performances from Michael Keaton and Edward Norton. Iñárritu bolsters a very small drama with some views inside the mind of our hero, while scoring the entire affair with erratic drums that heighten the sense of growing tension as the film moves toward its ambiguous conclusion.

Spider-Man: (2018)

Into

the

Spider-Verse

Directed by Peter Ramsey, Bob Persichetti, Rodney Rothman The last decade has seen movie theaters overrun with comic-book adaptations. For the most part, those movies have been pretty standard, interchangeable, mediocre blockbusters that struggled to capture the beauty and scope of the source material.

“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is the first cinematic outing that feels like it takes the inspiration from a comic book and adds a new level of entertainment. The visual style is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and the script manages to deliver the drama, tragedy and comedy of being a superhero in a way that’s not forced. It’s the perfect comic-book movie and came at a time when I wasn’t sure such a thing existed.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) Hail, Caesar! (2016) Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) Directed by Joel and Ethan Cohen It’s amazing how successful the Coen Brothers have been. Their career spans

IN

FILM

Anghus recalls his favorite movies of the 2010s three decades, and yet they still make fresh movies, incapable of being imitated.

The last 10 years have them churning out quite a few very different films. While the decade’s first, “True Grit,” didn’t do much for me, I found a lot to like about each of their next three films. “Inside Llewyn Davis” is a heartbreaking story of an artist struggling to be heard who ends up perpetually a day late and a dollar short.

“Hail, Caesar!” is a madcap comedy about Golden Age Hollywood that delivers some wonderful characters and moments. “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” is a Western anthology that beautifully blends both comedy and tragedy. The Coen Brothers have unique visions, and I’d venture to guess my list for the next decade will include more of their works.

The Favourite (2018) Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos had an amazing decade, and like many aforementioned filmmakers, he created a series of bold movies on engaging subjects.

“The Killing of a Sacred Deer” and “The Lobster” both provide unique portrayals of human drama, but his fourth film, “The Favourite,” finds a creative sweet spot. It delivers an engrossing tale of power, love and manipulation. Olivia Colman offers up the best performance of the decade as an emotionally crippled queen. The always great Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone play two highly ambitious women who seek her attention and the favor it brings. It’s a delicious dalliance into the fleeting concept of power.

THE RYAN REYNOLDS OF MOVIES Michael Bay’s new action flick ‘6 Underground’ gives mindless entertainment a bad name.

BELOW

Photo by Christian Black/Netflix

BY ANGHUS

T

he casting of a lead actor or actress can say so much about a movie. If I see the name Daniel Day Lewis, Joaquin Phoenix or Cate Blanchett on a movie poster, I can be fairly certain the movie is going to feature a strong performance from serious talent.

These capable actors can play a wide variety of characters and personalities.

They are as versatile as they are charismatic. On the other end of the talent spectrum is Ryan Reynolds, an actor who has charisma but no versatility. It’s the difference between watching a multi-faceted artist digging deep to bring a character to life and a guy doing his shtick.

The only thing that ever changes is the title of the movie.

To be fair, that last statement applies to a lot of movie stars.

Ryan Reynolds isn’t the only actor who has used a limited number of tools to construct a catapult to stardom. Dwayne Johnson, Vin Diesel, Kevin Hart and any number of popular performers have used similar shoddy trebuchets to launch their huge careers as leading men. Michael Bay’s action movie, “6 Underground,” feels like the Ryan Reynolds of movies: slick, ridiculous, boring.

Reynolds plays “One,” the wealthy leader of a secretive group of super-assassins who don’t have names and work together to rid the world of evil assholes. His team is a hodgepodge of action-hero tropes, none of whom have a personality that isn’t thinly painted on. They have a mission: Take down the cruel Turkmenistani dictator and replace him with his more democratic-leaning brother. The basic concept is interesting enough: a group of mercenaries want to partake in some altruistic nation-building. Unfortunately, it’s pretty much where everything interesting about “6 Underground” dies.

The opening action sequence basically tells us everything we need to know about Michael Bay and the story he’s about to

DETAILS 6 UNDERGROUND

Rated R, 2 hrs 7 mins Directed by Michael Bay Starring Ryan Reynolds, Mélanie Laurent, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo

cool moment utterly cringe-worthy. Having a member of the team who does nothing but recite famous lines from movies does not count as character development.

I’m not sure who the intended audience for a movie like “6 Underground” is. Is the super-violent, sexualized R-rated action movie for people with the emotional maturity of a 12-year-old? Is it the perfect film for the lover of God-awful cinema, or prepubescent teens who know how to watch adult content using their parents’ Netflix login?

ZERO

‘6 Underground’ is idiotic beyond measurement

less action movie is a genre I am capable of enjoying. Even to call “6 Underground” “mindless” feels like a disservice to the very concept of mindlessness. This movie is belligerently, intelligently and proudly Berating a film like “6 Underground” is by idiotic—a middle finger to the cerebellum. no means the sport of kings. The mind-

tell. There’s a bright green sports car, filled with trained killers, speeding through Florence and inadvertently destroying priceless works of art. Michael Bay is a director people love. He’s part of the soulless studio machine that produces artifice rather than art—a director who feels more comfortable filming product placement and near-naked bodies of very attractive people than constructing scenes of believable human interactions.

The characters of “6 Underground” are no different than the lighting, wardrobe or any other element of set dressing. They’re a necessary piece of the motion-picture puzzle, but Bay either lacks a fundamental understanding of character or just doesn’t care. He’s like the Ryan Reynolds of directors: someone who constantly, painfully and begrudgingly undercuts seriousness with comedy, which reduces the dramatic stakes of any scene to less than zero.

The only thing worth complimenting in a movie like “6 Underground” are some beautiful, well-constructed action sequences. They’re the only things Michael Bay consistently manages to deliver with any degree of quality. Even those are constantly interrupted by insipid dialogue and annoying references that make a would-be encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com 23

FAMILY FRIENDLY Emma Grace Wright directs her brother Beau in the short film, ‘The Deep End.’ Below: Beau with castmates on set.

Photos by Matthew Ray Photography

FLIPPING

BY JEFF OLOIZIA

E

mma Grace Wright was in her first year of film school at NYU Tisch School of the Arts when she began to get the itch. As a middle schooler in 2014, she’d watched her younger brother, Beau, act in a film alongside Hollywood stars Boyd Holbrook and Elizabeth Banks, and saw the joy that it brought him. When, after five years, no other roles came for him, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

Emma Grace wrote her debut short film, “The Deep End,” in early 2019. The 10-minute film stars Beau, who has Down syndrome. Beau plays a middle-school student struggling to fit in, when a classmate he hardly knows invites him to a party. Both boys find themselves in unfamiliar waters, navigating a friendship that challenges the status quo.

In making the film, Emma Grace first reached out to local production company Lighthouse Films, with whom she interned while in high school. They then introduced her to Honey Head Films, the female-fronted production company led

by North Carolina natives Erika Edwards and Kristi Ray (who won encore’s Best Filmmakers 2019). From the start, both companies supported Emma Grace’s mission of bringing people with disabilities to the big screen. “Everyone was so friendly and kind to Beau and just made it a great experience, especially for my directorial debut,” Emma Grace says.

“The Deep End” was shot over three days in Wilmington in August, while Emma Grace was on break from NYU. Filming took place in the Wrights’ neighborhood and was largely a family affair.

Emma Grace and Beau’s mother, Amy, plays Beau’s mom in the film, too. “It was a real mother-son relationship, which was important to me because I wanted it to come off authentic,” Emma Grace says.

DETAILS THE DEEP END FILM SCREENING Followed by Q&A with cast and crew Sunday, January 5, 6-7 p.m.

The Pointe 14 Cinemas, 2223 Blockbuster Road Free, RSVP on Facebook owned by Amy and her husband, Ben. The shop is named for the Wrights’ two youngest children, both of whom have Down syndrome. Bitty and Beau’s has made waves nationally for giving employment opportunities to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. (The family also has an older daughter with autism.) On the day encore spoke with Emma Grace, the entire Wright clan was at the New Center Drive location helping out. Emma Grace was filming a promotional video—something she often does for the business.

“The Deep End” will screen for family and friends at The Pointe 14 Cinemas on January 5. While Emma Grace refers to it as a “private screening,” it is open to the public.

However, interested parties should RSVP on Facebook, as space will fill up quickly.

It’s hardly Emma Grace’s first time championing people with disabilities. As a 17-year-old, she launched the Valorem Film Festival, showcasing the need for those with disabilities to be highlighted in film. The inaugural festival screened eight short films and one feature, all at The Pointe. “I love how they do such a It’s a similar dynamic to the one at Bitty nice job of hiring people with disabilities,” and Beau’s, the Wilmington coffee shop Emma Grace says of the theater. While the event had to be put on hold when she left 24 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

for college, Emma Grace says she’s seen significant strides in the representation of people like Beau in film.

“There’s still a ways to go, but I think the industry is starting to realize you can use people with disabilities, and their stories are real and worthy of being told, just like any other story.”

She credits films such as 2019’s “The Peanut Butter Falcon”—about a man with Down syndrome who runs away from a residential nursing home to pursue his dream of becoming a pro wrestler—with helping bring a spotlight to those with disabilities.

She also saw this change up close when the NBC series “New Amsterdam” filmed in Brooklyn this fall. Emma Grace acted as a technical consultant for the show, helping actress Gigi Cunningham (who has Down syndrome) communicate with the director and memorize lines.

“The Deep End” marks an important step in the careers of both Emma Grace and Beau. Beau, in particular, has earned new fans. “Beau is such a trip!” says Honey Head’s Kristi Ray. “He is a natural entertainer and really shined in the spotlight.”

THE

SCRIPT

Local filmmaker’s debut shines on a spotlight on people with disabilities project fun to work on. “Beau made a habit of boisterously applauding the crew and himself after each take, which became the norm and brought a lot of levity,” she says.

Beau’s last film, “Little Accidents,” took him to the Sundance Film Festival—a lofty precedent, but one Emma Grace finds inspiring. Already she’s submitted “The Deep End” to the Tribeca Film Festival, Reel Abilities Film Festival: New York, and RiverRun International Film Festival. Each is highly competitive, with little guarantee the participants will find distribution. Regardless of the outcome, Emma Grace remains resolute in her goals.

“We’re just trying to set an example for Ray credits Emma Grace’s steady direc- our community and for the world that peotorial hand with creating an atmosphere of ple with disabilities need to have a place familiarity and trust on the set. She also in our society that’s valued and accepted.” cite’s Beau’s enthusiasm with making the

encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com 25

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MAN OF THE DECADE Opera House Theatre Company founder Lou Criscuolo accepts the 2012 Best Musical Award for ‘Hairspray’ at StarNews’ first Wilmington Theatre Awards. His impact continues to be felt since his passing in 2014. The 2020 Wilmington Theatre Awards is slated for March 11.

Photo courtesy of StarNews Media

DECADE

BY GWENYFAR ROHLER

B

y definition live theatre is an ephemeral experience. To look back at a decade of theatre in Wilmington, and try to articulate on the page what those experiences look like, will fall drastically short of a real-life journey. I can’t really pick a top 10 list of shows from an average of 72 shows produced here each year (some years more, some years less), over the last 10 years. That number does not include children’s theatre productions (either theatre by youth/children or theatre for children, i.e. Pied Piper at Thalian Hall or the Super Saturday Fun Time shows that were staged at TheatreNOW). Indeed, our readership can’t really go back and see the live performances from eight years ago (or even this summer). So what I am doing instead is telling you what it has been like to work as a theatre reviewer here for the last decade.

I have seen over 600 shows for encore over 10 years—from the big-budget spectaculars like “Les Mis” to original works by local playwrights. I have watched Tony Award winners and Emmy nominees on stage alongside teenagers treading the boards for the first time. I have seen touring productions that, though they had big budgets, fell short of the energy, vivacity and talent I’ve seen in community theatre. I’ve walked out of shows with tears streaming down my face, and spent hours crying over a keyboard trying to articulate the power and majesty of what I had seen. I also have walked out with my heart in my stomach, wondering how a script I loved so much could be hopelessly butchered, or how performers I admire and respect could miss the mark so widely. Because that is art and every person experiences it differently.

that’s upsetting.

It’s amazing to see stunningly talented people make the leap to the big cities to expand their talents. Watching Maddie Hasson kiss Tom Hiddleston on screen in “I Saw The Light” brought me sheer joy. The last time I had seen Hasson’s face was in “Best Little Whore House in Texas” at Thalian Hall.

I cried through almost the entire first act of the national tour of “Motown” at The Wilson Center. At intermission the lady next to me commented how she always considered the music to be happy songs. I blew my nose and confessed I was crying because it meant so very much to see Tracy Byrd in the show, after years of watching him onstage in our community theatre. And do I need I tell you how incredible it was to hear the news that Colby Lewis was playing Lafayette/Jefferson in the Chicago production of “Hamilton”? He’s part of what made Opera House’s “Five Guys Named Moe” such a gift last summer, along with the reunion of such a talented group of men that have been loved and adored by Wilmington audiences for years.

Part of what I am getting at is people who put together the shows are the elements that make the magic happen. I feel like I have a tremendously unfair relationship with a couple hundred people whose creative work I watch on a regular basis. You might not know who I am, but I have cried with you, laughed with you, cheered for you, (sometimes cringed for you), and always been amazed at your courage. Jock and I have conversations like, “How many times have we watched Kendra (Goehring-Garrett) get married?” or “Have you, in fact, seen Jef (Pollock) of Changing Channels dressed more times than you have seen him in his underwear?” or “Of all the Scrooges you have seen, who is your favorite?” And there is my personal favorite, “Who has the best death scene on stage this year?”

Reviewing a great show is wonderful.

Reviewing a flop is painful because I still respect the performers, even if I didn’t like the choices or see the pieces didn’t come The cast of “Other Desert Cities” doesn’t together. The hardest thing is reviewing a know how every few months I sit down and mediocre show. Yeah, it was all fine; the cry because the emotion they created on dancing was good, the singing was OK, that stage still resonates. Nygel Robinson but nothing really blew my hair back; those and Kendra Goering-Garrett transformed are reviews I dread most. I know, and you a show I thought I knew, “Oklahoma!”, into know, I just don’t care about the show, and 28 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

a contemporary comment about life, love, community and justice. Jock and I still discuss their performances weekly. I have told Paul Teal in print many times (though I don’t know if he believes me) how his performance in “Memphis” outshines Chad Kimball—the role’s originator. I also loved every moment of “Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson,” wherein Teal played Jackson.

StarNews arts editor/theatre reviewer John Staton and I also spend a lot of time thinking about and discussing local shows.

To that end, John deserves credit for putting together StarNews’ annual Wilmington Theatre Awards. It is a wonderful evening to get together passionate artists and praise their accomplishments of the previous year. One of my favorite memories from the awards was when everyone sang happy birthday to Opera House Theatre Company founder Lou Criscoulo the spring before he passed. Anyone who has been on stage in Wilmington since 1984, or has seen a live show in Wilmington since 1984, is the beneficiary of Lou’s vision and giant personality. Unfortunately, he’s not the only one we lost in the last decade: Donna Joyner Green of TechMoja Dance and Theatre Company was the stalwart of the Hannah Block USO/Community Arts Center. Many kids got a good dose of Donna’s wisdom when they were at rehearsal or camp or classes. Sam Garner and Donn Ansell’s deaths also were heavy losses. Both men gave generously of their experiences, kindness and insight, to inspire more generations of theatre artists to come.

IN

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Looking back on 10 years of powerful art with gratitude eral of them wrote. I saw a lot of shows with great heart at The Browncoat over the years, and Aaron Willings’ magical set designs routinely challenged my idea of what an inflexible space could offer.

City Stage also ceased operation. There are rumors the space itself might re-open after hurricane repairs are completed, but the energy of the company that produced “Debbie Does Dallas,” “Tommy” and “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” is missed. However, Panache Theatrical Productions seems to have grabbed that torch, thanks to edgy productions like “Heathers,” the Lizzie Borden musical and “Fun Home.”

Of course, there is always the wonderful irony of our 120,000 population supporting three Shakespeare companies, two of which were birthed from spite. Somehow, I think the Bard would appreciate it. Michael Granbarry’s production of “The Tempest “with Dram Tree Shakespeare was a visually powerful and striking show. It was “The Tempest” I had longed to see. Yet, I was most surprised

by Thalian Association’s “Bridges of Madison County”—a show I walked into prepared to endure and ended up loving every minute. And it wasn’t just because of Heather Setzler’s powNot only was it a tectonic shift in losing erful voice, though she was a big selling point. powerful people on the scene, there were Perhaps the best compliment I can give, triumphs and losses in local venues. Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College and one I mean most sincerely, is for the last opened and began bringing national tours 10 years Wilmington’s theatre community to our fair city. Alisa Harris both opened and has continued to challenge and change my closed TheatreNOW, a dinner theatre that perception of performance art. Actors, propaid performers and writers (almost unheard ducers, directors, choreographers, designers, of here). The Browncoat Theatre and Pub, writers and all others have seared moments a long-time incubator of original materi- in my mind that will live with me forever. So to al, closed and left a real gap for the sort of that end, I thank you for letting me share this “Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland energy” magical and beautiful decade with you; your of getting together a bunch of excited young work has transformed me more than you may people and putting on a show that one or sev- ever know.

SO MUCH DRAMA Big Dawg Productions’ ‘The Revolutionists’ was among Chase’s favorite shows of 2019.

Courtesy photo

YEAR

BY CHASE HARRISON & GWENYFAR ROHLER

T

he 2019 theatre year is in the books. As with any year, there were highs and lows, but no matter, it was always entertaining. And isn’t that the point? Some companies grew stronger, creating productions so brilliant they could pass for professional. Others fell to the wayside—resigned to having their names and shows spoken of for years to come ... mainly at Lula’s over a drink (or a few). No matter how one’s 2019 began, we all end it the same: as a community.

man cast of Jacob Keohane and Braxton Lathan Williams portrayed the entire population of a downtrodden Irish village. As locals cast as extras in a Hollywood film, Koehane and Williams seamlessly moved from one role to the next and changed their entire being to bring various characters to life. Their work was impressive, and the lives they created stayed with the audience long after the curtain had gone down and the lights came up.

What we have here in Wilmington is special, and not seen as often as it should be. Our theatre world thrives, welcoming to all, no matter their backgrounds in the arts. Hell, it’s so active and consistent, with many productions in a calendar year, it has its own awards show (the 2020 Wilmington Theatre Awards are slated for March 11). See one show, see every show.

Work on one show, or work on many.

It doesn’t matter how you participated, you’re part of the Wilmington theatre community. Welcome to the family.

Based on the 2000 film of the same name, “Billy Elliot” was another Wilmington premiere that succeeded on all fronts.

Thanks to the talented team from Opera House Theatre Company, the dance-heavy musical was as visually stunning as it was touching. Its moving story of acceptance and finding one’s own confidence was heartwarming and executed on stage to glorious perfection. Featuring top-notch choreography and a stellar cast from leads to assemble, “Billy Elliot: The Musical” danced its way into the hearts of Wilmington theatre-goers this season and for good reason.

To the companies, actors, directors, writers, stage managers, music directors, every band member, techs, critics, venue operators, spouses who let their loved ones go away for long hours to play pretend; to anyone who takes an evening to see a show (any show!); to anyone who looks upon a stage or down upon the audience and goes, “This is my world, my art, my entertainment”: From my heart, I thank you. I thank every person who has a hand in any production I saw this year—including those who simply supported said productions. The following is a very short list of the top five shows I reviewed in the 2019 Wilmington theatre season.

5. Stones in His Pockets (TheatreNOW) While the lights of TheatreNOW may have dimmed, its impact can still be felt.

Keeping an insane schedule of shows, the now-defunct company brought a number of strange and unique productions to Wilmington month after month. “Stones in His Pockets,” a dark, Celtic slice of life by Maria Jones, was no different. The two-

DETAILS

4. Billy Elliot: The Musical (Opera House Theatre Company)

3. Urinetown (Thalian Association) A post-apocalyptic political satire about a world where one must pay to pee? Yes, please! I’d been waiting some time for “Urinetown” to be staged in Wilmington again, as I didn’t live here during its last run. Director Patrick Basquill, along with Thalian Association, did not disappoint. This show fired on all cylinders, and delivered one awesome musical number after another.

And to say nothing of the set design by Tymoteusz Dvorak would be a travesty. His work creating the shanties of Urinetown was theatre magic, and utilized the Hannah Block Historic USO in ways I didn’t know possible. For a show I’d been long wanting to see, this rendition not only met my hopes, it exceeded them—delivering one of the best productions of the year.

2. The Revolutionists (Big Dawg Productions) Big Dawg Productions has been pushing

the community-theatre envelops this season, bringing new and challenging works to the Port City. Nowhere was that more evident than in Lauren Gunderson’s dark comedy, “The Revolutionists.” Finding the heart and humor of the French Revolution, the show was a well-balanced piece that educated while it entertained. The entire show was well cast, but it was Kire Stenson’s hilarious interpretation of Marie Antoinette that cemented the play as one of the years very best.

1. Lizzie: The Musical (Panache Theatrical Productions) Of all shows I saw this year, Panache’s “Lizzie: The Musical” was the best produced play or musical. It’s a malevolent, true-crime retelling of the Lizzie Borden murders, played out to a badass punk-rock score. What’s not to love? Elisa Eklof Smith, Heather Setzler, Meagan Golden, and Georgie Simon made a perfect storm of a cast, owning the stage and show. With a rip-roaring soundtrack played by a killer band, and Simon’s absolute domination of the Lizzie Borden role, this musical was perfection.

Anyone who missed it truly missed out. It was great, it was art, so yeah—10 points to Gryffindor?

—Chase Harrison It’s difficult to choose my top shows of the year. In a way each is distinct work of art unto itself. Also every performance is different, and two people can sit in the same theater and see two very different productions.

Alas here it goes...

3. Mama Mia! (Opera House Theatre Co.) The year began with the feel-good, absolutely absurd ABBA-inspired musical, “Mama Mia!” Opera House delivered great entertainment with high production values and a cast of voices that just wouldn’t stop.

The score is infectious and the cast sold the whole experience with zest and joy. If you walked out without a smile on your face, your heart is beyond help.

2. Agnes of God (Big Dawg Productions) I feel weird including Big Dawg Productions’ “Agnes of God” because it was a re-

IN

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Conting down the best shows of the 2019 theatre year mount of a show whose previous run was cut short because of Hurricane Florence in 2018. But I’m glad Big Dawg brought it back because it was a remarkably good production of an incredibly challenging script. All three performers (Grace Berry, Eleanor Stafford and Jemilia Ericson) delivered believable, subtle work, palpably intensifying the script’s power struggle. “Agnes” is not exactly box-office gold. In other words, taking someone to see “Mama Mia!” is not difficult, but getting a date to “Agnes” can be a challenge. This show was worth every moment spent in the theater.

1. Jitney (Big Dawg Productions) August Wilson has had a good run in Wilmington lately. Fracaswell Hyman has been in all four productions of Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle over the last three years.

Keeping pace, he appeared in the cycle’s third play, “Jitney,” a co-production of the Black Arts Alliance and Cleod Nine Productions and Triune Creative Corporation. He also was in Big Dawg Productions’ oneman show, “How I Learned What I Learned,” based on Wilson’s life. Hyman as Wilson is still rattling around in my brain, periodically surfacing to make another connection, drop another hint, and occasionally leave a bit of wisdom behind. Though Hyman’s Turnbo in “Jitney” was a loud-mouthed bully clown, it was really Maxwell Paige who was the star and the key to that show.

The entire cast was great, and the production design was perfect, but Paige blew me away with this performance. There were moments that he reminded me of seeing Jimmy Smits in “Anna in the Tropics.”

—Gwenyfar Rohler

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FLAMBOYANT FAMILY (L. to r.) Sydney Jones, Mathis Turner, Jeff Phillips, Richard White and Cullen Moss star in La Cage aux Folles, opening December 30.

Photo by Erik Maasch Photography

brings so much and remembers everything.”

The 18-song musical covers show tunes, tango and tap numbers, all written by Jerry Herman. The composer “writes big and bold,” according to Kennedy. Phillips agrees, calling Herman one of the last traditionalists of Broadway, much like Rodgers and Hammerstein, Irving Berlin, Frank Loesser and Cole Porter. The live music will be played

by Mike Hanson (percussion), Mitch Hebert (drums), Ryan Woodall (bass), John Sullivan (keys), Casey Black (trumpet), and James lane (trombone). “The orchestra does not have a lot of downtime,” says Kennedy, whose favorite songs include the ballad “Song of the Sand” and the anthemic “I Am What I Am.” Phillips loves his first number as Albin, “Put A Little More Mascara On.” “In two-and-a-half minutes you know why he does what he does,” Phillips says. “It is sheer brilliance to deliver that breadth of exposition so succinctly.”

O

As fun songs and dances, bright sets and colorful costumes draw in the audience, the story itself will pull on their heart strings.

“Las Cage aux Folles” is fun and funny, but it’s also sentimental and timely in its portrayal of unconditional love. At its core, it shows how chosen family is just as important as any blood relative.

UNCAGED

pera House’s season-opener, “La Cage aux Folles,” is perhaps best known for its film adaptations—both the 1978 Franco-Italian film and its 1996 remake, “The Birdcage.” Directed by Mike Nichols, and starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, the latter scored numerous nominations across the board, from the Academy Awards to GLADD Media Awards, and won Screen Actors Guild and American Comedy awards.

Before it ever hit the big screen, it was a 1973 French play that made its way to Broadway in 1983 and went on to run for more than four years. Its revivals in 2004, 2008 and 2010 respectively continued to garner praise from the Tonys to the Laurence Olivier awards. Its popularity stems from being a pillar of equal representation in the LGBTQIA community, providing roles aplenty for drag queens, gay folks, and anyone else who wants to be part of a colorful world where all are welcome.

The story follows Saint-Tropez dragclub manager Georges and his partner, Albin—the head drag queen at Georges’ La Cage aux Folles. The two have found out Georges’ son, Jean-Michel, has become engaged to a lovely girl, Anne Dindon, whom they must meet. Only problem: They also have to meet her ultra conservative family, including her father, the head of the Morality Party, who wishes to shut down all drag clubs. In an effort to keep Albin and Georges’ love affair under wraps, they concoct a ploy for Albin to act like Zaza, Georges’ “wife.” Naturally, hijinks ensue, and what emerges is a touching tale about acceptance and love of all people, in all ways.

Putting on the high heels as Albin/Zaza is local performer and encore’s Best Ac-

THEATRE Musical celebrates love and inclusion ahead of the new year

tor 2019, Jeff Phillips. Though Phillips has played a number of women onstage, from Edna Turnblad in “Hairspray” to Bernadette Basinger in “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” it’s his first go ‘round in “La Cage.” He adores the family-oriented heart the show portrays, and likens Albin/Zaza as the male counterpart to Dolly Levi from “Hello, Dolly!” or Aunt Mame in “Mame.”

“In many ways [‘La Cage’] is the musical precursor to [television series] ‘Will and Grace’ or ‘Modern Family,’” he adds. “Albin/ Zaza has been a dream role. I hoped that, when it might come around, I would be the right age for it. Being able to be in a show is often about timing. The theatre gods have been kind to me.”

Much like the family he will help portray onstage, Phillips praises director Ray Kennedy for bringing together a close bond among the cast behind the scenes, too.

It has made rehearsals some of the best experiences Phillips has encountered as he’s watched Richard White (original voice of Gaston in “Beauty and the Beast”) as Georges, Mathis Turner as Jean-Michel, plus Tony Rivenbark, Suellen Yates and Susan Powell as the Cagelles showgirls.

“Hold on to your wig!” Phillips exclaims.

30 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

BY SHEA

CARVER

“I have attended almost every rehearsal.

That means I was at rehearsals that I was not called for because I loved watching everyone work. I think, as a performer, you are always a little intimated by the show and/ or the cast, and I think that is good. You so badly want to serve the story and not let anyone down. When everyone is so talented, you do think to yourself, ‘You betta bring it!’ That surrounding talent encourages you to go deeper and explore more.”

In Phillips case, it also includes dancing in heels. Tina Leak is the choreographer of the musical, which will see a plethora of styles hit the stage, from French can-can, to ballet en pointe, to tap, pas de deus, classical and contemporary jazz. The cast will marry the kicks of The Rockettes with Vegas showgirl moves, according to Leak (who actually worked for both during her dancing career).

Though the choreography is quite demanding, it’s gloriously flashy and has been a bit of a breeze for Leak to oversee.

“Ray thought of everything in advance,” she praises. “Things were so well planned that this has been the easiest show I’ve choreographed, even with one cast member not arriving until December 14 and another until December 20. We’ve had fabulous stand-ins learn their tracks and rehearse with the cast—like Devon Jones who learned the can-can in maybe 30 seconds, plus Auriella Rosendahl, Chandler Wheeler, Jessi Hoadley and Ava Ellers. Blaine Mowrer is an amazing dance captain every choreographer dreams of working with! He

“It is such a beautifully crafted book by Harvey Firestein, and he has continued to tweak it over the years,” Phillips says. “I think the first scene with Albin and George is the one that got me from the beginning. It is a little fight that every long-term partnership has had, and everyone will be able to recognize who they are in that moment. I have seen it in real life and other plays. I have had that argument in my own life. But it is such a clever way to demonstrate and remark on the commonality of all relationships.”

“Las Cage aux Folles” will open December 30, and Opera House and Thalian Hall will host a special New Year’s Eve Gala December 31. Tickets are $165, and include dinner, drinks, the show, and dancing and karaoke afterward. Opera House will continue its run of “La Cage aux Folles” Thursdays through Sundays, January 2-18, with tickets ranging from $25 to $33.

DETAILS LA CAGE AUX FOLLES December 30-31 and January 2-18, 7:30 p.m. except for Sunday matinees, 3 p.m., and special Saturday matinee, 3 p.m., on January 18 Thalian Hall, 310 Chestnut St. $25-$165 • thalianhall.org

24 N FRONT ST. DOWNTOWN WILMINGTON

(910)769-3794 FUNBOWLRAMEN.COM

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Open 7 days a week

SUNDAY - THURSDAY, 11 A.M. - 9 P.M. • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, 11 A.M. - 10 P.M.

encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com 31

32 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

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DINING

GUIDE

Hops Supply Co. 54 00 Olea nder Dr. • www. hopssu pplyco. com • P ho

AMERICAN

to by T om Dor gan

BLUEWATER WATERFRONT GRILL

Enjoy spectacular panoramic views of sailing ships and the Intracoastal Waterway while dining at this popular casual American restaurant in Wrightsville Beach. Lunch and dinner are served daily. Favorites include jumbo lump crab cakes, succulent seafood lasagna, crispy coconut shrimp and an incredible Caribbean fudge pie. Dine inside or at their award-winning outdoor patio and bar, which is the location for their lively Waterfront Music Series every Sunday April - October. Large parties welcome. Private event space available. BluewaterDining.com. 4 Marina Street, Wrightsville Beach, NC. (910) 256-8500.

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Mon-Fri 11a.m. - 11 p.m.; Sat & Sun 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Wrightsville Beach ■ FEATURING: Waterfront dining ■ MUSIC: Music every Sunday in Summer ■ WEBSITE: bluewaterdining.com

ELIJAH’S

Since 1984, Elijah’s has been Wilmington, NC’s outdoor dining destination. We feature expansive indoor and outdoor waterfront dining, with panoramic views of riverfront sunsets. As a Casual American Grill and Oyster Bar, Elijah’s offers everything from fresh local seafood and shellfish to pastas, sandwiches,

and Certified Angus Beef selections. We offer half-priced oysters from 4-6 every Wednesday & live music with our Sunday Brunch from 11-3. Whether you are just looking for a great meal & incredible scenery, or a large event space for hundreds of people, Elijah’s is the place to be.

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Sun-Thurs 11:30-10:00; Friday and Saturday 11:3011:00 ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown ILM; kids menu

HENRY’S

A local favorite, Henry’s is the ‘place to be’ for great food, a lively bar and awesome patio dining. Henry’s serves up American cuisine at its finest that include entrees with fresh, local ingredients. Come early for lunch, because it’s going to be packed. Dinner too!

Henry’s Pine Room is ideal for private functions up to 30 people. 2508 Independence Boulevard, Wilmington, NC. (910) 793.2929.

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Sun. Mon. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Tues.- Fri.: 11 a.m.

– 11 p.m. Sat.: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ FEATURING: Daily blackboard specials.

■ WEBSITE: henrysrestaurant.com

34 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

NICHE

Niche Kitchen and Bar features an eclectic menu, a large wine list, and a warm and inviting atmosphere. Close to Carolina Beach, Niche has a great selection of dishes from land to sea. All dishes are cooked to order, and Sundays features a great brunch menu!

Niche’s heated covered patio is perfect for anytime of the year and great for large parties. And their bar has a great assortment of wines, even offered half off by the glass on Tuesdays-Thursdays. Open Tues. - Sun. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling 910-399-4701.

■ OPEN LUNCH AND DINNER: Tues.-Sun., 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: South Wilmington ■ WEBSITE: nichewilmington.com

PINE VALLEY MARKET

Pine Valley Market has reigned supreme in servicing the Wilmington community for years, securing encore’s Best-Of awards in catering, gourmet shop and butcher. Now, Kathy Webb and Christi Ferretti are expanding their talents into serving lunch in-house,

so folks can enjoy their hearty, homemade meals in the quaint and cozy ambiance of the market. Using the freshest ingredients of highest quality, diners can enjoy the best Philly Cheesesteak in Wilmington, along with numerous other sandwich varieties, from their Angus burger to classic Reuben, Italian sub to a grown-up banana and peanut butter sandwich that will take all diners back to childhood. Served among a soup du jour and salads, there is something for all palates. Take advantage of their take-home frozen meals for nights that are too hectic to cook, and don’t forget to pick up a great bottle of wine to go with it. 3520 S. College Road, (910) 350-FOOD. ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Closed Sun. ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: South Wilmington ■ FEATURING: Daily specials and takehome frozen meals ■ WEBSITE: pinevalleymarket.com

THE TROLLY STOP

Trolly Stop Grill and Catering is a four store franchise in North Carolina. Trolly Stop Hot Dogs opened in Wrightsville Beach in 1976.

That store name has never changed. Since the Wrightsville Beach store, the newer stores sell hotdogs, hamburgers, beef and chicken cheese steaks, fries, hand dipped ice cream, milk shakes, floats and more.

Our types of dogs are: Southern (Trolly Dog, beef and pork), Northern (all beef), Smoke Sausage (pork), Fat Free (turkey), Veggie (soy). Voted Best Hot Dog in Wilmington for decades.

Check our website trollystophotdogs.com for hours of operations, specific store offerings and telephone numbers, or contact Rick Coombs, 910-297-8416, rtrollystop@aol.com We offer catering serving 25-1000 people.

Franchises available.

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER ■ LOCATIONS: Wilmington, Fountain Dr. (910) 452-3952, Wrightsville Beach (910) 2563921, Southport (910) 457-7017, Boone, NC (828) 265-2658, Chapel Hill, NC (919) 2404206 ■ WEBSITE: trollystophotdogs.com

ASIAN INDOCHINE RESTAURANT

If you’re ready to experience the wonders of the Orient without having to leave Wilmington, join us at Indochine for a truly unique experience. Indochine brings the flavors of the Far East to the Port City, combining the best of Thai and Vietnamese cuisine in an atmosphere that will transport you and your taste buds. Relax in our elegantly decorated dining room, complete with antique Asian decor as well as contemporary artwork and music.

Our diverse, friendly and efficient staff will serve you beautifully presented dishes full of enticing aromas and flavors. Be sure to try such signature items as the spicy and savory Roasted Duck with Red Curry, or the beautifully presented and delicious Shrimp and Scallops in a Nest. Be sure to save room for our world famous desert, the banana egg roll! We take pride in using only the freshest ingredients, and our extensive menu suits any taste. After dinner, enjoy specialty drinks by the koi pond in our Asian garden. Located at 7 Wayne Drive (beside the Ivy Cottage), (910) 251-9229.

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Tues.- Fri. 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.; Sat. 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. for lunch. Mon.- Sun. 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. for dinner.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ WEBSITE: indochinewilmington.com

NIKKI’S FRESH GOURMET

For more than a decade, Nikki’s downtown has served diners the best in sushi. With freshly crafted ingredients making up their rolls, sushi and sashimi, a taste of innovation comes with every order. Daily they offer specialty rolls specific to the Front Street location, such as the My Yoshi, K-Town and Crunchy Eel rolls. But for less adventurous diners looking for options beyond sushi, Nikki’s serves an array of sandwiches, wraps and gyros, too. They also make it a point to host all dietary needs, omnivores, carnivores and herbivores alike.

They have burgers and cheesesteaks, as well as falafal pitas and veggie wraps, as well as an extensive Japanese fare menu, such as bento boxes and tempura platters. Daily dessert and drink special are also on order. Check out their website and Facebook for more information.

16 S. Front St. (910) 771-9151.

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Mon.Thurs., 11am 10pm; Fri.-Sat., 11am-11pm; Sun., 12pm-10pm. Last call on food 15 minutes before closing.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown ■ WEBSITE: nikkissushibar.com

OKAMI JAPANESE HIBACHI STEAK HOUSE

We have reinvented “Hibachi cuisine.” Okami Japanese Hibachi Steakhouse is like no other. Our highly skilled chefs cook an incredible dinner while entertaining you on the way.

Our portions are large, our drinks are less expensive, and our staff is loads of fun. We are committed to using quality ingredients and seasoning with guaranteed freshness. Our goal is to utilize all resources, domestically and internationally, to ensure we serve only the finest food products. We believe good, healthy food aids vital functions for well-being, both physically and mentally. Our menu consists of a wide range of steak, seafood, and chicken for the specially designed “Teppan Grill.”

We also serve tastebud-tingling Japanese sushi, hand rolls, sashimi, tempura dishes, and noodle entrees. This offers our guests a complete Japanese dining experience. Our all-you-can-eat sushie menu and daily specials can be found at okamisteakhouse.com! 614 S College Rd. ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Mon.Thurs., 11am 2:30pm / 4-10pm; Fri., 11am2:30pm / 4pm-11pm; Sat., 11am-11pm; Sun., 11am-9:30pm ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ WEBSITE: okamisteakhouse.com

SZECHUAN 132

Craving expertly prepared Chinese food in an elegant atmosphere? Szechuan 132 Chinese Restaurant is your destination! Szechuan 132 has earned the reputation as one of the finest contemporary Chinese restaurants in the Port City. Tastefully decorated with an elegant atmosphere, with an exceptional ingenious menu has deemed Szechuan 132 the best Chinese restaurant for years, hands down. 419 South College Road (in University Landing), (910) 799-1426.

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ FEATURING: Lunch specials ■ WEBSITE: szechuan132.com

YOSAKE DOWNTOWN SUSHI LOUNGE

Lively atmosphere in a modern setting, Yosake is the delicious Downtown spot for date night, socializing with friends, or any large dinner party. Home to the never-disappointing Shanghai Firecracker Shrimp! In addition to sushi, we offer a full Pan Asian menu including curries, noodle dishes, and the ever-popular Crispy Salmon or mouth-watering Kobe Burger. Inspired features change weekly showcasing our commitment to local farms.

Full bar including a comprehensive sake list, signature cocktails, and Asian Import Bottles.

33 S. Front St., 2nd Floor (910) 763-3172.

■ SERVING DINNER: 7 nights a week, 5pm; Sun-Wed. ‘til 10pm, Thurs ‘til 11pm, Fri-Sat, ‘til Midnight.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown ■ FEATURING: 1/2 Price Sushi/Appetizer Menu nightly from 5-7, until 8 on Mondays, and also 10-Midnight on Fri/Sat. Tuesday LOCALS NIGHT- 20% Dinner Entrees. Wednesday 80S NIGHT - 80smusic and menu prices. Sundays

are the best dealdowntown - Specialty Sushi and Entrees are BuyOne, Get One $10 Off and 1/2 price Wine Bottles.Nightly Drink Specials.

Gluten-Free Menu upon request. Complimentary Birthday Dessert.

■ WEBSITE: yosake.com. @yosakeilm on Twitter & Instagram. Like us on Facebook.

BITES

YOSHI

Yoshi Sushi Bar and Japanese Cuisine offers something the greater Wilmington area has never seen before. We are seeking to bring true New York Style Sushi to Wilmington, with classic sushi and sashimi, as well as traditional rolls and some unique Yoshi Creations. We offer a variety of items, including Poke Bowls and Hibachi - and we also are introducing true Japanese Ramen Bowls! Come try it today! 260 Racine Dr, Wilmington 28403 (910)799-6799 ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Sun. 12pm11pm, Mon.-Thurs. 11am-10pm, Fri.-Sat. 11am-11pm ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ WEBSITE: www.yoshisushibarandjapanesecuisine.com

BAGELS

2020 SHUCK ON THE SOUND OYSTER ROAST January 25, 6:30 p.m.

St. Andrews On-the-Sound Episcopal Church, 101 Airlie Rd. Fresh local oysters roasted over a hardwood fire and live entertainment.

Admission includes all you can eat oysters, BBQ, and beer/wine. All funds raised will be used to support our children’s ministry at St. Andrews Onthe-Sound Tickets: $35 at Eventbrite.com

ROUND BAGELS

Round Bagels and Donuts features 17 varieties of New York-style bagels, baked fresh daily on site in a steam bagel oven. Round offers a wide variety of breakfast and lunch bagel sandwiches, grilled and fresh to order. Round also offers fresh-made donuts daily! Stop by Monday - Friday, 6:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., and on Sunday, 7:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

■ SERVING BREAKFAST & LUNCH ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ FEATURING: Homemade bagels, cream

cheeses, donuts, sandwiches, coffee and more ■ WEBSITE: roundbagelsanddonuts.com

Experience the ‘Buzzed Bull Difference’ A family friendly liquid nitrogen creamery with small batch ice creams and milkshakes specializing in buzzed (alcohol infused for 21+) and non-buzzed flavors.

Always fresh and made-to-order.

Millions of flavor combinations.

3224 N College Rd Suite B, Wilmington, NC 28405 (910) 520-8546

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FONDUE Wilmington’s favorite fondue restaurant!

The Little Dipper specializes in unique fondue dishes with a global variety of cheeses, meats, seafood, vegetables, chocolates and fine wines. The warm and intimate dining room is a great place to enjoy a four-course meal, or indulge in appetizers and desserts outside on the back deck or in the bar while watching luminescent jellyfish. Reservations are appreciated for parties of any size. Located at the corner of Front and Orange in Downtown Wilmington. 138 South Front Street. (910) 251-0433.

■ SERVING DINNER: 5pm Tue-Sun; open daily from Memorial Day through October ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown ■ FEATURING Sunday half-price wine bottles; Monday beer and wine flights on special; Tuesday Local’s Night $11/person cheese and chocolate; Wednesday Ladies Night; Thursday $27 4-course prix fixe; Friday “Date Night” $85/couple for 3 courses and a bottle of wine.

■ MUSIC: Tuesdays & Thursdays, MayOct., 7– 9 p.m. (weather permitting) ■ WEBSITE: www.littledipperfondue.com

IRISH THE HARP

Experience the finest traditional Irish family recipes and popular favorites served in a casual yet elegant traditional pub atmosphere.

The Harp, 1423 S. 3rd St., proudly uses the freshest ingredients, locally sourced whenever possible, to bring you and yours the most

J. Micha el’s Phll y Deli 3 convenien t location s • phillyd eli.com • Court delicious Irish fare! We have a fully stocked bar featuring favorite Irish beers and whiskies. We are open every day for both American and Irish breakfast, served to noon weekdays and 2 p.m. weekends. Regular menu to 10 p.m. weekdays and 11 p.m. weekends. Join us for trivia at 8:30 on Thursdays and live music on Fridays – call ahead for schedule (910) 7631607. Located just beside Greenfield Lake and Park at the south end of downtown Wilming-

We’re not just hot dogs!

$5 Meal Deals

Offering philly cheesesteaks, burgers, grilled cheeses, frank ’n’ beans and more!

Offering hot dog cart service for catering, 60 or more!

Drop-off catering offered!

We ha Impos ve the s Burgeible r

WILMINGTON 4502 Fountain Dr Wilmington, NC 28403 (910) 452-3952

11am to 6:30pm, 7 days a week

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esy photo

ton, The Harp is a lovely Irish pub committed to bringing traditional Irish flavor, tradition and hospitality to the Cape Fear area ■ SERVING BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Greenfield Lake/DowntownSouth ■ FEATURING: Homemade soups, desserts and breads, free open wifi, new enlarged patio area, and big screen TVs at the bar featuring major soccer matches worldwide.

■ WEBSITE: harpwilmington.com

SLAINTE IRISH PUB

Slainte Irish Pub in Monkey Junction has traditional pub fare with an Irish flair. We have a large selection of Irish whiskey, and over 23 different beers on draft, and 40 different craft beers in bottles. They have a large well lit outdoor patio with a full bar also. Come have some fun! They currently do not take reservations, but promise to take care of you when you get here! 5607 Carolina Beach Rd. #100, (910) 399-3980 ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: 11:30 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: South Wilmington, Monkey Junction ■ FEATURING: Irish grub, whiskeys, beer, wine, fun.

■ WEBSITE: facebook.com/slaintemj

ITALIAN ANTONIO’S

Serving fresh, homemade Italian fare in midtown and south Wilmington, Antonio’s Pizza and Pasta is a family-owned restaurant which serves New York style pizza and pasta.

From daily specials during lunch and dinner to a friendly waitstaff ensuring a top-notch experience, whether dining in, taking out or getting delivery, to generous portions, the Antonio’s experience is an unforgettable one. Serving subs, salads, pizza by the slice or pie, pasta, and more, dine-in, take-out and delivery! 3501 Oleander Dr., #2, and 5120 S. College Rd. ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Sun.-Thurs.,

11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Sun., open at 11:30 a.m.)

■ NEIGHBORHOOD DELIVERY OFFERED: Monkey Junction and near Independence Mall ■ WEBSITE: antoniospizzaandpasta.com

THE ITALIAN BISTRO

The Italian Bistro is a family-owned, fullservice Italian restaurant and pizzeria located in Porters Neck. They offer a wide variety of N.Y. style thin-crust pizza and homemade Italian dishes seven days a week!

The Italian Bistro strives to bring customers a variety of homemade items made with the freshest, local ingredients. Every pizza and entrée is made to order and served with a smile from our amazing staff.

Their warm, inviting, atmosphere is perfect for “date night” or “family night.” Let them show you why “fresh, homemade and local” is part of everything they do. 8211 Market St. (910) 686-7774

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Sun.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Sun brunch, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Porters Neck ■ WEBSITE: italianbistronc.com

SLICE OF LIFE

“Slice” has become a home away from home for tourists and locals alike. Our menu includes salads, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, homemade soups, subs and, of course, pizza. We only serve the freshest and highest-quality ingredients in all of our food, and our dough is made daily with purified water. Voted “Best Pizza” and “Best Late Night Eatery.”All ABC permits. Visit us downtown at 125 Market Street, (910) 251-9444, in Wrightsville Beach at 1437 Military Cutoff Road, Suite 101, (910) 256-2229 and in Pine Valley on the corner of 17th and College Road, (910) 7991399.

■ SERVING LUNCH, DINNER & LATE NIGHT:

11:30 a.m.-3 a.m., 7 days/week, 365 days/ year.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown, Downtown and Wilmington South.

■ FEATURING: Largest tequila selection in town!

■ WEBSITE: grabslice.com

MEXICAN ZOCALO

Zocalo Street Food and Tequila brings a modern version of cooking traditional Mexican street food through perfected recipes, with excellent presentation. Zócalo was the main ceremonial center for the Aztecs, and presently, it is the main square in central Mexico City. It bridges old school tradition with a twist of innovative cooking. Zocalo also has weekly events, such as their margarita and food tasting every Monday, 5-8 p.m., and a live taco station every Tuesday , 5-8 p.m. Live Latin music Is showcased every other Saturday and Sunday brunch begins at 10 a.m. Be sure to try Zocalo’s wide selection of the best tequilas! Owned and operated locally, locations are in Wilmington and Jacksonville, NC. Take out and delivery available through most apps.

■ SERVING LUNCH, DINNER AND BRUNCH: Monday - Saturday, 11 a.m - 10 p.m.; Sunday brunch, 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.; closes 9 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Pointe at Barclay ■ WEBSITE: zocalostreetfood.com

SANDWICHES J. MICHAEL’S PHILLY DELI

The Philly Deli celebrated their 38th anniversary in August 2017. Thier first store was located in Hanover Center—the oldest shopping center in Wilmington. Since, two more Philly Delis have been added: one at Porters Neck and one at Monkey Junction.

The Philly Deli started out by importing all of their steak meat and hoagie rolls straight from Amoroso Baking Company, located on 55th Street in downtown Philadelphia! It’s a practice they maintain to this day.

We also have a great collection of salads to choose from, including the classic chef’s salad, chicken salad, and tuna salad, all made fresh every day in our three Wilmington, NC restaurants. 8232 Market St., 3501 Oleander Dr., 609 Piner Rd.

■ OPEN: 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Monday -Thursday,11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Friday Saturday.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Porters Neck, North and South Wilmington, ■ WEBSITE: https://phillydeli.com

SEAFOOD CAPE FEAR SEAFOOD COMPANY

Founded in 2008 by Evans and Nikki Trawick, Cape Fear Seafood Company has become a local hotspot for the freshest, tastiest seafood in the area. With it’s growing popularity, the restaurant has expanded from its flagship eatery in Monkey Junction to locations in Porters Neck and Waterford in Leland. “We are a dedicated group of individuals working together as a team to serve spectacular food,

wine and spirits in a relaxed and casual setting,” restaurateur Evans Trawick says. “At CFSC every dish is prepared with attention to detail, quality ingredients and excellent flavors. Our staff strives to accommodate guests with a sense of urgency and an abundance of southern hospitality.” Cape Fear Seafood Company has been recognized by encore magazine for best seafood in 2015, as well as by Wilmington Magazine in 2015 and 2016, and Star News from 2013 through 2016. Monkey Junction: 5226 S. College Road Suite 5, 910-799-7077. Porter’s Neck: 140 Hays Lane #140, 910-681-1140. Waterford: 143 Poole Rd., Leland, NC 28451 ■ SERVING LUNCH AND DINNER: 11:30am4pm daily; Mon.-Thurs.., 4pm-9pm; Fri.-Sat., 4pm 10pm; Sun., 4pm-8:30pm.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown, north Wilmington and Leland ■ WESBITE: capefearseafoodcompany.com

CATCH

Serving the Best Seafood in South Eastern North Carolina. Wilmington’s Native Son, 2011 James Beard Award Nominee, 2013 Best of Wilmington “Best Chef” winner, Chef Keith Rhodes explores the Cape Fear Coast for the best it has to offer. We feature Wild Caught & Sustainably raised Seafood. Organic and locally sourced produce & herbs provide the perfect compliment to our fresh Catch. Consecutively Voted Wilmington’s Best Chef 2008, 09 & 2010. Dubbed “Modern Seafood Cuisine” we offer an array Fresh Seafood & Steaks, including our Signature NC Sweet Potato Salad. Appetizers include our Mouth watering “Fire Cracker” Shrimp, Crispy Cajun Fried NC Oysters & Blue Crab Claw Scampi, & Seafood Ceviche to name a few. Larger Plates include, Charleston Crab Cakes, Flounder Escovitch & Miso Salmon. Custom Entree request gladly accommodated for our Guest. (Vegetarian, Vegan & Allergies) Hand-crafted seasonal desserts. Full ABC Permits. 6623 Market Street, Wilmington, NC 28405, 910-799-3847.

■ SERVING DINNER: Mon.-Sat. 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: North Wilmington ■ FEATURING: Acclaimed Wine List ■ WEBSITE: catchwilmington.com

DOCK STREET OYSTER BAR

Voted Best Oysters for over 10 years by encore readers, you know what you can find at Dock Street Oyster Bar. But we have a lot more than oysters! Featuring a full menu of seafood, pasta, and chicken dishes from $4.95-$25.95, there’s something for everyone at Dock Street.

You’ll have a great time eating in our “Bohemian-Chic” atmosphere, where you’ll feel just as comfort able in flip flops as you would in a business suit. Located at 12 Dock St in downtown Wilmington. Open lunch and dinner, 7 days a week. (910) 762-2827.

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: 7 days a week.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown ■ FEATURING: Fresh daily steamed oysters.

■ WEBSITE: dockstreetoysterbar.net

and produce. Our menu consists of mainly locally grown and made from scratch items.

We count on our local fishermen and farmers to supply us with seasonal, North Carolina favorites on a daily basis. Adorned walls include awards such as 3 time gold medalist at the International Seafood Chowder CookOff, Entrepreneur of the Year, Restaurant of the Year and Encores readers’ choice in Best Seafood to name a few. 1206 N. Lake Park Blvd. (910) 458-7761 ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: 7 days 11 am – 9 pm ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Carolina Beach ■ FEATURING: Award-winning chowder, local se food and more!

■ WEBSITE: MikesCfood.com

OCEANIC

Voted best seafood restaurant in Wilmington, Oceanic provides oceanfront dining at its best. Located in Wrightsville Beach, Oceanic is one of the most visited restaurants on the beach. Choose from a selection of seafood platters, combination plates and daily fresh fish. For land lovers, try their steaks, chicken or pasta dishes. Relax on the pier or dine inside. Oceanic is also the perfect location for memorable events, such as wedding ceremonies & receptions, birthday gatherings, anniversary parties and more. Large groups welcome. Private event space available. 703 S. Lumina Avenue, Wrightsville Beach. (910) 256.5551.

■ SERVING LUNCH, DINNER & SUNDAY BRUNCH: Mon – Sat 11am – 11pm, Sunday 10am – 10pm ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Wrightsville Beach ■ FEATURING: Dine on renovated Crystal

Pier.

■ WEBSITE: OceanicRestaurant.com

THE PILOT HOUSE

The Pilot House Restaurant is Wilmington’s premier seafood and steak house with a touch of the South. We specialize in local seafood and produce. Featuring the only Downtown bar that faces the river and opening our doors in 1978, The Pilot House is the oldest restaurant in the Downtown area. We offer stunning riverfront views in a newly-renovated relaxed, casual setting inside or on one of our two outdoor decks.

Join us for $5.00 select appetizers Sunday-Thursday and live music every Friday and Saturday nigh on our umbrella deck.

Large parties welcome. Private event space available. 910-343-0200. 2 Ann Street, Wilmington, NC 28401 ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: SunThurs 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm and Sunday Brunch,. 11am-3pm. Kids menu ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Riverfront Downtown Wilmington ■ FEATURING: Fresh local seafood specialties, Riverfront Dining, free on-site parking ■ MUSIC: Outside Every Friday and Saturday ■ WEBSITE: pilothouserest.com

SHUCKIN’ SHACK

Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar has two locations in the Port City area. The original Shack is located in Carolina Beach at 6A N. Lake Park Blvd. (910-458-7380) and our second location is at 109 Market Street in Historic Downtown Wilmington (910-833-

NEW CAULIFLOWER RICE WARM BOWLS! TRY ONE AT OUR WILMINGTON LOCATION 1125 Military Cutoff Rd, Wilmington, NC

MICHAEL’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

Established in 1998, Michael’s Seafood Restaurant is locally owned and operated by Shelly McGowan and managed by her team of culinary professionals. Michael’s aspires to bring you the highest quality and freshest fin fish, shell fish, mollusks, beef, pork, poultry

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8622). The Shack is the place you want to be to catch your favorite sports team on 7 TV’s carrying all major sports packages. A variety of fresh seafood is available daily including oysters, shrimp, clams, mussels, and crab legs. Shuckin’ Shack has expanded its menu now offering fish tacos, crab cake sliders, fried oyster po-boys, fresh salads, and more. Come in and check out the Shack’s daily lunch, dinner, and drink specials. It’s a Good Shuckin’ Time! ■SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Carolina Beach Hours: Mon-Sat: 11am-2am; Sun: Noon-2am, Historic Wilmington: Sun-Thurs: 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat:11am-Midnight. ■NEIGHBORHOOD: Carolina Beach/Downtown ■FEATURING: Daily lunch specials. Like us on Facebook! ■WEBSITE: TheShuckinShack.com

AVE H E W S ISSUE Weekly on Wednesdays

SOUTHERN

3080.

CASEY’S BUFFET

In Wilmington, everyone knows where to go for solid country cooking. That place is Casey’s Buffet, winner of encore’s Best Country Cookin’/Soul Food and Buffet categories. “Every day we are open, somebody tells us it tastes just like their grandma’s or mama’s cooking,� co-owner Gena Casey says.

Gena and her husband Larry run the show at the Oleander Drive restaurant where people are urged to enjoy all food indigenous to the South: fried chicken, barbecue, catfish, mac‘n’cheese, mashed potatoes, green beans, chicken‘n’dumplings, biscuits and homemade banana puddin’ are among a few of many other delectable items. 5559 Oleander Drive.

(910) 798-2913. ■SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Mon. & Tues. ■NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■FEATURING: Pig’s feet and chitterlings. ■WEBSITE: caseysbuffet.com

RX RESTAURANT & BAR

Located in downtown Wilmington, Rx Restaurant and Bar is here to feed your soul, serving up Southern cuisine made with ingredients from local farmers and fishermen.

The Rx chef is committed to bringing fresh food to your table, so the menu changes daily based on what he finds locally. Rx drinks are as unique as the food—and just what the doctor ordered. Join us for a dining experience you will never forget! 421 Castle St.; 910 399-

Stalk + Vine

/ +

Thurs, 5-10pm; Fri-Sat, 5-10:30pm; Sun., 10am-3pm and 5-9pm â– NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown â– WEBSITE: rxwilmington.com

SPORTS BAR CAROLINA ALE HOUSE

Voted best new restaurant AND best sports bar of 2010 in Wilmington, Carolina Ale House is the place to be for award-winning food, sports and fun. Located on College Rd. near UNC W, this lively sports-themed restaurant.

Covered and open outdoor seating is available. Lunch and dinner specials are offered daily, as well as the coldest $2 and $3 drafts in town. 317 S. College Rd. (910) 791.9393.

SERVING LUNCH, DINNER & LATE NIGHT: 11am-2am daily.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown FEATURING: 40 HD TVs and the biggest HD projector TVs in Wilmington.

WEBSITE: CarolinaAleHouse.com

TAPAS/WINE BAR THE FORTUNATE GLASS WINE BAR

Under new ownership! Tom Noonan invites you to enjoy his remodeled space, featuring a new sound system and new bar, in a warm, relaxed environment. Taste 40 craft beers, over 400 wines by the bottle, a wide selection of cheese and charcuterie, with gourmet small plates and desserts to go! And don’t miss their weekly wine tastings, every Tuesday, 6 p.m. 9 p.m.

SERVING DINNER & LATE NIGHT: Mon., Closed; Tues.-Thurs., 4 p.m. - 12 a.m.; Fri., 4 p.m. - 2 a.m.; Sat., 2 p.m. - 2 a.m.; Sun., 4 - 10 p.m.

NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown, 29 S Front St. WEBSITE: fortunateglass.com

STEAKS TRUE BLUE BUTCHER & TABLE

True Blue Butcher & Table opened in the Forum Shopping Center in January 2018 at the point, 1125-AA Military Cutoff Rd. as Wilmington’s finest neighborhood butcher shop and restaurant. A menu of globally-inspired, local ingredients is served during lunch, dinner and weekend brunches. But the real experience is visiting the butcher counter to take home

menu

(3 options per course, choose 1)

lobster bisque

creme fraĂŽche, lobster oil

french onion

gruyere, crostini

Â?

roasted root vegetables, whipped potato

( ) Â Â

@ Â? Â? Â?

butternut squash bisque, glazed carrots, romesco

farro “risotto�

red ripper peas, kale, asher blue, mint

blueberry, maitake mushrooms

mascarpone, lemon, truf�le

lemon, parmesan, crouton

braised short rib

foie gras torchon crab ravioli

caesar

scallop

38 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

the best cuts of meat in Wilmington (and the world), while also given expert cooking and food advice from the chef/owner himself, Bobby Zimmerman. True Blue has a magnificent bar, handcrafted cocktail menu and bar menu and offers weekday specials. (910) 679-4473 â– SERVING LUNCH, DINNER & WEEKEND BRUNCH: Lunch Tues.-Fri., 11am-2pm; Dinner, Tues.-Sun., 5-10pm; Brunch, Sat.-Sun., 10:30am-2:30pm; Butcher counter Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm â– NEIGHBORHOOD: The Forum off of Military Cutoff Road â– FEATURES: Wed. Burger Night, Thurs.

1/2-priced wine bottle & prime steak upgrades; Friday 1/2-priced bar menu â– WEBSITE/SOCIALS: wearetrueblue.com.

IG: @truebluebutcherandtable. FB: facebook. com/TrueBlueButcherAndTable

â– SERVING BRUNCH & DINNER: Tues-

leek gratin

brown butter, cream, garlic bread crumb

creme brĂťlĂŠe

champagne, almond

chocolate mousse

sea salt, fresh berries

cheese plate

manchego, asher blue, ossau iraty, tomme

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NEW NEIGHBORHOOD STOP Tipsy Goat Bottles and Taps offers craft booze on Castle Hayne Road, near 23rd Street.

Photo by Joan C. W. Hoffmann

BOTTLES AND

BY JOAN C.W. HOFFMANN

I

strolled into Tipsy Goat Bottles and Taps on an early Monday afternoon expecting to conduct my normal 45-minute-long interview and go on my way. After one-anda-half beers and two-and-a-half hours, I emerged, wondering where a big chunk of my day had gone but knowing I’d spent it well.

Anthony Heath is a self-proclaimed redneck from Beulaville with a thick Southern accent. Beulaville—best known for Mike’s Farm, which hosts quite a spectacular Christmas lights show and dinner that fills up reservations on August 1—is northwest of Jacksonville in Duplin County. Folks familiar with its whereabouts really know rural eastern NC. “It doesn’t always hurt for people to underestimate you,” Heath says with a grin.

This was after I remarked in awe about the amount of research he’d done about renting commercial real estate. It was a staggering amount. He rattled off numbers and codes with a contractor’s ease— and the man is not a contractor.

Heath spent the last 10 years working with his wife, Barbara (who now works at GLOW Academy), at a consultation company. She led the charge for a team of people ensuring compliance with National Science Foundation grants. Heath

DETAILS TIPSY GOAT BOTTLES AND TAPS 1930 Castle Hayne Rd Monday-Thursday, 12 p.m. - 10 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.; closed on Sunday www.tipsy-goat.com

did a lot of the back-office work—or in his words, “I was a janitor.” He remarks how owning a small business also makes him a janitor. Luckily, he’s had practice.

Beforehand, Heath worked for PPD. A former Army medic, then biology major at UNCW, he landed a job normally reserved for nurses. As he walked me through his careers, he reminisced about the various bottle shops he often visited before his

45-minute drive home from work. He remembered chit-chatting with Jason Adams at Lighthouse, and finding new brews with the help of Maaike Brender À Brandis at Cape Fear Wine and Beer—back when the bar was on Water Street. He made sure to praise the work Mike and Kristy Duffy are doing at Hey!Beer, too.

When we turned the conversation back to his own shop, Heath got a little sheepish. Though he’s new to the game, it’s apparent he genuinely wants to do great. His humility is endearing. Case in point: his bottle shop’s name. He and Barbara had a spreadsheet with tons of words sorted into different combinations. They landed on Tipsy Goat because the Heath household in Rocky Point is home to two goats— Sweetie and Amelia. And after a beer or two, well, who isn’t a little tipsy?

Similar is his Castle Hayne Road shop, located near the corner of 23rd Street, toward downtown Wilmington in Cape Fear Plaza. Heath chose the location because there wasn’t anything like it in the area.

There’s a Food Lion down the street, a nail salon, a McDonald’s, but nothing selling craft booze. He wanted to provide for others what Lighthouse, Hey!Beer, and Cape Fear Wine and Beer did for him for so long.

According to Heath, the property has new owners who took time to renovate the spaces so they were more palatable to potential renters. The twinkle in his eye lights up the room with warm personality, and comfy living room furniture and a big bar to belly up to detract from the florescent lighting. But what people really will be impressed by is the inventory—specifically found in coolers he rescued for a dime from a Dollar General sale. The amount of cold stock will have customers stopping in on their way home from work and happy to not have to wait for it to chill when they get home.

The draft list features new school favorites, as well as classic standbys, and will change occasionally. Victory Dirt Wolf Double IPA (one of my favorites) and Allagash White (a tried and true for many) are included. I settled on the New Anthem

40 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

TAPS

Tipsy Goat offers warm and fuzzies with frosty craft booze pilsner Poets and Fools, and had a half of Wilmington Brewing Company Tropical Lightning.

Heath and I talked about the state of the industry—where we’ve come from, where we’re going. When he mentioned he didn’t sell a single bottle of Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout on Black Friday, I was stunned. Sippers-in-the-know are aware Black Friday isn’t just a day to be at Best Buy by 5 a.m. to get the best deal on a computer or a TV. It’s a day to celebrate big, boozy stouts, and most of all, the aforementioned Goose Island. It’s the beer that built the holiday. Not selling any of it is akin to not selling Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day—unheard of.

We discussed the decline of the large-format bottle and the uptick in lager love. He boasted his very favorite glass to drink out of (I’ll let him tell you; I don’t want to spoil it). He made it a really comfortable place to share and explore and also leave feeling inspired.

As I worked through some standard-issue interview questions, our conversation shifted toward the shop’s long-term goals‚ about what would most serve Heath’s vision.

“I want it to be a place where people want to be,” Heath says.

It’s definitely a place I want to be. As long as Heath’s friendly warmth and cold beer keep flowing, I have no doubt everyone else will, too.

We wil open 2pm New Year’s Day Offering cheese, fresh meats and seafood along with many dessert fondues including melted chocolate, caramel, peanut butter and marshmallows!

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42 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

CHEERS! Joan raises a glass to a year of hard seltzers, tasty local brews, like Flytrap’s 5-Year Anniversary Ale (below) and natural wines.

Photo via Unsplash annd by Joan C.W. Hoffman

YEAR IN

BY JOAN C.W. HOFFMANN

A

s another decade closes, I can’t help but think about the trends we’ve seen in the beverage industry. The last 10 years have brought us the resurgence of the craft cocktail (which just keeps getting craftier and craftier), the horrifyingly sweet Not Your Father’s brand of hard sodas, milkshake IPAs, and natural wine. But when I think back on 2019, only one thing comes to mind: hard seltzer.

Which came first: Truly or White Claw?

I can’t remember because I don’t particularly care for any of it. But I do know loyalists are just that and they don’t cross-contaminate. I also know, while most of the internet was criticizing “basic” women for drinking these hard seltzers, I was watching all sorts of men—from frat boys to hipsters to Marines—suck them down at Blue Post like it was cool.

Boozy seltzer took the beverage industry by storm. It was like we all woke up one day with one in each hand, wondering, “Where did this come from? I’m not sure but it almost tastes like a mango and I kind of have a buzz.” A couple are even being made locally at Salty Turtle Beer Company in Surf City.

As I zoomed in a little on the past year, I remembered a piece I wrote at the beginning of 2019 that highlighted imminent expansions. Flytrap is still producing unique, thoughtful bottles of their fine, intentional liquids, and the new New Anthem location (“new New,” if you will) is open and flourishing in the South Front District. While both Bill’s Brewing and Wilmington Brewing Company’s projects have stalled, they have not burned out. Wilmington Brewing recently received approval from the

City of Wilmington to move forward with construction on their event space. Bill’s Brewing has been plugging and chugging through laborious demolition and renovation (and the Musser family also recently expanded with the birth of Donnie and Brooks’ son, Austin).

The greater Wilmington area was greeted with a couple of surprises: the introduction of boozy ‘booch from Panacea (our local kombucha creators and purveyors), and the announcement that proprietors Art and Robin Hill would seek to open Burgaw Brewing company in 2020.

2019 also was the first year since 2014 that a brewery didn’t open in Wilmington—a thought that hadn’t occurred to me until I finished writing that sentence.

It comes as a bit of a shock because the blossoming of the Cape Fear craft beer scene has been systematic over the past four years. I’ll chalk the fifth year up to a deep breath before another plunge.

We did lose a team player this year: Check Six out of Southport. The young brewery closed on July 17 with a regretful Facebook post expressing hurricane woes and issues with distribution. The 115 comments on the post shows they will be missed. I’ll miss them, too—their Harley Pope imperial vanilla porter was one for the books. But I don’t think the brewery’s closing is an indicator of the state of the industry. I stand firmly in my stance that there isn’t a bubble and it’s not bursting because, well, something can’t burst if it’s not there.

This past year continued with the elusive Tidewater remaining closed. The coop brewery-to-be was devastated during Hurricane Florence and, up until the middle of the year, still was working to open. However, it would seem, even after taking money for shares for the co-op and crowdfunding to get back on their feet, the owners of the company have ghosted (that’s what kids are saying now, right?). It remains to be seen what will come of the spot, located at 9th and Market streets.

2019 provided lots of delicious liquid to toast the year with—or at least to cope with, depending on the moment. Some of my favorites were New Anthem Beer Project’s Velvet Lies IPA, Flying Machine Brewing Company’s Governable Parachutes India Pale Lager, Bill’s Brewing’s Goodyear ESB (rest in power, Dean), Wilmington Brewing Company’s Beach Time Session IPA, Flytrap Brewing’s 5-Year Anniversary Ale, Waterline’s Pale Ale, and Salty Turtle Beer Company’s Big Shakey Black IPA. These are just brews I can remember off of the top of my head. Oh,

DRINKS

Taking stock of the beverage industry in 2019 and Broomtail Craft Brewery’s ILM IPA, Edward Teach Brewing’s Oktoberfest, Skytown’s Princess Street Pilsner, Front Street Brewery’s Condor Pilsner, and Mad Mole’s Raspberry Molay. OK, I think that’s actually everything.

In 2020, I’m looking forward to more of the same, which is to say: diversity. I love the Wilmington beer scene for its consistently changing lineup of brews. There is truly something for everyone, for every mood, for every occasion. I could have redone that whole list and not named a single IPA. Speaking of varieties of the non-IPA persuasion, 2019 brought us natural wine.

Not sure what it is or where to start? Well, the trendy vino is running rampant around here, so I recommend going to your favorite wine shop and starting there.

Me? I go to Bombers. The downtown bottle shop has very carefully curated their natural wine list, and proprietors Kyle Harshner and Sunni Holley are excited to talk about it. If it’s Monday, when Bombers is closed, head to Second Glass, Celeste Glass’s South Front District venture. She and her staff are armed and ready to provide knowledge for sippers, sophomores to seniors. (Plus, Monday is their weekly free tasting.)

So, I raise my glass to not only a year but a decade filled with variety, to trends both failing and flourishing, and to many more beverages, fancy and fermented.

Cheers to 2020!

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Local Realtors® sharing the whole Wilmington EXPerience.

Leslie Smith

910-233-8772 • leslie.smith@exprealty.com

William Corbett

910-409-7818 • william.corbett@exprealty.com

Thank you, Wilmington, For continuing to vote us best wine list!

small plates

OVER 400 WINES & over 40 CRAFT BEER

44 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

29 S. FRONT ST. (910) 399-4292 FREE WINE TASTING TUESDAYS, 6-8PM @THEFORTUNATEGLASS

large selection of specialty cheese & charcuterie

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AVOCADO TOAST

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SERVING AWARD-WINNING CHICKEN AND WAFFLES • Locally prepared, fresh-fromscratch breakfast & lunch • Heart-healthy items available • Traditional Southern dishes

3704 Carolina Beach Rd. • (910) 769-8112 • savorsouthernkitchen.com Tues.-Fri., 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. • Sat. - Sun., 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com 45

whatever surface was available.

BURNING

SENSATION

The musical influence on the world washed over the masses like a sugary sweet mountain of molasses that made everything more amazing. Large cultural milestones, like the World Series, were replaced with annual battle of the band competitions. Presidential candidates were now presented with debate questions about which musical genre best encapsulated their foreign policy. A new national capital was erected in Detroit, as the nation split into those who accepted the musical utopia and puritanical conservatives who wanted nothing of this newfound nirvana.

An Eddie Inferno Rock N Roll Adventure

BY ANGHUS

PRELUDE

I

t’s difficult to imagine the world before the psycho-sexual revolution of 1972. A corrupt bureaucracy of warring ideologies and religions consistently plunged the world into chaos, as a cadre of the wealthy gleefully pulled strings to ruin lives of billions, while pocketing ill-gotten gains. Like every revolution, this one had been brewing for over a decade. There was a restlessness plaguing society. The collective patience was wearing thin, while new, mind-expanding drugs were giving deeper insights into the meaning of existence.

Doctor Leopold Reed had spent his life

riding the periwinkle wave of self-discovery through a world desperately in need of answers to humanity’s most burning questions. While others were experimenting with LSD and Cyclocilbin, Leopold Reed was creating a road map into our inner selves. NASA was launching astronauts into space, trying hard to find and touch the face of God. Leopold Reed was creating an army of chemical cosmonauts. He hoped they would explore the mind’s innerverse and converse with inter-dimensional beings, to share true secrets of creation while arming followers with the wisdom to end the perpetual cycle of suffering with which the world had become all-too familiar.

The military-industrial complex was forced to change business strategies as well. It transitioned from making weapons of mass destruction to designing more efficient amplifiers and music venues that could operate in the upper stratosphere.

On the same day American astronauts landed on the moon, Leopold Reed returned from a hallucinogenic trip with a plan to change the world. It took three years of planning and every dime of his inherited fortune for Leopold to fully realize his chemically induced epiphany, which involved 280 cubic gallons of high-grade LSD, 400 rolls of premium blotter paper and access to a formal function, hosted by the United Nations.

After spiking the water supply with their chemical agent of change, all leaders in the known world began a trip that would ultimately lead them to an elevated level of understanding. Leopold understood how getting leadership of the civilized world high wouldn’t solve any problems, but it would set the stage for success and what would bring them together wouldn’t be a chemical reaction but a musical one.

Music would be the instrument of salvation. The B-side of The Zombies’ “Odyssey and Oracle” became the soundtrack for a shared future. Over the next few weeks, wars ended. Generational conflicts began to subside. Psychedelic drugs became legal and were actively encouraged to be used by presidents and prime ministers alike. The world had gone through a fundamental paradigm shift. People were seeking a new type of knowledge and turning to rock and roll musicians to find answers.

It was a Rock N Roll Revolution. Live music became America’s pastime. Kids no longer dreamed of being athletes, scientists or movie stars. Every young boy wanted to be a bad-ass rocker or an ax-wielding shredder. Every girl fantasized about being a leather-clad dreamweaver or spent every waking moment tapping out beats on

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Even traditional judeo-Christian religions were forced to pivot after seeing congregations at their lowest level since the Third Crusade. Rather than rail against the temptations of what rock n roll music provided, they began to embrace it as a way to lure new members into their flock.

The rigid dogmatic doctrines quickly were rewritten to align with a new world view.

Boring, stoic pipe organs were flanked with electric guitars, sitars and theremins. Sermons were backed by musical accompaniment, as pastors were learning a powerful drum solo could be as moving as any theological pedagogy.

A decade later the world had become completely transformed by rock n roll. The strength of a nation’s economy could be measured in album sales. There were those who opposed the seismic shift in society— uptight squares who continued to cling to antiquated ideologies, sad souls who saw a world changing around them as something to fear. They would continue to shake their fists and glare disapprovingly at the rock n roller coaster young people were lining up to ride. They clung to their puritanical past instead of following a funkier future.

Much of the world had started to tap its collective foot to a new beat. And one band would seize the zeitgeist. One lead singer would become the scowling face of rock and light the world on fire. He was born Edward Stewart Alabaster. Though the world would come to know his by a stage name that would singe society…

Eddie Inferno.

Ed. note: Anghus’ “Burning Sensation” is a serialized fiction piece that will run in encore every other week through 2020.

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blues band Wheelhouse and friends! No cover, free midnight champagne toast, munchies table (feel free to contribute), and dress to impress! The Rusty Nail, 1310 S. 5th Ave.

events

SANTA AT COTTON EXCHANGE

Visit Santa at The Cotton Exchange through Dec. 24, 11am-4pm: As always you can take free pictures with Santa at The Cotton Exchange. This year we will be utilizing a system that holds your place in line and sends you a text when it’s almost time for your visit. You can walk around and enjoy your time instead of waiting in long lines to see Santa. We will have music provided by area school choirs, bands, and orchestras on many Saturdays during the holiday season. On Sundays, enjoy local music. Come see the numerous trees decorated for local charities throughout our buildings. 321 N Front St.

new year’s eve NYE SUN AND MOON PARTY

Dec. 31, 7-11pm: Celebrate the coming of 2020 under the bridge and stars with a very special performance of Striking Copper’s brand new album, “A Trip Around the Sun!” Honey Head Films will be joining us as well, to bring some magical visual creations! Dress in your best silver and gold as we pull out all our usual traditions including the free champagne toast, midnight balloon drop and a very special menu by Bill’s Brew Food! No cover! New Year’s countdown!

Waterline Brewing Company, 721 Surry St.

CAPE FEAR FESTIVAL OF TREES

Through January 2, during regular aquarium hours, the Lower Cape Fear Hospice brings back its annual tradition, Cape Fear Festival of Trees at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. There are numerous dazzling, decorated trees lining the stairwells and spaces of the aquarium, each decorated by local businesses in various themes. Folks can drop by the Memorial Tree to place a dove in remembrance of loved ones. Also, a limited supply of theme-decorated wreaths will be available for purchase, to help hospice provide quality care and support to individuals and families facing end-of-life needs. Admission is allowed with aquarium ticket. NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher, 900 Loggerhead Rd. ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher

PHANTOM PLAYBOYS’ SWINGING NYE

Dec. 31, 8pm, $15: Where’s the most fun party this year to rock in the new year? The Lazy Pirate in Carolina Beach. $15 ticket includes live music, a champagne toast at midnight, party favors and all ticket holders can enjoy dinner at The Pirate for 20% off.

Get your tickets now: 910tix.com. Lazy Pirate Sports Grill, 701 N Lake Park Blvd.

NYE WITH THE FEEBS AT SEAWITCH CAFE

Dec. 31, 8pm: Wilmington’s hottest band and powerhouse vocalist, Haley Norris, ringing in 2020 at the Seawitch in Carolina Beach. Tickets $20. The SeaWitch Cafe and Tiki Bar, 227 Carolina Beach Ave N.

BACK TO THE ‘80S

Dec. 31, 8pm: Dig out those outfits from your teen years, and join us to dance in the new year, It’s time for a tribute to some of the greatest music from the ’80s decade.

New Wave, synthpop, freestyle, rap, R&B, dance, rock, pop and much more by artists like Depeche Mode, Queen, David Bowie, Duran Duran, The Pet Shop Boys, Tom Petty, The B52’s, Talking Heads, Madness, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, etc. As usual, we present the music with accompanying music videos and create an amazing dancing atmosphere with light, lasers and fog. Free for all ages! The Juggling Gypsy, 1612 Castle St.

NYE AT STOKED

Dec. 31, 8pm: Bring in the New Years the Stoked way! DJ Ash B will be playing all your favorite dancing tunes! Drink specials, complimentary toast. Stoked Restaurant, 313 Canal Dr., Carolina Beach

NY EVE AT FLYTRAP

with us on a night filled with music, food, beer, and friends! Dress your best and get a photo in littlegreenbooth. They will be set up starting at 7pm along with Joe Loves Lobster Rolls. Catch live music by Into The Fog from 9:30pm-12:30am! Plus- don’t miss the free champagne toast at midnight!

Exckusive beer release: apricot saison with champagne yeast, bottled and aged. Available in the tap room day of the event! Flytrap Brewing, 319 Walnut St.

IBIZA NYE

Dec. 31, 9pm: There’s no party Like An Ibiza Party, so mark your calendars and join your friends for Wilmington’s legendary New Year’s Eve Party! Ibiza Nightclub has consistently been known for the ultimate New Years’ experience, featuring the area’s most talented DJ’s and laser light show, three full service bars, the famous $1,000 balloon drop, and of course the complimentary champagne toast at midnight. Purchase your ticket online and skip the line with Express Entry, available to online ticket holders until 11pm. Ibiza Nightclub, 118 Market St. ibizawilmington.com

NYE GALA “LA CAGE AUX FOLLES”

Dec. 31, 7pm-1am, $165: A special benefit for Thalian Hall Co-presented with Opera House Theatre Company. Ring in the 48 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com Dec. 31, 7pm: New Years Eve Party at Flytrap Brewing! Free! Countdown to 2020

New Year at Wilmington’s preeminent New Year’s Eve Gala! Enchanting evening of dinner, drinks, dessert and the Broadway classic “La Cage Aux Folles,” Jerry Herman’s musical, based on the French play of the same name. After the show, ring in the 2020 with a live DJ, dancing, karaoke, and when the clock strikes 12 a champagne toast to celebrate! thalianhall.org.

ISLAND OF LIGHTS

Annually, Carolina Beach gets into the Christmastime spirit with numerous events slated for their Island of Lights celebration.

Featuring nightly lighted displays around Carolina Beach Lake, and other seasonal events through Dec. 31, all in Carolina Beach and Kure Beach. Schedule: pleasureislandoflights.com.

NYE ROARING 20S

14TH HOLIDAY TRAIN EXPO

NYE DANCE PARTY AT TAIL’S PIANO BAR

RAILROAD MUSEUM POLAR EXPRESS & LIGHT SHOW

NYE AT RUSTY NAIL

music

Dec. 31, 9pm: What better way to end the decade than by having the biggest party of them all: a Roaring 20’s New Year’s Eve bash! Ticket Includes two specialty cocktail drinks from Mister Bartender Port City, buffet-style style food, champagne toast at midnight, party favors and acclaimed DJ. singles $50, couples $90. Pour Taproom, 201 N Front St., Suite G, 101 Dec. 31, 9pm, $30: Soulful R&B, funk, jazz, and more, sung with verve by the classy Leme Nolan. She will be accompanied by Adam on the grand piano, Nehemy on the drums. and Brandon on the base guitar. www.LemeNolan.com or www.TailsPianoBar.com. Tails Piano Bar, 115 S Front St. Dec. 31, 9pm:Music with Southern rock-

Cape Fear Model Railroad Society’s annual exhibition, Holiday Train Expo, features 12 layouts, and more than 30 trains decking the halls with boughs of holly, lights, tinsel, snow, and more. The show takes place in the Dillard’s wing of the mall for $4-$6.

It’s open every weekend through Christmas, and Dec. 27-30. Independence Mall, 3500 Oleander Dr. shopindependencemall.com Museum gets sparkly for the season, featuring 25,000 lights and musical animations. Twilight model trains are on display and Santa will show up to sip cider and eat cookies from 6:30-8 p.m. on Dec. 26-28.

910-763-2634. 505 Nutt St. wrrm.org

OPEN-MIC AT TIDAL CREEK

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New art exhibit, hosted by Art in Bloom and Checker Cab Productions, at Pinpoint. “Homegrown” is about local food and the local places that offer it. Angela Rowe’s paintings explore the movement of food from farms and waters to markets and to table. Woven through these paintings are my food memories and stories, a sort of autobiography in food. Rowe is a native of Pisgah Forest, North Carolina who grew up drawing, doodling, and creating imaginary houses from shoeboxes and paper. Angela began taking classes at The Museum School of Cameron Art Museum and in October of 2014, she leased studio space at ACME Art Studios. She works in acrylic, mixed media, collage and print making. 114 Market St. aibgallery. com

Comedians, singers, songwriters, poets, yodelers! Come out the co-op on Wednesday night & show us what you got! Free coffee

SUNSET MUSIC CRUISE

Fri., 6:30pm: Looking for something different to do? Look no further! Come aboard The Wilmington, our comfortable catamaran, for a fun cruise down the Cape Fear River as we cruise into the sunset.

Grab a tasty cocktail or drink from our full bar and sit back and relax as you listen to live music from local musicians. Oneof-a-kind music venue in Wilmington and this cruise is one of our most popular excursions, so be sure to book early! Wilmington Water Tours, 212 Water St.

THE DRUM CIRCLE

Every Tues., 8-11pm, longest continuous Drum Circle for over 6 year provides an open forum, featuring djembe, dounbek, conga, bongo, cajon, yosika and other hand drums and percussive instruments.

Friendly environment for the enjoyment of rhythm and dance. All levels, rhythms welcome! Loaner drums available. Free.

Hosted by Ron at Bottega Art & Wine Bar, Brooklyn Arts District. 723 N. Fourth St.

CHOOSING HAPPINESS

Flytrap Brewing presents Sarah Rushing Doss’ “Choosing Happiness.” The collection consists of paintings and drawings that seek out and celebrate beauty in everyday life and consciously choose happiness despite hardship. Flytrap Brewing, 319 Walnut St.

NEW PATH: NEW ART BY DEB BUCCI

JAZZ AT CAM

Tickets to the eight-concert series, playing a range of jazz genres in an intimate listening room performance. All concerts are 6:30-8pm, 1st Thurs., through April 2020 at Cameron Art Museum. Presented

by CAM and Cape Fear Jazz Society: CAM/ CFJS Members: $17; non-members: $25; students with valid college ID $12 (tax and fees not included). Jan. 9, Stanley Baird Group; Feb. 6, Andrew Berinson Trio; Mar. 5, Lenora Zenzalai Helm; Apr. 2, John Brown Quintet. CAM, 3201 S. 17th St. www.cameronartmuseum.org.

CAM CAFE

Dec. 26, 6pm: Enjoy music of Noteworthy Sounds while you dine at CAM Café. Noteworthy Sounds is a vocal duo of former upstate New Yorkers who now reside in Wilmington.Both Alexandra and Bob find creating a vocal blend and harmonies to be a joy and hope you enjoy their music. • Jan. 2, 6pm: Ron and Luis. Creative classic covers, swing, Latin standards and folk n’ roll will have you toe tapping to their fun music.

Reservations: 910-777-2363. Offering halfprice bottles of wine. Cameron Art Museum, 3201 S. 17th St. cameronartmuseum.org

GIRLS’ CHOIR OF WILMINGTON AUDITIONS

Jan. 7, 5:30pm: Membership in GCW is intended to be a positive learning experience that each singer will carry with her throughout her lifetime. Our young singers will share wonderful music and social times together.

Our hope is that all members will take great pride in the GCW program. GCW Season has two semesters from August through December and January through May. Singers are expected to make a full semester commitment. Parents of singers who are admitted into the program are expected to carefully read and abide by the GCW Handbook, GCW Concert Etiquette, The Choristers Code

and Medical Release Form. girlschoirofwilmington.org. First Baptist Activities Center, 1939 Independence Blvd.

NC SYMPHONY: THE PLANETS

Jan. 9, 7:30pm: Gemma New, conductor; Women of the NC Master Chorale; Salina Fisher: Rainphase; Debussy: Nocturnes; Holst: The Planets. Holst’s astrological depiction of the planets is magical, awe-inspiring, and timeless music. Experience the ultimate trip through the galaxy. Debussy’s evocative Nocturnes paint colorful, atmospheric dreamscapes, and Salina Fisher’s prize-winning work, Rainphase, captures the sounds of rainfall. Tickets may be purchased online at ncsymphony.org, by phone at 877.627.6724, or in person at the Wilson Center, 703 North Third St. capefearstage.com

theatre/auditions CIRCUS INDUSTRY NIGHT

Every Thurs. evening. A popular spot for Wilmington’s underground fire dancers, flow artists, hoopers, jugglers, magic, sideshow and other obscure performing arts. There’s no formal show, but don’t be surprised to see things flying. No cover, no expectations.

Just a night for circus artists to share tricks, try out new moves, or simply kick back, talk shop, and meet other likeminded artists.

The Juggling Gypsy, 1612 Castle St.

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES

Jan. 2-18, weekends, 7:30pm, $33: Opera House Theatre Company presents “La Cage aux Folles,” a musical based on the book by Harvey Fierstein and lyrics and music by

50 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

Jerry Herman. Based on the 1973 French play of the same name by Jean Poiret, it focuses on a gay couple: Georges, the manager of a Saint-Tropez nightclub featuring drag entertainment, and Albin, his romantic partner and star attraction, and the farcical adventures that ensue when Georges’s son, Jean-Michel, brings home his fiancée’s ultra-conservative parents to meet them. $25-$33 (senior, student, military & first-responder discounts). Thalian Hall, 301 Chestnut St. thalianhall.org.

art FOURTH FRIDAY GALLERY NIGHT

Fourth Friday Gallery Nights, Wilmington’s premier after-hours celebration of art and culture, 6-9pm, fourth Fri. ea. month. Art openings, artist demonstrations, entertainment and refreshments. Administered by the Arts Council of Wilmington and NHC, numerous venues participate. www. artscouncilofwilmington.org

MONTAGE: A CUCALORUS VOLUNTEER ART EXHIBIT

encore and Coworx in The Cargo District present “Montage: A Cucalorus Volunteer Art Exhibit,” featuring art work made by volunteers of Wilmington’s annual festival.

The exhibit features multimedia works by Penney Vasquez, Francisco ‘Cisco’ Amieva, Anya Ekaterina and Brighid Greene. Over 20 works available for purchase. Plus, a silent auction of one piece from each artist will benefit Cucalorus. On display through Jan. 20. 1608 Queen St.

HOMEGROWN BY ANGELA ROWE

Dec. 27, 6-9pm: “New Path: New Art by Debra Bucci,” phenomenal oil paintings so vivid you feel as if you are inside them. Debra Bucci is known for her vibrant and engaging floral paintings. Dynamic color palettes, moving compositions and translucency from layering oils all work together to enhance the depth and bring Debra’s art to life. Her style is rooted in realism and woven with abstract elements.

Art in Bloom Gallery, 210 Princess St. On view until January 19, 2020. aibgallery.com.

NEW ELEMENTS HOLIDAY SHOW

New Elements Gallery is excited to announce our 34th Annual Holiday Show!

Start your Holiday shopping with perusing work by 40+ of the best artists in southeastern North Carolina. Find one-of-a-kind gifts, wearable art, and home décor to make anyone happy on your list—including you!

• Dec. 27, 6pm: Holiday reception, Christmas may be over, but New Elements Gallery is still celebrating our 34th Annual Holiday Show! Didn’t get that piece of art you wanted? Wilmington’s Fourth Friday Gallery Night—the last one of the year. Exhibit runs through January 18, 2020! 271 N. Front St. newelementsgallery.com

AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT

The Aids Awareness Project has brought the quilt to Wilmington thanks to The Frank Harr Foundation. 20+ panels of the quilt will be displayed over a two-week period in Dec. 2019. Five blocks of the AIDS quilt will be available for viewing. Admission: $8. Cameron Art Museum, 3201 S. 17th St.

ART BY CAMMERON: CHILDHOOD ART

Jan. 3, 6-10pm: ArtByCammeron will have her childhood art on display for the first time. Collectors will have the opportunity to see her style forming as young as preschool- throughout elementary, middle and high school ages. Prints of childhood art

will be available for purchase. She is also doing original adult renditions of certain pieces from her childhood work that will be available for purchase. Nick Mijak will display work dating back to 1990 until present day, so collectors can get a sense of his stylistic exploration. Collectors with have the opportunity to purchase prints of Nick’s early works. He has created new works for this opening that haven’t been introduced to the public and they will be available for purchase. 723 N 4th St.

ART IN BLOOM POP-UP EXHIBIT

Through Jan. 17: Art in Bloom Gallery is delighted to host a pop-up art exhibit at the MC Erny Gallery with original art by Georgeann Haas (acrylic and mixed media on paper) and H.M. Saffer, II (oil on canvas and panel) from Monday Dec. 2nd through January 17th, 2020. The MC Erny Gallery is on the third floor of WHQR Public Radio at 254 N. Front Street. Regular hours are 9 am to 5 pm, Mon.-Fri. except Dec. 24-26.

FLUID ART FREESTYLE

Discover the most addicting, fascinatingly beautiful act of acrylic pouring. You choose the colors and control the movement of the paint to create truly delightful happy accidents. The playing field is even and the results are delicious! We will cover the principles, materials, mediums and several basic techniques of acrylic pouring. Feel free to bring your favorite wine or beer (no hard liquor please), some snacks and a few friends for a truly fun and relaxing experience. You will complete a 16×20 canvas. Once registration is completed, all sales are final. $40.

Menagerie Design Studio, 805 North 4th St.

WOOL REINVENTED ART OPENING

Jan. 9, 6pm: Flytrap welcomes new featured artist Rachel Frey’s collection “Wool Reinvented.” Fiber artist Rachel Frey trained at SCAD, and creates felted pieces of all sizes through an ancient method using water and friction. Through this process, her art is fully composed of natural resources. Her collection will also consist of immensely detailed prints, which start out as watercolor paintings that are then transferred to Adobe Photoshop to manipulate the imagery into a repeat pattern. Rachel is drawn towards colors and textures that occur in nature. Her art reveals an essence of softness as well as rigidity. Food Truck Get N Rolled will join us from 5-9pm.

Flytrap Brewing, 319 Walnut St.

dance 76ERS SQUARE DANCE CLUB

Inviting all mainstream and plus square dancers to join us for our weekly evening of dance on Thursdays from 8-9:30 pm at Senior Resource Center, 2222 S. College Rd. (entrance on Shipyard Blvd.). $5/person/ dance. Join: $17.50/person/month.

SENIOR LINE DANCING

At Maides Park, Thurs., 11am-noon. Free!

Pre-reg. is not required. 1101 Manly Avenue

OVER 50’S DANCE

Mission is to provide a venue for ballroom and social dancing. Welcome dancers of all

levels—great form of exercise and to socialize with others who also like to dance. The club holds a dance on the second Tuesday of each month. Variety of DJ’s play all kinds of dance music—ballroom, Latin, shag, rock & roll, country, slow nightclub. Cost $8/person. New Hanover Sr. Resource Ctr, 2222 S. College Rd. facebook.com/over50sdance

COMMUNITY AFRICAN DANCE CLASS

Oct. and Nov., all levels. Expose the community to the African Diaspora Culture through African dance for all ages and all levels. November’s second class will start from 1-3:30 p.m. $20/class. Group prices include: $15 each for two; $10 each three or more; $5 for all children 6-16 years old.

DRAG ME TO IBIZA

Every Friday at Ibiza Nightclub—home to some of the areas most talented female impersonators. Our exclusive drag shows take place at 10:30pm and midnight. Afterward our dance floors is yours as our resident DJ spins a variety of House, Hip hop, Top 40 & EDM until 2:30am. 18+ with Valid ID. Ibiza Nightclub, 118 Market St.

LEARN TO BELLY DANCE

Get strong! Have fun! Meet friends! Belly dance classes for women 18+, no dance experience necessary. Introvert friendly, all body sizes and shapes welcomed. 6-week series. No class Nov 26. No drop-ins. Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center, 120 S. 2nd St. DivineDanceGoddess. com

BELLYDANCE SHOWCASE

LUCKY JOE COMEDY SHOW

First Sat. ea. month is free at Lucky Joe Craft Coffee on College Road, presented by Regretful Villains. The show features a new style of stand-up called Speed Joking. Enjoy a night of laughs! 1414 S College Rd.

LIVE RIFFING AND VINTAGE TV

Every Wed. join Dead Crow Comedy for improv night. Join local comedians for a TV party at Dead Crow! Interactive improvised comedy show. 265 N. Front St.

DEAD CROW

Open mic every Thursday, 8pm. Sign up is in person, 7pm. There’s no cost to participate, and each comedian is allotted three minutes of stage time. • Dec. 27-28, 7pm/9:30pm: John Roy has been on Conan, @midnight, Harmontown, Getting Doug and more. $15. • Jan. 3-4, 7pm/9:30pm: Kyle Grooms is best known for his hilarious halfhour stand-up special on Comedy Central and his guest appearances on VH-1, NBC’s Last Comic Standing and Chappelle’s Show. $15. Tickets: deadcrowcomedy.com. 265 N. Front St.

BOMBERS COMEDY OPEN MIC

Sign up at 8:30; show’s at 9. Bring your best to the mic. Bomber’s Beverage Company, 108 Grace St.

LOL SHOW AT WTF!

Free! Every Thursday, 8pm! LOL, a brandnew weekly show from Wilmington’s finest improvisers, comedians, and storytellers!

Using your suggestions, DareDevil Improv

will create a one-of-a-kind comedy experience to kick off your weekend right! (Followed by karaoke!). Plus, special guests, music, and cocktails! Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, 111 Grace St.

COAT DRIVE COMEDY SHOW

Dec. 29, 7pm, $12: Comedy and kindness, featuring comedy by Cliff Cash and some of Wilmington’s funniest comedians. And a chance for you to donate coats, blankets and warm clothes and hygiene kits etc that you may not need so that they can keep our homeless citizens warm in the coldest weather. Bourgie Nights, 127 Princess St. Tickets: 910tix.com

museums CAMERON ART MUSEUM

Through Apr. 26, 2020: The Eye Learns— Modernist prints from the Louis Belden Collection—In 2017 CAM was given an unprecedented bequest of works of art from San Francisco art collector Louis Belden. The collection of 135 prints offers an endless range of expression, experimentation and expansion of the terrain of postwar modernism and includes original artworks from the leading artists, the change-makers, the radicals, the early modernist European expats, seeking asylum in this country. Among others, artists in the exhibition will include Josef Albers, Helen Frankenthaler, Wayne Thiebaud, Richard Diebenkorn, Ellsworth Kelly, Robert Rauschenberg. • Through April

Dec. 28, 9pm, $10: Ahmose is excited to bring to you the Bellydance Showcase! Featuring some of the best dancers in our region and beyond! Each show is unique and different and give you a great night out with new friends and old! Our awesome band A 2 Z will be bringing their own original tunes and rocking the house. Reservations are highly recommended as the seating is limited with a close up and personal view of the show! Juggling Gypsy, 1612 Castle St.

comedy OPEN MIC

Wildest open mic in town—anything goes. (except cover songs). Stand-up comedy, slam poetry, video, live music, odd talents, performances of all kinds. Hosted by 6-beer Steve. Sign up, 8pm, and runs all night. Juggling Gypsy 1612 Castle St. (910) 763-2223, after 3pm for details. jugglinggypsy.com.

Featuring hundreds of bottles from around the world, to drink here or take home

GRUFF GOAT COMEDY

• Live Music Thursdays and Saturdays, 7-9pm • 14 Wines by the Glass • 4 NC Beers on Tap

PRIMETIME COMEDY

Monkey Junction’s only wine Bar!

First Wed. ea. month, Gruff Goat Comedy features Three Guest Comics Under a Bridge. No trolls. Waterline Brewing, 721 Surry Lane.

See some of NC’s best stand-up comedians in a world class venue! This month’s talented performers: Brett Williams, Cordero Wilson, Grant Sheffield, Louis Bishop, and Tyler Wood. Hosted by: Wills Maxwell. N Front Theatre (formerly City Stage), 21 N Front St.

5226 S. COLLEGE RD., 9B (between Cape Fear Seafood and Felix Cafe) Check us out online at www.soifdevin.com, or catch us on Facebook and Instagram 910-338-4027 • Open Tues.-Thur. 11am-8pm, Fri.-Sat. 11am-10pm, Sun. 12noon-6pm encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com 51

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comes from fossils unearthed by paleontologists. These scientists study ancient life by examining their finds and piecing together clues from the past. This exhibit was developed by the Virginia Museum of Natural History. CF Museum, 814 Market St. capefearmuseum.com

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH MUSEUM

WB Museum of History, housed in the turn of the century Myers Cottage, exists to preserve and to share the history of Wrightsville Beach. Visitors to the cottage will find a scale model of Wrightsville Beach circa 1910, exhibits featuring the early days of the beach including Lumina Pavilion, our hurricane history and information about the interaction between the people and our natural environment which have shaped the 100 yr. history of WB. (910) 256-2569. 303 W. Salisbury St. www.wbmuseum.com.

WILMINGTON RR MUSEUM

26, 2020: Structure in Space and Time Photography by Phil Freelon—Throughout his prodigious career, award-winning architect Freelon (American, 1953-2019) found photography essential to his design vision and creative process: Photography is one of the vehicles that I use to share my view of the world. As an architect, the expression of structure is central to my design process, bringing a sense of order to the final composition. Photographs examine the structure that exists all around us—both in the natural and built environment. Everyone at CAM is deeply saddened by the passing of Phil Freelon on July 9, 2019. If you would like to honor his legacy you may make contributions to the North Star Church of the Arts. • CAM Café open and serving delicious menu with full bar. Brunch, Sat. and Sun., 10am2pm; Tues.-Fri., 11am-2pm; Thurs. 5-9pm.

Museum, 10am-5pm; Thurs., 10am-9pm. cameronartmuseum.org. 3201 S. 17th St.

CAPE FEAR MUSEUM

Ongoing: Explore the history of the 20th century in this new gallery designed, curated and fabricated by the Cape Fear Museum team. The revamped 20th century gallery is the final chapter of the Museum’s core exhibit, Cape Fear Stories. The new exhibit paints a picture of New Hanover County and the dramatic social, cultural and economic transformations that shaped life in the 20th century and beyond. • Ongoing: Michael Jordan, known worldwide for his spectacular basketball skills, grew up in Wilmington. He achieved phenomenal success in basketball, and he worked hard to achieve his goals at every level. “Michael Jordan:

Achieving Success” showcases his early years and Wilmington roots. Several artifacts are on display including an unworn pair of 1987 Air Jordan 1 shoes. • Ongoing: Space Place: Hands-on STEM interactives include a robotic arm, microscopic experiments and a glove box challenge. Visual elements offer real-time information about the International Space Station’s location and daily operations. • Ongoing: Williston Auditorium: Education in Wilmington has a long, rich tradition, and the name “Williston” has been associated with schooling here since the 1860s. What began as an American Missionary Association school became—between 1923 and the day it closed its doors in 1968—the only high school for African Americans in New Hanover County.

• Through Feb. 2, 2020: Once considered an essential part of a wardrobe, the fashion hat has experienced a steady decline in popularity since the 1960s. Today, many people associate stylish hats only with a Sunday church service or a special event. This selection of hats reflects a number of the popular styles worn in the Cape Fear area from the 1940s through the 1960s.• Through Oct. 6, 2019: Play Time!, an exhibit that explores how we play, create, and use our imagination as children and adults. The display includes items from the museum’s historic toy collection and hands-on activities ranging from creating art to playing dress-up. • Through Feb. 23, 2020: Dinosaur Discovery explores the world of modern paleontology and the discoveries that reveal how dinosaurs lived, moved and behaved. Everything we know about these prehistoric animals

Explore railroad history and heritage, especially of the Atlantic Coast Line, headquartered in Wilmington for 125 years. Interests and activities for all ages, including historical exhibits, full-size steam engine and rolling stock, lively Children’s Hall, and spectacular model layouts. House in an authentic 1883

freight warehouse, facilities are fully accessible and on one level. By reservation, discounted group tours, caboose birthday parties, and after-hours meetings or mixers. Story Time on 1st/3rd Mon. at 10:30am, only $5 per family and access to entire Museum. Admission only $9 adult, $8 senior/military, $5 child, ages 2-12, and free under age 2. 505 Nutt St. 910-763-2634. www.wrrm.org.

LATIMER HOUSE

Victorian Italiante style home built in 1852, the restored home features period furnishings, artwork and family portraits.

Tours offered Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm, and Sat, 12-5pm. Walking tours are Wed and Sat. at 10am. $4-$12. Latimer House of Lower CF Historical Society is not handicapped accessible 126 S. 3rd St.

BURGWIN-WRIGHT HOUSE

18th century Burgwin-Wright House Museum in the heart of Wilmington’s Historic District, is the oldest museum house in NC, restored with 18th-19th century decor and gardens. Colonial life experienced through historical interpretations in kitchen and courtyard. 3rd/Market St. Tues-Sat, 10am-4pm. Last tour, 3pm.

910-762-0570. burgwinwrighthouse. com.

BELLAMY MANSION MUSEUM

One of NC’s most spectacular examples of antebellum architecture, built on the eve of the Civil War by free and enslaved

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SUSHI ON A WHOLE NEW LEVEL JOIN THE YMCA

Whatever your goals are, the Y can help you get there.

No Annual Contracts Unlimited Fitness Classes Sports, Recreation & Family Programs Free Drop-In Child Care

Sushi Burritos | Sushi Bowls | Sushi Tacos Sushi Donuts | And More

Year-Round Swimming Access to YMCAs Across the Nation

3224 N College Rd Suite A, Wilmington, NC 28405 Open daily 11am - 9pm

Remember to take care of yourself during the new year.

New Year’s Special

J Daniel Pierce PHOTOGRAPHY

Massage Therapy and Private yoga instruction available

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blueberrysagemassageyoga.com

black artisans, for John Dillard Bellamy (1817-1896) physician, planter and business leader; and his wife, Eliza McIlhenny Harriss (1821-1907) and their nine children. After the fall of Fort Fisher in 1865, Federal troops commandeered the house as their headquarters during the occupation of Wilmington. Now a museum, it focuses on history and the design arts and offers tours, changing exhibitions and an informative look at historic preservation in action. Tour hours are Mon-Sat. 10 am-4 pm and Sundays 1-4 pm. Self-guided tours (paper or audio) can begin at any time in the day and guided tours begin at the top of the hour when available. Adults $12; Senior, Military, College $10; Students $6; children under 5 are free. 503 Market St. 910-251-3700. www.bellamymansion. org

HIDDEN BATTLESHIP TOUR

Jan. 3, 12:30pm, $50: For the explorer at heart! Join us for a unique, behind-thescenes tour of unrestored areas of the Battleship. The four-hour tour consists of small groups with guides. Guests explore the bow (officers’ country, boatswain locker, and descend to the bottom of the ship), third deck (Radio II, brig, after gyro, storage rooms, ammunition handling, Engineer’s office), Engine room #1, superstructure (Captain’s cabin, armored conning tower, maintenance shops), reefer, aft diesel, and climb inside the fire control tower to the top of the ship. The Azalea Coast Ra-

dio Club will be in Radio II to explain their work on the ship’s radio transmitters. It’s the tour that brings out the “Indiana Jones” in all of us, without the snakes! The program is for adults only (ages 16 and up) and limited to 40 participants. It is not appropriate for those who may have difficulty climbing narrow ladders. Wear warm, comfortable, washable clothing, and sturdy, rubber-soled shoes—and bring a camera! Registration and payment are due Thursday before the event. Battleship NC, 1 Battleship Rd. battleshipnc.com

kids stuff SNAKE AND TURTLE FEEDING

Brief presentation about live animals on display in the events center and watch them feed. At least one snake and turtle will be fed during the demonstration. Ages: 3 and up. First Wed. every month, $1. Halyburton Park, 4099 S. 17th St.

ART EXPLORER THURSDAYS

Bring your little ones to CAM for story reading and art making! Enjoy open studio time with your family. Such as reading stories, creating art with a variety of supplies, and having fun with friends! No pre-registration necessary. Parental Supervision required at all times. Suggested donation: $5/family.

3201 S. 17th St. cameronartmuseum.org

HAPPY LITTLE SINGERS

Happy Little Singers is an affordable, creative early childhood (Pre-K) music and

movement program, designed for infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers and young students up to age 6 (older children and siblings enjoy the program, as well). So much fun for you and your little one! With every nurturing and creative class, you will see your child expressing themselves in new ways, developing new skills and competency, matching rhythm and singing, playing instruments. You may also notice a significant increase in both fine and gross motor skills, eye-hand coordination, language and listening skills, social skills and self-esteem. The class will also help reinforce the bond between you and your child. Classes held every Tues, 9:45-11:30am, Hannah Block Community Arts Center. Cost is $10 per family. 910-777-8889 to register. susansavia.com/happy-little-singers. Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Ctr., 120 S. 2nd St.

LITTLE EXPLORERS

Bring your “Little Explorers” out to the park and discover nature through stories, songs, hands-on activities, hikes and crafts. Your children will delight in the many nature themes we explore each month, Space is limited and pre-registration is required for these popular programs. Ages: 2-5. $3/person.. 12/12-13, 10-11am: When is winter?

Halyburton Park, 4099 S 17th St.

WINTER BREAK BIG KID DAYS

Through January 3, 4pm, $5. 9am-1pm (Saturdays) and 9am-12pm & 1-4pm (weekdays). Ages 9 & under. Kids ages 6-9

are welcome back to Fit For Fun during Winter Break! Enjoy some fun activities for big kids along with all normal offerings. Younger children are welcome to play as usual. No pre-registration required. $5 per child (included with general admission). Fit For Fun Center, 302 S. 10th St.

CLARA’S AQUARIUM PARTY

Dec. 26, 5-8pm: Clara’s Aquarium Party premiers with the Wilmington Ballet Company at the aquarium. Guests will not be dreaming when they meet and greet the dancers and characters from the “Great Wilmington Nutcracker,” nibble on cookies and hot chocolate, and watch as professional dancers perform several shortened dance vignettes from the holiday classic. Ages 2 and under are free! $12.95 for ages 3 to 12, $14.95 for ages 13 and up. NC Aquarium Society Members receive a 10% discount.

Advance tickets only. NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher, 900 Loggerhead Road. ncaquariums.com

recreational EARLY FLIGHT EXCURSION

Start your day on the water in search of wildlife and many of our feathered friends, while listening to interesting commentary about the rich history of this area. 2 hour cruise; full bar, serving coffee and the best Bloody Mary on the river. Photographers, birders, and nature buffs love the variety of wildlife and native plants that adorn the

• Wings • Salads • • Sandwiches • Seafood • • Steaks • Ribs • Chicken • Pasta •

16 Cold Draft Beers

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river banks. We may see osprey, alligators, sea turtles, and river otters, just to name a few. Bring your camera so you won’t forget the untouched beauty of this early morning adventure. Cruise through the Castle Hayne Aquifer and by the bluffs of the Rose Hill Plantation. $10-$20. ILM Water Tours, 212 S Water St.

FIRST FRIDAY BIRD HIKES

Join park staff for a leisurely bird-watching stroll around Halyburton Park the first Friday of each month. We’ll search for migrants and point out year-round bird species too. These walks are for beginner birders and all are welcome. Free. Ages: 5 and up. Halyburton Park, 4099 S 17th St. wilmingtonnc.gov/departments/parks-recreation/halyburton-park

SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAYS CRUISE

Saturdays, 5:30pm, $20—Cruise the Cape Fear River while enjoying the sights, sounds and tastes of the Holidays. Cruises begin the Saturday after Thanksgiving and go through the weekend after Christmas. Join us this magical time of the year and celebrate with family & friends while local musicians perform your favorite Holiday songs.

Featuring special Holiday Cheer from our Full Bar and tasty treats! Wilmington catamaran is fully enclosed and boasts a full bar with coffee, hot chocolate, wine, beer, spirits and more! No coolers allowed; however, you may bring snacks to enjoy while cruising.

Wilmington Water Tours, www.wilmingtonwatertours.net.

classes/seminars MEDITATE AND CHILL

Join Jesse Stockton + Jenny Yarborough every Tues., 7:30-8:30pm, Terra Sol Sanctuary. 20-30 minute meditation to help you take a deep breath. Relax. Let go. $10; no need to register in advance. 507 Castle St. terrasolsanctuary.com.

ELEMENTS OF SONGWRITING CLASS

In Elements of Songwriting we will examine the major elements of what goes into writing original music. We will study lyrics, melody, harmony, form, rhythm, and survey techniques used to enhance your songwriting. We will look at examples of music and lyrics, and discuss creative strategies for finding ideas and completing songs. The class will meet Mondays from 12-2 p.m. in Southport. Contact Barbara McFall, for details on how to sign up. They are also doing in person registration at 704 N. Lord Street, Southport. mcfallb@brunswickcc.edu.

910-755-7300.

WILMINGTON OM BREW FALL SERIES

Tuesdays from 6-7pm join us and Yoga Village at the brewery for donation-based yoga. Suggested donation is $15 but you may pay-what-you-can, if needed. Donations support Yoga Village community programming. Wilmington Brewing Company, 824 South Kerr Ave. facebook.com/ events/2538362336408659.

RADIANT RELAXATION

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Dec. 30, 6’;30pm: Whole-body wellness to help you feel peace, tranquility and relaxation. Hot tea, essential oils, restorative yoga poses, and mini Reiki energy treatments all wrapped into 90 minutes of blissful relaxation No yoga experience is required, all restorative postures will be held for longer periods of time to help your body de-stress and soften. Reiki will be given to each participant once you are fully settled in each pose. The Himalayan salt in the cave will soothe inflammation and help with relaxation and general well being,. Wear comfortable athletic or leisure wear with layers, cozy socks and a sweater/ sweatshirt. No yoga mat needed. 90 mins, $55 includes salt therapy. Prana Salt Cave, 7110 Wrightsville Ave Unit B-8.

SENIOR CLASSES

Starts Jan. 2, and takes place Thursdays, fitness classes, 10am, and line-dancing classes, 11am. Free. Maides Park, 1101 Manly Ave.

AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT PANEL-MAKING WORKSHOP

Jan. 4, 1:15pm, Free: Panels might be created using paint, needlework, iron-on transfers, quilted, handmade appliqués, etc. Any remembrance is appropriate. However, the only way to have a name added to The Quilt is to make a panel. Free panel-making workshop to assist friends and family realize their desire to memorialize a loved one.

You may choose to create a panel privately and just wish to get some ideas or discuss your thoughts. Or, you may wish to make

the panel with others in the tradition of an old-fashioned quilting bee, possibly including friends, family, and co-workers. Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center, 120 S. 2nd St.

FREE FITNESS CLASSES

Boot Camp, Tuesdays, Jan. 7 – Mar. 31, 5:30-6:30pm • Zumba, Thursdays, Jan. 9- Mar. 26, 5:30 – 6:30pm. Children 5-17 can participate in fitness classes when accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration is required. maidespark.com. Maides Park, 1101 Manly Avenue

clubs/notices BIKE NIGHT

Bike Night at Mac’s Speed Shop, beer, bikes, BBQ. Featuring in concert: South Starr band playing great classic-southern R&R music!

Mac’s Speed Shop, 4126 Oleander Dr.

UNRAVELED

First Thurs. every month, 10am, a morning of knitting or crochet and conversation.

This is a self-guided drop-in program. All skill levels welcome. Bring your own materials and projects to work on; supplies not provided. Northeast Library, 1241 Military Cutoff Rd.

NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS MYSTERY PARTY

The Night Before Christmas Mystery Party is a Jolly good time for all ugly sweater and all! This is a private party for you and your guess and the venue of your choice (your

house, community clubhouse etc.). A letter to Santa is a feel good classic that touches the hearts of all! You have 1 hour to save Christmas for Tiny Timmy, are you up to the challenge? iEscape Rooms, 100 N Lake Park Blvd. iescaperooms.com

SENIOR SOCIAL TIME

Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 7, 10:30am-no.

Join us for arts & crafts, speakers, movies, trips and more. Free. Maides Park, 1101 Manly Ave.

ART LEAGUE OF LELAND

Jan. 9, 4pm: Featuring self-taught guest artist Barton Hatcher. Hatcher describes his distinctive paintings as contemporary abstracts. His sculptures, created from found objects, may include wood, metal, and glass. An avid gardener and fly fisherman, Hatcher draws inspiration for many of his eclectic artistic designs from nature itself. His work has been showcased in several North Carolina galleries and may be found in private art collections. Hatcher also owns and operates Gardens by Barton, a landscape design business in Wilmington, NC, where he uses his artistic talents to create customized garden designs. www.bartonhatcherfineart.com. Leland Cultural Arts Center, 1212 Magnolia Village Way

culinary FERMENTAL

Free tasting every Friday, 6pm. Third Wednesday of each month feat. musical and brewing talents alongside an open mic night, as well as the opportunity for homebrewers to share, sample, and trade their creations: an evening of beer and an open stage. PA and equipment provided. All genres and beer. www.fermental.net 910821-0362. 7250 Market St.

FREE BREWERY TOURS AND TASTINGS

3pm, 3:45pm, 4:30pm, everyday at Front Street Brewery, 9 N. Front St. Learn how we brew our beer, meet brewers and get two free samples.

RIVERFRONT FARMERS’ MARKET

Sat., 8am-1pm: Local farmers, growers, producers and artisans to sell their goods directly to consumers, to encourage and promote the use of locally-grown farm products and artisan offerings. Vegetables, herbs, plants, annuals, perennials, native plants, fresh-cut flowers, baked goods, NC wines, dog treats, eggs, honey, goat cheeses, seafood, kombucha, meats, marina & fra diavolo sauce, smoothies and more.

Artisan works of handmade jewelry, woodwork, silkscreen t-shirts & totes, photography, bath and body products, pet accessories, pottery, drawings and more. N. Water St., historic downtown, along the beautiful Cape Fear River. riverfrontfarmersmarket. org.

SWEET N SAVORY WINE TASTING

Wed, 5-8pm: Sample some of the most delicious wines you can try for free with optional $25 food pairing, designed specifically to go with each wine. Benny Hill Jazz always starts at 7 pm with his cool jazz styles.

Sweet n Savory Cafe, 1611 Pavilion Pl.

PORT CITY GREAT BURGER CHALLENGE

In 30 mins, eat 48 ounces of burger meat with three toppings and fries! Beat it and we take care of the bill and put your face on the Wall of Glory! Fail, and straight to The Wall of Shame you go. Bring your stretchy pants and good luck! Offer is daily. 11am-11pm, Port City Burgers & Brews, 11 Market St.

tours LITERARY HISTORY WALKING TOUR

Explore the rich culture of our talented Southern town with a 90-minute walking tour of the literary history of downtown Wilmington, NC. Visit “The Two Libraries.”

Walk the streets of your favorite novels, and stand where Oscar Wilde did when he lectured here. Saturdays, 1:30pm, Old Books on Front. 249 N. Front St. brownpapertickets.com/event/1282390

GHOST WALK

6:30-8:30pm. Costumed guides lead visitors through alleyways with tales of haunted Wilmington. Nightly tours, 6:30pm/8:30pm.

Water and Market sts. RSVP rqd: 910-7941866. www.hauntedwilmington.com

CELEBRATE NEW YEARS WITH A CRUISE ABOARD THE HENRIETTA

BELLAMY MANSION MUSEUM

Follow curved shell paths through gardens shaded by 150-year old magnolias. See the original, restored slave quarters building along with the 22-room antebellum mansion. Learn about the Bellamy family as well as the free black and enslaved artisans who built the home and the enslaved workers who lived on site after its completion.

Adults $12; Senior, Military, College $10; Students $6; children under 5 are free. 503 Market St. 910-251-3700. bellamymansion.org. Tour hours are Mon-Sat. 10 am-4 pm and Sundays 1-4 pm. Self-guided tours (paper or audio) can begin at any time in the day and guided tours begin at the top of the hour when available.

MASONBORO SHELLING TOUR

Explore Masonboro Island and discover the wonder of the Carolina coast. This tour option is ideal for families, birders, and nature enthusiasts. Masonboro Island is an 8.4mile marine sanctuary island, renowned for its plant and wildlife diversity. Topics will include shell biology, native plant species, shorebirds, and barrier island ecology.

Adult $45, child $25 RSVP: 910-200-4002.

Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours, 275 Waynick Blvd

Tickets are limited

$60

per person

Book at cfrboats.com or call 910-343-1611 for more info

Boarding starts 8:30 PM cruising will be 9:30PM—12:30AM

Have dinner at one of our local restaurants then enjoy light appetizers during your cruise. Dance to your favorite tunes played by our DJ or enjoy a walk on our upper deck to view the cities beautiful lit skyline. Drinks will be available at our fully stocked bar with all ABC permits. A champagne toast will be served at midnight to welcome in the NEW YEAR.

OFF THE RECORD TOURS

Thurs., 6:30pm: CAM Gallery tours, led by museum staff, are sometimes irreverent and silly, but always provide a charming and engaging behind-the-scenes perspective on current exhibitions. But what if I’m really thirsty before the tour? Join us for happy hour beforehand to loosen up your brain and chat about art. Brown Wing. CAM Members: Free, non-members. Museum admission. Cameron Art Museum, 3201 S. 17th St.

Phone: (910)343-1611 • Email: info@cfrboats.com 101 S. Water Street, Wilmington, NC 28401 * at the corner of Dock Street and Water Street* *over 700 parking spaces within 2 1/2 blocks* cfrboats.com

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Featuring sushi, poke bowls, teriyaki and hibachi entrees, bento boxes, vegetarian, and sandwiches.

Daily food and drink specials.

SUSHI SPECIALS

Two specialty rolls

for $19.95

Three regular rolls

for $12.95

Specials only valid at the downtown location.

Serving Over 22 Craft BeerS all aBC PermitS 2101 market StHills ., UJazz nitJam 7 Benny Voted Best 16 S. Front St. • 910-772-9151 Dowtown Wilmington Sushi 58 encore | december 25, 2019 - january 7, 2020 | www.encorepub.com

Sunday mEvery On.-thUrS .: 4Pm7pm-11pm -12:30am,

fri.-Sat.: 4Pm-1:30am, SUn. 4Pm-11Pm

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Walking Tour of the Historic Carolina Beach Boardwalk meets at the Visitors Bureau Kiosk just south of the new Hampton Inn and features members of the Federal Point Historic Preservation Society leading a 50-minute tour into the past, answering questions like: Where did the “birth of the Shag” take place? Did you know there was a movie theater called The Wave on the Boardwalk? How long has Britt’s Donuts been on the Boardwalk, and has it always been in the same place? Why was the Red Apple so popular? Where was the largest dance floor south of Washington DC located? Society asks for a $10 donation.

Children under 12 tour free. Carolina Beach Board Walk, Cape Fear Blvd.

WEEKLY EXHIBITION TOURS

Cameron Art Museum: Explore, discuss and learn more about the artwork currently on view at CAM. Members: free. Museum admission all others. CAM, 3201 S. 17th St. www.cameronartmuseum.org

BEHIND THE SCENES GALLERY TALKS

Hear the stories behind the acquisition and selection of the artworks on display. Nov. 22, 11am: ”Unfolding Noguchi,” a collaboration between CAM and the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum (NY) with CAM’s Chief Curator, Holly Tripman Fitzgerald. CAM members: free; nonmembers, museum admission. Brown Wing, CAM, 3201 S. 17th St. www.cameronartmuseum.org

support groups WILMINGTON PRIDE YOUTH GROUP

Grades 7-12: Wilmington Pride Youth Group is a safe space for youth who identify as LGBTQIA+ and their straight allies.

An adult supervised, safe space for kids to talk about orientation, gender, racial equality, political consequences, religion, self care. A great opportunity to meet and socialize with peers from the greater Wilmington area. Meets Thurs., 7pm. Needed: youth facilitators, especially those who are trained to work with kids, and speakers to talk about important topics. wpyg2016@ gmail.com.

ANXIETY/OCD SUPPORT GROUP

Group meets 1st & 3rd Thurs. of each month. Pine Valley United Methodist Church, 3788 Shipyard Blvd. Bldg B. Christopher Savard, Ph.D., with Cape Fear PsyTHINK TUBULAR

CREATORS SYNDICATE 2019 STANLEY NEWMAN

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12/29/19

chological Services, gives a presentation the 1st Thursday of each month. 3rd Thursday meeting is member led. 18+ welcome.

910-763-8134

LUPUS SUPPORT GROUP

Meets third Sat. ea. month. Free; drop-ins are welcome. Group provides participants an opportunity to receive introductory info about lupus, encourage the expression of concerns, provide an opportunity to share experiences, encourage and support positive coping strategies, and emphasize the importance of medical treatment. Guest speakerss, DVD presentations and open group discussion. info@lupusnc.org (877) 849-8271, x1. lupusnc.org. NE Library, 1241 Military Cutoff Rd.

PFLAG

First Mon/mo. at UNCW, in the Masonboro Island Room #2010, 7pm.

MS SUPPORT GROUP

Those with Multiple Sclerosis, families and friends welcome. Meets 2nd Thursday each month, 7 p.m., at the New Hanover Rehabilitation Hospital, 1st floor conference room, 2131 S. 17th St. (behind the Betty Cameron Women’s Hospital). Sponsored by Greater Carolinas Chapter, National MS Society.

Details: Anne (910) 232-2033 or Burt (910) 383-1368. New Hanover Regional Medical Hospital, 2131 S. 17th St.

COPING WITH DEATH OF SPOUSE/PARTNER

Lower Cape Fear Hospice will offer a sixweek, no-cost grief program for those coping with the death of a spouse or partner in Brunswick County on Tuesdays, Jan. 7 through Feb. 11. The group will meet 2-4 p.m. at the SECU Hospice House of Brunswick, 955 Mercy Lane SE in Bolivia. Pre-registration is required; call 910-796-8056 to register. • In Wilmington the group will meet on Wednesdays, Jan. 8 through Feb. 12, 10 a.m. to noon, at the Dr. Robert M. Fales Hospice Pavilion Conference Room, 1406 Physicians Drive in Wilmington. Pre-registration is required; call 910-796-7991 to register. lcfh.org

COPING WITH DEATH OF A CHILD

Lower Cape Fear Hospice will offer a sixweek, no-cost grief program for those coping with the death of a child in Bolivia on Thursdays, Jan. 9 through Feb. 13. The group will meet 10 a.m. to noon at the SECU Hospice House of Brunswick, 955 Mercy Lane SE in Bolivia. Pre-registration is required; call 910-796-8056 to register.

FOR YOU , NO CHARGE

CREATORS SYNDICATE 2019 STANLEY NEWMAN

12/22/19

servers panned it. They said its rhythms were eccentric, that it was too long. One critic said it was “glaring and bizarre,” while another condemned its “undesirable originality.” This same critic concluded, “Genius proclaims itself not in the unusual and fantastic but in the beautiful and sublime.” Today, of course, “Eroica” has a different reputation. It’s regarded as a breakthrough event in musical history. I’ll go on record here, Sagittarius, to say I suspect you created your own personal version of “Eroica” in 2019.

2020 is the year it will get the full appreciation it deserves; although, it may take a while. Be patient.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

ARIES (Mar. 21–April 19)

12/26—Nazi Germany invaded and occupied Denmark during World War II. In 1943 Hitler ordered all Danish Jews to be arrested—a first step in his plan to send them to concentration camps. The Danish resistance movement leapt into action and smuggled virtually all of them to safety via fishing boats bound for Sweden. As a result, 8,000-plus Danish Jews survived the Holocaust. You may not have the opportunity to do anything quite as heroic in 2020, Aries., but I expect you will have chances to express a high order of practical idealism. It could be among your noblest and most valiant efforts ever. Draw inspiration from the Danish resistance.

1/1—“We are all hostages of the joy of which we deprive ourselves,” poet Odysseus Elytis wrote. Isn’t that an astounding idea? That we refuse to allow ourselves to experience some of the bliss and pleasure we could easily have; and we are immured inside that suppressed bliss and pleasure? I call on you, Aries, to rebel against this human tendency. As I see it, one of your main tasks in 2020 is to permit yourself to welcome more bliss, to aggressively seize more pleasure, and thereby free yourself from the rot of its nullification.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

12/26—When she was 31, Taurus writer Charlotte Brontë finished writing her novel “Jane Eyre.” She guessed it would have a better chance of getting published if its author was thought to be a man. She adopted the masculine pen name of Currer Bell and sent the manuscript unsolicited to a London publisher. Less than eight weeks later, her new book was in print. It quickly became a commercial success. I propose we make Brontë one of your role models for 2020, Taurus. May she inspire you to be audacious in expressing yourself and confident in seeking the help you need to reach your goals. May she embolden you to use ingenious stratagems to support your righteous cause.

1/1—At age 22 Taurus-born Dutch citizen Willem de Kooning sneaked into the United States. He was a stowaway on an Argentina-bound freighter, and stealthily disembarked when the ship made a stop in Virginia. As he lived in America during subsequent decades, he became a renowned painter who helped pioneer the movement known as abstract expressionism. His status as an illegal immigrant rarely presented any obstacles to his growing success and stature. Not until age 57 did he finally became an American citizen. I propose we make him one of your role models in 2020. May he inspire you to capitalize on being a maverick, outsider, or stranger. May he encourage you to find opportunities beyond your safety zone.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

12/26—2020 can and should be a lyrically healing year for you. Here’s what I mean: Beauty and grace will be curative. The “medicine” you need will come to you via poetic and mellifluous experiences. With this in mind, I encourage you to seek out encounters with the following remedies: 1. Truth whimsies 2. Curiosity breakthroughs 3. Delight gambles 4. Sacred amusements 4. Redemptive synchronicities 5. Surprise ripenings 6. Gleeful discoveries 7. Epiphany adventures 8. Enchantment games 9. Elegance eruptions 10. Intimacy angels 11. Playful salvation 12. Luminosity spells.

1/1—When British novelist E. M. Forster was in his late 30s, he had sex with another person for the first time.

Before that, he had published five novels. After that, he produced just one more novel, though he lived till age 91.

Why? Was he having too much fun? Looking back from

his old, age, he remarked he would “have been a more famous writer if I had published more, but sex prevented the latter.”

I suspect that sensual pleasure and intimacy will have the exact opposite effect on you in 2020, Gemini. In sometimes mysterious ways, they will make you more productive in your chosen sphere.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

12/26—“There are years that ask questions and years that answer,” author Zora Neale Hurston wrote. According to my astrological analysis, Cancerian, 2020 is likely to be one of those years that asks questions, while 2021 will be a time when you’ll get rich and meaningful answers to the queries you’ll pose in 2020. To ensure this plan works out for your maximum benefit, it’s essential you formulate provocative questions in coming months. At first, it’s fine if you generate too many. As the year progresses, you can whittle them down to the most ultimate and important questions. Get started!

1/1—“Every part of our personality that we do not love will regress and become hostile to us,” poet Robert Bly wrote.

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t suffer from this problem at least a little. That’s the bad news. The good news for us Cancerians (yes, I’m a crab!) is 2020 will be a favorable time to engage in a holy crusade to fix this glitch: to feel and express more love for parts of our personality that we have dismissed or marginalized. The result? Any self-sabotage we have suffered from in the past could dramatically diminish.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

12/26—The Roman Emperor Vespasian (9–79 AD) supervised the restoration of the Temple of Peace, Temple of Claudius, and Theater of Marcellus. He also built a huge statue of Apollo and the amphitheater now known as the Colosseum, whose magnificent ruins are still a major tourist attraction.

Vespasian also created a less majestic but quite practical wonder: Rome’s first public urinals. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you Leos to be stimulated by his example in 2020. Be your usual magnificent self as you generate both inspiring beauty and earthy, pragmatic improvements.

1/1—As a young adult, Leo-born Raymond Chandler worked as a fruit-picker, tennis racquet-stringer and bookkeeper. At age 34, he began a clerical job at the Dabney Oil Syndicate, and eventually rose in the ranks to become a wellpaid executive. The cushy role lasted until he was 44, when he was fired. He mourned for a while, then decided to become an author of detective fiction. It took a while, but at age 50, he published his first novel. During the next 20 years, he wrote six additional novels, as well as numerous short stories and screenplays—and in the process became popular and influential. I present this synopsis as an inspirational story to fuel your destiny in 2020.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

12/26—When Virgo author Mary Shelley was 18 years old, she had a disconcerting dream-like vision about a mad chemist who created a weird human-like creature out of non-living matter. She set about to write a book based on her mirage. At age 20, she published “Frankenstein,” a novel that would ultimately wield a huge cultural influence and become a seminal work in the “science fiction” genre. I propose we make Shelley one of your role models for 2020.

Why? Because I suspect you, too, will have the power to transform a challenging event or influence into an important asset. You’ll be able to generate or attract a new source of energy by responding creatively to experiences that initially provoke anxiety.

1/1—The fame of Virgo-born Italian poet Ludovico Ariosto (1474–1533) has persisted through the ages because of “Orlando Furioso,” an epic poem he authored. It tells the

story of the Christian knight Orlando and his adoration for a pagan princess. His great work did not come easily. It wasn’t until he had written 56 versions that he was finally satisfied. I suspect you may harbor an equally perfectionist streak about the good works and labors of love you’ll craft in 2020. May I suggest you confine your experiments to no more than 10 versions?

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

12/26—Libra-born mystic poet Rumi (1207–1273) wrote he searched for holy sustenance and divine inspiration in temples, churches and mosques but couldn’t find them there.

The good news? Because of his disappointment, he was motivated to go on an inner quest—and ultimately found holy sustenance and divine inspiration in his own heart. I’ve got a strong feeling you’ll have similar experiences in 2020, Libra.

Not on every occasion, but much of the time, you will discover the treasure you need and long for not in the outside world but rather in your own depths.

1/1—Leonardo da Vinci worked on his painting “The Last Supper” from 1495-98. It’s a big piece, about 15 by 29 feet.

That’s one reason why he took so long to finish. But there was another explanation, too. He told his patron, the Duke of Milan, that he sometimes positioned himself in front of his painting-in-progress and simply gazed at and thought about it, not lifting a brush. Those were times he did some of his hardest work, he said. I trust you will have regular experiences like that in 2020, Libra. Some of your best efforts will arise out of your willingness and ability to incubate your good ideas with concentrated silence and patience.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

12/26—Among his many accomplishments, Scorpio rapper Drake is an inventive rhymer. In his song “Diplomatic Immunity,” he rhymes “sacred temple” with “stencil.” Brilliant!

Other rhymes: “statistics” with “ballistics”; “Treaty of Versailles” with “no cease and desist in I”; and, my favorite, ”Al Jazeera” (the Qatar-based news source) with “Shakira” (the Colombian singer). According to my analysis of the astrological omens in 2020, many of you Scorpios will have Drakestyle skills at mixing and blending seemingly disparate elements. I bet you’ll also be good at connecting influences that belong together but have never been able to combine before.

1/1—By 1895 Henry James had published 94 books. He was renowned in the U.S. and England, and had written works that would later lead to his consideration for a Nobel Prize. At age 52, although he was not physically fit, he decided to learn how to ride a bicycle. He paid for lessons at a bicycle academy, and cheerfully tolerated bruises and cuts from his frequent falls as an acceptable price to pay for his new ability. I admire James’ determination to keep transforming. Let’s make him a role model for you in 2020. May he inspire you to keep adding new aptitudes as you outgrow your previous successes.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

12/26—Sagittarian poet Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) embodied a trait that many astrology textbooks suggest is common to the Sagittarian tribe: wanderlust. He was born in Prague but traveled widely throughout Europe and Russia.

If there were a Guinness World Records’ category for “Time Spent as a Houseguest,” Rilke might hold it. There was a fouryear period when he lived at 50 different addresses. I’m going to be bold here and hypothesize that 2020 will not be one of those years when you would benefit from being like Rilke. In fact, I hope you’ll seek out more stability and security than usual.

1/1—When Sagittarian composer Ludwig van Beethoven created the “Eroica” symphony in the early 1800s, many ob-

12/26—Fifteenth-century Italian metalworker Lorenzo Ghiberti worked for 28 years to turn the Doors of the Florence Baptistry into a massive work of art. He used bronze to create numerous scenes from the Bible. His fellow artist Michelangelo was so impressed he said Ghiberti’s doors could have served as “The Gates of Paradise.” I offer Ghiberti as inspiration for your life in 2020, Capricorn. I think you’ll be capable of beginning a masterwork that could take quite some time to complete and serve as your very own “gate to paradise”—in other words, an engaging project and delightful accomplishment that will make you feel your life is eminently meaningful and worthwhile.

1/1—I’m going to speculate sometime, in the next six months, you will experience events that years from now you’ll look back on as having been the beginning of a fresh universe. What should you call this launch? I suggest you consider elegant terms like “Destiny Rebirth” or “Fate Renewal” rather than a cliché like the “Big Bang.” How should you celebrate? As if it were the grand opening of the rest of your long life.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

12/26—You’re wise to cultivate a degree of skepticism and even contrariness. Like all of us, your abilities to say no to detrimental influences and to criticize bad things are key to your mental health. On the other hand, it’s a smart idea to keep checking yourself for irrelevant, gratuitous skepticism and contrariness. You have a sacred duty to maintain just the amount you need, but no more—even as you foster a vigorous reservoir of receptivity, optimism, and generosity. And guess what? 2020 will be an excellent time to make this one of your cornerstone habits.

1/1— In 2020, I believe you will be able to summon the insight and kismet necessary to resolve at least one long-running problem, probably more. You’ll have an enhanced ability to kick bad habits and escape dead-ends and uncover liberating truths about mysteries that have flustered you. Frustrations and irritations you’ve grudgingly tolerated for far too much time will finally begin to wane.

Congratulations in advance, Aquarius! The hard work you do to score these triumphs won’t always be delightful, but it could provide you with a curiously robust and muscular kind of fun.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

12/26—Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) finished writing “The Divine Comedy” in 1320. Today it’s considered one of the supreme literary accomplishments in the Italian language and a classic of world literature. But no one ever read the entire work in the English language until 1802, when it was translated for the first time. Let’s invoke this as a metaphor for your life in the coming months, Pisces. According to my visions, a resource or influence that has previously been inaccessible to you will finally arrive in a form you can understand and use. Some wisdom that has been untranslatable or unreadable will at last be available.

1/1—Let’s say you wanted to dress completely in silk: shirt, pants, vest, scarf, socks, shoes, hat, underwear all made of silk. And let’s say your dream was to grow and process and weave the silk from scratch. You’d start with half an ounce of silkworm eggs. They’d hatch into 10,000 silkworms. Eventually, those hard-working insects would generate five pounds of silk—enough to create your entire outfit. So, in other words, you’d be able to generate an array of functional beauty from a small but concentrated amount of raw material. By the way, that last sentence is a good description of what I think your general approach should be in 2020. Also by the way, dressing in silk wouldn’t be too crazy an idea in the coming months. I hope you’ll have fun cultivating your allure, style and flair.

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CROSSWORD CREATORS SYNDICATE 2019 STANLEY NEWMAN

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