Queen City Nerve - September 7, 2022

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 21; SEPTEMBER 7 - SEPTEMBER 20, 2022; WWW.QCNERVE.COM

FALL 2022 NEWS: One immigrant’s 20-year timeline to citizenship pg. 4

FOOD: VelTree’s new beginnings in Ballantyne pg. 16

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TABLE OF CONTENTS NEWS & OPINION

4 A Welcoming City in Action by Liz Rothaus Bertrand One Charlotte immigrant’s story

ARTS & CULTURE

6 Fall Arts Guide 2022 by Dezanii Lewis It’s going to be a chill time 10 Lifeline: Ten Cool Things To Do in Two Weeks

MUSIC

12 Without a Doubt by Pat Moran Reunion concert celebrates Doubting Thomas’ musical legacy in Charlotte 14 Soundwave

FOOD & DRINK

16 A New Start by Jasiatic Anderson VelTree owners open new Ballantyne location, plan new events

Thanks to our contributors: Grant Baldwin, Katie Grant, Jasiatic Anderson, Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Dezanii Lewis, Rayne Antrim, Mica Gadhia, Alex Cason, Mary Massie, Scott Huler, and Dan Savage.

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LIFESTYLE

18 Puzzles 20 The Seeker by Katie Grant 21 Horoscope 22 Savage Love

NEWS & OPINION FEATURE

A WELCOMING CITY IN ACTION One Charlotte immigrant’s story

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BY LIZ ROTHAUS BERTRAND

If you’ve ever moved to a new place, you know the experience can come with challenges: finding a place to live, landing a new job, setting up a new bank account, etc. But for many immigrants, the journey is even more complicated and the stakes can be much higher.

These are people who uproot their lives, often out of necessity, only to plunge into the unknown — a new country that may include significant cultural differences, language barriers, and a complex labyrinth of immigration policies and laws.

Sept. 9-18 is known nationally as “Welcoming Week,” a moment to celebrate diversity and encourage communities to become more inclusive places for people of all backgrounds, including immigrants. The campaign came from the nonprofit organization Welcoming America, which earlier this year formally designated Charlotte as a certified Welcoming Place, the first Southern city to be deemed such.

But why does it matter to be welcoming? And who does it actually benefit?

As it turns out — all of us.

Consider the case of longtime Charlotte resident Martha Warkie, age 78. Warkie became an American citizen in the spring — 22 years after arriving in the United States.

When Warkie left her home in Monrovia, Liberia in 2000, she didn’t expect it would be for good.

She came to visit her sister, who had been living in Philadelphia for decades. But with ongoing civil war and political instability in Liberia, Warkie’s sister urged her to extend her stay and apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

That special designation allows citizens of specific countries experiencing conditions that would make it dangerous to return — like armed conflict, environmental disasters or epidemics — to stay and work legally in the U.S. Currently, 15 countries are on that list, including Afghanistan, Ukraine and Syria.

TPS is not a path to green cards or citizenship, however, and each year the program’s continuation depends upon the will of the current presidential administration.

When Warkie qualified for TPS, she ended up relocating to Charlotte, near her brother.

“It was too cold in Philly,” she told me.

A widow who had never worked outside the home before, Warkie found a job as a nutrition aid at University Place Nursing and Rehabilitation Services in the University City area. She began in 2001 and has worked there for the last 21 years.

Warkie is part of the kitchen staff at the facility, which serves both long-term residents with specialized needs like Alzheimer’s as well as those working toward recovery after an injury or surgical procedure.

“I like it because I get to take care of people, to help people,” Warkie said. “You know when they need [it], you help them, so I just love it.”

In an industry known for a high level of turnover, long-term employees like Warkie are rare.

“She’s a very hard worker, very much a team player,” said University Place administrator Coleen Anderson, who oversees staff at the facility.

The working conditions can be tough, she said, so it’s sometimes difficult to fill positions.

“It’s very hot in the kitchen in the summer … and she stays over a lot [into second shift] when we need her to,” said Anderson. “It’s just challenging to find somebody who wants to get up at 5 o’clock in the morning to come in to have breakfast ready at 7 … I would just like to have about 20 more of her.”

Warkie has built a life for herself here and remained a dedicated employee all these years, despite uncertainty about her own ability to stay in the country.

From 2001 to 2019, she went year to year with no guarantee that her status would be renewed.

While an expiration date for TPS is always posted — as it is for Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), another program requiring presidential

authorization that came into play for Warkie — the announcement as to whether it will be continued on any given year often happens at the last minute.

“You’re just literally sitting there checking the website every single day to see when the president is going to renew it,” said Jelena Giric-Held of International House, who has assisted Warkie with her situation since 2015. “That transitional period was always nerve-wracking.”

Giric-Held serves as the Immigration Law Clinic Director at the nonprofit, which provides lowcost legal assistance to immigrants and refugees who are navigating immigration documentation

or naturalization. It’s one of many programs International House offers to support the needs of foreign-rooted or foreign-minded people in Charlotte.

When Liberians suddenly became eligible to apply for a green card in 2019, Giric-Held jumped on the opportunity, and helped Warkie with that process. She ensured deadlines were met, the proper forms were filed, and even accompanied her to the qualifying interview.

Immediately after obtaining her green card, Warkie also was able to apply for citizenship. That’s because the new law back-dated her residency to the day she originally entered the country, in 2000.

MARTHA WARKIE (LEFT) WITH JELENA GIRIC-HELD OF INTERNATIONAL HOUSE. PHOTO BY MICA GADHIA

NEWS & OPINION FEATURE “Thank you to Jelena who was there for me,” Warkie said. “Today, I’m an American woman! I say, thank you for everything.”

Becoming a more Welcoming city

Charlotte has been taking steps to improve systems and provide resources to help foreign-born residents like Warkie thrive.

Achieving a certified Welcoming Place status was part of a multi-year effort to assess and improve systems, as well as ensure their accessibility to everyone in the community, said Federico Rios, assistant director in Charlotte’s Housing and Neighborhood Services Department. Rios also leads the office of Equity, Mobility and Immigrant Integration.

The effort really dates back to 2015, he said, when the Immigrant Integration Task Force Report was presented to Charlotte City Council. It led to the creation of his office in 2019 as a liaison between the immigrant community and the city. Rios said the certification included a rigorous examination of all city systems to ensure they are accessible to people, including those who speak different languages.

Rios said the certification recognizes the effort and progress that has been made but there’s still much more to be done. It’s not an end point, but a beginning, he emphasized.

It’s essential work, he added, since an estimated 16-18% of the Charlotte population today is foreignborn, compared to 1980, when it was less than 1%.

When you expand that lens to include the children of immigrants, the numbers are even

more significant, Rios said, citing a 2016 report that showed one third of the youth population (18 or under) in Charlotte were either immigrants themselves or the children of immigrants.

“There’s this outsized proportion of our population that has [an] immigrant experience,” Rios said.

They represent a significant percentage of the economic pie, too. According to a report published by the New American Economy in 2019, immigrant households in Charlotte earned $4 billion and contributed more than $1 billion in taxes in 2017.

Charlotte needs to do things that correlate with that significant growth, Rios said. And while some needs are unique to their situation, in many ways the foreignrooted are looking for the same things as everyone else.

“They want babies. They want opportunities to create small businesses and be part of the workforce,” he said. “They want to be able to access all the opportunities that a community renders to its residents.”

Want to get involved? Here are a couple events taking place during Welcoming Week in Charlotte: On Sept. 16, 6-9 p.m., International House hosts its annual Tapas & Testimonials fundraiser at the Mint Museum - Randolph, 2730 Randolph Road. The event includes internationally themed foods, music, auction items, and more. For details, visit ihclt.org.

Also on Sept. 16, 6 p.m., Rios will be a featured panelist at a talk organized by The Levine Museum of the New South. “What Is It Going To Take? Becoming A Welcoming City” will be presented at MacFly Fresh in Camp North End. You can find details and RSVP info at museumofthenewsouth.org/events/welcomingcity/.

INFO@QCNERVE.COM

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FALL

2022

It will be a chill time

That nip in the air means more than just the return of football season. There’s lots to do for creatives, too. Here’s a look at more than 70 events celebrarting arts and culture in Charlotte this autumn.

Harvey B. Gantt Center for African- The Mint Museum - Randolph 2730 Randolph Road; mintmuseum.org American Arts + Culture

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551 S. Tryon St.; ganttcenter.org

Sept. 24: Potters Market at the Mint Sept. 24: In-Gallery Curator Tour and Talk with Sept. 25: Shae Bishop Public Talk Nov. 27: Museum Store Sunday Dexter Wimberly Sept. 28: Prince’s Guitar: Themed Sip and Paint with Cathay Dawkins The Mint Museum - Uptown Oct. 1: Family First: Oil Pastel Monoprints 5000 N. Tryon St.; mintmuseum.org Oct. 8: Men of Change Community Exhibit Opening Oct. 9: Classic Black Cinema Series: The Spook Who Oct. 7: Mint to Move Cultural Dance Night Sat by the Door Oct.12: Mindful Looking Oct. 26: Wednesday Night Live: Nkeiru OkoyeOct. 16: Writing with Bearden: An Ekphrastic Inspired Workshop with Charlotte Lit Nov. 13: Classic Black Cinema Series: Anna Lucasta Nov. 2: Wednesday Night Live: Andrew Finn Magill’s “The History of Bluegrass” Nov. 27: Museum Store Sunday Charlotte Museum of History Dec. 2: Mint to Move Cultural Dance Night: 3500 Shamrock Drive; charlottemuseum.org Dia de las Velitas (Little Candle Day) Dec. 7: Wednesday Night Live: Youth Orchestras of Sept. 24: Mad About Modern Home Tour Oct. 15: Meet the Curator: Scott Huler’s A Delicious Charlotte Concert of American Favorites Dec. 10: Mint Fashion Day Celebration Country Oct. 16: History Hike at Reedy Creek Park

McColl Center for Visual Art 721 N. Tryon St.; mccollcenter.org

Oct. 6: Artist Talk: A Conversation with Fall Artistsin-Residence Oct. 14: October Front Lawn Friday

Knight Theater

430 S. Tryon St.; blumenthalarts.org Sept. 24: International Slam Invitational Oct. 1: I Am Queen Charlotte Oct. 13-15: Charlotte Ballet: Fall Works Oct. 22: Charlotte Symphony: Symphony Spooktacular JAMEA NAJE’ WILL LEAD AN OCT. 1 WORKSHOP ON OIL Oct. 30: Clerks III: The Convenience Tour w/ Kevin Smith PASTEL MONOPRINTS AT GANTT CENTER. Dec. 21-23: Cirque de Noel

PHOTO COURTESY OF GANTT CENTER

ARTS FEATURE

MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS

Booth Playhouse

Yiasou Greek Festival

Yiasou (hello)! Get an authentic experience at one of Charlotte’s largest cultural events featuring food, Sept. 28-29: Urban Bush Women’s Legacy + music and cultural exhibits.

More: Free; Sept. 9-11, times vary; Holy Trinity Lineage + Liberation Oct. 2: Your Neighborhood Orchestra: Lost in Space Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 600 East Blvd.; yiasoufestival.org Oct. 6-9: August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean 130 N. Tryon St.; blumenthalarts.org

Oct. 13: Craig Ferguson Oct. 14: El Show de Lokillo Florez Oct 15: Burlesque 3000 Nov. 2-3: Acting Our Age 2022: Using Our Voices Nov. 16: Joe Pera Nov. 26: James Gregory Dec. 15-20: Clara’s Trip: A Cirque & Dance Nutcracker Story

ArtPop Upcycled Fashion Show

The second annual ArtPop Upcycled Fashion Show will feature 12 designers utilizing their artistic skills to make fashion out of vinyl billboards. The ArtPop PHOTO BY SCOTT fundraiser will feature beverages, other forms of art SCOTT HULER’S JOURNEYS AROUND NC ARE THE INSPIRATION FOR AN UPCOMING HULER and auction items.

CHARLOTTE MUSEUM OF HISTORY EXHIBIT. More: $85-125; Sept. 10, 6 p.m.; Lenny Boy Brewing Co., 3000 S. Tryon St.; tinyurl.com/Upcycled2022 Charlotte International Arts Festival ArtPop Pop Up The Charlotte International Arts Festival features a Shop local art and meet artists like Katrina Sanchez, Belk Theater variety of events ranging from symphony performances Kevin Harris, Kalin Devone and Travis Johnson.

Festival in the Park 130 N. Tryon St.; blumenthalarts.org More: Free; Sept. 24 & Oct. 22, 6 p.m.; Red Salt, 555 A staple in Charlotte since 1964, Festival in the Park to drag story hours to dance showcases (see page 9). strives to “build community by celebrating the arts,” More: Prices vary; Sept. 16-Oct. 2; locations vary; S. McDowell St.; tinyurl.com/ArtPopUp2022 Oct. 1: Tabitha Brown: Cooking from the Spirit Tour including musical performances, local art vendors, charlotteartsfest.com Oct. 13-16: Opera Carolina: Tosca Charlotte Film Festival Oct. 25-30: Dear Evan Hansen The Charlotte Film Festival remains committed to Nov. 4: Charlotte Symphony: Get Out in Concert its mission to “discover different” during its 19th Nov. 6: Disney Junior Live on Tour: Costume Palooza annual event spotlighting emerging filmmakers Nov. 8-13: Hadestown and independent movies from around the world.

Nov. 20: The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays More: Prices TBD; Sept. 28-Oct. 2; The Nov. 25-26: Charlotte Symphony: Polar Express in Independent Picture House, 4237 Raleigh St.; Concert independentpicturehouse.org/charlotte-filmNov. 29-Dec. 4: Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little festival Pill: The Musical Dec. 9-23: Charlotte Ballet: Nutcracker

Charlotte Chalk Art Festival

Stage Door Theater

155 N. College St.; blumenthalarts.org Oct. 9: Musicology 101: The Art of the Sample Oct. 18-23: The Crown Live Nov. 5: Almost Broadway

Charlotte Dragon Boat Festival Race & Asian Festival

An important part of the Chinese traditional FASHION BY ANISE AUGUSTIN; PHOTO BY ALEX CASON calendar, dragon boat racing originated over 2,300 ARTPOP UPCYCLED FASHION SHOW. years ago on the life-sustaining rivers of southern Sept. 22-Oct. 1: Headphone Disco (Bechtler Plaza) China.

The Charlotte Dragon Boat Festival Race and food, drink and more.

Oct. 1: Luminarium Photo Walk w/ The Light Factory Asian Festival will promote diversity and inclusivity More: Free; Sept. 16-18, times vary; Freedom Park, Latin American Festival (Blumenthal Performing Arts Center) 1908 East Blvd.; festivalinthepark.org The 32nd Latin American festival will feature live music, through a celebration of Asian cultures.

Oct. 11-16: Anastasia (Ovens Auditorium) More: Free; Oct. 8, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Ramsey Creek Park, authentic Latin American food, visual art and more.

More: Free; Sept. 17, noon; Symphony Park, 4400 18441 Nantz Road, Cornelius; charlottedragonboat.com Sharon Road; tinyurl.com/festival-latinoamericano blumenthalarts.org

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Other Blumenthal Venues

The inaugural Charlotte Chalk Art Festival will allow attendees to experience street art firsthand while experiencing curated performances, competitions and other arts and crafts.

More: Free; Oct. 1-2, 11 a.m.; 4237 Raleigh St.; tinyurl.com/CLTChalkArtFest

‘BIRCHES AND HARBOR, MAINE’ FROM AMERICAN MADE: PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURE FROM THE DEMELL JACOBSEN COLLECTION AT THE MINT MUSEUM.

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Hola Charlotte Festival

Touted as the “largest Hispanic Heritage celebration in Charlotte,” Hola Charlotte features nationally recognized performers celebrating the heritage of multiple Latin American countries with Hispanics of different backgrounds and ages.

More: Free; Oct. 15, noon; South Tryon Street from Brooklyn Village Avenue to East 4th Street; holacharlottefestival.com

Festival in the Heights

An outdoor gathering featuring family-friendly activities, food trucks, local music and vendors to help support east Charlotte schools.

More: Oct. 15, 1 p.m.; Shamrock Park, Jeff Street; tinyurl.com/FestivalinTheHeights

Sculpting The Portrait in Clay

Over the course of four classes, master sculptor Peter Rubino leads students on a technical and artistic journey toward understanding the dynamic and creative forces in sculpting a portrait in clay.

More: $48; Sept. 20-Oct. 18, 10 a.m.-noon; Charlotte Art League, 4237 Raleigh St.; charlotteartleague. org/classes

Bay Haven Food and Wine Festival

Launched last year by Greg and Subrina Collier, the second annual festival will honor the diaspora by celebrating Black foodways and the industry members who make them possible.

More: Oct. 19-23; More information to come; bayhavenfoodandwine.com

ARTWORK BY EDWARD REDFIELD

Urban Design Awards

The second annual Urban Design Awards, aka The Urbies, are designed to spotlight local projects and designs.

More: Oct. 27; more information to come; clturbandesign.medium.com

Biketoberfest

A massive interactive fundraising event, Biketoberfest gives participants the opportunity to win a prize for their efforts in adventuring our fair city without the use of a car.

More: $25-40; Oct. 30, noon; Triple C Brewing Company, 2900 Griffith St.; sustaincharlotte.org/ biketoberfest

ARTS FEATURE

FESTIVITIES ABOUND New Charlotte International Arts Festival kicks off the fall arts season

BY RAYNE ANTRIM

You’ve met the bunnies, now meet the Man. From Amanda Parer, the same Australian artist who has brought her giant inflatable bunnies to Charlotte in the past two years as part of the SHOUT! festival, comes Man — a large-scale, inflatable, contemporized version of Auguste Rodin’s “Thinker.”

Slightly crouching forward with legs crisscrossed to incite curiosity and self-reflection with its audience, the installation is part of the inaugural Charlotte International Arts Festival (CIAF), which is scheduled to run from Sept. 16–Oct. 2.

The two-week festival will celebrate local and international arts across genres, mediums, and cultures with over 200 exhibitions and events that fall into three categories: participatory, free and ticketed.

excited about so many things that the competition brings to Charlotte.

“This competition will bring poets who are international world poetry slam champions, as well as national champions,” he told Queen City Nerve.

Bluz pointed out that the competition will include renowned poets who have been on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and become viral sensations. Tickets start at $10, or $30 for an all-day package.

The week before the International Slam Invitational, the Knight Theater will also host We Are Hip Hop, a continuation of an event that Bluz helped launch last year at Camp North End. The idea is to host a celebration of Charlotte’s hip-hop culture and artists with freestyle, b-boy and DJ performances all in a block party atmosphere on Sept. 17-18 at the Knight Theater.

CIAF will also include installations by 13 remaining artists from Blumenthal’s Fellows Class of 2021, and hundreds of other performances and showcases big and small over the two weeks it’s here. For more information about what will be happening throughout the festival’s run, visit charlotteartsfest.com.

INFO@QCNERVE.COM

PHOTO COURTESY OF BLUMENTHAL ARTS

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‘MAN’ BY AMANDA PARER

From the Guggenheim in Spain to the Sydney Opera House in Australia, Luminarium – Architects of Air by Alan Parkison is described as an immersive walk-through experience of light, color and sound.

Luminarium invites visitors to explore labyrinthian tunnels and soaring domes inspired by Islamic architecture, Archimedean solids, and Gothic cathedrals.

The art exhibit will be located at Ballantyne’s Backyard from Sept. 17-Oct. 2, with tickets starting at $5.

“Lotty” by Moradavaga, a participatory art installation, is out of Portugal and Italy. The installation features a giant squid influenced by the best-known writings of Herman Melville and Jules Verne. The tube-like, orange creature allows visitors

to look through the squid’s eyes and walk over its lengthy tentacles.

Visitors can see Lotty at Romare Bearden Park throughout the festival’s run.

German street-artist trio Mentalgassi combine photography, sculpture, image manipulation, and street art for audiences to enjoy for free. Their artwork has been seen in many cities around the world, including London, Berlin, Brazil, and Finland.

Mentalgassi creates large-scale photographs, which they tape on outdoor objects. The photographs are comprised of people’s faces that take on an unexpected form.

You can find Mentalgassi’s work perched atop the Knight Theater throughout the run of the festival.

The Charlotte International Arts Festival will also offer performances, including a slam poetry tournament. The CIAF will host the International Slam Invitational on Sept. 24 at noon and 2:30 p.m. for the preliminary rounds, and 8 p.m. that same night for the final. Poets from around the world will be at the Knight Theater for the ultimate slam competition.

Boris “Bluz” Rogers, director of creative engagement at Blumenthal Performing Arts, is

WED 9/7

ONGOING 9/8 - 11/22

“Press your spaceface close to mine love,” one little Ziggy once crooned. Could David Bowie’s “Moonage Daydream” lyrics have inspired the name of retrofuturist dream rock outfit Spaceface? Founded

by Flaming Lips guitarist Jake Ingalls, Spaceface blasts off from a launchpad of ’70s soft rock and prog rock, leaving trippy contrails in its wake. With the recent addition of synth-pop singer-songwriter Katie Pierce to the fold, Spaceface’s creative center of gravity has shifted toward shoegaze leavened with psych. Country garage fuzz-masters Rugg join the onstage interstellar mission, along with Charlotte metal practitioners Ego Death Machine.

More: $14.30; Sept. 7, 9:30 p.m.; Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St.; snugrock.com

While in residence at Charlotte’s McColl Center in fall 2020, in the midst of the COVID pandemic, Jillian Mayer became intrigued by our region’s survivalist culture. Preppers or survivalists pursue complete independence from social, political and economic infrastructures, relying on their own learned skills to prepare for any impending disasters — real or imagined. (One local prepper at Carolina Preppers and Survivors Store on South Boulevard in 2014 told us an ISIS attack on SouthPark Mall was imminent, but we’re still waiting.) For her exhibit, Mayer constructed her own imagined, site-specific survival site.

More: Free; Sept. 8–Nov. 22, 9 a.m.; Lambla Gallery, UNC Charlotte; 9119 University Road; coaa.charlotte.edu

SPACEFACE, RUGG, EGO DEATH MACHINE

BOLD ON THE BLOCK - COPE FIEND Photo by Mary Massie

COMPOUND

COMPOUND Courtesy photo

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BOLT ON THE BLOCK

AMERICAN MADE: PAINTINGS AND FRESH2DEATH: STREETWARE CLASSIC BLACK CINEMA SERIES: Upping the ante on its FRESH2DEATH installation SCULPTURE FROM THE DEMELL ‘ZOUZOU’ at the Mint Museum earlier this year, Dupp&Swatt’s In the 1920s, Black dancer/singer/actress Josephine JACOBSEN COLLECTION Fresh2Death: Streetware expands its streetwise

With the explicit goal of “bringing people together across racial and socio-economic barriers,” this block party could point a way forward for one of Charlotte’s rapidly disappearing-through-gentrification “arts district.” The shindig includes community art, dance, vendors and more in the lot behind Petra’s. The music menu feels like a fusion of weird old P. Middy and a pluralistic funky hip-hop-infused future, anchored by two of the neighborhood’s beloved venues. Petra’s hosts Cope Fiend, Alan Charmer, Nige Hood and more, while Snug Harbor welcomes Phaze Gawd & Friends, Cosmic Collective, Noir Noir and others.

More: Free; Sept. 10, 3 p.m.; Plaza Midwood, various locations; tinyurl.com/BoltOnTheBlock

The DeMell Jacobsen Collection is one of the best privately held collections of American art in the U.S. It’s also an aesthetic time machine, a tour through two centuries of American creativity, ranging from Colonial-era portraits to mid-19thcentury landscape paintings. Still lives from the 1800s include moralizing genre scenes, packed with narrative detail, and intriguing Trompe-l’œil examples, optical illusions that trick the viewer into perceiving painted objects and spaces as real.

Sculptures draw from the collection’s extensive selection of marble, copper and bronze pieces.

More: Free-$15; Sept. 10–Dec. 24; Mint Museum Uptown, 500 S. Tryon St.; mintmuseum.org

fashion concept to a two-day festival. Along with vendors, vegan food trucks, installations, DJs and workshops covering street photography, sneaker and clothing customization and more, on day one the fest shines a spotlight on seven brands, all led

by Black men from Charlotte. The bands will be replaced by brands center stage on day two at a fashion show hosted by Ohavia Phillips. Want even more style? Twenty classic 1980s-’90s European automobiles will be on site.

More: Free-$40; Sept.10-11; Camp North End, 300 Camp Road; duppandswat.com

9/11

Baker left the U.S. for Paris, where she starred in the Folies Bergère. In the 1940s, she aided the French Resistance against the Nazis, and in the ’60s, she supported the Civil Rights movement. The 1934 French melodrama Zouzou marks the first time a Black woman played a leading role in a major film.

That’s Baker, who plays a circus performer fighting to clear her lover, played by white leading man Jean Gabin (The Wages of Fear), of allegations stemming from a crime he didn’t commit.

More: $7-9; Sept. 11, 2 p.m.; Harvey B. Gantt Center, 551 S. Tryon St.; ganttcenter.org

THUR9/15 THE MINKS

THE MINKS Courtesy of U.S. National Whitewater Center

Focused on Nikki Barber’s gutsy sensual vocals, Nashville psych-blues rock trio The Minks have subsumed their influences and forged a distinctive and flexible style that ranges from the acid-tinged ’60s hard rock of “Lavendar” to the stomping Hammond organ-powered swamp rock of “Johnny Walker Blue.” Though they embrace influences ranging from Hank Williams to Patti Smith, The Minks never stray far from the electrified shuffle of the title track off their debut album Light and Sweet.

Here the trio’s take on country blues owes as much to Iggy Pop as Patsy Cline.

More: Free; Sept. 15, 7 p.m.; U.S. National Whitewater Center, 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy.; center.whitewater.org

FRI &9/16SAT - 9/17 BLACKSTAR SYMPHONY

You can’t divorce thoughts of mortality from Blackstar, David Bowie’s final album, released two days after his death. We maintain the music, however, evokes not dread, but the mystery beyond the mortal veil. Blackstar Symphony director Donny McCaslin might agree. McCaslin played on the album — winding his funereal, honking sax all over the emotional map on the title track. McCaslin’s reimagining of Bowie’s darkly romantic masterpiece features guest artist John Cameron Mitchell, creator and star of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Blackstar is followed by orchestral renditions of Bowie classics including “Heroes” and “Life on Mars”.

More: $39.50 and up; Sept. 16-17; Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St.; blumenthalarts.org

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TUE 9/20 100 GECS

“I’m joining the circus and going berserkus,” deadpans Dylan Brady on “Doritos and Fritos,” the ridiculously dumb and fun single from electronic scuzz-pop duo 100 gecs. Riding rubbery slack-string bass, closely-miced antic vocals and a maelstrom of zig-zagging electronic blurts and bleeps, production and songwriting duo Brady and Laura Les take the crunchy compressed banger-pop approach of Sleigh Bells, then add the unfazed smart-assery of New Wave groups The Waitresses and Romeo Void, and amp it up past 11. The net result feels like barhopping with baked RPG players guzzling monster drinks.

More: $25-55; Sept. 20, 8 p.m.; Underground, 820 Hamilton St.; livenation.com 100 GECS Photo by Mcrsftdog

9/20

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Divine Barrel Brewing, Great Wagon Road Distilling, Free Will Craft & Vine, Crown Station and Deejai Noodle Bar co-host an open-air vendor market in the parking lots at Divine Barrel and Great Wagon Road. The market features 70 artisans, plus diverse local businesses and entrepreneurs. Each location hosts DJs spinning tunes throughout the day. Food options include Deejai, The Chimi Spot NC and The Sidekick food trucks, as well as Great Wagon Road’s kitchen. Divine Barrel Brewing, Free Will Craft & Vine, Crown Station and Great Wagon Road also offer beverages — alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

More: Free; Sept. 17; North Davidson Street at Anderson Street; divinebarrel.com

FRESH2DEATH Courtesy of Dupp&Swatt

BLACKSTAR SYMPHONY Courtesy of Blumenthal Performing Arts

MUSIC FEATURE

WITHOUT A DOUBT Reunion concert celebrates Doubting Thomas’ musical legacy in Charlotte

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BY PAT MORAN

Gina Stewart fondly remembers a gig that her groundbreaking Queen City band, Doubting Thomas, played in the mid-1990s at Hartigan’s, a now-closed pub once located in Uptown Charlotte. As the band launched into its first number, the crowd began to sing along — and they continued singing for the entire set. “[There] was consistent strong energy playing at Hartigan’s,” Stewart recalls. “[We] were seeing the same people — and they started to know every single word.”

Stewart’s bandmate and group co-founder Brenda Gambill says these spontaneous singalongs were not confined to one venue. Countless Doubting Thomas shows were marked by fan devotion conjoined with the band’s connection to the crowd.

It was a tangible energy, she says.

“Whether there’s two people or 300,000, it’s contagious when the energy is right and everything is coming through you,” Gambill offers. “You become the vehicle for your instrument. It’s not about you.”

Perhaps this devotion to its listeners is one reason that Doubting Thomas, a band that officially disbanded in 2001, still maintains its hold on Charlotte’s musical imagination. Historically, the city’s rock and pop scene is arguably built upon the legacies of three local acts — The Avett Brothers, Fetchin’ Bones and Doubting Thomas. Of the three, Doubting Thomas is the only one not to score a major label record deal, and while they’re beloved by many, Stewart and Gambill’s female-fronted group rarely gets credit for helping to break down gender barriers in Charlotte’s male-dominated music scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Similarly, the combo was an early supporter of LGBTQ rights and visibility, which is how they found themselves playing so many gigs at Hartigan’s, one of the city’s few clubs catering to a lesbian clientele at the time.

Doubting Thomas also forged its legacy with a sound that is varied yet cohesive. The group is often shoehorned into the country rock genre, and while there are echoes of 1970s folk-inflected

Laurel Canyon singer-songwriters and sympathetic rockers like The Eagles in Doubting Thomas’ early songs, tunes like the title track of its 1993 debut album Blue Angel pull from a much broader sonic palette, including contributions from guest players Peter Buck and Bill Berry of R.E.M. Here, Stewart and Gambill’s swarming harmonies entwine in a braided stream of vocal lines surrounding Tim Hill’s pointillist crystalline guitar: “Flying on a dare across the blue skies / There were arms around me there/There was magic in the air...”

As the voices cradle and enfold each other, the cantering rhythm section of bassist Glenn Kawamoto and drummer Paul Andrews smoothly

switch keys and time signatures.

“What we were doing was so interlaced — it was a whole lot of melody, and it was pretty complicated,“ Stewart says. “Toward the end we didn‘t do so much of the changing time signatures and things like that.”

The band’s 1998 album Who Died and Made You King illustrates the band’s later, more simplified and direct approach. The collection’s title track couples bright and swaggering saxophone with soulful calland-response vocals traded by Stewart and Gambill.

The production sparkles but remains tethered to the heart and spirit of storytelling honky-tonk.

Despite changes in approach, however, Doubting Thomas‘ music always feels grounded, animated and alive, whether its sashaying across the dance floor or chugging like a runaway locomotive. Similar to its shape-shifting music, the group’s timeline is also fluid and in flux “We had 10 final gigs,” Gambill says with a laugh.

“We retired more times than Tina Turner,” Stewart adds.

There were several one-off reunion gigs throughout the 2000s, including a set at the Atlanta Pride Festival in 2009. In 2020, the band members

GINA STEWART (LEFT) AND BRENDA GAMBILL OF DOUBTING THOMAS.

attempted to set up another reunion, but COVID kept forcing postponements. After three reschedules, Doubting Thomas finally nailed down a date that sticks, Gambill says.

A Sept. 17 gig scheduled for Neighborhood Theatre will be much like an extended family reunion, Stewart adds.

“The core group is me and Brenda, plus [multiinstrumentalist] Matthew Davenport and [bassist] Bill Carroll,” she says.

Guitarist Hill is coming in from Atlanta for the show, and will be joined onstage by second guitarist Mike Corrigan. Percussionist Kris Krull is slated to be a surprise guest, and new member Lenore Prisco will play keyboards and banjo.

Stewart says some good friends of the band will also pop up on stage to play songs toward the end of the evening. Gambill acknowledges that the roll call could lead to a stage packed with performers.

“We had quite a few members over the years in different configurations, and we played with so many talented people,” she says. “It’s such an honor to write a song and then have everyone put their talent into it, perform it and be willing to go out onto the road for barely nothing.”

PHOTO BY GRANT BALDWIN

MUSIC FEATURE Fetchin’ Bones, R.E.M. and the Indigo Girls

As a solo artist, Carroll appeared on Dick Clark’s “We were ahead of our time, because it was pre-crowdfunding,” she says. “We made a record and American Bandstand TV show in 1988 with his song paid back all our investors. Everybody made money.” “When We’re Apart.” He also branched out into orchestral composing and arranging.

“Most of the time Bill was writing, and he’d Orphan songs, Americana and the bring in finished songs for us to collaborate on and end? add to, and he’d do some arranging,” Gambill says.

The origin of Doubting Thomas’ 1997 release She considers Carroll the third lyricist in Cut It Out, a collection of demo tapes and orphaned Doubting Thomas, in addition to herself and Stewart. songs, led to a Charlotte music tradition and the “Working with him now is amazing because he’s beginnings of a successful promotion company. better than ever.”

Stewart entered the now-razed Elizabeth music The band recorded and released a live album in venue The Double Door Inn one Tuesday night and 2000. As Doubting Thomas toured the album, they noticed that the place was dead. She approached started changing the band’s configuration. venue owner Nick Karres with a proposition: If Karres “We would go out there with three or four of would let Doubting Thomas practice onstage with us. It wouldn’t be six people going out every time,” the venue’s P.A. on Tuesday nights, the band would Gambill says. encourage their fans to pay $5 a head to see the show.

Then came the end to Doubting Thomas’ 11-year Soon, the place was packed, and Stewart and run. Stewart calls it a strange, but not dramatic, end.

Gambill decided to share their good fortune. They “It wasn’t a fight,” Stewart says. “We all looked invited other Charlotte bands and performers like The at each other after a gig and went, ‘I think it’s time Rank Outsiders and David Childers to take part in the we stopped.’”

Tuesday night gig, and thus Americana Night at The The band never really ended, however. Though Double Door was launched. Greg McGraw became Stewart and Gambill formed the acoustic folkinspired to promote the players taking part in the rock trio Volatile Baby with Allison Modafferi, they show, and his work on Americana Night fueled the kept hearing the call from fans to reform Doubting launch of mighty Charlotte-based music promotion Thomas at least for one more night. The band’s road company MAXX Music, say Stewart and Gambill. manager Tammy Whisnet, who also acts as Doubting Doubting Thomas had been recording songs Thomas’ archivist along with Scott Rutherford, during Americana Night with the idea of launching encouraged the reunion, Gambill says. a Charlotte-centered record label, which would Recent rehearsals have gone so well that Gambill feature performers from the city’s vibrant music and Stewart hope to play many more gigs with scene. Unfortunately, the idea went south and Doubting Thomas — just not three or four a week.

Doubting Thomas decamped the weekly event “We won’t ever do it in the way that we have, to launch another Tuesday night residency across but we’re not done,” Stewart says. “My favorite quote town. To find a home for the songs the band had from someone who followed us closely for a long recorded for Americana Night, Doubting Thomas time was, ‘You were the soundtrack of my 20s and released Cut It Out. 30s,’” Stewart says.

In 1999, the band returned to Athens to work She cherishes that feedback, but says it inspires with producer John Keane again on the soulful, horns her to write about today rather than just play songs and Hammond organ-fueled Who Died and Made from the past.

You King? At this point, many players had entered or “When I go out to hear music, it amazes me moved through Doubting Thomas’ orbit, including that people are still writing things that everyone Bill Carroll on bass, keyboardist Bryan Williams, Mark can relate to,” Gambill says. “Then I think, why am I McColl on drums and a cadre of guitarists comprised amazed by that? We did that as well.” of Irwin Bostian, Mike Corrigan and Tim Hill.

“I think the point of writing songs is lessening “We were usually playing three or four gigs a the loneliness of being alive,” Stewart adds. “That’s week, so most of our writing happened at sound what songs do. There is something about the checks,” Stewart says. emotional communication of a song that expresses The talented ensemble’s connectivity meant jams the inexpressible and leaves you with [the thought] would often come together as songs, she continues.

‘Somebody knows what I’m feeling. I’m not the “That’s how Who Died and Made You King? only one who’s ever gone through what I’m going happened.” through.’”

During this process, bassist Bill Carroll became PMORAN@QCNERVE.COM indispensable, Gambill says.

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Stewart says she began her love affair with music when she first heard Linda Ronstadt sing.

Meanwhile, her older sister was dating musicians exclusively. Exposed to this parade of talented suitors for her sibling, Stewart picked their brains for musical knowledge. In return they taught her to sing, play guitar and understand music theory.

By the time Stewart attended North Mecklenburg High School, she was smitten with The Eagles and southern California rock.

Meanwhile, Gambill was growing up in Ohio.

She describes herself as the little girl who sat with her ear on the speaker of the stereo, learning the harmony parts to every Beatles song. Her family moved to Charlotte, where Gambill attended Garinger High School and sang in various choirs while studying violin.

In the mid-1980s, Stewart attended UNC Charlotte, where she studied dance and drama.

The biggest obstacle to graduation, she says, was her high school friend Hope Nicholls and her band Fetchin’ Bones. Stewart played bass in an early lineup of the band for about a year, appearing on a demo produced by Don Dixon at Mitch Easter’s Drive-In Studio in Winston-Salem. By the time the band recorded its debut album Cabin Flounder, Danna Pentes had replaced Stewart on bass.

“I stopped playing in Fetchin’ Bones because I needed to finish college,” Stewart says. She’d already quit school several times because she wanted to play in rock ‘n’ roll bands, Stewart says, and her parents were running out of patience. One night after playing with Fetchin’ Bones in New York City, Stewart hopped a flight back to Charlotte just in time to take an exam. She finally stopped burning the candle at both ends and graduated in 1986.

By the time she met Gambill, Stewart was playing in The Blind Dates, a trio inspired by 1960s girl groups that included guitarist Deanna Lynn Campbell and drummer Penny Craver. Stewart and Gambill hit it off and started writing songs together. The pair had been writing together for about a year when Gambill let it drop that she was an accomplished violinist.

The Blind Dates wound down in 1988, and Stewart and Gambill launched Doubting Thomas with guitarist Dale Alderman, drummer Paul Andrews and Andrews‘ brother Mike on bass. Mike Andrews subsequently left to be replaced by jazz-

trained bassist Glenn Kawamoto. The band was initially quite different from the proto-Americana act it eventually became.

“There was a marriage of theatre and music because I majored in theatre,” Stewart says. “In the early stuff you can hear the influence from musical theatre with so many vocals and harmonies going every which way.”

The material proved to be difficult to adapt for live performance. While the band grappled with that challenge, it composed music for theatre troupes including Children’s Theatre of Charlotte and the now-shuttered Charlotte Repertory Theatre.

In 1990, Doubting Thomas was selected for the North Carolina Music Showcase in Chapel Hill. Music critic Jim Desmond compared the band favorably to 10,000 Maniacs and Fleetwood Mac, calling Doubting Thomas the highlight of the festival.

Soon after, Doubting Thomas opened for the Indigo Girls at Ovens Auditorium. Charlotte attorney Bill Diehl was duly impressed. He helped the fledgling band find financing and the necessary contacts to record an album.

“We dreamed of making an album of our original songs, and [Diehl] made that dream come true,“ Stewart says. After searching for a producer who was making their kind of music, Doubting Thomas recorded with John Keane at his studio in Athens, Georgia. At the time, Keane was working with the B-52s, Widespread Panic and R.E.M. Keane recruited R.E.M.‘s Buck and Berry to play on the Doubting Thomas debut Blue Angel.

Blue Angel was released on independent label Big Diehl Records. Stewart and Gambill say they had second thoughts when it came to inking a deal with a major label.

“A lot of friends that got signed didn’t have the privilege of making up their own minds in the studio,” Gambill says. “Not to say that every decision made by a record company is bad [but] they would take a song and totally rearrange it if you didn’t have guidelines in ink that you could do it your way.”

Doubting Thomas never signed a deal with a major label.

The band’s follow-up album Two was recorded in Atlanta with producer DeDe Vogt of cowpunk band Sweethearts of the Rodeo. Charlotte musician and reverend Christy Snow came down to the sessions to sing. Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls lends vocals to two songs on the record, “Tiny Lights” and “How High.”

Vogt also performs on the album, released in 1994 on Doubting Thomas’ own indie label Oh Very Records.

The record was financed through contributions from fans, says Stewart.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Apocalyptica (The Underground) House & Home w/ Late Bloomer, Holy Figures, Jupiter Hearts (The Milestone) Spaceface w/ Rugg, Bottled Up, Ego Death Machine (Snug Harbor)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Sarah Jarosz (Neighborhood Theatre)

OPEN MIC

Tosco Music Open Mic (Evening Muse)

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Solar Fake w/ Matte Blvck, IIOIOIOII, Tenderlash (The Milestone) The Bots w/ Jeremy & The Harlequins, SideNote (Snug Harbor) Siamese Dream (Smashing Pumpkins tribute) (Visulite Theatre)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

The Temptations & the Four Tops (Ovens Auditorium) Alex Isley (The Underground)

JAZZ/BLUES

Queens Court (Middle C Jazz)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Jake Blount Quartet w/ Rachel Baiman (Evening Muse) The Pink Stones w/ Teddy & the Rough Riders (Neighborhood Theatre)

LATIN/WORLD/REGGAE DPR (The Fillmore)

OPEN MIC

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Open Mic Night w/ Chase Brown & Aleeia “Sug” Bolton Brown (Tommy’s Pub)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Side Hustle w/ The Donner Deads (Evening Muse) Desmond Jones w/ Sam Johnston (Evening Muse) In This Moment (The Fillmore) Council Ring (Smokey Joe’s Cafe & Bar) Fulci w/ w/ Abyssal Frost, Blaakhol (Snug Harbor) Squirt Vile w/ Orphan Riot (Tommy’s Pub) Abbey Road Live! (The Beatles tribute) (Visulite Theatre)

JAZZ/BLUES

Jeff Lorber Trio (Middle C Jazz)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Jade Novah w/ Jared Brady, Dondria (Amos’ Southend) Ruben Studdard sings Luther Vandross (Knight Theater) Doobie (Neighborhood Theatre)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICANA

Chase Mathew (Coyote Joe’s) Charlie Marks w/ Cat Glen, A.P. Rodgers (Skylark Social Club)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Wil Rivers (The Fillmore) Hotspot (Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts) OneRepublic (PNC Music Pavilion)

SINGER-SONGWRITER/ACOUSTIC Tonya Wood (Primal Brewery)

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Halestorm (CMCU Amphitheatre) VEAUX w/ Josh Nuzum (Evening Muse) Collective Insanity w/ Trout Mouth, Lil Skritt, Phoebe NYX, Ophelia Pop Tart, Melanya (The Milestone) Wand (Neighborhood Theatre) Harriet RIP w/ The Body Bags, Eavesdropper (Tommy’s Pub) Rokken (Dokken cover) w/ Killed by Death (Motorhead tribute), The Threat (Skid Row tribute) (Amos’ Southend)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Kerry Blu w/ Aasher (Evening Muse) Bolt on the Block Party feat. Phaze Gawd, Cosmic Collective, Noir Noir, Wastoid (Snug Harbor)

JAZZ/BLUES

Jeff Lorber Trio (Middle C Jazz)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICA Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival (PNC Music Pavilion) Liam Pendergrass Duo (Primal Brewery)

FUNK/JAM BANDS

Cosmic Collective (Birdsong Brewing) The Grass Is Dead (Grateful Dead tribute) w/ Josh Daniel (Smokey Joe’s Cafe & Bar)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ HE$H (SERJ)

SINGER-SONGWRITER/ACOUSTIC

Tosco Music Party (Knight Theater) Mike Alicke (Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts)

LATIN/WORLD/REGGAE

P-Square (The Underground)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Lacuna Coil (The Underground) Riki Rachtman (Neighborhood Theatre) ShotClock w/ Swae, Plastic Flamingos (Tommy’s Pub)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICA

Larry Burnett w/ Don Chapman (Evening Muse)

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 OPEN MIC

Find Your Muse Open Mic feat. Featherpocket (Evening Muse)

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Gyasi w/ Regence (Evening Muse) Ponch Bueller w/ Dang Ol Reinhardt, Travis & Ian (Tommy’s Pub)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICA

Amanda Shires (Neighborhood Theatre)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Creeping Death w/ 200 Stab Wounds, Tribal Gaze, Age of Apocalypse, Funeral Chic (The Milestone) Forever Came Calling w/ Home Safe, Thousand Dollar Car, Pollyanna, Death Lens (Skylark Social Club) ZETA w/ Ed Hochuli, Moxibeat (Snug Harbor)

JAZZ/BLUES

Troy Conn (Middle C Jazz)

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Jason Scavone w/ Modern Moxie, Carly Taich (Visulite Theatre)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

The Social Contract w/ $pence, Duhart, Bshingu (Snug Harbor)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

Noche de Verano Sin Ti (Bad Bunny Night) (Evening Muse)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICA

Koe Wetzel (CMCU Amphitheatre) Reckless Kelly w/ These Wild Plains (Neighborhood Theatre)

JAZZ/BLUES

Michelle Renee w/ Shelley Ruffin, Shana Blake (Middle C Jazz)

SINGER-SONGWRITER/ACOUSTIC Acoustic Grace (Stage Door Theater)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Wednesday 13 w/ Nova Omega, Strike the Tower (Amos’ Southend) Little Feat (Knight Theater) Seven Day Haze w/ Red Dress Amy, Fox N Vead (Snug Harbor) Tribute (Allman Brothers Band tribute) (Visulite Theatre)

HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Denzel Curry (The Fillmore)

JAZZ/BLUES

Mike Phillips (Booth Playhouse) Judith Hill (Middle C Jazz)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ Shrek Rave (The Underground)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICA

Time Sawyer w/ Magnolia Boulevard (Neighborhood Theatre)

SINGER-SONGWRITER/ACOUSTIC Trisha Adams (Birdsong Brewing)

CLASSICAL/INSTRUMENTAL

Charlotte Symphony: Blackstar Symphony (David Bowie tribute) (Belk Theater)

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 ROCK/PUNK/METAL

Lake Street Dive (CMCU Amphitheatre) Doubting Thomas (Neighborhood Theatre) The Variants w/ AM/FMs, PYRE (Skylark Social Club) Shadowgraphs w/ Dipstick, Yerning Whir (Snug Harbor) Heathen Sun w/ Head Cell, Shelter For Holly, Hightower (Tommy’s Pub) Deep 6 (Pearl Jam tribute) w/ Joe Hero (Foo Fighters tribute), Sickman (Alice in Chains tribute) (Amos’ Southend)

JAZZ/BLUES

Judith Hill (Middle C Jazz)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICA Tyler Braden (Coyote Joe’s) Pierce Edens (Evening Muse)

SINGER-SONGWRITER/ACOUSTIC Tyler Darden (Primal Brewery)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ

AfroPop! Charlotte, Vol.56: Goodbye Sum (Crown Station) Digital Noir w/ DJ Spider (The Milestone) Boombox w/ The Wormholes (Visulite Theatre)

FUNK/JAM BANDS

Bullfrog Moon (Primal Brewery) The Tyler Neal Band (Smokey Joe’s Cafe & Bar)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 HIP-HOP/SOUL/R&B

Wu-Tang Clan w/ Nas (PNC Music Pavilion)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICA

Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors (Neighborhood Theatre) Avi Kaplan w/ Taylor Ashton (Visulite Theatre)

POP/DANCE/ELECTRONIC/DJ Alec Benjamin (The Fillmore)

FUNK/JAM BANDS

Sky Funk w/ The Turnstiles, The Bill Miller Band, Grub & Friends, Ben Gatlin (Smokey Joe’s Cafe & Bar)

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 OPEN MIC

Find Your Muse Open Mic feat. Low Groves (Evening Muse)

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 ROCK/PUNK/METAL

The Head and the Heart (CMCU Amphitheatre) 100 gecs (The Underground) Winona Forever w/ Wine Pride, Day & Dream (Snug Harbor)

COUNTRY/FOLK/AMERICA

Willie Watson (Neighborhood Theatre) Jeff Harnar (Middle C Jazz)

LATIN/WORLD/REGGAE

Karol G (Spectrum Center)

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FOOD & DRINK FEATURE

A NEW START

are most harmful to our bodies. When I think of veganism there are three things that come to mind: my people, the animals and our planet.

What has your experience been as a queer Black women in veganism?

Representation is key. It’s so important that we live our truth to show others like us that if we can do this, so can you. We have experienced racism What is your personal relationship and and those who don’t want to support because we’re

BY JASIATIC ANDERSON lesbians, but the love outweighs anything else. philosophy around veganism?

I believe that it is important to bring awareness You recently opened a new VelTree to the African American community around our eating habits and food choices because our location in Ballantyne. What made you choose Admittedly I only happened upon VelTree while I Ballantyne, which they moved to in December, boasts community suffers most from treatable health this location and how does it differ from the previous restaurant? disparities. was looking for a different vegan restaurant that I used plenty of seating and room for an expansive menu.

So, the new location was a divine move. We I believe that having soulful vegan food options to frequent, but it turned out to be a happy surprise.

I sat down with Velvet to chat about VelTree’s looked in many areas, but the Ballantyne location creates an opportunity to expose our community to Unbeknownst to me, ZiZi’s had recently left the expansion and multiple other endeavors the couple opened up to us. We had some customers who a familiar food flavor without the ingredients that space where it once hosted its takeout service on is undertaking around the city.

North Tryon Street in the University City area, but I found VelTree there in its place. Pleasantly surprised that I could still support a Black-owned business while eating vegan, I gave them a try.

On that trip, we indulged in a fan favorite “box of chic’n” and I became a fan from there on out.

Co-owner and chef Velvet Kelty-Jacobs comes from a rich history of restaurant leadership. Her family owns and operates a vegan restaurant in the DC/Maryland area, and though she grew up eating meat, she didn’t enjoy it.

“I never liked meat; every night at the dinner table I would excuse myself three or four times to throw the meat away,” Velvet recalls. “My family is vegan. My sister converted us all around 25 years ago. All of the kids of the family were born vegan”.

Velvet’s wife and business partner, Treona, aka Tree, had only recently become vegan when they met.

“When we met at my restaurant in Maryland, Tree had just transitioned to a vegan lifestyle,” Velvet says. The couple partnered up to start a nonprofit called Vegan in the Hood, through which they’ve carried out lots of food-centered community work. The couple has been married for almost eight years now and within that time created numerous businesses.

They said they were looking for vegan soul food during a visit to Charlotte some years ago, but were unable to satisfy their taste. Shortly after the trip, they decided to bring what they were missing to the city and launched VelTree.

A combination of both owners’ names, VelTree opened in 2018. While their first location in University PHOTO COURTESY OF VELTREE VELTREE’S SPICY CHIC’N & WAFFLES. was a relatively small take-out spot, a new location in

VelTree owners open new Ballantyne location, plan new events

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Queen City Nerve: Tell me about the inspiration behind VelTree.

Velvet Kelty-Jacobs: VelTree started in Charlotte out of a personal need to see vegan soul food in an area where there wasn’t any available.

I believed that a city like Charlotte should have a soulful vegan food presence and we decided to create that road.

FOOD & DRINK FEATURE traveled from Ballantyne to the old location and always asked us to move closer. In our old location, we always had lines out the door and the parking lot stayed jumping.

We are finding that our old customers think we’re too far away and we don’t see them as much, but they still support us, as we are making a new customer base here in Ballantyne.

Before that takes place, you have a separate music and food festival coming up on Sept. 18. Tell me about it.

Yes, we are so excited to bring this first ever vegan jazz and wine event. It’s called the Charlotte Vegan Jazz and Wine Festival. I have such a love for food, fun and great music. I’m a fan of jazz artists like Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Al Jarreau, John Coltrane, Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, Charlie Parker, Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, and George Benson; I grew up listening to these great legends.

Is there a VelTree patron encounter that sticks with you?

I have had so many memorable encounters its hard to choose just one. I have had several customers that have cried while telling me how something on the menu reminded them of lost love ones like their mothers or grandmas and aunties who had passed.

I have had little girls and boys look in amazement as their parent tells them that I own the restaurant. I’ve had elders come in with newspaper clippings that are as old as the restaurant. I even had a woman sit on the church pew in the restaurant and just start You have another restaurant in California, crying because of memories. which is a far more abundant vegan market What’s the one dish that people should than Charlotte. How has that been?

Yes, we have been in L.A. for two-plus years order from VelTree and why?

The soul plate. Because you can choose different and [our restaurant] was voted the Best New Vegan options when you can’t make up your mind!

Restaurant by VegNews in 2021, which speaks in volume to our products and the love and support of What sets VelTree apart from other our vegan community. We were also picked as one Charlotte restaurants? of the top restaurants to visit while in L.A. by Eater We offer an experience when you come to magazine, and we had an amazing feature done on VelTree. It’s not just about the food, it’s the vibe, the us by KTLA’s LA Unscripted.

Due to a fire [that occurred] three days from music and the people. We just like to have a good Christmas last year and staff shortages, we decided time. to close for now, but we will be returning after What can we expect from VelTree next? everything here in Charlotte is set up and doing well.

Honestly ... we have many things planned but You’re also launching Soulchella in we’re taking it one day at a time. The pandemic really did a number to our industry along with the Charlotte. What is that?

Soulchella was created to celebrate our third great resignation. We’re just blessed to still be here!

Soulfull Vegan Fest. Soulchella is going to be a The new VelTree is located at 14825 Ballantyne celebration of everything we love: good vegan food, Village Way, in Suite 150. You can follow on Instagram family fun, and great music. It will be the third-year at @VelTreevegan and @vegansoulchella. anniversary of our annual vegan fest and the 50th anniversary of hip-hop music.

INFO@QCNERVE.COM With that in mind, it was a no-brainer to do an event like Charlotte has never seen in the vegan community. We will be bringing in the best of the best to throw down at Soulchella.

With a new location also came a new menu. What’s different?

The new menu is filled with items like country fried chic’n, a meatless loaf with mashed potatoes, BBQ ribz and potato salad, buffalo mushroom bites, tuna melts, shrymp and grits, chic’n and tempeh bacon wraps.

We also have gluten-free items such as crab cake, drums, and Cajun shrymp to name a few. On the fall/ winter menu we’ll be adding ste’ak and gravy, and cream chipped beef on our house biscuits.

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5. MOVIES: Who played Wolverine in the X-Men movie series?

6. U.S. STATES: Which state’s motto is “Mountaineers are always free”?

7. ASTRONOMY: What is the only planet in our solar system that isn’t named after a Greek-Roman deity?

8. MYTHOLOGY: Which Egyptian god has the head of a jackal?

9. TELEVISION: How many times has the hospital’s name changed in the drama “Grey’s Anatomy”?

10. RELIGION: Where was the founder PLACE A NUMBER IN THE EMPTY BOXES IN SUCH A WAY THAT EACH ROW of Buddhism born?

ACROSS, EACH COLUMN DOWN AND EACH SMALL 9-BOX SQUARE CONTAINS ALL OF THE NUMBERS ONE TO NINE.

CROSSWORD

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GIFTS OF THE YEAR

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(980) 299-2588 3012 N. DAVIDSON STREET VOTED BEST TATTOO SHOP 2918 N. DAVIDSON STREET CHARLOTTE, NC 28205

LIFESTYLE COLUMN

THE SEEKER

THE HAPPINESS PARTICLE A visit to Mecklenburg’s first tachyon chamber

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BY KATIE GRANT

I discovered the practice of meditating in my late twenties, around the same time frame that I learned yoga. A centuries-old technique, meditation is now primarily used for stress reduction, which is why it appeals to me. Life is a lot, y’all!

Since I’ve been trudging my way through a master’s program, I often make excuses not to meditate — I’m too busy, my head hurts, or some other feeble reason.

However, what lies at the heart of these evasions are the actual reasons I should meditate! Meditation is what will bestow the tranquility my brain and body so desperately need. It allows my mind to focus on one thing, or “onepointed attention.” This concept is an aspect of Dharana, the sixth limb of the eight-limb path of yoga. Dharana refers to the “immovable concentration of the mind.”

Overcoming my excuses and needing an energetic reset, I booked a tachyon chamber meditation session at TorchBearer in Cornelius. Unfamiliar with the concept of tachyon energy, I did a little reading before my trip to the tachyon chamber so as to better understand what it is and what I should expect during my visit.

Tachyon energy is considered a new holistic form of healing based on physics and the studies of Nikola Tesla.

There is even a Tesla quote on the TorchBearer website: “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.”

According to Natural Awakenings magazine, around 6,000 years ago, the Vedic religion named tachyon particles mondajava, or ”the stuff the gods are made of.”

Apparently, tachyons are “subatomic particles that travel faster than the speed of light,” but I am no quantum physicist so a lot of this I don’t understand. However, the more I read about tachyon chamber meditation, the more I decided it was something I could get with!

According to the TorchBearer website, the tachyon chamber helps the guest achieve a meditative state faster and more profoundly. I looked forward to trying something new for a meditative reset. I started with the 44-minute chamber experience (there are also 66-minute and 88-minute experiences available, but as a novice, I thought it best to wade in slowly). Tachyons are the highest frequency particles that can be combined with matter. Nothing harmful, unhealthy, or unnatural can coexist in the presence of tachyon particles.

Upon arrival, I met TorchBearer co-owner Adrienne Craighead, who opened the facility in Cornelius this summer. It’s the first facility of its kind in the Charlotte area.

Adrienne gave me a quick tour of the facility, which

also houses other healers like massage therapists. She then guided me to the tachyon chamber. She explained that the chamber neutralizes t​he adverse effects of harmful electromagnetic fields (EMF) within and around our bodies and helps guests achieve theta brainwaves — the deepest and slowest conscious waves Tibetan monks practice for years to master.

Adrienne helped me settle into a comfortable reclining chair in the middle of the room, surrounded by six clear 8-inch diameter spheres (reminiscent of the crystal ball from The Wizard of Oz) supported by stands engraved with sacred geometric designs. Above the chair hung what is called the pyramid centerpiece. It is constructed of a specialized alloy that holds tachyon at its greatest concentration and features more geometric designs. I learned the spheres respond to the pyramid and sacred geometry through the “streaming portal”pattern. Adrienne then handed me two meditation rods to hold in each hand.

Once the lights were turned off and Adrienne stepped out, the chamber definitely evoked a restful atmosphere; I felt I could have fallen asleep if I had extended my meditation session any longer! Besides the ethereal music that flowed through the noise-canceling headphones, no electronic technology was involved. I relaxed into the reclined chair enveloped by a blanket and a tachyonized eye mask. Embarking on my meditation journey, I felt a low vibration humming, starting with my hands and coursing up my arms, and it remained present throughout the whole 44-minute session.

While it is difficult to claim that an individual session was life-changing, I plan to continue visiting the tachyon chamber as part of my overall health and wellness plan.

And for those interested in experiencing the space on your own, I recommend not having plans after your meditation session. This will allow your mind and body to absorb the benefits and not feel rushed to move on to the next part of your day.

If I could turn back the clock and redo my meditation session, I would have explored the tachyon chamber on a day in which I wasn’t addled by work stress or the pressure of time constraints like meeting friends for dinner. Again, life is a lot!

What I can say is that I exited the chamber with a restored sense of tranquility, which makes sense because tachyons are also called “happiness particles.”

The Queen City is fortunate to have such a unique healing opportunity at its fingertips.

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HOROSCOPE

LIFESTYLE

Sept. 7-13 ARIES

BORN THIS WEEK: You have a gift for making

people feel special. Maybe it’s because you know how special you are.

Sept. 14-20

(March 21 to April 19) Relationships ARIES (March 21 to April 19) As eager as you are continue to thrive, but watch for any telltale signs of LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) You have lots to take on that new challenge, it would be best to potential problems. Take needed action now to set of inner strength in reserve. Use some of it to resist temper that spurt of “Ram”-bunctious energy until things straight, before they become troublesome intimidation from those who might try to impose on you have more facts to back up your decision. later. your good nature for their own reasons.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) This is a good time TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Your powers SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) The good for hardworking Bovines to take a break from of persuasion backed up, of course, by your news is that your on-the-job status is improving. The their hectic on-the-job schedules to bask in the considerable expertise help you to establish your one cautionary note, however, involves a personal unconditional love and support of friends and case, even to the most dubious decision-makers in situation you might have been ignoring for too long. family. your workplace.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You might still be a

2022 KING FEATURES SYND., INC.

BORN THIS WEEK: You enjoy being free with

your emotions, but you can exercise disciplined focus as well. You would make a fine artist.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) You’ve been your usual busy-bee self, gathering nectar wherever you can find it. But now’s a good time to kick back, relax and just enjoy smelling the roses.

SCORPIO

(October 23 to November 21) That pesky personal situation seems to be improving.

But, change comes slowly, so be patient. Expect someone to bring more positive news by week’s end.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Pay attention to what SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21)

Congratulations. Once again, your sharp Sagittarian bit reluctant to face up to some less-than-pleasant “horse sense” helps you work through a complicated realities. But, the sooner you accept the facts, the situation that would leave most people confused. sooner you can set about making some needed changes.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Plan on indulging yourself in some well-earned good CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Expect to make times through much of the week. Then be prepared adjustments, even when things seem locked up and to face some thought-provoking issues during the ready to go. But, cheer up: At least one change could next few weeks. lead to something you’ve been hoping for.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Positive factors continue to dominate, following a recent project should do a lot to boost your self-confidence. change in both your professional and personal lives.

You might want to check out ways to make that Expect to make contact with someone from your long-deferred bigger and bolder move. past.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) The success of a recent

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Ease up on the PISCES

(February 19 to March 20) Workplace pressure you might be putting on the new person stability allows you to continue making progress on in your life. It takes time for a budding relationship your projects. But, don’t ignore your personal life. to blossom. Showing them more patience and Spend more quality time with those special folks. understanding will help.

you hear in the workplace. You could pick up some Whoa! Ease up on that hectic pace you’ve been hints about possible changes. Meanwhile, a new putting yourself through. Take time to recharge your infusion of creative energy sets in by week’s end. energy levels before going at a full gallop again.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Try to be more CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Try

flexible in dealing with a suddenly difficult situation, to be intrigued, not intimidated, by the issues whether it’s on the job or at home. Others might you’re suddenly facing, and you’ll be ahead of the have some good points to offer. Listen to them. game. Don’t be afraid to demand answers to your questions.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) You might think you’re not getting the royal treatment you deserve. But, be AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Are new careful not to become a royal pain by complaining associates freezing you out of their inner circle? about it. Be patient and allow things to work out.

Never mind. Put a warm smile on that friendly face of yours, and you’ll soon thaw them all down to size.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Watch that penchant for being super judgmental at work. It PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Your wise might create a bad impression with someone whose guidance helps colleagues agree to compromise and decisions could determine the course of your career. move forward. Meanwhile, there are still vital issues you need to deal with in your personal life.

PUZZLE ANSWERS Pg. 21 SEPTEMBER 7 - SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 - QCNERVE.COM

1. Nauru, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean.

2. The Year of the Tiger.

3. 1995.

4. 70. She just celebrated her Platinum Jubilee.

Trivia Answers

5. Hugh Jackman.

6. West Virginia.

7. Earth.

8. Anubis, god of death.

9. Three.

10. Buddha was born in what is modern-day Nepal.

LIFESTYLE COLUMN

SAVAGE LOVE

SCHOOL ME ONCE No such thing as free lunch

BY DAN SAVAGE

I’m a 38-year-old cis het woman who is also a public high school teacher in a small town.

After a string of unsatisfying relationships in my 20s, I realized that I’ve only experienced sexual pleasure without a partner. Despite being excited by the idea of partnered sex, once there’s a dick inside me, I hate it. Only one thing still seemed appealing: receiving oral sex. I’d love that with someone skilled. By age 33, I gave up dating since finding a partner only interested in going down on me seemed both impossible and selfish. I put all my energy into my career, my family, and my community. After years of fighting the fascism that is gaining hold in our public schools, I’m burnt out and my standard self-care routines aren’t cutting it. I’m considering seeking companionship once again. Is there an easy way to find a partner interested in eating me out but not (or only rarely) anything else? I know the best options are the apps but there are parents as well as former students on those. I already have a target on my back as a liberal teacher. I can’t afford to get caught seeking sex online and the time and energy to date before disclosing my sexual preference sounds exhausting. I don’t want another apple-themed gift. I want my pussy licked.

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TEACHER AFTER CUNNILINGUS ONLY

Why would anyone want to be a teacher these days?

Outraged parents, shit pay, shittier governors, racist demagoguery, book bans, “don’t say gay” laws … and on top of all that, not being free to look for sex where everyone else does these days — on the apps — because you might get spotted by a parent who is also looking for sex on the apps and then get attacked at a school board meeting that makes the local news and goes viral and then have to endure a month of death threats after getting dragged on Libs of TikTok and Fox News.

According to ABC News, fewer and fewer people these days do want to be teachers. There are 300,000 teacher and school staff vacancies in the United States right now, a situation the Washington Post describes as “catastrophic,” with red states and Trump counties experiencing the worst shortages. That should come as no surprise to anyone who’s been paying attention, as red states and rural areas are overrun with precisely the

kind of deranged Trump supporters and other assorted conspiracy theorists who keep attacking teachers and school librarians and administrators.

But there are shortages of teachers in more progressive places too, TACO, which means you could easily get a job in a big city in a blue state. Not only would you be less likely to be spotted on the apps by a parent with a kid in your school in a blue state (because there a lot more people on the apps in big cities), you would also be far less likely to be attacked by a parent who did spot you on an app. (Less likely to get attacked, more likely to get licked.) And just as the governors of blue states think you should be able to teach about, oh, slavery and redlining and segregation and Jim Crow (and the Chinese Exclusion Act and Japanese internment camps during WWII and the Trail of Tears and on and on), most blue state governors would be fine with you getting your pussy licked — on your own time, by other consenting adults — if that’s what you want.

Hoping to get some tips from other teachers, I shared your email on Twitter. Suggestions ranged from getting on FetLife, which can be a problematic place, to checking out — and perhaps posting on — the r/ RandomActsOfMuffDive subreddit on Reddit. And more than a few of my followers wondered whether you might prefer a woman to a man, seeing as you never really cared for dick.

Being a gay dude, however, I know plenty of people who are attracted to men but don’t enjoy getting fucked.

(Some guys are tops, some guys are sides.) Luckily for you, TACO, there are straight and bi men out there who only want to eat pussy. I’ve heard from scores of them over the years. Some had severe erectile dysfunction and preferred succeeding at cunnilingus to failing at vaginal intercourse; others were straight male submissives who wanted to orally service a woman without getting anything in return; and more than a few were men who loved eating pussy and somehow wound up married to women who hated oral sex and these men wanted to find women to go down on — and just go down on — outside their relationships, with their wives’ permission (in some cases) or without it (in most cases).

But to find them you’re going to have to get on the apps, TACO, which may mean getting out of your small town.

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