YES! Weekly - December 13, 2023

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Harvesting Hope Co-Op Celebrates First Anniversary Serving West Salem GODZILLA MINUS ONE

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DECEMBER 13-19, 2023 VOLUME 19, NUMBER 50

10 5500 Adams Farm Lane Suite 204 Greensboro, NC 27407 Office 336-316-1231 Fax 336-316-1930 Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com

Harvesting Hope

EDITORIAL Editor CHANEL DAVIS

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DECEMBER 13-19, 2023

For the past year, hidden gem the Harvest Market has rested quietly in Winston-Salem’s West Shopping Center off of Peters Creek Parkway.

YES! Writers IAN MCDOWELL MARK BURGER KATEI CRANFORD JIM LONGWORTH NAIMA SAID

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The Yadkin Arts Council will present two new gallery exhibits in the Welborn Gallery and the Red Wall Gallery this January 2024 at the YADKIN CULTURAL ARTS CENTER. 4 GODZILLA MINUS ONE is maybe the best Godzilla film ever and one of the best films of the year. It’s an outstanding entry in a franchise that celebrates its 70th anniversary next year and an utter delight for its worldwide legion of fans.

5 Emmy Award®-winning actor Richard Thomas is confirmed to star as Atticus Finch for the complete third touring season of the First National Tour of the history-making production of “TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD”, including the Greensboro engagement at Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, May 14-19, 2024.

6 The first movie theatres in America were called “NICKELODEONS” because it cost five cents to get in. Today we can watch movies at home on a variety of channels, and though it costs a lot more than a nickel to view...

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PRISCILLA is screenwriter/director Sofia Coppola’s big-screen adaptation of the best-selling 1985 memoir “Elvis & Me”

by Priscilla Presley and Sandra Harmon, which was previously adapted into a 1988 ABC-TV mini-series.

7 Those who go to see SALTBURN expecting a genteel satire of British aristocracy are in for a rude awakening. There is nothing genteel about the sophomore effort from actress-turned-writer/producer/ director Emerald Fennell.

12 A federal judge has allowed the state to continue investigating North Carolina Supreme Court JUSTICE ANITA EARLS for alleging that the court’s Republican majority rules according to political, racial, and gender biases.

14 TUPELO CRUSH has released their debut EP, “Steal the Show,” just in time to ring in new tunes for the New Year, with a show at Gas Hill Drinking Room on December 28.

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DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT ANDREW WOMACK We at YES! Weekly realize that the interest of our readers goes well beyond the boundaries of the Piedmont Triad. Therefore we are dedicated to informing and entertaining with thought-provoking, debate-spurring, in-depth investigative news stories and features of local, national and international scope, and opinion grounded in reason, as well as providing the most comprehensive entertainment and arts coverage in the Triad. YES! Weekly welcomes submissions of all kinds. Efforts will be made to return those with a self-addressed stamped envelope; however YES! Weekly assumes no responsibility for unsolicited submissions. YES! Weekly is published every Wednesday by Womack Newspapers, Inc. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. First copy is free, all additional copies are $1.00. Copyright 2023 Womack Newspapers, Inc.

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[SPOTLIGHT]

THE YADKIN ARTS COUNCIL WILL CELEBRATE TWO NEW EXHIBITS IN JANUARY WITH AN OPENING RECEPTION JANUARY 5

BY SARAH SMITH

Owen Daniels

Sandra Kimzey Wimbish

The Yadkin Arts Council will present two new gallery exhibits in the Welborn Gallery and the Red Wall Gallery this January 2024 at the Yadkin Cultural Arts Center.

Owens Daniels: “More Than Just a Picture” will be featured in the Welborn Gallery from January 5 through February 23. His collection is a celebration of the power of imagination that will redefine the limits of our perception and will craft a unique space where reality and dreams merge through photo manipulation.

Sandra Kimzey Wimbish: “Stripes, Spots, and Such — a celebration of the animal kingdom” will be featured in the Red Wall Gallery from January 5 through February 16. Her exhibition consists of two unique bodies of work, a Two Color series of acrylic canvases, and a selection of pen and ink animal pieces.

We will celebrate both exhibits with an opening reception on January 5th from 5-7 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Admission is Free and all are welcome to attend.

and reality, and to craft new narratives from existing visual elements.

OWENS DANIELS:

“More Than Just a Picture” On Display in the Welborn Gallery January 4 - February 23, 2024 Owens Daniels is a visual artist/photographer, educator and the face behind ODP Art+Design bold, creative and innovative artwork that builds bridges, promotes cultural exchanges, and artistic endeavors between organizations, institutions and the diverse communities they serve.His artistic journey is guided by the transformative power of photo manipulation. With each piece he creates, he strives to reshape reality and redefine perception. Photo manipulation is his medium of choice, and allows him to traverse the boundaries of imagination WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

SANDRA KIMZEY WIMBISH:

“Stripes, Spots, and Such: a celebration of the animal kingdom” On Display in the Red Wall Gallery January 4 - February 16, 2024 Sandra’s art celebrates the beauty of the natural world — people, animals, flowers, and landscapes. Using a variety of mediums, and often combining them, Sandra’s art pieces come to life with acrylics, colored pencils, graphite, and ink.

Her greatest goal is to entice the viewer to enter and enjoy a world they might not have explored — whether because it is a location they’ve never been, or because they are seeing something familiar from a different vantage point or unique perspective and expression. !

THE YADKIN ARTS COUNCIl, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, has a mission to transform the lives in our community through the arts by offering opportunities to encounter, create. We believe art is transformational.

Arts open minds, frees imagination, and helps people see the world from different perspectives.

WANNA go?

Welborn Gallery Exhibit: Owens Daniels: “More Than Just a Picture” (on display January 4 through February 23, 2024) Red Wall Gallery Exhibit: Sandra Kimzey Wimbish: “Stripes, Spots, and Such – a celebration of the animal kingdom” (on display January 4 - February 16) Where: Welborn Gallery and Red Wall Gallery in the Yadkin Cultural Arts Center at 226 E. Main St., Yadkinville, NC 27055, open Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and during special events) Opening Reception: January 5, 2024 (5-7 p.m) at the Yadkin Cultural Arts Center

DECEMBER 18 – 27 5pm – 8pm HPU Campus • Enter at University Parkway Welcome Center

High Point’s Largest Christmas Celebration!

HPU’s Christmas Drive offers 10 nights of festive family fun.

This free event will get you and your family in the holiday spirit with 100,000-plus Christmas lights, the state’s tallest Christmas tree at 70 feet, a life-size Nativity, numerous light displays, giant wreaths and garland, and much more!

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SEE IT!

Godzilla Minus One: Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby

G

odzilla Minus One is maybe the best Godzilla film ever and one of the best films of the year.

It’s an outstanding Mark Burger entry in a franchise that celebrates its 70th anniversary Contributor next year and an utter delight for its worldwide legion of fans. What a joy that Toho, the company that introduced Godzilla and has thrived and survived thanks to the films, would opt to release it in American theaters (subtitles and all), where it’s doing solid business. Simply put, this critic hasn’t had a better time at the movies all year.

As the title implies, the film (originally titled Gojira mainasu wan) takes place before the original 1954 film, making it

something of an origin story. It begins during the last days of World War II, and not for the first time Godzilla represents a manifestation of the collective grief and despair that enveloped Japan following its defeat. Writer/director Takashi Yamazaki eschews any camp humor but offers some knowing nods to the mythos

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that are bound to please the fans.

The film opens with a nocturnal attack at an airfield on Odo Island by the mythical giant reptile known to the inhabitants as “Godzilla.” Most of the crew is summarily wiped out, although kamikaze pilot Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) survives — if only because he froze up. Considering himself a coward, he returns home after Japan’s surrender to find Tokyo in ruins.

His family was killed in an air raid, and the guilt he feels is gnawing away at him.

He encounters Noriko (Miani Hamabe), a street urchin clutching an orphaned baby, and together they manage to achieve some semblance of a family as they rebuild their lives.

In the meantime, the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll have mutated Godzilla, making him much bigger and much meaner. Shikishima has since joined the crew of a wooden minesweeper assigned to blow up underwater mines, and it’s not long before explosive mines are the least of his worries. In a dazzling sequence reminiscent of Jaws (1975), Godzilla makes his long-awaited reappearance, and the wait has absolutely been worth it.

Some fans may express concern that the film’s human contingent occupies a good portion of the film’s running time.

In earlier Godzilla films, particularly those made during the 1960s and ‘70s when the series became more kiddie-oriented, the humans were one-dimensional and even silly (Godzilla vs. Megalon, anyone?).

That, however, is not the case here, as the characters are well-realized and well-played. In addition to Kamiki and Hamabe, who have a pleasing chemistry bordering on the romantic, there’s good work from Yuki Yamada, Kuranosuke Sasaki, and especially Hidetaka Yoshioka

as Shikishima’s fellow crew members.

With the United States and the Soviet Union embroiled in the early days of the Cold War, and the Japanese government totally useless (a little political jab there), it’s the people who must put aside their post-war problems and unite to stop the rampaging beast before it levels Tokyo.

They have few weapons, even fewer resources, and seemingly little hope, but they do come up with an appropriately hare-brained scheme that just might save the day. (Rest assured, no matter what happens, nothing will ever put an end to Godzilla.)

Of course, Godzilla is the reason we’re here. He’s the star of the show, and the monster scenes are spectacular. It’s also hard not to feel a pang when composer Naoki Sato strikes up Akira Ifukube’s iconic Godzilla themes. At that point, it’s abundantly clear that Godzilla is in the right hands.

The CGI effects, which Yamazaki himself supervised, aren’t quite as polished as those in the American “MonsterVerse” series (to which this film has no connection), but it doesn’t matter. This is Toho. These are the people who created Godzilla and know him (it?) best. Godzilla Minus One feels authentic and, more importantly, it feels like a true Godzilla movie — because it is one. (In Japanese with English subtitles) !

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies. © 2023, Mark Burger.

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A new play by Aaron Sorkin based on Harper Lee’s Classic noval “To Kill A Mockingbird” PRESS RELEASE Emmy Award®-winning actor Richard Thomas is confirmed to star as Atticus Finch for the complete third touring season of the First National Tour of the history-making production of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” including the Greensboro engagement at Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, May 14-19, 2024.

Academy Award® winner Aaron Sorkin’s new play, directed by Tony Award® winner Bartlett Sher and based on Harper Lee’s classic novel, is currently on a multiyear national tour across North America.

Tickets start at $39 and go on sale Friday, December 15 at 10 a.m. via TangerCenter.com and Ticketmaster. Groups of 10+ are now available at TangerCenter. com/Groups.

Richard Thomas as Atticus Finch has been embraced by critics and audiences alike. His performance has been called “Easily the most powerful work I’ve seen from Richard Thomas” (BWW Charlotte), “A memorable performance rarely seen in a touring Broadway production” (Curtain Up Phoenix), and “Sheer perfection — this role was made to be played by Thomas” (Around the Town Chicago). The Buffalo News proclaims “Both modestly human and divinely heroic. All rise for Richard Thomas,” and the Dallas Voice declares “Richard Thomas as Atticus Finch is at the height of his career.” Complete casting will be announced later.

Since its tour launch in March 2022, the First National Tour of “To Kill a Mockingbird” has set a record as the highestgrossing play ever to tour North America. It has played more than 500 performances in 44 cities, seen by more than 1 million theatergoers (1,149,658 as of August 27, 2023) and hailed as “A must-see” (Northwest Herald, Chicago), “The most powerful telling of this story you’ll ever experience” (St. Paul Pioneer-Press) and “Amazing – a perfect 10!” (KOA News Radio, Denver).

“To Kill a Mockingbird” holds the record as the highest-grossing American play in Broadway history. It began performances on November 1, 2018, at the Shubert Theatre and played to sold-out houses until the Broadway shutdown in March 2020.

On February 26, 2020, “To Kill a Mockingbird” became the first-ever Broadway play to perform at New York’s Madison Square WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

[ WEEKLY ARTS ROUNDUP]

THE LITTLE THEATRE OF WINSTON-SALEM ANNOUNCES AUDITIONS FOR “TROUBLE IN MIND”

BY JESSICA PERRY

Garden, in front of approximately 18,000 New York City public school students, also marking the largest attendance at a single performance of a play ever in world theater. The production resumed performances on October 5, 2021 and concluded its run at the Shubert Theatre on January 16, 2022. On May 20, 2023, “To Kill a Mockingbird” concluded its run on London’s West End, playing for more than a year to packed houses at the Gielgud Theatre.

Set in Alabama in 1934, Harper Lee’s enduring story of racial injustice and childhood innocence centers on one of the most venerated characters in American literature, small-town lawyer Atticus Finch.

The cast of characters includes Atticus’s daughter Scout, her brother Jem, their housekeeper and caretaker, Calpurnia, their visiting friend Dill, and a mysterious neighbor, the reclusive Arthur “Boo” Radley. The other indelible residents of Maycomb, Alabama, are Bob Ewell, Tom Robinson, prosecutor Horace Gilmer, Judge Taylor and Mayella Ewell.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” is designed by Miriam Buether, with costumes by Ann Roth, lighting by Jennifer Tipton, sound by Scott Lehrer and an original score by Adam Guettel. Musical direction is by Kimberly Grigsby, hair & wig design by Campbell Young Associates, casting by The Telsey Office, and design adaptation and supervision by Edward Pierce. The national tour is produced by Barry Diller. !

WANNA follow?

Follow To Kill a Mockingbird on: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/tokillamockingbirdbway/ Instagram - @mockingbirdbway Twitter - @mockingbirdbway

The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem will hold auditions for “Trouble in Mind,”

by Alice Childress, from 6-8 p.m. on Monday, December 18, at 419 N. Spruce Street in Winston-Salem. No appointment is necessary, and everyone is encouraged to audition. A talented and experienced Black actress has been cast in “Chaos in Belleville,” an anti-lynching play set to open on Broadway. She’s paid her dues throughout the years, playing stereotypical supporting roles in second-rate shows, and is ready for her star turn. “Chaos in Belleville,” written by a white playwright, might not be as enlightened a piece as she’s been hoping for — but that doesn’t mean it won’t sell out.

And selling out is the question at the heart of Alice Childress’s comedy-drama.

A cast of multigenerational Black actors rehearse under the purview of a white director and stage manager, and as the rehearsal process unfolds, theatre conventions and racial politics collide, resulting in a surprisingly funny yet deeply piercing look at the entertainment industry.

Elizabeth Flax will direct. There are roles available for three women (ages 1869) and six men (ages 18-79). Additional details and character descriptions are available at www.LTofWS.org/auditions.

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS

Wiletta Mayer (late 40s-early 50s) The central character of the play, Wiletta is an attractive, expansive, experienced Black actress who speaks out about racist problems in the script of the play-withina-play, as well as its demeaning director.

Millie Davis (mid 30s) A quick-witted Black actress, Millie has grown unhappy about the roles she is given to play because of her race. She is blunt and honest.

Sheldon Forrester (late 60s) A wise, non-confrontational Black veteran character actor and an aspiring songwriter.

Henry (late 60s-early 70s) An elderly Irish doorman at the theatre. He is extremely compassionate, takes his work seriously and is Wiletta’s only consistent ally.

Al Manners (early 40s) The con-

descending white director of the play-within-a-play being rehearsed for Broadway. He thinks himself a liberal, but his unconscious biases are exposed as the play progresses.

John Nevins (late 20s) An idealistic Black actor making his Broadway debut.

He is skeptical of the advice Wiletta gives to him on how to survive as a Black actor in show business.

Bill O’Wray (50s) An experienced, neurotic white character actor who is constantly worried and is most comfortable when isolated from the rest of the company.

Judy Sears (20s) A young, naive, well-meaning white actress who recently graduated from Yale. This is her first acting job, and she is eager to please. She is earnest and well-meaning, but sometimes comes across as cloying.

Eddie Fenton (30s) The white stage manager. He is eager, and easy-going but struggles with the conflicts developing during the rehearsal.

Auditions will consist of reading from sides. Please bring your calendar and be prepared to list all potential conflicts for the rehearsal and performance period.

Rehearsals will tentatively begin on Wednesday, January 3, and be held Monday-Friday starting at 7 p.m. Performance dates for “Trouble in Mind” are February 16-25, 2024. All performances will be held in Winston-Salem at the Hanesbrands Theatre, 209 N. Spruce Street. For further information, please visit LTofWS.org.

DECEMBER 13-19, 2023

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IAD’S B TR

Nickel and Dime TV

T

he first movie theatres in America were called “nickelodeons” because it cost five cents to get in. Today we can watch movies at home on a variety Jim Longworth of channels, and though it costs a lot more than a nickel Longworth to view, we can acat Large cess those channels through a variety of delivery systems such as cable, satellite, and streaming.

The first two are contract services delivered by either a landline or a dish. The latter is available online or on the go and requires no additional hardware. Just download an “app” and you’re all set.

Increasingly, younger consumers are choosing to “cut the cable” (a euphemism for getting rid of cable or satellite TV services) and instead are opting to watch their favorite movies or programs in ala cart fashion on their television or personal device without being technically or financially tethered to any one provider. Today’s cable-cutters generally cite high cost as their reason for changing providers and who can blame them?

No doubt both satellite and cable TV provide superior video quality compared to streaming, and the total number of channels available is far greater as well, but you pay through the nose for those privileges.

Sure, DirecTV offers three different packages ranging in price from $69 to $159 dollars per month, but if you have receivers in multiple rooms, then prepare for sticker shock because each additional receiver runs an extra $7 per month. Then there’s $10 for HD, a mandatory $13.99 for a “regional sports fee,” $20 for various state and county taxes, and, if you expect to receive technical assistance, you have to purchase a “Protection Plan” which runs $20.99 per month. It’s like dealing with the Mafia, except without the personal touch. Add up everything and you can expect to pay anywhere from $250 to $300 per month for DirecTV. But it gets worse. For example, if you subscribe to a complete sports package which includes every standard ESPN channel, you still have to

pay an additional fee to watch games of regional interest if your team happens to be playing on ESPN+. And if you’d like to watch some of the new TV shows on Cinemax or Disney, you have to ante up an additional fee even though you’re already paying for their parent channels.

You’d think that as much as DirecTV charges, you’d be able to access those games and shows as part of your “package.” Think again.

OK, so say you decide to divorce yourself from cable or satellite. Sure, you can save money, but only if you limit the number of streaming services. YouTube TV costs $72 per month, Netflix is $20, Hulu is $89, Paramount+ goes for $12, Apple TV is $15, Peacock $12, Amazon Prime $15, FUBO TV $89, Sling TV $55, and Disney is $20, just to mention a few.

Now suppose your favorite TV shows are spread out among all of these streaming services. Let’s say I love Hijack and Slow Horses on Apple TV+. And suppose I just can’t do without Lawmen, Tulsa King, and The Good Fight on Paramount+. Suppose I’m addicted to Andor and Loki on Disney+, or Obliterated on Netflix. And I just can’t miss The Boys on Amazon Prime, Monarch on HBO Max, The Continental on Peacock, and Reservation Dogs, The Drop Out, and Goosebumps on Hulu. If you subscribe to all of those streaming channels in order to watch all of your favorite shows, then suddenly, your monthly bill is higher than most cable or satellite packages.

In analyzing the hidden and notso-hidden costs of watching TV, I am reminded of a well-known complaint that is often uttered about taxes and how they mount up: “First they get you on sales tax, then property tax, then income tax. The government is just trying to nickel and dime us to death.” That’s how it is with TV providers. Little by little those incremental, add-on costs can strain your budget. Welcome to “Nickel and Dime TV.” !

JIM LONGWORTH is the host of Triad Today, airing on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. on ABC45 (cable channel 7) and Sundays at 11 a.m. on WMYV (cable channel 15) and streaming on WFMY+.

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SCREEN IT!

Coppola’s Priscilla depicts life with The King

P

riscilla is screenwriter/ director Sofia Coppola’s bigscreen adaptation of the best-selling 1985 memoir “Elvis & Me”

by Priscilla Presley Mark Burger and Sandra Harmon, which was previously Contributor adapted into a 1988 ABC-TV mini-series.

Coppola’s film, not surprisingly, makes an interesting companion piece to last year’s Elvis. Like that film’s maker, Baz Luhrmann, Coppola tends to concentrate on stylized visual flourishes. Unlike Luhrmann’s film, however, Priscilla isn’t necessarily overpowered by them. Actually, the best moments in Priscilla are the quieter ones, which allow Cailee Spaeny (as Priscilla Beaulieu Presley) and Jacob Elordi (as Elvis Presley) the opportunity to flesh out their characters, which they pull off gracefully and effectively. But, as a result,

their characters are the only ones with any depth or dimension.

Told entirely from Priscilla’s point of view, the narrative follows the relationship between her and the rock ‘n’ roll superstar, which began in 1959 when Elvis was stationed in Germany after being drafted into the Army at the height of his career. Elvis was 24 and Priscilla was 14, and she was besotted by him — as, of course, millions of people worldwide were. She is understandably overwhelmed by the attention he lavishes upon her, despite the wariness of her mother (Dagmara Dominczyk) and stepfather (Ari Cohen), the latter a career Army officer likewise stationed in Germany.

Their relationship survives long periods of time apart and swirling rumors about Presley’s romantic activities, eventually culminating in their marriage in 1967. Yet, as everyone knows, this was no storybook marriage. Priscilla never really had a chance to grow up, and due to his early fame neither did Elvis. Their relationship couldn’t withstand the obsessive scrutiny of the public, and Presley’s self-destructive tendencies further hastened its demise.

Living in Graceland, Priscilla is almost

entirely insulated from the outside world, so the controversy about the age difference between Priscilla and Elvis causes a few raised eyebrows but little more.

The film itself feels constrained by this approach. We never quite get a sense of the bigger picture. In addition, there are no Presley songs on the soundtrack — for the simple reason that the filmmakers weren’t granted the rights to use them, although Priscilla Presley is one of the film’s executive producers.

Unfortunately, as the marriage fizzles so does the film’s narrative. Just when it seems that the drama should be reaching its crescendo, it simply fades. Priscilla simply bids farewell to Graceland and drives off. As for Elvis, we all know what happened to him, so perhaps Coppola didn’t feel the need to rehash his fate.

Elordi, so good in Saltburn, proves his versatility by successfully humanizing no less an icon than Elvis Presley. Although taller than The King, he’s got the vocal cadence down pat, and he brings an appealing sincerity to his troubled character.

It’s a fine performance in a difficult role, given that everyone has their own percep-

tion of Elvis Presley. As for Spaeny, who copped the Volpi Award for Best Actress at this year’s Venice Film Festival, if this isn’t a star-making turn, it certainly puts her on the fast track. She captures the vulnerability, hopes, pain, and ultimate resilience of Priscilla Presley. Priscilla is worth seeing entirely for her and Elordi. They bring their characters to life. !

Savage Saltburn sends up the filthy-rich Those who go to see Saltburn expecting a genteel satire of British aristocracy are in for a rude awakening. There is nothing genteel about the sophomore effort from actress-turned-writer/producer/director Emerald Fennell, who won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for her first feature Promising Young Woman (2020) and has now fashioned a blistering, decidedly unsentimental black comedy that ranks with the year’s best films — although it’s not for every taste, to say the least.

Barry Keoghan, in a quietly fearless turn, plays Oliver Quick, a working-class student at Oxford University who is desperate to belong to the clannish, snobbish “in crowd.” He is particularly taken with Felix Catton (Jacob Elardi), resident rich kid and Big Man on Campus. The two form a fast friendship, much to the disgust of Felix’s sycophantic friend Farleigh Start (Archie Madekwe), who perceives Oliver — not without reason, as it turns out — as a potential rival for Felix’s attention.

Felix invites Oliver to spend some vacation time with him and his family at their sprawling country estate, the titular SaltWWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

burn, the expanse of which would make the Royal Family green with envy. It is there he meets Felix’s parents, Sir James (Richard A. Grant) and Elspeth (Rosamund Pike), who appear not to have expended an ounce of energy in disciplining their children. After all, they’re fabulously wealthy; there’s nothing they can’t buy their way out of. Or so they think.

As befits his surname, Oliver proves a quick study in adapting to the cheerful amorality of the Catton clan, going so far as to seduce Felix’s lusty, anorexic sister

Venetia (Alison Oliver, making a strong impression in her feature debut). But he doesn’t stop there, although to reveal much more would spoil the film’s twists — some of which are truly twisted. Oliver has an agenda, and he’s utterly determined that nothing or no one will get in his way.

Saltburn is steeped in visual style, thanks to the award-worthy work of Oscar-winning cinematographer Linus Sandgren (La La Land), and although Fennell’s approach is occasionally self-indulgent, such self-indulgence is not unwarranted under the circumstances. The humor is pitch-black, as befits the proceedings, although some viewers may be turned off by a film filled with characters who have few, if any, redeeming qualities. Then again, that’s the whole point.

Keoghan and Elardi are the standouts, but the entire cast is excellent, including Paul Rhys as the officious butler Duncan and an extremely funny Carey Mulligan (who starred in Fennell’s Promising Young Woman) as a self-pitying houseguest called “Poor Dear Pamela,” the sort of inanely fluttery bon vivant who regales — and bores — her hosts with her constant

tales of woe while they subtly hint that she has outstayed her welcome. And she still doesn’t take the hint! !

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies. ©2023

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BY THE EDITORS AT ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

AWKWARD

Arnaldo Chamorro, chief of staff for Paraguay’s Agriculture Ministry, lost his position on Nov. 29 after an embarrassing episode in which he signed a “proclamation” in October with the United States of Kailasa, Fox News reported. Trouble is, the USK doesn’t exist; the fictional country is the brainchild of a fugitive guru, Nithyananda, who is wanted in India on several charges including sexual assault. Chamorro admitted during a radio interview that he was not familiar with Kailasa but said he signed the agreement because the country offered to help Paraguay with a variety of issues, including irrigation. News of the Weird has reported before (March 2023) about the posers, who have also fooled the United Nations and Newark City Hall in New Jersey, which signed a sister city agreement with the country.

THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS

Can’t a grandma send her grandson home with an early Christmas gift without raising suspicions among the

[NEWS OF THE WEIRD] TSA? No, she can’t. Actor Brett Gaffney headed back to Los Angeles on Nov. 25 after spending Thanksgiving in his native Kansas, People reported. At Kansas City International Airport, he said, “I got stopped at the airport security, and ... it was because of this briefcase my grandma gave me as an early Christmas gift, and she said don’t open it until you get to California.” Gaffney followed her directions, but TSA wasn’t having it.

“They asked me what was inside, and I said, ‘I don’t know, I don’t know.’ They said, ‘What do you mean? You’re bringing a briefcase and you don’t know what’s inside?’” Turns out, Gaffney’s nana had gifted him a vintage Smith-Corona typewriter. “Who am I, Tom Hanks?”

Gaffney joked. He continued his story on TikTok: “I didn’t think I’d use this, but here we are. It’s so calming. All I want to do is stay home and type on my typewriter.”

Thanks, Grandma.

CRIME REPORT

After getting a Waffle House logo tattooed on his calf on Dec. 2 in St. Petersburg, Florida, 33-year-old Max Alexander Krejckant of Clearwater “refused all options to satisfy his debts,”

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DECEMBER 13-19, 2023

police said — which amounted to $250.

As a result, The Smoking Gun reported, he was arrested at the Ink Godz shop; police found only $6 and a driver’s license on his person when he was frisked (although they noted he was under the influence of something). Krejckant bonded out and pleaded not guilty (huge Waffle House tattoo evidence notwithstanding).

Wonder what the charge is for bad inking decisions?

THE PASSING PARADE

Rosemary Hayne, 39, lost her temper (and rice, and sauce, and everything else) when she berated a Chipotle manager in Parma, Ohio, and then threw a bowl of food at her in September, Food & Wine reported. Hayne tried to run out of the restaurant, but other diners captured her license plate number and contacted police, who arrested her on Sept. 5. On Nov. 28, Judge Timothy Gilligan offered Hayne one of two sentences for her “not acceptable” behavior: the standard sentence of a fine and 180 days in jail, or 60 days in jail and working 20 hours a week at a fast-food restaurant for two months.

Hayne apologized to the court and the victim and accepted the custom sen-

tence. “She could have punched me in my face or pulled a gun out,” said the victim.

“I’m lucky that I only got a bowl thrown in my face.” She has found a job at another restaurant.

THE GOLDEN AGE OF AIR TRAVEL

Yeah, yeah, another flight diverted because of unruly passengers. This story gets bonus points: On Dec. 5, just before a Breeze Airways flight took off from Orlando, headed to Providence, Rhode Island, a couple on board got into a heated argument, News4Jax-TV reported. It seems the man was unhappy because he wanted to get off the plane — which wouldn’t have been such a big deal, but during the discussion, the word “bomb” came up. Passenger Rachael Corrigan said, “The people were talking about or claiming the other person had a bomb ...

The people around them ... reported it to the airline, and they’re obligated to land the plane.” The pilot diverted to Jacksonville, Florida, where the man and woman were met by FBI agents and arrested.

Breeze Airways canceled the flight. !

©2023 Andrews McMeel Universal

SAT, JAN 20, 2024 STEVEN TANGER CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, 8PM

Steep Canyon Rangers, Grammy winners and Billboard chart-toppers, join the GSO for an evening of Bluegrass!

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[king crossword]

[weekly sudoku]

LOVE OF SOLVING

ACROSS 1 6 12 20 21 22 23 25 26 27 29 30 31 37 40 41 42 43 46 47 49 50 53 55 56 58 61 63 65 66 67 72 75 76 77

Picked instrument Type of small grocery store Blobby light source Viva voce Spoil, as “my parade” Roast joke Like baggy clothes Winter wreath ornament Gave away temporarily Money, informally Jagger of the Stones “Raggedy” doll Monty Python tune about a logger Addams who created Morticia Quick attack Cover girl Macpherson “— gratia” (“by the grace of God”) Dwell in the company of Outer: Prefix “— the Night” (2007 Joaquin Phoenix film) Had to admit a goof-up “Behold!,” to Caesar Totally bummed out Stuff in a sty Avian hooters Texas banner Big twitch Safari sight Envoy’s asset “There — comparison” Chinese black tea with a smoky flavor Anita of jazz Env. notice Estrada of TV Ones staring

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81

Best Actress winner for “The Farmer’s Daughter” 84 Grammy winner Bareilles 87 “And how!”

88 German city on the Elbe 89 With 115-Down, “Piece of cake!”

91 Web page 93 Slacks 94 Extra charge 96 Pea-souper in England 98 Anticavity gp.

99 Supreme Norse god 101 “I love you,” to Luisa 103 Jane in an 1847 novel 104 Go bankrupt, say 108 Del.-to-Vt. direction 110 Bakery treats 111 Snootiness 112 Noisy tigers 116 Cite famous people as friends 120 Method for calculating a quotient ... or what occurs eight times in this puzzle?

123 Accepted, as conditions 124 Made flush 125 Maggot, e.g.

126 Sailor’s dining place 127 Shows as an “encore” 128 Clifflike

DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Tennis need Skin soother Lunch hour “Be right there” Classic theater Liverpool or Leeds native Horse bit Morse bit Conundrum

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 24 28 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 44 45 46 47 48 51 52 53 54 57 59 60 62 64 68 69

Of yore Trig measure Slice (off) Zoo attraction Gondola city Smart — (cocky sort) Guitar riffs Year, in Brazil Roughly half of all adults Beginning to mature?

Amusement Frightful dino Chilling Chaney Strong desire “Selena” actress, to her fans Nonalcoholic beer brand Georgia city near Atlanta Ornamental street tree Bivalve mollusks Ask for moola Brand of skin care and cosmetics Turkey, e.g.

Pleasant odor Do some yard maintenance Poet’s twilight Major battle Crude model of a despised person Choke up Give the OK Strong desire Big mil. alliance Dull, dark bluish-gray Decorative sewing case Burlap bags Most cunning — uncertain terms Pricey liver spread Superhero creator Lee

70 71 72 73 74 78 79 80 82 83 85 86 90 92

Agcys., e.g.

“Nifty!”

Chum from way back El — (treasure city) Vying venues Uplift Whirlybird blade Drawn-out battle Six-pt. scores Driver’s 180 Year, to Caesar Garnet, e.g.

Ladd of “Shane” Shows lip-curling contempt 94 Holiday tree 95 “Orinoco Flow” vocalist 97 Texter’s “I’m shocked!”

99 Carry to excess 100 Spanish explorer Hernando 101 Grew vigorously, old- style 102 Former Disney exec Michael 105 Sword types 106 Duck type 107 Mosaic maker 108 Autumn mo.

109 Manicurists file them 112 Divests (of) 113 Ireland, in Ireland 114 Be a drifter 115 See 89-Across 116 “Rambo” setting, briefly 117 Era or eon 118 “— Doubtfire” 119 Fluffy lap dog, for short 121 Safari sight 122 Safari sight

High Point Ballet presents

The Nutcracker

DECEMBER 15 & 16, 2023 // DOORS @ 6:30PM // SHOW @ 7:30PM DECEMBER 17, 2023 // DOORS @ 1PM // SHOW @ 2PM High Point Ballet celebrates over 30 seasons of The Nutcracker. With the magic of Drosselmeyer, Clara’s dream comes to life in the holiday tradition of the story of The Nutcracker. Swirling with heroic toy soldiers, sword-fighting mice, and the glittering Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, the classic ballet is beautifully presented through the choreography.

The Nutcracker Land of the Sweets

DECEMBER 16, 2023 DOORS @ 1PM // SHOW @ 2PM The High Point Ballet Land of the Sweets Nutcracker performance is designed especially for children. The show length of approximately one hour and content is tailored for young people’s attention. To add to the experience, everyone is invited to come one hour prior to the performance to meet the Nutcracker characters and have pictures taken with them.

2023-24 Season JANUARY

13 Emma Langford in Concert

FEBRUARY

17 Take 6 in Concert

MARCH

07 The Tartan Terrors 14 Comedy with Cathy Ladman 25 BANFF Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour Acts and dates subject to change.

For a full line up of events, and up to date news, visit our website.

VISIT: HighPointTheatre.com for more information | FOR TICKETS CALL: 336-887-3001 DECEMBER 13-19, 2023

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feature

10 YES! WEEKLY

Harvesting Hope: Co-Op Celebrates First Anniversary Serving West Salem

F

or the past year, hidden gem the Harvest Market has rested quietly in Winston-Salem’s West Shopping Center off of Peters Creek Parkway. Amidst Dalia Razo the holiday season, the member-owned co-operative grocery Contributor store is holding its first-anniversary Member Meeting and Celebration Event this upcoming Thursday, December 14th at 603 Peters Creek Parkway. Offering healthy, organic, local, and sustainably sourced food to both members and the community, the Harvest Market is looking to make itself better known with a grand re-opening.

When Co-Founder Gary Williams moved to the Winston-Salem area from Baltimore around 10 years ago, he immediately looked to engage with the community. A practicing clergy, he joined the Ministers’ Conference of Winston-Salem and Vicinity, and in collaboration with Reverend Willard Bass, decided that one of the things not being tended to in Winston-Salem was food insecurity. “I chose to come to North Carolina because things are a bit calmer here,” said Williams. “It’s a little smaller, a little quaint, but it has a lot to offer and I didn’t want to just sit here and do nothing.”

DECEMBER 13-19, 2023

With 21 food deserts in the city, Williams helped start conversations on food insecurity all over Winston-Salem until the initiative settled in the West Salem neighborhood. The infrastructure around the West Shopping Center was a bit more engaged and progressive than other foodinsecure areas, and Williams and his team felt that the location would give them the best opportunity to succeed. Through community meetings, locals were allowed to voice their food wants and needs, and based on these, grants were solicited and the Harvest Market was built.

Requests from the community included a delicatessen, a meat section, and even a common area where they could come together. However, one of the major things the Harvest Market was able to quickly provide its community with was a freezer with storage space to rent out to local farmers and meat suppliers. The organization is currently waiting to hear back from a United States Department of Agriculture grant the market recently applied for in an effort to continue its growth. Additionally, the co-op has an office just up the road with the capacity to host roughly 100 people.

“When we first got down here it was a mess,” said Williams. “We’ve engaged the landlord who helped us rebuild the store, and the city helped us with aesthetics out front.” Looking to create a different type of culture, the city is currently working on building affordable housing across the street on the property where the Budget

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Inn stood before being shut down years back. A thoroughfare into the city, the location has tremendous potential with its proximity to downtown, the baseball stadium, and many brand-new apartment complexes.

A constant labor of love, making the Harvest Market happen has been no easy feat. The project had to fundraise several million dollars to establish itself, and Williams has made it a point to hire locals as employees, all of whom are paid a living wage and provided with career development opportunities. The store even has a Spanish-speaking member on staff because Williams never wants anyone to walk into the store and not feel welcome.

With Thursday evening’s event, the market plans to reintroduce its vision, highlight accomplishments thus far, and point towards those yet to come.

With 625 members, the co-op is run democratically and has a board of directors whose council finalizes business decisions on the Harvest Market.

With the store and membership open to anyone in the public, members are automatically eligible for a five percent discount anytime at the store, as well as discounted items on special shopping days dedicated specifically to them.

While member’s meetings are regularly held quarterly, Thursday evening’s event will include a member’s meeting on behalf of rallying up additional member support as the new year approaches.

Reflecting on its first year, the Harvest Market transitioned completely to primarily natural organic products over the past month. With the help of a consultant, the store realized it needed to create a niche for natural and organic products in order to compete with its neighboring stores primarily focused on conventional items. As a result, the store invested in new displays and overall presentation by fully restocking its ailes.

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The market is also working to raise end-ofthe-year funding to launch itself into 2024.

Donations can be made at the following site: https://www.share-ws.coop/donate/.

As a co-op, the Harvest Market makes up part of Share, a non-profit organization striving to provide communities with honest and respectful engagement. The store’s product of choice is Field Day, distributed by a company that primarily produces for co-ops, and is generally available at a more accessible cost than that of similar brands.

FROM

Field Day products tend to be of equally good quality, if not even better to that of its counterparts. The Harvest Market is currently one of two co-ops in the Triad and the only one in Winston-Salem.

Co-ops have typically risen in affluent areas but Williams and his team purposely opened the Harvest Market in a nonaffluent area. “We want people to know they have an excellent product here,” said Williams. “We provide an excellent service and the profits, the overages, don’t leave the community.” A Black-owned enterprise, the Harvest Market is much more than a grocery store. It’s a community cornerstone committed to sustainable living, supporting black and brown farmers and producers, and ensuring dollars circulate continuously in West Salem and its surrounding areas.

The first-anniversary Member Meeting and Celebration Event will be held this Thursday, December 14th at 5:30 p.m. at 603 Peters Creek Parkway in Winston-Salem. A tour of the market will be provided along with food and live music. For additional information on the Harvest Market or how to become a member, visit https:// www.share-ws.coop/. !

DALIA RAZO is a bilingual journalist, fine arts educator, and doctoral student at UNCG.

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11

Judge allows investigation of N.C. Supreme Court justice for alleging racial bias A federal judge has allowed the state to continue investigating North Carolina Supreme Court justice Anita Earls for alleging that the court’s Republican majority rules according to Ian McDowell political, racial, and gender biases.

Earls has stated Contributor that she was only exercising her right to free speech when quoted in “Justice Anita Earls opens up about diversity,” a June 20 interview with Law360.com reporter Hannah Albarazi.

In the interview, Earls described being the sole Black woman Democrat on a state Supreme Court that, in last year’s election, flipped from 4-3 Democratic to 5-2 Republican. Her fellow jurists are Paul Newby, Phillip Berger Jr., Tamara Barringer, Richard Deitz, Trey Allen, and Allison Riggs, with Riggs the only other Democrat.

In her conversation with Albarazi, Earls discussed Newby’s decision to discontinue efforts to address implicit bias and racial discrimination within the judiciary. She also expressed concern over the demographics of not only North Carolina’s highest court but its Court of Appeals, in which 93% of the justices are white and 60% are male.

“There have been cases where I have felt very uncomfortable on the bench,” said Earls, “because I feel like my colleagues are unfairly cutting off a female advocate. We have so few people of color argue, but in one case there was a Black woman who argued in front of us and I felt like she was being attacked

Creativity + Community 400 W English Dr, Suite 151, High Point, NC 27262 TAGart.org • 336-887-2137 Monday - Friday, 12pm to 5pm

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DECEMBER 13-19, 2023

Justice Anita Earls

Judge William Osteen

unfairly, not allowed to answer the question, interrupted. It’s not uniform. It’s not in every case [but] could certainly factor in the politics of the particular case that’s being argued.”

Emphasizing that this impacts the “culture of the court,” Earls said “I’m not suggesting that any of this is conscious, intentional, racial animus. But I do think that our court system, like any other court system, is made up of human beings and I believe the research that shows that we all have implicit biases.”

Because of this, said Earls, the new majority “very much see themselves as a conservative bloc. They talk about themselves as ‘the conservatives.’ Their allegiance is to their ideology, not to the institution.”

In response, a state judicial commission opened an investigation into whether Earls’s remarks violated the state’s Code of Judicial Conduct, which requires judges to behave “in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.” If the commission finds Earls in violation of this clause, it can recommend reprimanding, censuring or even removing her from office. Such a punitive decision would have to come from the N.C. Supreme Court, but that body rarely overrides the commission’s recommendations.

In August, Earls filed a federal lawsuit alleging “an ongoing campaign” by the state to suppress her First Amendment rights through “intrusive investiga-

tions” based on anonymous allegations.

The plaintiff filing asked the court to permanently bar the commission “from suppressing her First Amendment right to speak on matters of public concern.”

The hearing held November 2 in Greensboro’s Federal Courthouse was specifically on the plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction against that investigation.

In a courtroom packed with Earls’ local supporters, including Greensboro NAACP leadership and prominent members of the Black clergy, U.S. District Judge William Osteen showed little sympathy towards claims that Earls’ rights were being curtailed, stating on several occasions that it would be difficult to determine whether such violations had occurred until the state commission rules whether or not to punish her. In response, plaintiffs argued that, regardless of any findings or censure, the continuing investigation has “a chilling effect” on Earls’ right to free speech.

Plaintiff documents alleged that the investigation has already “chilled” Earls’ rights by causing her to decline to write a Slate article expanding on her recent dissents, curtail comments to the Yale Law Review Forum, and refrain from speaking publicly to the Equal Access to Justice Commission, as well as censor herself in her classroom at the University of North Carolina School of Law. In his November 21 ruling denying Earls’ motion for a preliminary injunc-

tion against the investigation, Osteen opined that, as justices are held to a high standard, the state has a legitimate interest in policing their comments. “An allegation that certain judges may elevate political or other personal ideology over the institution of the North Carolina Supreme Court may diminish the authority and integrity of that court as a whole.”

In a media statement, Earls’ attorney Press Millen accused Osteen of failing “to recognize the significance of the constitutional violations to which Justice Earls has been subjected by the continuing investigations of the Judicial Standards Commission” and called the opinion “contrary to established legal precedent on the role of federal courts in guaranteeing the freedom of speech.”

Millen indicated that plaintiffs are appealing Osteen’s ruling, which means that both the judicial investigation and Earls’s lawsuit to stop it will continue.

Millen called the investigation a part of a concentrated effort to suppress dissent within the state supreme court, on which Earls has been the most liberal voice since she defeated Republican incumbent Barbara Jackson in 2018. The child of a mixed-race marriage, she was a prominent civil rights lawyer and a top official in the civil rights division of the U.S. Justice Department during the administration of President Bill Clinton.

In 2022, she joined a ruling that declared the state’s Republican-drawn political maps to be unconstitutional partisan gerrymandering. In April of this year, in which the new Republican majority threw out that ruling, she wrote a scathing 71-page dissent in which she stated the following about the reversal: “Let there be no illusions about what motivates the majority’s decision to rewrite this court’s precedent. The merits of plaintiffs’ arguments do not matter.

For at stake in this case is the majority’s own political agenda.” !

IAN MCDOWELL is the author of two published novels, numerous anthologized short stories, and a whole lot of nonfiction and journalism, some of which he’s proud of and none of which he’s ashamed of.

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photos

[FACES & PLACES]

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Natalie Garcia

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WinterFest 2023 @ City Lake Park 12.9.23 | Jamestown

DECEMBER 13-19, 2023

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13

tunes

HEAR IT!

Tupelo Crush Steals the Show

T

upelo Crush has released their debut EP, “Steal the Show,” just in time to ring in new tunes for the New Year, with a show at Gas Hill Drinking Room Katei Cranford on December 28.

Affectionately known as “the Contributor Crush,” the group is a rock ‘n’ roll band at their core — with alt-country leanings blending pedal steel and reverb ala an imagined world where Buck Owens joined the Replacements: ”where twang and feedback, thunder and white lightning, pearl snaps and t-shirts and lonesome heartache come together to drown their sorrows.”

For drummer Brian Pierce, “closing 2023 with a show at Gas Hill is the perfect way to cap off a great year,” he said.

“We really want to make this a genuine celebration of our music, our time together, the friends we’ve made along the way so far, and the small place we’ve managed to carve out for ourselves in the local music community.”

“The idea behind the band was simple, maybe even naive,” Pierce mused of their origins. “We wanted to bring together a group of people that were genuinely enjoyable, solid players, and that shared the same vision musically and otherwise.

It’s a simple idea, but much harder to do than it seems. However, there’s no question that we somehow managed to nail it.”

Hailing from the woods around the Triad, Pierce is joined by guitarist Jason Bennett; along with pedal steel player Jeff Shu and bassist T.J. Holt, both of whom are honkey tonk regulars around the southeast as part of the Bo-Stevens.

“I’d heard these guys playing a couple times in the distance — coming out of Brian’s garage,” Shu recalled of his coming into the Crush through a neighborly interaction. “I remember I was walking to the garage one night when I recognized ‘Powderfinger,’ and I figured we at least had Neil Young in common.”

“We’re neighbors,” Pierce affirmed. “We live out where sound travels easily on summer nights, so he could hear what we were playing. From the beginning,

14 YES! WEEKLY

DECEMBER 13-19, 2023

Jason and I wanted to have something other than just guitars and drums. And as soon as Jeff added his steel to what we were doing, there was no turning back.

That was the added dimension we were looking for.”

Taking the garage band trope into an evolution, Shu brought in Holt when the Crush needed a new bassist and the mold was set amongst alt-country cosmos.

“Having a steel guitar in the mix offers an interesting take in some songs,” Holt said, praising the twang that drew his attention. ”I liked the alt-country vibes of those first songs.”

Shu agreed, boasting the openness and workhorse creativity shared by the group.

“What I like most is everyone’s willingness to link up and oftentimes stretch out creatively,” he said. While there’s twang and steel, alt-country is one facet of the rock ‘n’ roll repertoire. “We move from the western vibes in ‘Lace’ to such gritty undercurrents in ‘Waiting for the Release’ and then there’s the jazz-infused ‘Wait a Minute Chester.’ It all shows me how many musical places we can go.”

Pierce similarly emphasized their diverse sonic trajectory. “Our sound continues to evolve so we want to be careful how we use the ‘alt-country’ label,” he said. “It’s that evolution that keeps it interesting and challenging for us.”

Across that challenge, “we really want to allow ourselves to focus on playing music that we love without being influenced by what we thought other people wanted to hear,” Pierce noted, ”it’s not like we don’t care if people like us or not — of course we want to be liked! But it’s important to us that we’re authentic and true to ourselves, musically and as people.”

“Life is too short and this business is too hard to not have as much fun as we can while our window of opportunity is open,” he continued. “You can kill yourself trying to always chase what you think other people want you to be.

There’s nothing fake or put on about what we do. We really believe that audiences will always be drawn to that honesty and genuine passion.”

As a band, the Crush is drawn to artists like Whiskeytown, Tom Petty, Uncle Tupelo, The Rolling Stones, Merle Haggard, and The Band; with some Drive By Truckers, Son Volt, and The Byrds thrown in for good influential measure — though that hardly tips the iceberg. “We’ve spent

PHOTO BY LISA ODONNELL SHU

our lives listening to and playing music,” Pierce said. “Over the course of that time, you’re exposed to so much and your tastes and influences continue to evolve.“ But there’s a blue-collar foundation across that evolution. “Our approach to making music remains the same,” Pierce insisted. “We build each song one brick at a time. There aren’t really any shortcuts.

We just put in the work.”

Taking that approach, the Crush hangs their hat on original material, with Bennett serving as the primary songsmith.

Preferring to keep his writing open-ended, Bennett enjoys the artfully incoherent narratives often employed by artists like REM or Bob Dylan. “I never set out to write a song about a specific topic,” he explained. “Ideas come from things I see or phrases I hear that appeal to me in some way or another. I typically start strumming my guitar and free-associating words with the original idea.”

Listing “Waiting for the Release” and “Steal the Show” as prime examples of that practice, Bennett’s style centers five of the seven tracks off “Steal the Show,” which also features a “cover” reimagining the Bo-Stevens’ “Lace” along with Pierce’s own “All I Want.” A video for the title-track first single is in the works with Daniel Mebane at Elk Images.

For the EP, the Crush turned to Doug Williams at Electromagnetic Studios.

“Doug had us comfortable right away and allowed us to do our thing while still being a creative partner at the same time,”

Pierce noted. “He made sure we walked away with something that represented our best selves and something we could be really proud of.”

The resulting “Steal the Show” hits streaming platforms in time to celebrate the new year. Meanwhile, Tupelo Crush looks to continue crushing in 2024, with plans to release a live recording currently ‘in the can’ from their show at Cat’s Cradle Backroom over the summer. “We hope to just keep the train rolling,” Pierce said, “expand into some new areas and new venues, or maybe even slide onto a local festival stage. But the most important thing is to keep having fun doing what we’re doing.”

With that, Pierce looks forward to their upcoming release party at Gas Hill Drinking Room on December 28. “We’re absolutely thrilled to have Michael Bennett and his band, the B String All Stars, on the bill,” he said. ”He always has absolute beasts playing with him, so we feel really honored to have them join us.”

“I should also mention that ‘B’ is one of the real great human beings in the Winston-Salem music scene,” Pierce added.

“Playing with that group really does add to the celebratory feel of the night.”

Tupelo Crush celebrates their debut EP, “Steal the Show,” at Gas Hill Drinking Room on December 28. !

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

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last call [SALOME’S STARS]

[TRIVIA TEST]

Week of December 11, 2023

[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Your aspects favor more diplomacy and fewer direct confrontations when dealing with a relationship problem. Avoiding hurt feelings can help in your search for the truth.

[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Positive aspects are strong this week.

Although you still might have to deal with some problems caused by a recent period of turmoil, you are making progress, and that’s what counts.

[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A

family matter could benefit from your counsel. But don’t bring yourself into it unless you’re invited, and don’t stay if you feel uneasy. Just remember to reassure one and all that you’ll be there for them.

[LEO (July 23 to August 22) As the truth about an ongoing situation emerges, you could find that you were right to defer judgment before you had all the facts.

Now would be a good time to move on to other matters.

[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Your plans to take control of a personal situation because you feel the most qualified could create resentment. It’s best to hear what everyone else involved in the matter has to say about it first.

[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Uncovering some surprising background facts about that ongoing personal

[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Religious or spiritual themes start to dominate your aspect this week.

This can serve as a counterweight to the mounting effects of the season’s growing commercialization.

[SAGITTARIUS (November 22

to December 21) Taking on that recent challenge impressed a lot of important decision-makers. Meanwhile, proceed with your holiday plans, and don’t forget to include you-know-who in them.

[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Disagreeing with an opinion that you can’t accept could be dicey, and your motives might be questioned. It’s better to wait to mount a challenge until you have support for your position.

[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Getting involved in helping others during this increasingly hectic period makes the generous Aquarian feel good.

You could also gain a more substantive benefit from your actions.

[1. GEOGRAPHY: Which famous high-

way that stretches across the United States is sometimes known as the Will Rogers Highway?

[2. MUSIC: Which country did the pop group ABBA come from?

[3. TELEVISION: What article made

Frosty the Snowman come to life in the popular TV special?

[6. MOVIES: What is the name of the

acapella group that Anna Kendrick joins on Pitch Perfect?

[7. INVENTIONS: Who invented the Barbie doll in 1959?

[8. MATH: How many tablespoons are in 1 cup?

[9. LITERATURE: What is the title of the

[4. FOOD & DRINK: What is colcannon?

sequel to “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” by Roald Dahl?

[5. U.S. STATES: Which state is home to

[10. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which elected

the Volcanoes National Park?

president is the only one to fail to gain his party’s nomination for a second term?

answer 7. Ruth Handler.

8. 16.

9. “Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator.”

10. Franklin Pierce.

time, you might want to resist that otherwise admirable Aries penchant for getting to the heart of a matter quickly. Keep in mind that a delicate situation calls for patience.

matter could make you reconsider the extent of your involvement. A neutral family member offers advice.

1. Route 66.

2. Sweden.

3. A magic hat.

4. Mashed potatoes and cabbage.

5. Hawaii.

6. The Barden Bellas.

[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) At this

by Fifi Rodriguez

© 2023 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) The Piscean way of thinking clearly and objectively helps you resolve a complex situation without creating any ill will.

Don’t be surprised if your counsel is requested on another matter.

[BORN THIS WEEK: You have a way of persuading people to look at the positive possibilities that make up for any hard choices they might face. © 2023 by King Features Syndicate

answers [CROSSWORD] crossword on page 9

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[WEEKLY SUDOKU] sudoku on page 9

DECEMBER 13-19, 2023 YES! WEEKLY

15

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