The Triad Cultural Arts and the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County rolled out the red carpet for one of its own while celebrating 50 years of Hip-Hop.
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3 With Margot Robbie in the title role and Ryan Gosling as her Ken, BARBIE begins as an unmitigated delight. The introduction could hardly be bettered: An uproarious send-up of the opening of Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) sets the satirical tone for what is to follow, although in varying degrees of success.
4 It’s back, it’s better, it’s bigger, and it’s fluffier than ever.That can only mean one thing: The CATVIDEOFEST 2023 is coming our way.
5 Guilford Technical Community College’s music was looking to expand its ensemble to a full concert band. The High Point Arts Council wanted to organize a COMMUNITY BAND.
6 LULU AND BLU is located on the back row of a shopping center, almost hidden unless you are looking for it already.
The interior is larger than it looks from outside. Very pleasant hostesses greet you at entry.
11 Most of us watching TELEVISION
50 YEARS AGO had three choices: ABC, CBS, and NBC. In some markets, there was an independent station on UHF, but there was no CW, FOX, or WB. There was no Paramount+, or Hulu or Netflix.
14 For the first time in its 21 years of service to the Winston-Salem community, the non-profit organization
AUTHORING ACTION is holding its first golf tournament on behalf of its youth film program “Just Us.”
16 JUST GOPHERS are taking a swing at a new album as real gophers take cover from groundskeepers and golfers during the Greater Greensboro Open (technically the Wyndham Championship) going down at Sedgefield Country Club August 3-6.
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ith Margot Robbie in the title role and Ryan Gosling as her Ken, Barbie begins as an unmitigated delight. The introduction could hardly be bettered: An uproarious sendup of the opening of Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) sets the satirical tone for what is to follow, although in varying degrees of success.
The film’s first half, set in the pictureperfect and unmistakably plastic world of “Barbie Land” is remarkably, refreshingly self-aware and self-mocking — but never cynical. For Barbie and Ken — and the various incarnations of both dolls in the popular Mattel toy line — every day is absolutely perfect and every day is absolutely the same.
That changes when Barbie begins to ponder things that she otherwise wouldn’t, such as death and the suspicion that not every day is perfect for everyone. This compels her to embark on a journey of self-discovery that will open her eyes to the “realities” — such as they are — of the “Real World.”
Robbie (also a producer) is the living, breathing embodiment of a Barbie doll. She totally gives herself to the role without a hint of condescension. It’s a slyly funny, even witty turn, and she looks as if she’s having a ball — and she also happens to be drop-dead gorgeous. Even better is Gosling, himself a looker, who gives one of the best (and funniest) performances of his career as Barbie’s perennial, plastic paramour Ken. He goes for easy laughs and gets them, but he also reaches beyond the obvious and scores those laughs, too. They’re truly a dynamic comedy duo, and whatever else one can say about Barbie, Robbie and Gosling makes it worth seeing all by themselves.
When the film leaves the friendly, eyepopping confines of “Barbie Land” — with special kudos to production designer Sarah Greenwood — and makes the jump to the “Real World,” the narrative becomes far more conventional. The “Real World” isn’t what it’s cracked up to be; it’s a hotbed of discrimination, sexism, and
Wsheer ignorance. To say that Barbie’s mind is blown would be an understatement, and it’s an unexpected delight when she su ers what other Barbies perceive correctly as an existential crisis. Once again, it’s Robbie to the rescue, conveying the character’s confusion in a humorous, even touching fashion.
America Ferrera plays Gloria, the Mattel receptionist who unwittingly caused Barbie’s dilemma in the first place, and her eventual rapprochement with inexplicably grumpy young daughter Ariana Greenblatt (recently seen in the alreadyforgotten summer sci-fi outing 65) is in the cards from the o ng, so there’s no tension there. Indeed, their characters feel less believable, or even alive, than Barbie and Ken do.
Among those featured in support, some more prominently than others, are Kate McKinnon (as “Weird Barbie”), Dua Lipa (in her feature acting debut), Michael Cera, Rhea Perlman, Emma Mackey, Simu Liu, Alexandra Shipp, Connor Swindells, John Cena, and Rob Brydon. Narrator Helen Mirren gets o a few good lines, including a gem about Margot Robbie, but otherwise hasn’t all that much to say, and Will Ferrell’s customarily animated and energetic turn as the CEO of Mattel is familiar territory.
To some extent, Barbie echoes The Truman Show and Pleasantville (both 1998) and, more recently, The LEGO Movie (2014) by incorporating the themes of identity, individuality, conformity, and media manipulation within a fanciful,
even otherworldly, setting. Unlike those films, however, Barbie tends to ladle on those elements a bit too stridently. It’s as if director Greta Gerwig, who co-wrote the screenplay with fellow executive producer and life partner Noah Baumbach, didn’t quite have faith in the audience to easily pick up on them. The momentum of the film isn’t derailed, but it is dampened as a result.
Of course, there are those observers — and we don’t mean critics — who have labeled the film as some sort of feminist tract. That may be reading a bit too much into it. This is Barbie, after all. Then again, there was likewise some “controversy” over Disney’s recent live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, which some perceived as being a “socialist manifesto.” Perhaps there were complaints too about Super Mario Bros. — beyond the movie itself, of course — but these so-called debates seem to indicate that some people have way too much free time on their hands and appear to be looking (a bit too hard) for things to complain
about. As Alfred Hitchcock once said: “It’s only a movie.” !
The Sportscenter Athletic Club is a private membership club dedicated to providing the ultimate athletic and recreational facilities for our members of all ages. Conveniently located in High Point, we provide a wide variety of activities for our members. We’re designed to incorporate the total fitness concept for maximum benefits and total enjoyment. We cordially invite all of you to be a part of our athletic facility, while enjoying the membership savings we offer our established corporate accounts.
It’s back, it’s better, it’s bigger, and it’s fluffier than ever.
That can only mean one thing: The CatVideoFest 2023 is coming our way.
The popular annual event, which showcases the craziest, coolest, cutest cats at their unleashed, unhinged, uninhibited best, is being presented by Oscilloscope Laboratories and CatVideoFest and will be presented at hundreds of theaters across the United States this month. This Saturday, CatVideoFest 2023 will be presented at Foothills Tasting Room, located at 3800 Kimwell Dr. in Winston-Salem, as an a/ mobile screening under the auspices of Winston-Salem’s a/perture cinema. The
lot will open at 7 p.m. and the screening will begin at dusk (approximately 8:30 p.m.). Audiences are encouraged to bring their own chairs, and food and beverages will be available for purchase on the premises.
Tickets are $15 (general admission) and $10 (children under 12), and 10% of ticket sales will be donated to the Forsyth County Animal Shelter’s Animal Shelter Medical Fund, which supports the shelter’s injured and ill animals with the necessary funds to pay for emergency veterinary care. For advance tickets, visit https://aperturecinema.com/movies/cat-video-fest-2023/. (The rain date is August 19th.)
Since its inception, CatVideoFest has been screened in hundreds of theaters around the world, entertaining audiences of all ages. In addition to providing 70 minutes of non-stop feline fun, CatVideoFest has raised awareness and financial aid for cats in need. A percentage of the proceeds from each event are directly earmarked for local
animal shelters and/or animal welfare organizations. In 2019, over $50,000 was raised for local shelters in addition to adoptions, fostering, and awareness raised at shows.
According to Lawren Desai, the executive director and curator at a/perture cinema, CatVideoFest has become something of an annual a/perture tradition, bringing young and old alike — and bringing attention and much-needed funding to an important cause.
“We started doing this back in 2017 or 2018 and at the time it was at a/perture,” she said. “During COVID times we decided to move it outdoors in 2021 to Foothills and it’s been there since. They are great partners. People love the CatVideoFest and come back every year — it’s just all about the cats, really!”
Indeed, it is. CatVideoFest 2023 is a compilation reel of the latest, funniest, most heartwarming cat videos selected from countless hours of submissions and sourced animations, music videos, and classic Internet clips. The man in charge of assembling CatVideoFest — the “Top Cat,” if you will — is Will Braden, the creator and editor of the program, who’s been doing it for more than a decade.
“In 2012, the first ‘Internet Cat Video Festival’ was held in Minneapolis at the Walker Art Festival,” Braden recalled. “A short film I made, Henri 2, Paw de Deux , ended up winning the Golden Kitty award that first year. I was there and it was an immense success and a huge amount of fun. So I sunk my claws in and kept getting more and more involved. In 2014, I started curating the reel for the Walker (festival), and in 2016 when they stepped away to do other projects, I started CatVideoFest to run everything myself and keep the cat party going! In 2019, we began our partnership with Oscilloscope for theatrical distribution and that really took it to the next level. Indie people are almost always cat people — or at least ‘cat-curious’!”
“Watching silly cat videos is good for you,” wrote the Wall Street Journal in 2016.
Piecing together each year’s CatVideoFest is no easy feat, said Braden. “I watch between 10,000 and 12,000 cat videos every year when putting together the reel. It’s a fun job but it’s definitely a lot of work! The only rule I have for a video is that it has to have something
going on that captures people’s interest. There are over 200 individual clips in a reel that’s under 75 minutes long so there’s got to be something interesting or touching or silly or surprising in each one. Everyone loves their cats, but just a cat chilling on a bed might not be captivating to a large audience.”
Regarding the ongoing popularity of this feline franchise, “I’m not surprised by the interest in cat videos or CatVideoFest but I am proud of it,” Braden said. “As everything with theaters fluctuates and changes, it’s nice to know that cat videos bring a little consistency. Also, the rule of putting on shows specifically to help local animal shelters and animal welfare organizations is a permanent and unalterable part of the DNA of CatVideoFest . We’re open to almost any type of screening as long as there is a charitable partner involved. The idea of having fun and knowing you’re helping some cats in need at the same time is an undeniable part of CatVideoFest ’s success.”
The official Cat Video Fest website is http://www.catvideofest.com/. The official a/perture cinema website is https://aperturecinema.com/. !
BY LAUREN WERNER AND JULIANA REYES
On August 8 at 6:30 p.m., The Hispanic League, Love Out Loud, Bookmarks and Forsyth Tech invite students, community members, and educators to an inspiring event centered around Jose Antonio Vargas’ book, “Dear America: Notes from an Undocumented Citizen.” The evening promises to be a celebration of stories, education, and advocacy, fostering meaningful discussions about identity and the pursuit of a better future.
Vargas’ memoir, part of Bookmarks’ Books With a Purpose Program, has touched hearts across the nation, sharing his journey as an undocumented immigrant and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. By sharing his struggles and triumphs, Vargas has become a prominent advocate for immigration reform, encouraging others to embrace their identities and stories.
Throughout the event, attendees will have the chance to hear inspiring stories from students and community members. One of the key topics for discussion will be the intersection of identity, education, and advocacy. The book’s exploration of Vargas’ personal experiences will prompt attendees to reflect on their own paths, connecting their stories to the broader human narrative.
In addition to the inspiring stories and discussions, organizations will showcase community resources and scholarships, including information about Forsyth Tech’s Class of 2023 College Commitment, which provides free tuition for a year for all NC high school graduates in the Class of 2023. The college’s commitment to creating an inclusive and nurturing environment for students reflects their dedication to empowering young minds and transforming lives.
The event will o er light hors d’oeuvres, fostering an atmosphere of camaraderie and togetherness. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with others who share a passion for education and social progress.
The Book with Purpose program is a Bookmarks summer initiative to unite
Guilford Technical Community College’s music was looking to expand its ensemble to a full concert band. The High Point Arts Council wanted to organize a community band.
The two hit the perfect solution for both.
They have formed a partnership to create a community band made up of GTCC students, faculty and staff, and members of the community. The band will practice and perform at the old High Point Train Station, now owned by the arts council and houses the Centennial Stations Arts Center.
“We don’t have a large ensemble for woodwinds, brass, and percussion. The traditional concert band was something we didn’t offer,” said Larry Spell, GTCC music instructor and assistant professor of creative and performing arts. “Students who are going to pursue a music education degree will be working with (concert) bands in their profession.”
High Point Train Station in downtown High Point a decade ago and turned it into the Centennial Station Arts Center. The building covers more than 21,000 square feet.
“It’s perfect for community space. We just needed to activate it, create accessibility for the arts,” said Arpajian.
“This very much fits our budget; we create an equal exchange. The other advantage is to welcome in the next generation of leaders and patrons and community shapers, and the college does that.”
Spell says he expects 30 to 50 players when the program begins. “We want to build it gradually,” said Spell, who was hired two years ago by GTCC as an ensemble instructor but has experience conducting concert bands.
With the formation of the band in the early stages, performances have not been scheduled, but public concerts are in the future.
the Winston-Salem community in book discussions for all ages centered around one book or central topic. This year’s book is “Dear America” and we discussed the themes of identity and belonging, the meaning of citizenship, finding home, and what it means to be American in today’s world. This book is not about taking a political side. It’s about finding home and understanding. The culminating event will be a free keynote event with Jose Antonio Vargas at the 18th anniversary Festival of Books and Authors on Saturday, September 23. This program is a sponsored project of the Arts Council of WinstonSalem & Forsyth County and funded through ARPA supported by the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners. Learn more at bookmarksnc.org/BookwithPurpose.
Join us on August 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Rhoades Conference Center in the Robert L. Strickland Center on Forsyth Tech’s Main Campus for an evening that celebrates the strength of the human spirit and the transformative power of education. Let’s explore the profound impact of “Dear America” and be inspired to create a more compassionate world for all.
The biggest roadblock for a larger performance group at GTCC had been the lack of a space large enough not just for performance but for housing and storage of equipment and instruments.
Enter Allie Arpajian and the High Point Arts Council.
“I met Larry, and he was talking about the real lack of community ensembles, that there were not a lot of places where people can plug in and play. One of my hopes had been to create an ensemble,” said Arpajian, who was hired as the arts council director a year ago.
“Larry had, in a previous role, created an ensemble. We had an awesome space. It all seemed like a natural fit.”
The arts council purchased the old
“Performances are a key part of the partnership. We want to support the arts council and their work on their offerings to people in High Point. We want to be part of that art scene,” said Spell.
Spell said rehearsals will begin once GTCC fall classes begin and he expects an inaugural concert as early as October. He also said the band will be designed for musicians with intermediate to advanced skill levels.
GTCC students who sign-up for the college’s ensemble class and play in the band will receive a grade based on participation.
Spell said anyone interested in joining the band should visit https://forms. gle/11svRJuKr1BRBEZc7 to complete an online interest form or email Spell at lsspell@gtcc.edu .
Lulu and Blu is located on the back row of a shopping center, almost hidden unless you are looking for it already. The interior is larger than it looks from outside. Very pleasant hostesses greet you at entry. From their station, a large bar area flanks to the right. The rest of the space is divided into smaller dining rooms. Noise level is moderate to soft. This is one of the few places in our area where I have no di culty engaging in conversation. I really appreciate that, and based on reader mail, so do a lot of others in the dining public.
Executive Chef/Owner Jeremy Walley studied culinary arts at GTCC. He was sous chef for a brief period at M. Stephen’s (RIP), which led him to Blue Water Grille. He went on to help open Lulu and Blu where he held the executive chef position from 2014-2017, leaving to open Manna Food Truck. He bought the restaurant in March 2019.
The menu is wide-ranging. The kitchen vows that they can cope with any diet or
restriction (but to be fair, I would suggest calling ahead if you need special accommodations). Although the cuisine is primarily Italian in concept, lots of small plates are o ered that are bound by no particular tradition beyond commendable talent and creativity in the kitchen. You can eat tapas style if you like.
Roasted Cauliflower is presented in a bright red sauce made from dried chiles and salt-cured pork in a balsamic reduction, topped with deep green basil pesto and crushed macadamias. Bright and cheerful in appearance, it tastes as good as it looks.
We ordered Gnocchi with tru es and Romano cheese. (Agave Mustard Glaze with Pastrami Ragu is the alternative.) This lush sauce is plate-licking good. The gnocchi (potato dumplings) are panroasted, which gives them a light brown crust and added texture.
You get three Wagyu Beef Sliders in an order. Hosted in a toasted brioche bun, the deeply flavored beef patties are covered with warm, soft bu alo mozzarella cheese, a slice of smoked bacon, and a sun-dried tomato aioli. This “starter”
could easily constitute a full meal, and a really good one at that, maybe with a salad.
Fried Calamari is the standard Triad dish, lightly crusted, with flavor coming primarily from the crust, augmented by an arrabiata sauce (garlic, tomatoes, and dried red chili peppers), plus Meyer lemon aioli. The red sauce is fairly spicy, the white aioli pleasantly mellow. Everyone at our table liked them both.
For main courses, we were especially drawn to the pasta dishes. There are plenty of them!
The main ingredient in Chicken Piccata is sourced from Joyce Farms — a superior bird — and placed in capellini pasta with a light application of capers, plus diced shallots, tomatoes, lemon zest, and garlic butter. Classic Italian, well executed.
Lulu Lasagna is the meatiest version of this perennial favorite I have ever encountered. Chunks of beef short rib meat, sliced Italian sausage, and bits of pork cheek lurk between layers of sheet pasta, oozing ricotta, mozzarella, and asiago cheeses, in a sweetish tomato sauce, from San Marzano tomatoes. A killer!
Carbonara uses bucatini pasta, kind of a thick spaghetti, which conveys flavor from the other ingredients. This concoction includes salt-cured egg yolk, pulled chicken, guanciale (cured pork cheeks), shiitake mushrooms, and pea shoots, blended with pecorino romano cheese. A luxurious assembly, indeed.
Beef Short Rib is a particularly rewarding ingredient, both for chefs and diners. Cooked low and slow, the meat is fork-tender, emitting solid depth of flavor. In this case, it is hosted by firm cavatelli pasta, plus shallots, carrots, chunks of heirloom tomatoes, leaves of spinach, and ricotta and parmigiano cheeses, in a chianti bordelaise sauce. It’s complex in flavor, abundant in quantity. Leftovers from my wife’s serving fed us both the next night.
We found just as much pleasure outside the pasta list.
This kitchen makes Osso Bucco with lamb shanks, for a really robust result. The braised meat can be pulled away from the bone with a fork, it’s so tender. It has been
FROM PAGE 6
simmered in Chianti wine, which is reduced, the meat topped with micro amaranth and parsley gremolata, and plated with roasted sliced carrots and cubed potatoes.
Sixty South Salmon is grilled to a light brown crust, decorated with fresh herbs, and placed over romesco sauce (made with red peppers and almonds). Cubed roasted potatoes rest alongside, asparagus spears underneath. The fish is moist and tender, the vegetables a good match. Blackened Scallops are seared dark brown on top, but still tender inside. They are topped with bright green basil pesto aioli, asparagus spears, and cubed potatoes alongside.
This is summer, so we skipped desserts.
Kylie Walley, Jeremy’s wife, is General Manager. Dylan Price manages the front of the house.
If you look to the right of the hostess stand when you enter, you will see a framed review that I wrote quite some time ago. The rating was very favorable. These visits sustained those positive impressions. !
JOHN BATCHELOR has been writing about eating and drinking since 1981. Over a thousand of his articles have been published. He is also author of two travel/ cookbooks: Chefs of the Coast: Restaurants and Recipes from the North Carolina Coast, and Chefs of the Mountains: Restaurants and Recipes from Western North Carolina. Contact him at john.e.batchelor@gmail.com or see his blog, johnbatchelordiningandtravel.blogspot.com.
Lulu and Blu
2140 N Main Street
High Point 27262
336-886-1077
luluandblu.com
Hours: 5-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday
Appetizers: $6-$17
Salads: $11-$12
Soups: $6-$8 bowl
Flatbreads: $17-$18
Entrees: $19-$44
Desserts: $7-$10
Most recent visit: July 25
... or not. At 11:55 p.m. on July 22, a speeding boat with eight people aboard left the water at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri and crashed into a home along the bank. KMIZ-TV reported that Adam Ramirez, 47, was driving the boat when the accident happened. After the boat hit the home, it overturned and ejected all eight passengers, who were taken to a hospital, six of them in serious condition. Two people in the home at the time were uninjured. Ramirez was charged with boating while intoxicated. Travis Coleman with Tow Boat US Lake of the Ozarks said crashes on the lake are common, and alcohol and darkness can play a large role.
A bird rarely seen in the Northern Hemisphere dropped into Pebble Beach, California, on July 21, KSBW-TV reported. The Nazca Booby, which at this time of year is usually living and breeding in the Galapagos Islands, was delivered to the SPCA of Monterey County; o cials there said it was emaciated, cold and injured.
Beth Brookhouser said the bird had to be kept in an incubator and fed through a tube while it recovered. It had wounds on its back that appeared to be from fishing hooks. Once the bird has healed, the SPCA hopes to reintroduce it to the wild.
Police in Tilden Township, Pennsylvania, are going bananas trying to figure out who was throwing frozen bananas from a truck on July 24, WFMZ-TV reported.
“We had five vehicles traveling eastbound on Hex Highway,” said Sgt. Peter Witman. “People traveling westbound threw frozen bananas and struck windshields and other car parts.” One driver had her window down and was struck by flying banana debris. “It’s extremely dangerous,” Witman said. “This could injure, or worse, you could cause vehicle crashes by doing this.”
Trader Joe’s announced on July 21 that it is recalling two types of cookies that may have rocks in them, National Public Radio reported. The Almond Windmill Cookies and Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond cookies have been removed from the
grocery chain’s stores and destroyed, the company said, but those who had previously bought them can return them for a refund. “Please do not eat them,” they urged customers. The company didn’t specify how the rocks came to be in the cookies.
In late July, a woman on a Spirit Airlines plane hit her limit, the New York Post reported. “The plane is stopped ... I cannot hold the pee!” she shouted in a video as she pulled down her pants and squatted in a corner to relieve herself. “I need to (urinate), two hours ... you close the (bathroom) doors,” she said, telling a crew member she should “blame yourself.” The video was posted on July 20, but it is unclear where the incident took place.
You might not have it on your calendar, but Aug. 5 is National Mustard Day! Rather than celebrating with a hot dog or a burger smothered in the yellow condiment, the French’s company wants you to try Mustard Skittles, NBC New York reported on July 25. “Skittles is always looking to inspire moments of everyday
happiness and deliver unexpected ways for fans to experience the brand,” said Ro Cheng, marketing director at Mars. The new flavor “combines their tangy mustard flavor with our iconic chewy texture to deliver this unique summer treat.” Adventurous mustard-lovers can try to win a bag of the candy through an online sweepstakes.
Hankering for a high-dollar auction rush? Sotheby’s has you covered — or at least your feet. A pair of white sneakers from the 1990s, branded with the rainbow-colored Apple logo, will start at $50,000, Sky News reported. The shoes were distributed to employees at sales conferences and are among “the most obscure in existence,” Sotheby’s said. “Highly coveted” on the resale market, the sneakers are in their original box and are in a condition “consistent with age.” And bonus! They come with an extra pair of red shoelaces! Sold! !
1 Didn’t move any closer
11 Swedish retail giant
15 Frets
20 Book you can’t stop reading
21 Pupil’s book
22 Palmer of golf, to fans
23 Additional person called on to peruse something
25 Ebbed and flowed, as water
26 Premaritally named
27 Rarity in golf
28 Curative stuff
30 Fills with a crayon, say
35 Feel hopeless about
38 — Grande
39 Bring to ruin
42 Authorize to
43 Tony winner Bernadette
44 Longtime “Masterpiece Theatre” host
49 Increases
50 Corporation combination
51 Malicious
52 Start for historic
53 “I’m outie!”
57 Practice exam, maybe
59 Legendary title figure of a 1999 horror film
63 Granola bit
65 Invalidate
66 Bards’ Muse
67 Some schoolkids’ judged constructions
75 Startle
76 D.C. VIPs 77 Outback bird
78 Bit of jewelry with a single diamond
83 English class concern
89 Skirt borders
90 Hagen of the stage
91 Egg, in Paris
93 “Lawrence of Arabia” star
94 ‘60s hallucinogen
95 “Main Street” novelist
98 How silverware is often sold
102 Hip-hop producer Gotti
103 String after J
104 O’Hare abbr.
105 Times of trouble with tresses
108 Has a helping of humble pie
112 Explosion fragments
113 Qty.
116 Pi-sigma link
117 “I — Say No” (song from “Oklahoma!”)
118 State flower of Iowa
126 Sporting site
127 — about (circa)
128 Foldaway bed or table, e.g.
129 — -arms (old soldier)
130 Gps. such as Oxfam and CARE
131 Ducted cooling system (and what nine answers in this puzzle have)
1 UV ray-blocking stat
2 Sticky sealant
3 Cake candle count
4 Like some simple questions
5 Old anesthetic
6 Swindles
7 Lingerie top
8 Darth Vader, as a boy
9 “Juno” actor Michael
10 McDonald’s honcho Ray
11 Suffix with Gotham
12 Essential
13 Off the hook
14 Really baffled
15 Lampoons
16 Ribbed cloth for dresses
17 Option for bitter greens
18 Frankfurter
19 Jewish feasts
24 Nourished
29 Ladle
30 Runner’s pain
31 OPEC vessel
32 Tours’ river
33 Dictator Amin
34 Average
36 Wapiti
37 Witness
40 “Rhyme Pays” rapper
41 Ark “captain”
45 Mil. bigwig
46 Masters peg
47 Fiery felony
48 A unified goal for the future
49 Mentalist Geller
52 GI’s chaplain
53 Mag. sales stat
54 “Leave — that”
55 Doesn’t delay
56 “Well now!”
Camera part
CPR teacher, maybe
Service cost
Rainy mo.
“U can’t b serious!”
Hearer of court evidence
Fire residue
Texas capital
“— be a pleasure”
Guitar part
Aquatic bird
Ocean off Fla.
A Stooge
It
Most of us
watching television 50 years ago had three choices: ABC, CBS, and NBC. In some markets, there was an independent station on UHF, but there was no CW, FOX, or WB. There was no Paramount+, or Hulu or Netflix. There was no such thing as DirecTV, and less than ten million households even had cable. Back then the three networks o ered us around 60 di erent prime-time shows each season. Things are di erent today. According to Nielsen’s State of Play report there are now 817,000 individual TV shows available from a plethora of providers, and the audience share of streaming video now outpaces that of broadcast television.
The good news is that thanks to various streaming services and nostalgia channels, we can still enjoy many of the shows that dotted the prime-time television landscape during the 1973-74 season. For what it’s worth, here’s a word or two about a few of those vintage programs:
“All in the Family”…this groundbreaking comedy from Norman Lear put nonmalicious bigotry on full display and made Archie Bunker one of the most quotable men in America, not just for his prejudices, but for his ignorance. Said Archie, “It’s a proven fact that capital punishment is a
detergent for crime.” The show ran for 12 seasons and was number one in its time slot for the first five.
“M*A*S*H”…like Hogan’s Heroes before it, “M*A*S*H” managed to find humor in war. Set amidst the Korean conflict, the show took a couple of seasons to catch on, then became a perennial top 10 favorite. In fact, the series finale was the most-watched episode in TV history to date. I once asked star Alan Alda why the show ended despite its huge following. Said Alda, “I’m proud of what we did, but I didn’t want to keep doing the same thing over and over again. I was pretty much the main reason for the series coming to an end because we were still at the top, but there were signs that we were running out of steam.”
“Gunsmoke”…By 1973 this western was on its last hooves. It would end two years later after 20 consecutive seasons (a record broken by “Law & Order SVU”). I once told Marshall Dillon’s sidekick Chester (played by Dennis Weaver) that when I was 4-years-old I faked a limp like his in order to get attention. Weaver thought I was weird.
“Kojak”…Who knew that a Greek, bald-headed, lollypop-sucking police detective would take television by storm?
Telly Savalas’ catchphrase, “Who Loves Ya’ Baby?”, became part of our lexicon, and the answer to his question was “millions of people, that’s who.” Prior to “Kojak”, Savalas had portrayed mainly villains in film and on TV. When I reminded him of that fact during a 1977 interview, the actor (in character) said, “Hey baby I’m a good guy.” I then obnoxiously started naming all of his villainous roles, and he cut me o
and turned surly, saying, “Oh OK, so you want to play it that way huh?” It was an awkward moment.
“Barnaby Jones”…like “Kojak”, this unique private eye series premiered on CBS during the ‘73-’74 season, but that’s the only thing it had in common with Savalas’ show. Coming o of meteoric success as Jed Clampett on “The Beverly Hillbillies,” Buddy Ebsen portrayed TV’s first elderly P.I. and he was ably assisted by his daughter-in-law, played by former Miss America and former Catwoman Lee Meriwether. I interviewed Buddy in 1977 and got to know his real-life daughter Kiki when I moderated “A Salute to Prime Time TV Crimefighters” for the Television Academy in 2010. Also attending that event was Ms. Meriwether who my wife Pam and I had gotten to know earlier when she visited Winston-Salem. On that occasion, we took her out to dinner and then she asked Pam to help her go shopping for underwear. I did not take part in that excursion.
“Happy Days”…was a Tuesday night ratings winner for ABC until the network moved the show to Thursdays where it fell out of the top 30 for the first time in its 10-year run. Soon after the first season, it became clear that Henry Winkler (as the Fonz) was the star of the show, not Ron Howard, something that irked the former Opie of Mayberry. Years later I got to know Marion Ross (“Mrs. C”) while moderating “A Salute to TV Moms,” and we’ve kept in touch ever since. Marion told me that, at one point, she had staged a walkout on “Happy Days” because she was not being paid enough. “Ronny came to my house, and he said the producer was going to
replace me if I didn’t come back to work, so I went back to work.”
“Mannix”…Now a cult favorite, “Mannix” almost got canceled during the first season because the producer thought it would be a good idea to have Mike Connors play an employee of a high-tech computerized detective agency. Studio boss Lucille Ball saved the show, Mannix became a private eye, and the series ran for nine seasons. I got to know Mike Connors when I honored him at the “TV Crimefighters” event. That night he said he envied some of today’s TV action stars who end up each episode in bed with a beautiful woman. “I always ended up getting hit in the head,” said Mike.
There were a lot of great TV shows on air in 1973, among them: “The Bob Newhart Show,” “The Carol Burnette Show,” “The Flip Wilson Show,” “Hawaii Five-O,” “Kung Fu,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Maude,” “Sanford & Son,” “The Six Million Dollar Man,” “The Streets of San Francisco,” and “The Waltons.” These and many others are available to view online.
Doctors say that binge eating is bad for you. So is binge drinking.
But so far, binge-watching television shows from 50 years ago hasn’t hurt anyone that I know of. Take it from Archie Bunker, who while watching an old movie on TV said to Edith, “I ain’t seen it more than ten times, so leave me alone.” !
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+.
The Triad Cultural Arts and the Arts Council of WinstonSalem and Forsyth County rolled out the red carpet for one of its own while celebrating 50 years of Hip-Hop.
Patrick Denard Douthit, professionally known as the 9th Wonder, received a king’s welcome
still mind-blowing to him.
“A lot of times I don’t believe it because I’m so much of a fan. I’ve been a fan of the music for the first 28 years of my life,” he said. “When you’re a fan of it the way I’m a fan of it, it’s hard to believe that you’re a part of it. Now, I know how people see me and look at me, but still, I ride around listening to my music just like anybody else.”
The reception and masterclass was held Monday, July 24 at Reyolds Place Theatre in the Milton Rhodes Center of the Arts in Downtown Winston-Salem. Filled with fans, loved ones, and old classmates, the class ushered in a spirit of comradery for the teacher and his craft.
“We are by large account the youngest genre. There are a lot of subgenres now,
but we’re the youngest genre. We think about rock, jazz, blues, or anything else, we’re the youngest. Even though we’re the youngest, the worldwide phenomenon of hip-hop is that it’s stretched past race, color, creed, gender, and language. This is universal as math,” Douthit said. “The things that hip-hop has done from a culture standpoint, I separate what the industry has done to the art form as opposed to what the art form is really, the art form, as the culture has been phenomenal. It’s changed fashion, it’s changed commercials, it’s changed music, it’s changed just everything. It’s changed what we think, the way we talk, and some of the things that we say.”
Douthit is a graduate of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools’ Glenn High
School and a former student of Fleming El-Amin, Board Chair of Triad Cultural Arts and former Forsyth County Commissioner. He began making beats in his dorm room at North Carolina Central University. Since then he has worked with Hip-Hop and R&B legends such as Nas, Jay-Z, Wale, Erykah Badu, Rapsody, Talib Kweli, Mary J. Blige, Mos Def, David Banner, Memphis Bleak, The Game, and North Carolina’s Little Brother.
Along with producing beats, performing, and recording, Douthit is considered the Hip-Hop professor at several higher learning institutions. Since 2007, he has taught music theory and hip-hop history at NCCU, Duke University, Elizabeth City State University, Wake Forest University, and Harvard University. He also participates in the Nike Academy.
“I went to North Carolina Central to teach. It’s one thing to do it and it’s another thing to be able to talk about what you do,” I love teaching. I’m getting an updated analysis of what 18-year-olds think every year.”
His signature production style relies on samples from other artists that he likes and appreciates, especially music from the 70s and early 80s.
“I think the biggest thing for me is I shaped it in a way, as far as a technology standpoint. A lot of producers at the time were using these big machines or hardware that would just truncate samples and manipulate samples and sound. Well,
I came along in the late 90s, early 2000s thousand and started to use a laptop to circumvent the machine,” he explained of his early career.
He said that he enjoys using music from the 1970s and 80s because “it was a time when we were our most daring.”
“I don’t think it’s a better decade musically and with more range than the 1970s. I think that’s where music was at its height.”
No matter how far Douthit travels, North Carolina will always be home for him. However, Monday was the first time he taught a crowd of friends and family.
“Usually when I’m teaching, I’m standing in front of people that know me as 9th but don’t know me as Patrick. So this crowd will be di erent. I’ve never lectured like this in front of my mom and dad. My old teachers will be here. A lot of old friends will be here.”
But last Monday night, he was the teacher of a craft that he’s become intimate with. To a full auditorium, Douthit walked the audience through the wondrous land and legacy of Hip-Hop with his audio-visual presentation masterclass “These are The Breaks: A Conversation about Positivity, Discovery, and Freedom of Thought, through Hip-Hop.”
Resident Shanika Gray said it was important for her to come out and support her friend of over 40 years and give him his flowers.
“The City of Winston-Salem is always represented and celebrated by 9th in every venue he’s ever played. It would be awesome if the city celebrated the gifts and talents of our Native Son the way they do for transplants. Where is 9th
Wonder Way or 9th Wonder Day with a key to the city? Our young people need to see someone who looks like them, has lived like them, and has made it to the top of his craft, with his city always close to his heart.”
She went on to say that it is important for the youth of Winston-Salem to see role models like Douthit in the spotlight and have hands-on access to the arts.
“Winston-Salem recently ranked nationally as the hardest city to escape child poverty in the U.S. Our city of arts must become more inclusive and embrace cultural expressions of the Black community just as it embraces art installations and highways with sculptures and arches. Our communities, youth, and families deserve more outlets and opportunities to celebrate culture as it relates to the Black experience,” Gray said. “By interacting with a home-grown genius, Grammy award-winning, international producer, scholar, and hip-hop historian WinstonSalem citizens see what they can be and it resonates on a personal and intimate level. I am excited to have attended the Masterclass. I look forward to more opportunities to let the 9th Wonder of the World continue to shine the light on Winston-Salem and remind our young people that a dream coupled with tenacity, dedication, and e ort can take you all the way to the top of your chosen craft.”
The presentation was followed by a Q&A with guest panelists such as Forsyth County Sheri Bobby Kimbrough, Forsyth County District Court Judge Fred Adams, and NC A&T Professor Bryan Turman. Adams, a fan of classic hip-hop, said that it is “important to have people from various backgrounds and demographics to illustrate that Hip-Hop is a unifying force, which is appreciated and revered by people from all walks of life.”
Adams went on to say that hip-hop is a shared experience.
“Whether you are an MC, DJ, or a fan. This celebratory event was important to the residents and the local arts community because Hip-Hop is an art form, which is sometimes misunderstood and undervalued,” he said. “Hip-Hop is a global movement that has universally influenced our culture, including but not limited to our fashion, language, and style.”
This summer, a mural was revealed commemorating Douthit’s legacy as a North Carolina Hall of Fame Musician.
The mural is located on the corner of Trade and Liberty Streets and was done by Scott Nurkin. !
For the first time in its 21 years of service to the Winston-Salem community, the nonprofit organization Authoring Action is holding its first golf tournament on behalf of its youth film program Just Us. Co-founded by Executive Director Lynn Rhoades and Artistic Director Nathan Ross Freeman in 2002, Authoring Action provides tools to youth for their personal success in any career, calling, and life path. Students who go through this program become authors of their own lives once having learned to think analytically, present confidently, and express themselves dynamically through creative writing, speech, film, and design.
In her new role over the past year as Authoring Action’s Development Director, Audra Byers, set out to innovate how to continue bringing in resources and support. “Authoring Action’s mission has a lot to do with social justice,” said Byers. “Leveraging youth that doesn’t have privilege was really how it got started, by literally going into the projects and working one-on-one with teens.” With a significant number of success stories, Authoring Action has had at least one
student go on to study at the Juilliard School and another at the Berklee College of Music.
Byers came to Authoring Action for the first time in 2003 to work as the program’s yoga instructor. She has left the organization and returned since, and throughout the years has taken on a variety of roles in di erent areas such as administration and marketing. Now the development director, she is determined to spread greater awareness of the program’s mission within Winston-Salem and beyond, while shedding light on the racial inequalities still very much present in the city of arts and innovation. When
Byers proposed a golf tournament to do just this, funnily, she was received with confusion and a number of questions.
“What does golf have to do with Au-
thoring Action?” was the first question Byers was presented with. A lot, actually. A sport commonly misconceived to be practiced predominantly by white players, golf has a rich history of black players participating in the sport as well. Winston Lake Golf Course, where the upcoming tournament will be held, even more so. First opened during the summer of 1956, the course started with nine holes and was initially only for black players. Six years later, renowned golf course architect Ellis Maples was brought on board to design and supervise the construction of its nine additional holes. Being such a strong facility, why does the Winston Lake Golf Course have a less favorable reputation than its other counterparts in town? For residents familiar with Winston-Salem, they are
not ignorant of the not-so-quiet division of the town by Highway 52, known as the John Gold Memorial Expressway within Forsyth County. A dividing line much more real than its symbolism, the expressway travels through Winston-Salem in a north and south direction, highlighting the segregational split of the city. On the eastern side of the highway, the population is mostly black, while on the western side of the highway, the population is mostly white.
Resting on this segregated eastern side of town, Winston Lake Golf Course has di culty being a top choice for golf players throughout town. Highlighting this facility and its history of black golf players in the area goes hand in hand with what Authoring Action is all about. The golf tournament scheduled for this upcoming Saturday, August 5 will not only bring players onto the course but will specifically benefit one of Authoring Action’s most impactful programs, Just Us. A film program geared to plant a creative and self-expressive seed in its participants, Just Us serves teens referred to Authoring Action by the juvenile penal system.
While most of the youth participating in the Just Us program arrive through these court referrals, either as a preventative measure or as mandated participation, Authoring Action still keeps an eye out for teens who may not necessarily be navigating the system. At times, the program will receive referrals by word of mouth of a teen that may be struggling and Just Us will make space for these additional participants. If being enrolled in Just Us wasn’t life-changing enough, students actually have their films displayed at the end of each program session at
Winston-Salem downtown’s very own art house cinema a/perture.
In addition to Just Us, Authoring Action o ers several other disciplines and programs such as music, and the Outreach Ensemble. Not only do youth work closely with the program’s directors and sta , but the organization is also well known for bringing in artists of the highest caliber to work directly with its youth. Naturally, these guest artists need to get paid, leading Byers to seek additional and creative ways to cover these costs on behalf of the program’s continuous prestige. “This is really what di erentiates Authoring Action,” said Byers. “The quality that it o ers through its artistic collaborations.”
In more recent years Authoring Action has evolved by expanding its mission to other underprivileged groups such as Winston-Salem’s homeless population and senior citizens. The same writing curriculum Freeman developed for the youth program has now been used to provide other non-youth groups with opportunities to develop their self-expression. As a result, this particular writing process has proven to be very beneficial as well to these wider demographics. The aging population Authoring Action has worked with, for instance, has been able to develop meaning in their current life stage through this creative process. Earlier this summer, Authoring Action partnered with The Dwelling congregation to produce a live stage performance of original songs, visual art, and narratives through which members of Winston-Salem’s homeless community were able to tell their stories. Proud to be a part of the Authoring Action family, Byers feels deeply connected and fully
devoted to the organization’s work. “It truly gives people the tools to find their voice and be able to express themselves through it,” she said. “Yes, the golf tournament is for the Just Us program, but it’s also for leveraging the Winston Lake Golf Course and our city.”
An investment year for Authoring Action, Byers hopes that the golf tournament will establish itself as an annual event and that people will want to come out to and participate year after year. She’s determined to increase funds for Just Us, but also to continue shedding light on the systemic racism work towards a desegregated Winston-Salem. Additionally, she has a documentary in the works showcasing the success stories of those who have come through Authoring Action’s program and the promise the organization is already showing to change our world for the better.
Authoring Action’s inaugural golf tournament “Golf 4 Action!” is scheduled for Saturday, August 5 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sign-ups are available individually for $75 or by teams of four for $275. All proceeds will support Authoring Action’s program Just Us. To register please visit: https://authoringaction.networkforgood.com/events/56987-golf-4action. !
DALIA RAZO is a bilingual journalist, fine arts educator, and doctoral student at UNCG.
For additional information on Authoring Action, visit https://www.authoringaction.org/.
For additional information on Winston Lake Golf Course, visit https://www.winstonlakegolf.com/.
Just Gophers are taking a swing at a new album as real gophers take cover from groundskeepers and golfers during the Greater Greensboro Open (technically the Wyndham Championship) going down at Sedgefield Country Club August 3-6. With all the golf hoopla, Just Gophers makes a fitting band to highlight as the Pfa town rockers (and devout “Caddyshack” fans) gear up to release their upcoming EP “Elevate,” the first release under their new, non-murderous moniker. O ering a hard-driving rock-n-roll answer to the age-old question: “what happens when four drummers decide to start a rock band with influences ranging from metal and reggae, to punk rock and hair bands, combine that with a borderline obsession with the movie Caddyshack?”
The quartet of friends and movie bu s continue on the grounds they first laid as “Killing Gophers.”
“We all love the movie,” said vocalist and guitarist Mike Cobler, ”and the original band name came from our love for Bill Murray’s character, who is the groundskeeper trying to deal with the gopher tearing up the course.”
Employing film references and “invad-
ing Bushwood Country Club” for every show — be it the fairgrounds or fundraisers for their neighborhood pool — the quartet are more movie fans than sports dudes, though they did spend July 4 at Bowman Gray, performing as the pre-show for the Carolina Disco Turkeys game.
When it comes to the fairways, “we’ve played but none of us are serious golfers,” Cobler explained, though his love for high-energy rock is matched by the high energy of the cycling world. Having spent thirty-some years in the bike biz, “one of our highlights of the last year was playing the Gears & Guitars festival,” he
noted. “To play on the stage that Better Than Ezra played on the night before was pretty incredible.”
As Just Gophers these days, the group continues the momentum behind their high-energy songs and stage presence that earned them “Best Original Band” in both the 2022 and 2023 YES! Weekly reader poll along with individual members snagging top spots for their instruments two years in a row.
Cobler is joined by longtime buds: guitarist Mark McKernan, Kevin Beroth on bass, and Tim Bernthal on drums — the lineup might sound familiar for fans of the millennium-era group My Cousin Walt. “That was our previous band,” Cobler said. “We were originally alt countrypunk and morphed as personnel changed into more of a rock/rock alternative band. Kevin was on drums back then. When our longtime bass player Chris Myers moved away, we found Tim — who took over drums and Kevin switched to bass. Then Mark came along on lead guitar, and with all these changes we decided a name change was in order.”
The group first putted around as Killing Gophers — having engaged in a sort of rebrand to Just Gophers over the summer. “We don’t hate Gophers, we just love Caddyshack,” became a recurring intro. With that “out of the way,” they’re excited to rock.
“Sometimes you just know it’s time,” Cobler explained of the process. “Even though it was totally tongue in cheek — we all love animals — some people looked at the name funny, others were
too young to know Caddyshack.”
Rather than hosting a film school, “we began to question whether we should have killing in the band name,” Cobler continued. “Thanks to our exhaustive market research — we asked three people — we settled on Just Gophers.” As the Caddyshack quote goes: “You have to fall back on superior intelligence and superior firepower,” after all.
And for Just Gophers, that firepower comes from the punk undertones of their work and their passion for original music. “No laptops or backing tracks. We’re just four guys rocking out,” Cobler said, “and the new album is definitely more straightforward rock.”
O ering a sort of elevation in their sound, “Elevate,” is a six-song EP that tows a line somewhere between Rush and Foo Fighters. Though their punk underpinnings still ring on tracks like “She’s a Liar.” While the subject matter continues to follow the pensive self-awareness Cobler has long established in his writing. “A lot of the songs are introspective,” he explained. “I can be pretty hard on myself and I think folks can relate to that.” It’s a concept carried into their latest single, “The Problem.”
“At one time or another we all feel like we are the problem,” he said. “Part of the lyrics deal with my ADHD, which has been a lifelong issue for me.”
With a lyric video currently out on the Just Gopher ’s Youtube channel, the track was also selected for an upcoming segment for the WXII/CW Summer Concert Series. “Steve Jones and everyone from WXII made us feel really comfortable,” Cobler recalled of filming the session at the Reeves Theater in Elkin. “It was such a great experience. We can’t wait to see the finished product!”
Turning to the album, “we recorded everything at EMR Recorders in Winston,” Cobler explained, praising the work of engineer Doug Williams, with whom they also recorded their 2022 EP “Get. In. Line.”. “Doug does a great job truly representing what we sound like live, which we feel is pretty important.”
Getting to live shows themselves, Just Gophers will host the o cial “release extravaganza” to celebrate “Elevate,” with special guests, on the Lawn at ROAR in Winston-Salem on September 30. !
Four SaintS BrEwing
218 South Fayetteville St. | 336.610.3722
www.foursaintsbrewing.com
thursdays: taproom trivia
Fridays: Music Bingo
aug 12: Lg Hoover
aug 19: william nesmith
Sep 2: 80s unplugged
Cat’S CradLE
300 E Main St | 919.967.9053
www.catscradle.com
aug 2: late night drive home
aug 3: nikki Lane
aug 4: Pipe
aug 5: alexa rose
aug 6: Shakey graves
aug 7: tessa Violet
aug 10: alesana
aug 11: rod abernethy, rebekah
todd
aug 12: Caique Vidal + tambien
aug 13: the Clientele
aug 15: the Baseball Project
aug 16: Molly Parden
aug 17: Hotel Fiction, trash Panda
aug 17: the Beths
aug 18: arcy drive
aug 18: Steep Canyon rangers
aug 19: ruen Brothers
aug 19: Slow teeth & Friends
aug 20: Jill andrews
aug 22: the anchor
aug 23: with Love
aug 23: aJJ
aug 25: Briscoe
aug 25: Ben nichols
aug 26: Little image
aug 30: the thing
Sep 2: taylor Swift Laser dance Party
Sep 3: Jaguar Sun
Sep 8: Colony House
Sep 8: Hannah Jadagu
Sep 9: the Milk Carton Kids
Sep 10: djunah
Sep 12: Chris Farren
Sep 12: glaive
Sep 13: Beth orton
Sep 14: richy Mitch & the Coal Miners
Sep 14: deerhoof
Sep 15-16: Hiss golden Messenger
Sep 16: the Connells w/ dillon Fence and Surrender Human
Sep 16: tom the Mail Man
Sep 17: igorrr
Sep 17: Joshua radin
Sep 17: the astronomers
Sep 18: ondara
Sep 20: islands
Sep 20: Joy oladokun
BoJangLES CoLiSEuM
2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600
www.boplex.com
aug 5: indian idol
aug 11: Phil wickham & Brandon Lake
aug 12: Marca MP
aug 20: Matute
aug 27: Bronco
Sep 2: intocable Evolucion 2023
Sep 8: ivan Cornejo
Sep 19: Becky g
Sep 22: raphael Saadiq
tHE FiLLMorE
1000 NC Music Factory Blvd | 704.916.8970
www.livenation.com
aug 5: Kari Faux
aug 10: Parliament Funkadelic ft. george Clinton
aug 11: toosii
aug 12: death grips
aug 13: ruger
aug 15: Baylen Levine
aug 17: tom Keifer
aug 18: ocean alley
aug 22: JVKE
aug 26: Becky robinson
aug 27: Clutch
Sep 1: Pour Minds
Sep 5: danna Paola
Sep 6: Coheed and Cambria
Sep 6: ayra Starr
Sep 7: Chloe
Sep 7: Soulja Boy
Sep 9: thursday
Sep 10: delain
Sep 10: Bishop Briggs & Misterwives
Sep 13: weyes Blood
Sep 13: iann dior
Sep 15: the wonder Years
Sep 15: durand Bernarr
Sep 16: noah Cyrus
Sep 17: Boys Like girls
Sep 18: Victoria Monet
Sep 19: owl City
Sep 20: ohgeesy
Sep 21: Hatebreed
Sep 22: Joy oladokun
Sep 23: Cannibal Corpse and Mayhem
707 Pavilion Blvd | 704.549.1292
www.livenation.com
aug 6: Bret Michaels
aug 8: Snoop dogg, wiz Khalifa & too Short
aug 9: Foreigner & Loverboy
aug 10: Jason aldean, Mitchell tenpenny, Corey Kent & dee Jay Silver
aug 11: gov’t Mule
aug 12: rufus du Sol
aug 13: Pentatonix & Lauren alaina
aug 16: 50 Cent, Busta rhymes & Jeremih
aug 18: the offspring, Simple Plan & Sum 41
aug 22: Smashing Pumpkins, interpol & rival Sons
Sep 1: Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ top, & uncle Kracker
Sep 6: tenacious d
Sep 9: outlaw Music Fesitval: willie nelson & Family, tedeschi trucks Band, String Cheese incident & Los Lobos
Sep 12: nickelback, Brantley gilbert & Josh ross
Sep 14: odesza, Bob Moses, toKiMonSta, Qrtr & olan
Sep 17: trippie redd
Sep 19: avenged Sevenfold & Falling in reverse
Sep 23-24: Eric Church & whiskey Myers
333 E Trade St | 704.688.9000
www.spectrumcentercharlotte.com
aug 6: Moneybagg Yo
aug 29: guns n’ roses
Sep 5: $uicideboy$
Sep 9: LL CooL J
Sep 12: Lil Baby
Sep 15: Bert Kreischer
ViLLagE SQuarE
taP HouSE
6000 Meadowbrook Mall Ct |
336.448.5330
www.facebook.com/vstaphouse
aug 3: Jarrett raymond
aug 4: Bad romeo
aug 5: Zack Brock & the good intentions
aug 10: tatum Sheets
Aug 11: Throwdown Jones
Aug 17: Anna Mertson
durham
CArolinA ThEATrE
309 W Morgan St | 919.560.3030
www.carolinatheatre.org
Sep 5: The Tallest Man on Earth
Sep 7: The Mavericks
Sep 15: Stayin’ Alive: one night of the Bee Gees
Sep 20: Corinne Bailey rae
Sep 21: leela James
Sep 22: Chris Botti
Sep 26: The War and Treaty
Sep 28: TEGAn AnD SArA
Sep 29: Jake Shimabukuro
DPAC
123 Vivian St | 919.680.2787
www.dpacnc.com
Aug 4: The rocket Man Show
Aug 5: Johnny Mathis
Aug 9: lyle lovett and his large Band
Aug 14: Glen hansard and Marketa irglova
Aug 15: Brit Floyd
Aug 17-18: leanne Morgan
Aug 19: Arrival From Sweden
Aug 23-Sep 17: WiCKED
Sep 19: Squeeze and the Psychedelic Furs
Sep 20: Ben Folds
Sep 21: nick Cave
Sep 22: Jo Koy
Sep 28: Chicago
Sep 29: Patti laBelle
Sep 30: nimesh Patel
ELKIN
rEEvES ThEATEr
129 W Main St | 336.258.8240
www.reevestheater.com
Wednesdays: reeves open Mic
Fourth Thursdays: old-Time Jam
Aug 4: Cristina vane
Aug 5: The Waybacks
Aug 11: Clay Melton
Aug 12: Blue Dogs
Aug 19: Abigail Dowd and Bill West
Sep 8: liam Purcell and Cane Mill
road
Sep 9: Mary Gauthier
Sep 22: John Fullbright
BArn DinnEr ThEATrE
120 Stage Coach Tr. | 336.292.2211
www.barndinner.com
Jul 29- Sep 9: Peace like a river
Sep 22-nov 4: Ain’t Misbehavin
CArolinA ThEATrE
310 S. Greene Street | 336.333.2605
www.carolinatheatre.com
Aug 6: BAZooKA!
Aug 10: Mary Chapin Carpenter
Aug 19: Elijah rosario
Sep 6: Songs of hope and Justice
Sep 8: nC Comedy Fest
CoMEDY ZonE
1126 S Holden Rd | 336.333.1034
www.thecomedyzone.com
Aug 4-5: T Murph
Aug 8: Kevin James Thornton
Aug 11-12: Jess hilarious
Aug 18-20: Gary owen
Aug 25-26: Dyon “Mojo” Brooks
Aug 27: The Magic of Eric Eaton
Sep 8-10: Jason Banks
Sep 15-16: Affion Crockett
Sep 19: Craig Conant
Sep 22-24: Adele Givens
CoMMon GrounDS
602 S Elm Ave | 336.698.388
www.facebook.com/CommonGroundsGreensboro
ConE DEniM
117 S Elm St | 336.378.9646
www.cdecgreensboro.com
AUG 2: Abe Partridge + David Childers
AUG 3: Dark Moon Hollow
AUG 12: John Howie Jr. & The Rosewood Bluff w/ The Waymores
AUG
GARAGE TAVERN
5211 A West Market St | 336.763.2020
www.facebook.com/GarageTavernGreensboro
Aug 4: Bandemic
Aug 5: The Toyz Band
Aug 11: Southside Saints
Aug 12: Radio Revolver
Aug 18: Huckleberry Shyne
Aug 25: The Billy Creason Band
GREENSBORO COLISEUM
1921 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400
www.greensborocoliseum.com
Aug 19: Gerardo Ortiz + El Yaki
Sep 1: Peso Pluma
Sep 2: NC Late Night Music Fest
Sep 3: RBD: Soy Rebelde Tour
Sep 15: Koe Wetzel
Sep 22-24: Cowboy Days
1819 Spring Garden St | 336.579.6480
www.hangar1819.com
Aug 5: Arrows In Action
Aug 12: Bear With me
Aug 17: A Light Divided
Aug 19: The Breakfast Club
Aug 22: Distant & Left To Su er
Aug 23: Shallow Side & Any Given Sin
Aug 26: The Word Alive w/ Dark Divine, Nerv
Aug 31: Cro-mags
Sep 1: Spitalfield
Sep 3: Seven Kingdoms w/ A Sound of Thunder, Osyron
Sep 7: Overtime + Crucifix ft. Sean P, GR1M, Big Murph
Sep 9: Should’ve Been a Cowboy: Country Dance Party
Sep 11: Weedeater w/ King Parrot, Ape Vermin
Sep 12: Galactic Empire w/ Hanabie
Sep 16: holyroller w/ Lie Heavy, Cosmic Reaper, Good Good Grief
Sep 17: Red w/ Saul
Sep 19: Wargasm UK
Sep 20: Flotsam & Jetsam w/ Generation Kill, Misfire, Wolftooth
Sep 22: Shaggy 2 Dope w/ Lardi B, DJ
Clay
Sep 24: Paleface Swiss w/ Eneterprise Earth, VCTMS, Crown Magnetar
Sep 30: Invent Animate w/ Void Of Vision, Thrown, Aviana
BREWING
348 South Elm St | 336.510.9678
www.facebook.com/littlebrotherbrew
Wednesdays: Trivia
Fridays & Saturdays: Free Live Music
2411 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400
www.greensborocoliseum.com
Aug 24: Chris Young w/ Thompson Square
Sep 8: Green Queen Bingo
RODY’S TAVERN
5105 Michaux Rd | 336.282.0950
www.facebook.com/rodystavern
STEVEN TANGER CENTER
300 N Elm Street | 336.333.6500
www.tangercenter.com
Aug 4: Riders in the Sky
Aug 5: Fortune Feimster
Aug 12: Brit Foyd
Aug 18: Arrival from Sweden
Sep 16: Daniel Tosh
Sep 19-24: CHICAGO the Musical
Sep 29-30: Golden Girls: The Laughs
THE IDIOT BOX
COMEDY CLUB
503 N. Greene St | 336.274.2699
www.idiotboxers.com
Thursdays: Open Mic
Aug 18: Ali Clayton
WHITE OAK
AMPITHEATRE
1921 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400
www.greensborocoliseum.com
Sep 7: The Doobie Brothers
WINESTYLES
3326 W Friendly Ave Suite 141 | 336.299.4505
www.facebook.com/winestylesgreensboro277
HIGH POINT
1614 DMB
1614 N Main St | 336.883.4113
https://www.1614drinksmusicbilliards.com/
Aug 5: Deadbeat Barbie
Aug 12: The Hurt Line w/ Parallel Lives
Aug 26: Novas Fade w/ Copper Wine
Sep 3: Taylor Swift Laser Dance Party
GOOFY FOOT TAPROOM
2762 NC-68 #109 | 336.307.2567
www.goofyfoottaproom.com
HIGH POINT THEATRE
220 E Commerce Ave | 336.883.3401
www.highpointtheatre.com
Sep 3: Napoleon Dynamite: Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, & Jon Gries
Sep 23: The Players
Sep 28: Manhattan Short Film Festival
Sep 30: Unwind Music Festival
PLANK STREET TAVERN
138 Church Ave | 336.991.5016
www.facebook.com/plankstreettavern
SWEET OLD BILL’S
1232 N Main St | 336.807.1476
www.sweetoldbills.com
JAMESTOWN
THE DECK
118 E Main St | 336.207.1999
Aug 3: Kelsey Hurley
Aug 4: Retro VInyl
Aug 5: Brother Pearl
Aug 10: Ethan Smith
Aug 11: Unhinged
Aug 12: Stereo Doll
Aug 17: Bradley Steele
Aug 18: Stephen Legree
Aug 19: Muddy Creek Revival
Aug 24: Dan Miller
Aug 25: The Plaids
Aug 26: Radio Revolver
Sep 2: Brother Pearl
Sep 7: Kelsey Hurley
Sep 8: 7 Roads
Sep 9: Stone Parker Band
Sep 15: TOYZ
Sep 16: South Bound 49
Sep 22: Carolina Ambush
Sep 23: Radio Revolver
Sep 29: Big City
Sep 30: Megan Doss and Jon Montgomery
BREATHE COCKTAil lOungE
221 N Main St. | 336.497.4822
www.facebook.com/BreatheCocktail-
Lounge
Wednesdays: Karaoke
Aug 18: Stereo Doll
Sep 23: Wild Wild Burlesk
KERnERSvillE
BREWing COMPAnY
221 N Main St. | 336.816.7283
www.facebook.com/kernersvillebrewing
Thursdays: Trivia
THE liBERTY SHOWCASE THEATER
101 S. Fayetteville St | 336.622.3844
www.TheLibertyShowcase.com
Aug 5: Deana Carter
Aug 12: T.g. Sheppard
Aug 18-19: gene Watson
Aug 26: The isaacs
Oak ridge
BiSTRO 150
2205 Oak Ridge Rd | 336.643.6359
www.bistro150.com
Aug 5: Elena M
Aug 12: Barefoot Modern Acoustic
Aug 19: limited Engagement
Aug 26: Jordan & Madisen
raleigh
CCu MuSiC PARK
AT WAlnuT CREEK
3801 Rock Quarry Rd | 919.821.4111
www.livenation.com
Aug 4: Eric Church
Aug 5: Slightly Stoopid and Subline with Rome wsg Atmosphere, The Movement
PnC AREnA
1400 Edwards Mill Rd | 919.861.2300
www.thepncarena.com
Aug 27: Pepe Aquilar
KAMiKAZE’S TAvERn
5701 Randleman Rd | 336.908.6144
www.facebook.com/kamikazestavern
Karaoke Every Tuesday & Thursday
winstOn-salem
EARl’S
121 West 9th Street | 336.448.0018
www.earlsws.com
Mondays: Open Mic
Thursdays: Will Jones
FiDDlin’ FiSH
BREWing COMPAnY
772 Trade St | 336.999.8945
www.fiddlinfish.com
Tuesdays: Trivia
Jul 28: Relay Relay
FOOTHillS BREWing
638 W 4th St | 336.777.3348
www.foothillsbrewing.com
Sundays: Sunday Jazz
Thursdays: Trivia
MiDWAY MuSiC HAll
11141 Old US Hwy 52, Suite 10 | 336.793.4218
www.facebook.com/midwaymusichallandeventcenter
Mondays: line Dancing
MuDDY CREEK CAFE & MuSiC HAll
137 West St | 336.201.5182
www.facebook.com/MuddyCreekCafe
THE RAMKAT
170 W 9th St | 336.754.9714
Aug 9: The Shootouts
Aug 11: The Collection, AJ Smith
Aug 17: The Watson Twins, Couldn’t Be Happiers
Aug 18: Ace Frehley
Aug 20: The Heavy Heavy, Joelton Mayfield
ROAR
633 North Liberty Street | 336-917-3008
www.roarws.com | www.roarbrandstheater. com
WiSE MAn BREWing
826 Angelo Bros Ave | 336.725.0008
www.wisemanbrewing.com
Thursdays: Music Bingo
NAME: Zack Taylor
BAR: Neighbors! (Greensboro)
AGE: 31
WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
Florida, but I mostly grew up in North Carolina.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BARTENDING?
About three years and some change.
HOW DID YOU BECOME A BARTENDER?
I started o as a barista about 10 years ago, went on to work in restaurants where I learned more about craft beer and cocktails. My manager at Hops really wanted me to move up to bartending, so she took the time to train me during the peak of COVID and showed me all sorts of drinks. I then slowly became a full-time bartender, and the rest is history.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT BARTENDING?
I love the people watching, love getting to know regulars and learning more about cocktails and the drinks that they love, getting to have fun with my coworkers. A great deal of my friends I’ve met through bartending/going out to bars.
WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF BARTENDING?
Working late hours, keeping your sleep schedule intact, maintaining social interactions when you’re not feeling so social, and keeping up with high demand volume. Shout outs to any bartender that stays humble while “in the weeds,” because that is a challenge itself.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO MAKE?
A Daiquiri or a Margarita.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO DRINK?
A Margarita
WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AS AN AFTER-DINNER DRINK?
A shot of Amaro and a Miller High Life.
WHAT’S THE STRANGEST DRINK REQUEST YOU’VE HAD?
Had a old man order a White Russian without Kahlua. Dude just wanted vodka and milk.
WHAT’S THE CRAZIEST THING YOU’VE SEEN WHILE BARTENDING?
Not while bartending, but when I was a barista, I saw somebody get shot on accident. This also happened in a Florida mall. Some lady was waiting in line and had her friend hold her purse. Her friend accidentally dropped her purse and she had a loaded gun inside. The gun went o and shot her in the back of the leg, and this poor woman is on the ground screaming while her friend runs away. But that’s not the worst part, some teenage girl steps over this wounded woman and asked me if she could still get a Frappuccino, like girl, this is a medical emergency, NO!
WHAT’S THE WEIRDEST THING YOU’VE FOUND IN A BAR BATHROOM?
So there’s this bar back in Pinellas County [Florida] called Mahu ers and the stalls in the men’s bathroom are separated by a dumpster lid that’s hung by a bungee cord. The stalls in the woman’s bathroom are separated by a shower curtain.
WHAT’S THE BEST/BIGGEST TIP YOU’VE EVER GOTTEN?
Somebody recently tipped me $200 on $120, and that was pretty rad. I’ve had regulars bring me gifts for Christmas or my birthday. One of the coolest gifts I got were these band shirts. Somebody gave me two Jesus Lizard t-shirts and a Shellac t-shirt because they knew I had a thing for noise rock.
[
Week of August 7, 2023
[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Aspects favor new romances for unpaired Ewes and Rams. Already-paired Arian twosomes experience renewed harmony in their relationships. Money matters also take a bright turn.
[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Use that strong Bovine determination to help you keep the faith with your convictions while you move through a period of uncertainty. Things begin to ease by the week’s end.
[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Pay attention to your intuition. It could be alerting you to be more careful about accepting a “statement of fact” simply on trust. Don’t be shy about asking for more proof.
[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Concern for the well-being of someone in need is admirable, but don’t forget to take care of yourself as well. Ask a family member, close friend or colleague to help you.
[LEO (July 23 to August 22) It’s OK to focus on the demands of your career, but try to avoid misunderstandings by also reaching out to family and friends. Your sharp intuitive sense kicks in by midweek.
[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Keep a rein on that green-eyed monster. Jealousy is counterproductive. Instead of resenting a colleague’s good points, concentrate on developing your own abilities.
[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Spending time on a creative project during this high-energy week can pay
o both in emotional satisfaction and in impressing someone who is glad to see this side of you.
[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Now is a good time to start planning that trip you’ve put o because of the demands on your time. Be sure to choose a destination that is new and exciting.
[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) That upbeat mood in the first part of the week makes you eager to take on new ventures. A more serious note sets in later to help you assess an upcoming decision.
[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) A high energy level gives the Goat the get-up-and-go to finish outstanding tasks before deadline, leaving time for well-earned fun and games with friends and family.
[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Dealing with disappointment is never easy, but the wise Aquarian will use it as a vital lesson and be the better for it. On another note, a close friend has something important to say.
[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Your best bet is not to get involved in an argument between colleagues until you know more about who started it and why. Even then, appearances could be deceiving. Be alert.
[BORN THIS WEEK: You have creative gifts that inspire those who get to see this sometimes hidden side of you.
© 2023 by King Features Syndicate
crossword on page 10
sudoku on page 10
by Fifi Rodriguez[1. GEOGRAPHY: Which European city is home to the Prado Museum?
[2. MOVIES: What is Forrest’s hometown in the movie Forrest Gump?
[3. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What is the only vowel that isn’t on the top row of letters on a keyboard?
[4. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What breed of dog is the TV star Lassie?
[5. CHEMISTRY: What is a common name for nitrous oxide?
[6. MUSIC: Which musical instrument does the singer Lizzo play?
[7. LITERATURE: What is a bildungsroman?
[8. U.S. STATES: Which two states share the most borders with other states?
[9. TELEVISION: What decade is represented in the TV sitcom “The Goldbergs”?
[10. FOOD & DRINK: In which century was co ee introduced to Europe?
10. 16th.
9. The 1980s.
8. Tennessee and Missouri, with eight bordering states each.
7. Novel that focuses on the moral and psychological growth of a protagonist from childhood to adult.
© 2023 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
6. Flute.
5. Laughing gas.
4. Rough Collie.
3. A.
2. Greenbow, Alabama.
1. Madrid, Spain.
With over 100 vibrant arts organizations across Guilford County, there is always something creative to do. Date night or family fun, there is something for everyone. Bookmark the ACGG community arts calendar and start planning your art-filled excursion.
