YES! Weekly - April 15, 2020

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April 15-21, 2020 YES! WEEKLY

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APRIL 15-21, 2020 VOLUME 16, NUMBER 16

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APRIL 15-21, 2020

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

FINN PHOENIX FINN PHOENIX was going to use this spring to break more into the mainstream Greensboro music scene; however, COVID-19 had other plans. Just like every other concert, music festival and open mic night—all five of his gigs for April were canceled after Gov. Roy Cooper issued a statewide stay-at-home order. But canceled gigs never stopped anyone with a love of music and passion for performing. Finn and his sister, Shay, are taking the virtual stage in a series of Facebook livestreams to help raise money for other children in the community.

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Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com EDITORIAL Editor KATIE MURAWSKI katie@yesweekly.com Contributors IAN MCDOWELL KATEI CRANFORD JOHN BATCHELOR MARK BURGER TERRY RADER JIM LONGWORTH

PRODUCTION Graphic Designers ALEX FARMER designer@yesweekly.com AUSTIN KINDLEY artdirector@yesweekly.com

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Artist and piano teacher ROBIN GONZALES of Winston-Salem is no stranger to social distancing and working from home. She said she had to make similar changes over three years ago, before she ever got the chance to do more with her art. Her art remains a hobby since she became a full-time caregiver and assistant to her husband, Alfonso, who had to stop working in 2011 when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

5 In these weekly columns, I am providing personal endorsements for various local restaurants, open these days for TAKEOUT ORDERS. I am recommending places that I have patronized in the past and/or recommended in full reviews. I’ll also convey good ideas I’ve heard about regarding adaptations to restricted conditions.

6 To this day, Marcel Marceau (19232007) is regarded as the greatest mime ever. He may well be the only performer to have attained superstar status in that realm of performance art. Yet before reaching fame on an international scale, he distinguished himself as a hero in the

French Resistance during the Second World War. It’s that aspect of Marceau’s life that is dramatized in RESISTANCE...

7 Livestreams reign supreme as entertainment needs take on new meanings.

Social distancing has brought solo acts to centerstage. But from drag shows to trivia, art lessons to movie parties, the TRIAD LIVESTREAM LANDSCAPE boasts an array of entertainment flavors to love.

14 Greensboro City Council at-large representative MICHELLE KENNEDY is frustrated with Guilford County’s reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in regards to the homeless community she serves as director of the Interactive Resource Center.

15 Veteran Civil Rights attorney FLINT TAYLOR will talk about the Marcus Smith case and the Greensboro Police on the nationally-syndicated radio program “Law and Disorder” at 9 a.m. on Monday morning. “Law and Disorder” is a production of WBAI, a non-commercial listener-supported radio station licensed to New York City.

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DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT KYLE MUNRO CARL PEGRAM SHANE MERRIMAN JESSE GUERRA 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 2020 Womack Newspapers, Inc.

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voices Jim Longworth trying out for the Harlem Globetrotters. Photo courtesy of www. jimlongworth.com

R.I.P. Curly and Carl

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udley High School and Wake Forest University each lost a good friend recently, and their loss was felt throughout the Triad, and far beyond.

Jim Longworth Harlem GlobetrotLongworth ter legend Freddie at Large “Curly” Neal passed away on March 26, at the age of 77, and legendary basketball coach Carl Tacy lost his battle with leukemia on April 2. He was 87. Personality-wise, the two men couldn’t have been more different. Curly was a showman on the court. He revolutionized the art of dribbling and always had a smile on his face while he was baffling his clueless opponents. Carl, meanwhile, was quiet and rarely had a smile on his face, even when he was beating Carolina for the millionth time.

Carl Tacy was born in Huttonsville, West Virginia, and played basketball for Elkin and Davis College. The first 10 years of his coaching career was spent on the high school and junior college level, but then he broke into the Division I ranks in a big way, leading Marshall University to a 23-4 record, and an NCAA bid in his first year as head coach. But Tacy is best known for his thirteen seasons at Wake Forest, where he led the Demon Deacons to three NCAA appearances, two NIT bids, four “Big 4” championships, and a 222-149 record.

I first met Carl when he and his wife Donnie were in attendance at a Wake basketball game. I introduced myself and said, “Coach, the thing I’ll always remember about your career at Wake Forest is that you were the only man who could consistently beat Dean Smith’s Four Corners offense. How did you do it?” Tacy answered by relating a story to me. “One time right before a game, this young man came up to me and wanted to know how I always WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

beat Dean’s Four Corners,” Carl said. “Well, what did you tell him,” I asked. “Nothing,” Carl said. “He was from Carolina.” It was the only time I ever saw Tacy smile. Some weeks later, I called him to see if he would appear on my Triad Today show, but he declined the offer. He didn’t want to be in the spotlight. That was Carl Tacy in a nutshell.

Curly Neal was born in Greensboro and was a stand-out on the Dudley High School basketball team. After graduating, he took his considerable talents to Johnson C. Smith, where he averaged 23 points per game. The Harlem Globetrotters came calling soon afterward, and Curly (an ironic nickname for a man with a shaved head) spent the next 22 years entertaining millions of fans throughout the world.

He retired from the Trotters in 1985 after having played in over 6,000 games in 97 countries (USA Today). In addition to his induction into the Johnson C. Smith Hall of Fame, Curly was also inducted into the NBA Hall and had his jersey number retired by the Globetrotters.

I met Curly in 1976 when I was working at WFMY-TV. Neal, Meadowlark Lemon, and the gang had come to Greensboro for another of their lop-sided matches against the hapless Washington Generals. Prior to the game, I filmed a NewsReel 2 comedy feature in which Curly let me try-out for the Globetrotters. Needless to say, the audition didn’t go well. My ball handling was so inferior that, at the end of the segment, Curly and his teammates walked away on cue and left me standing alone on the Coliseum floor. It was one of those moments you never forget, and never want to.

Basketball fans will remember Carl Tacy and Curly Neal for their respective contributions to the world of sports. I, on the other hand, will remember the former for flashing a rare grin in my direction, and the latter for keeping me from being the first white Globetrotter. !

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

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No stranger to social distancing Winston-Salem artist, piano instructor moves online

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any Triad artists are being forced to switch gears and find new ways to survive during this unprecedented health crisis and economic Terry Rader downturn that has left many people out of work.

Contributor Artist and piano teacher Robin Gonzales of WinstonSalem is no stranger to social distancing and working from home. She said she had to make similar changes over three years ago before she ever got the chance to do more with her art. Her art remains a hobby since she became a full-time caregiver and assistant to her husband, Alfonso, who had to stop working in 2011 when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

In 2017, Gonzales said they chose to move from their rented Ardmore neighborhood home to purchase a townhome nearby and go “car-less.” So, the couple sold their car and began having groceries, prescriptions and supplies delivered.

Today’s mandated lifestyle of staying at home is one that Gonzales has already grown accustomed to, and she compassionately encourages others to adapt to these changes.

Gonzales said she had enjoyed acrylic painting in her former home’s basement studio, but now she has a small area of the dining room table set up with art supplies. Gonzales said she mostly makes digital art and relies on a higher power to guide her in her art endeavors. She said she gets a lot of positive feedback on her “spiritual” art designs.

Teaching piano part-time has been her mainstay for over 30 years, from music stores to her home to Freedom’s Eloquence by Robin Gonzales recently having to take her piano/keyboard lessons native had switched careers as a resident online. Gonzales said she had stopped her arranger at MGM Studios and moved to in-person lessons ahead of the schools North Carolina. He inspired her to keep closing, as she felt it was the responsible writing music, and today, she has an unthing to do for the safety of her students, published collection of seven instrumenand especially for her husband. She is tal songs. Gonzales said Arnaud taught thankful to have had one student— a her a lot of unique and interesting ways to traveling nurse who moved to Portland, approach harmonies and melodies that Oregon, a year ago—stick with her for she now passes down to her students. online lessons. This has given her a year Gonzales said the love of music runs in of virtual teaching experience for the rest her family because her grandfather was of her students continuing their weekly the president of the Charleston Music lessons online.

Union. While living in West Virginia, she Gonzales studied with Sir Leo Arnaud, had the opportunity to sing and play a French-American composer known for for fun at local restaurants and private “Bugler’s Dream,” written for the Olymengagements, doing rock ’n’ roll Top 40 pics. Gonzales went to Arnaud’s home in covers, country and some jazz. GonzaHamptonville for lessons after the Paris

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APRIL 15-21, 2020

les also traveled to play professionally contracted jobs with various musical ensembles in West Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina. She shares this experience with her students so that they get real-life information on top of classical training, music theory, and how to play-by-ear.

Gonzales said she teaches ages 5 and up and that most of her students are adults. Gonzales will continue to only teach one-on-one so that she can focus on the student, and tailor each lesson to their unique learning styles. Once they have the basics down, Gonzales said she would teach them what they want to play.

Gonzales said she had to turn down an offer of representation from a popular gallery in Chelsea, New York, due to limited transportation and shipping expenses. She took her art domain and website down this month before she ever got to sell any of her art. She has created quite a following in virtual galleries where she has learned a lot from other digital artists.

Gonzales said she had been featured in Fine Art America and had received positive feedback from collectors in London, Paris, Los Angeles and New York. Her opportunity for art will come one day again, but for now, Gonzales really enjoys just sharing her art on Facebook to inspire others.

“This is the time for artists and musicians to shine and encourage others as they have blessed me,” Gonzales said.

“These gifts we have been given are meant for sharing! At first, I was distracted by the fear of the pandemic, but now, I am starting to channel those feelings into finding a bright spot to release and express what is going on in bold, colorful designs to inspire others. For those who are struggling, I would tell them to look to God and have faith. I believe he will supply all of our needs. This is a time to reflect on what’s most important.” !

TERRY RADER is a freelance writer/editorial/content/ copy, creative consultant/branding strategist, communications outreach messenger, poet and emerging singer/songwriter.

WANNA

see?

Check out Robin Gonzales’s art on her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/brightcolorfulart/.

Gonzales is offering virtual piano/keyboard lessons online at, www.pianokeyboardlessons123. com/.

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EAT IT!

John Batchelor’s recommendations for takeout: Part III

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BY JOHN BATCHELOR

n these weekly columns, I am providing personal endorsements for various local restaurants, open these days for takeout orders. I am recommending places that I have patronized in the past and/or recommended in full reviews.

I’ll also convey good ideas I’ve heard about regarding adaptations to restricted conditions. Case in point: Dee Bartlett, who lives nearby, is organizing restaurant nights.

She sends an email to the neighborhood early in the week. Everybody who wants to participate calls in their order directly to the restaurant. The delivery goes to her house, where neighbors pick it up, observing appropriate distancing, of course. Good socializing for the neighborhood, good business for the restaurant.

If your neighborhood wants to organize something like this, I would urge you to let the restaurant know several days in advance, so they can accommodate a larger than usual order.

Following the tradition I established last week, let’s start this week’s list with desserts. Cakes and pastries at Maxie B’s (maxieb.com, 2403 #7 Battleground Ave., 336-288-9811) are prepared Southern style; they use free range eggs and real vanilla.

Online ordering is available Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., and Sunday 1-8 p.m., with pickup available in 20-30 minutes unless you want something customized with an inscription, which requires notice by 2 p.m. Custom orders have to be placed by Friday if you want to pick up on Saturday or Sunday. Contactless curbside pickup is in place.

Cakes can be ordered whole, half, or by the slice. I would be especially lured

by Caramel, Caramel Pecan, Oreo Butter Cream, Chocolate Pound Cake, Apple with Caramel, Lemon, German Chocolate, Banana Pudding Cake, and the classic, Red Velvet. Or get an assortment of cupcakes.

Or pie! Espresso and other coffees make the perfect accompaniment.

Beyond dessert, quiche, salads, homemade guacamole and hummus, as well as pantry items (eggs, butter, milk, cream, coffee, and berries, for example) are available, too. And if your dog needs a special treat, they also have homemade “Pupcakes.”

For our main meal this week, we’re having Italian. Although there’s a lot more to Italian food than pastas, I would advise that pasta dishes travel well, and they are usually good as leftovers, often better than their first night.

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Café Pasta and Grille (cafepasta.com, 305 State St., 336-272-1308) has extended their hours, adding Sunday and Monday to the schedule. Go to their Facebook page and “like” for frequent updates and specials, as well as a bit of entertainment.

Wines are being discounted.

I am especially fond of their homemade Italian Sausage, available as a starter or in pasta as an entrée (Salsicca). Another starter, Spinach and Artichoke Dip works well on takeout.

Pasta favorites include Lasagna, Spaghetti Bolognese, and Mushroom Ravioli in tomato cream sauce. I also like South Beach- scallops, artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers in Parmesan cream sauce over angel hair pasta- but it is best when consumed promptly.

Much of this menu goes beyond pastas.

The menu Almond Crusted Salmon comes with mixed vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes. I customize it, substituting sautéed fresh spinach with garlic and feta cheese for the potatoes. Chicken Parmigiana and Chicken Marsala are winners, too.

Large portion family meals have been added for these circumstances. See the Facebook post for the week’s offerings.

Mom’s Cheesecake, made by owner Ray Essa’s mother, is my favorite version.

Osteria (osteriagso.com, 1310 Westover Terr., #101-A, 336-275-2550) posts the full menu on the website, all available for takeout, with occasional updates or specials on Facebook (osteriagso). For economical dining, choose one of the pasta dishes. They make fresh pasta in house. My favorites include Maltagliati- wide pasta strips coated with pork ragu and porcini mushrooms; Strozzapreti- rolled and cut strips blended with a rich sauce of ground beef, pork, and cream; and Pappardelle Salmon- wide, flat noodles scattered with strips of salmon, spinach, portabella mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes, tossed in olive oil with a little garlic. (The salmon is best when consumed promptly.)

If, on the other hand, you are seeking fine dining at home, Osteria gets one of my top recommendations. Chicken Francesebreast meat enhanced by a green pepper cream sauce, intertwined with asparagus and spinach- is another good takeout choice, as is Osso Bucco- a meaty veal shank, braised in red wine, served with gnocchi- potato dumplings- and small dice vegetables, cooked in with the broth. This kitchen is exceptionally strong on seafoods. Two examples: Halibut is panseared, joined by zucchini and tomatoes over crab meat risotto; Bronzino is poached

be placed starting at 3 p.m. Daily specials are being added to the takeout menu, available online.

For starters, I’ve been a fan of their Gnocchi (potato dumplings), Sauteed Calamari, and Pasta Fagiol soup for a long time. The adapted takeout menu focuses on Pasta entrees- Baked Ziti, Eggplant Parmigiana, Fettucine Alfredo (with chicken, shrimp, or plain), Linguine with Clam Sauce, Shrimp Scampi, and of course, Spaghetti and Meatballs, for example. House salad and bread are included.

Have Cannoli or Chocolate Spoon Cake for dessert.

Wines are discounted 30 percent, or put together a six pack of beer for $10! !

in a light tomato-garlic sauce with clams and shrimp.

Pastabilities (pastabilitiesgreensboro. com, 1726 Battleground Ave., 336-2727823) is operating with adjusted hours: Monday-Thursday 11:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m., Friday 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday, 3:30-9 p.m. Delivery can be arranged in addition to takeout.

Lasagna and Manicotti (both made with cheese and marinara sauce) are considered specialties. Chicken Carbonara and Rainbow Chicken (with tri-colored fusilli), Traditional meatballs with spicy tomato cream sauce and onions, as well as The Four Aces (with Andouille and Italian sausages) are good examples of pasta selections. A more casual section of the menu provides sandwiches, burgers, and salads. Also give serious consideration to Chicken or Eggplant or Veal Parmesan.

Don’t skip dessert here. Owner Cindy Essa’s mother makes the cakes. They are worth a special trip in themselves!

Salvino (salvinorestaurant.com, 2917-D Battleground Ave., 336-540-8663) is open Wednesday-Saturday, 5-7 p.m. Orders can

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.

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Marcel Marceau war drama misfires despite good intentions

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o this day, Marcel Marceau (19232007) is regarded as the greatest mime ever. He may well be the only performer to have attained superstar status Mark Burger in that realm of performance art. Yet Contributor before reaching fame on an international scale, he distinguished himself as a hero in the French Resistance during the Second World War. It’s that aspect of Marceau’s life that is dramatized in Resistance, the fact-based wartime saga written, produced, and directed by Jonathan Jakubowicz. Jesse Eisenberg plays the young Marcel Mangel, an aspiring performer inexorably drawn into World War II as Nazi Germany steamrolls across Europe.

When a group of Jewish orphans arrive in France, his antics charm and delight the traumatized children, as well as

YES! WEEKLY

APRIL 15-21, 2020

Emma (Clemence Poesy), a neighbor and fellow member of the Resistance who, not surprisingly, becomes his love interest.

Naturally, the actions of the Resistance do not sit well with the occupying Nazis, particularly an ambitious young lieutenant named Klaus Barbie (Matthias Schweighofer, also a producer), who is relentless in his pursuit.

Viewing himself as a man of culture, Barbie is as apt to enjoy a glass of spirits and tickle the ivories while executing or torturing prisoners.

Ironically, Barbie is the most compelling character. Every time he appears, the level of suspense – and interest – increases considerably. Schweighofer plays him as a man unswerving in his devotion to the Reich, a truly frightening fanatic who doesn’t perceive of himself as being one.

Its obvious noble intentions notwith-

standing, Resistance struggles to sustain a dramatic consistency. There are some terrific moments, including a hair-raising sequence in which Marcel pulls off a daring daytime rescue of his brother (Felix Moati), and the climactic flight to Switzerland – with Marcel and Emma leading children across the Alps with Barbie’s forces in pursuit, is not without its suspenseful moments, although the CGI effects are somewhat obvious.

Resistance also has a misfortune in timing, coming on the heels of last year’s 1917 and JoJo Rabbit, both of which were more effective depictions of war, even if the latter was satirical.

The performances are all very earnest, including Ed Harris in an extremely brief appearance as Gen. George S. Patton Jr., who is seen only at the very beginning and at the very end of the film. It’s

entirely likely that his entire participation took all of one day.

Eisenberg may be a little old to be playing a teenager, which Marceau was during the war, but he tries hard and pulls off his moments of mimicry with some measure of success. Yet his very presence is almost distracting. Eisenberg’s screen persona is more comfortably rooted in contemporary roles, and he seems somewhat out of place in a period piece.

Resistance was scheduled to be shown at the RiverRun International Film Festival before going into general release. It is currently available on Digital Platforms: iTunes, Amazon, GooglePlay/YouTube, Vidu, and PlayStation, and Cable Platforms: Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum (Charter, Time Warner, Brighthouse), Verizon Fios, Altice (Optimum), Cox, DirecTV, AT&T, Bend Broadband, Buckeye, Guadalupe Valley, Hotwire Communications, Metrocast, Suddenlink, WOW Internet Cable, RCN, and Midcontinent Communications. For more information, visit the IFC website. !

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies on Burgervideo.com. © 2020, Mark Burger.

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Alone together: Flavors to love in the Triad livestream landscape

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Katei Cranford

Contributor

ivestreams reign supreme as entertainment needs take on new meanings.

Social distancing has brought solo acts to centerstage. But from drag shows to trivia, art lessons to movie parties, the Triad livestream landscape boasts an array of entertainment flavors

to love.

Drag performers continue to inject bits of flair and fabulous in our lives through specialty shows and regular programming.

“Drag is one of the most fun and fulfilling things I’ve ever done, and right now, people need something that can bring them joy,” said Andy Drodge, a Greensboro drag king who’ll be featured in “28 Gays Later,” the first-ever “Creepshow e-show,” (a digital version of the Charlotte-based drag horror review) set to stream at 9 p.m. on April 15 over Twitch, Facebook and Instagram.

“If you can’t come to the show, we want to bring the show to you,” Drodge noted.

“While people are not able to physically interact, they’ve been extremely supportive online, and in times like these, being there for each other is what helps get us through.”

Support from the drag society is what keeps Drodge motivated—that, and “starting each morning by dancing in the mirror like a fool.”

He’s thankful to have found a rock in the queer community. “Performers banding together to help one another has been like having a giant family to support you,” he said, ”and it keeps us all connected in ways we need.”

Connectivity remains important, and livestreaming has its benefits. “I do miss interacting with people and making them laugh,” Drodge explained, “but creative control is definitely a plus I didn’t expect.

Filming in different locations, or being able to use certain props that wouldn’t work in a club, has been a lot of fun.”

For folks itching for a regular drag fix, Kelly Setliff has launched a weekly drag power-hour, streaming Mondays at 7 p.m. on Facebook Live. A seasoned show host, WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

From left: Andy Drodge and Kelly Powers (and hairdresser who misses their clients) Setliff whirls into Kelly Powers, sassing-up an empty Flat Iron stage with makeup, wit, and help from isolation-mate Madi Hell of Design Archives. “We have to do our part and stay distant,” Powers said, “but humans need interaction for sanity. Everyone needs entertainment and a voice to make things real again.”

Powers looks to push her voice, and incorporate the audience, through live reaction features. “It’s a combination of Disney’s Movie Night and RuPaul’s Untucked segment,” she explained of her show. ”I’m inspired by the people who interact online.

My show reaches as far as Brussels and Peru. It’s great that the whole world can find something to do together.”

For Powers, the show is a way to stay sane and spread joy. “It’s knowing I’m able to make a difference,” she said of her motivation, “and having a chance to remind everyone that we’re still alive.”

There’s an enhanced sense of duty woven into entertainment these days. Beyond performers, visual artists like Beka Butts have stepped out of the studio and into livestreams to create hands-on opportunities in the social distance.

Before the shutdown, Butts, a co-founder of the 512 Collective in High Point, was gearing up for festival season and helping her fellows adapt into their new digs as the Gallery on Main. With everything postponed, Butts has retooled ways to keep work flowing.

“My hope is to do my small part by putting more art in the world,” Butts explained of her motives. Lessons thus far have spanned artistic pursuits, including wood-burning tips, collage techniques, and Zen Doodle drawing. She’s seeking input from interested parties regarding scheduling while offering private video conference lessons.

Butts’ constant is the “Alone Together” series of coloring pages she’s sharing almost daily over her Facebook and Instagram (@bbutts_illustration). Connection in the distance remains salient, so followers are encouraged to print and color at home.

“They’re a true expression of how I was feeling,“ she explained of the initial pages.

“I kept thinking, what can I do to help?

I couldn’t support others monetarily—I worried if I could even support myself—but I knew I could contribute my work.”

Butts feels lucky to share her skills while helping others find solace and appreciation for art. “My hope is that the appreciation for artists, of all kinds, is something we carry forward after the pandemic,” she noted.

“Even if no one else paid any attention, art helps me stay grounded and sane through all of this. I’ve got a whole new level of gratitude at receiving such positive responses.”

Meanwhile, in Trivialand, Zero Dark Nerdy, (the geeks behind trivia at the Bearded Goat, Oden Brewing, Stumble Stilskins, and Speakeasy Tavern) have partnered with YES! Weekly to “keep some sense of fun and normalcy,” by hosting live pop culture trivia on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Information can be found on the YES! Weekly Facebook event page.

Movie freaks can snuggle into the “Stuck at Home Cinema” series hosted by Monstercade. Screenings follow themes: MST3K Mondays, Kung-Fu Club Wednesdays, and Sleazy Saturdays. The Winston weirdos beckon followers to “make the most out of this lockdown and watch shitty movies together, chat, and drink virtually!” Links get posted to their Facebook at 8:30pm, day-of; and shows start at 9pm. They’ll even deliver beer to local residents.

Being stuck at home for a pandemic is scary, but thanks to technology and Triad artists, there are many flavors of fun to be had. !

KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who hosts the Tuesday Tour Report.

WANNA

donate?

Andy Drodge: Venmo: @andromeda_momo / Cashapp: $andromedamomo Kelly Setliff: Venmo: @kelly-setliff / Cashapp: $nuavodesign Beka Butts: Venmo @Beka-Butts / Cashapp: $BekaButts APRIL 15-21, 2020

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On the front porch with Finn Phoenix The Triad’s youngest rising folk star

Katie Murawski

Editor

Finn Phoenix is a 9-year-old boy from Greensboro, who has quickly made a name for himself ever since he picked up a ukulele.

Finn said that he started playing ukulele in 2018 after seeing someone play one at Lindley Park Elementary School’s talent show. However, he said he has been singing since he

learned how to talk.

“I was singing songs that I had heard when I was 2—I just sang any song that I heard,” he said. “I really wanted to continue with music after I learned the ukulele because it was fun. Then I got a guitar for Christmas, and I started working on that.”

Finn has been playing guitar since last January, but he is also experimenting with banjo because “my mom wants to learn how to play.” But he said he prefers playing the guitar overall.

“I don’t know how long it has been since I picked up my ukulele,” Finn said. “The guitar I like more because you are able to do more with it. Technically, it is a ukulele with more strings, and the order of the strings are different. It is really cool because, on guitar, there are just more possibilities. You can make it sound however you want, and there are more strings to do more things.”

Finn said he likes to listen to older music and that his musical influences include James Taylor, Bob Dylan, Bob Seger, The Beatles, Don McLean, Peter, Paul and Mary, and Creedence Clearwater Revival.

His most modern influence is The Okee Dokee Brothers, an American bluegrass/ roots, children’s music band.

“When he played at Porchfest, he sang one of their songs, ‘Abominable Yeti’ and we sent it to them,” said Finn’s father, Patrick Lilja. “We didn’t think we’d hear anything back, but they wrote back to us.

Ever since then, we exchange emails every month or two.”

Patrick said they gave Finn advice on what kind of instruments to look for, while Finn gave them inspiration on performing their song, “Abominable Yeti” live.

“When we saw them in concert back in August, they had mentioned they never played the yeti song in front of an audience before because it was something YES! WEEKLY

April 15-21, 2020

they had recorded in the studio, but they didn’t know how to translate it to a live audience,” he said. “But they had seen Finn’s video of him playing the song, and it gave them ideas!”

Shay said the thing she loves most about music is how it “sets the mood.”

“I like the sound it makes, and it is fun to play,” Shay said of the instrument she loves to play the most, the violin. “It is sort of hard because you can’t see the fingerboard very well.”

Her favorite bands are also her brother’s favorites, such as The Okee Dokee Brothers, James Taylor, as well as various musical and movie soundtracks.

Finn said he had written four songs so far, but he mainly does covers of songs for his shows.

“I do a bit of both, although I probably do 10 times more covers,” he said. “I was in this competition for songwriting, and I wrote a song called ‘Firework,’ and it won third place.”

Finn was going to use this spring to break more into the mainstream Greensboro music scene; however, COVID-19 had other plans. Just like every other concert, music festival and open mic night—all five of his gigs for April were canceled after Gov. Roy Cooper issued a statewide stay-at-home order. But canceled gigs never stopped anyone with a love of music and passion for performing. Finn and his sister, Shay, are taking the virtual stage in a series of Facebook livestreams to help raise money for other children in the community.

Finn Phoenix Lilja and Shay Lilja, 8, are two elementary school students among thousands living in the Triad, isolated from their classmates during the COVID-19 global pandemic.

“It feels so weird because I can’t talk to any of my friends, except on like video chats or calls, and it feels so weird to be isolated,” Finn said.

Finn is an extrovert, so the quarantine has been really bumming him out.

“I was pretty sad because I was looking forward to doing some gigs,” he said. “The last gig I did was in December; we decided to take a break to get better, and get some gigs this month. But we didn’t get to, so that is why we are doing the porch concerts.”

Finn and Shay’s parents Patrick, a public high school teacher— and Hilary, a nurse— share Finn’s disappointment as well as his drive to keep going.

PHOTO BY DAN BECKMANN

“I’ve had better days,” Hilary said when asked how she is holding up in this unprecedented global health crisis. “I don’t work on the COVID floor, yet, I am in patient rehabilitation. I am trying to protect my patients who are vulnerable to it; it’s just constant stress because you know it could be the end. You just really want to protect these people.”

“My wife and I have always been supportive of Finn and open to this idea of doing live stream events,” Patrick said.

Patrick said the idea to livestream Finn from their front porch came from last year’s Dunleath Porchfest, which is where Finn had his “first major performance.”

At Porchfest, Patrick said that Finn was recruited to perform at last year’s Greensboro Pride festival. He’s also performed at the Greensboro Curb Farmers Market and outside of Ben and Jerry’s in Friendly Center.

“I usually don’t get nervous, but it definitely is different performing live rather than with just a camera,” Finn said, noting the differences between playing live and playing virtually. “I am able to talk to them differently. Usually, a person in just a regular concert, wouldn’t just ask a question, but they have questions in the comments, and I can answer them just like that.”

Thanks to social distancing, Patrick said

he and Finn had some time to learn more about livestreaming, as well as stage presence and performance.

“We had never looked into [livestreaming] before,” Patrick said. “We watched the Carolina Theater’s Virtual Open Mic Night and decided to livestream the porch performance. He is also going to start this week on a Facebook group called “Socially Distant Fest,” where people from all over the country livestream their performances on Facebook. There are like 120,000 people that are members of the group.

For Finn, he does a really great job with his music, but since he is young, it is not always natural to interact with an audience so much. Which is something he is going to work on with the livestreaming events.”

So far, Patrick said the response from Finn’s first livestream on April 4 was successful with over 1,000 views (his noon and 6 p.m. show combined).

“It was really a nice day,” Hilary said of Finn’s first Porch concert live stream.“My husband works from home and works with the kids, and all I do is go to the hospital and worry. It was a mental break from worrying about the other stuff, just putting on a show and interacting with people we know that are far away.”

Hilary said she’s proud of her children for keeping cheerful through everything

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Finn Phoenix and Shay Lilja going on. “They are ridiculously cheerful children, and they bring that energy to their performances,” Hilary said. “I think it is just great to be able to get a little bit of cheer out there in the world when we need it. I am really proud that they have something we can share, to make things better for people—to distract or get a smile, look forward to better days.”

On April 9, Finn and Shay were a part of the Carolina Theater’s Virtual Open Mic Night, and from there, they raised $100 for Guilford Education Alliance. Since then, Finn has been strumming and singing while Shay keeps the rhythm on their front porch livestreams.

“Our time in quarantine has allowed me to learn about Facebook livestreaming,” Patrick noted in an email over the weekend. “This afternoon, he tried a 30-minute set on a Facebook page called ‘Socially Distant Fest.’ Within the first two minutes, he had 260 viewers, and by the end, he had reached 6,500 people and received 600 likes! Since the video was posted about two hours ago, he got about 200 more followers on his Facebook page.”

In addition to his Facebook fanfare, Finn Phoenix is well on his way to YouTube stardom. “Pinkfong is the Korean Educational Company that brought ‘Baby Shark’ to the world,” Patrick noted. “We sent in a few WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

audio files recorded on our phone. Those files were sent to Korea, and Finn was selected to record some songs for their YouTube Channel.”

Patrick said that Finn had been featured in some of Pinkfong’s videos, such as “All Around Safety Song,” which has over 2 million views, “Fire Safety Song,” “Daily Safety Song,” “Traffic Safety Song,” and “Natural Disaster Song.”

The Lilja family is originally from the Boston area but moved to Greensboro about four years ago. They said they love the Greensboro community and have felt welcomed into the city’s music scene.

“That is one thing that we are really appreciative of,” Patrick said of the Greensboro music scene. “If we lived in a place like Boston, where there is so much of so much—you can kind of get lost in the sea of people. But Greensboro has just enough where there is a developed scene, but there are enough events happening. Every place we have approached, for the most part, has been very accepting and open to having a younger performer; it’s a little bit more unique than just your standard singer-songwriter type.”

Both Patrick and Hilary expressed how proud they were of their children for pursuing their passions for music. “It is a surprise, I guess I am still getting used to

it,” Hilary said when asked how it feels to be the mother of two young aspiring musicians. “You never know what the kids are going to become or do.”

“It has been a goal of mine, and of my wife’s as well, to support our kids in their pursuits,” Patrick noted. “Help your kids wherever you see an opportunity if they want to continue to pursue the craft to do that.”

Hilary said she didn’t grow up playing music in front of people, so she is surprised that her kids can handle the pressure so calmly.

“I am always surprised when I see that he can handle hundreds of people in an audience and doesn’t seem to mind—he actually gets a lot of energy having a crowd,” Hilary said. “It is really lovely to see how people respond to a young musician who is just giving it a try.”

Hilary and Finn recalled a moment at the Greensboro Pride festival, where the power of music diffused “a heated moment.”

“When I finished my set, and I was on a short break, some protesters came and started protesting against the festival,” Finn said. “I was kind of scared that they were going to hurt someone or something.

I was scared to get back out and perform again, but I performed ‘Let it Be’ by The Beatles, and it made the protesters go away. I was pretty happy about it, but I was kind of scared that they were going to come after me. I felt pretty happy that I could do that.”

Hilary said the protesters were verbally aggressive while engaging with the crowd they were protesting against.“We didn’t like being that close to that conflict, but it was right next to us,” she said. “He really was scared to start singing. And Patrick had said, ‘Let’s try this, you are here and are allowed to be here, we are supposed to be doing this. So just crank up a song, and let’s see what happens.’ It was really amazing because you did see arguments and it gave the people standing around to watch the argument a chance to look at something else, and turn their back and ignore the ugly people that were against them to turn their back on them and pay attention to something else. I felt really proud. We all want to be a part of good things in the world, right? And here is my kid who is able to change the mood of something.”

When asked why he chose that specific song to play, Finn said: “that song literally says, ‘let it be,’ so stop doing the wrong thing.”

Hilary said she felt proud that Finn was able to distract the crowd and change the mood.

“I think a lot of times we engage too much with people acting out and to just

turn your head and focus on something else, is often a really good way to show that [kind of behavior] doesn’t belong here, so go away.”

During this time of quarantine, Finn said that he hasn’t been able to write any new material, as he has been most focused on preparing music to perform virtually.

Patrick said it’s been helpful to keep the kids, and himself, on a daily schedule during this time.

“We are very conscious about fitting in music practice during their daily lessons at home,” Patrick said. “Shay is learning to play the violin, so we are fortunate to have this extra time together so that they can focus more seriously on their music.”

To all of the young, aspiring musicians that may be reading this, both Finn and Shay strongly encourage practicing during the stay-at-home order.

“Sometimes, you have to get like your fingers exactly where they are supposed to be, or the chord will sound wrong,” Shay said of the importance of keeping proper form.

“Make sure to keep practicing every day, and make sure you don’t get too upset if you have canceled gigs, too, and you don’t want to play [anymore],” Finn said, offering advice to other new musicians. “Just keep on doing it.”

Finn Phoenix and Shay will be performing live on Facebook this Saturday at noon and again at 6 p.m. According to the Facebook event page, “any virtual tips he receives through Venmo (@finnphoenixmusic) will be donated to a local charity.”

The local charity for this performance is BackPack Beginnings, and its mission is “to provide children in need with nutritious food, comfort items, or certain basic necessities through the use of backpacks and other efficient means of distribution.

By ensuring food and basic necessities are given directly to children in need, the organization makes a positive and lasting impact on their health and well-being.” !

KATIE MURAWSKI is the editor-in-chief of YES! Weekly.

Her alter egos include The Grimberlyn Reaper, skater/ public relations board chair for Greensboro Roller Derby, and Roy Fahrenheit, drag entertainer and self-proclaimed King of Glamp.

WANNA

watch?

Check out Finn Phoenix and Shay on Finn’s Facebook page April 25 at noon and 6 p.m. and again on May 16. Tips are accepted and will go toward helping children in Guilford County, Venmo: finnphoenixmusic, PayPal.me/FinnPhoenixMusic.

To listen to more of Finn’s music, visit his social media pages (Instagram, YouTube).

To learn more about Finn Phoenix, visit his website, www.finnphoenix.com.

APRIL 15-21, 2020

YES! WEEKLY

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Kennedy blasts Guilford County response to COVID-19 crisis Greensboro City Council at-large representative Michelle Kennedy is frustrated with Guilford County’s reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in regards to the homeless comIan McDowell munity she serves as director of the Interactive Resource Contributor Center.

“The county’s response to these issues has been unacceptable,” Kennedy told YES! Weekly last Friday. “A health department that does not understand or provide any plans related to harm reduction strategies for people with alcoholism or substance use disorders who may need to quarantine for extended periods of time is unacceptable. Further, providing a ‘plan’ three weeks into a

pandemic is shameful. This crisis was not a surprise.”

Kennedy had particularly harsh criticism for Partners Ending Homelessness (PEH), the lead agency of Guilford County’s Continuum of Care (GCOC), which is the planning body that coordinates the county’s policies and strategies toward homelessness.

“For Partners Ending Homelessness to claim to have advanced any work related to addressing the needs of people experiencing homelessness is an outright lie,” Kennedy said. “I, for one, would be ashamed of myself if I made my living on the backs of the poor and abandoned them in one of the greatest crises of our lifetime.”

On April 5, Kennedy sent an email to Brian Hahne, the PEH executive director, asking about county plans regarding housing services for homeless persons, as shelters were at full capacity. “More than 50 people have been turned away since last Friday,” she wrote. “This poses

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Mic

helle Kennedy

a huge risk for community spread via public transportation, face-to-face, and spread within tent encampments.”

In the email to Hahne, Kennedy alleged that “the Guilford County Health Department has no plan to support those with symptoms or requiring quarantine with food.” She asked, “how are you advising the health department on harm reduction strategies and who will provide those in quarantine with needed supplies, in addition to food?”

Kennedy closed by stressing the need for a quick response to her questions.

“There have already been at least five people experiencing homelessness tested in Guilford County. Things will only become more urgent as the days go by.

Now is not a time for slow or indecisive decision making. Literally, every hour that there is a delay puts someone’s life at risk.”

In her statements to YES! Weekly, Kennedy said that five days after sending the email, she had received no response from the PEH Executive Director.

“To date, the only response provided was his decision to decline to serve on a subcommittee related to providing services to people experiencing homelessness in hotels.”

YES! Weekly asked Kennedy about the condition of the “at least five” homeless persons her email to Hahne stated were being tested for COVID-19. “To my knowledge, none have tested positive.”

YES! Weekly also asked her what she considered the most positive and the most frustrating developments in the county’s responses over the week since she emailed Hahne.

“The most important thing that has come to light is the reality that housing is health care, mostly as it relates

to that becoming clear to people on a large scale. The most frustrating thing has been watching leaders blatantly disregard the options available to us as a county and continuing to view poor people as an afterthought.”

She said that, on Thursday, she experienced her most personal and moving moment so far in the crisis.

“Yesterday, one of the guys I shelter told me that when he walked through the doors, he was shaking and scared.

He said that now he’s got a doctor (our Family Services of the Piedmont Nurse Practitioner), and he’s got medicine that is helping him feel safe for the first time in forever. He said he could tell that we care. That’s all I ever need to hear.”

In closing, she described where she believed matters stood as of the Easter weekend.

“We will have re-locates everyone in shelter into hotels (which are a much safer option) with support from the City of Greensboro. More than 100 people will then be in hotel rooms. We will be providing support, food and medical access to those in hotels. Street outreach will be available for people remaining in encampments. Mail and showers will be available on-site at the IRC. The Sportsplex will remain available should it be needed as the days and weeks move forward.”

Last Friday night, Brian Hahne of Partners Ending Homelessness emailed YES! Weekly the following statement: “Our response to Ms. Kennedy, from Partners Ending Homelessness and the Guilford County Continuum of Care, came yesterday in our announced public partnership with Guilford County Leadership to address the COVID-19 public health crisis. I’ve attached below Guilford County’s webinar COVID-19 Homeless Shelter Report Briefing and Homeless Shelters Plan that was shared with our 40 + members agencies (62 attendees joined the call). This plan will serve all 12 of our shelters across the County in both High Point and Greensboro. Additionally, I’ve posted the link to our joint press conference with Guilford County Leadership.” !

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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Attorney speaks about Greensboro hogtying death on NYC radio show, podcast Veteran Civil Rights attorney Flint Taylor will talk about the Marcus Smith case and the Greensboro Police on the nationallysyndicated radio program “Law and Disorder” at 9 a.m.

Ian McDowell on Monday morning.

“Law and Disorder” is a production Contributor of WBAI, a noncommercial listenersupported radio station licensed to New York City.

Taylor, co-founder of the People’s Office of Chicago, is an attorney representing the family of Marcus Deon Smith, the African-American man fatally hogtied by eight GPD officers at the 2018 NC Folk Festival. The Smith family is suing those officers, the City of Greensboro and two paramedics over the death, which the state medical examiner ruled a homicide.

Taylor and the People’s Law Office won historic settlements in the 1969 killing of Black Panther Party president Fred Hampton and a landmark police brutality case

involving the application of electricity to suspects’ genitals to extract confessions.

The latter was the title subject of Taylor’s 2019 book, The Torture Machine: Racism and Police Violence in Chicago, which also includes chapter about the 1979 Greensboro Massacre. In 1985, Taylor was co-lead attorney on the legal team that won the only liability to result from the 1979 Greensboro Massacre.

The 20-minute interview will be available online at midnight on Sunday, April 11, and will be broadcast and livestreamed by WBAI at 9 a.m. on Monday, April 13. It will be available on Google Podcasts.

Taylor told YES! Weekly that, in the segment, “We talk about the Marcus Smith homicide, the official coverup, the GPD’s history of racially-motivated violence, the judge’s recent decision to move the trial forward, and the community protests, as well as a bit about police torture in Chicago and the importance of the media in changing the official narrative.” !

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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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