YES! Weekly - December 5, 2018

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DECEMBER 5-11, 2018 VOLUME 14, NUMBER 49

22 LOCAL FILMMAKER MAURICE HICKS TALKS RAP & RHYME When local writer/director MAURICE HICKS came by my apartment last week to show me scenes from his nearly-finished film Rap & Rhyme, he cautioned me about mistaking the views expressed by Russell, the protagonist’s best friend, for those of anyone but the character.

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5500 Adams Farm Lane Suite 204 Greensboro, NC 27407 Office 336-316-1231 Fax 336-316-1930 Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com EDITORIAL Editor KATIE MURAWSKI katie@yesweekly.com Contributors IAN MCDOWELL JENNIFER ZELESKI JOHN ADAMIAN MARK BURGER KATEI CRANFORD CHARLES FREEMAN TAYLOR CRAMER PRODUCTION Graphic Designers ALEX ELDRIDGE designer@yesweekly.com AUSTIN KINDLEY artdirector@yesweekly.com

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...at HOMETOWN DELICIOUS, located at 5103 W. Market St. in Greensboro, having Chinese food is meant to include authentic dishes, rather than those commonly found on your discarded paper menus or within the faded images above the counter at your local stop.

10 Every December, the Harmony Music School’s entire class comes together on stage to light up the night with music at their annual END OF FALL RECITAL. This year, all 40 students will perform together at the school, which is housed inside Hinshaw United Methodist Church, located at 4501 W. Gate City Blvd. in Greensboro.

11 That’s where the TRIAD FILM COLLABORATIVE comes in. Founded by the Greensboro-based husband-and-wife filmmaking team of Ken and Melanie Comito, it’s an independent support system...

12 ANDREW OLIVER was rereading The Canterbury Tales a few years ago. A musician as well as a student of literature, Oliver got inspired by Geoffrey Chaucer’s classic interlocking series of stories told by pilgrims making their way to Canterbury, entertaining themselves along the way...

YES! WEEKLY

DECEMBER 5-11, 2018

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FEMFEST is back with a new round of lady-led bands looking to raise money and awareness against sexual assault and domestic violence on Dec. 8 at Southside Beer Garden and Monstercade in WinstonSalem.

18 In Robin Hood, you can’t see the forest for the cheese. That’s right: The mighty Sherwood Forest, home of many previous ROBIN HOOD screen incarnations, doesn’t make an appearance until the waning moments of the film.

24 On a sunny afternoon in a room that overlooked the High Point skyline, several individuals gathered for the official signing of the HIGH POINT ROCKERS’ first-ever field manager and pitching coach.

25 From time to time, clients and friends have asked me about investing in “MARIJUANA STOCKS.” They typically have heard of a company from a friend at work and want me to do some research on it as a potential investment. The stocks are often penny stocks with little financial data. I have always felt that it was, in general, too early to invest in the cannabis industry. That is, until now.

ADVERTISING Marketing TRAVIS WAGEMAN travis@yesweekly.com TRISH SHROYER trish@yesweekly.com LAUREN BRADY lauren@yesweekly.com Promotion NATALIE GARCIA

DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT KARRIGAN MUNRO 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 2018 Womack Newspapers, Inc.

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EVENTS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS | BY AUSTIN KINDLEY

be there

TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA SUNDAY

THE NUTCRACKER FRIDAY FRI 7

FRI 7

TALL TALES 2 OPENING RECEPTION

UNCSA’S THE NUTCRACKER 2018

WHAT: A collection of split portraits by Delurk artists, Chad Beroth and Dane Walters. The exhibition will consist of 60 new paintings of split portraits of various film characters, directors, and musicians. The show will open on December 7that Delurk Gallery in Winston Salem. Special musical performance by Dark Prophet Tongueless Monk (solo).

WHEN: 7-11 p.m.

WHERE: Delurk Gallery 207 West 6th Street, Winston Salem

WHAT: Join the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Snow King, the Nutcracker, the Mouse King and more for the 2018 production of the Nutcracker. Experience the lush score, vivid sets and costumes, and extraordinary performances that have made UNCSA’s “The Nutcracker” a cherished holiday tradition. “The Nutcracker” is performed at the Stevens Center in Winston-Salem each December.

WHEN: 7:30-10 p.m.

WHERE: UNC School of the Arts Stevens Center. 405 W 4th St, Winston-Salem.

MORE: Tickets $24-$83

SAT 8 FEMFEST V WHAT: Year 5! FemFest is an annual benefit show in Winston-Salem to raise awareness against domestic violence and sexual assault. All bands are female fronted/dominated/supported to showcase music as a healthy, heard and heavily supported outlet for women. 100% of the proceeds go directly to the local women’s shelter via Winston-Salem Family Services to ensure upkeep and safety.

WHEN: 2 p.m.

WHERE: Monstercade.

204 W. Acadia Ave., Winston-Salem.

MORE: $5 for each venue.

SAT 8 HOLIDAY MARKET CAFE AT REVOLUTION WHAT: Need last minute gifts or looking for a unique gifts? Come and Join us at our Annual Holiday Market.

WHEN: 12-5 p.m.

WHERE: Cafe at Revolution.

1250 Revolution Mill Drive, Suite 178.

MORE: Free entry.

SUN 9 TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA WHAT: Marking the band’s 20th consecutive year of touring, TransSiberian Orchestra has announced its highly-anticipated Winter Tour 2018. TSO’s annual November-December multi-sensory extravaganza, which sells out venues year after year, has cemented the group’s status as a must-attend, multi-generational, holiday tradition.

WHEN: 3 p.m.

WHERE: Greensboro Coliseum Complex.

1921 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro.

MORE: $45-79+ tickets.

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DECEMBER 5-11, 2018

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Our space is yours for the holidays

[SPOTLIGHT]

‘THE BROKEN ORNAMENT’

BY KATIE MURAWSKI

Those who celebrate the Christmas holiday have either already started or are just now decking the halls and decorating the tree. A new children’s book explores the intimacy of a family coming together to decorate, while also facing nostalgia of times past and the promise of new memories to come. It only took the shatter of one Christmas ornament dropped by his daughter for author Tony DiTerlizzi to become inspired to write “The Broken Ornament.”

“All of a sudden, you hear that distinct sound, and it immediately took me back to being her age and dropping an ornament,” DiTerlizzi said in a phone interview last week. He will be presenting “The Broken Ornament” at Scuppernong Books, located at 304 S. Elm St. in Greensboro on Wednesday.

“We knelt down and looked at it, and I said, ‘it is OK if you accidentally break an ornament because a Christmas fairy is born.’ She smiled, I smiled, and we swept it to the side. It just kind of diffused the situation and my wife was like ‘that is your next book.’”

Published by Simon & Schuster for Young Readers, the story follows Jack, a rambunctious child eager to help his family decorate and celebrate “the best Christmas ever.” After dropping his mother’s fragile and sentimental ornament, Jack feels remorseful but is distracted by a fairy named Tinsel, who appears from the shards of glass. She helps Jack find the true meaning of Christmas and give his mother back an ornament more precious than the one he broke.

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DiTerlizzi is a Caldecott Honor awardwinner, author of New York Times Bestselling Spiderwick Chronicles and executive producer of the movie. “The Broken Ornament” is DiTerlizzi’s first Christmas book, and he said it was “one of the hardest books” he has ever written.

“I had to ask myself, what does Christmas mean to most of us living in America in the 21st century, and how that has changed from, perhaps, how it was when I was a kid or when my parents were kids,” he said.

DiTerlizzi said that parents spending quality time with their children over a book is better than staring at a screen. He believes the shared experience of reading together is “so incredibly bonding.” He hopes children and parents discover or rediscover their imagination while reading “The Broken Ornament.”

“I honestly feel that imagination is what could help us as a society as a whole,” he said. “Imagination is why the first explorers crossed the ocean, why we went to the moon, it is why we went to Mars. It could be potentially how we cure cancer or any other diseases that plague mankind. It could be a solution to climate change.”

Tony DiTerlizzi will be at Scuppernong Books on Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. presenting, reading and signing his book “The Broken Ornament.” He said he would also bring pop-out ornaments for attendees to make their own, just as Jack did in the story.

For more information about “The Broken Ornament” or Tony DiTerlizzi, visit www. diterlizzi.com/ !

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Authentic Chinese finds a home in Greensboro

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e all have those days.

Call in the to-go order after work, grab a handful of soy sauce packets in the midst of your daze, devour the steaming contents of take-out Jennifer Zeleski boxes, and of course — crack open the fortune cookie. This Contributor is what you might imagine when you’re considering having Chinese takeout for dinner… again.

However, at Hometown Delicious, located at 5103 W. Market St. in Greensboro, having Chinese food is meant to include authentic dishes, rather than those commonly found on your discarded paper menus or within the faded images above the counter at your local stop. If the fact that there is an “American Style Chinese Food” section isn’t enough to give it away as an authentic Chinese restaurant, maybe the setting will.

Red and gold tasseled lanterns hang from the ceiling, and a large wall is covYES! WEEKLY

DECEMBER 5-11, 2018

ered by a sketched-style Chinese mural, making the space well-decorated and pleasant. There are large, round tables ideal for sharing dishes and passing plates, as well as a variety of booths and two-person seats. The atmosphere would be fitting for any occasion.

Speaking of sharing, the menu is lengthy and filled with dishes that could be easily split between a handful of people eager to try new things. There are cold appetizer dishes, such as spicy pig’s ear and jellyfish with special sauce, and a variety of options depending on your meat of choice. The “spicy trotters” (pig’s feet), stood out from the list of pork options, followed by the braised duck with beer in an iron pot, sautéed shrimp with scrambled eggs and even deep-fried ribbonfish with spicy salt.

None of these were what my boyfriend Peyton and I, attempted to order on our first visit. We looked over the casseroles, stockpots, and griddles, but decided on a few items we knew could ease our way into Hometown Delicious’ authentic Chinese dishes, ones we could enjoy at the table rather than after a hasty drive home with plastic forks and duck sauce shoved into a paper bag.

We decided to start with the Cucumber with Special Sauce cold appetizer, which we didn’t have preconceived expectations. The plate came to the table loaded with large pieces of cucumber mixed with freshly-chopped garlic, and a large spoon for serving. The “special sauce” seemed to be light oil, possibly mixed with rice vinegar or another bright flavor, but it

was delicious nonetheless. The cucumber was fresh, and pairing it with garlic made it reminiscent of Greek-style tabbouleh, without the fear of getting parsley stuck in your teeth. If it were possible, the dish made us even bigger fans of cucumber and would be an excellent choice for anyone seeking a vegetarian appetizer or side item. As a disclaimer, it was more

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than enough for the two of us to share.

For our main dishes, we took to sharing two options: Kung Po Chicken and Sweet and Sour Fried Tofu. Neither had descriptions, so we just went with it. The Kung Po Chicken came in small, bite-sized pieces glazed with a dark brown sauce, large pieces of green bell pepper and a good handful of peanuts tossed in the mix. We were surprised but not taken back that the flavor was recognizable. There were small pieces of fresh ginger, a few bites of garlic, unidentifiable ingredients (of which we devoured and didn’t ignore), and flavorful peppercorns throughout every other bite. It challenged our idea of what Chinese food could taste like beyond the more common sesame chicken, among others. The chicken was about as tender as it could be, and quickly became the favorite of the table, aside from one thing: the green bell peppers. Having not been fans of green bell peppers before, this dish didn’t change either of our opinions on them, but we didn’t leave them all behind, giving a few the benefit of the doubt. One thing to note: be careful when it comes to other types of peppers.

The dish had been labeled with one chili pepper symbol on the menu, indicating a mild spice level brought by sliced dark maroon peppers in the sauce. I enjoyed

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it wasn’t sickening in the ways the sauce can sometimes be. Our only issue with it was that we wished the sauce hadn’t soaked through the fried exterior of the tofu, which left it lacking the crispness it needed. Some of the pieces were spared, but others were just too soft to be as enticing. It was the only plate we didn’t clean before finishing.

After taking a few more chopsticks full of rice, we finished full and happy, with a few notes for future visits. Based on the flavor combinations we tried just in our few dishes alone, stepping more out of the comfort zone would be a must the next time around. Also, if there are friends or family with food allergies, be sure to call ahead to ensure dishes could be prepared without those ingredients. Lastly, don’t forget the fortune cookie. ! their flavor but regretted enduring the after-burn in exchange for the great taste of the chicken.

Thankfully, the cucumber cut the spice and allowed me to start fresh again when I was ready. The peanuts added a crunch and texture that I didn’t realize the Kung Po Chicken needed, but I respected their presence and their flavor paired with the sauce. It wasn’t sweet or terribly salty, and Peyton enjoyed it enough to pour

it over his side of white rice (which we assume comes automatically with each main dish on the menu).

The Sweet and Sour Tofu was the only dish we really knew what to expect and were satisfied with our more common choice. The tofu came in large pieces, fried in a light batter and smothered with an orange sauce. It tasted closer to what would be expected on orange chicken rather than sweet and sour, but

JENNIFER ZELESKI is a student contributor to YES! Weekly. She is originally from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Communications at High Point University.

WANNA

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Hometown Delicious is located in Suite A of 5103 W. Market St. in Greensboro, North Carolina. They are open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day but closed on Tuesdays.

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Harmony Music School showcases the heart of kids learning music

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I believe she is creating a legacy her entire PHOTO COURTESY OF LYN KOONCE community can be proud of.

HMS was born when Koonce, who also serves as the music director at Hinshaw United Methodist, was inspired to open a music school after learning about The Joy of Music School in Knoxville, Tennessee.

At that time, she was working full-time writing and producing commercials at Rock 92, WKZL when the owner Allen Dick of Dick Broadcasting, told her about the school his father, James had started. Dick put Koonce in touch with Frank Graffeo, executive director of JOM, whom she said, was very generous with Harmony Music School students providing information, and invited place every August and classes begin Holder, a volunteer her to visit and after Labor Day. Each student signs up to who is updating attend volunteer learn an instrument and, after signing an the website and and marketing agreement, takes HMS instruments home Facebook page, meetings to learn to practice. If a student wants to learn a will soon take on more. particular instrument for classes not yet administrative Upon returning offered, HMS will seek out another voluntasks so Koonce from Tennesteer teacher to fulfill the request. can spend more see, she began The school’s wish list for Christmas time working thinking about and beyond includes monetary donatoward the bigger what she would tions, quality instruments such as guitars, picture. need to open a violins, any brass instrument, woodwind Koonce said similar school Lyn Koonce, founder of Harmony instruments, keyboards, and volunteer the music teachers in Greensboro, but Music School musicians to share their talent with one who volunteer their she couldn’t start it to four students each. ! time teaching piano, right away. The four guitar, violin, and flute have doubled from things she needed included a place to six in 2013 to 12 in 2018. Those volunteers have the school, instruments, teachers TERRY RADER is a writer, poet, songwriter, herbalist include three UNCG students teaching and students. When her church offered and flower essences practitioner who works in Wellness violin, piano instructors Charlotte Stone, the space, she began recruiting students & Community Outreach at Deep Roots Market Co-op, Jack Gorham, James Esterline, Justin and teachers, starting with her musiformerly an ad agency creative director, branding strateBaynes, a Penn Griffin School of the Arts cian friends. Then she decided to make gist, Earth Harmony columnist, a storyteller on a misstudent and Koonce. Koonce also teaches the school more legitimate as a 501 (c) sion to raise awareness for creative people, grassroots guitar, along with Abigail Dowd, and (3) nonprofit. She said causes, sustainability and underground happenings in Bobbie Needham will be joining them to that her greatest gift is in our community. teach guitar in January along with a new watching the relationships flute instructor. between the students and WANNA Koonce said HMS’s long-term goal is their teachers, and said it to be able to offer lessons to kids who is all about connecting and The End of Fall Recital by Harmony Music School qualify throughout Guilford County.

For creating community. is on Dec.18, from 7-8:30 p.m., at Hinshaw PAINT CENTER now, she explained that they are in a “My life changed with this United Methodist Church, 4501 W. Gate City Blvd., MENTION THIS AD & RECEIVE 10% OFF! pocket for kids in and around the church, school, I felt like I had a purGreensboro, (336) 689.0233. For donations visit and those that go to neighboring schools. pose,” Koonce said. “I don’t www.harmonymusicschool.org and on Facebook HMS also wants to continue musical have children of my own, so (@HarmonyMusicSchoolProject). See Lyn Koonce culture education for children with more I began wondering what my on Dec. 7, from 7-10 p.m. at The Tasting Room, Great Painter Referral Program! field trips to experience free concerts. legacy was and asking what 901 S. Chapman St., Greensboro and 12/6, 12/13, Residential· Commercial· Industrial Right now, the school has a waiting more I could do.”

12/20, 12/27, 7 p.m. at Pastabilities Restaurant, 414 S. Fayetteville St. list of seven students, and more volunKoonce said running HMS 1726 Battleground Ave., Greensboro. For more Asheboro, NC 27203· 336.625.4336 teer teachers are needed to fulfill the is a full-time job done on information, visit www.lynkooncemusic.com and requested lessons. Registration takes a part-time basis. Lacy on Facebook (@lynkooncegigs).

very December, the Harmony Music School’s entire class comes together on stage to light up the night with music at their annual End of Fall Recital. This Terry Rader year, all 40 students will perform together at the school, which Contributor is housed inside Hinshaw United Methodist Church, located at 4501 W. Gate City Blvd. in Greensboro.

Each student will also perform a solo song with the instrument they have been learning to show their family, friends, and community how they have progressed this year. Everyone is welcome to come listen on Dec. 18.

One year after opening HMS in 2013, founder Lyn Koonce said that she had been busy doing everything to fulfill everyone’s needs for the school when she received a powerful message that she was doing exactly what she was meant to do. One night after a recital, one of her students, Fernando Bedolla, ran up to her and said, “Thank you, Miss Lyn for giving the piano lessons. It makes something in my heart happy.”

From that night on, she understood her role in providing an oasis to offer free music lessons and instruments to at-risk kids in Greensboro. Koonce, who went full-time singer-songwriter in January 2018, performs at public venues and private parties. Fans say she has a voice as sweet and pure as the Carole King covers she sings.

Koonce has long been a music advocate and is a member of Gate City Songwriters.

Asheboro

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DECEMBER 5-11, 2018

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An evening of collaboration and celebration on the big screen The contingent of independent filmmakers in North Carolina doesn’t exactly have it easy.

With the loss of tax incentives, a lack of investors, and an understandable exodus of some filmmakers Mark Burger to other states with more opportunities, those who choose Contributor to call the Tar Heel State their home are truly a hearty — to say nothing of creative — breed.

That’s where the Triad Film Collaborative comes in. Founded by the Greensboro-based husband-and-wife filmmaking team of Ken and Melanie Comito, it’s an independent support system established “to provide a group for filmmakers, actors, writers, editors, and others interested in film for networking and for producing films with each other and for each other,” Ken Comito said.

The TFC will celebrate its first anniversary with a showcase of North Carolinafilmed short films Tuesday at RED Cinemas in Greensboro. It’s not only a chance to share their love of film with each other but with the community at large — and that it takes place in the midst of the holiday season makes it even merrier.

The selection consists of 18 short films produced during the last year and encompasses a variety of genres: Mama Said I Can Play (horror) directed by Shane Grissom, Suck (horror), directed by Gabe Tufano, Panophobia (psychological thriller) directed by Mike Allred, A Moment Behind (horror) directed by Chris Hauselman, Daniel & the Squire (fantasy) directed by Peter Bodin, A Grim Dinner (horror comedy) directed by Steven Hancock, Carol’s Blood (psychological thriller) directed by Comito, Roped In (psychological thriller) directed by Bodin, A Too Close Encounter (science-fiction) directed

by Steven Hancock, Fire in the Forest (historical drama) directed by JD Mayo, The Sheep and the Wolf (psychological thriller) directed by Mayo, Order of Omega (psychological thriller) directed by Tufano, Artificially Intelligent (science-fiction) directed by Matt Amick, Inhabit (sciencefiction/horror) directed by Hauselman, Knock (psychological thriller) directed by Jazmin Lucky, Entity (horror) directed by Ben Eliaz, The Phantom Couple (horror) directed by Bodin, and Infernum Foraminis (horror) directed by Bodin.

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The short-film showcase is both applauded and appreciated by Rebecca Clark, executive director of the Piedmont Triad Film Commission. “We have a ton of filmmaking talent in the Triad,” she pointed out, “and I love and admire the fact that they choose to stay in the area to make their films.”

Clark said when the film incentive ended and replaced with a limited film grant in 2015; North Carolina lost a lot of talent to Georgia, where filmmaking is a $9.5 billion-dollar industry.

“It’s important to me that local filmmakers feel supported by the community,” Clark said.

“Although my main responsibility of my office is to recruit filmmakers and money from outside the state, I like to help support this area’s filmmakers when and if I can — whether it’s finding crew or affordable locations to film. I’m really excited about this upcoming screening.”

“North Carolina fell out of the race,” Comito said. “It will definitely be a long, hard road just to get back to where we were prior to 2015.”

With new legislators in place, Clark said she hopes the upcoming year will bring positive changes to the film grant “or, ideally, bring back our former incentive,” Clark said.

“If we have a better incentive in place — one that’s more compatible with Geor-

gia’s — we can get some of our crews back to North Carolina, keep our film-school graduates in North Carolina, and have big film business benefit the entire state, instead of just one or two regions.”

Comito, who fulfilled a lifelong dream with his 2011 debut feature In the Devil’s Courthouse, only directed one film in the showcase (Carol’s Blood) but worked in various capacities on others.

That’s part of the cooperative spirit exemplified by these films. This is where they’ve chosen to live and make movies, and this band of brothers and sisters in cinema bring a genuine love and enthusiasm for what they do.

“The importance of being a member with a collaborative group for filmmaking is a great opportunity for any filmmaker,” said JD Mayo, who directed both Fire in the Forest and The Sheep and the Wolf in the showcase. “You can still be independent, get your film made, and meet people just like yourself.

What I like about (the TFC) is that you can find people who have the equipment you need for your film if you’re a director and don’t have it.”

Mayo attends meetings once a month and loves networking and collaboration.

“The great thing about our showcase is that people can see how we all come together, being the group that we are, and make all the projects the director is trying

to make,” Mayo said. “People are interested and want the experience to help out on a cool project and know that it will be done well. With our group, the Triad Film Collaborative, that is exactly what we are doing.”

Comito said the Triad Film Collaborative has “an enormous amount” of talent and creativity. He said when he created the group, he wanted aspiring directors, actors, writers or any others in the film industry could “try their hand at something new or different without fear of failure.”

“We have some movies in the showcase created by several first-timers — first-time actors, writers, directors, camera operators, you name it,” he said. “Some people fell in love with their new-found abilities while others realized it might not be the right fit for them. Either way, that’s a great characteristic of our group.”

As for the future, Comito hopes the TFC continues to grow in membership and in productivity so they can showcase local talent every year. !

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies on Burgervideo.com. © 2018, Mark Burger.

WANNA

go?

The Triad Film Collaborative’s selection of short films will be screened 7:30 pm Tuesday at RED Cinemas, 1305 Battleground Ave., Greensboro.

Tickets are $10.65. For advance tickets or more information, call 336.230.1732 or visit http:// redcinemas.com/. You can also visit http://brainjuiceproductions.com/Brain_Juice_Productions/ Home.html or https://www.facebook.com/BrainJuiceProductionsNC/ for more information.

JOIN US AT LARUE ON ELM FOR A TRULY FINE DINING EXPERIENCE! Try one of our delicious starters, house made salads, soups, house specialties, sushi, or signature steaks on our dinner menu.

Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Friday.

Now serving fresh sushi and seafood.

403 N. ELM ST. / GREENSBORO, NC / 336.252.2253 TUE-THU 11AM-9:30PM / FRI & SAT 11AM-10PM / SUNDAY 11AM-4PM DECEMBER 5-11, 2018 YES! WEEKLY

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HEAR IT!

Greensboro-based Chaucerian Myth and the world of dungeon synth

A

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DECEMBER 5-11, 2018

ndrew Oliver was rereading The Canterbury Tales a few years ago. A musician as well as a student of literature, Oliver got inspired by Geoffrey Chaucer’s John Adamian classic interlocking @johnradamian series of stories told by pilgrims making their way to CanterContributor bury, entertaining themselves along the way, revealing bits about their characters, shedding light on their motivations, capturing the richness of medieval English society.

“I was thinking ‘What a fantastic story,’” said Oliver, who spoke with me by phone from his home in Greensboro recently. Oliver had graduated from UNCG with a degree in literature. So, Chaucer wasn’t new to him. What struck him this time was the possibility of making music inspired and related to the book of stories written in Middle English in the late 14th century.

Oliver decided to tackle the sizeable challenge, and he ended up writing a large batch of instrumental music based on and inspired by The Canterbury Tales — 25 pieces in total, one for each of the 24 tales and one for the general prologue. Oliver records and releases his music under the name of Chaucerian Myth. The music is tagged as “dungeon synth,” which is a genre description that was new to me. But you can dive into the genre on streaming-music sites. You can visit the Chaucerian Myth Bandcamp page, which is decorated with medieval images and designs.

Dungeon synth often draws on an aesthetic inspired by feudalism, castles, wizardry and weaponry. It’s part Game of Thrones, part King Arthur, given a sprinkling of early polyphony. Many of the artists making dungeon synth came from the world of black metal, which has a similar stock of imagery, with aspects of pre-Christian and pagan mythology.

But the music tends to be much more meditative and less abrasive. Oliver said he was “a big progressive rock fan,” and that’s partly what nudged him toward his interest in a concept album.

Oliver, 25, has been making music for 10 years, but his mode of creativity had kept him from performing out live, and the expense of collaborating with other musicians and booking studio time tended to focus his efforts to laptopbased compositions.

Chaucerian Myth’s music occupies a curious spot. It’s instrumental music, drawing on timbres often associated with older styles. There are harpsichord sounds, bells, English horn tones, organ, timpani, something akin to viols or cellos. Chord progressions cycle through, in canon fashion, with a lot of melodic counterpoints. But if the sounds hint at early music, the synthetic nature of the timbres adds a strange futuristic aspect to the recordings. There aren’t a lot of backbeats, for instance. The music has a kind of new-age goth vibe to it.

There are points where one might think of the ominous but somehow relaxing soundtracks to David Lynch movies made by composer Angelo Badalamenti. At other times Eno, Pink Floyd, or Emerson, Lake and Palmer might come to mind.

Sometimes the music might sound like an instrumental outtake from a Beach Boys session. Or like a video game-rendition of “Carmina Burana.”

There is an impressively unrushed

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quality to the music, with tracks going on for 15, 20 or 30 minutes. The instrumental voices make their statements, often getting joined by another contrasting line and piling up to a dramatic mesh of harmonies. There can be tangy dissonances. And there can be grandiose climaxes.

“I’ve tended to make tracks where there’s anywhere from 10 to 30 different parts,” said Oliver about his process.

The music sounds like it’s being played by a machine, with that unwavering dynamic attack and unrelenting metronomic quality, but somehow the whiff of a phantom inhuman element is in keeping with the genre’s overall aesthetic.

Oliver has communicated with dungeon synth fans and fellow musicians from all over.

Within the world of dungeon synth, it’s not hard to find individuals who have seemingly fetishized the living conditions and social structures of serfdom, though in the early 21st century, with the unusual pressures of late capitalism, one can understand the appeal of an anachronistic fantasy of technological simplicity and dynamic cosmologies.

Oliver released his Canterbury Tales record in 2016. This fall, Chaucerian Myth came out with another musical companion to a monument of English literature, Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene from the late 16th century. Last year, Oliver focused on yet another, more obscure piece of English literature, The Book of Margery Kempe, a piece of early autobiographical writing recounting the religious awakening of a Christian mystic from the 14th century. Oliver’s music is WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

suitably tormented and dark, with swirling and churning voices that might suggest the sound of assailing demons that Kempe said beset her at times. One section — from a track called “Demonic Visions”— sounds like a cacophony of car horns or murky radio static. It’s menacing stuff.

Part of Oliver’s mission involves the unlikely challenge of getting people interested in obscure works of medieval literature.

“I hope to reawaken people’s attention and at least spur them to think about these books again because they’re not in the general public consciousness,” Oliver said. It’s worth noting that Oliver is a librarian by day, so he does have a good sense of what people are reading.

Chaucerian Myth isn’t limited to using literature from the middle ages as a jumping-off point for the music. Oliver has riffed on Beat poet Allen Ginsberg, and he’s essentially completed projects that are inspired by other (comparatively) more recent writers such as the 18th-century Scottish bard Robert Burns and the Victorian-era poet Christina Rossetti. As an artist, Oliver has found that, since his work involves finding a creative spur for instrumental music in pieces of literature and in narrative, he’s almost always receiving inspiration.

“Now, basically any time I watch a movie or read a book,” Oliver said, “music ideas run through my head.” !

JOHN ADAMIAN lives in Winston-Salem, and his writing has appeared in Wired, The Believer, Relix, Arthur, Modern Farmer, the Hartford Courant and numerous other publications.

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Submissions should be sent to artdirector@yesweekly.com by Friday at 5 p.m., prior to the week’s publication.

Visit yesweekly.com and click on calendar to list your event online. home grown music scene | Compiled by Austin Kindley

ASHEBORO

FOUR SAINTS BREWING

218 South Fayetteville St. | 336.610.3722 foursaintsbrewing.com Dec 5: Contentment Is Wealth Dec 7: Wolfie Calhoun Dec 8: Shiloh Hill Dec 14: Turpentine Shine Dec 15: Tyler MIllard Dec 21: Casey Noel Dec 22: The Rightly So Dec 28: Emma Lee Dec 29: Cara Shauble Jan 2: Contentment Is Wealth Jun 4: Wolfie Calhoun

clemmons

VILLAGE SQUARE TAP HOUSE

6000 Meadowbrook Mall Ct | 336.448.5330 Dec 7: DJ Bald-E Dec 8: Buccannon Boys Dec 15: Jukebox Rehab

YES! WEEKLY

December 5-11, 2018

Dec 20: James Vincent Carroll Dec 21: DJ Bald-E Dec 28: DJ Bald-E Dec 29: Clanky Lincolns

danbury

green heron ale house 1110 Flinchum Rd | 336.593.4733 greenheronclub.com

ELKIN

Reeves Theater

129 W Main St | 336.258.8240 reevestheater.com Dec 14: Mickey Galyean & Cullen’s Bridge Dec 15: Terry Baucom’s Dukes of Drive Dec 21: Songs of the Season Dec 22: Time Sawyer’s Holiday Spectacular

greensboro

arizona pete’s

2900 Patterson St #A | 336.632.9889 arizonapetes.com Dec 7: 1-2-3 Friday Dec 8: Every Time I Die

artistIka night club

523 S Elm St | 336.271.2686 artistikanightclub.com Dec 7: DJ Dan the Player Dec 8: DJ Paco and DJ Dan the Player

BARN DINNER THEATRE 120 Stage Coach Tr. | 336.292.2211

BeerThirty

505 N. Greene St Dec 7: Dave Moran Dec 8: Craig Baldwin Dec 14: Doug and Deland Dec 21: Starstruck acoustic duo Dec 22: Geoff Clapp/ Charlie Hunter Duo Dec 28: Chad Barnard

Jan 4: Brittany Davis Jan 11: Tom Warren Jan 18: Craig Baldwin Jan 25: Starstruck

the blind tiger

1819 Spring Garden St | 336.272.9888 theblindtiger.com Dec 5: Saliva Dec 7: The Eric Gales Band Dec 8: Radio Romance Dec 9: Parmalee w/ Kasey Tyndall Dec 13: Chuck Mountain & The Billyfolk Dec 14: Local Country Showcase w/ Brothers Pearl, Jukebox Rehab, Whiskey Foxtrot, Shannon Carman & Casey Noel Dec 20: Ward Davis Dec 21: Create. Dirty Monkey - Rise Of The Octopeel Tour

THE CORNER BAR

1700 Spring Garden St | 336.272.5559 corner-bar.com Dec 6: Live Thursdays

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COMEDY ZONE

1126 S Holden Rd | 336.333.1034 thecomedyzone.com Dec 7: Kountry Wayne Dec 8: Kountry Wayne Dec 14: Frankie Paul w/ Will Jacobs Dec 15: Frankie Paul w/ Will Jacobs Dec 28: Shaun Jones Dec 29: Chris Wile’s Family Friendly Comedy Show Dec 29: Shaun Jones Dec 31: New Year’s Eve Party

COMMON GROUNDS 11602 S Elm Ave | 336.698.3888 Jan 11: Andrew Kasab

CONE DENIM

117 S Elm St | 336.378.9646 cdecgreensboro.com Dec 12: P.O.D. Dec 15: The Lacs Jan 17: Badfish: Sublime Tribute Jan 26: Young Dolph

GREENE STREET CLUB 113 N Greene St | 336.273.4111

HAM’S NEW GARDEN

1635 New Garden Rd | 336.288.4544 hamsrestaurants.com

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Dec 7: Jukebox Revolver Dec 14: Joey Whitaker Dec 21: Lasater Union Dec 28: CHH Band

LEVENELEVEN BREWING 1111 Coliseum Blvd | 336.265.8600 Dec 5: Leah Kaufman and Isabel Taylor Dec 6: Piedmont Old Time Society Jam Dec 12: Bryan Toney

LITTLE BROTHER BREWING

348 South Elm St | 336.510.9678 Dec 13: Michael “Blind-Dog” Gatewood Dec 14: Banjo Earth Band Dec 15: Jared Stout Band Jan 3: David Childers Quartet

RODY’S TAVERN

5105 Michaux Road | 336.282.0950 rodystavern.com

SOMEWHERE ELSE TAVERN

5713 W Friendly Ave | 336.292.5464 facebook.com/thesomewhereelsetavern

SPEAKEASY TAVERN

GOOFY FOOT TAPROOM

1706 Battleground Ave | 336.378.0006

2762 NC-68 #109 | 336.307.2567 Dec 8: Turpentine Shine Dec 15: Dave Moran

THE IDIOT BOX COMEDY CLUB

HAM’S PALLADIUM

502 N. Greene St | 336.274.2699 www.idiotboxers.com Dec 7: JD Etheridge and Eric Trundy Dec 8: Improv Saturday Dec 14: Lucas Gumbrecht and Ryan Higgins Dec 21: Dusty Cagle and DeJahzh Hedrick Dec 28: Kenyon Adamcik and Maddie Wiener

THE W BISTRO & BAR 324 Elm St | 336.763.4091 @thewdowntown Dec 6: Karaoke Dec 7: Live DJ Dec 8: Live DJ

HIGH POINT

AFTER HOURS TAVERN 1614 N Main St | 336.883.4113 afterhourstavern.net Dec 8: Louder Dec 15: Black Glass

5840 Samet Dr | 336.887.2434 hamsrestaurants.com Dec 7: Huckleberry Shyne Dec 8: Sok Monkee Dec 14: Cumberland Drive Dec 15: Southern Eyes Band Dec 21: Tyler Millard Band Dec 22: Where’s Eddie?

Dec 28: The Dickens Dec 29: Rockit Science Dec 31: Radio Revolver

JAMESTOWN

THE DECK

118 E Main St | 336.207.1999 thedeckatrivertwist.com Dec 7: Stephen Legree Band Dec 8: Soul Central Dec 14: Sam Craven Band Dec 15: Radio Revolver Dec 16: Positively Pink Party for Breast Cancer Dec 21: Spare Change/Ugly Sweater Dec 22: Stereo Doll/Ugly Sweater Dec 28: Hip Pocket

DECEMBER 5-11, 2018 YES! WEEKLY

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hot pour PRESENTS

[BARTENDERS OF THE WEEK | BY NATALIE GARCIA] Check out videos on our Facebook!

WHERE ARE YOU FROM? I am originally from Fayetteville NC. My parents were both in the Air Force for 20 years, so we traveled a lot.

We moved to Greensboro when I was 12 or 13.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO MAKE? To be honest, my favorites to make varies a lot haha!

Currently, I rather enjoy making the Thai Chili Coconut Margarita we have on menu at Lao and Simply Thai.

It’s a fun, colorful drink with a crazy flavor profile. We also won 2nd Place in the 2018 Triad Margarita Wars with it.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO DRINK? One of my all time favorite cocktails is a Paper Plane. It is equal parts Bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Montenegro, and fresh Lemon Juice. It is a bittersweet, spirit foward drink with an alluring blood orange shade to it. Served up in a chilled coupe glass. Delicious!

YES! WEEKLY

December 5-11, 2018

BREaThE cockTail loungE

221 N Main St. | 336.497.4822 facebook.com/BreatheCocktailLounge dec 6: Jacob & Forrest dec 8: dJ Mike lawson

191 Lowes Foods Dr | 336.747.3059 OldNicksPubNC.com dec 8: disaster Recovery Band dec 14: karaoke dec 15: 4th anniversary party w/ Big daddy Mojo dec 22: Mystery hillbillies dec 28: karaoke dec 29: Star Struck dec 31: Buster Smackit - new Year’s Eve party

AGE: 29

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT BARTENDING? My favorite part and most enjoyed aspect is the creativity side of crafting cocktails. It is just like Sushi, or French fine cuisine, or a rare vintage wine. It is an artform. One that takes skill and knowledge to perfect just like many others. I appreciate the depth of flavors and quality of a well-made cocktail. I also really enjoy seeing the looks of satisfaction on people’s faces when they try and like something I created.

612 Edgewood St | 336.558.7204 dancehalldaze.com nov 30: The delmonicos

old nick’S puB

BAR: Lao / Simply Thai

HOW DID YOU BECOME A BARTENDER? I was working my bar-back job and just off a fresh 21st birthday, one of the closing barkeeps called out sick.

I jumped at the chance to work for her. I got my butt kicked, but I loved it! And the money was great!

dancE hall dazE

lewisville

BARTENDER: Chris Patterson

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BARTENDING? I have been bartending for over 8 years now. I started my service industry career in the kitchen and waiting tables.

When I turned 20, I picked up a bar-backing gig and never looked back!

kernersville

WHAT WOULD YOUR RECOMMEND AS AN AFTER-DINNER DRINK? A shot of Fernet, because it is a digestif and will help with that full belly. I really like two fingers of Irish whiskey over ice with a lemon wedge. Or something light and refreshing like a Mojito. I love mint!

WHAT’S THE CRAZIEST THING YOU’VE SEEN WHILE BARTENDING? Okay so, this is all in the same night. I served an older couple a pitcher of Miller Lite one evening without noticing they had already been drinking. The woman gets one beer in and vomits all over my bar top and all in the pitcher of beer. I went and grabbed the mop bucket, made them help me clean it up, and gave them the check. Fast forward 4 hours later. A group of college kids, mostly girls and some guys, are all taking shots and buying each other rounds of beers. Next thing you know, 3 of the girls are fighting each other, and I mean fighting! Throwing chairs and glasses, busted bottles, shoes were flying all over the place. I just had one other person with me and the door guy. We tried to break up the group squabble and it took longer than expected.

So my door guy pulls out his pepper spray and sprays the entire group. IT WAS GREEN MACE. It stained their clothes and turned their faces green! They all stopped fighting instantly and sat down on the floor while we told them police were on the way. Most of them stiffed me. You win some, you lose some.

WHAT’S THE BEST TIP YOU’VE EVER GOTTEN? I was waiting on Nido Qubein, the President of High Point University. He picked up the checks from all the tables around him and paid them on top of his.

Then tipped me AND the other server $350.

THOMAsville

coach’S nEighBoRhood gRill

1033 Randolph St. Suite 26 | 336.313.8944 coachsneighborhoodgrill.com

winsTOn-sAleM

SEcond & gREEn

207 N Green St | 336.631.3143 2ngtavern.com

Bull’S TavERn

408 West 4th St | 336.331.3431 facebook.com/bulls-tavern dec 28: Souljam

BuRkE STREET puB 1110 Burke St | 336.750.0097 burkestreetpub.com

cB’S TavERn

3870 Bethania Station Rd | 336.815.1664 dec 21: ugly christmas Sweater party

Fiddlin’ FiSh BREWing coMpanY

772 Trade St | 336.999.8945 fiddlinfish.com dec 7: The gB’s dec 14: Matt Walsh dec 20: The grand ole uproar

Finnigan’S WakE

620 Trade St | 336.723.0322 facebook.com/FinnigansWake

FooThillS BREWing 638 W 4th St | 336.777.3348 foothillsbrewing.com dec 5: West king Street Band dec 8: The Fustics dec 9: Sunday Jazz dec 12: Redleg husky dec 15: Thirsty horses dec 19: Swannanoa dec 22: alecia B. and The now

JohnnY & JunE’S Saloon

2105 Peters Creek Pkwy | 336.724.0546 johnnynjunes.com

Mac & nElli’S

4926 Country Club Rd | 336.529.6230 macandnellisws.com

MillEnniuM cEnTER 101 West 5th Street | 336.723.3700 MCenterevents.com

MilnER’S

630 S Stratford Rd | 336.768.2221 milnerfood.com dec 9: live Jazz dec 16: live Jazz

MuddY cREEk caFE & MuSic hall

5455 Bethania Rd | 336.923.8623 dec 8: cane Mill Road/The Wildmans dec 9: Sarah potenza dec 14: Tellico, possum Jenkins dec 15: Shadowgrass, one Fret over dec 16: Michael anderson christmas concert dec 21: angie aparo dec 22: Red June dec 23: celtic christmas w/ candelFirth

ThE RaMkaT

170 W 9th St | 336.754.9714 dec 5: Yoga Flow w/ nikki & dJSk dec 7: Southern culture on the Skids, Weisstronauts dec 8: “a Jazzy christmas in The Triad” feat. Marcus anderson w/ Toni Redd dec 10: Jimmy vivino & Bob Margolin dec 11: lucinda Williams dec 12: Yoga Flow w/ nikki & dJSk

WiSE Man BREWing

826 Angelo Bros Ave | 336.725.0008 dec 5: lisa & The Saints dec 19: Blake christiana of Yarn: unplugged

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FemFest V in your faces FemFest is back with a new round of lady-led bands looking to raise money and awareness against sexual assault and domestic violence on Dec. 8 at Southside Beer Garden and MonKatei Cranford stercade in WinstonSalem.

GIRLS GIRLS Contributing GIRLS! So the columnist showbill goes. But they aren’t here for your gaze, rather for the cash and a good cause with proceeds going directly to the local women’s shelter via Winston-Salem Family Services.

The line-up features local and touring acts, each with a strong female presence, ranging from a series of singersongwriters at Southside Beer Garden to psych bands all the way from Florida at Monstercade.

“It’s so great that bands from other states are eager to headline a public resistance against domestic violence and sexual assault,” said FemFest founder Bryn Fox. “So much has changed culturally in the last five years that I’ve second-guessed the event name fearing it wouldn’t be thought of as non-all inclusive,“ Fox noted of the bill and general atmosphere regarding the topic.

The landscape and conversations surrounding sexual assault have indeed changed since the first FemFest in 2014.

“I’ve chosen to continue to use FemFest, though, because it started as a small showcase of music as an outlet for women who were otherwise trapped in fear, and I’m proud of every evolving step since then,” she said.

“We’re extremely proud to host such an important cause, and welcome all of those who support victims’ rights,” said Carlos Bocanegra, owner and operator of Monstercade.

“Bryn has done an amazing job with putting FemFest together all these years, which is a testament to her beautiful heart,” he added. “The voices of the abused and disenfranchised can once again be empowered with this event.”

Fox reciprocated the appreciation.

“The entire staff at Monstercade has been like family to me over the past few years, and they’ve proved to be the most admirable venue by hosting this year,” she said.

Earlier plans hinted at a bigger blowout at The Ramkat, but FemFest V will see more intimate stages split amongst two venues with a singer-songwriter series at Southside Beer Garden starting at 3:30 p.m. A genre-bending bill kicks off at 3 p.m. with Damiyana at Monstercade.

“As I’m currently coming to terms with my own personal history as a victim of sexual assault, performing at FemFest is perfect timing for me,” said Damiyana, an Earth-inspired performer who melds music and design.

“I’ll be premiering some new material at this show that puts me outside of my comfort zone, but in a way that I think will be formative for my own process of

Br yn

er Fox, und FemFest fo

healing,” she added, “I hope it will do the same for others!”

Stevie, a three-piece band with members who’ve been involved with each FemFest thus far, feels a similar calling.

“We need to protect each other and uplift brave survivors who’ve made the choice to leave dangerous and abusive relationships,” they said.

For Stevie, “FemFest is one way for us to use our limited platform to give back to our community.”

“It’s a celebration of friendship and music where we get to raise our collective voice that demands we draw attention to continued injustices and horrors of domestic violence and abuse,” they said.

“We also get to trade tips on fashion, gear and compliment each other. It’s about empowerment, music and solidarity. FemFest is our favorite time of year.”

On lighter notes, FemFest is gals getting together for a good time and a good cause.

“We can’t wait to be surrounded by all this fierce femme energy,” said BANGZZ, a Durham punk duo. “We’re so proud to stand next to these musicians and to combine our powers to empower others.”

Reese McHenry, a vocal powerhouse from the Triangle echoed the excitement, “this is the fifth anniversary of this seriously important work, and we’re all honored to be a part of it!”

As for bands from the road, the Florida-based Pleasures crafted a tour around making an appearance. “We’re looking forward to it very much and stoked that our tour buddies CHEW got a slot too,” said member Katherine Kelly.

CHEW, a band of psychedelic craziness from Atlanta, beckoned crowds to “come play bbs,” and reinforced the earliness of their 5 p.m. slot.

At the end of the day, Fox is most proud of any voices that “finally feel heard.”

Hear them for yourself at FemFest V at Southside Beer Garden (2108 S. Broad St.) and Monstercade (204 W. Acadia Ave.) on Saturday in Winston-Salem. !

KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who enjoys seeing her friends come home for the holidays and the shows that happen as a result. She also hosts the Tuesday Tour Report, a radio show that runs like a mixtape of bands playing NC the following week, 5-7 p.m. on WUAG 103.1 FM.

PHOTOS BY KATIE MURAWSKI

(Left) Members of the indie rock band, L.A. Dies from Lynchburg, Virginia. (Right) The band Ladygod from Richmond, Virginia, performing at Fem Fest 2017.

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SCREEN IT!

Hoodwinked

BY MATT BRUNSON

n Robin Hood ( ), you can’t see the forest for the cheese.

That’s right: The mighty Sherwood Forest, home of many previous Robin Hood screen incarnations, doesn’t make an appearance until the waning moments of the film. Before then, this hokey and hyperactive undertaking starts off during the Crusades, where the drafted Robin of Loxley (Kingsman kid Taron Egerton) squares off against an enemy whose gadgetry shoots out arrows as if they were bullets being spit from a machine gun (this scene owes more to The Hurt Locker and American Sniper than to Errol Flynn or Disney’s swashbuckling fox).

After that, it’s back home to engage in court politics with the utterly venal Sheriff of Nottingham (Ben Mendelsohn, basically reprising his sneer-worthy role from Ready Player One) by day while spending his nights dressing up as “The Hood” (hand to heart, that’s what everyone calls him) and stealing from the rich and giving to, well, his own 401(k), I reckon – the film isn’t

LIONSGATE

always clear when it comes to the redistribution of wealth.

A medieval makeover meant for millennial moviegoers, Robin Hood suggests that Nottingham came outfitted with its own Urban Outfitters and everyone spoke like bratty teenagers (“I’m Robin.” “I’m busy.”).

Jamie Foxx has his moments as Little John, but Eve Hewson is a charmless Marian and Jamie Dornan a deadweight Will Scarlet.

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DECEMBER 5-11, 2018

And then there’s Amadeus Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham, who delivers his lines as the corrupt Cardinal as if he were channeling Bela Lugosi. I half-expected him to suddenly yell, “Pull the string!” — which, if nothing else, would have been a cue to lower the curtain on this buffoonish boondoggle.

The release of Creed three Thanksgivings ago allowed me to role-play as The Grinch throughout the 2015 holiday season, as my mixed review was in contrast to the sizable box office it enjoyed from audiences and rave reviews it garnered from most other critics. As I wrote at the time, “What’s disappointing about Creed is how slavishly it follows the template of the previous pictures. It’s certainly not bad — it’s the best entry since 1982’s Rocky III — but aside from the character shift, there’s nothing here that’s especially original, and one’s enjoyment depends entirely on how charitable one is feeling in the nostalgia department.”

That statement — and sentiment — can be equally applied to Creed II ( ), which, like its predecessor, is enjoyable in fits and starts. The best aspects of the first Creed remain the selling points here — namely, the performances by Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone. Jordan again excels as Adonis Creed, the son of the legendary boxer Apollo Creed and the current heavyweight champion of the world. And while Stallone, whose two Oscar nominations as an actor were for the original Rocky and the original Creed, isn’t given quite as much to do here, he’s still wonderful in the role. Garrulous of mind and generous of heart, Rocky Balboa remains a rich and complex character, and even his demotion from series focus to supporting player has done nothing to quell his all-embracing humanity.

Given the fact that the Rocky/Creed franchise has always feasted on the past, the hook this time isn’t exactly unexpected.

Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), the Russian boxer who killed Apollo Creed in the ring before being vanquished by Rocky (see 1985’s Rocky IV), now has a son, Viktor (played by boxer Florian “Big Nasty” Munteanu), who’s carrying on his father’s personal vendetta against Rocky and the Creeds. It’s arranged for Adonis and Viktor to square off, with more than just a championship on the line. For both men, it’s a chance to right perceived wrongs from the past while serving up a side dish of revenge.

Adonis is torn between following this path or taking the sage advice of his wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and mother Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad). Viktor just grunts a lot in preparation. As for Rocky, who was ringside when Apollo was killed, he has to decide whether or not to similarly coach Adonis in what might prove to be a death match.

It’s irresistible material — or at least it would be if the film ever bothered to offer any narrative surprises or unexpected character beats. Instead, it’s once again played at a safe level, as director Steven Caple Jr. (replacing Creed writer-director Ryan Coogler, who moved on to Black Panther) and the quartet of writers (including Stallone) are fearful of damaging this enduring tentpole. When the most emotional instance in the entire picture occurs as Bill Conti’s magnificent signature score from the first Rocky finally finds its way onto the soundtrack, it’s clear we’re responding in a Pavlovian manner to the music rather than the moment.

That’s not too say Caple (helming only his second feature) botches the assignment, as there’s enough to enjoy to earn the film a modest recommendation.

Even given their predictability, the fight sequences are effectively staged, and the training montages are also handled well.

Still, what’s most interesting about Creed II is its correlation with Rocky IV. That earlier film is utterly daft, but it’s also a perfect snapshot of the Reagan ‘80s, as audiences cheered as all-American Rocky took down the dreaded Commies — the film even ended with the Russkies themselves (both the commoners and the politicians) cheering for Rocky! Creed II offers comparable scenes, but the sociopolitical sheen has worn off and perhaps even switched sides.

After all, in the current arena, there are many who would relish the sight of a white Russian beating up a black American — a ghastly realization that would have been unimaginable in almost any other era. !

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theatre

STAGE IT!

The New Play Initiative for Forsyth County awards its first grant

T

he New Play Initiative for Forsyth County, founded in 2017, has awarded its first grant to a county-based live-theater production company to produce a new or recent work by a North Carolina-based playwright.

The Initiative, set up as a private family fund within the Arts Council of WinstonSalem/Forsyth County’s Arts Forever Fund, was established to encourage a stronger relationship between theater companies and playwrights in the state.

The program realizes that theater companies often must take a financial risk to undertake lesser-known and newer plays, which also makes it difficult for playwrights to get new play scripts seen by an audience.

Qualifying production companies in Forsyth County are encouraged annually to submit a play that they would like to stage. Any play script that receives a sufficiently high average rating from three independent judges can be considered for one annual grant. The grant must be used

to support and partially fund a production in the following year – in this case, 2019.

The Initiative has chosen to present a grant of $1,500 to support Kernersville Little Theatre’s fall 2019 production, a new adaptation of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson tale, “Treasure Island,” written by Tara Raczenski.

“Treasure Island” is planned to be the sixth play in KLT’s now-annual “Bring a Book to Life” series. In addition to being offered to the company’s regular audiences, it is presented free to the students attending Kernersville Elementary School.

The students are also given their own, age-appropriate copy of the classic tale.

“We’re very excited to be issuing the first grant in this program that we hope will continue to encourage relationships between theater companies in Forsyth County and North Carolina playwrights,” said Kathy Cissna, co-founder of the Initiative. “We’d like to see more playwrights given the chance to see their new, unknown scripts acted out on stage.” !

Dec 7-13

[RED]

FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD (PG-13) LUXURY SEATING Fri - Tue: 12:30, 4:05, 7:05, 10:00 BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (PG-13) LUXURY SEATING Fri & Sat: 12:00, 2:55, 5:50, 8:45, 11:40 Sun - Tue: 12:00, 2:55, 5:50, 8:45 THE FRONT RUNNER (R) LUXURY SEATING Fri - Mon: 2:20, 7:25 Tue: 2:20 PM SWIMMING WITH MEN Fri - Sun: 12:20, 2:30, 4:50 Mon & Tue: 12:20, 2:30, 4:50, 7:10, 9:20 CREED II (PG-13) Fri & Sat: 12:00, 2:45, 5:35, 8:25, 11:15 Sun - Tue: 12:00, 2:45, 5:35, 8:25 THE FRONT RUNNER (R) Tue: 7:25 PM GREEN BOOK (PG-13) Fri & Sat: 12:05, 2:55, 5:45, 8:35, 11:25 Sun - Tue: 12:05, 2:55, 5:45, 8:35 ROBIN HOOD (PG-13) Fri - Tue: 12:05, 2:40, 5:15, 7:50, 10:20 INSTANT FAMILY (PG-13) Fri & Sat: 12:20, 3:00, 5:35, 8:20, 11:10 Sun - Tue: 12:20, 3:00, 5:35, 8:20 WIDOWS (R) Fri & Sat: 12:05, 2:50, 5:40, 8:30, 11:20 Sun - Tue: 12:05, 2:50, 5:40, 8:30 DR. SEUSS’ THE GRINCH (PG) Fri - Tue: 12:10, 2:10, 4:10, 6:10, 8:10, 10:10 BOY ERASED (R) Fri - Mon: 2:25, 7:20, 9:55 Tue: 2:25, 9:55

[A/PERTURE] Dec 7-13

NOBODY’S FOOL (R) Fri - Tue: 12:00, 4:55, 10:05 THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS (PG) Fri - Tue: 12:15, 5:00 WELCOME TO MERCY (NR) Fri & Sat: 7:10, 9:20, 11:30 Sun: 7:10, 9:20 BEAUTIFUL BOY (R) Fri - Tue: 3:25 PM THE OLD MAN & THE GUN (PG-13) Fri & Sat: 12:10, 2:25, 4:45, 7:10, 9:25, 11:40 Sun & Mon: 12:10, 2:25, 4:45, 7:10, 9:25 Tue: 12:10, 2:25, 4:45 WILDLIFE (PG-13) Fri & Sat: 12:20, 2:30, 4:40, 7:00, 9:15, 11:30 Sun - Tue: 12:20, 2:30, 4:40, 7:00, 9:15

THE FAVOURITE (R) Wed: 7:00 PM AT ETERNITY’S GATE (PG-13) Fri: 3:00, 5:30, 8:00 Sat & Sun: 10:30 AM, 1:00, 3:30, 6:00, 8:30 Mon: 5:30, 8:00, Tue: 3:00, 5:30, 8:00 Wed: 5:30, 8:00, Thu: 3:00, 5:30, 8:00 CHEF FLYNN () Fri: 4:15, 6:45, 9:15 Sat & Sun: 11:15 AM, 1:45, 4:15, 6:45, 9:15 Mon: 6:45, 9:15, Tue: 4:15, 6:45, 9:15 Wed: 6:45, 9:15, Thu: 4:15, 6:45, 9:15 BOY ERASED (R) Fri: 3:30, 6:00, Sat: 1:30, 6:30 Sun: 4:00, 6:30, Mon: 6:00 PM Tue: 8:45 PM, Wed: 4:30 PM Thu: 6:00 PM MARIA BY CALLAS (PG) Fri: 4:00, 6:30, 9:00 Sat & Sun: 10:00 AM, 12:30, 3:00, 5:30, 8:00 Mon: 6:30, 9:00, Tue: 4:00, 6:30, 9:00 Wed: 6:30, 9:00 Thu: 4:00, 6:30, 9:00 CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? (R) Fri: 8:30 PM Sat & Sun: 11:00 AM, 9:00 Mon: 8:30 PM, Tue: 3:30 PM Wed: 9:30 PM, Thu: 3:30, 8:30

311 W 4th Street Winston-Salem, NC 27101 336.722.8148

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Hot chocolate, coffee, and assorted goodies will be provided along with all materials. You just bring a few of your favorite Christmas photographs. Space is limited so sign up today!

The workshop is Saturday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. to noon at Theatre Art Galleries (TAG) located at 200 E. Commerce Ave. in downtown High Point (inside High Point Theatre). The cost is $45 for non-members and $40 for TAG members.

Register online at www.tagart.org/ christmas-workshop/ or call the TAG office at (336) 887-2137 WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

Contact Education Coordinator, Jennifer Donley, with questions at 336-878-7850 or jennifer@tagart.org. !

DECEMBER 5-11, 2018 YES! WEEKLY

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leisure

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[NEWS OF THE WEIRD] WAIT, WHAT?

Akihiko Kondo, 35, of Tokyo, spent $18,000 on a Nov. 4 wedding ceremony to marry the love of his life, Hatsune Miku — a computergenerated hologram with big eyes and Chuck Shepherd long, turquoise hair.

Kondo told Reuters he found Hatsune Miku, who has thousands of fans around the world, singing on the internet. The wedding ceremony included traditions such as the exchange of rings (hers was placed on the finger of a stuffed doll created in her image) and friends and relatives in attendance, although Kondo’s parents did not attend.

“I believe the shape of happiness and love is different for each person,” Kondo said.

CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY

A Bank of America ATM in Houston was the scene of a near-riot on Nov. 25 when it began dispensing $100 bills instead of $10s, reported Click2Houston. After the first lucky driver posted his score

WARNING: This

on social media, a crowd showed up and stood in line, with a few fights and arguments breaking out over about two hours, until police were summoned and the free money was shut down. Bank of America released a statement the next day that would have galled Ebenezer Scrooge: “Customers will be able to keep the money dispensed.” Turns out the blame lay with a vendor who incorrectly loaded $100 bills into the $10 slot. There was no report of how much money was withdrawn.

LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS

— Richard Robert Langely, 46, of Kansas City, Missouri, was working part time for the Platte Woods Police Department in October when he decided to take part in the department’s drug take-back program. Except, according to court documents, Langely wasn’t disposing of drugs; he was helping himself to pills that had been collected in Lake Waukomis. And to make matters worse, the Kansas City Star reported, his own body camera captured evidence enabling prosecutors to charge him with felony theft of a controlled substance. Langely is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 10.

— Wesley Glenn Bost, 27, of Birmingham, Alabama, made quite the impression when he fell through the ceiling of a Waffle House in Tuscumbia on Nov. 4, not least because he wasn’t wearing pants.

Bost apparently went into the restaurant’s bathroom and used his pants to tie the door shut, then, said Tuscumbia police Detective Sgt. Wes Holland, climbed into the ceiling with the intent of robbing the office. WHNT News reported that video of the incident shows Bost shoving other restaurant patrons on his way to the door, which was being held shut by people outside, before hitting the door with his shoulder and falling to the floor.

Finally he managed to flee ... without his trousers ... which held his driver’s license.

PICKY, PICKY

A referee in a Women’s Super League soccer match in Manchester City, England, stayed cool at the start of the televised game on Oct. 26 when he realized he’d forgotten his coin for the kickoff coin toss. Thinking quickly, David McNamara had the captains of the Manchester City and Reading teams play “Rock, Paper, Scissors” instead. But the Football Association, soccer’s governing body in

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DECEMBER 5-11, 2018

WHAT IS FAME?

Former Toronto Blue Jays star Jose Bautista has another honor to add to his resume, thanks to entomologist Bob Anderson of the Canadian Museum of Nature. On Nov. 22, reported the Associated Press, Anderson named a newly discovered species of beetle after the star third baseman and right fielder. Sicoderus bautistai is a small black weevil found in the Dominican Republic, where Bautista hails from. “I thought what a great way to kind of recognize (Bautista’s) contributions to Blue Jays baseball and to Canadian baseball, really, as a whole,” said Anderson. The scientist has named about 120 weevils over his career. !

© 2018 Chuck Shepherd. Universal Press Syndicate.

Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.

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England, was unamused, and on Nov. 26, McNamara began a 21-day suspension after accepting a charge of “not acting in the best interests of the game,” according to the BBC. An FA refereeing manager said: “He should have been more prepared. ... It’s very unprofessional.”

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[KING Crossword]

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Punch Lines

ACROSS

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71-Across Wants badly, with “for” Eddie — (clothing chain) Above Luau bowlful End in — (go unresolved) Innate sense of time Pieces of pizza?

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Buoyant tune Kids’ guessing game Tail-fanning birds Brand of cat food Low- — meal In vogue Man-mouse middle Put- — (hoaxes) Disclose accidentally Plastered Pal of Athos and Porthos Antique “— Maria” Permanently Tears into Aid in self-diagnosis Like icecaps Eroded Hedge fund whiz Roman Cath., e.g.

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Yale of Yale University Singer Edith It spits out bills, briefly Pajama-clad mag founder Latch again, as a door Like some safe runners South, in Spanish — diagram (math image) Remorse Raven sound Tennis champ Bjoern Electric co., e.g.

Bottled (up) Blood part Funnel-shaped flowers Merit Career completer Flowering Hanoi-to-Beijing dir.

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Coot Go in haste Makes fit Light wash Middle Ages weapons Nosh Highest point “—’s Gold” (Peter Fonda film) Bug a lot Brit’s john Sort Mai — Leftover bit “Blech!”

Informal shirt

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Local filmmaker Maurice Hicks talks Rap & Rhyme

W

hen local writer/ director Maurice Hicks came by my apartment last week to show me scenes from his nearly-finished film Rap & Rhyme, he cautioned me about Ian McDowell mistaking the views expressed by Russell, the protagonist’s Contributor best friend, for those of anyone but the character.

Hicks called Russell, vividly played by Robert Crayton (a North Carolina-based actor whose extensive credits includes Peachy, the convict who punches Paul Rudd at the beginning of 2015’s Ant-Man), “a misogynist, homophobe and racist.” While Russell starts out as the film’s apparently funny secondary lead, he becomes the antagonist, or as Hicks called him, “the big baddie, but so charismatic, he’s almost hypnotic.”

He also said that, at one point, he debated with himself about just how virulent he should make Russell’s rhetoric.

Hicks ended up talking to his star Cranston Johnson about the dilemma.

The Gastonia-born (and until recently, Winston-based) Johnson, whose credits include the recurring roles of DeShawn on Donald Glover’s FX comedy-drama Atlanta and Detective Hanson on SundanceTV’s Hap and Leonard, also played the lead in Hicks’ Greensboro-shot short film A Letter to My Son, for which Johnson won Best Actor at the 2016 International Film Festival in Rahway, New Jersey. In Rap & Rhyme, Johnson plays Jeffrey, an aspiring hip-hop artist (and grocery store employee whose workplace is “played”

by Greensboro’s venerable Bestway), who has to choose between his own vision and the formulaic demands of commercial rap that his friend Russell embraces.

“I asked Cranston if I should tone the stuff down. He said no, that toning down the character and his harmful rhetoric would be a disservice to the film. So, he is who he is. It’s a cautionary portrait.”

Hicks then showed me several scenes from Rap & Rhyme, which I found engagingly and skillfully written, directed and acted, which included a great joke I won’t spoil here. I was impressed, just as I’d been back in September when he showed me other scenes at College Hill YES! WEEKLY

DECEMBER 5-11, 2018

Sundries, where I found them engrossing despite the bar noise. This time, the only distractions were my cats, who were too interested in my visitor to get between me and the laptop Hicks set in front of me.

Hicks was frank about how long it’s taking him to complete Rap & Rhyme. Since his short film A Letter to My Son hit the festival circuit in 2015, I wrongly assumed it an earlier work. “A normal person would complete their projects as they film them,” said Hicks, explaining that the raw footage for Rap & Rhyme was filmed five years ago, but the film is only being finalized now.

“We just recently exported the cut with the score in. We chopped out all the excess, trimmed the fat. It needs to be color-graded, and the last couple of special effects shots done in post. It’s like 99.9 percent done.”

So why did it take so long? With disarming candor, Hicks told me that the blame rests solely on himself.

“It was almost completed in 2013, but then my depression and anxiety kicked in, and it became like this giant thing looming over me. Everyone around me was telling me it was great. But I started sabotaging myself, using whatever I could to keep the movie from being finished. I have a pretty cush corporate job and make more than enough money. But I was suddenly going, ‘oh, I’m going to buy this, I’m going to go on this trip, I’m going to do this.’

Anything but work on the film.”

For a while, friends and family members would regularly ask him when Rap & Rhyme would be finished, “but those inquiries got less and less frequent, and then silence.” And with that silence, he said, it became easier and easier to not do the work he needed to do.

That changed this year when he went to Vietnam to help scout locations for a friend’s film.

“I came back with this revitalization,

Various stills of Maurice Hicks’ Rap & Rhyme starring Cranston Johnson

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and was so ashamed of myself at how fortunate I was, how many resources I have, how many people that care about me around me that would help me finish it, and I just wasn’t doing the work. And here I’d just been in a country where the people were so hard-working, making me feel even worse in comparison.”

Upon his return to the U.S., his sense of shame sent him into therapy. “My therapist said ‘you have FOS.’ When I asked him what that meant, he said ‘Fear of Success.’ And then he helped me get in charge of my anxiety and depression, and reframe my thoughts.”

As he worked his way through this process, Hicks said, “I just started kicking stuff in the butt. I stopped spending my money on a lot of excessive garbage. I went and found post-production people. I went and shot the last of the exteriors that we needed to bring the movie home. Got the score in place, got special effects shots done. And this movie that I’d had on the shelf for five years, all these things that were keeping it uncompleted, they were a month’s worth of work, if I’d just sat down and done them.”

Once he got that under control, Hicks said, “the movie started to come together again.”

The finish line in sight, Hicks reflected back on where it all began, with an earlier 10-minute short he’d made prior to A Letter to My Son. “It was basically the same story as Rap &. Rhyme, and that’s where I met both Cranston and Rob.” Like the feature film it would spawn, it was about “this artist’s pure love for hip-hop and how, to sustain himself financially, he has to venture into rap and his struggle with that.”

The original short film didn’t include any actual rapping. “It was just him after a show, how he struggled to maintain the façade, and how strenuous that was. It was him and the other characters existing in this universe and having to keep up appearances.”

Unlike A Letter to My Son, which would be entered in various film festivals and eventually sold to a new streaming service “that I can’t talk about yet,” not many people saw the original version of what would become Rap & Rhyme. “Just a few friends, but one said ‘this is so tangible and so real, you need to make this short into a feature.’ Cranston was on board, Robert was on board, and we started filming.”

He said he worked steadily on the feature for “a year and a half of living in self-imposed poverty” because he was putting all his money into the project. “I was working 40, 50, 60-hour weeks at my job, taking whatever overtime they would give me, eating ramen noodles and hot WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

From left: Robert Crayton and Maurice Hicks on set of Rap & Rhyme dogs. I lived in squalor despite being well paid. It was terrible because I had to live in a building that got condemned, but if I’d lived anywhere else, accrued any more expenses, I couldn’t have done it.”

As already described, he almost didn’t.

But during the time Hicks’ psychological issues put Rap & Rhyme on hiatus, he conceived of and completed A Letter to My Son. “I wrote it in a couple of hours, and it really highlights my frustrations as an African-American man. I don’t have children, but if I did, those would be the kind of things that kind of circle in my mind.”

One night, he said, he decided to combine them all and get it out of his system.

“It wasn’t written to fit a particular agenda or to fit in with what other people were doing. It was how I felt, and I knew that it was something I wanted to make.”

He pitched the role to Johnson. “He said, ‘well, that’s a lot of dialogue, why don’t you do it? Those are your words and your thoughts.’ But I told him, I don’t have that talent, I write and direct, but I’m not an actor.”

Johnson signed on, and the project came together quickly. “I grabbed my buddy Rex Yow, and he said ‘yeah, we can do that.’ So, we just picked up a few places around Greensboro and filmed most of it downtown.

Hicks attributed A Letter to My Son’s eventual sale to star Johnson’s rising profile in the film industry. “He was recently on seasons two and three of Hap and Leonard, playing Captain Hanson, who gives Hap and Leonard a hard time. He’s also currently shooting a show called Wu Assassins for Netflix in Canada right now.

He’s just a really successful guy, always working, and this festival that I submit-

ted to years ago, which I guess is part of a network of festivals, said they were starting a new streaming service and asked if I would like my short to be part of it. They sent a contract, and the numbers looked good. They have exclusive streaming rights online for the next three years.”

His confidence bolstered by that sale, Hicks began finishing the feature-length film he’d begun filming before conceiving A Letter to My Son. When I watched scenes from Rap and Rhyme, I was impressed by how good his male leads are, not just at acting, but at rapping.

“I would put them up against anybody,” Hicks said. “I’m feeling kind of down about popular music right now, and I think that in rap culture, lyricism has taken a step back. The mainstream rap realm is no longer about that, but about the trappings and the image: who has the craziest tattoos, who’s having sex with who, what did so-and-so do outside of the studio, what trouble are they getting in. The persona takes over, and the music comes last.”

He said he told Johnson and Crayton they’d have to perform in long cuts, no instruments, “just rapping their asses off,” and they rose to the challenge. “In a lot of rap videos, they have these quick cuts, and the person can’t rap in real life. But these dudes can, and they’re fantastic actors. They’re like a double threat. You simply cannot deny their talent.”

I asked Hicks about his background and his influences. He told me that he was born in Long Island and described his family as blue-collar. “My father, who has passed, was a diesel mechanic. My mom lives in Winston, where she’s been for a couple of decades now and works in the hospital system. My little brother

just enlisted in the army, and my sister is an attorney who works in downtown Greensboro.”

He grew up “more in Greensboro than in Winston,” and double-majored in film and psychology at UNCG, from which he graduated in 2010. “Thought I was going to go to get my masters in clinical psych, but the money issue intervened, so it was like go and get a job. And really, the flexibility of the corporate job has allowed all this to happen. I used my salary to fund my creative expression.”

He told me he loves the work of the great Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, writer/director of A Separation. Other contemporary favorites include Barry Jenkins (“Moonlight was fantastic”), and Hicks called himself “a big fan” of Denis Villeneuve’s Sicario, The Arrival and Bladerunner 2049. “I also really liked Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides. I’m far removed from her suburban bubblegum dream milieu, but I really like what she does with it.”

Hicks considers Stanley Kubrick a cinematic master, but, dissenting from many other local filmmakers, confessed equivocation on Quentin Tarantino. “I can appreciate what he’s doing, but it’s not totally for me.”

Spike Lee, on the other hand, is. “A lot of people don’t like his stuff because he’s outspoken, but if you look at his movies, from Do the Right Thing to Clockers to Summer of Sam, all those movies have critiques of the insulated culture they showcase, always. If you watch a Spike Lee movie and don’t think he’s critical of the culture, you didn’t watch a Spike Lee movie.”

He concluded with some advice.

“I say this to any artist, any project, any medium. The people around you that love you and recognize your talent will be there when you call upon them to help you achieve something you really believe in. I wholeheartedly believe that. This project would not be possible without my beloved friends. I’m 34 now. As you get old, you start to see the bubble you’re in slowly shrink, and it’s the world moving on. It’s your health, your bills, your mortgage, the things that pile up and slow you down, and that bubble of possibility gets smaller. The longer you don’t do it, the quieter and less forceful your voice becomes. If you have the energy and the voice and the creative resources, do it now. Please. Call up your friends. They love you and believe in you and will help you make it happen.” !

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.

DECEMBER 5-11, 2018 YES! WEEKLY

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High Point Rockers officially name manager, pitching coach

BY TAYLOR CRAMER On a sunny afternoon in a room that overlooked the High Point skyline, several individuals gathered for the official signing of the High Point Rockers’ first-ever field manager and pitching coach.

On Nov. 28, High Point’s new baseball team, the High Point Rockers, held a press conference in downtown High Point at the Lofts at Plant Seven to announce their first field manager, Jamie Keefe and pitching coach, Frank Viola.

Leading the project is High Point University’s very own president Dr. Nido Qubein. “Something is happening in High Point, something of great measure, with a promising future,” said Qubein beginning the press conference.

High Point will not only have a brand new stadium to call home, but they will have their own team. Qubein’s goal for this project is to bring the entire city of High Point together as one, with hopes that this could be the start of something spectacular. Qubein’s face lit up as he said, “it’s about time High Point had its time in the light.”

Rockers team president Ken Lehner introduced the team’s leads, “Jamie Keefe and Frank Viola have done nothing but two things in their career; win games and develop players,” smiling he added, “success breeds success.” Lehner believes this makes Keefe and Viola more than qualified to run the team.

Keefe’s career started in 1992 when he became the third round pick for the

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Pittsburgh Pirates; 26 years later and his baseball career continues. Lehner and Keefe have been working together for five seasons; those of which lead to an average of 60 wins per season, four playoff games, two division championships, and one league championship.

“I would not be wearing this championship ring today if not for Jamie Keefe,” Lehner said. After 16 seasons of managing baseball teams, Keefe has become a natural recruiter with the talent of pushing his teams to victory. “It’s going to be challenging, but I love what I do and getting the chance to create a team from scratch and teach a borderline Hall-ofFamer (Viola) everything I know is going

to be exciting,” Keefe said of his new team. Thanking the city of High Point for this opportunity Keefe said, “We’re going to build a family atmosphere at that ballpark and do two things: have fun and win baseball games.”

Former Major League player Viola lives and breathes baseball, with almost 50 years of his life dedicated to the sport. He started playing baseball at the age of 9, and now at 58 years old, his love for the game is as strong as ever. After 15 years of playing Major League Baseball, starting his career with the Minnesota Twins and ending with the Toronto Blue Jays, he decided it was time to give back. He spent eight seasons with the New York Mets

organization, starting at rookie-level and moving up to AAA. “The one thing they do in independent ball that they don’t do anywhere else, is they play the game because they love to play the game,” said Viola explaining what compelled him to join this team. After losing sight of this, Viola wants to learn to have fun again while taking on this opportunity.

The team’s hopes for this new baseball league is that it will positively impact the community, both economically and emotionally. So far this project has created over 550 construction jobs with over 100 more to come once the facility is up and running.

“You’re in for something special, I think this is going to touch the town in a way that hasn’t been touched in a long time,” Keefe said.

Fans can secure their seats and tickets for the upcoming season by heading over to the team’s office on 214 Lindsay St. in downtown High Point, or they can check out their website at www.HighPointRockers.com.

The team has their season opener on Thursday, April 25, 2019, against the defending Atlantic League Champions, the Sugar Land Skeeters. The team’s first home game on Thursday, May 2, 2019, at the BB&T Point Ballpark. Follow the Rockers for upcoming events such as the announcement and debut of their mascot in January 2019. You can follow these updates on Facebook at @HighPointBaseball, Instagram at @HighPointRockers, and Twitter at @Rockersbaseball. !

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Investing in cannabis (legally) From time to time, clients and friends have asked me about investing in “marijuana stocks.” They typically have heard of a company from a friend at work and want me to do some research on it as a Charles Freeman potential investment. The stocks are often penny stocks Contributor with little financial data. I have always felt that it was, in general, too early to invest in the cannabis industry. That is, until now.

My change of heart has been inspired by numerous realizations over the past year.

The journey started when a friend, who is a Certified Financial Planner, called me to help a friend put together a portfolio of “marijuana stocks.” The account was sizable, and I wanted to dig in to get an industry overview and see if there were some legitimate investment opportunities. What I’ve found has been astounding and completely changed my mind.

The marijuana stereotypes are pervasive and certainly carry a negative connotation. From Bob Marley to the hippies, the counter-culture often associated with marijuana use has historically been antiestablishment and often clashed with mainstream society. But this has changed.

Typical consumers of cannabis these days range from professionals to seniors and cover all ages and demographics. Cancer patients are using medical marijuana for nausea control, appetite stimulation and pain relief. Veterans are using marijuana to battle PTSD and anxiety. Seniors are using CBD (one of the active compounds in cannabis and hemp) creams to mitigate arthritis pain. It is not just about “getting high” anymore. In fact, it is the discovery and realization that marijuana can treat a number of diseases and potentially be an alternative to opioids that is changing the game.

From my current research, I now think it is no longer IF cannabis will be legalized in the U.S., it’s WHEN will it be legal nationally. Public opinion has shifted dramatically over the last 30 years, and now the majority of Americans think the use of marijuana should be made legal.

The shifting tide could be originating from several areas (demographics or medical treatment research), and the opportunity for tax revenue given Colorado’s success is undeniably attractive for the governWWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

ment. For these reasons and many others, I feel like the stage is set for cannabis to be legal nationwide on the medical and recreational level in less than 10 years.

As of this writing, 33 states in the U.S. already have some form of legal marijuana use while 10 states have approved recreational usage. Early adopters have been states on the West coast and the Northeast. It is likely the trend will move East and then South, given the generally more conservative views of the Southern states. Internationally, Canada has recently legalized cannabis both on the medical and recreational level nationally.

This is the first large developed country in the world to do so and sets a precedent for others to follow. Back in the U.S., marijuana usage is still federally illegal even though many states have legalized usage in some capacity. The disparity is creating massive conflicts between federal, state, and local governments making it difficult for companies and consumers.

Further, while the recent departure of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions (an open opponent of the pro-legalization movement) was celebrated by the cannabis community, uncertainty remains regarding his replacement. Still, more and more states are looking into legalizing cannabis given the number of marijuanarelated bills being currently proposed in Congress. My long-term opinion is that as state adoption increases, regulation should move toward the “alcohol model” with appropriate age restrictions, labeling requirements, and health warnings for consumption.

The tide has turned, and there has been enough growth in the legal cannabis industry to create legitimate investment opportunities for the future. I see similarities to the tech sector as it evolved through the late 1980s and 1990s. In that time, there were countless mergers, acquisitions, failures, successes, etc. as the industry grew and evolved; and the cannabis industry will likely follow a similar path over the next 20 years. The question then becomes, “Where are the opportunities and what are the investment considerations?”

In my research, I am categorizing cannabis-related companies in three main areas: Direct Cannabis Exposure, Biotech, and Passive Investments. Direct Cannabis Exposure is then broken down between growers, suppliers, and retail distribution.

For Biotech, specialty strains are being isolated to treat specific illnesses while commodity cannabis can be used for pain management and anxiety control. Passive

investments would include companies where cannabis products would only encapsulate a portion of their overall business.

Let’s dive a little deeper into “growers.”

For companies growing cannabis as their main source of revenue, here are a few questions to consider : What are the company’s profit margins?

Are they complying with applicable laws regarding state and local regulation?

What is their potential market size?

What is the competitive landscape, and could industry supply outstrip demand and put them at risk?

For each segment above and the associated company, there is a myriad of questions and due diligence to find an attractive investment opportunity. Further, with an emerging industry, the answers to the questions often change suddenly. This has been a real issue within the cannabis industry as regulations vary from state to state and the political environment is constantly shifting. One of the biggest issues with the cannabis industry right now is the lack of company financial data.

Many companies in the legal cannabis industry are so new that they have limited data to analyze. Sales may only go back a year or two. Another issue is that even though the company may be publicly traded; reporting requirements vary for exchanges, and some do not require the disclosure of financial statements at all. So, the company may have a great website, but are they selling anything? It reminds me of the late 1990s when people would throw money at any company with a “.com” in the name. Many times, that strategy did not end well. I feel investors have to be very careful in choosing among cannabis-related companies to make sure the business model is solid, and the company has a good plan for growth.

Another challenge in the cannabis industry is extreme volatility. Changing regulations, mergers, and industry news can send these stocks up or down dramatically in a short period of time. Therefore, it is very important to consider how much of the total portfolio one should prudently invest in this sector given their overall financial plan and risk tolerance.

These are only a few considerations when evaluating investments in the cannabis industry. If you are interested in investing, I recommend talking with a qualified investment advisor about opportunities that may compliment your other investments and the suitability of cannabis investments given your overall financial situation.

*Disclosure: AdaptFirst Investments LLC (AFI) is providing this information for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies.

Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Commentary of any kind in this article is based on AFI’s opinion and analysis, and not representative of future performance of any security or market. AFI AND CONTENT SOURCES MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS AND DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND IN CONNECTION WITH THE SUBJECT MATTER OR ABOUT THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS AND SUITABILITY OF THE INFORMATION FOR ANY PURPOSE. Use of the article information is at reader’s own risk. Personalized investment advice can only be rendered after engagement of AFI for services, execution of the required documentation, and receipt of required disclosures. Please contact AFI for further information. Information presented is not intended as tax or legal advice. Readers should consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding their individual situation. !

CHARLES FREEMAN is a Chartered Financial Analyst and President of AdaptFirst Investments in Greensboro, NC. With over 20 years in the investment industry, Charles helps clients find and invest proactively in potential future trends and attractive investment opportunities. Charles has been published or featured in Investor’s Business Daily, The Saturday Evening Post, WXII 12 News, HQ Greensboro, and more.

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last call

[THE ADVICE GODDESS] love • sex • dating • marriage • questions

WOE IS MEOW

I lost over 100 pounds. I’m really proud of my myself and my new body, so I post pix on Instagram. Disturbingly, I’ve got a few haters — all women! — who come at me saying Amy Alkon I’m narcissistic, slutty, a showoff, etc.

Advice I thought women are supposed to support Goddess one another. How should I respond?

Should I post fewer selfies? — So Much For Sisterhood Nothing lasts forever — except middle school, which never ever ends. You’ll be 85, and some biddy will be all “Look at that slut with the pink walker.”

There actually seem to be sex differences in the content of social media meanness, according to research by psychology doctoral student Joy Wyckoff and her colleagues. In keeping with previous studies, they found that women online get comments knocking their physical appearance more often than men, whereas men more often get comments “derogating their status” and skills. (Additionally, in their study, it was women alone who

got “derogated” for “promiscuity” — a trigger for men’s evolved fear of providing for a kid with some other dude’s genes.)

These differences in who gets bashed for what — appearance in women versus status and skills in men — are right in line with the differences I often cite in male and female mating priorities. These evolved out of the differing potential costs from having sex. Because women can get pregnant and stuck with kids to feed, mate-seeking women are drawn to high-status men — “men with the ability ... to provide resources,” as the researchers put it.

They note that men, on the other hand, are “unconstrained” by any sort of “minimum obligatory parental investment” (that is, beyond the initial teaspoonful of sperm). This allows men to prioritize hotitude in prospective female partners — which is to say, men’s eyes make a beeline for boobs and butts, and never mind whether they’re attached to the barista or the senior VP. As for the ugliness you’ve been experiencing on social media, it’s best understood as female-on-female psychological warfare. Chances are, these “haters” are looking to chill your enthusiasm to post hot bod selfies — leading you to selfrelocate lower on the mate competition totem pole. (I’m guessing nobody goes meangirl on your photo studies of inani-

mate objects or Cujo, your teacup Yorkie.)

Block the Cruellas. Nobody has a right to your attention or a seat on your social media platform. On a positive note, now that you’ve been schooled in the covert ways some compete, you should be quicker to identify and fend off female underhandedness — on Instagram and beyond. (Nothing like women celebrating other women’s achievements: “Way to go, girl! Who knew the walk of shame burnt so many calories?”)

BONG WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE?

I’m a 28-year-old guy in grad school. I love my girlfriend, but I don’t want to have sex with her anymore. I’m hitting the books and writing papers day and night. She still wants to party — go out and smoke pot and drink a lot — which I used to enjoy but now find empty and stupid. I keep feeling seriously annoyed with her choices, and I’m increasingly attracted to other women.

Is this the end, or should we try to make it work? — College Boy When you’re slaving away in grad school, it can be hard to feel connected to somebody whose idea of higher education is Googling how to grow pot in your closet.

Your eye-rolling at your girlfriend’s choices — to the point where you could sprain a pupil — is not exactly the stuff a peppy libido and a happy future together

are made of. In fact, the mounting lack of respect you have for her is the starter emotion for contempt — an ugly emotion that plays out as sneering disgust. Relationships researcher John Gottman finds that contempt leaching into a marriage is the single best predictor that a couple will split up.

Conversely, for a relationship — marital or just committed sans paperwork — to have staying power, you need to have the hots for your partner, not just as a sextivities provider but as a human being. This involves having deep admiration for what they think and value, which shapes who they are and how they go about life.

Did you start out in a place like that with your girlfriend? If so, you two should have a chat about where you are now and whether you can get back there. The answer may not be immediately apparent, so you might set a defined period of time to give this a look — with a deadline to make a decision. Ultimately, there has to be enough that connects you to overcome the stuff that divides you, or the only thing that will ever be throbbing in your relationship is that big vein in your neck. !

GOT A problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol.com (www.advicegoddess.com) © 2018 Amy Alkon Distributed by Creators.Com.

[HOROSCOPES] [LEO (July 23 to August 22) A relationship seems to be unraveling, mostly from a lack of attention. It might be a good idea to ease up on whatever else you’re doing so you can spend more time working to mend it.

[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) New facts emerge that not only help ONE HOUR FREE

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explain the recent rift with a trusted colleague, but also might provide a chance to wipe the slate clean and make a fresh start in your friendship.

[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) A family member’s personal situation is, fortunately, resolved in time for you to get back into your hectic round of holiday preparations. An old friend might bring a new friend into your life.

[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Pace yourself in meeting holiday pressures and workplace demands to avoid winding up with a frayed temper and a Scorpian stinger that lashes out at puzzled kith, kin and colleagues.

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[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) A financial matter requires close attention. Also, news from a trusted source provides the means to help sort out a long-standing state of confusion and put it into perspective.

[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) This is a good time to reinforce family ties. Make it a priority to assess and resolve all outstanding problems. Start the upcoming holiday season with a full measure of love.

[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Don’t be pressured into a so-called solid-gold investment. Wait until the holiday distractions are over. Then take a harder look at it. You might find that the “gold” is starting to flake off.

[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) A former friend might be trying to heal the breach between you by using a mutual friend as an intermediary. Best advice: Keep an open mind despite any lingering bad feelings.

[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Careful, Lamb. Don’t let your generous nature lead to some serious overspending as you contemplate your holiday gift-giving.

Your social life kicks off into high gear by week’s end.

[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) A positive attitude helps you weather annoying but unavoidable changes in holiday plans.

Aspects favor new friendships and reinforcement of existing relationships.

[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Demands on your energy level could be much higher than usual as you prepare for the upcoming holidays. Be sure to pace yourself. Friends and family will be happy to help.

[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Don’t allow a suddenly icy reaction from a friend or family member to continue without learning what caused it — and what can be done to restore that once warm and caring relationship. © 2018 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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