YES! Weekly - January 15, 2020

SPRUCE STREET GARDEN

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BIG HAIR BALL

P. 10

TOO MANY ZOOZ

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January 15-21, 2020 YES! WEEKLY

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GreensboroColiseum G gbocoliseum @gbocoliseum

vs.

Grand Rapids Feb. 7 & Fort Wayne Feb. 19

JANUARY 17 VS. UTC

SATURDAY, JAN. 18

JAN. 30- FEB. 2

MARCH 1st

WEDNESDAY FEB. 12

www.greensborocoliseum.com

- Robert Dubac's The Book of Moron > Jan. 17-18

- Green Queen Bingo > Jan. 31

- Greensboro Gymnastics invitational > Feb. 7-9

- Green & Growin' Marketplace Tradeshow > Jan. 30-31

- Atlantic Coast Trampoline & Tumbling Invitational > Feb. 1-2

- NCHSAA State Dual Team Wrestling Championships > Feb. 8

1-800-745-3000

Event Hotline: (336) 373-7474 / Group Sales: (336) 373-2632

Safe. Legitimate. Coliseum-Approved. greensborocoliseum/ticketexchange

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JANUARY 15-21, 2020

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FOR TICKETS CALL: 336-887-3001

VISIT: HighPointTheatre.com

Kelly Swanson

“Anything Can Talk!”

We Shall Overcome A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther

FRIDAY, JANUARY 17 - 7:30 PM

SUNDAY, JANUARY 26 - 2:00 PM

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4 - 7:30 PM

Who Highjacked My Fairy Tale?

starring David Pendleton

King, Jr., featuring Damien Sneed

2019-20 Season

NY Gilbert & Sullivan Players: I’ve Got A Little Twist February 20, 2020

Steve Dorff

I Wrote That One Too… FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14 - 8:00 PM

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Brubeck Brothers Quartet: Celebrating Dave Brubeck’s Centennial February 21, 2020

Barbra Lica Quintet

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15 – 8:00 PM

Georgia On My Mind: Celebrating the Music of Ray Charles March 12, 2020 Angelina Ballerina: The Musical March 17, 2020

Sons of Mystro March 20, 2020

Croce Plays Croce March 21, 2020 An Evening with Bollywood Boulevard March 31, 2020 Jump, Jive & Wail featuring The Jive Aces April 4, 2020 An Evening with Jen Kober May 1, 2020 Raleigh Ringers May 3, 2020

Acts and dates subject to change.

For up to date news, visit our website.

January 15-21, 2020

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GET

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS

inside

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JANUARY

We 15 THE DISCO BISCUITS at the Ritz 7pm Th 16 BADFISH - A TRIBUTE TO SUBLIME w/ Tropidelic & Little Stranger 7pm Th 16 GRACE POTTER At The Ritz 7pm Fr 17 TURKUAZ w/ Neal Francis 8pm Sa 18 CITIZEN COPE 7pm Fr 24/ AMERICAN AQUARIUM’S Sa 25 “ROADTRIP TO RALEIGH” 7pm We 29 HALF PINT w/ Yellow Wall Dub Squad 8:30pm Fr 31 THE BREAKFAST CLUB w/ 8-Track Minds 8pm

FEBRUARY

Sa 1 Th 6 Fr 8/ Sa 9 Fr 14 Sa 15 Su 16 Fr 21 Sa 22 Su 23 We 26 Th 27

JUPITER COYOTE w/ Old Habits 7pm GRASS IS DEAD & SONGS FROM THE ROAD BAND w/ South Hills Banks 7pm ZOSO The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience 7pm Heartbreaker Ball Featuring: NANTUCKET/DRIVER/ ASHLY LARUE BAND 7pm Before WE Begin World Tour: ERIC HAM w/ Phoebe Ryan 7pm Y&Y 7pm RAILROAD EARTH w/ Handmade Moments 7pm SAME AS IT EVER WAS (Talking Heads Tribute) 9pm WALLOWS Nothing Happens Tour 2020 8pm PEEKABOO Impossible Tour 9pm SCYTHIAN 8:30pm

MARCH

MICHAEL SMERCONISH American Life In Columns 2pm Sa 7 Water For People Benefit Concert Presents THE VAGABONDS & Night Years 7pm Fr 13 RAPSODY A Black Woman Created This Tour 9pm Su 1

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JANUARY 15-21, 2020

w w w.y e s w e e k l y. c o m

JANUARY 15-21, 2020 VOLUME 16, NUMBER 3

EMILY SCOTT ROBINSON Greensboro is home to ROBINSON, who was recently named one of Rolling Stone’s “10 New Country and Americana Artists That You Need to Know” for 2019. She is also on the 2019 Rolling Stone lists for Best Country and Americana Album and Best Country Song as the likes of Miranda Lambert, The Highwomen, and Tanya Tucker.

In case adulation from Rolling Stone isn’t impressive enough, the very same Triad native graced the main stage of the 2019 Telluride Bluegrass Festival as winner of the Telluride Troubadour Contest. But she’s just getting started.

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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 KATEI CRANFORD JOHN ADAMIAN MARK BURGER TERRY RADER TAMARA JARRETT

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

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I first heard about the new restaurant and bar that opened in what used to be Dynasty on Spruce Street on Facebook. After reading the glowing reviews of SPRUCE STREET GARDEN, my interest was piqued, especially when I heard they had waffle fries.

10 Everyone is invited to start the year big at the eighth annual BIG HAIR BALL– A Landmark Vision on Jan. 25 at Grandover Resort in Greensboro, presented by the Guild and the Junior Guild of Family Service of Greensboro.

11 Brett Gelman, a 1999 graduate of the School of Drama at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) has two reasons to celebrate the new year, both courtesy of the SCREEN ACTORS GUILD (SAG).

12 Its obvious good intentions notwithstanding, JUST MERCY comes dangerously close to being a bad film. This fact-based legal drama, depicting a Death Row inmate’s struggle to prove his innocence, spells out its message against capital punishment, usually in capital letters.

16 Next Wednesday will mark the 47th anniversary of a landmark United States

SUPREME COURT CASE, and to commemorate, a Winston-Salem woman- in conjunction with a national organization- is producing a short play followed by a discussion forum at Krankies Coffee from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

18 THE GUILFORD GREEN FOUNDATION AND LGBTQ Center moved from its Bessemer Avenue location to a more spacious spot on North Greene Street in downtown Greensboro. The grand opening of the center’s new location is on Friday, Jan. 17, from noon to 6 p.m.

20 The year 2020 sees the return of GSO as the ROCK ‘N’ ROLL four-piece blow up from under the rubble for a show with Distant Future, Speak N’ Eye, and Toothsome at the Flat Iron on Jan. 18.

21 New York’s Too Many Zooz harness the sonic chaos of the city and turn it into energetic music. The trio — which describes its sound as “brass house” — got their start playing in front of distracted commuters on subway platforms and sidewalks. Probably the toughest crowd in the universe — and TOO MANY ZOOZ pretty much always won them over.

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

DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT KYLE MUNRO ROBERT COX CARL PEGRAM SHANE MERRIMAN JESSE GUERRA We at YES! Weekly realize that the interest of our readers goes well beyond the boundaries of the Piedmont Triad. Therefore we are dedicated to informing and entertaining with thought-provoking, debate-spurring, in-depth investigative news stories and features of local, national and international scope, and opinion grounded in reason, as well as providing the most comprehensive entertainment and arts coverage in the Triad. YES! Weekly welcomes submissions of all kinds. Efforts will be made to return those with a self-addressed stamped envelope; however YES! Weekly assumes no responsibility for unsolicited submissions. YES! Weekly is published every Wednesday by Womack Newspapers, Inc. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. First copy is free, all additional copies are $1.00. Copyright 2020 Womack Newspapers, Inc.

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INFORMAL PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS TO U.S. 74 (INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD) FROM WEST OF IDLEWILD ROAD TO I-485

STIP NO: U-2509 The N.C. Department of Transportation will hold open house style informal hearings as shown below.

Tuesday, January 28 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

CPCC Levine Campus – LVII Atrium 2800 Campus Ridge Road Matthews

Wednesday, January 29 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Ovens Auditorium – Starlight Room 2700 E. Independence Boulevard Charlotte

The proposed project would upgrade U.S. 74 from west of Idlewild Road to I-485 by adding general purpose lanes, interchanges, bridges and an express lane in each direction.

NCDOT, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), has published the Final U.S. 74 (Independence Boulevard) Improvements Environmental Assessment (EA). The EA contains a summary of the impacts associated with the project, including an evaluation and proposed finding of de minimis 4(f) impacts to several local park properties protected under the Department of Transportation Act of 1966. The Environmental Assessment (EA) document is available for review online https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/us-74-express-lanes/Pages/project-documents.aspx With the EA now available to the public, the formal review period has begun. The public hearings will provide an opportunity for the public to make comments that will be included in the project record.

Comments on the EA and de minimis finding will be accepted until February 29, 2020.

NCDOT representatives will be available in an informal, open house-style setting to answer questions and gather public input regarding the proposed project. The opportunity to submit written comments or questions will be provided and is encouraged. Citizens may attend either open house at any time between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. There will be no formal presentation.

Project maps and other information can be found on the project website https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/us-74-express-lanes Maps and other information on Project I-5507 (the project to add express lanes on I-485) will be available at this meeting as well.

For more information contact Wilson Stroud, with the NCDOT Project Management Unit wstroud@ncdot.gov or (919) 707-6045

Your YES! Every Wednesday! yesweekly.com WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who want to participate in this public open house. Anyone requiring special services should contact Diane Wilson at pdwilson1@ncdot.gov as soon as possible so that arrangements can be made.

Persons who do not speak English, or have a limited ability to read, speak or understand English, may receive interpretive services upon request prior to the meeting by calling 1-800-4816494. mecklenburg_yes-weekly_U-2509.indd 1

Aquellas personas que no hablan inglés, o tienen limitaciones para leer, hablar o entender inglés, podrían recibir servicios de interpretación si los solicitan antes de la reunión llamando al 1-800-481-6494.

JANUARY 15-21, 2020

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1/10/20 4:02 PM YES! WEEKLY

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

be there

WWE SMACKDOWN FRIDAY FRI 17

MIPSO SUNDAY

FRI 17

SAT 18

LGBTQ CENTER GRAND OPENING

WWE FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN

1ST ANNUAL CAMPUS GAS OYSTER ROAST

WHAT: Join us for the grand opening of the brand new LGBTQ Center! We’ll have a ribbon cutting at 12pm, and will be open the rest of the afternoon for you to drop in and check out our new space! We’ll be offering tours throughout the afternoon. Come have a piece of cake and see what we’ve accomplished with your support. We couldn’t have done it without you!

WHEN: 12 p.m.

WHERE: Guilford Green Foundation & LGBTQ Center. 121 N. Greene Street, Greensboro.

MORE: Free event.

WHAT: Friday Night Smackdown will broadcast to the world LIVE from Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro. See Daniel Bryan battle Universal Champion “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt. Roman Reigns vs King Corbin. Plus, SmackDown Tag Team Champions The New Day, SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley, Braun Strowman, “The Boss” Sasha Banks, and many more!

WHEN: 7:45 p.m.

WHERE: Greensboro Coliseum Complex.

1921 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro.

MORE: $15-100 tickets.

WHAT: Celebrate the New Year with fresh, award-winning North Carolina OYSTERS on Saturday, January 18th at Campus Gas! Ryan Bethea of Oysters Carolina raises and farms his oysters in Cape Lookout and Harkers Island, and they’re pulled fresh from the water on the morning of the event.

WHEN: 12-5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Campus Gas. 1231 Polo Rd, Winston-Salem.

MORE: All you can eat NC oysters and shrimp for $40. Session one from 12-2:30pm and session two from 3-5:30pm.

the good guys

Playing the Greatest Music of All Time Local News, Weather, Traffic & Sports

stream us at wtob980.com

PROUD SPONSOR OF Your Local Music Checkup with Dr. Jon Epstein | Every Monday @ 7pm Chuck Dale’s Combo Corner | Every Other Wednesday @ 6pm George Hamilton V Piedmont Opry Time | Monthly Show YES! WEEKLY

JANUARY 15-21, 2020

TOO MANY ZOOZ SUNDAY SUN 19

SUN 19

MIPSO

TOO MANY ZOOZ

WHAT: Mipso is born from North Carolina’s broad range of disparate musical influences, their distinctly unique sound an undeniable alchemy of the historical musical traditions of the rural south. A discernible and rising force in the upstart musical genre known as Americana, Mipso’s music is lush and forward moving. A tender, harmony-laden river runs through the band’s core, but the rocky outcroppings change with every album outing.

WHEN: 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: The Carolina Theatre.

310 S Greene St, Greensboro.

MORE: $22.50-37.50 tickets.

WHAT: The curious thing about being a fan of brasshouse? You’re pretty much talking about being into one solitary but extremely unforgettable band: the amusingly monikered Too Many Zooz. The musical style was “branded” by drummer King of Sludge, who recognized that there was no worthy existing classification for the New York trio, whose other two members are the equally unclassifiable Leo P (saxophone) and Matt Doe (trumpet).

WHEN: 9 p.m.

WHERE: The Blind Tiger, Greensboro.

MORE: $16 tickets.

The Sportscenter Athletic Club is a private membership club dedicated to providing the ultimate athletic and recreational facilities for our members of all ages. Conveniently located in High Point, we provide a wide variety of activities for our members. We’re designed to incorporate the total fitness concept for maximum benefits and total enjoyment.

We cordially invite all of you to be a part of our athletic facility, while enjoying the membership savings we offer our established corporate accounts.

3811 Samet Dr • HigH Point, nC 27265 • 336.841.0100 FITNESS ROOM • INDOOR TRACK • INDOOR AQUATICS CENTER • OUTDOOR AQUATICS CENTER • RACQUETBALL BASKETBALL • CYCLING • OUTDOOR SAND VOLLEYBALL • INDOOR VOLLEYBALL • AEROBICS • MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM WHIRLPOOL • MASSAGE THERAPY • PROGRAMS & LEAGUES • SWIM TEAMS • WELLNESS PROGRAMS PERSONAL TRAINING • TENNIS COURTS • SAUNA • STEAM ROOM • YOGA • PILATES • FREE FITNESS ASSESSMENTS FREE E QUIPMENT O RIENTATION • N URSE RY • T E NNIS L E SSONS • W IRE L E SS INT E RNE T L OUNGE

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[SPOTLIGHT]

THE TRIAD’S PREMIER WEDDING PLANNING EVENT

WTOB

BY STAFF

WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

and Chuck Dale Smith has been in the WinstonSalem music scene since the 1960s.

“The whole thing about Combo Corner is, it was a place that existed in the R.J. Reynolds High School,” Hauser explained. “All the guys that were in bands sort of drifted off in the corner of the cafeteria, that is where their clique was and [that’s why] the show is called Chuck Dale’s Combo Corner.”

The Piedmont Opry Time with George Hamilton V is a music show dedicated to the memory of George Hamilton the IV, a Winston-Salem-native and prominent country music artist whose song “Abilene” is on the Top 100 Country Songs of All Time, Hauser said. This show is once a month or every six weeks.“What George the V wants to do is honor his father, being from Winston-Salem, he takes his show he produces in Nashville every week and brings it here periodically. He will bring a busload of musicians; some are local. They will be up and down this whole hallway, and we will bring them in the control room and play a selection of songs. “Most of them have never even played the song before they go on air,” Hauser said. “There is no music to read, and it is fantastic. If you don’t see the chaos here, listen to it on the radio- it sounds pristine.”

The next Piedmont Opry Time is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m.

Music isn’t the only thing WTOB specializes in. They have the only full-time, local radio news department in the triad with broadcast veterans Ed Skurka, who anchors the morning and mid-day newscasts and afternoon anchor Leanne Petty.

Between the two, 14 live newscasts are produced and delivered every weekday.

Live traffic reports, also locally produced and weather reports can be heard throughout the day.

Coming up this month, WTOB will be partnering with a/perture cinema and doing ticket giveaways on Thursdays leading up to its annual Red Carpet Party in February. On Feb. 21, the station will broadcast the 62nd Annual Twin City Kiwanis Club Pancake Day live at the Benton Convention Center.

To learn more about WTOB 980 AM/ 96.3 FM, visit their website and stay up-to-date by following them on social media. !

PRESENTS

Ashley Stone Photography

YES! Weekly are proud sponsors of the Winston-Salem-based radio station WTOB. Aptly referred to as the “Good Guys” of radio, WTOB is a station that features classic hits from the ‘50s,‘60s and ‘70s, as well as local news and up-to-date traffic and weather reports. According to its website, WTOB began in 1947 on AM at 710 AM, then 1380 AM and 980 AM. Then, the station added an FM signal in mid-2016 at 96.3 FM. The “TOB” in WTOB refers to the “TOB” seen on the iconic R.J. Reynolds smokestack.

“The station is credited with bringing rock ‘n’ roll to the area and was often Winston-Salem’s most listened to radio station into the 1970s,” the website states. Throughout time, the station switched location and hands until about five years ago, when co-owners Bob Scarborough, Richard Miller and Ken Hauser resurrected WTOB. Now, WTOB is home to 15 DJs, news anchors and volunteers, who assist in station projects.“We have really grown,” said Hauser, who takes care of the marketing and advertising side of the station. “And I think what has helped us is we are a local hometown radio.”

The core mission of WTOB is to create a great radio station for Winston-Salem and the Triad. In that mission, is the support of local nonprofits and charities, and the creation of local music programs that promote the Winston-Salem music scene.

Shows such as Your Local Music Check-Up with Dr. Jon Epstein, Chuck Dale’s Combo Corner and The Piedmont Opry Time with George Hamilton V can only be heard on WTOB. “Those three, I think, have really helped the music scene here in WinstonSalem,” he said. “By letting people know what is happening this week and where you can go see those folks.”

Hauser said through those radio shows, he has become a fan of the local band Bad Cameo, and local singer Martha Bassett. “I think getting that out to people who haven’t heard of them before is going to make more people go to these venues and see them play,” he said. “What we are trying to do is highlight what is happening in Winston-Salem,” Hauser continued.

“Who is going to be playing at what venue this weekend, and we highlight local bands and musicians on the show when we play their music.” Hauser said Dr. Jon Epstein is a Triad-based musician,

Sunday, January 19, 2020 – Legacy Stables & Events Meet the area’s most creative wedding professionals while enjoying cocktails, delicious cuisine and an abundance of wedding planning inspiration.

SAVE 50% ON TICKETS

using promo code “YES” at https://marryme2020.eventbrite.com JANUARY 15-21, 2020

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chow

EAT IT!

Winston-Salem’s not-so-secret ‘Garden’ New craft tavern opens downtown with rave reviews

I

first heard about the new restaurant and bar that opened in what used to be Dynasty on Spruce Street on Facebook. After reading the glowing reviews of Spruce Katie Murawski Street Garden, my interest was piqued, especially when Editor I heard they had waffle fries.I wanted to give it a try back in December, but with the holidays, I didn’t make it there until last week.

The decor of the space has a modern industrial feel with exposed brick walls and accents of soft blue and green hues. There is a bar section that is open and bright, and then there is a dining room area that seems more quiet and peaceful. I decided to sit at the bar because they were playing good music. I was promptly greeted by the friendly bartender who was also tending to three other tables. She was attentive, kind, and recommended the best cider I think I have had so far called The Spice Merchant, which comes from the Asheville-based Noble Cider. I ordered the Fried Green Tomatoes and the 4th Street Fries.

The Fried Green Tomatoes came out first, and as I took the first bite, I didn’t want to stop. The horseradish aioli really pulls

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALEX HOLLOWELL

the dish together and brought out the tart taste that paired amazingly with the breading and tomatoes. The 4th Street Fries were waffle fries covered in shredded chicken and smothered in buffalo sauce, blue cheese crumbles and cheese.

Usually, I am not a big fan of blue cheese, but adding some ranch to the dish made it undetectable- which was a good thing for me. After scarfing down these delicious treats, I had to take home a box full of waffle fries that may or may not have made it into my fridge by the time I got home. (Spoiler alert: They did not. Those

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JANUARY 15-21, 2020

fries were so good; I finished them during my 10-minute drive home.)

I decided I needed to talk to the owners of this delicious little spot to get some more information about it.

Spruce Street Garden is owned by two veterans of the service industry and partners Georgia Kontos and Alex Hollowell.

Being a small business owner is new to both Kontos and Hollowell, but the restaurant industry is not. Kontos has a Master’s degree in immunohematology and biotechnology from George Washington University, and she works nights at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital. Hollowell has a degree in music, specifically cello, from Winston-Salem State University, “but I needed something to pay the bills,” he joked. He said he came to a crossroads: either he could be a gig-based musician, studio musician, or start his own business.

“My first gig was a busboy, washing dishes, did a little bit of prep work, then started doing front of house stuff,” he continued. “Through college, I was doing that whole thing at Outwest and Porterhouse;

Co-owner Georgia Kontos

I helped them get established. I took a lot from [Outwest]; they do it right. Everything is from scratch; everything is local.”

Hollowell also worked at B. Christopher’s in Greensboro, and he attributes his knowledge of fine dining and craft cocktails to his time there. He said working in the service industry through restaurants was a “natural segway” to him co-owning his own place.

“I am Greek and grew up in the restaurant business (my father owns Coronet Seafood in Rural Hall), so while I love science, I think restaurants will always be a comfort,” Kontos wrote in an email. “Alex and I actually met while working at Outwest Steakhouse, and before we dated,

WWW.YESWEEKLY.COMW

Co-owner Alex Hollowell

would joke about opening a restaurant.”

That joke became a reality on Dec. 2, 2019, when the engaged couple opened Spruce Street Garden, located at 134 Spruce St. N. in Winston-Salem. “Luckily, this all happened at a good time, and we were able to open this place,” Kontos continued. “It’s been amazing seeing Alex flourish and grow. He’s been a huge asset and doing the heavy lifting in getting this place to where we want it to be since I have been finishing the Master’s degree and working full-time at the hospital to make ends meet.”

Kontos gives kudos to her fiance, writing that “he’s the reason this was all possible.”

WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

Since opening, Hollowell said business has been “crazy but good.” He said opening his first restaurant has in no way been an easy feat. “It was a really tough opening process, the city has been kind of tough on me, and a number of things as my first time opening a business I didn’t know about,” he said. “It is going good, we are slowly picking up, and it is getting better every day.”

The couple described the Garden as a craft tavern sans the pretentiousness that usually comes with the “craft” moniker.

“Nice, elegant food...really supporting local. We have been working a lot with Fair Share Farms here recently,” Hollowell said. “But I also don’t want you to feel like you have to dress up to come here. I want it to feel casual crafty. As far as the overall feel, I want it to feel welcoming. And I know that is what everyone says, but when you walk in, you should feel like you are having a good time already, and you should feel the positive energy.”

(I totally felt that chill energy when I first went in.)

“We fell into the name since it’s on Spruce Street, and we wanted to make it sort of an American beer garden,” Kontos wrote. “I would describe it as a crafty American beer garden; it’s a casual environment with quality good food at a reasonable price.”

Hollowell said he helped come up with the menu, but he said they are now in the process of reprinting and redoing the menu as the new executive chef, Joel Castle, has taken over the helm.

“It’ll be the same thing we have already, but we are thinking about adding a duck confit flatbread to the menu,” Hollowell said. “And now our veggie burger is going to be vegan. Just little things we are tightening up, and diving into a latenight menu.” There will be three menus: lunch, dinner and late-night. Hollowell

said he plans on “doing cool stuff with the late-night menu by adding things like filet sliders, bao buns, and duck wings instead of chicken wings. Just quirky stuff like that.”

Hollowell said his favorite menu item would be “anything braised lamb.”

“I love all the food honestly, but since we are getting married on Oct. 10 later this year, I find myself frequenting the arugula and pecan salad with chicken, and extra goat cheese, of course,” Kontos wrote regarding her favorite menu item.

“I’m also a huge proponent of all of our desserts and love the creativity we have in our staff to come up with amazing dessert features.”

Kontos wrote that she has a big sweet tooth, and she wanted a menu that gave numerous dessert options, even late-night, “which is usually when I get a craving for a sweet treat.”

(Girl, same. Could this be the place I have been dreaming of— a dessert bar in the Triad!?)

Kontos and Hollowell are still coming up with an event calendar, but Kontos wrote that they would be participating in the Big Eat event every Tuesday until Feb. 18. Hollowell said he is also looking to get live music, such as local musicians Ryan Sizemore (the lead singer/guitarist of Hollowell’s punk rock ban, the Camel City Blackouts) lined up as well as a special Valentine’s Day event. !

KATIE MURAWSKI is the editor of YES! Weekly. Her alter egos include The Grimberlyn Reaper, skater/public relations board chair for Greensboro Roller Derby, and Roy Fahrenheit, drag entertainer and self-proclaimed King of Glamp.

WANNA

go?

Spruce Street Garden is located at 134 Spruce St N. in Winston-Salem and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. until midnight. For more information, call (336) 999-7300 or check out the Facebook page, www.facebook.com/SpruceStreetGardenWSNC/.

JOIN THE HIGH POINT ARTS COUNCIL FOR A FUND-RAISING EVENT! SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2020 High Point Country Club at Emerywood from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

Black-Tie Optional • Casino Games • Heavy Hors D’oeuvres Cash Bar • Door Prize • Silent Auction Entertainment presented by the Arts Council and its Affiliates Reservations online at www.highpointarts.org/arts/fund-raising/casino-darts/ or call the High Point Arts Council at 336-889-2787.

For more information about Casino D’Arts call Debbie Lumpkins at the Arts Council or e-mail dlumpkins@highpointarts.org.

JANUARY 15-21, 2020

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Big fun at the 2020 Big Hair Ball

veryone is invited to start the year big at the eighth annual Big Hair Ball– A Landmark Vision on Jan. 25 at Grandover Resort in Greensboro, presented by the Terry Rader Guild and the Junior Guild of Family Service of GreensContributor boro. Indira Lindsay Roberts, executive director of the Big Hair Ball and past president of the Guild of Family Service of Greensboro, encourages everyone who wants to attend to go online and get their tickets because last year’s event sold out.

Roberts said that Honorary Chair Dr. Lenny Peters would be the speaker and Natosha Brooks, owner of the Birthing Movement, would be the emcee of the evening.

Roberts said this one-of-a-kind fundraiser includes a cocktail reception at 7 p.m., followed by a runway fashion show featuring “big hairdos and outré outfits” created by local and student designers moving to techno music and the show starts at 8 p.m. She said that the assigned corporate or individual sponsor inspires each model’s outfit. Roberts said there would be a raffle and an awards ceremony afterward. She said there would be awards given in fashion for Best Brand Student Designer, Best Brand Local Designer, Most Creative Student Designer, Most Creative Local Designer, Best Overall Student Designer, Best Overall Local Designer, Best Hair, Best Make-up and Best Overall Look for the whole ensemble.

Roberts said that the 51 models are members of the Junior Guild of Family Service of Greensboro (aka the little girl guild for grades 10-12) and the Guild (aka the big girl guild for young adults). She said to be on the runway, you have to earn it and that it involves many hours of volunteer work for Family Service of Greensboro.

Roberts, who also has a full-time job as a remote Regional Manager of Oncology and Reproductive Health/Molecular Genetics for Invitae Biotechnology, volunteers all of her hours as executive director of the Big Hair Ball (in production all year) along with everyone else that volunteers.

She said that even the local professional YES! WEEKLY

JANUARY 15-21, 2020

PHOTOS COURTESY OF INDIRA LINDSAY ROBERTS

hairstylists and make-up artists (some are students), also volunteer their time.

The fashion designers are students from Weaver Academy, A&T University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

She said that Magz King introduced the idea and was over the event for three years. In 2014, Roberts came onboard as it really began taking off. She said it started at the Elm Street Center until it shut down, and then in 2019, they moved to the Leonard J. Kaplan Center for Wellness at UNCG. This year, it would take place at Grandover Resort and would be showcased at the Greensboro Coliseum in 2021.

Roberts said the event supports local programs of Family Service of the Piedmont, the largest private nonprofit agency of its kind in Guilford County, serving over 19,000 children and adults each year needing help with domestic violence, child abuse, mental health and financial stability.

Last year’s Big Hair Ball raised more than $315,000, with over 1,100 people in attendance. This money helps support Family Service of the Piedmont’s vision of “building safe and healthy families and communities” with their mission to “empower individuals and families to restore

hope, achieve stability and thrive through quality support services, advocacy and education.”

Roberts said the best way to get a seat is to sign up as a sponsor online, as there would be no general admission tickets sold. Sponsorship levels include: Vogue, Red Carpet, Runway, WOW, Cashmere, Velvet, Producer Couple, to Producer Single, along with any other amounts may be made online as a one-time, weekly, biweekly, monthly or yearly donation.

Roberts said that the top sponsors receive VIP seating, and all sponsors, even the ones with Single Production donations will be recognized on event materials, in Family Service’s newsletter (mailed to 5,000 individuals), businesses and organizations throughout Guilford County, and on the Guild and Family Service websites.

Raffle tickets are $25 each or five for $100, and you do not need to be present to win. You can choose from four drawings that include a Marriott’s St. Kitts Beach Club Getaway from July 25 - Aug. 1, with a two-bedroom ocean side villa, a $1,000 value (airfare is included), and a Linda Richards Luxury fur-trimmed wrap, each donated anonymously. There is also a 14-karat white gold sapphire and

diamond ring, valued at $6,000 (donated

by State St. Jewelers, who will provide complimentary sizing of the ring to the winner), and an 18-karat white gold diamond stud earrings in 18-karat white gold, valued at $5,000, also donated by State St. Jewelers.

She said that for the Big Hair Ball sponsors, a limited number of overnight rooms and suites at Grandover Resort would be available at reduced rates (20% off regular rate) on the night of the event.

“Expect to be dazzled and wowed,” Roberts said about the 2020 Big Hair Ball.

“Expect to be blown away as each year raises expectations! There is not another fundraiser like it in this country. We are doing some amazing things and have raised a lot of money to help build a community of healthy and safe families.” !

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

WANNA

go?

Big Hair Ball, Jan. 25, from 7-11 p.m. at Grandover Resort, 1000 Club Road, Greensboro, tickets at www.fspcares.org/bighairball/

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[PLAYBILL]

by Katie Murawski

WINSTON-SALEM THEATRE ALLIANCE

1047 North West Blvd., Winston-Salem “Disaster! A Musical” Tickets: $16-$18 Jan. 17-19 & Jan. 23-26, 8 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Sundays

According to WSTA’s website, “It’s 1979, and New York’s hottest A-listers are lining up for the opening of a floating casino and discotheque. Also attending is a faded disco star, a sexy nightclub singer with her eleven-year-old twins, a disaster expert, a feminist reporter, an older couple with a secret, a pair of young guys who are looking for ladies, an untrustworthy businessman and a nun with a gambling addiction. What begins as a night of boogie fever quickly changes to panic as the ship succumbs to multiple disasters, such as earthquakes, tidal waves and infernos. As the night turns into day, everyone struggles to survive and, quite possibly, repair the love that they’ve lost… or at least escape the killer rats. Audiences and critics are wild for this hilarious homage to the era of bell-bottoms, platform shoes and the hustle. With larger-than-life characters, snappy dialogue and some of the most recognizable songs of the ’70s, ‘Disaster!’ will have you dancing in your seats and rolling in the aisles. Featuring some of the most unforgettable songs of the ’70s.

‘Knock on Wood,’ ‘Hooked on a Feeling,’ ‘Sky High,’ ‘I Am Woman’ and ‘Hot Stuff.’”

GREENSBORO CULTURAL CENTER Van Dyke Performing Arts Space 200 N. Davie St. “Romeo and Juliet, a 45-minute Foray.”

7 p.m. on Jan. 24 Free

According to a press release, “The Drama Center of City Arts will hold a free preview performance of the touring show ‘Romeo and Juliet, a 45-minute Foray.’

The show is available for bookings by schools and community organizations.

The cost is $300 and scholarships are available. There will be a discount for any bookings made at the preview performance. Designed as an introduction to Shakespeare, the play is part perspective, part narration and part actual scenes from the play. Stanton Davis, an actor and theatre professor at Northern Illinois University, says reading Shakespeare is like ‘going to a restaurant and eating the menu.’ It’s meant to be seen onstage.

This adaptation brings Shakespeare’s words to vibrant life. The five actors play numerous roles. And yes, there is kissing and sword fighting.” !

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UNCSA alumnus Brett Gelman scores 2 SAG nominations Brett Gelman, a 1999 graduate of the School of Drama at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) has two reasons to celebrate the new year, both courtesy of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG).

Gelman is nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for the Amazon/BBC series Fleabag, in which he plays the role of Martin. The series is nominated along with Barry, The Mark Burger Kominsky Method, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Schitt’s Creek. Gelman joined the Fleabag cast onstage at the Golden Contributor Globe Awards earlier this month when the series won Outstanding Television Series (Comedy or Musical).

Gelman is also nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for the popular Netflix series Stranger Things, in which he plays Murray, which is nominated along with Big Little Lies, The Crown, Game of Thrones, and The Handmaid’s Tale.

In the 20 years since graduating UNCSA, Gelman has forged a prolific career, not only as an actor, but also as a writer, producer, and director. In 2017, he won Best Actor at the L.A. Comedy Film Festival and Screenplay Competition for the feature Room for Rent.

Gelman’s many television credits include Mr. Mercedes, The Inbetweeners, Go On, Eagleheart, Mad Men, Campus, and the revival of Twin Peaks. When he visited the UNCSA campus last year, he joked that when he writes down his address, he simply writes “television.”

His feature film credits include The Other Guys (2010), 30 Minutes or Less (2011), The Night is Young (2015), Flock of Dudes (2016), Wilson (2017), Lemon (2017), and Wild Nights with Emily (2018). He is currently filming Without Remorse, based on the Tom Clancy best-seller, with Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Bell, which is scheduled to be released this fall by Paramount Pictures.

The Screen Actors Guild Awards, the only television awards program that exclusively honors performers, will be simulcast live on TBS and TNT on Sunday, beginning at 8 p.m. !

The wonders of modern technology — here and now The new Pro & Tell Collective will present its first annual conference, showcasing exhibitors and demonstrations by leading retailers and manufacturers of state-of-the-art photography and video production equipment on Monday in Greensboro.

This event, which is presented by Greensboro’s White Orange Productions, is free and open to the public. It’s an effort to create a context for conversations, community, education, professional development, and local promotion of the visual production industry.

So often, the state’s considerable talent pool is overlooked, despite a significant number of renowned photographers, video producers, filmmakers, and creative professionals, all of whom are doing extraordinary work right here. This event is designed as a way for them to congregate, communicate, and perhaps collaborate in the future. The talent is here, the tools are here, and this day-long expo will showcase the latest innovations in technology.

Over two-dozen exhibitors are scheduled to attend the event, and it is hoped that this will be only the first in a series of

similar conferences to take place here. It’s not only a celebration of technology but also of creativity. !

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

WANNA

go?

The Pro & Tell Collective’s conference will be held 10 a.m.-10 p.m. at 304 Friendship Dr., Greensboro.

Admission is free. For more information, call (336)664-1007 or visit the official website: www. proandtell.com/.

JANUARY 15-21, 2020

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SCREEN IT!

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Alabama slammer: Jamie Foxx seeks Just Mercy

I

Mark Burger

Contributor

ts obvious good intentions notwithstanding, Just Mercy comes dangerously close to being a bad film.

This fact-based legal drama, depicting a Death Row inmate’s struggle to prove his innocence, spells out its message against capital punishment, usually in capital

letters.

Well-made but obvious, the film dramatizes the plight of Walter McMillan (Jamie Foxx), a black man convicted of murdering a white teenager in Alabama in 1986.

It’s obvious from the outset, however, that he was railroaded, even if the film all but ignores the (still unsolved) murder, about which little is disclosed. Besides, one issue is all this film can handle.

McMillan is the pivot of the story, but not the pivotal character. That would be Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan), an executive producer and author of the

best-seller upon which this film is based. Stevenson is an appropriately outraged Harvard law student who takes up McMillan’s case on behalf of the Equal Justice Initiative, the very laudable organization (based in Montgomery) that has successfully lobbied to re-try cases of wrongfully convicted prisoners.

Jordan, also a producer, is a magnetic actor, but the character of Stevenson as presented here is (no pun intended) colorless.

He’s the quintessential screen idealist, initially oblivious to the latent – and blatant – racism he’s about to face, a learning curve that, naturally, further fuels his determination.

Too often, co-writer/director Destin Daniel Cretton falls back on formulaic trappings, including the use of soaring gospel numbers during ostensibly important moments in the narrative. Where

have we heard that before?

The black characters all suffer nobly, the white characters (or at least the majority) are either racist or corrupt and often both. In one scene, Stevenson confronts the smug prosecutor (Rafe Spall) and the even more smug sheriff (Michael Harding), who accuses him of perceiving them as corrupt racists. Since that’s all we’ve seen from these characters, he’s simply restating the obvious. Again.

Brie Larson, handling a Southern accent reasonably well, plays legal assistant Eva Ansley, Bryan’s stalwart legal assistant.

Eva has a husband and child, but they disappear quickly, all the better to provide Bryan a shoulder to lean on and the appropriate platitudes to encourage him.

Just Mercy is a relevant and timely film, but unfortunately, it’s not a particularly good film. !

[MOVIE TIMES] RED CINEMAS Jan 17-23

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER (PG13) LUXURY SEATING Fri - Thu: 12:30, 3:30, 7:15, 10:15 NO SAFE SPACES (PG-13) LUXURY SEATING Fri - Thu: 2:45, 5:00, 7:15 KNIVES OUT (PG-13) LUXURY SEATING Fri - Thu: 1:20, 4:30, 7:20, 10:10 JOKER (R) LUXURY SEATING Fri - Thu: 12:00, 9:30 BAD BOYS FOR LIFE (R) Fri & Sat: 12:15, 3:00, 4:15, 5:45, 7:00, 8:30, 9:45, 11:15 Sun - Thu: 12:15, 3:00, 4:15, 5:45, 7:00, 8:30, 9:45 1917 (R) Fri & Sat: 12:20, 3:00, 5:40, 8:20, 11:00 Sun - Thu: 12:20, 3:00, 5:40, 8:20 LIKE A BOSS (R) Fri & Sat: 12:35, 2:40, 5:00, 7:10, 9:15, 11:20 Sun - Thu: 12:35, 2:40, 5:00, 7:10, 9:15

DOLITTLE (PG) Fri - Thu: 12:10, 2:35, 5:10, 7:30, 9:50 THREE CHRISTS (R) Fri - Thu: 2:40, 5:15, 7:40 THE GRUDGE (R) Fri & Sat: 2:50, 5:05, 7:25, 9:40, 11:55 Sun - Thu: 2:50, 5:05, 7:25, 9:40 LITTLE WOMEN (PG) Fri - Thu: 12:40, 3:45, 7:10, 10:05 UNCUT GEMS (R) Fri - Thu: 4:05, 9:55 JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL (PG-13) Fri: 12:05, 2:55, 5:35, 8:25, 11:25 Sat - Thu: 12:05, 2:55, 5:35, 8:25 QUEEN & SLIM (R) Fri - Thu: 1:10, 7:00 A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD (PG) Fri - Thu: 3:05, 5:25, 7:45 FORD V FERRARI (PG-13) Fri - Thu: 12:00, 10:10 PARASITE (R) Fri - Thu: 12:00, 10:05 THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (R) Sat: 11:55 PM

Mysteries of faith and the human mind Milton Rokeach’s 1964 best-seller The Three Christs of Ypsilanti has at long last come to the big screen, although it might have been better suited to the small one.

The film stars Richard Gere as Dr. Alan Stone, who works at the Ypsilanti State Hospital in Michigan, and becomes fascinated by three schizophrenic patients (Peter Dinklage, Walton Goggins, and Bradley Whitford) who each claim to be Jesus Christ. Stone’s fascination isn’t immediately evident to the viewer, but it does propel the narrative forward.

Gere’s Dr. Stone is a prototypical idealist (see Just Mercy, above), yet he doesn’t always make the right decisions and sometimes makes wrong ones. His compassion, clearly evident in Gere’s portrayal, doesn’t YES! WEEKLY

JANUARY 15-21, 2020

make him infallible, which adds some drama to the proceedings.

Naturally, there is opposition to Stone’s unorthodox methods, personified

by Dr. Orbus (Kevin Pollak), whose general prescription is usually electroshock therapy. Yes, it’s the “unctuous bureaucrat” role, but Pollak gives it a bit extra, as do most of the actors.

Occasionally overlong and overwrought, the film works best when it focuses exclusively on Stone and the patients. There’s a brief allusion to Stone’s wife (Julianna Margulies) having a drinking problem, which could easily have been excised. It simply has no bearing on the main thrust of the story.

The roles of the “three Christs” offer Dinklage, Goggins, and Whitford the opportunity that many actors dream of because there are no boundaries, no limits.

There’s the inherent risk that they’ll play it too far and wide, but each actor brings a humanity and a humor to their volatile, but always vulnerable, characters. It’s hard not to be moved by their individual and collective work here.

Nice support is provided by James Monroe Iglehart as a faithful orderly and Charlotte Hope (strongly resembling Amy Adams here) as Stone’s research assistant, as well as Stephen Root, Kathryn Leigh Scott, and the ever-formidable Jane Alexander.

Oddly enough, Three Christs was completed in 2017 – indeed, Alexander discussed the film with me when she attended that year’s RiverRun International Film Festival – but is only surfacing now.

It’s hardly a perfect film, but it’s not a bad one, either. The performances alone are well worth a look.

– Three Christs opens Friday !

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

A/PERTURE CINEMAS Jan 17-23

JUST MERCY (PG-13) Fri: 3:15, 6:00, 8:45 Sat: 9:45 AM, 12:30, 3:15, 6:00, 8:45 Sun: 9:15 AM, 12:00, 2:45, 5:30, 8:15 Mon: 6:00, 8:45 Tue: 3:15, 6:00, 8:45 Wed: 6:00, 8:45 Thu: 3:15, 6:00, 8:45 LITTLE WOMEN (PG) Fri: 2:45, 5:30, 8:15 Sat: 9:15 AM, 12:00, 2:45, 5:30, 8:15 Sun: 9:45 AM, 12:30, 3:15, 6:00, 8:30 Mon: 5:30, 8:15 Tue: 2:45, 5:30, 8:15 Wed: 5:15 PM Thu: 2:45, 5:30, 8:15

UNCUT GEMS (R) Fri & Sat: 9:15 PM Sun: 2:15 PM Tue - Thu: 9:15 PM CUNNINGHAM (PG) Fri: 3:30, 6:15, 9:00 Sat: 10:00 AM, 12:15, 2:30, 5:00, 7:30, 9:30 Sun: 10:00 AM, 12:45, 3:30, 6:15 Mon - Wed: 6:45, 9:00 Thu: 4:15, 9:00 PARASITE (R) Fri: 3:45, 6:30 Sat: 10:15 AM, 1:00, 3:45, 6:30 Sun: 11:30 AM, 5:00, 7:45 Mon: 6:15 PM Tue: 3:45, 6:30 Wed: 6:30 PM Thu: 3:30, 6:15

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[NEWS OF THE WEIRD] PEOPLE WITH ISSUES

Police in Wichita Falls, Texas, say they responded to a report on Jan. 5 that Christopher Ragsdale choked and headbutted his unnamed girlfriend Chuck Shepherd after she complained about his odorous gas. “She told Christopher that his fart smelled horrible and he got mad and grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to the ground,” the Associated Press quoted the arrest affidavit. The altercation took place at a friend’s house, and that friend called police. Ragsdale was held on $10,000.

QUESTIONABLE JUDGMENT

Four Amish men pleaded guilty in Gladwin County (Michigan) District Court on Jan. 8 to charges stemming from an earlier incident in Beaverton Township. According to the Midland Daily News, deputies from the Gladwin County Sheriff’s office responded on Dec. 29 to a call from a concerned

1642 Spring Garden St., GSO (corner of Warren St.)

Phone: 336.274.1000 Hours: Mon-Sat 11 am-2am / Sun noon-2 am

Open grill till 2am every night!

Best Daily Drink Specials Greensboro’s home for the Washington Redskins!

MON: $4 Jose Silver & $1 off all draft TUES: $4 Vodka Red Bull & $1 off all craft beer FRI: $3 all craft cans

Great Food Prices! come in and check out our new menu YES! WEEKLY

JANUARY 15-21, 2020

motorist who observed the four men tossing empty beer cans from the horse and buggy they were riding in. When deputies pulled them over, they gave bogus ages and would not confirm their names, authorities said, yet the men appeared to be inebriated, and a search of the buggy turned up empty alcohol containers along with unopened ones.

Levei Mast, 20; Andrew Zook, 19; Joseph Miller, 20; and Joseph Troyer, 19, each paid a $700 fine and $150 in court costs.

They have yet to face the bishop.

NEXT, ON ‘DATELINE’

Colleagues of 35-year-old paramedic Joshua Lee Hunsucker told investigators in Mount Holly, North Carolina, they were surprised at how quickly he had another girlfriend following the death of his wife in September 2018. And when Stacy Robinson Hunsucker’s mother shared her suspicions, pointing to the $200,000 in life insurance Joshua had collected, agents of the North Carolina Department of Insurance began an investigation that led to Joshua Hunsucker’s arrest on Dec. 19, charged with first-degree murder for poisoning his wife with Visine, according to prosecutors. Stacy Hunsucker, 32 at her death, had suffered from heart problems, the Gaston Gazette reported, and a test of her blood revealed tetrahydrozoline, a chemical found in eye drops and nasal sprays, at levels 30 to 40 times the recommended dose, an amount insurance fraud attorney Jordan Green told the court would have had “a dramatic effect on her heart, which would cause heart stoppage in a short amount of time.”

The Gazette also noted the wide news coverage given two weeks before Stacy’s death to a woman arrested in York, South Carolina, for putting eye drops in her husband’s water, causing a seizure and cardiac arrest. A Gaston County grand jury on Jan. 6 additionally indicted Hunsucker on charges of insurance fraud.

PRECOCIOUS

The father of a 3-year-old girl in Guilin, China, is paying the price for his toddler’s creative expression. On Nov. 24, the man, identified only as Mr. Zhao, his wife and daughter visited an Audi dealership, Oddity Central reported. As the adults looked around, the bored girl scratched “artwork” into 10 automobiles, including one valued at more than $140,000. The dealership sued the father for $28,400 over the damage caused. Eventually, Mr. Zhao and the dealership settled on a payment of $10,000.

ACT OF DESPERATION

After Dona Maria Schiave failed her driver’s license test three times in the Novo Mutum Parana district of Brazil, her son, Heitor Marcio Schiave, 43, decided to take matters into his own hands. On Dec. 10, he donned a stuffed bra, long skirt and makeup and showed up at the State Department of Traffic, claiming to be his mother, ready to take the test again. Aline Mendoca, the examiner, became suspicious and summoned the military police. “I thought she was drunk at first,” she told globo.com.

“When I realized that the student was actually a man, I decided to proceed normally” and wait for officers. “I think he pitied his mother for failing three times.”

Schiave was arrested for fraudulent misrepresentation and released; he may face a fine.

THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS

Kari and Dustin Drees bought their first home In Atlanta’s Buckhead district in December and shortly thereafter left on vacation to visit family. While they were gone, an alarm went off, and friends reported nothing was amiss, but when the Dreeses returned home, they discovered an uninvited visitor had moved in: a squirrel. The animal had apparently fallen down the chimney and become trapped inside, where it did a lot of damage — defecating, scratching floors, chewing baseboards and building a nest in the couch. No worries, the couple thought: “This is why you have homeowner’s insurance,” Kari told the Associated Press. Not so fast: The couple’s insurance “explicitly stated” it doesn’t cover damage done by rodents, and a squirrel is a rodent. Small comfort: The company did offer to provide housing for the couple for up to two weeks.

YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS UP

Odis Latham, 47, and Russell Sparks, 48, of Columbus, Mississippi, were arrested on Jan. 6 after they allegedly hatched a cockamamie scheme to “win” the lottery, WLBT reported. The two arrived at the Mississippi Lottery Corp. in Flowood and presented a losing $100,000 ticket upon which they had glued the winning numbers, according to authorities. Flowood police arrested the pair, who were charged with conspiracy to commit a felony and uttering a counterfeit instrument over $1,000. They were held without bond.

“Lord of the Rings” hobbit home he’s building to offer on Airbnb. “I’m not just a casual fan. I’m a huge fan,” Parrish said as he guided WLOS through the 800-square-foot “Unexpected Journey,” built 90% underground with one bedroom, one bathroom, a kitchen and round doorways crafted by local woodworker John Fenwick. “What we want is to just have an area where people can come and bring their kids and just leave with an unforgettable experience,” Parrish said. The home should be ready to rent in February or March; Parrish and his wife have not set a per-night rate yet.

BRIGHT IDEA

Firefighters in Las Vegas discovered what they say is an illegal, homemade gas station in a backyard on Jan. 7. The setup comprised two yellow tanks in the corner of a walled yard and a gas pump nozzle on the end of a hose long enough to reach from the backyard to the curb out front, the Associated Press reported, for “possible curbside fill-ups.”

“This is not only illegal in the city,” Las Vegas Fire and Rescue wrote on social media, “it is a hazard to neighbors (and) first responders who may respond there for an emergency, like a fire.” Las Vegas Metropolitan Police are investigating and believe it is part of a scheme to purchase gasoline with stolen credit cards and stash the fuel in storage containers at private homes.

WAIT, WHAT?

Finally. Lizard owners who want to dress like their reptilian pets have a source for trendy looks: Fashion Brand Company of Los Angeles has been making clothes for lizards for a while, but now you can MATCH your bearded dragon. The current collection, according to OK Whatever, includes velvet jumpsuits and Western fringe jackets that come with a tiny white cowboy hat.

The clothes are handmade and go for up to $125 — and that doesn’t include whatever you order for yourself. Founder Penelope Gazin says the ideas “come to me in my dreams,” adding that lizards need clothes because “their bodies are disgusting and should be covered up.”

(Gazin doesn’t own a lizard herself; “I dislike lizards,” she admits.) !

© 2020 Chuck Shepherd. Universal Press Syndicate.

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

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT

Mike Parrish of Woodfin, North Carolina, is making fantasy a reality with a

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JANUARY 15-21, 2020

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Winston-Salem ‘Shout Your Abortion’ event commemorates 47th anniversary of Roe v. Wade

N Katie Murawski

Editor

ext Wednesday will mark the 47th anniversary of a landmark United States Supreme Court Case, and to commemorate, a Winston-Salem woman- in conjunction with a national organization- is producing a short play followed by a discussion forum at Krankies Coffee from

5:30 to 8 p.m.

On Jan. 22, 1973, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution recognizes a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy by abortion in the case of Roe v. Wade. Abortion, despite its legality, has since been extremely stigmatized, and some states have made access to safe and legal abortions difficult. In 2015, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation suspending funding to Planned Parenthood, and as a result, the hashtag #ShoutYourAbortion along with people’s stories of their abortions went viral on social media. The movement was started by the contributors and editors of YES! WEEKLY

JANUARY 15-21, 2020

the book “Shout Your Abortion,” Amelia Bonow, Lindy West and Emily Nokes.

Aviva Bender is the producer/director of the play adaptation of “Shout Your Abortion.” Bender moved to the WinstonSalem area in July to pursue a Master’s degree in screenwriting from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

“I am totally doing this on my own,” Bender explained. “It is the first time I have directed a play, and I freaking love it. I am so excited to be doing something like this. It is kind of opening my eyes; if it goes out really well, I am going to start looking at the theatre, too.”

Bender said producing a play like this is “totally inline for my motivation for being a filmmaker.” She said she wants to produce content that is thought-provoking and effects change.

Everyone involved in the production is volunteer-based, and Bender said some of the actors are experienced and some are new to the stage. The “Shout Your Abortion” event is sponsored by Planned Parenthood’s Forsyth County Education Committee of the Advisory Council, which Bender describes as a “nonprofit that helps to fund Planned Parenthood through educational events.”

Eleanor Panetti is a volunteer with Planned Parenthood’s Forsyth County

Aviva Bender, producer/director Education Committee Advisory Council.

“For the last several years, the education committee tries, in conjunction with the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, to put on an educational event for the community,” Panetti explained.

“This year, one of our members came up with the idea of using the ‘Shout Your Abortion’ publication.”

Panel discussions, election events and

community outreach events have happened in the past, but for this anniversary, Panetti said the committee would use ‘Shout Your Abortion’ “to facilitate conversation in the community about our organization, and about what Planned Parenthood is doing to support keeping abortions safe and legal.”

“What the anniversary of Roe v. Wade means to us is just a reminder that a scant 47 years ago, the ability to have a safe medical procedure, namely abortion, was not possible for everyone,” Panetti said. “This is something that Planned Parenthood worked for, and we as volunteers are trying to honor those folks who brought those legal challenges and now provide safe and low-cost medical care to the community. Planned Parenthood is much bigger than abortion, but abortion is out there.”

Lela Ali is a Triad field organizer with Planned Parenthood South Atlantic (PPSAT). She wrote in an email that PPSAT is a “nonprofit health care provider offering a wide range of affordable and reliable reproductive and sexual health care services in 14 locations, including right here in the Triad.”

Ali wrote that PPSAT health centers have highly-trained doctors and nurses who are “committed to providing high-

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quality health care to everyone who walks through our doors and are proud to serve their reproductive and sexual health care needs— no matter their race, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, documentation, or insurance status.”

PPSAT also has organizers working in the field alongside community partners, patients and students “to protect our rights and access to affordable quality reproductive healthcare across the country.”

“In the Triad, we are working in our health clinic to center and engage patients in our advocacy efforts,” Ali continued. “We are also building and expanding a strong supporter and volunteer base in our communities and college campuses to continue to fight for legislation that promotes and preserves reproductive rights and access, and works toward a world where stigma around reproductive health is no longer part of our future.”

Panetti said another committee member, UNCG assistant professor of nursing Don Kautz, reached out to the contributors of “Shout Your Abortion” and secured rights to the book, on the basis that the book must be used verbatim. Bender volunteered to compile the stories into a cohesive narrative that will be read by seven characters, all portraying the abortion stories from the book.

Bender said she tried to look at all the different perspectives of abortion. She said the play portrays one older woman, who got an illegal abortion in Israel in the 1970s and then fought for abortion rights in Israel. There is an African-America mother of three, who was pregnant with her fourth and decided to have an abortion because she couldn’t afford another child. There is also a white woman in her 30s, who had four abortions, and a young woman [age 16] from Mexico that got an illegal abortion and ended up coming to the United States to work for Planned Parenthood. ”They were very cognizant of the intersectionality of this movement,” Bender said of the contributors of “Shout Your Abortion.” “A lot of times, white feminism tends to exclude others. Their introductions are really kind of spot-on for what the whole purpose is for ‘Shout Your Abortion’—because I didn’t get it at first.”

Bender admitted that she was uncomfortable when she first heard about “Shout Your Abortion.”

“But I understood the power behind it,” she said. “Or so I thought. I thought it was a personal power, like ‘I am not going to be embarrassed by this.’ But it is actually much bigger than that. It is a political movement. We have been kind of conditioned to think [abortion] is a shamed thing, opposed to it being a health care WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

service that we should demand and not feel ashamed about doing.”

Bender said she was conditioned to think of abortion as something “underground and private.” Through reading “Shout Your Abortion” and working on this project, she has been able to overcome that conditioning and the stigma. “‘It seems counterintuitive, but I believe abortion has the potential to be one of our most unifying issues. It cuts through all of those boundaries: race, class, gender, religion. The key is to drag abortion out of the partisan framework,’” said Bender reciting one of the passages of the book. “‘If we do not tell our own stories, we give other people the power to define us, and we are not sorry.”’

Bender’s screenplay compilation goes on to state that the “‘anti-choice movement has relentlessly flooded the field with so much propaganda, that even those that support abortion rights often do so from an apologetic stance.’”

“That is the key; the propaganda has conditioned even someone like me—who is super liberal and believes in choice,” she said. “But yet, being completely mortified to shout my abortion.”

Bender shared that she had an abortion.

“I was 24, I was fiscally irresponsible,” she explained. “I was with my future husband, and we were both working in restaurants, and I was like, we are not ready for this. So we did. That was kind of the impetus for us to get married because I was like if I get pregnant again, I am not getting another abortion. I actually had a really deep down feeling that if I had a child out of wedlock that my child would not be accepted in my family, and my husband would not be accepted in my family.”

She went on to say after she was married, she had a miscarriage.

“What was really interested was, looking at the way I was treated having a miscarriage versus having an abortion,” she said. “There was a definite differentiation in treatment, even though the procedures I had were exactly the same...One was cold, sterile and then the other was very caring and loving.”

By being involved with the “Shout Your Abortion” project, Bender said her whole perspective has changed.

“Maybe one to where I could shout my abortion,” she said.

Ali wrote in an email that sharing abortion stories is a “very powerful and meaningful way to normalize and dismantle the shame and stigma associated with abortion.”

As an organizer with PPSAT, Ali wrote that she had witnessed the “real and tangible barriers to care that patients ex-

perience daily due to silence and stigma around abortion.”

“If a patient can’t get time off work, can’t tell their family, friends, partner, or community about their need for abortion care, they are not only alone in this process, but they oftentimes face barriers in their pursuit of care like cost, transportation, lack of childcare, lack of time off from work, and, above all, lack of access to an actual health care provider.”

Ali stated that President Donald Trump has “made clear that he wants to end access to abortion in this country saying he believes women should be punished for having an abortion and appointing Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade.”

Ali wrote that there are “devastating consequences” of restricting access to abortion.

“These barriers often have a disproportionate impact on communities of color, who already face systemic barriers in accessing quality health care,” she added.

She wrote sharing these stories is important to Planned Parenthood and are an opportunity to have an open, honest conversation and discussion about stigma, access, inclusivity, and visibility of reproductive rights.

“For the community in general, uplifting abortion stories nationwide helps demonstrate to folks what happens when people don’t have agency over their own body and health care, and who is affected and how by the potentiality of losing safe and legal access to care,” Ali stated. “Anti-women’s health politicians are doing everything they can to strip away rights and access to health care.

They have enacted 25 bans on abortion in 2019, remade the courts with 150 anti-abortion judges, and in the summer

of 2020, the Supreme Court may overturn precedent and gut Roe v. Wade, leaving 25 million of reproductive age in America at risk of losing access to safe and legal abortion. In early 2020, we expect proactive movement on legislative priorities in the U.S. House of Representatives.”

In regards to the upcoming 47th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Ali wrote that it is important that people ensure others in North Carolina can still access safe and legal abortions even if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

“Polling shows that the vast majority of people support access to safe, legal abortion and oppose restrictions on abortion access,” Ali wrote. “The anniversary of Roe v. Wade reminds us that the fight for access to abortion is ongoing and more important than ever. We won’t go back.”

Ali wrote that PPSAT is not expecting any protestors at the play, but “in efforts to keep all attendees safe, we have hired two off-duty police officers as a security presence.” !

KATIE MURAWSKI is the editor-in-chief of YES! Weekly. Her alter egos include The Grimberlyn Reaper, skater/public relations board chair for Greensboro Roller Derby, and Roy Fahrenheit, drag entertainer and selfproclaimed King of Glamp.

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Planned Parenthood’s Forsyth County Education Committee of the Advisory Council presents “Shout Your Abortion,” a free event on Wednesday evening, Jan. 22 at Krankies Coffee, located at 211 E. 3rd St. in Winston-Salem from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the event is from 6 to 8 p.m. There will be soup (gumbo and vegetarian) available, and anyone ages 21 and up can purchase alcohol.

JANUARY 15-21, 2020

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Guilford Greensboro Foundation and LGBTQ Center moves downtown The Guilford Green Foundation and LGBTQ Center moved from its Bessemer Avenue location to a more spacious spot on North Greene Street in downtown Greensboro. The grand opening of the Katie Murawski center’s new location is on Friday, Jan. 17, from noon to 6 p.m.

Editor Jennifer Ruppe, executive director of the Guilford Green Foundation, said the success of the Foundation’s 2019 Building a Brighter Future LGBTQ Center Capital Campaign made renovating and opening the center possible to do in a relatively short amount of time.

According to an August 2019 GGF newsletter, “Some 184 individuals and organizations donated about $180,000 to help us renovate our new Greene Street location in downtown Greensboro. That’s about three times our initial goal of $60,000.”

Donors included Ron Johnson (the first $15,000), Bob Page ($10,000) and Dawn Chaney ($10,000). (Yours truly also donated to this campaign.) The new space is 1,800 square feet and located at 121 N. Greene St. “This space gives us a lot more physical room for programming because we have multiple areas,” Ruppe said. “We have a [trans] clothing closet that will be in the basement. With multiple meeting areas, we can do more programs simultaneously with a larger capacity-we can actually seat 50 people-it used to be 25. It allows us to be a good central point for statewide organizations that come together to meet-for example, Equality NC uses this [space] for some of their statewide meetings, and NC AIDS Action Network also uses this space for its statewide board meetings.”

Ruppe said the grand opening would begin after the official ribbon-cutting at noon, followed by cake cutting at 12:30 p.m. After, Ruppe said the center would have an open house with tours so that attendees will see the space in its entirety as well as three colorful murals by local artist Gina Franco.

“We will have light refreshments, and throughout the day, there will be board member staff and volunteers there to answer questions and give out tours throughout the day,” Ruppe said.

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JANUARY 15-21, 2020

The LGBTQ Center’s new hours of operation will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Besides the increase in physical space and the centralized location, Ruppe said another success of moving the LGBTQ center is that GGF has been able to expand its other programs.

“With our greater visibility, more needs are being expressed for things that the community wants,” she said. “We just added the Youth Leadership Program, which was very successful, and resulting from that, there is a group of youth that are planning an alternative prom for this spring.”

GGF programming includes Gay and Gray (composed of a walking group, social meetups, game nights, educational opportunities), which meets at various times of the month for LGBTQ people ages 55 and up. The Youth Leadership Council, which is composed of leadership development programming and social programming for LGBTQ youth under 21. Queensboro, a social meet-up for LGBTQ young professionals and people under 40 years old, which meet on the first Thursday of the month at various locations. The trans programming is comprised of the GGF trans clothing closet, vocal training by Prismatic Speech Services and other support resources.

“One of the things [Prismatic] does is provide once a month, free group vocal training with two different levels, one intermediate and one beginner. So, that is a way to access their services free at the center once a month, but also to find out if it is something you want to invest in further,” she explained. “It has been a core part of our trans services for a while.”

There is also Healing Vibes by Lana, a yoga class held on Thursdays from 6 to 7:15 p.m. at the center. According to its Facebook page, Healing Vibes by Lana “creates a community of acceptance, support and love, advocating for mental health and social justice,” it brings “affordable, LGBTQ+ affirming, body-positive, trauma-informed yoga to the community on a sliding scale.”

All of GGF’s event programming can be found on its new event calendar, the OUT and About Calendar, which is now also available for the community to post their own LGBTQ events.

“We are physically accessible, and we are more prominent here downtown,” Ruppe said. “This is a safe, inviting place for the community to stop by anytime during our open hours. Of course, we have our resource library, and we hope to be the

first stop for any LGBTQ-related questions, community connections.”

In addition to programming, Ruppe said the LGBTQ Center’s resource library is the “backbone of how people connect with us.” Ruppe said the library features a list of LGBTQ-affirming doctors, lawyers, and other LGBTQ-friendly service providers and businesses.

“That is how a lot of people come into contact with us for the first time other than just coming to the programs,” she said of the resource library. “We pride ourselves that we are able to provide those resources to people that are looking for them, and that also helps us promote local businesses that we know are LGBTQfriendly. So, that is a win-win.”

Despite having a successful capital campaign to get the LGBTQ Center moved and renovated, Ruppe said the Foundation is still in need of funds to maintain its programming.

“Our capital campaign was very successful, which allowed us to build this first-rate facility,” Ruppe said. “However, our annual campaign called the Friendship Fund Drive is the money that we use to maintain programs. We are currently in the middle of our Friendship Fund Drive, and we still need people to contribute to that so we can maintain and provide the programs that people want in this center.”

She said the money raised through the Friendship Fund Drive, as well as the money raised from Green Queen Bingo and the annual Gala, support the functions of the center.

Ruppe said the annual GGF Gala will be held on March 21 and will feature Sally Kohn, founder and CEO of Movement

Vision Lab, a liberal political commentator/columnist for CNN and a community organizer. Ruppe said tickets are on sale now via the GGF website.

“It is going to be perfect for this campaigning year,” Ruppe said. “We are super excited to have her confirmed.”

Coming up this month, there is a community forum called “Liberation” on Jan. 15 at the LGBTQ center hosted by GGF and Power Beyond Pride, a volunteer community project of A Great Idea. On Jan. 21 from 10 to 11:30 a.m., there is a Gay and Gray Walks & Talks at Jaycee Park, as well as LGBTQ youth drop-in hours from 4 to 7 p.m., and a PFLAG Greensboro meeting from 7:30 to 9 p.m. GGF in partnership with Greensboro Pride will hold its first Green Queen Bingo of the year on Jan. 31 at the Terrace at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, from 6 to 10 p.m. (appropriate for ages 15 and up). The event is hosted by Fuscia Rage and benefits both Greensboro Pride and GGF. There is also a Healing Vibes by Lana Rainbow Yoga session on Jan. 23 at the GGF LGBTQ Center. On Jan. 28, there is another Gay and Gray walking group (at the same time and same place), as well as a Gay and Gray game night from 6 to 9 p.m. at the LGBTQ center.

For more information, visit GGF’s website, www.guilfordgreenfoundation.org, OUT and About community calendar, and social media pages. !

KATIE MURAWSKI is the editor-in-chief of YES! Weekly. Her alter egos include The Grimberlyn Reaper, skater/public relations board chair for Greensboro Roller Derby, and Roy Fahrenheit, drag entertainer and selfproclaimed King of Glamp.

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Emily Scott Robinson: The ‘talented troubadour’ you need to know about

BY TAMARA JARRETT Since its inception in 2010, the 30A Songwriters Festival has become a top destination for music lovers seeking to soak in some sunshine and the sweet sounds of songs ranging in style from country to Americana, as well as blues and soul. This weekend, more than 5,000 music lovers will come together to enjoy this four-day musical extravaganza that features over 175 songwriters and musicians performing in over 30 dedicated listening rooms spread along Highway 30A in South Walton, Florida. Festival headliners include John Prine, Indigo Girls, Tanya Tucker, Brian Wilson, Don McLean and Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone. For more information on the festival, visit 30ASongwritersFestival.com or catch up on tunes from all the performing artists on the 30A Songwriters Festival playlist on Spotify.

Within this euphonious expertise, the Triad will be well represented by the homegrown virtuosity of Caleb Caudle and Emily Scott Robinson.

Greensboro is home to Robinson, who was recently named one of Rolling Stone’s “10 New Country and Americana Artists That You Need to Know” for 2019. She is also on the 2019 Rolling Stone lists for Best Country and Americana Album and Best Country Song as the likes of Miranda Lambert, The Highwomen, and Tanya Tucker. In case adulation from Rolling Stone isn’t impressive enough, the very same Triad native graced the main stage of the 2019 Telluride Bluegrass Festival as winner of the Telluride Troubadour Contest. But she’s just getting started.

Emily Scott Robinson may well be one of Greensboro’s best-kept secrets. But now, the secret is out, and so is her album, Traveling Mercies and its hit single, The Dress.

(This is the first of several installments of the story of this small-town woman doing really big things.)

A lifelong North Carolina native, Emily spent her formative years in Greensboro, where she graduated from Grimsley High School before attending Furman University on a music scholarship. As the daughter of a journalist and a teacher who majored in English, the DNA of a storyteller runs deep through her veins. Her detailed lyrics paint vivid pictures and draw you in until you wonder if the memories belong to her or to you.

Tales of the road from songs like “Westward Bound” evoke a sense of adventure and nostalgia. You can almost see yourself riding shotgun with Emily in Westward Bound when she sings: WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

PHOTOS COURTESY OF EMILYSCOTTROBINSON.COM

He wore overalls to meet his King Took a pack of Marlboro Reds and his wedding ring

Stop for breakfast in the middle of west Texas At a diner stuck in time Where old men read the paper, drink their coffee black Every morning of their lives The waitress knows them all by name Got their orders memorized This is the America That the Interstate left behind While most of her songs are not autobiographical, her empathy and ability to narrate the stories of others as well as her own is a rare gift. “Overalls” tells the story of a proud war veteran who confronts death with stoicism and acceptance:

Raise a glass To my good long life Don’t dress in black Don’t let me see you cry I’m not afraid I’m just headed home And it’s time to let me go Ironically, the song that has brought her the most public recognition comes from a deeply personal experience.

In a chorus of questions, “The Dress” captures the disbelief, self-blame, and search for alternative narratives that haunt survivors of sexual assault. It is autobiographical, authentic, and gut-wrenching. Her sweet voice has a vibrato that conveys both innocence and defiance – sending the message through your ears and straight to your soul.

Was it the dress I wore?

Was it the wine he poured?

Was there some sign I ignored?

Was there even time To run from that storm?

Over the next week, YES! Weekly will join this talented troubadour at the 30A Songwriter’s Festival, and we’re inviting you along for the adventure. YES! Weekly will share the journey that has brought her to this moment, witness her impact live on stage, and dream of what could come next. Follow us as we follow her with live updates on social media, and in next week’s edition. !

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30A Songwriters Festival is Jan. 17-20 in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. For more information, visit the website, 30asongwritersfestival.com/. To learn more about Emily Scott Robinson, visit the website, www.emilyscottrobinson.com .

JANUARY 15-21, 2020

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GSO, no hope rock ‘n’ roll

T

he year 2020 sees the return of GSO as the rock ‘n’ roll fourpiece blow up from under the rubble for a show with Distant Future, Speak N’ Eye, and Toothsome at Katei Cranford the Flat Iron on Jan. 18.

A band not to be Contributor confused for the postal shorthand, GSO is “rock ‘n’ roll from Greensboro, naturally,” who expels a certain hometown pride, despite the notion getting dismissed by guitarist and ringleader, Mike Duehring.

“It was easy to spell,” Duehring noted of the three-digit moniker, though his prior outfit, the Piedmontsmen, likewise harkened a titular nod to location. “We live in both places,” he added to downplay attachment to the area. “It just defines our gigging radius. We all drive clunkers.“ Duehring is a self-proclaimed “pessimistic nihilist,” with a smart mouth. A straightface, but not-exactly no-nonsense, sort of dude. GSO’s bio ends with ”your move, slick.” Attitude is part of the package.

“I don’t believe in development,“ Duehring stated, noting his lack of hopes, YES! WEEKLY

JANUARY 15-21, 2020

plans and dreams. However, he does have a new distortion pedal and drummer, Lonnie Richardson, got a new kit—gear being Duehring’s most striking difference within the band since their last spurt of activity around 2018. “I hear The Price Is Right is coming to town in April,” he added of differences within the city.

Game shows aside, Duehring, on-brand, holds little hope for the GSO, the town.

Good thing “hope” is irrelevant for GSO, the band. As their bio reads: “These hardscrabble jams soak the listener in the overtness of being overlooked — man, if no one is listening, they sure as shit should be.”

A prickly-pear of a person, and a solid musician, it’s hard to tell where Duehring’s sarcasm stops. But that doesn’t matter.

GSO is rock ‘n’ roll, regardless, supported by a cast that rounds with Jason Kennedy on bass, and Lee Wallace on guitar. They’re preachers still preaching “a mish-mash of hillbilly soul-country and rock ‘n’ roll with no misconceptions about what it wants to be.” A southern rock ’n’ roll drawl wedged comfortably between Boston and the MC5.

“We’ve always been here before,” Duehring quipped hyperbolically. To the onlooker, GSO cropped up around 2014, as the Piedmontsmen drifted in the background. “We are Greensboro,” he continued, “we’ve been in every band.”

“Every” band is a stretch, but GSO’s got

GSO at 2017 GSOFest history—playing with some heavy-hitters such as Pipe and Cracker in 2018. “That shit ruled,” Duehring said of opening for the ‘90s-stoner-anthem rockers. “It was like being in high-school, only we’re old.”

GSO connections and relationships have naturally woven along the way. “They cool,” Duehring said of his billmates on the upcoming show, booked by Joe Garrigan for his new group, Distant Future. Garrigan’s organizing-partner in Still the Days Fest, Eric Mann, is on the bill as part of Toothsome (who started as a Cure cover band.) Wallace, a talent in his own right— who Duehring claimed knows Bernadette Peters—has rocked some of the best Robert Smith impressions the area has seen, during Garrigan’s defunct “Cover Explosion” charity concert series (he also does a mean Joe Strummer).

It’s all connected.

“We know them because Greensboro,” Duehring said. Regarding the upcoming show, he’s uncharacteristically “stoked.”

Turns out, getting back in the GSO saddle has been “funner than hell,” even for nihilists.

Turning attention to the venue, “everyone there is super nice, and it sounds great inside,” Duehring said of the new incarnation of the old dive. “I’ve played there with a few different bands, going back about 10 or 12 years, it was probably the last venue

where I smoked a cigarette on stage.”

Though he misses the Jimmy Carter tip jar, Duehring noted the improved sound and lighting.

“Every show I’ve seen thus far has sounded great.“ Greensboro as a city rocks and rolls with peaks and valleys. And as a band, GSO seems to as well. “We’re doing a small East Coast tour: starting in Greensboro, then to Raleigh, and finishing off back in Greensboro,” Duehring joked of their general plans, with no albums in the works. Their 2016 release “pronounced G-S-O,” (which they recorded themselves in a frigid “metal shack at the end of an airplane runway”) serves mostly “as a demo to get gigs.”

For GSO, rock ‘n’ roll is best served live.

“These whiskey-soaked, heavily medicated jams grew through darkness,” the band noted. “The light you bring is your own.”

“There are no boring towns just boring people,“ Duehring explained with a Grinchey-hint of civic pride. “Until you bring it, GSO’s just going to keep rocking.”

GSO returns with Distant Future, Toothsome, and Speak N’ Eye on Jan. 18 at the Flat Iron in downtown Greensboro. !

KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who hosts the Tuesday Tour Report, a radio show that plays like a mixtape of bands touring NC, from 5:30-7 p.m. on WUAG 103.1 FM.

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Marching band meets EDM with Too Many Zooz New York’s Too Many Zooz harness the sonic chaos of the city and turn it into energetic music. The trio — which describes its sound as “brass house” — got their start playing in front of distracted commuters on subway platforms and sidewalks. Probably the toughest crowd in the universe — and Too Many Zooz pretty much always won them over. They make John Adamian a lot of sound with a baritone sax, a @adamianjohn trumpet, and a bass drum outfitted with some woodblocks, cowbells and other higher-register accentContributor ing pieces. You can watch YouTube footage of their frenetic busking performances. It will help explain their broad appeal, which mixes the pulse and thump of electronic dance music, the foot-sliding moves of James Brown and the propulsive honking blare of a marching band. These guys have gotten to work with Beyonce, which is a strong stamp of tastemaking approval.

Too Many Zooz play Greensboro’s Blind Tiger on Sunday, Jan. 19. I exchanged some email questions with trumpeter Matt Muirhead about the band last week.

If you don’t feel like watching videos of TMZ blowing away unsuspecting New Yorkers, take a look at their “Car Alarm” video, which is built around the insistent rhythmic beep of a car alarm, over which baritone saxophonist Leo Pellegrino (in a super-fly plum velour tracksuit) squonks out a slithery groove, followed by drummer David Parks (aka “King of Sludge”) pounding out a funky beat, to which Muirhead adds another layer of interlocking accents and gleaming trumpet blasts. It’s fun and funny, but also brilliant. Car alarms are part of the urban soundscape. And musicians have always responded to their sonic environment, mimicking the sounds of insects, birds, church bells, the clopping of horse hooves, the lonesome moan of train whistles, and the flapping time of windshield wipers. Creative musicians have incorporated the rhythms of all kinds of modern non-musical technology into recordings — the busy signals, rings and dial tones of telephones, the hissing of a dial-up modem, the rumbling of an idling engine. Too Many Zooz follow through on that timeless impulse, making the beeping alarm the centerpiece of the song and the video.

The song came about from a simple bit of inspiration.

“Leo just had this idea to play along with a car alarm, and we went out and rehearsed with a truck, haha. Which was interesting,” Muirhead said. “We just found something that worked and ran with it.”

I was swapping emails with Muirhead because last week because Too Many Zooz was out at sea when I was trying to reach them. The band was part of the lineup of the 2020 Jam Cruise, with artists like Moe, Galactic, and Pigeons WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

Playing Ping Pong, bringing the eclectic freeform funkleaning sounds of the jam-band scene to sun-loving vacationers ready for a break from winter. In addition to loads of live music, the cruise offers yoga, meditation and wellness seminars for participants. It sounds like the mellow vibe was working its magic on the members of Too Many Zooz.

“The cruise is fun! Lots of homies aboard with us, so it’s good to catch up with them, and chill out to some good music on a boat floating through the ocean,” Muirhead said.

One of the things about Too Many Zooz is that if you were to just crank up their records — like 2019’s Zombie.P — you might reasonably assume you were hearing some laptop-based music made with horn samples, drum loops and synthesizers. It’s like an undead-themed hip-hop record with skits and interludes. Pellegrino uses the booming smeared stabs of his baritone to play the equivalent of house-music bass lines. It’s club music made by guys using their hands and their breath. It’s like artisanal EDM. Sometimes it sounds like a Balkan brass band playing chiptune wedding music. It’s music that’s made thoroughly of the 21st Century.

The sound is the product of the wildly eclectic tastes and backgrounds of the band members.

“We all have listened to a bunch of house and dance music in our day. With that being said, we all listen to a bunch of different stuff and like to try all different things,” Muirhead said. “We all came from wildly different places musically. Church, Klezmer, traditional African, jazz, funk, rock, hip-hop, rap, all types of shit.”

The members of Too Many Zooz arrived in New York City to study and play music. Pellegrino and Muirhead met when they were students at the Manhattan Institute of Music. The band formed as a trio in 2013, and a video from one of their subway platform performances went viral in

2014, launching their touring and recording career. The busking experience helped shape their performance style.

“It just helps you gauge what people are really vibing with or not,” Muirhead said. “There’s no barrier physically and metaphorically speaking. There’s also no obligation for them to stand there, unlike a show where they bought a ticket and made a financial investment.”

Another aspect of the sound of Too Many Zooz relates to a contrast between density and openness. The band only has three members, so there’s a fair amount of sonic space, making it possible to really hear everything that each player is doing, and, at the same time, the three musicians make the sound dynamic and full on their own. “[The trio configuration] just happened by chance,” Muirhead said. “It is a double-edged sword, in the way that the scarcity gives us space to really reach out and do crazy shit, but the scarcity also means that we all have to fill that space constantly.”

Too Many Zooz kicked 2020 off with the Jam Cruise, but they’ve got a lot lined up for the year — including more recordings and touring.

When I ask Muirhead what he’d be doing if he wasn’t playing in Too Many Zooz, he said this: “I’m not sure about the other guys, but I think I would probably try to be a professional gamer or streamer, or both. I love video games, man.” !

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.

WANNA

go?

See Too Many Zooz play the Blind Tiger, 1819 Spring Garden St., Greensboro, on Sunday, Jan. 19, at 9 p.m. $16. theblindtiger.com JANUARY 15-21, 2020

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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 Jan 18: Matt Walsh Jan 19: The Randolph Jazz Band Jan 25: Brother Oliver Jan 31: William Nesmith Feb 1: Tyler Millard

CHARLOTTE

BOJANGLES COLISEUM

2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600 www.boplex.com Feb 14: 3rd Annual Queen City Blues Festival Feb 22: ABBA Feb 22: Lauren Daigle Feb 28: Josh Gates Feb 29: Dancing with the Stars: Live!

2020 Tour Mar 6: The Steeldrivers Mar 21: Winter Jam

CMCU AMPHITHEATRE

former Uptown Amphitheatre 820 Hamilton St | 704.549.5555 www.livenation.com May 8: AJR May 24: Russ Jun 24: Good Vibes Summer Tour 2020 Aug 13: David Gray

THE FILLMORE

1000 NC Music Factory Blvd | 704.916.8970 www.livenation.com Jan 16: The Disco Biscuits Jan 17: Grace Potter Jan 18: Badfish - A Tribute to Sublime Jan 24: The Devil Makes Three Jan 25: Matoma & Two Friends Feb 1: Who’s Bad Feb 5: Raphael Saadiq Feb 6: Greensky Bluegrass

OVENS AUDITORIUM

2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600 www.boplex.com Mar 6: The Steeldrivers Mar 7: Celtic Woman

PNC MUSIC PAVILION

707 Pavilion Blvd | 704.549.1292 www.livenation.com May 29: The Lumineers Jun 2: Ozzy Osbourne Aug 8: Journey w/ Pretenders

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JANUARY 15-21, 2020

[TOO MANY ZOOZ] January 19 - The Blind Tiger

SPECTRUM CENTER

333 E Trade St | 704.688.9000 www.spectrumcentercharlotte.com Jan 21: Celine Dion Jan 30: Chance The Rapper Feb 1: Toby Mac Feb 7: Andrea Bocelli Feb 21: Marc Anthony

THE UNDERGROUND

820 Hamilton St, Charlotte | 704.916.8970 www.livenation.com Jan 17: Case Jan 18: The Dead South Jan 19: American Authors & Magic Giant Jan 24: Ripe National Jan 30: Mt. Joy Feb 4: The Adicts Feb 5: Peekaboo Feb 10: Poppy Feb 16: EarthGang Feb 21: Wallows Feb 22: Queensryche Feb 24: Allen Stone

CLEMMONS

VILLAGE SQUARE TAP HOUSE

6000 Meadowbrook Mall Ct | 336.448.5330 Jan 25: Stereo Doll Jan 31: Dueling Pianos

DANBURY

GREEN HERON ALE HOUSE 1110 Flinchum Rd | 336.593.4733 greenheronclub.com

DURHAM

CAROLINA THEATRE

309 W Morgan St | 919.560.3030 www.carolinatheatre.org Jan 17: Travis Tritt Jan 18: Motown Throwdown Tribute Jan 21: Three Dog Night Jan 23: Jake Shimabukuro

Feb 6: The Fab Four - The Ultimate Tribute Feb 13: Tao Feb 14: Arlo Guthrie Feb 25: Drew & Ellie Holcomb

DPAC

123 Vivian St | 919.680.2787 www.dpacnc.com Jan 26: Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons Feb 6: The Black Jacket Symphony presents Journey’s Escape Plus Greatest Hits Feb 7: Nashville Songwriters

ELKIN

REEVES THEATER

129 W Main St | 336.258.8240 reevestheater.com Jan 17: Ward Davis Jan 25: The Travelin’ McCourys Feb 7: Seth Walker & Cruz Contreras Feb 21: Lonesome River Band

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greensboro

arizona pEtE’S

2900 Patterson St #A | 336.632.9889 arizonapetes.com Jan 17: 1-2-3 Friday

artiStika night club

523 S Elm St | 336.271.2686 artistikanightclub.com Jan 17: DJ Dan the player Jan 18: DJ paco and DJ Dan the player

barn DinnEr thEatrE 120 Stage Coach Tr. | 336.292.2211 Feb 1: Mahalia Mar 7: 9 to 5 apr 4: beehive: the 60’s Musical May 1: Motherhood the Musical

bEErthirtY

505 N. Greene St Jan 17: William nesmith Jan 24: Dave Moran Jan 31: the hedrick’s Feb 7: Jeff and kathy brooks Feb 14: craig baldwin Feb 21: bruce Drake

thE blinD tigEr

1819 Spring Garden St | 336.272.9888 theblindtiger.com Jan 16: allen Mack Myers Moore feat. zach Myers Shinedown Jan 17: Smashat Jan 18: cosmic charlie Jan 19: too Many zooz w/ birocratic Jan 20: Who got Da Streetz Mgt, DSa Entertainment, & Maejor Media presents new Music Monday Jan 23: the cavali group presents blac Youngsta feat. lil Migo Jan 24: Shadow of intent, Signs of the Swarm, inferi, brand of Sacrifice Jan 25: nascar aloe w/ bob Vylan, kidsnextdoor Jan 25: rich Dunk Jan 27: black Flag w/ linecutters Jan 31: off With Your radiohead: a radiohead tribute Feb 3: Spafford with cbDb Feb 7: the cadillac three Feb 8: perpetual groove Feb 14: Morgan heritage Feb 15: Moon hooch

carolina thEatrE

310 S. Greene Street | 336.333.2605 carolinatheatre.com Jan 19: Mipso Jan 19: pearl & the charlotte holding company

thE cornEr bar

1700 Spring Garden St | 336.272.5559 corner-bar.com Jan 16: live thursdays www.yesweekly.com

coMEDY zonE

1126 S Holden Rd | 336.333.1034 thecomedyzone.com Jan 16: Four corners of comedy Jan 17: the tennessee tramp Jan 18: the tennessee tramp Jan 24: tony tone Jan 25: tony tone Jan 31: Will Jacobs Feb 1: Will Jacobs

coMMon grounDS 11602 S Elm Ave | 336.698.388 Jan 18: bruce piephoff

conE DEniM

117 S Elm St | 336.378.9646 cdecgreensboro.com Jan 23: blac Youngsta Feb 11: the Wailers Feb 18: british lion Feb 29: Jim breuer Mar 4: Southside Johnny and the asbury Jukes Mar 8: puddle of Mudd May 7: Mascadine bloodline

Flat iron

221 Summit Ave | 336.501.3967 Jan 17: bob Fleming & the cambria iron co.

Jan 18: Distant Future w. gSo, toothsome Jan 24: totally Slow Jan 25: the Shoaldiggers w. Emily Stewart, chuck Mountain Feb 1: J. timber (Full band) Feb 8: Sam Frazier & the Side Effects Feb: Viva la Muerte Feb: run home Jack w. Janet Flights, Dead casual, Windley, condado Feb: Shiloh hill

grEEnE StrEEt club 113 N Greene St | 336.273.4111

grEEnSboro coliSEuM 1921 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400 www.greensborocoliseum.com Feb 8: kiSS Feb 12: Fitz and the tantrums Feb 13: brantley gilbert Feb 15: Space Jesus Feb 15: Winter Jam Feb 29: lauren Daigle

haM’S nEW garDEn

1635 New Garden Rd | 336.288.4544 hamsrestaurants.com

lEVEnElEVEn brEWing

1111 Coliseum Blvd | 336.265.8600 Jan 17: rodney allen brady Jan 18: Sentimental Johnny Jan 24: arcus hyatt and tim Fogarty Jan 25: cool beans

OUTDOOR ICE RINK

NOVEMBER 15 thru JANUARY 26 VF Seasonal Plaza at LeBauer Park, 208 N. Davie St VISIT:

WWW.PIEDMONTWINTERFEST.COM FOR RATES AND TIMES

CONTACT:

PIEDMONTWINTERFEST@GMAIL.COM FOR PRIVATE RESERVATIONS January 15-21, 2020

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Jan 31: Sharon Bradley Feb 7: Chris Myers Feb 8: Chris McIvor Feb 12: Bryan Toney Overdrive Feb 14: Laura Jane Vincent Feb 29: Viva La Gorham

[CITIZEN COPE] January 18 - Lincoln Theatre

LITTLE BROTHER BREWING

348 South Elm St | 336.510.9678 Jan 25: Viva La Muerte May 8: The Allen Boys May 30: Jesse Black

PIEDMONT HALL

2411 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400 www.greensborocoliseum.com Feb 12: Fitz & The Tantrums Feb 15: Space Jesus Feb 29: Young Dolph & Key Glock Mar 5: Skillet Mar 21: Cody Johnson Apr 21: Shinedown

RODY’S TAVERN

5105 Michaux Road | 336.282.0950 rodystavern.com

THE IDIOT BOX COMEDY CLUB

502 N. Greene St | 336.274.2699 www.idiotboxers.com Jan 17: Dusty Cagle & Zo Myers Jan 30: Pedro Gonzalez & Andrew Orolfo Feb 1: Family Friendly Improv Feb 13: Hacksaw Jim Duggan Feb 21: Jeremy Essig

THE W BISTRO & BAR 324 Elm St | 336.763.4091 @thewdowntown Jan 17: Karaoke Jan 18: Live DJ Jan 19: Live DJ

WHITE OAK AMPITHEATRE

1921 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400 www.greensborocoliseum.com

HIGH POINT

AFTER HOURS TAVERN

1614 N Main St | 336.883.4113 afterhourstavern.net Feb 15: Admiral Ackbar & The Galactic Experience

GOOFY FOOT TAPROOM 2762 NC-68 #109 | 336.307.2567 Jan 18: Zac Kellum Jan 25: Tony Andrews Feb 1: Jacob & Forrest Feb 8: Tyler Long YES! WEEKLY

JANUARY 15-21, 2020

HAM’S PALLADIUM 5840 Samet Dr | 336.887.2434 hamsrestaurants.com Jan 17: The Dickens Band Jan 18: Brothers Pearl Jan 24: Sok Monkee Jan 25: Bad Romeo Jan 31: Bump

HIGH POINT THEATRE

220 E Commerce Ave | 336.883.3401 www.highpointtheatre.com Feb 15: Barbra Lica Quintet Feb 20: NY Gilbert & Sullivan Players Feb 21: The Brubeck Brothers Quartet Mar 12: Georgia On My Mind - Celebrating the Music of Ray Charles Mar 20: Sons of Mystro Mar 21: Croce Plays Croce Apr 4: Jump, Jive, & Wail! ft. the Jive Aces May 3: Raleigh Ringers

JAMESTOWN

THE DECK

118 E Main St | 336.207.1999 thedeckatrivertwist.com Jan 16: Cory Leutjen Jan 17: Rockit Science Jan 18: Whiskey Foxtrot Jan 23: Jacon Vaughn Jan 24: Spare Change Jan 25: Jill Goodson Jan 30: Kelsey Hartley

KERNERSVILLE

BREATHE COCKTAIL LOUNGE

221 N Main St. | 336.497.4822 facebook.com/BreatheCocktailLounge Jan 24: Brothers Pearl

EMPOURIUM

734 E Mountain St. | 336.671.9159 Jan 22: Griggs and Lazare Open Jam Jan 25: Marcus Horth Band Feb 1: TAB (Tyndall, Allen, & Blocker) Feb 5: Jammin with Julian Feb 7: The Allen Boys Feb 15: The Thom Buchannon Band Feb 19: T & A Jiggity Jam Feb 22: The Firecrackers

J.PEPPERS SOUTHERN GRILLE

841 Old Winston Rd | 336.497.4727 jpeppers.com May 14: James Vincent Carroll

LEWISVILLE

OLD NICK’S PUB

191 Lowes Foods Dr | 336.747.3059 OldNicksPubNC.com Jan 17: Karaoke Jan 18: Stoned Rangers Jan 24: Karaoke Jan 25: Casino Night for AFSP Feb 7: Karaoke

Feb 8: Exit 180 Feb 14: Karaoke Feb 15: Juke Box Revolver Feb 21: Karaoke Feb 22: Lasater Union Feb 28: Karaoke Feb 29: Corey Leutjen & The Traveling Blues Band

LIBERTY

THE LIBERTY SHOWCASE THEATER

101 S. Fayetteville St | 336.622.3844 TheLibertyShowcase.com Jan 18: Ronnie McDowell Jan 25: Confederate Railroad Feb 8: Little Texas Feb 22: Dailey & Vincent Feb 29: Stephen Freeman

RALEIGH

CCU MUSIC PARK AT WALNUT CREEK

3801 Rock Quarry Rd | 919.821.4111 www.lincolntheatre.com Jun 2: The Lumineers

LINCOLN THEATRE

126 E. Cabarrus St | 919.831.6400 www.livenation.com Jan 15: The Disco Biscuits Jan 16: Badfish - A Tribute To Sublime Jan 16: Grace Porter Jan 17: Turkuaz w/ Neal Francis

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Jan 18: Citizen Cope Jan 24: American Aquarium Jan 25: American Aquarium Jan 29: Half Pint w/ Yellow Wall Dub Squad Jan 31: The Breakfast Club w/ 8-Track Minds Feb 1: Jupiter Coyote w/ Old Habits Feb 6: Grass is Dead Feb 7: ZOSO - The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience Feb 8: ZOSO - The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience Feb 14: Heartbreaker Ball feat: Nantucket, Driver, Ashley LaRue Band Feb 15: Before We Begin World Tour: Eric Nam, Phoebe Ryan Feb 16: Y&T Feb 21: Railroad Earth Feb 22: Same As It Ever Was (Talking Heads Tribute) Feb 23: Wallows: Nothing Happens Tour 2020 Feb 26: Peekaboo’s Impossible Tour

CB’S TAvERN

RED HAT AMPHITHEATER

11141 Old US Hwy 52, Suite 10 | 336.793.4218 Jan 17: Branded Jan 18: Sammy Turner and the Dirty South Band Jan 21: MMH Honky Tonk House Band Jan 24: Jimmy Shirley Jr. and the Footlights Jan 25: Crossfire Jan 28: MMH Honky Tonk House Band Jan 31: Barefoot Boyz

500 S McDowell St | 919.996.8800 www.redhatamphitheater.com May 9: AJR Jun 2: Local Natives and Foals w/ Cherry Glazerr Aug 14: David Gray

PNC ARENA

1400 Edwards Mill Rd | 919.861.2300 www.thepncarena.com Feb 11: Celine Dion Mar 4: Zac Brown band w/ Amos Lee & Poo Bear Mar 12: Billie Eilish Mar 13: The Millennium Tour: Omarion, Bow Wow, Ying Yang Twins, Lloyd, Sammie, Pretty Ricky, Soulja Boy, and Ashanti Mar 20: Michael Bublé Mar 22: Winter Jam 2020 May 19: JoJo Siwa Aug 1: Harry Styles

winston-salem

BULL’S TAvERN

408 West 4th St | 336.331.3431 facebook.com/bulls-tavern Jan 17: Easy Honey Jan 18: My Brother Skyler Jan 24: Doctor Ocular Jan 31: The Lilly Brothers Feb 1: The Dirty Grass Players Feb 8: Underground Springhouse Feb 21: Space Koi Feb 22: Jack Marion and The Pearl Snap Prophets

BURKE STREET PUB 1110 Burke St | 336.750.0097 burkestreetpub.com www.yesweekly.com

3870 Bethania Station Rd | 336.815.1664 Jan 18: Line Dancing w/ Pat

FIDDLIN’ FISH BREWING COMPANY 772 Trade St | 336.999.8945 fiddlinfish.com Jan 16: Souljam Jan 20: Old Time Jam

FOOTHILLS BREWING 638 W 4th St | 336.777.3348 foothillsbrewing.com Jan 15: The Local Boys Jan 18: Souljam Jan 19: Sunday Jazz

Feb 10: Martha Bassett Feb 11: Flower In Bloom, Paragon Don, Hollow Creeper Feb 14: Kendell Marvell Feb 15: Mardi Gras 2020 w/ Dirty Dozen Brass Band & Big Ron Hunter Band Feb 20: An Evening With Booker T. Jones Feb 21: The vagabond Saints’ Society: A Tribute To Tom Waits Feb 28: Old Crow Medicine Show Mar 6: Che Apalache Mar 16: Martha Bassett Mar 21: The Prince Project

SECOND & GREEN

207 N Green St | 336.631.3143 2ngtavern.com

WINSTON-SALEM FAIRGROUND 421 W 27th St | 336.727.2236 www.wsfairgrounds.com

WISE MAN BREWING

826 Angelo Bros Ave | 336.725.0008 Jan 24: Anniversary Party w/ The Get Right Band and The Genuine Feb 8: 49 Winchester

MAC & NELLI’S

4926 Country Club Rd | 336.529.6230 macandnellisws.com

MIDWAY MUSIC HALL

MILLENNIUM CENTER 101 West 5th Street | 336.723.3700 MCenterevents.com

MILNER’S

630 S Stratford Rd | 336.768.2221 milnerfood.com Jan 19: Live Jazz

MUDDY CREEK CAFE & MUSIC HALL

5455 Bethania Rd | 336.923.8623 Jan 16: Country Dan Collins Jan 18: Phillip Craft Jan 19: Rob Price and Jack Breyer Jan 23: Open Mic w/ Country Dan Collins

THE RAMKAT

170 W 9th St | 336.754.9714 Jan 18: The Three’s Company Tour Jan 24: Runaway Gin: A Tribute To Phish Jan 25: Who’s Bad 20/20: The Evolution Of Pop Jan 28: UNCSA Jazz Ensemble: Latin Jazz Night Jan 31: Lindsay Lou Feb 1: Whiskey Foxtrot, Crenshaw Pentecostal, Jive Mother Mary Feb 6: Colin Allured January 15-21, 2020

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AROUND THE TRIAD YES! Weekly’s Photographer

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Pop Up Art Exhibit feat. Bellaphame 1.9.2020 | Greensboro

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Candlelight vigil for Melanie Van Deusen @ Springdale Park 1.11.2020 | Oak Ridge

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Gipsy Danger @ Oak Ridge Craft & Vine 1.11.2020 | Oak Ridge

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hot pour PRESENTS

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

BARTENDER: Heather Lemon BAR: Oak Ridge Craft and Vine AGE: 39 WHERE ARE YOU FROM? Randleman HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BARTENDING? Too many years to count.

HOW DID YOU BECOME A BARTENDER? ”Hey blondie, can you mix drinks?”

Me: “Umm, yeah.”

The rest is history.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT BARTENDING? The camaraderie, the craziness and most of all, the TIPS! WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO MAKE? Good ole’ draft beer.

HALF HOUR FREE

Real Singles, Real Fun...

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO DRINK? I’m old school, I absolutely love a good Moscow mule—with Tito’s, of course.

WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AS AN AFTER-DINNER DRINK? Something sweet, maybe a chocolate stout or a blood orange cider.

WHAT’S THE CRAZIEST THING YOU’VE SEEN WHILE BARTENDING? Oh wow. Some things can’t be repeated, but here’s a story, I once witnessed an old lady with explosive diarrhea spray the entire bathroom. Never seen anything like it, and I’ll never forget it!

WHAT’S THE BEST TIP YOU’VE EVER GOTTEN? Always bring a pair of flip-flops in your purse when wearing heels for the night. Your feet and your friends will appreciate it!

1-704-943-0050 More Numbers: 1-800-926-6000 Livelinks.com, 18+

January 15-21, 2020

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last call

30

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

GHOUL, INTERRUPTED

Amy Alkon

Advice Goddess I let him know?

—Irritated

A good friend’s mom just died. Out of nowhere, he told me that his mom never liked me very much. Frankly, the feeling was mutual, but I of course never said anything.

While I don’t want to start a fight or anything, I’m bothered that he told me this. How should

When somebody talks trash about you, it’s natural to want to respond. Unfortunately, sending this woman a “we need to talk” text will require a mediator with a Ouija board.

It does seem pretty rotten that your friend suddenly let his mom’s opinions of you off-leash. However, consider that keeping a secret — having information of construction8.pdf 2/24/2019 01:34:58 interest to another 1person that you need

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JANUARY 15-21, 2020

to keep barricaded in a closet in your head — is mentally and even physically stressful. Research increasingly finds that the body and mind are co-workers. (Action leads to emotion and emotion to action.)

In secret-keeping, holding back information causes psychological tension, which brings on physical tension — which can make keeping the secret both figuratively and literally a pain in the neck.

Research on secrecy by psychologist Michael Slepian suggests that it isn’t concealing information but having a goal of concealing information that stresses us out. Unlike many other goals — the kind you can complete and check off on your to-do list — the goal to keep a secret has no endpoint. This turns keeping a secret into a sort of zombie goal, a goal that won’t die — or, in researcher terms, “an outstanding intention.” This makes it more accessible in memory — to the point where the mind tends to wander to it. And this mental reflux has some psychological costs: “The frequency of mind-wandering to secrets predicts lower well-being,” explains the Slepian team. “Thus, what seems to be harmful about secrecy is not having to conceal a secret but having to

live with it and having it return to one’s thoughts.”

Other research, exploring willpower, finds that stress and “aversive” (feelbad) emotions like sadness diminish our ability for self-control. So, your friend, under the emotional stress of grieving his mom, maybe lacked the energy he normally had to keep his mom’s feelings stowed in the, uh, overhead compartment. Obviously, you’d prefer to unknow this info. However, if this guy generally isn’t unkind or insensitive, you might want to let this go — especially considering the advantage you have over a lady who’s now living on somebody’s mantel: “I will come find you and reduce you to ash! Oh. Wait.”

KEEPIN’ IT REVEALED

I’m a 32-year-old woman, dating again after a five-year relationship. I’ve got some issues I’m working on. (I can get a little needy.) I’m getting all kinds of advice, from “be you!” to “play hard to get!” I guess acting unavailable works, but shouldn’t somebody like me for me, not because I’m out of reach? —Sincere At fancy supermarkets, they try to sell

you smoked salmon with a tiny sample on a cracker; they don’t slap you across the face with a giant fish: “LOVE MEEEEEE!” In dating, there’s being a bit scarce, and there’s being somebody else. Scarce is good when you’re getting to know a person, leaving them wanting more as opposed to less. Somebody else? Not so good.

What does it mean to “be yourself”? It basically means not being emotionally manicured, being “authentic.” Clinical psychologist Lawrence Josephs and his colleagues explain romantic “authenticity” as a willingness to risk being emotionally vulnerable and a companion unwillingness to “act deceitfully” even when being honest comes with some costs. They, not surprisingly, find that being authentic in these ways leads to “better relational outcomes.”

If you aren’t yourself, somebody might be attracted to your fake front and then be bummed out and not really into you when it eventually falls off. Additionally, the researchers’ findings “suggest that individuals engaging in ‘being yourself’ dating behavior are generally preferred as dating partners over more game-playing

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individuals.” In fact, they find that men who are authentic seem to have a “special antipathy” toward “more game-playing” women.

But let’s say there are some things about you that are authentically not so great. Like, say you’re “a little needy.” You can tell somebody you tend to be needy.

That’s kind of brave and may lead somebody to admire your honesty. Of course, you should also get cracking on becoming more secure. (You might also tell a potential partner that you’re working on it, which emotionally healthy partners are likely to respect and admire.) The important thing is doing what it takes to not act all needypants, like by using diversionary tactics — say, by repeatedly texting your BFF when you’re dying to text some new guy. Her phone goes off in a meeting. Her boss: “Why does some woman keep sending you pix of her boobs?” !

GOT A problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol.com (www.advicegoddess.com) © 2020 Amy Alkon Distributed by Creators.Com.

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