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15-21, 2026
21, NUMBER 16
4
Robert Frederick is not the only person who can’t seem to get his public requests answered by the Town of Jamestown. It seems that the newly appointed mayor, SUSAN DICKENSON , also has a problem with getting record requests filled.
5 As a kid, I remember hearing DAVE PLYLER ’s booming voice on radio and TV. He spoke clearly with nary a trace of any regional dialect, and he spoke with an air of authority.
6 Mark Burger reviews RiverRun International FILM FESTIVAL TITLES featuring “Born to Lose,” “Human Shield,” “Reunion” and “Summer Lost.”
9 TUSCANI by Sage & Salt opened this past September on the edge of downtown in the section known as Innovation Quarter. This restaurant’s concept is well suited for that setting. I consider it innovative because I perceive it to be an all-out assault to establish the best Italian restaurant in the Triad.
10 For a couple of decades, Jay Ketcham Miller Secor, also known as Ketch, has called Nashville home. But, truth be told, his home is wherever he and his band, OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW , happen to be at any given moment.
14 At the April 7 meeting of the Greensboro City Council, multiple community members and ministers alleged that City Manager Trey Davis had RENEGED ON A PROMISE to hold a public forum with the two most-qualified applicants for the position of police chief. 16 Flowers are blooming and birds are chirping as record stores lay down wax and prepare their shelves for RECORD STORE DAY on April 18. Here’s what’s spinning around the state to celebrate.
Delayed Request: The Mayor’s Hope
Editor’s Note: This story is part three of YES! Weekly followingup on a reader’s request to look into the city’s public records policy.
Robert Frederick is not the only person who can’t seem to get his public requests answered by the Town of Jamestown.
It seems that the newly appointed mayor, Susan Dickenson, also has a problem with getting record requests filled.
“We have a problem with getting public records, not just with Robert. The town manager’s lengthy remarks have helped shed some light on why my own requests for information, submitted as a new mayor, remain unfulfilled — like my December request for information about expenditures for computers, software and IT services that were proposed by Mr. Johnson and approved by the former town council in the weeks prior to the new council taking office,” she said in an email sent to YES! Weekly.
Dickenson said that she asked Town Manager Matthew Johnson for invoices, bids, and work orders, along with a copy of the town’s data retention policy and public records disposition logs.
“Items our own Purchasing and Procurement policy says should be readily available,” she said.
According to Dickenson, Johnson said that the request will be treated as a “formal public records request.”
“He emailed me back and said that due to the holiday schedule and his personal bout with the flu, the request would take time and therefore be treated as a formal public records request. My request would cost several thousand dollars and take a few weeks to complete, he said, thus necessitating a formal Budget Amendment to be passed by the town council,” Dickenson
said. “The Budget Amendment would ‘authorize’ the expenses incurred by the town staff in providing this information to me.”
Dickenson said that instead of asking council members to pass a budget amendment, she decided to wait until budget planning time to bring the issue up again.
“I still haven’t seen a data retention policy, disposition policy, or logs,” Dickenson said.
Dickenson said Frederick’s public records request “raised legitimate questions about a development project.”
“His requests represented the collective concerns of a lot of Jamestown residents — many of whom organized, spoke and provided input at public meetings and on a community social platform,” she said. “It’s the biggest development project in Jamestown’s history. Of course, people have questions and concerns.”
She went on to say that in early February, she requested several zoning, building, and property tax items. Those items included “a Philadelphia company’s purchase of 17 acres to build a concrete/cement plant; a rail transport facility and silos in the middle of a Jamestown residential/retail area; a fast-food business that withdrew its plans due to existing soil contamination; and inconsistencies between the state’s watershed rules and the town’s watershed ordinances that continue to cause confusion with respect to zoning
requested records available to the requester via online/digital access, visual examination in person, or by providing paper copies.”
She said that it was pointed out that the North Carolina General statue 1326 states that “if confidential information has to be redacted before providing any records, the town has to bear the cost of redaction, and the town still has to provide the records. Also, the responsibility of making sure the staff is carrying out the town’s policies and acting in the citizens’ best interests falls to the council/governing board.”
Dickenson said that she is hoping to hire a public information officer for the town and hopes this will alleviate some of the time constraints on fulfilling public records requests.
applications, amendments and building/development proposals.”
“Mr. Johnson’s email response to me was, ‘… there is nothing here that requires additional discussion, re-approval, or intervention at this time,’” Dickenson wrote.
She said she was particularly interested in one particular property’s zoning; however, the town’s website archives are almost nonexistent.
“A lot of those zoning records, again by statute, are supposed to be kept for certain periods of time, some permanently. But ours is almost empty; that is going to impact everyone who wants to come into town and have something done,” Dickenson said. “It’s a vital part of the infrastructure for me. It’s like having pipes that don’t leak.”
Dickenson said she brought up a few issues about how the town handled public records while attending a University of North Carolina School of Government class hosted by the North Carolina League of Municipalities.
“I brought up these and other questions with Rebecca Fisher-Gabbard, governmental lawyer and law professor, after her presentation on public records law. I asked about Jamestown’s public records policy and was told the law is that citizens do not have to follow the town’s policy (they can remain anonymous, don’t have to cc or copy the town manager, for example),” she said. “It is also law that the records custodian (the town clerk) must make
“Hiring a public information officer, which is in our budget plan, is a step in the right direction — as long as it’s a public records professional who can oversee the town’s documents, data and records, ensure that Jamestown is following state and federal law, and help digitize as much of our zoning archives, historical minutes and public information as possible. I think that is the one thing that everybody agrees on,” she said. “I also think it’s time to incorporate some digital technology, like all the other municipalities are doing. We need to put more of our public records, information, and older town minutes online rather than take them down, which is what appears to be happening.”
Dickenson said that this is about more than one person who is asking for a lot of information.
“The most important thing I took away from that two-day NCLM course was a quote by Tom Carruthers, attorney for the North Carolina League of Municipalities, who repeated it multiple times throughout the event: ‘Transparency is the Default Rule.’” !
CHANEL DAVIS is the editor of YES! Weekly and graduated from N.C. A&T S.U. in 2011 with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. She’s worked at daily and weekly newspapers in the Triad region.
Susan Dickenson
Chanel Davis
Editor
As a kid, I remember hearing Dave Plyler’s booming voice on radio and TV. He spoke clearly with nary a trace of any regional dialect, and he spoke with an air of authority. Knowing that I wanted someday to be a broadcaster like Dave, I sat for hours at a time practicing with my cassette recorder in order to articulate my words and remove my Southern twang. I never did manage to sound like Dave, no one ever could. But I did end up working with him and learning from him. More on that later.
Longworth at Large
During his 70-plus-year career in public life, Dave used his powerful voice for much more than just speaking into a microphone. He used it to advocate for better schools, higher pay for teachers, and better-funded law enforcement. He used it to push for economic development and regional transportation. And he used his voice to protect the rights and serve the needs of all people, regardless of their age, race, gender, or social standing. Dave always jokingly referred to himself as “Honest Dave Plyler,” and it was a moniker that fit him to a tee. On March 31, we lost that honest, powerful voice. Dave Plyler was 87. He was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy, and survived by two daughters, Amanda and Suzanne. Dave was born in Orange County, California, in 1938, but his father, a traveling salesman, grew homesick for his native Union County, so the family packed up and in 1948 traveled by train to settle in North Carolina. While moving from town to town in California, the Plylers had always lived in diverse neighborhoods, giving young Dave a sense of universal inclusion among the races, so it wasn’t surprising that his best friend upon relocating to North Carolina would be a little Black boy. But young Dave soon had a rude awakening, as he recalled in a 2020 podcast with Forsyth Sheri Bobby Kimbrough.
“I was 11 years old, and my best friend was a Black kid. One morning he told me
Remembering Dave Plyler
that he couldn’t play with me anymore, and I asked him why. ‘Because you’re white and my momma said I couldn’t play with you,’ he said. That’s when I learned about segregation.”
Dave’s first broadcasting job was as a disc jockey at Greensboro’s WCOG radio, where his 10 p.m. show (called “Music for Lovers Only”) was rated number one in the market for that time slot. He moved to WGBG in 1955, where he hosted a 5-hour afternoon program, then returned to WCOG to host both morning and afternoon drive time shows. That led him to a job with WSJS radio and WSJS television (later WXII) in 1960, where he got wind of a lunch counter sit-in by four A&T State University students and was responsible for getting national coverage for that historic event. A few months later, and just prior to being drafted, Dave enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he specialized in military transport services and worked in Armed Forces Radio & TV.
After his discharge, Dave returned to his dual role at WSJS.
“My job was to protect our license by putting programs on the air that appealed to a broad spectrum of the public,” said Dave.
Those programs included “Report to the People,” “Teen Talk,” “Shades of Ebony,” “Today at Home,” and “Camera 12,” the latter which sent Dave around to every town in Piedmont and Western N.C., where he asked residents the question, “What do you see as the major problem in your community?” Their responses were edited into a 3-minute segment that aired during weekend newscasts. It was a popular feature, so much so that over a thousand people showed up during one visit to Boone. Dave would later recount that it was his interaction with folks from all over the region and learning about their needs and concerns which later prepared him for a career in politics.
After leaving WXII in 1983, Dave became vice president and general manager of WTOB radio, then served as an executive for Salem Media until his retirement.
Dave first won election to the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners in 1994 and served until 2006. He regained his seat in 2008 and later served as chairman of the board until he announced his retirement from that body in 2024.
But after hearing from his constituents, Dave re-entered the race, only to drop out
due to health considerations. Nevertheless, he still received enough votes to have won re-election had he decided to stay. That’s how well-loved Dave was.
During his tenure on the board, Dave helped to land a number of businesses and industries to the area, including Caterpillar, Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center, and the Veterans Administration hospital across from KMC.
He was also instrumental in developing the Field of Honor at Triad Park.
Throughout his career, Dave received numerous awards, including the Abe Lincoln Award, the Humanitarian Award from the N.C. Association of Black County O cials, and in 2003 was named Outstanding County Commissioner by
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the N.C. Association of County Commissioners.
I had known Dave since we both worked at “Broadcast House” (the nickname for the WXII/WSJS building at 700 Coliseum Drive) in the early 1970s. I was a part-time announcer for WSJS-FM, and Dave was news director for WXII. Back then, his pet peeve was anyone who mispronounced our call letters. “It’s WSJS, not dubya SJS,” he would say. We reconnected years later when I created “Triad Today,” and where he appeared as a Roundtable panelist from 2006 until 2022. Dave was quick-witted and always in a good mood. Most importantly, he was a virtual repository of information about the people, places, and policies that had shaped our region during his lifetime.
I miss Dave. I miss his sense of humor, his steel-trap mind, and his passion for public service. And I miss that booming voice, which he used time and again to advocate for those who had no voice. Honest Dave Plyler had a lasting impact on quality of life in Forsyth County, and he was my friend.
I’ll never think about broadcasting and public service without thinking of Dave, and I’ll never, ever say “dubya SJS.” !
JIM LONGWORTH is the host of Triad Today, airing on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. on ABC45 (cable channel 7) and Sundays at 11 a.m. on WMYV (cable channel 15) and streaming on WFMY+.
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Jim Longworth
RiverRun International Film Festival reviews
“BORN TO LOSE”
Dylan Arnold, a graduate of the UNCSA School of Drama, delivers a fine performance in “Born to Lose,” the feature debut of writer/producer/director Joseph Zentil, filmed in some of the grungiest locations in Kentucky and Tennessee.
Arnold plays Andy Logan, an aimless drug dealer and all-around screw-up (other characters label him worse, as you might imagine) whose life comes to a head — and potentially to an end — after his father dies and he finds himself in debt to local strip-club owner Roddy (Shane Callahan). Even worse, Andy’s sister Julie (Ambyr Childers) is Roddy’s girl and has just discovered she’s pregnant.
Andy may be down on his luck, but he’s certainly got a way with the ladies — including local songbird Tabitha (Sarah Pidgeon) — but his propensity for self-destruction seems to know no bounds until he encounters Jed Duncan (James LeGros), an old Army buddy of his father’s who tries to steer Andy
right. To this end, he encourages Andy to restore his father’s vintage 1965 HarleyDavidson “Panhead,” which Andy can hopefully sell to pay Roddy back.
Of course, things aren’t as simple as that, and if there’s one thing Andy can’t rely on, it’s himself. He continually digs himself deeper into trouble, to the point where even those who care about him are ready to write him o for good.
“Born to Lose” is both a latter-day film noir and a parable of redemption, although it’s more successful as the former than the latter. In addition, in the third act, when the film should be tightening its grip, the pace slackens, not to a precipitous degree but a noticeable one.
A little tightening would not have hurt and might well have helped, although there are excellent contributions by cinematographer Garrett Hardy Davis, who brings an appropriate grittiness to the proceedings, and composer Steve Moore, whose brooding score perfectly accentuates Andy’s increasingly desperate situation.
The performances are solid down the line, as Zentil coaxes fine work out of his cast. Arnold brings a rakish, grizzled charm to the lovable loser Andy, LeGros enjoys his meatiest big-screen role in a long while as the eccentric but wellintentioned Jed, and Callahan oozes smarmy menace as Roddy. Unfortunately, both LeGros and Callahan are o screen for a good portion of the film’s
second half. Childers and Pidgeon (recently seen as Carolyn Bessette in the FX mini-series “Love Story”) acquit themselves well in smaller roles, and Camille Corbett shines as Julie’s stripper friend, although her words of wisdom tend to go unheeded.
—“Born to Lose” will be screened at 7 p.m. April 20 and 4:30 p.m. April 22 at Marketplace Cinemas.
“HUMAN SHIELD”
Over 50 years after Roe vs. Wade made abortion legal and almost five years since it was overturned, abortion remains a quintessential hot-button topic, and there’s little indication that the status will change anytime soon, if ever.
The documentary feature “Human Shield,” which marks producer Erin Persley’s feature directorial bow, o ers a unique take on the timely (even timeless) issue, focusing as it does on those individuals known as “abortion escorts,” whose task it is to safely usher patients into abortion clinics despite the e orts of anti-abortion activists to harass and/ or insult them as they do. These escorts are firm believers in a woman’s right to choose, and Persley explores the reasons why, the burden and risk it carries, and their sheer determination. Wisely, Persley never resorts to sensationalism, opting instead to keep things simple and to the point — yet illuminating all the same.
Filmed over a period of years, “Human Shield” focuses on pro-choice abortion escorts in three states: Maryland, Ohio, and North Carolina. Essentially, they tell their own stories, while Persley films them both at home and on what could euphemistically be called the front lines, where they encounter their opposition, some of whom are respectful but others of whom are clearly antagonistic. Sometimes, the police are called. Sometimes they’re helpful and sometimes not, because to challenge one side or the other is tantamount to challenging their freedom of speech. It’s a complicated situation, as Persley persuasively conveys.
The situation grows more complicated when Roe vs. Wade is overturned, galvanizing the film’s subjects to attempt to get legislation passed in their individual states to ensure at least some measure of abortion option. Yes, the film is onesided and has an agenda. Its intentions are plain, clear, and pure. Whether you agree or not is simply a matter of which side of the debate you favor. “Human Shield” is the kind of film that inspires and invites debate, for all the right reasons.
— “Human Shield” will be screened at 4:30 p.m. April 19 at Hanesbrands Theatre and 1:30 p.m. April 25 at Marketplace Cinemas, and will also be made available virtually.
Mark Burger
Contributor
“REUNION”
The high school reunion, the topic of many a screen comedy (“Grosse Point Blank,” “Romy & Michelle’s High School Reunion”), gets a fresh, funny workingover in writer/producer/director John W. Kim’s bubbly comedy — aptly and simply titled “Reunion.”
It’s been 20 years since Guy (Jake Choi), a morose, cash-strapped mortician, graduated high school, and when he receives an invitation to the reunion, he has nothing better to do than decide to attend, and thus begins a bizarre, often uproarious odyssey for this bumbling but likable everyman. When he shows up, he immediately realizes he’s come to the wrong reunion, but everyone in attendance mistakes him for the one Asian student who graduated from Horizon High School in 2005, now a reclusive tech billionaire named Ellis Loudermilk. Guy’s attempts to prove he’s not Loudermilk only result in further confusion, as the former graduates descend upon him, each hoping for some kind of financial assistance or handout. There’s former Homecoming Queen Angela (Helena Mattsson), now a spoiled bigscreen starlet; former football hero Brad (newcomer Frantz Latten), still lamenting that championship loss two decades before; and the aptly named Dirk Leach (Ryan Hansen), a smug construction tycoon whose empire is teetering on the edge of failure. Everyone, it seems, wants a piece of Ellis Loudermilk. There’s a pleasing, Capra-esque vibe to the proceedings, which aren’t entirely unpredictable, and Kim makes excellent use of the split-screen technique (always a favorite of this critic’s). It’s only a matter of time, of course, before Guy’s unintentional ruse is revealed, but as the saying goes, getting there is all the fun. The appealing ensemble cast includes Kelli Garner, Madeline Zima, Ludi Lin, Hayden Szeto, and especially Sarah Waisman as Peg, the only classmate who knows Jake isn’t Ellis because Ellis was her only friend in high school. Candy Clark turns up briefly early on as a widow who comes to Jake to arrange her husband’s funeral, but hasn’t lost her sense of humor despite her grief.
— “Reunion” will be screened at 5:30 p.m. on April 24 at Hanesbrands Theatre and will also be made available virtually.
“SUMMER LOST”
Timothy Hall, a graduate of UNCSA’s School of Filmmaking, went all-out as
writer/producer/editor/director of this heartfelt tearjerker detailing the romantic relationship between Jordi (Eduardo José Paco Mateo) and Nick (newcomer Ryan Austin) — a relationship that will inevitably be short-lived because Jordi is su ering from a form of early-onset dementia that is fast overtaking him.
The two meet (cute, in a way) at the wedding weekend — in North Carolina — where Nick’s sister Julie (newcomer Michaela Welton) is to marry her longtime boyfriend Patrick (Zach Strum). When Julie gets cold feet and calls the ceremony o , Nick and Jordi are left on their own. Their attraction is immediate, even after Jordi informs Nick that he has already made preliminary plans to return to Spain to die, tended by his father and sister, his mother having su ered from the same condition he does.
Boosted by Walker Forshee’s cinematography and an e ective score by Was Latta, “Summer Lost” avoids falling into a swamp of sentimentality thanks largely to the sincere performances of its two leads, both of whom also served as producers on the film. This is not just a film for LGBTQ+ audiences but an unflinching, emotionally resonant look at two lonely souls who have found each other, almost before it’s too late. In the end, only one will be able to look back on their relationship with any clarity or nostalgia. It’s about taking chances and accepting the potential consequences, because even a brief romance is better than none.
Running a tight, trim 82 minutes, “Summer Lost” never outstays its welcome, and Welton and Strum are so funny as the mismatched couple that the momentum does sag slightly when they exit the proceedings, although it leaves Mateo and Austin (a WinstonSalem native) to carry the narrative by themselves, which they do with quiet confidence and dignity. Although the film is predominantly a drama, there are some humorous moments scattered throughout, including one involving the wedding musician, who has not been informed that the ceremony’s o and shows up fully prepared to perform. To say more would spoil the film’s comedic high point.
— “Summer Lost” will be screened at 7:30 pm on April 19 at Marketplace Cinemas and will also be made available virtually. !
[WEEKLY ARTS ROUNDUP] ARTS COUNCIL HOSTS RIVERRUN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
SUBMITTED BY ARTS COUNCIL OF WINSTON-SALEM & FORSYTH COUNTY
The RiverRun International Film Festival has long stood as a cornerstone of cultural life in Winston-Salem, drawing filmmakers, students, and audiences from around the world. Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County is a proud support and active partner with a shared commitment to fostering creativity, accessibility, and artistic excellence.
RiverRun is a nonprofit media arts organization dedicated to the role of cinema as a conduit of powerful ideas and diverse viewpoints. Their mission is to foster a greater appreciation of cinema and a deeper understanding of the many people, cultures, and perspectives of our world through regular interaction with great films and filmmakers.
The 28th RiverRun International Film Festival will take place from April 17-25, 2026 in Winston-Salem and Greensboro as well as virtually. The arts council is proud to be a RiverRun Film Festival venue.
The arts council’s campus o ers a natural extension of RiverRun’s identity. With its established reputation as a hub for visual and performing arts, the space seamlessly aligns with the festival’s mission to celebrate storytelling through film. Hosting screenings, panels, and community events within Milton Rhodes Center and Hanesbrands Theatre allows RiverRun to deepen its engagement with local audiences while o ering visiting filmmakers an immersive cultural experience.
This partnership also reflects a strategic alignment of resources and vision. Arts council fuels artists and organizations, fuels access and fuels sustainability to ensure the next generation has access and resources for the arts. RiverRun brings international
visibility, dynamic programming, and stories that unite us. Together, they create opportunities for community, joy, economic well being and a celebration of the arts. Educational initiatives further strengthen this collaboration. Workshops, student screenings, and filmmaker talks hosted on campus create meaningful learning opportunities, particularly for young and emerging artists. The arts council’s existing educational networks amplify these e orts, ensuring that RiverRun’s influence extends beyond entertainment into inspiration and skill building. Arts council and RiverRun Film Festival are dedicated to enriching the cultural fabric of the community, supporting artists, and creating spaces where stories can be told and heard. By working together, they enhance the festival experience while reinforcing Winston-Salem’s identity as the city of arts and innovation.
As RiverRun looks to the future, this partnership stands as a model for how cultural institutions can collaborate to create something greater than the sum of their parts, an inclusive, dynamic celebration of creativity that resonates far beyond the screen. !
BURGER
[WEEKLY SUDOKU]
ACROSS
Yard tool
Attorney’s job
Close loudly
Maui porch
Yankee Yogi
Penne — vodka 22 Imogene of comedy 23 Motivational speaker who wrote “Unlimited Power” [1960] 25 Tooth-saving procedure
Takes e ect
28 He convoked the Council of Trent [1468] 30 Via walking
Rolling car part, in Leeds 34 Su x with Rock 35 Lead singer on the 2010 hit “Pumped Up Kicks” [1984] 39 And more: Abbr.
“Always on Time” rapper [1976]
Su x with Rock
Aquanaut’s abode
“Equi-” cousin
Bovine bellow
— B. DeMille
Director of “Wings,” the first Best Picture winner [1896] 59 Santa — (hot winds)
Platoon VIP
Tale
prying
Political admin.
Dianne of “Parenthood”
— marche (cheaply, in Paris)
He played Jagger Cates on “General Hospital” [1972]
Morales of “Freejack”
Liquidy Japanese bowlful 67 Gave it a shot
Crime doers
When the people featured in this puzzle were born
Sni ed (around)
Founder of the Shakers in America [1736]
“Adios!”
“Anniversary Song” singer [1916]
Wise to
sight of
Fled to marry
“So Rare” bandleader [1904]
Thick-trunked African tree
Criminal court of London
Designation for the people featured in this puzzle
Chow Down with John Batchelor at Tuscani
BY JOHN BATCHELOR
Tuscani by Sage & Salt opened this past September on the edge of downtown in the section known as Innovation Quarter. This restaurant’s concept is well suited for that setting. It is certainly innovative, although nothing here is weird or even unfamiliar. I consider it innovative because I perceive it to be an all-out assault to establish the best Italian restaurant in the Triad.
Tom and Brandon Brock (father and son), Patrick Ra erty and Jasmine Yasordia (spouses) are the owners. The Brocks are certified sommeliers, and Brandon has had experience in management in other Winston-Salem restaurants. Rafferty is Executive Chef. The Brocks also own Sage and Salt (sageandsaltbistro. com), which I have admired. Carlos Rodriguez, sous chef at Sage and Salt, collaborated to help develop the menu. (Some of this information comes from an article in The News and Record.)
The interior is kind of industrial, with lots of exposed concrete, an excellent adaptation of this space, originally part of the R.J. Reynolds tobacco power plant. I have described the styling as urbanchic. Tables are well separated. One seating section lines a long “food bar” allowing direct view into the kitchen.
A glassed-in section houses a large collection of wines. I consider the list here a masterpiece. A lot of the selections are Italian, ranging from moderately priced to serious high-end, plus an assortment from other countries. I look forward to further explorations.
Not just for the wine, of course. The food lives up to my perceived aspiration. We started one evening with Meatballs and found a portion size more than adequate for a party of four. They rest in a rich pomodoro sauce, melted burrata cheese oozing over the top. This earns praise first, for what it is not. It is not too salty. This kitchen, unlike so many, has a light hand. You just taste the richness of the tomatoes, the meat, and the lush cheese. Delightful, crusty bread soaks up sauce as well as providing excellent flavor in its own right.
Middleneck Clams are simmered in white wine, butter, garlic, and parsley, served with more of that crusty-crisp
mushrooms, ladled with marsala sauce. Once again, this kitchen’s light touch was evident in the subtlety of the sauce — not overly sweet, just pleasantly nutty and creamy, with mushroom flavor in the forefront, blending well with each bite of chicken, itself of noteworthy quality, redolent of mild smoke from the grill.
bread. The shellfish themselves are bright and fresh tasting, well served by the broth. I found one thing unsettling about this presentation. Bread slices were inserted at 9, 12, and 3 o’clock. For a party of two, 3 is not evenly divisible, and this created marital discord with my wife. Did a server drop the one that started at 6:00? Little matter. It’s another excellent starter.
Pastas are made in-house, using equipment imported from Italy. The taste and texture that results easily ranks in the top echelon among Italian restaurants, certainly in the Triad, but anywhere else, in my estimation. Combine a pasta with Salad Della Casa (house salad), and you have an excellent, moderately priced dinner, most likely with some pasta left over to take home. The salad is assembled from field greens, baby kale, radicchio, arugula, basil leaves, and cherry tomatoes, with crumbled cheese, candied hazelnuts, and crisp prosciutto, dressed in a lemon herb vinaigrette. I seldom compliment house salads, because most are OK,
they just don’t show much evidence of forethought. This one, on the other hand, merits attention in its own right.
On to some pastas. Ricotta Gnocchi blends preserved lemon, basil pesto, cream, and snow crab meat. The crab flavor comes through clearly, well-served by the pesto sauce. Rigatoni Bolognese is based on a slow-cooked blend of ground beef, pork, and veal, bathed in a sauce of sautéed onions, garlic, peppers, and herbs, with tomatoes. Hearty and downright wonderful. Orecchiette combines sweet Italian sausage with broccoli rabe in fennel cream sauce. The fennel adds complexity to richness. These are all killers. (That’s a really high compliment.)
The menu also o ers seafoods, chicken, veal, and prime beef entrees cooked on a very sophisticated wood-fired grill with rotisserie. You should consider sitting on the line where you can watch it in action, or at least slowing down as you pass by, just to watch.
Chicken Marsala uses a classic airline cut (breast with the largest section of wing attached), over pasta with fresh
On my final visit, I ordered an o -menu Lamb Loin special. I can’t recall ever having a more enjoyable lamb dish — tender, deeply flavored, cut on the diagonal to bite size. This is presented next to a blend of pine nuts, adjacent to splayed broccolini. Compliments were earned for visual impact as well as flavor and texture.
Most of the sta from Six Hundred Degrees, the former occupant of this space, stayed on after the changeover to Tuscani. Ryan Oberle is still the manager. Service personnel were enthusiastic in descriptions and discussions of food, and they were able to respond accurately to our inquiries. (Management/owners, however, never responded to my messages or phone calls, so I can’t say much positive for customer service beyond the table.)
Outside, on the street, this area can get a bit congested. But free valet parking is provided to accommodate that handicap.
Tuscani is a real winner. Sign me up for the fan club. !
JOHN BATCHELOR has been writing about eating and drinking since 1981. Over a thousand of his articles have been published. He is also author of two travel/ cookbooks: “Chefs of the Coast: Restaurants and Recipes from the North Carolina Coast,” and “Chefs of the Mountains: Restaurants and Recipes from Western North Carolina.” Contact him at john.e.batchelor@ gmail.com or see his blog, johnbatchelordiningandtravel.blogspot.com.
WANNA go?
Tuscani
450 N. Patterson Ave., Winston-Salem 27101 336-283-6754, tuscaniofnc.com
or a couple of decades, Jay Ketcham Miller Secor, also known as Ketch, has called Nashville home. But, truth be told, his home is wherever he and his band, Old Crow Medicine Show, happen to be at any given moment. He figured out early on that the quickest way to endear himself and his ensemble to the audience was to research the local habits, hangouts, history, and hot spots. From its sports teams, famous faces and colleges, to its quirks, weather and geography, by show’s end one will swear that Old Crow has lived there all their lives.
“There are always things that make a community di erent from somewhere else,” says Ketch. “Those regional idiosyncrasies that make it unique. It might be the local cuisine, or mountain ranges, or what they put in their whiskey, or how they make their barbecue. Every place is someone’s hometown, and I like to feel I’m a part of it.”
Long before Old Crow became a reality, he was actually a part of Greensboro, as well as Guilford and Rockingham counties. While living in New Hampshire, he met several musicians from Greensboro who were playing and teaching there. They invited him to move back to Greensboro with them, so in the summer of 1996, he accepted their o er.
“I lived o Friendly Avenue,” he remembers. “I worked at Tex and Shirley’s, Your House, and installed fiber optic cable at the Je erson-Pilot building. I joined a band called CCT and the Grownups that played old-time music. We played at Tate Street Co ee House and for square dances at the Vintage Theatre in Winston-Salem. After a year, I moved to Browns Summit and then to a farm in a little community in Rockingham County called Bethany.”
Then Ketch revealed a little-known fact that made Greensboro a footnote to history: “I had written ‘Wagon
Wheel,’ which was actually a little story about moving to Greensboro. The first time I played it in front of people was at Guilford College. We made a demo there, even though the band didn’t think it fit their old-time style. I was supposed to go to Guilford but decided to move to upstate New York, to Ithaca. That’s where we started Old Crow. But I wouldn’t be here without Greensboro.”
Before settling in Music City, Ketch called dozens of other towns home. Born in Denville Township, N.J., his parents were schoolteachers with a penchant for traveling. “They were hippies, and we’d travel around the country in an old VW van and Greyhound buses,” he smiles. “By fifth grade, I’d lived in five states. They exposed me to many sectors of society and crossed a lot of boundaries that folks were reluctant to cross. We did things that rich folks do and poor folks do, that Black folks do and Jewish folks do. It was my father’s way of taking us kids with him to di erent worlds.”
By high school in New Hampshire, Ketch had begun learning various musical instruments (fiddle, banjo, guitar, harp) and writing songs. He happened to run across a snippet of a song written by no less than Bob Dylan and, with the travel bug firmly entrenched, started composing a tune combining the two.
“It was about a kid who’d done some traveling but wanted to do a whole lot more, and I wrote it about a bus trip,” Ketch comments. The hook of the Dylan chorus was “rock me, mama,” taken from a Memphis rockabilly singer named Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup. Ketch added the line “like a wagon wheel,” and, voila, history was about to be made.
But it took almost a decade for it to happen.
“I wrote it in 1995, but it took until 2002 or ’03 to find someone in the Dylan camp to listen to it,” recalls Ketch. “It was the 11th hour before the record [Old Crow’s second album, ‘O.C.M.S’] was to come out, and we were going to have to pull that cut if we couldn’t figure out
the publishing. Finally, his manager called and said Dylan approved and that we could split the publishing rights 50-50.”
The album was released in 2004, with “Wagon Wheel” being certified Gold in 2011 and Platinum by 2014. Aided by Darius Rucker’s No. 1 hit version, it earned Triple Platinum status in November 2023. Clearly, it has become a cultural phenomenon, even as some critics have called it “the acoustic musician’s ‘Freebird.’”
Yet, years before “Wagon Wheel,” Old Crow had caught a serendipitous break that would launch their career beyond their wildest dreams. In 1999, the band moved to Boone, N.C., living in an old barn and honing their craft. They were busking on a street corner in Boone when a young lady named Nancy walked up and asked if they were going to be there awhile, but she didn’t say why. Soon she returned, leading a blind man across the street. The man was her father; his name was Doc Watson.
“We were in the middle of a song and didn’t know if we should stop or what,” smiles Ketch. “We kept playing, and he was tapping his foot.” Apparently, Doc liked what he heard because he o ered them a gig at MerleFest on the spot, and they made their debut on the Dance Stage in 2000. Turns out they had been playing on King Street in front of Boone Drug, Doc’s favorite breakfast spot. Adds Ketch, “It was also the same corner he’d played at 50 years ago. He chose it because it had an electrical outlet there, and back then Doc was playing rock ’n’ roll on an electric guitar.”
It so happened that a talent agent from the Grand Ole Opry heard them and o ered them a slot. Within a year, they were opening for Dolly Parton at the Ryman.
“It was an imparting of magic,” muses Ketch. “Meeting Doc was like Moses seeing the burning bush or the parting of the waters. We visited him at his house and did some shows with him, and without his shepherding of us, none of this would’ve happened. Without Doc,
PHOTO
thousands of people would not have gotten married to ‘Wagon Wheel,’ or thousands of servicemen wouldn’t have felt closer to home because of a song. Somebody had to give it a blessing, and it was Doc Watson.”
Obviously, music is Ketch’s first love, but hardly his only passion. Last year, he produced a powerful fictional drama titled “Louder Than Guns” about the aftermath of a school shooting. While the characters may be fictional, the film is based on fact. Its genesis was a mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville that left three children and three adults dead.
“Because it happened in my community, I couldn’t just hit the snooze bar; I had to make a stand,” says Ketch somberly. “There’s no more powerful motivator than seeing bodies on the street with blood oozing out of them. I figured I’d set up a kind of blueprint on how to respond. I’m modeling behavior that I’d like to see somebody with more followers and a bigger power platform than me emulate.”
Given that he is a lifelong gun owner and Second Amendment advocate — not to mention a well-known country music star — Ketch himself is in a centrist position to advocate for an assault rifle ban and red flag laws. “One thing that is resoundingly clear is that it’s time to do something about gun violence,” he states.
As if he weren’t busy enough, Ketch recently recorded his first solo album,
“Stories the Crow Told Me.” He also hosts a PBS travelogue program called “Nashville Crossroads.” Further, he hosts TED Talks and wrote a children’s book titled “Lorraine: The Girl Who Sang the Storm Away.”
And, oh yes, on the day before Christmas Eve last year, he proposed to his frequent musical collaborator, guitar virtuoso Molly Tuttle. They haven’t set a date yet, but both are slated to play MerleFest this year and will appear both separately and together. On Friday night, Old Crow Medicine Show will perform two of their signature albums, “O.C.M.S.” and “Big Iron World,” in their entirety. And on Saturday, they’ll host the Late Night Jam and, as usual, Ketch has a few tricks up his sleeve.
“I’ve got some world-class buckdancers, and some old-time musicians from western North Carolina, and my buddy, Tyler Nichols (who was the drum major for the famed Ohio State Marching Band), will be twirling baton onstage,” he says with a sly grin, adding, “and Molly will be making some of the prettiest music you’ll ever hear.”
MerleFest 2026 takes place April 23-26 at Wilkes Community College. In addition to Old Crow Medicine Show, headliners include Alison Krauss, Jerry Douglas, Molly Tuttle, Steep Canyon Rangers, Infamous Stringdusters, Charles Wesley Godwin, Blackberry Smoke, and many others. For lineup, schedule, map, tickets, and further info, go to merlefest.org. !
KANDACE SPRINGS
MAY 2, 2026 @ 7:30 PM
Ja zz/soul diva Kandace Springs has been on late night TV, sung at London’s Royal Albert Hall, and at legendary festivals including Newport and Monterey and made guest appearances with Christian McBride and Prince. She has recorded fi ve studio albums, most recently, “Run Your Race,” in which she wrote the title song as a tribute to her late father Kenneth “Scat” Springs.
Donna The Buffalo Rising Appalachia Lila Iké
| Greensboro | Photos by Mckenzie Stone Panther Motor Club Auto Show
Greensboro | Photos by Mckenzie Stone
At the April 7 meeting of the Greensboro City Council, multiple community members and ministers alleged that City Manager Trey Davis had reneged on a promise to hold a public forum with the two mostqualified applicants for the position of police chief.
“We were told there would be an opportunity to hear from final candidates, and that did not happen,” said Rev. CJ Brinson of Umoja Church. “Promises
Speakers call on council to rescind hiring of police chief
were made about transparency and accountability,” said Monica Walker, president of the Gorrell Street Neighborhood Association. “But that is precisely where these promises appear to have broken down.”
According to speakers Paulette Montgomery and Christine Hoepfner and organizer Jason Hicks, Davis told those attending a Nov. 20 community meeting at Peeler Recreation Center there would be a public forum with the two final candidates.
On April 9, Davis told YES! Weekly he does not recall making such a promise.
“If others remember it that way, I want to be clear I am not denying or confirming. But let me also make it clear what I would’ve said in any circumstances, which is that I hear your request, and that is a possibility. But at that point,
we were still gathering information and hadn’t received applications from anybody. I wouldn’t have promised that a forum with the two finalists would be the conclusion of the process, not before we even started it.”
District 5’s Tammi Thurm addressed this issue at the end of the April 7 council meeting.
“I was at the District 5 preliminary meeting, and the question was specifically asked: Will we be able to interview the last two candidates? And the consultant said she seriously doubted it and gave a whole list of reasons why she didn’t believe we’d be doing that.”
That consultant was retired Cary police chief Pat Bazemore of Developmental Associates LLC. As with the hiring of previous chiefs Brian James and John Thompson, Developmental Associates was contracted to conduct the search. The meeting at which Bazemore dismissed the idea of a forum with the two finalists was held Dec. 3.
According to Mayor Marikay Abuzuaiter, such a forum could create difficulties for external applicants.
“If they’re not from the area, their position can be jeopardized in the city where they are currently working. Years ago, we were able to publicly interview the last two candidates, but that was a very di erent situation, in which that person was able to let their employer know in advance.”
Abuzuaiter was referring to 2015, when City Manager Jim Westmoreland hired Chief Wayne Scott to replace the retiring Ken Miller.
Before Westmoreland’s decision, the final candidates were Scott and Danielle Outlaw, deputy chief of the Oakland Police. Both met with community, faith, and business leaders in a public forum, at which support was expressed for Outlaw.
After Scott was hired, former District 1 Representative Sharon Hightower publicly criticized Westmoreland’s choice, as did Rev. Nelson Johnson and the Pulpit Forum. These 2015 criticisms of Scott are similar to objections Black community leaders and ministers are voicing to Davis’s decision to hire Kamran Afzal
instead of promoting Assistant Chief Stephanie Mardis, who has served with GPD for 21 years.
In his closing remarks at the April 7 council meeting, Irving Allen thanked public speakers for having “spoke to much-needed things” and stated, “we are in community together and will be working through this, whether we agree or disagree.”
Allen stressed he has not expressed support for either Afzal or Mardis. “Rather, I support the legal right of the city manager to make this decision per state law. I have great respect for the community organizers who shared their input; their feedback was taken to heart and was a significant factor in the process, though not the only one considered. While no process is perfect, I accept the city manager’s explanation regarding the lack of candidate interviews for the finalists.”
At the close of the April 7 meeting, Allen said he and several other council members want to shift police focus away from tra c stops for minor infractions to concentrate on reckless and impaired driving. Proponents of this policy shift argue that regulatory stops disproportionately target Black drivers by acting as pretextual searches rather than improving safety.
So do many of the ministers and community organizers who expressed anger and disappointment with Davis’s hiring of Afzal, the former police chief
Ian McDowell
Contributor
City Manager Trey Davis
of Dayton, Ohio, who will be sworn in on May 13. In speeches to council, several accused Afzal of “over-policing” in Dayton and alleged his policies resulted in the March 24 police killing of Reginald Thomas.
Greensboro and Dayton activists have focused on what happened before Thomas was shot during a struggle with o cers, emphasizing that he was stopped for riding a bicycle on the sidewalk at night without a light. Organizations such as Black Lives Matter Dayton and Racial Justice NOW are calling for an independent third-party investigation, full transparency in the release of body camera footage, and an end to racial profiling.
At the Greensboro council meeting, 16 speakers asked Davis to “rescind” the hiring of Afzal, which some called disrespectful to a Black woman assistant chief with Mardis’s distinguished record. Others cited the killing of Thomas. Behind them, a dozen other ministers and activists stood in support of these demands.
Pulpit Forum President Greg Drumwright said Thomas “would be alive today if Dayton police had demonstrated community policing that would have resulted in the de-escalation during their inquiry of his biking while Black at night without a light.”
Brinson cited William Joseph, Benjamin Cotton, William Gardner, Antonio Lewis, Brian Moody, and Taylor Cotton as killed by Dayton police since 2021, as well as “documented cases of violence involving Otto Coleman, Jamar Johnson, and Rodney Smith Jr.”
Dr. Irish Spencer expressed concern over how Afzal might handle A&T’s 100th anniversary homecoming. “We don’t need no police chief from Dayton trying to learn the di erence between Starmount and Phillips Avenue!” She also expressed embarrassment for the newly-elected council, whom she said “should have never heard from nobody out of Dayton
that they got a job before we heard it.”
At the end of the meeting, Abuzuaiter said the decision to hire Afzal had been made, and that she did not believe it would be rescinded.
“I just hope we will give the man a chance. I know people are very disappointed, but we did support the city manager to make the decision, and it is by state law that he has been given that authority.”
Along with Allen and Abuzuaiter, five other council members responded to those who spoke against the hiring of Afzal, with At-Large Representative Hugh Holston, District 1’s Crystal Black, District 2’s Cecile Crawford, and District 3’s April Parker thanking them for their comments.
“Community engagement is what we asked for from the very beginning, and I’m still committed to embracing the movement for written consent for tra c stops,” said Crawford.
“I just want to encourage council to uplift those brave enough to come in front of us,” said Black.
“I want to a rm that there is the political will for change,” said Parker.
Other than Abuzuaiter, Thurm stated the strongest support for Davis.
“It was obvious what the community wanted, and if Mr. Davis felt compelled to make a decision contrary to that, I have to trust it was in the best interest of our city.”
At 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15, the Pulpit Forum, the Gorrell Street Neighborhood Association, and Second Chance Federation will hold a Town Hall at New Light Missionary Church at 1105 Willow Road. The subject will be Policing in Greensboro. Organizers say they will continue their call for rescinding the hiring of Afzal. !
IAN MCDOWELL is an award-winning author and journalist whose bo ok “I Ain’t Resisting: the City of Greensboro and the Killing of Marcus Smith” was published in September of 2023 by Scuppernong Editions.
Speakers calling on Council to rescind hiring of Azfal
What’s spinning?: Record Store Day 2026
Flowers are blooming and birds are chirping as record stores lay down wax and prepare their shelves for Record Store Day on April 18. Here’s what’s spinning around the state to celebrate.
Nearing its twodecade milestone, Record Store Day serves to spotlight independent brick-and-mortar record stores through rounds of exclusive releases and vinyl-loving revelry. As the 2026 RSD ambassador, Bruno Mars, said: “Independent record stores are so important because you get the chance to immerse and surround yourself with music.”
The sentiment is echoed throughout North Carolina — especially around the Triad. The City of Burlington will get into the groove by turning Saturday into a “Spin the City: A Celebration of Music on Vinyl” event across downtown businesses, bringing the vibe through live music, curated menus, pop-ups, and ra es to win a record player. Getting to the reason for the season: Main Street Vinyl is central to the event — they’ll be stocking exclusive RSD titles and opening early. It’s a similar story at Triad shops like Bu alo Boogie, Hippo Records, McKay’s, and King Records, who’ll be stocking up RSD selections and running special hours.
Getting to the shu es and revolutions, Whoatone! Records in Kernersville will move to a new space on May 1; meanwhile, Soul Relief has settled into its Pembroke Road location — and owner Harley Lyles will be on hand for primo selection and conversation.
Conversation and community go hand-in-hand at Greensboro’s Dictator Records, which aims to “strengthen the cultural fabric of the region” through events and partnerships with labels and curators through the pursuit of “Moving Music Forward.”
For RSD, they’ll celebrate with a live performance from gospel artist Mayia Warren, special releases, and a canned
food drive. “We’re excited to bring our neighbors together for a day that celebrates music, local culture, and community support,” said Manager Seneca McFarland. “Record Store Day is about more than limited releases — it’s a chance to connect with fellow music lovers, support local artists and businesses, and give back to the people who make Greensboro such a great place to live.”
“Guests are encouraged to bring at least one non-perishable canned good to support the store’s partner nonprofit organization, which provides meals and food assistance to individuals and families in the Greensboro community,” he continued. “The food drive reinforces Dictator Records’ commitment to local causes and aims to collect a significant amount of donations during the event.”
Beyond the day itself, Dictator regularly hosts o cial RSD listening parties, with two upcoming installments (the Jazz Dispensary’s “Cosmic Stash: HIGH Lights: compilation on April 20 and Noah Kahan’s “The Great Divide” on April 21).
Over in Winston-Salem, Low Five Archive will celebrate its first RSD on Trade Street; the CMPND crew will host a round of their Crate Dig And Chill Series on April 24; and Ember Audio + Design looks forward to taking their Vinyl Lounge sessions to NCMA Winston-Salem’s upcoming downtown location, opening later this summer.
Down in Raleigh, it’s a crate digger’s delight at the Pour House, which will celebrate RSD with exclusive titles and extended hours (with co ee and donuts for the early birds), plus sales, ra es, and a “BYO Vinyl & Chill! session: “Bring your new RSD records, an old favorite, or
something you want to show o . We’ll spin it on our store system for you and other music lovers!”
Nice Price Books & Records will likely stock selections and is worth a pop-in. Meanwhile, Schoolkids Records will host Grace Lucia, Bass Battery, and Knockout Artist for their annual 2026 RSD afternoon show, and there’s a promising future ahead for Sorry State Records, which secured the down payment on the space they’ve called home since 2013. Elsewhere in the Triangle, Carrboro’s All Day Records has opened a second location in Pittsboro. And Hunky Dory is still going with three locations (Cary, Raleigh, and Durham).
Speaking of Bull City, the eponymous Chaz’s Bull City Records announced its “retirement” with closing sales running through April before the shop shuts for good on May 1. “It’s been an incredible 20 years, and I am heavily grateful to you all for allowing me to live out my dream from day one,” owner Charles “Chaz” Martenstein shared over Instagram. “It has been my absolute pleasure connecting with all of you through our shared love of (and need for) music. Without your support, it would not have succeeded as long as it did, and for that, I am eternally appreciative. This community has been amazing from the start.”
While Bull City Records will be missed, Durham vinyl-lovers can turn to the fabulous folks at Carolina Soul Records (who have expanded their capacity and number of 2026 RSD appointment slots), and the crew at the multi-functional Durham arm of the Fuzzy Needle will have DJs and specials in their RSD mix (along with a whop-
ping show calendar, all year long). It’s a similar deal for the Fuzzy Needle’s OG Wilmington location. They’re in good company with Cape Fear shops like Gravity Records and Yellow Dog Disks. In Greenville, Alley Cat Records continues holding it down (and gearing up for the GreenWave Music Festival, April 23-26). Down around Charlotte, the usual players like Lunchbox Records, Repo Records, and Noble Records are packing shelves; Hardy Boys Records will be hosting a massive concert ticket giveaway as part of their RSD celebration.
And in the west, West Asheville’s Harvest Records continues bringing their RSD game with exclusive RSD hours, swag, free beer, and DJs Cousin Tay Tay and Avery Barnett on deck. Over downtown, Static-Age will host a shoegaze showcase featuring Yes Dear, Paper Pills, Convalescent, and Winston-Salem’s own Scoby.
Moving from shops to the shelves, NC artists continue getting the RSD treatment: Squirrel Nut Zippers’ 1994 EP “Roasted Right” is getting its first-ever reissue, via an “expanded edition” of bonus tracks. The ”Starcrawler Sings Elvis Presley” RSD exclusive 7” features Triad-native Seth Carolina on drums. And Propeller Sound Recordings will put out Flat Duo Jets’ “First release” on blooming splatter-colored vinyl.
Good luck hunting, RSD freaks! !
KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who enjoys spotlighting artists and events.
Katei Cranford
Contributor
CARBORRO
Cat’S CradlE
300 E Main St | 919.967.9053
www.catscradle.com
apr 15: Bluegrass Backroom
apr 15: Kishi Bashi, Bayonne
apr 16: Martin Sexton, Chris trapper
apr 16: Never Ending Fall, moony
apr 17: alice Phoebe lou
apr 17: Wallice, Fake dad
apr 18: Cut Worms
apr 18: Eliza Mclamb, tombstone Poetry
apr 18: rec Hall
apr 19: delicate Steve, red Smoth
apr 20: Snail Mail, Sharp Pins
apr 20: the Moss, Hotel Fiction
apr 20: the red Pears and together Pangea, the High Curbs
apr 21: Caroline Kingsbury, Bershy
apr 23: Easy Honey, Homemade Haircuts
apr 24: Krooked Kings, Night Cap
apr 24: ritt Momney
apr 25: Caitlin, Ggwendolyn
ChARlOtte
BojaNGlES ColiSEuM
2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600
www.boplex.com
apr 16: david and tamela Mann
apr 24: Floetry
apr 26: Phil Wickham
apr 29: SatchVai Band ft. joe Satrini & Steve Vai with animals as leaders
tHE FillMorE
1000 NC Music Factory Blvd | 704.916.8970
www.livenation.com
apr 15: Sarah Kinsley
apr 16: dark tranquility & SoEN
apr 16: Baby Keem
apr 17: Grungefest
apr 17: St. Paul and the Broken Bones
apr 18: Emo Nite
apr 19: danny Brown
apr 19: the Midnight
PNC MuSiC PaVilioN
707 Pavilion Blvd | 704.549.1292
www.livenation.com
apr 17: Mt. joy
apr 25: Peso Pluma
SPECtruM CENtEr
333 E Trade St | 704.688.9000
www.spectrumcentercharlotte.com
apr 18: Shane Gillis live
apr 19: Brandon lake with Pat Barrett
duRhAm
dPaC
123 Vivian St | 919.680.2787 www.dpacnc.com
apr 15: theresa Caputo
apr 17-18: Bert Kreischer
apr 19: david and tamela Mann
apr 24-25: alison Krauss & union Station ft. jerry douglas
apr 26: Floetry ft. raheem deVaughn ft. teedra Moses
apr 27: Biscuits & Banjos
www.reevestheater.com
Wednesdays: reeves open Mic
Fourth thursdays: old-time jam
apr 17: oliver Wood
apr 18: Women of Guitar — Vicki Genfan and ali tod
gReeNsBORO
310 S. Greene Street | 336.333.2605
FLAT IRON
221 Summit Ave | 336.501.3967
www.flatirongso.com
Apr 15: Laurelyn Dossett
Apr 16: Dylan Walshe + Watkins
Apr 17: Strange Fruit Music Festival: Gabby Guitar & The Txlips Band
221 N Main St. | 336.497.4822 www.facebook.com/BreatheCocktailLounge
Wednesdays: Karaoke
Apr 17: Radio Revolver
LIBERTY
THE LIBERTY SHOWCASE THEATER
101 S. Fayetteville St | 336.622.3844 www.TheLibertyShowcase.com
Apr 11: Wade Hayes
Apr 17: Starlett & Big John
Apr 18: The Travelin’ Band
Apr 24: Blackhawk
RALEIGH
CCU MUSIC PARK
AT WALNUT CREEK
3801 Rock Quarry Rd | 919.821.4111
www.livenation.com
Apr 26: Peso Pluma & Tito Double P with Friends
Apr 29: Tedeschi Trucks Band
LINCOLN THEATRE
126 E. Cabarrus St | 919.831.6400
www.lincolntheatre.com
Apr 15: The Band of Heathens
Apr 16: Tennessee Whiskey Band & Ultimate Eric Church Tribute
Apr 17: Harvey Street w/ The Wallabies
Apr 18: Danny Brown
Apr 21: Concrete Boys: It’s Us RED HAT
500 S McDowell St | 919.996.8800
www.redhatamphitheater.com
Apr 16: Lamb of God w/ Kublai Khan TX, Fit For An Autopsy & Sanguisugabogg
Apr 23: Russell Dickerson
Apr 25: Alabama Shakes w/ Mon Rovia
Apr 30: Disclosure
WINSTON-SALEM
772 Trade St | 336.999.8945
www.fiddlinfish.com
Tuesdays: Trivia Apr 24: Red Umber THE RAMKAT
170 W 9th St | 336.754.9714 www.theramkat.com
Apr 15: Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers
Apr 16: Residual Groove, All Night Boogie Band
Apr 17: Penny & Sparrow, Caleb Elliott
Apr 18: Red Not Chili peppers
Apr 19: Melissa Etheridge
Apr 26: Comicade 2026! WISE MAN
826 Angelo Bros Ave | 336.725.0008
www.wisemanbrewing.com
Thursdays: Music Bingo
Apr 17: The Deluge
Apr 19: Camel City Cars & Co ee
[SALOME’S STARS]
Week of April 20, 2026
[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) You can easily handle your tasks this week, thanks to your high-energy levels that never seem to run down. But pace yourself, Lamb, for a demanding week ahead.
[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) With the arts dominant this week, you might want to pick up any creative projects that you’ve neglected. Meanwhile, a workplace situation benefits from some fresh insight.
[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Music helps replenish your energy levels. Press play and put your phone on Do Not Disturb if you must. However, a live concert could prove more rewarding, especially if you go with a very special someone.
[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Close friends reach out to help perk up your lagging social life. A workplace situation also eases, leaving you time to do more fun things by week’s end.
[LEO (July 23 to August 22) A revelation clears up a perplexing job-related problem. Some changes will have to be made, which, no doubt, will have to meet the Big Cat’s roaring approval. Good luck!
[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Reaching out to someone in need is the noble thing to do. But try to restrain the temptation to add a lecture to your good deed, no matter how well-intended.
[
[1. GEOGRAPHY: Which country is also known to residents as Hellas?
[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Keeping to your work schedule could prove di cult with some personal distractions. Best advice: Stay with it. There’ll be time later for socializing.
[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Jumping hurdles this week might be vexing for most, but not for the sage Sagittarian who recognizes that meeting a challenge can open up opportunities.
[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) More obstacles might be thrown in your path as you try to finalize a new agreement. But the sure-footed Goat ignores the stumbling blocks and stays the course.
[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) We know the Water Bearer takes pleasure in giving to others. But why not let someone else enjoy the experience, too, by accepting an o er of help?
[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You might find that you need to ease up on your hectic schedule this week. Don’t fret about it. It could be helpful to take a break and replenish your energy supply.
[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) There could be another tough challenge to face before the month is over. But all your hard work is winning you lots of important recognition from your peers.
[BORN THIS WEEK: You have a way of finding practical solutions to complex problems, and you do it with grace.
answers
[CROSSWORD]
crossword on page 8
[WEEKLY SUDOKU]
sudoku on page 8
[2. U.S. STATES: Which state is the least populated?
[3. ENTERTAINERS: Which show launched the career of comedian/actor Jim Carrey?
[4. MOVIES: What museum is featured in the movie “Night at the Museum”?
[5. HISTORY: When was Earth Day first celebrated?
[6. MUSIC: Which song begins with the lines, “Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy”?
[7. TELEVISION: Who starred in the title role of the TV drama “Designated Survivor”?
[8. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What is the only sport that has been played on the moon?
[9. LITERATURE: What is the name of the language used in the novel “1984”?
[10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of gira es called?
1. Greece.
2. Wyoming.
3. “In Living Color.”
4. The American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
5. April 22, 1970.
6. “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. 7. Kiefer Sutherland.
