Snug Harbor open in Plaza-Midwood

Ahoy, mates!

That’s the first thing that comes to mind when you enter Snug Harbor (formerly Fire & Ice Martini lounge) in Plaza-Midwood.
The bar, which opened a couple of weeks ago, is really into this pirate theme. The sign above the door has an anchor in it, and there is all kinds of boating memorabilia hanging from walls and sitting on shelves.

Snug Harbor is actually an alternative rock bar. If you like Dish and the Penguin, then you’ll fit right in at Snug Harbor. It has the kind of vibe that's probably good for chilling even if there isn’t a band performing. Plus, the beers aren’t expensive.

On Saturday, the Alternative Champs performed for more than 50 enthusiastic fans. I couldn’t decide whether the crowd, which ranged from Baby Boomers to people in their early 20s, was so diverse because of the bar or because of the band.

Adults worse than kids about Akon

Photos by E. Stubbs

When I saw two 14-year-old girls wearing T-shirts with the words “Smack That” written on them at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre on Saturday, I was sad to think about the world in which we’re raising kids.

But when I interviewed adults about Akon -- who was dropped by Verizon last week for humping a 14-year-old girl onstage during a performance in Trinidad -- my sadness turned to anger. Akon opened for Gwen Stefani on “The Sweet Escape Tour,” which till the controversy had been sponsored by Verizon.

The people I interviewed on Saturday who saw the video or heard of the controversy were unapologetic Akon supporters. Their rationale: the girl should not have been in the club, Akon can’t be blamed if he didn’t know she was underage; and if you go onstage be prepared for anything.

Did I mention that these were common responses from adults?

Like I said, it makes me worry about how we’re raising our children. On the lawn area, I watched young girls grind on each other and undulate their little bodies to “Smack That” and “I Wanna Love You.”
If I ever catch my young niece dancing like that, if I don’t kill her, my brother will. And walking out of the house wearing a T-shirt that says “Smack That?” I wish she would try it.

As I said before, a 14-year-old girl should not have been in that club in Trinidad. But teens try to get away with things they’re not supposed to do because that’s what most kids do. It’s our job as adults to protect them, not shrug our shoulders when they endanger themselves or get hurt.
Also -- and I've said this before, too -- it doesn’t matter if the girl was 14 or 21. I do not agree that if you go onstage you should be expect to be sexually assaulted.

Is it not unthinkable that a female fan can go onstage with a male artist and not be humiliated or humiliate herself?

Oh, for those of you who are waiting for Stefani to drop Akon from the tour, don’t hold your breath. During Saturday’s performance, he returned to the stage to sing the hook of “The Sweet Escape.” If she wanted to distance herself from him, she would not have brought him onstage. Her actions were disappointing as well. She sings girl-power pop, but embraces a man who obviously doesn't respect women.

Verizon dumps Akon

The war to clean up hip-hop has begun.

Verizon dropped its sponsorship of Gwen Stefani’s Sweet Escape tour because of opening act Akon. (The tour comes to Charlotte on Saturday.)

In a performance last month in Trinidad, Akon simulated sex while dancing with a 14-year-old girl during a performance. When video footage of the performance got back to Verizon, the top dogs pulled their money from Stefani’s tour, which wasn’t related to Akon’s Trinidad performance.
They’ve also pulled Akon’s ringtones and music from stores and handsets.

Talk about a wake-up call.
Verizon is doing what consumers won’t do: holding artists accountable for their product.

In my That’s Wassup! column about Don Imus and previous columns and blogs about hip-hop, I’ve written that consumers can dictate what artists create by choosing not to support rappers who sell sex and violence. Verizon’s decision shows that big companies might be the ones who dictate the future of hip-hop.

Akon is one of the hottest artists out there. Verizon pulling him is like the Lakers benching Kobe Bryant. The cell phone industry is a lucrative market for artists, and Verizon’s decision to pull Akon is going to reverberate through the industry.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Associated Press ran a story saying that Akon apologized and that he didn't know the girl was underage. Um, unless this child has been eating steroids instead of Wheaties it's hard to believe he couldn't tell a 14-year-old from an 18-year-old. If you watch the video on YouTube, you won't care if the girl is 14 or 18, the way he throws her around the floor and simulates sex could be a considered a sexual assualt for anyone.

What do you think? Did Verizon make the right decision by pulling sponsorship of the tour and refusing to sell Akon’s ringtones and music? Post your replies below.

Me'Shell N'dego has lost her mind

I’m officially finished with Me’Shell Ndegeocello’s concerts. She’s too deep for me. She’s too deep for music.

I was skeptical about attending her show at Amos’ Southend on Friday, but I wanted to give her another shot.

The last time I saw her was in 1999, when she opened for Sting at Ovens Auditorium. When she finally arrived on stage, after her band had played for an eternity (think Parliament and George Clinton), she acted as if she didn’t want to be there. She sang with her eyes closed, and it took her several songs to hit her stride.
I worried Friday would be the same.

However, Kitch (who promoted the show) assured me she was going to perform at 10:45 p.m. When he booked the show, the deal was that Me’Shell would open for W. Ellington Felton. Then Felton would perform a set, after which the two would perform together. It had the potential to be great.

When I arrived at Amos’ about 11 p.m., Me’Shell was already performing, and she seemed into it. Between songs, she talked about issues such as hunger and poverty, and wondered aloud why people such as the Rev. Al Sharpton were criticizing hip-hop instead of fixing real problems. She sang a few songs, but focused mostly on her instrumental cuts. She played her bass and jammed with the band on rock and trippy jazz tunes.

She acted like one of those artists who is too deep to play older material, such “"If That's Your Boyfriend” and “Dredloc.” Instead, she force-fed fans her newer jazzy music. Selfish, but not surprising.

The surprise came 45 minutes into the set. I was talking to some friends when I looked up a the stage and noticed that Me’Shell was gone. Fans were streaming out of the door. In what seemed like 10 minutes, Amos’ was nearly empty.

Apparently, sometime during the day, Me’Shell decided she wasn’t going to perform with Ellington. She didn’t perform an encore. She came out later to introduce Felton, and she talked about how she was a fan of his music.

If Me’Shell was really a fan of anyone but herself, she wouldn’t have acted the way she did on Friday.

Opening for Ellington was dumb. Fans want to see her perform. She knows good and well that as soon as she’s done, people are going to leave.

Plus, if she really wanted to support Ellington, she should have performed with him and slowly fazed herself out and left him onstage. Then fans who liked what they heard would have stayed for his set. Instead, the stage was empty for at least 10 minutes, and people left.

Me’Shell comes off as one of those artists who is deeper than deep and believes the rest of us simply don’t understand how deep she is. I don’t want to understand. I want to see a good show, and have a good time. She can save that deep stuff for her boo.

Apparently, considering what I’m hearing about her recent shows in Washington (someone got cussed out) and Atlanta (she passed out, cussed out the audience, performed and left), we got off easy.

It’s a shame. She’s alienating fans and wasting her talent. She used to use her music to make people talk and think about uncomfortable topics. Now she uses it to try to prove how deep she is.

Chuck Brown, Rich Boy and Lyfe coming

Get ready to see rap, neo-soul and go-go shows here in coming weeks.
Rapper Rich Boy (“Throw Some D’s) is performing at NV lounge on May 19. Tickets start at $20. www.nvlounge.net.
Soul singer Lyfe Jennings kicks off the Sol Kitchen’s Black Music Month series at Amos’ Southend on June 2. On June 16, go-go great Chuck Brown will perform at Amos’ as part of the series. Brown’s performances during the CIAA tournament are always one of the most popular parties. www.amossouthend.com.
This month, the Sol Kitchen is teaming with Creative Loafing to launch Pop Life. It’s a weekly Wednesday party at Prevue (formerly Gilda’s) in NoDa. Kitch and Creative Loafing editor Carlton Hargro are trying to bring Miami’s Winter Music Conference vibe to Charlotte.
The party features a DJ spinning soul, funk, afro-beat, acid jazz, house and more. It’s 6 p.m. every Wednesday May 16 through Aug. 29. Hit up Carlton.hargro@creativeloafing.com for info.

Ray Lewis and other celebs at Loft

Loft 1523 is becoming the place to rub elbows with celebrities.
In the last month, they’ve had cast members from the movie “Leatherheads,” and Baltimore Raven Ray Lewis.
On April 21, nearly all of the cast members from “Leatherheads,” except George Clooney and Rene Zellweger, hung out at Loft in Elizabeth.

Then, last Thursday, about 50-75 people (mostly women) attended Ray Lewis’ private party at Loft 1523. According to people who attended the party, Lewis was relatively approachable, especially for women.
Lewis threw the party to promote his new barbershop Kutt 52, which is in Eastridge Mall in Gastonia. Yeah, I’m also wondering why Lewis would open a barbershop in Gastonia.

Lewis' personal trainer used to live in Charlotte so Lewis knows people here. Along with the barbershop, he also owns a trucking company here. He plans to open other shops. I hope they’re not all in Gastonia. If he’s going to attach his name to a project, it would make sense to find a location in an area that has good buzz. I’m not hearing a lot of buzz out of Eastridge.

The real Wachovia master

If you want to watch a pro, stand near the putting green and watch David Parker snag autographs.
The 12-year-old stood near the gate where the players walk to the putting green. Holding a Wachovia Championship flag, he yelled "Hey Mister, can I have your autograph?"

Some golfers stopped, others didn't. The ones who did had to find a place to sign because Parker's flag, and his sun visor, were already covered with the signatures of Vijay Singh, John Daly, Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson and others. He also got Peyton Manning. And he got all of those signatures this week.

“You’ve got John Daly?” said a woman excitedly.
He proudly pointed to the signature.
Parker, 12, said the secret is that he calls them mister, and sometimes uses their last name. He also says "please" and "thank you." The best place to get signatures, he said, is at the 18th hole.

The one signature he wants most?
“I want to get Tiger. He wouldn’t sign it for me.”

The Wachovia hat trick

If you're going to the tourney. Rocking a fly hat is essential.

The golfers and their caddie's sported the best gear.

I'm loving the black lid that Jesper Parnevik is rocking as well as the railroad conductor cap worn by Robert Garrigus' caddie.

The dream Wachovia gig

Travis Pearsall has the dream volunteer gig.
For at least four hours, he gets to walk the greens at Quail Hollow carrying a five-pound sign with the last names of the three golfers that he’s following. He’s called the standard bearer.

This is Pearsall’s fifth year volunteering. He’s been a marshal and a scorer, but he likes carrying the sign the best - unless it’s windy.

“It blows you around like a sail,” he said.

Oh no, they're trapped

The ropes between the third and fourth green went up suddenly. An older lady was trapped in the middle. A little boy was separated from his father. The bewildered woman looked around, and the field marshal was bearing down on her. Quickly, she lifted a rope and passed underneath it. Safe.

The boy looked at his father. "Come on," the father said, urgently. "I can't," the boy replied. A river of green separated them. The boy looked to his left. The final rope hadn't gone up yet. He sprinted down the ropes to the opening, cut across the green and joined his father. Safe.

If you're going to the Wachovia, you do not want to get caught in the crosswalk when golfers are coming. Big no-no.

We want Jordan, we want Jordan

Bring back Tiger and Jordan. Bring back Peyton Manning. Quail Hollow Club was way too sedate as the Wachovia Championship tournament started on Thursday morning.

On Wednesday, Jordan joked with fans. Tiger tossed balls around on the green and Peyton was chilling, too. Today, the golfers were all about the game. Understandably, there was no banter with fans. The field marshals were real serious about that "Quiet Please" stuff, and fans doled out polite applause and obeyed the rules.

It's tourney time, and big money is on the line.

He ain't heavy, he's my brother

Mac Weller, Connell Maloney and Joe McLean, all ages 11, work to get a better view of Michael Jordan. They were really hoping to get autographs from Jordan, Tiger, Peyton Manning, um well, John Fox too.

Talking to Jordan

Tiger and Jordan doubled up with two other golfers on the 10th hole, and they had to wait their turn. Jordan stood near the rope talking with fans and putting. Cameras shot into the air as fans snapped pictures.

He talked about the game, and the Bobcats. He made funny quips, and fans responded with ones of their own. If you were one of the lucky fans who caught Jordan’s eye or ear, he responded to you personally.

In that moment, you were actually talking to Michael Jordan.

Whoa.

Jordan has the coolest golf bag

Talk about self-promotion, Jordan's golf bag is the bizomb.

Finally, found Tiger and Jordan

“Here comes Jordan,” said the man standing near me.

Applause rippled through the gallery at the ninth hole. Jordan ambled up wearing fresh pants and a white hat, while chomping on a cigar. Tiger walked up a few minutes later.

As Jordan worked on getting his ball in the ninth hole, Tiger walked around dropping golf balls onto the green and putting. Then he’d drop another ball on the green and putt some more. I was confused.

Later, Observer sportswriter David Scott explained that during the Pro-Am, the professionals take the first few strokes seriously, but after that, they practice for the big tourney. Tiger was practicing.

As Tiger and Jordan walked through the tunnel to the tenth hole, a fan yelled, “How much money are you going to take off Michael today?”

Jordan smiled.

Sign here baby!

It's gotta be the shoes. Zack Beck's brother wears a pair of Air Jordans.

Zack Beck stood in front of his chair at the ninth hole. Beside his foot were two footballs, and a plastic bag with baseballs and PGA flags.

He’s an avid autograph collector, and he was hoping to score Peyton Manning’s autographs on the footballs and Michael Jordan’s on the baseballs.

“He probably won’t sign,” the 18-year-old said, referring to Jordan.

He wasn’t worried though -- he already has Jordan’s autograph, a game-worn jersey signed by Vince Carter and other game-worn gear signed by Yao Ming and Baron Davis.

Tiger-Jordan hunt

I had big visions of arriving at the Wachovia Championship at 6 a.m., so I could be lined up at the first tee when Tiger and Jordan started at 7:30 a.m.

But yesterday was the start of May Madness, my monthlong celebration of my birthday on May 26. After four hours of kicking off my month at George Herman’s bar in Latta Arcade, I got a late start this morning.

When I arrived at Wachovia about 7:45 a.m., I had no clue where to find Tiger and Jordan. They were 15 minutes into their round. In my three years of covering the tournament, I never actually paid attention to the golfers and the schedule. Now, I didn’t know where to begin.

Luckily, I ran into freelance photographer Renaul Hill. Together, we set off on a Tiger hunt. At the fifth hole, we saw Peyton Manning working his way out of some sand, and Sergio Garcia rocking this funky Adidas outfit.

Renaul and I stopped an oh-so-helpful volunteer driving a golf cart. We asked him if he knew what hole Tiger and Jordan were on.
“He’s somewhere around here,” the guy said.

Like I said, he was oh-so-helpful.

Finally, a couple told us that they had just seen Tiger at the seventh hole. Renaul and I headed to the ninth to get a good spot.

Turtle soup, moonshine and chx wings

I was sitting around the Phisbins campfire on Saturday night, when

I witnessed a total guy moment.

One of the Phisbins put a huge skillet on a rack over the fire to cook hot dogs and beans. Craig joked about how the skillet hadn’t been washed in two or three days. That wasn’t the guy moment.

After everyone had their fill of hot dogs and beans, someone sat the skillet in the dirt because it smothered the fire.
Billy, who had been munching on a box of chicken wings, sat wing-filled Styrofoam on top of the remaining hot dogs and beans in the skillet on the ground. It was his way of sharing the wings.

Muz plucked a hotdog from the skillet. Using his finger, he scraped the beans off the hotdog into the communal skillet. Yuck is right.

Craig who had been playing guitar and singing at the campfire complained about the boxes of wings sitting on top of the
hotdogs which were in a skillet that was sitting in the dirt.

Good point.

Offended, Billy grabbed a sooty cook rack, placed it near the fire and carefully removed the wings from the Styrofoam. Then he placed them onto the rack.

Craig grabbed a handful.

It’s all about presentation, he said.


.

John Paul Jones and Uncle Earl

It must have been too early for MerleFest fans to be hype on Friday afternoon. At the main Watson stage, a sedate crowd watched the female band Uncle Earl perform their old-time music.
The group’s joke about Jim Lauderdale doing hot yoga in his hotel room fell flat and a fiddle tune only inspired a little girl to get up and dance near the front of the stage.

The group got its biggest response when John Paul Jones, who played keyboard for Led Zepplin fame, joined Uncle Earl, whom he produced, for the last song. They played a fast-paced ditty that got the crowd excited.

At home at MerleFest

I haven’t been to MerleFest in a few years, but when I pulled into Phisbins’ Circle at the Wilkesboro Fire Department’s campground, it felt like home. All of the guys who adopted me back in the early 2000s were still there. Well, all of the guys except Boomer, who passed away couple of years ago.

MerleFest is the huge Americana festival at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro. This is their 20th anniversary. I went for two years straight, but stopped to cover CityFest, which is now defunct. When I used to go, I camped next to a group of guys from Pennsylvania, who called themselves the Phisbins. They’re lawyers, teachers and average working guys who drive down to MerleFest each year to camp. I’d say they want to listen to music, but I’m not sure they actually ever leave the campground. Why would they?

At campsite, turtle soup cooked on an open fire. The fellas took turns pouring beer from the keg, and freshly boiled shrimp sat on plates waiting to be eaten.

It’s good to be home.

Common returned hip-hop fans to their roots

No hype man, no dancers no party over here.

A hype Common, a banging DJ, a drummer and keyboardist was all it took at Grand Central on Central Avenue on Thursday. For about an hour, Common rapped and preached about hip-hop and God. The crowd filled the dance floor, singing and pumping their hands in the air.

The show, sponsored by Ciroc vodka, felt like a respite for fans who’ve seen their culture under attack in recent weeks in because of the Don Imus flap. Common talked about the importance of protecting hip-hop and recognizing its value as a form of expression for African-Americans.

Along with lectures, Common also gave fans the tunes they wanted to hear. Sporting an orange sweater over a long sleeve shirt, a signature hats and jeans, he performed “Be,” “Go,” “The Light,” “Testify” and other hits. Common’s albums sound mellow, but live he’s all energy. Sweat poured off the retro-smooth rapper as he jumped, sprinted and bounced around the stage.

The only low point of the show was his bump-and-grind segment. He brought a woman on stage and the DJ spun various slow songs while Common played the smooth talking brotha’ role and danced with the woman. He also did the obligatory medley of today’s hits and classic rap tracks, in which he and the crowd rapped together. Common improvised and tossed in names of Charlotte streets and clubs as he rapped to songs by Sean Combs, Rich Boy and others.

One of the biggest highlights of the night was DJ Dummy. While Common changed out of his sweltering sweater and shirt and into a fitted white T-shirt, Dummy made Rob Base, “It Takes Two” into an entirely new song. If you saw the DJ set during the EPMD show, this one was better. Dummy created a beat with the “It Takes Two” hook. He manipulated the records behind his back, with his nose, with his eyes closed and while hugging a girl and later pretending to be sexual with her.

In the song, Base sings, “1,2,3, get loose..” Dummy spun that and then made it sound as if Base was saying “3,2,1.” Oh, and he did “The Matrix” slow spin as well. Crazy. His set reminded hip-hop fans that deejaying is an art. It’s more than playing songs off your laptop and yelling into the mike every few minutes. Somebody has to bring him down here to DJ a party. He swears he never plays the same song twice in one night and his judging from the snipped we saw on Thursday, he could keep a party going all night.

For fans of hip-hop that moves your body and your spirit, Thursday night rejuvenated both.

Alley Cat will make other venues step-up

Alley Cat will make Charlotte’s live-music scene better.

I know co-owner Andy Kastanas, and I've heard the guys say they’re not a live-music venue and they’re not trying to compete with Visulite Theatre and Amos’ Southend. But whatever.

The club has a main stage, a sound system (that need more bass), and room to dance; they also have a smaller stage outside. More importantly, they serve food, and they’re in the heart of uptown. Plus, Savis -- who co-owned the Steeple -- is Alley Cat’s manager. He did a heck of a job booking acts at the Steeple, and he loves live music.

All of that spells trouble for Visulite, Amos’ and the Neighborhood Theatre when it comes to competing for acts that draw crowds of about 700 people or less.

Here’s what I envision: In the first six months, Alley Cat will build its fan base and focus on enticing people with cover bands on Saturdays. On Fridays, they’ve said they will book bands that play original music. I’m guessing they’ll start with local acts, which means those local acts won’t be available as much to play in the other venues. Eventually, I can see Alley Cat going after the same touring regional and national acts that go to Visulite, Amos’ and Neighborhood.

So they will be bringing the same ol'-same ol' acts uptown that already stop by the other venues? Why is that good? That’s exactly what I thought when I first heard about the concept.

But that means Visulite, Amos’ and Neighborhood will have to bring different acts to survive and flourish. I’m hoping these club owners are going to be more willing to book acts they wouldn’t have considered before, from hip-hop to Latin to country to rock genres I don’t even know about. Maybe we can get the same mix of shows that go to the Cats Cradle in Carrboro or the Orange Peel in Asheville.

Two questions: 1) Do you think Alley Cat will improve live music here? 2) What are some of the acts that you would like to see come here? Post your replies below.

Everyone came to Alley Cat's pre-party

If every night at Alley Cat could be like Wednesday night was, uptown’s newest club would be my favorite spot in the city.

At the club’s VIP party, the crowd from Dish and the Penguin mixed with the young professionals and frat-types that usually hang uptown. Oh, and I can’t forget the artsy folks. On the patio, men and women with pink hair and/or piercings and/or tattoos (and I mean full sleeves, not teeny-weeny tats) mingled with people wearing golf shirts, khakis and hair gel. Of course, there was also the who's who of uptown nightlife: Tommy from Tyber Creek, Jody from Breakfast Club, Adam from Loft, Noah from N.C. Music Factory, Big Ryan and Danny from Grand Central.

It was so awesome.

The Penguin Restaurant, which will serve food until 1 a.m. in Alley Cat's restaurant, was largely responsible for such a varied crowd. So many Penguin supporters came out that it felt as if someone had picked up Thomas Avenue and put it uptown. It felt great, and I hope the mix continues.

When I first heard about the Penguin teaming with Alley Cat, I figured it would be a great move for the restaurant to reach a new audience. After last night, I realize there is an even greater opportunity to change the face of College Street.

Here's my question: Do you think Alley Cat will continue drawing a wide array of patrons, or will it simply become another Cans and Buckhead Saloon? Post your replies below.

Another bus trip to see "The Color Purple"

Remember my bus trip to see "The Color Purple" on Broadway a few weeks ago? Since then, several people have asked about other bus trips to the see the musical. Well, Aboard w/Us Travel, which sponsored the last trip, is ready to do another one -- to see Fantasia play Celie in the musical.

The trip is Aug. 3-6, and costs $350.

As you may recall, mine was an eventful trip that left some people angry. (I wasn't one of them. You can read my blog to see why.) The organizers say they've learned from their mistakes. This time, they are hiring a different bus company, and will ensure that the drivers aren't clueless and are willing to take advice. Also, they plan to have the registration on the buses this time and won't be doing any pre-paid meals, which should cut down on the lengthy registration period prior to departure. I still think they should start registration earlier to avoid delays.

For more information about the trip, e-mail yolanda.bonaparte@cms.k12.nc.us or lynetta.houston@cms.k12.nc.us.

I’ll be camping on the north rim of the Grand Canyon that weekend, so I won't be making that NYC trek again. But if you're going, let me know how the trip went, and how you liked Fantasia. And please read my previous "Color Purple" bus trip blog entries, in which I offer helpful tips on how to plan ahead and have fun.

If you're wondering how Fantasia is doing in the play, I recently received this e-mail from an enthusiastic reader in Greenville, S.C.:

"I agreed with your hesitation and your final thoughts. I just returned from New York and I went specifically to see 'The Color Purple' on Broadway with Fantasia. I had previously seen it with LaChanze, but this time with Fantasia it was UNBELIEVABLE!!! She did an incredible job. Her own pain and personal story gave her the ammunition she needed to become Celie. She transitioned beautifully into "Miss Celie" and of course her singing lifted everyone there. The supporting cast was even better this time and they all seemed to gel better with Fantasia. It was so awesome; I saw it Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon! Tell everyone you know to hurry and see it with Fantasia. You forget who she is and embrace the story so much more."

Cans block party

Mini-Kiss has to be the most hysterical live show I’ve seen since I saw Renelvis perform live several years ago.

They are a band of little people who play Kiss songs. They sound great until the singing starts. Once they start singing, they sound so awful it’s funny. The band’s make-up is impeccable, and they are crazy-energetic. If you ever get a chance to see them, you have to go.

The band opened for Rob Base and E.Z. Rock at the Cans one-year anniversary block party last Saturday. The hip-hop act only has two songs, “Joy and Pain” and “It Takes Two,” so they spent their set performing contemporary hits and old-school rap hits. The crowd loved it all and sang along. The highlight was Base’s singer and hype man Kyle Riffken. He looks thugged out, but he can sing.

Cans, at Graham and Fifth streets, held the party in the parking lot across the street. Along with live music, they had a Red Bull lounge area with giant bean bags, one of those bop ’em air things (where friends beat each other up with giant air-filled batons) and Cornhole games. Partiers either played games, chilled at patio tables or mingled around the stage area.

If a block party seems extravagant for only one year, the folks at Cans have reason to celebrate: Apparently, the Charlotte location did better than expected and the owners may have other concepts in mind for this area. Right now, that’s all on the hush, hush.

Snug Harbor coming to Plaza-Midwood

Snug Harbor will be the newest addition to the Plaza-Midwood nightlife scene.

It’s a live-music bar at the corner of Central and Pecan avenues. It used to be Fire and Ice martini lounge. The spot is owned by Scott McCannell, a bartender at Dish, and Daylon Brumfield, who worked for concert powerhouse Live Nation.

Snug Harbor is scheduled to open the first weekend in May, and will feature national, regional and local rock, bluegrass and jazz bands. It’s not a big space, but McCannell is used to booking acts for small venues. He booked acts at Fat City in NoDa for a while in the mid-’90s. The bands at Snug Harbor will be acts that draw small but enthusiastic crowds.

McCannell said they rebuilt the bar, removed the couches and added some booths. The stage is larger, the sound system is new, and they have beefed up the DJ booth, he said. He hopes to eventually open the patio out back.

His goal is to have people hanging out there even if a band isn’t performing. Along with live music, Scott Weaver will DJ and have go-go dancers on Thursdays. On Sundays, Brad Presley (a.k.a. the Rev. of Soul) will spin old-school music.

McCannell said he’s been looking for a place in the area for the last couple of years. He wanted to be in Plaza-Midwood because, “Everybody in this neighborhood, I consider them family.”

Alley Cat opens uptown Friday

The wait is over.

Alley Cat, the newest venture by the crew who owns the Forum and Cosmos, opens Friday.

Alley Cat occupies the former home of the Hut and Have A Nice Day Cafe on College Street, between Sixth and Seventh streets.
The newest features are an outdoor patio on College Street that will feature small bands, and there’s a kitchen that will be operated by The Penguin restaurant.

Although live music will be a big attraction for the bar, co-owner Andy Kastanas wants the club to be a destination, which is why the kitchen is an important feature. People can go there and hang out even if there isn’t a band performing.

Kastanas said Alley Cat isn’t trying to compete with other uptown music venues, and won’t be going after big-time acts. Instead, it will feature a lot of local bands and cover bands.

Alley Cat will be open Wednesday through Saturday. The nightly themes are: country night on Wednesdays, college night on Thursdays, original music on Fridays and a house band on Saturdays.
At tonight's grand opening, there will be acoustic acts on the patio and a band on the main stage.

Common is coming to Charlotte

The rumors are true. Common is coming Thursday!

Did you get into the Roots show last year at Grand Central? If so, you remember how hype it was. Ciroc Vodka is back with another invitation-only performance featuring rapper Common. The show is Thursday at Grand Central on Central Avenue. Q92 radio personality Jaye Delai will host the event. You must be on the VIP list to get in. The show is free.
You can win tickets on Q92 or register at www.cirocvodkavip.com by the end of the day today.

Details: www.thesoulmovement.com.

According to the web site, registration is closed for the concert.

Whips and knives

The shirtless guy stood with his hands bound above his head. Techno music blasted throughout the club. A petite woman drew her hand back as if she was winding up for a softball pitch, then lashed the bound man across his back with a whip.

He grinned broadly and bounced his head to the music as if to say: “Is that all you’ve got?”

She whipped him again and again. Then she ran her fingernails down his back. He kept smiling.

Similar scenes played out in various corners upstairs at Amos’ Southend during Purgatory’s fifth birthday party on Saturday. The fetish party started in small clubs such as Liquid Lounge. Back then, Autumn Twilight was the main performer and the most entertainment was her playing with fire and some liquid latex action.

Now, Single Cell has created a full party with elaborate stage performances, whip-wielding women stationed throughout the club, vendors downstairs and ominous hooks that suspend people from the ceiling.

On Saturday, several people lay on the floor with a rug across their chest. Partiers walked across their bodies.
Purgatory draws a mix of fetish fans and voyeurs. If you’ve never been, it’s worth experiencing. You don’t have to be whipped to have fun. Not that there’s anything wrong with a good whipping.

A beer crawl emergency

"We have an emergency," said a woman as she stood up.

Everyone looked at her. My mind flashed back to a dark Virginia road and a bus trip to New York. My heart pounded. Then I realized I was sitting in a chair at Dilworth Neighborhood Bar and Grille, not on a bus.

The woman pulled back chairs as her friend crawled on the floor. Another flashback: missing turkey pepperoni. The young woman on the floor lost her Carmex, and she was freaking out.

Dilworth was the fourth stop on the Charlotte Beer Week beer crawl on Monday. Judging from the way the young woman frantically searched for her Carmex, the effects were kicking in. A manager came over with a giant flashlight and located the missing lip balm under my table. Disaster averted.

Monday’s beer crawl started slowly. Seventeen people participated.
On the ride to the first stop at the Flying Saucer, most people paired off with their friends. By the time we finished at Mac’s Speed Shop later that night, many folks had exchanged business cards and a couple of people took turns dancing on the bus.

My favorite beer of the night was the Duck Rabbit at Brixx. Other crawler favorites were an Imperial Stout at Mellow Mushroom, and an I.P.A. on the bus ride.

Tonight’s Charlotte Beer Week event is the Gravity Head Mini Fest at Mellow Mushroom. Tomorrow, it’s the Becoming the Beer Girl competition at Dilworth Neighborhood Bar and Grille.

Don Imus is hip-hop's savior

During Nas’ performance at the Neighborhood Theatre on Wednesday, he took shots at President Bush and rapper 50 Cent. He also lamented the commercialization of rap music, and how MTV contributes to that.

But Nas didn't go overboard on his criticism of MTV, probably because the network had a camera crew there to tape his performance.

I get the feeling Nas’ "hip-hop is dead mantra" is more for publicity than it is to actually make hip-hop better. It reminds me of his inane feud with Jay-Z a few years ago.

This publicity ploy is worse because hip-hop really does need help, and it may get it in the most unusual place - Don Imus.

Thursday’s firing of Don Imus is going to reverberate throughout radio. If black leaders can rally enough to prompt CBS fire Imus, imagine what they could do if they really decide to unite against misogyny and violence in gangsta rap?

In announcing the decision to fire Imus, CBS President and Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves said: “There has been much discussion of the effect language like this has on our young people, particularly young women of color trying to make their way in this society.”

Bryan Monroe, president of the National Association of Black Journalists and editorial director of Ebony and Jet magazines, said: “Something happened in the last week around America. It’s not just what the radio host did. America said enough is enough. America said we don’t want this kind of conversation, we don’t want this kind of vitriol, especially with teenagers.”

Monroe and Moonves are making a pitch to clean up the airwaves, and if others follow suit, the 50 Cents, Nellys, Snoop Doggs, Akons and similar artists -- who are getting rich degrading women -- will need to sing a new tune or watch their pockets get thinner.

Do you think Imus’ termination will affect hip-hop? Or do you think it’s a double-standard (that is, a rapper can call a black woman a derogatory name, but a white man can’t) with no lasting affect? Post your replies below.

Charlotte represented well for Nas

If hip-hop is dead, no one told the more than 1,000 people who crammed into the Neighborhood Theatre on Wednesday night to see Nas.

Bodies filled the aisles and every seat (upstairs and downstairs) inside the main area. The side stage was crowded as well, and unless you were packed up front, you couldn’t see anything.

With lights dimmed, Nas stalked out on stage reciting his eulogy for hip-hop, and then he lyrically resurrected the culture he so dearly loves. Sporting bright pink hair, Nas’ boo Kelis sat on the side of the stage and watched for several songs as he traversed through a set that included both hits and obscure songs that only hardcore fans know.

Of course, he performed “Hip Hop Is Dead,” along with “If I Ruled the World,” “Hate Me Now,” and “N.Y. State of Mind.”
It was a rare club appearance for Nas, and Charlotte represented well with a sold-out show.

Beer week kicks off tonight

The beer police are coming -- and I can't wait.

First, Observer restaurant critic Helen Schwab wrote a column lamenting frosty mugs and orange slices in beer. Egads!

Now, Creative Loafing wants beer drinkers to expand their palates, and embrace beers that actually taste good.

Whoa!

The Loaf's Chris Herring said he created Beer Week to tap into Charlotte's beer culture, especially people who enjoy homebrews and craft brews. He hopes people will learn about beer during the eight-day event, which features bar crawls, brewery tours and more.

I'm not sure Charlotte partiers want to embrace serious beer culture. It seems that partiers prefer large quantities of cheap beer, and aren't much interested in the taste.

I'm curious to see whether the people who participate in Beer Week will actually be interested in learning about beer ... or simply want to catch a buzz.

Are Charlotte partiers ready to embrace something classier than Bud and Miller? Or do they just want to get messed up? Post your replies below.

710 now The Pub at Gateway

Eduardo Romero (known as Chachi in the nightlife scene) and three partners are opening The Pub at Gateway in the space on West Trade Street that used to be 710 and, before that, Cuvee. Projected opening date is May 3.

First, let’s straighten one thing out: Romero and his partners --
Mike Ivie and Aaron and Tasha Guido -- lease the condo space from real estate developer Scott Bianchi. Bianchi said there have been a lot of rumors and misinformation floating around about who owned the property, especially when it was 710. I’m glad Bianchi cleared things up, because I was confused as well.

Now, let’s talk about The Pub.

Cuvee and 710 were upscale spots, but Chachi wants to create the American version of an Irish or English pub.

“We’re not trying to be a martini bar,” Chachi said. “We’re a neighborhood bar with good music.”

It will feature a variety of bottled and draft beers. Food will include wraps and signature sandwiches. At night, music will be similar to what is played at Cans: ’80s and Top 40 hip-hop and rock. Renovations include the addition of eight LCD TVs, a projection screen and woodwork behind the bar and along the walls.

All of that sounds good, but 710 is tiny and only holds about 150 people, and I wonder how Chachi will succeed where others have failed. (He did manage Phil’s Deli and Liquid Lounge, so at least he’s used to being successful with small spaces.) The Pub will have smaller furniture and some of the seating will be removed on weekends.

The Pub will be open 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Monday-Friday for the lunch and after-work crowd, as well as late night partiers. It will be open from 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Details: www.myspace.com/thepubatgateway

Road trip to New York

A bus trip to New York.

You knew there would be drama.

And there was plenty this past weekend, when a handful of friends and I joined a group of 250 people who took four buses from Charlotte to New York to see “The Color Purple” on Broadway.

Before I get into the drama, I will say that I had a great time. I paid $350 for the trip, which included the bus ride, excellent seats for the play, and rooms at a Sheraton hotel.

In New York, I shopped, enjoyed the play, and went clubbing at Cielo in the Meatpacking District.

The lessons I learned:
1) Plan your own itinerary before the trip.
2) Bring your laptop.
3) Know the address of where your planning to go, and don't be afraid to ask New Yorkers for help.
4) Don't rely on a chartered bus to get you anywhere on time in New York.
5) Bring cash for cabs, trains and the subway.
6) Wear comfortable shoes.
7) Do not eat a Greek omelet at 3 a.m. knowing you have to catch a bus back to Charlotte in six hours. Really bad idea.

The drama

We arrived at Hopewell High School on Beatties Ford Road for the registration at 10:30 Friday night. All four buses were already there. Maybe -- just maybe -- we might leave on schedule at 11 p.m., I thought.

Psych.

An hour later, I hoped we’d get on the road by midnight.
The delay? The line to register stretched down a hallway inside the building, and the organizers were collecting money for breakfast at the same time. Plus, there was confusion about whether we needed to have our bags while we waited in the registration line, and what we were supposed to do after we checked in.

Then there didn’t seem to be enough seats on the assigned buses. Everyone had to get off the bus and board one by one to make sure they were on the correct bus. Think of Noah’s Ark without the rain.

At midnight, we rumbled out of the parking lot. A few minutes later, I looked out of the window and realized that we weren’t cruising down I-77 headed to I-85. Instead, we were pulling into the parking lot of a mini-shopping center off Beatties Ford Road.

The bus driver dashed into a store, and then returned to the bus with an armful of toilet tissue. This trip wasn’t planned yesterday. Why wasn’t there any toilet tissue on the bus?

Who has the turkey pepperoni?

My friend Cee-lo is crawling on the floor of the bus looking for her package of turkey pepperoni.

Anytime you take a bus trip, you have to pack snacks. The traditional snacks for black folks are canned soda and fried chicken wrapped in aluminum foil.

But not L-Boogie and Cee-lo. They pull out two bottles of wine, turkey pepporoni and cheese. Somehow, the bag of turkey pepperoni (which was quite tasty) disappears. L-Boogie will not rest until she finds it. I swore I saw Frodo scurrying off with it toward the front of the bus.

Cee-lo crawls along the floor as passengers lift their legs and move their bags so she can see. Cee-lo finds the pepperoni!

Think of Gollum getting his hand on the ring -- my precious.

On the road again

It’s sometime after 2 a.m. on Saturday, and my friend Road Dawg yells, “We have an emergency! Stop the bus!”

I look under my seat for a defibrillator. I figure someone must be having a heart attack. Nope. Road Dawg’s sister is having a panic attack.

Apparently, the toilet tissue-less bus driver sprayed some kind of disinfectant in the bathroom (which hadn’t been cleaned prior to the trip) that smelled awful. The combination of the tight quarters and the odor made Road Dawg’s sister feel claustrophobic and sick.
We pass her plastic bags, and the bus driver pulls off the road so she cang get some fresh air.

The ugly rumor

We’re sitting in Golden Corral in Landover, Maryland, when the rumor starts. It’s 10 a.m., and we were supposed to be at the restaurant three hours ago. There’s a rumor going around that we're going straight to the city instead of stopping at the hotel, because we are so behind schedule.

Now, mind you, some women are wearing bedroom clothes and slippers, and folks haven’t brushed their teeth or washed their 2000 Lever parts in more than eight hours. Yuck. We plan a mutiny.

Homey We Made It

We arrive at our hotel about 3 p.m. I quiz the hotel staff about catching the train to and from New York. I bump into Road Dawg, who’s looking for ice, and ask when the bus will head to the city. She doesn’t know.

I return to the room. Road Dawg sends me a text at 4:17 p.m.: “Bus leaving at 4:15 p.m.”

I laugh. I haven’t showered, and there’s a Maker’s on the rocks calling my name. Road Dawg is on the bus. I text L-Boogie and tell her my girl and I are taking the train into the city.
L-Boogie, Cee-lo, my girl and I catch the 4:55 p.m. train to New York.

Road Dawg, who is on the bus, sends me a text: “We still riding.” It’s 5:42 p.m.

Our train announcer announces our arrival at Penn Station.
We get off the train. My spidey senses tingle. I look at the signs, and I see one for Newark airport. I don’t think we’re at the right Penn Station. We head downstairs and ask a police officer. He laughs. It's a common mistake. We’re at Newark Penn Station, not New York Penn Station.

The next train to New York is at 6:15 p.m.

It’s 5:45 p.m. We grab sandwiches and sit in a bar to kill time.

Road Dawg sends me a text at 5:59 p.m.

“Still riding.”

Partying at the Cielo

The DJ plays ’90s house music hits. Two men vogue.
The last time I saw guys vogueing was at a gay bar in Winston-Salem in October. I figured they were just country, and didn’t know vogueing was so '90s.

I don’t know what to make of these guys. We’re at Cielo nightclub, and it’s a Sunday night. The club is famous for Monday night’s Deep Space party, which features DJ Francois K. Co-owner Nicolas Matar DJ'd for eight years at Pacha, the renowned Ibiza club, before opening Cielo.

Cielo is an intimate dance club with a lounge feel. It has a sunken dance floor, cozy ground-level tables, and soft log-like seats surrounding the dance floor. There’s a heated patio outside, and the bar is only large enough to order drinks, not linger and sit.

On Sunday night, the club seemed like the island of misfit toys. There is an odd collection of people -- gay and straight, corny and cool. Nearly everyone in the club dances. A few smoke on the outdoor patio. A handful stand around the bar watching the dancers.
The DJ spins house music songs I grew up with, such as “Lonely People.”

It’s 12:15 a.m. Monday, and the last train back to New Jersey leaves at 1:48 a.m. I tell everyone in our crew -- my girl, Road Dawg, Cee-lo, L-Boogie and another couple -- that we have to leave the club by 1 a.m., or we will be stuck in New York.

OJ Simpson time

We leave Cielo at 1 a.m., and head to the subway station. It takes about 15 minutes to get there. At 1:25 a.m., we’re standing on the track waiting for the train that will get us back to Penn Station, where we have to buy tickets and catch another train to New Jersey.

L-Boogie says we’re not going to make it.

The train arrives a few minutes later. We arrive at Penn Station at 1:37 a.m. I sprint up the steps to find the NJ Transit kiosks. An announcer says the last train to New Jersey leaves in 10 minutes.
My girl looks for a transit official to figure out what track the New Jersey train leaves from. The rest of us buy tickets.

Five minutes to go.

Me, my girl and Road Dawg sprint down the steps to Track 9. The train is already there. Four of our friends haven’t made it down the steps yet.

I’m having visions of an earlier incident on Sunday afternoon, when L-Boogie and a couple of other folks missed a train. But that was in New Jersey, and the next one came 15 minutes later.

This time, we were in New York, and this was the last train out of the city. I look up the steps. The last four storm down the stairs.

We all make it.

I smile, thinking I will never take a bus trip to New York again, and I will never stay in New Jersey again.
But boy did I have fun.

What about "The Color Purple?"

I’m not blogging about the musical. Read my take on “The Color Purple” next week in my online column That’s Wassup!.

I will tell you this: Fantasia, who watched from a balcony seat on Sunday, is going to be great as Celie. She has a much stronger voice than the current actress.

Fantasia makes her Broadway debut on Tuesday, and I have a feeling that performance will be emotionally overwhelming for her. It’s her first, and too much of Celie’s life mirrors her own.

Tilt's grand opening

If you ever went to Liquid Lounge, you probably won’t recognize the place the first time you walk into Tilt. The change isn’t as dramatic as the Mythos to Forum renovation, but it's a huge improvement.

On Thursday, I joined a couple hundred people at the grand-opening party, and the place looks great. Tilt's owners are Dixie’s Tavern’s Lucas Johns, Anthony Karey and Chris Peavey, and Adam Parker of Time lounge, and the time and money they put into the renovation shows.

Tilt has hardwood floors throughout the main room. The curtained area to the left of the main entrance is gone, and so is the VIP area that took up half of the dance floor. The colors are warm chocolate-browns, and large art installations and mirrors hang on the walls. The patio now has better canvas over the roof.

Tilt feels roomier than Liquid. There are bistro tables throughout the martini lounge, and several flat-screen TVs. The renovations surprised me, but the music on Thursday night was an even bigger surprise: I expected the typical hip-hop, but the DJ spun “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Shout” and rock music. It was refreshingly odd music mix.

Donkey show worth the drive to Salisbury

I can’t tell you what “The Donkey Show: A Midsummer Night’s Disco,” currently playing at the Meroney Theater in the Salisbury, was about.

I can tell you that on Thursday night I laughed more during the play -- a disco version of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” – than I did during the movie “Norbit.”

Here’s what I know: There are three couples, and each person lusts after someone else's partner. Two beefy guys in pale blue leisure suits and Afro wigs call themselves the Vinnies and think they're sexy. A fairy on roller skates gives people Funky Cold Medina, which makes them all pass out and then wake up in love with their partner. Oh, and there's a conga line through the audience and a Cirque Du Soleil-style dance number complete with masquerade masks and costumes.

Like I said, it was confusing. Since everyone wears glittery outfits, platform shoes, bell-bottoms and sings songs such as “Staying Alive,” “Car Wash” and “I’m Your Boogie,” does the play really need to make sense? The play takes place on a disco dance floor, which extends into the orchestra seats of the theater. Audience members sit on the stage and get to dance with cast members. If you’re not careful, one of the Vinnies might sit on your lap.

Piedmont Players' production of “The Donkey Show” is kitschy in a “Rocky Horror Picture Show” way. It’s worth the 45-minute drive from downtown Charlotte. Arrive early enough to grab a glass of wine at the Blue Vine next door to the theater. It makes the play funnier.

Did I mention there’s a dance number set to the music of the Mos Eisley cantina scene in “Star Wars”? Well, there is. R2-D2 makes an appearance, too. So, does a donkey.

McSwain case leaves a lot of unanswered questions

Matt Bolick has a lot of explaining to do.
So does 15-year-old Bethany McSwain.
And so does McSwain’s mama, Jill.

Bolick and the McSwains are at the center of a he-said-she-said tale of underage drinking, partying and bad judgment.

Two things are certain.

*Bolick, 39, an assistant manager at the Forum, was led away from the nightclub in handcuffs on Saturday. (That doesn’t look good for the city’s club industry.) He faces three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and four counts of giving or selling alcohol to a minor. Bolick is out on bond.

The Observer reported that Bolick is accused of allowing three girls - ages 14, 15 and 16 - into the bar and giving them mixed drinks. WBTV reported that Bolick is accused of taking the trio to his apartment and giving them alcohol, and then leading all three into the Forum.

*Taxpayers’ money was wasted because police searched for Bethany McSwain after her mother said she disappeared from home last Thursday. Bethany was found safely at UNC Charlotte early Tuesday morning after several students reported seeing her there.

Those things are certain, but how we came to that is confusing.

Jill McSwain has told the media that she discovered on Bethany’s MySpace page that her daughter was partying at the Forum and that she met Bolick on MySpace.

Bolick isn’t talking.

An e-mail statement issued by the Forum management on Wednesday read:
“On Wednesday, March 21st, The Forum staff was approached by a woman who stated that her 15-year-old daughter was inside the club. She was located, removed from the venue and then left with her mother. On Friday, March 23rd, the mother returned to The Forum to look for her daughter again. The girl was not inside the venue and has not returned to The Forum since she was removed on March 21.”

The club said it has no evidence that the allegations made against Bolick are true. The assistant manager is under temporary suspension. Club management also said that, contrary to media reports, the Forum has not been contacted by Alcohol Law Enforcement regarding any investigation or violations related to this matter.

Like I said, it’s confusing, but three people have some explaining to do. Bolick is a longtime nightclub veteran. Before joining the staff at the Forum, he worked as a DJ at Liquid Lounge. It’s unconscionable that he would knowingly give minors alcohol or take three teenage girls to his place.

Bethany has some explaining to do as well. Why is a 15-year-old sneaking into nightclubs? The only thing a 15-year-old is going to find at an adult nightclub is trouble. And has she really been chillin’ at UNC Charlotte the last few days while people looked for her?

Mama Jill isn’t off the hook either. If she dragged Bethany out of The Forum last Wednesday, how did her daughter disappear the next day?

If my mother had dragged me out of a club on Wednesday night, I’d still be recuperating in the hospital on Thursday.

Post your comments below.

Plaza-Midwood getting piano bar

Plaza-Midwood is becoming the place to be. Another club is opening there in the next month.

Petra’s Piano Bar and Cabaret is scheduled to open on Commonwealth Avenue next to the Penguin on April 13. Chris Hollar a Greensboro native, and Robb Huddleston, a Gastonia native, are opening the bar, which is modeled after Rose’s Turn and the Duplex. Both are piano bars in New York’s West Village.

At Petra’s, bartenders and cocktail waiters will sing sets throughout the night. The music will range from ’60s love songs to Broadway tunes to contemporary songs.

Guests will also be able to make requests and sing with the piano player. Huddleston said he will be bringing friends from New York to perform in cabaret shows and one-man shows. The club will also have a cabaret room with performances.

It’s going to be a fun place for the theatre crowd and the people who hang out in the Plaza-Midwood area, said Huddleston, who said he co-founded the Muddy Cup coffeehouse in New York. It also featured live entertainment.

Petra's is the second club announcement in the last week for Plaza-Midwood area, and as I said last week, I'm working on getting the information for one other place. I've often written that Plaza-Midwood could surpass NoDa in hipness.

Why do you think Plaza-Midwood is becoming so popular? Post your replies below.

(Also coming soon: Tilt, at Trade and Tryon, is scheduled to open officially on March 29. Get your invitation at www.tiltcharlotte.com.)

John Edwards at the Forum

Holding a fundraising campaign at the Forum sounded like a good way to draw young hip voters, but most of the folks who showed up for the John Edwards fundraiser on Monday evening were far from hip.

The event drew a mix of voters who looked like card-carrying members of the Young Democrats of North Carolina and card-carrying members of the Old Democrats of North Carolina (FYI: there’s no such association). The 75-100 people who turned out to see Edwards were stiff and serious looking. Although Boyd Tinsley’s band cranked out jamming covers of Marvin Gaye and more, no one seemed willing to dance. Tinsley is a violinist for the Dave Matthews Band, and Tinsley’s band is worth seeing.

The few people who were dancing during the band’s performance happened to be Edwards’ staffers. I snapped a picture of one campaign staffer dancing, and she freaked out saying that she couldn’t have her picture taken. After resuscitating her with a defibrillator, I deleted the picture. Whoa.

If Edwards’ or any other candidate seriously wanted to draw new and hip blood they should bumrush places. For example, instead of holding a scheduled fundraiser at the Forum, they should takeover the Forum on a Wednesday night. It’s college night so everyone should at least be age 18. The campaign peeps could buy a round of drinks for everyone; Edwards could deliver the same speech he’s delivered in a zillion other stops and have his staff register voters on-site. They could do the same thing at the Penguin, the Milestone and Tremont Music Hall. (Please note: I don’t cover politics so I’m not sure if providing free beer and registering voters is illegal, but if it is then don’t register voters, but keep the beer.).

Tinsley’s band played for more than an hour and then audience members watched a short video montage of Edwards’ speeches and interviews. After chilling in Pravda lounge, Edwards appeared about 8:30 p.m. While Tinsley performed, Edwards posed for pictures and shook hands. Then he took the stage and said what you’d expect: Bush is ruining the country, Congress needs to step up, everyone deserves healthcare, and we have to save the Earth, blah, blah. Don’t get me wrong, Edwards sounds like he believes what he’s saying but considering that we’d just heard the same variation of that speech on the video montage, it didn’t sound authentic.

Oh lastly, Edwards’s folks ought to change up his wardrobe. Levis and a blue pinstriped shirt aren’t hip or casual. At least give the dude a fat belt buckle with the Wright Brothers airplane on it and a funkier shirt. What does he have to lose?

St. Paddy’s Day round-up

The scene was sedate when I arrived at the Attic about 8:30 p.m. The crowd ebbed and flowed in bars through out uptown on Saturday night. According to Paid to Party’s Throw Some D’s, there was an hour and half wait to get inside Cans at one point on Saturday. By 9 p.m. there was no line. When I headed home about 12:30 a.m., there was a line outside of Cans.

This is the first time in seven years that St. Patrick’s Day fell on a Saturday. Some bars opened at 8 or 9 a.m. Judging from the looks on the face of Attic co-owner Tommy Timmins, many bar and restaurant staff worked all day to accommodate the mass of people.

I started at Galway Hooker Pub about 5 p.m. then worked my way to uptown, and finished at Dixie’s after midnight.

Where did you go for St. Patrick’s Day? And how was it?

St. Paddy’s at Galway Hooker Pub

To everyone I met in Galway Hooker Pub on Saturday afternoon, I apologize if I smelled funky. I came straight to the pub after teaching a motorcycle class at Mitchell Community College that afternoon.

When I arrived at Galway, there was a line to get inside. Once inside, I met St. Patrick - he didn’t have any snakes. The pub drew a mix of families with children, couples and throngs of young people having a good time. The band Spin played a mix of Irish drinking songs and oldies, such as Simon & Garfunkel.

I learned the song “Whiskey In a Jar.”

A Family Affair

Ron and Debbie stood near the wall in Madison’s about 9 p.m. Saturday watching UNC take on Michigan State and soaking up the atmosphere. They proudly wore their Rich & Bennett St. Patrick’s Day bar crawl T-shirts. It was their first time, and maybe Debbie’s last, on the crawl that drew more than 2,300 people uptown.

Organizers say it could be the largest crawl in the U.S. ever and the second largest in the world. By 9 p.m. most of the crawlers dispersed to bars throughout uptown, but they had a day full of memories. Mayor Pat McCrory toasted off the crawl at Dixie’s at 1 p.m. Then he posed for pictures with crawlers for more than an hour. As Paid to Party scout Throw Some D’s said, the bar crawl toast was McCrory’s Bill Clinton saxophone moment.

Friends of Ron and Debbie took pictures with McCrory. The older couple came up from Rock Hill to participate in the crawl with their daughter and son. Ron sounded hopeful that he’d return next year, but Debbie sounded tired.

Who wouldn’t be? They started the crawl at 1 p.m. That’s a lot of Guinness.

St. Paddy’s at Madison’s

Since the Attic was slow, I stepped next door in Madison’s. The crowd was also sedate and many people watched the UNC basketball game. Then O.A.R.’s song “That Was a Crazy Game of Poker” came on. A guy near the front of the lounge started dancing alone. A group of men and women near the bar were dancing with each other. Two girls jumped around. Nearly everyone sang the lyrics “I say of, you say a I say revolution, and you say Jah I say of, you say a I say revolution.”

I realized that for white people that song is what Frankie Beverly & Maze’s “Before I Let Go” is for black people. When it comes on, people start dancing and singing at the top of their lungs.

The O.A.R song resuscitated the crowd at Madison’s. By the time Detroit Red and I headed next door to Attic, the group of wild folks moved from the bar to the center of the club near the flat screen TV. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something fly across the room and hit the wall. I thought a person had slam danced into the wall. Then I realized a partier threw the cardboard cutout of the Sam Adams man into the wall. They picked it up and began karate kicking it. One guy did some sort of breakdancing thing.

Big shouts to Tyler, an avid Paid to Party reader who I met in Madison’s.

St. Paddy’s at Connolly’s

By the time we arrived at Connolly’s about 10:45 p.m., there was a line to get inside and it cost $20. The patio, tent, upstairs and downstairs were all packed. The wait for a drink and the bathroom were never-ending.

John King stood on the patio wearing a kilt and talking to friends. He and 30 other firefighters and friends from New Haven, Conn., came down to Charlotte to surprise Shannon Richards for her 25th birthday. King and his friends are tight with Richards’ dad Billy. She recently had a bone marrow transplant so they wanted to surprise her.

Upstairs in Connolly’s, Detroit Red spotted Jennifer Martini. He swears she’s Brooke from “Real World: Denver.” She showed me her license and said she wasn’t. You decide.

St. Paddy’s at Dixie’s

A guy stood up in a booth inside Dixie’s Tavern and started singing. A female friend tugged on the hanging lamp and pointed it at partiers to put them in the spotlight. The security guard walked over and gave them a menacing look.

At 11:30 p.m., Dixie’s was crazy. There was a line outside. They stopped letting people in because they said they were at capacity. People spilled onto the patio and filled every cranny of the pub. Dixie’s was the start and for many people the end of Rich & Bennett’s pub-crawl.

One woman was asleep in a booth, and then her friend pulled her up and dragged her onto the dance floor. The music was all over the place -- rap, rock, pop, country and hillbilly country. Partiers danced and sang to it all.

My cutie of the night was Lucas. See his picture on Party Pix. He’s adorable.

Shout outs to Full Court Press. If you were telling me the truth last night, sorry you lost your job at Quaker Steak and Lube because of one my columns. Better luck at your current gig.

Real jazz at the Excelsior

If you’re looking for straight-ahead jazz, the kind that Bill Cosby always raved about on “The Cosby Show,” then Wednesdays at the Excelsior club is the place to be.

Charlotte’s Michael Porter’s Porterhouse outfit performed to a crowd of about 30 people on Wednesday. The small audience was appreciative and the musicians laughed and enjoyed themselves onstage.

The city has numerous smooth jazz bands who play instrumental versions of hit R&B songs, but finding bands to play traditional jazz is tough. Porterhouse played ’60s-style traditional jazz.

The crowd at the Excelsior is a bit older than what you would find at the Jazz Cafe and at other restaurants that feature jazz combos, but the music is better (I’m not a smooth jazz fan), and the atmosphere is warm.

Good happy hour at Mimosa

In one night, I had two different happy hour experiences. Both taught me the importance of asking questions and not taking no for an answer.

I’ll start with the good experience.

Mimosa Grill is my new happy hour spot. Diners filled the bar area, the booths and the patio. It was so crowded it was standing room only by 7 p.m. on the patio and at the bar.

I chose Mimosa because I heard about its $4.75 appetizer menu from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. They also have daily drink specials. L-boogie and I feasted on generous portions of mussels and calamari. The mussels were delicious, but the calamari’s breading was soft and the dipping sauce had too much mayo.

My favorite item was the $4.75 cheeseburger with Applewood bacon and sweet potato fries. The burger was seasoned well and had a tasty sauce. It was slightly over-cooked, but for $4.75, I didn’t mind washing it down with a beer. My friend ordered the chicken sandwich. She didn’t like the seasoning, and both of us loved the sweet potato fries.

Here’s why I said I learned a lesson at Mimosa. I knew about the happy hour special because I’m on Mimosa’s e-mail list. When we were seated on the patio, the waiter gave us a regular dinner menu.

When I asked about the special, he said he needed to check. He immediately returned with a happy hour menu.

He took our orders and brought the mussels and calamari out as appetizers, and then the cheeseburger and chicken sandwich as entrees.

The lesson I learned was to always ask your server about happy hour specials if you're hanging out afterwork. That was my good happy hour experience.

My bad happy hour experience occurred later Wednesday night at McCormick & Schmick's uptown.

What's your favorite after-hour happy hour spot? Post your replies below.

Bad happy hour at Mickey Schmicks

After leaving Mimosa, I dashed over to a poetry competition at the House of Jazz (Read that blog entry). Then I met some friends at Allure restaurant and lounge. Hardly anyone was at Allure, so I told four friends to go to McCormick & Schmick's for its late-night happy hour, which I’ve always said is one of the best deals in town.

Kitch and I went to the Excelsior Club for jazz night. (Read that blog entry.) After leaving the Excelsior, we met our friends at McCormick & Schmick’s. My friends said the bartender told them there weren’t any happy hour specials.

I asked the bartender, whom I recognized, what was up. He said the happy hour was from 9-10 p.m.

My friends arrived about 9:30 p.m. and said they specifically asked him about a happy hour special. He told them there wasn’t one. Next, I asked if we could order off the dinner menu. The bartender said the kitchen was closed. I didn’t think much about it, so Kitch and I walked to Madison’s for drinks.

Fifteen minutes later, one of my girlfriends calls to tell me that another couple ordered off the menu after we left Mickey Schmick. I was livid.

First off, I recommended my friends go there for the happy hour and they're told there isn’t one. Then I’m told the kitchen is closed, but another couple orders food.

I returned to speak with the manager. He apologized profusely and said the bartender should have offered us the menu since the restaurant was still serving food to other customers. He also said he didn’t understand why the bartender, who definitely wasn’t a rookie, told my friends that there wasn’t a late-night happy hour. (I have my thoughts on that.)

The manager informed me that he comped my friends' meals and offered me a complimentary meal as well to apologize for the bartender’s unwillingness to serve us food.

I appreciate the way the manager handled the situation because such bad service from the bartender left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth that night.

The lesson from that experience is if you’re gut tells your that something’s not right, ask for a manager.

What's your favorite late night food spot? Post your replies below.

A hunk of black man

Don’t do crack because you might lose your children.
A hunk of black man is better than a plate of fried chicken.
If a married man says he’s waiting on the divorce to be finalized, don’t believe him.

Those are a few of the lessons I learned on Wednesday night at a V101.9/Power 98 poetry competition. More than a dozen poets (experienced and unexperienced) competed at the event, which was hosted by Charlotte slam master Bluz and held at the House of Jazz.

I was one of three people judging the poets. Several offered uplifting words about being better men and women. Others recited odes to their lovers. A handful were so bitter that one of my fellow judges said the poems read more like journal entries. I agreed, but we all applaud anyone with the guts to get in front of a microphone. It’s not easy.

The final competition is Wednesday. Registration is 6-6:45 p.m. Spoken word begins at 7 p.m. The best poets will participate in the literary cafe at For Sisters Only on April 14 at the Charlotte Merchandise Mart.

Hey, aspiring poets: I know you’re passionate about your words, but consider doing a funny poem. You will stand out. And please, please, don’t read your poem from a sheet of paper or notebook. It kills your delivery and stage presence.

Tom Joyner kidnapped me

With a microphone in both hands, K-Ci Hailey stood on stage at the Jazz Café on Wednesday and thanked radio personality Tom Joyner for playing his music for so many years. Hailey sang a few signature “ooohhs” and “yeaaahhhs.” Then Joyner leaned toward the mike and sang a couple of his own.
The hundreds of fans who crowded the stage, snapping pictures and watching applauded.
It was like that at the Jazz Café on Wednesday: the young paid homage to the old, and the old paid homage to the young. Behind Joyner and Hailey were two generations of Charlotte-area talent: national recording artists Sunshine Anderson and Calvin Richardson, as well as rising stars Rudy Currence, the band Uncommon Jazz and Q92 radio personality Jaye Delai.
Hundreds of people streamed into the club for Joyner’s meet and greet, which ended Anderson's performance. The line stretched down the sidewalk toward the rear of the club, and didn’t recede until Joyner left.
During the evening, Joyner sat at a table near the front and hosted the event. When he wasn’t on the mike, he accepted handshakes, hugs and introductions from fans who visited his table.
Anderson, known for her hit “Heard It All Before,” gave fans a brief taste of her new album, “Sunshine at Midnight.” She also thanked fans for supporting her ¬¬– especially since she hasn’t released an album in nearly six years.
After her performance, Joyner, who broadcasted from Q92’s studio this morning, returned to the stage, and Anderson, Hailey, Currence, Delai and Uncommon Jazz surrounded him. Everyone wanted to be near the man who had the first nationally syndicated black radio show. Before there was Steve Harvey, Russ Parr or Michael Baisden, there was Joyner. He always used his show to start listeners’ days off with a smile, and provided insight about politics and issues affecting African Americans.
When Joyner left, Anderson and the other artists shared the mike and sang, while Uncommon Jazz played in the background.
That’s when Joyner kidnapped me.
The plan was to join him in the car for a quick interview. I ended up riding with him back to his hotel and interviewing him during the drive. We talked about the rise of black radio personalities and the two things prohibited on his radio show.
You can hear the interview next week on the podcast Paid to Party 4 Yo’ Ear!
Today, talk shows seem to dominate radio more than music. What’s your favorite radio talk show, and why? Joyner, Harvey, Rush Limbaugh, Keith Larson, Ace & TJ, Matt and Ramona? Post your replies below.

Juicy stories from a chauffer

After Tom Joyner went to his hotel, I quizzed his chauffer on the drive back to the Jazz Café. I’ve always said I want to be a bartender when I retire, but I might consider driving a limo.
Here’s what I learned about the people he’s driven around town:
Celebrity with the worst attitude: Singer Jeffrey (can you woo woo) Osbourne was snooty.
Coolest celebrity: Singer Shania Twain.
Craziest thing that’s happened in your car: Two couples did the wild thing while he drove them in stretch limo. Then they wanted to stop at a rest area.
Weirdest request: Drugs.
What's the craziest thing you've ever done in a limo? Remember it's a family newspaper so make your items PG-13. Post your replies below.

Liquid Lounge now Tilt, Gilda re-opens

Those of you who say Charlotte needs more martini lounges are getting your wish.
Liquid Lounge at Trade and Tryon is now Tilt, an upscale martini bar with a whole new look. Dixie 's Tavern's Lucas Johns, Anthony Karey and Chris Peavey -- along with Adam Parker of Time lounge -- partnered to open Tilt.
Renovations include removing the window coverings so patrons can look out onto Trade Street , re-doing the hardwood floors at the entrance, building a new bar, replacing the VIP sections with lounge chairs and bistro tables, and turning the back patio into a beer garden with a new canvas awning. There will be TVs, and the color scheme is chocolate. The music will range from R&B to house to top 40.
Johns said it's going to be a place to go before dinner, or if you don't want to go to a rowdy club.
Tilt will be competing against Tutto Mondo, Therapy and Loft 1523, but Johns says customer service will set Tilt apart from the other establishments.
Across town in NoDa, Gilda lounge has the same name, but a new attitude.
Owner Wes Taylor, of 710 lounge, reopened the lounge a couple of weeks ago. He is focusing on consistency with his hours (5 p.m.-2 a.m. seven days a week) and top-notch customer service. He wants Gilda to offer neighborhood-pub friendlessness in an upscale lounge. He's planning a Latino night, a service industry night, and a half-price martinis night on Thursdays.