Tonya @ Dixie's / Roots update

Don't forget, tonight, tonight tonight, I'm doing it up at Dixie's Tavern. I'll be behind the bar mixing drinks and making a mess. Fall through and holla' @ yo' girl.


Also, from Mike Kitchen, The Roots is at capacity and no more RSVP e-mails are being accepted. It's 21 and private. If you didn't get your RSVP confirmation or don't make it into the show, be sure to check my blog on Friday, you know I'll give you the 411. Heck, if you do get in the show, check my blog anyway and tell me what you think.

Roots info

Alright Roots fans, you've been blowing up my e-mail so here's the dealy. They will perform a free show at Grand Central (1000 Central Ave.) at 9 p.m. Thursday. Oct. 19.

If you want to go, you must RSVP by Wednesday Oct. 18 to tonyslist@tanqueraystylesessions.com.
The RSVP doesn’t guarantee admittance, so arrive early. For more info: www.thesoulmovement.com.

Roots fans - I got you

I'll be posting the show info at 6 p.m.

Come drink with me

On Oct. 16, I’ll be a guest bartender at Dixie’s Tavern. This will be my first time behind a bar other than the one at my own house, but I'm up for the challenge. Come out and enjoy, but be warned I make my drinks strong and I like the crowd rowdy. Party starts at 10 p.m. It's free. (All tips - if I get any - will be donated to the Latin American Coalition.)

If it's free they will come

The line to get inside Tempo nightclub wrapped around the building on Tuesday night. Yeah, a Tuesday night. People came out to see a free performance by R&B singer Bobby Valentino.
What my friends and I all wondered was whether it would be a capacity crowd if the show wasn’t free. I mean really, Valentino is adorable. He’s energetic on stage and some of his songs are catchy -- but he can’t sing. He’s one of those artists whom I’d rather hear lip synch. Valentino was in town promoting his new CD "Special Occasion," which is due out on Nov. 14.
He played to his female fans. He handed out roses to women in the audience. He sang to a woman sitting in a chair on stage. Probably because he only has two CDs, he had his DJ play a medley of Top 40 songs during his 45-minute set to get the crowd dancing. He closed with his popular song "Slow Down."
Speaking of free shows, American Idol Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard will perform at Tempo on Oct. 18. Doors open at 8 p.m., but to get in you must win tickets from Power 98 or V101.9, or be a member of the Tempo.
And lastly, the Roots are coming back for a free show as well. They will perform at 9 p.m. Oct. 19. I can’t give you anymore details yet, but be sure to check my blog. I’ll post how to get tickets for the show as soon as I get the greenlight.

College homecoming

I felt like a little kid walking from the car to Bowman-Gray Stadium. With each step, I soaked in the smells of fried fish and barbecue ribs, and the sound of rap.
It was homecoming weekend at Winston-Salem State University, and it was my first time really attending a homecoming. In college, I’d partied in towns for homecomings, but I didn’t start my day before the sun went down. Going to the game wasn’t even an option.
Walking toward Bowman-Gray on Saturday to watch Winston-Salem take on Howard University made me realized what I missed. Vendors sold T-shirts, groups of friends huddled around grills or cars. A DJ blasted music. Once we got inside the stadium, the party continued with more vendors and -- best of all -- the halftime show. The drum majors came out in an ambulance and led the band. The crowd was on its feet.
After the game, we danced at a homecoming-related party. We finished the night at the gay club Odyssey. The hip-hop side was packed tighter than sardines, and the smoke and heat were oppressive. On the house-music side, a group of gay men took over the dance floor, vogueing.
That’s when things got a little crazy.
A heavyset guy strutted with everyone else, but he wasn’t graceful at all. Actually, he looked a hot mess. His shirt was two sizes too small, and he couldn’t dance. The other guys picked on him. The big guy ignored them. Then some jerk pushed the big guy in the face. A brief scuffle broke out. The whole thing was comical. A bunch of guys fighting over vogueing.
To his credit, the big guy straightened up his clothes and kept strutting across the dance floor with everyone else.
Next weekend is North Carolina A&T’s homecoming, which is even bigger than Winston-Salem State's.
After attending Winston-Salem State's homecoming, I’m planning to go to Alabama’s homecoming next year. My boy is sending me a link to the black alumni group for our college, so I'm hype.

How we entertain ourselves

According to Ticketmaster, these were the top requested events of the third quarter:

1. SHAKIRA

2. CHICAGO BEARS

3. THE CHEETAH GIRLS

4. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

5. DAVE MATTHEWS BAND

6. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS

7. POP-TARTS PRESENTS AMERICAN IDOLS LIVE

8. JIMMY BUFFETT

9. WICKED

10. ROLLING STONES

What's hot in da' clubs

According to Starfleetmusic.com, this is what's playing in area clubs:
1. "SEXYBACK" JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
2. "DÉJÀ VU" BEYONCE featuring JAY-Z
3. "ABOUT US" BROOKE HOGAN
4. "GET UP" CIARA featuring CHAMILLIONAIRE
5. "AIN'T NO OTHER MAN" CHRISTINA AGUILERA
6. "CALL ON ME" JANET JACKSON & NELLY
7. "HANGING ON" CHEYENNE KIMBALL
8. "TURN IT UP" PARIS HILTON
9. "RING THE ALARM" BEYONCE
10. "SHINE" LUTHER VANDROSS

Ghosts and spooks

A stolen corpse used at a medical college. A fireman pushed down a shaft. A bitter husband who killed his ex-wife.
These are a few of the characters we met on the Queen City Ghost & Graveyard Tour, which started last weekend and runs each weekend until Nov. 11.

On the bus, we met Emily, our ghost tour guide. She gave us all kinds of interesting facts about spooky stuff, such as the origins of Jack-o'-lantern and the graveyard shift. For an hour, we drove to graveyards, parking lots and other areas listening to ghosts tell us their stories. Most were based on real ghost tales from the region.

Tours start at 7 p.m., 8:45 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Last week’s sold out. $15 adults, $8 for kids. 704-248-0922.

Seafood bliss

I have a new favorite seafood restaurant. I’ll never be able to afford to eat there regularly, or even semi-regularly, but I wish I could. Last week, I went to the preview event at the Oceanaire Seafood Room, near SouthPark mall at 4620 Piedmont Row Drive (704-554-8811).

The high-end chain restaurant is themed after a 1930s-style luxury liner. When I walked in, I expected to see Jack and Rose hugged up in a corner.

I was as impressed with the drink menu as I was with the food selection. They had Sidecars (brandy, Cointreau, lemon juice, lime juice and sugar) which my buddy John raves about all the time. They also had Harvey Wallbangers (a fancy name for a Screwdriver). The Sidecar was tasty, but the Tequila Sunrise was way too sweet.

Our waiter, David, wasn’t as knowledgeable about the bar as he was the menu. The menu changes daily depending on the seafood shipment. It’s a la carte. I didn’t know there were so many kinds of oysters. David deftly guided us through the selections. I told him to order for us. My favorites were the Kumamotos, Netarts and Blue Points. I don’t think I can eat oysters at Vinnie’s again.

We also had sashimi-style yellowfin tuna and lump crabcakes with little breading. Don’t make this mistake: Macaroni and cheese and sashimi tuna are not a good combination. We ordered the asparagus, but it was on steroids and flavorless.

For dessert we had the Baked Alaska, which was good and huge. I realized I don’t like creme brulee.

Like I said, I like Oceanaire, but can’t afford it. What are some of your favorite affordable seafood restaurants in Charlotte?

Feast to Famine

Daddy Jameson wasn't as happy with the Culinary Arts Experience this
year. It was a scaled-down event. We noticed the difference when we
approached Gateway Village's promenade for the sold-out preview gala on
Friday. I didn't realize how much smaller the festival would be without
the Blues, Brews & BBQ component. The
festival was contained in the promenade area. Last year, it stretched
down Trade Street, with cooking stations in the streets and a mini
farmer's market, along with a huge wine area near the Doubletree hotel.

The promenade area was pleasantly full. We zipped through short lines
for food samples from restaurants and wine samples from wineries. We
wanted to get a martini, but the line was way too long. The martini area
was the most fun, with people chanting and getting rowdy like they would
at a bar.

My dad lingered around a small cooking demonstration station near Fifth
Street. He tried sashimi tuna for the first time, while my mom and I
sampled more food. Both of them tried Ethiopian food for the first time
and loved it.

My folks, especially my mom, were happy with Friday's event, but Dad was
disappointed Saturday. Last year, he bought tokens to sample food from
local restaurants, but he also ate lots of free food cooked on the main stage. Apparently, last year students cooked
the dishes that the celebrity chefs prepared on the main stage.
Volunteers walked the samples around to the crowd, and handed out recipe
cards. That didn't happen this year.

The VIP after-party was smaller as well. Last year, it was on top of a
parking deck and included a live band. This year, it was indoors and
featured a DJ. I liked the DJ, who spun funky house music. My parents
preferred the live band. We finished the night at Cedar Street Tavern
with chicken wings and burgers.

Daddy Jameson said he's not sure if he's coming back for the Culinary
Arts Experience next year. I told him organizers would probably tweak
the event some more, and I would keep him posted. Mom said she wants to
come back.

What did you think of this year's Culinary Arts Experience? Post your reply below.

Hurray beer

When we hopped off the bus at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, my heart
sank. The line to get inside Charlotte Oktoberfest snaked down the
Seventh Street side of the stadium and around to the Kings Drive side. My
friend Key, who drove down from Maryland, reminded us that the line was
long last year, but moved quickly. We trudged to the back, and about 45
minutes later we were inside.
Me, Big Sexy, Key, Bubbles, Ant and Q grabbed our glasses and
headed to the middle of the field. Last year, we darted through lines and
tasted as many beers as we could as fast as we could, then finished
with a tour of the brew tents. This year, we started with a tour led by
Carolina Brewmasters club president Todd Bowman. Under his tutelage, we
sampled stouts, ales and pilsners. Our favorites were Duck Rabbit's Milk
Stout, Ommegang's Three Philosophers and Pauwel’s Kwak. Bowman explained
how beer is made and the differences in styles, and he reminded us that good
beer should not be drank ice-cold. It freezes your taste buds. He said to
let beer warm to fully experience all of the flavors.
After the tour, we made a dash for the bathroom and then
grabbed some food. Our only choices were sausages, hotdogs, funnel cakes
and pizza. They need more food vendors. After eating, Big Sexy and Key
were done for the day. Me, Bubbles, Ant and Q hit up some more beer
stands.
Memorial Stadium is a new location for the beer festival that
quickly outgrew its home in NoDa when it moved there two years ago.
This is the first year the festival has sold out in advance. People walked
through the line on Saturday looking to buy tickets. Along with the
breweries, there was a game area with table tennis, Cornhole, foosball
and more.
We headed to the stage to watch BabyBlack, who performed Outkast’s
"Ms. Jackson," Ohio Player’s "Love Rollercoaster" and Alien Ant Farm's
version of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal." They had people up and
dancing. I’d like to see them again. By the time we decided to make our
last rounds of the tents, the crowd started getting rowdy. One group was
yelling “Ole! Ole! Ole! Ole!” a soccer chant. (Don’t ask me why.)
Another guy had gotten too playful and threw his beer on his friend.
Another couple of guys shotgunned beers.
I liked that organizers moved to the larger, grassier
Memorial Stadium, and capped attendance at 5,000. It wasn’t too crowded
and there were plenty of areas to sit and rest. But the festival needs
more food vendors and a second entrance.
Did you go to Charlotte Oktoberfest? What did you think about
the new location? About the festival? Post your replies below.

Rakim changed the game

Rakim finally stepped onto the stage at Amos' Southend early Saturday morning wearing a white towel underneath a white doo rag and a baseball cap. He looked small standing on stage, but when he put the microphone to his lips, he looked like a hip-hop giant. The 800 or so fans waved their arms and screamed.

Fans packed the club's stage area and upstairs balcony. Fans were hungry to see the hip-hop legend. He gave them an unforgettable show. Rakim unleashed his signature flows, such as "Don't Sweat the Technique," "Ain't No Joke," "Microphone Fiend" and "Paid in Full." Some eager fans surged forward trying to get closer to the stage. Others chilled in the back. Most everyone sang along to his most popular cuts. The only drawback was that he had too much filler -- throw-your-hands-in-the-air-type stuff -- between cuts. It felt like he didn't have enough material to carry the show. Fans didn't mind. Some had been waiting since 10:30 p.m., so by the time he took the stage at 1 a.m., they were just glad to see him do his thing.

Other highlights from Friday night's show were DJ Kid Capri and Raleigh's DJ Brorabb cutting up the wax, and Minneapolis rapper Brother Ali. His flow is catchy, rugged but still smooth, and his beats are blazing. If you ever get a chance to see him, he's worth checking out. He recently performed on the Atmosphere Tour. www.myspace.com/brotherali.

Be sure to get on the email list for www.thesoulmovement.com. They've got a big show coming up that they can't announce yet. Also, hit up the Paid to Party: For Yo' Ear podcast on Wednesdsay to hear my interview with Rakim.

Did you go to the show? What did you think? Post your replies below.

Goodbye Athens

The two young women sat in their booth, quietly talking. Behind them, a table full of drunk guys talked about them loudly. The girls, obviously a couple, ignored the guys, which made the drunks even more obnoxious.
One of the women couldn’t take it anymore. She grabbed her cup, walked over to the table and threw it at one of the guys. Good for you, I thought.
Stories like that are why I often went to Athens after a night of club-hopping. The food was average and so was the service, but the people were anything but average. You never knew what or who you would see at the diner, and that’s what made it so fun.
The only guarantees were a long wait for food, and that you’d go home smelling like smoke if you didn’t already.
If you missed Jeff Elder's story in Saturday’s Observer, the venerable diner closes on Sunday at 3 p.m. CPCC has plans for it. The owners hope to find a new location. I hope they do it.
The closing of Athens hasn’t received nearly the same amount of outcry as the Coffee Cup, which is unfortunate. Athens has as much character, devotion and history as the Coffee Cup. Maybe Athens isn't getting the same love because it caters to the scary people who don’t go out until midnight. I don’t know, but I do know the city is losing yet another place that adds grungy character to our shiny city.
What’s your favorite story about Athens? Post your replies below.

Step into the 21st Century

When I lived in Rock Hill in the mid-'90s, I drove to Charlotte on Sundays to watch football at Bw-3s, on Woodlawn Road. During football season, beer and chicken wings are mandatory on Sunday afternoons. I would've liked to enjoy my beer and wings at a Rock Hill sportsbar, but restaurants can't serve beer and wine on Sundays.

On Nov. 7, people who live in Rock Hill can help their city step into the 21st century and approve a referendum that would allow Sunday alcohol sales. Imagine, waking up on Sunday, and meeting a few friends for brunch at a restaurant in Rock Hill. Imagine being able to watch the Panthers at a sports bar in Rock Hill instead of driving to Charlotte. Imagine being able to feel like you're not 30 years behind the rest of the world.

Rock Hill businesses support the move because they say it will mean increased revenue. Mayor Doug Echols supports the referendum as well. Predictably, some pastors are against the idea because Sunday is the Sabbath.

I'm all for honoring people's religious beliefs as long as it doesn't affect me. Allowing Sunday alcohol sales in Rock Hill means the people will have a choice: drink or not to drink.

I hope the referendum passes. I also hope we can move both states forward several light years and eventually get Sunday liquor sales at the ABC stores. That would be progress.

Post your thoughts below.

The Wire -- I'm my own brand

Omar’s coming! Omar’s coming!

Did you see how folks scattered when Omar walked down the street wearing
his bathrobe to get a box of cereal? I’m not sure if I like Omar because
he’s a bad muthashutyomouth or if it’s because he always drops street
knowledge.

My favorite Omar wisdom was when he told his young apprentice that he wanted people to know he was the one
robbing them because he was his own brand. Bold.

I also like watching Michael wrestle with wanting a better life than the one
streets and schools of Baltimore have to offer, but also succumbing to
the corner that puts money in his pockets. Doesn’t he remind you of a
young Michael Corleone?

I’m going tell you though, last night’s ending still haunts me. My mom
is a middle school principal, my girl is a middle school teacher. I know
“The Wire” is a TV show, but watching a girl slit another girl's face
with a razor shook me. It bothered me so much because I know there are many kids walking around
angry enough to do that to a fellow student, teacher or to themselves.

If you haven't been watching, you can catch it on Friday when HBO will air the first three episodes starting at 8 p.m.

What did you think about last night’s episode? Also, is having Russell Simmons' "Def Comedy Jam" follow "The Wire" the worst pairing ever? Post your replies below.

Who's Bad is Bad

When Larken Egleston invited me to Elevate's "End of Summer Social," featuring a Michael Jackson tribute band, I was skeptical. He hyped the group. I'm a huge Michael Jackson fan, but I figured Who's Bad? (www.whosbadmusic.com/home.shtml) was going to be cheesy like Elvis impersonators. They weren't.

Not nearly enough people got to see that for themselves. On Thursday night, promoters Mike Kitchen and Thomas Washington, Sony records rep Tone Capone and I joined about 50 other people who showed up at Amos' Southend.

Those of us who were there had a great time. Men and women danced and sang along as the six-piece band, with Brandon Lee as Michael Jackson, cranked out "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough," "Human Nature," “Rock With You" and more. Lee wore high-water black pants, white tube socks, black loafers and a white T-shirt. He wasted no time doing signature Jackson steps -- the Moonwalk, the spins, the crotch-grab and the toe-stand. He also sounded like Jackson.

The band was bad, too. It had a horn section. A horn section! The group jammed and had fun on stage, doing dances as well. During one song the saxophone and the trumpet player joined Lee in the center to do a choreographed Jackson 5-style dance. (Remember the one where they stand in a line facing the side of the stage and they put their hands on each other shoulders and that camel-like motion with their neck?) During another, the trumpet player and Lee did the Kid 'N Play kick-hop one-leg dance.

If the group comes back again, you've got to see them. Next time, I hope the promoters do it up big with a Michael Jackson lookalike contest, a costume contest and a dance contest.

Amos' brings a lot of tribute bands, and I'll admit I rarely see any of them. What are some of your favorite tribute bands that have performed here? Post your replies below.

Slam dancing with the Rev.

Standing in the middle of the dancefloor at the Visulite Theater, the soles of black boots headed toward my face. I stepped back. Two drunk guys tried to lift another drunk guy in the air so he could body-surf over the dozens of people dancing in the Visulite’s pit during the Reverend Horton Heat’s performance on Thursday. They couldn’t get their friend into the air, so they put him on the floor. He stood up and resumed slamming into other dancers.
I’ve never been to a Reverend Horton Heat performance, and was surprised to see the several slam dancers I’ve encountered at the Milestone. I never thought of psychobilly (alternative rockabilly) music as a setting for a mosh pit.
Less exuberant, but enthusiastic fans, danced without hitting someone else. They thrust beers into the air or waved their empty hands and sang to all of the Rev.’s songs about drugs, cars and booze.

Hip-hop fans have more sex

Hip-hop haters, you'll love this:

Fans of hip-hop music are likely to have had more sexual partners in the last five years, while many of those who prefer classical strains will have tried cannabis, according to a new study.

Psychologist Adrian North from the University of Leicester surveyed 2,500 Britons to find out how their musical tastes related to their lifestyles and interests.

Almost 38 percent of hip-hop devotees and 29 percent of dance music fans were more likely to have had more than one sexual partner in the last five years, compared to just 1.5 percent of country music fans. However, they were also more likely to have broken the law, with more than 50 percent of both hip-hop and dance music lovers admitting committing a criminal act.

Meanwhile, a quarter of classical music fans have tried cannabis, while 12 percent of those who liked opera had experimented with magic mushrooms.

North wants to recruit 10,000 people for a wider study (details: www.musicaltastetest.com).

So, hip-hop haters, I'm sure this confirms all of your assumptions about the vileness of hip-hop music. But what’s up with the classical and opera fans smoking weed and eating 'shrooms?

What's up in Charlotte? Hip-hop fans -- have you really been that sexually active? Country fans -- are you really that conservative? Actually, is having more than one sexual partner in the last five years a bad thing?

The Wire - Week 2

Aw shucks! Omar is coming back to "The Wire." He is my favorite homothug ever!

Wasn't that so cute when Bubbles tried to register his young apprentice for high school? I loved the idea of Bubbles, an addict, trying to mentor a teenager and also trying to expand his pushcart business. He sells everything from white T-shirts to paint cans.

I'm curious to see what's going to become of Michael, the teenager who wouldn't take Marlo's money. Michael is fighting to be his own man in a neighborhood where fists, guns and money define manhood.

I really like this season's emphasis on the young kids. Although the show is fiction, it's loosely based on real events. It's an eye-opening reminder that the lock-'em-up mentality won't solve the drug or crime problems in Baltimore, Charlotte or elsewhere. And for some kids, No Child Left Behind is simply a slogan -- not their reality.

If you haven't seen "The Wire: Connected" and "The Wire: The Game," you should. They both give a behind-the-scenes look at the veracity of some of this season's storylines. They also feature interviews with various cast members, many of whom were as criminal in real life as they are on the show.