By Shawn D. Allison, II
Greetings Brothers and Sisters! This is a very important weekend for us—it is PRIDE Magazine’s 25th Anniversary! So I need everyone to show your love by grabbing the newest issue on newsstands, spreading the word, grab some tickets to our celebration tomorrow and keep the PRIDE spirit alive! Also, if you see yours truly or any of our wonderful staff out and about this weekend, don’t hesitate to show us some love too! In addition to the awards ceremony, here’s some more dopeness going down this weekend on the “Hot List!”
- THURSDAY-SUNDAY – Rory D. Sheriff’s “Boys To Baghdad” at Spirit Square
- THURSDAY-SUNDAY – Queen’s Feast Charlotte Restaurant Week
- FRIDAY – 2018 PRIDE Awards & 25th Anniversary Celebration at The Westin Charlotte
- FRIDAY – The Sound Christian Open Mic at The Third Place
- FRIDAY – Reggae Game Night at FLO Bar & Lounge
- SATURDAY – Arts & Science Council’s 2018 Connect With Culture Day
- SATURDAY – SSS Movement’s Kingdom Networking Meeting
- SATURDAY – SAE Productions’ Pop-Up & Brunch Social at Venue @ 1801
- SATURDAY — KNKY Deli WandaRen Style #HouseOfWakanda Pop-Up at Camp North End
- SATURDAY – Su Casa – The January Edition at Petra’s
- SUNDAY — The Petty, Pretty & Prosperous Vendor Fair at Advent COworking
- SUNDAY – New Era Music House presents “Sun Dipped in Black”
If you would like your event to be listed in “The Rundown” please send a detailed e-mail to me at: sdallison85@yahoo.com
——-THURSDAY, JANUARY 25——-
All of you cuisine connoisseurs, dining dons and divas get ready to fulfill your appetites because it’s time for the Queen’s Feast Charlotte Restaurant Week! Come diversify your palates with a choice of over 130 participating restaurants in the Charlotte metro area. No tickets are required, however reservations are recommended. The full list of participating restaurants and additional info is found here: http://www.charlotterestaurantweek.com/.
Everyone come and get all 360 degrees of your being filled with art at the January Uptown Crawl! All of Uptown Charlotte’s art treasures will be open for the general public this evening and you’ll get an opportunity to scour and scope art at The Gantt Center, Mint Museum Uptown, New Gallery of Modern Art, Sozo Gallery, McColl Center, UNCC Center City and The Levine Museum of the New South. You’ll be able to begin the tour at any of the featured institutions, then travel freely between the stops by foot, trolley, or bike. Each stop on the tour will feature a special look at the art held within. Admission is FREE! All venues and museums are in the Uptown area and will begin at 6 p.m.
Also at The McColl Center for Art + Innovation, it’s time for the first Open House of 2018! The start of an artist residency season here at McColl Center is always a time for celebration. Open House is your opportunity to meet our new artists-in-residence in their studios and get a first look at their Spring exhibitions. The new artists-in-residence are Xenobia Bailey, Juan William Chavez, Bethany Collins, Javier de Frutos, Julio Gonzalez, Marion Wilson and Jody Wood. There will be a cash bar and live entertainment provided by The Harvey Cummings Project. FREE admission. 6 p.m. 721 N. Tryon St. in Uptown.
The brilliant Rory D. Sheriff returns to Spirit Square once again to present is acclaimed stage play, “Boys to Baghdad!” It’s a story intertwining Sheriff’s creativity, personal life experiences and militarized dramatic circumstances that highlight a battalion of soldiers who eventually become a band of brothers. The men encounter a series of obstacles and conflict and learn to set aside differences to fight for the common good. Performance dates and times and ticket purchases can be found here: http://www.carolinatix.org/events/detail/boys-to-baghdad-1. All performances will be held at the Duke Energy Theatre. 345 N. College St. in Uptown.
——FRIDAY, JANUARY 26——-
The wait is over—it’s time for the 2018 Pride Awards! This annual gala honors those who are committed to making a difference in our community. For today’s theme, “Cheers to 25 Years”, Pride Communications Founder and Chairwoman Dee Dixon and Editor-In-Chief Lashawnda Becoats invites you to celebrate this quarter-of-a-century milestone with a luncheon and honoring one of Charlotte’s millennials in a special “Conversation With the Generations.” Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.pridemagazineonline.com/pride-awards/. Reception begins at 11 a.m. and the ceremony will start at 12 noon. The event will be held at The Westin Charlotte. 601 S. College St. in Uptown. #CLTPrideAwards #CheersTo25Years
Ladies, I’ve got something special for you on this Friday night! Join my dear and beautiful friend Myra Foster of BlkOwnedCLT as she hosts “Women, Wine & Wealth” this evening. Bring all your friends and come out to build solid relationships with other women as you all discuss wealth building principles, investment opportunities, legacy building and all things pertaining to finances. Admission is $10 per person and there will be wine and refreshments served. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/women-wine-wealth-tickets-41972979311. The event will be held at Black Diamond Firearms & Training Facility starting at 7 p.m. 311 W. 24th St. in the NoDa District. #BlkOwnedCLT
Relax at The Third Place this evening and get ready for the 2018 return of The Sound Christian Open Mic! Calling all singers, MCs, instrumentalists, poets, comedians and artists of various avenues come out to showcase your talents for a family-friendly audience honoring The Most High! Admission is $5 per person. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. The Third Place is located at 1609 E. 5th St. in Uptown.
The good people of the Single, Saved & Serious Movement invite you out to the Grier Heights Community Center as they host their SSS Talk – Roundtable Discussion & Potluck this evening! SSS goes back to its roots and main focus–roundtable discussions about topics important to today’s singles. The goal is helping singles navigate a harsh world with these conversations. Open and honest, but always backed by God’s Word, these talks cover issues in today’s dating scene, so that the single woman or man of God is fully equipped to walk in confidence, faith and love. There will also be loads of games to play and some delicious food available. Admission is $5. The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. Grier Heights Community Center is located at 3100 Leroy St.
Get ready to be geeked out with laughter as Theatre Charlotte proudly presents, “The Nerd!” By the author of The Foreigner, it brims with funny bits and pieces inspired by “The Man Who Came to Dinner”, “Arsenic & Old Lace”, “George Washington Slept Here”, and even “The Three Stooges.” The play is free from any purpose other than reducing the audience to laughter. “The Nerd” is the stuff of one-liners, non-sequiturs and lots of physical comedy, but with a heartwarming storyline. Thirty-four year old Willum Cubbert is at a crossroads. He is not exactly failing at life, more like going through the motions. But things get exciting when an old army buddy arrives uninvited at his doorstep just as he is hosting a dinner party for an important business client. With suitcase and bad manners in tow, his friend not only crashes the party, but throws Willum’s life into complete chaos. And as might be surmised, hilarity ensues. To see all performance times and dates and to purchase tickets, please visit this link: http://theatrecharlotte.org/1718thenerd.shtml. Theatre Charlotte is located at 501 Queens Rd. in the Cherry Neighborhood.
People, get ready for the 2018 return of the I Am Her Concert Series at The Morehead Tavern this evening! Join host and songstress D’Yenna Dukes as she brings the house down with her powerful vocals and warms up the stage for featured performers Joi James, Ashley Smith, Lauren Palaire, Miss Abdullah, Kieosha and a special set from DJ PahRi to get the crowd hype! Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/i-am-her-concert-series-tickets-42333484592. Showtime is at 8 p.m. The Morehead Tavern is located at 300 E. Morehead St. in Uptown.
OutenLove Events invites you and your crew out to FLO Bar & Lounge for Reggae Game Night! Get your groove on with a “fiyah” selection of Reggae and Dancehall tunes and test your gaming skills with life-size Jenga, life-size Connect Four, Uno, Spades and much more! There will be $5 drink specials all night long. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reggae-adult-game-night-tickets-42529761662. The event will begin at 8 p.m. at FLO Bar & Lounge. 440 E. McCullough Dr. in the University Area. #OutenLoveEvents
Charlotte Nightlife Entertainment and Vibrations Night Club is ready to put some funk in your work week finale as they proudly present “Go-Go 4th Fridays!” Get your feet busy as the sounds of Uptown Swagga and the infamous DJ K.L. sets the stage on fire with some hot grooves! Tickets are $10 each. Doors open at 9 p.m. Vibrations is located at 5237 Albemarle Rd.
Join Prive Charlotte and The Sol Kitchen as they put some flair in your Friday night with “Finesse!” After you all witness the Charlotte Hornets sting the Atlanta Hawks on the court, head over to Suite and get ready to party with The 1st Lady of Atlanta and Hot 107.9’s DJ Princess Cut along with Charlotte’s own DJ Loui Vee cooking up something serious on the 1s and 2s! Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/finesse-tickets-42218266973. The event will begin at 9:30 p.m. Suite is located at 210 E. Trade St. in Uptown. #PriveCLT #TheSolKitchen
——-SATURDAY, JANUARY 27——-
The African American Genealogy Interest Group (AAGIG) invites you out to Friendship Missionary Baptist Church for a special Genealogy Workshop this morning! These classes which are geared towards Black people will explore basic and advanced research, sources, technology, DNA, land and probate records, records of enslaved people, Freedmen Bureau records and publishing of documents pertaining to researching our ancestors of yesteryear. The mission of the group is to promote the preservation of family histories. The cost is $12 per person for lunch and workbook. Each table will show resources and work of community groups. The session will begin at 9 a.m. 3400 Beatties Ford Rd.
BLKTECHCLT invites you out to their new headquarters for the first installment of their Learning Lab series. This series is a monthly workshop connecting entrepreneurs to resources in the Queen City. This month’s workshop is led by Carolina Small Business Development Fund. In this workshop you will learn some key pointers: (1) How to develop three-year growth projections for your business. (2) Create a comprehensive business strategy to drive sales and revenue. (3) Develop a spending plan to stay on track with your business. (4) Learn the ins and outs of applying to the BLKTECHCLT Fund. The instructor for this session is Enovia Bedford, CSBDF. Admission is $15 per person and the tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/blktechclt-learning-lab-preparing-for-funding-tickets-42110981078. The class will begin at 10 a.m. BLKTECHCLT HQ is located at 1824 Statesville Ave. at Camp North End. #BlkTechClt
Ladies, join People Power Brokers this morning at NoDa@28th Creative Arts Studio for a special social entitled “Real Women, Real Talk.” Come and hear a bevy of beauties give some insight on how to improve your lives in various areas. There will also be a number of local vendors, free giveaways, swag bags and much more! Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/real-women-real-talk-tickets-41573120322. The event will begin at 11 a.m. NoDa@28th Creative Arts Studio is located at 2424 N. Davidson St. in the NoDa District.
Calling all comic book enthusiasts—everyone put on your capes, masks and utility belts and fly down to Charlotte MiniCon! Charlotte MiniCon is Charlotte’s longest running comic convention and they are poised to stay true to their roots. With a high concentration of vintage comics and some awesome local comic creators, authors and illustrators you’ll be sure to feel powered up and ready to destroy your nemesis! It’s all brought to you by Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find. It will be a great time for the whole family and wear your costumes to add more fun to your experience. Admission is FREE for children and $5 for adults. Tickets can be purchased at the door or here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/charlotte-minicon-2018-tickets-41630050602. The event will begin at 11 a.m. at The Grady Cole Center. 310 N. Kings Dr. in Uptown.
Ladies, enjoy an afternoon of sisterhood at 8.2.0 Bar & Restaurant and come out for the 2018 Dear Sister CLT Brunch! This is an annual celebratory brunch created for women that seek to inspire, empower, and gain knowledge with other women in various areas of life. This forward focus brunch will also toast to a purpose driven productive year as the women set goals, network, and fellowship. There will be several guest speakers giving some inspirational nuggets for you to absorb. You and fellow attendees will enjoy a buffet-style brunch, specialty cocktails sponsored by Jack Daniels and music from a special guest DJ to keep the spirits high! The event will be hosted by Power 98’s own “The Girl Next Door” Ms. Jessica! Tickets can be purchased here: https://dear-sister-clt-brunch-2018.ticketleap.com/dear-sister-clt-brunch-2018/. The event will begin at 12 noon. 8.2.0 Bar & Restaurant is located at 820 Hamilton St.
The good people at Liberate Your Palate CLT return with another midday banger as they proudly present the Daytime Brunch Cocktail Class! Brunch cocktails will never be the same. Leave the vodka and OJ at home, and indulge in a three course brunch pairing class. In this two-hour session, they will redefine the art of midday cocktails by putting a twist on classic favorites. They will cover mixing, muddling, garnishing, making your own sour mix and lots more! You will leave here with a wide range of drink ideas for your next get-together at home (or the bar). Tickets can be purchased here: http://www.liberateyourpalate.com/passbook?category=COCKTAIL%20CLASS. The session will begin at 12 noon at Nest Restaurant & Bar. 505 E. 6th St. in Uptown. #LiberateYourPalateCLT
Calling all churches, outreach ministries, nonprofits, creative ministers of the arts and entrepreneurs—my dear friends of the Single Saved & Serious Movement invites you out to Hawthorne’s NY Pizza & Bar for the Kingdom Networking Meeting! This is a time to share projects, artistic endeavors, service announcements, business developments, community initiatives all while making faith-based strides to provide better ethical standards for our community. Also, if you have a talent that you’d like to share for the attendees, the floor is open for you as well. Admission is FREE and the event will begin at 1 p.m. 6125 Old Post Rd. #SSSMoves
Join SAE Productions at Venue 1801 for a very special Pop-Up & Brunch social this afternoon! Gather all of your friends and come out for an afternoon of food, fellowship, shopping, networking and community building. There will be an abundance of local vendors and a mighty delicious brunch menu provided by the lovely Sharelle Curinton—trust me, the food is the bomb! There will also be opportunities to showcase your own business and ventures as well. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pop-up-shop-networking-brunch-tickets-41289235214. The event will begin at 1 p.m. Venue 1801 is located at 1801 N. Tryon St.
The beautiful, bold and brilliant Kinky Thought invites you out to Camp North End for the KNKY Deli WandaRen Style #HouseOfWakanda Pop-Up! In the spirit of Black flyness and the upcoming blockbuster Marvel’s “Black Panther”, DMV-based designer Wanda Nowlin presents this exhibition of some exquisite, distinguished and unique garments for men and women. Garments will be displayed by some special guest models. You’ll also get to have your measurements taken and place customized orders that’ll arrive to your humble abode in a Black flash! Admission is FREE but please be sure to RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/knky-deli-presents-wandaren-style-houseofwakanda-pop-up-registration-42166559314. The event will begin at 2 p.m. Camp North End is located at 1824 Statesville Ave.
Young ladies, I got something special lined up for you! The beautiful queens of Covered Girls, Inc. invite you and your parents out for an afternoon of fun, networking, empowerment and more! Their upcoming 2018 season is nearing kickoff and they are looking for 15 teen girls (ages 12-17) to be a part of this group. There will be goodies bags, giveaways, light refreshments and details about the program. Please be sure to register at: http://www.coveredinc.org/covered-girls. The event will begin at 2 p.m. and will be held at Project 658. 3646 Central Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood District.
Sophia Renee Productions in conjunction with S.T.A.N.D & Faith, Hope & Victory Christian Church invites you and your entire family out for a very special visual art performance entitled, “MY Black Is…..2018” this evening! Join them and your fellow community members for an evening of reflection, discovery and redirection as you celebrate the contributions of African Americans in history. Filled with songs, dance and much more, you’ll be sure to keep that clenched fist in the air! Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/my-black-is2018-tickets-41034316746. The event will begin at 5 p.m. at Lancaster High School. 617 Normandy Rd. in nearby Lancaster.
The Arts & Science Council is proud and pleased to present to you “Connect With Culture Day.” Everyone is invited to join in all the fun and to explore diverse and multisensory arts, science and history experiences all across Charlotte! Best thing about today is that all admissions, experiences and museums are FREE! Be sure to check out all time, location and info listings for events here: http://www.artsandscience.org/programs/for-community/connect-culture-day/.
This evening, join the Guerilla Poets and several other cool cats for “ENCORE! Open Mic!” at The Last Word. Every 4th Saturday of the month, gather ‘round as various and diverse individuals engage an open mic with song, poetry and riveting visual artwork. This is a love-filled atmosphere and if you are the drawing/painting type, I strongly suggest this event for you! Admission is FREE and the love starts at 7 p.m. The Last Word is located at 5744 N. Tryon St. #GuerillaPoets
Jazz N’ Soul Music has got something special lined up for you on this Saturday night—everyone come down to The Morehead Tavern for some Memphis Blues featuring The Garry Burnside Band with Beverly Davis! Charlotte get ready to experience the Mississippi River melodies of not one, but two Grammy-nominated Blues artists! Garry, a gifted bassist and lead guitarist can pluck the strings so fast that his hand creates an animated motion while in tune. Beverly Davis’ voice is as classically rich as the late Koko Taylor with a strong range of Aretha Franklin. Do not miss this show! Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-garry-burnside-band-featuring-beverly-davis-electric-mississippi-and-memphis-blues-and-soul-tickets-41492780022. There will be two performances this evening: 7 and 10 p.m. The Morehead Tavern is located at 300 E. Morehead St. in Uptown.
Charlotte, spend your Saturday night at Stats Restaurant & Bar and join Awesom Entertainment, Inc. as they proudly welcome The Legendary DJ Kool spinning live! That’s right, Mr. “Let Me Clear My Throat” is back with his everlasting energy as he drops some classic Hip Hop, R&B, Funk and his hometown D.C. Go-Go for you to boogie to and be sure to feel more DMV flavor for Baltimore’s own DJ Shaun Nyce aka “The Blend King”! Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-legendary-dj-kool-stats-restaurant-bar-tickets-42205586044. The party starts at 9 p.m. Stats Restaurant & Bar is located at 3425 David Cox Rd. in the Northlake Area.
Get ready for the first “monthly oasis for the culturally starved” of 2018 at “Su Casa – The January Edition!” Join host Jasiatic along with resident turntablists DJ Justice and DJ Steel Wheel with Loot-Tenant Trax as they provide all the best of Afrobeat, Latin, Soca, Funk, Soul, Rare Grooves, Caribbean and more indigenous jams to dance to! Also be sure to get your face painted by Catherine, cop some fly threads and accessories from vendors and just have a good time! $10 admission. The party starts at 10 p.m. at Petra’s. 1919 Commonwealth Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood District.
——-SUNDAY, JAUNARY 28——-
Ladies, I’ve got something special for you on this Sunday! Gather all your homegirls and come out to the The Petty, Pretty & Prosperous Vendor Fair! Shop small with local vendors, hear some thoughts from some local bloggers, business owners, network and indulge in lots more! The event will be hosted by the lovely Nita Faust with a special guest appearance by our favorite cousin, the beautiful BasicallyiBlog Tah! Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-petty-pretty-and-prosperous-vendor-fair-tickets-39254654729. The event will begin at 12 noon at Advent Coworking. 933 Louise Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood District.
Parents, bring your youth and their creativity out to The Last Word this afternoon for a fun painting session entitled, “Art From the Heart: Paintopia.” Noted artist and my friend Christopher Clarke will provide his instruction and passion for providing your youth with a creative and educational outlet. Each child gets their own canvas to paint and keep, an easel, and a huge selection of materials that are sure to excite! Also, parents, you can participate too! Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.paypal.me/artfromtheheart. The class begins at 1:30 p.m. The Last Word is located at 5744 N. Tryon St.
AlphaMale Nailcare invites you out Sophia’s Lounge for the inaugural session of the all-new Satire Sunday Book Club Meetup! Come and be part of this cool, co-ed literary lounge as you all will sit down chat, laugh and discuss the newly-released book “The Last Black Unicorn” by comedienne and actress Tiffany Haddish. You will also get to meet and greet guest author Mario Prioleau. Admission is FREE but please be sure to RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/satire-sunday-bookclub-meetup-registration-42239990950. The event will begin at 3 p.m. Sophia’s Lounge is located at 127 N. Tryon St., Suite “D”.
Feel the need for classic tunes on a Sunday afternoon? Head down to The Morehead Tavern and get ready to experience the Charlotte Jazz Orchestra! Join the finest classically trained, innovative, jazz musicians in the QC playing upbeat traditional Jazz, Bossa Nova, Big Band and Swing! Admission is FREE and be sure to arrive early for dance lessons. The music starts at 4 p.m. 300 E. Morehead St. in Uptown.
New Era Music House is bringing some new hotness into the atmosphere this Sunday—come out and experience the all-new Sun Dipped In Black social! Before your work week gets into gear, come get your mind, body and soul right with some poetry, massages, holistic lifestyle tips, natural hair care discussions, food (vegan options will be available) and local vendors to the soundtrack of your favorite neo-soul, R&B and jazz jams! Admission is $5 per person and the experience begins at 5 p.m. New Era Music House is located at 5814 Old Concord Rd. #NewEraMusicHouse
For some true adult fun, head over to The Peace Pipe this evening for “Potions & Pixels: Video Games, Board Games and Community.” There will be a wide variety of multiplayer games from all eras and for all skill levels. From Mario Kart, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Super Smash Bros., Love Letter, Click Clack Lumberjack and more! Admission is only $5 per person. Be sure to bring all of your friends to increase the fun! The games begin at 7 p.m. The Peace Pipe is located at 204 W. Woodlawn Rd., Suite “H”. #PotionsAndPixels
COMING SOON…
2/3 – Gantt Center Community Exhibition Opening
2/3 – Off The Wall Annual J-Dilla Tribute
2/3 – 2018 Queen City Black Business Expo
2/8 – “Honestly” Tour featuring Lalah Hathaway
2/10 – Love That Lasts: Valentine’s Gala
2/15 – Intergalactic Soul
2/16-2/17 – The Blackest Weekend Ever & “Black Panther” Premiere
2/24 — The Males Place: All Black Tie Dinner & Gala
2/24 — 2018 Queen City Black Heritage Festival
2/26 – 3/3 – 2018 CIAA Tournament Celebration
3/9 – “The Livest One” 7th Annual Notorious B.I.G. & Bad Boy Tribute
Enjoy your weekend family! Peace & Blessings to you.
Live. Laugh. Love. Learn. Listen. Give.
#WeekendWarrior #TheBlackFerrisBueller #CommunityFirst