The Rundown: Things to do Thursday, September 1 – Sunday, September 4

By Shawn D. Allison, II

Shawn Allison shares all the places you'll wanna be in the Queen City.
Shawn Allison shares all the places you’ll wanna be in the Queen City.

What’s goin’ on Brothers & Sisters? We are now in the month of September and to kick off the near end of summer, I got another weekend jam-packed full of cultural goodness! But if you want to know what’s on my personal agenda for this weekend, peep my “Hot List” just below!

  • Thursday–On Q Productions Evening With Paul Carter Harrison
  • Friday—Radio Rehab Carolinas “The I Love Music Series”
  • Friday—Diasopora: The Afro Latino Edition
  • Saturday—Hip Hop Orchestrated
  • Saturday—The Big Heist: The Ol’ Skool Retreat
  • Sunday—Off The Wall: The Annual Michael Jackson Tribute

——-THURSDAY 9/1——-

To kick off their, 10 year anniversary, OnQ proudly welcomes you to An Evening With Paul Carter Harrison as he curates on the theme, “Redefining Black Theater.” Music will be provided by The Harvey Cummings Project and light hors d’oeuvres will be also be available. Tickets can be purchased at: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/onq-presents-an-evening-with-paul-carter-harrison-tickets-27165308168?aff=efbevent. The event will be held at The Foundation of the Carolinas starting at 6 p.m. 220 N. Tryon St. in Uptown. #OnQ

Kick off your Thursday evening in an island-themed cool down known as “Red, Red Wine.” Join S. Kehinde & DJ Corporate at Vin Master Wine Lounge. Enjoy great drink specials and let the sounds of Caribbean, Reggae, African, Soca and Lover’s Rock tunes soothe you. Admission is FREE. 6 p.m. Vin Master Wine Lounge is located at 2000 South Blvd. in Historic South End.

Ladies, join Ms. Nekie Boyd at Freshwater’s Restaurant this evening as she hosts the Boss Lady Global InfoShare Networking Event.  Bring your business cards, a smile, a positive attitude, an appetite and get ready to make a difference! Admission to this event is FREE. RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boss-lady-global-infosharenetworking-event-every-thursday-6pm-9pm-tickets-20924023317?aff=es2. The event begins at 6 p.m. Freshwater’s Restaurant is located at 516 N. Graham St. in Uptown.

 Join Christian Life Coach, Tina L. Jones and fellow Pride Magazine contributor, and Certified Professional Life Coach Eddie D. Love as they host Therapy Thursdays @ Bar Louie.” Admission is FREE to attend. The event begins at 7 p.m. Bar Louie is located at 8760 J.M. Keynes Dr. in the University Area.

——FRIDAY 9/2——-

Get your Labor Day weekend started family-style at the annual Matthews Alive Festival! Rides, vendors, arts performances and exhibits, health screenings, fellowship, arts and crafts, nonstop fun and live music including live jazz performances from Jmichael Peeples, Terence Young and Gino Castillo!  6 p.m. and will run all the way through Monday (9/5). Come out and enjoy yourselves and be festive! All events will be at Stumptown Park which is located at 200 S. Trade St. in Historic Downtown Matthews.

People, it’s time for another evening of fine-tuned music and art at The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art tonight! Join in-house band, The Ziad Jazz Quartet and special guest Rick Simerly as they host another edition of “Jazz @ The Bechtler.” There will be two shows this evening: 6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at: https://30796a.blackbaudhosting.com/30796a/tickets?tab=2&txobjid=4f078573-f4c6-4369-89f6-260c20ea87f5. The Bechtler Museum is located at 420 S. Tryon St. in Uptown.

Everyone head out to NoDa Company Store this Friday for the NoDa First Friday Gallery Crawl! Bring the family out for a mini-show of works from recent years focusing on collapses and current messes. Two collaborations with local artists Arthur Brouthers and Amy Bagwell will also be included. Admission is FREE to attend. The event begins at 7 p.m. NoDa Company Store is located at 3221 Yadkin Ave. in the NoDa District.

Slide out to C3 Lab this evening for the “DaDa Soiree: An Absurd Art Show.” What is Dada you ask? It’s the European avant-garde movement in the early 20th century ranging from cubism, collage and more. This evening, two local artists are going to bring the spirit of Dada to life in an interactive multi-dialogue creative exhibition. Admission is FREE and it starts at 7 p.m. C3 Lab is located at 2525 Distribution St. in Historic South End. #ArtChatCLT

If you are in the mood for some hot R&B, sizzling Blues, plus some gritty Funk, Jazz and everything in between, The Matt Kelly Band will take you to the next level of maximizing your Friday night at BluNotes. I’ve heard this ensemble before and I can definitely tell you that they have a totally unique and mature sound—you don’t want to miss this! Two shows: 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Admission is $4 per show. BluNotes is located at 3425 David Cox Rd. in the University Area.

It’s been a long week and if you need to laugh away some frustration, take a short drive up to Concord and head up to Conversation Peace for “Friday Night Laughs!” Join host and local funnyman D. Moore along with headlining acts, Nick Lewis and D.S. Sanders who’ll be sure to bust your gut wide open! Tickets are $15 and the event starts at 8 p.m. Conversation Peace is located at 846 Union Street South in Concord.

Radio Rehab Carolinas returns with more of that dopeness for your soul this Friday with the inaugural session of their newest unit, “The I Love Music Series!” DJ Justice will ignite the night with his soulful skills. Followed by a performance by the Still Boyz Trio, Astrea Corp. and headliner, DJ Rich Medina. Tickets can be purchased at: http://www.radiorehabcarolinas.com/rich-medina/. Showtime starts at 8 p.m. and will be held at Hattie’s Tap & Tavern. 2918 The Plaza Rd. in the Plaza-Midwood District.   #RadioRehabCarolinas

Art, color, flyness and sound all collide at KYOTE’s Allover this evening! Join Homebase Music Group, Pounds Clothing and Yumestay3 for a night of organic and sonic goodness with some new and upcoming talents in the QC. Admission is $3 for the ladies and $5 for the gentlemen. Please send a DM (direct message) to @777kyote or @zuesallover to acquire the address for the event.

Jazz N’ Soul kicks off the new month with their First Friday Series at The Tavern and tonight’s performance ensemble is no stranger to any stage here in Charlotte—The GrooveMasters Band! They are one of my favorite live acts in this city and they always take my ears to new heights of pleasure! Tickets can be purchased at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/groovemasters-jazznsoul-music-first-friday-the-morehead-tavern-tickets-27164343282.  9 p.m. The Tavern is located at 300 E. Morehead St. in Uptown. #JazzNSoul

Head to Apostrophe Lounge for the September edition of “Diasopora!” The theme of this month will be tinged with some Afro-Latino flavor—and for that, DJ Bumbac Joe will be make his presence felt along with DJ Kato bringing you the best of AfroBeat, Soca, Dancehall, Reggae and House! 10 p.m. and it is FREE for everyone before 11:30 p.m. Apostrophe Lounge is located at 1440 S. Tryon St. in Uptown.

The Sol Kitchen is back to provide some electric relaxation this evening at ‘Stache House with another installment of “Thankgawdits1stfriday!” Sound provider and Charlotte staple DJ Ngenius will spin the best of today’s and yesterday’s Hip Hop and R&B grooves. Admission is FREE. 10 p.m. ‘Stache House is located at 1520 South Blvd. in Historic South End. #TheSolKitchen

Put on your all white outfit and strut your stuff down to Label for the Flashback First Friday White Party! Join one of the livest and flyest personalities in Charlotte, Fly Ty as he hosts an evening filled with nothing but old school grooves, good vibes and great energy! Also, three of the city’s best turntablists, The Mighty DJ DR, DJ Shaun Nyce aka “The Blend King” and DJ Hukher will take you on a journey into yesteryear with a lineup of the best tunes! Tickets can be purchased at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/flashback-first-friday-all-white-affair-tickets-27163906977. The party starts at 10 p.m. Label is located at 900 NC Music Factory Blvd. on the outskirts of Uptown.

——-SATURDAY 9/3——-

Calling all teachers! Come to The Discovery Place for “Educator Saturdays in September!” Network with other educators and create your own Saturday school session with kids of all ages as you explore the array of hands-on exhibitions, labs, live shows, outdoor adventures and IMAX films that enhance student learning. Admission is FREE to attend and the fun starts at 10 a.m. Discovery Place is located at 301 N. Tryon St. in Uptown.

Bring the family to The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture for another fun and creative edition of the “Activate the Story” series. Join host, curator, creative, Andrea Michele (Angie Cee) as she hosts a storytelling session. You’ll get an opportunity to create work based on art and life experiences and then morph your pieces into a performance for the class. The session begins at 11 a.m. The Gantt Center is located at 511 S. Tryon St. in Uptown.

What happens when you combine the street flavor of Hip Hop and the lush elegance of orchestral arrangements? Hip Hop Orchestrated! Come out to Hygge Coworking this afternoon for a discussion about the hot button issue of socioeconomic immobility in Charlotte. After business and brainstorming, Diggers Delight will have a pop-up vinyl swap to satisfy your musical needs.  FREE.  RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hip-hop-orchestrated-interest-meeting-tickets-27298704159?aff=efbevent. Doors open at 12 noon and the event begins at 12:30. Hygge Coworking is located at 809 W. Hill St. on the outskirts of Uptown.

Everyone come out to Romare Bearden Park for the annual Bearden Birthday Bash! Enjoy local creatives, vendors, fellowship, demonstrations and more! There will be live music from saxophonists Ziad Rabie and Kim Waters and legendary guitar virtuoso Stanley Jordan. Also, to keep your stomach satisfied, Cuzzo’s Cuisine Food Truck and other culinary chariots will be out there! The fun starts at 12 noon. Romare Bearden Park is located at 300 S. Church St. in Uptown.

If you’re in the traveling mood, take a trip up to High Point for the 6th Annual John Coltrane International Blues & Jazz Festival! Featured acts include Esperanza Spalding, Gregory Porter, Pete Escovedo, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ramsey Lewis, Eric Gales and more! http://www.coltranejazzfest.com. The festival runs from Saturday, 9/3 to Sunday 9/4.

Everyone gather at Temple Church International for a film screening and discussion of the documentary, “Vaxxed: Cover-Up to Catastrophe.” Nation of Islam student minister Tony Muhammad will give an in-depth analysis and help bring awareness to the harmful effect the MMR vaccine and others are having on Black children. FREE. The film begins at 4 p.m. Temple Church International is located at 3201 Tuckaseegee Rd.

Get ready for “RELEASE! Classic & Soulful House Party!” Join DJ Gary “Jackmaster” Wallace, DJ Marcus and DJ Badala B on a colorful soundscape filled with the best House grooves all night long! Also, special guest and legendary turntablist DJ Wayne Williams all the way from The Windy City.  8 p.m. Admission is $5 before 9 p.m. and $10 after. The Tavern is located at 300 E. Morehead St. in Uptown.

For an alternative music experience, head over to The Station as 3rd Bass Records presents, “Labor Bass!” Music collectives Code Rising, Robotic & Skinner, Kaizen & Project 1 and Charlotte legends, The Super Funky Space Monkeys will all give you the dopeness in Alternative, Drum & Bass, House, Downtempo, Electro, Break Beats and more! Admission is FREE and the funk starts at 9 p.m. The Station is located at 2131 Central Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood District.

If you love Hip Hop like I do, head down to Heist Brewery for another dope edition of “The Big Heist: The Ol’ Skool Retreat!”  Admission is FREE to attend and the getdown starts at 9 p.m. Heist Brewery is located at 2909 N. Davidson St. in the NoDa District.

——-SUNDAY 9/4——-

Calling all my West Indian family! Take a ride out to Concord and head over to Da’ Shop for the “Charlotte Labor Day Caribbean Cookout!” Enjoy fresh prepared food, family-inspired games, live music DJ’s, water slides, fellowship and more! The event begins at 2 p.m. Da’ Shop is located at 5714 Old Concord Rd. in Concord.

The lovely and talented Dawn Anthony will be performing with the Charlotte Jazz Orchestra this afternoon at The Tavern. Come hear some musical greatness this afternoon starting at 4 p.m. Admission is FREE! The Tavern is located at 300 E. Morehead St. in Uptown.

Join Moxie Society  for “Beats & Notes!” with The Mighty DJ DR and The Harvey Cummings Project. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beats-notes-a-labor-day-weekend-day-party-tickets-27282357265?aff=efbeventtix. The event begins at 4 p.m. Club One is located at 950 NC Music Factory Blvd.   #MoxieSociety   #TheArtOfTheDayParty

Get your Go-Go groove on at BluNotes this evening and get ready for Charlotte Go-Go Invasion 2016! Lamb Joyner is poised to once again to bring some DMV flavor to the QC and this time, he proudly presents DC’s own, all-female Go-Go band, Be’la Dona! Don’t miss these fierce and funky divas of rhythm! Tickets https://www.eventbrite.com/e/charlotte-go-go-invasion-2016labor-day-weekend-edition-wbela-dona-ldw2016-tickets-26104575488. Doors open at 7 p.m. BluNotes is located at 3425 David Cox Rd. in the University Area.   #LDW2016

Pint Central is geared to take back to school this evening for another rousing and relaxing installment of “Movies On the Patio.” Pull out your textbooks, pack your lunch and get your brews ready because it’s time for the comedy classic, “Billy Madison!” Enjoy free popcorn, food and drink specials as you relive this classic film. The film starts at 9 p.m. Pint Central is located at 1226 Central Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood District.

“Off The Wall: The Annual Michael Jackson Tribute!” with DJ Aking Allah, DJ Justice and the beautiful DJ Lunchbeats will honor the King of Pop with the best of MJ hits and B-sides as well as the best of Golden Era Hip Hop, R&B, Soul, Funk, Pop Reggae, Rare Joints and more! The party starts at 9 p.m. Admission is $5 before 11 p.m. and $10 after. Petra’s is located at 1919 Commonwealth Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood District. #TheJETATeam

“Life is short, and it’s up to you to make it sweet.”   -Sadie Delany

I hope everyone has a great weekend and always remember our beloved Ancestors who labored and sacrificed tirelessly to pave the way for us. Peace.

Live. Laugh. Love. Learn. Listen. Give.

#WeekendWarrior   #TheBlackFerrisBueller