By Shawn Allison
Hey good people. I hope you all have had a wonderful week so far. But now it’s time to kick back and relax and get ready for the weekend. I think you’ll love what I got in store for you. Check me out one time….
THURSDAY, March 24
Brothers & Sisters, are you looking to network and grow your business with other black professionals? Come out to the CMBCC CONNECT Business After Hours. The CMBCC (Charlotte Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce) hosts a monthly professional networking event for those who are looking to not only help others in the community grow, but to relax and mingle. Bring your friends and colleagues out to enjoy food, drinks and the company of others. Be sure to bring plenty of business cards. 5:30 p.m. The CMBCC is located at 222 S. Church St. in Uptown.
Start your weekend off at Latin American Contemporary Art Projects (LaCa) as they proudly present “Collective II: Latin American Perspectives” art exhibition highlighting and celebrating works of art from a variety of contemporary artists of the Latino Diaspora. Come witness various themes such as: philosophy, fantasy, astronomy, religion, fantasy, architecture, and much more. The fun starts at 6 p.m. Admission is free. LaCa is at 1429 Bryant St. which is located on the outskirts of Uptown. Hashtag: #LaCa #LatinArtMatters
Take a conversational journey at The Nile for a panel discussion entitled, “Sensations of the Saved: Adult Talk & Love Advice For Young Christians.” This is guaranteed to be an intimate and interesting social mixer with food, vendors, and live music. But there will be NO alcohol served or permitted upon entry. Bring your single friends—guys this means you, too, and engage with an esteemed and trusted panel of ministers and relationship counselors/coaches who will touch on a few topics in relation to courtship. Admission is free. Doors open at 6 p.m. The Nile is located at 5741 N. Graham St.
The lovely Linda Straite & Midnight Blue will set the mood at BluNotes with some rich and soulful vocals and a hot band in the background. Admission is $4. 7 p.m. 3425 David Cox Rd. in the University area.
Get ready to bust your guts all night long because Comicville Live is coming to Charlotte. Join R&B/Soul artist Jemini June and comedians Nicci Hoo, Steve Wannamaker, Shawn Harris and headliner comedy legend Chris Thomas for an evening full of laughs, music and fellowship. Tickets can be purchased at: http://comicvillelivecharlotte.eventbrite.com/. Doors open at 7 p.m. Showtime is at 8:30 p.m. Vibrations Night Club, 5237 Albemarle Rd. (intersection of Albemarle Rd. & N. Sharon Amity Rd.) in East Charlotte area.
My brothers, better known as The Soultron DJs are ready to give you more listening pleasures with another edition of “Weirdo Lounge.” Let your ears take flight as DJ’s Taz Infinite, FoundACEtion, Tony Cutlass & Bes Kep take your soul to new heights. Underground Hip Hop, Neo-Soul, Deep House, The Funk, Jazz, Soul and R&B. And there will be a SPECIAL set paying tribute to the late, great Phife Dawg of legendary hip hop group, A Tribe Called Quest. You won’t wanna miss this. $5 admission. Be at 360 Lounge at 8 p.m. ready to bob your head, boogie and relax. 7030 Smith Corners Blvd. in the Northlake Area. Hashtag: #WeirdoLounge #SoultronDJs
People, get ready to cast your anchors on the dance floor and brace yourself to be SHIPROCKED. Tonight’s getdown is gonna move your body to the sounds of Disco, The Funk & Soul music. DJ Dangfunky will be spinning on the back patio and there will be a special appearance from roller skating diva Bethann Phetamine. Admission is free but only those 21+ with I.D. will be admitted. Music starts at 10 p.m. and it’ll be held at Snug Harbor. 1228 Gordon St. in the Plaza-Midwood area.
FRIDAY, March 25
Take a short trip out to the town of Monroe and to the Treehouse Vineyards for a Latin Mix Dance Night. Enjoy the company of your friends and other great people as you dance the night away and enjoy fresh wine. DJ Mex will be rocking the yard all night. Also, Hog N’ Dog Food Truck will be there to satisfy your taste buds. Admission is $5 and absolutely NO outside alcohol is permitted on the premises. 7 p.m. Treehouse Vineyards is located at 301 Bay St. Monroe, NC 28112.
Set your soul free as the Charlotte Art League hosts a Drum Circle & Paint Party. It’s been a long week and here’s your chance to let the spiritual elixirs of music and art combine to give you a relaxed and joyful aura. Mingle and dance or play some African drums to loosen your body. Then, transfer that energy onto a blank canvas and be vigorous and abstract as you desire with an unlimited supply of paint. Admission is $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Tickets: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=EKUEDKK6APMLU. Admission also includes paint, easel, canvas, brushes and percussion instruments. The party starts at 7 p.m. sharp. The Charlotte Art League is located at 1517 Camden Rd. in Historic South End.
The youth poetry powerhouse known as BreatheINK invades Spirit Square once again as they host their Last Chance Slam. Come out and see Charlotte-area youth ages 13-19 verbally duke it out on stage as they speak out for a spot to compete for the Grand Slam finals on April 29th. While this slam is exclusively for young voices, adults are strongly encouraged to come out and support the seeds. Poets who are competing have a free admission and everyone else is admitted in for only $7. Parents, if your youth is competing, they are to sign up in the lobby between 7pm and 7:30pm. The slam will start promptly at 8pm. Spirit Square is located at 345 N. College St. In Uptown. Hashtag: #BreatheINK
Petra’s prepares to get your relaxed on this evening with another edition of “Mirror Moves.” Come mellow out to some 80s and 90s Alternative, Dance, New Wave, Pop, Downtempo, House, Funk & Indie grooves. Sounds will be given by DJ’s Cody Hare and Jason Herring. Admission is free. Be there at 9pm ready to move!!!! 1919 Commonwealth Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood area.
Have you ever danced like no one is watching? Have you ever listened to music and felt the urge to bust a move on the streets in public? If you have answered no, then I strongly suggest you see your local musical psychiatrist and get some treatment. If you answered yes, I have just the thing for you…. Come out this evening to FireWater Charlotte for the Good Friday Party. Join DJ Jazzy Bee and two other record spinners as they groove you into the night with a hot blend of great music!!! But here’s the catch—EVERYONE will be wearing wireless headphones!!! Choose a from Hip Hop, R&B, Deep/Soulful House or Reggae station and dance however you feel!!! The party starts at 9 p.m. FireWater is located at 8708 J.W. Clay Blvd. in the University area.
Rounding out your Friday night is the “African Spring Bling 2016” jam party at Tropix!!! Get ready to sweat to some hot indigenous tunes in the genres of Afrobeat, Caribbean, African, Reggae and Hip Hop spun by DJ Atomix. Door open at 10 p.m. Ladies are free until 11 p.m. $10 entry fee for everyone after 11 p.m. Tropix is located at 4701 N. Tryon (N. Tryon St. & Sugar Creek Rd.)
SATURDAY, March 26
Start your morning off at RuRu’s Tacos + Tequila for some networking, mixing, mingling and of course, great food and drinks. Live music by local band, Late Night Special. Admission is free. Starts at 11 a.m. RuRu’s is located at 715 Providence Rd. which is on the outskirts of Uptown.
Come out to the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture for a fun and unique Jazz Dance Workshop hosted by the lovely Melissa McDaniel. Take your feet on a journey through jazz music and see and learn some of the dance moves that complimented the music. From the Lindy Hop, to Bebop and just a few little sprinkles of Hip Hop—you’ll be sure to loosen those limbs and have a great time. The dance session is free with museum admission. RSVP here: http://www.ganttcenter.org/calendar/jazz-dance-workshop-with-melissa-mcdaniel/. Be there at Noon with those feet and hips ready to swoon. The Gantt Center is located at 551 S. Tryon St. in Uptown.
The wait is finally over. Head over to the brand-spankin’ new Abari Game Bar for their grand opening. True video game arcade junkies from the 80s and 90s be prepared to relive the many arcade games, pinball and game consoles that made your youth a great experience. What The Fries Food Truck will be providing game fuel for you, drink and cocktail specials, hand-crafted sodas, and all sorts of high score challenges in a day chock full of endless fun. Kids are admitted from 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. but they must have a guardian who is 21+. The fun starts at 11 a.m. Abari is located at 1721 N. Davidson St. in the NoDa area.
For 5 wonderful years, Crown Station has given us a place to call home for a vast and diverse collective of events From Off The Wall to Adult Spelling Bees, indie artist concerts, and comedy shows. This Saturday at noon is the Final Farewell. A slew of DJs, artists and bands will be rocking the stage one last time giving everyone more lasting memories. Admission is free and the food is free, too. And yes, they will need help to finish all of the alcohol, LOL! 1425 Elizabeth Ave. in Uptown. Hashtag: #LongLiveCrownStation
Head over to Freedom Park for some Latin music and dancing in “Bombazo con Yapre.” Bombazo is the time when drummers and dancers congregate to sing traditional Puerto Rican songs and groove to some Bomba moves. Everyone is encouraged to attend and bring any percussive instruments to make it more festive and lively. Admission is free and starts at 3 p.m. Freedom Park is located on Park Rd. in the Dilworth area.
Join the Guerilla Poets this evening as they host “ENCORE! Open Mic & Spoken Word.” Every 4th Saturday of the month, come hear some raw and engaging individuals pour their hearts out into the microphone and into your mind. And if you are into painting and live art, there will be some visual artists there for you to enjoy as well. Admission is free. Starts at 7pm. Event will be held at The Last Word and it is located at 5744 N. Tryon St.
Calling all hip hop junkies, music enthusiasts and auditory narcotics! Head to The Station this evening for “Audio Dope: The Unorthodox Music Junkie.” This is an evening guaranteed to hit all of your senses with that pure, raw and uncut music goodness that’ll leave your spirits in the clouds for sure. There will be an open mic cypher for aspiring MCs, B-Boys & B-Girls getting down on the good foot, House heads drifting off into space and more. All this fun is only going to cost you $3. Starts at 10 p.m. The Station is located at 2131 Central Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood area.
And lastly, slide over to Petra’s for the monthly cultural jam known as Su Casa. For the March Edition, there will be lots of musical flavors to dance to. DJ Justice, DJ Steel Wheel w/ Loot-Tenant Trax and special guest DJ Fannie Mae will be providing diverse sounds from Afrobeat, Caribbean, Reggae, Soca, Rare Grooves, The Funk, Soul, African, and there will be a SPECIAL Native Tongues tribute to honor the late microphone great Phife Dawg. Also, watch along as Dammit Wesley wows you with an all-original mural on a blank canvas and get your face painted by the lovely Catherine Courtlandt. Admission is $10 all night long and the feet start grooving at 10 p.m. Petra’s is located at 1919 Commonwealth Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood area.
SUNDAY, March 27
Start your Resurrection Sunday off with The Sol Kitchen, Prive Marketing Group CLT and Faze, Inc. as they proudly host the Easter Sunday Brunch & Day Party at The Mandrake. Relax to the sounds of DJ Hot Rod and enjoy fine mimosas, drink specials and delicious foods. The brunch will run from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The day party is from 3 p.m.-6 p.m. Free admission will run from 11a.m.- 4 p.m. only. If you wish to reserve a table for a group, please call 704-370-3006. The Mandrake is located at 333 W. Trade St. in Uptown.
Join M.A.R.S. (Main Attraction Recreational Sports) for a meet and greet social at Taco Mac. This is your chance to meet other league players and have a great time over great food and drinks. 7:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Taco Mac is located at 4626 Piedmont Row Dr. in the South Park area. Hashtag: #MARS #Funletics
I hope everyone has a fun-filled Resurrection Weekend. God Bless You!
Live. Laugh. Love. Learn. Listen. Give.
#WeekendWarrior #TheBlackFerrisBueller