By: Shawn D. Allison, II
Here we are everyone—the Autumn Equinox has descended upon us and while the weather may start to get noticeably cooler, the events are still bringing the heat! From festivals, to HBCU-themed events, culinary digs and cultural jigs, there’s a lot to get into out here! As always, I try to make my rounds to as many events as I can, but if you want to know where my feet will be trotting to in the QC, check out my “Hot List” and follow along the trail of fun with me!
- THURSDAY – SATURDAY – OnQ Production’s “A Brown Tale” at the Duke Energy Theater
- THURSDAY – HBCU Football Viewing Party at The Factory Café
- FRIDAY – The Crew Love Tour at Morehead Tavern
- SATURDAY – The Hillman Experience: Operation HBCU at West Charlotte High School
- SATURDAY – I Still Love the 90s Brunch & Day Party at Sports One Bar & Lounge
- SATURDAY – Carolina Curly Natural Expo 2017
- SATURDAY – Charlotte Does Sade at Heist Brewery
- SATURDAY – Su Casa: The September Edition at Petra’s
- SUNDAY – Must Love Beards CLT at 8.2.0 Bar & Restaurant
- SUNDAY – Voyage CLT: A Hip Hop Art Showcase at Studio 1212
- MONDAY – Regaining Our Power African History Course
- TUESDAY – K(NO)W Justice K(NO)W Peace Book Club with Dr. Carol Anderson
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, SEPTEMBER 21——-
All my fellow pinball wizards, get ready to stretch those fingers for a purposeful playtime at Abari Game Bar and come out for the Hurricane Harvey Relief Pinball Tournament! In this fun tournament for all skill levels, you will be placed in a group of 3 or 4 players and assigned a random machine. First Place receives 7 points, second place–5 points, third place–3 points and fourth place–1 point. When all games are completed the round ends a new round begins where you’ll be paired up with new people on a new machine. Admission is $10 per person. 100% of the funds will be donated to the Greater Houston Community Foundation to aid victims of Hurricane Harvey. The tournament will begin at 6:30 p.m. Abari Game Bar is located at 1721 N. Davidson St. in the NoDa District.
Experience an up close and personal engagement with national spoken word artist and life coach Ace Metaphor as he presents, “The Future Wife Tour.” Join Ace and some special guests for an evening of poetry and conversation about love, sex, men, women, and relationships. Prepare your hearts and open your minds for a night that’s sure to change how you view and experience love! Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-future-wife-tour-an-intimate-evening-with-ace-metaphor-tickets-33848470687. The show will begin at 7 p.m., sharp and will be held at CPCC Main Campus. 1201 Elizabeth Ave. in Uptown.
The Gantt Center is proud to host its 4th Annual Gantt Symposium with noted and acclaimed psychologist, best-selling author and Emmy Award winner, Iyanla Vanzant! Hosted by the The Gantt Center and presented to the community by Wells Fargo, Vanzant, along with civic leader and former mayor Harvey Gantt, will lead a stimulating public conversation that addresses the pain and necessary healing within the Charlotte community as we approach the one-year anniversary of the Charlotte uprising. Known for her candor and no-nonsense style, Vanzant will share her insights on how the community can transform broken pieces into lasting peace, which can help unite the City of Charlotte. Come out for an evening that is sure to inspire and uplift, as we evaluate the work that must be done individually and as a community. Tickets can be purchased here: http://www.carolinatix.org/events/detail/gantt-symposium-2017-featuring-iyanla-vanzant. The event will begin at 7 p.m. at The Knight Theater. 430 S. Tryon St. in Uptown.
Feel good, clean and green at C3 Lab this evening and come out for VegFest Jr.! Come experience Charlotte’s only and fully vegan food court and market with a bevy of vegan beverages, meals, snacks, body products and more. Small, reasonably priced bites, sweets and treats will be available from Nourish, Fern, Move That Dough Baking Co, Lady Go Go’s, The Dreamy Leaf, Vegganers Luck, King of Pops, EBN’s Vegan Cuisine, Dirt Bird Soap and many more. Information on local animal rescues and not-for-profits, as well as a stacked raffle will be on deck as well! Admission is FREE to attend. The event will begin at 7 p.m. C3 Lab is located at 2525 Distribution St. in Historic South End.
Moxie Society invites you to start your weekend off the right way in competitive fashion as they host their HBCU Football Viewing Party! Tonight’s matchup will be the Bulldogs of South Carolina State University taking on the Eagles of North Carolina Central University! All HBCU alums, Divine Nine members and gridiron fans come out for an evening of fellowshipping, networking, tasty eats and treats, music and of course the big game! Sounds will be provided by DJ Loui Vee. Patrons who wear their HBCU Alumni apparel will receive a 10% discount. The event will begin at 7 p.m. at The Factory Café. 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd. #MoxieSociety
On Q Productions is back for their eleventh season entitled, “Redemption Song” and they have a whole new lineup of classic and eclectic theatrical performances ready to seize your senses. To kick off the new season, come witness the brilliance of the all-new piece, “A Brown Tale.” Penned and performed by James T. Alfred this tapestry of stories woven together creates this coming-of-age narrative which takes is on a journey through Alfred’s childhood to adulthood. Growing up on the South Side of Chicago in public housing, Alfred explores the impact that community has on an individual’s personal development, commenting on a number of topics steeped in the community, such as public schools, church and local commerce. Playing a multitude of characters, James T. Alfred is a tour de force in this comedic one-man show! Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here: http://www.carolinatix.org/events/detail/a-brown-tale. There will be three final performances this weekend: Thursday (9/21) at 7:30 p.m., Friday (9/22) and Saturday (9/23) both at 8 p.m. All performances will be held at The Duke Energy Theater at Spirit Square. 345 N. College St. in Uptown. #YouAreNowOnQ
Set your weekend off with a bang and join Le Bang for Thrown Folks Radio! Get down wit’ yo’ bad selves as Solid Gold Elon, Longchild and special guest DJ Knife venture into the depths of Soul, Funk and R&B grooves for your pleasure! Also, be sure to cop some wax from Diggers Delight who has a wide variety of sounds in stock ready for you to take home and spin! Admission is FREE to attend and the party starts at 10 p.m. at Snug Harbor. 1228 Gordon St. in the Plaza-Midwood District.
——-FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22——-
Are you a mental health professional who works with African-American clients and families? LifeSkills Cares, Inc. welcomes you to the 2017 Black Mental Health Symposium. This solutions-based conference is a gathering of professionals who desire to decrease the stigma of mental illness, increase access to care, and improve the wellness of the Black community. Come attend this one day, power-packed conference to learn how to make a difference. Tickets can be purchased here: http://blackmhsymposium.com/pricing/. The event will begin at 9 a.m. and will be held at UNCC Main Campus. 9201 University City Blvd.
It’s time for the 53rd annual Festival In The Park! This beautiful Lake Walk art festival features the work of talented local artisans and craftsmen featuring their jewelry, paintings, woodwork, pottery, glasswork, and lots more! There will also be local musicians, activities for kids and food vendors. Come experience Charlotte’s favorite and longest standing festival! Admission is FREE and the festival will run from today at 4 p.m. through Sunday (9/24) at Freedom Park. 1900 E. Blvd. in the Dilworth Neighborhood.
Food Truck Friday gets a special twist as they incorporate Veggie Fest into their meal lineup this evening! Each of the nine local food trucks on-site will be serving at least two vegetarian/vegan dishes. It’s a fun and healthy meal option for your Friday night! Dinner will be served starting at 5 p.m. and will be held at Sycamore Brewing. 2161 Hawkins St. in Historic South End.
Join Create Amazing, LLC as they host the September edition of Paint & Play at Apostrophe Lounge this evening! This festive fusion of the arts will showcase a huge lineup of the region’s most talented spoken word artists, painters and more live entertainment. Acts include C4 Black, Kia Flow, Mocha Momma, TaTyana German, Spidey “The Boxing Poet” Williams, Raven Brown and many more! There will be cupcakes provided by Sweet and Treats By Ne, The Cupcake Queen, Kupcake Konnections and MaddBatter. Also, ease the tension in your physical being with free massages from Turquoise Tea Spa & Beauty Bar. Admission is FREE to attend. The event will begin at 7 p.m. Apostrophe Lounge is located at 1440 S. Tryon St. in Uptown.
Words can sometimes drive you crazy, but for this dynamic trio makes it all worthwhile. Get ready for a rhythmic cyclone of verbiage with The Mayhem Poets! Dubbed “an amazing ride” by the New York Times, this mind-boggling performance has been described as “The Simpsons meets Malcolm X at a Notorious B.I.G. concert”. These theatre trained, comedically gifted, lyrical virtuosos seamlessly blend raw elements of hip hop, theatre, improv and comedy to tell truths that leave audiences forever changed. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here: http://www.carolinatix.org/events/detail/the-mayhem-poets. The performance will begin at 8 p.m. at The Batte Center at Wingate University. 403 N. Camden Rd. in Wingate.
Stay Tuned Records invites you out to the Morehead Tavern as they proudly present The Crew Love Tour! It’s an evening full of rousing musical energy and funky flavor that you’ll be totally infatuated with! Join host Quentin Talley on this fun evening along with instrumentalist and funky drummer Venzella Joy, indie R&B/Soul recording artist Micki Miller, the ever-glorious goddess of the microphone Blanche J. and a hot set of danceable grooves provided by DJ Fannie Mae! Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-crew-love-tour-tickets-37111647938. Doors open at 8 and the show will start at 9 p.m. The Morehead Tavern is located at 300 E. Morehead St. in Uptown.
It’s been a while, but this evening at Heist Brewery, come enjoy a Friday night cool out with Dusty Grooves! Grab your friends and grab some food and drinks as the band grabs your ears with a delightful selection of Soul and Jazz tunes with some pristine live instrumentation! Your sound providers for the evening are Shago Elizondo plucking the guitar strings, Lamont McCain giving that bass groove, Curtis Hayes tickling the 88 ivory keys and John Peer setting the rhythms on drums and percussion. Admission is FREE to attend and the music starts at 10 p.m. Heist Brewery is located at 2909 N. Davidson St. in the NoDa District.
——-SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23——-
AVID West Charlotte and HBCU Pride Nation have teamed up this morning to present to you “The Hillman Experience: Operation HBCU.” This event’s concept is inspired by the desire and need to promote HBCU’s to students within CMS because of the great lack of knowledge provided to students in obtaining their educational goals in higher learning as it pertains to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Parents, students and community members, you will get to experience live performances from the West Charlotte Marching Band and cheerleaders, inspiring spoken word from YP Thomas, an interactive panel discussion from several HBCU alumni and a college fair. There will also be food trucks on site to satisfy your stomach’s needs. Admission is FREE and the event will begin at 9 a.m. at West Charlotte High School. 2219 Senior Dr.
For some scientific fun with Earth’s creatures, bring the kids out to The Schiele Museum of Natural History for a morning with “Reptile & Amphibian Day!” Tumbling turtles, leaping lizards and slithering snakes! Get up close and personal with some of the museum’s reptile and amphibian friends. Activities also include arts & crafts, story time, games and live animal encounters. Admission is $3 and the event starts at 10 a.m. The Schiele Museum is located at 1500 E. Garrison Blvd. in Gastonia.
Ladies and gentlemen, everyone gather at The Westin Charlotte this morning for the 15th Annual Maya Angelou Women Who Lead Luncheon. This signature fundraising event for The UNCF is named in honor beloved friend and volunteer, Dr. Maya Angelou which highlights women who are leaders and have brought positive recognition locally, statewide and nationally. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.uncf.org/events/event/2017-charlotte-maya-angelou-women-who-lead-luncheon. The event begins at 10 a.m. The Westin Charlotte is located at 601 S. College St. in Uptown.
Bring the entire family out to Downtown Mount Holly for the 5th Annual Experience Muzik Fest this afternoon! Hosted by Praise 100.9, come get an earful of joyful noises with some live music performances, fellowshipping, delicious food, games, giveaways and lots more! Admission is FREE to attend and the event will begin at 12 noon. The event will be at the intersection of E. and W. Charlotte Ave. and Highland St. in Historic Downtown Mount Holly.
Start your Saturday off with all sorts of dopeness and join Moxie Society at Sports One Bar & Lounge for another installment of the “I Still Love the 90s Brunch & Day Party!” Slide down to Uptown in style with your crew and enjoy a delightful Southern brunch menu with tasty top shelf drink specials including $5 mimosas. For your throwback soundscapes, DJ Shaun Nyce aka “The Blend King” will be rockin’ out the hottest of 90s Hip Hop and R&B grooves. Also, be sure to peep the canvassing skills of Christopher Clarke painting something special from his acclaimed “Art From the Heart” series. Admission is FREE to attend and the party starts at 11 a.m. Sports One is located at 521 N. College St. in Uptown. #MoxieSociety #ArtFromTheHeart
Hip Hop knows no boundaries and it brings infectious energy wherever it reaches. That’s why on this afternoon, the good people of The Single Saved & Serious Movement have invited you out to Doghouse Bar & Grill for the second installment of the Gospel Hip Hop Open House! Calling all MCs—no matter your faith, come out to spit some uplifting rhymes honoring the community, the common good and The Most High! There will be live performance from various artists, networking with musicians, artists, producers, engineers, church parishioners and more! Also be sure to grab some great drink and meal specials from the kitchen and bar. Admission is FREE to attend and the fun starts at 12 noon. Doghouse Bar & Grill is located at 7200 Albemarle Rd. #SSSMovement
The brilliance and radiance of Elle Johnson invites you to spend the afternoon at the inaugural Carolina Curly Natural Expo 2017! Poised to be the ultimate natural experience to hit the QC scene the goal of this event is to provide you a fun and educational experience as it relates to all things natural—from skin, to hair, and even lifestyle. Enjoy vendor shopping, beauty care specialists, panel discussions, a men’s grooming lounge, a Curly Connections Cocktail Mixer, a style presentation and lots more! Tickets can be purchased here: http://www.carolinacurly.com/. The event will begin at 2 p.m. and will be held at SpringHill Suites. 311 E. 5th St. in Uptown. #ElleVJ
Get your groove on and slip into a quiet storm at Heist Brewery and get ready to experience Charlotte Does Sade! Feel the energy of a collective of some multitalented QC musicians paying homage to Sade playing a vibrant improvised medley of Sade’s classic joints! From “Smooth Operator”, to “Paradise”, “Maureen”, “The Sweetest Taboo”, “No Ordinary Love”, “Soldier of Love” and many more, it’ll be a night of music that you’ll never forget! Admission is FREE but please be sure to get there early. The event will begin at 8 p.m., sharp. Heist Brewery is located at 2909 N. Davidson St. in the NoDa District.
It’s time for one of Charlotte’s favorite underground culture jams—everyone head out to Petra’s for the September edition of Su Casa! Get down and get on the good foot with residents DJ Justice and DJ Steel Wheel with Loot-Tenant Trax for an evening of nonstop dancing set to the rhythms of Afrobeat, Soca, Reggae, Funk, Dancehall, House, Latin and lots of other cultural sonic goodness! Be sure to stick around for a special performance from Quentin Talley & The Soul Providers who’ll light the stage on fire with a rousing set of soul-stirring grooves and covers! Also, this is the grand born day celebration of one half of Su Casa’s creators, the lovely Jasiatic! Admission is $10 all night long. The event begins at 10 p.m. at Petra’s. 1919 Commonwealth Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood District.
——-SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24——-
The Transformation Tour has stopped in town and this afternoon, these lovely ladies invite you out to come to the Charlotte Natural Hair Care & Health Expo! Enjoy an afternoon of hair and hair product demonstrations, student and professional showcases, care classes, health screenings and a huge hair and fashion show! Tickets can be purchased here: http://www.hairtvnetwork.com or call Antonio Thompson at (614)-657-1350. The event will begin at 1 p.m. at The Wadsworth Estate. 400 S. Summit St. near Uptown.
Join IDontDoClubs.com founder, Genese Jamilah as she expands her base, or in this case growth and presents to you Must Love Beards Charlotte! Part of the “Whatever You Need Tour”, this savvy day party is for the Brothers who rock beards and the Sisters who adore them. Come and kick it with some cool people, dance to some cool music and just experience a cool vibe. Admission is FREE for men, bearded or not and $20 for women. Ticket purchases and RSVPs can be made here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/must-love-beards-charlotte-whatever-you-need-tour-womens-tickets-tickets-37310112551. The event will begin at 2 p.m. and will be held at 8.2.0 Bar & Restaurant. 820 Hamilton St. on the outskirts of Uptown. #IDDCMustLoveBeards
Look, I know it’s Sunday and you want to be lazy, right? How about you come out to Tip Top Daily Market instead and experience Hazy Sunday! This afternoon cool down is a meeting for those who appreciate the finer things in music. Join sound selectors, DJ Ray, Probably Will and Party Dad as they cultivate a carefully curated selection of vibes from jazzy instrumentals, Hip Hop, avant-garde frequencies, trippy Deep House music, and whatever else your purveyors of waves care to dig. Admission is FREE and the music starts at 3 p.m. Tip Top Daily Market is located at 2902 The Plaza Rd. in the Plaza-Midwood District.
This morning at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, come out another installment of the Civics 101—A Roadmap to Voter Empowerment course. For today’s session, there will be two discussions. First up, Mr. Mark Jarrell and Mr. Shaun Corbett owner of Da’ Lucky Spot Barbershop will discuss “Hip Hop: The New Civil Rights.” Then be sure to stick around for Ms. Tiffany Capers as she presents “Black Lives Matter-Charlotte & Its Influence.” Both discussions start at 3:30 p.m. Friendship Missionary Baptist Church is located at 3400 Beatties Ford Rd.
The good people of Queen City CLTive invite you out to Studio 1212 for a special eclectic groove entitled, “Voyage CLT: A Hip-Hop Art Showcase.” This event celebrates the influences of Hip-Hop on different facets of art such as poetry, rap and fashion. Come and experience some brilliant, mind-expanding spoken word and musical performances from Queen City CLTive, Rizzy Rapz, Lala Specific, Spaceman X and more! Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/voyage-clt-hip-hop-art-showcase-tickets-34982838612. The event will begin at 6 p.m. Studio 1212 is located at 1212 E. 10th St. in Uptown.
——-MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25——-
Brothers and sisters prepare your minds and head over to Mayfield Memorial Baptist Church this evening for the second installment of the Regaining Our Power African History Course. This weekly mini-course is geared to help educate Black people about our powerful past which provides: knowledge of self, African cultural development and reconnection, economic wisdom, strategy and tactics for liberation, self-sufficiency in today’s climate, regaining power to self-determine, restoring our confidence and ambition and much more! The class is presented by the League of Intelligence and will begin at 7 p.m. Mayfield Memorial Baptist Church is located at 700 W. Sugar Creek Rd. in the Hidden Valley Neighborhood.
——-TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26——-
This evening at The Levine Museum of the New South, come out for an evening of literature, community and conversation at the K(NO)W Justice K(NO)W Peace Book Club social. Tonight’s guest is the esteemed and beautiful Dr. Carol Anderson. Dr. Anderson is a professor of African American Studies at Emory University. Her research has garnered substantial fellowships from the American Council of Learned Societies, the Ford Foundation, National Humanities Center, Harvard University and many other institutions. She is also the author of her Washington Post op-ed, “White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide”, which will be discussed this evening. Tickets can be purchased here: http://www.carolinatix.org/events/detail/know-justice-know-peace-author-talk-ft-carol-anderson. There will be an opening reception at 5:30 p.m. at the museum and the program will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. at The McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square. 345 N. College St. in Uptown.
Get your stomach and your spirit satisfied this evening as Soul Food Sessions CLT proudly presents another installment of “Soul Food Sessions!” This eclectic collective of Black chefs and a mixologist invite you out to Project 658 for a delightful and delectable six-course meal and three craft cocktails in the “A Caribbean Voyage” theme. In addition to beverage and meal pairings, your experience will include some fantastic music! Bring your friends out for a night of soulful food, stories, and song! Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soul-food-sessions-a-caribbean-voyage-tickets-37430257909. The dinner begins at 6 p.m. Project 658 is located at 3646 Central Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood District.
COMING SOON…
9/28 – Gantt After Dark: Fall Kolors
9/30 – RETI Energy Hero Community Festival
9/30 – Sole to Sole West Side Glow Ride
10/6 – The Antidote #1 – Jazz & Poetry
10/6-10/7 – Art of Cool Festival Charlotte
10/7 – 6th Annual Literary Festival of Charlotte
10/13 – 10/15 – Breakin’ Convention CLT 2017
10/14 – UNC Charlotte International Festival
10/16 – 10/22 – Charlotte Black Restaurant Week
10/21 – “I SLAY” – The Autumn Fashion Show
10/21 – Off The Wall: ATCQ/Native Tongues Posse Tribute Vol. 5
Everyone have a super, funky, sweet, dope and fun weekend! Peace.
Live. Laugh. Love. Learn. Listen. Give.
#WeekendWarrior #TheBlackFerrisBueller #CommunityFirst