Short Stories

Close Knit

Hey, all you yarn-spinners – and for once, we don’t mean storytellers, but knitters — here’s something that will keep you in stitches: The Carolina Yarn Crawl, which takes place July 18–21 across the Piedmont. All you have to do is pick up a free Passport at one of the seven participating fiber stores, such as Gate City Yarns (231 South Elm Street). As you weave your way to the other boutiques, take advantage of sales, raffles and giveaways and enter your name in a drawing for a grand prize. For more, uh, purls of wisdom about the event please visit centralcarolinayarncrawl.com or facebook.com/centralcarolinayarncrawl.

Garden Art

And not the kind that includes concrete birdbaths or gnomes, but elegant pieces from Twin City Artisans, who will exhibit their wares July 19 and 20 at Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden (215 South Main Street, Kernersville). The brainchild of TCA charter member and avid gardener Sue Davis and Ciener’s Executive Director John Whisnant, Artisans in the Garden will include stained glass, photography, jewelry, pieces made from turned wood, calligraphy and hand-bound books . . . and so much more. The idea is not only to promote the works of the various craftsmen but also the importance of botanical gardens. And what a way to spend the afternoon, wandering among Nature’s creations in the perennial and kitchen gardens, before cooling off in the carriage house to admire works wrought by human hands? Info: cienerbotanicalgarden.org or twincityartisansnc.com.

Shape Up!

We tend to think of geometric shapes as the stuff of 1960s and ’70s pop art. But the medium’s era of hard lines and bright colors seemed to comprise art merely for art’s sake, contrasted to current trends, in which artists sometimes imbue their works with personal meaning or social commentary. See for yourself at Double-Edged: Geometric Abstraction Then and Now on view at Weatherspoon Art Museum, (500 Tate Street) through August 18. Info: (336) 334-5770 or weatherspoon.uncg.edu.

Blazing Trails

Hiking boots? Check. Mountain bike? Check. Kayak? Check. The woods are lovely, dark and deep — yours on Saturday, July 27 for Greensboro Trails Day at Country Park (3905 Nathanael Greene Drive). Organized by Parks & Recreation, with help from partners such as Piedmont Hiking and Outing Club and Piedmont Fat Tire Society, you and the whole family can take a guided hike or a spin. Along the way, stop to take in BMX demos, have a gander at some ganders as Goose Masters (Border Collies) herd their gaggles, listen to a lecture about the Underground Railroad, try your hand at some crafts and snag some swag. Most important: Celebrate the great outdoors in the full blush of summer. To register: greensboro-nc.gov/TrailsDay.

Worth the Drive to Winston-Salem

Now in its 16th year, the biennial National Black Theatre Festival (July 29–August 3) is pulling out the stops. Not only has it lured as co-chairs stage and screen luminaries Margaret Avery (The Color Purple) and Chester Gregory (The Jackie Wilson Story: My Heart Is Crying, Crying and Dreamgirls), the festival is also offering a crowd-pleasing lineup of plays that include the hit musical Jelly’s Last Jam, Ruined, the 2009 Pulitzer Prize–winning drama set against the unrest of Democratic Republic of Congo and Prideland, a dance adaptation of The Lion King. Added to the mix are workshops, one-person shows, performances of words and verse, revues featuring the songs of Aretha Franklin and Lena Horne, an acapella musical and an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, or What You Will, Mon — set in Jamaica. Performances take place in various venues throughout the Twin City. For information and tickets: ncblackrep.org.

Fuzz Busters

Or rather, door busters. Hungry patrons are, heh, pitted against one another to get their fix of Carolina Belles, Contenders, WinBlos, and more, at Piedmont Triad Farmers Market’s Peach Day on July 12 (2914 Sandy Ridge Road, Colfax), which includes a peach pie recipe contest. On July 20 at Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, (501 Yanceyville Street), line up for a helping of flapjacks at Peach Pancake and Celebration Day. Whether cooked in a short stack or cobbler, smothered in a bowl of cream, or simply as is, there’s nothing quite like the sweet, succulent, rosy-colored fruit that tastes like summer. Info: www.facebook.com/PiedmontTriadFarmersMarket; gsofarmersmarket.org.

By George, He’s Got It!

George Clinton, that is, who’s got groove — One Nation Under Groove. Strutting onto the stage July 27 at the Coliseum’s White Oak Amphitheatre (1921West Gate Boulevard), the master of funk and founder of Parliament /Funkadelic, ramps up the blues- and rock-inflected beats with hits like “Tear the Roof Off,” “Mothership Connection” and “Flashlight,” with performances from Galatic Fishbone, and Miss Velvet & the Blue Wolf. So go, and get down as Clinton says, “for the funk of it.” Tickets: (800) 745-3000 or livenation.com.

Fore and Score

Koepka, Rose, Fowler, Cantlay, McIlroy . . . come out July 30–August 4 to watch the pros stalk Sedgefield Country Club’s course (3201 Forsyth Drive) for the Sam Snead Cup, awarded at the 2019 Wyndham Championship. In addition to great play, the PGA TOUR stop includes all the elements we’ve come to anticipate: a pro-am, practice rounds, youth clinics, hot dogs, tall cool frosties, demos, merch tents — and we hope, Hawaiian leis. For information and tickets: wyndhamchampionship.com.

July, being the beginning of the second half of the year, is the half-full or half-empty month. If the first six months of your year were not so great, here’s your chance to start anew. And if they were wonderful, it’s a reminder to keep the momentum going. Either way, stay cool and raise your glass to some terrific summertime music.

Ogi Sez

Ogi Overman

• July 6, White Oak Amphitheatre: I remember so well when Warren Haynes and Allen Woody formed Gov’t Mule as a side project to the Allman Brothers. Has it really been a quarter century ago? Woody has since passed on, but Haynes has kept the group as vibrant and kickass as it ever was. Rock on, my brothers.

• July 20, Blue Note Grill: There was a time when the Nighthawks and Rev. Billy C. Wirtz played Greensboro regularly. But these days it’s going to take a quick trip to Durham to see this perfect joining of blistering blues and sizzling satire. It’ll be worth the trip.

• July 25, Greensboro Coliseum: One might think that Lionel Richie has nothing left to give and should quit dancing on the ceiling all night long. But at the ripe young age of 70 (as of June 20), he is hotter than ever, with a new album, tour, and “American Idol” judgeship. It truly is an endless love.

• July 26, Carolina Theatre: If you could read my mind you’d know that when Gordon Lightfoot hits the Carolina stage, I’ll be right down front, swooning and swaying. Of all the musical heroes I’ve had over the years, he is right at the top of the list. This might be the highlight of my summer.

• July 31, Ramkat: OK, Americana buffs, you heard it here first. If you love the Avett Brothers, Mumford & Sons, and the Decemberists, National Park Radio is your new BFF. You have seriously got to head to Winston-Salem to see this band. You can thank me later.

June 2019 Short Stories

To the Tables

Meaning, Community Tables, which, for 32 years, has served Thanksgiving dinner to community members in need. We know what you’re thinkin’: Why mention Thanksgiving in June? Because in order to feed the masses this year, the organization needs your help now, especially considering the tables were, well, turned on Community Tables last year — with reduced funds and higher turkey prices owing to the hurricanes that flooded poultry farms Down East. It cost about $5 to feed each person (and that number will likely rise). That’s 1,060 pounds of turkey, 960 pounds of mashed potatoes, 900 pounds of green beans and 900 pounds of cornbread stuffing, to give you an idea. In spite of its struggles, the nonprofit has bigger plans: Partnering with Simple Gesture, which collects donations of canned goods each month, it will extend its mission to local schools. Care to lend a hand? Then please feel free to make a tax-deductible donations to the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro (noted for the Thanksgiving Day Operations Fund), 330 South Greene Street, Suite100, Greensboro, NC 27401.

Toque-ville

Forget the wienies and ’s’mores, but encourage your kids to keep the campfires burning at French Week (June 24–28), a weeklong Junior Chefs Summer Camp, courtesy of Reto’s Kitchen (600 South Elam Avenue). In addition to honing their culinary chops, your young ’uns will also learn the particulars of menu-planning, make crafts, meet local farmers and potentially become the next Alain Ducasse or Jacques Pépin, learning la cuisine française. Later in the summer, at Reto’s Ciao! Italian Week (July 8–12) they’ll get the opportunity to become premier pasta makers. Other themes cover world cuisine, good ole American classics (chicken pot pie, anyone?) and Mediterranean munchies. Camps last Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. — just in time for Junior to fix dinner before you get home from work! For dates and registration: ticketmetriad.com.

Eye Candy

Looking for a sugar buzz without the guilt? Then head to GreenHill (200 North Davie Street) to have a gander at Sweet, which opened last month. On view through July 14, the exhibition explores sweet and processed foods as pop culture bellwethers through the paintings of Rachel Campbell, Bethany Pierce and Stacy Crabill, and multimedia installations of Kristin Baumlier-Faber, Jillian Ohl, Paul Russo, among others. Look for related activities, such as discussions of food, artists talks, and a food-and-art party on July 13, featuring cake-decorating demos, still-life painting, vegetable carving, food fonts — and as you’d expect, tasty eats. Info: greenhillnc.org.

Ploughed Shares

So you got a little carried away planting tomatoes, zucchinis, green beans and peppers, and now that you’ve picked ’em all, they’ve taken over your kitchen counter. How to avoid wasting perfectly good vegetables? With Share the Harvest, a program of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension of Guilford County. Taking a cue from Plant a Row for the Hungry, an initiative of the Garden Writers’ Association of America, the Extension calls on its extensive network — community gardens, food agencies, individuals, to name a few — to deliver any unwanted, fresh produce at various drop-off sites around the county. Once it’s collected and sorted at Interactive Resource Center, various hunger-fighting agencies, such as Triad Health Project, Backpack Beginnings and Mustard Seed Community Health will deliver the produce to those in need. Drop-off sites will be open from June 3 to September 30. For a complete list, go to: sharetheharvestguilfordcounty.org.

Little Boys Blue

Meaning, Chef Tim & Clay, who will preside over Blueberry Pancake and Celebration Day on June 22 at Greensboro Farmers Curb Market (501 Yanceyville Street). Just think about all those antioxidants coursing through your veins — all from the humble, tiny, just-plucked globes of blue fruit. Never mind the fact that they’ll be sizzling in a sea of batter on a butter-coated griddle and smothered in a layer of thick, gooey syrup oozing from a carafe; they’re the perfect salute to the lazy, hazy days of summer. So stock up on a shortstack and enjoy! Info: gsofarmersmarket.org.

Who’s Your Crawdaddy?

You are! That is, if you’re an early bird at the Piedmont Triad Farmers Market (2914 Sandy Ridge Road, Colfax), which is hosting a Crawfish Boil on June 15. Starting at 10 a.m. until the crustaceans run out, you can purchase a minimum of one pound of crawfish cooked in Cajun seasonings or five pounds of fresh, uncooked critters (there’s a limit of 25 pounds per person). Vendors will accept cash only, and you’ll need a cooler for carrying home this delicacy. And when it’s time to spread out your feast and laisser les bons temps rouler, we dare you to suck the heads after you’ve scarfed down the tails. Info: ncar.gov.

Hogs and Heads

That’s code for beer and barbecue. On June 15,
Little Brother Brewing and smoke master Skip Purcell will team up to explore the nuances of these beloved American classics at Adult Cooking: Brews and ‘Cue Dinner, hosted by Greensboro Children’s Museum (220 North Church Street). Learn about regional differences in barbecuing meat, and sample pairings of three meats and beers before sitting down to a good ole, NC-style pig pickin’ with sides. We can hear you squeal with delight. Participants must be 21 or older to register at gcmuseum.com.

Dolled Up

One lump, or two? Regardless of how you prefer your cuppa — sipping it with pinkie extended or not — you’ll still be doing your part to preserve our local history by joining in the Dolly and Me Tea (O.Henry Hotel, 624 Green Valley Road). Benefiting the Greensboro History Museum, the tea welcomes families — and their favorite dolls — while an interpreter in the guise of Greensboro’s own favorite doll, Dolley Madison, makes the rounds. There will be craft stations, storytelling, tasty eats of course, and a silent auction — all in the name of keeping the Gate City’s past alive. Tickets: (336) 373-2982 or greensborohistory.org.

Ogi Sez

Ogi Overman

With apologies to Rodgers & Hammerstein and anyone who performed in their musical Carousel, June really is bustin’ out all over. The evidence is everywhere, but for our purposes, it’s at the music venues in and around the Triad, both indoor and outdoor. So take in a show or three and celebrate the season.

• June 6, Ramkat: If I were limited to one show and one show only this month, I must say that Shinyribs would be it. The Austin-based octet is the personification of the aforementioned celebration of life. Call it country-soul or swamp-funk or whatever, just don’t call in sick when this no-holds-barred band is within driving distance.

• June 14, Carolina Theatre: Did you catch last month’s 60 years of Motown special on TV? If you didn’t (or did) there’s also a road show with a similar theme, titled Forever Motown. It features no fewer than seven vocalists, including original Spinners lead singer G.C. Cameron and former Temptations lead singer Glenn Leonard. It hits all the highlights, from Marvin to Smokey from Diana to Stevie, and then some.

• June 19, Carolina Theatre, Durham: I wouldn’t run folks down to Durham for just any act, but when it’s Steve Earle I have to make an exception. In my book he’s among the finest of a small handful of living American songwriters. His ability to find humor and meaning in the gut-punches of life puts him in that elite space inhabited by Jackson Browne, Rodney Crowell and few others.

• June 22, Greensboro Arboretum: Time to break out the faerie wings and funky costumes for the 15th annual Summer Solstice celebration. While hardly contained to a musical event, it nonetheless features eight big acts on three stages, headlined by Soul Central and including Crystal Bright and the Silver Hands. Prepare to be glittered.

• June 27, LeBauer Park: The Children’s Home Society Beach Blast has been going strong for 16 years and has become a downtown after-work institution. The lineup is killer again (check local listings) but they may have saved the best for last with the Tams. I feared that when Joe Pope died, so would the Tams, but I’m happy to report that I was way wrong. With Little Red at the helm, they put on a show every bit as good as the Castaways in 1969. Millennials, ask your parents.

Short Stories

Flower Power

We take them for granted as we’re tearing down Interstates 40 and 85 in a mad rush (and one hopes, not texting and driving). But why not stop and smell, if not the roses, the wildflowers that carpet medians and roadsides of our highways? Or at least learn about the Wildflower Program from Derek Smith, environmental engineer at the North Carolina Department of Transportation. An employee of NCDOT for 26 years, Smith will discuss the types of wildflowers grown and different agronomic challenges across the state at noon on Thursday, May 9 at the Chip Callaway Lecture Series hosted by Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden (215 South Main Street, Kernersville). The lunch and learn will also reveal how you can grow wildflowers in your own garden. To register: (336) 996-7888 or cienerbotanicalgarden.org. 

Dare to Dream

Double your pleasure with not one but two local productions of Man of La Mancha, the popular Broadway musical based on Miguel de Cervantes’ epic, 17th-century novel, Don Quixote. Scripted by Dale Wasserman as a play-within-a-play, the show begins with the character of Cervantes awaiting trial in prison during the Spanish Inquisition. His fellow prisoners insist he hand over his possessions if he is found guilty. Cervantes agrees and in the mock trial that follows, mounts his “defense” in the form of a play: the story of a mad knight errant under the assumed name, Don Quixote de la Mancha, who is determined to return chivalric honor to a dreary world. With its theme of upholding ideals (no matter how grim life gets) and stirring score (including the showstopper “The Impossible Dream”), it’s no wonder Man of La Mancha garnered six Tony awards in 1966, including Best Musical. Catch it May 1–26 at Triad Stage (232 South Elm Street, Greensboro) or May 3–5 and 9–12, at the Little Theatre of Winston-Salem (Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art or SECCA, 750 Marguerite Drive, Winston-Salem). Tickets: (336) 272-0160 or triadstage.org; (336) 725-4001 for tickets or LTofWS.org.

Mutable Mangum

Just when you think you’ve identified William Mangum’s artistic style, better think again. The artist is unveiling his latest works in the exhibition, Transitions at dual receptions on Thursday and Friday, May 30 and 31, and at an open studio on Saturday, June 1 (303 West Smith Street). Consisting of more than 50 new works, the show reveals the range of Mangum’s talent, from representational paintings to abstracts and underscores that however constant a presence he is in the city and the state, his only constant is, of course, change. To attend an opening reception or learn more about the exhibition, contact Joy Ross at (336) 379-9200 or joy@williammangum.com.

A Walk in the Park

Lindley Park, that is. Hard nowdays to imagine one of Greensboro’s best-loved neighborhoods as an amusement park at the end of a trolley line with dancing, vaudeville, a casino and a manmade lake, but that’s exactly what occupied the 60 acres once belonging to local businessman and entrepreneur, John Van Lindley. By 1917, when the amusement park had had its run and share of fun, the city hired landscape architect Earl Sumner Draper to design the planned neighborhood with winding streets and sidewalks with the park as its focal point. So enjoy the green space, with its arboretum, and get to know the turn-of-the-century and mid-century homes surrounding it on Preservation Greensboro’s Ninth Annual Tour of Historic Homes & Gardens (Saturday and Sunday, May 18 & 19). As the nonprofit’s flagship fundraiser, the tour supports future historic preservation efforts in the Gate City and Guilford County. For more info about tickets and downloading the walking app, go to preservationgreensboro.org/tour-of-historic-homes-gardens/.

The Beef People

Got a legitimate grievance? Need to gripe or get something off your chest? Well, for heaven’s sake, don’t keep all that ire bottled up — or take it out on fellow motorists in the form of road rage, or shout at coworkers, friends or family members or the TV, and please, don’t kick the dog, either. Just head to the newly formed Curmudgeons Corner and air your diatribe(s) to like-minded folk at 10 a.m. every second Wednesday at Scuppernong Books (304 South Elm Street). If you’re seeking more information about the group you can call the Curmudgeon-in-Chief at (336) 897-0283, who may not be inclined to answer. Best just to show up and vent. There, now, feel better?

Creative Campers

With summer vacation around the corner, why let the kiddos while away the hours of the long hot days in front of a video screen, when they can tap into their inner Van Gogh or Michelangelo? From June through August children ranging from pre-kindergarteners to rising sixth-graders can engage in a variety of creative pursuits at one of GreenHill’s weeklong camps. Little tots can explore colors by making their own paints and tools, or recreate their own version of the popular game “Candyland,” while first-, second- and third-graders can choose from craftmaking or creative problem-solving, among other classes. There are camps devoted exclusively to paper-making, drawing and painting, and getting your hands dirty in paint, mud or clay. Whatever you choose, the time to register is now! To do so, go to greenhillnc.org/summer-camps.

Home of the Grave

Or graves, plural. Not to mention an insane variety of exotic trees, thanks to the late, great green thumb of local plantsman and polymath Bill Craft. Yes, we’re referring to historic Greenhill Cemetery, which is really, really green this time of year, given the amount of rainfall these past several months. See what’s sprouting and blooming, and learn about the storied lives of the cemetery’s, um, permanent residents, many of whom shaped Greensboro, on Friends of Greenhill’s springtime tour on Sunday, May 12 at 2 p.m. Meet at the southern gate on Wharton Street with the oh-so-reasonable admission of $5. Info: friendsofgreenhillcemetery.org.

Barnburner

The French Farmer’s Wife (1987 Beeson Road, Kernersville) returns Thursday, May 2 through Saturday May 4 with its first barn sale of the year. With an emphasis on, but not limited to, French provincial antiques and vintage pieces, the sale features fetchingly curated and staged finds, such as large pieces of furniture, baskets, glassware, linens, soaps, garden accouterments and considerably more. As a special treat, Debbie Dion Hayes will be on hand to sign her book, Paint, Stencil & Design on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Can’t make the sale? No worries, la fermière française will open her doors again July 25–27 and October 24–26. Info: facebook.com/TheFrenchFarmersWifeNC.

Winning Innings

The High Point Rockers are the newest ball club in the Triad, but did you know The International City has been hosting baseball games since the 1880s? It’s just one of several tidbits you can learn by visiting the exhibition, At the Old Ball Game, which opened late last month at the High Point Museum (1859 E. Lexington Avenue) Not only does the show cast a backward glance at local enthusiasm for America’s National Pastime, it also examines the current climate for the game with various lectures, events and programs, including the chance, on Saturday, May 4, for a free appraisal of your baseball cards and memorabilia. Now that’s what we call a homerun. Info: highpointmusuem.org.

Ogi Sez

Ogi Overman

I can’t prove it, but if asked their favorite month, I bet most folks would answer “May.” There’s just not much to dislike about it. As Goldilocks would say, “Not too hot, not too cold, but just right.” Plus, the outdoor concerts and street festivals are kicking off, making this a music-lover’s paradise. So, enjoy, there’s lots to choose from.

• May 2, Carolina Theatre:
For their Command Performance this year, the Showplace of the Carolinas has chosen Three Dog Night. The iconic rockers who ruled the early ’70s with 21 consecutive Top 40 hits, including three No. 1s, are still actively touring with original member Danny Hutton. Those patented “Joy to the World” three-part harmonies are still intact.

• May 10, High Point Theatre:
Not that it ever recedes for true believers, but May means that beach music again kicks into high gear. And the group that (one could argue) started it all, The Embers, are in the area, along with The Collegiates. If you saw them at the N.C. Folk Festival last year, you know that with Craig Woolard back in the fold, The Embers remain at the top of the “sand in my shoes” heap.

• May 18, LeBauer Park: Last year the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society moved its 32nd annual Carolina Blues Festival back downtown to rave reviews. They’ll be back there this year with another power-packed lineup of five stellar acts, headlined by the incredible Dom Flemons. The perfect way to spend a May afternoon and evening.

• May 30, Greensboro Coliseum: If, like me, harmony is your thing, Pentatonix needs no introduction. With the recent emergence of a capella vocal groups as a musical force, they have emerged as the cream of the crop. Their five parts can be literally chillbump-inducing.

• May 30, Ramkat: Did you happen to catch CBS’ recent Sunday Morning segment on Marty Stuart’s country music memorabilia museum? He is what Nashville used to be, and if he has his way, will one day be again. He looks and sounds the part, and His Fabulous Superlatives, ain’t bad, either.

Short Stories

Book Covers of Darkness

It might have caught the corner of your eye at Polliwog’s, or Scuppernong Books: a slim volume vaguely reminiscent of the children’s classic, Goodnight, Moon. But on closer inspection, you’ll discover a familiar landscape on the book’s cover: darkness falling over an illuminated Gate City skyline under the title, Good Night Greensboro: A Charming Bedtime Story About Our Beloved City. Written by Dana Hall, a former schoolteacher, and beautifully illustrated by local painter C.P. Logan, the book bids good night to Greensboro icons — the Grasshoppers and Miss Babe Ruth, Woolworth’s lunch counter, Nathanael Greene’s statue presiding over a verdant Guilford Battlefield, an autumnal Bog Garden. The simple text and colorful paintings are sure to soothe any reader (or insomniac) of any age . . . and offer a good reason to wake up in the morning. Info: goodnightgreensboro.com.

Fresh Paint(ings)

Behold new visions at O’Brien Gallery (307 State Street) with the April 12 launch of Uncovering the Layers, featuring the works of painter Jenny Fuller. It’s a homecoming of sorts for the Gate City artist who now resides in Charlotte and whose artistic mission is to “understand the radiance, color, shadow and wonder that surrounds each of us in nature.” Before meeting the artist at a reception at 6 p.m., get to know a new talent, colorist Carolyn Blaylock, at a lunch-and-learn at 11:30 a.m. Info: (336) 379-1124 or kathylovesart@aol.com.

Begging His Pardon

And no, we’re not referring to a certain soon-to-be resident of Club Fed, but none other than our magazine’s namesake, O. Henry. In a letter that landed on our desks recently, a one Jonathan Paris pleads the case for a full presidential pardon for William Sydney Porter, who served time in the Ohio State Penitentiary on charges of bank fraud. As we detailed in the pages of our September 2017 issue, Porter once worked as a teller for First National Bank in Austin, Texas, notorious for its lax recordkeeping, such as employees’ dipping into the till without leaving IOUs. So when the hammer fell on Porter, “he essentially became the fall guy for years of malfeasance,” writes Paris in his letter. “I know that posthumous pardons are rare but there is always a first for something,” he continues. “Having read his short stories and recalling many of them now, it is time to think of all the good this American did instead of a small amount of bad. Please send your votes to overturn the embezzlement charges to the Office of the Pardon Attorney in Washington, D.C.” It’s up to you, faithful readers; if you want to help clear the name of O.Henry, please send your plea in an email to: USPardon.Attorney@usdoj.gov.

Speaking of O.Henry . . .

We’re pleased to announce a new partnership with Center for Visual Artists, the Greensboro nonprofit dedicated to promoting local artists of all levels, from novices who’ve quietly been realizing their dreams from the privacy of home to established veterans who want to take their calling to the next level. Starting this month, CVA will designate the front lobby area in its perch inside the Greensoro Cultural Center (200 North Davie Street) as the O.Henry Featured Artists Space. There you will see works on view by artists featured in our magazine. We thought it apropos to launch the endeavor with our own Lynn Donovan, whose photographs of spring birds appear on page 80 of this issue. In addition to some of the original shots reproduced among these pages, you’ll also see some of her photos of exotic birds of Costa Rica. So stop by CVA’s galleries and have a, well, gander.

JAM Slam

Meaning Jazz Appreciation Month, as observed by the city of High Point, starting with a proclamation by Mayor Jay Wagner at City Hall on April 1. As the childhood home of jazz legend John Coltrane, High Point has dreamed up all kinds of jazz-related events throughout the month: On April 9th, Guilford County Schools All-County Jazz Ensemble, and Lunch and Jazz at the High Point Museum (which also hosts a Coltrane exhibit); Kids Night Out Jazz Painting on the 14th; a jazz poetry slam on the 26th. Of course, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to swing and groove to the sounds of local jazz cats, such as Gary Woodard, Melvin Holland Quartet, Brandon Vaughan and Wally West & Friends. And while you’re in town, drop by Sunrise Books to check out a selection of jazz-related tomes, before paying homage to the statue of  ’Trane downtown, where you can give thanks for such a vibrant and truly original American art form. Info: highpointarts.org.

Ham, Eggs and Greens

But not just any ol’ ham, but glazed ham, carved to your liking. And not just any ol’ eggs, but eggs Benedict or baked in a quiche with spinach, mushroom and Emmentaler cheese. And not just any ol’ greens but French green beans, or an orange, fennel and hazelnut spinach salad. But wait! There’s more! Lots more to choose from at the Easter Buffet served up on April 21 at Proximity Hotel’s Weaver Room (704 Green Valley Road). Think: shrimp cocktail, fresh fruit, homemade pastries, grilled salmon, prime rib . . . We could go on and on, but the mere thought of such a feast is making us swoon. Reserve now, before the hungry hordes fill up all the spaces, by calling the hotel’s Happenings Hotline: (336) 215-2868.

Bom-Bard-ment

“To be or not to be, that is the question.” “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” “Lord what fools these mortals be!” Well, yeah, baby, fools for Shakespeare. At 7 p.m. on April 15th, The Greensboro Public Library hosts Shakespeare (and Poetry) in the Park at LeBauer Park (208 North Davie Street), as an early celebration for the Bard of Avon’s 455th birthday. Shared Radiance Performing Arts Company will deliver a fast-paced, interactive montage that will include monologues, soliloquys, speeches and sonnets from Shakespeare’s greatest works, and audience members are invited to step up to the mic and recite their own Bard-inspired verse. Can’t make the poetry slam? Then hoist an elbow on Will’s actual date of birth, April 23, at Gibb’s Hundred (504 State Street), while Shared Radiance revives its act. As Popeye the Sailor might say: “Iamb what iamb what iamb.” Info: Contact Beth Sheffield at (336) 373-3617.

Question! Question!

Who’s got the answer? The Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, of course! From 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 27, these past masters of planting host their annual spring gardening open house at the N.C. Cooperative Extension Guilford County Center (3309 Burlington Road). Pop into the Ask a Master Gardener booth with questions about cultivating — well, anything. Get advice on landscaping and gardening, take a garden tour, check out a demo on soil preparation or garden tool sharpening. Learn the ins and outs of pond care, gardening with worms, growing vegetables, herbs and things in small spaces, and how to care for fussy roses. And bring some, uh, cabbage, too, because plants and gardening supplies will be on sale, ya dig? Info: (336) 341-2400.

Ogi Sez

Ogi Overman

We’re going to ignore the old saying about April showers — we’ve had quite enough of those, thank you — and go straight to the things that make this a charming month. As we wave buh-bye to a yucky winter, we concurrently wave hello to baseball season, warm breezes, barbecues and later sunsets. And, lest we forget, an uptick in the live concert season. Trust me, there are some good ones coming up.

• April 5, Greensboro Coliseum: Say what you will, but Alabama singlehandedly changed the face of country music. They were the first to legitimize bands, rather than solo artists, and importantly — to me, at least — brought three-part harmony to the forefront. Plus, they really did record some good tunes, and I’m happy to see them reunite for this tour.

• April 6, The Crown: I’m a bit prejudiced here because Abigail Dowd is a dear friend. But, friendship aside, she has finished her second album and will hold the release party here. I’ve heard her live at least a dozen times, including listening to some cuts off this project, and predict she’s ready for some much bigger stages.

• April 12, Ramkat: Anytime Robert Earl Keen is this close to home, a 26-mile drive to Winston is nothing. He has practically become the voice of Americana music, and his writing seems destined to eventually put him in the Guy Clark/Townes Van Zandt stratosphere. And his live shows are a party from the first note to the last.

• April 13, Blue Note Grill: I am hesitant to send anyone to Durham, but when the Subdudes are playing, I would be remiss by leaving them out. I’ve loved these guys for 20 years but was afraid they’d broken up. Thankfully, they haven’t. N’awleans funk, killer harmony, slide guitar, horns, clever lyrics — that’s where I live.

• April 17, LJVM Coliseum: Did you, like me, get caught up in what appeared at first to be a silly TV show, The Masked Singer? Well, it was silly, but the caliber of talent was exceptional. The eventual winner, T-Pain, beat out the likes of Gladys Knight, Latoya Jackson and Donny Osmond. A full-on rapper no more, this guy is a crooner of the Donny Hathaway order. And that, my friends, is a high compliment.

Short Stories March ’19

Branching Out

Help the Gate City keep another moniker, Tree City USA, as designated by the National Arbor Day Foundation. And you don’t have to, er, go out on a limb. Just join Greensboro Beautiful on March 16 — Arbor Day — at 10 a.m. for a tree planting at Kings Forest Park (1501 Larchmont Drive). The event will also launch the local nonprofit’s NeigbhorWoods Community Tree Planting Program, which helps provide canopy for hardwoods and evergreens lost in storm damage — as we all witnessed during Hurricanes Florence and Michael last fall — or for utility work. Info: greensborobeautiful.org.

Pickled and Preserved

Not that we’re suggesting you tie one on, but you can order a bowl of pickled veggies and yes, hoist a brew or two — or even a few — while helping out Preservation Greensboro. Just head to Natty Greene’s Brewpub in the historic Jones Building (345 South Elm Street) on March 20, aka “Good Work Wednesday” between 5 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. and order your favorite frostie, be it a Buckshot Amber, a Southern Session IPA or an Old Town Brown. While you’re at it, place an order of Cajun fries to go with those pickles, knowing that when you pay your tab, 10 percent of it — along with 10 percent of other bar patrons’ tabs — will go directly to the nonprofit dedicated to saving revered places and vital links to the Gate City’s past. Info: preservationgreensboro.org.

The Body Eclectic

As in, eclectic ways artists have used to portray the human figure, as seen in Here We Are: Painting and Sculpting the Human Form, opening March 9 at Weatherspoon Art Museum (500 Tate Street). Drawing from Modern and contemporary works from the museum’s collection, the exhibit consists of self-portraits, celebrity portraits or renderings of body fragments, to show that our mortal coils are a means to express identity, societal trends and fragility. So show a little esprit de corporeal, and catch the installation, which will be on view through October 20. Info: weatherspoon.uncg.edu.

Marvelous Maguy

It was a book reading.

But the writer, Greensboro’s Maguy (pronounced Maggie) Thomson, who is 75 and bent by rheumatoid arthritis, could not speak above a whisper, so her husband, Tim, introduced her work, Marguerite de Bourgogne, a self-published memoir via LifeRich Publishing, an imprint of Readers Digest.

Reading from a copy bookmarked with sticky notes, Brenda Schleunes, founder of the Touring Theatre of North Carolina, freed Maguy’s stories:

Of her father as a young Jewish man in Austria, fleeing Hitler’s police in 1936.

Of her mother, who was from the Burgundy region of France and who lived, as young woman, in Paris, where she and Maguy’s father met.

Of Maguy’s childhood, which included an 8-year-old boy who wrapped her 4-year-old finger with a blade of grass and announced to Maguy’s grandfather, “We are married whether you like it or not.”

At this, Marguerite of Burgundy — and later of Paris, of Chicago and four more U.S. cities before she landed, five years ago, in Greensboro — closed her eyes in the den-like coziness of Scuppernong Books and smiled. So did everyone else. Info: maguey.org or scuppernong.com —M.J.

Couture de Coeur

You don’t have to be a fashionista to appreciate Restoration Runway, the fashion show and silent auction benefiting Restoration Place Counseling, which offers affordable, faith-based services to women suffering trauma, depression or dependence. On March 28 Restoration Runway will celebrate its 10th year at Greensboro Country Club (410 Sunset Drive) with a reception, runway show and silent auction, but under the  theme, “Joy,” it celebrates something more important: inner beauty. Tickets: one.bidpal.net/joyfuljoyful/ticketing.

Footloose

Step to it, get into the groove, drag your heels, toe the line and give it a whirl. Dance Project’s Dance Marathon, that is. From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on March 30, Dance Project will set up in LeBauer Park and Van Dyke Performance Center (200 North Davie Street) for a day of classes, performances, dance relays, prizes and then some. The point is not only to have a great time but also to raise money for the programs and activities at Dance Project’s School at City Arts. So grab those dancing shoes and get ready to cut a rug. Info: (336) 373-2727 or danceproject.org.

Irish Trad

Long before Celtic Woman or other renowned folk bands from the Emerald Isle — De Dannan, Planxty, even The Irish Rovers of “The Unicorn” fame — The Chieftains set the bar for traditional Irish music. Established in 1962 by front man Paddy Moloney, the group boasts a staggering discography of 40-some albums, six Grammy awards and numerous collaborations with musicians of various genres, from rocker Mick Jagger to late opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti. As cultural ambassadors, The Chieftains have performed for monarchs, heads of state, Pope John Paul II and, at the invitation of the Chinese government, on the Great Wall of China, the first western group to do so. In its 57 years, the band has expanded and contracted with various members’ passing or leaving, but Moloney still leads, playing the tin whistle and uilleann pipes. With Kevin Conneff on vocals and bodhrán (drum) and Matt Malloy on flute they continue to delight and mesmerize audiences with their enticing blend of Celtic airs, ballads and reels, along with  classical compositions. Be similarly mesmerized on March 7 at 8 p.m. the Carolina Theatre (301 S. Greene Street). Tickets: (336) 333-2605 or carolinatheatre.com.

Spring Forward

To Springfest! OK, so we’re brazen enough to toot our own horn, but we strongly feel you won’t want to miss this year’s event, hosted by our sister publication Seasons Style & Design, a quarterly devoted to all things home and garden in the Triad. Now in its second year, Springfest will be held on Saturday March 24 from 1 to 5 p.m. at Grandover Resort (1000 Club Road). With the theme, “How Does Your Garden Grow,” it will feature — if you’ll pardon our alliteration — garden gab from hort luminaries Tony Avent and Chip Calloway. In between talks you can enjoy a splendid tea, replete with nibbles, and meander among vendors’ displays, and home and garden demos. Rumor has it that flower guru Randy McManus may even make an appearance. Find out for yourself! Tickets: ticketmetriad.com.

Short Stories Feb 2019

Worth the Drive to Winston-Salem

Once considered avant-garde, Modernist painters are becoming — dare we say it? — the Old Guard. You’ll better understand their influence on the national art scene from 1902 to 1952 by visiting Reynolda House Museum of American Art (2250 Reynolda Road), which presents Hopper to Pollock: American Modernism from the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute. On view February 15–May 13, the exhibit features 40 works — stark urban scenes by Edward Hopper, iconic drip paintings by Jackson Pollock, abstracts by Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko — all of them responses to economic, political and cultural upheavals of the last century. Tickets: reynoldahouse.org/hopper.

Pops are Tops

Turn your face away from the garish light of day, dream a dream and let it go when the show ends. We’re talking about Greensboro Symphony’s Tanger Outlets Pop Series concert, “From Broadway, With Love.” Getting under way at 8 p.m. on Valentine’s Day at Westover Church (505 Muirs Chapel Road), the performance features stars of the Great White Way, Hugh Panaro (Phantom of the Opera) and Scarlett Strallen (Travesties). Among the songs in their repertoire are faves from Phantom, Les Miserables, Frozen, Carousel and then some. Tickets: (336) 335-5456, ext. 224 or greensborosymphony.org.

Nectar and Food of the Gods

You’ll find both at the Wine and Chocolate Festival, the perfect antidote to the winter doldrums. Just head to the Coliseum’s Special Event Center (1921 West Gate City Boulevard) on February 9, either at 1 p.m. or at 5 p.m., where you can sip and savor a variety of indulgences produced right here in the Old North State. Purchase a glass —or a bottle — from vintners such as Chatham Hill, Stonefield Cellars or Weathervane, unless you’d prefer a cup of heaven from Bessemer City’s Celestial Cocoa Exchange. And we dare you to resist the jewel-like confections of the Greensboro’s La Pallette Artisan Chocolates, or bites of good ole fudge from Pfafftwon’s Dragonfly Farms. There’ll be other enticements — sauces, jellies, distilled spirits — not to mention locally crafted art and jewelry. Sweetest of all? Providence Culinary Training, a program of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina for the under- or unemployed, receives a dollar of every ticket purchase. Buy yours now: (800) 745-3000 or ticketmaster.com, or wineandchocolatefestivals.com.

Fancy Footwork for the Famished

Marvel at some some literal steps to stamp out hunger: Hope Fest Dance for Urban Ministry. A brand-new event, Hope Fest includes performances by seven international dance groups showcasing the moves from Hindu, Israeli, Cambodian, Irish, Native American, African-American and Latino cultures, as well as the sweet sounds of The Tapestry Chorus, an international children’s ensemble chorus. Nosh on snacks, sip some water or tea as you watch the dancers, and if you’re so inclined, make a donation that will benefit Greensboro Urban Ministry and A Simple Gesture, which fight hunger in the community. The festival takes place from 2 p.m. to 4: 30 p.m. on February 24, at First Lutheran Church (3600 Friendly Avenue). Info: firstlutheran.com.

Gone to the Dogs

And cats and birds too! This year, Raise the Woof is raising the stakes: The High Point—based event dedicated to helping our furry friends, (as chronicled in this pages in July of 2018), has encouraged participants — individuals, builders, companies, such as Home Depot — in this year’s fundraiser to construct not only fanciful dog houses, but fantastical abodes for cats and birds, as well. Have a gander at feathered nests, kitty condos and Fido chateaux, or better yet bid for them at auction, at RTW’s event at 1 p.m. on February 23 at HPU’s Community Center (921 Eastchester Drive). Admission is $5, and proceeds will benefit Chair City MAKERspace in Thomasville; GO FAR, which encourages healthy eating and exercise among children; K-9 Health Fund, which provides assistance to retired police dogs; and Davidson County Animal Alliance. Info: raisethewoof.us.

To Be or Not To Be

Want to tap into your inner Laurence Olivier or Sarah Bernhardt? Then take advantage of a sweet deal from the Drama Center: As a nod to its 50th anniversary, the organization is offering drama classes and workshops for $50 (that’s $40 less than the normal cost). Open to everyone from newborns to nonagenarians, the classes, which run from early February to April, will teach you the fundamentals of acting, characterization, monologues and more. Additionally, the All Abilities Actors Legion will offer an inclusive program, open to all. Before you know it, you’ll be strutting and fretting on a stage like a pro — so start preparing that Tony Award acceptance speech now!
To register: (336) 373-2728 or thedramacenter.org.

Five and Alive!

Take that, Amazon! Though the online Goliath has shuttered many an independent bookseller, our pals at Scuppernong Books (304 South Elm Street) have gained a national rep for how to run a highly successful bookstore for five consecutive years. And they’ve done it by building a community of booklovers who cherish their eclectic, and stimulating mix of books, readings, book clubs and a Wit and Spark Trivia night, not to mention the Greensboro Bound Literary Festival and so much more. Celebrate their anniversary at 6 p.m. on February 9, or simply patronize the shop and keep literary liberty going. Info: scuppernongbooks.com.

Hollywood Hotties

Sure, silent movies may seem quaint or even silly in an age that encourages baring and telling all (live dental streamings, anyone?) But we suspect, once the lights are dimmed on February 26 at Carolina Theatre (301 South Greene Street), and organist Ron Carter makes the old Robert Morton organ sing, the 1926 classic Flesh and the Devil will hold you under its spell. We’ll allow you a giggle here or an eye-roll there at the exaggerated gestures and long close-ups of stars Greta Garbo and John Gilbert, but ultimately, their onscreen chemistry, fueled by an off-screen romance, will ramp up the dramatic tension of the story’s tortured love triangle. Oh! Rapture! Tickets: (336) 333-2605
or carolinatheatre.com.

Ogi Sez

Ogi Overman

Oh, February, I wish there were more good things to say about you. You’re dreary, wet, cold and have only Valentine’s Day to make you brighter. Well, that and a plethora of fabulous concerts to take the chill off and put the thrill back in.

• February 2, Greensboro Coliseum: It’s hard to get any hotter than Luke Combs. After three EPs, he released his first major label LP in 2017, which yielded four No. 1 singles on the country charts. Plus, he defies the pretty boy-cowboy hat Nashville stereotype, wearing a ballcap and a scraggly beard.

• February 9, Community Church of Chapel Hill: Yes, you read that right, a church. But, regardless of venue, after you’ve heard the Seldom Scene, you’ll think you’ve been to church. Still the best bluegrass band of all time, even without any original members left (although that’s a source of debate among purists). The chill bumps after their patented endings tell the story.

• February 14, High Point Theatre: Although Branford Marsalis is generally considered the most respected jazz soprano saxophonist alive, to pigeonhole him into jazz would be a gross mistake. He has played with the likes of the Grateful Dead, Dave Matthews, Bela Fleck, Gov’t Mule, Sting and Phil Collins. In short, there is nothing he can’t play — and play it better than anybody else.

• February 16, The Crown: OK. I admit it; I’m prejudiced. Blues-jazz-Americana artist Seth Walker grew up in Alamance County and went to East Carolina, as did I. The difference was that he had a wheelbarrowful of talent and I had a thimbleful. Plus, he went to Austin to break in, and I came home after a week with a godawful hangover and no gigs. His nine albums to my zilch prove the point.

• February 19, UNCG College of Visual and Performing Arts: Well, what’s left to say about keyboardist Herbie Hancock that hasn’t been said before? Fourteen Grammys, 42 albums, 11 films, an Academy Award, and Kennedy Center Honors in 2013 say it all.

Short Stories

High Five!

“I fancy that every city has a voice,” wrote William Sydney Porter, aka O.Henry, and five years ago this month, Greensboro found full-throated expression in the inaugural issue of this magazine. With a cover revealing author John Hart seated among the Gate City’s Who’s Who reading his novel Iron House — at, where else? The O.Henry Hotel’s Green Valley Grill bar — followed by a wildly popular second issue featuring architect Edward Loewenstein, O.Henry gave Greensboro residents reasons to celebrate their city. The celebration hasn’t slowed one bit in the last five years, as we’ve paid homage to our past, our art, our music, food, traditions, homes and gardens — thanks to the talents of Dodson, Schlosser, Johnson, Bailey, Adams, Blair, Wahl and Rose. But wait! There’s more: A literal fifth anniversary celebration replete with music, eats and drink will take place this fall. Keep reading these pages or facebook/ohenrymagazine for details.

Buzzworthy

It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that sting! Celebrate the pollinators so crucial to our food system on August 20, at the Guilford County Master Gardeners’ Bee Friendly to Bees Day. Coinciding with National Honeybee Day, the event takes place at the Guilford County Agricultural Extension (3309 Burlington Road, Greensboro) a veritable hive of activity, with displays by UNCG, N.C. State and the Xerces Society on native bees and the latest on bee research. Also featured will be a plant scavenger hunt and samples of pollinator-driven food from GTCC’s culinary department. There’ll be face-painting for kids, books to browse through, hot dogs and honey-inspired desserts, music and more. Info: ces.ncsu.edu.

Wynner Take All

And you’ll be a winner simply by strolling the beloved Donald Ross course to watch the pros tee off, drive, chip and putt at Sedgefield Coutnry Club (3201 Forsyth Drive, Greensboro) for the Wyndham Championship (August 15–21). Last year, the buzz was all about a certain icon named Tiger making an appearance — until N.C. native Davis Love III took home the trophy. Only the Fates can tell what will occur this year. Meantime, enjoy sporting a Hawaiian lei, munching on hot dogs, the merch . . . and a Greensboro tradition that has lasted seventy-seven years. Tickets: wyndhamchampionship.com.

Courtiers

Meaning, South Africa’s Kevin Anderson, US of A’s Kevin Anderson and Sam Querrey, fresh off his takedown of No. 1 seed Novak Djokivic at Wimbledon. From August 20–27, watch these tennis pros and others serve (and grunt), volley and lob at the Winston-Salem Open (Wake Forest Tennis Center, 100 West 32nd Street, Winston-Salem). For a little extracurricular fun, Brenner Children’s Hospital hosts Kids’ Day (8/20) serving up pointers on tennis skills, fun and games and an appearance by the tournament’s mascot, Bo. On 8/22 salute our vets at Military Appreciation Night. And Hey Ladies! On 8/24, (Ladies Day) consider stopping in for a luncheon, how-to booths and fashion show  For more information and tickets: (336) 758-6409 winstonsalemopen.com.

More High Fives

As in, 5 By O.Henry at the Greensboro Historical Museum (130 Summit Avenue, Greensboro), arguably one of the oldest museum play series in the United States. For its thirtieth season, 5 By O.Henry’s performance dates (traditionally around the September 11, the birthdate of its namesake, William Sydney Porter), come early. This year, the series starts August 12–14, followed by another run August 18–21, and continues in mid-September (from the 12th through the 14th, and the 18th through the 21st). Whether your preference is matinee or evening, enjoy The Rathskeller and the Rose, The Fifth Wheel, Conscience in Art, Tobin’s Palm and Memento, all adapted for stage by Joe Hoesl and directed by Barbara Britton. Tickets: (800) 838-3006 or 5byohenry.bpt.me.

Park It!

After planning, digging, planting and rain delays, it’s finally ready. Carolyn & Maurice LeBauer Park (200 North Davie Street, Greensboro) officially opens on August 8th, with a dedication ceremony, classes, entertainment and two on-site cafes: Noma Food & Co., described as “fast-casual” Vietnamese and Ghassan’s, a longtime Gate City favorite serving up Mediterranean fare. The party continues all week, culminating on the evening of the 14th with the illumination of Where We Met, a canopylike sculpture by Julia Echelman, touted as the largest of its kind in the Southeast. There’ll be plenty more reasons to come to Le Bauer Park, including the last MUSEP concert by Wally West Little Big Band on the 28th . . . not to mention the last rays of summer before the busy, shortened days of fall. Info: cfgg.org.

Tune Up

So often we laud the music-makers of roots, bluegrass and old time genres but forget that the instruments themselves are art. Thanks to The Luthiers Craft: Instrument Making Traditions of the Blue Ridge, you can see the craftsmanship that informs musicianship. Originating at Mount Airy’s Museum of Regional History, the exhibit came to the High Point Museum (1859 East Lexington Avenue) last month and will be on view through December 17. It follows the work of guitar maker Johnny Henderson, fiddle makers Audrey Hash Hamm and Chris Testerman, and banjo maker Johnny Gentry, all of whom hail from Southern Appalachia and the Blue Ridge. With hands-on ways to explore their craft, don’t be surprised if you get a notion to start pickin’ and grinnin’. Info: (336) 885-1859 or highpointmuseum.org.

These Colors DO Run

Get moving and get happy at the Color Vibe 5K Run on August 27. Starting at
8 a.m. on the corner of Lindsay and Church Streets, the event is not so much a reason to show off your athletic prowess as to have fun — and benefit the Healthy America Initiative, which promotes active and healthy lifestyles. You’ll dash around a loop with stations or “color zones” that douse you with paint. By the time you cross the finish line and head to the dance party and color throw, you’ll be sporting the full spectrum, reason enough to change your name to Roy G. Biv. To register: thecolorvibe.com.

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Ogi Sez

With everyone trying to get in a beach trip before Labor Day, August is typically the slowest music month of the year. Therefore, for this hot month we’re going a bit farther afield to find the hot acts. Oh, they’re out there, you just gotta look a bit harder.

• August 4, Muddy Creek Music Hall: You’ve likely heard the buzz over the past year about this fantastic venue in Bethania, and there will be no better time to check it out than this event. Billed as A Celebration of Southern Sirens, seven top-shelf local and regional songstresses (my fave is Emily Stewart) will be covering some of the greats, ®à la Misses Loretta and Tammy.

• August 10, Cone Denim Entertainment Center: Since forming in 1995, Chicago trio Chevelle has made the transition from alt. metal/post-grunge to mainstream hard rock, morphing from a cult act into respected touring and recording artists. This is what a power trio is supposed to sound like.

• August 14, Thirsty’s 2: If you can’t make it to the beach, let my old pal Thirsty bring the beach to you. There is no finer keeper of the flame of that indigenous Carolinas genre than the Band of Oz. Ocean Boulevard right here in our backyard.

• August 25, Haw River Ballroom: Yes, it’s off the beaten path, Saxapahaw to be exact, but they are bringing in some killer national acts that make the trip well worth it. Hard Working Americans is Americana stalwart Todd Snider’s new band, and they definitely live up to their name.

• August 27, Greensboro Coliseum: Now, this should be interesting. When I first heard that Axl Rose was replacing Brian Johnson as lead vocalist for AC/DC, I dismissed it as another Internet myth. But the rumors are true, and — guess what? — the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. Who knew?

Short Stories: July 2016

High Notes in High Point

Beat the Monday blahs with Sunday night blues — or bluegrass, folk, Latin and soul — with yet more free, outdoor music. Joining Greensboro’s MUSEP and Levitt AMP concert series is High Point Art Council’s Arts Splash 2016. On July 10 grab a lawn chair and your dancing shoes, for there’s likely to be shimmying and shaking in Commerce Street at the Mendenhall Transportation Terminal when The Legacy Motown Revue takes the stage for the inaugural performance. It’ll prime you for the rest of the season’s lineup that includes The Collection, the cover story for the September 2014 issue of O.Henry, but decidedly not a cover band; Big Ron Hunter; plus The Robertson Boys; and Don Flemons, formerly of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, who winds up Arts Splash at the GTCC Amphitheatre on August 14. Info: (336) 889-2787 or highpointarts.org.

Glass Act

The colorful, translucent glass of Venice, Italy, appeals to just about everyone. And if you’re one of the world’s pre-eminent glass artists? Then expect the muse to strike — in a big way. That’s exactly what happened in 1988 when Dale Chihuly traveled to Venezia and on seeing its Art Deco vessels, decided to create his own sculptures with the help of two Venetian glass artisans. Bearing mythological creatures, cherubs and other themes related to the Queen of the Adriatic, the fantastical pieces are assembled in Chihuly’s Venetians: The George R. Stoemple Collection, which makes its only stop on the East Coast at the Alamance Arts Council (213 South Main Street, Graham) from July 1 through October 15. Info: (336) 226-4495 or alamancearts.org.

See You at the Movies

Escape the inferno outside for the cool, dark comfort of a movie theater at two film festivals playing in the Gate City throughout July and August. Starting on July 11 the Carolina Theatre’s annual Summer Film Fest delivers chills and thrills from Hitchcock’s Rope to Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, as well as kitschy, campy popcorn flicks such as Blue Hawaii, Beach Blanket Bingo and Cry-Baby. Take the day off with Ferris Bueller, ride with The Duke’s posse in The Searchers or sing along with the Von Trapps in The Sound of Music. Tickets: (336) 333-2605 or carolinatheatre.com. For more high-minded — and free — fare, Greensboro Public Library’s Foreign Film Festival, (through August 30) takes you abroad to Ireland with Grassland, a family drama and 2015 Sundance award-winner; sets your heart afire with Austria’s Amour Fou; and ramps up the adventure quotient with Theeb, an Academy Award nominee from Jordan about a young tagalong in a Bedouin tribe. For a complete listing and screening locations: greensboropubliclibrary.org.

Harry Plotter

If you’re having Game of Thrones withdrawal, binge on the Bard with Henry IV, Part I, with Drama Center’s Summer Shakespeare in the Park production at Gateway Gardens (2924 East Gate City Boulevard). Among the most popular in Shakespeare’s canon, “One Henry Four,” if you’ll recall, has an aging King Henry worried about advancing armies, an uncooperative and hot-headed ally, Hotspur, and his wastrel son Prince Harry, who loves to spend his days imbibing and wenching in taverns with his buddy Falstaff. Does the young prince have what it takes to be king? Find out July 28-–31. Tickets: (336) 335-6426 or thedramacenter.com.

Piercing

Release your inner Katniss Everdeen — or Robin Hood, or Cupid — at a series of archery clinics, courtesy of Greensboro Parks and Recreation. Held at Hester Park (3615 Deutzia Road) every first and third Thursday of July (the 7th and 23rd — and continuing through September), the two-hour sessions are open to anyone 8 years old on up, beginner or advanced. For a fee of $25, you’ll learn range safety and shooting techniques and how to size the equipment (which is provided, by the way). But don’t get too — heh — arrow-gant with that quiver and try any William Tell stuff: You could put someone’s eye out with that thing. To register: Call Remy Epps at (336) 373-3741.

Jockablock

Why fly down to Rio for games of hide-and-Zika when you can watch the USA Masters Games right here in the Gate City? From July 21–31, some 6,000 athletes age 21 and over, and hailing from around the globe, will compete in twenty-four different sports, including the usual suspects: baseball, basketball, cycling, soccer, tennis, golf, soccer, swimming, and track and field. There are the seasonal anomalies, too (figure skating and ice hockey, in July?), as well as the kinder, gentler activities — badminton, pickleball and functional fitness — for creakier joints. Competitions will take place throughout the city with the Greensboro Coliseum serving as hub central, replete with a Games Village. So come out and cheer on the competitors and boast that you’ve been to the Masters — without having to eat crummy pimento cheese sandwiches. Info: usamastersgames.com.

Pestlemania

Invented in Greensboro, everyone should know that Vicks VapoRub is a eucolyptus and camphor salve that still soothes bronchial symptoms under Procter & Gamble’s banner. Now you can see precisely where VapoRub started: the mortar and pestle that Lunsford Richardson used to mash up the first batch. Greensboro’s Anne Carlson, who’ll turn 90 this month, recently donated the hefty brass set to the Greensboro Historical Museum (greensborohistory.org), where it’ll be displayed in a case labeled, “This Just In,” before moving to a permanent exhibit. Museum director Carol Hart says the grinding device is an example of an object that wouldn’t bring much on eBay, for instance, but is priceless because of its historical significance to Greensboro. “It connects to a time when Greensboro was becoming what it is,” she says. Its provenance? One night in 1894, when Carlson’s mother-in-law, Laurinda Richardson Carlson, was sick as a child, her father ran down to his pharmacy on South Elm Street and crushed up the ingredients to be plastered on his little girl. Shazam! She got better overnight. Richardson named the concoction for his brother-in-law, Dr. Joshua Vick, sold the rub in small blue jars, and a national brand was born. A footnote: Four years before Richardson invented VapoRub, he and a business partner bought the drug store from F.A. Tate and W.C. Porter. Porter’s nephew William Sydney Porter had worked in the store and later became a writer under a different name: O.Henry.

Sauce of the Month

The label of A La Brava Hot Sauce wonders: “Are you brave enough to try it?” I was and found that this “Authentic Salsa Diabla” — first whipped up in Chihuahua, Mexico, by Mama Nana, the grandmother of Winston-Salem resident Marcos Medina — is, in fact, considerably hotter than Texas Pete. Its blistering bravado comes from a blend of chipotle and “rat’s tail” (arbol) chilies, giving it a really distinctive South-of-the-Border accent, with no sugar, gracias. You’ll find it on the shelves of Super G Mart, Compare Foods  or other, smaller tiendas. Bravissima! — DCB

Ogi Sez

Fourth of July fireworks are by no means the only way to light up your hot summer evenings. There are plenty of musical pyrotechnics on tap in and around the ’boro, so let’s light the fuse.

  • July 1, Blind Tiger: Americana music was invented for this band. Yarn encapsulates everything good about the nonmainstream genre: great harmonies, superb acoustic musicianship, music with a message and a good time on stage that transfers to the crowd.
  • July 6, Greensboro Coliseum: Given our demographics here, I debated whether or not to include this one. But since many of us have kids and grandkids, I opted to inform you that “The Biebs” is coming to town. And if you don’t know who that is, ask your kids and grandkids.
  • July 10, Doodad Farm: More often than not, I highlight national acts in this space, but three that ought to be — Molly McGinn, Sam Frazier and Jon Shain — will appear together in this lovely, rustic, outdoor venue. National caliber at local prices.
  • July 16, High Point Theatre: Greensboro’s favorite son for five decades, Billy “Crash” Craddock, who graced the cover of this fine publication not long ago, will headline this Country Jam. Also on the bill are the darlings of rockabilly, the Malpass Brothers, and up-and-coming crooner Michael Cosner.
  • July 16, Carolina Theatre: If Americana was made for the aforementioned Yarn, it’s only because Steve Earle invented it. The legendary Texas tunesmith is carrying on the tradition of Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark. Joining him will be frequent collaborator and star in her own right, Shawn Colvin.