Queen City Nerve’s motto has been the same since our start: If you think nothing is happening in Charlotte, you’re not trying. While we’ve always included a Lifeline in our print issue, here’s our online version to help give you weekly reasons to engage.
Just Gather
Tuesday, Feb. 24 • 6-11 p.m. • The Long Room • Free w/ RSVP
Don’t let anyone tell you Tuesdays are dead. Whether you’re looking to dance or hold up the wall, make new friends or reconnect with those you haven’t seen in a while, this kickback gives you a chance to hop off social media and get some actual facetime with folks during an event rooted in connection, rhythm and collective joy.
Dammit Wesley, DJ Tati, and Deejay Suave will set the tones with DJ sets while Chef Reyana Radcliff, aka Your Braisen Chef, provides curated food options. Log off and lock in for an evening of socializing, not social networking.
Loboda
Wednesday, Feb. 25 • 7:30 p.m. • Knight Theater • $102 and up
Ukrainian singer-songwriter Svitlana Loboda has been a pop icon in Russia and eastern Europe since 2003. Her music incorporates pop, electro, dance beats and attitude, with 2009 single “Be My Valentine” suggesting an earthier Kylie Minogue backed with a distorted Balkan horn section. With a career stretching 20-plus years, Loboda’s arc has been one of constant reinvention.
When Russia invaded her homeland, Loboda cut ties with the country and has since supported Ukraine, promoting charity efforts, visiting refugee centers and writing songs about the ongoing struggle. Her latest single “Don’t Disturb” employs a taxi ride as a metaphor for moving forward from a shadow past.
Read more: Charlotte Filmmaker Discusses Time in Ukraine During War (2022)
Sound Makers Social
Friday, Feb. 27 • 6:30 p.m. • DUPP&SWAT • Free w/ RSVP
A night rooted in sound, creativity and real community, Sound Makers Social curates a high-energy experience that puts sound front and center. The night kicks off with Pass The Aux, where producers get two minutes to play/preview one track or mix for discerning ears. Producer performances follow, offering intimate, lively sets with live beat-making, remixes and raw sonic experiments.
Also on site is an open mic spotlighting rappers, singers, poets and vocalists. It all takes place in a space that transforms DUPP&SWAT into a creative zone featuring visual artists, designers and local creatives. Space is limited so RSVP is required.
African American Heritage Festival
Saturday, Feb. 28 • 11 a.m.-5 p.m. • Charlotte Museum of History • Free
This year’s African American Heritage Festival’s theme is Red, White, Blue, and Black, highlighting the often-overlooked stories of Black military service throughout American history. The event offers engaging speakers, powerful performances, vibrant art, local vendors and thought-provoking panels.
Events include the following: NC’s Black Militiamen, 1869-1886, a presentation from Dr. Gregory Mixon examining African American volunteer citizen-soldiers; a panel discussion titled Home, Hospitality, & Hope, exploring the barriers to housing and racial hostility encountered by Black veterans returning home from war; a photography and visual storytelling workshop; and more. Jocelyn Mitnaul Mallette, secretary of the NC Dept. of Military and Veterans Affairs, delivers the keynote address.
Doc 103: Celebrating Doc Watson
Sunday, March 1 • 6 p.m. • Neighborhood Theatre • $39-$45
Blinded at the age of 1, Doc Watson helped transform acoustic guitar from rhythm to lead instrument with a self-taught technique. That innovative “two-finger” approach utilizes a thumbpick for alternating bass and an index finger pick for melodic and rhythmic runs on the treble strings.
If it were only for his bounding rhythms, see-saw strumming, rapid-fire picking and resonant fills, Watson’s place in the bluegrass-old time music pantheon would be assured, but Doc’s warm reassuring drawl seals the deal. This tribute show features Jack Lawrence, Peter Rowan, Graham Sharp, Justin Fedor, Travis Weddington, Cooper Eades, Ettore Buzzini, Lindsey Emmons, Dave McLendon and more.
