Spring forward with a soul cleanse, humor and rock

A great mix of events are happening today from the homespun humor of Garrison Keillor to a mind-body experience at Okra. Choose your fun. See you in the streets...

Detox Your Soul - Spring forward and detox your soul at Intuitive Day. There's a tea and coffee, yoga, deep stretch and a full day of activities. Get your mind and body right for spring. Various events throughout the day. Ends at 8:30 p.m. Okra, 1912 Commonwealth Ave.

Spinning Tales - Master storyteller and host of Public Radio's “A Prairie Home Companion,” Garrison Keillor. 7 p.m. Belk Theater, Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, $25. Street parking available. Preferred patron rate of $5 at  Bank of America Center Parking Garage Entrances at: 150 N. College St. and 290 E. 5th St.

Courtney Suggests - The Canadian bluesy rock trio Current Swell. Read why on Sound Bites. 8 p.m. Double Door Inn. $12-$14. Parking onsite.


 


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Latte throwdown, a cooking event and No Pants!!!

I'm so excited about Charlotte No Pants Ride! I have my outfit and ya'll ain't ready!!! That's all I'm going to says. See you in the streets. Let's get this party started.

Coffee Art - I can only dream of making pretty designs in my latte. So, I'll be checking out the skilled baristas at the Latte Throwdown. It's part of the #Brewtangjam. 7 p.m., Daily Press, 3227 N. Davidson St.

Food & Fun - The  McColl Center for Art + Innovation Knight Artist-in-Residence Robert Karimi hosts Viva La Cook Triple Crown Grill Off + Food Wisdom Day. A barbecue contest hosted by internationally renowned celebrity chef Mero Cocinero starts the fun. Then local cooks as they prepare family dishes. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., 7th Street Public Market, 224 E. 7th St. Paid parking available.

Changing Lives - The Guys & Dolls consistently raises more than a quarter million dollars for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation each year. Online sales are over, but you can call for tickets. Black tie optional. 6:30 p.m., Hilton Charlotte Center City, 222 East 3rd St. 704-321-7852.







Don't Forget

Look Ma No Pants -  Charlotte's 3rd Annual No Pants Ride takes place in Southend. Participants will gather at the Scaleybark Light Rail Station at 3 p.m. to ride the light rail sans pants. Warm Charlotte will accept your pants or other clothing items in any sizes at the event. Participants will ride to the Bland Street Station and walk to The Unknown Brewing Company, 1327 South Mint St. for the pantsless after party.  Unknown Brewing will elect a King and Queen of Pantslessness so get creative with your boxers and briefs. There will be heat lamps, food, and giveaways. Be sure to purchase a light rail ticket to participate.





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Craft cocktails and tattoos, two of my faves today

Pick your poison this weekend: a needle or a shot? Well technically, I guess it won't be shots since they are craft cocktails, but there could be craft shots. Ooh that would be fun. It'll be fun regardless. BTW: did you see Tom Sorenson's piece on tonight's Roy Jones Jr. fight? Details on the fight below.

 Let's get this party started. See you in the streets...

Tatted Up - Get tatted and see cool tats at the Inkfest Live, a tattoo expo. Tattoo artists from throughout the world will be tattooing on site. There will be graffitti demonstrations, body piercing, a burlesque show, live music and more. Today through Sunday, Cabarrus Arena, 4551 Old Airport Road. $20/$30.

Craft Crawl - The EpiCentre will host the second Craft Cocktail Crawl. Attendees will sample creative libations from Blackfinn Ameripub - Charlotte, Vida Cantina - Charlotte,StrikeCity, Bubble Charlotte, Suite, Whisky River CLT, Rooftop 210. Attendees will also receive a commemorative T-Shirt, a cup, two drink tickets, special drink prices, no line, no cover at all participating bars. $15.

CLTFun.com and Good Eats & Meets have partnered up to bring the next Progressive Dinner Crawl Series in teh Metropolitan. Guests will enjoy a four-course meal and Grey Goose martini and cocktail specials at each participating restaurant. $35 per person.

Don't ForgetLive Salsa Band - The salsa band Grupo Niche brings its Latin flavor to the N. C. Music Factory. Grupo Niche, 7 p.m., Fillmore, 1000 NC Music Factory Boulevard.

Boxing Event - Fight fans are hotly anticipating the Pacquiao v. Mayweather fight in Las Vegas in May, but until then get your fight fix here. See world champion boxer Roy Jones Jr. v. Willie Williams of Baltimore. 7 p.m., Cabarrus Arena & Events Center, 4751 North Carolina 49. $50 and up.

Price gouging, gunfire and I still love the CIAA (Video)

I love the CIAA. I really do. I love what the CIAA represents not the ratchedness that surrounds some of the parties and people during tournament week. Yes, traffic is a mess. Yes, too many of the people who come here that week act completely ignorant. And two people were shot. But for everyone of them there's a Mr. CIAA, the older Fayetteville alum I met at the barbershop and so many others.

The over-the-top people combined with the frustration over the charging practices at the Ritz, higher than usual event pricing parking at a variety of clubs has many of my local friends complaining about the event. It's funny really, when the tournament came here, many of my peers weren't sure it would be successful. Now, it seems it's too successful. Not to me. I make the CIAA the experience that I want, and this year was no different.

I started partying Tuesday and didn't finish until Sunday morning. And I did it my way, no stress, no mess. I spent finale Saturday at Icehouse watching the D.C. go-go band Suttle Thoughts at a day party. I ended my night at Release! House party at Petra's. How did you enjoy the week?

Release! House Music Party

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Swiss jazz trio jams at McColl Center (Video)

The Swiss trio Der WaWaWa was engaging and fun at the McColl Center on Wednesday. Saxophonist Benedict Reising joked about the bands appreciation of the Wild Wild West as well the challenges of translating their song titles into English. The group's performance was part of the McColl's New Frequencies program which spotlights experimental films and live jazz. It's funded by the Knight Foundation. Don't miss tonight's graffiti art show at Queens.



 

European jazz, American boxing and Charlotte graffiti

This weekend's events sound fantastic. There is such a wide variety of things to do from jazz to a blind (literally) food experience to a graffiti art show. Can't wait. Let's get this party started. See you in the streets.

Wednesday

European Jazz - Der Wawawa is considered one of Europe’s hottest jazz groups. New Frequencies: An Evening of Jazz with Der Wawawa featuring special guest, the Charlotte-based Ghost Trees showcases the saxophone trio performing at the McColl Center for Art + Innovation as part of its 2015 U.S. tour. 8 p.m. McColl Center for Art + Innovation, 721 N Tryon St. $10. #TJTurnup

Taste Test - This is a real blind taste. The menu is secret until the end of the meal. Guests are blind folded during the meal.  Good Eats & Meets Is Super presents Dining in the Dark-A Journey of Taste, Sound and Touch…A True Feast for the Senses-Asian Style. The event raises awareness of the challenges faced by the visually-impaired.  7 p.m., Eight Sushi, 1000 NC Music Factory Boulevard. $60 per person, $110 per couple excluding fees.

Thursday

Graffiti Is Art - This invitational exhibition features graffiti by local artist. CLT ART BOMB! : An Invitational Charlotte Street Art Exhibition features works by: Arko, Dr.Caligari, FrogBoy, Miss Lotus, Obsoe, Owl, Pepper Fox, Rebus, Smokey Contraband, Skot Marsi, Snub and others using spray paint, markers, wheat paste, vinyl stickers and other materials.  5:30 p.m. Gallery talk begins at 6 p.m. Queens University, 1900 Selwyn Ave.

Friday

Live Salsa Band - The salsa band Grupo Niche brings its Latin flavor to the N. C. Music Factory. Grupo Niche, 7 p.m., Fillmore, 1000 NC Music Factory Boulevard.

Boxing Event - Fight fans are hotly anticipating the Pacquiao v. Mayweather fight in Las Vegas in May, but until then get your fight fix here. See world champion boxer Roy Jones Jr. v. Willie Williams of Baltimore. 7 p.m., Cabarrus Arena & Events Center, 4751 North Carolina 49. $50 and up.

Saturday

Look Ma No Pants -  Charlotte's 3rd Annual No Pants Ride takes place in Southend. Participants will gather at the Scaleybark Light Rail Station at 3 p.m. to ride the light rail sans pants. Warm Charlotte will accept your pants or other clothing items in any sizes at the event. Participants will ride to the Bland Street Station and walk to The Unknown Brewing Company, 1327 South Mint St. for the pantsless after party.  Unknown Brewing will elect a King and Queen of Pantslessness so get creative with your boxers and briefs. There will be heat lamps, food, and giveaways. Be sure to purchase a light rail ticket to participate.





Holla: sipandplayclt@gmail.com

Good music acts in town tonight

The party is over. Enjoy a little quiet normalcy with some tight singer-songwriters or a reflective indie flick. Until next week...

Indie Flick - Explore what happens when there's a second chance with your true love in "Is that You?" The film won Indie Film of the Year by the Israeli Academy. It's part of the Jewish Film Festival. 3 p.m. Charlotte Jewish Film Festival, Regal Ballantyne Village, 14815 Ballantyne Village Way.






Okie Rockers - See this tight four-piece known for its power chords and ballads. Cody Canada & The Departed with Jason Boland & The Stragglers, 7 p.m., The Chop Shop, 399 E. 35th St. $25. Parking onsite.

Charlotte Favorite - Singer-songwriter Marshall Crenshaw is known for his emotional and melodic tunes. He returns tonight for an intimate set. 8 p.m., The Evening Muse, 3227 N. Davidson St. $15.

















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