Concord bar crawl, jazz uptown and Tuckfest

It's Friday!!! This was one of those weeks, where I started my weekend on Wednesday and can't stop, won't stop until Sunday. Tonight's events range from the symphony to crossfit (yep, crossfit). Now let's get this party started. See you in the streets.


Head North - Curious about where to party in Concord? Find out on the Concord Nightlife Crawl. Stops include CJ’s Pub, Iron Thunder Saloon, Tavern at the Mills, Bonfire Bar & Grill Concord, Eastfield Bar & Grill. Meet at 6:30 p.m. CJ's Pub, 3805 Concord Pkwy S Ste 152, Concord. $10.



Tarp & Blanket - The Charlotte Symphony indoor performances will be broadcast simultaneously during outdoor plazacast during its KnightSounds Series concert, A Night In New York. The plazacast will be outside on a 16- by 9-foot screen with speakers. Music Director Christopher Warren-Green will conduct the concerts, which will include selections from some of Leonard Bernstein’s most popular musicals, including "West Side Story." Bring chairs, blankets and tarps (the ground is soaked). The concert is tonight and Saturday. 7:30 p.m. at Knight Theater at the Levine Center for the Arts. The outdoor show is free. Indoor show is $29.








Spring Style - Charlotte boutiques get to strut their stuff at Style Under the Stars, a spring fashion show produced by Effie Loukas. The event will benefit the Jamie Kimble Foundation of Courage. 8 p.m. Rooftop 210, 210 East Trade St. $20/$40.

Don't Forget

UNCC Benefit - Enjoy an elegant evening entertainment, food and fun along with street performers and the Leslie and Friends variety band at the Green Tie Gala Masquerade. 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Byron's South End, 101 W Worthington Avenue #110.  $50.

Throwback Jazz - See the Calvin Edward Trio perform at Jazz at Packard Place. It’s billed as a throwback to the jazz era nightclub experience. Two shows: 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. $12 and up. 

Boxfight - Curious about crossfit? Watch two boxes (gyms) battle it out when top athletes from Stax Crossfit take on Crossfit Kaiju crossfitters in a battle of the WODS. Adult beverages will be for sale. 7 p.m.  Stax Crossfit, 3722 South Tryon St. Free.

Celebrate Outdoors - Tuck Fest is a three-day festival outdoor festival featuring competitions, exhibitions, demos and live music. The festival features a variety of outdoor sport competitions that include trail running, kayaking, biking, climbing, stand-up paddleboarding, slacklining and adventure racing. Starts today and end Sunday. U.S. National Whitewater Center (USNWC)

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My new home: Ri Ra's new Irish Whiskey Room (Video)

Oh yeah! I'm digging Ri Ra's new Irish Whiskey Room. The venerable Charlotte Irish pub converted its upstairs bar into an Irish whiskey room. They only serve Irish whiskeys and beers. Co-owner Ciaran Sheehan says it's the only exclusively Irish whiskey room in the country, and it features 40 Irish whiskey, including only available there.

The room also features an exclusive small plate menu featuring everything from steak bites to Jameson's hush puppies. Drinks include a variety of punches and whiskey cocktails. The masterminds of this concept want to newbies to learn more about whiskey. For example, the flight come with a take-home information card. I'm going to let co-owner Ciaran Sheehan and world renowned (named world's best bartender in 2013) Jack McGarry (New York's Dead Rabbit and Grog) tell you more about it in the video below.





Photo credit: Tonya Jameson and Ri Ra.

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Road Trip: Snoop Dogg Tonight!

Looking to get out of town this weekend? The fun begins today.

Snoop Dogg At Ziggy's In Winston-Salem Tonight!
Get off work early, call your crew and head to Winston-Salem. Show starts at 7 p.m., and there's an opening act. You can make it. It's an outdoor venue and the show is rain or show. Let's go! Ziggy's, 170 W. 9th St., Winston-Salem. $45.

The 10th Annual Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival in Blowing Rock
Sample beer, wine, cheese and more in a picturesque setting. The festival starts today with a variety tastings and seminars. The big event is Saturday. 12 p.m. -  5 p.m. 1st Citizens Bank, 1021 Main St, Blowing Rock. Various prices.

Sperry Top-Sider Charleston Race Week
The Sperry Top-Sider Charleston Race Week consists of 278 boats competing in the largest regatta of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. It includes about 2,500 participants, representing 27 states and seven countries competing in the Charleston Harbor. Deets. Saturday. The Race Village at the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina, 20 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant.

Partying Hard At Taste of the Nation (Video)

One of my favorite events of the year is Taste of the Nation. My partner and I have volunteered to shoot this event every year for the last few years. It's a lot of fun and the board works hard to put on a stellar event. This year the organization celebrated its 20 year anniversary. Read Kathleen Purvis' take on the food.

Taste is known for its great food, and there were some stellar dishes, but the after-party was unforgettable. There are two waves of fun at Taste of the Nation. The first is the mad rush to sample all of the delicious food and drinks when guests first arrive. I'll write about that in future post. Hint: if you haven't been to Evolve yet, go now! The second wave is the dance party after the live auction. Last night, party was a blast thanks to the sounds of Java Band. See how it went down.

Food festivals, beer festivals and live jazz

Wow! What a weekend. This is just a smattering of the events going down over the next few days. It's crazy. National Beer Day and 420 all happening in the same week. First, I must pause for the cause. Congratulations to Tom Sasser of the Harper Group who was honored as the Humanitarian of the Year at the national No Kid Hungry Summit for his 20 years of leadership with Taste of the Nation. A well-deserved honor. Now let's get this party started! See you in the streets.

Tonight

End Child Hunger - Taste of the Nation celebrates its 20th anniversary. Samplings from the area’s top chefs, restaurants & culinary schools. Enjoy fine wines, beers, premium spirits, including Mixologist Bar. Silent and live auction. All proceeds benefit Share Our Strength and local charities. Deets. $85 7 p.m. general admission, $120 6 p.m. VIP admission. Two Wells Fargo Center Atrium, 301 South Tryon St.

Thursday

Tribute Concert - Jazz fans pay tribute to keyboardist Joe Sample, who died last year. Sample was a multi-Grammy winner and member of the Crusaders. Alex Bugnon headlines the Joe Sample Tribute Concert. Sample’s son Nick (bass) and original Crusader Wilton Felder (saxophone) will also perform in this special tribute show. It’s part of the CPCC Sensoria Arts Festival. 8 p.m.,  Halton Theater, 1206 Elizabeth Avenue. $50 and up.

Global Bites - Celebrate Charlotte's cultural diversity at the Levine Museum’s annual fundraiser, Taste of the New South: Global Dish. This year's theme will take guests around the world with cuisine, decor, entertainment and more. 6 p.m., Levine Museum of the New South, East 7th Street. $100. Limited street parking and paid parking available.

Caribbean In Concord - The Cabarrus Arts Council’s Art On Tap, young adult group, is hosting a Caribbean themed party featuring reggae rock trio Sun-Dried Vibes. 7:30 p.m., Davis Theatre, 65 Union St. S, Concord, in the Cabarrus County Historic Courthouse. $15.

Friday

UNCC Benefit - Enjoy an elegant evening entertainment, food and fun along with street performers and the Leslie and Friends variety band at the Green Tie Gala Masquerade. 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Byron's South End, 101 W Worthington Avenue #110.  $50.

Throwback Jazz - See the Calvin Edward Trio perform at Jazz at Packard Place. It’s billed as a throwback to the jazz era nightclub experience. Two shows: 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. $12 and up. 

Boxfight - Curious about crossfit? Watch to boxes (gyms) battle it out when top athletes from Crossfit Staxx takes on Crossfit Kaiju in a battle of the WODS. Adult beverages will be for sale. 7 p.m. Crossfire Staxx, 3722 South Tryon St. Free.

Celebrate Outdoors - Tuck Fest is a three-day festival outdoor festival featuring competitions, exhibitions, demos and live music. The festival features a variety of outdoor sport competitions that include trail running, kayaking, biking, climbing, stand-up paddleboarding, slacklining and adventure racing. Starts today and end Sunday. U.S. National Whitewater Center (USNWC)

Saturday

Brew Beatdown - The annual Battle of the Brews puts Charlotte's local breweries against each other. Each of the 10 breweries will bring three kegs. There will be eight food truck and live music from 5 on Sundays. 3.m.m - 6 p.m. Southend’s Food Truck lot, 100 W. Park Ave. $40

420 Fest - Tyber Creek is hosting a 420fest on Saturday April 18th. Start with a FREE Fun Run/Walk at 11 a.m. There’s a Kan Jam Tourney at 2 p.m. and live music all night. Tyber Creek,1933 South Boulevard. Free entry. 

For The Family - Curious about how to live a healthy lifestyle? Start with the Healthy Home Market Fair. There will be practitioners from the Community Wellness Center, food vendors, vitamin educators and more. 1 p.m. - 4 p.m Plaza Midwood, 1330 Central Ave. Free.

1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Art Gala - Studio Party 15: Upcycled Gala, presented by Bank of America, is the McColl Center for Art + Innovation annual celebration and contemporary art sale, with complimentary cocktails, gourmet tapas, and an Art Showcase featuring exceptional works for sale from current Artists-in-Residence and Alumni curated exclusively by Renee McColl and Brad Thomas. 7 p.m. McCoy Center,721 N Tryon St. $150. 

Sunday

Help Girl Rockers - Join family, friends and supporters of girl musicians at Cover Me: A Girls Rock Charlotte Friendraiser. Learn what the organization is all about, and hear some cool bands. 2 p.m. Hattie’s Tap and Tavern, 2918 The Plaza. $5.

Beer Festival - Celebrate National Beer Day a day early with samples from local and regional breweries. Organizers have even added ciders this year. Live music, cornhole and other  games, enjoy grub from food trucks and more! 1:30 p.m. All American Pub Parking Lot, 200 E Bland St. $30 an up. 

Holla: sipandplayclt@gmail.com

Charlotte disappoints, but the Suffers don't (Video)

The Suffers put on an energetic, soulful show on Sunday. Unfortunately, less than 50 people actually saw the Houston-based band's show at the Neighborhood Theatre. Too bad. I'm pretty sure the next time the band performs here - if they return after such a dismal turnout - the tickets won't be dirt cheap and the room won't be empty. See what you missed, and why The Suffers recently performed on the "David Letterman Show."



Holla: sipandplayclt@gmail.com

Raleigh Isn't That Boring

My buddy Mark Washburn made Raleigh folks real rowdy last month with his Observer column Boredom Takes Flight In Raleigh. People were so angry, I even received an email about his piece. The email prompted me to spend a little time hanging out in Raleigh. (Okay, it doesn't take much to get me to hang out somewhere, heck anywhere. I love a good party.)

I visit Raleigh at least once a month to teach motorcycle class, but I typically chill at the Aviator in Fuquay-Varina. This weekend, I was determined to head downtown. It just so happened that Saturday was the World Beer Festival Raleigh. Perfect timing. I love a good beer festival. I've been to several  in Charlotte. My high school friends used to visit from Maryland to attend Charlotte OktoberFest with me.

Raleigh's festival was one of the largest beer festivals that I've attended in recent memory. Held in Moore Square park, it featured more than 100 breweries and vendors. Like most festivals these days, there were two tasting sessions. I did the evening session. The lines at the two entrance gates stretched for nearly a block at opening time. (Tip: Wait an hour after opening time. There will still be plenty of beer and no lines.)




I liked the festival. Moore square was spacious, and lush. It was a great setting for the festival. Most beer festivals that I've attended are held in parking lots or big meeting spaces. There is rarely anywhere comfortable to sit and chill.

World Beer Festival was extremely organized. There was plenty of water and portajohns. I loved the sitting area near the food trucks. It was a covered tent and had chairs and tables. The festival had a Belgium beer garden, my favorite area. There was also a North Carolina brewery beer zone. Cornelius' D9 and Charlotte's Unknown represented for us. Montford Misfits, a Charlotte-based graphic design company targeting the craft industry, was also there.

I was also pleased with a few of the vendors. The Kentucky Bourbon and Pink Vanilla cupcake from Durham's Smallcakes A Cupcakery were delicious. I can't wait for my dogs to try their all natural treats from Whisker Biscuits.

I realize one beer festival does not mean the city isn't boring, but after seeing how Raleigh does their beer festival, I'm anxious to spend more time playing there. I still need to try Poole's Diner. The party continues...

Holla: sipandplayclt@gmail.com