Revue's Top Picks
Some between-holiday excursions to tide you over this weekend.
Remember last week at this time? You were gearing up for Thanksgiving travels and turkey, most likely. Maybe you were even off work already. If not, you were likely saying to yourself: "Heck with this. I’ll deal with it next week."
Yeah. About that…
To help deal with your post-holiday comeuppance, we’ve compiled this weekend’s top picks. It’s a blend of holiday events and (for those of you who might already be a little weary of tinsel) non-holiday ventures. So keep that nose to the grindstone. After all, there’s just a few short weeks until the next time you can throw caution to the winter winds.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
If you like a dramatic holiday mood (think "Carol of the Bells" vs. "Jingle Bells"), this is your show. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which you probably know from "Christmas Canon" and "Sarajevo 12/24", will amplify Charlotte’s Yuletide spirit at the Time Warner Cable Arena tomorrow night. They bring electric violins, fog machines, and psychadelic strobe lights to their concerts, making for a unique, hard rock holiday show.
Lights on the Square
Almost every city has a tree lighting ceremony, but only a few, non-frigid locations are able to enjoy an evening of outdoor festivities that same night. So, on Thursday night, take advantage of the fact that you can watch your center city tree be lit without having to flee into the nearest Starbucks afterward. Thursday night, at Trade & Tryon, you’ll find live holiday music from a local jazz trio, a visit from Santa Claus, and the opening of Twelve in 101 Independence Center, a new holiday market decked with decorations and gifts for the season.
Bill Noonan and The Barbed Wires
Before Charlotte even had the Panthers, we had Bill Noonan. A staple on Charlotte’s local music scene, Noonan was the front man for the 1990s band the Rank Outsiders, and has since set off on a couple of solo ventures, including his recent solo album, The Man That I Can’t be. For some more detail about Noonan, check out Charlotte magazine’s September 2009 article on the bluegrass, Americana artist. He’s performing at the Double Door Inn with his new band, The Barbed Wires, on Friday night.
A Christmas Story
With a handful of TV marathons playing this classic holiday comedy on repeat each year, Ralphie has practically replaced Bing Crosby as Christmas dinner’s soundtrack. The Davidson Community Players, however, will bring the well-worn tale back to life this weekend with an on-stage production. At the Armour Street Theatre through December 19.
Jon Lindsay
You may remember this name from Charlotte magazine’s September issue in "Legends of the Fall." As promised, Lindsay’s kept up an active touring and performing schedule since releasing his first studio album, Escape from Plaza-Midwood. Of course, his show at Snug Harbor on Sunday night won’t be an escape from Plaza-Midwood. The Charlotte-based singer-songwriter does, however, have a mellow, alternative sound akin to Sufjan and Elliott, so his performance offer a low-key refuge from a weekend of holiday havoc.
