Weekend Arts Events (Oct. 9-11)
FRIDAY
CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY: COPLAND APPALACHIAN SPRING
Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” garnered a Pulitzer Prize for the composer. Here, the piece is performed alongside “Shostakovich's "Piano Concerto No. 1" and Haydn's "Symphony No. 4, 'London.’”
TOM PAXTON
The folk singer received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. Throughout the years, his tunes have been performed by the likes of Pete Seeger, Norah Jones, Simon & Garfunkel, and Johnny Cash.
COLLECTIVE SOUL
Ed Roland’s alt-rock ensemble is on tour again. Many remember the band as part of the defining sound of the ’90s. Tunes like “Shine,” “December,” and “The World I Know” still make it on to setlists.
STEVEN WRIGHT
Wright’s signature, deadpan one-liners and anecdotes have set a template for comedians since he came up in the 1980s stand-up scene. Today, he still working, doing theaters across the U.S.
SATURDAY
BREAKIN’ CONVENTION
This festival features dancers from across the world and our own streets in Charlotte, with popular international troupes like The Ruggeds and Street Kingdom. Workshops, graffiti events, and live music round out the two-day convention.
BECHTLER MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
The Bechtler is more than just a rolling roster of fine art exhibitions. Films, chamber music, and presentations tie into the works, with jazz concerts as a separate monthly offering. Portraying the Patron: Andy Warhol and the Bechtlers (through Jan. 18) displays the interaction between the famed art patrons and the pop-art legend in 1973. Sam Francis: Rapid Fluid Indivisible Vision (through March 7) explores the work of the abstract expressionist artist, regarded as a leading interpreter of color and light.
CHARLOTTE MUSEUM OF HISTORY
The eight-acre property is also home to the Hezekiah Alexander Homesite, which includes the oldest house in Mecklenburg County. The combination of exhibits, re-creations, and an authentic 1774 building is unique among area museums for both its format and scope. Guided tours available.
SUNDAY
LATIN AMERICAN FESTIVAL
Tens of thousands of people attend the annual Latin American Festival at Symphony Park. This year, the organizers celebrate 25 years of the event (Oct. 10-11) with food, traditional dancing, a craft market, and music that spans the history of Latin American culture. Live musical acts display the event’s cultural breadth: bands include ska ensemble Panteon Rococo, salsero Ismael Miranda, and Aterciopelados, a Colombian band with several Grammys under its belt.
HARVEY B. GANTT CENTER FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTS + CULTURE
The center, named for Charlotte’s first African-American mayor, puts a lens on the cultural contributions of African-American artists and thinkers. Charlotte Collects Elizabeth Catlett: A Centennial Celebration (through Dec. 31) commemorates the life and work of the late Catlett 100 years after her birth. The exhibit highlights examples of her two-dimensional and three-dimensional works. The museum’s permanent exhibition, the John & Vivian Hewitt Collection of African-American Art, showcases the work of 20 artists, such as Charlotte native Romare Bearden.
