Entertainment

Heavy metal meets heart at “Mosh Out Cancer”

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Tuesday, 13 January 2026

Written by Michael Smith, Treasurer, Karen Chandler Trust

A surge of heavy riffs, pounding drums, and community spirit will fill the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 670 in Fayetteville on Jan. 17 as local and regional metal bands unite for a cause at Mosh Out Cancer, a benefit concert supporting the Karen Chandler Trust.
The all-ages show begins at 6:30 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m., at the VFW Post 670 located at 3928 Doc Bennett Road. Tickets are $10 and available at the door or online through the Karen Chandler Trust, with an estimated crowd of 300 expected. One hundred percent of the show’s profits will go directly to the trust’s mission of supporting local cancer patients and their families.
Headlining the night is Crooked Cult, an established metal band known for its intense performances and devoted fanbase. The Fayetteville-based group regularly plays throughout North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and South Carolina, with upcoming shows scheduled as far north as New York and Massachusetts. They will be joined by Fear State, 11:59, Ethris, and Morior—bands from the Fayetteville area featuring seasoned local musicians, each bringing their own sound and following to the stage.
“We bring a high energy and an attitude that you don’t get from most heavy acts you’ll see in this area,” said Luke Farris, guitarist for Crooked Cult. “Our music provides an aggressive release from the tension of daily life.”
Crooked Cult vocalist Dylan Cathey said the band didn’t hesitate to participate. “All of us have had friends or family fight cancer; we want to help in any way we can and motivate our fans to do so as well,” he said.
The concert is part of a new outreach effort by the Karen Chandler Trust, which has long relied on music-centered events to raise funds. Vice President Wendell LeSueur said Mosh Out Cancer represents a fresh direction for the organization.
“This concert is the first in a new wave of events that the Karen Chandler Trust is using to bring more youthful energy to service,” LeSueur said. “Yes, it is a concert, but more than anything it is a way for the youth of the greater Fayetteville area to give back to the community they thrive in.”
Bernie Mangiboyat, president of the trust, said the idea grew from his own experience as a young musician. “I wanted to create an all-ages show for younger and older bands to play,” he said. “As a kid and young musician, I had a local promoter who did that, and it was incredible to be able to play for family and friends. I thought it would be a perfect match for it to benefit such a great local cause.”
In addition to live music and an expected mosh pit, the event will feature a full bar, food, and raffles, including an autographed guitar donated by Edwards Music Company and signed concert posters. Each band will host a merch table alongside local vendors, reinforcing the event’s grassroots, community-driven focus. The night will be hosted by Shawn Adkins of Back Around Records and is sponsored by Eaton, DaVille Skate Shop, Edwards Music Company, Backaround Records, Ascension Music Group, The Dragons Lair, Pet Nerd In-Home Pet Sitting, and Burchfield Design.
Founded in memory of Karen Chandler, a beloved Fayetteville musician and single mother who battled cancer, the Karen Chandler Trust is a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to easing the financial burden of cancer treatment. Operating entirely through volunteers, the trust provides assistance with non-medical expenses such as rent, utilities, transportation, groceries, and other daily necessities that often become overwhelming during treatment.
Organizers hope Mosh Out Cancer will become the first of many events that harness the power of Fayetteville’s music scene for community good—proving that even the heaviest music can carry a message of hope.

(Photo: Crooked Cult plays a show. The band, a local heavy metal favorite, will be headlining Mosh Out for Cancer. Photo by Michael Smith, Unseen Sights Photography)

Veteran brings hockey passion, recreation opportunities to Fort Bragg’s Cleland Ice Rink

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Tuesday, 06 January 2026

Written by April Olsen, Fort Bragg Garrison Public Affairs

“An ice rink is really a big family. We have figure skaters, hockey players, even 4-year-olds learning to skate,” said Brian Peate, who manages Cleland Ice Rink on Fort Bragg.
“I’ve skated my whole life,” said Peate, who grew up in Virginia. It was natural for him to look for a place to continue skating when he enlisted in the Army.
After three years in the 2nd Ranger Battalion at Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington, Peate served in 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg for 19 years before retiring in the local area with his family.
Peate visited the Cleland Ice Rink quite a bit when he was a soldier stationed here. He and fellow Green Berets in 3rd Group thought of it as another physical fitness facility. “Gyms have competitive sports like basketball, we do the same thing with hockey … get out on the ice, get the competitive juices going, it’s a way to stay in shape. It also provides a relief from stress.”
In retirement, Peate joked that he played ‘chauffeur’ to his teenage son—who was a nationally ranked hockey player—traveling to practice and games. After a year, he took on his current role at Cleland with a goal of expanding awareness of the facility.
“It’s a passion project,” he said. “I’ve been skating here over 20 years … and I still hear, ‘Fort Bragg has an ice rink?’”
Fort Bragg’s Cleland Ice Rink is open year-round and offers scheduled hours for hockey, figure skating, public skating and even lessons for ages 4 and up. Run by the Directorate of Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation, Cleland is open to service members, families, and the public.
Ashley Young has been skating for 10 years but didn’t know an ice rink was located on post when she served in uniform on Fort Bragg. She said that sometimes service members are busy or uninterested in trying something new or just do not know about the rink.
Young enjoys skating so much that her 10-year old daughter, Inara Segura, is now taking lessons. “Skating is a lot more inclusive than ballet or dance,” Young said, although it also helps build skills such as physical stamina and balance. The experience has led them to other events at Cleland, such as skate nights and college games.
Anyone who can get a visitor pass onto the installation can take advantage of public skating hours and attend events such as monthly themed skate nights, Peate said.
The December skate event featured a performance by the Airborne Ice Skating Team and open skating for visitors. The ‘Christmas Skate’ has grown from about 25 people attending the first year, 300 the second year, and more than 600 this year. It’s something Peate is proud of and attributes to the efforts by the Cleland and FMWR teams. “We work hard getting information out to the public … it has grown every year.”
“With Cleland Ice Rink, we’ve enhanced the amount of programming and community offerings,” said Michael Desmone, the Chief of Community Recreation for FMWR. Peate has also initiated several self-help and Directorate of Public Works projects to enhance the facility itself, such as maintenance and repainting, Desmone said.
One such community offering is hosting college hockey games. During the hockey season, Peate tries to schedule at least one game per month, but no more than two.
“We don’t want to take away from our other events and programs,” he said. “We try not to cancel any public skate event, so we float the game schedule.”
Since there are no local area college ice hockey games, offering even a few each season is an opportunity to view great action on the ice, Peate said.
“College games are fun, the players are hungry, still trying to make it,” Peate said. It also encourages younger players to keep working on their goals. “Cape Fear Youth Hockey Association uses the rink … a lot of kids look at sports as an opportunity to go to college,” he said.
Whether it is inspiring young athletes, helping troops get in some PT or simply offering families an opportunity to ice skate, Brian Peate is happy to share his love of ice skating and extend the Cleland Ice Rink family.
The Fort Bragg College Hockey Series will host games at Cleland Ice Rink on Fort Bragg in January, February and March 2026, featuring North Carolina State, University of North Carolina and others to be announced. For more information, visit the Fort Bragg FMWR website at https://bragg.armymwr.com/

(Photo: Cleland Ice & Inline Skating Rinks are located at 3-1606 Rock Merritt Ave. on Fort Bragg. The ice rink offers lessons, public skating and special events throughout the year. Photos by April Olsen, Fort Bragg Public Affairs)

Massey Hill Lions Club holds annual oyster roast

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Tuesday, 06 January 2026

Written by Lena Simmons

The Massey Hill Lions Club presents the 53rd Shuck’n for Sight Oyster Roast, an all you can eat event, held on Jan. 31, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The oyster roast will take place at 1613 Camden Road. Tickets are $50 and are available at Massey Hill Drug Store, 1072 Southern Ave., at Classic Coiffure’s Hair and Nail Salon, 3710 Morganton Rd. or by texting Michael McCaskill at 910-551-4662 or by email at masseyhilllionsclub@gmail.com. No tickets will be sold at the door. This is a dine in only event, and no take out containers are allowed.
“The annual event provides the Massey Hill Lions Club the opportunity to bring people together from far and wide for their ‘All You Can Eat Event.’ This is the 53rd Annual Shuck’n for Sight Oyster Roast, where they serve more than two hundred bushels of oysters to more than seven hundred attendees,” said Michael McCaskill, a past president of the Massey Hill Lions Club. “This annual event hosted by the Lions Club is a community wide event for those who love to shuck oysters. This is one of the largest single-day oyster roasts on the East Coast, and most attendees are long-term, and several come from Louisiana, Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina, and New Jersey. From “Professional Oysters” that bring in their own concoctions of special sauces, lemons, and specialized shucking tools to first-time attendees, no one leaves the event hungry,” McCaskill said. “The Oyster Roast keeps the spirit of Massey Hill alive with this community event and is most like a family reunion with familiar faces. Multiple levels of society come together, such as politicians, business owners, truck drivers, attorneys, multiple generations, workers, laborers; all sharing the love of the oyster roast.
“As one individual stated it …. you can have a Judge on one end of the table shucking an oyster right along with someone they have just fined in a court case,” McCaskill said.
Lions Club members work hard to make sure the roast is successful, giving their time throughout the weekend.
“From the set-up on Friday, the event on Saturday, and clean-up on Sunday, members are worn out after the event is concluded. Lions members understand their efforts are for a great cause,” McCaskill said.
According to McCaskill, funds raised at this annual Oyster Roast go to support many community service projects that the Lions Club conducts throughout the year. Lions Clubs around the world are known for their support of vision care programs. The Massey Hill Lions Club is no exception. Their funds raised go toward assisting those who lack financial resources. The Massey Hill Lions Club assists qualified candidates with visual needs by providing them with eye examinations and the purchase of glasses.
This year, funds raised will also go toward the purchase of the Club’s own visual equipment to provide free eye-tests to students in the local schools, and other young people in day care centers, churches, and other locations. With more than 60,000 students in the Cumberland County School System, this free testing will be available once the equipment is purchased. Additionally, the club will provide free color-blind testing. The club participates in projects such as diabetes awareness activities, health fairs, blood drives, annual support of Boys and Girls Homes, and other community-focused events. It is the belief of Lions’ members that “where there is a need, there is a Lion.”
The Shuck’n for Sight Oyster Roast will be held Jan. 31 at 1613 Camden Rd. from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The $50 tickets for the roast must be purchased in advance by visiting the Massey Hill Drug Store or Classic Coiffure’s Hair and Nail Salon or by reaching out to Mike McCaskill. No tickets will be sold at the door on the day of the event.

(Photo: Participants at the 2024 Massey Hill Lions Club Shuck'n for Sight Oyster Roast get ready for their oyster feast. Photo courtesy of Massey Hill Lions Club)

FSU launches first-ever Piano & Percussion Day

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Tuesday, 06 January 2026

Written by Sheila D. Barker

Fayetteville State University’s Department of Performing and Fine Arts is striking a new chord in arts education with the launch of its 1st FSU Piano and Percussion Day, taking place Saturday, Jan. 24, in the Rosenthal Building on campus. Building on more than a decade of successful Piano Days, this inaugural collaboration brings together the piano and percussion studios for a full day of music-making, learning, and community engagement.
The idea to merge the two disciplines emerged after a milestone moment for the program.
“In 2024, we hosted the 10th edition of FSU Piano Day,” explained Dr. Amanda Virelles, Professor of Music and director of the program. “After that milestone, we decided to place the program on a one-year pause in order to give other schools in the area an opportunity to host a similar event.”
That pause led to Sandhills Community College hosting its first Piano Day in April 2025, an experience that inspired FSU to reimagine its own offering rather than compete with neighboring institutions.
“Since we didn’t want to conflict with their event, we decided to redesign our program at FSU to offer a fresh perspective by introducing a new element—combining the piano and percussion studios,” said Virelles. The pairing is both innovative and intuitive. “Combining piano and percussion felt like a natural choice, as the piano is, in part, a percussion instrument.”
This first-ever Piano and Percussion Day represents an important step forward for FSU’s music program. According to Virelles, it creates opportunities for students “to engage and collaborate with other disciplines, understand the mechanics and particularities of our instruments, engage in networking, watch the performance and collaboration initiatives of the FSU faculty, and expand their knowledge and repertoire.”
The event also builds on the legacy of previous FSU Piano Days. When the program began in 2014, participation was modest, but its long-term impact has been profound. “The students who attended that first event are now college graduates, and some have even returned with their own students,” Virelles noted. “As a professor, it is deeply encouraging to see that this program has taken root in the community and continues to grow.”
Attendees can expect a full, engaging schedule modeled after earlier Piano Days. The day will begin with a faculty performance, followed by piano and percussion master classes, a lunch break, an afternoon presentation, additional classes, and a student performance to close the event. Students participating in master classes will perform repertoire selected by their instructors, and all registered students will have the opportunity to perform in the student concert.
Faculty and clinicians include Dr. Amanda Virelles, Professor of Piano, FSU; Dr. Joseph Spearman, Assistant Professor of Percussion, FSU; Dr. Kristina Henckel, Associate Professor of Music at Sandhills Community College and lecturer at FSU; and Dr. Daniel McCloud, percussionist and Arts Coordinator for Cumberland County Schools.
“We begin with a faculty performance to give students the opportunity to hear the clinicians who will be teaching master classes later in the day,” Virelles explained. “This opening concert helps motivate the students and ‘break the ice.’”
Beyond performance, the event emphasizes professional development. Students gain experience in networking, collaboration, teaching strategies, and event organization while learning about the realities of careers in music performance and education. FSU students also play a key role behind the scenes, assisting with registration, guiding guests, and providing technical support.
For the wider community, Piano and Percussion Day is a chance to see the breadth of FSU’s arts offerings.
“So many times, I have heard the comment, ‘I didn’t know you had a music program at FSU,’” said Virelles. “We want to inform the community about the possibilities of a career in the arts and the quality of education our students receive.”
The event is free and open to the public, though advance registration is required. Whether seasoned performers or curious beginners, all are welcome. As Virelles put it, “Don’t be discouraged—come with open minds and ears and be ready to learn.”
FSU's Piano and Percussion Day will take place on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 1200 Murchison Rd. For registration and more information, visit: https://tinyurl.com/yjv462pe.