Heart Breaker, a Heart and Led Zeppelin tribute band, will play at Gates Four Golf and Country Club Pavilion on May 6. This event will be the second in the Summer Concert Series held at Gates Four. The band is led by Staci McBeth and Joan Burton and plays venues up and down the East Coast. Last summer, they were part of a concert series held at Rock’n On the River on Person Street.
“These two girls look and sound like Heart; they are unbelievable. This crowd is going to be set back by this great band,” said Greg Adair, one of the organizers for the Summer Concert Series.
The Summer Concert Series has grown in popularity as the music scene around Fayetteville has developed. This year, organizers added a sixth concert to the schedule.
“The whole concept of the concert series is to create a quality entertainment venue on that side of the county, the Hope Mills area,” said Bill Bowman, publisher, Up & Coming Weekly. Bowman is also a sponsor of the event.
Jackie Warner, the mayor of Hope Mills, attended last month’s concert and told Adair how much she enjoyed the event.
“These bands coming up will knock your socks off,” said Adair. “You’ll think, ‘oh wow, I’m sitting here listening to Heart, or Lynyrd Skynyrd,’ or ‘I’m sitting here listening to AC/DC’.”
“There are so many really good bands going out there this year; it’s just phenomenal,” he said. “To be able to have a quality concert in a classy environment like Gates Four is wonderful,” he added. “The bands appreciate the atmosphere as well.”
Heart Breaker won’t be the only musical act to take the stage. As a unique concept, the concert will open with a local, up-and-coming singer/songwriter chosen every month before the show.
“The acts are chosen from a singer/songwriter event held every month at the Fayetteville Bakery and Cafe,” said Bowman. “It’s to give these young singer/songwriters an opportunity to perform in front of a good audience in association with a great band.”
The concert will conclude with an after-party at the Sand Trap, a bar on Perdue Street in Fayetteville. The opening act from the concert will perform at the afterparty as well.
“The whole evening is centered around fun, good music, contributing to the community and giving young artists a chance to be seen,” said Bowman.
The concert will be free to attend for lawn seating. VIP tickets can be purchased for table seating within the pavilion itself. A single-seat VIP ticket is $38. An all-inclusive VIP ticket is $68 and includes food and beverages. Part of the event proceeds go to the Kidsville News Literacy and Education Foundation, which provides education and reading resources to elementary-aged school children in Cumberland County.
“One of the reasons we are able to keep the concert series free is because of our sponsors who are helping fund all these quality bands,” said Bowman. “Our Title Sponsors are J. Dowdy from All American Homes and Kim Evers from OVM Financial. Without their help, it wouldn’t be possible.” For more information and tickets to the event, visit https://www.fayettevilledinnertheatre
Holly Whitley may not have set out to be a legend in Fayetteville when she bought a bar and named it Legend’s Pub, but she certainly has become one. Her giving nature and willingness to help friends is well-known in Fayetteville and among the readers of the Up & Coming Weekly.
Whitley bought Legend’s in 1996 with several years of bar management under her belt. She took her father’s advice that she was not just buying a building; she was buying good faith that people would come through the doors. She has built its reputation as a place where everyone is welcome, and it is more than just a bar to its regulars — it is a home away from home.
You may not find Whitley behind the bar anymore, but her passion for her business can be felt throughout the pub. She honors people they have lost over the years with a memorial wall of pictures of family and friends. She also recognizes the many active-duty military and veterans in the area by proudly flying a U.S. flag outside and displaying a huge wooden American flag inside the bar, complete with painted stars and stripes.
“The customers will say ‘hi’ as soon as you walk up on the deck,” she said. “It’s a very welcoming atmosphere..”
Her good faith in the Fayetteville community has paid off, not only for her business but for the people she has helped over the years with her annual Spring Fling fundraiser. The event started in the 1980s when Whitley and a group of good friends who called themselves the Gypsy Women had get-togethers in her home.
“When I bought the bar, we decided to have Spring Fling (there),” said Whitley. “A friend of ours had gotten in a motorcycle accident, so we just said (let’s) do it as a benefit.”
Spring Fling has grown from a small private event to a community benefit that has helped hundreds of people and organizations in Cumberland County over the last 26 years and raised an estimated half a million dollars.
In the early days, she was surprised by the amount the community chipped in each year. As the event became more popular, the amount they raised doubled and then tripled annually. She credits its success to people who offer to help organize it and the people who come to support it.
“We’re just a little dive bar on the Boulevard that’s got a big heart for our community,” she said. “I have people that have literally supported every event every year that I do it. It’s something that people have found to be very proud of to be a part of.”
This year’s Spring Fling is for Whitley’s good friend Emma Roberts, who was diagnosed with breast cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. The event will be held Friday, April 29 to Sunday, May 1 and will have something for everyone.
A pre-party pool tournament will kick off the event Friday, with registration starting at 7 p.m. Players can compete for $10.
The next day, participants can join the poker run, where motorcycles (and other vehicles) will head around town from one stop to the next to pick up one playing card to create their hand. Participants can ride and play for $10. There will be a pig pickin’ and auction after the poker run.
The fundraiser will wrap up with a bike show Sunday afternoon. Onlookers can pay $1 a vote for their favorite ride, and the bike with the most votes is deemed best of show. The money collected from all three events and the auction will go towards this year’s beneficiary.
She believes everyone should give back what they receive, and her customers and friends seem to agree. They always step up to help organize events, whether cooking for the crowd, setting up tables and chairs or participating in the activities. She knows she can count on them.
“They walk through the door,” she said. “And they say, ‘What can I do to help?’”
The Spring Fling is one of many events she holds throughout the year. If there is a holiday, Whitley has probably turned it into a fundraiser, or at least a special “fun day” for her regulars.
She has also held baby showers and weddings at the bar to help celebrate her friends’ milestones. She says people will bring in their children or grandchildren when they turn 21 to have their first beer at Legend’s.
Raised in the mountains of western North Carolina, Whitley may not be a Fayetteville native, but she has made it a home for herself and many in the community.
“We’re very family-oriented,” she said. “Sometimes you are born into a family, and sometimes you go out make your own.”
Take part in the Spring Fling by stopping by Legend’s Pub at 4626 Bragg Blvd. from April 29 to May 1. You can follow their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/legendspub910.
Antiquing and thrifting have always been Sherri Coultrup’s passion, even when working in consulting and marketing research. She decided to sell her items online through eBay and Poshmark and continued traveling and finding new and unique items.
“I travel internationally, and just going to the Murano factory in Italy to get Murano Glass is exciting,” Coultrup said.
“It’s just something that I really enjoy doing. A hobby and a pastime became my passion. So my passion is now going to be my store.”
Her store, The Piccadilly Circus, is named after one of London’s most popular tourist destinations. Coultrup says she decided on this name as her Piccadilly Circus will be a unique shopping destination for Fayetteville locals.
“We’re going to give you wine or water and then cookies and sweets to try to show you how much we care, not only about you as a person, but you as a consumer and for you to actually enjoy your time there instead of being rushed in and rushed out,” Coultrup said.
Every item in Coultrup’s shop has been personally chosen by her. Her inventory and selection of merchandise will change daily, giving visitors, guests, and customers a unique shopping adventure and experience every time they enter the shop.
“I hope they enjoy treasures as much as I love finding them. Everybody needs a new, unique treasure in their life.” Coultrup told Up & Coming Weekly.
“I went out of my way to procure things for the store that I normally would not, like porcelain and a lot of ceramics and homemade pottery, which a lot of people really enjoy ... I went out of my way to make sure that we have unique items,” she said. “They’re one-of-a-kind items.”
She also wants to make the store accessible to everyone so anyone going in can find something they are interested in.
She will be working with five local vendors to bring in unique items that she may not be familiar with — for example, military memorabilia and furniture.
Opening the store has been a challenge for Coultrup because of the pandemic and supply shortages. She says they should have opened last year, but construction and getting permits took longer.
“They have done a fantastic job gutting the building and completely redid it. So it’s brand new. Everything is brand-spanking new.”
The store will be located at 2828 Raeford Road in the remodeled former location of Sheree’s Wine Shop.
The soft opening of the store will be on May 2. The Grand Opening and Ribbon cutting will be on May 19 at 5 p.m. The Grand Opening will feature giveaways, door prizes, food and drinks, and elected officials will be there.
Cora’s Community Foundation is hosting “The Rollout,” an event that seeks to bring local and state politicians together with their constituents for a night of skating and fun.
“The Roll Out” will be held Tuesday, May 3, from 5:30 until 8:30 p.m. at Round-A-Bout Skating Center.
“This event is an open invitation to all candidates, no matter their affiliation, to come under one roof and interface with the public. We want people to be able to put a face to the names on the ballot,” said Rakeem “Keem” Jones, Cora’s Community Foundation’s co-founder and executive director.
“The Roll Out” is part of an initiative to engage more voters aged 18 to 35 to register 1000 new voters.
“I want to engage the area where people don’t go. We already know where the voters are, so I want to engage the young dude from Murchison Road who maybe doesn’t know the importance of voting in local elections or voting at all,” Jones told Up & Coming Weekly.
“Now that I know how voting affects us, I want to be a bridge between candidates and the community in a setting not so formal. It’s hard to skate in a suit and tie,” he joked.
There won’t be any speeches on the night of “The Roll Out,” nor any big political ideas or agendas. Candidates will have on nametags and are encouraged to meet and engage in fellowship with potential voters.
“So far, the response from candidates has been great,” Jones stated. Any candidate interested can participate in this event.
“I want people to take away knowledge of the people they’re voting for instead of voting for the sign they see the most. I want people to ask the questions that help them make a more informed decision,” Jones said.
Though Cora’s Community Foundation does not endorse any particular candidate, Jones speaks a great deal about accountability when it comes to politics.
“If you don’t know who you’re voting for, you don’t know who to hold accountable,” he said. “You don’t have to be rude, but you can be informed and push back where it matters. This event is about bringing power back to the people.”
“The Roll Out’s” mission is two-fold. Along with the candidate meet and greet, the event also hopes to bring some awareness to the rising violence in Fayetteville. Co-founder of Heal the Ville, Demetria Murphy, will attend to spread her message of peace and healing for the city. Jones, whose sister was murdered in 2019, feels strongly about this message and is always eager to partner with those who seek to uplift the community.
Getting his start in social activism by leading a protest on Scarborough Road in 2020, Jones felt compelled to do more for the city of Fayetteville. Jones founded Cora’s Community Foundation in 2021 along with his fiance Grace Pelt, Alexis McLaurin and Shea and Christian Mosely.
Cora’s Community Foundation, named after Jones’ late mother, Cora Denise Jones, is a grassroots organization dedicated to addressing systemic inequalities and providing solutions that benefit everyone. Since forming in May of last year, the Foundation has led or participated in several outreach projects that directly empower, support or celebrate the people of Fayetteville.
Teaming up with big names in the community, such as Grammy-nominated Fayetteville rapper, Morray, celebrity barber Vic Blends, and the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, to name a few, Cora’s Foundation has wasted little time in getting to work for its community, serving thousands thus far. Jones is hopeful that the “The Roll Out” event will be equally beneficial to the community.
“Everyone likes to skate, and everyone likes to eat,” Jones said. “We want people to come out and have a good time, good food and a good vibe. We want people to get to know each other in a family-friendly atmosphere.”
Round-A-Bout Skating Center is located at Eutaw Shopping Center at 880 Elm St.
The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra will be closing out their 2021-2022 season with one last concert at Seabrook Auditorium at Fayetteville State University in a performance that will be sure to bring in film lovers of all ages.
The concert, "From Stage to Screen," will feature composers that began their careers writing for the concert stage but then shifted to writing for the silver screen. Some of these iconic pieces include Nino Rota's "Waltz and Love Theme" from "The Godfather" and Max Steiner's theme from the 1959 film "A Summer Place."
"It'll be a good show. We're really looking forward to finishing out the season strong, and we hope to see people there," Anna Meyer, community engagement manager for the FSO, told Up & Coming Weekly. "It will be the last opportunity to see us perform a large concert for a few months."
Looking at the 2021-2022 season, Meyer says that the season was very successful, especially in the latter half of the season. The "Too Hot To Handel" performance sold out, and the "Bohemian Rhapsody" concert had a strong audience turnout.
However, the FSO isn't taking a break during the summer. They will continue to perform at Symphony on Tap events scheduled throughout June. There will also be a planned community concert at Festival Park for the city's Fourth of July Celebration.
Summer camps will also be on offer for students of all ages. There will be three camps for elementary, middle school and high school-aged students. Registration for the camps is open and more information can be found at fayettevillesymphony.org.
The next concert season is currently being planned out and will start in September.
"We are currently planning our 2022-2023 season and hope to announce it within the next couple of months. You can expect to see a variety of chamber concerts, exciting programming and collaborations, and due to popular demand, a John Williams program," Meyer said.
From Stage to Screen will occur on April 9 at 7:30 p.m. Before the concert starts, the musicians will talk about the music they will be performing and explain the background of the composers. The pre-concert talk will begin at 6:40 p.m. The total concert run-time is an hour and 20 minutes.
A shuttle service will be available from Highland Presbyterian Church, 111 Highland Ave, to Seabrook Auditorium. Although reservations are not required, they are appreciated. To make a reservation for the shuttle bus, please call 910-433-4690. The shuttle will depart at 6:20 p.m.
Tickets may be purchased online, over the phone at 910-433-4690, or in person.
Tickets range from $5 to $25, and anyone five and younger can attend for free.
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