The Charlotte Observer from Charlotte, North Carolina • 55

ELImmonommemo am The Accelerators i a 41oaaoatatsommlM1f11P a a Rockers lay Up IIIIIMEIMMINI r(7- LI 101S 14r nt 41 i r1 1 :7 34 MENIMEIMINIF 12 I 4 "s- or I t931- 1)i brand 414 Kathy Haight Kathy Haight "Leave My Heart" to the Stray Catsy bounce of "She's Fifteen" Besides Duncan who plays rhythm guitar the Accelerators consist of bassist Skip Anderson 22 lead guitarist Chris Moran 25 both of Greenville SC and drummer Doug Whelchel 25 of Gaffney SC During a show at PB Scott's last month when the group opened for the rowdy country-punkers Jason and the Scorchers the Accelerators brought the crowd to the dance floor with their rock-solid rhythm section twanging guitars and urgent vocals On "She's The Only Girl I Can Stand" a 'song Duncan cowrote See ACCELERATORS Page 5D "Leave My Heart" to the Stray Catsy bounce of "She's Fifteen" Besides Duncan who plays rhythm guitar the Accelerators consist of bassist Skip Anderson both of Greenville SC and drum- 22 lead guitarist Chris Moran 25 mer Doug Whelchel 25 of Gaff- ney SC During a show at 1)13 Scott's last month when the group opened for the rowdy country-punkers Jason and the Scorchers the Accelerators brought the crowd to the dance floor with their rock-solid rhythm section twanging guitars and ur gent vocals On "She's The Only Girl I Can Stand" a 'song Duncan cowrote See ACCELERATORS Page 5D Like a jacked-up Chevy heading for the drag strip or cruising the courthouse square of a rural county seat the Accelerators come at you cool and tough with a streamlined brand of churning rock 'n' roll Their songs are raw-edged sketches of drive-ins fast cars beer Joints and teenage passion framed in the muscular sound of rockabilly-influenced pop and rock "We're not true to any school and we don't try to be" says lead singer and songwriter Gerald Duncan a 31-year-old Raleigh resident who doesn't like to label his group's music "We're not true to rockabilly or pop We mix them all up however they happen to come out If you can surprise yourself and Like a jacked-up Chevy heading for the drag strip or cruising the courthouse square of a rural county seat the Accelerators come at you cool and tough with a streamlined of churning rock sn' roll Their songs are raw-edged sketches of drive-ins fast cars beer Joints and teenage passion framed in the muscular sound of rocka- billy-influenced pop and rock "We're not true to any school and we don't try to be" says lead singer and songwriter Gerald Dun- can a 31-year-old Raleigh resident who doesn't like to label his group's music "We're not true to rocka- billy or pop We mix them all up however they happen to come out If you can surprise yourself and NIGHTLIFE Zs's 7st 4 4or NIGHTLIFE 41 0 1 still like it you have a better chance of doing it for other people" The quartet plans to bring its share of surprises to the Double Door Inn tonight and Saturday for a show of original tunes that range from the Elvis-style crooning of still like it you have a better chance of doing it for other peo- pie" The quartet plans to bring its share of surprises to the Double Door Inn tonight and Saturday for a show of original tunes that range from the Elvis-style crooning of I I I Photo By Chris Seward The Accelerators: (from left seated) Doug Whelchel Gerald Duncan and Chris Moran Bass player Skip Anderson is reflected in the mirror Photo By Chris Seward The Accelerators: (from left seated) Doug Whelchel Gerald Duncan and Chris Moran Bass player Skip Anderson is reflected in the mirror relit (61tartotte Observer '-r 40 relit (Charlotte Observer A A 1:77 I HAT Crabtree Meadows a Grandfather Mountain Boone Cone' Memorial Park WHERE TO GO HOW TO DO IT WHEN TO DO IT 0 Sparta Doughton Pork 1Y -Ift 14-37-i'-ii1 -----1444 LI LI t--ritt- WHAT -rw------ ri 1156-) wr 1 1 4 "1-1ERE TO GO HOW'TO DO IT sk WHEN TO DO IT ()Sparta vr-11111111A 'L4 c'1 4: 4 1 illoloop 000 )Ii Boone etfb-' lilt-1 Park Mountain ther 0 Doughton e4rr: ra e-s 1- t'-is 4tik 71 '4t' r'N: 4116 AdokN14i14 Memorial :1111" "4 te Park thv iv I i ler' i 1 I Crabtree a rA sgs 0 I Meadows 4 rr b-1 -N A AttL Hawksbill Mtn atthh- Hawksbill Craggy Gardens Asheville esasich'ir 4 CraggY Gardens Ci 0 NlittlA Cherokee Waterroc Knob 1 Richland Balsam 10 1 1 1 i I 1 1 1 4 tow fr 73A 4 Flowery' Tribute To Sprtin Rhododendrons Climb Every Mountain 4 By JOE SOVACOOL Staff Writer Now's the time Every year during late spring and early summer the NC hills stage their biggest production since their leafy spectacular the previous fall Like the annual fall color displays this live show features magnificent scenery fresh air and a cast of thousands of sightseers It's the rhododendron time of year in Western North Carolina This week along the Blue Ridge Parkway from The Bluffs near Sparta to Waterrock Knob above Cherokee foresters and park rangers expect a mantle of Dayglo purple and pink Catawba rhododendron blossoms to begin covering the ridges peaks and roadsides of the loftier NC mountains In many higher elevations the bright orange flame azalea is also blooming widely ridges peaks and roadsides of the loftier NC mountains In many higher elevations the bright orange flame azalea is also blooming widely and park rangers expect a mantle of Dayglo purple and pink Catawba rhododendron blossoms to begin covering the In the next few weeks the pinkish-white blooms of the rosebay rhododendron will begin to replace those of the Catawba in elevations above 3500 feet Mountain laurel a related smaller evergreen will begin blooming about the same time At elevations from 2200 to 3500 feet the rhododendron show is usually seheduled about two weeks earlier says Parkway ranger Jim Haynes Here are just a few good places for taking in the scenery: Atop Roan Mountain a series of grassy knobs more than a mile high on the NC-Tennessee border rhododendron shrubs covering 600 acres will normally peak around June 20 (but last year peaked as late as July 4) according to Forest Service assistant ranger Dick Preston Some of the shrubs are as tall as 20 feet with as many as 800 blossoms To get there: From the Blue Ridge Parkway near Spruce Pine take NC 226 to Bakersville and NC 281 from Bakers See IN SPRINGTIME Page 8D To get there: From the Blue Ridge Parkway near Spruce Pine take NC 226 to Bakersville and NC 281 from Bakers See IN SPRINGTIME Page 8D Forest Service assistant ranger Dick Preston Some of the shrubs are as tall as 20 feet with as many as 800 blossoms I 1 1 1 KNOWING WI-IAT TO BRING ON A 4IKE IS VERY IMPORTANT 4 3 PEANUTS KNOWING WHAT TO LEAVE BEHINP CAN ALSO BE IMPORTANT HA HA HA HA FOOD AND WATEROF COURSE ARE ALWAYS A NECESSITY MAYBE A COMPASS WHAT I'M SAYIN6CONRAP IS THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO BRING A SUNPIAL1 1984 Iketed Feature 9yedicatetec How many skInny people does it take to fix a light in a shower? I don't know they keep slipping down the drain Patrick O'Malley Mooresville Heard a shod tunny Oka? Read a pood bumper sticker? Send it to EXTRA Jokes The Charlotte Observer Box 32188 Charlotte KC 28232 Well pay $5 for each Item 14 il 0 Staff Photo Staff Graphic By GEORGE BREISACHER Pink rhododendrons bloom in the mountains A I 1 1 Staff Photo Staff Graphic Bv GEORGE BREISACHER rhododendrons bloom in the mountains 1 Pink rhodo 1 I 1: 4 1 ti PEANUTS BEST BETS 1 BRING ON A HIKE'S i A las rif 'ef oen ad -I -T i A- Put all your creative energies together 1 Air I la it: pe es 1S presentng an open house at the Monroe organization gaatin orietzi telt( iidnt eh provides siadnst ft Airport from 10 am until 6 pm Saturday i KNOWING WHAT TO CFOOOURPSAENRWEAATLEWRAOYFS 0 Go On Have A Ball VERY IMPORTANT A NECESSITY MAYBE So what do you do at an airport open and come up with the best costume you house? There will be airplane rides for a $5 1 A COMPASS can think of if you want to be remembered city street corners organ grinder and donation a hot-air balloon display ultra- 4 --e' at the Beaux As Ball 1 410 A light aircraft on exhibit and a sky-diving 0 Sow which happens from 8 'II -1 Eir0 cet) -r until 10 o'clock tonight demonstration Food will be available if you get the munchies 'k The event a spring 1 All proceeds will go to Mission Air AV I ve celebration for Char- A tt-k4 lotte's visual arts corn- There is no admission charge A et -3242 9 am Details: (704) 372 5 6 munity and costume 1 'ir weekdays 1 party lovers is in its a 'klle0 a fourth year 1 0 Out Of The Daily Grind KNOWING WHAT TO enr WHAT I'M 5AYINGCONRA0 15 i -4f0 Musical entertainment 1 1 00' LEAVE BEHIN12 CAN THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARY will be by the Sponge- 1 Here's one that doesn't come along of- 7 t' ALSO BE IMPORTANT TO BRING A 5UNPIALI Tones Actor Roger Dur- i ten You'll have a chance to catch what ret as Marx i--! tilt 11 1 11 I 1 li Ai 6' THE once was a Common sight on America's i lity Lynne Bradley as Carol Wayne will Bradley and television person- 1 a NGET his monkey if you spend a little time at 1E 'D It i 11 1 tl i emcee 'Am 1 A- -4- 0 tv-e i The ball will be held at Park Center 310 ''K'' Freedom Mall 3205 Freedom Dr this 44' "1412 Kings Dr Beer and wine will be for ik 1 weekend 4 ') 'X- Georg Feich and his capuchin monkeys sale but no brown-bagging is allowed '--J-- 1or will stroll through the mall from 4 until 9 Tickets are $9 at the door pm today 10 am until 9 pm Saturday 0 1984 United Feature 9yedicate tec Details: 332-6767 10 am to 6 pm to- The SpongeTones will provide the mu- and 1 until 6 pm Sunday 1 day sic for tonight's Beaux Art Ball Organ grinding originated in Egypt R1 -f HA HA HA a Food For Body And Soul Graham Parkway Dinner is at 7 pm and more than 500 years ago as a way for eggars to make money for food clothing curtain time is 8 pm today and Saturday and shelter German-born Feic says he moved to If you're in the mood for dinner and a Thursday-June 9 June 14-16 21-23 and 1 11 How many skinny people does it take to fix a light in a i play the Showcase Dinner Theater at the 28-30 'l shower? Italy when he was a child and got his first Oak Tree Inn is presenting "On Golden Tickets are $1850 on weekends and experience training animals en ri ran Pond" $1650 Thursdays I don't know they keep slipping down the drain away from home at 11 and joined a circus The play directed by Charlottean James Details: 393-5009 or 394-3381 anytime He's been entertaining for more than 42 Eric features Thom McIntyre as Norman ears Patrick O'Malley Mooresville Thayer Rebecca Koon as his wife Ethel II Getting Iliuh On Charity 6 6 Penny Broffman Heard a short funny joke? Reed a good bumper atkker? Send ff to EXTRA Mum The 1 and Bonnae Crawford as their daughter Charlotte Observer Box 32188 Chadotte KC 28232 Wel pay 85 for each him pub- I Chelsea Here's a chance to have fun and contrib- Details on weekend events and entertainme are 1 4 1 1 The Oak Tree Inn is at 1-85 and the Billy ute to a good cause at the same time Mls- the EXTRA Calends' Page 100 1 k4--' 4oos- won wt tioninneWPoo UPoniouommant doom --44010 4Aintoigiamia 'domibmoin -401MINNEallimihoilw arreeeaameererearometeeeetemeaee --rrereareearebraereirearirreeeweamemar- A I 1.