It’s time for our weekly half-assed list of STUFF TO DO, around the Mountain State, and this week it’s halfder-asseder than usual. Basically, I’m just going to run an edited version of the boilerplate with no extra graphics.
I figure that, if you are interested in the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta, there’s not much I can add to what you know. If you go, stay hydrated and have fun. The same holds for whatever the heck that giant Ferris wheel thing is for at the State Capital Grounds. If that’s your idea of fun, go knock yourself out and enjoy yourself. It’s the Fourth of July and chances are good that you feel more like celebrating our country than I do at the moment.
I’ve mentioned that I don’t do well in the heat, and it’s going to be insanely hot here in Charleston this weekend. Please stay safe and use common sense when dealing with the heat.
As for me…I’m not going to be in town at all this weekend. Mel and I plan to hop a train to Chicago, where it’s just as hot, if not worse, and we plan to spend our time inside enjoying cool stuff and trying to avoid fireworks. As such, I am sprinting to get PopCult and The AIR covered while I’m gone, so that I don’t have to do any writing from the road on this trip.
Most weeks I try to tell you in detail about a few cool events all around the state, but this week, I’m slacking off. Things will be back to normal next week. If you have a show that you’d like to plug in the future, even if your promotional graphic uses cruddy AI slop art, contact me via Social Media at Facebook, BlueSky, Spoutible, Instagram or Twitter. I dont charge for this, so you might as well send me something if you have an event to promote.
We are very happy to remind you that Cristen Michael has created an interactive calendar that is way more comprehensive than this list of STUFF TO DO, and you can find it HERE. Just click on the day and the event and you’ll be whisked away to a page with more details about loads of area events.
I also need to point out that Mya Ross at Status Quo does a much better job of compiling a list of local events than I do, and you can find the WTSQ guide to events HERE. Toss ’em a donation while you’re over there.
You can find live music in and around town every night of the week. You just have to know where to look. Keep in mind that all shows are subject to change or be cancelled at the last minute.
Among the notable music venues in town are The World Famous Empty Glass Cafe, Live at The Shop in Dunbar, Louie’s, at Mardi Gras Casino & Resort, In Huntington, there’s local institution, The Loud (formerly The V Club), The Wandering Wind Meadery is on Charleston’s West Side, Plus there’s music in Charleston at The Blue Parrot, Sam’s Uptown Cafe and Fife Street Brewing. Plus there are free concerts almost every weekend at Taylor Books.
You might also find cool musical events at Folklore Music Exchange in Charleston.
To hear music in an alcohol-free enviroment, see what’s happening at Pumzi’s, on Charleston’s West Side.
For cutting-edge independent art films, downstairs from Taylor Books you’ll find the Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema by WVIFF. Each week they program several amazing movies in their intimate viewing room that you aren’t likely to see anywhere else.
Please remember that viral illnesses are still a going concern and many people who have very good reasons are still wearing masks, and many of us, understandably, are still nervous about being in crowds, masked or not. Be kind and understanding while you’re out. And if you’re at an outdoor event, please remember that it’s awfully inconsiderate to smoke or vape around people who become ill when exposed to that stuff. If somebody asks you to refrain, please respect their weishes and don’t be a jerk about it.
Enjoy your holiday and be careful out there in the heat.











Above you see this year’s PopCult video for The Marx Toy Show. This is a brisk romp through the show, running just under six minutes, that I hope conveys the sense of fun and comraderie that we have at the show. Next week I will bring you nearly half an hour of the raw footage shot that we shot, with background music so that we don’t accidentally publish anyone’s private conversations.








It’s time for our weekly half-assed list of STUFF TO DO, around the Mountain State, and there are tons of things for you to get into because this is the first weekend of summer and your humble blogger requires refrigeration, so it’s unlikely that you’ll see me at any outdoor events.




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