Month: April 2012 (Page 1 of 2)

That’s Radio Free Charleston 157, “The Mighty Thor Shirt,” you see up there in the box above this text. This week we are bringing you three songs from the newest production by the Charleston Light Opera Guild, plus we have some new music from Godmode Broadway, and a heartfelt plea from The Tom McGees. Host segments were shot around The Charleston Civic Center.

The Charleston Civic Center Little Theater is the site of the Charleston Light Opera Guild production of the musical version of “The Color Purple.” The beloved novel by Alice Walker was turned into a Broadway musical a few years ago by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, with a book by Marsha Norman, and it is the spring offering from Charleston’s Light Opera Guild, opening May 4.

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Today’s art is derived from my preliminary design for my East End Main Street Streetworks design, which I will be telling you about in the coming weeks. My final design has some elements of this in it, but it’s still not quite there. Click the image to see it larger.

In the meantime, get ready for Radio Free Charleston 157, “The Mighty Thor Shirt,” with music from The Charleston Light Opera Guild production, “The Color Purple,” and Godmode Broadway, plus a heartfelt plea from The Tom McGees. It will be posted here in PopCult later this evening.

The PopCulteer
April 27, 2012

Wherein your PopCulteer makes his stage debut…

That’s right. This Sunday yours truly trods the boards in the title role of the Alban Arts Center production of Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting For Godot.” This role is so demanding that a different local performer will tackle it every night. It’s an honor to share “Godot” with such area theater veterans as Ryan Hardiman, Timothy Mace and Kennie Bass.

To be honest, it’s pretty daunting. Godot permeates every moment of the play, and his entrance is one of the most anticipated in the history of the theatre. I want to thank director, Tara Phares Pauley, for taking a chance on me, and I hope I do a good job. I also want to thank my supporting actors, Adam Bryan as Estragon and Kevin Pauley as Vladimir, for backing me up so well. The cast is rounded out by Chris Baker, John Halstead and Kyle Casto.

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Today’s art is some sort of mystical orb. Actually it’s an aborted attempt at my entry in this year’s StreetWorks art project for East End Main Street. Click to see it bigger.

Our video tonight is “Something Better” by The Kenneth Brian Band.  This is the Official Video in HD. Shot live on location at The Jinx in Savannah Georgia. Directed by Joshua Black Wilkins.

Next Saturday, April 28 at 10 PM, The Kenneth Brian Band (featuring Charleston native Travis Stephens) returns to The Empty Glass for the first time since releasing the critically acclaimed album, Welcome To Alabama,”  bringing their trademark high energy Country/Rock in the form of a barn-burning live show! “Welcome To Alabama” has been praised as “a Southern Rock Tour de Force” and shot to #2 on the European Americana Charts! Also, this is Roadblock’s birthday party, so it’s gonna be a wild night! Be sure to pick up a copy of the new album while you’re there!

The PopCulteer
April 20, 2012

It’s time for another ArtWalk photo essay. We had near-perfect weather yesterday evening, and a wonderful turnout for all the galleries. On the right you see Robert Royce, K.D. Lett and Jesse Tidquist preparing for an evening that melded art and dance at The Charleston Ballet.

Other cool openings last night included Ian Bode’s “The Passenger” arriving at Romano Associates, Allied Artists at The Purple Moon, Emily Roles and Sue Chase’s “Friends Among the Hills” at Art Emporium and White Oak Photography and Deborah Herndon at The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation.

Good News Mountaineer Garage Gallery featured art from students at Mountaineer Montessori School at last night’s ArtWalk.The fourth, fifth and six grade art students at Mountaineer Montessori School have spent the last two months creating woodblock prints, drawings, mosaics, paintings and sculpture depicting the tragic deaths of miners at the historic Hawks Nest Tunnel. Despite the sick jokes that popped into my head

A genius promotion for 'Picasso"

about this being “children’s depictions of death,” this was actually a very powerful exhibit, and it showed off some some amazing young talent.

There were also some “Wild and Crazy” folks accompanying Einstein around ArtWalk last night promoting the “Picasso at the Lapine Agile” scavanger hunt, which was shining the spotlight on Charleston Stage Company’s upcoming production of the Steve Martin play. “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” opens May 10 at the WVSU Capitol Center Theater.

Enough with the words. Here are the pictures…

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Radio Free Charleston 156, “Warning Trioxin Shirt,” is posted above for your enjoyment. This week we have music from The Renfields and The Tom McGees, plus we have a terrific short docu-drama by Stephen Schmidt. But first, we have some corrections to do.

I’m pleading allergy-induced dementia for this. First, the Tom McGees’ song that I call “Be Smart” in the show, and “Be Strong” in the credits, is actually called “Enemy Spy Plane Inbound.” I know, it’s an easy mistake to make. Compounding the errors, I announce that The Tom McGees are playing the Porkchopp3D Trailer Release Party April 26 at The Empty Glass, when in fact it is our other musical guest, The Renfields, who are going to be playing that show. Aside from the two huge mistakes in the scripting process, I was really happy with the host segments, which were shot outside of Kanawha Players Theater, the location of this weekend’s Zombie Prom.

The reason we have The Renfields, or at least three-fifths of them, on the show this week is that their leader, Vincent Renfield, is the Master of Ceremonies for The Kanawha Players Zombie Prom, which takes place at KP, on April 21. It’s going to be a fun night of Zombie goodness, with dancing, contests, Zombie Prom photos by Mike Winland Studios, and special guests, RJ Haddy from the SyFy series “Face Off” and Jeremy Ambler from The Walking Dead. It’s going to be lots of fun…people are just dying to go!

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Cornelius Dapperdü, Molly Tilley, Pepper Fandango, Elle Xombeah, and Penny Maple, at the beach,

Last night’s edition of Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School in Charleston presented nice beach scenes with just a little murder thrown in. Click the images to see them larger.  There’s more after the jump.

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Charleston’s punk/ska princes play us out of the end credits of tomorrow’s episode of Radio Free Charleston, but tonight you get a sneak peek, without the credits rolling over the footage. Thus, the band performs their song,, “Be Strong,” live at The Blue Parrot.

Saturday, April 21, you can catch The Tom McGees at The Empty Glass for the Zombie Prom after party, hosted by the Heart of Appalachia Roller Derby folks.  Sharing the bill that night will be Foz Rotten with Charlie Ant Eaterr, plus Hellbound Honky Tonk. On April 26, On May 4 it’s time for The Tom McGees to raise money for themselves, to finish their debut album, “This Just In.” Which you can also support at IndieGogo.

So there.

The PopCulteer
April 13, 2012

Support The Local Scene

You’ve heard me say it a million times: “Support the local scene.” But what exactly does that mean? Folks, I’m not just talking about music. Charleston has an arts community. We have an overabundance of creative people working in music, art, film, theater, and even in areas that get overlooked, like the culinary arts, and athletic exhibitions.

This week your PopCulteer tells you how you can support the local scene right now!

Sasha Colette and Farnsworth

Tonight, Charleston-area favorite, Kentucky’s Sasha Colette (seen above) and The Mgnolia’s, with Charleston’s own Farnsworth in support, play at The Sound Factory, on Kanawha Boulevard, starting at 10 PM. Admission is a mere five bucks.

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