This weekend your PopCulteer is headed to Louisville for the Kentuckiana GI Joe Toy Expo.  I told you about that last Sunday, and I’ll tell you more about it next week when I get back. Meanwhile, here are a few suggestions of things worth venturing out in the heat for in and around Charleston and The Mountain State this weekend.

I want to make special note of The Blob, the musical by Mark Scarpelli and Dan Kehde, which is being revived at The Elk City Playhouse by CYAC.  It’s our first graphic below, but here’s more details from their PR:

A 1958 Horror Classic comes to life on the musical stage with music, dancing, romance, and DooWop fun, in one amazing evening of entertainment! Featuring performances by Nik Tidquist, Julia Carriger, Mattie Connelly, Austin Susman, Caroline Chamness and a supporting ensemble of singers, dancers and musicians.

The production includes twenty songs from Scarpelli and Kehde with such titles as “Duck and Cover”, “Midnight Monster Marathon”, ”A Boy To Hold Me”, “Too Young To Ever Fall In Love”, “Rocket Route Forty”, “Little Moon” and many more.

7 PM
Friday July 28, Saturday July 29
Friday August 4, Saturday August 5

And 2 PM July 30

Tickets $15.00 Adults, $10.00 Students/Seniors
Available online or at the door
Due to limited seating, reservations are suggested
The Elk City Playhouse
218 Washington St. W. Charleston, WV.

Live Music is back at Taylor Books. There is no cover charge, and shows start at 7:30 PM.  Friday it’s Minor Swing. Saturday Ronald & The Rayguns entertain the crowd at Charleston’s beloved Bookstore/Coffee Shop/Art Gallery.

The World Famous Empty Glass Cafe has some great stuff this weekend to tell you about. Thursday at 5:30 PM, Swingstein and Robin return with Swing for a good cause. Friday Tim Courts plays during happy hour.  Later on Friday The Kind Theives make their return to the Glass.  Saturday at 10 PM, Jakob Thmas and Friends with Patty and The Butchers come to The Empty Glass stage. Sunday, Los Angelenos Leather Duchess show up at The Glass at 10 PM. Next Monday it’s Open Mic Night at 9 PM and on Tuesday The legendary Spurgie Hankins Band does their monthly gig at The Glass.

Please remember that the pandemic is not over yet. It’s still a going concern with the ‘rona surging again. And now there are seasonal allergies, the flu, heatstroke, indcited co-conspirators, Ninja cicadas, soccer hooligans and other damned good reasons to be careful. 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.

If you’re up for going out, here are a few suggestions for the weekend, roughly in order…