Rudy Panucci On Pop Culture

Monday Morning Art and a Weekend Wrap Up

It's Roooody, it's Roooody!

Yep, it’s a self-portrait, a digital charcoal sketch based on a photo taken with a ten-dollar Vivitar digital keychain camera.  I mention the camera, because even though it’s about as high-quality as a gumball machine piece of electronics, I did use it to document some of the fun things that went on this weekend.  We’ll run down the weekend’s events after the jump, but for now, let me tell you about this week’s art.  Like any charcoal sketch, it’s an exercise in light composition and impressionism. I like it, even though the subject matter can be a bit of a dork at times.  I like the way it came out.  In fact, I’m using it as the default pic on my MySpace page, at least until we have some frame-grabs from episode 43 to put up.

 As always, click the image for a larger version.  Also, you can cruise over to the Monday Morning Art Cafepress store and purchase this image on a variety of garments and fine trinketry.    It’s not egotistical or anything to think that people will want to buy crap with your picture on it, is it?  All of the artwork for Emily will be available from the PopCult Cafepress store at least through the end of summer. All proceeds will go to Emily.  I’m also still working on hooking up with a local gallery to sell prints of this work, again with all the proceeds going to my friend Emily and her family. 

Above you see a panoramic view of Symphony Sunday.  You can click on it for a larger version, too.  There’s more like that along with a look back at the weekend when you click this here link…..

First of all, we hear that The Concept had a great CD release show/Birthday Party for bassist Dave Cantrell Friday night at the Blue Parrot.  I wish I could have made it, but PopCult and RFC keep a Rudy busy. 

Sadly, the all-ages show on Saturday didn’t happen.  With a sizable chunk of the all-ages fanbase out of town, and another chunk at an all-day festival in Hurricane, hardly anyone came to the La Belle.  It was a real shame, because four great bands showed up to play.  Holden Caulfield had planned to open the show at the La Belle, then head to Hurricane to headline the Skate Park show.  The Underdogs came up from Ashland, and The Science Fair Explosion came down from Clarksburg.  I was impressed by the class and poise that The Concept showed, paying the other bands gas money after they called off the show.  It was one of the most professional and honorable things I’ve seen a band do, and I’m sure that the rock and roll karma gods will pay The Concept back in spades.  This show wasn’t meant to be, but there will be many more in the future. 

The cancellation of the La Belle show meant that we were able to head over to Capitol Roasters to catch Punk Jazz.  Chuck Biel, Eli Naimi, Casi Null, and Jimmy Holly put on an incredible display of state-of-the-art Jazz fusion before a packed coffeehouse.   The place was packed with a collection of some of the most educated music fans in town, along with some of the best musicians, all there to hear the unique and amazing Punk Jazz. 

Jimmy on the skinsCasi, playing so fast that she is but a blurOf course, I’m going to record them for an upcoming RFC.  Using my dinky camera, I was only able to grab a couple of almost usable shots of the band.   On the left, you can see drummer Jimmy Holly.  On the right, Rhythm guitarist Casi Null.

It was a great show, and it was loads of fun hanging out with Jonathon and Laura (Captain Crash and The Beauty Queen) and Curtis and Shane from InFormation (guests on the next RFC) and many other friends.  It was, as they say, a hap-nin’ place.

Sunday was Symphony Sunday, and the RFC crew was there early to tape host segments for episode 43 (coming Tuesday).  It was a great day, save for some rain, and always fun to see friends of PopCult and RFC in the flesh.  We ran into WV blogging legend, Oncee, Larry Groce, our IWA buddy Scotty J and his wife Melissa (who shot the Go Van Gogh video from RFC 19), WOWK’s Nikki Walters, Paul Helfrich, and many others.  I had to cut out early, but Mel stayed and worked one of the booths.   It was a lovely day, if a little wetter than it should have been. I’ll leave you with one more dinky-cam picture of the State Capitol building. 

Late in the afternoon came word that Jesco White’s “Miracle Woman,” Bertie Mae, passed away in Hospice care this morning.  PopCult sends our condolences to her friends and family.

3 Comments

  1. Bill Gardner

    Good seeing you guys yesterday.

    I thought I might have seen Jesco yesterday on the campus of UC. The dude really looked like him, but didn’t really dress like Jesco. Sorry to hear about Bertie Mae.

  2. Mel Larch

    That panoramic view needs an animated tent rolling down the lawn. 🙂

  3. Van Martin

    Nice self-portrait.  Looks like I missed a fun weekend, too. 

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