Monday Morning Art: In Like A Lion

This week's art is a digital painting of a big ferocious beastie, the king of the jungle, in fact. Why post a painting of a lion? I guess all the political coverage inspried me.  To see the image larger, just click on it, right in the darn face, if you dare.

Sunday Evening Video: Emily Dickinson Returns

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Last night I saw the Contemporary Youth Arts Company production of "The Belle Of Amhearst," a play by William Luce that uses the poets own words to weave a narrative that lets us spend an evening with the much-loved innovator of verse, Emily Dickinson.  This is a one-woman show, and it is an amazing performance by Mandy Harper. This George Washington senior pours herself into the role and becomes Emily Dickinson for over 90 minutes. It's quite a feat of theater, and something that should be witnessed by every patron of the arts in this town. Our video tonight is a brief snippet of the show.

Harper manages to act and embody the words of Dickinson. She does not merely recite them, instead making them come to life in a delightfully vibrant way.  I've seen Mandy in CYAC shows for almost two years now, and it's wonderful to see her shine like this. Kudos to director Dan Kehde for guiding this production to the stage.

You have three more chances to see "The Belle Of Amhearst," February 9-11 at the WVSU Capitol Center Theater, 123 Summers Street, Charleston. Produced by The Contemporary Youth Arts Company. Performances start at 8 PM. Tickets are ten dollars for adults, six dollars for students and seniors.

 

Who Watches The Cool Weekend Events Before Watchmen?

The PopCulteer
February 3, 2012

We have some cool stuff in The PopCulteer this week, from cool local events to a big comc book controversy. So let's jump right into the thick of things.

The Belle of Amherst

The Contemporary Youth Arts Company is presenting a show that's a bit of a departure for them beginning this weekend. Last night saw the opening of The Belle of Amherst, a one woman show about Emily Dickinson. This 1976 Broadway play written by William Luce is a tour de force performance by George Washington High School senior, and CYAC veteran, Mandy Harper, who plays the poet, along with fourteen other characters.

Monday Morning Art: Vortex Ritter

We kick this week of PopCult off with an abstract digital painting that has a funny name. It's an exercise in combining organic and mechanical techniques into the creation of something new and artificial. Sort of like the Chicken McNugget, only better tasting and better for you. As always, click the image to see it larger.

Sunday Evening Video: Rubber Soul

Last year, Charleston's own Beatles Tribute Band, Rubber Soul, performed The Beatles (White Album) in its entirety at The Alban Theater in St. Albans.  This year they're back to bring the classic album, "Abbey Road" to the live stage.

Friady and Saturday, February 3 and 4, at 8 PM, Rubber Sould will once again grace the stage of The Alban Theater,  65 Old Main Plaza, St. Albans, with all of Abbey Road, from start to finish!

Tickets are $10, and the show is a benefit for The American Heart Association. Sponsored by Brooks Run Mining Company.

An added treat on Friday night is The Tom McGees, a hot Ska outfit, who will be performing sort of across the street after Abbey Road wraps up. For a mere five bucks, you can help David Scarpelli (his dad, Mark, is the man behind Rubber Soul) celebrate his birthday with a mad Ska meltdown at The VIP Lounge, 54 Olde Main Plaza, St. Albans, WV.

To remind you how much fun Rubber Soul is, tonight we're bringing back episode 117 of Radio Free Charleston, which previewed last year's White Album show. Enjoy, and come out to see the show.

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Back In The Random Saddle

The PopCulteer
January 27, 2012

Brain Stew

Last week your PopCulteer was missing in action for the first time in nearly three years. Circumstances beyond our control, including a computer virus and a real-world illness, conspired to knock yours truly out of commission. We are feeling better this week, and the PC problems are just about resolved, so we're going to tenatively climb back on the blogging pony and bring you a column of random images, news items and odd bits of information..

Popeye Returns

In April IDW Publishing launches a new comic book based on Popeye The Sailor, one of my personal favorites, and not just because of the spinach.

Monday Morning Art: Back To The Peoples

This week your Pop.Culteer is rebuilding his computer after a particularly nasty virus. Today's art is the first thing pooted out while trying the reinstalled graphics program. It's a digital painting of The Peoples Building on Summers Street. Click to see the image larger, and expect PopCult to be back to normal this week.

Monday Morning Art: Substitute Art

Your PopCulteer is a bit under the weather this week. That's why there was no Sunday Evening Video last night, and why today's art is NOT from last Friday's Twin Peaks edition of Dr. Sketchy's.  Between a nasty computer virus and a real-world head-exploding sinus infection, I was in no shape to go out anywhere this weekend.

So in place of a Dr. Sketchy's piece, I am bringing you a digitally-assaulted vintage pin-up photo, glommed from somewhere's on the internet. As always, click the image to see it bigger.  The computer problem and swelling, itching brain are probably going to combine to delay Radio Free Charleston's 150th episode until February.  It's going to be a tribute to LiveMix Studio, and will be the first of at least five retrospective shows planned for 2012. I gotta go pill up now.

How TV Warps Reality

The PopCulteer
January 13, 2012

"But If It's On TV It Must Be Real!"

Reality is being warped. Television is to blame. I'm not talking about the kind of skewed reality you find on FOX News, where the bizarre notion that Republicans can be trusted to govern is pounded into viewer's heads 24 hours a day. I'm talking about the unreal world of Reality TV.

I'm not a big fan of reality television. In fact, you could probably safely accuse me of being rather snobbish about it. I think it's lowest-common-denominator programming that carries with it the bottom-line-enhancing quality of being dirt cheap to produce, mostly by non-union crews.

But it is booming. Reality shows have spread like a fast-growing cancer, mutating several formerly sophisticated cable channels into slack-jawed, drooling shadows of their former selves.

Monday Morning Art: More Dangerous Curves

This week we once again go back to Friday, December 29, when the Burlesque troupe, Dangerous Curves Ahead, came to town and participated in a special session of Dr. Sketchy's. Above you see Clams Casion. After the jump you can see more digitally-assaulted photos of Darlinda, Just Darlinda, Minnie Tonka and Anita Cookie. The next edition of Dr. Sketchy's is a tribute to Twin Peaks, Friday, January 13.

Click to see 'em bigger, and follow the jump for three more!

PopCult Instant Video: Captain Crash & The Beauty Queen

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Our video this week is a recording made last Friday at Taylor Books. Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen returned to action with a fun, confident set. Jonathan Slack and Laura Summerhill have been appearing on Radio Free Charleston since 2007, and it's always a treat to catch up with them. In this video, shaky at times, you'll hear the duo performing The Beatles' song ,"Across The Universe," and their original tune, "Getaway Lane." Meanwhile, your loyal PopCult blogger is still hard at work assembling RFC 150.

Also, yesterday was Jonathan's birthday, so happy birthday, and thanks for the music!

15 Random Bits Of Coolness To Ring In The New Year

The PopCulteer
January 6, 2012

We start a new year of The PopCulteer on an upbeat note as we look at 15 cool things that we're looking forward to early in 2012.

These are some of the cool items to spice up our lives as we face a year of dirty politics, extreme weather, fracking-induced Earthquakes, people insulting our state and, if the Mayans are right, the end of the world. So...at least there's this...

Absolutely Fabulous Returns

Absolutely Fabulous, which has to be ranked among the elite British comedy shows, is returning with two new episodes, the first in six years, this month. BBC America will debut a new episode, "Identity," Sunday night at 10 PM, with a second episode, "Job," to follow in a week. Of note: Jennifer Saunders, the show's writer/creator and co-star, has not missed a beat. Despite the six years since the last series, the show is as sharp and timely as ever. A new title sequence returns to the original recording of "This Wheel's On Fire," sung by Julie Driscoll and Saunders' husband (and RFC supporter) Ade Edmondson, of "The Young Ones" fame. And the shows already appeared on The BBC on Christmas and New Year's Day, so the torrent-minded among you can probably already find them now.

Monday Morning Art: Dangerous Curves Ahead

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Last Friday Burlesque came to Charleston at Kanawha Players Theater as Dangerous Curves Ahead, a troupe from Brooklyn, made their way to the Mountain State. Before the show, a special session of Dr. Sketchy's took place, and us artisitc types where given the chance to photograph and draw Anita Cookie, Clams Casino, Darlinda Just Darlinda,  and Minnie Tonka.

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Today we're bringing you digital paintings of the ladiesm as always, click the images to see them larger.

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PopCult Instant Video: Ryan Sings Bowie

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Tonight we bring you a special treat. This is a very raw video of Ryan Hardiman's God Night performance of "Moonage Daydream: The Bowie Songbook."  Ryan, with some help from guest vocalist Maddie Gourevich, pianist Mark Scarpelli and a string quartet featuring Molly Lynn Page and Kristi Holstein (violin), Alasha Al-Qudwah (viola) and Shawn Simms (cello), performed some of the greatest hits of The Thin White Duke, David Bowie.

This was the 7 and 9 PM Goodnight 2011 show at Trinity Lutheran, presented by Charleston Community Music Association. It was a wonderful night of more challenging music than we usually hear during Goodnight, and it was very well received.

2012: A Look Back

The PopCulteer
December 30, 2011

It's time for our annual look back at the year to come. Remember all the really weird stuff that happened in 2012? Here's PopCult's month-by-month rundown of all the things that led up to the end of the world:

January:

In early January the political world was stunned when the Iowa caucus, held to chose the Republican candidate for president, was won by a previously-unknown candidate. The day after the caucus, it was revealed that the mystery man was, in fact, a ceramic statue of Ronald McDonald, re-painted to look sort of like the late Dennis Hopper.

Following this revelation, the statue placed no higher than third in any of the remaining primaries or caucuses before dropping out of the race for the Republican nomination for president in mid-March.

Monday Morning Art: Shapes

We end our year of Monday Morning Art with a digital abstract called "Shapes." As usual, click it to see a bigger version. Monday Morning Art will contnue into the new year, hopefully with stuff that wasn't cranked out in half an hour right before bedtime on Christmas night.

Merry Christmas From PopCult And RFC

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As we do every Christmas since we made this clip, we bring you Radio Free Charleston Big Shot and Resident Diva, Melanie Larch, performing "Ave Maria," live from the fifth floor fire escape outside LiveMix Studio. We send glad tidings and our sincere wish that our readers have a happy, joyful and peaceful holiday.

Our non-readers can fend for themselves.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Time Is Here

Once more, with feeling, it's this year's PopCult/Radio Free Charleston Christmas Treat...

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Living On Borrowed Timeline

The PopCulteer
December 23, 2011

Beating Facebook's Timeline

Well, here we are, December 23, and what is everybody talking about? The new Facebook Timeline, of course. Facebook, in their never-ending quest to extract more marketable personal data from their users is finally foisting upon the public their latest "upgrade", the Timeline.

If you haven't seen it yet, the Timeline allows people to personalize their profile page with a big cover photo which can be quite nice and is a very attractive feature. In exchange for this very attractive feature, Facebook has removed previously simple options for privacy, thrusting some of your information into the public domain and making other information, which you could previously restrict with a single click, so complicated that a prolific Facebook user could be faced with weeks of clicking three to seven times to remove each individual item that they do not want on their "Timeline."

PopCult Gift Guide Day 10: The Salvage Yard

Today we wrap up the PopCult Gift Guide with a visit to Charleston's Mecca of Action Fashion and  Kar Kulture, The Salvage Yard, located on the second floor of Charleston Town Center.You may know The Salvage Yard as the official haberdashers of Radio Free Charleston.

In addition to carrying a really cool line of Kulture apparel by Fatal, King Kerosin, and W.A.R. (We All Ride) clothing, The Salvage Yard also gets new designs each week from Sullen Clothing.

You'll also find some cool videos, automotive jewelry, headwear and accessories, as well as an elite collection of fine rockabilly music. You'll also find some really cool jewelry and art produced by local designers.

In fact, the store sports a spiffy new logo created by none other than Mark Wolfe Design.

In case you have a Hot Rodder on your Christmas list, you can't go wrong with The Salvage Yard and if you don't know exactly what to get, I'm assured that gift certificates are available. The Salvage Yard is open Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 9 PM and Sunday from 12:30 PM to 6 PM. Check out their website or call them at (304) 419-9273 for more details.

This concludes the 2011 PopCult Gift Guide. Check back tomorrow for The PopCulteer.

PopCult Gift Guide Day 9: PIZZA!

Today the PopCult Gift Guide recommends one of the most loverly and sublime gifts that you can give. We are recommending that you give the gift of pizza. There are several fine local establishments that offer their own unique takes on pizza, God's anointed food.

If your tastes lean toward the gourmet, you can try Lola's in South Hills or Pies and Pints on Capitol Street.

For a traditional New York style pizzeria experience, there's Graziano's on Capitol Street (with other locations in Dunbar and South Charleston).

Just north of Charleston off the Mink Shoals exit (across Route 119 from Harding's Family Restaurant), you will find Barone Brothers Pizza, with a different take on the New York style and their own delicious recipe for sauce and dough.

Late night pizza fanatics can head to downtown Charleston, where the Slyce Pizza Company is open well into the wee hours. They have yet another distinctive and wonderful recipe and offer a wide array of fresh toppings. Spinach on a pizza with tomato sauce is a PopCult favorite.

The wonderful thing about giving pizza as a gift is that you can either round up your friend and take them out for a wonderful social dining experience or, with most of the pizzerias listed, you can treat them to a gift certificate so that they might be able to descend at will and nom to their heart's desire.

You can never go wrong with pizza.

PopCult Gift Guide Day 8: Kenneth Brian Band "Welcome To Alabama"

Today's gift guide pick is "Welcome To Alabama," the debut album from frequent guests of The Empty Glass and The Boulevard Tavern, The Kenneth Brian Band.

This album, available anywhere CDs are sold, features Charleston's Travis Stephens, Brian's bandmate, on harmony vocals and rhythm guitar is a primer on the New South, with a modern fusion of blues, outlaw county, and just enough roots-rock energy to warm the hearts of any Southern Man. Produced by the legendary Johnny Sandlin (Allman Bros. Band), the album features an impressive line-up of Southern music-makers including David Hood, Randall Bramblett, Bonnie Bramlett, Jason Isbell, and more.

Standout tracks include the slow groove, "Last Call,"which features guest vocals by Lillie Mae Rische, the crunchy rock tune, "Tonight We Ride," the tender "Cry To The Dark," and the catchy title track.

The playing and vocals are near perfect throughout, and the production well serves Brian's skillful songwriting. Also of note are the guest vocals by Bonnie Bramlett on the album's sole cover tune, Dicky Bett's "Nothing You Can Do."

This CD is the perfect gift for any country music fan, alt-country afficianado or roots-rock enthusiast on your Christmas list. "Welcome To Alabama" is pure Americana gold.

PopCult Gift Guide Day 7: Books from Woodland Press

In today's PopCult Gift Guide, we recommend four books published by the West Virginia publishing powerhouse, Woodland Press. You can find Woodland Press books at both local locations of Drug Emporium, both Charleston locations of Books-A-Million, and Taylor Books. If you know of any other locations selling them, feel free to mention them in our comments.

Woodland Press is a West Virginia based company publishing books by local talents and covering themes close to the heart of the Mountain State. But don't think that this is some sort of vanity press. These are world class literary works.

Their latest books are "Shadows and Mountains" by Jessie Grayson and Ellen Thompson McCloud

Glimpse beyond the stunning beauty of Appalachia into what hides beneath. Allow these stories to guide you down spooky hollow roads and deep into the mysterious mountains within its dark heart, where monsters, mayhem and madness abound and things are never exactly as they seem.

Monday Morning Art: Batgirl

Your loyal PopCult blogger missed his first edition of Dr, Sketchy's last night I was really looking forward to it, but on arriving home after a fun weekend trip, I found myself exhausted and having to deal with accumulated assignments from three days away from email.

However, last night's theme was "Gotham City Sirens," and in that spirit, I present a digitally-assaulted image swiped mercilessly from the website of TV's Batgirl, Yvonne Craig. Go buy an autographed photo from the pretty lady, won't you? And click the image to see it larger.

Sunday Evening Video: The 2011 RFC Christmas Treat

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Tonight, PopCult's Sunday Evening Video is the 2011 Radio Free Charleston Christmas Treat.  It's a special impromptu video, shot last Wednesday night at The Blue Parrot.  Prank Monkey, Johnny Compton, Jamie Skeens, and Mike Vandergriff host the electric jam sessions every Wednesday at the Parrot and they learned a special, heartwarming Christmas hymn just for the holiday season.  You'll hear this tender lullaby in this video, shot on the fly by Melanie Larch and Rudy Panucci.  Listen carefully at the beginning of the video and you'll hear Rudy beckoning Melanie to join in.  Merry Christmas, everyone, and don't forget to tip your bartender!

The Gift Guide Day Six at Collage, A Hot Weekend Show And ArtWalk In Photos

The PopCulteer
December 16, 2011

PopCult Gift Guide Day Six: Coolness From Collage

Yesterday in the Gift Guide, we suggested that you support local artists by frequenting the galleries that participate in ArtWalk. Today, we're going to focus at another outlet for local artists, Charleston's newest boutique of funky coolness, Collage, located at 805 Quarrier Street.

The dream and brainchild of artist Jamie Miller, Collage features a quirky assortment of cool, vintage clothing and jewelry, mixed with new artwork and creations by area artists like

On the left, you see fine Mountain State stemware created by Vasilia Scouras. You can find all sorts of nifty little treats and gift items at Collage and if you don't trust your own tastes, you can always pick up a gift certificate so that the special person on your list will have the joy of opening a really nifty envelope on Christmas Day.

Collage is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 AM to 6 PM. Call 304-541-0778 for more details and visit their website. Collage is Charleston's newest shopping destination for handmade art, jewelry, and vintage/altered clothing by local and national artisans.

New RFC With Sasha Colette And More!

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We have a great new episode of Radio Free Charleston this week. Production notes are here.

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Do Your Bit To Make Movie History

It's fundraiser time for PORKCHOPP3D tonight at The Empty Glass. Bring a donation of a toy or canned goods and save half the cover charge. Help complete the trilogy.

PopCult Gift Guide Day Five: Local Art

Today's gift suggestion is local art. ArtWalk in downtown Charleston takes place this evening and you will have a great opportunity to visit all the local galleries and find that special objet d'art that you need for that hard to buy for person on your Christmas list. You can drop a ton of money on an original painting, or you might pick up a calendar or notecards, all featuring artwork created by the people who live in the lovely Kanawha Valley.

Among the cool items you might want to look at are calendars featuring the photography of Clayton Spangler, available at Art Emporium; antique bits of coolness at The Purple Moon and Stray Dog Antiques; hand-blown glass ornaments at Visions Day Spa; pottery by Eric Pardue and others at Taylor Books Annex Gallery; and a wide assortment of nifty artworks at Studio 1013 and Gallery 11. The possibilities are endless!

PopCult Gift Guide Day Four: Yoe Books

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If you're a regular reader of PopCult, you probably know I'm a big fan of comics historian Craig Yoe. In addition to about a million other comic and cartoon related things, Craig has released a steady stream of beautifully-assembled historical comic book archives. Today, we're going to look at five of the niftier recent tomes of Craig's that I haven't previously plugged in PopCult. These books can be found almost anywhere books are sold and if they're not in stock, you can probably order them from Taylor Books in time for Christmas.

First up, we have "The Carl Barks Big Book of Barney Bear." Carl Barks is a comic book legend, known primarily as the creator of the very best Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge comics. While Barks made his reputation as "the good duck artist" for Walt Disney, he did lesser-known, but equally brilliant comic books starring the MGM cartoon character, Barney Bear. "The Carl Barks Big Book of Barney Bear" collects the extremely rare stories in a deluxe, full color hardcover for the very first time. It's a fabulous collection of rarely seen work by a comic book legend.

(ISBN-10:1600109292)

PopCult Gift Guide Day 3: Rad Music

Today's entry in the PopCult Gift Guide is "Naked Souls," a brand new CD by Parkersburg's John Radcliff, a frequent guest on Radio Free Charleston and an old friend.Simply put, "Naked Souls"is an exquisite album, starting with the McCartney-esque "RocknRolla" and ending with the ultra-catchy "It's Not The End." Rad's album is almost like the second coming of XTC's "Skylarking." I mean that as very high praise indeed.

The ten songs that make up this CD are finely crafted musical treats, with catchy melodies and clever lyrics. Radcliff's quirky sense of humor is on display throughout, particularly in the song "My Plastic Lover," which is about exactly what you think it is. Another highlight is the infectiously pseudo-optimistic "It Might Work Out."

Sasha Colette, Trielement, Jordan Andrew Jefferson And More In The RFC Holiday Extravaganza!

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That's Radio Free Charleston 149, "Shredd's Pizzeria Shirt," at the top of this post, and it's an early Christmas present, loaded with special gifts for our fans. We are proud to present a World Premiere music video by Sasha Colette, "Rock of Ages," plus we have a music video by Jordan Andrew Jefferson, the RFC debut of a new band, Trielement, and we flashback to a special Christmas tune performed by RFC's resident Diva, Melanie Larch and The Diablo Blues Band. We also have two trailers for special projects and we meet Hasbro!

PopCult Gift Guide Day Two: Razor Sharp DVDs

Homegrown Horror

Out second item in the PopCult Gift Guide features film work of Eamon Hardiman on DVD or Blu Ray. His most recent movie, "Porkchops," a film in which yours truly can be seen briefly sans hat, is on sale for a short time directly from Razor Sharp Studios, for a mere seven bucks (plus shippping) or ten dollars on Blu Ray.

"Porkchops" the first-ever sequel to a West Virginia-made film, tells the story of the legendary Pig-masked serial slasher, Porkchop, who mows down innocent (and not-so-innocent) victims left and right. With a lower budget and a higher sense of fun than your typical slasher movie, "Porkchops" offers just the right mix of blood, gore, boobs and cleverness to make for a fun viewing experience for the adult devotee of fine slashercentric entertainment.

If you're curious, but not yet sold, check out the trailer for "Porkchops" on RFC 149, coming to PopCult Monday evening. Completists can also find the original movie "Porkchop" from Razor Sharp Studios, too.

The PopCult Gift Guide will continue on weekdays until December 22. Check back every day for suggestions of Pop Culture gifts for the ultra-hip, or maybe just nerdy, person on your shopping list. Also good for disaffected loners!

Monday Morning Art: Dr. Sketchy's Redux

Today's art is from last month's edition of Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art show. This is a digital pastel sketch of Pepper Fandango and Kitty Killton. This coming Sunday Dr. Sketchy invades Lost Legion Games and Comics in South Charlestn (the new location on D Street). It'll be a night of "Gotham City Sirens" Starring models dressed as three caped (or undraped) crusaders. It's Sunday night starting at 7 PM. Admission is eight bucks in advance, ten dollars at the door.

Also, later tonight check back in PopCult for RFC 149 with a world premeire video by Sasha Colette, plus music by Trielement, Jordan Andrew Jefferson and Melanie Larch with The Diablo Blues Band. You'll also see trailers for the DVD "Porkchops" and the graphic novel, "Carbon."

Sunday Evening Video: Improv At GW

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This Thursday you can oin GW's Improv Comedy Troupe "Batteries Not Included" for an evening of improvisational comedy! Admission is free, but donations are accepted. Starring Sabah Ahmed, Louis McQuade, Michael Tighe, Nathan Thomas, Caitlin Moore, Mariah Plante, Taylor Shaw, Austin Susman, Jacob McGloughlin, Madison Riffe, and Gabe Conley. Hosted by everyone's favorite GW Freshman Honors English Teacher Adam "Crazy Legs" Jones!

It's at George Washington High School from 6:30 Pm to 9:30 PM, and it's your chance to check out some of the area's best young talent, including several CYAC vets.

 

The PopCult Gift Guide Kicks Off, Plus WV Indie Filmmakers Fundraising

The PopCulteer
December 9, 2011

This week's PopCulteer sees the beginning of our annual PopCult gift guide. For the next two weeks you can hit up this blog for a daily gift recommendation. We'll point you to books, CDs, toys, and all sorts of bizarre novelty items, all designed to thrill and delight the Pop Culture devotee on your Christmas list. We've also got several local fundraising efforts to tell you about, so let's get on with it...

The PopCult Gift Guide Day One:
Mail-Order Mysteries
by Kirk DeMarais

There are some people who believe that, when you die, every question that you've ever had in your life will be answered. Thanks to Kirk DeMarais you won't have to wait that long for answers to some of the most pressing questions.

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Mail-Order Mysteries is a pretty comprehensive look at all the stuff they used to sell in cheesy ads in comic books. DeMarais has spent years scouring eBay to track down all the cheap, crappy toys, bodybuilding and karate books, rubber masks and other dubious wonders that were so tempting to kids who didn't know any better way back then.

Of course, when you were a kid, you didn't have enough money to send seven bucks in so that you could buy a Nuclear Submarine. Hell, it was tough to scrape up a dollar for a "Monster Size Monster." If you asked your folks they'd tell you it was a rip-off and say "no."

Admit it, since then you've been wondering. How different would your life have been if only you had a six-foot tall Frankenstein? Would ordering from the Johnson Smith catalog make you the coolest kid in school? Would you be wealthy now if you'd been able to get "1,001 Things Free?" Could you have taken a Sea Monkey to the prom?

Monday Morning Art: Evolution of a Tree

This week's Monday morning Art is a digital painting of a Christmas tree. It didn't really start out that way. You can click on the above image to see it larger. After the jump you can see the backwards evolution of how we wound up with this finished image after starting with a random doodle.

Sunday Evening Video: Christmas Toy Parade

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This month in Sunday Evening Videos we're looking back at random and offbeat Christmas memories. This week we're looking back at a shocking holiday toy story. Toy kids say the darnedest things!

What A Weekend

The PopCulteer
December 2, 2011

A Monster Weekend Approacheth

I always hear people complain about how there's nothing to do in Charleston. I think my new stock reaction to that statement will be a swift punch in the face. This weekend in particular, there are so many cool things going on in and around town that it would take a team of bloggers just to make a token appearance at all of them.

This is truly an embarrassment of riches for our smallish metropolis. This week's PopCulteer is devoted to detailing three whirlwind days in Charleston, West Virginia.

Friday

The Contemporary Youth Arts Company will present the final weekend of its 15th annual production of the Scarpelli-Kehde rock opera MARY at 8 pm Friday and Saturday at the WVSU Capitol Center, 123 Summers Street, Charleston.

Monday Morning ArtWalk

The PopCulteer
November 28, 2011

There was no PopCulteer last Friday due to Thanksgiving. However, a special Black Friday edition of ArtWalk took place, and since there's another special ArtWalk this coming Saturday, we're bringing you our mini-PopCult Photo Essay as a bonus Monday PopCulteer.  At right you see Suzy Sketchman at The Purple Moon, plugging next month's Dr. Sketchy's show.

If you like what you see here, be sure to check out these galleries and more after the December 3 Charleston Christmas Parade. This Saturday from Noon to 4 PM.

Participating Galleries-
Art Emporium Gallery
Gallery Eleven
House of Luxe
Modern by Design
Stray Dog Antiques
Taylor Books - Annex Gallery
The Purple Moon
White Oak Photography

For more information visit the ArtWalk website.

Sunday Evening Video: "MARY" Revisited

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Tonight's video comes from the end credits of RFC148. It's Sarah Shlies, as Mary, performing "Child, My Child," from the CYAC rock opera "MARY."  You will have three more chances to see the show after today's 2 PM matinee. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, December 1,2 and 3, at 8 PM at The WVSU Capitol Center Theater, 123 Summers Street in Charleston. We thought it would be cool to bring you this clip without credits rolling over Sarah's face.

"MARY," Frenchy and the Punk Headline RFC 148

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At the head of this post, you will see "Red Popeye Shirt," episode 148 of Radio Free Charleston. This edition of our show is hosted from a very soggy Veteran's Memorial in Nitro, and presents music from the rock opera, "MARY" and Frenchy and the Punk.

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In this episode  we bring you three songs filmed during the rehearsals for the Charleston institution, "Mary." This is the fifteenth production of "Mary" the Scarpelli/Kehde rock opera from The Contemporary Youth Arts Company. We also have a brand new music video from our friends, Frenchy and the Punk, plus animation by Rudy Panucci, and we also have more confusing superhero action from Turkey, in honor of Thanksgiving.

Monday Morning Art: Pepper And Kitty

We're kicking off this week with some digital paintings based on photos taken from last night's edition of Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art Show. Above you see Pepper Fandango and Kitty Killton fed through the Stark Charleston filter. After the jump you'll find digital paintings of each of last night's models.  You can click the imagrs to see them bigger. And you can find a folder with even more images over at the Radio Free Charleston Facebook Page.

PopCult Instant Video: "Mary" Returns For Year 15

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Today we bring you video of a preview performance of the Scarpelli/Kehde Christmas Tradition, the Rock Opera "Mary," presented by The Contemporary Youth Arts Company.  This year is the fifteenth production of what has become a Charleston holiday tradition.

This preview performance of the fiftheenth anniversary production of the Scarpelli/Kehde Rock Opera "Mary" was performed by the cast of "Mary"  at The Charleston Town Center on November 19, 2011 and was posted here in PopCult less than twenty hours later. These four songs from the show feature Donnie Smith as Herod, Jonathan Tucker as Joseph , Sarah Schlies as Mary,  and Maddy Gourevich as the archangel Gabriel and the cast of "Mary."

You can see "Mary" at The WVSU Capitol Center Theater on the following dates:

Friday - Nov 25 at 8 PM
Saturday Nov 26 at 8 PM
Sunday, Nov 27 at 2 PM
and December 1, 2 and 3 at 8 PM

Dr. Sketchy's Does The Fan Dance While Porkchop Does Wal Mart

The PopCulteer
November 18, 2011

Dr Sketchy's Returns

Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art Show returns to The Kanawha Players Theater this Sunday for a very special evening of Burlesque figure drawing. This month the theme is Classic Pin Up poses with The Fan Dance. On the model front, Pepper Fandango returns, and we will see the Dr. Sketchy's debut of cult film star, frequent RFC guest, and The PopCulteer's imaginary daughter, Kitty Killton (Seen right) .

In case you don't know what I'm talking about, Dr. Sketchy's is a DIY figure drawing session that aims to bring the life-drawing experience to the masses.For the lowdown, let's go to the PR: "Can you only draw stick figures? Are you a professional artist? Or are your skills somewhere in-between? Who cares?

Monday Morning Art: Not That Again!

Yep, above you see "Scape No. 105," the latest in the never-ending series of digial paintings indigenous to PopCult. Click it to see it bigger.

Random Images

The PopCulteer
November 11, 2011

Thousands Of Words

Your PopCulteer is a bit swamped this week. I have two magazine articles in the works, another pressing deadline, and I'm preparing for an out of town trip.

This means that you lucky readers are going to get a special treat this week. I have searched my hard drives for cool images that I probably haven't posted here in PopCult yet! That's vintage flyer art for the band, Three Bodies, from 1990, on the right. Most of the images are more recent than that.

On top of that, each image will have a clever, charming and/or educational caption. Since every picture is worth a thousand words, that makes this one of the longest columns I've ever written. At least that's my story.