We have new feeds added From Charleston Underground and The Defintley Loud Podcast!!
These two cover much of the local art and music scene and if you are from out of town this will give you a great heads up on what goes on in Charleston and the Rest of WV. You can Read it here on the Empty Glass site or click on the Links and read if on the on the original Site. |
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Monday Morning Art: Happy Couples
Above we have the happy couple, and after the jump you can see some more quick digital paintings featuring Vorel Sakrany with Ophelia Darc, Cat Schrodinger with Kitty Killton and Leo Tuxedo, as Cupid. Click the images to see bigger versions.
Sunday Evening Video: Zero Zero
Zero Zero is a New Wave/orchestral hybrid of a ballet with a long-form music video. It tells a story set in a futuristic dystopian society where love has been declared a mental disorder and is systematically eliminated. I discovered it among the many treasures aired in the early days of the USA Network program, “Night Flight.” I was familiar with the music, but the visuals, including dance, animation and a wild set design, were mind-blowing. I hadn’t seen Zero Zero since it last aired on Night Flight around thirty years ago. Just a few days ago, Mike Batt graciously posted the entire work, in remastered form no less, to YouTube. That’s it you see at the top of this post. Please enjoy Mike Batt with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, performing Zero Zero. Stuff To Do
Stuff To Do We’re still not fully functional here at PopCult Central, so this week we’re just going to bring you a few flyers and tell you where some bands are playing, although we don’t have cover charges or start times for everyone. Bear with us, please… The big thing this weekend for your Popculteer is Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School, which is shifting over to Uncork and Create this month for a celebration of marriage for everyone! Proceeds from the tip jar go to help pay for a trip to DC for a happy young couple, who cannot yet tie the knot here, to get married.
Another biggie is HarraH and The AK 40 Sexuals tonight at The Sound Factory…
Friday Keep in mind that the Charly West Blues Fest is happening tonight and tomorrow at Haddad Riverfront park, and traffic downtown will be the kind that raises your blood pressure. Leave early and try to be patient if you’re headed that way. The Boatmen will be at The Boulevard Tavern. Tofujitsu will be at Taylor Books. Sam’s Uptown Cafe plays host to Beggar’s Clan. Saturday Heart of Appalachia Roller Derby hosts the First Settlement Derby Dames’ Hades Ladies of Marietta, Ohio, in a benefit bout for the the West Virginia Chapter of the American Heart Association! Doors open at 5PM, action at 6PM. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 5-12 in advance. $12/$6 at the door. The bout takes place at the West Virginia National Guard Armory (Coonskin Dr.),with an afterparty at Vandalia Grill The No Pants Players, West Virginia’s premier improv comedy troupe, returns this Saturday, May 18, to the Alban Arts and Conference Center (65 Olde Main Street, St. Albans, WV) and will bring a few friends along to add to the hilarity—an opening performance by Jeff Bukovinsky’s Adult Improv Class and a brand new No Pants Player will be introduced. This will be an “All-Ages” show, so the whole family is invited. The opening act will begin at 6:50 PM and the No Pants Players will take the stage at 7 PM. Tickets are on sale now and are $8 for kids and $10 for adults. Tofujitsu will perform at the East End Mains Street Bazaar, from Noon until 3 PM. Spurgie Hankins Band will put on a FREE SHOW at The So0und Factory, starting at 9 PM. Comparsa will be at The Empty Glass starting at 10 PM, for the usual sliding cover. The Bark-O-Loungers with opening act, Michael Pushkin, will be at Sam’s Uptown Cafe, starting at 10 PM. Sunday Chris and Denise Chaber, of The Empty Glass, are hosting their 5th annual benefit for JDRF, and we want to make this the biggest one yet! As some of you know, Jordan, their 9 year old son, is a diabetic, and they need your help. There is a JDRF Walk at the capitol starting at Noon. If you want to be a part of it, you can go to JDRF.org and find the team “Walking For Jordan” and register. Later on that night, The Glass will have live music starting at 8:00 PM, and going on all night long. There will also be a silent auction on items donated from local businesses and artists. All proceeds made at the door, and from the auction, will go to JDRF to help find a cure. There is a minimum donation of $7.00 at the door. The musical lineup includes: Donnie Smith @ 8:00, Comparsa @ 9:00, Spurgie Hankins Band @ 10:00, 600lbs of Sin @ 11:00, Tommy’s Triple Threat Blues Revue @ 12:00 and Beggars Clan @ 1:00. PopCult is slowly returning to what passes for “normal.” Check back next week. Monday Night Open-Mic Competition ReviewEditorial by Jordan Pauley Monday Open-Mic’s have long been a staple at Charleston’s “World-Famous” Empty Glass. As it’s hosts shifted, so did the show evolve; acts changed but the crowd not so much. Always preserving that genuine dive bar feel, no other venue in the area captures quite what the Empty Glass does: the distinct feel, the lack of certain identity among the crowd and ultimately the eclectic group of local musicians who take the stage every week, spilling their guts to friends and strangers alike. Yes, the Empty Glass is quite unique however no local music scene is complete without a place like it. This time around host Donnie Smith has implemented a competition, gathering musicians from around the area, as well as acts from as far away as Boone and Logan Counties. Not only did the evening feature music, but local artists Matt Wallace, Leah Towler, Project Biscotti and Jessica Cha had a chance to display their talents by showcasing some of their artwork. With help from bartender Terry Taylor, the idea came to fruition and with sponsorships from The Empty Glass, Pies and Pints and Charleston Underground a fantastic array of prizes has been put together to help these “starving artists” pursue their dreams. Ranging from gift certificates from Pies and Pints, a paid show at The Empty Glass and promotional packages from Charleston Underground--these prizes are sure to provide that certain something, to bring forth the best of these local musicians. The competition is a collective effort. Each of the eight contestants will be performing on three consecutive Mondays. Each vote will be tallied at the end of the night and the act receiving the most votes from all three of their performances will be declared the winner. Think American Idol sans the soulless promotion… that and true performances from true artists. Although not greatly varying in style, each act brought a unique flavor to the stage. In front of one of the largest open-mic crowds I’ve ever seen at any bar, each performer gave it their all; this time not only for the typical open-mic exposure and reception but to be judged by the crowd. The first act of the evening was Brandi Good, opening with a brand new song. Her voice caught my attention from the beginning. Hints of country, blues and even a taste of 90’s alternative/pop, reminiscent of solo Eddie Vedder with a splash of Duncan Sheik. A soulful singer and a skilled guitarist, I found Brandi’s performance quite enjoyable. Mark Bates from Hurricane found his way to the state next, bringing some unexpected country flair to the night. Although a couple of pop-like songs found their way in his set, Mark’s true calling is country. His incredible rendition of George Jones’ version of “May the Circle Be Unbroken” said it all. True West Virginia spirit. Local guitarist Ryan Wright performed next. This guy can flat out play. Wearing John Lennon style sunglasses, he tried to hide his eyes while taking the stage for an emotionally charged set. Inspired by his guitar teacher and mentor battling illness, Ryan really shined. Intriguing guitar work and howling vocals made a great set that was played for Mike, not us. Derek Bowen, a true showman form Chapmanville was our next act. Wow, this guy’s got it all: amazing energy, musical talent, a fresh sound. Upbeat from the beginning, offering a nice change of pace thus far for the evening, he opened with an acoustic version of AC/DC’s “TNT”. This beer swilling, harmonica playing, Gallagher fashion inspired country boy reminded us all how beautiful we were… and how talented he is. Five-piece band from Charleston, No Pretty Pictures, set up and displayed their talents next. A fairly new act in town, they feature a trombone player. An acoustic pop/punk style act, with more rehearsal these guys could be on to something. Our next performers are tough to describe. Novelty? Grunge? Punk? Comedy? Who knows, but these Boone County natives are something else. Each song was like a two minute punch in the gut, with topics ranging from jacking in mama’s bed (the actual song title) to how much they hate everybody. These guys are as fresh and original as they come. If Kurt Cobain and Stephen Lynch had a love-child it would sound like Project Biscotti. Area open mic regular Jody Herndon found his way to the stage next. His Dylan-esque style with a 90’s alternative touch is easy to listen to. I love this guy’s harmonica work, and his featured guitarist, Dylan Burkhammer, put simply can fucking wail. Originally from Baltimore, our last act Alex Good brought the first electric instrument to the table. Dude can play; reminiscent of Rick Perdue he had a knack for looping. Although a great guitarist I felt a lack of originality compared to the rest of the acts. On the other hand, that may come with time. This, ladies and gentlemen, was as good of an open mic night I’ve ever seen. A great crowd, a showcase for all local artists and a legendary venue; this performance had it all. It seems Donnie has unleashed a new force on the local open mic scene, adding more intrigue and interest to the concept, giving people REAL motive to give it their all. The final round of The Empty Glass Open Mic competition will be held Monday May 20th. Please make your way out to support all of these wonderful LOCAL musicians. These guys are really doing it all for you. Until next time, this is JP for Charleston Underground.
ArtWalk Tonight
We Are Experiencing Technical Difficulties
Sunday evening, the battery backup for your PopCulteer’s computer system blowed up. It blowed up real good. After extinguishing the battery backup and relocating everything plugged into it, it was discovered that the reliable workhorse PC that we use for PopCult and Radio Free Charleston had reverted to paperweight mode. I had already posted Sunday Evening Video and Monday Morning Art for this week (including an embarrassing typo in the headline that went uncorrected until this morning), but I was looking at the very real possibility of having lost months worth of work during a week where I’m facing pressing deadlines on non-PopCult-related projects. This happened on Sunday night, too late to go any store to find what I needed to fix it, and I had commitments that kept me away from doing anything from Monday morning to Wednesday night. Long story short: I was able to fix the PC using paper clips and chewing gum (and a new power supply from Computers Plus–thanks guys), and it’s working for the moment. Production of Radio Free Charleston will be migrating to a bright, shiny new quad-core system, and setting that up will take some time, so RFC is going on vacation for a couple of weeks. Since your PopCulteer has another commitment tonight, a magazine deadline that has been graciously extended to Friday and a submission due next week for the East End Main Street Streetworks 2014 project, PopCult will still be running at a diminished capacity. It’s unlikely that I will be able to cover ArtWalk this month, since it’s today and I’m still rebuilding, and the PopCult Toybox and Bookshelf will probably take next week off. But after we get all the bugs ironed out, everything should be hunky-dory and PopCult will be better than ever. Definitely Loud Podcast - Episode #011Definitely Loud Podcast Episode #011 has Amnia (WV), Fall Before Your Creator (WV), Bilass (Canada), Springbo (IL) and Sykosis (OH) - Check’em out! Bilass - Montreal, Canada “BB King”
from the album “Late Dreamer” available on Reverbnation, iTunes, and more - http://www.reverbnation.com/bilass/songs https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/late-dreamer/id615720052
Fall Before Your Creator - Charleston, WV - USA “The Engineer” “Make a Move” from their EP “The Engineer” - Free Download http://www.mediafire.com/?bnbc62gv6s5vk92 The Engineer by Fall Before Your Creator - YouTube:
Springbo - Chicago, IL - USA “Fuck You Walt Disney” from his CD - “Songs for Grandma” http://www.amazon.com/Songs-for-Grandma-Explicit/dp/B007M5PN58 Download “Fuck You Walt Disney” by Springbo for FREE: http://soundcloud.com/springbo/fuck-you-walt-disney Fuck You Walt Disney by Springbo - YouTube:
Amnia - Huntington, WV - USA “Forget the Pain” Forget the Pain by Amnia - Youtube:
Sykosis - Ashtabula, OH “Shallow Graves” “Deception”
Shallow Graves by Sykosis - YouTube:
Deception by Sykosis - YouTube:
Monday Morning Art: Harryhausen Tribute
I decided to try a detailed pencil sketch of one of his creations. I had to run around the house to find a good pencil, and I just sketched this on printer paper on a clipboard while staring intently at the computer monitor. Here’s the scene from the movie that inspired this sketch… It came out okay. I’m still not happy with part of it, but it’s not bad for my first actual pencil sketch in ages. I scanned it and tried to do a digital painting over it, but they didn’t really improve on the sketch. You can see a couple of tries at painting it after the jump, and you can click all the images to enlarge them. This humble little sketch of The Cyclops from ”The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad” is my tribute to Ray Harryhausen, who inspired so many artists, animators and dreamers.
 Digital oil painting  Digital Impasto
Sunday Evening Video: Kate Bush Cartoon Kate Bush From her 2012 album, “50 Words For Snow,” comes this video, directed by Kate Bush herself. This is considered animation, but it’s really shadow-puppetry, a sort of animation technique that first appeared in film during the silent era, but actually pre-dates film by centuries. “Eider Falls at Lake Tahoe” tells the story of al onld woman reuniting with her lost dog. Deron Sodaro, Molly Gene, A Bad Week For Heroes and Stuff To Do
Lots of cool things happening in the PopCult universe this weekend, so let us get started, shall we? Deron Sodaro Benefit A few months ago Charleston’s bassist extraordinaire, Deron Sodaro, took ill with a ruptured appendix. Happily, Deron’s recovered nicely, but his wallet hasn’t. A Benefit to help him with his medical expenses will be held Friday Night at The Boulevard Tavern, starting at 6 PM. Ten bucks gets you in the door to see Spencer Elliott, Karen and Mike, Hillbilly Carnival, Comparsa, The VooDoo Katz, Mother Nang, C2J2 and The Git Down Crew. Deron will be playing with Mother Nang and The VooDoo Katz, and may very well jam with some of the other perfomers. It’s going to be a great night to help out one of the nicest guys and best musicians in town. Youse guys should go.
Molly Gene at The Glass If you’re going to see Lyle Lovett at The Clay Center tonight, and want the evening to continue with more eclectic bluesy Americana, head over to The Empty Glass, where, at 10 PM, you will be treated to Molly Gene and the One Whoaman Band with The Ten Foot Polecats and Pepper Fandango. The show starts at 10 PM, with the Famous Empty Glass sliding five-dollar/seven dollar cover (save two bucks by getting there before 11 PM). Here, look what all the fuss is about…  Top: Ray Harryhausen’s Ymir. Middle: Dan Adkins Conan. Bottom: Dean Jeffries’ Monkeemobile Tri-bituary Your PopCulteer lost three heroes this week. These gentlemen inspired me and helped set me on my life-long path of Pop Culture fanatacism. Rather than attempt to eulogize these gentlemen properly, let me link to proper obits for master animator, Ray Harryhausen, Silver Age Comic Art great, Dan Adkins and classic car customizer Dean Jeffries. I would write more, but words fail me. Stuff To Do Friday Free music includes George Brackens at Taylor Books at 7:30 PM (and apparently later at Charleston Brewery at 10 PM), Renegade Mary at Riverside Cafe in Winfield at 9 PM, and C&S Railroad at Bruno’s at 9 PM. Ron Sowell’s Open Mic happens at Unity, with a five-dollar cover charge, knocked down to two bucks for performers, seniors and children. The music starts at 7:30 PM, with sign up at 7 PM. Stych N Tyme, Elysium and Linework hit the stage at The Blue Parrot at 8 PM, according to the event page. This metal explosion rocks so hard that they couldn’t list a cover charge, but five bucks is a good guess. Saturday The big free show is in Hamlin, at Lions Club Field, as Mudfest 2013 happens. From noon to 8 PM you can rock out to RFC faves HarraH, plus Everpulse, Born of Conviction, Relative Obscurity, Twist of Fate, Zeroking and In The Company of Wolves. Also for the cheap and cheap-at-heart, Tom Smith will be at Taylor Books from 7:30 PM to 9:30. In the land of the paying gigs, we have Miniature Giant, InFormation and The AK Forty Sexuals at the Sound Factory. The start time and cover charge are left to the imagination, but we’re guessing 10 PM and $5 would probably work. Elysium, Saprogen and The Key hit the stage at The Blue Parrot at 9 PM to celebrate the birthday of Jebus. Cover charge is $5. The Radio Free Charleston cameras will be on hand at The Empty Glass Saturday night to record Crystal Bright and The Silver Hands, Qiet and Trielement, starting at 10 PM with the infamous Empty Glass $5/$7 cover charge. That’s the quick rundown for this weekend. Don’t forget to check PopCult almost every damn day for fresh content of some sort or another. Radio Free Charleston 185 is scheduled to crash into the earth sometime Monday. 
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Back in December, 2010, I brought you 
