Radio Free Charleston: Episode Twenty of RFC

RFC 20: "Carmen Shirt" from RFC Archives on Myspace.

Cool Thing Of The Week: We’ve Done Twenty Already!

May 23, 2007 by rudy panucci

Hard to believe, but the twentieth episode of Radio Free Charleston is online now! This was an amazing show to bring to fruition. At times it was like giving birth to a spiked watermelon, but the end result has us all basking in the glow of a show well done.

This episode is “Carmen Shirt,” and the host segments were shot in the White Room at Radio Free Charleston Manor, tucked away in a nearby undisclosed location. Wearing the Carmen shirt was probably the only way we’ll get the lovely Cristina Nassif, who played Carmen last week for the WVSO (Scroll down for photos), to appear on the show. But you never know.

Josh Buskirk is a 12-string wunderkind who blew us away when we taped the Parkersburg show in April. We snagged a second song from Josh, “It Always Rains On Sunday,” at that taping, and bring it to you on this edition of RFC. Josh will be at Taylor Books on Friday, and we wanted to let more people know about his gee-tar wizardry. I know I’ll be there Friday drinking my steamed milk with a shot of almond syrup.

I’m not a coffee person.

>>Our animation on this show is yet to be restored<<

The very first guest on our very first video version of RFC wasWhistlepunk. I wrote about their new incarnation extensivelylast week, and they’ve decided, for the time being, to adopt the moniker “Whistlepunk 2.0,” a name I bestowed upon them in PopCult last April.

In RFC 20, we get to hear Whistlepunk 2.0 perform “Satellite.” We also get to hear Whistlepunk’s guitar and vox man Spencer Elliott struming an embrionic version of the tune over the end credits, in footage shot the day after Christmas at LiveMix Studio last year. It was pure kismet that I found that footage floating around on my hard drive when I was putting the show together around 3:20 AM Tuesday morning.

That’s also about the time I mis-spelled Whistlepunk’sMySpace addy on the screen graphics. Sorry about that, folks. It was freakin’ late, already.

Also of note: Whistlepunk’s Karen Allen chose to wear a hat during her peformance, continuing the RFC tradition of hot chicks in fedoras started by Melanie Larch on the Christmas episode. Bass player Dan Jordan wore a “Charleston” shirt. Drummer Brian Young didn’t dress up. He never does.

That’s our big show number twenty. You get music, animation, surprises and mind-hurting weirdness! And next time we prepare to go weekly for the month of June, with a film about Unicorns, and music from Under The Radar plus loads of fantastic surprises. And remember, watch the whole show.

16 Responses to “Cool Thing Of The Week: We’ve Done Twenty Already!”

Longtime Listener says:

May 24, 2007 at 1:33 am (Edit)

Jesus Christ, man. That extra song after the end credits is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen from the local music scene. Kudos all around. When do we get to read the notes on that?

The rest of the show was great, too. Karen be looking like the long-lost foxy Blues Sister. That guitar kid is great. Heck, Rudy, you even looked better this episode. You losing weight or something?

I just wish this show had higher visibility. Maybe you can get the Justice Dept. to come after you or something. That’d generate some press attention.
Mountain Woman Phd. says:

May 24, 2007 at 8:03 am (Edit)

Rudy, you do look better this episode. This may be the best show yet! Josh Buskirk is a cutie, and incredibly talented. Whistlepunk 2.0 is just wonderful. Karen’s been out of the local scene for far too long.

But the surprise song. I didn’t even know Bob Miller was still in the area. Melted my aging heart to see The Feast Of Stephen perform together. I can’t wait for episode 23!

Radio Free Charleston is the best-kept secret on teh internet. I can’t think of any other show like this anywhere.

Please keep up the great work. This area has a history of crushing gems that shine this brightly.
Rudy Panucci says:

May 24, 2007 at 8:12 am (Edit)

You guys are making me blush.
Matt Salazar says:

May 24, 2007 at 9:05 am (Edit)

Killer show, again. The music keeps getting better and better, but I wish you could bring back Frank’s animation and weird films. The cartoons have been going downhill lately. Still, a great show. The presentation of the music is improving by leaps and bounds.
Rudy Panucci says:

May 24, 2007 at 9:13 am (Edit)

Funny you mention that. Just this morning we took steps to seriously upgrade the quality of the animation on the show. Keep your browser pointed here to see what we have in store!
The Dude says:

May 24, 2007 at 1:13 pm (Edit)

strongest show ever

music rocked

cartoon sorta didn’t make sense, but it was okay

the dude with the wheel-o has crazy eyes

i’d watch out for him
Mexican Romeo says:

May 25, 2007 at 8:08 am (Edit)

I’d only heard of The Feast Of Stephen. Never got a chance to see them. The name is spoken in hushed tones, as though holy relics are being discussed. That was awesome beyond belief. I can’t wait until episode 23.

And that was just the bonus after one of your best musical shows ever! Whistlepunk 2.0 set my heart to flutter. I now have a major crush on Karen Allen. Josh Buskirk is indeed a vertuoso. I may have a man-crush on him. The animation went on a bit long for not going anywhere. You should just dump all the crap and stick with Timmy.

Incredible show. Now let’s see the next one.
Elvis Capone says:

May 25, 2007 at 10:42 am (Edit)

The surprise at the end is cool, where we find out Bruce Willis was really a girl all along.

Your more hip viewers will appreciate the sly references, in the host segments, to the anime WINDSHIELD WIPERS MON AMORÉ.

I shall complete this comment in my native Pirdlian:
ΞΠΦΦ ζθδΰγ ¬ ⌂ ◄██► ◙◘ ΘӨ₪∩.
∆≈≡∟ ☼Ж Щџџ. ±ӨΘ╬ ☺.
Not THE Dobbs says:

May 25, 2007 at 11:02 am (Edit)

I can’t believe you published that horrible Pirdlian obscenity. No standards whatsoever at this website.

Good music on the show. Needs more Subgensubtext, tho

Kill Bob
Peace
Anonymous says:

May 26, 2007 at 12:10 pm (Edit)

Great music. The cartoon thing is dragging the show down. I agree that you need to bring back Frank’s stuff.
Mountain Woman Phd. says:

May 29, 2007 at 6:08 am (Edit)

Nothing is dragging down the show. We have something very special here, and I hope that Charleston doesn’t turn on it and kill it, like they do whenever we get anything nice.
Fred Martin says:

May 29, 2007 at 7:53 am (Edit)

WOOOOOO!

The hits just keep on cummin\’!!!

I like the way you start out with the mellow guitar guy, confuse us with the animation, then WHAM! You hit us with Whistlepunk 2.0, which is amazing and then you BLAST OUR BUTTS OFF with Feast Of Stephen!!!

How are you gonna top this? Don\’t answer that, just do it!

Man, you really know how to liven up a dead day at work for us drones who have to cover on holidays!
Accumulated Paul says:

May 29, 2007 at 11:22 pm (Edit)

It’s hard to believe that you have done twenty shows already. The music is fascinating. The surrounding material novel. What can we do, as viewers, to raise the profile of this show? I’m loving every minute of it.
Joey Fabulous says:

May 30, 2007 at 2:15 pm (Edit)

I just wanted to chime in to thank Rudy for doing this. We had a seriously fantastic time doing it.

Also, thanks so much for all the kind words from those who enjoyed No Vaccination. I can’t wait for episode 23 either!!!

Joe
The Feast of Stephen
Refried Beans says:

June 4, 2007 at 7:25 am (Edit)

I disagree that the Pentagram Flowerbox segments are pulling the show down. I think the animation is at times funny, at others strange, and always unpredictable.

Some of the music that has been presented on RFC has had either technical glitches or just has been mediocre at best. At other times the music has been simply stellar. Once again, somewhat unpredicitable.

I really enjoy RFC, but at times have disliked some of the content. Some examples are the segment of the midget in the trailer or the short piece that featured a person getting assaulted on Washingtom Street. Both segments were simply immature – but once agian, added to the “What the heck is going to happen next” feeling I got from the show.

I keep watching the show and enjoy it because of its diversity. I enjoy it because I never know what to expect next. The Pentagram Flowerbox segments over the months has added to that.

Just my humble opion…
Rudy Panucci says:

June 4, 2007 at 9:41 am (Edit)

I’m glad you enjoy the show, Refried Beans. I suppose this is as good a place as any to announce that Radio Free Charleston and Pentagram Flowerbox have parted ways. We’ve enjoyed their contributions to the show, but the old “creative differences” have arisen, and it’s best to shake hands and go off in our separate directions. We wish them the best in the future.

I disagree about any of the music being “mediocre,” but we are all entitled to our opinions. It’s the same with the short films. What you didn’t like may be the favorite of other viewers (in fact, the two things you singled out are among the most popular bits we’ve had on the show). Rest assured, that if you see something that doesn’t appeal to you, it’ll be worth sticking around, because RFC is all about shifting gears. Something totally different will come along in just a minute or two.

Over the weekend we hatched several new ideas for segments of Radio Free Charleston that I think will take us to new heights of creativity. We’ll do our best to keep improving the show, and we appreciate it when you guys take the time to tell us if we’re succeeding.