2013 Christmas Treats

Christmas Treats Unwrapped

December 27, 2013 by rudy panucci

The PopCulteer 
December 27, 2013

So you may have noticed that your Popculteer has indulged in a bit of holiday slacking this week. While I’ve maintained Popcult’s new promise of at least one post per day, I’ve done it by posting videos.

I guess the fact that ten of those were videos I made and uploaded on Monday, specifically for PopCult, means that maybe I haven’t got this whole “slacking off” thing down pat yet.

Well today we’re going to revisit our Monday video stunt, and tell you what’s in most of the Christmas Treat Packages. We’ll leave the last one a bit of a mystery for technical reasons–I can only fit nine videos into one post.

Plus the last video wasn’t much, anyway.

We started off with a quick Christmas tune performed by The Laser Beams. This was recorded just last Saturday at Kanawha Players! The Laser beams are better known as the backing band for The Wayward Girls School of Burlesque, and features Pepper Fandango, Cat Schrodinger and Leo Tuxedo. Check out The Laser Beams with “Up On The Rooftop.”

Episode 194 of RFC

The Bob Thompson Unit and Frenchy and The Punk Bring You Christmas Joy on RFC 194

December 16, 2013 by rudy panucci

RFC 194, “Hasa Diga Shirt,” is our Christmas spectacular, with music from The Bob Thompson Unit and Frenchy and The Punk, plus a message from Santa, and new animation from Jake Fertig, which opens our show with a commercial for The Bearded Axe.

Our host segments were shot around the Mound in South Charleston, a location which was chosen because it had a big tree that was lit in the daytime, and all the other places we tried first were either too crowded or just dreary-looking. Luckily we managed to find a place that was infused with the Holiday Spirit!

The RFC MINI SHOW # 9

RFC MINI SHOW: Decomposing In Paris

Monday, December 9, 2013

Decomposing In Paris is a band from Ireland that found their way to The Empty Glass late last summer. Their music is ethereal, trippy and it has a beat. It’s unlike anything we’ve had on the show. Two Irish natives and one fairy-winged expatriate from Ashland, Kentucky, currently living in Belfast, make up this band.

Radio Free Charleston was fortunate to bring you their song “The Way It Is” back on episode 190. Now, from the same session we present the band with “Personal Ad” and “He Loves Me.”

Before the music starts, we have a brief promotional announcement for a special After ArtWalk Art Show by RFC’s newest animator, Jake Fertig. His work will be on display at Rival Cards and Games, located at 5206 1/2 MacCorkle Ave S.E., in Kanawha City near the old Southern Kitchen, from 7 PM to 10 PM.

The RFC MINI SHOW # 8

RFC MINI SHOW: Andrew Hellblinki

December 2, 2013 by rudy panucci

This week’s RFC MINI SHOW is a special Sepia solo showcase for Andrew Hellblinki. The Hellblinki Sextet first appeared on Radio Free Charleston way back on episode 49, back in 2008. They were the first out-of-town band we featured on the show.

Now Hellblinki has a new album nearly finished, and Andrew is undertaking a solo tour and a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds to manufacture the new album, Hellblinki “Multitudes,” which is the newest batch of Hellblinki songs recorded by the full band and loads of guest musicans. As we post this episode, there’s a little more than two weeks left in the Hellblinki Kickstarter campaign and the rewards range from a download of the entire album for a dollar, to all kinds of bonuses like CD and vinyl copies of the album, jewelry and house shows at the higher incentives.

You can find out more about the Kickstarter campaign for “Multitudes” here…

A special editorial note: In May, 2014, I suddenly realized that this was the second consecutive RFC MINI SHOW to be numbered “seven.”  The video is now retitled “RFC MINI SHOW number seven 2.0.”

The RFC MINI SHOW # 7

The RFC MINI SHOW: “MARY A Rock Opera”

November 25, 2013 by rudy panucci

Rowan Maher as “MARY”

This week we are devoting the RFC MINI SHOW to “MARY A Rock Opera,” Dan Kehde and Mark Scarpelli’s musical which has become a Charleston holiday institution. We bring you three songs from the show (our sixth year of covering “MARY”) just in time to whet your appetite for opening night, Friday, November 29.

Contemporary Youth Arts Company presents the 17th annual production of Charleston’s holiday classic. MARY tells the story of the nine months leading to the birth of Jesus, as seen through the eyes of the young girl who will become his mother. This show has become a beloved part of the holiday season by a generation of theater-goers.

The RFC crew recorded these three songs, “Spin and Grow,” “Hear Us O Lord,” and “Child, My Child” last week, before the set was finished or the full orchestra was available. It’s still a stunning work and we are happy to share it with you. Show dates and times can be found after the jump…

Episode 193 of RFC

RFC 193 Visits Third Eye Cabaret

November 18, 2013 by rudy panucci

This edition of Radio Free Charleston, “Snowshoe Shirt” comes to us from Third Eye Cabaret, a cool weekly night of label-defying performers who bring a daring Bohemian spirit to Charleston every Thursday night at The Cellar, 8 Capitol Street. Our music this week is by The BrotherSisters, Jamie Skeen, Louis Argento and Snakebox, and we kick things off with animation by Jacob Fertig.

The RFC MINI SHOW # 6

The RFC MINI SHOW: Snakebox

November 14, 2013 by rudy panucci

This week’s RFC MINI SHOW takes us back to August, when we recorded Snakebox at The Empty Glass. We brought you two of those songs on episodes 189 and 190 of Radio Free Charleston, and from that same night, we’re bringing you two more in this week’s RFC MINI SHOW.

You can see Snakebox as part of Third Eye Cabaret at The Cellar on Capitol Street Thursday night, and we will update you here in PopCult when Snakebox has their next shows. These guys are extremely creative and loads of fun. As is explained in the show, their line up changes, but we caught them as a four-piece. We hope to have them back on the show with their expanded line up soon.

As their PR says, “Snakebox, from Charleston, WV, is an ever evolving nest of undulating sounds. Original songs and music tangle around guitarist and lead vocalist Kevin Crump, fiddle player and vocalist Beth Summers, bass player Thom Walker and drummer Dave Roberts. This orchestral orgy is often heard with violist Alasha Al-Qudwah, keyboardist Christopher Harris, trombone player Logan Umlor, and other fine specimens from the local music scene. Stick your hand in the box and be surprised!”

Our host segment was shot in Rudy Panucci’s living room because it was just too windy to do it outside. Not with that hat, anyway.

The RFC MINI SHOW # 5

The RFC MINI SHOW: HarraH

November 4, 2013 by rudy panucci

The fifth RFC MINI SHOW also marks the fifth week that we bring you music recorded at Shocka-Con in September. Our music this week comes from HarraH, one of the top metal bands in Charleston.

HarraH performs “Bloodmoon” and “Sawney Beane,” live from the stage on Beauregard Street outside the Haunted Barn. The correct title of the second song is “Sawney Beane,” the tale of a Scottish patriarch of a cannibal family. It’s misspelled on screen in the show. If you read PopCult regularly, you will be kept up to date on HarraH’s upcoming shows.

Episode 192 of RFC

Halloween 2013 Part Two on RFC 192

October 28, 2013 by rudy panucci

Stay Puft

Above you see part two of the Radio Free Charleston Halloween Special for 2013. Just like with part one(which you can see here), we recorded this show at Shocka-Con. Our thanks go out once again to Mike and Rose Winland all the Shocka-Con volunteers for helping to make this show possible. If you haven’t seen part one of our show, go here and check it out.

This week you will hear music from The Nanker Phelge, Foz Rotten and his dirty scoundrels, The Big Bad, The Wayward Girls School of Burlesque and The Renfields. Plus you will be subjected to my inept interviews with RJ Haddy, Ghostbusters WV, Eliska Hahn, Danny Boyd, Vincent Renfield and a Dalek. There’s plenty of other wild sights and sounds of Shocka-Con presented here, starting with a remix of the internet sensation, the Twerking Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

Episode 191 of RFC

RFC HALLOWEEN 2013 PART ONE!

October 21, 2013 by rudy panucci

This is the Radio Free Charleston 2013 Halloween special…part one!

This year we once again recorded our Halloween show at Shocka-Con, Charleston’s own Horror Convention, which took place in September. This is the first of our two-week Halloween show, and this week you’ll hear music from HarraH, The Renfields, The Big Bad and The McGees, plus you will see something we rarely do on RFC–Rudy Panucci interviews people…poorly!

You will see interviews with Jeremy Ambler, Eamon Hardiman, Danny Hicks and The Fiend, plus we’re going to bring you some of the sights and sounds of Shocka-Con 2013.

The RFC MINI SHOW # 4

The RFC MINI SHOW: The Renfields.

October 14, 2013 by rudy panucci

This week’s RFC MINI SHOW stars West Virginia’s favorite Transylvanian punk group, The Renfields. This special three song mini-show was recorded at Shocka-Con last month and serves as a preview for the Radio Free Charleston Halloween specials, also shot at Shocka-Con, which will run for the next two weeks in this space.

In addition to sporting more songs from The Renfields, the Radio Free Charleston Halloween specials will also include music from The Big Bad, HarraH, Foz Rotten, The Nanker Phelge and The McGees. There will also be dancing from The Wayward Girls School of Burlesque and in a huge departure for Radio Free Charleston, interviews with some of the Shocka-Con guests.

That’s all in Radio Free Charleston starting next week but this week, enjoy The Renfields in the RFC MINI SHOW performing “The Last Man on Earth,” “Machete A Go-Go” and “Burning Revenge.”

The RFC MINI SHOW # 3

The RFC MINI SHOW: The Dread Crew of Oddwood

Monday, September 30, 2013

For the second time in two days, it’s time for the RFC MINI SHOW! Because of a minor computer problem, we didn’t have a MINI SHOW last week. To make up for it, we’re bringing you a bonus show now.

A few weeks ago we were privileged to record San Diego’s “Dread Crew of Oddwood” at The Empty Glass.

This band of musical pirates was on a rare East Coast tour, and we grabbed a ton of songs by them. We featured them on RFC 190 and in a special “Talk Like A Pirate Day” video. In this week’s MINI SHOW we’re bringing you two more songs from Oddwood.

The RFC MINI SHOW # 2

The RFC MINI SHOW presents Zeroking

Sunday, September 23, 2013

This is the second RFC MINI SHOW! Rudy Panucci introduces two songs by Zeroking, recorded at the ECMC Kick Cancer benefit show last summer at The Eagles Club on Charleston’s West Side.

Zeroking has a new music video for their song, “Dead Rockstar” that you can see as our Sunday Evening Video. On October 18, Zeroking takes the stage with White Chapel District at The Blue Parrot in Charleston.

Look for another RFC MINI SHOW next week.

Episode 190 of RFC

RFC 190 is loaded with Pirates, Monsters, Fairies, Snakes and Bettie Page.

September 16, 2013 by rudy panucci

Radio Free Charleston 190, “Shark Shirt,” includes music from The Renfields,Decomposing in Paris, The Dread Crew of Oddwood andSnakebox. There is also a new Prelinger film by Frank Panucci. The show is hosted at The Haunted Barn and in front of the ShockaCon Hearse, to call attention to the upcoming Horror and Science Fiction Convention, ShockaCon.

The RFC MINI SHOW # 1

RFC MINI SHOW #1 with Jabberwocky

September 9, 2013 by rudy panucci

The very first RFC MINI SHOW features Jabberwocky, a Huntington-based dance band that we recorded August 16 at The Blue Parrot. We captured the band performing Eddie Floyd’s “Knock On Wood,” and Stevie Wonder’s “Uptight (Everything’s All Right).” In the future, we hope to bring you some of the band’s original tunes.

Jabberwocky’s special blend of styles includes blues, soul and rock & roll, along with a little southern rock and country. A hint of classical training makes their sound something you won’t hear anywhere else. Ace musicians with great singers and a horn section more powerful than a locomotive, Jabberwocky is a band with a bright future. They are scheduled to play the Prestera Benefit on October 12, here in Charleston. We’ll bring you more details as that date approaches.

The RFC MINI SHOW is a spin-off of Radio Free Charleston. It’s little bite-sized bits of musical video goodness to help soothe the pain of the long wait between full-length episodes of Radio Free Charleston. But fear not! The next full-sized show is just one week away.

Episode 189 of RFC

RFC 189 is BIG and full of new music!

August 27, 2013 by rudy panucci

Radio Free Charleston 189, “NASA Shirt,” takes the show in a slightly new direction. We are shaking up the format on RFC a bit. The plan is that we will be doing longer shows, and taking a little extra time between them. This is going to allow us to make episode 200 very special when it hits next year, and it will still let us bring you lots of new music. We’re also going to be doing some bonus mini-shows along the way. I’ll tell you more about them later in these notes.

This week we have music from three bands making their RFC debuts, plus we have a new tune from a returning favorite and some cool promo clips and weird stuff. Our musical guests areMotion Theatre, Zeroking and Snakebox, plus The Diablo Blues Band. We kick off the show with a look at ShockaCon, the cool Sci-Fi, Horror and Fantasy convention coming to Charleston’s Historic East End in September.

Episode 188 of RFC

The Nanker Phelge and HarraH rock in new places and plug ShockaCon

July 29, 2013 by rudy panucci

Radio Free Charleston 188, “NU-TRA Shirt,” welcomes back two old friends to the show, but also showcases them in two venues which haven’t been on our show before. We also have the first of a new batch of Frank Panucci’s compilations of public domain footage. The main thrust of this episode is to raise awareness ofShockaCon, which is coming up in less than two months. Among the bands performing at ShockaCon this year are our musical guests, The Nanker Phelge andHarraH.

ShockaCon will take place September 20 – 22, with the activities divided between Kanawha Players Theater and The Haunted Barn. This is a horror, science fiction and fantasy convention that will mix music with dance, vendor tables, celebrity guests, makeup demonstrations and all sorts of really cool genre happenings. Just as we did with the first edition of ShockaCon last year, our cameras will be on hand to capture the musical guests, plus other sights and sounds for our Halloween special. You can visit the ShockaCon website or visit their Facebook page for more details.

Episode 187 of RFC

International Recording Artists Neil Zaza and Sean O’Bryan Smith Mark Seven Years of RFC

July 15, 2013 by rudy panucci

This week Radio Free Charleston is marking seven years as a video entity with a very special episode. This is not a big splashy celebration–we’re saving that for our 200th episode, early next year.

We do have a surprise for you though. Usually we feature local artists on our show, but this week we are taking a bit of a departure. We are going to visit Dave Roberts’ house on Montrose Avenue in South Charleston!

Dave has been on our show numerous times as a member of The Nanker Phelge, Trielement and other bands. Last month, Dave and his lovely wife, Lisa, opened the doors to their house and turned their living room into a concert venue.

Episode 186 of RFC

QIET and Mother Nang on RFC 186

June 17, 2013 by rudy panucci

Welcome to the first Radio Free Charleston of summer (almost). This week we bring you new music from two RFC veterans, QIET and Mother Nang, plus we take an animated look at the newly-erected East End Main Street Streetworks project street signs, but first we take a look at “The Princess of Rome, Ohio,” opening June 28 at The Alban Arts Center in St. Albans.

Episode 185 of RFC

Crystal Bright and Volt 9000 on RFC 185

June 3, 2013 by rudy panucci

Radio Free Charleston 185, “Neverending Fight Shirt,” features music from Crystal Bright and The Silver Hands and Volt 9000, and showcases the work of RFC Big Shot,Frank Panucci.

This is our first show back after nearly a month’s hiatus due to an exploding battery back-up on the Popcult/Radio Free Charleston computing desk.  The resulting surge took out all our computers and we’ve just now gotten back up to speed.  Happily, we’re back with a really strong show with two great musical guests and loads of new work from our resident animator/Big Shot, Frank Panucci.

Episode 184 of RFC

The Carpenter Ants, Time and Distance and More on RFC 184

April 29, 2013 by rudy panucci

Radio Free Charleston 184, “Sherlock Shirt,” was shot all over the city of Charleston and features the RFC debuts of both The Carpenter Ants and Time and Distance. Plus we have a song from Joseph Hale (in a music video by Murfmeef) and a preview of the Alban Arts Center production of Edward Albee’s “A Delicate Balance” as well as brand new animation fromFrank Panucci. 

Episode 183 of RFC

A Brand-new RFC with Saprogen, Albert Perrone, Radio Cult, Movie Trailers and Super Comic Book Goodness

April 8, 2013 by rudy panucci

Seen at Tricon, the intergalactic Orkin Man

Above you see Radio Free Charleston, 183, “Defenders Of Bulletman Shirt,” with music from Albert Perrone, Saprogenand Radio Cult plus two trailers for movies that can be seen at the Historic Keith-Albee Theater in Huntington during the 2013 Appalachian Film Festival. April 12 and 13. Host segments for this episode were shot at Tricon, the area’s largest comic book convention, held at The Big Sandy Superstore arena in Huntington.

Episode 182 of RFC

Deni Bonet, HARRAH and Beggar’s Clan on Radio Free Charleston 182

March 11, 2013 by rudy panucci

Shirt by Megan Lara

Above you see a very special episode of Radio Free Charleston. Our friend and international music superstar, Deni Bonetis in this week’s show with a really cool music video. We also have a very special semi-animated performance by HARRAH, plus we have the Radio Free Charleston debut of Beggar’s Clan. We also have the return of Murfmeef and some trippy animation. 

“Too Much Beer”

Host segments were shot in a couple of places in Charleston, near the State Culture Center and downtown on Capitol Street. In my exuberance, I claim that we shot “all over town,” but I was stretching things a bit. We only went to two places on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, right after the switch to Daylight Savings Time messed with everybody’s internal clock.

Episode 181 of RFC

The Snake and the Pot on RFC 181

March 4, 2013 by rudy panucci

Above you find this week’s episode of Radio Free Charleston, which is dedicated to a single artist. “The Snake and the Pot” stars the performing duo of the same name. Amanda Jane and Duane Swanson III have combined their talents into an experimental dance/music/art collective. The results are fascinating.

Last December 20, during ArtWalk, I was invited to an “Interactive Paint & Dance Performance with Live Music and Photography at Apartment Earth Studios.” I was intrigued. I’d featured The Snake and The Pot on one of last year’s FestivAll shows, but I’d been wanting to capture more of this wild experience on RFC. This was an event with dance and music, plus also the art of Nik Botkin and Elizabeth Turner and the photography of Todd Griffith.

Episode 180 of RFC

RFC 180 brings you Science of the Mind, Cat Schrodinger and Undersocial, plus weird stuff, too!

February 18, 2013 by rudy panucci

Our title shirt, “The Venture Bunch”

Up above you should see this week’s episode of Radio Free Charleston, which features music from Undersocial , Science of the Mind, and Cat Schrodinger with Pepper Fandango, plus we have random and directionless animation.

Episode 179 of RFC

Radiohead, Byzantine, Wayward Girls, Third Eye Cabaret and More on RFC 179

February 4, 2013 by rudy panucci

In the RFC lving room, wearing the CameraBot 6000 shirt.

We have a star-studded episode of Radio Free Charleston for you this week with music videos from Byzantine and Radiohead, plus a performance from The Third Eye Cabaret. The Wayward Girls School of Burlesque stars in animated form in our Radiohead video and we also have animation from Andrew of Hellblinki! 

Host segments were shot in the living room at Stately Radio Free Charleston Manor, and our show’s title shirt is “CameraBot 600″ by the artist, Zomboy.

But before all that starts, Linda Blair meets Penn Jillette.

Episode 178 of RFC

Radio Free Charleston With Its Mouth Shut

January 21, 2013 by rudy panucci

Radio Free Charleston 178 is our fourth “Show Without Words.” This episode marks a first, This is the first edition of Radio Free Charleston in which your host, Rudy Panucci, does not appear. This was entirely due to a well thought out aesthetic choice and not simply because he didn’t want to put on a clean shirt and go out in the sunlight.

Our music this episode is provided by Doctor Curmudgeon and TriElement from Charleston and special guests, Grounded, from Asheville, North Carolina. Computer graphics throughout this episode are provided by Frank Panucci.

Episode 177 of RFC

Mascots, The Charleston Ballet, Frenchy, The Punk, Flare Baroshi and The Scurvy Dogs Go “Buckwild” on RFC 177

January 7, 2013 by rudy panucci

“Sock ‘em Who-Bots Shirt” is the first episode of Radio Free Charleston for 2013. Host segments for this episode were recorded at The Dale Morton Studio  in Hurricane, WV. Our musical guests are Frenchy and The Punk, Flare Baroshi, andJohnny C and The Scurvy Dogs. This episode also includes a short film by K.D. Lett and an exclusive trailer for the MTV series “BuckWild,” with footage you won’t see anywhere else.

Big thanks go out to Dale Morton, who allowed us into his mascot and costume studioso that we could have loads of really cool looking stuff in the background. Plus, as a bonus, we got to shoot indoors during the winter. Dale does amazing work and has an international list of clients ranging from schools to big name corporations to well-traveled members of the cosplay community. It was a real treat to record our host segments in such a cool place.