The RFC MINI SHOW # 19

The RFC MINI SHOW starring dogSOLDIER

April 7, 2014 by rudy panucci

See dogSOLDIER at The Blue Parrot this Friday!

This week we bring you an RFC MINI SHOW devoted to the band,  dogSOLDIER, who will be playing at the Blue Parrot this Friday, April 11, with Twist of Fate.

It was really cool to record dogSOLDIER at The Empty Glass a few weeks ago because we hadn’t seen them in years. It had been over five years and about 140 episodes of Radio Free Charleston since we’d featured them on the show. In the interim, the band had split up, reforming late in 2013 with a slightly-altered line up. We are glad to say that Justin Johnson, Chris Burdette, Jody Ashley, and Brent Brubaker still sound fantastic.

With their musical territory staked out somewhere between Led Zepplin and Radiohead, dogSOLDIER creates timeless music that is truly remarkable. This band is so musically tight that it’s hard to believe they just reformed a few scant months ago.

The band’s last appearance was on episode 56, where I wrote, “Our first musical guest this episode is dogSOLDIER, who previously appeared on RFC 46. One of the best bands in town, in my not-so-humble opinion, you can be sure that we’ll have the guys back on soon, hopefully early in 2009.”

We only missed it by five years. But I can tell you, it was well worth the wait.

The RFC MINI SHOW #18

The RFC MINI SHOW with Project Biscotti

April 1, 2014 by rudy panucci

Episode eighteen of The RFC MINI SHOW presents Project Biscotti, one of Charleston’s most intriguing bands. With a sound that blends cabaret, raw punk and high-energy rock, they’re unlike any other artists in town. They’re the closest thing we have to Captain Beefheart.

This episode presents two crisp, punky tunes, but in the spirit of creative anarchy, and as our nod to April Fool’s Day, if you stick around after the end credits, you’ll get just a little more Biscotti to gnaw on.

The band was recorded in early March at the Rock N Roll Theater at Kanawha Players, which is also their brainchild, under the “Scarred Art” banner. Let’s let the band tell us about themselves, “Project Biscotti was formed by front man Cardiac Jones and began as a 2 member group that has since taken on 2 more members making us a full, four piece act. With each member bringing their own style, sound, and weirdo flavor to the mix, Project Biscotti is an act like none other you’re likely to see in this or any other area.”

They add the following, “WARNING!! Project Biscotti is a very vulgar band with themes ranging to everything from masturbation to rampant drug abuse and sexual misconduct. Also, we have songs about movies & TV shows we like. Whatever we think is fun, we do…NO LIMITS!”

So be advised that this show may push the boundaries of what is considered safe for work. Blasting it really loud in a church is also not advised, although it would be hilarious.

This episode of The RFC MINI SHOW was recorded “guerilia style,” and as such, the audio is less than perfect. We promise better audio the next time we have these musicians on the show. Still, in the spirit of “New Wave Theater,” we felt you might enjoy this raw, vital music, and the tiny, little, wee Easter Egg that you’ll find after the end credits.

RFC at JoeLanta 2014

In March 2014, Radio Free Charleston Host, Rudy Panucci, was a guest at the JoeLanta/Great Atlanta Toy Convention show in Atlanta, Georgia. In lieu of Radio Free Charleston, or the RFC MINI SHOW the week after he returned, he filed several video reports on the show. Those are presented here.

The PopCult Toybox: JoeLanta in Video

March 25, 2014 by rudy panucci

This is it! A collection of musical montages that attempt to capture the spirit of the 2014 edition of JoeLanta/The Great Atlanta Toy Convention, the huge GI Joe/toy show that we were honored to be a guest of from March 14 and 16. We’ve tried to compress more than two days of fun, toys and excitement into a concentrated 38 minute package. This extended report looks at E.J.’s “Swapapalooza,” the Parachute Drop, custom figures and diormas, some of the panels, the guests (including freshly-announced inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame, Scott Hall), the dealers rooms, the car show and more. You’ll also be treated to a full song by Radio Cult, the official band of JoeLanta.

The RFC MINI SHOW # 17

Donnie Smith on The RFC MINI SHOW

March 17, 2014

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This week’s RFC MINI SHOW stars Donnie Smith, the host of the Monday Night Open Mic at The Empty Glass. Donnie has a new band, Smith & Company, and they will be playing March 21 at The Empty Glass.

We recorded Donnie at the Rock N Roll Theater at Kanawha Players. In this show he brings you his renditions of Prince’s “Purple Rain” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” In a future episode of Radio Free Charleston, you will hear some of Donnie’s original songs.

Donnie hosts the Open Mic every Monday night at The Empty Glass, which is cover-free and kicks off around 10 PM. He will even be hosting on St. Patrick’s Day, so run right out and go listen to the music!

A fun game for viewers is to try and figure out what that weird thing is on the host, Rudy Panucci’s, mouth, during the introduction.

Give up? It’s a freak reflection of sunlight hitting the edge of the microphone and bouncing up into his face. SCIENCE!

Episode 196 of RFC

RFC 196 is a Five-Star Musical Spectacular with Animation and Weirdness On Tap As Well

March 10, 2014 by rudy panucci

Radio Free Charleston 196, “Test Subject MCHM” is a jam-packed show with three musical acts making their RFC debut, and two acts returning after more than five years away. We also have animation from Jake Fertig, and “PrelinGERD” by Frank Panucci.

Your host standing in front of a random Charleston business

Our host segments were shot in an appropriate place for me to wear this week’s title shirt, “Test Subject MCHM,” which is a fundraiser reward from the upcoming documentary, “The Sweet Taste of Freedom,” which is, of course, about the ramifications of January’s chemical spill into the Elk River.

The RFC MINI SHOW # 16

RFC MINI SHOW number fifteen starring Lovejoy and The Killjoys

March 3, 2014 by rudy panucci

This week the RFC MINI SHOW brings you a group so new that we actually recorded them the first time they performed together in public. Lovejoy and The Killjoys is Chris Lovejoy on guitar and vocals, Matt Spade on mandolin and vocals and Stan Bumgardner playing fiddle. I just met Chris and Matt briefly at Third Eye Cabaret last week, while Stan has appeared on RFC in the past with Elektro Biscuit and The Poor Taters, but I haven’t had the chance to get to know him well yet.

Of course, Radio Free Charleston is all about making new friends and seeking out new music, and it doesn’t get much newer than Lovejoy amd The Killjoys. They had their second show last Saturday at Taylor Books (with Washboard Dave sitting in) and I would be surprised if they don’t become a fixture on the local scene. Their music is of Appalachia, with a ton of extra ingredients mixed in. We’ll keep you posted on their future appearances.

Next week get ready for another full length episode of Radio Free Charleston with music from Project Biscotti, Dina Hornbaker, Jordan Searles and some other fine folks, plus animation from Jake Fertig.

The RFC MINI SHOW # 15

RFC MINI SHOW with Frenchy and The Punk

February 24, 2014 by rudy panucci

This week The RFC MINI SHOW brings you two songs from our old friends, Frenchy and The Punk. Samantha and Scott were last seen on RFC 194, with a cool new holiday song.

This week we’re going back to the same November 2013 session at The Empty Glass to revisit two songs that Frenchy and The Punk performed previously on Radio Free Charleston, only with new performances, “Birthday Fanfare” and “Yes, I’m French.”

The reason we’re bringing you these songs now is that Frenchy and The Punk have begun a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to record and produce their new album. In addition to being the first on your block to hear their new music, you can kick in extra bucks for other rewards, like artwork, plush bats and guitars and, if you really want to chip in big, a house show.

The RFC MINI ShOW # 14

The RFC MINI SHOW: Chad and Sean

February 17, 2014 by rudy panucci

This week on the RFC MINI SHOW we dig deep into our vault, almost three years back, for a one-camera recording of an incredible duo performing at an open mic night at The Blue Parrot.

Sean Sydnor and Chad Foss performed together for a short time, and it was a wonderful blending of voice and guitar. Sean is one of the most accomplished musicians in town. After making his Radio Free Charleston debut way back on episode six as a member of Professor Mike, he’s played in bands with Chuck Biel, is currently playing bass in Byzantine. He’s also been spotted around town llately doing some low-key solo shows, trading sets with Spencer Elliott.

Chad, who is an amazing vocalist who’s performed in several bands, took some time off from music to raise a family. He is now ready to make music again and is looking for vocal opportunities. If you are looking for an amazing singer, contact me through PopCult or our Facebook page and i will put you in touch.

Chad and Sean take on Tom Petty’s “Don’t Fade On Me” and Keb Mo’s “Professional Blues Machine” in this great archival footage.

The RFC MINI SHOW # 13

RFC MINI SHOW: The BIG BAD

February 10, 2014 by rudy panucci

This week the RFC MINI SHOW is devoted to the horror-punk juicy goodness of The Big Bad. The band will be playing at The Empty Glass Saturday, February 15, with The Jasons, from Crystal Lake, and The Station(s) from Huntington. In this show, you will hear The Big Bad perform “Fright Night” and “The Omen,” both tunes based on classic horror movies.

We recorded both of these songs last year at ShockCon, and brought them to you previously on our Halloween episodes last October, but now you can hear them back-to-back as they were performed, with some between-song banter intact.

Of late, Zack from The Big Bad has been teaming up with Foz Rotten, another guest on our Halloween shows from ShockaCon last year, to do a podcast about horror movies, “Wish Every Day Was Halloween” (named after the Big Bad song that was seen and heard in RFC 85 back in the day). You can check out the podcastt here.

Episode 195 of RFC

RFC 195: Five Incredible Musical Acts and Animated Chickens!

February 3, 2014 by rudy panucci

Radio Free Charleston 195, “Powdered Toast Man Shirt,” is our first full-length show of 2014, and it’s fairly epic. We have music from Spencer Elliott, Cemeterry Schultz, Sign of The Fig, WATT 4 and Crystal Bright and The Silver Hands. There’s also two animated shorts by Jake Fertig, and a trailer for a screening of the classic movie, “Metropolis” at the Clay Center Electric Sky Theater.

Host segments were shot in front of The Clay Center, while our musical performances were recorded all over town, at Unity Church, Kanawha Players Theater, The Blue Parrot, The Empty Glass and also in an undisclosed Downtown Charleston alley.

Our titular shirt stars John K’s Powdered Toast Man, one of the supporting characters from his classic Ren and Stimpy cartoons. The shirt is actually a design called “Powdered Toast Crunch,” but the star is PTM, hence the name of this episode.