Concert Review: Toro y Moi @ Music Farm Columbia

If the University of South Carolina marketing department was wise, they would have had a slew of cameras capturing footage of Chaz Bundick (Class of 2009), a.k.a Toro y Moi, taking the Music Farm Columbia stage this past Wednesday.

Not only is Bundick himself one of those irresistible success stories that colleges love to repeat--the beginnings of Toro y Moi were planted during his years enrolled at the school, and he’s skyrocketed in the music world since he graduated and released his debut LP Causers of This in 2010--but there were other reasons to trumpet this moment. After all, the Music Farm sits mere blocks away from campus, and it’s ushered in a wave of concerts over this past year that could sway hip college kids to attend, emphasizing the cosmopolitan nature of Columbia and the opportunities afforded here that, say, that school down the road in the Upstate cannot. Plus, although Bundick now resides in Berkeley, California, he has consistently noted his South Carolina roots, taking local bands on tour with him in the region and helping out in various ways, including offering a tune for a benefit compilation for Fork & Spoon’s Aaron Graves battle with cancer and producing (and releasing on his imprint) singer/songwriter Keath Mead’s debut.

And, if they had had those cameras, they might have noticed that, in the range of colors splashed onto the indeterminate black lines that served as a backdrop, there were briefly moments when garnet appeared, giving the effect of the band playing behind a USC logo.

All carping aside though, the show was excellent. Keath Mead opened up with his soaring, 70s-inspired melodies and guitar jams. Stripped of the warm, reverb-laden production of the record, Mead and his band felt almost from another era, in the best way possible. While the set got a bit soggy with ballads in its midsection, they opened and closed with some rockers that had the rather sizable crowd agreeably bobbing their heads.

Still, they were clearly stoked to see their hometown heroes return. In addition to Bundick, the live version of Toro y Moi features a host of familiar faces from Columbia’s music scene, including guitarist Jordan Blackmon, drummer Andy Woodward, and bassist Patrick Jeffords, with only recently added keyboardist Anthony Ferraro foreign to the Palmetto state. The band is ridiculously tight and quite adept at transforming the funky, synth-laden pop tunes that Bundick usually crafts alone in the studio into immersive, sweaty workouts, but it was hard to deny the impact of the more rock-oriented (and excellent) recent LP What For? had on the show. Tracks like “Empty Nesters” and “Half Dome” saw Bundick pick up an electric guitar for the first time in Toro, giving long-time fans a glimmer of his days The Heist & the Accomplice and Taxi Chaps while at the same time giving his sets a more varied sense of room to rise and fall, live and breathe.

Bundick, always a shy presence on stage, seemed to find energy in the shifts between guitar and his array of keyboards, and his voice was in fine form throughout. The addition of yet another album to his catalog also seems to offer his live shows, for the first time, a true greatest hits feel. Only the choicest cuts from his earlier efforts made appearances as the group delved deeply into the new material. Highlights included the giddy power-pop blast of the aforementioned “Empty Nesters,” the Michael Jackson-esque jam “New Beat,” and the rippling one-two punch of the encore of “So Many Details” and “Say That,” two of the best tracks off of 2o13's Anything in Return.

In truth, though, it was hard to note exceptional moments in such a consummately professional show that also managed to revel so much in the slinky grooves that are indelible from Bundick’s output. It was difficult to stop moving for the nearly 90 minute set that Toro y Moi threw down, and I’d bet not a single soul left unhappy.

Here’s hoping the presence of the Music Farm Columbia with get Bundick and company back here more often now. -Kyle Petersen

Review: Annie Get Your Gun at Village Square Theatre by Melissa Ellington

After the original version’s success in 1946, a Tony Award-winning revival of Annie Get Your Gun (with libretto revised by Peter Stone) opened on Broadway back in 1999, starring Bernadette Peters and Tom Wopat. As a graduate student living in New York City at the time, this reviewer was pleasantly surprised by the complexity of a fictionalized depiction of celebrated sharpshooter Annie Oakley’s success in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show and her romance with star Frank Butler. Any self-respecting musical theatre kid grows up to be familiar with numbers like “There’s No Business Like Show Business” and “I Got the Sun in the Morning.” Yet Annie Get Your Gun offers more than toe-tapping favorites, with a challenging book that provokes questions about treatment of Native Americans and considers the nuances of gender roles in professional and personal relationships.

As produced by Village Square Theatre, Annie Get Your Gun (music and lyrics by Irving Berlin, book by Herbert and Dorothy Fields as revised by Peter Stone, and orchestrations by Larry Moore) succeeds on multiple levels. From the sprightly, inviting opening number to the vibrant finale, Annie Get Your Gun is sure to please longtime fans of the musical along with audience members who are new to the show.

In the pivotal role of Annie Oakley, Candice Pipkin proves a formidable comedienne with a gorgeous voice. Pipkin captivates the audience as she balances homespun hijinks with tender sincerity, a key factor in realizing Annie’s character. She is a performer of great charisma and endearing pluck, just right for the indefatigable Oakley. Pipkin’s enchanting strength as both an actor and a vocalist emerges in dynamic numbers like “You Can’t Get a Man with a Gun” as well as poignant songs such as her exquisite rendition of “I Got Lost In His Arms.”

With the appealing Chris Kruzner in the role of Frank Butler, Pipkin shares lovely vocals punctuated by comedic mischief in entertaining numbers like “The Girl That I Marry,” “An Old Fashioned Wedding,” and “Anything You Can Do.”

The delightful Melissa Hanna (Winnie Tate) and Brian Andrews (Tommy Keeler) sparkle in a romantic subplot, while Eliza C. Spence delivers saucy and conniving energy as Butler’s assistant Dolly Tate. The engaging ensemble features Robert Bullock as the capable, businesslike Charlie Davenport, Jeff Sigley as a splendidly costumed Buffalo Bill Cody, Drew Tyler (Pawnee Bill), and Dick White (Chief Sitting Bull). Annie’s younger siblings are played with lively sweetness by Miranda Campagna, Emily Grace McIntyre, Peyton Sipe, and Cameron Eubanks, who shine in the lilting charm of “Moonshine Lullaby.”

Talented director Debra E. Leopard collaborates with a valuable production team, including Becky Croft (Executive Producer), Matt Marks (Technical Director), and Stephanie Nelson (Stage Manager). Camille Jones provides expert musical direction, and the band members (Jones, Jim Hall, and Eddie Bird) bring Berlin’s beloved songs to life with flair. Not only do Hanna and Pipkin play lead roles, they also function as choreographers (with Jeff Lander), crafting a variety of crowd-pleasing dance numbers, including “I’ll Share It All With You” and “Who Do You Love, I Hope.”

The large cast is costumed beautifully by Nancy Huffines and Heidi Willard. Clever set designs work effectively to convey numerous locations, from a steam train to a cattle boat to the Hotel Brevoort, with various other stops in between. Ensemble members collaborate on fluid and efficient scene changes, particularly impressive with a show of this scope and size.

Led by the extraordinary star power of Pipkin, the Village Square cast and production team have achieved an enjoyable production of Annie Get Your Gun. (Audience members with younger children will want to be aware that the show includes some mild language and a few suggestively racy moments.) Performances will take place on May 15 and 16 at 7:30 pm and May 16 and 17 at 3:00 pm. For tickets and more information, contact 803-359-1436 or visit www.villagesquaretheatre.com.

Call for Bus Poems!

Columbia. A city, a community, a home. Columbia has been a home to all of us and now it’s time to tell it’s story. What is your story of Columbia?. How would you tell the city's story? What story would you tell? Where did you go? What did you see? What conversation did you hear? What did you taste? What is your Columbia? Who is your Columbia? Columbia’s poet laureate, Ed madden is holding a poetry competition to put poems on Columbia Comet buses All are welcome to submit!

Madden originally had the idea because in major cities poetry is printed on lots of the major transits. He thought it would be cool to bring that to Columbia and show what a vibrant city Columbia is, with all its culture and art. Madden explains what he is looking for in the poems, “I love quirky and sonically dense poetry. Hoping for a diversity of voices. Poems that help us think about who we are and who we might be.” Madden really believes in the togetherness of Columbia. He’s looking for poems that really capture the voice of the city. Stories about places or overheard conversations. “I really want specificity, and I want poems that give me a very particular portrait of he city. Like what is your take on the city? What I want are honest, accurate, sensory descriptions of who we are and where we are”.

Madden became the Poet Laureate of Columbia this year and was excited to take on the role. He was selected in January 2015 by the City of Columbia. He is to serve for four years and is tor promote and and strengthen the arts of the city. A Laureate is expected to write poetry for different events and represent their particular area. It is a rather prestigious title. He says he doesn’t rely purely on inspiration though. He believes that poetry is work and comes about when you put something into it. He is hoping that the poetry submitted really gets to the heart of what Columbia is.

Poems can be a maximum of 10 lines and must fit the theme “The Story of Columbia”. Longer poems may be considered for a related book that will be published by OneColumbia. All poems must be submitted to poetlaureate@onecolumbiasc.com by July 15th.

by Grace Fennell

South Carolina State Museum's Carolina Makers Exhibit Features Instrument Makers from Columbia

by: Erika Ryan

The SC State Museum’s newest exhibit, Carolina Makers, opened April 18th, and it features South Carolina makers that specialize in everything from metal working to clothing designers to instrument crafters. The exhibit is free with general admission or museum membership--tickets can be purchased here.

Jasper got the chance to talk to the only two Columbia-based instrument makers featured in the exhibit, Damir Horvat and Greg Alexander, about their background in the field, their specialties, and what it means to take part in this art exhibition.

Jasper: How long have you been building instruments, and what got you into the business?

 Damir Horvat: I make string instruments — violins, violas, cellos, and bows — and I restore them.  What got me into the business is that I’m a third generation violin and bow maker — both my father and grandfather used to do it. It’s hard to say how long I’ve been doing it, but I can probably say for the last 18 to 20 years.

Greg Alexander: I started making guitars about seven years ago. I was 21 at the time, and my dad was a furniture builder. I had these books called Foxfire books — they’re basically books about simple living styles in the Appalachian mountains back in the day, and there’s a blueprint for a banjo, so I started to build that banjo. With all the tools I had, I was able to make it much nicer. Then I got an apprenticeship with a guy in Charlotte named Ari Lehtela, and he’s been making guitars for 20 or 30 years. I had an apprenticeship with him for three years, then I moved here and I’ve had a job here for about four years now.

Jasper: How are handmade instruments better than factory made ones? Do they produce better sounds?

Damir Horvat: They produce better sounds and they’re custom made to the specific needs of the customers. If the customer orders the instrument looks and type of sound, and I can deliver exactly what the customer wants.

Greg Alexander: Absolutely. It depends, but like what I built for the museum were electric guitars, and you’re definitely going to have differences in that just because of the wood quality. The wood is especially important with an acoustic instrument, there’s no question that a handmade instrument would knock out a factory made one every single time. They’re going to choose cheap wood, and the wood is the only thing getting you the tonal quality. If you don’t pay attention to the wood when you’re working with it, you’re not going to have a quality instrument, basically.

Jasper: How long does it take you to build an instrument and what is the process like? What materials do you use?

Damir Horvat: The materials we use in instrument making are three very specific woods: maple, for the back and ribs; spruce, for top; ebony, for the accessories and the fingerboard. And it takes about two to three months (to make a violin), but a cello takes longer: about six months.

Greg Alexander: Well, it depends — but the electric guitar I just built for the museum took me about two months. It takes about six months for an acoustic instrument. But, this isn’t necessarily what I do with all my time—I’m also a student and I do other things—so I just get to it when I can. I have a different approach for both, because if I’m doing an acoustic instrument, I’m going to follow a traditional blueprint that’s maybe 100 years old, but if I’m building an electric instrument, I’m probably going to design from scratch myself and be as creative as I can.

Jasper: Can you describe a personalized instrument you’ve made for someone?

Damir Horvat: Well, for example, right now I’m making a violin that’s going to have a lot of Celtic motifs, and this is for a person that loves Irish music. It’s hard to describe, but people usually bring me a picture and tell me, “I want my instrument to look like this,” and I usually make it identical to the picture. But as far as the sound goes, they can decide whether they want a darker or brighter sound, and it can also be custom tailored for the player.

Greg Alexander: The guy I mentioned, Ari Lehtela, he has an acute interest in eastern music and eastern instruments, and he basically approaches his building as a hybrid between east and west, with the six-string guitars as the western model, and sitar or any of those types of eastern instruments, he’ll sort of blend them together. He’ll take different tuning and temperament with different scales… and he’ll blend the two together, and that’s definitely come out in my building too. The guitar I just built for the museum is a seven-string, fretless guitar and the bridge that the strings sit on is modeled after a sitar bridge.

Jasper: What kind of an asset are handmade instruments in a local arts community?

Damir Horvat: Well, it’s an art, so you could ask the same thing to a painter or sculptor, but instruments are different from that because local musicians are able to utilize my services and use my instruments as well as restore their own instruments, because part of my business is the restoration and preservation of historical instruments. So, local musicians from throughout South Carolina and surrounding states come to me to upkeep their old instruments or ask me to make a new one for them.

Jasper: What does it mean for you and your career to be featured in an exhibit like Carolina Makers?

Damir Horvat: It’s an honor — it’s a chance to display my work to the public. I’m hoping to increase the understanding about instrument making just by people looking at the instruments, and also people possibly calling to inquire about making instruments for them, or simply calling to ask about the instrument making process. It’s not only a display of my own work, but also I’m hoping to raise awareness about what makes a handmade instrument different from a factory instrument, and there is quite a bit of difference there that hopefully people will notice — and if not, they can ask me about it.

Greg Alexander: It’s an honor, honestly. I’ve been doing this for seven years, and most of the guys that are in the exhibit and get recognized have been doing this for decades. It took a lot of hard work on their behalf. I guess this has given me the confidence to continue.

Upon Further Reflection - USC Photography Exhibit at 80808

 

One cannot be an artist in isolation. This is the outlook of USC photography professor Kathleen Robbins and the students of her program. “In order to make work you have to have a dialogue, you have to be able to talk to people about it. People have to see it. If you’re wanting to be a professional artist or someone who participates in the art world, then you have to be a part of an active community, and so part of that is not just participating in the arts community but also giving back.” She feels that it is necessary for students to support each other and show their work. She wants them to be active in the arts community so they can thrive as artists. Art is meant to be shared.

Every year the hardworking students of University of South Carolina’s photography program hold an exhibit to share photography pieces they have been working on over the course of two years. The show is entitled “Upon Further Reflection” a name conceived of and agreed upon by the students themselves. It is about wanting people to take the time to reflect upon the content and substance of their art, and also about moving forward. For most of the students this is a very contemplative time in their lives, with graduation fast approaching. They hope that the viewer reflects upon their work but they are also reflecting on their own lives and experiences.

There is no theme to the show. Each piece is unique to the individual student. Each of them with their own style and story, often taking their own experiences and channeling them into their art to be expressed in a format that can be enjoyed by the community.

Robbins explains how the photography world has grown into something much different than when she was a student, how there is much more opportunity for photographers to make themselves known than there was possible in years past. “Well for one the students have to be incredibly brave.” explains Robbins, “They are exposed to a certain amount of visibility and criticism that wasn’t even imaginable when I was in school. Several of them are experiencing a pretty considerable amount of success at a young stage in their career. They’re getting exposure on the internet for one and on really renowned blogs and so people are familiar with their work outside of the university in a way that wasn’t possible when I was in school.” She feels that these experiences are teaching them how to navigate their careers as artists.

That’s what she hopes they take away. She hopes they they keep with them the skill-set they need to function as professional artists, the ability to collaborate and stay active with the arts community. She wants them to continue to use the knowledge she’s given them and find happiness through it. “As long as they’re still making photos, that’s enough for me.” she says, “I hope that years down the line they haven’t lost sight of why they do it.”

“Upon Further Reflection” will be held Friday May 1st from 5pm- 8pm at Vista Studio- Gallery, 80808 Lady St.

To Thine Own Self Be True: USC Senior Ryan Stevens Produces Original Play

“It’s a meditation on hard work and why we dedicate ourselves to careers. It’s a question of the self vs. a higher cause, whether it’s better to be honest or successful, and an insight into the travails, stresses, and rewards of life in the theater and the arts in general,” University of South Carolina senior Ryan Stevens says, describing his new original play. “And it’s funny.”

Introspection? Theatre? Humor? What more could you want from a play? That’s exactly what you’ll get from Stevens’s new work Player King in the Lab Theatre at USC, and you’ll get it in verse, too!

“…I decided the concept of the play had to be big, ostentatiously so…and I decided to write it in verse. From there I figured, even though I’m not a theatre major, I’ve learned so much and gained so much from the people in the University’s Theatre Department, professors and students alike, that this would need to be a sort of thank you note/love letter to theatre and to these past four years. So I made it about actors. And in verse,” Stevens says.

Not only is Stevens the esteemed playwright, but he is also directing his piece.

“It’s been a very interesting dynamic because 'writer Ryan' only knew so much, and now 'director Ryan' has to come in and be the intermediary between the actors, audience, and whatever that lunatic writer was trying to say,” Stevens explains. “Directing it has shown me both just how loopy lines become when you have to say them out loud, and also shown me just how smart actors are. When we’re rehearsing, these actors are connecting dots and analyzing subtext that, unless my memory is horrible, I never thought of while writing the thing. They’re basically doing alchemy, making something out of what I assumed was nothing, but I guess like those old-time ‘alchemists’ they’re actually just really good at finding what they need to find and putting it on display.”

The “alchemists” that Stevens describes include some veterans of the theatre department, some beloved improvers, and some new to the university’s stage.

“I’m working with a lot of actors I’ve collaborated with in the past, and a lot that I’ve gotten see perform before and was very excited to work with, and a few who have never performed on a USC stage before, but even with such diversity of experience, everyone in the cast is giving a hundred percent in rehearsals,” Stevens says. “I think it comes from the fact that I’m encouraging them to go wild, and be sure they’re having fun, because they’re the ones who will have to go out and perform it four times, not me, so they might as well enjoy it. A lot of the actors involved come from an improv background, so while the text is pretty stiff (verse’ll do that), we’re discovering a lot of places of wiggle room, experimenting a lot with actions and nonverbal communication and the like. There are twelve actors with twelve distinct and fine senses of humor, and the results of all this mixing have been spellbinding.”

All in all, this production is the perfect denouement for the last four years Stevens has spent at the university.

“It’s a really fulfilling experience. I get to spend four hours every day collaborating with these people who are very dear friends, yes, but also just brilliant artists, and we get to put our heads together and create something worthwhile. This play opens two weeks before I graduate, so in many ways Player King is a very overt symbol for my finishing my college career, but who am I to complain when the process is this enjoyable,” Stevens says. “To get to put something like this on, to get to have posters and interviews and press releases, all about something that I strung together over a year ago, is nothing short of a dream come true. It’s the best closing note I could ever envision for my college career, and I never thought I’d be so lucky as to get to do this project with so many of the people that have made college so great for me.”

Player King runs April 23-26 at the Lab Theatre. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are only $5 at the door for “Fakespearian fun for the whole family, another chance to see just how amazing the undergraduate talent of USC is, and a very passionate thank you note to the arts, from a farm boy with a keyboard.”

Review: The Secret Garden at On Stage Productions by Melissa Ellington

Frances Hodgson Burnett’s book The Secret Garden has inspired numerous adaptations for stage and film. The classic story follows the metamorphosis of lonely orphan Mary Lennox, a miserably difficult child who blooms into a compassionate leader. Entrusted to the care of her ailing uncle Archibald Craven, Mary defies the stern housekeeper Mrs. Medlock and scoffs at kind Martha and the other maids. As the youthful gardener Dickon Sowerby teaches Mary about the transformative power of nature, the girl bonds with his large family. When granted her wish for a piece of earth to plant seeds and grow living things, Mary knows exactly what she wants: to find the key that opens the door to a secret garden where her aunt perished many years before. Mary’s discovery of her mysterious cousin Colin leads to a touching reunion and redemption of the garden, as well as Mary herself.

Broadway fans will likely remember the 1991 Tony award-winning musical by Marsha Norman and Lucy Simon. However, On Stage Productions presents a different musical of The Secret Garden with their current offering. This upbeat version showcases music and lyrics by Bill Francoeur and book by Tim Kelly, proving a suitable choice for the On Stage team.

As with other On Stage shows appreciated by this reviewer, director Robert Harrelson delivers an enjoyable production and inspires confidence in the actors. The cast represents a wide range of ages and artistic backgrounds, which becomes a significant strength through Harrelson’s effective direction. Sincere camaraderie shines in the performance as children and adults work together to tell a beloved story.

Experienced musical director John Norris guides the cast successfully, while remarkable producer Mandy Tenney accomplishes the countless achievements associated with an ambitious theatrical endeavor. The admirable commitment typical of On Stage events is evident as several team members pull double duty both on and off stage. Melissa Berry-Rogers provides sprightly choreography and also performs a lovely dance interlude; Gail Carter serves as Stage Manager while contributing a moving performance as Colin’s mother. Anne Snider and Chris Cheatham play important characters as well as designing scenery and lighting.

Caroline Quinn is excellent in the pivotal role of Mary. She communicates a convincing journey from despising wretch to blossoming triumph, displays an appealing singing voice, and even shares a nifty tap number. Her earnest and believable portrayal illuminates songs like the solo (and later duet) “Secret Garden.”

Tucker Privette tackles the role of Colin with vigor, creating an audience-pleasing performance that is entertaining and poignant. Led by the enchanting Ingram Trexler as Mrs. Sowerby, likeable siblings Dickon (John Carter) and Martha (Hayward Moak) invite Mary into their comforting world, aided by the rest of the good-natured family (Dominick Campbell, James Rabon, Mia Coats, and Ella Johnson). The delightful Sowerby clan presents a standout musical sequence along with Mary, “One Big Happy Family,” one of several numbers that highlight Trexler’s gorgeous voice.

Cheatham crafts an appropriately haunted portrayal of Archibald Craven, while Tim Privette becomes a forceful Dr. Craven. Debb Adams (Cook), Snider (Mrs. Medlock), Julie Smoak (Mrs. Crawford), Alexandra and Murphey White (Kanchi), Michelle Privette (Nurse), Brighton Grice (Chorus/Bellmaid), and Gloria Edlam (Chorus/Servant) give valuable performances that help to convey this compelling tale. Considerable care has been taken with the details of costumes (Gina Cotton and Harrelson), scenic design (Snider and Harrelson), lighting and sound (Cheatham and Zach Tenney). In the pre-show welcome, Harrelson warned that the play can be a “tearjerker,” and he was quite correct. A longtime fan of Burnett’s book and familiar with other stage and film adaptations, this reviewer was nevertheless surprised by the emotional impact of the final scenes and gratified by the actors’ unabashed investment in their roles.

Attending an On Stage performance is a rich experience. An environment of warmth and welcome pervades the theatre from the moment an audience member walks in the door. Thoughtful touches like actors distributing flowers after “Take a Flower to the Fair” mean a lot to viewers, especially young ones (including this reviewer’s enthralled seven-year-old). Through The Secret Garden, On Stage Productions shares an irresistible invitation with the community: Join this “One Big Happy Family” for a satisfying sojourn into a magical garden in an inspiring theatre. Performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. on April 23, 24, and 25 and at 2:30 p.m. on April 26. Visit www.onstagesc.com for tickets and information, or call (803) 351-6751. On Stage Productions is located at 680 Cherokee Lane in West Columbia, SC.

Sea of Art: The Vista Guild Presents New Public Work by Stephen Chesley for Artista Vista

By Haley Sprankle

“Public art, by its nature, is meant to enhance the quality of life and perhaps stimulate a dialogue within a community on many levels—to search for ways to make life richer for all within the urban fabric,” local artist Stephen Chesley says.

Recently, Columbia has seen an influx in public art works popping up, along with a myriad of different local arts festivals. While Columbia is not always thought of as a cultural hub of the East Coast, the artistic tides have been raised high thanks to the help of groups like One Columbia and Vista Guild.

“Columbia's public art collection is steadily increasing and we've certainly seen an uptick lately,” One Columbia’s Executive Director Lee Snelgrove adds. “One Columbia has more projects in the works for various areas of the city and there are other organizations such as the Vista Guild and the University of South Carolina that are interested in adding more permanent public art. With all the new construction and development, I'm anticipating many more opportunities.”

This year, Chesley unveils his new public art sculpture at the Artista Vista gallery crawl, commissioned by the Vista Guild. The sculpture will reside on Lady Street.

“The sculpture evolved from a project which salvaged the steel from the demolition of the City Garage around 2004, so the materials in the sculpture are recycled. The title of the piece is ‘Cedar’s Fog,’” Chesley explains.

With its triangular base suggesting a ship’s hull and a wind bell within representing the frequency of a fog buoy, this piece offers a balance of industrial and acoustic elements.

“This piece references my affinity for the ocean and the poetic lyricism of cedars,” Chesley discloses. “The sentinel quality and quiet strength of the cedars reflects a stewardship of nature--The dignity of living things.”

This representation of the dignity of living things through Chesley’s work further enhances the aesthetic of the city while providing a rebuttal to the notion that South Carolina lacks cultural growth and development.

“Having this work on public display is a way of sharing its symbolism and adding to the elevation of art and culture in the city--a respite perhaps from the demands of the times and free to contemplate and enjoy--it may help to instill a sense of character and place for the Vista,” Chesley hopes.

This wave of hope for the arts in Columbia washes over the city as local artistic presence increases.

“For me as a citizen of Columbia, it's really great to see public art that is unique and of high quality. I love the idea of the city in which I live expressing itself through public art, and I really enjoy encountering art in my daily life,” Snelgrove says. “But, in my role at One Columbia, I feel that more public art being installed represents Columbian's collective creativity, talent and support for the arts. Public art is a sign to visitors and citizens that we are a culturally vibrant place to live and work.”

The Artista Vista gallery crawl will be April 23-25, showcasing artists and galleries in the Vista along with the premier of “Cedar Fog.” The event is free, so come out and support local art and celebrate the growing culture in the city.

“I would venture to say future of Columbia as a destination point will be enhanced by its level of culture and stewardship of its natural resources,” Chesley says. “It is up to us to plant and nurture now, so that future generations will have fruit.”

Preview: Indie Grits 2015, Day 4

It's Saturday at Indie Grits!

That means the Love, Peace, & Hip-Hop festival is already in full swing on the 1700 block of Main Street. The event boasts a bevy of genuine headliners like Nice & Smooth, Monie Love, and Big Gipp (of The Goodie Mob) but is worth attending largely because of it's family-friendly celebration of the vibrancy and importance of hip-hop culture. Various vendors and non-profits will be dotting the sidewalks as DJs, B-Boy dance crews, and hip-hop visual artists gather together in the spirit of DJ Afrika Bambaataa's "4 pillars of hip-hop."

Jasper is particularly stoked for Big Gipp though--Goodie Mob is one of the key outfits in the Atlanta hip-hop scene of the 1990s, and is still one of the most influential outfits in defining "The Dirty South" sound for a genre too-often thought of in terms of East Coast (NYC) vs. West Coast (LA).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiuEFG0ZBd8

There's also a full day of screenings to take advantage of! The full schedule is at available at the Indie Grits website here, but it's worth noting how many blocks of shorts are available today--the Embarrassing Love block at 2pm, People Portraits at 2:30, Four Minute Film Frenzy at 4pm, Heritage in Drift at 4:30pm, Burdens of the Past at 8:30pm, and Summoning the Supernatural at 9pm. These blocks are a great chance to experience the full range of filmmaking possibilities and thrive off their juxtaposition to one another, something which is commonplace (and great) a film festival but that we don't often experience otherwise.

We attended Burdens of the Past yesterday and can personally recommend that block. It's mostly a collection of portraits of people you would likely scorn--a murderer, child molester, and campus preacher--but each vignette is lovingly rendered and looks to find the depth of humanity in its subject matter. It also showcases the range of motivations and possibilities inherent in making shorts too.

Features tonight include Western at 6pm, a nonfiction take on the genre that still simmers prominently in our national imagination, and Vida Propia, which sounds like a heartbreaking observational documentary of first-generation Mexican immigrants struggling to survive in North Carolina. The latter screens at 6:30pm.

Also going on tonight in the second performance of this year's Spork in Hand Puppet Slam! It's hard to say what exactly will happen at this anything-goes, adults-only collection of puppetry pieces, but Prairie Willows will be performing and puppeteers from around the Southeast will be showcasing the incredible creative abundance of their art form. That starts at 7pm.

https://vimeo.com/124048183

Then there's the closing party at 10pm, where you can get down with all the filmmakers to the tunes of Mechanical River and Infinitikiss. We would say that's a wrap on Indie Grits, but there's more stuff in store for tomorrow, when festival winners will screen throughout the day...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8qxDh4b9so

Preview: Indie Grits 2015, Day 3

By: Wade Sellers

It’s Friday, April 17^th- day three and hump day for Indie Grits 2015. The schedule is packed, from 11am until well past midnight. If you don’t have anything pressing at the office, why are you even considering clocking in today?

Two feature films headline the festival’s evening slate.

The documentary American Cheerleader focuses on the world of competitive cheerleading. The film follows the journey of two high school teams- from Burlington, New Jersey and Southwestern, Kentucky, who compete for the National High School Cheerleading Championship. The twenty-four women from both teams revise the preconceived notions of femininity and sportsmanship that hang over the world of cheerleading. Check out our interview with one of the filmmakers here. - The Nickelodeon, Upstairs Theater- 6pm.

Female Pervert, from Atlanta director Jiyoung Lee, follows a lonely video game designer, Phoebe, as she tries to make emotional connections in the modern world. She attempts many changes in her life but as she endeavors to self-improve her interests turn towards a darker more perverted path. Will she be able to change? Or will she accept her fate as a female pervert? Check out interview with the director here. - The Nickelodeon, Downstairs Theater- 7:30pm

If you must work, but have a lunch break downtown, head to the CMA and Boyd Plaza and check out the Mini Cine. Screenings are free and will rotate between a block of short titled Future Perfect Shorts and a curated program of archival footage from the University of South Carolina’s Moving Image Research Collection titled "Past Hopes for Perfect Futures."

The Indie Bits Showcase starts at noon in the Skyline Room at Tapp’s. Don’t miss out on the chance to play indie games that are in competition from across the southeast.

Heritage in the Drift is a group of experimental shorts playing early in the day. - The Nickelodeon, Upstairs Theater- 1:30pm

Burdens of the Past features a group of documentary shorts with subjects ranging from a street preacher, an openly gay young man in South Carolina, the 1993 killing of Chicago blues musician Boston Blackie and psycho-geographer and convicted sex offender, Denis Wood. The Nickelodeon, Downstairs Theater- 3pm

Brothers Bill and Turner Ross, and Indie Grits alums, screen their Sundance Award winning film Western this afternoon. “What would a nonfiction western look like? If you can find John Wayne, what does he look like, what’s he doing?” Find out at The Nickelodeon, Upstairs Theater- 3:30pm

Finders Keepers tells the almost unbelievable story of Shannon Whisnany, a North Carolina bargain hunter, who refuses to return amputee John Wood’s embalmed leg after he finds it in a used grill at an auction. The Nickelodeon, Upstairs Theater- 8:30pm

There is plenty of evening and late night fun with the Stairwell Concert, the Spork in Hand PUPPET SLAM at 1216 Taylor St., and Weekly Revue at the Big Apple.

Need more? Head to Hunter Gatherer at 11pm for live music or The Whig for a Friday night Taco Party.

Chatting with Jiyoung Lee, Whose film Female Pervert Screens at Indie Grits 2015

By: Wade Sellers

Female Pervert director Jiyoung Lee took the time to answer a couple of questions about life in Atlanta and her film, which screens in competition tonight [The Nickelodeon, Downstairs Theater- 7:30pm] at Indie Grits.

How is life as an indie filmmaker in Atlanta?

It's nice to be an indie filmmaker in Atlanta. You have access to great community of actors and film professionals. (Many Hollywood productions are shot in Atlanta.) And the Atlanta Film Festival is very supportive of local filmmakers.

The downside of being a filmmaker in Atlanta is that you have few local sources for funding. But funding is hard these days, regardless of location. Also, the hot and humid summers in Atlanta can make film shoots challenging.

The synopsis of Female Pervert mentions that your film touches on classic issues of young men and women, such as finding true emotional connections in the world, but digs deeper into your protagonist’s eccentric interests. How has the film been received so far and what are some of the responses you have gotten?

Female Pervert is an idiosyncratic movie and I didn't necessarily try to please people when making it. People either love or hate the movie. Very few people have a middling opinion of the movie. However, most people agree the lead actress Jennifer Kim did a fantastic job. So the movie's definitely worth seeing just for her performance alone.

https://vimeo.com/116829918

Preview: Indie Grits 2015, Day 2

There’s really so much going on at Indie Grits each day that picking and choosing what to do comes down, more than ever, to time, taste, and happenstance. But here’s a few picks anyway.

We’ve already highlighted director Amanda Berg’s Every Body Hit Somebody, which screens at 7:30 tonight, here, but it’s worth noting that she also has another film in the festival, Welcome Home, Fayetteville Observer, a short about daily military life on Fort Bragg, that screens ahead of Old South, a fascinating documentary by Danielle Beverly that looks at the interactions between a predominantly (and historically) black neighborhood in Athens with a newly-arrived white fraternity house that just happens to fly the Confederate flag and hold an annual antebellum parade. Jasper got to see an early cut of this film last year and found it to be a fascinating exploration of naiveté and oh-so-tentative understanding between unlikely neighbors. Old South and Welcome Home screen in the 5:30 block today.

https://vimeo.com/122387929

We’d also be remised if we didn’t point out that today is the grand opening of all of the Future Perfect visual art installations that mark the first time Indie Grits has ventured so wholeheartedly into that arena. Over 20 artists are showing in various spaces throughout the 1500 and 1600 blocks of Main Street as they tackle questions about past, present, and possible futures for a 21^st century South. Various tours are launching from the Nick at 6:00, 6:45, and 7:30, on which you’ll have the opportunity to ask the artists questions. We’re the tour guides on the 6:45 one, so you should probably cross the other two off your to-do list. We’ll have Oreos. Seriously.

In another bout of shameless self promotion, my podcast with Lee Snelgrove, Art, Pop, & Fizz, had a great conversation with Maureen Conner of the Institute for Wishful Thinking, which will have an installation in the One Columbia office at 1219 Taylor. Check that podcast out here.

Last but not least, we’d like to strongly endorse checking out the Fork & Spoon and Friends show at Music Farm tonight. Fork & Spoon is celebrating five years in business, and they’ve consistently put out some of our favorite local records while also managing to be supremely talented and awesome individuals.

Below are a few of the bands playing tonight. See ya out there gritting it up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUr-7ftDa7U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEkXiuYCmI0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk2Xj2dNDe0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXOucUbg2jA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_PpNmfHxk0

Review: Columbia Children's Theatre's Skippyjon Jones by Melissa Ellington

Columbia Children’s Theatre brings a beloved character from children’s literature to life in Skippyjon Jones in the Cirque de Olé. This production will delight both long-time fans of Skippyjon Jones as well as those making their first acquaintance with the spunky little Siamese cat convinced he is a Chihuahua. Based on the children’s book by Judy Schachner, the musical features book and lyrics by David Morgan with music by Ricky Hernandez and additional music and lyrics by Shannon Morgan. From the domestic life of a cat family to the magic of a circus stage, Skippyjon Jones seeks adventure and glory as his Chihuahua alter ego. Director Jerry Stevenson, Assistant Director Crystal Aldamuy, and Music Director Paul Lindley II share an enjoyable blend of madcap hilarity and artful precision. Skippyjon Jones benefits from the collaboration of actors, designers, and directors working at the top of their collective game. Accompanied by my seven-year-old daughter and our friends, this reviewer attended the first Sunday matinee, which delivered plenty of zany hijinks. Skippyjon Jones in the Cirque de Olé hits all the right notes.

With one look at the cast list, seasoned CCT audience members will settle in happily for a luxurious hour while new visitors may find themselves pleasantly surprised by the top-notch talent. Beth DeHart, Kendal Turner, and Carol Beis launch the show with giggly energy as a feisty trio of kitty sisters of Skippyjon Jones, and the actors shine in additional roles when the circus comes to town. As the beleaguered and loving Mama June Bug Jones, Brandi Smith soars with a gorgeous soprano and belts a memorable “caterwaulin’” country number that will inspire any parent to reminisce about that special mystery, the pre-kid life. Anthony Harvey contributes a powerful (and uproarious) performance as “strongdog” Putzi Shtrungleboot, while Skippyjon Jones’ companions Pintolito, Don Diego, and Poquito Tito (played by the remarkable Julian Deleon, Andy Nyland, and DeHart) keep the audience howling with laughter. A performer of great magnetism and charisma, Lindley adds another winner to his considerable collection of CCT roles as the irresistible Skippyjon Jones. With only a trampoline and a flashlight, Lindley mesmerizes young viewers through the kind of imaginative play that children recognize and embrace. Clever banter provides ample humor that sets adults chuckling (“Downton Tabby,” anyone?) and slapstick shenanigans inspire shrieks of delighted excitement from the kids.

The production staff achieves adept scenic design (Jim Litzinger and Stevenson) and charming costumes (Donna Harvey and Stevenson). Keep an eye on the mirror, for the crafty timing of Skippyjon Jones’ “reflections” is not to be missed. Much of the circus sequence’s enchantment grows from the continual unfolding of surprise and amazement. The level of artistic collaboration evident in the ingenious employment of projections and shadow work rivals anything I’ve seen on a stage in New York, in South Carolina, or anywhere in between. From the moment Turner as the Ringmaster began to create exquisite shadow imagery and throughout the extraordinary interplay between actors and projections, this reviewer kept thinking, “I’m so glad our kids get to see this.”

After the show, my friend observed that each time she sees a CCT performance she thinks they can’t get any better – and then the next production succeeds in a wonderful new way. Performances of Skippyjon Jones in the Cirque de Olé will be Saturday, April 18 at 10:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, April 19 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 for children three years old through adults, $8 for seniors and active duty military, and $5 on Saturday nights at 7:00. To purchase tickets, visit www.columbiachildrenstheatre.com or call (803) 691-4548.

Double Header: Thinking About Gender and Athletics at Indie Grits

Indie Grits has always put an emphasis on documentaries engaging with thought-provoking social issues, and the 2015 edition is no exception. When Jasper was glancing over the schedule the first time, we quickly noted that two of the films--Every Body Hit Somebody [screening Thursday 4/16 at 7:30 in Nickelodeon Theater 1] and American Cheerleader [screening Friday 4/17 at 6:00 pm in Nickelodeon Theater 2]--explicitly tackle women and athletics, a rich area for exploring gender construction that both films tackle in different ways.

Every Body Hit Somebody, directed by Amanda Berg, is an experimental documentary that follows a women’s football team, the Carolina Phoenix, through the course of a season as it ponders questions of masculinity and femininity that are tied up and constricted in sports in ways that make the team and its league’s existence surprising and confounding. Berg made the film while getting her MFA at Duke University, and its unusual in a variety of ways, most notably in its combining of traditional documentary techniques like extended interviews and live-action with extensive use of still photographs (some of which have been featured on the New York Times Lens Blog) as well as its no-man’s-land run-time of 43 minutes.

American Cheerleader, on the other hand, takes on a more dominant and traditional cultural trope in the cheerleader, but attempts to both humanize the zany pop culture version of the sport typified by films like the Kirsten Dunst-starring Bring It On (2000) and to underline the competitive edge that the sport has. Directors James Pellerito and David Barba were initially skeptical about their subject matter, and that skepticism seems to have served them well in creating a compelling narrative that removes the more sensational aspects of how our culture understands cheerleading.

Jasper decided to shoot the makers of both films a few questions to get a sense of their films--how they came upon these topics, what they found surprising, and how they ultimately grappled with similar subject matter differently. Here’s what they said.

Jasper: What originally drew you to your subject matter? How did you “find your teams”?

James Pellerito (American Cheerleader): David Barba and I were originally approached to direct and produce a documentary about high school cheerleading and we were apprehensive because of the existing stereotypes of cheerleaders.  Our only points of reference for the sport were the National High School Cheerleading Championship broadcast on ESPN every year, and the movie Bring It On.  We took the project on as a challenge to produce the real Bring It On and break stereotypes about cheerleaders.

Amanda Berg (Every Body Hit Somebody): My own nostalgic football feelings and the desire to tell stories that explore gender boundaries. I researched “women’s tackle football” and found out there was a semi-professional women’s team right in Durham (NC), where I was living. I went to check out one of their pre-season practices and spent the rest of the season documenting.

Jasper: Both of you follow a single team over the course of a season, which provides a built-in narrative, but one I imagine many documentarians struggle with. What stories remain untold in this framework?

JP: For American Cheerleader, we followed two 12-member high school cheer teams and additional coaching staff.  The challenge for us was what stories to tell in the amount of screen time we had and of course we weren’t able to touch on every team member’s story.  We settled on four stories per team that served as a representation of the teams.

AB: A critique of the structure itself. A season is a linear narrative, one that we are all familiar and comfortable with. I saw this film as an opportunity to challenge narrative expectations as much as gender expectations. A lot is left untold in the hope that questions are more powerful than answers.

Jasper: Why do you think it’s important to make documentaries that tackle questions of athletics and construction of gender?

JP: It’s important to tackle these questions in order to get to the truth.  Stereotypes about athletics and construction of gender are generalizations that exist in public consciousness and have been perpetuated over decades.  If nothing is done to get to the truth, stereotypes persist.

AB: Questions about athletics and gender are important because of their prevalence in daily life, mainstream media and influence on individual freedom. Sports don’t simply reflect gender assumptions. For a really long time now sports have been one of the places where gender boundaries are defined.

Jasper:  What surprised or challenged you in the process of making your respective films?

JP: In making American Cheerleader, we were surprised by how driven and hard-working the teams were, as well as the family bonding among the athletes.  From our perspective as filmmakers, It was humbling to see how fearless and passionate the teenagers were in striving for their goal.  Their practice and competition schedules were not unlike those of high school football or other team sports.  And of course, we never could have predicted the ending.

AB: I was not expecting the Phoenix would go undefeated and win the league championship. Actually, I was having so much fun working on this project it didn’t cross my mind until we were in Texas for the title game.

Jasper: To what extent do these sports still construct certain kinds of gender identities? Is there a way forward to challenge or upend these conceptions?

JP: Cheerleading is still primarily a sideline sport promoting high school spirit and supporting other sports like football and basketball.  That will never change and maybe it shouldn’t.

AB: Football is still perpetuating “manliness.” More coverage of female athletes will promote mutual respect and opportunity between the sexes. As of now women’s sports only constitutes 2% of media coverage.

How have your films been doing? Have you shown anywhere else, or have plans to show elsewhere?

JP: American Cheerleader premiered on the festival circuit in October, screening at IndieMemphis, Dance On Camera at Lincoln Center and winning the audience award at Louisville International Film Festival.  The doc is screening at several festivals this Spring and Summer and is being distributed by FilmBuff.

AB: Every Body Hit Somebody recently screened at Images Festival in Toronto and photographs from the film were featured on the New York Times Lens Blog. Indie Grits will be its second festival screening.

Laura Kissel's Cotton Road Comes to Indie Grits by Abby Davis

When asked what compelled her to make her film Cotton Road, a feature length documentary that takes the audience on a supply chain journey by following cotton from local South Carolina farms all the way to Chinese factories, Emmy nominated documentarian and professor at USC Laura Kissel explains it. “I wanted to know more about where our clothing comes from—what it takes to produce it, what the industrial processes and labor are like at each step, and why some clothing is so cheap. Why can we purchase a t-shirt for less than $10 when energy costs are high and when the raw materials to produce it have traveled thousands of miles? I am also deeply interested in other people, and so I wanted to make a film that tells this story from the point of view of workers in a typical cotton supply chain—farmers, truck drivers, migrant workers, etc. I wanted average workers to be the narrators, because they are voices we hardly ever hear from.”

Her ideas came together, and the film, which debuts in Columbia on Wednesday night as part of Indie Grits Film Festival, has already found great success and continues to do so. Cotton Road has screened at multiple festivals, universities, and community events around the country and even screened in Malaysia. Along the way, it picked up the Best Documentary award at the Beaufort International Film Festival, Best Documentary Feature at the Santa Monica Independent Film Festival, as well as four other awards.

Kissel says, “I’d like for audiences to think more deeply about where things come from and consider both our global connections to one another through the cycles of production and consumption that we participate in, as well as consider that there are human beings in supply chains…I hope people can be more mindful around consumption—particularly when it comes to clothing. Recycle what’s in your closet or if you really do need some new clothes, look for brands that have a strong commitment to transparency, a living wage, and sustainability…I’d like a nice mix of greater social awareness in a broader segment of the population.”

The documentary has sparked a variety of very practical viewer ideas including: making your own clothes, supporting local clothing producers and tailors, only purchasing clothes from secondhand and consignment stores, and stopping the mindless production of t-shirts for every single event.

If you enjoy Cotton Road, go ahead and get excited for Kissel’s next project. She says, “My next documentary will probably be a lot like Cotton Road. It will be a contemporary story, told by individuals who rarely get to speak in the national press in any significant way. I’d like to draw more attention to the growing gap between rich and poor and how this social reality physically structures and divides our communities. It will be in the style of Cotton Road—focusing on something seemingly mundane at first glance, but it will intensely reveal, over time, deeply entrenched social and political realities.”

Cotton Road is screening Wednesday, April 15th at 5:30pm during the opening night of Indie Grits Film Festival at the Nickelodeon Theater. For more information about the documentary, visit cottonroadmovie.com.

Preview: 2015 Indie Grits, Day 1

by: Wade Sellers

Has it been 12 months already? Indie Grits begins its ninth festival today offering Columbia more artistic variety in less time than any previous installment.

The Indie Grits Opening Night Party blasts off at Columbia Museum of Art and Boyd Plaza. Be the first in line to check out the movie theater in a shipping container known as the Mini Cine. The best part of the Mini Cine is that it is free. There will be bands, beer and the party never disappoints.

Cotton Road is the screening with the most buzz on the evening. Laura Kissel’s film follows the commodity of cotton from South Carolina Farms to Chinese factories to illuminate the work and industrial processes in a global supply chain. The film has been gaining momentum on the festival circuit and has been met with praise after screenings across the country. This is Cotton Road’s premier in Columbia. Kissel will be on hand for a Q&A after the screening. If you don’t have a ticket, try to reserve one right now because it is sure to sell out [Update: Yep, it's SOLD OUT].

5:30pm- Nickelodeon Theater 2.

If you need to get you’re indie film appetite sated before the party, head to the Nick and check out the Four Minute Film Frenzy.  5pm- in Nickelodeon Theater 1.

People Portraits is a collection of documentary shorts about, well, people. 7pm- Nickelodeon Theater 1.

Lost Colony is a narrative feature from North Carolina Filmmaker Christopher Holmes. Named after the infamous failed settlement on the Outer Banks in the late 16th century, Holmes' film promises to feature plenty of lingering shots of the Tar Heel State's shorelines as the film explores--or perhaps undermines--traditional coming-of-age story expectations. -Kyle Petersen; 8pm- Nickelodeon Theater 2.

https://vimeo.com/70538171

You have no excuse not to grab an Indie Grits schedule at the opening party, but if you have a major league excuse you cannot attend, the festival lineup can be viewed in detail here.

Jazz Under the Stars in Kershaw County

The Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County (FAC) along with the City of Camden will partner to present a free weekend of jazz in historic downtown Camden Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25. Jazz Under the Stars is sponsored by First Citizens, Van Horn Agency, Inc., TruVista and Wells Fargo Financial Advisors/Roy Fakoury, CFP.

The weekend will kick off at 6:00 p.m. on Friday evening at the City's new Broad Street Park on the corner of Rutledge and Broad Streets (1001 Broad Street.) Jeff Liberty will kick off the event followed by Palmetto Nights and The Mark Rapp Group will close out the night. Rutledge street will be closed for the event between Broad and Church Streets to accommodate for the concert goers.  Food and beverages will be available to purchase on site.

On Saturday, the Camden Middle School Jazz Band, under the direction of Nancy Neal, will perform at the newly located Farmers Market at 222 Broad Street on the grounds of Historic Camden. Their performance is scheduled for 9:00 a.m.

During the day, take time to enjoy the downtown shops and historic sites, have a leisurely lunch or dinner and then join us for the amazing Mike Frost Band at the Venue On Broad (1020 Broad St.) starting at 9:30 p.m. The Mike Frost Band is one of the South’s best jazz ensembles and will thrill any jazz enthusiast.

•About the artists:

Jeff Liberty earned his musical chops on the sidewalks of New Orleans' French Quarter, the back streets of St. Louis, and Beale Street in Memphis. Currently living in Columbia, SC, Liberty was voted "Best Local Solo Artist" in Columbia's Free Times Reader's Poll. A year later he formed the Jeff Liberty Band and was named "Best New Local Band" and "Best Local Blues Band" by Free Times readers in 2001. Stomping through the bars, juke joints, and blues festivals throughout the Southeast, Liberty has performed with Kenny Neal, Shrimp City Slim, Juke Joint Johnny, Sonny Landreth, Little Charlie and the Nightcats, and has also shared the bill with such greats as  Robert Plant, The Eagles, Aerosmith, Robin Trower, Cheap Trick, and The Marshall Tucker Band.

Palmetto Nights (Sheri Speaks Berry, Geoff Collier and Brian Parmeter) — Sheri Speaks Berry is a native to South Carolina. She has lived in California and Pennsylvania and returned to SC in 2012 and began working with guitarist, Geoff Collier, soon after. Sheri fronted two bands  (one jazz, one folk/rock) in Pennsylvania. She studied vocal performance at both high school and college levels.  She is currently working towards her Master's degree and is employed by the Kershaw County School district.  Geoff Collier is a New York native who relocated to South Carolina several years ago as a psychology professor. Geoff holds a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University and is a multi-instrumentalist who plays the saxophone, keyboards, and guitar. Brian Parmeter, a talented, upright bassist with a great love for the standards, recently relocated to South Carolina from Minnesota. Brian is an R&B veteran of the Uptown and downtown Minneapolis scenes. Jazz and the acoustic upright bass became his mainstays during a dozen years gigging in HoTown Michigan.

The Mark Rapp Group — Mark Rapp is a distinguished trumpeter, composer, arranger, didgeridoo player, recording and touring artist. He has released five diverse recordings, and is featured on the closing track of Disney’s "Everybody Wants to be a Cat" CD.  His celebrated 2009 debut release "Token Tales" (Paved Earth Music,) earned him a spot as a "Top Emerging Trumpeter" in Downbeat Magazine. His release “Good Eats” (Dinemec Jazz) had critics saying, “Rapp is quickly developing a reputation as a superb interpreter and great stylist, willing to tackle the history of this music with his eyes on the past and his mind on the present and future of this music,” according to  AllAboutJazz.com. Rapp has performed in jazz clubs and festivals around the world. He has performed with such greats as Brandord Marsalis, Hootie & the Blowfish, Herbie Hancock, Aretha Franklin, Wycliffe Gordon, Nate Smith, Clerence Penn, and Wess “Warmdaddy” Anderson.

The Mike Frost Band--Aiken, SC's Mike Frost Band - features the superb vocals and saxophone of Lauren Meccia energizing the music scene by blending together several musical styles to create a sound that’s all their own.  Anchored by the dynamic bass playing of Mike Frost - an artist with decades of worldwide touring and performing experience - they combine a crowd-pleasing sense of fun with adventurous, turn-on-a- dime musicianship.  As evidenced by their stellar CD releases, “Riddle Me This?” (2011,) “Get Frosted! Live at the Blue Horse” (2011,) “Frosty Christmas” (2012,) and “Live at the Red Pepper” (2013,) their sound contains elements of danceable funk, classic rock, and R&B, while their approach to jazz standards and modern ballads is laced with undeniable verve and performed with a soulful spirit. Mike Frost (bass) is a former student of jazz legends Pat Martino and Jaco Pastorius. He is a composer, studio musician, educator, recording engineer, and designer of Brickhouse speaker enclosures. Mike has recorded and performed with a long list of high-profile musicians including Donald Vega, Wycliffe Gordon, Jorma Kaukonen, Jimmy Bruno, New York Voices, The Gypsy Kings, David Mann (Tower of Power,) Manolo Badrena (Weather Report,) Todd Turkisher (David Byrne, Ute Lemper,) John Scarpulla (Tower of Power, Bruce Springsteen,) John Miceli (Meatloaf,) and George Cintron (Leslie West, Blue Oyster Cult.)  Lauren Meccia is a vocalist, saxophonist, educator, composer, and lyricist.  Listeners have said that her voice is like medicine,  comparing her tone to Norah Jones, Eva Cassidy, and Ella Fitzgerald.  Her saxophone sound has an organic warmth that is rare for the instrument, incorporating influences of bright jazz and dark classical styles and tonal colors. She is the director of jazz ensembles and instructor of saxophone and clarinet at USC Aiken.  She is the founder and director of the CSRA (Central Savannah River Area) New Horizons Band, a beginning band for adults.

For more information, please call the FAC Box Office, or visit the FAC website at www.fineartscenter.org.  The Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County is located at 810 Lyttleton Street in Camden. Office hours are Monday through Wednesday and Friday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Thursday 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

The Fine Arts Center is a 501c3 organization that is funded in part by the Frederick S. Upton Foundation and the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding provided by the City of Camden, Kershaw County, and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina along with donations from businesses and individuals.

Mama Mia: Vista Queen 17 Takes the Stage

By Haley Sprankle

You are the Vista Queen, young and sweet, only 17!

Wait… That’s not how the song goes, is it?

17 years ago, Larry Hembree had an idea for a fundraiser that wasn’t your typical drag show.

“This event features men who would not normally (for the most part) do drag, but who we turn into men who really look like amazing drag queens, not just men in a bad dress with some ‘sort of’ make up on,” Hembree explains. “There is always a theme that gives it some focus. The wonderful Clay Owens produces it and it is hosted by Terrance Henderson and Walter Graham, both of who look amazing in drag. There are also some hot men as men in it too! The evening is all about helping Trustus raise money and everyone having one hell of a good time.”

You may be asking yourself, “What constitutes as ‘men who would not normally do drag?” With a ballet routine to the theme from Miami Vice that Hembree “will never forget,” Sherriff Leon Lott won the first pageant 17 years ago. That certainly set the standard for subsequent contestants.

“The production team searches for men who we think will have some fun and who have the potential to raise money from their friends and colleagues and, of course, who have the guts and confidence to put on a pair of panty hose in public,” Hembree adds.

The men dawning the dresses for this evening of drag include Tug Baker, Kevin Bush, Gregory Garrett, Mario Guevara, and Wade Sellers.

“I’m excited about seeing Tug Baker without a beard, seeing Mario Guevara as Amy Winehouse and seeing how the audience connects to Kevin Bush' persona,” Hembree elaborates. “I am also simply curious to see what Wade Sellers looks like in drag, and I am most excited to see how Greg Garrett bring his experience as a professional hair artist to his own self.”

While this is a pageant, it’s still a fundraiser, so the criteria for the queens’ success is based 60 percent on how much money they raise and only 40 percent on the judges’ score, including talent, onstage personality, and final questions. So, how can you help them win?

“You can give for each contestant directly to the contestant, by calling the theatre at 254-9732 and donating for a specific person, as an online donation or by attending the event (it sold out in 23 minutes this year) and making a donation to specific contestants at the event,” Hembree says.

While Trustus is currently raising money for their capital campaign, none of the money raised at the pageant goes towards the campaign or Marv’s, the new bar.

“All the revenue goes to helping with operations at Trustus. The amount of revenue from tickets sales each season only account for 33% of what is needed to meet the theatre's budget,” Hembree informs. “Fundraisers like this one help us make up the difference. Operational expenses include things like payroll (we have 10 full time and part time employees and over 150 other contracts per season as everyone who works at Trustus in any capacity gets paid), electricity, marketing, taxes, costs associated with producing our shows and educational programming and benefits like health insurance.”

At the end of the night, everyone is a winner; the audience gets a great show, Trustus gets better funded, and one queen will leave with the title of Vista Queen 2015.

“[The prize is] a lovely sash and some opportunities to appear in public as the most esteemed representative of the Congaree Vista,” Hembree says. “And of course a lot of grief from friends.”

Anybody could be that queen, so be sure to make it out to Vista Queen 17: Barely Legal on April 13 and donate to your favorite!

Preview: NiA Company Brings Back the Complex Slavery Tale The Whipping Man for an April 11-13th Run

By Haley Sprankle

So often, when the topic of slavery arises, many make the rash assumption that all slave owners were bad and that all slaves hated their masters. It is assumed that slavery is solely an issue of racial prejudice. This clouds our understanding of slavery, all of its complexity and paradoxes, and how it ultimately comes down to incredibly personal and fraught relationships.

Fortunately, Matthew Lopez’s The Whipping Man, which the NiA Company is performing once again after a 2013 production, breaks that pattern.

“The Whipping Man is on the surface about a Jewish Confederate officer that returns home at the end of the Civil War to find two of his former slaves waiting among the ruins,” says Charlie Goodrich, who plays Caleb, the aforementioned office. “However, more specifically, I think that it is simply about a family, one that exists beyond biological or socio-economical barriers.  The three men that appear on stage fight, poke fun, celebrate, and enjoy each other’s company as members of a family do.  No matter the political circumstances, the familial bond still exists between them.”

The play revolves around three characters; Caleb, John (played by Michael Clark), the elder of the two remaining slaves of Caleb’s family, and Simon (played by Darion McCloud), the younger of the two. The three characters celebrate the traditional Jewish holiday of Passover together as they attempt to ascertain the nature of their new relationship.

“The Whipping Man addresses how it was possible for believers of a Faith that reveled in its celebrations of freedom could live with, condone, and put into practice an institution that vehemently juxtaposes itself against what they believed in the first place,” Goodrich explains. “Foremost, the play takes place during Passover in April of 1865.  The Jewish Festival of Passover commemorates the Israelites exodus from their enslavement in Egypt.  The three characters celebrate Passover with a Seder meal not long after the two former slaves were freed.  Throughout the dialogue leading up to this meal, various characters address what it meant to exist in the Jewish Faith as slaveholder and slave, and how this existence proved to be sometimes problematic in their understanding of this faith.”

Aside from the religious aspect, the play also calls into question not only the humanity of the situation the characters face, but the humanity of each character.

“Playing the aforementioned Confederate soldier has created an interesting crossroads between my personal feelings and the history of my family in this state,” confesses Goodrich. “It’s no secret that I’m a pretty liberal individual who has not always felt at home in a state that has historically been primarily conservative.  So, it’s no shocker that I went into the production thinking that a Confederate soldier would probably be a total 180 from myself.  However, a portion of my Grandmother’s family has been in this state since the 1690’s.  Towards the end of the 18^th century, a portion of them moved from the Lowcountry to York County.  Most of this land, near the town of McConnells, is farm country, and my ancestors owned and ran plantations.  Coming across some of their wills in my ancestral research years ago, I discovered that they were slave owners.”

“This discovery got me to thinking: while I am liberal now, how would I have thought 150 years ago?  While I, in no way, support slavery or oppression, would I have gone along with my family then or rebelled against them? It’s so easy for me to judge slaveholders now, but how do I know what my ancestors in the same situation were thinking? Did they like owning slaves or was it just Southern tradition that they were observing?  To make a long story short, researching my ancestors has opened me up to approaching Caleb without bias.  He’s just a man, and like every other man, he has strengths and weaknesses as well as assets and flaws.  He makes mistakes and is faced with a lot of the same life decisions that exist to this day. I’ve even been able to find parts of myself within him, and vice versa. Becoming Caleb has proven to be not just a fascinating and rewarding experience, but a relevant one as well.”

Throughout the production, the cast and crew have partnered with Historic Columbia, Columbia Commemorates, One Columbia, and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia in tandem with the end of Historic Columbia’s Burning of Columbia celebration that began in February.

“Partnering with all of these institutions has been highly beneficial, most especially in bringing in different audiences to see our show.  Columbia Commemorates and Historic Columbia will bring in history buffs; One Columbia will bring in artists; while Unitarian Universalist will bring in an entire congregation of people that are curious to see the play that will be produced in their sanctuary.  Unitarian Universalist also used to be a synagogue, and performing the piece there will add to the atmosphere of the play.  Furthermore, all of our rehearsals have been at the Unitarian church as well, and the staff and members there could not have been more kind, receptive, and helpful. It has been a pleasure to work with them in such close proximity,” Goodrich says.

So now we ask, what did it mean to be a slave? What did it mean to be a slave owner? What does it mean to be a family?

With some intriguing answers to such questions, The Whipping Man runs April 11-13 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia. Tickets can be purchased through reservations@historiccolumbia.org or at the door.

“I hope the audience will leave with a stronger insight into what it meant to be a slave or a slaveholder at the time of the Civil War,” Goodrich concludes. “Also, I hope audience members leave with a better understanding of what it truly means to be a ‘slave.’  The word is not, for a lack of a better phrase, all ‘black and white.’  There are countless ways that people can be enslaved or enslave themselves, and the playwright does an astute job of bringing up this issue.”

Call for Submissions: The Vistovka Transporte Project, an Indie Grits Installation

by: Abby Davis

Vistovka Transporte is a community driven arts installation coming to Indie Grits this year.  The project will use advertisements and public service announcements from the perspective of the city to illustrate how the people of Columbia view the future of public transportation.

Matt Tenebaum, the main brain behind Vistovka Transporte, says “It’s goal is to bring together these ideas under this year’s Indie Grits theme of future perfect and explore how people imagine an ideal Columbia, whether tomorrow or deep into a potential future.”

Borne from conversations with Andy Smith, executive director of the Nickelodeon, about doing a community-centered project that engaged with the festival’s theme, “Future Perfect,” the two eventually settled on the Vistoka Transporte idea. “We wanted a project that could get the community involved in the theme but also be a little satirical,” Tenebaum says. “When we discussed our mutual stories about biking and walking around Columbia, the idea to do the project about transportation began.”

The advertisements will be dispersed throughout the entire festival and placed in a way to make them look like natural advertisements done by the city. “We seek authenticity to both build the illusion that they are real and catch attention to the ideas they represent,” says Tenebaum.  A social media campaign will run simultaneously, serving both to draw attention to the ads and to explain the story behind them and the artists’ ideas for the future.

“Watching people think about issues or ideas that they feel strong about and then putting them into artistic form is a fascinating process,” Tenebaum continues. “Focusing that process towards a single subject reveals ideals and aspirations from many different people and paints its own picture of the community.  People want the city to be better; they aspire to live somewhere that has the things they want rather than just leave to somewhere that already has them.  They care, and for that reason I can’t wait to see what they have to say about their future perfect city.”

Submissions can be sent in through the website, vistovkatrasnporte.com or to vistovkatransporte@gmail.com.  Images need to be submitted as a jpg at a minimum of 300 dpi and cannot contain nudity or profanity.  Other than that, however, the project is open to a wide array of possibilities.  A sample list of potential subjects includes: “new or potential bike lanes, buses and bus routes, highway expansion, light rail, ride sharing programs, passenger tail lines, airport development and international terminal creation, super sonic air transportation, magnetic levitation trains, extra-orbital flights, space elevators, space ports, lunar travel, flights across the solar system, and interstellar travel.”

“One of the things I hope for the Vistovka to accomplish for the community is to draw those ideas into the fore.  The quality of them doesn’t matter in the face of simply putting them out there as inspiration for more,” concludes Tenebaum. “In many ways, the Vistovka really is just a textbook brainstorming session using Indie Grits as a white board.”