Who’s Charlie West?  Those who aren’t native to the area might not know that “Charlie West” is a nickname for “Charleston, West Virginia”.  Ever year the WV Blues Society holds the “Charlie West Blues Fest”.

This years festival is May 16, 2009 at Oakes Field in South Charleston.  This years acts include:

Albert Castiglia, Jason Ricci & New Blood, Jimi Vincent Band, Izzy & Chris,The Dennis McClung Blues Band, Mahajibee, Ms. Freddye & Blue Faze and Blues Crossing.

Gates open at noon and shows run from 1pm to 11pm. Admission is $20.  Blues Society members get in for $15.  Military Members and families with ID cards get in free.  No coolers or class is permitted on site however food vendors will be present.  For more information visit: www.wvbluessociety.org.

Aye, lads and lasses, celebrate the wearin O’ the green at Capitol Roasters this St. Patty’s day with a live performances of the Appalachian Celtic Consort.

The Consort plays traditional Irish and Scottish music mostly, but also a little old-time and some original compositions.

Catch them Tuesday March 17th at 7:00pm. at Capitol Roasters on the corner of Summers and Quarrier Streets. For more information on the band visit http://www.acelticconsort.com.

The Pulitzer Prize Winning and Tony Award Winning play Doubt comes to WVSU Capitol Center Theater via the Charleston Stage company.

The play takes place at a Bronx Catholic School in 1964 at time of change when the schools first black student is introduced and its harsh disciplinary guidelines are being reevaluated. Without a shred of evidence, accusations of molestation are made against Father Flynn, the priest trying to lax those guidelines, by Sister Aloysius, the strict principle of the school.  Caught in the middle Sister James, a young, inexperienced, yet enthusiastic teacher of eighth grade. Suspicions are raised but lack of clear evidence raises a shadow of Doubt.

The play runs  February 19-21 and 26-28 with performances starting at 8pm.  Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for Students and Seniors.  WVSU students with a valid ID can view the performance for free. For Tickets call: (304) 343-5272.

Contra style dances are traditional folk dances where couples dance in parallel lines facing each other.  One such dance is the Virginia Reel also know as Sir Roger De Coverly. FOOTMAD’s Concert series encompasses a variety of different traditional folk styles from around the world. Check out one or more of these December Events.

Corey Harris and the 5X5 Band – African Rasta Blues

Dec 13, 8pm
WV Cultural Center Theater  At The State Capitol Complex
Admission: $20 general; $15 seniors; $10 students.

Community Jam Series – Bring an Instrument and join in or just come and enjoy local traditional music.

Dec 14, 2:00 – 5:00pm
Alban Arts Center
65 Olde Main St St Albans

Free and open to the public

Contra Dance – Dane to the Music of Avant Gardeners.

Dec 19, 8 – 11pm
Activities Building
St John’s Episcopal Church
1105 Quarrier St

Admission: $7.00 Individual, $15 Family

Every year its a guarantee that some adaptation or version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” will be performed in the area. Why is this so? I suspect is has something to that actors tend to like to speak in a cockney dialect. It’s either that or the fact that because the book is in public domain, its fairly cheap to produce.  The Kanawha Players (KP) have the task of bringing the familiar curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge, to life.

What makes this adaptation unique is the play is actually based on the manuscript of one of Dickens’ platform readings. Before the days of books on tape, Dickens was know for traveling around Europe and America reading his stories to live audiences. This adaptation introduces a portrayal Dickens himself as the Narrator.

Performances will be 8 PM, December 12-13 & 19-20, 2008 at the Charleston Civic Center Little Theater. Tickets are $16 for Adults, $10 for anyone under 18 and can be ordered online through the KP Website or at the box office on the night of the show. The box office opens an hour before the performance.

Shirts are ok, Shoes as well, but no pants allowed. The “No Pants Players” are a local improv troupe founded in 2001 by Joe Wallace with a feel similar to the TV show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”.  They’re presenting their Christmas Joytacular December 5 & 6 at 8pm at the LaBelle Theater in South Charleston. Tickets are $6 and can be purchased at the door.

As a part of  the Joytacular, the troupe is also having a “Pants Drive” to help benefit The Covenant House.  Bring a new clothing item to either Joytacular performance and In return you will be entered into a contest to win great prizes and gifts from the many local businesses.

The comedic genius of Mel Brooks (Spaceballs, need I say more?) comes to Charleston with the musical “The Producers.”  The Charleston Light Opera Guild is presenting this musical about two theatrical producers who scheme to get rich by overselling interests in a Broadway flop. Things don’t go quite as planned when the play is actually hit.

The show will be held at the Charleston Civic Center Little Theater and will run October 31, November 1, 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2008 at 7:30 PM with a matinee on November 9, 2008 at 3:00 PM.  Tickets are $20 and go on sale that the box office starting October 20, 2008 from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM (Monday through Saturday) and one hour prior to curtain.

Most people remember the computer and console game “Lemmings”.  It involved little green haired characters marching across the screen, one by one, to their impending death unless you can find a way to divert them to their final destination.  One such way is put a parachute on them so that they don’t fall to impending doom.  This is what I think of when I think of Bridge Day.

Every year people from around the world converge on Fayette county to, like lemmings, parachute, rappel or highline one by one, off the New River Gorge bridge to the white water rapids below. The New River Gorge Bridge is the Longest steel arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere and is the second highest bridge in the United States. If your a thrill seeker or just like to see others risk their life, check bridge day this Saturday.  The festival runs all day but the Bridge Jumping events run only from 9am to 3pm.  Check out http://www.officialbridgeday.com for more information.

“Otaku” is a Japanese term that loosely translates to a Geek or someone who has obsessive interests.  Fans of Japanese animation–Anime and Manga–in the US have happily embraced this term to describe themselves.

Tsubasacon is the largest Otaku gathering in the state.  Originally started here in Charleston, the convention now makes its home in Huntington at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena’s Riverfront Ballroom and Conference Center.  It runs from September 26th to the 28th starting at 9am daily. Ticket prices vary per day; check out their website for more details.