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New Brookland Tavern moved to a new location in Five Points in late 2023. The music venue and bar voted the most productive place for live music.
Still from “Pater Noster and the Mission of Light”, an independent horror film filmed and produced by Colombian filmmaker and musician Chris Bickel. (Photo provided)
Terrance Henderson teaches choreography in USC’s theater program (Photos via Sarah Danelli/Post Special
The Nick is a non-profit independent movie theater on Main Street in Columbia.
Preach Jacobs, the hip-hop artist of 2024, DJs at a Columbia Food and Wine Festival event at the Dragon Room.
Readers voted for the arts, music and entertainment in Colombia. Here’s what they said.
In its 37th year, this downtown birthday party of Hellenic life, culture, faith and, most importantly, gastronomy is about the same age as Free Times. The Greek festival fully embraces the joyful spirit of life. There is baklava, gyros, souvlaki, spanakopita. , folk dances, craft beer, Mediterranean wine and pastries, vintage exhibits, and tours of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, which hosts this huge fundraiser every year as an unofficial kickoff to fall. Oops!
Honorable Mention: Columbia Food & Wine Festival, South Carolina Pride Celebrated
As a cultural anchor in the Midlands, the CMA alternates traveling exhibitions from major museums across the country with profound reinterpretations of themes using pieces from its own extensive collection, as well as performances by emerging regional artists. The festive atmosphere of Arts and Drafts and free concerts at Boyd Plaza on First Thursdays attract a younger crowd, while the works by Renaissance and Baroque masters in the Kress permanent collection never cease to amaze.
Honorable Mention: Camden Art Shoppes, Mike Brown Contemporary
New Brookland Tavern moved to a new location in Five Points in late 2023. The concert hall and bar were voted as the venue for live music.
You would have possibly moved from West Columbia to the equally historic (though still more student-friendly) Five Points area, however, Columbia’s premier place to see local, touring bands in an intimate club setting is still in operation. fashion. Now, in an iconic area of Harden Street that has hosted everything from a nightclub to a movie theater, NBT remains the most productive position to watch the next big thing in local music.
Honorable Mention: Art Bar, Steel Hands Brewing
There is a new call for professional dance in the city, but SC Ballet has existed for 63 years as Columbia City Ballet; Its rebranding recognizes the many tours and outreach activities that have an effect on each and every corner of the state. Seasons led by artistic and executive director William Starrett swap audience-pleasing themes annually (The Nutcracker, Dracula: Ballet with a Bite) with classics (Giselle, Romeo, and Juliet) and original works celebrating the Beatles, Motown, and the visual art of Jonathan Green.
Honorable Mention: Carolina Ballet by Ann Brodie, Columbia Repertory Dance Company
Almost every child dreams of being the Sugar Plum Fairy or the Nutcracker Prince, and for over 40 years, founder Anita Ashley and her team of dance professionals have provided this opportunity, with categories for beginners from ages 3 years up to students. preparing for conservatory education or careers in ballet or Broadway. Lessons in tap, jazz, new genres and more round out the extensive list of options.
Honorable Mention: Palmetto Dance Center, SC Music and Dance Academy
Come on, as for DJ nicknames, you have to admit that this one appears. Also known as DJ Stingray 803, this artist knows how to get the party started. Music bingo, karaoke, weddings, private events and club concerts – your devotees are obviously in a position to shop around.
Honorable Mention: DJ Haile, DJ Prince Ice
Bickel, a former punk rock frontman and popular karaoke host, is now a visionary but still iconoclastic author of micro-budget underground films like “Bad Girls” and “The Theta Girl. “Their next project, the bloody horror film “Pater Noster and the Mission of Light,” is set to premiere this fall, but enthusiasts were able to watch music videos and listen to original soundtrack music last year, leading to this year’s victory. .
Honorable mention: Idris Pearson, Wade Sellers
A symbol taken from “Pater Noster and the Mission of Light”, an independent horror film filmed and produced by Colombian filmmaker and musician Chris Bickel. (Photo provided)
It’s a match made in rock ‘n’ roll heaven: Art Bar has been hosting popular karaoke events, as well as live music and upbeat dance parties for years, and DJ Linda Carr has plenty of fans across the Midlands. So it’s no surprise that her weekly concerts at the Art Bar have been selected as Columbia’s favorite venue to showcase her vocal prowess in places other than the shower.
Honorable Mention: Events organized by Snow/Kevin Snow, The Capital Club
Wait, Henderson is a dancer and choreographer. No, he is a singer. In reality, he is all that: educator, director, activist and self-proclaimed “instigator. ” The carnivorous plant’s vocal role is the ultimate laugh in “Little Shop of Horrors,” yet Henderson, as a choreographer, devised a way to be noticed and heard in last summer’s Trustus production, portraying an entirely different type. of man-eater, which led to this year’s victory.
Honorable Mention: Paul Lindley, Taylor Diveley
Terrance Henderson teaches choreography in the USC theater program (Photos via Sarah Danelli/Special to the Post
Playing a disgruntled valedictorian student who just needs to take her friend dancing in last summer’s production of “The Prom” at the Trustus Theatre, Liv Moody broke — and then warmed — our hearts. Still, he’s been running professionally at Columbia Children’s Theatre for years now, playing the lead role in “Pinkalicious” and several roles in “The Little Mermaid Comedy. “In the university too, the Acting Force is evidently strong in the university.
Honorable Mention: Brittany Hammock, Mel Driggers
There’s a bit of Buckingham/Nicks in their harmonies, and a bit of Alison Krauss and Robert Plant in their folk guitar and mandolin sound, but Jessica Skinner and Jeff Pitts have forged their own acoustic identity as Prettier Than Matt. Capable of thrilling thousands of people at an open-air festival or pleasantly accompanying visitors in an intimate brasserie, this dynamic duo mixes popular versions with originals, ensuring maximum musical enjoyment.
Honorable Mention: Civil Appeal, Interrupted Girl
Have you heard the comedian who was so funny that he voted the most productive in Columbia?Columbia Comics is a collegial, supportive group, creating its own audiences and fans when they appear in locations around the world. Snyder, whose self-proclaimed purpose is to “bring all people together through laughter,” is one of the mainstays of the local scene, and you’re sure to stop by smiling after one of his concerts.
Honorable Mention: Phil Carter, Sam Clarke
Not only does the Trustus Theatre offer state-of-the-art plays and musicals, but it also houses an improv and comedy comic book team. Drawing on local college comedy troupes, the wealth of comedic skills discovered among Trustus Company members, and the near-endless number of skilled local performers, The Mothers delivers satire and silliness between main stage performances and on occasions and venues around town.
Honorable Mention: Bustercups, Tomorrowquest Theater
Preach Jacobs, the best hip hop artist of 2024, performs as a DJ at a Columbia food and wine festival in Dragon Room.
A staple of the local music scene, “Preach” is also (and a regular Free Times columnist), host, DJ, occasional performer, and even a Columbia ambassador. Expert at creating music and setting the right mood for a variety of low-key, high-energy events, this artist is a true Columbia original.
Honorable Mention: Bustercups, H3RO
Whether he leads bands of all sizes on trumpet or solo, Mark Rapp delivers a lively show, making jazz a regular fixture in places where previously only rock music could be found. In addition, it has created several outreach systems to attract and teach a more varied audience. Collaborations with local theaters and dance corporations have led to successful multidisciplinary productions, helping to foster a revitalization of the jazz scene in Colombia.
Honorable Mention: Robert Gardiner, Amos Hoffman
Thank goodness the capital is right in the middle of the state and our state museum is right in the middle of the city. This makes it seamlessly available to tourists and school teams from all corners of the state and beyond, as well as local tourists. There is history, science, nature, art, culture – everything that makes South Carolina special, curated and interpreted to tell our story.
Honorable Mention: Anne Frank Center, EdVenture Children’s Museum
Chances are, you’ll see Rapp leading a lively outdoor band at a brewery or art festival, or at a fancy restaurant full of complicated musicians dancing to cool tunes. However, he also offers many solo concerts, performing in smaller clubs, in private. Professional occasions and receptions. Man, this jazz cat doesn’t sleep!
Honorable Mention: Jody Jackson, Rut Spence
As we approach our 40th anniversary, Vista’s Trustus Theatre remains true to the vision of its founders Kay and Jim Thigpen: to make theatre more available to a more varied audience and to produce exhibitions that are unlikely to be held in Colombia: the risky, the controversial, the new and avant-garde, the disturbing. . . and downright unpleasant. Or what other people would say, anyway, theater is theater. Expect the unexpected, from Pulitzer and Tony Prizes to premieres of original works.
Honorable Mention: Workshop Theatre, Columbia Children’s Theatre
You may have seen Little Shop before, but never like this! Last summer’s Trustus production featured an impressive vocal cast that included Equity artists Jonathan Monk and Hunter Boyle, but noted choreographer Terrance Henderson doubled the role of the murderous menace Audrey II. Spoiler alert for an exhibit that ended a year ago: Venturing beyond a rich baritone and some anthropomorphic lips into a Venus Flytrap puppet, Henderson has become a mobile, interactive Audrey who’s part Tina Turner, Little Richard and all hilarity.
Honorable Mention: CATS (Atelier Theater), The Sound of Music (City Theater)
The Nick is a non-profit independent movie theater on Main Street in Columbia.
There are fewer festivals in this category each year, but the leaders of this venerable nonprofit arthouse sense that there’s more to life than just Netflix and chilling. Hence a tempting list of pop hits like “Barbie” interspersed with classics, foreign films, thematic festivals and educational outreach programs. Oh, and a wide variety of craft beers and wines.
Honorable Mention: AMC Harbison, Regal Sandhills
It possibly would have started as a way for some community taverns to generate some business, however, St. John’sPat’s has the iconic social event in the Five Points area, attracting 50,000 or more attendees when it’s not raining. -A curated variety of bands is essential, with popular older artists, cutting-edge newcomers and emerging local stars all components of the formula. Additionally, profits are donated to charities. Erin, show off!
Honorable Mention: Hidden City Music Fest, Main Street Jazz Fest via ColaJazz
Of course, it is the choice. It is the 94-year-old municipal corridor where medium-sized artists perform. But the township has welcomed everyone from Bruce Springsteen to the Marscorridor Tucker Band to Bob Dylan and Crosby, Stills.
Honorable Mention: New Brookland Tavern, Senate
Located in the St. Andrews area, Sims Music has thrived for forty-five years as the area’s best choice for tools, audio equipment, studio and recording supplies, band tool rentals, string repair and even classes in partnership with Freeway Music. and controlled through a circle of musical relatives, The Sims will have you rocking in no time.
Honorable Mention: Musician Supply, Pecknel
The diversity of the finalists shows how much we can all want to celebrate differently: with smart food, cold beer or family fun. Transmission Arcade offers all three, with eclectic gastropub-style bar food (like smoked wigs and Banh Mi fries). , craft beer from regional microbreweries, and several dozen vintage video games and pinball games to choose from. And the little ones can also play until 8 p. m.
Honorable Mention: Crafts and Draft, Trois Fontaines Skating Rink
Just a generation ago, the discreet steel sign next to the front was the only hint of any kind of club inside. Still, this downtown destination has been a haven for the LGBTQ network for years and now proudly and boldly welcomes everyone. conventional, with several local clubs offering some form of entertainment with strutting divas, but there is a lot to be said for original and authentic.
Honorable mention: PT’s 1109, The Venue
Their site sums it up simply: “helping musicians move toward their goals since 1988. “This equates to 150 years in an organization: years of longevity. Founder Jay Matheson has played in several bands and is the founder of the aptly named Jam Room Music Festival, so he and his team know a studio well. They will help you raise it to 11 or even lower it a bit if necessary.
Honorable Mention: Saucewithspoons, Seaboard Recording Studio
Today, vinyl is gold to creditors and audiophiles, but Papa Jazz sold vinyl when it was cool the first time and still maintains a major presence as an iconic component of the Five Points scene. Recent renovations and innovations have improved the store’s decades of existence. old facility on Greene Street, but we have the same wide variety of options and knowledgeable staff as always.
Honorable Mention: 2d and Charles
You may not know it, but you’ve seen her running everywhere. As a painter, she is guilty of the “Lady Vista” mural in the parking lot of Motor Supply Co. As an illustrator, Maloney has created labels for Peak Drift Brewing and posters for the State Fair, Open StudiosArray Famously Hot New Year’s, and much more. Look for copies of his paintings at outdoor festivals like Rosewood Arts, Crafty Feast, and Cottontown Art Crawl, too.
Honorable Mention: Christine Crawford, Joel Cothran