Okay, I admit it, I’m slacking off this week.  First I decided to delay Radio Free Charleston episode 50 for a week, then I kept putting off this post.  In my defense, it’s my birthday today, so I get to be lazy for a change.  So lazy that I’m not going to update the Monday Morning Art Store until next week.  So don’t bother looking for the above image on a shirt or anything yet.  You can click to enlarge it, though.

Carrying on the general theme of self-indulgence, today’s art is a self-portrait. It’s a digitally-assaulted photograph/digital painting of a test shot from a short film that will probably never get made.  It was supposed to be a Film Noir detective story.  Feel free to leave any “Dick” jokes in the comments section.

Following the jump, you can check out some photos of the bands I caught last weekend, which you probably already sampled via the PopCult instant video that I posted Sunday evening.  If you didn’t, scroll down and watch and listen.

Under The Radar played Friday before the ballgame at Appalachian Power Park. They put on a killer show, and will be performing next month at St. Albans City Park. We’ll have more details as the date approaches.

Julie, the sister of UTR’s lead singer/guitarist Rusty Marx, joined the band for a few tunes and shined on some Led Zep and Fleetwood Mac songs.

Speaking of St. Albans City Park, The Ghosts Of Now emerged from a long hibernation to rock the park last Saturday in the twilight hours.  It’s a good thing they were playing outside, because they would have blown the roof off of any arena.

After the show, the band posed for pictures for and with fans.  The Ghosts Of Now will be at the Sound Factory on August 29 and The Blue Parrot on September 13.  You should go see them for a night of rock excellence.

Speaking of The Blue Parrot, The Synergy Collective brought their distinctive brand of thoughtful semi-acoustic blues rock to one of Charleston’s most photogenic bars Saturday night.  Even minus the interpretive dancing of Lacy (she was under the weather with the same sort of late-summer cold that kept Mel out of the Parrot that night), the band put on a killer set that had audience members enthralled. 

The evening was not totally devoid of dancing, as the patrons of the Parrot stepped up to take the dance floor.  August 23, The Synergy Collective invades The Empty Glass.  You ought to head out and see what all the fuss is about.