An evening of blues-inspired music, art, and film to benefit the Nickelodeon Theatre. Featuring music by the blues duo Motherless Chillin’ (Mike Nazarenko and Jeff Liberty) and Sounds Familiar Records recording artists DayClean. There will be a cash bar, silent auction, food, films, and music videos. The date is Friday August 20th @ 701 Whaley Street with a suggested donation: $10 at the door. Come on out and help the Nick move to its new home! More info coming soon. Check out DayClean’s video:

DayClean – “Morning Comes” Music Video from Whispering Statues on Vimeo.

For kicks, Larry is going to try something like last year’s “Larry’s Family Reunion,” which was a real hoot. This year he has picked some of his favorite performers and friends to pretend he is deceased and share some laughs with you in this mock funeral that will leave you in stitches and also introduce you to some talented local folks.

He’ll be there incognito so you better behave (or actually don’t behave).

A celebration of his life will be held twice, August 6th and 7th at 7 p.m. in the Artspace at the Columbia Music Festival Association located at 914 Pulaski Street in the Vista in downtown Columbia. Funeral organizers ask that mourners get to the service early enough to drink at the cash bar, preferably beginning at 6 p.m. In his will, Larry mandated that everyone contribute money to attend the service and that this collection go to the Nickelodeon Theatre’s capital campaign. He requests that his devoted Nick members contribute $25 and others $30. There will also be an auction of silence at the service. Please bring an appropriate funeral dish to the service to share with other mourners. Photo opportunities with the corpse will be available for $5.00. Dress appropriately.

The funeral planning committee and people who will eulogize him include Patti O’Furniture, Gerald Floyd, the band Total Denial, Whitney Vance, Joe Hudson, Eve Ross, Jim Mooney, Kim Harne, Heather McCune, Dr. Kevin Lewis. We’re Not Your Mother’s Tabernacle Choir, Gaile Brown, Andrew Cline, Danny Jenkins and Ashley Hayes. To get your reservations to the funeral, please go to www.nickelodeon.org and click on “Larry’s Last Laugh.” It would be awful to get excluded from a funeral. Oh, and this funeral is closed to anyone under 18.

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Last night we were treated to the lively sounds of the Upton Trio at the home of Kirkman and Kathleen Finlay, who graciously opened their doors and welcomed a crowd at a benefit concert for the Nickelodeon Theatre, the SC Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and the Upton Trio. We can’t wait for the Trio to play at the Fox when we move in. If you love them like we do, you can see them next Tuesday, December 15th at The White Mule.

If you’re still trying to decide what to give your favorite people this year, Nickelodeon memberships make great gifts. Want to really wow your loved ones? Buy them their very own chair in the new theater, or make sure their name appears on the wall of stars in the new lobby. We won’t be ready to show movies in the new space for another year, but we have a layaway plan and you’ll still get credit for the gift this year! Come check us out the next two Saturdays at our table at the All Local Farmers’ Market at 701 Whaley.

Mingle & Jingle on Main is a continuation of Frame of Mind’s Art Series held the first Thursday of every month. The event is a holiday themed block party that will include various visual and performing artists including artists Jean Bourque, Virginia Scotchie, Stephanie Britt, Eileen Blyth, Howard Hunt and the Village Artists, and many more.

The old Silver’s building will feature the works of Dre Lopez, Sammy Lopez, Nikolai Oskolkov and Kirill Simin with a performance by dancer Sherry Warren and music being spun all evening by DJ GLDFNGR.

The Nick will be projecting seasonal images on the outside wall of the old Silver’s building, and we’ll have an exhibit featuring the work of seven different artists in our future home, the Fox theater. The exhibit will run through Sunday (Friday and Saturday, 10-4 and Sunday 1-4). Free Times will have a taste of Delirium Tribal and Columbia Alternacirque. Mac’s on Main, Villa Tronco, and The Whig will be on hand for food and drink.

There will also be a sneak peek of Crafty Feast that is being held on December 12th. Carolers and music will be on the street while Sonny D and friends (w/ the Palmetto Swing Dancers) will be inside Gotham Bagel. Several of the featured downtown retailers (such as the Museum Shop and Capitol Places) and restaurants will be extending their hours for the event.

And as an added bonus, you will have a chance to meet and greet with some of the cast and crew from Dog Days (a local film directed and produced by Kirk Bair). Don’t miss the opportunity to support our own as they push to make Columbia a shining star in the independent film industry.