WEDNESDAY 28

Piggyback!: Beeswax opens Wednesday at the Nickelodeon Theatre.

True, there exist several punk bands that exist solely to be funny, but the Altercation Punk Comedy Tour actually features stand-up comedians instead of live bands; the “punk comedy” label refers to the tour’s use of similar do-it-yourself ideology and tendency to book gigs at punk clubs over comedy clubs. (The tour’s title also refers to founder J.T. Habersaat’s punk ‘zine Altercation.) The tour hits the New Brookland Tavern tonight; local punk trio You Me and Us also plays. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.; admission is $8. Call 791-4413 or visit newbrooklandtavern.com for more information.

The good about Beeswax, opening tonight at the Nickelodeon Theatre: “Beeswax ... turns out to be a remarkably subtle, even elegant movie,” says The New York Times. The bad: “This is another rough-edged, noodling affair in which genial but frustratingly self-absorbed twenty- and thirty-somethings chatter on and on about their lives, loves and finances,” says The Hollywood Reporter. The fair-to-middling: “There are fine, fresh observational moments, but the film is much ado about not so much,” writes Entertainment Weekly. As always, Eight Days says see the film yourself and make up your own damn mind: Beeswax screens at 3 and 8 p.m. Call 254-3433 or visit nickelodeon.org for more information.


THURSDAY 29

Though it’s no longer led by the man who lends his name to it, the Charles Wadsworth and Friends concert series kicks off the inaugural season of artistic director Edward Arron tonight at the Columbia Musuem of Art. Arron, like Wadsworth, will get by with a little help from his friends: Arron and some frequent concert series guests — pianist Rieko Aizawa, violinist Corey Cerovsek and violist Toby Appel — will perform works by Schumann, Beethoven and more at 8 p.m. Admission is $35; $30 for members. Call 799-2810 or visit
columbiamusuem.org for more information.


FRIDAY 30

The Greencards perform Friday at the Newberry Opera House.

Carpe Noctem! The Unbound Dance Company seizes the night tonight at 701 Whaley; the cover package has more starting on page 16.
OK, so Halloween proper isn’t until tomorrow but your Samhain saturnalia shouldn’t be restricted to All Hallow’s Eve. The Columbia Museum of Art’s Contemporaries young professionals group certainly isn’t waiting; the Contemporaries host Masquerade de Macabre, this year’s installment of their annual Black and White Ball, tonight in the Museum. And while the Contemporaries won’t be handing out candy, there are still treats to be had: In addition to behind-the-scenes tours of the museum’s collections, live music, heavy h’ors d’ouevres and an open bar, the Contemporaries will be auctioning off a one-of-a-kind piece of art by glassmaster Dale Chihuly. The party begins at 8 p.m.; admission is $50 for Contemporaries and museum members. Call 343-2197 or visit columbiamusuem.org to register or for more information.

Rising stars on the progressive bluegrass scene, The Greencards, over the couse of a mere six years, have become one of the most critically lauded newgrass outfits, drawing raves from such wide-ranging entities as Country Music Television, Billboard, The American Music Association and National Public Radio. Oh yeah, they’ve also toured with both Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. So yeah, reader, The Greencards are hot s#!t. They play the Newberry Opera House at 8 p.m.; tickets are $30. Call 276-6264 or visit newberryoperahouse.com for more information

Delayed after an injury to lead actress Monica Wyche, Trustus Theatre opens its silver anniversary production of Extremities tonight; remember, the domestic violence parable was the first production the vaunted local theatre troupe ever put on. Curtain rises at 8 p.m.; call 254-9732 or visit trustus.org for more information.


SATURDAY 31

This year, Halloween falls on a weekend. And while Eight Days and The Geto Boys will be trick or treatin’, you, loyal reader, might be in the mood for something less deplorable and more socially acceptable than robbing little kids for bags. It’s with you in mind that we put together a complete list of Halloween happenings; you can find it back in our cover package, which begins on page 16.

Look, Halloween just isn’t Halloween without trick-or-treating, costume contests, pumpkin carving and live music. So grab your costume — Eight Days suggests The Corpse of Mark Sanford’s Political Career — and head down to Five Points for the Five Points Association’s annual Halloween in Five Points soiree; the All Hallow’s Eve happening is replete with pumpkin carving, live magicians, trick-or-treating and costume contests — one for adults and one for the kids. Twilight Armada kicks off the music at 6 p.m., with The Love Handles and Tootie and the Jones taking the stage at 7 and 8 p.m., respectively. The festivities get under way circa 3 p.m., and all the events are free. Call 748-7373 or visit fivepointscolumbia.com for more information.

Call Eight Days crazy, but we think the best day to see the High Voltage Theatre’s production of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is on Halloween proper. You can do so tonight at the West Columbia Riverwalk Amphitheatre at 8 p.m.; admission is $12. Call 754-5244 or visit headlesshorsemanriver.com for more information, and click here for a full slate of Halloween happenings.

And, again, call Eight Days crazy if you must, but we apply the same logic to the Columbia City Ballet’s production of Dracula: Ballet with a Bite. This year’s production of Dracula features some new blood and some fresh choreography, bringing new life into this long-running production about undead, blood-sucking freaks from another country. Tickets range from $12 to $45, and the coffin opens … er, curtain rises at 7:30 p.m. Call 799-7605 or visit columbiacityballet.com for more information.


SUNDAY 1

By all accounts, Peter Cooper is an underrated man. Which is unfortunate, as the unheralded inventor and entrepreneur did some pretty revolutionary stuff; among other things, he developed household uses for powdered gelatin (read: he invented Jell-O), built the first American steam-powered locomotive, supervised the laying of the first transatlantic telegraph cable and invented the I-beam, which would allow architects to build skyscrapers. And he remains to this day the oldest person to run for president, mounting a campaign in 1876 at the age of 85. The documentary Mechanic to Millionaire celebrates Cooper’s extraordinary life; it screens at 2:30 p.m. at the South Carolina State Museum. The viewing is free with museum admission; call 898-4982 or visit
scmuseum.org for more information.


MONDAY 2

Flutes and bassoons and oboes, oh my! The University of South Carolina Wind Ensemble performs at free recital a
7:30 p.m. at the Koger Center. Insert your own “breaking wind” joke here. Call 777-4278 for more information.


TUESDAY 3

Wake me when we get to “Georgia on My Mind”: Willie Nelson comes to the Koger Center on Tuesday.

If The Simpsons has taught Eight Days anything — and it’s taught us lots — it’s that you don’t say no to The Red-Headed Stranger. Willie Nelson performs tonight at the Koger Center; the music section has more on page 44.

The Columbia Museum of Art’s Baker and Baker Art of Music series kicks off a two-year survey of American images in sound at 7 p.m. with a rollicking evening of bluegrass from local bluegrass outfit High Lonesome and special guest Pat Ahrens. Admission is $10, $8 for museum members; call 733-2810 or visit columbiamuseum.org.


WEDNESDAY 4

Seraphine vividly recounts the tragic story of French painter Séraphine Louis, a self-taught painter who came to prominence only to descend into madness and obscurity with the onset of the Great Depression and World War II. The film opens today at the Nickelodeon Theatre; call 254-3433 or visit nickelodeon.org for more information.