Charleston Music Hall &#8211; OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Why You Should Go: This is the pilot show of our new series that seeks to present a unique experience to the audience, as we build a conversation about what inspires local bands to create. These hard working musicians can be seen in bars, clubs, and venues throughout the Southeast, and we want to celebrate them as well as present them to new audiences while uncovering the stories behind the music.

Searching for Sugar Man film screening

Wed. Sept. 7th

7:30pm

$10 – Individual | $8 Student | $42 Dinner & a Film

Ticket Link

Why You Should Go: The CMH Film Series continues with an incredible film on Mexican – American songwriter, Rodriguez. This film won an Academy Award in 2013. Check out the trailer here!

The Most RACES Show on Earth

w/ Dino Archie, Amir K, Dave Merheje, KT Tatara, and Rob HaZe

Thu. Sept. 8th

8pm

$15 Individual | $10 Military & Student (Box Office Only)

Why You Should Go: Race, culture, and comedy will collide for one night only as The Most RACES Show on Earth! returns to the Music Hall for the third year in a row! MRSOE is an internationally touring stand-up comedy show that presents some of the best comedians comprised of different ethnicities, cultures, and religions.

A Phish and Grateful Dead Celebration featuring Runaway Gin & Holly Bowling

Fri. Sept. 9th

8pm

$15 ADV | $18.5o DOS

Why You Should Go: The event will feature Holly Bowling, a classically trained pianist who has reimagined the music of The Grateful Dead for solo piano, and Charleston’s own, Runaway Gin, who will be performing the music of Phish for a 3 hour super jam collaborating with some of Charleston’s finest musicians.

Women & Dylan: A Tribute to Bob Dylan

Sat. Sept. 10th

8pm

$15 – ADV | $18 DOS

Why You Should Go: Women & Dylan is a tribute show to Bob Dylan featuring some of Charleston’s best female vocalists. The series is the brainchild of local musicians Lindsay Holler and Hazel Ketchum who thought it would be interesting to have women interpret the songs of Tom Waits. Women & Waits was a magical evening indeed. So magical, that we decided to keep the series rolling with Women & Young and Women & Bowie. We have gathered an amazing and diverse line up of singers ranging from age 18 – 63!

Todd Snider’s East Nashville Revue

w/ East Side Bulldogs, Elizabeth Cook, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Kevin Gordon, and Rorey Carroll

Sun. Sept. 11th

5pm

$25 – Tier 2 | $35 Tier 1

Why You Should Go: Todd Snider’s East Nashville Revue offers a unique chance to see some of Nashville’s best in the Americana/Country scene. This show brings Elizabeth Cook, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Kevin Gordon, Rorey Carroll all to Charleston for a great time! This show will run from 5pm until aproxemnelty 10pm and AutoBanh will be on site all evening serving food!

James Brown w/ Special Guests

Wed. Sept. 14th

8pm

$39 – Tier 3 | $44 – Tier 2 | $49 – Tier 1

Why You Should Go: When James Brown passed away in 2006, he left a void in the entertainment world that will likely never be filled. However, he left behind his band. This is the band that Mr. Brown wished to carry on his music and legacy. There are many James Brown tribute acts and imitators, but this is the Real James Brown Band.

An Afternoon with Glennon Doyle Melton

Sun. Sept. 18

1:30pm

$59 General Admission | $109 VIP

Why You Should Go: Glennon returns to the Music Hall after a sold out event last year! Glennon is a sought-after public speaker and her work has been featured on the TODAY Show, The Talk, OWN, and NPR and in The New York Times, Ladies’ Home Journal, Glamour, Family Circle, Parents Magazine, Newsweek, Woman’s Day, and in other television and print outlets. She is a powerful and moving speaker who relates to the audience in vulnerable ways.

Jake Shimabukuro

Sun. Sept. 18

8pm

$29.50 – Tier 2 | $39.50 – Tier 1

Why You Should Go: Jake combines the qualities of a virtuoso ukulele player with modern rock musician to create a sound that’s uniquely his own but still firmly grounded in Hawaiian tradition. This show will be filmed for the ETV show Live at the Charleston Music Hall! You won’t want to miss this night. Get a sneak peak here!

Squirrel Nut Zippers

Wed. Sept. 21

8pm

$25 – Tier 2 | $35 – Tier 1

Why You Should Go: In honor of the 20th Anniversary of the album, Hot, the bands visionary creator Jimbo Mathus, along with founding member and partner Chris Phillips (Drums), have crafted a brand new stage show including singer Ingrid Lucia of Flying Neutrino’s fame. Several leading musicians from New Orleans have also been enlisted to serve up the band’s unique musical flavor which owes its roots to New Orleans. Check out this video.

Beers Runners Film Screening

Thu. Sept. 22

8:15pm

FREE EVENT

Why You Should Go: Justin Wirtalla’s inspiring documentary is a celebration of the small actions that can affect the lives of so many others. The film follows the genesis of an eclectic group of well-seasoned runners and newbies alike as they meet each week to promote exercise, camaraderie, and great-tasting beer, culminating in a pilgrimage to Spain where they finally meet their patron saint, the Professor. Come join the Charleston Beer Runners who will be running before the film and meeting at the venue at 8:15. You can learn more about Charleston Beer Runners on their Facebook page. BKed pretzel company will also be in the house serving delicious warm pretzels.

Soggy Bottom Boys

Fri. Sept. 23

8pm

$35 – Tier 3 | $45 – Tier 2 | $55 – Tier 1

Why You Should Go: The hit song from O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Man of Constant Sorrow, went on to garner several awards, including a Grammy for best Country Collaboration with Vocals and the Country Music Assocation’s award for best single of the year. The song’s popularity prompted a roadshow of sorts, taking the group all the way to Carnegie Hall. Not bad for a fake band covering a song first published in 1913 by a blind Kentucky fiddler named Dick Burnett.

Charleston Jazz Orchestra: Voices of Charleston

Sat. Sept. 24

5pm & 8pm

Adults: $40-$55 | Seniors(65+): $35-$50 | Students: $10

Why You Should Go: Armed with a roster stacked with some of the most talented musicians in South Carolina, the Charleston Jazz Orchestra, led by music director and conductor, Charlton Singleton, is set to awe and inspire with a lively and diverse 2016 season of programming.

Kidz Bop Kids: Life of the Party Tour

Sun. Sept. 25

3:30pm

$29.50 – Tier 2 | $35 Tier 1 | $100 VIP m&g

Why You Should Go: The best-selling children’s music brand is taking its 15th birthday celebration on the road with the ALL-NEW “Life Of The Party” tour. The brand-new, national live tour will hit over 50+ cities in 2016. This show is almost sold out so grab your tickets before they are gone!

Violent Femmes

Tue. Sept. 27

8pm

SOLD OUT

Thanks Charleston for making this show a sell out!

The Dandy Warhols

w/ Savoy Motel

Thu. Sept. 29

8pm

$25

Why You Should Go: Distortland is the Dandy Warhol’s first record for Dine Alone, and their first studio LP since 2012’s This Machine. Though four years between releases is certainly a long time in the usual demand of the corporate world, that is not a schedule the Dandy’s ascribe to – they let the art and the music dictate, instead. That hasn’t always been a favored stance, but it’s one they stuck too.

Peter Frampton Raw Acoustic Tour

w/ Julian Frampton

Fri. Sept. 30

8pm

$59.50 – Tier 3 | $69.50 – Tier 2 | $79.50 – Tier 1

$179.50 VIP Tour Package | $350 Meet & Greet Package

Why You Should Go: Peter Frampton is a living legend and for the first time ever he will be performing stripped-down versions of his classic hits including “Baby, I Love Your Way,” “Lines On My Face,” “Do You Feel Like I Do,” “Show Me The Way” and more.

Sarah Jarosz & Parker Millsap

Sat. Oct. 1

8pm

$24.50 Tier 2 | $29.50 Tier 1 | $5 Discount for Students (w/ valid ID at Box Office only)

Why You Should Go: This evening will bring two of the best in Americana/Folk together. Jarosz is touring her latest album, Undercurrent, whose 11 original songs seem to reveal new lyrical depth and sonic nuance with every listen. Millsap is a 23-year-old whose character-driven songs mine deep wells of joy and despair to create gut-punching narratives that are sometimes hellish, sometimes heavenly, and always human. It’s going to be a fantastic night.

Pop Life! Celebrating the Music of Prince

Sun. Oct. 2

8pm

$20

Why You Should Go: After a thrilling, SOLD OUT performance of Nothing Compares 2 U: A Tribute 2 Prince at the historic Charleston Music Hall, Charlton Singleton and Friends RETURN for PART TWO! Pop Life! Celebrating the Music of Prince promises to be another show-stopping night of music and love celebrating one of the most recognizable and iconic mega superstars of our time, Prince Rogers Nelson. Join Charlton, Quiana Parler, and newly named Poet Laureate of Charleston Marcus Amaker as they lead the Superfunkacalifragisexy Tribute Band through PART TWO of what was and will again be an amazing night of energy, artistry, and of course… LOVE!

Women & Radiohead: A Tribute to Radiohead

Fri Oct. 7

8pm

$15 ADV | $18 DOS

Why You Should Go: The “Women &” series continues with this tribute to Radiohead. This special show will include Entropy Ensemble as the backing band to some of Charleston’s best female vocalists.

Jonny Lang

w/ K Phillips

Sun. Oct. 9

8pm

$35 – Tier 3 | $45 Tier 2 | $55 Tier 1

Why You Should Go: Lang’s new album, Fight For My Soul, defies categorization by a single genre. The textured arrangements, broad worldview, gorgeous vocal melodies, and expressive guitar playing are what define Lang as an artist.

Blues Traveler

Mon. Oct. 10

8pm

$34.50 – Tier 3 | $44.50 – Tier 2 | $54.50 – Tier 1

Why You Should Go: After selling millions of records and logging thousands of miles on the road, GRAMMY award-winning band Blues Traveler continue to chart new musical directions evident on their upcoming record Blow Up The Moon. A clever collaboration between various artists, Blow Up The Moon sees Blues Traveler keep an open-minded perspective on making music and enlists an eclectic mix of songwriters influenced by the band’s remarkable 25+ year career.

The Wood Brothers

w/ Patrick Sweany

Tues. Oct. 11

8pm

$25 – Tier 2 | $29.50 – Tier 1

Why You Should Go: The Wood Brothers blew us away last year, and we are thrilled to have them back on our stage! This time around, they’ll be touring their album, ‘Paradise,’ an album about longing and desire and the ways in which the pursuit of fulfillment can keep it perpetually out of our reach. This show sold out last year so do not wait to buy your tickets.

Henry Rollins

Wed. Oct. 12

7:30pm

$32.50 ADV | $35 DOS

Why You Should Go: In describing Henry Rollins, the tendency is to try to squeeze as many labels as possible into a single sentence. “Rollins is many things,” says the Washington Post, “diatribist, confessor, provocateur, humorist, even motivational speaker…his is an enthusiastic and engaging chatter.” We are stoked to have this revolutionary man on our stage for an evening.

Over The Rhine

Thu. Oct. 13

8pm

$29.50 – Tier 2 | $35 – Tier 1

Why You Should Go: When you listen to Over the Rhine, the supremely talented wife-husband duo of Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiler, you quickly fall under the spell of Karin’s compelling voice, ethereal and earthy at once, and then you notice their subtle, satisfying arrangements, all the instruments so exquisitely balanced, and finally the lines of the songs start hitting you.

Lucero

w/ Cory Branan

Fri. Oct. 14

8pm

$25

Why You Should Go: All A Man Should Do, Lucero’slatest record, contains some of the most resonant lyrics Ben Nichols has ever written, lyrics that read like chapters from his life on the duality of relationships, getting older, finding where you want to be in this world, and musically we are broadening our sound. If you love Shovels & Rope / Americana music, you will love this show.

The Black Jacket Symphony Presents The Beatles’
Abbey Road

Sat. Oct. 15

8pm

$25 – Tier 2 | $30 – Tier 1

Why You Should Go: The Black Jacket Symphony offers a unique concert experience by recreating classic albums in a live performance setting with a first class lighting and video production. A selected album is performed in its entirety by a group of hand-picked musicians specifically selected for each album. With no sonic detail being overlooked, the musicians do whatever it takes to musically reproduce the album. Following the album and a brief intermission, the Black Jacket Symphony returns to the stage to perform a collection of greatest hits by the evening’s artist. BJS has performed Dark Side of the Moon and Led Zeppelin’s IV this year, and we are thrilled to see them take on the iconic Beatles’ album, Abbey Road.

Richard Thompson

w/ Sam Amidon

Sun. Oct 16

8pm

$39.50 – Tier 2 | $44.50 – Tier 1

Why You Should Go: Hailed as one of the top 20 guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone magazine and widely recognized as one of the world’s most critically acclaimed songwriters, Richard Thompson is coming to Charleston for an evening of musical mastery.

The Mavericks

Thurs. Oct. 20

8pm

$39.50 – Tier 3 | $45.50 – Tier 2 | $55.50 – Tier 1

Why You Should Go: The Mavericks return for the third time after selling out the Hall two years in a row! The country-steeped garage band with a Cuban American lead singer that had emerged from Miami in 1989 with their sultry debut that was equal parts innocence, intensity, and vintage influences has reunited in 2012 after an eight-year hiatus.

Willie Watson & Aoife O’Donovan

Fri. Oct. 21

8pm

$25

Why You Should Go: Looking like a man from leaner and meaner times, Willie Watson steps on stage with a quiet gravitas. But, when he opens his mouth and lets out that high lonesome vocal, you can hear him loud and clear. Aoife O’Donovan’s sophomore album, “In the Magic Hour” is a 10-song album full of the singer’s honeyed vocals mixed with gauzy, frictionless sounds: splashing cymbals, airy harmonies, the leisurely baritone musings of an electric guitar. Written in the wake of O’Donovan’s grandfather’s death, “In the Magic Hour” is her most introspective effort yet, an aching exploration of memory and mortality.

Charleston Jazz Orchestra: Jazz on the Screen II

Sat. Oct. 22

5pm

Adults: $40-$55 | Senior (65+): $35 – $50 | Students: $10

Rusted Root

w/ Devon Allman Band

Sun Oct. 23rd

8pm

$25 – Tier 2 | $35 – Tier 1

Why You Should Go: Rusted Root returns to the Hall after an unforgettable show lat year! Having collaborated with one another for two decades, Rusted Root, has honed the perfect combination of musical intuition, freedom and virtuosity, which has allowed them to organically shape shift their music into their own distinct and undeniable vision. The addition of Greg Allmans’ son, Devon Allman, to the show makes for an even more unforgettable evening.

Trailer Park Boys

Wed. Oct. 26

8pm

$29.50 Tier 3 | $39.50 Tier 2 | $54.50 Tier 1

Why You Should Go: Ricky, Julian and Bubbles are back and they’re “STILL DRUNK, HIGH and UNEMPLOYED!” But not for long if Bubbles has his way! Having answered to the law in the “Community Service Variety Show;” preaching the dangers of substance abuse to avoid jail time, the crew are now on the road without parole officers. Spend an evening with the boys as Bubbles tries to create a new career for himself in the movie industry, Julian puts his latest money-making scams into action and Ricky has an idea that can ‘change the world!’ The boys will actually be here, this is not a film, and this show is almost sold out so get your tickets soon.

Tower of Power

Fri. Oct. 28

8pm

$49.50 Tier 2 | $59.50 Tier 1

Why You Should Go: Tower of Power has never been busier or more in demand. New generations of fans come to see the band perform as their timeless music continues to excite fans of all ages.

R.E.M. Rock Violin Concerto

w/ Mike Mills and Bobby McDuffie

Sat. Oct. 29

8pm

$25 – Tier 3 | $35 – Tier 2 | $45 – Tier 1

Why You Should Go: The concerto, with orchestration and additional music by David Mallamud, features McDuffie performing on violin; a four-member rock band led by composer Mills (performing on bass and keyboard) with two electric guitarists and a drummer; and a string orchestra. “Mike has created a beautiful and joyful concerto,” McDuffie adds. “It’s a work that goes straight to your heart, and by the end you’ll want to dance and move to the South. I’m delighted and honored (and a bit nervous!) to be making music and sharing the stage with Mike and his amazing colleagues. It’s going to be an awesome ride.”

Charleston International Film Festival

Nov. 2 -6

Why You Should Go: The Charleston’s International Film Festival provides a premier showcase for all aspects of filmmaking: the art, the filmmaker, talented directors and actors, and the film-lover in all of us. Our goal is to educate the community & festival attendees through the art and science of film, promoting cross-cultural awareness, the exchange of ideas, and social understanding.

Eric Johnson

Fri. Nov. 11

8pm

$29.50 – Tier 2 | $39.50 – Tier 1

Why You Should Go: Eric Johnson’s stature as one of the premier guitar players in contemporary music is his artistic trump card, backed by a Grammy Award and five nominations, platinum album, Top 10 hits like “Cliffs Of Dover,” praise from critics and the esteem of his peers. But the full hand of his talents marks him as well as a gifted songwriter, dynamic live performer, singer, pianist, song interpreter, and creator of a rich and diverse musical legacy.

YALL Fest

Sat. Nov. 12

10am

Why You Should Go: Previous keynote speaker, Veronica Roth – author of The Divergent Series sums up YALLFest perfectly: “YALLFest is a fantastic blend of raucous laughter, thoughtful discussions, amazing books, and of course, delicious pie.” Roth is referring to all of the Young Adult authors getting pied in the face at the Finale a few years ago. This event is one of our favorites every year. Thousands of kids, tweens, teen, and adults come out to hear some of their favorite Young Adult Authors give panel discussion, play games, and sign books.

Drive-By Truckers

w/ Kyle Craft

Sun. Nov. 13

8pm

$32.50 – ADV | $35 DOS

Why You Should Go: The band has long held a progressive fire in their belly but with their new album, American Band, they have made the most explicitly political album in their extraordinary canon. A powerful and legitimately provocative work, hard edged and finely honed, the album is the sound of a truly American Band – a Southern American band – speaking on matters that matter.

Jeff Koons

Wed. Nov. 16

6pm

$60 Non Members | $50 Members | $15 Students

Why You Should Go: One of the most prominent artists working today, Jeff Koons artwork has brought record-setting prices at auction, including the world-record auction price for a living artist. Jeff Koons has received numerous awards and honors in recognition of his cultural achievements. This event is sure to sell out so get your tickets now before they are gone!

Drivin’ N’ Cryin’

w/ Patrick Davis & His Midnight Choir

Thurs. Nov. 17

7:30pm

$25

Why You Should Go: Celebrating their 31st Anniversary together, Atlanta-based southern hard rock act, Drivin’ n’ Cryin’, have spent most of 2016 on tour. In October 1985 Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ played their first show at Atlanta’s famed 688 Club. The band quickly gained attention for its blistering live shows and amassed a rabid fanbase in the fertile soil of the late-1980s music scene in the Southeast. Now, 31 years later, founding members Kevn Kinney and Tim Nielsen find themselves enjoying a milestone anniversary for the band, having survived the pressures of fame, a shifting musical landscape, multiple lineup changes, and miles of back roads and highways to arrive here. This show will be filmed for the ETV show Live at the Charleston Music Hall!

Fourplay – The 25th Anniversary Tour

Sat. Nov. 19

8pm

$49 – Tier 5 | $59 – Tier 4 | $74 – Tier 3 | $79 – Tier 2 | $89 – Tier 1

Why You Should Go: Longevity among jazz groups is a surprisingly rare commodity. With relatively few exceptions, a run of a few years, at most, is standard; for a collective of jazz musicians to stick together for a decade or more is almost unheard of. That puts Fourplay, who celebrates their 25th anniversary this year, in a league of their own.

Melissa Etheridge’s Holiday Trio

Fri. Dec. 2

8pm

$59.50 – Tier 3 | $69.50 – Tier 2 | $85 – Tier 1

Why You Should Go: Rock N’ Roll icon performs all her hits and holiday classics! Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Etheridge has attained status as one of America’s favorite female singer-songwriters for more than two decades.

Charleston Jazz Orchestra: Holiday Swing

Sat. Dec. 3

5pm & 8pm

Adults: $40 – $55 | Seniors (65+): $35 – $50 | Students: $10

The Charleston Christmas Special

Dec. 9 – 23

$16- $68

Why You Should Go: All new for 2016! Producers Brad and Jennifer Moranz are bringing back audience favorites while creating entirely new musical performances and comedy sketches — all with a holiday theme. Running Dec. 8-23 at the Music Hall, The Charleston Christmas Special is the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit.

Blue Dogs 4th Annual Homecoming & 28th Anniversary

Wed. Dec. 28

8pm

$30 – Reserved Tier 2 | $50 – Reserved Tier 1 | $100 VIP

Why You Should Go: The 4th Annual Homecoming Show & 28th Anniversary! The Blue Dogs will only be performing ONE NIGHT this year, so make sure to get your tickets early! We are working on plans for this year which we will share with you very soon, but rest assured you’ll get plenty of Blue Dogs and as many special guests and special moments as we can bring onto the stage. Check out clips from from the 1st Homecoming Show Here!

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Ladies & Gentleman, we are please to show you our fifth installment of the “Behind the Hall” series from Grass in the Hall featuring The Lowhills and Dallas Baker & Friends on June 9, 2016. This series is meant to capture the intimate moments leading up to a performance and present a unique perspective of what is happening on stage during a concert. Enjoy!

All photo credit to the remarkably talented Sean Money + Elizabeth Fay. Check out their incredible work on their Facebook and their website.

Sound Check

Showtime!

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Here is the forth installment of our Behind the Hall series from The Rock Hop featuring Jordan Igoe, Sideshow Americans, and Josh Roberts & the Hinges on March 25, 2016. This series is meant to capture the intimate moments leading up to a performance and unique perspective of what is happening on stage during a performance. Enjoy!

All photo credit to the lovely Sean Money + Elizabeth Fay. Check out their incredible work on their Facebook and their website.

Before the Show:

Jordan Igoe:

Josh Roberts and the Hinges:

Sideshow Americans:

2better

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Paula Poundstone Visits Charleston

By: T. Ballard Lesemann

As a stand-up comedian, actress, radio personality, commentator, and writer, veteran humorist Paula Poundstone, 56, has maintained a uniquely cheerful approach to life’s silliness over the last 35 years.

This Saturday (April 30), as part of her current U.S. comedy tour, Poundstone will hit the stage at the Charleston Music Hall for a full set of spontaneous crowd work and stand-up comedy. The comedian took a few moments to chat about her approach to stand-up shows, thoughts American culture, and various vocations.

Charleston Music Hall: Over the years, you’ve demonstrated to be a comedian that does not the same material in the same order from night to night. You seem to like to mix things up continuously. Do you have a general game plan going into this current road trip or will you base your show on the reactions and interactions you get from audiences each night?

Paula Poundstone: Oh, no, I have no game plan. My act is largely autobiographical. I talk about politics here and there currently, partly because it’s part of my autobiography at this point; we’re all thinking about it, you know? And I don’t have any answers, by the way. I just talk about how it looks to me, and no one has to agree with me. I don’t insist that I’m right.

I talk about raising a house full of kids and animals, and occasionally I talk about the Hardy Boys and Abraham Lincoln or whatever. My favorite part of the night is just talking to the audience. I do the time-honored thing of “Hey, what do you do for a living?” and this way, little biographies audience members emerge. I never know which conversation will ensue, and I use that in which to set my sails. I have 37 years of material rattling around in my head, but probably about a third of the material of a good night is unique to that night.

Charleston Music Hall: In your recent experiences in comedy, have you noticed any cultural shifts or trends across the country?

Paula Poundstone: I know that in the populace in general, we’ve made a mistake with electronics. That’s for sure. It’s not the fault of the young people at all; they’re the victims. We’ve created a young society that’s not very connected with the world around them. Essentially, we’re causing them brain damage, really, because the overstimulation of the [brain’s] frontal lobe that’s caused by electronic screens is devastating to a developing brain. I feel very strongly about it. My son suffers from severe electronics addiction, and it’s just changed our lives in a very bad way. I’ve read about the science of it, but I don’t need any studies to look around and see the effect of it.

Charleston Music Hall: I remember watching your late-night TV performances and comedy specials back in the day, and it seems like you still feature a joyful and upbeat approach to making fun of the silliness of life.

Paula Poundstone: The sillier, the better, honestly. Whenever people say to me that they don’t find this or that funny, I think to myself, “Well, jeez, that’s too bad.” I want to find the most funny as I possibly can. I don’t mean as a performer; I mean just to get through life. It’s so much more fun to be amused than it is to be offended. People tend to like to be offended more now, I think. With the internet, that’s one of things that happens. People sit with their Twitter feed on all day, hoping to be offended so that they can tweet their self-righteousness. But I love silly, and I love the sound of laughter, and I love to laugh. There’s a broad array of things that amuse me.

Charleston Music Hall: You’ve been known to touch on politics and current events on stage. Has this election season and the ugliness involved played its way into some of your newer material?

Paula Poundstone: Believe me, I tell a few Trump jokes from time to time. I thought he was hysterically funny in the beginning, but I don’t think so anymore. And the issue isn’t so much about him as it is about how did so many become so off the rails that they would look at him and think, “Hey, that’s a good idea!”

I’m an unabashed lefty, I suppose, but when it comes to the news, I want to know the truth so that I can make my own decision. I don’t want it slanted one way or the other.

Charleston Music Hall: Do you ever consider whether a new city on tour is in a red state versus blue state? Does that issue influence your approach to the shows?

Paula Poundstone: Everywhere I go, I have great audiences that come out to see me, which isn’t to say that the room is always full or that everyone who shows up agrees with each other. But every state has a mixture of people, and the people who enjoy the things that I do tend to find me. I find that the same dynamic takes place everywhere, regardless of the reputation of the state as a whole.

Charleston Music Hall: So, despite the political vibe of a town or state, funny is still funny — especially in a room full of people who might be up for a few laughs.

Paula Poundstone: Oh, yeah. I have a theory that the whole world is in a mental health crisis right now. I always tell people that it’s not that you have to come out to see me — although, would that be lovely? — but, man, you’ve got to go out and not just watch silly Youtube videos or whatever … not that that’s not fun sometimes, too. But the shared laughter experience — getting caught up in a wave of laughter — is a valuable thing. When you go out to see a movie or a show, the element of the audience there makes it deeper and more meaningful. I don’t know why; maybe it’s because we’re pack animals or something.

Charleston Music Hall: You’ve branched off from stand-up over the last few years to try new projects in film, television, radio, and elsewhere — most notably as a regular panelist on NPR’s weekly news quiz show, “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me.” Have you found a new avenue that might draw you away from stand-up comedy a bit more in the future?

Paula Poundstone: “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me” was certainly a lucky, lucky break for me because it calls on what I do very naturally, and it showcases it in a really great way. It’s a symbiotic relationship that works very well both ways. I feel like I’m a batter in a batting cage, kind of getting lobbed topics. I don’t have jokes prepared, and I’m not asked to. But I am asked to jump in where I feel like it. But I’m a stand-up, through and through. I don’t feel there’s any other work that I’d feel as comfortable in. Some of that is just Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers,” you know? I must have close to my 10,000 hours [referring to Gladwell’s “10,000-Hour Rule” of practicing skills]. I’ve done it for so long and so much, that it just comes second-nature. And the audience is my best friend, emotionally.

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We are thrilled to continue our CMH Film Series this summer. Seeing as how there is no movie theatre in downtown Charleston, (a baffling fact indeed), we saw it as our duty to shed a little light on this cinematic hinterland. With our full size movie screen and state of the art concert sound system, the Music Hall is a wonderful and unique space to watch films. You can preview our upcoming 4 films below which include Mistaken for Strangers, Labyrinth, Blue Velvet, and The Earth Will Swallow You. We look forward to seeing you at the Charleston Movie Hall this Summer!

Mistaken for Strangers – 6.23.16
Labyrinth – 7.13.16
Blue Velvet – 8.3.16
The Earth Will Swallow You – 8.17.16

Tickets On Sale Now!

Doors Open at 6:30PM | Films Start at 7:30PM

$10 Individual | $8 Student
$42 Dinner & Film Package
(3 Course Dinner at Vincent Chiccos)

Mistaken for Strangers

Thursday, June 23rd

Doors Open at 6:30PM | Film Starts at 7:30PM

$10 Individual | $8 Student | $5 ($30 for all 5 films!) CMH Movie Badge

$42 Dinner & Film Package

Labyrinth

Wednesday, July 13th

Doors Open at 6:30PM | Film Starts at 7:30 PM

$10 Individual | $8 Student | $5 ($30 for all 5 films!) CMH Movie Badge

$42 Dinner & Film Package

Blue Velvet: 30th Anniversary Screening

Wednesday, August 3rd

Doors Open at 6:30PM | Film Starts 7:30PM

$10 Individual | $8 Student | $5 ($30 for all 5 films!) CMH Movie Badge

$42 Dinner & Film Package

The Earth Will Swallow You

w/ Live Music from 54 Bicycles (Widespread Panic Cover Band)

Wednesday, August 17th

Doors Open at 6:30PM | Film Starts at 7:30OM

$10 Individual | $8 Student | $5 ($30 for all 5 films!) CMH Movie Badge

$42 Dinner & Film Package