Charleston Gazette

In Short

New Year's Eve Last week, when we ran a long list of local New Year's Eve options at local nightspots, we neglected to mention some of Charleston's better-known gay bars. Check out the following options:

'Wonderful Town' to End Run

NEW YORK - The curtain is falling on "Wonderful Town." The Broadway revival of the "My Sister Eileen" musical about two young women from Ohio trying to make it big in New York will close Jan. 30 after a 15-month run, it was announced Wednesday.

Next Week

Artists Group to Hold Free Comic Book Forum

WAVe - otherwise known as the West Virginia Animators and Videographers Etc. group - will offer a free comic book forum at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Putnam County Library in Teays Valley. The forum features a roundtable discussion with guest speakers Robert Tinnell, Clint McElroy and Frank Panucci. Tinnell is co-author of the graphic novels "The Black Forest" and "The Wicked West," both released in 2004. He has worked in the film industry for 20 years as a writer, producer and director. Startin...

Have a Goodnight

Now in its 10th year, GoodNight is a nonalcoholic, family- friendly New Year's Eve celebration that takes place at various venues in downtown Charleston, featuring musical acts and theatrical presentations. A convenient city trolley will run a circuit of the venues continuously for free transportation to the various sites. Call 346-7832 or 346-2494 for more information. Here is the schedule, broken down according to venue: * Baptist Temple, Morris and Quarrier streets

Best of 2004: ; (and Some Crimes Against the Culture This Year, Too)

JEFF HANSON gazz free-lance writer BEST: "Kill Bill: Vol. 2": Just when you think Quentin Tarantino can't outdo himself again, he comes up with a slick homage to the chop-saki flick. Ditto to the movie "Hero." I love this stuff.

How Blue

Bluegrass fans will want to start their new year off in proper bluegrass fashion. That can be easily accomplished with a New Year's Day show at Mountaineer Opry House in Milton by the very accomplished Bottomline bluegrass band out of Greenup County, Ky. The group features Ned Crisp, banjo and vocals; John Manifold, guitar and vocals; Don Rambo, upright bass and vocals; Zack Rambo, mandolin and vocals; and Bryan Ross, dobro and vocals.

Calendar

IN CONCERT * GOSPEL: Tony Gore & Majesty, the Gospel Enforcers, the Steeles, the Singing Cookes, and the Praisemen close out 2004 with the annual New Year's Eve sing, 6 p.m. Friday. Charleston Municipal Auditorium. Tickets $12.50-$19.50. Call 342-5757.

Young Voices

Spotlight

Things to Do: ; Three Films That Are Worth a Look

Holiday events at the Cultural Center in the state Capitol Complex wind up today with free showings of three films at 1 and 4 p.m. in the State Theater. For more information, call 558-0162.

'Fockers' Goes for the Juvenile Jokes: ; Review

andreabond@wvgazette.com Ah, the holidays. It's a time for family reunions, of delicious, home-cooked meals, of hugs and kisses and reminiscing about the good ol' days.

Scorsese, Dicaprio Land Instant Classic: ; Review

paulwilson@wvgazette.com Martin Scorsese, correctly, focuses on the best years of Howard Hughes' life in "The Aviator" - one of the year's best films.

Tony Gore, Praisemen to Perform at Gospel Sing

susanwilliams@wvgazette.com Possibly the longest-running gospel sing in America will take place at 6 p.m. Friday at Charleston's Municipal Auditorium.

Fat Albert's Film Trip to Present Pleasant to Watch

moejohnson@wvgazette.com Hey, hey, hey! "Fat Albert" is OK. The classic '70s cartoon makes the transition from TV to film to create a family-friendly movie that kids and adults can enjoy.

Daly Looking to Be 'Cooler Than Dick Clark'

After spending years hosting New Year's bashes on MTV, Carson Daly found himself in an unusual situation as 2003 became 2004. Vacationing in St. Barts, Daly ushered in the new year without the presence of a single television camera and without the screaming hordes of New York's Times Square. Daly missed the buzz. "I just kept standing around looking at my watch, figuring, 'When do I go live?'" Daly laughs. "It was really bizarre. I'm trained that night to work."

A Reviewer's Take On 2004's Top Albums

The Orange County Register What makes for a great album, one that will endure? I honestly don't know, and any analysis of such a topic inevitably would be incomplete because it can't account for the most heavily weighted criteria - personal taste. Ultimately, all this list of my top 10 albums for 2004 signifies is a bunch of albums I can't stop playing.

Going Into 'Darkness' May Not Be the Best Idea

For the Gazette "Darkness" starts so suddenly, I wasn't sure it had. The setup is a flashback/voiced-over montage. Rammed together, it seems like a trailer. And it is - a trailer for a movie that is showing, but never arrives.

Nightlife in Area Clubs

* ATLANTIS: Convertible Blondes, 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Friday, cover $10, and 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Saturday. 3024 Chesterfield Ave. Call 345-0100. * BILL AND BETTY'S BAR: Special Fridays Karaoke with Shorty or JP, Friday; Karaoke with Shorty, pool tournaments with Frank, Sunday. 4368 Washington St. W. Call 744-4528.

Child Support Cards Have Costs: ; Some Fees Can Be Charged Based On Atm Usage

tomsearls@wvgazette.com In an effort to save money, West Virginia is changing the way it sends child support payments - but the state had not been telling parents of the additional cost they might have to pay.