Tag Archive

Podcast Uprising! HubCast Pops Onto The Spartanburg Scene

By Steve Shanafelt

Local blogger and occasional Spark contributor David Smith recently decided to start a new online media project, tentatively titled HubCast. Smith has been talking about the idea of putting together a local podcast for at least several months, and it’s fantastic to see him finally start the ball rolling on it without having to... »

Hub City Writers Project Announces Downtown Bookstore Plans

By Steve Shanafelt

If you’re one of those people who feels like the downtown experience is incomplete without a bookstore, I have some good news for you. Yesterday, the Hub City Writers Project announced plans to open a new, non-profit bookstore in the long-vacant street-level of the historic Masonic Temple building. “This landmark bookstore will be on... »

Flying Oskar: A People’s History of Spartanburg

By Christopher George

It’s hard to say at exactly what point I gained a real sense of class consciousness. There are instances I could point to, things that I noticed as a child that certainly were moments of class awareness, but piecing it all together didn’t happen right away. I grew up on old family land that... »

Have Weekend Plans? Don’t Be Shy!

By Steve Shanafelt

So, here we are at the crossroads of yet another weekend. The opportunities of Spartanburg’s cultural offerings are laid before you. So many options, so much to do. Which path will you take, adventurer? Each and every Thursday, we here at the Spark ask you, our outstanding readers, to point us in the direction... »

Flying Oskar: Guten Tag Y’all and Thoughts On Spartanburg’s Globalization

By Christopher George

It’s probably not as uncommon as I’d like to think it is to read a book and feel that at certain points the book is referring to you directly, and it’s probably even less uncommon to have that happen while reading a nonfiction book specifically about your hometown. So when I say that... »

Flying Oskar: Spartanburg’s Big Read

By Christopher George

I was 17 years old the first time I’d ever heard of the classic sci-fi novel Fahrenheit 451 and it’s author Ray Bradbury. I had (ahem) acquired a copy of Playboy magazine and the famous science-fiction writer was the interview subject in that particular issue. Stunning though it may seem that a... »

Book Review: Through the Pale Door

By Christopher George

Brian Ray’s debut novel Through the Pale Door is, at its core, a story about loss. In fact, it might even be fair to say that the novel is something of a treatise on different kinds of loss. Within the confines of its scant 203 pages lies the loss of innocence, the... »

One, Two, Three Four … Get Your Weekend On The Floor

By Steve Shanafelt

Each and every Thursday, I politely ask you, our wonderful readers, to tell the rest of us a little something about your weekend plans. The idea is that your weekend plans will give some good ideas to others in search of something interesting to do, as well as help us cover worthy events... »

The Dream Team of Spartanburg Journalism

By Steve Shanafelt

On Friday, at an event welcoming the new Artists in Residence to the Hub-Bub, I found myself talking shop with John Lane, one of Spartanburg’s better known native writers and a founding member of the Hub City Writers Project. I barely know Lane, and what I do know about him comes almost extensively from... »

Spartanburg’s Transient Friends: HUB-BUB’s Artists-in-Residence (Part 3)

By Lydia Anthony

In HUB-BUB’s Artist-in-Residence (AiR) program, three young artists and one young writer “live free and create” in downtown Spartanburg for 11 months. As its third year draws to a close, I spoke with two of HUB-BUB’s founders, some former residents, and the 2008-09 residents to get an inside glimpse into the origins and workings... »

Listening Party: Help Wanted

By Steve Shanafelt

One of the very first regular features I started writing for the Spark was Listening Party. This shouldn’t be terribly surprising, as Spartanburg has massive, largely undocumented local music scene just begging to be examined. And, since I’ve spent much of my professional career writing about music, it seemed only fitting that I make... »

Spartanburg ‘Zine Project: Day Three

By Steve Shanafelt

Starting today, I’ll probably only be writing Spartanburg ‘Zine Project updates occasionally — maybe once a week — so we should probably move any discussions or questions about the project over to the discussion thread on the Spark forums. If you don’t have a forum account there, it’s a snap to start one. Also, I... »

Spartanburg ‘Zine Project: Day Two

By Steve Shanafelt

I must say, I’m greatly encouraged by the response to the idea of putting together a Spartanburg ‘zine. Obviously, there would be at least some demand for the finished project. Here’s what we have thus far … A tentative meeting at Converse Deli & Coffee Bar on Sunday at 1 p.m. Bring some ‘zines you like... »

Last Week In Hub City For HUB-BUB AIRs

By Steve Shanafelt

The HUB-BUB’s four Artists-In-Residence are packing up this week, as their nearly year-long residency ends. May is sneaking up on us. It’s always amazing to me how the end of things creeps up. This is the AIRs last official week at HUB-BUB. We had our last official meeting this morning. A good one, even though... »

Let’s Start A Spartanburg ‘Zine!

By Steve Shanafelt

Spartanburg needs a ‘zine. It needs a printed document of the community that exists right here, right now. It needs something that comes together collaboratively, stitching together people, places, ideas and ideals, art and insight. Blogs and websites are great, but to truly capture a fragment of this place and time, it needs something... »