To-Do List: Socially distanced Columbia arts and entertainment picks (Jan. 20-27) | Arts

CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL

Duo Cortona

Mezzo-soprano Rachel Calloway and violinist Ari Streisfeld are husband-and-wife team Duo Cortona. The ensemble’s virtual concert, recorded in the Columbia Museum of Art’s collection galleries, is centered on the work of lyric poet Sappho, originally sung and accompanied by lyre. Each age has devised its own version of the muse of Lesbos. The ancient Greeks revered her; the Victorians claimed she wasn’t gay. Today, we recognize her humanity and celebration of the divine feminine. The free presentation on Jan. 22 starts at 7 p.m. Find out more and access it via columbiamuseum.org. PAT MORAN

INDIE POP

Rex Darling

While Rex Darling started out as more of an acoustic covers act, the group quickly settled comfortably into its own brand of lushly theatrical indie pop. Its contribution to Comfort Monk’s “Gratitude, Vol. II” sampler, “Invisible Ink,” is a powerful showcase for both lead singer Catherine Hunsinger’s considerable vocal chops and guitarist John Vail’s ability to slowly build chiming guitars into genuine rock catharsis. Rex Darling is clearly a band to watch. See the group play Steel Hands Brewing on Jan. 21 from 6 to 10 p.m. Head to facebook.com/steelhandsbrewing for more info. KYLE PETERSEN

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FOOD AND DRINK

Bierkeller Rauchbier Abend

Roving German lager experts Bierkeller Columbia is holding a Bamberg-style event on Saturday with pours of Rauchbier, a smokey amber-colored lager, and helpings of bamberger zwiebel, a dish of sweet onions stuffed with minced pork and beef, accompanied with bacon and smoked beer gravy. There’s mashed potatoes and sauerkraut to round it out. Meat isn’t your thing? There’ll be vegetarian options and other snacks. VIP tickets $25 for reserved seat, two biers, a meal and dessert. Crowlers for $5 and fresh pours, too. The Jan. 23 event goes from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Swamp Cabbage Brewing Company. Find more info at facebook.com/bierkellercolumbia. DAVID CLAREY

SHOPPING

Meeting Street Artisan Market

Need more incentive to hit a local market than getting outside on a Saturday and supporting local artists? Well, this month at the Meeting Street Artisan Market (behind Terra, New Brookland Tavern, etc. in West Columbia), get 15 percent off your entire purchase. The vendors are space out to help with social distancing, and masks are required. Arts and crafts, fresh foods and produce, and food trucks are part of the fun. The Saturday market runs from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Find more info at westcolumbiasc.gov/meeting-street-artisan-market. JORDAN LAWRENCE

COVERS

Ronnie Hopkins

Do you find yourself missing the jovial energy of walking into a local bar and hearing a practiced, passionate acoustic guitarist playing familiar covers? Well, you can find Ronnie Hopkins doing the thing outside on the patio at the Carolina Ale House in Harbison, allowing a taste of this normal nightlife hallmark for those uncomfortable hanging out inside a bar right now.

Assisted by pre-recorded backing tracks, Hopkins takes on songs by the likes of Tom Petty and the Allman Brothers are well played and reverent, honed by playing many such gigs in the past. He plays from 6 to 10 p.m. on Jan. 22. Find out more at facebook.com/CAHHarbison. JORDAN LAWRENCE

R&B

7Sunday Frames & Sneaker 2 Year Anniversary

Columbia-based music showcase 7Sunday celebrates two years of celebrating local talent virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but that doesn’t mean you won’t get a good show. Two of the area’s most impressive female vocalists — TiffanyJ and Brittany Turnipseed — lead an R&B-leaning lineup that also includes Boogie Brown, Steve Ray, and Travis Douglas, along with self-proclaimed “alternative acoustic pop” artist Jon Rooks. The Jan. 24 event starts at 7 p.m. and costs $14 to access. Find out more info via facebook.com/7Sundaylive. JORDAN LAWRENCE

RECREATION

Red Shoe Run

This year’s Red Shoe Run, a 5k/10k to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities on Jan. 23, is obviously not gonna work as an in-person event, what with the pandemic and all. So it’s going virtual, allowing runners to register and run at a location of their choosing — your neighborhood, your favorite park and your treadmill are all perfectly acceptable. Runners will post their times once the event is over, so no fudging your numbers, buddy; this is based on the honor system. To register and get more info, visit.strictlyrunning.com. VINCENT HARRIS

TV

”WandaVision”

There isn’t really much to spoil about the first two episodes of “WandaVision.” And yet, I fear describing too much about the experience for those who haven’t watched them, as jumping in not exactly knowing what to expect was part of my joy (beyond the comforting normalcy of seeing the Marvel Studios logo play at the top of something new and exciting). Yes, it’s playing around with tropes from TV sitcoms past. And yes, there is something very weird and disturbing lingering under that pleasantly nostalgic surface. And yes, it’s often very funny — with Paul Bethany’s Vision stepping out as a particularly rewarding comedic surprise. Beyond that, suffice it to say that the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first go at a TV show on Disney+ is so far going very well. The first two episodes are available to watch now. The third arrives on Jan. 22. JORDAN LAWRENCE