It’s impossible to deny the Grateful Dead’s place in the rock music zeitgeist. From Steal Your Face and dancing bears artwork, to concert tape trading and tie-dyed T-shirts, love for the Dead spans multiple generations—all stemming from the reliably mind-blowing live shows the band pumped out over the course of 30 years. John Brackett puts […]
Trials and tribulations During a February 15 hearing, Shawna Murphy was found competent to stand trial for the alleged murder of Charlottesville author and arts enthusiast Matthew Farrell. Questions about Murphy’s competency were raised shortly after her arrest on October 25, 2022, when she called 911 to report shooting Farrell at his Albemarle County residence. […]
By Dave Cantor In early February, saxophonist Ken Vandermark flew from his Chicago home to London for a series of shows paying tribute to the late Peter Brötzmann—a prickly figure who is rightly considered among the most disruptive influences in jazz over the past 50 years. “I learned … I don’t really even know how […]
When Guatemalan singer-songwriter Sara Curruchich sings in her mother tongue, the heart and soul of her message is clear. A Mayan Kaqchikel woman, Curruchich performs rock, folk, and traditional music as both activism and art. The passionate advocate for women’s rights has performed around the globe, releasing albums since 2015, and receiving numerous awards for […]
Madi Diaz is done making other performers sound good. After a stadium tour opening for Harry Styles, followed by watching the megastar perform night after night as a member of his backing band, Diaz (aka “Nashville’s secret weapon”) is making her own mark with a new LP. On Weird Faith, the singer blends folk, Americana, […]
When you remove books from the shelves of school libraries, who benefits? And, more importantly, who suffers? (Hint: future generations.) These are questions that The ABCs of Book Banning examines over the course of 27 minutes. The Oscar-nominated short documentary is one of five finalists that explore various topics—uneasy peace in Taiwan, America’s racial wealth […]
UVA Drama’s New Works Festival treats audiences to a varied collection of short works, ranging from drama to farce, that explore everything from workplace woes to matters of the heart. The pithy plays are written, directed, designed, and performed by students. Travel back in time to regency-era England in Becca Davis’ The Sapphire Hyacinth, follow […]
Feathers are flying and there’s glitter galore at Live Arts’ Kinky Boots. The heart-warming musical sees an unlikely partnership blossom between Charlie Price, owner of a failing shoe factory, and Lola, a fabulous drag queen in need of a pair of sturdy stilettos. Xavier Taylor dons a sky-high wig for the role of Lola opposite […]
The Robert Cray Band hits the road for the first time since the release of its 2020 album, That’s What I Heard. The Grammy-nominated roots and Southern soul record is just the latest achievement in the band’s four-decade career, with over 15 albums released, an induction into the Blues Hall of Fame, an Americana Music […]
I don’t know about you, but setting a goal for how many books to finish in the next year is a traditional new year’s activity for me. I’m of the ripe old age that I can recall the 1984 start of Pizza Hut’s BOOK IT! program, which paid whippersnappers to read. Those free, personal-sized, deep-dish […]