ARTS Pick: Jackie Daly and Matt Cranitch

Though difficult to read and even harder to pronounce, Sliabh Luachra, a region in southern Ireland on the border of Cork and Kerry, has birthed a rich style of music that is easy on the ears. Jackie Daly is renowned for his talented instrumentals, heralded by the New York Times as “probably the best accordionist […]

ARTS Pick: Stewart Huff

Since dropping out of college 15 years ago to become a writer and comedian, Tennessee native Stewart Huff’s star has been rising on the national and international horizons. Get to know his original and refreshing humor at the latest installment of the Laugh Your Ass Off Comedy Showcase, where he embraces his own life experiences […]

Operating system: The all-important role of the sous chef

As anyone who has ever worked in a professional kitchen—or any aspect of the restaurant industry—will adamantly testify: The life of a chef is by no means for the faint of heart. The hours are long and strange. The work relentlessly demanding, ulcer-inducingly stressful. And yet, we’re assured, profoundly rewarding. Nowhere is this dynamic of […]

ARTS Pick: I Love a Piano

A celebration of the music and lyrics of Irving Berlin, The Heritage Theatre Festival’s production of I Love a Piano follows a piano as it moves in and out of American lives from the turn of the century to modern day. The story’s brought to life by Berlin classics such as “There’s No Business Like […]

ARTS Pick: Ike Reilly

With the unlikely style of Billy Joel meets Johnny Cash, Ike Reilly, a former grave digger from Illinois, tells timeless tales of love, lust, drugs and drinking through reckless tunes and poetic lyrics. Reilly may have an unconventional past but it’s birthed a unique perspective on life and lends a finesse to his daring music. […]

ARTS Pick: My Morning Jacket

My Morning Jacket hails from Kentucky, but don’t call the band a country act. Frontman Jim James recently told Rolling Stone, “Modern country is deliberately dumbing down the human race.” The band’s psychedelic indie rock, in conjunction with Jim James’ otherworldly vocals, has made MMJ an international success, and nurtured the group’s reputation as legendary […]

ARTS Pick: Music for the Mountains

Neighbors, musicians and foodies from across the Commonwealth will gather at Music for the Mountains to raise funds in an effort to push back against the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and its anticipated damage to Virginia’s mountains, water, farmlands and landowner rights. Speakers and info tables will be set up to educate those who attend, and […]

ARTS Pick: Wiz Khalifa

Rising from steely Pittsburgh to the top of the music charts with “Black and Yellow,” Wiz Khalifa has earned the nicknames king, wisdom and successor. Influenced by the ’80s era of limos, lights and luxury, Khalifa amassed both indie and commercial cred. His new album, Blacc Hollywood, fuses the classic culture of rock ‘n’ roll […]

ARTS Pick: Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys

It seems you can’t open a music site these days without seeing another Americana band claim its right to the title of “next big thing,” but Michigan roots ensemble Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys just might be the next to deliver. Describing its sound as “caught between the pull of the past and the push […]