Sons of Bill releases Oh God Ma’am in wake of setbacks

When Sons of Bill played the Jefferson Theater for Christmas 2017, it was one of only a few times in the last two years that the Americana gurus had held a public concert. But there they were in early April—James, Abe and Sam, the three Wilson brothers who make up the Sons of Bill core—setting […]

Jurassic’s Fallen Kingdom careens off beaten path

Why is it that sequels so bent on continuing stories and fleshing out backstories are much more confusing? It’s a curious thing that Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom places such a high premium on plot continuity with little regard for why anyone liked Jurassic Park in the first place. What began as a visually thrilling summer […]

ARTS Pick: Man About a Horse shows off their music

If bluegrass doesn’t typically grab your attention, Man About a Horse might be the band to change that. This five-piece from Philadelphia is on a mission to transform the folksy genre into dance music. Formed in 2014, the group employs mandolin, fiddle and banjo to create an up-tempo sound that both pays homage to and […]

ARTS Pick: Brian Setzer rocks the Paramount

Boasting three Grammys, a 2006 performance at the White House and, maybe most impressively, an animated appearance on “The Simpsons,” Brian Setzer has enjoyed enormous success. He’s been making music since the early ’80s, around which time he combined rockabilly and swing into something bold, exciting and decidedly fresh with the Stray Cats. Also known […]

ARTS Pick: A Chorus Line

“I’ve come this far, but even so / It could be yes, it could be no.” The classic musical A Chorus Line opens with “I Hope I Get It”—and it kicks off Heritage Theatre Festival’s 2018 season. The story follows 17 aspiring dancers and their attempt to be cast in the chorus line of a […]

ARTS Pick: Twins with Twang

It’s not a typo—The Brother Brothers are named that for a reason. Adam and David Moss are identical twins with a shared love of country and folk music, and it shows in the tunes the duo creates and performs. After pursuing individual music careers, the brothers came together in 2016 to tour as one act. Although […]

Album reviews: Golden Dawn Arkestra, Juliana Daugherty, Nicola Conte & Spiritual Galaxy, Wooden Shjips, Mary Lattimore, Tierra Whack

Golden Dawn Arkestra Children of the Sun (Nine Mile) While borrowing Sun Ra’s band name and giving songs titles like “Ra Horahkty” and “Wings of Ra,” Golden Dawn Arkestra comes from a planet that’s as much spy rock as cosmic jazz. Despite some vintage keyboards and occasional attempts at menace, GDA never fully weirds the […]

Movie review: Tag misses the mark between laughs

Is a bad movie made better because it’s funny, or is a funny movie made worse because it’s bad? And if it’s occasionally hilarious but totally dead in the water otherwise, what are you left with? So it is with Tag, a totally disposable, predictable, unfunny rehashing of tired tropes and gags we’ve seen done […]

The Can-Do Attitude gets it done in unexpected ways

The members of The Can-Do Attitude know what they look like while loading their gear into a venue for a rock show. “Who the hell are these nerds?” they imagine other bands think upon seeing drummer Brian Wilson in a loon T-shirt, the word “Loonatic” printed under the aquatic bird graphic, or watching singer and […]

Charlottesville SOUP serves up its 10th micro-grant

A bowl of soup is a comfort. Whether you are seeking relief from a head cold or cold weather, or want to pour your soul into cooking a meal shared with friends, soup is the answer. In 2013, Victoria Williams, Maureen Brondyke and Brooke Ray infused those ideas of sustenance and community into Charlottesville SOUP—a […]