There’s a Portuguese word, saudade, that doesn’t translate exactly to English. Maybe it works out to something like “a mournful longing?” But composer and multi-instrumentalist Adrian Younge describes its meaning perfectly in trying to pinpoint his own particular brand of emotive music. “It’s the vortex of where dark music meets romantic music,” he says on […]
There’s a Portuguese word, saudade, that doesn’t translate exactly to English. Maybe it works out to something like “a mournful longing?” But composer and multi-instrumentalist Adrian Younge describes its meaning perfectly in trying to pinpoint his own particular brand of emotive music. “It’s the vortex of where dark music meets romantic music,” he says on […]
The Jefferson Theater Thursday 6/19 You really have to hand it to someone who hit rock bottom multiple times across a career, yet consistently managed to dust off and get back to business. Aimee Mann weathered an early success comedown with ’80s outfit ‘Til Tuesday, stepped out on her own, and got the proverbial shaft from […]
Lydi Conklin’s first novel, Songs of No Provenance, was published earlier this month, and tells the story of Joan, a disgraced New York musician seeking reinvention by teaching songwriting at a teen writing camp in rural Virginia. Conklin is also the author of Rainbow Rainbow, a story collection that was long-listed for The Story Prize […]
Independent reggae artist Mighty Joshua’s conscious lyricism, decrying historic and contemporary inequity while praising positivity and resilience, speaks broadly to the experiences of the African diaspora. His words flow over compositions driven by African percussion traditions, creating a real roots reggae sound reminiscent of genre stars like Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. The artist has […]
Classical music and criminal narratives commingle on the pages of The Dark Maestro, the latest offering from author, educator, and musician Brendan Slocumb. The book follows Curtis Wilson, a cello prodigy from a Washington, D.C., housing project. Wilson ascends to the heights of his profession, but his life is torn asunder when his father turns […]
Danzy Senna’s latest novel, Colored Television, tells the story of Jane, a novelist and tenure-track professor, and her husband Lenny, a painter and teacher at a Los Angeles art school that’s described as “a white hipster playground.” As a self-identified mulatto woman married to a Black man, Jane is abundantly aware of issues of race […]
Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show pulls into town for two nights of electric entertainment. Stapleton, a bona fide country music superstar, cut his teeth in Nashville by way of Kentucky. Serving as the frontman for progressive bluegrass band The SteelDrivers, and rock ‘n’ roll outfit The Jompson Brothers, before moving on as a solo act, […]
Harrisonburg-based Dogwood Tales crafts emotional alt-country and indie rock, influenced by the sights and sounds of the Shenandoah Valley. After spending the winter of 2024 converting an old garage into a home studio, the group has a new album in the tank, scheduled for release later this year. DT’s busy summer tour schedule finds the […]
NYC comedian Liz Miele brings observational humor and hilarious storytelling to the stage with bits about dating, gender, attending therapy, and living with cats. Miele has appeared on Comedy Central, NPR’s “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me,” and CBS’s “After Midnight,” among other programs. With five albums and a comedy special named to The New York […]
Did you hear the one about the photographer who went out of his way to take terrible pictures? It’s no joke. For his latest project, Ézé Amos, whose photojournalism has regularly appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and C-VILLE Weekly, has been intentionally ruining his own work. And he’s not hiding his […]