All hail the queens

It’s not every day that one gets to meet stage royalty. In that respect, drag shows offer a unique opportunity to connect with multiple monarchs at once. I’ve always been intrigued by drag, but had never attended a live show. I voted for drag diva Shangela on the reg when she performed on “Dancing with […]

La Luz with Color Green

Friday 4/18, The Southern Cafe and Music Hall With the release of News of the Universe in 2024, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Shana Cleveland led her band, La Luz, to deeper levels of previously staked-out musical terrain. What began in 2012 as a surfy, twanged-out Seattle quartet with ‘60s girl-group leanings has evolved into a […]

New memoir cultivates reverence for our fellow animals 

In her book, Moonlight Elk: One Woman’s Hunt for Food and Freedom, Christie Green writes: “When the days are distilled into life and death moments and attuned to tiny toenail prints in the soil and subtle wind shifts, my old identities pale.” A sensuous exploration of the animal world and our place within it, Green’s […]

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie

Everything is blooming, and it’s time for UVA’s Springfest, when university students invite one of today’s hottest recording artists to town and throw a party for all. This year’s headliner from the Bronx, New York, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, brings a laidback lyrical form with catchy hooks over trap-style beats. The emcee has released […]

St. Vincent

Alt-rock superstar St. Vincent comes to town, riding a wave of praise garnered by her most recent studio album. The multiple Grammy-winner earned three awards this year, including Best Alternative Music Performance, Best Rock Song, and Best Alternative Music Album for All Born Screaming. With expressive vocals and impeccable guitar skills, St. Vincent (aka Annie […]

“Little Women”

The classic coming-of-age story spotlighting sibling support takes center stage in a new production of Little Women. Erin Riley’s acclaimed 2019 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s most famous work follows the March sisters—Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy—as they navigate the pitfalls of life, love, and a nation at war with itself. Set against the backdrop […]

Dweezil Zappa plays Frank Zappa

Friday 4/11, The Paramount Theater Maybe it’s unfair to say that Dweezil Zappa has made a lifelong career of being the child of a legendary musician. At 55 years old, he has amassed a decent list of solo records and even won a Grammy for his guitar playing, a good deal of which he’s lent […]

Cowboy Junkies

Tuesday 4/15 & Wednesday 4/16, The Jefferson Theater Any music act that’s been writing, recording, and touring over the course of 40 years deserves respect. For Cowboy Junkies, the unwavering dedication to their craft equates to more than 20 studio records and countless other contributions to a pioneering style of what jerks like me in […]

Ty Cooper’s One Mic Stand is about free expression

“This stage is for you. You don’t have to be an artist to share a story.” This is Ty Cooper’s message to anyone attending his One Mic Stand shows, a live series staged for more than 10 years at Piedmont Virginia Community College. “We just wanted to provide a platform for artists to express themselves […]

Cristina Vane

With a penchant for captivating compositions and evocative lyricism, European-born Cristina Vane’s music feels fully at home in the Americana music scene. The Nashville-based multi-instrumentalist draws from Delta blues, hard rock, old-time, country, and singer-songwriter traditions to create her own brand of contemporary roots music. Vane’s accomplished fingerstyle, slide guitar, and clawhammer banjo skills complement […]