In 2012, five members of the performance protest troupe Pussy Riot made a surprise appearance inside Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where the group launched into what is now deemed the “punk prayer,” and took the Lord and Vladimir Putin’s names in vain. Putin was outraged, and Patriarch Kirill declared (per the Guardian), “the […]
In 2012, five members of the performance protest troupe Pussy Riot made a surprise appearance inside Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where the group launched into what is now deemed the “punk prayer,” and took the Lord and Vladimir Putin’s names in vain. Putin was outraged, and Patriarch Kirill declared (per the Guardian), “the […]
Arnie Popkin says that people look at him funny when he tells them his ideas on playing piano. “I think you play 90 percent with your brain and 10 percent with your fingers,” says Popkin, who’s been playing piano for more than 75 years. True, he has a pianist’s long, slender digits—and people often remark […]
It’s unfortunate that Stronger is being seen by some as “the other Boston Marathon bombing movie” after the release of Patriots Day earlier this year. The comparison shouldn’t even be made, but just in case there are people who might not see Stronger due to the association, let’s debunk and move on. The two could […]
This week two different organizations are bringing together people from various backgrounds to look at our community through a creative lens. One event will take place in a moonlit warehouse while the other will be on the sunlit Rivanna River. Here’s what they’re all about. Idea Factory 1740 Broadway St. September 29 Aidyn Mills, the […]
Last April, J.R. Brown stepped onto the wooden stage at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center and looked out at the small-ish audience that had gathered in the auditorium. With the house lights on, he could see everyone’s faces. All of their eyes—and ears—were on him. He was nervous. He closed his eyes. The […]
In the wake of the August 11-12 events, the 30th Virginia Film Festival harkens back to its earlier days when it had a theme every year. This year, it’s morphed into a sub-theme of “race in America” in partnership with Montpelier, according to festival director Jody Kielbasa. Previously announced director Spike Lee had been asked […]
Beats and brotherhood Made up of brothers Tahir, Stephen and Courtney Panton Jr., along with their father, Courtney Panton Sr., New Kingston infuses urban style into its Jamaican heritage, bringing fresh innovation to its soulful, rhythmic reggae. Starting musical careers at an early age in New York, the family has become a vibrant force on […]
Could there possibly be anything more boring than a supposed spy thriller where the main character wins all the time and is immediately right with every hunch? That’s the experience of watching American Assassin’s Mitch Rapp (Dylan O’Brien), a character who is devoid of real personality so he can more fully embody the many contradictory […]
Three become one in the Swedish folk band Väsen, an acoustic trio now in its 27th year of touring. The veteran group, made up of Roger Tallroth on 12-string guitar, violist Mikael Marin and Olov Johansson, a prominent nyckelharpa (a “keyed fiddle”) player, is deeply rooted in the aged traditions of the Swedish countryside. Through […]
Various techniques lend texture and drama to the works in the Hypnagogia Film Collective. Contributions by artists Angus Carter, Edmond Marchetti and Larry Simon, along with guest filmmakers, are “unified through the collective’s devotion to innovation and transcending concepts of what constitutes filmmaking.” The group’s experimental films use a variety of formats, including celluloid Super […]