Madi Diaz is done making other performers sound good. After a stadium tour opening for Harry Styles, followed by watching the megastar perform night after night as a member of his backing band, Diaz (aka “Nashville’s secret weapon”) is making her own mark with a new LP. On Weird Faith, the singer blends folk, Americana, […]
Madi Diaz is done making other performers sound good. After a stadium tour opening for Harry Styles, followed by watching the megastar perform night after night as a member of his backing band, Diaz (aka “Nashville’s secret weapon”) is making her own mark with a new LP. On Weird Faith, the singer blends folk, Americana, […]
When you remove books from the shelves of school libraries, who benefits? And, more importantly, who suffers? (Hint: future generations.) These are questions that The ABCs of Book Banning examines over the course of 27 minutes. The Oscar-nominated short documentary is one of five finalists that explore various topics—uneasy peace in Taiwan, America’s racial wealth […]
UVA Drama’s New Works Festival treats audiences to a varied collection of short works, ranging from drama to farce, that explore everything from workplace woes to matters of the heart. The pithy plays are written, directed, designed, and performed by students. Travel back in time to regency-era England in Becca Davis’ The Sapphire Hyacinth, follow […]
Feathers are flying and there’s glitter galore at Live Arts’ Kinky Boots. The heart-warming musical sees an unlikely partnership blossom between Charlie Price, owner of a failing shoe factory, and Lola, a fabulous drag queen in need of a pair of sturdy stilettos. Xavier Taylor dons a sky-high wig for the role of Lola opposite […]
Ben Sloan’s second book of poems, Then On Out Into a Cloudless Sky, is a collection of work that speaks to various themes and eras, highlighting the far-ranging interests of its author. As an object, the book is a delight, an elegant pamphlet with a cover that captures the bright blue of sky and a […]
Sunny War is on the phone, and there’s a long pause. It’s not unexpected—not even awkward at this point. Pauses are more common than flowing conversation with the experimental singer-songwriter. But this pause is different. This time, War’s answering a question about her mental health, and the pause is alarming. So, too, is her eventual […]
Wake up to the sounds of Andean folk music by Savia Andina and Sukay, or Johnny Cash’s classic country, then tune in for a late-afternoon program on the women of bluegrass during WTJU’s round-the-clock Folk Marathon. Artists including Buzzard Hollow Boys, Mama Tried, Erik “Red” Knierim, Barling & Collins, and Uncle Henry’s Favorites perform live […]
Date night is easy at Vino & Cinema, a romantic evening of wine tasting paired with a screening of Moonstruck. The 1987 rom-com follows Italian American widow Loretta, who finds herself in a love triangle with her fiancé and his brother. Market Street Wine pours curated flights of Italian wine, while Cher and Nicolas Cage […]
Drumming meets dynamic choreography in Drum Tao, a collective formed in 1993 that elevates the art of Japanese taiko drumming, alongside flute, marimba, harp, and more. Using wadaikos, handheld snares, and large odaikos, the band performs intricate and electrifying routines of traditional and modern compostitions that come alive with vibrant sets, aesthetic costuming, and precise […]
Josh Vana’s folk song “To the River” has the good bones of a powerful protest anthem: a timeless chord progression, an urgent message of opposition, and an uplifting chorus ready for joined voices. In the lyrics, he laments environmental degradation at the hands of industry, and speaks for the small communities that have been embroiled […]