What happens when the television network that brought you “Downton Abbey” takes on one of the most seismic time periods in American history? You get “Mercy Street,” a Civil War drama that weaves together the tales of real-life historical figures with the help of rich writing, lavish costumes and sleek cinematography. Set in Alexandria, Virginia, […]
What happens when the television network that brought you “Downton Abbey” takes on one of the most seismic time periods in American history? You get “Mercy Street,” a Civil War drama that weaves together the tales of real-life historical figures with the help of rich writing, lavish costumes and sleek cinematography. Set in Alexandria, Virginia, […]
University of Virginia professor and writer Sydney Blair was generous with her time. The author of Buffalo, winner of the Virginia Prize for Fiction in 1991, could often be found in her office having a one-on-one conference with a student—she was an integral part of UVA’s MFA program, first as an administrator and then as […]
Patriots Day is a reductive, insulting, dishonest bit of emotional manipulation that bullies its audience into withholding criticisms out of fear that they will be taken as insults against the heroic people of Boston who came together in the wake of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. No, director Peter Berg and co-producer/star Mark Wahlberg do […]
Chris Alan has opened for some of the biggest names in comedy, including Amy Schumer, Sasheer Zamata and Kyle Kinane, and his jokes about everything from bathroom farts to hummus and black men driving Priuses keep audiences in stitches. He takes the top billing in the LYAO Comedy Showcase hosted by Kenn Edwards and featuring […]
Heavy-rock band Fulton Ave. was formed around the desire to channel some aggressive energy into the region’s music scene. Fronted by vocalist Kim Dylla (formerly Vulvatron in GWAR), the band describes its intensity as “straightforward riffs, a crushing rhythm section, haunting melodies and lyrics that scream far past obscene.” The Smell of Death and VAtallica open. […]
Try dining while laughing, and all you’ve learned about etiquette gets tossed, maybe spewed. Comedy at the Omni, led by award-winning director David Webster, features a memorable evening of improv put on by a team of comedic actors and fueled by audience participation over a three-course dinner. Saturday, January 14. $69.95, 6pm. 18-plus. Omni Charlottesville Hotel, […]
Mike Doughty’s recent move to Memphis may have inspired the self-described “lonesome country” aspect of The Heart Watches While the Brain Burns. The album’s trap beats, however, speak to the influence of his longtime collaboration with New York hip-hop producer Good Goose, who contributed remotely via the Internet. Always willing to explore (see 2015’s biblical […]
It’s not every day that we have the opportunity to witness a master of the kora, a lute-like harp formed with cowskin stretched over half of a large gourd. After a Fulbright scholarship sent Seth Swingle to Mali, he spent years mastering the unique instrument, capable of producing mesmerizing bass lines and harmonies. In addition, […]
Charleston, South Carolina-based SUSTO’s forthcoming album kicks off with all the Western swagger you’d expect from a group most commonly tasked with the alt-country moniker. But just over a minute into the opening track, “Far Out Feeling,” it becomes evident that this is no standard foray into dive bars and backwoods. As the chorus hits, […]
Hidden Figures is a story that must be told for its own sake-—the overlooked contributions of brilliant scientists and mathematicians who have been left out of history for their gender and race—but as a film, it rises to the challenge with a devastatingly clear grasp of how deep racism goes in our society. Hidden Figures […]