ARTS Pick: Marian McLaughlin

Singer-songwriter and guitarist Marian McLaughlin weaves together imaginative lyrics and intricate classical guitar work, then delivers it so rhapsodically that you can’t help but be drawn into her wake. A couple of years ago, McLaughlin captured the attention of NPR’s “All Songs Considered” host Bob Boilen, who likens her music to that of Joanna Newsom […]

ARTS Pick: Annual Youth Film Festival

Put a child in front of a camera and you might end up with a candid moment that’s viral-worthy and gets grandma tapping on her smartphone. Put kids on both sides of the camera and you’ll gain unique perspectives on society, community and family at Light House Studio’s Annual Youth Film Festival. The film center […]

Kubo and the Two Strings unfolds beautifully

There is a common refrain in some cinephile circles that the main problem with 2016’s reliance on muddy, lifeless reboots and sequels is a lack of original ideas in Hollywood. While there may be some truth to that, it does not explain the failure of the individual films themselves. Suicide Squad didn’t have to be […]

Lockn’ festival is groomed and geared up for more

Lockn’ festival returns to Oak Ridge Farm on Thursday, and while the musical acts including Phish, Ween and My Morning Jacket are expected to draw more than 30,000 fans to the area, event producer Dave Frey defines the key to enjoying the festival as “locality.” Pointing out the attributes of the recently established Nelson County Preserve, […]

ARTS Pick: The Stray Birds

When The Stray Birds wandered from the band members’ collective home of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to Nashville, the group mingled in the songwriter scene and came away with rewarding collaborations, an intuitive producer and a list of talented guest musicians for the new record, Magic Fire, to be released on August 19. Building on momentum […]

ARTS Pick: The Pollocks

The Pollocks is the current project of Seven Mary Three founding member Jason Pollock, and it’s more like a country cousin to the hard-rock group that topped singles charts in the ’90s. Low-key and locally based, The Pollocks have put North Garden on the musical map, building a supportive community where the band can test […]

Album Reviews: William Tyler, The Earls of Leicester, The Moontrotters

William Tyler Modern Country (Merge) A tough one. As a member of Lambchop, guitarist William Tyler helped craft one of the more interesting sounds in alt-rock, a lush mélange replete with strings yet maintaining a welcome twang. The last element was Tyler’s contribution, his abundant gifts becoming more obvious on his own albums, filled with […]

ARTS Pick: J.Cole

UVA’s Program Council welcomes students back with a performance by platinum-selling hip-hop artist J. Cole, as well as rappers Bas and Cozz. Known for his introspective lyrics and humble beginnings, Cole connects with his zealous fan base through his soulful musical identity. He plays from his latest release, Forest Hills Drive, a concept album that […]

ARTS Pick: Ellis Paul

Singer-songwriter Ellis Paul is equal parts folk artist and storyteller. His most recent album, Chasing Beauty, is characteristically ballad-centric and tells stories of real people and places that reflect larger truths about the human experience. In the style of  Woody Guthrie, the 15-time Boston Music Award-winner leans on his musical roots for an unfailingly genuine […]

Anna Tucker illustrates the fun side of planning

For all its utility in tracking our planetary revolutions, earthly seasons and our personal development from one sunrise to the next, time may be the human construct that inspires the most anxiety. If you find conventional planners too rigid, digital calendars too ethereal, if you seem incapable of committing to a routine of tracking your […]