ARTS Pick: Cabinet

Formed in eastern Pennsylvania in 2006, Cabinet is a band that honors Appalachian tradition by channeling bluegrass, country and folk into a hard-driving style that’s been deemed slamgrass. Through steady harmonies, soaring vocals and storytelling, the group’s music takes the long way home, inviting its listeners to sit back and relax on a virtual ride […]

Film review: The Martian goes beyond the typical sci-fi surface

Matt Damon may be the star of Ridley Scott’s The Martian, but science itself is the hero in this breezy yet breathless tale of survival against all odds, bucking Hollywood’s preference for redundant fiction over interesting science in its sci-fi. The characters are charming, the tension is palpable, nearly every joke lands, yet by putting […]

A wonderful thing: Lyle Lovett on how to get a song going

In the three decades since the notoriously idiosyncratic and gentlemanly Lyle Lovett erupted onto the country music scene with the single “Cowboy Man,” the Texas native has earned a reputation as being an artist’s artist. Lovett’s genre-bending 1986 eponymous debut received unanimous critical acclaim, even winning a spot on Rolling Stone’s best albums of the […]

ARTS Pick: Brian Regan

Featured in the Chris Rock movie Top Five, nominated for a 2014 American Comedy Award for Best Concert Comic and appearing 27 times on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” Brian Regan has distinguished himself as a clean comedian, earning praise from legends in the field such as Jerry Seinfeld. He finds mirth in everyday […]

Fired up: New studios and upcoming exhibition at City Clay

When City Clay owner and artist Randy Bill started her business in 2011, she knew that her rented space on West Main Street wasn’t long for this world. Though the specter of the new Marriott loomed large, Bill refused to be daunted by it. “I knew it was the best location possible for visibility and […]

David Duchovny talks about performing in the moment

Confession: Without “The X-Files,” I wouldn’t be a professional writer. Way back in middle school, I thought I hated writing. At least, I hated writing dry, research-based essays for class. But every Sunday night I found inspiration in the form of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, characters whose investigations into paranormal phenomenon inspired me so […]

A time for place: The Anatomy of Frank makes discoveries on North America

Take a look at The Anatomy of Frank’s song catalog and one thing is immediately clear: These guys are really into geography. The group named its debut album Pangaea, after a supercontinent, and its forthcoming second album, North America, includes songs with titles such as “Occupy Anchorage,” “Vancouver (for child astronauts)” and “A Bridge Over […]

ARTS Pick: An Evening with Lucero

Lucero was born out of boredom during the spring of ’98, when a group of Memphis, Tennessee, buddies who were tired of the punk rock and metal that dominated the local music landscape decided to pick up instruments and pluck out edgy, country tunes. After a period of woodshedding and experimentation, the band grew to […]

ARTS Pick: Manhattan Short Film Festival

Experience the best in international cinematography, in segments of 18 minutes or less, at the Manhattan Short Film Festival. Out of a record 678 entries received from 52 countries, the festival’s programmers selected 10 films as finalists. Audience members around the world view and vote during one week of screenings to decide which cut will […]