Think of all the reasons you loved (or grew to love) the first Dumb and Dumber. It was goofy, gross, immature, idiotic and proud of it. Now take each of those qualities and tack on “in a bad way” and you’ve just described its sequel. Arriving 20 years later, yet still feeling undercooked, and with […]
For many artists the act of creation is inspired not by the need for intellectual exercise or profound exploration as much as the need to scratch an itch that simply won’t quit. Cate West Zahl, whose work appears alongside her father’s in the “Father/Daughter Art Show” presented by New City Arts, explained self-expression this way: […]
This year’s Fall Experimental Dance Concert at UVA promises to leap the barre by integrating high tech with modern dance choreographed and performed by students and faculty from the University’s dance program and engineering department. The show consists of 10 pieces that explore identity and embodiment in relation to automation like “Is It Okay to Remain Seated?” […]
Have you seen the one where they catch the bad guy with an algorithm? This past August, an MIT research team announced a feat worthy of this sort of summer blockbuster. It found a means to re-create sound waves from soundless video; the team created a “visual microphone.” A demonstration of the discovery started with […]
Acoustic folk singer Jessica Lea Mayfield digs in on her third album Make My Head Sing…, with ’90s-era distorted riffs lending a darker tone to her acclaimed, emotionally charged songwriting. The Ohio native (who frequently credits Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl as an influence) takes an intense departure from her plaintive style and hits the grungy […]
Performers are typically talkative. Sure, some are eccentric. And some have bouts of social awkwardness. But for the most part, people willing to get up on stage to entertain others are willing to talk about themselves. Not so Lucas MacFadden, a.k.a. Cut Chemist. The man who first made it big lurking behind the turntables for […]
Over the Rhine Blood Oranges in the Snow/Great Speckled Dog Records Folk duo Over the Rhine likes to do things differently. Blood Oranges in the Snow—the third holiday-themed release of their career—isn’t your typical feel-good collection of familiar hymns or classic songs; it’s more of a treatise on how to weather difficult times during what […]
D.C.’s punchy pop trio Jukebox the Ghost brings youthful optimism and thoughtful darker themes together on its new self-titled album. Guitarist Tommy Siegel and drummer Jesse Kristin lay down uptempo beats as frontman Ben Thornewill tickles the ivories and doles out contemplative, infectious lyrics on an album that’s filled with road loneliness and heartbreak tied […]
Though UVA has had more than its fair share of renowned professors over the years, the name Charles Smith may not ring any bells. Raised in Augusta County and trained at the Corcoran School of Art, Smith was an acclaimed printmaker known for intricately carved block prints as well as his innovative “block painting” technique […]
In what has already been a surprisingly stellar and abundant year for family entertainment and superhero flicks, casual moviegoers could be forgiven for viewing Disney’s decision to throw its hat in the ring with Big Hero 6, a film that attempts both genres at once, as being driven more by cold number-crunching than good storytelling. […]