Lewis Black

If you get under Lewis Black’s skin, prepare to be dragged. The stand-up comic, who’s known as the King of Rant, skewers his subjects with comedic yelling and animated finger-pointing. Black’s diatribes blaze through the absurdities in current events, media, and politics. Also a talented voice actor, Black famously voiced Anger in Pixar’s Inside Out, […]

Go for baroque

When accomplished local violinist Fiona Hughes says she loves music that “transcends the divide between high art and popular,” she ain’t talking about the divide between Brian Eno and Bryan Adams. Hughes is into the type of sounds that would’ve made the rounds in Colonial Virginia, specifically post-Renaissance baroque tunes. In other words, her favored […]

Nutcracker

Get an early start on the holiday spirit at Talmi Entertainment’s Nutcracker. The Christmas classic is full of falling snow, growing trees, handcrafted sets and costumes, and acrobatic moves. An international cast featuring Ukrainian principal artists jetés and pirouettes across the stage as beloved characters like the Mouse King, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Mother […]

Friendsgiving Revue

Enjoy a night of companionship and song at Chamomile and Whiskey’s Friendsgiving Revue. The local band headlines with its signature blend of roots, rock, and Americana, and invites an array of guests on stage for a song or two. Richmond singer-songwriter Deau Eyes brings her alt-indie tunes, and Rebecca Porter, who’s known for her commanding, […]

100 Proof and Ebony Groove

Dance off the food coma with jazz and soul sounds from 100 Proof and Ebony Groove. Known for its high-octane pace and nonstop music sets, 100 Proof brings together a lineup of local musicians that blends funk, R&B, jazz, and neo soul with Latin conga into a collective sound. Ebony Groove has been performing its […]

Thomas Jefferson & Bill Barker in the HotSeat

Thomas Jefferson—you love him, or you love to hate him. Either way, wouldn’t it be interesting to ask ol’ TJ some questions? We thought so, so we spoke to historical impersonator Bill Barker, Monticello’s resident Thomas Jefferson. A veteran historical actor and interpreter, Barker portrayed Jefferson in Colonial Williamsburg for 26 years before coming to […]

Graham Nash

With six decades of songs, two Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions, and membership in supergroups like The Hollies and Crosby, Stills, & Nash, Graham Nash has solidified himself as a seminal part of rock history—and he’s not done yet. His latest solo effort, Now, is a 12-song folk-rock observation of the human experience, […]

Thompson Springs

Young blues meets old-school country in Thompson Springs, a Chicago-based six-piece led by singer-songwriter Matt Smith. The band worked with Wilco’s Pat Sansone on its debut album Undertones, which blends dreamy songwriting with indie-rock influences on songs like “Slightly Sexy.” Smith and his bandmates are gearing up for their sophomore release, Standby, an eight-song EP […]

Outer World, Taffy, New Boss, and Light Beams

Treat your ears to a sonic sampling of genre-fluid sounds from four bands at Music at VR. Richmond’s Outer World spins psychedelic pop with a fuzzy garage feel on its debut record, Who does the music love? Then, get amped for two local bands, punk rock ‘n’ roll outfit Taffy and power-pop rockers New Boss. […]

Mirth making

In Tea Leaves, a new collection of short stories, Baltimore-based author Jacob Budenz invokes a queer cast of fantastical oddballs making their way in the world we share. From an aspiring magician filled with regrets related to student debt, a deadbeat demon who practices astral projection to compete in speed-eating contests, and a televised semi-psychic […]