ARTS Pick: The Lady Pills

Call out a suggestion and watch epic comedy unfold when Big Blue Door’s improv comedy team The Lady Pills tackle the Harold. Developed by actors Del Close and Charna Halpern in the ’80s, this longform improv game forces comedians to create and weave narratives on the fly, rapid-firing scenes and new story lines before tying […]

LOOKbetween and “TREES” fill in for photo fest downtime

It’s that time of year again when dazzling photographs of exotic wildlife hang from the willow oaks running along the Downtown Mall. Dubbed “TREES,” the exhibition of large, double-sided images is the most visible and popular aspect of LOOK3, the nonprofit organization that celebrates the vision of extraordinary photographers, ignites critical conversations about the subjects […]

Edge of Tomorrow succeeds on teamwork and smarts

It’s not unreasonable to imagine that Tom Cruise, perhaps the last of the old school movie stars, had lost it. He hasn’t had a bona fide hit since 2011 with Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol, and as good as some of that movie is, it certainly coasts on the strength of being part of a big franchise. […]

ARTS Pick: Second Hand Fauna

Part anthropologist, part pirate, Jesse Fiest hunts for treasure among knickknacks and leftovers. Using found and second hand materials, she creates whimsical sculptures in “Second Hand Fauna,” described as vegan taxidermy–which makes it pretty clear that no animals were harmed in the creation of this artwork. Friday 6/13. Free, 5pm. Telegraph Gallery, 110 Fourth St., […]

Interview: Fitz and the Tantrums look to reclaim early success

Fitz and the Tantrums just seem to have a way of finding the spotlight. Remember that video where they were all on those treadmills? Oh, that wasn’t them? My bad. But who could forget when they played on that one rooftop that one time? Oh, right. That was every band other than them. What about […]

ARTS Pick: Jeremy Messersmith

Since The Alcatraz Kid was released independently in 2006, Jeremy Messersmith has been praised for his elegant and literate songwriting style. While love songs and lullabies are not new territories for the emo/indie genre, Messersmith manages to create a unique sound by combining subtle lyrics and attention to instrumental detail. His latest record, Heart Murmurs, has […]

Raven Mack finds peace through word fights

“Who I am is not really defined. Most of the questions you asked I’d probably answer differently two weeks from now,” said Raven Mack, smiling under his long beard. “I always reserve the right to change suddenly.” Mack’s a poet without pretension, scribbling sonnets on his lunch break and supporting a wife, three children, and their […]

Melanie Martinez hopes to sidestep the reality competition label

 I was convinced that Taylor Hicks would not only win the 2006 season of “American Idol,” but would also become wildly successful as a recording artist. I was so convinced of his ability to appeal to a range of audiences, that I told anyone who would listen he’d be the most popular “Idol” of all time. […]

ARTS Pick: Vampire Weekend

With it’s recent Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album, Vampire Weekend bites into a variety of styles with inspiration from Afro-pop and rock music of the past. Formed in New York City in 2006, and taking its name from a failed film project, the band rose to the top of the music world with […]

ARTS Pick: Comedy With a Taste of Jazz

Richmond-based comedian and self-proclaimed syllogist Corey Marshall shares the stage with the area’s top jazz players at the Comedy With a Taste of Jazz series launch. Hosted by the United Nations of Comedy, the series harkens back to the Harlem Renaissance and the jazz era by offering a distinctive fusion of laughter and feel good […]