The opening track to Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings’ Give the People What They Want is the burning and brassy “Retreat!” Nominally, it’s a song about the fury of a woman scorned, and Jones sings it masterfully, filling her vocal barbs with impassioned invective. But for Sharon Jones, the song has a deeper, unintended meaning. […]
The opening track to Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings’ Give the People What They Want is the burning and brassy “Retreat!” Nominally, it’s a song about the fury of a woman scorned, and Jones sings it masterfully, filling her vocal barbs with impassioned invective. But for Sharon Jones, the song has a deeper, unintended meaning. […]
When he’s not cradling a tearful Will Ferrell in Elf, comedy legend Bob Newhart is stirring up laughs with his offbeat, deadpan stand-up routine. Famous for his relaxed delivery and subtle wit, the comic explores universal moments of the human experience and shines a light on the ridiculous. His routines are marked by clever reenactments […]
A recreational choir, started by amateur singers around a coffee shop piano, shouldn’t last 30 years. The demands of everyday life and the challenges of finding new members simply shouldn’t allow it. But don’t tell that to the ladies of the Charlottesville Women’s Choir. “It has evolved,” said Estelle Phillips, who’s been with the group […]
Art History Remix, now on view at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, presents 20 collages by Earl Gordon that are rich in meaning and contain lively dialogues between Western and African art, contemporary and traditional approaches, and drawn motifs and collage. Gordon’s work provides an interesting contemporary counterpoint to the Joseph Cornell show […]
With a world tour, televised concert, and Guinness World Record title (as The World’s Youngest Solo Musician to Headline His Own Tour), you’d think Ethan Bortnick had decades of musical experience under his belt. At only 13 years old, the singer, composer, pianist, and entertainer is a precocious talent. Guaranteed to wow audiences, Bortnick’s show […]
Forgo the late night reruns of your favorite variety shows for Bent Theatre’s wacky, unpredictable live improv comedy. Established in 2004, the dynamic ensemble of 25 comedians group offers a distinctive mix of styles, drawing from “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” “Saturday Night Live,” and “Second City.” The audience is always a source, so be […]
If you’re longing for the high energy of swank New Orleans, then spend an evening with the Chickenhead Blues Band. The five-man ensemble delivers classic blues with a funky twist and is sure to get the boogie-woogie going. Vibrant bass chords play jauntily with blissful notes of the sax, creating a musical experience hopping full […]
George Carlin used to a do a bit about his favorite movies: westerns in which a bunch of cowboys face off with a bunch of Native Americans. “You know what the big scene is going to be, right? It’s going to be the attack the Indians finally make on the cowboys. You wait for it […]
Nothing screams summer like weekend yard sales, and on this sunny Saturday in late April, one lot at The Ix Project stands apart from the rest. Instead of the typical hand-me-down clothes and dated board games, bargain hunters comb through overflowing costume trunks, warehouse shelves of lighting equipment, and table after table of stage props […]
Like Playskool figures come to life, The Village People emerged on the disco scene in 1977, and by the following year the entire country was singing and mimicking the vocal group’s famous “Y.M.C.A.” moves. An act derived from the gay culture of Greenwich Village, the group formed when Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo spotted a […]