ARTS Pick: Klezmer Ensemble with Alan Bern

The centuries old musical tradition of the klezmorim, professional Jewish instrumentalists of Eastern Europe, was brought to the states by immigrants at the turn of the last century, and Americanized under the influence of jazz and modern orchestration. The University of Virginia Klezmer Ensemble celebrates the music’s multi-cultural revival and honors its roots in medieval […]

ARTS Pick: Wild Horse, Wild Ride

Venture into the new West with a handful of horse trainers on a 100-day journey to select and tame wild mustangs for adoption in the poignant, award-winning documentary Wild Horse, Wild Ride. Directors Alex Dawson and Greg Gricus follow a host of colorful, true life characters ranging from Navajo grandfathers and grizzled cowboys, to blond […]

Les Yeux du Monde welcomes color in ‘Visions of Spring’

If you’re tired of grey skies and slush, you might want to visit Les Yeux du Monde before the end of March. “When you walk in the gallery, you see a lot of color,” said Lyn Bolen Warren, the curator of the space’s current exhibit, Visions of Spring. “You see these big painted urns reaching upward, […]

‘From Jackson 5ive to Boondocks’ explores African- Americans in animation

The word “animation” conjures up the glorious childhood routine of plopping in front of the television on Saturday mornings for hours on end. However, that’s just a small glance at an incredibly varied and ever-evolving genre. Early animation ranged from magic lanterns and zoetropes to flipbooks and silent films. Today, it’s a genre that holds […]

One-woman show could possibly save the world

If you’re reading this on your smartphone, and you’ve got Facebook, Twitter, and an appreciation for live comedy and action/adventure, you’re needed at the Helms Theater. There’s a world that needs to be saved, and only you can save it. In her one-woman show, Mission: Implausible!, veteran actor, director, writer, and UVA MFA student Sandi […]

ARTS Pick: St. Paul & The Broken Bones

The unassuming members of St. Paul & The Broken Bones produce spine-tingling soul music that surpasses simple revival—this music sweats and stomps its way through a regeneration of the genre. Singer Paul Janeway possesses a set of pipes with the heart-wrenching timbre of Otis Redding combined with the wailing bad-assery of a writhing James Brown. […]

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. gears up for the next record

Catchiness. It’s the pop song writer’s holy grail. But what is it about a song that gets it lodged in hipsters’ heads? Is it a combination of the perfect melody and a poetic hook? The right balance of whistling and “woo-woos”? Perhaps a horn-driven chorus? Cowbell anyone? Whatever the formula, Detroit-based Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. […]

The Veronica Mars movie plots a new direction

During the closing credits in Veronica Mars, there’s a text crawl that reads: “This movie would never have been possible without the endless faith and support of our fans around the world, and especially the 91,585 backers who pledged on Kickstarter to bring Veronica back to life. Thank you for never giving up, and for […]

ARTS Pick: Man at a Crossroad

Lyndia Porter had no idea that she was creating a new form of ministry when she sat down to write her stage play Man at a Crossroad. Performed by volunteers from across Virginia, the play explores the struggles of living a Christian life within a secular society. But unlike some stage performances, nothing here is […]