Hard rock never lost its appeal for fans of the Maryland-based band Clutch. Even after scaling back the long jams on its tenth studio album, Earth Rocker, the fret-shredding foursome still reigns as an unapologetic homage to the founders of heavy metal. Trading on clever lyrics emitted with a growl and pushing the limit on […]
Hard rock never lost its appeal for fans of the Maryland-based band Clutch. Even after scaling back the long jams on its tenth studio album, Earth Rocker, the fret-shredding foursome still reigns as an unapologetic homage to the founders of heavy metal. Trading on clever lyrics emitted with a growl and pushing the limit on […]
Local artists, speakers, and writers compete at the Big Blue Door Grand Slam by telling true stories on the theme of schemes and dreams. Previous jam winners and runners-up will call on memory to riff on ideas like escaping summer camp, planning cons, and eternal love. Audience members vote for their favorite story and the […]
When I first met Emma Davis, she came to my studio with her friend who was studying guitar with me. My student said that I should hear her sing, so she grabbed his guitar and sang “Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show. Not too much easily impresses me, but her version of that song […]
When the Charlottesville Lady Arm Wrestlers held its first match in the back room of the Blue Moon Diner in February of 2008, few dreamed it would become a nationwide movement. CLAW began as an all-women’s arm wrestling competition, initiated by Jennifer Tidwell and Jodie Plaisance, in which the stereotype of women as weak is […]
Calling this So-Cal quintet a novice band undercuts a confident sound that is anything but unsure of itself. Formed in 2012, Bad Suns has quickly established itself among today’s indie-rock up-and-coming. The group’s statement on “Salt” recalls the careening music of the 80’s alternative scene—drooping vocals and chugging rhythmic patterns that paint shades of Depeche […]
The title of singer Cate Le Bon’s latest release, Mug Museum, conveys a simple whimsy, along with the special offer of a handcrafted mug accessory, but fans know of the brooding complexity that lies beneath its quirky exterior. Often compared to the dark folk songstress Nico, Le Bon’s music is moody, captivating, and infused with […]
The Richmond-based rock duo Boxwave features John Mustachio on bass and Brad Ellsworth on percussion in a minimal act that strives to invigorate the often ignored rhythm section. Spartan and unassuming, Ellsworth provides enthusiastic backing to Mustachio’s gritty playing in a guerrilla rock attack that fuses funk and jazz into extravagant, melodic flights. The pair appears […]
Stoney More Than Animals/Self-released More Than Animals is an eclectic, largely engaging album. If you like your British singer-songwriters with a little bit of swagger, then Stoney’s your guy. “Sweet Release” is a raucous piece of pop rock, and driving numbers like “The Score” crank up the energy. “Devil on My Back” is a groovy […]
It’s the sort of utopian, not-too-distant future. Men wear high-waisted pants and mustaches without irony. Joaquin Phoenix falls in love with his operating system. It sounds crazy. And creepy. Though how far are we from that reality? We’re already in love with our gadgets. Why shouldn’t it be plausible that someone invents an operating system […]
Passafire’s Ted Bowne says he has nothing but respect for his peers in reggae, but there’s one figure in the modern game he doesn’t like—Snoop Lion, formerly Snoop Dogg. “I thought the transformation was well-intended, but if someone starts coming around your house and wearing your clothes and talking like you, it is weird,” Bowne […]