When A.D. Carson was in fourth grade at Durfee Elementary School in Decatur, Illinois, his teacher asked the class to write a paragraph about a picture hanging on the wall. The picture was of children playing, and Carson asked his teacher if he could make his paragraph rhyme. She agreed—encouraged him, even—and soon after gave […]
Every folk and Americana musician (and even many rockers) stands on the shoulders of Woody Guthrie. Born of Depression-era hardship, his music came in the form of ballads (“California Stars”), political commentary (“All You Fascists”) and children’s songs (“This Land Is Your Land”). Woody Guthrie’s American Song celebrates his work in a theatrical staging that […]
Southeastern Pennsylvania’s Orpheus Supertones mash up with Charlottesville’s Uncle Henry’s Favorites for a Fiddler’s Convention on Duck Mountain. The collective brings more than 50 years of experience to a showcase of fiddle, banjo, guitar and bass playing, blended with vocal harmonies, for a rousing evening steeped in tradition. Friday, June 30. $15-18, 7:30pm. The Front […]
When Lucero formed in 1998, the band knew it wanted to redefine the metal and punk landscape its members had been working in their Tennessee hometown. With a heart for country music, they hunkered down to chart a new direction, with one setback: “The trick there was that we couldn’t really play our instruments,” says […]
If you’re staying in town for the extra- long July 4 weekend, you won’t be able to wave a sparkler without hitting a parade, concert or fireworks display. Here’s a list of some our favorite Independence Day happenings. June 30-July 3 July 4th Jubilee: The United States is having a birthday, and Wintergreen Resort is hosting a […]
Dan Auerbach Waiting on a Song (Nonesuch) Gotta confess, The Black Keys always felt like a put-on, but Keys guitarist Dan Auerbach is starting to win me over. Last year he produced The Pretenders’ Alone, which was a pleasant surprise, and it’s possible that Auerbach’s other production gigs (Dr. John, Lana Del Rey, Ray LaMontagne) […]
Ayanna Dookie got her start in comedy by talking shit in the Black Engineers Society student lounge at the University of Maryland. She’d sit around at lunch, telling jokes and poking fun at fellow students who found her so entertaining they’d come to the lounge, sometimes bringing friends from other departments, hoping to catch her […]
Forty bands. Two stages. 23 hours of music. Lovefest is a response through art to the civil rights struggles shaking the community. From early-morning meditation to midday belly dancing to late-night gypsy punk, the festival offers a weekend of immersion in the love and passion of local artists. The lineup features well-known community musicians including […]
The story of Rough Night centers around a disastrous bachelorette weekend organized by an old friend who doesn’t know the difference between entertaining someone and monopolizing her time—which is a distinction the movie itself also has difficulty making. Featuring a terrific cast with great chemistry, a mix of A-listers and promising up-and-comers, and written and […]
A Mexican bass player, a French guitarist, a keyboardist from Philadelphia and a drummer from Miami walk into a bar—and take the stage. Hopefully you’re in the audience to witness the cool vibes and easy grooves of Electric Kif’s blend of funk, soul and jazz. Originally hailing from Florida, the band is in the midst […]