When I think of Luc Besson or watch one of his movies, the thing I feel most is ambivalence. It’s refreshing to watch a guy use real violence in movies that are supposed to be comedies—violence isn’t all that funny, even when it’s played for laughs. A great example of horrific violence used for comedic […]
No two sounds are the same coming from avant-garde rock act El Ten Eleven. Guitarist Kristian Dunn plucks a unique double-neck that incorporates a standard guitar and a bass, and Tim Fogarty backs him with acoustic and electronic drumming. The duo chooses from an infinite number of guitar pedals and percussive tools in recording layer […]
Instrumental electronic jam band Lotus built its loyal fan base over a decade by weaving grooves and house rhythms and averaging 100 live shows per year. Known for its genre-bending style, the five-person group fills festivals and concert halls with a combination of dance-worthy beats and joyful rock notes, but the biggest thrill may be […]
Indie artist Mayer Hawthorne wants to go pop. For those who remember his first full-length record from five years ago, the change in direction is obvious, and Hawthorne’s publicist says as much. “He’s relaxed his DIY ethos of crafting every song from start to finish,” reads the multi-talented R&B musician’s bio. “Now, he’s motivated to […]
London trio The xx performs its signature chill-out electro pop on the final leg of a U.S. tour that followed the 2012 launch of its latest album Coexist. Fresh from a festival circuit that included Coachella and Bonnaroo, the band blends gentle rock with metaphysical themes and electronic elements resulting in evocative, intriguing trance ballads […]
The term “indie rock” is so widely used that it has come to mean drastically different things to different people. It’s had a strange life over the past 25-odd years, one that weaves its way through significant changes in musical styles and cataclysmic shifts within the record industry. In many ways, the story of the […]
A reader’s world is fast and bright these days, an infinite scroll through limitless content. To slake our thirst for information, we swallow so many words we can’t taste them. Even books are designed for disposal: laser-printed for mass consumption and for cheap resale. Once upon a time, however, the written word was a work […]
Material based sculpture can be immensely captivating, transforming everyday and unexpected objects through scale, quantity, and precision of assembly into breathtaking constructions. The untitled work of Hong Seong Jang currently installed at the Second Street Gallery falls into this category. Like many found object works of art, however, it struggles with the contrast between low quality […]
Light House Studios, the award-winning program of filmmaking workshops for local youth, will present its 12th annual screening of student work on Friday, September 13th at the Jefferson Theater. “This year we have more narrative films than usual, including an FX-heavy Sci-Fi adventure called Space Girl.” said Light House program director Jason Robinson. The program […]
In a world of exploding tuitions, shaky job markets, and ubiquitous unpaid internships, the notion of an apprenticeship sounds like an antiquated luxury. In the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program, however, the system of master and apprentice is alive and well, not only offering hands-on education but the cultivation of inter-generational connections and preservation of Virginia […]