ARTS Pick: Yarn

For some artists, hitting the road is synonymous with coming home. The Brooklyn-based quartet Yarn, which recently planted its bluegrass roots in North Carolina, has notched more than a thousand shows across the country. It even has a Grammy nomination stapled to its name, and has shared the stage with both Alison Krauss and The […]

ARTS Pick: The Secret Rain

Casey Horn is growing old, and with age comes a whole lot of trouble—between his mother’s poor taste in men, his younger brother’s out-of-this-world obsession, and the neighbor girl’s frustrating lack of interest, he’s finding that life isn’t exactly grand. The Secret Rain follows Casey as he navigates these obstacles with the help of Audrey […]

Letting it flow: Kyle Dargan fights futility with poetry

As a child, Kyle Dargan began writing rhymes largely as a matter of convenience. “If you wanted to make music, especially back in the ’90s, you needed somebody with a studio and recording equipment,” he says. “But you could write [hip-hop lyrics] at home, on the bus, in a notebook, and share with people and […]

ARTS Pick: Father John Misty

Any artist that opts to start off a track with the words, “Pour me another drink and punch me in the face” certainly has no shortage of spunk. Josh Tillman, who famously deemed himself Father John Misty, has taken to the road in celebration of his recent LP, God’s Favorite Customer. Misty delivers hypnotizing indie […]

ARTS Pick: Party Like a Rock Star

Step into the fantasy world of a rock star’s life for one evening while helping local youth pursue their musical dreams. The Music Resource Center’s annual Party Like a Rock Star is Prince-themed this year in tribute to the inimitable musician. Donate at musicresourcecenter.org to cast a vote for your favorite Prince cover by a […]

The Accountant banks on simpler times

Who knew a straightforward, predictable, high-concept action mystery starring Batman on his off-season would be just the palate cleanser we needed this year? Gavin O’Connor’s The Accountant harkens back to a simpler time in the film industry, before every member of every superhero team needed his own spin-off series, when the central idea behind an […]

Artist Damien Shen finds motivation in his past

Like many creatives, Damien Shen spent most of his adult life focused on building a career instead of a formal art practice. But in 2013, the South Australia native and current Kluge-Ruhe artist-in-residence realized he had a calling. He just needed to work out what it was. “I did this journey down the east coast […]

Songwriter Matt Curreri rearranges and rocks out

Every Wednesday night after dinner, Matt Curreri, Jesse Fiske, Gerald Soriano and Brian Wilson gather in a tiny, warmly lit music studio in Fiske’s Belmont backyard. They unpack their guitars, bass and drums, and set up mics and amps. Fiske’s Single Barrel Studio is a cozy fit for the four-piece, but they tune up. They […]

Neal Guma gallery assembles a striking group show

With just five photographs on view, Neal Guma has assembled a richly satisfying show featuring some of the most interesting photographers working today at his new, eponymously named gallery on Third Street. While different in terms of style, approach and subject matter, the work is linked by a sense of mystery, foreboding and even danger. […]