The Japanese House

On her sophomore album, In The End It Always Does, The Japanese House, aka Amber Bain, explores themes of love, loss, and identity. With her dreamy vocals and heartfelt lyrics, Bain captures the cyclical nature of relationships in a range of real experience that is unapologetically human. The album, co-produced by George Daniel of The […]

Informal arrangements

By Aaron Irons The Arcadian Wild finds uplift and grace amid warm harmonies on Welcome, the Music City string band’s latest effort, which blends elegance and heart-swelling dynamics with endearing revelations. Equal parts meditation and jubilation, Welcome offers connection and understanding in an era when such notions are at a premium. Lincoln Mick formed The […]

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

Hijinks and happenstance collide in one of Shakespeare’s most-loved comedies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Set in a magical forest outside of Athens, four young lovers fight for each other’s affections on the eve of their duke’s wedding. Meanwhile, six would-be thespians create stress in an attempt to impress the duke’s marriage party, and Oberon—king of […]

Bent Theatre

Celebrating 20 years of untethered comedy in C’ville and beyond, Bent Theatre’s 2024 season is set to split your sides and make you cry (with laughter, of course). The improv troupe makes the rounds of local theaters, bars, and breweries entertaining the masses with bits and acts pulled from their asses pulled from thin air! […]

TimaLikesMusic

With an infectiously upbeat attitude and relatable witticism, TimaLikesMusic takes the stage for a night of funky fun and riveting R&B. Steeped in ’90s soul and insights from internet culture, this multifaceted producer, songwriter, singer, instrumentalist, and content composer broke into the mainstream with a series of comedy-filled jingles on Instagram Reels. She’s on the […]

Erin & The Wildfire

Now based in the commonwealth’s capital, local favorites Erin & The Wildfire return with their smoking-hot show of original neo-soul and indie-pop sounds. Seeking authentic audience interaction and acceptance—of both self and others—the group brings incredible energy to the stage, while frontwoman Lunsford balances power and emotion through an impressive vocal range that moves body […]

‘The Electronic Lover’ audio opera

With an ending more than five years in the making, The Electronic Lover audio opera debuts its ultimate episode in front of a live audience this week. You can be one of the (lonely?) hearts in the crowd as this tragicomedy set in 1980s chat rooms hits “send” on its final installment. Scored for six […]

A musical monologue

By Dave Cantor Yasmin Williams translated her enthusiasm for the video game Guitar Hero into a music degree. After finishing up at New York University and moving back to Northern Virginia, where she grew up, the guitarist self-released Unwind, a sometimes somber, but playful, effort that seems to depict a performer pondering friendships and life, […]

Tina & Her Pony

Touring in support of the new album Marigolds, North Carolina’s Tina & Her Pony rides into town on Americana arrangements that depict a life truly lived. Featuring Tina Collins with Rebecca Branson Jones on pedal steel, the duo’s twangy tunes explore love, loss, growth, and change on relatable tracks that evoke sawdust-covered bar room floors […]

100 Proof

Dust off your dancing shoes and warm up those vocal cords because audience interaction is a must when local legends 100 Proof take the stage. Merging funk, rhythm and blues, neo soul, and jazz with Latin congas, this go-go group brings wild energy to the dance floor. And the beats don’t stop when DJ Runway […]