Leisure

Reviews and think pieces on music, movies, art, and theater.

Leisure

Deaf Poets Change & Bloom in the Midst of Their Move From Miami to New York

On the title track of Deaf Poets’ newest E.P., Change & Bloom, Sean Wouters repeats the chorus line, “My wasted years trying to change and bloom / My future is... Read more

By June 25, 2018

Leisure

Concert Preview: Vans Warped Tour, July 29, Merriweather Post Pavilion

The end of an era is upon us: on June 21, Vans Warped Tour will embark on its final cross-country run. For the past 24 years, the historically punk festival... Read more

By June 20, 2018

Leisure

Concert Preview: Paramore with Foster the People, June 23, Merriweather Post Pavilion

In the fourteen years since they came together in Franklin, Tennessee, Paramore has released five albums, gone through three bass players, and seen lead singer Hayley Williams go through countless... Read more

By June 15, 2018

Leisure

Best in the Galaxy: Han Solo gets a Backstory in Solo: A Star Wars Story

Just five months after the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), fans of the franchise rejoice. Solo: A Star Wars Story is here, and it’s a blast(er). The... Read more

By June 14, 2018

Leisure

Buoyed by Gifted Performances and an Infectious Score, Waitress Bakes From the Heart

All conscious Broadway lovers can agree that the 2015-2016 season belonged to a scrappy little show called Hamilton. At the 2016 Tony Awards, musicals with the unfortunate luck of debuting... Read more

By May 20, 2018

Leisure

Broccoli City Festival Mixes Activism With All-Star Performances

On Saturday, April 28, Washington D.C. hosted the sixth annual Broccoli City Festival. The festival, which took place on the sprawling lot outside of the historic RFK Stadium in Southeast,... Read more

By May 9, 2018

Leisure

Concert Preview: Fleet Foxes, May 18, The Anthem

After a six-year hiatus, Fleet Foxes erupted back into the limelight in the summer of 2017 with their third full-length album, Crack-Up. The band built excitement in the mid aughts... Read more

By May 9, 2018

Leisure

Concert Preview: Tokyo Police Club, May 2 & 3, 9:30 Club

Tokyo Police Club’s newest single, “New Blues” is a clash of old and new for the Toronto based indie rock band. The heavy distortion on the track recalls the frantic... Read more

By May 2, 2018

Leisure

National Portrait Gallery’s Unseen Exhibit is Halfway There

50 years ago, the National Portrait Gallery opened its America’s Presidents exhibit, which has since become one of the Smithsonian’s landmark tourist destinations. As the Portrait Gallery celebrates its history,... Read more

By May 2, 2018

Leisure

Critical Voices: Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy

Cardi B opens her premier album with an emotional three minutes of solo bars backed by a simple piano line and soft air horns. After the fun and free-flowing “Finesse”... Read more

By May 1, 2018

Leisure

Empty Houses and the Stories Inside: Evicted Confronts an American Tragedy

A home is a source of safety, success, and livelihood, and yet so many Americans must consistently live without one. Evicted tells their story. Based on sociologist Matthew Desmond’s book... Read more

By April 29, 2018

Leisure

Critical Voices: Bishop Briggs, Church of Scars

Provocative and resounding, Bishop Briggs’ Church of Scars comes with refreshing verve in every track, as high-energy, magnetic bass lines amplify Briggs’ powerful vocals. The rising indie artist released her... Read more

By April 29, 2018

Leisure

Critical Voices: J. Cole, KOD

Cole has always been the fire-and-brimstone preacher in the church of rap. From his breakout single “Lights Please,” a caution against the temptations of sex, to “Fire Squad,” his critically-lauded... Read more

By April 29, 2018

Leisure

Concert Preview: Modest Mouse, April 30, The Anthem

Getting their start in the musical hub of Seattle in the 1990s, Modest Mouse brings a unique sound to the alternative world. Led by Isaac Brock on vocals and guitar,... Read more

By April 29, 2018

Leisure

Rampage Blames Humans for Overgrown, Destructive Animals

Shockingly, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson plays an strapping, resourceful good guy in Rampage. This time, though, he’s a bit under the height requirement. In this unlikely, formulaic tale, three genetically-modified... Read more

By April 24, 2018

Leisure

Concert Preview: Beck, April 26, The Anthem

For over 20 years, the singer-songwriter Beck has been releasing music inspired by styles and genres from hip-hop to folk, and fusing them to create a trademark sound that has... Read more

By April 24, 2018

Leisure

Mask and Bauble’s Footloose is an Unpretentious Good Time

It’s pretty safe to say that there are few who are unfamiliar with the general storyline of Footloose. Whether it’s the original film with a young Kevin Bacon or the... Read more

By April 19, 2018

Leisure

Tucci’s The Final Portrait is Brooding Yet Boring

Stanley Tucci’s The Final Portrait explores the trope of the tortured artist through its vignette of painter and sculptor, Alberto Giacometti, as he creates one of his last great works.... Read more

By April 17, 2018

Leisure

The Miracle Season is Average, But in a Good Way

There is a genre of film, often based on true stories, that is characterized by its coupling of heart-wrenching tragedies with inspirational tales of hope and redemption. The Miracle Season... Read more

By April 13, 2018

Leisure

A Quiet Place is a Parent’s Worst Nightmare

A Quiet Place begins in the middle of a story: Without speaking, a mother and her children search a disordered, abandoned store. As the older daughter walks around the space,... Read more

By April 13, 2018