Leisure

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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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She Kills Monsters is Bursting with Friendship, Foes, and Fantasy

Blood. Humor. Geeks. Nomadic Theatre’s spring production, Qui Nguyen’s She Kills Monsters, is a comedic, action-packed, and down-to-earth narrative that is easy to enjoy. A heartfelt story about the fraught... Read more

By April 13, 2018

Leisure

Two Trains Running Meanders to a Comfort Food Finish at Arena Stage

The agitation that shook the 1960s doesn’t rattle Memphis Lee’s diner, or any on-stage portion of Two Trains Running, yet there’s a sense that change is approaching at breakneck speed.... Read more

By April 13, 2018

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Concert Review: Cigarettes After Sex Knows Its Niche, But Fails to Impress at the 9:30 Club

Everything about Cigarettes After Sex is on brand: their album artwork, their stage lighting, their outfits, and even their salt-and-pepper hair reflect their subdued, grayscale aesthetic. At their show on... Read more

By April 6, 2018

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Concert Review: Coast Modern, March 19, 9:30 Club

“We’re gonna get weird tonight!” Singer Coleman Trapp of Coast Modern proclaimed such after performing the first track of the band’s 9:30 Club setlist: “Tiny Umbrella,” a beachy tongue-in-cheek tune... Read more

By April 3, 2018