Norfolk Wood Shop Celebrates One Year in Business
By Jim Roberts Opening a small, brick-and-mortar woodworking supply store in the age of Amazon and “big box” competition might not seem like the wisest business decision, but James Brooks is making it work. His Norfolk Wood Shop—located across the street from Elation...
Growing Up with The Beatles
By Tom Robotham In December, 1963, my sister received a package from her “pen pal” in Scotland. Inside, was a 45 rpm record made exclusively for the “official fan club” of a band called The Beatles. Although Beatlemania had not yet come to America, and I was only 7 at...
Amanda Knox: Still Clearing Her Name
By Jeff Maisey Most Americans know the name Amanda Knox and her story of being a young woman studying abroad in Italy, and who’s British college roommate and friend was raped and murdered in their home. Knox, in a highly publicized trial in an Italian court, made...
VOTE! 2024 VEER MUSIC AWARDS!
As you can see below, 2023 was a sensational year for bands and musicians in the 757 region. Voting is now live through January 21. Note: Most of the categories required potential nominees to have released a single, EP, album, or music video in 2023. We also...
Announcing 2024 Veer Music Awards Nominees
As you can see below, 2023 was a sensational year for bands and musicians in the 757 region. Voting will begin this week. Stay tuned to our Facebook page for announcement. Note: Most of the categories required potential nominees to have released a single, EP, album,...
Music Video of the Year Nominees
Below are the 2024 Veer Music Awards nominees for Music Video of the Year Celeste Kellogg, “Save a Dance For Me This Christmas” tyler donavan, “Crescendo” Magg Dylan, “GTFO” Sunny Moonshine, “2Tone” featuring Lex Lucent Jarrett Beeler,...
A Pair of Beach Kids Are Taking Beverage Development and Packing to the Next Level
(Josh Canada and Megan Riggs) By Joel Rubin Driving through a heavily industrial area of Chesapeake, you would never guess what happens daily inside a massive warehouse just off Bainbridge Boulevard. On the spacious floor are four sophisticated processing “lines,”...
Posed Photography Nominees: Veer Music Awards
Will Clarke: “Turncoat Syndicate” (Pictured above) Pete Federico: “Anthony Rosano and The Conqueroos” (below) Robert Peck: “WOAH” Michael Spencer: “Eight Inner Gates” Wendy Woodell: “Barry Manilow’s Wardrobe” Summer Lee: “Eight...
Photography Live Nominees
The following are the nominees in the Live Photography category of the 2024 Veer Music Awards. Robert Peck: “Curtis Cowles and Brad Garrett from Buckshot performing at New Realm in Virginia Beach”(Pictured above) Jaybird: “The Lazy Dangers at Chicho’s Backstage” Pete...
A Jazz Non-Profit Is Born
(Jae Sinnett suits-up to build a jazz legacy for Hampton Roads. Photo courtesy of Jae Sinnett. By Jeff Maisey While the Hampton Roads region — known as Tidewater back in the day — gave birth to the great vocalist Ella Fitzgerald and saxophonist/arranger Tommy Newsom,...
ART: The Substance Beneath the Surface of Reflections
Installation view of Reflections: Surface and Substance. Courtesy of the Mary M. Torggler Fine Arts Center. By Betsy DiJulio Immediately on the heels of the opening of the Torggler Fine Arts Center’s current exhibition, I was fortunate to catch up with curator...
Man At Work
By Jim Morrison Colin Hay is touring as Men at Work, but he hasn't brought back the band that made those early ‘80s, ear-worm hits like "Down Under," "Who Can It Be Now?" and "Overkill." "It's not really putting Men at Work back together," he said in a call from Los...
Heartfelt Themes and a Dream Fulfilled with the Virginia Symphony
(Michelle Cann, piano) By Montague Gammon III When Michelle Cann sits down at a Steinway in very early November to play Franz Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, she’s reuniting with a difficult but thrilling college friend who...
Five Prime Players, Two Classics and a Mysterious Composer
By Montague Gammon III Feldman Chamber Music Society’s October 28 concert brings Ensemble 4.1, self-described as the world’s only piano windtet, to the Chrysler Museum’s Kaufman Theatre in a program of music by Mozart, Gershwin and a composer called N.H. Rice, whose...
Women Drive Stake Through Heart of Patriarchal Dracula
(Cast of Dracula during rehearsals. Photo by Sam Flint.) By Jerome Langston Walking into the large, nondescript MacArthur Center space, which formerly housed some glitzy retailer during the Norfolk mall’s glory years — but now serves as adequate rehearsal space for...
Heroes and Prodigies and the Marquis de Lafayette
(Brendon Elliott, violin) By Montague Gammon III Heroes and prodigies fill the Francophile Virginia Symphony October 18-20 concerts. The hero in whose honor the concert was programmed with French composers is Lafayette, the young Marquis who took part in the American...
A Feast of French Culture
Marie Bracquemond (French, 1840—1916) Under the Lamp, 1877 Oil on canvas Mr. and Mrs. R. Stephens Philips, Piedmont, CA By Jeff Maisey If you enjoy the hit series Emily in Paris, fell in love with Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, have a passion for dining in a snug...
MAMA-Girl’s Spirit Lives On
(MAMA-Girl, Woman Giraffe. Photo by Mark Atkinson) By Betsy DiJulio “Cullen, I think we ought to do a MAMA-Girl show,” said the voice at the other end of the line. It was 2023 and Cullen Strawn, Ph.D., ODU’s executive director for the arts, had picked up the phone to...
Don Giovanni: Energy and Experience, Spirit and Spectacle Open Virginia Opera’s 50th Season
By Montague Gammon III One of the greatest operas of all time, by one of the greatest composers of all time, with a libretto by a similarly regarded writer, opens Virginia Opera’s 50h Anniversary Season with two Harrison Opera House performances October...
Talkin’ Songwriting with Warren Haynes
(Warren Haynes’ new album is titled “Million Voices Whisper.” Photo by Shervin Lainez) By Jim Morrison "You know," Warren Haynes says from his home in upstate New York, "Gregg Allman used to say there's as many ways to write a song as there are songs." Haynes turned a...
The Baker’s Wife Bistro + Bar: A Cinderella Story
(Phillip and Dana Epstein opened The Baker's Wife, a casually-upscale, French-inspired bistro and bar in Phoebus, in January. Photo courtesy of The Baker's Wife) By Marisa Marsey Once upon a time there were two chefs... Ugh! Sorry for that saccharine start. But in my...
DINING REVIEW: NOLA in Ghent
(Chicken & Andouille Sausage Gumbo) By Jeff Maisey In 1960, Norfolk-born singer Gary US Bonds had a hit single titled “New Orleans,” on which he sang the lyrics: “Well come on ev’rybody/Take a trip with me/Well, down the Mississippi/Down to New Orleans.” It’s fair...
New Ghanaian & Turkish Dining in Norfolk
(One of the most requested Ghanaian meals at Yendidi Restaurant is Beans Stew and fried sweet plantains AKA “Red Red or Gob3.” Photo courtesy of Yendidi.) By Marisa Marsey Opening a restaurant is tough. Harder still in a pandemic. Near impossible when your menu might...
1865 Brewing Company – Freedom Starts Here!
HISTORIC BREW: (L-R) Whitteney Guyton, Randy Jones and William “Billy” Comer. Photo credit Diane Catanzaro. By Diane Catanzaro and Chris Jones The Phoebus section of Hampton oozes charm. Cruise down Mellen Street at the intersection with Mallory and you get the feel...
Downtown Norfolk Restaurant Week Begins
(Brick Anchor Brew-House offers a variety of pub fare and healthy options) By Jeff Maisey From January 17-24, Downtown Norfolk will be presenting its winter Restaurant Week. This year, in the midst of the ongoing pandemic, it is a welcomed promotion for restauranteurs...
Smartmouth and O’Connor Among Best in Nation
By Jeff Maisey Norfolk-based O’Connor Brewing Company and Smartmouth Brewing Company each scored gold medals earlier this fall when the Brewers Association held a virtual version of the 34th annual Great American Beer Festival in Denver. In total, 1,720...
HOLIDAY DINING: Feast Out (Or Get Gobbles To Go)
(Thanksgiving to-go includes delicious Edwards’ ham biscuits from Chef Kevin Sharkey at 1608 Craft House in Virginia Beach.) By Marisa Marsey I can’t blame infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci for squashing big family gatherings at home this Thanksgiving. Even...
The Rebranding of St. George Beer
By Jeff Maisey Knights, castles, dragons — oh my. I’ve always been drawn to the imagery, symbolism and concept of St. George Brewing Company in Hampton. From the prominent red cross on white background crest of St George and the weaponry of Medieval British...
Pandemic Brings Pizzeria to Norfolk Tap Room
(Vincent Ranhorn, Todd Craig, and Todd Leutner) By Jeff Maisey Back in the 1980s and ‘90s, I used to make my way up to New York City for concerts, shopping in SoHo and the Village, and an authentic slice of the Big Apple — pizza. When some old school music friends...
Saddle-up to the Coach House
(Dana & Kevin Kern bring delicious bistro fare to the north end of Colley.) By Jeff Maisey I pony my hungry self up to the Coach House, ask for a Soggy Dollar Painkiller to relax my mind a bit, and peruse the menu while I await the arrival of two amigos. It’s...
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