Naro-Minded
(Kris King stands in the center of the Naro video collection at ODU’s Perry Library.) Words & Photo by Jim Roberts Naro Expanded Video’s collection of 43,000 DVDs has been lovingly preserved at Old Dominion University’s Perry Library, but touring the new academic...
A Proposed Army Corps Change could Affect Hundreds of Billions in Federal Funding
By Jim Morrison As Norfolk’s $2.66 billion storm risk plan moved toward approval by the City Council last spring, residents of the city’s poorer, Black neighborhoods on the Southside grew heated when they learned wealthier neighborhoods would get protective...
ESSAY: The Slow Creep of Dementia
By Tom Robotham Recent speculations that President Biden is afflicted with dementia have caused me to reflect on the disturbing experience of watching my mother descend into her own delusional state of mind. I’m not sure exactly when she began to show signs of it. I...
Top 20 Ways To Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
As we approach St. Paddy’s Day, local businesses, concert promoters and the arts have offered a pot of golden opportunities at the end of the rainbow with many ways to enjoy the Irish-themed holiday and culture of the Emerald Isle. 1 Shamrockin’ In Ghent What began...
ESSAY: Fast Times at Wagner High
By Tom Robotham It’s hard to believe, but it’s fact: This year, my high-school graduating class will celebrate its 50-year reunion. In recognition of this occasion, I find myself reflecting on my high-school experience. From the beginning, it was pretty grim. My...
RESULTS: 2024 Veer Music Awards
(Anthony Rosano & The Conqueroos scored three 2024 Veer Music Awards following a phenomenal year of touring, Billboard Blues album charting, and rave reviews nationwide for the album "Cheat The Devil.") By Jeff Maisey Blues rockers Anthony Rosano & The...
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...
Homecoming for Missy Elliott at the Coliseum
(Ciara, Missy Elliott, and Busta Rhymes) By Jerome Langston "I feel like she is the ultimate trendsetter, but she’s also timeless,” says Nakia Madry-Smith, during a recent chat about the Hampton Roads born and reared popular music icon, Missy Elliott, who is currently...
Bullish on Wall Street Mural Fest in P-town
The cash-award winning mural went to “Bull” by Nico Cathcart. (Photo by Nikki Park.) By Betsy DiJulio “Portsmouth is dope.” You don’t hear that often, laughed Nikki Park, one of the 4-member subcommittee of Support Portsmouth Public Art (SPPA) who recently mounted...
New Generation Shines in Little Shop of Horrors
(The Urchins: Shaniya Reddy, Jalen Whitmore, Bella McKenzie, Tahtiana Crawford, Stephanie Tillman-Liggins, and Micah Lister) By Montague Gammon III It’s musical theater based on the extra low budget, black and white movie that helped set 23-year-old Jack Nicholson on...
Making Music Sound Seamless
By Jeff Maisey Talk about a big band with an enormous sound and array of talent, Seamless — based in Hampton Roads — was recently named the house band at Rivers Casino. As a full band, Seamless includes cover a variety of classic songs ranging from Stevie Wonder’s...
Assemblage Artists Assemble at Assembly
(“Mr. President” by Sam Hundley) By Betsy DiJulio For their summer show at Assembly, Asa and Kira Jackson of the Newport News CAN Foundation (Contemporary Art Network) assembled three Hampton Roads-based artists who have long made art from found and manipulated...
Kingfish Brings Blues to Jazz Fest
(Christone “Kingfish” Ingram) By Jerome Langston Thousands of fans of jazz and R&B are expected to flock to this year’s 54th annual Hampton Jazz & Music Festival, which will feature music stars like Boyz II Men, Kem, Coco Jones, Jon Batiste, and...
Several Debuts at Norfolk Theatre Festival
("The Brothers Size" runs June 19-22 at NSU Brown Hall MainStage Theater.) By Montague Gammon III Three new theater companies hit local stages for the first time as part of the Virginia Arts Festival’s 2024 Theater Festival; one is our newest fully professional...
Tower of Power Still Rocks to Different Beat
By Jim Morrison From the beginning, Tower of Power co-founder Emilio Castillo grooved to a different beat. Growing up in Oakland, Castillo formed his first band with his brother. They did covers, but obscure covers. Rather than James Brown’s “I Feel Good," they did...
Sublime Headlines Point Break Fest
By Jim Morrison Sublime's lead singer, Bradley Nowell, died of a heroin overdose in the spring of 1996. His son, Jakob, was 11 months old. Two months later, the Long Beach band released their third album of their groundbreaking punk, rock, ska, and reggae stew. It...
Friends Join Forces for a Folksy Festival
By Montague Gammon III A Grammy winning singer-songwriter from New England, a finger pickin’ multi-instrument virtuoso from Northern Virginia, and a sibling-led bluegrass band from the tiny musical hotbed of Floyd, in Appalachian Virginia, walk into the Virginia Arts...
REVIEW: Vegan Planet Café Sent Me into Orbit
By Betsy DiJulio A few years back, I visited Vegan Planet Café with the intention of reviewing it, but the casual, eclectic storefront didn’t seem quite ready for its close-up, so I ordered some food, which was just fine, and went elsewhere for my review. But...
Studly Brewing Opens with Home Run
Blake Edmunds has Studly Brewing Company on an early season winning streak By Jeff Maisey Drinker up. If you’re a baseball fan, chances are as good as the Astros winning another World Series you’re gonna love Chesapeake’s newest craft beer maker, Studly...
VEGAN DINING: In Session
By Betsy DiJulio For vegans and those following a plant-based diet, breakfast out often means a couple of choices: avocado toast or an almond milk smoothie, as most mainstream establishments worth their salt at least offer a nut milk alternative. Venturing...
Alewerks Wins 2022 Golden Tap Award
By Jeff Maisey Alewerks Brewing Company was crowned the best brewery in the 757 this year when Veer Magazine presented its 2022 Golden Tap Awards at Elation Brewing in Norfolk. Alewerks, which was founded in 2006 by Chuck Haines, has a vast portfolio of...
“Why Would We Say No?” Newlyweds take over Starving Artist Café
By Jim Roberts Shanna Myers and Jamie Windemiller went on their first date at Starving Artist Café in November of 2021. Less than a year later, they were married … and running the Norfolk-based restaurant. What transpired in between has all the elements of a Lifetime...
These (Pink) Boots Are Made for Brewing (and more) – The Pink Boots Society
By Diane Catanzaro and Chris Jones Women have been involved with the craft beer movement from the beginning, although their contributions were frequently overlooked. In 1977 Suzy Stern co-founded and brewed at New Albion, America’s first craft brewery since...
757 Battle of the Beers Celebrates 10 Years in September
By Jeff Maisey Over the last decade, craft beer festivals have come and gone in the Hampton Roads. Today the 757 Battle of the Beers, celebrating its 10th anniversary on September 24, is the longest running beer event in the region. The 757 Battle concept was...
RESTAURANT REVIEW: Quemar’s Vegan Menu is on Fire
By Betsy DiJulio An open kitchen with a wood fired grill is not all that smolders at Quemar. The namesake smokiness is this restaurant’s signature, lending distinction and a nuanced layer of flavor to the cuisine while wrapping diners in a subtle...
RESTAURANT NEWS: A Gateway to India
By Marisa Marsey Paul Chhabra, the civic-minded, seasoned restaurateur who’s been broadening Hampton Roadsters’ palates with biryanis, bharthas and basmati for over three decades, is pulsing with boyish energy early this morning as he pulls up in a U-Haul to a...
REVIEW: Stay for the Food at Civil Libation Bistro
Words & Photo by Betsy DiJulio With a persistent heat index in the triple digits and a cute hand-drawn cocktail menu, no one will judge if you go to Civil Libation Bistro for the hand-crafted cocktails, but be sure to stay for the food. While this southern...
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