Posed Photography Nominees Announced
BY STAFF The following submissions have been selected as nominees for the 2025 Veer Music Awards in the Posed Photography category. Voting is expected to go live on January 1 at veermag.com. Congrats to all nominees and thank you to those who submitted entries....
Live Photography Nominees Announced
BY STAFF The following submissions have been selected as nominees for the 2025 Veer Music Awards in the Live Photography category. Voting is expected to go live on January 1 at veermag.com. Congrats to all nominees and thank you to those who submitted entries. ...
2025 Veer Music Awards Performers Announced
The musical theme for the 2025 Veer Music Awards presentation will be A Tribute to The Dome. The music awards are presented by Elevation 27 on Sunday, February 2. Showtime is 6:00 PM sharp. Admission is free to all. In addition to awards being presented in a diverse...
NEWS: Virginia Arts Festival 2025
(Birmingham Royal Ballet’s “Black Sabbath”) By Jeff Maisey Familiar names — each with their own twist — in the performing arts world represent the highlights of the 2025 Virginia Arts Festival season. Perhaps top of the list will be the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s...
NEWS: Virginia Beach Dome
As part of the Atlantic Park entertainment complex, the grand opening of The Dome — the live concert component of the city-owned project — has yet to be formally announced, but officials from partner Live Nation have stated Spring 2025 with more details to be shared...
Big Ugly Wins Golden Tap Award
By Jeff Maisey Veer Magazine’s annual Golden Tap Awards ceremony was held December 3 at Big Ugly Brewing in Chesapeake, and the host brewery claimed the overall Golden Tap Award. City of Chesapeake Mayor Rick West was on-hand to welcome brewers from across the Hampton...
2024 Holiday Happenings
HOLIDAY LIGHTS & PARADES 30th Annual Garden of Lights Norfolk Botanical Garden Through January 5 5-9:30 PM Nightly NBGlights.org Get out and enjoy the spectacular 1.5 million lights at Norfolk Botanical Garden. Barks & Bulbs Norfolk Botanical Garden...
Open Call for Photography Categories: Veer Music Awards
We are now accepting submissions in the Live Photography and Posed Photography categories for the 2025 Veer Music Awards. General instructions: — Each photographer may submit up to three (3) photographs in each category — Photos should be submitted as jpeg...
Breakfast Lecture Series Taking Off in Virginia Beach
Yellow leaders Stephanie Walters and Anita Patel speak at CreativeMornings’ October meeting at The Garage VB. Courtesy of CreativeMornings Virginia Beach By Jim Roberts Kate Pittman, the executive director of the ViBe Creative District in Virginia...
Norfolk Officials Signal Changes are Necessary for Floodwall to Move Forward
(Yellow poles, reflecting the height of the proposed walls, have been installed by Freemason residents in protest to the city of Norfolk’s flood resilience plan. Photo by Jim Morrison) By Jim Morrison/VirginiaMercury.com Norfolk officials sat down for an...
Playtime: Toys and Art
(Artist Clayton Singleton has some fun with his Rock ‘em, Sock ‘em Robots painting as part of the exhibition “Playtime: Toys and Art”) By Betsy DiJulio Toys turn adults into time travelers, telescoping us back to the people, places, and passions of childhood. For...
CONCERT PREVIEW: The Band Perry
By Jim Roberts The Band Perry had a remarkable start in 2010, releasing a self-titled album, selling 5 million copies of their single, “If I Die Young,” and winning three Country Music Association Awards. While the sibling trio went on to win a Grammy Award for Best...
Shining Light on Jazz Vocalists
(Jazz singer René Marie. Photo by Antonio Porcar.) By Jerome Langston In what has been a spectacular year for high level jazz concerts here in Hampton Roads, on both the Southside and the Peninsula — the 5th annual Vocal Jazz Summit returns next month to the Z in...
Sensational Samara
By Jerome Langston It is just a few days following his Carnegie Hall debut with twenty-something, jazz superstar vocalist, Samara Joy, that tenor saxophonist, Kendric McCallister, is chatting with me about their upcoming concert here at Norfolk’s Chrysler Hall. One of...
Ace Frehley Brings 10,000 Volts & More
By Jeff Maisey Ace Frehley, best known as the lead guitar welding Spaceman character in the original lineup of glam metal band KISS, will plug in to the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts on June 4 for an electrifying performance of his solo hits like “New York...
Renée Fleming Gives a Great Voice to Nature
(Renée Fleming returns to Norfolk's Harrison Opera House for a June 1 performance. Photo by Andrew Ecclesdecca) By Montague Gammon III The most celebrated operatic soprano of our time, probably the most celebrated since the days of Maria Callas, comes back to Norfolk...
Dancing to Iron Man
("Black Sabbath – The Ballet" features music from the legendary British heavy metal band, Photo by Johan Persson.) By Montague Gammon III In yet another coup for the Virginia Arts Festival and its Perry Artistic Director Rob Cross, Norfolk hosts the American premiere...
Pickin’ Some Blackgrass with Swamp Dogg
By Jim Morrison Swamp Dogg's return to the charts he first cracked as Little Jerry Williams from Portsmouth is a zig-zagging journey through musical genres, accidental connections and his attraction as an underground legend. "I'm finding out all kinds of artists have...
Ripchord: Modern twist on “The Odd Couple” Coming to Virginia Beach
(Dress rehearsal of Little Theatre of Virginia Beach's production of "Ripchord." Image by J. Stubbs Photography.) By Jim Roberts When “Ripcord” opened off-Broadway in 2015, The New York Times compared it to classic TV sitcoms like “The Odd Couple,” “Roseanne” and...
VA Fest Chamber Music: Nine for the Ages
( Zemlinsky Quartet by Ilona Sochorová) By Montague Gammon III A prodigy composer and piano virtuoso, a crusty old alcoholic and a middle-aged deaf musician who turned the musical world on its figurative and maybe literal ear, are all one colossus who still bestrides...
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...
Love Song Hits All the Right Plant-Based Notes
By Betsy DiJulio “I’m not gonna write you a love song ‘Cause you asked for it ‘Cause you need one…” Nope, like alternative pop artist, Sara Bareilles, lilts, “I’m not gonna write you a love song ‘cause its make or breaking this.” Why? Because Virginia...
Tea is Just One Jewel in Prince Tea House’s Crown
(Afternoon tea, anyone? Photo courtesy of Prince Tea House VB.) By Marisa Marsey When someone says tea house, what do you picture? A stiff upper-lipped British parlor, fine bone china, crustless watercress sandwiches and clotted cream? Perhaps your thoughts race to a...
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