Arts & Entertainment

A&E

Bon Cafe Open Mic Night is a uniting and enriching experience

By Mary Donnelly | September 29, 2014

Just one block from the Downtown Mall, by the train tracks off South Street West, lies a small gem: Bon Café, a colorful hole-in-the-wall that functions as café, bar, art marketplace and small concert venue.Bon's website says the venue aims to promote “the creativity of the human spirit” within the Charlottesville community ? and from its weekly art marketplace, drum workshops and classes on meditation and yoga, it succeeds in doing just that.

---

A&E

“The Maze Runner” Exceeds Genre’s Expectations

By Stephanie Hendarta | September 26, 2014

A thrilling novel-to-movie adaptation reminiscent of literary staples “Lord of the Flies” and “Peter Pan,” “The Maze Runner” is more than just another installment in the mediocre young adult dystopian franchise.

---

A&E

“Red Band Society” is a pre-packaged failure

By Flo Overfelt | September 26, 2014

Fox’s latest comedy-drama, “Red Band Society,” lumps every known cliché together, adds a smattering of humor and a pinch of originality for a show which, though not terrible, is hardly entertaining.“Red Band Society” premiered last Wednesday and, like the “Dead Poets Society” (1989), follows a group of young, carefree teenagers as they romp through their quirky lives.

---

A&E

“Palo Alto” explores James Franco’s take on adolescence

By Tamar Ziff | September 26, 2014

Two boys sitting in a beat-up sedan, drinking out of liquor bottles as marijuana smoke hangs suspended in the air around them.

---

A&E

Folk-rock band “The Currys” take on Tuesday nights at Boylan Heights

By Noah Zeidman | September 23, 2014

On the front patio of local bar and gourmet burger joint Boylan Heights at 5 p.m. on a Tuesday, something is about to happen.

---

A&E

Jhené Aiko’s first album showcases surefire talent

By Laura Adjei | September 23, 2014

Recognizable from Big Sean’s recent hit single “Beware” and Drake’s “From Time,” Jhené Aiko released his debut album “Souled Out” Sept.

---

A&E

The return of “The Mindy Project”

By Robin Yeh | September 23, 2014

FOX’s “The Mindy Project” debuted its third season last Tuesday. If anything, the premiere reassured viewers this fresh and innovative sitcom isn’t growing old anytime soon.In season two’s finale, Mindy Lahiri (Mindy Kaling) and Danny Castellano (Chris Messina) found themselves at the top of the Empire State Building in a Nora Ephron-esque conclusion.

---

A&E

Spectrum Theatre brings ‘Voices of the Class’ to life

By Mary Donnelly | September 22, 2014

“I consider my legs my most redeeming physical quality. ? If the skies are out, my thighs are out.”This fantastic line, written by a current first year in his application essay to the University, is just a glimpse into the hilarity found in Spectrum Theatre’s “Voices of the Class” during their performances this past weekend.To create this comical performance, the troupe took lines from current first years’ admission essays and transformed them into more than 20 original comedy sketches.During the summer, co-directors Cherise Pack and Lou Garcia, both third-year College students, sampled hundreds of essays to find material for the show.

---

A&E

Jeff Tweedy’s first true solo album lacks variety

By Noah Zeidman | September 22, 2014

“Sukierae” might best be described as the Jeff Tweedy fan’s ultimate Jeff Tweedy album. It is 20 tracks of Tweedy exploring his various musical styles, from the progressive rock style of his main project, Wilco, to the acoustic sound he displays at live solo shows.

---

A&E

Banks’ debut record cashes in on a promising future

By Carson Newman | September 19, 2014

Banks, a female alternative R&B artist from Los Angeles, should be pleased with herself.

---

A&E

Literary vlogs bring classic characters to life

By Mary Donnelly | September 18, 2014

Frilly dresses, dramatic scandals and endless talk of tea and suitors ? students have all encountered these themes in some capacity in high school literature classes.

---

A&E

Save room for “The Leftovers”

By Sam Henson | September 18, 2014

Without a doubt, “The Leftovers” is one of the most unique viewing experiences you will find on television.

---

A&E

Grey Gordon’s debut album hardly forgettable

By Samantha Rafalowski | September 18, 2014

The past two years have been great for Grey Gordon fans ? and perhaps even better for Grey Gordon.The Indiana indie-rocker released his first EP on No Sleep Records ? “Still At Home Here” ? early last year.

---

A&E

In Flames’ latest record lacks proper ignition

By Robert Shimshock | September 17, 2014

A few select men are generally accredited as being the founding fathers of the United States, praised as the initiators of a 238-year-old democracy.

---

A&E

Hard to “Listen” to The Kooks

By Julia Stembridge | September 17, 2014

It’s been a long time since the world has heard something new from The Kooks.Their indie rock significance came about with songs like “Naïve,” “Seaside” and “She Moves in Her Own Way” ? a throwback to when frontman Luke Pritchard first won a million girls’ hearts with his loving lyrics and strong vocal range.

---

A&E

Come party with Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

By Helen Broad | September 17, 2014

The Jefferson website describes The Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue band as a “funk/rock/jazz/hip-hop band.” But even that description fails to capture the true spirit of their concert: party.The entire crowd danced to the music Thursday night — fans as young as high school students and as old as grandparents were busting a move to the New Orleans sound.

---

A&E

Robert Plant’s career isn’t rocked to sleep with new full-length

By Noah Zeidman | September 17, 2014

“I'm lost inside America / I'm turning inside out / I'm turning into someone else / I heard so much about,” Robert Plant sings on “Turn It Up,” the fifth song on his 10th solo album, “lullaby and...The Ceaseless Roar.”These lyrics embody the complexity of Plant’s 48-year-long career, during which the British singer has seemingly explored every facet of American music: psychedelic blues (with Band of Joy), early hard rock and metal (with Led Zeppelin), 1950s-throwback R&B rock (with the Honeydrippers) and stripped down folk and blues in his solo projects.

---

A&E

“Boyhood” tells the tale of the boy who did grow up

By Taylor Goodson | September 9, 2014

Twelve years. That’s how long it took Director Richard Linklater to make “Boyhood.” And it is masterpiece of a film.

---

A&E

The New Pornographers’ latest effort is scandalously experimental

By Julia Stembridge | September 9, 2014

It has been four long years since Canadian indie rock group The New Pornographers released an album — but the long wait for “Brill Bruisers” has proven definitively worth it.

---

A&E

“Gotham” definitely misses Batman

By Candace Carter | September 8, 2014

Fox’s hopeful retelling of the “Batman” story arc falls flat due in large part to the series’ misleading title, “Gotham”. Such a title holds connotations of a heroic, mysterious Batman, roaming the night in pursuit of justice.