Local musicians Chris Ledbury and Jessica Denniston from the band Berries recently joined host Dustin on this episode. The trio discussed the origin story of Berries, which started as Chris’s solo project in high school before evolving into a full band. Jessica...
Emergency Underworld Alert! This Saturday, a rift in spacetime is expected to break open on 24th Street releasing a deluge of poltergeists, demons, and ghouls into Norfolk. Prepare to take shelter - or even better - join in on the terror. It’s the 7th Annual...
In this episode, Charles Rasputin shares some incredible insights and stories about the 757 culture scene, including: - The transformative purchase and renovation of a building in the district, which became a turning point for the Norfolk arts scene.- The impact of...
Just across Brambleton from the core Downtown area, the NEON District is the official arts district of the City of Norfolk. The NEON (New Energy of Norfolk), is swimming in colorful murals, sculptures, small businesses and arts organizations. The NEON District...
Local musician Jordan Greenough recently sat down for an interview on The Currents podcast to discuss his new record store and DIY space, Not for the Week Records, located in downtown Norfolk. Greenough explained his background playing in punk bands in the area and...
Ashley Branton, owner of Velvet Witch in Norfolk, Virginia, discusses her journey to opening the spiritual shop and community space in a podcast interview. After an inspirational trip to Salem, Massachusetts in 2016, Branton felt called to create an inclusive,...
The music scene in Hampton Roads is alive and well thanks to promoters like Josh Coplon of Lava Presents. In a recent interview on the Norfolk Currents podcast, Coplon discussed his passion for live music and mission to energize the local scene. Coplon started...
Americana, folk & fun are what make up the local band The Lazy Dangers. Starting in the deep south and then riding the wave back to the 757 area, this rockin' gang of former drifters will be closing out the festivities for NFK Day this Saturday, July 22nd at...
Tyler Donavan strolled into our office in a black tee and trucker cap and casually posted up. With his unassuming demeanor, you’d never guess this local hip-hop artist has been grinding on the underground scene for over a decade. After exchanging pleasantries, Donavan...
This Saturday, the alternative and indie rap communities are showing out for some of the region’s most un-mainstream names. LAVA Presents, known for bringing a menage of indie artists to the area, is hosting Chandler, Twin Bee, and Blvckhandz at Chicho’s Backstage on...
A massive transformation is underway at Norfolk’s quaint and (usually) quiet Hermitage Museum & Gardens, nestled behind the Lochhaven neighborhood. Internationally recognized artist Claudia Bueno is set to kick off a three-month solo exhibition of incredible...
Events by LAVA Presents have been a staple of the Norfolk music scene for years, and this upcoming weekend at Toast will continue that tradition with the annual Funk and Jam offering, NorFunk Fest on Friday, June 2nd, followed by the savory sounds and snacks of...
Norfolk's Sunsets on the River concert series is back for an unforgettable summer experience. Hosted by the Hermitage Museum & Gardens, this beloved event offers a diverse lineup of seven waterfront concerts, promising a blend of musical genres to satisfy all...
Growing up in New Jersey, Leyla McCalla found her way to the cello, her first instrument, through one of those unscripted moments that change a life. In fourth grade, she was required to participate in the school's music program. Her plan was to choose...
What started out as a casual conversation over coffee about his recent release, ‘Memos’ quickly became a deep dive into his upbringing and mental health’s influence on his approach to music. Tell me a little bit about your background in music I grew up...
Foodies who are hungry to learn about some of Norfolk’s 600 independent eateries can now enjoy Season 3 of “City With Bite.” Coined by VisitNorfolk, Norfolk’s leading Tourism agency, the video campaign has helped propel Norfolk’s food scene past the challenges of the...
The Chesapeake Bay blue crab is one of the most iconic animals — and cuisines — of our region, but to those of us who aren’t watermen, they may be a bit of a mystery. If you’re interested in catching and cooking some crabs of your own but don’t know where to start,...
For over a decade, the Chrysler Museum’s Perry glass studio has invited the public to experience the magical, molten elements of glassblowing. The over 9,000 square foot space was initially established “to nurture the growing glass community in Norfolk,” as described...
“There’s music, art, fashion…it’s like a magazine brought to life.” That’s how Maddy (@madstartt), a DJ and Artist, describes DiskFrëq, the project that she and business partner Colt (@captaincupit14) have developed together. “We’re trying a new way to break...
We've all heard the tale of the savvy trader and natural-born adventurer Jack - and his giant beanstalk, of course. The tale is old as time and has been retold thousands of times through the years. But typically, the story that starts with a few magic beans ends when...
“No strangers to having a wild time” is how Kendall Street Company first described themselves to me. The description seemed fitting given the tidbit I already knew about them: the band is crisscrossing Virginia four times over the month of February for a 20+...
Unbeknownst to most Americans, there's an artistic culture of comics flourishing beneath the mainstream. Europe, Japan, and other countries hold comics in the same regard as filmmaking, novel writing, and other art forms. Yet, here in America, comics are mostly...
There’s been a buzz in the music crowd about the return of the Hermitage Museum's intimate musical performance series. Last year the Hermitage hosted three shows under the banner of “LIVE From the Music Room”. These shows were limited to around 40 people or under,...
The region’s largest performing arts organization has just launched another legendary lineup of events. The Virginia Arts Festival’s formally announced the 26th season; with its reputation, you should be paying attention. Each year VAF hosts over 110,000 attendees...
This Saturday, LAVA Presents is bringing back the LAVA Halloween Extravaganza The Extravaganza is not your regular Halloween show, and over the years, it has evolved into the spectacle that it is today. This event is not just about dressing up in your crazy Halloween...
They say 7 is a lucky number, and with the looks of this year's NEON Festival, it seems to hold. The seventh annual NEON Festival kicks off October 20th & 21st, and the lineup looks luckier than a truckload of horseshoes and rabbit's feet. The festival organizers...
Opa! After a two-year hiatus from in-person festivities, Norfolk’s Greek Festival is making its full-fledged festival debut this month! The event, hosted by the members of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, is the region’s oldest and largest ethnic festival...
Freshtopia, located at 532 W 35th St, Norfolk, VA, is the soul of Park Place and the home to Fresh Radio Studios as of January 2019. Freshtopia is records, retail, and radio--the holy trinity of Fresh. It's "the place where we dwell," and it's also one of many...
From the furthest corner of The Venue a weighted baritone breaks through the mumbles of the crowd: “VERB BENDERS!” The response comes in a choir, “GET BENT!” Once more, the call goes out, “VERB BENDERS!” This time, with grit, the choir chants, “BEND ‘EM TIL THEY...
Local artist Kate Thomas has invigorated Norfolk’s thriving arts scene for the past decade with her colorful, cool-toned canvases. Now, she’s established a more permanent place to promote the city’s creative character: the Kate Thomas Art Studio, due to open on...
Derrin Thompson is a true creative at heart. His endeavors in visual and musical arts span multiple mediums and decades. Yet, in 2010, he almost gave it up forever. Mounting frustrations over the lack of artistic connections and peers, he struggled to gain traction...
Local creatives, you won't want to miss this one: The Contemporary Arts Network (CAN) invites you to join them for CAN Fest 2022. The curated event series, celebrating the contemporary arts, will be hosted at Assembly, one of Norfolk's premier community spaces for...
Just before where the sidewalk ends on 24th street, an inconspicuous gravel lot beneath a looming cell tower is usually full of cars. Most days, it serves as the overflow parking for Toast and Perro Blanco, two of Park Place's favorite spots for kicking back with the...
Norfolk is one of the East Coast's leading creative epicenters, and the Chrysler Museum is one of the city's best spots to enjoy fine art. The museum offers rotating exhibits for locals to enjoy works from curators worldwide. The newest exhibit is one of a kind,...
Experience Top Shelf Jazz and Eats at BROTHERS With its extensive menu and elevated ambiance, Norfolk's fine dining establishment BROTHERS has captured the city's heart, soul, and palate. However, the exquisite selection of seafood, chops, and spirits is not all this...
Tucked away on the 4th floor of ODU's Perry Library is a growing wall-to-wall labyrinth of films. When complete, it will contain the entire expanded collection of what was once a local landmark: Norfolk's Naro Video. In the golden age of the movie rental era, stores...
Looking to refresh your summer wardrobe? Selden Market's upcoming Clothing Swap is all about out with the old and in with the new-to-you. "New" is a relative term, as, with any clothing swap, you'll have the chance to breathe new life into someone's beloved jeans or...
Shop-owner Erin Dougherty has one of those super contagious laughs–the kind that bursts forward in total earnest every time she sees someone she finds delightful pop through the doors of Eleanor's Norfolk, her feminist and intersectional book and bottle shop tucked...
When you think of art, you rarely think of advanced mathematics—those things just don’t sit together. It’s like the idiom of oil and water or the age-old high school clique caste system of nerds and art outcasts; those opposites just don’t mesh. And while some of...
Fishnet lovers and fans of eccentric scientists, listen up because this one's for you. One of the greatest musical films of all time with a world-renown cult following is coming alive at Maker's Craft Brewery next weekend. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is landing for...
This Saturday, GRILLED OUT, LAVA Presents the annual cookout-themed, indie rock psychedelic, surf rock, outdoor concert returns to Toast for its third edition. If hamburgers and hotdogs are your thing or perhaps you’re a fan of Dan Deacon, Snake Mountain Revival,...
The premier organizer of independent music in the region, LAVA Presents, has already brought dozens of acts to the stage. That momentum is carrying them into NorFunk Fest this Saturday. For fans of jam bands like Umphrey's McGee, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Goose,...
Take a break from the smoldering heat and get lost in the world of textures and patterns this Saturday at d’Art Center’s latest exhibition, Surface. The national juried exhibition will feature 64 pieces of artwork by 60 artists carefully curated by gallery manager...
“Just two lovebirds singing without reverb.” That’s all that the War and Treaty offer up as a self-description on their website. But damn, does that undersell this duo of musicians. Tanya Blount and Michael Trotter are a husband and wife musical team throwing out the...
Norfolk's festival season is in full swing, and up next is Hope House's biannual Stockley Gardens Arts Festival this weekend, May 21-22. This free, two-day, juried event will showcase more than 115 artists, musicians, and food vendors in Ghent's beautiful and blooming...
This Saturday, a celebrity chef, local students, and locally- sourced foods are coming together for an event this region has never seen: Uprooted. The Crop Foundation's Kip Poole brings Tiffan Ortiz, a Michelin star chef of Food Network fame, to the 757 to work...
Situated at the northeast corner of Monticello Avenue and Charlotte Street, the Wells Fargo Center will become the stage for one of Norfolk's most exciting spectacles this year. BANDALOOP, a dance troupe specializing in vertical performance, will soon grace the glass...
In our world, where cryptic Instagram captions and jaded malaise rule, very few dare to live with their happiness and passions on their sleeves. Some feel trapped by their 9 to 5, others by their student debt and uninspired journey to fulfilling their parents' wishes...
Ghent Grab & Go is Norfolk’s newest resident, located in the heart of Ghent on Olney Road. The building was once a 711 years ago; now, the new tenant is a locally-owned neighborhood bodega offering everything from groceries to fine wine to Dole Whip. A local...
If you run into a group of soldiers or sailors sporting unfamiliar uniforms and speaking foreign languages this week, there’s no need to be alarmed. The only invasion afoot will be your favorite watering holes or chow spots. Hundreds of performers worldwide...
