Other Things I’ve Written Lately
A story for SmithsonianMagazine.com about the German artist who is finally getting his first U.S. museum showcase in two concurrent shows in D.C. An overview of Donald Sultan's chilling Disaster…
Tuesday TV: Jack White’s Roots Reunion
The coda to the splendid recent overview into the roots of American roots music “American Epic” is “The American Epic Sessions” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings) in which Jack…
(Sandy) Alex G at the Rock & Roll Hotel
I wanted to see the show by (Sandy) Alex G in part because my daughter called him “the Elliott Smith of my generation.” This comparison took me aback, partly because…
Monday TV: The Power of 90 Year Olds
Carl Reiner, at 95, muses about longevity and vitality in his documentary “If You’re Not in the Obits, Eat Your Breakfast” (HBO, 8 p.m.). It sounds like something he might…
Sunday TV: Comics Come, ‘Leftovers’ Go
Seems like the viewing public knows plenty about the life behind the scenes for standup comedy, from “Seinfeld” and “Louie” to “Crashing.” Now comes one in period costume, from the…
Saturday TV: What Led to ‘Jackass’
When skateboard culture looked like it was dying off in the 1990s, a new irreverent magazine began, highlighting all kinds of ill-advised stunts they’d think up. It had the kind…
Richard Lloyd at the Black Cat
When Tom Verlaine brought his latest version of Television on tour last year, fans savored hearing so much of “Marquee Moon,” their 1977 debut that has only grown in guitar…
Friday TV: Like the Doodah Man
For a band whose jams would go on a half hour or more, whose career lasted decades, and whose bio film is called “Long Strange Trip” (Amazon, streaming), from a…
Thursday TV: A Familiar NBA Finals
After what seems like months of preliminary battles the NBA Finals are finally here, with Cleveland vs. Golden State (ABC, 9 p.m.) for the third season in a row. Game…