‘Simulant’: When Robots Self-Actualize
Tales of creating humanoids in labs goes back more than 200 years to Mary Shelley or to her inspiration for “Frankenstein” in Greek mythology, Prometheus. The notion of man-made robots…
Joni Mitchell Wins Gershwin Prize
The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize of Popular Music, in its 16 years has reliably been a solid night of tribute to a deserving artist and an anticipated D.C. event…
Remembering Burt Bacharach, 1928-2023
What a long and wonderful career Burt Bacharach gave us before he died last week at 94. Forever associated with the 60s, through a remarkable series of complex yet breezy…
Chuck D Presents Hip-Hop History on PBS
With hip-hop reaching its 50th anniversary somehow this year, public television, of all places, is ready to mark the occasion with the new four-part documentary series “Fight the Power: How…
Remembering Christine McVie, 1943-2022
When I interviewed her in 1984, an astounding 38 years ago, she was just on tour on the heels of her solo hit “Got a Hold on Me.” She had…
Remembering Loretta Lynn, 1932-2022
The most influential woman in country music, who everybody knows was raised a coal miner’s daughter, died Tuesday at 90, after a career that lasted more than 60 years. Loretta…
Tav Falco’s Panther Burns On the Prowl
Rock ’n’ roll is a sound and it is a style and Tav Falco’s been straddling both since the late 1970s. The latest version of Tav Falco’s Panther Burns, on…
Music: The Decemberists at Wolf Trap
The Decemberists, the charming chamber folk-rock band from out of Portlandia, became famous for live performances as elaborate and detailed as their ornate songs, staging obscure battles or sea scenes…
Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe at Wolf Trap
It’s gratifying to have any Elvis Costello concert come around, after two years of pandemic postponements. But the one that finally took the stage at Wolf Trap in Virginia last…
Sarah Borges Rocks the Pearl Street
Listeners literally place performers on pedestals, onto elevated stages and spotlights. So it was a little shocking to hear Sarah Borges say during her free-wheeling show at the Pearl Street…