Tuesday, May 4 2010
Virginia Is for French Film Lovers
The 18th Annual French Film Festival, running from 25-28 March, included presentations by 40 visiting French filmmakers and movies about a range of subjects -- about human and family relationships, immigration, gold mining, and the global economic crisis.
Wednesday, March 31 2010
Erosion Nearly Complete, Music Industry Begins Reconstruction at SXSW 2010
SXSW conference attendees took a workmanlike “how-to” approach to discussing new revenue streams, replacing the “what do we do now?” tone of recent years.
Thursday, March 25 2010
SXSW 2010: But Can It Be Monetized?
After five days of sun, beer, panel discussions and performances from sun up 'til sun up, what have we learned? Brand yourself, exploit social media, and make some music once in a while.
Tuesday, February 2 2010
Stop Me If You Think That You’ve Seen This Grammys Before
The Grammys seem like a festering boomer leftover, far removed from the present where major labels live in post-apocalyptic decline.
Monday, February 1 2010
When Over-the-Top Hits the Spot: 2010 Grammy Awards
Overblown set pieces, fiery performances, and category wins that no one saw coming -- yes, this year, the Grammy Awards decided to be interesting.
Monday, January 18 2010
Hamburg: Art, with Its Sleeves Rolled Up
You won't spot a castle or a moat or even an oversized ego in this town, as it's the work that counts in this port city. High-quality substance is valued over prima donna celebrity, as we discover from the premiere of Richard Wagner's Siegfried.
Friday, January 15 2010
Our Band Could Be Your Life. Again. Band Reunions Redefined in the 2000s
The decade's most memorable reunion stories have not been cash grabs by classic rock giants, but unexpected comebacks by some of indie's most valuable players. Here's why.
Monday, November 2 2009
10 Rules on How to Sink or Swim at CMJ
Though several bands demanded double-takes, and many impressed, there were no obvious standouts at this year's CMJ. Instead, our writers found bands that exemplified standards for success, and failure, putting together ten rules on how to sink or swim at CMJ.
Sunday, October 25 2009
The 47th Annual New York Film Festival
There were plenty of films in the New York Film Festival that captured similar redemptive moments and there is nothing esoteric, depressing or arduous about that.
Thursday, October 8 2009
Sun, Sweat and Tears: Three Days at the Austin City Limits Festival
PopMatters takes a look at how a disparate array of acts fared in Austin’s playpen of mud, the blood, and the beer.
Thursday, September 3 2009
Great City, a Great City’s Music: The Vancouver International Jazz Festival
Our jazz critic Will Layman spent a full week soaking up the music -- and the city -- offered by what may be North America's finest jazz festival.
Wednesday, August 12 2009
The Kids Are All Write: Pitchfork Music Festival 2009
After three days of sore feet, throbbing eardrums, and insufficient sleep, Pitchfork’s annual music festival was a welcome reminder of how good rock music can feel.
Thursday, August 6 2009
Bonnaroo: Creating a Sustainable City
In an age where the end of fossil fuel is firmly in sight, Bonnaroo is re-building the modern music festival, a 20th century beast fueled by the dirty technologies of that century, for the future.
Wednesday, August 5 2009
Pot, Skinny-Dipping, and Freedom Rock: Woodstock and the Year of the Outdoor Music Festival (Part 2)
PopMatters presents the second part of a chapter on Woodstock from Kirkpatrick's recent book 1969: The Year Everything Changed. Part two covers Woodstock appearances by the Who, the Band, Jimi Hendrix and more.
Monday, August 3 2009
Pot, Skinny-Dipping, and Freedom Rock: Woodstock and the Year of the Outdoor Music Festival (Part 1)
Today and Wednesday, PopMatters is presenting a chapter on Woodstock from Kirkpatrick's recent book 1969: The Year Everything Changed. Part one covers the run-up to the festival as well as those early sets by the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin.
Thursday, July 30 2009
Roswell UFO Festival: 3 July 2009 - Roswell, NM
The biggest question on the minds of most attendees was not whether there is a cover-up, but when it will end.
Thursday, June 18 2009
Primavera Sound: On the Beach
Providing the perfect midway point between British and American festivals, Primavera Sound really is the best of both worlds.
Wednesday, June 17 2009
Dinosaur, Sr. or, Growing Old with (Prog) Rock and Roll
As part of his own personal “See ‘em While They’re Still Standing” 2008-2009 Tour -- tracking how his old music heroes are aging -- one PopMatters writer checks in on Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood.
Tuesday, May 26 2009
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – Born on the Bayou
With 500 performances spread out over seven days, two weekends, and 14 stages, PopMatters’ reporter takes New Orleans’ Jazz Fest to task, but also asks: Where else on earth could this happen?
Thursday, May 7 2009
Near Misses and Gems: 2009 Tribeca Film Festival
Selecting just 85 feature films for screening, this year's Tribeca Film Festival increased the quality quotient, cutting the number of embarrassing failures that once studded the schedule like a minefield.
