VOTE! 2024 VEER MUSIC AWARDS!

VOTE! 2024 VEER MUSIC AWARDS!

As you can see below, 2023 was a sensational year for bands and musicians in the 757 region.  Voting is now live through January 21.   Note: Most of the categories required potential nominees to have released a single, EP, album, or music video in 2023. We also...

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Announcing 2024 Veer Music Awards Nominees

Announcing 2024 Veer Music Awards Nominees

As you can see below, 2023 was a sensational year for bands and musicians in the 757 region.  Voting will begin this week. Stay tuned to our Facebook page for announcement. Note: Most of the categories required potential nominees to have released a single, EP, album,...

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Music Video of the Year Nominees

Music Video of the Year Nominees

Below are the 2024 Veer Music Awards nominees for Music Video of the Year Celeste Kellogg, “Save a Dance For Me This Christmas”   tyler donavan, “Crescendo”   Magg Dylan, “GTFO”   Sunny Moonshine, “2Tone” featuring Lex Lucent   Jarrett Beeler,...

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Posed Photography Nominees: Veer Music Awards

Posed Photography Nominees: Veer Music Awards

Will Clarke: “Turncoat Syndicate” (Pictured above)   Pete Federico: “Anthony Rosano and The Conqueroos” (below)   Robert Peck: “WOAH”   Michael Spencer: “Eight Inner Gates”   Wendy Woodell: “Barry Manilow’s Wardrobe”    Summer Lee: “Eight...

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Photography Live Nominees

Photography Live Nominees

The following are the nominees in the Live Photography category of the 2024 Veer Music Awards. Robert Peck: “Curtis Cowles and Brad Garrett from Buckshot performing at New Realm in Virginia Beach”(Pictured above) Jaybird: “The Lazy Dangers at Chicho’s Backstage” Pete...

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A Jazz Non-Profit Is Born

A Jazz Non-Profit Is Born

(Jae Sinnett suits-up to build a jazz legacy for Hampton Roads. Photo courtesy of Jae Sinnett. By Jeff Maisey While the Hampton Roads region — known as Tidewater back in the day — gave birth to the great vocalist Ella Fitzgerald and saxophonist/arranger Tommy Newsom,...

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ESSAY: The Flame of Faith

ESSAY: The Flame of Faith

By Tom Robotham Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ On these two commandments hang all...

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Big Ugly Wins 2023 Golden Tap Award

Big Ugly Wins 2023 Golden Tap Award

Big Ugly Brewing won the 2023 Golden Tap Award in a region-wide competition where the tally was picked by readers and our committee of judges — including Diane Catanzaro, Chris Jones, Brian Koski, and Jen McDonald — provided expert analysis.  The 757 region craft...

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Iceland: An Ultimate Roadtrip

Iceland: An Ultimate Roadtrip

(A horse riding tour stops for a photo-op at Skogafoss in southern Iceland) By Jeff Maisey PBS travel guru Rick Steves was motoring around Iceland the past July. Steves posted daily blogs from the road, proclaiming the country’s scenic highway to be the “ultimate...

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As Goode as it Gets

As Goode as it Gets

(The exterior is aglow with European charm. Photo by CPix Aperture.)  By Betsy DiJulio Gone are the pungent aromas of hay, manure, and gasoline.  But in their place, as of January 13, are faint whiffs of damp clay, oil paint, and linseed oil. Nestled into the...

Roberta Lea Poised For Greatness

Roberta Lea Poised For Greatness

By Jim Morrison While the COVID pandemic forced many artists into secluded hibernation, it provided Roberta Lea with the opportunity to venture down the path of a new career.   Lea, who dabbled in songwriting and played open mics since she was a teen two decades ago,...

Dialing-up A Thrilling Murder Mystery

Dialing-up A Thrilling Murder Mystery

(Michelle Liu Coughlin (pictured) and Daniel Domingues are making their Virginia Stage Company performance debuts in Dial M For Murder.)  By Jerome Langston “Well I make no apology for saying that I love this play. It’s a wonderful play. It’s a brilliant piece of...

Sanctuary Road: An Important American Opera

Sanctuary Road: An Important American Opera

(Composer Damien Geter) By Montague Gammon III An unsung hero of the Underground Railroad, which spirited enslaved African-Americans to havens safe from bondage in the years from the late 1700’ to the time of the Emancipation Proclamation, gets that unsung status...

COMEDY: Preachin’ to the Crowd

COMEDY: Preachin’ to the Crowd

By Jerome Langston The subject of comedian Preacher Lawson’s lengthy locs, comes up quite early in our recent phone chat. His hair is even alluded to in his most recent comedy tour name, Loc’d And Loaded, though I guess the tour name didn’t stick...as he quickly...

A Bobby Black Hat NYE

A Bobby Black Hat NYE

By Jeff Maisey Local blues legend Bobby Black Hat Walters shows no signs of slowing down. If anything, 2023 was one of his most prolific.  In addition to two sold-out concert events at Ferguson Center for the Arts, the singer/songwriter/harmonica player will squeeze...

The Local Nutcrackers

The Local Nutcrackers

(Ballet Virginia’s “Nutcracker” performance by professional dancers.) By Jeff Maisey In retail, many programs exist to “Buy Local” or “Shop Local During the Holidays.”  These promotional efforts advocate for supporting locally owned and operated business competing...

King’s Singers: A Christmas Wish Granted

King’s Singers: A Christmas Wish Granted

By Jeff Maisey Since the late 1960s, The King’s Singers — hailing from King’s College, Cambridge in England — have made Christmastime special by performing ancient carols from the Renaissance period and then later incorporating a diverse array of modern holiday season...

Restaurant Reverie

Restaurant Reverie

(Daily menu additions like this Roasted Red Pepper Bisque w/fried basil and smoked peppercorn have business booming for chef/owner Kevin Sharkey at 1608 Crafthouse in Virginia Beach.)   By Marisa Marsey Heading west on I-64 for a business meeting in Richmond last...

A Wine Education at Crystal Palate

A Wine Education at Crystal Palate

(Crystal Cameron-Schaad enjoys sharing an education in wine culture with patrons.)   By Jeff Maisey For the more sophisticated traveler, experiencing a destination through its culinary and winemaking culture is an essential ingredient in understanding the uniqueness...

Top Shelf Service

Top Shelf Service

(Annie Rostov) By Jeff Maisey Few industries seem to be as impacted coming out of the pandemic as the restaurant business.  While customers have returned to near pre-Covid numbers, restauranteurs in Hampton Roads and across the nation have seen their food costs and...

Filibuster bourbon

Filibuster bourbon

By Marisa Marsey Heading to Derby Day, my fancy races to mint juleps and the bourbon that braces them. (Of course, my fancy races to bourbon many a day, anyway). A good bet for those juleps – if you want to stay true to Virginia while toasting Kentucky – is...

Return of The Belvedere

Return of The Belvedere

By Marisa Marsey Were you as ecstatic as I when you heard that the beloved Belvedere Coffee Shop & Diner was being resurrected in the spanking new Moxy Hotel at the Oceanfront? If you possess any VaBeachVa history, I’m guessing that’s a resounding, fist-pumping...

Afterglow Brewing Shines in Norfolk’s Railyard District

Afterglow Brewing Shines in Norfolk’s Railyard District

(Josh Evans and Jeff Hartline. Photo by Diane Catanzaro.) By Diane Catanzaro and Chris Jones Here’s some exciting news for beer lovers! Norfolk’s newest brewery held their Grand Opening the weekend of July 8. Afterglow Brewing is now open for business at The Railyard...

Winning Big with Aloha State of Mind

Winning Big with Aloha State of Mind

(Matt Topping enjoys the taste of success — and Hawaii — at COVA Brewing Company.) By Jeff Maisey It’s a big deal to win an award — gold, silver or bronze — at the World Beer Cup competition. For a brewery to garner consecutive golds for the same entry is nothing...

Dogs Come First at Pups and Pints

Dogs Come First at Pups and Pints

(Wasserhund craft beers are to bark for at Pups & Pints in Virginia Beach.) By Marisa Marsey Woof, woof! Arf! Bark! Bark! That’s Sheepish Onyx, my seven-month-old Mini Sheepadoodle, tail wagging in prestissimo tempo because she’s at Pups and Pints. I’d better turn...

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