If you didn’t catch True Grit over the holiday season, you may be wondering how it compares to the original. And while you’re at it, you may rediscover a whole genre of film, once one of the most popular in the United States.

Westerns and their rugged landscapes are great vehicles for exploring the thin veil of civilization that covers up violence and they turn on the problems of how (and when) we act. If this list seems a little old, it is. It came from a course I had in college, updated and revised a little since then. Absent are Tombstone, 3:10 to Yuma, and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, which I either haven’t seen or can’t remember where they would fit on this list. But here goes, with thanks to John Simons, an English Professor who did a great John Wayne imitation. (more…)

Well, here we are recovering from all the scurrying about, perhaps resting and reading. This week in between Christmas and New Year’s can be a quiet time to regroup. Many of us like to take a look back at 2010. To that end, let’s look back at the top 10 books in Radford. These books checked out the most times in the Radford Public Library last year. (more…)

The New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters and the Dixie Bluegrass Boys will perform at New River Community College’s Fiddle, Banjo, and Dance Club Jamboree on Saturday, Jan. 8. The show will begin at 6 p.m. in Edwards Hall at NRCC in Dublin. (more…)

It’s been a huge year for The Gregory Brothers, the band made up of Evan, Andrew, and Michael Gregory along with Evan’s wife Sarah. They’ve appeared on The Today Show, had a write-up in The New York Times, and had their “Bed Intruder” video ranked the #1 Most-Watched Independent YouTube video of 2010 with more than 50 million views. Bed Intruder merchandise was even found on sale at the Hot Topic in New River Valley Mall.

Michael Gregory attributes The New York Times coverage with putting them out “in front of people who are able to read.” He added, “No longer is our audience restricted to 13-25 year-olds adept at the art of typing ‘OMG, ROFLMAO.’”

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On stage, David Mayfield is a ball of energy, whirling, twirling, gyrating, and shaking while singing and playing numerous instruments. Away from the stage, though, Mayfield is introspective and introverted.

Those are the two sides that make up the man, but one thing that permeates each side is music. Mayfield grew up in Ohio and was part of the Mayfield Family band starting at a young age. He would play shows with his parents and sister on the East Coast, in the Midwest, and at a handful of Canadian venues.

Just a couple years ago he toured as a bassist for his sister, Jessica Lea Mayfield, and he has also become a vital member of the band Cadillac Sky. (more…)

Glencoe Museum and Gallery in Radford is pleased to announce that it will be hosting the artwork of Radford University’s Graduate Art Student Association (GASA). The works will be on display from Dec. 16 through Feb. 10, 2011. (more…)