Coming from a musical family, Jacob Jolliff’s father introduced him to the mandolin instrument at age seven and required him to practice every day for ten minutes. In school, Jacob and his father were in a bluegrass gospel band together and played in many festivals and churches throughout the northwest. Under his mentor’s supervision, Jacob...

Chicken Wire Empire rides the line between traditional bluegrass and the contemporary. Its members have spent a lifetime honing their craft, with deep roots in tradition and music throughout the midwest scene. Their 2022 release “Fresh Pickles” features all original music by Minnesota songsmith Chris Castino (Big Wu), reimagined in Chicken Wire Empire’s style. With...

If you like your bluegrass served with a little punch, attitude, grit and gravy, with that busking spirit that was so present and palpable in the early incarnations of Old Crow Medicine Show and made your realize that string band music could be so much more than fuddy-duddy reenactments by crusty ol’ relics, then the...

Peninsula Youth Orchestra is a place for musically motivated students to play and learn together. Musicians up to 25 years of age play a varied music repertoire, including classical, popular, and student-created works. In addition, PYO is conveniently located on the lower Virginia Peninsula, connecting young musicians from around Hampton Roads.

History, comedy, and Shakespeare, what more do you want! Called the “trio of Modern Marx brothers” and “intellectual vaudeville,” The Reduced Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a touring American comedy troupe that performs fast-paced, seemingly improvisational condensations of huge topics. Known as the “Bad Boys of Abridgment”, the RSC holds the record for the longest running...