MUSIC

NBT Sessions

New Brookland Tavern continues to maintain a presence in local music despite being closed to the public since March. After grabbing attention with a virtual version of Stick Tight Fest last month, the venerable rock dive’s Carlin Thompson continues to push videoed performances through the new NBT Sessions series. He says he hopes to get up at least one new episode (recorded live at the West Columbia venue) each week moving forward. “I just think we have a big following, why not share it with the bands. Increasing their fan base hopefully increases their show turnout, better for everyone,” Thompson reasons. The latest installment (as of Free Times‘ Monday press deadline) was an explosively emotive and texturally adventurous set from Columbia punk band Aim High. JORDAN LAWRENCE

TV

I’ll Be Gone In the Dark

For the true-crime people that love the Criminal and Atlanta Monster podcasts, I’ll Be Gone In the Dark will fill your wannabe detective needs. The documentary series is based on the book released posthumously by author Michelle McNamara (the now-deceased first wife of comedian Patton Oswalt) with footage of her talking about the case of the “Golden State Killer,” someone the public (including myself) was unaware of. Between the writing of McNamara and victim accounts, it might make it hard to sleep without a nightlight (and pistol) before going to bed. The fourth of six episodes premieres via HBO on July 19. Previous episodes are now streaming. PREACH JACOBS

THEATER

Public Theater: The Line

New York’s civic-minded Public Theater commissioned this ripped-from-headlines drama from documentary theater creators Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen. Drawing on interviews with medical first responders in the thick of the COVID-19 crisis, it’s a story of great heroism and humanity grappling with a deeply flawed medical system. In tightly framed closeups, actors portraying doctors, nurses and paramedics deliver shell-shocked and harrowing monologues. The original score is by Aimee Mann. You can watch it for free through Aug. 4 via Public Theater’s YouTube channel. PAT MORAN

FILM

Virtual Screening: The Black Power Mixtape 1965-1975

To complement Black Is Beautiful: The Photography of Kwame Brathwaite, the Columbia Museum of Art hosts a virtual screening of The Black Power Mixtape 1965-1975. During that tumultuous time, Swedish journalists filmed the burgeoning Black Power movement in America. Angela Davis, Bobby Seale, Huey P. Newton and Eldridge Cleaver appear in footage long thought lost, with a soundtrack by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Om’Mas Keith. The free screening happens at 6:30 p.m. on July 15 and can be found at columbiamuseum.org. PAT MORAN

DISTRACTION

Adult coloring books

If you’re looking for a therapeutic and time-killing activity, have you considered adult coloring books? Not that kind of “adult,” you perv, but coloring books designed for someone over 18. The “Self-Help” and/or “Art” shelves at bookstores are full of titles like The Swear Word Coloring Book or F#!k Off, I’m Coloring, books with pretty pictures and decidedly grown-up phrases for you to work with. And since you’re an adult now, you don’t even have to stay within the lines! Take that fifth grade art teachers! VINCENT HARRIS

HARD ROCK

Boris’ NO

I have found the standard by which I’ll judge all (or at least many) albums recorded during COVID-19 isolation. And it comes from the adventurous Japanese band that has long been a standard by which I judge all (or at least many) hard rock artists. On NO, self-recorded and sped to a July 3 digital release, Boris stomps, thrashes, screams and cranks amps against a world that makes no damn sense. It’s the group’s most visceral and vital album in quite some time, and a potent distillation of many listeners’ 2020 angst. JORDAN LAWRENCE

FOOD

Mail-order meal delivery

Full disclosure: The ‘rona made me never want to look at a scale again. Especially after the first month when everyone ate frozen pizzas for convenience. So my mom and I decided to order food from Home Chef, one of those food services that mail you the recipe and all the ingredients. Ain’t gonna lie: It was pretty awesome, and portions were great. PREACH JACOBS

MUSIC

SummerStage Anywhere

New York’s largest free outdoor performing arts festival offers a Summer-long mix of performances, highlighting quintessential New York genres, one for each day of the week. Wednesday highlights indie rock with Patrick Watson, DJ Lobo plays Thursday’s Latin gig, Kool DJ Red Alert represents hip-hop for Friday, Ayodele Casel plays Saturday jazz, Ghetto Gothic shouts out to fellow creatives on PeopleSpeak Sunday, and Karine Plantadit is Monday’s dance artist. The offerings stream for free, and times vary. Find the performances and the schedule for July 15 to 21 at cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage-anywhere. PAT MORAN

FILM

Knives Out

I’m typically not the kind to be sensitive about spoilers more than six months after a movie’s release. But Knives Out, a rapturously enveloping whodunit that celebrates classic mystery formula by upending its conventions, is the exception. So let me just say this for those who haven’t seen it: The plot is near-perfect, the direction from The Last Jedi‘s Rian Johnson is striking, and the performances (particularly Daniel Craig’s amusingly sardonic take on a Southern detective, Ana de Armas’ bewildered but determined nurse, and Chris “Captain America” Evans’ thoroughly unvirtuous socialite) are all top-notch. The essential viewing can be found on Amazon Prime. JORDAN LAWRENCE