Brooks Hudgins: February

Following the atmospheric introduction and ensuing electric strum of Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist and singer Brooks Hudgins’ latest track “February,” lyrics of conflict paint a picture of distaste and concern over a person caught up in vice-laden and content-streaming lifestyle. Almost two minutes in, the song takes on new life as it commits to its jazzier undercurrent. It’s another glimpse of Drive Thru Communion, Hudgins’ debut full length, …

Tom of Finland’s Centenary, Seen Through The Artist’s Home, Foundation + Collaborations

Reverberations from the life of the "gay Norman Rockwell"

Born 8 May 1920, homoerotic artist Tom of Finland had a multi-decade career that did not end with his passing in 1991. The legacy of Tom, born Touko Valio Laaksonen, continues to influence emerging artists and inspire members of the queer community. Tom House in LA’s Echo Park is still the center of the expanding universe that surrounds the artist and his work. The Tom …

Word of Mouth: Williamstown + the Surrounding Berkshires

From northwestern Massachusetts to southern Vermont, idyllic towns of cultural prominence

Home to Williams College and two nationally lauded cultural attractions—The Clark Art Institute (which now features a free, year-round outdoor exhibition, Ground/work) and an eponymous Theatre Festival—Williamstown, Massachusetts anchors an idyllic section of the Berkshire Mountains. Williamstown is more than a historic New England outpost surrounded by pastoral beauty; it’s the eye in a storm of exciting culinary explorations, hospitality ventures and world-class art—some of which can …