Magazine

It was the grand opening bash for the 25th Nuits D’Afrique Festival and the Metropolis was buzzing with electric atmosphere. The lively crowd was instantly energized when the Soul Makossa Gang played their first riffs, and people began smiling and pulsating to an African disco beat. After a few tunes, bandleader and legendary saxophonist Manu Dibango took the stage. We were now in the presence of greatness.

So the name Kunal Nayyar may not be familiar to you, but maybe the name Dr. Rajesh Koothrappali is? Known famously for his portrayal of the an astrophysicist on The Big Bang Theory, Kunal plays Raj with so much Indian charm, it's almost impossible not to relate to him. Kunal is in town with Simon Helburg to MC the Just for Laughs A Tribute to Nerds event on July 29th.

In the music world, consistency's a bitch. Sure, it helps you build a solid fan base and stack up a repertoire of tunes, but no one wants to write about how your ninth album is just as solid as the eight that preceded it. Such is the curse of many career singer-songwriters, including Jolie Holland, formerly of the Be Good Tanyas, who released her fifth solo album Pint of Blood just last week to unanimously polite reviews.