PICK: The Lavender Scare
Seeing purple: As the Cold War and McCarthyism were dominating headlines in the mid-20th century, another cultural persecution was taking place covertly in tandem with the Red Scare. Jefferson-Madison Regional Library and the University of Virginia’s LGBT Committee present a screening of The Lavender Scare, a documentary narrated by Glenn Close that tells the story […]
PICK: Tuesday Evening Concert Series with David Shifrin
Listen to the wind: When considering Mozart’s vast body of work, the clarinet may not be top of mind. Yet, in 1789 the composer “had the wonderful idea of combining a clarinet with a string quartet. The result was one of the greatest musical masterpieces of all time,” says David Shifrin, who will perform the […]
PICK: Zoiree
Moving through it: Edwin Roa of Zabor Dance is not letting the coronavirus get in the way of getting together. The dance instructor is, from a distance, teaching couples who are distanced from other pairs at Zoiree. Partners can move to salsa, bachata, cha-cha and tango in a safety-minded outdoor setting with limited numbers. $40 […]
Something to Grouse about
Foodies rejoice! Charlottesville’s high-end dining circuit just got a little larger with the reopening of The Pink Grouse, the signature restaurant at the Quirk Hotel. Initially unveiled along with the hotel in March of 2020, The Pink Grouse’s launch was short-lived due to widespread shutdowns in April. The extra time was used to fine-tune the […]
Poem on the Removal of the Statue of Johnny Reb
By Gregory Orr I won’t miss the way Your bronze body Froze History into bitterness. That spot you occupied No longer radiates Shadows In every direction Like a malign sundial Designed to thwart The slow Progress of time. Your absence: a form Of hope, a flat And empty space Where citizens stand […]
In brief: Richardson steps down, Johnny Reb goes down, and more
One down Johnny Reb, the bronze Confederate soldier who has stood, musket in hand, outside the Albemarle County Courthouse since 1909, has been replaced by a patch of hay. After the Unite the Right rally accelerated the national debate over Confederate monuments, Charlottesville finally took down one of our own. The Albemarle Board of Supervisors […]
PICK: Riverdance in HD
Stepping back: It’s been 25 years since Riverdance busted Irish dancing out of a Dublin arena and hooked the world into its Vegas-style showcase of step dancing to infectious Celtic rhythms. Filmed in February 2020, Riverdance in HD brings us back to that pre-masked time when arm-in-arm high kicks were taken for granted, and sweaty spins […]
PICK: Monticello Fall Plant and Nursery Sale
Sowing the seeds: Take your faith in mother nature to the next level in 2021 with perennials such as rattlesnake master, globe thistle, and Virginia bluebells, courtesy of the Monticello Fall Plant and Nursery Sale. The popular annual event is taking safety precautions that include pre-registration, limited occupancy, and time limits that allow each guest 45 […]
PICK: Save the Music with Beleza
Musical mash-up: Tired of your quarantine playlists? Then it’s time to spice things up with some samba, funk, soul, blues, bossa nova, jazz, and Spanish flamenco—the livestreamed Save the Music with Beleza embodies it all. Madeline and Berto Sales take you to a Brazilian paradise with their musical and marital harmonies: Madeline sings in Portuguese, […]
Sound Choices: New projects break through the noise
A. D. Carson i used to love to dream (University of Michigan Press) A.D. Carson has made a career out of breaking boundaries. As a Ph.D. student at Clemson University, his dissertation was an album called Owning My Masters: The Rhetorics Of Rhymes & Revolutions. Across the project’s 34 tracks, he examined identity politics, and […]
Running back: Charlottesville stares down football with no fans
By Julia Stumbaugh The ball had barely slipped out of Virginia Tech wide receiver Damon Hazelton’s hands when the first University of Virginia students’ feet hit the turf. The incomplete pass meant UVA had beaten its fiercest rival for the first time in 15 years. Nothing, not fences or Scott Stadium employees, could keep the […]
United university: UVA employees organize for better treatment
By Sydney Halleman It’s been over a decade since the University of Virginia has seen a serious attempt at unionization. The Staff Union at UVA dissolved in 2008 after failing to keep its membership count high enough, and a 2011 union effort fizzled before it could get off the ground. Now, as the coronavirus pandemic […]
In brief: Johnny Reb’s coming down, Kanye’s off the ballot, and more
In brief Officer arrested Charlottesville police officer Jeffrey Jaeger was charged with misdemeanor assault and battery last week. The charges stem from a March 3 incident in which three officers, including Jaeger, who is white, arrested an unnamed Black defendant for being drunk in public. After showing body camera footage during the trial, the defendant […]
PICK: “Teeny Tiny Trifecta 3”
Little looks: The biggest little show of the year returns when “Teeny Tiny Trifecta 3” begins this week. The juried group exhibition is a collection of three pieces, all measuring nine inches or smaller, from over 100 area artists who work in a variety of styles. The show also celebrates Second Street Gallery’s 47th season, […]
PICK: Shenandoah September Sizzles
Among the vines: The last weeks of summer are always bittersweet, marked by the start of school, cooling temps, and a surplus of garden veggies. Chef Ian Rynecki helps make sense of the season’s bounty at Shenandoah September Sizzles, a celebration that begins with a garden tour to harvest fresh produce, followed by a grilling/smoking/cooking […]
PICK: Company Picnic
Bubble wrapped: Kendall Street Company is leading the local return to music festival gatherings with its Company Picnic. The fun-loving jam band will perform four sets outdoors over two days, while guests watch from a distance in “safety bubbles” of two-, four-, and six-ticket groups. Patrons can have concessions delivered to their bubble, and the […]
Rad space: The Bridge PAI finds new ways to connect by dreaming big
How does a community arts organization react to an ongoing pandemic that requires the restriction of in-person gatherings? It gets creative. “We’re still dreaming big,” says Alan Goffinski, director of The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative. “One thing that I think we’ve always prided ourselves on as an organization is our ability to shift gears, respond […]
Working it out: Charlottesville goes back to the gym
By Emily Hamilton Heavy breathing, lots of sweating, and plenty of people nearby—gyms and workout studios seem like a perfect place for COVID transmission. Though some industries have been slow to recover during Virginia’s phased reopening, gyms have seen customers eager to return. Workout spots around town have adopted stringent safety protocols—and benefited from customers […]
All talk: UVA students frustrated by administration’s communication
By Amelia Delphos For as long as communications departments have existed, big institutions have dumped their controversial news on Friday afternoon. Sure enough, UVA’s decision to move ahead as planned—with students living on Grounds and attending in-person classes—was announced via email after 4pm last Friday. The announcement—its timing, its style, let alone its content—was the […]
In brief: Activist fined, white supremacist jailed, and more
Cracking down Just days after a Kenosha police officer shot Jacob Blake seven times in the back, sparking national outrage and protests, City Manager Tarron Richardson decided to crack down on gatherings in Charlottesville—targeting those organized by Black residents. While Richardson supports the right to “peaceably assemble” amidst the pandemic, he explained in a press […]
Pastures of plenty: Retired racehorses find a home at Montpelier
Tucked away on James Madison’s picturesque Montpelier, there is a community of award-winning retired athletes living out their days together in relative harmony. When I met these athletes, there was no crowd of admirers. And on a hot, sunny day, even the athletes themselves were out of sight, save for the oldest, who relaxes alone […]
A season of firsts: Live Arts breaks new programming ground while relying on its mission
As the lights dim and the countdown begins, it almost feels like a typical evening at Live Arts. But then you look away from your screen, and the illusion is broken. You’re on your couch, with a bowl of microwave popcorn and self-poured wine. And instead of spotlights bursting to life, there’s only the pale […]
Peeling the layers: Maryanna Williams’ prints reveal centuries-old artifacts as new
All art is political, but printmaking can take it to another level. We only need to consider the history of the Works Progress Administration, Soviet government propaganda, or even the Black Panther Party to see how print pieces can be immersed in ideology. Literally using knives to cut through the public conversation, printmakers are able […]
PICK: Art Against The Clock
Hot tip: Part of the reason that Bob Ross and his happy little trees were so popular is that we were able to witness his process in real time (or previously recorded real time). That’s also the appeal of The Bridge’s Art Against The Clock, a series that puts local artists including Sahara Clemons (8/23), […]
PICK: Art in Life series
Wine by design: Never judge a book by its cover and never judge a wine by its label—or should we? As part of the Art in Life series, The Fralin takes us on a virtual exploration of the aesthetics of wine labels in relation to our cultural perceptions of design and how they affect the […]
PICK: “So now, where were we?”
Going through stages: Music has always been a great outlet for bonding during times of adversity, and while we are unable to gather at local venues, it doesn’t mean musicians and promoters have stopped creating. Starr Hill Presents answers our need with “So now, where were we?” a live stream series that features a rotation […]
Reaching out: With much on the line, voter registration groups push through the pandemic
By Carol Diggs In each of Virginia’s last five national elections, voter registration around the state has surged anywhere from 6 to 10 percent. This year, coronavirus has made voter registration (like so many things) just a little harder. Registering online, available throughout the pandemic shutdown, requires a Virginia driver’s license or DMV-issued ID—things that […]