ARTS Pick: Dwight Yoakam
Hollywood hillbilly: Americana superstar, SiriusXM disc jockey, and accomplished actor Dwight Yoakam tours the songs that have earned him nine platinum albums and 14 Billboard top-10 hits. On his 2016 album, Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars…, he dug into the bluegrass he listened to as a child in Kentucky and applied it to songs from his […]
ARTS Pick: Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians
Starry nights: Edie Brickell rejoins her band the New Bohemians for a string of festival dates, including a slot at Lockn.’ Though Brickell and the band have been on-and-off since rising to fame in 1988 with the album Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars and it’s inescapable hit “What I Am,” they’ve maintained a fanbase so […]
ARTS Pick: Camp Corduroy
Camp songs: Local performers come together at Camp Corduroy for a two-day festival created to celebrate Charlottesville artists and raise awareness for nonprofits such as The Front Porch, The Nature Conservancy, and Fight Like a Grrrl. Dropping Julia, The Hackensaw Boys, and former “The Voice” contestant Will Overman are included in the lineup, and farm […]
In brief: A12 legal guide, big-ticket sale, pet peril and more
Who’s suing whom In advance of the two-year statute of limitations, a flurry of lawsuits have been filed stemming from the events of August 12, 2017, adding to several that are ongoing. Having a hard time keeping up with who’s a defendant and who’s a plaintiff? Here’s a primer: Sines v. Kessler Ten victims of […]
ARTS Pick: Star Wars
Full force: Over three days, the original Star Wars trilogy—A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi—can be seen in its wide-screen glory. George Lucas launched a cultural phenomenon through the journeys of Luke Skywalker, from peasant to rebel leader; Princess Leia, from princess to revolutionary; and Han Solo, from outlaw […]
Music for all: Wale request reflects a larger problem
By Seth Green On August 5, I went to my first City Council meeting. I was one of the few people left in the room when local activist Tanesha Hudson made her request for additional funding to bring the artist Wale, a well-known D.C. rapper, to perform in Tonsler Park as part of Unity Days. […]
ARTS Pick: The Iguanas
Americana crossroads: New Orleans-based group The Iguanas broaden the geographical scope of what’s considered Americana. Drawing heavily from Latin music with lyrics in both English and Spanish, the band’s songs cross cultures, styles, and languages. After almost 30 years and eight studio albums, the four-piece has gone from house band to bringing down the house […]
ARTS Pick: Gladys Knight
Great Knight: Seven-time Grammy winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Gladys Knight is a legend who has been scoring R&B hits since the ‘60s with the Pips. Often referred to as “The Empress of Soul,” she’s touring her ubiquitous songs like “Midnight Train to Georgia” and “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” […]
ARTS Pick: Hip Hop Showcase featuring EquallyOpposite
Get hip to it: EquallyOpposite’s Lamar “Gordo” Gordon and Zachary “ZacMac” McMullen make “rap music for people who don’t like rap music.” The hip-hop duo recognized something in each other that comes through in their music—funny, smart, snappy lyrics, and a willingness to be goofy. “You never know what you’re gonna get,” Gordon told C-VILLE […]
ARTS Pick: Her Crooked Heart
Heart unburdened: In going it alone, Rachel Ries found herself in a new community and nurtured it into the musical project Her Crooked Heart. Ries was touring for a solo album, going through a divorce, and had “leapt into the untethered unknown” when she got busy writing the transformative song cycle that defines her new […]
In brief: Surviving the anniversary, unfinished A12 legal business, another contender, and more
Forward together It was a full house at First Baptist Church on West Main Street on August 12, as a diverse crowd gathered for an interfaith service. “It fills my heart to see the pews filled like this,” said deacon Don Gathers. “We’ve come together not because of what happened, but in spite of it.” […]
Moving forward: Two years after A12, how do we tell a new story?
It’s been two years since the “Summer of Hate,” and Charlottesville, to the larger world, is still shorthand for white supremacist violence. As we approach the second anniversary of August 11 and 12, 2017, we reached out to a wide range of community leaders and residents to talk about what, if anything, has changed since […]
ARTS Pick: Mariana Bell
Dream team: Most of the music made by Charlottesville-raised Aussie Mariana Bell can be comfortably described as indie rock influenced by jazz and folk. But in 2017, her collaboration with Sander van Doorn, DubVision, and Mako led to Bell’s name rising on the EDM charts with the single “Into the Light.” To celebrate her birthday, […]
ARTS Pick: MarchFourth Marching Band
Brass tactics: Circus-like characters, eye-catching costumes, and a blend of big-band-friendly musical styles make up the exalting sensory overload that is the MarchFourth Marching Band. The 20-member troupe from Portland, Oregon, is a festival staple, and has been tapped for high-profile gigs at the Kennedy Center, The Fillmore, and ESPN’s “ESPY Awards” show. The band’s […]
ARTS Pick: Irene Kelley
Bluegrass beginnings: Loving Dolly Parton may have gotten Irene Kelley kicked out of her first rock band (she was fired for bringing a Dolly album to practice), but in the 30 years since, her bluegrass sensibility, songwriting talent, and instrumental know-how have made her an accomplished musician. Moving from Pennsylvania to Nashville at the start […]
ARTS Pick: Max Frost
Gone west: Max Frost’s polished brand of indie pop has scored him alt-rock radio hits, a collaboration with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, and an opening slot for Awolnation and Twenty One Pilots. His recent album, Gold Rush, focuses on the newfound vulnerability that coincided with his move from Austin, Texas, to Los Angeles, where he had […]
In brief: Not the Daughters of Confederacy tour, City Council is back, no confidence in Cumberland, and more
Tour de force For the past couple of years, Jalane Schmidt, UVA professor and activist, and Andrea Douglas, Jefferson School African American Heritage Center director, have been conducting tours of our downtown monuments, providing new context for the Confederate statues that have long dominated Court Square and Market Street parks. Now, those who haven’t seen […]
Flight or fight: Safety tips for solo runners
By Eileen Abbott Charlottesville has a robust running community, but it’s not always possible to run with a buddy or a group. And if you’re out solo on the road or a trail, you should know how to run safely. “I certainly do not think running in Charlottesville poses any unique safety challenges,” says Jaime […]
ARTS Pick: Films of the Outside, Watched in the Outside
Night watch: A series revolving around how we perceive the natural world, Films of the Outside, Watched in the Outside, features 10 short movies including 1953’s Daybreak Express by DA Pennebaker, and 2019’s fryar hole punch v.1 by Will Jones, who will be in attendance to discuss his work. Screened using a projector in a […]
ARTS Pick: Small Island
Crossing the pond: Small Island, Andrea Levy’s prize-winning novel, brought to the stage at London’s National Theatre, traces the stories of three people in post-war Britain, all trying to reinvent themselves. Hortense and Gilbert are Jamaicans moving to the U.K. with hopes of a new life, and Queenie wishes to escape familiar Lincolnshire. Their stories […]
ARTS Pick: GTP Summer Shorts
Short break: Gorilla Theater Productions continues its commitment to diversifying theater with Summer Shorts, an opportunity for five local playwrights to get their work produced and performed. The unique series of plays gets a boost from five of GTP’s experienced directors, who draw from a group of 13 actors to bring the stories to life. […]
ARTS Pick: Julius Caesar
Building Rome: Political intrigue and deception run deep in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, part of American Shakespeare Center’s Roman trio. The characters struggle with their own humanity and morality, as they try to justify power grabs and shady deals. Initially performed in 1599, more than 1,500 years after Caesar died, the historical epic may have been […]
In brief: Censure-ship, walker-ship, sinking ACP ship, and more
Summertime and the sidewalks aren’t easy Walkability is one of Charlottesville’s small-city charms, but sometimes it’s not so easy to get around, particularly if you’re disabled. On July 27 the city listed a dozen sidewalk projects that limit access. And then there are the blockages that aren’t official closings. Pedestrian activist Kevin Cox spotted a […]
Whose history? The Niceties closes out Heritage Theatre Festival with an unforgettable debate
By Nina Richards Zoe is a bright and bold liberal arts college student enrolled in a class on the American Revolution. When she goes in to see her professor, Janine, to discuss an assignment, what ensues is a rich debate between a black student and an older white professor that touches on a wide range […]
Change up: Nate Bolling says no to guitar rock in defining a unique sound
By Graham Schiltz When Nate Bolling started A University of Whales, he wanted the band to be different. After playing music in Charlottesville for 11 years, doing everything from metal to hip-hop, he wanted a change of pace. A pianist by trade, Bolling, who’s perhaps best known around town as a member of the rock […]
ARTS PICK: Albemarle County Fair
Fair play: Care to learn the ins and outs of weaving, snuggle up with a bunny, or test your skills in a cornhole tournament? In its 38th year of operation, the Albemarle County Fair will feature classes, demonstrations, livestock shows, and outdoor games for all ages, along with classic eats like fried dough and candy […]
ARTS PICK: Chris Isaak
Wicked ways: Chris Isaak performs from his 30-year career, including his mega-hit “Wicked Game” and songs from the critically acclaimed 2015 album First Comes the Night. Nicknamed the “Elvis of the ’90s,” Isaak can be an emotional storyteller or an edgy rocker, but he always woos the crowd with authority. Tift Merritt opens the show. Thursday […]