ARTS Pick: I’m Not Running
London’s National Theatre Live broadcasts I’m Not Running, a new play from critically acclaimed playwright David Hare. The drama centers around Pauline Gibson (Siân Brooke, right), a doctor turned politician who has her life turned upside down after a run-in with a stalwart loyalist of the Labour Party, who also happens to be her ex-boyfriend. […]
ARTS Pick: Jontavious Willis
Blues on the side: A gospel singer as a child, Jontavious Willis made a life-changing discovery around age 14 when he came across a YouTube video of Muddy Waters’ “Hoochie Coochie Man.” The Georgia native became an instant fan, and began his mastery of the Delta, Piedmont, and Texas blues, honing his chops as a fingerpicker, […]
ARTS Pick: Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia
World classical: Conductor Benjamin Rous leads the Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia through a whirlwind of global experiences, beginning with the slow processional dance of Maurice Ravel’s Pavane for a Dead Princess, followed by Siempre Lunes, Siempre Marzo (Always Monday, Always March), a piece by Venezuelan American composer Reinaldo Moya based on Gabriel […]
ARTS Pick: A Tribute to Waltz
Waltz with me:Wes Swing says the intention behind his Fern Hill concert series is to present beautiful music in beautiful spaces, offering “qualities I’d like to see more of in the world of music.” His latest endeavor, A Tribute to Waltz, showcases the enchantment of the dance, and invites the audience to pair up, and […]
Raising the vaping age: Will General Assembly deter the latest teen addiction?
By Shrey Dua Daniel Devlin is a 20-year-old UVA student who’s been vaping since he was 18. If Virginia lawmakers get their way, he could soon face civil penalties for pursuing his habit. Last week, a bill that would raise the age to buy tobacco and vape products from 18 to 21 was passed by […]
In brief: Frat reprimand, Northam’s numbers, SNL target and more
Bad choices Photos appeared February 3 of Kappa Sigma fraternity members wearing American Indian headdresses (pictured above), and a since-deleted social media post captured Zeta Tau Alpha sorority sisters in sombreros and carrying maracas. UVA’s Inter-Fraternity Council condemned Kappa Sig’s “cultural appropriation” as being “prejudiced and culturally insensitive.” Governor Ralph Northam, in his first televised […]
ARTS Pick: Pretty Things Vaudeville Show
Hollywood offscreen: In a throwback to the pre-pixel days of entertainment, the Pretty Things Vaudeville Show wows from the stage with sword swallowers, contortionists, and traditional magic. The Hollywood-based ensemble features the mind-reading dog Scraps, and the daring Rachel Atlas, whose special props include a bed of nails, razorblades, a machete ladder, and a human chopping block. Wednesday […]
ARTS Pick: David Bromberg Quintet
Based in blues: Musically prolific multi-instrumentalist David Bromberg has gigged with Bob Dylan, George Harrison, and Jerry Garcia, but he owes his eclecticism to blues and gospel singer Reverend Gary Davis. Bromberg studied under Davis in the ’60s, and developed the unique style of fingerpicking that led to more than 20 albums of his own, plus […]
ARTS Pick: Whose Live Anyway?
Keeping it real: Big smiles all around with Whose Live Anyway?, a tour event starring actors from the Emmy-nominated improv comedy show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?.” Greg Proops, Chip Esten, Jeff B. Davis, and Joel Murray want the audience’s ideas, encouraging suggestions for on-the-spot skits and songs that elicit stomach-clutching laughter. Sunday 2/10. $40.50-60.50, 7pm. […]
In brief: Gubernatorial scandal, history of blackface, Long’s good deeds and more
Ralph Northam’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week Up until a week ago, Governor Ralph Northam had great approval ratings. Then last week hit, and with the fallout from a photo of a person in blackface beside someone in a KKK robe on his page in the Eastern Virginia Medical School 1984 yearbook, we’re […]
ARTS Pick: Stray Fossa
On the hook: It’s been about a year since three friends from Tennessee who make up the atmospheric rock band Stray Fossa chose Charlottesville as their creative center—and the choice of relocation has ignited the trio’s output. SF released a three-song EP in September; posted the self-recorded and self-produced single “Swells” in January; and prepares to […]
ARTS Pick: JONI 75
People’s parties: The one and only Joni Mitchell—the legendary musician behind the iconic songs “Free Man in Paris,” “Help Me,” and “Big Yellow Taxi”—turned 75 years old last November, and the occasion didn’t pass quietly. JONI 75 is a concert celebration of Mitchell’s career from Canada to California, with a diverse list of guest artists including […]
Refresh: 25 ways to look, feel, and be your best
New Year’s resolutions losing steam? (Or maybe you didn’t make any to begin with?) As we come to the end of a long, cold January, it’s not too late to make a fresh start. From ways to be brave to where to find support, here are 25 simple, mostly-local tips to help you look, feel, and […]
ARTS Pick: El Ten Eleven
Going to twelve: Something about Kristian Dunn and Tim Fogarty’s music makes you think they know something about life. Daring and enlightened, the indie project El Ten Eleven uses complex instrumentals and spellbinding lyrics to be at once reflective and forward-thinking. The Los Angeles-based post-rock outfit is named for an airliner, and rightly so, as the […]
ARTS Pick: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
Birds of a feather: Wild is an accurate descriptor for Baltimore’s banging bunch of birds, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, a funky foursome that channels happy vibes all around. The group’s latest release, the psychedelic LP Pizazz, features driving bass and heavy drums with a positive twist. Live performances allow the group to flourish, as it […]
ARTS Pick: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Mindful Magic: Based on Mark Haddon’s novel, written from the perspective of a teenager with autism, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time brings insight and humor to the stage. Christopher Boone’s mathematical prowess has some innovative applications, and with the discovery of Wellington, the late neighborhood dog, sleuthing becomes one of them. He […]
In brief: Happy hour, Master Charles, prof charged and more
Dead or alive Virginia’s General Assembly has been hard at it for three weeks now, tackling the 2,000 or so bills legislators filed. While most bills will die quietly in subcommittee, here are a few survivors—and committee casualties. Alive A judge has already ruled Virginia’s law that suspends driver’s licenses for unpaid court fines is […]
ARTS Pick: New Works Festival
Staging it: UVA Drama’s New Works Festival highlights fledgling playwrights in collaboration with other students for three original works. They’re Still Friends by Savannah Hard explores trauma and connection; I’m Game by Jessica Harris finds a group of recent high school grads pondering their lives as they prepare for next steps; and Ibrahim Muhammad’s Play […]
Best of the Best 2018: Ragged Mountain Running Shop
Ask Mark and Cynthia Lorenzoni about the secret to their success as owners of Ragged Mountain Running Shop, and they’ll tell you it’s all about balance. The pair, who’ve been outfitting Charlottesville athletes since 1982, welcomes 20,000 customers a year to their Elliewood Avenue shop, a place that feels like a combination clubhouse, support group, […]
ARTS Pick: Phil Vassar
With wistful country vocals propelling his chart-smashing hits, snatching hearts is Phil Vassar’s game. Before signing his own recording contract and landing 10 original songs at No. 1, Vassar penned hits for Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson, and Jo Dee Messina, among others. His recent induction into the Virginia Music Hall of Fame is another step […]
ARTS Pick: Charlie Ballantine Trio
Charlottesville Jazz Society kicks off its concert season with guitarist Charlie Ballantine and his trio. Ballantine’s music pays homage to his childhood in the Midwest through a unique melding of folk and jazz. Among his influences are some of the greatest jazz, rock, and pop musicians of the ’60s and ’70s, and his latest release, […]
ARTS Pick: Gold Connections
Gold Connections’ upcoming EP, Like A Shadow (due in March), benefits from the camaraderie that Will Marsh found with his touring bandmates while on the road last year. Going into the studio with familiar players allowed Marsh to move past his former indie-rock associations and forge a path of his own musical volition on songs […]
In brief: Killed bills, uneasy homage, big checks and more
Dead or alive The General Assembly has been in session two weeks, and it is whittling down the more than 2,000 bills legislators filed. Here are some bills that have survived so far—and others that were DOA. Alive An in-state tuition bill for undocumented students made it out of the Senate Education Committee January 8 […]
ARTS Pick: Panic! at the Disco
From the old-time fan favorite “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” to the latest platinum single “High Hopes,” Panic! at the Disco serves up another album full of soaring vocals and punk-tinged brass orchestrations. Pray for the Wicked is the sixth record by the emo pop forefathers whose tumultuous membership finds frontman Brendon Urie as the […]
Whopping donation: $120 million funds UVA’s new School of Data Science
By Jonathan Haynes Jaffray Woodriff, who made a fortune using data science in the investment world, has bestowed upon his alma mater its largest donation ever to create a School of Data Science. It will build on the university’s existing Institute of Data Science, which was created with a $10 million donation from Woodriff in 2014. […]
ARTS Pick: Peter and the Wolf
The award-winning Charlottesville High School Orchestra String Ensemble breaks out of an academic setting to put a new twist on a classic fairy tale. Directed by Laura Mulligan Thomas (right), the ensemble’s rendition of Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf is accompanied by narration from filmmaker and author Jamie Bernstein (daughter of the legendary Leonard […]
ARTS Pick: Wild Rose
Girl Choir is distortion driven. The Chuggernauts opt for a punk-rock pirate vibe. And while The Unholy Four strives for old-school hard rock, Wild Rose keeps it modern as a quartet. Expect a blend of grit and tenderness when punk rock meets punk ‘n’ roll during an evening with these four local bands. Friday, January […]