ARTS Pick: Spamalot
Got wit? What happens when Camelot’s King Arthur and his knights get goofy, ridiculous, and even a bit nutty? You get Spamalot, the musical-comedy that swept the Tonys in 2005. The play is an adaptation of the comedy classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail, in which King Arthur recruits a band of disorganized misfit […]
ARTS Pick: Akhnaten
Ancient outlier: Phillip Glass’ mystical, trance-like opera Akhnaten transcends time to explore the life and psyche of the 13th-century B.C. pharaoh of ancient Egypt. The Met Live in HD’s premiere illuminates the fundamental ways that Akhnaten tried to change the way his people thought about their gods and spirituality by using creative lighting, soaring orchestral […]
In brief: form-based code delayed, UVA soccer wins, A12 appeals denied, and more
Rain check Planning Commission delays form-based code proposal After much debate, the City Planning Commission has decided to table its plans to introduce an alternative kind of zoning, called form-based code, to the city’s Strategic Investment Area south of downtown. Unlike conventional zoning, form-based code focuses on the physical form and scale of buildings in […]
Flushed out: Business owners say downtown’s shortage of public toilets is a longstanding problem
By Spencer Philps Spend enough time on the Downtown Mall late at night and you’re bound to see it happen: someone hunched over against a wall “relieving” himself. Downtown business operators are acutely aware of this issue: One says he’s seen people urinating late at night, by the bus station and beside the unfinished Landmark […]
The path to meaning: Gregory Orr’s The Blessing gets a second chance
By Cortney Phillips Meriwether When Gregory Orr first published The Blessing in 2002, he did so after years of reluctance. The memoir, which begins with a 12-year-old Orr accidentally shooting and killing his younger brother on a hunting trip, was understandably difficult to write. Yet, through the encouragement of his wife, he did write it—and […]
ARTS Pick: Tigers Be Still
Rescue zoo: Sherry Wickman is on the way to achieving her professional dreams when she moves back home and faces a fruitless job search and the family dynamics that set her on the path to becoming a therapist. Relatives retreat into their anxiety and, as they struggle, a tiger escapes from the zoo, prowling freely […]
ARTS Pick: United Nations of Comedy
Laughing all the way: As a shy kid growing up in Washington, D.C., United Nations of Comedy headliner Jay Phillips would watch “Saturday Night Live” and “An Evening at the Improv,” and play his mom’s comedy records on repeat, learning from the greats before he put his own routine on stage. He drew laughs at […]
ARTS Pick: She Kills Monsters
Fantasy rolls: Written by Qui Nquyen, the play She Kills Monsters tells the story of Agnes, a teen who embarks on a fantastic journey after her younger sister, Tilly, dies unexpectedly. Agnes finds Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook and dives into her sister’s world of fairies, ogres, and dwarves, and begins to understand that she […]
ARTS Pick: Ariana Grande
We are next: Superstar Ariana Grande has been on an intense performing schedule for the last eight months, showcasing her recent albums Sweetener and Thank U, Next. Known for her commitment to fans, Grande’s giving them what they love—a setlist with tight choreography that highlights her introspective sentimentality and dance-pop smash hits. Her songs are […]
In brief: statue antics, spelling mishaps, PVCC graduation, and more
On their own terms “If you have a dream, and you focus on it, and you work hard, your dream will come true one day,” Bushiri Salumu told a small crowd assembled at Piedmont Virginia Community College on Thursday, November 7. He spoke from experience: Salumu lost family members to the civil war in his […]
No service: Looking to curb distraction, some schools ban phones in class
By Alexis Gravely All of the nearly 50 students at the Renaissance School have their own mailbox in the front office. But as the teens walk into the Charlottesville private school every day, they’re not dropping papers into them—they’re dropping their cell phones. The students can check their phones between classes and have them at […]
Work and passion: The search for hip-hop success
Music reflects the spirit of a community. With each new generation, artists must find ways to keep the music they create playing around town. In the Charlottesville area, a small but dedicated group of people keeps the hip-hop scene thriving. Musicians like Channing “Mr. Gray” Gray and Malcolm “Waasi” Wills work with a variety of […]
ARTS Pick: Kishi Bashi
Playing into it: Athens, Georgia-based multi-instrumentalist Kaoru Ishibashi, who uses the stage name Kishi Bashi, makes a unique brand of indie pop. In some songs, his mastery of violin and guitar come across as bright and joyful, and in others he turns mournful. He’s toured with Regina Spektor, Sondre Lerche, and of Montreal, and has […]
ARTS Pick: Wilco
Been there: Regardless of which collaborative era in Jeff Tweedy’s career got you on board—Jay Farrar, Jay Bennett, Billy Bragg, Nels Cline—you’ve likely heard the frontman of the revered alt-country, punk-leaning, folk-forward, American rock band Wilco at his best—because Tweedy does not disappoint. Twenty-five years after the band’s formation, Wilco’s poetic authenticity continues to thrive […]
ARTS Pick: Miranda Lambert
Nashville smash: Superstar Miranda Lambert has a powerful voice, and a striking capacity for emotional depth. She sings female rage songs like “Gunpowder and Lead” and “Mama’s Broken Heart,” aimed at abusive partners and cheaters, and she can tone it down in sentimental crooning ballads, such as “The House That Built Me.” The country queen […]
ARTS Pick: Lawrence Jackson
Magnetic moments: “Eight years in the White House went by so fast,” says Barack Obama in the forward to Yes We Did, the new book by former official White House photographer Lawrence Jackson. (We feel you, Mr. President.) Jackson will tell stories about his work behind the scenes, snapping photos of Obama’s meetings with world […]
In brief: a new plan for Starr Hill, CRB moves forward, Saga boots again, and more
A new plan for Starr Hill Since last spring, the New Hill Development Corporation has been working on a Small Area Plan to guide development in the Starr Hill area, which runs from Preston Avenue to the CSX Railroad along West Main Street. On November 4, the African American-led nonprofit, which was awarded $500,000 to […]
Grappling with the past: Historical society struggles to find its way
By Ben Hitchcock “I feel like I’ve been training for this one job for 30 years,” said Coy Barefoot when he took over as executive director of the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society in April of 2018. In an interview with ilovecville.com, the local author and media personality expressed his desire to rebrand the organization and […]
ARTS Pick: Spin Cycle and Gina Sobel’s Gold Sounds
Jazz combo: A night of jazz brings New York City’s freewheeling quartet Spin Cycle—playing everything from Coltrane and improv to New Orleans funk and raw punk—together with local flutist Gina Sobel’s Gold Sounds in a co-headlining concert presented by the Charlottesville Jazz Society and WTJU. Sobel is also an accomplished singer, saxophonist, and guitarist who […]
ARTS Pick: Armida
Tale spin: Miriam Gordon-Stewart and Victory Hall Opera take on Hadyn’s 1784 opera Armida with a fresh perspective. The original is a love story of a crusader and enchantress, and Armida’s mission is to seduce, while the soldier’s is to resist. Gordon-Stewart’s version tells the story of an opera troupe “through the lens of a […]
ARTS Pick: Blues Traveler
Fired up: New Jersey band Blues Traveler is on the road in celebration of the 25th anniversary of its Grammy-winning album, Four. The blues-rock group broke into the mainstream with the record in 1994, playing on “Saturday Night Live,” and opening shows for The Rolling Stones. Now, the record’s hit tracks “Runaround” and “Hook” play […]
ARTS Pick: The Flamin’ Groovies
Shake it away: Under the radar since their formation at the height of the acid scene in the ’60s, San Francisco’s The Flamin’ Groovies are still delivering the edgy rock ‘n’ roll that circumvented the psychedelia of the day to find a lasting cult following. The band is touring on its 50-plus year catalog, ranging […]
Traffic troubles: What will new development bring to an already dangerous intersection?
By Spencer Philps The opening of the Dairy Central apartment, retail, and office complex, slated for May 2020, is likely to bring more traffic to one of Charlottesville’s most confusing and dangerous intersections. According to development materials on the Dairy Central website, Preston Avenue, a primary link between US 29 and downtown, sees about 39,000 […]
In brief: Victory for C-VILLE, new trails, UVA living wage, and more
Case dismissed Judge throws out defamation lawsuit against C-VILLE and UVA prof On October 28, the Albemarle Circuit Court ruled in favor of C-VILLE Weekly and former news editor Lisa Provence, concluding that a defamation claim brought by Edward Tayloe II lacked the legal basis to proceed. Judge Claude Worrell also ruled in favor of […]
‘United for Progress’: Daily Progress union calls for fair wages, community input
By Ali Sullivan The story is all too familiar: Media corporation buys local newspaper, budget cuts ensue, and seasoned journalists lose their jobs. The staff at the Daily Progress doesn’t want to be next. Murmurs of unionizing began in January, and the formal announcement came on October 14. The Progress staff has formed a union—the […]
Picture this: Champions of dance
The unlikely pairing of beer and ballet—under an outdoor tent, no less—drew a standing-room-only crowd last Saturday at Champion Brewing Company, beside the railroad tracks downtown. Attendees, including plenty of kids, were treated to a pas de deux from The Nutcracker by member of the Charlottesville Ballet. The event, which kicked off the ballet’s 2019-20 […]
Out and about: Living, food & drink events
Get your goat Next Tuesday Caromont Farm, the craft goat-cheese haven, invites you to stop by, take a tour, and enjoy a nosh with your fall weather. While you’re sure to see some of the crazy-eyed critters who make the cheese possible, the real attraction is the chance to meet owner and culinary sage Gail […]