Singer-songwriter Ellis Paul is equal parts folk artist and storyteller. His most recent album, Chasing Beauty, is characteristically ballad-centric and tells stories of real people and places that reflect larger truths about the human experience. In the style of Woody Guthrie, the 15-time Boston Music Award-winner leans on his musical roots for an unfailingly genuine […]
Rappity rap, rappity rap. A 13-year-old tapped out a beat on a metal folding chair. Rappity rap, rappity rap. Dressed in black jeans, black untied high tops and a black Michael Jordan jersey over a white undershirt, he slumped forward, his restless fingers wandering over the edge of his chair, his gaze wandering up to […]
The stars align for a special evening when legendary country sweetheart Emmylou Harris, whose massive career includes collaborations that span 48 years, teams up with Lyle Lovett and his Large Band to benefit the Charlottesville Free Clinic. Expect the unexpected during a show filled with Lovett’s Grammy Award-winning, quirky Americana flair and Harris’ “shimmering, yearning […]
The five songwriters who make up the Nashville-based American roots outfit Forlorn Strangers carefully blend their distinct styles into a cohesive sound that’s driven by danceable rhythms, upbeat instrumentals and tight harmonies. The band celebrates its first full-length, self-titled album, [...]
Don’t hang out with Diet Cig if you’re not willing to risk arrest or have your exploits immortalized in song. That’s not to say that every night the self-proclaimed “slop-pop” duo spent on the road over the past two years ended in flashing lights. It simply means that as in life, anything [...]
Local favorite Jason Burke draws from a broad range of influences, such as James Taylor, AC/DC and The Beatles, to create what he describes as a “California country sound.” His latest album, Burning Daylight, pulls jazz, blues and soul into the mix. Burke (who’s a big promoter of local [...]
Joe Walsh started his career in bars and clubs as a solo act before James Gang showcased his guitar chops on a national level with “Funk #49.” In 1975, Walsh joined the Eagles, where he helped transform the rock music scene with the release of Hotel California, his first album with the band. [...]
Sally Rose has all the charisma of a rock ‘n’ roll star paired with the grit and charm of an old-fashioned Southern girl. A woman of various musical incarnations, she brings attitude and solid chops to the bass in her rambunctious swamp-rock outfit, Swagwüf. The group returns after a summer [...]
Jeyon Falsini wades through a crowd in front of his club, the Ante Room (at the time, the Main Street Annex), on the night of a big hip-hop show—Project Pat. He starts pointing out the players on the scene. Seems like just about everyone is a party promoter. There’s Streetz Blonko, rapper [...]
Bassist Chris Dammann’s outfit Restroy plays contemporary tunes from the new release Saturn Returns, and duo Rick Parker and Li Daiguo perform a blend of folk-acoustics and electronica influenced by their respective homes, Brooklyn and China. The collaborative event SEE/HEAR invites guests to [...]
At age 9, musician EmiSunshine shocked viewers around the country with her video of a 2014 flea market performance. After going viral, she landed performances with Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam and a gig at the Grand Ole Opry. Now 12 years old, EmiSunshine has developed an authentic folk voice [...]
Acclaimed Peruvian guitarist and composer Santiago “Coco” Linares is known for his dexterity as a player and his musicianship in orchestral arrangement and direction. In the course of his 30-year career, Linares served as the musical director for the national Peruvian TV program “Mediodía [...]
The evolution of Ray LaMontagne has been fun to hear. From the sparse, husky folk of his early records to a recent 40-minute recording steeped in mythology, the spotlight-wary musician brings fans along as he pushes into new sonic territory. Produced by My Morning Jacket’s Jim James and [...]
Ezra John got his musical start in Charlottesville in 2001, after deciding teaching music wasn’t going to fulfill the dreams he had for himself. Since then, he’s been entertaining in Atlanta and Pittsburgh, and sharing the stage with Gavin DeGraw, Kendrick Lamar and Daughtry, to name a few. He [...]
Formerly of Whiskeytown and The Cardinals, alt-rocker Ryan Adams is better known for his solo career, which leans heavily on a driven blend of folk and Americana music. In 2015, he elevated his profile with a full-length cover of Taylor Swift’s 1989. He unplugged and reimagined each of the [...]
Discussions for this year’s list of the most powerful in Charlottesville turned not toward one particular person but an entity that truly affects Charlottesvillians’ daily lives—the Virginia Department of Transportation. Don’t worry, you’ll still see some familiar faces (last year’s [...]
Ninety-four seasons of saxophones, winds and trombones later, the Charlottesville Municipal Band continues to bring joy to the community. The group of more than 90 men and women has grown exponentially from it inception in 1922, but maintains its commitment to sharing its love of music with [...]
When the world lost music phenom Prince on April 21, the tributes were instantaneous thanks to social media and the emotional connection he inspired in his fans. Cville’s Purple All Stars took time to contemplate the loss, brushed up on the superstar’s greatest hits and will put their reverence [...]
We Were Pirates brainchild Mike Boggs leaves nothing to chance when he takes the stage. The multi-instrumentalist has been known to play guitar, keys and drums, in addition to singing lead vocals during the band’s performances. Boggs’ songs are pure pop that works nicely for film soundtracks [...]
Local hip-hop artist Quin Bookz first gained traction after making the mixtape Study Hall in a dorm room closet while attending Virginia State University. His raw, lackadaisical rhymes are described as “the rebel off-spring of trap music.” With his latest release, The Corner, his YouTube views [...]
Tales of men gone wrong and long-forgotten fables litter the songs of sisters Brechyn Chace and Larissa Chace Smith, who perform as The Hello Strangers. From Austin, Texas, where the two wrote their first song, to their current home in the mountains of Pennsylvania, the pair remain true to [...]
Motown R&B sensation The Temptations topped the music charts of the 1960s with their unmistakable sound of soul. More than 40 years later, with many changes in lineup since the first “classic five,” Otis Williams still takes the stage as the last surviving original member of the group that [...]
The latest from Americana singer-songwriter Anthony D’Amato, Cold Snap is a far cry from his first release, the album he recorded in his Princeton University dorm room. Cold Snap is a beautiful collection of sophisticated sounds and decisive melodies that channels Simon & Garfunkel and [...]