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 launched its career with the Smokey […]
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 Bruce Springsteen at the same time. He crafts lyrics of […]
Before a recent Post Sixty Five band practice, frontman Hicham Benhallam sat on a patch of grass outside the rehearsal space and stared into the trees nearby. The muggy June air blurred his vision, so he took off his dark-framed glasses and blinked a few times before acknowledging that there was no relief from the […]
Thirteen years ago, four school friends just south of Manchester, England, got together to play music and The 1975 was born. Fronted by the enigmatic Matthew Healy, the alt-rock group lyrically combines notions of upheavals, triumphs, traumas and losses on its latest album, I Like It When You [...]
Below the poignant, heartfelt cries of singer-songwriters and the ticklish grooves of jam-rockers, there’s a dark undercurrent of guttural sound in local music that’s soon to break like a jump scare in a slasher film. C’ville doom/sludge band Beldam shares a five-part bill with Wanderer, Dogs [...]
Lake Street Dive wasn’t sure what it wanted to be when the quartet formed in 2004 at the New England Conservatory of Music—and five albums later that hasn’t changed. The name of its new release, Side Pony, was taken from the hairstyle that can’t decide if it wants to be wild or subdued. “We’ve [...]
Singer-songwriter and co-founder of the defunct chamber-pop group October Project, Mary Fahl draws on classical and world music influences to forge her earthy sound. Fahl, who has written and performed songs for several films and television shows, recently toured to promote her latest release, [...]
Swedish singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson approaches his music as a folk purist reminiscent of early Bob Dylan in his delivery and aesthetic. Performing under the moniker The Tallest Man on Earth, Matsson has four albums, the latest being Dark Bird, in which The Man pulls in mysterious backing [...]
Experience the splendor of well-loved hits from film, theater and television with Pops at The Paramount, performed by the Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia. The program, directed by Kate Tamarkin, includes John Lunn’s “Suite for Downton Abbey,” selections from John [...]
These days it’s rare to find a musical style that remains provincial, but the greater D.C. area’s grip on go-go is still the heart of the genre. Tight funk blended into hip-hop call and response sets the boogie in motion for the Double Faces Gogo Band, formed in C’ville as a tribute to the [...]
After leaving Pale Blue Dot two years ago, Tony LaRocco returns from a stint of self-discovery to front the local quartet once again. The modern pop group reveals its soul through lyrics that reflect a sense of nature, space and Buddhist precepts, and its latest EP, Telescopes, produced by [...]
Made popular in the 1930s and ’40s, gypsy jazz is in the middle of a renaissance, and Baltimore’s Michael Joseph Harris (left) is bringing it to the stage in two formations. His traditional band, Hot Club, relies on the classic repertoire, while Ultrafaux is guided by modern inspirations and [...]
Self-labeled as “a hippie with soul,” artist Allen Stone draws on personal experiences in the church choir and inspirations such as Stevie Wonder for his latest album, Radius, which emphasizes tight instrumentation of funk, pop and R&B influences with an air that is simultaneously [...]
Rock poet David Tewksbury has worked the Charlottesville singer-songwriter circuit for years and issued a series of EPs. Now, with the help of longtime DMB collaborator Butch Taylor, he’s pulled together a band for his first full-length album, Sun is Rising. While composing the tracks on [...]
“For a bunch of boys from Toronto, The Slocan Ramblers are turning out a piping-hot brand of bluegrass that you just may think was cut fresh from a back porch in the Blue Ridge.” That’s what Elmore Magazine says about these four young Canadian musicians, who call themselves rowdy. Their tunes [...]
The multitalented Michael Clem steps away from his role as a member of Eddie From Ohio to host A Benefit for Jason Burke. Local acoustic musicians who will gather to help Burke with medical bills include Terri Allard, Thomas Gunn, Butch Taylor and Peyton Tochterman. Monday 5/16. $20 suggested [...]
Eric Seidel spent the last 25 years bringing smiles and laughter to others as Recycle T. Clown, before cancer forced him to give up his act. A group of musicians, led by Megan Huddleston, unites to present Tin Can Alley, a carnival rock show featuring Mister Baby, American Girl, Shagwüf, [...]
The Charlottesville Festival of Cultures may be the simplest way to learn about the world. With more than 30 countries represented by local citizens and organizations, the event offers a glimpse into the art, food, music and languages in our diverse community. Saturday 5/14. Free, 10am. Lee [...]
Asheville, North Carolina’s Midnight Snack rips open a set of melodious, psychedelic rock to support the Music Resource Center. The band will hang out late with those who can’t get enough of the Know Good Beer festival and take over the stage for an after-party benefit show. [...]
“I see apprenticeships as a crucial part of keeping folk traditions alive,” says Jack Dunlap, a mandolin player who is part of the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Showcase. In the program’s most recent class, Dunlap worked with master musician Danny Knicely. Together, they composed and [...]
Multifaceted singer and musician Gina Sobel brings a unique, vibrant energy to the stage. With her melodic voice and the twinge of funk, jazz and improv present in her music, she earns the warm accolades put forth by BolderBeat, “…listening to Gina Sobel [and her band] feels like a [...]
Frenetic drummer and composer Allison Miller began playing the drums at age 10, before studying music performance and going on to collaborate and record with the likes of Norah Jones, Michael Feinstein and Mimi Fox. The New York-based percussionist is on a nationwide tour with her band, Boom [...]
Indie-rock poster boy M. Ward touts his new record, More Rain, as a doo-wop effort that offers collaboration with Neko Case, k.d. lang, Peter Buck, The Secret Sisters and NRBQ’s Joey Spampinato. The songwriter is frequently on the playlist through his work with others, be it his side project [...]