Ships In The Night

Saturday 5/3, IX Art Park Ships In The Night, the one-gal, electronic, smoke-and-mirrors synth project of Charlottesville’s own Alethea Leventhal, descends from the ethereal mists for what local fans will recognize as a performance wrapped in a thematic event. SITN has a recurring habit of playing all manner of spookily framed balls, proms, raves, and […]

The War and Treaty

April 26, The Jefferson Theater A famous musician named Paul McCartney once sang, “You’d think that people would’ve had enough of silly love songs / But I look around me and I see it isn’t so.” That was in 1976 and the co-founder of The Beatles was in a new band, Wings, with his wife […]

La Luz with Color Green

Friday 4/18, The Southern Cafe and Music Hall With the release of News of the Universe in 2024, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Shana Cleveland led her band, La Luz, to deeper levels of previously staked-out musical terrain. What began in 2012 as a surfy, twanged-out Seattle quartet with ‘60s girl-group leanings has evolved into a […]

Cowboy Junkies

Tuesday 4/15 & Wednesday 4/16, The Jefferson Theater Any music act that’s been writing, recording, and touring over the course of 40 years deserves respect. For Cowboy Junkies, the unwavering dedication to their craft equates to more than 20 studio records and countless other contributions to a pioneering style of what jerks like me in […]

Dweezil Zappa plays Frank Zappa

Friday 4/11, The Paramount Theater Maybe it’s unfair to say that Dweezil Zappa has made a lifelong career of being the child of a legendary musician. At 55 years old, he has amassed a decent list of solo records and even won a Grammy for his guitar playing, a good deal of which he’s lent […]

José González

The Paramount Theater, March 21 Wistful and moving, José González’s soft voice and intricate finger-picking guitar elevate an otherwise indie rock formula with cavernous echoes of folk, classical, and quiet reflections of pop music. Originally finding some success with the outfit Junip, he has performed and recorded with a steady stream of collaborators ranging from […]

The Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia

Old Cabell Hall, March 22 and March 23 As part of its 50th anniversary season, the Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia offers a pair of what should be gripping and provocative performances. The program wastes no time in lunging for the heart with Samuel Barber’s well-known Adagio for Strings. The compact and passionate […]

Curtis on tour

March 18, Old Cabell Hall  Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music’s touring music program finds a pair of esteemed faculty members and two star students performing at the Tuesday Night Concert Series. The visiting quartet boasts two Grammy-winning professors in guitarist Jason Vieaux and viola player Roberto Díaz, joined by Australian Emmalena Huning on violin, and […]

Vansire w/ Toledo

March 1, The Southern Café and Music Hall Minnesota duo Vansire plays almost off-puttingly soft and reserved music. The main drivers, Sam Winemiller and Josh Augustin, have called their artistic output “chillwave-inspired,” which fits the bill in many respects. The band’s growing discography reflects a multi-instrumental approach that is as willing to drop a banjo […]

Sweetheart of the Rodeo Valentine’s Day Dance

Friday 2/14, Fry’s Spring Beach Club Got any clothing in your wardrobe with musical notes on it? How about a handkerchief you like wearing around your neck? A partner who loves to try new things? No plans for Valentine’s Day? If you’ve answered yes to any or all of the above, this event could be […]