It’s the dawn of a new era at Vault Virginia with the unveiling of The Guild, an intimate live-music venue presenting world-class experiences organized by The Festy co-founder Michael Allenby. The debut event features two seated shows from a bluegrass trio led by Jeremy Garrett of the Grammy Award-winning band The Infamous Stringdusters. Garrett, an […]
A triple-bill embodying the spirit of independent music showcases Philly-based Bruise Bath, alongside two local acts. Bruise Bath’s Zak Krone (a former WTJU DJ) returns to town with the ground-down, slowcore project, trafficking in melodic riffs and droning harmonies. Space-Saver presents spaced-out sessions of experimental music, drawing from free jazz, doom metal, acid techno, and […]
The return of the Tom Tom Festival means the return of the ever-popular Downtown Mall Block Party. With diverse performances and activities taking place across four stages and additional sites along the mall, there’s plenty to be excited about. Take in the sounds of established and emerging local bands, learn new moves with salsa, Chinese, […]
Everything is blooming, and it’s time for UVA’s Springfest, when university students invite one of today’s hottest recording artists to town and throw a party for all. This year’s headliner from the Bronx, New York, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, brings a laidback lyrical form with catchy hooks over trap-style beats. The emcee has released […]
More than 30 years have passed since three friends came together at the University of Buffalo to form the band moe.—and the party hasn’t stopped. Synergy of stellar showmanship and musical malleability coalesce into a wonderfully weird blend of synth funk, free jazz, country, classic rock, prog, new wave, calypso, pop, and mo’. Expect unrestrained […]
As if high school isn’t awkward enough, imagine having four eccentric Broadway stars with waning careers take on your private life as their personal crusade. In a story with many meta plot points, The Prom tackles small-town homophobia, self-obsessed stage performers, media narratives, and the overarching themes of love and acceptance. Based on the real-life […]
The eighth-generation Louisiana Creole musician Terrance Simien has been at the forefront of traditional zydeco music for more than four decades. The two-time Grammy Award-winner has dedicated his time to preserving the unique cultural expression of Creole sounds through concerts and education programs. Ahead of his performance with Zydeco Experience at Boogie on the Bayou, […]
March 7–30 Phaeton Gallery presents “Understory,” an engaging exhibition of expressive nature paintings by Krista Townsend (Charlottesville, Virginia) paired with vibrant, layered written messages by Niki Hare (Tewkesbury, England) that invite viewers to immerse themselves in the splendor of the forest. “Understory” brings together a group of paintings that explore and promote the profound connection […]
In considering the bookish highlights of the past year—the breadth of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and zines read and shared with others; the bookstore shelves browsed and little free libraries visited; the virtual and in-person readings, discussions, and book clubs attended—a theme emerges. Books by queer writers, about queer characters, and curated by queer booksellers are […]
In Tea Leaves, a new collection of short stories, Baltimore-based author Jacob Budenz invokes a queer cast of fantastical oddballs making their way in the world we share. From an aspiring magician filled with regrets related to student debt, a deadbeat demon who practices astral projection to compete in speed-eating contests, and a televised semi-psychic […]