Picture it: 1980s upstate New York, a roller rink awash in the purple-blue glow of blacklights, my ocean-wave of bangs—hairsprayed as though my life depended on their height—to protect my head if I fell as we skated to hair metal, synth pop, and Madonna—oh, the Madonna! After hours of skating alone in my basement, the […]
The staff and volunteer physicians at the Charlottesville Free Clinic helped more than 3,000 patients in 2025—more than 1,600 of them new to the clinic—obtain medical and dental care. Roughly 40 percent of those patients earned less than the federal poverty line of $15,650 for individuals or $32,150 for a family of four. More than […]
Renowned singer-songwriter, musician, artist, and bestselling author Josh Ritter brings The Book of Gold Thrown Open tour to town, showcasing more than 20 years and 12 albums of Americana sounds. One of the most thoughtful and prolific voices in American roots music today, Ritter’s empathy, indignation, and penchant for storytelling shine through in songs that […]
The Robert Jospé Quartet performs its distinctive modern jazz in celebration of its new studio album, The Night Sky. Played with the passion and precision the group is known for, the evening’s set features new tunes and old favorites that traverse jazz, blues, funk, Latin, and African rhythms, led by Jospé on drums, Daniel Clarke […]
Penned by Pulitzer Prize finalist and MacArthur “genius” grant recipient Sarah Ruhl, Stage Kiss is a charming and profound comedy about romance and the theater itself. The narrative follows a play-within-a-play, exploring the lines between professional performance and personal passion. When two actors with a steamy past are cast as lovers in an overwrought 1930s […]
Barboursville Vineyards gets global props while we wait for the dirty horchata glazed donut By James Sanford The British wine periodical Decanter is raising a glass to Barboursville Vineyards’ Octagon 2017, which was named one of its top 50 U.S. wines of 2025. The Bordeaux-style blend of merlot, cabernet franc, and petit verdot is the […]
Washington, D.C.-born rapper and former U.S. Peace Corps volunteer Cullen “Fellowman” Wade kicks off the 2026 Third Rail music series with a performance of his recent album No Safety Net, backed by DJ Blade Relic. The Charlottesville-based musician, producer, promoter, poet, and educator returns to the aggressive directness of his earlier material with new tracks […]
Originating as a form of festive courtly entertainment in 16th-century Europe, masques contain music, dancing, singing, acting, and allegory. The Death of Dido: An English Masque features an Italianate musical score by Johann Pepusch with an English libretto by Barton Booth, employing the same section of Virgil’s Aeneid as Henry Purcell’s famous 1689 opera Dido […]
At its first meeting of 2026, the Albemarle County School Board swore in two new members: Bob Beard and Jim Dillenbeck. While Beard ran uncontested for the Samuel Miller District seat, Dillenbeck’s election to the Rio District has been a years-long effort. He successfully unseated Board appointee Leslie Pryor last November with 51.3 percent of […]
Local music luminary Michael Clem performs new tracks from his latest release, 60¢ A Gallon. Between February and October 2025, Clem went to work at Carriage Lane Studios with producer Rusty Speidel, laying down a dozen new tunes that run the gamut of Clem’s Americana facility and featuring Paul Bell, Adrian Duke, Laurie MacAllister, Jen […]