Afton Mountain Vineyards announced a second label this week: Monticello Wine Company. Founded as a winemaking cooperative in Charlottesville in 1873, the historic brand became the largest winery in the South before it shut down with the onset of Prohibition in Virginia, in 1916. Michael Macfarlan, the winemaker at Glass House Winery, and his brother, […]
Get down on it: Whether you were of age to enjoy the ’80s chart-toppers at the time or just think they are totally rad, it’s easy to fall into the groove at a Legwarmers show. Since 2001, Gordon Gartrell, Cru Jones, Chet Reno, Lavaar Huxtable, Roxanne Rio, Captain Morgan Pondo, and Clarence McFly have been […]
Dream date: In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Chicago-born and Virginia-raised human rights activist Ronnie “iRon Lion” Brandon hosts a reggae and poetry showcase that begins by opening up the mic to anyone who wants to express their appreciation for King. Brandon will recite King’s historic “I Have A Dream” speech, and perform […]
People power Opponents of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline scored a huge victory last week when the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals repealed Dominion Energy’s permit to build an invasive compressor station in Buckingham County’s historic Union Hill neighborhood. “Today we showed that our community, our community’s history, and our community’s future matters more than a […]
At UVA, I did my third year in Madrid, Spain, and I discovered San Sebastian, a resort town on the coast near the French border that’s famous for its food. It has Michelin-starred restaurants, but my favorite places to eat there were pinxto bars. Pinxto means spike, or skewer, but it translates generally to snack, […]
Ready to take a breather after the holiday bustle? Sorry—no rest for the weary. Besides, you’ll feel better if you get up and go, go, go with so many good things on tap. That’s alotta gelato Forget resolutions, there’s endless gelato to be had. Continuing a tradition started in 2007, Splendora’s Gelato offers all you […]
Building a better city New Year’s is a time for resolutions, but this year, we decided to focus our attention on city improvements, not self-improvement. So we asked a bunch of community leaders about their hopes for Charlottesville (and added a few of our own). Here’s to a new year, a new decade, and new […]
Art of war: Austrian composer Alban Berg drew inspiration for his apocalyptic opera Wozzeck (Met Live in HD broadcast), when he attended a production of the drama Woyzeck, a German play left incomplete by Georg Büchner at his death. Berg constructed his libretto for the production while on leave from his regiment in World War […]
Take your pick: Mom, songwriter, singer, and “absurdly talented” banjo player (according to Bluegrass Today), Gina Furtado has two IBMA Banjo Player of the Year nominations to her credit. With the new album I Hope You Have A Good Life, she expands on her versatility with the Gina Furtado Project, playing original material that goes […]
Hot list: When Les Paul names a guitarist to his Five Most Admired Guitarists List (Wall Street Journal, September 2007) you’d think that person would be easily recognized. But despite leading bands for decades, Frank Vignola has maintained a career slightly outside the spotlight by supporting other very recognizable names, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald […]