City Council forum Five Democratic candidates for Charlottesville City Council convened for two forums ahead of the upcoming primary election. While the general election for City Council is not until November, the winners of the June 20 primary are all but guaranteed seats due to the lack of Republican challengers. The Democratic candidates vying for […]
Come May, there is an annual exodus from Charlottesville of the 23,721 undergrad and grad students who are enrolled at UVA. Some stragglers remain, but summer in the city, especially on the Corner, is quiet in comparison to the fall, winter, and early spring. The emptiness of University Avenue highlights the complex relationship between the […]
Entertainment time is precious, and venue calendars are stacked with options. Music writer and on-air radio pro Samantha Federico says these bands are on their way up. You should see them live, and here’s why: Shagwüf Latest release: Trendy Weapon EP, 2020 Staunton’s Shagwüf will make you howl, just like the band’s singer and bassist, […]
Pianist James Fernando gives a matinée performance as part of the Charlottesville Jazz Society/WTJU Jazz Concert Series. The virtuoso composer and musician merges influences from jazz, classical, and electronic into thought-provoking, genre-expanding original compositions on albums such as The Lonely Sailor and Piano Poetry. Fernando is joined by area vocalist Moji for select arrangements. Sunday […]
On his eponymously titled new album, Scivic Rivers, the nom de plume of singer-songwriter and UVA alum Randy Bickford, explores the labor of starting a family within the context of modern society. The record pulls together harmonica, pedal steel, and pointillistic arrangements in songs like “Shenandoah Granite,” on which Bickford sings about climate grief as […]
After a two-year stay in Nashville, Jacob Paul Allen returns to his Blue Ridge Mountain roots for an evening of his self-described “Appalachian red dirt” sound. The singer-songwriter flirts with outlaw country and dances with bluegrass, while leaning into ’90s and Americana sounds. Whether performing solo, or with his backing band The Flood, Allen is […]
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library 2450 Old Ivy Rd. “Women Making Books” explores women’s contributions to English and North American bookmaking from the mid-18th to the 21st centuries, and other permanent exhibitions. Botanical Fare 421 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. “Familiar Scenes: Recent Landscapes in Oil” by Randy Baskerville. Opens June 26. Through […]
Honors of honor Throughout last weekend’s Final Exercises, the University of Virginia honored the victims of November’s fatal shooting. In his opening remarks, President Jim Ryan spoke about how the loss of Devin Chandler, D’Sean Perry, and Lavel Davis Jr. has impacted the university community. However, one of the most powerful tributes was paid by […]
Ix’s summer of festivals kicks off with the return of the Charlottesville Arts Festival, now in its third year. The weekend celebrates creativity, diversity, and community with live music, demonstrations, workshops, and over 50 fine artists from all genres. Bad Hat Fire Troupe brings the heat on Saturday, and things get fungi at a watercolor […]
Rising Appalachia pairs global influences with a soulful, folk-roots sound on its album, Leylines. The quartet is joined by West African musician Arouna Diarra on the ngoni and talking drum, and Irish musician Duncan Wickel on fiddle and cello. The band, fronted by sisters Leah and Chloe Smith, tackles tough topics in its songs. “We’re […]