Between the frames

By Matt Dhillon Joy is something we must create space for, says artist Kori Price. In her first solo exhibition, “You can’t compromise my joy,” on display at the Welcome Gallery through January 28, the artist explores the relationship Black women in particular have with their own happiness amid external pressure to compromise it. As […]

In brief: Youngkin’s executive orders

Glenn Youngkin’s First Day Glenn Youngkin was sworn in as governor over the weekend, and right away he signed nine executive orders. Number one is entitled “Ending the Use of Inherently Divisive Concepts, Including Critical Race Theory, and Restoring Excellence in K-12 Education in the Commonwealth.” Though educators say that critical race theory, an advanced […]

Life in the ‘univercity’

By Kristin O’Donoghue According to urban historian and cultural critic Davarian L. Baldwin, residents of Charlottesville are living in the shadow of the University of Virginia. Baldwin’s book, In the Shadow of the Ivory Tower: How Universities are Plundering Our Cities, argues that the powerful expansion of higher education institutions like UVA has created “univercities.” […]

Pick: Pride and Prejudice

Love actually: It’s universally acknowledged that Mr. Darcy is the ultimate swoon-worthy love interest. It’s sometimes acknowledged that Joe Wright’s 2005 film adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is the best, though a few BBC loyalists (and C-VILLE staffers) might beg to differ. Lovers of the iconic hand-flex scene will be pleased to learn […]

Pick: Immigrant: Courage Required

Longing for home: As a 21-year-old, Golara Haghtalab immigrated to the United States from Iran after her family was randomly selected to receive diversity visas. They settled in Charlottesville, and Haghtalab went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and studio arts from the University of Virginia. Inspired by social justice movements and the […]

Pick: Anderson East

Into the groove: Anderson East is known for his careful blend of R&B, soul, and roots rock. East’s powerful vocals and soulful rasp helped him climb the charts and win awards for his 2018 breakthrough album Encore, which includes the Grammy-nominated “All On My Mind.” The Alabama born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter mixes things up on his […]

Behind the muses

By Dave Cantor Delving into a Ryley Walker album might offer up some tuneful, ’70s-style folk and rock songs, dispatched in a relatively traditional way. Or you could hear a batch of improvised psychedelia. He’s also got a full-length re-interpretation of a Dave Matthews Band record. The singer-songwriter’s latest—Course in Fable, released in spring 2021—is […]

In brief: Preview local bills, COVID surges

But today I am still just a bill Virginia’s 2022 legislative session kicks off Wednesday, January 12, in Richmond. Each legislative session, lawmakers are allowed to prefile a number of proposed bills before the session starts. Legislative tracker LegiScan shows that 268 bills had been prefiled as of January 10. Republicans, who control the legislature […]

Pick: Jocelyn & Chris

Blues breakers: Indie blues-rock artists Jocelyn & Chris are inciting a new rock revival with their high-energy live performances, dominating guitar, and commanding vocals. The sibling act writes all their music together, and even graduated from Harvard a year apart. The duo’s new single “Sugar and Spice” charted on the Billboard Adult Album Alternative Top […]

Pick: Sticker

Stickered past: For author Henry Hoke, stickers do more than just stick—they have the power to recall a variety of emotions and memories. In his memoir, Sticker, Hoke uses several styles (including pink, glittery Lisa Frank, Mr. Yuk, and the bumper favorite “coexist”) to explore queer boyhood, parental disability, ancestral violence, and Charlottesville’s history with […]