It came as no surprise when Chris Kelly told his parents he wanted to attend Vanderbilt University. Sure, Vandy’s a great school. But the subtext was clear: Kelly, the son of two accomplished local musicians and a serial band leader during his four years at Monticello High School, was a natural fit for the biggest […]
It’s a scene out of a Stanley Kubrick film. You’re blindfolded and led into a room you’ve likely never seen before. A silent usher takes you to a seat where you’ll remain for the next hour with only your ears to guide you. Musicians take up their instruments and begin to play. There is no […]
Blacksmithing is an ancient craft, but metalworker Edward Pelton has carved out a modern niche during his three decades in the studio. Pelton Metalworks produces architectural sculpture ranging from the functional to the ornate for contractors and designers, homeowners, and art aficionados. Pelton, who lives in the Charlottesville-area home where he grew up, recently spoke […]
River Hawkins knows tequila. More to the point, he knows mezcal. When you’ve gone deep down the wormhole of tequila’s smokier, more bracing brethren, Hawkins says, tequila is almost too sweet. “I think of it as a dessert drink,” the Bebedero and Mejicali owner says of the typically 80 proof liquor—without a trace of irony. […]
Will Overman didn’t want to write a breakup album. But following a divorce, the singer-songwriter approached his latest record as a man rediscovering himself—again. On November 16, Overman will play an album release show for Stranger, his second LP as a solo artist, at the Southern Café & Music Hall. Nine and a half years […]
Turn on Erynn McLeod’s debut EP, Man of the House, and the first thing you’re likely to hear is a clear musical theater influence—the cabaret crooning, the overt metaphor, the complex characters, the ebb and flow of emotion. That’s all by design, the Charlottesville resident and Front Porch music teacher says. Growing up in New […]
If you’ve never heard of music industry legend Don Was, don’t beat yourself up. Born Don Edward Fagenson, Was has been making music for nearly 50 years. But until now, he’s never released a record under his own name. He has produced music for The Rolling Stones, Elton John, and Ringo Starr. He’s played bass […]
UVA’s Karsh Institute of Democracy hosted its first Democracy360 event during what seemed like a politically charged time. It was fall 2023, and the ever-lengthening presidential election cycle was ramping up for a 2024 showdown between the Dem incumbent and GOP nominee. Democrats were still hopeful about President Joe Biden’s prospects in the coming election. […]
Ask ChatGPT to design you a dream room—bed, bath, utility, rumpus, you name it—and the popular bot will likely have a few questions. What are the dimensions? What style are you looking for? What are some main features and must-have details? Answer those questions, and the moment of truth arrives. “Do you want me to […]
Ryan Calonder has a simple vision for something that’s become a sprawling enterprise: a music festival, but limited to two days and featuring nothing but bands from Charlottesville proper. “From where I’m standing, this town has so much good, original music coming out of it,” he says. “But over the last 10 years or so, […]