Saturday 3/17
Road warriors
Move over, Cirque de Soleil. The high-flying Golden Dragon Acrobats have ruled the road for over 30 years, visiting all 50 states, 65 countries, and five continents (and you thought your morning commute was long). Strap yourself in for a spellbinding mix of astonishing acrobatics, traditional music and dance, and extraordinary costumes. $24.50-34.50, 7pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 979-1333.
Monday
3/19
Bird in the hand
After love, loss, and illness culminated in a self-described “disaster year” for North Carolina’s Bowerbirds, Beth Tacular and Phil Moore (right) walked dogs, made soup, and came back with a stronger connection as a couple and a “bigger and bolder” sound. Their new album The Clearing encapsulates both the beautiful dark corners of everyday life and the sunshine. Seek out your sweetie and hold on tight. $10, doors at 8pm, show at 9pm. The Southern Cafe & Music Hall, 103 First St. 977-5590.
Bowerbirds defy personal odds, relocate their muse and get back on the road, Monday at The Southern Cafe & Music Hall.
Friday
3/16
Long-distance pop affair
Gomez’s latest release,
Whatever’s On Your Mind, clocks in at just 38 minutes—but the band’s catalog and wealth of talent runs as deep as Warren Buffet’s pockets. This record’s writing strategy was flipped upside down when members found themselves scattered across the globe with an album to make. They collaborated online and the change of pace led to a creative outburst that sounds fresh and unsullied. Their prolific musical explorations make it hard to categorize Gomez, but we like to sum it up in two words: party time.
$18 in advance, $20 day of show, doors at 8pm, show at 9pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. (800)594-TIXX.
Through March
Water bong not included
Charlottesville artist Zeke Ryan’s creations are dark
reflections of otherworldly landscapes. His glowing bursts of interstellar matter puncture through to the lava lamp heart beating inside all of us, and he has a knack for bringing the ethereal down to earth, grounding it in a gothic sci-fi archetype.
It’s like Ozzy, Stephen Hawking and Carl Sagan roomed together in freshman year of college, black light posters and all. Free, BozArt Gallery, 211 W. Main St., 296-3919.
