ARTS Pick: Music in Motion | Gumbo Music

Darrell Rose is a percussionist, painter and teacher who is best known for his drumming skills. He performs across musical genres including jazz, African and reggae. The former organizer of Charlottesville’s Afrikan Drum fest is one of several world-renowned musicians, including Matthew Willner, Houston Ross,  Jeff Lauderback and Michael “Moziah” Saleem, who are coming together […]

ARTS Pick: Papadosio

Papadosio’s fourth album, Extras in a Movie, combines orchestral, electronic, acoustic and celestial sounds. The inspiration behind some of its songs comes from archaic cave paintings, and when song titles don’t easily appear, the group invents its own words, as in “Obove.” Papadosio even has a clear mission: to create music that gives people a […]

Let’s go to the movies: Virginia film festival 2015

Original print: Leonard Maltin preaches the gospel of classic film Beyond all the glitz and glam and celebrity appearances, there’s no better place to be a lover of film in its purest form than at a festival. Between the premieres and sneak peeks of future hit films before award buzz and marketing tactics dominate the conversation, […]

Miraculous music: Early-music group Mira hosts a choral sing-in at The Haven

The term early music mostly refers to Medieval and Renaissance compositions, and it’s easy to imagine it as haunting choral melodies echoing off the vaulted ceilings of a stone cathedral in the 15th century. Other-worldly? Yes. Imposing? Pretty much. But this week, one of Charlottesville’s early-music ensembles, Mira, is taking a different approach to the […]

ARTS Pick: Mock Stars Ball

A frighteningly talented lineup of local groups recreate the songs and styles of five legendary bands at the Mock Stars Ball. This version of the annual Halloween tradition finds Erin & the Wildfire performing as No Doubt, The Secret Storm rocking out as Guns N’ Roses and Lord Nelson slaying the audience with tunes from […]

Flower power: Could Sally Rose be the next musician to step out of C’ville?

Stop me if you’ve heard this before. A local singer-songwriter with a country twang and indie-rock edge is gaining momentum. She’s playing progressively larger venues, moving up from the Blue Moon Diner to The Southern Café and Music Hall to the Jefferson Theater to the Pavilion. Now she’s looking to step onto the national—or at […]

Film review: The Last Witch Hunter games the system

Just when it was beginning to look like 2015 would not have a better choice for worst movie than The Boy Next Door, along comes the over-plotted, under-conceived and thoroughly charming Vin Diesel vehicle The Last Witch Hunter. Although the negative reviews are sure to be somewhat accurate—Diesel’s performance is too smirky and wooden to […]

ARTS Pick: DVA

Bára Kratochvílová and Jan Kratochvíl make up DVA (meaning two in Czech), a worldly duo that’s carved out its own sophisticated version of neo-pop. Employing a unique performance style—at times singing in an imaginary language—the pair charms its audience with an aural collage self-described as “pop for non-existing radios.” Modern folk specter Diane Cluck and […]

ARTS Pick: The Paisley Fields

The Paisley Fields is a country band that could easily be heard on commercial radio, but what differentiates the Brooklyn act from the mainstream is its open approach to same-sex relationships. Frontman James Wilson grew up in Iowa and draws from influences such as Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks to write songs that reflect the […]