ARTS Pick: Diana Ross

After leading the Supremes to 12 No. 1 singles in the 1960s, Diana Ross began a solo career that has spanned five decades, piling up dozens of hit songs that are still dance floor anthems and soft rock inspirations including “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Touch Me in the Morning,” “I’m Coming Out” and “Endless […]

Not just another band: Pat McGee on the Trax days and Dave comparisons

For those yearning for the days of yore, when C’ville was an unknown but up-and-coming music town, yearn no further than February 7 at The Southern Café and Music Hall. That’s the night Pat McGee will reconvene his band in Charlottesville for the first time since the venerable Trax nightclub was torn down in 2002. […]

The art of Pollock: One-time national songwriter goes local

Jason Pollock has achieved more fame making music than most people ever dream of. As a member of ’90s post-grunge rock band Seven Mary Three, he toured the world and played to tens of thousands. He co-wrote the band’s 1997 Billboard Top 100 No. 1 hit “Cumbersome,” as well as its No. 7 hit that […]

ARTS Pick: Celtic Fiddle Festival

Deemed “three of the finest folk violinists anywhere” by The Washington Post, Celtic Fiddle Festival is a touring trio of Irish fiddlers that takes the art of playing very seriously. The “violinists” are accompanied by Nicholas Quemener, a master open-tune guitarist, for a musical set that showcases a fascinating blend of traditional, international and individual […]

ARTS Pick: Corey Smith

In a culture of designer cowboy boots and custom fitted blue jeans, Corey Smith breaks the mold and brings some grit and authenticity back to the country scene. Raised in the rolling hills of Jefferson, Georgia, Smith sings about experiences from rural Southern life. With nine albums to his credit, the country star has amassed […]

ARTS Pick: 2001 A Space Odyssey

It’s man vs. monolith in Stanley Kubrick’s enigmatic sci-fi classic 2001: A Space Odyssey. Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood star as two astronauts on their way to Jupiter aboard a sentient, computer-controlled spacecraft. From its iconic soundtrack to the tackling of evolution, artificial intelligence and extraterrestrial life, this 1968 epic continues to grow a cult […]

Traveling alone: A clear-headed Jason Isbell talks solo success

Jason Isbell is enjoying the afterglow of redemption. The lauded country-rock tunesmith is still touring behind his career-defining 2013 album Southeastern, an effort that earned overdue recognition for an artist who turned his demons into a poignantly captivating sonic statement. Ubiquitously praised by critics, the album led to Isbell taking top honors at the Americana […]

Film review: The gratuitous joyride of The Boy Next Door

What a rare pleasure it is to experience something that is truly, unmistakably awful. No, really; in an age where the knowing, ironic wink of an eye or a single act of ham-handed self deprecation is applauded even if the story is unwatchable, we have forgotten the cathartic joy that comes from watching an unambiguously […]

ARTS Pick: Carl Anderson

Carl Anderson’s adept folksy songwriting and never-fail sense of humor took him from a local festival staple to a full-time Tennessee troubadour. His earnest lyrics, sincere, rich baritone vocals and simple acoustic guitar stylings find him trailing a long wake of critical praise. The prodigal Americana son returns to Charlottesville with fellow Nashville singer-songwriter Mary […]