Young blues meets old-school country in Thompson Springs, a Chicago-based six-piece led by singer-songwriter Matt Smith. The band worked with Wilco’s Pat Sansone on its debut album Undertones, which blends dreamy songwriting with indie-rock influences on songs like “Slightly Sexy.” Smith and his bandmates are gearing up for their sophomore release, Standby, an eight-song EP […]
Young blues meets old-school country in Thompson Springs, a Chicago-based six-piece led by singer-songwriter Matt Smith. The band worked with Wilco’s Pat Sansone on its debut album Undertones, which blends dreamy songwriting with indie-rock influences on songs like “Slightly Sexy.” Smith and his bandmates are gearing up for their sophomore release, Standby, an eight-song EP […]
Treat your ears to a sonic sampling of genre-fluid sounds from four bands at Music at VR. Richmond’s Outer World spins psychedelic pop with a fuzzy garage feel on its debut record, Who does the music love? Then, get amped for two local bands, punk rock ‘n’ roll outfit Taffy and power-pop rockers New Boss. […]
In Tea Leaves, a new collection of short stories, Baltimore-based author Jacob Budenz invokes a queer cast of fantastical oddballs making their way in the world we share. From an aspiring magician filled with regrets related to student debt, a deadbeat demon who practices astral projection to compete in speed-eating contests, and a televised semi-psychic […]
Director Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers is a love letter to 1970s cinema. An avowed cinephile, Payne affectionately evokes the era’s character-driven and frequently dark films with this wry comedy-drama. Payne’s Sideways’ star Paul Giamatti delivers a rich, funny performance in the lead, helping The Holdovers stand out as one of 2023’s best American movies. Set […]
It’s the most wonderful time of the year—holiday baking shows are hitting the air. This year, one of Charlottesville’s own chefs is making his TV debut. Charles Zimmerman works as assistant pastry chef at Farmington Country Club, where he whips up everything from delicately frosted wedding cakes to small-but-sweet seasonal bites. Zimmerman is currently showcasing […]
Four funny guys share the stage at United Nations of Comedy’s The Kings of Stand Up Comedy. Nothing’s off the table for headliner Sean Donnelly, who regularly joshes modern society and cracks relatable, self-deprecating jokes. Antoine Scott, Brendan Eyre, and Anthony DeVito keep the laughter going with their own routines, which showcase a variety of […]
The Albemarle Symphony Orchestra opens its fall season with an elegant and ambitious program. The string section shines in Handel’s dark and dramatic Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 1 in G Major, then soprano Nicole Jenkins performs a selection of arias from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and La Bohème, Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, Berlioz’s Roméo et […]
Modern choreography meets classical repertoire in Charlottesville Ballet’s Salute, an afternoon of remembrance and dance in honor of Veterans Day. The company pirouettes through the big band jazz era and World War II in “Letter to My Love,” a sentimental work from choreographer Lorraine “Rainey” Jarrell. In “Did He Jump or Was He Pushed,” dancers […]
When Diane Flynt signs onto a Zoom call from her home in southwest Virginia, the connection is spotty at first. That’s a tradeoff of rural living that she gladly accepts. Sporting a college-style sweatshirt reading KALE, she radiates a love for the land around her and what it can produce—a love that permeates her new […]
There’s always a special energy in the air when musicians play their hometown stage. Guitarist Joe Lawlor is usually on the road with Dave Matthews Band, where he works behind the scenes in the audio crew. An accomplished musician in his own right, Lawlor is a founding member of several progressive funk and rock bands, […]