Britain’s hot new singer-songwriter strides across the U.S.

Dan Croll could be on the verge of something big. And he knows it. The 23-year-old British singer-songwriter touched down in California at the start of April for his first U.S. headlining tour, and the crowds are growing by the show. By the time Croll hits The Southern Café and Music Hall on April 23, […]

A once-in-a-lifetime evening of experimental cinema at the Bridge

It’s been almost a year since Vinegar Hill Theatre closed its doors, and we’re still months away from the promised renaissance of the Violet Crown Cinemas, so it’s hard to know where to watch a movie in Charlottesville these days. I’m talking about a movie that’s neither mainstream nor blockbuster; one that experiments with and […]

ARTS Pick: A Band Called Death

Three years before the Ramones launched their iconic schtick, a trio of brothers started the first American proto-punk band in Detroit. They wrote short, fast songs with driving rhythms and lyrics about politics, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll, and of course, existential crises. Their pure originality and aggressiveness made them a hard sell commercially in the […]

Album reviews: The Wood and the Wild, Dinah Thorpe, The Dirty Guv’nahs

The Wood and the Wild The Wood and the Wild/self-released Singer-songwriter Jon Perry is spot-on when he refers to this debut recording as “supernatural cinematic folk.” Part concept record, part proverbial soundtrack to your life, the album manages to amble along with a sense of purpose. The opening track, “Loveless Traveler/Belles on the Tye,” encapsulates […]

ARTS Pick: The Zombies

As part of the first wave British invasion, The Zombies found American pop success in the darkly melodic “She’s Not There,” and disbanded in 1968, moments before “Time of the Season” topped the charts. After pursuing rewarding solo careers, the founding members have recently regrouped and made a new album Breathe Out, Breathe In, which […]

Film review: Kevin Costner plays ball with the NFL

What’s with all the Kevin Costner movies lately? In the past 12 months he’s appeared in Man of Steel, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, and 3 Days to Kill. Given the quality of these movies, maybe he should have stayed semi-retired. It’s not like the movies he made beforehand were much better, but at least his […]

Jen Sorensen wins the Herblock for excellence in editorial cartooning

If you’ve heard the name Jen Sorensen, it may be because she’s the 2014 winner and first female recipient of the prestigious Herblock Prize for editorial cartooning—or because she’s been published in C-VILLE Weekly for more than a decade. “I went to UVA as an undergrad and wound up sticking around Charlottesville for many years after […]

ARTS Pick: A Flea in Her Ear

With a few simple plot twists, the characters in UVA Drama’s A Flea in Her Ear set off on an increasingly outrageous romp through a variety of misunderstood lover’s cues. Impotence, jealousy, attempted murder, and entrapment combine to make this Belle Époque farce into a laugh riot from the start. Through 4/26. $8-14, times vary. Ruth Caplin […]

ARTS Pick: Wild & Scenic Film Festival

The beauty of the Blue Ridge is an unparalleled testament to nature’s splendor, and the Wild & Scenic Film Festival showcases that magic through a dazzling collection of documentaries from around the region. The festival dives headfirst into the wild, capturing breathtaking moments while examining its delicate relationship with humanity. Wednesday 4/16 & Thursday 4/17. Wednesday: $10, […]

Interview: The ongoing innovation of jazz guitarist Charlie Hunter

Like most great jazz musicians, guitarist Charlie Hunter never gets complacent in his craft. Since emerging from California’s Bay Area in the early ’90s, the innovative ax slinger has defied convention by expanding the parameters of a guitarist’s role. The versatility starts with the ingenuity of his instrument, a custom-made, seven-string guitar that allows Hunter […]