Film Review: Star Trek Into Darkness

A great trick director J.J. Abrams and screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman pulled with Star Trek (2009) was to shake the Etch-a-Sketch and start over. After all, how does one deal with the monster that is the Star Trek universe? One doesn’t. Abrams destroyed, on screen, nearly everything that came before him. It’s disheartening […]

ARTS Picks: Charlottesville SOUP

Dig in to tasty, homemade fare, mingle with influential thinkers and makers from the local art scene, and help launch a new creative community project. Based on the successful Detroit Soup micro-granting dinner party model that was created by The Garage co-founder Kate Daughdrill, the first Charlottesville SOUP raised over $1,000 for the Textile Cooperative and turned away 200 hopeful […]

First Annual Day of Dance makes moves on Saturday

The streets will sound with tapping and twirling, leaping and jigging this Saturday, May 25, as the first annual Charlottesville Day of Dance takes over the Downtown Mall. This family-friendly event features an international array of dance forms and fitness practices, from Ireland to India, ballet to Nia. Megan Hilary, the festival’s founder, says the […]

ARTS Picks: The Steel Wheels at The Southern

Entertaining audiences across the country with a heavy brew of original music, The Steel Wheels roll strong with influences from the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia and old-time musical weaving of four-part harmonies, upright bass, fiddle, and mandolin. Saturday’s show opens with a set by Ana Egge and serves as a sneak preview of the upcoming […]

Warm welcome: Group show at McGuffey invites colorful observations

If you’re in need of an instant mood-elevator, I suggest you head straight over to the McGuffey Art Center where dazzling light and vibrant color (and some pretty nifty painting) is on full display at a group show featuring the work of Karen Blair, Jessie Coles, Priscilla Long Whitlock, and Krista Townsend. Still lifes, landscape, […]

ARTS Picks: George Melvin Tribute at Fellini’s #9

It’s been four years since we lost George Melvin, but the mark he made on the local jazz scene remains indelible. An accomplished touring musician, bandleader, and all around entertainer, Melvin delighted audiences for over 40 years. Matty Metcalfe kicks off the George Melvin Tribute, followed by performances from Sammy Horn, Skip Haga and the Bees […]

ARTS Picks: The Duchess of Malfi at Blackfriars Playhouse

Vicious but mesmerizing, The Duchess of Malfi tells the story of one of the stage’s greatest women and two of its greatest villains. The widowed Duchess disobeys her two brothers by secretly marrying her household steward. When they reveal her sham, a slew of dreadful events are planned that ultimately result in a tale of […]

Diva Fatigue

Throughout her career, Beyoncé has been universally adored. But next month, when the extremely successful singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and lady with fantastic hips brings her tour stateside, I imagine things will be different. It has been almost taboo—up until this point—to say you don’t like Beyoncé. She’s never given us any reason not to. But now […]

Interlocken announces Neil Young & Crazy Horse among other big names

Interlocken Music Festival announced part of its line-up today with a promise to confirm additional acts. Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Further, Zac Brown, The String Cheese Incident and The Black Crowes will anchor the new festival in Nelson County.  Early bird tickets are scheduled to go on sale on Thursday, May 23.  Check out […]