Pick: Tailgate Thursday

Barn and grill: It’s nothing less than picturesque among the vines at Tailgate Thursday, an elevated barbecue party. Sip on wine while enjoying the vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains and tunes from C’ville Jazz Congregation’s quintet. Snack on raw and grilled oysters on the half shell from Salty Bottom Blue Oysters’ mobile bar, or […]

Galleries: July

July Exhibitions Botanical Fare 421 E. Main St. Downtown Mall. “My Water Garden,” photographs enhanced with acrylic paint on canvas by Betty Brubach. Through mid-July. The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative 209 Monticello Rd. In “Tender Works,” Karina A. Monroy explores cyclical tensions between pain and love, hurt and healing, and mother and daughter through embroidery, […]

Pick: Jeremy Joyce

Mapping the journey: The road wasn’t easy for Jeremy Joyce, but it was formative. The musician grew up on indie rock and alt-country in his hometown of Philadelphia, before the death of his brother drove him to New York and jazz. He found psychedelic folk and rockabilly after a stint in St. Louis, until he […]

Pick: M.K. England

Love and laughter: You might know M.K. England from their YA fantasy and sci-fi novels—or maybe they helped you pick out your next read while they were working as a teen librarian at JMRL. The fandom expert was even entrusted with writing the official Guardians of the Galaxy prequel novel, and the seventh original Firefly […]

Pick: Bent Theatre Comedy

Gut-buster: We all get bent out of shape sometimes, so give yourself a chance to work it out through a few belly laughs at Bent Theatre Comedy’s improv night. The comedy crew has kept central Virginia laughing with uproarious improv shows and workshops since 2004. The troupe’s improv nights typically feature a series of short […]

Sound choices

By Samantha Federico darzo Single Cell (self-released)  Adar Seligman-McComas is darzo. Over the past two years, the band had a name change and Seligman-McComas went solo, yet darzo held on to release its debut record. The eight-track, 30-minute Single Cell packs a powerful punch in a swell of horns and drums that complement Seligman-McComas’ vocals. […]

Sense memory

With three shows scheduled for 2022, Krista Townsend found herself in an enviable position as an artist. But she had a problem: She needed work to exhibit. “I realized I had to speed up my process,” says Townsend, who’d primarily worked with oil paint. “I decided to explore using acrylic paint to block in the […]

Failed mission

Director Juan Jose Campanella’s “Night Sky” grounds its fantastic premise heavily in the everyday. This is a venerable dramatic tradition, and an intelligent approach, especially when science fiction has become synonymous with space operas and action. Unfortunately, when the miraculous and the mundane collide in “Night Sky,” the mundane wins.   The series opens in […]

Pick: Juneteenth Celebration

Commemoration: The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center’s Juneteenth Celebration kicks off with Honoring the Ancestors, during which community members give presentations about local ancestors through readings and songs. Saturday’s day-long celebration features a parade, food, music, dance, an expo of over 30 Black-owned businesses and orgs, and the Emancipation Concert. Performers over the weekend […]

Pick: Fae Festival

Fare thee well: Hear ye, hear ye, ‘tis time for merriment and revelry galore, as the Fae Festival is nigh upon us. Meander through a medieval market, where vendors display their wares, and witness demos and workshops from Raptor Hill Falconry, The Amethyst Cauldron Witch Crafts, and more. Feast on a fine selection of food […]