Umphrey’s McGee

Funk-forward Umphrey’s McGee has taken the long and winding road to build itself up over the better part of three decades, performing more than 2,700 live shows. Innovators of live sets and festival offerings, the group has earned a dedicated following of listeners eager to engage with its communion of music and technology. Fans of […]

“Grace & Glorie”

Combine the arc of personal growth with a fish-out-of-water story, and add the tension and humor of an odd-couple narrative, and you’ll have something similar to Grace & Glorie. Performed by arrangement with Concord Theatricals, this two-act play by Tom Ziegler places the title characters into an unlikely alliance. Grace, a 90-year-old cantankerous cancer patient, […]

The Blue Moon Diner Celebration

It was a sad day this past November when the doors shuttered at 606 W. Main St. While many gathered then to bemoan the loss of Blue Moon Diner, the long-time restaurant and music venue, others were unable to join in the immediate mourning. The Blue Moon Diner Celebration offers a chance to raise a […]

MarieBette spinoff offers traditional take on donuts

Donuts have been on a certain trajectory for the last two decades: bigger, more toppings, more creativity—an arms race of candy, cookies, and fried pork. After several years working with semi-traditionalists Jason Becton and Patrick Evans at MarieBette Café & Bakery, Melissa Sbrocco went in a different direction when she opened her namesake donut shop […]

H. G. Dierdorff explores the personal and the perilous

When University of Virginia creative writing MFA alumnus H. G. Dierdorff’s debut poetry collection was published in December 2024, the timeliness of its themes of climate collapse and human connection was undeniable. However, these first weeks of 2025 made it all the more relevant, as Richmond, Virginia’s water crisis and the Los Angeles fires reminded […]

Don’t mock ‘em till you try these booze-free local drinks

From zero-proof takes on classic cocktails to innovative new concoctions, local bartenders are flipping the script on mocktails with bold flavors, sustainable practices, and a whole lot of care. These drinks aren’t just substitutions—they’re their own thing, standing tall on flavor, creativity, and style. Whether you’re giving your liver a break (and heeding the Surgeon […]

Silents Scored Live

Step back in time with Silents Scored Live, a silent-film screening with in-person musical accompaniment. Composer, film lecturer, and Violet Crown artist-in-residence Matt Marshall brings more than two decades of experience writing and performing music for classic film screenings that offer a glimpse into what the cinematic experience once was. Marshall live-scores works from the […]

Neon Angels

Four local musicians join up for an intimate evening of original songs in the round, when Neon Angels brings singer-songwriters Holly Renee Allen, Blair Jones, Susan Munson, and Molly Murphy together to share music and personal stories. The performers, all members of the Blue Ridge region’s flourishing Americana music scene, celebrate individual musical achievements—and their […]

Grand Kyiv Ballet’s “Snow Queen”

With winter in full effect, it’s the perfect time to take in the Grand Kyiv Ballet’s Snow Queen, an adaptation of the famous Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. The Ukrainian dance company presents a fantastical story of love and magic featuring the music of Edvard Grieg, Jules Massenet, Mozart, and Vivaldi. After Kai is turned […]

Putting a fine point on self-care

When someone said “acupuncture” to me, the image that used to come to mind was Pinhead from Hellraiser. With maturity, though, I’ve developed an earnest desire to try traditional Chinese medicine. In the new year, the new me decided to take a stab at acupuncture (sorry!). What Getting acupuncture through Common Ground’s community services. Why […]