Vino valor

The Monticello American Viticultural Area won Wine Enthusiast’s Wine Region of the Year award at the end of 2023, and according to Brantley Ussery, it was not only for the area’s juice, but also for the squeeze. “The things that Wine Enthusiast really liked about our region is the approach, our inclusivity,” says Ussery, director […]

Rockets’ red glare

Alex Garland’s newest film Civil War presents a vision of a war-torn, near-future United States that taps into many Americans’ fears of the worst-case endgame of ever-growing political divisiveness. It’s a promising idea, but this uneven movie is loaded with ridiculous plot holes, and despite delivering several impressive scenes, the film doesn’t maintain its level […]

Writer’s perspective

By Aaron Irons Brandy Clark has long been a lauded pen among Nashville songwriters, landing hits with chart-toppers like Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert, while handily stepping out with her own records woven from classic country and contemporary heart-on-the-sleeve fearlessness. On her self-titled fourth album, Clark is as powerful as ever, showcasing stunning personal narratives […]

Songs and stories

At the intermission of his concerts, John McCutcheon asks attendees to submit song requests for the show’s second set. It’s how the Grammy-nominated folk singer, who’s released 44 albums during his five-decade career, figures out what to play. With a huge catalog of material, McCutcheon says his performances are spontaneously constructed, and singing is just […]

The Big Picture

Start your engines and chow down: The Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow Party returned to Charlottesville on Sunday, April 21, bringing the car-devouring, fire-breathing transformer Transaurus to the John Paul Jones Arena.

Support system

By Erin Lyndal Martin “Charlottesville is in the heart of why I do what I do because of the Dave Matthews Band,” says Ruston Kelly. “They, Kurt Cobain, and Jackson Browne are why I make music. I ended up signing to Red Light Management because the owner, Coran Capshaw, called me and said they wanted […]

Keep on shining

It adds up that flipturn—a group of Florida teens who formed an indie rock band in their senior year of high school—plays sundrenched, cinematic music. Nearly 10 years since its inception, the group emerges from a DIY journey resulting in over 100 million streams on Spotify, and slots at 2022’s Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza, with Shadowglow, […]

Follow your ears

With three stages, over 50 artists, and friends everywhere you turn, the Tom Tom Festival’s Downtown Mall Block Party is the gateway to the annual event’s creative side. From the wild focus of Bad Hat Fire and fluid moves of Capoeira Resistência C’ville, to the blasts of the No BS! Brass Band and expansive jams […]

Rock you

Big riffs and tight hooks never get old with Charlottesville supergroup New Boss. The bigger is better combo of Devon Sproule on vocals, Thomas Dean and Jordan Perry on guitars, Scott Ritchie on bass, Parker Smith on drums, and Nick Rubin on keys stack it up to tear it down live for the 2024 Rock […]

Give it a spin

Record Store Day was initiated in 2007 to strengthen the independent record store scene and celebrate collecting, communing, and listening to music on vinyl. “Independent record shops are a pillar of cultural exchange and music discovery,” says Lindsay Fitzgerald, co-owner of Hello Goodbye Records, which will feature special releases, crates of vintage vinyl, and additional […]