As American citizens of all races and colors march in protest of police brutality and racial profiling this summer, the publication of local poet Patsy Asuncion’s collection, Cut on the Bias, offers a message of peace, inclusion and an account of the deep pain of growing up with two separate identities in such a divisive […]
Family Sweet Dreams Festival This family-friendly event features activities including a craft tent, rock climbing wall, laser tag, inflatables and more. Saturday 7/23. Free, 9am-4pm. Stuarts Draft Park, 96 Edgewood Ln., Stuarts Draft. sweetdreamsday.com. Nonprofit Restaurant Week Enjoy specially designed menus in local restaurants, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. […]
Ash Lawn Opera heats up summer with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific, the popular musical about love in the time of war. A story of how relationships between servicemen and civilians intermingle with issues of race, romance and enemy sides, the show was intentionally progressive and an immediate hit when it was first staged in […]
At age 9, musician EmiSunshine shocked viewers around the country with her video of a 2014 flea market performance. After going viral, she landed performances with Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam and a gig at the Grand Ole Opry. Now 12 years old, EmiSunshine has developed an authentic folk voice and plays almost 150 shows […]
It’s 7pm on a Tuesday, and the Municipal Arts Center is filled with the sound of the Charlottesville Municipal Band filing into the large practice hall to prepare for another installment of its bi-weekly summer concert series. The evening resembles a family reunion: Musicians greet one other with smiles, pats on the back and familial […]
Acclaimed Peruvian guitarist and composer Santiago “Coco” Linares is known for his dexterity as a player and his musicianship in orchestral arrangement and direction. In the course of his 30-year career, Linares served as the musical director for the national Peruvian TV program “Mediodía Criollo,” worked with prominent singers including Eva Ayllón and Pepe Vásquez […]
Writing a novel isn’t easy by most measures, but it’s said that your second novel is where the anxiety really kicks in. Pressure builds to craft a book that’s readable and critically embraced, without being too similar to its predecessor. Of course, this is even more true if your first was met with popular success. […]
The evolution of Ray LaMontagne has been fun to hear. From the sparse, husky folk of his early records to a recent 40-minute recording steeped in mythology, the spotlight-wary musician brings fans along as he pushes into new sonic territory. Produced by My Morning Jacket’s Jim James and released as an album in March, Ouroboros […]
Many artists in Charlottesville who don’t have the privilege of pursuing their art full-time have found that employment in the food service industry allows them the flexibility to pursue their creative muse. We scouted around town, found four artists who work in the restaurant business and asked them about their experience in both professions, whether […]
Fly-on-the-wall political documentary Weiner begins with a loaded, world-weary sigh from its subject, former congressman Anthony Weiner. “Shit. This is the worst, doing a documentary on my scandal.” Directors Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg then launch into a montage of extremes: the many puns and potshots that ensued, as well as scenes from the House […]