ARTS Pick: Bumper Jacksons

Swinging from New Orleans big band to Appalachian folk is all in an evening’s set list for the Bumper Jacksons. With frontwoman Jess Eliot Myhre jamming on clarinet and her homemade washboard, the group nails traditional numbers from jazz greats such as Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Toss in the clever originals […]

ARTS Pick: Black Masala

Friday is coming (we promise) and you’ll know it’s here when Washington, D.C.-based big brass band Black Masala marches its traveling dance party onto the Levitt AMP Music Series stage to pound out gypsy funk and soul. The groove machine arrives on a wave of good vibes supporting the group’s latest album, I Love You […]

Rag Trade looks at the runway from all angles

On varying scales, Charlottesville is home to most of the cultural institutions of a much larger city: theater, opera, art galleries and film. Now we can add fashion shows to that list. On Saturday, Rag Trade brings fashion, music and art downtown to the IX Art Park. Three local designers will be featured amid choreographed […]

ARTS Pick: CIRCIX

Feast your eyes on some of Charlottesville’s most spectacular performance art when CIRCIX comes to town. There will be carnival games, face painting, balloon animals, food and beverages, plus a freak show and performances from fire breathers, jugglers, clowns and Moonlight Circus’ aerialists and acrobats. The fearless Opal Lechmanski will swallow swords and perform the […]

ARTS Pick: The Sally Rose Band and Erin and the Wildfire

Everyone knows that girls rule and boys…well, boys, too, will be wildly entertained by The Sally Rose Band and Erin and the Wildfire, two of Charlottesville’s most prominent female-led outfits. Sally Rose’s saucy Southern rock tunes about witches and ghosts, heartaches and moons, are packed with mother-daughter blood harmonies, good old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll riffs […]

ARTS Pick: New Boss

With toe-tapping, head-bobbing songs about vegetarianism, the apocalypse and everything in-between, local music mainstay New Boss takes to the outdoors for the next installment of the Levitt AMP Charlottesville Music Series. The band, which dubs its sound “tweeboogie,” plays hella catchy tunes that are equal parts grunge, glam, indie and straight-up rock ’n’ roll. With […]

‘Cville Galaxy’ challenges the Guinness World Record

According to Guinness World Records, the world’s largest cardboard sculpture, a massive 33′ x 33′ cardboard castle built in April and decorated by art students, is located in D-Park mall in Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. But probably not for long. Matthew Slaats has plans for IX Art Park to take over that honor on September […]

ARTS Pick: Mighty Joshua

Through a fast-flowing, modern take on reggae, Richmond’s Mighty Joshua makes magical connections with his audience. The uplifting performer uses his art to fight HIV/AIDS and support children’s programs in Africa with a passion that’s resulted in garnering the official title of Virginia Reggae Ambassador. Vibe Riot opens. Free, 5pm Saturday, September 10. IX Art […]

Best of C-VILLE party tickets on sale now

Happy birthday, Best of C-VILLE! We’re 20 years in, and there’s a lot to celebrate: the best people, places and things in town—and us. Join the party from 7-11pm August 19 at the IX Art Park! Your $45 ticket gets you access to music from Lord Nelson and DJ Derek Tobler, food trucks and booze (all food and drinks, including beer, cocktails […]

Locals come together to discuss gender and women’s empowerment

Say you’re a woman walking alone down a street and you hear the all-too-familiar sound of a man’s catcall. What do you do? What should you do? These were some of the questions raised during April’s meeting of The Stoop, a monthly get-together where anybody with an open mind and open ear can come to […]