Live Music

Diane Cluck and Blue O’Connell play an acoustic show together at C’ville Coffee.

For over 30 years, Ian MacKaye has been rethinking how rock & roll should work. As a teenager in the groundbreaking hardcore band Minor Threat he wrote passionate, aggressive anthems that inspired generations of punk kids to question the world around them.

To say Misha Dichter is a living legend would actually be an understatement. The first major accolade of his five decade-spanning career came in 1966 at the tender age of 20, with a surprise silver medal at the 1966 Tchaikovsky Competition as a virtual unknown, and on that day his star began an ascent that would include international critical acclaim, prestigious honors including the hallowed “Grand Prix International du Disque Liszt” for his Liszt piano transcriptions, various influential recordings, and collaborations with essentially every major orchestra on the planet.

Halifax/Montreal-based duo Purity Ring trade in dance club lullabies and haunting electro-pop.

Yo La Tengo has set the DIY standard for a subset of indie music listeners for more than 20 years, innovating, experimenting without compromise—with a unique ability to recognize its own art form—and the critics’ darlings can still deliver the goods.

Led by the vivacious, talent-packed Miss Rose, and held tight by the high lonesome harmonies of her classically trained cellist momma, The Sally Rose Band is a band of versatile influences that comes to play.

Asked for a favorite musical memory of Charlottesville, James McNew concedes “It’s hard to pick just one,” though he does cite a late-career appearance by Black Flag, as well as shows by regional punk bands like Government Issue and Honor Roll.

Grand Banks might be one of Charlottesville’s best-kept secrets. The duo of guitarist Davis Salisbury and keyboardist/singer Tyler Magill have been playing together for over 10 years, yet its discog-
raphy amounts to a handful of CD-Rs, and performances and recordings can go on hiatus for years at a time. But when Grand Banks gets together, dedicated followers anticipate some of the most transcendent, satisfying musical experiences around.

The Mantras have been producing a unique mix of funk rock, Middle Eastern, electronic and metal since 2005.

With its tenth album in the works, Donna the Buffalo’s staying power is a testament to its intrepid spirit, prolific output, and ardent following.