Chloë Ester

Sometimes you’re in the mood for that mysterious alchemy of nostalgia and masochism that drives you to read your high school journal entries, love letters from exes, or hometown obituaries—searching for a good kind of sadness, a pain that reminds you of how precious and fleeting this life can be. And along comes Chloë Ester. […]

Bit Brigade

Old-school button-mashers and new-gen emulator kids alike can get behind Bit Brigade, musical purveyors of driving NES game soundtrack covers. They’ve powered up 8-bit classics into rockin’ renditions for more than 10 years, and they’re marching into town to boost your HP with full versions of “The Legend of Zelda” and “Castlevania.” The concert doubles […]

Robert Earl Keen in the HotSeat

Hailing from the Lone Star State, Robert Earl Keen has honed his craft as one of Texas’ most accomplished singer-songwriters over the past three decades. With 21 records and thousands of concerts on his resume, REK’s poetic musings delivered through Americana melodies have impacted audiences far and wide. We put the country-western crooner in the […]

Albemarle County Fair

Come poke around at the Albemarle County Fair where animals, agriculture, crafts, and live music provide entertainment over three days. Get in a country mood with a performance by Tommy Wood, and line up for eats at one of the many food trucks or stands (because what’s a fair without funnel cake?)! Flaunt the best […]

Brett Dennen

A soulful folk pop artist from Northern California, Brett Dennen began his musical journey as a youth at Camp Jack Hazard. He now shares his passion for song and conservation during his own outdoor weekend retreat (Camp Dennen), among other initiatives. Inspired by ’70s icons Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Paul Simon for their melodic […]

The Mountain Goats with Field Medic

The Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle may have published several novels, served on the board of Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL), hosted a podcast about his music, and acted in an episode of “Poker Face,” but none of these achievements compare to his stature as a singer-songwriter.  The New Yorker called Darnielle music’s “best non […]

Ben Folds

A modern piano man who rocks out and pens intelligent songs, Ben Folds rose to fame in front of his ’90s alt-rock group Ben Folds Five before going solo in 2000. The Ben Folds Paper Airplane Request Tour takes flight with opener Lindsey Kraft and invites guests to launch their song requests to the stage […]

amminal

amminal returns to The Stage at WTJU as part of the Third Rail music series. The psych-folk space-rock band embraces the mundane in songs that explore the transcendent effect of nature. Formed in 2021, the group has been guided by the inspiring tug of the natural world in life and art. amminal EP, released in […]

Fridays after Five: Shagwüf with Holy Roller

Ting Pavilion, July 19 On its face, it seems awfully early in the evening to lose it for the kind of rock ’n’ roll you’ll get out of Shagwüf. Then again, with that Fridays after Five offer (um, free), you can’t exactly complain about it either. A mainstay of local music stages, the self-proclaimed “sweet […]

Andrew Bird and Nickel Creek with Mike Viola 

Ting Pavilion, July 17 Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird has been in a few noteworthy bands and has released or joined in on more records than we have space to discuss here. The singer and songwriter first came to fame collaborating with swing band Squirrel Nut Zippers in the late 1990s and went on to put […]