Evening of Music and Poetry

Move and groove at Ellington’s Evening of Music and Poetry, a celebration of the arts through spoken word poetry, R&B, and soul music. Grammy-nominated vocalist and producer Stokley headlines a stacked line-up of performers, including singer-songwriter and poet Saul Williams and turntablist DJ Spark, with openers Jade Novah and Nathaniel Star. Known for his past […]

Eliza Mary Doyle

Alternative country artist Eliza Mary Doyle’s latest studio album, Pretty Strange, is a 10-song summation of her illustrious 20-year career. Recorded live at Sidekick Studios in Nashville, the album opens with driving banjo, catchy melodies, and pedal steel licks. The single “Them Boys” is a high-energy, banjo-heavy tune written after Doyle’s car broke down while […]

Underground Springhouse

“More of the good, less of the bad” is the motto upon which Underground Springhouse built its sound and style. For USH, the good is a little bit of everything—reggae, country, and funk within a rock ‘n’ roll context. The most recent addition to the outfit’s genre-bending catalog, “Tallulah,” a tender, emotional ballad rooted in […]

Thomas Gunn

Local musician Thomas Gunn performs a rare solo show in celebration of the release of his new album of original songs. A longtime staple on the Charlottesville music scene, Gunn’s regular gig is with Batesville-based band The Pollocks, in which he plays lead guitar and co-writes with the band’s founder, Jason Pollock. He previously released […]

Charlie Ballantine

Groove out with Charlie Ballantine and his trio at a special evening of jazz infused with rock and folk influences. Ballantine showcases his versatility across an impressive body of originals and standards, feathering intricate guitar grooves with complex compositions. His 2020 release, Vonnegut, features original compositions inspired by the writing of fellow Midwesterner Kurt Vonnegut. […]

Boxed Lunch

Charlottesville’s Boxed Lunch performed its first show as a band at Holly’s Diner in 2019. A few years and an EP later, the group returns to the diner for a late-night set. The band, which includes Justin Storer, Joel Streeter, Emily Gardiner, and Zack Beamer, combines melodic songwriting, killer harmonies, and skilled musical chops for […]

Gimme some moe.

Rob Derhak thinks of Charlottesville fondly. The bassist, vocalist, and founding member of the band moe. recalls playing here “back in the old days,” when there was “that old bar behind the railroad tracks.”  Trax? “Yeah, I think that was it,” he says, but it’s like he still doesn’t quite believe it all happened. Derhak’s […]

Carbon Leaf

“The Gathering series is all about building community … it’s a call to look inwards and find what matters,” says Carbon Leaf frontman Barry Privett. The Richmond, Virginia, faves recently released the second volume in a four-part series that finds the long-running quintet returning to its acoustic roots. Gathering Vol. 2: The Hunting Ground is […]

Together in Song

Share in the joy of music with the Oratorio Society of Virginia at Together in Song, a day-long choral workshop and concert. Begin by flexing your vocal chops in a three-hour workshop with conductor and music director Michael Slon. Participants rehearse works by American composers, including Aaron Copland’s “At the River” and Keith McCutchen’s arrangement […]

Dervish

Renowned sextet Dervish has been playing its traditional Irish tunes to international audiences—including in Latvia and Lithuania, and for visitors to the Great Wall of China—for over 30 years. Frontwoman Cathy Jordan leads the band in lively renditions of songs and jigs that marry technical mastery of multiple instruments, including jovial whistle, animated accordion, and […]