Gold Connections’ future looks bright

A couple of years ago, while home on winter break from the College of William & Mary, Will Marsh found himself feeling overwhelmed by thoughts that drift, and often race, through young minds. Marsh was studying English, playing in a few bands on campus and worried about choosing a path—the right path—then facing the consequences of […]

Lockn’ festival is groomed and geared up for more

Lockn’ festival returns to Oak Ridge Farm on Thursday, and while the musical acts including Phish, Ween and My Morning Jacket are expected to draw more than 30,000 fans to the area, event producer Dave Frey defines the key to enjoying the festival as “locality.” Pointing out the attributes of the recently established Nelson County Preserve, […]

ARTS Pick: The Stray Birds

When The Stray Birds wandered from the band members’ collective home of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to Nashville, the group mingled in the songwriter scene and came away with rewarding collaborations, an intuitive producer and a list of talented guest musicians for the new record, Magic Fire, to be released on August 19. Building on momentum […]

ARTS Pick: The Pollocks

The Pollocks is the current project of Seven Mary Three founding member Jason Pollock, and it’s more like a country cousin to the hard-rock group that topped singles charts in the ’90s. Low-key and locally based, The Pollocks have put North Garden on the musical map, building a supportive community where the band can test […]

ARTS Pick: J.Cole

UVA’s Program Council welcomes students back with a performance by platinum-selling hip-hop artist J. Cole, as well as rappers Bas and Cozz. Known for his introspective lyrics and humble beginnings, Cole connects with his zealous fan base through his soulful musical identity. He plays from his latest release, Forest Hills Drive, a concept album that […]

ARTS Pick: Ellis Paul

Singer-songwriter Ellis Paul is equal parts folk artist and storyteller. His most recent album, Chasing Beauty, is characteristically ballad-centric and tells stories of real people and places that reflect larger truths about the human experience. In the style of  Woody Guthrie, the 15-time Boston Music Award-winner leans on his musical roots for an unfailingly genuine […]

Music nonprofit wants to help locals unite in song

Rappity rap, rappity rap. A 13-year-old tapped out a beat on a metal folding chair. Rappity rap, rappity rap. Dressed in black jeans, black untied high tops and a black Michael Jordan jersey over a white undershirt, he slumped forward, his restless fingers wandering over the edge of his chair, his gaze wandering up to […]

ARTS Pick: Emmylou Harris with Lyle Lovett and his Large Band

The stars align for a special evening when legendary country sweetheart Emmylou Harris, whose massive career includes collaborations that span 48 years, teams up with Lyle Lovett and his Large Band to benefit the Charlottesville Free Clinic. Expect the unexpected during a show filled with Lovett’s Grammy Award-winning, quirky Americana flair and Harris’ “shimmering, yearning […]

ARTS Pick: Forlorn Strangers

The five songwriters who make up the Nashville-based American roots outfit Forlorn Strangers carefully blend their distinct styles into a cohesive sound that’s driven by danceable rhythms, upbeat instrumentals and tight harmonies. The band celebrates its first full-length, self-titled album, produced by Grammy Award-winner Phil Madeira, and is queued up for a debut on this […]

Diet Cig’s Alex Luciano dances to a DIY beat

Don’t hang out with Diet Cig if you’re not willing to risk arrest or have your exploits immortalized in song. That’s not to say that every night the self-proclaimed “slop-pop” duo spent on the road over the past two years ended in flashing lights. It simply means that as in life, anything can—and will—happen. “I […]