ARTS Pick: The Free Bridge Quintet

When trumpet genius John D’earth isn’t playing his weekly gig at Miller’s (Thursdays) or monthly set at Fellini’s (first Saturdays), he’s performing with The Free Bridge Quintet, UVA’s official faculty jazz outfit. This week he’s doing it all—and in conjunction with the Virginia Film Festival, Free Bridge will play D’earth’s original score to accompany the […]

ARTS Pick: Spititout Inc.

A night of local hip-hop starts off with Spititout Inc., a quartet of hardcore rap artists that has been producing since 2012. In old-school style, the collective strives for social justice and activism to be present in its music. The evening of storytelling-driven rap continues with Ben FM, DistantStarr and Brian Moon. Friday 11/6. $8, 8pm. […]

ARTS Pick: Papadosio

Papadosio’s fourth album, Extras in a Movie, combines orchestral, electronic, acoustic and celestial sounds. The inspiration behind some of its songs comes from archaic cave paintings, and when song titles don’t easily appear, the group invents its own words, as in “Obove.” Papadosio even has a clear mission: to create music that gives people a […]

Miraculous music: Early-music group Mira hosts a choral sing-in at The Haven

The term early music mostly refers to Medieval and Renaissance compositions, and it’s easy to imagine it as haunting choral melodies echoing off the vaulted ceilings of a stone cathedral in the 15th century. Other-worldly? Yes. Imposing? Pretty much. But this week, one of Charlottesville’s early-music ensembles, Mira, is taking a different approach to the […]

ARTS Pick: Mock Stars Ball

A frighteningly talented lineup of local groups recreate the songs and styles of five legendary bands at the Mock Stars Ball. This version of the annual Halloween tradition finds Erin & the Wildfire performing as No Doubt, The Secret Storm rocking out as Guns N’ Roses and Lord Nelson slaying the audience with tunes from […]

Flower power: Could Sally Rose be the next musician to step out of C’ville?

Stop me if you’ve heard this before. A local singer-songwriter with a country twang and indie-rock edge is gaining momentum. She’s playing progressively larger venues, moving up from the Blue Moon Diner to The Southern Café and Music Hall to the Jefferson Theater to the Pavilion. Now she’s looking to step onto the national—or at […]

ARTS Pick: DVA

Bára Kratochvílová and Jan Kratochvíl make up DVA (meaning two in Czech), a worldly duo that’s carved out its own sophisticated version of neo-pop. Employing a unique performance style—at times singing in an imaginary language—the pair charms its audience with an aural collage self-described as “pop for non-existing radios.” Modern folk specter Diane Cluck and […]

ARTS Pick: The Paisley Fields

The Paisley Fields is a country band that could easily be heard on commercial radio, but what differentiates the Brooklyn act from the mainstream is its open approach to same-sex relationships. Frontman James Wilson grew up in Iowa and draws from influences such as Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks to write songs that reflect the […]

ARTS Pick: Modest Mouse

Modest Mouse’s new album, Strangers to Ourselves, debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 in March. The band’s first record in eight years, it’s full of dark themes offset by the group’s trademark energetic tempos and inimitable vocal delivery. Rolling Stone magazine called it “perfect,” and the New York Post deemed it “wonderfully bizarre.” […]