ARTS Pick: Bach’s Lunch

In the third performance of the five-part Bach’s Lunch series, Angela Kelly and Johanna Beaver unite for a meditative midday respite. Melding the flute’s soft, subtle tones with the viola’s deep, mellow sounds, Kelly and Beaver combine their talents, offering some passion-filled lunchtime downtime to break up your busy day. Bring your lunch or buy […]

ARTS Pick: Charles Owens

Sometimes there’s nothing more enjoyable than listening to a cool cat pound out the mellow beats of classic jazz, and nobody does it better than Charles Owens. Fully embracing the blues traditions of the 1930s, the exceptional saxophonist teams up with drummer Devone Harris and bassist Andrew Randazzo to perform smooth riffs of dreamy jazz […]

ARTS Pick: Deer Tick

Providence, Rhode Island’s Deer Tick has become the darling of the alternative-rock world, and while the press may have difficulty labeling the band (a certification of indie cred), Rolling Stone, USA Today, and even The Wall Street Journal have showered the group with accolades. Led by singer and guitarist John McCauley, the septet channels Nashville […]

Willie Watson looks to kick start his solo career

Willie Watson, formerly of Old Crow Medicine Show, is turning to the South to help build some momentum for his new solo act. “We wanted to hit certain markets right off the bat,” Watson told C-VILLE Weekly in a recent phoner. “The South is sort of the hotbed of my fan base.” Watson will likely […]

ARTS Pick: Revel

Charlottesville’s young art forces cut loose for the third installment of Revel, a festive fundraiser that pulls out all the stops and reaches across philanthropic boundaries. With proceeds benefiting The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative, the bill boasts “experiences” along with cocktails, an experimental auction, and a performance by We Are Star Children. Bid to win […]

We Are Star Children define a new era of adventure pop

The name of Gene Osborn’s band, We Are Star Children, does not come from a Bruce Dickinson song called “Starchildren.” Osborn says he’s never heard the song, and that he’s shocked to find the chorus of the song spells out his band’s name. “I’m equally shocked no one else has brought it up to me […]

ARTS Pick: Ami Dang

Though the sitar doesn’t often appear in contemporary American music, Maryland musician Ami Dang strives to break the barriers between New Delhi and Baltimore by pairing the instrument with modern electronic beats and drones to create a distinctive new sound that she calls “Bollywave.” Her sitar shines with the help a looping pedal, creating a […]

ARTS Pick: Kstylis

There’s a new style of music dropping low in the hip-hop world. It’s called hype, and it has one purpose: to get booties moving. One talent behind the music is Kstylis, a rap master whose passion for bouncing backsides is matched by his love for a wicked beat. The self-proclaimed “king of twerk” combines powerful […]

ARTS Pick: Nickel Creek

Acoustic music is not traditionally known to have explosive energy, but that’s precisely where the members of Nickel Creek find their voice. For the past decade, the California trio has been redefining the perception of unplugged music in complex arrangements that are as full-bodied and powerful as their electric counterparts. The band’s newest album, A […]

ARTS Pick: Gillian Welch

Berklee educated rocker turned Americana heroine Gillian Welch found the same grittiness she loved about punk in the earnest sorrow of old time Appalachian music. In collaboration with her longtime musical partner David Rawlings, Welch has become known for celebrating the sound of country and bluegrass roots, while imbuing her original songs with dark personality […]