ARTS Pick: Lotus

Instrumental electronic jam band Lotus built its loyal fan base over a decade by weaving grooves and house rhythms and averaging 100 live shows per year. Known for its genre-bending style, the five-person group fills festivals and concert halls with a combination of dance-worthy beats and joyful rock notes, but the biggest thrill may be […]

Mayer Hawthorne talks about reaching for the next level

Indie artist Mayer Hawthorne wants to go pop. For those who remember his first full-length record from five years ago, the change in direction is obvious, and Hawthorne’s publicist says as much. “He’s relaxed his DIY ethos of crafting every song from start to finish,” reads the multi-talented R&B musician’s bio. “Now, he’s motivated to […]

ARTS Pick: The xx

London trio The xx performs its signature chill-out electro pop on the final leg of a U.S. tour that followed the 2012 launch of its latest album Coexist. Fresh from a festival circuit that included Coachella and Bonnaroo, the band blends gentle rock with metaphysical themes and electronic elements resulting in evocative, intriguing trance ballads […]

Indie bands Superchunk and Sigur Rós are cut from different cloth

The term “indie rock” is so widely used that it has come to mean drastically different things to different people. It’s had a strange life over the past 25-odd years, one that weaves its way through significant changes in musical styles and cataclysmic shifts within the record industry. In many ways, the story of the […]

ARTS Pick: Miami Nights, Earthling, and Salvaticus

Abandon all hope and prepare yourself for a night so cloaked in gut-wrenching metal glory,  that you’ll have to crawl your way out. Step out of the confines of the Charlottesville music scene, and indulge in some raw, yet alluring, heavy progressive music. It’s rare that such notable black metal performances congregate together, yet fitting that […]

ARTS Pick: Willie Nelson

Country music great Willie Nelson continues his support of family farmers with a concert to benefit the Local Food Hub. Inspired by picking corn in his Texas childhood, Nelson founded Farm Aid with fellow musicians John Mellencamp and Neil Young in 1985, and remains a strong farming advocate as well as a legendary performer in […]

ARTS Pick: Taylor Swift

YouTube singer-songwriter turned pop music icon Taylor Swift performs her signature country crossover in support of the Red Tour. Prepare for stuck-on-repeat radio hits like “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and “22,” alongside “You Belong With Me,” the infectious tween ditty that started it all—and expect lots of shrieking and bright red lipstick. […]

The Fire Tapes release the impressive Phantoms before disbanding

In 2010, The Fire Tapes were virtual unknowns in Charlottesville. Made up of recent transplants from D.C. and Richmond, they had a strong sound and solid songs, but had yet to gather a following or make local connections. Three years later, they’ve become a beloved staple in the rock community. Their second album, the excellent Phantoms, […]

ARTS Pick: Matt Venuti

Experience the sublime echoes of Global-Instrumentalist, Matt Venuti for a solo performance on the Hang (pronounced “hung”) on August 30 at Bridge Between The Worlds.  Matt has performed worldwide, and will bring his enlightening tones to the relaxing and serene environment of the retreat center. Sometimes described as a “sound sculpture,” the hang (pronounced “hung”) […]