Pick: Chocolate Chowdown

Sweet tooth: A sweet evening awaits at PVCC’s Annual Student Exhibition and Eighth Annual Chocolate Chowdown. Sample from a lavish spread of decadent chocolate treats as you peruse a diverse display of student art, including paintings, drawings, ceramics, graphic design pieces, sculptures, and other digital media. Stop by the “color-in” tables to add your own […]

Pick: Shovels & Rope

Domino effect: After months of nonstop touring, Americana folk act Shovels & Rope was ready to slow things down on its latest album, Manticore. Then COVID-19 stalled the music industry, and the husband-and-wife duo decided to revisit and expand the songs that were originally intended to include nothing but acoustic guitar and piano. The result […]

Pick: Jazz on the Fly!

Letting it fly: Jazz on the Fly! is a two-concert mini-fest that promises to be a “celebration of the return of live jazz to UVA.” Friday’s Free Bridge & Faculty show features the quintet of Jeff Decker (sax), John D’earth (trumpet), Peter Spaar (bass), and Robert Jospe (drums and percussion), along with “old friend” Calvin […]

Pick: Late Night Comedy in the Orchard

For sips and giggles: Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other cider…there’s more where that came from at Late Night Comedy in the Orchard. The laugh-filled evening features a lineup of comedians from Herron Comedy that will have you chuckling and chortling while you sip on cider (no spit-takes allowed). […]

Pick: The Magnetic Fields

A way with numbers: Cult phenomenon The Magnetic Fields have been breaking the mold for three decades with records like 69 Love Songs, consisting of tracks that range from 27 seconds to five minutes, and 50 Song Memoir, which chronicles lead singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt’s first 50 years of life with one song per year. Merritt, […]

Pick: Joe Troop

For the record: Having grown up as an openly gay man in the South, musician and activist Joe Troop is familiar with controversy. The bluegrass player has been threatened and chased off the stage, but that’s never stopped him from engaging in social activism through song. While on a year-long break from touring with his […]

Pick: The Moth

Gather ‘round: A cowboy, a UVA professor, and an astronaut walk into a bar…or something like that. You never know who you’ll meet at The Moth, a live storytelling showcase that brings people from all walks of life together. The New York-based production’s events, workshops, podcast, and “The Moth Radio Hour” take you on an […]

Pick: Railroad Earth

Return to rock: Americana quintet Railroad Earth has been performing bluegrass with rock ‘n’ roll spirit for over 20 years. The band’s upcoming album, All For The Song, marks both the end of an era and the start of a new chapter—it’s the group’s first full-length studio record since losing founding member Andy Goessling to […]

Pick: Richmond Ballet

Splendor on stage: In four distinctive works, the Richmond Ballet showcases what ballet can be in the 21st century. The State Ballet of Virginia executes classical choreographies alongside new works beginning with George Balanchine’s joyous and sprightly Allegro Brillante, followed by Ben Stevenson’s intimate Three Preludes and Colin Connor’s romantic Vestiges. The company finishes with […]

Pick: A Promise to Grow

Growth spurt: Local author Marc Boston writes stories for young people that emphasize the importance of diversity and inclusion. His newest picture book, A Promise to Grow, was created in partnership with area nonprofit City of Promise, which works to end generational poverty and foster a culture of achievement in all kids. Set in Charlottesville’s […]