Pick: Puddles Pity Party

Clown around: He’s tall, wears white face paint, and…he’s really sad. Puddles Pity Party features a morose seven-foot-tall clown with a hidden talent—he sings. Puddles’ booming baritone and operatic rendition of Sia’s “Chandelier” earned him a trip to the quarterfinals on the 12th season of “America’s Got Talent,” and his “Still Sequestered” streaming show has […]

Pick: Robert Earl Keen

Holiday roots: Raised on classic rock and Willie Nelson, singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen likes to take the road less traveled. Steering clear of mainstream country, Keen is lauded as an outlaw of the Americana music style and became a grassroots sensation thanks to his poetic musings, razor wit, and killer live band. With 21 records […]

Golden tickets: Locals reminisce about memorable C’ville shows

Remember live music? Us, too. There’s reason to be extra grateful for recorded music right now (and for all the artists streaming sets into our living rooms), but it’s not the same as packing into a whatever-sized room with a bunch of other people to hear some tunes played just for you. Sweating, swaying, swooning, […]

Local expression: The native network of singer-songwriter Nathan Colberg

Since childhood, Nathan Colberg has nurtured the same, secret dream. It’s one shared by many born-and-bred Charlottesville musicians, but few ever see it realized. On February 28, Colberg, along with fellow local acts Grant Frazier and Spudnik, will take the stage at The Jefferson Theater. “It’s going to be new territory for everyone on the […]

ARTS Pick: Ross Mathews

Life stories: Ross Mathews, the renowned television personality most famous for appearances on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “The Insider,” and “Celebrity Fit Club,” engages his audience with hilarious tales and spicy anecdotes from his extensive time in show business. From spending a Christmas with the Kardashians to his TV chat with Omarosa, and […]

ARTS Pick: Jordan Davis

Winning combo: With roots in Shreveport, Louisiana, and a heart for the legacy of Nashville’s music scene, country artist Jordan Davis broke big via the internet when his debut album Home State racked up over 1 billion worldwide streams. Stretching his sound between early folk heroes like Jim Croce and current superstars Lady Antebellum, Davis […]

ARTS Pick: Legwarmers

Get down on it: Whether you were of age to enjoy the ’80s chart-toppers at the time or just think they are totally rad, it’s easy to fall into the groove at a Legwarmers show. Since 2001, Gordon Gartrell, Cru Jones, Chet Reno, Lavaar Huxtable, Roxanne Rio, Captain Morgan Pondo, and Clarence McFly have been […]

ARTS Pick: Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss honesty. M.C. Taylor has been playing music as Hiss Golden Messenger for more than 10 years. His style, though memorable, is hard to categorize as squarely folk, Americana, or gospel. Sure, there is mandolin and a folky twang, but on the next track you might be surprised by an electronic piano. The things that […]

ARTS Pick: Hangover Ball

Thanks, I’m out. Powder-dry turkey leftovers, crusty chunks of stuffing, gelatinous gravy, and pie that’s been hacked at all angles by a variety of utensils and fingers. This is the reality of the day after Thanksgiving. Get outta there before there’s another load of dishes to dry, and shake off the tryptophan at the Hangover […]

ARTS Pick: Kishi Bashi

Playing into it: Athens, Georgia-based multi-instrumentalist Kaoru Ishibashi, who uses the stage name Kishi Bashi, makes a unique brand of indie pop. In some songs, his mastery of violin and guitar come across as bright and joyful, and in others he turns mournful. He’s toured with Regina Spektor, Sondre Lerche, and of Montreal, and has […]