Month: September 2006

Categories
Arts

Reviews


The Black Crowes
Charlottesville Pavilion
Saturday, September 9

music  On a beautiful late-summer night, The Black Crowes brought their Southern rock style and drawn-out jams to the Charlottesville Pavilion. The Crowes, best known for early hits like “Hard to Handle” and “Jealous Again,” played a rockin’ two-set show, plus encore, without any distractions. Although the band went light on the hits (they didn’t really play them, except for “She talks to Angels” and “Twice as Hard”), the energy was high, and the sound crew got it right, with the show sounding great both under the lobster trap and on the lawn.
    Founded in the late ’80s by brothers Chris and Rich Robinson, the Crowes have had a rocky history—achieving near-instant success with 1990’s Shake your Money Maker, then gradually losing steam through internecine battles (Chris and Rich have a notoriously contentious relationship) and a changing lineup over the years. But the band has maintained a loyal fan base—with numerous Internet message boards and a Dead-like music-swapping culture—and is now touring heavily and planning for a new album in 2007.
    True to form, the Crowes honored the jam-band tradition of playing a completely unique set at their Pavilion show. While the current lineup features a new keyboard player and guitarist, as well as a couple of backup singers who really didn’t sing that much, the song (mostly) remains the same: blues-inflected rock reminiscent of classic ’70s outfits like the Faces and the Allman Brothers Band. Backed by guitar licks that could have easily been played by Warren Haynes or Dickey Betts, Chris Robinson sang, played a little guitar and harmonica, and did his trademarked swivel-hipped hippie dance while the band jammed away behind him. Overall, the band was in fine form, and the song selection—which included a nice version of “Up on Cripple Creek”—was consistently interesting and unexpected. Sure, it would have been nice to hear “Hard to Handle”—but in the end, it was satisfying just to see these old Crowes exploring old tunes and new sounds with renewed vigor, and deftly avoiding the pitfall of becoming a state-fair nostalgia act.—Bjorn Turnquist

No Gods No Monsters
The Outback Lodge
Friday, September 8

music  When vocalist Bob Davidson and drummer Jon Hartline left local rock band No Gods No Monsters last year, the fate of the group was anyone’s guess. But if their September 8 show at The Outback Lodge is an indication of things to come, No Gods No Monsters is in it for the long haul.
    The show opened with a long set by In Tenebris, a band worth keeping an eye on. The videogame/pop feel of the group’s keyboard and synth intros seemed at odds with their heavy guitar riffs, but the soaring, ghostly voice of lead singer Christina Fleming made it all work, imbuing the group’s music with a unity of feeling and sound.
    If In Tenebris gave the audience heavy guitar riffs, then No Gods No Monsters smashed the crowd with 10 tons of molten metal. Guitarists Matt Singleton and Hal Brigish, the two members of the band who survived last year’s exodus of talent, proved their technical chops from the very first song, breezing through hard and fast solos without breaking a sweat.
Vocalist Tony Pugh’s voice lacks the range of, say, a young Ozzy Osbourne—but what he might be missing in the higher octaves, he more than makes up for with enthusiasm. In between shots and the odd beer on stage, the mohawked vocalist kept up the hard rock vibe with bouts of fist-pumping and cries of “Let’s rock!” His confidence on stage was evident throughout the set.
    Bassist Cory Tietelbaum and drummer Clay Caricofe provided a solid, but otherwise unnoticeable, performance—until they suddenly flooded the room with sound during “I Don’t Cry For Yesterday.” The onslaught was so loud, so fast and so hard-hitting that it moved members of the audience to spontaneous bouts of completely unironic head-banging.
    The show really took off from there, with Pugh reeling off song after song about women and revolution. “God and Killer” featured a guitar-and-bass intro worthy of Metallica at their heaviest, and “The Black Machine” even inspired an impromptu mosh pit.
All in all, both performances proved well worth the price of admission…and walking around half-deaf the next day.—David T. Roisen

My Pet Virus
By Shawn Decker
Penguin, 240 pages

words  While most of us spent portions of our childhoods blubbering over insignificant problems and tiny quirks of fate, Charlottesville resident Shawn Decker endured two thunderous blows. First, at an early age, he was diagnosed as a hemophiliac. And then, at age 11, tainted blood resulted in him becoming HIV-positive.
    Decker was born in Waynesboro in 1975. His new book, My Pet Virus, partly recounts his boyhood: a strange brew of absolute normalcy (such as fumbling attempts to unlock the secrets of human sexuality via Penthouse and a dirty movie), and the constant presence of medical realities, effecting his family and—after his father outed him as HIV-positive—his wider social circle. The book also explores his adult life as both a regular human being with a normal marriage to beauty-pageant veteran Gwenn Barringer, and an AIDS activist who knows whereof he speaks.
    Given such a delicate subject, how can any critic bear to scan the book for weaknesses? Fortunately, that’s not necessary. Decker writes about his life with welcome depth and bracing humor.
    “Being pegged with a medical condition can be a real downer,” he says a few paragraphs into the book. Such a colloquial and chummy approach spells shallowness, but, as is typical of the rest of the book, this tone quickly gives way to more intricate material, where the power of the imagination wages war on uncontrollable circumstances. The rest of the paragraph is an etymological attack on medical lingo that reaches a compelling crescendo: “So I came up with a new word for the modern-day hemophiliac: ‘thin-blood.’”
    Decker’s humor (soon after the above-mentioned paragraph, he remarks that a good Indian name “for someone of my ilk would be Bleeds Like Waterfall”) raises a question. Is it escapist—a ruse to commandeer our attention, or sincere?
    There’s not a false note in the whole book. As a young adult, after his grandmother’s funeral, he writes that he had “a new guardian angel in my grandmother, who was now in Heaven making cafeteria-style lunches for her favorite dead liberals.” Add Decker’s unique situation to the fact that this is the kind of thought we all come up with to relieve death’s sting, and you have layered, resonant writing.
    Later, when describing his new marriage to his HIV-negative wife, he says: “The cloak of romance prevented either of us from fully confronting what was going on, which is why it took Gwenn a while to realize that such a stud, capable of fulfilling one’s every fantasy, could be…sick?” Yes, it’s difficult to imagine being Shawn Decker, but passages such as this one, swimming in vulnerability yet revealing through whimsy a capacity for courage, make knowing him easy.—Doug NordforsOn a beautiful late-summer night, The Black Crowes brought their Southern rock style and drawn-out jams to the Charlottesville Pavilion. The Crowes, best known for early hits like “Hard to Handle” and “Jealous Again,” played a rockin’ two-set show, plus encore, without any distractions. Although the band went light on the hits (they didn’t really play them, except for “She talks to Angels” and “Twice as Hard”), the energy was high, and the sound crew got it right, with the show sounding great both under the lobster trap and on the lawn.
    Founded in the late ’80s by brothers Chris and Rich Robinson, the Crowes have had a rocky history—achieving near-instant success with 1990’s Shake your Money Maker, then gradually losing steam through internecine battles (Chris and Rich have a notoriously contentious relationship) and a changing lineup over the years. But the band has maintained a loyal fan base—with numerous Internet message boards and a Dead-like music-swapping culture—and is now touring heavily and planning for a new album in 2007.
    True to form, the Crowes honored the jam-band tradition of playing a completely unique set at their Pavilion show. While the current lineup features a new keyboard player and guitarist, as well as a couple of backup singers who really didn’t sing that much, the song (mostly) remains the same: blues-inflected rock reminiscent of classic ’70s outfits like the Faces and the Allman Brothers Band. Backed by guitar licks that could have easily been played by Warren Haynes or Dickey Betts, Chris Robinson sang, played a little guitar and harmonica, and did his trademarked swivel-hipped hippie dance while the band jammed away behind him. Overall, the band was in fine form, and the song selection—which included a nice version of “Up on Cripple Creek”—was consistently interesting and unexpected. Sure, it would have been nice to hear “Hard to Handle”—but in the end, it was satisfying just to see these old Crowes exploring old tunes and new sounds with renewed vigor, and deftly avoiding the pitfall of becoming a state-fair nostalgia act.

Categories
Arts

Film Reviews


The Illusionist
PG-13, 110 minutes
Now playing at Regal Downtown
Cinema 6

Just as video killed the radio stars, movies dealt a blow to magicians, causing audiences to wonder where sleight of hand ended and camera tricks began. And now, a hundred or so years later, a movie is paying tribute to the good old days, when a man all alone on a stage, with nothing up his sleeve (well, nothing much) could mesmerize an audience, if not bring down an empire. The Illusionist, which Neil Burger wrote and directed based on a short story by Steven Millhauser, is set in fin-de-siècle Vienna, when the Hapsburg dynasty was in its let-them-eat-strudel phase. And Edward Norton—with his hair swept back, his eyes aflame, and an overall Mephistophelian glow emanating from him at all times—plays the guy who told the monarchy where to stuff it.
    His name is Eisenheim, and he is a cabinet-maker’s son who, while still in training as a prestidigitator, had a forbidden romance with a young aristocrat, the lovely Sophie von Teschen (Jessica Biel). Fifteen years later, Eisenheim is taking Vienna by storm with his magical powers, including visitations—basically holograms before the concept existed (avant la lettre, as the French say)—from beyond the grave. Spiritualism is in the air, casting a dark shadow over the Enlightenment, an age supposedly defined by scientific rationalism and Darwinian evolution. And Eisenheim, in the movie’s rather skewed logic, represents progress, personifying the march of democracy. When Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell), the villain of the piece, shows up for a performance, Eisenheim borrows his sword, places it tip-down on the floor, and dares anybody to remove it.
    Sometimes, a sword is just a sword, as Sigmund Freud (another magician plying his trade in fin-de-siècle Vienna) might have said. But having to wait until Eisenheim gives him permission to play the King Arthur role sends the prince into a frenzy. And it certainly doesn’t help that his fiancée, sent by the Hungarians to shore up the Austro-Hungarian alliance, is one Sophie von Teschen.
    Its allegorical underpinnings aside, The Illusionist is a love triangle meant to stir our passions—not to mention our loins. But Burger doesn’t quite get the job done. Norton, so effective in the right role, is in the wrong role here; he lacks the hypnotic appeal that was the spiritualist’s stock in trade. Biel, though gorgeous, is weak as well. And what’s with those accents?
    Paul Giamatti, as the police inspector torn between his duty to the prince and his admiration for Eisenheim’s abilities, obviously showed up ready to play—but even he seems hampered by the movie’s hermetically sealed atmosphere, the sense that it’s all taking place inside a cardboard box. The cinematographer, Dick Pope, has come up with some lovely images, although they’re a little too steeped in sepia. The effect is like looking at old, old photographs, or a very early silent movie, complete with irises between scenes. It’s certainly a distinctive look, but it also distances us from the action, makes it harder for us to suspend our disbelief.
    And if we’re unable to suspend our disbelief, we’re unable to transport ourselves to a time and place where, it seems, everybody was more than ready to suspend theirs.

Beerfest (R, 110 minutes) From the Broken Lizard comedy team (makers of Super Troopers and…The Dukes of Hazzard, but we’ll ignore that for now) comes this raucous laugher about a team of determined drinkers that travels to Oktoberfest in Germany. There, they uncover a centuries-old secret competition, the Olympics of beer guzzling. And these boys aren’t leaving until the crown rests in American hands. Boobies and substance abuse—how can you go wrong? (Devin D. O’Leary) Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

The Black Dahlia (R, 121 minutes) Author James Ellroy’s pitch-black examination of Hollywood history focusses on the infamous 1947 murder of wannabe actress Elizabeth Short. Josh Hartnett and Aaron Eckhart play the Los Angeles detectives assigned to the case. Scarlett Johansson and Hilary Swank are just a couple of the fatal femmes whose paths they cross. Director Brian De Palma (Mission: Impossible, Scarface) keeps things glossy and pulpy, but the cast isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Not as good as the last Ellroy adaptation, L.A. Confidential, but a classs bit of film noir nonetheless. (D.O.) Coming Friday; check local listings

Crank (R, 83 minutes) British tough Jason Statham (The Transporter) stars in this action thriller as a hit man who learns he has been injected with a poison that will kill him if his heart rate drops below below a certain rate. So basically, it’s Speed on a … well, on foot. Oddball cast includes Efran Ramirez (Napoleon Dynamite), Amy Smart (Varsity Blues) and Dwight Yoakam. The action is rough and the film (fortunately) doesn’t take itself too seriously. (D.O.) Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

Crossover (PG-13, 95 minutes) Two pals (one a pre-med student, the other an ex-con) enter a rough-and-tumble, trash-talking streetball tournament in Los Angeles. Think White Men Can’t Jump, but without the white guy. If you play a lot of NBA Ballers on the Xbox, this may be the flick for you. (D.O.) Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

Everyone’s Hero (G) Weeks after we’ve all suffered CGI toon burnout comes yet another CGI toon. This one’s an adventure comedy about a young boy who goes on a 1,000-mile quest (with a talking baseball, no less) to rescue Babe Ruth’s stolen bat. Brain Dennehy, Whoopi Goldberg, Ed Helms, William H. Macy, Raven Symone and Rob Reiner are among the not-terribly-exciting voice cast. (D.O.) Coming Friday; check local listings

Gridiron Gang (PG-13) Wrestlin’ thespian The Rock finally finds a project worth being passionate about with this inspirational sports drama. Rock plays Sean Porter, a real-life counselor at California juvenile detention facility. Tired of seeing the near-perfect recidivism rate, Porter tries an alternative approach, forming a high school football team from among his ragtag gangbangers. The “root for the underdogs” stuff is all standard-issue, but director Phil Joanou (U2: Rattle and Hum) lends some visual polish. (D.O.) Coming Friday; check local listings

How to Eat Fried Worms (PG, 98 minutes) More than a few generations of elementary school kids have grown up reading Thomas Rockwell’s gross-out classic How To Eat Fried Worms (first published in 1973). Now it comes to life on the big screen. Luke Benward (Because of Winn-Dixie) stars as Billy, an ordinary fifth-grader who accepts an ugly challenge from the school bully: eat 15 worms in 15 days. (D.O.) Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

Idlewild (R, 90 minutes) This Prohibition-era musical is set in the American South where Outkast members André 3000 and Big Boi star as a speakeasy performer and a club manager who run afoul of some gangsters who want to take over their juke joint. The music is hot and the look is slick, but the film has been sitting on the shelf for nearly two years. An oddball mixture of music, dancing, animation and singing morticians (don’t ask), make this a curious offering, if nothing else. (D.O.) PLaying at Regal Downtown Mall 6

Invincible (PG, 104 minutes) Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg) was a down-on-his-luck bartender who, back in 1976, at the not-so-tender age of 30, got added to the Philadelphia Eagles roster without having played college football. Director Ericson Core lays it on pretty thick at times, but the movie has some times-was-bad grit, and Wahlberg’s performance is admirably restrained. (Kent Williams) Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

The Last Kiss (R) TV’s Zach Braff stars in this remake of the 2001 Italian comic drama of the same name. Braff plays a 30-something dude who knocks up his girlfriend (Jacinda Barrett) and can’t decide whether or not to marry her—even with the meddling help of parents and friends. (D.O.) Coming Friday; check local listings

Little Miss Sunshine (R, 100 minutes) This pitch-black comedy features a strong cast (Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette,  Steve Carell) in the story of a downwardly mobile Albuquerque family that can’t win for losing. Although the filmmakers sometimes press too hard on their theme about the hollowness of the American Dream, the movie often achieves a light, farcical tone that’s touchingly at odds with the mood everybody’s in. (K.W.) Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6

Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont (NR, 108 minutes) Dame Joan Plowright stars as the titular lead, an elderly widow who checks into an old-fashioned London hotel looking for independence from her overbearing daughter. There, she meets the usual retinue of colorful residents. Embarassed by an absentee family, Mrs. Palfrey hooks up with an impossibly kindly young writer (Rupert Friend, Pride and Prejudice) who agrees to stand in as her grandson at the occasional dinner. This fairy tale for the geriatric set is all nicely genteel with a couple of tiny surprises and a life lesson or two. Plowright is, not so surpisingly, the highlight here. (D.O.) Playing at Vinegar Hill Theatre

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (PG-13, 150 minutes) Call it a nasty case of sequelitis, but this second installment in the Disney theme-park franchise is bigger, louder and absolutely determined to entertain. The action sequences more or less work, but the smaller, goofier moments come up short, and that includes Johnny Depp’s surprisingly unsurprising performance as Captain Jack Sparrow. (K.W.) Playing at Regal Seminole Square Cinema 4

The Protector (R, 109 minutes) Tony Jaa, the martial arts jaw-dropper from Ong-Bak returns in this Thailand-based action flick. Like Ong-Bak, the plot is a mere excuse for tons of bruising Muay Thai fisticuffs. In this one, Jaa plays a young Thai villager who must travel to Australia to retrieve a sacred elephant from some evil kidnappers. A little bit of a retread, but—man-oh-man—can that Tony Jaa kick some ass! In English, Thai, Mandarin and Vietnamese with English subtitles. (D.O.) Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

Snakes on a Plane (R, 106 minutes) Really, what could I possibly add? It’s motherf&#$@ing snakes on a motherf&#$@ing plane! Get yourself to a motherf&#$@ing theater! (D.O.) Playing at Regal Seminole Square Cinema 4

Step Up (PG-13, 98 minutes) You know that film where the uptight, classically trained dancer chick hooks up with the street-smart bad boy to wow the establishment with their radical mixture of ballet and hip-hop while falling in love with one another? Well, this is one of those. If you paid good money for Save the Last Dance, you’ll probably do the same here. (D.O.) Playing at Regal Seminole Square Cinema 4

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (PG-13, 100 minutes) Will Ferrell drags a bunch of pals  (John C. Reilly, Michael Clarke Duncan, Gary Cole, Sacha Baron Cohen) along for this goofball riff on NASCAR culture. Ferrell stars as a rebel NASCAR driver who suddenly faces stiff competition from a flamboyant French Formula-1 driver (Cohen from “Da Ali G Show”). There’s a continuing feeling that Farrell and friends are just making this thing up as they go along, but that doesn’t stop it form beeing quite funny on occasion. If you liked Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, you’ll be in good hands here, becasue it’s largely the same movie. (D.O.) Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

The Wicker Man (PG-13, 106 minutes) Nicolas Cage stars in this remake of the underrated 1973 British chiller. Cage is a cop investigating the disappearance of a young girl on a remote island where mysterious pagan practices still rule. The film updates the original story quite a bit, but piles on even more creepy atmosphere. Neil LaBute (The Shape of Things, Your Friends & Neighbors) writes and directs. (D.O.) Playing at Regal Seminole Square Cinema 4

World Trade Center (PG-13, 125 minutes) Oliver Stone strips away even the slightest hint of politics to tell the true story of two New York Port Authority policemen trapped in the rubble of the World Trade Center collapse. At its heart an inspirational disaster film, the simple narrative concentrates on the officers (Nicolas Cage, Michael Pena) and their terrified wives (Maggie Gyllenhaal, Maria Bello). This moving and deeply personal tale takes us back to 9/11 not to recall the trauma of that day, but to remind us that it was originally a human story and not a tale of governments, occupying forces and insurgents. There are a lot of Oscar nominations in this one. (D.O.) Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6

Categories
News

A new direction


The Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra, our area’s signature symphony, opens its 2006-2007 season with Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8 in October, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in November and a Holiday concert in December. And they’ve got something else special this year: a new conductor, who just happens to have one more X chromosome than most professional baton wranglers.
Kate Tamarkin has studied with Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa and Gustav Meier. She came into her own as a conductor in the early 1980s with the likes of famous female conductor JoAnn Falletta, and has since conducted symphonies around the country. We sat down with Tamarkin to chat about music, the upcoming season, and what it’s like to be a woman in such a male-dominated field. —Meg McEvoy

C-VILLE: Did you have a role in the programming for this season?
Kate Tamarkin: I picked the program. What I like about the season are the literary connections. There’s a poet or writer associated with each concert, and that was done deliberately. As a newcomer to this area, one cannot help but notice the very vibrant literary culture, so I wanted to tie that in.

Would you describe the program as pretty cohesive?
Yes, a good program is like a good dinner, and making programs is like being a chef. You want each dinner to work by itself. If a person came to your restaurant five times they’d have five different offerings.

How big a role does education play in performance?
There are two components of education: there’s the education of the audience, and the education of the students who are learning it. As far as adult education, [I’ll be presenting] New Notes at Jefferson Madison Regional Library. From noon to 1pm the Friday before the concert weekend, I’m going to be down there introducing the music for an hour. I hope to bring people in, because music, for me, is about reaching out. It’s about bridges, it’s about communication. Even though I’ve been at this work 25 years, I still have a strong desire to help people love music. They say people mellow as they age—I think I’m a little more on fire now than before.

How is it being a female conductor in what’s known as a male-dominated field?
At first, I was a real oddity. My first conductorship was in 1981, and at that time…there was quite a lot of attention paid to that, and the interviewers would often begin with something like, “and what do you wear?”
The first time I ever did a professional concert, a man came up and said, “You’re pretty good for a girl.” And I said, “Thank you.”
Although there is a glass ceiling that some have broken through, I think it’s less critical now—although many people disagree with that. But the experience for me has been very positive.

What do you have in mind for future programs?
I enjoy the English 20th century composers like Vaughan Williams and Elgar. I enjoy Manuel deFaille, the national composer of Spain… Many, many composers. I’ve also been doing a lot of opera in the last few years.

What is it about working with CUSO that you most look forward to?
We have a group of highly motivated students who are there for the love of it, who have a lot of abilities… I love the fact that you have an audience which is a subscription audience, like any a professional orchestra would have. What I really love is that I have faculty principals playing. It’s the best pedagogical experience, because the students are next to their teachers. It’s the Prius of the orchestras.

Categories
News

Lynda Harrill is Opinionated

All this talk of “phasing” and “clustering” and “mountain overlay” has many residents of the rural areas in a real lather. Those folks need to look at the other side of the coin.
    Development in the growth areas is well underway. Infrastructure and amenities are needed to fulfill the goals of the Albemarle County Comprehensive Plan and meet the needs of the growth area residents. Someone has to pay for infrastructure and amenities. Some folks think it should be the developers who pay. Others think taxes should be raised for all property owners in the county and we all should bear the burden of development to “protect” the rural areas. I propose another financial solution that would be tied directly to protection of the rural areas.
    The Board of Supervisors will soon decide whether the rural areas will be “protected” from rapid and potentially harmful development through phasing and clustering or they will decide to “protect” the existing property rights in the rural and leave things alone. Regardless of what’s being “protected,” the rural areas should pay the cost of protection whatever form it takes.

    The residents of the growth areas have already given up much in the way of property rights and quality of life to “protect” the Rural areas from development. They have received little in return because the County doesn’t have the money for the needed infrastructure and amenities that were “promised” for growth areas. Our growth areas are supposed to be attractive places that attract development away from the rural areas. Growth area residents get no tax break for being “sacrificed” to preserve the rural areas. They do get traffic, congestion, construction, noise and interconnections they don’t really want—all in the name of preservation of the rural areas.

    The Board of Supervisors will be reconsidering the County’s Land Use Taxation Program in the near future. I propose that unless land is put into conservation easement, it should not qualify for Land Use Taxation. Land put into conservation easement would be protected from future development and the property owner who gave up his development rights should benefit from greatly reduced property taxes. Further, rural area land not in conservation easement should be taxed based on the fair market value of the land plus the value of the development rights. Property owners, who opt to retain their development rights by not putting land into conservation easement, should be taxed accordingly.
    Last year the County lost over $13 million in tax revenues due to Land Use Taxation, while development continued at a good clip in the rural areas—about 300 dwelling units per year. Based on real fair market values, the “lost” revenue was probably closer to $40 million. Land Use Taxation has really done little to slow development in the rural areas, is not a permanent solution and no longer makes sense in the face of the development pressures we face today. Those “lost” revenues could be used to help fund the needed infrastructure and amenities in the growth areas and expand the purchase of conservation easements for the County’s ACE program thereby protecting portions of the rural areas permanently. The rural area property owners should not have it both ways (development rights and Land Use Taxation) any longer and they should not continue to benefit to the detriment of the growth areas.
    As an aside, there is another problem with the County’s Land Use Taxation Program. There is subsidization of land in the growth areas. What a travesty! It’s hard to believe, but the land on Route 29 North being developed as North Pointe benefits from Land Use Taxation. Over 182 acres of the 269 acres being developed receive Land Use Taxation treatment. The fair market value for the 182 acres is over $5.5 million according to the County Assessor. They’re being taxed on $43,500. You do the arithmetic. If conservation easement were a requirement for Land Use Taxation, then land being held for development in the growth areas wouldn’t qualify.
    Rethinking Land Use Taxation needs to be a priority at the Board of Supervisors’ retreat this month. It’s time for subsidization without any strings attached to end. Conservation easements are the only way to truly protect the rural areas. All County policies should be structured with that in mind.

    Lynda Harrill is a former resident of a growth area who now lives in Ivy. Earlier this year, she started a group known as Growth Areas Demanding Services(GADS).

PQ:Regardless of what’s being “protected,” the rural areas should pay the cost of protection whatever form it takes.

Categories
Living

Travel Plans

I’m not much of a planner. And these days, without parents around to plan for me, nor the endless vacations of the academic life that make planning less imperative, I lose out. Every year, those precious two weeks of freedom inevitably arrive with not so much as a sojourn on Virginia Beach planned. Thus, I while away my “vacation” watching HBO at my parents’ house, eating their food (they get the good stuff from Whole Foods) and doing laundry.
And my planning problem is not just a time crunch: It takes some serious dough to get a good old-fashioned vacation penciled into the date book. That’s where www.Site59.com comes into this tale of “What I have-nots.”
A couple of weeks ago, I was talking with my sister’s friend, who lives in New York. She had gone to visit my sister, who lives in Aspen, Colorado, last fall. Courtesy of Site59, my sister’s friend flew round-trip from New York to Aspen, with a rental car included, for $150. Even more incredibly, she had purchased the ticket a week before off Site59. (For those not in the know, Aspen is legendary for the pricey costs of flights in and out of its posh little airstrip.)
I went home and immediately checked out the Site59 goods. Sure enough, last-minute deals abound—well above and beyond the usual Travelocity or Expedia fare. Roundtrip flights to Portland, Oregon, with two nights in a hotel, for $380; a weekend in Las Vegas, including hotel, for $170; an L.A. excursion, with a rental car included, for $200.
I’ll be honest: I haven’t yet used the site to book a flight out of town, but the holidays are coming up, and I’ll be damned if I don’t pick my ass up off this couch and go somewhere worthwhile. Somewhere, that is, that’s not my parents’ house.

Categories
The Editor's Desk

Letters to the Editor

“Average” isn’t good enough
Thank you for your excellent “Taking Care” [Cover story, August 22], a critical review of Virginia and Charlottesville’s nursing homes. It is a cold comfort that Charlottesville’s nursing homes are “average.” As the article indicated, “average” is anything from “good” to “bad” to “horrible.”
    Charity begins at home. It is past time for our federal government to stop the rivers of tax monies sent abroad for special financial interests, wars and interference in other nations’ governments. Spend the monies on the desperate needs of our own people—including nursing homes and health facilities.

Leo Shatin, Ph.D.
Boca Raton, Florida

[Photo of George Allen]
Who’s stereotyping who?
Jan Cornell’s piece on George Allen’s ignorant remark [Opinionated, September 5] is nothing but a stereotype in itself, concluding that this is a Democrat-versus-Republican issue. I’m sure that there were many Republicans, including myself, who were extremely disappointed by Senator Allen’s insensitive comment to S.R. Sidarth, and I got the feeling that Ms. Cornell believes the banal assumption that one cannot be both Republican and dispassionate.
    I would like to remind her and her friends who are laughing at Virginia about a couple of racist jokes made by Democrats at the expense of Indian-Americans. At a fundraiser, Hillary Clinton prefaced a quote by Mahatma Gandhi by saying “he ran a gas station down in St. Louis,” drawing big laughs from the presumptively Democratic crowd. Then there is the comment from Delaware Senator Joseph Biden, stating, “You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I’m not joking,” as he referred to the large influx of Indian-Americans into Delaware. Should I now believe that all Democrats are racist, or that they don’t see anything wrong with the comments? I don’t believe it any more than I believe Ann Coulter’s ridiculous claim that Democrats are amoral and godless.
    In all of the clips that I’ve seen of George Allen’s speech, I’ve never seen a view of the entire crowd that Ms. Cornell describes as white Republicans. Again, I feel that she is perpetuating the notion that the Republican Party is exclusively for whites, and the Democratic Party belongs to everyone else, including the whites that are non-racist. I just can’t figure out why President Bush’s Cabinet is one of the most racially diverse in history if Republicans only trust white males. Go figure.
    We are all humans, and labeling somebody you don’t know is wrong no matter who they are. Politicians are politicians, no matter if they paint themselves blue or red, and inevitably they will let us down one way or another. I’m guilty of getting caught up in the emotions of politics too, but then I remind myself that it’s probably wiser to spend more time reflecting on my faith and the person I want to be, rather than focusing on the latest sound bite and how angry it makes me. The only people I’m serving when I allow that to happen are those who sell the news.

Jamie Slawski
Albemarle County

 “Macaca” defined
I am curious about Mr. Sidarth, the young man whose mission is to follow Senator George Allen around with a camera on behalf of the Webb campaign [“Allen’s controversial greeting sparks debate,” Government News, August 22].
    Was Sidarth polite or provocative while dogging Senator Allen? After all, isn’t the whole reason for this exercise to get something on tape that can be used against Senator Allen? Was Sidarth hoping to be “offended”? You can bet that those who want to be offended will find cause to be so under any circumstances. America is chock full of people who are pseudo-offended as a means to obtain power.
    I am not naive enough to think that Sidarth’s brand of open espionage is peculiar to the Webb campaign, but what is the standard of treatment for these folks? Is the Webb campaign warm and receptive to any Sidarth counterparts in their midst? Perhaps people who serve as paparazzi for their candidates should grow a thicker skin, knowing full well that they are not welcome.
    My assessment of the situation is that “macaca” wasn’t a racial or ethnic slur. It didn’t refer to monkeys or any other obscure meaning. It wasn’t a Swahili insult. “Macaca” may have been just a silly, nonsensical-sounding word. But then again, it may have been a euphemism for a**h***, and a**h**ism is an equal opportunity condition.

Pamela Sellers
Spotsylvania

Creative recruiting
I’m always amazed at how frequently people seem to prefer wringing their hands to creatively coming up with solutions. How interesting it would have been to read about how the Charlottesville and Albemarle police departments are working with local high schools to recruit teenagers of all races and genders to consider law enforcement as a potential career [“Education requirements a tough equation,” Courts and Crime, September 5]. About how they work with minority community groups and churches to sponsor ride-along programs that inspire young people to take criminal justice courses. How they were encouraging local teens who might not consider themselves college-bound to take college courses while still in high school to go toward the education requirements. About their innovative programs to recruit young high school grads as community service officers, while mentoring them and facilitating their attendance through incentives at PVCC, so that they may qualify as police officers. Instead, we get passivity—and a promotion of the idea that in order to recruit minorities, standards must be lowered.
    Where’s the problem-solving? Where’s the brainstorming? It’s so convenient to blame low minority recruitment on education requirements. There are plenty of things that could be done that would simultaneously improve community relations, promote law-enforcement careers among minorities and women, and improve the diversity and responsivity of the police force. Let’s show some initiative in this community of great resources—excellent high schools, a renowned university, and a great community college. Active, creative outreach will have many positive repercussions in our community and our police departments without great costs.

Valerie L’Herrou
North Garden

Eliminate white space! Send your cards and letters to Mailbag, C-VILLE, 106 E. Main St., Charlottesville 22902, or e-mail mailbag@c-ville.com.

Categories
News

A laughing matter


Dear Ace: Know any jokes?—Humor S. Thompson

Dear Humor: Hey, was a Moses a Jew? Ace Atkins, master punster, was voted by his high school classmates Most Likely to Get a Laugh! Though some advance the theory that Ace’s unusual visage and inebriated pratfalls earned him the title, Ace knows that it was really his sense of the ridiculous—and his timing—that made the difference. Does Ace know any jokes? Indeed!
    Ace could share one of his all-time favorites, involving an octupus, a bartender and a bagpipe. But even Ace knows the bounds of discretion, by which he means it’s a very dirty joke and unsuitable for the mixed audiences that Ace has cultivated in this column through the years.
    So here’s another. Use liberally.
    A guy falls ill. He’s very sick—heart attack, swollen organs, the whole thing. He’s taken to a Catholic hospital where he’s well tended to and eventually nursed back to health.
    When he’s on the mend, he’s visited by a hospital administrator. “Mr. Jones,” the administrator says, “we have to talk about your medical bills. Do you have any insurance?”
    “No, I don’t.”
    “I see,” says the administrator. “Do you have any money?”
    “No, I’m broke,” comes Jones’ reply.
    “Do you have a wife, Mr. Jones, or children who can help you out?”
    “I do not,” says Jones. “I’m single. The only family I have is my spinster sister. She’s a nun.”
    The adminstrator bristles at this. “I have to object, Mr. Jones,” she says. “Nuns are not spinsters. They are married to God.”
    “In that case,” says Jones, “talk to my brother-in-law about the bill.”
    Ba-dum-dum. Don’t forget to tip your waitress. Ace will be here all week.

Categories
Living

Just Curry


In Restaurantarama’s experience, it’s not unusual to walk through a parking lot and wonder to oneself, “What’s that smell?” Normally, the answer is not the kind of subject that is suitable to a dining column. But all that has changed since mid-August, when Alex George opened Just Curry, a place where the name says it all. Tucked into the alleyway next to Satellite Ballroom, George’s compact lunch-dinner joint has been filling the adjacent parking lot with delectable aromas six days a week.
And apparently the wafting scents of coriander, cinnamon and turmeric are doing their job. George says business has enjoyed a steady rise since students have returned to campus, bringing with them their craving for large quantities of flavorful food.
But, while the Corner may be crawling with hungry souls, they don’t come equipped with a bottomless wallet, which is probably another reason they’ve taken a liking to Just Curry. Dishes come in two sizes at the Caribbean-inflected eatery (yes, we said Caribbean—more on that in a moment): the $5 serving and the $8 serving. Tax included. “When I first was thinking about this, I couldn’t get a decent, filling lunch on the Mall for under 10 bucks,” George told us. He’s even priced his beverages with this inflationary trend in mind, featuring ginger beer or coconut juice for the bargain price of just $1.50. Load up with a large serving of beef or chicken curry plus a drink, and you still won’t crack a Hamilton.
O.K., getting back to the Caribbean influence at Just Curry: George is a native of Guyana, where, he tells Restaurantarama, the population is 55 percent South Indian. With an ancestry that includes Indian, Portuguese and Chinese forebears, George says he “grew up” on curries. Just Curry, then, is something of a venture home for him.
But you know how it is with going home—sometimes you take the long way. George’s return to curry began with a catering career in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., before he moved to New York and got trained at the French Culinary Institute. That eventually led to a decade of private chef-ing in the Big Apple. “There’s a huge demand for personal and private chefs in New York with some kind of French or Mediterranean background,” George explains. Eventually he became a private chef here in town and, though he won’t name the clan he worked for prior to opening Just Curry, George did answer in the affirmative when asked if it was a “fabulously well-known family” (Restaurantarama’s words, not his).
George stresses that he’s not trying to compete with any of the fine South Asian curry joints in town. In fact, to distinguish his dishes—which include something called “Butter Chicken” that sounded so rich Restaurantarama had to run a couple of miles after just hearing it described—George offers fried plantains and red beans and rice as side dishes.
Just Curry operates Monday-Friday, 11am-9pm, with Saturday hours from noon to 5pm. On Sunday we rest—or, depending on how much Butter Chicken we’ve been eating, we run a half-marathon!

Speaking of working it off, Restaurantarama has reserved September 18 as a day of indulgence. That’s when the Jewish women’s auxiliary organization known as Hadassah is throwing its cookbook launch party at Congregation Beth Israel on Jefferson Street. There will be plenty of restaurants in attendance (and maybe even Market Street Wine Shop) to represent for the recipes they’ve included in the fundraiser cookbook. The event begins at 7pm.
Among the delicious dishes included in the cookbook, by the way, is the Pumpkin and Virginia Bisque from L’etoile, Durban Spiced Chicken and Voodoo Sauce from The Shebeen, Old Fashioned Deep South Spoonbread from Chef Ted Catering, and Boneless Leg of Lamb, Stuffed with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Basil, and Oyster Mushrooms from Fuel. The Ivy Inn, C&O, Hotcakes and Al Dente are also in Hadassah’s book.
Pardon Restaurantarama while we loosen our belt!

Got some restaurant scoop? Send your tips to restaurantarama@c-ville.com or call 817-2749, Ext. 48.

Categories
Living

We ate here

When it rains, which it’s been doing lately, we need sandwiches—basic, comforting, well-made sandwiches. This is why we went to the New Deli, shaking off our umbrellas and shutting the door quickly to keep out the dampness. Behold the veggie wrap! Stuffed with all manner of crispy produce, layered with provolone and expertly constructed inside its soft tortilla, the wrap satisfied every one of our weather-related cravings. And the chips and pickle on the side—lovable and homey as they were—sure didn’t hurt.
The New Deli    1640 Seminole Trail    978-4757

Categories
News

Fall Arts Preview


Music
Tuesday, September 12
The Flaming Lips. $35, 6pm. Charlottesville Pavilion, Downtown Mall, 877-CPAV-TIX.
Mark Rock solo and other acts perform as part of the Jamie Dyer Presents series. No cover, 8pm. Outback Lodge, 917 Preston Ave., 979-7211.
Flaming Lips after-party featuring The Damnwells. $8-10, 10pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Howling Hex. $7, 10pm. Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, Downtown Mall, 293-9947.
Tuff Luv appears with DJ Brother Jimmy the Truth. No cover, 10pm. Atomic Burrito, 977-0117.
Wednesday, September 13
Red Stick Ramblers. $12, 8pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Thursday, September 14
Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival. Featuring pieces by Dvorak, Eichberg, Ligeti and others. $6-22, 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 295-5395.
The Wrinkle Neck Mules with The Nice Jenkins and Cashmere Jungle Lords. $5, 8pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
Oleta Adams. $38-49, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Friday, September 15
UVA Department of Music Colloquia Series presents: A lecture by Alvin Lucier. Free, 3:30pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Indecision. No cover, 5pm. Charlottesville Pavilion, Downtown Mall, 877-272-8849.
Alvin Lucier presents “Music on a Long Thin Wire.” Call for price. 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Brad Paisley. $46.50, 8pm. John Paul Jones Arena, 888-JPJ-TIXS.
Elvis impersonator Matt Lewis. $29-40, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Mary Gauthier. $18-22, 8pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Rogue Wave with Jason Collett and Foreign Born. $12-14, 9pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
The Easy Star All-Stars perform Radiodread. $12-14, 9pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Dilly Dilly and Fence Kitchen. $5, 10pm. Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, 293-9947.
Saturday, September 16
Gov’t Mule. $27-32, 6pm. Charlottesville Pavilion, Downtown Mall, 877-CPAV-TIX.
Opera in the Vineyard. $250, 6pm. Barboursville Vineyards, (804) 644-8168.
Monday, September 18
M. Ward and Portastatic. $12-14, 8pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
Wednesday, September 20
David Wilcox. $20-25, 7pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Jose Gonzalez. $12-14, 8pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Thursday, September 21
The Mosquitos. Price and time TBA. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic. $30, 7pm. Charlottesville Pavilion, Downtown Mall, 877-CPAV-TIX.
Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival. With pieces by Haydn, Britten and Brahms. $6-22, 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 295-5395.
Julz A. appears with The Bicycats and James Vidos. $4, 10pm. Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, 293-9947.
Parliament after-party featuring Soul Sledge. Free, 11pm. Starr Hill Basement Music, 977-0017.
Friday, September 22-23
Dave Matthews Band with openers Robert Randolph and the Family Band. SOLD OUT. 7pm. John Paul Jones Arena, 888-JPJ-TIXS.
Saturday, September 23
Indigenous singer-songwriter Kerrianne Cox. Rain date is September 24. $3-5, 4-6pm. Kluge- Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, 244-0234.
Free Bridge Quintet celebrates the music of John Coltrane. $5-15, 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Lauren Hoffman with Counting on Jane and Essie Jain. $8, 8pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Brazilian Girls. $10-12, 11pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Sunday, September 24
Tina Malia. $5-10, 2pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival. With pieces by Handel, Barber, J.S. Bach and more. $6-22, 3pm. Old Cabell Hall. 295-5395.
Pianafiddle. $10-17, 3pm. PVCC Dickinson Theater, 961-5495.
Benjy Davis Project. $5, 7pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Architecture in Helsinki, The Blow. $10-12, 8pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
Monday, September 25
Mates of State, Starlight Mints. $10-12, 8pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
Joe Lally with Jason Kourkounis & Massimo Pupillo and Human Bell. $5, 10pm. Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, 293-9947.
Tuesday, September 26
Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart. $10-15, 7pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Matt Wertz. $8-10, 8pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
The Long Winters, Menomena, What Made Mil-waukee Famous. $8, 8pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
Tuesday Evening Concert Series presents: Jon Manasse and Jon Nakamatsu playing works by Brahms, Ravel, Weber, Kovacks and Novacek. $5-25, 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Tuesday, September 26-
Wednesday, September 27
Widespread Panic. $35, 6:30pm. Charlottesville Pavilion, Downtown Mall, 877-CPAV-TIX.
Wednesday, September 27
Perpetual Groove. $10-12, 10pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Thursday, September 28
Of Montreal, Doofgoblin. $12, 8pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
Steppin’ In It with special guests Hunger Mountain Boys. $10, 8pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Virginia Coalition. $8-10, 8pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Friday, September 29
Sparky’s Flaw. $6-8, 7pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Hamadryas. $8-12, 7:30pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Saturday, September 30
Los Lobos. $22-32, 7pm. Charlottesville Pavilion, Downtown Mall, 877-CPAV-TIX.
Chuck Brown. $25-30, 9pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers. $10-12, 9pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Sunday, October 1
Bearfoot Bluegrass. $10-15, 7pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Tuesday, October 3
Lynyrd Skynyrd. $39.50-49.50, 7pm. Charlottesville Pavilion, Downtown Mall, 877-CPAV-TIX.
Wednesday, October 4
Zoso—A tribute to Led Zeppelin. $8-10, 8pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Thursday, October 5
Heavy Trash, The Sadies. $10-12, 8pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
Friday, October 6
Smog with special guests Thrum. $10, 8pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
American Dumpster. $8-10, 9pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Saturday, October 7
Delbert McClinton. $17-27, 7:30pm. Charlottesville Pavilion, Downtown Mall, 877-CPAV-TIX.
Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra presents: “Songs of Home.” $11-25, 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3139.
DJ Williams Projekt & The Bridge. $8-10, 8pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Sunday, October 8
Dan Zanes & Friends. $14-20, 2pm. Charlottesville Pavilion, Downtown Mall, 877-CPAV-TIX.
Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra presents: “Songs of Home.” $11-25, 3:30pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3139.
Monday, October 9
The Declaration Presents Xiu Xiu with Cong for Drums and BARR. $8-10, 8pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
Tuesday, October 10
Branford Marsalis. $49-60, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Wolf Eyes, John Weiss & Grand Banks. $8-10, 8pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
Wednesday, October 11
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band. $12-14, 8pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Trisha Yearwood. $63-125, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Thursday, October 12
Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra presents: “Young Person’s Concert.” Two performances today: 10am and 11:30am. Open to school groups. Old Cabell Hall. 924-6505.
The Strawbs Acoustic Trio. $10-15, 7pm. Grav-ity Lounge, 977-5590.
Eric Clapton. $47-97, 7:30pm. John Paul Jones Arena, 888-JPJ-TIXS.
Friday, October 13
Billy Jonas. $5-20, 7pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Trey Anastasio. $38.50, 7pm. Charlottesville Pavilion, Downtown Mall, 877-CPAV-TIX.
Who’s Bad – A tribute to Michael Jackson. $8-10, 8pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Saturday, October 14
DEL: Tha Funkee Homosapien $18-20, 9pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Islands with Socalled & Sister Suvi. $10-12, 9pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
Sunday, October 15
Diana Schuur and Karrin Allyson. $38-49, 7pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Tuesday, October 17
Buju Banton. $20-25, 8pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Portastatic with Jennifer O’Connor. $8-10, 8pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
Thursday, October 19
Itzhak Perlman. $50-500, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Friday, October 20
Mute Math. $10-12, 9pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Saturday, October 21
UVA Choral Showcase. 7pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Bonnie Rideout Scottish Trio with the City of Washington Pipe Band. $34-45, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Virginia Gentlemen, UVA’s male a cappella group performs tonight. 9:30pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Sunday, October 22
Jazz and Wind Ensemble Band Extravaganza. 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Monday, October 23
The Melvins. $12-15, 8pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Tuesday, October 24
Tuesday Evening Concert Series presents: Yevgeny Sudbin on piano. $5-25, 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Wednesday, October 25
Girlyman with Lisa Germano. $15-20, 7pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Thursday, October 26
Avett Brothers. $12-15, 8pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Tilly & The Wall. Price TBA, 8pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
Friday, October 27
Ben Lee & Rooney. $16-18, 8pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Saturday, October 28
Catie Curtis. $18-22, 7pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Troublesome Creek String Band, No Speed Limit. $12-15, 7:30pm. PVCC Dickinson Theater, 961-5495.
Richard Thompson. $22-25, 8pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Monday, October 30
Method Man. $25-30, 8pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Thursday, November 2
UVA Chamber Music Series with special guest Mimi Tung on piano. $5-20, 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Friday, November 3
UVA Department of Music Colloquia Series presents: Mark Applebaum’s lecture, “Echolalia Schizophrenia.” Free, 3:30pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
SHeDAISY. $53-75, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
University Singers. 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Hanzel & Gretyl, Bella Morte, and InTenebris. $15-18, 8:30pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
Saturday, November 4
UVA Jazz Ensemble. 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Sunday, November 5
The Virginia Consort presents: Mozart’s Requiem in honor of Darden’s 50th anniversary. Darden School Auditorium at UVA. Free, 3pm. 244-8444.
The Limeliters with Len Jaffe. $20-25, 7pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Monday, November 6
The Slits, The Apes, Rah Bras. $12-15, 8pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
Tuesday, November 7
Bo Diddley. $44-55, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Thursday, November 9
Chris Smither. $15-20, 7pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Edwin McCain Acoustic Trio. $15-18, 8pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Friday, November 10
The Lascivious Biddies with Counting on Jane. $8-20, 7pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Livingston Taylor. $18-29, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
She Wants Revenge, Pretty Girls Make Graves. $15-18, 8pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
Saturday, November 11
Asylum Street Spankers. Price TBA, 8pm. Grav-ity Lounge, 977-5590.
Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra presents: “Rhythms of Nature.” $11-25, 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Hackensaw Boys with Danielle Howle. $12-15, 9pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Sunday, November 12
Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra presents: “Rhythms of Nature.” $11-25, 3:30pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Blue Cheer. $12-15, 8pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
The Four Tops. $49-60, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Tuesday, November 14
Particle. $13-15, 8pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Tuesday Evening Concert Series presents: Salzburg Chamber Soloists. $5-25, 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Wednesday, November 15
Toots Thielemans and Kenny Werner. $24-35, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Thursday, November 16
Cursive With The Cops. $15, 8pm. Satellite Ballroom, 293-7005.
UVA Chamber Singers. 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Friday, November 17
Big Ray & The Kool Kats. $19-30, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Saturday, November 18
Blake Shelton. $44-55, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Hot Tuna. $25-30, 9pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Saturday, November 25
Christmastime with Michael W. Smith. $32-75, 7:30pm. John Paul Jones Arena, 888-JPJ-TIXS.
Sunday, November 26
The Wailin’ Jennys. $20-25, 7pm. Gravity Lounge, 977-5590.
Wednesday, November 29
Anathallo with Page France. $8-10, 7pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Friday, December 1
Point of Grace: “Winter Wonderland Tour.” $39-50, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Saturday, December 2
The Virginia Consort presents: Christmas with the Consort. Two performances today: 4pm and 7pm. First Presbyterian Church, 500 Park St., 244-8444.
Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra presents a family holiday concert with University Singers. $11-25, 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Sunday, December 3
PVCC Holiday Chorus Concert. No cover, 3pm. PVCC Dickinson Theater, 961-5495.
Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra presents a family holiday concert with University Singers. $11-25, 3:30pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
UVA Wind Ensemble. 7pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Monday, December 4
Stephanie Nakasian studio voice recital. 7pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Dark Star Orchestra plays tonight and December 5. $22-25, 8pm. Starr Hill Music Hall, 977-0017.
Tuesday, December 5
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. $34-45, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Wednesday, December 6
Messiah Sing-In. 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.
Thursday, December 14
Jim Brickman Christmas. $38-49, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Friday, December 15
The Canadian Brass. $25-75, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Sunday, December 17
In the Christmas Mood with The Glenn Miller Orchestra. $24-35, 4pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Monday, December 18
A Holiday Concert with Robin and Linda Williams. $25, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, (540) 885-7873.

Stage
Through December 1
As You Like It. $14-36, Blackfriars Playhouse, (540) 885-7873.
Through December 2
Macbeth. $14-36, Blackfriars Playhouse, (540) 885-7873.
The Tempest. $14-36, Blackfriars Playhouse, (540) 885-7873.
Through December 3
Othello. $14-36, Blackfriars Playhouse, (540) 885-7873.
Sunday, September 17
Blueridge Irish Music School (BRIMS) presents: Robin Hood. Proceeds benefit BRIMS. $8-17. 7pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Thursday, September 21-Saturday, September 23
UVA Deparment of Drama presents: Waiting for the Parade. $8-14, 8pm. UVA Culbreth Theatre, 924-3376.
Friday, September 22-Saturday, October 21
Amadeus. Opening night. $10-19.50, 8pm. Live Arts, 977-4177.
Tuesday, September 26-Saturday, September 30
UVA Deparment of Drama presents: Waiting for the Parade. $8-14, 8pm. UVA Culbreth Theatre, 924-3376.
Friday, September 29-Saturday, October 14
Play On Theatre presents: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. $15-17, 8pm. IX Building, 872-0184.
Saturday, September 30
The Second City Touring Company. $24-35, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Friday, October 6
Camelot. $25-64, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Friday, October 6-Saturday, October 14
New Lyric Theatre presents: Pirates of Penzance. $15-17, 7:30pm. PVCC Dickinson Theater, 924-6939.
Weekends October 6-22
Four County Players presents: Boy Gets Girl. $10-12, 8pm. Barboursville Playhouse, (540) 832-5355.
Friday, October 6-Saturday, October 28
Helen. $12-14, 8pm. Live Arts, 977-4177.
Thursday, October 12
The Pirates of Penzance. $39-50, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Saturday, October 14
Vicki Lawrence and Mama: A Two Woman Show. $44-55, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Wednesday, October 18- Sunday, October 22
Disney on Ice. $12-32. John Paul Jones Arena, 888-JPJ-TIXS.
Thursday, October 19-Saturday, October 21 and Tuesday, October 24- Saturday, October 28
UVA Deparment of Drama presents: Scapin. $8-14, 8pm. UVA Culbreth Theatre,
924-3376.
Wednesday, November 1
Dorothy the Dinosaur’s Dance Party. Three shows today: 11am, 2pm and 5pm. $25, Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Thursday, November 9-Sunday, November 12
Antigone. $8-10, 7:30pm. PVCC Dickinson Theater, 961-5495.
Friday, November 10-Sunday, November 12
Play On Theatre presents: Broadway Delights. $15-17. IX Building, 872-0184.
Saturday, November 11
“The Ghosts of Broadway,” a performance by illusionists Jonathon and Charlotte Pendragon. $25-45, 7:30pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Wednesday, November 15-Friday, November 17
UVA Department of Drama presents: Arms and the Man. $8-14, 8pm. UVA Culbreth Theatre, 924-3376.
Wednesday, November 29-Saturday, December 2
UVA Department of Drama presents: Arms and the Man. $8-14, 8pm. UVA Culbreth Theatre, 924-3376.
Thursday, November 16
Larry the Cable Guy. $42.75, 7:30pm. John Paul Jones Arena, 888-JPJ-TIXS.
Friday, November 24
Lipizzaner Stallions. Price TBA. 7:30pm. John Paul Jones Arena, 888-JPJ-TIXS.
Wednesday, November 29-Saturday, December 2
UVA Department of Drama presents: Arms and the Man. $8-14, 8pm. UVA Culbreth Theatre, 924-3376.
Friday, December 1-Sunday, December 10
Play On Theatre presents: Home for the Holidays. $15-17, 7:30pm. IX Building, 872-0184.
Friday, December 1-Sunday, December 17
Four County Players presents: The Velveteen Rabbit. $10-12, 8pm. Barboursville Playhouse, (540) 832-5355.
Friday, December 1-Saturday, December 23
Ain’t Misbehavin’. $10-19.50, 8pm. Live Arts, 977-4177.
Saturday, December 2
Love Letters with Larry Hagman and Barbara Eden. $48-75, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Tuesday, December 5-Sunday, December 31
The Santaland Diaries. $14-24, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, (540) 885-7873.
Wednesday, December 6-Sunday, December 10
Ringling Bros. Circus. Time and price TBA. John Paul Jones Arena, 888-JPJ-TIXS.
Wednesday, December 6-Sunday, December 31
A Christmas Carol. $18-34, 10:30am. Blackfriars Playhouse, (540) 885-7873.

Dance
Saturday, September 16
Dance Master Class: Contemporay Dance with the Koresh Dance Company. $10, 10-11am. PVCC Dickinson Theater, 961-5378.
Koresh Dance Company. $10-17, 7:30pm. PVCC Dickinson Theater, 961-5495.
Tuesday,September 19
The Richmond Ballet. $25-45, 7pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Tuesday,October 17
Pilobolus Dance Theatre. $25-64, 8pm. Paramount Theater, 979-1333.
Saturday,October 21
Dance Master Class: Hip-hop with Brandon “Peace” Albright. $10, 10-11:30am. PVCC, Dickinson Theater, 961-5495.
November 8-9, 11-12, 15-6 and 18-19
New work by Kathryn Birdsall presented by Zen Monkey Project. Call for prices, noon. McGuffey Art Center 295-7973.
Thursday,November 30-Friday, December 1
PVCC Dance: “Dances for Small Spaces.” $5, 7:30pm. PVCC Maxwell Black Box Theater, 961-5495.

Art
Monday, September 17
“All About Appraisals.” a lecture by Adrienne Weinberger. 3-5pm. Sage Moon Gallery 977-9997.
Through Saturday, September 23
“Manta Wiru (Beautiful Land): Paintings from Amata.” Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection 244-0234.
Through Saturday, September 30
“Complicit! Codex,” featuring paintings from Johanna Drucker and an artist’s book and wall art from seven of the artists featured in the UVA Art Museumís exhibit, “Complicit! Contemporary American Art and Mass Culture;” and “Oscillating Vistas,” paintings by Martha Saunders. Les Yeux du Monde 973-5566.
“Changes in Altitudes,” oil paintings by Nancy Wallace. Sage Moon Gallery 977-9997.
“Everything that Rises,” photography and installation art by Anna Gaskell. Main and Dové Galleries, Second Street Gallery 977-7284.
Through Sunday, October 1
Works on paper by James Covert and Central Virginia Watercolor Guild Annual Juried Exhibition with juror Pat Cook. McGuffey Art Center 295-7973.
Through Thursday, October 5
“Birding,” by Rob Tarbell and “Triple Vision,” by Jeffrey Allison, Colin Ferguson and Rebekah Wostrel. Piedmont Virginia Community College Gallery 961-5203.
Through Friday, October 6
“Film Photography Now,” works by Peter Filene and Alan Dehmer. Migration: A Gallery 293-2200.
Through Tuesday, October 31
“Quoting Cézanne,” paper and paint collage by Judy McLeod. Angelo 971-9256.
“Die Abstract Welt…Kompliziert Oder Einfach?,” abstract works in mixed media by Ursula “Ucky” Light. BozArt Gallery 296-3919.
“Complicit! Contemporary American Art and Mass Culture.” UVA Art Museum 924-3592.
Through Thursday, December 21
“Radiance: Seeing the Divine in Aboriginal Art.” Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection 244-0234.
Sunday, October 1 through Tuesday, October 31
Works by Mercedes Lopez. BozArt Gallery 296-3919.
“Carrara,” photographs by William Wylie in the Main Gallery and “Passage,” video by Shirin Neshat in conjunction with the Virginia Film Festival’s theme, “Revelations: finding God at the Movies.” Dové Gallery, Second Street Gallery 977-7284.
Tuesday, October 3-Sunday, October 29
Oil paintings by Steve Taylor and Grey Dodson; new works by Chris Rudasil; photography by Fleming Lunsford and Group Show. McGuffey Art Center 295-7973.
Thursday, October 5-Saturday, October 7
“Tottering-by-Gently: 2006 Exhibition,” illustrations by Annie Tempest. Caspari 817-7880.
Friday, October 6
Lecture: “Tales of Art Love,” by Peter Schjeldahl, art critic for The New Yorker. 5pm, Campbell Hall 158.
Friday, October 6-Tuesday, October 31
Paintings by Jim Alford. Sage Moon Gallery 977-9997.
Friday, October 6-Thursday, November 30
Sculpture by Tim Taunton. Migration: A Gallery 293-2200.
Friday, October 13-Sunday, November 26
“Truth and Justice and The American Way,” works by George Andrews, Ted Coffee, Elmer Craig, Lisa Parker Hyatt Ehrlich and James Yates; “Fear Politics,” works by Christophe Vorlet. Piedmont Virginia Community College Gallery 961-5203.
Friday, October 27- Saturday, November 25
“Light and Place,” oil paintings by Anne Harris Massie. Les Yeux du Monde 973-5566. Opening reception: October 27, 5:30-7:30pm.
Tuesday October 31-Sunday, November 19
Mixed media by Andy Faith; watercolors by Edith Arbaugh; new works by Michelle Gagliano and still life oils by Elizabeth Crawford. McGuffey Art Center 295-7973.
Wednesday, November 1-Thursday, November 30
“A Copious Harvest,” oil paintings by Janice Breeden. BozArt Gallery 296-3919.
“Sam Gilliam: Prints from the Artist’s Collection,” in the Main Gallery, and “Little Creatures: David Breeden and Sean Samoheyl,” in the Dové Gallery. Second Street Gallery 977-7284.
Wednesday November 1-Sunday, December 31
“New Works in Water Media,” by Jeannine Regan. Angelo 971-9256.
Friday, November 3-Saturday, November 25
“Act 5 Scene 5,” mixed-media collages by Shelby Fischer. Les Yeux du Monde 973-5566.
Friday, November 3-Thursday, November 30
Paintings by Jaqueline Peters. Sage Moon Gallery 977-9997.
Friday, November 3-Friday, December 22
Holiday show. Migration: A Gallery 293-2200.
Saturday, November 4-Thursday, December 21
“New Dreams for Old,” Australian Aboriginal Art from the Kluge-Ruhe Collections and “The Reflected Word,” prints, drawings and photographs from the Collection. UVA Art Museum 924-3592.
Saturday, November 11-Thursday, December 21
“Regeneration,” contemporary Chinese art from China and the United States. UVA Art Museum 924-3592.
Tuesday, November 21-Sunday, December 31
Holiday Group Show. McGuffey Art Center 295-7973.
December-January
“The Sanguine Sea: Recent Paintings by Fred Stonehouse,” in the Main Gallery, and “Susan Jamison: Full Bloom,” in the Dové Gallery. Second Street Gallery 977-7284.
Friday, December 1-Saturday, December 30
“Dark Light,” mixed-media works by Dean Dass and Clay Witt. Les Yeux du Monde 973-5566.
Friday, December 1-Sunday, December 31
Paintings by Ruth Hembree. Sage Moon Gallery 977-9997.
Friday, December 1-Thursday, January 11
“Annual Faculty Show.” Piedmont Virginia Community College Gallery 961-5203.