The Homeboy
Travis Elliott at Fellini’s #9 and West Main
Travis Elliott has provided the soundtrack to countless big nights on the Charlottesville bar scene. The stalwart tunesmith has been gigging around town consistently for the past decade, and along the way he’s put together an impressive catalog of original songs that he delivers in a range of configurations—from high-energy acoustic sing-alongs to full-band rock shows.
Lately, when he’s not working the regional club circuit, Elliott has settled into a regular Thursday night residency at Fellini’s #9, flanked by a three-piece band that includes his steadfast partner, ace lead guitarist Tucker Rogers. Through the years, Elliott has earned a loyal following on the local music scene. He tries to make every show different, as he delivers anthemic pop-rock tunes with a bevy of roots influences, big hooks, weighty lyrics, and room for his supporting players to stretch out. As Elliott keeps writing new songs, he depends on his hometown crowd for honest feedback.
“I trust the people that come out to watch us play,” he said. “The spontaneous moments in shows aren’t always the best, but they keep me refreshed and make me want play every night. If there’s a new song that doesn’t land the right way, usually someone will come up and tell me.”
Elliott also plays solo on Sundays at West Main—a gig he calls a “laid back campfire kind of thing” that he uses to woodshed new material.
In addition to his hearty show schedule, Elliott has recently started pre-production for a new studio album, the follow-up 2010’s guest-filled effort Swan Dive.
“It’s looking like it’s going to be a double record, because I have so much material now,” Elliott said of his upcoming album. “One part will be silky and acoustic, and the other part will be a little more rocking.” —Jedd Ferris
The Groove
Grits ‘n’ Gravy at Rapture
The Grits ‘n’ Gravy Soul & Funk Revue is one of the best local parties around and a guaranteed good time on the dance floor. If you prefer tapping a toe to vintage tunes, or need a break from the ubiquity of contemporary Top 40 (and house remixes of same), strut on down to R2 to shake a leg to an impeccable mix of funk, soul, R&B, and black pop from the 1960s and ’70s, occasionally peppered with a little New Orleans groove or a chaser of ’80s D.C. go-go.
Colin “Brother Breakdown” Powell and Robin “Rum Cove” Tomlin, both longtime regulars on the WTJU dial, spin a rowdy and energetic all-vinyl mix ranging from beloved classics by James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone to smash hits from the Stax and Motown labels, deep cuts by artists such as Irma Thomas and Joe Tex, and half-forgotten gems like Sir Guy’s “Funky Virginia” and “My Baby Likes to Boogaloo” by Don Gardner.
Grits ‘n’ Gravy has been a fixture in town since 2010, initially rotating through a series of different locations, but the party has found a permanent home at R2, the club space in the rear of Rapture. Over the past year, Grits has settled comfortably into the space, which has a sturdy wood dancefloor, its own bar, and high ceilings that leave room for the venue’s large projection screen, usually filled with genre-appropriate DVDs from Powell and Tomlin’s collections (everything from vintage live television clips of legendary soul performers to gritty Blaxploitation flicks and Jim Kelly vehicles such as Black Belt Jones).
After a summer hiatus, Powell and Tomlin have returned to R2 with a vengeance, handing out handmade mixtapes from their
DJ booth, and sharing the latest in rare 45 acquisitions.—James Ford