The CatVideoFest is a purrrfect event for children, pet-lovers, and all you childless cat-people out there (meow!). If you’re one to share kitty memes all over social media, come enjoy a safe space with other feline enthusiasts. The hour-long compilation includes submissions, sourced animations, and edits that are the cat’s pajamas. The event supports cats in need by partnering with local pet charities and shelters.
Starting August 26, motorists can no longer turn left onto Route 29 from Hydraulic Road. The recent closure of the left-turn lanes is the Virginia Department of Transportation’s latest effort to improve traffic flow at the intersection.
The change in traffic pattern was completed overnight, from August 25 to 26, with the left-turn lanes from Hydraulic Road onto Route 29 closed by rush hour on Monday, August 26. Left-turn lanes from Route 29 onto Hydraulic Road remain open.
In addition to closing the left-turn lanes, VDOT will also modify the lane patterns on Hydraulic Road.
“Headed eastbound [on Hydraulic], we’re going to have two through lanes there and a right-turn lane,” says VDOT Project Manager Will Stowe. “Headed westbound towards Albemarle High School, we’re going to keep two through lanes and we’re going to have two dedicated right-turn lanes.”
According to Stowe, the vertical posts (also known as bollards) around the protected right-turn lane from Hydraulic onto 29 North will also be removed to create a safer pedestrian crossing.
A VDOT traffic study of the intersection indicates that closing the left-turn lanes on Hydraulic will improve traffic flow at the crossing significantly. Time previously allotted to the left-turn signals will be redistributed to other movements.
“We’re estimating and expecting about a 20 percent better travel time along Hydraulic and about a 30 percent better travel time along Route 29,” says Stowe.
For drivers looking to turn left onto Route 29, the change may be jarring, but there are several alternate paths available.
“There’s multiple ways,” says Stowe. “It really depends on where you’re going.”
Heading eastbound on Hydraulic, drivers can access 29 North by crossing the intersection, making a U-turn at the newly constructed roundabout, and turning right on 29 North.
Motorists traveling westbound on Hydraulic can access 29 South in two ways, depending on their route and destination. Both of Stowe’s recommended routes utilize Seminole Court. “You can either take a right at the new roundabout that we’ve built and go to Hillsdale, then Seminole Court, and then take a left onto 29 South,” he says. “You can [also] go up to the intersection [of Hydraulic Road and Route 29], take a right on 29 [North], and make a U-turn at Seminole Court.”
Rather than using the roundabout and backroads, drivers traveling westbound on the 250 bypass can more easily access 29 South utilizing the left exit after Hydraulic Road. The “Chicken Strip” can be accessed using the exit onto 29 North immediately after the turn onto Hydraulic from the bypass.
While Stowe and VDOT are optimistic the permanent lane closure will improve travel time through the intersection, other residents are split. Online chatter about the new traffic pattern has spanned multiple platforms, with at least two Reddit threads and several Nextdoor posters discussing the VDOT announcement.
“I don’t use that for a commute or regularly for anything BUT it’s obvious that no one at VDOT truly drives in the area of Charlottesville! This is going to create so many u-turns on 29. Insane,” said Reddit user Adventurous-Emu-755. Others in the thread were more supportive, with user WHSRWizard commenting, “I actually think this could be OK. You’ll have to make a left somewhere else on to 29 or make a U-turn at the Post Office, but it should help move traffic through that intersection quicker.”
For supporters and skeptics alike, more information about the ongoing Route 29 improvements can be found at vdot.virginia.gov.
Charlottesville resident Rachel Drame has been charged with arson of an unoccupied structure in connection with an August 11 fire at Vocelli Pizza.
The fire caused approximately $30,000 in damage to the pizzeria, and investigators with the Albemarle County Fire Marshal office quickly determined the blaze was suspicious after first responders found the storefront and nearby trash cans aflame. If convicted of the class four felony, Drame faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
While she was originally arrested the day of the fire on charges of public intoxication, Drame was released on recognizance, according to the Virginia Court Case Information System. She was then arrested in connection with the arson on August 15 and is being held without bond at Albemarle Charlottesville Regional Jail.
Separate hearings have been set for the public intoxication and arson charges, and no connection between the offenses has been made as of press time. Drame’s next appearance in connection with the pizzeria fire is scheduled for 10:30am on August 28.
According to a post on the pizzeria’s Facebook, Vocelli Pizza will remain closed until repairs are completed. A timeline for reopening has not yet been announced.
Weekend availability
The Emergency Food Network is now open on Saturdays, according to an August 16 press release.
Open since 1973, EFN provides free food to Charlottesville and Albemarle residents. Those in need can contact the nonprofit at 979-9180 between 9am and noon on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday for same-day food pick up at 900 Harris St. from 1:30 to 3:30pm.
“Since the expiration of increased pandemic SNAP benefits, demand for our services has been at capacity and we knew we needed to do more,” said EFN Board Chair Miette Michie. “A weekend day may be more convenient for those in need who are working weekday hours.”
Beyond food, EFN also provides personal hygiene products and cleaning supplies on request. The nonprofit does not require any financial information from those in need to receive donations.
For more about EFN, visit emergencyfoodnetwork.org.
Carjacking arrests
Charlottesville City Police have arrested two people in connection with a carjacking that occurred on August 14. The incident took place at approximately 10:08pm in the area of 7 ½ and Pine streets, with initial reports indicating a firearm was involved. Officers located the stolen vehicle, which was occupied by multiple people, the next morning in the 600 block of Cherry Avenue. A local juvenile and an 18-year-old from Chester County were arrested after attempting to flee the vehicle. Officers also recovered a replica firearm during the investigation. CPD asks that anyone with information contact Crime Stoppers at 977-4000.
Knighthood
In addition to a new name, Buford Middle School (soon to be Charlottesville Middle School) is getting a new mascot next fall, according to an August 16 press release from Charlottesville City Schools. After conducting two community surveys, CCS selected the Young Knights as the new mascot. Both the mascot and new name officially go into effect in fall of 2025.
Move-in madness
The University of Virginia’s move-in is in full-swing this week, with the bulk of first-year students set to arrive on August 22 and 23. Locals looking to dodge the chaos should avoid the UVA area, especially Alderman and McCormick roads. Upperclassmen move-in continues throughout the weekend, so make sure to finish any grocery store runs before Thursday if you want to avoid the out-of-town and student traffic.
Charlottesville City Council voted to increase members’ pay for the first time since 1996.
Photo by Eze Amos.
At its August 19 meeting, Charlottesville City Council delved into a number of hot-button local issues, including council salaries and ranked-choice voting.
Under new legislation from the Virginia General Assembly, city governments can now vote to increase salaries, with pay limits determined by locality population size.
A proposed salary ordinance would increase councilors’ annual pay from $18,000 to $34,000 and the mayor’s salary from $20,000 to $37,000.
“It seems to me that [this] sends a very unwelcome message to people, and I don’t think it’s a wise idea,” said City Councilor Lloyd Snook. The councilor has been vocal in his opposition to the salary increase, citing the bad optics of raising pay amid continuous tax hikes by the city.
Councilor Natalie Oschrin rebutted Snook, arguing an increase in pay would allow more people the financial opportunity to serve on the council. “I think that’s actually an interesting choice of words, ‘unwelcome,’ when, from our perspective, it would be more welcoming for more people to be able to join this board,” she said.
Councilors at the August 19 city council meeting ultimately voted to increase council salaries effective July 1, 2026 by a vote of 4-1, with Snook the sole dissenting vote. This is the first pay increase for the council since 1996. The next round of city council elections will occur prior to the implementation of the raises.
Moving down the agenda, councilors considered an ordinance adopting ranked-choice voting for the Charlottes—ville City Council’s June 2025 primary elections.
“With our equipment that we have in Charlottesville, [voters] will be able to make up to six rankings for candidates,” said General Registrar and Director of Elections Taylor Yowell.
Two council seats will appear on the ballot next June, meaning candidates need to obtain 33.3 percent of the vote if the ranked-choice system is adopted. The percentage needed to declare a winning candidate or candidates in a ranked-choice election is determined by the number of available seats.
Several community members spoke in favor of the ranked-choice voting ordinance during the community matters portion of the meeting, including former delegate and founder of Ranked Choice Virginia Sally Hudson.
“Charlottesville has a long history of being proud to be a cradle of democracy, and there’s a long history of ranked-choice voting activism in this community,” said Hudson. “Ranked-choice voting started in Charlottesville more than 20 years ago when UVA students first adopted ranked-choice for their student council elections. And while that may not sound like a very big deal, roughly 5,000 students cast their ballots for student council every year on grounds—which is almost as many people who vote in a Charlottesville city council primary.”
Councilors voiced both questions and support for the voting system, but the decision on implementation is still up in the air. The second and final reading of the ranked-choice voting ordinance, along with the council’s vote, is slated to appear on the consent agenda at the next Charlottesville City Council meeting on September 3.
For more information about the ordinances or to watch the full council meeting, visit charlottesville.gov.
The numbers on Spotify don’t lie: Cannons is popular and it’s clear why. The group presents completely problem-free tracks that ooze a too-smooth style of stifled glam disco. You would be wrong to call it this decade’s version of easy listening, though—it’s bubbly pop music built for areas where they’ve had success: TV show placement. With their fine-tuned look and sound the band is unsurprisingly from Los Angeles, but Cannons may represent the last bastion of pop still connected to a more-or-less real rock band (though it’s difficult to discern what’s playback). And as a live act, dudes on guitar, bass/keys, and drums back up Michelle Joy, who is every bit the ’80s vision of a female lead singer—but it’s best you project your own ideas onto that archetype. The group’s newest record, Heartbeat Highway, adds to its collection of glossy, well-produced tracks that never drop to sluggish ballads nor rev into higher gears. If ever there was a band who would score top marks for offering the perfect soundtrack for overpriced hotel lobbies, it’s got to be Cannons. Having said that, there’s no shame in being proactive about sidestepping the Sunday Scaries; wrap yourself in Joy’s lush vocals for a while and take a mini-vacation from reality on the Downtown Mall.—CM Gorey
How many acoustic guitar players—let alone Black women guitar players—pick up the instrument because of the video game Guitar Hero II? Yasmin Williams did. The NoVA musician has been at it for roughly 15 years now, carving out a singularly playful and intentional style that pulls from disparate approaches. Unflinchingly instrumental, as reflected in her two full-lengths, 2018’s Unwind and 2021’s Urban Driftwood, Williams will sometimes put the guitar across her lap with its neck to the sky and use both hands across the frets like a pianist. Other times she’ll fingerpick with dexterity, keeping the body propped upright in its traditional position. She’s also known to poke at the strings with a dulcimer hammer, attach a kalimba to its front, and wear tap shoes for rhythmic accompaniment. The results are atmospheric in a way you could ascribe to ambient music: Her compositions don’t demand your attention as much as they slowly surround you on all sides, buoy you up, and carry you on an undulating ride downstream.
If acoustically driven, painfully earnest songs that don’t attempt to hide their political alignment are your thing, Conor & The Wild Hunt opens the evening with its soft focus Americana. Odds are high for the inclusion of harmonica, mandolin, and/or fiddle.—CM Gorey
David Byrne’s musical comedy True Stories takes a fond look at wackiness in the American heartland. Set in the fictional town of Virgil, Texas, during a prideful “Celebration of Specialness” for the 150th anniversary of the state, Talking Heads singer Byrne directs and stars as the narrator in a project that adopts the energy of experimental theater. Supporting actors John Goodman, Pops Staples, and Spalding Gray depict characters inspired by tabloid headlines in the Weekly World News. The film culminates in a lip-sync competition and a talent show with a fantastical display of niche acts backed by a soundtrack recorded by Talking Heads exclusively for the film.
Friday 8/23. $9, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net
Completion of The Flats at West Village 10 years ago marked a new era for the West Main Street corridor—one that included students and paved the way for more residential units in the area. Staff photo.
With the University of Virginia back in session next week, students are returning to Charlottesville—including the several hundred who live at 852 W. Main St. The first residents of the building known as The Flats at West Village moved in 10 years ago, beginning a trend of students moving into an area where they had not previously lived.
Riverbend Development and an out-of-town group took the project through the approval process in December 2012, during which City Council voted 4-1 on a special use permit to allow the building to be eight stories high and to have up to 595 bedrooms. Councilor Dede Smith voted against the permit that night, arguing that the project would have negative impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.
“Charlottesville was told that a large student complex on West Main would moderate rents across town, stimulate a vibrant mixed-use community, and reintegrate Westhaven and Fifeville into Main Street,” Smith says. “Unfortunately, few, if any, of these benefits have occurred.”
The current owner is an entity called Madison Loft LLC that purchased the property in November 2016 for $77.5 million. Previous structures on the property were automotive in nature, reflecting the role West Main Street played in the 20th century.
Since people began living at the Flats, the city has collected $6.35 million in taxes, with a bill this year of $821,143.96. The property is now managed by Asset Living, one of the largest property maintenance firms in the United States.
The Flats was followed by what’s now called The Lark on West Main and The Standard at Charlottesville, adding more students and millions more in tax revenue.
Previous zoning on the property required the ground floors to be commercial, but that has not been a total success. The Flats opened with a restaurant called World of Beer that folded before the pandemic, and the space was vacant for many years until Mejicali recently opened. The convenience store next door has been the only permanent fixture, but another retail space on the ground floor has never had an occupant.
The same is true across the street at the Standard, where two retail spaces sit vacant. The retail space at the Lark is currently occupied by Devil’s Backbone Backyard after two similar businesses failed at the location.
Other buildings constructed to the east include the former Quirk Hotel (now The Doyle Hotel), the Marriott Residence Inn, and the apartment complex at 600 W. Main St. that preserved Blue Moon Diner. That project also has a retail space that has proved difficult to keep rented.
More buildings constructed on West Main will not need approval from the city council because the new zoning code allows taller heights without special permission. Residential density is unlimited, but the new rules require 10 percent of units to be affordable to households or individuals whose incomes are 60 percent below the area median income.
Meanwhile, UVA is moving ahead with plans to build new residence halls for second-year students as part of an initiative to house more people on Grounds. This spring, the Office of Facilities Management asked firms to submit qualifications to build up to 2,000 new bedrooms either on Ivy Road or Emmet Street. The bid documents state that UVA would like those units to be in place by the fall of 2027.
Meet the 12 young local acts reviving Charlottesville's music scene. Photo by Tristan Williams.
By Tami Keaveny, CM Turner, and Ella Powell
Charlottesville is a city of music fans and aficionados. We have an abundance of sonic riches in the national tours that touch down at our venues, and we’ve built a few careers here as well (looking at you, jam daddy DMB). There’s a lot of talk about who knows whom and who does what in our music kingdom. But the proliferation of the scene belongs to those who workshop it year-round. It got quiet for a while—but when the mics were turned back on, we started to hear new names repeated by tastemakers and see them listed on music calendars around town. What has emerged is a new generation of talented performers who are invigorating Charlottesville‘s music scene.
Breaking through
Photo by Tristan Williams.
Palmyra
palmyratheband.com
With a setlist of songs that play out like confessionals, Americana holler-core trio Palmyra creates instant chemistry with its audience through its authentic yearn-folk sound. As Palmyra puts it, “The best music is honest music.”
Setting out from the Shenandoah Valley, Sasha Landon (mandolin/guitar), Teddy Chipouras (guitar/banjo), and Mānoa Bell (standup bass) have been road-doggin’ full-time as Palmyra for the past three years—earning plenty of accolades and admiration along the way. Through unfiltered live sets and an amicable internet presence, the band has built a following of devoted fans up and down the East Coast and is bound to secure even more followers in support of Illiterate Light on its upcoming Arches Tour.
The city of Charlottesville has become a beloved stop for Palmyra. “We’ve found community with bands and young people in the area that are as stoked to be at a show as we are,” says Landon. Palmyra’s arrangements often reflect a kind of “medium is the message” approach, where crescendos of euphoric sound waves break on the rocky shores of disquieted doubt and distress, where a single song runs the gamut of emotions like a punch to the gut. This angst and exuberance carries through in tunes like “Happy Pills” and “Park Bench.”
Recently signed to the late John Prine’s Oh Boy Records, Palmyra plans to release a debut full-length album in the spring of 2025. Recorded in Richmond and Harrisonburg, it’s a truly Virginia-made project.
The record label’s commitment to raising the Palmyra banner has extended to a re-release of the band’s EP Belladonna on vinyl. You can find Palmyra’s first foray into recording, the EP Shenandoah (2022)—along with a slew of singles—on streaming platforms.—CMT
Up close and personal
Photo by Lily Garay.
Chloë Ester
IG: @chloeester
Chloë Ester’s distinctive style is hard to pin down in a way that’s both exciting and engaging for audiences discovering this introspective and unguarded songwriter. Pulling elements from dream pop, emo-folk, indie, and alternative rock, Chloë Ester and her band—Ryan Lee (lead guitar), Garrett Moore (drums), and Jacob Sommerio (bass)—deliver tight instrumentation that never feels overwrought. Simultaneously harsh and soothing, dreamy and intense, Chloë Ester’s clear, magnetic voice carries crushingly vulnerable lines conveying fear and confusion, with a kind of reluctant acceptance and understanding of the eventualities of the human condition. She’s a natural storyteller, and her narrative-driven arrangements work to capture a feeling or memory through a small, specific moment: an interaction with a family member, an awkward instance from childhood, a first date. Her debut EP Dying All The Time (2020) is available for streaming and her sophomore release Asleep In A Fire is expected to be available in 2025.—CMT
For the love
Supplied photo.
Waasi
IG: @itswaasi
Committed to authenticity and experimentation, Waasi unifies alt hip-hop, R&B, and soul in his ever-evolving sound. Smooth and sharp-witted, Waasi’s ability to alternate between laidback lyricism and verbal vehemence marks his albums as showcases in versatility. A lifelong resident of Charlottesville, Waasi cut his teeth in the underground scene. He credits local luminaries like Danny Shea, Jeyon Falsini, and the Rugged Arts crew for putting him on early in his career and providing platforms to perform his particular brand of musicality. As his experience and experimentations expand, Waasi has turned inward, making music that’s personally meaningful and introspective. He acknowledges the therapeutic aspects of creative expression and notes that his newer music reflects the more mature sound of a more mature musician. Waasi does indeed have a new album on the way, though the final release date has yet to be determined. For now, you can find his albums From Virginia with Love (2019) and No Love Lost (2021) and the EP BETTERDAZE (2018) on streaming services.—CMT
Sounds like teen spirit
Supplied photo.
The Destructors
IG: @thedestructorsband
Loud, catchy, energetic, fun, and angry, The Destructors is a punk rock/riot grrrl band made up of local teens looking to shake up the status quo. Sisters Ava (bass and vocals) and Savannah (guitar and vocals) joined up with Kat (drums and vocals) through the Music Resource Center just over a year ago and are already making a name for themselves in the local scene. With songs exploring feminism, LGBTQ+ activism, and social dynamics, the group plans to release its debut album Goth Barbie soon.—CMT
What we are looking for
Photo by Tristan Williams.
Tre. Charles
trecharles.com
Tre. Charles keeps a busy tour schedule, living on the road and crisscrossing the mid-Atlantic region for gigs, but he calls Virginia home. The indie soul talent currently “lays his head in Richmond,” but his warm, invigorating music graces C’ville stages so frequently that we think he may have a body double.
“Charlottesville is a tucked-away music gem,” says Charles. “The music appreciation here is eclectic and deep, from roots to electronic, and I attribute that to the diverse population that lives here. I think that the fresh air creates more open mindedness (ha ha), and with places like Ting, Jefferson, Southern, and a slew of other spots, it’s easy to find what you are looking for and what you didn’t know you were looking for.”
Charles’ debut EP, Currently, was chosen as one of WNRN’s top 100 albums of 2023, and Charles is planning to release a full album due by the end of 2024.—TK
Catch this buzz
Photo by Sanjay Suchak.
HASH
IG: @hash_the_band
Formed in 2023, Charlottesville’s next-gen rock band HASH caught a buzz. Due to a fast-growing fandom, locals Hasler Yancey (lead vocals/guitar), Jackson Rosson (bass), Tommy Fruscello (drums), Timothy Langlois (guitar), and Asher Friedman (keys) have been on a performing spree that includes shows with Kendall Street Company, Indecision, and The Barons. The group played The Jefferson Theater in March and Fridays After Five in May then headlined The Southern Café and Music Hall just last week. With a HASH debut EP due this month, the world stage awaits.—TK
Centered on stage
Anya Movius steps into a brighter spotlight
Supplied photo.
Anya Movius
anyamovius.com
Standing backstage last September, waiting to audition for her first-year college talent show, Anya Movius put the final touches on the song she was about to perform.
“I finished one of the songs that I was performing in the audition outside of the audition room,” laughs Movius. “It’s called ‘The Alchemist,’ which is going on the new record.”
The song, it turns out, was ready. Movius made the talent show cut, and the reward went beyond being one of 12 freshmen invited on stage. The night of the show, she says she was anxious in the green room, asking others (including the national youth poet laureate) for advice on how to calm down. When she sat down with her guitar in front of the large audience, she relaxed. “I loved it. The nerves kind of went away as soon as I got out there,” she says.
The singer-songwriter credits her hometown for her creative confidence. Growing up in Charlottesville, Movius says she took every opportunity to learn and perform music. At a young age, she was writing songs and singing for her parents and their friends. From taking classes at The Front Porch music school to signing up at open mics, Movius tapped into the music community and connected with songwriting mentors like Devon Sproule, Paul Curreri, and Michael Clem.
“One of my biggest rewards at the Monday songwriter open mic is watching different participants grow over time with their writing and performing,” says Clem. “With Anya, it’s an extra special case as she was one of the youngest participants ever, and she was wonderful out of the gate.”
Movius’ smart, aware songcraft is lyrically forward, marked by bright, catchy hooks. There’s raw emotion and vulnerability channeling through. Yes, sometimes it’s straight from her journal, but Movius challenges herself to take songwriting beyond self-examination and write from other perspectives. “I think it’s a really interesting way to empathize with people.”
Many of Movius’ songs exhibit a maturity that tells you she is not only writing, but she is listening carefully as well. From the popular Spotify track “Easy Fixes” to one of her favorites “Anastasia,” Movius often goes on an exploration of emotional dialogue.
“[‘Anastasia’] is about the complexities in queer relationships. Especially in what I’ve seen with friends of mine … I wanted to explore how, in female relationships, and even female friendships, feelings can be more confusing and I wanted to try and encapsulate that in a song.”
When Movius returns to Harvard University this fall, she’ll have finished her first full-length album, From Heart to Hips. She’s been recording and releasing music for years, and she spent the first weeks of August in production at Chris Keup’s White Star Sound, where she delights in the studio work. “It’s the most magical part of the process for me and I get so excited!”
On August 31, Movius is on the bill at the Club Passim Campfire Festival in Boston, a venue where the founders of folk music, from Dylan to Joni, built the coffeehouse scene. Looking to her next big stage, she carries C’ville’s influence with her.
“I just finished up a song called ‘For Charlottesville,’” she says. “I think it’s an incredibly special place. The chorus goes: ‘I free up the words that I’ve been saving / for Charlottesville and Blue Ridge hills / it’s worth all the waiting.’”—TK
Basement takes
Photo by Alanna Mahon.
Üga Büga
Instagram: @ugabugaband
Stuck between country rock and metal jazz phases, Calloway Jones started Üga Büga as a basement jam three years ago with the itch to rock a little harder. He soon invited his friends Niko Cvetanovich and Jimmy Czywczynski along on a wild ride to write and perform music in a “progressive sludge metal” band. Üga Büga’s distinct aesthetic is signified by stylized umlauts in a name that was originally inspired by a caveman cartoon. The group breaks out of the basement with heavy riffs and a post-apocalyptic concept that proves an impressive combination of technical instrumentation and electrifying rhythm.
Jones says that the band’s album Year of the Hog encapsulates the energy of “an angry Facebook rant about capitalism and political corruption.” Pulling influences from an array of genres including blues and punk in an effort to revitalize metal and refrain from recycling, Calloway says performing in the band “feels like the best possible way to scream into the void.” Üga Büga is also filling the void in a metal community hungry for a bigger local scene.—EP
Playing in time
Supplied photo.
Briar Wilde
Youtube: @BriarWilde
In Charlottesville’s Briar Wilde, husband and wife duo Shannon O’Leary and Alex Johnson are devoted to a vintage aesthetic. “Briar Wilde is rooted in the tradition of Appalachian ballad-singing, combining influences as disparate as country, folk, and classical music,” says O’Leary. The duo’s authentic sound is masked in antiquity and pays homage to the original Carter Family recordings of the 1927 Bristol Sessions that established the classic conventions of country music.
Recorded in Asheville, North Carolina, Briar Wilde’s self-titled debut EP was made using original 1930s music equipment, resulting in a hauntingly beautiful recording that makes time travel seem possible.—EP
Shake that brain
Supplied photo.
En Regalia
IG: @enregalia
A serendipitous meeting in history class was the spark that formed En Regalia, an alternative rock band made up of recent Monticello High School graduates Kylie Grunsfeld, Ethan Arellano, Jason Bittner, and Jimi Andrade. The group’s EP Charlie, named after an original fifth member, Charlie Dubendorfer, features chill guitar riffs and blissfully melodic vocals. Lead singer Grunsfeld shares coming-of-age stories through rhythmic vibrato and invigorating energy in songs like “Contact High” and “Suncatcher.” En Regalia’s infectious aura is one to revel in, and the group translates youthful endeavors like being in love for the first time into an array of sound that is delightful and relatable. “As a band, we aim to do two things: make people move, and make people think,” says Grunsfeld.—EP
Jazz kicks
Supplied photo.
Loose Champagne
IG: @loosechampagne
Loose Champagne is popping off like an uncorked bottle flowing in a surge of talent all around the UVA music scene with its covers of funk and R&B classics. The six-piece student band found its groove when lead guitarist Miles Miskill transformed his jazz ensemble with pianist Isa Rodriguez and bassist Isabel Xiao into a funkified group complete with rhythm guitarist Dana Sun, drummer Kyle Gresko, and vocalist Calista Nelson. Together, their playful mixture of jazz fusion, smooth funk, and upbeat soul draws inspiration from numerous icons within the genre, including Erykah Badu, The Internet, and Childish Gambino. “One of our motivations and [driving reasons behind] our song choices is wanting to bring in music that is underrepresented at UVA,” says Sun. The band is in the process of writing original music.—EP
Organic chemistry
Supplied photo.
Swamp Street
IG: @swampstreetband
In a moment of suspense, the members of Swamp Street lock eyes before bursting into funky, psychedelic rock, neo soul, and R&B sound. A jam band at heart, the group comprises UVA students Karolyn Yoon on guitar and vocals, Cameron Meredith on bass, and Jeremy Nachison on drums. Yoon and Meredith first discovered their musical chemistry while performing in another band, Mellowdrama, before joining forces with Nachison and keyboardist Kimball Roberts. Magic happens when they’re on the stage together, a spectacle that will soon be recorded in original songs titled “Violet Tide,” “Lady Lady,” “Portals,” and “Skyline Drive,” which they regularly perform live.
The band offers unique renditions of covers and originals alike as it propels its experimental nature forward in each passionate and provocative performance. Swamp Street channels the energy of artists like D’Angelo and Jeff Buckley as rhythm and blues guide its swagger up on the stage.—EP
Tastemakers’ recommendations
“Buckbilly Deluxe is a new act that we absolutely love. Good old country songs and honky tonk that kicks some ass … Lead guitarist Josh Vana has made some great pickers blush by the fire. They may be most well-known for their ’80’s Chevy truck inspired posters … the ones that keep getting yanked off the Bodo’s bulletin board.”
—Koda Kerl, musician and consulting booker at Dürty Nelly’s
“Charlie Shea gives me goosebumps every time I listen to their mesmerizing lyrics and unique voice, and although they do not have any recorded music out there, they are an artist you will regret missing.” —Samantha Federico, WCNR, Charlottesville Radio Group
“I was sent a stream of the new, yet-to-be-released [Babe Lewis, which is the project of Jo Harder] album and it’s really good … hard to categorize: shades of indie rock, shoegaze, psychedelia but without being too on the nose … some finger-picking style guitar mixed in. I was honestly taken aback by how fresh it sounded. Unlike anything I’ve heard from a regional band in some time.”
—Warren Parker, WarHen Records
“Onokio (Zach) is one of the most eccentric and creative people I know. He’s relentlessly making some of the most fascinating electronic music out there.”
—Jeff Gorman, Illiterate Light
“Mayday’s Theo Herrin has become a bit of a fixture at the Southern, hosting our music open mics on Sunday, his charisma and talent on display solo or in his band with sharply tuned pop songs.”
—Danny Shea, The Southern Café and Music Hall
Wanna hear it?
Click here to listen to a sample of songs from artists featured in this new music issue!
Sen. Tim Kaine, who is up for reelection this fall, serves on the Senate Committee on the Budget.
Photo by Gage Skidmore.
After a tumultuous budget cycle that led to the ouster of former speaker Kevin McCarthy last year, Congress is diving back into budget negotiations for Fiscal Year 2025. Draft bills passed by the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee include more than $3 million in appropriations for local projects supporting Charlottesville and Albemarle County efforts around affordable housing, infrastructure, and youth engagement.
The largest local appropriation included in the draft legislation would support Charlottesville City Council’s work to convert a “defunct commercial building” at 501 Cherry Ave. into mixed-use affordable housing. The $1.25 million in funding falls short of the original $2.4 million requested by Virginia Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner.
The redevelopment—located at the site of the former IGA grocery store—will reportedly include 71 apartments for “low- and moderate-income seniors, people with disabilities, and families,” according to language in the draft bills. Community members are invited to attend a meeting at the Jefferson School African Heritage Center auditorium on August 24 from noon to 2pm covering community input on the project and local history.
“The construction of 71 affordable apartments … will help provide workforce housing for people in Charlottesville and be a significant investment toward the goal of ensuring everyone can still afford to live in Charlottesville as our economy continues to grow,” said Charlottesville City Councilor Michael Payne in a comment via email.
Further funds have been allocated toward local affordable housing efforts, with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville afforded $1.074 million in the draft legislation. If included in the final congressional FY25 budget, the funds will support Habitat’s construction of 11 affordable units in the Southwood community.
“This funding helps Habitat honor the nondisplacement commitment we made to the original residents … by ensuring that we are able to construct the variety of home ownership and rental options necessary to meet the needs of every family who wishes to remain in Southwood,” said Habitat Communications and Annual Giving Manager Angela Guzman via email. “We sincerely appreciate this vote of confidence in Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville’s innovative, resident-led approach to tackling the affordable housing crisis in our community.”
The draft appropriations also provide Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority with $880,000 for vital equipment improvements. “If the funding is eventually approved, we will be using it to replace the existing powder-activated carbon system at the South Rivanna Water Treatment Plant with a new, more modern slurry feed system,” said RWSA Director of Administration and Communications Betsy Nemeth via email.
The congressional funds allow RWSA to lower costs for ratepayers, according to Nemeth, while maintaining access to clean drinking water.
Other notable local appropriations in the draft spending bills include $200,000 for ReadyKids, Inc. and $61,000 for the Boys & Girls Club of Central Virginia. Both programs aim to support local youth, with draft funds slated to support mental health counseling and out-of-school programming in Charlottesville and Albemarle.
“For every child that receives trauma counseling at ReadyKids, there are two children waiting for services,” said Eileen Barber, ReadyKids’ lead communications specialist, via email. “To ensure our counseling programs are sustained, we’re pursuing new opportunities, including earmarks, to bolster these essential services.”
Funding for the Boys & Girls Club will help with “transportation … so youth can access out-of-school-time programs and field trips after school and during the summer,” according to CEO Kate Lambert. “The project presents an opportunity to alleviate the current and persisting transportation issues and give youth access to a safe, inclusive, and productive environment during times when they are most vulnerable.”
While the draft legislation is promising, the funds are by no means guaranteed. Representatives have until September 30 to either adopt a budget or pass a short-term bill to prevent a government shutdown.
Bipartisan support within the Senate Appropriations Committee is a positive indicator for the budget legislation, but the bills must pass by the Senate at large and the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. In a joint statement announcing more than $125 million in funding allocations for various Virginia projects and organizations, Sens. Kaine and Warner celebrated the passage of the draft legislation and acknowledged the work still to come.
“We’re thrilled to see the Senate move forward on government funding legislation that includes essential funding to support our servicemembers and military families, implement our seismic investments in infrastructure and manufacturing, promote public safety, invest in affordable housing, curb fentanyl trafficking, improve customer service at the IRS, and much more,” said the Virginia senators. “We are looking forward to advocating for these priorities and working with the House of Representatives to provide robust funding bills that address the needs of Virginia and the country.”
