Tag: Pick

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Arts Culture

Pick: Jazz on the Fly!

Jazz on the Fly!, a two-concert mini-fest, takes place April 8-9 at Old Cabell Hall. Supplied photo.

Letting it fly: Jazz on the Fly! is a two-concert mini-fest that promises to be a “celebration of the return of live jazz to UVA.” Friday’s Free Bridge & Faculty show features the quintet of Jeff Decker (sax), John D’earth (trumpet), Peter Spaar (bass), and Robert Jospe (drums and percussion), along with “old friend” Calvin Brown (piano). On Saturday, the UVA Jazz Ensemble presents “Contingencies and Resiliencies,” a program of originals from Infernal Resilience, the group’s double album, which was recorded during lockdown.

Friday 4/8 & Saturday 4/9. Free-$15, 8pm. Old Cabell Hall, UVA Grounds, and live on YouTube. virginia.edu

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Arts Culture

Pick: Late Night Comedy in the Orchard

Albemarle CiderWorks hosts Late Night Comedy in the Orchard on April 10. File photo.

For sips and giggles: Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other cider…there’s more where that came from at Late Night Comedy in the Orchard. The laugh-filled evening features a lineup of comedians from Herron Comedy that will have you chuckling and chortling while you sip on cider (no spit-takes allowed). Past performers include Lucas Connolly, who appeared at Comedy Central’s New York and South Beach comedy festivals, and Jeff McBride, a New York-based stand-up comic and producer.

Sunday 4/10. $13-20, 6:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com

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Arts Culture

Pick: The Magnetic Fields

The Magnetic Fields, led by Stephin Merritt, perform at The Paramount Theater on April 11. Photo: Kevin Yatarola

A way with numbers: Cult phenomenon The Magnetic Fields have been breaking the mold for three decades with records like 69 Love Songs, consisting of tracks that range from 27 seconds to five minutes, and 50 Song Memoir, which chronicles lead singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt’s first 50 years of life with one song per year. Merritt, who wears only brown clothing, is known for his deep voice, dark humor, and clever lyrics. The intimate concert also features band members Sam Davol, Shirley Simms, Chris Ewen, and Anthony Kaczinski.

Monday 4/11. $35-55, 8pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

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Arts Culture

Pick: Joe Troop

Joe Troop performs at The Front Porch on March 25. Photo: Kendall Atwater

For the record: Having grown up as an openly gay man in the South, musician and activist Joe Troop is familiar with controversy. The bluegrass player has been threatened and chased off the stage, but that’s never stopped him from engaging in social activism through song. While on a year-long break from touring with his Argentinian-American string band Che Apalache, Troop returned to North Carolina, where he worked with progressive organizers to get the vote out and interviewed people affected by the Trump administration’s policies. This inspired his debut solo album, Borrowed Time, an energetic record of protest, plucky banjo, and Argentinian rhythms.

Friday 3/25. $20, 8pm. The Front Porch, 221 E. Water St. frontporchcville.org

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Arts Culture

Pick: The Moth

The Moth, a live storytelling showcase, visits The Paramount Theater on March 25. Photo: Flash Rosenberg

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

Friday 3/25. $24.75-39.75, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

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Arts Culture

Pick: Railroad Earth

Railroad Earth gives two evening performances at The Jefferson Theater. Supplied photo

Return to rock: Americana quintet Railroad Earth has been performing bluegrass with rock ‘n’ roll spirit for over 20 years. The band’s upcoming album, All For The Song, marks both the end of an era and the start of a new chapter—it’s the group’s first full-length studio record since losing founding member Andy Goessling to cancer in 2018. The songs blend wistful, narrative lyrics with lively, foot-tapping horn, harmonica, banjo, and fiddle. You can hear Goessling’s final ukulele and high-strung guitar recordings on the moving “Driftin’ The Bardo,” among other songs about road trips, biblical rainstorms, and a cathartic retreat to New Orleans.

Friday 3/25 & Saturday 3/26. $29.50-50, 7pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

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Arts Culture

Pick: Cider Saunter

Albemarle CiderWorks' Cider Saunter takes place March 19. Supplied photo.

It’s your lucky day: Throw on something green, lace up your tennis shoes, and continue your St. Patrick’s Day celebration at Albemarle CiderWorks’ Cider Saunter. Power walk, prance, or stroll to four different tasting locations scattered around the orchard, stopping to sample ciders selected by popular vote during the Cider Madness bracket showdown. Pair your drink with a tempting bowl of Irish stew or a gooey Irish grilled cheese from Raclette on the Run.

Saturday 3/19. $35-65, 1-5pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com 

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Arts Culture

Pick: Soccer Mommy

Soccer Mommy performs at The Jefferson Theater on March 21. Supplied photo.

True colors: “I wanted the experience of listening to color theory to feel like finding a dusty old cassette tape that has become messed up over time, because that’s what this album is: an expression of all the things that have slowly degraded me personally,” says Sophie Allison, aka Soccer Mommy. color theory is Allison’s sophomore album—a mid-tempo record driven by indie-rock and dream-pop beats under lulling melodies that are a front for dark, painful lyrics. For Allison, the album is a daring, unbridled self-portrait that examines mental health and familial struggles that have impacted her from childhood.

Monday 3/21. $20-25, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

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Arts Culture

Pick: A Fairy Tale Gathering

Charlottesville Ballet. Supplied photo

Tiny dancer: Introduce your tots to the art of ballet at A Fairy Tale Gathering, an original production from Charlottesville Ballet that’s specially designed for children and their families. Join Fairy Godmother and her whimsical friends, played by local students, for an afternoon tea party with famous fairy tale characters, including Cinderella, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Little Red Riding Hood, all performed by professional company artists. The 45-minute production is followed by a special VIP Ever After Party, where kids can take pictures and dance with the cast.

Sunday 3/20. $15-49.75, 4pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

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Arts Culture

Pick: Richmond Ballet

The Richmond Ballet performs four short works at PVCC's V. Earl Dickinson Theater. Supplied photo

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

Wednesday 3/9. $17-23, 7:30pm. PVCC’s V. Earl Dickinson Theater, 501 College Dr. pvcc.edu