Sound Choices: Album

Long looks, short takes, and smokin’ covers

Kate Bollinger

Look at it in the Light, Ghostly International

Look at it in the Light, Kate Bollinger’s debut release on Ghostly International, is a soul-searching expedition. “Pleases me to know I might be wrong / if only I had known it all along,” the Richmond, Virginia, native sings on “I Found Out,” the EP’s opening track. According to the artist notes on Bandcamp, Light’s title is a “reference to the aspects of Bollinger’s life that she knows need examining.” And examine she does, in an honest, emotionally piercing way that anyone struggling to grow can relate to. The resulting music is as sweet and playful as it gets when you’re tackling tough self-examination. Working with Richmond artists John Trainum and Chris Lewis, Bollinger has been likened to Big Thief, Cat Power, and Weather Station. (As a bonus treat, take a look at Pear Juice Productions’ humorous, charming music video for “Who Am I But Someone,” which captures a throwback feel, with modern sensibilities.) Bollinger takes the stage at The Southern Café & Music Hall on June 18 (release date, April 22).

Work Wear

Charger EP Films on Song

Sonatine EP WarHen Records

Whether it’s the Southern-tinged alternative rock of Work Wear or the post-punk of Films on Song, this split EP is a deep musical dive, with three songs from each act. Charger and Sonatine play like a stacked bill at a small club: Work Wear’s songs all pass the seven-minute mark, and brim with vulnerability (“What is it you would say / If I never changed?”) and adventurous guitar breakdowns à la Modest Mouse. Films on Song’s tracks are shorter, and often favor absurdity (“We can leave this planet if you’re bored and want to go / I’d be happy happy to”). It’s a you’ve-beenpunked, tongue-in-cheeky taste of what we hope to hear more of from this “small gang of humans.”Check out the double EP on Warhen’s Bandcamp page at a pay-what-you-will price (release date, May 6).

Shadowgrass

Shadowgrass, Self-released

The members of bluegrass country band Shadowgrass met in 2014 at fiddler conventions in southern Virginia and North Carolina, bonded over a love of hot pickin’, and have been traveling the country ever since. The group’s high-energy, soul-resonant music frequently ventures away from traditional bluegrass, and has won a slew of awards.

And whether it’s Grateful Dead’s ”Mr. Charlie” or Hall & Oates’ “Rich Girl,” Shadowgrass’ spin on classics is a progressive, string-rich sound that doesn’t forget where it came from. The band’s solid writing is evident on intricate instrumental tracks like “Carl’s Breakdown” and “Creatures of Havoc,” and the vocally rich “Brushy Mountain Pen” shows a talent for storytelling that might find other musicians covering Shadowgrass songs in the future. Shadowgrass appears on the main stage at HoustonFest in Galax, Virginia, on June 10 (release date, April 29).—Greg Walker

stage

Accidental Death of an Anarchist. See listing for Wednesday, June 1. $20-25, 8pm. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org CPG Black Box Staged Reading. Featuring Zaharra Colla’s Black Panther and Cathy Ames Turner’s You Lookin At It with postshow discussions to aid these playwrights in finalizing their works before full productions. Free, 7pm. The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, 233 Fourth St. NW. jeffschoolheritagecenter.org

Wilde Nights: The Importance of Being

Earnest. Enjoy Oscar Wilde’s comedy of manners from the James River Theatre Company. $25, 7:30pm. Trump Winery, 100 Grand Cru Dr. trumpwinery.com

words

Friday Night Writes: A Reading Series for

Emerging Writers. Performing short stories, poetry, and music. Free, 7pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. ndbookshop.com

etc.

IX Flix Free Summer Film Series: In The

Heights. A free film screening every Friday night. Free, 6pm. IX Art Park, 522 Second St. SE. ixartpark.org SummerStage No.2. Music from John McEuen, food, and drinks. $10-35, 6pm. The Blackburn Inn and Conference Center, 301 Greenville Ave., Staunton. blackburn-inn.com WTJU 65th Anniversary Reception. Celebrate 65 years of WTJU with a reception and live music by The Gladstones. Free, 5pm. The Stage at WTJU, 2244 Ivy Rd. wtju.net

Saturday 6/4

music

Cake Fight. Modern pop and classic rock. Free, 7pm. Durty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com John Kelly. Live music in the Orchard. Free, 2:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com

stage

Accidental Death of an Anarchist. See listing for Wednesday, June 1. $20-25, 8pm. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org CPG Black Box Staged Reading. See listing for Friday, June 3. Free, 7pm. The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, 233 Fourth St. NW. jeffschoolheritagecenter.org

words

Explore to Read. Walk the garden trails to find enlarged pages of a storybook about nature. Free, 10am. Botanical Garden of the Piedmont, 950 Melbourne Rd. piedmontgarden.org Jay Bourgeois: The Tao of Strategy. A reading and discussion. Free, 4pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St. ndbookshop.com

classes

Dot Painting: Mandala of the Month. Learn the relaxing art of dot painting by painting a mandala on a ceramic dish. $40-65, 10am. Lazy Daisy Ceramics, 1709 Monticello Rd. daydreamdotter@gmail.com

etc.

Charlottesville City Market. Fresh produce, handmade gifts, homemade baked goods, and more. Free, 8am. Charlottesville City Market, 100 Water St. E. charlottesville.gov IX Farmer’s Market. Over 60 local vendors with fresh produce, prepared foods, artisan goods, and more. Free, 9am. IX Art Park, 522 Second St. SE. ixartpark.org

Wildrock’s River Stones Family Pro-

gram. Visit with therapy animals and play restorative nature games. $25, 1pm. Wildrock, 6600 Blackwells Hollow Rd., Crozet. wildrock.org

Sunday 6/5

music

The Jazz Connection. Jazz quartet playing standards and originals with occasional guest performers. Free, 5pm. Kardinal Hall, 722 Preston Ave. kardinalhall.com

Soundflight 2—Opera in the Quarry Gar-

dens. See listing for Friday, June 3. $15-45, 6pm. The Quarry Gardens at Schuyler, 1643 Salem Rd, Schuyler. victoryhallopera.org Vincent Zorn. Enjoy brunch with live music. Free, 11am. South and Central Latin Grill, Dairy Market. southandcentralgrill.com WTJU Vinyl Takeover. WTJU’s radio DJs spin some tunes. Free, 1pm. Potters Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

dance

Salsa Class. Learn to salsa and strut your stuff. $6-8, 7pm. IX Art Park, 522 Second St. SE. ixartpark.org

stage

Accidental Death of an Anarchist. See listing for Wednesday, June 1. $20-25, 2pm. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org

etc.

Paramount at the Movies Presents: Shark-

nado. It’s raining men…hang on, wrong movie. It’s raining man-eating sharks. $5-8, 2pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Monday 6/6

music

Berto & Vincent. Wild gypsy rumba. Free, 7pm. South and Central Latin Grill, Dairy Market. southandcentralgrill.com Gin & Jazz. Brian Caputo Trio performs in the hotel lobby. Free, 5:30pm. Oakhurst Hall, 122 Oakhurst Cir. oakhurstinn.com Jazz First Mondays. Tunes from a jazz quartet. Free, 5pm. Starr Hill Brewery Tap Room, 5391 Three Notched Rd., Crozet. starrhill.com

Summer Celebration Series: Music Mon-

days. Experience live music from Matt Johnson, and enjoy complimentary access to the one-acre putting course. Free, 6pm. Birdwood Bar & Grill, 410 Golf Course Dr. boarsheadresort.com

etc.

Sedona Taphouse Dine Out For Charity.

One dollar for every flat-iron steak and salmon sold goes to SARA. Price varies, all day. Sedona Taphouse, 1035 Millmont St. sara cville.org

Tuesday 6/7

music

Cville Band Summer Concert #1. Celebrating the band’s centennial season. Free, 7:30pm. Claudius Crozet Park, 1075 Claudius Crozet Park, Crozet.cvilleband.org

Soundflight 2—Opera in the Quarry Gar-

dens. See listing for Friday, June 3. $15-45, 6pm. The Quarry Gardens at Schuyler, 1643 Salem Rd., Schuyler. victoryhallopera.org Vincent Zorn. Rumba night. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

classes

Planting for Pollinators. Learn about the newly planted pollinator beds and pots at The Center and get ideas for creating your own gardens and pots using plants that will attract butterflies, hummingbirds and other vital pollinators. Free, 6:30pm. The Center at Belvedere, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecentercville.org