Traditional Music: A Lecture & Performance Series What is traditional music? What relevance does it have for us today in the 21st century? This noncredit lecture and performance series explores these questions and more through the lens of folklore, ethnomusicology, and performance. Students gain access to the contemporary world of traditional music by attending private performances, multimedia presentations, and engaging in conversations with musicians, folklorists, and ethnomusicologists throughout the state of Virginia. It all happens in one ideal location where music performance, technology, education, and food and drink converge in a congenial spirit of community and lifelong learning. The traditions under study include old-time, bluegrass, samba, jazz, blues, gospel, Sephardic, and Mande/Voltaic. By the end of the course, the students will have gained an insider’s knowledge and a greater appreciation for traditional music and some of its greatest artists and experts in the Commonwealth today. The series will be facilitated by ethnomusicologist Heather Maxwell, Ph.D. It will run for eight Tuesday evenings from 7-8:30pm beginning February 9. The tuition is $150. Dinner will be available at an additional cost beginning at 5:30pm. Advance registration is required through the UVa School of Continuing & Professional Studies. Call (434) 982-2779 or email scps-uc@virginia.edu for registration forms.
Thanks to the involved reader who submitted this to our Gossip address. [Photo Credits]
Due to a variety of (mostly good) reasons, it’s been a few weeks since my wife and I have been on proper date. Finally able, and celebrating my recent cVillain appointment, we decided to finally visit Bel Rio, one of Belmont’s newer dining establishments and much younger sibling of the C&O.
After searching the surrounding streets for a place to park, my wife and I were greeted at the door by Dave Simpson, one of the owners. Smiling and clad in a black t-shirt and gray pin-striped suit, Dave, one of the owners, walked us to our table and, not thirty seconds later, returned to pour our water. Needless to say, between Dave’s warm, personal service and the instant notion of being somewhere other than downtown Belmont (the East Village, perhaps?), I was left with a very good first impression…and the feeling that our date was off to a remarkable start. »Read More
Despite the rain, things were burning up this Saturday at Bel Rio as Trees On Fire returned with a not too loud, but quite energetic evening of organic, indie-folk-jams. Drawing from a wide range of musical taste, these boys inject an earthy, familiar vibe into a melting pot of of dance rock, reggae, and jazz with plenty of jamming throughout. The sizable crowd was hit with a tornado of violin, saxophone, mandolin, funk-guitar and synth; and it was clearly evident that nobody forgot their dancing shoes! Trees On Fires’ execution and musicianship were top notch, giving hints of everything from The Beatles and Bob Marley to Phoenix and Mutemath. I was left wanting little more than a few memorable hooks, which I kept wishing I would hear.
Bel Rio is a family friendly+late night spot on Monticello in Belmont and I had never seen the place more crowded. It was my first time to catch the guys live and now I can see what all the hype is about. I will surely be picking up a copy of their latest release, Organica Volume 1.
Music and more music, some unfortunately wet cats & dogs, and a play. Toss in a few of the bottles from our recent wine review and you’ll probably have a fun filled weekend.
Friday:
The Southern - Opens its doors for the first time for The Books, a very interesting looking/sounding group from upstate Manhattan @ 8:00PM – $15 [Info] Live Arts – Continues their performance of Glengarry Glen Ross daily, through Oct. 10th @ 8:ooPM – $14-$16 [Info] Escafe’ Presents – DJ Esc, dance party and all the only place for solid house music in town @ 11PM – Free [Info] iS Venue – Starts the weekend off right with The Leeroys & The (All New) Acorn Sisters @ 9:30PM – $7 [Info] Bel Rio – Has the Charlottesville Blues All Stars this evening @ 9:30PM – $7 [Info]
Saturday:
Lee Park – Veggie Fest! Looks like it may be in for a bit of a fresh water sprinkle, on the upside, there is no more ecological way to wash your veggies then the rain. @ 11:00AM-4:00PM – Free. [Info] iS Venue – Plays host to Grey Matter, The Double Hi-Fives, & Rhythm Administration @ 8:00PM – $6 (adv)/$8 (door). [Info] Bel Rio – Books Trees On Fire in one of their last performances of the season @ 9:00PM – $5. [Info] The Pavilion – Brings Grammy winner & country music star Lucinda Williams to Charlottesville for an evening @ 7:00PM – $33.50-$43.50 [Info]
Little birdies are starting to drop interesting tidbits into our boxes over the past few days, and this has to be one of the most intriguing ones.
Apparently, rumor that an Irish pub could possibly be coming to the old A&N/Obama space on the DT Mall have been prevalent for some time, however this round seems to have a few more gossipy tidbits attached to it.
Current rumor is that the space will be subdivided into multiple slots for businesses, and at least one of those is going in the ‘upscale Irish/late night music’ direction. And if you think late night music and Belmont, you get Bel Rio, and at least one of the owners is apparently the driving force behind this.
If so, this would be the fourth restaurant among the pair, as C&O, Bel Rio, & most recently Cantina all have Jim & Dave behind the wheel in some fashion.
Nothing solid in terms of a time line, and we are pouring over the Board of Architectural Review, which the last entry related to the space was dated September 16th, 2003.
We’ve got a pretty exciting weekend with a new restaurant opening, lighting of the tree and many other delicious things to help you forget not only how weird Thanksgiving can be, but also how retarded the rest of the internet can be. Make sure you visit cvilleMUSE for more arts and music events. Without further ado…
We have the unofficial menu for Belmont’s newest restaurant, Bel Rio. Unofficially, soups, salads and small plates are $5 to $10; big plates are $15 to $20. The menu is not finalized, but it should give you a good idea of what’s in store. Word is the restaurant already has all the licenses and is waiting for the blessing from the health department. Expect it to open in about a week. Menu is after the break… »Read More
Traditional Music: A Lecture & Performance Series What is traditional music? What relevance does it have for us today in the 21st century? This noncredit lecture and performance series explores these questions and more through the lens of folklore, ethnomusicology, and performance. Students gain access to the contemporary world of traditional music by attending private performances, multimedia presentations, and engaging in conversations with musicians, folklorists, and ethnomusicologists throughout the state of Virginia. It all happens in one ideal location where music performance, technology, education, and food and drink converge in a congenial spirit of community and lifelong learning. The traditions under study include old-time, bluegrass, samba, jazz, blues, gospel, Sephardic, and Mande/Voltaic. By the end of the course, the students will have gained an insider’s knowledge and a greater appreciation for traditional music and some of its greatest artists and experts in the Commonwealth today. The series will be facilitated by ethnomusicologist Heather Maxwell, Ph.D. It will run for eight Tuesday evenings from 7-8:30pm beginning February 9. The tuition is $150. Dinner will be available at an additional cost beginning at 5:30pm. Advance registration is required through the UVa School of Continuing & Professional Studies. Call (434) 982-2779 or email scps-uc@virginia.edu for registration forms.
