While there are a lot of great music performances coming up this weekend (Black Crowes, Jesse Winchester, and Bill Kirchen to name just three), all eyes will be on the skies come Friday evening as fireworks will light up July 4th in Charlottesville and surrounding areas.  There are a number of 4th of July events on tap and Haidee over at cvilleStyle has the details a-plenty.  Check ‘em out here:  Guide to July 4 festivities in Cville.  As for your music calendar for the holiday weekend…. 

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Friday, July 4

• Fridays After Five.  Get your pre-fireworks groove on with The Chickenhead Blues Band at the Charlottesville Pavilion.  The Rogan Brothers open.  Gates at 5:30pm.  No charge.  In addition, you can also catch the Chickenhead Blues Band at Fellini’s on Friday at 10pm.  $5 cover.

• Rhythm on the River.  Scottsville’s 10th Anniversary Summer Season of Rhythm on the River continues on the 4th of July with performances by Ron Johnson (who opens) and Richmond’s own stellar bluegrass band Jackass Flats.  At Dorrier Park in Scottsville.  Music from 6-9pm.  No charge.  Fireworks follow.

• Afton Mountain Vineyards Independence Day Celebration.  You can find all the details here. 

• Charlottesville’s resident punk-rockers The Stabones are at Play (located behind Rivals Sports Bar and Grille).  Doors open Friday at 4pm, show starts at 5pm.  (Interesting start time for sure, but it is a holiday).  $9.  With Culdera, Alien Cabbage, Two Kings, and Against Grace. 

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Saturday, July 5th

• The biggest show of the weekend is at the Charlottesville Pavilion on Saturday as The Black Crowes with special guests Grace Potter & the Nocturnals promise to provide a few fireworks of their own.  We’ve got that one covered here:  The Black Crowes to Light Up July 4th Weekend in Charlottesville.
• If you want to keep the party going on Saturday, the Outback Lodge is hosting the “Black Crowes After-Party” with Horsehead and Book of Job on the bill.  1opm.  $8.
• 2nd Annual Crozet Summer Fest.  All day Saturday beginning at 10am.  Parade at 3pm.  Crafts, food, amusement rides.  Live music beginning at 11am with Eli Cook, The Wave, Down Til Now, and more.  Fireworks at 10:30pm.  No charge.  Donation benefit the Crozet Fire Department.
• Legendary singer/songwriter Jesse Winchester performs at the Gravity Lounge on Saturday at 7:30pm.  $20 advance/$25 day of show.

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Sunday, July 6

• My hot pick of the weekend!  Bill Kirchen must love the Charlottesville area because this is his second visit in less than a month.  Lucky for us!!!  A guitar master of the highest order, Kirchen was the guitarist for the seminal rock n roll band Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen and has been called a “Titan of the Telecaster”.  He hasn’t done too bad as a solo artist either.  His most recent album Hammer of the Honky-Tonk Gods (2006) is stellar!  Catch him live on Sunday at the Gravity Lounge with his band Too Much Fun.  The Taters open.  7:30pm.  $20.

• For the rest of your musical happenings check out our Charlottesville Events section on the right side of this page.

Be safe!  Have a great 4th of July weekend!  Go see some live music!  And blow off a couple mortars and bottle rockets for me would ya?

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