It’s been almost two months now since the Satellite Ballroom closed its doors for good as part of a deal that will now bring a CVS store to the Corner location that once housed not only the Satellite, but also Just Curry, Daily Grind, and Plan 9 Music’s Corner location.  When we spoke with Kirby Hutto with the Charlottesville Pavilion back in April about the closing of Satellite and the hole in the Charlottesville music scene it would leave behind, he was quick to mention that finding a suitable venue to replace the Satellite Ballroom was an “urgent priority”.  It appears that that urgent priority may soon be transformed into what is shaping up to be a budding reality.

In case you haven’t heard, Coran Capshaw’s Red Light Management has found a location for a new music venue in Charlottesville and will lease a nearly 5,000 square foot warehouse located behind the King Lumber Building at 608 Preston Avenue.  The Red Light group has already filed their application for a special use permit with the City of Charlottesville and the matter will now be taken up by the Planning Commission at a meeting on August 12.  If approved by the Planning Commission, the final step in the approval process will fall to Charlottesville City Council, who would have to give their OK to the plans for the proposed venue in a meeting to be held in early September.  With the approval of City Council, Red Light hopes to have the new venue up and running sometime in early fall of this year.

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I’m actually going to keep this brief.  There are a couple things I didn’t get to today, but there’s always another day.  I’m off for a weekend in the mountains so the blogging will be on the down-low until next Tuesday.  I’ll see you then.  In the meantime, get out there and see some music, fire up the barbecue, have fun, and be safe.

Check out our Charlottesville Events on the right side of this page for all of your weekend musical happenings.  Of course highlighted by the last two shows at the Satellite Ballroom.  (tonight’s Trees on Fire, Kings of Belmont, Beetnix show and Saturday’s Acoustic Mafia Satellite blow-out.  I don’t know if they’ll be handing out souvenirs or not, but if they do, somebody save me something).  Also if you get a chance to check out Great American Taxi at Gravity Lounge on Sunday, you won’t be disappointed.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend everyone and welcome to the start of summertime in Charlottesville.  Peace!

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The Awesome Few at Satellite Ballroom [photo credit  Tom Daly]

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CVSestival.  I didn’t come up with it.  To my knowledge Truman Sparks did.  But it sums it all up in many ways.  A music gathering that was part protest, but at its heart was still about the music.  And in the end, music will live longer than a big box retailer and it will live longer than whatever happens to come after that as well.  So as the crowd filed in to the Satellite Ballroom last night for one of the venue’s final shows, you couldn’t ignore the fact that soon a CVS will occupy the space where so many folks have seen so many great bands.  But you also couldn’t ignore the string of talented musicians that filled the stage and the Satellite Ballroom with three chords, the truth, and a raised fist for rock n roll.  A CVSestival indeed! »Read More

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05/22:  Song(s) of the Day.  Kings of Belmont–Talking to Myself
                                           Trees on Fire–Spinning
                                           Beetnix–Let’s Go 

Of the remaining three shows still on the Satellite Ballroom calendar, I have to say that Friday night’s show appears to feature the most ecclectic line-up of the bunch.  With a bill that boasts the rock of Kings of Belmont, the organic grooves of Trees on Fire, and is topped off by the hip-hop of The Beetnix, this one promises to represent an interesting cross-section of Charlottesville sounds.  In addition, The Travis Elliot Band had been recently added as the evening’s opening act.

You can catch all four bands under the same roof on Friday, May 23 at the Satellite Ballroom.  Doors open at 8pm.  $12 advance/$15door.  Videos for our trio of Songs of the Day after the break. »Read More

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05/21:  Song of the Day.  Acoustic Groove Trio–Soul Starr

Not only are we taking these opportunities to highlight some of the artists performing at the last run of shows at the Satellite Ballroom, but we’re also trying to highlight the music of those artists as well.  So with that said, today we present for your listening and viewing pleasure a live performance from the Acoustic Groove Trio.

This three piece Charlottesville-based band combines the soul of John Legend with the acoustic rhythm of artists like Ben Harper and Jack Johnson.  The Acoustic Groove Trio will be joining Paul Curreri, Shannon Worrell, Sarah White, Jim Waive, Helen Horal, Jay Pun and Morwenna Lasko, and Andy Waldeck and the Cvillians as part of C-Fest’s Acoustic Mafia concert on Saturday, May 24.  This will be the final show at the Satellite before the doors are closed for good.  Doors open at 7pm.

Check out Acoustic Groove Trio performing “Soul Starr” after the break. »Read More

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For awhile there it looked like we had heard the last from local rockers Truman Sparks as back in April the band announced that they may be playing their last show together.  But as luck would have it, and aided by the feedback of select focus groups and a couple of burritos, Truman Sparks turned away talk of retirement and now they continue to “melt the faces” of music fans here in Charlottesville and beyond. 

Your next opportunity to catch this local four-piece in action arrives on Thursday, May 22, as Truman Sparks joins The Nice Jenkins, The Cinnamon Band, Invisible Hand, and Marshall Costan’s Awesome Few for one of the final shows at the Satellite Ballroom.  Doors open at 8pm.

We caught up with three of the band’s members on the eve of their final performance at Satellite for a little game we call 7 Questions.  Our queries and their answers can be found after the break. »Read More

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May 20:  Song of the Day.  The Nice Jenkins–Dance 4 My Baby

As I was looking over the final week of shows at the Satellite Ballroom, I’ve decided to unofficially name the Thursday, May 22 show at Satellite “The Most Bang for Your Buck”.  Here’s the line-up:  The Nice Jenkins, Truman Sparks, Invisible Hand, The Cinnamon Band, and Marshall Costan’s Awesome Few.  Now here’s the cost.  $3adv/$5door!  Either way I don’t know how you could pass this one up.  Doors open at 8pm.

(I was going to call this show The World Famous Hallelujah Cotton Candy Rent Party! but The Nice Jenkins already beat me to it by using it as the title of an album.  You can catch a live performance of “Dance 4 My Baby” from The Nice Jenkins album TWFHCCRP after the break.) »Read More

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It’s sobering in some ways to talk about welcoming a Charlottesville musician back home to a local stage in one breath (Devon Sproule) only to realize in the next breath that we also must highlight the closing of a local stage that has provided a home of sorts to so many Charlottesville musicians.  But such is the case, as we acknowledge that this appears to be the final week for live shows at Satellite Ballroom before it closes its doors at the end of the month. 

It seems fitting however that the Satellite would focus the attention of its final four shows on highlighting the talents of so many local artists beginning Wednesday, May 21 and concluding on Saturday, May 24.

Throughout the week I’m hoping to highlight a few of the artists scheduled to perform at these final shows including videos by The Beetnix, The Nice Jenkins, and The Acoustic Groove Trio, two “Seven Questions From the MUSE” segments with Shannon Worrell and Jon Bray of Truman Sparks, and we will begin our farewell to Satellite Ballroom by asking you this simple question: »Read More

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I pulled out an old Peter Case album just to refresh my memory.  Case is a fantastic songwriter who is highly respected in some circles, but remains virtually unknown in others.  I’ve got Flying Saucer Blues in the CD player right now.  If you’re so inclined, check out track 2:  “Cool Drink O’ Water”, track 4:  “Walking Home Late.”, and track 11:  “This Could Be The One”.  I’m sure you can find a preview somewhere on the interweb. 

Or you could check him out in person, as Peter Case stops by the Gravity Lounge tonight.  Case’s most recent album Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John received a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Folk Album.  The talented Nathan Moore from over in Staunton, VA opens.  Show time is 7:30pm.  Cost is $15. 

And that’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg… »Read More

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The British indie-rock band British Sea Power, best known for their elaborate live performances and epic guitar-pop sound are performing at the Satellite Ballroom tonight, Wednesday, May 7.  The show is being presented by WNRN 91.9FM and features opening acts The Rosebuds and Jeffrey Lewis.

British Sea Power’s first two albums, The Decline of British Sea Power in 2003 and Open Season in 2005, both were highly praised by critics and music fans alike.  Their most recent album Do You Like Rock Music? was released in February of this year.  With a sound that has been compared to the likes of The Cure, The Pixies, and Joy Division, this promises to be one of the last great rock shows before the Satellite closes its door at the end of the month.  Doors open at 8pm.  $14.

The video for “No Lucifer” from the band’s latest release can be enjoyed by all after the break. »Read More

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