As Jim Waive mentioned from the stage just before launching into his show-closing set at Satellite Ballroom, this may be the last time that he and his band the Young Divorcees take the stage at the venue’s current location. To steal a phrase from ol’ Hank Williams, if that indeed was the case, then they went at it by “settin’ the woods on fire”. As a matter of fact, all three performers on Friday’s night dance card at Satellite, in their own way, burned brightly for the crowd of a hundred or so that turned out to see some of Charlottesville’s most talented songwriters sharing the same stage.
A singer/songwriter, a bluesman, and a honky tonker. Three local musicians who represent some of the best that Charlottesville has to offer in their particular genres will put on three great shows in two days as Paul Curreri (left), Eli Cook (center), and Jim Waive and the Young Divorcees (right) all bring their musical talents to local stages on Thursday and Friday.
Paul Curreri kicks things off on Thursday with his performance at the Gravity Lounge. Paul is coming off a tour of Europe back in February and March and U.S. West Coast swing in April and Thurdsay’s show will mark Paul’s first performance in Charlottesville in quite some time. His show at the Gravity will be a chance for local fans to welcome home one of Charlottesville’s brightest singer/songwriters. Joe Pollock and David Jacobs open. 7:30pm. $8.
For more info on Friday’s shows from Eli Cook and Jim Waive and the Young Divorcees… »Read More
(Well at least at its current location anyway.) And while it may not be reason to cry, it doesn’t mean we have to like it.
For a couple of weeks now the last scheduled show at Satellite Ballroom was the Punch Brothers concert on May 16. A quick check of Satellite’s website reveals that a trio of shows featuring local artists have been added to the line-up.
–The Nice Jenkins, Order, Truman Sparks, Invisible Hand, and the Cinammon Band(!!!) on Thursday, May 22.
–Beetnix, Trees on Fire, and Kings of Belmont on Friday, May 23.
And the big hootenanny will be on Saturday, May 24 as C-Festpresents “Acoustic Mafia“. Scheduled to perform are:
Paul Curreri, Shannon Worrell, Andy Waldeck and the Cvillians, Helen Horal, Acoustic Groove Trio, Sarah White, and Jim Waive, with Morwenna Lasko and Jay Pun tentatively scheduleld to appear. In addition, professional audio recording, video recording, and photography services have been enlisted to capture this one in all it’s glory.
This is going to be a blowout so make sure to save the date now!
[UPDATE: Wednesday, 05/01, 11:40am. Truman Sparks and Invisible Hand have been added to the line-up on Thursday, May 22]
In case you haven’t already heard, the ink is now dry on the deal that will indeed bring a CVS Pharmacy to the UVA Corner. The store will occupy the space that currently houses Plan 9 Music, Just Curry, Higher Grounds Coffee, and the Satellite Ballroom.
Terry Vassalos, owner of the Anderson Brothers Building which currently is home to the four previously listed local businesses, has confirmed the deal is done with NBC 29. The story also confirms that efforts are also currently underway to locate a new home in Charlottesville for the Satellite Ballroom. No word yet on when CVS will begin to move in or when it plans to open its doors.
This is one of my all-time favorite songs from the Nick Lowe catalog. I believe this video was recorded in 1979 from the British TV show “Top of the Pops”. The song is “Cracking Up”.
For more details on Nick Lowe and his upcoming performance tomorrow night at the Satellite Ballroom…
Now that the fate of Satellite Ballroom’scurrent location is no longer in doubt, the next big story as it concerns the Charlottesville music scene is what will fill the hole that the Satellite Ballroom’s closing has now created?. It’s a good question and the answers, at least for the time being, seem elusive.
The Problem
Here’s what we know. On the morning of June 1, Charlottesville will no longer have a medium-sized venue that can hold between 400 and 600 people and play host to a number of national and regional bands as they pass through our area. Not only does this not bode well for music fans in Charlottesville, it also creates a concern for local musicians and for the local music industry as well.
The Satellite Ballroom served as a venue where up-and-coming local musicians could step into a larger spotlight. For now that spotlight is greatly diminished. But the larger problem at hand is the fact that without a venue of Satellite’s size, Charlottesville could essentially find itself ‘out of the loop’ so to speak on the live music touring schedule. Come June 1, where would bands like Band of Horses, M. Ward, The Avett Brothers, They Might Be Giants, and others come to play?
When looking for answers, one of the often-mentioned solutions is the current renovation of the Jefferson Theater taking place on Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall. Hoping to find out where things stand in regards to the Jefferson Theater, I gave Kirby Hutto, the general manager of the Charlottesville Pavilion, a call to see if he could shed some light on the progress being made.
It appears that the news is official. The Cavalier Dailyreports today that Plan 9 Music will not be renewing its lease on its retail space in the Anderson Brothers Building on UVA’s Corner. Plan 9’s lease is set to expire at the end of May.
As a result, the three subtenants on Plan 9’s lease, which includes the Satellite Ballroom, Just Curry, and Higher Grounds Coffee will now be forced to shut down their operations in the building as well. The move clears the way for what appears to be a new CVS location in the Anderson Brothers Building.
It is a sad day indeed for the Charlottesville music scene. Thanks to each and everyone involved with both the Satellite Ballroom and Plan 9 Music’s Corner location for all the great tunes! I’m sure we haven’t heard the last from many of you.
The complete story from the Cav Daily can be found here.
This is clearly one instance where drugs and rock n roll do not mix.
As more and more details are made public it appears that there isn’t much good news to report on the fate of the Satellite Ballroom. By now everyone and their brother is aware of the talks that are currently underway to sell the Anderson Brothers Building to make way for a CVS Pharmacy on the UVA Corner. The Anderson Brothers Building is currently home to the Satellite Ballroom, as well as Plan 9 Music, Higher Grounds Coffee and Just Curry.
But as John Ruscher reported in last week’s C-VILLE, Terry Vassalos, who owns the Anderson Brothers Building, is now quoted as saying that a final deal with CVS is drawing nearer.
“We’re pretty close to a deal,” Vassalos says. “But for me it will be a done deal when I see the sign of CVS on it.”
[You can read the complete story from the C-VILLE here.]
In response to these latest developments a group of local supporters have rallied to show their support for the Satellite Ballroom. Last Friday (April 18) they organized a letter writing campaign on the UVA Lawn to raise support for the music venue in its fight for its lease. The letters were to be mailed to Terry Vassalos, as well as to Coran Capshaw and to a number of local media outlets. The group hopes to organize similar events in the coming weeks. If you’d like to learn more or find out how you can get involved, simply email satelliteunite@gmail.com.
The Satellite Ballroom’s lease runs out at the end of May. As it stands right now, the last scheduled show on the Satellite calendar is the Punch Brothers performance on May 16.
It’s a ”jam”-packed Thursday for music fans in Charlottesville. We begin with this:
Any band that cooks with the “Iron Chef” and finds musical inspiration from Keanu Reeves should not be taken lightly. All hail local rockers The Kings of Belmont! Check them out for yourselves Thursday as they open for San Francisco-based jam band Tea Leaf Green at Satellite Ballroom. 8pm. $14.
.
From the Kings of Belmont we move on to the kings of Queen. Here’s your opportunity to raise your lighters in the air and sway from side-to-side as Gary Mullen and The Works remind you that “We are the Champions of the World!” and don’t you forget it! This award-winning Queen tribute band are touring the US for the very first time and you can catch them Thursday at the Paramount Theater. 8pm. $23.50 - $34.50. Party on Wayne, party on Garth.
For the rest of tonight’s musical happenings… »Read More
The title alone should be enough to get the attention of our friends over at the Charlottesville Drinking Club. Who knows? Maybe once they hear about this one, they may change their usual Wednesday get-togethers to a Friday for a change of pace. And why not?
This Friday marks the beginning of one of Charlottesville’s Rites of Spring as Fridays After Fivekicks off at the Pavilion on the Downtown Mall with The Sons of Bill!. And if that alone isn’t reason enough to celebrate the end of the work week, then what do you say we up the ante with a smokin’ double shot of Charlottesville performers at the Satellite Ballroomto close out the evening as Sarah Whiteopens for 6 Day Bender. By the way, 6 Day Bender (pictured above) will also be celebrating the release of their brand new self-titled debut album on Friday.
Did I mention that it’s also supposed to be sunny and in the 70’s on Friday? I’m not suggesting you call in sick to work and try to squeeze in a three-day weekend or anything but you may want, at the very least, to have Wahooptie on speed dial for that late night ride home. For all the particulars on these Friday happenings…
.
(Well at least at its current location anyway.) And while it may not be reason to cry, it doesn’t mean we have to like it.
In case you haven’t already heard, the ink is now dry on the deal that will indeed bring a CVS Pharmacy to the UVA Corner. The store will occupy the space that currently houses Plan 9 Music, Just Curry, Higher Grounds Coffee, and the Satellite Ballroom. 
