Seemed like we got most of our snow early this morning; woke up late in the morning to an extra foot or so — it made the walk to work beautiful, but slow. As I’m writing this, huge construction vehicles are toiling noisily outside my the window down at the intersection of McEntire and Preston.

As near as I can tell, the only other places open downtown this afternoon are the Mudhouse and Christian’s. (The good news is I was able to get a slice for lunch, the bad news is that their cheese pizza is still some of the worst cheese pizza I’ve had outside of a Chuck E Cheeze’s.  What the heck happened to that place? It’s been dreadful ever since they opened all those new locations a few years ago… it used to be the best Pizza in town, as good as the genuine NYC stuff.) {UPDATE: apparently Café Cubano is open as well, and so is the West Main restaurant.}

Anyhow, I’m pleased to report that the show at Random Row tonight, billed as the Armageddon Community Roundtable, is still happening! It’s a Charlottesville synth-noise supergroup of sorts, featuring Chris Balint and John Bowman from Nectar Bats (formerly known as Mondo), Adam Smith from Great Dads (he’s also in Invisible Hand), Scott Ritchie from Myceum (he’s also in the Raquellos), Dylan Mulshine from Rhythm Bandit, and… I’m not even sure who else. They’ve been jamming together a lot recently, but this is their first public performance as an ensemble. It’s either gonna be a carefully orchestrated symphony of heavily fx-ed synthesizer tones, or a complete gibberish mish-mash of improvisation (or, most likely, somewhere inbetween.)

Either way, it should be really fun. If you are a fan of any of the acts above, or if you enjoyed the Charlottesville Experimental Music Showcase at The Bridge a while back… or if you’re just looking for something fun to do on a snowy Saturday night, then come check it out! It’s at 9pm, and the cover is $5 (in case you can’t tell from the poster):

{UPDATE: Thomas is also DJing again at The Box tonight; should be a nice after-party for the Random Row show, which I don’t expect will run too late.}

You may have noticed that it’s starting to snow a little bit — looks like this one’s gonna be another doozy.

• All City and County Schools are Closed
• The National Weather Service says travel will be “very hazardous or nearly impossible”
• Basically, you should find somewhere safe with heat and food, and stay there.

For those within safe, close walking distance of downtown:

• Cold Cave can’t get here for their Tea House gig tonight, but Nite Jewel and Bear War are still trying to put something together. No word yet on whether the Tea House will be open, so that show may happen elsewhere. {UPDATE: this show’s not happening at all. bummer! let’s hope those folks make it down here soon.}
• the Iron & Wine show at the Paramount has been canceled, and will be rescheduled.
• Lunatic and the Rascal will still be DJing at The Box tonight until last call; no cover charge. {NOTE: this is definitely still happening! If you’re looking for something to do tonight, this is pretty much it!}
• Here at Vinegar Hill Theatre, we’ll be showing the movie for everyone showtime at which we have at least one paying customer; “Crazy Heart” opens there today, and we were planning on having some extra late shows (11:15pm), but those may still get canceled depending on how well the earlier shows (3:30, 6:15, 8:45) do.
• the Blue Moon Diner will close at 3pm today. They’ll be closed all day tomorrow, and are intending to re-open for Brunch on Sunday.
• the Art Opening at The Garage, with photos by Sebastijan Jemec and Megan O’Hearn, is still happening; Sam reminds you to dress warmly, and says they’ll have coffee and hot chocolate when you get there. That’s from 5 to 7pm.
• the Mudhouse is open (and crowded)
• the Tea Bazaar is open (although they may close around 6)
• Miller’s and Rapture are both open
• Christian’s Pizza is open (although unfortunately Vita Nova is not)
• Chap’s is open (you may not be in the mood for ice cream, but remember they have great sandwiches and burgers and soup and stuff
• Haven’t checked either one personally, but I’ve been told both Fellini’s and Rev Soup are open…
• the Amos Lee gig at the Jefferson tomorrow is cancelled
• Blue Light Grill is open tonight and The Nook will be serving foods and beverages in the morning.
• Escafé is also open tonight.

As for things on the Corner and around UVa (for those already close to campus):

• UVa is shut down for everyone except essential staff
• WTJU will still be broadcasting around the clock — folks who live close to the station are doing double-duty and covering for the DJs who are stranded out in the county.
• There’s some sort of art show happening in the soon-t0-be-demolished space across from the 12th St Taphouse — heard some word of mouth about this show, but I’ve actually been unable to find any solid info about it even before it started snowing. Anyhow, I’ve been told that whatever that thing is, apparently it’s still happening.

Keep checking this space for updates — you can email us with your own info, or just leave it in the comments. Again, this is ONLY for people who are already close by — for everyone further away, just find a safe place with food and heat, and STAY THERE! Parties are fun, but they aren’t worth risking your life.

Folks, I regret to inform you that Cold Cave, scheduled to play at the Tea Bazaar tomorrow (Friday) night, have — somewhat unsurprisingly, given the circumstances — had to postpone their appearance.   The good news is that apparently Nite Jewel, the other out-of-town band, are still hoping to play, so we’ll do our best to keep you updated as to where and when that will end up happening. I’m hoping the third band on the bill, the Cville-based Bear War, will end up playing as well — they’re a really great act, and one I was looking forward to seeing again.

Also, I’m told the DJ set by Lunatic and the Rascal (aka Thomas Dean and Adam Smith Play Records) are still on for their gig at The Box, which I think was at least partly intended to function as an after-party for the Cold Cave gig; anyhow, Adam and Thomas will still be spinning, which is great news for all of us within safe walking distance of The Box.

FYI, the sold-out Iron&Wine show at the Paramount had been postponed as well; they’re moving the show to a later date, currently TBA.  I was initially worried about those two events conflicting — Iron&Wine is the rare live act that is actually capable of providing an intimate performance in a space as grandiose as the Paramount — but when I found out how expensive the tickets were, and saw how quickly they sold out, I decided to focus my personal interest / journalistic attention on the Cold Cave gig instead. But I’ll definitely keep y’all posted with news about that rescheduling, as I receive it.

Over the next few days, the Nailgun staff intend to attempt to remain a comprehensive source of information on closings, cancellations, postponements, etc.  The last time this happened, I think Jacob ended up making an adventurous trek around Charlottesville, texting me with a list of places that were open, so that I could keep updating the site with that info — we hope to do something similar or better this time around, so keep your eyes peeled.  On that same note, if you have a hot tip on some snow-related news, please do drop us a line — you can either leave a note in the comments, or e-mail me at nailgunmedia@gmail.com.  Until then, stay warm and enjoy the snow!

My friends Sarah and Steven have put together some great film screenings at Random Row for Black History Month; the first one is tonight!  Sarah (whom you may know as the founder / director of the Bridge Film Series, if that’s an indicator of the quality of her taste) says: “First up is ‘Aristide and the Endless Revolution,’ a timely look at Haiti before the earthquake. In 1991, Haiti’s citizens elected a former Roman Catholic priest and exponent of liberation theology, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, as president. Popular among Haiti’s poor and disenfranchised, Aristide become a target of Haiti’s business interests because of his daring policies which tried to raise the standard of living for the huge majority of Haitians. On February 29, 2004, Aristide and his family left Haiti on a US-dispatched airplane — according to Aristide, against his will; the US claims with his full cooperation. Nicolas Rossier’s powerful documentary focuses on Aristide’s later years as president, as he struggled to fulfill his promises of reform in the face of mounting domestic opposition (driven in large part by business and military interests) and, simultaneously, an increasingly hostile relationship with the United States. The screening starts at 7pm and there will be some snacks & tea provided, but feel free to bring your own as well!” Sounds pretty cool. There’s some other good ones coming up, especially “Killer of Sheep,” which I’m always thrilled to see again… More info as those screenings approach.

There’s also a show at The Box tonight, with Mister Baby! They’re always a fine band to provide the backdrop for a rousing night of inebriation and good cheer, so you might want to get that under your belt before the second blizzard hits… the other band on the bill I’m not familiar with, but they’re called J.P. Harris and the Tough Choices.  Box shows are always free, and that one (I’m guessing) starts a little after 10.(?)

Hope you’re all enjoying the snowy weather… hopefully it won’t interfere with too many of the cool events planned over the next 2 weekends!

Blair from Speakertree Records in Lynchburg had very good things to say about Givers who are playing at The Box tonight. Since opening Speakertree a year and a half ago, he’s also used his space to host shows on occasion. I am unable to list everybody who’s played there but I know Kurt Heasley from the Lilys played a special set as well as Jeff the Brotherhood and Lost in the Trees. Blair said Givers was one of his favorite shows he’s hosted to date so I am pretty excited to see them. They went out on tour with the Dirty Projectors opening some of their shows this fall so maybe you saw them if you caught the DC date. Canino’s spinoff the Left and Right Band will kick things off. They haven’t played many shows in town yet but I had the opportunity to see them before and I thought they were really impressive, especially since they sound as though they’re delving into some of my favorite bands from the 1990s. Things will start around 10:30, no cover, 21+.

Hey folks — hope you’re all staying warm and enjoying the lovely snowy weather.

Regarding tonight’s gig with  Those Darlins at the Southern, the Southern’s website says: “Those Darlins are on their way and we’re still on for the show tonight! Stay tuned as things could change with the falling snow. (2:38pm)” {UPDATE: the Southern’s site now reads: “6:06pm - SNOW UPDATE #2: Those Darlins and the Pine Hill Haints are both on 64 West heading our way! The snow has tapered off and it promises to be one of those epic nights! Come on Charlottesville, we just got through 3x as much snow, what are you worried about???”}

So good luck to them, and to the folks who can make it over there… looks like a really fun gig. Those Darlins have been described as an awesome trio of country-rockin’ girls. {Oddly, I’ve already heard two people compare them to the somewhat-lesser well-known band The Ones to Blame, who blew my socks off when they played at the Tea House about a year-and-a-half ago;} anyhow, it’s a comparison that got me excited about hearing Those Darlin’s as well (not to mention some excited praise from more than a few people in town), but the verdict’s still out on whether I’ll actually feel like going out tonight, or whether I’ll just end up at home with a glass of whiskey and some comic books.

For those who are looking to be snowed in for the near future, here’s some cool news to get you excited about the warmer weather: the Annual Valentines’ Day Bike and Bake thing is happening again this year; it’s a fundraiser organized by Community Bikes and Books Behind Bars, in which a squadron of folks dressed as cupids go around town delivering Valentine’s Pastries by Bicycle. Patrick tells us: “A $15 donation will get you one order of six heart-shaped vegan chocolate chip scones.  Each order is bike-delivered by a costumed cherub and comes with a hand-made Valentine’s Day card!  If you live outside the City, orders can be placed and picked up at the Quest Book Shop.  This is an ecological and tasty way to surprise friends, co-workers, employees, loved ones and crushes! Shelly Stern started Bake and Bike about 6 years ago, inspired by the fact that Saint Valentine was said to write to prisoners.  Combining that story with a love of bike-riding and scone-baking, the event has grown into a sizable operation mainly through word-of-mouth recommendations.”  That’s pretty awesome.

Here’s another upcoming event that I’m really excited about: a Nailgun reader named Bob emailed me to let me know that someone in town is organizing a performance of Terry Riley’s classic 1964 piece “In C” !!   Bob says: “Charlottesville baritone sax player Phil Kancianic is seeking local musicians interested in taking part in a performance of  “In C,” which WNYC’s RadioLab blog describes as “the 1964 Terry Riley piece that quietly changed the world of classical music (and eventually pop music too).” The Wikipedia page on the piece  is a pretty good description of what makes the piece unusual for both musicians and listeners. All instruments and vocalists are welcome. If interested, please write to InCville2010@gmail.com.”

I’ll add that it’s a classic work of really engaging, exciting, triumphant minimalism — the Wikipedia entry doesn’t really do it justice, but you can hear one of the original recordings of it here. It’s been performed by a number of ensembles over the years; the one that most people really seem to like is the Bang On a Can performance from 1998, but I’ve always been really partial to the Acid Mothers Temple version myself. Anyway, it should be a really awesome thing to see live. Bob, please let us know when there’s a date set for the performance!

Oh, and here’s one more Valentine’s Day weekend thing that I’m really excited about: the WTJU Sock Hop at the Tea House!

Tonight is Worn In Red’s tour kick-off show!  Also, it’s a special night for me because this is the first time in months that these guys are having a show that doesn’t coincide with my radio time at WTJU and isn’t the night before one of my exams.  I’d really hate to miss my chance to catch this performance considering they are taking off for the next six weeks (and I hope that’s enough incentive for the rest of you hardcore/metal/punk/progressive music fans out there).

A Cosmonaut’s Ruin, another talented band in the Cville hardcore scene, and the Raquellos (who, if you are not familiar, play magical, sea-faring folk rock) are opening for the Worn In Red dudes at The Southern.  As an added bonus, DJ Thrashley will be spinning tunes in the lobby in between sets (I don’t know this guys but DJ interludes are typically a plus in my book).  Doors are at 8pm and the show is 7$ which is nota bad deal for three band lineup at an excellent venue (the Southern might not have the most exciting interior, but the sound system is pretty impressive).

I’ve mentioned this before so I won’t waste too much time on a tangent, but the more hardcore, metal, and punk influenced bands in Charlottesville are often brushed over.  I typically hear members complain about how they get a better reception and audience in places like Richmond than they do in their own hometown.  Most likely, that concern will be proved wrong tonight because I’m expecting a decent-sized crowd to show up for what will definitely be an entertaining and a damn good performance.  I suggest ear plugs for the lesser experienced…seriously.

Hey folks. I just wanted to chime in and mention that today marks the fifth anniversary of Nailgun. Thanks to James and the rest of the crew for taking over the reigns after I left town. Thanks to all of you readers and friends, without whom this site wouldn’t still be around. And, of course, thanks to everyone who makes music in Charlottesville. It’s a place like no other.

As a little treat, I’ve finally uploaded the video from when was featured as “Blog of the Week” on CBS19. Take a look:

I meant to get this info up much sooner, but it’s been a hectic week trying to catch up with a lot of stuff… anyway, there’s an event at Random Row tonight that’s a benefit fundraiser for Haiti relief efforts; Wendy says:

“Love 4 Haiti will be an evening of music and art offerings from local artisans. A silent auction of art works, gift certificates, and dance lessons will begin at 5pm. A kaleidoscopic program of Charlottesville’s performing talent follows, including: Fire in the Belly (bellydance), Dzian! (world surf rock), Jdavyd Williams and the Basement Bhaktis (khirtan), Natty Peeps (roots reggae), Shootin Moon (acoustic), Matt Jones (acoustic), Secretly Y’all (storytelling), Scintillation (artistic fire dance), Stolen Arms (indie pop), and Your Spirit Animal in the Unreal City (psych shoegaze), and many more. Delicious food options donated by local restaurants will also be available for purchase”

“All the proceeds will be donated to organizations behind the earthquake relief efforts including Partners in Health (PIH), International Rescue Committee (IRC), UNICEF, and GHESKIO.”

There’s a lot more info, including a full performance schedule, and links to places where you can make donations over on this site. It looks like the whole thing will be running from 5pm until after midnight. Way to go, guys! This looks like a really interesting and worthwhile event.

Well, here it is at last. {Inspired by last year’s write-up, I thought: why not review my favorite albums of 2009?  But then of course I had too much to say about all of them, so I thought about making a single blog post for each record… but inevitably I ran out of time at the end of the year, and ended up saving all this info from week-to-week and trying to find time to add to it… now it’s finally done, and  here it is all in one disgustingly lengthy post for you to enjoy / skim over / completely ignore because you’re probably just here to see what shows are going on tonight. Nevertheless, if anyone actually does read even part of this embarrassing beast of a year-end summary, you can feel free to leave your dissenting opinions, approvals, smart remarks, or you own lists in the comments section. If you just want to read the list of my favored albums, with one simple sentence written about each… that should be appearing on the WTJU site some time last week.} So! Without further ado:

Grouper - “Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill” (Type)

Grouper is a solo artist from Portland, who has previously collaborated at length with Xiu Xiu and toured with Animal Collective. Her first three-or-so albums each contained a pleasantly murky sludge of gentle instruments and vocals peddled through so much reverb, echo, and room tone that they emerged a nearly unintelligible (yet lovely) mess once they crawled out the other side of the gentleness-swamp. Nice stuff.

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