Get Out! events, shows, things to do

"Erotic longing is really a longing to merge with something greater than oneself. For every kind of love is a force that holds the promise of taking us beyond the limitations of our individual lives."
― Julianne Davidow

With Valentine's Day fast approaching there is love, longing, lust, and anxiety converging all around us. A Hallmark holiday, yes, but for those with loves in their lives and not, the day is fraught with meaning. How will you celebrate the holiday? A card and flowers to a sweetheart? Notes to the people you care about? Hunkered down alone in your apartment cursing the lovers around you?

Fortunately, there are a number of creative ways to experience the love the holiday represents, from the jealousy and love found in Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, to the reading of raunchy love letters, an erotic gallery show, a wild cabaret night at Live Arts, Valentine's tea at Ash Lawn-Highland or wine at Keswick Vineyards, Beauty and the Beast opening at JPJ, the film Like Water for Chocolate at the Paramount, a Father/Daughter Valentine's Day dance, restaurant specials, and people on bicycles selling heart-shaped scones for charity. Heck, you can even get fake married at Fellinis #9 on Valentine's Day!

Yes, we do love this place. ♥

OPENING ACTS

50 shades of Firefish
Fifteen local artists have plumbed the depths of human sexuality through sculptures, paintings, drawings, and photographs to bring you the second annual SIN Show, dubbed an "exploration of eroticism through art," at Firefish Gallery on the Downtown Mall.

Gallery owner Sigrid Eilertson (her own erotic work is pictured here) has not been shy about provoking our libidos, tempting us as she did with the C'Ville Pin Up Girls show last month, a benefit for the Emily Couric Cancer Center that featured photos of busty, saucy ladies. 

The SIN show promises to "not only arouse the senses but to interpret human sexuality" in the physical form through art. And contrary to the show's provocative title, Eilertson says it will "joyfully embrace sexuality as not just an indulgence but as a necessity to being human." The works range from the explicit to the subtle, from larger than life phalluses to nude figure drawings and expressions of fetishism.

"The idea was conceived last year as a result of my becoming inflamed by puritanical comments regarding sexuality and gender orientation from extreme conservatives," says Eilertson. "I believe that human sexuality should be embraced in whatever form one wishes to express themselves as long as everything is consensual."

February 9, Firefish Gallery, 7-9:30pm

Bonnie and Clyde Raunchy lovin'
Over at The Bridge there's a Valentine's Day celebration that got its start last year with the mad, criminal (note photo of Bonnie and Clyde) loving, heartbroken, and heartmended ravings of poets, story-tellers, and warriors of love who dared share their experiences in the drama we call relationships. Once again, Raunchy Love Letters, an open reading and storytelling performance, brings the wisdom of the loved and lovelorn to the holiday. Come with a date or go stag, read a poem or even your favorite break-up letter. There will be red velvet cake, PBR, and cupcakes.
 ♥ February 14, the Bridge PAI, 7pm, free

Punch Brothers' Chris ThileMusic heal thy heart
The New Yorker has called the Punch Brothers' music "a mystical alchemy of old-time music and contemporary sensibilities," while Vanity Fair has called their latest album, Who's Feeling Young Now?, "their most expressive work yet as an ensemble – sophisticated, pop-y, kinetic and profound, all at once." The New York City-based quintet of mandolinist Chris Thile (pictured), guitarist Chris Eldridge, bassist Paul Kowert, banjoist Noam Pikelny and fiddler/violinist Gabe Witcher got their start in 2006, when the musicians and friends, all individually successful in the progressive string-band scene, got together one night, as Thile told the Nashville City Paper, "to drop a ton of money, drink too much wine, eat steaks, and commiserate about our failed relationships.

"We had gotten to play together a few days before and we had said that we needed to do something musical together," said Thile. "With our hearts smashed to pieces, it became more urgent — our lives had gone the same way for so long. I knew I wanted to put together a bluegrass band — one with a lot of range, but aesthetically a bluegrass band."

February 11, Jefferson Theater, 8pm, $23-$25

Jaimy Gordon reads

In a surprise move that shocked many in the literary world, the 2010 National Book Award winner for fiction was not a big namer published by a mega publishing house –– it was Jaimy Gordon's Lord of Misrule, a subtle book about horse racing at a rundown West Virginia track, with a publication run of just 2,000 copies.  Though a veritable dark horse in that race, Gordon is a big literary presence, the author of three other novels, the winner of three NEA literature fellowships, and a professor of creative writing at Western Michigan University for over thirty years.  Lord of Misrule has been praised in every major literary publication, and is an expansion of Gordon's Best American Short Story, A Night's Work.  Plus, she's funny and really nice, too. 

February 13, UVA Bookstore, 8pm, free

THE LIST

2/7
Theater: American Shakespeare Center presents Julius Caesar. Blackfriars Playhouse. 7:30pm $24-$35.
Theater: Speech and Debate, a comedic play. Live Arts. 8pm. $20-$25
Film: Art21 Screening and Discussion Series begins with “Play”. Cityspace. 12pm. Free.
Art: Layers, abstract paintings by Kiki Slaughter. Les Yeux du Monde. 1pm. $15.
Sports: UVA men’s basketball vs. Clemson. JPJ Arena. 7pm. $17-$27.
Art: Governor’s School of Arts and Humanities student work on display. Shenandoah Valley Art Center. 5pm. Free

2/8
Theater: ShenanArts presents Nunsense at nTelos Theater in Staunton. 7pm. $10-$17.

Film: Friday Film Series. Greene County Library. 7pm. Free.
Sports: UVA women’s basketball vs. Duke. JPJ Arena. 7pm. $6-$15.
Theater: Sixteen in 10 Minutes or Less, set of 10-minute comedic plays. Four County Players. 8pm. $12.
Wine: Fireside Fridays features wine, food, music, and a warm fireplace. Early Mountain Vineyards. 6pm. Free.
Theater: Walk On- the Rosa Parks Story. Paramount Theater. 10:30am. $7-9.
Art: Atelier One, showroom opening. La Linea Bella. 5pm. Free.
Art: Phoning It In, opening reception. PVCC South Gallery. Open hours. Free.

2/9
Theater: The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare. PVCC Theater. 7:30pm. $5.  ♥

Theater: Live Arts whacked-out cabaret, cash bar, 9pm, $10.  ♥
Art: Russ Warren Studio Critique Class plus Early Modernist History. Les Yeux du Monde. 1pm.
Art: We Bury Our Own, works by Christian Thompson. Kluge Ruhe Aboriginal Art Museum. Open hours. Free.

2/10
Theater: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Broadway musical. JPJ Arena. 7pm. $35-$55.  ♥
Food: Romantic Valentine’s Day Dinner. Delfosse Vineyards. 6:30pm. Reservations required.  ♥
Film: Like Water for Chocolate. The Paramount. 3:30pm. $15  ♥
Sports: Fresh Meat Open Recruitment for Charlottesville Derby Dames. Key Center. 6pm. $5.
History: Valentine Anniversary Tea. Ash Lawn-Highland. 2pm. $20.  ♥

2/11
Comedy: Hamner Improv Troupe presents Improv Mondays. The Hamner Theater. 6pm. Free.
Theater: Showing of Auksalag: a Telematic Opera. OpenGrounds, The Corner Building. 7pm. Free.

2/12
Reading: Poetry Writing Contest. Milli Joe Coffee and Gelato. 6:30pm. Free.
Sports: UVA men’s basketball vs. Virginia Tech. JPJ Arena. 7pm. $17-$27.
Mardi Gras: Wild Wolf, featuring beads to all, Cajun specials, best costume prizes and live music. 5pm. Free.
Mardi Gras: Devil’s Backbone, wear a themed costume and get a gift. 5pm. Free.
Mardi Gras: Drag queens, food and costumes. Fellini’s #9. 5:30pm. Free.

2/13
Beer: Art Drinks, enjoy locally-crafted beers and mingle with other art enthusiasts. Champion Brewing Company. 5:30pm. Free.
Reading: Wenonah Hauter, author of Foodopoly. New Dominion Book Shop. 5:30pm. Free.
Film: Half the Sky screening. Vinegar Hill Theater. 7pm. $5.

2/14

Dinner: specials for two, plus “Elvisina” conducts marriage ceremonies, Fellini's #9

Activism: One Billion Rising, celebrating women, demanding an end to domestic and sexual violence. Music, dancing, free food. UVA Newcomb Ballroom. 11am-6pm. Free.

SOUND HOUND

2/7
Koda Kerle and Maria Borgman of Chamomile and Whiskey at Wild Wolf.
Railroad Earth at The Jefferson. $22.50-$40.
PC Worship, Great Dads, Ming Ming at Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar. $5.
Ocean Versus Daughter, Beako at Blue Moon Diner.
Drex, J.D, Chavez at Fellini’s #9.
Whoa Bear, Beako at The Box.
Julius Hangman at The Whiskey Jar.

2/8
David Hill at Devil’s Backbone.
Sally Rose Band at Wild Wolf.
UVA Chamber Music Festival at McIntire Department of Music.
Man Man and Murder By Death at The Southern. $15.
Mice Parade, Daniel Lippel at Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar. $7
Anna Vogelzang, Pat & Sasha at The Blue Moon Diner.
Alegria Latin Combo featuring Peter Richardson. $5.
Blue Rock at The Whiskey Jar.                                                      
Open Mic Night at Rapunzels, $2 donation

2/9
The Design featuring Jen Stuart at Wild Wolf.
James Chamber Players at Veritas Vineyards.
Vusi Mahlasela, Jamal Millner, Pete Spaar at The Jefferson. $18-$20.
James Wilson (from Sons of Bill) and Carleigh Nesbit at The Southern $10.
The Fire Tapes, Ugly Purple Sweater at Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar. $5.
Matthew Willner at Fellini’s #9. $5.
Beako at Whiskey Jar.
Buzzard Hollow Boys CD Release Party at Plank Road Exchange.

Party Night with Sally Rose at Rapunzels, $10 donation

2/10
Patrick & Aaron Olwell and Friends at Albemarle Cider Works.
Jukebox the Ghost, Matt Pond, & The Lighthouse and the Whaler at The Southern. $12-$14.
Charlottesville Municipal Band Ensemble at the Municipal Arts Center.
Hogwaller Ramblers at Fellini’s #9.
Thomas Gunn and Friends at Plank Road Exchange.

2/11
Skip Haga at Wild Wolf.
Dane Alderson and Friends, DJ Williams at Rapture/R2.
Blues and Stuff at Blue Moon Diner.
Jazz Collective #9 at Fellini’s #9.

2/12
Megan Jean and the KFB at The Blue Moon Diner.
Dixieland Band at Fellini’s #9.

2/13
Ronnie Johnson at Wild Wolf.
Southern Belles at Rapture/R2.
Yankee Dixie at South Street Brewery.
Jim Waive at The Blue Moon Diner.
Danny Barrale at Fellini’s #9.
Doug Mains and the City Folk at Para Coffee

Venues: Wild Wolf Brewing Company (434-361-0088), The Southern (434-977-5590), Devils Backbone Brewing Company (434-361-1001), The Blue Moon Diner (434-980-6666), The Whiskey Jar (434-202-1549), The Edge at Wintergreen Resort (434-325-8080), Rapture/R2 (434-293-9526), Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar (434-293-9947), Fellini's #9 (434-979-4279), Miller's (434-971-8511), Old Cabell Hall (434-924-3376), Main Street Annex (434-817-2400), Plank Road Exchange (434-823-2001), Random Row Books (434-295-2493), The Jefferson (434-245-4980).