There are plenty of places to catch a concert or see a play in the city of Charlottesville, many of them associated with (or at least popular among the students of) UVA.

In addition to the Culbreth and Helms Theatres, and the Heritage Reperatory Theatre, associated with the university, there are a number of professional companies working in the city as well, with Live Arts perhaps the most notable performing primarily contemporary works.

For more something more rocking, there are a number of small venues around the city that feed off of the thriving music scene and the youthful energy of the university. Miller’s on the Mall is perhaps most famous for the fact Dave Matthews worked there as a bartender before hitting it big (he formed the Dave Matthews Band while living in Charlotte), but it also known among locals for bringing in some of the best local and national blues and jazz acts. Trax (122 11th St.), is now a favorite site for DMB to play when they return to the area. And Tokyo Rose, near the university campus, is a sushi bar that moonlights as a small, funky concert venue, and is known for bringing in up-and-coming indie acts.

When you are planning your visit to Charlottesville, be sure to check out the schedule for the newly opened John Paul Jones Arena (opened September 2006). This 15,000 seat venue had scheduled for Fall 2006 such concerts as James Taylor and Eric Clapton. This arena is within walking distance of several hotels and motels and most campus locations.