<p>This is old news, but I just heard about it...another reason why Virginia is the best.</p>
<p>That's just a real estate scam...</p>
<p>What a joke! Don't fool yourself, there isn't even a real club to go see a live band in this town. All the "so-called" clubs are just modified restaurants. How can C'ville be the best place to live w/o a dance club or vibrant music scene?</p>
<p>ummm...most towns don't have a "vibrant music scene."</p>
<p>The Dave Matthews Band came into existence in Charlottesville's "nonexistent" music scene. In fact, violinist Boyd Tinsley has used words like "wonderful" and "active" to describe Charlottesville's music scene.</p>
<p>Anyways, since when does a city or town have to have a stunning music scene to be among the best places in the country to live? Read the article, spyderman, and consider its author's assertions.</p>
<p>Ah yes, I was wondering when someone would bring up the DMB. I guess that makes C'ville the breading ground for future superstars? Yes, the DMB got their start here in good ole C'ville, but they were an anomaly. BTW, how long ago was that, 15+yrs? What was the latest "hot act" to come out of C'ville? Dar Williams? Look out. Is Miller's still part of the music scene? Miller's is a dump for drunks.</p>
<p>People like Howie Long, Sissy Spacek, John Grisham...etc. like to live in the outlying counties because property values for 100+ acres was cheap when they bought, and residents in the city don't make too much of a fuss.</p>
<p>With a population of just about 40K, sans students, how does C'ville even qualify as a 'city'? Rents have sky-rocketed to $650 for a basic one bedroom apt., while income lags due to the lack of a viable job market.</p>
<p>Don't fool yourselves, C'ville is a city wannabe. The article is biased. It's a real estate scam.</p>
<p>I don't think it's entirely a real estate scam, spyderman, since I have seen and looked at the book they are quoting in travel sections of bookstores.</p>
<p>C-ville isn't a city the way that NYC, DC, and Chicago are - and never will be. It is, however, lovely, scenic, and affordable. If the nightclub scene is your thing, then C-ville is just not a good place for you. They do have some nice shopping, a lovely outdoor mall, and some fabulous restaurants - proving that the South does do international foods well! C-ville is also accessible to DC (depending on how traffic on Route 29 is) - although mostly by car, as the public transportation is lacking.</p>
<p>spyderman,
Charlottesville has a pretty decent music scene. Places like StarrHill and the Satellite Ballroom have some pretty good smaller bands come through, for instance OAR played at Starr Hill last month. The new Charlottesville Amphitheater has some decent shows (albeit for older people) with Loretta Lynn and Bob Weir (of the Grateful Dead). The Paramount Theater hosts some decent music like the Indigo Girls, Yo-Yo Ma, Vince Gill, The Temptations as well as numerous other jazz and classical musicians and comedians. </p>
<p>This October the Rolling Stones will be playing at Scott Stadium and Trey from Phish will be opening. UVa has already hired a venue manager to begin booking shows at the new John Paul Jones Arena. Finally the University Programs Council also hosts concerts I know in the past they have had The Roots, OAR, 2 Skinnee J's, Pat McGee, Guster, and Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals.</p>
<p>So while the "Best City in America" might be a real estate scam, I would argue that the music scene here is more better than most cities of a similar size.</p>
<p>slammer, tourism scams are usually tied to real estate scams. They go hand-in-hand. Ever win a weekend trip to a time share? They make you sit through a high pressure sales pitch. No real diff here.</p>
<p>Spyderman,</p>
<p>In what way was the book a 'tourism scam'? Charlottesville was not the only city ranked in the book; was the book a 'tourism scam' for the cities ranked near the bottom of the list? Like I said, this was a legitimate book published by one of the biggest publishers in the industry (Wiley), and while I personally probably wouldn't rank Cville at the top of my list of places to live I don't understand what strange vendetta you have against the city. This was not a real estate or tourism scam, it's a press release by a Cville residents' association detailing information found in an impartial book.</p>
<p>Theslammer, I think spyderman's vendetta against UVA is a result of some sort of rejection at some point. Whatever.</p>
<p>totally agree...he probably goes to Tech</p>
<p>They are right... it is a very impartial source which was reported on the website by a biased source.</p>
<p>C-ville can be a fantastic place to live - maybe not the nightlife that some people would want, but it has almost everything you can want from a big city (food, fair amount of shopping), good access to DC, and is quite affordable and safe. It's also lovely. Minimal traffic. Pedestrian friendly. Those things really factor into quality of life as you get older - just not so much for the 18-ish crowd.</p>
<p>Hey, don't forget the close-by wineries...</p>
<p>That's why Money mag listed it as #90 and not #1. </p>
<p>Granted, it's not the worst place in VA, but #1, HA! Maybe if you've only lived on a farm somewhere or haven't lived anywhere that truly has culture, C'ville might satisfy your needs. But don't expect to come here from Frisco or NYC and expect to be blown away. Hell, there isn't even an Bally's Jack La Lane here. Job market stinks too. Hopefully the music scene will be getting better, but right now... it's just not here. Every big name act either stops in DC or Va Beach/Richmond.</p>
<p>Although, Charlottesville is ranked #90 by Money Magazine, you will notice it is in the "winners" section. Money, along with any magazine, has to change its list every year (even if the cities themselves don't change) to sell its magazine. At one point Charlottesville was #32. Do you really think the city went down by 60 over the course of a few years. What is important is that Charlottesville has always been known as a "winner" or one of the top 10 places to live in America.</p>
<p>See this website:</p>
<p>From the website (no dates / years of when award was given):</p>
<p>USA Today - #1 place to live
Kiplinger's Personal Finance - #2 Healthiest Place in US
Reader's Digest - Top ten place to raise children
Money - #1 in Virginia, #32 Nationally
American Health - #6 Healthiest Place for Women
Golf Digest - #1 Place for Retired Golfers
Outside: One of 7 "dream towns"
Tennis: #1 Tennis Place in US
A&E Channel Magazine - #6 Best Place in US
E-Podunk.com - #1 College Town</p>
<p>:) at VirginiaAlum</p>
<p>Charlottesville is a better college town then:
Knoxville-UTK
Memphis: UofM, UTM
Nashville:Vandy, Belmont
Murfreesboro:MTSU
As a tennessean i have first hadn knowledge that Charlottesville is better than pretty much anything here</p>
<p>ooo but uvajeff 09, nashville has such a sweet music scene. It MUST be better!</p>