David Dillehunt’s documentary Butterfly Vendetta traces the hometown roots and evolution of the Charlottesville-based band of the same name. Their notoriety began with comedian Lewis Black mentioning the band on stage as a joke in one of his specials. Black’s joke went viral, launching their act nationwide in a way that any indie band would kill for.
Throughout the film, Butterfly Vendetta members David Dillehunt, Bianca Vee, and Abrill Macbeth recount the band’s beginning as separate acts with David experimenting with keyboards and public access TV projects, Bianca developing her voice and stage presence through local bands and open mics, and Abrill blending his comedy and punk influences. It was only a matter of time before these three distinct paths would intersect.
The film then explores the beginning of the trio’s collaboration. David and Abrill worked together on public access and sketch comedy projects, while Bianca played in the background with various Charlottesville musicians. Their shared passion for performance eventually intersected in the mid-2000s, when David began experimenting with edgier solo compositions. Around the same time, all three collaborated on the sketch-comedy film Craptastic, where Bianca and David’s musical chemistry was first tested. The group recalls how David’s shy, methodical creativity balanced Bianca’s extroverted drive, allowing them to begin writing and recording original songs together.
By 2008, Bianca and David were working closely on new tracks they wrote as a duo. David pushed himself to learn multiple instruments to flesh out their sound, and together they began performing publicly under the Butterfly Vendetta name, even as Abrill explored his own punk project, Freak Flag. After the tragic passing of a close collaborator in 2011, the momentum shifted, and the three solidified their partnership. With the addition of drummer Corrina, the band’s lineup expanded into a powerful four-piece, and they began performing live with greater energy and confidence. Their shared hardships and personal losses deepened their bond, transforming Butterfly Vendetta into not just a band but a surrogate family.
The members of Butterfly Vendetta are together outside Restless Moons Brewing in Harrisonburg.
“…transforming Butterfly Vendetta into not just a band but a surrogate family.”
The documentary then explores the band’s evolution beyond friendship to family, their individual creative influences, and the symbiotic relationship they have with the diverse styles of the Charlottesville music scene.
Clearly, Butterfly Vendetta is a passion project for Dillehunt, but how does it stand on its own to the world outside of Charlottesville? Let’s be honest. Despite its fame, I had not heard of Butterfly Vendetta until now. Dillehunt finds a way to make an unknown band interesting. I’m sure for anyone who’s ever tried to start a band, here are three strangers who found one another and created an organic sound together. It’s a story that is heartwarming because it doesn’t end the same way other band stories turn out…fractured and bitter.
The film is a bit long, but the benefit is that we hear Butterfly Vendetta music videos complete and uninterrupted—not just quick clips. I’m no music expert, but I’d describe their sound as a blend of hard rock and folk music. Butterfly Vendetta likes to rock, but their lyrics are introspective. You get that as most of the documentary is about the trio describing the band dynamic, their personal journeys, and their love of being on stage.
In the end, Butterfly Vendetta is more than a band’s origin story—it’s a testament to friendship, resilience, and the power of music to turn collaborators into family.
For screening information, visit the Butterfly Vendetta official website.
"…Black's joke went viral, launching their act nationwide in a way that any indie band would kill for."
