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Richmond Music Week 2023

Local Music In The Spotlight at First Ever Richmond Music Week

by | Jul 28, 2023 | AMERICANA & BLUES, FESTIVALS & PARTIES, FUNK & JAZZ, HIP HOP & RAP, MUSIC, POP & TOP 40, RECORD LABEL NEWS, RHYTHM & SOUL, ROCK & INDIE

Hey, Richmond, ready for a shot in the arm? Well, next week, prepare for the maiden voyage of Richmond Music Week, a coordinated strike from some of the city’s stalwart music institutions — HearRVA, Ignited, The Auricular, RVA Playlist, Shockoe Records, and Virginia is for Music Lovers. It’s a bold move, attempting to bottle the lightning that is Richmond’s eclectic 804 music scene.

Act One: 804 Day, No Cost RVA Block Party

Picture this: Shockoe Bottom’s market area, snug between 16th and 17th streets, morphs into a bustling indie music hotspot. This ain’t just another Friday. 804 DAY is the nucleus of the current Richmond sound, and it’s a wide-open invite, which means its FREE next Friday 4-9PM August 4th, 2023.

On the menu? The atmospheric indie anthems of Sun V Set and The Latin-funk fusion of Los Malcriados will have you shaking it, while rapper Chance Fischer’s got lines to lose yourself in.

But don’t sleep on Jaylin Brown’s potent neo-soul and jazz fusion, or Merciful Zero’s sonic cocktail of pop, rock, hardcore, doom, and alternative. Prepare for a PumpHouse blues explosion and the intoxicating, hazy rock of Rikki Rakki.

And if that ain’t enough, the Tin Can Fish Band brings the bluegrass, Rodney “The Soul Singer” Stith dives deep into the R&B abyss, and jazz master Weldon Hill will tickle the ivories to enchant you.

And, oh yeah, hip-hop heavyweights Mad Skillz and Michael Millions are dropping in too. Decent, right?

Scene Two: Local Music Mixer and The Live Shows

Come Saturday, August 5th, Gallery5 is opening its doors for HearRVA’s second annual Music Mixer. You show up, you contribute, and our community’s creative spirit gets a boost, with proceeds going to the LIV – Life Is Valuable foundation.

Expect more noise as the week rolls on with the city’s favorite music joints — The Camel, Black Iris, and Get Tight Lounge — lighting up. Record stores and studios are unlocking their gates, with pop-up events on the horizon. FULL SCHEDULE BELOW.

The Grand Finale: RVA Rapper’s Delight

Then, it all comes to a head on August 11th with RVA Rapper’s Delight, a hat tip to half a century of hip-hop. Local legends and trailblazers like Nickelus F, Noah-O, Radio B, and Cane will hit the stage, with Rep! Mike Street playing host and Hip Hop Henry spinning tracks at the storied Hippodrome Theater.

The Last Word

Look, Richmond Music Week is more than just a series of gigs. It’s a testament to Richmond’s wild and varied music landscape, a showcase of the rich vein of talent running through the 804. Every day, every stage, every artist beats with the heart of Richmond, and it’s about time we shared that pulse with the rest of the world.

Doug Nunnally, the brains behind The Auricular, puts it like this: “This week is a spotlight on the diverse, gutsy artists that call Virginia’s capital home. You name it, we got it: pop, hip-hop, rock, jazz, electronica, R&B, metal, folk, punk, experimental, and more.”

So, clear your schedule, and get yourself to Richmond. This is where it’s at.

Friday, August 4th

SATURDAY, AUGUST 5th

SUNDAY, AUGUST 6th

MONDAY, AUGUST 7th

TUESDAY, AUGUST 8th

THURSDAY, AUGUST 10th

FRIDAY, AUGUST 11th

RVA Staff

RVA Staff

Since 2005, the dedicated team at RVA Magazine, known as RVA Staff, has been delivering the cultural news that matters in Richmond, VA. This talented group of professionals is committed to keeping you informed about the events and happenings in the city.

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Topics: 804 Day, Black Iris, Cane, Chance Fischer, Doug Nunnally, Gallery5, Get Tight Lounge, HearRVA, Hip Hop Henry, hip-hop history, Hippodrome Theater, Holy River, Ignited, indie music performances, Jaylin Brown, LIV - Life Is Valuable foundation, Los Malcriados, mad skillz, Merciful Zero, Michael Millions, music lovers, Music Mixer, music scene, Nickelus F, Noah O, pop-up events, PumpHouse blues, Radio B, record stores, Recording studios, Rep! Mike Street, Richmond Music Week, Richmond talent, Rikki Rakki, Rodney "The Soul Singer" Stith, RVA, RVA Block Party, RVA Playlist, RVA Rapper’s Delight, shockoe bottom, Shockoe Records, Sun V Set, The Auricular, The Camel, Tin Can Fish Band, Virginia is for Music Lovers, Weldon Hill

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