Editor’s Note: Looking to get coverage for your music? We have a submission form. Take a minute to tell us about your project so we can better plan our editorial coverage. You can find the form HERE.
Lots of heavy stuff on the bill this week, and pairing with that we have some great benefits for local organizations. That is how RVA likes to do it.
Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? Hit me up at griffin@rvamag.com.
Suppression, Ostraca, The Slads, Cicada, Service Weapon, Curriculum
Friday, February 20th
Studio Two Three
We have got an absolutely nuts lineup at Studio Two Three as part of a benefit for No Mas Muertes and Richmond Community Legal Fund. Headlining this event is experimental hardcore noise group Suppression. This band blasts through songs averaging around 30 seconds but in those 30 seconds you find yourself fighting raw and blaring grindcore vocals and huge cymbal crashes. This may not be for everyone but if you like jumping in a pit and thrashing around with every fiber in your being, I think it is for you.
Ostraca is pure unbridled screamo. These vocals are getting ripped right out of the chest and thrown into a noisy and distorted scene that the guitar is putting down. The group certainly has some versatility and nails those slower moments before the big sonic breakdowns.
The Slads are heading down from Philly for this bill and like so much of the Philly punk scene, they are hot shit. Their sound is a bit of a mix of S.H.A.R.P. style barking and catchy riffs you might find from a group like 40 Reps. Cicada is a local hardcore group whose EP “We Are Going To Kill You” caught my attention. It is brutal and unapologetic like icy rain falling on your beat up cold. They blast through songs with as much power, strength, and speed as they can muster.
Next up we are looking at Curriculum. This band had a super interesting album come out last year entitled “space is the place to bury billionaires.” It is heavy and almost leans into a little bit of post-punk territory and is littered with surrealist lyrics that tell of a not too far off future. I have been hoping to catch ‘em live and this seems like a great occasion for it. I was not able to find much on Service Weapon but from what I gathered they seem like they are going to be stirring up a good bit of dancing at this show.
In addition to so many great bands, there will be a whole bunch of raffles for tattoos, gift cards, and crafts. This is a great organization with so much community involvement so you gotta make it out.
Restrictor Plate, Private Hell, Bacteria, No Paradise, Fleshing Machine
Saturday, February 21st
The Camel
Believe it or not we have another benefit for the Richmond Community Legal Fund.
Headlining this one is Restrictor Plate. This death metal band rips out the gate with the most snare hits you’ve ever heard in a single second. Their vocals are huge and powerful and have the same power as a hydraulic press. These guys are intense, intense, INTENSE. It’s probably for the best that you wear a mouthguard when they go into a breakdown because there will be feet flying, hands swinging, and probably some cartwheels. They do not waste a second and every beat is packed full of crunchy guitars and volcano vocals.
Next up we are looking at Private Hell, who have gained quite the reputation as heavy hitters in the hardcore/metal scene. They are a ferocious trio that seems like a portal into another dimension full of swirling clouds of dark grey smog. I love how sinister the vocals sound, it feels as if it’s coming out of a ten foot tall giant.
Now we turn our attention to Bacteria, a local group who counts their genres among “brutal grindcore, deathgrind, goregrind, and grindviolence.” I think that should explain a lot even if you do not know what those genres mean. They are non-stop-wall-of-sound with screeching vocals reaching over it all. I first found No Paradise a few months ago and was really taken with their demo. They remind me a lot of the classic hardcore pioneers like Bad Brains and The Exploited. They are not as heavy as the other bands on this bill but they make it up by having a really huge and catchy sound to throw down to.
Last up we got Fleshing Machine. This industrial group is creating sounds you have never heard. It is like EDM for hardcore kids. Their sound is right up in your face and is drenched in flashing lights and flowing beer.
Makaya McCraven, Junius Paul, Marquis Hill
Sunday, February 22nd
Révéler Experiences
Taking a dramatic change in mood we look at Makaya McCraven. McCraven is a self described “post-genre, jazz rooted” folk artist. His sound is full of vivid imagery. Some songs sound like bustling busy metros, where people are squeezing between one another to get to a cozy high up loft, while others sound like gentle conversations between two grasshoppers in a sunny field by an easy going brook. You are going to get a better story out of his set than whatever is playing at the movie theatre this weekend. This is living and breathing music right here, you can feel the pulse and the sweat and see the veins coursing through each song.
McCraven has collaborated with Junius Paul previously so it makes sense we are seeing them together on Sunday. Paul is a more than experienced jazz bassist with a whole array of influences from Jimmy Hendrix to Tribe Called Quest. His sound is snappy and unexpected and a whole lot of fun to dive into.
Last up we are looking at Marquis Hill. Hill is a composer, bandleader, and jazz trumpet player. His collaborations are really interesting which sees him in the realms of hip-hop, R&B, and soul. You can see how complete his vision is. Each song he is on is tight and interconnected with every moving piece contributing to a smooth and exciting ride.
New Tunes
‘Crossroads‘ by The Sunslingers
The debut single by The Sunslingers is out now, and it is pure train-hopping music. It is rich with a Deep South swing of blues and folk, with hints of Appalachian and rockabilly sprinkled in. The fiddle really takes the cake on this song for me. It blares away on those choruses to add to the anxiety that the vocals tell fireside. Overall, they really sell the storytelling aspect of the song. The singer tells about a demon that has his “name and under” and tries “to bring him under.” They really capture that feeling of running and uncertainty as the protagonist weighs his options. This is a great debut, and I cannot wait to see what comes next from this group.
‘Neighborhood Well‘ by Sundials
Okay, so technically this is not a new song. This is an old Sundials tune that was lost in the sands of time but recently resurfaced and remastered. It is from their first 7-inch, and it has their classic personal closeness. The main chord progression is just so damn compelling. It is absolutely teeming with life. You can feel the sweat falling from foreheads and the heat perforating off the walls as you listen to it. This is a choice tune, and I am glad to see it back available.
Main photo of Bumpin Uglies by Ryan Jacquot
Support RVA Magazine. Support Independent Media in Richmond.
At a time when media ownership is increasingly concentrated among corporations and the uber wealthy, RVA Magazine has remained one of Richmond’s few independent voices. Since 2005, the magazine has provided grassroots coverage of the city’s artists, musicians, and communities, documenting the culture that defines Richmond beyond the headlines.
But we can’t do this without you. A small donation, even as little as $2, one-time or recurring, helps us continue to produce honest, local coverage free from outside interference. Every dollar makes a difference. Your support keeps us going and keeps RVA’s creative spirit alive. Thank you for standing with independent media. DONATE HERE.
We’ve got merch HERE
Subscribe to the Substack HERE
And Reddit HERE
And YouTube HERE
