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A whole bunch of benefit shows this week. That is what Richmond does best, make killer tunes and help each other out.
Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? Hit me up at griffin@rvamag.com.
Supfest Night 1 | Alex Jonestown Massacre, Girlspit, Heavy Friends, Strawberry Moon, Receiver, Sara Schaefer & Fan Friction
Saturday, March 14th
The Camel
Insane two nights at The Camel this week. Supfest is a benefit show for the Richmond Community Bail Fund, put on by Single Use Podcast. There is a whole bunch of insane talent on this bill, but I want to single out one group that is very special to me. I’m heartbroken to say this will be their last show.
Alex Jonestown Massacre was one of the first bands I really fell in love with in Richmond. I was immediately taken by the absurd warmth that radiates off every member of the group, and even more taken by their message.
They are a politically and socially charged band. A lot of groups fall under that category, but this band has always made a better day seem possible, if not inevitable.
Their tunes have gotten me through some hard times, and their live shows have pulled me out of some dark places. It feels fitting that the band is going out with a benefit show, because this group cares.
Alex Jonestown Massacre is dead. Long live Alex Jonestown Massacre.
Supfest Night 2 | Destructo Disk, Rikki Rakki, Beefcake, Three Brained Robot, Terror Cell, Pleco
Sunday, March 15th
The Camel
Night two of Supfest is stacked with heavy hitters. This is going to be a great one if you want to move, because every band on the bill will make you dance.
As mentioned before, this is a benefit show, so I want to take a second to appreciate all of these bands for playing for a good cause. The Richmond Community Bail Fund is made up of amazing people doing important work.
In scary political times, all we really have is each other, and RCBF dedicates an incredible amount of time and effort to helping the community.
Let’s get at it and raise some money for our neighbors, friends, and loved ones.
Xaviersobased, Ksuuvi, Backend
Friday, March 13th
The National
Big show at The National this week with NYC rapper Xaviersobased. He’s credited with helping pioneer the “Jerk” sound, filling it with heavily effected vocals and fuzzy instrumentation. His music feels like a true product of the digital age. It’s noisy and busy, reflecting the pace of life for a lot of young people today. It captures that feeling of being in a packed club, shoulder to shoulder with a thousand people whose names you’ll never know. It’s strobe light turned auditory. The National better turn those speakers up, because this is music you want to hear loud.
Joining Xavier is Ksuuvi, hailing from the Bronx. His sound is a bit chiller, leaning more into a head-nodding vibe. It’s hazy and dark, like green lights cutting through fog. That atmosphere balances nicely with Xaviersobased’s more uptempo energy.
Rounding out the lineup is Backend, who take things even further into a laid-back groove. Their tracks lean on strong samples and instrumentation, creating beats that feel smooth and confident. The kind of sound that makes you feel indestructible, like the king of the castle.
Los San Patricios, TV Battle Stations, Zuri, Nasma
Sunday, March 15th
Banditos
We are seeing the first show from locals Los San Patricios this week. The new group is made up of veterans of the Richmond music scene, with members from Ramona and the Holy Smokes, Guzum, Wilson Springs Hotel, and Bucko. The band takes its name from the battalion of Irish immigrants who defected to Mexico during the American invasion of 1846, and they plan to keep that spirit of resistance to authoritarian and fascist regimes at the forefront of their Irish folk sound.
TV Battle Stations is riding the momentum of their debut EP Precious, and this group is feeling good. Their music feels like a beautiful glimpse into a sunny field. Bits of country and western drift through their indie rock sound on the breeze, alongside vivid, imaginative lyricism.
Zuri is a local rapper and R&B artist channeling that seamless ’90s sound. They carry the swagger of a clear influence like Mary J. Blige, but can snap into a hard-hitting verse that makes you feel ready to run through a wall. There’s a way they lock you in. Every word feels like gospel, every beat lands like an earthquake.
Nasma is a Palestinian poet and rapper fresh off the release of their recent single “ACTIVIST.” Their wordplay is sharp and rides over smooth, earworm beats. There’s a lot of range in their sound, with some tracks built around a clean piano riff and intimate vocals. You can hear their roots as a poet in the lyricism, which makes for a deep listening experience.
New Tunes
‘40 Days in a Western Hotel’ by Jack Stepanian
40 Days in a Western Hotel is Jack Stepanian’s new single. The tune unravels into a deeper listening experience; starting out as a lone guitar before the wave breaks and it is joined by steel guitar, drums, bass, and a rich and beautiful piano. The song looks like an old cowboy painting of the wind blowing across the plains. As the song progresses, you get hit by more and more powerful moments of vocals and instruments swelling and breaking, like waves crashing against a California beach.
Main photo of Destructo Disk
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