Labor Day weekend is here, and if your plan was to sit around doing absolutely nothing for four days, Richmond has other ideas. Here are ten things worth getting out of the house for this Labor Day weekend.
Commonwealth Sound Exchange
Thursday, Sept. 3 through Saturday, Sept. 5 | Studio Two Three
Richmond’s experimental side gets three days to make as much noise as it wants at the inaugural Commonwealth Sound Exchange. The festival brings together noise, ambient, electronic, gamelan and avant-garde artists from Richmond and beyond, including Drew Daniel of Matmos, John Wiese, Leila Bordreuil, Matt Boettke and Richmond’s Gamelan Raga Kusuma.
Several performances are one-off collaborations created specifically for the festival, so don’t count on catching them again. Music starts at 5 p.m. each day. Three-day passes are $47. Read our write up HERE
Southern Gothic x TIDAL
Friday, Sept. 4 | The Branch Museum | 7–11 p.m.
Southern Gothic continues carving out its own corner of Richmond’s underground with its first collaboration with TIDAL. The night centers Black, POC and LGBTQIA+ underground artists with Infinite Coles, abdu mongo ali, Alfred., Billy Capricorn, CLWDWLKR and DJ J. Kirvin, along with an artist panel and the release of a new Richmond music compilation featuring eight artists. Tickets are $20 presale and $30 general admission.
Radical RVA Pride
Saturday, Sept. 5 | Carillon Lawn / First Unitarian Universalist Church | Noon–6 p.m.
A week before Virginia PrideFest takes over Midtown Green, Radical RVA Pride offers a much more grassroots version of Pride. The locally funded, alcohol-free and corporate-sponsor-free gathering brings together more than 75 local artists and makers, live music, mutual aid groups and community organizations, along with food from Cluck n Roll, Zaab Eli and Good Vices. It’s free.
Rich Blue Hues Fest
Thursday, Sept. 3 through Sunday, Sept. 6 | Chromophore Artspace
Rich Blue Hues Fest takes over Chromophore Artspace for four days exploring the Black diaspora through visual art, food, music, conversation and wellness. Friday brings the exhibition’s public opening, Saturday features the Blue Bazaar with local and regional makers, and Sunday closes things out with wellness programming followed by Blue Notes, an intimate live music event.
First Fridays + Gallery5 Season Kickoff + Virago Alley
Friday, Sept. 4 | Jackson Ward | 5–10 p.m.
First Fridays is already one of Richmond’s easiest Friday night moves, but this month’s edition gets bigger. Gallery5 and Richmond Moon Market are closing three blocks around Brook Road and Marshall Street for local artists, vendors, food trucks, live music and performances. Virago Alley joins the festivities with a medieval-inspired kick off and all that comes with that. It’s free.
Dogo Du Togo & The Alagaa Beat Band
Saturday, Sept. 5 | Get Tight Lounge | 8 p.m.
One of the more interesting touring acts coming through Richmond this weekend arrives from Lomé, Togo. Dogo Du Togo & The Alagaa Beat Band bring together West African rhythms, psychedelic rock, Afrobeat and Togolese musical traditions. If the point of going out every once in a while is to hear something you haven’t heard before, this is a good place to start.
Plant A Park Fest
Sunday, Sept. 6 | Brambly Park
Spend Sunday outside and help build a park while you’re at it. Plant A Park Fest brings music and community together at Brambly Park to benefit Christie’s Garden, an effort to create a new public community park in Richmond.
Hardcore Matinee: Wetwork / Brash / Lacking / Blame-Game
Sunday, Sept. 6 | The Camel | 2:30 p.m.
Wetwork, Brash, Lacking and Blame-Game take over The Camel for an afternoon hardcore matinee.
Labor Day Double Features at the Goochland Drive-In
Friday, Sept. 4 through Sunday, Sept. 6 | Goochland Drive-In | 8 p.m.
Head out to the Goochland Drive-In for a Labor Day weekend double feature. The grown-up option pairs The Rocky Horror Picture Show with Little Shop of Horrors, while the family-friendly screen has Cars followed by Coyote vs. Acme. It’s $28 per car.
Labor Day Bash: Crystal Flowers / Slow Teeth / Missangelbird
Monday, Sept. 7 | Gallery5
After kicking off the weekend with First Fridays, Gallery5 brings everyone back Monday night with Crystal Flowers, Slow Teeth and Missangelbird for one last show.
Also Playing
There are dozens of shows happening around Richmond this weekend, you have options.
Thursday: Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration with the Richmond Symphony at Allianz Amphitheater, plus Babe Lewis / Latchkey / Ranfeld / Saint Frances at Bandito’s.
Friday: Anna McClellan / Star Sign / Visiting Hour at Material Room; Dirty Sound Magnet / Gran Moreno / Sinister Haze at Cobra Cabana; Cassidy Snider & The Wranglers / Dani-Rae Clark / Johanna Wacker at Get Tight Lounge; Heavy Is The Head / Bleed Out / Internal Fixation / Pfft at Bandito’s; Box Factory / Cherry Moon / Luna Light at The Camel; and Jesse & Joy at The National.
Saturday: HOTPANTS / Ramona and The Holy Smokes / VILLAGES at The Camel and Dub Side of the Moon with Mighty Joshua at CarMax Park.
Sunday: Messa / Lair / Anastasia at Richmond Music Hall; The Wayward Leaves / Annie Stirling / Ceili Galante at Gallery5; Floodwall / Tight Knit / En Fugue / Front Yard at The Camel; Abismo Ónix / Lament / Her Majesty / Price of Apathy at Bandito’s; and American Aquarium / Nathan Evans Fox at The Broadberry.
Photo by Brendan Stephens
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