It’s dark, it’s cold, don’t let the bastards get you down. There are a lot of high energy shows this week, keeps you warm and saves money on the heating bill.
Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? Hit us up at griffin@rvamag.com.
Box Factory, Mad Abbey, Marshall Family Values
Friday, November 6th at The Camel
Richmond’s psychedelic sweethearts are coming to the big stop of their 2026 Camel residency. Box Factory has been the haps for the first Friday of every month this year; the group packs themselves up to the gills on that stage and shreds away house-flipping party tracks and slow drive-home swaying numbers. This year saw them release “Honeybee” and “Corolla,” which are two of my favorite tunes they have put out. I love this group for the sheer amount of movement in every song they play. With such a large band and wide variety of instruments, their music has so much to unpack and so many moments to catch. As they are closing out this residency, they pulled no punches with getting a stacked bill for their second-to-last month.
It has been a long two years, but Richmond’s Mad Abbey is coming back for one more night of celebration. This band was such a major part of the scene and my entrance into the Richmond music scene when I first moved here; it is so exciting to see them on a bill once more. They are some serious rockers with just incredibly catchy and memorable hooks; it’s a hard band to forget and an easy band to miss. If you have never seen them, I highly recommend you take this chance, because I do not know if it will ever come again.
Last up, we have Marshall Family Values, whose 2024 record, Chateau de Marshall, is a real standout in the scene’s recent discography. They are some seriously gifted songwriters, with every song on that album feeling like its own world, and yet fitting perfectly into something bigger. I think they are on the softer end of this bill, but they still can get loud and rowdy.
If you are a fan of psychedelic rock and Richmond’s music scene as a whole, please go to this show.
The OBGMs, Fury in Few, So Alive
Sunday, November 8th at The Camel
Canadian punks in RVA this weekend. The OBGMs have been around for a good minute and have put out some incredible tunes in that time. Their sound reminds me a bit of Mannequin Pussy and Upchuck, where it is much larger than life and feels like it could shake some solid concrete foundations while still being incredibly catchy and easy to sing along to. Their atmosphere of equal parts party and punk really hits home for anyone that feels the burnout and drudgery of modern living. Turn it up loud, and it’ll blow those contemporary blues outta the car.
Atlanta duo Fury in Few is in support here. The drum/guitar combo sounds remarkably full, and it seems like these two are here to party. I can already see the room turning on its head as they blast into song after song of hard, heavy, and loud. They are going to be rocking hard and are easy to dance to, so go get in there.
Last up, we have So Alive, which is a new local act on their second show. I have not had a chance to see them yet, but they are made up of some serious scene veterans and some real rock’n’rollers, so I have no doubt that they are coming in hot
Sadurn, Kitchen
Sunday, November 8th at Richmond Music Hall
The ever-great Philadelphia is lending us Sadurn this week. The group is a healthy mix of indie and folk, the sound you hear between the city and the deep country. I am so glad that folk music has become such a prominent part of the current zeitgeist. The spirit has been revived and modernized by the influences and issues that are significant to the modern person. Groups like this that sing and relate to young people, queer people, and any old kid in a town they want to escape are so very important. They are fresh off of their sophomore album, The Underworld, which is chock-full of powerful tunes. Go catch ’em live.
Their support is coming down from Rochester in the likes of Kitchen. It is a real slow and intimate project, lo-fi and story-like. There are definitely folk elements to their sound, but I find it to be a bit more indoor, bedroom-esque. Their recordings sound like a sweet, affectionate moment of music between friends that just so happened to be recorded. It feels very personal and cozy with its stripped-back instrumentation and emphasis on its surreal vocals. In the end, it just feels like you and a friend looking at stars.
NEW TUNES
‘“Bloody Nose” by Deathcat
Richmond’s faves are back with their seventh song. “Bloody Nose” is the track and the first single off of Deathcat’s debut full-length. Lyrically, the band is firing on all cylinders. Singer Caroline Gunn spins a whole world that you do not even see until it is all around you. The characters are vivid and living, as charismatic as actors but as real as a close friend.
Sonically, I think this is some of their best work; the song builds on top of itself, exploring their blend of indie rock and more fuzz-driven alternative. I think the big surprise that I was happy to find is the violin that takes over about two-thirds of the way into the song, played by co-vocalist Gaby Davenport. This group has been a huge focus for Richmond concertgoers over the last year or two, and I think the group is on to some seriously significant places with this record.
Main press photo of The OBGMs
Support RVA Magazine. Support Independent Media in Richmond.
RVA Magazine has remained one of Richmond’s few independent voices. Since 2005, we have provided grassroots coverage of our artists, musicians, and communities, marginalized or otherwise, documenting the city’s culture that lies right under the surface and beyond the headlines.
But we can’t do this without you. A small amount, 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 helps keep us going and keeps the local creative spirit alive. Thank you for supporting independent media, and thank you for reading.
Show your SUPPORT HERE
Also, subscribe to the newsletter HERE
We’ve got merch HERE
Subscribe to the Substack HERE
And Reddit HERE
And YouTube HERE
