CULTURE




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Venue Turns 30 | The Richmond Skate Shop Keeps Rolling

For 30 years, Venue Skateboards has been part of the Richmond story—a skate shop that’s never been just a skate shop. Since 1994, it’s been a meeting place, a community hub, and a home for skaters from all over the city. Kim and Maury Blankenship didn’t set out to...

RVA Magazine 20 Years | Stories from 2005

As we look back on 20 years of publishing RVA Magazine, we’re diving into our origins, beginning with our official launch in 2005. That year marked the debut of RVA Magazine, Issue 1, Volume 1, and our April 15th kickoff event at Gallery5. In the process of archiving,...

Ian C. Hess on Painting Myths, Selling Dreams, and Surviving Richmond

Ian C. Hess is one of those rare souls who’s carved out a place in Richmond’s unpredictable art landscape. As the owner of Supply, a local art store, and a painter whose work is steeped in mythology and meticulous craft, Ian has spent over a decade wrestling with the...

Photos | Carytown Got Coned, and It Was Glorious

There’s a certain kind of magic that comes alive in Richmond when the locals decide to let their weird flag fly. And the Richmond Cone Parade? That’s as Richmond as it gets—a little absurd, a lot creative, and deeply communal. So, what exactly is this Cone Parade...

Sound Check! X-Cops, Velvet Ruin & Camo Face

What Richmond needs is a good music documentary. If you look at these bills, week after week is insane talent front to back. I want someone to document all of these bands, each one deserves it. We need to cherish and capture this Richmond musical renaissance. Got a...

Carytown New Year’s: We Hardly Knew Ye

A couple days ago, Instagram publisher @therichmondexperience posted an iconic image from the 2008 Carytown New Years’ Eve event you may or may not have been at, or even heard of. Judging from the 4000 plus “hearts” and over 140 comments ranging from “please don’t...

The Wheel & The Chariot | Richmond’s Tarot Destiny

Dear Richmond, The Full Moon rejoices in the comfort of Taurus as we continue to travel through the luminous portal of November 11th. Taurus, ruled by Venus, encourages our sense of stability and amplifies the beauty around us. And with Thursdays rainfall washing away the illusions of the past, our intentions have never felt more clear.  At...

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Sound Check! Erin & The Wildfire, Chat Pile & Trauma Ray

The week and the music all seem heavy right now. Sometimes you eat the bar, sometimes the bar eats you. Sometimes you sway gently to a crooner at The Camel, sometimes you lose a tooth in the pit at the Canal Club. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? I am your guy at griffin@rvamag.com.  The Camel Saturday,...

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WIGGLERS! Seyla Hossaini Brings A New Horror Hit to Town

Halloween seemed to fly by this year—I barely made it to any haunted houses or ghost tours before Thanksgiving’s brown-and-orange gloom settled in. My antidote? Heading to the Byrd on Tuesday, November 19th for the premiere of WIGGLERS by Seyla Hossaini, alongside The Dirt Eater by Jim Stramel, Traders by Olivia Gropp, and Doctor Drain Brain by...

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Mad Skillz! RVA Hip-Hop Legend Takes Richmond to the Grammys

Richmond’s hip-hop scene has long been fueled by underground grit and undeniable talent, but few have represented the city on the national stage quite like Mad Skillz. And now, after a career that spans nearly three decades, he’s experiencing a well-deserved moment in the spotlight, bringing a Grammy nomination home to RVA. The Recording Academy...

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Photos | BEHOLD! GWAR at The National by CJ Payne

BEHOLD! GWAR at The National, where the mere presence of Richmond’s intergalactic overlords feels like a gruesome embrace. Four decades of chaos and carnage—GWAR has become more than just a band; they’re the dark-hearted, unofficial mascot for the misfit masses of our city. Richmond’s landscape might be evolving, but knowing GWAR still slays in...

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