Next Saturday, October 17th, the weird, funky spaceship that carts Thundercat around will land in Richmond for his show at The National. As a massive fan, I will absolutely be there. His is the kind of unique sound that makes a concert a “happening.” A funk so deep...
At age 13, singer Eli was already cutting his teeth in songwriting, lyrics, and guitar. “For a while I did solo stuff, and then one day [Henry] messaged me to play drums. I didn’t know who he was at all, and we just started Gaffer together.” The duo chose the name after a street they would walk down after every practice to get McDonald’s. About...
Artschool, led by RVA Mag contributor Griffin Smalley, released their debut album Nuclear Sons this week, with a release show set for Friday at The Camel. It’s a record shaped as much by trial and error as it is by intention. “I asked my friend Erin Dakota, who had already lived here, and we were friends growing up, if she wanted to learn bass. I...
When was the first time you saw a Black woman fronting a rock, punk, or any type of alternative band? For the vast majority of people, that concept in itself is an anomaly - but for the true punk-heads, names like Skin, Poly Styrene, Stephanie Phillips, Tamar-kali, or maybe Fefe Dobson may come to mind. However, for many Gen-Z aged punk fans,...
Since 2013, New York based group Deli Girls have established an electrifying, riotous legacy that dares to not only call out injustice by name, but to scream it from the rooftops. Deli Girls’ founder, Danny Orlowski, has served as the fiery vocal centerpiece for the band throughout its many evolutions. Orlowski has worked with a myriad of...
Editor’s Note: This piece was written by a student at Randolph-Macon College as part of a feature writing course. Thank you to the students and to Professor Seth Clabough, Ph.D., for organizing the project. The storage unit smelled of sweat and wood. The garage door was open, gusting wind in from outside. The instruments were piled on top of one...
“‘Pink Pony Club’ is about embracing exile from a boring, shitty world and remaking yourself into whatever you want—be who you are, be who you aren’t, piss people off, we don’t care!” The Berzerker Blöthar Richmond legends GWAR are back on The A.V. Club’s A.V. Undercover for an unprecedented seventh appearance, because of course they are. This...
An unseasonably warm Friday afternoon set the tone for Day 2 of Heart of Winter at The Canal Club, a strange but welcome contrast to the bleak, frostbitten sounds pouring out of the venue. Despite the mild weather, the atmosphere inside was anything but soft. Black metal and doom devotees packed the room early for a sold-out show, battle vests...
Editor’s Note: This article reflects on United Blood’s return back in April 2025 and is a preview of what is in store for 2026. Words and photos by Cristian Espinoza The sleeping giant walks the earth again. After a five-year hiatus, United Blood returned to Richmond, Virginia with a heavy barrage of cutthroat sonics. The once-annual festival was...
After more than a decade in hibernation, one of Richmond’s most revered underground metal gatherings is clawing its way back to life. Heart Of Winter, the black metal and doom-heavy festival that helped define an era of the city’s DIY extreme metal scene, is officially returning January 8–10, is officially returning January 8–10 at The Canal Club...
