Chuck Varga, a founding member of GWAR and the artist and performer behind the band’s Sexecutioner passed away over the weekend following a battle with cancer. He was 68. Varga was part of GWAR from its earliest days, co-founding Slave Pit Studios in Richmond and...
Carnifex headlined and crushed. Suffocation brought the weight. Distant opened and set the tone. Photographer Vinny Candela was in the pit. Here’s what it looked like when Richmond got wrecked. For those that don’t know… Carnifex is a veteran metal band from Southern California, active since 2005. They’ve released nine albums and are signed to...
When Richmond's Lamb of God touched down in Birmingham, England for Back To The Beginning, the final show from Ozzy Osbourne and the original Black Sabbath lineup, front-man Randy Blythe was stepping into sacred ground. The bill was stacked, Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Mastodon, but the night, and the debt, belonged to Sabbath. photo by...
“Finally I can see it, these birds not meant to fly alone.” These lyrics from Turnstile’s new song “Birds” would define their set at Wyman Dell Park. Last month, Turnstile made their triumphant return to their hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. The band organized a free benefit concert with the help of Dana Murphy of Unregistered Nurse Booking...
A few short hours before I was wading through a sold-out Canal Club, I met with the mythical British songwriter Frank Turner. While he mostly plays with a full backing band (known as The Sleeping Souls), that night he would be performing an intimate solo show, armed with an acoustic guitar and fascinating stories. For Turner, storytelling was a...
Let’s be honest: most local summer music guides read like they were written by someone who’s never been to a show. A few safe headliners. Maybe a festival or two. So we made our own and put it all in one place for easy reference. This is RVA Magazine’s unofficial, unfiltered field guide to the music we actually care about this summer....
A few weeks ago, we talked to Maynard James Keenan about the Sessanta tour — this strange, layered fever dream of a show stitched together with parts of A Perfect Circle, Tool, and Primus. When asked what it all meant, he didn’t blink. “You just do,” he said. No big philosophy. No TED Talk. The Sessanta tour isn’t your typical lap around the...
I believe a bunch of bands from Richmond have it in ‘em to drive off into the future, and I see a few of that lot on these shows right here. I can’t wait to say, “I saw so-and-so at Bandito’s, and now they’re headlining Coachella!” Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? I am your guy at griffin@rvamag.com. FRIDAY...
I love finding a wild card for this column. This week we have one of my favorite sings of my youth, a lovely collection of locals, and a little harp because I have free will and so do you. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? I am your guy at griffin@rvamag.com. FRIDAY CHEERS! Chaparelle, The Jack Wharff...
The Bloody Beetroots were never meant to fit neatly into anyone’s playlist. Born out of punk rage, electronic chaos, and the restless energy of Italian musician Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo, the project has spent nearly two decades stomping over genre lines and expectations. Since first crashing onto the scene in 2006, Rifo has built a career that’s...
