Sometimes you have to catch someone at the bar and do the interview. I’ve known Mike Ireland for a while now and we had talked about doing this for months, so after a quick round, we stepped outside and spent five minutes on it. He’d just wrapped another run with I Am...
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...
“Children walk into school with guns and execute their classmates and teachers. And we just say, ‘There’s nothing we can do about it.’” That line from my recent conversation with Randy Blythe hit me the hardest. And I have a high tolerance for pain. As I was writing this piece, a gunman walked into Florida State University and killed two...
All eyes are on Saturday. The streets are buzzing with crowds rushing into clubs across the city—come join the raucous and be part of the energy. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? I am your guy at griffin@rvamag.com. Remi Wolf, Dana and AldenSaturday, April 26th, 2025Brown’s Island...
“You just do.” Three words from Maynard James Keenan are still echoing in my mind, days after our conversation. Enigmatic. Surgical. Devoid of pretense. The elusive frontman of A Perfect Circle, Puscifer, and of course, Tool, delivered them during a reflection on legacy—the phrase felt less summational and more directional. Waiting for permission...
Lotta punk on the menu, but I tossed in a jazz album so it’s all okay. We’ve got some really cool touring bands coming into town right now. I’m especially excited to see Tokyo’s finest at Cobra—let’s give ’em a good taste of RVA so they’ll tell their friends. If we keep that up, we’ll have an endless stream of amazing acts from all over the...
When you think of Richmond’s heavy music scene, four names immediately come to mind: Lamb of God, GWAR, Avail, and Municipal Waste. These are the bands that have bled into the city’s veins and shaped the sound of this place over the last several decades. And this past weekend, Municipal Waste took a well-deserved victory lap to celebrate 25 years...
