We got some loud shows and some really soft shows this week. Lots of exciting releases just around the corner, come hear em live before it’s on your phone. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? Hit me up at griffin@rvamag.com....
This past Saturday, Richmond heavyweight, Ducttape Jesus, took over Gallery5 to celebrate the release of Chester Skate Land Deluxe Vinyl with a night of hypnotic beats and ethereal energy. The event brought together a stacked lineup of local legends, including DJ Harrison, Ohbliv, Nick F, GAWD, and hernbean5150, each delivering intoxicating...
Gallery5 and the surrounding blocks of Jackson Ward became a portal to the past, where the clang of steel, the scent of woodsmoke, and the hum of lively conversation set the scene for the Richmond Renaissance Faire’s fundraising kickoff. Organized by Virago Alley in collaboration with The Richmond Moon Market, the event aimed to build support for...
Music is the lifeblood of a city. The late-night sets, the sweat-soaked venues, the dusty record bins filled with someone else’s memories. Richmond gets this. Always has. So here’s Weekend Frequency—a weekly, reader-curated playlist built for the city, by the city. It’s a revival, really. A continuation of our RVA Mag Weekend Playlists, a series...
I am very grateful for this job, purely for the amount of new music I become aware of. This week, we got some softer stuff that I normally would not have been hip to, but now it's going into regular rotation.If you’ve got any tips, send them my way. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? I am your guy at...
TROY and Fan Ran link up for a joint that’s less a track and more a cipher carved in concrete—an underground testament to Richmond’s hip-hop lineage, equal parts street sermon and boom-bap baptism. The energy is straight off a dubbed Maxell cassette, that golden-era grit where the drums snap like corner store gossip and the bassline hums like an...
On February 27, 2025, Richmond's hip-hop community converged at RVA Boombox to honor the legendary J Dilla during Dilla Day VA. The event, which was also joined by Ma Dukes, Dilla's mother, transformed the venue into a sanctuary for beat enthusiasts, including a beat battle judged by heavyweights Bink and Nottz with sets by ProducerPlugUni and...
We love music. We love Richmond’s music venues. We love the city’s record shops. Now that we’ve covered the obvious, we’re excited to introduce Weekend Frequency—a weekly, reader-curated playlist made for the city, by the city. It’s a continuation of our RVA Mag Weekend Playlists, a series we ran for years before the pandemic, featuring...
Maybe it is a facade but the weather is nice and life is returning to the streets of Richmond. The parks are full, the lines for ice cream are long, and hopefully the venues are packed. Check out one of these shows, enjoy the weather, and pretend you are in a movie.If you’ve got any tips, send them my way. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply...
Few artists in Richmond’s hip-hop scene have made as much noise in recent years as Chandler Matkins. From viral moments to sold-out shows, his rise has been marked by constant evolution and increasing recognition. His recent Going Away Show at The Broadberry was a showcase of homegrown talent, featuring performances from Lunch $pecial, O-Z, TMA,...
