A sold-out night at The Camel is one thing. Doing it back-to-back is another. Holy Roller (read our last interview HERE) has been quietly building toward this for a while now. A Richmond band rooted in good time rock with a bit of country twang, pulling from all over...
It is simply a great time to be a Richmond music fan. This week we have great touring bands, revivals of older groups, and an abundance of new music coming from the blank generation. As everyone prepares for the holidays, travel, and the expected rotation of Christmas music, treat yourself to something out of the ordinary. Got a show coming up?...
Night Idea the incredible 6 piece jazzy progressive rock band released their 3rd LP in October. Their first record in 7 years, the long awaited Rocky Coast. After the album release show at The Camel in October, I was able to ask drummer extraordinaire Ethan Johnstone (Night Idea, SunVSet, Houdan The Mystic, Brother Rutherford) about the music and...
This past weekend, Denver death metal heavyweights Blood Incantation brought their cosmic brutality to The Canal Club. Known for their "psychedelic take on classic death metal," Blood Incantation has been pushing boundaries since their debut album, Starspawn (2016). With themes of space and death woven into their crushing riffs and eerie...
I feel a gravitational pull towards heavier music now that the days are darker. It feels right to match the heavy sky. In the same breath I feel like no matter what season it is, you have to listen to a little bit of Spring music, stuff to remind you what the sun feels like. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? I...
Over the weekend, legendary English shoegaze band Slowdive performed at The National, showcasing tracks from their latest album, Everything Is Alive. The band, known for its atmospheric sound and layered guitars, drew an enthusiastic crowd of longtime Gen X fans and newer Gen Z listeners who have helped bring Slowdive back to prominence. Opening...
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,...
There are certain films that aren’t just watched but absorbed, metabolized into the DNA of an entire culture. For hip-hop, Belly is one of those films. The late '90s street saga, directed by the legendary Hype Williams, wasn’t Hollywood— Hollywood didn’t know what to do with it. This was a film made for people who understood it, who...
In a David-and-Goliath battle unfolding over Richmond’s Charged Up Entertainment, this local institution, led by hip-hop artist and entrepreneur Noah Oddo, has been locked in a long-running battle to defend its logo from the Cleveland Guardians baseball team—a story we’ve followed since 2022. Photo courtesy of Charged Up The dispute centers on...
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...
