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...
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...
BEHOLD! GWAR at The National, where the mere presence of Richmond’s intergalactic overlords feels like a gruesome embrace. Four decades of chaos and carnage—GWAR has become more than just a band; they’re the dark-hearted, unofficial mascot for the misfit masses of our city. Richmond’s landscape might be evolving, but knowing GWAR still slays in...
A few weeks back, Rise Against hit The National in Richmond, tearing through a set that marked 25 years of pushing punk rock with a message. They’ve gone from raw punk to full-on rock icons, tackling every social and political issue they can squeeze into a song. Photographer CJ Payne caught it all, capturing the energy, the sweat, and the...
Tonight, the musical icon André 3000 graces Altria Theater. Known best as half of OutKast, one of hip-hop’s most revered duos, André has redefined his public presence in recent years. He's traded verses for flutes, swapping the beats of Atlanta’s hip-hop scene for meditative melodies that feel less like an album release and more like an...
Fight Cloud is an indie math rock alternative band from Richmond, going strong for about 14 years. Their sound blends genre elements with wonderful melodies, harmonies, great tones, textured rhythms, and bass, alongside furious drum beats. They’re releasing their new album Ritual Disasters this November. After hearing some of the songs live back...
