CULTURE




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Venue Turns 30 | The Richmond Skate Shop Keeps Rolling

For 30 years, Venue Skateboards has been part of the Richmond story—a skate shop that’s never been just a skate shop. Since 1994, it’s been a meeting place, a community hub, and a home for skaters from all over the city. Kim and Maury Blankenship didn’t set out to...

RVA Magazine 20 Years | Stories from 2005

As we look back on 20 years of publishing RVA Magazine, we’re diving into our origins, beginning with our official launch in 2005. That year marked the debut of RVA Magazine, Issue 1, Volume 1, and our April 15th kickoff event at Gallery5. In the process of archiving,...

Ian C. Hess on Painting Myths, Selling Dreams, and Surviving Richmond

Ian C. Hess is one of those rare souls who’s carved out a place in Richmond’s unpredictable art landscape. As the owner of Supply, a local art store, and a painter whose work is steeped in mythology and meticulous craft, Ian has spent over a decade wrestling with the...

Photos | Carytown Got Coned, and It Was Glorious

There’s a certain kind of magic that comes alive in Richmond when the locals decide to let their weird flag fly. And the Richmond Cone Parade? That’s as Richmond as it gets—a little absurd, a lot creative, and deeply communal. So, what exactly is this Cone Parade...

Sound Check! X-Cops, Velvet Ruin & Camo Face

What Richmond needs is a good music documentary. If you look at these bills, week after week is insane talent front to back. I want someone to document all of these bands, each one deserves it. We need to cherish and capture this Richmond musical renaissance. Got a...

Carytown New Year’s: We Hardly Knew Ye

A couple days ago, Instagram publisher @therichmondexperience posted an iconic image from the 2008 Carytown New Years’ Eve event you may or may not have been at, or even heard of. Judging from the 4000 plus “hearts” and over 140 comments ranging from “please don’t...

Mad Skillz! RVA Hip-Hop Legend Takes Richmond to the Grammys

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...

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Photos | BEHOLD! GWAR at The National by CJ Payne

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...

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Elissa Rumford, Co-founder & CCO of ApOcene has Tragically Passed

On October 31, 2024, the Richmond community and fashion world lost a cherished member, Elisabeth Mary Rumford, known to many as Elissa. As the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Ap0cene, Elissa was tragically taken in a car accident on her way to take her niece and nephew trick-or-treating. Beloved in Richmond’s fashion scene, Elissa...

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Elissa Rumford Eulogy_RVA-Magazine-2024

Death and the Pentacles | Richmond’s Tarot Destiny

Dear Richmond, Daylight retreats into the hour, and as the leaves fall into a pool of stillness– we are reminded:  Chapters close, and like the phoenix, we begin again.  Tarot card reading by Averi Rose At the heart of this weeks spread is the Death card, surrounded by the Queen of Pentacles and the Seven of Pentacles.  With the New...

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Richmond Tarot Reading by Averi Rose_RVA Magazine 2024

Photos | Richmond Halloween Parade 2024 by Michael Simon

The Richmond Halloween Parade returned for its 19th year, hosted by All The Saints Theater Company. A Richmond tradition, this parade has always been more than just a celebration—it’s a platform for protest. This year's theme, A Funeral March for Silence, served as a tribute to Palestine and all communities worldwide fighting for their existence....

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Halloween Parade Richmond 2024_photo by Michael Simon_RVA Magazine 2024

Photos | LTC FEST II at Canal Club by Vincent Candela

We hit LTC Fest II at the Canal Club, where local favorites and out-of-town bands tore it up from afternoon ‘til midnight. Fleshwater and Drug Church headlined, bringing serious heat, while acts like Heavyhex, Bellweather, Modern Color, and Anxious kept the energy high all day. Photographer Vincent Candela was everywhere—pit, stage, behind the...

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