It’s all local all the time this week, so get ready for an onslaught of local talent from all ends of the spectrum. With two options for how to spend your all too rare leap day, it’s a packed week. Ant The Symbol and friends take on Richmond Music Hall, while just down the street Chandler Matkins celebrates his 7th birthday with a show at RVA Boombox. After that check out the new colossal track by Lucid evolution and then read further for my take on Lawrence. We’ve got it all for you on this week’s SOUND CHECK.
Did you miss our Sound Check Video with Deau Eyes last week? Check it out below!
Are you a band with new tunes, a listener with suggestions, or just want to say hi? Send an email to Bones@RVAMag.com
Local & Regional Acts to See
ANT THE SYMBOL (FULL BAND), WEEKEND PLANS & HIP-HOP HENRY
Thursday, February 29th @ Richmond Music Hall
Doors: 7:00 pm
You know him, you love him, and if you don’t, then allow me to learn you. Ant The Symbol is a prominent Richmond producer who has worked with everyone just about every musician Richmond has to offer. He’s been releasing music consistently since 2015 and continues to remain relevant, novel and interesting. On his own he is a formidable force, but with a full band behind him like he will have on Thursday, he is unstoppable, and there’s no telling what special guests might appear.
Joining him are Weekend Plans, who we’ve talked about a bit in the past, but I could never talk about enough. This pop/hip-hop/funk/rock ensemble embody a versatile spirit constantly exploring new ground while never losing their identity. Along with them is staple of the Richmond hip-hop community Hip-Hop Henry who serves as a dictionary of everything hip-hop in Richmond past and present. Head on out to Richmond Music Hall Thursday night for a curated night of hip-hop and its variants with some of the most experienced talents this town has to offer. Follow Ant The Symbol on Instagram.
CHANDLER’S LEAP DAY B-DAY SHOW
Thursday, February 29th @ RVA Boombox
Doors: 8:00 pm
Another highlight of Richmond’s vibrant hip hop community is Chandler Matkins‘ birthday show at RVA Boombox. Due to an unfortunate circumstance of having been born on February 29th, Chandler Matkins has only had 6 true birthdays! What better way to help him celebrate than by heading downtown for a night of great music. Chandler’s music is laid back, yet full of personality and pizzaz coming out the wazoo.
Joining him are some other great names in Richmond hip hop like Kay Taurus and Lunch $pecial, who similarly has music that is just chock full of personality and humor, and yet sacrificing nothing in terms of proficiency. This is sure to be wonderful night full of celebrations of birth, hip hop and rare dates, so by all means make your way down to come party.
Local & Regional Releases
LUCID EVOLUTION – “THE SEED” (single): February 23rd, 2024
Local psychedelic/jam band Lucid Evolution have just dropped one of the most epic tracks — the most traditional sense of the word — that this city has seen in a long time. At just over seven minutes long, this song is a trip from start to finish. Starting off with slow hazy plucked guitars Cam Harrahy evoking munching on peyote in the American Southwest, accompanied by the haunting vocals of Lynne Holloman. After launching into excellent guitar solo with a perfectly dialed in tone, Brian Holloman on the drums start slowly changing the feel and upping the temp providing an air of danceability. And just as soon as it arrives, the feel has returned and we are forced into the a tempo from the beginning of the track while Sammy Stiles on bass holds everything down lends a bed of funky bass tones. Rinse and repeat. A wonderful piece of music by an act whose first tunes only starting come out in 2022, and we can’t wait for more.
What I’m Listening To
LAWRENCE – HOTEL TV (album) July 23rd, 2021
The group that I hate to love. I discovered Lawrence a few years ago, yet they have made a resurgence in my music listening habits due to a string of single drops over the last year. But, rather than talk about any of those, I’d rather talk about their music recent full length album. The pillar of the group is the duo of brother-sister team Gracie and Clyde Lawrence, who just so happen to be the children of notable filmmaker Marc Lawrence, known for writing such films as Miss Congeniality and his multiple collaborations with Sandra Bullock.
Gracie and Clyde both attended the Dalton School, a private ivy league preparatory institution in New York City, and then both went on to attend Brown University. Does this affect their music? Not directly, no. But it always worth nothing for me when artists come from money with industry connections and have the kinds of privileges only reserved for a select few. But in spite of all of that, dammit, they make great music; their tunes are catchy and memorable, technically proficient without being showboaty and their album are constructed beautifully with excellent rise and fall with flow clearly at the forefront of their minds. I would encourage you to check out their reimaginings of their songs after checking out this excellent record with perhaps their biggest hit “Don’t Lose Sight” which they performed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. You can’t go wrong with this excellent record that I never get tired of.
My favorite tracks:
- “Don’t Lose Sight”
- “Casualty”
- “Thoughts From the ER (Silver Lining)”
Top image courtesy of Ant The Symbol
