Artschool, led by RVA Mag contributor Griffin Smalley, released their debut album Nuclear Sons this week, with a release show set for Friday at The Camel. It’s a record shaped as much by trial and error as it is by intention. “I asked my friend Erin Dakota, who had...
Once upon a time, in Richmond, Virginia, there stood a statue of Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue for 133 years. However, in the wake of the summer of 2020 protests and growing social awareness, the State Supreme Court approved the removal of the statue. Governor Ralph Northam issued a statement on the removal saying, "It is time to display...
Douglas Powell aka Roscoe Burnems is an accomplished author, spoken-word artist, educator, and Richmond, Virginia’s first poet laureate. He has published multiple collections of poetry, been a two-time southern regional team finalist, National Poetry Slam Champion, and Season 1 Screen Time Slam Champion. He is also a poetry slam coach, TEDx...
Butcher Brown, the progressive jazz masters from Richmond, played a special show in partnership with the Richmond Symphony over the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. The show featured 10 of their tunes arranged by Richmond’s own Trey Pollard and Tim Barrons which they performed in front of 2000+ people at the Dominion Energy Center. The band has...
Richmond based punk artist Yonder opens up about his art and music career, and the role that mental health plays in it. He discusses how his "outsider" attitude and vulnerability in his work is rooted in his experiences growing up as the "black sheep" of his family and how creating music helps him deal with his own mental health challenges. He...
A visual album is a collection of songs with corresponding music videos that enhance the narrative of each track. Myles (M.Y.L.O.) Brown's album Journey is a visual album that explores the human experience and tells the story of his personal journey to overcome challenges after losing his friend John Lodge Fergusson. The album, set in various...
FEATURED SHOW Saturday, January 14, 7 PM Last Minute Fest II, feat. The Mitras, Mad Abbey, Pipesleeve, Overunderdog, Sifter, Stevie Ashe @ The Camel - $10 in advance, $12 day of show (Order tickets HERE) It's officially a new year, but I always take a little while to adjust. I don't know about y'all, but I'll still probably be writing the wrong...
Hello reader! I am back to talk about the hometown heroes, Butcher Brown. These musicians have been at the forefront of the Richmond music scene since 2013, blending jazz, funk, hip hop, soul, rock, afro-beat, and other genres that inspire them. They take a lot of pride in representing their city around the world. 2022 was a big year for them,...
OK, I should have known that this one in particular would go too long -- when I made up these playlists before starting to write this article series, the indie playlist was the longest one by a significant amount. To put it in perspective, the rather lengthy hip hop playlist was under an hour; meanwhile, the indie playlist was over two hours....
Since I got to this city 30 years ago, Richmond's had a thriving indie music scene. From wild house parties and tiny stages in small clubs to headlining gigs at The Broadberry and beyond, plenty of indie bands around Richmond distinguished themselves with excellent music this year. Of course, before we go on, something's gotta be clarified --...
