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Awakening From The Nightmares of The West

Mitchel Bamberger | June 25, 2020

Topics: album release, black lives matter, BLM, ep release, music, new album, nightmares of the west, police brutality, political music, politics, punk, punk bands, Strike Anywhere, systemic racism, thomas barnett

Strike Anywhere’s first new release in over 10 years arrives at a time when Richmond is addressing many of the political issues the veteran punk band has been singing about throughout their career.

Richmond’s beloved veteran punk band Strike Anywhere is releasing their first batch of studio recordings in more than a decade. Their brand-new EP, Nightmares Of The West, is composed of seven songs that bridge their musical stylings with the state of the world today.

Music and the arts have long been creative outlets to turn to in times of social unrest. Thomas Barnett, vocalist and lyricist of Strike Anywhere, reminds us of this once again with the release of the new EP. 

“Music and art, and culture work, are part of the foundation,” Barnett said. “Giving people the space to check their privilege, and understand their spot in history — to break away from dominant culture and see truth. To see through propaganda, and seek courage to take a stand. That’s always part of what we’re about.” 

For decades, punk bands like Strike Anywhere have used their voices to bring awareness to injustice, rallying the troops of social revolution. Punks have long been a part of a lineage of people who are discontent with the status quo, and desperate for revolution.

“This is a crazy, beautiful, terrifying, and crucial time,” Barnett said. “It feels like talking about a punk band and its songs is not particularly relevant.” But with a listen to Nightmares Of The West, it’s apparent that the record is entirely relevant to the political and social climate of today. From their sound to their attitude, and their mission as a band, Strike Anywhere embodies the punk narrative with politically-charged songs and motivations for social change.

Barnett has consistently used his voice to bring attention to injustice, and made it his goals to give voices to the underrepresented and disenfranchised people of America. In many ways, the band itself is a vehicle for activism; the microphone is often used similarly to megaphones in protests, rallying and uplifting listeners to scream their anger in the streets and in concert halls. Much like the protests happening in Richmond and across the country, the band encourages their audience to mobilize, sending their message into the faces of their oppressors. 

Nightmares Of The West seems to pick up right where Strike Anywhere left off more than ten years ago. The new album is filled with rage and discontent for the status quo, and challenges the systems that are in place. It yearns for something better — a society that is more equal and just. In addition to these familiar ideals, there are topics and sentiments that may be new to the band’s repertoire. As the members age, new perspectives have emerged in their work. Even hardened punks will grow sentimental and nostalgic in time. 

The songs are reflective and personal. They explore the outer landscape of America, its ideologies, and social climate, but they also explore the inner world of musicians who are growing older, and the experiences that come with that process. Death and grief are recurring subjects on the EP.

“The past ten years, I’ve lost two close friends who were my age, and that’s affected everything,” Barnett said. “It’s about what you do with grief, loss, regret, and powerlessness… Seeing people’s addictions overtake them, depression and trauma overtake them. There’s always this ghost from your childhood pulling you back, and if you don’t face it and talk about it, it will kill you.” 

Barnett explained how this theme of self-care and dealing with trauma relates to the bigger picture, and what’s happening in the world now on a macro level.

“How we keep ourselves open, how we stay positive so we can be available for these changes, for justice, is important,” Barnett said. “And we do it with peace. And when I say ‘peace,’ I also mean burning police cars.” The sentiment is one that many angry Americans on the front lines of the Black Lives Matter movement can staunchly agree with. 

As far as burning police cars goes, Barnett showed his insight into what that means as an act of peaceful protest. 

“If there’s instruments of violence all around us, to neutralize them is peaceful protest,” he said. “I think that’s where Richmond stands… It’s not just about letting yourself get tear gassed. It’s about reclaiming the streets, taking back all of those weapons that we pay for with our taxes that are being used against us. Punk bands have been talking about that exact dichotomy for a long time.” 

Barnett lives in California now, and has for some years, but Strike Anywhere will always be a Richmond band. He visits Richmond often, not just to play shows, but to see his family and friends and walk the city. 

“The city is a friend,” he said. Their song “The Bells” from the new album is about those walks and, according to Barnett, what to do with grief and time. He left Richmond for California when he was 30, during a time that he called “the line between New Richmond and Old.” 

“Somewhere between 2007 and 2010, I noticed there was more shocking and significant change when I came back, versus tried and true nostalgic pathways,” Barnett reflected. He spoke about the massive transformation that Richmond has undergone in the past decade. 

PHOTO: Strike Anywhere at The Broadberry, February 2020, by Joey Wharton

“The way we look at time and space — seeing the past underneath the present, seeing through those layers — it’s a part of being human,” Barnett said. “But I also think it’s a particular part of Richmond.” He explained how living in Richmond has prepared us for this moment, by living alongside the manifestations of systemic racism, and daily reminders that gawk at the people, in the form of Confederate monuments and gentrification. 

Barnett went on to discuss social issues during the first decade of the 21st century, and how they informed Strike Anywhere’s last studio album, Iron Front (2009), compared to the issues of today. 

“I’m not sure that Iron Front was topically-anchored to that time in any way that isn’t relevant now,” he explained. For Strike Anywhere, that album reinforced the idea that today’s cultural uprisings and Black Lives Matter movement are a culmination of not just years, but decades and generations of injustice. The stories and topics addressed on Iron Front are, in many ways, the same stories relevant today on Nightmares Of The West. 

However, one major difference in the eras of Iron Front and Nightmares Of The West is the digital age, and the evolution of social media that has taken place between them. 

“We had MySpace back then, with no sense that what happened with social media could happen,” Barnett said. “Another thing that ravages us individually is trying to sort out truth from fiction, and what’s useful in all of this.” 

He went on to point out one gift of social media: we have legitimate evidence of police murdering innocent folks, and we can see the real-time victories of this protest, and degradation of police in the state. 

“We wouldn’t have had this without this technology right now, and that’s why this particular moment is different,” he said. 

Specific lyrics on Nightmares Of The West provide insight into their stories. 

“‘The Bells’ is about this idea that no one forgets, but no one remembers until the monuments fall,” said Barnett. “I wrote that song a year ago, thinking we would never in our lifetimes see the monuments removed.”

The statue of Confederate General Williams Carter Wickham was forcibly removed by protesters the night before his interview with RVA Magazine. This event, and the forthcoming removal of all Confederate monuments, gave new depth and meaning to these lyrics. 

“It’s strange, because [these songs] seem even more relevant now than they did a year ago when we wrote them, which I can’t explain,” Barnett said. 

PHOTO: Strike Anywhere at The Broadberry, February 2020, by Joey Wharton

“The Bells” could be an anthem for what will, hopefully, become a nationwide effort to remove all racist, insensitive, and offensive monuments from public spaces.

“These are structures that aren’t truthful, and are without context. They’ve been here to oppress us — to justify hateful nonsense for generations and to weaponize it,” Barnett said. “You take those structures down, and there’s only people left. These [monuments] are edifices of fear and supremacy, trying to put a lie to the loss. This is the era of unraveling all of that, and re-settling the table.” 

“Dress The Wounds,” the second song on the new album, has a section of lyrics saying Do not go gentle into that good night. This line is directly lifted from a poem by Dylan Thomas, of the same name. 

“The song is about perseverance,” Barnett said. “Why we are here, why we continue to seek the truth, why we feel this imperative — even through our anxiety, through exhaustion, trauma, and loss, to get back up and get out in the world to connect. To look internally, see what the fuck is wrong with you, meaning me.” 

Barnett summed up the meaning of the song, relating it back to the borrowed lyrics from Dylan Thomas. 

“It’s a song about healing and finding peace in all the chaos. We won’t go gentle into that good night is speaking to outside forces that want to silence you,” he said. “I think the idea of rebuilding and healing is extremely important. ‘Dress The Wounds’ is literally about that healing; your heart, your mind, and trying to figure out a way to move forward.” 

In the years since their last release, Strike Anywhere has been playing shows here and there while working on new material. 

“We’ve always been writing as a band, but we took a break from touring and folded back into our communities and families,” Barnett said. “What we’ve chosen to do is play special shows, and we’ve been able to give our all at those shows… and do it in a way that feels like if this was the last time, that would be okay. This could be the right last show.” 

Barnett reflected on the string of shows Strike Anywhere played earlier this year in Richmond. “That’s how we felt about the shows back in February at The Broadberry — it felt like we were closing the door on the past a little.” But the band continues to move forward, staying relevant with Nightmares Of The West and adding a meaningful voice to the current movement for civil rights. 

Before our conversation ended, Barnett took a moment to touch on the new album’s title. 

“Nightmares Of The West is the lyrical heart of the record, taken from the song ‘Frontier Glitch,’ about the mythology of Western dominance, white supremacy, and imperialism,” he said. “[It’s about] what it actually means to be human and a part of history, as opposed to the abstraction that gives some people power over the world, and other people erasure and genocide.”

It is surely a fitting title for a time of change like this. As America confronts a long history of systemic racism, “One side is the American Dream, and underneath is Nightmares Of The West.” 

Top Photo via Strike Anywhere/Big Picture Media

Garbers Days Revisited: Inter Arma’s Homage to an Iconic Richmond Music Space

Mitchel Bamberger | June 4, 2020

Topics: album release, bands in richmond va, garbers days revisited, garbers richmond va, garbers rva, Inter Arma, music, new album, new music richmond va, richmond music, rva music

As Inter Arma gears up to release their latest album, we catch up with lead vocalist Mike Paparo for a look into their inspirations on the new cover tracks. 

Richmond’s Inter Arma has something new for the city’s music scene, and it’s unlike anything they’ve done before. Garbers Days Revisited is releasing on July 10, and the eight-song cover album is a collection of songs that have influenced the band over the years. Those influences are not necessarily what you might expect.

Along with songs that speak directly to the band’s style, such as the dark groove of “Scarecrow” by Ministry or the aggressive punk of “Hard Times” by Cro-Mags, the album also features artists in a totally different realm of music. A few may come as a surprise to fans and strangers alike, including Tom Petty’s “Runnin’ Down A Dream,” Prince’s “Purple Rain,” and Neil Young’s “Southern Man.” 

“We’ve been covering songs for the entire duration of the band,” said lead vocalist Mike Paparo. “‘Southern Man’ we’ve been playing for over a decade — it was one of the first cover songs we did.” 

According to Paparo, Petty has been an influence on the band since its inception. Meanwhile, their covers of Cro-Mags, Venom, and Ministry songs speak to their own style of music. 

“Years ago, we would do sets where we’d just show up and do punk covers,” Paparo said. “We like all kinds of different stuff… A lot of us listen to metal, but not as much as we listen to something else.” 

Garbers Days Revisited offers a window into the world of influence behind Inter Arma’s carefully-crafted sound. The album shows that their inspiration is drawn from a vast array of sources and genres, from the obvious styles of punk, hardcore, and metal to the more obscure notes of classic rock, soul, R&B, and even folk.

“We’re not purists at all,” Paparo said of their wide range of influences. “I’m personally a Neil Young fanatic… I’d like to think there are people who enjoy our band that also enjoy Husker Du and Tom Petty.” Paparo’s personal taste sheds some light on how their “Southern Man” cover was chosen for the record, and it speaks to the greater truth that all musical styles are intertwined and mutually informative.

Photo via Inter Arma/Facebook

Although Paparo assured that “there’s no grand artistic idea behind any of it,” there are several layers to this album and its concept. The title Garbers Days Revisited is a reference to Metallica’s 1987 cover album, Garage Days Revisited. Inter Arma’s record highlights their old practice space, Garbers. 

“We’re all giant Metallica fans, so we decided to pay homage to [our] building and also to Metallica,” Paparo said. 

Inter Arma practiced at Garbers for more than a decade, alongside countless influential Richmond bands like Windhand, Bastard Sapling, Cough, and Parasitic. Some of the covers on Garbers Days Revisited, like “Southern Man,” were learned during their time at the space, and their EP, Destroyer, was recorded there.

“It was like our holy ground,” Paparo said. “Garbers was a fixture around Richmond for a long time. Those were the founding years of Inter Arma… Some nights you’d go up there, and there would be ten bands on the floor just hammering it out.”

The chaotic atmosphere at Garbers created an outlet for Richmond bands to learn, record, and even work on their equipment.

“Every floor had a billion bands. There were recording studios, a guy that fixed guitars and amps, every kind of band you could imagine. That place was kind of anarchy at points,” Paparo reminisced fondly. “It was definitely a bummer for the Richmond music scene [when it closed].” 

When the band decided to create Garbers Days Revisited, Inter Arma’s recording process and concept reflected their long history of covers. 

“The whole thing for us was just to have fun with it,” Paparo said. “We’ve been covering songs for so long as a band, and thought, ‘We should record some of these.’ I’m sure there are going to be people who don’t like it… that’s cool. We just do whatever the hell we want to do.” 

His answer is sure to please their punk and hardcore forefathers. Garbers Days Revisited was recorded in September 2019, before the current coronavirus pandemic extended its reach into America. Paparo went on to explain that the timing of the release is actually fortuitous for the band.

“We’re putting something out in a year where we are 95 percent sure we’re not going to play another show that year,” he said. Garbers Days Revisited gives fans something to chew on in the meantime, until Inter Arma can storm the stage once again.

Photo via Inter Arma/Facebook

“We hope people get some kind of enjoyment out of it, considering the madness we are currently living in,” Paparo said.

Established fans of Inter Arma are sure to find that enjoyment — and the band might just pick up new fans with their unique versions of songs that many already know and love. 

Inter Arma has delivered once again, this time with a fresh perspective on classics spanning several genres. Garbers Days Revisited offers a glimpse into the creative process, along with an opportunity to better understand one of Richmond’s favorite contemporary metal bands. 

For more updates before Inter Arma releases Garbers Days Revisited, keep up with them on Facebook and stream their music on Bandcamp.

Top Photo courtesy Inter Arma/Stephanie Marlow Publicity

Addy (Album Release) / Spooky Cool / Young Scum / Castle OG

Ashley Sasscer | March 4, 2020

Topics: album release, gallery 5, Things to do in Richmond

Doors 8pm / Show 9pm // DOS $10

addy

Spooky Cool

Young Scum

castle og

TICKETS $10 AT DOOR

Jonathan Facka’s “Streetlight in the Woods” Video Evokes Poignant Emotional Exploration

RVA Staff | March 3, 2020

Topics: album, album release, forrest mason productions, Jonathan Facka, local artists, music, music release, music video, new music, richmond artist, richmond must see shows, richmond va, richmond va bands, RVA, rva must see shows, streetlight in the woods, things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va

A distant light brings strangers together in Jonathan Facka’s latest music video, bringing new meaning to everyday life and self-reflection in his album’s title track.

With his 2018 debut album, Streetlight in the Woods, Jonathan Facka went from his first open mic night performance to a fully-written and recorded album in a year’s time. In what could be described as a songwriter’s version of rags-to-riches, Facka’s work reflects his ode to commitment and determination in his music.

Embarking with dedication after the album’s release, Facka went on to several mini tours as his songs began popping up on nationally-followed playlists across Spotify, Apple, and Pandora. His self-financed music video for his song, “The Tree,” featured and co-starred singer Thalia Tymowski. Facka has shared the stage with many popular artists in Richmond while continuing to write and record original music; but before he follows up Streetlight in the Woods with a new album, he’s released one more surprise in the form of a music video for Streetlight’s title track.

Starring an actual streetlight in the woods, the video treats viewers to an interpretation of self-reflection and meaning in everyday life. A cast of characters that, seemingly, have nothing in common are drawn individually to a distant light — looking for answers to whatever questions they are asking themselves.

Photo via Jonathan Facka/Facebook

In a poignant turn of phrase, Facka writes, “I’m a streetlight burning so bright, in the woods where nobody can see.” He sees the metaphor as a connection between strangers, noting that it’s possible we have all felt that way at some point in our lives. “Does the streetlight serve as an allegory to the human existence? Is the answer in each of us? Are all of us, each and every one, the light we are looking for?” he says.

Listeners and viewers alike can tune in to his latest VEVO premiere for Streetlight in the Woods’ title track in the new release. Facka teamed up for the video shoot with Forrest Mason Productions, who produced his video for “The Tree,” bringing fans great visuals to accompany his unique sound.

With a brand-new recording of Streetlight, Facka debuted its music video on March 1. Check it out below, and find him on his YouTube VEVO Channel, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and more.

Talk Me Off (Cursed Record Release Party!) Doll Baby, Pedals, Xed Out at Gallery 5

Ashley Sasscer | February 12, 2020

Topics: album release, gallery, live music, Talk Me Off, Things to do in Richmond

They’ll be releasing Cursed into the world at Gallery 5 this Sunday night, and you can expect its release to be accompanied by a fiery set of catchy uptempo tunes to get you bouncing. And in addition to Talk Me Off’s celebratory headlining set, you’ll also get some great sounds from an additional trio of Richmond punk bands. These include the twangy, emotional sounds of Doll Baby, the long-running folk-punk talents of Pedals (On Our Pirate Ships… I’m still not sure if the name has officially been shortened or not), and newcomers Xed Out, who feature former members of Smoke Or Fire and The Bled, so you know they’ve got a lot to offer. Be there for this one and appreciate the latest evolution of a storied Richmond tradition.

BUY TICKETS

For Landon Elliott, Love Is A Hurricane

Julia Raimondi | September 12, 2019

Topics: album release, alternative, American Paradox Records, Americana, country, folk, hurricane, indie, Landon Elliott, local music, music, pop, Scott Lane

“This record is the most honest I’ve ever been with myself and with the songs,” said Richmond songwriter Landon Elliott of his forthcoming album. 

At 8 a.m. on a sunny weekday morning, local Richmond musician Landon Elliott walks into the small but quaint Cafe Nostra near Brookland Park. Based on their brief exchange, it’s clear that he and the barista know each other. Elliott has a friendly tone to his voice, and there’s a spark in his eyes as he sits down to discuss his new single “Hurricane,” which came out at the end of August. Its music video was released shortly after on September 4, with the Richmond-based recording label American Paradox Records. 

“I’m excited to get the record out,” Elliott said. “I’m still processing it’s happening. It’s been a long time coming, and a long journey to make this happen. It has a lot of sonic differences than what I’ve done before, but I’m still staying true to my songwriting sensibilities. This record is the most honest I’ve ever been with myself and with the songs.” 

The partnership between American Paradox Records and Landon Elliott began in December 2017, after owner Scott Lane saw Elliott play earlier that fall at an open mic night at Poe’s Pub. 

Lane had just moved back to Richmond from Denver when he started his new label, he said, and was wrapping up a record production with Kenneka Cook when he decided to take Elliott on. 

Photo by Joey Wharton

Elliott and Lane had already begun a friendship by that time, and deciding to work together seemed like a natural addition to their relationship. 

“Scott has done a good job of pushing me,” Elliott said. “He’s the label, but also my producer. We co-produced this record together. What Scott was able to do was honor my vulnerability and my personality, and my voice as an artist, while also pushing the direction of things a little bit.” 

“Hurricane” is the first single to be released for Elliott’s new record, Domino — and with a yet-to-be-announced release date, the album represents a period of transition and questioning of a lot of things in his life and his worldview. 

As he hinted, the new “Hurricane” single does have a slightly different tone and sound than the Wildflowers EP he released in 2017, under the name Landon Elliott and The Goods. While the EP with The Goods had a stronger country/folk/Americana sound, which clearly had roots in artists like Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, Elliott said he was more inspired for the new album by the 1980s synth pop-rock sounds of Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, and Fleetwood Mac. 

And it shows. The sound of “Hurricane” is multi-layered, and while you can still hear his original Americana sound, there are also layers of synth and a slightly-more refined and mainstream sound than his earlier EP. The pop sound almost hides the raw, honest lyrics about the difficulty of being honest in a healthy relationship… almost. There are plenty of references to ghosts of the past, and the destruction that they can leave in their wake like a hurricane, as the title suggests. 

“This track is about relationships and its many forms,” Elliott said. “The struggles that go into making love work. Love is hard work, to really care about someone truly and know someone fully takes a lot of work.” 

The music video for “Hurricane” also reflects the struggle Elliott believes can be present in maintaining honest and loving relationships. Departing from the usual music video conventions of its genre, this video presents two dancers in a choreographed and improvised struggle for dominance and equality, before they end their performance in unison. Elliott himself is present, and sandwiched between them as they mouth the final lyrics together. 

“I had this vibe in my mind of an 80s ‘Dancing in the Dark’ aerobic style movement,” Elliott said. “I wanted to do a dance video. For my style of music, you don’t necessarily see a more dance-style music video.” 

Lane liked his idea, and suggested doing something even more out-there, Elliott said. 

“I suggested a total visual departure from his Americana genre,” Lane said. 

Lane had seen a dance performance in New York City based on similar themes of the struggle between love and hate. The performance was by a dancer named Georgia Usborne with Brooklyn’s Gallim Dance Company. Lane reached out to her about the possibility of choreographing something similar for Elliott’s video, and she agreed. 

“What Scott really connected to was the raw physicality paired with a space for emotional connections between dancers, and also that emotionality can draw the audience into a story without there actually being a story or narrative,” Usborne said. “So we used that as a starting point, having a man and a woman, and discussing the light and shade of the relationship that can be shown through big physical movements — and also less physical, highly charged moments.” 

The shoot was done in New York City, where Elliott and Lane met personally with Usborne, the dancers and the music video director. While the two dancers, Kayla Farrish and Sebastian Abarbanell, had been able to rehearse the choreographed parts once before — and some of the material was already familiar to Farrish, as much of the performance was inspired by a previous one of hers — they hadn’t had a lot of prior experience working together. 

Landon Elliott, from the “Hurricane” Music Video

To make the pressure even tougher, they only had five hours to shoot the entire video, including setup and take-down, Lane said. 

Despite the intense time pressure, they did it. Their team managed to film an entire music video, complete with some last-minute decisions, such as putting Elliott himself in the video. 

In the end, the video presents itself as a nearly surreal and chaotic dance. The pair of dancers fight and work together throughout the routine, visualizing the struggle of making a relationship work as Elliott sings, nearly motionless on the floor. At times, Abarbanell is seen leading. At others, it is Farrish. Occasionally they work together, and oftentimes their movements seem to contradict each other. In the end, they appear to make their differences work out, coming to lie down on opposite sides of Elliott as the song comes to a close. 

“This is the first music video I’ve worked where the musician was in the video,” Usborne said. “It was fabulous, I loved it. It was very focused, and we all cared a lot about it; there was real heart behind it. The track was super catchy, and it all came together well. It was a real pleasure, and I’d love to work with them again.” 

After the release of the music video, a new single will be released in September. Right now Elliott is on tour with fellow Richmonder Deau Eyes, and the last few dates of the tour will find them pairing up with Josiah Johnson, formerly of The Head and the Heart. 

Locally, Elliott will also be playing at The Broadberry on September 28 for the Shack Up festival, thrown each year by The Shack Band. This will be his first year playing at The Shack Up, Elliott said, and one of his first times playing solo on a platform that big. 

“I love the Broadberry,” Elliott said. “They’re all really good friends of mine. I’m looking forward to hamming it up with them. There’s a lot of bands I love on the bill.”

Top Photo by Joey Wharton

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

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