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VA Shows You Must See This Week: November 13 – November 19

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FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, November 16, 6 PM
High On Fire (Photo by CE Kelco), Power Trip, Devil Master, Creeping Death @ The Broadberry – $25 in advance/$30 day of show (order tickets HERE)
This week, Richmond is visited by the band that started it all: High On Fire, the kings of apocalyptic doom metal ever since guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike bailed on Sleep to start his own musical engine of brutality. That was over 20 years ago, and High On Fire are still going strong today, releasing their eighth album, Electric Messiah, last year and following it up this year with a killer EP called Bat Salad. That EP pays tribute to Black Sabbath, Celtic Frost, and Bad Brains — three seminal bands whose influence can clearly be felt in High On Fire’s roaring musical rampage.

For the uninitiated, High On Fire’s sound can be explained to some extent by the fact that 2018 LP Electric Messiah was inspired by comparisons Matt Pike always gets to Lemmy. His gravelly bark certainly isn’t too far from that of the late, great Motorhead majordomo, but musically, High On Fire explore a variety of directions, some of which are more comparable to the speed-loving London trio, while others move in more of a spaced-out astral epic direction. While the former material is always the real catnip for me (is this because I don’t smoke weed? Widespread polling makes it seem like this might just be the case), the longer, slower epics are always fan favorites, mixing the foreboding astral-plane wanderings of Neurosis with the more straightforward old-school doom vibes of my favorite Wino project, Spirit Caravan.

Basically, High On Fire offers the perfect opportunity for all you sleeveless-denim scuzzballs to achieve cannabis-infused headbang nirvana. And on this jaunt through our local atmosphere, they’re accompanied by legendary Texas thrashcore veterans Power Trip, who arose from the hardcore scene a decade ago to engage in a top-notch reincarnation of classic 80s thrash that was just a little too evil to find itself within the notoriously goofy world of “crossover.” So much the better — these guys are capable of all the string-bending leads, propulsive circle-pit tempos, and terrifying vocal exhortations of the best thrash, with a decidedly dark undercurrent that almost reaches the level of early Scandinavian black metal. These two masterful metallic combos will also be joined on this trip through RVA by Philadelphia blackened-punk mayhem creators Devil Master and early-Metallica-loving Texas death metallers Creeping Death. It’s a bonanza for your scorched ears, a circle-pit demon’s delight. Be sure to partake.

Wednesday, November 13, 8 PM
Halshug, Mind Dweller, Loud Night @ Fuzzy Cactus – $8
Southern Lord has been the prime stadium crust label for a while now, and Denmark’s Halshug are just the latest example of that trend. You may not know what I mean when I use the phrase “stadium crust” to describe a band, but you can probably guess based on context clues — filthy hardcore punk that just sounds like its creators are all wearing leather jackets, made by punks who’ve clearly got Disrupt and Tragedy in their DNA but are shooting the moon with a big, loud sound that seems engineered to headline California Jam alongside Sabotage-era Black Sabbath.

While we can’t say that 30,000 kids would pack out the Nissan Pavilion (or Jiffy Lube Live, or whatever that place is called now) to see Halshug, it seems a sure thing that their loud, proud rage will fill the confines of Fuzzy Cactus with arena-worthy riff pyrotechnics tonight. That’s something you won’t want to miss, especially with Raleigh rockin’-punk powerhouse Mind Dweller on the bill as well, doing that classic Black Flag-meets-Ted Nugent sound that Annihilation Time made its name on. The bill is rounded out with the inclusion of local rippers Loud Night, who’ve got their own spin on that exact point where Motorhead meets Discharge, complete with a rollicking thrash vibe that’s sure to make the old-school metalheads smile and raise their studded-bracelet-bedecked fists.

Thursday, November 14, 8 PM
Monolord, Blackwater Holylight, Mister Earthbound @ The Camel – $15 in advance/$18 day of show (order tickets HERE)
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the glut of doom metal that has overtaken the heaviest of genres in the past decade or so — sometimes it feels like it’s just slow grooves all the way down, and that can cause us to go from headbanging to nodding off. But it is still, in 2019, possible to do doom metal right, and Sweden’s Monolord are just the latest combo to prove exactly that with their new LP on Relapse Records, No Comfort. As with a lot of bands who achieve success in a world of a million soundalike Sabbath/Wino worshippers, Monolord do this by moving away from the 70s proto-metal influences to concentrate on late 60s psychedelia and classic Southern sludge.

No Comfort feels like the record Eyehategod would have made if they’d been contemporaries of Charles Manson rather than some of the foremost metalheads to develop an edgy fascination with that mass-murdering cult-leading scumbag at the dawn of the 90s. And while I love those first couple Eyehategod records, No Comfort‘s relatively unusual approach to moody sludge is like a breath of fresh air compared to the millionth band ripping off the genre’s godfathers. Monolord arrive in Richmond accompanied by Portland’s Blackwater Holylight, who show absolute mastery of witchy psychedelic foreboding on their 2018 self-titled debut LP. Light a candle for this set — it’ll be appropriate.

Friday, November 15, 9 PM
SNAFU, Eradicant, Idol Womb @ Wonderland – $5
This is probably only a warning I have to give to my fellow olds, but: don’t get it twisted, this is not an appearance by legendary Canadian skate-punk band SNFU. Hailing from just across the Canadian border in Detroit and featuring an extra letter in their acronym band-name, SNAFU are just as speedy and intense as their almost-homophone Canadian counterparts, but have a ton more metal in their sound, straddling the border between metal-thrashing crossover-core and outright skate-obsessed thrash-grind.

They haven’t released anything new since 2015’s heaping helping of speedy noise, Present Day Plague, but they are apparently in the process of preparing to record a new album, their first in four years. So you can expect them to have a ton of new tuneage for you when they show up at Wonderland this Friday night. This show, which serves as a birthday bash for Wonderland owner Chad Painter and a warmup for the Wonderland Quinceanera celebration that’s coming up just before New Years, will also feature two new Richmond ragers — Eradicant, who play death metal and feature members of 3:33; and Idol Womb, who are more of a black-death mix (metal, not plague), and feature members of Cruelsifix. Get ready to rock out!

Saturday, November 16, 7 PM
Robyn Hitchcock @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $25 (order tickets HERE)
Robyn Hitchcock is an absolute legend. This British singer-songwriter has been at the forefront of psychedelic pop for over four decades now, starting out as the frontman for psychedelic postpunk band The Soft Boys in the late 70s, and beginning his solo career in 1981. Since then, he’s released 21 studio albums and a ton of live albums and outtake collections documenting his prolific muse. He veers back and forth between solo acoustic albums with a sort of witchy-English-backwoods psych-folk vibe and full-band outings with backing bands The Egyptians and The Venus 3 (which features members of REM), aiding his creation of impeccable alt-pop gems. In indie circles, he’s considered a godfather of the sound, and has worked with XTC, The Decemberists, and Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel.

With all that in mind, the fact that I can’t even tell you whether Hitchcock is bringing a full band with him for his appearance this Saturday night at Capital Ale House’s Richmond Music Hall shouldn’t even matter to you. His last full-length album, 2017’s Robyn Hitchcock, featured a full band and a bushel of delightful melancholy pop tunes with the subtlest of punk undercurrents — but that was two years ago, and the ever-creative Mr. Hitchcock may have moved on to something else by now. Considering how excellent he’s been at every phase of his career, from The Soft Boys’ immortal 1980 single “I Wanna Destroy You” to his outstanding 1990 solo outing, Eye, and from career-defining 1984 masterwork I Often Dream Of Trains to 2006 late-career highlight Ole! Tarantula, featuring the Venus 3… well, there’s no reason to think whatever he wishes to share with us will be anything other than great. Get over to Cap Ale and groove on this one.

Sunday, November 17, 9 PM
Timmy’s Organism, Cruzer, The Wilful Boys @ Fuzzy Cactus – $7 in advance/$9 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Garage rock can sometimes be the rawest, rootsiest expression of the original rock n’ roll spirit as possible, but Timmy’s Organism isn’t that kind of group. Instead, this project from longtime garage innovator Timmy Vulgar (formerly of the Epitonix, Clone Defects, and more) has a bit of an off-kilter, sidewise approach to the garage thing. On their 2018 LP, Survival Of The Fiendish, Timmy’s Organism veer from song to song between the Stones circa Exile On Main Street’s dankest basement sessions, the Replacements at their most plastered, and a loose, antisocial version of the MC5’s soul-inspired full-throttle rock n’ roll attack. It’s wild, it’s crazy, it’s a ton of fun, and it’s sure to get things all stirred up when Vulgar and co. arrive at Fuzzy Cactus this Sunday night.

They’ll be joined in their rock n’ roll assault on Richmond by The Wilful Boys, an NYC quartet fronted by Australian singing drummer Steven Fisher. Something about the way Aussie bands approach no-frills rock n’ roll is unbridled in a manner you’ll never see on this side of the international dateline, and with a half-Aussie lineup including Fisher, The Wilful Boys bring that Cosmic Psychos-esque approach to bear in an enjoyably brutal fashion. They’ll pair perfectly with the northern hemisphere wildmen of Timmy’s Organism, and local surf-punk fun-starters Cruzer will open this one up with the perfect mix of beach-blanket fun and out-of-control bonfire parties. Get stoked for this one.

Monday, November 18, 8 PM
Comedy & Western Showcase, feat. Sarah White & The New Band, Miss JR Rose, Ben Butterworth, Ben Nelson, David Marie-Garland, LE Zarling, Kate Carroll, Bennie Blonkoe Perry, hosted by Herschel Stratego @ The Camel – $7 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
I don’t know what possessed someone to create a showcase like this, but I’ve gotta admire their creativity. It certainly would never occur to me to combine standup comedy performances with country music, but considering the mutual variety-show roots of both disciplines, it actually makes a ton of sense. And it gives those of us who are more musically inclined an opportunity to feast our ears on some of the modern country sounds being created right here in VA, which doesn’t ever seem to happen often enough. So liven up your Monday night with this one.

Specifically, enjoy a performance from Virginia singer-songwriter Sarah White, whose 2018 LP High Flyer mixes heartland rock sounds with some classic country approaches and instrumentations to create a result that fans of No Depression-style alt-country are sure to enjoy. Miss J.R. Rose is someone I don’t know a lot about, but her classic country ballads seem like a perfect old-school note to add to this many-flavored stew. And of course Ben Butterworth is a local musical mainstay, though I don’t know as much about his fellow Ben, Nelson. The comedy half of this evening’s entertainment is on lock with some of the best local comedians to ply their trade in this city over the past decade on the bill. And of course, Herschel Stratego will deliver his own unique and inimitable skills as the host. This one’s sure to be a blast. Don’t miss out.

Tuesday, November 19, 7:30 PM
The Goo Goo Dolls, Beach Slang @ Carpenter Theatre – $38 – $73 (order tickets HERE)
I know what some of my longtime readers are probably thinking right now: “The Goo Goo Dolls? This is Drew’s ultimate troll move on all of us.” And I’ll grant that sometimes I have way too much fun in this column engaging in — how should I put this? — “subversion of your expectations.” But y’all, I am not fucking with you in the slightest bit on this recommendation. The Goo Goo Dolls are awesome. I will admit that their last few albums have seen time catching up on these guys, turning them from the best matured-ex-punks-turned-heartland-rockers since The Replacements to a group that’s a bit too Matchbox 20-ish in their balladry these days. But that’s OK, because you don’t have to buy their brand new album (which is called Miracle Pill and is their 12th overall) to enjoy the hell out of their live performances.

And for real, I’ve seen video of them performing in the past year, and they’re still rad! Bassist Robby Takac still bounds all around the stage doing jump-kicks, Johnny Rzeznik still plays electric guitar for most of the set, and they’re still playing legit great tunes from decades past, like “Big Machine,” “January Friend,” and “Broadway.” Granted, there’ll be a few lite-rock radio chestnuts to sit through (I never did fuck with “Iris”), but to make up for those, you get an opening set from legit punk band Beach Slang, who are about to release their fourth album, The Deadbeat Bang of Heartbreak City, and still have the high-energy drive that made classic early-90s Goo Goo Dolls albums like Superstar Carwash and A Boy Named Goo so great. As for the headliners, chances are the Goos are gonna show their age at a couple points during their set, but where their best moments are concerned, you’re still not gonna find anything better.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Thursday, November 14, 6 PM
Vital Remains, Serpentshrine, Sadistikum, Appalling, Rotten @ RiffHouse Pub (Chesapeake) – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Death metal mainstays Vital Remains have been bringing us some of the most punishing riffs in the game for 30 full years now, and they’re on tour right now to celebrate. Having formed in the late 80s, established themselves as one of the foremost groups in the genre with 1998’s Forever Underground, and gone on to collaborate with the almighty Glen Benton of Deicide on Dechristianize and Icons Of Evil — two of the best death metal albums the 21st century has seen thus far — Vital Remains definitely have a lot to celebrate on this tour.

Now, I will grant you that they haven’t released an album since Icons Of Evil in 2007, and that at this point both Benton and longtime drummer/lead guitarist Dave Suzuki have left the band. However, Tony Lazaro is still fielding a lineup of powerful metal players — including latest vocalist Scott Eames of Thy Antichrist. In addition to the full catalog of raging hits that the band has to draw from, he’s supposedly got multiple albums worth of new material in the can and waiting to be recorded. Maybe if this anniversary tour is successful enough, Vital Remains will finally break their 12-year drought and grace us with a new album. But even if they don’t, you’ll get to see them decimate RiffHouse Pub with an unrelenting metal onslaught. And that’s certainly good enough reason to go to this one.

Friday, November 15, 7 PM
Ghostemane, Candy, Horus The Astroneer, Parv0 @ The NorVA (Norfolk) – $23 (order tickets HERE)
I gotta tell ya, I find Ghostemane pretty fascinating. Purely on a visual level, he looks like a goth kid who likes metal a whole lot. But he’s at least ostensibly a rapper — though hardly a straight-up old-school rapper, in light of his connections to $uicideboy$ and Lil Peep. He also used to play in hardcore and metal bands, and has been known to take current hardcore bands out with him on tour (note that Richmond hardcore up-and-comers Candy are playing with him on this NorVA bill). All of this speaks to a pretty wide-ranging set of influences that drive Ghostemane, and you can hear all of those influences on the highly prolific (20 releases in the past five years) rapper’s discography.

Sometimes he croons like Trent Reznor at his most emotionally fraught moments. At other times, his stuff sounds almost like Slipknot and Ministry jamming on solely electronic instruments. Sometimes it sounds like the sort of hazy, downbeat hip hop you’d expect from a $uicideboy$ affiliate. And his latest EP, Hiadica, isn’t even hip hop at all — it’s a straight up metallic hardcore record, full of throaty screams, blastbeats, and breakdowns. Whether you’re into the weirder end of the modern hip hop scene, brutal hardcore, or some combination of the two, Ghostemane’s NorVA performance is sure to have something to delight you.

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Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers -– this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected]

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

With “Contemporary Classics,” Richmond Ballet Says Goodbye to Maggie Small

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Before her final performance this weekend, longtime Richmond Ballet dancer Maggie Small shares her thoughts about a career spent on her toes.

For the season opener of the Richmond Ballet’s 2019-2020 performances, the company presents Contemporary Classics at the Dominion Energy Center for the Performing Arts this weekend, Friday, September 27 through Sunday, September 29.

Paying homage to some of the ballet’s roots, Contemporary Classics will offer two ballets: “Themes and Variations” by George Balanchine and “Carmina Burana” by John Butler. The program is accompanied by live instrumentation presented by the Richmond Symphony, in tandem with 100 choral singers from the VCU Commonwealth Singers and the Richmond Symphony Chorus.

The 2019-2020 season for the Richmond Ballet is one of many firsts and a few lasts. This season will be the last for company dancer Fernando Sabino. With Contemporary Classics, Richmond Ballet also bids farewell to long-serving company member Maggie Small. After the conclusion of Sunday’s performance of “Carmina Burana,” Small will officially retire from performance and assume a position on the administrative and fundraising side of the nonprofit ballet company.

Before she goes, RVA Magazine had the opportunity to sit down with her and listen to the highlights and takeaways of a distinguished ballerina.

“I’m excited to go out on something that I really care about,” Small said, “and to share that with so many people between the dancers, the artistic staff [of the Richmond Ballet], and soon to be the audiences, I just feel so grateful and supported.” 

Maggie Small and Ira White in Carmina Burana by John Butler. Richmond Ballet 2019. All Rights Reserved. Photo by Sarah Ferguson.

Small is a Richmonder through and through, having taken advantage of the multiple programs the Richmond Ballet currently has that promote and give opportunity to children who might not get exposure to ballet. She was a student of the School of Richmond Ballet and became an apprentice at 17, while still in high school. After working her way through both professional companies to a principal dancer, Small has accrued notable accolades for her career in ballet, including a cover shoot for DANCE Magazine in 2012.

“What I love about dancing is the way it builds between people,” Small said. “It’s an art that’s handed down from generation. There’s moments where you’re working with a ballet master and they translate how you work with people in the room into dancing. We’re family here, too. If we don’t work together, it just won’t work.”

Small, who could honestly say that ballet is her life, was the first to admit that it’s a hard line of work. There’s mental and physical exhaustion, torn ligaments, and broken bones — but she wouldn’t have had it any other way. The Richmond Ballet offered her a home when she was just five years old, and it will continue to be her home as she steps away from her principal role into a development role writing grants for the nonprofit. Who better to tell the story of the ballet than its own ballerina?

Sabrina Holland and Anthony Oates in Theme and Variations by George Balanchine. Richmond Ballet. All Rights Reserved. Photos by Sarah Ferguson. Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust.

You can come say “thank you” to Maggie Small this weekend only at the Dominion Energy Center’s Carpenter Theatre. Friday and Saturday shows start at 7pm, and the Sunday show starts at 2pm. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased on Richmond Ballet’s website.

Top Photo: Dancers of Richmond Ballet in Carmina Burana by John Butler. Richmond Ballet 2019. All Rights Reserved. Photo by Sarah Ferguson.

Review: Richmond Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’

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“The Nutcracker” on opening night was something to behold. On Sat. Dec. 9, Richmond Ballet premiered its annual festive production at the Carpenter Theatre for families and dance enthusiasts alike. With extravagant costumes and detailed set design, Richmond Ballet’s rendition of “The Nutcracker” is iconic.

The performance’s symphony played in the pit, and the curtains rose to the overture put forth from clarinets, violins, and French horns. Apart from the dazzling story, the live music was the most enjoyable part of the evening. Hearing that bassoon rip the run in “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” was immensely satisfying.

Photo by Branden Wilson

The first act of the production begins as a story through movement with musical accompaniment, telling the old tale of a girl, a mouse, and a nutcracker. From the start, Richmond Ballet’s incorporation of their students in the School of Richmond Ballet and Richmond Ballet’s Minds in Motion Ambassadors into “The Nutcracker” is the program’s strongest quality by far. Yes, the art and skill are phenomenal, but to see Richmond Ballet put children from their dance programs alongside their company dancers – that accessibility is what makes this community stronger.

The props, pyrotechnics, and tech crew deserve shoutouts for their execution in that first act, as well as Lauren Archer and Matthew Frain’s performance. The second act is when the remaining company dancers take turns on the stage. Costuming from around the world accompanied cultural dances in the guise of ballet. Chinese, Spanish, Russian dances and more provided rich context in the “Kingdom of Sweets” for children and parents.

My favorite performances of the night went to “Marzipan (Mirliton Dance)” with Sabrina Holland, Marty Davis, and the cutest lambs I’ve ever seen. This piece epitomizes that accessibility for Richmond Ballet children to get an opportunity to perform with professional dancers. And the “Grand Pas de Deux” from Maggie Small and Fernando Sabino was breathtaking. Magnificent all around.

Photos by Sara Ferguson 

Review: Richmond Ballet’s “Trio” Uplifted Every Spirit Watching

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Richmond Ballet’s “Trio” transformed the Carpenter Theatre into three separate worlds with three remarkably presented ballets. Prior to the 2017 premiere of the “Trio,” RVA Mag was able to join the Richmond Ballet’s Company dancers as they prepared to present their repertoire to not only Richmond, but Norfolk as well. The rehearsals of “Gloria,” “Silence,” and “Journey” reflected what was executed on the main stage; the ballet master meticulously spot -checking and polishing routines for consistency and poise.

The curtain rose to “Gloria,” a choreographic interpretation of Vivaldi’s classic, and the work featured a marvelous collaboration between the Ballet, the Richmond Symphony, and the Virginia Commonwealth University Commonwealth Singers. This grandstanding, traditional ballet encompasses what dance is capable of in a multi-media digestion of artistic content. Vivaldi, a classic, would receive classical treatment within the confines of ballet, which I find boring from repetition, but this was never the case while I watched “Gloria.” The most notable performances of the piece coming from the second movement, comprised of three sets of gorgeous partnering, and the tenth movement, which featured a striking, articulated solo from Eri Nishihara.

My personal favorite of the night came with the second ballet, “Silence.” Originally a smaller work that premiered at New Works, choreographer Gina Patterson was commissioned by the Ballet to travel to Richmond and fully produce the work. This is how the floating pillar came to be, as well as the walking red dress performer. But, what truly captivated my interest about the choreographic layout was the highly-occupied space of dancers in a perpetual state of redress and organic redirection. With so much occurring at once, I always knew where to look. “Silence” is an outright breathtaking pillar of contemporary ballet. Also, special kudos to Fernando Sabino and Maggie Small’s performance.

Last in the “Trio” lineup was “Journey,” a form-breaking ballet consisting of an all-male cast. No other words can describe these twelve professional male dancers besides virtuous and essential. The piece’s original choreographer, Salvatore Aiello, crafted the work to honor the male dancer, who he had believed broke a glass ceiling in the industry. Men don’t just have to lift the women, but they can be lifted themselves. The most thought-provoking quote uttered during those rehearsals rang a little like, “You’re not lifting them, you’re catching them, so they don’t fly away.” That tenderness is the point, and that tenderness received a standing ovation.

Richmond Ballet’s next performance will be “The Nutcracker,” premiering on Sat, Dec 9, at the Dominion Arts Center.

Photo Credits: Sarah Ferguson 

A Glimpse into Richmond’s Classical Music Scene

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On any given Friday night, hordes of Richmond locals craving live music are rocking out to bands and moving to beats spun by locals DJs, until late, late at night — it’s pretty rare, though, to walk into Richmond bar or club and see a full orchestra on stage.

The growing classical music scene in Richmond, however, is here to change that.

“We play the same music we would play in a formal concert hall, just in a different environment,” said  Scott Dodson, Director of Patron Advancement at the Richmond Symphony. “It’s more casual, and people can talk and have a beer — although they can do that in our concert hall as well.”

The Richmond Symphony has begun a new program that encourages the integration of Richmond’s music scene by working with local bands to provide unique performances for locals.

On Friday, the symphony is teaming up with local artists like Matthew E. White, Tim Barry and Bio Ritmo performing together in an event called RVA Live! At the Carpenter Theatre.

Classical Revolution RVA, a Richmond-based collective of musicians, has a similar mission statement.

“We want to integrate classical music into Richmond’s vibrant music and art scene by taking this universal art form out of its glass case, and into Richmond’s bars, restaurants, galleries and cafes,” Ellen Cockerham Riccio, the Executive Director of Classical Revolution RVA, said.

The group organizes monthly performances called Classical Incarnations, which are essentially music variety shows at different venues in Richmond.

“These are venues where Richmonders would already hear live music, usually live bands,” Riccio said. “We perform in those same spaces, where people already feel comfortable. Every five or 10 minutes, a new group will take the stage.

We find that that holds people’s attention very well. It’s very informal, so I think people like that.

When we started, there was a lot of excitement — like, what, hearing a string quartet in a bar? Within a few months, all of our events were packed.”

The next Classical Incarnations is on Oct. 1 at 8 pm, at The Hof in Scott’s Addition. It is free and open to all ages. The Richmond Symphony has also furthered its efforts to interact with the community, with its Big Tent Initiative.

“We have this big, mobile performance space, and you can fit an entire orchestra and chorus under it,” Dodson said. “We take that around Richmond, and around to different counties. We try to perform really great music, and break down barriers, creating some kind of impact on the communities where we perform.”

Yet Dodson emphasized the frequent difficulties in breaking stereotypes when it comes to classical music.

“There’s no denying that a traditional orchestra audience tends to be older and of a certain demographic,” he said. “Still, we see a lot of different people coming to our concerts. There is a traditional feeling that orchestral music is meant to be for people wearing tuxedos, going to concert halls in the evening.”

But Dodson said that is just a perception.

“When you think about music 200 years ago, classical music as we know it now was being played in music halls as much as concert halls.”

Indeed, classical music has a long history and an important legacy. According to Dodson, much of the music we hear today is derived from music made hundreds of years ago. The Richmond Symphony was founded 60 years ago, and has been providing Richmond with music since.

Music, however, is not just about the performance — it is also about the connections it creates. Johnnia Stengall, the Assistant Director of Education and Community Engagement, first started playing the viola when she was just ten years old, and she is passionate about working with children and imparting her love of music.

Before her time in Richmond, Stengall worked with the Baltimore Symphony’s youth orchestra.

“I worked at the Peabody Conservatory, and there were a bunch of kids that would come on the bus from West Baltimore, the rougher part of town, where the riots happened a few years ago,” she said. “Then you’d have the kids from the suburbs, who got dropped off by their parents in Escalades.

And you’d see them in rehearsal talking together about music and concerts. They were so different, and they probably would never have met otherwise. But here, they spoke the same language. I wanted to do that in Richmond, too.”

When asked why classical music is important, both groups were quick to answer: classical music has a special place in Richmond’s music scene, and is capable of moving and inspiring many. It is clear that those who work with the symphony and Classical Revolution RVA are ardently devoted to their work and their music.

“It’s a completely unique experience,” Dodson said. “There’s nothing that I can think of that creates the same sort of sound as an orchestral performance. There’s no other musical experience that resonates in the same way. You get those chills on the back of your neck, and I can’t explain what that means. In that moment, it’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever heard. “

Coccio also emphasized the uniqueness of the classical genre.

“All music is really important for us, especially classical music, because it reminds us that we’re more than our words and our thoughts,” she said. “ It expresses what words can’t, and I feel that classical music in particular really captures the moodiness of humanity. You can go from feeling upbeat to heartbroken to angry to having an epiphany — and I think that really describes us as humans.”

 

Matthew E. White, Natalie Prass, Bio Ritmo & more to perform at Dominion Arts Center 9/23

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Some of Richmond’s finest musicians will bring their acts together for the first time on stage at Dominion Arts Center next month.

Matthew E. White,  Natalie Prass Tim Barry, Bio Ritmo, and Clair Morgan will headline RVA Live! a showcase put on by The Broadberry and Richmond Symphony designed to incorporate the musical arts of all genres and styles that represent our city’s diverse range of talent.

Orchestrations and arrangements by Trey Pollard (Spacebomb) and Marlysse Simmons and Toby Whitaker of Bio Ritmo.

To give you a little taste of what you’ll be getting, check out some info and music from the musicians below ahead of the event.

If you haven’t already, pick up indie rock group Clair Morgan’s New Lions And The Not-Good Night, which came out in May.

Beloved Richmond salsa group Bio Ritmo has entertaining us for over 20 years and they don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. There’s a little something for everyone with this band.

Musician and Spacebomb Records founder Matthew E. White last big release was Fresh Blood in 2015, but the local indie label has been steadily churning out solid hits and building its roster with the likes of Natalie Prass, ReSound, Georgie and Beodouine.

Songbird Natalie Prass flew her way into our hearts with her sweet sing “Birds of Prey”, a song off her self-titled debut album which dropped in 2014 via Spacebomb Records. We’ve been hooked ever since.

Many Richmonders know him as the former frontman for Avail, but Tim Barry has been churning out folk tunes solo for years now. RVA Mag last gave you the scoop on the singer/guitarist when he was releasing Lost and Rootless back in 2014, but Barry has a new record called High on 95 that will drop in September so check out the sneak peek below.

RVA Live! will be held at the Carpenter Theatre at Dominion Arts Center on Sat. Sept. 23 at 8 pm. Tickets range from $10 to $80 and can be purchased here.