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Chaos at GWARbar

Jamie McEachin | September 4, 2020

Topics: black lives matter, GWARbar, Jimmie Lee Jarvis, Kim Gray, Michael Derks, protests, Richmond police

Fueled by a dubious flyer and a lack of information, an incident at GWARbar last month resulted in multiple arrests, as well as conflicting reports of what actually occurred. RVA Mag attempts to get to the bottom of this.

The night of Thursday, August 20, tensions in Jackson Ward were high as the neighborhood anticipated a gathering at GWARbar, the local punk rock bar affiliated with legendary Richmond band GWAR. 

Before Thursday night, a flyer had circulated in the neighborhood calling for a gathering for “autonomous action” at the GWARbar parking lot. By the end of the night, the parking lot was the scene of a violent encounter between RPD and a small group of peaceful protesters, according to a source connected to GWARbar who prefers to remain anonymous. The incident resulted in two arrests of protesters who were charged with conspiracy to incite a riot and assault on a law enforcement officer, according to reports by WTVR.

The purpose of the flier and the gathering is still unclear to the residents of Jackson Ward, said Michael Derks, the owner of GWARbar, in a statement. Derks said that despite calls of concern from the neighborhood and a request made by the district’s City Councilperson, Kim Gray, for GWARbar to put up a “no trespassing” sign, he decided to open the bar for the night. 

“I made the decision to keep the bar open partly because I did not believe that we were in danger,” Derks said in his statement. “But also because if I was wrong, an open establishment with happy patrons is a much less inviting target for vandals than a shuttered building with threatening signs.”

The anonymous flyer that started the whole thing. Image via Jimmie Lee Jarvis/Twitter

If protesters did gather in the bar’s parking lot, Derks said he had planned to mediate between protestors and RPD and explain that they were there with his permission. In his statement, Derks said that he hoped “to be the voice of reason between the police and protesters.” He didn’t want the situation to escalate like other incidents where protesters were arrested for no reason, he said. 

The expectation of violence, trespassing and vandalism led to a tension-filled start to Thursday night, according to the anonymous source. They walked around GWARbar’s block at around 9:30 pm to see if people were gathering in the parking lot, where the flier had specified participants were to meet. They said at that time there was no one in the lot. 

The anonymous source said they, like others in the community who are regulars at GWARbar, decided to be at the bar to keep an eye on the event in case it got out of hand. When they arrived at GWARbar a little before 10 pm, they said there were less than 15 people gathered in the parking lot.

“We were just like, ‘We’re not going to let anyone mess up an actual neighborhood, community bar,’” they said. “A lot of us showed up to make sure we had the business’ back.”

The police arrived and blocked the parking lot with cars between 10:15 and 10:20 pm, the anonymous source said. Immediately, they said, the officers acted against the protesters. A video taken by our source, timestamped at 10:21 pm, shows officers calling for IDs and forcefully arresting two protesters when the crowd refused to comply. Multiple protesters were physically shoved to the pavement of the parking lot by the police, the video showed. (The incident was captured in several videos later shared on RVA Mag’s Instagram account, linked here: 1, 2, 3, 4)

The video shared with us by the anonymous source showed that Derks stepped out of the bar at 10:22 pm and alerted RPD that the parking lot was his private property and the protesters weren’t trespassing. Despite this action, the police continued to detain the two arrested protesters and remained in front of GWARbar until 11:53 pm, the anonymous source said. Unmarked vans and armored cars continued to make laps around the block after the officers left the scene.

Derks said that he understood the concerns of the people who called to warn the bar and of Gray, who he said believed that the protest may have been planned to target her home in Jackson Ward. The anonymous source said they believed that allegations of protesters targeting Gray’s house were falsely reported by the police and the media, and that targeting had never happened. 

“I understand how Ms. Gray feels betrayed by my decision not to close my restaurant but I can not know what people do when they are not at my establishment,” Derks said in the statement. “I can only influence what they do when they are there, and I will not allow people to be discriminated against while they are here, whether it be for the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, or even the way they dress.”

Police vehicles in front of GWARbar. Photo by Jimmie Lee Jarvis, via Twitter

The anonymous source also contradicted reports by ABC 8 News of the number of protesters that gathered in GWARbar’s parking lot. 

Jimmie Lee Jarvis, a Richmond-based independent reporter, decided to attend after seeing the flyer on social media. 

“What was 15 people hanging out became over 100 people heavily armed escalating things until multiple people were arrested,” Jarvis told ABC 8 News. 

The anonymous source who spoke to RVA Magazine said there were no more than 20 protesters in the parking lot of GWARbar throughout the night. 

Jarvis told ABC 8 News he was shoved to the ground by an officer when he began recording the interaction on his phone. 

The anonymous source said that they didn’t understand why GWARbar was targeted, because it is well regarded by the Jackson Ward community as a true example of a neighborhood dive bar. They said it has always been a safe space for its workers and patrons. 

Derks said he was conflicted about his place as a business owner in the ongoing conflict between protesters and police brutality. 

“As a business owner I have struggled to stay neutral as the world goes insane around me,” Derks said in his statement. “It is not GWARbar’s place to choose a side in the heated discourse that is ripping at the very fabric of our society, but last night I was reluctantly thrust onto the frontline of these struggles.”

Top Photo by Jimmie Lee Jarvis, via Twitter

VA Shows You Must See This Week: August 28 – September 3

Marilyn Drew Necci | August 28, 2019

Topics: Appalling, Battlemaster, Bean Weatherford, Bryan Fountain, Court Street Company, Croy & The Boys, Danet Jackson, Daniel Clark, Dave Brockie, deathcrown, Deau Eyes, Dominy, Enhailer, Fruit & Flowers, Fuzzy Cactus, Gene Loves Jezebel, Gutterance, gwar, GWARbar, Habibi, Hewolf, Hot Coffee, LAVA, Leya, LIZA, Logan Vath, Modern English, Museum District, Occultist, Pet Name, Pip The Pansy, Piranha Rama, RAWG, Righter, Serqet, Shockoe Denim, shows you must see, Silence In The Snow, Super Doppler, The Alarm, The Camel, The Dark Room, The Day Of The Beast, The Gilberts, The Heart Stompers, The NorVa, Thief, Thieves Of Shiloh, Toast, Vomit Stain, Wonderland

FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, August 31, 1 PM
Brockie Birthday Bash, feat. RAWG, Battlemaster, Occultist, Hewolf, Enhailer @ GWARBar – Free!

It can be a sad thing, to gather in celebration of a dead person’s birthday. However, Dave Brockie was never the sort of person to dwell on sadness, so when GWAR gathers the bohabs together this weekend in celebration of their late, lamented leader, it’s sure to be a party regardless. Things really kick off the day before this show, when the new monument to Brockie’s memory will be unveiled in Hollywood Cemetery. But then on Saturday afternoon, the parking lot of GWARBar will be transformed into a raging outdoor rock-a-thon to commemorate what would have been Brockie’s 56th birthday.

And what a rager it will be! GWAR themselves won’t be performing, but RAWG — their alter-ego from the days when Richmond had a ban against GWAR shows within the city limits — will headline this event, bringing you all the goofily hilarious thrash-metal power of a typical GWAR show… only without the costumes. It’ll be a headbanging good time regardless — after all, these guys have got some great tunes!

They’ve also got some great friends with excellent bands, and a lovely selection of Richmond metal tunesmiths will be taking the stage in support of the GWAR… er, RAWG headlining set on this lovely Saturday afternoon. Battlemaster’s swords n’ sorcery thrash metal is on the menu, as is Occultist’s blackened death rage, finally back to full-time activity after a few years of woodshedding. Hewolf sees the return to action of several longtime Richmond metal veterans from bands like Iron Reagan, Darkest Hour, Alabama Thunderpussy, and HRM, who bring us some groovy headbanging grunge-metal stomp. And Ohio’s Enhailer bring their mostly instrumental doom-sludge to town to liven things up. It’s gonna be an afternoon of amazingness, so don’t miss a moment of the happenings at GWARBar!

Wednesday, August 28, 9 PM
Silence In The Snow, Thief, Serqet @ Wonderland – $10

Here’s an evening of music that’s sure to bring some relief to all you gothic post-punkers currently wilting and melting away in the oppressive heat of Richmond’s scorching, sticky summer. Silence In The Snow brings an icy, fog-enshrouded sound from their home in the SF bay area to RVA tonight. On new LP Levitation Chamber, frontwoman Cyn M. picks out harsh, cold melodies on her electric guitar, while bearing a striking vocal resemblance to Siouxsie Sioux circa 1985.

The whole thing adds up to a spiky gothic postpunk sound that’s sure to thrill all the black-enshrouded night children who wait until darkness has fallen before they venture out of their air-conditioned chambers. Such habitues of the shadows are sure to also be intrigued by LA’s Thief, who bring a spooky electronic sound and a strong influence from sacred chants and medieval hymns to their postmodern gothic sound. And of course, Richmond’s own Serqet is in the house to provide a dose of their always-on-time anarcho-postpunk sound. When the sun goes down, head to Wonderland tonight — you’ll find what you’re looking for.

Thursday, August 29, 7 PM
Habibi, Fruit & Flowers, LIZA @ The Camel – $10 in advance/$13 day of show (order tickets HERE)

New York’s a multicultural place, and the melting pot culture it creates is clear in the music of Habibi. Reflecting the members’ Middle Eastern and Latin American heritage, this NYC group focuses on psychedelic garage pop from a variety of different traditions. On latest EP Cardamom Garden, they use layered vocal harmonies, hazy guitar textures, and rock n’ roll backbeats to create a sound that’s simultaneously reminiscent of The Byrds, The White Stripes, and Brazilian psych group Os Mutantes. The EP even includes a cover of 60s proto-punk classic “Green Fuz,” sung in Farsi — making that Middle Eastern influence that much clearer.

Habibi are joined on this trip to RVA by fellow New Yorkers Fruit & Flowers, who have a more American-oriented garage-punk bounce that’s shown off to excellent effect on their 2017 EP, Drug Tax. Like Habibi, this quartet will get you dancing around, but they’ve got a decidedly more uptempo approach that’ll keep your feet moving double-time throughout their set. This three-band lineup will be rounded out with a set by Richmond locals LIZA, who will bring a live, full-band expansion to the psychedelic bedroom pop tunes of singer-songwriter Liza Grishaeva. It’ll be a great way to start out an evening of delicious psych-pop excellence.

Friday, August 30, 9 PM
Deathcrown, Appalling, The Day Of The Beast, Gutterance @
Wonderland – $10
Death metal still rules. We all know it, even if we don’t always talk about it. But on a Friday night like this one, it becomes clear that the best way to spend our live music dollar is to head to Shockoe Bottom and let almighty death metal roll overtop of us in its own inimitable way. That’s the opportunity that Wonderland is offering us with this tour-kickoff show for Deathcrown and Appalling, a couple of the heaviest death metal bands currently active in this town.

Deathcrown’s been dishing out that raging sound that’s sure to appeal to fans of bands that came out of Florida in the 90s — think Morbid Angel, or Death themselves — for a while now, most recently on their 2018 split LP with Ribspreader, Comorbid Diagnosis. Meanwhile, Appalling take a more Scandinavian approach to raging speed on their recently-released LP, Inverted Realm, evoking the harsh snarling rage that you At The Gates fans can never get enough of. Virginia Beach rippers The Day Of The Beast will augment all this heavy-as-fuck pummelling with some furious death metal noise of their own, while King George-based newcomers Gutterance will get things kicked off in proper fashion. Come ready for serious headbangs — because you’re going to get them.

Saturday, August 31, 9 PM
Museum District, Hot Coffee @ The Dark Room – $5

When Saturday night comes around, it’s time to dance, and this weekend, The Dark Room has you covered, presenting a set by Museum District. Not actually a performance by an entire neighborhood (which was called “the Upper Fan” when I was living up there in the 90s, grumble grumble, I’m an old person who hates change), but instead a duo made up of two talented RVA musicians with credentials of their own. Jame Moorfield has been producing dancefloor bangers on his own around town for years now, while Anneliese is a fixture on the local music scene due both to her longtime membership in The Folly and her solo work.

When the two combine their talents, though, magic happens, and on recent EPs like Hairdown and I Like It, Museum District has unleashed some powerful disco-house grooves with strong diva-style vocal melodies and thrilling musical crescendoes. They’ll fill The Dark Room at The Hof with some powerful booty-shaking anthems this Saturday night, and you’ll want to save some energy throughout the day so you’re prepared to dance the night away with them. DC producer Hot Coffee will be warming up the joint with a set of his own, but Museum District is what this evening’s all about.

Sunday, September 1, 7 :30 PM
Leya, Thieves Of Shiloh @ Shockoe Denim – $10

If you’re a fan of musical experimentation, you’re definitely going to want to end your weekend at Shockoe Denim this weekend, regardless of who makes your pants. On this Sunday evening, Little Dumbo is bringing Leya to town, and this New York duo combines instruments with centuries of history into sounds that are unlike any you’ve heard before. Leya brings together harpist Marilu Donovan (Eartheater) and violinist Adam Markiewicz (PC Worship) in pursuit of a sound that has nothing to do with the classical music fields in which these instruments are normally deployed.

On their 2018 album The Fool, Leya run their instruments and their voices through a variety of effects and use unorthodox tunings to create otherworldly sounds that would be completely at home on the soundtrack to a horror movie, but also manage to evoke an atmospheric beauty. It’s the kind of thing that fans of Philip Glass or Diamanda Galas might tap into, but for most will take some getting used to. It’s worth the effort, though — this evening of unusual sounds is sure to be rewarding for all in attendance. Leya will be joined by local sound experimentalists Thieves Of Shiloh on this bill — news that’s sure to make attendees of Cheap Fest in years past very happy.

Monday, September 2, 8 PM
Danet Jackson, Bryan Fountain, The Gilberts @
The Camel – $5 in advance/$7 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Band names are getting weirder and weirder, y’all, and Danet Jackson might just be the weirdest one I’ve heard yet. That said, if you’re expecting a combination of The Dan Band and the lady who sang “Rhythm Nation” from this Richmond group, you may or may not be let down, as this group fronted by local singer-songwriter Dan Jackson (the name makes a little more sense now — but only a little) dishes out some shambolic bedroom indie-pop in a manner that evokes both Wavves and Washed Out. Or maybe that’s just me.

Either way, on recent LP Planet Danet, this group is better than you’d ever expect them to be based on the name. Give them a listen. And expect things to get even weirder when fellow Richmonder Bryan Fountain takes the stage, bringing a memorable form of psych-damaged hip hop that, at least to me, sounds like Lil Ugly Mane at times, Lil Uzi Vert at others. The man can definitely rhyme, but if you ask me, the weirdness is the best part. The stumbling, jangly punk-pop of The Gilberts rounds out this fun evening of Labor Day musical madness. Get with it.

Tuesday, September 3, 9 PM
Croy & The Boys, Bean Weatherford @ Fuzzy Cactus – $8

Fuzzy Cactus just opened a couple weeks ago, but they’re already integrating themselves into the Richmond live music scene, and that’s certainly a wonderful thing. This Tuesday night show is billed as “Totally Pauly Tuesdays,” and is apparently themed around which bartender is behind the bar, but as far as I’m concerned, the main reason you want to be at this show is because Austin, Texas’s Croy & The Boys are playing it. This quintet brings classic country, Western swing, and Tejano-style bounce to their classic Lone Star sound, but it’s frontman and chief songwriter Corey Baum’s wry, tongue-in-cheek approach that really makes them stand out.

On new LP Howdy High-Rise, fun songs like “A Song To Play The Next Time That I Meet Your Mother” and “For The First Time I’m Starting To Think About My Age” alternate with humorously-delivered but sincere laments about income inequality and working-class struggles that any Richmonder without a $75k a year Capital One job is sure to relate to. Singing along with “I’m Broke” by Croy & The Boys might not make you any richer, but it’ll bring a smile to your face this Tuesday night, and with the rent coming due any day now, that’s something we could all use.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Saturday, August 31, 4 PM
LAVA Mini-Fest, feat. Super Doppler, Piranha Rama, Court Street Company, The Heart Stompers, Dominy, Pet Name, Righter, Daniel Clark, Logan Vath, Deau Eyes, Pip The Pansy @ Toast – $12 in advance/$15 at the door (order tickets HERE)

We’ve definitely got a big afternoon outdoor fest of our own happening here in Richmond this weekend, but if you’re not feeling like an afternoon of metal, you certainly can’t go wrong heading down 64 E to join our indie-rock pals from Norfolk-based LAVA, who are throwing a one-day fest of their own at Norfolk’s own Toast this Saturday evening. It’s jam-packed with talent, too, and topping the bill is Super Doppler, whose Beatlesque psychedelic pop sound has been a Tidewater treat for years now. They’re about to release their self-titled debut album, and this show will mark the official release celebration, so get ready to party with them!

But there’s a lot more happening at this party, so you’ll want to show up early and plan to stay all night. RVA’s own Piranha Rama have been making their mark in the region with their unique, multi-layered indie-psych sound over the past year or two, and if you haven’t gotten down with that yet, the time has definitely come. There’s plenty more to enjoy on this bill as well, from Norfolk alt-country veterans The Heart Stompers to Atlanta pop goddess Pip The Pansy and even a solo set from Richmond’s own Deau Eyes. There’s even more than that, but we frankly don’t have the space to go through it all — you’re just going to have to show up and find out for yourself. Trust us, it’s worth the trip.

Sunday, September 1, 7:30 PM
The Alarm, Modern English, Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel @ The NorVA – $25 in advance/$30 at the door (order tickets HERE)

The UK punk explosion of the late 70s affected a lot of musicians, and in the next few years, the punk-influenced musicians of the British Isles went in a variety of different directions, from the noisy, ferocious hardcore of Discharge to the experimental weirdness of Flux Of Pink Indians. Welsh group The Alarm represent yet another branch on that post-punk evolutionary tree, having landed on an acoustically-fueled anthemic sound with a ringing, emotional power that retained all of the furious defiance of the classic first-wave punk bands. On 1984 debut Declaration, the band staked out a sound somewhere between U2, The Pogues, and The Clash at their arena-filling height.

35 years later, The Alarm is still marching on, and despite only retaining original singer Mike Peters throughout their career, the group currently features former members of Gen X and Joe Strummer’s Mescaleros, so the fact that their 17th album, Sigma, released earlier this year, still shows plenty of their arena-filling anthemic power only makes sense. They come to The NorVA this weekend in the company of two other 80s UK post-punk powerhouses — Modern English, about whom I need only say four words: “I Melt With You”; and Gene Loves Jezebel, best remembered for their late 80s gothic glam-rock smash, “Jealous.” If you loved the big anthemic sound of the 80s New Wave, this is your night.

—-

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

GWAR Announces Unveiling of Dave Brockie Memorial Monument in Hollywood Cemetery

Marilyn Drew Necci | July 1, 2019

Topics: Dave Brockie, gwar, GWARbar, Hollywood Cemetery, Oderus Urungus

Word has reached the RVA Mag offices that the almighty aliens of GWAR are unveiling a monument to their fallen founder and leader, Dave Brockie, in Hollywood Cemetery, perhaps Richmond’s most historic final resting place.

The unveiling will take place on Friday, August 30 at 2 PM, and all are invited to join and pay tribute. There will also be a free party the next day, Saturday August 31, at the band’s very own GWARbar.

“The erection of this monument has been a long time coming,” stated GWAR in a press release — we see what you did there, guys. “We are grateful and happy we can finally do this for Dave. We thank the many people who donated time and money to make this a reality.”

“We hope the marker will provide a long-needed place for Brockie’s friends, family, and fans to pay their respects to this wonderful and talented human being, and of course, to Dave’s famous creation, Oderus Urungus, who will always be remembered as one of the greatest frontmen in rock history.”

GWARbar is located at 217 W. Clay St in Jackson Ward. Keep an eye on their social media and that of GWAR themselves for further details on this event.

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

Scumdogs: RVA Mag Weekend Playlist by GWARbar

RVA Staff | August 3, 2018

Topics: bangers, gwar, GWARbar, rock and roll, rva mag, Scum Dogs, thrash, Weekend Playlist

Every Friday night, RVA Mag drops one banger of a playlist curated by Virginia’s most influential artists, musicians, and institutions. This week, Richmond institution GWARBar, drops some tracks to help you thrash through the weekend.

Stay frosty Virginia.

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

 

Eat Travel Rock explores Richmond’s music scene

Amy David | August 8, 2017

Topics: Eat Travel Rock, friday cheers, GWARbar, plan 9 records, rva music, strange matter, The Broadberry, The Camel, The National

Host of web series Eat Travel Rock Kelly Rizzo recently made a trip to Richmond to capture something  all of us city dwellers already know too well: our kick ass music scene.

Rizzo highlights Richmond as a hub for all music lovers, no matter if you love reggae, folk, rock, or metal there’s a mix of every genre in our little town. She makes her first stop at local staple Plan 9 Records in Carytown and then heads over to chat with Lucas Fritz, co-owner of The Broadberry and The Camel to hear more about RVA music and what sets us apart from other cities along with a small mention of The National.

We get to hear some tunes from Dead Man Winter and a reggae dub showcase at The Camel before Rizzo moves on to fellow local music venue Strange Matter. She focuses on rock here and this was sort of glossed over. No interview with promoter Mark Osborne, who could have given her the lowdown on all the hottest bands to see and more, but at least Smatter received some love.

GWARbar was up next and while the visuals were killer, she focused more on the cocktails instead of the overlords of metal and their debauchery and crazy antics.

Rizzo wrapped up her tour of Richmond’s music venues with a look at Friday Cheers, an outdoor concert series on Brown’s Island which runs May to June. A popular summertime favorite, the series landed some awesome bands and musicians this season including Angelica Garcia, People’s Blues of Richmond, and Connor Oberst and Sleepwalkers.

I wish she would have highlighted the metal, punk, and hip hop scenes a little more, but I think it still captured some of the best Richmond has to offer musically for a tourist looking to visit the area.

RVA’s Petrichor perfectly blend folk and heavy rock in debut EP

Amy David | August 15, 2016

Topics: doom metal, folk, GWARbar, occult, Petrichor, rock, strange matter

Pair doom/occult sounds with the folky, but haunting, voice of a female lead, and you have local metal band Petrichor.
[Read more…] about RVA’s Petrichor perfectly blend folk and heavy rock in debut EP

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