A long-held wish came true for music fans from Richmond and all over the world this past weekend. Avail, Richmond’s favorite 90s punk sons, played their first shows in over a decade at The National. You had to move quickly to grab tickets to the Friday show — within a matter of seconds, they sold out. However, thankfully, there was another show the next evening, making this a weekend of reunions not only for Avail but for a whole generation of punk rockers who came of age to the strains of classic albums like Over The James.
The stated reason for Avail’s return to the live arena was to celebrate the 21st anniversary of that classic 1998 album, the group’s fourth and the only one made by the lineup that stormed the stage of the National Friday and Saturday night. But just as important, if not more so, were the emotions felt by everyone within the building that night, as Avail made clear that a dozen years away had done nothing to dull the impact of their powerful, energetic live show.
There will be a few other dates up the East Coast, and at a couple of festivals, but whether Avail will continue to perform after their currently-booked dates come to an end remains to be seen. However, at The National this weekend, it wasn’t about a longterm return; indeed, the very fleeting nature of the shows made them feel that much more important.
Hopefully you were there to experience them, because chances are they won’t come our way again anytime soon.
Whether you missed out, or just want to relive the memories, check out this collection of photos from the show posted to Instagram by excited attendees:
Top Photo: @juliefergusonphoto on Instagram
Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond