richmond bands Archives

RVA 101: History Of Richmond Music Weekend Playlist

Marilyn Drew Necci | September 4, 2020

Topics: richmond bands, richmond music, RVA Mag Weekend Playlist, rva weekend playlist, Weekend Playlist

Every Friday night, RVA Mag brings you a truly fantabulous playlist curated by Virginia’s most influential artists, musicians, and institutions.

This time around, it’s a follow-up to last week’s 100th playlist, in which we celebrated with 100 currently active Richmond bands. We’d originally planned to combine that playlist with the idea behind this one — a history of Richmond’s music scene over the past 60 or so years — but we got so far beyond the 100-song idea that we just split them into two.

So here’s the other half, which starts in the mid-60s with some garage rock, moves up through jazz, funk, early punk, the coming of hardcore, the postpunk 80s, the pop-punk early 90s, Richmond hardcore’s move toward world domination, the post-Y2K indie revolution, the city’s huge doom phase of about a decade ago, and a lot more that doesn’t neatly fit into a linear narrative.

This playlist is arranged more by chronology than sound, so if it jumps all over the place with lightning speed, please understand. Also, don’t get too upset if your favorite Richmond band of all time isn’t here — a lot of local music, especially stuff that was recorded in the pre-internet era, has never made it to Spotify at all. We’re just as bummed by this playlist’s lack of White Cross, Death Piggy, Superfriends, Fudge, and Single Bullet Theory (among many others) as you are. But there are still over 75 songs here for you to delve into, and you’re guaranteed to find an excellent bit of local music history that you never knew existed — if not several.

Study well, Virginia.

Open this playlist from mobile in your Spotify app HERE.

Top Photo: E. Broad St. at 7th, July 1960. By Adolph B. Rice, via Library of Virginia/Flickr

A Trip Through Richmond: RVA Mag’s 100th Weekend Playlist

Marilyn Drew Necci | August 28, 2020

Topics: hip hop richmond va, music, richmond bands, Richmond indie, Richmond Metal, richmond music, Richmond music scene, richmond punk, RVA Mag Weekend Playlist, rva magazine weekend playlist, Weekend Playlist

Every Friday night, RVA Mag brings you a totally rockin’ playlist curated by Virginia’s most influential artists, musicians, and institutions.

This week, we’ve taken the reins ourselves once again, in celebration of the fact that this is the 100th RVA Mag Weekend Playlist! We never would have figured that an idea we had on the spur of the moment would have lasted nearly three years like this, but since it has, we figured we’d use our 100th time around to celebrate the full spectrum of Richmond music, from all genres and all areas of the river city, by presenting 100 songs by (at least) 100 different currently active Richmond artists.

Now, this isn’t an exhaustive list of people and groups making music in our wonderful hometown — to do that would take something closer to 500 different songs, and even then, we’d be hampered by how many aren’t even on Spotify yet. Instead, you should look at this as more of an overview, a guided tour through everything from indie rock to hip hop to jazz, metal, punk, folk, and a lot more, including some things that are all but impossible to categorize. This playlist amounts to over six hours of music, and is sure to contain at least a few things you’ve never heard before, so dig in and appreciate the wondrousness of our city’s music scene.

Listen close, Virginia.

Open this playlist from mobile in your Spotify app HERE.

An Oasis Of Music In A Desert Of Silence

Mitchel Bamberger | August 4, 2020

Topics: Brambly Park Winery, live music, Peter LeBlanc, richmond bands, richmond music, rooftop bar, scotts addition, The Dark Room, the Hof, The HofGarden

RVA Mag wanted to find out how local venues are surviving during the ongoing pandemic. In the first of a multi-part series of articles, we learn how The Hof and Brambly Park Winery are keeping music alive outdoors.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a strange and challenging time for everyone. In addition to challenging people’s mental health and happiness, it has had a profound impact on the American economy. Nearly every industry is feeling the pressure of the economic catastrophe that has resulted from the pandemic.

Few industries have been impacted as harshly as the entertainment industry. Restaurants, bars and breweries, and even hospitality and travel agencies have struggled to find a way to keep things going even at a fraction of their former capacity. Live music in particular has come to a screeching and devastating halt, and there is no end in sight.

Under normal circumstances, Richmond is a thriving live music city with countless local bands and dozens of clubs, bars and breweries offering live music. Since the quarantine began, though, all of them have faced the same difficult choice: totally re-evaluate and change their approach to entertainment, or stop hosting live music altogether.

Four months into the quarantine, RVA Magazine wanted to check in with a few of Richmond’s key promoters, club owners, and talent buyers to get their perspective on the state of the local live music industry, the steps they’ve taken to survive, and what it’s like to own or work for a music venue in these unprecedentedly trying times.

The first person we spoke to is Peter LeBlanc, chief talent buyer and promoter for The Hofgarden and their newly opened sister establishment, Brambly Park Winery.

“We are at an advantage to a lot of other venues because we are not just a venue,” LeBlanc said of the Hofgarden. “We don’t have any entertainment plans, we’ve just been focused on re-establishing restaurant and bar service.”

The Hofgarden is a three story venue with a bar on the ground level, two event venues on the second floor, and a rooftop bar. One of the venues on the second floor is a proper music venue called The Dark Room, which has become a popular destination to hear local bands in an intimate and cozy space. Unfortunately, The Dark Room has ceased hosting live music since the pandemic hit, because the room is just too small for safe social distancing.

“We don’t have any immediate plans for The Dark Room,” LeBlanc explained. “That room is so small that to actually distance tables is not going to allow for many tables to be in there.”

LeBlanc voiced his concern for the public and his apprehension for the prospect of hosting shows in The Dark Room again.

“I don’t want to do anything in there until the artist feels safe, the staff feels safe and the public feels safe,” he said. “Even if we feel good about it and the bands feel good about it, what if the public doesn’t? Everybody has to be onboard for any of this to work.”

Instead, Leblanc has repurposed The Dark Room and offered it up as a space for bands to do live streams. “We don’t have a budget for it so I haven’t been charging people if they want to do them,” he said. “I’ve kind of just been doing it out of the goodness of my heart.”

The rooftop bar at The Hof, however, has been able to continue to host solo singer-songwriters on the outdoor deck while patrons eat and drink at tables by reservation. All of the servers and bartenders wear masks and every safety precaution is taken to provide a sterile and safe atmosphere that feels relatively normal. Aside from the masks, it almost feels like the good old days when we didn’t have to think about airborne viruses while we ate lunch.

For LeBlanc, even being able to do what they’re doing now feels like an accomplishment. “We are at less than 50% capacity, but it feels good,” he said.

The team at the Hofgarden have worked hard to make live music a priority during the pandemic. “The more venues and opportunities we have for local musicians the better,” LeBlanc said.

As a musician himself, LeBlanc is well connected to the RVA music scene. He shared his thoughts on the difficulties that musicians are facing right now and how it may be affecting them. “I think the biggest struggle I’ve come across is band members and musicians with families that have kids at home, or they’re concerned about their partner’s health,” he said. “You can tell they want to come out and play, but they can’t, because they’re too worried about any possible repercussions.”

LeBlanc has been focusing a lot of his energy as of late on The Hof’s newest endeavor, Brambly Park Winery, which just opened in June in the Northwest corner of Scott’s Addition. Brambly Park is in a unique position, one that is different from most live music venues in town, because it still has the ability to host live music. “We definitely have a nice advantage with Brambly because it’s such a huge park and it’s outside,” LeBlanc said.

Since their grand opening, Brambly Park has been able to host live music every weekend. It is likely that many of their patrons are seeing their first live concert since March; the events also provide a place to play for musicians that have been out of work since the pandemic took full effect. There is an eerie sense of normalcy that almost feels too good to be true at the multi-acre winery.

When asked about what sort of lasting effects from COVID-19 he expects to see on the music industry in Richmond after the quarantine has been lifted, LeBlanc said, “I think the small venues that survive will be stronger than they ever were before. They’re going to have a new appreciation for everything.” Smaller venues with lower capacity may be among the first to re-open, which would be a positive thing, as they are also the most at risk from going out of business.

For bigger venues, LeBlanc sees a much longer wait in store. “As far as Live Nation and big shows, I don’t think they’re gonna come back probably for a year and a half or two years,” LeBlanc said. “It’s gonna be a very different landscape.”

In the meantime, until larger concerts are possible again, we will have to get our live music fix wherever we can. Peter LeBlanc and the team at The Hof and Brambly Park Winery are working harder than ever to provide ongoing opportunities for musicians and to bring music to the good people of Richmond.

The Hofgarden is located at 2818 W. Broad St. Brambly Park Winery is located at 1708 Belleville St, deep in the heart of Scott’s Addition. For more info on how to find them, check their website.

Ghost Writing: Weekend Playlist By Past Palms

RVA Staff | July 10, 2020

Topics: ambient, downtempo, electronic, Past Palms, richmond bands, richmond music, RVA Mag Weekend Playlist, rva magazine weekend playlist, Weekend Playlist, When The Sun Reaches Its Highest Point In The Sky

Every Friday night, RVA Mag brings you an epic, glorious playlist curated by Virginia’s most influential artists, musicians, and institutions.

This week, we’ve got a selection of tracks presented by Past Palms, a homebrewed electronic/downtempo project that will quietly invade your brain with their ambient, moody beats. They’ve stayed prolific so far this year, following up the “Rainwater” single in February with an EP called Vernal in March, and now releasing a brand-new two-song EP entitled When The Sun Reaches Its Highest Point In The Sky. It’s out today, and you can grab yourself a digital copy in a variety of places around the internet.

To accompany the release of that EP, Past Palms has joined with RVA Mag to brighten up your weekend with a playlist full of mind-expanding sounds. Hip hop, electronica, ambient and experimental sounds, and more all come together on Past Palms’ weekend playlist to create the perfect soundtrack for staying up super-late and sleeping in past noon. It’s gonna be super hot this whole weekend, so why not stay in and relax with this one?

Get in the mood, Virginia.

Open this playlist from mobile in your Spotify app HERE.

Photo by Nuria Rius

Lamb Of God Returns

Alicen Hackney | June 18, 2020

Topics: Anesthetic, Checkmate, coronavirus, covid 19, Lamb Of God, Mark Morton, music, richmond bands

Richmond metal legends Lamb Of God will release their first new album in five years tomorrow. We caught up with them to find out what it’s like to return to action in midst of a pandemic.

As a new decade has dawned, a new chapter is beginning for Richmond-based, legendary heavy metal band Lamb of God. The release of their self-titled eighth studio album is upon us, and never before has there been a more authentic representation of their presence in the scene. After over a year of work specifically for the album, and 26 years developing their identity and musical strength, Lamb of God has reached a critical mass. This new album encompasses everything the guys have worked so hard to create in their sound with skull shredding riffs and haunting, emboldening rhythms.

“We’re embracing our veteran status and becoming OG’s in the scene, so to speak, and we’ve got a new drummer so we’re really energized by that. The moral and vibe in the band are up interpersonally,” said Lamb of God guitarist Mark Morton. “It’s at an all time high, and it really felt like a definitive moment for us. 26 years in, we are at one of these benchmarks of our career, and for us, creatively and artistically.”

This benchmark moment has come to mean so much more beyond simply the years put in and the fan base amassed. After five Grammy nominations and numerous other acclaims, what Lamb of God is focused on are their roots and the vast growth of musical talent each member has collaborated to create. This pinnacle of growth was also what led the guys to make the album self-titled.

“It always seemed to feel like it was an uninspired move [to self-title an album], like a bit of a fall back or cop out. This time, it was really quite the opposite,” said Morton. “There were other ideas for titles, and good ones; it’s just, we were waiting for this album and this moment where we really felt like, more than a new album release, this was really a new era for the band.”

The new album is raw. It’s angry. It’s an inspired representation of the aggression so many are feeling at the hands of the system, aggression that has only heightened in the grips of a sweeping pandemic and political unrest.

“Divide and conquer and close them in, and bury secrets deep. Make America hate again, and bleed the sheep to sleep,” go the lyrics from “Checkmate,” a song that was released as a pre-album single. These lines seem to signify the rhetoric of the current administration, in contrast to the pain felt by Americans everywhere. However, the band’s members aren’t necessarily interested in such a specific interpretation.

“I’m not one of these people that ever likes to talk about the literal details, inspiration, or meaning behind lyrics,” said Morton. “[Singer] Randy [Blythe] sometimes does, and that’s cool for him, but for me when I write, I don’t like to characterize everything so detailed, because I feel like that robs the listener of how they might relate to it on their own.”

The new album is a family affair, in that it includes participation from fellow members of the family of metal; specifically, Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed and Chuck Billy of Testament. And while a self-titled album is often not the place for featured artists, it’s clear they were more than mere guests on this monumental record.

“It goes way beyond sharing a stage with them or having gotten to know them over the course of a tour or something like that. Those guys really are close friends and family,” said Morton. “To invite Jamey and Chuck to appear on a couple songs… it was so natural for us.”

During the pandemic, this family has felt the hit of uncertainty. Chuck Billy and his wife Tiffany were both diagnosed with COVID-19, as were a number of Testament’s crew members following the band’s most recent European tour. As issues developed, the guys of Lamb of God kept close tabs on Billy and those affected, and luckily, it wasn’t too long before everyone made full recoveries.

Due to these and other issues relating to the pandemic, Lamb of God had to postpone the release of their album from May 8th to June 19th. This change was made to ensure there was no extra load placed upon essential mail and delivery workers while they perform much-needed services for transportation of essential goods.

“Obviously this pandemic is affecting everything, so for me to bemoan how it might impact the sales of my record would seem kinda trivial. A little self-absorbed,” said Morton. “Hopefully, on a more positive vibe, maybe it’ll bring some people some relief, some sort of cathartic joy. It’s a really heavy record — sonically, musically, lyrically — so maybe that’ll resonate with people in such a turbulent and frightening time.”

With all of this down time in between recording and releasing the album, and even more between these things and touring, the guys of Lamb of God have been doing what they can to bide their time with purpose.

“I have, interestingly enough, been playing the guitar more than ever,” said Morton. “As someone who plays guitar professionally, for a living, there are times when I really don’t play guitar for a couple weeks at a time, like I really literally won’t play guitar.” Now that he can’t do it for a living, though, he’s finding new ways to approach his instrument during the downtime.

“One of my favorite guitar solos is in the Steely Dan song ‘Kid Charlemagne,’ and it was real tricky shit to learn,” Morton said. “It was really good for me to be out of my comfort zone, having to work in different shapes and different patterns then I’m used to playing. I realize I sometimes get caught in this trap where every time I pick up a guitar, I feel like it’s gotta be career-motivated. I sort of retapped into this idea that I really, really love playing guitar.”

While we might not get to see these particular influences come forward in Lamb of God’s music, Morton does have a solo project, with both an EP and a full-length album so far, 2019’s Anesthetic, which showcase this classic rock side.

Regardless of the roadblocks and time passed, the guys in Lamb of God are looking forward to getting their music out there and getting back on the road. Going out and representing Richmond around the world is intrinsic to the band’s mission, and they’ll spread that positivity whenever they can.

“Honestly, with everything that’s going on, I’ll just be excited to be on stage again and making people smile,” said Morton. “That’s the coolest thing about what I get to do, you know? When we take the stage and I’m glancing out into the crowd for the first time of the night, everybody’s smiling. People are happy at these shows, and it feels good to be a small part of that system. Makes me feel like we’re doing something good.”

Lamb of God’s self-titled album is out June 19th on all streaming platforms, and you can get your copy on the band’s website (lamb-of-god.com). The album tour is set to begin in October, but you can keep updated on these events on their website as health guidelines and venue openings progress. Whenever they get out there, it will be well worth the wait.

Top Photo by Travis Shinn

Deau Eyes Is Here To Stay

Alicen Hackney | May 8, 2020

Topics: Ali Thibodeau, Deau Eyes, Egghunt Records, Let It Leave, richmond bands, Richmond va music

Today marks the long-awaited release of Deau Eyes’ first full-length album, Let It Leave, on Egghunt Records. We caught up with Ali Thibodeau to get the full story behind her all-encompassing debut release.

Creativity and positivity mesh in a stylistic rainbow with power and purpose in Let It Leave, Deau Eyes’ first album. Deau Eyes is Ali Thibodeau, a Richmond-based songstress who’s stories of adventure are only outnumbered by the immense amount of tassels on her fringe denim jacket. To encapsulate some of these stories and make her biggest musical debut yet, Thibodeau is releasing her first ever full length album as Deau Eyes, the aforementioned Let It Leave, on May 8, and she couldn’t be more excited for you to hear it. Truly she couldn’t, she’s already released a number of songs off the album in anticipation.

“Full Proof,” “Some Do,” “Paper Stickers,” and “Parallel Time” have all been released to various media prior to the album itself, including videos for each song on YouTube. Each song and video is special in its own way, and each captures a slice of the vastly different energies created throughout the album.

“The heart of this song is about finding what lights the fire inside of you and really pursuing that no matter what is happening elsewhere in your life,” Thibodeau said of “Some Do.” “Being able to escape from something that is bogging you down or making you feel less than what you have to bring to the world.” The “Some Do” video captures this idea through an energetic use of big wigs, long denim tassels, and colorful cowgirl boots.

The music video for “Parallel Time” was shot entirely by Thibodeau at various points of her life; traveling, practicing, enjoying huge pillow fights, and singing over an unanswered FaceTime call. The personal touch this video extends helps convey the DIY lifestyle Thibodeau holds dear, and brings everything about Deau Eyes down to earth.

All of the videos add up to a visual version of the album that adds new textures to and expands upon what Let It Leave is all about. That is, of course, intentional.

“I’ve always kinda wanted to do that, but I’ve always felt like an amateur when it comes to video. I have a real passion for it, and I’m excited to have an excuse to be like, ‘Yeah, I was in the house, but here’s my iPhone videos that I made on iMovie. I did something,’” said Thibodeau. “It’s an alternative way to experience the album, whether or not we get to have our release show.”

Approaching the album release date during a pandemic has introduced a number of challenges that Thibodeau has chosen to take on with grace. As this is her first album, she had been looking forward to many new experiences: the album release party, the first big supporting tour, shows upon shows packed with good people and friends from all over.

But as she says, “If my parents and my family have taught me anything, it’s that you always make lemonade out of whatever lemons you got. These are some really weird lemons, but we’re figuring it out.”

“It’s a weird combination of mourning how things were going but also being really excited about what I’m going to get to create with all of this time. There’s no pressure at all for anybody to be cranking out anything. If anything, this is a time when we all need to check in with ourselves and our intentions, and look at each other as human beings in the same world, having the same experience, and slow down,” said Thibodeau. “My current situation is that I’m in a house alone, so I’m calling a lot of friends and family, and I’m also having a lot more dance parties by myself and painting my face with all the eyeshadow that I have from my Ipsy bag and getting really weird. I’m trying to document it.”

And document it she will. The videos she’s already released are just the beginning; Thibodeau has been working on a visual representation for the entire album in the form of music videos, as an exchange for the in-person album release show experience. Aside from the four already released, the album has five more equally thrilling and lovable songs to work with.

Thibodeau is no stranger to change and adaptation, so this new quarantine experience can be added to a list of incredible times she has worked through for her ultimate benefit. Having been a waitress, baker, busker, Zumba instructor, and so much more, she has proven there is almost nothing the world can hand you that you can’t find a good adventure in.

“I have a friend that does set design, and he made this huge Polly Pocket display for a toy convention. He needed someone to drive it in the back of a U-Haul across the country, and he thought of me,” said Thibodeau. “So, I just took a U-Haul across the country by myself with all this Polly Pocket stuff in the back of the truck. When I got to L.A. there was a Holiday Inn with a hot tub in the room, and I was just like, ‘Oh I’ve made it, I’ve really made it.’”

From wacky cross-country excursions to professional experiences most people only dream of, Thibodeau really has done it all, even making the cast at Universal Studios’ Harry Potter World.

“I was a wizard at Diagon Alley in Universal Studios. I was a puppeteer and the narrator of a show called ‘Tales of Beedle the Bard’,” she explained. “That was a whirlwind two-week crash course of puppeteering and monologuing over a track. We would rehearse in the middle of the night; we’d be at Universal Studios at like 3 a.m.. It was wild.”

All of these experiences have contributed to Thibodeau’s music in its purpose and voice. Her life has not been linear, and Let It Leave reflects that. From one song to the next, there is so much to be gained from her inspired lyrics, set to various tones and aesthetics.

“It’s almost like a meditative obsession that started when I was a kid,” Thibodeau said of songwriting. “It was never really about how good my guitar skills were or if I was going to be able to sing in front of people. It was always just something that centered my mind and helped me be concise with my thoughts and what was really going on at the heart of every situation. All of these jobs that I’ve had have shown me that life is about so much more than this one straight shot through, and I write a lot about that, and how I navigate chaos.”

Back at the beginning of the Deau Eyes journey, Thibodeau posted a YouTube video asking for Kickstarter donations. She promised supporters that she would write letters, send pre-releases and t-shirts, and more, in exchange for their support backing the creation of her debut album. The grand prize was that you’d get your own live show in your living room. That one’s still available to be claimed. “No one really took me up on the living room show,” said Thibodeau, “which I’m still down to do if anybody reads this article and is in… like, I’m so down.”

She was glad for the opportunity that fulfilling all those Kickstarter rewards gave her to reflect on how much support she did receive.

“I love writing letters to everybody and taking time to really think about the person that was helping me, no matter how small the gift was,” said Thibodeau. “It’s so important when you’re making music to realize that people believe in you, because then you start to believe in yourself, and that changes the game.”

Thibodeau said that without the outpouring of support she received from friends and strangers alike to push the album into existence, Let It Leave might still be far from complete. It helps that, as she’s traveled, the friends she’s made have come around seamlessly, contributing to her story with theirs.

“It was a lot of people from all walks of life, from all these jobs I’ve done, and just friends that I’ve made along the way in different cities,” she said of her Kickstarter backers. “Whenever I’m traveling, I love just walking into a bar and sticking up a conversation with somebody — just for the story. I do a lot of things for the story. Mostly just entering the world with an open heart and knowing that you have so much to learn from literally anybody that you talk to. I think that just opens up a whole world.”

Thibodeau has a strong desire to encourage those around her, and her music has become a primary way for her to do so. Having learned that life can change and take on many different forms you never expected, she aims to remind us all that we can go with our gut, that we are never glued to one thing in life. Whether you’ve been at a job that doesn’t fulfill you or spent too much time with a friend who, let’s be honest, isn’t a friend at all, she knows where your heart’s at.

“I have this song called ‘Autonomy’ and I always say that it’s about self-love and independence, but I think it’s also about giving yourself permission to cut the bullshit out of your life, and giving yourself permission to not feel obligated to things that aren’t necessarily serving you,” she said. “I know I don’t know everything and I am still figuring it all out, but I feel really grateful that I’ve had these influences in my life that said, ‘Hey, I know you were all gung-ho about this one dream, but if it doesn’t end up being your dream at the end of the day, that’s okay.’ You can have just as much of a fulfilling life following your intuition, because at the end of the day we are so much more than what we do. We are valuable beyond our careers and what is making us money.”

Deau Eyes’ electric, heart-warming, vibrant debut album Let It Leave is out on Friday, May 8 through Egghunt Records. You can find it through the Egghunt web store, and on Bandcamp.

Top Photo via Deau Eyes/Facebook