RVA MAG | Richmond, VA

PHOTOS: Stone’s Throw Down in RVA

Joey Wharton | September 14, 2017

Topics: browns island, Lettuce, NO BS Brass Band, richmond, RVA, rva music, Stone Brewing-Richmond, Stone's Throw Down in RVA, The London Souls

Over the weekend, hundreds flocked to Brown’s Island to check out the inaugural Stone’s Thrown Down in RVA, a music and beer festival put on by Stone Brewing Richmond to celebrate their one year anniversary here and give back to the local community who have supported them since they opened their doors in Rocketts Landing.

The weather was perfect and the lineup was stacked with killer acts like Richmond’s beloved NO BS! Brass Band, The London Souls, The Bright Light Social Hour, Pontiak, JEFF the Brotherhood, and Lettuce, who closed out the night with an unbelievable performance.

Stone Brewing’s beers were flowing of course, with most of their IPAS taking over a majority of the taps, but craft beer lovers also had delicious options from Petersburg brewery Trapezium Brewing, Charlottesville’s Blue Mountain Brewery, and other Virginia brews.

No BS! Brass Band hyped the crowd up as always with their amazing sound and had everyone chanting “RVA All Day” and dancing to their groovy rhythms. They closed out their hour and a half set with a “Thriller” rendition, which had everyone off the ground, dancing and singing. The dudes bring the party every single time and never disappoint, it’s such a treat to get to see them they put their heart, soul, sweat, and tears into every performance and if you haven’t had to chance to see them yet, well I don’t know what you’re doing with your life.

The New York rock and roll group The London Souls were a welcomed surprise. They freaking killed it and their energy on stage kept the crowd interested and their unique funky rock sound put them on my radar to check out in the future.

Lettuce closed out the festival, bringing us all the funk and groove that we love. It’s one big dance party when they get on stage and with each song, they had the crowd dancing and getting down. You couldn’t even make your way through the crowd it was so tightly packed with people dancing, hula-hooping and crowd-surfing to their smooth grooves.

The first Stone’s Throw Down in RVA was a success, and here’s to hoping they continue each year with more acts that are even bigger. If you missed it this year, luckily RVA Mag contributor and local photographer Joey Wharton captured the day for us. Take a look below at the day’s festivities:

Pontiak

The Bright Light Social Hour

JEFF the Brotherhood

No BS! Brass Band with Governor Terry McAuliffe

The London Souls

Stone Founder Greg Koch (left) and Stone CEO Dominic Engels (right)

Lettuce

Words by Amy David
Cover Photo is The Bright Light Social Hour

Rock & Roll Pärty Town: Richmond punks in the Reagan years by photographer Cindy Hicks

R. Anthony Harris | September 1, 2017

Topics: benny's, punks, richmond punk, RVA, the mosque richmond

Back in the early 80s, suburban kids who’d picked up on the first wave of punk rock from NYC and London were starting to pick up guitars and create their own regionally-focused underground bands and scenes. Richmond was no exception, and photographer Cindy Hicks was an essential presence at those early shows, often turning away from the bands on stage to document the kids in the crowd, capturing the scene as it really was for the kids involved at the time. From the touring bands making their name at the time, to lesser-known RVA locals of the era like White Cross, The Prevaricators, and Judicial Fear, Hicks’s photos give us a window through time to see them all–and, just as importantly, the kids who came to see them.

Harris: What was the Richmond scene like when these photos were taken?

Hicks: It was amazing, so many great tiny venues. Benny’s, Rockitz, the Doghouse, Going Bananas, 538 Club, even Mosque Ballroom.

Harris: What was the country like back then?

Hicks: Reagan era, I think! Ha! [In] 1982 the music was changing. I had dropped out of VCU, to go back in 84. I was never political, just an artist. I worked part-time at Richmond newspapers–I got a full page picture story out of some of my images, after they had me shoot punk rock night at the Bus Stop in Shockoe Slip. Because it was so alternative! I still have negatives from that night.

Harris: What bands did people have to see?

Hicks: Local bands like White Cross, Red Cross [the forerunner to White Cross], Death Piggy–I could be mixing up my eras, but I went to shoot the people in the pit. Sometimes I did not know any of the bands’ songs. But I saw and or shot: Suicidal Tendencies, COC, Dead Kennedys, Circle Jerks, Richard Hell, GWAR at Shafer Court on Halloween, and others that I can’t remember since I am not looking at my binder of negatives. Oh yeah, Bad Brains! No photos of that, the show was so amazing that I just had to experience it. Judicial Fear, The Prevaricators… so many.

Harris: What do you think of Grace Street today?

Hicks:I don’t recognize it. It makes me feel old.

Harris: Who were you back then?

Hicks: Just a girl who loved to shoot the energy and people. Someone on the fringe, not in the scene, but an observer–though now, I count so many people from them among my oldest friends! Doug Dobey is an example of that, so is Lisa Perilli.

Harris: What is you life like now?

Hicks: I am in reboot, retool stage. About 20 years in advertising. I am starting over, working in films/tv–a prop person, though I was that before advertising.

Harris: Do you keep in touch with anyone from back then?

Hicks: Yes. It is Richmond, so no real degrees of separation.

Harris: Maybe there should be a reunion somewhere?

Hicks: There was one a while back for Benny-fit. I prefer to remember what it was vs. seeing lead singers needing to put on their reading glasses to see the set list & someone could break a hip stage diving.

Minor Threat at Benny’s Richmond, VA June 1983

Suicidal Tendencies at Going Bananas in Richmond, VA March 1985

Circle Jerks & C.O.C at 538 Club in Richmond, VA May 1983

Dead Kennedy’s at The Mosque Ballroom in Richmond, VA July 1983

GWAR at Shafer Court VCU, Halloween 1986

The Prevaricators at 538 Club April 1987

White Cross at Benny’s in Richmond, VA 1983

You can see more of Cindy Hicks’ work HERE

*Introduction by Marilyn Drew Necci

RVA Mag Founder Anthony Harris reflects on his time with The Richmond Mural Project

R. Anthony Harris | August 28, 2017

Topics: art whino, richmond, richmond mural project, RVA, street art

“Art shouldn’t be hidden. Art should make you think. Art has a tangible value on a community and can bring people together.” – R. Anthony Harris

After five strong years and achieving its original mission of 100+ murals throughout the city, The Richmond Mural Project (RMP) is scaling back a bit this year and painting one large mural on the VCU Honors Building. Since its inception, we’ve seen an excess of unique artists with different styles come from all over the world, bringing new life to the city’s dilapidated buildings and walls. It has been an important project for the city and has brought international attention to Richmond from all over the world and so RVA Mag’s founder R. Anthony Harris, who helped develop and implement the project, decided to take a look back at his time on the RMP and share a few stories:

‘Moonshine’ by Etam Cru, Poland
It is July 13th, 2013 and I am outside the 7-11 on Harrison Street interviewing the Polish duo known as Etam Cru. They hand me a 4 x 6-inch pencil sketch of a small bird, explaining that they’ll be painting a girl in a mason jar on the two story wall across the parking lot. Then they handed me even more sketches on even smaller bits of paper, while I try and imagine how this might come together.

As the next few days go by, people stop and stare at this new artistic monument being created – not many residents had ever seen a painting like this before.

After a few days, the mural is done and within minutes of posting the finished piece to Instagram it gets reposted across Europe, South America, and even as far as China. The positive comments from what we created in Richmond came flooding in from all over the world — I checked my phone for days, amazed to see our city mentioned as a global destination for street art. The accolades followed quickly with numerous articles from top publications like Buzzfeed and Wide Walls,

‘Fallen Eaglet’ by Roa, Belgium
The RMP kicked off in 2012 with an amazing lineup brought together by Shane Pomajambo of Artwhino. It was exciting to meet artists from around the world and have them here, but not all the artists felt the same. We spent a lot of time together talking about the world and the impact their work could make in a city like Richmond. The joint-smoking Belgian artist Roa had opinions for days on America culture and politics and had a friendly but intense discourse with the expressive, hand waving Italian Pixel Pancho, while Aryz, the quiet but brilliant Spaniard, would chime in between the debate — all three would put their thoughts on our city walls before they left.

Late one night, Roa and I were discussing the state of American politics over a spliff at the Crowe’s Nest. He had traveled the globe creating murals and gave me his view of how the US was viewed by the world. It wasn’t a kind assessment, and he brought that into his first mural in the city. He settled on painting a young eagle since it is native to Virginia and the US’s national symbol — then he put an arrow through its chest. I watched him paint this for days thinking is anyone going to be upset by what he is doing?

‘Captain Merica’ by Pixel Pancho, Italy
A few days later Pixel Pancho responded with this Captain ‘Merica mural down in Shockoe Bottom. I watched as his painting elaborated on a personal political statement for the US, forever enshrined on this two-story brick building in Shockoe Bottom — the decapitated head of a robotic Captain America left to decay. Again, I waited on anyone to bring up its meaning to me but after five years, no one has said a word.

‘Wall Eyed Elephant’ by Aryz, Spain
Aryz left his statement in The Fan with this mural — a diss on everything “American”. That year on the RMP, I had a feeling that Aryz wasn’t very thrilled, so when this stinky-wall-eyed elephant eating a spoiled hamburger was created, it felt like a farewell middle finger to the city. It was funny to hear the neighbors complain about its content while representing everything bad in the painting, the irony. Maybe they were Aryz’s inspiration? Who knows. This was his last completed work before he flew out of the city and never came back.

‘Connecting Force’ by EVER, Argentina
When this went up on Harrison Street on VCU’S Campus in 2014, I had a few people tell me this was their least favorite mural so far. I thought it was one of the most interesting with a message of togetherness between people under the watch of a higher power. When speaking with EVER, I found him to be a mellow soul and a positive spirit. People should give this mural a second look to reconsider its message.

The Characters of Stormie Mills, Australia
During my time at RMP, I met Stormie Mills. A man of many silver rings, chains, and necklaces, with wisdom, peppered locks, and a zen personality that drew people to him when we would venture out into the city. He painted introverted pieces of simple pleasures, little secrets, and conflicts. You can check out our interview with him from 2013 here.

‘The Grasshopper’ by Pixel Pancho, Turin
I could see an important piece of what we were trying to do when Pixel Pancho started creating this mural on Hull Street in 2012. The area was ignored by the city and a bit run down, but when the paint started going up, the neighborhood came out in droves to support it. There were little kids running along the length of “the grasshopper” with their parents stopping to comment to their friends and family. Businessmen were coming out of their shops to see what was happening, while groups of teenagers were taking photos to send to their friends. Over the next few days, as Pixel Pancho worked, the mural became a point of conversation and something positive for the community. I remember thinking that art could transform any neighborhood.

Since that time, street art did change the Broad Street Arts District. Maybe it’s time to go back to Manchester and expand on what Pixel Pancho, the RMP and RVA Street Art Festival started over there?

The Lady on Broad Street by James Bullough, Berlin
In 2015, we were allowed to paint a massive mural on VCU’s psychology building at the intersection of Broad and Lombardy. It was a big deal, getting VCU involved with anything takes time, and having that particular corner would be a prime spot for any artist. Situated on the bus line, at an incredibly busy junction with high visibility, James Bullough created an unforgettable work of art that is impossible to miss.

Once the dust settled, I got the interview here. You can check out RVA Mag’s rundown of Bullough’s work here.

‘Have A Nice Day’ by Ron English, Illinois
Meeting Ron English was a big deal. I had been following his career for over a decade as an activist artist with his ongoing POPAGANDA project and one of the first street artists to break into the main stream consciousness. He was full of stories — running around putting up art with an edge of fearlessness that I took to heart — you can listen to the full interview here. You can also read RVA Mag’s coverage of him here. His ‘Have A Nice Day’ mural was a hilarious statement against capitalism painted on a building owned by a mega corporation that’s based in town. I can’t believe we got away with that.

These are just a few of my thoughts from my time working on the RMP with Art Whino. The RMP has been vital to Richmond because ultimately art and the expression of ideas and concepts is important to the long term viability of any growing city. It connects people.

Until next time, I leave you with a video from the RMP.

Photographer Joey Wharton & His Magical Music Tour

R. Anthony Harris | August 22, 2017

Topics: Candiria, j roddy walston, Natalie Prass, Our Last Night, richmond, Rodney The Soul Singer, RVA, rva photographer, Sid Kingsley, The Trillions, virginia photos, Warp tour

When looking back over any great music scene, there are a handful of brilliant documentarians that bring that mystique. Like Rolling Stone’s first photographer Baron Wolman or David Godlis at the birth of punk, local Joey Wharton is capturing music now in a way that no one else is. Using a combination of self taught techniques and in-camera photo experiments, Wharton is creating a stand out portfolio in a sea of point-n-click photographers across town. Only time will tell how it all plays out.

The Trillions at the Super Doppler Block Party

Rainbow Kitten Surprise at Friday Cheers

Erykah Badu at The Richmond Jazz Festival

Joey Wharton is freelance photographer from Richmond, VA. Check out more of his work at JoeyWharton.com

Main image: Rodney the Soul Singer at The Broadberry

RVA #29: Uniting the Scene, United Blood XI

Ken Penn | August 22, 2017

Topics: hardcore, richmond, RVA, united blood

As a hardcore kid that grew up going to shows in the mid-‘80s, having a fest like United Blood in my hometown makes this city very special to me and by the looks of it, it appears a good amount of people, both young and old, feel the same way. Now in its eleventh year, United Blood has become one of the most anticipated events of the year for hardcore fans not just in the area, but across the country, and for good reason. Promoters David Foster and Ryan Wall (of local band Bracewar) worked tirelessly to put together a powerful show full of diverse hardcore bands that proudly added to United Blood’s growing legend within the hardcore community.

This article was featured in RVAMag #29: Summer 2017. You can read all of issue #29 here or pick it up at local shops around RVA right now.

This year’s festivities kicked-off on Thursday night, April 6th, with a pre-fest show featuring bands Redvision, Mindforce, Unified Right, Queensway, and Richmond natives Break Away. This “soft” opening for United Blood was intense across the board with every band doing their best to set the crowd off, and it all set the tone perfectly for the rest of the weekend. Packed full of singalongs, stage dives, and moshing moments, Break Away headlined the night with the high-energy hardcore that they are well-known for.

During the show, I took a step back and looked at just what type of people this event brings out. There were a lot of younger faces in the crowd from local areas as well as from out of town, all integrating into a chaotic pit scene that also spoke to the spirit of the event. Time and time again, I witnessed kids — male, female, Asian, black, white, Hispanic – diving around, kicking and punching their hearts out to show the support for the bands that play the music that they love. From a distance, you could see people go down after getting knocked hard, even the women. It must be a strange feeling to be so into the moment, flailing your arms or legs in the pit, and then suddenly realizing you just bashed some young lady in the head. But here at United Blood, that is not a typical young lady. Not only is she not phased about what just happened, but she just did the same thing to someone twice her size five seconds earlier. And there was no reckless abandon here either. Strangers helped up strangers, as well as their closest friends, just to make sure no one was really hurt. It’s didn’t matter where you came from, who you knew or didn’t know — it was all about having fun here.

The next day saw the United Blood festival officially begin as even more people crammed into the Canal Club for a jam-packed day that would feature fourteen bands starting promptly at 1 PM. The majority of people were staunch supporters of the scene, with many clamoring around the downstairs of the venue looking to get their fix on the latest hardcore releases, gear, and merch from bands and labels, like New York’s Reaper Records. Unfortunately for most people (and sadly myself), the most popular item, a Trail Of Lies t-shirt, sold out within minutes of doors opening, but there was still plenty of great swag left such as an exclusive festival t-shirt by Integrity.

The diversity of the festival really took center stage on Friday, something that was just heartwarming to see in person. The fans and many of the bands that played such as Krust, Bracewar, Faze, Terror, and Dead & Dreaming were prime examples of how welcoming the scene has become today, representing the community growth of the subcultures that my favorite older bands sang about in the early ‘80s. It went further than just the bands playing though. Hip-hop of all things played between bands each time the stage was reset, and it’s definitely something special to see people dancing around to trap music right after stage diving to live punk bands.

I observed what seemed to be even more women in the crowd and within the pit during the shows. Even more so, I noticed more women of color attending the fest, something that was extremely rare to see in the late ‘80s. As far as Virginia shows around that time, I could confidently say that the amount of women of color at these shows could be counted on one hand, if any at some shows.

Growing up, there were times when random Nazi skinheads might show up to cause some trouble at a local show, to quickly be turned away whether it be by a quick adolescent fist or well-placed brick. Richmond’s scene is far from perfect, but has never tolerated racial ignorance within the scene and continues to grow in so many ways as the years pass. In my experience, other than my group of friends, people back then were less eclectic in what music they would listen to. There were fans of only rock, or only rap and so on, so there was very little crossover even when it came to social groups. In fact, some would go so far as to treat people as weird or freaks just because of the music you listened to or how you dressed. This is how punk scenes became the tight families that there are today, but obviously the times have changed.

Friday unfolded better than anyone could have imagined. Richmond’s Division Of Mind made their United Blood debut with a blistering set, while RVA veterans Friend Or Foe, Lost Souls, and Naysayer all had incredible sets. The harder-than-hard God’s Hate had me moshing on stage with camera in hand, while New York’s King Nine keep the pit brutal with every song. Terror returned to United Blood with another iconic show featuring a couple songs with guest vocals from former bassist and front man for Richmond’s own Down To Nothing, David Wood as well as Rashod Jackson, drummer for Bracewar.

Closing out the fest on Friday night at the Canal Club was Cleveland’s infamous and legendary band Integrity, a band I had not seen since the early ‘90s who did not leave me or the crowd hanging one bit. The band was on point and the crowd let them know it. When frontman Dwid Hellion screamed the first word of one of Integrity’s most memorable songs “Micha: Those Who Fear Tomorrow,” the crowd exploded into utter chaos. The energy lasted right up until the band played their last note.

Yet, the night was not over.

Everyone quickly left the Canal Club to catch the “Midnight Mosh” after-show where new band Candy, featuring members of the former band Malfunction, Richmond veterans Bracewar, and Atlanta’s Criminal Instinct, kept an already exhausted crowd screaming for more. I think I heard 300 plus people showed up for the after show. Three. Hundred. People. After a full day or hardcore. At Midnight! And people still showed up early for the start of the final day!

Saturday’s event began at noon with another smattering of amazing and brutal performances. Among all the other great bands, some crowd pleasers were Midnight Sons, Dead & Dreaming, and Protester from Washington D.C. Hailing for the Jersey shore, Blind Justice had a set that just has to be seen on video. Blow up dolls, people getting thrown through tables, flying paint cans, and pool noodle moshing is just a small touch of what went on. The whole day saw an eclectic mix of talent performing. Richmond favorites Fire & Ice, California’s Nails, New York hardcore legends Agnostic Front, and Canada’s No Warning all capped off an amazing weekend with some of the most powerful sets of the year, leaving United Blood XI as yet another unforgettable weekend of hardcore celebration.

But above all the bands, my mind comes back to how much the scene has grown since I first learned of it all those years ago. Throughout the weekend, the stage and dance floor was a chaotic battleground of women and men of all backgrounds taking out all of their aggression through the music they love. I saw groups of friends hanging out that weren’t stereotypical displays of what punk rock would be, proving punk and hardcore’s immeasurable reach within today’s society. People were stage diving, moshing, and walking on heads with the biggest smiles on their faces, filled with energy from the music as well as the sense of community around them.

Richmond’s United Blood fest was what hardcore is about in 2017. People of all types coming together just for their love of hardcore. No one left out. Everyone united.

Word and photos by Ken Penn

House Martin’s Crumbles as House Publix Rallies Its Foreign Forces Against House Kroger in the North

The Peedmont | August 20, 2017

Topics: ALDI, en su boca, Game Of Thrones, kroger, martin's, publix, richmond, RVA, ukrop, virginia

WESTERICHMOND, Va. — The land of WesteRichmond has long been a field of battle for numerous great grocer houses, its citizens watching as contenders rise and retreat from the arena. Many remember when the first volleys of arrows were loosed between House Kroger and House Martin’s. For long years their shared Cary Street border ran red with the blood of those who could not choose betwixt them.

It is in this summer month that House Martin’s will breathe its last breath and utterly collapse as they vacate nearly all of their fortresses within the Virginia Kingdom. They will be remembered.

Easy to think, then, that this would now usher this land into an age where House Kroger sits firmly on the twisted Shopping Cart Throne, but foreign forces knock at the automated sliding glass doors.

Carried by 18-wheeled war carriages a new house rises, marauding up the roads from the south.

House Publix, long-strong in the lost lands below WesteRichmond, now enters into our midst. This is merely a scouting force, taking hold in the fallen castles of House Martin’s. House Kroger would have been wise to raze these forts when they had the chance, as what were once monuments of emphatic victory have now become the footholds of new enemies.

No doubt Lord Ukrop’s the Elder snickers from his seat in Castle Quirk.

Still crouched in the shadows are the forces of House Aldi. Shielded by their bizarre emblems and their border patrolled by En’Su’Bocan mercenaries, they sit well-protected. It remains to be seen if they will ally with either of the greater houses in the coming conflict, or perhaps they are eager to wait for the victor with a subtle blade. For now they seem content enough to drain the life from those less fortunate nobles seated in House Walmart.

The people of these lands brace themselves for the coming storm. Allegiances will be tested against the hard metal of discounts and rewards programs. Claims will be slung of whose fields hold the freshest fruit or whose cellars are more diversely stocked with ales and organics.

The best we can do is stand fast with those houses who have been true to us in the past and hope the game of grocers is settled quickly.

*Check out more from our timelessly irreverent friends at the Peedmont here.