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RVA Block Party Brings No BS! Brass Band, PBR, Angelica Garcia, & More to The Broadberry This Month

Amy David | April 10, 2018

Topics: angelica garcia, Brunswick, Dharma Bombs, DJ Ghozt, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Night Idea, No BS! Brass Band, People's Blues of Richmond, Prabir Mehta, RVA All Day Block Party, RVA live music, rva music, rva music festival, South Hill Banks, Spooky Cool, The Broadberry, The Shack Band, Thorp Jensen

The Broadberry is kicking off spring right this month with an all-day indoor and outdoor music festival filled with some of Richmond’s finest acts, along with beer, food trucks, yoga, a record fair, an outdoor bar, and more.

RVA (All Day) Block Party will feature performances from 10 musicians and bands including crowd pleasers and headlining outdoor act, No BS! Brass Band, along with indoor headliners People’s Blues of Richmond, and sets by fellow Richmond bands and musicians Thorp Jenson, Brunswick, Prabir, Dharma Bombs, Spooky Cool, Night Idea, Angelica Garcia, and South Hill Banks.

For Lucas Fritz, co-owner of The Broadberry, the festival was an idea that he’d been cooking up for quite awhile, and to help bring it to life, he recruited his longtime friends from No BS! Brass Band.

“I’ve always wanted to do a big event around NO BS!, they’re my friends from back in the day, I went on tour with them down in Alabama back in 2009 or 2010, and this is the first time it really made sense to put something together,” Fritz said of the block party.

A big stage will be set up in The Broadberry’s parking lot on the west side of the building until 10 pm, at which point the venue will take the party inside for the rest of the performances.

As for the lineup, RVA Block Party is stacked with an eclectic mix of Richmond bands and musicians from the rowdy Appalachian bluesy-folk from the Dharma Bombs, to the wild psychedelic rock of PBR, to the indie prog rock sounds of Night Idea.

Fritz said he and No BS! co-founder and trombonist Reggie Pace aimed to showcase Richmond talent while offering a little something for everyone with this group.

“We wanted it to be pretty diverse and reflect the local bands that No BS! is super interested in at this time, and also people that are good friends of The Broadberry and The Camel and Richmond music scene,” he said. “We figured the more diverse of a lineup the more fun of an event it would be.”

Jenson, who is kicking off the event, is the alter ego of Chris Ryan, a local guitar player and songwriter, who’s been making waves recently with his Americana sound, playing regular gigs around town, and even getting a mention in Rolling Stone. The Chester native dropped his debut album, Odessa, last fall which you can check out below.

Night Idea also released their new record, Riverless, last fall, and unlike the quartet’s previous darker album, Breathing Cold, this LP shows off the band’s ability to expand into a wide range of sounds, defying one genre so hopefully, we get to hear some of that the day of the festival.

The ever unique music coming from the members of Spooky Cool never disappoints and for those who have been sleeping on Warner Bros signee Angelica Garcia, you better brush up before coming to the festival. The songstress caught RVA Mag’s eye after she dropped her debut album, Medicine For Birds in 2016, captivating us and audiences with her bluesy root songs, which were created in a parish house in her father’s church.

But live music isn’t the only entertainment the RVA Block Party is touting. Fritz said the festival will feature yoga by Jessica Scalin on the outdoor patio, with The Shack Band providing live music. And to appeal to you craft beer enthusiasts, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, who will be pouring beers at the outdoor bar, will also host a ticketed “beer school” inside The Broadberry for those interested in getting a little history lesson in brewing and what goes into some of your favorite beers.

“With that ticket, you get five different tastes and their brewers are going to be here and they’ll talk through the brewing process, you get to smell some hops and look at some malts.”

A caricature artist, and a small record fair will also be set up inside for festival attendees to check out if they want to take a break inside. “A couple local record labels and record shops will be setting up pop up shops,” Fritz said.

Tickets for the festival on Sat., April 28 are $25. As long as it’s not sold out, you can still snag yours at the door, but Fritz said at the rate they’re going, make sure you scoop yours in advance so you don’t miss out. People will be able to go from inside to outside and reentry will be allowed up until 7 pm.

If all goes well, Fritz is hoping to make the block party an annual event, and perhaps grow it out of the parking lot. “We’ll see what happens and make plans from there,” he added.

You can find the entire schedule for the day below:

1:00 – Doors
1:00 – 4:00 – Record Fair, Face Painting, caricatures, and other vendors inside
1:00 – 2:00 – DJ Ghozt *and in between sets
2:00 – 2:30 – Thorp Jenson
2:40 – 3:20 – Brunswick
3:00 – 3:45 – Yoga w/ Josh and Hunter of THE SHACK BAND
3:40 – 4:10 – Prabir Mehta
4:00 – 4:30 – Beer Class hosted by Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
4:30 – 5:00 – Dharma Bombs
5:20 – 5:50 – Night Idea
6:10 – 6:40 – Spooky Cool
7:00 – 7:45 – Angelica Garcia
8:15 – 9:45 – NO BS! Brass Band

AFTER-PARTY (Requires FREE RSVP)
10:00 – 11:30 – South Hill Banks
11:45 – 1:15 – People’s Blues of Richmond

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

Ten Bands, Comedians, & DJs Unite Friday to Celebrate WRIR’s 13th Anniversary

Amy David | February 1, 2018

Topics: RVA bands, RVA live music, WRIR

Tomorrow, Richmond bands, local comedians, and several DJs will come together to help WRIR celebrate their 13th Anniversary downtown.

The all-volunteer independent radio station has pulled out all the stops for their throw down again this year and recruited a wide variety of local bands and musicians for one killer lineup. There will be live performances from SLEEPWALKERS, FACESHIP, Secret Bonus Level, Piranha Rama, Angelina Garcia + Kenneka Cook, Zgomot,  as well as an RVA Comedy Showcase from Sweetheart Comedy, along with The Sauerkrauts, and Gumming. WRIR DJs Stunted Development and Maya, host of Tuesday’s Breakfast Blend, will also be there to help keep the party going. 

Shannon Cleary, Music Director at WRIR as well as booking agent at Flora, and bassist in Clair Morgan was excited to have a well-rounded bill of artists and bands who represent the city play the event.

“Each year always proves to be an exciting opportunity to showcase the diversity of the Richmond music community,” he said. “Sleepwalkers have done nothing but take the Richmond music brand to new levels and elevate the profile of this community. I know that members of the group have had a long-standing relationship with the station and it’s great to see that type of history play out as we reflect on the thirteen years that WRIR has been around.”

Brothers Austin and Michael York blew up when they released their debut album, Greenwood Shade, in 2014 and it will be a nice homecoming for the group, who RVA Mag last spoke with last year when they dropped a fun new track ahead of their second full-length album.

Cleary mentioned other local acts that are sure to offer something for everyone no matter what their musical taste.

“I’m excited about the idea of having freestyle hip hop from Secret Bonus Level, one of our WRIR late-night programs, a dual set from Kenneka Cook and Angelica Garcia as well as a comedy showcase all in the same room,” he said. “And a German Oom-Pah band. Where else can you see all of this and more?”

Cook, a local soul/jazz powerhouse songwriter will drop her debut album Moonchild Feb. 16 so hopefully, we’ll get to hear some tunes off of that album at the show. And bluesy/folk songstress Angelica Garcia, who moved to Richmond in 2016 and graced RVA Mag with an interview after landing a deal with Warner Bros. and releasing her whimsical, yet haunting album Medicine For Birds will be a must-see as well.

The event is WRIR’s biggest fundraiser of the year, and proceeds raised from the bash go back toward helping the station produce music and fund programming. A $15 donation gets you in the door and a raffle ticket. You can snag your tickets here.

The 13th Anniversary Party kicks off this Fri., Feb. 2 at 7 pm inside The Renaissance Ballroom located at 107 W. Broad St.

Decemberween 12: PLF Rings in NYE with More Art, Music, & a Fire-Breathing Dragon

John Reinhold | December 14, 2017

Topics: art, Decemberween, Diversity Richmond, EDM, festival, New Years Eve, Party Liberation Foundation, Party Liberation Front, RVA live music, Toxic Moxie

It’s time for another Decemberween and for their twelfth year, Party Liberation Foundation is bringing all the crazy antics, fire, and pyro effects, dancing, music, art and more that you love to send off 2017 with a bang. RVA Mag President John Reinhold recently sat down with the co-founder of PLF Conway Jennings, who will also be playing a set at the event, to get the rundown on this year’s festivities.

Reinhold: What makes this NYE event different than others around Richmond?

Jennings: Well, I think the main difference is that we create a pretty immersive environment. There’s a lot more going on than just some bands or DJs and a bar. There are multiple rooms inside, plus a large outside area, with many art installations placed all over the event. Musically we will feature a variety of DJs and a few bands, offering cutting edge underground dance music as well as some great live music. Oh yeah, we also go late!

Reinhold: The event is hosted by Diversity Richmond, what do you like about this venue?

Photo by Dave Parrish Photography

Jennings: Well, for starters, we feel great about their mission. It’s super important for us to create a safe space for people from all walks of life (including race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.) to be themselves at our events. It’s great to work with Diversity knowing that we share this goal. The venue itself is also perfect for us. Because it’s largely a blank canvas, we are able to bring in art, decorations, projectors, lights, etc. to transform the space differently each time. Fire spinning and fire art are both very important for our community, and use of the parking lot allows us to safely include this element. Ivan Trittipoe and the crew at Diversity are also just super friendly and great to work with.

Reinhold: What’s new for this year?

Photo by TLC Baltimore

Jennings: Well, this is the 12th Decemberween, but the third year at Diversity Richmond, and also the third year above ground. It’s been more of a smaller private party in the past. This year we are completely flipping the layout inside, which is exciting. We’re also adding a third bar in our new speakeasy /cabaret lounge, which will help cut down on waiting in line. We’ve also increased funding for art grants, so there will be even more awesome art both inside and out.

Reinhold: Tell me about your headliners and music plans for guests this year?

Photo by Dave Parrish Photography

Jennings: We’re really excited to have Soohan as our headliner. He’s been making waves at all the West Coast festivals for the past couple summers, so we’re stoked to have his unique blend of global bass and hip hop at Decemberween. We’re also super stoked to have Richmond dance punk favorites Toxic Moxie in the lineup. Bunk Buddha will be joining us from Baltimore, as well as DJ Shakey from New York City. We have a lot of PLF favorites rounding out the rest of the lineup. The music is really gonna be amazing this year.

Reinhold: Sounds like you have more live music this year. Things like the jazz speakeasy lounge, what’s the plan for that room?

Photo by TLC Baltimore

Jennings: Yup! We are turning the smaller room inside into a speakeasy/cabaret lounge this year. We will have a jazz band playing throughout the night, with a variety of dance and burlesque performances in between. As I mentioned before, there will be a bar in there, as well as tables and couches, so you can take a load off and enjoy the show with a nice cocktail. And while we generally lean pretty heavily on electronic music, we’re stoked to have Toxic Moxie’s blend of live dance music to spice things up a bit.

Reinhold: What kind of large-scale art and immersive environments are planned?

Photo by Dave Parrish Photography

Jennings: We’re super excited to have Davina the Dragon for her first PLF event in years. Outside we will have a whole bunch of fire sculptures and flame effects, but there will also be all kinds of other fun stuff. Ziggy Sawdust will be carving wooden portraits of partygoers with a chainsaw, live (yes, really!). Man Camp! crew will be constructing a roving Trojan Mop Bucket because …well, why not? Inside, we will have Illumious Plumes, a giant peacock with an amazing paint job, by Emily Wimbis, Alexa Eliana, and Molly Chopin. Ian Hess and crew will construct a wondrous 8-foot tall glowing pyramid, complete with mysterious glowing obelisks. And this is just less than half of the art grants! There will be all kinds of awesome stuff this year.

Reinhold: Tell me more about the fire-breathing dragon?

Photo by Jeremy Parker

Jennings: Davina is a 30-foot long, 10- foot tall fire-breathing dragon art car. She was built in 2010 by Charlottesville artist Christian Breeden, who also built Josephine the Colossal SkeletalMarionette, an integral part of our past two Decemberweens. Davina has been prowling the playa at Burning Man for the past several years, offering rides to wayward burners and dazzling everyone with her flames. But she has made a triumphant return home to Virginia! This will be her first PLF event in many years, and we couldn’t be more excited to have her back. While there won’t be room for her to move around too much at Decemberween, she will definitely be shooting plenty of fire.

Reinhold: So we know you all love fire, are there going to be fire performers or special performances?

Photo by Aaron Kirn

Jennings: In addition to Davina, we will have a wide variety of flame effects and sculptures, as well as live fire performance throughout the night. Expect a lot of fire at midnight, from humans and dragons alike.

Reinhold: The entire event s a benefit for Party Liberation Foundation correct?

Jennings: Sure is! The Party Liberation Front collective has been around since 2006, but we decided to start a non-profit last year. Our goal is to nurture the arts and the creative community in the Richmond region. Over the past year, we have awarded several thousand dollars of art grants both for our events and for local art openings. We have also launched a series of free workshops on performance art, dance, and more. We’re very new to this, but we are excited to see what the future holds.

Photo by TLC Baltimore

Reinhold: How can people purchase tickets?

Jennings: Diversity has allowed us to increase our ticket cap to 700 this year (up from 650), but we do expect it to sell out, as it has the past two years. Grab your tickets here.

Top Photo Credit: Janpim Wolf Photography

Anneliese Grant Video Release Show at Vagabond

Amy David | November 30, 2017

Topics: Anneliese Grant, RVA live music, Vagabond

Richmond singer/songwriter Anneliese Grant (The Folly) will perform a solo acoustic and dance set and premiere her new music video at Vagbond, Thursday, Nov. 30. The video will be released December 2nd.

Music starts at 8:30 and the Video will premiere at 10:00 pm. Free.

Photo Credit: Jason Pevey

#HALLOWEEK: Fall Finale Food Truck Court with Full Moon Fever!

RVA Staff | October 19, 2017

Topics: #halloweek2017, Hardywood Brewery, hardywood food court, RVA live music

Fall Finale Food Truck Court!!

We’re wrapping up our large format Food Truck Court with a FREE show from Full Moon Fever! Members of Goldrush, Long Arms, Horsehead, and several other musical projects in the RVA area come together to give props and love to one of America’s greatest bands, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers!

All ages welcome. This show will be presented on our outdoor stage, weather permitting.

4PM – Taproom opens!
5:30PM – Food truck service begins!
7-9PM – Full Moon Fever!

Hardywood Food Truck Court runs from 5:30-9pm (the brewery is open until 10pm, last call 9:30) every Thursday through the season and is a family friendly environment. All ages are welcome at the brewery. Virginia ABC law prohibits bringing outside alcoholic beverages on-site, and underage drinking will be strictly prohibited.  This is the final food truck event for the Fall.   Check event page for full vendor lineup!

Part of Halloweekrva.com

 

July shows at The Broadberry

Amy David | July 3, 2017

Topics: RVA live music, rva music, The Broadberry

The beginning of the month is upon us, and local venues have graciously given us new music for our mind, our body and our souls. Check out the shows scheduled for The Broadberry this month below:

MON 7/03/2017 9:00 PM The Broadberry The Art Of Noise RVA

WED 7/05/2017 8:00 PM The Broadberry Crystal Garden (feat. Boyd Tinsley of Dave Matthews Band)

THU 7/06/2017 8:00 PM The Broadberry The Church

FRI 7/07/2017 9:00 PM The Broadberry Murphy’s Kids, ​Mighty Joshua, Eastern Standard Time, Chrome Daddy Disco

TUE 7/11/2017 9:00 PM The Broadberry Raekwon w/ Stan Smith, DJ Lonnie B and more

WED 7/12/2017 8:00 PM Capital Ale House **Clownvis Presley w/ Mc Chicken and Herschel Stratego

THU 7/13/2017 8:00 PM The Broadberry David Cook, ​Kathryn Dean

FRI 7/14/2017 8:00 PM The Broadberry Whitey Morgan

SAT 7/15/2017 9:00 PM The Broadberry The Big Payback: A Tribute to James Brown; ​Pete Curry, DJ Prolific

TUE 7/18/2017 7:30 PM Capital Ale House **The Dharma Bombs, Look Homeward, Keilan Creech

THU 7/20/2017 8:00 PM The Broadberry Supersuckers, ​The Upper Crust

FRI 7/21/2017 8:00 PM Gallery 5 **Screaming Females

SAT 7/22/2017 9:00 PM The Broadberry A King and a Prince, ​Mad Skillz

WED 7/26/2017 7:00 PM Capital Ale House School of Rock All Stars

FRI 7/28/2017 9:00 PM The Broadberry People’s Blues Of Richmond, ​Jouwala Collective, Kid Brother

The Broadberry is located at 2729 W. Broad St. You can get more details on the shows and tickets here.

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