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Conflict On The Web

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For Richmond record store Vinyl Conflict, surviving the COVID-19 outbreak has meant taking their business online.

When the coronavirus outbreak hit, Vinyl Conflict owners Bobby Egger and Melissa Mazula were out of the country. They’d had a buying trip to the UK scheduled for March 4 through 18, and as they traveled, things began to escalate.

“When the travel ban went into effect, we were watching the news very carefully each day, trying to make a decision about how we would be returning,” said Egger. “We were quite far away from our return flight date, and on the other side of the country.”

From another country, they had to make important decisions about what would happen with Vinyl Conflict’s retail store in Oregon Hill, which specializes in new and used punk, hardcore, and metal albums — on vinyl, of course — as well as related merchandise. And when they returned, they voluntarily put themselves into quarantine.

“Me and Melissa went on self quarantine for two full weeks, and my employees continued to up our online presence in social media,” Egger said. The shop switched to a curbside-pickup model, at first allowing browsing by appointment only and then ending even that out of concerns for the safety of customers and employees. And they immediately focused on online sales, working hard to ensure that their entire inventory was accessible on the store’s website and the record-sales site Discogs.com.

Photo courtesy Vinyl Conflict

This was a huge adjustment for Egger, who’d previously focused on the in-person shopping experience. “For the entirety of the shop’s existence, we have kept our newest and freshest stock only available for walk-in customers, so we could keep a unique and fresh experience which is worth making the venture into the physical store,” he said. “The biggest adjustment we had to make was turning our entire inventory to be available for web order.”

Making Vinyl Conflict an online-focused business has been a challenge, but with quarantine remaining the order of the day, Egger knew that the transition was essential for the store’s survival. It’s a big transition, though, one that has kept everyone at the store busy for weeks. “It took a few weeks to try to adjust to the new way of business,” he said. “At first we were only listing items which were in shop, but previously had not been available online. Now we are going through items which had previously not been for sale at all, and listing them directly for sale online.”

Local customers are still able to order from the store without having to worry about shipping; while placing and paying for orders is handled online, Vinyl Conflict still offers curbside pickup, as well as delivery for customers in the city. Meanwhile, they’re shipping out online orders six days a week, in an effort to ensure that nothing gets backed up.

As part of the adjustment, Egger has had to change some fundamental aspects of Vinyl Conflict’s business model. “We had to put a freeze on new ordering… which is unfortunate, as new titles are continuing to be released each week,” he said. “We’re focusing on moving the inventory we have already purchased.”

In order to keep the shop’s profile high even while customers can’t visit, Egger launched an Instagram Live interview series called “Now That I’ve Got Your Attention,” in which he’s interviewed a variety of people within the music industry. Guests have included well-known musical figures including Roger Miret of Agnostic Front, Brian Gorsenger from Night Birds, and Jeremy Bolm of Touche Amore, as well as locals like rapper Nickelus F, fellow Richmond record store owner Marty Key of Steady Sounds, and musician Julie Karr of the band Sensual World. “Keep an eye on Instagram for new episodes very soon,” said Egger, who is also currently editing the interviews for eventual upload to IGTV and YouTube.

Vinyl Conflict is also looking beyond questions of their own survival in order to help out other organizations that are working to help out with the coronavirus outbreak. They are currently in the process of creating two shirts for sale to benefit Richmond’s Studio Two Three and Mutual Aid Distribution RVA. The Studio Two Three donations will go towards their efforts in making durable and reusable masks for essential workers that will be additionally donated and distributed as they are funded. Mutual Aid Distribution RVA is a resource of redistribution for locals in need, collecting and distributing food, baby supplies, cleaning and sanitary goods, and more. Funds will go towards the purchase of essential items for distribution to low-income Richmonders. The shirts are currently available for pre-order from Vinyl Conflict’s Storenvy site.

Like many local businesses in Richmond and everywhere around the world, Vinyl Conflict is doing what they can to survive the outbreak and ensure that they’re still here when we’re all able to leave our homes and interact with the world once again. For now, they’re doing what they can to ensure that, while we’re all locked down, we can at least enjoy some new tunes.

To check out Vinyl Conflict’s full online inventory of over 4000 items, go to their Discogs page. To place a local order, give them a call at (804)644-2555, or email [email protected] For updates and to keep up with the “Now That I’ve Got Your Attention” interview series, follow them on Instagram @vinylconflict.

Written by Aviance Hawkes and Marilyn Drew Necci. Top Image by Sommer (@diewithyourhoopson), via Vinyl Conflict/Facebook

Essentially Invisible: The Impact of COVID-19 on RVA’s “Non-Essential” Businesses

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All sorts of businesses around Richmond are trying to survive in the midst of quarantine; coming up with survival strategies has been even tougher for those deemed non-essential.

With Governor Northam’s recent issue of a mandatory lockdown, it’s clear business won’t be getting back to usual anytime soon.

In the last couple of weeks, there’s been a big push (rightly so) to support local restaurants and breweries. Online delivery and curbside pickup are now the norm, and potentially the only way for these businesses to survive. It’s been amazing to witness the community come together and rally behind these establishments who’ve made our renowned culinary and craft beer scene possible. After all, eating and drinking is essential – not only to our survival, but to our enjoyment of life as well.

But what about the people working in business deemed “non-essential?” From entrepreneurs and artists to retail store owners and fitness instructors, these are the individuals who provide services that, during our current crisis, may not be “essential” for our survival. However, their income (or lack thereof) is directly tied to their survival.

This is the case for my husband and me as we run our own creative studio, EVERGIB. Within a few days, we felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the immediate loss of a brand launch project for a new restaurant. As independent creative professionals, we know all too well that when the economy takes a hit, we’re among the first to be affected. Now, no one is immune. As we self-isolate in our respective homes, we decided to reach out to friends and colleagues working across a variety of fields to learn what their life, and their livelihood, looks like during this challenging time.

The author, Rachel Scott Everett, and her husband, Brian Gibson, are Co-Founders & Creative Directors of EVERGIB, a nomadic creative studio. Photo by EVERGIB.

“Fear and uncertainty” are top of mind for Jason St. Peter, owner of Think, a fellow independent creative services agency in town. Like us, he’s experiencing a decrease in workflow, but trying to keep things in perspective, adding that “the drama happening with the rest of our country’s workforce and health is far more concerning.”

Matthew Freeman is founder of Dialectix Consulting, which offers facilitation and training around diversity, equity, and inclusion. “Almost every single project I had has been cancelled or postponed,” he states. The work is “both high-touch, in-person work and not a priority for organizations when their survival is at stake.”

Kate Thompson, of Kate Thompson Photography and Palindrome Creative, is feeling the crunch as well. A commercial photographer specializing in interior design and hospitality who recently completed work for Quirk Hotel Charlottesville, her focus has now turned to concerns about delayed income and loss of business, since photography is generally viewed as a “luxury” item. To stay hopeful, Thompson says, “I’m reminding myself that this, too, shall pass.” 

Katrina Boone, owner of Gianna Grace Photography and creator of Dancers of RVA, shares similar thoughts. “I never in a million years believed I would lose a whole month’s worth of work that has been scheduled for almost a year… I am now aware of just how fragile best-laid plans can be.”

Jess Burgess is Artistic and Executive Director at Dogtown Dance Theatre, a home for performing artists. Photo by Gianna Grace Photography.

Small business owner Jolinda Smithson of Shapes & Colors used to rely heavily on in-person meetings to generate new business. She’s adapting by connecting and expanding her network virtually. As host of CreativeMornings RVA, she’s particularly mindful of inclusivity within the community, reminding us that “businesses of color will be intensely impacted. It’s important to elevate those stories so folks get the support and resources they need to stay afloat.”

Kristen Ziegler, owner of Minima, a professional organizing and minimalist business, has also had to adapt. “Our business model is based on face-to-face organizing services in our clients’ homes and businesses,” states Ziegler. “Over half of our clients have asked to postpone their sessions. We’re losing at least half of our anticipated revenue as of now, and I only imagine things will get worse as the situation progresses.”

Ashley Hawkins is in a similar situation with her non-profit community arts studio, Studio Two Three. She’s dealing with a substantial loss of revenue due to program cancellations. Therefore, she’s ramped up her studio’s online shop, offering custom prints, shirts, tote bags, and other items for sale. “It’s a great way of supporting the studio and also getting something beautiful to remind us that we are all in this together.”

At Dogtown Dance Theatre, Jess Burgess, Artistic and Executive Director, is not only concerned for the future of her company, but the small staff she employs. Since 2010, Dogtown has been a staple for independent artists and community-based dancers. “In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, we’ve been forced to close our doors, closing off access to the classes, performances, and workshops that keep our region culturally vibrant.”

Burgess remarked that on top of the loss of income, the loss of community has been particularly difficult. “Nonprofit organizations, rooted in the community, cannot afford this hit, both to earned and contributed revenue, and the long-term effects it could have on programs and services offered to the public.”

Laine Satterfield is Director of Education at Cadence Theatre Company, an independent theatre. Photo by EVERGIB.

That type of devastating ripple effect translates to the theatre world as well. Laine Satterfield is Director of Education at Cadence Theatre Company, a small, independent performing arts theater. They’ve had to postpone all performances and community events indefinitely, putting the entire close-knit cast and crew in limbo. Ironically, its spring production, Small Mouth Sounds, tells the stories of strangers seeking to find themselves through isolation.

Like countless others, Sonja Stoeckli, owner of Spiritual Flow Yoga, has had to rethink ways of doing business. She and her teachers are offering online classes through Zoom for a reduced fee. “I have to pay my teachers as otherwise, they have no income as well,” she says. “I try to charge a little bit for our classes. It’s hard, as many people are not able to pay anymore because they lost their jobs.” 

Audrey Bonafe, owner of Fighting Gravity Fitness, is faced with similar challenges, and trying to see the bright side of things. “There will always be something to learn and grow from. We will become stronger and wiser. We are all being forced to offer online classes now, and that was something we needed to do anyway.”

That notion of being forced into action seems to be a common theme for everyone. Social entrepreneur Kelli Lemon of Urban Hang Suite, among other ventures, is also trying to take a more positive spin. “We are all in this together. We truly have the opportunity to look at things differently.”

Sonja Stoeckli is owner of Spiritual Flow Yoga, offering vinyasa flow and restorative classes of all levels. Photo by EVERGIB.

They say constraint breeds creativity. And therein is where the solution for the survival of “non-essentials” may lie. It’s about finding creative ways to get through this together. Most likely, the success of our professional lives depends on the support of people. And in times of crisis, we need each other more than ever (that goes for our personal well-being too). It’s up to all of us to find ways to lift each other up, to help create more awareness of the different challenges we face, and to understand that despite our differences, we all share this same burden of uncertainty together.

Already there have been inspiring acts of kindness and selflessness from “non-essentials” leveraging their skills and expertise to help the community. Dustin Artz and Justin Bajan of local ad agency Familiar Creatures created Keep Calm and Nom Nom, a one-stop online shop for purchasing gift cards to support RVA restaurants.

Artist Nico Cathcart and other Richmond muralists designed custom tee shirts that are now for sale on RVA Together. Each purchase provides a donation to Feedmore. Similarly, artist Noah Scalin of Another Limited Rebellion has a limited edition tee shirt for sale, for which all profits will go to support the Sacred Heart Center. Both initiatives are in collaboration with local print shop K2 Custom Tees.

Nico Cathcart is a muralist and painter whose work addresses social issues and inspires activism. Photo by EVERGIB.

Photographer Cade Martin has developed The Creative Now, featuring interviews with creative professionals sharing their experiences about what they’re doing to stay creative. Tania del Carmen, another local photographer, created #OnHoldAtHome, a photography series that aims to shine a light on how, despite the different challenges we face during COVID-19, we’re all connected in a shared vulnerability.

While we’re all justifiably concerned about our individual livelihoods, these examples show the benefit of looking outside ourselves. If we’re feeling invisible, chances are that others are feeling the same way too. Perhaps the best way to help ourselves is by first helping others. There is power in being proactive and taking some kind – any kind – of action.

Reach out. Check in. Start conversations. Don’t just ask people to write a positive testimonial and/or review for your business – do the same for them in return. Refer people’s work and services to those who may have a need for it, particularly those fortunate enough to be maintaining a stable income. If someone refers you, thank them for taking the time to do so. Create a list of the people you know who should know one another, and make introductions for future reference. This is also a great time to become a mentor, or to search for one. Initiatives such as Coffee At A Distance connect experienced industry professionals with graduates, many of whom are entering the job market for the first time.

As we depend even more on our virtual interaction, online and social platforms is where we can particularly make an impact. Tagging, liking, commenting, and promoting people’s work or services may seem insignificant, but can often make a big difference in keeping everyone visible.

OnHoldAtHome is a photography series created by Tania del Carmen documenting the lives of Richmonders during Covid-19. Photo by Tania del Carmen.

Right now, we might not have a lot of control, certainty or peace of mind. But we may have a lot of time. Let’s use it wisely.

Top Photo: Ashley Hawkins is Executive Director and Co-Founder of Studio Two Three, a non-profit community arts studio. Photo by EVERGIB. All photos were taken with the necessary precautions and from a distance of 6+ feet.

Humble, A Street Artist

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RVA Magazine #39 is on the streets now! In this article from its pages, Humble, Richmond’s longtime muralist, clothing designer, and model, reflects on his journey from starving artist to modeling for professional shoots in the desert.

Listen to the Radio RVA Podcast Interview with Humble here.

Humbleness isn’t exactly a native concept in the fashion world. In the popular mythos of the “Starving Artist,” there’s rarely a tenement devoted to bedless clothing designers sleeping on a pile of blankets and ambition. But then, Richmond’s Kyle Harrell — better known as Humble — doesn’t quite fit in the glossy fashion box hawked by Hollywood scripts and reality television. 

That’s partially because Humble is a catalyst of artistic vision. Muralist, model, clothing designer, and event coordinator, he takes creativity as an articulation of Creative Class culture. He brings disparate sources of inspiration together into an identifiable expression of experience and taste. But the Virginia Beach native didn’t grow up on aerosol dreams or lofty runway aspirations. 

“The goal was to go to VCU, because I wanted to be an engineer. As soon as I got here, though, the culture was crazy. So I thought, ‘Fuck engineering. I don’t wanna do that,’” he said. “I started [studying] psychology and religious studies. I’ve been in Richmond for 11 years now, I fell in love with this city. We were hosting a lot of events, so I kind of got stuck here. ‘Stuck,’ not in a bad way — I just love this city so damn much.” 

Image via thisisnothumble.com

It wasn’t just Richmond’s underground music and art scene that kept him here, but the culturally-inclusive environment that encouraged Humble to carve out a name for himself by way of social immersion. 

Humble says his interest in art came about in a Van Gogh and Spirituality course at VCU. And it wasn’t so much the coursework as boredom; one day he started drawing portraits of his classmates. By the time he graduated, he found his priorities shifting. 

“Eventually that became obsessive. Around that time, I was married,” he said. “I had been playing around with the idea with her, that I wanted to make art. And she said, ‘You’re too smart to make art. You could do something better.’” 

The two had a falling out, and Humble spent 12 hours a day in the VCU library, pulling down books and drawing everything he could get his hands on. He also found himself divorced and living in Section 8 housing.

“Art was the only thing I had that was inspiring me to get up and do something,” he said. “It was a pretty depressive point in my life. It was tough, but it was for the better.”

Image via thisisnothumble.com

Around that time, Humble found commiseration and mentorship in Navid Rahman, an illustrator and muralist willing to share in poverty and inspiration. He moved into Humble’s apartment, where the two slept on the floor and practiced drawing. 

“That moment in time was definitely pivotal. Navid had just gotten out of a relationship. He was an artist as well,” Humble said. “In fact, I call him my master. He took me under his wing. So [he lived with me] free of charge… We’d wake up every day and just draw. He taught me a lot. He [wasn’t afraid to] say, ‘Yo, that looks like shit. Do it again.’ He’s definitely one of my best friends.”

Humble began to reconstruct himself from rock bottom. He emerged from a landscape of broken relationships and bank accounts, as a designer with credible life experience and a compelling narrative arc. None of this would have happened without Rahman, who brought him in on a mural project for the Lamplighter on Addison. The two spent the better part of a week pulling all-nighters while putting the piece up in the bathroom.

“I would work a double at Alamo, drive across that damn Leigh Street Bridge, and we’d stay up until 6 or 7am, then I’d go back to work,” Humble said. “It was all his art direction and style. I was laying down lines, but that sparked something. It lived in the space.” 

That project was what made Humble decide to take his work in a larger direction. Together with Rahman, he strived to find more work and create a portfolio as a foundation for their careers.

“From there, I started reaching out to mad people. At the time, I didn’t know how to paint. I had never played with color,” he said. “We were doing black and white stuff, and that’s when I switched to painting. I met up with Chris Tsui, who owns Fat Dragon and Foo Dog. He set us up on our next piece, which ended up being huge.”

Up to this point, Humble had never touched spray paint. He and Rahman mapped out a mural spanning the side of the Fat Dragon building, and improvised their vision for it. They completed it with little more than a mental image and an electric lift. 

“We didn’t really know what we were doing at the time. Chris was cool about it, too,” Humble said. “We did a giant anime dragon on that wall. It’s different, and not a lot of people are into that. From there, our next gig was Foo Dog. We did the patio; the giant anime girl with chopsticks and the dragon coming out. That was the start of it — so our street art and painting, in general, has gone about five years strong.” 

Image via thisisnothumble.com

It was during this formative whirlwind of creative development that Humble began designing and manufacturing clothes, on an almost-literal shoestring budget. His target demographic consisted of the Richmond skate and music scene denizens who attended his parties. He saw it as a way to make money from his art and promote his work. 

“Learning how to screen print, I started out in the bathroom at my house, exposing [prints] in the sun. It was chaos,” Humble said. “From there, I worked with RVA Threads, who had a screen printing studio in his basement. He took me under his wing and showed me how to do everything.”

When Humble went to Studio Two Three to start making clothing, the time came to find a name for his clothing brand. He still remembers the conversation with Rahman that would eventually define the company.

“Navid said, ‘You should call it Humble. People call you humble about the fact that you’re doing this, but you’re doing it low key. You’ve got talent, but you don’t really flash it.’”

While he was selling shirts at house shows, an underground fashion scene began to emerge. Separate from the institutional culture at VCU, these DIY designers developed a collaborative environment that led to an unforeseen shift in Humble’s trajectory. 

“At Studio Two Three, that’s when my homie Chase Beasley (of Crud City) was kicking around. He was just starting up art as well; I was teaching him how to screen print. Earl Mack with Chilalay was in the studio. So we’re buzzing around, sharing ideas. We were doing underground fashion shows, building these runways,” Humble said. “It was crazy how much people were willing to put these things together. We had no idea what we were doing, because none of us were part of the school. Our fashion shows were ridiculous — but people showed up, and then we partied our asses off. That energy, now that I think back on it, was very, very alive. There was always something to do every weekend, and it had something to do with art, music, fashion. We were doing a lot, especially for that community at the time.”

During those early days at Studio Two Three, Humble’s interest in fashion deepened — until, as fate would have it, an opportunity presented itself at Lamplighter. 

“I was sitting outside smoking a cigarette, and this blonde girl came up to me and said, ‘Hey, do you live in Richmond? You’ve got a good look. I would love for you to come by the studio and take some test shots.’” 

Image via thisisnothumble.com

Having never thought of himself as a model, he agreed to pose for a shoot to generate income. Without even knowing the photographer’s name, he eventually learned that the gig was for Richmond’s own Need Supply Co.

“I was nervous. I’m a humble dude, I don’t see myself in front of the camera. I still don’t,” he said. “It’s still always weird to me… But I went, and they started booking me all the time. They were flying photographers from L.A. to shoot me here in Richmond. And they were paying me out the ass.” 

While modeling for Need Supply Co.’s lookbooks, Humble connected with modeling agent Giovanna Cordero, who transferred to the agency Modelogic shortly after. The two kept in touch when the Need Supply Co. shoots died down.

“I focused on my art career for a while, then Gio hit me back up to say, ‘Hey, I’ve got this gig I think you’re perfect for.’ Ends up being Totokaelo. Super high fashion stuff,” he said. “I’ve been working with them for a couple years now, and they’re incredible. Eventually Modelogic got privy, so I got signed. I’ve been doing gigs in Baltimore, New York, down here. The money is insane. It’s what’s kept me in there — it’s given me a look at the fashion industry that I wouldn’t have had access to otherwise. Seeing how things work, how to do photoshoots, garment instruction, what you can really do with fashion. It’s limitless.” 

A few months later, a small company reached out over Instagram. They turned out to be Veilance, a subsidiary of the Canadian high-end outdoor clothing and sporting goods company, Arc’teryx. 

“My agent calls me and she says, ‘Hey, they want to fly you out to Utah, pay for everything, pay you 4k per diem. You’ll be out there for four days.’ It was insane,” he said. “The first time I’ve ever been flown out anywhere for something like that, and we had private chefs catering for us.” 

The shoot was staged in the middle of the desert, “where NASA tests land rovers for Mars,” Humble said. He was the only American there.

“There was a guy from Russia, an incredible model-looking dude. I thought, ‘What the hell am I doing here?’ There was a famous photographer from France that shoots futuristic technology stuff, and the whole crew is from Canada where Arc’teryx is based,” Humble said. “The hairdresser is good friends with Kanye. We’re all sitting around this table in the middle of the desert, sharing stories, and I’m just starstruck. I had taken a step away from clothing, especially creating, and over the past couple years I’ve been coming back into it through modeling, being re-inspired.” 

Image via thisisnothumble.com

True to his name, none of this has gone to his head. Humble’s plan now is to continue working with his community in mutually supportive, innovative ways; figuring out upon what great walls — both physical and allegorical — they may together make their mark. 

“I see it metaphorically as walking through the dark with a candle,” he said. “You are the light. You don’t know where you’re going. You might be blazing the way, but mostly it’s a crapshoot, because there are no answers to any of this. There’s no methodology that will make you successful. Just keep working, keep your head down, keep producing dope shit, and help your homies as much as you can. Help everyone as much as you can. I think that’s a really big thing, working together in the scene.” 

Top Photo via Humble/Instagram

Gay(RVA)NYE: Ring In Your 2020 in Proper Fashion

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Get the most out of your new year and say goodbye to the 10’s in proper fashion with our GayRVA guide to the best New Year’s Eve parties this town has to offer!

As 2019 ends and a new decade is set to begin, we all want to have the best New Year’s Eve possible. For plenty of people, this means traveling to some bigger city: New York for the ball drop in Times Square, DC for the big parties, maybe Atlanta where it’s not so cold… but what if you just want to stay in Richmond this year?

Well, if you choose to do so, you’ll not only be missing out on a boatload of travel time and related expenses, you’ll find plenty of amazing things to do and enjoy right here in the good ol’ RVA. If you ask us, it’s really the best way to go.

Here are the best places in Richmond to have yourself a truly wonderful New Year’s Eve.

PLF’s Decemberween at Diversity Richmond

This one’s at the top of the list every year, and I can’t imagine that’ll change anytime soon. The Party Liberation Front’s Halloween-in-December shindig is always the place to be for the arrival of the new year, and it’s because the group never fails to pull out all the stops for this affair.

This year is no different! Dozens of DJs on three different stages will ensure that the music never stops. There’ll be fire performances outside to keep you from getting chilly, as well as mutant vehicles, food trucks, art installations, three different bars, and a whole lot more. It’s a totally immersive experience that will tantalize all five senses for eight full hours! Don’t miss this one. Tickets are $66, and worth every penny. Order here.

Black Pride RVA’s New Year’s Eve Bash 2020 at Studio Two Three

This New Year’s Eve, Black Pride RVA is doing it up right over at Studio Two Three. Their decade-ending event will be a Black & White Affair featuring food, champagne, party favors, and more. Everyone will be dressed to the nines for this one, and you’re sure to enjoy every moment. Tickets start at $25 — order here.

Scott Wichmann at Richmond Triangle Players’ Robert B. Moss Theatre

If you’re looking for a memorable musical affair that summons up the glittering showbiz days of yesteryear, Richmond Triangle Players has got you covered this year, with two performances by “Mister Showtime,” Scott Wichmann. Wichmann’s charismatic flair will lend a special vibrance to his performance of Rat Pack classics, and he’ll have some special guests and a trio led by Musical Director Ryan Corbitt to kick things up a notch and make it a show worthy of wrapping up the decade.

Wichmann will perform two different shows on New Year’s Eve, one at 7 PM and one at 10 PM, so whether you want to wrap the evening up early or stay out all night, there’s a showtime that’ll work for you! Tickets start at only $10, and can be purchased here. Grab yours now!

Godfrey’s New Year’s Eve Celebration

There are all kinds of places you can go for this occasion, but sometimes nothing feels as right as the place you visit regularly all year. That’s why the Godfrey’s New Year’s Eve throwdown just might be the best place to be in this whole town on December 31. They’ll be throwing a big drag show, along with some great year-end drink specials and a cash balloon drop at midnight, so there’ll be plenty to enjoy all evening. The economically-minded should make a note that the cover doubles at 11 PM — so show up by 10:59 and party all night!

Fallout’s New Year’s Eve Masque

Shockoe Bottom’s #1 fetish club is continuing their tradition with this Masquerade Ball featuring drinks, DJs, and plenty of awesome outfits. The line for drinks might be long once this one gets going, but there will be a secondary cash-only bar, so if you’ve got some legal tender in your pocket, you can avoid the rush!

Fallout strictly requires attendees to wear formal and/or fetish clothing, and a mask, so make sure you’re properly attired, or you might be turned away to hang with the normies. No one wants that! While Fallout is members-only, non-members can be guested in by friends who are members, or message their facebook to obtain a one night pass. It’ll be worth it.

Roaring 20s NYE at Kabana Rooftop

Over in the straight world, the arrival of 2020 seems to be a big occasion for “Roaring 20s” themed events, and Kabana Rooftop, atop the Hampton Inn downtown, certainly looks like the most promising of these. They’ll feature music all evening, headlined by a performance from virtuoso violinist and turntable-spinner DJ Manifesto. Plus there’ll be champagne toasts, party favors, and a live feed of the ball drop — so you don’t have to watch it at home. Tickets start at $35, and if you don’t want to find your way home afterward, Hampton Inn offers special rates for suites directly attached to Kabana, so you really can make an entire night of it.

Belle Epoque at Quirk Hotel

But hey, maybe the roaring 20s aren’t even retro enough for you — maybe you want to take things all the way back to the late 19th century. If so, Quirk Hotel has you covered with their Belle Epoque-style evening, featuring music by DJ Ant Boogie, a custom gin & tonic bar, champagne toast at midnight, party favors, and everything else you love about NYE parties. For $25, you can drop in to Quirk around 10 PM (tickets here), or if you really want to do it up right and proper, you can kick the evening off with a 5-course New Year’s Eve dinner at Maple & Pine, Quirk Hotel’s in-house restaurant. The prix-fixe meal is $99 per person (tickets here), and includes entrance to the Quirk event, so that’s your whole evening covered!

Noon Year’s Eve at Lamplighter featuring No BS! Brass Band

Are you the sort of person who’d really rather avoid leaving the house on New Year’s Eve at all? That’s understandable — the roads are hardly the safest on that evening, and lord knows a lot of people do not know how to stay within their limits. Fortunately, even if you’re completely uninterested in being out of the house after dark, there is some fun still to be had over at Lamplighter’s Addison Street location. Specifically, No BS! Brass Band will be showing up late in the morning on December 31 to play tunes and get the party rockin’ for a ball drop on the Lamplighter roof at noon! So there you go — you can take part in a joyous year-ending event with the sun still high in the sky, and head home secure in the knowledge that you’ve done your carousing for the year.

Top Photo by Greyson Joralemon on Unsplash

Folk Yeah! Diving Into The Richmond Folk Festival

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If you’ve ever been skeptical of attending large festivals, the Richmond Folk Festival might just change your mind.

Where else can you find Tuareg guitar, Tuvan throat singing, and honky-tonk all in the same weekend? The Richmond Folk Festival, of course!

The Richmond Folk Festival took place for the 15th time this year from Friday, October 11 through Sunday, October 13. Over 100 performances were held on seven stages throughout downtown Richmond’s riverfront. Between the music, craft vendors, and food trucks, attendees would have a hard time making their way through the weekend without finding something to love.

Photo by Dave Parrish Photography

Despite how ubiquitous the Folk Festival is in local media and on social media each October, this past weekend was my first time visiting. I’ve always had a bit of a distaste for festivals, with their enormous crowds and pandering corporate sponsors. Cliché as it may be, I’ve always had a preference for smaller shows and the intimate and egalitarian environments that they foster.

But I think the Folk Festival this past weekend may have changed my mind about some things. For the first time in my life, I found myself surrounded by word-class musicians of genres of all types, many of which I had no clue existed. Like other festival-goers, I was free to stroll throughout the area, stopping to listen to anything and everything that caught my ear. And I didn’t even have to pay a dime.

Photo by Dave Parrish Photography

Venturing into the Folk Festival from Oregon Hill, the first thing I came across was a parking lot full of food trucks. Children slid down a grassy hillside on pieces of cardboard as festival-goers strolled through the lot, seemingly as hungry for the food as they were for the culture. Crowds cheered as a train passed overhead, complete with the happiest engineer I’ve ever seen waving proudly out the window. Afro-funk could be heard in the distance. The whole scene seemed so jubilant; it had the air of a carnival. Any cynicism I originally had about going to the festival dissipated.

Things only got better and better as I encountered more music during my time at the festival. The diversity of music on display is by far the greatest strength of the Folk Festival. Even just staying put at one stage will give an attendee a roller-coaster ride of sound — take Saturday evening at the Costar Stage, for example. Things got started with Julie Fowlis performing traditional Irish folk songs before giving way to the Syrian dance music of the Aleppo Ensemble. Next, Balla Kouyaté and Famoro Dioubaté undoubtedly introduced the crowd to the unique sound of the balafon, a type of xylophone that uses gourds to produce sound. Huun-Huur-Tu closed out the night with their Tuvan throat singing.

Photo by Dave Parrish Photography

Even if the dizzying number of musical acts at the festival failed to interest an attendee, there was plenty left to do. An entire marketplace was set up, offering just about anything you could think of. There were prints from Studio Two Three and jewelry made of recycled musical instrument parts from Lady Bass Music. You could pick up some soap and lotion from Pure Shea Store. Looking for some honey? Rock Hill Bee Farm had you covered.

The Richmond Folk Festival completely shattered my notion of what a festival could be. The sheer size of it was wild — last year, 220,000 attended, and I’m sure this year was either the same or bigger. With something captivating at every turn, I have no doubt that I will find myself at next year’s Folk Festival, and probably each one after that, too.

Top Photo by Dave Parrish Photography

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

VA Shows You Must See This Week: July 24 – July 30

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FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, July 27, 2 PM
Cobra Cabana Presents Ride The Snake, feat. Enforced, BBQT, Toxic Moxie, High Voltage @ Cobra Cabana – Donations to RRFP
If there’s one thing this past week has told us, it’s that summer is most definitely here. And that definitely makes it the right time for riding in the streets — which is exactly what’ll be going on at Cobra Cabana’s afternoon gathering this Saturday, known as Ride The Snake. Jim Morrison memorably used that phrase to refer to ingesting psychedelic drugs in the desert, but Cobra Cabana are being a bit more literal in their use of it, as this afternoon is based around a motorcycle rally that they’re throwing to benefit Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project.

If you’re down for some motorcycle rally action, the group ride will depart from Cobra Cabana’s Carver location just after noon. But if you’re like me and just want to see some wicked bikes and hear some killer tunes, swing by about 2 PM. The motorcycle show starts then, giving you plenty of time to check out some glorious two-wheeled machines before the music gets rolling at 3. And what music it will be! Headlining the show will be up-and-coming Richmond ragers Enforced, whose new LP At The Walls is certain to confirm their status as blackened-thrashcore heirs apparent. Get ready for headbangs aplenty from this set.

Texas band BBQT is also on the bill, and if you dig that sharp, metallic glam rock sound immortalized by bands like the Runaways, you’re sure to get stoked for this band’s over-the-top swaggering attack. Of course, Richmond party machine Toxic Moxie are also on the bill with some disco-punk jams to get you smiling and bouncing. The bill is rounded out by local AC/DC tribute band High Voltage, who are sure to get things kicked off with a bang. It’s all to benefit a great cause, so bring your dollars for RRFP, bring your summertime party spirit, and — if you’ve got one in the garage — bring your bike for the motorcycle rally. This is going to be the best hot Saturday fun of the entire summer, and you’re not going to want to miss it.

Wednesday, July 24, 8 PM
Abinnet Berhanu & Hebret Musica @ Vagabond – Free!
In a city like this, it’s easy to let the punk and the electro and the indie and the metal obsess you to the extent that you forget about the hotbeds of sound from other genres that are just as vital here in Richmond as the scenes people more readily identify with this city. That’s why I’m thankful for the weekly jazz nights at Vagabond and various other venues around town — always offering a reminder that Richmond’s jazz scene is active, creative, and producing awesome new music at a rate just as prolific as the local indie and punk scenes.

The latest excellent export from Richmond’s jazz scene is the self-titled debut album by Hebret Musica, a quintet led by drummer and Richmond jazz mainstay Abinnet Berhanu. The group, whose name means “Community Music” in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia, draws from Berhanu’s Ethiopian background to add a multi-national flavor to Hebret Musica’s classic hard-bop sound, which should bring smiles to the faces of any fans of Modern Jazz Quartet or Giant Steps-era John Coltrane — and I know y’all are out there. This show at Vagabond marks the official release of Hebret Musica’s debut album, after which they will hit the road and spend the weekend in DC. We might not see them back in Richmond again anytime soon, and this group has some incredible sounds to deliver to your waiting ears. So catch them while they’re here — head to Vagabond tonight.

Thursday, July 25, 6 PM
TWRP, The Protomen @ The Broadberry – $20 in advance/$25 day of show (order tickets HERE)
This should be a fun gig. Canada’s TWRP, whose name stands for Tupper Ware Remix Party, have always had a colorful and amusing presentation, performing in costumes and hiding their true identities behind their catchy prog-rock sound and spacetime-traveling backstory. Only two weeks ago, TWRP released their second LP, Return To Wherever — a nice reference to legendary 70s jazz-fusion group Return To Forever — and that LP furthers their bouncy, jazzy, danceable yet rocking prog sound. Seeing them crank out these tunes in full costume is sure to be a blast.

The Protomen are an equally fun group, with a much longer history that ties closely into a classic Nintendo video game that many of us remember from our childhoods: Mega Man. Indeed, The Protomen have been writing concept albums based on the worlds of those 8-bit video games for about 15 years now, and setting their heavily story-oriented lyrics to music mixing progressive rock with the work of film-soundtrack composers like Ennio Morricone to create albums just as musically entertaining as they are narratively gripping. While they haven’t released an album on their own since 2015’s The Cover Up, they did appear on TWRP’s 2018 track “Phantom Racer,” so this tour pairing seems somewhat inevitable… and certain to maximize the awesomeness of both performances. Get stoked for this one, it’s gonna be out of this world.

Friday, July 26, 7 PM
Gauche, Post Pink, Continuation @ Gallery 5 – $10 (order tickets HERE)
It’s easy to associate punk rock with speed, volume, and rage, but back when it began as a musical movement, punk was still wide open. In the early days, all sorts of different sounds ended up in the mix, and some of them were quite fun, funky, and danceable. DC punk rockers Gauche, who feature members of Priests, Downtown Boys, and quite a few other notable groups out of the nation’s capital in recent years, hark back to that time on their brand-new LP, A People’s History Of Gauche.

From the forceful vocal attack and atonal chord structures to the pointed lyrics dealing with capitalism and colonialism, there’s no way to deny that this group’s music is punk as fuck. But the bouncy grooves that keep you moving throughout draw influence from the more adventurous groups of punk’s early days — everyone from The Slits to The Bush Tetras to The Bags, and beyond. The result is a sound that’s cathartic and full of inspired outrage, but also a whole ton of fun. And we could all use more of that.

Saturday, July 27, 6 PM
City Of Caterpillar, Oozing Meat, Continuation @ Studio Two Three – $10
Richmond Y2K-era screamo legends City Of Caterpillar blew minds all over the globe when they announced their reunion shows back in 2017; it wasn’t quite as big news as the Avail reunion, but damn close to it, and their Richmond dates sold out quickly. As far as anyone could tell back then, the reunion was a one-time thing, but it was accompanied by the release of one new recording — their legendary live track “Driving Spain Up A Wall,” finally laid down in the studio 15 years after their original breakup.

Now, in 2019 amid rumors of yet more new material to come, City Of Caterpillar has reunited once again, this time to perform at Toronto’s New Friends Fest on the first weekend in August. At first, the only other gigs they had scheduled were hours north of Richmond, but fortunately for us, they did manage to schedule a last-minute performance this Saturday night at Studio Two Three. The ad hoc nature of the show means that there are no advance tickets available — you’ll just have to show up at the Scott’s Addition art space with your cash in your hand and hope you get in. But for one more chance to see City Of Caterpillar explode out of their trademark melodic post-rock interludes into cathartic punk noise… how could it not be worth it?

Sunday, July 28, 10 PM
Prayer Group, Slump, Twin Drugs @ Bandito’s – Free!
This weekend is full of massive heavy noise, and Sunday night is perhaps the most massive of all, as Richmond sludge lords Prayer Group celebrate the release of their latest EP, Eudean, with a free show at Bandito’s. The new EP finds Prayer Group at their harrowing, churning heaviest, blasting us all with leaden grooves that roll right over you and leave no room for anything but headbangs.

The bass rumbles and thuds, drums pound, vocals howl in your face, and the noise of the guitar scrapes your eardrums raw in the best possible way. Don’t go into this one unprepared, but do expect to be blown away by what you find. And do expect some excellent sets from psychedelic hardcore freaks Slump and hazy shoegaze-psych maniacs Twin Drugs. Plus there are the nachos… always, always the nachos. End your weekend with this rager — it’s the right thing to do.

Monday, July 29, 7 PM
Big Fundamental, Little River Creek Police, Billy Bacci, Jeremy White @ The Camel – Free!
Big Fundamental is a loud rock n’ roll trio from right here in Richmond, who got together recently from somewhat surprising roots — solo singer-songwriters and free jazz freaks, coming together to rock out in that classic post-Nirvana 90s alt-rock style isn’t exactly a predictable occurrence. But when it results in some really good sounds, I’m sure none of us are wont to complain. Right?

Big Fundamental just released their first LP, which has the affirming title of You Belong Here, and is, according to singer-guitarist Stu Ruiz, about “the hard work of finding optimism.” It’s certainly true that that’s a difficult search in the era we’re all living through, but Big Fundamental’s catchy grunge riffs and steady-rolling pace throughout this album promise to bring smiles to all our faces, at least for a little while. Come join them this Monday night and shake off the beginning-of-the-workweek blues.

Tuesday, July 30, 9 PM
Drunk Mums, Friendship Commanders, Kid Is Qual @ Wonderland – $10
If you are wise in the ways of punk rock, you can probably guess that a band called Drunk Mums is primarily made up of young dudes. And if you know what’s up with Australia, learning that Drunk Mums are from the land down under is probably all you need to hear to know that they’ll rock you hard in a straightforward, no-frills style. If you know your international punk well enough to be stoked on bands like The Lime Spiders and Cosmic Psychos, Drunk Mums are sure to make you real happy. They’ll also make the more US-oriented among us who dig bands like the Marked Men and the Riverboat Gamblers smile.

Friendship Commanders are also on this bill, and while this Tennessee band have come a lot less far than Drunk Mums have, they’re still not exactly around here every week. Their heavy yet upbeat grunge-punk sounds wonderful on last year’s Bill, an LP I’m assuming is not named after my old roommate who never washed his dishes. This duo rocks really hard on recording, and are sure to get the crowd at Wonderland moving about. On-again off-again bass-oriented Richmond mainstay Kid Is Qual will return once again for an opening gig on this one, and it’s sure to rumble you in all the right ways. Get stoked for this one.

Elsewhere Around the State:

Saturday, July 27, 8 PM
Fed Ash, Hearse, The Panic Broadcast, Sanguis @ Bricks Restaurant & Pub (Staunton) – Free!
I’m well aware that music happens in quite a few different locales around this state. However, this might be the first time word of a show in Staunton, up there were I-64 and I-81 meet, has reached my ears. But I’m always up for new places to see awesome music in a live environment, so I’m glad to know about it. This Saturday night, if you happen to be up that way, you can catch a pretty great metal show full of blazing blast beats and harsh sludge over at Bricks Restaurant. And if you are up that way, you should definitely do that.

New York grinders Fed Ash are topping the bill, and their recent split LP with fellow grindcore maniacs Landfill shows that they like it fast, furious, and full of low-end rage. However, they can also crank down the tempo and shatter your mind with occasional blasts of crawling sludge, and are sure to do so during this performance. They’re accompanied on this bill by fellow New Yorkers Hearse, who also like to switch back and forth between blasting speed and harsh doom, but tend to focus more on the slow n’ heavy end of things. The result is sure to inspire mass amounts of slow-motion headbangs — and we always advocate for those around here. The bill will be rounded out by two western VA metal bands, Waynesboro groovers The Panic Broadcast and Charlottesville doom-drone crew Sanguis. Should be awesome.

Tuesday, July 30, 6 PM
Korn, Alice In Chains, Underoath, Ho99o9 @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater (Virginia Beach) – $20 – $335 (order tickets HERE)
Nu metal was a punch line for a long time. However, recent years have shown that a whole new generation of kids who came of age in the early ’10s see bands like Korn in a whole different light than those of us who thought they were too cheesy and commercial back in the 90s. And really, Korn has stood the test of time well enough to hush us all up. Head came to his senses and rejoined the band a few years back, and 2019 finds them on the verge of releasing their 13th (!) album, The Nothing.

Advance single “You’ll Never Find Me” is cooler and heavier than you’d ever expect from these nu-metal torchbearers 25 years after their self-titled debut. So maybe it’s time for all of us to admit that Korn really do have something to offer that we should be paying attention to. Plus, they’re coming to town with Alice In Chains, who, believe it or not, have now been around longer and released just as many albums with current singer William DuVall (formerly of 80s hardcore band Neon Christ) than they ever were with Layne Staley. And I’m sure they still play all the songs you love from back then too, so hey… why examine it too closely? Let’s just go to the amphitheater and rock out.

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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