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Richmond Musicians Discuss DIY Music Scene

RICHMOND, Va. -- Richmond has been known for its art and music for a long tome. Because of this DIY music venues have emerged.

DIY or “do it yourself” refers to community venues producing their own music and setting up their own spaces. Places like The Deck and the Rabbit Hole, two well known local DIY venues, are just a few participating in this culture.

Richmond is just one of many cities with a vibrant punk scene. Places like Philadelphia and Chicago are some of the bigger names in the community according to Tommy, owner of The Deck.

Punk and DIY exists everywhere, but what makes Richmond stand out is the people involved. Eli Buenaventura is the vocalist of a local hardcore band called Wasted Space. He was a part of the south Philadelphia crust punk scene prior to moving to Richmond. The environment was very different than what he has experienced here. The community as a whole seems to be a lot more accepting and kind regardless of the more violent atmosphere in regards to mosh pits, according to Buenaventura.

“I'd say the VCU scene here is very positive,” Buenaventura said. “If there's a person that isn't being cool, we'll push them out because we don't deal with that. It's very accepting, inclusive.”

The crowd isn't the only thing that makes Richmond so unique. Local venues of all shapes and sizes help lift up the music scene as well. Places like Banditos and The Camel allow many local artists of all genres to come perform.

The venues in Richmond are a large part of why the scene is thriving. VCU has had its hand in Richmond losing its many venues. On Grace Street, VCU has contributed to buying up properties and using them as campus amenities, according to Daniel Berti, writer for RVAmag. In doing this they have changed the music scene in Richmond fundamentally.

“It sucks. This is a really, really cool city, especially within the constraints of music,” said Chris Theen. Theen is a local musician in bands such as Lowlife Tea Party and Project Vertigo. He has been an active participant in the Richmond music scene since 2018.

“It used to be an even cooler city. Grace Street probably had like 12 different places that were doing shows. All of them are gone,” Theen said “like there is nowhere on Grace Street that still does live music.”

Despite the loss of venues in the area, the music scene has managed to keep its footing because of DIY. Most musicians prefer this way of performing. The crowd and the community are all appreciated by bands far more than any venue they have performed at.

The Deck has received a lot of appreciation from local musicians. Tommy has been active in the Richmond music scene for a while and has both performed and attended shows in DIY and local venues.

“The crowd actually feels like they're a part of the show,” Tommy said. “It's a lot more intimate. It doesn't matter how professional you make it look, house show’s gonna be more intimate.”

Though many musicians prefer to play house shows, there have been some challenges. With local venues closing down and VCU having more people on campus many DIY venues have experienced a higher volume of attendees. Because of this, The Deck has to make changes.

“We had like the whole block around our house, like pretty much crowded and within the house,” Salvato said, recalling a past show. “Like, it was just dangerous. It was not okay.”

“So, since then, we started doing a door fee, just five bucks at the door. We check IDs.” Tommy said, “We're running like a real venue now because it's like, it's risky not to,”

Along with the population growth at these shows, Tommy has experienced their address being shared on the internet and strangers arriving at their home unannounced.

The Deck wont have a show for a while according to Tommy.

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Awsten Knight of Waterparks at the Canal Club

COVID Effects On Live Music

RICHMOND, Va. —- Local music venues have begun to ease strict COVID-19 guidelines.

The Canal Club is a local located in shockoe bottom. This venue has recently switched from strict vaccination and mask mandates to a less restrictive approach, according to Kathy Jacobs, the owner, and general manager of the venue. The venue will be working through a show by show basis, deciding the guidelines based on the pandemic requirements of the performers that host.

“We are putting out there that anybody that is not vaccinated would like them to wear a mask,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs seeks to keep music fans and her staff safe. Between December and January the venue experienced a brief shut down, according to Jacobs. After reopening, the entire Canal Club staff is vaccinated. However, staff members are not required to wear masks.

Many music fans are excited to return to the venue now that these restrictions have been lifted, according to Jacobs. Many of the talents hosted by the venue are older metal bands who have been vocal about their dislike for vaccinations.

“A lot of people were very happy about it,” Jacobs said.

Some venues have taken the opposite approach from Jacobs. Lisa Harrison, cofounder and lead booking consultant at the Tin Pan has expressed her concerns with the ongoing pandemic. The Tin Pan has kept strict restrictions on those who visit the venue, according to Harrison. Vaccination continues to be mandatory but masks are on a case-by-case basis.

Harrison said she faced problems booking artists due to the vaccination requirements.

“ Everyone that's traveling in the artists’ group needs to be vaccinated,” Harrison said. “There's only been one group so far they've had to not book because they were not vaccinated. They just chose not to get vaccinated.”

Omicron hasn’t exclusively impacted local venues, it has changed the way people interact with live music. Mark Fries, music promoter and owner of Legacy Concerts, said the ongoing pandemic and recent variant has affected his business.

Many bands were hesitant to tour during the pandemic out of fear of contracting the virus. However, as time went on more and more bands opened up to the idea of touring, according to Fries. Ticket sales and tours getting canceled and rescheduled caused Legacy Concerts to lose business.

“It just was this crazy out of control spread. Bands were having to cancel tours because members of the touring party were testing positive for COVID,” Fries said.

He went on that after the recent spike in Omicron cases ticket sales and turnout has returned to normal and may be better than it once was.

Both venues have upcoming shows and are taking the necessary steps to keep show-goers and staff safe, according to venue websites.

(This article is extremely dated but it feels right to post for other reasons)

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Something I find so fascinating about music is the way different people interact with it. I have a few friends who mainly consume pop music and it’s so interesting watching them get and excited over artists like Charlie Puth and Carly Rae Jepsen dropping new music in the same way I get excited about Waterparks. Like what makes people like the type of music they like?

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extreme noise terror - mid 1980s

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Wormrot

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I’ve been gone forever but I’m back and using this to post my articles I’ve written! Stay tuned.

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Lizzo has returned!

I’m not hearing enough hype about this absolute boo Lizzo has dropped. With a clear 70s club inspired instrumental and lyrics that exude bad bitch energy, This song is a great re-emergence for Lizzo who dropped Rumors last summer and felt a wave of negativity over it.

About Damn Time gives me the flavor of Lizzo that made me fall in love with her in the first place. Reminiscent of Juice from her 2019 album Cuz I Love You.

She is serving Disco and 1970s skating rink and giving us a taste of what her upcoming album will be. A self love anthem just in time for summer.

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How tf do you cheat on RIHANNA?????

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Treat Me - Chlöe Review

The girls have been begging for a pop diva and Chloe more than delivered. Serving us this pop RnB track that will no doubt take over every party this summer and your tiktok for you page. Similarly to her debut solo single Have Mercy she is giving us lyrics that reflect her grown woman attitude. She isn’t the little girl being mentored by Beyonce anymore. She’s a fully grown woman with sexuality and she knows what she's worth. 

Treat Me is exactly what this generation has been craving with not just the empowering lyrics and a sample that adds a ‘rump shaker' element but a complementing video that treats us to the fashion and choreography many have said the pop industry has been lacking in. 

This song lets us ALL know Chloe isn’t going to be just a passing artist she is here to stay and she is going to make a mark on the music industry that cannot be erased. I can’t wait to see what more she has in store for us.

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Feels like luxury.

Jack Harlow dropped the second single to his upcoming sophomore album, Come Home the Kids Miss You, and when I tell you it’s the summer time vibe we’ve been waiting for.

While reflecting on his path to success he details the opulent perks of his celebrity and how he plans to share it with his object of affection.

Harlow did not come to play with this sultry tune. He delivers a fantasy to his listener that hits all the right nerves. Meshing Fergie’s 2006 hit “Glamorous” with a light piano and seductive beat makes for an intoxicating listen.

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Chloe Bailey - Treat Me

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Some Underrated Bands You NEED to Check Out Right Now! (Part 2)

Dancing Plague - If you're a fan of darkwave/electro music paired with gloomy lyrics, this one man band will definitely be up your alley! My favourite album of theirs so far has been Pure Desperation (2018); I've appreciated those deep vocals paired with powerful synth tones. Their later songs, while giving off a slightly different vibe, are also very atmospheric.

Eyes Of The Nightmare Jungle - Early 2000s goth rock that is very reminiscent of the 80s post punk scene. The lead singer's vocals have that dark edge that fans of early goth rock would definitely appreciate. They've only released two albums and so rather than recommending one of the two, I'll advise you to listen to them both! (Seriously, go do it. You'll like them)

Lebanon Hanover - Yes, I am aware that they're one of the most popular bands in the modern darkwave scene. But for those that are unaware of them, I strongly recommend checking them out! Deep vocals and beautifully dark melodies make this duo an essential part of any post punk, darkwave, or goth playlist. I personally recommend starting with Tomb For Two (2013).

Sad Lovers & Giants - Melodic British post punk/goth rock from the 1980s with that signature moody touch. I feel like their sound would be appealing to both fans of classic post punk and current bands inspired by that classic sound. I recommend checking out the 7" tracks of theirs on YouTube (start with Lost In A Moment and Colourless Dream --- those have been my favourites so far!)

She Past Away - A brilliant Turkish darkwave band that is highly regarded by fans of the genre. Their songs feature plenty of beautifully crafted synth melodies, paired with deep vocals and a thumping drumbeat. Belirdi Gece (2012) is a great album to start with if you're looking to get a feel for their vibe.

Twin Tribes - THE SYNTH!!!! Need I say more? (Of course I do, they're worth describing in more detail than this!). Their music is very reminiscent of that experimental feel of 80s new wave, while still maintaining that darker edge associated with post punk/darkwave music. The vocals are atmospheric and striking, making the duo's tracks feel otherworldly. Their album Ceremony (2019) is an excellent place to begin immersing yourself in their beauty.

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Hello everyone!

I have like no followers but I wanna make my first official post be about what this blog is all about!

I’m a journalism student and my goal is to be a music journalist/ critic so I’m trying to use this blog as a practice run. I’m still trying to find my voice and I feel like this blog will probably be a mess for a little while I get my footing.

I’ll post everything from new music reviews to concert reviews. I’m open for music recommendations always so if you find this blog and wanna tell me about your favorite song send it over!

I like to keep my music taste broad so I don’t back myself into a corner creatively.

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thoughts on when we were young festival

when we were young festival is the festival of every emo kid’s dreams. isn’t it? i, like every other kid, lost my damn mind when i saw the lineup. i didn’t think it was real until altpress reposted it. it’s like a resurrection of warped tour, just for one day. it’s almost too good to be true.

i think it is too good to be true, actually. one day? for over 60 bands? they can’t possibly expect to fit so many bands into 12 hours, on three stages. warped tour sets were about 30 mins, with about 15-30 mins in between sets to reset the stage, depending on the size of the band and how much gear needs to be moved around. in order to fit 60-70 bands into 12 hours on 3 stages, each band would barely even get half an hour, not including the reset time between sets. this isn’t even accounting for my chemical romance and paramore, the big-bill headliners, and the 5 other big names that should get longer set times. how the ever-loving fuck are they expecting this to work?

another issue that jumps out at me is the ticket prices and tiers. i wasn’t able to look at the festival itself’s website for whatever reason, but a nationalworld article gave a lot of details about the tiers of tickets. baseline general admission is a staggering $224.99. GA+ is $399.99 for tier 1, $409.99 for tier 2, and $419.99 for tier 3. GA+ for over $100 more than GA includes air conditioned bathrooms and a special entry lane. i’m sorry, but that’s fucking ridiculous. ridiculous. the ticket price for a warped tour stop in oregon in 2017 was anywhere between $29-49 from what i found, and that’s for access to the whole lineup, all day. there are ViP tiers for wwwf as well, with fun perks and extras. the top tier, a nice shady vip cabana with quick entry and other fancy perks, for 10 people is TWELVE FUCKiNG THOUSAND DOLLARS. WHAT? WHAT???

the festival is sponsored and organized by live nation, a well-known and pretty reputable company. however, there are speculations about disaster impending. it seems like an emo version of the fyre festival, a scammy disaster leaving people out hundreds, even thousands of dollars. live nation also organized astroworld, travis scott’s bloodbath festival that more or less went down in flames. i’ve seen jokes about the wwwf being a way for ln to recoup their losses after astroworld. this is entirely possible, honestly.

i’m usually a fan of live nation, i work with ticketmaster at my concert venue so i usually think highly of live nation. i’m skeptical though. it seems too good to be true, genuinely. i guess we’ll see.

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Fka twigs for The Guardian Saturday cover Issue n° 26