RVA #18 FALL 2014 by RVA MAGAZINE

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RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

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RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

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RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

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modlin

center

for the

arts

DAKHABRAKHA SUN. NOVEMBER 16 • 7:30PM

LIBBY S. GOTTWALD PLAYHOUSE, RICHMOND CENTERSTAGE

GET TICKETS AT ETIX.COM

PAULA POUNDSTONE FRI. DECEMBER 5 • 7PM & 9:30PM

THE LONE BELLOW SAT. DECEMBER 6 • 7:30PM

GET TICKETS AT MODLIN.RICHMOND.EDU, THE MODLIN CENTER BOX OFFICE, OR (804) 289-8980

RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

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SLEEPWALKERS

RVA #18 FALL 2014 WWW.RVAMAG.COM FOUNDERS R. Anthony Harris, Jeremy Parker PUBLISHER R. Anthony Harris PRESIDENT John Reinhold EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Andrew Necci CREATIVE DIRECTOR R. Anthony Harris, ADVERTISING John Reinhold, Josh Lingerfelt, Ronny Lopez EDITORIAL ASST. Brad Kutner RVAMAG.COM & GAYRVA.COM Brad Kutner STAFF PHOTGRAPHER Todd Raviotta WRITERS Andrew Necci, Shannon Cleary, Doug Nunnally, Brad Kutner, Kyle Shearin, Black Liquid, Cody Endres, Tyler Spindle PHOTOGRAPHY Todd Raviotta, Sergey Golub, Joey Wharton, Dustin Buckley, Nick Ghobashi INTERNS Sky Andersen, Claire Donnelly, Taylor Gleason, Calyssa Kremer, Andrew Seymour, Will Young GENERAL INFORMATION e: hello@rvamag.com EDITORIAL INFORMATION e: andrew@rvamag.com DISTRIBUTION e: hello@rvamag.com ADVERTISING p: 804.214.6350 e: john@rvamag.com e: advertising@rvamag.com SUBMISSION POLICY RVA welcomes submissions but cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material. Send all submissions to hello@rvamag.Com. All submissions property of Inkwell Design LLC. The entire content is a copyright of Inkwell Design LLC and cannot be reproduced in whole or in part without written authorization of the publisher.

MEGGS

ONLINE Every issue of RVA Magazine can be viewed in its entirety anytime at rvamag.com/magazine. SOCIAL facebook.com/rvamag twitter.com/@rvamag instagram/rvamag rvamag.tumblr.com SUBSCRIPTION Log onto rvamag.com/magazine to have RVA Magazine sent to your home or office. DISTRIBUTION Thank you to our distribution partner BioRide, bioriderva.com HEADS UP! The advertising and articles appearing within this publication reflect the opinion and attitudes of their respective authors and not necessarily those of the publisher or editors. Reproduction in whole or part without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. RVA Magazine is published quarterly. Images are subject to being altered from their original format. All material within this magazine is protected. RVA Magazine is a registered trademark of Inkwell Design LLC. RVA Magazine is printed locally by Conquest Graphics. COVER ART BY MEGGS / houseofmeggs.com photo by Dustin Buckley

RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

DISTRIBUTED BY OUR FRIENDS AT BIORIDE TO OVER 200+ LOCATIONS IN ADDITION TO THE FOLLOWING LISTED ESTABLISHMENTS! SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS! CARYTOWN Plan 9 Records Agee’s Bicycles New York Deli Portrait House Don’t Look Back Carytown BUrger & Fries Heroes & Ghosts Weezie’s Kitchen Ellwoood Thompsons Need Supply Co. World of Mirth Play N Trade Tobacco Club & Gifts BROAD STREET ARTS DISTRICT Gallery 5 1708 Gallery Ghostprint Gallery Turnstyle Velocity Comics Steady Sounds DOWNTOWN & CHURCH HILL Barcode Bottom’s up Kulture Alamo BBQ Capitol Ale House Legends Plant Zero Greenleaf Pool Room Frame Nation

RVA MAGAZINE FALL 2014 CONTENTS

FASHION

MR. FILI

VCU AREA ALB Tech Strange Matter Lamplighter VCU Kulture 821 Cafe Fan Guitar & Ukulele Ipanema Tech Exchange Postbellum The Village Rumors MUSEUM DISTRICT VMFA Bandito’s Burrito Lounge Black Hand Coffee The Franklin Inn Cleveland Market THE FAN Bellytimber FW Sullivan’s Lady Nawlins Harvest Market Star-lite Lounge Fan Noodle Bar Capitol Mac Katra Gala Sticky Rice Joe’s Inn Strawberry Street Market Little Mexico The Camel Lamplighter Balliceaux Social 52 Hardywood Park Brewery

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WEST END / SCOTT’s ADDITION Su Casa The Broadberry En Su Boca Mekong Taboo Lunch / Supper Richmond Triangle Players Ardent Ales Isley Brewery The Answer Brewpub Strangeways Brewery Modlin Center MACARTHUR AREA Stir Crazy The Mill Dots Back Inn Once Upon a Vine

VULVATRON

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DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T SLEEP This page: Fall Line Fest by Chris LaCroix Top: Ki:Theory at The Broadberry Center left: The Diamond Center at The National Center right: Death at The National Bottom left: Ki:Theory at The Broadberry Bottom right: Matthew E. White at November Opposite Page: GWAR-B-Q 2014 by Brad Kutner

RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

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THE LATEST IN RICHMOND BREW NEWS | CHECK RVAMAG.COM/RVAONTAP FOR DAILY UPDATES

LEGEND BREWERY’S URBAN LEGEND SERIES: 2014 EDITION Last year Legend Brewery introduced the Urban Legend Series to RVA. The idea behind this series was to release four beers based on local urban legends; the first batch included Guardian Dog Doppelbock, Lost City Saison, Locomotive 231, and the Vampire Imperial Red Ale. This year, to commemorate their 20th Anniversary and to honor brewers who have been with them along their journey so far, Legend has made the second edition of the Urban Legend Series in collaboration with several industry friends. For this year’s series, the brewers working with Legend chose urban legends from their respective areas and collaborated on a style that would match the spooky subject matter. The series began earlier this year with Teach’s Oyster Stout, a brew put together in collaboration with Hampton’s St George Brewing Co. and paying tribute to Edward Teach, aka the notorious 18th century pirate Blackbeard. Legend followed this by working with Williamsburg’s AleWerks Brewing Company to create Crim Dubbel, a beer commemorating the College of William & Mary’s Crim Dell Bridge, where lovers are brought together forever or left forever alone. Most recently, they worked with Ashburn’s Lost Rhino Brewing Company to create the Bunny Man RIP Ale, named for a mythical Fairfax County man who attacks people with an axe while wearing a giant bunny suit. We tried the Bunny Man before its official release and really enjoyed it--it has a nice malt character with some added hop flavor to properly kill you with! Learn more about the Urban Legend series and see what sort of seasonal flavors Legend has to offer at legendbrewing. com.

TRINKIN MAKES NIGHTLIFE EASIER TO NAVIGATE

UPDATE: WHAT’S GOING ON WITH COMMERCIAL TAPHOUSE?

If you like to keep up with what’s on tap around town, then you need Trinkin in your life. This mobile website has several features that will help you optimize your night on the town by matching you with more than 90 craft beer-focused businesses in Richmond, Charlottesville, and Harrisonburg. They have realtime information about what’s on tap at your favorite brewery or restaurant, and what craft beer-related/ inspired events are coming up. Their EBarmony section uses your location and your answers to a few simple questions to tell you what bars in the area will most fit your mood, and the Taxi button will help get you home safely at the end of the night. We’ve been really impressed with how much time using Trinkin can save you, so bookmark their website now and get ready for a great night out!

Located on Robinson St in the Fan, Commercial Taphouse has been serving craft beer on tap to happy customers since 1993--long before the current craft beer explosion. Original owner James Talley brought RVA a craft beer institution that has converted many local residents into die-hard fans over the years. Recently, Talley handed over the reins to Mekong Restaurant owner An Bui, but fear not, Commercial Taphouse lovers, Bui has no plans to make any big changes to the beloved local bar. Instead, he’ll be updating the draft lines and menu to improve the experience for local beer lovers, while retaining the look and feel you’ve come to know and love. Bui says he considers it an honor to keep the legacy of Commercial Taphouse going, and looks forward to coming to the Fan. We certainly look forward to seeing what updates Bui will bring to this popular spot; check back at 111 N. Robinson St over the coming months to see for yourself!

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VIRGINIA BREWERY TOURS: A THREE-HOUR TOUR OF LOCAL CRAFT BEER With more craft beer spots than ever popping up all across the state of Virginia, many people are looking to explore the wealth of beer-centric bars, restaurants, and breweries within a couple hours drive of RVA. Virginia Brewery Tours has put all of these things together to provide a full experience for the curious fan of local craft beer. Providing you and your friends with transportation, scheduling, and all the food and beverages you could hope to experience in one easy package, this organization offers a variety of craft breworiented tours--from public tours around the breweries of Richmond on the second and fourth Fridays of every month to private tours that provide custom events for you and your guests. Thursday night Richmond Tap Tours are also a highlight, featuring special beers and snacks and a 40-minute stopover at each destination. If you and your friends are looking for a fun night out exploring the many craft beer spots Richmond has to offer, check with Virginia Brewery Tours and see what they can do for you! virginiabrewerytours.com

RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

TALKING BEER WITH BREWMASTER RICK MURTAUGH, HEAD BREWER BRIAN NELSON, AND HOSPITALITY MANAGER KERRY ANDERSON OF HARDYWOOD INTERVIEW BY JOHN REINHOLD

By now everyone in RVA has heard about Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, the up-and-coming Richmond beer producer making a big splash on the local scene with an emphasis on creative brews and community involvement. We hoped to dig a little deeper and get some insight into what makes this place tick, so we got in touch with brewmaster Patrick Murtaugh, head brewer Brian Nelson, and hospitality manager Kerry Anderson. They had a lot to tell us about Hardywood’s extensive craft beer pedigree, their standout live musical events, and the inspiration they derive from the local community. Hardywood Park comes from a long line of brewers. Can you tell me a little about the heritage and tradition of Hardywood? Patrick: My great-great-grandfather immigrated to America from Germany in the late 19th century and was the brewmaster at the Springfield Brewery in Massachusetts. His son, my great-grandfather, studied brewing at the Siebel Institute in 1908, where I also studied. He later worked as a brewer at the Wayne Brewery in PA. My great uncle also attended Siebel, and was a brewer at the Koehler Brewery, also in Pennsylvania. So there is definitely a history of brewing in my family tree and, as a brewery, we have a deep respect for tradition. Most of the beers we make are derived from traditional styles... with our own spin put on them.

reflects what we as a company find inviting and comforting. I think for brand recognition, it is important to keep a somewhat uniform style to our labels. We have a label designer who usually captures the concept of the beer that we put into the bottle. The designs reflect the passion we have for our beer.

to learn more about our beer, and by extension, about new and different music on their next visit. The bands play a role as ambassador to Hardywood when they are performing, so I love to invite Richmond acts that have strong ties to their community, understand our role in RVA, and are terrific at engaging the guests that come for the beer as well as their fans. It’s Hardywood Park is known already as a creative great to experience both the communities that brewery--what has influenced your choices of support live music and [those that help] craft your flagship beers and seasonal beers? beer continue to develop in a congruous way in all of Richmond’s venues. Brian: Hardywood started in a unique direction by choosing a Belgian beer as the flagship. I Hardywood has been growing since day think that choosing Singel, a Belgian blonde one; recently your portfolio is expanding to ale, differentiated our brewery from others, Northern VA and beyond. What is your current as well as introducing many Richmonders to barrel system, and how is Hardywood looking the complexity of Belgian beers. Some of our to expand in the future? more creative beers [are inspired by] culinary interests and beer/food pairings. Brian: We have a 20 bbl, 3 vessel brewhouse. If everything is on schedule and running smoothly, Hardywood has had some great events at their we have estimated that fermentation capacity location in Richmond; how have these events would be towards the 20,000 bbl mark. We are helped grow the Hardywood brand? Could you slowly working up to that number. tell us about some of the benefits of bringing in a diverse variety of music? From No BS! Brass What inspires Hardywood most from the City Band to Municipal Waste, you have had some of Richmond and the people within it? great Richmond acts. Patrick: The creativity, individuality, and Kerry: It’s so much fun to present a variety of community pride in RVA has been particularly genres throughout each season. Hardywood’s inspiring. More than anything, we have been audience is as varied as the styles of beer that blown away by the level of support we have we produce, so I want to find something for received from the people of Richmond. As a every genre of devotee, and also change up the relatively new business, having that support is mood of the tasting room a bit each day. essential.

Something that I personally enjoy from Hardywood is the creative layout of your bottle imagery and designs. How did you come up with the layout of your bottles, and what’s the For a lot of our guests, a first visit to the brewery www.hardywood.com history behind the design of your beers? is to see a specific act. We hope that when Brian: The imagery we use on our label designs someone has a very meaningful experience here through music, they will come back again

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BREW TALK WITH MARY WOLF OF WILD WOLF BREWING INTERVIEW BY JOHN REINHOLD / RONNIE LOPEZ Virginia’s craft beer scene extends quite a ways outside of the Richmond area, and if you head northwest up into the Blue Ridge Mountains, you’ll find a good bit going on. Wild Wolf Brewing Company is in a tiny Nelson County town called Nellysford, but it’s at the center of the Brew Ridge Trail, a line of half a dozen or so craft breweries running up Rt. 151 from Arrington to Charlottesville. RVA’s own John Reinhold and Ronnie Lopez took a trip into the countryside to speak to owner Mary Wolf and find out what exactly is going on out there in the wilds of western VA.

One of the things that’s special about [our location]; just because we’re in the mountains, we have amazing water. We [had] the water tested and the water here is almost perfect. From a brewery’s standpoint, that’s a dream, because then they can make any beer style they want. It’s hard to take things out of the water. It’s awesome when the water doesn’t have anything in it that needs to be removed, and you can add whatever salts and chemistry you want to get the style that you want. So that’s certainly pretty special.

Where did the name Wild Wolf come from? From the standpoint of the hops, we used fresh hops from this year’s harvest in our new Primal Instinct [IPA]. We dried the rest of that and put some in each batch of Primal that we made, so the hops, for the amount of time and money Tell me a little bit about your brew system, we spent on them, are certainly more for the especially when it comes to the water and the experience. We think it adds to the experience hops--some of the things that make Wild Wolf of coming here. [Visitors] can go to the hop yard unique. and see the chickens and walk around. It speaks to who we are as a company, that we’re one with Our brew house is a 15 barrel premier system. the land as much as possible and the hops are Lots of people in the country have those, so just one more piece of our property. that’s not so unique. The amount of production for our restaurant is huge; when we give tours, What’s your most popular beer? we try to explain to people that what you see here is not a normal restaurant brewery. We Blonde Hunny all day long. It’s our flagship aren’t trying to be a production brewery; we’re beer. It’s interesting, because when you start, kind of on the scale of a very small one, but you don’t know what’s gonna ring with people. we’re actually a restaurant brewpub. In fact, Blonde Hunny has a funny story. When Well, with our last name being Wolf, we definitely wanted Wolf in it. So we looked at great names with Wolf, and that’s where we ended up.

we first named it, we were throwing different names around. I’m sure you’ve seen the icon for it, which is this great looking pinup girl--we were like, “Oh, Blonde Hunny. That’s kind of funny.” And I’m thinking, “When we move from our shop we’re going to have to actually give it a real name, because no guy is going to sit at a bar and drink Blonde Hunny.” How wrong was I? I see these big mountain burly guys drinking it--they don’t care. I think the icon helps too; it’s not bothering anybody from what I can tell. It’s a great looking can--a great icon. Men like it, women like it, it’s a great beer. It’s kind of a gateway beer; it’s not hoppy, it’s easy to drink, and yet people that are strong beer drinkers love it too. What goes into making a new brew? Is it something where your son [brewmaster Danny Wolf] sits down and says I have an idea? Does he come to you with it? How does that work? It’s evolved. When we first started, he would get an idea or an inspiration, and he would be like, “Huh. What can I do with this?” Which is kind of how Blonde Hunny started up. The Primal Instinct would be a good example--we never wanted to do an IPA, because everyone else has one and we’ve worked really hard to not do what other people do. But truth be told, all of our distributors pretty much demanded an IPA, so we were like, “OK, we’re going to come up with something that people love.” At different events, we probably tried about 100 different IPAs, and three or four of us who have the best palates decided, “This is what’s most popular, and we think this is why.” We just went for what we think is gonna be a great beer, and for us, something people will love. I think it’s got a great malt balance. It’s obviously very hoppy, but really balanced. The unique thing that we were able to do with it is [put] hops from our own hop yard in it. So that was our own little touch; most people can’t do that, because not everyone has their own hop yard. www.wildwolfbeer.com

RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

month. So going into Strangeways, I talked to Neil about [doing] something that married the brew-pub concept with the productionbrewery concept. That way, we have our four beers that we brew continuously, but we also have a really great selection of seasonals that we’ll do every year. The Strangeways brand, with beers like Albino Monkey and Woodbooger and Wampus Cat, has these conceptual ideas that then have conceptual drawings. I like the marriage of the art and the beer, and I consider brewing an art as well.

BEER & ART WITH MIKE HILLER FROM STRANGEWAYS BREWING INTERVIEW BY JOHN REINHOLD Strangeways Brewing is not your standard craft brewery--head brewmaster Mike Hiller takes an artistic approach to the process of creating different beers, and talking to him about his process and the ideas behind it is always fascinating. John Reinhold stopped in to catch up with Hiller recently, and got the lowdown on Albino Monkeys, Woodboogers, and dead dudes. What is Strangeways’ mission, when it comes to beer? We want to do everything strange; we want to do everything in a weird way. We want to take established styles and turn them on their ear. We don’t ever really want to hit something stylistically perfect where it fits into a nice little box. So is this kind of the dream for you? Having your own kind of brew house where you get to do creative brewing? Oh, sure. Creativity is very, very important to me. I am an extremely creative person. I get an idea, I get an inspiration, and I can’t sit still until it’s actually done. It drives me a little bit nuts. There’s a beer that we’re working on called Vatos Muertos. I had the inspiration from that from about three or four years ago at a beer festival. A guy was wearing a t-shirt that said “Vatos Muertos.” It means “dead dudes,” and CHECK RVAMAG.COM DAILY

it’s a little Day of the Dead skeleton riding an MX motorcycle across these desert scenes. I thought it was the coolest t-shirt ever, and for some reason it struck me that I wanted to brew a beer like that. I’ve kept that in the back of my mind until I had the opportunity to do it. And working for Strangeways, because of how we do things around here, I’m finally able to brew that beer. Inspiration hits me at different times in different ways, and if I can’t brew it right away, then it stays in the back of my mind until I can actually do it.

I appreciate somebody else saying that. I feel the same way. I think brewing can be an art, depending on the brewer’s approach to it. And I do get slammed sometimes. Sideways glances, like, “Yeah, you’re an artist?” It depends on the brewer’s approach. And whether the final product, the beer itself, is a work of art or not is arguable. I really don’t wanna argue the merits of that sort of thing, but as a brewer you can choose to approach brewing the way an artist would approach any other form of expression. I get inspirations, and goofy things come to me at different times. What’s the genesis of the idea a brew? Is there something that you want to express? You can do that through the flavor, you can do that through the packaging, the labels and the naming and things like that. So you can actually create a process that is selfexpressive and that tells some sort of a truth.

Strangeways has a lot of selections. It’s one of the things that most people I introduce Strangeways to would say; they come in and say, “Wow, that’s Some guys get off on the scientific aspect a lot.” and the engineering stuff. They make some great beers, too. But I know plenty of Right. I had come up as a production brewer and had brewers who will out-and-out tell you that seen what it’s like to produce the same beers over they are absolutely an artist, and they make and over--which is fine. I saw some brewing friends some really terrific beers. It goes back and of mine who were doing all these outrageous beers. forth. Everybody gets to choose how they They came up in the brew-pub system, meaning approach brewing. You don’t really need to they had opportunities to try new beers and make a judgment of somebody if they call experiment and go through that process where they themselves more of an artistic brewer or make mistakes, or make really great discoveries, more of a scientific brewer. The final product and so on. So I was kinda jealous of those guys and is the judge of that. If it’s good, drink it. their experience. I used to own Bavarian Barbarian Brewing Company in Pennsylvania, and I started to www.strangewaysbrewing.com get into this concept with my own brewery, where you take that experimental brew-pub feel and start cranking out specials, seasonals, different kinds of beers than your main lineup, at least once a

RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

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PLAYLIST TRACKS WORTH LISTENING TO.

D R O N E S, “I AM NOT A PLANE”

SPLIT LP WITH RICKOLUS, DORA DOROVITCH RECORDS

D R O N E S embody an unbelievable mixture of concentration and misdirection. Remove all preconceived notions of past work by this trio--consisting of Isaac Ramsey (Swordplay), Erik Akers (Double Rainbow), and PT Burnem (PT Burnem)--while retaining an idea of their influences, and you’ll have a sense for what they’re up to in this project. On “I Am Not A Plane,” the apocalypse is presented in sobering melodies that feel like the falling warheads of truth many of us have a difficult time believing. --Shannon Cleary

GUCCI MANE, “NIGHT RIDER”

THE RETURN OF MR PERFECT, SELF-RELEASED

I know what you’re thinking: “What? Gucci Mane… as suggested by Black Liquid?” Yes. This song right here, “Night Rider,” is the best terrible shit ever. You already know what the content is, but the approach: Guwop + an ill flip on the theme song from Knight Rider. The result? Magic--ratchet, ratchet magic. Hate if you like, but few artists can be this comfortable, and even fewer can sound like they’re actually having fun. Burr. #FREEGUCCI --Black Liquid

GERARD WAY, “NO SHOWS” HESITANT ALIEN, REPRISE RECORDS

The demise of My Chemical Romance was indeed partially sad for the teenager still living inside of me, so it’s great to see Gerard Way still out there and being actually interesting. “No Shows” reminds me of some lost-forgotten 70’s glam tune mixed with a little 80’s post-punk to set it all off; it’s just lo-fi enough. While he might not be the second coming of David Bowie, Way certainly makes a case that he can still pack a melodic punch, while showing his restrained maturity. --Kyle Shearin

GIRLPOOL, “JANE”

GIRLPOOL, WICHITA RECORDINGS

This gem packs a lot of depth into two minutes. Behind the backdrop of a relentless bass line and an almost snide guitar melody, this LA duo delivers an amazing and relatable feminist anthem with the story of fed-up Jane and demanding Tommy. While the screams that bookend each verse seem to convey the song’s frustration, the way the pair break the rhyming scheme really accentuates the phrases and makes the message that much clearer and more important. --Doug Nunnally

KAYO DOT, “THE MORTALITY OF DOVES” COFFINS ON IO, THE FLENSER

If this song is any indication, Kayo Dot’s upcoming LP could be their most accessible by far. From the tranquil, gothic, synth-led beginning, to the bombastic prog-rock refrain that makes up the last few minutes of the track, every moment feels important and necessary. The song creeps steadily to its triumphant end in a way that feels different from the band’s disjointed compositions of the past, with Toby Driver’s chameleonic croon leading the charge. Kayo Dot isn’t selling out; they’re just evolving. Again. --Cody Endres

STUDIO NEWS Matthew E. White’s solo debut, Big Inner, became an international sensation when it was released two years ago, eventually being acquired from White’s own Spacebomb label by Domino Records for international distribution. This summer, White and the Spacebomb crew have been back in the studio putting together a full-length followup. They laid down around a dozen tracks at Spacebomb East, their new studio space in the heart of downtown Richmond. This represents a big change from Spacebomb West, the private attic space where the group got their start a few years ago, but White assures us that the experience has been the same in all the ways that counted. He doesn’t pine for the early days in the attic, either. “Spacebomb West was a snakepit of technical difficulties,” he says with a laugh. “We started there out of necessity, not by choice.” Most of the equipment that graced the attic studio has been moved to Spacebomb East, accompanied by a new tape machine to preserve the analog feel that White values. But it’s the people around him that White values the most. Returning to work with the rhythm section of Pinson Chanselle and Cameron Ralston, who’ve played on all the previous Spacebomb releases, White co-produced the sessions with longtime collaborator Trey Pollard, who arranged the string sections, horn players, background vocalists, and other local players White brought in over the course of the three-month recording session. “In the end, at the heart of our process is people,” he says. The album title and amount of tracks that will be included have not yet been finalized, but that soulful live band sound White’s captured on all of his previous releases will certainly remain intact. We’ll see what he and the Spacebomb crew have been cooking up sometime around Spring 2015, when the new album should see release on Spacebomb and Domino. Can’t wait. The teen rock sensations formerly known as Herro Sugar recently completed a Kickstarter-funded full-length at Montrose Studios. Produced by Montrose co-owner and local musician Adrian Olsen (Avers/ Hypercolor), the record also features production help from Charlie Glenn (The Trillions/Avers). The 11-song LP will include re-recordings of three older songs as well as eight totally new ones, and was mixed on Montrose’s ultra-rare Flickinger console (one of only five working Flickingers left in the world). Now known as Manatree, the group recently bid a fond farewell to drummer Jack Oliver, but plans to carry on into 2015 with a new drummer and a new album. Keep your eyes peeled. RVA native and former Bury Your Dead vocalist Myke Terry has returned to action once again, this time as a solo artist, with a sound that’s completely different from what you might expect based on his previous work. After moving to Los Angeles last year, he teamed up with producer/manager Jay Levine and started putting together a set of electronic/R&B music that included a totally reworked version of Nirvana’s “Come As You Are.” He recently laid down a new EP called Red Handed, which is sure to completely break the brains of anyone who remembers Bury Your Dead, Cassius, or even Terry’s short-lived emo-pop project, The Silent Age. This time around, expect something more like The Weeknd, Justin Timberlake, or even R. Kelly. Really? Yes, really!

RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

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RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

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VULVATRON It’s the season of ghouls and frights, and who better to help us get in the mood than Vulvatron? A sultry alien-metal crackhead-vixen from the future, Vulvatron appeared on stage with GWAR for the first time earlier this year at Riot Fest Chicago. But don’t be fooled by her overtly domineering sexuality (and name)--her arrival in the band is integral to their survival. A great impending doom awaits GWAR, and Vulvatron, who has “summoned Planck quantities of energy to navigate the fabric of space-time back to this primitive era on Earth” is the band’s only hope. With her high-tech armor, cybernetic implants, and boobs which spew blood, she’s taken on a role as a secondary vocalist for the band. Vulvatron is currently splitting vocal duties with The Berserker Blóthar, a Scumdog warrior from the distant past who was sucked forward through a hole in the space/time continuum and deposited onstage before thousands of fans at this year’s GWAR-B-Q. Unlike Blóthar, high28

BRAD KUTNER

Were your mammaries surgically altered? All of the creatures from my time are genetically engineered to optimum proportions.

ranking Scumdog assassin Vulvatron comes from the distant future--she has arrived in our current time from the year 69000 to battle futurofascist forces. And with her mastery of quantum mechanics and the art of war, she’s a force to be reckoned with... when she’s not hung over, or high on crack.

What exactly spews from your boobs? Plasma platelets, I believe they are called on earth - hematocytes, also known as blood. Where does this blood come from?

Vulvatron was nice enough to let us in on her The blood of the groupies we sacrifice after home planet Scumdogia’s own Halloween the show the night before keeps the blood traditions, the key to having a good Halloween supply flowing. here on Earth, and her new role in the band. How do you and The Berserker Blóthar divide What skills make you great for the GWAR singing responsibilities? team? We start with a few fat chicks, and then we My skills are highly advanced compared to slay a few less-savory humans and, depending GWAR’s existing functions, and my armor is which way the head rolls, and who’s more much more suited for the type of battle they hung over and who does more crack, then we will be needing to engage in. Also, the human throw things musically in a certain direction. slaves seem to go crazy over my mammary glands, perhaps because in the last 67000 Halloween is coming up; do they celebrate years, armor has become more flattering to the holiday on Scumdogia? the female form. RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

Halloween on Scumdogia is quite terrifying- They aren’t urban legends, they are good fun! All the Scumdogs don giant fleshy costumes. They are pink and covered in hair. They Any specifics that stand out? are really primitive and hideously ugly... resembling humans, actually. In the year 68720, my armor was malfunctioning and one of the capacitors fell So, you dress like normal people? off into the cookie batter. A child consumed it and was electrocuted form the digestive Normal people? I don’t bother myself with system out. It was quite amusing to watch. your human customs enough to quantify your classification of normality. Do you have a favorite Halloween costume? What traditions happen on a Scumdogia Halloween?

The costume of that large, dark man in the suite with the large ears... he’s quite terrifying. I’m not sure who he is, but I see a lot of it.

There’s a proud tradition in which GWAR gets in a large white van with no windows and “free Batman? candy” signs on the side. Usually the candy isn’t actually sucrose as much as it is crack. I believe he’s the President of the United States. So you give crack to children for Halloween? Do you do that here on Earth now? Any advice for children trick-or-treating this year? We started the tradition on Scumdogia, but we brought it here to Earth for you feeble humans. If you see a large white van with ‘free candy’ painted on the side, have a good time! We have stories about razor blades in candy apples here in the US. Do they have similar urban legends where you’re from? CHECK RVAMAG.COM DAILY

Do you guys provide crack pipes and lighters, or should the kids bring their own? It’s always a good deal to take pipes from strangers--then you don’t have to pay for them, and you have money for more crack. Any advice for college kids partying this Halloween? Be sure to make sure your crack is not subpar. A lot of colleges don’t know what they’re talking about when it comes to crack. I’ve seen a lot of educated, pathetic human creatures engaging in sub-par crack consumption and it causes my blood flow to malfunction. Anything else you wanna say about the upcoming tour? Please come to any of the cities on the GWAR Eternal tour and be prepared to be covered in boob blood. GWAR’s Eternal Tour launches on October 15 at The NorVa in Norfolk and finishes up on December 13 at Baltimore SoundStage in Baltimore MD. Go to gwar.net for a full list of tour dates. 29

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SLEEPWALKERS

by SHANNON CLEARY photos by SERGEY GOLUB

What do we talk about when we talk about music? We talk about the immediate sensations. We talk about how it inspires us. We talk about where it will lead us next. When Sleepwalkers talk about music, they talk confidently with a genuine admiration for the songs of the past, while maintaining an interest in making an impact on the present. This is why their debut full-length, the recently released Greenwood Shade, is catching so many by surprise. Its ephemeral, dream-like sonic qualities contain respectful nods to the sixties and seventies while adding a contemporary spin that doesn’t feel out of place. To get there was an urgent late-night journey that required diving in headfirst and never looking back at what might have been left behind. This is the tale of Sleepwalkers.

“We all have so many different sounds that we are drawn to, and that helps us to just push past where we might typically be comfortable,” Heath adds.

Austin and Michael York are known locally for their early efforts in Duchess of York. Formed when the York brothers were still teenagers, Duchess Of York gained a large local following with surprising speed, forcing the rest of the city to take notice. However, as unexpected as their quick local rise had been, their dissolution came even more suddenly. But rather than mourn their loss, the Yorks took this as an opportunity. “When Duchess of York ended, it gave us a second to re-evaluate what we wanted to do,” Austin says. “We started writing songs in a different way. We would think about a riff from a Michael McDonald song and maybe how we could incorporate a feel like that. It was a good chance for Michael and me to start writing from different places and see where that could take us.”

After this show, DeJong encouraged the band to do a quick recording in time for the holidays. The result was the Merry Christmas EP. “It’s an old school idea, to release a holiday record, but I think that’s what makes it kind of cool,” Michael says. “It was like December 11th, and I just got in touch with everyone about doing this quick three-song set of holiday tracks. Everyone was into it,” Dejong adds. The release hit the internet quickly and set a standard for the way Sleepwalkers would operate from that The wide range of instrumentation used on point forward. Greenwood Shade makes the songs somewhat of a challenge to recreate live. “In all honesty, The band booked a series of shows in the recreating the way the songs sound on record wake of the EP, traveling as much as they in a live performance would probably be next could given their schedules. “It’s not the to impossible with just the four of us. We have easiest to hit the road, but when we can, we worked with utilizing a bunch of triggers to get try to make it worthwhile,” Michael says. some of those sounds into the mix,” Austin The frequent performances didn’t deter the explains. However, to some extent, the band is outfit from continuing to record and write content to let their live and studio sounds be new material. “We all just started influencing different animals. “Really, I don’t know if we each other,” Austin says. “Alex was giving us have much interest in recreating the songs live a great appreciation for soul, and we were all to sound exactly like they do on the record,” collectively going back to look at the eighties. Michael says. “It’s what sets the recording It was building into this interesting set of new process apart from our live performances. It’s songs that would eventually become parts of never going to be quite the same thing, but Greenwood Shade.” both have their appeals,” DeJong adds.

After some time in the woodshed, the Yorks sought out bandmates with which to complete the lineup of their new project. Sleepwalkers became a quartet that included drummer/ engineer Alex DeJong and guitarist/keyboardist Brad Heath. DeJong’s involvement at White Star Sound Studios in Louisa became an immediate asset to the group.. “A lot of our recording sessions have been super late at night. We get the word that we can have the studio from 10 at night until 7 the following morning, and we just go in and make it happen,” DeJong says. There are also a plethora of available resources at White Star Sound that have certainly helped to shape the Sleepwalkers sound. “There was gear that we have at our disposal that has been used by Van Halen. There was even a tape machine that was Whitney Houston’s own personal machine that we used for some of the record,” DeJong adds.

All of these developments were taking place away from the eyes of an audience, and were part of the slow buildup to Sleepwalkers’ first show on November 9, 2013. This wasn’t just a conventional performance but a four-hour experience in which each member took turns showcasing different facets of the project. The evening included short DJ sets, ventures into the world of electro-pop, throwbacks to the seventies, and even synth-pop from the eighties. It certainly presented a strong argument for the idea that Sleepwalkers would be unique and impossible to pin down.

Greenwood Shade was recorded over the course of two weeks, during the wee hours at White Star Sound. Whenever late-night recording opportunities presented themselves, the band would head over and see what would happen. They were on a strict timeline--a record release show was scheduled before tracking had begun. “One thing Austin and I learned in our downtime was that we work much better with deadlines,” Michael says. “We had enough songs for a record. We just needed to make them happen. If we book a record release show, Meanwhile, Heath is new to the world of music, what do we do if we don’t have a record in but this fresh perspective has been rewarding time? I think that helped influence the album for Sleepwalkers as a whole. Once Heath in a lot of ways.” was introduced to the fold, DeJong noticed a gradual shift for all parties involved. “I know One thing that Austin is quick to note is that once Brad started hanging out with us and we the deadline eliminated any hesitation. “If would head down to White Star, I think we all we were unsure about a song and we weren’t asked ourselves if we wanted to just do this feeling where it was headed, we would just and see what would happen,” Dejong mentions. move on. Maybe we would return to it, maybe

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we would just abandon it. We knew that forcing something to happen that wasn’t [working] was a waste of time, and time was of the essence.” Along the way, a sound was slowly formulating. “With each track, we wanted to really consider the vibe we were going for,” DeJong says. “That’s why I think Greenwood Shade goes in so many different directions. The one thing that pulls it all together is the way that we play the songs together.” Greenwood Shade was released in time for the deadline, and greeted with rousing acclaim. Musical peers and fans alike fell head over heels in love with the sound and vibe of this truly remarkable Richmond summer record. The record’s production gave it an ephemeral, dream-like quality, which retains the energy of previous York projects while bringing in a modern psychedelic feel. The decision to forsake modern computerized recording techniques in favor of White Star’s classic equipment also played a big role in the final product. “If you hear a pop record that is put out today, everything is so digital. Working in the space that we did helped us keep it a bit more old school and achieve the vibe we wanted for the record,” Michael explains.

While Greenwood Shade is still playing on the headphones of many Richmonders, Sleepwalkers don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon. “After we made this record, it got me to thinking about how bands used to operate,” Austin says. “Today, a band might put out a record every couple years. Sometimes, it takes close to half a decade. Back in the day, you had The Beatles putting out two records a year, and they wouldn’t sound anything like each other.” Sleepwalkers are already hard at work on another release that they hope will be out by the end of this year. “Steven Spielberg put out Schindler’s List and Jurassic Park in the same year. That seems crazy to me. I still want to see if we can put out a complete polar opposite to Greenwood Shade, though,” Michael adds. One thing is for certain--we can expect another Christmas single. “We had so much fun doing the last one,” Michael says. “Why not just do it again and make it an annual thing?”

While no one, not even Sleepwalkers themselves, could have predicted such a highquality debut, the recognition and success Sleepwalkers have achieved locally with Greenwood Shade has been an inspiration. Their goals at this point are small-scale, but they plan to keep pushing ahead. “If we could make a living doing this, that would be amazing. For now, it’s just fun to travel on these songs when we can, and just make more and more music together,” Heath says. Sleepwalkers also hope their eclectic sound can encourage fans to expand their horizons. “These days, it can be difficult to break people out of the niches they find their musical tastes leaning towards,” Heath adds. “I hope we are working towards breaking that.” Sleepwalkers will certainly continue to push beyond their own boundaries, and it will be exciting to see what they create in the future. The best part is, we won’t have long to wait. sleepwalkersbandcamp.bandcamp.com

RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

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RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

LIGHTFIELDS Lightfields may seem like a typical up-andcoming Richmond band to those who are just hearing of them this year with the release of their debut full-length, Junior. In truth, though, these young musicians have had quite a journey to even get this far. However, they’ve never allowed their aspirations to dwindle. From the initial junior high meeting of singer/guitarist Coldon Martin and guitarist CJ Rosati up to the current triple-guitar lineup, Lightfields are a sum of all parts--an idea that still reinvents itself with each new performance and recording session. It’s easy to understand why they have established an intense local following in the five years they have been a band. “CJ and I started playing music together in eighth grade,” Martin reminisces. The two quickly discovered a common interest in similar bands, as well as their complementary approaches to playing guitar. “I was impressed that Coldon could play a song from start to finish while singing, and he would be impressed by my knowing how to implement a blues solo,” Rosati says. “We immediately realized that we needed each other.” Shortly after coming together, the two approached Austin “Tex” Marks about joining their outfit. “I picked up the bass around 2007 and started playing with them,” Marks says. “We were always friends first, but extending that to playing music was just great.” Lightfields made their proper debut at a house show in November of 2009. The group appeared on the local music scene at a tense moment in Richmond history. With the recently passed noise ordinance leading to a crackdown on show spaces all over town, there was a new risk to putting on shows in private places. When they were able to take place, they were that much more special. Amid that atmosphere, Lightfields began establishing close ties with other performers around town, including 6 Track Amateur, Toxic Moxie, The Northerners, Bandrew, and several others. “We are so fortunate to exist in this scene where so many different kinds of bands can strive,” Martin says. “It’s a privilege, and it constantly makes us feel challenged to be better at what we do,” Marks adds. The original incarnation of Lightfields feels like ancient history now. “It can be difficult to describe specific eras, because everything has felt like a gradual build,” Martin explains. “There was a point where we [had been] playing together for so long that we began to wonder what we were aspiring to do. That helped us start taking what we were doing a bit more seriously,” Rosati says. This is when the band began to record the earliest versions of their set. “None of that ever saw the light of day and it probably shouldn’t,” Marks jokes. “We were such a different band at that point,” Martin says. “We were implementing saxophone as a melody foundation point.” This situation had come about due to a meeting with Ganesh Sarma. “I remember him approaching us and being like, CHECK RVAMAG.COM DAILY

with Deckelman on future releases. “His work as an engineer was perfect to us and once you lock that in, what’s the use of changing that up? With a lot of the new songs we are working on, we will probably end up venturing back to Snake Oil,” ‘You have guitars and I have a saxophone, let’s Martin says. do this,’” Rosati says. Sarma’s participation in the band lent an experimental nuance to the With Junior complete and the band feeling material. Sarma departed the lineup in 2013; rejuvenated, they started to contemplate further however, his contributions had a lasting effect lineup changes. “When we went in to record on the band’s sound as it developed. Junior, the guitars were just Coldon and me. As we started layering the songs, we figured it Between Martin, Rosati and Marks, the core of might be time to add more guitars to the band,” Lightfields had been established. However, the Rosati explains. Soon, the band encountered early days of the band featured a seemingly Daniel Carlisle, and swiftly recruited him as a endless procession of quickly-departing third guitarist. “I had just moved to town and drummers. “With each drummer, it’s been one wanted to play with anyone,” Carlisle says. step closer to the sound we wanted to develop,” “Lightfields was a good fit, despite me constantly says Martin. However, the band didn’t really get questioning my role in the band.” The rest of where they wanted to be until fate led them to the band was not so conflicted about Carlisle’s Cre Moore. “Cre was a perfect component to us inclusion. “Dan is great in that he hears an idea just trying to achieve this bigger sound,” Martin that was present in a song from the record and explains. throws his own spin around it, in a way [none] of us could have conceived,” Martin explains. With a solid drummer in tow, the band headed “Coldon and I have been playing together for to Snake Oil Recording to work with Daniel so long now that having a new voice in the mix Deckelman on their debut full-length, Junior. pushes us to think about songwriting in a totally “We took about four and a half months to record different way that I don’t think we could have the album, and that’s usually the way it is with without Dan there,” Rosati adds. Lightfields,” Martin says. “We never feel like we are in a rush to get to a particular place. If it With a solidified lineup and a full-length album takes a while, we will take our time, because we in the can, the band began considering the want to do it right.” The enormity of Lightfields’ idea of tour. However, they soon arrived at an choruses is one of the most immediately unusual conclusion. “I don’t think [tour] is really noticeable elements of Junior. Spending several immediate on our agenda. We aren’t done with years playing local shows made an impact on all the things we can do around town,” Martin the band, teaching them what resonates with says. “When bands are dead set on having to people and allowing them to craft songs that hit the road by a certain time or season, I don’t will live on in the minds of their audiences long really share the same sentiment,” adds Moore. after they’ve left the show and headed home. “If you think about it, we just put out a record Mastering this anthemic quality in order to and added a new member. We still have a lot of make the maximum impact in a live setting gave opportunities ahead of us, and that’s exciting to Lightfields a powerful set of tools to work with all of us. We just don’t feel obligated to be on the when crafting their debut album. road.” The deliberate pace of Lightfields’ career thus far also plays a role here. “We started all of The band thrives on collaboration, and in that this as kids in middle school and then honed a spirit, Junior features several guest appearances, sound for close to five years,” Martin says. “It’s including the brief return of Ganesh Sarma, amazing to think of how this continues to remain who contributed saxophone to “Better.” The exciting to all of us.” collaborative approach had a positive effect on one song in particular. “If I picked a single The future of Lightfields is bright and the city track that stands out to me on the record, it’s appears to be raving over the release of Junior. probably ‘Backseat’,” Rosati says. The track While touring may not be on the agenda, new features Goldrush upright bassist Matt Gold, music will be on the way in the form of an EP which provided a thrill for the band. “It was the band hopes to release in early 2015. It might just amazing watching him construct his part, turn out to be their best work yet. “With some and the results were killer,” Rosati continues. of these new songs, I think we just getting “Our friend Tiffany Meehan [also] came in to better and better,” Marks says. “We are looking sing, and it just makes the song so much fun. forward to just getting back into the studio and It’s funny, because we rarely play it live. Yet it seeing what else we can pull off,” Martin adds. still holds a particular memory of the whole In the end, the band are honored just to have the experience of making Junior.” fans they’ve accumulated over the past several years. “There are so many incredible people that Deckelman’s efforts as producer also had a have supported us from the start,” Martin says. strong positive effect on the final product, as did “We can’t really ask for anything more.” the Snake Oil studio. “I loved the architecture of the space,” Marks says. “There was no recording lightfields.bandcamp.com booth. Dan is in the room with you while you are playing and working along with you. It’s a great collaborative effort, and he felt like a humongous part of the sound we got on this record.” The band plans to continue working

by SHANNON CLEARY photos by JOEY WHARTON

MR. FILI

by R. ANTHONY HARRIS photos by MR. FILI

RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

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RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

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Mr. Fili comes from Philadelphia--hence the name (Philly). He’s been documenting the world as he sees it with a variety of cameras for years now, but he’s only been in RVA since January. Regardless, he’s seen a great deal of this town, and is sharing it all on the internet through social media--particularly instagram (@misterfili) and tumblr (mrfili.tumblr.com)--as well as on his own blog at misterfili.com. His work caught our attention both because he captures the kinds of things we want to see around town and because of his clear, evocative imagery. We shot Mister Fili an email to get the story about exactly where he’s coming from; here’s what we got back... You had mentioned that you recently moved to Richmond. Why did you come down from Philly to live here? Well, my job brought me to Richmond. I was commuting from Fredericksburg daily, and that trip was exhausting. I just got here at the beginning of 2014, and I’m loving the art scene here. It’s hard to attend all the events, but I try to get out when I 40

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documentary was the sole contributor to the Any thought on where you are going with your portrait style that was created during my stay. I work? What do you think people see when they look at took that and [have] been running with it on the your work? front of my lens ever since. I have a general vision of what I’m looking to do for the short term. I don’t like speaking on future I don’t get much feedback from viewers. I’m What attracts me to the portraits I take are the projects before they are finished, so we will have to always excited when I hear something--good or stories behind the images. Sometimes I’ll take the wait on that. I would like to focus on documentaries bad. The feedback I’ve gotten back from viewers time and ask someone, “May i take your pic?” And and being able to tell a story with pictures or video. is the generic comment “I like your work.” Makes we will spark a small conversation. Other times it I am currently working on a documentary now me think that my work is generic--I’ll have to think will be me walking up to a face I like and taking that started back in March. Since then, I’ve been outside the box more, I guess. I’ve actually been the picture. The situations you get in while taking following this interesting character on adventures looking to get more feedback from people; just the picture [are] all a part of the experience, and and random errands. I have acquired a great deal thinking about the best way to go about it. ingredients for a photograph. When I’m looking of footage, and now I’m working to tell the story of at my portraits, I see the story behind the image. his lifestyle. You have a number of great portrait shots. What When other people look at my portraits, I’m not is it about portraits that you like? sure what they are thinking or why it even captures Apart from documentaries, short films will be the their attention. I’d like to bring them in on the story main focus for the remainder of 2014. I will mainly This is a tough question for me. I am not sure behind the image. [I] want them to feel they are be working on the scripts and scouting shooting why I take portrait shots--and I take a lot. I do at the front row of a concert. I know being able locations. I have a few old scripts laying around but remember after watching Everybody Street--which to create that emotion in a photograph is nothing I’m looking to start fresh with new ideas and goals is a great documentary on street photographers that will happen overnight; that’s why we have in mind. in New York--I watched this documentary a few goals, right? days before heading to Texas for SXSW, and that www.mrfili.tumblr.com can and mingle with the crowds.

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MEGGS

by R. ANTHONY HARRIS photos by DUSTIN BUCKLEY

RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

Australian muralist Meggs came through Richmond this summer and wowed everyone with his colorful contributions to the Richmond Mural Project. His murals on the sides of Bacchus (Main & Meadow) and The Pig And Pearl (Broad & Allison) burst from the walls with energetic lines and a sense of frantic motion. The influence of everything from comic books and science fiction to punk rock and metal music comes through in his art, making him a perfect artist to contribute street art to the RVA landscape.

art. At the same time, street art has become a really good tourist attraction for the city of Melbourne. Melbourne’s known for its laneway culture and conducive to that; that’s where street art is based and most heavily started from. Not so much graffiti but street art. So mural culture has grown bigger. There’s not as many large scale murals in Melbourne as there are other places that I’ve been, but it’s definitely a really strong culture. I feel like the community’s support is really good. It was a really good place to come from to get to the point where I am today. There’s a really good community of artists, and a good level of work. [The art in Melbourne] is definitely a little bit different to... maybe not so much the States, because this and the UK are our primary influences, but [we] definitely have stylistic differences to the guys that I see coming from Europe. It’s just interesting that each different place has its own little flavor, and I think that Melbourne definitely has its own. It’s very much a kind of city where the proof’s in the pudding. So it’s like, if you talk shit and you can’t back it up, there’s no point.

Meggs, real name David Hooke, has had a similarly energetic artistic career, beginning back in his college days circa the turn of the millennium. Gaining fame in his native Melbourne for stencil and poster art, he soon turned his attention to murals, forming Everfresh Studio in 2004 to unite the street art scene in Melbourne. The Everfresh Crew has since gone on to have work exhibited in the National Gallery of Australia, and in 2010 released a retrospective publication designed by Meggs, entitled Everfresh:Blackbook. Meggs recently relocated to Los Angeles, but his art continues to take him all over the world. During his brief stopover in RVA, we caught up with him to talk about comic books and Australian street art, among many other topics. What is Everfresh? How did you get involved with the Richmond Mural Project? I got involved through working with Shane and Art Whino. Last year, I came out to D.C. to paint the interior of the Art Whino church [Blind Whino, a DC event venue that was formerly a church]. It was the first project we did together; I was really stoked on the result of that. Last year, Shane planned to have me out for the Mural Project, but it got bumped back to a different time in the year than originally planned, and [he] couldn’t coordinate his schedule. [This year], he still wanted me on board, and I was down to do it. What do you think of Richmond, Virginia so far? I’m liking it here in Richmond. Definitely in the process of painting murals, I’ve found an enthusiastically positive response to what we’re doing. I’ve painted a lot of places and generally, anyone that stops is going to have something positive to say, but [here] it’s almost like every person stops or leans out of their car window and yells out how much they’re stoked on it. One of the key things that I get is the sense that folks are [excited about artists] coming to Richmond and making the city better. You don’t usually get that as often. This is kind of the city that’s really open to it and really into it. So yeah, it’s cool. How’s the mural and street art scene in Australia? Pretty good, actually. Melbourne is quite a supportive city of murals and street art. It’s a little bit of a catch-22 situation, because I guess the inner city is fairly small, and technically our law is a zero tolerance policy towards graffiti and street CHECK RVAMAG.COM DAILY

have done a shitload of stuff. Cutting that down was tricky, but I just had to give some rules. Like, pick your best 50 photos, give me that, and then when creating a layout of the book, we’d do it in sections. A sticker section, a pay stub section, a stencil section, a free hand section, inside studio sections. That helped me categorize everything. It kind of mowed us over a little bit, but it was definitely a long process. So you’ve left Australia and Melbourne and you’re set up in LA. Has that been difficult for you, to leave all of that behind?

I’ve only been in LA since September, so only eight months or so, I guess. It was difficult to get used to being there just in terms of settling in and getting into my groove. Like setting up a studio, getting a place to live, all that kind of vibe of LA. Also, [I went] from being a relatively well-known, larger fish in a smaller pond, so to speak, but knowing that I had the contacts in America and that I had people there already. It took a while to get my head around to the momentum of like, “All right, I’m here, this is where I live. I need to start getting work done.” Now I feel like I’m at a point where I’ve found my groove. Doing projects like Everfresh is a collective of guys who do street this, my year is pretty full; I’ve got a lot of stuff art and graffiti. [We] met through a few different going on. It just takes a little time to adjust to that. avenues. [I knew] one of the guys for a long time through university and street art, met a bunch of What does your family think of your work? Have other guys [on] online forums and DIY exhibitions they been supportive? Or scared? in the city of Melbourne, when their street art in the early 2000s was kind of flourishing. Nine [Laughs] Probably both. My parents are pretty of us ended up sharing a warehouse studio good like that. My dad’s a schoolteacher, but together, which became like a collective art space he’s always been a creatively inclined kind of just to work. It became a hub for a lot of other guy, and they are definitely supportive of it. I artists, both in Melbourne and from visiting from think they might have freaked out a little bit if out of town. We could do whatever we want. they knew how a prospective sale was going to People would come through, they could crash do. Anything I’ve done illegally, they’re like, “We if they wanted and we’d be there--like, for me, don’t want to know anything about it. You’re not increasingly I’d be working no matter what time, doing that kind of thing anymore, are you?” But day or night. So it became a collective studio, I feel like the direction of my work and the way and then from there became a collective crew that it’s going and the stuff that it’s allowed me to of artists that worked together. We’d all jam on achieve, the opportunities… they’re really stoked stuff and that would evolve into collaborations on it. I think that they can see now that it’s a lot and group murals. I think we kind of gained a bit bigger thing for me than just a hobby or a side of notoriety. We are all establishing our names project. It’s hard for making a living financially, as individuals as street artists, and then doing so they freaked out about that at first, because projects together on a small scale. But when we it’s not like--in their mind perhaps--really a job. started, large scale street art production was kind Leaving a job of graphic design work, like I was of new to Melbourne. Not necessarily graffiti doing, to make art--[there’s] kind of no security oriented, but more like character-based. in it. They realize now that this is me, and that it’s a life. Despite the money, my mind is made So your book [Everfresh:Blackbook] collects up by the fact that I can do stuff like this. I have a decade of work. Was it hard to slim up the a better lifestyle, probably, than a lot of people content and get it all into one publication? that make more money than me. That’s the trade off from how I look at it. I want to financially be Yeah, totally, totally. I was the one that was in making a living off art, but at the same time, it’s charge of the graphic design from start to finish. more rewarding. And I think that they get that. So going through hundreds of photos... because we had such a broad range of stuff! Like hand There’s definitely some things that have happened, drawn stickers, hand drawn pay stubs, stencil pay like the National Gallery of Australia did this big stubs, traditional graffiti, roller pieces, characters, show called Space Invaders. They collected street larger productions, inside gallery work, studio art from a broad spectrum of street artists in shows, parties--[in] ten years, all of us collectively Australia that have been doing stuff for the past 43

RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

ten years. They put on a big show at the National Gallery, which is kind of a big deal. They have an entire collection and those works are catalogued and there’s a printed catalog. That’s kind of rad, and when parents see shit like that, they’re like, “Oh, OK, this is a legitimate, for-real thing. This is a movement, it’s important, it’s culture.” You definitely have some comic book influences. Are you a fan of Australian comics, or just comics overall? What are your favorite characters? I would just say I’m a fan of comic books overall. I’m not necessarily a super nerd or connoisseur for any particular style or character. For me, just growing up as a kid, the combination of the cartoons and the movies of the 80’s and reading comic books, it was more of just that visual style that influenced me more than anything. The distinct, powerful, energetic narrative of the comic books. As a kid I collected Phantom comics, which is kind of a weird one but my dad liked it when he was a kid. He got me into that so I got a really good collection of those. And second to that, I was into the character of Batman. It’s the duality I’m really into, so characters like that attract me more than ones like Superman.

Your murals kind of explode off the wall. It feels Like Smitheone? He’s very character driven. like there’s a lot of energy. When you’re making pieces, do you ever see yourself as a character That shit’s awesome, the walls he did. From what you’re making? I’ve seen. Yes, totally. Probably as a general rule, every character that I paint, because it’s all about duality and it’s always someone who’s in a position of movement. It’s a shift of being, and it’s like equilibrium. I have this underlying obsession with balance, trying to find balance. And I’m kind of an all or nothing person, a dreams kind of dude. So I feel like I’m that constantly tormented person that’s trying to find the right purpose, the right movement, the right way to do it. That is balance, and that’s what my work’s like. It’s trying to find a balance between the form of abstraction and the duality, so it’s all pretty self-referential, really. To me, it’s just the way I express my own emotions. You’ve been to a lot of places. Is there anywhere you haven’t been but want to work? I’d love to visit South America; I still haven’t done that. Travel around there. Culturally, there’s a lot of really interesting art coming out of there, because it’s still related to the Americas. It’s got a looser, colorful feel to it, and they are quite characterdriven as well, so that’s kind of interesting.

He seems like he pulls a lot from folk art. Yes! That I find kind of interesting. Because I think being Australian is like, we don’t really have a folk art. Our cultural history is English, but it’s a little mixed. It doesn’t take back centuries and stories, which is why I think I’m obsessed with pop culture and mythology--superheroes, and even Greek mythology. Because I grew up with all those films, like Clash Of The Titans and that kind of crazy shit. Cartoons [that] reference that kind of type of character, stuff like that. All I know about Australia’s history is that it’s where the prisoners were left, and there were Aboriginal people. Yeah, that’s it. Indigenous Australians have a very rich, folk history. I feel like representing them is perhaps inappropriate, and perhaps disrespectful, because culturally, we kind of fucked them over. And there’s still a lot of problems with that. Similar to America, with the natives here. Totally--the same thing. www.houseofmeggs.com

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RVA MAGAZINE 2014 READER’S POLL PART 1: FOOD, FASHION, LIFESTYLE It’s been nearly two years since we last polled our readership about their favorite people, places, and things in our wonderful city. In recent months, we’ve seen growth and changes taking place around town that transform the cultural landscape in a lot of ways. It started to seem like our last poll was getting a bit out of date--and of course, we were also wondering about a whole bunch of things we forgot to ask you last time. Therefore, we came up with a whole new list of questions, which ended up being much longer than the last one was. We didn’t want to overwhelm you, so this is just the first half--the rest will be along in the next issue, so keep an eye out for those! Until then, learn about the best places to get tacos, pizza, and adult beverages in our fair city--as determined by you!

MEKONG @BUSK1

THE BLACK SHEEP @HABIBI_BR

COMFORT @_CMONEY_

FAVORITE NOODLE BAR WIN: MEKONG PLACE: STICKY RICE SHOW: PHO SO 1

FAVORITE TACO SPOT WIN: DON’T LOOK BACK PLACE: BOKA TRUCK SHOW: EN SU BOCA

FAVORITE LOCAL CRAFT BREW

WIN: HARDYWOOD SINGEL DON’T LOOK BACK @JEEVYJEEV

PLACE: LEGEND BROWN SHOW: HARDYWOOD GINGERBREAD STOUT

SUGAR SHACK @SCOTTIE08D

FAVORITE SANDWICH WIN: USS ROANOKE, BLACK SHEEP PLACE: THE INDUSTRIAL, COPPOLOAS SHOW: THE BANH MI, THE NAKED ONION

FAVORITE FOODIE SPOT WIN: COMFORT PLACE: THE ROOSEVELT SHOW: THE DAILY HARDYWOOD SINGEL @CHANNING_IVEY

BELMONT PIZZERIA @PATIOWEATHER_RVA RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

FAVORITE DONUT SHOP WIN: SUGAR SHACK PLACE: COUNTRY STYLE DONUTS SHOW: DIXIE DONUTS

FAVORITE PIZZA IN RVA WIN: BELMONT PIZZERIA PLACE: 8 1/2 SHOW: MELLOW MUSHROOM ALAMO @RVAMAG

KULTURE @KULTUREVA

IPANEMA @IPANEMAVEG

STRAWBERRY STREET MARKET @_7HILLS_

NEED SUPPLY CO @NEEDSUPPLY

CARYTOWN BIKES @CARYTOWNBIKES

BOMBSHELL @NATTYWARBUCKS

SCOOT RICHMOND @JBBAYERVILE

FAVORITE BBQ WIN: ALAMO PLACE: BUZZ N NEDS SHOW: Q BBQ

FAVORITE PLACE TO GET VEGAN FOOD WIN: IPANEMA PLACE: 821 CAFE SHOW: THE DAILY KITCHEN

THE RVA FASHION SOURCE WIN: NEED SUPPLY CO PLACE: RUMORS SHOW: CLEMENTINE

FAVORITE RVA SALON WIN: BOMBSHELL PLACE: BLACK BIRD SHOW: HIGH POINT BARBER SHOP

FAVORITE HEAD SHOP WIN: KULTURE PLACE: KATRA GALA SHOW: CARYTOWN TOBACCO

FAVORITE LOCAL MARKET WIN: STRAWBERRY STREET MARKET PLACE: UNION MARKET SHOW: SHIELDS MARKET

FAVORITE BICYCLE SHOP WIN: CARYTOWN BIKES PLACE: AGEE’S SHOW: BUNNY HOP

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FAVORITE PLACE TO GET A MOTOCYCLE OR SCOOTER WIN: SCOOT RICHMOND PLACE: VELOCITY SHOW: GANGSTER CHOPPERS

FAVORITE PLACE TO GET A CRAFT BEER WIN: MEKONG MEKONG @RVAMAG

PLACE: HARDYWOOD SHOW: PORTRAIT HOUSE

BALLICEAUX @BOPST

FAVORITE WHISKEY BAR WIN: MCCORMACK’S WHISKEY GRILL PLACE: COMFORT SHOW: PENNY LANE

FAVORITE TEQUILA SPOT WIN: DON’T LOOK BACK PLACE: EN SU BOCA SHOW: CASA DEL BARCO

THE WHISKEY @NAMEBRAND_MUSIC

FAVORITE DIVE BAR WIN: BAMBOO CAFE

THE CAMEL @WGWMCO

PLACE: PATRICK HENRY SHOW: WONDERLAND

FAVORITE PLACE TO GO DANCING

WIN: BALLICEAUX PLACE: BABES SHOW: FALLOUT RVA

THE LATE NIGHT HANG OUT SPOT WIN: THE CAMEL PLACE: BALLICEAUX SHOW: BAMBOO CAFE DON’T LOOK BACK @PUKES_ALOT

WHAT YOU LIKE TO DO IN RVA WIN: GO OUTSIDE

ENJOYING OUTDOORS @VTCOTTER

PLACE: EAT BRUNCH SHOW: GO TO SHOWS

FAVORITE PART OF TOWN TO HANG OUT IN

WIN: THE FAN PLACE: MUSEUM DISTRICT SHOW: CHURCH HILL

BAMBOO CAFE @BAMBOOCAFERVA

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RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

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YOUR WORLD IS NOT OURS PHOTOGRAPHER: NICK GHOBASHI CREATIVE DIRECTOR: MARSHE WYCHE PHOTO ASSIST & GRIP: LINDSEY ASSISTANT: FANA & KIA STYLIST: KIONNA GRAHAM MAKEUP ARTIST: MUA MAKEUP HAIR: CHARMAINE GOODMAN ASSISTANT STYLIST: FANA MODEL: ANNALEISE & ALEX

CLOTHING BY RUMORS BOUTIQUE CORSET FROM BYGONES DONUTS BY SUGAR SHACK & DIXIE DONUTS

RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

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RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

GOOD FOOD, GRACIOUS HOSPITALITY, FAIR PRICE

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RECORD REVIEWS

APHEX TWIN

CORY BRANAN

DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979

While certainly not a bad album, don’t expect anything new on Aphex Twin’s first full-length since 2001’s Drukqs. A mashup of sounds the producer is famous for--breakbeats, beatboxes, and squeaky synth noises--makes up most of the record. You might appreciate the late 90’s throwback, but only in an ironic “this is what my older brother listened to while tripping” sense. (BK)

With every release, it becomes clearer that Cory Branan is one of a kind. A quick-witted romantic writer who falls into many musical territories, his presence shines throughout. While the aesthetic feels country, Branan reimagines the genre with eleven of his best tunes to date. (SC)

The long awaited follow-up to this duo’s monumental 2004 debut absolutely makes the decade wait worth it. While other mid2000s bands struggled and failed with their follow-up records, DFA rises to the challenge, delivering a more polished, mature sound that’s a logical next step without being repetitive. It took them ten years to do it, but they did do it. (DN)

The latest entry in the recent reimagining of R&B, FKA Twigs’ LP1 is among the most interesting and progressive works in the genre revival. The London singer takes the dark start/stop grooves of modern UK bass styles and overlays them with her soft, breathy vocals, creating a deeply layered and sensual sound that is very much worth your time. (TS)

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM

ARIANA GRANDE MY EVERYTHING (REPUBLIC)

THE LAST BISON

JENNY LEWIS

SYRO (WARP)

GET HURT (ISLAND)

THE PHYSICAL WORLD (LAST GANG)

VA (SELF-RELEASED)

FKA TWIGS

LP1 (YOUNG TURKS)

THE VOYAGER (WARNER BROS)

If you heard this at a party, you might utter the phrase “What the hell is this?” That’s how I feel about the new Gaslight Anthem record. A once beloved band now feels so unfamiliar, and Get Hurt doesn’t do much to rekindle my fandom. I hope it’s a grower, but I’m doubtful when it comes to this Jersey outfit. (SC)

The retro-soul and New Jack Swing hints from Ariana’s first album are far less in evidence on My Everything, though she still sings like a tiny Mariah Carey. If anything’s wrong here, it’s the endless features, but if you can ignore the intrusive Iggys and boring Big Seans this is a rock-solid pop album from beginning to end. (AN)

Will the next alt-folk sensation hail from our neck of the woods? From a cabin near Tidewater’s Great Dismal Swamp comes this sextet, who use traditional folk instrumentation to create sweeping, evocative tunes full of emotional depth. Not my usual thing, to say the least, but The Last Bison have something. Give it a shot. (AN)

Your first instinct might be to see this album as all about the former Rilo Kiley frontwoman’s pristine vocals and captivating lyrics. But when you really dive into it, it’s clear that the beautifully arranged compositions perfectly complement each soothing word that comes from her lips, making the collection truly unforgettable. (DN)

J MASCIS

MERCHANDISE

THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS

PERFUME GENIUS

The Dinosaur Jr frontman cements his guitar hero status with a ten song collection of some amazingly intricate and smart guitar melodies. The guitar work is as amazing as ever--however, on most of these songs, guitar is really all you take away from it, leaving some of his compositions just a fraction away from being amazing. (DN)

On their third album, the Florida band virtually rid themselves of their punk aesthetic, instead striving to become a band that sells out stadiums. They often hit their mark with tracks that are remarkable in their melodies and lush production, but the end product leaves them sounding like a Morrissey-meets-Edge rip-off instead of their own separate entity. (DN)

It’s amazing that A.C. Newman is able to round up the other seven members of this group long enough to write and record songs. What’s even more amazing is how unified this album sounds, even as styles change and singers rotate. Newman described this record as a celebration, and it is that, celebrating not just the band, but music itself. (DN)

On his third album, Seattle-based singer/ songwriter Perfume Genius takes a massive leap forward from the somber, minimal piano balladry of 2012’s Put Your Back N 2 It. The adoption of electronics, backing vocals, and a more cocky, confrontational tone gives the album dynamics lacking from his previous work, asserting him as a singular voice in contemporary music. (TS)

TIED TO A STAR (SUB POP)

THE NO-HIT WONDER (BLOODSHOT)

AFTER THE END (4AD)

BRILL BRUISERS (MATADOR)

TOO BRIGHT (MATADOR)

RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

SHANNON CLEARY (SC), BRAD KUTNER (BK), ANDREW NECCI (AN), DOUG NUNNALLY (DN), AND TYLER SPINDLE (TS)

PUIG DESTROYER

TY SEGALL

SARAH SILVERMAN

This amusingly-named band exists as a tribute to Cuban baseball slugger Yasiel Puig of the LA Dodgers. Don’t dismiss them for that reason, though--this Thrice/Kowloon Walled City/Curl Up & Die side project has kickass riffs aplenty. More Trap Them-style brutal hardcore than the metallic grind their name might lead you to expect, but either way, they rule. (AN)

There aren’t many artists in music today that are as consistent with their music as Segall, and even fewer who can do it without becoming redundant. His seventh solo album since 2008 does a great job of surpassing expectations and pulling back another layer of phenomenal talent to show off to the world. (DN)

There’s no doubt about it--you either love Sarah Silverman or you don’t. For those who love her, We Are Miracles is a welcome return, as she ventures through the risque with poignant anecdotes offering commentary on everything from the best attributes of comedy to mistaken identity. (SC)

SUNDIALS

TEEN DEATH

TWEEDY

One thing that can be said about Sundials is that every release sees the trio getting better and better. Kick is no exception. This six-song EP shows the group continuing to prove their status as stalwarts of melodic punk rock, and they pay loving tribute to the genre on standout tracks like “Stun Spore” and “Eugene.” (SC)

Teen Death is a Hold Tight spinoff that take things in a notably different direction. Instead of melodic hardcore, this trio bridges the gap between early 90s-style grunge/alt-rock and old-school garage punk. Crawling dishes out six Nirvanameets-New Bomb Turks jams in ten minutes, and is guaranteed to get your feet tapping. (AN)

It’d be ridiculous to say that this father-son project sounds completely different than Wilco, but there are enough differences between the two to really give the side project merit. While Sukierae’s length is a bit indulgent, the songs are expertly crafted and diverse enough to make it novel, while still retaining elements of Jeff’s past work. (DN)

WEEZER

WEIRD AL YANKOVIC

WHITE LACES

The standards for a Weezer record have diminished so much that their newest release could be considered a masterpiece. It’s not Blue or Pinkerton good, but it’s got several spot-on moments that revel in those salad days. To really be blown away, though, you’re better off checking out the recent episode of WTF with Marc Maron featuring Rivers Cuomo. (SC)

The parody master’s 14th album aims high and effortlessly lands among the best work of his storied career, with the polka medley being one of his finest compositions. While other aging musicians inevitably become unable to connect with current culture, Yankovic understands and lampoons it perfectly, making Mandatory Fun a breath of fresh air on the current pop music landscape. (DN)

PUIG DESTROYER (NO SLEEP))

KICK (TOPSHELF)

EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT IN THE END (REPUBLIC)

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MANIPULATOR (DRAG CITY)

CRAWLING (6131)

MANDATORY FUN (RCA)

WE ARE MIRACLES (SUB POP)

SUKIERAE (DBPM)

TRANCE (EGGHUNT/HAPPENIN)

Local alt-rockers White Laces continue to develop their sound on their second LP, which features greatly enriched layers of electronic texture while retaining their guitar-driven foundation. The Cocteau Twins’ blissful dream-pop meets the wistful, pensive vibe of The Chameleons or early New Order. Excellent stuff. (AN)

SPOON

THEY WANT MY SOUL (LOMA VISTA)

Britt Daniel and company return to Ga Ga (etc) form with a pure rocker full of robust energy and frenzied proclamations that delivers on all fronts. While it doesn’t offer anything new like 2010’s Transference did, the album pushes the band far past their peers, into a realization that there’s surely room for improvement on a fantastic core sound. (DN)

VARIOUS ARTISTS

NIGHTMARE ON GRACE STREET (PIPELINE MERCH)

A novel compilation comes out just in time for the spooky holidays ahead. Spectacular appearances by Heavy Midgets, White Laces, and The Green Hearts, as well as pleasant returns by The Blue Rajas, Peace Beast, and Hot Lava, make this a great Richmond-oriented soundtrack for your Halloween adventures. (SC)

THOM YORKE

TOMORROW’S MODERN BOXES (BITTORRENT)

The Radiohead frontman’s second solo album is a journey through self-indulgence, with none of the subtlety and edge Yorke and his band are usually known for. “The Mother Lode” stands out with a strong beat and decent hook, but falls into modern Radiohead beat structure before it has a chance to shine. Skip the paywall if you’re interested in this C-grade release. (BK)

Think strange. Drink strange. The TwisTed Minds Behind

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RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

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WORD TO MY MOMS,

I CAME TO MAKE NOMS,

IAN M. GRAHAM 1982 - FOREVER

This past month has been one of the hardest RVA Magazine has ever had to live through. We lost one of our close brothers, Ian Graham. Ian was part of the original RVA Magazine staff, and one of our biggest supporters throughout the magazine’s history. Ian made many contributions to the magazine. some of which you can still find on our website. He had a way with words--and with people. Ian’s charisma and personality were always so much bigger than life. People of all types were drawn to him, and he built tribes wherever he went. His love for life was contagious, and he enriched the lives of those around him with his laughter, friendship, smiles, and great big hugs. Ian was an advocate for human rights, a lover of fine whisky and beer, an amazing photographer, a trusted confidant, and a damn snappy dresser. Known by many of his friends as “The Professor,” Ian had a lot of knowledge about almost any subject you can think of, and he’d be glad to share it with you, but never in an overbearing way--he was a Southern gentleman bringing out the best from those around him. Ian was the kind of person who would drop everything at a moment’s notice to help a stranger or offer a shoulder to cry on. The world would be a better place if everyone was just a little more like Ian Graham. Ian will always be with us. So we don’t really say goodbye. We say “We miss you,” and “We’ll see you later, pal.” Without Regret...

EFFIGY (A POEM FOR IAN) BY S. PRESTON DUNCAN

I GOT MORE SNAP PEAS,

Jaws dropped Like metal to the concrete, Broke speech over the Bent guardrails of time While prayer and polymer Scraped to a stop At the edge Of a Carolina accent, And the wheels went still. God damn that Space ship Looked just like a broken toy In some Christmas recall fear piece. Unreal.

THAN THE BIBLE’S GOT PSALMS.

Recalled from the river banks and Burning fields, The farmland fires, the Kickstand coffee and Carelessness. Recalled from the heaving chest of Mountain manifests, pumped With artificial air, Pulmonary pines pounding In paralysis temples, The electric breath Of lake beds at dawn Pulled through plastic paths,

- IAN MONTGOMERY GRAHAM

Thank you Chris Lacroix for these photos!

Recalled from the dancing Of driftwood feet and Sterile click of hospital hall heels And the electronic tap of The life machines. Recalled from the snapped lines and Lost lures, Floating along the flat rocks or The silhouette of a stalled skiff At once cast out Over the edge Of the ocean, As though the bay Had nothing, Really, nothing Left to say. The whiskey won’t burn like it used to. The hills won’t burn like they used to. The temples won’t burn like they used to. But burn, And burn, And burn. And I can’t even recall When the flames shifted like gears, Or the last of the years that Stood along the side of a Silent highway took A bow, And rode away.

RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014

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RVA MAGAZINE 18 FALL 2014