RICHMOND, VA
ISSUE 41
1
FALL 2023
RVAMAG
LOLITAS
2
RICHMOND, VA
ISSUE 41
3
FALL 2023
RVAMAG
4
RICHMOND, VA
ISSUE 41
5
FALL 2023
RVAMAG
6
RICHMOND, VA
ISSUE 41
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
NOV 15 - DEC 23, 2023
JAN 19 & 20, 2024 7Tickets on sale NOVEMBER 27, 2023
RVAMAG
FFAALLLL 22002233
As we are in our 18th year in publication, we would like to thank the following people who contributed their time and talents to making this project possible. Thank you. -- Anthony John Reinhold, Kimberly Frost, Jeremy Parker, Christian Detres, Landon Schroder, Adam & KC Sledd, Marilyn Necci, Brad Kutner, Tess Dixon, Ken Howard, Todd Raviotta, Gabriel Ricioppo, Charles Watlington, James Milner, Shahan Jafri, Anna Wittel, Long Jawns, Doddie Braza, MASS FX, Elliott Burton, Aimee Lauren, Amir AlQadaffi, Shannon Cleary, Ben Muri, Landis Wine, Lauren Vincelli, Jake Mayday, Karen Siefert, Phil Bowne, Thea at World Of Mirth, Norm at Katra Gala, Shannon Conway at Starlite, Fred Pinckard & Katie Davis at Salvation Tattoo, Mickael Broth, James Callahan, Chris Visions, Amanda Robinson & Prabir Mehta at Gallery5, Brandon Peck, Reef Clem, Conway Jennings, Jeff Smack, Bryan Woodland, Brandon Crowe, Eddie Wilson, Joey Wharton, Doug Nunnally, Stuntkid, Rachel Whaley, Addison Herron-Wheeler, Marc Cheatham, Marc Schmidt, S. Preston Duncan, Ryan Kent, Kathryn Whitley, David Kenedy, Scott Whitener, John Yamashita & Jason Henry, Aldo!, Jonathan Martin, John Taylor, Eric Shell, Amy David, Caley Sturgil, Dan Anderson, Mike Dulin, Teddy Gregson, Heidi Cregge, Evan and Jimmy at Kulture, Randy O’Dell, Hamooda Shami, Joe Vanderhoff, Davy Jones, Madelyne Ashworth, Elliot Robinson, Tony Foresta, Randy Blythe, Dave Brockie, Josh Lingerfelt, Dreuw Snyder, Taylor Womack, Reggie Pace, Gabriel Santamaria, Kelli Strawbridge, James Seretis, Mike Rutz, Black Liq, Jimi Foster, Cody Endres, Alison at Taboo, Dan Mulrooney, An at Mekong, Adam Juresko, Jon Donegan, Justin McClung, Ace Patel, Kevin Johnson, Casey & Marche at Rumors, Peter Szijarto, Chris Lacroix, Jimmy Budd, Teddy Blanks, J.D. Gavin, Tyler Scheerschmidt, The Camel Family, The Hadrywood Crew, Mary Heffley, Lisa at Venture Richmond, Steven King, Kayte Stracener, OURA, TEAM 8, Michelle Dosson, Matt Goins, Marissa Browne, Pete Humes at Punchline & Ian M. Graham (RIP) SPECIAL THANKS to Artifex M. Hunter Haglund
8
RICHMOND, VA
THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS OF RVA MAGAZINE
9
Larry A. Jarrell Larry Blanchard Mac MacDaniel Matthew Giles Matthew Park Matt Wild Maxwell O Melissa Mannon Megan Driscoll Michael Recant Michael Shea Might Casey Mongrel In Carytown Mylo Brown Nina Exner Randi Upton Rebecca A. Ferrell Ricky P.P. RVA Beard League Ryan Lemar Sara K Eskridge Sarah Paquette Scott Clark Shaun Farrell Shima Razavi Susan Hribernik Thea Brown The Brain Tom Masterson TV Jerry Warren J. McCrickard Wirt Confroy
IISSSSUUEE 4411
Action T-Shirts Arefeh Abad Alejandro King Brad Cummings Brandon Fox Candace Faircloth of Long & Foster Real Estate Carola Rojas Chris Bernhardt Colin Matthews Deirdre Saulet Devon Rohr Elle Frierson Gavin Foster George Roberts Harry Blackwood Holly Walker Jennie Mae Skinner Jennifer Yu & Rachel Jackson-Leyco Jessi Renehan Jeremy Simmons Jeremy Parker Joe Martin Joseph Genest Joni Teague Justin Dray Katie Mae Katy Thomas Keith Herbert Kelli Yoder Laura Garrison
RVAMAG RVAMAG
RVAMAG #41 FALL 2023 LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS RVAMAG.COM
RVA MAGAZINE CREATED BY R. Anthony Harris
COVER PHOTO CREDITS:
FOUNDERS R. Anthony Harris + Jeremy Parker
Model: Brad Cox
PUBLISHER Inkwell Ventures Inc.
FFFAAALLLLLL 222000222333
COPY EDITORS Audrey McGovern Andrew Bonieskie SALES Kayte Stracener kayte@rvamag.com DESIGN @majormajor____ WRITERS R. Anthony Harris Andrew Bonieskie Christian Detres CJ Payne Jon Cope PHOTOGRAPHY Kimberly Frost Joey Wharton Jada & David CJ Payne Terrell Artis
Photographer: Kimberly Frost
Creative Director/Stylist: Jon Cope Styling Assistance and Designer: Jessica Meiko
Photo Assistance: Steven King
Make-Up: Meeshell Von Offenheim Hair: Kamala Bhagat
Floral Stylist: Rita Hill CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES:
Sun & Selene, Ring and Custom Harness Obscuro, Lab Coat - Victim 15, Gunmetal Tank - Ap0cene, Space Pants - Ap0cene, Gucci Boots - It’s a Man’s World
All inquiries to hello@rvamag.com Advertising information can be viewed at rvamag.com/advertising RVA Magazine welcomes submissions but cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material. Send all submissions to hello@rvamag.com The entire contents of this magazine is a copyright of Inkwell Ventures Inc. and cannot be reproduced in whole or in part without written authorization of the publisher. 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 & GayRVA are registered trademarks of Inkwell Ventures.
10 10
RICHMOND, RICHMOND, VA VA
ed. note: We had an interview with J. Roddy Walston about his band Palm Palm but they have went on haitus. Come back guys! The city needs you. Photo by Joey Wharton
IISSSSUUEE 4411
11 11
FFAALLLL 22002233
RVAMAG
BUTCHER BROWN BY ANDREW PHOTOS BY
BONIESKIE JOEY WHARTON
12
RICHMOND, VA
IISSSSUUEE 4411
13
RVAMAG RVAMAG
FALL 2023
There is no band quite like Butcher Brown. If one were to head into any city in the United States with a vibrant music scene, find all the heaviest hiters, and form a band, it would not capture the magic that is one of Richmond’s premier music acts. The combination of a jazz scene fueled by Virginia Commonwealth University, and an underground hip-hop scene, along with the constant influence of rock and roll that skirts the fringes of town, and behold just a few of the major nfluences that make Butcher Brown a unique experience among Richmond groups. I have, of course, seen Butcher Brown play many times, and I have seen them around the scene, but we here at RVA Mag felt that it had been far too long since we’ve had a proper sit down. First to arrive to our scheduled virtual meeting on a sunny summer weekday is Morgan Burrs; the trained Jazz guitarist is the only one of the five to not have a solo project to their name, but regaled me with his exciting career as a songwriter and producer for smaller artists constantly making trips to LA where he is a known name. Next is bass player Andrew Randazzo, or R4nd4zzo as he is known for his solo work. Having studied upright bass at VCU Randazzo’s side projects consist mainly of other hip-hop work, but he clearly has been unable to shirk his passion for jazz. Since 2017 Randazzo has been breaking into arranging for big bands and frequently performs with a number of them around the city. DJ Harrison entered next. The producer and multi-instrumentalist started off doing jazz drumming at VCU where he first encountered a number of the band members. DJ Harrison has a thriving career as a solo artist, yet still finds time to play all over the country with Butcher Brown never missing a show.
Corey Fonville arrived and the conversations between the band members begin with very in jokes shooting around faster than I could keep up with. Fonville took a moment to explain his background, and although he didn’t attend VCU like the other members of Butcher Brown, he was trained on the drum kit which he has the honor of occupying the position of percussionist for Butcher Brown. Last to arrive is Marcus Tenney, aka Tennishu. Tennishu also has an expansive career as a rapper outside of Butcher Brown, for which the rapping is a rather new part of the equation. For Butcher Brown in the past Tennishu has been playing trumpet, the instrument he studied when he was at VCU, and tenor saxophone, an instrument he picked up as his tenure at the university was coming to a close. All of them coalescing is an exercise in how a band that is able to capture the perfect people in the perfect moment exhibits a kind of magic happenstance that can only exist in a collaborative medium such as music. Butcher Brown is known above other aspects for its eclectic nature. Although jazz fusion has been a core part of their sound, they have included aspects of numerous styles including hip-hop, rock, r&b, any a variety of other influences that have led them to being unpredictable. When asked about this philosophy, Tennishu again spoke up and said, “Butcher Brown, in my eyes at the time... a lot of the bands I was in [before Butcher Brown] had a concrete way of thinking about music... Butcher Brown didn’t strike me like that at all. All the older musicians that we looked up to, that’s how it seemed like they were doing what they were doing.” Butcher Brown has incorporated hip hop elements into their music in the past with Tennishu acting as
14 14
RICHMOND, RICHMOND, VA VA
In the music that the group has been dropping in recent months ahead of their new album Solar Music coming out October 6th, they seem to have pulled back from their big band jazz elements. “DYKWYD [Feat. Braxton Cook]” is fair straight ahead jazz fusion, now this does bleed directly into their next single “This Side Of Sunshine” which features a plucked acoustic guitar utilizing some jazzier chords voice leading, and this is backed up by a bouncy, wet bass tone and a catchy synth melody. All of it culminates in the very end of the track with the vocals coming just for a moment to delicately whisper “sunshine,” finally to be echoed in their melody by a multihorn line before a fade out. This remixing of their concepts into a larger ebb and flow could spell some interesting develops from the all ahead all the time of Butcher Brown Present Triple Trey.
With all of them having thriving solo projects, it’s a wonder how they keep it straight, and additionally why they continue to nurture those projects despite the success of Butcher Brown. Tennishu on the subject said, “[for me] Tennishu is the water that everything is sitting in. There has to be another way to get new ideas in [the group] or you’re just gonna be eating your own vomit and wondering why people aren’t buying the records in 10 years. With the internet that’s not gonna work anymore, just because you get one 100,000,000 views doesn’t mean that tomorrow someone else isn’t going to. You have to make records that are extremely potent... For Butcher [Brown] the most efficient way is for all of us to have our own shit. It’s like a well that we’re feeding.” For me, I felt that I had to ask the question that plagues every band after they find success in a relatively small market, why stay? Fonville has since moved off to Philadelphia, but continues to make The Butcher Brown of it all work for him, but as for the rest of the band, they no shortage of kind words and civic promotion. Harrison was the first to speak up, saying, “All my families from here... but I can hop on the train and get to New York or Philly, or I can hop on a jet and get to Chicago, but it’s nice to have a home base for when I’m not on the road. Randazzo followed up with, “it’s easy to live in Richmond... I’ve got my little family setup. I love to go to the big cities and visit and work, but it’s nice to come home to Richmond and get to go to Chimborazo park, and go eat at Kuba Kuba.”
15 15
I IS SS SU UE E 4 41 1
emcee and picking up the microphone when he puts down his saxophone. However in their LP from last year, Butcher Brown Presents Triple Trey, a retelling of the Tennishu record Triple Trey, hip-hop is the quintessential element that defines the record. As to why, Tennishu once again spoke up about when rap and hip-hop became central to their development as a group. “A lot of the rap music we were all listening to was a heavy mix of jazz and rap... They have actual music in their beats, it’s not just a loop, and it doesn’t have to sound any sort of way. The desire to play like that elevated it right into hip-hop,” said Tennishu. This of course leads into the other novel and defining feature of Butcher Brown Presents Triple Trey, Randazzo’s big band arrangements. Similarly, although he developed the skill in college, it has only been in the last few years that Randazzo has arranged for big bands, and a very new development for Butcher Brown.
FFAALLLL 22002233
RVAMAG
16
RICHMOND, VA
IISSSSUUEE 4411
17
FFAALLLL 2@0)2@3#
RVAMAG RVAMAG
18 18
RICHMOND, RICHMOND, VA VA
Besides family, Burrs and Tennishue just really appreciated the culture and attitude. First Burrs said, “you have to be real about Richmond, it’s not a big industry town. You need to get out from time to time... But I like Richmond; it’s a great music town, a great indie town, great for people getting started in music... I like being in a big city for a while and coming home to Richmond to unwind.”
19 19
IISSSSUUEE 4411
Lastly, Tennishu was able to sum it all up, as any goog emcee should, saying, “You have a university that is relatively cheap that is surrounded by a songwriting community; you gotta pay a lot of money for that. You gotta go to LA or New York for that, or you can go to VCU, and since you’re gonna be 18 or 19 you’re not gonna have much anyways. It’s a great town to learn something for a few years, if you focus, and then you start following the trails to LA or New York or Nashville. For Butcher Brown, or musicians on this level, it gets to a point where you’re in the airport, and it doesn’t really matter where you live.”
Jera Lodge and Dransfield Jewelers Earrings, Faux Septum - Sun & Selene, Custom Harness - Obscuro
FFAALLLL 22002233
RVAMAG RVAMAG
20 20
RICHMOND, VA
PORTAL333 KEN
A Le tter to the MascuLINE: W H A T D O E S IT MEAN TO BE “KENOUG H ” ? I f y o u d o n ’t k n o w w h a t “ K E N O U G H ” i s , I’m not going to s p e n d t i m e i n t h i s a r t i c l e d e s c r i b i ng what it means, b e c a u s e y o u p r o b a b l y a r e n ’ t o n e w h o has seen ‘Barbie t h e M o v i e ’. O r , i f y o u h a v e s e e n ‘ B arbie’, and witn e s s e d t h e s e l f - i n q u i r y j o u r n e y t h a t Ken experience s , a n d s t i l l d o n o t u n d e r s t a n d t h e meaning behind the w o r d ’ s c a m p y w a y t o l a b e l t h e s t r i f e we all experience t o w a r d s a tt a i n i n g a s e c u r e s e n s e o f being “enough”, t h e n y o u a r e m i s s i n g o ut. Y o u a r e a l s o m i s s i n g o u t o n a n o t h e r way to experience a j o k e ! ‘ Ba r b i e t h e M o v i e ’ f o u n d a w ay to wittingly, p o i g n a n t l y , a n d j o y f u l l y p o k e f u n a t how we operate in o u r c u r r e n t s t a t e o f s o c i a l l y a c c e p t able gender norms w e m a i n t a in i n s o c i e t y , a n d i t l i f t s the veil we can a l r e a d y se e t h r o u g h : t h e c o n c e p t t h at patriarchall y - d o m i n a t ed s o c i e t y i n e v i t a b l y h u r t s all of us. Especially Kens.
W h a t d o e s “ r e a l ” t r u t h a n d p o w e r l o o k like? To answer that, I ’ d s a y w e ’ d h a v e t o t a k e a d eep consideration o f t h e w o r d , b l i s s . P o w e r t o m e e l i cits feelings of bliss. W he n w e f e e l “ p o w e r f u l ” i t ’ s usually because w e h a v e c r e a t e d s o m e t h i n g w e w a n t e d to create. But at w h a t e x p e n se d o w e m e r i t p o w e r w h e n i t’s not in alignm e n t w i t h a c e r t a i n u n a l i e n a b l e t r u t h – the truth that i t i s p o s s i b l e f o r u s t o l i v e i n a w orld where limits d o n o t s t a n d f o r a n y o n e. ‘ B a r b i e ’ i s n ’ t a b o u t e n d i n g p a t r i a r c hy. It urges us to q u e s t i o n , “ W h a t d o e s i t m e a n to live?” Jon Cope
21
ISSUE 41
I n m y f a s hi o n , i f o n e i s s e r i o u s a b out feminism and e n v i s i o n i n g t h e w o r l d a s a s a f e r p l a c e for all to live i n , “ T h e Wi l l t o C h a n g e : M e n , M a s c u l inity, and Love” b y B e l l H o o k s i s r e q u i r e d r e a d i n g . A fter reading this b o o k , o n e w i l l r e c o g n i z e h o w ‘ B a r b i e ’ found a way to p o k e f u n a t h o w w e a r e a l l t h e p e r p e t rators of the ins i d i o u s n e s s o f p a t r i a r c h a l i n c l i n a t i o ns that reside in a l l o f u s . T h e c e n t r a l t a k e - a w a y I r eceived from the b o o k i s t h e a m o u n t o f e m p a t h y h o o k s expressed for the w a y w e ’ r e hu r t g r o w i n g u p s o c i a l i z e d into the patriarc h y o f s o ci e t y . A s a c i s - m a n , i t m a d e me think about w h a t I n e e d t o d o , p e r s o n a l l y , t o f e e l truly liberated i n b o t h t r u t h a n d p o w e r – a u t h e n t i c a lly joyful, truth and power.
Earring - Sun & Selene, Laura Jaklitsch Ring - Dransfield Jewelers, Choker Necklace - Victim 15, Bryan Parnham Broach - Dransfield Jewelers, Sweatshirt and Shorts - Jessica Meiko, Vita Classic Boxer - Ap0cene
FALL 2023
RVAMAG
22
IISSSSUUEE 4411
Caitie Sellers and Emily Rogstad Earrings - Dransfield Jewelers, Caitie Sellers Necklace - Dransfield Jewelers, Rings - Sun & Selene, Safety Pin Blazer and Kundalini Death Dress - IMF DESIGNS, Jumpsuit Stockings Savage X Fenty, Boots - Dolls Kill
RICHMOND, RICHMOND, VA VA
23 23
FFAALLLL 22002233
RVAMAG RVAMAG
Earring - Sun & Selene, Choker Necklace - Victim 15, Megalodon Tooth Necklace - Obscuro, Hooded Top and Skirt - Jessica Meiko
24 24
RICHMOND, VA
Earring - Sun & Selene, Necklace - Dransfield Jewelers, Flowers provided by Vogue Flowers
ISSUE 41
25
Nude Vegan Leather Dress - Alice + Olivia Resin Earring s- Stylist’s own
Photographer: Kimberly F r o s t Creative Director/Stylist: J o n C o p e Model: Brad Cox Shirt Design: Kamala B h a g a t Styling A ssistance and Designer : J e s s i c a M e i k o Photo Assistance: Steve n K i n g z Make-Up: Meeshell Von Of f e n h e i m Hair: Kamala Bhaga t Floral Stylist: Rita H i l l
FFAALLLL 22002233
RVAMAG RVAMAG
26 26
RICHMOND, RICHMOND, VA VA
IISSSSUUEE 4411
ENFORCED A CONVERSATION ON TOURING, TANKS AND WARHAMMER 40K INTERVIEW
AND
PHOTOS
BY
CJ
PAYNE
27 27 27
“WHAT VIDEO DO WE WANT TO DO FOR WAR REMAINS?” WE WERE LIKE FUCKING TANKS... ....AND THEY WERE LIKE WE HAVE FLAMETHROWERS TOO -- IF YOU WANT TO PLAY WITH FLAMETHROWERS AND WE WERE LIKE “YEAH WE DO!”
FAR ALI LLN LG2202 020 232 33 SFP
RVAMAG RVAMAG
28 28
RICHMOND, RICHMOND, VA VA Right off the bat can you tell us how the band was formed? Will: It formed out of the ashes of other bands that we were doing. Me and Zach were doing Mad Existence, which is more of a straightforward hardcore band and I had some thrashy riffs that probably weren’t going to fit with that band. We had another drummer friend that we had been jamming with and it just came together organically when we got Knox.
You guys are on the road A LOT. You just came off a back to back tour featuring Venom Inc, Exhumed and Creeping Death. And you’re about to go on tour tour next month with Jungle Rot. How do you balance personal life with tour life? Knox: [chuckles]“We don’t! We had a talk the other day about how we’re going to have to balance that better. I personally would like to swing to let’s tour 365 but I know no one wants to do tha. We’re probably going to be touring less in the future. It is a slog, but I love the fuck out of it. Will: Last year we calculated it was just under 4 months that we toured. We did a couple month long tours and then 2 weeks here and a weekend there. I feel like that was a good spot. I guess a lot of it just comes down to
I remember seeing you guys in Chapel Hill for the Slave to the Grave tour. It was not only my first time seeing Enforced but it was also my first metal show. The crowd there was insane! Knox: Oh were you the one who threw the bra at me? [laughs] That was a first. That wasn’t me! But I remember you guys having to clear the stage because so many people were running up there. What have been some of the crazier moments you’ve had happen on stage? Knox: “There was someone in Cleveland during our set who stage dove and crowd surfed all the way from the stage to the front door and he turned all the ceiling fans off on his way to the door. They were like “turn all the fans back on!” So he jumped off the bar, crowd surfed all the way to the stage while turning all the ceiling fans back on, then jumped off the stage again. That was fucking cool! Will: Hellfest was crazy. Knox: Oh yeah, Hellfest was fucking bonkers. I was scared shitless. That was a fun one. How was Dark Lord Day? Will: That was sick. That definitely had a Eurofest vibe. That crowd looked massive from the pictures. 29 29
IISSSSUUEE 4411
Knox: Isaac, who was our first drummer, and I worked together at Ellewood Thompson’s. He was in charge of all the cashiers and I was just like the “Dairy Guy” but he knew that I was in a bunch of old Virginia Beach bands and a couple of hardcore bands here. So he’s like “I think you could do pretty good on vocals”. I checked it out, got some rough demos, threw some lyrics down fast as fuck and we recorded that demo almost immediately afterwards in January 2017.
communicating with the people in your life that are important for those decisions that need to be made. Our jobs are super flexible and we’re all lucky to be in positions that allow us to leave for extended periods of time and still be employed. Similarly with our partners and family, it’s about communicating what to expect.
SF PFA RAL ILL NLG220 202 023 233
RVAMAG RVAMAG
30 30
RICHMOND, RICHMOND, VA RICHMOND, VA VA
IISSSSUUEE 4410 1
“THERE WAS SOMEONE IN CLEVELAND DURING OUR SET WHO STAGE DOVE AND CROWD SURFED ALL THE WAY FROM THE STAGE TO THE FRONT DOOR AND HE TURNED ALL THE CEILING FANS OFF ON HIS WAY TO THE DOOR. THEY WERE LIKE “TURN ALL THE FANS BACK ON!” SO HE JUMPED OFF THE BAR, CROWD SURFED ALL THE WAY TO THE STAGE WHILE TURNING ALL THE CEILING FANS BACK ON, THEN JUMPED OFF THE STAGE AGAIN. THAT WAS FUCKING COOL!”
31 31 31
RVAMAG Will: Yeah, that was about 7 or 8,000. But it wasn’t as crazy as I thought it was going to be. It was so much more beer oriented, like mature beer drinkers. It was a sick show. It wasn’t as chaotic as Hellfest was. Knox: Oh no, it was really well run. They catered to you hand over fist. Plus we got to play with Cannibal Corpse. I went and saw Lorna Shore, Gojira and Mastodon recently at the Richmond Raceway. I remember looking around thinking everyone is just standing around. There’s no pit, no nothing.
FFAALLLL 22002233
Will: That’s why I feel like the club gigs are more fun. Local 506, that spot in Chapel Hill, is the right size venue. A couple hundred people. Knox: Usually the club gigs are mostly younger people. Like on the Venom Inc. tour it was much older people. But then when we finished that tour and went on with Creeping Death it was like cool there’s a 250 cap club and people are going ape shit for every band. You mentioned you got to play with Cannibal Corpse. You’ve been able to play alongside many legendary acts such as Obituary, Exhumed, Venom Inc. and Municipal Waste. Is there any band left you would kill to tour/play a show with? Will: Demolition Hammer would be sick. Knox: Fffuck yeah right? Will: They don’t really tour much. I’ve been in conversations with people that are trying to get them to tour but I don’t know if they will. That band Devastation from Texas, I don’t think they’re going to reunite either but even if they played
a one off that would be sick. Dark Angel, that might be a more realistic one. Exodus would be sick. Knox: Any of the more legacy acts that inspire us. That would be a huge moment of clarity. Like, this is what I want to do, this is who I want to be around. I want to meet those dudes. Like meeting Obituary was fucking great. They were not who I thought they were, in a good way. They were WAY cooler than I thought they were. [chuckles] I wasn’t expecting them to be so cool, especially to me. After releasing 3 records you guys have hit a lot of milestones! I saw in another interview you said you were out of bucket list items and working on a new list. Knox: Yeah we’ve done everything my little kid brain had ever thought of doing so now I got to start thinking of other things I want to do. So like touring Southeast Asia, Japan, Australia would be fucking sick. More of Europe because we didn’t go to too many territories in Europe. I’d like to see more of the Eastern side. South America would be dope as well.” Will, do you have any bucket list items? Will: We used to just joke like when the band was first starting that we would play Hellfest. I guess I would like to keep writing and releasing music. It’s my favorite thing to do with the band. To go through the creative process, get in the studio, and I love to tour too but it is such a grind. To do our own headliner would be sick. Will, tell me about your guitar. Will: It’s a 2013 BC Rich NJ Warlock. I have been playing the 32
RICHMOND, VA same one for a long time. I’ve tried playing others but always go back to that one. I saw in your “War Remains” music video you got to ride in tanks, how did that all come together?
invisible. They can defy the laws of physics. There’s a story about how they’re on a spaceship and the spaceship runs out of fuel and they all get out and push. [laughs] It’s fucking hilarious, I love it so much.
Knox: I think it was on the Decibel tour. We were driving through Alabama and we saw a billboard that said “drive a tank for $50” and we were like “fuck yeah!” So we go to this place called Combat Park and they just have a fuck ton of tanks. You can haul ass through the woods and through this mud trail then go off a jump into a big mud pit. It’s fucking cool. Everyone was super down to Earth and they hated the government and would let you do whatever you want. So we’re like let’s keep that place in mind. Then when the question came of “what video do we want to do for War Remains?” we were like fucking tanks, it was a no brainer. So we talked to them about it, rented it out for 2 days and they were like we have flamethrowers too -- if you want to play with flamethrowers and we were like “yeah we do!” Super cool, an awesome time.
Do you have any sources of inspiration for your lyrics?
Kno,x I hear you’re a big fan of Warhammer 40K. As someone who knows next to nothing about it, what is your favorite faction?
Knox: No, don’t, just build up a callus and roll with it. It gets weak maybe the first 3 or 4 days but then your natural voice gets way more insane than it did when you had a voice. Then once your vocal chords heal themselves you can just do it on command. Half asleep you can do it easy. There’s this dude, Matt, who sings for Saint Peeler. He lost his voice day 2 and he was like “what do I do?” and I was like “nothing. There’s these specific things you can only get on Amazon or the UK so you can’t get them right now so just deal with it.” Towards the end of the tour he was like “[hoarsely] It’s working!
As someone who is constantly screaming show after show how do you manage to not lose your voice? Knox: I don’t do anything. I’m not like “oh I’m going to drink honey tea today.” That’s what I hear, everyone talks about drinking honey tea.
33
IISSSSUUEE 4411
Knox: Orcs. Orcs are extremely stupid, extremely humorous and their lore thing about them that I find the most funny is that they have this very minor psychic ability that they can will things into being, but only if everyone agrees on it and they are too stupid to have an agreement. If they pick up something and think it’s a gun, it will shoot. They have this whole thing about colors. They think if something is red that means it goes faster. If it’s yellow it makes bigger explosions and if you paint yourself purple you become
Knox: The ambient artist Brian Eno, which is crazy because most of his music doesn’t even have any words. The author Harlan Ellison who writes some really dark shit. He wrote the story that The Terminator was based on (Soldier From Tomorrow) and A Boy and His Dog which is what the Fallout (video game) storyline is based around. Also the psychologist James Hillman.
AUZ MILES
BY R. ANTHONY HARRIS PHOTO BY TERRELL ARTIS FALL 2023
RVAMAG
Mary and Clotelle by Auz Miles
34
RICHMOND, VA In the heart of Richmond, Virginia, a vibrant arts scene is thriving, and among its most prominent voices is Auz Miles, a talented interdisciplinary painter, muralist, and public artist. Auz Miles, born and raised in Richmond, embarked on her artistic path as a painter. Her early years were spent at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts, where she majored in Communication Arts with a focus on illustration. However, it was here that she realized her true calling – painting. This pivotal moment marked the beginning of her journey into the world of art.
The essence of Auz Miles’s art lies in her profound connection to her surroundings and her dedication to telling the stories of Richmond’s diverse community and family, particularly through her murals. Her murals often feature women, characterized by bold colors, dynamic shapes, and intricate lines, reflecting the vibrancy of the city and its people. What sets Auz Miles apart is her commitment to representing the underrepresented. As an African American woman in a predominantly male-dominated field, she acknowledges the challenges she faced, but she also celebrates the progress she has witnessed. Miles has not only broken through barriers herself but has also paved the way for other black women
Her work is a celebration of the resilience and strength of women, particularly black women, who have played pivotal roles in shaping Richmond’s culture and community. Through her murals and paintings, Miles highlights the stories of these women, giving voice to their experiences and contributions She is breaking down barriers in the Richmond art world. Miles’s recent work delves even deeper into the complexities of her identity and her roots. She is currently exploring the relationship between mothers and daughters, paying homage to the women in her family who have passed down traditions, skills, and values through generations. Through her art, she celebrates the role of women as the thread that binds families and communities together. Her newest series titled “Kindred Themes” captures the essence of these connections, weaving together stories of love, resilience, and cultural heritage through a combination of abstract and representational art. In this series, sewing takes center stage as both a metaphorical and tangible representation of the rituals passed down from one generation of women to the next. Auz Miles’s art is a reflection of Richmond itself – a city that is embracing diversity, honors its history, and continues to evolve. Her work is not only a testament to her talent but also a celebration of the vibrant arts community that she is part of and hopes to nurture. Give her a follow at @auz_can
35
IISSSSUUEE 4411
Mentored by the esteemed artist Hamilton Glass during her college years, Miles found her way into the world of murals. This apprenticeship ignited her passion for large-scale, public art, a path she would wholeheartedly embrace upon graduation.
artists in Richmond.
FFAALLLL 22002233
RVAMAG RVAMAG
36 36
RICHMOND, VA VA RICHMOND,
PURR mural for RVA Street Art Festival by Auz Miles
37
IISSSSUUEE 4411
AUZ MILES
FALL 2023
RVAMAG
38
RICHMOND, VA
ISSUE 41
Cleveland by Auz Miles
39
FALL 2023
RVAMAG
40
RICHMOND, VA
IISSSSUUEE 440 11
Photo by Terrell Artis
Invictus by Auz Miles
41
SF PFA RAL ILL NLG 220 202 023 233
RVAMAG RVAMAG
42 42
BINGO! RICHMOND, VA
THE BEER INFUSED ORIGIN STORY OF
JAY BAYER
STOR Y AND PHOTO BY R. ANTHO N Y H A R R I S
Step into Scott’s Addition, the Richmond neighborhood where rusting warehouses now boast edgy brewpubs and artisan eateries. It’s here I find myself sharing pints with Jay Bayer, the coconspirator behind Bingo Beer Company. We’re musing over lagers and life, unraveling the fabric of Richmond’s burgeoning craft beer tapestry, one sip at a time.
Flashback to 2012. Jay and his comrade-in-arms Adam Hall are busy shaking up Richmond’s foodie scene. Enter Saison, their avantgarde eatery that dared to spice up Southern fare and cocktails. Plopped in Jackson Ward, then a sleepy hollow, not a nightlife nexus, they gambled on the community’s appetite for the extraordinary. Jackpot. Though Saison’s doors have since closed, its legacy thrives in countless tipsy tales and food coma dreams. But let’s jet back to the now. Craft beer is no longer an underground movement in Richmond; it’s the mainstage. Bayer, ever the restless creator, pivots, shifting his culinary theater to the ale-soaked landscape -and 2018 heralds the birth of Bingo! Beer Company. Envision a
What’s the beer buzz, you ask? Sure, their Bingo! Lager is a crowd-pleaser, but for those in the know, the Black Lager is where it’s at. Bayer isn’t just brewing for taste; he’s curating experiences. His mantra is simple: Craft beer’s not a special occasion; it’s life’s background score, enhancing every shared laugh, every clinked glass. Our convo wraps up with Bayer on his soapbox, mulling the existential questions facing the craft beer cosmos. He argues it’s high time this hoppy haven reflects the tapestry of faces that actually enjoy it. The call? For a more inclusive, intentional beer culture, rooted not just in barley and yeast, but in unity and community. In the end, Bingo Beer Company is more than a brewpub; it’s a mission statement, dressed up in frothy pints and buzzy vibes. Nestled in the revitalized heart of Scott’s Addition, Bayer and his posse are fermenting far more than just alcohol: they’re distilling a sense of belonging, one brew at a time. Give Bingo! Beer Co a follow at @bingobeerco 43
IISSSSUUEE 4411
Jay Bayer is not your everyday brewmeister. The guy cut his teeth at Carytown’s iconic Galaxy Diner before realizing his destiny was steeped in hops, not hash browns. Off to the Windy City’s Siebel Institute he went, returning to RVA with a brain brimming with brew knowledge.
sanctuary for sudsy sorcery, a utopia where IPAs and underdogs play nice. Add a dash of video game nostalgia and an after-dark scene that’s pure fire, and you’ve got a Richmond hot spot.
RVAMAG RVAMAG
Jada & David
Jada and David Parrish are mixed media artists based in Richmond, Virginia who innovate sculpture and digital imagery to create surreal works of art and stimulating visual content. They use plywood, paint, and light to create liminal spaces filled with bold color and optical illusion that explores the space between the familiar and the unknown. Their photographs depict situations that blur the line between reality and dream worlds whilst highlighting a deep sense of uncertainty and poignant elements of the human condition.
FFAALLLL 22002233
Give them a follow at @jadaanddavid
44 44
RICHMOND, VA MODELS: Robyn Rountree, Hannah Grace, Rose Eileen, Isabella VanKesteren, Mallory Franklin, Justin Uglow, Bridgett Highfill, Holly Zajur, Abby Glover, Jessi Rosenberg, Zule & Ceili Galante
IISSSSUUEE 4411
45
FALL 2023
RVAMAG
46
RICHMOND, VA
ISSUE 41
47
FFAALLLL 22002233
RVAMAG
48
RICHMOND, VA
ISSUE 41
49
FAR ALI LLN LG2202 020 232 33 SFP
RVAMAG RVAMAG
50 50
RICHMOND, VA
01 IISSSSUUEE 441
51
FFAALLLL 22002233
RVAMAG
“... AND I HAVE THIS CAN OF SPRAY PAINT FROM LOWE’S, RIGHT? AND I’M GONNA GO THROW MY NAME UP ON THE WALL. AND I’M SWEATING BULLETS BECAUSE THE “PO-PO” IS ALWAYS LURKING AROUND THE CORNER IN MY MIND.”
52
RICHMOND, VA
A RICHMOND GRAFFITI ZINE INTERVIEW BY CHRISTIAN DETRES
Christian Detres: Here with Mikemetic. Is that your real name? Mikemetic: No. Well, my birth name is Michael Williams. Kemetic is kind of - it’s more like a title. Kemetic. A creative moniker. The complete origins of it is that Kemet is the original name of Egypt - in the northern Nile Valley in Africa. So originally the term Kemetic came from Kemet, of Kemet. Proto Egyptian. CD: I’ve known you forever, and I didn’t know that. I’ve known you for several different things for a very long time. My
highlights for you are, one, as a deejay, obviously. Two, you’re THE progenitor, and host, of Afro Beta, which has a long legacy in Richmond. And I think it’s one of the coolest parties that this city has maintained and nurtured, for what, fourteen years now right? It’s part of the landscape now. Like “Richmond would be less Richmond without it” sort of thing. I’m glad you’re still doing that. But, you know, those are my greatest hits for you. What are the things you’ve been a part of that you feel that you’ve been most proud of? 53
IISSSSUUEE 4411
VAPORS
FR AI LN LG22 00 22 33 SP
RVAMAG
54
RICHMOND, RICHMOND, VA VA
I IS SS SU UE E 4 41 1
55 55
FAR ALI LLN LG2202 020 232 33 SFP
RVAMAG RVAMAG MK: Well, I would start with Afro Beta. I think that’s kind of one of the biggest things I started, yeah, in 2009. I lived in Philly from 2003 to 2006 and then moved back to Richmond. I did a lot of events and stuff like that here in Richmond in the 90s. When I went to Philly, I would see a lot of things that you don’t see here, you know, you have this repertoire of things that you’ve seen elsewhere, and that’s how a lot of times cultural ideas are transferred. So when I was in Philly, I’d go to events frequently, checking out what unique things the city had to offer. There was this spot that Questlove used to deejay called Fluid right on South Street, and they would have a percussion guy and there’s sometimes a guy playing, you know, congas. So when I came back, I wanted to start something similar and put my own twist on it. So I started Afro Beta which became a kind of cultural icon here. I’m really proud of that. I hear from a lot of people on social media that have moved away from Richmond when I post something about Afro Beta. I get a lot of “that’s like one of my favorite things that I miss about Richmond.” So, I’ve seen that it has created a fond place in people’s hearts. That feels great. Most of the work that I do is really based on community-based connections. So I’ve been working for the organization Art 180 for about 10 years or so, pretty much since I’ve been back in Richmond. I do a lot of youth programming around focusing on exposing younger kids to different types of music and different instruments and taking a little bit different approach to musical teaching than what people normally get. When people think about teaching music, you know, you think about sitting a kid down and giving them good
“... A LOT OF TIMES GRAFFITI ARTISTS DON’T REALLY DOCUMENT THEIR WORK FOR A VARIETY OF ‘LEGAL’ REASONS. A LOT OF THE GUYS HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO SEE THEIR WORK IN PRINT, IN A WAY THEY CAN ARCHIVE .” posture, teaching them quarter notes and half notes and the scale and all this different stuff. With the program that I’m generating, we focused a lot more on just play, and interacting with the instrument. One of the things I tell people all the time is that the form of musical instruction that we commonly use right now the sharps and flats etc, was just created within about the past 300 years or so. It’s a European invention that happened to come over here. All of that is very arbitrary to the musician. People have been making music for 1000s of years, even now, without scales and quarter notes on paper. I try to bring to musical education the perspective that these are instruments that are meant to be played, not necessarily studied and worked. I like to give kids exposure to stuff like that, while also teaching them about different types of music and exposing them to new expressions. These youth programs are something that I’m most proud of. As for my new project, the graffiti magazine Vapors; when I moved to VCU I was taking a lot of pictures. A lot of my friends that I came up with from middle school or high school were graffiti artists, so I was around taking pictures of their work then. So to be able to finally have a platform, you know, first on social media, and then to be able to put it into a physical 56 56
RICHMOND, VA publication, is full circle. I’ve seen so many artists really excited about the magazine. These are underground artists who create their work knowing it may be gone tomorrow. A lot of times graffiti artists don’t really document their work for a variety of ‘legal’ reasons. A lot of the guys have been happy to see their work in print, in a way they can archive. I feel pretty good about being able to do that for them and also be able to get my own visual artwork out there. The photography of the works is important to me.
MK: Notes A through G? All of that is arbitrary. When Europeans came to the continent of Africa, they didn’t understand African music. Because African music is based on polyrhythms and they didn’t have a cultural history with that. Most of our modern music, most modern dance music anyway, is based on polyrhythms. That’s why the drums are so powerful. Modern dance music is beat-driven as opposed to waltzes and minuets. It’s evolved from more of a feeling than an intellectual perspective. So with Afro Beta I wanted to set up a performance that honored the free “feel”-driven nature of African musicality. So first of all, there’s a deejay playing electronic music paired with the organic element of live drumming. I come from playing in bands. Nobody can convince me there isn’t a difference between
This energy is being channeled through a person in a different way than it is through speakers. Right? I invited a couple deejay’s and other people to bring their drums to take part in the event. I also brought extra drums out so anybody at any given time that wants to sit in and drum with the other drummers has the opportunity to do it. So it’s a very participatory zone. A lot of times people are intimidated by instruments because they think they have to know something academic to play. It’s just play. Play comes from an instinctive place. Not from schooling. CD: Let me stop my ranting and rambling about other things and actually get to Vapors. I’ll do this all day. So graffiti has a soft, very, very close place in my heart. I’ve been around it and practicing at it, you know and doing whatever my thing since I was literally eight years old. I had an uncle in the Lower East Side that was a graffiti artist in the early 80’s. He would take us to paint shit, and I was fascinated by it. It was the coolest thing in the world, along with breakdancing and hip hop etc. Fast forward to now and I notice that a huge crowd of people are very interested in the subject, very appreciative of seeing new pieces come up. They can appreciate skill in it. Didn’t used to be like that. Now I’ve seen it documented 1000 times in documentaries and such. Graffiti in popular culture is low key celebrated and used as an ultimate shorthand for “this character is a maverick, cool, risky, and unique” in cinema and media. 57
IISSSSUUEE 441 01
CD: I’ve never heard anyone describe musical notation as a modern invention, a very European thing. Maybe I just don’t find myself in those conversations much. I’m sure people are reading this and rolling their eyes at my ignorance. But that notation, I think, has been a barrier to a lot of students, myself included. I swear we’re going to talk about Vapors in a sec, but this is too interesting to let go.
hearing a deejay set and a live band. Sorry, just two different things like I mean, I’m a deejay. Yeah, I respect one thing, but live music just hits different. It’s more visceral, immediate.
FFAALLLL 22002233
RVAMAG RVAMAG
58 58
RICHMOND, RICHMOND, VA VA
MK: Yeah, well, I think two things about that. First of all, I think it gets kind of tricky with graffiti because of all the pastimes, this is the most culture related. It’s not just something you pick up in a vacuum. Graffiti is the only one that I know is, by default, based in illegal behavior. CD: Yeah, skateboarding is not a crime. But graffiti is. MK: If you’re doing it right, haha. CD: If you’re doing it right, exactly. But that is also the reason it’ll never go away. The rebelliousness of it is too compelling for the outsider. MK: It’s the thing that makes it hard to embrace. Richmond wants murals, but they don’t want graffiti-based murals. They don’t 59 59
1 IISSSSUUEE 4410
At RVA Mag, we’ve covered it extensively, covered graffiti artists we’ve known, championed the scene. We’ve been adjacent to it for a while, but we would never have put this out right. We originated the mural project. Vapors is a step beyond though. One of the things I love so much about it is that you feature bombs on trains. I feel Richmond’s relationship to trains is special with CSX being headquartered here and having so many easily accessible train yards. Trains are very much a part of our landscape and a natural canvas for artists here. They are our traveling gallery - an export from Richmond that gets national viewership. That, and painting trains is really easy to get away with. I really would love to see Richmond build on that and incorporate that fact into more legit exhibitions of artwork from the area. Maybe a train company will agree to do an official invitational to paint a full train. Just spitballing…
RVAMAG RVAMAG
SF PA RL IL N G2 0 22 03 23
want names, don’t want burners unless it says “Richmond” or has some place name element. Richmond isn’t down with the artists’ selfreferential work. Self-reference is at the heart of the artform. It can’t be too stylized. Gotta be like no foreign words or something like that. The normals need to be able to read it to appreciate it. That’s another interesting part because part of the root cultural element of wildstyle graffiti is not being accessible for the average person to be able to read. As far as the artists are concerned, it’d be perfectly okay and intentional in some cases for the average person not to be able to read it. CD: It’s like knowing how to read another language, and that’s what frustrates a lot of people about it because they see it, and they don’t understand it. It’s also a reason why the “initiated” enjoy it so much as it’s nearly an urban ‘code’. You see a lot more graffitibased “throw ups” on buildings and bridges than you see actual high-end, super colorful, burners because those take time to do with the threat of getting caught. The trains have a different pace attached to them. You’re usually painting these in the middle of the night in some secluded dark place no one is bothering to secure. Better work goes up there.
There are some throw ups that are pretty fucking good. But a lot of times, really good throw ups look like shit to the random person. Wildstyle graffiti - and I’ll clarify that as stuff that’s difficult to read, stuff that based on names, characters, and things like that are unappealing because the overculture doesn’t have control over it - it’s not for them. And that is the worst for the segments of society that need to feel they control or are represented in all aspects of experience. CD: Do you spend a lot of time paying attention to pieces that are going up? I’m sure you have a network of people telling you what’s happening. What writers do you think that are coming up right now are good, but about to be great? MK: Well, it’s a tricky question because it depends on what you consider being great. CD: I mean within the scene, to the standard that persists locally.
MK: There are some local graffiti artists that are great. And I would not say everybody, but a good amount of people, would look at their work and be like, wow, that’s really good. Like, you can look at it and tell that it’s MK: Every aspiring graffiti artist really good. People have different goes through that initial phase criteria for what good graffiti where they’re like, there’s this is, you know? Like the concept of building down the block from where placement versus artistic skill. I live, and I have this can of You have people that are hitting spray paint from Lowe’s, right? And all the insane, hard to get to, or I’m gonna go throw my name up on highly visible spots, crazy graffiti the wall. And I’m sweating bullets spots. They may not be the best because the “po-po” is always like artistic writer, but they’re lurking around the corner in my getting ‘up’ and you see their mind. It’s a rush for sure, but not name you just oh man, this guy is exactly the best environment for killing it. Sloppy text, but it’s high art. At least at first. Better like on a police precinct hah. you get, the quicker you get. But CD: The audacity is part of the it more often than not just looks appeal. Let me rephrase though; like trash. who’s impressing you? 60 60
RICHMOND, VA
“... THERE ARE SOME THROW UPS THAT ARE PRETTY FUCKING GOOD. BUT A LOT OF TIMES, REALLY GOOD THROW UPS LOOK LIKE SHIT TO THE RANDOM PERSON... ...AND THINGS LIKE THAT ARE UNAPPEALING BECAUSE THE OVERCULTURE DOESN’T HAVE CONTROL OVER IT - IT’S NOT FOR THEM.”
MK: I’m happy to say that you can pick up the first two volumes at the ICA Museum on Belvidere and Broad. They were impressed with it. You can get it at the paint store, Supply. Now that I think of it, I need to restock them. And then there are a couple other places that are hopefully going to be happening once volume three comes out, which is at the end of August. But yeah, it’s um, it’s a magazine that’s coming out every two months or so. CD: That’s awesome. Between seeing Go Fuck Yourself magazine come up and now this, it’s just, it just it kind of warms my heart to see this. This fire is still burning in the underground media world. MK: Right. So yeah, and I think it’s important to have independent media stay put as so many bigger institution-size outlets are getting away from print. I wanted to have something that was really archival, that had like a real purpose. If you turn over and look in the back each of the first 100 issues of Vapors, each one of the issues is numbered one through 100. So if I ever have to go to a second pressing of an issue, they won’t be numbered. But always the first run of 100 will be numbered sequentially by hand. So it’s kind of like a collector’s item to some extent also. CD: Thank you so much. I think you’re gonna go on to do some fucking crazy awesome shit with this. Grab a copy at ghosted-arts.storenvy.com
61
I IS SS SU UE E 4 41 1
MK: Who’s impressive? Lobos is one of them. He has a lot of train pieces up and I think that’s kind of his main thing right now. Some of the crews that are really doing stuff are like the SMH crew. So those guys are very prolific. A lot of the older cats are choosing and picking where they go a lot of times. I think placement becomes a skill to embrace as you get more confident. But you know, there are a lot of people doing a number of different things depending on what you’re looking for. EJYPT does a lot of really good stuff. He’s a young cat. I’ve known him since he was a teenager and just seeing his style evolve is great. He’s done a lot of really good train burners. He’s probably one of our favorites of the younger cats. I’d say he’s probably under 25. Or like right around there. A lot of these guys also, I don’t know them personally. So I don’t know what you know, they’re younger people or something like that. Mimi is a big influence in the city. She works with Fuel For Crew; she’s actually one of the founders of that. That crew actually started out from the second RVA Street Art Festival, which is at the GRTC building.
CD: What do we have to look forward to from Vapors coming up? And where can we get it?
FALL 2023
RVAMAG
62
RICHMOND, VA
ISSUE 41
63
@bingobeerco bingobeerco.com
FALL 2023
RVAMAG
. . y r e w e r b an a h t e r o m e r ' e W we're a whole
STREET 2900 W BROAD ITION IN SCOTT'S ADD (804) 386-0290
experience!
Come enjoy our e, ad brews, bites, arcw ith and beer garden . 64 the whole fam
