Concept albums like ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ and ‘Blurryface’ are saving music listeners
Quentin Rice, Staff Writer I was crammed into a damp, unremarkable basement last week with an assortment of sweaty strangers to shove each other around, shout existential questions at a person with a guitar and spend way too much money on clothing. By 11:30 p.m. that night, my voice was fried to a crisp. I […]
Flight Club returns with renewed energy and evolved sound
Quentin Rice, Staff Writer The loading screens in Guitar Hero 2 contain quotes about life in a band with snide humor, and one of those quotes was crucial to the future of Richmond punk band, Flight Club. “My favorite was, ‘A minifridge is more important than a bass player,’” said Flight Club lead vocalist Charlie […]
Big Wild brings dreamy beats to The National
Quentin Rice, Staff Writer Big Wild performed in Richmond once many years ago at a small venue for a modest crowd of electronic music fans. “For anyone who hasn’t seen me since the last show, which is probably unlikely because there were only a few people in the crowd, they can expect something a lot […]
A guide to this week’s creepy Halloween playlist
Quentin Rice, Staff Writer Halloween playlists are stale. Everywhere you turn, hearing “Thriller” and the “Ghostbusters” theme song is inevitable. But there are many genuinely creepy sounds out there that are seldom played in October. Here’s some of my thinking behind the unorthodox picks that show up on my Halloween 2019 playlist. ‘Bela Lugosi’s […]
Art build unites climate activists in Oregon Hill
Quentin Rice, Staff Writer Participants sat outside on an unusually hot October day and painted banners with phrases like “System change, not climate change” and “Dinosaurs against mass extinction.” Climate activists from the Extinction Rebellion, the Earth Folk Collective and other organizations met in Oregon Hill on Sunday to prepare for the All the Saints […]
Look out for these Richmond fall concerts
Quentin Rice, Staff Writer Autumn has finally arrived. Gone are the days of sweltering heat; cool days and colder nights are the new reality. But you don’t have to stay home with Netflix and a warm cup of tea. Here are some upcoming indoor shows in Richmond that can keep you busy as the days […]
Jenn Nkiru visits ICA to share films that explore blackness through music
Quentin Rice, Staff Writer Jenn Nkiru had an interest in electronic music at a young age, but it wasn’t until she attended the Detroit Electronic Music Festival in 2010 that she realized exactly what she liked about it. “It was a moment for me that just connected so many dots,” Nkiru said. “I kind of […]
The Workshop offers tech tools to art students, independent creators
Quentin Rice, Staff Writer Some VCU students may be surprised to find out that they have access to 3D printers, Photoshop, Ableton and even telescopes absolutely free of charge. The Workshop, in the Cabell Library basement, offers all of this, as well as basic instruction to help students learn to use the hardware and software. […]
Them Coulee Boys bring Midwest Americana to Virginia
Quentin Rice, Staff Writer “All we know about your state so far is this restaurant, a gas station and those cool little stickers they hand out that say ‘Virginia is for lovers,’” said guitarist and vocalist Soren Staff to an attentive evening crowd. “And we’ve loved it so far.” Them Coulee Boys, an Americana band […]
Sculpture professor digs into the past — literally
Quentin Rice, Staff Writer Casts of hands, knees, rocks and coins are all part of the newest exhibit from VCUarts professor of sculpture and extended media Corin Hewitt. Hewitt visited the Institute for Contemporary Art on Wednesday to speak about his career and current project, “Shadows are to Shade,” which is on display at the […]