The music portion of Richmond’s brand spankin’ new Fall Line Fest kicks off later this evening, and with dozens of acts spread across two nights and four venues, fun times are sure to be had and new favorite bands are waiting to be discovered.
Coming up with a plan of attack for events like this is always an adventure within itself, and a few intrepid Richmond bloggers have posted handy previews that can help you navigate the weekend’s events:
- Click here for RVA Playlist’s Fall Line Fest: Crash Course, which offers a fantastic overview of the goings-on, musical and otherwise. One thing I enjoyed reading about was the Record Label Expo, an event hosted by WRIR that aims to connect area bands with local and regional labels. It’s not the only non-concert item on the festival’s calendar, but it’s a wonderful testament to the community-centric approach that the Fall Line Fest organizers have taken.
- Sounds of RVA has created an awesome two-part preview, which you can view here and here. With lots of sample songs and band descriptions, it’s worth combing through carefully when you’re trying to decide where to go when and which unfamiliar groups are worth checking out.
- The Cheats Movement Blog wrote a great post — a “Family Talk” he called it — about how to take full advantage of the festival. He makes some excellent points, my favorite of which has to do with the right mindset to have going into an inaugural event of this scale. In his words, “I know you think that every festival is run by super-professionals that never screw anything up. Well, I got news for you. This is the first year of FLF and there will undoubtedly be “something” screwed up. I don’t know what it is but I’m telling you now – don’t let any minor thing throw you off your mission of having a good time.” Well put, if you ask me.
I’m still in the process of plotting my own route through the weekend’s craziness, but I do know where I’ll be from 4-8 p.m. on Saturday. I decided to answer Shannon Cleary’s call to support Richmond’s festival scene by volunteering, and I’ve been assigned to help out at Gallery 5. I’m not sure what I’ll be doing, but I’m excited to be part of an event that’s so ambitious and inclusive, and I can’t wait to report back on the experience.
Since that’s about as much planning as I’ve done, I thought I’d share my own quickie preview, featuring the bands that will be performing while I’m at Gallery 5 (there are even more performing there later Saturday night, so check the master schedule for the full list). I’ve posted album art, sample songs and set times below, and I hope to see you there!
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Positive No — 6 p.m.
Positive No — “Pocket Park” [Soundcloud]
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Cruiser — 6:45 p.m.
Cruiser — “To California” [Bandcamp]
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Suburban Living — 7:30 p.m.
Suburban Living — “Always Eyes” [Bandcamp]
You Hear That 