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2024 in Review

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Bill Frisell Trio at the Tin Pan on Wednesday, Nov. 20. Photo taken by Warren Parker. Squint long enough and you might recognize someone…

2024 was a lot of things. Not all were great, but at its best, 2024 was The Year I Was on Bill Frisell’s Instagram Twice™. The first was when this Style Weekly Q&A went live, a few days before his November show at the Tin Pan. Red Hook Records, the label that released Frisell’s 2024 ad hoc trio album, Breaking the Shell, was kind enough to reshare the article and Bill’s account reposted.

The second was after the show, when WarHen Records founder Warren Parker posted the shot above (subsequently reposted to Frisell’s stories). It’s evidence of the awestruck look that did not leave my face until Frisell and his bandmates were done casting their 90-minute spell. What a privilege it was chatting with the endlessly inspirational guitarist, and what a joy it was seeing him from the very first table inside the doors of the Tin Pan.

As I did last year around this time, I wanted to drop a post here with a few lists: articles I wrote, shows I saw, and albums released in 2024 that have taken up residence at YHT HQ.

Articles I Wrote

Thanks to everyone who made these pieces possible: the brilliant musicians I chatted with, my editors (especially Brent at Style Weekly), and @maddyaboutfood, who reacts with saintly patience when I ask her to be a second set of eyes at like 10 p.m. the night before an article is due. I’m an unreasonably lucky dude.

Striking Gold: “Golden Country, Volume 1” captures the lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry between Justin Golden and Devil’s Coattails.
Style Weekly, January 2, 2024

Going Solo: A Q&A with the Camel’s outgoing co-owner, Lucas Fritz, and its new sole proprietor, Matt Hansen (pictured).
Style Weekly, January 16, 2024

Road Game: A Q&A with Will Anderson of rising Brooklyn band, Hotline TNT.
Style Weekly, January 17, 2024

Album Outlook in 2024: Six Richmond-affiliated artists (and a label) with new music on the way this year.
Style Weekly, January 23, 2024

A Second Debut: Adrian Ciucci, leader of the Southern Belles, on the group’s quiet hiatus and revised modus operandi.
Style Weekly, January 31, 2024

Return to the River: The sequel to the award-winning environmental documentary, “Headwaters Down,” journeys deeply and widely.
Style Weekly, February 26, 2024

Settling In, Leveling Up: A veteran of the Newport Folk Festival, Richmond-based folk trio Palmyra is ready for its biggest local gig yet.
Style Weekly, February 27, 2024

Battling Dad: Richmond rapper Cane goes viral turning fatherhood into battle rap.
Style Weekly, March 12, 2024

Unbroken Circle: The Carter Family’s Legacy and How to Find it in Southwestern Virginia
Virginia Tourism Blog, March 25, 2025

That One Song: “God’s Song” by Prabir Trio
Style Weekly, March 26, 2024

Keeping the Flame: Bandleader and streaming service apostate Timothy Bailey on his “New Love Stories” album which comes out in May.
Style Weekly, March 29, 2024

Time to Shine: Ratboys singer Julia Steiner on touring Japan, band bonding, and the importance of aimless country drives.
Style Weekly, April 1, 2024

That One Song: Richmond indie-pop standout Tyler Meacham’s recent single, “dream house,” is a graceful meditation on grief.
Style Weekly, April 15, 2024

Remembering Wes: A concert and art auction, Wes Freed Day takes place at the Canal Club on April 27.
Style Weekly, April 23, 2024

Dojo Inferno: Virginia garage-psych veterans the Ar-Kaics return with red-hot new album “See the World on Fire.”
Style Weekly, May 7, 2024

Worth Knowing, Worth Going: Hazy, stargazy Richmond rock band Rikki Rakki will celebrate the vinyl release of “Breaking Skin” at Plan 9
Style Weekly, May 22, 2024

Back in the Pocket: Ace drummer Nate Smith extends his “Pocket Change” solo album series and his influence.
Style Weekly, May 27, 2024

One City, Two Films at Sundance: A pair of criminal justice documentaries with Richmond roots captivated audiences at the Utah film festival.
Style Weekly, June 3, 2024

Friday Affirmation: Durham singer-songwriter Tre. Charles will scale up his message of introspection as Friday Cheers opening act.
Style Weekly, June 19, 2024

Worth Knowing, Worth Going: Richmond-raised guitarist Jack Stepanian brings blues riffs and brisk momentum to Get Tight Lounge.
Style Weekly, June 25, 2024

Worth Knowing, Worth Going: Americana outfit Holy Roller headlines the second annual Road to Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion showcase at the Broadberry.
Style Weekly, July 17, 2024

A Plunky good time: Concert to bring jazz icon’s multifaceted legacy to life
Richmond Free Press, July 18, 2024

Standing Together: The return of 804 Day celebrates the vibrancy of Richmond’s music community
Richmond Magazine, July 29, 2024

The Color of Sound: The Richmond Jazz and Music Festival returns to Maymont for a star-studded 12th year
Richmond Magazine, August 2, 2024

Sonic Storyteller: From working with iconic filmmaker David Lynch to outfitting his own studio in Bon Air, Dean Hurley explores the extremes of sound.
Style Weekly, August 20, 2024

A Meant-To-Be Trio: Guitarist Scott Metzger of LaMP joins three of the jam scene’s most revered instrumentalists for another Broadberry blowout.
Style Weekly, August 21, 2024

Latin Jazz and Salsa Festival sets the stage for unity
Richmond Free Press, August, 29, 2024

Worth Knowing, Worth Going: WRIR DJ Freddie J will spin Japanese music from his own vinyl collection at Plan 9.
Style Weekly, September 11, 2024

Drop Zone: A preview of some anticipated local album releases.
Style Weekly, September 14, 2024

Drawing Us Together: Illustrator Robert Meganck on his love of music and designing the 2024 RFF poster.
Style Weekly, September 23, 2024

The Chronicle Continues: Horsehead charges into the future with a 20th anniversary celebration.
Style Weekly, October 1, 2024

The Torchbearer: Known for playing in major Virginia rock bands, Charlie Glenn is finally releasing his own debut solo album on a special night.
Style Weekly, October 8, 2024

Virginia’s Farm Aid: A new country and Americana festival, Virginia Farm Fest, to benefit the Central Virginia Poultry Co-op.
Style Weekly, October 14, 2024

From The Ground Up: Virginia rock duo Illiterate Light continues growing organically with new album “Arches.”
Style Weekly, October 30, 2024

A Parting Gift: Concert to raise relocation funds for Minimum Wage Recording Studios owner Lance Koehler.
Style Weekly, November 13, 2024

Elements of Surprise: Jazz guitar legend Bill Frisell and his longtime trio push into the unknown.
Style Weekly, November 18, 2024

Spinning Season’s Cheer: A new vinyl Christmas compilation unites Virginia artists in the fight against cancer.
Style Weekly, December 5, 2024

Top 40 Under 40: Ant the Symbol, 36
Style Weekly, December 10, 2024

Top 40 Under 40: Doug Nunnally, 38
Style Weekly, December 10, 2024

Worth Knowing, Worth Going: Eclectic sonic explorer Cloud M will celebrate the release of “Cazimi” this weekend.
Style Weekly, December 16, 2024

Style Wrapped: Looking back on a year of listening to Richmond’s music scene.
Style Weekly, December 18, 202

Shows I Saw

Another year, another failure to keep a running list of shows. I even started a concert journal this year – that was fun while it lasted, but it didn’t last long. As best I can recall in retrospect, here’s what I saw:

1/18/24 Erin Lunsford and Tristan Dougherty at the Sefton Listening Room
1/20/24 Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Yam Yam at the National
1/22/24 Wednesday and Hotline TNT at the Broadberry
2/16/24 Skyway Man, Abby Huston and Less Blank at Spacebomb
2/23/24 Kendall Street Company at the Camel
3/13/24 Lamplight, Saw Black and Burns Burly West at Black Iris
3/14/24 Big Cat at Sefton Listening Room
4/13/24 Curt Sydnor at St. John’s Episcopal Church
4/13/24 Shovels & Rope and Al Olender at the Broadberry
4/27/24 Patterson Hood at the Canal Club
4/28/24 Waxahatchee and Good Morning at the National
5/2/24 Futurebirds and Jack Stepanian at the National
5/4/24 Tim Bailey & the Humans at the Basement
5/10/24 Daniel Donato and Mackenzie Roark on Brown’s Island
5/23/24 Trey Burnart Hall and Jon Charles Dwyer at the Sefton Listening Room
5/24/24 The Legendary Ingramettes, Woody Woodworth and Knifing Around on Brown’s Island
5/26/24 Shinyribs at Get Tight Lounge
5/27/24 Daydream Fest at Main Line Brewing
6/10/24 Drive-By Truckers at Lewis Ginter
6/14/24 Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners and Deau Eyes on Brown’s Island
6/21/24 Digable Planets and Tre. Charles on Brown’s Island
6/24/22 Jake Xerxes Fussell and The Great Beforetimes at Richmond Music Hall
6/28/24 Sam Barber, Jake Kohn and Villages on Brown’s Island
6/28/24 Jack Stepanian and Caroline Vain at Get Tight Lounge
6/29/24 Erin Lunsford house show
8/2/24-8/4/24 Newport Jazz Festival
8/23/24 LaMP at the Broadberry
8/24/24 Dean Hurley, Amminal and Second Dinner at Gallery5
8/28/24 King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard and Geese on Brown’s Island
9/6/24 Jonathan Russell and David Shultz at the Sefton Listening Room
9/9/24 Goose Ting at Pavilion
10/2/24 Vampire Weekend and Cults at Ting Pavilion
10/4/24 Horsehead at Starr Hill Richmond Beer Hall
10/5/24 Miramar with the Richmond Symphony at the Dominion Center
10/5/24 Justin Golden and The Great Beforetimes at the Camel
10/10/24-10/12/24 Richmond Folk Festival
10/12/24 Charlie Glenn and Deau Eyes at the Camel
10/17/24 The Dead Tongues and Libby Rodenbough at Richmond Music Hall
10/21/24 Chris Cohen, Benet, Shormey and Ethanol at Get Tight Lounge
11/8/24 André 3000 and serpentwithfeet at the Altria
11/13/24 Goose at the Anthem
11/15/24 Sturgill Simpson at Hampton Coliseum
11/17/24 Bio Ritmo, No BS! Brass Band and Juston Golden at the Broadberry
11/20/24 Bill Frisell Trio at the Tin Pan
11/30/24 Modern Groove Syndicate and Mekong Xpress & the Get Fresh Horns at the Camel
12/7/24 Nate Smith and Butcher Brown at the National
12/21/24 DJ Williams and Grateful Jed at Smartmouth Brewing Co.
12/29/24 Low Cut Connie at the Tin Pan

2024 Albums I Acquired

I loved plenty of 2024 albums not listed below, but here are the ones that I managed to pick up a physical copy of. I did do a Top-10 for Uproxx’s critics poll again, but that hasn’t been posted yet. I’ll be sure to add a link when it’s available.

Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
The Ar-Kaics – The See the World on Fire
Timothy Bailey & the Humans – New Love Stories
Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter
Bonny Light Horseman – Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free
Alan Braufman – Infinite Love Infinite Tears
Bright Eyes – Five Dice, All Threes
Anna Butterss – Mighty Vertebrate
Chris Cohen – Paint a Room
Louis Cole – Nothing
The Dead Tongues – Body Of Light / I Am A Cloud
The Decemberists – As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again
DJ Harrison – Shades of Yesterday
Jon Charles Dwyer – Chorus
Father John Misty – Mahashmashana
The Fearless Flyers – The Fearless Flyers IV
Sierra Ferrell – Trail of Flowers
FM Skyline – Images
Mabe Fratti – Sentir Que No Sabes
Amaro Freitas – Y’Y
Futurebirds – Easy Company
Angelica Garcia – Gemelo
Sam Gendel and Sam Wilkes – The Doober
Myriam Gendron – Mayday
Good Morning – Seven
Nigel Hall & DJ Harrison – The Burning Bush: A Journey Through the Music of Earth, Wind & Fire
Helado Negro – Phasor
Hiatus Kaiyote – Love Heart Cheat Code
Brittany Howard – What Now
Christian Lee Hutson – Paradise Pop. 10
Hurray for the Riff Raff – The Past Is Still Alive
Illiterate Light – Arches
Itasca – Imitation of War
Jamie xx – In Waves
Johnny Blue Skies – Passage Du Desir
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Flight b741
Gold Connections – Fortune
Pokey LaFarge – Rhumba Country
Julian Lage – Speak to Me
Lamplight – Lamplight
Charles Lloyd – The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow
John Moreland – Visitor
Fabiano Do Nascimento and Sam Gendel – The Room
Nickelus F – MMCHT
Misha Panfilov – To the Mesosphere and Beyond
Jeff Parker ETA IVtet – The Way Out of Easy
Parlor Greens – In Green We Dream
Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch
Joe Pug – Sketch of a Promised Departure
Tomeka Reid Quartet – 3 + 3
Peni Candra Rini – Wulansih
Bryant Roses – Bring It Back Around
Shabaka – Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace
Nala Sinephro – Endlessness
The Smile – Wall of Eyes
The Smile – Cutouts
Billy Strings – Highway Prayers
Tidiane Thiam – Africa Yontii
Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us
Kamasi Washington – Fearless Movement
Willie Watson – Willie Watson
Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Woodland
Wild Pink – Dulling the Horns
Yasmin Williams – Acadia
Thom Yorke – Confidenza

Also 2024 But Archival/Live/Compilation/Other

Alice Coltrane – The Carnegie Hall Concert
Justin Townes Earle – All In: Unreleased & Rarities (The New West Years)
Emahoy Tsegue-Mariam Guebru – Souvenirs
Fleet Foxes – Live on Boston Harbor
The Grateful Dead – Duke ’78
Horse Lords – As It Happened: Horse Lords Live
Jason Isbell – Live from the Ryman Vol. 2
Paul McCartney – One Hand Clapping
Panda Bear – Reset Mariachi EP
Emily Remler – Cookin’ At The Queens: Live In Las Vegas 1984 & 1988
The Smile – Don’t Get Me Started / The Slip
Billy Strings – Live Vol. 1
Vampire Weekend – Frog On The Bass Drum Vol. 02: Una Notte A Milano 7.9.19 Con Vampire Weekend
Various – Love Hides All Faults
Various – Long Distance Love: A Sweet Relief Tribute to Lowell George
Various – European Primitive Guitar (1974​-​1987)
Various – Xmas in VA
J. Roddy Walston – Christmas to the Bone
Thom Yorke – Confidenza

I’m sure I’ve forgotten stuff, but 2025 is knocking. See y’all then.

Bandcamp Friday: February 2023

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Bandcamp Friday is back!

I thought I’d celebrate by doing a quick catch-up on non-bloggy writing of mine that’s come out in January, starting with…

49 Winchester — Fortune Favors the Bold

I had a chance to speak with 49 Winchester frontman Isaac Gibson about the amazing year they had last year, as well as the band’s beginnings in Russell County, Virginia. Click here to check out the resulting article and hear Gibson sing about Russell County below.

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Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams — Live At Levon’s!

I’m still pinching myself at having gotten to speak with Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, who found “musical nirvana” working with one another after so many years working alongside some of music’s biggest names. I absolutely love their new live album. Read about it here, and if you’re in Richmond, I can’t recommend their show tonight at Richmond Music Hall highly enough.

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Gold Connections — “Around Your Eye“

I spoke with Will Marsh of Gold Connections about the Indiegogo he’s launched to fund studio time for his next album, as well as the song he’s made the centerpiece of that campaign, “Around Your Eye.” It’s a characteristically killer song, and you can read about what inspired it here.

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David Shultz — “Coaster“

Not a new song, but I did get to do a new interview with David Shultz recently. He and the founder of Sefton Coffee Co., Jennie-Mae Skinner, have started a new and wildly enchanting listening room series in the basement space next door to their coffee shop. Read about it here and be sure to snag a ticket for the next one soon — I bet it’ll sell out quick.

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Other stuff I have my eye on:

Joe Westerlund — Elegies for the Drift
Philip James Murphy Jr — wren in the rain
Bradford Thomas — Bradventure 5
Hotspit — Memory of a Mirror Image
Mink’s Miracle Medicine — “Bottomless Lake” (John Prine cover)

Justin Golden

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I thought I’d start off the week by sharing a song that’s been an uplifting presence in my life — Justin Golden’s new one, entitled “Arm’s Length.”

I chatted with Golden for a River City Magazine piece published at the very start of 2020, and it stands in my memory as such a rewarding conversation. It was a joy learning about Golden’s journey and influences, and about his devotion to musical preservation. Here’s one passage of that interview that stuck with me, about why he started transcribing lesser-known blues songs from the past:

What motivated you to start transcribing?

Documentation and performance. I’m not really so worried about recording it for me to put out to make money. I just want to have it in my repertoire, and be able to show it. In the blues community, some people are considered culture-bearers, or torch-bearers, and I think I’m starting to be one of those people. I feel the charge to actually get out there and do it, because that’s what I like to listen to, and another 100 years goes by and no one’s going to know how to do this…

“Arm’s Length” is a testament to the timelessness of Golden’s approach. The sharp guitar licks, the simmer of the slide, the overall warmth of the mix… “Arm’s Length” is a joy to listen to, and it paints a vivid picture of Golden’s knack for making traditional elements feel fresh and vibrant.

Most of all, I love how cathartic the chorus is. I think we all need to hear that “It’s ok” from time to time, and it’s especially meaningful hearing that in between verses in which ambiguity is present.

Whatever the upcoming week brings, I bet it’ll be better with “Arm’s Length” in your life.

Fiddlin’

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Y’all make it out to the Folk Festival this weekend?

Our weekend was packed, but I made it out for two sets I was especially invested in: Petroloukas Halkias and Vasilis Kostas playing traditional Greek music from the Epirus region (the style Christopher C. King focuses on in his book Lament from Epirus), and a performance by the Galax, VA-based Willard Gayheart Family, which included a mini-set from the namesake patriarch’s granddaughter, Dori Freeman. (If you haven’t heard Freeman’s excellent new album Every Single Star, make that the very next thing you treat your ears to.) Both groups were excellent — well worth the hectic micro-scheduling that seeing them required. As a side note, if you happened to see a grown “adult” running in plain clothes around the festival grounds in the neighborhood of noon on Saturday, Sunday, or both, just know that he felt exactly as undignified as he looked, and that he regrets nothing. (Keep an eye out for YHT-branded “Will Run for Folk Music” bumper stickers.)

As luck would have it, we’re zooming toward another opportunity for Richmond-based old-time fans to enjoy the sounds of Galax. Tomorrow (Oct. 15) evening at 7:15, the Byrd Theatre will be showing a new documentary about the Old Fiddler’s Convention, the multi-day competition that brings old-time instrumentalists from all over — and outside — the country to Galax each August. The film is called Fiddlin’, and it’s billed as “a foot-stomping celebration of true Americana and artistic expression.” I’ve never been to the convention myself, though I’ve seen a few clips and spoken to folks who are involved. It’s already on my Virginia music bucket list, and I bet it’ll be a few notches higher after tomorrow. Did I mention Dori Freeman is listed among the Fiddlin’ cast?

The showing is free (presented by JAMinc) and open to the public. Best of all, if you leave your house early enough, you won’t have to run from your car to the theater to catch the start!

Hope to see you there.

 

J.C. Kuhl

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This is a J.C. Kuhl appreciation post.

I realized on Wednesday night that I’d been hearing Kuhl’s saxophone with a remarkable regularity over the course of the last week. Thought I’d share the timeline:

Last Friday, I set a new personal record for earliest Record Store Day arrival time, motivated primarily by Known About Town: Library Music Compendium One — the snazzy Coke-bottle-green vinyl compilation that pulled together tracks from the quarterly Library Music cassettes the Spacebomb House Band released throughout 2018. How motivated was I? Back on February 28, the day Spacebomb announced Known About Town, I emailed Bill at BK Music to say “I may end up setting a new personal record for earliest RSD arrival time this year.” I made it to BK a little before 5:30 a.m., when it was still dark and raining cats and dogs. Fortunately the Stratford Hills Shopping Center has a covered walkway perfect for a line of lawn chairs, and even more fortunately, I was near enough to the front to snag one of a few signed copies of Known About Town. Guess who contributed sax to the album? J.C. Kuhl.

Two days later, in the considerably comfier environs of my couch, I took in a live set by Mekong Xpress & the Get Fresh Horns. The band has started streaming their regular Monday night sets at The Answer via Facebook, and joining in has become a weekly ritual. It’s not the same as being there in person, which happened more regularly when the YHT crew lived just a short bike ride from the Mekong/Answer epicenter, but I love that I can still stay connected to the group, which is as stacked and sensational as any in town. And who’s there on sax, whipping songs into a frenzy with screaming solos that make you feel like you are there in person? J.C. Kuhl.

Two days later, Mrs. YHT and I made it out — got a babysitter and everything — to the Tin Pan, excited to see fellow University of Richmond alum (and my former bandmate, briefly) Andrew Schutte play bass with the Latin Jazz Messengers, a group led by trumpeter and UR professor Michael Davison. We were seated front and center and treated to an excellent set, which ranged from standards like “Caravan” and “Guantanamera” to a few unfamiliar tunes I’m looking forward to getting to know better. (I’m especially excited about having heard “The Preacher” and “Sister Sadie,” a pair of Horace Silver compositions that I’m hoping will serve as an overdue entry point to Silver’s body of work.) And guess who was there — and I mean right there, just a few feet away from our table, sipping red wine and trading solos with Davison and the rest of the gang? I think you see where I’m headed here.

J.C. Kuhl: a player for whom “known about town” couldn’t be more fitting.

Virginia’s Travel Blog

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Hot off the blog presses — my latest post for Virginia’s Travel Blog is up! I explored a few ways you can walk in the footsteps of some of Virginia’s musical legends, from Ralph Stanley and Dave Matthews to Bruce Hornsby and René Marie.

One fun addendum: I included a section on Jason Mraz, and while it focuses on his involvement with SPARC (School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community) and their annual LIVE ART show, Mraz brought this idea full circle by releasing a video that was shot in and around Richmond, meaning he’s essentially walking in his own footsteps. So meta. Check the video out below and click here to read my “Where They’re From” post on Virginia’s Travel Blog.

Virginia’s Travel Blog

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Very excited to share that I got to write a second series of music-themed posts for Virginia’s Travel Blog. And two are already up:

Here’s the setup:

Whether you enjoy a heartwarming song or a heart-racing outdoor adventure, your options in Virginia are nearly endless. In fact, you don’t have to choose between the two. The following festivals, venues, and pairings show how you can get your adrenaline pumping in the Old Dominion via live music and lively activities — often at the same time!

From FloydFest and Dominion RiverRock to the wilds of Southwestern Virginia, lots to explore here. Follow this link to read the post.

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How do you sum up Virginia’s contributions to jazz in just one blog post? You can’t, obviously, but I tried to give a little info about some of the prominent people, places, and events that make the state such an amazing destination for jazz fans. Whether you’re big on Butcher Brown or wild about Warrenton, there’s a blurb or two here for you. Check out the post here.

For more information, I highly recommend Don Harrison’s article about Virginia’s jazz tradition in the February issue of Virginia Living. Tons of great info there as well, and the layout is stunning, complete with Devonne Harris and Marcus Tenney on the cover!

VOTE

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Hey, Virginia! In case you hadn’t already gotten the hint from the terrifying commercials they’re showing between Jeopardy! segments, there’s an election today! A big one, too — we’re choosing a new governor, and we’ll either be promoting current lieutenant governor Ralph Northam (recommended by this blog) or handing the keys to the race-baiting Republican who turned our state into a gerrymandered mess and is suddenly retweeting Donald Trump (gross).

I’ve already voted, and I’d love it if you followed my lead and voted for the folks with a “D” next to their names, but regardless of which bubbles you fill in, I hope you vote. There are so many important choices being made today, and more people being involved means better choices. I truly believe it.

Here’s some info on what to bring with you to the polls:

And here’s a song to listen to on your way there. It has nothing to do with politics, as far as I know, but it’s what my phone decided to throw at me while I was driving to the polls. Then again, I guess a voting booth could qualify as an A/B machine? I dunno, just please go vote, y’all.

Sleigh Bells — “A/B Machines” [Spotify/iTunes]

 

brb

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Currently sitting in Reagan National Airport, fixing to hop on a Chicago-bound plane with the whole fam. Two parents. One three year old. One five month old. Pray for us.

Speaking of prayer, I thought I’d designate “Jesus, Etc.” as my musical away message. I found an original pressing of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot on Wednesday, which still blows my mind. I’d even saved the repress on my Discogs want list, thinking I’d never find an original within a reasonable price range. The vinyl gods have clearly blessed this mess of a trip.

I’ll be sure to say hi to the Wilco Towers™ for y’all.

Wilco — “Jesus, Etc.” [Spotify/iTunes]

 

Virginia’s Travel Blog

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One more post for Virginia’s Tourism Blog to tell y’all about, called “Building Bridges: International Music Experiences In Virginia.” I sincerely hope you’ll read it and send the link around — getting outside of your musical comfort zone is such a worthwhile and soul-replenishing thing to do, and I’m certain that if it happened more often, people would understand each other in ways they don’t currently.

Best of all, Richmonders can get started right away! You’ll find Afro-Zen Allstars among the bands mentioned, and they’ll be at Garden Grove Brewing Company in Carytown tonight, continuing their monthly residency there. Can’t recommend it highly enough.

I wanted to take a second to thank Andrew Cothern and all the other folks at Virginia Tourism for letting me write these posts. It’s such an honor to tell these stories and represent the musical traditions of the state I’ve called home my entire life. I’ve learned a ton in the last few months, and I hope to be able to share more stories like these in the future.

To play us out, here’s another Richmond band I mention in the post — venerated salsa outfit Bio Ritmo:

Bio Ritmo — “La Vía” [Spotify/iTunes]