I came into this performance of WitchDuck by Cadence at Firehouse Theatre with a vague understanding that this had some historical relevance to “witch” dunking (or ducking) in Virginia in the late 1600s and early 1700s. I knew it had something to say about feminism.

Big Dipper Innovation Summit isn’t just happening inside Main Street Station this week. The conversations are spilling out into Richmond, with a full slate of after-hours events under the Extended Play banner.

Salaam Bhatti breaks down healthcare costs, donor influence, and why so many people are still struggling despite earning more than ever.

According to the Virginia Department of Health, there were 1,548 drug overdose deaths among Virginia residents in 2024, a 37% decrease from 2023. Emergency department visits for overdoses also declined, with 18,292 reported, down 16% year over year.

“Big Flame is Gonna Break My Heart in Two” by Richmond writer Nate Waggoner drifts through the blur of early college years, where friendships, parties, and half-formed relationships collide into something harder to shake than it should be.

No shortage of good causes this week. It makes me so happy to know how many Richmonders are willing to come together to try to help their communities through music, never stop being you Richmond.

The court ruled 4–3 that lawmakers failed to follow the constitutional process required to place the amendment on the ballot, invalidating the results of a special election in which more than three million Virginians cast ballots.

“I don’t know how it could have gone better,” said artist Ian C. Hess, an event organizer with Little Giant Society and owner of Supply Art Store. “It was crazy. People showed up from pretty much the moment it started to the moment it ended. All types of Richmond were out there.”

I’m also looking forward to talking with the team behind this weekend’s Rest Fest, Rick Plautz and Lindsay Hess, to see what they have in store to help restore our energy and set us on more stable footing as we navigate stressful times.

When people from different worlds end up in the same room, it’s not a conference for the sake of it. It becomes something closer to an ongoing, working conversation in real time. That’s what the Big Dipper Innovation Summit is aiming for as it returns May 12–14 at Main Street Station.

If you are in the market for a glass eye in the same shade as your lover’s, some elaborate hair jewelry, or even an electric couch to use as a Victorian cure-all, then you need to head over to The Veiled Mirror.

“High energy, high discipline” was the chant from activists from the Richmond chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation as they prepared for their rally at the old coffee house, their red t-shirts proudly proclaiming “Socialism is the future.”

The worst kept secret in Richmond is finally official. After weeks of speculation, Iron Blossom has confirmed what a lot of people were already betting on: Jack White and LCD Soundsystem are heading to Richmond this fall.

Happy May Day! Special shoutout to anyone that plays music, works in music, or likes music, and anyone who has managed to not fit in one of those categories. Got a lot of really fun shows this week with an absurd amount of local talent.

Sometimes you have to catch someone at the bar and do the interview. I’ve known Mike Ireland for a while now and we had talked about doing this for months, so after a quick round, we stepped outside and spent five minutes on it.

Recently, while eating carnitas in East LA, I check my phone and get blasted with an absurd screenshot. A text out of nowhere from my old college roommate, Dave: “Dude, been a minute! I was reading about the esteemed Kash Patel and wouldn’t you know, he went to the University of the Institution!”

Britain is trying something. They’ve approved a plan where, if you were born in 2009 or later, you’d never be allowed to legally buy cigarettes. The age just keeps moving up every year, and at some point there’s a whole group of adults who were never let in.

It’s now been about a month since I had this conversation with Tim Cywinski. It has remained relevant despite the century of news that has transpired since then.

Jonathon Moseley appeared in Henrico County court on April 23 and April 27 to face charges of practicing law without a license, stemming from events connected to a 2023 burglary case.

GWAR is asking fans and the broader community to step up in support of co-founder Chuck Varga, who is currently battling cancer.

NYC garage rockers The Thing are coming down for a nice Saturday in RVA. Like any New York guitar group should be, they are scrappy and energetic, waxing poetry and riffs into vivid scenes.

Scheduled for Saturday April 25 from 12-5pm, the event will serve as a live proof of concept for what supporters have described as a “vibrant arts park,” an open, artist-led space.

RVA Magazine presents It’s Still Our City, a podcast hosted by Harrison Christy and with Clair Morgan as co-host and producer through NODDERLY. It’s an unfiltered dive into what gives Richmond, VA its charm, and its soul. If you’ve ever wondered what makes this city tick, this one’s for you.

Richmond’s do-it-yourself music scene is shifting as traditional house venues become less central, but artists and organizers say the community continues to adapt in new ways. This shift mirrors the national trend of independent venues struggling to make ends meet, according to Forbes.

Before the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU was even around, and before the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts really began to embrace contemporary work, especially anything connected to street art or artists working in the present, Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art was already doing that work.

Virginia grassroots organizations are working to sustain and grow a movement following the nationwide No Kings protests on March 28.

Join us for Salon de Résistance on April 30 at Black Iris for an unfiltered conversation about the role of art and culture during times of political upheaval with three of Richmond’s leading artists. This is a free event open to the public.

Lamb of God returned to the region Sunday night, headlining a stop on their 2026 North American tour at The Dome in Virginia Beach.

Virginia’s effort to revisit outdated cannabis convictions is moving forward again, though in a revised form that shifts how people access relief.

I had a friend ask me about redistricting. He was trying to figure out how to vote and admitted he did not really understand what was happening. He leans left, so the fact that he was unsure says something about how this issue is being presented right now.

Lawmakers are clearing the way for use of the psychedelic mushroom compound psilocybin as a potential medical treatment, once a formulation is approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

I sat down to talk with Vox, frontman, bassist, and singer of the seminal Manchester punk band The Chameleons, who will be at Richmond Music Hall on 4/20 playing alongside The Veldt.

So much going on this week. If you’ve got any time between marathons and Renaissance celebrations, there are a lot of great shows to catch. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? Hit me up at [email protected].

There are seats that stretch the wall in left field next to the foul pole fifty feet from the opposing team’s bullpen. I was sitting four bar chairs down from the pole waiting for my friend to arrive so we could get a dog and a burger before there were any lines. rvamag.com/community/sp...

Virginia lawmakers have approved changes to the state’s long-standing food-to-alcohol sales requirement for restaurants, easing restrictions that many operators have said no longer reflect how the industry works.

State lawmakers will soon return to the Capitol after ending the General Assembly session without a budget, in part due to some debate whether to continue current tax breaks for data centers.

First, on Saturday, April 25th, the Shorts program curated by Jordan Bruner and Zack Williams will screen at Studio Two Three, and the feature screening of Julian Glander’s Boys Go To Jupiter will play at The Byrd, Sunday, April 26th.

There was a new guy that moved across the street from me, a new neighbor, and every time he saw me on the front porch puffing away, he asked to bum a smoke. It got so incessant that I had begun smoking in the backyard instead, not wishing to part with any of my precious pack of cigarettes...

At age 13, singer Eli was already cutting his teeth in songwriting, lyrics, and guitar. “For a while I did solo stuff, and then one day [Henry] messaged me to play drums. I didn’t know who he was at all, and we just started Gaffer together.”

Writer’s Block is RVA Magazine’s series highlighting contemporary writers working in Richmond and across the Commonwealth. Each week, we feature original poems, short stories, or essays. Just real voices writing right now.

Jack White is scheduled to perform in Richmond on Sunday, September 20, according to a recent tour announcement that lists the date as a “festival headline performance” at a venue to be announced.

Key Gun Control Bills Advance in Virginia as Firearm Sales Surge Early indicators suggest Virginians responded to a slate of proposed gun control legislation with a noticeable increase in firearm background checks. rvamag.com/politics/vir...

Democrats and Republicans in the Virginia General Assembly were divided along party lines this session, but came together over some key issues. Out of nearly 2,400 bills introduced, 376 bills passed unanimously, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. rvamag.com/politics/vir...

RVA Live Music This Weekend | Willie Watson, Celler Dwellers, Squeaky Feet + Lofties Pretty guitar sounds all over the place. Country, indie, psyche bursting from every window and streetcorner in RVA this week. rvamag.com/music/rva-li...

Everything I Built for My Family Is Being Taken Away. Eight years ago, I made a leap of faith. Just a belief that if I built something legal, something real, something I could stand behind, I would have a fair chance to succeed. rvamag.com/opinion-edit...

I stopped for gas the other day, it’s $4.19 a gallon. You swipe your card, you move on. Inside, I grabbed a couple things without thinking. A two-pack of Reese’s and an iced tea. The kind of purchase made a thousand times from muscle memory. $3.45 for the candy. Four bucks for the tea.

Beloved humorist and New York Times bestselling author, David Sedaris, will land feet first on April 17th during a stop at the Altria Theater as part of his “An Evening with David Sedaris” 43-show US tour, featuring all-new readings and recollections.

The Far Way is an upcoming Richmond based film that needs some help from the community to get this adventure to the screen.

Writer’s Block is RVA Magazine’s series highlighting contemporary writers working in Richmond and across the Commonwealth. Each week, we feature original poems, short stories, or essays. Just real voices writing right now.

Lots of touring bands in this week's bracket. Keep Richmond on the radar for all these out of towners, and show them a good time. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? Hit me up at [email protected].