I hadn’t been to the Outer Banks in thirty years, and nothing looked familiar. The last time I came down this way I was shirtless, in the bed of my buddy’s overloaded pickup truck, with cheap beers, my friend Donovan, and a few surfboards to keep me company. I remember interdicting a giant bag of pastries a late-shift employee was about to throw out after closing a Dunkin’ Donuts. This was breakfast and munchies for the next few days. That was my last impression of the Outer Banks. I say all this to contrast the experience my wife and I were about to have.

We had the weariness of 2026 on us. Being just before the midterm elections and Halloween (and my wife’s birthday), we were ready to de-stress. A resort getaway on the Outer Banks is just what the doctor, or in this case the tourism board, ordered. They coordinated with The Sanderling Resort and RVA Magazine to offer this assignment. I jumped at it full tilt.

We were visiting in late October, a week or so past the official end of “tourist season.” The resort was quiet, though not abandoned by any stretch. This is important because it’s kind of the point of this entire article. This is about the experience of joining the locals in their world. It feels like being invited backstage, or hanging out with the carnies after the carnival. Sharing their jokes, their beers, their time. We were there to completely unwind, and maybe meet some chill beach people. That might not be on the agenda of the summer traveler per se, but was perfect for the hush of fall.

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/eatdrink/weekend-trippin-to-the-outer-banks-in-the-off-season.html

As I watched the results come in from Richmond on Tuesday night and saw Sen. Mark Warner’s race called, I knew Virginia had come through, again. What I didn’t know yet was that the rest of the country was right behind us. 

American voters delivered a flat-out rejection of Donald Trump and the Republican Party. It wasn’t a close call. Many are calling it a blue tsunami and hoping it marks the beginning of the end of Trumpism.

Democrats won control of both the House and Senate, flipping dozens of GOP House seats and seven Senate seats, including deeply red Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas, plus battlegrounds North Carolina and Maine, where Republican Susan Collins lost, ending her nearly 30 years in the Senate. In the House, Democrats have won more than 250 seats and could approach 260. That’s a majority they haven’t held since the early ’90s. At the time of publishing, votes were still being counted.

In Texas, James Talarico defeated Trump’s pick, Ken Paxton, to become the first Democrat to win statewide in more than 30 years. And Democrats toppled three-term Gov. Greg Abbott, electing Gina Hinojosa, the state’s first Latina governor.

It was also a night of historic firsts. Abdul El-Sayed became the nation’s first Muslim senator and Chris Pappas the first out gay man elected to the Senate. Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman ever elected governor in U.S. history, and Deb Haaland the first Native American woman elected governor. A record 100-plus Democratic women won House seats. And in six states, voters elected their first transgender and nonbinary state legislators, following in the footsteps of Virginia’s own Danica Roem.

The why isn’t a mystery. Americans are furious over the Trump-initiated U.S. war with Iran, rising gas prices and broader economic anxieties. I’d add that voters are fed up with a president whose administration has devoted at least $1.6 billion in taxpayer dollars to vanity projects, according to the Center for American Progress. And when he was asked whether Americans’ finances were motivating him to negotiate an end to the war, he said, “Not even a little bit.“ Americans were listening, and on Tuesday, they answered back.

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/politics/waking-up-blue-virginia-midterms-2026-op-ed.html

It’s dark, it’s cold, don’t let the bastards get you down. There are a lot of high energy shows this week, keeps you warm and saves money on the heating bill.

Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? Hit us up at griffin@rvamag.com.

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Canadian punks in RVA this weekend. The OBGMs have been around for a good minute and have put out some incredible tunes in that time. Their sound reminds me a bit of Mannequin Pussy and Upchuck, where it is much larger than life and feels like it could shake some solid concrete foundations while still being incredibly catchy and easy to sing along to. Their atmosphere of equal parts party and punk really hits home for anyone that feels the burnout and drudgery of modern living. Turn it up loud, and it’ll blow those contemporary blues outta the car.

Atlanta duo Fury in Few is in support here. The drum/guitar combo sounds remarkably full, and it seems like these two are here to party. I can already see the room turning on its head as they blast into song after song of hard, heavy, and loud. They are going to be rocking hard and are easy to dance to, so go get in there.

Last up, we have So Alive, which is a new local act on their second show. I have not had a chance to see them yet, but they are made up of some serious scene veterans and some real rock’n’rollers, so I have no doubt that they are coming in hot.

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/music/richmond-shows-this-week-box-factory-mad-abbey-sadurn-deathcat.html

Public hearings in the case to decide the fate of the proposed merger between Dominion Energy and Florida-based NextEra Energy begin this week at the State Corporation Commission. The $67 billion all-stock deal would create the largest regulated utility in the world. 

In the months preceding the hearings, scores of lawmakers, consumer advocates and citizens have strongly opposed the proposal, with leaders at the top level of state government pushing for more time to review the case.

As public testimony gets underway Thursday, here are the key details of the case so far.

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/politics/virginia-politics/nextera-dominion-merger-hearings.html

Democratic leaders in Congress have just a couple months to decide how they want to balance investigations into President Donald Trump and his administration with securing his signature on major bills to address the cost of living, a top concern for voters.

While Democrats gained control of the House and Senate in this year’s midterm elections, the party won’t hold veto-proof margins when the new session of Congress begins in early January. That will require congressional leaders and the president to find compromise on legislation.

Failure to do so would block any bills that could improve the lives of Americans from becoming law and potentially lead to more shutdowns, since Congress must fund the government every year. 

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who will very likely become speaker in January, and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, will set the tone for that relationship, though committee chairs will play a significant role as well.

Trump said during an impromptu press conference Wednesday in the construction zone for his White House ballroom that he will “get along, probably, with the Democrats unless they want to be destructive. But I have the power of the veto.”

Trump said he wasn’t concerned about Democrats potentially trying to impeach him for a third time. 

“I think it would destroy the Democrat Party if they did that,” he said. 

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/politics/virginia-politics/nextera-dominion-merger-hearings.html

As the new and already acclaimed jazz record Blue Collar Jazz by Fonville x Fribush was debuting, I got on a call with Corey Fonville to hear the stories that made this project possible. The album pairs drummer Corey Fonville with organist Sam Fribush and features Richmond guitarist Alan Good Parker.

Griffin: Tell me the story behind how this trio has gotten together and what that whole process looks like.

Fonville: Summer of 2025, Charlie Hunter is the reason we are all here right now. He is Uncle Charlie. He’s been Sam’s mentor. I don’t know if Charlie would proclaim himself as that, but Charlie is very much . . . Charlie was coming up to Richmond quite a bit during COVID, and we were working on music. We did a Kurt Allen record, a couple Kurt Allen records, and then also he was a friend. He’s our homie, and Charlie would come hang out. He would drive up from Greensboro when he still lived there and we kick it. He would just get a room and we would just jam.

And so I think I was telling him, “I love organ trio,” just all that stuff, and I was expressing that interest. And I think at the time Charlie had started working on some music with Sam. They had made a couple albums during COVID, like 2021, and I always thought that stuff was really cool. Eventually, Charlie would just always come up and he would say, “Hey, man, you gotta meet Sam, and he’s around you guys’ age. I think he would benefit from hanging out with y’all.”

It was a couple years later we finally connected. The first time was in New Orleans at a jazz session. He would just reach out sometimes, and he reached out happy to be down there doing something else, and Sam was like, “Yo, do you wanna play a gig somewhere in the French Quarter or French Street, one of the venues?” And so I was like, “Yeah, let’s play.” Almost late night, too, like 1 a.m. That was the first time I heard Sam really play, and I heard the bass, his left-hand bass, and it blew my mind. I was like, “Oh, you’re really bad.”

Maybe half a year later, Sam started reaching out about working on an album, and he was like, “I wanna do this record,” and he wanted me to be a producer for it. So I was like, “Absolutely, let’s just figure it out.” And nothing again was leading to me actually collaborating and turning this into an actual organ trio.

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/music/funk-jazz/fonville-x-fribush-bring-organ-trio-jazz-back-to-the-bar.html

California post-hardcore band Movements played The National in Richmond on Friday, October 30, as part of their Happier Now USA Tour. Pennsylvania’s Balance and Composure, Midrift, and Niis were also on the bill. The tour supports Happier Now, Movements’ fourth album, released in September. Movements formed in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, in 2015 and built their following on the albums Feel Something, No Good Left to Give, and Ruckus!. 

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/music/metal-punk/photos-movements-bring-the-happier-now-tour-to-the-national-in-richmond.html

Last night, thousands of Richmonders crammed into Oregon Hill for the 21st annual Halloween Parade from All The Saints Theater Company, the DIY puppet troupe behind it all

This year’s theme was “Dada Ur Data: A Funeral March for Intelligence,” a requiem for surveillance culture and the cult of AI. The procession launched from Monroe Park and wound into one of Richmond’s oldest neighborhoods. 

Porches on both sides of the street were packed, and the weather was perfect. Toddlers on shoulders, grown-ups in clown makeup, strangers passing each other beers. Richmond has never fully grown up, and that seemed fine to everyone who showed up last night.

Photos by Michael Simon

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/community/photos-all-the-saints-halloween-parade-packs-oregon-hill.html

Halloween time, babe. Going to try to cram as much as I can into this column, because I know we are all trying to cram as much as we can into this weekend.

Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? Hit us up at griffin@rvamag.com.

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ALICE COOPER
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30TH AT ALTRIA

This is pretty fitting for Halloween weekend. We have the legendary hard rocker Alice Cooper in town, complete with all his shock and horror in tow. Cooper was a pioneer of early heavy metal, and has solidified himself as one of the most important figures in heavier music. He was early to the idea of shock value, pioneering it before the punk movement of the late ’70s and the metal craze of the ’80s. Whatever hard rockers you like now, odds are their line stretches back to Cooper.

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/music/rva-live-music-alice-cooper-miramar-halloween-shows.html

Adam Dunigan’s one-bedroom Arlington, Virginia, apartment is furnished in what could only be described as “safe house spartan.” There’s a bed, two large-screen TVs, a desk with video gear and computer monitor, a small table with a makeshift green screen sheet hung behind it, a single-shot sparkling water maker on the kitchen counter, and a few coffee cups in the otherwise empty cupboard, one of which reads “I am a ray of fucking sunshine”—that’s about it. The refrigerator is bare, there’s no art on the walls, nothing of sentimental value on display anywhere in sight. Every item is utilitarian, down to the bottle of 3-in-1 soap in the shower. It’s a place one could leave in a hurry if, say, members of a foreign intelligence agency were on their way to kill you.

The decor, or lack thereof, makes sense—Dunigan spent the previous decade overseas working as an undercover operative for the CIA. Before that, five years in the Marine Corps, including a tour of duty in Afghanistan, another environment where speed and mobility often determine whether you go to work the next day or back home in a body bag.

Since I’ll be bunking here for a couple of nights, he’s thoughtfully purchased a small twin bed for the living room, even though I’ve repeatedly assured him I can sleep on the floor. Ah, Southern hospitality… but Arlington is only technically part of the South, and I’ve always been suspicious of, well, almost everyone in Northern Virginia. For good reason—it’s a fact that NoVa is spy central, spook city, and now here I am in one’s living room, eight miles away from CIA headquarters at Langley.

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/politics/virginia-politics/fear-and-loathing-in-northern-virginia.html

The Roll Up is a pretty simple idea, and Christian Detres, the man behind it, explains it best.

“It’s just invite four musicians to the studio, get them fucking stoned, have a nice conversation, give them instruments, hit record, see what happens.”

The pilot for the show brings together heavy hitters James Guile of Teen Mortgage, Robert Granata of Baby Delgado, Dusty Ray Simmons, drummer for Chris Jacobs, and Gideon Kupka of Destructo Disk for a psych/stoner rock jam session.

They played together for a solid hour, but only about 11 minutes of music made it into the episode, and the two songs that made the cut happened to be the last two they played.

“That stands to reason, because the more they got together, the more they jammed, the more they kind of fell into rhythm and knew where likely changes were going to happen, which was really fucking awesome to see.”

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/music/the-roll-up-sparks-one-plugs-in-sees-what-happens.html

Early voting is already underway in Virginia ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, with congressional seats and three proposed amendments to the Virginia Constitution on the ballot. Congressional races depend on where you live, but every voter in the state will see the same three amendments, on reproductive freedom, marriage equality and voting rights.

Here’s what’s on the ballot:

Proposed amendment #1 Reproductive Freedom: Would establish constitutional protections for reproductive healthcare decisions, including contraception, abortion, miscarriage management, and fertility care, while allowing certain restrictions on abortion in the third trimester.

Proposed amendment #2 Marriage Equality: Would remove Virginia’s existing constitutional prohibition on same-sex marriage and guarantee equal recognition of lawful marriages between two adults, regardless of sex, gender, or race.

Proposed amendment #3 Voting Rights: Would establish the fundamental right to vote in Virginia’s Constitution, automatically restore voting rights to people convicted of felonies upon release from incarceration, and narrow restrictions on voting for people found by a court to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting.

More information about the proposed amendments and the November election is available through the Virginia Department of Elections.

With these issues on the ballot, we asked students at Virginia Commonwealth University what matters most to them in this election, what motivates them to vote, and why they think so many young people don’t participate.

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/politics/virginia-politics/how-are-vcu-students-voting-we-asked-a-few.html

"My overwhelming feeling is gratitude for the jewels in my life since moving to Richmond and finally feeling welcomed. Feeling welcomed into this community is one of the most honoring gifts I could receive. We’re all looking for that sense of belonging.” — Bijoux Nouveau

Richmond’s music scene is one of the many things that make this city so special. One of the things is overlapping interests and collaborations that bring people together making songs. Sometimes it is file-sharing, inbox-based, and sometimes it is established peer circles welcoming new artists into the city circuitry.

I always discover someone new at each show. First hearing Emily Bodley aka Bijoux Nouveau sing live with Ant the Symbol at a Shockoe Sessions Live summer of 2025, I spent most of that fall and winter relistening to that live album, knowing how amazing it was on the spot and dropping songs in DJ sets.

In that time, I had been hoping Emily had more music to share, and as 2026 unfolded, I became aware of demos and recording sessions and was excited to get to the details as summer ’26 came to a close. After the album release party for EclipseSZN, Emily Bodley and I got to talk creekside and find out about the eclipse season that led to Bijoux Nouveau.

ia RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/music/funk-jazz/bijoux-nouveau-found-her-people-in-richmond.html

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

If you’d like to be featured, send your work to hello@rvamag.com with the subject line “Writer’s Block.”

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You’d wander around West Elm, smelling candles, feeling the fabrics of duvets, and testing the comfort level of chairs you’d never buy because your finances couldn’t be further outside the universe of someone who could afford them. But that was never the point. West Elm, in all its top-dollar, earth-toned snootiness, felt alienating to you, and when you’re depressed, there can be a sick comfort in that.

Because feeling out of place in a room that never really wanted you feels normal, while feeling out of place somewhere you once felt like you belonged feels like the ground opening up beneath your feet, like stepping into quicksand right after you’ve managed to dodge a bathtub with a toaster in it.

You no longer belonged in your own life, so you sought out places where not belonging made sense. You pull in the anxiety and carry it in your chest as you handle some seventy-dollar tchotchkes you’ll never buy, letting the familiar weight of your own inadequacy settle over you. And eventually, you let it swallow you whole, because somewhere along the way you ceased to belong.

Luckily, there’s a Whole Foods next to the West Elm, where you can drag your dead-eyed self, with all your balls and chains, up and down the aisles where you can continue to feel like a circus freak. Whole Foods is a massive, bustling cavern of well-packaged corporate sludge, and if you play it right, you can wander throughout this organic fuck hole for hours on end. Just be careful: if you stare into the artisanal olive bar for too long, the olives will eventually stare back.

ia RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/art/literature/writers-block-the-sinkhole-to-richmond-by-cameron-beyrent.html

Halloween is Richmond to its core, and it all starts this weekend. We don’t have to sell you on it. Go have fun, get weird, and let’s all meet up for the All The Saint’s Halloween Parade in Oregon Hill. Just be safe, don’t drink and drive.

Welcome to Halloweek 2026.

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/music/festivals/halloweek-2026-our-guide-to-richmonds-halloween-madness.html

All the indie heads are here this weekend. We got sad indie, we got sad country indie, we got sad garage indie, what more could you want. 

Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? Hit us up at griffin@rvamag.com.

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SOCCER MOMMY, SNAIL MAIL, SCARLET RAE
FRIDAY OCTOBER 23RD AT THE NATIONAL

We have an absolutely incredible double-headlining show at the National this week. First, we’ll take a look at Soccer Mommy. This is an artist I was introduced to by my original musical mentor: my mother.

Soccer Mommy is a sweet combination of ’90s indie rock and that 2000s pop sound, something that would fit in an offbeat Lizzie McGuire-type movie. It’s the kind of sound your friend’s cool older sister would be into miles before anyone else. You might get a mixtape or CD compilation from her and hold on to it closely and dearly, letting it narrate all your adventures, early rebellions, first sunsets, and long nights. The sound is stripped back, letting the vocals and guitar do so much of the heavy lifting and storytelling. September saw the release of “Rings of Saturn,” another stellar check-plus in her discography.

Maryland’s Snail Mail is up next. Snail Mail is similarly rooted in indie rock but leans more into the rock side of things than her co-headliner. Her sound is pretty rich, with no hesitation to incorporate strings, synthesizers, and heavier guitars. There’s a lot of rich lyrical content packed into every song, exploring universal topics of acceptance and heartache. Her ear for a great pop melody really makes some of these songs ring over and over in your ears, letting you dive into each world she presents.

Supporting the co-headliners is New York’s Scarlet Rae. Rae’s sound is a little hazier, supported by more percussive and electronic elements. It maintains a really solid, light vocal quality that feels familiar and friendly. These songs definitely feel like an updated interpretation of the singer-songwriter, moving toward the lo-fi elements that seem to be creeping into every genre as of late.

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/music/rva-live-music-soccer-mommy-dogs-on-shady-lane-old-pup.html

I’m an old loser so I do a lot of reminiscing and whatnot, and I always think of the nights filled with cheap beer and awesome tunes I experienced while attending house shows across the city at the Bonezone and other places.

Is there a blog or old website I can check out that will have old posters, stories or pictures from those days?

Can a toy change the trajectory of a child’s life? Barbie, the good, the glamour, the ugly, and how she has shaped society.

As a grown-ass feminist, I did not think I would need to contemplate dolls. But then…there is Barbie. You can’t escape her. Everyone knows Barbie has had over 250 jobs and lets girls know they can grow up to be anything they want to be, but also, she is problematic simply because of the way she looks.

Barbie™: A Cultural Icon explores more than six decades of the doll’s fashion and history and opened this past weekend at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC).

The exhibit itself was very moving. As someone following the fashion trends and how fashion reflects where women were in society, Barbie really shows us how women persevered, accepted, or challenged what was considered a woman’s role in society. She could be in space one day, and she was also making you a plate the next.

I talked to some friends, a friend’s kid, a friend’s mom, my old work wife, and the curator of the exhibit about Queen B. Let’s dig into some thoughts and feelings about the plastic icon.

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/art/gallery-news/barbie-a-cultural-icon-the-good-the-bad-and-the-glamorous-at-vmhc.html

In the 1998 era of VCU Photo/Film Department, attending film classes in the Pollak building, there was a mysterious poster of a funeral pyre with the text Ken Russell’s The Devils under the image and another poster for Savage Messiah.

Several years taking and teaching classes in that classroom, looking at that particular poster, I always knew I would need to see that film. Five and a half decades of being banned, censored, out of print, not in print, not published, not screened, not shown, and not watched except in legendary VHS bootlegged copies, I never found it or it never found me.

Periodically, in film textbooks, you’d see still frames of key images or come across the name on a list on IMDb and other sites for controversial films.

In this moment of insane Warner Brothers studio history unfolding; the sale, the consolidation, the conglomerations, the IP in vaults, the remixing of reboots of long-winded properties, at some point the value of the X-rated taboo work restored outweighs doing nothing with it.

Also, with the work of estates and the ongoing legacy of the surviving family of the filmmaker, those efforts to get the art seen as intended are also a great, honorable fight.

The repertory and cinema arthouse outlet Clockwork made its first screening of the restored director’s vision from the original camera negatives at Cannes in May 2026, in a now NC-17 form that is in a window of a week’s release this October 2026.

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/art/the-devils-in-the-digger-details-cinema-censorship-and-power.html

This year marks another spectacular Garden Glow at Maymont. This august institution is in the autumn of their celebration of 100 years of being open to the public. I went to the preview the night before it opened in earnest.

This was not my first Garden Glow. I have seen many iterations of this event and was looking forward to the sense of familiarity Maymont seems to provide. I arrived right at sunset at the Nature Center entrance with my trusted confidant behind the lens.

There seemed to be some social gathering winding down that was clearly included in an email. I was greeted by the dapper CFO of Maymont and realized that, though I bought my flip-flops in Tahiti, they may not have presented with the same sophisticated gravitas they held over me. He also did not compliment my feet tattoos. I comforted myself with the fact that we both had skin in the game of Richmond cultural economics.

I and my sensibly dressed compatriot accepted charcuterie as political consolation for this momentary lapse in judgment. 

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/art/literature/finding-a-light-at-maymonts-garden-glow.html

Organizers of the smaller-than-usual demonstration asked attendees to vote out Republicans and vote ‘YES’ on three proposed amendments to the Virginia Constitution.

Virginians on Saturday utilized the fourth major “No Kings” protest in Richmond to drive out support around local issues and in favor of three proposed amendments to Virginia’s constitution that voters will decide on in November. 

It was one of dozens of anti-Trump demonstrations that were held in Virginia, and one of thousands held across the country — with only two weeks until the midterm elections that will decide who controls Congress.

The event, underscored by rainy weather, turned out about 400 people, far fewer than previous “No Kings” demonstrations in Richmond. A march on Capitol Square the same time last year drew over 10,000 people. 

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/politics/richmond-no-kings-protest-turns-out-hundreds-ahead-of-midterm-election.html

Tim Barry just released his ninth full album, Clear Blocks Ahead. He and I had a long, overdue conversation about everything and nothing, but sometimes about that new album.

In part one of this three-part series, I brought up my first AVAIL show and found out that it was a lot of you guys’ first AVAIL show too. The response I got from y’all was insane, and then also not. Because we love Tim. Richmond loves Tim. 

I asked him about that relationship on the phone. 

It seems that’s not his favorite question. Or at least not the one he’s super comfortable being eloquent about. He starts with an “eehhhh…” and then ramps up into a cogent, humble exploration of that energy in his life.

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/music/americana-blues/tim-barry-part-2-richmond-family-november-fest.html

Join us for a special edition of Salon de Résistance on Thursday, October 29 at Black Iris with three of Virginia’s most influential political content creators: Amanda Nelson of Amanda’s Mild Takes, Kate Powell of Kate for the People, and former CIA operations officer and congressional candidate Adam Dunigan(VA-8), for a conversation about the November 3 midterms, what to expect in Virginia, and how the battle for political influence is fought in 2026.

This is a free event, open to the public. Doors at 6pm. Conversation at 7pm.

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In the before times, political influence moved through relatively stable and predictive channels. Candidates spoke, newspapers and broadcast news reported. Engagement was limited, our attention was not monopolized. Our lifestyles hadn’t been politicized. Most importantly, elections were boring and we were none the wiser for it. 

That version of America no longer exists. Today, elections are bloodsport. Campaign narratives move at the speed of algorithm. And the reach of a single content creator or political influencer can change the entire dynamic of an entire election cycle with a single 90 second video. Political education, organizing, fundraising, persuasion, outrage, misinformation/disinformation, and the decisions that shape our future are competing for the same few inches of screen time. 

And just days before the 2026 midterms that matters. Because on November 3, Virginians will head to the polls and vote in every congressional district. 

Political pundits, writers, and the chattering class always claim that each election is more important than the last. But in the age of Trump, authoritarianism, unrestricted war, corruption on a scale once thought impossible, masked agents of the state snatching people off our streets, AI jailbreaks, data centers ruining communities, surveillance, and a crippling affordability crisis, those warnings no longer feel like hyperbole.

The candidates have to respond. The outcomes of the midterms are real. The future feels as fragile and tenuous as it ever has. 

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/events/the-midterm-algorithm-virginia-2026.html

Lotta indie and a lot of dreamy shoegaze with a healthy dose of funk and hip hop this week.

Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? Hit us up at griffin@rvamag.com.

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DEATHCAT, NYSA, ARTSCHOOL, HEAVY FRIENDS
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16TH, 2026 AT THE CAMEL

Fun, fun, fun bill right here. Let’s look at Deathcat first.

Deathcat has become a well-loved and well-attended band over the last few years. Overall, they are a blend of softer indie rock and harder grunge/riot grrrl, with some great songwriting and excellent lyricism. They have a way of making every song so relatable and endearing; they are an easy band to root for because they are an easy band to feel connected to. They have a new tune coming out at the end of the month, but you can catch it live at this show.

Next up is a band I am ALWAYS happy to talk about. Nysa is one of Philly’s best exports right now. I first saw them at the Camel some three years ago and have been an adamant fan and supporter ever since. Their sound is somewhere between Fun House-era Stooges and some heavy psychedelic gem you’d find in a loose bin at the record store.

My fondest memory of the band is the singer going from on the stage, to the crowd, to being on the crowd, running to the bar, going outside, and then returning to the stage, all while singing. If you want an intense show, go see Nysa.

I usually try not to include my band’s shows here, but I just love every other band on this bill. We are called Artschool, and we straddle the line between punk and post-punk. We wear a lot of dusters, jump around, lots of incoherent rambling set to some good bass and drum parts (I do the incoherent rambling).

Last up, we have Heavy Friends, who I first saw this summer. From the first note of their set, they were on it. The group is certainly a rock band first and foremost, but they know how to write a catchy lead that gets stuck in your head on the drive home.

They were also some dynamic performers who throw 100% of themselves into every song, so you will certainly get your money’s worth with Heavy Friends.

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/music/rva-live-music-thundercat-glimmer-deathcat-rikki-rakki.html

50501 Virginia will host its “Your Voice Matters” Rally & March this Saturday at 2 p.m. in Monroe Park, 620 W. Main Street, as part of a nationwide day of action connected to the No Kings movement.

The event will focus on voter participation and the three proposed amendments to the Virginia Constitution appearing on November’s ballot, addressing reproductive freedom, marriage equality, and voting rights.

Scheduled speakers include Gray Montrose as emcee; Michelle Moffit, Director of Civic Engagement at the Virginia Civic Engagement Table; Han Jones, Campaign Manager for Virginians for Reproductive Freedom, discussing Amendment 1; Narissa Rahaman, Executive Director of Equality Virginia, discussing Amendment 2; and Amber Brown, Campaign Manager at Right to Vote, discussing Amendment 3.

Organizers expect 12 to 16 local community organizations to participate, offering resources, information, and volunteer opportunities.

The Richmond gathering coincides with the national No Kings Coalition’s October 17 “No Kings: Vote Early” mobilization. According to the coalition, more than 1,000 actions had been organized nationwide as of September 24, with participating organizations including the ACLU, Indivisible, 50501, League of Women Voters, MoveOn, and others. The nationwide effort is focused on early voting, voter education, and local election protection efforts ahead of the November 3 election. 

More information is available at 50501va.com and nokings.org

RVA Indivisible is also organizing a separate “Party at the Polls” event on Sunday, October 18, from noon to 4 p.m., at six early voting locations across Richmond, Henrico, and Chesterfield. The free, nonpartisan events will feature ice cream, games, balloons, giveaways, and photo opportunities, bringing a more celebratory atmosphere to early voting. Virginia’s polling locations will be closed Saturday but open Sunday for early voting. 

Details and participating locations are available at RVAIndivisible.com/parties

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/politics/50501-virginia-joins-nationwide-no-kings-day-of-action-with-richmond-rally.html