Scene Recap: Gary Luong, Woman Crush Wednesday, GWAR
Countless great outlets, organizations, and individuals cover the music scene in Richmond, so many that it might be hard to keep up to date on all of them. We’ll try and collect some great articles, coverage, and news bits we’ve read each week here at The Auricular.
• Woman Crush Wednesday celebrated its fifth anniversary this past Wednesday, and it was truly the best place to be this week. We’ve written a lot about Bri Bevan’s showcase over the years (especially in Marilyn Drew’s show columns), and it’s clear that WCW has become a vital source of community—something we need more than ever. It’s wild to think that we were saying the same thing when the showcase first launched five years ago, but the fight for inclusivity and connection continues. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to stay the entire night, but just being surrounded by so many warm, talented people was the perfect remedy to pull me out of the week’s fog. Huge congratulations to Bri for not only starting this incredible initiative but for keeping it going for so long. Hopefully, there will come a time when its presence isn’t as essential, but I can say with certainty that it will always be deeply appreciated and cherished. Next up for WCW: Iffy Iffy, Jaycie Cuprill, and Ramsey on December 4th. Hope to see you there! (Instagram link here.)
• Right before that WCW show on Wednesday, Human Worm played the latest Auricular showcase over at Plan 9 Music, which turned into an impromptu fundraiser for the Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project. The band’s debut single, “Mega Bitch,” had already impressed me, but seeing them live was an entirely different experience. Seriously, do yourself a favor and catch this band when you can—they’re something special. Next up at Plan 9 is Sravani Kameswari on November 20th, so make sure to save the date! You won’t want to miss it! (Plan 9 Music link here.)
• And before all of that, I had the pleasure of attending this week’s Shockoe Sessions Live, featuring Flora & The Fauna. Having been to countless shows at In Your Ear over the years, I can honestly say I’ve never seen Studio A packed like that. As expected, the band absolutely crushed it with their music, their energy, and their undeniable charm. I’ve rewatched the session on YouTube several times since, and if you haven’t done the same, you’re missing out. Next up on Shockoe Sessions is Charlie Glenn, someone who’s been a consistent figure in the Richmond music scene for as long as I’ve known it. The Trillions are the first band that comes to mind, but Palm Palm had a massive impact too, not to mention his contributions to Thao & The Get Down and numerous other Virginia artists—there’s far too many to list here. Davy Jones wrote a great profile on Glenn in early October for Style Weekly, so definitely check that out. But more importantly, don’t miss this week’s Shockoe Session with him! (YouTube link here.)
• Andrew Cothern announced this week that a Deluxe Edition of RVA Playlist: Stories from the Richmond, Virginia Music Scene will be released later this month. The new edition will include 10 additional stories, covering Alley Katz, house show venues, local musicians who have since passed away, and more. Who wouldn’t want an addendum to such a heartfelt love letter to our hometown? The book drops on November 18th, and you can grab your copy at Shelf Life Books. I’ll have more to share about it later this month, so stay tuned! (Instagram link here.)
• GWAR graces the cover of the newest edition of Richmond Magazine which celebrates the band’s 40th anniversary. Make sure to grab yourself a copy! (Order link here.)
• And also in GWAR news: Don Harrison profiled the newest guitarist for the band over at Style Weekly. This article has to have one of my favorite headline of the past year: “Meet Grodius Maximus.” (Article link here.)
• Griffin Smalley’s latest Sound Check column at RVA Magazine also covered GWAR this week, in addition to Landon Elliott, Mean Jeans, and Trash Rocket. Check it out! (Article link here.)
• Fight Cloud released their newest record this past Thursday entitled Ritual Disasters. I can’t say enough good things about this record, but what I’ve really enjoyed is learning a bit more about the behind-the-scenes for this. Todd Raviotta over at RVA Magazine has a great Q&A with the band over at RVA Magazine that dives into the album’s geneis. Go give it a read! (Article link here.)
• Also, can we take a moment to give a big thank you to Mitch Clem? The Fight Cloud guitarist has been incredibly busy over at Go West Studios, and the results have been nothing short of phenomenal. There hasn’t been a single song or record recorded there this year that I haven’t had on repeat for an entire day. It’s been an amazing run of music that I really don’t see coming to an end anytime soon. (Go West Recording link here.)
• In other music release news, “Rose,” the latest single from MISC., dropped this past Tuesday. I’ve got a full review coming soon, though it’s been slightly delayed by a bit too much doom-scrolling this week. In the meantime, I highly recommend checking out their interview with Griffin Smalley over at RVA Magazine. (Article link here.)
• In release news you may have missed, the new Memory Hole self-titled album is quite excellent. Put it on and crank the volume. Thank me later. (Bandcamp link here.)
• Grammy nominations were announced on Friday and Richmond’s own Mad Skillz was nominated in the Best Spoken Word Poetry Album category. You can find out more about in our article from Friday. (Article link here.)
• Live music is everywhere in Richmond still! There are so many concerts coming up in town that it’s tough to keep track. As usual, here are three go-to spots for all the details: RestlessRVA offers full weekend listings of every show (Instagram link here), SoundtrackRVA gives you a weekly preview of what’s coming up (Instagram link here), and Marilyn Drew Necci’s column on this very site highlights eight must-see performances (article link here). Check them out and find something exciting and local to catch any of the day of the week you happen to be free!
• Time to ends this column with a song. Like many people this week, I’ve been immersing myself in music more than I typically do. While there were countless new releases I should have explored, I found myself escaping into familiar sounds instead. The triumphant pessimism of “Once In My Life” by The Decemberists has been endlessly inspiring, and “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan has offered the steady comfort of community in the face of adversity. Locally, Doll Baby’s album from May kept me energized throughout the week, while “Exordium” by Rebekah Rafferty and The Wakes–a song I explored in depth last week–helped cushion the more jarring moments, even if its message wasn’t always easy to grasp. But above all, I kept returning to one song that really captures the delicate fragility of the moment we’re in: “Stay” by Gary Luong. Since its release in June 2023, I’ve been a huge fan, and I’m finding an even deeper connection to it now, in these unsettling times. The song starts with such compelling tension, only to resolve it with bittersweet release. It’s a whirlwind of emotion, touching on the fleeting nature of relationships, and there are a few lines in particular that feel especially poignant right now.
But now you’re far away
I don’t think I’ll recover
It’d be a way to save us
There’s nothing left to do“
I’m not even sure what made me press play on this song last Wednesday, but as soon as I heard those two verses, I knew it would become a cornerstone of this time for me. Luong’s voice is the epitome of stirring—able to capture the complexities of change with a croon that’s impossible to forget. The production is breathtaking, though that shouldn’t be surprising after experiencing his work with Rine on her 2023 singles and 2024 album. His arrangements, layering, and vision are sublime, shaping this song into something that feels both timeless and deeply personal. I’m not sure if you’ll have the same visceral reaction I did, but I have no doubt that you’ll fall in love with this song the moment it ends. The best part is that, despite its fleeting message, the song is one you can revisit as many times as you need. And for me, that’ll probably be a few dozen more.
