River City Sounds

Despite what I may say during the interview, this IS the 99th Episode, featuring Richmond up-and-comers: Tinted Rose. This episode we head out to the VCU music hall to record with this talented Jazz group as they showcase their material. Afterward, we catch up with our usual questions, and the band helps us out with a new video interview series that we will be trying out.

In this episode, we had the privilege of recording the exceptional musicians behind Black Plastic. They helped save the day in more than one way and provided the glorious 18i20 after we found we had lost a power supply cable. Join us as we sit down for another fantastic interview, where we chat turing a personal project into a full band, deligating singing responsibilities, the curious stance of richmond cuisine, and so much more!

In this episode, we make our way out to THC Records and record with local rap collective VRO AVE. Thanks to Rospo, we were able to use The Hill Cabin for the set before we sat down for our interview. Besides the usual questions, we talk local cuisine, favorite murals, their new show series: Serious Saturdays, and so much more!

As we start to catch up on episode releases, our second of the year features local up-and-coming artist Autumn Celeste. Chloe joins us for the interview portion where we learn about Autumn's recent beginnings in the local music scene, her affinity for water, ("[You're A Fish And I'm A] Water Sign",) and her move towards becoming secure in the title of Singer. Join us as we talk all that and so much more!

Our first episode of the new year features along awaited guest, Ducttape Jesus. After a rousing performance, we sit down and talk only to find that we have similar synchronicities in our day-to-day lives. We then have a deep dive discussion into faith, True Will, and even touching into Thelemic, Theosophic, and LaVayan thought before we were able to get to any of our usual musical questions. Come listen to use stumble in and out of all that and so much more!

As we close out this years shows, we meet up with Chandler at his wonderful apartment for one of this year's final episodes. After a rousing set, we dust off our old questions for our interview. DIY Shows: Is less really more, or do you get out what you put in? Backlogging beats, life on the road, living off your music, and so much more!

After accidentally erasing the first half of the interview, we hurried to get an interview on the books. As we jump around our questionnaire, some truths come to light about the band's origins, tattoos, croc attachments, and so much more!

Back to South Side again, as we meet up with the members of Parsley, a wonderful group of talented young individuals who shared with us their beautiful music. Afterward, we chat about their time forming at Shenandoah University, the weight of dealing with GAS: Gear Acquisition Syndrome, the release of their newest double single: Backdoor and Someone New, and so much more!

On the first episode of Season 6, Chloe and Cole travel out to the Acorn Community to record the tremendous Circle the Drain. With time not on our side, the geoup was able to hammer out one phenomenal set just in time to interview with both of our hosts. We sit down and talk about trying to define their genre, collective jamming in a commune, last-minute Halloween costume ideas, and SO MUCH MORE!

This episode is the final episode recorded for Season 5! Cole and Kailey Conner break down the differences in the Nashville and Richmond music scene, mixing it up in the singer-song writer community, experimenting with different local producers, and so much more!

On this episode we meet some very sweet young men who, together, make up one whole Handsome Grandson. We group up at their up-and-coming live house venue, where we capture an incredibly unique and intricate set by the multi-instrumentalists. Afterwards, we catch up with the band and chat up our usual questions and also so much more!

This week we go down to South Side to meet up with the newly blossomed Sunfower'd! On this episode we are graciously welcomed into their home and treated to a fantastic set by these wonderful people, and afterwards we sit down and chat as usual. Come join us as we talk about the professional atmosphere of organized venues, arriving and integrating oneself into a new city, sharing their secret to getting shows, and so much more!

After a longer than expected break, we'll start back up with something light and easy. Caleb J. Murphy graciously invited us into his home studio, where we get back into the swing of things with a nice, easy episode. We discuss moving to Richmond, professional writing, home studios vs professional studios, and so much more!

On this last episode before a short summer break, we travele back out to the storage unit shared by Shagg Carpet, where they performed a torrential set. Afterward, we sit down and with these five amazing musicians and find out that if people find out you have a bass, they will likely invite you to jam, running into musicians in the city, and what even is a shag carpet anyway?

This week, we traveled to the storage unit shared by Tentative Decisions, where they performed for us one great set. Afterward, we talk all manner of business, including lying on your musicians' resume and discovering music scenes. From Barbie to Oppenheimer, then, somehow, Cats, join us as we talk about so much more!

We start off another batch of episodes with this recent addition to the Richmond scene, Random Temperament. With this first episode recorded after relocating from our original recording location, we meet up at the local MSQ Shop to record their extraordinary and fierce set. Afterwards, we set up our own equipment in an actual podcast recording room for the interview. Beyond the usual questions, Cole and the band catch up on Ocean Gate, deep sea "aliens," playing video games, share middle school band experiences, and so much more!

This will be the last time we host at our original recording space, and we are proud to share it with Pebbles Palace to help promote their debute album: Long and Bygone Fame. Everyone pulled out all the stops, and the band performed one of the most vivacious and extraordinary sets ever performed for us. Afterward, we goof around a bit longer than we should have and try out some new questions as we say goodbye to our first magical recording space and celebrate the release of debute release of Pebbles Palace, Long and Bygone Fame, out now everywhere.

On this episode we have for you all another intimate, one-on-one interview, this time with local artist Caroline Vain. While this artist maybe seasoned at performing in front of crowds in the UK, Richmond is a completely different beast to live in for a performing artist. We discuss the differences in playing in London versus Richmond, the different styles of music played in each city, and her lifelong musical journey that lead her to and from Europe. But before all that, please enjoy the whimsically articulated set, stitched together by this amazing local artist.

This week we welcome Gavin Crockett and his band to our home stage for one of the final episodes to be recorded at our original home studio. While Chloe takes a well deserved Graduation nap, Cole hits them with the usual questions and maybe had a little bit too much fun trying to get their silent bass player to talk.

Before another short break in the season, we join forces with another local music podcast ADGROD CAST. On this entirely improvised episode, for the first time we sit down for our interview first to let you all get acquainted with these three improv comedians, before they create an entire thirty minute set on-the-fly. In addition to being one of the funniest interviews that we have ever captured, there is also a UFO/ UAP rant that got montaged into a more intelligible conversation for a wider audience.

After a partially scheduled, and longer than expected break, we are back with yet another ear worm of an episode with Madly Backwards. This artist truly knows how to have a good time with a psychedelic-americana set sure to turn you around. Afterwards, Chloe had to leave early to finish her final school project, but we still sit down with the man with many hats and have an in-depth conversation his musical journey and the ways in which we interpret, present, and reinvigorate old ideas.

We were finally able to record an episode with the phenomenal Nancy Raygun, and THEY asked US to be on! This time we travel out to their up-and-coming house venue The ICU, and were able to capture our first episode recorded entirely outside, before the show commenced that night. During the interview, we take shelter in the Hot Box after the wind decided to pick up ten minutes into talking, and while we do catch up on our usual questions, we spend a majority of our time on the already storied past of the band and their detailed plans for the future!

Once again, we are reduced down to just Cole for this week's episode as these Honest Debts overwhelm our engineer with their groovy jams. After piecing together on hell of a well practiced set, we sit down and share some beers over our usual questions and take it easy after a busy weekend. Please be sure to use Spotify for Podcasters for all your listening and distributing podcasting needs and also be on the look out for the first full length album by Honest Debts coming out on April 28th.

On this episode of River City Sounds, we yet again capture an astounding live act before their hiatus and full band move. While this maybe a single individual's project, we are able to chat all of the people who make this project possible and discuss each of their personal experiences with the band and the dichotomy between the live act and the recorded version, as well as the relationships formed between each of them.

As we slowly recover from out two-episode event, we are finally able to present to you the second set recorded during the last week of February with, White Beast. On this episode, we meet up with the two members of the band who are instrumental in the Richmond music scene through their many artistic projects and other outlets, one of which we go into wider detail, the Richmond Alternative.

On this extremely special episode we welcome our first out-of-state players from Brooklyn New York, Castle Black. In town for the weekend fo we a Garden Grove show, we make special accommodations for this touring band and have TWO full episodes for you this week!

Once more again, we meet up with local artist, Alex J. Dimas and are greeted by an angel of a pup, beautiful songs, and all kinds and sorts of teas. After manipulating their loop pedal to put on a full-scale performance from this one-person project, we sit down and discuss their recent introduction to the Richmond scene and the quick decision to stay, for at least another year. We also go in depth into videography, authentic restaurant experiences. and interior design. Be sure to catch up on all your favorite podcasts at Anchor.fm, the quickest and easiest site to distribute you own podcasts!

On this very special episode, we are adding two faces to the River City Sounds team, one old and one new. Please welcome to our team: Iz and Justin, who will help with photography and interviews. This week we travel back out to the storage unit to meet up with the members of Charm Offensive in their cozy little unit. Finally able to talk about Survivor, Cole goes off on a tangent with a new found Survivor fan and we also discuss the dynamics of being in a band with members with different ages.

For our first episode of 2023, we have Havence come up to Richmond to promote their new project. We talk about finding a new following after parting ways with a previous genre and fanbase, writing and programming a set for a live performance, and the intricacies of a real ice cream milkshake. While this season already looks as if it will consist of somewhat unconventional sets, and we will explore the placement of the interview within the episode.

On this year's final episode, we catch up with another Richmond freshmen act, Ask Nicely. We talk about band dynamics, Sticky Rice, and get way too far off topic for our own good. While this may be the last episode of the year, we will be back in January to finish out the rest of Season 5!

This week, we get a little bit more hectic. After I accidentally erased the entire episode during recording, our team and the band had to race to record the interview in time for Chloe to go to work, then had to re-record the entire set. Trying our best to get what we can done, Orb Weaver powered through another set after we sit down a talked about the make up of the Richmond music scene, the specifics of math rock, and making video game noises.

This will be the second episode in our follow-up series, this time with longtime Richmond favorites and our tenth guest, Followship. We check up with the band, this time at their practice space, where they showcase a few new songs off their latest releases. In addition to new recording technology, we also brought specific follow-up questions for the members and learn more about their growth in the past three-and-a-half years. Trekking out on their first tour, meticulously plotting out a music video in the back of abandoned Rosie's Kitchen, and we even discuss who might be the next villain to face off against Matt Reeves' Batman. This will also mark the second time an episode's original vocals have had to been cut and re-recorded at a different time and location, this time by our mixing engineer, Zack Antonioli.

It's Cole v Cole in this special, intimate, episode of River City Sounds. Once again, we setup at our home location and mic up the person behind Rosewood Recordings, Cole Roberts' new project, overunder dog. With only two people on the mics, we were able to go a little bit more off script; we talk about continuing as solo projects, recording every kind of band we can find, starting musical rumors, and what the hell is mastering and what exactly does it do anyway?

This week we venture out to Donald Shimoda's adorable little house in Northside where we sit down and record another thumping and powerful set of "the hard stuff." After we sit down and talk with the band about cathartic creativity, trying to step your foot into the Richmond music scene, then Brandon and me realize that we both work at the same place! Let's open us season 5 with Richard Bach's Reluctant Messiah: Donald Shimoda!

Before a short break we still have one last band to close out season 4: The Goodbye Forevers! This time we sit down after their Melodic Punk set and talk genre specifics, the definition of a snack, and how genre definitions change over time. Although we weren't able to get around to talking about it, make sure to check out Dirty RVA Punkcast hosted by Dave. This maybe goodbye, but not forever, see you for season 5! [Due to a malfunction, half of the mics cut out at the last two songs, but thanks to Zack for his efforts in salvaging my mistake.]

Now, we are proud to present yet another emerging artist from the greater Richmond area; Stevie Ashe (and the Dropheads* [*name pending.*] This project has steadily progressed, developing a live set with the help of other musicians from the Virginia area. We sit down and talk with Stevie and the rest of the live band to discuss trying to assert yourself into a music scene and the difficulties in turning a solo act into a live one.

Once again, we return to the heavy stuff with Wasted Space. This emerging hardcore punk band has been making the rounds and earning their stripes among the community. We sit down for a little prep interview for their upcoming interview for the first issue of Jagged Teeth Magazine. Don't miss out on this band.

On this longer episode of River City Sounds, we venture out of city limits once more to find the six of the members of Sidechick hold up in their bassist garage. After micing up and performing their set, besides the usual questions, we sit down and talk about the difference between the live and recorded band, pros and cons of each, and what bands can do to help merge the two main aspects of a performing band.

Once more we bring you a band that represents an important staple of the Richmond music scene: Hardcore. Join us as we trek outside the city limits to find members of Heavy is the Head, where we discuss how the genre will evolve into the 2020s, getting sued, and soliciting Death Wish Coffee Company for a sponsorship.

This will be the first episode in our "Return Series," featuring artists who have made it through the gauntlet once and wanted be on the show again. On this episode, we catchup with our fifth guest, Halfcast, where we instead meet up at their practice space where they share with us some material off their newest release, "Return." We also discuss the progress they've made in the past three-and-a-half years and what lies ahead for the band, all on the 10th anniversary of the band's solo origins. We also had some progress to show off: from the handheld, two channel Zoom and a room mic used on their first episode to the growing, portable recoding studio that we use and continue to improve on since episode 14, as well as brand-new, researched questions.

Time for another Music History Special Episode! On this second episode we explore the record producer behind The Beatles: George Martin, his contributions to and the 'first(s)' in the recording industry that are attributed to him. With Chloe on vacation, Cole is joined by Brianna, Jono, and Zack, who help puzzle out the methods behind George Martin and delve into the purpose and inspiration behind River City Sounds.

Last weekend we sat down with the members of Lowlife Tea Party after a powerful, driving performance. We talk about the usual: music, tacos, and go off on a few more tangents than usual...

Did you know the Saturn Death Cult is coming to get you? This group rip it hardcore and lay down the truth about Froggo. Sit in and listen to us chat about the real life Saturn Death Cult and the themes that carry through the group's music.

In this episode we catch up with some members of E. 33rd, who recorded a smooth set. Afterwards we chat about past music scenes in other communities and the close bond that formed between the members of this group.

This time around, it's Rising Revolution at the local Orbital Music Park where the group lays down one of the most powerful sets this podcast has seen in some time. We were able to sit down and talk about writing over arching narratives, the best anime, and we try and settle the debate of subbed or dubbed.

This time we have Virginia Beach locals come up and record a phenomenal set in our space. We sit down and talk about changing music genres, deceiving band names, and the ever elusive TikTok bump.