Didn’t it feel good to see that first live show after nearly a year without live music? The return of concerts this summer fall and marked one major bright spot in 2021, a year that was otherwise filled with uncertainty. (In some cases, even festivals came back!) But the pseudo-post-pandemic music scene looks much different. Wait times and lines at most venues are long, as proof of vaccination is checked at the door, and most club shows continue to be masked at the request of artists. Kudos to the artists, venues, and production companies that have been working hard to keep the industry afloat while providing a safe and comfortable experience for audiences.
While touring has been inconsistent, there’s one robust constant: creativity. There’s been no lack of new music in our region. It’s important to support the artists and venues in our community from the ground up—purchase tickets, purchase merch, and purchase music—and there’s a lot to choose from. Here’s a slice of central Virginia’s creative output in 2021.
- 38KEA, Seeds, Thy Divine Thresher (hip-hop)
- 7th Grade Girl Fight, 7th Grade Girl Fight (post-punk)
- Abby Huston, AH HA (indie-rock)
- Bryan Elijah Smith, Apocalyptic Blues (Americana)
- Butcher Brown, Encore (funk, jazz)
- Darzo, Single Cell (pop)
- David Wax Museum, Euphoric Ouroboric (folk)
- Disco Risqué, D3P (pop, funk)
DJ Harrison, Tales from the Old Dominion (funk): Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and the removal of Confederate statues in his hometown of Richmond, DJ Harrison crafted a multifaceted commentary on race and space that taps into his prowess in a variety of genres, from funk and jazz to garage rock and punk. With Jimi Hendrix and Roy Ayers covers sprinkled in, Tales from the Old Dominion makes for a captivating listen.
- DJ Williams, Short Stories (funk)
- Fahim Rahman, Phototherapy EP (indie)
- Fellowman, Walking Tours (hip-hop)
- Høly River, Courage (indie)
- Free Union, No Pressure (pop)
- John-Robert, Healthy Baby Boy Pt. 1 (pop)
- Kendall Street Company, The Year the Earth Stood Still: Ninurta + Inertia double LP (rock)
- Lael Neale, Acquainted with Night (folk, pop)
- Lowland Hum, At Home (folk)
Lucy Dacus, Home Video (indie): Released over the summer, Lucy Dacus’ opus still holds up at the end of the year, with predictions of album of the year coming to fruition: Home Video is NPR Music’s No. 3 album of the year, Consequence of Sound’s No. 6, and one of the top 30 rock albums of year as ranked by Pitchfork. The Richmond singer-songwriter’s well-deserved ascent is a triumph, and on Home Video, she harkens back to where she came from—creating an intimate portrait that draws on her high school experiences and also serves as a spotlight on our region, with music videos shot in downtown Richmond.
- Matthew E. White, K Bay (indie)
- Matthew E. White & Lonnie Holley, Broken Mirror, A Selfie Reflection (indie)
- McKinley Dixon, For My Mama And Anyone Who Look Like Her (hip-hop)
- Michael Clem, Rivannarama (Americana)
- Mitchel Evan, Mitchel Evan (Americana)
- Pet Moose Project, Goat Tracks (rock)
- Prabir Trio, Haanji (indie)
- Root Cellar Remedy, The Quarantown EP (blues, rock, country)
- Sally Rose, Tread Light (pop, folk)
- Ships In The Night, Latent Powers (dance)
- The Steel Wheels, Everyone A Song Vol. Two (Americana)
- Stray Fossa, With You For Ever (indie-pop, shoegaze)
- Tyler Meachum, Into the Fray (indie)
- Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno, Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno (Americana, folk)
- Will Overman, The Winemaker’s Daughter (folk)
Reissues, remixes, covers
Diet Cig, Don’t Like Driving Like I Used To + Live at Studio Two Three (pop-punk): The duo of Alex Luciano and Noah Bowman recently relocated from New York to Richmond, and settled in with an EP of reimagined songs from their 2020 album, Do You Wonder About Me?. On the heels of this three-song set came the release of Live at Studio Two Three, an album that showcases Diet Cig’s unmatched live shows. While Bowman holds down the beat on the drum kit, Luciano bounces around the stage, accenting her fluid vocals with buoyant jumps and high kicks—making Diet Cig a solid addition to the commonwealth.
Singles…and what’s to come in 2022
- Ben Butterworth, “Purgatory Emporium” (indie)
- Blake Hunter, “I Can’t Lose You” (indie)
- David Wax Museum ft. Devon Sproule, Lauren Groans, and Dan Molad, “Love Light” (Americana)
- Deau Eyes, “When” (indie)
- Dropping Julia, “Chesapeake,” + “My Room” (pop)
- Free Union, “Somethin’”+ “The Other Side” (R&B)
- Good Dog Nigel, “My Whole Life” (indie)
- Gold Connections, “Confession” (indie)
- Isaac Friend, “How is LA” + “American Made” (Americana)
- Kate Bollinger, “Shadows” + “Yards/Gardens” (indie-pop)
- Lord Nelson, “Tooth and Nail” off the upcoming album Transmission (release date: January 21) (Americana)
- Minor Poet, “Dissonance of Love/Silent Violent Creatures” (indie-pop)
- Sleepwalkers, “Until the Night is Gone” (indie)
- Suz Slezak, Our Wings May Be Featherless (release date: March 4) (Americana)
- The Judy Chops, “Ready My Heart” + “Good Days Are Gone” + “Goodbye Sunday Morning” (Americana, jazz)
- Trout Baseline, “One Baby World” (indie)