Scene Recap: Joel Hollister, Manny Lemus, My Darling Fury

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.

• There is a fundraiser going on for local drummer Joel Hollister that needs more attention. Joel has been sidelined recently with a serious back injury that left him unable to work for a while, and will require physical therapy and possibly surgery. The healthcare system in this country sucks. and we need to do whatever we can to help Joel out here since he’s been such a big part of the Richmond music scene over the years, probably longer than I’ve been covering it. He’s played in so many memorable and significant bands in Richmond: My Darling Fury, Midlife Pilot, Avers, Anousheh, Charm Offensive, Zunzun, Way Shape or Form, Post 65, and ten others I’m probably forgetting. He has given so much to local music that it’s only right we give back to him when we can. Huge shout-out to Evan Hoffman (from Blush Face and several other bands) for putting this fundraiser together. They’re currently 1/5th of the way to their goal. Let’s try and get that up to at least 2/5 by the start of next week. (Fundraiser link here.)

• Someone else needing help is Manny Lemus, the brains behind Citrus City. Citrus City has been a big part of the Richmond music scene for nearly a decade now, with several high-profile releases of local artists. If you know a band in town with tapes for sale, the chances are high that Citrus City helped make them. Manny was recently a victim of physical assault that left him with a severe concussion. The after-effects of the trauma left him unable to work for most of February, and he’s just looking for a little bit of financial help to bridge the gap. While he doesn’t have an official fundraiser, we’ll share the image he posted on social media here. Click it and help him however you can. Richmond music owes so much to Citrus City. If we can help out Manny now, it will ensure Citrus City will stay around for years to come. (Image link here.)

• Quick note: there is one week left to vote for the Newlin Music Prize! Twenty outstanding local records are up for this award and we implore everyone to check them out and vote! (Newlin link here.)

• RVA Magazine talked with Noah Page, the first transgender candidate to run for office in Henrico County. Noah Page has been a tireless champion of local hip-hop for years, and that passion really drove her desire to enter local politics. Anyone who knows Noah Page will tell you she is sincere, diligent, and compassionate, all traits you want from someone in politics. We hope to talk more and more about Noah Page in the lead-up to the election, but for now, check out RVA Magazine‘s in-depth interview. (Article link here.)

• Don Harrison over at Style Weekly had this interesting piece about a new release featuring rare soul music from Norfolk put together by a local musical archivist. Digging into music history is not easy and is a thankless job, but this kind of work is so invaluable. It has led to career resurgences of artists like Death, Wanda Jackson, Lewis, Charles Bradley, and others. Read the article to find out the story and then check out the compilation. (Article link here.)

• Also at Style Weekly, Davy Jones talked with Lonnie Liston Smith about his new song “Cosmic Changes,” and his work alongside the Jazz Is Dead record label, run by Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest). Check it out. (Article link here.)

• Quick self-plug. I chatted with Tyler Meacham about the Anniversary Edition of Into The Fray (out today!). There’s a lot of backstory behind the re-release and some really good thoughts about the singer-songwriter scene that really helped transform the makeup of Richmond music over the last five or six years. Read it, but more importantly, check out the Anniversary Edition of Into The Fray. (Article link here.)

• Have you joined Ignited yet? The fantastic online community for Central Virginia musicians and music lovers? Why not? (Ignited link here.)

• Shockoe Sessions celebrated International Women’s Day this past week with Quatres Femmes, a special show featuring four local women musicians who each have a different and dazzling sound. Sophie Colette, Alex Dimas, Tess Fisher and Kailey Conner all performed and if you haven’t checked it out yet, I highly recommend it. Next up for Shockoe Sessions is Ant The Symbol, which is bound to be a sensational night of music. (YouTube link here.)

• The 73rd episode of River City Sounds welcomes their first out-of-state group: Castle Black from New York City. That first track is a doozy. Make sure to listen. (Spotify link here.)

• Tay’s Green Life released two episodes recently with Seasons, a hard-working local act, and Future Projektor, a group that put out one of the most ambitious Richmond albums last year (The Kybalion). Check both episodes out now over on YouTube. (YouTube link here.)

• Another local podcast to check out is Scum City Spotlight, who recently chatted with the tremendous local trio Can’t Help Myself. If you haven’t heard their single “Attachment Style,” do so now but also check out this interview. (YouTube link here.)

• Go see a local concert this weekend! The diligent duo behind Restless RVA will have “menus” of all the shows going on in town this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. (Instagram link here.) If you want some recommendations or some more information, the uncanny Marilyn Drew Necci always delivers with her weekly show column over here. (Article link here.)

• If you can’t see some live music, then check out some new releases. HearRVA has you covered every week with a curated look at local new music. (Instagram link here.)

• Time to close out with a local song, and let’s bookend this column, shall we? We discussed Joel Hollister’s fundraiser above (link again, go donate) and mentioned several of the bands he’s played with over the years. There are some heavy hitters on that list, bands that really defined the Richmond music scene in one way or another. Above all of them though, My Darling Fury was truly special. I loved their 2013 record Licking Wounds (shout-out to “Spilled Milk”), but really, when I think of the band, I think of their short yet deeply impactful EP from 2016 entitled Aches. It’s only three songs, but each track is elaborate and thrilling. The EP was stuck on repeat for me in the spring and summer of 2016, and I’ve also returned to it several times since then. Even today, it still blows me away with its ingenuity and imagination. I’ll highlight “Satisfied” today, which is the song I’ve probably listened to the most. Part of the reason comes from being the opening track, but there’s also something about it that makes it stand out over the other two songs. There’s a breezy charm and sway that’s contrasted perfectly with some bombastic layering and snarky lyrics. (“Who are they to say who’s living on the other side? / Who gave them the keys and sold them the property rights?”). If I made a playlist comprised of all-time favorite Richmond songs, this would be one of the very first tracks I picked. So great. The band’s whole catalog is still available on their Bandcamp so pick up this song if you enjoy it and check out more!