Strange Matter Will Be Closing This December

 In News

The Richmond music scene got some pretty awful news this past weekend. Strange Matter, the beloved eclectic venue known for its underground appeal and brazen decor, will be closing in mid-December. Judging by the outpouring on social media from fans and musicians, it seems the local scene is not quite ready to deal with the void left behind by this closing.

From the venue’s Facebook page this past Saturday:

“It is with a very heavy heart that after nearly a decade in operation, STRANGE MATTER will be closing the doors at 929 W. Grace Street in mid-December. All good things must come to an end, and the time is now for the owners to start new chapters in their lives and send the business out on a high note. Please respect the privacy of our hard-working staff while everybody processes this in their own way (unless, of course, you’d like to offer them work).”

More information is available in that long post (viewable at this link) including the date of the final show, which is December 15th… so mark your calendars.

Strange Matter opened at the beginning of this decade, taking over the esteemed mantle of live music at 929 West Grace Street that was previously held by Twisters, 929 Cafe, Chrono’s Cafe, and probably a dozen others. To say it quickly vaulted to importance would be an understatement — there is no venue in town that runs more shows per week, month, or year than Strange Matter. That dedication and perseverance has led to thousands of memorable shows, but more importantly, an innumerable amount of opening slots and exposure opportunities for local bands and artists just starting out.

We’ll have a lot more to say about this over the next few weeks, but until now, only two words seem to suffice:

This blows.

Cover photo courtesy of Craig Zirpolo.

the-auricular-mark-black

Start typing and press Enter to search