This article has been updated since it first appeared in print.
C.A.M.P.O.S. at Ember Music Hall (Photo by Andre Mags)
Sparking New Sound
Ember Music Hall opens its doors
A fledgling entertainment venue near Richmond’s Jackson Ward neighborhood, Ember Music Hall has already featured a slew of artists during its first months of operation. The newest venture from event marketing company LX Group, the business also owns and operates pop-up bar Switch, Kabana Rooftop and several other local venues.
“We have about 90 shows booked between now and the end of the year,” says event manager Jonathan Smith. “Pretty much every genre from rap and hip-hop [to] country, alternative rock and EDM [electronic dance music].”
Smith says EDM has been the primary focus due to the hall’s distinctive audiovisual setup. “It’s unlike any other venue in the city with how many LED screens we have and our custom speaker system,” he says. “We’re just really excited to give everybody something to look forward to this year.”
LX initially began searching for a large venue space prior to the COVID-19 shutdowns. Once gatherings and events started to return, the group purchased two conjoined storefronts on East Broad Street. Knocking down the wall between them created a larger spot at 309 E. Broad St. that would become Ember.
Performances at the venue have included C.A.M.P.O.S. (pictured above). Upcoming shows through the end of 2023 include Lez Zeppelin, The Linda Ronstadt Experience, Elohim, War Hippies, The Warped Tour Band, Massane and more. See the full lineup at embermusichall.com.
Smith says Ember’s audiovisual experience will be unique to the area, and they’re planning to release new features by the end of September. “We’re coming up with a completely custom series that we’re doing that’s pretty much unlike anything other than a Vegas or LA-style experience that we’re really excited to unveil,” he says.
Musical Roots
The 2nd Street Festival celebrates 35 years
A celebration of the historic Jackson Ward neighborhood, the 2nd Street Festival is marking 35 years of bringing live music to the streets that once served as a cultural hub of the African American community. The free two-day event, Oct. 7-8 this year, draws thousands of attendees annually.
The Average White Band headlines the festival on Saturday, Oct. 7. The Scottish soul group ranks among the most sampled artists in the industry. On Sunday, Oct. 8, the event closes with “I Would Die 4U: A Musical Tribute to Prince” featuring local theater veteran Anthony Cosby Jr.
“When [the festival] first started, it was one block, one stage,” says Sharon Bassard, events and booking manager for Venture Richmond, which organizes the festival. “Now, we’re from Second Street to Broad, all the way down to Jackson. We have three stages, so it has really, really grown. We showcase R&B, some gospel as well as jazz.”
Other features include a Kidz Zone; food, craft and art vendors; and classic cars on view courtesy of the Richmond Metropolitan Antique Car Club.
Photo courtesy The Belvedere Series
Second Movement
The Belvedere Series returns with an expanded chamber music season
Building momentum from its successful inaugural season, The Belvedere Series is returning with an extended schedule dedicated to providing approachable chamber music experiences in intimate settings around Richmond. “We sold out our whole first season really far in advance,” says series founder and artistic director Ingrid Keller. “We’re trying to expand into the community, and that’s why we’ve picked two larger venues.” The 2023-24 season includes performances at St. Christopher’s School and Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church.
“I curate really specifically themed chamber music programs, [both] stuff people have heard before and also [have] never heard before,” Keller says.
The series presents “The Roaring Twenties” from Nov. 11-12 at the historic Marburg House in the Byrd Park neighborhood. The performances will feature selections from Erich Korngold, the Austria-Hungary-born composer credited with pioneering the genre of grand film music. Beyond the 1920s, selections from the 1820s and 2020s will also be performed. The Nov. 11 presentation has sold out, but a waitlist is available.
A roster of local and international musicians will perform during the series. Grammy Award-winning violinist Domenic Salerni composed “Trio Elegiac,” the series’ first commissioned work, which will premiere during the April 13-14, 2024, “Illumination” performances at the Marburg House. “That’s a special program because the center of it is an old Ukrainian hymn, and it’s the composer’s response to the ongoing war right now,” Keller says. “The first piece is just a Ukrainian composer solo cello, then the ‘Trio,’ and then we’re ending with Rachmaninoff. … I wanted to see if we could bring everything together in that concert.”
Music Sample
Sept. 29
Mixing different disciplines of rock with reggae, soul and numerous other genres, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals play The National at 8 p.m. $52.50.
Sept. 30-Oct. 1
The Richmond Symphony kicks off its new season with two installments of Mahler’s First Symphony, with performances on Saturday, Sept. 30, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 1, at 3 p.m. at the Dominion Energy Center. Tickets start at $15.
Oct. 7
Country artist Dustin Lynch closes out the After Hours at The Meadow Event Park 2023 season. 6:30 p.m. $31 to $99.
Oct. 7
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Byrds frontman Roger McGuinn stops at Hopewell’s Beacon Theatre. 7:45 p.m. $42 to $115.
Oct. 13-15
The 19th annual Richmond Folk Festival takes over the city’s riverfront with music from around the world, dance, traditional crafts, storytelling and food. Free, with donations welcomed.
Oct. 31
Legendary Jethro Tull lead guitarist Martin Barre arrives at The Tin Pan on Halloween night both to perform music and take the audience through a narrative journey of his career. 8 p.m. $55.
Nov. 15
Fresh off the release of their new album “Sight to Sound,” progressive metal band Stellar Circuits stops at The Camel. 8 p.m. $12.
