Iron Blossom Music Festival (Photo courtesy Rocket Pop Media)
Iron Blossom Music Festival
Iron Blossom has become Richmond’s leading rock-centric music festival. A roster of 22 bands will perform for two days, Sept. 19-20, at Midtown Green. “From day one, our goal has been to bring must-see artists to Richmond while creating an event that’s easy to enjoy,” says festival spokesperson Cara Dickens. “This year’s lineup continues that tradition, with more than half of the artists making their Richmond debut.”
Neither of the headliners — Saturday’s dance punk revivalists LCD Soundsystem nor Sunday’s guitar hero and White Stripes veteran Jack White — has appeared in RVA before. Other local stage premieres are Angine de Poitrine, Dijon, Die Spitz and 54 Ultra.
The days open with local bands. “Richmond audiences want more than big headliners,” Dickens says. “They embrace rising talent and bold, forward-looking programming.” Tickets start at $99.50.
2nd Street Festival
Dubbed the Two Street Festival by locals, the 2nd Street Festival is one of the city’s biggest outdoor parties, hosting musicians on three stages on the main drag of Jackson Ward. On Oct. 3-4, the area will be full of people and lined with vendors, a kids’ area, popular food purveyors, a marketplace and Artists Row, and the Richmond Metropolitan Antique Car Club. The main stage headliners are DJ Jazzy Jeff on Saturday and Richmond African jazz legend Plunky Branch on Sunday.
“This is the 38th 2nd Street Festival,” says Stephen Lecky, director of events for festival organizer Venture Richmond. “At this point we know what works and what doesn’t. We don’t try to change it too much. It’s a great mix of music, art and food. We think of it as the kickoff to the fall event season, including the following week’s Richmond Folk Festival.” Admission is free.
Richmond Folk Festival
One of the most popular annual events in the region, the Richmond Folk Festival takes place at the downtown riverfront Oct. 9-11. More than 30 acts from a kaleidoscope of cultures will perform.
“The lineup is looking really strong,” says Venture Richmond’s Lecky. “I’m excited about ‘Chuj’ Mackey, a Native American country singer and yodeler, [and] Insun Park, a Korean performer.”
Additional artists include tap dancer Brinae Ali, all-female ensemble Mariachi Mariposas, Caymanian kitchen dance musicians Swanky Kitchen Band and many more in a variety of genres.
“One of the neatest things this year is that people will get a sneak peek at Brown’s Island, which had been undergoing a major renovation for the past year,” Lecky says. “The official reopening is in spring 2027, but the site is ready enough for a brief reopening for two stages during the event.” Admission is free
Doug Nunnally of The Auricular (Photo by Jay Paul)
Record and Play
A revamped digital resource offers an online catalog of Richmond’s music makers
With the fall season of sounds descending, the newly redesigned website for local blog The Auricular is an invaluable guide to the Richmond music scene. Created by Doug Nunnally, theauricular.com is both an archive and an advocate for the community. “This information has always existed in one form or another,” Nunnally says, “but it’s never this accessible.”
The site catalogs a wide range of resources, including nearly 2,700 recordings, a directory of local venues, record labels, recording studios and music organizations. The homepage lists current gigs for the week, and visitors can use the release links to check out bands before buying tickets. An “On This Day” function allows users to search a specific or random date to discover its significance in Richmond’s music history. And there is a host of articles about a dizzying array of artists. Most were written by Nunnally, a testament to his prodigious energy and omnivorous tastes.
“It’s always been a labor of love,” Nunnally says of the site. “The goal has always been to shine a light on Richmond’s music scene, encourage musicians to keep creating and help people understand how much incredible music is being made here.”
Tune In
Fall concerts in RVA
9/5
The Washington, D.C.-based music project Dogo du Togo is fronted by Massama Dogo and blends the sounds of his Togolese roots with Afropop. He’ll perform at Get Tight Lounge at 8 p.m. Tickets are $24. gettightrva.com
9/11
Multiple Grammy-winning legend Mavis Staples takes the University of Richmond’s Modlin Center for the Arts stage for a program focused on her 15th solo album, “Sad and Beautiful World.” The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35. modlin.richmond.edu
9/13-14
Grammy Award-winning guitarist Isaiah Sharkey has shared the stage with artists including Patti LaBelle, John Mayer and Richmond’s own late, great D’Angelo. He’ll perform at Révéler at 5 and 7 p.m. on Sept. 13 and 6:30 and 9 p.m. on Sept. 14. Tickets are $40. revelerexperiences.com
9/16
Paris-based band Sababa 5 blends Middle Eastern sounds and Mediterranean funk into rhythmic grooves that the group will unleash at Gallery5 beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $TBA. gallery5arts.org
9/19
“Outlaw country” artist Koe Wetzel performs during Virginia Credit Union Live at Richmond Raceway. The music begins at 6:45 p.m. Tickets start at $62. vaculive.com
9/20
The Richmond Concert Band fills the grounds of Agecroft Hall & Gardens with tunes that celebrate the Tudor manor’s 100 years in Virginia. The music plays 5:30 to 7 p.m. Free. agecrofthall.org
9/26
Enjoy live music from Hammaville, Virginia Rain and more during the fifth annual Virginia Apple, Cider, Bluegrass Festival at Hanover Vegetable Farm. The event runs noon to 5 p.m. Tickets start at $20. hanovervegetablefarm.com
9/29
London-based synth-punk band Powerplant brings its genre-blending sound to The Camel stage. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $19. thecamel.org
10/6-7
It’s been more than 30 years since psychedelic rockers Phish played Richmond. The band makes its return to end the 2026 season at the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront. Both concerts begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $TBA. allianzamphitheater.com
10/17
ZOSO The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience closes out the 2026 Pocahontas Premieres concert series at Pocahontas State Park. The Southern rock cover band Hold the Line RVA opens beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $20. dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/pocahontas
10/17
Electronic music project Desert Dwellers brings its Still Seeing Things Tour to Ember Music Hall beginning at 9 p.m. Tickets start at $28. embermusichall.com
10/20
Japanese rock band Acid Mothers Temple stops at Richmond Music Hall, joined by the ’60s and ’70s heavy-rock-influenced trio Magick Potion. The show kicks off at 8 p.m. Tickets are $28. thebroadberry.com
10/24
Country music icon Clint Black closes out the 2026 After Hours Concerts at the Innsbrook Pavilion, joined by the Texas-based group Midland and a special guest, Canadian singer-songwriter Jade Eagleson. The music begins at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $46. afterhoursinnsbrook.com
10/30
Singer-songwriter Prabir Mehta fronts Richmond’s own Tom Petty tribute band, Full Moon Fever. The group will be runnin’ down a dream beginning at 8 p.m. at The Broadberry. Tickets are $22. thebroadberry.com
11/4
Pennsylvania-based punk rockers The Menzingers play The National joined by post-hardcore artists Hot Water Music and indie rock trio Weakened Friends. The music starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $45. thenationalva.com
11/6
Pop-punk band Beauty School Dropout plays The Canal Club at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $20. thecanalclub.com
11/6
Known for her hit singles “Superwoman,” “The Way You Love Me” and “Romantic,” Karyn White brings her contemporary R&B sound to The Tin Pan at 8 p.m. Tickets are $69. tinpanrva.com
11/7-8
The orchestral fireworks of Stravinsky, Philip Glass and Rachmaninoff are performed by the Richmond Symphony at Dominion Energy Center’s Carpenter Theatre. The concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 7 and 3 p.m. on Nov. 8. Tickets start at $20. richmondsymphony.com —compiled by Nicole Cohen
