When we’re planning stories, some ideas pop in fully formed, like this issue’s feature about the metal band and art collective GWAR. The minute we realized they are previewing their 40th anniversary tour this month here in Richmond, we knew we had to write a story. The only question was how to fit four decades of over-the-top stage theatrics, costume and character changes, events, and ancillary products into one issue, let alone one article. Music writer Don Harrison pulls it off, starting on Page 88.
Other ideas are more like constellations, their shape gradually forming from a firmament of mentions, press releases, social posts, national articles and the like. “Giving Back,” a set of stories about nonprofits and volunteerism, was definitely a constellation project. My thanks to freelance writer Paula Peters Chambers and Lifestyle Editor Kevin Johnson, who heard, “I’ve been thinking about nonprofits,” and ran with it. They combined vague references to interesting organizations with conversations about the proliferation of nonprofits and added musings about private versus public money and systemic versus grassroots efforts, then interviewed experts across the region and thoughtfully present two complex topics that turned out to be both more and less related than we expected. Their stories begin on Page 72.
Food Editor Eileen Mellon’s article about the hard cider industry in Virginia falls somewhere in between on the scale of article articulation. Last November, Eileen and I attended a Virginia Cider Week event, where we met a number of passionate cidermakers and tasted the literal fruits of their efforts. We immediately put “something about cider!” on the schedule, but we couldn’t anticipate the intricate path she would trace across the commonwealth as she visited orchards and cideries to report a story both 400 years in the making and still coming into its own. “Apples to Apples” begins on Page 82.
Also in this issue, there’s an update on the Diamond District, a CrossFit gym with a different kind of mission, your first look at holiday events and entertainment, a sneak peek at three new food spots, and much more. Enjoy!
