Here are some of the events rippling through the River City this week. “The Band’s Visit” is finally happening; poet Rita Dove reads; and there are concerts from Collective Soul, Chvrches and Lucy Dacus and an intriguing lecture about making a life in the Great Dismal Swamp. Stay cool.
‘The Band’ Arrives
As a Broadway in Richmond ticket holder in 2019-20, I was, of course, disappointed when the pandemic disrupted the season midway through its run. This week, “The Band’s Visit,” the final play from that postponed season, arrives at the Altria Theater July 26-31. A winner of 10 Tony Awards, the musical follows a group of Egyptian musicians who are scheduled to play a concert in Petah Tikva, Israel. Due to language barriers at the bus station, they end up in Bet Hatikva, an isolated town. Though the band only stays there a day, their visit leaves a lasting impression. The Richmond performances mark the final appearances of James Rana, who has been portraying bandmember Simon for five years.
—Nicole Cohen, Special Projects Editor
Rock & Recreation
After the kids get their kicks on the River City Sportsplex fields on Wednesday, July 27, the park plays host to a Chesterfield After Hours concert series event with Atlanta’s Collective Soul and the California-born Switchfoot. Collective Soul broke through with “Shine” in the early 1990s. That song, written by the band’s Ed Roland, the son of a Southern Baptist preacher, and built on a killer, crunchy riff, evokes other Southern rockers such as The Allman Brothers Band and The Black Crowes. A new album is set for release on Aug. 11. Music is scheduled for 6 p.m., and doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets start at $5.
—Tharon Giddens, Lifestyle Editor
Wading to Freedom
Beginning in the 17th century, maroons — enslaved Africans who had emancipated themselves and Native Americans escaping Colonial rule — found refuge in an unlikely place: the Great Dismal Swamp, which spans more than 2,000 square miles in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. Thousands of maroons found freedom on islands surrounded by thick muck and thorny brush, where they formed self-sustaining communities. Historian J. Brent Morris, author of “Dismal Freedom: A History of the Maroons of the Great Dismal Swamp,” hosts a lecture on Thursday, July 28, at noon at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. In-person tickets are $10, and the event will be livestreamed for free.
—Scott Bass, News Editor
Poetry for the Apocalypse
Join the Library of Virginia for an evening of poetry with Rita Dove presented by the Carole Weinstein Author Series on Thursday, July 28, at 6 p.m. The Pulitzer Prize-winner and former U.S. and Virginia Poet Laureate will read selections from her latest book, “Playlist for the Apocalypse.” In her first volume of poetry in 12 years, the poet explores man’s vacillating moral compass in poems depicting a range of human experiences. A book signing follows the reading, which will also be livestreamed. The event is free, but registration is required.
—Susan Morgan, R•Home Managing Editor
Home Again
Called “one of the best songwriters of her generation” by Rolling Stone, Richmond native Lucy Dacus returns home this week for a show on Brown’s Island on Friday, July 29. And this time she’s not alone, as Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett co-headlines. The show starts at 6 p.m., and tickets are $39.50.
—Emma Johnson, Editorial Intern
Take Me to Chvrches
The indie pop band Chvrches came together in 2011 and took its upbeat music worldwide, with songs such as “Here With Me” and “The Mother We Share.” “Screen Violence,” the latest album from the Scottish trio, features the synth and electronic sounds they’re known for. Fellow indie pop band Cafuné opens when they perform at The National on Sunday, July 31, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $29.
—Ale Egocheaga, Editorial Intern
Other Suggestions
- Enjoy An Evening of Sketch Comedy With Clyde McFly and Friends at Firehouse Theatre on Friday, July 29.
- The Heart & Soul Fest comes to City Stadium on Saturday, July 30.
- See “Whistler to Cassatt: American Painters in France” at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts before the exhibition closes on July 31.
- “Mamma Mia” continues at the November Theatre through Aug. 7.
River City Roundup is Richmond magazine's weekly compilation of the best things to see, do and experience in the region, compiled by our editors. Get each week's installment directly in your inbox every Monday by subscribing to our e-newsletter.
