Thursday, March 5
Candela Gallery presents Larry Cook’s “Daytona” and Natalie Krick’s “she sees, pictures as she pictures” Spring Collectors Dinner
Both interdisciplinary artists, Larry Cook’s DC-based “Daytona” features “grand, shimmering club-goers shrouded in rhinestone” and Seattle artist Natalie Krick’s exhibition uses fragmentation to disrupt the overly sexualized image of Marilyn Monroe as a celebrity icon. Note: Limited seating is available for this Spring Collectors Dinner with Grisette and Penny’s. The evening will start with brief exhibition tours for dinner guests. Tickets ($250) are available here. Not going to the collectors’ dinner? On Friday, the gallery will be open to the public from 5 to 8 p.m. for First Fridays.
“What Does Liberty Mean to You?” at St. John’s Church
Co-sponsored by the St. John’s Church Foundation and The Valentine, this panel discussion brings together three first generation Chinese immigrants, realtor Sarah Bice, educator Kefu Huang and pastor Daniel Gong, as they talk about issues related to immigration, assimilation and identity, and discuss comparative insights on life in China and the United States. This is St. John’s of course, so the panel will also wax opine on the importance of Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death!” speech. Ting-Yi Oei, Education Director of the 1882 Foundation, will moderate the discussion. Free. 6 p.m.—Don Harrison
Garden Bros Nuclear Circus at The Diamond (through March 8)
A 100-minute, action packed show of 60 performers under what is being billed as the “world’s largest climate-controlled Big Top Arena.” Jaw-dropping acts such as Human Cannonball, Globe of Death and Jr’s Hollywood Adventure. 4:30 p.m. Kids go free. To learn more, gawk their website.
Cory Blake and Amy Blake at Perkinson Recital Hall at University of Richmond
Longtime faculty member and guitarist Cory Blake will present a concert featuring various genres including classical, Celtic, as well as original compositions and electro-acoustic soundscapes. He’ll be joined by his wife, local flutist and teacher, Amy Thompson Blake, and master percussionist and tabla player Kevin Johnson. Free. 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Friday, March 6
Isabella Whitfield “Present Perfect” opening reception at 1708 Gallery
Isabella Whitfield is a multidisciplinary artist born and based in Virginia, working in papermaking, sculpture, and site-responsive installation and her “Present Perfect” exhibit opens on Friday, March 6. According to organizers, “’Present Perfect’ asks how to move forward when the present feels dictated by an impermeable past and the future appears increasingly calcified: a collapse of destiny into fate. Handmade paper, the exhibition’s primary medium, considers this question through its unlimited reprocessing potential, which allows artworks to remain materially unchanged while adapting to new forms.” Takes place from 5 to 9 p.m.
First Fridays Opening Reception for “The Art of Us” at Gallery5
Stop by for First Fridays at Gallery5, which will include musical performances by local artists Mel Machete, Mead the Dear, Ultra Bleach and Tess Fisher (music starts at 7 p.m.). You can also check out the exhibition “The Art of Us,” which hopes to “bring together diverse artists, voices and experiences” for a show “rooted in Taoist ideas … honoring duality as balance rather than division.” 6 to 11 p.m.
State of Flux: Annual Residents Exhibition at the True F. Luck Gallery at Visual Arts Center of Richmond
Check out this exhibition by resident artists at VisArts: Camryn Claude, Justice Dwight, Margaret Meehan and Sadie Shelton. Over the past six months, these artists used resources available there to “develop their creative practices, explore varied media and make new work.” The exhibition was curated by Monica Kinsey, the planner/secretary for Richmond Public Art Commission and a member of Mayor Avula’s Arts and Culture Advisory Group. “State of Flux” runs through April 12, 2026. Opening reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The Sky Chiefs Record Release Party with Stephen McCarthy and Kevin Pittman at Reveler Experiences
“It was a real recovery mission,” says alt-country pioneer Stephen McCarthy (The Long Ryders, The Jayhawks) of “The Sky Chiefs,” an album of country rock sessions recorded in Richmond with friend and fellow musician Kevin Pittman (left) back in the 1990s. The duo, with a local all-star band, will perform the album and more at Révéler Experiences. Listen to their music and read our interview with them by Don Harrison here. Reserved seats are sold out but a limited supply of lounge tickets will be available at the door. Two shows, early show at 7 p.m. and late show at 9:30 p.m.
Butcher Brown and Nate Smith with Plunky Branch at The National
This is the second joint appearance of two of Richmond’s biggest names in jazz, along with a longtime local legend. Butcher Brown took shape in RVA around the partnership of DJ Harrison and Andrew Jay Randazzo, supercharged with the drumming of Corey Fonville, and augmented by multi-instrumentalist/rapper Marcus “Tennishu” Tenney and distinctive guitarist Morgan Burrs. The increasingly inaccurate classification as “jazz” is probably as close as you can come to categorizing music that draws from styles across the past half century. Anything from ‘60s soul to post-bop, hip-hop, or modern R&B might catch their ear and be reworked with omnivorous virtuosity. They are joined by Nate Smith, who just won two Grammys this year for “LIVE-ACTION.” That album, like Butcher Brown’s latest “Postcards from the Atlantic,” features collaborations with a choice collection of guest vocalists and other musicians. Smith is a graduate school alumnus of Doug Richards’ VCU Jazz Studies program in the era when attendance was less about securing a degree than polishing professional skills. From there he worked with greats including ex-Miles Davis bassist Dave Holland, premiere saxophonist Chris Potter, and a who’s who of other musicians. He’s appeared on dozens of albums, including six as a leader. Local legend and world-renowned Afrocentric jazz legend James Plunky Branch opens. Expect an evening of brilliant playing illuminating deep grooves, and perhaps a more than a few surprises. 8 p.m. $41.72.—Peter McElhinney
Saturday, March 7
Second annual Richmond Coffee Festival with Plunky and the Oneness at the Greater Richmond Convention Center (also Sunday, March 8)
Yes, coffee is important to our survival and prices are going up (like many other items thanks to global warming). This festival is for enthusiasts and features education, industry professional knowledge, seminars, dicussions, competitions and live music. Local jazz legend Plunky and the Oneness will also perform at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Festival runs from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Day pass is $25; for more information, visit the website.
Nutzy’s Annual Block Party at CarMax Park
Flying Squirrels baseball fans should show out to check the new park at this festive event with food, live music, mascots and vendors, family fun, etc. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 2929 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd. Free to attend.
Virginia Wine Expo at Main Street Station (Also March 8)
Really into wine? Here’s your chance to taste your way through the weekend through hundreds of wines from around the world. Tickets start at $87 and includes food samples and wine. Visit their website for more info.
My Faire Lady Beer Release at Legend Brewing Co.
Fan of the hugely popular Richmond Ren Faire and good beer? Here you go. This event Includes costume contest, face painting and more. 5-10 p.m. 321 W.7th Street.
Hard Light Cinema Presents “Resurrection” (2025) at Studio Two Three
Local cinephile collective Hard Light brings another contemporary film to Richmond which you’re probably not going to see shown anywhere else, anytime soon. Chinese director and slow cinema champ, Bi Gan, is at his most epic with “Resurrection,” a sprawling and sideways history of filmmaking itself with nods to silent-era expressionism, film noir, horror, fantasy and a masterful single-shot finale that must be seen by even the most casual moviegoer. Two years into “bringing good movies to the good people of Richmond,” the Hard Light collective’s calendar is crammed with exciting, underseen programming this spring all over the city. Look out for a new restoration of Jocelyne Saab’s “The Razor’s Edge” (1985) benefitting the Gaza Soup Kitchen later this month, in addition to an ongoing series at University of Richmond highlighting Italian Cinema (next up is spaghetti western “The Great Silence” from 1968) and an upcoming series at the Richmond Public Library showing two films by Lucrecia Martel, “Zama” (2017) and “The Headless Woman”(2008), in anticipation of her forthcoming film, “Nuestra Tierra,” which sees release later this year. Doors are at 6:30 p.m. and entry costs $10.—Tim Abbondelo
Judah Friedlander at Coalition Theater
Known to many from mainstream TV’s “30 Rock,” and from walking around and hugging people in a Dave Matthews video shot in Charlottesville, the comedian, actor and author Judah Friedlander will be setting up shop for two nights in downtown Richmond at Coalition Theater, where he’ll be featuring all new material that “profoundly satirizes the propaganda of American exceptionalism, imperialism and oppression” but yet is also “never preachy” according to organizers. $30 plus fees. 8 p.m. Go here for tickets.
Ross Collier with Jesse Gray, Nick Woods and Eliza Jane at The Yard
Sometimes all it takes to get together is a few singers and their songs. Touring troubadour Ross Collier arrives from Nashville in support of his debut album, “Oh, MY!” (officially not out until the following week); the first two singles should appeal to any fan of the Bill Callahan canon, or more recently, Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band. Both songs have a playful yet poignant touch, similar to one-time Oregon Hill songster Michael Hurley, whose “O My Stars” colors Collier’s choice for his album title. Originally from New Jersey, Jesse Gray hangs her hat in Nashville now, where she recorded her forthcoming album live to tape at The Bomb Shelter. She sings in an altogether astral register, defying space and time and harkening back to Edith Piaf. Meanwhile, it’s anybody’s guess what springs Periphs’ frontman Nick Woods will tap into this weekend. Woods has been spread across numerous projects and area codes these days, notably with Omega Time Stringband, whose album “New Clinch Mountain Music” will be out later this year. Doors are at 6:30 p.m. at 1655 Stansbury Ave. There’s no official cover charge, but be prepared to tip the traveling musicians when the hat gets passed your way. Hosts ask that guests carpool where possible, and bring a chair if sitting.—Tim Abbondelo
Ratboys with Florry at the Broadberry on March 7
Ratboys are ready for their close-up. Formed in 2010 by lead vocalist Julia Steiner and guitarist Dave Sagan, the Chicago-based quartet — specializing in Americana with intriguing pop and indie rock edges — has steadily created one of the unsung discographies of the modern era. Their sixth album, “Singin’ To An Empty Chair,” recorded in a Wisconsin cabin, may be their best and most accessible yet, crammed with road trip-ready singalongs (“Anywhere,” “Know You Then”), smoldering confessionals (“Burn It Down”), and crunchy Neil Young-style guitar hooks, all propelled by Steiner’s compelling vocals. You should hear Ratboys. Start at the Broadberry. Doors at 7 p.m. —Don Harrison
Fuse Ensemble performs “UnEarthed” at Firehouse Theatre
Fuse Ensemble melds chamber music by living composers with electronica, spoken word, cinema, dance and sculpture into a unique, unified and chimeric artform. Established in 2008, led by RVA composer Gina Biver, the group has pioneered new musical territory with artfully curated happenings that both challenge and enchant. This season’s program includes work from “UnEarthed,” explores the disconnect between humans and the environment with pieces from a new work by Biver, along with music from Matthew Burtner, Jessie Montgomery, Brittany J. Green. RVA photographer Sarah Aha, whose work explores the interactive space between the natural world and human expression. One of the brilliant things about Fuse is that unfamiliar soundscapes may seem forbiddingly abstract in isolation — whether composed modern music or underwater recordings of Atlantic shoreline, as in the work of UVA’s Burtner — they become a richer experience when enriched by film, dance, or other engaging channels of information. Evoking that emergent magic is what the group is all about. 7:30 p.m. $20—Peter McElhinney
An Evening with Peen at Ripple Ray’s
Paint Carytown brown with Cville’s premiere Ween tribute band, Peen (which I accidentally did one night in my bedroom clothes hamper after a particularly debaucherous real Ween gig at the old Toad’s Place). 9 p.m. Free show.
Sunday, March 8
Mobile Soul Sunday (Richmond Black Restaurant Week kickoff) at Monroe Park
For a decade, RBRE (March 8-15) has been connecting folks to RVA’s vibrant Black restaurants, food trucks and entrepreneurs. This free outdoor festival launches the week with live music, food vendors, marketplace artisans and family-friendly programming. Attendees can also check out Community Row, a lineup of nonprofit vendors sharing free information and resources ranging from voter registration to mental health support services. For participating locations for RBRE, visit www.rbre365.com.
“Marty Supreme” at The Byrd Theatre
The ping-pong hustler drama by Josh Safdie starring Bob Dylan –errr, Timothee Chalamet. Check Byrd listings this week if you want to catch some of the mainstream movies up for Oscar awards this year. 7 p.m.
