Library of Virginia bringing Dopesick author Beth Macy to Richmond for the Carole Weinstein Author Series
Richmond Region Tourism partners with VisitAble to offer disability awareness education to local hospitality community
UMFS opens new $11 million residential center to enhance youth behavioral, mental health treatment
Local Asian American Society of Central Virginia to host author and artist of new book
Inauguration of University of Richmond’s 11th president slated for April 8th
Library of Virginia partners with Can Can Brasserie to open downtown cafe
Lady N’awlins Cajun Cafe in the Fan to close doors next month after 12-year run
Bartizian restaurant in Short Pump makes the leap to events-only concept
Hook and Reel on Forest Hill Avenue Appears to be Open
Patsy Cline’s legacy to be honored by jazz vocalist Staci Griesbach with tribute concert at VMFA
Richmond broadcast legends team up to launch new internet radio station “The Breeze”
PHOTOS: RVAHub Road Trip to Natural Chimneys Jousting Tournament
University of Richmond Museums present three new exhibitions
14th-century Japanese hanging scroll conserved at VMFA with grant from the Sumitomo Foundation
Library of Virginia partners with Can Can Brasserie to open downtown cafe
Richmond broadcast legends team up to launch new internet radio station “The Breeze”
Lady N’awlins Cajun Cafe in the Fan to close doors next month after 12-year run
Bartizian restaurant in Short Pump makes the leap to events-only concept
Richmond Region Tourism partners with VisitAble to offer disability awareness education to local hospitality community
Preview: Kickers Face Defending Champs
PHOTOS and GAME SUMMARY: VCU Draws in Home Opener
PHOTOS: RVAHub Road Trip to Natural Chimneys Jousting Tournament
PHOTOS: VCU Men’s Soccer vs. Missouri State, Pre-season Scrimmage
Dominion Energy Charity Classic and First Tee Greater Richmond to partner on River City Collegiate Classic
University of Richmond Museums present three new exhibitions
14th-century Japanese hanging scroll conserved at VMFA with grant from the Sumitomo Foundation
No more Confederate flags at Hollywood Cemetery
The Valentine receives major national grant to upgrade archive storage facilities
U of R professors awarded $325K NEH Grant for open-source tool to analyze historic images
With the words, “Sir Knight of Possum Hollow! The rings are hung and the track is clear! Charge Sir Knight!” a horse carries a rider down an 80-yard track to attempt to catch three rings with a lance.
After dropping our only child at college we turned to the mountains and explored. Over the next week or so I’ll be sharing the sights that my wife (Page) and I captured. These won’t be in chronological order because that would make too much sense. The order can best be described as, “I want to edit these photos now”.
On Saturday went to Natural Chimney in Mt. Solon Virginia to check out a unique geological feature. The seven Natural Chimneys tower as much as 120 feet above the Shenandoah Valley. Viewed from one angle, the formations resemble enormous chimneys standing in bleak contrast to the greenery of the Valley. Take a few steps, though, and the chimneys are transformed into the massive turrets of a foreboding medieval castle.
We didn’t know about the Jousting Tournament hosted by the Natural Chimneys Jousting Club until we rolled up to the gate this past Saturday.
Natural Chimneys claims to be home to the nation’s oldest continuously held sporting event, the National Chimmneys Jousting Tournament. The first joust was held in 1821 and continues today. During the Civil War one of Stonewall Jackson’s generals, Turner Ashby, jousted. Talking with spectators we learned that one family was putting out their 5th generation of riders and 3-4 generations were common. If you google oldest continuous sporting event in the US you’ll be told the Kentucky Derby but it started in 1875 nearly 50 years after the first joust at Natural Chimneys.
This is not the jousting of medieval knights clashing against each other but rather with the words, “Sir Knight of Possum Hollow (or whatever moniker they go by)! The rings are hung and the track is clear! Charge Sir Knight!” a horse carries a rider down an 80-yard track to attempt to catch three rings with a lance. The rings dangle from wooden arches that suspend the ring 6 feet 7 inches from the ground. Tournaments permit each rider three “charges” at a specified size ring to determine the winner. If two or more riders have a tie score, the ring size is reduced until a winner is determined. jousting clubs have “sets” of rings. They are graduated in size, the largest is 1 ¾”, then reducing in size by one-quarter inch increments to 1 ½”, 1 ¼”, 1″, ¾”, ½” and the smallest ¼”. The measurement is the inside diameter.
The arch with ring dangling down.
One of the larger but not largest rings.
Tournaments are divided into four classes; Novice, Amateur, Semi-Professional and Professional. Novice is where you’ll find the young knights and horses are led down the course. As you’d expect the speed picks up as you progress to Professional. Unfortunately, we only had time to catch the Novice and Professional rounds. That does mean we got to see the cutest and the quickest. The lances in the Novice group varied from custom-made to pool cue.
Unicorn face paint makes you do better. It’s scientifically proven.
This little one was not quite two years old. The loudest cheer we heard was when she got a ring on her last try.
There were three professional riders and their speed was impressive.
The event was a great gathering of a community that I knew nothing about. To learn more hit up National Jousting Association and Natural Chimneys Jousting Club.
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Richard Hayes is the co-founder of RVAHub. When he isn't rounding up neighborhood news, he's likely watching soccer or chasing down the latest and greatest board game.
The tribute concert will celebrate the 90th birthday of the American musical icon
Fans of the late American music icon Patsy Cline can celebrate her 90th birthday with two tribute concerts near her hometown of Winchester, Virginia featuring acclaimed up-and-coming Los Angeles-based vocalist Staci Griesbach. Honoring Cline’s incredible legacy, Griesbach will highlight the trailblazer’s crossover appeal with her reimagined classics in the style of jazz.
“Patsy Cline’s catalog is remarkable and truly stands the test of time, so it’s a joy to celebrate her legacy as she would have been 90 years old this year. My hope is to continue to remind music fans of all genres of her incredible talent and trailblazing spirit, which I admire very much,” Griesbach said. “In reimagining her famous tunes in the style of Jazz, hopefully I can help to create a bridge between music communities that love great lyrics and incredible melodies.”
Griesbach’s Virginia tour schedule includes two concerts leading up to Cline’s 90th birthday on September 8th, 2022. Marking her debut in both markets, Griesbach will headline a Jazz-inspired selection of Cline’s songs along with others from her catalog (including Ella Fitzgerald, Dolly Parton, George Jones and Shania Twain) in Washington, D.C. at the historic Mr. Henry’s on Sept 1st and also the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond on Sept 2nd. In addition, Griesbach will share her tribute at the annual Patsy Cline Historic House “Block Party” on Sept 3rd, held right in front of Cline’s childhood home in Winchester, VA.
“Patsy Cline is one of Virginia’s musical treasures, and we are thrilled to celebrate her and remember her legacy on what would be her 90th birthday with Staci Griesbach’s blend of jazz and country music,” said Robert Phanord, Performing Arts Coordinator for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
The performance at the VMFA is free as part of the “After 5 Fridays” series.
For more, and links to both events, click here.
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Bill Bevins, Bud Myers, Adam Stubbs, and Ilyse Jennings will launch the new soft album rock station October 1st.
Some of Richmond’s best-known radio personalities are coming back to the airwaves – only this time, digitally. Veteran radio host Bill Bevins, who has been heard across Richmond’s radio dial and on TV for a combined five decades, most notably on Lite 98 and WTVR-TV (CBS6) has teamed up with self-described consumer electronics guru and former WTVR-TV reporter Bud Myers to launch internet radio station The Breeze.
The two lifelong friends envision the new station, which will play five decades of soft album rock by national artists and also spotlight Richmond musicians, as a “breath of fresh air” among the landscape of corporate-owned radio in Richmond and across the country that has seen the consolidation of both music playlists and local personalities over the years.
The Breeze, Bevins hopes, will be a reprisal of Richmond radio’s glory days, but with a modern spin.
“We remember when disc jockeys had the freedom to select and talk in depth about the various songs they played,” said Bevins. “That is not the case today. Corporate radio limits the music selection, the programming, and the role of the show’s host, which in our opinion, limits the enjoyment of the listener.”
“So many of the great songwriters have been creating excellent music over the past 50 years, but other than their 1970s hits, you never hear them on today’s radio,” Myers added. “Streaming The Breeze catches you up with their music, which has matured and deals with the things that life has brought to all of us. From album cuts of singer/songwriters to the blues, soft jazz or 60s soul, this is what The Breeze offers our listeners and in full CD quality.”
Bevins pointed out that there also has been little opportunity to hear Richmond musicians on the radio. “Local artists rarely get airtime, but The Breeze will now bring their music to the public every day,” he said.
Once the station officially launches October 1st, Bevins will helm the morning slot. Myers will host a deep cuts show “The Listening Room” in mid-days, and Adam Stubbs, who worked with Bevins at B103.7 and Lite 98 over the years, will helm the afternoon shift, which is familiar territory to him. “It’s a dream to work with people who care equally about the community, great music, and want to give ultimate flexibility for the broadcasters,” said Stubbs.
Ilyse Jennings, who has been heard on former station XL102 since the 1980s, will round out the team and host evenings.
The full lineup is as follows, per station owners:
There will also be a daily “Richmond Minute” serving up tidbits of Richmond’s past from WTVR’s historian, Don Talley. Other special programs are in the making and will be announced soon.
“We’ve put our hearts into this, and I hope you can hear that coming through your speakers,” Bevins added. “Every song is handpicked and programmed to give you a lift throughout your day.”
“It’s a different vibe that is a bit nostalgic, but for the right reasons,” Myers said. “It’s not an oldies station, but I hope we open your ears a bit with great music regardless of genres. We are not going to be categorized, which pretty much summarizes both Bill and me.”
The Breeze officially launches Saturday, October 1st and can be streamed online at vabreeze.com or on Alexa.
We need your help. RVAHub is a small, independent publication, and we depend on our readers to help us provide a vital community service. If you enjoy our content, would you consider a donation as small as $5? We would be immensely grateful! Interested in advertising your business, organization, or event? Get the details here.
For the first time since early spring 2020, University of Richmond Museums is presenting three new exhibitions, all of which are open to the public. Museums reopened to the community in March 2022.
For the first time since early spring 2020, University of Richmond Museums is presenting three new exhibitions, all of which are open to the public. Museums reopened to the community in March 2022.
“We’re delighted to welcome the campus and the greater Richmond communities back to our spaces, with a slate of exhibitions and programs that showcase student scholarship and creativity and artistic innovators of our time,” said Elizabeth Schlatter, interim executive director. “We will also welcome numerous faculty and students to our exhibitions this semester as part of their course work in our continuing efforts to advance the educational mission of the University.”
The three new exhibitions, which open to the public next week include:
University of Richmond Museums are free and open to the public, no appointment necessary. Hours of operation are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and Thursday from 1-7 p.m. For more information about directions, exhibitions, and programs, visits museums.richmond.edu.
Duane Michals: The Portraitist is on view in the Harnett Museum of Art, located in the Modlin Center for the Arts, Aug. 24 through Nov. 18.
The exhibition presents the first comprehensive overview of inventive photographic portraits by one of the medium’s most influential artists. Best known as a pioneer who broke away from established traditions of documentary photography in the 1960s, Michals is widely recognized for his ability to navigate between imposing his style and allowing his sitters to express themselves, and for the sequences he assembles to convey personal visual narratives, often adding handwritten messages and poems on the photographic print surface.
More than 125 portraits are included in the exhibition, many of which were recently discovered in a workroom in his brownstone building in New York City. Frequently commissioned to create portraits of actors, writers, musicians, and others, among the wide-ranging selection for the exhibition are images of artist Andy Warhol with his mother Julia Warhola, musicians Benny Goodman and Branford Marsalis, the original cast of “Saturday Night Live”, and actors Meryl Streep and Tilda Swinton.
Therefore I Am: Portraits from the Joel and Lila Harnett Print Study Center is on view in the Modlin Center for the Arts Atrium and Booker Hall Aug. 24 through July 7, 2023.
The exhibition presents a selection of portraits spanning six centuries and examines the various roles that portraiture has played in portraying the identity of the sitter. Historically, portraiture has been used by society’s elite to communicate messages of power, prosperity, and beauty. With recent advances in technology such as digital cameras and smartphones, portraiture has become omnipresent in society today. The exhibition encourages the viewer to think about how we consume and interact with portraiture in our everyday lives, whether it be scrolling through group photos on social media or taking a selfie.
Highlighted artworks include Reigning Queens (Queen Beatrix) by Andy Warhol, a portrait of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands that belongs to a screen print series featuring four ruling queens of the 1980s. Reigning Queens, with its bold color blocks and larger than life composition, exemplifies the allure of the celebrity portrait in a Pop Art style.
The Annual Student Exhibition will be on view Aug. 24 through Sept. 22 in the Harnett Museum of Art. Selected by the visual arts faculty, the exhibition features work by visual media and arts students during the University’s 2021-22 academic year. About 30 artworks are in the exhibition, which range from mixed media and video to sculpture and printmaking.
Exhibits that remain on view include:
Gee’s Bend Prints: From Quilts to Prints is on view through July 7, 2023 in the Modlin Center Booth Lobby.
The prints in this exhibition are inspired by the quilts of Gee’s Bend, Alabama. African American women of this remote community have created hundreds of quilts for more than a century. The quilts have been recognized as “some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced,” as noted by Michael Kimmelman, The New York Times art critic.
Several of the younger generations of quilters have made etchings based on small-scaled maquette quilts. Collaborating with master printers at Paulson Fontaine Press in Berkeley, California, the artists used innovative techniques to transfer the quilt design to an etching that highlights the strong patterns, textures, and compositions of traditional Gee’s Bend quilts. The artists featured in the exhibition include Louisiana Bendolph, Loretta Pettway, Mary Lee Bendolph, and Essie Bendolph Pettway.
Cabinet of Curiosity Reimagined: Museum Studies Seminar is on view through May 5, 2023, in the Department of Art & Art History.
Cabinets of curiosity, or “wunderkammer,” were the primary mode of displaying collections among European royals and aristocrats from the mid-16th through mid-18th centuries, showcasing natural specimens, cultural artifacts, and works of art. These cabinets fell out of fashion with the advent of scientific classification and museum development in the 18th and 19th centuries. In response to the resurgence of the cabinet display format in the modern museum world, this exhibition examines the purpose and power of museums –– their developing methods of collection and curation over time, often controversial acquisition of objects, and ability to inspire and influence audiences.
The cabinet features selected works of art and natural specimens from the collections of the Lora Robins Gallery.
We need your help. RVAHub is a small, independent publication, and we depend on our readers to help us provide a vital community service. If you enjoy our content, would you consider a donation as small as $5? We would be immensely grateful! Interested in advertising your business, organization, or event? Get the details here.
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