Excellent local blog Sounds Of RVA celebrates its two-year anniversary on Thursday, November 15 with a vibrant showcase of local musical talent at Strange Matter. Over the course of its two-year existence, this blog has grown into an important force in the RVA music scene. When I discovered it back in the beginning of this year, I was immediately impressed. I began regularly using its posts as source material for RVA Mag website posts, and soon convinced Sounds Of RVA’s owner, Sarah Moore Lindsey, to start contributing to our website herself. Even after two years of maintaining a prolific posting schedule on Sounds Of RVA, Sarah still finds enough local music news to provide material for over a dozen posts per week, in addition to her regular weekly column for this website. I caught up with her to find out about how she got started and what keeps her excited about the Richmond music scene. Here’s what she had to say:
How did you get started writing about music? What sort of related work did you do before starting Sounds Of RVA?
I started writing about music by taking a couple of classes at JMU on the history and culture of music. I would go to a lot of shows and write up reviews while I was there. Picture a hippie chick with a beer in one hand, a camera in the other, somehow juggling a pen and paper, and that's me. I've always been involved in the online world and had an online presence. I decided in 2004 that I would combine the two interests. I wrote for websites like Glide Magazine, PopMatters, Jambase, All About Jazz, The Owl Mag, and a few more.
What made you want to start Sounds Of RVA? How much work did you have to do to set things in motion?
I started Sounds of RVA because I was sick of good bands not getting any media attention due to politics. I wanted to give bands that weren't necessarily somebody's definition of "cool" an opportunity to be seen and heard. I realized that there was a lot of online material out there that should be documented in some way. The website has always taken a big chunk of my time and energy, but using tumblr as my host certainly makes things a lot easier.
Do you feel like your readership grew quickly once you started doing the blog? How do you think being on tumblr affected your ability to bring in new readers?
I definitely started out getting followers via tumblr who weren't necessarily from Richmond. That online community really grows fast. Users can simply search for RVA on tumblr and see tons of posts from people who are from Richmond. I think people get excited to be a part of something that's growing.
How do you find all of the stuff that you post? Does it involve a lot of research? Do people email you tips a lot? What's the info-gathering process like?
I spend a great deal of time searching the internet, day and night. First of all, it helps to "like" every single band from Richmond. Now with these weird new Facebook settings, though, it's become harder to see updates from everyone. Twitter is a good resource for material as well. Bands post videos, songs, and show info via Twitter.
I do get a certain amount of e-mails from promoters and bands to post things. Sometimes it's really odd, though, when promoters send me things that have absolutely nothing to do with Richmond (the band isn't playing here, etc). I encourage bands to submit directly to me.
It seems like you cover any and every style of music that's made within the Richmond area. Are you more into some genres you cover than others? Does your personal taste affect what you choose to write about at all?
I've got to admit that I get most excited to hear brand new (good) metal. I [also] love stuff with a solid bass-line, and I love the banjo. I try to keep an open mind and hear the music like a fan of that genre would. I envision what aspects make that song the genre it is, and I consider the quality of the recording and artwork. Yes, sometimes I get swayed by artwork. My personal taste can be seen through how excited the post is. If I spend a little more time writing about a band, that's also a good sign that I like the music. I only discriminate against dubstep, because I don't understand it. There is a lot of bad dubstep out there by Richmonders. I know it's a tautology to say "bad dubstep" but I rarely find the womps worth it.
Sarah and her husband Jay at GWAR-B-Que 2012
How do you view your role as a blogger in the RVA music scene? Do you look at your blog more as a platform for you to tell the world how you feel about local music, or do you see it more as providing a service? Or something else entirely?
I'm honestly still trying to figure out how to maintain a balance between the two: providing a service and opening up a soapbox for my own views. I don't want to abuse my privilege of being someone who's a voice in this small city, because then people stop listening or reading. I'm trying to turn you on, not turn you off. After all, I started this blog as an avoidance of politics.
Over the course of your daily life, how much time do you spend working on Sounds Of RVA-related stuff? Does it ever feel like too much work?
I spend a couple of hours most days to stay in the loop and find new music. It's sometimes hard to say what browsing is for Sounds of RVA and what's personal, because the two kind of blur together. Writing takes up time, too, and I guess it all depends on if I'm feeling the flow of words or not.
What do you think are some of the best and worst aspects of the RVA music scene as it exists right now?
I love the enthusiasm Richmonders have for our independent music scene. I do not like the degree to which the city polices independent venues. An organization such as CAPS was created to deal with blight, and instead shuts down independent artists. But what I love about the music scene is that every time a chapter closes in the venue department, there's always another one cropping up around the corner.
And finally, to steal one of your favorite interview questions: what are you doing this weekend?
This weekend I will be toasting a friend's birthday at a backyard fire pit, hopefully going to see The Dead Milkmen at Kingdom, and perhaps stopping by the Capitol steps for "Women's Monument," an art piece documenting women standing alone on the steps. I might check out the free in-store show at Steady Sounds on Sunday with Trummers, Josh Vliet, and Alex Minoff. I will definitely clean my humble abode and eat at Superstars Pizza. Every weekend.
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The Sounds Of RVA two-year anniversary show will feature sets by Richmond artists Josh Small, The Hotdamns (final show), Bearstorm, Lightfields, and Sacred Teachers. It takes place at Strange Matter (929 W. Grace St.) on Thursday, November 15. Doors open at 9 PM, admission is $5. For more info, check out the facebook event page.