love and energy in richmond

Photography by Adam Stokes

Interview by Joshua Kmak, @thecreepseed

Richmond, Virginia, USA

Photographer Adam Stokes is a photographer who is documenting the burgeoning DIY music scene in Richmond, Virginia, where everyone is treated like family. Reckless Correspondent Joshua Kmak asks Adam a little more about his work and the scene in Richmond.

What's it like living in Richmond? Have you lived there long?

I was actually born and raised on the outskirts of Richmond, I’ve always loved it, returning here after college. I enjoy the wide variety of food, beer, and the love of music everyone has here!

Tell me about the music scene in Richmond. What makes it unique/differ from other cities?

There is such a diverse scene here in Richmond. Depending on the night, the same venue features multiple genres to reach all audiences. I love that you can go literally anywhere in the city and the chance of finding live music is always good. I think the one thing that makes Richmond stand out from other cities is the DIY scene. Recently, Strangematter, one of the best music venues for local bands closed; people felt that other venues didn’t suit their need and took to using their own living spaces for music development.

Tell me about Richmonds music venues.

There are a number of different venues, each with their own unique atmosphere. There is the Broadberry and the Camel which tend to host smaller, but still well-known bands and then there is the National which hosts the big names coming to Richmond, just to name a few. Even people’s living rooms can play host to large audiences enjoying some local bands. The Canal Club has to be my favorite place to shoot. They host some of the best big names along with underground bands that locals love.

I see a lot of rad shots of house shows! Is there a strong underground scene in Richmond?

There really is! It feels like a family in a way. Everyone knows everyone at these house shows. I have to give a shoutout and a big thank you to Camden and everyone at Yellowhouse for opening their doors for people to come, jam out and have a wonderful time. In the past 2 years that I have been a part of this family, I have seen a number of new start out there with so many people to support them.

Let me say, you have an eye for energy! What do you try and convey with your photos?

I have a high energy personality. With my photos, I want to convey the way I feel at these shows, I want them to feel like they were there themselves. I want them to feel like they’re crowd-surfing, that they’re in the moving crowd, getting pushed, raising fists and belting out the lyrics. I try to communicate the highest level of energy even in the tiniest of rooms.

What do you look for in a live band?

The biggest appeal in a band is their crowd involvement and movement on stage. I love a band that gets your adrenaline pumping, not only is it more fun for the audience, but they make for the most interesting shots. This being why I chose to go on tour with Empty the summer of 2019. Empty is a band out of South Carolina and their stage presence is unmatched. Gary Spears (lead vocalist) will climb on any available surface, which makes for some pretty amazing photography.

Every city has a flavor. Where do you see music in Richmond heading?

I see the indie music scene blowing up in ways that we haven’t seen before. Sub genres like indie rock and indie pop have become somewhat of the norm around here as people are listening to more obscure bands and developing their own thing.

Are there any bands from your town we should watch for?

Absolutely! For my pop punk lovers go listen to Flight Club, an amazing group of guys with a sound that will definitely get you moving. For Alternative rock fans you can’t go wrong with House & Home as well as Sleave. And finally alternative, RVA’s own Camp Howard and Minor Poet. I love all of these bands and you should DEFINITELY give them a listen.