Mission Exhaustible: Live Music in Radford

My search for music in Radford.Why the notion to undertake live music anywhere in Radford—whether it be in a restaurant, bar, store, coffee shop, a house show, or on the RU campus—stuck me as a potential adventure of some sort has origins in hope, a need to know the area I live in better and break the usual routine of same ole same ole, curiosity, and the need to expose myself to bad karaoke as live music.

Finding live music in Radford couldn't be that bad could it? There was an ominous little feeling in the back of my mind, "oh it might be!" By the way, I was joking when I said I would go to a karaoke night. Since I rarely spend an evening out and about in Radford I just haven't been paying enough attention to go see live music beyond the occasional Monday night. So I kept telling myself I was just out of the loop, there must be plenty to go out and find. It has been far too long since I had gotten out and done something, anything, that was out of the usual mind numbing routine of work, sleep, wake up, eat, drink, read, sleep. Somewhere in between a trip to the Coffee Mill to get happily wired on caffeinated goodness is where my doomed journey begins!

Attempting to find anything on the internet while slurping black coffee proved difficult. I found the iconic Monday night Banjo and Fiddle Jam as well as the schedule of events for the RU Music Department. Useless information, I already know of these events. Well at least something is happening and easy to find. Frustration set in when I found numerous bands based out of Radford, and any tour dates listed were anywhere but Radford.

So far not so good.

Even the baristas were at a loss.'Blacksburg has music.' and 'Good Luck!' they said.

On to Barry's Music. Makes sense to go there. If anyone would have an idea of what is going on whoever was working there would. I stated my mission [Hah! Yes! I am on a mission now...not a journey!] to Dave Shelton and Bill Stinchcomb. Again, anywhere but Radford for the music [Try Blacksburg and Floyd], except at BT's, which occasionally has bands on Wednesday.

After a fun discussion about live music in other places, some speculation on what happened to live music, entertaining stories, and musings on what a live music scene needs to well...live...I headed over to the RU campus.

'Good Luck!' they said.

I searched the bulletin boards in the Music, Theater, and Art departments for music fliers. Blame James at BT's. I can only Blame James for their luck in being able to play in a city with few places to play. Time to see if anyone at WVRU could help me. The door to the WVRU lobby was wide open and I invited myself in. Jon Benfield, the Operations Director, shook his head. He, like many other people, seemed frustrated at the lack of venues and support for live music in Radford. We talked for a bit on what once was a thriving music scene in Radford and told me about the Urban Metal Music Festival on March 1st in the Bondurant Center. Well at least some bands and artists will actually be able to play in Radford, even if it is just once.

'Good Luck!' Jon Benfield said.

There was a Blame James flier in the student center letting me know I was looking in the right places, but there was little to see. I gave up for the day.

I went back to Barry's Music the next day to see if I could find a little about the once prosperous live music scene in Radford where bands such as R.E.M., Fishbone, and the Dave Mathews Band played on tour. Barry Roberts and Dave told stories of places that used to have live music. There was Lucky's (now Riley's), The Bus Stop (a parking lot), Whiner's (at various times also called the Final Score, Dave's, Cairo Lounge, which is now closed), Sackett's (also called the Depot and the Highlander, the building is now gone, the lot is for sale or lease), The Alleghany Cafe (now the Vintage Cellar), and Chancey's (closed, boarded up and for sale). House shows were once abundant, one show set up where the band played in the basement with a video feed to a TV upstairs for people to watch. Maybe all the house shows are just really low key now...

or not.

I ordered food from Highlander Pizza and asked if anyone there knew of any house shows or live music going on anymore. 'Try Blacksburg'. I talked to Foster, who was knowledgable in the once booming house party scene in Radford. He summed up the music and party scene in Radford pretty well: 'Its just not the same.'

What killed the live music scene? The loss of venues, a decline of interest in live music, nobody wanting to pay the bands, the crackdown on parties by authorities were some suggestions. There are probably more reasons, but everyone I talked to was hopeful that maybe someone or something would jumpstart live music again. As for the current state of live music in Radford, Barry put it best: 'Its all DJs and karaoke.'

Aside from Monday nights and the occasional Wednesday, its anywhere but Radford.

Mission: Aborted.