The popular Silent Music Revival concert series is back with another installment at Gallery5 on Sunday, April 14.
For those not in the know (seriously get in the know on this event), the Silent Music Revival projects a classic silent film and has live music playing as the film’s new living soundtrack and are completely improvised.
This month’s selection is Charlie Chaplin’s “The Kid” (1921) with live musical score by Wolf//Goat. Get there early. Seats tend to fill up fast.
THe popular Silent Music Revival concert series returns for one night only on Sunday, Jan. 20 at Gallery5.
Silent Music Revival is an event that projects a classic silent film and has live music playing as the film’s new living soundtrack. These new soundtracks develop organically, and are completely improvised. The bands do not watch the films until they perform them the night of the event.
This month’s selection is Maya Deren’s 1943 silent film “Meshes of The Afternoon” with a live musical score by Nelly Kate. The opening film is the 1928 short “Hands: The Life and Loves of the Gentler Sex” with live musical score by Sonic Nectar.
It all takes place at Gallery5 on Sunday, Jan. 20 at 8pm sharp. Get there early. Seats tend to fill up fast.
The Silent Music Revival has always been a treat to watch. A local band performs a live soundtrack to a classic silent film and creates something beautiful.
This month will feature the 1922 silent film “Haxan: Witch Craft Through the Ages” and the music of Homemade Knives.
“Haxan: Witch Craft Through the Ages” is a documentary depicting witch-hunts and Satanic practices. It was made for educational purposes but soon gained dramatic fame.
Usually, the musical group would play the live soundtrack to the film, having never seen it before. But on this night, Homemade Knives will provide, for the first time in the event’s history, a rehearsed musical soundtrack.
The Silent Music Revival is this Sunday, Jan. 30 at Gallery 5 and starts at 8 p.m. sharp. This will also be founder Jameson Price’s last Silent Music Revival. Come out and celebrate this event’s transition to new hands.
Homemade Knives – Anyone At All
Homemade Knives – Irons in the Fire
The evening started with a stop at Gallery 5 for the Silent Music Revival, this time featuring Ghastly City Sleep coming all the way from New York. The film shown was the 1933 film “Lot in Sodom,” a short silent experimental film based on the Biblical tale of the city of Sodom and Gomorrah. The movie used experimental techniques, Avant-Garde imagery and strong allusions to homosexuality.
The strangest thing was that the band performed behind the movie screen the entire evening which took me off guard a bit (I like seeing the band perform as I’m watching the movie). The band was plagued with problems early on as equipment kept messing up and guitar strings broke. The sound was also off the entire show and you could barely hear what makes Ghastly City Sleep’s music good in the first place. It was just a wall of noise and hurt my ears constantly. If they had only turned down the speakers a bit, it would have improved the quality of the sound.
Ghastly City Sleep – I Never Left My Hand
When that wrapped up, I headed over to the National to catch Pretty Lights as I was eagerly excited for this show. After waiting in a line that wrapped around the block, I get inside to catch Chali 2na from hip-hop group Jurassic 5 and his set was some of the best hip-hop I’ve heard in ages. This show was enjoyable, unlike the rapper who opened for Matt & Kim. He got the crowd moving and you could tell there is a lot of talent behind that mic.
chali 2na – Across the Map
Electronic mix master Bassnectar also had a show that night at the Hat Factory, so to give the fans a speacial treat, Bassnectar opened for Pretty Lights at The National while Pretty Lights opened for Bassnectar at the Hat Factory. This was actually a really cool thing they did since the scheduling was unintentional and fans didn’t have to choose who to see. Bassnectar played a short 20-minute set, which was full of electronic goodness. The crowd seemed to lose its mind and erupted into a giant dance party.
Bassnectar – Timestretch
Finally, the time came for Pretty Lights to take the stage. At this point, the crowd was overhyped, drunk and very obnoxious. One girl spilled her beer on me … Some guy dry humped me … A couple was litterally making out on top of me … and everyone was pushing the crowd without any regard for others. Douchebags always ruin shows and there will probably be a rant post on this coming soon.
But Pretty Lights began the set and the only word to describe it was epic. Lights, sounds and emotion took over the National and made everyone forget about all their problems and just let go. Dancing was non-stop and it felt like the party would never end. I knew there was something when I first heard Pretty Lights’ music and the live show amped it up tenfold.
Pretty Lights – A Million Tomorrows
With Halloween just around the corner, Richmond has numerous shows to scare the hell out of you.
Alt-country rockers Drive-By Truckers will be playing two nights at the National for a rocking Halloween bash on Oct. 29-30.
Drive-By Truckers – Santa Fe
Gallery 5 will present “Dia de los Muertos,” a Halloween party showcasing all the multicultural and traditional practices on Saturday, Oct. 30.
Performances by Tequila Mockingbird (made up of members of Prabir/Goldrush, Long Arms, Roslyn, and Brand New Groovement), Lobo Marino performing the Silent Music Revival and Gull, along with burlesque from Voix de Ville Follies and live improv from the Richmond Comedy Coalition.
The ladies of Taboo will be hosting a “Dead Sexy” Halloween party at the Canal Club on Saturday, Oct. 30 with the music of Microjoy, Four 50 Four and Pedals on our Pirate Ships.
And on Halloween, head over to Strange Matter for “Return of the Living Dead Bands Part II” featuring performances of songs by dead bands the Misfits, Descendants, Led Zeppelin, Bad Religion and NOFX – brought to life by members of: T-Division, Landmines, Grundle Punch, The Animal Beat, Real Talk, Point Blank, Sad Bastard Revival, Brainworms, The Trillions, Souvenir’s Young America, and Plastic Martyr.
Finally punk rockers Safety Word Orange released a brand new song entitled “Halloween” from their forthcoming acoustic EP.
Safety Word Orange – Halloween
I’m always a fan of the Silent Music Revival, where a local band improvises the soundtrack to a silent film.
This month’ s films will be a collection by the famed special effects artist Slavko Vorkapich and they have a certain creepiness to them that’s perfect for Halloween. This month also features the music of Silver Top Beauty, the product of Elliot Shelton, featuring Devone Harris and Antonia FD Vassar on vocals.
RVA Magazine did a hilarious interview Elliot and Antonia that took place in a public internet chatroom, while others talked about Brett Favre and penises. You can read it here.
The Silent Music Revival is tonight at Gallery 5 and starts at 8 p.m. sharp
The night started off at Gallery 5 for the Silent Music Revival. The eloquent and hypnotic music of Dave Watkins performing alongside the 1926 silent film “The Adventures of Prince Achmed” was something that needed to be seen (and heard) to fully appreciate. The animation people were able to create back then is very astounding and Watkins’ music matched up perfectly as he played for a straight hour and seven minutes.
While Dave Watkins is an amazing musician, the set lasted too long and his music started to become repetitive. Most of the Silent Music Revival shows are well under an hour and I think this one was stretching it a bit thin. Dave Watkins was still a spectacle to see performing musical improv.
After Gallery 5, I head down to the Canal Club to watch the guys in Against Grace play as part of a day-long benefit for the Make A Wish Foundation with numerous bands including Roslyn, Love and Reverie and Safety Word Orange (who I’ve missed seeing for the fourth time. I will get to one of their shows eventually).
As Against Grace played the final set of the night, it’s evident that these guys have grown on the stage as well as in their music. They sounded incredibly polished but not overdone as they played favorites as well as new tracks from their latest EP. It’s a shame more people weren’t in attendance to see what a musical gem Richmond has. Best song of the night had to be “Monday,” a collaboration with hip-hop artist doethepaperboy, whose vocals only added to the stunning track. Video here.
Two great acts out of the many we have in this city. And that’s just one night.
The Silent Music Revival is back again (it felt like it was just here) for another round of today’s music meeting yesterday’s movies. If you haven’t had a chance to check out this amazing music/movie hybrid series, plan on making it to Sunday’s show and see why it’s the best thing you’ve ever seen.
This month features the ambient, psychedelic music of Amazing Ghost will be providing the soundtrack for the 1928 silent film Uberfall.
The Silent Music Revival takes place Sunday night at Gallery 5 at 8 p.m. sharp.
Amazing Ghost – Somsomina
The Silent Music Revival is a brilliant concept. You take an old film from the silent era and play it with music performed by a live band. It’s a semi-monthly show bringing some of the best bands in Richmond and introducing people to forgotten classic films.
This month indie rockers The Diamond Center will be performing the soundtrack to the 1928 silent film Seashell and the Clergyman.
The Silent Music Revival takes place tonight at Gallery 5 at 8 p.m. sharp.
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