The Extragavanza live music gala could be the start of something wonderful

This one-night event features 15 bands (some imported from other locales) playing across three venues. This write-up features 15 links that will turn your afternoon around.

October 21, 2015; 3:09 PM • by Susan Howson

Fall Line Fest announced a little while ago that it was simply not going to materialize this year, despite their best efforts. Sighs of disappointment left the lips of many music fans, and everyone trudged around for a few days, mourning.

Three guys organized their own thing to fill the void without necessarily filling the shoes of Fall Line Fest. It’s leaner, maybe meaner, and sounds like a ton of fun. National acts as well as local faves and new kids on the block (like, metaphorically, not a boy band hanging tough in color-block shirts and acid-wash jeans) will all come together to delight the eardrums of music fans in RVA.

One of those three fellows, Mark Osborne from Strange Matter, was gracious enough to chat with us about the Extragavanza, what it means, and how it shouldn’t be taken lightly.

The Extragavanza will take place on Friday, November 6th. It is a wise idea to get your tickets now.

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What are your thoughts about Fall Line Fest going on perhaps permanent hiatus? I felt like they were onto something that was good for the city, and it was one of the few music festivals I really enjoyed going to. As someone who books shows every day, what do you think this means for what FLF was trying to do?

MARK: Myself, Stephen Lecky and Todd Ranson are the sole organizers of this event. We wouldn’t have met if not for Fall Line Fest, as we were all on the booking committee for that one. Once we saw that event was not going to happen in 2015 we figured we had booked enough cool bands that we could still have something cool go down on November 6, although not on the gigantic scale that FLF was going for. Thanks to some generous sponsors (WDCE, Titos, Ardent, Plan 9 and VA Comicon), we were able to pull it off.

We’re in no way trying to be the replacement to FLF, but it just kinda happened that way. RVA is ripe for that type of festival. We hope it will happen soon.

Do you plan on picking up the torch and doing this every year?

MARK: If the people seem to enjoy it, the sponsors and venues are happy, and it proves to be profitable we may give it another whirl. Currently I don’t think any of us have really looked beyond this year and won’t until we see where we land. We’re only three people and this is a side project for us, as Stephen works on Friday Cheers and Folk Festival, Todd is a lawyer and RVA promotor, and I work at Strange Matter as well as independent promotions at other venues around town. In short, if it’s successful we’d give it another shot, but there’s nothing official decided.

Obviously you’re in favor of giving Richmonders a chance to see these particular bands. Which ones stand out for you as bands that we really shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to see? Which ones did you add to the lineup?

MARK: This was a group effort all around. It’s smaller in scale than what Stephen and Todd usually focus on, so I ended up booking a lot of the acts myself. I think we are all three very excited about our headliners DIIV who haven’t played Richmond since April of 2012 (when they were called Dive) and have come quite a long since then.

We’re also stoked on the kings of American noise, Wolf Eyes’ first RVA show in a decade, as well as the first ever area appearances of No Joy, Author & Punisher, and Sunflower Bean. To be honest, every band on this event is special to us in one way or another and we hope that in addition to getting people to see these larger artists that they also get turned onto some of what we feel are some of Richmond’s best local acts as well.

How’s business now that Grace Street is becoming a little more polished? Is it helping or hurting? The kids don’t have that tree to smoke under anymore!

MARK: As much as I’d love to think that college kids are willing to get more involved in their local music scene, it’s just not the case as it’s been in years past. I haven’t noticed many new faces this year, and I don’t think any Grace Street improvements have helped or hindered the music scene. Panda Express seems to be booming though!

The full lineup

THE BROADBERRY SET

Echoey riffs, moody repetitions, but also some bouncy chords mixed in there.

Doors open at 5:00 PM. Two stages mean nonstop music!

• 5:30 – 6:00 PM • MANZARA
• 6:00 – 6:30 PM • The Trillions
• 6:30 – 7:00 PM • Jeffrey Lewis & Los Bolts
• 7:00 – 7:30 PM • Avers
• 7:30 – 8:00 PM • Sunflower Bean
• 8:00 – 8:45 PM • No Joy
• 8:45 – 9:30 PM • Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires
• 9:30 PM • DIIV

THE STRANGE MATTER SET

For fans of the industrial, electronic, the face-melting.

_ Doors open at 10:00 PM_

• 10:30 – 10:50 PM • Daggering
• 11:00 – 11:20 PM • Mutwawa
• 11:40 PM – 12:20 AM • Author & Punisher
• 12:40 AM • Wolf Eyes

THE EN SU BOCA SET

Fuzz, fun, and feelings (but so many of the latter that you’ll start to roll your eyes).

Doors open at 10:00 PM

• 11:00 – 11:30 PM • Manatree
• 11:50 PM – 12:30 AM • Soda Bomb
• 12:50 AM • The Snowy Owls

Get tix

Go by Plan 9 (3017 W. Cary Street), Ardent Craft Ales (3200 W. Leigh Street), or purchase online. You can get a combo pack for the Broadberry Strange Matter for $30. Or, a Strange Matter only ticket for $12, a Broadberry only ticket for $20, and an En Su Boca ticket for $0! Just show up!

October 21, 2015 3:09 PM · in Fan of the Fan 0