October 19, 2003 - permalink

Okay, so I've had power for several weeks now. I've also been up to my eyeballs in work.

Fixing Downtown

Andrew Beaujon has a witty editorial on Style's back page about what it will take (and what it won't take) to revitalize downtown Richmond. Beaujon points out the past failures (the Sixth Street Market, etc), past successes (Carytown) and future problems (the Performing Arts Center). In short, Beaujon points out the absurdity of some of the projects proposed for downtown. What the white haired suburban fathers of Richmond don't seem to realize is this:

People don't go downtown to go to the mall.

Many of these big projects appear to be duplicating the large spaces and facilities of suburbias - office parks, schools and - of course - shopping malls. However, the people who live in the city don't cherish this kind of development. And while folks in the suburb may, they certainly don't need to come downtown for yet another Starbuck's or Gap.

The stores that thrive downtown and in Carytown are unique - Plan 9 Records, Pink, and Mongrel. So are the restaurants and night spots - Millie's, Mama Zu's, and Alley Katz. Also, the choice locations for retail and dining have taken time to evolve. Plan 9 recently celebrated 15 years of business in Carytown. I can remember when no-one would think of opening a restaurant in Shockoe Bottom or else they'd be flooded out. If anything, these centers of commerce promise better longevity than the malls in the suburbs - with Cloverleaf Mall (now 31 years old) and Regency Square coming immediately to mind.

The vital businesses downtown have been pushed along by the invisible hand of the market, not the meddling fingers of city council. This does not mean that local government cannot help local business. However, that help comes more by staying out of the way rather than building new projects.

Saved by Rock and Roll

If anything could save downtown this week, it would be Rock and Roll. I can't remember the last time I saw two quality shows in Richmond within seven days of each other.

Pretty Girls Make Graves at Nanci Raygun

Nanci Raygun has been starting to book more national acts. Last Tuesday, Pretty Girls Make Graves swept through town, knocking out electricity and rocking everyone off their asses. I'm never really sure when the doors open and when acts play and Nanci Raygun; local ABC ordinances have become so Byzantine, it's impossible to tell when a bar on Grace Street is open. So, when Mike, Brent and I walked into the club at 10pm, PGMG was kicking off the first song of their set. With a perfect view from the bar, we saw one of the most intense hours of rock to hit Richmond in a while. The band, soaked in perspiration, tore through songs from their first album as well as their new release - The New Romance. For their last two songs, they chose two of the strongest - This Is Our Emergency and Speakers Push the Air.

Superchunk at Alley Katz

Friday, Superchunk played Alley Katz along with Rosebud and 20 Miles. Things looked promising while Superchunk set up. There were only three mic stands and a drum kit - no keyboards, no additional musicians. Superchunk came out barebones and loud. They played a couple of more recent songs - including Late Century Dreams and Hello Hawk. However, everything was full volume and full speed ahead. They pulled a large number of songs from the back of their catalog as well, including From the Curve, Package Thief, Punch Me Harder, Tossing Seeds and Cool. The short, bald, dancing man joined them on stage briefly during the main set. For their encore, they favored the audience with an old classic (and the perfect song for ending the work week).