Mike Rutz’s show Activate! on WRIR is known around the station as one of the most challenging shows to do, especially since you’re sitting in for Mike who does it every week. He’s used to it. It’s an audio music calendar featuring music from bands and artists who will be playing in the Richmond area over the next week. So you have to do a lot of research for it in a short amount of time and also find music to play which should represent the artists appropriately. Do you play the new single? Or do you play an old favorite? What do you play by local artists who listeners may or may not know? It’s fun, but you want to do it justice.
I sat in for Mike on Thursday and even though it’s a relief to find plenty of music to play and plenty of live dates to promote, there is always so much more that you could play and highlight. And that speaks highly of Richmond’s live music scene which is pretty cool.
2022 0414 Activate! – Host Jay Smack (in for Mike)
FM SKYLINE – Astral Baths (local)
Black Iris; April 16 @ 8:30pm (w/ Alfred; FM Skyline; DHEMO; DJ Bedspread Radio)
HOTSPIT – Epitaph (local)
SIPPER – Party (NYC)
Hotspit (w/ Loving; Sipper) @ The Broadberry; April 21 @ 7pm
AUDACITY BRASS BAND – Raise Your Glass (local) Brambley Park; April 15 @ 9:30pm
DUCTTAPE JESUS – Fiddy Cent (local)
The Camel; April 18 @ 7pm (w/ Hunting Dog; Digital Hell)
DEAD BILLIONAIRES – Engines (local)
PRABIR TRIO – America (local)
Dead Billionaires EP , The Camel; April 20 @ 7pm (w/ Dead Psychic; Prabir Trio; Sweet Potatoes)
DUMB WAITER – Frzk (local)
GULL – Mouth To Mouth (local)
Gallery 5; April 16 @ 7pm (w/ Gull; Payton Baril)
LUCY IN BATTLE ARMOR – Funk Jedi (local)
JJ SPEAKS – Sneaky Little Wizards (local) – news of a special show in Sept later BABY BUGS – Hey Bunny
Bandito’s; April 16 @ 9pm (Lucy In Battle Armor, JJ Speaks; Baby Bugs)
.GIF FROM GOD – take the flesh; make it stretchy (local)
Benefit for Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project at Ask a punk; April 20 @ 8pm (w/ Prisoner; Terror Cell; Cimitir)
PRISONER – Tyrant (local)
Benefit for Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project at Ask a punk; April 20 @ 8pm (w/ .gif from god; Terror Cell; Cimitir)
CIRCLE JERKS – Coup d’Etat (live)
7 SECONDS – Here’s Your Warning
The Broadberry; April 18 @ 7pm (w/ Negative Approach; 7 Seconds)
SEA OF STORMS – Gentleman’s Jam (local) DARK WATERS – Mazy (local)
Cobra Cabana; April 15 (w/ Dark Waters; NC 17)
SUPERCHUNK – Endless Summer (Chapel Hill)
Richmond Music Hall; April 16 @ 7pm (w/ Torres)
DELTA SLEEP – Planet Fantastic
COLIN PHILS – Trust/Fall
GENDER ROLES – Dead or Alive
Canal Cub; April 19 @ 7pm (w/ It Looks Sad.; Gender Roles; Colin Phils)
DEAD FORMAT – Daybreak (local)
NINTH REALM – All Hail Treachery (Maryland)
The Bike Shop; April 15 @ 7pm (w Heavy Is the Head; Defying Death; Wasted Space; Dead Format; Ninth Realm; Gradal Slip)
HOT TUNA – I See the Light The Tin Pan; April 18 @ 7pm
TIN CAN FISH BAND – Long Time Blue
Sound of Music; April 16 @ 5pm (w/ Craigslist Jerry; Kooler Heads)
THE JOB – Here For You (local) -new
SEPARATION – Rise of Kings
MURDERSOME – Living Is Illegal
I AM THE LIQUOR – Destroyer of Worlds
Reunion show Sept 17 at Canal Clubwith Murdersome, I Am The Liquor, Fallen Under, JJ SPeaks
