Richmond gets a new avant-garde and improvised music festival
A new addition to Richmond’s live music calendar is set to debut this week, bringing internationally recognized voices in avant-garde jazz and improvised music to two of the city’s independent venues.
Ossicles Fest, presented by Richmond-based Out Of Your Head Records, launches March 24–25 with performances split between Révéler and Gallery 5. The two-night festival introduces a focused program of artists working at the edges of jazz, composition, and free improvisation—genres that have historically had a smaller but dedicated following in the city.
The opening night on March 24 features guitarist Marc Ribot performing solo at Révéler. Ribot, known for his wide-ranging work across experimental music, rock, and film scores, has long been a defining figure in New York’s downtown music scene.
The festival continues March 25 at Gallery 5 with a multi-act lineup that includes Mary Halvorson’s Canis Major ensemble, flutist and composer Nicole Mitchell, and the Laura Ann Singh Fracas Quintet. Together, the bill reflects a cross-section of contemporary improvised music, from structured composition to open-ended collaboration.
Ossicles Fest was founded this year by Scott Clark, Adam Hopkins, and Michael McBean, all of whom have been active in Richmond’s creative music community. Through Out Of Your Head Records, the group has built a platform for experimental and improvised music in the city, including ongoing programming such as the Second Mondays series at Artspace.
The launch of the festival signals a broader effort to expand Richmond’s footprint as a destination for adventurous music. By pairing nationally and internationally recognized artists with local organizing infrastructure, Ossicles Fest positions itself as both a showcase and a potential anchor for future programming.
For venues like Révéler and Gallery 5, the festival also highlights continued collaboration across Richmond’s independent arts spaces, reinforcing their role in supporting niche but influential corners of the music scene.
Whether Ossicles Fest becomes an annual fixture remains to be seen, but its debut points to growing momentum behind Richmond’s improvised music community—and an audience willing to follow it.
