On this year's final episode, we catch up with another Richmond freshmen act, Ask Nicely. We talk about band dynamics, Sticky Rice, and get way too far off topic for our own good. While this may be the last episode of the year, we will be back in January to finish out the rest of Season 5!

This week, we get a little bit more hectic. After I accidentally erased the entire episode during recording, our team and the band had to race to record the interview in time for Chloe to go to work, then had to re-record the entire set. Trying our best to get what we can done, Orb Weaver powered through another set after we sit down a talked about the make up of the Richmond music scene, the specifics of math rock, and making video game noises.

It's another one of our Special Music History Episodes: Aerial Tragedies in Music (& Cliff Burton.) This week we discuss the phenomena of aerial tragedies that have plagued musicians for decades. As per our title, we gave away that the first story will not include any aviation, but it will contain thematic elements that carry through the other stories in this week's episode. Join us, as we discuss Cliff Burton, Randy Rhoads, and many more!

This will be the second episode in our follow-up series, this time with longtime Richmond favorites and our tenth guest, Followship. We check up with the band, this time at their practice space, where they showcase a few new songs off their latest releases. In addition to new recording technology, we also brought specific follow-up questions for the members and learn more about their growth in the past three-and-a-half years. Trekking out on their first tour, meticulously plotting out a music video in the back of abandoned Rosie's Kitchen, and we even discuss who might be the next villain to face off against Matt Reeves' Batman. This will also mark the second time an episode's original vocals have had to been cut and re-recorded at a different time and location, this time by our mixing engineer, Zack Antonioli.

It's Cole v Cole in this special, intimate, episode of River City Sounds. Once again, we setup at our home location and mic up the person behind Rosewood Recordings, Cole Roberts' new project, overunder dog. With only two people on the mics, we were able to go a little bit more off script; we talk about continuing as solo projects, recording every kind of band we can find, starting musical rumors, and what the hell is mastering and what exactly does it do anyway?

This week we venture out to Donald Shimoda's adorable little house in Northside where we sit down and record another thumping and powerful set of "the hard stuff." After we sit down and talk with the band about cathartic creativity, trying to step your foot into the Richmond music scene, then Brandon and me realize that we both work at the same place! Let's open us season 5 with Richard Bach's Reluctant Messiah: Donald Shimoda!

Before a short break we still have one last band to close out season 4: The Goodbye Forevers! This time we sit down after their Melodic Punk set and talk genre specifics, the definition of a snack, and how genre definitions change over time. Although we weren't able to get around to talking about it, make sure to check out Dirty RVA Punkcast hosted by Dave. This maybe goodbye, but not forever, see you for season 5! [Due to a malfunction, half of the mics cut out at the last two songs, but thanks to Zack for his efforts in salvaging my mistake.]

Now, we are proud to present yet another emerging artist from the greater Richmond area; Stevie Ashe (and the Dropheads* [*name pending.*] This project has steadily progressed, developing a live set with the help of other musicians from the Virginia area. We sit down and talk with Stevie and the rest of the live band to discuss trying to assert yourself into a music scene and the difficulties in turning a solo act into a live one.

Once again, we return to the heavy stuff with Wasted Space. This emerging hardcore punk band has been making the rounds and earning their stripes among the community. We sit down for a little prep interview for their upcoming interview for the first issue of Jagged Teeth Magazine. Don't miss out on this band.

On this longer episode of River City Sounds, we venture out of city limits once more to find the six of the members of Sidechick hold up in their bassist garage. After micing up and performing their set, besides the usual questions, we sit down and talk about the difference between the live and recorded band, pros and cons of each, and what bands can do to help merge the two main aspects of a performing band.