Local musician Ryan Calonder to highlight C’ville scene with new festival

Ryan Calonder has a simple vision for something that’s become a sprawling enterprise: a music festival, but limited to two days and featuring nothing but bands from Charlottesville proper.

“From where I’m standing, this town has so much good, original music coming out of it,” he says. “But over the last 10 years or so, some of the spirit of our scene got lost.”

Calonder’s Wreckfest will feature 17 acts playing over 19 hours on September 20 and 21 at IX Art Park. Calonder’s own band, Disco Risqué, will headline both nights of music, which will also feature locals from country rockers Lord Nelson to glam rockers Shagwüf.

Disco Risqué’s been playing local venues and beyond for roughly a decade. Formed in 2014 by guitarist Charlie Murchie, drummer Robert Prescott, and bassist John Bruner, the band added Calonder as a trumpet player and vocalist a year later. As the band cut its frets, the ad hoc frontman recalls a music scene sprawling with support and solidarity. 

“The scene did a lot for us,” Calonder says. “I’m not saying anyone has been working against each other, but I feel like there are fewer opportunities to see everyone in one spot. I used to be able to go out and see three or four of my buddies in one night.”

Calonder’s band changed a fair amount in the last 10 years along with the scene. Now a quintet, Disco Risqué released its fourth full-length album last year, and it’s the outfit’s most mature record. Evil on Tape, recorded with Andy Waldeck at Haunted Hollow Studio, is a focused LP, taking on more serious songwriting topics than ever before. “We wanted it to be emotional, moody, romantic,” Calonder says.

Before Disco Risqué takes the stage for Wreckfest’s Saturday night headline spot, jam band Hash, poppy singer/songwriter Travis Elliott, jazzy five-piece Dropping Julia, and Southern songstress Gia Ray will start the festival off. Moving into the Looking Glass at 10pm, metal rockers Üga Büga and eclectic vocalist ASTRSK* will close night one.

Sunday’s runup to the final headline show is hosted by modern folk artist Theocles, troubadour Steve Lanza Jr. and his band, moody guitarist Onion Redwolf, Louis and Ben of Kendall Street Company, Lord Nelson, Koda Kerl and Marie Borgman of Chamomile and Whiskey, Shagwüf, and The Currys. “Every single band that makes it was a local band once,” Calonder says. “If we want to see the next big act, we have to support them.”

Calonder hopes Wreckfest will become an annual tradition and says the early response has been positive, but time will tell. 

“I want people to see the best of what Charlottesville has to offer in terms of music,” Calonder says. “You are not going to see any national headliners—or even bands that are based out of Richmond.”