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 By Bruce Moore
When you think of recording studios, locations such as Nashville, New York and Los Angeles come to mind. While it is true these cities are historically world renowned for being fashionable places among musicians, actors and other creative types, there are many top notch recording facilities in cities throughout the United States, and you may be surprised to know that Richmond is no exception. Tucked neatly into historic old buildings throughout the town are numerous world class recording studios, many of which are virtually impossible to detect from the outside. However, inside they are teeming hubs of creativity that are quietly being used by major label recording artists, leading advertising agencies, and Hollywood producers, alike, to work on their movies, records, or commercials.
Rainmaker Studios
Rainmaker Studios is just such a world class facility. It is housed in what was once a pre-Civil-War sheet metal factory located in historic Shockoe Bottom. Built in 1997, by Recording Architects of London, the studio shares the building with the Superior Production Exchange, a group of businesses loosely connected to each other through mutual ties to the entertainment industry. Production companies, creative groups, and equipment rental companies are in close proximity to each other allowing them the luxury and flexibility of collaborating on projects while providing their clients with the added convenience of having everything virtually on hand and under one roof.
With four control rooms, two studios and an offline work area, Rainmaker is capable of handling most any music, film, or advertising project, although most of the work done in the studio is for broadcast or television. According to studio owner Kristen O’Conner, “ninety percent of all the work done at the studio is for either television or radio with clients such as Geico, The Virginia Lottery, The American Cancer Society, and Anthem.” The studios were recently used for production of the multiple Emmy award-winning John Adams mini-series that was filmed and produced in and around the Richmond area last year.
In Your Ear Recording Studios
Founded in 1991, In Your Ear Recording Studios is also located in Shockoe Bottom. Built in what was once a series of 1840s row houses, the In Your Ear facility comprises 18,000 square feet and is home to three audio studios, audio control rooms designed for surround-sound production, and two Avid production suites that are utilized for video editing and production.
Recent clients at In Your Ear have included the Fox Television series “24,” actress Sissy Spacek who recorded lines for “Grey Matters” and Gilmore Girls star and EMMY nominee Lauren Graham for WB network. Other clients include Super 8 Hotels, Miller Beer, and Purina.
Taking advantage of their proximity to the VCU campus, Carlos Chafin, President of In Your Ear, teaches a class in conjunction with the university’s Advanced Course in Computers and Audio Production. The curriculum, designed by Chafin, is geared toward the serious recording enthusiast or those who own or have access to computer based audio production systems and are looking for professional results.
In Your Ear also plays host to small intimate concerts which are held in the studio every few weeks. For a small fee and a covered dish, music fans can enjoy what Chafin calls, “the best acts you’ve never heard of.” These ‘Potluck’ concerts have included an eclectic mix of acts such as bluegrass and roots artists, The Kruger Bros, jazz trombonist Pete Anderson and his sextet, harmonica players Phil Wiggins and Allen Holmes, and musician extraordinaire and Richmond resident, as well as In Your Ear’s Vice President, Robbin Thompson.
Sound of Music
In the middle of the VCU campus, Sound of Music is a decidedly different studio. Housed in a 93 year old building, this two-room facility covers over 10,000 square feet. The studio has been in business at this location for the last ten years and while most of the other studios in town obtain a significant amount of their revenue from the advertising, movie and television industries, Sound of Music prefers to cater to musicians and the music business exclusively. The studio is equipped and capable of handling full scale recording projects from start to finish. Many bands use the facilities to write, rehearse and record.
Recent clients of the studio have included The Counting Crows, Joan Osborne, teen sensations Hansen, and heavy metal acts Gwar and Lamb of God. While I was researching this article, the popular rock band Carbon Leaf was there putting the finishing touches on their newest release with engineer/producer John Morand. According to studio manager Jonathan Lee, owners, Morand and Dave Lowry, also have another studio in Belgium called, Sounds like Music, (being so close to Germany, they couldn’t name the studio Sound of Music, as it would’ve been too awkward) that provides the same professional services to musicians in the European market.
Sound of Music is also heavily involved in the arts in the community, taking advantage of their proximity to the VCU campus they have been participating in the First Friday celebrations by making the storefront of their building available to students and artists who wish to showcase their work.
The recording business is thriving in the River City. A steady stream of large scale projects flow through the city on a regular basis, virtually under the radar. Perhaps the reason for this is that the pace of our city is slightly slower, slightly less hectic than many others and allows for a more productive, comfortable environment in which to work and create.
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