Waxahatchee in Richmond

About Waxahatchee

Waxahatchee is Katie Crutchfield's project, and it's basically her documenting growing up in real time through increasingly confident songwriting. Started as bedroom recordings in the early 2010s, the project gradually moved from lo-fi indie rock toward something with actual country and folk bones. The album Saint Cloud marked a real turning point—it's stripped back, honest, and sounds like someone who figured out exactly what she wanted to say. Crutchfield writes about relationships, self-doubt, sobriety, and the weirdness of being from Alabama with indie rock aspirations. Her voice sits somewhere between conversational and devastating depending on the song. The recent stuff leans harder into that Americana thing without losing the indie sensibility. It's the kind of project that rewards actually listening to full albums rather than just the singles.

Shows are quiet enough that you notice when someone's phone goes off. Crutchfield commands attention without trying hard—just her and her guitar mostly, though the band versions feel bigger without losing that intimacy. Crowds tend toward the contemplative, people actually listening rather than talking through songs.

Known for Saint Cloud, Fire, Lilacs, Angels & Insects, Tennessee Whiskey

Waxahatchee + Richmond

Waxahatchee's relationship with Richmond runs deeper than most touring bands manage. When they rolled through The National in April 2024, it felt less like a pit stop and more like a homecoming set from someone who actually cares about the room. They opened with "Southern Girls" and immediately set the tone—no warm-up, just straight into the weight of their catalog. The setlist sprawled across their entire evolution, from the raw indie angst of "Evil Spawn" to the more refined country-rock precision of "Lilacs" and "Abandoned." Deep cuts like "Lone Star Lake" and "Crimes of the Heart" got proper attention, the kind that suggests Katie Crutchfield knows exactly who shows up for her in this city. They closed with "When Will I Be Loved," a song that somehow felt both defiant and gracious.

Waxahatchee in Richmond News

• Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman announce 2026 co-headline North American tour NME · Dec 2, 2025
• Indie group Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman to perform at Richmond’s Altria Theater WRIC ABC 8News · Nov 18, 2025
• MJ Lenderman and Waxahatchee Plot 2026 Co-Headline Tour Jambands · Nov 18, 2025
• Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman Announce 2026 Tour Pitchfork · Nov 17, 2025
• Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman announce co-headlining solo tour treblezine.com · Nov 17, 2025

Live Music in Richmond

Richmond's music scene has always leaned guitar-forward, and Waxahatchee fits that lineage perfectly. The city's history with indie rock and Americana-adjacent acts creates a natural audience for Crutchfield's blend of country-folk textures and indie sensibility. Venues like The National have hosted everyone from garage rock stalwarts to introspective songwriters, and that tradition of taking both the intimate and the expansive seriously is exactly where Waxahatchee thrives.

Richmond road trip to see Waxahatchee?

Stay in the Fan District, Richmond's most elegant neighborhood, where tree-lined streets and historic brownstones offer genuine character. Book a table at Mama J's or Edo's Squid, both understated and excellent. Spend your non-show hours at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture or wandering Maymont Park's formal gardens and James River views. The James River itself is worth a walk along Belle Isle. Post-show, grab drinks at The Bogart, a solid cocktail bar in a historic building near The National venue.