Roanoke, VA

Palmyra’s been our full-time project for nearly 6 years now, and the touring landscape for small bands has changed so much since we started touring in 2021. With rising venue costs and inflation, attending live shows is becoming less affordable for everyone. It’s also getting harder to be a band on the road. We’ve been putting our heads together to reimagine what the most sustainable version of live music could look like for Palmyra and our audience. The goal is to make live music more accessible, support the communities we visit, and continue bringing the DIY spirit of Palmyra’s roots on the road.

We’re testing a new touring model that transforms unconventional spaces into intimate, community-centered concert venues, all at a completely flexible pay-what-you-can ticket price. In November, Palmyra’s bringing this test run to the parts of Virginia the three of us grew up in: Roanoke, Norfolk, and Leesburg. The show will be different from anything we’ve tried before; rather than placing the band at the front of the room, the stage is built in the middle and surrounded by the audience—creating an experience that feels less like a traditional concert and more like a house show at a larger scale. We’ll be playing mostly new songs from an unreleased forthcoming album. These shows will be like a rehearsal for the band in so many ways, and we want our local communities to be a part of it! We’re partnering with local youth music education orgs, and we’ll have young bands opening the Roanoke and Leesburg shows. With these trial shows in our hometowns, Palmyra’s striving to make music more welcoming and accessible for everyone.