Mead The Dear Album Release

w/ Benjamin Shepherd, Erika Blatnik of Rikki Rakki

at The Camel

Fri October 9th, 2026

Doors 9 pm, Show 9:30 pm

Tickets always available at the door day of show unless sold out

mead the dear is the ensem ble mask of songwriter Michael Hirsch, a Richmond, VA, native. His style, while uniquely his own, has been most directly informed by the delicate and cunning poet musicians of the folk revival, the crooked grit of Appalachian old time tunes, the timeless tenor of classic podunk country, the summer of love psychedelia, and the downtrodden free spirit of rock n roll.

photo credit - ellie portillo (@eellierosee)

Erika Blatnik is a multi-disciplinary artist, best known for fronting Richmond-based twangy rock & roll band Rikki Rakki. Blatnik’s sweet-tart voice and lilting melodies deliver hard-hitting poetic lyrics hell-bent on finding hope in a void-gazing reality.

photo by Tristan Clodfelter (IG -- @timeless_triskit)

Benjamin Shepherd is a Richmond VA based singer-songwriter who cut his teeth in the New York City antifolk scene of the 00's where he developed a lyrically-focused solo performance style rooted in folk, pop, and rock n roll. Songs range from prosaic to impressionistic, a perspective on the current human condition in America. FFO Jeffrey Lewis, Bob Dylan, Kimya Dawson, Leonard Cohen.