Musicians and rappers boost Richmond music scene with backyard concerts

On a recent Saturday afternoon, the Bay Area Girls Club hosted a pop-up concert with “Wanda Gonzales and Friends” in the backyard, where music from a lineup of hometown performers filled the air.

Before an all-ages audience of about 50 people in September, Gonzalez sang effortlessly and soulfully while playing the guitar. On the stage with her were a saxophonist, bassist and drummer — all from the Bay Area. 

“We  have a burgeoning music scene happening here in the city of Richmond,” said Richond resident and former City Council member Demnlus Johnson. “I’m calling it the Richmond Renaissance.” 

Gonzalez, a Richmond native, possesses a powerful vocal range that evokes hoots and hollers of encouragement and appreciation from the hometown audience. 

“I’m local, so I try to go to events like these whenever I can,” said D’Monte Stevenson.

“They’re beautiful and it ties the community together.”

These backyard shows are taking off in San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland, but Richmond has been slow to follow. 

“We don’t really have too many fun, artistic events like this,” Gonzalez said before the show.  She means DIY shows produced by musicians that happen in places like backyards or community spaces or even barber shops.

These shows require musicians to put on their business hats. For example, Gonzalez secures her own venues, markets shows on social media, and books artists like 510 Shawn and Kalin Freeman to perform at her shows. 

“ I have seen more artists doing showcases, which I love because I want that community,” Gonzalez said. 

Wanda Gonzalez and Friends was the only concert the Girls Club hosted this year. When such shows have popped up in Richmond, people found out about them by word of mouth or following musicians’ social media. The September show didn’t have an admission price, but asked the audience to pay what they wished.

Gonzalez first started playing backyard shows after the pandemic, and it’s there she met musicians from around the Bay Area. It’s also how she’s grown her network, which she’s using to build her second album, set to release later this year. 

Playing for family and friends

With local venues struggling since the pandemic, musicians hope these mini concerts will breathe new life into the local music scene.

“It’s good to perform back home. I’m always performing everywhere else like Pittsburg and Oakland, but I never get to perform here,” Richmond rapper 510 Shawn said to the audience before he started his set at the Girls Club. 

Marshawn Duchine, aka 510 Shawn, was back in the Bay Area after being on tour with Sacramento rapper Stunna Girl. Duchine, 21, would like to play more in his hometown but only performs in Richmond once or twice a year, if he’s lucky. 

“I got the whole fam here, moms, girlfriend, uncle, cousins, everybody in here,” Duchine said. 

His set is heavy on bass and R&B samples. He raps about self-confidence, loving his family, and street life. The crowd cheers when a poetic lyric hits. 

Bay Area big on backyard venues

Gonzalez, 25, began singing in the Latin church across the street when she was 7 years old. 

“ I would always hear the music,” she said. “ And one day, I got my jacket and I crossed the street and went into the church by myself. I sat in the first row and they mistook me for a girl in the band.”

She learned to play the drums at church and became part of the choir. Today, she sings and plays the drums, guitar, and piano. She has sung the National Anthem at two Warriors games and performed at LakeFest 2025, one of Oakland’s biggest music festivals. 

In between club gigs, Gonzalez has filled out her weekends by playing backyard shows, mostly in Oakland and San Francisco and not so much Richmond. 

“We probably have two or three in a year here,” she said. “But you go to Oakland, you go to San Francisco, they’re popping off every weekend.” 

While Gonzalez hopes backyard shows will create more opportunities for musicians in Richmond, she says it’s not just about performing, it’s about creating community. 

“I want to be able to not only make connections, but also just make friendships within that circle and learn from each other,” Gonzalez said.

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