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THIS WEEKEND: Matt Braunger At The Funny Bone!
For every sitcom starring a Jerry Seinfeld (who’s good looks and ability to bed as many women as he supposedly did in his show were always questioned by me), there’s a cast of friends, co-workers and family who play the less glamorous “everyman” roles. Their trials and tribulations stand in contrast to the hero’s successful journey, and their failures provide much of the comic relief in any typical sitcom. Comedian Matt Braunger embraces this everyman role, and it influences his stand-up and television appearances.
He started his comedy career in Chicago where he first took improv classes as an extension of his theater training. He then began doing stand-up as a way to challenge himself. He's best known for appearing in the final season of MadTV, although he’s appeared in TV commercials and Internet sketches, including the award-winning Ikea Heights. He’s also appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, and numerous Comedy Central programs, including John Oliver’s New York Stand Up Show, Live at Gotham and Comedy Central Presents.
Matt Braunger on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson- 1.3.11 from ComedyAMI on Vimeo.
According to his twitter, his appearance in Richmond comes just after completing the filming for his own Comedy Central Pilot, which according to Deadline, “stars Braunger as a nice guy who works a crappy day job as a closed-captioner and at night gets into crazy escapades with his curmodgeony friend. ”
Matt Braunger brings his standup to Richmond's Funny Bone (11800 W. Broad St. inside Short Pump Town Center) this Thursday through Sunday, Feb. 17-20. Shows are at 7:30 PM on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with an additional show at 10 PM Friday and Saturday. Sunday's show starts at 7 PM. Tickets can be purchased here.
THURSDAY: Goldsprints at Strange Matter!
Next Thursday at Strange Matter, RideRichmond teams up with RVA Bike Polo and the Cutthroats Bike Club to present a combination Goldsprints/Dance Party event. The event is a benefit for RVA Bike Polo's efforts to create an Official Bike Polo Court here in Richmond.
WHAT: Goldsprints Dance Party and Bike Polo Fundraiser!
WHO: RideRichmond, RVA Bike Polo, and the Cutthroats Bike Club bring you Goldsprints, a raffle, and music from DJ Dirtyfinger, Oh! Boy, and Mr. E
WHERE: Strange Matter, 929 W. Grace St.
WHEN: Thursday, February 17 at 10 PM
ADMISSION: $3
Here's some more info about the project for which this event is fundraising:
Richmond Bike Polo and RideRichmond have teamed up and submitted a an analysis and proposal to re-cycle and re-purpose the tennis courts at Abner Clay Park. Bicycle Polo has been played actively in Richmond for over 5 years, and this year two of Richmond's finest, Sean McCormick and Nick Vaughan, went to Berlin for the World Championships. Hardcourt Bike Polo is played with teams in sizes of 3-5. We play on Wednesday evenings and Sunday days at Abner Clay, and occasionally on Thursdays to host teams from DC.
This event is to raise money to contribute toward the establishment of the multi-use facility. The facility would allow both Bike Polo and Roller Hockey, two popular sports which don't have a home in Richmond, to have a dedicated spot for play. There is also an opportunity for an after-school program, as well as adult outreach on how to ride a bike, which has been met with great success by our northern neighbors, BikeArlington.
The Goldsprints will be done bracket-style, and attendees that don't win the races still have an opportunity to go home with prizes via raffles that will take place throughout the evening. If that wasn't enough, the dance party will be in full effect with DJ Dirty Finger, Mr. E!, and Oh! Boy coupled with Legend Brewing, Richmond's best microbrewery, on tap.
So come out, have fun, and show support for this excellent cause!
RVA BULLETIN BOARD #1
We get a lot of fliers sent to us and we make a bunch too.
Here is a set covering the next week.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH
1992 - Sticky Rice RVA - Feb 13, 2011 from RVA TV on Vimeo.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH
SUNDAY: New York Deli Underground Comedy Night, featuring Brian Mann
Aspiring comedian Brian Mann is a little bit different from the comics he typically shares the stage with at any of the the city's various stand-up comedy shows and open-mics. Beyond the fact that he's currently the only comic lugging a keyboard onstage for part of his act, he's also the only comic still in high school. That hasn't stopped him from jumping in with both feet, performing and booking his own show, The New York Deli Underground. The first one was able to raise some money for charity, and he's hoping to contribute his part to the Richmond comedy scene by hosting his own night.
WHAT: New York Deli Underground Comedy Night
WHO: Open Mic at 9
Comedy Showcase at 10 Featuring:
Joe Hafkey
Jesse Jarvis
James Paulk
Nathan Plummer
David Marie-Garland
Brown Frown The Clown
and your MC, Brian Mann
WHERE: New York Deli (2920 W. Cary St.)
WHEN: Sunday February 13, 9 PM
ADMISSION: Free!
Check out the comedy stylings of Brian Mann in this video shot last month at McCormack's Irish Pub:
McCormacks Irish Pub 1-12-11 from Brian Mann on Vimeo.
Dave Brockie Of GWAR Has A Book Out?
Another casualty of my inability to comprehend email during the last two months of 2010: the knowledge that GWAR frontman Dave Brockie, aka Oderus Urungus, released a book at the end of last year. Thank god I eventually figured it out! The book is called Whargoul, and it's exactly the sort of apocalyptic science-fictional horror gloriousness that you'd expect from the mind of a guy like Brockie. The book was actually written in the late 90s, about a character who made his first appearance on GWAR's 1995 album Rag Na Rok. Brockie later expanded the story of this character, "an undying creature that found sustenance in the carnage of war," into a full-length novel--which he actually finished over a decade ago. At that point, not knowing what to do with it, he slapped it up onto a website (which, judging from its visual appearance, has not had a layout update in the 12 years since it was first created), where it languished until last year. That's when the independent horror publisher Eraserhead Press found it and decided to publish it in book form. You can still read it on Brockie's website if you're so inclined, though to be honest, scoring a copy in much-easier-to-read book form and avoiding the eyestraining web experience is probably worth every penny of the $12 it'll cost you to do it.
Here's what it says on the back cover:
From the killing grounds of Stalingrad to the death camps of the holocaust. From torture chambers in Iraq to race riots in the United States, the Whargoul was there - killing and raping. It is a beast born in bullets and shrapnel, feeding off of pain, misery, and hard drugs. Cursed to wander the Earth without the hope of death, it is reborn again and again to spread the gospel of hate, abuse, and genocide.
But what if it's not the only monster out there? What if there's something worse?
From Dave Brockie, the twisted genius behind GWAR, comes a novel about the darkest days of the twentieth century. The modern world is dying and Brockie is here to put a bullet between its eyes and violate the corpse.
This is all-out fucking war!
That sounds awesome, right? What are you waiting for? Order your copy now!
RVA TV: Kayak the James
John Nestler is an outdoorsy type guy to say the least. I, for one, have always wondered how great kayaking can be on the James River but never thought it could be a winter sport.
Party In The Park by S. Preston Duncan
Saturday. The weather is sticking its toes into the shallow end of what meteorologists might call "unseasonably warm". A one-man metal machine rides by in the back of a pickup truck. A brass band snakes through the park, and puppet wielding performers act in choreography to the rising call of sunlit horns. Somewhere in the city Charles Samuels is probably pretending not to care, but such conjectures are unjournalistic in nature, and are best left to the musings of the public, who indulged them freely at the Party in the Park.
Kulture Online
One of Richmond's premier glass shops has opened it's doors to the rest of the world with an online store hosting over 125 products at it's start with an estimated 200 new products to be added monthly. Kulture has been around for well over a decade and has been a prevelant name in the scene sponsoring numerous events while keeping an ill, diverse collection of smoking goodies. Check out a few pieces below and see the rest for yourself here.
Rumors Launches Online Store
Local thriftique Rumors has launched an online store so the rest of the world can get their hands on this rare collection of second hand goods. Easy site navigation and a proper selection of eccentric gear for the ladies and gents to stunt on the daily basis. Check it out here and peep these jewels for yourself.
NEXT WEEKEND: Two Fun Bike-Related Events To Check Out!
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Saddle Sores Bike Club and RideRichmond kick off the new year with two events guaranteed to get your legs pumping and your booty shaking. First, it's Goldsprints at Sprout Market And Cafe, brought to you by RideRichmond. Goldsprints are races conducted on stationary bikes, with riders pedaling as fast as they can while machines measure the distance they would be covering. These events are a blast to watch and participate in, even when things go awry (as can be seen here, in a video shot at a RideRichmond event last month at Mojo's):
WHAT: Goldsprints!
WHERE: Sprout Market And Cafe (1 N. Morris St.)
WHEN: Friday, January 21, 9 PM
ADMISSION: Free to watch, $5 to race
The second event, presented by Saddle Sores Bike Club, is Out Cold! A Bicycle Safety Dance. The event will take place on Saturday, January 22nd, from 10 PM - 2 AM at The Cellar Door (1600 Monument Ave). The event is free, but a $3-5 donation at the door will get you a raffle ticket and a bike light (while supplies last). In addition, raffle tickets will be sold for $1 apiece after initial entry, and will be good toward raffles (of such things as helmets, headlamps, winter cycling essentials, possibly a bike or two) that will be held throughout the night. VKNG and SHMOHAWXX will be DJing the night. All proceeds will go to RideRichmond in their efforts to pay for non-profit status.
WHAT: Out Cold! A Bicycle Safety Dance
WHERE: Cellar Door Restaurant (1600 Monument Ave, in the basement of the Stuart Court Apartments)
WHEN: Saturday January 22, 10 PM
ADMISSION: Free
More about RideRichmond, Saddle Sores Bike Club, and their goals as organizations, after the jump:
This Saturday: Party In The Park In Support Of Monroe Park Campaign
This Saturday, at 12 PM in Monroe Park, All The Saints Theater Company will present Party In The Park, an event to support the Monroe Park Campaign. It is free, open to all ages, and families are encouraged to attend.
Monroe Party Teaser! from Kontra on Vimeo.
Party in the Park is an afternoon-long festival. The Campaign has received its 1000th petition signature in its quest to keep the park open during renovations. All the Saints plans on celebrating by throwing a party the likes of which the old park hasn’t seen in years. Like all good parties, there will be plenty of food and music but most importantly, there will be a very tangible sense of solidarity. Groups and businesses from all across Richmond have come together to support the Campaign as well as to celebrate spending a nice afternoon in the park. All the Saints will set the scene by parading around with their iconic larger-than-life puppets, boats and dragons, while a diverse mash-up of local artists perform a series of powerful unplugged sets. A face painting station and a market offering tons of free clothing, toys and books will also be available. While old man winter may not be so accommodating, attendees can expect a delicious spread of warm food and drinks to keep them going during the course of the day.
The Monroe Park Campaign is a coalition of churches, feeding groups, radical organizations, as well as concerned citizens that have come together upon hearing about the Monroe Park Advisory Council’s plans to shut down Monroe Park during renovations. For a period of 9-18 months, the council plans on fencing off all 8 acres of the park making it inaccessible for students, homeless people currently living and socializing there, weekly feeding programs as well as anyone else who may use the park. The Campaign is working to keep at least 25-50% of the park open during the entire duration of construction and to prevent the hiring of any private security task force to police the park after renovations, especially since the master plan calls for reducing the “apparently homeless population” as one of its goals. Ultimately, the Campaign hopes to influence the type of renovations that are being planned for the park, in the hopes of making it a friendlier place for everyone.
WHAT: Party In The Park!
WHERE: Monroe Park (620 W. Main St)
WHEN: Saturday, January 15, 12 - 4 PM
Bands/artists performing at this event will include:
No BS Brass Band
Dave Watkins
Pedals On Our Pirate Ships
Diamond Center
Gull
Julie Karr
Lobo Marino
Better Not Makeouts
Alison Self
Gandhi's Gunmen
Just Plain Sounds
CMilk and Reeverb Collective
and more!
Companies that have donated food/supplies to the event include:
Lamplighter Roasting Company
Crossroads Coffee and Ice Cream
Café Gutenberg
WEIRD @ NYDELI : Jan. 15 w/DJs VKNG & BEATDOWNtheKID
If you don't know about WEIRD parties at New York Deli then you have to read our interview with the ladies behind the party and CLICK HERE for details.
Richmond Famous & The Craigslist Show
RVA’s home for alternative comedy, the Richmond Comedy Coalition, bring you two laugh out loud shows this January at Gallery 5.
Kevin Clay is the editor and publisher of GayRVA.com, the city's LGBT news and entertainment website. He is a native Richmonder and graduated from VCU's School of Mass Communications. In October, he was named one of Style Weekly's Top 40 Under 40 for his work with GayRVA.
WHO: Kevin Clay
WHAT: RCC Presents Richmond Famous w/ Kevin Clay
WHEN: Friday, January 14th, 8PM
WHERE: Gallery 5, 200 W. Marshall St
ADMISSION: $7 ($5 w/ Valid Student ID)
The RCC goes viral to bring you their unique brand of longform improv. Typically, your suggestions fuel the performers’ scenes, much like the style of comedy made popular by Chicago’s iO and New York’s Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. This time though, they’re using randomly chosen Craigslists ads as the inspiration for the off-the-cuff action. Casual Encounters, For Sale, Rants and Raves…it’s all fair game for the RCC to turn into a hilarious world of situations and characters. Don’t make this show a missed connection!
Featuring opening sets from houseteam Middle Management and the premier of Blue Cigar.
WHO: Richmond Comedy Coalition
WHAT: RCC Presents The Craigslist Show
WHEN: Thursday, January 20th, 8PM
WHERE: Gallery 5, 200 W Marshall St
ADMISSION: $7 ($5 w/ Student ID)
Introducing The Pizza Shop
A few weeks ago the people behind The Pizza Shop in Petersburg reached out. An urban skate shop set up like an actual pizzeria was started by Virginia State University grads Jerome Hood, Robert Davis and Dennis Donaldson in 2009 and has been making ripples in our sister city. We wanted to know more.
Healthy Happy Children is a finalist for 5K from Pepsi
Healthy Happy Children, Inc. is a non profit organization developed to feed, clothe, mentor and counsel children. They are a finalist to receive a $5000 grant from Pepsi for this refreshing idea on food and shelter. The goal is to target elementary school children living in low income areas of Richmond, VA. Carver Elementary School is the first school selected to provide food and services. Here is wishing them good luck!
Check out more details from the project here.
The Chris Gethard Show Cross Country Adventure
On Tuesday January 18th, 2011 at 8:00 pm The Chris Gethard Show Cross Country Adventure invades Richmond, VA with a one-night only performance at Gallery5. The show will feature Chris Gethard, star of Comedy Central's Big Lake, former guest writer for Saturday Night Live and a veteran performer at the renowned Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) Theatre in NYC.
During it’s monthly run at the UCB Theatre, the Chris Gethard Show has gained a reputation for it’s bizarre stunts and events and the Richmond appearance should prove no different.
WHO: Chris Gethard
WHAT: Chris Gethard Show Cross Country Adventure
WHEN: January 18th 2011, 830PM
WHERE: Gallery 5
What are you doing for New Year's Eve in RVA?
The holidays are over but there is one GIANT night of debauchery to be had. You know, the biggest party of the year that usually ends up being the biggest disappointment. Its only cause you don't know your options. Don't want to be at the wrong party hanging with the wrong people right? So what's the haps?
There is no official Carytown NYE but there will be a ball rising over the BYRD. SO that is an option. You can hang out in any one of the great Carytown restaurants i.e. Weezies, NY Deli, Carytown Sushi, or close by at Sticky Rice, Helen's, Friend or Pho and wait for that to happen. You will have a good time.
But for those of us who just want to completely lose their shit and get ridiculous, we have your short list. We are going to save you the time, look into the future and give you our select GRADE A choice cuts for guaranteed N-Y-E fun right here.
Two floors of carnival/burner magic, add pretty girls and HEAVY, HEAVY, BASS as the PLF marches us all off the cliff into the new year. The walls will be shaking as the old fire station gets its hinges blow off with their audio firepower. Expect lots of costumed freaks, a few burlesque performances and maybe the best New Years party in town.
You can't go wrong with DJ WIZARD aka DODDIE of AUDIO AMMO on one side and CHAD HUGO of N*E*R*D on the other. This party is going to get out of hand with all the young and beautiful party people from miles around getting nuts. Technically, not in Richmond but if you can make it out, we have a feeling it will be worth the drive.
BALLICEAUX's NEW YEARS EVE BASH
Kemetic and friends take over Balliceaux for a free party with the best looking crowd the Fan has to offer. Come pro and dress for success cause the backroom is going to be one of most ridiculous places to be to ring in the new year. Don't read about it the next day, be there.
RICHMOND ROOTS MUSIC EXTRAVAGANZA at THE CAMEL
On a different tip, the 3rd Annual Richmond Roots Music Extravaganza at The Camel has a great lineup of actual bands! *GASP* Crazy huh? If you are looking for a folk fueled, bluegrassy-beer-flowing good time with a bunch of good people then look no further. You can't go wrong with The Hot Seats, Jackass Flats and A Good Natured Riot.
There it is. Our short list. Just to be informative, here is a quick rundown of all your other Richmond options below the break.
The Last RVALUTION is 2NITE!
Not really, its coming back in the summer but this is the last one til then. What a ride. There were a lot of haters out there and more than a few dramatic moments but RVALUTION has changed the game in Richmond. Maybe you are scratching your head on that last statement but before you jump down my throat and declare me an idiot, let me walk you through this.
The Hat Factory has a "stated" capacity of 1500 people. RVALUTION at its peak last summer had a run of 15 consecutive sold out nights on a TUESDAY! That's over 20,000 people served. It brought nationally recognized club talent to the city and had them raving. It gave steady work to a good number of very creative local dancers, hooper girls, a few magicians, a monkey, and deejays. It created a new spin on the scene. So for all that, we at least tip our hats on a job well done by The Hat Factory, 2BNB, PLF, and the Audio Ammo guys. Its been a great run. Now it's time to take a break after tonight and get back in the lab for RVALUTION 2.0 next summer.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FACEBOOK EVENT POST FOR TONIGHT'S RVALUTION
ed. note - Of course we are biased but not liars.
Thank you to photographers Todd Raviotta, Erik Fox, Danny Tiet, David Kenedy, Nick Ghobashi, Ben Muri, Jon Headlee, Bree Davis and everyone else that took the incredible photos that helped define the night.
Special thanks to Michael Hostetler for being the nights biggest supporter.
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