Getting lost in it. Really loving this week’s lineup, all sorts of different stuff, dancing to it all. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? I am your guy at griffin@rvamag.com.
Marilyn and the Grand Slam Band, Caroline Vain, Mi
Thursday August 14th, 2025
Gallery 5
Local alt-pop crooner Marilyn is back with her Grand Slam Band for her second annual birthday show. She strikes a perfect balance between arena-level and lo-fi sounds producing something larger than life, yet still grounded. I love that her music sticks to organic instrumentation while seamlessly shifting into electronic or hip-hop textures. It’s super versatile.
This is great dancing music, great sing-along music, great party music, so go make it a great birthday party.
Caroline Vain is in support. Any songwriter could take notes from her. She delivers some of the most beautiful local folk/indie/singer-songwriter melodies around, showcased in her debut EP.
Also on the bill is Mid. I first discovered this jazzy group through their collaboration with local R&B singer CHRISTIAN. Since then, I’ve been able to dive deeper into their extensive catalog of atmospheric dreams. They capture a really pure and adolescent scene that’s fantastic to get lost in. I highly recommend getting lost in the depths of their discography, there’s some truly dreamy stuff in there.
Bat, Heavens Gate, Laughing Corpse, Vigil
Friday August 15th, 2025
Cobra Cabana
Local speed freaks Bat are headlining Cobra. Their most recent album, Under the Crooked Claw, has all the power and thrashing of Metallica and other pure ’80s hard rockers. Sometimes I have trouble getting into hard rock/metal/thrash, but these guys were a breeze.
Simple instructions: put it on, turn it up, turn it a little bit more, a little bit higher again, now drive off as fast as you can.
Heavens Gate is the touring act, and I’m impressed by how many snare hits they can cram into a single second. A band like this fits just as easily in a dimly lit, packed club as it does on a massive main stage. Their vocals are just absurdly good, barked and torn and squeezed with every fiber of their being.
Laughing Corpse leans a little more to the hardcore side of the spectrum but still has the power to match anyone else here. They remind me of an even more sped-up GBH, mainly because of the vocals, which I absolutely adore. There’s such a strong sneer in every line.
I can’t be too sure that Vigil is human. There’s certainly something otherworldly in their sound. They sound like metal, not the genre, but the substance. They sound like the personification of a rockslide off the side of a mountain. Their guitars rip and shred more than a chainsaw.
Bio Ritmo
Sunday August 17th, 2025
Get Tight Lounge
I never fail to be amazed at the sheer diversity in Richmond music. Bio Ritmo first formed here in 1991 and has since captured every spectrum of the Latin sound.
They are so rich and full, listening to their music is like bathing in a sunny river (not the James, something cleaner), or drinking late into the night with your dearest and most trusted friends. When you hear Bio Ritmo, you are either under the brightest sunshine you have ever experienced, or surrounded by a blanket of warm candlelight, far away from the fluorescents.
It is hard to sit here and write this. I want to dance. I want to run. I want to dip my girlfriend and kiss her sweetly while listening to this music. I could listen to these horns blare away until my skin was gone and I was just satiated bones.
New Tunes
Juicy by Snack Tyme
Dammit, I love a groovy ballad. Who the hell is holding my hand while I listen to this? Because I can certainly feel someone guiding me. This funky R&B track has got me feeling all sorts of ways. The vocals are both close and distant, universally around while staring straight into your eyes.
The guitar really caught my ear, soloing away into the stars. Such a purely visual track, seeing oranges, yellows, and purples drifting into each other. With this being their first single, I’m excited to see what else they have in store.
Spring Session by Yokedevils
If you liked what you heard in the above-mentioned Cobra show, check out Spring Session, Yokedevils’ EP fresh off the press. I’ve really fallen in love with things that land in the fields of noise rock and punk.
This solo project is volatile and explosive, a booming, violent drum sound propelling it through the haze. One thing I love about this release is the beautiful name and cover: such a serene scene, soft purple flowers. Click the first track and it’s all nuked away.
I think my favorite track of the six is the finale, “Prompt.” It’s the moodiest and deepest, and it will be on steady rotation my way.
River City by DanielD
A steady nightclub beat guides you into this Richmond celebration. This release from DanielD is super dancey but still maintains a moody, dimly lit atmosphere. DJs, get your hands on it for your next performance.
Overall, it’s a calming yet bouncy tune.
Main photo of Bat by Jeff Howlett
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RICHMOND SHOW LIST!
THE BROADBERRY ENTERTAINMENT GROUP SHOWS
BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE
- Friday, 8/22 Speak & Spell: 80’s New Wave, Post‑Punk, and Synth‑Pop Dance Party w/ DJs Little Lindsey & Jimmy Moonshoes
- Saturday, 8/23 Chandler w/ Lex Bratcher, Billy Marchiafava, and O‑Z (Sounds by TuffLuckKid & Fellaair)
- Sunday, 8/24 Flying High Again: A Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne
- Friday, 9/5 Pony Bradshaw w/ Zach Russell
- Saturday, 9/6 Southern Culture on the Skids
- Sunday, 9/7 Nilüfer Yanya w/ Starcleaner Reunion
- Friday, 9/12 Welcome to Night Vale: Murder Night in Blood Forest w/ Adult Mom
- Monday, 9/15 Cartel: Chroma 20 Year Anniversary Tour w/ HUNNY and Landon Conrath
- Friday, 9/19 White Ford Bronco
- Saturday, 9/20 The Barons w/ Celler Dwellers and Followship
- Friday, 9/26 The Baseball Project feat. members of R.E.M. and The Dream Syndicate w/ The Minus 5
- Sunday, 9/28 Hello from the Magic Tavern: The Ten Year Tour
- Saturday, 10/4 Slow Crush w/ Faetooth and NVM
- Tuesday, 10/7 John Maus: Later Than You Think Tour
- Saturday, 10/11 Dogpark w/ Rehash
- Tuesday, 10/14 Pokey LaFarge w/ DJ Faby Baby
- Thursday, 10/16 Clay Street Unit w/ Valley Flower
- Monday, 10/27 Nation of Language w/ Deeper
- Tuesday, 11/4 IAMX: Fault Lines 2 Tour w/ CLUB DRUGS and IONNA
- Wednesday, 11/5 Kitchen Dwellers w/ Pressing Strings
- Thursday, 11/6 The Motet w/ Michael Wilbur
- Friday, 11/7 The Last Waltz presented by The Southern Belles
- Wednesday, 11/12 The New Mastersounds: “Ta‑Ta For Now” Farewell USA Tour
- Friday, 11/14 Tophouse
- Sunday, 11/16 The Lemonheads: Love Chant World Tour w/ Erin Rae
- Friday, 11/21 Liam St. John w/ Joshua Quimby
- Tuesday, 12/2 Belmont w/ Avoid and Super Sometimes
- Friday, 12/5 The Southern Belles “Debutante Ball”
- Thursday, 12/11 Too Many Zooz: Caravan Tour
THE CAMEL
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- Wednesday, 8/13 Natalie Brooke
- Thursday, 8/14 Camel Comedy Happy Hour Open Mic (Free) – The Hurricane Party, Zoomst, Side Chick
- Friday, 8/15 Beers & Banjos: Garden Variety String Band
- Friday, 8/15 Imaginary Boys, Are Ya Madefer it?
- Saturday, 8/16 Ten Pound Snail w/ Ducctape Jesus, Dropheads, Art School
- Monday, 8/18 Bug Moment, Women in Peril, Back Up Kid, Machi!
- Tuesday, 8/19 Kitty Corner, Iffy Iffy, The Clergymen
- Wednesday, 8/20 Michael Cera Palin, Newgrounds Death Rugby, Kerosene Heights
- Thursday, 8/21 Bronwyn Keith‑Hynes w/ Garden Variety String Band
- Friday, 8/22 Night Hawk, Wrong Worshippers, Rikki Rakki (plus Night Hawk set)
- Saturday, 8/23 Midrift w/ February, I Promised the World
- Sunday, 8/24 OMNI, Darling.jpg, Tentative Decisions
- Monday, 8/25 The Bachelor Boys Wedding Band Showcase
- Monday, 8/25 Camel Karaoke hosted by James Munoz
- Tuesday, 8/26 DAMAG3 w/ Zuri, Figgy Baby, $leazy Ez, Shno Xavier, K‑Presto
- Wednesday, 8/27 Open Mic hosted by Warren Campbell of Dead Billionaires (Free Show)
- Thursday, 8/28 End of Summer DAYance Party!!!; Comedy at The Camel hosted by Will Minor
- Friday, 8/29 Beers & Banjos: Hot Seats; MISC, Solera, Siren Wells
- Saturday, 8/30 Box Factory, Twin Films, Good Mother Lizard Jenny
- Thursday, 9/4 John R Miller w/ Miss Tess
- Friday, 9/5 Beers & Banjos: Hot Seats (happy hour)
- Friday, 9/5 Erin & The Wildfire’s First Fridays
- Sunday, 9/14 Brunch w/ Craigslist Jerry
- Monday, 9/15 Starcrawler
- Thursday, 9/18 Deau Eyes, Barney Cortez w/ Babe Lewis
- Friday, 9/19 WAND w/ Cory Hanson
- Friday, 9/19 Beers & Banjos: Garden Variety String Band (happy hour)
- Tuesday, 9/23 Beefcake, Squeeze The Squid, Rood Noodle
- Saturday, 9/27 5th Annual John Prine Memorial Show
- Tuesday, 9/30 Mary Moore, Jane O’Neil, Alex Saddic, Vinnie Paolizzi
THE NATIONAL
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- Friday, 9/5 Poppy w/ MSPAINT
- Saturday, 9/6 The Darkness
- Sunday, 9/7 Maddox Batson
- Monday, 9/8 Big Wild
- Wednesday, 9/10 Apocalyptica
- Thursday, 9/11 The Brook & The Bluff
- Friday, 9/12 Soccer Mommy w/ Dummy
- Saturday, 9/13 Noel Miller
- Monday, 9/15 Phantogram
- Tuesday, 9/16 Inhaler
- Wednesday, 9/17 Stop Making Sense
- Friday, 9/19 Whitney Cummings – Big Baby
- Sunday, 9/21 Malcolm Todd
- Tuesday, 9/23 The Front Bottoms
- Thursday, 9/25 Young the Giant w/ Cassandra Coleman
- Friday, 9/26 Franz Ferdinand
- Saturday, 9/27 Jeremy Zucker
- Sunday, 9/28 Panchiko
- Sunday, 10/5 Bladee
- Tuesday, 10/7 Neko Case w/ Des Demonas
- Thursday, 10/9 Peach Pit
- Saturday, 10/11 JP Saxe
- Sunday, 10/12 2hollis
- Tuesday, 10/14 Sir Chloe
- Friday, 10/17 JOHNNYSWIM
- Tuesday, 10/21 A.J. Croce
- Wednesday, 10/22 Saint Motel
- Friday, 10/24 Chris DiStefano (Comedy)
- Sunday, 10/26 Lawrence
- Tuesday, 10/28 King Princess
- Friday, 10/31 Ty Myers
- Sunday, 11/2 Sunami & Scowl w/ Nuovo Testamento, Whispers
- Friday, 11/21 Jonathan Van Ness
- Saturday, 11/29 Zakk Sabbath w/ Bonfire and Dark Chapel
- Monday, 12/8 Whitechapel w/ Bodysnatcher, AngelMaker, Disembodied Tyrant
- Friday, 12/19 49 Winchester w/ The Vegabonds, Sela Campbell
- Saturday, 12/20 49 Winchester w/ Maggie Antone
ALLIANZ AMPHITHEATER
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- Saturday, 8/23 Bailey Zimmerman: New to Country Summer Tour
- Sunday, 8/24 The Red Clay Strays: Get Right Tour
- Tuesday, 8/26 Simple Plan: Bigger Than You Think! Tour (with Bowling For Soup, 3OH!3, LOLO)
- Thursday, 8/28 Gavin Adcock: Need to Tour
- Friday, 8/29 Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas (with Willie Watson)
- Monday, 9/1 James Taylor and His All-Star Band
- Saturday, 9/6 Leon Bridges & Charley Crockett – The Crooner & The Cowboy Tour
- Friday & Saturday, 9/12 & 9/13 Widespread Panic (two-night run)
- Saturday, 9/20 Steve Martin & Martin Short – The Dukes of Funnytown!
- Monday, 9/22 “Weird Al” Yankovic – Bigger & Weirder Tour with Puddles Pity Party
- Thursday, 9/25 Alex Warren – Cheaper Than Therapy Tour
- Thursday & Friday, 10/2 & 10/3 An Evening With Goose (two nights)
- Tuesday, 10/21 Tedeschi Trucks Band with special guest Little Feat
FUNNY BONE RICHMOND
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- Thursday, 8/14 Ejspeaks
- Friday, 8/15 Jay Pharoah (two shows)
- Saturday, 8/16 Jay Pharoah (two shows)
- Thursday, 8/21 Zac Townsend
- Friday, 8/22 Jess Hilarious (two shows)
- Saturday, 8/23 Jess Hilarious (two shows)
- Sunday, 8/24 Swiftie Drag Brunch
- Friday, 8/29 Kountry Wayne (two shows)
- Saturday, 8/30 Kountry Wayne (two shows)
- Sunday, 8/31 Kountry Wayne
- Friday–Saturday, 9/5–9/7 Arnez J (multiple shows)
- Friday–Saturday, 9/12–9/13 Corey Holcomb (multiple shows)
- Saturday, 9/13 Gaspare Randazzo, Philip Lindsay & Andrea Forcum – The Teachers Lounge
- Sunday, 9/14 Nico Carney
- Wednesday, 9/17 Zach Zimmerman
- Thursday, 9/18 Rachel Scanlon
- Friday–Saturday, 9/19–9/20 Corey B (multiple shows)
- Sunday, 9/21 Tim Shropshire
- Wednesday, 10/1 Cindy Kaza
- Thursday, 10/2 Trae Crowder
- Friday–Saturday, 10/3–10/4 Adam Ray (multiple shows)
- Friday, 10/10 Lil Mo Mozzarella (multiple shows)
- Sunday, 10/12 Lucas Zelnick
- Wednesday, 10/15 Trish Suhr
- Thursday, 10/16 Nacho Redondo (en Español)
- Friday–Saturday, 10/17–10/18 Jared Freid (multiple shows)
- Sunday, 10/19 Shuler King (multiple shows)
- Thursday, 10/23 Jeff Allen
- Friday, 10/24 Chente Ydrach (multiple shows)
- Saturday–Sunday, 10/25–10/26 DC Young Fly (multiple shows)
- Thursday, 10/30 The Magic of Eric Eaton
- Friday–Saturday, 10/31–11/1 Damon Williams (multiple shows)
- Wednesday, 11/5 Kristin Key
- Friday–Saturday, 11/7–11/8 Gianmarco Soresi: Drama King (multiple shows)
- Sunday, 11/9 Remo Millz: Comedy Collective
- Wednesday, 11/12 Kevin James Thornton
- Thursday, 11/13 Tom Shillue
- Friday–Saturday, 11/14–11/15 Dylan Carlino (multiple shows)
- Sunday, 11/16 Amber Autry
- Thursday, 11/20 Heather Shaw
- Friday–Saturday, 11/21–11/22 Derrick Stroup (multiple shows)
- Tuesday, 11/25 The Rich Guzzi Comedy Hypnosis Show
- Friday–Saturday, 11/28–11/29 David Koechner & “The Office Trivia” with Todd Packer
- Wednesday, 12/3 Jimmy Dore
- Thursday, 12/4 Are You Garbage: Back on the Block Tour
- Friday–Sunday, 12/5–12/7 DeRay Davis (multiple shows)
- Wednesday, 12/10 Jackie Fabulous
- Thursday, 12/11 Sammy Obeid
- Friday–Saturday, 12/12–12/13 Marcus D. Wiley (multiple shows)
- Thursday–Saturday, 12/18–12/20 Rocky Dale Davis (multiple shows)
THe CanAL CLUB
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- Wednesday, 8/13 The Word Alive w/ TX2, UNWELL, Two Sides of Me
- Friday, 8/15 Attack Attack! w/ Savage Hands, Versus Me, Varia
- Tuesday, 8/19 The Acacia Strain w/ Bodysnatcher, Ingrown, No Cure, Tribal Gaze
- Friday, 8/22 Boundaries w/ Stick to Your Guns, Gates to Hell, PSYCHO‑FRAME
- Tuesday, 9/2 Thousand Below w/ Aviana, True North, Dreamwake
- Tuesday, 9/9 Autoheart w/ Wildparty
- Thursday, 9/11 John Mark McMillan w/ Citizens
- Friday, 9/19 Dark Angel w/ Sacred Reich, Hirax, Void
- Sunday, 9/21 Invent Animate & Silent Planet w/ Reflections, fromjoy
- Wednesday, 10/15 10 Years
- Saturday, 11/8 Baby Bugs w/ Abigail Osborn
- Sunday, 11/9 GBH w/ Slaughterhouse, The Mainliners
- Tuesday, 11/18 Koyo w/ Ben Quad, Restraining Order
- Saturday, 11/29 Cattle Decapitation w/ ABORTED, Frozen Soul, Tribal Gaze
EMBER MUSIC HALL
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- Thursday, 8/21 House Party Rave
- Friday, 8/22 Level Up
- Saturday, 8/23 SOS: The Recession Pop Party
- Wednesday, 9/3 Liliac
- Saturday, 9/6 Ternion Sound: Farewell Tour 2025
- Sunday, 9/7 Demun Jones
- Tuesday, 9/9 Kamiyda+ & Lit Lords: From The Shadows Tour
- Saturday, 9/13 Andy Thomas (two nights, 9/12 & 9/13)
- Sunday, 9/14 Kash’d Out: Mushroom Tea Tour Summer 2025
- Friday, 9/19 Sander Van Doorn
- Saturday, 9/27 Layz: The Blackout No Signal Tour
- Friday, 10/10 Anime Rave
- Saturday, 10/11 Cash Cash
- Thursday, 12/4 TroyBoi Presents: Hear2Move Tour (360° set performance)
LOSO NIGHTCLUB
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- Friday, August 15 Nave Mãe & Katarina Especial (Them Local) [open‑to‑close]
- Friday, August 22 Eli Escobar w/ Stiffdance
- Saturday, August 23 TonalTheory w/ support TBA
- Saturday, August 30 Dennis Free w/ support TBA
- Saturday, September 13 Maiya & Effie Jets (Head Empty Radio) [open‑to‑close]
- Saturday, October 4 AQUTIE w/ J. Kirven
ANOTHER ROUND BAR & GRILL
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- Friday, 8/15 Half Past Dead, Gap Tooth, Rail Gun, Watersdeep
- Friday, 8/22 Freezing Cold (NYC), Sports Bar, Memory Hole
- Saturday, 8/30 MELK, Abrevitty, Symphony of Destiny
- Friday, 9/12 Wyndrider Live on Tour
- Saturday, 9/13 SonarFest 2025 VA (starts at 3 PM)
- Friday, 10/31 Halloween Metal Party: Pissing Razors and Single Bullet Theory
