It is the start of the most wonderful time of the year! Punks for Presents is back with their first show of the year, lots of other exciting acts gearing up for a weekend in town, keep your eyes open and your ears even more.
Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? Hit us up at griffin@rvamag.com.
Punks For Presents Summer Show
Saturday August 1st at Hardywood
The most beautiful time of year in Richmond, Virginia, is when it’s Punks for Presents season. This charity is something I hold near and dear to my heart, and I consider its members and volunteers to be some of the most genuine people I’ve met since I first started living in this city.
For those who don’t know, Punks for Presents hosts cover shows to raise money to help ease the lives of children staying in the pediatric wards of Richmond’s hospitals. Some of the families they work with are stuck in the hospital for months on end, enduring stresses and struggles that most of us can’t even fathom. I cannot imagine what it must feel like to be 10 years old, getting a bone marrow transplant and stuck in a barren, sterile white room for weeks. But if that kid walked into a room decorated with Spider-Man and found a bed full of stuffed animals, it might feel just a little bit easier.
The first Punks for Presents show of the year is packed with crowd pleasers. This year’s lineup includes Seven Elf Army (The White Stripes), Floyd the Snowman (Nirvana), High Voltage (AC/DC), and Snow Control (Bad Religion). These shows are always some of the most fun I have all year. I’ve been to well over 10 Punks for Presents shows, and they truly stand out as some of my favorite moments of community and togetherness.
I promise you won’t regret going. Come be part of it. Get in the action. Be part of the change.
Billy Bob Thornton and The Boxmasters
Sunday August 2nd at The National
Do you ever read a bill and just think, “What the hell?” Well, I had a few of those moments as I learned more about this show.
Billy Bob Thornton is coming to town with his longtime band, The Boxmasters (first “what the hell” moment). They play what they describe as “Modbilly,” a fusion of ’60s British mod sounds and old-school Southern rockabilly (second “what the hell” moment).
I’m always a little hesitant when actors start bands, but you know what? This one is a whole lot of fun. It has that bright, innocent ’60s energy that’s really endearing. The songs are genuinely well written, and they transport you back to a time you never experienced but somehow know so well.
Erin Lunsford, Sasha Landon
Friday July 31st at The Camel
We got another great album release celebration at The Camel. Erin Lunsford, whom you may know as the lead vocalist of Erin & the Wildfires just released her second record. The LP, entitled Rhinestones, is a sweet and sincere country collection propelled by the strong and unmistakable vocals of Lunsford. The record balances stripped back indie/country with more dramatic, dynamic, and upbeat pop structures and sounds. It creates something pretty unique and interesting, letting it fit in any number of classy venues or dimly lit, smoky clubs. I think the overall sound is comparable to some of the bigger pop/country acts, but it has those stronger Virginia roots that keep it grounded and real.
Joining Lunsford is Sasha Landon, who you may know as one third of the incredible folk act Palmyra. Sasha is an absolutely incredible songwriter. They have a way of making you feel seen, heard, held, understood, and all those other things. The lyrics can be cutting and brutally accurate in moments of loss just as easily as they can be light and breezy words of whimsy. Their music feels like a faded record you would find in a thrift store. You turn it on, and you wonder where it has been, where it is from, but in the end you forget all your questions and drift off with the tunes.
NEW RVA TUNES
‘Colors Go’ by Belly of the Heart
Richmond pop trio Belly of the Heart never fails to provide the city with a new sound. The sound this week is Colors Go. It has a nice chill beat that keeps the tune moving, nice and easy, nice and steady. The song feels like something you would put on as you drive to a party where you do not know anyone, stripped back at first, but you can see how much future is ahead of you. The stack of vocals help to swirl the mood, things become a little less clear but that is not bad whatsoever, I think it helps add that level of exciting uncertainty that this song is pumping. I think this band has been on a good kick lately and am excited to see where they take this sound and energy.
Main photo of Erin Lunsford
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