RVA Shows You Must See This Week 10/21-10/27

by | Oct 21, 2015 | SHOW PICKS

FEATURE SHOW
Cheap Fest VI @ Strange Matter
Day One: Friday, October 23, 2 PM-Midnight – $5-15 (sliding scale)
Daggering, Stone Garden Jam Temple, Mutwawa, Broadcastatic, Scant, Creeping, Stress Orphan, Burak, Neurology, Bryan Lewis Saunders, Zack Kouns, Bernard Herman, Nate Schieble/Ian McColm, Astrology Diet, Cornelius Van Strafin III, Jim Capps, Metamorphic Blood vs. Kaontrol Kontraos, Radio Shock, Nu Depth, Yoga Demon, Subklinik, Coteries, Eunich, JND, Floral Print, Deleted User, One Lifeless Eye, Lugweight, Outer Heaven, Blue Nine, Le Bron, Fake Object, 10-56, Negative Space, Lacanthrope, Skirts, Alpha Decay, Seven Hundred Club
Day Two: Saturday, October 22, 2 PM-Midnight – $5-15 (sliding scale)
Laundryroom Squelchers, Tinnitustimulus, Unguent, Narwhalz (of sound), Radiator Greys, Shredded Nerve, Newton, Yohimbe, Drums Like Machine Guns, Faster Detail, Pvre Matrix, Predation, Rosemary Arp, Trogpite, Boy Harsher, SB & C, Drippy Inputs, Extended Release, C10, Mall Prowler, Jokif Behr, Bachelorette, Embarker, Clang Quartet, Pony Moon, Quna, Suicide Magnets, Dave Public, Zoe Wordlaw, Muscle Academy, Lead Pipe, Cloning, Bath Assaults, Xambuca, Bushmeat, New Loft, Flesh Control, Schwarzkali Effect

There are times I worry I won’t have enough to say about one of the shows in my column. Suffice it to say, this is not one of those times. If anything, Cheap Fest VI offers more action than I could possibly cover in a few measly paragraphs.

FEATURE SHOW
Cheap Fest VI @ Strange Matter
Day One: Friday, October 23, 2 PM-Midnight – $5-15 (sliding scale)
Daggering, Stone Garden Jam Temple, Mutwawa, Broadcastatic, Scant, Creeping, Stress Orphan, Burak, Neurology, Bryan Lewis Saunders, Zack Kouns, Bernard Herman, Nate Schieble/Ian McColm, Astrology Diet, Cornelius Van Strafin III, Jim Capps, Metamorphic Blood vs. Kaontrol Kontraos, Radio Shock, Nu Depth, Yoga Demon, Subklinik, Coteries, Eunich, JND, Floral Print, Deleted User, One Lifeless Eye, Lugweight, Outer Heaven, Blue Nine, Le Bron, Fake Object, 10-56, Negative Space, Lacanthrope, Skirts, Alpha Decay, Seven Hundred Club
Day Two: Saturday, October 22, 2 PM-Midnight – $5-15 (sliding scale)
Laundryroom Squelchers, Tinnitustimulus, Unguent, Narwhalz (of sound), Radiator Greys, Shredded Nerve, Newton, Yohimbe, Drums Like Machine Guns, Faster Detail, Pvre Matrix, Predation, Rosemary Arp, Trogpite, Boy Harsher, SB & C, Drippy Inputs, Extended Release, C10, Mall Prowler, Jokif Behr, Bachelorette, Embarker, Clang Quartet, Pony Moon, Quna, Suicide Magnets, Dave Public, Zoe Wordlaw, Muscle Academy, Lead Pipe, Cloning, Bath Assaults, Xambuca, Bushmeat, New Loft, Flesh Control, Schwarzkali Effect

There are times I worry I won’t have enough to say about one of the shows in my column. Suffice it to say, this is not one of those times. If anything, Cheap Fest VI offers more action than I could possibly cover in a few measly paragraphs. This annual gathering of experimental music acts from all over the country is organized on some strict principles–each band gets 15 minutes in which to perform, and the music happens on a continuous basis for 10 hours each day for two days. During that time, something like 80 different groups take the stage, all assaulting the ears of listeners with a glorious wall of their own particular take on “noise”–which could involve a variety of musical instruments, or a pile of sound effects, or almost anything else you can think of. But it won’t involve laptop computers being used to play back some prerecorded sounds, because laptops are strictly prohibited by Cheap Fest’s charter. All noises you hear will be generated live and in the moment.

So what sort of noises can you expect? Well, the entire affair will be brought to a close by a set from Florida heroes the Laundryroom Squelchers, led by maniacal noise legend Rat Bastard. Meanwhile, day one’s events will be wrapped up by a set from Daggering, a noise supergroup whose members once called Richmond home but are now scattered up and down the east coast. They return to action for a rare Richmond appearance in celebration of Bad Moon Rising, their brand new tape released by CNP Records earlier this month.

There are soooo many more performers on this bill, though. Groups that have attained a measure of local fame through legendary past performances (Drums Like Machine Guns, Clang Quartet), artists who once called RVA home and are back to blow minds once again (Narwhalz (of sound), Lugweight, Nu Depth, Scant), local up-and-comers just starting to make their mark on the Richmond scene (Alpha Decay, Schwarzkali Effect, Seven Hundred Club), RVA veterans doing what they do best (Mutwawa, Flesh Control, Coteries), and a ton of other local and out-of-town performers with plenty of awesomeness to bring you all. If you like your music to remain safe, calm, and totally normal, this isn’t the event for you. I, for one, am down with the freakouts, and testing the limits of what sound can do; I hope you are too, and I hope you’ll make an appearance at Strange Matter this weekend for Cheap Fest VI. You’ll be glad you did.

Wednesday, October 21, 9 PM
Insatanity, Nervo Chaos, Vomit Stain, Crucial Rip @ Strange Matter – $8

This is about as deep as it gets right here, y’all. And yes, I’m talking about Insatanity’s truly guttural vocals–but I’m also talking about the fiery depths of hell from which this darkest of death metal bands ascends. And by THAT, I’m talking about Tampa, Florida–legendary home of Morrisound Recording, the place where, back in the dawn of the 90s, death metal found its sound. Insatanity has been part of the death metal scene since those days, winning fame in the underground with a series of extremely heavy demos before blowing the whole scene away with its powerful 1996 debut album, Divine Decomposition. Full of relentless downtuned guitar chugs, double-bass drum rumbles, and the lowest of low growl vocals, this album is a festival of headbanging delight. And that’s what Insatanity has been bringing to the world ever since!

Twenty years later, they’re still going strong, and they’ll be bringing their brutality to Strange Matter tonight! They’re joined on tour by Brazilian metalheads Nervochaos, who have a similarly extensive history in their own country. While Nervochaos is not quite as focused on the low-end as Insatanity, they’ve definitely got a lot of super-heavy riffs to deal out for us all. Both of these bands come to Richmond courtesy of Between Two Beers productions, the promoters who seem determined to rebuild the local death metal scene all by themselves if they have to. To that end, they’ve added Montpelier-based grind brutalists Vomit Stain and RVA’s own death metal demons Crucial Rip to the bill, making this a headbang-fest from beginning to end. Get ready to thrash!

Thursday, October 22, 5 PM
Woah Nows, Sundials, Close Talker, Atta Girl @ Strange Matter – $7

You can’t headbang all the time, so Thursday night get ready to bop around Strange Matter with a smile on your face, as UK melodic punks the Woah Nows come to town bearing a whole pile of super rad hooks. Their latest album, Understanding And Everything Else, dropped earlier this year and is guaranteed to make anyone happy; on this record, the Woah Nows mix the sound of UK forebears like Mega City Four and Wat Tyler with a modern sound not too far from Johnny Foreigner or Caves. They’re sure to make the US fans of melodic punk happy–and rest assured, people fitting that description who live in RVA are already planning to turn up at a Sundials show.

Sundials are the torch-bearers of melodic punk in this city, continuing to crank out the sort of thoughtful, introspective, yet always supremely catchy tunes that have been their stock in trade across several notable releases now. Kick, their Topshelf Records debut, is receding in the rearview these days, but I’m sure these guys are cooking up some new tunes, and what they’ve already got in their bag of tricks is more than enough to delight. Both opening bands also feature members of Sundials, with drummer Cory Chubb coming out from behind the kit to play frontman for Close Talker, while guitarists Harris Mendell and Chris Carreon assume the role of the rhythm section in Atta Girl. Close Talker’s Jawbreaker-ish version of catchy melancholy is sure to be a blast, and Atta Girl’s punked-up twee-pop vibe is a unique sound on the RVA scene, and always entertaining.

Friday, October 23, 8 PM
Kylesa, Inter Arma, Indian Handcrafts, Irata @ The Broadberry – $15 in advance/$18 at the door (order tickets HERE)

Doom-metal scene fixtures Kylesa are headed back to town a leaner, meaner outfit than they’ve been at any time I can remember. Previously a band known for its enlarged lineup, featuring two guitarists and two drummers, they stripped down to a three-piece in advance of their latest album, Exhausting Fire. With longtime first drummer Carl McGinley becoming the only rhythmic backing behind co-founding singer/guitarists Philip Cope and Laura Pleasants, the band has nonetheless retained the ability to crush heads with their heaviness. Still, as the title hints, there’s a bit of an introspective and melancholy mood creeping in on the latest Kylesa LP, with plentiful instances of psychedelic atmosphere and goth-metal melodies showing up amongst the moments of monolithic heaviness. Kylesa’s performance at The Broadberry this Friday night is likely to be a moodier affair than past appearances in town–but if you’re willing to go on this journey with the band, they’re sure to reward you with some killer sludge grooves.

Local metal heroes Inter Arma will also appear on this bill, and everyone excited about this show should be that much more stoked to hear about this. Having impressed the world with the twin titans of 2013 full-length Sky Burial and 2014’s one-song, 40-minute EP The Cavern, these guys merely confirmed what everyone in RVA has known for years–Inter Arma are pretty much the kings of this epic doom shit. With them and Kylesa on the same bill, this evening is guaranteed to be a huge treat for all involved. Openers Indian Handcrafts and Irata will add their own brands of headbang-worthy biker doom to the festivities, making this evening a visit to stoner metal paradise.

Sunday, October 25, 7 PM
Babes In Toyland, Kitten Forever @ Strange Matter – $18 in advance/$20 day of show (order tickets here: http://babesintoylandrva.eventbrite.com/)

OK so I always worry when I go off about some legend of the 90s or whatever that younger people reading my column have no idea what I’m talking about and just kind of roll their eyes and go on to the next show. If there’s gonna be one time you young whippersnappers don’t do that, though, let it be this one. Babes In Toyland landed on a major label in the early 90s post-Nirvana feeding frenzy, and the all-female trio used to hit the stage in glammed-out makeup and babydoll dresses. But this isn’t another vaguely tough yet mostly melodic girl-grunge band like Veruca Salt or Live Through This-era Hole. Babes In Toyland were tough as nails, with the pounding drums of Lori Barbero giving Bjelland a powerful backup as she screamed and wrenched wild noise from her guitar. Songs like “He’s My Thing” and “Bruise Violet” were probably heavier than anything most riot grrrl bands ever did, and featured just as much righteous feminist vitriol.

So the fact that Babes In Toyland are back on tour and hitting up Richmond for the first time in over 15 years is a very special occasion, one that you should all be present for if you can possibly help it! Bjelland and Barbero, along with new bassist Clara Salyer, are ready to blow your head off, and will do so without a hair out of place. The fact that they’ve brought Kitten Forever, a young feminist band with obvious riot grrrl influences from their hometown of Minneapolis, on this tour just shows that Babes In Toyland are still down with what’s going on in the modern scene. Plus, it shows they know enough to give us all a great opening band who are sure to be a hit with the Slutever and Girlpool fans in the audience. Overall, this is going to be an outstanding show. Tickets are close to selling out, so get yours now!

Sunday, October 25, 6:30 PM
The Front Bottoms, The Smith Street Band, Elvis Depressedly @ The National – $12 (order tickets HERE)

I don’t usually do this, but since Babes In Toyland is so close to selling out that those who read this column later in the day might miss it completely, I’m giving you an alternative plan for your Sunday night as well. Because I may love all the early-90s noise-rock bands that ended up on major labels, but I love all the emo revival bands who’ve been running around for the past several years as well, and a few really good ones will be turning up at The National this very night. That place holds 1500 people, and Strange Matter holds about 200–this one’s a lot less likely to sell out before you get there.

So who will you see if you head out? Well, while I wouldn’t necessarily have guessed it before it happened, The Front Bottoms have become one of the most popular current emo bands. Starting out as an acoustic project and growing into a sort of jangly, melodic pop band with a lot of influences from the pop-punk/emo underground, these guys have won a lot of people over with recent singles like “Help” and “Laugh Til I Cry.” Meanwhile, Australia’s The Smith Street Band are the group on this bill I’m most excited about; their 2013 EP Don’t Fuck With Our Dreams split the difference between Latterman and Leatherface, and the band only improved their gruffly-anthemic emo-punk on last year’s full-length Throw Me In The River. Throw in an opening set from buzzworthy new band Elvis Depressedly and you’ve got a full evening of outstanding tunes–which should be the cure for what ails you–whether you’re sad about your life in general, or just sad you couldn’t get into Babes In Toyland.

Monday, October 26, 6 PM
The Menzingers, mewithoutYou, Pianos Become The Teeth, Restorations @ The Broadberry – $20 (order tickets HERE)

If you do end up at Babes In Toyland, don’t worry that you’re missing out on the great emo sounds in Richmond this week–there’s another, perhaps even more amazing, show happening on Monday night at The Broadberry that should thrill you just as much. The Menzingers will be in town that night, and this Pennsylvania pop-punk band started out great and steadily improved ever since their debut album came out in 2007. These days they have four albums out, and last year’s Rented World touched the hearts and minds of many with its indelible lead single, “I Don’t Wanna Be An Asshole Anymore.” On it, beneath lyrics that hit way too close to home with way too many people who grew up feeling like they couldn’t figure out how to be a good person (myself definitely included), they mingled influences from the likes of The Replacements, Superchunk, Dillinger Four, and the Ramones into an impossibly catchy tune that is but one highlight of their amazing discography. See them put a ton of energy into cranking out the best of their extensive catalog at the Broadberry Monday night, and if you get out of there without feeling some feels, I for one will be very surprised.

I admit, the band I expect to feel the most feels about is playing earlier in the evening. Baltimore’s Pianos Become The Teeth are a huge favorite of mine, and I was amazed when they managed to slightly soften up their sound on last year’s Keep You LP while simultaneously getting better than they’d ever been before. Who knew Kyle Durfee learning how to sing prettily would just lead to him breaking your heart even more? Last time these guys were in town, I had to skip out in favor of catching Swans, but this time no prior commitments will hold me back, and I’m hella excited. Fellow emo legends mewithoutYou will also appear on this bill, as well as openers Restorations–this bill is impossibly stacked! Even at $20 the ticket price is a steal. Make sure you’re there!

Tuesday, October 27, 9 PM
Cult Leader, Venomspitter, High Priest @ Strange Matter – $8 (order tickets here: https://cultleaderrva.eventbrite.com/)

OK, here’s another band I’ve been waiting a long time to see. Ever since Cult Leader reconstituted themselves from the ashes of Gaza (an incredible band, regardless of the sketchiness that became their downfall), I’ve been following their career very closely. They’ve proven themselves to be just as adept at cranking out noise-saturated raging metallic hardcore as their prior band was–first two EPs Nothing For Us Here and Useless Animal are both powerful knockout punches. However, nothing could compare to the way Cult Leader goes a full 12 rounds with the fury contained in brand new full-length album Lightless Walk, out now on Deathwish Inc. The roaring whirlwind that takes the stage on Tuesday night might just blow you down, if the mosh pit doesn’t take you out first, but do what you have to do to withstand the fury and headbang yourself to glory–it’ll be worth it!

Local metallic hardcore heroes Venomspitter will also be on this bill, and though promised splits with Empty Hands and DSGNS aren’t quite here yet, these guys gave a great preview of what they’ve got for us in the coming months with a live performance last weekend on WRIR. You can grab your own copy of that performance for free right now from Venomspitter’s bandcamp page, and by doing so, you’ll be giving yourself an opportunity to get familiar with the maximum slay-age they’ll be cranking out from the Strange Matter stage next Tuesday. Pretty awesome, right? I think so. Integrity-influenced VA metalcore band High Priest will open this thing up. All three of these bands have a ton of dark noisy power to unleash on you all, so batten the hatches and get ready for yet another glorious metal storm to hit this town.

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Should I be posting about your show? Make sure I know it’s happening–email me: andrew@rvamag.com.

Marilyn Drew Necci

Marilyn Drew Necci

Former GayRVA editor-in-chief, RVA Magazine editor for print and web. Anxiety expert, proud trans woman, happily married.




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