Maybe it is a facade but the weather is nice and life is returning to the streets of Richmond. The parks are full, the lines for ice cream are long, and hopefully the venues are packed. Check out one of these shows, enjoy the weather, and pretend you are in a movie.
If you’ve got any tips, send them my way. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? I am your guy at griffin@rvamag.com.
The Camel
Saturday, March 1st, 2025
Deau Eyes, Blue Cactus, Nan Macmillan
Deau Eyes is one of the best indie songwriters in our scene right now, and it looks like Richmond agrees—she took the number two spot in the indie category of the poll. She brings an incredible sincerity to her performance. In some strange way, it feels like a bard telling old and mystic stories in a great yet cozy hall, with all the inhabitants shoulder to shoulder around a warm fire, words drifting over the flames.
Blue Cactus is serenading me into a southwestern dreamy state, all guided by that sweet slide guitar. But don’t think this duo is a one-trick guitar pony—their arrangements are thick and rich, like golden honey. The different instruments flank around you like the familiar trees behind your childhood home, creating a shaded canopy to lay your excited child’s head under.
Nan Macmillan is coming down from all the complexity and simplicity of the Northeast, bringing an intimate and airy sound. It almost feels like what you hoped church music would sound like—angelic and shining, like a cold morning sun.
Banditos
Thursday, February 27th, 2025
Destructo Disk, Soft No, Swerves, Possum Den
I’ve caught the last few Destructo shows, and they are consistently a riot. The band has a coordination and tightness that nations could fight over. The trio enters a perfect symmetry as they erupt into an anthemic set that seems to tower over you while you wildly jump around in a pure punk frenzy.
Coming down from Philly is Soft No, who build their sound from a shoegazey foundation, but with much more metallic, punk-driven drums. They have one introverted guitar conversing with its extroverted friend, the two different tones creating an incredible dialogue.
Swerves is coming down from PA as well, fresh off a recent Valentine’s Day release. They find themselves in a middle-ground channel of sweet guitar and bildungsroman vocals. “Velvet” is the kind of song you wish you had when you were 16 and nothing made sense.
Possum Den is a local duo with a heavy sound and a great logo. They’re a bit noisy, a bit goth, a bit punk—and it all works. The vocalist has an incredibly powerful speak-singing voice that I, personally, am very jealous of.
Cobra Cabana
Friday, February 28th, 2025
Grocer, Tentative Decisions, Night Idea, Homey
Grocer is coming from a really cool place in the post-punk world. Right off the rip, I hear influences of Devo, Talking Heads, and Television. The group puts on a play above a bouncy bassline that lingers in the smoking section around your ears. I’ve heard good things through the ether about their performance and am eager to see ‘em take on Cobra.
If you’re not bumping Public Access by Tentative Decisions, simply—what are you doing? The local post-punkers got some serious attention with that release, and I think it’s given them real fuel in the tank. They’ve got the songs to match that confidence.
Night Idea can really set a scene. I am eternally curious with each song, crawling into it and looking around at the world they’ve crafted.
Homey is coming from a really interesting place, with tastes of shoegaze, grunge, and something I can’t quite decipher. They put together a hell of a looming atmosphere, with thick smoke blanketing their Bandcamp release.
NEW TUNES
Consumed by Caroline Vain
Caroline Vain has put out her first release in the form of a self titled EP. “Consumed” is my favorite track of the four—it has a river-like flow, steady yet branching out into stream tributaries. The main riff floats you along, gazing at the stars, while the vocals comfort you from somewhere beneath the water.
The slight slide of that southern guitar dots across the sky like a shooting star, leaving a trail of ringing acoustic in its wake.
Rat’s Ass by Chemical-X
These guys have been treating Richmond like a second home lately, with quite a few appearances over the last few months—and two more next week. Before coming back, they decided to drop a little gift: their new album, Daze of Hate.
Rat’s Ass is my favorite track. It rips fast and hard with that classic ’80s hardcore sound. They managed to capture the chaos of their live show on record, which is no easy feat.
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RICHMOND SHOW LIST!
THE BROADBERRY ENTERTAINMENT GROUP SHOWS
BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE
Friday, 2/28 Kendall Street Company Presents Kendall Street is for Lovers Tour w/ Big Fancy
Saturday, 3/1 Town Mountain w/ special guest John R Miller
Friday, 3/7 Brass Against
Sunday, 3/9 Saxsquatch w/ Megan Hamilton
Sunday, 3/16 Steely Dead
Thursday, 3/20 Cameron Whitcomb: Hundred Mile High Tour w/ Ben Cottrill
Friday, 3/21 Cartoon Rave (18+)
Sunday, 3/23 The Broadberry x Tech Exchange Sidequest Round 2: Ultimate Video Game Party
Friday, 3/28 of Montreal: The Sunlandic Twins 20th Anniversary Tour w/ cumgirl8
Saturday, 3/29 Maggie Antone w/ Molly Forbes
Tuesday, 4/1 Paul Cauthen
Wednesday, 4/2 Tyler Hilton & Kate Voegele
Friday, 4/4 Shrek Rave (18+)
Saturday, 4/5 Manic Focus: Magic Tour (18+)
Friday, 4/11 The WASTE Spring Kickback: 25th Anniversary Party DAY 1 w/ Annihilation Time, The Spits, BAT, and Public Acid
Saturday, 4/12 Clay Street Unit and Shadowgrass
Tuesday, 4/15 Spafford
Thursday, 4/17 The Dip: Love Direction Tour Part II Presented by WNRN
Friday, 4/25 Panic Stricken
Saturday, 4/26 Giovannie and the Hired Guns
Wednesday, 4/30 George Clanton
THE CAMEL
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Thursday, 2/27: Arts Fishing Club w/ ZG Smith
Saturday, 3/1: Deau Eyes and Blue Cactus w/ Nan Macmillan
Thursday, 3/6: Jeremy Short
Friday, 3/7: Erin & The Wildfire’s First Fridays w/ Dhemo
Saturday, 3/8: Chris Leggett & The Copper Line Album Release w/ Space Koi and Jonathan Paige Brown
Sunday, 3/9: Brunch w/ Craigslist Jerry
Wednesday, 3/12: Jesse Roper
Thursday, 3/20: Kill Lincoln w/ Half Past Two, Omnigone
Saturday, 3/29: Fust
Monday, 3/31: Willi Carlisle
Friday, 4/4: Erin & The Wildfire’s First Fridays
Friday, 4/11: The Crystal Casino Band w/ The Barons
Sunday, 4/13: Kool Keith & MC Homeless w/ Destructo Disk, Marc Live, J Stylez, and DJ HALO
Wednesday, 4/16: The Ivy, Lyncs, Sweet Touch
Wednesday, 4/23: Jim Lauderdale & The Game Changers
Wednesday, 4/30: Bria Salmena
THE NATIONAL
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Friday, 2/28: Niko Moon with David J
Saturday, 3/1: The Stews
Sunday, 3/2: Flogging Molly with The Aggrolites and Slaughterhouse
Monday, 3/3: Michael Shannon & Jason Narducy with Dave Hill
Saturday, 3/8: The Plot In You with Holding Absence, Boundaries, and Acres
Sunday, 3/9: The Hip Abduction with The Palms
Monday, 3/10: Bright Eyes
Tuesday, 3/11: Houndmouth with Sports Team
Saturday, 3/15: R&B Only Live
Thursday, 3/20: Lawrence
Thursday, 4/3: Boney James
Friday, 4/4: Toast
Sunday, 4/6: The Tallest Man on Earth with The Still Tide
Thursday, 4/10: Live Dead and Brothers
Saturday, 4/12: Municipal Waste with Toxic Holocaust, Midnight, Excel, and Enforced
Sunday, 4/13: AWOLNATION with Bryce Fox
Wednesday, 4/16: Damien Escobar
Thursday, 4/17: Valerie June
Friday, 4/18: Chiodos with Hawthorne Heights, Emmure, and The Callous Daoboys
Monday, 4/21: Magdalena Bay with Sam Austins
Thursday, 4/24: Paul Reiser
Saturday, 4/26: Wild Rivers
ALLIANZ AMPHITHEATER
Saturday, 6/21: Dwight Yoakam BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE
Thursday, 6/26: Parker McCollum: What Kinda Man Tour 2025 BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE
Tuesday, 7/16 & Wednesday 7/17: Dave Matthews Band BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE
Saturday, 7/19: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE
Wednesday, 8/6: Styx & Kevin Cronin + Don Felder – The Brotherhood of Rock Tour BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE
Saturday, 8/23: Bailey Zimmerman: New To Country Summer Tour BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE
Friday, 8/29: Alison Krauss & Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE
Monday, 9/22: “Weird Al” Yankovic: Bigger & Weirder 2025 Tour BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE
Tuesday, 10/21: Tedeschi Trucks Band with Very Special Guest Little Feat: Live in 25 BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE
FUNNY BONE RICHMOND
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Thursday, February 27: Brad Upton
Friday, February 28 – Saturday, March 1: Funny Marco
Sunday, March 2: Winston Hodges
Wednesday, March 5: Calimar White aka Agent Ratliff
Thursday, March 6: Jermaine “FunnyMaine” Johnson
Friday, March 7 – Saturday, March 8: Nick Swardson
Thursday, March 13: Justin Silva
Friday, March 14 – Sunday, March 16: Godfrey
Thursday, March 20: Jiaoying Summers
Friday, March 21 – Saturday, March 22: Jamie Lissow
Wednesday, March 26: Peter Antoniou
Thursday, March 27: Tanael Joachim
Friday, March 28 – Saturday, March 29: Dave Attell
Sunday, March 30: Christian Johnson
Wednesday, April 2: Jen Fulwiler
Friday, April 4 – Saturday, April 5: Dan Soder
Sunday, April 6: Justin Whitehead
Friday, April 11 – Saturday, April 12: Chris Porter
Wednesday, April 16: Gareth Reynolds
Wednesday, April 23: Christopher Titus
Friday, April 25 – Sunday, April 27: DL Hughley
THe CanAL CLUB
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Friday, 2/28: Austin Meade with Cole Barnhill
Saturday, 3/1: High Voltage: A Tribute to AC/DC
Wednesday, 3/5: Make Them Suffer with Like Moths to Flames, Aviana, and Windwaker
Friday, 3/7: Tributo a Soda Stereo y Héroes del Silencio
Saturday, 3/8: 40oz To Freedom: Sublime Tribute
Sunday, 3/9: Red Jumpsuit Apparatus with 408 and Heartbent
Saturday, 3/15: NDVST presents DEBÍ TIRAR MÁS FIESTAS | The Bad Bunny Party
Thursday, 3/20: Green Knuckle Material with Wild Truth
Saturday, 3/22: thrown with Varials, No Cure, and Heavensgate
Wednesday, 3/26: Wheatus with Don’t Panic and Fight Cloud
Friday, 3/28: The Emo Night Tour
Friday, 4/4: Chelsea Grin with Shadow of Intent, Signs of the Swarm, and Disembodied Tyrant
Monday, 4/7: Fame on Fire: The Death Card Tour with Halocene and Archetypes Collide
Friday, 4/11: United Blood Festival featuring Cold World, Trapped Under Ice, E Town Concrete, Terror, No Warning, Angel Du$t, Backlash, Bad Beat, Blind Justice, Bracewar, Collateral, Combust, Dead & Dreaming, Division of Mind, Dynamite, Echo Chamber, End It, Giant’s Despair, Grand Scheme, Gridiron, Hard Stripes, Haywire, Killing Pace, Mindforce, Naysayer, Never Ending Game, New World Man, No Idols, RZL DZL, Scarab, The Mongoloids, The Wrongside, Think I Care, War Hungry, and Wasted Space
Wednesday, 4/16: Traitors with Crown Magnetar and Yosemite in Black
Wednesday, 4/23: Capstan with Colorblind, True North, and Not Enough Space
Tuesday, 4/29: Magnolia Park with Hot Milk, Savage Hands, and South Arcade
EMBER MUSIC HALL
Friday, 2/28: Slacker University’s It’s a 2000’s Party
Thursday, 3/6: J.I. THE PRINCE of N.Y.
Friday, 3/7: Marten Horger
Saturday, 3/8: Subdocta & Shanghai Doom
Friday, 3/14: YDG | You + ME Tour
Saturday, 3/15: Paul Van Dyk
Thursday, 3/27: SoDown: Colors of the Mind Tour
Monday, 3/31: Racoma
Thursday, 4/3: Marauda
Saturday, 4/5: Elephante: Cope Tour
Saturday, 4/12: Grateful for Biggie
Saturday, 4/19: Maddy O’Neal: Spring 2025 Tour
Thursday, 4/17: BoomBox
Wednesday, 4/30: The Bloody Beetroots 20th Anniversary Tour
LOSO NIGHTCLUB
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REVELER IN CARYTOWN
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Wednesday, 2/26: Funk + Soul Party! – Jam Session
Friday, 2/28: Sarah Hanahan + Mike Hawkins Trio – Jazz
Tuesday, 3/4: The Potluck – Roots Rock Residency/Fat Tuesday Party with Steve Bassett, Daniel Clarke, Stewart Myers, Dusty Ray Simmons, and Willie Williams
Thursday, 3/6: Walt Weiskopf European Jazz Quartet – Jazz
Saturday, 3/22: Logan Ledger with Jacob Ritter – Americana Soul
Friday, 3/28: Hot Club of Baltimore + Django Tango – Gypsy Jazz/Swing
Monday, 3/31: Jenny Scheinman’s All Species Parade – Jazz
DOMINION ENERGY CENTER
Friday, 2/28, Saturday, 3/1 & Sunday, 3/2 Virginia Opera presents Così Fan Tutte
Saturday, 3/8 & Sunday, 3/9 Tchaikovsky’s Fifth presented by the Richmond Symphony
Saturday, 3/15 Cirque Musica: Symphonic! presented by the Richmond Symphony
Sunday, 3/16 The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss presented by the Richmond Symphony
Saturday, 3/22 & Sunday, 3/23 Mozart & Mahler presented by the Richmond Symphony
Friday, 3/28 & Saturday, 3/29 STOMP presented by Broadway in Richmond
Friday, 4/19, Saturday, 4/20 & Sunday, 4/21 CHURCHILL starring David Payne
ALTRIA THEATRE
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Tuesday, 3/4 – Sunday, 3/16: Moulin Rouge! The Musical (2024-25 Broadway in Richmond Series)
Wednesday, 3/19: Jeff Dunham: Artificial Intelligence at 7:00 PM
Sunday, 3/23: Special Preview of Ken Burns’s The American Revolution at 7:00 PM
Thursday, 3/27: Naruto: The Symphonic Experience at 7:30 PM
Saturday, 3/29: Jurassic Park in Concert with Film Presented by the Richmond Symphony at 6:00 PM
Sunday, 3/30: Insidious: The Further You Fear – An Immersive Live Horror Experience at 7:00 PM
Wednesday, 4/2: Je’Caryous Johnson Presents: Jason’s Lyric Live! at 7:30 PM
Saturday, 4/5: Legends of Laughter 2025 Featuring Lavell Crawford, Gary Owen, Don DC Curry, Guy Torry, Finesse Mitchell, and Special K at 7:00 PM
Thursday, 4/10: Virginia Humanities 50th Celebration – The Commonwealth Lecture in the Humanities featuring David Brooks at 8:00 PM
Tuesday, 4/15 – Sunday, 4/20: A BEAUTIFUL NOISE (2024-25 Broadway in Richmond Series)
Tuesday, 4/22: Bonnie Raitt: Live 2025 at 7:30 PM
Friday, 4/25: Nikki Glaser Alive and Unwell Tour at 7:00 PM
