Get dolled up for the show! Whether you’re deciding how to incorporate your Doc’s into your costume or putting together a year’s worth of dressing up plans, I hope your Halloween schedule includes going to these killer shows.
Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? I am your guy at griffin@rvamag.com.
Canal Club | Saturday, November 2nd, 2024
LTC Fest II
LTC Fest is back with an absurd lineup featuring some of the most exciting names in alternative music right now. Headlining are a pair of sonic champions: Fleshwater and Drug Church.
Fleshwater epitomizes modern shoegaze, with inevitable grunge, metal, and hardcore influences. The drop tunings serve as a base coat of blue and black swirls under long, drawn-out stripes of red and neon yellow vocals.
Drug Church is like a train steadily steaming forward as the drummer shovels huge chunks of coal into the engine—a chugging force of thick, strewn guitar and vocals pulled straight from the chest. This is only a taste; there’s an incredible amount of variety on this massive bill.
Richmond Music hall | Sunday, NOVEMBER 3rd, 2024
Escape from the Zoo, Hans Gruber & the Die Hards, Steelboy
This one is a middle finger to all the ska haters in the world. Escape from the Zoo is a party in a band, straight out of 1999. They press forward with every beat as the crowd skanks along, striking a couple of familiar chords in the realm of folk punk and the spirit of Gogol Bordello.
Hans Gruber & the Die Hards are another bouncy ska group with an excellent horn section. If I had to choose a word for these guys, it would be “kooky,” but they aren’t afraid to keep it real and get a bit heavier—call it a ska breakdown.
Steelboy, our own local ska-fit, brings killer bass lines, continuing that ’90s ska vibe. Their drums are pure skater, but the vocals lean closer to that first smooth wave of ska.
The camel | Monday, NOvember 4th, 2024
Mid, Hazelgrove, Glass House
Mid is a funny name for such a dynamic and versatile band. Hailing from Alexandria, they are proof more comes out of NoVa than just VCU freshmen. They are rocking a real California-style guitar—light, bouncy, and always moving. This band is multigenerational; they sound very up-to-date, but it is evident different members grew up with very different radio stations on. They blend an innocent sound with unmatched lyrics, providing songs you have to focus into.
Hazelgrove is a lo-fi, local artist with a sound reminiscent of The Weeknd. It is synth- and drum-driven, and the vocals have some real flexibility. Glass House is coming front and forward with a modernized ’50s feel, told with local indie rock sunglasses on. I really dig their sound; their first single, “End of Time,” is nothing but a bop. I am excited to see what’s next for these guys.
New Tunes
“Cum Grenade” by Power Pants
This is my standout track off the new Power Pants album, PP6. It has a compelling melody that makes you feel like it’s going to be alright. It’s just you and your synth against the world. I think this deserves a spot in the egg punk hall of fame. The whole album bangs and blasts from front to back.
“Outlaw to Myself” by Artschool
Let me be clear—this is my band. This is one of the songs from our dual first singles; it was inspired by the period of time right after I dropped out of college. Everyone acted like I was an idiot, but I knew exactly what I was doing. To me, I was an outlaw on the run from a life I did not want. It draws inspiration from some of my favorite bands, like Fontaines D.C. and Shame.
Main photo of Flesh Water by Danielle Parsons
