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Sound Check | Spooky Cool, Weedeater, The Be-Sides & More!

by | Jul 24, 2025 | DOWNTOWN RVA, MUSIC, NIGHTLIFE

Sun’s up, we ain’t dead yet. Plenty of good stuff on the bills — your favorites, my favorites, maybe even your next favorite.

Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? I am your guy at griffin@rvamag.com.

Spooky Cool, Fight Cloud, Raavi, Ducctape Jesus
Friday July 25th, 2025
The Camel

Local psych rockers Spooky Cool are back with their first show in a while. They’ve got quite a history under their belt, including touring with Lucy Dacus, a number of singles and EPs, and a full-length in 2022. Their sound is extremely bright while maintaining a spacey atmosphere—lotta room to explore. I like “Net Ignored” as it showcases some really genius instrumentation and effects, creating something that has pop beauty while still feeling unique and uncommon.

Raavi is up from New York way. Their sound really captures the gentle moments in the middle of chaotic city living. It’s that moment when there are only a few people walking past, and the sun gleams through the buildings and falling leaves. The sound is indie and clean—calming and feeling.

I feel like everyone is familiar with Ducttape Jesus, but if you’re not, he’s one of Richmond’s finest in the spectrum of hip-hop. He hits hard and is proudly RVA. His rich, deep vocals direct every track he’s on, serving like a mighty conductor.

Fight Cloud is RVA’s output in the math rock department. They’re some seriously smart players and know every damn inch of the fretboard.

Weedeater, King Parrot, Bonginator
Tuesday July 29th, 2025
Cobra Cabana

I don’t even know what to say about Weedeater. It’s gross, disgusting, vile, brutal and fuckin’ fun. These metalheads know how to throw a great show, full of chugging guitars and violent breakdowns. They may lose me on some of the more fantastical lyrics, but if I’m at a Weedeater show, I’m not trying to be intellectually challenged, I’m there to thrash around like a loose pig.

King Parrot is blasting a wall of sound, one that’ll hit you, send you flying, and leave a human-shaped hole in the wall behind you. I usually think of Australians as a little more easygoing. These guys? Nuts. Genuinely fear-inducing, in the best way possible.

Bonginator: self-described “two-stepping neon weed death.” I started out listening to their funky intro on “All Cops Are Biomechs.” After about a minute, I was struck down by a glorious light and blasting double kicks. I can’t tell if it took my breath away with its heaviness or filled my lungs with something else. Either way—hard as sin.

The Be-Sides is crime noir jazz. Every note is looking around the corner of a drizzling street and taking detailed notes. There’s a lot of personality in the instrumentation and their internal conversation. Sometimes it’s an argument, sometimes it’s an evening meal—but no matter what, it’s intriguing.

Everyday, bands like Crystal Flowers make me fall more in love with dreamy soundscapes. These local indie rockers? Soul singers? Jazzy cats? They make a beautiful, swirling bowl of sweet sound. Everything gets a chance to speak on these tunes—everywhere you look, it’s sincere beauty.

Fado Nosso is Richmond’s premier agent on the Portuguese-inspired jazz front. It carries some Latin elements, a hint of classical, but overall it moves with melodies that float over gentle lime hills and smooth white trees. It’s amazing that we, in Richmond, can boast such expertise in such a specific genre.

New Tunes

Jest by Anna Leonard
Shocking 180 turning from Weedeater to “Jest” by Anna Leonard. Leonard is a local poet with this being the first single under her name. I think you can really understand that she is a writer. The lyrics are beautifully used and placed with precision. They pair extremely well with the characterizing piano that drives this indie track. I think this is going to hit home for a lot of people, a universally appealing sound and scene. 

Cult of Personality by Nucleus Trio
Local jazz unit Nucleus Trio just debuted their cover of Cult of Personality originally done by 80’s band Living Color. This cover is full of it, FULL of personality. I have found myself more and more into jazz lately and this track captures exactly what I am into. When every instrument feels like a wild horse bucking around in a herd, that is the jazz I like, and that is this. They really get into the pocket and come together for a really tight track.

Main photo of Spooky Cool

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RICHMOND SHOW LIST!

THE BROADBERRY ENTERTAINMENT GROUP SHOWS

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

  • Wednesday, 7/23 Iron & Wine and I’m With Her – Robin’s Egg Tour w/ Ken Pomeroy
  • Thursday, 7/24 Lawn Boys – Phish Tribute
  • Friday, 7/25 The Police Experience: 45th Anniversary of Zenyatta Mondatta
  • Saturday, 7/26 Age of Madness
  • Sunday, 7/27 Thank You Scientist w/ Spilly Cave
  • Thursday, 7/31 The Wildmans

THE CAMEL

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

  • Wednesday, 7/23 Cold Gawd

THE NATIONAL

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

  • Friday, 7/18 – Rick Wakeman
  • Saturday, 7/19 – A Flock of Seagulls with Bow Wow Wow and Animotion
  • Tuesday, 7/22 – JoJo Siwa

ALLIANZ AMPHITHEATER

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

  • Thursday, 7/24 – Lamb of God
  • Saturday, 7/26 – Whiskey Myers – “What We Were Born To Do” Tour 2025

  • Friday, 8/1 – The Head And The Heart – Aperture Tour
  • Wednesday, 8/6 – Styx & Kevin Cronin + Don Felder – The Brotherhood of Rock Tour
  • Sunday, 8/10 – Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts – Love Earth
  • Saturday, 8/23 – Bailey Zimmerman – New To Country Summer Tour
  • Sunday, 8/24 – The Red Clay Strays – Get Right Tour 2025
  • Tuesday, 8/26 – Simple Plan – Bigger Than You Think! Tour
  • Thursday, 8/28 – Gavin Adcock – Need to Tour
  • Friday, 8/29 – Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas

  • Monday, 9/1 – James Taylor and His All-Star Band
  • Saturday, 9/6 – The Crooner & The Cowboy: Leon Bridges with Charley Crockett
  • Saturday, 9/20 – Steve Martin & Martin Short – The Dukes Of Funnytown!
  • Monday, 9/22 – “Weird Al” Yankovic: Bigger & Weirder 2025 Tour

  • Tuesday, 10/21 – Tedeschi Trucks Band with Very Special Guest Little Feat: Live in 25

FUNNY BONE RICHMOND

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  • Thursday, 7/24 – Dustin Nickerson
  • Friday, 7/25 – Dustin Nickerson
  • Saturday, 7/26 – Rob Schneider
  • Sunday, 7/27 – Correy Bell
  • Tuesday, 7/29 – Patrick Warburton
  • Friday, 8/1 – Gabriel Rutledge
  • Saturday, 8/2 – Gabriel Rutledge
  • Thursday, 8/7 – Tanael Joachim
  • Friday, 8/8 – Don “DC” Curry
  • Friday, 9/13 – Tyler Fischer
  • Thursday, 9/25 – Gary Owen
  • Friday, 9/26 – Gary Owen
  • Saturday, 9/27 – Gary Owen
  • Thursday, 10/2 – Trae Crowder
  • Friday, 10/3 – Adam Ray
  • Saturday, 10/4 – Adam Ray
  • Sunday, 10/12 – Lucas Zelnick
  • Friday, 10/17 – Jared Freid
  • Saturday, 10/18 – Jared Freid
  • Thursday, 10/23 – Jeff Allen
  • Saturday, 10/25 – DC Young Fly
  • Sunday, 10/26 – DC Young Fly
  • Thursday, 10/30 – The Magic of Eric Eaton

THe CanAL CLUB

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

  • Wednesday, 7/30 – Anthony Green
  • Friday, 8/22 – Boundaries
    ​
  • Tuesday, 9/9 – Autohert

EMBER MUSIC HALL

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

  • Thursday, 7/24 – Huntley
  • Saturday, 7/26 – Grateful for Biggie
  • Sunday, 7/27 – Blue Hundreds Tour: King Lil G, Young Drummer Boy, Hexxx
  • Thursday, 7/31 – Riot Ten
  • Friday, 8/1 – Barrington Levy
  • Tuesday, 9/9 – Kamiyada+ & Lit Lords | From The Shadows Tour
  • Friday, 9/19 – Sander Van Doorn

LOSO NIGHTCLUB

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

  • Saturday, 7/5 – Evan Baggs
Griffin Smalley

Griffin Smalley

My name is Griffin Strummer Smalley and naturally with that name I am a massive music fan. Primarily you can find me fronting local punk band Artschool! 22 years old and mainly focusing on snuffing out nihilism. Keep on livin'

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Topics: Anna Leonard Jest single, Banditos Richmond shows, Broadberry Richmond events, Ducttape Jesus hip-hop, math rock Fight Cloud, Nucleus Trio jazz, post-punk Skorts NYC, Richmond live music, RVA concerts July 2025, Spooky Cool band, Weedeater Richmond show

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