As everyone gets back to the grind, the musicians are on it too playing shows all over town and pumping out new tunes for the public’s awaiting ears. Virginia Pride is this weekend, and not only is it going to be a wonderful weekend celebrating a culture and community that makes Richmond so unique, it is also going to be full of parties and performances, and that includes a closing concert by Tegan and Sara, identical twins who both identify as gay and are giants in the queer community. On Thursday and Saturday night concert goers will find no shortage of acts to see as there will be multiple showcases of local talent throughout the week and into the weekend.
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OUT OF TOWN ACTS TO SEE
TEGAN AND SARA
Sunday 9/24 @ Brown’s Island
Doors: 6pm
This Canadian duo has been around since the late 90s, so if you’re fixing to get to know them before a weekend long pride celebration, then you’ve got your work cut out for you. With a number of huge hits and albums upon albums of music to consume, you could listen to Tegan and Sara all week long if you wanted to. Though you might already be familiar with their single with The Lonely Island “Everything Is Awesome” created for The Lego Movie and their hit single “Closer,” take a deep dive into their albums and deep tracks to find some less electronic work or their acoustic spell in the late 2000s. They have a little something for everybody across their absolutely enormous catalogue, so if you don’t think you like Tegan and Sara, it’s time to try again.
LOCAL & REGIONAL ACTS TO SEE
THE AURICULAR 5TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY
Saturday 9/23 @ Richmond Music Hall
Doors: 7pm
Get ready for a packed Saturday with all your favorite bands. Local music publication The Auricular is celebrating its fifth year of promoting Richmond’s music scene this Saturday night, and what better way to do so than by featuring four of Richmond’s greatest rock bands. Drook released an EP earlier this year entitled Mr. Fisher’s Dirty Club Mix, an experimental electronic/noise record that singles a departure from the trance inspired pop-rock of their earlier music. Rikki Rakki is hot off the release of their debut album Breaking Skin just back in July and have been grinding getting their name out there in and around the city. Strawberry Moon also had a summer release with their single “It’s Not About Me” and maintain their hard rocking punk inspired sound keeping true to a central vision. Hotspit too put out a single just a few weeks ago in early August, their second music release this year, and still manage to produce a huge sound with their four person line up. It’s going to be a great night, so if you’ve got the energy after pride or are just looking for something to do that night, go support these wonderful bands and this inspiring publication.
RICHMOND DOES COHEN
Thursday 9/21 @ The Camel
Doors: 7 pm
If the high speed work of alt-rock downtown on a Saturday night is not quite your vibe, then earlier in the week some Richmond regulars have a different option for you. Thursday night at The Camel a group of singer-songwriters and a few bands are putting on a tribute to legendary poet and songwriter Leonard Cohen. This absolutely stacked night will feature no less than eight different artists who will be paying tribute to a bygone Canadian treasure. All of this too in support of Food Not Bombs, an all-volunteer organization aimed at providing vegan and vegetarian meals to those in need.
LOCAL & REGIONAL RELEASES
ILLITERATE LIGHT
Aloe (EP)
If you haven’t heard of this Harrisonburg duo, then it’s about time that you became familiar with Illiterate Light. The group have been releasing music since 2019 after forming while students at James Madison University, and they have been putting out music ever since. Prolific in every sense, the two are constantly on tour playing dozens of shows a year, not to mention their recording output has picked up with the release of this newest EP Aloe being their third major release this year alone. They played a sold out show at Get Tight Lounge this weekend with close friends Palmyra, and are just kicking off a tour that will take them around the whole United States.
MARSHALL FAMILY VALUES
“This One’s Personal” (Single)
I am a huge fan of Marshall Family Values self-titled album from last year, and have been anxiously awaiting their next release. Taking on an intermittently funky coating for their newest release “This One’s Personal”, the band has polished themselves up in not only cohesion as a group, but in recording quality as well. Their unique blend on multiple genres still resonates with me, and they are one of the few bands who continues to surprise me not only from song to song, but within the songs themselves. This is evidenced here in their cosmetically funky track that descends into a soft rock jam powered by a leading synthesizer halfway through without a single word being sung past the three minutes mark of the over five minutes tune. Truly a confusing band in the positively best way.
MARILYN
“Another Lover” (Single)
An actress turned singer, Marilyn is pumping out the tunes these days. After doing an Hourglass Session with the acclaimed local company, she has just last week released a single called “Another Lover.” The work of electro-pop is so overrun these days with whisper singers imitating those who do it the best, Marilyn’s dreamy sound juxtaposed against her powerful and expressive voice is a welcome deviation from the increasingly mundane norm. With an album and many singles out already, who knows where she will go next.
Top photo courtesy of Tegan and Sara
