It’s going to be a busy weekend for music lovers with just about everything any listener could possibly ask for. There’s new tunes out from a local rap group collaborating with a local producer, and Friday night will see a local string band supported by a couple of world class acts from out town. Then on Saturday night two Broad Street venues compete for you attention with two very different ideas of what Saturday nights are for as The Struts take over The National and Three Fourteen play Ember Music Hall. I’ve got it all for you on this week’s SOUND CHECK.
Are you a band with new tunes, a listener with suggestions or just want to say hi? Send an email to Bones@RVAMag.com
out of town acts to see
THE STRUTS & LØ SPIRIT
Saturday, April 27th @ The National
Doors: 7:00 pm
Flamboyant, loud, and polished, British rock band The Struts are a must see if you can withstand the high energy of a large room packed to the brim and bursting at the seems. Though they have the attitude of an 80s punk band, the group embrace a largely more flamboyant image and clean studio sound than often associated with the genre. And, though full of poppy vocal hooks an and high production value, The Struts manage to embrace many aspects of modern day pop as well without somehow becoming a pop punk band. Perhaps it’s the harsh vocals and interesting chord changes that keep things fresh, but whatever it is, The Struts a highly entertaining act for a high energy Saturday night.
How do I describe Lø Spirit? A player of the singles game, perhaps it is best to just examine them through the lens of analyzing one of their most popular tunes, “Hollow.” The song begins with an electronic riff and they vocal hook way off in the distance. What at first seems very polished and poppy is followed by very heavy drums bringing it perhaps closer to the realm of nu metal. Through the pre chorus we are introduced to the hook again verging on a classic metal style scream, and then a beat drops as the riff from the beginning comes in, and now it appears as if we are in the territory of full on trap music. Just give it a listen, whether you like it or not, I can guarantee that the music will surprise you with its twists and turns.
THREE FOURTEEN & GREASY BASTARDS
Saturday, April 27th @ Ember Music Hall
Doors: 6:00 pm
If you’re not into the high energy jams over at The National, then perhaps just down the street at Ember Music Hall you might find something more your jam. Jam enthusiast Three Fourteen are going to be descending on the city from Philadelphia bringing with them their signature tunes blending minimalism and soul into the expansive sound of jam music.
Don’t miss local openers Greasy Bastards with their highly psychedelic instrumental sound. A group that is not afraid to take their time, Greasy Bastards embrace the ethos of jam by letting their music guide them through the show, and not demanding that the music conform to them. In allowing their music to breathe they lend to it a hypnotic quality that I can not recommend enough.
local & regional acts to see
WILSON SPRINGS HOTEL, WILLY TEA TAYLOR & THE TURKEY BUZZARDS
Friday, April 26th @ The Camel
Doors: 9:00 pm
If you’re looking for a chill start to your weekend, then look no further than the string band sounds of Wilson Springs Hotel. The group just put out a new track named “Pulling Weeds” last Friday that carries on their tried and true musical tradition. If you’re not familiar with the band, then I would highly recommend both of their records, Old Thoughts and Memories from 2023 and their self-titled debut album from 2021. And, if you like the sound, they are one of those ensembles you simply must see live.
Joining them is California’s Willy Tea Taylor, a grizzled and experienced singer-songwriter from the cowboy capital of the world in Oakdale, California. Releasing music for over a decade as a solo artist, and before that with The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit, Willy Tea Taylor evokes a darker side of Americana that calls upon the hope of the westward expansion while also acknowledging it’s decaying present, with a few love songs thrown in here and there.
Don’t skimp on The Turkey Buzzards though, a duo who collaborate with Willy Tea Taylor and hold down the pre-pop country sound as a respectable medium of artistic and musical expression. It’s going to be a brilliant night filled with various strings of all different kinds.
local & Regional releases
KOOLEY HIGH & TUAMIE – ALL INFINITE (album)
A collaborative effort between Richmond hip hop collective Kooley High and Producer Taumie, All Infinite is the latest installment in a long line of projects from these two veteran creators. Unobtrusive beats and philosophical ideals make All Infinite a far cry from a lot of the strong man postering that can be a crutch of the genre; instead this record becomes something like a cry of existential dread while multiple voices come and go pondering the meaning of their past and future existence. Unique in more ways than one (including brief audio clips of Pete Holmes, Norm Macdonald and various other comedians as they too ponder the meaning of the infinite), All Infinite is a rap record that can truly be enjoyed by all, and serves as a worthy addition to the lexicon of these storied artists.
Top photo courtesy of The Struts.
