About nine months ago, Cleveland Ohio’s HotChaCha came to Richmond for the first time. They were on tour but had no show booked that night, but they showed up at Strange Matter, got themselves added to that evening’s bill at the last minute, and proceeded to blow everyone in the place away. Their music mingled the intricate post-hardcore grooves of Fugazi with Gang Of Four’s nervous energy and Sleater-Kinney’s passionate delivery, and the stage show was just as intense as the music. Singer Jovana Batkovic exuded an aggressive sensuality throughout her performance, which was further emphasized by her scandalously short shorts and frequent pelvic thrusts. At one point, she pulled out a container full of blue paint and began smearing it onto herself and other members of the band, who kept playing as if nothing was even happening (if the picture above, which was not taken in Richmond, is any indication, blue paint may be a normal part of the HotChaCha live experience). By the end of the set, Jovana was lying on the floor, clearly exhausted. The crowd at Strange Matter was duly impressed, and HotChaCha sold a bunch of LPs that night.
Now they’re coming back, but thankfully we have a bit of warning this time. Everyone who missed them last time has a valid excuse–no one knew they were playing. But if you consider yourself a fan of good music, you owe it to yourself to make sure you’re at Strange Matter tomorrow night to see HotChaCha. Opening the show will be local duo Double Rainbow, a unique collaboration between drummer Jamie Faulstich of The Catalyst and local hip-hop artist Isaac Ramsey, aka Swordplay. Their music is unique in that it mingles darkly melodic guitar-driven tunes that might work on an early Wilco record with a passionate, undeniably hip-hop influenced vocal delivery that lands somewhere between Billy Bragg and Aesop Rock. You haven’t heard anything like Double Rainbow before, but you should, and soon. Also opening are Pedals On Our Pirate Ships, an acoustic trio who write incredibly catchy folk-pop tunes and play them with the passion of the noisiest punk band. The whole show promises to be great, so I sure do hope I see you there!
WHAT: Finally HotChaCha have come back to Richmond!
WHO: HotChaCha, Double Rainbow, Pedals On Our Pirate Ships
WHERE: Strange Matter (929 W. Grace St.)
WHEN: Thursday, June 30, 10 PM
ADMISSION: $5
After the jump, we’ve got a couple of HotChaCha videos for you. One is the video for “Traffic,” the single from their most recent album, Fantastic Static. The other was filmed in Cleveland about two weeks after their previous Richmond show, and although you can’t really hear the vocals in it, it should give you an idea of exactly what’s in store for us all tomorrow night. So check out the videos, and I’ll see you at the show!
About nine months ago, Cleveland Ohio’s HotChaCha came to Richmond for the first time. They were on tour but had no show booked that night, but they showed up at Strange Matter, got themselves added to that evening’s bill at the last minute, and proceeded to blow everyone in the place away. Their music mingled the intricate post-hardcore grooves of Fugazi with Gang Of Four’s nervous energy and Sleater-Kinney’s passionate delivery, and the stage show was just as intense as the music. Singer Jovana Batkovic exuded an aggressive sensuality throughout her performance, which was further emphasized by her scandalously short shorts and frequent pelvic thrusts. At one point, she pulled out a container full of blue paint and began smearing it onto herself and other members of the band, who kept playing as if nothing was even happening (if the picture above, which was not taken in Richmond, is any indication, blue paint may be a normal part of the HotChaCha live experience). By the end of the set, Jovana was lying on the floor, clearly exhausted. The crowd at Strange Matter was duly impressed, and HotChaCha sold a bunch of LPs that night.
Now they’re coming back, but thankfully we have a bit of warning this time. Everyone who missed them last time has a valid excuse–no one knew they were playing. But if you consider yourself a fan of good music, you owe it to yourself to make sure you’re at Strange Matter tomorrow night to see HotChaCha. Opening the show will be local duo Double Rainbow, a unique collaboration between drummer Jamie Faulstich of The Catalyst and local hip-hop artist Isaac Ramsey, aka Swordplay. Their music is unique in that it mingles darkly melodic guitar-driven tunes that might work on an early Wilco record with a passionate, undeniably hip-hop influenced vocal delivery that lands somewhere between Billy Bragg and Aesop Rock. You haven’t heard anything like Double Rainbow before, but you should, and soon. Also opening are Pedals On Our Pirate Ships, an acoustic trio who write incredibly catchy folk-pop tunes and play them with the passion of the noisiest punk band. The whole show promises to be great, so I sure do hope I see you there!
WHAT: Finally HotChaCha have come back to Richmond!
WHO: HotChaCha, Double Rainbow, Pedals On Our Pirate Ships
WHERE: Strange Matter (929 W. Grace St.)
WHEN: Thursday, June 30, 10 PM
ADMISSION: $5
After the jump, we’ve got a couple of HotChaCha videos for you. One is the video for “Traffic,” the single from their most recent album, Fantastic Static. The other was filmed in Cleveland about two weeks after their previous Richmond show, and although you can’t really hear the vocals in it, it should give you an idea of exactly what’s in store for us all tomorrow night. So check out the videos, and I’ll see you at the show!
