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RVA Shows You Must See This Week: May 11 – May 17

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FEATURED SHOW
Friday, May 13, 9 PM
Interference Radio‘s First In-Person Event, feat. Katred, Andrew Fetch, IVNX, DJ Sprite, Flesh_Bot @ Fallout – $5
I’ve been going into stores without a mask more often lately. It’s something I almost never did until maybe two weeks ago, so this has been a big step for me, and it’s more than a little unnerving. Yeah, I’m vaxxed and boosted, and yeah, I keep an eye on community transmission levels and they’re OK in the Richmond area right now. But two years of watching COVID happen all around the world has got me seriously snakebit, and even as I walk through a grocery store with no mask on, I’m nervous as hell. What I’m telling you by way of all this personal disclosure is that the ongoing effects of the pandemic are very much still with us, even if the hospitalization and death rates never come back from the relatively low level they’re at now. COVID has changed the world and the way we all see it, probably permanently.

If there’s a silver lining to this cloud, it’s the fact that a few good things grew out of the pandemic. Interference Radio is an example of one of them: the way that communities deprived of their in-person communal spaces made new spaces online, and the way that many of them thrived and became permanent parts of people’s lives. Interference Radio started as a virtual event coordinator, bringing Twitch streams from DJs around the globe in order to take the place of things like underground raves and late night DJ sets, flooding living rooms the world over with the dark techno sounds you couldn’t dance in a club to anymore.

The fact that Friday night brings us the first actual in-person gathering held by Interference Radio shows that things are turning a corner in these ongoing pandemic times. For the first time in its two-year history, you actually CAN dance in a club to the sounds Interference Radio is bringing — and that is amazing. The club in question is, of course, Fallout; the place Richmond goes to dance in all-black outfits and 20-hole Docs to the darkest and moodiest of techno-industrial sounds. The DJs on the bill are from a variety of places: Katred brings EBM vibes and harsh industrial beats from Albany, NY; Andrew Fetch will bring blissed-out underground and experimental soundscapes from his native land of Philly; IVNX comes with the heavy techno-industrial beats from the UK via Tampa, Florida; Chicago’s DJ Sprite and Flesh_Bot, who host Interference Radio’s monthly Elemental virtual events, round things out with the best of rhythmic noise and dark electronic melodies. It all comes to us, live and in the flesh, at Fallout this Friday night. Whether or not you still feel the need to wear your jet black KN95 to the club, this will be a great opportunity to rediscover the in-person community that’s been lost for so long.

Wednesday, May 11, 8 PM
Secret Shame, Child Of Night, Raneshounds @ Fallout – $8 in advance, $12 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Yes indeed, we are starting the column out with a double shot of Fallout goodness, though it’s a bit chronologically challenged, as this Secret Shame show comes two nights BEFORE the Interference Radio throwdown above. That’s OK, though — when a band has the kind of incredible sound on offer that Asheville’s Secret Shame brings us, a little time travel is just what you’ve gotta do sometimes. Speaking for myself, I had heard this band’s name a few times, but hadn’t really done a proper deep dive before deciding to write about them this week, and I didn’t have to delve very far at all before I struck gold.

Their brand new single, “Hide,” is an absolute banger, capturing the glittering twilight atmosphere of Siouxsie and The Banshees’ early 80s peak while bringing the sort of darkly catchy hooks that music in the broader goth world way too rarely brings us. They’re not quite as bouncy and poppy as Pale Waves, but from their 2019 LP Dark Synthetics to the trio of singles they’ve released over the course of the pandemic, Secret Shame have been a consistently good source of energetic, catchy goth darkness (no, it’s not a contradiction in terms). They come to Richmond in the company of Ohio’s Child Of Night, a decidedly darker, more gothic, and also more pounding and heavy take on techno-postpunk. Last fall’s The Walls At Dawn shows what Child Of Night have to offer, and the mood is thick, simultaneously sepulchral and techno-futuristic. Think Andrew Eldritch from Sisters Of Mercy hanging out with Miriam Blaylock from The Hunger in a Berlin subway station at 4 am. Wear your ankh pendant for this one.

Thursday, May 12, 7 PM
Bella’s Bartok, The Judy Chops @ The Camel – $12 in advance, $15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
There are a million subgenres of punk these days, and while some may like to slice and dice the finer points of differentiation between them, I’m more of a big-tent type myself. It’s true that there is a difference between folk punk and circus punk, but to my mind it’s got more to do with the outfits the performers wear than the sounds they get from their mostly acoustic instruments. By that logic, Bella’s Bartok and their vintage suits are definitely on the circus punk end of things, but even if you are more into Mischief Brew than The Pogues, you should be able to get down with what these folks are doing, no problem.

Honestly, both of those reference points are still probably a little off, as the main things I hear when I listen to Bella’s Bartok’s most recent EP, 2021’s Autoerotic For The People (I see what they did there) are Gogol Bordello and the Dresden Dolls. Both pretty dramatic, but also very energetic, both bands you’ve gotta be prepared for but bands who’ll show you an absolutely great time the second you’re able to get on their wavelength. This is all true of Bella’s Bartok as well, and it’s certainly true that if you miss the atmosphere you used to find most easily at World/Inferno Friendship Society shows (RIP Jack Terricloth), you’ll find the closest thing to it hanging around The Camel tomorrow night. So dig up your best vintage suit, or your cutest frock — or both? I’m not judging — and make your way down to the 1600 block of West Broad with your dancing shoes on. You’ll be glad you did.

Friday, May 13, 7 PM
Ages, Rikki Rakki, Future Mantis @ Black Iris – $10 (order tickets HERE)
I’ve talked very recently within this very mag about how great the new album from Ages is. If you didn’t read that, I suggest clicking here, or you can just stick around, because I’m now gonna try to make it clear to all of you who didn’t read the review the first time around — and in significantly fewer words. Ages is the latest project from Adrienne Shurte, who has led multiple amazing Richmond bands in the past: Fire Bison, Magnus Lush, etc. You know the deal. As with those past groups, Shurte has brought strong songwriting and an evocative, melodic postpunk mood to Ages. What can’t be denied, though, is that Must Be Nice, the new Ages album in question, takes things to a whole new level.

It’s really true. The interplay between Shurte and second guitarist Christian Monroe adds a glittering multi-layered feel to the melodies Ages lay down, and the bold, straightforward lyrics contain some of Shurte’s most insightful observations of the human condition yet. There are quite a few moments on Must Be Nice that will stick with you for quite a while after the album has ended, and those moments are only going to hit that much harder when they happen live and in person, right in front of you on the Black Iris stage. So yeah — I’d say being there is a necessary part of your weekend. The loose, jangly garage rock of Rikki Rakki and the absorbing sonic landscapes of the terrifyingly named Future Mantis add further incentive to find yourself here in a couple of days’ time. Make it happen.

Saturday, May 14, 8 PM
The Veer Union, Late Night Savior, 2 Shadows, TVLPA @ Richmond Music Hall At Capital Ale House – $15 (order tickets HERE)
As a Woman Of A Certain Age, I’ve seen quite a few musical trends come and go, and my favorite part is always when something that people were scorning five or ten years earlier is suddenly back with a vengeance. Over the past few years, the big cultural site of that phenomenon, at least in the worlds of music that I pay closest attention to, has been nu-metal. In the mid-90s, Korn and bands of their ilk had a period of being every teenager’s gateway drug to heavy music. By the turn of the millennium, pop culture was quickly turning against all of that. But now, the young millennials and zoomers who were babies when all that was going on are embracing nu metal, with its mix of chugging downtuned power chords, angst-ridden vocals and lyrical moods, and synth-augmented melodies. Meanwhile, some of the bands that were around back when all that was popping the first time are still here, and maybe the time is ripe for their rediscovery.

Take, for example, Canadians The Veer Union, who will be bringing their industrial-tinged, undeniably nu-ish approach to metal to Richmond Music Hall this Saturday night. They’ve got a little bit of that whole Sevendust thing going on, as vocalist Crispin Earl undoubtedly has strong pipes and likes to unleash his melodic roar overtop of even the heaviest grooves the band lays down behind them. And of course, the choruses are catchy, in ways that might just remind you of all those Killswitch Engage songs with their emo-style breakdowns right in the middle of thrash-style riffing. The biggest point in their favor is that, even after nearly two decades as a band, the latest Veer Union singles are some of the heaviest, most dramatic bangers they’ve ever unleashed. For a band like this to come with some of their best material at the very moment that their sound is poised for a comeback? That’s synergy. My advice: jump on that bandwagon now.

Sunday, May 15, 6 PM
Cowboy Junkies @ The Beacon Theatre – $30-45 (order tickets HERE)
The Cowboy Junkies have been blowing minds for something like 30 years, and in a world where people (i.e. me) will often tell you that music needs to really make your ears ring to get a strong reaction, the Cowboy Junkies have largely done so by being quiet. Their breakthrough album, 1988’s The Trinity Session, was a reaction to the move in mainstream rock circles at the time toward digital studios and lathering massive amounts of effects and compression all over everything. The result was all those overly polished Paul Simon, Phil Collins, and Steve Winwood songs you still hear over the PA at CVS to this very day, and the Cowboy Junkies responded by setting up all their equipment in an old church and recording an entire album live and in one room, playing at the same time. I know, what a concept!

The early, groundbreaking work by Cowboy Junkies — siblings Margo, Michael, and Peter Timmins, plus longtime family friend Alan Anton — gave a jumpstart to the alt-country movement of the 1990s, and established them as a talented combo who both wrote excellent songs and consistently recorded revelatory covers of country and rock classics that challenged the context in which generations of music fans had heard them. They’re still doing all that today; granted, they release their albums on their own label now, and they don’t draw the press from the big rock mags that they once did. But their latest album, Songs Of The Recollection, is an all-covers set that finds them breathing new life into tunes that are both right in their wheelhouse (Gram Parsons, Neil Young) and a bit out of left field (David Bowie, The Cure). The Cowboy Junkies aren’t spring chickens these days, which just might be why they’re playing a fancy sit-down theatre in Hopewell rather than The National. Regardless, they’re a great band who make music worth hearing performed live, in the same room with them. You should make it a point to hear them at The Beacon this Sunday. That’s all I’m sayin.

Monday, May 16, 7 PM
Hannah Frances, Abby Huston, Alison Getz @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
I was not familiar with Chicago’s Hannah Frances upon seeing her name on The Camel’s upcoming calendar. However, the fact that she was playing with Abby Huston — who, in case you haven’t read this column before, is one of the most consistently talented songwriters and performers in Richmond’s indie scene right now — caught my attention, and I’m really glad it did. It’s not like Hannah Frances is out here reinventing the wheel or anything; on her 2021 LP Bedrock, she gives us simply arranged songs that are full of obliquely intriguing lyrics, gorgeously strummed acoustic guitars, and atmospheric arrangements that make it easy to sink deep into them despite the fact that they often contain few instruments other than her guitar and voice.

But yeah, when someone does that whole thing right, it’s worth taking note of. And Hannah Frances is clearly at the top of her game right now, as she emerges from the pandemic and begins performing across America to support an excellent album she released when we were all still stuck hunkered down in our bedrooms. As mentioned above, she’ll be joined by the ever-talented Abby Huston, so we can be certain we’ll get at least two amazing sets delivered by amazing songwriters who are also talented performers at The Camel on Monday night. Add in a set from Northern Virginia’s Alison Getz and this show on the least hopping night of a typical week actually turns out to be an embarrassment of riches.

Tuesday, May 17, 7 PM
Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, Mel Machete @ The Camel – $15 in advance, $18 day of show (order tickets HERE)
It’s been several years since I last checked into what was up with Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, and it turns out a lot has been going on. For one thing, Shook became a participant in what those of us in the trans/non-binary community sometimes flippantly refer to as the “trandemic,” coming out as non-binary and officially adopting they/them pronouns in 2020. On the new Disarmers LP, Nightroamer, it’s clear that they’ve been dealing with a lot of internal issues — songs like “No Mistakes” and “Somebody Else” make clear that a lot of soul-searching has gone on, and Shook’s lyrics show that they’re trying like hell to grow as a person.

If you ask me, this kind of emotional process is often generative of some of the best music there is in the world, and Shook’s fruitful examination of their own issues bears delicious fruit on Nightroamer, capturing the same sort of mix between punk swagger and spit and lovelorn heart-on-sleeve country that I’ve loved so much in Lydia Loveless’s best work. The way the Disarmers put the pedal steel at front and center, simultaneously embracing and subverting the Nashville traditions that are a big part of their musical bloodlines, also leads to a lot of fine melodic counterpoint offered for Shook’s excellent voice, which always delivers brilliant lyrics. Basically, if you like alt-country, country-punk, “y’allternative,” or whatever you wanna call it, Sarah Shook and the Disarmers are the total package. And you’d be ripping yourself off if you didn’t find a way to be there and see them this Tuesday night at The Camel.

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Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers -– this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected]

Friday Cheers 2022: Japanese Breakfast Starts Things Off With A Joyful Jubilee

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Folks, the time has come: this Friday brings us the kickoff event in a summer full of amazing outdoor sounds on Brown’s Island. Over the next two months, Venture Richmond will present seven different Friday nights of excellent music in an excellent location — in the middle of the river, in the heart of downtown.

The series begins tomorrow night with a performance from Japanese Breakfast, a dream-pop project led by Philadelphia-via-Oregon musician Michelle Zauner. In addition to being well-known as the creative genius behind Japanese Breakfast, though, Zauner has also received acclaim in recent years in response to her bestselling memoir, Crying In H Mart, released last year. The book is an unflinching tale of grief, the search for understanding between family members, and finding connection through cuisine. Zauner tells of her childhood struggles to find a place for herself in the world, the ways in which that struggle brought her into conflict with her mother, and her mother’s heartbreaking death of cancer. Throughout, she makes clear that, no matter what else might have been making her relationship with her mother more difficult at any particular time, the two of them always found connections through the Korean food that they both loved.

While Crying In H Mart doesn’t really talk much about Zauner’s musical career, it does help to understand the reasons why Japanese Breakfast came into existence. While she was living in the attic of her family’s home in Oregon, helping to care for her mother as her health worsened, she was working on the earliest Japanese Breakfast material, by herself in her room. Her mother’s voice actually appears on the first Japanese Breakfast album, Psychopomp, released in 2016, two years after her mother’s death.

Indeed, in some ways, that first Japanese Breakfast album was created as a way to confront the grief and depression she felt in the wake of her mother’s loss. This shows through in the gothic darkness and heavy mood of 2016 single “Jane Cum,” the video for which features Zauner and some friends performing pagan rituals in the woods, an invocation of grief and the confrontation of difficult emotions.

2017’s Soft Sounds From Another Planet showed Japanese Breakfast moving beyond the dark moods of their first album to embrace a more uplifting melodic indie sound that helped bring the group to more widespread attention. Zauner and her husband also developed a game, Japanese BreakQuest, to go along with the album, featuring MIDI versions of songs from Soft Sounds From Another Planet.

By the time of their 2021 third album, Jubilee, Japanese Breakfast were bigger than ever. By now, Zauner’s musical goals had changed, and even as she released a memoir that focused on grief, the new Japanese Breakfast album made an overt attempt to capture a joyful mood. Lead single “Be Sweet” is a surefire pop banger, incorporating an 80s New Wave bounce and electro-dance pulse alongside subtle psychedelic touches and proving itself an instant classic with the absolutely unforgettable pop confection that is its chorus. Meanwhile, the rest of the album steps back a bit from the stunning height that “Be Sweet” attains, in favor of a multi-layered sound that at times carries darkened 80s dancefloor vibes and at other times comes across like Beatlesque sunshine pop.

This Friday night at Friday Cheers, Zauner and her constantly shifting band — which has at times featured both her husband, Peter Bradley, and former members of her pre-Japanese Breakfast band, Little Big League — will present a complex sound that can’t easily be pinned down, but will always retain your attention. It’s sure to sound amazing as the sun goes down over the James.

If you don’t have your tickets for Japanese Breakfast at Brown’s Island, they’re quite a good deal at $10 a pop. Grab one for yourself, and maybe a couple more for some friends, by heading to the Friday Cheers page on Venture Richmond’s website. And be sure to check out the full lineup of Friday Cheers shows to come over the next couple of months. There’s plenty more goodness where this one came from.

Venture Richmond presents Friday Cheers featuring Japanese Breakfast, with special guest Abby Huston, at Brown’s Island on Friday, May 6. Doors open at 6 pm. Tickets are $10, and can be purchased here.

What A Day For A Daydream

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The first-ever Daydream Fest comes to Richmond this Memorial Day, May 30, at Main Line Brewery. The all-day event features a stacked lineup of Richmond-based heavy hitters from a variety of genres. We spoke to Pete LeBlanc (Baripete Productions) and Zavi Harman (PRSMCAT Presents) to get the full lowdown, including details on a special surprise guest!

How are you spending your Memorial Day this year? I know, there are all sorts of traditions — hitting Hadad’s Lake or the local pool, grilling out in the backyard… all the classics. But this year, local promoters Baripete Productions and PRSMCAT Presents hope to kick off a new Memorial Day tradition here in Richmond with the inaugural Daydream Fest, taking place at Main Line Brewery on Monday, May 30, starting at 11 AM and lasting all day!

With the stated goal of “distract[ing] you from the present in the best way possible,” the all-day outdoor party that is Daydream Fest is a great antidote to the lingering pandemic malaise that so many of us still feel. But to Baripete Productions’ Pete LeBlanc, this is a natural progression from what Baripete and PRSMCAT were doing before the pandemic so rudely disrupted the live music scene in Richmond.

“I’ve wanted to do something big that brings musicians together, without a set theme,” he said. “Which is hard to do, because the genres don’t really cross over. I don’t know that it wouldn’t work, it’s just that no one really tries it.”

This desire to bring together multiple genres and communities from around the city to interact with each other and have a great time together is one that unites LeBlanc and PRSMCAT’s Zavi Harman. “We just really wanted to try something else,” he said. “I think there’s a huge scene here of different types of people, and we really wanted to offer something that was kind of new, that people haven’t experienced before.”

To that end, the two of them each used their connections to put together a dozen-band lineup that features top-notch acts from many different corners of the Richmond scene. Butcher Brown’s much-beloved soul-jazz sound shares top billing with indie/alternative rock supergroup Palm Palm, and support acts range from buzzworthy blues-rockers Justin Golden & The Come Up to the charming indie-pop of Abby Huston to the math-rock intricacies of Night Idea. The lineup is rounded out by a variety of RVA luminaries, including Spooky Cool, Deau Eyes, Weekend Plans, Free Union, Good Dog Nigel, DEADSUN, and Piranha Rama.

These aren’t necessarily bands you’d expect to see grouped together, but to LeBlanc, the eclectic nature of the bill just reflects how music fans actually listen. “I deal with almost any genre of music, as long as I see value in the content, you know?” he said. “I think every band, across the board, on the bill is putting out really genuine stuff that speaks and is gonna last. It’s not just a fad.”

Besides, Richmond is a pretty small scene. Let’s be real — all these bands know each other. “They might not play together all the time, but they’re always one degree away from each other. They might have a practice space together,” said Harman. “That’s why you look at the lineup and it feels natural. You can see all these people together.”

Piranha Rama

While LeBlanc and Harman haven’t officially worked together before Daydream Fest, they’ve known each other for years. “We started crossing paths when we were booking shows at Poor Boys,” said Harman, referring to the sadly defunct restaurant that occupied the long-running space at 207 N. Lombardy St (previous home of Bogart’s, Balliceaux, and Flora).

LeBlanc picks up the thread of the tale. “We started meeting together with the management of Poor Boys,” he said. “I had a little more experience dealing with club owners. I remember that first meeting,” he laughs and turns to Harman, “You were kinda like ‘Did you just say that to that guy?'” They both crack up. “I had been running the Dark Room [at The Hofheimer] for about a year and a half at that point,” LeBlanc explains. “I don’t beat around the bush anymore, you know?”

With the pandemic putting the kibosh on shows at Poor Boys — and, eventually, the restaurant itself — LeBlanc had to find other places to host live music. The first place he found, back in late 2020 when it was still hard to book events anywhere, was Brambly Park Winery. “That was really fortunate for post-lockdown, because it’s a big, expansive park,” he explained. “With the sit-down shows we had to do in the second half of 2020, the tables had to be six feet apart and ten feet from the performer, which is pretty hard to do in any indoor spaces.” During that period, he said, “Brambly kept it going.”

Finding new places to host shows is important for both LeBlanc and Harman. The pandemic slowdown had a negative impact for a lot of businesses, but the problems really began even before COVID-19 came on the scene. “Over the past few years we’ve lost a lot of venues, and a lot of things ended in Richmond,” said Harman. “As a musician here, it’s weird now. Even house shows are going away a bit. So we’re just looking for new venues and new ideas for how to keep the scene thriving. Because there are so many bands. There are so many people that want to play. I think it’s been great to link up and make the scene as good as it can be.”

Justin Golden

In addition to LeBlanc’s ongoing work at Brambly Park and The Dark Room, both LeBlanc and Harman have been booking shows at Black Iris Social Club on a regular basis. “Black Iris was doing some shows before the pandemic,” said Harman, “but I think [with] Pete and I going in and taking over the space with a lot of booking, it’s definitely become a thriving venue, which wasn’t there before.”

And then there’s Main Line Brewery. If you’re a live music fan in Richmond, you might have been to a show there. Then again, you might not have. As LeBlanc explains, the business model for Main Line isn’t focused on live music. “They feel like they get a good flow of people in and out. They’re really close to Hardywood, right off of Ownby, and they don’t want to have a cover and have people not come in because they don’t care about the show. So that’s why they have a lot of smaller acts, and the music’s kind of secondary.”

Based on the plans for Daydream Fest, though, it seems likely that a lot more Richmond music heads are going to be aware of Main Line Brewery after Memorial Day. Their outdoor stage area is sure to impress a lot of people. “It’s expansive,” said LeBlanc. “I’ve never done anything that pushes capacity there… but I’m excited to see the outdoor reach expands to. I think it holds two to three thousand.”

“We’re not trying to sell nearly that many tickets,” he quickly added. “Baby steps.”

A small section of the outdoor space at Main Line Brewery.

Regardless of how many tickets get sold, one thing’s for sure: those who show up to Daydream Fest on Memorial Day are going to get a heck of a treat. Not just because of the music, either — Baripete and PRSMCAT have big plans. “We’re gonna have food vendors, so there’ll be food,” said LeBlanc. “There’s plenty to drink. They make their own beer there, and Cirrus vodka distillery is on the property.”

“In addition to all the bands that are playing, we’ll have an entire area with people vending,” Harman chimes in. “Selling their art, selling prints, vintage clothing, new clothing…”

“We’re shooting for about 30 to 50 people vending on site, so there’ll be a lot of different wares,” LeBlanc finished.

In addition to all of this, there’s a special musical treat that everyone coming to Daydream Fest can look forward to — one involving Butcher Brown. I had heard hints, so I had to ask: guys, what’s the big surprise?

“Charlie Hunter is going to be playing guitar with Butcher Brown,” said LeBlanc, going on to explain that Butcher Brown’s usual guitarist, Morgan Burrs, will be on tour with Swedish singer Snoh Aalegra’s band. For those who don’t know, Hunter is not just some ordinary fill-in guitarist. Known for his seven- and eight-string hybrid guitars, which allow him to simultaneously play bass lines, melodies, and rhythm guitar chords, Hunter has gained a great deal of fame in the jazz world over the course of his 30-year career. In addition to his extensive solo catalog and his role as co-founder of jazz fusion group Garage A Trois, Hunter has played with Michael Franti’s Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy, and appeared on three songs from D’Angelo’s classic album, Voodoo. So yeah, he’s a certified jazz guitar legend.

How’d a guy like Charlie Hunter end up playing with Butcher Brown? “Andrew Randazzo, the bass player for Butcher Brown, plays the hybrid as well, inspired by Charlie,” LeBlanc explained. “Him and Charlie linked up, and they did one of the Mothership Mondays Butcher Brown did during lockdown. The connection was made.” That connection soon led to Butcher Brown’s DJ Harrison and Corey Fonville being brought in to perform alongside Hunter and Grammy-winning jazz vocalist Kurt Elling on Elling’s 2021 album, SuperBlue — which was also nominated for a Grammy.

Kurt Elling’s SuperBlue band: Charlie Hunter, Kurt Elling, DJ Harrison, Corey Fonville.

To make the Richmond connection even stronger, the SuperBlue quartet — Elling, Hunter, Harrison, and Fonville — performed live together for the first time at The Hofheimer in 2021. When the show needed to be booked, it was LeBlanc who got the call. “When that came together and was proposed to me, I was [blown away],” said LeBlanc. “Like, ‘What’s [Elling] gonna need?’ I’m just a little one man operation, and this guy’s famous all over the world!”

Needless to say, the show was a huge success, and LeBlanc hopes to replicate it with Butcher Brown’s headlining set at Daydream Fest. “It’s really exciting,” he said. “People will probably talk about it forever, so hopefully we’ll get a really good recording.”

LeBlanc and Harman are excited for everything about Daydream Fest, in fact. “I know all the bands are excited, and Pete and I are too,” said Harman. “This couldn’t be going any better right now.”

LeBlanc agrees. “It’s gonna be a great summer.”

Daydream Fest will take place at Main Line Brewery, located at 1603 Ownby Lane, on Monday May 30. Doors open at 11 AM. Tickets are $20 in advance, $30 at the door, and can be ordered by clicking HERE.

Top Photo: Palm Palm

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: May 4 – May 10

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FEATURED SHOW
Wednesday, May 4, 8 PM
Indie Pop Night at Black Iris, feat. Hotspit (Photo by @2hevns), Winkler, Ten Pound Snail, Frames @ Black Iris – $8 in advance, $10 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Something nice I’ve noticed as the live music scene here in Richmond has thawed and reawakened after the eighteen-month virtual freeze of the pandemic is the increased role being taken in bringing live music to our town by two different important local entities: Black Iris, and Baripete Productions. I’ve particularly noted the things the Arts District-based social club and the up-and-coming promotion outfit have been working together on. For a few months toward the beginning of this year, Baripete were running weekly jazz nights on Wednesdays at Black Iris as part of a series called “Doors At Eight.” Since then, in addition to the growth of the Brambly After Dark series of concerts at Brambly Park and a few noteable presentations at The Hofheimer’s multiple live rooms, Baripete’s brought several other events to Black Iris, of which this Indie Pop Night is just the latest.

And while the jazz fans who loved Doors At Eight might be a little bummed that this event has such a different theme genre, those of us who adore the many melodic indie bands making gorgeous tunes around the Richmond area are in luck with this evening. Hotspit is at the top of the bill, and they’ve really taken some big steps over the last couple of years. The latest is demonstrated by “Wane Mouth,” the single the band released a couple months ago as their first new music in the wake of 2021 debut album CC. It’s both more concise and more directly focused on the beautiful melodies at its center than any of the songs on CC were, and it shows that Hotspit are reaching a new level with their craft — a level that will immerse you in memorably lovely sounds.

Three more bands grace this bill in addition to Hotspit, though, and all have considerable charms. Let’s start with the one from out of town: Winkler are a jangly, acoustic-focused Boston combo who demonstrate an old-fashioned folky charm on new single “Mona.” It definitely leaves you wanting more, and they’ll be bringing plenty more to Black Iris tonight. As for Ten Pound Snail, their Red House Painters-ish slowcore sound is infectious, and a little bird tells me they’re getting ready at some point in the relatively near future to release a fresh batch of excellent tunes to all of us eager listeners. Get a preview of what they’ve got in store at this show. And hey — make sure you show up right on time at 8 o’clock sharp for this one, because missing a second of the opening set that incredibly talented emo-pop group Frames opens the evening with is a crime against music. Be there or get locked up. Hey, I don’t make the rules.

Wednesday, May 4, 9 PM
Pardoner (Photo by Chloe Mullowney), Blunt @ Fuzzy Cactus – $7
Alternately, you might wish to head to Northside and spend your Star Wars Day (May the Fourth be with you… I know, it’s terrible) evening at Richmond’s 21st century home of rock n’ roll, Fuzzy Cactus, where the talented San Francisco-based group Pardoner will be unleashing an evening full of excellent indie rock riffs. And like, look people — nostalgia is a curse. Pop culture is so doused in it circa 2022 that I wish it had physical form, so I could pick it up and wring the nostalgia out of it like a wet washrag. But nonetheless, when I hear people talking about Pardoner having a nostalgic sound that harks back to the early-90s days of underground alternative rock on their latest LP, Came Down Different, well… I can’t deny that I get what they mean.

But let’s reframe this, folks. When I listen to Pardoner, I hear a band capable of energetic indie rock that pulls from sources as diverse as early 80s UK postpunk, the psychedelic garage rock revival led by their fellow San Franciscans Thee Oh Sees, the Americana-infused jangle-pop of early REM, and, yeah OK, the many feedback-laced melodic guitar rockers from college towns like Boston and Chapel Hill who infused the indie scene of the early 90s. Why can’t what these guys are doing today just constitute another wave of this evergreen sound? I for one think it does — every time I’ve put on Came Down Different over the past couple days, I’ve quickly forgotten that I was doing a “research listen.” This band is more than good enough to be a band that you don’t just indulge for extramusical reasons. And they’ll certainly present a show that’s way more than good enough to get you through another year of unnecessary lightsaber references.

Thursday, May 5, 7 PM
The Chisel, Dark Thoughts, Quarantine, Public Acid @ Studio Two Three – $15
Another big change in the post-pandemic world of local live music is that I’ve found I can’t just source all my information about upcoming shows on Facebook anymore. Which is great, because I hate Facebook (I’m a Twitter girl, at least for now). However, these days, I’m finding the place I have to go — and do a fair amount of hunting while I’m there — is Instagram. I can deal with Instagram, but I much more oriented toward words than pictures, so it doesn’t come the most naturally to me. Thankfully, the more time I spend on there, the more often I find amazing shows like this one, featuring great underground bands tearing it up at venues that are a little off the beaten path. Many times, the most truly memorable live music events take place in circumstances like that one.

But even if such high-flown reasoning isn’t likely to draw you out to some random punk show, rest assured you should make time for this one. UK punk rockers The Chisel have blown a lot of minds in the punk and hardcore world over the past year or so, first with a series of killer singles, then with their incredible LP of last November, Retaliation. I hear people talk when they listen to this band about oi! and other such micro-genres, but I’m not gonna get into the weeds with all that, because to me, The Chisel is just a straight-up old-school punk band with a ton of energy, fury, and that patented British snarl all the best late-70s UK bands excelled at, coupled with some great rock n’ roll riffs that stand outside any particular momentary movement. Whether you dig Blitz, 9 Shocks Terror, the New York Dolls, the Back From The Grave comps, or some combination of all of them, you’ll find something to love in the music of The Chisel. And you should really be there for what’s sure to be one of the better shows to come to RVA this season. Regardless of what social media you did or did not find out about it from.

Friday, May 6, 7 PM
Suppression, Kontusion, Left Cross @ Cobra Cabana – $5
Here’s an absolutely mind-blowing fact — Suppression have been a band for three full decades. Formed by bassist/vocalist Jason Hodges back when he was a teenage grindcore nerd living in Roanoke, they spent most of their first decade as a quintet with constantly shifting lineups, of which Jason was the only constant member. When he moved to Richmond at the dawn of the 21st century, the lineup settled into its present incarnation, with the illustrious Ryan Parrish (also of Darkest Hour, Iron Reagan, and a million other bands) on drums and Jason handling everything else (so: bass, vocals, and a million distortion pedals and noise machines).

They’ve been through a ton of evolutions in just the time since the duo of Jason and Ryan became the band’s permanent lineup, and in recent years they’ve returned to a sloppier and even more noisy and primitive version of the grind/metal/noise/core sound they were making during their Roanoke days in the mid-90s. 2021 digital compilation Oblivion Rats collects all the noise they made between 2015 and 2018. It includes two full-length albums and six split EPs, and runs to 99 tracks, many of which are run-together medleys featuring three or more songs. So yeah, this is a bunch of blurry, distorted noise, of the sort that makes most of what “power violence” seem downright slow and accessible. 30 years later, well into their 40s, Suppression are still making the kind of noise that will not only alienate your parents, but probably your kids too. And if that isn’t a commendable achievement, I don’t know what is. Go celebrate it with them at Cobra Cabana this Friday night. Do it for posterity.

Saturday, May 7, 8 PM
The Great Beforetimes, Abby Huston, Tess Fisher, Rebekah Rafferty & The Wakes @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
The Great Beforetimes are a minimalist acoustic trio that brings together singer-songwriter Aern Stapel and artist Ceili Galante with guitarist Taimir Gore, whose name is more familiar to me from post-rock band Kristeva and Black Liquid’s new metal band, Armagideon Time. It was definitely that unusual combo of people involved in this project first caught my attention, but I wouldn’t have stuck around long enough to write about them if it weren’t for the sincerely intriguing sound they create on their brand-new self-titled LP, the release of which this Saturday night show at The Camel is intended to celebrate. With a percussion-less sound fundamentally oriented around banjo, there’s a temptation to write them off as old-time music, or Americana, or whatever.

But if you actually spend some time with the music of The Great Beforetimes, you’ll soon realize that they have far less in common with scratchy old 78s recorded in Southwest Virginia hotels 100 years ago than they do with psych-folk rangers like Devendra Banhart, the early works of grandiose weirdo singer-songwrite Sufjan Stevens, or even Richmond hometown hero Josh Small. Like the music of all of these artists, The Great Beforetimes’ music steps outside of any studied, formalistic appreciation of the music of a bygone culture to connect with us all in the here and now. This band uses banjo, acoustic guitar, and voices raised in harmony to create songs that actually reach us all the way here in our digital-as-fuck 21st century world and make real deep connections that’ll have you placing these tunes into “new favorite tracks” playlists right alongside Lizzo or Wet Leg or Drug Church or whatever else you’re digging so far in 2022. There’s no contradiction here. Great music exists outside time. That said, this show takes place in a very defined chronological moment, and I encourage you to spend the hours between 8 pm and midnight this Saturday night at The Camel appreciating every gorgeous, unique moment of it.

Sunday, May 8, 7 PM
Soul Glo, Listless, Dumb Waiter @ The Camel – $12 in advance, $15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Speaking of music we’re adding to playlists featuring our faves of 2022 thus far, it’s highly apropos that Soul Glo are bringing their frantic, chaotic brand of hardcore to Richmond at The Camel this Sunday night. Because their new LP, Diaspora Problems, is — at least for me — the most fully realized expression of what it is that they do that’s come into the world thus far. And I mean, I loved Soul Glo even back when I first heard them back in 2016. Nonetheless, Diaspora Problems seems to me to bring all of the elements of what they do into perfect proportion to create an absolute hardcore classic. The song structures are chaotic and unpredictable without being confusing or alienating. The guitars are noisy and harsh, but the choruses are so catchy and memorable that you’ll be singing along with the best of them after only one listen — even when that means you’ll catch yourself mumbling, “Who gon’ beat my ass? Who the fuck gon’ beat my ass?” under your breath while washing dishes.

That’s the other thing about Soul Glo that stands out from moment one — the larger than life personality of vocalist Pierce Jordan, who screams, rages, and rants a thousand miles a minute throughout this album, showing off a verbosity that I, a person who writes this long-ass column once a week, can’t help be impressed with. Soul Glo’s lyrics bring a realness that gets much closer to what it’s actually like to be alive than 99% of lyricists ever even attempt, as well as a strong political consciousness that isn’t going to let any of us off the hook for any of our day to day bullshit. Specifically, they focus quite a bit from an intensely personal perspective on the struggle of marginalized Black people in the United States in the year 2022, something a lot of white people like me (and maybe you?) have let ourselves mostly forget about now that the monuments are down. Soul Glo’s an incredible band pushing the boundaries of what hardcore and punk rock can be, and they’re sure to blow your mind musically. But the lyrics and the statements they make with their music are just as important, and that if anything is why you should make The Camel your destination this Sunday night.

Monday, May 9, 7 PM
Chris Acker, Jackson Lynch, Cassidy Snider & The Wranglers, Brady Heck @ The Camel – $10 in advance, $12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
I know, I’ve said it many times before, but I’m always so thankful that The Camel bothers to book shows on Monday night, a night when many other local venues are generally dark and shuttered. This time around, though, they aren’t just bringing us a charming little locals-only bill; instead, they’re hosting touring singer-songwriters Chris Acker and Jackson Lynch. Acker hails from Seattle, while Lynch was born in Ireland and raised in New York, but the city that appears to unite the two of them is New Orleans, where both have spent quite a bit of time during their careers. They’re currently on tour together, both in support of recently released full-lengths that show off their respective powers.

Where Acker is concerned, the LP in question is Odd, Ordinary & Otherwise, his third, released last year and featuring an impressive collection of tunes that make abundantly clear why people compare this dude to the legendary John Prine. It’s the voice, yes — they do sound similar. But it’s also the strength of the songwriting, the way Acker is skilled at capturing all the tiny events that make up the lives of ordinary people and setting them to beautiful, bittersweet tunes. As for Lynch, his new LP is All By My Ownsome, his first full-length release. It mixes covers of century-old tunes by pre-war blues legends like Lonnie Johnson and Josh White with Lynch originals that show how deeply indebted Lynch is to the old-time blues and folk traditions, but also display how creative he is and how much personality he brings to his music. Both Acker and Lynch will be well worth your time to see, and the fact that local purveyors of Americana sounds like Cassidy Snider & The Wranglers and Brady Heck are also on the bill only sweetens an already delicious cup of musical iced tea. Drink up.

Tuesday, May 10, 6:30 PM
Higher Power, Earth To Heaven, Reflect, Torment @ The HofGarden – $15 in advance, $18 day of show (order tickets HERE)
I like a lot of different kinds of music, but I’ve never pretended to be anything other than a hardcore kid at heart, so whenever a really great hardcore band comes through town, I try my best to get them into this here show column. You’ve seen some evidence of that already in this edition (see the Soul Glo blurb above), and here’s another example. Higher Power hail from Leeds, over in the UK, and while the UK’s hardly been a hotbed of hardcore greatness over the decades, I don’t think there’s anyone who will deny that this band is in the top tier of hardcore right now. And that’s got a lot to do with the intensely musical nature of their work.

Past generations of hardcore bands have embraced the slogan coined by fellow UK HC band Discharge: noise not music. But Higher Power is doing a lot more than just making harsh, angry noise. On 2020 album 27 Miles Underwater, Higher Power demonstrate influence from groundbreaking bands of the past 30 years, from Quicksand and Snapcase to Glassjaw and Turnstile. And the result is memorable, full of catchy singalong choruses without losing an ounce of the energy we all come to hardcore for. Higher Power might not be exactly what anyone in 1982 or 1996 thought hardcore would sound like today, but it’s pretty goddamn great, and isn’t that what ultimately matters? Spoiler: yes, it is.

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Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers -– this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected]

Friday Cheers 2022: Crucial Tunes On Brown’s Island

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Every year, a variety of things occur in Richmond that let everyone in the city know: spring has arrived once again. One of those things — one of the best ones, in fact — is the annual arrival of Friday Cheers on the upcoming calendar of events. Sadly, for the past couple of years, we haven’t been able to look forward to that Richmond springtime tradition in the same way. Two years ago, the pandemic had just begun, and Venture Richmond made the wise decision to cancel the concert series entirely. Last year, it was thankfully able to go on, but a variety of restrictions left everyone sitting in individual “pods,” unable to freely interact as music lovers so enjoy doing.

Thankfully, 2022 sees Friday Cheers return to Brown’s Island just as it was back in the halcyon pre-pandemic days. Indeed, things are basically back to normal, and everyone is excited. Especially with the absolutely stacked lineup Venture Richmond is bringing us this year! We’re so stoked about the lineup here at RVA Magazine that we’ll be offering a giveaway for two full season passes to this year’s slate of upcoming events. Awesome, right? You can learn all about that giveaway below… but first, let’s talk about exactly what’s in store for you on each of these fantastic evenings of outdoor musical fun at Brown’s Island.

Things kick off in a big way on Friday, May 6 with a headlining set from Japanese Breakfast. This Philadelphia-based band is led by Michelle Zauner, who attained literary fame last year with the release of her bestselling memoir, Crying In H Mart. Japanese Breakfast also made a big impression on the music world in 2021 with their third album, Jubilee, a gorgeous slice of indie pop that incorporates shoegaze textures and dance grooves for a multi-genre vibe that can’t fail to put a smile on your face. Lead single “Be Sweet” is the absolute jam. But don’t take my word for it — check it out for yourself:

Japanese Breakfast will be joined by talented Richmond singer-songwriter Abby Huston, and you should be paying attention during her set as well; based on her 2021 debut full-length, AH HA, there’s a lot to look forward to from this up-and-coming talent.

On Friday, May 13, Brown’s Island will be graced with the presence of Minneapolis guitarist Cory Wong, who comes to Richmond fully prepared to funk up this entire city. Wong’s had a lengthy career that has seen him work in multiple genres — jazz, funk, rock n’ roll, etc — and collaborate with many formidable musical talents, including funk superstars Vulfpeck and Late Show With Stephen Colbert bandleader Jon Batiste. Hear me now and remember me later: Wong’s speedy, catchy instrumental tunes are gonna get the whole island dancing. This evening will begin with a performance by Richmond’s own Pharaoh Sistare, a talented producer with an ear for vintage awesomeness and a talent for creating funk-soul grooves harking back to legends like Prince, James Brown, and Michael Jackson.

The series will take a week off after Wong’s performance, but returns in a very big way on Friday, May 27 with RVA Music Night, featuring none other than local legend Matthew E. White. From his history of incredible world-conquering American R&B/gospel/soul sounds to his work as co-founder and majordomo of Spacebomb Records and Studios, you might think that Matthew E. White needs no introduction to music-loving Richmonders. That said, we’ll allow “Electric,” from last year’s mindblowing K Bay, to stand as all the intro anyone might need:

OK, if you had any doubts about the sheer danceability of this Richmond-oriented bill, that song should be enough to put them to rest. That said, the melodic indie-folk Americana of The Last Real Circus is going to provide an intriguing change-up, and opener Benet has some youthful dance grooves driven by their incredible voice and informed by their pop-culture obsessions — all of it’s sure to sound amazing flowing across the sea of humanity at Brown’s Island.

Friday, June 3 finds Bombino arriving at Friday Cheers to bring the sound of the Sahara Desert to the James River. Bombino is Tuareg, hailing from Niger, and falls into the rich tradition of talented, inventive Tuareg guitarists. Once called “The World’s Best Guitarist” by Noisey magazine, Bombino first came to international attention when his band, Group Bombino, were recorded performing at a wedding and the performance was released on world music label Sublime Frequencies. Since then, he’s been the subject of a documentary, Agadez, The Music and The Rebellion, and received widespread acclaim for his 2018 LP, Deran. Here’s “Deran Deran Alkheir,” a great example of what that album has to offer:

The evening will also feature a performance from Pachyman, a Puerto Rican-born musician who makes 21st century dub reggae records with a very heavy vibe. If Lee “Scratch” Perry and King Tubby are your jam, you’ll definitely want to catch Pachyman’s set. It’s not often Richmond is visited by two different talented players from two different faraway regions of the world on the same night, so this is one you definitely don’t want to miss.

On Friday, June 10, Goth Babe comes to Brown’s Island. But don’t let the name fool you — this isn’t a band for kids with shiny black leather dresses and 20-hole Doc Martens. Goth Babe’s music has a breezy, sunshine feel that is more likely to appeal to fans of Mac DeMarco and MGMT than Sisters Of Mercy heads. Goth Babe fully lives the lifestyle; frontman-songwriter Griff Washburn lives in a mobile tiny house with his dog, and spends a lot of time out in nature. If that sounds cool to you, Goth Babe’s music will too. This show will also feature a set from Kenneka Cook, a talented Richmonder with an eclectic sound that pulls from soul, electronic dance music, pop, and indie, among many other genres. But then, you’re a Richmond music head; I’d be surprised if you didn’t already know that. I’m sure you also know that this is not a show to miss.

For the second-to-last Friday Cheers show of the season, on Friday, June 17, Cory Henry will bring his powerful brand of R&B/soul music to Brown’s Island. Having spent time in Snarky Puppy, Henry went solo about five years ago and has since worked with everyone from Kanye West to Frank Ocean. His latest album, Best Of Me, released in 2021, has a throwback vibe that is sure to remind listeners of Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, while bringing some more unpredictable elements retained from his time in Snarky Puppy. This show will also feature an opening set from Virginia’s own Shormey, who has created plentiful vibes with her signature psychedelic bedroom soul sound. It’s gonna be a great time all around.

Our final evening of Friday Cheers gloriousness on Brown’s Island occurs on Friday, June 24, with a performance by 49 Winchester. A Virginia-based group, 49 Winchester come from Russell County, way out on the panhandle, in the heart of Appalachia. You can hear it in their sound, too; it’s the kind of thing people might call “alt-country” or “Americana,” but it doesn’t really deserve to be hemmed in by any sort of genre classification. What 49 Winchester really have to offer is an honest exploration of everyday life in the part of Virginia that’s far from the heavily trafficked interstates that dissect the Commonwealth. This live performance on Red Barn Radio should give you a pretty good idea of what’s in store for you at this final Friday Cheers show of 2022:

Richmond’s own Cassidy Snider & The Wranglers will be opening this one up, and it’s an appropriate pairing, considering how well Cassidy Snider is also able to find the heart of everyday people’s lives in her songwriting — even if she does come from right in the heart of all those intersecting highways. Rural, urban, or anywhere inbetween, music can always speak to the struggle of ordinary working people. Thank god for that.

You can get individual tickets for each and every one of these shows at this link. Tickets are $10 in advance, or you can walk up and get one for $15 at the door, assuming it hasn’t yet sold out. Now, if you’re saying to yourself, “This is such a great lineup, I just want to see all of it!” I sure don’t blame you. What’s more, you’re in luck: you can get a Season Pass for the entirety of the Friday Cheers 2022 lineup for only $60 by following this link.

Also, we promised you a ticket giveaway, didn’t we? We weren’t kidding!

Here’s how to win two full season passes to Friday Cheers 2022 from RVA Magazine. To win, enter using the form below, or follow this link. And keep in mind, liking and sharing our social media accounts and subscribing to our newsletter are all things you can do to earn bonus entries and increase your chances to win. So maybe do all that? Just sayin.

Whether you win season passes or not, Friday Cheers will be the place to be on Friday nights this spring, so make sure you get your tickets locked down ASAP. We’ll see you at Brown’s Island!

Top Photo by Dave Parrish, via Friday Cheers/Twitter

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: March 16 – March 22

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FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, March 19, 7:30 PM
Michael Formanek Drome Trio, Brian Jones Quintet @ Spacebomb Studios – $20 (order tickets HERE)
There’s a lot of perspective you can call upon when you’re 46 years old and you’ve been doing music journalism since you were 15 (no, you don’t wanna see the zines I made in high school. Or at least, I don’t want you to see them). A good example is this: when I got started, rock music had such a hold over the world of music in general that people used the word “rock” almost as a synonym for “music.” Nobody was a “music journalist” or a “music critic” back then; without fail, you were a “rock journalist” or a “rock critic.” I was around for the big change in the early 00s, too, when a movement against “rockism” gained steam and, within a few years, changed the world of music journalism entirely. But I must admit, I often think the way we all just ended up writing about the profundity to be found in million-selling pop records constitutes somewhat of a missed opportunity.

After all, if you’re able to free your mind from the cultural paradigm of seeing “rock” as the most valid form of music, and you can then do the same with “pop,” there’s a whole ton of other music still to be discovered out there. This week, we’re going to push the boundaries a little. It starts with this show, taking place at Spacebomb Studios on Saturday night, and featuring the Michael Formanek Drome Trio. Michael Formanek is a veteran of the jazz world, a double bass player and composer who has played with heavyweights like Tony Williams and has led a variety of different bands over the years. This time around, he’s joined by tenor sax player Chet Doxas and drummer Vinnie Sperrazza, both of whom have a decent amount of jazz credentials in their own right.

The trio are currently on tour to celebrate the impending release of Were We Where We Were, an album inspired by the uncertainty of pandemic quarantine times and based on a series of what Formanek calls “musical palindromes.” These are reflected in the titles of both the album and songs like “Is It What It Is,” and result in some Sketches Of Spain-style post-bop experimentation that gets pretty far out at times but always retains a melodic, emotional foundation. It’s a long way from Top 40 pop or 90s alternative music, but if you can open your mind to its charms, you’ll find a lot to love here. Local jazz drummer extraordinaire Brian Jones will be opening the evening with a five-piece combo that also includes local leading lights JC Kuhl (Modern Groove Syndicate), Cameron Ralston (Spacebomb House Band), Devonne Harris, and Marcus Tenney (both of Butcher Brown). Whatever they have in store, it’s sure to be enlightening.

Wednesday, March 16, 7 PM
Adam Hopkins’ School Work (Photo by Peter McElhinney) @ Artspace Gallery – $10
Let’s stay in the jazz bag for a few more minutes here, folks, because tonight at Artspace Gallery will bring you another evening of fine music that’s decidedly outside the norm. If you’re aware of jazz bassist Adam Hopkins, it just might be as the co-owner of Out Of Your Head Records; a label best known in Richmond for their release of local jazz drumming genius Scott Clark’s 2021 album, This Darkness. They’ve also released more than one record by Michael Formanek — so you see, it all ties together.

Hopkins started School Work as a way to pay tribute to the legends of mid-20th century free and experimental jazz; they perform tunes by jazz legends like Ornette Coleman, Charles Mingus, Albert Ayler, Eric Dolphy, and more. To accomplish this, he drafted some of the best jazz players Richmond has to offer, including the aforementioned Scott Clark on drums, as well as JC Kuhl (who you’ll remember from the previous blurb) on tenor sax, John Lilley (Afro-Zen All Stars) on alto sax, and Bob Miller (Bio Ritmo) on trumpet. So yeah, some really heavy hitters. If you can understand the beauty of the peak hard bop and free jazz era, you’re certainly going to want to hear what these formidable talents bring to it. And if you don’t get it yet, this is the perfect way to increase your understanding. Be a cool jazz cat and bop down to Artspace on Forest Hill Ave tonight. It’s the right thing to do.

Thursday, March 17, 7 PM
Zombi, Hex Machine @ The Camel – $15 (order tickets HERE)
OK, OK, I hear what you’re saying out there. “This jazz shit is fine and all, but do you have anything weirder?” Yeah, I just might. Because Thursday night at The Camel, our city will be graced by the presence of Pittsburgh duo Zombi. Consisting of synthesizer wizard Steve Moore and drummer A.C. Paterra, this group has been on the scene and blowing minds for quite a while, layering loops of synth, bass, and other sounds overtop of Neu-influenced motorik rhythms to generate a (Tangerine) Dream-scape worthy of a really great early-80s sci-fi movie. Their most recent release, 2021’s Liquid Crystal, uses psychedelic soundscapes to create a fantastical narrative landscape in your mind, one that allows you to fly through the mental stratosphere even as your feet remain planted on terra firma.

Not exactly your typical rock show, huh? Well, on the off chance you’re feeling some form of withdrawal from loud guitars and the inimitable sound of the human voice, this Zombi performance will be opened by local noise-rockers Hex Machine, who last graced our ears with new music back in the pre-pandemic times of 2019, when they released their LP Cave Painting. As weird as it is to say out loud, that was four entire years ago. So does Hex Machine leader Trevor Thomas, never the sort of fellow to keep a steady lineup together for years at a time, have a new crew of backing musicians? Do they perhaps have some new material to drop on us all? I don’t know the answer to either of those questions, but I do know that all the previous incarnations of Hex Machine have delivered Barkmarket/Jesus Lizard-style noise-core grooves with equal aplomb. So whatever you get from this set, it’s definitely gonna be good.

Friday, March 18, 6:30 PM
Rosette presents: Kenji Bunch Is… So Hot Right Now, feat. Danielle Wiebe Burke @ Candela Books + Gallery – Free!
And now for something completely different. Rosette is a local string quartet that features members you could potentially recognize from a variety of other local musical endeavors: chamber music collective Classical Revolution, the Richmond Symphony, indie rockers Goldrush, the liner notes of many different Spacebomb-affiliated releases, and more. As Rosette, they have collaborated with Latin soul group Miramar and Indian classical vocalist Saili Oak, among others. Their current project, So Hot Right Now, sees them dedicating a series of concerts to a particular classical composer. This month, joined by guest violist Danielle Wiebe Burke of the Williamsburg Symphony, they’re focusing on Kenji Bunch, a composer based in Portland, Oregon who is known for integrating elements of bluegrass, funk, hip hop, and other genres into his works for chamber ensemble, ballet, and orchestra.

Seems like the perfect pairing, really: a genre-hopping classical composer having his work brought to life by four stringed-instrument players who are themselves comfortable in a variety of genre settings. At this show, as with all of the Rosette “So Hot Right Now” performances during the month of March, the program will begin with Wiebe Burke playing a version of Bunch’s “The 3 G’s” as a solo piece, followed by Rosette doing “Apochryphal Dances,” which brings Bunch’s modern, genre-bending aesthetic to Baroque-era music. Finally, the five musicians will all come together to play “String Circle,” which incorporates everything from Appalachian old-time music to modern funk, all within a classical string-quintet format. It’s not only a unique musical prospect, but sure to broaden your horizons. And hey, unlike some of the other performances Rosette and Wiebe Burke will be doing over the course of March, this one is free. I think you know what to do.

Saturday, March 19, 7 PM
Sean Barna, Abby Huston @ Gallery 5 – $10 in advance, $12 at the door (order tickets HERE)
And now, since not even I can stay totally weird over the course of an entire week, let’s talk about a recognizably conventional indie show, which takes place this Saturday night at Gallery 5. I don’t know about you, but I miss the days when Gallery 5’s mission was able to include multiple rock shows per week, and while I know they’ve gone in a somewhat different direction, I’m always going to celebrate the moments when an indie artist takes their stage once again. Seán Barna’s the artist in question this time, and I am more than good with it.

Hailing from New York and heralded by a strong endorsement from Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz (who is a genius, don’t @ me), Barna backs up all the advance praise he’s received with 2020’s Margaret Thatcher Of The Lower East Side, a release that somehow manages to combine the Springsteen-isms and the punk swag of Titus Andronicus with the dramatic heights of the best David Bowie and Queen material. Barna’s sure to light up the former fire station with his incandescent stage presence, even as talented local singer-songwriter Abby Huston, who shares the bill, brings a quieter yet just as intense vibe through her own subtly hypnotic songcraft. These two great musical tastes will taste great together, and the fact that they’re playing together at Gallery 5 only makes this occasion that much sweeter. Get there and see for yourself.

Sunday, March 20, 7 PM
Jon Tyler Wiley & His Virginia Choir, Amity, The Judy Chops Duo @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
After several days of unusual, dramatic sound shifts, Sunday night’s a good time to re-center your mind and mentally prepare for another week of work by taking in something soothing and uplifting. And rest assured, this gig by Jon Tyler Wiley & His Virginia Choir will be just what you need. Calling themselves “a country band that doesn’t play country music,” Wiley and co. bring together Mellencamp-ish heartland vibes and an undeniably southern feel. On their new album, The Longing, the group tells tales of doomed dreamers and heartbroken everymen, and manages to repeatedly hit you right in the feels.

So yeah, expect this one to be moving and to touch your heart — and not just due to your headliners, either. Minimalist folk duo Amity create a memorable wall of sound with only two voices and one acoustic guitar. And of course, while you may know the Judy Chops from around town as a sextet, you’re sure to get just as much of their excellent Americana sound from this stripped-down duo version, in which Bill Howard and Molly Murphy, along with their guitars, will focus on the songcraft and let the music stand on its own. Let it wash over you.

Monday, March 21, 9 PM
The Wind-Ups, Bummers Eve, Shawnis And The Shimmers @ Fuzzy Cactus – $8
Monday night is always a little tough. First day back at work after a weekend in which — if you’re lucky — you got some time to relax… just enough to make your return to work a bitter, bitter pill. As a general rule, the best way to wash away that bitterness is to have a really good time Monday night. And of course, you can count on Fuzzy Cactus to bring you that good time, in the form of some rip-roaring rock n’ roll. This Monday night, the rock n’ roll comes from The Wind-Ups, a California-based project centering on the efforts of Jake Sprecher, who has previously backed Jonathan Richman and played in Terry Malts, among others. During the pandemic, Sprecher acquired a Tascam 388 eight-track recorder, and that was all the impetus he needed to make the most of his quarantine boredom and put together an album all by himself.

The result is The Wind-Ups’ debut, Try Not To Think, a power-pop powerhouse full of overdriven guitars, hard-hitting riffs, and catchy choruses that is sure to please fans of both Guided By Voices and Jay Reatard, as well as anyone who enjoys lo-fi versions of 60s style garage pop. I for one am way into it, and that’s true even before I imagine how great it’ll sound being recreated by a full band in a live environment. That’s what you’ll get at Fuzzy Cactus on Monday night, and it’s sure to be a great time. Local garage-rockers Bummers Eve (whose internet presence still says they’re based in Cincinnati, but I don’t buy it) are also on the bill. The evening will be opened by Shawnis And The Shimmers, the latest project from the former Nightcreature/The You Go Girls frontperson, who just dropped their debut EP, Wasteland, last month. It’s another catchy slab of lo-fi retro goodness, which only sweetens the pot for this entire evening. Dive in.

Tuesday, March 22, 7:30 PM
Soccer Mommy, Peel Dream Magazine @ The National – $22.50 in advance, $27.50 day of show (order tickets HERE)
The last half of the previous decade brought us quite a few talented indie singer-songwriters who made a big splash with their early work and then managed to get even better on their follow-ups. Local heroine Lucy Dacus is certainly one, but Nashville’s Soccer Mommy is definitely on an equivalent level where formidable musical talent is concerned. One listen to 2020’s Color Theory is all you need to figure that one out; as brilliant as their debut full-length, 2018’s Clean, was, Color Theory really ups the ante with a succession of gorgeous tunes that are sure to put a smile on your face… that is, if you don’t pay much attention to the lyrics.

It’s true; as with the previous album, this one is somewhat of a depression epic, and the moments when distorted guitars and walls of synthesized haze overwhelm the melodies make this clear. As someone who’s always been a depression baby, though, that kind of thing only pulls me further in. If you can relate, you just might be the perfect audience for Soccer Mommy’s performance at the National, where you can stand in a crowd of strangers who are all feeling the words Sophie Allison sings on the deepest and most intense level — just like you are. The great communal feeling of post-millennial angst and ennui: it unites us all. But hey, at least the music is great.

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Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers -– this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected]

Top Photo by Michael Patrick Kelly, via Michael Formanek Drome Trio