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VA Shows You Must See This Week: May 22 – May 28

Marilyn Drew Necci | May 22, 2019

Topics: 6131 Record Store, Alright, Bandito's, Capital Ale House Music Hall, Cary Street Cafe, Charlie's American Cafe, Clary Sage, Crystal Spiders, Deterioration, Dogwood Tales, Enforced, gallery 5, Gnawing, Gull, Hardywood, Helgamite, Johnathan Rice, Jonny Z, josh small, Kenneka Cook, Krode, Mirador, Model Zero, MSD, Natural Velvet, Night Kid, Nightcreature, No Rome, Occultist, Oozing Meat, Pale Waves, Positive No, shows you must see, Slump, The 1975, The Accused AD, The Felice Brothers, The Golden Pony, Van Hagar, Virginia Credit Union Live, Washers, Wonderland, Young Scum

FEATURED SHOW
Sunday, May 26, 12 noon
Jonny Z Fest 2019, feat. Kenneka Cook, Washers, Gull, Josh Small, Night Kid @ Hardywood – Free!

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 12 years since we lost Jonathan Zanin, known to all and sundry as Jonny Z. To get personal right out the gate, he was a longtime friend, and I still can’t think too much about his death without getting upset. For those of you who didn’t have the fortune of knowing him, all I can tell you now is that he was a really positive dude who poured a ton of energy into music, art, and activism, and absolutely made Richmond a better place for the entire time we were lucky enough to have him here.

It still makes me sad to think of Jonny being gone, but I am nonetheless very glad that Bizarre Market — an organization Jonny was heavily involved with — have kept his memory alive with their yearly Jonny Z fests. The latest one is happening this Sunday afternoon at Hardywood, and you should absolutely come out and celebrate the life of a great guy gone too soon by enjoying all that Bizarre Market has to offer. There will be dozens of vendors on hand, as well as interactive art, play areas for the kids, raffles, and of course Hardywood’s selections of fine craft brews, which I hear good things about from those who dabble in that sort of thing.

And of course, this is a music column, so we can’t forget the music! Some major Richmond mainstays, many of whom were also friends of Jonny Z, are on this bill. The always-talented electro-soul goddess, Kenneka Cook. The incredible, indescribable one-man band hijinks of Gull. The catchy punk goodness of Washers, a relatively new trio featuring members of Sports Bar, Worn In Red, and more. The emotionally-driven acoustic folk sounds of Josh Small. And then there’s the obscure but talented solo singer-songwriter sounds of Night, Kid. All of these artists will offer enjoyable sounds by which to dance, smile, and remember. And that’s a beautiful thing.

Wednesday, May 22, 6 PM
The 1975, Pale Waves, No Rome @ Virginia Credit Union Live – $39.50 – $59.50 (order tickets HERE)

When I first discovered the 1975 six or so years ago, they only had a couple of EPs out. I thought of them as kind of a poppy emo band, and longtime readers of this column won’t be surprised to hear that I therefore loved them immediately. They’ve released three albums since then, all of which have hit number one in their native United Kingdom. And clearly they’re pretty popular here in the US too, since they’re playing the 6,000-capacity Virginia Credit Union Live! venue, out at RIR. And it hasn’t sold out yet, so you should certainly grab a ticket make sure you’re there.

Because the 1975 aren’t just another emo-pop group with a few crossover hits. On their more recent material, they’ve tapped a very deep vein of multi-layered melodies that draw from both 80s R&B and New Wave, as well as a bunch of other classic genres. And on their latest LP, 2018’s A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, they’ve become fearless social commentators; popular single “Love It If We Made It” makes harsh and condemnatory references to modern social ills from Eric Garner’s death at the hands of police to Kanye West’s inexplicable and depressing embrace of Donald Trump. In some ways, they remind me of the best bands from the 80s New Pop movement — Scritti Politti, ABC, The Human League — all of which brought an incisive intelligence derived from punk rock straight to the top of the charts. In other ways, they remind me of Radiohead circa OK Computer and Kid A, when they were simultaneously enormously popular and relentlessly challenging. In all ways, I think they are great. AND! They’ve got UK goth-poppers Pale Waves, who made one of my favorite LPs of 2018, opening for them! What more do you need?

Thursday, May 23, 10 PM
Positive No, Young Scum @ Bandito’s – Free!

Positive No may not be one of the most active bands in Richmond, but if you ask me, they have been one of the best and most worthwhile bands this town has to offer for at least five years now. Their excellent music, which mixes post-hardcore energy with shoegaze melody and a delicate, ethereal presentation that sometimes explodes into fury, is always worth showing up for. Their two LPs and many EPs and singles have given us a wealth of excellent music, which may not be aired all that frequently in the live arena, but becomes a rare treat when they play the occasional gig.

This is one of those occasional gigs, and it’s free, so you really need to be there. Positive No will be releasing a new two-song single at the event, and for you vinyl nerds, it’s a lathe-cut EP, which means instead of being pressed at a plant, each copy is individually carved one groove at a time. Understandably, there are only limited copies available, but even if you aren’t able to snag one, Positive No’s performance will be more than worth staying out late with work in the morning. Better yet, Young Scum will also be on hand to delight the masses with their charming, witty indie pop. It’s gonna be a night full of awesomeness, whether you’re a vinyl collector nerd or not. Don’t blow this one.

Friday, May 24, 8 PM
The Felice Brothers, Johnathan Rice, Dogwood Tales @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $15 in advance/$17 day of show (order tickets HERE)

The Felice Brothers have been making fine folk-rock sounds for over a decade now, and older releases of theirs like Yonder Is The Clock and Celebration, Florida have earned praise from earlier generations of RVA Mag reviewers. In more recent years, though, they’ve largely kept a low profile, with frontman Ian Felice making a solo album in 2017 while his brother James played in Conor Oberst’s backing band.

But earlier this month, the group released Undress, their first album in three years. And it has made abundantly clear that The Felice Brothers have still got it. Ian and James have been joined on this record by a new rhythm section, and the resulting stripped-down four-piece has a driving energy that returns The Felice Brothers to first principles and shows that they still know how to make energetic, memorable tunes that’ll get you dancing and singing along. The group’s heartfelt sound is at its peak on Undress, and seeing this lineup live is sure to be a treat. Indulge.

Saturday, May 25, 9 PM
The Accused AD, Occultist, Enforced @ Wonderland – $10
Here’s some hardcore drama for you — there are two different versions of classic crossover-thrash skate-and-destroy ragers The Accused currently in existence. One still uses the band’s original name, due to the fact that original guitarist Tommy Niemeyer is still in the band, even though the other current Accused members are johnny-come-latelies Niemeyer recruited within the past decade. The other, The Accused AD, features vocalist Blaine Cook, who sang for the band for 20 years and six albums, along with guitarist Alex Sibbald, who played bass with The Accused for 18 years and five albums.

I’ll leave it to you to decide which has a more valid claim on the name at this point in history, but one thing I will mention in the Accused AD’s favor is that they’ve actually made a new album within the past decade — Ghoul In The Mirror, released a few months ago. If you loved the Accused’s classic 80s LPs, chances are a good part of that was due to Cook’s wild, unhinged vocal attack, and to the metallic hyperspeed riffs that came roaring at you nonstop. Rest assured, The Accused AD has both of those in spades, and their new LP proves it. Now all that’s left for you to do is head down to Wonderland Saturday night and let them prove it to you live and in your face. It’s sure to be a thrashing good time.

Sunday, May 26, 2 PM
Alright, Gnawing @ 6131 Records Storefront – Free!

There’s a new record store in town! It’s not open that often — only Fridays and Saturdays — but it will allow you an opportunity to shop in-person at the home of Richmond’s own 6131 Records. Not only do they put out a ton of good releases for bands both local and outside the state, they’ve got a pretty bodacious distro, full of vinyl, CDs, stickers, t-shirts, and tons of other stuff, all of which you can get in-person access to by visiting them.

6131’s storefront won’t normally be open on Sundays, but they’re making an exception and opening up the store for this unique afternoon of acoustic performances. Singer-guitarist Sarah of North Carolina band Alright will be treating us all to stripped-down versions of that band’s excellent melodic punk tunes. Meanwhile, John, who not only plays drums for Alright but also plays guitar and sings in Richmond’s own Gnawing, will deliver a set featuring bare-bones versions of Gnawing songs for us all. It’ll be a quick way to both hear some great tunes for zero dollars and get acquainted with a brand new brick-and-mortar spot to buy records in Richmond, and if that isn’t a good way to follow up Sunday brunch, I don’t know what is.

Monday, May 27, 9 PM
Deterioration, Van Hagar, MSD, Oozing Meat @ Cary Street Cafe – $10

To quote the Damned, “Noise noise noise.” That’s what you can expect when Cary Street Cafe’s usual Deadhead-sanctuary vibe is disrupted Monday night by an invasion of grindcore bands. Deterioration are at the head of the parade, and this Minnesota trio pride themselves on their supersonic attack and irreverent approach. Expect gratuitous samples and ridiculous song titles, but mostly you can expect insanely fast blast beats and lots of furious screaming. Sounds like fun to me.

A trio of locals will round out this bill with some grind insanity of their own. My former roommates Van Hagar can always be relied upon to bring the noise, and that’s exactly what they’re doing here — no cabo wabos about it. Expect some tunes from their forthcoming LP, which one can certainly hope will make it to us sometime this year. And then there’s newcomers MSD, whose dirty, crusty approach to grind is sure to bring a smile to the faces of those who can never get enough high-speed low-end rage. Finally, there’s Oozing Meat, whose recently expanded lineup features members of Suppression and Fake Object, and whose sound straddles the line between grindcore at its most extreme and outright experimental noise. This one will rattle the walls for sure.

Tuesday, May 28, 7 PM
Model Zero, Slump, Nightcreature @ Gallery 5 – $6 in advance/$8 day of show (order tickets HERE)

If you’re a fan of that dark arena in which the lines between garage rock and gloomy postpunk get too blurry to fully make out, Model Zero is the band for you. Formed by former members of Ex-Cult and Jack Oblivian’s backing band, The Sheiks, these guys have deep roots in the Memphis scene that’s spawned everyone from Jay Reatard to 68 Comeback. Model Zero definitely capture a bit of the analog-synth/primitive-beatbox feel that Reatard’s synth-punk project, Lost Sounds, displayed, but there’s also a whole lot of dirty gutbucket rock n’ roll mixed in here, and you wouldn’t be wrong to detect a strong hint of The Cramps there as well.

Model Zero’s self-titled debut LP will be officially released on Slovenly Recordings a few days after they perform in Richmond. You may or may not get a chance to grab early copies of the vinyl, but what we can guarantee for sure is that you’ll get to hear this band’s loud, dark, and energetic sound up close, personal, and at top volume, and it’s sure to rock you. Don’t miss that, and definitely don’t miss the two RVA-based openers either. Slump’s psychedelic take on hardcore punk is always a treat, and Nightcreature’s unique approach to their own garage-punk flavor is sure to get the show rolling on a high note.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Friday, May 24, 8 PM
Helgamite, Crystal Spiders, Krode @ The Golden Pony – $7

“Stoner doom” is a term that gets thrown around a lot in the metal scene, but what it means isn’t always clear. While it can lead you to bands cranking out played-out third-rate versions of Saint Vitus riffs — and I certainly don’t blame you if that makes you somewhat gunshy — sometimes it’ll send you straight towards some of the most creative, weird, and original sounds being made in metal today. Fortunately for us all, Helgamite are firmly in the latter category.

Helgamite hail from the tiny town of Rileyville, which lies somewhere between Front Royal and Luray in the mountainous western part of the state. All that isolation can be surprisingly good for creativity, and on their 2016 LP, Hypnagogia, this four-piece showed just how creative they can be, fusing epic sludge-metal riffs with psychedelic atmospheres and otherworldly jazz vibes provided by saxophonist Casey Firkin. If the idea of Hawkwind and Neurosis collaborating to create a Pentagram LP gets your synapses firing, you definitely want to make your way to Harrisonburg Friday night to see these freaks come down from the mountains and blow your mind.

Saturday, May 25, 8 PM
Natural Velvet, Clary Sage, Mirador @ Charlie’s American Cafe – $10 in advance/$13 day of show (order tickets HERE)

Baltimore’s Natural Velvet aren’t easily described. Their use of “postpunk” as a genre tag is certainly accurate, but if you’ve followed the evolution of that term over the past four decades, you certainly know that it covers a wide range of sounds. Natural Velvet explore many different facets of that genre, as well as quite a few others. On 2017’s Mirror To Make You, vocalist/bassist Corynne Ostermann channels both Alice Bag and Siouxsie Sioux in her powerful, gripping vocal approach, as the band’s pounding, off-kilter attack pulls off some decided Birthday Party-style rages before pulling it together to rock you in the most straightforward of fashions. Just for a second, though.

This is all sure to add up to something unpredictable and unmissable when it’s presented on a live stage. And therefore, I can’t help but recommend that you NOT miss it, especially if you’re already in the Hampton Roads area on this pre-Memorial Day Saturday night. You’ll also get an intense and unpredictable set of synth-noise-punk awesomeness from Norfolk’s own Clary Sage, as well as some moody shoegaze bliss from up-and-coming Norfolk locals Mirador. This one’s going to be wild — make sure you’re there.

—-

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]

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

VA Shows You Must See This Week: December 12 – December 18

Marilyn Drew Necci | December 12, 2018

Topics: 3:33, Alright, Billy Neptune, Black Lotus, Capital Ale House Music Hall, Christmas Jerks, Cold Beaches, Colder Planets, Colin Phils, Deli Kings, Don Fredrick, Dumb Waiter, Eric Hubel, Fat Spirit, gallery 5, Genosha, Ghoul Trouble, Ghouli, God Of Nothing, Good Cretins, Graham Stone, Grem Smiley, Hackedepicciotto, Heft, Justin Golden, Kenneka Cook, London Caroling, Lounge Lizzards, Mackenzie Roark, Manzara, Matt Lisk, Neat Sweep, Night Idea, Nightcreature, Old Faith, One Less Life, Party Wave, Pat O'Keefe, Plastic Nancy, Punks For Presents, Riffhouse Pub, Sammi Lanzetta, shows you must see, Silent Music Revival, Smoke Break, Snow Control, Sound Of Music Studios, Sports Bar, Stolen Goodz, strange matter, stray fossa, The Camel, The Do-Nothings, The Milkstains, The Mostly Dead, The Trillions, Toast, Torino Death Ride, Toward Space, Toxic Moxie, Treble Lifter, Vulcanite, White Laces, X-Mas

FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, December 15, noon
White Laces, Night Idea, Fat Spirit, Manzara, Grem Smiley, Don Fredrick, Nightcreature, Billy Neptune, Deli Kings, Ghoul Trouble @ Strange Matter – $12 (order tickets HERE)
Saturday, December 15, 9 PM
Punks For Presents 2018 Night Two, feat. Good Cretins, London Caroling, Snow Control, Christmas Jerks, X-Mas @ Strange Matter – $10
The time has come. It’s the last hurrah. This Saturday marks the final time that Strange Matter will host any live music. I know a lot of us have been feeling some ways about this, and I’m definitely feeling those feels too. Not just because Strange Matter has been, hands down, the best and most reliable live music venue in Richmond for the past decade, but also because… y’all, I’ve got a column to write every week. I’ve been writing this column for four years, and I can count the weekly installments that went by without featuring at least one Strange Matter show on one finger. When most of the venues around town weren’t even open most random weeknights, Strange Matter could always be counted on to be hosting not just a show, but more often than not, a real banger that I’d put into my column even if it was happening on a Saturday night when every place was hosting something.

Where am I gonna send you now on a random Tuesday night now? We’re gonna find that answer together in 2019, for better or worse. But while Strange Matter still exists, you better believe I’m gonna send you there this weekend. After all, this Saturday, their final day in operation, is going to be a major blowout, featuring not one but two epic shows that will start off around the time you’re paying your tab at brunch and end at last call in the wee hours. What better way could there be for you to celebrate Strange Matter’s truly top-quality decade of operation than to spend about 14 hours within its darkened confines, enjoying over a dozen excellent bands from right here in RVA?

You know the answer as well as I do, so let’s all just mark our calendars now. There’s plenty to get stoked for — a reunion set by White Laces tops off the first epic show of the day, and since it’s always wonderful to see Landis, Jimmy, Jay, and the rest of the gang take the stage together, this will be a can’t-miss moment for any Richmond music fan. The coterie of excellent local faves supporting them on this bill — math-rock kingpins Night Idea, angst-ridden grunge punks Fat Spirit, spaced-out noise-rockers Manzara, so many more — is only matched by the outstanding slate of holiday-themed tribute acts being brought to us on the late show’s jam-packed lineup courtesy of Punks For Presents. Have you ever wanted to hear Clash songs rewritten to feature lyrics about Santa Claus? Or a set of Bad Religion tunes played by people who’ve seen snow on their front lawn at some point in their lives? You’ll get these and many more excellent musical treats at this fun-filled extravaganza. Don’t miss it — if you let your last chance to enjoy Strange Matter while it’s here slip away, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. Guaranteed.

Wednesday, December 12, 6 PM
The Milkstains, Sports Bar, Sammi Lanzetta, The Trillions, Cold Beaches, Dumb Waiter, Toward Space, Neat Sweep @ Strange Matter – $12 (order tickets HERE)
Let’s continue to talk about the outstanding fare Strange Matter will be bringing us throughout their final few days of operation, shall we? The many epic local showcases that have filled their stage over the past few weeks have tended to find a focus in one local scene or another, and this one is no exception, bringing us a smorgasbord of the best alternative rock n’ roll this city has to offer. The fact that I took til the third sentence of this writeup to tell you that the Milkstains will be headlining this show with their first local performance since LAST Christmas might just constitute burying the lede, but I write these columns really goddamn fast, so I hope no one will hate on me too much for letting my journalistic principles slip just a bit.

Anyway, based on the advance promo for this show, it seems likely that this performance by the Milkstains may just constitute their last-ever performance as a band, and considering how much sweat, beer, and surf-grunge wildness this band has dished out to this city over the past decade-plus (they’ve been a thing even longer than Strange Matter has), that’s a real loss to all of us. Celebrate the life and the rock n’ roll power of the Milkstains once again/one last time(?) at Smatter tonight — but don’t just waltz in as they’re hitting the stage, because if you do, you’ll miss out on a plethora of fine musical performers, from the heartstopping alt-rock balladry of singer-songwriter extraordinaire Sammi Lanzetta to the garage-pop brilliance of Sports Bar to the jazz-metal madness of Dumb Waiter. And so much more! Dude… it’s gonna be epic.

Thursday, December 13, 8 PM
Old Faith, Colin Phils, Colder Planets, Kenneka Cook @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $7 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
I could keep on talking about Strange Matter for every single remaining day of their brief existence, and rest assured, on both this night and the next, there are excellent shows spotlighting indie-rock and grindcore at Strange Matter on these nights. If you were to go, I fully would not blame you. But I would be remiss in my duty as Richmond’s chief chronicler of live local music (I mean, really, who else is there?) if I didn’t tell you about a couple of amazing shows happening at other venues during this final half-week of Strange Matter’s extended wake. Let’s begin with this one, which features an appearance by Greensboro instrumental quartet Old Faith.

There have been quite a few groups that have trod similar musical ground as these North Carolinians now cover, but their ability to evoke perspective, meaning, and emotion through the stunning evolutions of their dual-guitar instrumental epics, as demonstrated on their recently released self-titled LP, puts them in the top tier of the genre, alongside famous names like Explosions In The Sky and Mogwai. When the sounds of their amplifiers grow to fill and surround Capital Ale House’s Downtown Music Hall, the music is sure to take you on an emotional journey. RVA-via-Korea band Colin Phils will also be on hand to bring you their pleasing take on the note-twisting melodic tangles of math-rock, while Colder Planets’s gorgeous alt-rock sounds will put a smile on your face for sure. And of course, there’s Kenneka Cook, the excellent soul singer and amazingly talented electronic-music composer, who’ll bring us an always-delightful set of her amazing tunes. This one’s going to be a delight.

Friday, December 14, 8 PM
Hackedepicciotto, Eric Hubel @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $15 (order tickets HERE)
Assuming you’re not hitting Strange Matter, it’s back to Capital Ale House’s Downtown Music Hall on this fine Friday night for one of the weirdest and most intriguing musical experiences you’re going to have anytime in the near future. Hackedepicciotto are coming to town, and while this particular name may not be all that familiar to you, you’re sure to be impressed by their musical pedigree. Alexander Hacke is bassist and co-founder of German industrial godfathers Einsturzende Neubauten; his partner in life and music, Danielle de Picciotto, sang with German postpunk band Die Haut and helped establish long-running Berlin music festival Love Parade.

When they create together, Hacke and de Picciotto make music focused on their interest in yoga and other forms of meditation. Their most recent release is JOY, the second of their albums composed specifically to be soundtracks for meditation, and for that album they worked with New York postpunk guitarist Eric Hubel, formerly of Glenn Branca’s band and a yoga master himself. Now all three come to Richmond to create ambient soundtracks that might have some meditative qualities but also have an intense character that sometimes carries a dark undercurrent and always has the potential to shake your spiritual foundations. It’s hard to say what we’ll see and hear at Capital Ale House Friday night, but one thing’s for sure — it’ll move you.

Saturday, December 15, 7 PM
Genosha, 3:33, Vulcanite, Lounge Lizzard, Treble Lifter, The Mostly Dead, Torino Death Ride @ Sound Of Music Studios – $5
As Strange Matter breathes its last this Saturday night, new life is being born into the Virginia hardcore scene. Metallic hardcore group Genosha will be releasing their latest CD, Our Conspiracy, and while I haven’t yet heard any of the tuneage from it, the two excellent bangers they released earlier this year on a split EP with fellow Commonwealth denizens Treble Lifter (also playing this show; more about them in a minute) give all the reason in the world to expect a powerful slab of dark, brutal moshcore out of this quintet. Being there to see the new Genosha LP being birthed into the world is certainly a fine use of your weekend night, especially if you’re ready for some serious headbangs.

There are quite a few other excellent bands from all around the VA area on this bill as well, and that’s sure to sweeten the pot for the initiated as well as the merely intrigued. Lounge Lizzard in particular are one to watch; this Richmond-based newcomer features members from all kinds of other excellent local bands — Toxic Moxie, Cremains, The Donalds, Skumboyz, and more. Plus, their snarky, catchy old-school punk sound is particularly designed to appeal to fans of The Avengers, which is never a bad thing. The aforementioned Treble Lifter have more of a driving post-hardcore sound, but don’t get me wrong — these guys are plenty pissed off, so you punks are still gonna love it. There are a lot more notable bands on this bill, but I’m running out of space, so I challenge you — learn about them for yourself. Come to Sound Of Music this Saturday night, and find out what’s going on with the new generation.

Sunday, December 16, 7:30 PM
Silent Music Revival, feat. Toxic Moxie @ Gallery 5 – Donations accepted
This should be an intriguing installment of the always-fascinating Silent Music Revival, a long-running series of local shows in which Richmond-area musicians of note create improvised soundtracks for silent films they’ve never seen before. This time around, it’ll be Toxic Moxie who’ve accepted the challenge, and it’ll be fun to see how they incorporate their disco-punk hybrid sound into the world of film score. They’ll have a pretty great candidate for scoring too, as the film on display this week is Jean Renoir’s 1928 picture The Little Match Girl.

Renoir, who shares a surname with Impressionist master Pierre-Auguste Renoir because he was his son, was a pioneering French film director who got his start in the silent era before going on to demonstrate what could be achieved in the film medium with classics like La Grand Illusion and The Rules Of The Game. Starring his first wife and based on that totally bleak Hans Christian Andersen story we all heard as kids, The Little Match Girl was one of Renoir’s more notable early efforts, one that he financed by selling off his dad’s paintings. Now it’s being paired with the music of Toxic Moxie, on a Sunday evening at Gallery 5. What a time to be alive.

Monday, December 17, 7 PM
Alright, Smoke Break, Ghouli @ Gallery 5 – $5 in advance/$6 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Never mind the fact that I always, without fail, write it as two words (“all right”); I’m still stoked to see Alright coming to town. These North Carolinians feature Sarah Blumenthal, formerly of the excellent Charlotte, NC band Faye, on guitar and vocals, and while Alright are clearly dipping a little further into the melodic/emotional end of the musical pond than Faye were, this group carries on the crunching guitars and exuberant bounce that Faye did so well.

Their just-released new EP, On The Outs, is the sort of record that will appeal equally to fans of melodic pop-punk groups like the Candy Hearts and garage-rock roustabouts like Sheer Mag. Live, these tunes are sure to get everybody bouncing around with smiles on their faces. It makes them a good pairing with Smoke Break, the melodic, energetic RVA trio featuring members of Sundials, Hold Tight, and Springtime who also grace this bill. We don’t get too many chances to see these guys, and as their 2016 LP Everything Is Wrong proved, they’ve got a lot to offer. So be sure not to miss out on this one — and show up on time, because local newcomers Ghouli have some caustic, frenetic punk to bowl you over with, and you’ll feel real stupid if you hear their last song from outside when you’re walking up. Don’t be that guy.

Tuesday, December 18, 7 PM
Matt Lisk, Justin Golden, Graham Stone, Mackenzie Roark, Pat O’Keefe @ The Camel – Free!
I don’t think this night is part of the official “singer-songwriter showcase” series The Camel’s been doing off-and-on over the past couple years, but it’s set up in much the same way: several local musicians known for excellently-crafted solo material will all get together and play sets one after the other, and you’ll be able to see it all for free. That’s always a good deal, especially since the Camel has burgers and tacos on the menu that become way more affordable when you didn’t have to pay to get in. So show up a little early, get your grub on, and then settle in to enjoy a night of excellent solo sounds that come to you courtesy of folks like Matt Lisk, whose contemplative acoustic offerings are a great soundtrack for an introspective evening.

By contrast, Justin Golden will bring us some rootsy acoustic blues with a soulful feel that take his work beyond the traditional sound of legends like Robert Johnson and Son House, even as it keeps their spirits alive. Mackenzie Roark, who worked with a former member of Hootie And The Blowfish on her last album, has some classic country sounds to offer that are sure to please fans of Patsy Cline and Wanda Jackson. And of course, Graham Stone has become a fixture on the local singer-songwriter scene, with his folk feel and deep-blue voice always making an impression. The evening is rounded out by Dalton Dash frontman Pat O’Keefe taking a solo turn that we can imagine will maintain a similar old-time mix of folk, country, and bluegrass sounds that we’ve all come to know and love in his band. All of this for no dollars at the door? You can’t beat that with a bat.

Bonus Hampton Roads Picks:

Friday, December 14, 7 PM
The Do-Nothings, Stray Fossa, Party Wave, Plastic Nancy @ Toast – $7 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Something unusual is going on here. The Do-Nothings are holding this show at Toast as an “album release party,” but until recently, there was no evidence of a forthcoming album to be found. Then on Monday, a post went up on their Facebook page that read, “This is not a test. Our album release show set will be recorded live and released as the album we are having the release show to release. Get it? Your participation is very important to us.” And if that isn’t enough to pique your interest, you’re a less curious person than I am.

Research has revealed that The Do-Nothings, who appear to be based in Richmond even though they’re having this bizarre “release party” in Norfolk, are a project led by singer/guitarist Andrew Altman, who, along with an energetic rhythm section, makes wild, effects-laden psychedelic blues-punk tunes that rarely fail to get weird. Their work reminds me in some ways of the early Black Keys, back when their records were way too grotty to ever get within shouting distance of radio, and in others of the totally bizarre early material by New York freaks Royal Trux. How’s that all gonna translate when they both make and release their next album onstage at Toast this weekend? One thing’s for sure — it won’t be boring. Gas up the Hyundai and go see what these weirdos have up their sleeve.

Sunday, December 16, 7 PM
God Of Nothing, One Less Life, Black Lotus, Heft, Stolen Goodz @ Riffhouse Pub – $5
Northern Virginia deathcore brutality merchants God Of Nothing apparently galled a few people by referring to themselves on the internet a few years ago as “the heaviest band on earth,” but we ain’t mad at ’em. Honestly, new single “1075” is pretty crushing, especially with its incorporation of ambient noise and a ridiculous final breakdown that features several totally silent pauses that trick you into thinking the song’s over before blindsiding you with another monstrous riff. These guys are clearly continuing to build on the legacy of downtuned mosh madness they’ve built up over the last several years, and what they’re showing us lately more than makes them worth going to see — even if they aren’t the heaviest band on any earth that also contains Sunn o))).

New Jersey’s Black Lotus are also on this bill, and while they’re more focused on complex, chaotic masses of progressive metalcore (they call themselves a “djent” band, but I’ve never been able to establish a coherent definition for that particular subgenre) than the sheer low-end crunch of God Of Nothing, they should certainly appeal to fans of the headliner, if their excellent Wilted LP from earlier this year is any indication. There’s a lot going on on this album, for sure, but never fear — a brutal breakdown is always just around the corner. One thing’s for sure: the pit at this show’s gonna be a risky proposition. I’ll be protecting my middle-aged bones, but if you love to mosh hard, this one’s gonna put a smile on your face for sure.

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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] [and yeah, there’s plenty more of my writing to read over at GayRVA — come say hey.]

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

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