Bandito's Archives

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: January 26 – February 1

Marilyn Drew Necci | January 26, 2022

Topics: Bandito's, Being As An Ocean, Big Loud Awful Sound, Big Sty, Black Tie Society, Capstan, Cassidy Snider & The Wranglers, Chupaskabra, Dead Billionaires, Dead Rising, DJ Wylie Kill, Earl Wizzi, Ed Da Realist, Emerald Beach, Everybody Gets One, Fast Eddy, Fuzzy Cactus, G'z Finest, Halfcast, Ice Cold Chillen, Illa Styles, John Day, Limbs, live music in Richmond, Los Malcriados, Mel Machete, Nancy Raygun, Noah O, Orange Culture, Pressing Strings, shows you must see, Ten Pound Snail, The Camel, The Canal Club, The Flops, The Great Beforetimes, The Mitras, Tone Redd, Unique Hustle Hard, Zay

FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, January 29, 7 PM
Last Minute Fest!, feat. The Mitras, Nancy Raygun, Halfcast, Cassidy Snider & The Wranglers, Dead Billionaires, Ten Pound Snail, Dead Rising, Big Loud Awful Sound @ The Camel – $10 in advance, $12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Every week, no matter how much I intend not to, I end up starting the column with a disclaimer about the ongoing pandemic. So this week, let’s just lean into it. Last week’s column started with the featured show I planned getting cancelled 10 minutes before I started writing. I know of at least one show I did end up including in last week’s column that got cancelled between my writing about it and the day it was supposed to happen. And while I can’t say whether it’s got anything in particular to do with COVID, the fact that this show, now christened Last Minute Fest!, was originally promoted as an all-local three-band bill, of which two of the bands have since dropped off, makes me think that COVID may be getting its filthy paws all over this one too.

All of which is to say that any partaking of live music in the current environment requires accepting a certain amount of risk. Of course, I grew up going to shows in barely-legal basements where you were always in danger of being put in the hospital by a particularly vigorous slam dancer, and I still went, so I guess we all have to make those calculations for ourselves. And I can certainly see why the bill Last Minute Fest is offering here would lead any hale and hearty fan of local music to risk the viral version of a spinkick to the jaw. For one thing, there’s the ringleaders of this whole shindig, The Mitras, a fun local alt-rock group who recreate the best of those mid-90s post-Nirvana buzz-bin hits from bands like Local H and The Toadies, while having a ton of fun doing so. Their set alone will offer sufficient reason to dance the night away.

Oh, but there’s so much more on offer here that’ll be worth so much more than your ten measly bucks. For example, melodic psychedelia from local indie rockers Nancy Raygun, whose resemblance to a long-gone local venue is purely coincidental. Then there’s Halfcast’s chunky, borderline-metallic riff bombast, which at times resembles Queens Of The Stone Age. We also have sets from recent column mainstays like country-soul combo Cassidy Snider & The Wranglers and melodic slowcore ensemble Ten Pound Snail. That’s not to mention the jangly, ramshackle rockin’ Dead Billionaires brings to the table, and the catchy, vaguely funky, er, sound of Big Loud Awful Sound… plus whatever other than a video game Dead Rising might be. It’s a lot of local musical genius for a relatively small amount of money, so weigh the risk however you have to and get over to the Camel for an evening of excellent Richmond rock.

Wednesday, January 26, 7 PM
Orange Culture, The Flops, Ten Pound Snail, Los Malcriados @ The Camel – $10 in advance, $12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Kids playing guitars. It’s always fun. Orange Culture will liven up your Wednesday night doldrums tonight at the Camel with the welcome sight of some barely-out-of-high-school boys jumping around with guitars. Orange Culture hails from Roanoke, they’re in their teens, and they’ve got an album called OCCO that shows off their catchy riffs, upbeat tempos, and inclinations toward psychedelic pop in fine fashion. They’re the new generation, and they’ve got something to say — you should listen to them!

Similar could be said about The Flops, another rock n’ roll combo from elsewhere in Virginia who will be sharing this bill with Orange Culture. The Flops have melody and groove to spare, and they hail from Staunton rather than Roanoke, so representation for the I-81 corridor will be strong on this bill. Richmond mainstays Ten Pound Snail will contribute a lovely dose of their slowcore mood music for those who don’t want to wait til Saturday for their escargot fix. The bill is rounded out by Los Malcriados, a dozen-piece funk ensemble featuring six horn players and a super-soulful rhythm section with a decidedly Latin flavor mixed in there. These guys will start this show off with a bang, and who doesn’t love that?

Thursday, January 27, 7 PM
Pressing Strings, The Great Beforetimes @ The Camel – $12 in advance, $15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
It’s been real cold outside lately, and you definitely don’t need a column for upcoming live music to tell you that. But what I can offer you is the possibility of some real musical relief, coming to the Camel this Thursday night, in the form of Annapolis, MD’s Pressing Strings. This trio’s smooth, folky rock music has the feel of someone wrapping a warm blanket around your shoulders and handing you a hot cup of chicken broth after you’ve been out in the cold for hours. And believe me, I’ve definitely wished I had something like that after my last few morning walks.

Pressing Strings were yet another band who got supremely unlucky as a result of the pandemic, releasing their most recent full-length, Settle In, during that week in March 2020 when everything shut down. They’ve since followed it up with an EP called Morning Takes, which actually dates from the same time period. There’s a very clear mood being created on both of these releases, and the best way I could describe that mood would be as: laid-back, but empathic rather than apathetic. These guys are the musical version of that friendly bartender who listens to your troubles on a slow weekday afternoon and actually has some good advice to offer. Pressing Strings don’t have any personalized advice for you, just some music. But it’s really lovely music, and that always helps.

Friday, January 28, 7 PM
Tone Redd, Noah-O, Zay, Big Sty, Unique Hustle Hard, G’z Finest; with special appearances by: Illa Styles, Ed Da Realist, Earl Wizzi, John Day @ Black Iris – $15 in advance, $20 at the door (order tickets HERE)
It’s Richmond rapper Tone Redd’s birthday, and he’s ready to party down in proper fashion at Black Iris this Friday night. Tone Redd has been locked down for the past two years just like the rest of it, but he hasn’t let it slow him down, instead using COVID-19 as creative fuel for his latest EP, The Pandemic Album. Produced by Starr Nyce, the six songs on this EP hit hard with lyrical power while also staying smooth and soulful. And of course Tone Redd will bring all that and more to his performance at Black Iris, so you’re gonna want to be there.

He’s got a whole bunch of Richmond hip hop heavy hitters that’ll be up in the place celebrating with him, too, so you know not only that Tone Redd’s for real, but that this show is going to be off the hook. Noah-O’s sets are always impressive, Zay is a young up-and-comer with some real bangers under his belt, and Big Sty is a veteran Richmond hip hop player with stacks of tracks. There’s quite a bit more to come on this stacked bill of local hip hop talent as well, from a set by G’z Finest, who partnered with Tone Redd on 2019’s 50/50 Mixtape, to “special appearances” (meaning they’re only gonna do one or two songs? Aww) by Illa Styles and Ed Da Realist, among others. Plenty of hard-hitting hip hop from right here in the RVA will be on the menu on this night, so get a plate and get ready to get served.

Saturday, January 29, 8 PM
Bandito’s Winter Fest, feat. Chupaskabra, Black Tie Society, Ice Cold Chillen, Everybody Gets One @ Bandito’s – Free!
Has the time come for a full-on ska-punk revival, y’all? I’m not necessarily the best person to ask; I kinda stayed on the sidelines for the first ska-punk revival back in the late 90s. I did see — and play — a few shows featuring bands that were part of that whole scene back in those days, though, including Richmonders Chump Change and Shmegma. Members from both of those bands are now playing in Chupaskabra, an obviously ska-loving but equally punk-as-fuck combo coming out of Richmond’s Southside. They’ve got the upstrokes and the oi-oi-oi’s, they’ve got the skankin’ and the circle pits. If you’re in any way open to bringing back those days, back when everybody had Operation Ivy and Voodoo Glow Skulls records in places of pride in their record collections, you’re gonna want to come out to Bandito’s this Saturday night and catch Chupaskabra.

These guys are being joined by Black Tie Society, who hail from Virginia Beach and land a little closer to the ska side of the ska-punk equation, while Chupaskabra are a bit closer to the punk side. They’re united on the issue of partying, though: they’re in favor. So it’s probably good that they’re at Bandito’s, especially since this event seems to have a whole bunch to do with beer, and in my experience, ska-punk bands tend to like beer. Personally I’m just here to rock out and eat nachos, but y’all have fun with that “tap takeover” or whatever, and when you’re done, let’s all have fun skanking it up in the Diablo Room. Sound good? Yup, it does to me too.

Sunday, January 30, 6:30 PM
Being As An Ocean, Capstan, Limbs, Emerald Beach @ The Canal Club – $16 in advance, $18 day of show (order tickets HERE)
And now for something completely different. Being As An Ocean are a band from California who originally attracted attention during that whole “emo revival” era, even though they always had a heavier, almost-hardcore sound that landed them somewhere between Pianos Become The Teeth and Modern Life Is War — at least in my humble opinion. As the emo revival waned, Being As An Ocean’s profile has slightly diminished, but they’re currently on tour to remind us all of their glory days with a tenth-anniversary celebration of Dear G-d, their 2012 debut album that drew so much attention back when it was first released.

One would therefore assume that they’ll be focusing on their earlier material for this performance, and I for one will not be bummed if so — their more recent stuff has delved into electronic textures that always feel more conceptually interesting than viscerally exciting, at least to me. That early stuff just hits harder — and since they’re doing an anniversary tour for their debut album, you gotta figure that on some level, they know it too. On this tour, Being As An Ocean are getting musical support from Florida bands Capstan and Limbs, who are very much on a similar musical wavelength. Californians Thousand Below had to drop off the tour due to a (non-COVID-related) health issue, so Virginia Beach danceable emo ensemble Emerald Beach will be filling in and getting things started on what’s sure to be an intense evening. Get ready for it.

Tuesday, February 1, 9 PM
Fast Eddy, Mel Machete, DJ Wylie Kill @ Fuzzy Cactus – $8
Back when I was a kid in the late 80s, XL102 used to refer to themselves as “Richmond’s home for rock n’ roll.” That was a long time ago, and since then, they’ve been “102.1 The X,” back to being XL102 for a while, and now they’re “Alt 102.1” and they mostly play crap like Bastille and Imagine Dragons now. So is there a NEW home for rock n’ roll in Richmond? Well, it might not be a radio station, but I think Fuzzy Cactus just might fit the bill. After all, anytime there’s a show at this Northside bar, you can be sure the bands on the bill are gonna rock hard and get you all sweaty.

Denver’s Fast Eddy are at the top of this bill, and they’ve got a sound that manages to be clean and clear without coming off as polished or mannered. Singles like “Lost” and “Milwaukee” capture the rock n’ roll energy of The Hives, early AC/DC, and even the best of Chuck Berry, and as a result, their music is a blast from beginning to end. One can only imagine that their set at Fuzzy Cactus will be equally filled with high-revving, energetic fun. Richmond’s own Mel Machete are acting as local support on this gig, and they’ve got much the same fun-loving rock n’ roll energy, but they bring a strong dose of sass into the equation with the addition of frontwoman Wild Mel Medina. DJ Wylie Kill will keep the killer jams spinning before and between sets, and you better believe this will be a rock n’ roll night to remember. Or maybe forget, depending on how “in the spirit” you end up getting. You know what I’m talking about.

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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]

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: December 8 – December 14

Marilyn Drew Necci | December 8, 2021

Topics: Bandito's, Benet, Doomsday Profit, Fuzzy Cactus, Glossing, K Bay, Kate Bollinger, Lair, live music in Richmond, LJ & The Sleeze, Lucy In Battle Armor, Matthew E. White, Mini Trees, Patrick Zampetti, Piranha Rama, Punks For Presents, Rezn, S. Raekwon, shows you must see, Solace Sovay, Tasha, The Broadberry, The Camel, The tin pan, The Wormholes, Tyler Nail, Wonderland, Zack Mexico

FEATURED SHOW
Punks For Presents 2021
Night One: Friday, December 10, 8 PM
Imaginary Toys, X-Mas, Toy Division @ Wonderland – $10 (order tickets HERE)
Night Two: Saturday, December 11, 7 PM
Bouncing Coals, It’s A Wonderful Lifetime, Santa Day Real Estate, International Superheroes of Glory @ Fuzzy Cactus – $10 (order tickets HERE)
The holiday season is upon us, folks. That’s right, Christmas is coming, and while it appears that the Omicron variant is set to be the lump of coal in all of our stockings this year (get your vaccines! And if you’re vaccinated, get your booster!), we are at least lucky to have finagled a way to have a real life, in-person Punks For Presents celebration this year, stretching over multiple weekends of December in RVA. Let’s get stoked!

If you like comedy, you’ll get a prelude to the P4P festivities on Thursday night at Cobra Cabana, but the real beginning of this year’s odyssey of tribute bands is Friday night, when Imaginary Toys will top the bill at Shockoe Bottom’s favorite punk rock dive bar, Wonderland! Cure tribute Imaginary Boys has been a fixture at cover band shows in Richmond for ages now, and this is not the first time they’ve added a Christmas theme to their recreations of Robert Smith’s mope-rock standards, so they’re sure to entertain, especially if you’re the sort of goth who sometimes wonders what the happy happy holiday season could possibly have to offer you. They’ll be joined on this bill by X-Mas, returning to the Punks For Presents lineup for the first time in a few years to recreate the sordid LA tales and flawless boy-girl harmonies of first-wave Cali punks X. And the whole thing will be rounded out by Toy Division, who will put a Yuletide gloss on all those songs Ian Curtis wrote about how depressed he was. If nothing else, it should appeal to the Cure fans showing up for the headliner.

The next day, head out to the Northside and post up at Fuzzy Cactus, where the evening of Punks For Presents tribute bands on offer will take a less goth, more melodic punk approach. It’ll start with The Bouncing Coals, whose holiday-themed twist on Jersey punk legends The Bouncing Souls is sure to cause some excitement. Then we’ve got It’s A Wonderful Lifetime, who recreate the music of those great dancers from New Brunswick, Lifetime. Is it emo? Is it pop-punk? Is it hardcore? Somewhere inbetween all of those, I’d say. And by the way, I have no idea if this band has anything to do with the long-ago Richmond-based Lifetime tribute put together by members of Wow Owls and 10:33, but if not, it’s carrying on a proud local tradition. The Fuzzy Cactus bill will be rounded out by the emo Christmas tunes of Sunny Day Real Estate tribute act Santa Day Real Estate and the pizza-loving pop punk of New Found Glory tribute act International Superheroes of Glory. It’s gonna be a snow-covered blast, and it’s for a good cause (all proceeds raised by Punks For Presents will go to Children’s Hospital of Richmond), so do your part by coming out and rocking!

Wednesday, December 8, 8 PM
Tyler Nail, Patrick Zampetti @ The Tin Pan – $22.50 (order tickets HERE)
It’s been a while since I had the opportunity to shout out a show out at The West End’s premier sit-down venue, The Tin Pan, but I’m glad to be able to mention their name once again. You know it’s gonna be something on the more chill end of things if you’re heading out to the Tin Pan, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring. Indeed, North Carolina singer-songwriter Tyler Nail has a downright hypnotic delivery on his acoustic Americana work — one that’s taken him a long way from his first shows, which were, if his website is to be believed, in a Taco Bell. Hey, at least the food was good.

Nail’s latest project is an EP called Devil, and the dark, foreboding sound of tracks like “Devil And A Deadman” is downright riveting. He brings an awareness in his music of deep-rooted Appalachian communities and the way things out in the country can sometimes get a little lawless; it’s the kind of thing a lot of Richmonders should appreciate, even if you’re more of a punk than a folkie. Maybe especially then. Nail’s joined at The Tin Pan by Patrick Zampetti, a local boy with an acoustic guitar and a riveting voice. This evening isn’t going to be all that loud, but it will certainly be memorable.

Thursday, December 9, 9 PM
Rezn, Lair, Doomsday Profit @ Bandito’s – Free!
Thursday night, on the other hand, will be loud. At least, it will be if you do what I recommend you do and go see Rezn at Bandito’s. Hey, the price is right. And if you need any further arguments to be marshalled in support of this recommendation, look no further than Chaotic Divine, the LP this Chicago quartet released last fall. Moving from spaced-out moments of pure psychedelia to crushing metal over the course of many lengthy epics, you might think this is another doom metal project. However, the fact that Rezn make use of all sorts of non-metal instruments over the course of this LP, from flute and saxophone to sitar, oud, and baglama, should tell you that Rezn have a lot more going on than any ordinary doom metal band you’re likely to encounter.

In fact, Rezn even released a limited-edition flexi earlier this year featuring a tune, “Mirror Mirage Dub,” that shows off their skill with the deceptively complex genre of dub reggae. These guys are sure to expand your horizons in all sorts of directions. But don’t worry, they’ll have plenty of headbanging moments on offer as well. Richmonders Lair will add to the headbanging opportunities, though they’ll take their sweet time getting there. Lair’s much more straightforward in their approach to doom metal, but they are far from boring, and they show it on the two-song release they put out last winter, At Our End. I don’t know whether to call it an EP or an LP, by the way, because on one hand it only has two songs on it, but on the other hand, those two songs add up to nearly 27 minutes of running time — longer than a lot of hardcore bands’ LPs. What I do know for sure is that it’s a deep, multilayered listening experience, and their set at Bandito’s is sure to be every bit as enthralling. North Carolina’s Doomsday Profit will round the evening out with some old-school downer sludge a la early Eyehategod. All this and the opportunity to dine on Bandito’s excellent nachos? What more could you want? (Yes, I will continue to mention their nachos every time I write about Bandito’s for the foreseeable future. Deal with it.)

Friday, December 10, 9 PM
Tasha, Mini Trees, S. Raekwon @ The Camel – $15 in advance, $18 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Things get downright emotional at The Camel this Friday night. And no, I don’t mean “emo” — if I meant emo, I’d say emo. I’m not afraid. But anyway, Tasha, who hails from Chicago, is a singer-songwriter who leads with her guitar, using her soft, muted sounds to tell stories about deep, dark feelings overtop of absolutely haunting tunes. Her brand new LP, Tell Me What You Miss The Most, is full of indelible melodies that sink deep into your soul and refuse to let go. Sometimes she’s backed by a band, and sometimes she’s on her own, but either way, she always grabs your attention and presents you with sounds you feel on the deepest level.

I will say that I don’t know whether Tasha’s coming to the Camel with a full band or on her own. However, I’m not sure it matters; her work has enough variety that you can tell she’ll be great in either format. Mini Trees, the Los Angeles-based project led by Lexi Vega, seems more likely to take the form of a full band, as they generally do on their new album, Always In Motion. Mini Trees also has more of an upbeat pop approach that, at least to me, seems to show the influence of West Coast weather on their vibes. These songs sound like they were written and recorded when the sun was out — but don’t make the mistake of assuming that makes them shallow. Like Tasha, Mini Trees is bringing real emotional depth to the fore, and their set is sure to move you. S. Raekwon, who is a New York-based singer-songwriter with (as far as I can tell) no ties to the Wu-Tang Clan, will get things started with a soulful approach to moody, guitar-driven pop. Get down with it.

Saturday, December 11, 7 PM
K Bay Presents: Benét, Kate Bollinger, Matthew E. White @ The Broadberry – $15 (order tickets HERE)
If you’ve been paying attention lately, you’re sure to know that K Bay is not only the name of Matthew E. White’s latest album, but also the name of the studio he built in his home as a sort of retreat from his Spacebomb base of operations. Therefore, the fact that this show is billed as a K Bay presentation, and features Matthew E. White at the bottom of the bill rather than the top, leads me to believe that he’s responsible for this entire bill. And therefore, you’ve got to figure that he put Benet at the top of the bill for a reason. So let’s talk about Benet, a local up-and-comer whose catchy dancefloor-filling tunes have been getting quite a bit of attention around the city and in the wider online world. They started out with last year’s Citrus City release, Stan Account, and followed up that EP with this year’s even more noteworthy collection of danceable tunes about love and romance, Game Over.

If you ask me, Benet is reason enough to show up to the Broadberry on Saturday night, Matthew E. White or no Matthew E. White. The addition of Kate Bollinger to the bill, another excellent Richmond singer-songwriter with a great new single, “Yards/Gardens,” further sweetens the pot. But of course, many of you are going to be showing up for the man himself, and you’ve got very good reasons for doing so. K Bay (the album, not the studio or the nebulous presenter of this event) is a collection of absolutely excellent tunes, showing off a wider variety of what White is capable of doing than any of his previous projects. Indeed, he lays out some dancefloor bangers of his own on this one, and you can expect tracks like “Let’s Ball” and “Electric” to be highlights of his set on this fine evening. Of course, if he drops some of his smoother balladry or even his quiet acoustic tunes, no one’s going to complain about that either. Really, whatever Matthew E. White wants to bring to Richmond, we’re sure to appreciate the resulting sounds. So let’s gather together and get down with it.

Sunday, December 12, 7 PM
LJ & the Sleeze, Zack Mexico, Piranha Rama @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
What do you say, folks — should we spend the final night of our weekend at the Camel? In light of the fact that it’s one of the best places to hang out in the whole damn city, has great food, and is full of cool people, I might just say so regardless of what sort of music they’ve got onstage that particular evening. But once you see the rock n’ roll triple bill this show has in store for you, Sunday night at The Camel goes from “a good bet” to “fucking essential.” First and foremost, we’ve got LJ & the Sleeze, the latest project from Max Henry Gottesman, which takes that whole undercurrent of adolescent horniness that’s always an essential component of garage rock and finds out what happens when you crank it up to 17 or so. So far, the results LJ & the Sleeze have gotten with this tactic have been stellar, and the word is that Max has now recruited a full time band to back them up, so you can expect even better things to come on this fine evening.

Then there’s the other two bands on the bill, both of whom are totally willing to expand the usual band lineup well beyond the standard quartet or quintet. North Carolina’s Zack Mexico are driven by the dual rhythms laid down by their two drummers, who join half a dozen other members in making some mind-expanding psychedelic pop that isn’t afraid to push all sorts of musical boundaries. You can tell that this is their vibe when you check the track listing of their 35-minute LP Sound Waves For The Relaxed And Dying, which came out back in the cursed month of March 2020 (our condolences, Zack Mexico), and see that it only contains five songs, the majority of which stretch to over eight minutes in length. Things are going to get epic. And of course, when Piranha Rama is onstage, this genre-hopping Richmond band will do Zack Mexico exactly one better by bringing NINE musicians into play, throwing everything from jazz and soul to punk and surf-rock into a potent brew of catchy tunes. Get ready, because here they come. All of them.

Monday, December 13, 7 PM
The Wormholes, Lucy In Battle Armor, Glossing, Solace Sovay @ The Camel – $8 in advance, $10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
And hey, one good night at The Camel deserves another, am I right? Of course I’m right. This Monday night will get you back out to the venue after an action-packed weekend with some intriguing sonics from The Wormholes, a North Carolina duo with a penchant for art damage and a sound that incorporates everything from post-rock to psych-pop, and bases everything on the kind of up-to-the-minute indie sensibility that is guaranteed to make us all smile.

They are joined on this bill by a trio of Richmond ensembles, both new and veteran. Lucy In Battle Armor’s instrumental math-rock tunes have gotten more and more danceable as they’ve gone on, and the last we heard from them, back in 2019, brought us the super-fun SOPHE LP. Assuming they haven’t made any major changes since then, their set should get the whole place dancing, spacewalk-style. Then there’s Glossing, a brand new group featuring Richmond legend James Hoffer (who’s been in a million bands, including one with me! Wow, that was over 20 years ago), as well as former members of DC bands like Birds For Eyes and Broke Royals, coming together to do an entirely new thing. That’s sure to be worth hearing now rather than later, so get in on the ground floor for this one. Finally, Solace Sovay carries on their long-running tradition of bringing effects-laden alternative pop gems to the sound-starved denizens of the river city. Come down to the Camel on Monday and lap this one up.

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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]

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: November 10 – November 16

Marilyn Drew Necci | November 10, 2021

Topics: Bandito's, Beach Bunny, Blvck Hippie, Brady Heck, Cassidy Snider & The Wranglers, Chuck Jones, Future Projektor, Jacob Ritter, live music in Richmond, Mad Abbey, Marshal Family Values, Miloe, No Moniker, Post Animal, Richmond Music Hall At Capital Ale House, Rikki Rakki, River Kittens, Ron Gallo, Samantha Fish, Shakey Graves, shows you must see, Sigmund Fraud, Sun June, The Broadberry, The Camel, The National, The Wimps, Thunderchief

FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, November 23, 2021, 7 PM
Beach Bunny, Miloe @ The Broadberry – $20 in advance, $24 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Oh hey, how’s it going? What have you been up to for the past year and a half? It’s been a wild ride for me too, but I’m back, I’m fully vaxxed, and I’m ready to rock. Lucky me, because the big news my first week back is that Beach Bunny is returning to RVA this Saturday night. If you were paying attention back in 2019, you’ll surely have noticed Honeymoon, the debut full-length by this Chicago four-piece. Led by singer-guitarist-songwriter Lili Trifilio, Beach Bunny started out as a solo project, gaining members over their first few years as they released four promising EPs. Honeymoon fulfilled that promise on its best songs, the vast majority of its running time being occupied by upbeat, jangly power-pop with an undeniable punk energy and attitude. There were still a few quieter, more minimalist ballads on the album, which weren’t my faves but stood as an understandable hangover from the solo years.

However, at this point, Beach Bunny’s moved on from all that, and their two post-pandemic statements, four-song EP Blame Game and brand new single “Oxygen,” go all in on the catchy, punky, power-pop vibes, and feature sharp lyrics that unflinchingly take on the worst aspects of interpersonal relationships among the youthful subculture the best music always comes from. Case in point: Blame Game opening track “Good Girls (Don’t Get Used),” which inverts the potential victim-blaming of the title to call out slack-ass indie boy hypocrisy. Meanwhile, the EP’s title track takes on rape culture in unsparing terms, and “Nice Guys” skewers the many dudes who don’t realize that putting women on a pedestal is still objectification.

So yeah, Beach Bunny has a lot for us, but it’s not all acid; “Oxygen’s” lyrics are an upbeat celebration of the dawning of a great new relationship, and pretty much all of the songs have that bouncy swing that we all loved from those early Best Coast records. So yeah, if you wanna dance with a big smile on your face, this is the show for you! Show up Saturday night at the Broadberry, bring your vax card, and get ready to have a blast.

Wednesday, November 10, 8 PM
Blvck Hippie, The Wimps, No Moniker @ The Camel – $8 in advance, $10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
This is one of those times where I’m not actually sure who’s opening and who’s headlining, so let me just say — you really want to show up at the beginning and stay to the very end for this one. But let’s start by talking about Blvck Hippie, since they’re the ones who are on tour. A Memphis-based project led by Josh Shaw, Blvck Hippie takes an intricate approach to indie tunes that contain a trenchant analysis of the limitations inherent in the indie rock scene of 2021. And of course, as a Black man playing music in a scene that is all too often way too white, Shaw’s observations aren’t the same old typical indie-boy laments.

In fact, you can tell that as soon as you listen to Blvck Hippie’s debut full-length, If You Feel Alone At Parties, released just last month and containing gems like “Answering Machine,” “July 5th,” and the title track, all of which deal frankly with alienation and the ongoing fallout from trauma. At the same time, Shaw’s lead guitar riffing adds an unmistakable melodic counterpoint to all of the music he’s presenting here, with the result that some of these subtly sad songs are also perfectly structured to stay in your head all day. Which is good, because this is a band whose music should give you plenty to think about. Of course, it should be acknowledged that The Wimps and No Moniker are also pushing back against the standard whiteboy-indie paradigm. And that’s definitely good. But the real reason you should catch both of these groups is the reason it always should be: both the quirky alt-rock of The Wimps and the bouncy disco-infused indie sound of No Moniker are excellent — as is Blvck Hippie. So hey, rock with ’em.

Thursday, November 11, 7 PM
Shakey Graves, Sun June @ The National – $25 in advance, $30 at the door (order tickets HERE)
If you’re aware of Shakey Graves, it’s probably due to his lengthy tenure in the rootsy world of the genre known as Americana — which is to say, he pulls from old-time music, but he doesn’t discriminate. Folk, country, blues, rockabilly… it’s all welcome. That very musical freedom is probably what led ol’ Shakey to the intriguing sound of his latest EP, 2020’s Look Alive, which is closer to moody, synth-infused indie rock than anything you’d normally associate with the “Americana” tag. In that way, he’s sort of following a similar path to that of Sturgill Simpson, though his approach is very much his own.

And of course, now that I’ve said all that, I should mention that the release Shakey Graves is really touring behind right now is Roll The Bones X, a tenth-anniversary reissue of his debut LP featuring another entire LP’s worth of outtakes tacked onto the end. And if it’s intriguing takes on what Greil Marcus called “the old weird America” that you’re looking for, well, on Roll The Bones X, Shakey Graves absolutely has what you’re looking for — and plenty of it. The million-dollar question, then, is: which of these Shakey Graves sounds will you get when you go see him on Thursday night at the National? His most recent explorations of the outer boundaries of genre? His original raw, earthy take on folk/blues/country vibes? A little of both? All I can tell you for sure is that, whichever you get, you can’t really go wrong. My advice: show up, and let it roll from there.

Friday, November 12, 9 PM
Sigmund Fraud, Mad Abbey, Marshall Family Values, Rikki Rakki @ The Camel – $10 in advance, $12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
What better night than Friday night to dive into a show full of up-and-coming local talents, and really re-immerse yourself in the depths of what’s going on down here in the river city? If there is a better night, I didn’t find it this week. So I’m definitely advising that you come out to the Camel this Friday to enjoy the festivities around the release of Sigmund Fraud’s latest album. Aside from their great name, what do you need to know about Sigmund Fraud? Well, there’s the fact that they mingle a variety of different genres into their jammy, soulful, rockin’ sound, and the fact that, if you move around their Bandcamp page from one song to another, you’ll have a tough time really pinning them down. Everything they try, though, from the synth moods of “Lovespell” to the spaced-out slacker rock of “West Clay Street Blues,” is a lot of fun. And that’s what really counts.

There’s more going on here than just one band, though. Three other Richmond ensembles will be on hand to liven up your night, and all of them have a very strong likelihood of doing exactly that. Mad Abbey’s rocked-out approach to the power trio format brings some prog and classic rock touches to the fore. Marshall Family Values have a bit of desert spookiness to their rock n’ roll sound — I’m almost reminded of the Meat Puppets at some points. Finally, Rikki Rakki sees singer-songwriter Erika Blatnik take a somewhat noisy approach to what are fundamentally really beautiful heartfelt tunes. What form they’ll take live is open to question, but I’m certainly intrigued — as I am by this entire bill.

Saturday, November 13, 9:30 PM
Thunderchief, Future Projektor @ Bandito’s – Free!
OK, this show is a big relief. I say that because, as a dyed-in-the-wool metalhead, I found this week’s lineup of live music hits surprisingly weak on heaviness — that is, until I got to this Saturday night shindig at Bandito’s. Richmond metal veterans who wish to experience the bliss that is a Saturday night spent banging your head while mercilessly heavy riffs fly at you with great force, this show is for you. The bill starts off with Thunderchief, a duo that pairs talented thrasher Rik Surly with RVA metal/punk veteran Erik Larson (Avail, Parasytic, Alabama Thunderpussy, etc). Surly screams and dishes out huge riffs while Larson pounds the hell out of the drums. On last year’s No Sufferance For Thy Fools LP, their sound is way heavier and thicker than you’d expect a duo to generate, and that’s sure to be true in the live room at Bandito’s as well (secretly the best-sounding smaller venue in this city. Yeah, I said it).

Then there’s Future Projektor, the other band on this evening of heavy sounds that all of us are blessed to receive for our zero-dollar investment. If you remember Gritter, you may recognize some of these fellows; guitarist Adam Kravitz and drummer Kevin White were both part of that downbeat metal outfit, while bassist Sean Plunkett is a veteran of fellow Richmond metallers I Am The Liquor. The three of them have now come together to crank out some instrumental heavyosity in the glorious Richmond tradition of Breadwinner, the Alter Natives, and many others. Get ready for a night of serious brutality — one that you can start by saving your cash for a big plate of pre-show nachos (secretly the best nachos in this city. Yeah, I said that too).

Sunday, November 14, 6:30 PM
Samantha Fish, River Kittens @ The National – $22.50 – $32.50 (order tickets HERE)
Here comes a night full of rip-roaring blues guitar pyrotechnics courtesy of Kansas City’s own Samantha Fish, a woman whose music I admit I was unfamiliar with before I heard she was rolling into town. Well, checking out the singles from her latest album, Faster, which came out last month on Rounder Records, made me a believer. There’s some of Bonnie Raitt’s talent for guitar-slinging pop balladry in Fish’s DNA, for sure, but like both Raitt and Stevie Ray Vaughan — another obvious influence on what Samantha Fish is up to in 2021 — she can rip out guitar leads sharp enough to cut yourself on. And if you don’t watch out, that’s exactly what’ll happen.

But don’t panic — you’ll be safe at The National this Sunday night (assuming you’re vaxxed up, that is. I shouldn’t even need to say that at this point). All you’ll have to worry about is how much fun you’re going to have rocking out to the straight fire Samantha Fish and her band are gonna lay down (again, only speaking metaphorically). And hey, based on what I’ve seen, at least a little bit of that fire is going to come from Samantha Fish’s outfit. The woman is not only a top-level shredder but an impeccable dresser, so be sure to keep your eyes open.

Monday, November 15, 9 PM
Cassidy Snider & The Wranglers, Brady Heck, Jacob Ritter, Chuck Jones @ The Camel – $10 in advance, $12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Let’s go from a touring blues singer to a homegrown one. I’m speaking, of course, of Richmond’s own Cassidy Snider, who is less focused on shredding and more on deep country soul. So far, the only release she and her backing band, The Wranglers, have up on the internet is a live album recorded at The Camel last winter, and it showcases the sheer amazingness of Ms. Snider’s voice. Her four-piece backing band features banjo, fiddle, organ, bass, and drums, but no guitar. However, with her singing up front, it’s totally unnecessary. Her powerful instrument shakes the rafters, at times completely overpowering the microphones that documented that fateful performance at the Camel.

You won’t have to worry about that at The Camel this Monday night, though — only the limits of your ears. However, even with my own significant hearing loss, I’m not the least bit worried about picking up everything Ms. Snider is laying down. It’s gonna be great. And even greater is the opportunity to pick up a copy of Cassidy Snider & The Wranglers’ brand new LP, which they’ll be releasing at this show. Opening sets from local talents Brady Heck, Jacob Ritter, and Chuck Jones (not the guy who directed all those old Tom and Jerry cartoons… though wouldn’t that be sweet?) only serve to make this entire evening even more enjoyable. So shake off the Mondays and spend the first night of your workweek at the Camel. It’ll do you no harm.

Tuesday, November 16, 7 PM
Post Animal, Ron Gallo @ Richmond Music Hall at Capital Ale House – $15 in advance, $18 day of show (order tickets HERE)
I have been hearing the name Post Animal for a few years now, but this is my first time really diving in. And I must say, what I’ve found has been particularly enjoyable; a psychedelic quartet from Chicagoland who know how to create a huge atmosphere and a powerful mood. Last year’s second LP, Forward Motion Godyssey, demonstrates this in fine fashion, layering melodies aplenty, both vocal and guitar, with oceans of reverberating sound and color. I can’t imagine this music will be anything but even more amazing at full volume in the live environment. Now, if you’re one of those people who’d go to see Post Animal hoping to get a close-up look at Stranger Things actor Joe Keery, I must warn you that he’s no longer in the band. While he may have contributed to the band’s most recent album (I’m actually not able to tell), he won’t be performing with them.

But look, if you skip out on this show for that reason, I have to question your taste. After all, this quintet still contains five very talented songwriters, who are capable of channeling the best of that early Tame Impala vibe through a psych-pop lens that is pure Elephant 6. What’s not to love there? Plus! You’ll also be getting a set from Ron Gallo, whose catchy rock n’ roll vibes early in his career, circa 2017 single “Young Lady, You’re Scaring Me” have been augmented with a fair dose of psychedelia in its own right on his most recent album, Peacemeal. You know you’re gonna dig that.

—-

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]

Eat Local! The RVA Mag Guide to Supporting Restaurants During COVID-19

RVA Staff | April 1, 2020

Topics: 23rd and main, 3 monkeys, 3rd street diner, adarra, alewife, Ardent craft ales, bamboo, Bandito's, barrel thief wine, Belmont Butchery, belmont pizza, best restaurants richmond va, Black Hand Coffee, Blue Bee Cider, Boogaloo's, Brenner Pass, brunch, Burger Bach, Buskey Cider, buz and neds, can can, capital one cafe, Cary St. Cafe, Casa Del Barco, Citizen, citizen burger bar, Cobra Cabana, coronavirus, coronavirus richmond va, covid 19 richmond va, covid 19 rva, Crossroads, delivery groceries richmond va, delivery grocery richmond va, delivery restaurants richmond va, delivery richmond va, dogtown brewing, Dont Look Back, Dot's Back Inn, dutch and company, Final Gravity, fine creek, fuzzy cactus rva, fw sullivans rva, garden grove, garnetts, Growlers to go, Hardywood, helens richmond va, intermission beer, Ipanema Cafe, Isley, Jack Brown's, jack browns richmond, Joe's Inn, Kabana, L'opossum, Lady N'awlins, laura lees, Lickinghole Creek, little nickel, local restaurants, lulus, lunch and supper, mekong, mellow mushroom, Millie's, Mojo's, New York Deli, otooles, penny lane pub, perch rva, Perly's, Peter Chang's, peter changs richmond, piknik, Pop's Market on Grace, proper pie, rappahannock richmond va, rappahannock rva, restaurants, restaurants richmond va, River City Roll, roosevelt richmond va, Sabai, Secco Wine Bar, sidewalk cafe, social 52 richmond, southbound richmond va, starr hill richmond, stoplight gelato, Strangeways Brewing, sugar shack donuts, sullivans, tazza, The Answer, the daily, The Jasper, the treat shop, Tio Pablo, tje veil, to go restaurants richmond va, Triple Crossing Beer, Union Market, Väsen, where to eat richmond va, wpa bakery, ZZQ

The current situation may be tough on local business, but many restaurants in Richmond are opening up options for delivery and pickup orders to help get past the worst weeks of this pandemic. Here’s how you can help, while scoring delicious eats in the process!

While people are purchasing mass quantities of toilet paper, baby wipes, and frozen chicken, it can be tempting to lock yourself in your house and make meals with what you already have. But when you’re craving your favorite local dishes, restaurants in Richmond have a safe way to bring them to you: with pick-up and delivery, it’s still possible to enjoy the city’s best dining without the worry. Now more than ever, it’s time to support our local businesses however we can.

We’ve gathered a list of Richmond restaurants that are open for business with new takeout and delivery options during the COVID-19 pandemic. Listings will be updated as more information becomes available. In addition to using these safe avenues to support local business, many locals are also purchasing gift cards to help restaurants through the closures. It’s a great way to show your support now — and still be able to go out to eat when life calms down. Many included have shortened their operating hours, so be sure to order within their updated time frames for pick-up and delivery.

Check out your favorites here, and if you’re a local restaurant owner, reach out to us at [email protected] to have your spot added below.

Last Updated 11 AM Tuesday, May 5. No longer being actively updated as of 6/1.

DELIVERY & CARRYOUT OPTIONS AVAILABLE
These establishments — listed in alphabetical order for easy searching — are continuing with, or even adding, carryout and delivery options. Specific details listed with each business.

8 1/2
Church Hill location open (one customer permitted inside at a time). delivery through Quickness. Fan location closed indefinitely.

821 Cafe
To-go orders and delivery available. Open Wednesday- Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday-Sunday 9am-2pm. Menus for ordering options available here.

Ardent Craft Ales
Curbside pickup and delivery available.

Assante’s Pizza
Open regular hours (11am-3am) for takeout and delivery.

Barcode
Open regular hours. Takeout available, delivery through Grubhub.

Barrel Thief Wine Shop
Pickup and delivery both available.

Beauvine
Everyday 11am – 1am Takeout, Curbside, Delivery. Offering bottle beer, wine, and more. Call 804 -592-5592 to order.

Belmont Pizza
Pickup and delivery both available.

Big Herm’s Kitchen
Open Mon-Fri 11am-6pm for takeout and delivery. Order by phone or through Chop Chop, QuicknessRVA, Uber Eats, Grubhub, and EatStreet. Catering orders available. People wishing to support the restaurant can also purchase gift certificates and merch including hoodies, skullcaps, and pajama day shirts.

Bingo Beer Co
Pickup and delivery both available. 12-8pm daily, offering three delivery zones (check them out here) within 12 miles of their location in Scott’s Addition. Order on their website or directly through the link here.

Bryant’s Cider
Open for takeout Fridays 6-8pm, and Saturday-Sunday 3-5pm. Curbside pickup available. Delivery available through website beginning April 1.

Burger Bach Carytown
Open Sunday-Thursday 12-8pm, Friday-Saturday 12-10pm. Delivery from the restaurant directly.

Burger Bach Midlothan, Short Pump, Charlottesville, Durham
12-8pm every day. Curbside carryout, online ordering, and delivery. DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats ordering available.

Buskey Cider
Open Monday-Friday 3pm-7pm and Saturday-Sunday 12pm-7pm for to-go pickup and free delivery within 15 miles of cidery.

Buz & Ned’s
Open 11:30am-2:30pm and again 4:30-8pm. Curbside pickup available at West Broad location, pickup from express window at Boulevard location. Delivery available from Grubhub and Postmates.

Cafe Zata
Takeout available, delivery options thru UberEats and Eat Street.

The Camel
Taking orders over the phone for takeout or curbside pickup. Delivery through GrubHub, UberEats, DoorDash and EatStreet. Full menu, growler fill ups, and packaged beer to-go available. New hours are from 3 – 10pm.

Capitol Waffle Shop
Open for takeout and delivery, Monday & Tuesday 9am-2pm, Wednesday through Sunday 9am-8pm.

Carytown Burgers & Fries
Open for takeout and delivery, including beer, at Carytown and Lakeside locations. Order through website.

Casa Del Barco
Reopening downtown location Friday, March 27 for takeout and delivery. Open 12pm-9pm.

Casa Grande
Locations in Short Pump, on West Broad St near Parham Rd, and on Brook Rd near Virginia Center Commons, are currently open for takeout and delivery from 11am-10pm Mon-Thurs, 11am-11pm Fri-Sat, and 11am-9:30pm Sunday. Takeout orders can be placed through their website. Delivery available through DoorDash.

Casa Italiana
Open daily 11am-8pm for curbside pickup and delivery.

Cobra Cabana
Pickup and delivery both available.

Conch Republic Rocketts
Open for takeout from 11:30am-8:30pm, and for delivery from 11:30am-7:30pm. Employee delivery is available if you call the restaurant directly at (804)226-6242, or you can order through Uber Eats.

The Daily
Open for carryout and delivery. Offering delivery through ChopChopRVA, from both Short Pump and Carytown locations. Hours generally 12-8pm but check Facebook for updates.

Diamond Billiards
Offering curbside delivery of our full menu Tuesday-Saturday from 11:00am-7:00pm. (804) 794-8787

En Su Boca
Open every day noon-midnight for takeout and delivery. Curbside pickup available. Offering bottle beer, wine, and House margarita mix. Call (804)359-0768 to order.

Garnett’s Cafe
Takeout and delivery only. Order online at website.

The Grapevine
Open regular hours. Takeout and delivery available.

Growlers To Go
Boulevard location open afternoons, Thursday through Sunday. Short Pump location open afternoons, Tuesday through Sunday. Limited taps available. Offering curbside pickup. Delivery available 3-8pm every day; order through website.

GWARBar
Open for takeout and delivery 11am-10pm. Beer and wine available for pickup.

Helen’s
Open for takeout and delivery Tuesday-Saturday 5-9pm. Limited menu available, updated weekly. Call (804)358-4370 to order.

Home Sweet Home
Pickup and delivery both available. Call 804-355-9000 to order pickup, and delivery orders can be placed through Uber Eats, GrubHub, DoorDash, and Chop Chop RVA.

Home Team Grill
Fan location: Takeout and delivery available through DoorDash and Grubhub. 12-7pm daily hours.
Twin Hickory location: Takeout with Curbside and delivery through Doordash. 11:30am-8pm daily hours.

India K’Raja
Takeout and delivery available.

Isley Brewing Company
To-go orders, delivery within 10 miles of brewery.

Izzy’s Kitchen
Open for pickup from 11am-3pm and 5-7:30pm. Curbside pickup available. Delivery available through Chop Chop RVA.

Julep’s New Southern Cuisine
Opening for takeout and delivery with updated menu starting Tuesday, March 24. Hours will be 11am-5pm Monday-Saturday. Delivery available within 10 mile radius.

La Bamba Mexican Restaurant
To-go orders available including beer. Use parking lot and call to notify staff of your arrival. Delivery available through EatStreet.

Latitude Seafood Co.
Both locations open for carryout and delivery. Stony Point location open from 12-8pm, Westchester Commons from 4-8pm. Delivery available directly or through ChowNow, Grubhub, and Doordash.

Legend Brewing Co.
Open 12-8pm daily with to-go craft beer and food specials. Curbside pickup available, free delivery to Manchester and Forest Hill areas. Menu on website; call (804)232-3446 to order.

Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery
Open Monday-Friday 2-7pm, Saturday-Sunday 12-7pm. Drive-thru curbside pickup, delivery, and shipping throughout Virginia and some other states (check website for info on shipping out of state).

The Local Eatery And Pub
Open for curbside pickup and delivery 12-7pm seven days a week. Limited menu viewable on facebook page. Call (804)358-1862 to place an order.

Luther Burger
Open for takeout and delivery. Curbside pickup available. Hours and menu subject to change, check Facebook for current info.

Maldini’s
Open regular hours; 11am-10pm Sunday-Thursday, 11am-11pm Friday-Saturday. Curbside takeout, family-style dining options available as well as regular menu. Delivery in-house or through Uber Eats, Doordash, and Slice.

Mama J’s Kitchen
Carryout and delivery available; call or order through website in advance for carryout. Delivery available through Doordash and Postmates.

McCormack’s Whisky Grill
Open daily from 11:30am-9pm for takeout, curbside pickup, and delivery. Limited menu — check Facebook for available options.

Mellow Mushroom
All local locations open 11am-8pm for takeout and curbside pickup. Delivery orders available online only.

Mojo’s
Pickup and delivery both available. Employee support fund at GoFundMe.

Nama
Open for carryout and delivery Tuesday-Sunday 4-9pm. Two deals available that donate 15 percent of proceeds to Richmond Animal League.

Piccola Italy
Takeout available strictly from takeout window on Harrison St. side of building. Delivery continues with usual hours and ordering process. Call 804-355-3111 to place all orders until further notice.

PikNik
Open 3-9pm daily for takeout and delivery. To order, call (804)729-4693.

Pizza Express Westend
Open for curbside pickup and no-contact delivery, Sunday-Thursday 10:30am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 10:30am-11pm.

Postbellum
Open 4pm-9pm Wednesday-Sunday for takeout. Curbside service available. Limited menu available for delivery through Uber Eats and Doordash.

Rappahannock RVA
Open 12-8pm daily for takeout and delivery. Call (804)545-0565 or order online through Grubhub.

Root Stock Provisions
Open for takeout Thursday-Sunday 8am-2pm. Delivery available through Uber Eats.

Roots Natural Kitchen
Open normal hours, for takeout only. Delivery available through third party delivery apps (Uber Eats, Doordash, Postmates).

SB’s Lakeside Love Shack
Delivery and takeout available.

Sedona Taphouse
Curbside pickup and delivery available. Bottled and canned beer, and wine served at 50% off to residents and businesses within a 5-mile radius of Glen Allen and Midlothian locations. $5 delivery fee. Family Meal Deal with two flat iron steaks, with two sides each and a bottle of wine for under $40. Monday-Thursday and Sunday 11am-8:30pm, Friday and Saturday 11am-10pm.

Soul Taco
Both locations, Jackson Ward and Shockoe Slip, open for takeout. Orders can be placed through their website, or by calling in. Delivery available through Quickness, DoorDash, Uber Eats, Postmates, and Grubhub. Cocktails and meal kits available; check their Instagram or Facebook for current info on types of kits and times available.

Station 2
Open 11am-midnight for takeout and delivery. Parking lot pickup available, delivery available through Uber Eats.

Sticky Rice
Open daily for takeout and delivery 11am-9pm. Curbside pickup available. Delivery available through Quickness.

Strangeways Brewing
To-go beer orders only. Open 2-7 Monday through Friday, 12-7 Saturday, 2-6 Sunday. Curbside pickup available at both Dabney Rd and Scott’s Addition locations. Dabney Rd location also doing delivery Monday-Saturday. Order before 5pm for deliveries between 5 and 7pm that evening.

Sugar Shack Donuts
Lombardy St and Parham Rd locations open for takeout and delivery 7am-2pm. Delivery via Grubhub and Uber Eats.

Switch
Wine, beer, and merch only. Open Tuesday-Sunday 1-9pm for takeout. Delivery from 4-9pm.

TGI Fridays
Five local locations accepting orders for takeout and delivery. Hours and ordering info through website.

Toast
Carryout and delivery available. Curbside pickup available by request. Delivery handled through Uber Eats and Grubhub.

Triple Crossing Beer
Offering to-go and delivery options for beers.

Union Market
Dining room and bar temporarily closed, but full menu available to-go. Can be ordered online from UberEats (delivery fees have been waived for independent restaurants), or call in for pick up or for delivery through Quickness RVA. If you’re in the delivery zone for Quickness RVA, they can also deliver items from the market, including essentials, snacks, beer and wine. The market side of the business will remain open for shopping needs.

Upper Shirley Vineyards
This Charles City-based winery is offering delivery to Richmond Tuesday through Friday, and curbside pickup at the winery from 12-3pm. To order, email [email protected] For directions, check their website.

The Veil
Open for takeout 1-7pm Monday-Friday and 12-6pm Saturday-Sunday. Delivery available ($40 minimum) by emailing [email protected] Orders placed by 12 noon will receive same day delivery by 6pm; orders after 12 noon will be delivered the next day.

Weezie’s Kitchen
Open for takeout and delivery. Brunch menu available daily, all day. Hours are 12am-10pm daily. Delivery available through Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Doordash.

CARRY-OUT RESTAURANTS
These places are operating mainly on a takeaway basis, some with limited hours and/or menus. If you are making a to-go order, check on order-ahead options — they’re a good time-saver when available. This list is long, so again, they’re in alphabetical order for easy scrollability.

Alewife
To-go only.

The Answer Brewpub
12-5pm Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday. A list of items available for purchase is available on The Answer’s Instagram.

Baked RVA
This food truck is on the corner of 10th and Leigh streets in front of Barnes & Noble Monday through Friday from 7am-11pm, offering takeout pastries and baked goods.

Barrio Taqueria & Tequila
Limited menu with pick-up only via online ordering. Delivery coming soon. They were closed all last week, so check Facebook for updates on whether they’ve reopened.

Belmont Butchery
Pickup available. Limit 3 customers inside butchery at a time.

Black Hand Coffee Company
Open for takeout. Brookland Park location from 7am-1pm, Patterson Ave location 8am-2pm. Offering mobile order pick-up on the Cloosiv app. The instructions for this are on their Instagram: “Simply download the Cloosiv app, enter your info, allow your location to be shared with the app and you’re good to go.”

Blue Bee Cider
Curbside pickup available.

Brenner Pass
Curbside pickup available.

Can Can Brasserie
To-go only options available.

Center of the Universe Brewing
To-go sales only with adjusted taproom hours. Curbside pickup available, park alongside the front curb and proceed to the front door. Patrons will stay outside, and COTU team will deliver orders to the front. All tips received will benefit the front staff during closures. 10% off all case purchases and a buy $50 worth of COTU gift cards and get $10 free promotion. Growlers can be filled (only with the purchase of a new growler). Kegs are available, ordering via email at [email protected] for availability and pricing. Gift cards are available here.

Chez Foushee
Offering curbside pickup between 4 and 6 pm Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. Preparing a set amount of food nightly; order by midnight the night before to avoid sellouts.

Chiocca’s
Open for takeout 12-8pm daily.

Commercial Taphouse
Open for takeout orders Friday through Sunday, and on Cinco De Mayo. Orders can be placed by phone beginning at 2pm and picked up at the restaurant between 5 and 8pm. See their Instagram for specific daily details.

Curbside Cafe
Full menu available for takeout 11am-10pm.

Diamond Billiards
Full menu available for curbside pickup Tuesday-Saturday 11am-7pm.

Dot’s Back Inn
Open for takeout 11am-8pm daily. Limited menu available for curbside pickup.

Dutch and Company
To-go orders available at website. Back door dogs available every Saturday.

Early Bird Biscuit Co
Takeout available at both locations.

Fallout
Open for takeout with curbside pickup, 6pm-midnight daily. No membership required. Call (804)343-3688 to order.

Final Gravity Brewing Co.
To-go options available.

Fine Creek Brewing Company
To-go beers available for pickup.

Galaxy Diner
Open for takeout 12-8pm. Working on setting up delivery — check back!

Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery
Curbside pickup available.

Gelati Celesti
Takeout is available with limited flavors posted on their website. Call order hotline at (804)200-0600 from 11am-8pm to place orders.

Hardywood
Offering to-go orders of beers 2-7pm Tuesday through Friday, and 11am-4pm Saturday and Sunday. Place orders here.

Intermission Beer Company
Curbside pickup available.

Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Bar
Open 11am-10pm for takeout and delivery only. Curbside pickup available. Order through website.

Joe’s Inn
Takeout available for curbside pickup only. Call (804)355-2282 to order.

Laura Lee’s
Open for takeout 12-8pm. Order online through website.

New York Deli
Open 11am-7pm for takeout. Offering online ordering through the Toast Takeout app, or call 804-358-DELI. For extra support, check out the “New York Deli employee relief fund” on GoFundMe with 100% going directly to the staff, set up by Trent Hazelwood.

North End Juice Co
Open for carryout only. Food industry folks who’ve lost income are offered a 20 percent discount and a free wellness shot.

O’Tooles
Takeout only at both locations, Forest Hill and Midlothian.

Oak And Apple
Open for takeout Thursday-Sunday 5-10pm. Curbside pickup available.

Perch RVA
Open 12-8pm. Take-out meals available with wine; order via Toast or by phone at (804)669-3344. Menus will be posted daily.

Peter Chang
Takeout only.

Proper Pie
Takeout only. Limit of 5 customers in store at a time.

The Red Door Restaurant
Open 11am-5pm Monday-Friday for, as their email to us put it, “to-go and double parking.”

River City Roll
Open for takeout with curbside pickup 12-7pm daily.

The Roosevelt
Open for takeout — order online from noon to 8pm at Upserve. Check Facebook for current menu and hours.

Rostov’s Coffee & Tea
Pick-up services from front and back doors, customers can call ahead to order (preferred payment via credit card over the phone when ordering). Walk-up ordering available. Pounds of coffee and bags of tea for sale, no brewed beverages during this time. “Joe-to-Go” available (8 cups of brewed coffee) if ordered when calling ahead, and cold brew concentrate pick-ups are available as well. All pens, credit card terminals, door handles, flat surfaces and more are sterilized regularly.

Sabai
5pm-10:30pm. Offering take-out services only, curb-side pick-up is also available if preferred.

Secco Wine Bar
Online ordering and curbside delivery. “Secco Supper To-Go” includes two appetizers, two share plates, one dessert and one bottle of wine, tax and gratuity for $78.48. Menu and wine list available on Facebook. Offering pickup on cheese/charcuterie boards and will add more a la carte and retail wine options for pickup.

Sidewalk Cafe
Offering curbside pickup of to-go orders from 11am – 6pm.

Southbound
Takeout only.

Social 52
Takeout only.

Starr Hill Richmond Beer Hall & Rooftop
To-go beers available from the brewery.

Stoplight Gelato and Cafe
Takeout only.

Superstars Pizza
Open 11am-7pm daily for curbside pickup. Order at this link.

Tazza Kitchen
Curbside takeout and drive-through pick-ups.

The Treat Shop
Curbside takeout available Monday-Saturday 9am – 7pm. All menu items except donuts will be available.

Väsen Brewing Company
To-go only beer orders; crowler fills available.

Wooden Spoon Cafe
Open for curbside pickup Monday-Friday 11am-6pm, and during Saturday brunch hours 11am-2pm.

WPA Bakery
Takeout orders only.

DIRECT DELIVERY
These places are doing delivery only, either through particular apps or directly by the staff. We’ll give specifics in the listings (once again, alphabetical to aid in your search), as well as info on hour reductions.

Adarra
Wine delivery available. Deliveries made Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday afternoons. Email [email protected] to order.

Everyday Gourmet
This local catering company that also offers a weekly meal delivery service called WellFed. During social distancing, they’ll be doing contactless delivery through all of Richmond and their local communities including (but not limited to) Midlothian, Glen Allen, Mechanicsville, Ashland, Chesterfield, Goochland, Manakin Sabot. Low delivery fees (capped at $10 at the furthest distance). Delivering Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Offers bulk, family-sized selections, a breakfast menu, and freezer-friendly meals, along with special meals for the various diets of people in the area.

King Of Pops
King Of Pops are doing deliveries; an employee will bring pops to your door. Order by noon for same day delivery. Orders can be placed at kingofpopsstore.com

CLOSED

The following restaurants have closed their doors — most temporarily, a few permanently. This means total loss of income for these establishments — and all of their employees. Keep in mind that if/when these places return, they are going to need your help in a big way. We will list reopen dates when available.

23rd and Main
Closed until further notice.

3 Monkeys
Closed indefinitely.

3rd Street Diner
Closed until further notice.

Bandito’s
Closed temporarily.

Bamboo
Closed until further notice.

Boogaloos
Closed until further notice.

Brunch
Closed until further notice.

Capital One Cafe
All locations closed temporarily. ATMs in vestibules are still open, ATMs located within cafe are closed.

Cary St. Cafe
Closed until further notice.

Citizen
Permanently closed.

Citizen Burger Bar
Not to be confused with Citizen, above. Closed temporarily.

Crossroads RVA
Closed indefinitely. Donate to Staff Relief Fund at GoFundMe.

Dogtown Brewing
Closed indefinitely.

Don’t Look Back
Both locations temporarily closed. Support the staff by joining the Don’t Look Back Club, which donates all profits directly to the staff during closures. Perks from DLB Club last an entire year after re-opening, with discounts and special items for all members.

F.W. Sullivan’s
Closed for the foreseeable future.

Fuzzy Cactus
Closed for the foreseeable future. Events and shows cancelled through April.

Ipanema Cafe
Closed temporarily — “on hiatus” in their words.

The Jasper
Closed for the foreseeable future.

Kabana
Closed temporarily.

Lady N’awlins
Closed temporarily.

Little Nickel
Closed temporarily.

L’Opossum
Closed indefinitely. Support fund for employees available on GoFundMe.

Lulu’s
Closed until further notice.

Lunch & Supper
Closed temporarily.

Mekong Restaurant
Closed temporarily.

Millie’s Diner
Closed until further notice.

Penny Lane Pub
Closed for “at least two weeks.” Check back at the beginning of April for updates.

Perly’s
Closed temporarily.

Pop’s Market on Grace
Closed temporarily.

Tio Pablo
Closed until further notice.

Do you need to update any of these listings, or add one from your restaurant? Email us: [email protected] We will update listings as soon as possible.

VA Shows You Must See This Week: February 5 – February 11

Marilyn Drew Necci | February 5, 2020

Topics: Andy Jenkins, Bandito's, Billy Varela, Black Dirty, Black Mass Gathering, Capital Ale House Music Hall, Cary Street Cafe, Children Of The Reptile, Colpa Mia, Community Witch, Craigslist Jerry, Daughter Of Swords, Emily Wolfe, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, Faucet, Fredo Disco, Have Mercy, Horse Jumper Of Love, Hotspit, Humungus, Keep, Leach, Lobby Boy, Manatree, Mega Colossus, Mortal Man, music, must see shows, Night Idea, Pain In The Yeahs, Poor Boys, richmond events, richmond va, richmond va bands, Righter, RVA, Selfish Things, shows this week richmond, shows you must see, Taphouse Grill, The Camel, The Canal Club, The Dead Tongues, The Reign Of Kindo, things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, Tom West, Whistler's Mother, Wonderland, Young Culture, Zara, Zima

FEATURED SHOW
Thursday, February 6, 8 PM
Cary Street Cafe’s 25th Anniversary & Big Ol’ Whoopty Doo feat. Whistler’s Mother, Craigslist Jerry @ Cary Street Cafe – Free!
This column is ostensibly about music, but if you want to get technical about it, it’s really about shows. And sometimes the best, most important show of the week is about way more than just the music. Such is the case with the 25th anniversary “Big Ol’ Whoopty Doo” being thrown by Cary Street Cafe this Friday. Oh, there’ll be music — more on that in a minute — but the most important aspect of this event is just the occasion of celebrating a constant source for live music in Richmond over the past quarter century, and the work of founder Robyn McManis to bring it to us, especially in light of the fact that McManis is in the process of selling the place.

If you’ve been a longtime Cary Street Cafe regular, the music on offer this Thursday night should please you; the two groups that will be performing two sets each represent both the early and recent eras of this venue’s standard fare. Whistler’s Mother were one of the first bands to play the place, and had a Friday night residency in the cafe’s early days that lasted years. Having since evolved into projects like the Harrison Deane Band and the Tin Can Fish Band, they’ll be coming back together to rock Cary Street Cafe once again. Craigslist Jerry, who currently perform during happy hour every Friday at Cary Street Cafe, will offer two sets focusing on the Grateful Dead and Dead-inspired material that has been the place’s stock in trade since day one.

Make no mistake, the music on offer on this night should be a real treat, especially if you’re tastes are inclined to bring you to Cary Street Cafe on a regular basis anyway. But what this evening is really about is giving thanks for a venue that, in a constantly-changing landscape of short-lived venues for live music, has remained a consistent source of live performances since the early 90s — a time before a good many of our readers were even alive! Spend your Thursday night showing your appreciation with a night of celebratory jams.

Wednesday, February 5, 7 PM
Emily Wolfe, Tom West, Righter @ The Camel – $10 in advance/$12 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Let’s rock! Austin-based singer-songwriter Emily Wolfe is coming to town, and while you may be used to hearing that term as a coded signifier for “dignified Americana-folk sounds played on acoustic instruments,” Wolfe is quite a different prospect, using her loud n’ proud electric guitar and her wailing voice to create quite the storm of distorted blues-rock riffology. Her self-titled debut LP, released about a year ago, finds her at the head of a storming power trio that has much more in common with Jack White’s solo work than that of Carole King. Follow-up single “Ghost Limb Gambler,” released last week, has much the same fighting spirit, and thank god for that.

But Wolfe sometimes performs solo as well, letting her guitar, some effects, and her magnificent voice dominate the stage. Which version of her live performances we’ll get when she hits the Camel tonight isn’t something I can predict, but the fact that it’ll be great fun to watch is a sure thing. Wolfe will be joined on this gig by Australian singer-songwriter Tom West, who does hew a bit more closely to that whole folk thing, though “Americana” would surely be a misnomer for a troubadour from the land down under. Local indie-folk project Righter will get this whole evening kicked off, and it certainly should be a blast.

Thursday, February 6, 8 PM
Humungus, Mega Colossus, Children Of The Reptile, Mortal Man @ Wonderland – $10
While they’ve been around for pretty much a decade now, Richmond thrash-metal throwbacks Humungus have never been all that prolific a band — which just makes it that much more exciting when they do release new material. They did so back around Christmastime, bringing their second full-length, Balls, into the world via Killer Metal Records. The fact that most people have already picked their faves of the year by the time December rolls around might have led to this album flying under some people’s radar, but as always with Humungus, missing out on it would be a very big mistake.

This quintet does thrash in a manner not often heard in the modern era, keeping alive not only the incredible leads and galloping riffs of the genre’s prime 80s era, but also the high-pitched vocals and occasional goofy subject matter in a manner that shows how good these metalheads are at deadpan humor. No matter how tongue-in-cheek Humungus are being at any moment, though, their thrashing ability is always serious as a heart attack, and their live performance at Wonderland this Thursday night is sure to get you headbanging with abandon — even if the fans they’re known to bring with them onstage (to get the hair blowing around just so) are still pretty silly. A trio of Raleigh shredders — Mega Colossus, Children Of the Reptile, and Mortal Man — will pack this bill with a ton more metal mastery, but any true Richmond metalhead knows that Humungus is what it’s all about.

Friday, February 7, 8 PM
Leach, Black Dirty, Night Idea @ Poor Boys – $5
It’s always fun to head over to Poor Boys and spend an evening in the Voodoo Room, rocking out in a site that established a noble tradition of great music during previous days under the auspices of Bogart’s, Balliceaux, and Flora. Prsmcat Presents has been bringing some great locally-focused sounds into the place since Poor Boys took it over, and this Friday night is no exception. This evening will be headlined by Leach, who are celebrating the release of their latest EP, A Machine, It Seems, at this event.

If you haven’t checked out what this band, featuring former members of Imaginary Sons, are bringing to the table, the fact that their bandcamp URL labels them “Leach rock band” should be some guide. These guys have a decidedly 90s-style take on rocking, one that reminds me of driving around in my Chevette during my college days blasting Urge Overkill and Dig tapes. They’ll be joined on this bill by Philadelphia’s Black Dirty, who despite the name actually have a pretty clean and delightful math-damaged alt-pop sound. They’re certainly musically simpatico with Night Idea, the Richmond mainstay who rounds out this bill. With the aid of these three excellent bands, you’re sure to have a delightful Friday night.

Saturday, February 8, 7 PM
The Reign Of Kindo, Manatree, Colpa Mia @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $15 (order tickets HERE)
This one kinda came out of nowhere for me, y’all. A band of at least half a dozen musicians who are big enough to tour on the performance of an early release in its entirety, whom I have also somehow never heard of? Well, in truth, that seems to be The Reign Of Kindo’s whole thing. While they’ve been around for nearly 15 years, this New York band has never had a high profile in the mainstream, instead releasing all of their albums independently and focusing on the internet and social media as their path to success. What’s really wild is that it has worked out so well — for the past few years, they’ve been releasing new songs monthly on Patreon, and have racked up nearly 1000 supporters who contribute over $3000 to them each time they release a new song. Not bad, right?

And so, therefore, The Reign Of Kindo (or just Kindo, depending on where you see their name) are definitely worth looking into if, like me, you’ve never encountered them before. Their music could certainly be described as alternative rock, but between the incredible talent of their entire ensemble and the fact that they bring such a wide variety of influences to bear on their creative process, it seems a woefully inadequate description. Genres like jazz, soul, and prog also have to be part of the conversation, and of course you can’t ignore the way frontman Joseph Secchiaroli’s voice takes the whole thing to another level entirely. Even if you’ve never heard of them — heck, especially if you’ve never heard of them — The Reign Of Kindo is a group you should really dig into. You can start this Saturday night at Capital Ale House.

Saturday, February 8, 8 PM
Daughter Of Swords, The Dead Tongues, Andy Jenkins @ The Camel – $15 (order tickets HERE)
Where live music in Virginia is concerned, y’all, it’s all about Richmond. That fact is driven home to me at times like this week, when I hunt high and low for non-Richmond VA shows to tell you about and can’t even come up with two — and meanwhile, I’m having a hell of a time narrowing the Richmond picks down to eight. This week I threw up my hands and decided to work with what I’ve got, which is why you’re getting this ninth Richmond show instead of a second elsewhere-VA show. I work with what I’ve got, folks, and in the end, you the live music fan are the one who benefits.

For example, there is this Saturday night show at the Camel featuring Daughter of Swords. I almost didn’t manage to get this one in here, which is remarkable in light of how good the latest project from North Carolina folk singer Alexandra Sauser-Moning really is. Last year’s Dawnbreaker demonstrated Sauser-Moning’s flawless ability to come up with a series of heartfelt, memorable tunes and deliver them in the most minimal of settings. But this tour, on which she’s backed by members of Megafaun, Dirty Projectors, and Hiss Golden Messenger, will present her with a more fleshed-out but just as brilliant musical canvas. They’ll come to town in the company of the Dead Tongues, a folk project from the mind of sometime Hiss Golden Messenger sideman Ryan Gustafson. The fact that the two picked Richmond as the place to start their current American tour just proves the point I was making a paragraph ago — where live music in VA is concerned, Richmond is what it’s all about.

Sunday, February 9, 9 PM
Faucet, Zima, Zara @ Bandito’s – Free!
Round out your weekend with this triple bill of noise-punk awesomeness at Bandito’s, featuring a couple of new groups consisting of members whose talents have already been well established. To begin with, there’s Faucet, who land firmly on the noise end of the spectrum, with an out-of-control raging approach that evokes classic 80s reprobates like Flipper and No Trend. Featuring members of Ceremonial Scissors, Gumming, Fat Spirit, and Among The Rocks And Roots, this band’s pedigree alone makes them worth looking into — but rest assured, their sounds are intense enough in their own right to warrant your continued attention.

Then there’s Zima, a band whom I’m guessing are named after a clear malt beverage that was quite the trend when I was coming of age in the 90s and is probably totally forgotten by the younger readers among you. What actually inspired their name isn’t something I can tell you, but I can tell you that this project, which features 4/5 of Richmond punk ragers Haircut on different instruments but going off just as hard, is absolutely worth your time. If you enjoy being devastated by raw, aggressive punk fucking rock, that is — and who doesn’t? The bill is rounded out by Zara, an ambient electronic project with the most history of any of these three — certainly a great way to start a musically delicious evening.

Monday, February 10, 7 PM
Horse Jumper Of Love, Keep, Lobby Boy, HotSpit @ The Camel – $8 in advance/$10 Day of show (order tickets HERE)
Is it me, or are there a lot of horse-themed bands running around these days? Just last week I wrote about Brooklyn’s A Deer A Horse and locals Horse Culture. And now, this week, I find myself discussing Bostonians Horse Jumper Of Love. As any journalist will tell you, three of anything is a trend. But it’s not a strictly musical one, by any means — all three of the mentioned bands have very different sounds.

The one we’re discussing at the moment, Horse Jumper Of Love, have revived the slowcore genre that was all the rage in the 90s, when bands like Red House Painters, Low, and Duster were big on the scene. On Horse Jumper Of Love’s 2019 sophomore album, So Divine, they show themselves as capable inheritors of the tradition, knowing when to keep it quiet and when to flip the dynamic switch to loud and crushing… but throughout, always keeping things slow and moody in a manner making their music a perfect soundtrack for listening late at night with the lights off. You can do exactly that at The Camel this Monday night, and we humbly suggest you do so… no matter how you feel about horses.

Tuesday, February 11, 6:30 PM
Have Mercy, Fredo Disco, Selfish Things, Young Culture @ The Canal Club – $17 (Order tickets HERE)
I must say, I really dug the third Have Mercy album, Make The Best Of It, back when it was released in 2017. That album came just after singer-guitarist Brian Swindle had replaced his entire backing band with a new lineup, and I remember thinking at the time “I wonder if that guy’s hard to work with.” Now, after one more equally excellent album, 2019’s The Love Life, Swindle and co. are calling it quits entirely, which only reinforces my previous wonderings. The music was totally great, though, so regardless of what sort of lingering tension may be present onstage for this Have Mercy farewell tour, it’s still well worth showing up at The Canal Club and seeing them one last time.

Baltimore-based Have Mercy existed in an adjacent space to the emo revival, but their sound was always entirely their own, drawing equally from 90s alt-rock and pastoral indie sounds and creating wonderful, enduring tunes with strong, heartfelt lyrics about real, important aspects of interpersonal relationships. They’re the kind of band that it’s easy to let into your heart, and therefore, it’ll be tough to let them go. Hopefully Brian Swindle keeps making music in some capacity after this, but even if he does, this will be our last opportunity to see Have Mercy play their many classic tunes. I suggest you make the best of it.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Friday, February 7, 9 PM
Pain In The Yeahs, Community Witch, Billy Varela, Black Mass Gathering @ Taphouse Grill (Norfolk) – $?
The Tidewater area of Virginia has always been a good source for dark gothic industrial dance sounds, and with Pain In The Yeahs operating in that area, this will certainly remain true for the foreseeable future. Brand new single “Animal Within An Animal” shows that bandleader James K. Ultra still has a deft touch with the postpunk spookiness he’s established through his and the group’s last several years’ worth of work.

There is a strong undercurrent of the goth sound of the mid-80s UK, with Cure and Sisters Of Mercy vibes undeniable in their music, but the new single shows that Ultra and co. bring a pop sensibility to what they’re doing as well; surprisingly catchy choruses and occasional synth-pop hooks add a darkly gleaming shine to the mood Pain In The Yeahs creates. Fear not, it’ll still lend itself perfectly to storming the dance floor in a velvet cape, black lipstick, and shiny polished Doc Martens, in classic Norfolk tradition. Get gloomy, y’all.

—-

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: January 15 – January 21

Marilyn Drew Necci | January 15, 2020

Topics: 808Spinz, Albert Lee, Alice + The Reverie, Ayo Ave, Bandito's, Beeline, Ben Madlinger, CEO, Chief Tail, Debrider, DJ Double U, DJ SG, Doughman, Drekka, Elizabeth Wise, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, Fallout, Fuzzy Cactus, Gryscl, I VK, Isabella VanKesteren, Itsthewave, IX Art Park, Jonathan Facka, Left Cross, Matt Sease, Mike Lanx, Minimum Balance, Mister Earthbound, Mojo's, music, must see shows, Nine Pillars Hip Hop Cultural Fest, Noxid, PCP Parade, Phd Khari, Remy St. Clair, richmond events, richmond va, richmond va bands, Roxx, RVA, Scheme, Shamika Shard'e, shows this week richmond, shows you must see, Sibyl, Silas Frayser, Snake Mountain Revival, Sneeze, Suppression, The Camel, The Dark Room, The tin pan, things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, This Hollow Machine, Timber Rattle, Urin, Voice Of Saturn, War Games 4

FEATURED SHOW
Sunday, January 19, 9 PM
Chief Tail, Suppression, PCP Parade @ Bandito’s – Free!
It’s a funny thing about musicians — the most talented and original of them are often the type of people who live at the extremes of society. And for that reason, some of the best bands ever have also had some of the most chaotic, unhinged, and unpredictable live presences ever. In Richmond, if you love to see things get truly nuts when a band plays, there are several reliable local exponents of exactly that sort of mania. But in this day and age, none of them hold a candle to the departed torchbearers for true Richmond musical insanity: PCP Roadblock.

Back in the late 90s and early 00s, if you wanted to see a band that mixed a noisy, harsh, but always rockin’ sound with a wild performance that, as often as not, featured blood, piss, and/or nudity, you couldn’t do better than to catch PCP Roadblock live in Richmond. And it was kind of hard to do, because a lot of clubs wouldn’t let them play! Unfortunately, a few years after the new millennium began, they moved as a band to the San Francisco Bay area, disbanding a couple of years later. And we’ve never seen their like again.

But now, we’ve got the next best thing! Chief Tail reunites 3/4 of the classic PCP Roadblock lineup, and they’ve got a new LP coming out the night before this show on Reptilian Records. I doubt they’ll be quite as insane live as they once were — after all, the members are all in their 40s now — but their ability to deliver Jesus Lizard/Flipper-style raging noise remains intact on their brand new Steve Albini-recorded LP. On the live front, I expect far fewer incidents involving smashed bottles and exposed genitalia from these older, more mature rockers, but musically, this is sure to be every bit as fiery as prime PCP Roadblock ragers. With old pals Suppression and NoVA grind-noise duo PCP Parade along for the ride, this show is completely unmissable. So do the right thing, and be there.

Wednesday, January 15, 8 PM
Albert Lee @ The Tin Pan – $30 (order tickets HERE)
You’ve gotta love what the Tin Pan does for us here in Richmond. In a city where places like the Broadberry, Wonderland, and Fuzzy Cactus bring us the best of the current music scene in all sorts of different genres, the Tin Pan has carved out a lane for music scene veterans with lengthy resumes to give us subtle yet powerful displays of the reasons they’ve had multi-decade careers full of unforgettable highlights. This week, it’s Albert Lee who is getting a chance to strut his stuff before an audience of discerning music heads, and we should all take heed and journey to the West End to enjoy what he has to offer.

British guitarist Albert Lee has been a highly active musical journeyman for over 60 years now, getting his start in the British scene and working with everyone from blues singer Chris Farlowe to Deep Purple organ player Jon Lord. In the 70s, he moved to LA and played with legends like Emmylou Harris and Eric Clapton. And from the late 80s until only a few years ago, he fronted the country-rock ensemble Albert Lee & Hogan’s Heroes. Throughout, he distinguished himself with his lightning-fast guitar picking and his embrace of country, blues, and rock sounds equally. These days, he’s heading into his sixth decade of guitar wizardry with his latest album, a tribute to Buddy Holly called Gypsy Man. Come to the Tin Pan tonight and see what’s given Albert Lee such resonance and staying power, and hear some damn good guitar playing while you’re at it.

Thursday, January 16, 8 PM
Drekka, Timber Rattle, This Hollow Machine, Voice Of Saturn @ Fallout – $5
When you think of industrial music, it’s easy to think of the best-known interpretations of the genre: Ministry, Skinny Puppy, maybe KMFDM or Front 242. But as anyone who has done a truly deep dive into the genre can tell you, it gets way weirder once you start exploring the outer fringes of what can be called industrial. Out there, you’ll find everything from foreboding ambient textures to bleak, apocalyptic folk sounds. And one of the artists you’ll surely run into in these sorts of circles is Drekka.

This project of Michael Anderson, a musician from Bloomington, Indiana, of all places, has released a ton of material over the past two decades, from tiny DIY pressings to projects for well-known experimental music labels like Dais. Dais released Drekka’s 2019 compilation No Tracks In The Snow, which has industrial textures at its core but mainly focuses on the intersection between lo-fi drone and ambient folk. Hearing this sort of hypnotic soundscape recreated in a live environment might not be exactly what you expect from the fetishy atmosphere of Fallout, but it’s sure to create exactly the sort of gothic mood that club’s habitues are known to love. Immerse yourself in it.

Friday, January 17, 9 PM
Alice & The Reverie, Debrider, Elizabeth Wise @ The Dark Room – $5
Alice & The Reverie is a name I’ve been seeing around the Richmond music scene for a few years now, but I never really took a long look at what this quintet were up to. Now that I’m doing so, I’m intrigued to learn that they feature not only former Kindling Kind frontwoman Miriam Martin but also ex-Carbon Leaf drummer Scott Milstead. It’s an intriguing pedigree, and the band lives up to it on their latest LP, 2018’s The Way We Go, which features a hypnotic alt-rock sound with doses of folk and synth-pop mixed in. And of course, overtop of it all are heaping helpings of Martin’s gorgeous voice, which is really the reason for the season.

At The Dark Room this Friday night, Alice & The Reverie will be sharing the stage with two other powerful female vocalists. Debrider, the emotional shoegaze project of Lia Pisa-Relli, has evolved through many incarnations — even I was in the group for a few months — but Pisa-Relli’s sharp songwriting talent and intense lyrics have remained the focus throughout, to powerful effect. They’ll surely offer a strong contrast to the other artists on this bill, one which also includes the deep blues of singer-guitarist Elizabeth Wise. Rest assured, this lady knows how to use a bottleneck slide for maximum impact, and you’ll learn all about that on this night. Don’t miss a moment.

Saturday, January 18, 9 PM
Mister Earthbound, Sibyl, Snake Mountain Revival @ Fuzzy Cactus – $6
It’s a psychedelic showcase, VA style, over at Fuzzy Cactus this Saturday night, and Richmond’s own Mister Earthbound and Sibyl are sharing the glory. These two groups will be celebrating the release of Hypnotic Rhythm, a four-song split cassette featuring two tracks from each of them. Mister Earthbound dips into the bubbling pot of swampy psych-blues that is their trademark, dishing out a couple of rip-roaring rockers. Meanwhile, gives us a witchier, spookier serving of heavy blues psychedelia that might veer into stoner territory if it weren’t for the group’s undeniable, unrelenting energy.

And of course, all of that will be showed off at maximum volume onstage at Fuzzy Cactus this Saturday night. It’s going to be a head-tripping party of astral proportions, and that only becomes more clear when you see that the bill will be rounded out by Snake Mountain Revival. This VA Beach crew shows on their recently-released EP, The Valley Of Madness, that they know how to combine crunching riffs with guitar-driven atmosphere to create an almost spaghetti-western take on psychedelia… one which everyone who stops into Fuzzy Cactus this Saturday night is sure to enjoy. Wear your space cowboy suit for this one, folks.

Sunday, January 19, 8 PM
Urin, Left Cross, Scheme @ Mojo’s – $7
There’s something undeniably fun about straight-up crust punk. Some of it comes from how truly fierce and unrelenting an attack these bands tend to have. Some of it is that they seem to get off on making their music as atonal, noisy, and inaccessible as possible. And some of it is that they tend to revel in giving themselves socially unacceptable names with incredibly filthy names. Such is the case of Berlin’s Urin, who have gathered members together from across the punk rock world to engage in some harsh Swedish-style crust/D-beat sounds.

Their recent EP, Incydent, is a truly unrelenting slab of shit-fi music bordering on noise, the kind of barely-musical chaos a lot of experimental-music types only wish they could crank out. The sound from the street outside Mojo’s when this quartet gets rolling Sunday night will probably be appalling, but if you’re inside with the proper safety equipment (earplugs and steel-toed boots), you’ll have a blast in the pit for this one. The evening will be further intensified by a performance from Left Cross, who straddle the line between crossover hardcore and old-school death metal so completely that it’s hard to say on which side they truly belong. It’ll all kick off with some noisy metallic punk from newcomers Scheme, which should be fun and maybe just a little frightening… but that’s the way we like it.

Monday, January 20, 8 PM
Minimum Balance, Beeline, I VK @ The Camel – Free!
For a lot of us, Monday means a new beginning to the work week. However, for those who work in the service industry, Monday’s often an easy day. Everyone else’s weekend is over, so business slows down and the bartenders and servers of the world can get a night off. The Camel knows all about this, and they’re celebrating Industry Night on this lazy Monday evening with a free show that’s sure to bring delight to the many waiters and barbacks who were at work while the big Saturday night gigs were happening.

This show is headlined by Minimum Balance, who’ve steadily worked over the past few years to make a name for themselves in the Richmond alt-rock scene. Their catchy tunes are both introspective, with an emotional tinge, and well-constructed examples of rock n’ roll from a thinking person’s perspective. They’re sure to spread some smiles when they take the Camel’s stage. Meanwhile, local newcomers Beeline offer catchy indie tunes with a clear influence from melodic punk, while solo artist Isabella VanKesteren, now going by her initials, I VK, will kick things off with a set of moody, stripped-down sounds. The whole evening will be a great way to celebrate a night off.

Tuesday, January 21, 7 PM
Jonathan Facka, Ben Madlinger, Silas Frayser, Matt Sease @ The Camel – $5 in advance/$8 day of show (order tickets HERE)
On these early weekdays, things thin out a bit, but The Camel always stays reliable, bringing us chill evenings of lovely sounds to get us through the nights when we’re all looking for sweet music to help us recover from the intensities of the weekend. That’s why it’s a great idea to head over there this Tuesday night for a whole passel of local singer-songwriters displaying their talents in an intimate setting.

Richmond’s own Jonathan Facka has some lovely indie tunes with an acoustic-emo feel to bring us. Fellow Richmonder Ben Madlinger brings us a sound that pulls more from the heartland, integrating pastoral alt-country and folk vibes with an Americana feel. Silas Frayser hails from the countryside a couple hours west of here, and integrates some Dave Matthews/John Mayer vibes into his energetic acoustic tuneage. And Matt Sease, who hails from somewhere in the region but that’s all I know, will get things going with some sweet tunes of his own. So head down to the Camel this Tuesday night and chill.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Saturday, January 8, 7 PM
Nine Pillars Hip Hop Cultural Fest presents War Games 4, feat. Mike Lanx vs. 808Spinz, Doughman vs. Roxx, Itsthewave vs. Noxid, Phd Khari vs. CEO, Sneeze vs. Ayo Ave, with Shamika Shard’e, Gryscl, Music by DJ SG & DJ Double U, Hosted by Remy St. Clair @ IX Art Park – $5 suggested donation (Order tickets HERE)
It’s only been happening for a couple of years now, but the Nine Pillars Hip Hop Cultural Fest is rapidly growing into a Charlottesville musical institution, and I for one am nothing but glad to see it. That city needs a positive artistic movement happening after all the crap it’s been through over the past couple years, and there’s no denying that the Nine Pillars folks have brought a lot of hard work and creativity to the hip hop scene in central Virginia.

You can see that in what they’ve got on offer here at War Games 4, a producer battle between eight different leading lights of hip hop production in the C-ville area in which producers compete for a chance at a bigger battle in May. It takes battle-rap culture and mixes it with classic pro wrestling tournament action in a manner that’s sure to be entertaining to behold. Plus there’ll be a freestyle battle between MCs Sneeze and Ayo Ave, guest spots from champion rhymers Shamika Shard’e and the crew known as Gryscl (aka Grayscale), two DJs behind the decks, and Nine Pillars leading light Remy St. Clair hosting it all. This event will light up IX Art Park for the whole weekend. Make sure you’re a part of it.

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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]

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