RVA Mag

Richmond, VA Culture & Politics Since 2005

Menu

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

|

Topics: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, July 14, 7 PM
Vinyl Conflict 10th Anniversary Celebration, feat. Night Birds, Dark Thoughts, Gumming, Scarecrow, Talk Me Off @ Gallery 5 – $10 in advance/$12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
I had no idea Vinyl Conflict had been around an entire decade now. Why, it seems only yesterday that the store’s original owner, Brandon Ferrell (RIP), opened this little shop in the middle of a residential block in Oregon Hill. But of course, the older you get, the faster time seems to pass, and I’m pretty goddamn old at this point, so I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by the store’s sudden longevity. Since Vinyl Conflict was taken over by current owner Bobby Egger, it has if anything become even more an essential part of the local music scene, not only bringing us an unparalleled selection of new and used punk/metal-related sounds but also releasing a variety of EPs and tapes by up-and-coming locals on their Vinyl Conflict Records label.

And now it’s time to celebrate their decade of essential service to the world of RVA hardcore punk, and kick off the next decade of awesomeness in the finest fashion possible. They’ll be throwing a huge party at Gallery 5 this Saturday night, and you’ll know it’s guaranteed to be a hell of a rager when you see that Night Birds are your headliners. This New Jersey band mixes a melodic sense derived from the best of the early-80s US punk wave (The Misfits, The Adolescents) with a breakneck fury that is half 82-style USHC and half early-00s East Coast fastcore (think Tear It Up). They haven’t released anything in a couple of years, but the hints they’ve been dropping on social media recently sure indicate that new material is coming — maybe this show will give you a preview? Don’t quote me on that though.

Night Birds will be bringing Philadelphians Dark Thoughts down with them, and this bouncy melodic punk group has just released an album called At Work that has a lot of energy and a bit of darkness in the mix as well; as with Night Birds, if you dig stuff like the Misfits and the Adolescents, you’re going to find something to enjoy in the music of Dark Thoughts. The bill will also feature a Raleigh, NC band called Scarecrow who have very little info available online — although I can tell you that they’re not the same as Raleigh jazz/fusion band Scarecrow’s Brain. I know that much. I also know the two RVA bands on the bill, Gumming and Talk Me Off, will kick this party off with a lot of energetic fury all their own. So get to Gallery 5 this Saturday night and give props to Vinyl Conflict — if the past decade hasn’t already proven to you how great an asset to Richmond this store is, this show is sure to win you over.

Wednesday, July 11, 7:30 PM
Divided Heaven, Eaves, Two Cars, Having Keepsake @ The Camel – $8 in advance/$10 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Grown-up punks, take note; Jeff Berman’s Divided Heaven project is rolling through town and stopping off at The Camel tonight. While this group may seem like a late development in Berman’s career, following on his early days in NJ hardcore/punk groups like The Boils, Protagonist, and The Rites, he’s actually been fronting this project for most of a decade now, and they’re about to drop their third LP, Cold War, on WireTap Records. The advance singles, most notably “1983,” showcase both a wistfully mature outlook on life beyond one’s youthful days, and an incredible melodic sense that shows just how much talent Berman has to offer. Honestly, it would have been a huge waste if he’d spent the rest of his days playing angry punk.

We’re still a little more than a week away from the release of Cold War, so right now you can only hear two of the album’s songs online. But you’ll undoubtedly hear more tonight, as well as some classic tunes from Divided Heaven’s earlier, more acoustically-oriented LPs. Plus, you’ll get some excellent emotional post-hardcore sounds from up-and-coming local group Eaves, who turned in an impressive debut LP late last year with As Deeply As You Do, and are only headed upwards from there. Local newcomers Two Cars and Having Keepsake both bring their own emotional melodies to the table, making this an evening of moods and hooks that’s sure to please you.

Thursday, July 12, 8 PM
The Body, Lingua Ignota, Womajich Dialysiez @ Gallery 5 – $12 (order tickets HERE)
The Body’s been around for nearly two decades now, and they’ve come a long way from the sludgy noise they started out creating. Always more of an experimental band than anything, they’ve really foregrounded their exploratory efforts in recent years, somehow going both noisier and poppier than ever before with 2016’s No One Deserves Happiness. This year’s follow-up, I Have Fought Against It But I Can’t Any Longer, brings us a new approach, in which the group cuts up previous recordings, sampling them over programmed beats and electronics to create a unique work of art you’d be foolish to dismiss as a mere “remix album.” It’s difficult, it’s noisy, it’s dark as fuck, and somehow, amidst all that, it is bizarrely danceable.

But will people be dancing to The Body’s set at Gallery 5 tomorrow night? Or will they do as they’ve done in previous RVA performances over the years and use powerful walls of noise to wipe the floor with all of us? It wouldn’t surprise me if the answer turned out to be “both,” and it’s well worth the price of admission to learn for yourself. They come to Richmond this time around accompanied by Lingua Ignota, an intense solo project from Rhode Island’s Kristin Hayter that lands somewhere between the confrontational avant-garde work of Diamanda Galas and the soul-baring noise terror of Pharmakon. Their most recent EP is entitled All Bitches Die, and features a song entitled “Holy Is The Name (Of My Ruthless Axe)” …just to let you know what you’re in for. The experience you’ll have at Gallery 5 Thursday night isn’t that predictable, but if one thing is certain, it’s that you’ll be affected by it.

Friday, July 13, 6 PM
June Parker, Opin, Blush Face, Goldfeather @ Hardywood – Free!
My wife and I took a trip deep into the heart of Virginia’s Northern Neck region this past weekend. Not for any real reason, just to get out and explore parts of the state we’d never been to before. While we were passing through Tappahanock, we noticed several businesses named after a woman we’d never heard of before. Now, less than a week later, I find myself writing about a show by a band that is also named after her. I have no idea who June Parker was or is, but I know one thing — somebody in this band has made that same drive out to Tappahanock at least a time or two.

June Parker used to be known as California Death, but their 2017 full-length, We’re Exactly Where We Are, showed that this local shoegaze band has upped their game since changing their name. The first track from the new EP they’ll bring into the world at this show, “I Can’t Relate Anymore,” adds a jangly indie sensibility to their hazy guitar fuzz, upping the melodic quotient and bringing them to their highest level yet. With this preview in mind, it seems a safe bet that the new EP will be their best work yet. Find out for yourself at Hardywood Friday night, and get a set from enjoyable New York indie-folk combo Goldfeather, plus some excellent sounds from always-reliable locals Opin and Blush Face, in the bargain. It’d be a deal at any price — and since this show is free, it rises to the level of unmissable.

Saturday, July 14, 7 PM
Bangladeafy, Teen Death, Foresterr, Swathe @ Garden Grove Brewing – Free!
Bangladeafy may seem like a weird name to give a band, but when you learn that this group is a duo made up of a Bangladeshi drummer and a bassist who is… well, not quite deaf, but certainly has a hearing disability (sensorineural hearing loss, to be specific), it all starts to make sense. The wry sense of humor displayed by this choice of name also shows through in the band’s unpredictable musical hijinks, especially on songs like “Act Like An Adult” and “Say It With Your Chest,” from their most recent LP, 2016’s Narcopaloma.

This LP is an excellent showcase of Bangladeafy’s bizarre instrumental attack, which integrates jazz, prog, and metallic elements into a speedy, unique sound that might just remind you of Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew-era rhythm section doing Lightning Bolt covers… or maybe that’s just me. Grungy local punk n’ rollers Teen Death will offer quite a contrast with their opening set, but if you dig loud, energetic bands, you’re sure to enjoy both. Also on the bill are New Yorkers Foresterr, who do the sort of noisy, off-kilter post-hardcore grooves that bands like Barkmarket and Sliang Laos excelled at two decades ago. These guys are worthy successors to the outstanding track record of those bands. Locals Swathe offer some pummeling sounds in the vein of the Melvins and Unsane to get you in the mood for what awaits. This show is gonna rule.

Sunday, July 15, 7 PM
JD McPherson, Chamomile and Whiskey @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $20 (order tickets HERE)
I don’t know how aware young punk types are of what’s going on in the world of rootsy rock n’ roll, but I’ll go ahead and admit that I never would have known about JD McPherson if it weren’t for the fact that he gets played over the PA regularly at one of my favorite hangout spots, Sheetz. Seriously, not only does that place have the best three-cheese sub in the Richmond metropolitan area, their muzak station is the best radio station in this town. But I’m not here to advocate for Sheetz (I do that enough on twitter); I’m here to tell you that you need to go see JD McPherson at Capital Ale House Sunday night.

McPherson’s third album, Undivided Heart And Soul, came out last year on New West Records, and it beefed up the rollicking rockabilly sound of his first two albums with a sort of retro-soul vibe that also shows up in artists like White Denim and even The Black Keys. But make no mistake, the man’s still about some straight-up rockin’, and songs like “Let’s Get Out Of Here While We’re Young” and “Style (Is a Losing Game)” make this abundantly clear. When McPherson hits the stage at Capital Ale House, he’s sure to get the whole place on their feet and shaking their tailfeathers. It’ll be an outstanding way to end the weekend, and give you an emotional high to carry you through a soul-draining Monday back at the office. Don’t miss out.

Monday, July 16, 9 PM
Church Of Disgust, Cemetery Filth, Future Terror, Night Hag @ Wonderland – $5
I have pretty much not talked at all about metal this week, but we’re gonna fix that situation right now with a thorough discussion of this Monday night show at Wonderland featuring the almighty Church Of Disgust. This  band hails from Texas and Florida, and the swampy Southern heat bleeds through their music, as does the clear influence of classic Floridian death metal past. Sometimes they’re thrashy, sometimes they’re moshy, but on 2016’s excellent Veneration of Filth LP, they most often strike the tone of classic riffage from early Morbid Angel, Deicide, or even Death. You headbangers out there better be paying attention, because this is a band you are guaranteed to love.

Johnson City, TN’s own Cemetery Filth will accompany Church Of Disgust on their trip to Shockoe Bottom, and their work on recent split EPs show this band to have a similarly ripping, brutal death-thrash attack sure to appeal to fans of prime Obituary and early Carcass. The thrash fiends will be pleased to hear these guys as well, and one can at least hope that all in attendance will receive Future Terror positively too. This Richmond band is treading in the footsteps of extremely blown-out crustcore bands like long-gone DC/RVA legends Aghast to churn out some incredibly noisy D-beat fury, and it’s awesome. Sludgy local newcomers Night Hag open up this show with some darkness of their own. Get ready to bang your head, y’all.

Tuesday, July 17, 6 PM
Backyard Boogie Tour, feat. Fly Anakin, Ohbliv, Al Divino, Billie Essco, Ankhlejohn @ Gallery 5 – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
RVA hip hop is always fertile ground, and it seems 2018 is going to bear particularly excellent fruit where the genre is concerned. Not only do we get an excellent new Nickelus F release, Mutant Academy’s Fly Anakin has come together with production titan Ohbliv to create an album that represents a high-water mark for both. Backyard Boogie shows off Ohbliv’s predilection for murky soul vibes throughout, and gives just as much shine to Fly Anakin’s excellent flow and cutting lyrical wit. It hit the streets in April, and Fly Anakin and Ohbliv clearly recognize how excellent a statement it is for both of them, as they’re spending next week touring up the East Coast. They’ll start the week off right, with a hometown show at Gallery 5 that brings the album’s fire to life onstage.

However, there are more reasons to come to this show than just the local superstars showing off their stuff. Indeed, this event finds Fly Anakin & Ohbliv meeting up with a powerful package of touring MCs from up north. First on the list is Massachusetts’ own Al Divino, a hard-rhyming lyricist who has had Fly Anakin drop features on his tracks before — so you know he’s legit. Then there’s NYC rapper Billie Essco, aka Uptown Chase, whose recent LP Cafe mixes lyrical skills with a somewhat introspective vibe that’s sure to draw you in. DC’s Ankhlejohn rounds out the touring trio with some cinematic styles showcased perfectly on recent EP Knowledge. This show is jam-packed with hip hop talent from all over the East Coast — miss it at your own peril.

—-

Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers–this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected] [and yeah, in case you’re wondering, more awesomeness from my cracked and bleeding fingertips is available at GayRVA — come say hey.]

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

The Aces with The Barons and Blush Face at The Camel

|

Topics: , , , ,

RVA Shows Presents!

THE ACES
http://theacesofficial.com/
You only have to spin “Stuck” once—The Aces’ slinky, radio-ready debut—to grasp their appeal. Bridging the gap between The Bangles and The Go-Go’s, and current acts like The 1975 and MUNA, the quartet are made up of sisters Cristal (on lead vocals/guitar), and drummer Alisa Ramirez,
completed by guitarist Katie Henderson and bassist McKenna Petty. “Stuck” is the first taster off their stellar, self-titled EP, a collection that exhibits a confidence and polish that belies their young years.

THE BARONS (Charlottesville)
BLUSH FACE (RVA)

DATE: April 18, 2018
VENUE: The Camel
TIMES: Doors at 7, Show at 7:30
TICKETS: $12 in advance and $15 at the door
–On sale NOW at www.richmondshows.com

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 4/18-4/24

|

Topics: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

FEATURED SHOW
Friday, April 20, 8 PM
420 at G5, feat. Battlemaster, Night Idea, Unmaker, Haircut @ Gallery 5 – $8
It’s always weird to live through a holiday you don’t celebrate, and hipster holidays like 420 are no different. That said, just as you don’t have to be a Christian to enjoy getting presents on December 25, you don’t have to be a dyed-in-the-wool marijuana connoisseur to scarf munchies and enjoy some loud music on April 20th. Rest assured, Gallery 5 will not be checking your bloodstream for THC at the door of this 420 celebration, which will bring you some rad local bands for a very economical price point, and offer you a “munchies table” in the bargain. Sounds like a great Friday night to me.

Battlemaster are your headliners on this bill, and these raging metal masters have been dishing out the triumphant, hyperspeed riffage for well over a decade now. Granted, they aren’t the most active band in the scene — it’s been three years since the release of their last LP, Battlehungry and Swordsworn — but then, what could be more fitting for a band headlining a 420 gig? There’s no rush, man, let’s just rage for now and then grab some eats. I gotta admit, y’all, there’s a lot about this 420 mindset that appeals to me.

Night Idea are a bit more active, dishing out their melodic, psychedelic take on math rock on four separate albums in the past seven years; the most recent being last fall’s Riverless. That said, regardless of their scientific approach to song structure, these guys at the end of the day are just some laid back dudes that want to hang. And you’ll be able to do just that as they serenade you with killer tunes that just might leave you scratching your head if you pay close attention. Local heavy-postpunk group Unmaker and raging hardcore punks Haircut round out a bill that’s a perfect celebration of the most stonerific day of the year. So get there on time; after all, the Cool Ranch Doritos aren’t gonna last.

Wednesday, April 18, 7 PM
The Aces, The Barons, Blush Face @ The Camel – $12 in advance/$15 at the door (order tickets HERE)
People talk a lot about the 90s being back these days, but I think we all need to admit that the 80s revival is a formidable aspect of our current musical culture as well. And not the sort of 80s revival we had a decade and a half ago; that was about fashion. This is about music, and where The Aces are concerned, it’s about good music. This four-woman group featuring two sisters might just remind you of fellow sister act Haim, but The Aces are no copycat; their debut album, When My Heart Felt Volcanic, has a grip of excellent melodies and catchy choruses to deliver to all of us, mixing chunky guitars with the same sort of synth swells that lended secret power to classic singles by 80s rockers like Rick Springfield and Corey Hart. I know, younger readers, you have no idea who those people are. Trust me.

Not that you even need to, because hearing the voices of The Aces will be enough to convince you that this band has a sound you need in your life. Their vocal harmonizing gives the already-incredible choruses of songs like “Stuck” and “Bad Love” an atomic-level power that’ll caress your eardrums and shatter your heart. It’s enough to make me long for days of the Saturday morning American Top 40 Countdown. Casey Kasem has passed on, Madonna is, um, not that good anymore, but The Aces are keeping the dream alive. They’re joined on this trip through RVA by Charlottesville’s own 80s-pop killers, The Barons, who mix musclecar references into their own version of guitar-driven, synth-inflected pop. Irrepressible local popsters Blush Face, who always bring a good time, will take the opening slot, and if that’s not a reason to arrive on time, I don’t know what is.

Thursday, April 19, 6 PM
Boston Manor, Free Throw, Homesafe, Hot Mulligan, Save Face @ Strange Matter – $15 (order tickets HERE)
As anyone who’s been paying attention to this column for the past few years will surely be aware, I’m a huge fan of emotionally-driven pop-punk. What’s more, I make no apologies for it, and I don’t think anyone else should either. Which is why I’m encouraging all of you who have even a shred of my love for the genre to hold your head high with pride and head out to Strange Matter Thursday night for this visit from Boston Manor. Despite what the name might lead you to think, this quintet hails from Blackpool, England, and if you listen closely to their 2016 full-length debut on Pure Noise Records, Be Nothing, you’ll hear tinges of that cross-the-pond lineage shining through.

In addition to the obvious emotional pop-punk touchstones, there are hints of underrated (at least here in the USA) UK groups like Funeral For A Friend and Idlewild on tracks like “Lead Feet” and “Broken Glass” — and I for one am certainly not complaining. In addition to this excellent UK headliner, this show also brings us a variety of other emo-pop bands from various locations west of the Atlantic and east of the Mississippi. Nashville’s Free Throw are a bit mellow and jangly, while Illinois group Homesafe has a lot of energy and crunch, bordering on melodic hardcore. Michigan’s Hot Mulligan have that way with witty song titles I’ve always loved (“All You Wanted by Michelle Branch,” “Pluto Was Never Really A Planet Either Even”), while New Jersey’s Save Face get all rock n’ rolly, bringing an almost-grunge influence to their melodic punk riffs. All of it’s rad, though. All of it is worth seeing. Don’t hide from it.

Friday, April 20, 8 PM
Bully, Shellshag, The Smirks @ Strange Matter – $12 (order tickets HERE)
Here’s some great news for anyone with good taste: Bully are hitting town once again. This Tennessee quartet have been lighting it up for close to five years now, with their highly energetic mix of melodic punk and post-grunge power-pop. Their first LP, Feels Like, grabbed a ton of attention for its striking songwriting chops and predilection for overdriven guitars and angst-ridden screams. Last year’s follow-up, Losing (perhaps the continuation of a sentence begun in the first album’s title?), hits even harder, cranking the angst up to 11 and giving frontwoman Alicia Bognanno plenty of opportunities to scream her head off.

Bully’s performance at Strange Matter Friday night will offer yet another opportunity, and it’d be a wise idea for all of us to station ourselves at ground zero of this impending explosion of rock n’ roll fury. If you’ve ever thought that Nirvana would have been an even better band if they were run by a woman, this is the band for you. Plus, they’ll be joined by minimalist garage-punk heroes Shellshag, who’ve been gracing Richmond with their presence regularly for years and have won over a lot of people in the process. If you don’t know, now you know. Local punk rock killers The Smirks open up with what is apparently their album release show. And look, I know I tell you quite often that you need to get to shows on time. But seriously, if you miss The Smirks’ LP release, you win the blue ribbon for blowing it.

Saturday, April 21, 8 PM
HeadlessMantis, Houdan The Mystic, Lucid Traveler, Mad Habit @ Gallery 5 – $5
This all-local Saturday night special is being brought to you by The Jamwich, a magazine covering regional music of what I’m guessing is the “jam” variety; and Progress Festival, a three-day fest taking place out in Dublin, a VA town somewhere outside of Radford. All of this will give you a definite idea of what this festival-preview night at Gallery 5 will have to offer, but you’d be foolish to write it off accordingly. Because honestly, while I’m no fan of “jam bands” as they are popularly conceived, all of the bands on this bill have quite a bit more to offer than warmed-over retreads of Phish or Disco Biscuits. And thank god for that.

HeadlessMantis is at the top of the bill, and this band has at least as much garage rock running through its swamp-monster veins as prog-psych. They’ll inspire a good deal more headbanging than goofy LSD twirl-dancing. Meanwhile, Houdan The Mystic has some pretty excellent math-rock chops, which they integrate into prog-rock melodies that might please the jam heads but are more likely to keep fans of mid-period King Crimson smiling. Lucid Traveler keep things funky with their instrumental tunes, and while they are probably closest of all these groups to being an actual jam band, they’ll keep the groove moving enough that you won’t want to hold it against them. And openers Mad Habit bring enough pop melodies to keep their psych sound engaging and fun. For a supposed show full of jam bands, this one is gonna be pretty darn unmissable.

Sunday, April 22, 9 PM
Desert Altar, Indighost, Lair @ Bandito’s – Free!
There was a time a few years ago when it seemed you couldn’t get through a week of live music here in Richmond without seeing at least two or three doom metal bands. Even if you were going to indie shows, it was pretty much everywhere. However, lately, it seems like the doom trend is starting to die. This may be bad news to any hipsters who were trying to get famous by wearing denim jackets and copping Fu Manchu riffs from 2001, but it’s good news for those who just want to enjoy good music without all the extra baggage. You’ll have a great opportunity to do so with some bands that might have missed the doom metal trend, but are still really excellent, this Sunday night at Bandito’s.

Indighost is the touring crew on this bill, and this Johnson City, TN crew seems to draw quite a bit of influence from their Appalachian background, as they mix spooky backwoods gloom with their doom-laden psychedelic melodies. Their 2017 album, Sphinx Rider, is the soundtrack for the best Hills Have Eyes-style rural-nowhere horror movie never actually made. At least we have the music, right? Local up-and-comers Desert Altar bring some witchy psych-doom sounds of their own to the bill, as brand new RVA heads Lair crush our heads with some mournfully beautiful sludge. Grab some nachos and settle in for some excellent bleakness.

Monday, April 23, 8 PM
Charmer, Ostraca, Au Revoir, Shy Low @ Strange Matter – $7
OK, before we go any farther can I just give a shoutout to this flyer? Is this really how those “flat-earthers” see the world? Holy hell, my brain is broken. But that’s OK, all will be well once again when this quartet of killer bands takes the stage at Strange Matter Monday night. Of course I’ve never made it a secret that I totally love Ostraca; one of the best bands to come out of Richmond anytime this decade, if you ask me. They only further proved it with the three killer releases they brought into the world last year, highlighted by their second LP, Last. If the idea of passionate, emotionally-driven metallic hardcore that draws equally from black metal, experimental noise, and raging thrash doesn’t appeal to you, then I think you need to come see Ostraca this Monday night and get your head right.

The great thing about this bill is that it not only features one of the best bands making music in this town right now but will also bring us three other groups with their own take on excellent heavyosity. New Jersey’s Au Revoir, the out-of-towners on this bill, bring some epic heavy instrumental jams along the lines of Pelican, or Earthless. Shy Low have been plying their own instrumental post-rock trade locally for a fair bit of time now, but 2017’s Burning Day EP showed us all that the group still have quite a few tricks up their sleeve. And of course, there’s Charmer, whose seemingly sweet name belies this group’s non-stop power-violence attack. On last year’s split EP with Amara, they dished out five songs in around four minutes, and they’ll be cranking ’em out at a similar rate of speed at Strange Matter. Don’t blink.

Tuesday, April 24, 7 PM
Hovvdy, Kenneka Cook, Addy @ Gallery 5 – $8 (order tickets HERE)
I’m still not sure I entirely approve of the whole “two v’s in place of a w” thing that’s been going around for a few years now. That said, I’ve heard a bunch of bands who went with this particular move, and I’ve liked them all. So for now, I’m willing to go with it in the case of Hovvdy. This duo was started by Austin drummers Will Taylor and Charlie Martin to explore their own interest in quiet, hypnotic sounds. Contrary to all the old jokes about drummers not having any musical ability, these two have created a gorgeous world of sound on their brand new album, Cranberry — which ironically features a significant amount of programmed beats. Give the drummer some!

Hovvdy will be joined on this show by Kenneka Cook, who should need no introduction for those who’ve been reading this column and this magazine lately. That said, I’ll offer a brief one: Cook is an amazing soul-funk-pop vocalist who creates incredible music in a variety of formats — sometimes on her own, with programmed loops backing up her vocals; sometimes with bands consisting of the best musicians Richmond has to offer. Which version of Cook’s live performance you’ll get at this show isn’t something I can tell you in advance, but I can tell you that either one is sure to blow you away and leave you begging for more. Addy will open things up with some bedroom-pop solo sounds that will transfer to the stage in unique and interesting ways. This whole bill is worth catching — don’t sleep on it.

—-

Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers–this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected] [and yeah, in case you’re wondering, more awesomeness from my cracked and bleeding fingertips is available at GayRVA — come say hey.]

And on April 23 at 7 PM, make sure to join VA music promoters Lucas Fritz (The Broadberry/The Camel), Mark Osborne (Strange Matter/Slimehole), and Jessica Gordon (RVA Shows/Trigger System), for a FACEBOOK LIVE interactive chat. The promoters will discuss the Richmond music scene, talk about their experiences booking bands, and ask you, the fan, what bands you want to see come to town. They’ll be asking some trivia questions to win tickets to upcoming shows and you can leave any questions you want them to answer in the comments section. Make sure to get in on the conversation this Monday!

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

Jet Trails Music‘s Star Wars X-Mas Party 2, feat. Spooky Cool, The Milkstains, Tinnarose, Blush Face @ Hardywood

|

Topics: , , , , ,

I went to see Thor: Ragnarok the other night, and caught a really awesome trailer for The Last Jedi before the movie. I know it’s out today, but I must admit, I’ve been slacking on keeping up with the Star Wars franchise over the last few years. Those prequels in the late 90s definitely made me feel a bit burned, and I just haven’t bothered to check out any of the latest round. Jet Trails Music has never left me feeling burned, though, and they’ve been keeping up with Star Wars in a big way, as they prove with their second annual Star Wars-themed X-Mas Party on Saturday night! We promise it’ll be way better than the infamous late-70s Star Wars holiday special, too.

One big reason it’ll be better is the presence of Spooky Cool at the top of the bill. This band has simultaneously lit a fire under the local live music scene over the past couple of years and kept recorded versions of their songs relatively under wraps. They finally integrated the live and recorded worlds last month with the release of their Good Day RVA video for “Black Wine,” which shows the group’s simultaneous melodic prowess and tense, heavy undercurrent. All those guitar chugs at the beginning are particularly awesome, though the catchy, math-y breaks later on provide an intriguing contrast. Want a whole set of this? Of course you do, even if it’ll be like your 20th helping of such a thing. It’s the holidays–time to indulge!

If anything, the band listed just below Spooky Cool on the bill have to be seen as a co-headliner. The Milkstains have a long, rich history as part of the Virginia music scene, and their surf-grunge-punk hybrid sound is as killer as it’s ever been if this year’s release of Punch The Sky can be trusted. Wait, what? Of course it can! How can you deny the incredible pop hooks of “Young Scum”? The doom-twang portent of “High Plains Wizard”? The driving, jangly punk of “Shake”? You can’t! And you won’t be able to stand still while this band dishes it out live, with all the killer hooks and riffs of their studio recordings plus a heaping helping of wild, sweaty energy. The lineup is rounded out by Fairport Convention-influenced Austin folk-psych crew Tinnarose, and killer local popsters Blush Face. Plus, there will of course be many Star Wars-themed extras, including a costume contest, so get ready to have some fun!

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 12/13-12/19

|

Topics: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, December 16, 6 PM
Jet Trails Music‘s Star Wars X-Mas Party 2, feat. Spooky Cool, The Milkstains, Tinnarose, Blush Face @ Hardywood – Free!
I went to see Thor: Ragnarok the other night, and caught a really awesome trailer for The Last Jedi before the movie. I know it’s out today, but I must admit, I’ve been slacking on keeping up with the Star Wars franchise over the last few years. Those prequels in the late 90s definitely made me feel a bit burned, and I just haven’t bothered to check out any of the latest round. Jet Trails Music has never left me feeling burned, though, and they’ve been keeping up with Star Wars in a big way, as they prove with their second annual Star Wars-themed X-Mas Party on Saturday night! We promise it’ll be way better than the infamous late-70s Star Wars holiday special, too.

One big reason it’ll be better is the presence of Spooky Cool at the top of the bill. This band has simultaneously lit a fire under the local live music scene over the past couple of years and kept recorded versions of their songs relatively under wraps. They finally integrated the live and recorded worlds last month with the release of their Good Day RVA video for “Black Wine,” which shows the group’s simultaneous melodic prowess and tense, heavy undercurrent. All those guitar chugs at the beginning are particularly awesome, though the catchy, math-y breaks later on provide an intriguing contrast. Want a whole set of this? Of course you do, even if it’ll be like your 20th helping of such a thing. It’s the holidays–time to indulge!

If anything, the band listed just below Spooky Cool on the bill have to be seen as a co-headliner. The Milkstains have a long, rich history as part of the Virginia music scene, and their surf-grunge-punk hybrid sound is as killer as it’s ever been if this year’s release of Punch The Sky can be trusted. Wait, what? Of course it can! How can you deny the incredible pop hooks of “Young Scum”? The doom-twang portent of “High Plains Wizard”? The driving, jangly punk of “Shake”? You can’t! And you won’t be able to stand still while this band dishes it out live, with all the killer hooks and riffs of their studio recordings plus a heaping helping of wild, sweaty energy. The lineup is rounded out by Fairport Convention-influenced Austin folk-psych crew Tinnarose, and killer local popsters Blush Face. Plus, there will of course be many Star Wars-themed extras, including a costume contest, so get ready to have some fun!

Wednesday, December 13, 9 PM
Scott Clark 4tet, Party Pack ICE @ The Camel – $5
It’s always nice to see some cool stuff happening in the jazz scene around town. Ever since I’ve been paying attention to that scene, I’ve found that drummer Scott Clark is always up in the mix. This is the first time I’ve seen his excellent 4tet out and about in a while, though, and I’m glad they’ve made a return. Featuring Spacebomb affiliates and former Fight The Big Bull members Cameron Ralston, Jason Scott, and Bob Miller, this group released an elegaic, powerful album in 2015 entitled Bury My Heart, which was a musical exploration of Clark’s Native American ancestry. Now they’re returning to live action with their Ornette Coleman-inspired piano-less quartet for a killer performance at The Camel, and it’ll be delightful to see what they’ve come up with.

It’s also gonna be cool to see Party Pack ICE, an avant-garde quintet led by bassist Adam Hopkins. Hailing from Baltimore via Brooklyn, the group features members of Turn Around Norman and Signal Problems, which will delight my underground music readers who bothered to get to the second paragraph of a jazz writeup. Party Pack ICE prove their fratboy-tempting name to be a clever dodge with their recently released self-titled EP, on which they get totally free and kind of nuts in a manner that should please fans of both Arab On Radar and John Zorn’s Naked City. These guys sure will blow the cobwebs out of that space between your ears, so be sure you’re prepared.

Thursday, December 14, 7 PM
Chatham County Line‘s Electric Holiday Tour @ The Broadberry – $15 in advance/$18 day of show (order tickets HERE)
I admit I’ve never been the biggest follower of bluegrass music. That said, I always enjoy this sort of stuff when it comes across my radar, and I enjoy it even more when bands push their boundaries and spread their wings a bit. Therefore, when I saw that Chatham County Line’s Electric Holiday Tour was coming through town later this week, I couldn’t resist telling you about it. I’m not sure it’s really even fair to reduce Chatham County Line’s normal sound to “bluegrass”–they aren’t as fast as a lot of those groups are, and they’ve got a yearning, emotional tinge that I more associate with early country music, so maybe it’s fairer just to consider them a melange of rurally-centered old-time sounds. Their music is sweet and nice, though, I know that much, and should please those who need a break from loud guitars and pounding drums.

At least for a little while, because once they’ve played a normal percussion-less acoustic set, they’ll head back to the stage for a second set featuring an expanded band wielding amps, drums, and plugged-in guitars. These Electric Holiday sets have been a Chatham County Line end-of-year tradition for nearly a decade now, and they’ve built up quite the repertoire. You can expect classic rock n’ roll tunes from artists like Chuck Berry and Roy Orbison–and with the passing this year of Tom Petty and Fats Domino, chances for tributes to these artists are pretty high. You’ll also get electrified versions of songs by Chatham County Line’s electrified precursor, Stillhouse, and even a few reworked songs from the band’s extensive catalog. The electric stuff has a bit more of a modern alt-country feel, and will probably connect for fans of Drive-By Truckers or even J. Roddy Walston & The Business. Plus, it’s a rare occasion for this band, and probably the perfect introduction for new fans as well as being a treat for the longtime heads. So even if bluegrass isn’t usually your thing either, give this one a shot. You just might love it.

Friday, December 15, 7 PM
Converge, Pile, Give @ The Broadberry – $20 (order tickets HERE)
It really amazes me when I think about the fact that Converge are still around and going strong. Back in 2001 when they were touring on breakthrough fourth album Jane Doe, my friends and I thought of them as longtime veterans who had survived way longer than we ever expected of a hardcore band. And that was 16 years ago! This year, Converge released The Dusk In Us, which is their ninth album only if you take a particularly strict approach to their discography (it feels more like their 12th if you factor in split LPs, singles comps, etc). It’s hard to believe that a 25 year old hardcore band could still be at the top of their game, but one listen to the album should remove any doubt.

Jake Bannon’s rampaging snarl has continued to gain strength and ferocity over the band’s career, and the band’s current lineup, which has remained unchanged since that 2001 tour, operates like a well-oiled and totally brutal machine. These guys were maniacs the last time I caught them live, and have not slowed down at all with age, so chances are they’ll still rip your head off at the Broadberry this Friday night, just like it was still 2001. They’ll be bringing fellow Bostonians Pile with them, who created a sensation in the noise-rock world with their 2015 album You’re Better Than This and have continued to grow with this year’s followup, A Hairshirt of Purpose. DC straight edge group Give, who’ve used colorful flower-themed artwork and a strong melodic sensibility to defy the tough-guy stereotype associated with the straight edge scene, open things up, and make showing up on time a requirement.

Saturday, December 16, 7 PM
Reverend Horton Heat, Junior Brown, The Blasters, Big Sandy & the Fly-rite Boys @ The Broadberry – $30 (order tickets HERE)
It’s party time for all the rockabilly cats this Saturday night down at the Broadberry bar n’ grill, and if there aren’t at least a few enormous, elaborately-restored American cars from the 50s, complete with tail fins, parked somewhere in the Broadberry’s vicinity on this night, I will truly be disappointed. Reverend Horton Heat is coming to town, bringing his nearly three decades of psychobilly freakoutery to RVA once again for a gigantic package tour known as the Holiday Hayride. The Rev has been woodshedding with his band for a while, having just picked up a new drummer and started work on his 12th album over the summer. Expect some new tunes as well as all the classics you know and love, complete with the country-punk twang and rebel-stomping badass panache.

The Rev’s not the only act on this hayride, though, and if anything, the powerful openers are just as much of a draw for this one as the headliner. Country-singing guitar-slinger Junior Brown will bring his unique “guit-steel” double-neck axe to the stage and grace us all with a deep songbook he’s been putting together ever since the 80s. And then there are the Blasters, who’ve been cranking out rootsy, punky rock n’ roll for longer than Brown or the Rev, originally forming in the wake of the LA punk explosion in the late 70s. While singer/guitarist Phil Alvin’s brother Dave isn’t playing lead guitar anymore, the original lineup remains otherwise intact, so if you loved them in the mid-80s you’ll still get a kick out of signature tune “I’m Shakin'” and their many other excellent songs, still delivered with fire and passion. Big Sandy & His Fly-rite Boys kick things off, and even this relatively new group (only 25 years together) is 100 percent worth your time and attention, so make your dollar count and show up on time.

Sunday, December 17, 8 PM
Silent Music Revival, feat. Blush Face @ Gallery 5 – Donations appreciated
So much Christmas stuff happening around town this month, and Gallery 5’s brought plenty of it to us so far. With Silent Music Revival’s return to the Gallery floor this Sunday, they’ll throw in a bit more holiday cheer for us all, as local indie-pop sensation Blush Face provides musical accompaniment to a succession of holiday shorts spanning from the beginning of film as a medium in the late 19th century up to the World War II era. The band hasn’t seen any of these films beforehand, so don’t expect a set of Blush Face tunes you’ve come to know and love. Instead, you’ll get a totally unique musical and visual experience of the sort that Silent Music Revival founder Jameson Price has been curating for over a decade now. Whether you’re a longtime fan of this unique recurring musical event or totally new to the whole thing, you definitely will want to catch this Sunday afternoon offering, guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit.

Monday, December 18, 8 PM
Downhaul, MyWay, Mon Chere, Good Looks @ Strange Matter – $5
Yet another installation of the ongoing Locals Only series at Strange Matter, and as always, it’s a winner. Really, how can you lose with a cheap four-band bill offering a variety of bands and sounds, most if not all of which will be new to you? Trying new things and finding out what else is going on outside your little bubble is one of the great joys in life–as is music, come to think of it. So why not do both at the same time and liven up an otherwise-dullsville Monday night?

Downhaul are the band closing this one out, and they’re absolutely worth sticking around for. Their literary lyrical tales of epic awkwardness sum up the angst and ennui of the post-graduate malaise, and since all of us have either been there or are headed in that direction, it’s a feeling we can all relate to–especially set to this band’s lovely indie-emo sounds. MyWay have a chunky blues-rock sound, which offers a completely different sort of feel to Downhaul but one that’ll cure its own set of ills. The atmospheric indie sounds of new crew Mon Chere and the funky prog-rock of Good Looks round out the bill to keep you entertained with an eclectic set of sounds. Relieve the Christmas-shopping stress with this one–it’s sure to soothe your nerves.

Tuesday, December 19, 8 PM
G. Smith, Model Child, Maral, Ghost Piss, Aesthetic Barrier, Popcub @ Strange Matter – $5
Is everyone reading this aware of just how enthralled the young indie kids are these days with experimental electronic sounds? I would think anyone paying attention here in RVA is at least aware of the popularity Dazeases has built up over the past few years, but what you might not know is that this is just the tip of an iceberg with deep roots both locally and around the country. G. Smith is a great example of an artist with similar vibes and sounds, hailing from the SoCal hipness mecca that is post-Y2K Los Angeles. She’s got an ambient vibe, a funk rhythm, and an entrancing melodic grasp; all the ingredients you need to take strange electronic sounds and turn them into hypnotic dance-floor bangers.

Fellow Angeleno Model Child works in a similar medium, though his beats are a bit more robust. Either way, this guy knows how to make the floor shake just as well. And the third of this LA trio arriving in RVA next Tuesday night, Maral, mixes influences from Middle Eastern music in with this potpourri of ingredients to create similarly memorable tunes that’ll both expand your mind and move your body. The other three artists on the bill all have local roots, even though only one is currently based here. Ghost Piss returns from Brooklyn to drop a set of hypnotic ambient pop noise on us all, Aesthetic Barrier emerges from Jackson Ward to embrace us all in oozing synth haze over pounding beats, and Popcub flies home from Alaska to open up with a DJ set I strongly suspect will feature a heavy nightcore presence. You know you love it.

—-

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] [yes, my email is through GayRVA, don’t get weird about it]

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 11/29-12/5

|

Topics: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

FEATURED SHOW
Friday, December 1, 6 PM
Doll Baby, Haybaby, Blush Face @ Hardywood – Free!
I must say, I’ve been excited about Doll Baby for a long time. I caught one of their first shows (which was easy to do, since it was in my living room) and was blown away by what they’d come up with. It was significantly different than anything the members had done before, and combined their backgrounds in folk-punk, melodic hardcore, and old-time music into a style that was all their own. Their early recordings intrigued me, but it wasn’t until new EP Hell Block, released a month ago on Egghunt Records, that I really saw all of their potential come to fruition.

Now Doll Baby will be taking over Hardywood for a Friday night of festivities set to include not just a live performance but also a premiere, for the video that will accompany Hell Block closing track “Silver Stars.” Put together by local film producer Hugh Burruss and Blush Face frontwoman Allie Smith, the video stars Sammi Lanzetta and promises to be quite the visual treat. It also accompanies what is in my humble opinion the best track on Doll Baby’s new EP, so that’s a nice little bonus.

Performers this evening will not only include Doll Baby but also Brooklyn’s Haybaby, the only group on this bill not to have ever featured Chris Carreon on bass (as far as I know). Their languid yet sinister sound has a strange resemblance to early Breeders, which is always a nice vibe to create. In addition to having lent her filmic talents to the evening, Allie Smith will also bring us a set from her band, Blush Face–and we all know these guys are great. With a ticket price of precisely $0.00, this event is officially too good to pass up.

Wednesday, November 29, 8 PM
Halfcast, Black Mold Jesus, Colder Planets, Silver Twin @ Strange Matter – $5
Whenever things are lagging in the middle of the week, you can always count on a Strange Matter Locals Only gig to come along and save you from the doldrums, and tonight’s edition, the 48th (!), is no exception. There aren’t any amazing newcomers to the scene to shine a particular light on here; we’ve all been seeing melodic indie rockers Halfcast and the weirdo rock n’ roll delights of Black Mold Jesus on bills for a while now, and if you’ve been scrupulous about following my recommendations, you’ve caught both of them at least once.

But they’re still something to look forward to after a long Wednesday spent in the office looking out the window at beautiful weather you can’t enjoy, as are the lovely, delicate indie-pop sounds of Colder Planets. Relative newcomers Silver Twin will kick things off with a reliably rockin’ set of riff-driven tunes, making the entire night a delight for the senses that will thrill you enough to help you get through the rest of a boring work week. Be sure to take advantage.

Thursday, November 30, 8 PM
Unreliable Radio Live, feat. Karmah, Harshworld, Nolanberollin, Derrick Panther, Austin Skinner, Mike Of Doom @ Strange Matter – $10 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Podcasts are pretty much the wave of the future, it seems. Terrestrial radio’s in a death spiral, Sirius XM is too expensive, and you can stream pretty much any music whenever you want anyway. That’s a nice thing, but if you want curation that brings you new music you know you’ll like along with info and interviews with intriguing new artists, podcasts are your only hope these days. Here in RVA we all know about The Cheats Movement Podcast, but it’s not the only hip hop-focused podcast out of VA, and on Thursday night, another podcast will introduce itself to the RVA community with a live taping at Strange Matter.

That podcast is Unreliable Radio, an hour-long dispatch released at irregular intervals, hosted by Michael “Scholarship” Cox and featuring new music from artists within and outside of VA, plus interviews with a variety of different creatives. Unreliable Radio’s most recent episode featured Karmah, the musical headliner for this show, who hails from Ashland and makes reference to his country roots by calling himself a “dirt road soldier.” Karmah’s got connections with DC’s Goth Money records, though; they released his No Hand Outs EP last year, so he’s not just some random rapper from the sticks. He’ll head up an impressive lineup of artists from the DMV area on this evening, including a trio from Hampton Roads and a couple more from the DC suburbs. And of course, we’re sure to hear from Scholarship as well. Come find out what’s up with Unreliable Radio, and find some new hip hop artists from the area that are worth your time as well, at Strange Matter Thursday night. It’s the smart thing to do.

Friday, December 1, 8 PM
Kamasi Washington, Moonchild @ The National – $24.50 in advance/$27.50 day of show (order tickets HERE)
OK listen, I’ve already given you a hot tip on a free show you can hit up this Friday night. BUT, if you’ve got some extra scratch, because maybe you just got paid or something, you might want to look into what’s going on at The National this night instead. Kamasi Washington, a young tenor saxophonist who’s built himself quite a reputation in the two or so years since releasing his debut triple album The Epic, will be bringing his talents and his band to the National stage, and if you care at all about jazz, you really should be paying attention. Washington’s known to the wider music scene for his connections with the world of hip hop, having played on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly LP, toured with Snoop Dogg, and featured Thundercat in his band at various points.

That having been said, one thing any listener to Kamasi Washington’s music is sure to understand immediately is that it’s very much of the jazz genre. Both The Epic and his more reasonably-sized single-album followup, Harmony Of Difference, feature instrumental performances that seem to draw mainly from classic-quartet era John Coltrane and the rich world of soul jazz. They also incorporate plenty of modern hip hop and R&B influences though, and on the whole stand out not only as some of the best works to come out of the jazz world in quite a while but also an excellent gateway drug for hip hop and soul heads who just haven’t ever allowed themselves to take the plunge. So whether you’re a jazz freak from way back or just a curious fan of good music in general, you should definitely take a chance on catching Kamasi Washington’s live performance at the National this Friday. You won’t regret it.

Saturday, December 2, 7:30 PM
Snake Union, Bonnie Jones, Feminacci @ Black Iris – $6-10 (sliding scale)
I spent the 90s being really into quirky, chaotic hardcore bands who stepped outside the usual cultural mold around that genre to challenge preconceptions and make people think while they slam-danced. And since I was living in Richmond then, too, one of the bands I paid the most attention to in that vein was Action Patrol, whose brief existence brought forth a wealth of great music. Up in DC, there were the Meta-matics, whose pointed political lyrics and sharp postpunk riffing later gave way to the improvisational funk noise of the All Scars. Today, former Action Patrol frontman David Grant and former Meta-matics/All Scars frontman Chuck Bettis are working together as Snake Union, and they’re still challenging preconceptions and pushing the boundaries of what music can be.

But let me warn you, Snake Union is not some new hardcore project. No, it’s got nothing to do with punk or even rock music. This electronic project, in which Bettis and Grant work together to create complex digital rhythms, uses analog synthesizers, modular controllers, and all sorts of other machines in the production of improvised grooves that find a driving forward motion and ride that wave for as long as they can. Their 2017 EP, The Role Of Revulsion, includes several lengthy tracks that start with a quiet, sinister mood and build towards an unsettling but captivating climax. Grant and Bettis will be creating similar musical movements at Black Iris this Saturday night, and fans of experimental noise, German cosmische music, and avant-garde electronics are sure to enjoy the results.

Sunday, December 3, 8 PM
Diet Cig, Sammi Lanzetta, Big Baby @ Strange Matter – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
OK, so, I was gonna tell you to go see Pinegrove on this night, and then, well, everything that happened with that band happened, and now I can’t imagine I’d tell you to go see them even if they were still going to be playing in town on Sunday. But really, it’s OK, because there’s an equally excellent show happening in town that night, and you would be just as well-served to go to that one! Indeed, I have extolled the virtues of Diet Cig in this column in the past (pretty recently, in fact, which was my original reason for planning to write about another show), but I’m sure there are some of you out there who ignored my advice or started reading this column two weeks ago or whatever and missed the whole thing.

The rest of you, I’m assuming, already know how great their debut LP, Swear I’m Good At This, really is, and have been jamming it nonstop the same way I have. The way Diet Cig mix melodic punk riffage and heartbroken, politically informed lyrics with an undercurrent of sweet pop gorgeousness stands out even in a genre full of excellent groups, from Candy Hearts to Hop Along to Speedy Ortiz. And of course, Sammi Lanzetta’s been steadily building a bulletproof reputation around town as an excellent songwriter with an angelic voice and a snarky lyrical wit of her own, so it’s no surprise that she and Diet Cig have been touring together lately, or that she’d appear on this bill. Local indie-rock stars Big Baby kick off the night with some killer catchy jams of their own, and thereby we have a 100% amazing show with no sketchiness involved. What a relief.

Monday, December 4, 8 PM
Parker Gispert, Billy Neptune @ The Camel – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Hey hey, it’s Parker Gispert from The Whigs! Only this time, he’s not coming to town with the Whigs in tow; instead, he’s out on a solo tour, bringing his songs to the Camel’s stage in their most minimal form. Even though Gispert has been bringing the rock with the Whigs for years now, he’s apparently always started out conceiving of his music as solo acoustic guitar tunes, and now he’s decided to release an album in that vein. Of course, his website says it’s due for release in fall 2017, and considering that season will end in about three weeks, it seems likely he’ll be behind deadline.

Regardless, people who show up at this show are sure to get a big taste of what’s to come where that’s concerned. A couple of songs are already floating around out there on YouTube, and from what I’ve heard, it sounds like he’s channeling Neil Young’s most minimal acoustic side, and using that template to create hypnotic mood pieces that are indelible and beautiful. Which makes sense, considering how much the Whigs’ full-band sound seems to draw from Crazy Horse. Gispert solo may not be the sort of sweaty, booty-shaking affair a full Whigs show is, but those who enjoy the full band are sure to get a lot out of seeing the frontman step out on his own. And hey, if you need a jolt of Whigs-like Southern-tinged rock n’ roll, look no further than local openers Billy Neptune–they’ve got plenty of it for you, and they’re sure to get you in a great mood to see something a little different from Parker Gispert.

Tuesday, December 5, 8 PM
TSOL, True Body, Serqet, DJ Devolved @ Strange Matter – $15 (order tickets HERE)
I’m always stoked when TSOL come around. This LA punk band got started at the dawn of the 80s by fusing that early American hardcore punk sound, what with the stripping down and the speeding up, with a dark, doomed consciousness that soon took them in a far more gothic direction–at a time when goth wasn’t even really a thing yet. Early work like Dance With Me and Weathered Statues EP was unassailable, but after the band first lost legitimately troubled frontman Jack Grisham and, by the late 80s, became a shadow of their former selves with zero original members, it seemed as if their legacy had been irreparably tarnished.

Fortunately, the original members reformed, successfully reclaimed the rights to their band name, and began making new music around the turn of the 21st century. After their second reunion album, the excellent 2003 LP Divided We Stand, the band brought back Greg Kuehn, who had played keyboards on their 1984 LP Beneath The Shadows. Kuehn’s additional textures once accentuated TSOL’s goth vibe, but today they give the band a bluesier feel, as can be heard on latest LP The Trigger Complex. While TSOL aren’t still the same band in 2017 that they were in 1981, they still have a ton of talent and a wealth of great songs to draw from for a killer setlist. Missing them next Tuesday at Strange Matter is just as inadvisable as missing them in LA 35 years ago would have been.

—-

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] [yes, my email is through GayRVA, don’t get weird about it]