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VA Shows You Must See This Week: February 20 – February 26

Marilyn Drew Necci | February 20, 2019

Topics: 156/Silence, 7th Grade Girl Fight, Bandito's, basmati, Beyond The Grave, Bill Nace, Brothertiger, Buzzherd, Cary Street Cafe, Champion RVA, Charlie's American Cafe, Chris Corsano, Collider, crazy doberman, Cruelsifix, Doc Rotten, Dropping Ugly, Grandma, Hardywood, Karacell, Large Margin, Late Bloomer, Lil Broken Heart, Lobby Boy, Love Roses, McCormack's, MRC, MSD, Musket Hawk, New Lions, No Good Deed, Red Sea, Riffhouse Pub, Shockoe Denim, Shormey, shows you must see, SMUG, Summer Heart, The Camel, The Chuggernauts, THRE3, Typesetter, W I S H, Washers, Yung Mutt

FEATURED SHOW
Friday, February 22, 6 PM
New Lions, Large Margin, Basmati, Grandma @ Hardywood – Free!

It snowed this morning. It’s supposed to be 60 degrees tomorrow. Who knows what the weather will be like this weekend. But while Richmond’s topsy-turvy weather spends the rest of winter (and probably longer than that) pulling itself together, we can at least be assured that, in this town full of outstanding music, it’ll always be pleasant inside.

That will definitely be true at Hardywood this Friday night, when this jam-packed lineup of top-tier local musicians hits the stage. Topping the bill is New Lions, and this sextet is what we get when Clair Morgan stops pussyfooting around about whether or not he’s a solo artist and just forms a band already. Not that that’s any big new thing — New Lions is basically the same ensemble Morgan was leading when he made his last record, 2016’s New Lions And The Not-Good Night (ah, see, you’re starting to get what’s happening here), and the group’s pleasing mix of indie melodies and intense, math-y emo remains intact. Plus, they’re almost done with their new EP, so you’ll probably hear at least a song or two from it aired out live.

Large Margin are the other big story of the night, and while this band may have been ultra low-key with their rollout, one listen to last year’s self-titled full-length was enough to blow your hair back for sure. This quartet of local post-hardcore luminaries is kicking up some serious dust with their Fugazi-inspired take on angry, energetic noise-core, and on a personal note, it’s pure catnip for me — I love it. This show marks the physical release of the aforementioned self-titled full-length, and you’d all be fools not to grab it on cassette while the getting’s good. You’d also be fools not to arrive on time and catch powerful sets from long-running indie-math vets Basmati and the looping pop genius of Grandma. This show doesn’t even cost anything to get in, so you officially have no excuse.

Wednesday, February 20, 7 PM
Doc Rotten, Love Roses, The Chuggernauts @ McCormack’s – $7

Punk never sleeps, at least not before the sun’s coming up. And punk doesn’t care what day of the week it is, or what sort of job you have to get to at some point tomorrow. Punk thinks you should probably just quit your job. What has it ever done for you? It’s an especially incisive critique when you consider all the great things punk bands like Doc Rotten have given you over the years: snotty singalong choruses, catchy melodic leads, angry yet upbeat riffs you can raise your fist and yell along to.

These are the really important things in life, right? And you might worry about how you’re going to pay rent if you don’t once again forgo sleep and stagger in to work at 8 AM tomorrow regardless of how late you were out tonight. But none of that matters tonight, when Jersey punk crew Doc Rotten will have you singing along with an upraised fist (possibly clutching a beer). Last summer’s Illusion To Choose LP is full of bouncy bass lines, crunchy guitars, and deathless anthems that speak to the struggles we all go through, and when they crank out those tunes in Shockoe Bottom, you’ll be feeling good for sure. Local ragers Love Roses and The Chuggernauts are along to keep you smiling all night. Don’t miss it — no matter what time your alarm is set for.

Thursday, February 21, 10 PM
Typesetter, Late Bloomer, Washers @ Bandito’s – Free!

The classic midwestern emo sound may have quite a bit of history behind it these days, but it is by no means dead. Two great bands are coming through town this Thursday night to prove it to you, and while both of them are from out of town, they do have Richmond connections in that both of them have released albums on our city’s own 6131 Records. The first is Typesetter, who keep the midwestern tradition alive from their hometown of Chicago. Their latest album, Nothing Blues, finds the group mixing gorgeously wistful vocal harmonies with driving riffage and a solid grasp of the dynamics that make for a perfect full-length listen. Their set at Bandito’s is sure to deliver on the album’s promise.

And then there’s Late Bloomer, who hail from one state south of here and, like Typesetter, released a full-length on 6131 last year. Waiting finds this band rocking a little bit harder than their labelmates, catching a bit of that post-Nirvana 90s alt-rock feel in their net along with a generous helping of pastoral emo resonances. If you dig one of these bands, you’re sure to dig ’em both. Local openers Washers should appeal to you as well. This driving melodic punk band lands somewhere between local luminaries Teen Death and Sports Bar, and considering they share members (and a label) with the latter group, there are a lot of local heads who should already be in their corner. If not, show up at Bandito’s and get familiar already, y’all.

Friday, February 22, 7:30 PM
Chris Corsano/Bill Nace, Crazy Doberman @ Shockoe Denim – $10

Let’s get experimental this Friday night, shall we? This bill of experimental music with equal footing in jazz, punk, and improvisation is the sort of thing we might have expected to show up at Black Iris a year or so ago, but this time it’s happening in a completely random spot — Shockoe Denim, where you’d normally expect to hear nothing stranger than the phrase “selvedge denim.” This Friday night, though, it’s getting downright unusual in the fancy jeans store, as New England noisemakers Chris Corsano and Bill Nace perform a collaborative set.

You may recognize guitarist Bill Nace’s name, at least if you’ve followed what the members of Sonic Youth have been up to since their band dissolved. Nace is part of a duo called Body/Head, in which he collaborates with Kim Gordon. He’s done a ton of other stuff in the experimental music world too, as has Chris Corsano, a drummer of no small repute who has worked with everyone from Jim O’Rourke to Jandek at one time or another. These two have joined together previously under the name Vampire Belt to create glorious volcanoes of wild free-jazz cacophony. How will this performance differ? All we can do is show up and see. One thing’s for sure — it’ll be a wild ride. Especially with Richmond’s own pack of wild improv-experimental noise dogs, Crazy Doberman, opening up. The jeans store just might get a little unruly.

Saturday, February 23, 8 PM
Buzzherd, Musket Hawk, MSD, Cruelsifix @ Champion RVA – Free!

Local punk luminaries Tired and Pissed Records are bringing another devastating showcase to their hometown, this time over at Champion Brewing’s RVA location. And while those who pay attention to this sort of thing might have come to expect straight-up punk with a bit of a metal edge from the T&P crew, this time around finds them veering into the land of outright metal — which fits the environment, a brewer that those of us who don’t partake in the intoxicating stuff have come to associate with music that induces major headbangs.

This event finds two touring bands from north of our city heading into town; Buzzherd hail from Bethlehem, PA, a rust belt city mostly known for completely overdoing the whole Christmas thing. You can imagine what sort of angst this could induce in young metalheads, and you’ll hear all that angst and more when Buzzherd take the stage and wallop you with their chunky, violent take on metallic hardcore… or hardcore-damaged metal, as the case may be. Baltimore’s Musket Hawk take things in a more low-end direction, as they rumble and grind their way toward the perfect fusion of death metal and punk. Again, perfect music for their rather unstable home environs — and perfect music for you to spend your Saturday night headbanging to. Local powerhouses MSD and Cruelsifix only add to the reasons to wear your denim vest and get crazy at this one.

Sunday, February 24, 9:30 PM
Dropping Ugly, W I S H, Collider @ Bandito’s – Free!

We’re back at Bandito’s for the second time this week, for the fourth free show of the column this week, and if you don’t think this is a great time to be alive regardless of the weather, well, I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe to spend the money you’re saving on a huge plate of nachos at one or both of these Bandito’s shows and find out how great life truly can be. Then, feeling stuffed and happy, you can wander into the music room, check out a few great bands for zero dollars, and have a further realization of how truly #blessed you are.

This show features a performance by Dropping Ugly, which is the sort of band name one might understandably associate with thuggish hardcore stomping. One would therefore be surprised to discover that this Richmond duo is much closer to shoegaze/dreampop-influenced indie sounds, with a strong emphasis on beauty and melody. They’re dropping ugly, all right — there’s nothing not-gorgeous about this group’s sound. Sunday night provides you with the perfect opportunity to discover that, and while you’re at it, to take in the heavier shoegaze-oriented approach of W I S H, who will give you serious gaze-heads flashbacks to the days of the Swirlies and the Lilys. It’s glorious. DC’s Collider round out the evening with some killer sounds that make me want to reference bands no one reading this has ever heard, like Monsterland and Drop Nineteens. That’s an endorsement, in case it’s not clear. Want to know more? Go to this show. Like many of the shows in this week’s column, it’s free — so don’t say I never gave you anything.

Monday, February 25, 10 PM
SMUG, THRE3, 7th Grade Girl Fight @ Cary Street Cafe – Free!

I’ve recently heard the word “smug” used to describe that wave of annoying, pretentious right-wing YouTube jerks we all hear way too much about these days. It’s fitting; it’s a word that makes you think of a smarmy jerk with a superior smile on his face after having said something he thinks is brilliant and you know is ridiculous. Thankfully, the band SMUG doesn’t seem to consist of guys like that. Instead, they’re a trio hailing from Buffalo, NY (home of the Goo Goo Dolls, who rule. Yeah, I said it) and dishing out some powerful melodic punk on their brand-new album, Gorgeous.

So yeah, it’ll be fun to see these guys rock out at Cary Street Cafe, as long as you don’t think too hard about the meaning of their name. They’ll be joined by a duo of Virginia-based melodic rock bands with numbers in their names. THRE3 is a band who must have been frustrated when they realized that both 3 and Three had been taken. They used that frustration to fuel their creativity, and produced some pretty killer punk-adjacent sounds with strong Ted Leo resonances on their 2018 album, Do Or Die. Meanwhile, 7th Grade Girl Fight bring us some fun indie sounds with obvious debts to the world of power-pop and garage rock. The whole evening’s gonna be pretty swell.

Tuesday, February 26, 9 PM
Red Sea, MRC, Shormey, Lobby Boy @ The Camel – $8 (order tickets HERE)

Here’s a show brought to you by Underground Orchard, a recent booking and promotion endeavor spinning off from the Citrus City Records empire here in Richmond. And considering how reliable the Citrus City name has become in terms of delivering quality 21st-century indie music, especially with an electro-pop flair, it’s no surprise to find Underground Orchard carrying on that legacy by bringing us a performance from Atlanta’s Red Sea.

If you tuned in to this band three years ago, you surely heard a different sort of sound — one more guitar-based and indie-math driven. These days, though, they’ve moved into the realm of electronic synth-pop, and recent singles are simultaneously reminiscent of Duran Duran, Vampire Weekend, and early-90s techno-house. It’s not easy to pin down, and it’s certainly not predictable, but it’s a whole lot of fun, as you’ll find out when you’re shaking your booty on the dance floor at The Camel Tuesday night. Be sure to check out the Tidewater-based dance entertainments of True Body side project MRC and Citrus City’s own Shormey, as well as similarly-driven Harrisonbury project Lobby Boy. This one will keep your feet moving.

Bonus Hampton Roads Picks:

Saturday, February 23, 8 PM
Summer Heart, Brothertiger, Karacell @ Charlie’s American Cafe – $10 in advance/$13 day of show (order tickets HERE)

There’s a lot of great electronic pop music that comes out of Sweden — and no, I’m not (just) talking about Swedish House Mafia. All sorts of people with strong electro-pop bona fides hail from this Scandinavian country, from Robyn to Avicii to Max Martin. Therefore, can it be any surprise that there’s also a fertile electro-pop underground in the country? It’s that underground that has produced Summer Heart, the solo project of Swedish production genius David Alexander. And it’s Summer Heart who will be bringing the gorgeous sound of sunshine to Norfolk in the wintertime. Bless.

Summer Heart spent 2018 releasing a project called 12 Songs Of Summer, one song at a time. The songs, doled out once a month throughout the past year, are being released as a compilation for this tour, and you’d be wise to pick it up and finally be in a position to let the jams play for a while. They’ll bring a big smile to your face, whether you’re playing them at home or dancing to the tunes in person at Charlie’s American Cafe Saturday night. But to be clear, we definitely recommend the latter course of action. This has been a cold, gross winter, and it’s not over yet. We all need a little bit of summer in our hearts.

Monday, February 25, 8 PM
156/Silence (Photo by Ale Gibson-Photography), No Good Deed, Beyond The Grave, Yung Mutt, Lil Broken Heart @ Riffhouse Pub – $5

Y’all had to know this moment was coming — the moment in every column where I do my level best to convince every single one of you to get stoked about a metalcore band that’s coming to our area. You made it through the whole column, you thought you might get away without it this time — but it was not to be, as I will now fervently implore you to gas up your auto and head to Norfolk’s RiffHouse Pub this Monday night to see Pittsburgh, PA’s 156/Silence.

If I am to be totally forthright with you in my advocacy, I must admit that I have no idea what their seemingly random name means. However, it matters little; their 2018 LP on Innerstrength Records, Undercover Scumbag, contains all I need to understand about this band — a powerful collection of driving metallic sludge. filled with angst and fury, plus plenty of noisy guitar chaos, thundering drums, and intense throat-shredding screams. This band is sure to delight fans of everything from Sworn In to The Chariot to All Else Failed, and as I am all three of those fans, I am fair and squarely stoked. You will be too if you make it to RiffHouse Monday night; when have I ever steered you wrong?


Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers -– this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected] [and yeah, there’s plenty more of my writing to read over at GayRVA — come say hey.]

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 10/18-10/24

Marilyn Drew Necci | October 18, 2017

Topics: Ann Beretta, Aura Noir, Battlemaster, Beach Slang, Bewitcher, Brothertiger, Cannabis Corpse, Desert Altar, DJ Adam Against, Grails, Grim Sleeper, Ian Sweet, Keep, Lody Kong, Lydia Lunch, Mutilation Rites, Nailbomb, Natural Velvet, Noisem, Orange Drink, Pet Symmetry, Positive No, shows you must see, Soulfly, strange matter, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, The Broadberry, Tower, Toxic Moxie, TV Girl, Weasel Walter, Wonderland

FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, October 21, 7 PM
Beach Slang, Ann Beretta, Pet Symmetry, Positive No @ The Broadberry – $17 in advance/$20 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Beach Slang is back, and it’s hard to feel anything but awesome about that. This band burst onto the scene several years ago by electrifying younger and older punks alike with their heart-on-sleeve sincerity and killer tunes. Leader James Alex Snyder started out playing punk rock guitar in Weston back in the 90s when he was still a very young man. Later in his career, he sought to recapture the yearning, do-or-die energy that had made his younger days feel so vital, to reignite his life instead of giving up and fading quietly into middle age. He formed Beach Slang to accomplish this goal, and what do you know, he pulled it off with flying colors! They’ve released several EPs and two full-length albums, simultaneously capturing the hearts of today’s punk kids and galvanizing an older generation who suddenly realized they were fading quietly into middle age themselves, and didn’t like the realization.

Perhaps it’s only a coincidence that Beach Slang’s co-headliner on this gig is Ann Beretta, a Richmond melodic punk band that was most active in the late 90s and early 00s, returning to action a few years ago after a decade off. They’ve got a couple of new albums coming out in the next year or so, one of which is rerecorded old songs (the old “we don’t have the rights to the original albums anymore” move), and one of which is entirely new material! A 7 inch single on Say-10 Records earlier this year gave a preview of both, with a rerecording of their beloved classic “Forever Family,” and a brand new tune called “Kill The Lights,” which has as much punk fire and melodic sweetness as ever. This show will see the release of the album of rerecorded old songs, so whether you missed them the first time around or you just wanna hear a new twist on some beloved tunes of your youth, you’ll definitely wanna grab a copy–and of course, catch the set from Ann Beretta, who still have a lot to offer even lo these many years later.

Opening up the evening will be a double whammy of awesome bands that are just as worth your attention as the headliners. Chicago’s Pet Symmetry brings us Into It. Over It. mastermind Evan Thomas Weiss in the role of pop-punk bandleader, dishing out some killer bouncy melodic choruses that still manage to bring that same emotional flavor that we’ve all come to love from his main project. Meanwhile, RVA’s own Positive No will join Ann Beretta in celebrating a brand new album at this show, as they’ll release their second LP, Partners In The Wild, the day before. Pre-release singles have seen the group continuing to emphasize their indie-shoegaze melodic chops while simultaneously cranking up the energy and taking more overt political stances, which is always refreshing. So basically in other words this is a stacked lineup from top to bottom and you’d be a fool to miss it.

Wednesday, October 18, 7 PM
Aura Noir, Mutilation Rites, Battlemaster, Bewitcher @ Strange Matter – $20 (order tickets HERE)
Aura Noir are a Norwegian trio whose members go by the notable sobriquets of Apollyon, Aggressor, and Blasphemer. At this point I feel like I’m sorta being redundant to tell you that they’re a thrashy old-school black metal band, but it’s never a bad idea to emphasize this sort of information when you’re dealing with a band like this one. Because Aura Noir are one of the thrashiest black metal bands ever. You might expect some modulation in the fury, some sort of atmospheric invocation or melodic break or something, but if so, you’d be disappointed. However, if it’s one-thousand percent nonstop metal fury you’re looking for, you’re in luck, because this band just does not stop. It’s been a few years since their fifth album, Out To Die, was released, but these guys haven’t slowed down one iota.

They’re joined on this gig by Brooklyn’s Mutilation Rites, who may not have the same level of black metal cred–New York isn’t as grim and frostbitten as Norway–but make up for it with a filthier, sharper attack that proves new school bands can be just as furious and unstoppable as the old-school originators. These guys also haven’t had a new LP out in a few years, but chances are they’ve got a whole new batch of ripping metal noise with which to slice your head off. In the best possible way, of course. Veteran RVA rippers Battlemaster will hold down one of the opening slots, so you know you’ll get some top-quality riffage early on. And the evening will kick off with a set from Bewitcher, a Portland band with a thrashy sound perfectly in line with the other bands on this bill. Nonstop headbangs–that’s what you can expect from Strange Matter tonight. Start lining up now.

Thursday, October 19, 8 PM
Natural Velvet, Toxic Moxie, Orange Drink @ Strange Matter – $10 (order tickets HERE)
Looking at the picture of Natural Velvet above, you might think that they’re gonna be one of those 90s-style lounge revival groups, like The Coctails or something (no one under 35 has any idea what I’m talking about right now). However, the truth is far different–and far more appealing, if you ask me, because I could never get into all that silly retro crap (one of my long-ago exes is scandalized). In fact, Natural Velvet being paired with Toxic Moxie makes a ton more sense once you check out their great new album, Mirror To Make You, which came out last June.

There’s less of a dance-funk edge to what Natural Velvet do than there is to Toxic Moxie’s sound, but that spooky, energetic vibe, which draws equally from the Fugazi-influenced post-hardcore of the mid-90s and the UK postpunk scene that birthed Siouxsie And The Banshees and Bauhaus, is all over the place. And it really makes this band cook–their new LP has an intensity to it that is sure to come across in spades live. You don’t want to miss this band any more than you want to miss one of Toxic Moxie’s rare but always-unforgettable performances. And what do you know, you’ll get both on this night, so you’re twice as blessed! Milwaukee-based, RVA-bred solo act Orange Drink will kick the evening off with some unpredictable yet always danceable tuneage. Get stoked!

Friday, October 20, 8 PM
Tower, Desert Altar, Grim Sleeper @ Wonderland – $7
When I see names like these on a bill, I always figure I’m in for some 70s-retro doom metal. Often, that’s exactly the case, and I find myself less than enthused. However, this gig at the always-excellent Shockoe Bottom dive bar Wonderland has plenty to offer to get me excited. First and foremost, there’s headliners Tower, who hail from New York and know how to keep the tempo high and the vocal crescendos higher–though it doesn’t hurt that they have a female vocalist shooting for those Dickinsonian wails. This band is clearly deriving quite a bit of influence from metal hall of famers like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, and have absorbed from their idols the ability to dish out pedal-to-the-metal riffs perfect for triumphant high-speed burnouts on back country roads and late night highways.

They’re joined on this bill by locals Desert Altar and Grim Sleeper, and while my previous disinterest in retro doom (sorry, y’all, but it’s getting played out) might make you think I’m not down with these bands. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is true to say that Desert Altar are bringing those sorts of 70s proto-metal thud influences to bear, but they have a plentiful dosage of desert legends Kyuss in the mix, and that makes up for a lot. Meanwhile, Grim Sleeper bypass that whole doom thing and head straight for the filthy depths of sludge, drawing far more from that whole post-My War Eyehategod/Noothgrush/Cavity axis than anything that happened in the 70s. If you ask me, this is always the right move. So yes, come out to Wonderland for this show, and stick around for the whole thing. True classic metal is in the house this night.

Saturday, October 21, 8 PM
Grails, Brutal Measures @ Strange Matter – $13 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
You can expect a psychedelic journey through inner space from this night. Grails have been known for quite a while as leading purveyors of instrumental experimentation, tapping into everything from German cosmische sounds to Middle Eastern folk music, recontextualizing and redelivering it all through a unique worldview and a lineup full of incredible musicians with an extensive pedigree (OM, Steve Von Till, M. Ward, etc). The group’s latest album is called Chalice Hymnal and was released by Temporary Residence earlier this year. It synthesizes a variety of sounds Grails have explored in the past and proceeds to move through them all with an energy that is both intense and hypnotic. Like I said, a psychedelic journey.

Things will be much freakier during the performance from Brutal Measures, the name given to a duo combining the talents of Lydia Lunch and Weasel Walter. Lunch has been a caustic singer and poet fronting harsh postpunk bands since her youthful debut in the atonal, terrifying Teenage Jesus And The Jerks. Weasel Walter has done a million things, mostly in the milieu of experimental punk-damaged jazz–see his best-known and longest-running project, the Flying Luttenbachers. Of course, the fact that he’s also been in bands like Lair Of The Minotaur and Behold The Arctopus should tell you that he’s got some strong metal tendencies as well. So what happens when these two come together to take the stage? Simply put, Lunch reads harsh poetry while Walter bashes on a variety of instruments and creates a disturbing sound bed for Lunch’s equally disturbing words. The noise freaks will eat this up like candy–as will anyone who likes it when performers challenge their expectations and deliver something wholly unique.

Sunday, October 22, 8 PM
TV Girl, Brothertiger, Keep @ Strange Matter – $10 (order tickets HERE)
Here’s something you don’t encounter every week. TV Girl is an LA band with some serious LA vibes–their lush retro melodies combine with hip hop-style samples and programmed beats to create an impossibly hip blend of French pop, Spector-esque girl-group sounds, and the drugged-out post-party introspection of The Weeknd. Recent LP Who Really Cares features a caption on Bandcamp reading, “An album about Sex, or lack thereof, and its consequences, or lack thereof.” Songs like “Cigarettes Out The Window” and “(Do The) Act Like You Never Met Me” perfectly capture the sort of ennui-laced mid-20s melodrama that makes growing up so hard to do–especially when you still kinda wanna party all the time.

One good hip-town project deserves another, and therefore it’s apt that Brooklyn’s Brothertiger will also appear on this bill. A hazy synth-pop project with some 80s UK vibes (think Pet Shop Boys or New Order), Brothertiger also manage to do a little bit of chillwave evocation in their music, and channel some straight-up 1986 Top 40 sounds for their unforgettable choruses. They’ll get you swaying and smiling in the club, especially if you’re the sort of person who is still wearing sunglasses on the dance floor at 11 PM. Local up-and-comers Keep split the difference between the more synth-driven melodic sounds of the bands they’re sharing this bill with and the more 80s UK guitar-driven postpunk sound of bands like The Sound and The Chameleons. Either way, they’re awesome, and they fit right in on this bill, putting this evening’s hipness quotient right off the charts. Wear something pastel to blend in.

Monday, October 23, 7 PM
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Ian Sweet, DJ Adam Against @ Strange Matter – $15 (order tickets HERE)
Big news, y’all! Ted Leo is back. One of the great punk rock troubadours of the Dubya era, who kept the faith with killer albums like Hearts Of Oak and Shake The Sheets, took a long break after 2010’s The Brutalist Bricks, needing some time to regroup after professional difficulties and personal tragedies assailed him in rapid succession. Since that album, he’s made one album in collaboration with veteran singer-songwriter Aimee Mann under the name The Both, but this summer’s The Hanged Man is the first new music we’ve heard from Ted in seven years. It’s a darker, more introspective album than any of his previous work, and while first single “Can’t Go Back” sees him returning to the sort of uptempo power-pop sounds that he made his name on, a lot of this record is slower, quieter, and moodier than anything we’ve previously heard from Leo.

Does that mean he’ll have a different live show than when you saw him back in 2008 or so? There’s only one way to find out for sure. However, considering he’s back with his longtime backing band, The Pharmacists (who were for the most part not involved with the new album), it’d make sense to have some expectation for revival of our favorite uptempo moments from Leo eras past–though ultimately, who knows? Dude’s been through a lot. He will help lift our spirits regardless of what songs he chooses for his set list, though, just because it’s always nice to see Mr. Leo onstage in Richmond again. Tourmates Ian Sweet are pretty much the leading lights of the modern Brooklyn shoegaze-pop sound, so they’ll certainly satisfy you with their killer set, while legendary Young Pioneers frontman Adam Nathanson will put everyone in the mood with some time behind the turntables as DJ Adam Against. You won’t want to miss a moment.

Tuesday, October 24, 6 PM
Soulfly Does Nailbomb, Cannabis Corpse, Noisem, Lody Kong @ The Broadberry – $25 (order tickets HERE)
Nailbomb, a band who once proclaimed themselves “Proud To Commit Commercial Suicide,” existed for about a year in the mid-90s, during which they recorded one studio album, Point Blank, and played one live show before breaking up. The group’s main creative forces were Sepultura/Soulfly frontman Max Cavalera and Fudge Tunnel guitarist Alex Newport, both of whom played guitar and traded off on lead vocals. Their sound was an exploration into both Newport’s industrial-tinged leanings and Cavalera’s interest in hardcore punk. The band ceased to be a going concern after that one show, and has never come remotely close to reuniting.

However, in this era of 90s nostalgia, one can’t be but so surprised to see Cavalera’s current project dusting off those old Nailbomb songs and taking them out for a spin once again. Sadly, Alex Newport is not involved in this current project, meaning that it won’t quite be the same. Nonetheless, Soulfly is a pretty killer metal band in their own right, and Nailbomb fans who weren’t lucky enough to make it to Dynamo Open Air in 1995 can’t be blamed if they wanna finally get a chance to mosh it up to these (admittedly incredible) metal tunes. The tour features a variety of killer modern openers to sweeten the pot, too, and while Harm’s Way won’t make it to RVA, Soulfly/Nailbomb will be joined here by our own Cannabis Corpse, as well as Baltimoreans Noisem and Arizona sludgers Lody Kong. This last group shares a member with Soulfly in that Max Cavalera’s son Zyon plays drums in both; his other son Igor sings and plays guitar in Lody Kong as well. This is turning out to be quite the family affair. All the more reason to mosh it up.

—-

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] [the rvamag address isn’t working for some reason, I haven’t had time to look into it! Bear with me]

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