Cary Street Cafe

VA Shows You Must See This Week: August 14 – August 20

Marilyn Drew Necci | August 14, 2019

Topics: Annabelle Chairlegs, Archbishop, Armistead's Army, Atomic Mosquitos, Behemoth, Benderheads, Bermuda Triangles, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Cary Street Cafe, Deli Kings, Destruct, DJ Chrissie, Empath, Frankie & the Witch Fingers, Fuzzy Cactus, gallery 5, Garden Grove Brewing, Gojira, Insect Surfers, Knotfest, Ladada, Lipid, Mackenzie Roark, Mannequin Pussy, Mojo's, No Question, Serqet, shows you must see, Skizophrenia, Slipknot, smartmouth brewing, Suburban Living, T-Rextasy, The Camel, The Evening Attraction, The Mob, Toward Space, Under Attack, Vasaka, Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, Volbeat, Volk, Weird Tears, Wonderland

FEATURED SHOW
Sunday, August 18, 7 PM
The Mob, Serqet, Benderheads @ Gallery 5 – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Classic UK punk takes many forms. Defiant yet melodic bands like the Sex Pistols and The Clash are the most popular one, and made a huge imprint on the music scene for the next several decades. There’s also the rawer, angrier, melody-free political hardcore of bands like Discharge and Antisect, which led to long-running subgenres like crust and d-beat. But there’s another entire world of classic UK punk, one that is sometimes known as peace punk, or anarcho-punk, but is much harder to describe musically. It’s from that world that Somerset, England’s The Mob was born.

Associated with the loose-knit circle around anarchist punk band/label/collective Crass, The Mob were one of quite a few bands in that world who created their own original sound. Their most famous single, “No Doves Fly Here,” is almost gothic in its dirge-like gloomy sound, stretching on for nearly seven minutes and fully capturing the post-apocalyptic horror of war’s devastated aftermath. However, it’s their 1983 LP, Let The Tribe Increase, that is the peak expression of The Mob’s ominously gothic punk mood, one that connects them both to legendary 80s UK acts like Amebix and Zounds and modern Danish groups like Iceage and Lower.

The Mob disbanded in the mid-80s, but they’ve been back together in their original lineup for almost a decade now. However, this is the first time they’ve ever made it to Richmond, and you’d definitely be best advised to join with the punks who’ve been waiting to see them for the last four decades by heading to Gallery 5 this Sunday night. They’ll be joined by two Richmond punk powerhouses; their kindred spirits in postpunk crew Serqet and hardcore maniacs Benderheads. No matter how long you’ve been waiting, it’ll be worth it.

Wednesday, August 14, 9 PM
Skizophrenia, Vaaska, Under Attack, Destruct @ Mojo’s – $8-$10 donation
Japanese punk is definitely its own thing. It was born of influences carried across the oceans from the US and UK, but the effect of Japanese culture was formidable, and led to a completely different spin on hardcore punk — one that has spawned a rich cultural history over the past several decades. Skizophrenia are part of that history, and their output over the past decade and a half has made up for its relative sparseness with a fiery attack that stands as unique even within the sui generis world of Japanese punk. Which is why you should definitely make it out to Mojo’s to see them tonight.

Their raw, speedy sound manages to communicate energetic rage while not taking on any sort of heaviness or macho aggression. Instead, Skizophrenia plays a form of Japanese punk that is both melodic and fun, even as it retains the noisy, frantic elements that are so endemic to the punk rock of their native country. They’re coming through Richmond tonight in the company of Vaaska, a Texas band with whom they shared a split EP, and whose Spanish-Scandinavian crust-punk hybrid is fast and scorching in its own right. Richmond punk supergroup Under Attack and noise-core newcomers Destruct round out a bill that’s guaranteed to blow your mind.

Thursday, August 15, 9 PM
Frankie & the Witch Fingers, Weird Tears, Deli Kings @ Wonderland – $10
Frankie & the Witch Fingers sounds a lot more like a band from decades past than it does like the name of a modern band, but don’t let their throwback band name throw you off — this group has a very up-to-date take on the many genres they dip into over the course of their latest LP, ZAM, which was released back in March. Over its one-hour running time, you’ll catch everything from Blue Cheer-style proto-metal to guitar-driven acid funk to straight up rock n’ roll — all with a strong tendency toward psychedelia.

This group has had a prolific history thus far, releasing five LPs in the past seven years, and the creative energy it takes to churn out killer sounds at that kind of pace absolutely shows through in their frenetic live performances. When they hit the Wonderland stage tomorrow night, you’re going to have a lot of trouble standing still. And why would you want to? Dance the night away! You’ll also be able to enjoy the rock n’ roll sounds of Weird Tears and the psychedelic heavy-osity of Deli Kings as part of this evening, and that’s always a lovely bonus. What are you waiting for? Set the controls for Shockoe Bottom.

Friday, August 16, 8 PM
Volk, Mackenzie Roark, Toward Space @ Garden Grove Brewing – Free!
“Cowpunk” was a term you heard for a while in the 80s. It was applied to everyone from The Meat Puppets to Lone Justice back then, and while as a Southern girl myself I certainly got excited about this subgenre’s potential when I first heard about it, I was usually disappointed to find that the bands lumped into it were far more country than punk. 30 years later, though, Nashville’s Volk have come along to give me what I wanted from all those bands back then.

On their latest EP, Average American Band, this wild n’ crazy two-piece inverts the usual cowpunk formula and injects some of the rawest, most fire-spitting moments of the Bloodshot Records scene into a sound that’s got a lot more to do with the White Stripes and the Gun Club than anything you’d hear on an alt-country Pandora playlist. I love it, and you should too, especially if you love to get wild and crazy to the out-of-control garage rock sounds of local trio Toward Space, who are, by an amazing coincidence, also on this show! Singer/bandleader Mackenzie Roark is also on this bill, to inject just enough of that lovelorn country balladry into the evening for you honky-tonkers out there.

Saturday, August 17, 7:30 PM
Mannequin Pussy, Empath, T-Rextasy @ The Camel – $15 (order tickets HERE)
Damn, talk about taking things to the next level. Like a lot of Richmonders, I already liked Philadelphia’s Mannequin Pussy quite a bit; their frequent visits to the city over the past five years or so have seen them rise up from the basement and win the hearts of punk rockers all over town. But their latest LP, Patience, not only sees them signing to Epitaph Records but also finds them creating the strongest, most assured music of their career thus far.

On Patience, they’ve found a way to both crank up the bile-spitting punk intensity and delve into the kind of heart-wrenching melodies that make brilliant breakup songs like “Drunk II” and “Fear/+/Desire” into instant classics. It’s as if Live Through This-era Hole had collaborated with White Lung. So yeah, it’s awesome, and hearing it communicated at top volume as one of Mannequin Pussy’s incredible live performances is only gonna make the whole thing hit that much harder. They come to The Camel accompanied by upstart Philadelphia psych-punk band Empath and Brooklyn alt-poppers T-Rextasy, both of whom will up the ante on what’s already guaranteed to be an outstanding night of music. Don’t blow this one.

Sunday, August 18, 9 PM
Insect Surfers, Atomic Mosquitos, Armistead’s Army @ The Camel – $7 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
It’s hard to stand out in the genre of instrumental surf rock, a land where many people seem most interested in slavish imitations of the legendary greats — Dick Dale, The Ventures, maybe Man Or Astro-Man for the more modern heads. But there are still quite a few bands out there in the surf world proudly walking their own path, and the Insect Surfers are definitely one of them. Getting their start fully 40 years ago, this group loves to refer to themselves as “Planet Earth’s longest-running modern surf band,” and show off the exact sort of interstellar sensibility that motto brings to mind on their many ripping tunes.

The Insect Surfers were directly influenced by the manic instrumental surf-guitar groups of the early 60s, but they took just as much inspiration from the early days of punk rock, which was getting started all around them in their own formative years. If you listen close, you can also hear a bit of the space-faring psychedelia of trippy early 70s groups like Hawkwind and 60s spaghetti western soundtracks mixed into recent material like 2017’s Datura Moon. All of this will add up to a night of awesomeness when these guys pull into The Camel; we guarantee that their tunes will keep you dancing all night long, just like those beach-blanket babes of yore.

Monday, August 19, 9 PM
Bermuda Triangles, No Question, Lipid, Archbishop @ Cary Street Cafe – $10
There are a lot of panicked rumors going on, but have no fear — things are still going strong over at Cary Street Cafe! And there’s no better proof than this latest edition of Slimehole’s weekly “Heavy Mondays.” For starters, it’s bringing us a killer set from borderline-indescribable percussion-focused trio Bermuda Triangles, who’ve been blasting Richmond with their unique form of postpunk space-dance jazz-funk for years now. These guys create the best bizarro-boogie soundtrack happening in Richmond right now, and you won’t want to miss this opportunity to get weird with it.

Plus, they’re playing in the company of Wisconsin noisemongers No Question, who blast out some dirty, grungy rage at hyperspeed on their 2018 self-titled EP. They’re prepared to do the same thing, live and in your face, at this gig, and you should definitely come prepared to be blown away. Local punk freaks Lipid are on the bill as well, which is always enjoyable, and this show will open with the debut performance by Archbishop, the latest assemblage of maniacs from past RVA terrors like Olde Shame, The Skin, and Memory Loss. There’s nothing about this one that’s not gonna rule.

Tuesday, August 20, 9 PM
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Annabelle Chairlegs, DJ Chrissie @ Fuzzy Cactus – $15 in advance/$18 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Of course we were all terrified about the future of Richmond live music last year when Strange Matter closed, but as has long been said, crisis creates opportunity, and as this city has warmed up over the course of 2019, we’ve seen more and more live music venues popping up all over! Fuzzy Cactus is the latest example, coming to Brookland Park Boulevard this weekend with some delicious fried chicken and a stage that’ll be full of rock n’ roll sounds on a weekly basis.

The first big show they’re bringing in takes place only a few days after they open up, as Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears pull into town. This Texas ensemble is based around the wild vocals and raging guitars of frontman Lewis, who’s sure to remind you of both Little Richard and James Brown. But it’s the extended ensemble he tours with, complete with horn section, that makes his performances hit so hard — somewhere between BB King and King Khan & the Shrines. They’ll christen the stage of the Fuzzy Cactus in outstanding fashion, and kick off the Brookland Park reign of what’s sure to be yet another great live music venue for Richmond to cherish.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Wednesday, August 14, 5:30 PM
Knotfest Roadshow, feat. Slipknot, Gojira, Volbeat, Behemoth @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater (Virginia Beach) – $41-$250 (order tickets HERE)
Maybe this is just me, but I gotta tell y’all — I find it really hard to feel anything other than love for Slipknot. This crew of Iowa metal misfits with as many members as your average brass band blew everyone’s mind when they showed up in the late 90s with their crazy masks, abundance of percussion, and overflowing amounts of adolescent fury. From there, they just got heavier, shaking off their early nu-metal tinges in favor of brutal, anthemic breakdowns and even the occasional blastbeat. Since losing founding bassist Paul Gray back in 2010, they’ve struggled a bit, ultimately firing a couple of other longtime members in pursuit of the return to fighting form that is this year’s We Are Not Your Kind.

It’s that album they’re celebrating with this summer’s Knotfest Roadshow, and they’ll be bringing their patented brand of masked insanity to the Veterans United stage in VA Beach as part of that. Expect headbangs aplenty as they break out classics like “Disasterpiece,” “Spit It Out,” and “Duality” alongside some excellent tuneage from their new LP. Plus, they’ve got a murderer’s row of metallic excellence along as support, including French death-metallers Gojira, bizarre Danish metalbilly group Volbeat, and legendary Polish thrashers Behemoth. This one will be an absolute feast for anyone who loves metal — and trust me, once they hit the stage, Slipknot’s antics are sure to command your undivided attention.

Saturday, August 17, 5 PM
Suburban Living, Ladada, The Evening Attraction @ Smartmouth Brewing – Free!
Philadelphia indie-gaze crew Suburban Living had a pretty strong buzz a few years ago, but they’ve largely been quite on the release front for the past few years, so it’s a relief to see them rolling through the Commonwealth once again! This Saturday night finds them topping the bill at Smartmouth Brewing’s Norfolk warehouse, which has been throwing a series of free early-evening shows over the past several months. This summer-ending rocker is the last one on the schedule that we know of, so if you haven’t gone and checked the place out, now’s the time!

And of course it will be great to hear the sounds of Suburban Living, whose dreampop deliciousness was showed off to perfect effect on 2016’s Almost Paradise. Will they have some newer material to show off? Well, one never knows — but it’s certainly something to keep an eye out for. The same is true of the support set by Norfolk’s own Ladada, who’ve been at the top of the heap where Tidewater indie is concerned for a while now. And as a bonus, you’ll get a set from Chicago rock n’ rollers The Evening Attraction to kick things off with a bang. This is going to be a blast — gas up the whip.

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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]

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

Top Photo by Beau Patrick Coulon, via Facebook

VA Shows You Must See This Week: July 17 – July 23

Marilyn Drew Necci | July 17, 2019

Topics: Adam Dawson, AdGRod, alternatives boutique, Amanda Beason, Bandito's, Bluegrass & Brews Festival, Blunt, Cary Street Cafe, Charlie And Darlings, Cleophus James, Colin Phils, Corey Axt, Dead Selves, Dead To A Dying World, Decide By Friday, gallery 5, Garden Grove Brewing, Horse Culture, J. Marinelli, Jon Green, K.F.C., Lair, Landmines, Madison Turner, Manzara, Matt Monta, Mephiskapheles, Midlife Pilot, Mojo's, Ol’ Riles Band, Pale Fire Tap Room, shows you must see, shy low, Sierra Ferrell, Spartan Jet-Plex, Talk Me Off, The Come Hears, The Golden Pony, Tiger Castle, Tony Farris, Tucker Riggleman & the Cheap Dates, Un, Unmaker, Vegan Llamas, Wailin' Storms, Wes & Rebecca, Wonderland, Wormwitch, Xed Out

FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, July 20, 11 AM
RVA Bluegrass & Brews Festival, feat. Adam Dawson, Amanda Beason, Charlie and Darlings, The Come Hears, Corey Axt, K.F.C., Matt Monta, Ol’ Riles Band, Tony Farris & Jon Green, Wes & Rebecca @ AlterNatives Boutique – Free!
It’s hot, y’all. In fact, it’s damn hot. And while, in our modern times, the most effective way to beat the heat is to sit inside in the air conditioning all day (a tactic that, to avoid misconceptions, I am a huge fan of), the traditional Southern way to beat the heat is to spend a lot of time outside, in the shade, drinking cold drinks and listening to good music. It’s that classic Southern tradition that Carytown’s AlterNatives Boutique will be honoring this Saturday with their all-day RVA Bluegrass & Brews festival. The event will, according to AlterNatives management, “honor the values of mountain people with homegrown music, brews, and Southern cuisine.” Sounds good to me.

Where the food is concerned, multiple food trucks from the area will be on the scene, and Legend, COTU, Starr Hill, Hardywood, and more will be on hand to provide the brew. And what about the music? Well, that’s the best part, as nearly a dozen bluegrass acts, mostly from the local area, will be keeping us smiling and our toes tapping. The evening will feature the Come Hears, a loose-knit collective of local bluegrass musicians who came together from open jams at Cary Street Cafe and therefore have tunes by everyone from the Grateful Dead to Merle Haggard in their repertoire.

There’ll also be two sets from up-and-coming locals Ol’ Riles Band, who’ll be celebrating the release of their newest album. Ohio’s Matt Monta will make another of his frequent recent appearances in the River City, and Charlie And Darlings will represent the younger generation of local old-time music players. There are a ton more artists on the bill too, but we’re running out of space to discuss them all, and we still need to mention the Highland Support Project, a local non-profit with a multi-decade history who work to help break the cycles of poverty in mountainous communities throughout the Western Hemisphere. This event is free, but will nonetheless be raising money to benefit the Highland Support Project’s important work. The forecast says it’ll be 100 degrees this Saturday, so beat the heat with some great music, food, and brews at AlterNatives.

Wednesday, July 17, 7 PM
Wailin’ Storms, Unmaker, Manzara @ Gallery 5 – $7 (order tickets HERE)
It’s rare that any band in the world manages to name themselves as appropriately as Wailin’ Storms have. This noisy postpunk group has exactly the sort of loud, heavy, dark, and ominous sound that the phrase “Wailin’ Storms” evokes in your mind. For a group to have such a strong grasp of what they’re doing that they manage to perfectly describe their sound with the name they give their band is impressive in its own right. But the sort of massive foreboding punk rock noise they generated on their most recent LP, 2017’s Sick City, is even more impressive.

Therefore you can be sure that, when Wailin’ Storms take the Gallery 5 stage tonight, this North Carolina quartet will call forth the full fury of a class 5 gale. Their sound somehow manages to mix the dark-as-midnight garage fury of Ex-Cult with the fire-and-brimstone revival-preacher punk of Gun Club and the terrifying gothic horror of first-LP Bauhaus. The result is absolutely incredible — and if you’re into it, you’ll find that the metallic postpunk of Unmaker and the dark moodiness of Manzara make them the perfect local openers. The sun may be baking everyone outside, but tonight in Gallery 5, the perfect musical storm will be brewing. Dive into the eye.

Thursday, July 18, 9 PM
Landmines, Talk Me Off, Xed Out @ Bandito’s – Free!
This one hits me on a personal level, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. A little over a decade ago, Landmines were one of the best punk rock bands in Richmond, and I was a huge, huge fan. Their two LPs were full of furious rage, expertly coupled with indelible melodies and powerful lyrics about the important issues, both personal and political, that we all grapple with every day of our lives. A while after their excellent second LP, Commerce And Marx, was released in 2011, Landmines split up, and though there was a brief reformation in 2014, they haven’t taken the stage in something like four years now. The former members are all still making music in excellent bands like Sea Of Storms, Tied To A Bear, and Park Sparrows, but none of their current projects quite scratch that same itch the way Landmines always did.

Therefore I am very stoked to be able to tell you all that Landmines are finally taking the stage once again! It’ll happen at Bandito’s, and the fact that it’s happening there on something other than a Sunday night lets you know how special it is. With members spread all over the country these days, it’ll be great just to see them all in one place again. And of course, every song they ever recorded was outstanding, so this is going to be a set chock-full of hard-hitting melodic punk classics. The fact that snotty RVA punks Talk Me Off are also on the bill, along with Xed Out — a new project from some longtime vets of the Richmond punk scene — only sweetens the pot that much further. Get to Bandito’s, order some nachos, and let’s all get ready to sing along.

Friday, July 19, 9 PM
Un, Wormwitch, Shy Low, Colin Phils @ Wonderland – $10
In this life, you will find many reasons to be sad. For me most recently, it’s been the loss of something like a thousand dollars after an automotive breakdown four hours from home (and no, the car still isn’t fixed). For you, it might be something more tragic, like heartbreak or the loss of a close friend. Some might say that the best way to deal with emotions stemming from life’s bad breaks is to escape from it all with happy, upbeat music. But Seattle’s Un understand that, when things are really dark, nothing other than downbeat, gloomy music will really strike a chord with you.

For the past several years, Un have been creating note-perfect soundtracks for devastation. Their most recent full-length effort, 2018’s Sentiment, finds them combining haunting minor-key melodies with head-crushing slow-motion sludge riffs and unrelentingly bleak low-end vocals. And while that might sound like an incredibly gloomy thing to listen to, it has some healing elements that, despite paradoxical elements, are no less present. Un may rattle foundations when they take the Wonderland stage Friday night, but it’ll be in pursuit of a catharsis that will help you face the morning that always arrives too soon. Journey into the darkness of Shockoe Bottom this Friday night; you’ll find restoration awaiting you.

Saturday, July 20, 8 PM
Tiger Castle, Midlife Pilot, Cleophus James, Vegan Llamas @ Mojo’s – $5
It’s always a fun time down at Mojo’s, and this Saturday night will be no exception. Not only will delicious Philly cheesesteaks be on the menu like always, but Philadelphia’s Tiger Castle will be on the bill, spreading joy and happiness through loud, upbeat rock n’ roll with a definite post-Nirvana 90s feel. Which is to say, these guys capture that same dynamic created by mixing loud, distorted guitars with catchy pop melodies and a sort of loose, slacker approach to the whole thing.

That might sound like faint praise, but as someone who loved both Pavement and Superchunk back in the day, I see it as nothing but a positive thing. One listen to Tiger Castle’s new LP, Pineapple Slasher, and I fully expect you to be converted. Or you could just come on out to Mojo’s this Saturday night and enjoy a killer set from these traveling guitar-slingers, along with musical treats from local mainstays Midlife Pilot and Vegan Llamas, both of whom are just as adept at that whole 90s-style distorted yet melodic rock n’ roll. Newcomers Cleophus James are a bit of a wild card, but considering you’ll get the other three excellent bands on this bill for a mere $5 — already a screaming deal — you can think of their set as a free bonus.

Sunday, July 21, 6 PM
Madison Turner, Decide By Friday, Dead Selves, Spartan Jet-Plex @ Garden Grove Brewing – Free!
It’s always great to spice up your weekend with a free show that brings you a ton of local talent as well as a taste of what’s happening outside the city. Bandito’s has been a pretty consistent venue for exactly these sorts of shows, and in recent months, Garden Grove has become just as much of a clutch player where these kinds of chill-yet-awesome shows take place. This Sunday brings one such show to Garden Grove, and it’s very much worth your time.

Madison Turner has become a local mainstay, with her sound that blends angst-ridden folk-punk with 90s-style alt-rock to glorious effect, most recently on excellent 2018 LP, A Comprehensive Guide To Burning Out. She’ll be taking the stage at this one at the head of a four-piece band, which means things are gonna get rockin’, and you’re not gonna want to miss it. Decide By Friday will bring their brilliantly difficult to categorize sound, as epitomized on excellent 2018 EP Sankofa, to the stage, and the strange yet hypnotic ambient balladry of Spartan Jet-Plex will round out the trio of locals. Atlanta’s Dead Selves join the bill with some catchy yet emotionally resonant melodic punk, sure to soothe your soul as you prepare to start your work week. Enjoy this one — you’ve earned it.

Monday, July 22, 9 PM
Dead To A Dying World, Lair, Horse Culture @ Cary Street Cafe – $10
This burning hot week in Richmond is the perfect time to introduce all of you who are as yet unfamiliar to the majestic power of Dead To A Dying World, an epic, metallic force of nature in the form of a band featuring seven full-time members churning up huge, towering soundscapes of apocalyptic proportions. If you find Neurosis, Sunn 0))), Mogwai, and Mussourgsky’s “Night On Bald Mountain” equally captivating, this is the band for you, and they prove it with flair and finesse on brand-new LP Elegy, which sees them shifting back and forth between ambient moments full of ominous portent, and outright skull-crushing epic brutality.

This won’t just be a performance, it will be an experience, one far more memorable and life-altering than a three-hour superhero movie full of universe-ranging battles between gods and godlike humans. Why? Because that’s all make-believe, but Dead To A Dying World are 100 percent real. Just like the terrifying, captivating, and inescapable force we know as “life.” Of which this show is guaranteed to be a highlight. Don’t miss it.

Tuesday, July 23, 9 PM
Mephiskapheles, AdGRod, Blunt @ Wonderland – $10
Wow — this is a real blast from the past. Back in the late 90s, when ska ruled the roost and it seemed like every punk band had to have at least one song based around upstrokes, Mephiskapheles stood out in a crowded field, separate from the thousands of Save Ferris and Voodoo Glow Skulls clones, due to their frank embrace of the diabolical power of Satan. That’s right, it’s not just a clever name — from their very beginnings in the early 90s on to their eventual drifting apart in the early days of the 21st century. The ska boom-times had begun to wane, and the members slowly moved on.

However, two decades beyond the time of Mephiskapheles’ greatest fame, a new generation has discovered the joys of skanking all night in black-and-white checked pants, and the stage has been set for a ska revival. Mephiskapheles has been back and playing shows for several years now, their playfully devilish streak intact, and even released a self-titled EP a few years ago that found them at the top of their game as ever, especially on metallic reggae tunes like “Satan Stole My Weed” and “Snakes In The Garden.” Look — I know some of you still have porkpie hats and creepers buried in the back of your closets. What better opportunity than this one will you have to break them out once again? Exactly. Make it happen, cap’n.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Friday, July 19, 8 PM
J. Marinelli, Tucker Riggleman & the Cheap Dates @ Pale Fire Tap Room (Harrisonburg) – $5
Here’s a surprising and exciting face from long ago to delight those like me who were heavily involved in the emo scene 25 or so years ago. J. Marinelli once played guitar in Samuel, without a doubt the most unjustly forgotten band of that whole mid-90s Jade Tree Records scene that brought the world The Promise Ring and Texas Is The Reason. The sad denouement of Samuel in no way quieted the punk rock fire in J. Marinelli’s heart, though, and for the past decade or so, he’s been recording and performing as a one-man band, keeping the beat with his feet as he dishes out driving guitar riffs and sings joyous anthems of personal resistance.

Of course, as with any one-man band, Marinelli’s got a definite roots-rock influence mixed into his sound, but on 2017 LP Stray Volts, he pulls just as much from old-time folk, good ol’ punk rock, and even a little bit of mountain holler. It all adds up to a lot of fun, and that’s what you’ll have if you journey out to Harrisonburg’s Pale Fire Tap Room this Friday night. J. Marinelli will be joined on the bill by Tucker Riggleman and his band, the Cheap Dates, who’ll be laying down some of the same twangy, rollicking rock n’ roll they brought to us all earlier this year with their Time Machine EP. It’s going to be a ton of fun — don’t miss it.

Saturday, July 20, 7:30 PM
Sierra Ferrell @ The Golden Pony (Harrisonburg) – $10
I have no idea who Sierra Ferrell is bringing with her to The Golden Pony this Saturday night. Backing group? Opening act? It might happen, or it might not — I really can’t tell you. But even if it’s just her up there onstage all by herself for three hours, you should check it out regardless. This young lady from Nashville, Tennessee is a flawless songwriter who clearly works in an old-time milieu but has no easily-defined genre. Is she a folk singer? A country barroom queen? A swinging pop spitfire? The answer is: yes, and she’s a whole lot more than all that too.

On her new album, Washington By The Sea, Sierra Ferrell works with a five-piece band, but within a minimalist, acoustic framework that keeps her voice and acoustic guitar the undisputable star of the show. Occasional touches from fiddle, dobro, bass, and pedal steel bring layered depth to her sound, but rest assured, Ferrell’s songs stand on their own, with a driving pace and a distinctive lyrical approach that only gains ground when those words are sung in her uniquely captivating voice. Honestly, nothing I can say here will give you the full idea of what you’re in for at The Golden Pony Saturday night — you need to be there and see for yourself. Whether there’s an opening act or not.

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

Top Photo via Highland Support Project

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

VA Shows You Must See This Week: July 3 – July 9

Marilyn Drew Necci | July 3, 2019

Topics: .gif From God, Alexander Mack, BATO, Cary Street Cafe, deviant, Eliza Battle, Elucid, Enforced, Gazm, Genosha, Ghost Ship Octavius, He Is Legend, Heavens Die, Illist, Itch, Kept In Line, MTFR, Museum District, Nature Freak, Nickelus F, Party Nails, Pelicanesis, PRXZM, Raw Breed, RIsing Revolution, Rodes Rollins, Ruin By Design, Ryan Com, Sadistik, Secret Ninja Death Squad, SeeYouSpaceCowboy, shows you must see, Sound Of Music Studios, Studio 239B, The Camel, The Canal Club, The Dark Room, The Donalds, The Golden Pony, The Huntrs, The Native Howl, Vegan Llamas, Vulcanite, Walkie Talkie, Wonderland, Worn

FEATURED SHOW
Friday, July 5, 9 PM
SeeYouSpaceCowboy (Photo by Marte Rowsam), Heavens Die, .gif From God, Nature Freak @ Wonderland – $10
Oh boy, I am super-stoked for this one! And not just because SeeYouSpaceCowboy, one of my favorite metallic hardcore bands of the past few years, is coming to town, but because for once, they’re playing a legally-sanctioned venue rather than a house party. That means I can tell you all about it, and in doing so, point out the underground hotbed that is Richmond’s metallic hardcore/noise/screamo/etc scene — something I rarely get to talk to you guys about, since it mostly takes place in basements and living rooms around the less gentrified parts of town. So don’t just go to this show to rock out — go to this show to learn. If you talk to the right people, you’ve got a good chance of hearing about all the underground spots that host shows like this on a weekly basis — spots I can’t tell you about, because there are hella narcs on the internet.

But none of this would have any purpose if it weren’t for how great of a show this is truly gonna be, and how great all the local shows like this are, no matter the venue. This one is particularly exciting to me because of the arrival of SeeYouSpaceCowboy, a Cowboy Bebop-referencing metallic hardcore band hailing from California and bringing serious pedal-to-the-metal spastic energy on their recent Pure Noise Records debut, Songs For The Firing Squad. This release collects all their early EPs and splits, along with a couple of new songs, to hit you with all the frenetic blast beats, stop-on-a-dime tempo changes, and brutal breakdowns that make this band such a standout.

The fact that SeeYouSpaceCowboy have hit the (relative) bigtime by signing to Pure Noise Records means that, like other screamo-associated bands of the past few years, they’re now in prime position to disassociate themselves from the scene that birthed them. But while Vein publicly insulted Richmond’s own .gif From God on their way up, SeeYouSpaceCowboy are playing with them at this show, so that’s certainly a positive sign. It’s also a benefit for you, the showgoer, since .gif From God is probably the best spastic noisy metalcore band in America other than SeeYouSpaceCowboy right now. The bill is rounded out by Heaven’s Die, who will travel down from VA’s Shenandoah Mountains to bring us some serious low-end mosh brutality, and local newcomers Nature Freak, who have some strong death-thrash DNA and are sure to get your head bangin’.

Wednesday, July 3, 8 PM
Alexander Mack (Photo by Cory Hammons), Ryan Com @ The Dark Room – $8 in advance/$12 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Sometimes midweek brings us big bands stopping through RVA on their way from one huge city to another. But when it doesn’t, you can always count on local venues like The Hofheimer and Vagabond to spotlight some deserving locals and give us some good music to spend our hump day evenings with. This show is actually part of a weekly series called Underexposed, presented each Wednesday at The Hof’s Dark Room, and while the combination of Underexposed with a rapper named Alexander Mack makes “secret world” jokes nigh-irresistible, I have to wonder if the young rapper, who named his most recent album ’91 Two Forty after a Volvo that probably seems ancient to him, is even old enough to get those jokes.

It doesn’t matter to you, the listener, though — what’s important to you is whether this young rapper and producer has a good enough sound to make it worth your while to go see him tonight. The answer from me is a resounding “Yes!”, especially if you like jazzy hip hop with breezy, upbeat flows from a talented lyricist who isn’t above dropping a perfectly-sung hook on ya every now and then. Based on what I’m hearing, it doesn’t seem as if Alexander Mack will remain a secret for long. Meanwhile, Northern Virginia rhymer/singer Ryan Cam has more of an R&B energy on his recent Star Power EP, which will add some contrasting flavor to this evening of fine music you probably haven’t encountered before. It’s the perfect time to get familiar.

Thursday, July 4, 7 PM
He Is Legend, The Native Howl, Vegan Llamas, The Huntrs @ The Canal Club – $15 (order tickets HERE)
I know, I know, it’s America’s birthday, and there’s a ton of Independence Day-themed stuff going on around town on Thursday night. But, can I be honest with you? As a socialist trans woman in the age of Trump, I am about as sick as could be of all the rah-rah flag-waving bullshit I encounter each day. And don’t even get me started on the “Blue Lives Matter” flags I see stuck to car bumpers and flying from trucks every time I leave the house. Fireworks are cool, but where the Fourth of July is concerned this year, I mostly just want to stay inside and get it over with.

Fortunately, there is one show happening in town tomorrow night that’s themed around kickass music. He Is Legend are coming back to town, and only a couple months after I last wrote about them, I’m sending you to see them again so that all of us can escape the jingoism and bang our heads to killer tunes from the band’s sixth and latest album, White Bat. He Is Legend are definitely Southern boys, hailing from Florida and letting some of that swampy blues-sludge energy shine through on their latest material, but this veteran metalcore group has always been obsessed with occult matters, so I’m hoping they don’t stop the show mid-set to demand that we pledge allegiance to the flag or anything. God knows I get enough of that bullshit at car shows these days. Shut up and mosh.

Friday, July 5, 7 PM
Genosha, Ruin By Design, Vulcanite, The Donalds, Illist, Eliza Battle @ Sound Of Music Studios – $5
As Virginia bands go, neither Genosha nor Ruin By Design get enough attention. Genosha definitely proved their worth on last year’s LP, Our Conspiracy, which showed that these Orange County boys have a strong command of blackened thrash, metallic hardcore, and brutal mosh riffage. Meanwhile, veteran quartet Ruin By Design showed off their melodic hardcore chops on last year’s From Ashes To Empowerment, bringing us a tough yet catchy and politically informed sound totally befitting a band featuring former members of none other than Avail.

Now, on Merger, a new split EP on Settle For It Records, these two bands have combined forces in an attempt to take their sounds twice as far as either have gotten on their own. And they’ll be celebrating the musical excellence they’ve created together with this release show at Sound Of Music Studios, right here in good ol’ RVA. You’re going to want to be there, and not just to be blown away by the amazing musical power and performance fury of these two bands, either — they’ve brought together a murderer’s row of fellow Virginia bands to act as support, from punk rockers the Donalds to metallic hardcore maniacs Eliza Battle. This one’s gonna be outstanding; those of you who haven’t caught on to the brilliance of Genosha and Ruin By Design need to get your asses to this show.

Saturday, July 6, 9 PM
Sadistik, Nickelus F, Elucid, MTFR @ Wonderland – $10
I’ve been doing this column for too long. You know how I know? Because sometimes I’m looking at a facebook event page and feel like I’m being personally called out. It’s probably all in my head (seriously, writing about ten shows a week for over five years starts to get to you), but regardless, I will admit it — OK, OK, Wonderland isn’t just for punk and metal shows (anymore). Sadistik is coming through town to prove this to me and anyone else who hasn’t gotten the memo yet with a unique sound that I’d have to describe as gothic hip hop.

On his latest album, Haunted Gardens, Seattle’s own Sadistik raps about dark, heavy subjects overtop of ambient goth beats and funereal melodies, which is kind of what he’s been doing throughout his career. If you liked the downcast melodies of that Soundcloud emo-rap movement that sprung up a few years ago, but really wished for more lyrical skills to go with them, Sadistik is here to grant you that wish. And he’ll be joined on this bill not only by Richmond’s foremost practitioner of rhyme skills, the almighty Nickelus F, but hard-hitting, intelligent New York rapper Elucid and MTFR of South Florida’s Nobodies. They’ll prove you can enjoy an outstanding show at Wonderland without ever feeling the urge to headbang.

Sunday, July 7, 7 PM
Party Nails, PRXZM, Rodes Rollins, Museum District @ The Camel – $10 in advance/$12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Are you ready to dance? You better be this Sunday night, because Party Nails is coming to town, and this LA singer/songwriter/producer has some incredibly catchy electro-pop for you. When she starts dishing out tunes from her latest LP, Past Lives And Paychecks, you’re going to find yourself moving whether you’d planned to or not — so you’ll need to be prepared.

The synth-pop sound she cultivates in her music will definitely appeal to those among you who appreciate an 80s-retro good time, but if your aesthetic is firmly based in the 21st century, no worries — Party Nails has a modern appeal that comes through not only in her multilayered grooves but in the way-too-real subjects she deals with in the lyrics of songs like “So Broke” and “The Luxury Of Love” — seems like all of us are spending are last dollars to have a good time these days, and Party Nails knows that feel. Drop your last couple bucks on a ticket to this show, and dance your cares away.

Monday, July 8, 8 PM
Enforced, Gazm, Deviant, Itch @ Cary Street Cafe – $10
It’s time once again to bring some serious rage to the unlikely confines of Cary Street Cafe, as your Monday night gets exploded with some extremely heavy metallic thrashcore courtesy of Enforced. This RVA quintet has brought major heaviness to the mainstream-hardcore scene, and is about to demonstrate the fullness of their powerful talent on debut full-length At The Walls, coming later this month. Get an in-person preview at Cary Street Cafe this Monday night, and be prepared for some decidedly non-hippiefied mosh.

This show will also mark the final date of a weeklong tour that pairs Montreal’s Gazm with Richmond’s own Deviant. Gazm just released an LP entitled Heavy Vibe Music, but if you think that means they’re gonna hit you with some laid-back psychedelic haze, think again — this Canadian crew manages to mix heavy hardcore riffs with a snotty punk attitude and even, yes, a little bit of psychedelic weirdness to create something rather unique in today’s hardcore scene. Meanwhile, Deviant plays fast, angry hardcore that is primarily focused on a dark, nihilistic, and self-abnegating approach to the idea of sexuality. It’s fascinating, and a bit disturbing, but ultimately riveting, especially when they get that maniacal speed going. Local demo-core heroes Itch will get this whole thing started, apparently for the last time ever — so don’t miss a moment of this one.

Tuesday, July 9, 7:30 PM
Ghost Ship Octavius (Photo by MetalTitans), Rising Revolution @ The Camel – $13 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
This is a great one for all you fans of progressive metal. Whether you prefer the erudite approach taken by Opeth and Porcupine Tree or the operatic occult stylings of Borknagar and Arcturus, you’re sure to find an appeal in Ghost Ship Octavius’s music. Formed by members of Nevermore and God Forbid, this group brings quite a pedigree to their symphonic heaviness.

But it’s vocalist Adon Fanion that really takes them to the next level; his soaring vocal melodies are the most overtly beautiful element of their sound. Meanwhile, the group’s lyrical approach brings majestic, haunted thematic elements to complex songs made up of multiple movements and intriguing dynamic textures — exactly the sort of thing that lends itself to such dramatic lyrics. This group is going to take you on a musical journey when you enter into the Camel on Tuesday night — have the courage to set sail with them. The trip will bring tremendous rewards.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Thursday, July 4, 8 PM
Pelicanesis, Walkie Talkie, Secret Ninja Death Squad @ The Golden Pony – $7 ($5 with space suit)
This truly unique July 4th show all but defies description. However, as one who is never at a loss for words, I will sure give it the old college try. Pelicanesis is a band from Harrisonburg who were active in the earlier part of this decade, releasing an album entitled A New Sun back in 2011. That album detailed the story behind Pelicanesis’s origin, one every bit as complicated as the plot to the Star Wars series, and which I will not even attempt to recapitulate here. The important thing you need to know is that Pelicanesis’s music is intended to act as a recruiting tool for an intergalactic mission to the Pelican Nebula to save the civilization of Sarmantia from future apocalypse.

That’s why you’ll get two bucks off the admission price if you show up to this Pelicanesis reunion show in a spacesuit: the band needs you to join with them and fight off an alien apocalypse. Or something like that — all I can tell you for sure is that you’ll be graced with an evening of digitally-infused progressive metal that somehow manages to be equally reminiscent of Thrice, Squarepusher, Grandaddy, and Iron Maiden. And how often does the opportunity to enjoy such a unique sound come around? Clearly not that often, so instead of worrying about the petty concerns of a self-congratulatory nation on a tiny blue planet, you really might want to consider spending your Independence Day with these heroes from another galaxy. The mission is critical.

Saturday, July 6, 9 PM
Bato, Worn, Raw Breed, Kept In Line @ Studio 239B – $5
Saturday night brings raw hardcore rage to a random studio in Norfolk, courtesy of Brain Hemorrhage Records. Bato, who stand among the fastest and angriest bands Hampton Roads has to offer, are joined on this bill by Pennsylvania’s Worn, who mark themselves as devastating practitioners of His Hero Is Gone-style D-beat hardcore madness on their recent EP, Not Your Game. Expect these guys to unleash a whirlwind of circle-pit fury when they take the stage.

They’ll be joined on this excursion to the 757 by Raw Breed, a Colorado-based collection of ragers who go for more of a straight-up tough-guy HC power on their most recent EP, Collected — which combines two different two-to-three-minute demo releases onto one vinyl 7 inch that still clocks in under five minutes. These guys get straight to the point, and do so with a vengeance. The evening is kicked off by a performance from Chesapeake’s Kept In Line. This band is not only straight edge but named after a Left For Dead song, so I am on board for their furious, noisy attack. Get on board for this show by showing up at 25th and Llewellyn in Norfolk Saturday night. All will become clear once you arrive.

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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]

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

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

Marilyn Drew Necci | June 12, 2019

Topics: Bandito's, Black Liver, Cary Street Cafe, CB/BJ, Copperhead, Crab Action, Crystal Spiders, DJ Harrison, Donnie Dale, Earth, Eliza Battle, Florida Man, gallery 5, Gardener, Griffin, Have Mercy, Helms Alee, Modern Chemistry, Nat Digga, New Boss, Ohbliv, Omen Stones, Ostraca, Overo, Prayer Group, Savage Kenny, shows you must see, Space Cubs, The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative, The Camel, The Canal Club, The Dangerous Summer, The Dark Room, The Golden Pony, The Muckrakers, The National, Todd Rundgren, Wonderland, Woodsy Pride, Zolephants, Zooanzoo

FEATURED SHOW
Friday, June 14, 7 PM
Earth (Photo by Sam Gehrke), Helms Alee @ Gallery 5 – $16 (order tickets HERE)
It’s hard to believe that Earth have been cranking out their pulverizing minimalist drone epics for nearly 30 years now. But it’s true, and despite the band’s incredibly slow pace, bandleader and only constant member Dylan Carlson has never fallen behind when it comes to glacial heaviness. Earth’s early works were a crucial influence on doom-drone cult heroes Sunn 0))); beginning with their fourth album, 2005’s Hex, they became a prime mover in the push to find a bridge between the most apocalyptic end of metal and the sweeping melancholy of American folk and country music.

It’s now been five years since Primitive And Deadly, the group’s eighth album and first in over 20 years to feature vocals. Now they’ve returned with Full Upon Her Burning Lips, released only two weeks ago by a stripped-down lineup that finds only Carlson and drummer Adrienne Davies remaining from the four-to-five-member lineups that made their last five albums. The sound has been stripped down, too; while still retaining some of the folk and country flavors that differentiated their more recent albums from their early drone-uber-alles efforts, Full Upon Her Burning Lips finds Earth focusing once again on the almighty riff. Songs are long, slow, and repetitive, but rather than being boring, they are transcendent, placing you in the kind of hypnagogic headspace so awesomely attained by the legendary Earth 2.

Expect all of that and more when Earth hits the Gallery 5 stage, amps cranked to the maximum. No matter what stage of Earth’s evolution pleases you the most, their current incarnation will have plenty to offer you. And with Seattle psychedelic rangers Helms Alee on the bill, you’ll get a special bonus headtrip that’s worth the price of admission in itself. The group’s epic post-metal sound attains new heights on their latest LP, Noctiluca, and their set will act as the perfect appetizer for Earth’s full serving of epic riff triumph.

Wednesday, June 12, 9 PM
Space Cubs (Photo by Jonathan Sherman), Zooanzoo, Gardener, Donnie Dale @ The Camel – $5 in advance/$7 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Things are sure to get interesting tonight at The Camel, as the city will be graced by a visit from Space Cubs. Actually hailing from right here on Earth, this group comes to us from Buffalo and features a strange mix of strong riffage, programmed electronics, and outright weirdness, all driven by the unforgettable vocal presence of frontwoman Suzanne Bonifacio. Sometimes the songs are dancefloor calls to action, sometimes they’re ambient mind-expanders, sometimes they’re completely indescribable. But they’re always awesome.

Space Cubs are accompanied on this trip to the ol’ RVA by Zooanzoo, a Harrisonburg-based project with a similarly indescribable gender-hopping sound. Last year’s Neck Out is a beat-heavy mixtape from outer space, moving from jazz to ambient techno to bedroom-pop and boom-bap beats all in the space of a single song. What form this will take onstage is certainly open to question, but it’s sure to be captivating. Gardener, the solo project of experimental musician Dash Lewis, and Donnie Dale, a moody electronic project with a great deal of soul, will open things up. Get there.

Thursday, June 13, 9 PM
Florida Man, Prayer Group, Copperhead @ Wonderland – $10
We all know about Florida Man — the descriptor generally attached to a person in the news who has done something totally insane and often hilarious. From throwing an alligator through a drive-thru window to wearing a “Fuck The Police” shirt to court, Florida Man is always up to something. It’s that zany anti-social spirit that the band Florida Man — who actually come from South Carolina — conjure up on their latest LP, Tropical Depression.

While it’s easy to come up with adjectives to describe this band’s music — loud, fast, intense — it’s much harder to slot it into a pre-existing genre. Maybe it’s punk, maybe it’s metal, maybe it’s noise-rock or grunge… the truth is, it’s probably a little bit of all those, along with quite a few more. But it’s sure to get you moving and rock you hard when Florida Man rolls into Shockoe Bottom’s punkest club, Wonderland, and that’s what really counts, isn’t it? (Yes.) Florida Man will be joined by Richmond noise-metallers Prayer Group and Copperhead to make this a truly powerful bill that you won’t want to miss out on.

Friday, June 14, 9 PM
Ohbliv, DJ Harrison, Nat Digga, Floppy Sisk @ The Dark Room – $10
Forget what you’ve heard about love and money — beats make the world go round. How would you get out of bed in the morning, or walk down the street to your job, without a good beat? When the world is difficult, beats keep your head up and help you to move ahead. And that’s why, after a long hard week, you just might need a good healthy serving of beats. Never fear, because that’s what you’re going to get at The Dark Room Friday night. Four talented producers at the top of their class both in this city and in the world as a whole will drop a series of deep, hard, head-nodding beats upon you, and you will enjoy every second of it.

The big name here is, of course, Ohbliv, who followed up his immortalization in a Nils Westergard mural with two full-length albums of stone-cold classics so far this year — Soulphonic in January, and Give Thanks last month. An artist this prolific is sure to have some surprises up his sleeve — don’t miss out. He’s joined by the equally formidable DJ Harrison, who in addition to his plentiful work with a variety of jazz ensembles around town, is always giving us beats to move to, most recently with last winter’s IndieGiver. Nat Digga (I see what you did there), formerly known around town as Sound Genesius, remains a mysterious and powerful beatmaker who is decidedly underrated by the city at large. Floppy Sisk, the production alter ego of local jazz musician Griffin Sisk, starts the whole thing up. Come to the Dark Room and let the vibes overtake you.

Saturday, June 15, 6 PM
The Dangerous Summer, Have Mercy, Modern Chemistry, Black Liver @ The Canal Club – $15 (order tickets HERE)
Summer can indeed be dangerous — last summer, Maryland emo band The Dangerous Summer ended a tour by having all of their equipment stolen from their van. But they didn’t let it slow them down; they just made a video about it and carried on. Then they headed home, put together their next album, and got ready to tour again. The group’s fifth album, Mother Nature, comes out this Friday — coincidentally, the day before they come to Richmond and rock the Canal Club. And if you’re as big a fan of moving, powerful, melodic rock music (think Manchester Orchestra) as I am, then you’re definitely going to want to be there.

Fellow Marylanders Have Mercy have a new album coming this summer too — it’s called The Love Life and will be out in August. For now, only one song has been released, but “Clair” shows that the emotionally powerful lyrics and sure-footed melodies of their 2017 comeback, Make The Best Of It, have held true, and that the reconstituted group (only frontman Brian Swindle remains from the lineup that made their first two albums) is moving forward stronger than ever. Either one of these bands on their own would certainly reach must-see levels, but this double-shot of emo power? Absolutely unmissable. Plan accordingly.

Sunday, June 16, 9 PM
Omen Stones, Crystal Spiders, CB/BJ @ Bandito’s – Free!
These days we talk about a ton of different genres that make the Richmond music scene as powerful and outstanding as it is, from jazz and hip hop to indie and Americana. But the genre that first put Richmond on the map is definitely metal, and in 2019, the city’s metal scene remains as rich (no pun intended) as ever. Case in point: Omen Stones, a new trio of Richmond heavy hitters who’ve come together to crank out some powerful grooves in predictably mindblowing fashion.

Omen Stones brings together Tommy Hamilton (Druglord), Erik Larson (Avail/Alabama Thunderpussy), and Ed Fierro (Desert Altar/Tel) into a unit that’s even greater than the sum of its parts. On their recent self-titled EP, this group crafts its formidable stoner-metal lineage into a collection of memorable anthems that forgo doom-metal’s sludgy tempos in favor of some serious Camaro-rattling riffage. Fans of Red Fang, Kyuss, and yes, any of these talented musicians’ former groups certainly need to be on the lookout. And what better place to do it than Bandito’s, where the admission is always free, the sound is always great, and the nachos are always delicious? I sure can’t think of any. Enjoy sets from NC fuzz-jammers Crystal Spiders and local riff titans CB/BJ in the bargain — you won’t regret a second of it.

Monday, June 17, 9 PM
Overo, Ostraca, Eliza Battle @ Cary Street Cafe – $10
It’s always fun to see completely unexpected sounds invade the hippie sanctum that is Cary Street Cafe. No offense to the Deadheads amongst you, but if you ask me, variety, not cannabis, is definitely the spice of life. So shake it up this Monday night, and check out Overo, a new emo-core outfit hailing from Houston, TX, and featuring former members of Football, etc and Perfect Future. No American football-themed song titles this time around (more’s the pity), but the group’s two-song debut single show them moving smoothly and nimbly between driving screamo crescendos and gorgeous melodies. This is definitely a band to watch in 2019, and you can start doing so in just a few short days.

They’ll be joined by Richmond’s foremost practicioners of gloomy metallic screamo, Ostraca — who, coincidentally enough, also feature former members of Perfect Future. Having brought us three full-length albums in the past four years, Ostraca is on a prolific pace, but their music has remained top-notch throughout, and chances are they’ll blow you away with at least one or two new songs at this show. Dark hardcore up-and-comers Eliza Battle will kick this one off with some powerful fury to get you in the mood. Every minute of this will rule — even if none of these bands have dancing-bear stickers on their amps.

Tuesday, June 18, 7:30 PM
Todd Rundgren @ The National – $25 – $43 (order tickets HERE)
For at least half a century now, Todd Rundgren has been one of pop music’s most aggressively original talents. And even now, at 70 years of age, he shows no signs of slowing down. His most recent album, 2017’s White Knight, focused on the sort of electro-synth stylings that are much more common to artists half a century younger than he is, and brought in a variety of celebrity guest vocalists, including everyone from Trent Reznor to Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen to Swedish pop legend Robyn.

But there’s far more than Rundgren’s latest album to recommend seeing him live. His back catalog includes everything from his classic 1972 pop breakthrough, Something/Anything?, to his decade fronting prog-rockers Utopia, to his mid-90s “interactive albums,” which still stand as unique and unreplicated experiments in the possibilities inherent in digital music. While Rundgren has rarely been at the top of the pop charts, he’s built up a strong and loyal cult over his 50-plus year career. Come to the National this Tuesday night and find out why. Expect to have your mind blown in the bargain.

Elsewhere Around the State:

Thursday, June 13, 6 PM
New Boss, The Zolephants, Woodsy Pride @ The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative – $?
Back when I was in high school and lived in the country outside Charlottesville, I knew what was going on with the music scene in that city. But I graduated and left the area over 25 years ago, so my recent attempts to catch up with things in my former sorta-hometown have been quite illuminating. One fascinating discovery has been New Boss, the local headliners atop this particular bill. On their most recent release, 2018 EP No Breeze, I hear a technicolor spectrum of psychedelic pop, one that pulls from sources like XTC, Guided By Voices, and Of Montreal, as well as the members’ own history in the DIY music scene. It’s a fascinating sound, one that is certainly worth delving more deeply into.

We’ll all get that chance this Thursday night, as New Boss share the bill with some upstate friends with a similar delightfully off-kilter musical vision. The Zolephants are tough to pin down, though it’s certainly fair to point to a fair bit of surf guitar in their mostly-instrumental soundscapes. But The Zolephants aren’t just a post-Y2K take on Man or Astro-Man? — their use of analog synths bring quite a few unusual sounds into the mix, and make the whole thing a lot more fun. They’re accompanied on their trip through C-Ville by Woodsy Pride, a rootsy yet experimental folk-rock project that won’t completely make sense until you hear them. So I recommend you head over to The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative and do just that.

Saturday, June 15, 8 PM
The Muckrakers, Crab Action, Savage Kenny @ The Golden Pony – $7
Here at RVA Magazine, we don’t often get the chance to engage in proper muckraking — there just isn’t too much shadowy intrigue to dig up when you’re on the arts and culture beat. However, in its own way, the arrival of punk rockers The Muckrakers at Harrisonburg’s The Golden Pony this Saturday night is a huge scoop for all of the music fans on our staff — and in our readership.

The Muckrakers originate from New York, and take the original punk rock credo of being yourself and playing the music you want to hear quite seriously. On 2018 EP The Album’s Off, their sound is fast and furious, simultaneously full of pop-punk melody and metallic hardcore intensity. The result sounds like what you’d get if Bad Religion and Iron Reagan made a record together — and if that sounds awesome to you, then you’re on our wavelength for sure. Head out to the Golden Pony this Saturday night and do some headbanging muckraking of your own. You heard it here first!

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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]

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

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

Marilyn Drew Necci | June 5, 2019

Topics: Angel Dust, Asylum 213, Bandito's, Berries, Big Gorgeous, Broken Beaches, Brown's Island, Cardinal, Cary Street Cafe, Charlie's American Cafe, Colder Planets, Colin Phils, Comrades, Cuzco, Dave Watkins, Deli Kings, Doll Baby, Dumb Waiter, Eaves, evolv, F.R.E.E., feat. MAP Quintet, Firehouse Theatre, Founding Fathers, friday cheers, gallery 5, Gel, Ghost Piss, Glitterer, Gouge Away, Gull, Gumming, Honor Code, ING, Invalids, Kore Rozzik, Ladada, Larrabee/Millner Duo, Mingus Awareness Project, Nervous System, New Turks, Nita Strauss, Piranha Rama, POST RVA Fest, Post Sixty Five, Raging Nathans, Raise Hell Over The Summer, Retrosphere, ROC KANDI, Saint Mingus, shows you must see, shy low, Smoke Break, Spooky Cool, Street Weapon, Talk Me Off, THE BBC, The Broadberry, The Camel, The Canal Club, The Teskey Brothers, The War And Treaty, Toast, Truth Cult, Unity Fight, way shape or form

FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, June 8, 7 PM
New Turks (Photo by Sarmistha Talukdar), Gumming, Deli Kings, Ghost Piss, F.R.E.E., ing @ Gallery 5 – $5 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
The arrival of Raw Mom Presents on the Richmond live music scene has made me really happy, mainly because it allows my old pal Rivanna Youngpool to put her personal stamp on some of the shows she puts on at Gallery 5. Years ago, when we were roommates, Rivanna worked hard to make the shows she booked in our living room safe, welcoming, and fun, and to keep the emphasis on community and friendship. Now that she’s booking at a real venue, it’s nice to see her keeping the vibe alive with an awesome all-local show to celebrate her birthday.

As befitting any birthday party, this one is full of friends, and the headliners in particular are two long-lost friends you’ll all want to see. Heavy bass-drum duo New Turks rocked the hell out of Richmond during their four years of existence, but Ethan and Lou stopped making music together back in 2015, and other than one reunion gig a year later, they haven’t done a thing since. But just for old times’ sake, they will be returning for one night only this Saturday night to headline this show, and that’s a birthday gift not just for Rivanna but for the whole city. You won’t want to miss this one, because who knows if — not when, IF — they’ll ever do it again.

The fun doesn’t stop there, as this gig features a highly varied lineup sure to keep your attention throughout the night. Deli Kings have got that Southern-style garage rock on lock, and Ing keep things eclectic and melodic with some charming lo-fi pop. Former Richmonder and eternal friend River Allen will be back in town for the evening with her haunting electro-ambient project, Ghost Piss, and I can’t seem to figure anything out about F.R.E.E. except that they are neither a reformed version of Have Heart nor that British band who sang “All Right Now.” But with the rest of the bill looking so great, this one is worth taking a chance on. Plus, advance tickets are literally 50% cheaper than the price at the door, so mark your calendar, make your plans, and hit that ticket link now!

Wednesday, June 5, 9 PM
Founding Fathers, Big Gorgeous, Asylum 213 @ Cary Street Cafe – $10
I’ve heard a lot of synth-based bands over the years, and one thing I can say for sure is that the studio recordings by the majority of them give you no idea what the band could possibly sound like live. That’s why it’s always refreshing to run across a band that is both synth-heavy and manages to sound on its records like an actual band playing their songs as a unit. Ohio band Founding Fathers, who place the emphasis on synthesizers and programmed beats but also incorporate guitars and live drums into their sound, totally pull this off on their 2018 LP, Mating Rites, and that’s a big part of why I think you should go see them tonight at Cary Street Cafe.

The music reminds me somewhat of Future Islands, another synth-based band that works particularly well as a live act, and there are also hints of upbeat early-00s bands like Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand in there. It all adds up to a rocking band that’ll keep you dancing throughout the evening — and the world could definitely use more of those, so come out tonight and get familiar with the Founding Fathers. While you’re at it, check out the ridiculously fun synth-metal antics of California’s Big Gorgeous, who’ll give you even more reason to dance around with a big grin on your face. This one’s gonna rule.

Thursday, June 6, 9 PM
Raging Nathans, Smoke Break, Talk Me Off @ Bandito’s – Free!
Raging Nathans are a band out of time. This band from Dayton Ohio, who are probably tired of hearing about Guided By Voices, have a sound that is in its own way just as anachronistic as that of GBV themselves — only instead of harking back to some alternate-universe lo-fi garage-psych past, Raging Nathans will make any of you old-timers who were there the first time around think of pop-punk’s mid-90s heyday. Post-y2k pop-punk tends to follow in the gruffer footsteps of bands like Hot Water Music and Dillinger Four, but on last year’s Cheap Fame LP, Raging Nathans bypass all that for some good old Lookout!/Fat Wreck sounds that, while I wasn’t looking, seemingly became part of a bygone era.

This Bandito’s show is the perfect opportunity for all of us to bring that era back, at least in our own hearts. The fact that the Raging Nathans have released splits with both The Parasites and Jon Cougar Concentration Camp in the past year should let you know that they’re on board. And they’ll have you pogoing up a storm when they hit the stage on Thursday night. They’ll be joined by one of Richmond’s great slacker melodic-punk bands, Smoke Break, who may not play another show for six months, so you better get there. And of course, Talk Me Off opens up with a snottier brand of punk, mostly without the pop, to remind us all of our angry teenage days. It’s gonna be a whole lot of fun.

Friday, June 7, 6 PM
The War And Treaty, The Teskey Brothers @ Friday Cheers at Brown’s Island – $10 (order tickets HERE)
Usually you can expect the bands who play Friday Cheers to be pretty familiar, so I was surprised to see a name I didn’t know on the schedule this week: The War And Treaty. I’m glad I dug in, though, because this musical group is one of the most interesting that’s come to my attention recently. Specifically, The War And Treaty is a husband-and-wife duo, Michael and Tanya Trotter, who sing together while Michael plays piano and a variety of other musicians add color and depth to their exuberant, soulful songs.

The result, born from Michael’s difficult experiences growing up impoverished and joining the military just in time for the Iraq war, is a sound that taps into blues, R&B, folk, gospel, country, and a ton of other American sounds. On their debut album, Healing Tide, Michael and Tanya sing together to chase away the darkness and create a musical force more powerful than any trauma. They pull it off flawlessly, and they’re sure to uplift all of Brown’s Island this Friday night when they take that Friday Cheers stage and make this whole city their own. Be there ready to sing along — this kind of healing is exactly what we all need.

Saturday, June 8, 3 PM
POST RVA Fest, feat. Comrades, Invalids, Gull, Shy Low, Colin Phils, Dumb Waiter, evolv, Spooky Cool, Cuzco, Post Sixty Five, Eaves, Cardinal, Way Shape Or Form, Dave Watkins, Colder Planets @ The Broadberry – $12 – $18 (order tickets HERE)
Here’s an impressive effort that’s starting out the right way. Spearheaded by Richmond-via-Korea band Colin Phils, the first ever POST RVA Fest will take over the Broadberry for a full nine hours of music this Saturday. Rather than going too big and biting off more than they can chew (something I know all about), the organizers of POST RVA Fest have mostly stuck with local groups in pulling together this 15-band showcase sure to appeal to anyone who digs epic instrumental post-rock, jazzy technical math-rock, melodic progressive metal, complex guitar-driven indie, and everything in-between — which covers a good deal more ground than you might expect.

Just look at this bill, which is topped by peripatetic former locals Comrades, a heavy trio who combine metalcore, post-rock, emo, indie, and a whole bunch of other genres into their unique, driving sound. New Jersey’s Invalids, by contrast, dish out hyperspeed math-rock with emphasis on guitar and drum pyrotechnics that’ll have the gear nerds in the audience watching very closely. There are a ton of other amazing bands, mostly from the Richmond area, on the bill, from Gull’s indescribable one-man sonic creations and Cardinal’s gorgeously complex indie-math-rock to Dumb Waiter’s freaky instrumental jazz-metal and Shy Low’s Mogwai-style moving instrumental epics. There’s so much here, for such a cheap ticket price, and if it all comes together perfectly, it may just be able to draw a loose, disparate group of musically similar local musicians into an actual scene. What could be a greater goal for a show than that? Get your ticket and be a part of it. You won’t be sorry.

Sunday, June 9, 7:30 PM
Mingus Awareness Project, feat. MAP Quintet, Larrabee/Millner Duo, Saint Mingus @ Firehouse Theatre – $15 in advance/$20 day of show/$10 for students (order tickets HERE)
This Sunday, if you want to both support a great cause and hear some amazing music you won’t hear anywhere else, then the only place you need to go is Firehouse Theatre. There, you’ll find local jazz-rock drum legend Brian Jones putting on the 12th edition of his yearly Mingus Awareness Project concerts, which exist to bring attention and support to the cause of curing ALS, the deadly incurable disease that took the life of bass legend Charles Mingus back in 1979. And as part of this charitable goal, Jones will be joining together with a variety of confederates from around the Richmond jazz scene to pay unique tribute to the phenomenal masterpieces of the one and only Mingus.

This time around, those tributes will take three forms, beginning with the MAP Quintet, which matches Jones up with his longtime collaborator, saxophonist JC Kuhl, as well as Virginia jazz powerhouses John D’earth on trumpet, Mike Hawkins on bass, and Calvin Brown (aka Calvin Presents) on piano. Then we’ll get a performance from the electric-guitar duo of Adam Larrabee and Jamal Millner, as well as a quintet known as Saint Mingus, which will match Jones with Richmond jazz ambassador Reggie Pace as well as Suzi Fischer (The Big Payback), Giustino Riccio (Bio Ritmo), and Stefan Demetriadis (No BS! Brass). Such an incredibly talented conglomeration of musicians is sure to do justice to Charles Mingus’s incredible compositions, and you’re going to want to be there to see them do it. Donating to a good cause is just the icing on the cake.

Monday, June 10, 7 PM
Angel Dust, Gouge Away, Glitterer, Truth Cult @ The Camel – $15 (order tickets HERE)
One thing I’ve learned from my years in the hardcore scene is that, as long as you put a few years into playing hardcore music, the kids will follow you to whatever new thing you do, regardless of how it sounds. Angel Dust is a perfect case in point: while this band features members of Trapped Under Ice, Turnstile, and Mindset, you’d be totally incorrect to expect anything hard or heavy from their brand-new album, Pretty Buff. Instead, this album finds the quintet of tough boys showing their sensitive side and, indeed, getting downright upbeat. And that’s not to mention the predominantly-acoustic guitar sound.

All told, Angel Dust’s upbeat sound has led to comparisons with groups like the Lemonheads or early Green Day. But despite all that, it’s done nothing to chase the hardcore faithful away — and one listen to Pretty Buff is enough to see why. These guys are every bit as good at lovelorn melodies as they are at hard n’ heavy mosh-pit anthems. So why not celebrate all of it equally? Join all the HC kids Monday night in doing exactly that at The Camel. And while you’re at it, enjoy what’s sure to be an incredible set from raging hardcore-punk quartet Gouge Away, who will deliver every bit of vitriol you might have expected from Angel Dust and then some. The bill will also feature Title Fight frontman Ned Russin’s electronic side project, Glitterer, and the killer up-and-coming sounds of Baltimore’s Truth Cult, a decidedly Swiz-ish group featuring members of Give, Red Death, and more. Every second of this is sure to be outstanding.

Tuesday, June 11, 6 PM
Nita Strauss, Kore Rozzik, THE BBC, Roc Kandi, Retrosphere @ The Canal Club – $17 in advance/$20 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Maybe it’s only because I came up in the late 80s era of hair metal’s world domination (OK, yeah, that’s probably it), but I just love some really ridiculous over the top metal shredding. And as much as I enjoy this kind of thing from veteran masters of the field — Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Vai, you know the ones — it makes me way happier to see someone younger carrying on the tradition. And a woman, at that! Nita Strauss first grabbed attention with her string-bending star turn in all-female Iron Maiden tribute act The Iron Maidens, but she’s since graduated to all sorts of original work, from joining Alice Cooper’s touring band to scoring video games like Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.

Now she’s gone out on her own, releasing her debut solo album, Controlled Chaos, last year and hitting the road on a headlining tour to support it. Keeping with the tradition of shredders past such as Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, Strauss forgoes vocals for this album’s anthems, instead using her multilayered melodic leads as color and giving the album’s many headbanging riffs more than sufficient texture to keep you smiling and thrashing along. You can do that exact thing at the Canal Club Tuesday night when Strauss’s headlining set caps off a night full of shred-tastic adventures. Notorious NYC metal maniacs Kore Rozzik will provide plenty of those, along with several killer locals. Get ready for some serious thrash, y’all — because it’s happening.

Elsewhere around the state:

Friday, June 7, 7 PM
Gel, Honor Code, Nervous System, Street Weapon, Unity Fight @ Charlie’s American Cafe – $5
For all you diehards who might be feeling a little deprived by Angel Dust’s relentlessly upbeat post-hardcore melodies, rest assured we’ve still got plenty of straight-ahead no-frills hardcore for ya, and — unsurprisingly enough — it’s happening this Friday night in Norfolk. Gel, a recently formed New Jersey band who have only a demo to their name, are coming to town to tear it up. The demo’s five songs blow by incredibly fast, and are full of sloppy, out-of-control hardcore riffage with a decidedly maniacal edge. This band seems like a prime candidate for an absolutely explosive live performance, and you’re gonna want to be there to see it go down.

Down in the Hampton Roads area, Honor Code are sure to draw just as much attention as the New Jersey headliners — after all, this is their first show in nearly two years. Does that mean this 82-style old school VBHC combo has returned to full time action? Maybe, maybe not, but it does mean you’ll have one more chance to circle pit to their legendarily primitive hardcore tuneage — and that’s sure to be a blast. The show will also feature local NFKHC up-and-comers Nervous System, as well as brand-new VB bands Street Weapon and Unity Fight, both of whom have names that sound suspiciously randomly generated. However, we can guarantee that both are entirely made up of real flesh-and-blood humans. Pure organic hardcore, coming right up.

Saturday, June 8, 5 PM
LAVA Presents GRILLED OUT, feat. Ladada, Berries, Piranha Rama, Broken Beaches, Doll Baby, Raise Hell Over The Summer @ Toast – $10 in advance/$14 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Memorial Day has come and gone, and at least in Virginia, that means summer has arrived, y’all. And what better way to spend a sunny summer evening than grillin’ out and chillin’ out with some great tunes? This weekend, LAVA Presents has you covered on both of those scores, as their Saturday evening GRILLED OUT fest will find the Tidewater-area promotional crew hanging out in the Toast parking lot, joined by Handsome Biscuit burgers, Smartmouth Beer, and a whole conglomeration of excellent Virginia musicians.

Ladada are at the top of the bill, and this Norfolk indie group has just the tunes you need for a summer afternoon cookout — they even put a guy floating down a river with a red solo cup in hand on the cover of their recent LP, Heaven On The Rocks, so you know they’ve got the right idea. The day will also feature delicious indie-pop sounds from VB group Berries, excellently named New York indie-rockers Raise Hell Over The Summer, and some rad RVA sounds from local faves Piranha Rama and Doll Baby. You Richmonders might want to get a crew and roll down with a carful — especially since the tickets are cheaper if you buy them at the group rate! Grab some burgers, rock out to some tunes, and enjoy the summer — it’ll be gone before you know 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]

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

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

Marilyn Drew Necci | May 22, 2019

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

FEATURED SHOW
Sunday, May 26, 12 noon
Jonny Z Fest 2019, feat. Kenneka Cook, Washers, Gull, Josh Small, Night Kid @ Hardywood – Free!
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 12 years since we lost Jonathan Zanin, known to all and sundry as Jonny Z. To get personal right out the gate, he was a longtime friend, and I still can’t think too much about his death without getting upset. For those of you who didn’t have the fortune of knowing him, all I can tell you now is that he was a really positive dude who poured a ton of energy into music, art, and activism, and absolutely made Richmond a better place for the entire time we were lucky enough to have him here.

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

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

Wednesday, May 22, 6 PM
The 1975, Pale Waves, No Rome @ Virginia Credit Union Live – $39.50 – $59.50 (order tickets HERE)
When I first discovered the 1975 six or so years ago, they only had a couple of EPs out. I thought of them as kind of a poppy emo band, and longtime readers of this column won’t be surprised to hear that I therefore loved them immediately. They’ve released three albums since then, all of which have hit number one in their native United Kingdom. And clearly they’re pretty popular here in the US too, since they’re playing the 6,000-capacity Virginia Credit Union Live! venue, out at RIR. And it hasn’t sold out yet, so you should certainly grab a ticket make sure you’re there.

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

Thursday, May 23, 10 PM
Positive No, Young Scum @ Bandito’s – Free!
Positive No may not be one of the most active bands in Richmond, but if you ask me, they have been one of the best and most worthwhile bands this town has to offer for at least five years now. Their excellent music, which mixes post-hardcore energy with shoegaze melody and a delicate, ethereal presentation that sometimes explodes into fury, is always worth showing up for. Their two LPs and many EPs and singles have given us a wealth of excellent music, which may not be aired all that frequently in the live arena, but becomes a rare treat when they play the occasional gig.

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

Friday, May 24, 8 PM
The Felice Brothers, Johnathan Rice, Dogwood Tales @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $15 in advance/$17 day of show (order tickets HERE)
The Felice Brothers have been making fine folk-rock sounds for over a decade now, and older releases of theirs like Yonder Is The Clock and Celebration, Florida have earned praise from earlier generations of RVA Mag reviewers. In more recent years, though, they’ve largely kept a low profile, with frontman Ian Felice making a solo album in 2017 while his brother James played in Conor Oberst’s backing band.

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

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

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

Sunday, May 26, 2 PM
Alright, Gnawing @ 6131 Records Storefront – Free!
There’s a new record store in town! It’s not open that often — only Fridays and Saturdays — but it will allow you an opportunity to shop in-person at the home of Richmond’s own 6131 Records. Not only do they put out a ton of good releases for bands both local and outside the state, they’ve got a pretty bodacious distro, full of vinyl, CDs, stickers, t-shirts, and tons of other stuff, all of which you can get in-person access to by visiting them.

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

Monday, May 27, 9 PM
Deterioration, Van Hagar, MSD, Oozing Meat @ Cary Street Cafe – $10
To quote the Damned, “Noise noise noise.” That’s what you can expect when Cary Street Cafe’s usual Deadhead-sanctuary vibe is disrupted Monday night by an invasion of grindcore bands. Deterioration are at the head of the parade, and this Minnesota trio pride themselves on their supersonic attack and irreverent approach. Expect gratuitous samples and ridiculous song titles, but mostly you can expect insanely fast blast beats and lots of furious screaming. Sounds like fun to me.

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

Tuesday, May 28, 7 PM
Model Zero, Slump, Nightcreature @ Gallery 5 – $6 in advance/$8 day of show (order tickets HERE)
If you’re a fan of that dark arena in which the lines between garage rock and gloomy postpunk get too blurry to fully make out, Model Zero is the band for you. Formed by former members of Ex-Cult and Jack Oblivian’s backing band, The Sheiks, these guys have deep roots in the Memphis scene that’s spawned everyone from Jay Reatard to 68 Comeback. Model Zero definitely capture a bit of the analog-synth/primitive-beatbox feel that Reatard’s synth-punk project, Lost Sounds, displayed, but there’s also a whole lot of dirty gutbucket rock n’ roll mixed in here, and you wouldn’t be wrong to detect a strong hint of The Cramps there as well.

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

Elsewhere Around The State:

Friday, May 24, 8 PM
Helgamite, Crystal Spiders, Krode @ The Golden Pony – $7
“Stoner doom” is a term that gets thrown around a lot in the metal scene, but what it means isn’t always clear. While it can lead you to bands cranking out played-out third-rate versions of Saint Vitus riffs — and I certainly don’t blame you if that makes you somewhat gunshy — sometimes it’ll send you straight towards some of the most creative, weird, and original sounds being made in metal today. Fortunately for us all, Helgamite are firmly in the latter category.

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

Saturday, May 25, 8 PM
Natural Velvet, Clary Sage, Mirador @ Charlie’s American Cafe – $10 in advance/$13 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Baltimore’s Natural Velvet aren’t easily described. Their use of “postpunk” as a genre tag is certainly accurate, but if you’ve followed the evolution of that term over the past four decades, you certainly know that it covers a wide range of sounds. Natural Velvet explore many different facets of that genre, as well as quite a few others. On 2017’s Mirror To Make You, vocalist/bassist Corynne Ostermann channels both Alice Bag and Siouxsie Sioux in her powerful, gripping vocal approach, as the band’s pounding, off-kilter attack pulls off some decided Birthday Party-style rages before pulling it together to rock you in the most straightforward of fashions. Just for a second, though.

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

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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]va.com

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond