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RVA Shows You Must See This Week: July 25 – July 31

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FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, July 28, 12 PM
Vasen One-Year Anniversary Party, feat. Bio Ritmo, Black Alley, The Bush League, Chance Fischer, Illiterate Light, Toxic Moxie @ Vasen Brewing Company – $5 – 30 (order tickets HERE)
You know, when I used to live in Scott’s Addition, it was dead on the weekends — and really even on weekdays once 5 PM rolled around. I used to go for walks down its empty industrial streets in the evenings and marvel at the solitude I was able to achieve in the middle of a hustling city. What a difference a decade makes, huh? These days, Scott’s Addition is the hot neighborhood in town, with a thriving scene of breweries, arcade bars, and all that other fun stuff. One of the recently arrived mainstays of that area is Vasen Brewing Company, and they’re planning an all-day party this weekend to celebrate their one-year anniversary that is sure to have Scott’s Addition jumping all day!

This isn’t just a music thing, either — the party brings together a whole bunch of other breweries in the area, all of which will be on the scene to serve you, as will be plenty of food trucks. Presentations with an environmental-conservation theme from groups like GroundworkRVA as well as the James River Park System will take place at various points, and you’ll have the opportunity for a variety of entertaining activities, from fly-casting lessons to miniature golf! There’s a ton to do at this event.

But of course, here at RVA Must-See Shows the main thing we care about is the music, and there’ll be a ton of this too. Vasen have brought together talented artists from all over the Virginia area to give you an eclectic trip through multiple genres. Local salsa mainstays Bio Ritmo are headlining the musical portion of the festivities, and they’ll be joined by DC-area modern soul group Black Alley. Richmond’s underrated electric-blues veterans The Bush League will be on hand to lay down some heavy grooves in the tradition of Howlin’ Wolf and Junior Kimbrough, while Chance Fischer will let loose his A-plus lyrical flow on some killer hip hop beats. You’ll even get the energetic alt-rock of Illiterate Light and the disco-punk bounce of Toxic Moxie in the bargain. What more could you ask for? Best of all, for non-drinkers like myself, the cheapest option for this day of fun in the sun is the designated driver’s ticket — only $5! For once you’ll be rewarded for not joining your friends in partaking of the demon alcohol. And by a brewery, no less! I don’t know about you, but I’m sold.

Wednesday, July 25, 9 PM
Marcus Tenney Quartet @ Vagabond – Free!
It flies a bit under the radar, at least locally, but there’s a really strong jazz scene bubbling just under the surface in this town, if you know where to look. And these days, the place to look is often Vagabond, the spot where illustrious soul-jazz quintet Butcher Brown recorded a real stunner of a live album released just this past year. And it’s no real surprise, therefore, to find Butcher Brown’s Marcus Tenney returning to that spot to celebrate the release of his latest set as bandleader, Moment. This new release, out today on local label American Paradox (home of Kenneka Cook and Sid Kingsley, among others), is Tenney’s first at the head of a quartet. However, the group is merely an expansion of his prior trio, which was responsible for the excellent As You See It half a decade ago.

The Marcus Tenney Quartet is like a lot of other jazz ensembles from this particularly prolific corner of the scene — in that, other than keyboardist Calvin Brown, all of its members are also in Butcher Brown. This is a familiar situation for veterans of the similarly incestuous punk, metal, and screamo scenes, and it happens for the same reason with jazz groups as it does for the more heavily-inclined of the music world. Different people have different things they want to express. You can’t get all of them into the same band and still have a cohesive band identity. So you start another group, as Tenney has here to lay down some traditional bop jazz that would be right at home in the clubs Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins were playing 60 or so years ago. The smooth sounds of Moment are currently only audible in 30-second preview clips on Amazon, but they’ll delight far more fully when given room to stretch out tonight at Vagabond. The show is free, but that only frees up some cash for you to pick up a copy of the Marcus Tenney Quartet’s new release for yourself.

Thursday, July 26, 7 PM
Jigsaw Youth, Cyber Twin, Weird Tears @ Gallery 5 – $5
This one’s gonna be a great big bunch of noisy fun. Your headliners, Jigsaw Youth, are a trio of teenage girls with a ton of rage to get out, as they did on with aplomb on their 2017 debut LP, America’s Sweethearts. While the band’s name betrays an obvious debt to Bikini Kill, there’s a grungier sound at work in this trio’s music, making them closer to the melodically-infused alt-rock snarl of L7 and 7 Year Bitch than any straight-up riot grrrl vibes. What’s more, there’s an obvious sense of humor leavening the rage here too — clearly visible on songs like “Aunt Jenny’s Got My Back” and “But You’re Not Dave Grohl :(” (yes, the emoticon is part of the title).

Jigsaw Youth are joined on this bill by Harrisonburg’s Cyber Twin, a still youthful but not quite teenage crew led by singer-guitarist Mike Flaig, who you’d be forgiven for mistaking at first listen for a young Billie Joe Armstrong. Cyber Twin have a definite Green Day feel, though they come at it from an unusual angle and as a result end up sounding far more original than you’d expect a clearly Green Day-inspired band to sound. They’re really worth a closer look, which you can give them at Gallery 5 tomorrow night. And of course, you can catch the opening set from mysterious locals Weird Tears as well — I know they’ve got members of Bad Magic, Cherry Pits, and Unmaker, but that doesn’t really tell me much. We’ll all find out when they take the stage, won’t we?

Friday, July 27, 9 PM
Gritter, Percussor, Descendency @ Wonderland – $5
Damn — this is the end of an era. I first saw Gritter a decade ago, back when they were still called Rube, and they’ve been on the Richmond scene ever since, cranking out dark, powerful metal riffs in the vein of classic work by Pantera and Lamb Of God, among others. They’ve released four albums over the course of their decade as a band, but member shakeups and financial setbacks have prevented them from ever going as far as they liked; they expressed their frustrations in the title of last year’s full-length, Nobody Cares. But now Gritter are calling it quits, playing their last show ever at Wonderland this Friday night — and if Richmond really doesn’t care, this whole city is blowing it in a big way. Go enjoy their existence while you still can; god knows we’ll all be worse off without them in this city.

Gritter isn’t the only reason to come out to Wonderland Friday night, though — they’re joined on this show by two killer death metal groups from up the Eastern Seaboard, and all you headbangers would be fools to miss either of them. Philadelphia’s Percussor have their roots in the Northeast death metal scene of the 90s, and carry on that tradition perfectly on 2017’s Remnants Of Horror. This album’s classic brutal death metal attack is delivered with venomous rage — as song titles like “Rejoicing Your Death” and “Fuck Your Opinion” make extremely clear. The bill is rounded out by Delaware’s Descendency, who have the sort of thrashing yet somehow groovy rage that reminds me of early-90s experiments in the genre by Pro-Pain, John Bush-era Anthrax, and Biohazard. These guys will get you moving for sure — show up on time and ready to mosh!

Saturday, July 28, 8 PM
Agents Of Good Roots, Regan @ The Broadberry – $15 in advance/$18 day of show (order tickets HERE)
When you think of Virginia alternative bands who got signed to major labels in the post-Nirvana feeding frenzy of the 90s, Agents Of Good Roots probably aren’t the first name that pops to mind (though, like the guy you’re thinking of, Agents Of Good Roots did have a saxophone player). However, this Richmond band certainly had a good run back in those days; their 1998 major-label debut, One By One, spawned a minor hit, “Come On,” and was certainly a fun listen. It remains one, even now, but Agents Of Good Roots have long since disbanded.

These days, sax player JC Kuhl and drummer Brian Jones remain active in the jazz scene around Richmond. However, last year’s reunion show, a tribute to their deceased manager, Jeff Peskin, was the first time in over a decade that Agents of Good Roots graced a Richmond stage. Fortunately, they had enough fun that they’ve decided to keep playing, and they’ll come to The Broadberry once again this weekend to give us all a great set encompassing their career highlights. From the bouncing rock n’ roll of their big hit, “Come On,” to the funky reggae tunes and smooth-swinging ballads that dotted their albums, this band has a lot of great songs to bring to you once again, and you’re sure to find yourself “Smiling Up The Frown” once again when they hit the stage this Saturday night. Whether you loved them in the 90s or just discovered them last year, you should definitely grab this opportunity to go see Agents Of Good Roots. After all, who knows how many more times they’ll do this?

Sunday, July 29, 6 PM
The Native Howl, The Gasoline Gypsies, Vegan Llamas @ The Canal Club – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
You know, if I hadn’t heard it, I never would have believed it was a thing, but it’s all true: The Native Howl are a Michigan band who use instruments typical to the bluegrass genre (mainly banjos and acoustic guitars) to make thrash metal music that veers from Iron Maiden-ish triumphant power to straight-up black metal riffage. Of course, there’s still a fair bit of bluegrass styling in there — though some of that seems more due to the fact that even some of Iron Maiden’s more melodic riffs would have a down-home feel if you played them on banjos. This strange convergence of metal and country sounds has been on the rise for years now; groups like Huntsmen and Liberteer have shown unexpected ways in which these two wildly different sounds can coexist, and I suppose The Native Howl is just the latest example of that unlikely union.

The group is just about to release their fourth LP, Out Of The Garden And Into The Darkness, and preview single “Into The Darkness” manages to combine the spooky feel of foreboding mid-20th century country ballads with the ominous riffage of Scandinavian metal. No matter which side of the line between these two genres feels more at home to you, you’re sure to be thrown by your first listen to The Native Howl. But stick with it for a while, and you might be surprised to discover how much you enjoy what you’re hearing. They’ll come to town with fellow Michigan residents The Gasoline Gypsies, who might want to reconsider that band name but are definitely on the right track when it comes to music; their catchy blend of blues, Southern rock, and country sounds manages to be equally reminiscent of the Allman Brothers and Blind Melon, and that’s definitely not a bad thing. This show will be a fun way to wrap up your weekend — even if you don’t know what to make of it at first.

Monday, July 30, 8 PM
Zeke, US Bastards, Loud Night @ Strange Matter – $13 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Oh damn, this is gonna be a wild one. Zeke is a wild n’ crazy punk band who got their start in the 90s. At the time, they were a bit of an anomaly; despite writing riffs with the rollicking rock n’ roll spirit of classic garage punk, they played so fast that their tempos were closer to hardcore than anything else. On albums like Flat Tracker, they left other punk bands in the dust; the only band that could come close to hanging with them was The Dwarves. Lyrically, they were preoccupied by concerns relating to racing; the title of their 2007 EP, Lords Of The Highway, told the story.

After that EP’s release, Zeke dropped out of sight for a while, but they’re back in 2018 with their first new release in over a decade, Hellbender. This album shows that from lyrical preoccupations to typical tempo, Zeke hasn’t lost a step during their time away. Songs like “Two Lane Blacktop,” “Ride On,” and “Redline” find this band still singing about fast cars at a pedal-to-the-metal tempo sure to appeal to fans of legendary hardcore bands like 9 Shocks Terror and Career Suicide, even as it draws in the New Bomb Turks and Reverend Horton Heat fans who don’t mind having their hair blown back by sheer speed. Local openers US Bastards and Loud Night know how to crank up the speed, power, and fury, and will be the perfect appetizer for the knuckle sandwich Zeke’s gonna feed you.

Tuesday, July 31, 7 PM
Charmer, Stars Hollow, Downhaul, Two Cars @ Gallery 5 – $5 in advance/$7 day of show (order tickets HERE)
As a supposed music scholar, it’s a little embarrassing for me to admit this… but I didn’t realize that Richmond-based thrash quartet Charmer wasn’t the only band with that name. What’s more, when I realized that the non-Richmond Charmer (who, in case you haven’t guessed, are the band with that name headlining this show) were an emo band signed to No Sleep Records, I was even more ashamed. I love stuff like this! How did I miss these guys? I’m making up for that now — their brand-new self-titled debut album has been knocking me out ever since I found out about it, and its mixture of tangled Algernon Cadwallader-style guitar leads and the pensive moods of prime Hotelier material has won me over in a big way. (Don’t worry, RVA Charmer, I still love you too!)

Charmer are coming through town with Stars Hollow, and this equally emotional trio from Ames, IA have an emo sound as well. However, excellent recent EP Happy Again displays a nervier, more energetic take on the genre, stirring some of the anxieties given evocative expression by bands like Snowing and Joyce Manor. And as tightly wound as this EP sounds, blasting it through headphones offers a comforting catharsis that really needs to be appreciated in a live environment. These two groups are sure to bring an incredible show to Gallery 5 Tuesday night, and they’ll be ably abetted by local up-and-comers Downhaul and newbies Two Cars, both of whom have emo-ish vibes of their own to offer.

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

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

RVATRACK Drops Illiterate Light’s ‘Better Than I Used To’

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Update: RVATRACK announced the studio recording release of “Better Than I Used To,” available now on Spotify.

RVATRACK is back again with a video this month for our eyes, ears, and souls. The local film collective recently premiered a live music video for Illiterate Light’s “Better Than I Used To.” Only coming together in 2015, the Harrisonburg alt-psych duo has built up quite the name for themselves with their energetic live shows, touring up and down the East Coast, and three solid EPs under their belts showcasing gritty guitar sounds from Jeff Gorman and smooth, hazy vocals from drummer/vocalist Jake Cochran.

Their most recent EP, Ego Flora I, came out last August, but the track “Better Than I Used To” doesn’t appear on that, or any of the older records. It’s a song Gorman said the band has been sitting on for quite some time.

“‘Better Than I Used To came about in early 2016 but sat on the back burner for 12 to 18 months because we were touring a lot and didn’t have time to work on new material,” he said. Gorman added they’ve been toiling away with Adrian Olsen and Charlie Glenn over at Montrose Studios for the past six months on a new album, slated to come out later this year, hopefully with this track featured.

All the usual suspects were involved with making the video for “Better Than I Used To” including Scott Lane, Daniel Bagbey, and Gabrielle Silvers. And although the duo’s hometown is in Harrisonburg, Gorman said they were stoked to get to work with the local collective to premiere this single.

“We’re really happy to debut this song with RVATrack since so much of our music has been influenced by the Richmond scene,” he said.

Cover art courtesy Illiterate Light

You can catch Illiterate Light on June 22 at Strange Matter alongside Richmond’s Blush Face, ADDY, and jazzy group CGI Jesus. 8 PM Doors, 9 PM Showtime. $5 in advance and $7 at the door. In the meantime, let their sweet sounds ease you into this sunny weekend.

Photo By: Joey Wharton Photography

 

 

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 10/11-10/17

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FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, October 14, 6 PM
MAG Fest presents Game Over 2.0, feat. A_Rival, an0va, D&D Sluggers, DJ 8-Bit Mullet, DJ Super Sonic, F1NG3RS, The Gothsicles, Gunblade X @ Fallout – $14 in advance/$19 at the door (order tickets HERE)
The world of video games is, admittedly, one I’m not too familiar with. But I have brushed up against the world of video game music a time or two, most notably the time I went to see Kitty come through town on tour with Anamanaguchi. The music I heard from the other bands on that bill was what is also known as “chiptune”–peppy, hyperkinetic dance music played at least partially by 8-bit sequencers of the sort that created the indelible soundtracks of every classic Nintendo game you (or I guess your uncle, you young whippersnappers) grew up playing for three hours after school every day.

Chiptune’s the sort of thing that I’m sure at least half of you are going, “wait, this exists?” about right now. But the kids who love it REALLY love it, and I’m sure a lot of them are already really excited about what’s going down at Fallout this Saturday night. Chances are, people are planning to divide their time between the stage and the many games MAGFest is planning to pack the playing area of the venue with–yes, one of the big attractions of this night is that there’ll be a popup arcade appearing inside Fallout. Classic games originally released on systems like Nintendo, Sega Genesis, and Super Nintendo will dominate, though they’ll have games from all eras including the ever-popular Mario Kart 64 (there’ll even be a tournament for this last one, so all you Mario Kart junkies, start practicing now).

But there’s a ton of really wild music hitting the stage this night too, so if, like me, you’re way more of a music person than a video game person, rest assured that entertainment aplenty is still easily had. Where out-of-town awesomeness is concerned, you’ll get everything from Wilmington’s D&D Sluggers, who create a hybrid of soulful indie ballads and straight-up 8-bit beats; to San Francisco’s A_Rival, who’ve actually composed soundtracks to modern 8-bit video games and have a sound that resembles the sort of weirdly heavy-rockin’ tunes you enjoyed on childhood games like Double Dragon II and Street Fighter. The biggest local highlight is an0va, whose complex, melodic tunes use 8-bit instrumentation to create the sort of surprisingly emotionally-driven sounds you find in some corners of the math rock scene. And there are a whole lot more performers on this eight-hour bill, plus a ton of video games to keep you occupied during between-band setup. Dust off your old controller and limber up those fingers for a night of chiptune insanity and video game triumph.

Wednesday, October 11, 7 PM
Wolves in The Throne Room, Pillorian @ Capital Ale House – $20 (order tickets HERE)
It’s time for the return of America’s reigning champions of the black metal genre. Wolves In The Throne Room may have thrown us all off with their 2014 album, Celestite, and it’s veer into the wild world of dark ambient drone. However, they’ve returned to the ripping metallic riffage that won all of our hearts originally on brand new album Thrice Woven, and I’m sure I’m not the only one breathing a sigh of relief. Wolves In The Throne Room set themselves apart from the many Scandinavian bands who made black metal a force to be reckoned with back in the 90s by finding their own twist on those bands’ frequently-sketchy-in-practice interests in returning to a simpler, more primal connection to the earth (why do so many people end up bringing racism into the mix when they go this route? It’s really gross).

With Wolves In The Throne Room’s music, the Weaver brothers and their compatriots attempt to make a more universal connection through their homeland, the US Pacific Northwest, where there are plentiful rainstorms, foggy mountains, and shadowed forests to haunt, without all that pesky “tribal purity” garbage getting in the way. On Thrice Woven, the band returns to the dark, foggy sounds of the forest primeval, which they so effectively evoked on earlier classics like Two Hunters and Celestial Lineage. They’ll be bringing this sound to Richmond tonight at Capital Ale House’s Downtown Music Hall, of all places, and if nothing else, you can rest assured that this show will not get as messy as that time you saw Watain at Brooklyn Bazaar or whatever. They’ll be joined by Pillorian, a new Pacific Northwest black metal concern with connections to Agalloch and a melodically-infused black metal sound. Don’t miss out on this one.

Thursday, October 12, 8 PM
Sammi Lanzetta, Piranha Rama, Illiterate Light, Secret Nudist Friends @ The Camel – $7 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
The fulfillment of some long-gestating potential is upon us this night. Sammi Lanzetta, who I’ve had my eye on since the early days of her now-departed alt-punk trio, Venus Guy Trap, is releasing her debut EP on high-profile local label 6131 Records, and this show is a celebration of its entry into the world. For Avery is four songs of the incredible voice, sharp lyrical wit, and excellent songwriting talent that has had me paying attention since the first time I saw her perform in a living room in front of a bunch of tipsy teenage punks. Starting the record by snarling “I would rather slit my throat than be stuck in a house with you” at some random misogynist, she spends the next four songs veering between venom-dripping fury and touching vulnerability. The latter is particularly well-documented on “Anxiety Olympics,” which features the immortal lyric “I talk too much and I’m scared of everything” (I definitely know that feel).

With a backing band featuring some talented usual suspects from local projects including Imaginary Sons, Lanzetta’s more than ready to take on the world with her brand new solo record, and she’s bound to make this show tomorrow night at The Camel a blast of power and excellence. She’s got some powerful compatriots signed on as well, from the secretive yet buzzed-about new rock n’ roll project Piranha Rama (don’t look now but I think Tim and Chrissie are in this band too) to excellent Harrisonburg alt-psych duo Illiterate Light, who must make that trip down 64 at least twice a month these days. Secret Nudist Friends kicks things off, and while I know nothing about this band beyond their name, I can’t pretend I’m not intrigued. Oh OK, I know one more thing–they’re from Philadelphia. Even more intriguing. Come to this show, get a copy of Sammi’s new EP, check out all the other rad bands on the bill, and make your Thursday the perfect start to the three-day weekend you’ll have if you call in to work Friday. You know you want to.

Friday, October 13, 8 PM
Truckfighters, Telekinetic Yeti, Gritter, Prayer Group @ Strange Matter – $13 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
There’s a lot of really killer heavy fuzzed-out rock n’ roll coming out of Scandinavia these days, a trend it seems was probably kicked off back when the Hellacopters and Turbonegro ruled the roost up that way. Truckfighters came together in Sweden just after the turn of the millennium, and quickly established themselves as the sort of groove merchants easily able to get the wheels on your Camaro turning at a high rate of speed. Someone once called this sort of stuff “high octane bong rock,” and I can’t argue with that. But what Truckfighters have done on their latest album, V, is intriguing precisely for the ways that it steps outside that whole paradigm to expand their sound and add in the sort of psychedelic space that a lot of other Swedish bands (see Dungen) operate in. So these days, this band has even more to offer.

You can expect plenty of headbanging as well as floating through space during their performance at Strange Matter this Friday night, though, so don’t get too worried. And just in case you needed any further headbanging in your diet, fear not–there’s a whole slate of openers with riffs aplenty to get you rocking out. Iowa riffmasters Terminal Yeti are on tour with Truckfighters, and have a kind of Monster Magnet-ish psychedelic fuzz-metal style going on. Local openers Gritter are just about to release their fourth album, Nobody Cares, and should have plentiful new doom-laden NOLA-style jams on hand for you. Up-and-coming locals Prayer Group are dispensing some pure Mudhoney-style fuzz-grunge to kick the night off. Wear your bellbottoms for this one.

Saturday, October 14, 8 PM
Long Arms, Ladygod, Justin Jones @ The Camel – $7 in advance/$10 at the door (order tickets HERE)
This is the second local release party Jet Trails Music has brought to us this week (they were also behind the Sammi Lanzetta one, I should probably have mentioned that at the time but I write these really fast), and it’s just as big a hit as the first one. The new Long Arms LP, Young Life, sees veteran local songwriter James Menefee continuing to hone his craft, for some fine results. If his revived teenage project, Fun Size, is the band where he indulges in his love for Jawbreaker and Gameface, then it’s Long Arms that get all his Springsteen and Westerberg tendencies. So yeah, this is a slightly different flavor, musically speaking, but the taste is just as sweet.

And straight up, the new Long Arms is sweet as hell. It mingles mid-period Replacements vibes with some early alt-country sounds that make me think of prime early Jayhawks tunes, and maybe even the first couple Son Volt albums. If you’re as into that as I am (and if you’re not, you should be), this is the release party for you! Early copies of the Young Life LP will be available, too, so bring some extra cash, because this’ll be your only chance to get it before the November release date. Psychedelic alt-rockers Ladygod open up, and with their own LP growing very near on the horizon, this is a good chance to learn just what you’re in for from this hazy crew of tunesters. Folk-blues troubadour Justin Jones gets things started off on a smooth note. Get there.

Sunday, October 15, 7 PM
Ryan Azada, Navi, Jeff Riddle, Julie Storey @ Gallery 5 – $7
Here’s something cool that I didn’t know about until I got a hot tip through the ol’ email box (keep em coming, folks!). Ryan Azada is a solo artist with a Memphis hometown, but he’s recently come to Richmond to stay, and this is his first show as an official hometown musician. He’s about to rerelease his last EP, Weird But Cool, on Trrrrrash Records, and also has a new EP called Make You Run coming out in November. Make You Run features a full band, but Azada often performs as a solo acoustic artist, and this should be that sort of gig. There are some Elliott Smith vibes coming off the acoustic tracks I’ve heard, while the electric ones make me think more of Conor Oberst’s loudest and best moments.

Azada is touring with Jeff Riddle, who normally fronts a Philadelphia band called The Holy Mess. That band has a propulsive melodic punk energy, but you can see how Riddle’s songs could translate to a solo thing. Chances are, for an acoustic gig, his set’s gonna be pretty loud. Navi will also bring the volume, and disrupt this mostly-solo-acoustic sort of gig with their trademark math-metal noise-rock–a sound you don’t get to hear that much these days what with John and Kyle being so busy with other projects. Take advantage of this rare opportunity! Doll Baby frontwoman and killer solo artist in her own right Julie Storey kicks off the night. Should be excellent. Don’t blow it.

Monday, October 16, 8 PM
Austin Lucas, Ryan Singer, Saw Black, Owlrare @ Strange Matter – $10 (order tickets HERE)
Here’s an unusual pairing that intrigues me enough to qualify this show for the column all by itself. Austin Lucas and Ryan Singer are on tour together. One’s an acoustic performer of the sort I’d typically label folk-punk. The other’s a comedian. Yeah, isn’t that wild? “The Crooner and The Clown,” they’re calling the tour. My interest is definitely piqued. And while I’ve been hearing the name Austin Lucas for years now, I haven’t checked out his music in quite a while, and it seems he has further grown as a vocalist, to the point that he totally merits the label as a crooner. It’s not just his voice that’s the attraction, though–his music has a high-lonesome old-time folk feel even as it clearly reflects the influence of the Bloomington punk scene, where he originally got some attention.

Ryan Singer is a stand up comedian, and I for one have found his jokes quite amusing, and enjoyed his appearance on WTF with Marc Maron last year. Not to be a cliche, but he’s a very funny guy. And if nothing else, his set will certainly break up the steady run of live bands we all see night after night, right? Plus he’s on tour with a folk-punk singer, so that’s interesting enough right there. Crystal Pistol majordomo Saw Black will bring his acoustic indie tunes to us as part of the local support, with the opening shot of the evening being provided by new Crystal Pistol solo artist Owlrare and his surprisingly deep voice. This one should be both fun and moving, so you definitely don’t wanna miss it.

Photo by Josh Shinner, from Wikipedia

Tuesday, October 17, 7 PM
Lewis Watson, Angelica Garcia @ The Camel – $13 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
One good folk show deserves another, but unlike the last, this one is not folk-punk but straight-up folk. Lewis Watson is a British singer-songwriter who’s explored full band sounds but seems to perform most often as a solo artist. Since he’s so far from home these days, I’d be highly surprised to see him show up to the Camel Tuesday night with a full band, but hey–you never know. Regardless, you’re in for some beautiful tunes, as his dulcet vocal tones and emotionally-drenched melodies are indelibly beautiful and will soak deep into your bones as you watch.

Local sensation Angelica Garcia is a great pairing for this British singer. She’s got a bit more of a swagger and snarl than Lewis Watson, but she’s another singer with a strong style and some real emotional resonance, and what’s more, she’s grabbed a lot of attention lately, so it’s always good to catch her at a relatively low-profile local gig. If things carry on in current fashion, you may not get too many more chances for that kind of thing. Make the most of it while you can.

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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] [the rvamag address isn’t working for some reason, I STILL haven’t had time to look into it! I know, how annoying]