J Slim

VA Shows You Must See This Week: March 6 – March 12

Marilyn Drew Necci | March 6, 2019

Topics: Analog Suspects, Bandito's, Brother Bird, Cadillac Cat, Capital Ale House Music Hall, Charlie's American Cafe, Christopher Tignor, Dogwood Tales, Erin Rae, gallery 5, Goode Theater at ODU, Hip Hop Henry, Hiss Golden Messenger, Horse Culture, Hot Spit, J Slim, Johnny C, Kenneka Cook, Midlife Pilot, Mojo's, MRC, Positive No, Santana Brothers, Saw Black, Ships In The Night, shows you must see, Sick Bags, Sink In, SRSQ, Static Collector, Tel, The Camel, The Colloquial Orchestra, The Dark Room, The HofGarden, The Joy Formidable, The Stone Eye, The Tough Shits, THRE3, Toward Space, Winstons, Wonderland

FEATURED SHOW
Friday, March 8, 8 PM
Analog Suspects, J Slim, Cadillac Cat, Santana Brothers, music by Hip Hop Henry @ The Dark Room at The HofGarden – $10
If you really want to know what’s popping in Richmond hip hop, you need to keep up on what The Cheats Movement is doing. From the website Marc Cheatham’s been maintaining for most of a decade now to cover the intersection of hip hop and politics on a local and national level to the radio show hosted by Cheats and Gigi Broadway on WRIR (I listen to it as a podcast, you should too), the work The Cheats Movement does to shine a light on local hip hop is unparalleled in reach and effectiveness.

That’s why, when The Cheats Movement hosts a gig, I take notice. And maybe I’m slipping (I’m always slipping), but it wasn’t until I saw that The Cheats Movement was hosting a live performance by Analog Suspects at The HofGarden’s Dark Room that I found out about that high-powered local duo on the come-up. See? It pays to pay attention to Cheats. And it pays to listen to Analog Suspects, too — their just-released debut, Transmission 001, is incredible.

As a hip hop fan, I’m partial to albums with a single producer, and I think the unified sound DJ Mentos creates for Transmission 001 is an excellent demonstration of my reasoning — his moody, cinematic beats create the perfect atmosphere for Noah-O’s intense, politically-informed lyrics, which also delve into the MC’s personal background and the state of Richmond VA in 2019. Anyone who’s been paying attention over the past decade or so already knows that Noah-O is an incredible live performer, and with DJ Mentos backing him up, this Analog Suspects show is bound to blow everyone’s heads up. If you miss this one, you’ve officially screwed up.

Wednesday, March 6, 7 PM
The Joy Formidable, Positive No @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $16 in advance/$18 day of show/$46 VIP (order tickets HERE)
As groups tagged with the unfortunate genre label of “shoegaze” go, The Joy Formidable is just about the best one in current existence. Using a genre term like that might give you a vague idea of what effects pedals this Welsh trio uses, but in no way sums up the gorgeous wall of noise they’ve been generating for the past decade or so, most recently on their fourth album, AAARTH, released last fall. You might think that title is the word for our planet, said in a cartoonish accent (OK, I admit it, that’s what I thought initially), but it turns out to be a stretched-out version of the Welsh word for bear. I love bears, so this pleases me.

The album also pleases me, both by continuing this band’s strong track record of dishing out hazily beautiful fuzz riffs at top volume while also retaining a top-flight sense of melody, and by showing some clear growth and expansion within their creativity. I mean, I have a ton of love for their debut album, 2011’s The Big Roar, but if they still sounded exactly the same eight years later I’m sure I’d be way less stoked. This band continues to evolve in wonderful ways, and you’re certainly going to want to be there tonight to get an up-close glimpse of where they stand as of today. VIP ticket-holders get a bonus acoustic mini-set before the show, too, so that’s definitely something to make the high-dollar tickets worth your while. And everyone gets an opening set from excellent locals Positive No, who’ve also spent several years demonstrating flawless senses of both melody and loud guitars. A perfect pairing — don’t miss this chance to enjoy it.

Thursday, March 7, 7 PM
SRSQ, Ships In The Night, MRC @ Gallery 5 – $12 in advance/$14 day of show (order tickets HERE)
SRSQ is a group born from tragedy; the project began as a way for Kennedy Ashlyn to deal with her grief after Cash Askew, her partner in up-and-coming group Them Are Us Too, passed away in the 2016 fire at the Ghost Ship collective in Oakland. There’s an undeniable melancholy undertone to the work Ashlyn has released since beginning SRSQ; the group’s layered synthesizers and vocals are reminiscent of both the Cocteau Twins and The Cure at their saddest moments. However, on debut LP Unreality, it is Ashlyn’s powerful voice that dominates the sound, rising above the ethereal ambient hum to offer an undeniable ray of hope and joy, shining through the misty, mournful melodies.

When SRSQ arrives at Gallery 5 Thursday night, they are sure to bring all of these elements to full, rapturous life onstage. The group’s deep synth textures are perfectly designed to fill a room with foggy ambient atmosphere at top volume — but of course, it will be Ashlyn’s voice that truly dominates the proceedings, as she demonstrates what we all would have experienced if the Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Fraser had exchanged ethereality for full-throated power. Charlottesville’s own ambient goth project, Ships In The Night, will provide strong support, and the show will open with a set from True Body side-project MRC, who are sure to inject a note of postpunk darkness into the proceedings.

Friday, March 8, 9 PM
The Stone Eye, Tel, Horse Culture @ Wonderland – $10
Ever been sitting around listening to Alice In Chains’ classic masterpiece of the grunge era, Dirt, and found yourself thinking, “This album is great and all, but wouldn’t it be cool if it was somehow… sludgier?” If so, you’re definitely going to want to head down to Shockoe Bottom this Friday night and catch The Stone Eye. This Philadelphia trio dishes out the heavy-as-fuck stoner grooves that you love from groups like Goatsnake and Kyuss, but does so while also bringing some incredible vocal melodies that can’t help but remind one of Layne Staley at his spooky, yowling best.

The Stone Eye’s latest album, Kevlar, Kryptonite, Gloria, was released last summer, and extends their already-formidable legacy with some powerful riffs that land somewhere between Blue Cheer at their most doleful and Soundgarden at their witchiest. They’ll be dishing out tons of riffage when they take the stage at Wonderland Friday night, and they’ll be aided in their mission by a couple of similarly minded Richmond groups. Tel are pros with the sludge grooves, though they skimp on the melody in favor of digging straight into the dirt. They’ll be releasing a new full-length later in the month and are sure to be playing some new jams as a result. Finally, Horse Culture will kick off the evening with some dark, unsettling noise dirges. It’s gonna get dark in the Bottom this Friday night.

Saturday, March 9, 8 PM
Winstons, Dogwood Tales, Saw Black @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
We’re getting raw and primitive at The Camel Saturday night, and I’m not talking about Norwegian black metal, either — Winstons hail from right here in the good ol’ US of A. This rockin’ duo currently lives in Brooklyn, but they have roots here in Virginia, which is why they’ll be celebrating the release of their new self-titled LP, on Charlottesville’s WarHen Records, right here in Richmond, at the Camel.

Winstons are part of the long wave, unleashed by the success of the White Stripes and the Black Keys, that finds rock n’ roll bands viewing a bassist as completely optional. Winstons generate so much excellent racket with just guitar, drums, and voices that a bass would just get in the way anyway, so I for one am in favor. They stick to the raw, blues-adjacent roots that the aforementioned duos grew from in their early stages, without a hint of the radio polish that infected them both before all was said and done. Winstons replace that less-than-desirable element with a higher dose of Southern-fried boogie that only makes the whole thing that much sweeter, especially for VA heads like you and me. So let’s all go rock out with em, shall we? And bring some biscuits — I’ll get the gravy.

Sunday, March 10, 10 PM
The Colloquial Orchestra, Christopher Tignor, Kenneka Cook @ Bandito’s – Free!
Keeping up with Dave Watkins is always an enjoyable endeavor. His equal facility with old-time folk music, bizarre noise-rock, and electronic ambience has been on display in various projects of his, and all of it comes together in The Colloquial Orchestra, a loose-knit ensemble with Watkins at its head. The Colloquial Orchestra allows Watkins to periodically unleash an instrument of his own invention called the dulcitar, which combines a strummed dulcimer straight from old-time mountain music with a modern electric guitar.

But he won’t just be busting out one dulcitar at this performance — there will be four in all, plus a bed of percussion and electronics to keep things solidly rooted. Watkins will be joined by local luminaries Elizabeth Owens, PJ Sykes (Hoax Hunters), Micah Barry (Private Cry), and Jon Hawkins (Opin) in this endeavor. And on the bill, the Colloquial Orchestra will be joined by New York violinist and composer Christopher Tignor, whose ambient, electro-acoustic sound is sure to pair well with the room-filling vibe the Colloquial Orchestra will create. Kenneka Cook will start the night out with her always-reliable looped-vocal soul sounds, so this evening will just be sheer joy from beginning to end. Grab a plate of tacos and get ready to enjoy yourself.

Monday, March 11, 9 PM
Sink In, Midlife Pilot, THRE3, Johnny C @ The Camel – $5 in advance/$7 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Here’s a fun one to liven up your Monday. Sink In started life as a Central PA pop-punk band, with a pretty similar sound to a lot of great bands that have come out in that scene over the past decade or so. However, in the last few years, they’ve moved in an interesting direction that surely reflects the poptimist state of our 21st century musical culture. Which is to say, they’ve demonstrated a great deal of straight-up mainstream pop influence in their more recent work.

Brand new single “Ghost,” which just came out a month ago, features a video that openly refers to Sink In as a “boy band,” which might seem like a turn-off til you listen to the music and realize that these guys have retained almost all of their emotionally-driven pop-punk sound — it’s just that singer Tighe Eshelman has followed in the footsteps of Tyler Carter and embraced his inner Justin Timberlake. The result is an undeniable blast, bringing to mind what might have happened if, instead of becoming a faceless radio pop band, Fall Out Boy had been able to retain their identity even as Patrick Stump dove into R&B. If that seems like a lost opportunity to you, go to The Camel Monday and watch Sink In take the very chances that FOB blew. It’s gonna rule.

Tuesday, March 12, 8 PM
The Tough Shits, Sick Bags, Toward Space @ Mojo’s – $8 suggested donation
It’s easy to assume that garage-punk bands with confrontational names like The Tough Shits are going to be wild, crazy, and full of raw, in-your-face energy. However, if there’s one thing The Tough Shits have demonstrated over the course of their career thus far, it’s that they not-so-secretly have hearts of gold. Despite the band name and a history of singles with names like “Pretty Wild,” “Babes Of The Abyss,” and “Adult Fantasy,” this is one raw rock n’ roll act that leans pretty heavily on their pop sensibilities.

They’ll be bringing those pop sensibilities to Mojo’s on a Tuesday night, giving plentiful opportunity for the movers and shakers of this city to move and shake on the dance floor to their incredibly catchy tunes. Their new LP, Burning In Paradise, is soon to be released by garage kingpins Burger Records, and they’ll surely unleash some tunes from it on the clamoring masses, but regardless of what portion of their extensive back catalog gets highlighted, sweet melodies played with high energy on jangling guitars will certainly rule the day. Slightly snottier RVA garage-punk groups Sick Bags and Toward Space make this a night full of rock action, so don’t miss a minute.

Bonus Hampton Roads Picks:

Saturday, March 9, 7 PM
Hiss Golden Messenger, Erin Rae @ Goode Theatre at ODU – $20 (order tickets HERE)
Hiss Golden Messenger has made a lot of fans here in Virginia, and not just because they’ve taken local trombone hero Reggie Pace on tour in his band, either. The North Carolina group, which is really just singer-songwriter MC Taylor and whoever else he recruits to play with him, has made quite a name for itself over the past decade-plus with a laid-back Southern folk-rock sound that pleases indie kids, hipster dads, and jam-band bros alike.

Hiss Golden Messenger has had quite a few heavy hitters in the group over the years, including members of Ben Folds Five and Megafaun, but at ODU’s Goode Theatre this Saturday, it’ll just be MC Taylor all by himself. And as much as I’d love to see him bust out a song from that Ex-Ignota EP buried in the back of my record collection, chances are the HGM fans among you will be more stoked to hear what material from last year’s Virgo Fool, the 10th Hiss Golden Messenger album since 2008, sounds like in more stripped-down arrangements. Chances are, though, no matter what material MC Taylor chooses to revisit in this performance, it’ll be revelatory. Definitely worth the trip, regardless of where you’re coming from.

Sunday, March 10, 6 PM
Brother Bird, Hot Spit, Static Collector @ Charlie’s American Cafe – $10 in advance/$12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Sometimes a musician’s story threatens to overshadow their actual music. If we aren’t careful, Brother Bird’s story could do just that. The group is lead by Caroline Swon, who the Voice fans among you may remember as Caroline Glaser, from Season 4 in 2013. She met the man who’d eventually become her husband, Colton Swon, when they were both contestants on The Voice. Years later, she was able to obtain a record deal for Brother Bird by recording a Manchester Orchestra cover and posting it on her YouTube channel, where that band’s frontman, Andy Hull, discovered it.

So yeah, now Caroline Swon is married to her fellow Voice contestant, Brother Bird is signed to Hull’s label, Favorite Gentlemen, and the group’s on tour behind their self-titled debut EP, released late last year. That matters, though, not because of the extensive backstory leading us to this point, but because Brother Bird is an excellent group, regardless of pedigree. Their dynamic sound, which moves from moments of quiet beauty to dramatic crescendos in a manner that is sure to please Manchester Orchestra fans, creates a beautiful frame for Swon’s excellent vocals, which are the star of any show she’s involved in… no matter how she did on The Voice. Come to Charlie’s American Cafe this Tuesday night, and she’s sure to win in your heart.

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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, there’s plenty more of my writing to read over at GayRVA — come say hey.]

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

RVA Lyricist Lounge, Vol. 1, hosted by Radio B, feat. Michael Millions, AGM/Southpaw, Mutant Academy, Gritty City, Noah O, Joey Gallo, Born Unique, Intalek, Easalio, Chance Fischer, Cane, Cole Hicks, J Slim, Nu3ra Ness, Misterelle, Reppa Ton, RezonDaDawn, and more @ Strange Matter – $10

RVA Staff | January 10, 2018

Topics: AGM/Southpaw, Born Unique, Cane, Chance Fischer, Cole Hicks, Easalio, Gritty City, Intalek, J Slim, joey gallo, Michael Millions, Misterelle, Mutant Academy, Noah O, Nu3ra Ness, Radio B, Reppa Ton, RezonDaDawn, RVA Lyricist Lounge, strange matter, Vol. 1

Radio B has been a prime mover on the Richmond hip hop scene for a while now, and his efforts not only to make great music but to help cultivate the culture and push the genre forward locally have been the reasons. With 2018 just getting started, he’s wasting no time, bringing the first installment of a planned monthly event, RVA Lyricist Lounge, to Strange Matter this Friday. With this event, Radio B and his compatriots hope to “be the catalyst for better writers and emcees in Richmond and all over the world” by emphasizing lyricism and making bars, flows, and wordplay important within the local scene. Sounds like a worthy goal. Are you in?

Well, for those on the fence, there’s a powerful inducement to make it out to the premiere of this new series right at the top of the bill. Michael Millions, who has been one of local hip hop’s leading lights, just dropped Hard To Be King, a new album that’s getting everyone talking. Word on the street is that this guy’s poised to blow up, so now’s the time to get in on the ground floor and catch him live in an intimate setting. Plus, there’ll be a limited physical release of Millions’ 2016 collaboration with Radio B, Tenthsndhrs, available at the show for the first time.

This is just the beginning of what is going on at this show, and we don’t have too much space, so let’s lay it down real quick: cyphers from hot local crews AGM/Southpaw, Mutant Academy, and Gritty City, as well as more cyphers featuring a variety of local and regional lyrical talent–a list is above, and I know you know at least some of those names. Southpaw Battle Coalition, who’ve been making battles a threat again locally, will be sponsoring a tryout battle between up-and-comers TRIG and Basement Chemistry. And there are 15 cypher slots available on a first-come-first-serve basis so you young unknowns can grab the mic and let the people know. The whole thing will be aired on the RVA Lyricist Lounge YouTube channel, but it’s just not the same when you’re not there in person. You know what to do.

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 1/10-1/16

Marilyn Drew Necci | January 10, 2018

Topics: Aerica Lauren, Anneliese, Born Unique, Cane, Cemetery Piss, Champion RVA, Chance Fischer, Cole Hicks, Crushed!?, Deadball, Despise You, Donnie Dale, Easalio, Glass Twin, Halfcast, Hex Machine, In The Water, Intalek, Iron Reagan, J Slim, joey gallo, Julie Storey, Kenneka Cook, Left Cross, McCormack's, Michael Millions, Misterelle, Noah O, Nu3ra Ness, On The Water, Owlrare, Post Nothing, Radio B, Reppa Ton, RezonDaDawn, Rosedale, RVA Lyricist Lounge, School Of Rock, shows you must see, Silver Twin, Sound Of Music Studios, strange matter, Tara Dillard, The Camel, True Widow, Twin Drugs, When Particles Collide

FEATURED SHOW
Friday, January 12, 7 PM
RVA Lyricist Lounge, Vol. 1, hosted by Radio B, feat. Michael Millions, AGM/Southpaw, Mutant Academy, Gritty City, Noah O, Joey Gallo, Born Unique, Intalek, Easalio, Chance Fischer, Cane, Cole Hicks, J Slim, Nu3ra Ness, Misterelle, Reppa Ton, RezonDaDawn, and more @ Strange Matter – $10
Radio B has been a prime mover on the Richmond hip hop scene for a while now, and his efforts not only to make great music but to help cultivate the culture and push the genre forward locally have been the reasons. With 2018 just getting started, he’s wasting no time, bringing the first installment of a planned monthly event, RVA Lyricist Lounge, to Strange Matter this Friday. With this event, Radio B and his compatriots hope to “be the catalyst for better writers and emcees in Richmond and all over the world” by emphasizing lyricism and making bars, flows, and wordplay important within the local scene. Sounds like a worthy goal. Are you in?

Well, for those on the fence, there’s a powerful inducement to make it out to the premiere of this new series right at the top of the bill. Michael Millions, who has been one of local hip hop’s leading lights, just dropped Hard To Be King, a new album that’s getting everyone talking. Word on the street is that this guy’s poised to blow up, so now’s the time to get in on the ground floor and catch him live in an intimate setting. Plus, there’ll be a limited physical release of Millions’ 2016 collaboration with Radio B, Tenthsndhrs, available at the show for the first time.

Wednesday, January 10, 8 PM
True Widow, Hex Machine, Twin Drugs @ The Camel – $12 (order tickets HERE)
Veteran Dallas act True Widow returns to RVA for what has to be at least their seventh time or so playing here. This is their first time playing The Camel, which is at least somewhat noteworthy, but more important is the hazy, heavy sound they’re bringing with them. You might hear True Widow described as shoegaze in certain circles, but this description will in no way prepare you for the volume and power of their three-piece attack, which to my mind lands closer to doom metal. However, the melodic, psychedelic streak running through this band’s material, especially their most recent album, 2016’s Avvolgere, leavens their more crushing moments with a beautiful undertone that will keep you smiling even as they bowl you over.

They’ll be joined on this bill by local noise-rock trio Hex Machine, who’ve been mostly inactive since the release of their 2013 album Fixator, mainly because singer/guitarist Trevor Thomas and drummer Douglas Andrae have been holding it down as the latest rhythm section for celebrated noise legends Today Is The Day since 2015. However, they’ve brought in Antelope King’s Alex Ricart on bass and returned to action over the last few months, firing on all cylinders and with some new material in the works. Theirs is a welcome return, and their presence on this bill is equally welcome. Fuzzy newcomers Twin Drugs will kick the whole thing off and get you in the mood for the serious amplifier volume that awaits.

Thursday, January 11, 8 PM
Aerica Lauren, OwlRare, On The Water, Julie Storey @ Sound Of Music Studios – $6
It’s a night of quiet beauty at Sound Of Music, with headliners that seem to share a similar vibe even as they take completely different approaches to their music. Prolific songwriter Aerica Lauren a prolific songwriter keeps it raw and real with acoustic instrumentation and some memorable, affecting lyrics. The intricate beauty of her softly plucked strings intertwines with her strong, clear voice and sends you drifting away on the breeze. OwlRare has a darker, moodier vibe on first listen, but this solo performer’s deep, emotionally vulnerable vocal tones and unadorned acoustic guitar strums are equally likely to transport you to some secret place deep inside your mind. Both must be heard to be believed.

Philadelphia’s On The Water are not a solo project, but despite bringing together multiple members, this group operates in a quiet, ambient space constructed as much out of the space between notes played on several instruments as by the chords being struck–though they’re not afraid to hit hard and crank up the volume when the occasion merits it. Finally, this show will also feature Doll Baby frontwoman Julie Storey playing a solo set–and the word is that this will be her last time doing so. Therefore you’d be very well-advised to arrive on time.

Friday, January 12, 8 PM
Post Nothing, Crushed!?, Deadball @ McCormack’s – $5
I know we all get used to thinking of Between 2 Beers Productions as the go-to people for metal in this town, but they’ve got broader horizons than you might think, as this Friday night Shockoe Bottom bill will make clear. California’s Post Nothing and New Mexico’s Crushed!? are coming through with a killer tour package, and while it’s certainly awesome, there’s not really anything metal about it. Post Nothing have a raging sound that is both indebted to hardcore and pushing completely beyond that genre’s borders. It’s really tempting to call this band “post-hardcore,” in fact, but based on their name I have a feeling they’d be a little frustrated about that, so I’ll just say that their hard-rocking riffs remind me of bands like Xerxes and Refused and leave it at that.

As for Crushed!?, (love that little confluence of punctuation marks) they have a bit more of an emotional focus, as is made clear on 2017 EP Giant Robots And Existentialism. The same sort of hardcore influence lies beneath their driving, melodic riffs as one can hear from Post Nothing, but they take it in an introspective rather than forceful direction, bringing to mind bands like Hot Water Music or local heroes Sea Of Storms. Local openers Deadball are a loud n’ proud punk rock band with no frills on offer–slightly different than what you might expect from the local openers on a show like this, but sure to be plenty of fun nonetheless. You really can’t lose with this one, metal or no metal.

Saturday, January 13, 8 PM
When Particles Collide, Glass Twin, School of Rock Short Pump, School Of Rock Midlothian @ The Camel – $7 (order tickets HERE)
This will be an entertaining and unusual night at the Camel, that’s for sure. It all starts with When Particles Collide, a bouncy duo with an elastic sound that calls to mind everything from Blondie and Devo to Cheap Trick and oldies radio. They’ve been on a crowdfunded tour since last May, and their Patreon-like subscription service (fans can contribute amounts equivalent to tanks of gas, hotel rooms, meals, and more, on a monthly automatic-donation basis) has kept them rolling thus far, and they hope to keep things going til at least next summer.

See how it’s going and get rocked in the bargain by coming out to The Camel this Saturday night–and while you’re at it, you’ll not only get a great set from capable local indie vets Glass Twin; you’ll also get to see performances by student groups from two different local branches of the School Of Rock. That’s right, the program for middle schoolers that Jack Black started in the Richard Linklater movie is based on a real thing. So this night will give you a chance to check out some hard-rocking kids strutting their stuff and showing what they’ve learned. That alone is probably worth the price of admission, and you get two excellent adult bands in the bargain. Why not?

Sunday, January 14, 6 PM
Iron Reagan, Despise You, Cemetery Piss, Left Cross @ Champion RVA – Free for 21+, $10 for under 21
It’s not quite a beer bash at the moon tower, but this sure does look like a wild, excellent party that’ll hark back to days of yore for many of us who still love to thrash despite not being as young as we once were. Iron Reagan, once a young upstart of a Municipal Waste side project, are now on their third album, and have become just as venerable a crossover thrash institution as the Waste themselves. In preparation for their upcoming split with Gatecreeper, they’re out on tour once again, and in celebration of Champion’s one-year anniversary of opening their Richmond location, this rock n’ roll brewery will be bringing Iron Reagan to their stage for a night of metal thrashing madness!

Iron Reagan’s partner on this tour is Los Angeles band Despise You, a pioneering grind-crust ripper of a band that made a big noise back in the 90s and returned to action more powerful than ever a little less than a decade ago. This will be their second time hitting Richmond since the reformation, but the first time was over six years ago, so surely a lot of us have built up a big time thirst to see them rip it up once again. Baltimore rippers Cemetery Piss and local old-school death-thrash revivalists Left Cross will round out the lineup with plenty more awesomeness, and–if you’re over 21–the whole thing is free! I’m sure the $10 admission for those under 21 is to offset lost beer sales, but honestly, it’s pretty steep, especially since 40-something straight edge kids like myself can beat the system by neither paying admission nor buying beer! Oops, I did it again!

Monday, January 15, 8 PM
Anneliese, Donnie Dale, Kenneka Cook, Tara Dillard @ Strange Matter – $5
It’s time for another edition of Strange Matter’s excellent Locals Only series. This week’s curator, Anneliese Grant, sings in The Folly, a local folk-rock combo who’ve been very active around town for the last couple of years. However, she’s been making a name for herself as a solo artist lately too, with the release last summer of her Out To Graze EP. The soulful pop bounce of the tracks on this EP have a totally different flavor than her work in The Folly, but that knack with a melody shines through in both venues, so anyone who gets down with one project should enjoy both.

Anneliese isn’t the only member of the Folly who made it onto this bill, with fiddler Tara Dillard taking an opening slot to roll out a set of her solo tunes. Inbetween her kickoff set and Anneliese’s big closer will be two other intriguing performances. One will come from Donnie Dale, a local singer and producer who has previously recorded and performed under the name MNLV, and apparently has a whole new approach to lay on us. The other is from Kenneka Cook, who’s been getting a ton of attention lately as she prepares to release her debut album, Moonchild. This soul-jazz singer has a distinctive style that’s already won many listeners over, and if you’re not among that number, this night is sure to convert you.

Tuesday, January 16, 8 PM
Rosedale, Halfcast, Silver Twin, In The Water @ Strange Matter – $8 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
If you thought you would get through a whole week of my column without me talking about emo, well, you’ve got another think coming. Not that Rosedale would necessarily identify as emo–this 15 year veteran project hailing from Canada is actually the work of one man, Mike Liorti, who according to facebook would call Rosedale a “progressive power pop” group. But I know emo when I hear it, and considering that this Canadian guitar-slinger alternates between playing with a full band and touring with a solo setup that he brings to life all by himself, it seems to me that this group could easily be called Canada’s answer to Into It. Over It.

Of course, Rosedale busts out a lot more synths on a typical release than Evan Thomas Weiss would, and ultimately seems to draw more from the softer side of the genre–they’re more Spill Canvas than Pianos Become The Teeth, that’s for sure. But one listen to recent EP Again is enough to convince me that, regardless of genre, Rosedale is well worth catching live. The fact that they’re joined by some killer local rockers like Halfcast and Silver Twin, along with new local group In The Water, is enough to let us all know that this will be an excellent show from beginning to end. Don’t miss out, y’all–after all, what else have you got going on on a Tuesday night?

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