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RVA Shows You Must See This Week: March 9 – March 15

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FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, March 12, 9 PM
Aertex, Debrider, Stormglove @ Fallout – $8 in advance, $13 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Sometimes I pick the featured show for this column based on some super-important local musical context. Other times, I pick it because some legendary band from another city is coming to town and I don’t want anyone to miss it. Then there are times like this: when my choice is guided, first and foremost, by what an unusual situation the show is offering. Specifically, this time around, I’m talking about Aertex, a new darkwave trio from DC. So far, they’ve released a total of three songs: two originals and a Ministry cover. Therefore, I’m sure you’re wondering: what’s so fascinating about this band?

Well, here’s the deal: two of the three members are quite well-known for their previous work. However, said members, Chris Moore and Pat Vogel, made their mark in the worlds of hardcore and grind. Their previous-band pedigree — which includes everything from Crispus Attucks and Sick Fix to Magrudergrind and Repulsion — would lead you to expect that their latest project would be oriented toward speed, heaviness, and ripping rage. Instead, the two of them have combined forces with frontwoman Josephine Olivia to create some pounding darkwave sounds that would fit right in on a Projekt Records compilation from 30 years ago. Oh, you can hear the punkness in their songs — the riffs on “Pray” and the pounding snare on “Superstition” certainly point toward hardcore once you know what’s up — but on the whole, regardless of ex-member cred, this band fits right in with what you’d expect to hear at Fallout on a Saturday night.

And ultimately, that’s why I’m recommending it. I’ve always found that music veterans who are open-minded enough to transcend their initial influences and take what they’ve learned and apply it to some completely different sound come up with great stuff, as a general rule. If you love darkwave and brooding gothic intensity, you’re sure to dig what Aertex is laying down. But even if you usually don’t, you might just find this band’s offerings a cut or two above what you’ve come to expect from the genre. The first performance in years by local shoegazers Debrider will certainly sweeten the pot, as frontwoman Lia Pisa-Relli strips her songs down to the bare essence for a solo set. And Stormglove will start the evening with some gloomy industrial pounding, just to make sure every point on the Fallout musical axis is covered. It’s gonna be cold and dreary, so be sure to wear your black leather jacket to this one.

Wednesday, March 9, 7 PM
The Regrettes, Kississippi @ The Broadberry – $20 in advance, $25 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Teenage punk is always a fun time, and even if the members of the Regrettes are technically in their 20s by now, they’ve been an active band since all the members were in high school, releasing their first LP, Feel Your Feelings, Fool!, back when singer Lydia Night was 17. They’re growing up fast: they’ve got their third album, Further Joy, set to release later this year, and the three singles they’ve released show far make clear that, despite a fundamental grounding in melodic punk and power-pop, the Regrettes are taking quite a bit of influence from the sweeter alt-pop sounds showing up in a variety of places recently, from the work of their pal Olivia Rodrigo to the musical stylings of the sisters in Haim.

That’s not a dis — far from it. The new singles are seriously catchy, and while they don’t have quite the crunch and snarl of early singles like “A Living Human Girl,” they still show a lot of spirit, and not just through the plentiful lyrical F-bombs either. If anything, the Regrettes have just evolved into a super-fun dance band — a little more Blondie than The Runaways, but both of those bands are great, so who’s complaining? Not me, especially in light of the fact that emo-pop legends Kississippi are opening up. Their 2021 LP, Mood Ring, saw them drifting in a power-pop direction as well, so they’ll fit right in on this bill, which is sure to be full of booty-shaking fun from the bottom to the top.

Thursday, March 10, 6 PM
Nile, Incantation, Sanguisugabogg, I AM, Gutted Christ @ The Canal Club – $22.50 in advance, $25 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Ahhh, fuck… NILE are coming to town. Color me stoked! This South Carolina metal band has always mixed some of the best elements of death metal with a wider understanding of the most outstanding aspects of other extreme metal genres — grind, black metal, etc — and I for one cannot get enough. My favorite of theirs will always be 2000’s Black Seeds Of Vengeance (that title track, ohhhh my god), but their last album, Vile Nilotic Rites, was still filled with a heaping helping of all the things we come to Nile for: roaring monster-style vocals, blasting drum fills, and a million killer riffs to bang our heads to. So I guess what I’m saying is this: come to the Canal Club Thursday night and bang your head!

But don’t just show up right before Nile’s set or anything, because their direct support is a band who are just as much of a legend of death metal, with an even more extensive track record: Incantation. Holy crap, what a great band. I’m an old lady, so their 1992 debut, Onward To Golgotha, will always have my heart, but I can’t deny that 2020’s Sect Of Vile Divinities had just as much raging fire and ripping brutality as their debut showed 30 years ago. Like old thrash bands, old death metal bands never die — they just keep raging. A clutch of more youthful openers, from guttural goregrinders Sanguisugabogg (whose logo sets new standards in unreadability of death metal logos — congrats, guys) to gloriously sacreligious old-school death metallers Gutted Christ, will get the high-quality riffage rolling early. Show up on time, and be prepared to start your Friday with a serious bangover (spoiler: it’s worth it).

Friday, March 11, 7 PM
Nixil, Voarm, Tel, Lichen @ Cobra Cabana – $5 recommended donation
One good night of metal deserves another, and even if you’re the type who always starts your weekend on Thursday, you’ve got to recognize that keeping the party rolling over at Cobra Cabana for a Friday night of some serious shred action is an opportunity not often presented to us. So take advantage of it — especially since it will bring us the sludgy black metal stylings of Baltimore’s own Nixil. Last year’s All Knots Untied was a powerful LP full of downright spooky moments, so if you like sick riffage interspersed with moments that sound almost like horror movie soundtracks, Nixil is definitely the band for you, and you should make a point of coming out to Cobra Cabana Friday night.

And of course, you’re going to need to get there early, because if you’re picking up what Nixil is putting down, every other band on this lineup is going to knock you out just as much. Local stalwarts Voarm have been cranking out the black-metallic rage for years now, and if you haven’t caught up with them in a while, this is a perfect opportunity to renew your acquaintance. Richmonders Tel released a new EP, Vigils, last fall, and considering that its three songs last almost 30 minutes in all, you should be prepared based on that knowledge for some strong examples of sludgy doom riff madness. And listen, if you’re feeling like the whole doom/sludge thing ran its course a few years ago, I get that — but Tel’s creative approach to the genre is truly refreshing, and is sure to remind you why you used to love all those slow-motion headbang bands so much a decade ago. The whole evening begins with some pitch-dark black metal from Virginia Beach trio Lichen, whose 2021 debut EP, Igne Natura Renovatur Integra, showed a whole lot of promise. Go into this one with high expectations — I promise you won’t be let down.

Saturday, March 12, 9 PM
Qlowski, L’Amour, Spacemere @ Fuzzy Cactus – $10 (order tickets HERE)
As we’ve talked about in the past, Fuzzy Cactus has staked its claim over the last few years as the place to go in Richmond for rock n’ roll. That doesn’t mean, though, that they can’t get a little weird with it, at least every now and then. In that spirit, Saturday night sees London group Qlowski come to the Brookland Park neighborhood to shake things up a bit with their unusual but highly enjoyable take on postpunk. Basically, this keyboard-driven band mixes deathrock vibes with garage punk riffs and a unique sensibility that the band has been known to refer to as “twee-punk.” Don’t get the wrong idea, though — the second coming of Heavenly this decidedly is not. If you can find an equal appreciation for the noir vibes in the sounds of Bauhaus and Ex-Cult, you’ll definitely be down with Qlowski (even if, like me, you’re not quite sure how to pronounce their name).

This show will also feature a live appearance by L’Amour, which, if you know your Richmond music history, is a downright remarkable thing. This first-wave RVA punk band’s original active era, which lasted from 1978 to 1981, was captured by local label Beach Impediment on an in-depth archival compilation called Look To The Artist, released in 2018. Since then, original L’Amour members David Stover and Tom Applegate have reunited and teamed up with the former Smoke Break rhythm section of Roger Anderson (Springtime) and Alex Wilhelm (Hold Tight) to bring L’Amour back into active existence. That’s right, the sunglass party is on once again, so make sure you make it down to Fuzzy Cactus in time to dance to this one. Local indie rockers Spacemere will also bring a fine helping of their catchy indie tuneage to the event, so there’s a lot to love here. Show up and love all over it, y’all.

Sunday, March 13, 6:30 PM
Yola, Jac Ross @ The National – $25 in advance, $30 day of show (order tickets HERE)
If you were paying attention to the world of music last year, it felt like you had to hear about Yola. This British singer, who didn’t start her career until she was already 30 years old, released her second LP, Stand For Myself, last summer, and proceeded to knock the socks off a lot of people with it. I must admit, I was one of them. Won over by the killer title track when it appeared on a “song of the day” podcast I subscribe to, I marveled at Yola’s sound, which encompassed everything from classic soul and R&B to folk, jazz, country, and even rock n’ roll.

You can hear her dipping into different facets of that wide-ranging sound all over Stand For Myself. Even as she moves through a variety of genres on this Dan Auerbach-produced dozen-song showcase of her considerable talent, though, what unites it all is her powerful, seemingly unstoppable voice. If my description of Yola’s background, sound, and approach makes you think she’s another Amy Winehouse, I can see where you’d get that idea; however, if anything, I think it’s more accurate to compare her to Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, and Brittany Howard, all rolled into one. But any comparison to any other artist is going to fall short where Yola is concerned. She’s the real deal. And she has a ton of outstanding songs to grace your ears with, so head down to the National this Sunday night and bask in her aural majesty.

Monday, March 14, 7 PM
No Option, Guardrails, TakeOut @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
This city’s musical palette is a good bit more varied than it was back when I first started writing about local music back in the mid-90s (no, my old zines are not on the internet, and trust me, that’s a good thing), but this is still Richmond, so just as we need to have a couple of good metal shows every week, we always need a really good hardcore show or two, just to keep in touch with our roots. This Pi Day showcase at The Camel, which promises to liven up your late-winter Monday in a big way, is just what the hardcore doctor ordered, and it’s primarily thanks to the powerful, hard-hitting sound of No Option, who are your headliners for this event.

No Option, who hail from the Delaware/Philly/NJ area, laid down a powerful statement of purpose with 2019 debut full-length Make It Count. They haven’t released anything since the pandemic hit, but based on the raging energy they brought to their first LP, I can’t imagine all that time spent in quarantine did anything but strengthen their resolve. And on that level, they should find Richmond’s own Guardrails a perfect local partner in intensity; their new EP, If You Please, is still a month or so away from release, but judging from the advance single they’ve released, this one is going to hit hard as hell. The live preview their Pi Day set will provide is sure to be rejuvenating for anyone suffering from the dreary March blahs. Virginia Beach’s TakeOut, who definitely should be mentioned alongside Sports Bar in the “ungoogleable band name” sweepstakes, will bring some raw mosh to the equation as well. And based on what I’ve seen online, there may very well be more bands on this bill. Believe me, even if there aren’t, this one will still be more than worth your time and money.

Tuesday, March 15, 7 PM
Nathan Gray & The Iron Roses, Black Guy Fawkes, Benjamin Shepherd @ The Camel – $15 (order tickets HERE)
If you’re reading the name Nathan Gray & The Iron Roses right now and trying to remember where you’ve heard that guy’s name before, let me just clear up any confusion right now: this is the singer from Boysetsfire’s solo project, which has taken on a variety of flavors over the years but is, in its latest incarnation featuring backing band The Iron Roses, somewhere between upbeat alternative rock and heartfelt Americana — and always featuring a strong political consciousness, as shown on tracks like “Fired Up” and “Capitol Stairs.”

The end result, showcased on 2021’s Rebel Songs, is sort of like Titus Andronicus or the Drive-By Truckers making a record with Ted Leo. And if that sounds as good to you as it does to me, then you’re gonna want to get ready to rock with Nathan Gray & The Iron Roses at The Camel this Tuesday night. If you only know Nathan from his work with Boysetsfire, you still know the man has quite the set of pipes on him, and rest assured, even when he chooses not to do any screaming, he puts a passion into his delivery that you can’t help but feel. This show is sure to move you, so move yourself down to The Camel on Tuesday, and get ready to get fired up.

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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 Shows You Must See This Week: September 4 – September 10

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FEATURED SHOW
Thursday, September 5, 9 PM
Iron Reagan, Nickelus F, Slump @ Fuzzy Cactus – $10
I’ve been doing this column for nearly six years now (I know, time flies), and sometimes I worry that I’m getting a little predictable. I see a show on my exhaustively-compiled master list of upcoming shows and immediately think, “Oh damn, that’s feature this week for sure.” But then I think, “Wait a minute. Is me picking that show a total cliche? Do I need to branch out, lest everyone figure out that I really am just an aging hipster with a strong nostalgic streak?” I don’t know, I’m probably thinking too much.

So let’s put all those thoughts aside and just embrace the most RVA-Mag-catnip show that’s come down the pike in a while: this Thursday-night bill mingling diverse genres under one roof at Brookland Park’s newest hotspot, Fuzzy Cactus. If I gave Shows You Must See awards at the end of every year (what would I call that, the Showies? LOL maybe I’ll start doing that), these guys would already be a lock for Best New Venue. This three-band bill (the perfect length) only further solidifies their hold on that honor — and this is still their first month of operation!

At this point, Iron Reagan’s become just as well established in the Virginia thrash/crossover scene as the longer-lived bands from which they spawned (Municipal Waste, Darkest Hour, Mammoth Grinder), and last year’s split EP with Gatecreeper shows that they continue to evolve their sound in more brutal, more epic directions. If they were going to share a bill with a hip hop artist, Richmond legend Nickelus F is the perfect one. An institution in his own right, he recently followed up last year’s breakthrough LP, Stuck, with a two-volume collection of archival recordings called The Gold Mine. It’s just further proof that, whether you’re listening to his newest banger or songs he recorded a decade ago, Nickelus F’s talent knows no bounds. This show is rounded out with a set from Slump, a psych-noise/hardcore band with a unique sound and a new LP coming on Feel It Records any minute now. Show up at this show and enjoy yourself. Take it from one who knows — life’s too short to think so much.

Wednesday, September 4, 9 PM
Easter Island, Majjin Boo, Colpa Mia @ The Camel – $5 in advance/$7 day of show (order tickets HERE)
It’s been a long road to bring Georgia’s Easter Island to Richmond tonight, but at the end of it, they’re a stronger, better band, and they’re sure to charm all comers when they take the stage. Having broken up back in 2014, the band’s main creative forces, brothers Ethan and Asher Payne, found themselves coming back together a couple of years ago with renewed inspiration and a clutch of excellent new tunes that expand on the band’s sound. They aptly refer to their genre as “post-rock dream pop,” and whether you’re more into Slowdive, The Cure, or Explosions In The Sky, you’re sure to get a boost from their strong yet beautiful music.

While Easter Island haven’t released an actual record in over five years, they’re currently prepping a brand new album entitled Island Nation for release later this year. Preview singles make clear that it’s a new height of excellence for the band, one that you should absolutely experience in the live environment. And with Richmond’s Majjin Boo on the bill as well, this show is twice as nice. Under the name Cardinal, this band released one of my favorite EPs of the year so far back in the spring. They’ve now returned to their original name, and have a bunch more new material to bring us all in the near future. Get a preview tonight — it’ll be worth it! Local indie-pop up-and-comers Colpa Mia kick this one off. Be there.

Thursday, September 5, 9 PM
Kaelan Mikla (Photo by Debi Del Grande), Cloud Rat, Listless, Melvl @ Wonderland – $10
Iceland, the tiny North Atlantic island country in which a sparse population descended from Vikings lives amongst glaciers and active volcanoes, carries an undeniable allure for Americans trapped in our country’s endless suburban sprawl. That allure has been enhanced by the country’s excellent musical exports, including Bjork, Sigur Ros, and chaotic hardcore quintet Minus. Kaelan Mikla is the latest of these, and — true to Icelandic form — sounds nothing like any of them. Instead, this trio uses synthesizers, programmed beats, and layered vocals to create a dark, atmospheric sound that may be closer musically to gothic postpunk, but has an undeniable appeal to metalheads around the globe.

Perhaps this explains their current American tour, which finds them paired with long-running Michigan grindcore group Cloud Rat. This prolific, ferocious band brings a dynamic approach to the short-fast-loud formula, and on advance singles from their forthcoming fifth LP, Pollinator, they introduce epic riffs and harsh ambience to a sound that is still both fast as hell and heavy as fuck. I’d tell you to bring your earplugs, but the fact is that this trio is gonna rip your head right off. Excellent opening sets will be provided by the brutal metallic crust sextet Listless and the dark ambient solo act Melvl, both of which hail from right here in VA. Get stoked.

Friday, September 6, 9 PM
Material Girls, COQ, Dad @ Wonderland – $10
Atlanta quintet Material Girls is coming to town, and it’s time for all of us to get down — to Shockoe Bottom’s own Wonderland, that is. Despite the name, Material Girls bear no resemblance to Madonna’s classic mid-80s material, and instead are much more likely to remind listeners of New York in the postpunk early 80s. Their scratchy, minimalist grooves draw clear inspiration from groups like the Bush Tetras and ESG, while their creative use of saxophone is most reminiscent of early 80s UK noise-punk freaks Essential Logic.

On their 2018 LP, Leather, this group lays down a ferocious clatter, and it’s sure to draw you straight toward the dance floor, even if you don’t quite know what sort of dances to do once you get there. No matter how herky-jerky and frenetic your moves are, though, they’re sure to be perfect. Richmond’s own COQ are on this bill as well, and they eschew groove in favor of some straight-up clangor. Fans of No Wave leading lights like Mars and DNA are sure to appreciate the damaged noise this group dishes out. Locals Dad open this one up with some raw, dark indie sounds, complete with a strong political thread running throughout. This show will give you all the feels.

Saturday, September 7, 9 PM
Photosynthesizers, DJ Billy Nguyen @ Fuzzy Cactus – $10
Though it’s been a while since I’ve heard it, Photosynthesizers is a name that’s been around the Richmond music scene for a long time now. Formed by rapper BarCodez and guitarist Joshua Bryant, this group has featured quite a few different Richmond music notables over the years, and has actually been pretty close to inactive for the past few. But Photosynthesizers are decidedly back, with a newly solidified seven-piece lineup, and are preparing to celebrate the 11th anniversary of their band with the release of their first proper LP, Apollogy.

The album’s first single, “Terms and Agreements,” finds BarCodez’s rhymes in top form as ever, atop a bed of melodic, soulful music that simultaneously evokes D’Angelo and Radiohead. Clearly this band’s time away has not hurt their ability to nail their unique, memorable sound. It’s good to have them back, and this Saturday night, you could do a whole lot worse than heading over to Fuzzy Cactus and catching the full album release show by this returning powerhouse. Photosynthesizers turntablist Billy Nguyen will kick off the evening with a DJ set; then you’re in the band’s capable hands for the rest of the evening. It’s a good place to be.

Sunday, September 8, 8 PM
Dead Animal Assembly Plant, The Destruct Principle, Gothic Lizard @ Fallout – $7 in advance/$10 at the door (order tickets HERE)
I love a good fictional origin story, and Portland’s Dead Animal Assembly Plant’s got a great one — something about a German slaughterhouse owner in the days leading up to World War I who snapped and started feeding the townspeople to the livestock, instead of the other way around. A gory horror story like that gives you a very good idea of what you’ll get when you listen to the music of this industrial metal ensemble of costumed maniacs.

On most recent EP OFH: Prime Cuts, Dead Animal Assembly Plant deals out a brutal, pounding sound that lands somewhere between Slipknot and Killing Joke, or maybe Machines Of Loving Grace jamming with White Zombie inside a currently-in-operation automobile factory. It’s heavy, but it’s also metallic in the sense of large sheets of metal clanging into each other. And of course, you can’t neglect the always-present element of gory terror. This band is sure to liven up a Sunday night at Fallout; get ready for some serious headbanging at the goth club.

Monday, September 9, 6 PM
Upon A Burning Body, Of Virtue, Speaking With Ghosts, Seasons, WoR @ The Canal Club – $15 in advance/$18 day of show (order tickets HERE)
The week has just started, and already it’s time to headbang once again, as Upon A Burning Body rolls into Richmond with fire in their eyes. This Texas metal band has been raging for nigh-on 15 years now, and it absolutely shows on their latest LP, Southern Hostility. While this ten-song collection of brutal mosh grooves definitely lands on the metal side of the metal/core divide, it’s closer than you might expect, and fans of Killswitch Engage, Pantera, and Sworn Enemy are all going to hear things they enjoy out of this Texas quartet.

Indeed, this is the sort of metal show where you’re just as likely to see spin-kicking mosh pits of doom as you are to see lines of longhairs banging their heads with glee. Upon A Burning Body have a particular skill with brutal breakdowns, so limber up before their set if you don’t want to pull a tendon. They’ll be joined on this bill by Michigan ragers Of Virtue, who have a definite appeal for the Suicide Silence/Whitechapel fans out there, and Chicago’s Speaking With Ghosts, whose new EP finds them blending Sworn In-style gothic moshcore with an eerie electronic undercurrent. This show’s got a lot of variety, but it’s all heavy. Sink your teeth into this one.

Tuesday, September 10, 7:30 PM
The Midnight, Flamingosis @ The National – $20 in advance/$23 at the door (order tickets HERE)
The retro synth wave continues to rise, and LA-based duo The Midnight are riding high on a crest of moody yet melodic gloriousness. The neon-lit nights and pastel bright spots of prime 80s-movie Los Angeles is this band’s metier, and they wield it exceptionally well, creating soundscapes that appeal to the many fans of the Drive soundtrack but also touches a deeper wellspring of emotion that their sound has in common with Euro indie-popstars M83.

On 2016’s Endless Summer and 2017’s Nocturnal, Tim MacEwan and Tyler Lyle struck electro-dance gold with their combination of retro-style production, outstanding melodies, and unabashedly 80s instrumental touches like saxophone solos and vocoder vocals. And this sound is sure to move everyone who takes to the National’s dancefloor this Tuesday night to while away their cares. The 80s weren’t nearly as glamorous a time as our culture remembers it to be, but on this night, you can enjoy that quintessential 80s glamour that previously existed only in movies. Take a trip with The Midnight, and find your own perfect wave.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Friday, September 6, 6:30 PM
Strand Of Oaks, Apex Manor @ The Southern Cafe (Charlottesville) – $18 (order tickets HERE)
There’s a really strong vibe to Strand Of Oaks, one that hits a serious sweet spot — at least for me. The solo project of Indiana singer-songwriter Timothy Showalter, Strand Of Oaks is simultaneously steeped in acoustic folk and awash in post-rock grandeur, like early My Morning Jacket (whose members back Showalter on brand new sixth album, Eraserland) at their spaciest, combined with the late, lamented Secret Machines. Eraserland finds Showalter and co. exploring themes of depression, emotional struggles, and the search for a greater purpose from one’s life. God knows we’ve all had those struggles.

Fortunately, Strand Of Oaks is able to spin melodic gold from feelings of despair, and at Charlottesville’s Southern Cafe this Friday night, they’ll help us all to contemplate those moods while still enjoying some beautiful music. It’ll take the edge off, that’s for sure. Fans of Iron And Wine, Band Of Horses, and Sturgill Simpson will also find a lot to enjoy at this show, even if life’s somehow going really well for you these days. Don’t get us wrong, we’re happy for you — just try not to rub it in.

Saturday, September 7, 8 PM
Kississippi, Mas Y Mas, Deli Kings, Coolzey @ Charlie’s American Cafe – $10 in advance/$13 day of show (order tickets HERE)
I like to keep tabs on the music scene down in Norfolk, but if I’m honest, I’ve probably been to less than a dozen shows in that lovely Tidewater city. So I’m not going to pretend that I know exactly what role TBA Productions has played in that city’s music scene over the past four years. However, I’m glad to have any sort of celebration that includes such excellent music on the bill. And if this is the kind of musical taste they show in their work, I’m sure they deserve every bit of celebratory accolades they get.

Philadelphia’s Kississippi top the bill at this musical party, and they have a lot to offer, as they displayed on last year’s Sunset Blush LP. Fans of Mates Of State or The Anniversary will find a lot to love in this band’s gorgeous indie pop tuneage, which shows the perfect ratio of keyboard-to-guitar sound in order to accentuate the melodic beauty of their tunes while still retaining a strong alt-rock bite. Basically these guys rule, and are worth the price of admission all on their own. Which only makes it that much more special that longrunning Norfolk indie rockers Mas Y Mas, along with sandwich-loving Richmond rock n’ rollers Deli Kings and Iowa hip hop group Coolzey, are filling out the bill with their own excellent sounds. Let’s rock.

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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

Have Mercy, Kississippi, Super American, Downhaul, Warrington at The Camel

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RVA Shows Presents!

HAVE MERCY
–In celebration of the five-year anniversary, HM will be playing The Earth Pushed Back!

with:
KISSISSIPPI
SUPER AMERICAN
DOWNHAUL
WARRINGTON

DATE: Tuesday July 3, 2018
VENUE: The Camel
TIMES: Doors at 6:30; Show at 7:30
TICKETS: $14 in advance, $16 at the door
–On sale on April 6 at 12pm at www.richmondshows.com

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: June 27 – July 3

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FEATURED SHOW
Sunday, July 1, 12 PM
Williamsfest (In Memory of Kyle Trax), feat. Earthling, Gnarcave, Slump, Cruzer, Nightcreature, Naked Baby, Weird Tears, Big No, Craig Perry, Mindy Alexander, Matt Carter, Buttafly Vazquez @ En Su Boca – Free!
All-day music fests are always a great time, but sometimes they are bittersweet. Such is the case with this one celebrating the life of Kyle Trax, who passed away a couple of months ago due to complications from Type 1 diabetes. Kyle worked at En Su Boca, played drums in local rock n’ roll groups The Cherry Pits and Benderheads among others, and had a ton of friends around town. I didn’t know him well, but he was always nice to me, and I had a blast when his band played my living room for a Valentine’s Day party a few years ago. To say he will be missed is an understatement.

Kyle loved music, and this all-day outdoor festival in his memory is an appropriate occasion on which to celebrate his life. Earthling are the headliners, and this VA metal band has grabbed a lot of attention with their Spinning In The Void LP, released last year on Forcefield Records. If brutal metal crunch mingled with blazing solos and thrashing riffage sounds like fun to you, you need to get on this band’s level. Also on the bill is Gnarcave, an atmospheric black metal band that Kyle was in years ago. Co-founder Craig Perry, now a classical guitarist, will join up with Earthling bassist Sean Weber and Kyle’s childhood friend Ryan Nottingham (filling in for Kyle on drums) to recreate Gnarcave’s ripping black metal rage one last time. Perry will also perform one of his classical guitar compositions as an introduction to Gnarcave’s set — so you fans of technical guitar playing should get up front for this one.

A ton of other things will be happening as part of this all-day festival; performances from a ton of local hardcore, punk, and garage-rock bands including Slump, Cruzer, Nightcreature, Naked Baby, and a bunch more. There will be acoustic sets from several of Kyle’s friends, including local soul singer Buttafly Vasquez (Crucial Elements/Flavor Project). You’ll also get to see the premiere of a Cherry Pits video, indulge in some delicious En Su Boca tacos, and more! The whole thing is free to attend, but Kyle’s family is currently collecting donations to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, so if you have cash to spare, please donate to help find a cure. And then come rock out in memory of an awesome dude who left this world way too soon.

Thursday, June 28, 8 PM
Blac Rabbit, Sun Parade @ Strange Matter – $10 in advance/$12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Here’s an interesting gig for y’all to check out, especially if you’ve seen these guys on Ellen. Yeah, seriously, twin brothers Amiri and Rahiem Taylor, who founded Blac Rabbit, got onto Ellen due to their day job of sorts, busking on New York subways with some killer Beatles covers. This is a pretty excellent story, but it might sound like nothing more than a novelty to you — until you hear the originals Blac Rabbit create when they’re not busking for cash in Times Square.

Their self-titled debut EP, released late last year, brings together psych-rock touchstones from past eras, including The Beatles and Love, as well as modern groups like Tame Impala and MGMT. On songs like “Closer To The Sun,” the group paints hazy dayglo mind pictures that will be a big hit with fans of Dungen or Unknown Mortal Orchestra. It’s really incredible stuff, and it’s sure to shine that much brighter in the live setting. You’ll have a blast when these guys take the stage, even if they don’t play a single Beatles cover. And while Massachusetts’ Sun Parade has a somewhat different sound, they’re still an apt pairing for Blac Rabbit due to the group’s similar origins as buskers. These days they’re making colorful pop music that brings in equal influence from folk music and psychedelia, to excellent effect. These two groups will be the perfect vehicle with which to drift away across the stratosphere… at least for a few hours.

Friday, June 29, 9 PM
Imaginary Sons, Leach @ City Dogs – Free!
Damn — in certain segments of the local scene, this is bound to be the news of the year. Not only are the Imaginary Sons back for a one-time-only reunion show, they’ve reunited the original four-piece lineup that brought us all the irreverent, excellent Let It Beer LP back in 2015. With a ridiculous Beatles parody cover and some truly unforgettable costumes, these guys led with goofy spirit, then pulled you in with the absolute power of their rock n’ roll tunes. Equal parts Cheap Trick and Weezer, plus a dose of AC/DC for sheer power, the Imaginary Sons were a band you weren’t going to overlook.

First slimming down to a trio lineup, then breaking up in early 2017, Imaginary Sons left a gaping void in the RVA music scene. It’s no surprise that, when they announced this reunion earlier this year, people were stoked. And now the payoff to all that anticipation will finally arrive this Friday night when Imaginary Sons rage at City Dogs once again. They’ll be joined by Leach, the current project of former Sons Mike Cruz and Russell Redmond, and DJ Frontyard will be spinning tunes to kick off the night, but we all know the main attraction: the opportunity to hear all the hits — “Kicking The Cup,” “Never There,” etc — in a live environment once again. Eat your hot dogs early, because the mustard’s gonna fly when these guys take the stage.

Saturday, June 30, 7 PM
RVA Lyricist Lounge, Episode 5; feat. Nickelus F, Cole Hicks, IGB vs Swerve 360, Robalu vs Leek Bucks, Southpaw Battle Coalition cypher, and more @ Strange Matter – $15
There is, as always, a lot of great hip hop happening in this town, and you sleep on any of it at your peril. However, I must urge you to make specific effort to be at RVA Lyricist Lounge Saturday at Strange Matter if you care about hip hop at all. These ongoing events, presented by Southpaw Battle Coalition, have been putting cyphers and battles back into the scene in a big way over the past year or two, and are pushing the local scene forward in obvious ways. Most importantly this time around, though, is that Nickelus F will be performing his newest album, Stuck. Nick F shouldn’t need any introduction to hip hop fans around here by now — his 15 years of consistently excellent releases proves the quality he’ll deliver every single time you hand him a mic, and we’re seeing that same quality on his latest release. The sluggish beats and dazed lyrical flow that set the mood on the album help bring the title to life, and the man also known as Sweet Petey will make it hit hard when he hits the Strange Matter stage Saturday night.

But that’s just the beginning of what this show has to offer. Also on tap is a performance from up-and-coming local rapper Cole Hicks, who’ll be bringing us selections from her buzzworthy new release, May Day. Then there are the two battles on the card, pitting IGB against Swerve 360 and Robalu against Leek Bucks. Southpaw Battle Coalition will hit us with a cypher, as will a variety of local MCs you know and love. Plus, there’ll be room for new faces — 30 open cypher slots means that if you feel like you’ve got rhymes to deliver, there’s room for you to get on the mic and show your stuff. And if you just want to see some high-quality rhyming and keep up with the genre as it moves forward here in RVA, you’re definitely going to want to be here to watch. Mark your calendar.

Sunday, July 1, 8 PM
To Live And Shave In LA, New Ting Ting Loft, Oozing Meat, Fuk U / Idiot, DJ Rat Ward @ Strange Matter – $5
This one’s gonna be weird — and a whole lot of fun. To Live And Shave In LA, whose name certainly appears to be a joking reference to a William Friedkin movie, have a 25 year career behind them and are still going strong. The group primarily arises out of the collaboration between early Pussy Galore member Tom Smith and Florida noise legend Rat Bastard — though it’s involved a ton of other people over the years, from Thurston Moore to Andrew WK. Listening to To Live And Shave In LA is a challenging experience. Beginning from the proposition that “genre is obsolete,” Messrs. Smith, Bastard, and co. combine all sorts of experimental insanity, from ambient tape loops to metal-bashing harsh noise and untraceable electronic weirdness.

How does that translate live? Hard to say… a quick spin through their extensive discography will demonstrate to you that it’s pretty much different every time. But it’ll certainly be worth seeing, even if you have no idea what you’ll get — if there’s one term that does not describe To Live And Shave In LA, it’s “boring.” The local acts on this bill will keep things interesting as well; New Ting Ting Loft is a totally maniacal improvised-music ensemble who takes experimental jazz as a point of departure and ends up in all kinds of ludicrous places. The results are always fascinating. Oozing Meat is a collaboration between Eric Tomillon (Fake Object) and Jason Hodges (Suppression/Bermuda Triangles/etc) that, at least on last year’s Splatter High, leaps dramatically from ambient noise weirdness to shit-fi grindcore, then back again. Who knows how that’ll translate live, but it’s sure to keep your attention. Which is really the story for this entire show — there’s no way to know exactly what you’re gonna get, but you can be sure that it won’t bore you.

Monday, July 2, 8 PM
Late Bloomer, Lovelorn, Teen Death, Sea of Storms @ Strange Matter – $10 (order tickets HERE)
Here we are at the end of a trio of Strange Matter shows, all completely different, and all completely awesome. This one’s for the fans of straight-up rock n’ roll with a melodic edge and some killer hooks; Late Bloomer brings all of that to us with their brand new LP Waiting, out on 6131 Records this Friday. It’s so brand new, it isn’t even out yet — but it will be on Monday night, so bring some cash and pick yourself up a copy! Then enjoy the bushel of killer tunes this North Carolina trio will be bringing with them, both from their latest ripper and excellent earlier LPs, such as 2014’s Things Change.

They’ll also be bringing Lovelorn with them, and if you’re a little unfamiliar with this Philadelphia trio — who’ve only released one song so far — it might help you recognize them if I tell you that they are three of the four members of the unfortunately departed Philly psych project Creepoid. That band was really hitting their peak with their third and final LP, 2015’s Cemetery Highrise Slum. Lovelorn’s sole demo release thus far has more of an ominous, spaced-out vibe reminiscent of Mazzy Star than the fuzzy, garage-damaged sound Creepoid were perfecting towards the end, but it’s close enough to make it really incredible in its own right. And hey, it’s only one song — getting to hear a full set is sure to leave us with a much stronger impression of where these excellent musicians are taking things next. Opening sets from awesome locals, including hard-rockin’ punk n’ rollers Teen Death and melodic, emotionally-driven rockers Sea Of Storms, will make for a bill full of highlights. Don’t miss a moment.

Tuesday, July 3, 6:30 PM
Have Mercy, Kississippi, Super American, Downhaul, Warrington @ The Camel – $14 in advance/$16 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Here’s something I didn’t expect at all; directly on the heels of their third LP, 2017’s excellent Make The Best Of It, Have Mercy are returning to town with a tour celebrating the five-year anniversary of their debut LP, 2013’s The Earth Pushed Back. What makes this unexpected is the fact that frontman Brian Swindle pretty much acquired a completely new backing band around the time of Make The Best Of It. This means the band that’ll be celebrating the anniversary of their debut album is mostly made up of members who weren’t in the band at the time of its release.

That’s all right, though; if there’s one thing Make The Best Of It proved, it’s that Swindle’s current compatriots are totally capable of delivering top-quality Have Mercy material that is capable of standing alongside the best work of their original lineup. And since The Earth Pushed Back is every bit as good as their latest album, the current incarnation of Have Mercy should have no problem doing it justice. I can’t help but hope they’ll play at least one or two new songs, though. They’ll be ably accompanied by Kississippi, a goofily named but excellent emo-pop group from Philly whose latest LP, Sunset Blush, is a real standout in the world of passionate melodies and evocative lyrics from which they ascend. Upbeat pop-rockers Super American will round out the trio of touring groups on this bill, which will be joined by locals Downhaul and Warrington. This is one to look forward to.

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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.]

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RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 1/13-1/19

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FEATURE SHOW
Friday, January 15, 9 PM
Strange Brew & Sports Bar @ Hardywood – $5 suggested donation to benefit Video Fan Forever
OK yes, so this week we’re featuring a show which only has one band on it, but I can’t imagine any of you could possibly get away with hating on this.
[Read more…] about RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 1/13-1/19