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Appalachian Aggression: Heavy Music Is Alive In The Rural South

Jack Cooper III | May 7, 2020

Topics: Angel Dust, Appalachia, appalachian music, bailey stiltz, blue ridge, bluefield west virginia, Bracewar, Break Away, choose to suffer, clot, discourse, dread state, Forced Order, galax, gravity kong, hardcore, harlan kentucky, Harrisonburg, jack cooper iii, jesus piece, josh sison, late night zero, local music, metal, modern pain, music, nailcrown, Naysayer, Outsider, powerviolence, reality strikes, roanoke, Roanoke bands, roanoke music, roanoke shows, rock, RVA shows, shows, Southwest virginia, step off, The Golden Pony, the rocket club, the shanty, the spot on kirk

In the underbellies of Virginia’s smallest music communities, DIY scenes preserve hardcore and metal over generations in Roanoke and throughout Appalachia. 

Hardcore punk has been burning strong in the fabric of American music for nearly four decades now. What originated in the slums of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, and within the urban sprawl encompassing Los Angeles in the 80s, has now spread to every conceivable corner of the globe. The roots of this youth-centered subculture are widespread; they’ve taken a strong hold in cities across the nation, and emerged as music scenes in the bubbling undergrounds of lesser-known, isolated rural communities throughout the South.

Wherever there are groups of angsty and disaffected youth, you can be certain that a hardcore, metal, or punk-adjacent community also exists. 

When looking introspectively at the various music scenes in Virginia, it goes without question that Richmond is the epicenter of hardcore and metal. Its long-established scene has made a lasting impact on heavy music as a whole, from storied venues like Alley Katz and Strange Matter to notable acts like GWAR, Four Walls Falling, Avail, Down to Nothing, Lamb Of God, Municipal Waste, and more. With Richmond’s monopoly on heavy music, it can be hard to imagine another area in the Old Dominon where hardcore DIY (Do It Yourself) music is thriving, and very much alive — but it only takes a look westward, past the banks of the James. 

Nestled between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountain ranges, just off Virginia’s I-81 corridor, lies the city of Roanoke. Because of its convenient geographic location, Roanoke has served for ages as a gateway for bands traveling west or north toward the densely-populated urban centers of New England. I’ve been a part of the local music scene here with Josh Sison, guitarist for Dread State and Step Off, for years now. He sees Roanoke’s location as part of the reason underground music has been able to survive here over the decades; legendary hardcore and punk acts like Sick of It All, Avail, Token Entry, and Green Day came through our town and first brought our scene to life in the early 90s. 

PHOTO: Via Jack Cooper III

From the beginning of the region’s hardcore and metal scenes until today, successive generations of locals have passed the metaphorical torch to the scene’s younger participants, designating them as the next custodians of Roanoke’s hardcore and punk scenes. The scene has stayed alive, but the frequent change of hands has made it difficult to establish a scene with longevity and enough name recognition to be on the forefront of people’s minds. The scene’s periodic instability is an unfortunate reality of life in smaller cities — with an underperforming local economy, limited job prospects, and large cities relatively close by, many Appalachian areas struggle to compete with the metro areas’ ability to book large touring bands on a regular basis. 

The government’s gradual shift in focus from rural agricultural communities to populous urban centers over the last century has led to a long-standing deprivation across Appalachia. While larger population centers in the region like Roanoke have more opportunity than the most rural areas, Appalachia’s smallest communities face even more challenges. The music scenes in the area tend to come together, creating a united feeling across cities rather than each city operating individually as areas like Richmond do. This style of “teamwork” allows even the smallest areas to grow, and it’s why DIY music is able to thrive here. Bradford Harris of Harlan, Kentucky — a coal mining town in the easternmost part of the state — speaks on the significant turnover rate within his own town’s music scene. 

“All those people who were involved in building up the scene here lacked the mentality to keep things going; they went off to get jobs,” he said. 

PHOTO: Via Jack Cooper III

With few job prospects, many young people in Appalachia have chosen to vacate their hometowns to seek out better educational and employment opportunities elsewhere. Over time, this created a cultural and intellectual vacuum in the countryside, stunting the growth of both local communities and their DIY music scenes. As many localities in Appalachia are starved of the necessary resources, they’re unable to grow with new cultural changes and expand the region’s musical palette — but many locals have taken it upon themselves to start heavy music scenes from scratch. In a town known for its annual Bluegrass competitions, Wil Sharpe and Denver Walker of Galax, Virginia are doing just that. 

“We want to put the aggressive style of music out there for people to hear, so we can start developing interest in building our own scene,” Sharpe and Walker said of their new powerviolence band, Clot. 

“I’d like for Clot to get big enough that they can play [outside of Galax] and bring attention to our town,” Walker said. The mixture of hometown pride and passion for hardcore and metal music drives them to carve out a space of their own, and mutual support from other rural areas helps each scene stay alive. 

PHOTO: Via Jack Cooper III

The same breed of barriers that exist in Galax are also prevalent throughout the Appalachian South; the most challenging being a lack of reliable venues to book shows. Jordan Musick, drummer for Late Night Zero and Choose To Suffer (both formed in Roanoke), discussed the ups and downs that his hometown scene in Bluefield, West Virginia has experienced. 

“From roughly 2007 until 2010, our scene was really big,” Musick said. “We had the Princeton Rec Center, which became our go-to spot for touring bands, and then bars like The Rocket Club that let us put on shows. Unfortunately, the Rocket Club closed its doors, and the Rec Center stopped allowing us to book there — nothing was sustainable for a long time after that.”  Unpredictable relationships with venues can be detrimental to a scene’s survival, and in this case, caused a multi-year lull where punk and metal nearly died off in the area. 

In my own experience booking shows in Roanoke, a majority of the venues and bars in town are apprehensive about booking DIY bands. Most event coordinators and business I’ve spoken with share the same concerns: they worry whether bands will draw enough attendees to make profits from door sales, they’re unsure if they’ll make any bar or food sales during the show, and they fear liability in the event that someone gets injured while moshing or stage diving. The possibility of sustaining damage to their property, or of a patron getting hurt, has stonewalled any chance for the scene to transition from booking basement shows to booking established venues. 

PHOTO: Via Jack Cooper III

These concerns are faced by music scenes everywhere. Even areas like Richmond and in cities like New York and Washington, D.C., local booking agents will share similar experiences. What separates the larger cities from areas like Roanoke and even smaller regions is their lack of venues — where Richmond has a substantial amount of places to host shows, the Roanoke scene has been limited with only a handful of venues for live music. Misunderstandings about hardcore ethics and the DIY mentality, alongside a general lack of faith in the music’s ability to bring in new business, has made it increasingly difficult for the scene to grow and expand heavy music in the region. But despite the hardships we collectively endured (and the grim realities we’ve had to face), many hardcore and metal scenes in Appalachia are beginning to thrive once more. 

Shows are happening consistently, new venues are becoming household names, and a genuine sense of scene unity is emerging. Nick Gekoskie, show promoter and guitarist for Brick, spoke with me about the rise of the Golden Pony in Harrisonburg. 

“It’s a wonderful place that serves as the music hub for our community,” Gekoskie said. “Paul Somers, the owner and operator of the Pony, is fully invested in the scene. He’s able to bring quality acts of all genres.” 

In 2019 alone, Eyehategod, Red Death, Ilsa, Murphy’s Law, and H.R. of Bad Brains came through Harrisonburg and drew huge crowds — and this isn’t the first time Harrisonburg has brought legendary acts to the Shenandoah Valley. Bane, Poison The Well, Converge, Fugazi, and The Bouncing Souls have played MACROCK, an annual festival hosted in downtown Harrisonburg that showcases regional and national DIY acts. 

PHOTO: Via Jack Cooper III

Meanwhile, Roanoke’s hardcore scene is still recovering from its near-death experience after losing the longest running DIY venue in its history, The Shanty. As the birthplace of many local bands, and the only safe space for hardcore/punk shows, The Shanty’s impact on Roanoke’s metal scene over the years is incalculable. To see hardcore bands like Bracewar, Naysayer, Angel Dust, Forced Order, Discourse, Jesus Piece, Break Away, or Modern Pain play in a venue the size of a small carport is mindblowing to those of us who have experienced it. And although many Roanokers are still grieving the loss of this acclaimed institution, the community has survived and adapted in a world without The Shanty. Since the beginning of 2018, the heavy music scene in Roanoke has seen a whirlwind of changes. 

A younger generation has started forming bands — like Gravity Kong, Choose to Suffer, and Reality Strikes — and the old heads have formed newer projects showcasing their perfected skillset, like Nailcrown and Dread State. 

They’ve started forming working relationships with venues in downtown Roanoke like The Spot On Kirk and VFW Hall 1264, and have hosted shows with bands like One Step Closer, Year Of The Knife, Facewreck, Stepping Stone, Outsider, and Drain. 

Bailey Stiltz (of Choose to Suffer, Outsider, and Reality Strikes), Josh Sison, and myself have taken the lead on booking shows. Show attendance numbers may not have returned to their former peak, but the metal scene in Roanoke is on a steady rise. 

“The scene has definitely receded a bit, but I see it growing slowly,” said Sison. “Even with attendance at shows being lower than what we’re used to, the kids that do show up put on for every band on the bill. There’s never a dull moment during a Roanoke show, and I think that’s partially the reason why bands continue coming back.” 

PHOTO: Via Jack Cooper III

Roughly ten years ago, I was beginning my assimilation into the hardcore/punk subculture. One person in particular spoke words that struck a chord in me during those formative years, and his name is Aaron Bedard. Bedard is the vocalist for Bane and Antagonize, and in Bane’s song “Superhero,” he talks about the ability inside everyone to make a difference. We’re able to better our own lives, and as Bedard vocalized, “the difference between hard and impossible is a thousand miles wide.” 

For those of us who are still actively engaged in the hardcore and metal scenes in Appalachia, the community can attest to the validity of his statement. From an outsider’s perspective, maintaining a heavy music scene in the region may seem like an impossible task — but to myself and those I work with to do it, the preservation of our scene is a worthwhile pursuit. 

What has been done in the past can be replicated and improved upon; the evidence is right here in front of us. Despite our lack of resources, networking challenges, and limited visibility, this region continues to find ways to keep our scene alive. Hardcore in Appalachia, and throughout the rest of the world, will survive as it always has: through struggle, persistence, and dedication. We will keep passing the torch, the flame will burn eternal. 

Check out Jack’s favorite bands from the area, who are all members of the Appalachian scene or have strong ties to its community. Support local music!

Step Off
The Mirror
Unnerve
Dread State
Grudgeholders
Compulse
BRICK
Reality Check
True Worth
Dbol
Gravity Kong
Force
Wiretap
L.I.P.S.
Clot

UB Pre Show: Naysayer, The Flex, Arms Race, Primal Rite + 1 at Strange Matter

Joe Vanderhoff | April 4, 2018

Topics: Arms Race, Naysayer, Primal Rite, strange matter, The Flex, united blood

Official United Blood Pre Show!

NAYSAYER (OG Richmond HC)
THE FLEX (UKHC)
ARMS RACE (UKHC)
PRIMAL RITE (Revelation Records)
HANGMAN (Flatspot Records)

Thursday 4/5/18
@ Strange Matter – 929 w Grace St. Richmond, Va
5PM Doors // $12 // All Ages
Advance tickets – https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1664782

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 4/4-4/10

Marilyn Drew Necci | April 4, 2018

Topics: Acid Dad, Arms Race, Benderheads, Bettye Lavette, Black Iris, Butt, Camp Howard, Canadian Rifle, en su boca, gallery 5, Grandma, GRID, Haircut, Hangman, Lore, Manatree, Moonwalks, Naked Pictures, Naysayer, Primal Rite, Ryan Easter, Sea Of Storms, shows you must see, Slump, strange matter, The Camel, The Flex, The tin pan, united blood, Vorator, Wake, Winstons, Withered, Your Dream Coat

FEATURED SHOW
Thursday, April 5, 5 PM
Official United Blood Pre-Show, feat. Naysayer, The Flex, Arms Race, Primal Rite, Hangman @ Strange Matter – $12 (order tickets HERE)
The 12th annual edition of the United Blood hardcore fest is happening here in Richmond this weekend, and I did not make it our featured show. There’s a reason for that — I hate writing about shows that sell out before my readers can read about them, and with very few tickets for United Blood remaining for sale, I’m a little concerned that by the time this goes to press, you won’t be able to get them at all (though you’re certainly welcome to give it a shot — maybe you’ll get lucky). I’m feeling slightly more secure about the Thursday night pre-show, so that’s what I’m sending you to. After all, it’ll give you a good taste of what United Blood is all about, and at 15 percent of the ticket price! You can’t beat that.

Naysayer are our headliners. This Richmond hardcore band had fallen into that sort of twilight state of existence that seems to take over a lot of long-running local hardcore bands, where most of the time they’re completely inactive, but they come back and play a really big local show every now and then. Naysayer briefly awoke from this somnambulist state a couple of years ago, releasing Nation Of Greed, their first new material in five years. That was two years ago now, though, and whether they’ll slip back into inactivity in future is an open question. Fortunately for you, you’ll be able to see them Thursday night, and this dose of their hard-hitting crossover-style hardcore is not something you should miss if you know what’s good for you.

Naysayer will be joined on this bill by a murderer’s row of heavy hitters, starting with a double-shot of UK hardcore in the form of The Flex and Arms Race. The Flex have that raw, blown-out sound that makes everything sound urgent as hell, while Arms Race are a bit darker in feel, but both deliver powerful shots of old-school velocity. Not to be outdone, San Francisco’s Primal Rite have a ripping, thrashing, metallic hardcore sound that’ll remind you of Power Trip if they were more focused on pure headcrushing breakdowns. The bill is rounded out by New Yorkers Hangman, who bring more of that metallic mosh you’re all craving. This show won’t last all weekend, but it certainly will pack plenty of power into its brief span. So whether you make it to the festival itself or not, you’d still be smart to head for Strange Matter the night before it starts.

Wednesday, April 4, 8 PM
Bettye LaVette @ The Tin Pan – $42.50 in advance/$47.50 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley may be gone, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any more classic soul singers in the world. Bettye LaVette is still kicking, and she’ll be bringing her excellent voice and unpredictable choice of material to the Tin Pan tonight. Having made her first record during the original soul music boom in the early 60s, LaVette has been working hard ever since. However, it wasn’t until the release of 2005’s I’ve Got My Own Hell To Raise that the mainstream really started paying attention to the talent LaVette’s been offering the whole time. The album featured soulful re-interpretations of female artists and songwriters including Fiona Apple, Sinead O’Connor, and Aimee Mann, among others.

Since then, LaVette’s recorded an album with the Drive-By Truckers — 2007’s The Scene Of The Crime — and an album of songs originally by British rock bands — 2010’s Interpretations — among others. Now she’s turned her attention to the music of Bob Dylan with her brand new album, Things Have Changed. Her powerful soul sound helps transform Dylan songs both well-known (“It Ain’t Me Babe,” “The Times They Are A-Changin'”) and obscure (“Don’t Fall Apart On Me Tonight,” the title track), often revealing new sides of the material by rewriting the lyrics to focus on a female perspective. This sound, and this perspective, are among the things LaVette will bring to the stage of the Tin Pan tonight, and the results are sure to be unique, fascinating, and powerful. Don’t miss it.

Thursday, April 5, 11 PM
Slump(oids), Haircut, Benderheads @ En Su Boca – $5
Hey, here’s a venue we haven’t heard from in a while. En Su Boca, the little taco joint inside a former adult bookstore had been doing shows for a bit last year, but has been inactive in the live music scene for several months. Now they are back with an all-local gig intended to raise some money for a permanent PA system, so that they can become a more reliable spot for live music. Sounds good to me! And if this sounds like a good idea to you too, you can support it by coming out late this Thursday evening (after the UB pre-show) and catching some loud punk rock.

At the top of the bill is Slump (or maybe they’re called Slumpoids now, the facebook event page is somewhat confusing), who have been bringing this city a hazy, smoggy take on psychedelic punk for a couple of years now. Remember that brief period when The Men were interesting, before they turned into total dad rock? Slump brings that sound back to life every time they take the stage. Meanwhile, Haircut are much more straightforward, smacking you in the mouth with some fast, angry, no-frills hardcore punk that’s sure to wake you up if the late hour has you nodding off at the bar. Benderheads, who round out this bill, have apparently got a tape coming out on Vinyl Conflict soon. If you want to know more than that, you’ll have to show up to this show. So hey, do it. And grab a taco while you’re at it.

Friday, April 6, 8 PM
Withered, Wake, Vorator, Lore @ Strange Matter – $10 in advance/$12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Things are getting heavy once again over at Strange Matter, and all of us are the beneficiaries. Friday night sees an incredible double bill of super-heavy bands (brought to us by the letter W) hitting the stage to level us all. Withered hail from the Southern locale of Atlanta, but their sound is straight out of the Delta swamps that birthed Eyehategod. On their 2016 album, Grief Relic, they manage to simultaneously summon the sludge terror of NOLA’s most depressive sons and the blackened rage channeled by fellow swamp-rats Thou. While doom is certainly a part of Withered’s sound, they spend just as much time going fast and ripping it up black metal style as they do trudging through this ugly world at the pace of a steamroller. Either way, you end up flattened by their sheer heavyosity. And that’s always a good time.

Canadians Wake take a totally different approach. Up North where they’re from, you have to play really fast sometimes just to keep warm, and Wake keeps the pedal to the metal on their brand new album, Misery Rites. They’re sure to do the same thing when they hit the Strange Matter stage, where they’ll infuse their all-out speed destruction with a darkened atmosphere that will evoke terror even at 1000 miles per hour. A dynamic duo of locals, in the form of thrashing-mad ragers Vorator and spooky black metallers Lore, gets things rolling in fiery fashion.

Saturday, April 7, 9 PM
Acid Dad, Camp Howard, Moonwalks, Winstons @ The Camel – $12 (order tickets HERE)
This one’s for all the kids out there who love to hear loud guitars spin perfect melodies out of fuzzy haze. Acid Dad hails from the now-completely-gentrified land of Williamsburg, Brooklyn — but don’t hold that against them. Their brand new self-titled LP sees the three-piece busting out some prime psychedelia, 90s alt-rock style. Tinges of The Stone Roses and Ride come through at times, while others see them evoking early Radiohead (back before they’d been eaten and spit back out by a computer) and even The Strokes — who, yes, are post-Y2k, but at this point who’s counting? The point is that these boys have some real energy behind their songwriting, and they’ll both keep you smiling with their glorious pop hooks and rock hard enough to ensure that you can’t stand still at any point during their set.

It’s appropriate that Acid Dad is joined on this bill by local pop fiends Camp Howard, who utilize much the same formula for success — great melodies, vaguely psych-damaged guitars, and an ever-present sense of youthful energy. The local diehards who show up to catch yet another set from Nic, Wes, and the boys will surely be pleased by what Acid Dad has to offer, and vice versa. This show will also feature some bonus performances by two other touring acts. The Moonwalks are coming to us from Detroit with the most overt psychedelic sound of this entire bill, cranking the loud guitars and getting somewhat of a Brian Jonestown Massacre vibe going. The Winstons originate in New York and go straight for the old-school garage-punk sound, bashing and thrashing with a side of rhythm and blues just like the early Stones. This is an absolute can’t-miss evening — you know what to do.

Sunday, April 8, 7 PM
Manatree, Your Dream Coat, Butt, Grandma @ Gallery 5 – $5
For those of us who keep up pretty obsessively with the local music scene, this one has some interesting things to offer. A live set from the latest incarnation of Manatree is first and foremost on that list. It’s admittedly been a few months since I caught them live, and the latest word from their facebook page is that these days, they’re down to a two-piece and getting more and more interested in the possibilities of electronic music. I would never have predicted this when I first heard Manatree, but then, that’s over five years ago when they were still in high school. Clearly a lot has changed since then, and how this latest round of changes will make themselves known in live performance remains to be seen. So let’s see it at Gallery 5 Sunday night, shall we?

Another intriguing offering on this bill comes from Your Dream Coat, a Brooklyn band who appear to have recently erased all evidence of their music from the internet. So if you ever wondered what things were like back in the 90s when you just had to show up to the show first, and find out if you liked the band second, this is a great opportunity for you to take it back to the old school in this fashion. I don’t really miss it, but hey, we can all handle it every once in a while, right? Local up-and-comers Butt have an intriguing name and a really primitive demo, but to really know what’s up with this band’s weirdo rock n’ roll, you’re gonna have to show up and see them too. Finally, Grandma is a new project from Haybaby’s Leslie Hong, perhaps initiated because Haybaby’s members live in multiple towns. You’re guess is as good as mine, but all will become clear at Gallery 5 this Sunday night, so you know what to do.

Monday, April 9, 7:30 PM
GRID, Ryan Easter @ Black Iris – $6-10 (sliding scale)
I’ve been noticing more and more happenings in the local jazz scene lately, and I guess this show counts as jazz too, since GRID are a trio featuring sax, bass, and drums. However, this one will prove challenging for both newcomers to jazz and dyed-in-the-wool fans. Therefore, since challenges are always a good thing, I’m encouraging you to head over to Black Iris Monday night and catch GRID. This trio features bassist Tim Dahl of the confrontational noise-rock band Child Abuse and drummer Nick Podgurski of math-proggers Extra Life backing saxophonist Matt Nelson (who has played with Tune-Yards and Battle Trance) as he goes completely nuts.

The maniacal sounds Nelson creates by running his sax through distortion and other, weirder effects might make you think of Tom Morello’s weirdest solos for Rage Against The Machine at times, but at others they are more likely to evoke the experimental jazz soundscapes saxophonist Colin Stetson created for his New History Warfare LPs. Regardless of where things stand at any particular moment in the set, the sum total of what these three New Yorkers are creating is sure to knock you off your feet, especially if you show up looking for just another jazz combo. But you shouldn’t be looking for that anyway. Special bonus opening set from Ryan Easter, a local trumpeter and producer who has played with Boston-based live hip hop group Tiger Speak and made records with locally-celebrated rapper Chance Fischer. What he will bring to the table is anyone’s guess, but it won’t bore you.

Tuesday, April 10, 7 PM
Sea Of Storms, Canadian Rifle, Naked Pictures @ Gallery 5 – $6
This Tuesday night promises to be an excellent night of melodic, emotionally-driven punk rock with heart and soul. That is, assuming you do the right thing and head over to Gallery 5 for this show. Sea Of Storms aren’t exactly the fastest-moving band, but then, they aren’t as young as they once were either. Since their first LP in 2015, the group has grown from a trio to a quartet with the addition of former Landmines guitarist Nick Bergheimer, and word has it they’ve been working on a second LP. That’s been the word for a while, honestly, but one thing you can be sure of is that they’ll be playing new material at Gallery 5. Show up so you don’t have to wait for them to finish the album to hear the new jams.

Chicago’s Canadian Rifle are another crew of seasoned veterans who aren’t moving quite as quickly as they once did. Their brand new album, Peaceful Death, is their first since 2013, and judging from first impressions, it was totally worth the wait. For a melodic punk band, they’ve got a harsh and powerful approach, adding the sort of grit and rough edges that keep bands like this interesting and fun as the years go on. The new record shows that their command of melodic choruses that make you feel some feels has in no way diminshed, but it also might be their heaviest record yet, and I have no idea why that’d be anything other than a good thing. So let’s all get stoked to see these two excellent bands once again, especially since we’ll also get an opening set from rockin’ local shredders Naked Pictures to kick the whole thing off. What could be better?

—-

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.]

Top Photo by Ken Penn

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 2/10-2/16

Marilyn Drew Necci | February 10, 2016

Topics: Atta Girl, Battlemaster, Big Eyes, Broadcastatic, Calendar Blue, Christi, Cross Eyed, Desiccant, Dorthia Cottrell, Dressy Bessy, Dromez, Earthling, Eight Bells, gallery 5, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Hot Freaks, Iron Reagan, Loone, Naysayer, Occultist, Old Monk, Paper Bee, Poison Idea, shows you must see, strange matter, The Tall Boys, Two Inch Astronaut, Vektor, Voivod, Vorator, Yankee Roses, Yaya

FEATURE SHOW
Saturday, February 13, 9 PM
Singles Nite #3, feat. Hot Freaks, The Gin Blossoms (portrayed by Two Inch Astronaut), The Stooges (tribute), ZJ DeLorean @ Strange Matter – $5 for singles/$12 for couples

We’ve arrived at another Valentine’s Day, and while all the couples of the world are blissfully enjoying each other’s company over candlelit dinners, the rest of us have to find some way to get through the biggest “everyone’s having fun without you” holiday of the year.
[Read more…] about RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 2/10-2/16

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 8/13-8/19

Marilyn Drew Necci | August 13, 2014

Topics: Blistered, Cease To Resist, Cosby, Cretins, Cross Me, Eternal Summers, Fire & Ice, George Clinton, Globsters, Home Address, Innsbrook, Kid Is Qual, Langhorne Slim, Mas Y Mas, Maymont Park, Muerte, music, Naysayer, Old Crow Medicine Show, Old Gray, RVA, Scowler, Sete Star Sept, shows you must see, Small Hands, Spacemonster, strange matter, Teen Body, Tercer Mundo, The Broadberry, The Cales, The Camel, The Seeers, Those Manic Seas

FEATURE SHOW
Saturday, August 16, 6 PM
Eternal Summers, The Seeers, Mas Y Mas @ Strange Matter – $6

Pay attention, people, because this is important. Roanoke’s Eternal Summers, whom we have been telling you about for a couple of years now, recently released their third album. The Drop Beneath hasn’t gotten a ton of hype (though Pitchfork came within a few decimal places of giving it a Best New Music-worthy rating), but in its own quiet way, has become a sleeper pick for best of 2014.
[Read more…] about RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 8/13-8/19

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