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Game Is My Middle Name: Weekend Playlist by Chrissie Lozano

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Every Friday night, RVA Mag brings you a playlist curated by Virginia’s most influential artists, musicians, and institutions.

This week’s comes to us from local bass queen Chrissie Lozano, who is currently holding down the low-end in Piranha Rama, as well as acting as one of the group’s many vocalists. She has been in all sorts of other Richmond-based combos over the years — Gouda Mayhem, Ladygod, Fear Of Music, Are You Fucking Serious!?… and probably more; it’s a longer list than even I know, and I pay close attention to this kind of stuff.

Speaking with us about the playlist she put together for this week, she said, “It’s reflective of my love of lady vocals and harmony in general, and how this bunch of tunes is influential to me.” In Piranha Rama, where Lozano often harmonizes with bandmates Angelica Garcia and Kenneka Cook (both of whom appear in solo form on this playlist), the influence of these tunes can clearly be heard. You can see Piranha Rama live at The Camel on Saturday, November 9 with Dharma Bombs, but until then, liven up your weekend with this solid-as-a-rock eclectic collection of postpunk, soul, folk, electronica, and more.

Sing it loud, Virginia.

Open this playlist from mobile in your Spotify app HERE.

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

VA Shows You Must See This Week: October 9 – October 15

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FEATURED SHOW
Wednesday, October 9, 5:30 PM
Municipal Waste, Napalm Death, Sick Of It All, Take Offense @ The Broadberry – $24.50 (order tickets HERE)
I don’t like doing this. And by “this,” I mean recommending that you go to a show that may very well be sold out by the time you read these words. On the other hand, when an absolute epic powerhouse of a lineup like this one comes to town, I feel powerless to do anything else. After all, not only is one of Richmond’s foremost heavy bands at the top of the bill, two absolute legends of two different genres are directly underneath them, and there’s even a fantastic up-and-comer to sweeten the pot. What music journalist can possibly resist this one? Certainly not me.

Let’s get into a little more detail, beginning with the hometown boys. Municipal Waste spent several years being less than fully active, as the members’ various other projects (Iron Reagan, BAT, Cannabis Corpse, etc) hit full speed. However, the last couple of years have seen them crank things up in a big way, first adding former Cannabis Corpse axe-slinger Nikropolis in 2015 to give them a twin-guitar attack after 15 years, then releasing long-awaited sixth LP Slime And Punishment in 2017. This month finds them following up that album with a four-song EP entitled The Last Rager, which is the sort of title that should simultaneously remind us all of past Best Friends’ Day craziness, even as it may inspire some concern about how long the band’s future will extend. If anything, that’s even more of a reason to see them tonight.

Now let’s quickly discuss the other amazing bands on this bill. Napalm Death are absolute legends of UK grindcore and first-wave death metal, and despite many different member changes over the years, are still cranking out face-scorching brutal speed-demon anthems, most recently on 15th album Apex Predator — Easy Meat, released in 2015. As for Sick Of It All, they were one of the key bands defining NYHC in the late 80s. They proceeded to take it worldwide in the 90s with two high-profile major label releases, Scratch The Surface and Built To Last. These days, they’re still going strong, heavy and powerful as ever, and they proved it on last year’s 12th LP, Wake The Sleeping Dragon! The combo of this hardcore legend and the grindcore/death metal legend Napalm Death is unbeatable, especially when topped by RVA’s own legends in the making, Municipal Waste. But show up on time for this one too, because California metallic hardcore rippers Take Offense kick it off, and their brand new third LP, Keep An Eye Out, shows just how ably they carry the legacy of late 80s thrash metal into the modern era. This will be a shred fest from beginning to end. My advice is that you do what you have to do to get a ticket.

Wednesday, October 9, 8 PM
Mr. Kitty, Pastel Ghost, Panic Priest @ Fallout – $8 in advance/$12 at the door (order tickets HERE)
If you don’t make it into the Broadberry tonight, you can always head down to Shockoe Bottom and join in with the gothic freaks dancing to spooky synth-pop at Fallout. You’ll be wearing black, they’ll be wearing black, you’ll fit right in. Tonight’s headliner is Mr. Kitty, an Austin-based electro-synth auteur who released a double LP, Ephemeral, earlier this year. While the album is every bit as likely to get your feet moving with darkened-dancefloor grooves, the fact is that Mr. Kitty wrote it about the suicide of a longtime friend. The resulting album is strongly influenced by grief and sadness, which come through in the minor-key melodies that add an emotional layer to the 30(!) dance anthems enclosed on Ephemeral.

Mr. Kitty’s Ephemerality tour brings him to town accompanied by another Austin electro-pop artist, Pastel Ghost, who released an excellent, dreamy LP entitled Ethereality last year, and thus provided the other half of the tour title. Pastel Ghost’s music is less dark and gothic, more dreamy and atmospheric, and at times reminds me of the way Grimes sounded at the time of her breakthrough 2012 LP, Visions (I have no idea what Grimes sounds like now). The result is excellent, making Pastel Ghost a perfect pairing with Mr. Kitty that’s sure to get the Fallout dance floor undulating. Gloomy baritone goth balladeer Panic Priest will bring a Sisters Of Mercy-ish sound to the evening as well, making this absolute ear candy for the fog-enshrouded dancefloor habitues of Fallout. Join them.

Thursday, October 10, 9 PM
Pigs Blood, ASM, Skullshitter, Bleeding Out @ Bandito’s – Free!
Things are going to get downright vicious at this Thursday night Bandito’s show, and I’m not talking about the kind of viciousness that occurs when I attack a plate of Bandito’s nachos, either. (Well, I’m not just talking about that kind of viciousness.) This show brings a brutal out-of-town band with a recent release on excellent Brooklyn label Stygian Black Hand to Richmond to join up with a local Stygian Black Hand band and rule the roost at one of the best taco places in town.

Pigs Blood hail from Milwaukee, and play what they like to describe as “bestial black/death war metal.” New LP A Flock Slaughtered adds the imprimatur of truth to that genre designation with ten tracks of gory, guttural rage to blast your head apart. Expect them to deliver a similar effect at Bandito’s this Thursday night. Their brutality will be matched by that of Richmond’s ASM (Antichrist Siege Machine), whose crawling early Carcass-style chaos is shown off to excellent effect on brand new LP Schism Perpetration. As a bonus treat, NYC’s Skullshitter and Toronto’s Bleeding Out will hit you with a heaping helping of the brutal grind chaos excellently displayed on their brand new split LP on Nerve Altar Records, a copy of which you will no doubt be able to score at the merch table after their set. Do it.

Friday, October 11, 9 PM
Alien Boys, Future Terror @ Wonderland – $10
The second I discovered Alien Boys, they delighted me. I hadn’t even heard a note of their music, but after so many bands full of men have given themselves “so-and-so girls” names, it makes me incredibly happy to see a band full of women (or at least non-men — some members use “they” pronouns) going with a “so-and-so boys” name. Outstanding — I love it. And fortunately for me, I also love Alien Boys’ music!

Their LP Night Danger is a rip-roaring blast of fast, catchy punk with urgent lyrics about the violence visited upon women in this patriarchal society — a message more people need to hear. It’s sure delivered in a delightful package; Alien Boys’ sound evokes memories of melodic punk ragers like The Gits, Naked Aggression, and The New Bomb Turks. When these “boys” pull up at Wonderland this Friday night, they’re going to rock you hard and leave you stoked. RVA speed demons Future Terror, who feature members of Asylum, Prisoner, and Enforced, will blast you with some powerful thrash to kick this one off, and you might just get a third band on the bill as well. Even if you don’t though, trust me, this lineup is awesome enough.

Saturday, October 12, 9 PM
Solar Halos, Holy Fingers, Horse Culture, Sibyl @ Wonderland – $10
If I am to be completely honest, I got pretty bored of that whole 70s-inspired doom metal wave a few years ago. However, it’s been nice over the past couple of years to see it mutate into a new wave of epic progressive psychedelic sludge, and the fact that we’re getting a double dose of that exact sort of thing at Wonderland this Saturday night is pretty delightful on the whole.

It begins with Chapel Hill riff-rockers Solar Halos, who display formidable talent and powerful creativity on their latest LP, Coiled Light. These space-traveling slow-motion riffs are sure to get your third eye wide open. Not to be outdone, Baltimore’s Holy Fingers will summon up the peyote-drenched desert landscapes of last year’s Holy Fingers II, taking you on a spectral acid trip that’s entirely their own. RVA sludgeheads Horse Culture will add their own locally-grown take on the sound into the mix, while local newcomers Sibyl take things in a hazier direction to kick off an excellent evening that’s sure to thrill all the lysergic travellers among you.

Sunday, October 13, 7 PM
Bedouine, Gus Seyffert @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $15 (order tickets HERE)
In recent years, there’s been a movement in serious record-nerd circles toward rediscovery of obscure folk artists who released albums on tiny labels with press runs in the low hundreds. Vashti Bunyan is just the tip of the iceberg; in 2019, if you really wanted to dig, you could find dozens of such artists, all of whom tap into an almost psychedelic atmosphere of minimal yet beautiful acoustic songwriting, which is given an unusual character by the lack of budget afforded them at the time. You might well wonder what those artists could have accomplished in a proper studio — but if you want to hear what an artist from that niche could have created had they been allowed to fully realize their vision, you have to turn to Bedouine.

Bedouine is the project of acoustic guitarist, singer, and songwriter Azniv Korkejian, who displays subtle yet undeniable prowess on this year’s Bird Songs Of A Killjoy. The lush string sections and jazzy, understated instrumental accompaniment given her voice and guitar on this album never overwhelm the gorgeous melodies and poignant lyrics Korkejian brings into the world with a relaxed grace that belies the powerful emotion at work in her music. Bedouine’s performance this Sunday night might require a quieter, more attentive posture than you’re used to engaging during rock n’ roll shows, but it’ll be 100 percent worth it. Listen closely — there’s an entire world within their music.

Monday, October 14, 7:30 PM
Mike Watt & The Missingmen, Piranha Rama, J. Clyde Morris @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $20 (order tickets HERE)
Mike Watt has been an absolute legend for decades now. An incredibly talented and influential bass player, he’s exercised formidable influence over the past 40 years of low-end sounds in the worlds of punk, jazz, alt-rock and more. His membership in groups like The Minutemen, fIREHOSE, The Stooges, J Mascis & The Fog, and a thousand others has led to his indelible imprint on pretty much every bass player who has picked up the instrument in the last 30 years (including me). And it’s allowed him to remain an incredibly busy guy, even at 60-plus years old. Now, after joining with the surviving members of 80s noise-punk deathtrippers Flipper for a European tour, he’s returned home to reactivate one of his several backing bands and head out on a solo jaunt across America.

The Missingmen was Mike Watt’s backing band on his most recent solo LP, 2011’s Hyphenated-Man — an excellent collection of invigorated tunes capturing the spirit of his classic work with The Minutemen and fIREHOSE. This 2019 tour, named “the Dick Watt tour” after Watt’s late father, sees a slightly rearranged Missingmen hitting the road to play a selection of faves from throughout Watt’s career, as well as a variety of covers that he’s made his own over the years. If you dig anything Mike Watt’s done, the set’s sure to offer some songs to make you smile in delighted recognition — and the rest of the time, you’ll be just as thrilled, because it’s Mike Watt and he absolutely wails on bass, just like he always has.

Tuesday, October 15, 7 PM
Mariee Sioux, Angelica Rockne @ Black Iris – $20 (order tickets HERE)
Two quiet acoustic folk shows in a week? Hey, my ears aren’t what they once were — and if you keep blowing yours out at loud metal shows, yours won’t be either. A couple of quiet nights listening to incredibly talented folk singers certainly won’t kill you — if anything, it’ll do the opposite. That’s particularly true when Mariee Sioux is at the top of the bill.

This Native American singer-songwriter has a very different approach than that of Bedouine, who we discussed earlier. As is made clear on her recently-released third album, Grief In Exile, her delicate fingerpicking and charming high vocal harmonies have an intricate and soothing effect. Sioux’s performance will display quiet beauty of a sort that’s sure to stick with you long after you leave Black Iris on this cool autumn Tuesday night.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Saturday, October 12, 6 PM
Lee Bains III & Glory Fires, Nana Grizol, Colebrooke @ Picker’s Alley (Fredericksburg) – $10 (order tickets HERE)
It’s a little too on-the-nose to call Lee Bains III & his Glory Fires glorious, isn’t it? That said, it’s an easy adjective to land on with this group, a ripping Southern punk band who mix heartland rock riffs with the roaring rage of classic American punk like MC5 and the Dead Boys, even as they consistently foreground a strong political consciousness that’s more than a little reminiscent of the Drive-By Truckers. Have you ever wished DBT were 25 percent less country and 25 percent more punk? If so, Lee Bains III & Glory Fires are definitely the band for you.

They’ll be hitting Fredericksburg this Saturday in the company of Nana Grizol, a band that simultaneously draws from roots in the American folk-punk scene of a decade ago and the psychedelic indie-pop Elephant 6 scene of the late 90s. Featuring former members of Defiance Ohio, Elf Power, Neutral Milk Hotel and many more, Nana Grizol combine the shambling melodic grace of folk-punk with the DIY pop psychedelia of the classic Elephant 6 bands, keeping you dancing with lovely tunes played on unexpected instruments, and an approach that is punk in execution even as it brings us a bounty of delightful pop gems. This duo of contrasting Southern punk groups will offer a cornucopia of genres for the delight of the Fredericksburg punks — and it could offer the same thing to you, if you’re willing to drive an hour north for a great show. And why wouldn’t you be?

Sunday, October 13, 8 PM
The Minks, Molly Drag, Past Life @ The Golden Pony (Harrisonburg) – $7 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
We all know by now that Nashville isn’t just for country music, right? Having brought us groups like Los Straitjackets, Be Your Own Pet, and Diarrhea Planet, that city has shown us all by now that it’s more than capable of rocking the fuck out. Therefore, it’s not really a surprise that their latest export is The Minks, a group driven by the “create or combust” approach of frontwoman Nikki Barber. This raison d’etre manifests itself on The Minks’ brand new LP, Light and Sweet, in some rollicking blues-garage rock n’ roll with a strong Southern twist and a ton of swaggering energy.

Grabbing hold of that powerful energy is the main reason for you to wrap up your weekend at Harrisonburg’s Golden Pony with the Minks, but openers Molly Drag and Past Life have quite a bit to offer in their own right. Molly Drag’s just-released Touchstone offers quite the contrast to what the Minks have to offer, in the form of introspective, emotional guitar-driven ballads that should appeal to the emo kids who’ve spent some nights sitting up alone in dark bedrooms. Philadelphia’s Past Life is a good bit more upbeat, bringing some indie-style power-pop that’s sure to offer a strong dose of energy to get this show kicked off in proper fashion. 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

Get Bit by the Beat with Piranha Rama

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This extensive ensemble explores a variety of genres and blends them into a sound that has captured the hearts of music fans near and far.

There’s no such thing as too much, too many, or too different for Piranha Rama. The local 12-piece ensemble of individually talented musicians — otherwise known as the Panorama — has been playing shows all over in odd numbers, with the goals of sharing the stage and sharing new musical ideas. 

“It works pretty great having so many members. They want to be there, and we love them for that,” said guitarist John Sizemore on the sheer size of Piranha Rama’s lineup. “When they can’t, we miss them. But we are all mutual fans of each others’ work, so we love to support them.” 

While it might not be possible to have every member play every show, there is no shortage of creative musical performances the band can come up with. In any number, and in any city, whichever parts of the Panorama are able to show up will put on a show: one that’ll take you on a sound journey through genres you couldn’t imagine would go so well together. 

Photo by Lauren Serpa Photography

“It’s a group of people with similar interests in music, but we also all have our wild cards,” said Sizemore. “We just get really excited by people’s various out-there ideas.” 

In their music, you can pluck out a psychedelic mix of rock ‘n roll, 60s style melody, a stellar brass section, and a theremin… that’s right, a theremin. It’s unique to the bone; as their Facebook puts it: “It’s like a party with a bite.” To back up this claim, earlier this month they released their newest album, You’ve Earned It, with as much flair and moody vibes as could be promised. 

To begin the writing process for these releases, a smaller set of musicians — typically, drummer Tim Falen, singer-bassist Chrissie Lozano, keyboardist Ryan Jones, and Sizemore — get together to work up ideas in their practice space before handing it over to the rest of the Panorama. From there, the songs truly become their own beings, fleshed out and fully formed to peak quality. 

“When it comes time to record or play any of the songs is when we’ll bring in the Panorama, as we call it, and they’ll usually work out the horn parts and percussion,” said Sizemore. “We are truly lucky to have people so talented that can work fast and with such vibrant creativity.” 

The Panorama features quite a few well-known players in the Richmond music scene; those involved include Angelica Garcia on theremin, Reggie Pace on trombone, Bio Ritmo’s Bob Miller on trumpet, and Kenneka Cook contributing vocals and percussion. In fact, pretty much everyone involved contributes vocals and percussion at one point or another. You’ll find all these players and more offering their talents on You’ve Earned It.

For Piranha Rama, working in such large numbers has been the most natural path for their growth, both physically and artistically. In order to find each other and end up in this current configuration, the members came together after seeing each other play in other bands all over the city. As projects ended, they came together, and explored their creative interests together. 

Photo by Garritos Photography

“I remember seeing Tim’s previous band, The Diamond Center, when they had just moved here from Texas roughly 10 years ago. At the time he was sporting a cape and a wild psychedelic painted face, and was on a mission to drum,” said Sizemore. “We have a lot of love and respect for each other, so it’s made working together a really great journey.” 

Following the release of You’ve Earned It, the Piranha Rama Panorama has lined up some shows to cover Virginia and reach as many listeners as they can. They’ll be playing shows throughout this upcoming holiday weekend: at Harrisonburg’s The Golden Pony on Thursday, August 29 (that’s tonight!), at Slash Run in Washington D.C. on Friday the 30th, the LAVA Mini-Fest at Toast in Norfolk on Saturday the 31st, and rounding out the weekend on Sunday night with a free show at Richmond’s own Bandito’s Burrito Lounge. More info can be found on the band’s Facebook page. 

So clear all the plans you had to spend this holiday weekend with your families at lousy BBQs, and come get bit by the beat with Piranha Rama.

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

VA Shows You Must See This Week: August 28 – September 3

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FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, August 31, 1 PM
Brockie Birthday Bash, feat. RAWG, Battlemaster, Occultist, Hewolf, Enhailer @ GWARBar – Free!
It can be a sad thing, to gather in celebration of a dead person’s birthday. However, Dave Brockie was never the sort of person to dwell on sadness, so when GWAR gathers the bohabs together this weekend in celebration of their late, lamented leader, it’s sure to be a party regardless. Things really kick off the day before this show, when the new monument to Brockie’s memory will be unveiled in Hollywood Cemetery. But then on Saturday afternoon, the parking lot of GWARBar will be transformed into a raging outdoor rock-a-thon to commemorate what would have been Brockie’s 56th birthday.

And what a rager it will be! GWAR themselves won’t be performing, but RAWG — their alter-ego from the days when Richmond had a ban against GWAR shows within the city limits — will headline this event, bringing you all the goofily hilarious thrash-metal power of a typical GWAR show… only without the costumes. It’ll be a headbanging good time regardless — after all, these guys have got some great tunes!

They’ve also got some great friends with excellent bands, and a lovely selection of Richmond metal tunesmiths will be taking the stage in support of the GWAR… er, RAWG headlining set on this lovely Saturday afternoon. Battlemaster’s swords n’ sorcery thrash metal is on the menu, as is Occultist’s blackened death rage, finally back to full-time activity after a few years of woodshedding. Hewolf sees the return to action of several longtime Richmond metal veterans from bands like Iron Reagan, Darkest Hour, Alabama Thunderpussy, and HRM, who bring us some groovy headbanging grunge-metal stomp. And Ohio’s Enhailer bring their mostly instrumental doom-sludge to town to liven things up. It’s gonna be an afternoon of amazingness, so don’t miss a moment of the happenings at GWARBar!

Wednesday, August 28, 9 PM
Silence In The Snow, Thief, Serqet @ Wonderland – $10
Here’s an evening of music that’s sure to bring some relief to all you gothic post-punkers currently wilting and melting away in the oppressive heat of Richmond’s scorching, sticky summer. Silence In The Snow brings an icy, fog-enshrouded sound from their home in the SF bay area to RVA tonight. On new LP Levitation Chamber, frontwoman Cyn M. picks out harsh, cold melodies on her electric guitar, while bearing a striking vocal resemblance to Siouxsie Sioux circa 1985.

The whole thing adds up to a spiky gothic postpunk sound that’s sure to thrill all the black-enshrouded night children who wait until darkness has fallen before they venture out of their air-conditioned chambers. Such habitues of the shadows are sure to also be intrigued by LA’s Thief, who bring a spooky electronic sound and a strong influence from sacred chants and medieval hymns to their postmodern gothic sound. And of course, Richmond’s own Serqet is in the house to provide a dose of their always-on-time anarcho-postpunk sound. When the sun goes down, head to Wonderland tonight — you’ll find what you’re looking for.

Thursday, August 29, 7 PM
Habibi, Fruit & Flowers, LIZA @ The Camel – $10 in advance/$13 day of show (order tickets HERE)
New York’s a multicultural place, and the melting pot culture it creates is clear in the music of Habibi. Reflecting the members’ Middle Eastern and Latin American heritage, this NYC group focuses on psychedelic garage pop from a variety of different traditions. On latest EP Cardamom Garden, they use layered vocal harmonies, hazy guitar textures, and rock n’ roll backbeats to create a sound that’s simultaneously reminiscent of The Byrds, The White Stripes, and Brazilian psych group Os Mutantes. The EP even includes a cover of 60s proto-punk classic “Green Fuz,” sung in Farsi — making that Middle Eastern influence that much clearer.

Habibi are joined on this trip to RVA by fellow New Yorkers Fruit & Flowers, who have a more American-oriented garage-punk bounce that’s shown off to excellent effect on their 2017 EP, Drug Tax. Like Habibi, this quartet will get you dancing around, but they’ve got a decidedly more uptempo approach that’ll keep your feet moving double-time throughout their set. This three-band lineup will be rounded out with a set by Richmond locals LIZA, who will bring a live, full-band expansion to the psychedelic bedroom pop tunes of singer-songwriter Liza Grishaeva. It’ll be a great way to start out an evening of delicious psych-pop excellence.

Friday, August 30, 9 PM
Deathcrown, Appalling, The Day Of The Beast, Gutterance @ Wonderland – $10
Death metal still rules. We all know it, even if we don’t always talk about it. But on a Friday night like this one, it becomes clear that the best way to spend our live music dollar is to head to Shockoe Bottom and let almighty death metal roll overtop of us in its own inimitable way. That’s the opportunity that Wonderland is offering us with this tour-kickoff show for Deathcrown and Appalling, a couple of the heaviest death metal bands currently active in this town.

Deathcrown’s been dishing out that raging sound that’s sure to appeal to fans of bands that came out of Florida in the 90s — think Morbid Angel, or Death themselves — for a while now, most recently on their 2018 split LP with Ribspreader, Comorbid Diagnosis. Meanwhile, Appalling take a more Scandinavian approach to raging speed on their recently-released LP, Inverted Realm, evoking the harsh snarling rage that you At The Gates fans can never get enough of. Virginia Beach rippers The Day Of The Beast will augment all this heavy-as-fuck pummelling with some furious death metal noise of their own, while King George-based newcomers Gutterance will get things kicked off in proper fashion. Come ready for serious headbangs — because you’re going to get them.

Saturday, August 31, 9 PM
Museum District, Hot Coffee @ The Dark Room – $5
When Saturday night comes around, it’s time to dance, and this weekend, The Dark Room has you covered, presenting a set by Museum District. Not actually a performance by an entire neighborhood (which was called “the Upper Fan” when I was living up there in the 90s, grumble grumble, I’m an old person who hates change), but instead a duo made up of two talented RVA musicians with credentials of their own. Jame Moorfield has been producing dancefloor bangers on his own around town for years now, while Anneliese is a fixture on the local music scene due both to her longtime membership in The Folly and her solo work.

When the two combine their talents, though, magic happens, and on recent EPs like Hairdown and I Like It, Museum District has unleashed some powerful disco-house grooves with strong diva-style vocal melodies and thrilling musical crescendoes. They’ll fill The Dark Room at The Hof with some powerful booty-shaking anthems this Saturday night, and you’ll want to save some energy throughout the day so you’re prepared to dance the night away with them. DC producer Hot Coffee will be warming up the joint with a set of his own, but Museum District is what this evening’s all about.

Sunday, September 1, 7 :30 PM
Leya, Thieves Of Shiloh @ Shockoe Denim – $10
If you’re a fan of musical experimentation, you’re definitely going to want to end your weekend at Shockoe Denim this weekend, regardless of who makes your pants. On this Sunday evening, Little Dumbo is bringing Leya to town, and this New York duo combines instruments with centuries of history into sounds that are unlike any you’ve heard before. Leya brings together harpist Marilu Donovan (Eartheater) and violinist Adam Markiewicz (PC Worship) in pursuit of a sound that has nothing to do with the classical music fields in which these instruments are normally deployed.

On their 2018 album The Fool, Leya run their instruments and their voices through a variety of effects and use unorthodox tunings to create otherworldly sounds that would be completely at home on the soundtrack to a horror movie, but also manage to evoke an atmospheric beauty. It’s the kind of thing that fans of Philip Glass or Diamanda Galas might tap into, but for most will take some getting used to. It’s worth the effort, though — this evening of unusual sounds is sure to be rewarding for all in attendance. Leya will be joined by local sound experimentalists Thieves Of Shiloh on this bill — news that’s sure to make attendees of Cheap Fest in years past very happy.

Monday, September 2, 8 PM
Danet Jackson, Bryan Fountain, The Gilberts @ The Camel – $5 in advance/$7 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Band names are getting weirder and weirder, y’all, and Danet Jackson might just be the weirdest one I’ve heard yet. That said, if you’re expecting a combination of The Dan Band and the lady who sang “Rhythm Nation” from this Richmond group, you may or may not be let down, as this group fronted by local singer-songwriter Dan Jackson (the name makes a little more sense now — but only a little) dishes out some shambolic bedroom indie-pop in a manner that evokes both Wavves and Washed Out. Or maybe that’s just me.

Either way, on recent LP Planet Danet, this group is better than you’d ever expect them to be based on the name. Give them a listen. And expect things to get even weirder when fellow Richmonder Bryan Fountain takes the stage, bringing a memorable form of psych-damaged hip hop that, at least to me, sounds like Lil Ugly Mane at times, Lil Uzi Vert at others. The man can definitely rhyme, but if you ask me, the weirdness is the best part. The stumbling, jangly punk-pop of The Gilberts rounds out this fun evening of Labor Day musical madness. Get with it.

Tuesday, September 3, 9 PM
Croy & The Boys, Bean Weatherford @ Fuzzy Cactus – $8
Fuzzy Cactus just opened a couple weeks ago, but they’re already integrating themselves into the Richmond live music scene, and that’s certainly a wonderful thing. This Tuesday night show is billed as “Totally Pauly Tuesdays,” and is apparently themed around which bartender is behind the bar, but as far as I’m concerned, the main reason you want to be at this show is because Austin, Texas’s Croy & The Boys are playing it. This quintet brings classic country, Western swing, and Tejano-style bounce to their classic Lone Star sound, but it’s frontman and chief songwriter Corey Baum’s wry, tongue-in-cheek approach that really makes them stand out.

On new LP Howdy High-Rise, fun songs like “A Song To Play The Next Time That I Meet Your Mother” and “For The First Time I’m Starting To Think About My Age” alternate with humorously-delivered but sincere laments about income inequality and working-class struggles that any Richmonder without a $75k a year Capital One job is sure to relate to. Singing along with “I’m Broke” by Croy & The Boys might not make you any richer, but it’ll bring a smile to your face this Tuesday night, and with the rent coming due any day now, that’s something we could all use.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Saturday, August 31, 4 PM
LAVA Mini-Fest, feat. Super Doppler, Piranha Rama, Court Street Company, The Heart Stompers, Dominy, Pet Name, Righter, Daniel Clark, Logan Vath, Deau Eyes, Pip The Pansy @ Toast – $12 in advance/$15 at the door (order tickets HERE)
We’ve definitely got a big afternoon outdoor fest of our own happening here in Richmond this weekend, but if you’re not feeling like an afternoon of metal, you certainly can’t go wrong heading down 64 E to join our indie-rock pals from Norfolk-based LAVA, who are throwing a one-day fest of their own at Norfolk’s own Toast this Saturday evening. It’s jam-packed with talent, too, and topping the bill is Super Doppler, whose Beatlesque psychedelic pop sound has been a Tidewater treat for years now. They’re about to release their self-titled debut album, and this show will mark the official release celebration, so get ready to party with them!

But there’s a lot more happening at this party, so you’ll want to show up early and plan to stay all night. RVA’s own Piranha Rama have been making their mark in the region with their unique, multi-layered indie-psych sound over the past year or two, and if you haven’t gotten down with that yet, the time has definitely come. There’s plenty more to enjoy on this bill as well, from Norfolk alt-country veterans The Heart Stompers to Atlanta pop goddess Pip The Pansy and even a solo set from Richmond’s own Deau Eyes. There’s even more than that, but we frankly don’t have the space to go through it all — you’re just going to have to show up and find out for yourself. Trust us, it’s worth the trip.

Sunday, September 1, 7:30 PM
The Alarm, Modern English, Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel @ The NorVA – $25 in advance/$30 at the door (order tickets HERE)
The UK punk explosion of the late 70s affected a lot of musicians, and in the next few years, the punk-influenced musicians of the British Isles went in a variety of different directions, from the noisy, ferocious hardcore of Discharge to the experimental weirdness of Flux Of Pink Indians. Welsh group The Alarm represent yet another branch on that post-punk evolutionary tree, having landed on an acoustically-fueled anthemic sound with a ringing, emotional power that retained all of the furious defiance of the classic first-wave punk bands. On 1984 debut Declaration, the band staked out a sound somewhere between U2, The Pogues, and The Clash at their arena-filling height.

35 years later, The Alarm is still marching on, and despite only retaining original singer Mike Peters throughout their career, the group currently features former members of Gen X and Joe Strummer’s Mescaleros, so the fact that their 17th album, Sigma, released earlier this year, still shows plenty of their arena-filling anthemic power only makes sense. They come to The NorVA this weekend in the company of two other 80s UK post-punk powerhouses — Modern English, about whom I need only say four words: “I Melt With You”; and Gene Loves Jezebel, best remembered for their late 80s gothic glam-rock smash, “Jealous.” If you loved the big anthemic sound of the 80s New Wave, this is your 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]

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

VA Shows You Must See This Week: August 21 – August 27

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FEATURED SHOW
Sunday, August 25, 7 PM
Red Death, Enforced, Dead & Dreaming, Loud Night, Mutually Assured Destruction @ The Camel – $10
We here at RVA Mag have had quite a bit of discussion, both in this very column and in other places, about Enforced’s brand new LP, At The Walls, so to call it a hotly anticipated local release would certainly be more than fair. Now the official release celebration for the album has finally arrived, and rocking out at this jam-packed hardcore/punk/metal show is sure to be the perfect capper to your weekend.

DC residents and recent Century Media signees Red Death, who share members with Enforced and are preparing to release a new LP of their own, are at the top of the heap here, and while it’s Enforced’s party, these guys stand out as guests of honor on their own behalf. 2017’s Formidable Darkness LP was the first with their current four-piece lineup and finds them leaning hard into the thrashier aspects of their crossover metallic hardcore sound, bringing to mind both 80s legends like Exodus and Dark Angel as well as current rulers like Power Trip and Richmond’s own Iron Reagan. These guys are going to lay waste to the Camel, so get ready.

And you also need to be ready for Enforced, whose dark thrash-core sound is both terrifying and galvanizing, and is sure to get you hella excited for thousands of At The Walls needle-drops to come. But we hope you’re parked close by, because you’re gonna want to get that LP to the safety of your car before the set starts and the pit starts moving. With three other incredible bands on the bill, including the first local show for RVA HC all-stars Mutually Assured Destruction (it’s Ace’s new new band, and his vocals are at a whole new level), you’ll really just want to get there the second they open the doors.

Wednesday, August 21, 8 PM
God Module, Finite Automata, Absynthe Of Faith @ Fallout – $8 in advance/$12 at the door (order tickets HERE)
If you’ve paid attention in the goth-industrial music world of the past 20 or so years, you’re sure to recognize that Metropolis Records has brought us a lot of the best work that’s come out of that genre — from Front Line Assembly to VNV Nation, and beyond. God Module may not be one of the first names that comes to mind when you think of that label’s rich history, but they have been one of the more consistent groups on Metropolis over the past 15 years or so, moving from early dancefloor classics like “Spooky” to their recently-released 11th LP, The Unsound.

On The Unsound, Jasyn Bangert and co. continue to work magic with the combination of dark synth moods, pounding electronic beats, and sinister yet somehow inviting vocals, which has situated them right on the borderline between industrial pound and gothic atmosphere throughout their lengthy career. At Fallout tonight, they’ll be bringing the pounding beats to get your shiny black Docs stomping on the floor, even as their downbeat melodies fill your heart with passion. It may be the heart of August, but black attire is definitely recommended for this one no matter how hot and humid it is outside.

Thursday, August 22, 7 PM
Death Valley Girls, Craig Brown Band, Piranha Rama @ Gallery 5 – $12 (order tickets HERE)
I’m not sure the cliched stereotype of the “valley girl” has any cultural currency in the year 2019, but back in the early 80s when Frank Zappa (and his daughter Moon Unit) had a novelty hit called “Valley Girl” while Nic Cage starred in a movie of the same name, it definitely meant something. That stereotype of a rambunctious teenage girl who hangs out at the mall (do people even go to malls anymore?) and is always on the phone (OK, this part still rings true) is what Death Valley Girls are subverting, both in their name and in their dark yet catchy psychedelic sound.

Considering they come from LA, they’re sure to have plenty of inspiration for such a subversion. They let it loose on albums like 2018’s Darkness Rains, which channels everything from The Stooges and Jane’s Addiction to Romeo Void in its foreboding tales of West Coast excess. When Death Valley Girls hit the stage at Gallery 5, they’ll bring plenty of lysergic noise, but you’ll still have a ton of catchy pop hooks to dance to underneath it all. With accompaniment from Third Man recording artist Craig Brown, formerly of the Terrible Twos, and his band, plus Piranha Rama acting as an excellent local opener, this one’s sure to knock your socks off. That’s OK — dance barefoot.

Friday, August 23, 8 PM
Gary Clark Jr, Blackillac, Peterson Brothers @ The National – $44 in advance/$47.50 day of show (order tickets HERE)
We’ve known for a while that Gary Clark Jr. is an incredibly talented guitarist who brings a 21st century feel to the classic-rock-radio staple genre of electric blues. However, if you thought (as I did for a while) that genre was too played out for even a talented player to truly breathe new life into it, you really need to give Clark a second look this year. His third album, This Land, is fueled by the juxtaposition of his fiery chops and some real anger about the state of the world today, specifically in Trump’s racist America.

The album’s opening title track is startling in its harsh, confrontational lyrics, and hits all the harder for it. On that track and others, like “When I’m Gone” and “Don’t Wait Til Tomorrow,” Clark fuses modern R&B and hip hop sounds with his always-killer riffing and powerful, soulful vocals. It’s a sound sure to delight a wide spectrum of music lovers, and while there’s no shame in having overlooked him up to now (I did too), the time has come to give Gary Clark Jr. your attention. Do so at the National this Friday night — you won’t regret it.

Saturday, August 24, 7 PM
Psychic Graveyard, Hex Machine, Bermuda Triangles @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Things are gonna get downright weird over at Capital Ale House’s Richmond Music Hall on Saturday when Psychic Graveyard arrive, and if I tell you that this band features former members of Arab On Radar and Chinese Stars, that might just clue you in on how weird it’s gonna get. Psychic Graveyard maintain the same sort of tenuous connection to postpunk’s experimental fringe that was present in their previous bands, but interjects a greater emphasis on programmed beats and synth-driven sounds — though it’d feel more than a little disingenuous to call their music “danceable” in any conventional sense.

What it is is noisy and bizarre, the same sort of unconventional strangeness that fans of the members’ previous bands loved so much. Therefore it’s no surprise to find them sharing this bill with fellow noise veterans Hex Machine and Bermuda Triangles, both of whom have unique sounds of their own to offer. Hex Machine’s heavy, metallic postpunk sound shines on recently-released LP Cave Painting, their first in nearly six years and a much-desired return to action from this stomping RVA trio. Meanwhile, Bermuda Triangles are carrying on with the same percussion-driven mutant space funk they’ve been dishing out for years now; their presence on this bill certainly warrants bringing your dancing shoes, even if Psychic Graveyard kinda doesn’t.

Sunday, August 25, 7 PM
Big Business, A Deer A Horse, Tel @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Big Business is back once again, and this power duo is now going on 15 years of proving that you don’t need a guitar to be heavy as hell. Bassist Jared Warren and drummer Coady Willis spent several years making up one-half of the Melvins, so their pedigree is certainly not in question, but their sixth LP, The Beast You Are, released earlier this year, shows that they can bowl you over just fine on their own. They’ll do so with aplomb when they hit Capital Ale House this Sunday for their first appearance in Richmond in over a decade (raise your hand if you also saw them last time they were here, when they opened for the Blood Brothers).

Big Business excels at ferocious riffs that continually batter your brain and compel you to furious headbangs, so it’s only appropriate that they share this bill with Brooklyn’s A Deer A Horse, who do much the same on recently-released EP Everything Rots That Is Rotten. From bombastic sludge to foreboding doom, the many moods of A Deer A Horse are all powerful, and all dark. Local sludge-doom powerhouse Tel will kick this one off with a slow-motion rumble that’ll set the whole night off onto a powerful course. Make sure you’re on board this train.

Monday, August 26, 9 PM
Bask, Manzara, Crimson Heat @ Cary Street Cafe – $10
Let’s keep the heaviness rolling straight on into the working week, shall we? With Bask coming to town from their NC mountain home, we certainly will! This metal powerhouse brings epic song structures, killer riffs, and soaring vocal prowess together to create masterful metallic beauty on their 2017 LP, Ramble Beyond, and whether you dig Led Zeppelin, Spirit Caravan, Neurosis, or Queens Of The Stone Age, you’re sure to find something to love from these talented North Carolinians when they take the Cary Street Cafe stage.

They’ll be joined there by a couple of shining examples of Richmond musical excellence. The first is Manzara, whose energetic yet spaced-out postpunk has been making a mark on the local scene for a while. If you’re not up on it, this is your perfect opportunity to get familiar. Plus, you’ll get a performance from a brand new Richmond supergroup, Crimson Heat, which features veterans from past RVA stoner warriors like Sinister Haze, Stone Woman, and Heathens. Get into this one — it’s gonna start your week off right!

Tuesday, August 27, 8 PM
Super Low, Manatree, Gnawing @ The Camel – $7 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
It’s a heavy week here in RVA, but not every show has to crush your head, right? If you’re ready to trade in the headbangs for some charming pop melodies that’ll make you smile, The Camel’s got you covered this Tuesday night, as Memphis pop artisans Super Low roll into town with some downright delightful indie pop sounds. They showed off their talents earlier this summer with the release of their self-titled debut LP, and you’ll definitely want to hear all of those excellent tunes in person when they roll through town this Tuesday night.

This show will also feature the latest incarnation of Manatree, now a trio with a stronger focus than ever on electronic textures in addition to their complex, talented indie song structures. They showed off this Radiohead-meets-Four Tet approach on the Rough Designs EP, released last spring, and it will certainly be fascinating to see them recreate these multi-layered, synth-rich tunes in a live environment. We’ll also get a performance from Gnawing, a killer local grunge-rock combo who certainly know how to bring the Dinosaur Jr and Superchunk vibes, if last year’s self-titled debut EP is any indication. And I’d say it probably is.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Friday, August 23, 8 PM
Corrosion Of Conformity, Crowbar, Quaker City Night Hawks, Lo-Pan @ Elevation27 – $25 (order tickets HERE)
I’m sure there are a lot of old heads out there like me, for whom the name Corrosion Of Conformity summons up memories of the North Carolina band’s early days as progenitors of the crossover hardcore sound of the mid-80s. However, we’d by lying if we pretended that this band weren’t better known in 2019 for the sludgy Southern-fried metal boogie sounds they cranked out throughout the 90s and early 00s. Fans of that COC sound may have been a little bummed when the band spent several years at the beginning of this decade in their original trio lineup, focusing on their early crossover work.

However, they’re bound to be stoked that COC has reunited with vocalist Pepper Keenan to crank out another heaping helping of that powerful metal roar on 2018’s No Cross No Crown. COC will be firing on all cylinders when they bring the classic Deliverance/America’s Volume Dealer lineup to Norfolk this Friday night. They’ll be accompanied by their longtime compatriots in New Orleans’ own swamp-sludge metal heroes Crowbar, who remain at peak form after nearly 30 years as a band, as shown on 2016 LP The Serpent Only Lies. This hellacious bill is rounded out by Texas rock n’ roll groovers Quaker City Night Hawks and Norfolk’s own Lo-Pan, this is gonna be a night to remember — one full of headbangs.

Saturday, August 24, 8 PM
BRAINxTOILET, Needle, Neck Breather, Ixias, Ancient Torture Techniques, Redundant Protoplasm, Kept In Line, Cybernetic Warkrab @ RiffHouse Pub – $8
Hey speed demon — are you feeling unfulfilled by the excess of sludgy heaviness on this week’s docket? Well then you better break all speed records heading down 64 East this Saturday night, because you’ve got a show full of absolute grindcore madness waiting for you at RiffHouse Pub. I’m talking about this show, which features several different maniacal grind ensembles from around the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as quite a few homegrown VA talents to keep your head spinning with hyperspeed blastbeat mayhem.

North Carolina’s BRAINxTOILET are at the top of the bill, and their ferocious power has the same sort of grotty rage built into it that we saw from past NC grind maniacs Dead In The Dirt. DC’s Needle have a cleaner b but no less maniacal approach to their grind blitzkrieg, recalling DC-area grind legends of the past like Daybreak and early Pig Destroyer. Where locals are concerned, Tidewater grind legends Ancient Torture Techniques appear to have gone from broken up to doing occasional reunions back to full-time action, so that’s always a cause for celebration. Meanwhile, Chesapeake’s Kept In Line has brought us my favorite demo of 2019 so far, in any genre, so you definitely don’t want to miss them. Pissed-off straight edge grindcore, I love it! There are four more bands I haven’t even talked about on this bill, but I’m sure I’m pushing the limits of the attention span for all you grind freaks, so I’ll just wrap it up by saying: get thee to RiffHouse Saturday night, where all your blastbeat cravings will be satisfied.

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

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elsewhere around the state:

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

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

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

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

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

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