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VA Shows You Must See This Week: February 12 – February 18

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FEATURED SHOW
Sunday, February 16, 7 PM
Talk Me Off, Doll Baby, Pedals, Xed Out @ Gallery 5 – $8 (order tickets HERE)
Where music is concerned, Richmond always has a lot going on, and in recent years, that activity has spread across a more widespread spectrum of genres than ever. That’s to be applauded. At the same time, this city would lose something if our longtime status as a hotbed of punk rock ever were to dry up. Therefore the fact that there’s no sign of that happening anytime soon is certainly a great sign for Richmond’s musical health as we head into the roaring(-with-frustration) 20s.

The latest standard bearer for Richmond punk rock is Talk Me Off, a local trio with a knack for expressing the archetypal punk emotions of alienation and frustration through quick, peppy songs with driving beats and scraping guitars paired with an always-strong sense of melody that keeps the whole thing from being just another atonal blurt. Talk Me Off are on the cusp of releasing their debut LP, Cursed, on longtime Richmond punk label Say-10, and whether you love that classic punk sound to the very core of your being or are just looking for a good musical outlet for your frustrations at being alive in Trump’s America in 2020, Talk Me Off are in great position to provide you with your fix.

They’ll be releasing Cursed into the world at Gallery 5 this Sunday night, and you can expect its release to be accompanied by a fiery set of catchy uptempo tunes to get you bouncing. And in addition to Talk Me Off’s celebratory headlining set, you’ll also get some great sounds from an additional trio of Richmond punk bands. These include the twangy, emotional sounds of Doll Baby, the long-running folk-punk talents of Pedals (On Our Pirate Ships… I’m still not sure if the name has officially been shortened or not), and newcomers Xed Out, who feature former members of Smoke Or Fire and The Bled, so you know they’ve got a lot to offer. Be there for this one and appreciate the latest evolution of a storied Richmond tradition.

Wednesday, February 12, 7:30 PM
The Wood Brothers, Kat Wright @ The National – $23 in advance/$26 at door (order tickets HERE)
Where folk music is concerned, things can sometimes get a little predictable. However, the Wood Brothers manage to avoid this issue by bringing quirky influences and a wide-ranging background to bear on the songs they create. Singer-guitarist Oliver Wood consistently comes up with interesting lyrics that avoid cliche, while bassist Chris Wood brings a funky jazz approach into the group, derived from his longtime membership of legendary trio Medeski, Martin & Wood.

The Wood Brothers just released their eighth album, Kingdom In My Mind, a few weeks ago, and as fans have come to expect, it moves across a variety of different genres to dip into everything from folk and jazz to blues and soul. That broad musical sensibility is sure to result in a live performance that takes listeners to a variety of musical places, all of which the Wood Brothers will inhabit with sure-footed talent, and all of which are guaranteed to please you and make your Wednesday night a brighter, happier affair than it otherwise might be. And here in the midst of a listless Virginia winter, who doesn’t need that?

Thursday, February 13, 7 PM
Plastic Nancy, Deli Kings, Toward Space, Majjin Boo @ Poor Boys – $5
It feels like we just got into 2020, so it’s heartening to see what an active year the Richmond music scene is already having. Plastic Nancy and Prsmcat Presents are both good examples; the Majjin Boo/Spooky Cool-affiliated booking company has really ramped up the amount of good music coming out of Poor Boys and given that venue a shot in the arm that will help ensure that it’s a worthy successor to Flora and Balliceaux before it.

And at this Thursday’s latest locally-focused Prsmcat show, Richmond psych ensemble Plastic Nancy are celebrating the release of their latest album, which should certainly lend a candy-colored dayglo atmosphere to the early months of 2020 here in the river city. On Last Of The Electric Flowers, the boys of Plastic Nancy embrace an acid-drenched atmosphere that manages to avoid outright retro nods in favor of a 21st century sensibility that nonetheless captures the greatness of all those spaced-out bands of the late 60s that we know and love. Revel in the all-encompassing mood they create, and enjoy three other immensely talented RVA bands while you’re at it, at Poor Boys this Thursday night. You won’t be sorry.

Friday, February 14, 8 PM
Lightmare, ZunZun, Prabir Trio, Past Palms @ Gallery 5 – $5-7 (order tickets HERE)
I may be married now, but for a long time, Valentine’s Day was a big bummer of a holiday for me, so I know there are probably a lot of people out there just hoping Friday comes and goes as quickly and painlessly as possible. And Gallery 5/Raw Mom Presents’ Rivanna Youngpool knows this too, which is why she’s reviving her tradition of throwing big fun shows on Valentine’s Day for this Friday night shindig. If you were at either of the ridiculous Valentine’s Day shows that took place at Sour Haus back in the day, you know how amazing this evening has the potential to be — especially at Gallery 5, a place that’s much more able to handle the crowd this is likely to draw than the kitchen of our old place in Church Hill ever was.

It’s not just eating candy hearts and spending the evening with friends that’ll get us through this one emotionally unscathed, though — it’s really great music. And Raw Mom Presents has a killer lineup awaiting us this Friday night, topped by DC’s uncategorizable DIY powerhouse, Lightmare. Expect something somewhere between soul, punk, synth-pop, disco, and garage rock from this six-piece combo with creative energy to spare. I have no idea who ZunZun are (googling only turned up a husband-and-wife flute duo from California who I can’t imagine are on this bill), but it’ll certainly be interesting to find out, and we’ll get a set from the Prabir Trio, the latest vehicle to bring us the ever-reliable pop songcraft of Mr. Prabir Mehta. All that plus newcomer Past Palms — plus, I’d be willing to bet there will be sour hearts. I’m calling it now: Gallery 5 is where you need to be for V-Day this year.

Saturday, February 15, 8 PM
Nosebleed, Ugly Muscle, Sweeties, Phantómódel @ Boogaloo’s – Donations requested
Here’s a show that’s an awesome confluence of three things that are already awesome on their own: political action, tattoos, and hardcore punk. This punk-as-fuck gig at Brookland Park’s Boogaloo’s is coordinated with International Tattoo Flash Day, an initiative created by tattoo artists in Santiago, Chile and Atlanta, GA to get as many people as possible tattooed in support of Chilean political prisoners in the wake of a massive government crackdown against citizen protests that began last October. All money raised at the door of this gig will go toward the families of Chilean prisoners, so whether or not you’re into getting a tattoo yourself, you’ll be able to support the cause.

You’ll also be able to hear some excellent sounds from several local hardcore/punk groups, starting with Nosebleed, who’ve recently released a fierce, incendiary EP called Outside Looking In on hardcore powerhouse Triple B Records. Expect this set to be galvanizing in the extreme, and you can expect similar from Ugly Muscle, a slightly more ramshackle and chaotic combo that will nonetheless bring all the furious energy that Nosebleed contains to bear on its own set. Sweeties are much noisier and less melodic than their name would suggest, while Phantómódel, a new incarnation of Thin Pigeon, offer a postpunk sound full of moody energy. This will be a great night for a great cause — you should really be part of it.

Sunday, February 16, 6 PM
Mean Jeans, Brower, The Ar-Kaics, Sports Bar @ Hardywood – Free!
A lot of people credit the Ramones for having invented punk rock, and many of them feel that the music made by those four New York weirdos in leather jackets has never been improved on. Therefore, it can’t be too much of a surprise that, even after the Ramones spent over 20 years cranking out album after album of their stripped-down, razor-sharp, but always incredibly catchy tunes, there are still bands out here trying to find new ways to wring glory out of that classic Ramones sound.

That’s where Mean Jeans comes in. Having existed for over a decade now, this toe-tapping trio released their fifth album of Ramones-worshipping punk ditties, Gigantic Sike, last year on Fat Wreck Chords. And even if you’ve heard every Ramones song a thousand times, that album and this performance by Mean Jeans at Hardywood on Sunday are guaranteed to prove that there’s still magic left in that classic (one-two-three-)formula. The evening will also feature a performance from New York’s Brower, a glam-punk/power-pop solo project sure to keep you smiling. And of course, consistently talented Virginia punk rockers The Ar-Kaics and Sports Bar open this one up with the retro-garage rock and punky power-pop that you’ve respectively come to expect from them. Get stoked for this one.

Monday, February 17, 7 PM
Ceremony, Loud Night, Ghouli @ Gallery 5 – $13 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
A warning only necessary in Virginia: This show does not feature the group called Ceremony from central Virginia. However, a warning for hardcore kids who haven’t checked back with the Cali Ceremony in a while — this show doesn’t exactly feature the band that made Violence Violence in 2006, either. Oh sure, it’s still the same people, but for the past decade or so, they’ve been moving further and further afield from the fast, angry hardcore that made their name.

That’s really obvious on last year’s In The Spirit World Now, Ceremony’s sixth album and first in four years. Singer Ross Farrar long since traded his harsh bark for a Gang Of Four-ish yelp with occasional dips into outright melody, while the guitars and increasingly present synths have moved away from the distorted and atonal in favor of a UK postpunk sound that might remind you of Joy Division or Echo and the Bunnymen, but certainly not the harsh fastcore of Ceremony’s early albums. Nonetheless, there’s still a lot to love here, including a propulsive energy that takes a vastly different form but remains intact from the band’s earliest works, one that makes singles like “Turn Away The Bad Thing” every bit as essential as Rohnert Park once was. If you’re bummed Ceremony shows don’t feature massive pits anymore, you might be tempted to skip this one, but I encourage you to open your mind and give it a shot. This is sure to be a thrilling evening of musical bliss, even if it’s not quite what you once expected from this talented band.

Tuesday, February 18, 7 PM
Flor, Winnetka Bowling League, Castle OG @ The Broadberry – $15-18 (order tickets HERE)
There are some intriguing things happening in the world of guitar-based pop over the past couple of years, and the success of bands like the 1975 is heartening for anyone who was afraid this stuff was going to fall permanently out of the mainstream musical discourse a few years ago. LA’s Flor are in a prime position to benefit from this resurgence, as on their 2019 album Ley Lines, they dabble in a similar sort of delicate, bouncy pop as that of the 1975 — one that always focuses on the sounds created by the band’s guitars and voices, even though it’s never particularly harsh or loud.

Perhaps we’ve finally gotten far enough past Nirvana for the distorted paradigm they created to lose its lengthy period of ubiquity, and I know there’ll be some out there who are bummed out to think of that, but when bands like Flor are out here on tracks like “Slow Motion” showing how much can still be done with an approach that focuses on playful melodies and delicacy rather than noise, it’s hard to see it as all that tragic. See what sort of magic Flor is able to weave in the live environment at The Broadberry this Tuesday night, and learn to embrace the non-crunchy guitar wave.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Friday, February 14, 8 PM
Witchbaby @ Blue Moon Diner (Charlottesville) – Free!
An alternate approach to Valentine’s Day is available this Friday night in Charlottesville, and it’s being brought to you by Witchbaby, the mother-daughter combo of Catherine Monnes and Sally Rose. You may know Rose for her role at the heart of C-ville’s own Shagwuf, and both are members of the Sally Rose Band, which features a song in its repertoire entitled “Witchbaby” — so it all comes full circle. This stripped-down duo finds Monnes’ cello and electric violin joining with Rose’s guitar and both members’ voices to create a more intimate version of the psychedelic folk-rock the full-scale Sally Rose Band brings to you so consistently.

This Valentine’s Day appearance by Witchbaby at Charlottesville’s Blue Moon Diner is a free gathering offering a welcome space for all — whether lovers or lonely hearts — to spend a holiday that is often fraught and difficult on an emotional level. If you’re looking for your V-Day to be a quiet, pressure-free evening, Witchbaby’s soothing musical presence is sure to help you attain what you seek. And who knows, you might make a friend, or at least find a new musical love.

Saturday, February 15, 7:30 PM
Amanda Shires, LA Edwards @ The Jefferson Theater (Charlottesville) – $25 (order tickets HERE)
There are a few different reasons you might be aware of singer/fiddler Amanda Shires; her frequent collaborations with her husband Jason Isbell and his band the 400 Unit is one of them. Another is her role in The Highwomen, an all-female take on the classic outlaw-country supergroup The Highwaymen featuring Shires, Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, and Natalie Hemby.

However, it would be a bad idea to let her collaborations with other talented songwriters steal the spotlight from Shires’ own work as a bandleader, most recently showed off on 2018’s To The Sunset. On that album, her songwriting skills shine through in her evocative lyrics, even as the fuller sound her band on the album (which features Jason Isbell himself, returning the favor) takes her folk-country sound to a new level that, yes it’s true, outright rocks. You’ll be able to see her rock these tunes out for yourself at The Jefferson this Saturday night, but only because they moved this show up from The Southern after it sold out in a heartbeat. So yeah, get with the program if you haven’t already. Go see Amanda Shires.

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

VA Shows You Must See This Week: December 11 – December 17

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FEATURED SHOW
Friday, December 13, 7 PM
Ghost Of Pop 2019, feat. Palm Palm (Photo by Ashley Travis Photography), Deli Kings, Saw Black, Prabir Trio, Aster @ Gallery 5 – $5 in advance/$10 at the door (order tickets HERE)
I don’t think it’s arguable that we’re right in the thick of the holiday season at this point, folks. Christmas is two weeks away, New Year’s Eve and an end to 2019 a week beyond that. Everyone’s cramming the big-box stores, shopping malls, and post offices to take care of last minute present-related needs, and then heading out to a whole passel of big year-ending shows once night falls. There are a ton of those big shows happening this week — more than I had room for in this column, by a good bit. However, in a week that also features the annual South Hill Snowdown, yet another two-night helping of Punks For Presents, and the annual No BS! Brass food drive at the Broadberry, it seemed most important to me to tell you about Ghost Of Pop at Gallery 5.

Ghost Of Pop is an annual throwdown that is the brainchild of Prabir Mehta, a guy who’s been making all sorts of musical, artistic, and scientific things happen around this town for well over a decade now. Every year, he brings together a solid collection of Richmond musicians to present their varying takes on what it means to play “pop music” in the 21st century. The bands are joined by a ton of holiday vendors and a proper holiday party, featuring drinks, photo booths, and a whole ton of holiday cheer to make the entire evening far more memorable than just another local-band showcase.

This year, Ghost Of Pop is headed up by Palm Palm, a band that, on the heels of J. Roddy Walston & The Business’s last show for the foreseeable future two weeks ago, becomes by default the main project J. Roddy is working on. Also featuring members of The Trillions, The Southern Belles, and The Milkstains, among many others, this band has a pedigree sufficient to guarantee a great rockin’ time for all when they’re onstage. We’ll also get a set from local singer-songwriter Saw Black; in light of the season and his recent release of a proper Christmas album, it seems likely that we’ll be getting a holiday-centric set from this fine fella, and that’s sure to be a lovely treat. Of course, Prabir’s current project, the Prabir Trio, will be on hand to present their anthems in praise of Bamboo Cafe and others, while appetite-driven rock n’ rollers Deli Kings and youthful bedroom-pop project Aster round out the bill in outstanding fashion. Head to Gallery 5 this Friday night and get in the spirit.

Wednesday, December 11, 8 PM
R4nd4zzo & Co, feat. Andrew Randazzo, Marcus Tenney, Jackson Shurlds, Alan Parker, Devonne Harris @ Poor Boys – $5
This time of year, the main place you’d expect to encounter bassist extraordinaire Andrew Randazzo is at the head of his R4ND4ZZO Bigband playing classic Vince Guaraldi compositions from the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack. Rest assured, he and his many compatriots are still doing that this year, and you can catch them at least once more between now and December 25 if you play your cards right. But this show is another matter entirely, and it’s a chance to see Andrew Randazzo do what he does best the other 11 months out of the year.

This evening finds Randazzo heading up a jazz quintet that will bring him together with a couple of his bandmates from Butcher Brown as well as several other Virginia jazz heavyweights of his generation. Expect things to be loose and unscripted, but not aimless or boring — all of these musicians are experienced with improvisation and are sure to bring some outstanding sounds to the back room at Poor Boys. If you want to know what’s going on with jazz here in Richmond, this is the place to be tonight. You know what to do.

Thursday, December 12, 7:30 PM
Manas, Gardener @ Shockoe Denim – $10
Here’s an intriguing musical prospect brought to us by Little Dumbo, the experimental music aficionados who’ve been presenting delightfully unexpected evenings of unusual sounds around town for the past couple of years now. This time around, they’re bringing the North Carolina-based duo Manas to Shockoe Denim, and there’s no doubt that the expensive jeans will be threaded just a little differently when the evening is done.

Manas features Bhutanese guitarist Tashi Dorji, who came to the United States as a teenager, cut his teeth on the wild, politically-driven hardcore of bands like His Hero Is Gone, then moved in an experimental direction. He collaborates in Manas with drummer Thom Nguyen, an experienced noise-rock veteran, and the two of them combine abstract free-jazz improvisations with raging noise explosions in a manner that generates a great deal of fantastic tension and will leave listeners on the edge of their seat to see what this group of talented musicians will do next. You won’t know unless you’re there, so plan your Thursday evening now, because you don’t want to miss this.

Friday, December 13, 6:30 PM
Little River Creek Police, Righter, Sid Kingsley @ Hardywood – Free!
December can be a bit rough sometimes; what money you don’t have tied up in keeping the lights on and the rent paid gets eaten up by Christmas shopping, and the next thing you know, you’re sitting home every night watching Christmas specials from the 80s on YouTube because you can’t afford to go out. Well, we certainly know your pain on this one, but this Friday night, you’re in luck, because there’s a free show happening at Hardywood that would be worth your time even if you had to pay for it.

Little River Creek Police are celebrating the release of their latest single, “Yuri,” at Hardywood this Friday night. Following up their debut EP, Quiet The Ruckus, this catchy new tune finds the trio moving in a more immediate direction that adds some rough-n-ready folk-punk appeal to their jangly pop sweetness. Their set at Hardywood is sure to keep your feet moving, and you’ll be lucky enough to get sets from local indie mainstays Righter and Sid Kingsley in the bargain. See? There are still things to go out and enjoy even if you did spend your last dollar to send your mom a Christmas card. Now go enjoy yourself.

Saturday, December 14, 9 PM
Edhochuli, Inter Arma, Archbishop @ Mojo’s – $10 suggested donation
I love it when hardcore bands stick around for over a decade. The main reason I say that is because it’s always intriguing to see the ways a group evolves in a genre where most bands don’t even make it to a second album before falling apart. Edhochuli, who take their name from the most muscular referee in the world of pro football, have been cranking out excellent chaotic hardcore from the land of Pittsburgh for a very long time now, always with excellent results — results which seem to get heavier and more epic in scope with each new release. Their most recent is 2015’s Dream Warriors LP, so at this point it’s high time for them to bring us something new, and we can certainly hope they’ve got a bunch of new songs in their quivers for this performance.

Meanwhile, Inter Arma has been blazing an epic metallic path of their own for over a decade themselves, remaining ambitious and creative on their fourth full-length, Sulphur English, released earlier this year. Their tendency toward long, slowly evolving songs that build toward head-crushing crescendos remains intact on their latest release, and the members’ incredible talent at their instruments remains one of the key reasons to see this band live. This show’s pairing of them with Edhochuli makes this an unbeatable evening of heavy music, and the addition of relative newcomers Archbishop — which features ragers from local groups like The Skin and Memory Loss — will only serve to sweeten the pot that much more.

Sunday, December 15, 7:30 PM
Silent/Music Revival, feat. Yeni Nostalji @ Gallery 5 – Donations appreciated
Silent/Music Revival is a storied institution in the world of live music around Richmond, and another installment of this long-running series is always a welcome treat. Coordinated by Jameson Price of Lobo Marino, Silent/Music Revival pairs a local musical project with a silent move they’ve never seen before, for which they improvise a soundtrack on the spot. This Sunday night’s film is The Wild Cat, a 1921 German silent film directed by Ernst Lubitsch. The director was at the dawn of his career when he made this film, and went on to gain fame as a director of uniquely sophisticated comedies of manners in the early sound-film era.

The group paired with The Wild Cat on this occasion is Yeni Nostalji, a Richmond-based ensemble led by singer-songwriter Christina Marie Gleixner. Born in America, Gleixner nonetheless was so strongly influenced by Turkish pop of the 20th century that she decided to create music in that idiom, singing in Turkish and playing songs that have a decided Eastern European influence in Yeni Nostalji. That influence shows through in the lush continental pop of their self-titled 2018 LP, and it’s sure to appear in the soundtrack they create for The Wild Cat as well. The combination of the two will provide a warm and sweet experience for your Sunday night. And if you stick around afterwards, Gallery 5 will also present a holiday-themed installment of Strange Projections, the VHS-driven experimental video montage experience. There’s no better way to wrap up your weekend.

Monday, December 16, 8 PM
Morbid Angel, Watain, Incantation @ The Broadberry – $30 in advance/$35 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Mondays are for metal, just like every day that ends in Y, and this week brings us a particularly metallic Monday with the arrival of three titans of death and black metal to Richmond’s own Broadberry. At the top of the list are those Floridian pioneers of death metal, Morbid Angel, who’ve been raging hard and heavy since well over 30 years ago. Lead guitarist Trey Azagthoth is the only remaining original member at this point, but the group currently features Steve Tucker on bass and vocals once again. Tucker, who previously fronted the band in the late 90s and early 00s, returned for 2017’s Kingdom Disdained, the 11th album to continue Morbid Angel’s tradition of releasing LPs in alphabetical order.

Like the band’s three previous albums fronted by Tucker, Kingdom Disdained is a dark, complex slab of metallic heaviness that stands strong alongside classics like Blessed Are The Sick, Formulas Fatal To The Flesh, and the almighty Altars Of Madness. With the embarrassment of riches within their catalog, Morbid Angel are sure to craft a set of pure devastation from their headlining spot on this bill. However, not to be outdone, Swedish black metallers Watain come to Richmond fresh off 2018’s triumphant Trident Wolf Eclipse LP, and their notoriously bloody live performance is sure to be quite the spectacle as well. Legendary New York death metallers Incantation will round things out with their fiery, brutal take on the genre, and are sure to get the heads banging as soon as they hit the stage. This one’s gonna rip.

Tuesday, December 17, 7 PM
Ages, Films On Song, Isabella VanKesteren @ The Camel – $5 (order tickets HERE)
This Tuesday night of locally-based music is another bargain for all you deal-hunters out there, as it affordably provides you with the opportunity to check out Ages, the latest project from the fertile mind of Richmond musician Age Shurte. Previously of Magnus Lush and quite a few other groups, Shurte now joins with musicians from such leading lights of Richmond rock as Dumb Waiter, Piranha Rama, and New Lions to bring us another wonderful helping of entrancing, powerful rock.

Well, that’s really just my best guess — as far as I can tell, Ages don’t have any music online as yet, and they haven’t played many shows either. But in light of all the talented RVA music vets involved with this project, I’m more than willing to blindly recommend checking them out. With melodic Charlottesville postpunks Films On Song and hypnotic Richmond singer-songwriter Isabella VanKesteren on the bill as well, this evening is sure to be worth way more than the five measly bucks they’re charging you to get in.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Friday, December 13, 9 PM
Sean K. Preston & The Loaded Pistols @ Taphouse Grill (Norfolk) – $5 in advance/$8 day of show (order tickets HERE)
When you’ve named your band The Loaded Pistols, it’s hard for you to fade into the background as an artist, but one listen to Sean K. Preston’s 2018 LP, Forgive, lets you know that fading into the background is the last thing this Baltimore singer-songwriter wants to do. On tracks like “Last Call,” the opening “Barnburner,” and “Snakeskin Boots Boogie,” Preston and his Loaded Pistols draw from the most evocative aspects of mid-20th-century country music, pre-war blues, early rock n’ roll, and dark troubadours like Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave. With all those influences in tow, they create a spooky, dramatic sound that mixes all those styles together and is sure to appeal both to fans of rock n’ roll wildmen like the Gun Club and Reverend Horton Heat and country outlaws like Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash.

So if that sounds like something that’ll appeal to you, you certainly should make it your business to come to Norfolk’s Taphouse on Friday night and enjoy some high-energy sounds from Sean K. Preston & The Loaded Pistols. Sure, it’s the start of the weekend, there’s a lot more you could be doing, but really, can’t the Christmas shopping wait until Saturday morning? After seeing Preston and co. you’ll go all the way home with a smile still on your face. Can you really say the same thing about the holiday crowds at the mall? You know the answer as well as I do.

Sunday, December 15, 7:30 PM
Strike Anywhere, Bar Stool Preachers, Demons, Single-Use Plastic @ Chicho’s Backstage (Norfolk) – $17 in advance/$20 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Strike Anywhere is from Richmond, and what’s more, they are one of the best melodic hardcore bands this town has ever produced (Avail’s their only real competition… yeah, I said it). So if you want to see them in both your and their hometown, I certainly understand that. However, the Richmond date on this particular tour finds Strike Anywhere opening for the Bouncing Souls’ 30th anniversary tour at The Broadberry — and right now, as I write, that show is already sold out. If you didn’t grab those tickets, you’re going to need to make the drive down 64 East to catch Strike Anywhere this time around.

And let me tell you, it’s worth doing. While it has at this point been an entire decade since we last got some new studio material from these guys — 2009’s Iron Front — classic singalongs like “Sunset On 32nd,” “Blaze,” and “Chorus Of One” do not diminish with age. Raising your voice to scream along with Thomas Barnett — a dude who remains a tremendously energetic frontman — is not going to feel any less powerful now than it did in years past. And you know you want to feel those feelings one more time. So do it — get your tickets, gas up the car, and make the drive. You’ll never regret it for a second.

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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: October 23 – October 29

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FEATURED SHOW
Friday, October 25, 8 PM
Majjin Boo, Gold Connections, Castle OG, Antiphons, HotSpit @ The Camel – $5
Mathy, melodic indie rock is a sound that’s in vogue right now, and if you’re anything like me, you might find yourself mostly thinking “Yeah, this stuff is cool,” then going months without giving it another thought. However, Richmond’s own Majjin Boo blows all that faint-praise damnation into a million pieces.

I’ve liked Majjin Boo since their earliest demos, circa 2016 when they were just a quartet, but my esteem rose to a whole new level with the two-song single, “Tension Rod/One Wing,” that they released earlier this year after growing to a six-piece. Out of every new release I’ve heard this year, I’ve probably played those two songs most often. Not just out of Richmond bands, either — I love the new Jamila Woods, Bob Mould, and Mannequin Pussy records, but Majjin Boo has them all beat.

That’s why I am stoked as fuck about the fact that their debut full-length, Go Between, comes out next week on Egghunt Records. And that’s why I’m imploring you to go to The Camel this Friday night and catch their record release show. Complex yet glittering guitar melodies are only the beginning with this band — the dual-vocal harmonies, the dynamic and energetic drumming, and the whole band’s incredible ability to perfectly layer their instruments so six different people combine into one beautiful, seamless whole… well, suffice it to say, this is why Majjin Boo aren’t just another mathy indie band. The bandwagon’s pulling up Friday night at The Camel — jump on it now while the getting’s good.

Wednesday, October 23, 9 PM
Carnivora, Future Projektor, Cut The Architect’s Hand @ Wonderland – $7
Straight out of Salem, Massachusetts, some brutal, witchy metal is coming at you tonight in Shockoe Bottom. Carnivora is a band that’s been around for most of a decade. However, the recently released “Bogdweller” single is their first new material in over four years, and it finds the band heading into some new musical territory, thanks in part to the addition of Haydee Irizarry on vocals. Irizarry is capable of unleashing some gorgeous clean vocals, but for most of this song, she growls with terrifying low-end aggression over riffing that’s heavier than anything Carnivora have done before.

Remarkably, that makes this new single both heavier and more melodic than anything this Massachusetts band has done before. And it’s just one song! Imagine how much more awesomeness they have in store for us. Well, if you make it out to Wonderland tonight, you won’t have to. And you’ll get a bonus in the bargain; Future Projektor is a brand new power trio who bring back the early 90s days when heavy, complex instrumental bands (Breadwinner, Alter Natives, etc) ruled the roost around here. They feature members of Kepone, Gritter, and Honor Role as well, so the lineage is definitely there. Local heavy mainstays Cut The Architect’s Hand will kick this evening off with a solid dose of pounding midtempo grooves. Be there.

Thursday, October 24, 8 PM
Cyber Twin, Trash Boy, Deer Eat Birds @ Bingo Beer Co – Free!
There are a bunch of bands running around Virginia these days with “Twin” in their names, so I can understand why Cyber Twin might confuse you. But to clear things up, this is not Silver Twin, Twin Drugs, Glass Twin, or Two Cars (OK, that last one doesn’t really count) — it’s Cyber Twin, a Harrisonburg-based trio with a delightful resemblance to early Green Day showing through on debut EP Wire. Before they wrote the graduation song or the rock opera, Green Day were just a snotty power-pop band with messy hair, and Cyber Twin are pretty much the same thing, a quarter-century later. What’s not to love about that?

This show also features Philadelphia quartet Trash Boy, who have a ton of fun and make some really great catchy punk noise on their new LP, Who Will Take The Trash Out When We’re Gone? Their anthems for the alienated working class — “Job Interview,” “Piss On Their Graves,” and “Perfect Teeth” notable among them — are great things to hear and sing along with on a Thursday night when you’re just struggling to get through the week. The fact that this show is free will help you make it until payday without dying of boredom, and Deer Eat Birds will get things started with some great rock sounds to ensure that the second you walk in, you’ll have a smile on your face.

Friday, October 25, 8 PM
Camp Howard, Night Idea, Alfred @ Gallery 5 – $10 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Damn — almost any other week, a Camp Howard record release show would have scored the feature slot. The fact that Majjin Boo put out my favorite record of the year thus far got them the nod, but it’s by a narrower margin than you might think. Camp Howard’s phenomenally structured indie-pop gems have stood head and shoulders above the average here in Richmond for years now, and their new LP, Cañón, is a stunning collection of their best material — now available on local powerhouse Citrus City Records, natch.

So what I’m saying is, you might end up choosing to hit up this Camp Howard record release show at Gallery 5 rather than the Majjin Boo record release show at the Camel, and if you were to do so, I wouldn’t have a single problem with that decision. These boys are moving in a downright Beatlesque direction on some of the new LP’s material, and that’s sure to light Gallery 5 with brilliant rays of sunshine pop this Friday night. With math-rock veterans Night Idea and unorthodox hip hop genius Alfred also on the bill, this show is sure to be a delight. If you’re not at the Majjin Boo show, you damn well better be at this one.

Saturday, October 26, 8 PM
Emily Easterly, Prabir Trio, Kevin Ganley @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $8 (order tickets HERE)
You might know Emily Easterly as a local musician, if you’ve been around Richmond long enough. Back in 2001, when she was still a high school student, she released her first LP, Assembling Emily, by herself here in Richmond. Education took her to Miami later that year, and she’s been living in Brooklyn for the past decade or so, but whether you classify her as a local musician or not, she’s continued to make memorable sounds that whole time, and her first Richmond show in quite a while is certainly worth checking out, even if you’re young enough not to remember the days when she was making records here (and I know some of you are, which makes me feel a million years old).

Easterly’s most recent release is a 2018 single, “Yellow Leaves,” but she’s right on the cusp of releasing her fifth LP — and first full-length release in a decade — The Blems. In fact, it should be out the day before this show happens, so keep an eye out for copies at the merch table. But first, make sure you focus your full attention on the stage when Easterly is playing, because her riveting, dramatic take on alternative rock is positively gripping, with a dark, foreboding instrumental undercurrent that adds depth to her memorable vocal melodies. Easterly will be joined on this bill by Prabir Trio, featuring the talents of another early-00s Richmond singer-songwriter who’s remained local; and Kevin Ganley, a younger performer most familiar to local audiences as a member of HotSpit. This is going to be a wonderful-sounding night throughout. Be a part of it.

Sunday, October 27, 6 PM
Knocked Loose, Stick To Your Guns, Rotting Out, Candy, SeeYouSpaceCowboy @ The Canal Club – $22.50 (order tickets HERE)
It’s a heavy night of hardcore at The Canal Club, and it’s getting kicked off early so all the energetic teens who love to stagedive and mosh it up can do their thing in the pit. If you’re solidly middle-aged like me, you might want to stand back from this one a bit, since Kentucky’s Knocked Loose bring some serious pit-heaving rage on their latest LP, A Different Shade Of Blue. The vocals have enough of a raw edge to keep this band from descending into outright tough-guy monotony, instead introducing notes of apocalyptic anxiety into their incredibly brutal metallic hardcore pound.

So yeah, basically, you’re moshing. Or maybe headbanging towards the back of the room, depending on how well your hips are holding up these days. And Knocked Loose are bringing quite a few heavy hitters along on this jam-packed bill, so you can expect to be rocking out throughout the night. Veteran hardcore acts Stick To Your Guns and Rotting Out are also performing at The Canal Club this night. Local chaotic hardcore juggernaut Candy are on the bill too, and you can expect them to blow your mind with their noisy, aggressive attack. Plus, fresh off their first LP of all-new material, The Correlation Between Entrance and Exit Wounds, SeeYouSpaceCowboy rounds out this bill with a set of heavy-as-fuck chaotic sasscore that’s sure to get you revved up from moment one. This show’s gonna be mega.

Monday, October 28, 7 PM
Blacker Face, Spowder, Brain Drain, Tavishi @ Poor Boys – $5
Poor Boys, the venue formerly known as Flora, Balliceaux, and — if your memory stretches that far back — the original Bogart’s, has (re)opened their back room, and great sounds have returned to it once again. Let’s all rejoice with this challenging Monday night bill, topped off by Blacker Face. This multi-racial quintet has taken some heat for choosing such a name while also having white members, but co-founder and vocalist Jolene Whatevr has made it clear that she intentionally chose to combine the name and the racial makeup of the lineup, specifically to challenge the biases of their audience — especially the white members of that audience.

If you’re ready for that challenge, you better be ready for a musical challenge as well, because once you get used to how Blacker Face’s members look, you’ll be confronted with their fascinating musical mixture of jazz, postpunk, soul, and experimental music. On their latest LP, Distinctive Juju, the band throws clashing moods into the same songs, alternating between dissonant heaviness and soulful beauty and sometimes even layering them overtop one another. It’s not predictable or easily categorizeable, but Blacker Face definitely is an invigorating listen that is sure to be twice as eye-opening in the live environment. This is one performance you owe it to yourself to catch — even if it does take a few minutes for you to wrap your head around what Blacker Face is doing, the result is sure to be rewarding, and to provoke thought. And, speaking as a white person, I will say that we in particular always need more provocation to use our brains.

Tuesday, October 29, 7 PM
Wine Lips, She, Captain Scrunchie @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
I’m inclined to have warm feelings toward Toronto’s Wine Lips, and not because I drink wine, or any other alcohol — you know by now that I don’t. It’s because “Wine Lips” is the name of a song by my favorite outlaw country singer, Lydia Loveless. However, this Canadian trio didn’t go along at all with my expectations before hearing them. Rather than even a touch of country, they bash out some energetic, catchy garage punk with a strong helping of rock n’ roll majesty mixed in. If you dig the more recent work of Ty Segall or Thee Oh Sees, Wine Lips are sure to connect with you.

They’re joined on this Tuesday night Camel bill by She, a group led by Liza Grishaeva and, indeed, formerly known as LIZA. It seems Grishaeva is pivoting towards a band identity rather than a solo project, but that doesn’t diminish the massive atmospheres and mournful ambience of the songs She has released thus far. Perhaps there’ll be a thicker sound backing them this time around? We’ll only know for sure once Tuesday night rolls around. This event will be rounded out by a performance from Captain Scrunchie, whose girls-in-the-garage aesthetic results in some very pleasing tuneage on their recently-released demo. Get ready to rock at this one.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Saturday, October 26, 5 PM
LAVA Halloween Extravaganza, feat. Black Sabbath, The Strokes, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty And the Heartbreakers, System of a Down, Pavement @ Toast (Norfolk) – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
OK, so it’s almost Halloween, and you can’t be but so surprised to see shows like this popping up. Musicians love to learn sets of material by bands they love and play shows “in costume” as those other bands on Halloween, and if you’re a music fan, chances are you get a big kick out of it too. Therefore, this LAVA Extravaganza should bring you some delight, as a variety of Hampton Roads-area musicians come together to present the music of their faves on a fun Saturday evening at Toast.

A couple of these sets bring us a single band interpreting their favorites, and these are always pretty intriguing. For example, a Black Sabbath set by progressive soul band Paper Aliens and a System Of A Down set by indie-rockers Berries both inspire questions along the lines of “What’s THAT gonna be like?” Meanwhile, members of Tidewater-area notables like You’re Jovian, Mas Y Mas, LADADA, Mae, The Last Bison, Pet Name, Cupid McCoy, and more will join together to bring us sets of material by The Strokes, Pavement, Tom Petty, and Fleetwood Mac. All of this should be quite enjoyable, and to top all that off, there’s a costume contest too! What’s not to love about this one? So come on, all you Halloween heads! Get in the car this Saturday afternoon and get there.

Sunday, October 27, 6 PM
Taking Meds, Infant Island, Smallhands, Dozing @ The Recreation Center (Fredericksburg) – $5
Taking Meds is the sort of band name that lets you know where you stand right away. Nobody who’s in a super great place in life names their band Taking Meds. And sure enough, their most recent LP, I Hate Me, New York’s Taking Meds give us a collection of melancholy melodies with a powerful underlying crunch that’s sure to evoke memories of Dear You-era Jawbreaker or the last couple of Wonder Years LPs. It’s music for people who are getting older and still not quite finding the place in life where they fit. If you’ve ever felt that way, even for a moment, you’re sure to connect with what Taking Meds is bringing to Fredericksburg this Sunday evening.

They’ll be joined by a few Fredericksburg locals who do a lot to make clear that there is a real honest-to-god scene in that small city halfway between Richmond and DC. Infant Island’s energetic screamo has been buoyed considerably over the past couple years by the band members’ go-getter nature, and their contribution to a recent 4-way split EP shows that they’re only getting better as they go. Expect some serious emotional-musical fireworks from this performance. Fellow Fredericksburghers Smallhands have a hazy yet metallic approach that might make you reach for the term “blackgaze,” but gimmicky terms like that never really convey the full impact of bands like this one, so expect something quite a bit more expansive than that subgenre tag might evoke. The show will be rounded out by the first performance from Richmond melodic hardcore crew Dozing. Overall, this one should be well worth the single hour’s drive north. Make it happen.

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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

The Sights And Sounds Of India

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Mother India brings what curator Prabir Mehta calls “a vast but representative picture of what India offers” to Gallery 5 tonight.

“Get out of my way, you don’t belong here!” Those were the words Prabir Mehta heard while walking through the aisles of the Kroger on Lombardy St, after being rammed with a grocery cart. Mehta, born and raised in India, first came to the United States with his family in 1988 and has been a Richmond local ever since. But unfortunately, incidents like these have been a constant in Mehta’s life since he arrived in the River City.

In an effort to combat these social injustices and emphasize the importance of cultural diversity, Mehta has organized and curated the first all-Indian group art show Richmond has seen. Entitled Mother India, it opens this Friday at Gallery 5, and will feature several Indian artists and performers showcasing photography, art, and contemporary and classical dance/music.

Mehta, who co-founded Gallery 5 back in 2005, has been curating and planning this event for the better part of a year now. “I’ve had my feelers out for about a year to curate a very vast but representative picture of what I think India offers that world,” he said.

Opening night will kick off at 7 PM and feature several performers over the course of the evening. Kicking off the party are two classical Indian musicians, carantic vocalist Sri Parupalli Satyanarayana, and Mridangam drum player Sri Parupalli Balasubramaniam. Mehta said that booking the well-known Indian duo was a stroke of luck since they just happened to be on tour in the states for the past few weeks.

Prabir Trio. Photo via Facebook

Others performers over the course of the evening will include classical dancer Rujuta Pandya, contemporary musicians Nitin Joshi group, and even Mehta himself, leading his Indian-inspired rock group, Prabir Trio. The night ends with an explosion of Indian beats by DJ Carlito, who will be hosting a Bollywood dance party.

Throughout the night, a wide array of art pieces will be showcased, either created by Indian artists or inspired by India itself. The gallery room will include everything from traditional illustrations of Hindu deities to contemporary pop art, as well as astrophotography and photos of the bustling street life in India. Artists with work in the show include Madhup Rathi, Dhruti Rathi, David Kenedy, and Ruchi Gupta.

Mehta said that the Indian community and Indian businesses of Richmond that really made this event possible. Local Indian businesses like Nama, Veracity Consulting, and the Great Big Everything are some of the many sponsors who funded and supported Mother India. Mehta also said that the Indian community played a vital role in booking artists and performers, since most of them were found through word of mouth and local connections.

Photo by Madhup Rathi, via Facebook

While Mehta had expected to have trouble getting the community to contribute, he found it a much easier task than he’d planned for. “I was very humbled by how everyone was so willing to participate in this, because they felt it was something worth doing,” he said. Mehta hopes that this event will show everyone how the life of most Indians is based around community and family.

While Mehta has always tried to include elements of Indian culture in the work he’s done for Gallery 5 over the years, it wasn’t until his recent experience in Kroger that he felt the need to organize an all-Indian show. He said that, in the current political climate, there’s no better time than right now to put on a show like this.

“I think it’s because I got pushed enough,” Mehta said. “I’ve seen people getting harassed; I’ve felt it myself. And I think right now the general concern that I have is that we are not looking to one another as creators, makers, [and] thinkers. And unfortunately, a lot of people are using physical appearance as a deterring factor to any decision-making about that person.”

Mehta hopes that Mother India will both expose people to classical and contemporary Indian art and music, and give them the chance to approach and interact with these artists. Mehta believes that by doing so, individuals can engage with other communities through art — which is the mission of Gallery 5.

“Art transcends cultural biases, if you let it,” Mehta said. “It can become a unifier, and that’s why I want to do this.”

And if nothing else, Mehta hopes that the Richmond community will come with an open mind, ready to have fun.

“I hope people will come and have a great time,” he said. “And be blown away by the sights and sounds of all things India.”

Top Photo by David Kenedy/via Facebook

VA Shows You Must See This Week: March 13 – March 19

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FEATURED SHOW
Wednesday, March 13, 7 PM
Mark Morton, Light The Torch, Moon Tooth @ The Broadberry – $25 (order tickets HERE)
Interesting things are afoot in the world of Richmond metal. You might have heard recently about one thing a member of Lamb Of God got up to in his spare time — specifically, Randy Blythe organizing a crew of kazoo players to chase away the Westboro Baptist Church when they came to town — but it seems that guitarist Mark Morton’s solo album has slipped a little more under the radar.

Well, the time for such a lack of attention has ended — Morton’s solo debut, Anesthetic, was released a couple of weeks ago, and he’s about to go on tour supporting it. He’ll start the whole shebang at the Broadberry tonight. Yes, tonight, so you better get a jump on those tickets! On the album, Morton brings in a variety of celebrity guests to contribute vocals, from metal legends like Testament’s Chuck Billy to alt-rock superstars like Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees/QOTSA) and the late Chester Bennington (Linkin Park). However, the touring band will feature only one vocalist, Mark Morales, who is also in the sludgy alt-rock/grunge group Sons Of Texas and happens to be the only singer who contributed more than one lead vocal to Anesthetic.

With a lineup rounded out by other members of Sons Of Texas, Bad Wolves, and Prong, Morton’s solo band is sure to do justice to the tunes on his new album. You’ll get a chance to hear the Lamb Of God axeman stretch out, indulging in side trips into blues, grunge, and Southern rock that wouldn’t show up in his main group, even as he and his band still totally rock your face off. With touring heaviness from Light The Torch and Moon Tooth also on the bill, this one is sure to rock you through and through. So don’t miss out — there’s things going on you don’t know.

Wednesday, March 13, 10 PM
Prabir Trio, Ben Butterworth & Friends @ Cary Street Cafe – Free!
Tonight at Cary Street Cafe, this town’s love affair with Fan institution Bamboo Cafe gets taken to a totally new level. Prabir Mehta’s latest musical ensemble, the Prabir Trio, will be releasing a new cassette featuring a musical tribute to Bamboo, and they’ll be holding a release party to celebrate. It’s happening at Cary Street Cafe — according to Prabir, because it’s the closest Richmond venue to Bamboo — and I’m sure there’ll be an after-party at Bamboo later.

The Prabir Trio, which brings singer-guitarist-songwriter Prabir Mehta together with Richmond mainstays Russell Lacy on bass and Kelli Strawbridge on drums, has a Beatles-via-Strokes rock n’ roll urgency that simultaneously evokes past Prabir projects like Goldrush and the Substitutes while also taking the most stripped-down, direct approach Mr. Mehta has yet taken to his music. The result is some great singalong tunes that will rock and roll you all night long. Don’t miss the party tonight, don’t miss the new tape, and don’t miss Ben Butterworth & Friends, who will offer a more laid-back, folky approach with their singer-songwriter sound. This night is definitely worth your time, especially since it’s free! See you there.

Thursday, March 14, 7 PM
Adrian Belew, Saul Zonana @ The Broadberry – $25 in advance/$30 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Adrian Belew is a legend in the worlds of prog-rock and postpunk. Early in his career, he played on classic albums by David Bowie, Frank Zappa, and the Talking Heads, before joining King Crimson and remaining in the constantly-evolving ensemble for around 30 years. He has also had a thriving solo career throughout that time, releasing nearly 20 solo albums over the course of four decades.

Belew’s just about to release his 16th solo album and first in ten years, Pop Sided, and it’s the tour for that album that brings him here to Richmond. While his unorthodox approach to guitar playing has definitely led him to some pretty wild extremes over the course of his career, the material he’s currently playing focuses on his unerring sense of off-kilter pop hooks, and based on live recordings that have made the internet thus far (because the album isn’t out yet, womp womp), it seems he’s got some of the catchiest tunes of his career for us when he hits the Broadberry stage tomorrow night. So get stoked, all you prog-heads — a true guitar hero is about to dazzle us all.

Friday, March 15, 6 PM
He Is Legend, DENS, Dead Friends, Followship, Thirst For The Sea, Genosha @ The Canal Club – $15 (order tickets HERE)
If you’ve heard anything about He Is Legend this week, it’s probably been related to Demi Lovato posting an Instagram story in which she sang along with their classic first LP, I Am Hollywood. But this doesn’t seem to me to be particularly noteworthy news — partly because we’ve known for over a decade that Demi Lovato’s just a metalcore kid who somehow got famous as a pop singer, and partly because it shouldn’t surprise anyone when someone is stoked about He Is Legend’s excellent tunes.

The North Carolina quartet did indeed make their name on that classic debut, but they’ve released four more LPs since then, and despite their evolution to incorporate both more Southern-fried metal licks and clean-vocal melodies, they’re still kicking out the jams as hard as ever, especially if their latest single, “White Bat,” is an accurate indication. It’s safe to assume so, and to roll out to this show ready to headbang. There’s a ton of local and regional talent on the bill to support this one and keep you rocking all night, but if we’re honest, He Is Legend is what it’s all about. That’s right… I said it.

Saturday, March 16, 9 PM
Post-Rock The Block, feat. Kristeva, Colin Phils, Desert Altar, Righter @ The Camel – $7 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
If we’re honest, we’ll all admit that Shamrock The Block is always a bit of a mess. A Saint Patrick’s Day party in the middle of the street with green beer everywhere? What could go wrong? But seriously, whether you attend with glee or avoid that entire part of town all day, we can all agree that it’ll be nice to have a relaxing come-down party at The Camel that night. The fact that Kristeva and Colin Phils will be headlining an evening of post-rock to soothe your nerves, calm your troubled brain, and help you regain your equilibrium.

Kristeva are a post-rock group in the classic sense, complete with lengthy, dynamic instrumentals and plentiful integration of everything from violins to delay pedals. They’ll be celebrating the release of their new cassette, Goliad, which features some downright beautiful melodies as well as some moments of dramatic volume. Goliad is an evocative, enjoyable listen, and Kristeva’s live set is sure to be all that and more/louder. They’re joined by Colin Phils, who’ve done an excellent job of making their name as a math-rock powerhouse since arriving in Richmond from Korea a few years ago. We can expect another helping of their magical excellence once they hit the stage this Saturday night too. And with Desert Altar bringing some stoner doom jams and Righter kicking off the night in proper indie fashion, this whole thing is sure to be a much-needed boost.

Sunday, March 17, 9 PM
Lounge Lizzard, Pissing Contest, The Skin @ Bandito’s – Free!
This one promises to be fun, even beyond the usual fun quotient to be had from a nacho-loaded free show at Bandito’s. Lounge Lizzard, a quartet that up until now has had very little music available, are releasing their new tape at this show. Based on what I’ve previously heard from this project featuring members from Toxic Moxie, Pissing Contest, Cremains, and more, it’s landed pretty squarely on the sort of snarling yet subtly melodic punk sound that was invented in California at the dawn of punk by legends like The Avengers (who had nothing to do with the Marvel Cinematic Universe) and The Dils.

Of course, there’s a good bit of 21st-century metallic crunch in there, as well as Sera Stavroula’s always-incredible vocal prowess, which all of us Toxic Moxie fans are intimately familiar with by now. Meanwhile, if you don’t already know Pissing Contest, you’re in luck, because this local snotty punk group is playing this show as well. They literally start a song by yelling “One-two-fuck-you!” so you know what you’re in for. Expect bondage pants and spray-painted leather jackets. Enjoyably strange noise-rock group The Skin will open this one up, marking their first live performance in quite a while and a welcome return indeed. The punks will dig this one, for sure — as will anyone who enjoys some good clean irreverent fun. For your sake, I hope that category includes you.

Monday, March 18, 7 PM
Lucifer, Spell, The Astral Void @ The Camel – $15 (order tickets HERE)
The classic days of the Satanic panic and me having to hide my Slayer tapes from my mom didn’t happen until the 80s, but in hindsight, it seems like metal’s prime days of pagan witchery and dark hints of the occult began back in the early 70s with first-wave metal bands like Black Widow, Coven, and Pentagram. Lucifer have only been around for half a decade themselves, but this Swedish group manages to perfectly hark back to that classic spooky time in metal on their latest album, Lucifer II.

Now they’re bringing that sound to Richmond, with a performance at The Camel on Monday night. Don’t expect the typical “retro-doom” thing from this band — vocalist Johanna Sadonis’s dulcet tones bring strong melodies into the mix, and the addition in 2017 of legendary Swedish metal musician Nicke Andersson (Entombed, Hellacopters) to Lucifer has added a definite taste of psychedelic astral-plane soaring to the overall mix. Basically, if you’re looking for the kind of music that would be right at home on the soundtrack to a sun-baked film about pagan bikers carving a trail of death and destruction across California in 1970, this group will bring it to life for you, right here onstage at The Camel. Hell of a way to spend your Monday night, am I right? You won’t get another chance like this, so don’t blow it.

Tuesday, March 19, 7:30 PM
Bear Bones, Castle Black, Strawberry Moon, Turbo Mansion, Leach @ Champion RVA – Free!
It’s been really nice to see shows happening more often at Champion as we’ve headed into 2019. Every venue willing to pick up the slack after the staggering loss of Strange Matter is a positive thing for the health of our live music scene. And Champion’s got a proven track record of putting on some pretty great shows, too, so this free Tuesday night show at Champion stands in good company.

This one finds our city playing host to two touring bands from various points around the country, as well as some rad local mainstays. Bear Bones are a duo from Detroit with a heavy sound that’s in no way hampered by their lack of a bass player. Meanwhile, New York’s Castle Black have more of a driving rock sound, one that can go in more of a heavy direction or a darkly melodic one — both are demonstrated capably on their 2018 EP, The Gods That Adored You. Both of these bands will rock you hard at Champion Tuesday night, and of course, local openers Strawberry Moon, Turbo Mansion, and Leach all have sounds of their own that are well worth hearing if you haven’t been acquainted with them yet. And if you have, why not check ’em out again? This one is worth the trip out on a Tuesday night, so go ahead and make it.

Bonus Hampton Roads Picks:

Friday, March 15, 8 PM
Antenora, Gutted Christ, Serpentshrine @ RiffHouse Pub – $5
Heavy music always has a home in the Tidewater area, and that’s never a bad thing. Over at RiffHouse this Friday night, you metalheads will get to experience a treat, as North Carolina shredders Antenora join up with Hampton Roads locals Gutted Christ for a show full of chunky riffs, shrieking vocals, and blasting drums. Antenora have a bit more of a black metal-derived thing going on, although that whole At The Gates-ish Gothenburg sound shows through quite a bit as well on their album Horrors, released last fall. These guys are sure to get heads banging at the RiffHouse.

The same can certainly be said of VA Beach’s Gutted Christ, though they take more of a low-end path to get there. Where Antenora pulls more from Northern European thrash, Gutted Christ show some strong Southern death metal influences, with guttural vocals and double bass aplenty. 2016 LP The Sower Ov Discord shows a definite Florida/Morrisound influence that’s sure to please the Morbid Angel fans out there. The evening will begin with a set from Norfolk’s Serpentshrine, who split the difference between the other two bands on this bill by harking back to the early days of both black metal and death metal. Their latest EP, Occultum Exordium, is sure to please fans of Bathory and of Autopsy equally, just as this show will get all flavors of metalheads stomping around with hair flying.

Tuesday, March 19, 7 PM
No Convictions, Knife Spitter, Yet To Fall, Dissention, MJ Le’vay, Spasyt Out @ RiffHouse Pub – $8
That whole Shattered Realm school of ridiculously heavy hardcore hasn’t died out, y’all, and if you need proof, look no further than this show from Florida’s No Convictions at RiffHouse. Deep, deep vocals, blasting fast parts, borderline-sludgy breakdowns, and to top all that off, they actually do mosh calls on their 2018 self-titled EP, just to get you even more hyped to do spinkicks in front of your bedroom mirror.

Imagine how much harder all that’s gonna hit when it happens live onstage, and you’re well on your way to imagining just how crazy this Tuesday night show promises to be. Be prepared to call in to work the next morning, because if you don’t mosh yourself into oblivion during No Convictions’ set, you can rest assured that Maryland’s Knife Spitter will take you the rest of the way there. These guys are more about the brutal breakdowns than the low-end sludge, but once you’re in the pit, who’s splitting hairs? This is looking like a guaranteed head-walking good time (even if the opening acts, as is somewhat standard for Hampton Roads these days, are … kinda random), so start doing your leg stretches now.

Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers -– this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected] [and yeah, there’s plenty more of my writing to read over at GayRVA — come say hey.]

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

Space Age: Weekend Playlist by The Big Payback’s Kelli Strawbridge

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Every Friday night, RVA Mag drops one scorcher of a playlist curated by influential artists, musicians, and institutions.

This week, we’re bringing you a collection of jams spanning all genres, courtesy of Kelli Strawbridge. Chances are, no matter what corner of the Richmond musical world you’re tapped into, you know Kelli’s work. From his powerful beats behind the trap kit for Mikrowaves, Mekong Xpress & the Get Fresh Horns, Prabir Trio, and more to his star turns at the front of The Big Payback, Richmond’s premier James Brown tribute act, his work as the creative mastermind behind the funk-soul brilliance of KINGS, and his work as cohost of the Hustle Season Podcast… well, suffice it to say, the man gets around. And so does his playlist, which will take us into December with some smooth tuneage to get your head nodding.

Get funky, Virginia.

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond