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I Was An Eagle: Weekend Playlist by Deau Eyes

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

This week, we’re featuring an encore presentation of a playlist made for us by Deau Eyes, the project of Richmond singer-songwriter Ali Thibodeau. After months of anticipation and buildup, Deau Eyes will be releasing their debut album, Let It Leave, on May 8th. In a preview letting us know what we can expect from the album, Thibodeau joined RVA Magazine’s musical livestream this past weekend to perform the album front to back, solo style. You can check that out here if you missed it.

You’ll be able to check out the final version of Let It Leave just a couple of weeks from now, and get the full experience of Deau Eyes’ charming combo of alternative power-pop and classic American rock.

Open this playlist from mobile in your Spotify app HERE.

Quarantine House Clean: Weekend Playlist By Jonah Laze

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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, we bring you another set of tunes to help get you through the extended period of sheltering in place that we’re all living through. It comes from GWARbar’s Jonah Laze, who has been inspired to some serious housecleaning during this time of quarantine, and brings us a set of hip hop, hardcore, and rockin dance tunes to keep your feet moving as you dust the top of the TV for the first time since you moved in. Because after all, there’s nothing else to do except for a speed run out of the house to look for toilet paper again.

If you miss getting your GWARbar fix, not to worry — they are currently open for takeout and delivery, between 11am and 10pm every day. Get yourself a scumdog and some cheese tots, put on this playlist, and get ready to scrub that kitchen sink.

This place ain’t gonna clean itself, Virginia.

Open this playlist from mobile in your Spotify app HERE.

Keep The Music Playing: Over 60 Years Later, The Kingston Trio Rolls On

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The Kingston Trio will come to The Tin Pan for two intimate shows this Sunday, March 22. Our own John Reinhold talked to the current lineup about the enduring legacy of this pioneering folk group.

It’s been over 60 years since The Kingston Trio first came together and helped kick off the folk boom of the early 60s. Their early music mixed influences from the traditional music of The Weavers (featuring legendary folk troubadour Pete Seeger), the Caribbean calypso sound of Jamaican singer Harry Belafonte, and popular music from around the world. Their potent sound, featuring classic acoustic instruments, close three-part harmony, and enjoyable singalong choruses, took the world by storm and made them one of the most popular acts of late 50s/early 60s America. Between 1958 and 1963, during the period of their greatest success, the Kingston Trio released 17 albums, all of which hit the Billboard Top 20 and five of which made number 1.

A lot has happened with the trio since those days; different members have come and gone, starting in 1961 when a rift developed between Dave Guard and bandmates Bob Shane and Nick Reynolds; Guard ended up exiting the group at the end of 1961. After that, Bob Shane kept the group going through a variety of lineup changes until his retirement in 2004, then left the group in the hands of his longtime bandmate George Grove, who kept it going until 2017. At that time, Shane licensed the group name to Josh Reynolds, the son of original Kingston Trio member Nick Reynolds. Shane, the last surviving member of the original 50s and 60s Kingston Trio lineups, passed away earlier this year.

The lineup Josh Reynolds put together in 2017 featured Mike Marvin and Tim Gorelangton; along with Don Marovich, who joined in 2018, they constitute today’s incarnation of the Kingston Trio. While the group might seem like it’s a bit of a Ship Of Theseus situation today, in fact, all of the current members have strong connections to the Kingston Trio in its early lineups. Marvin was taken in by original Kingston Trio member Nick Reynolds as a teenager, and was a member of the group’s inner circle even in its earliest days. Gorelangton, a longtime folk and bluegrass musician, is one of the only musicians outside the original Kingston Trio to have recorded with Nick Reynolds. And Marovich, the group’s most recent addition, was a member in later years of another classic late 50s/early 60s folk ensemble, the Limeliters, alongside several previous Kingston Trio members.

It’s very important to the current lineup of the Kingston Trio to “keep the music playing,” as the title of their 60th anniversary tour in 2018 told the world. That music is of equal importance to RVA Magazine’s fearless leader, John Reinhold, who grew up listening to the Kingston Trio records his father loved so much. For that reason, John was very excited to speak with the Kingston Trio’s current lineup to find out how they feel about the influence the group has had through the years, and what they love about being part of it today.

The Kingston Trio is often cited one of the most influential bands in the US. How has the current band carried on the legacy of the original founding members?

Don Marovich: We endeavor to maintain the spirit and legacy of the original trios, both the Guard and Stewart versions, by visually and, as best we can, musically staying true to what audiences experienced in the early days. We just recorded a new album in LA and believe the songs selections and performance would have truly reflected what the original trio (particularly the Stewart incarnation) would have done had they stayed together for another album.

Mike Marvin: We decided to revisit the successful 1967 Kingston Trio show as performed by Nick Reynolds, Bob Shane, and John Stewart and recreate that show from the ground up. We reintroduced the iconic striped shirts, dark trousers, and black loafers. By doing this, we incorporated the “look” of the Dave Guard iteration of the group as well. Next, we restructured the show from the opening number, taking into account all the emotional highs and lows of the presentation, using the original songs made famous from 1958-1963.

From “MTA” to “Tom Dooley” to “Where Have all the Flowers Gone,” we have carefully incorporated all the hits and iconic songs everyone expects to hear.

Personally, the legacy revolves around the fact that Nick Reynolds was my cousin, took me in as a teenager, and taught me the ropes of being in the Kingston Trio. Tim was the only person outside the Trio that Nick Reynolds ever recorded with. Now, when we hear comments from the audience, we hear how the show has brought them back to a happier and more innocent time in their lives. Tribute bands just don’t evoke this type of historical connection.

Tim Gorelangton: We strive to remain true to the original intent of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds, which was always — always! — to have fun! The conviviality of those guys is as much a part of their history as the music. They really enjoyed having a good time onstage and they were famous for sharing the fun with their audience. One of the best compliments we ever got from Bob Shane was when he said, “You guys got the vibe!” and commented that he saw we were having a lot of the same kind of fun that he remembered having playing the small clubs (like the Purple Onion and the hungry I) in San Francisco at the very beginning.

We also wear the famous striped shirts, continue to stand closely gathered together around a single microphone stand (all the better to hear and/or tease each other!), and — of course! — we play the same instruments, the Martin D-28 and O-18T guitars and the iconic Vega long-neck (“Pete Seeger”) banjo.

What makes the songs of the Kingston Trio timeless, and how can they speak to today’s younger generation?

DM: The song book the trio compiled over their years together is a remarkable cultural asset. The songs relate to everyday life and, what’s more, are completely accessible to anyone who wants to play them. The first #1 hit, “Tom Dooley,” had two chords and a simple, catchy melody. Stories that truly speak to the core of human experience are omni-generational.

MM: The songs are timeless because they’re what I like to call “living room music.” They are two to three chord songs anyone can play, and they’re totally accessible. That’s what makes them special. Nick Reynolds used to say, “Learn three chords and change the world.” The songs are universal truths that transcend generations, time and space. They are emotional, poignant, fun and informative. They’re storytelling songs.

TG: I agree, John, the songs really are timeless because by virtue of being story songs they can speak to us again and again with a contemporary voice that spans both history and our own times. I am heartened by the comments of younger concert-goers who mention that to us that they enjoy the storytelling quality of the songs in a way that is new to their experience, and that they like that a lot!

How much did storytelling, and sharing of other cultures, play a part in Kingston Trio’s music?

DM: The Hawaiian-Polynesian influence that flowed naturally from the Hawaiian-born members of the early trio struck a chord with US audiences. These rhythms are inextricably woven throughout the tapestry of modern music. We often hear from audience members that they loved the stories they heard in our show. The ballad, a story song by definition, has been with us through countless generations. It is part of our DNA. Before the written word, history and culture were shared and remembered through song, chant, and poetry. Rhyme, rhyme, and a story line resonate within our brains and stay with us.

MM: All the songs are storytelling songs. Between numbers during the concert, we tell deeper stories too. We often hear from fans they love the songs, but love the stories associated with the songs too. The whole thing is an experience in time travel for one evening of pure joy.

TG: Well, keep in mind that both Bob and Dave were born and raised in Hawaii and had a personal knowledge and affinity for Polynesian music. I think this carried over into their love for Calypso and other types of music. And they had a good command of what Pete Seeger called the “folk process;” the changing, arranging, and re-structuring of traditional material in a manner that allowed for the popularization of previously “ethnic” story songs, very much in the manner of the The Weavers, who we all consider the ultimate Folk Group. (Nick Reynolds used to say, “We used to do a lot of their material” and then Bob Shane would say, “We used to do ALL of their material!!”)

How did the Kingston Trio tours change the history of college and band tours overall?

DM: I am not sure there was any particular innovation in the touring methodologies of the early Trio except for refinements in efficiency to make what they did possible. They played about 200 shows a year while producing five #1 albums in a row. It was a “make hay while the sun shines” equation.

MM: The Kingston Trio were the very first act in entertainment to target college and universities as their audience. Their tours were almost totally targeting these venues and even though the naysayers said it would never work, not only did it, it did in spades. Afterwards, other groups copied the format and started doing college concert tours.

TG: For all practical purposes, the Trio’s legendary manager Frank Werber essentially invented the college concert tour, blazing a trail for so many others to follow!

Many people will know “Tom Dooley,” and perhaps “MTA.” What are the current members’ favorite songs to play? And what connections do you have to those songs?

DM: My personal favorite, I can remember my father playing loud, was “Greenback Dollar” and “Sloop John B.” My personal favorite [song to play] is “Chilly Winds.” I love the harmonies and the plain beauty of the song.

MM: My personal favorite song is “Where Have all the Flowers Gone” by Pete Seeger. That and “Hobo’s Lullabye,” which wasn’t a huge hit. I also like “Tijuana Jail,” “Ah Woe Ah Me” (about a kid whose father won’t allow him to marry the island girls because they’re all his sisters), and currently, “Armstrong” by John Stewart, a song we’ve recently added to our set about the moon landing in ‘69.

TG: I love singing them all! I particularly enjoy “Sloop John B.” and “Reverend Mr. Black” (probably because I get to sing the low parts!), and the lesser-known but wonderfully rousing final song, “I’m Going Home!” which I think ends the evening on a perfect note.

It’s been said that Kingston Trio put guitars into the hands of a whole generation. What made the music itself approachable to play?

DM: Most KT tunes were arranged with elegant simplicity. I’ve heard Nick Reynolds once said, “Learn three chords; change the world.” It was almost all accessible music anyone could easily learn to play.

MM: When the Trio hit, they were so successful that Martin Guitar found themselves backordered almost three years. They had to build a new wing of the factory to accommodate the demand for new guitars. Not only that, the Trio at one point accounted for over 22 percent of all Capitol Record sales from 1959-1962.

TG: Folk instruments are simple and basic, relatively easy to get started on and encouraging to master; by demonstrating the basic simplicity and therefore the accessibility of folk music, the Trio encouraged many (many!!) young people to discover the joy of making music for themselves.

Kingston Trio helped lift Folk music to new highs, and paved the way for other acts perhaps more of the activist side of folk history. How did the Kingston Trio put the seeds of folk into many of these other famous singers?

DM: When the Trio did their first album, Capitol Records only printed 1,000 copies. I believe they had no confidence in what they heard, and did not expect much success. The album soared, with a bullet, to #1. At that moment, every label in America scrambled to get a piece of the folk pie, and signed the best folk acts they could find as fast as possible.

MM: The success of the Trio made it possible for artists like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and many others to thrive in the music biz. Crosby Stills and Nash can trace their roots back, and so can many of the groups that happened after 1960. It is a well-known fact that the Beach Boys copied the Kingston Trio’s striped-shirt stage costumes!

TG: Similarly, the attractive fun of the music inspired many creative people to not just sing along and play along but to try telling their own new stories through music, ushering in the era of the singer-songwriter that is still such an important component of American popular music.

Why do you think the live performances of the Kingston Trio continue to be so popular after all these years?

DM: Our live audiences consist largely of seniors, and their children and grandchildren, who grew up with those songs as the soundtrack of their young and happy lives. That powerful kind of life-experience association stays with people, and they come to hear and see a snapshot of wonderful days gone by. We like to joke about the live show as an age-regression therapy experiment. Mom wanted me to go into the healing arts and this show is most therapeutic!

MM: My feeling is that we’re approachable and not stand-offish. I think we welcome people “into our living room,” and it goes from there. One critic once said it was as if the party started backstage and then spilled out onto the main stage for all to participate in. I like that one.

TG: A Kingston Trio concert is a moveable feast, a party in progress across the American landscape. People come to our concerts not just to see a show but to have a really good time. We love that! We have a lot of fun singing these songs and telling our stories, and we always try to share that fun with our audience by encouraging them to sing along!

The Kingston Trio will perform two shows at The Tin Pan on Sunday, March 22, one at 2 PM and one at 7 PM. Tickets start at $50, and can be purchased at The Tin Pan’s website. Of course, in this time of coronavirus, any public event is subject to change, so keep an eye on The Tin Pan’s social media feeds for updates.

Interview by John Reinhold. Intro by Marilyn Drew Necci. Photos courtesy The Kingston Trio.

Dusty Broken Bones: An Interview with Aaron Maine of Porches

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New York synth-pop act Porches just released their new album, Ricky Music. We spoke to them about the ever-changing nature of songwriting ahead of Porches’ scheduled performance at The Broadberry later this month.

“For some reason, I’m more thrilled to tour in my life than I’ve ever been.”

Aaron Maine, also known under the alias Porches, his New-York based synth-pop project, is releasing his long-anticipated album Ricky Music March 13. Two years after his last album, The House, was released in 2018, Maine could not be more eager to share his latest creation with the world.

Over the phone, he delved deeper into how his personal experiences, relationships and surroundings inspired his fourth studio album as Porches.

From his origins in Pleasantville, New York, and traveling a frequent amount throughout his career, Maine says his surroundings always influence his headspace while creating his music.

“I’m in Chinatown now, I moved to this spot after living in Greenwich Village for five years,” he says, his deep voice resonating from the other end of the line. “It was the first place I ever lived alone, so that was a big change of scenery. It might not seem like much moving less than two miles from where I was before, but it feels like a whole other city almost.”

Maine’s relocation had a profound impact on the themes and influences in Ricky Music, but he also explains that even the slightest change of his routine transcends through his songwriting.

“Even just making music in a different room is different,” he says. “My music is so close to my personal life that the smallest adjustment can make all the difference.”

Photo via Porches/Facebook

Although he admits that some of the songs are purely “fantasy,” what can mostly be anticipated from the new project is the essence of his daily life when the album was written. 

“It’s essentially a snapshot of the time period that I wrote these songs in, and it’s pretty autobiographical,” he says.

He even explains that the album’s name is also an ode to how closely Maine associates his music with himself.

“Most people call me Ricky,” he says. “It’s music that I make, and I think, for whatever reason, I was like, this is it. It’s Ricky’s music.”

In terms of his creative process, Maine says he writes often to be able to pick and choose what content best reflects his life at the time.

“Some artists will sit down and write and record an album in a month, but I write pretty much every day,” he says. “And by the end of it, I have this body of work to choose from and piece together the most compelling, as well as honest, collection of songs that kind of sums up what I was doing during the time.”

Even though the subject of mundane, every-day life is explored through this album, Maine suggests that even routine monotony can exemplify more underlying, complex emotions. 

“You know, there’s some of the typical things music is about, like romance,” he says. “But it can be as mundane as going to the mall and buying lipstick for someone you’re in love with, or being totally heartbroken finding that person’s hair on your brush.”

Photo via Porches/Facebook

Just as Ricky Music has acted as somewhat of a time capsule to capture this period of Maine’s life, he says he appreciates being able to look back on Porches’ 10-year discography to pinpoint the different phases of his life and growth. 

“I think it’s really special to have that all in one place, and to be able to look back and see the growth and tangency that went on,” he says about his past music. “You can remember where you were when you made a certain song or a certain album.”

When asked to describe the album in a few concise words, Maine knew exactly what to say.

“Dusty, broken bones; idiotically beautiful sunsets; grass stains on your jeans, blowing a big fat kiss,” he says with a laugh.

Porches’ new album, Ricky Music, is out March 13. They will be kicking off their tour in Richmond on Monday, March 23, at The Broadberry. Tickets are $15 in advance, and can be purchased here. [Editor’s note: in this time of coronavirus, all public events are subject to change, postponement, or cancellation. It’s a good idea to check for updates.]

Top Photo via Porches/Facebook

Exit Everything: Weekend Playlist by BIG NO

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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 Big No, a psychedelically oriented Richmond group who’ve been around for a while, and just released their self-titled latest full-length at the beginning of 2020. On their new album, the group, led by guitarist Nathan Grice and keyboardist Heather Jerabeck, move from the hazier sound of their earlier material in a more grounded, melodic direction, to entirely positive effect.

Of the playlist that they have put together to share with RVA Mag’s readership, Grice tells us, “It got pretty long. Most the songs are songs I’m inspired by for writing songs for the band. But everyone added songs. Adam likes hardcore, Heather likes Kate Bush and French music, Josh likes Mills Brothers, and Lance loves Coltrane. I’d suggest listening to the playlist on shuffle.” Expect to hear quite a few different sounds, all contributing to the wide variety of influences that come together to create Big No’s music.

Big No are currently scheduled to perform tonight at Gallery 5, along with Caverns Of Pine, Unmaker, and VV. However, in the current moment of coronavirus concerns, event plans are certainly subject to change, so check back with Gallery 5 to be sure all is well before you head down there. Regardless of what goes down, though, Big No have given you quite a bit to listen to this weekend, and that’s always a great thing.

Open this playlist from mobile in your Spotify app HERE.

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

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FEATURED SHOW
Friday, March 13, 8 PM
Caverns Of Pine, Unmaker, Big No, VV @ Gallery 5 – $10 (order tickets HERE)
We’re heading into St. Patrick’s Day weekend and meanwhile coronavirus has got me out here writing new lyrics for “Paranoid Chant” by the Minutemen. So what do you say we all make the choice to forgo events drawing a large crowd in favor of some more intimate gatherings? Sounds good to me, personally. That’s not the only reason to head for Gallery 5 this Friday night, but it is certainly one of them.

However, what’s really great about this show is that it represents the first time that Caverns Of Pine, a studio project led by Brad Perry (Worn In Red, Forensics, Operation Icy), will perform live. In 2018, the project released a great post-hardcore album called Disassociate, which focused on themes relating to surviving sexual violence and overcoming the associated trauma. As Brad and the other members all had their own projects to focus on, they never played any shows, but now, with the opening of All Instinct, a group art show inspired by Caverns Of Pine’s lyrics and curated by Bizhan Khodabandeh, they’re breaking the silence and finally gracing us all with a live performance.

Considering how excellently intense these songs actually are, this is sure to be one hell of a show. The fact that Caverns Of Pine will be paired with Unmaker for it is also eminently appropriate, as Unmaker have a similarly heavy and somewhat foreboding post-hardcore sound, only with a stronger postpunk influence that gives them a decidedly gothic edge. It’s a perfect double bill, one that is only made even awesomer by the inclusion of Big No and VV, two rad bands in their own right. To top it all off, all profits from this event benefit Force, an anti-rape culture, pro-consent activist group based in Baltimore, so you can know that your admission funds are going toward something positive in the world.

Wednesday, March 11, 8 PM
Lux, Vittna, Gumming, Dummies @ Mojo’s – $8
Here’s a really fun way to spend your Wednesday evening — going to Mojo’s. And not just because it’s a rad place with delicious food, either, though those are good reasons to spend ANY evening there. No, we’re sending you tonight specifically because Barcelona punks Lux are coming to town, and they’re gonna rock the hell out of Mojo’s tonight. One of the many bands to come out of excellent UK punk group Good Throb, Lux have less of that band’s caustic approach and a more rockin’, fun sound that keeps things at a swinging rock tempo and integrates a good deal of vocal melody even as their aggressive riffing makes it impossible to mistake them for just another power-pop group.

Lux released their latest EP, New Day, back in November, and it’s full of catchy tunes that will get you dancing. Meanwhile, Raleigh’s Vittna bring the speed and vitriol that you true punk freaks might miss in Lux’s set, and give you a chance to get the circle pit swirling right there inside Mojo’s. Just don’t spill anyone’s drinks, that ain’t cool. Local noise punk heroes Gumming will open this one up, along with a brand new band featuring members of Haircut and Sweeties called Dummies. How dumb will their take on punk be? The name certainly offers some clues, but we won’t really know until tonight — so be there, and end the mystery.

Thursday, March 12, 6 PM
Brower, Josephine, The Ar-Kaics, Piranha Rama @ Hardywood – Free!
If the Lux show at Mojo’s is an example of old-school hardcore punk, then this free DIG Records-sponsored Thursday night showcase at Hardywood is even older-school than that, taking things back to the powerful melodic energy that defined punk in its earliest days. Brower, who top this bill, are a project headed by Queens resident Nat Brower and featuring a similar rudimentary pop energy combined with scrappy punk stylings as that of some long-ago Queens residents, the Ramones — though there’s some definite Matador Singles-era Jay Reatard to be found in the mix here as well. Their catchy tuneage is bound to put a smile on your face — and in light of how things are going these days, we all need it.

They’ll be visiting Richmond in the company of fellow DIG Records artist Josephine, a singer, songwriter, and drag performer from New York who, along with her band, creates power-pop gold on her brand new debut LP, Music Is Easy. Fans of classic 70s Bowie and Odessey and Oracle-era Zombies are sure to thrill to this one. The always-enjoyable Ar-Kaics, Virginia’s best pure garage-rock revivalists, will be on hand to bring a heaping helping of their own rock n’ roll vitality, and the whole thing will kick off with the maximalist genre-hopping power-pop of Richmond’s own Piranha Rama. It’s the sort of evening that would be a thrill at any price — but since you can save your cash for the tasty craft brews, it’s even more so!

Friday, March 13, 8 PM
Peaer, Strange Ranger, Gnawing, SHE @ Poor Boys – $8 in advance/$10 at the door (order tickets HERE)
I have no idea if Peaer are actually named after a misspelling of a fruit or if it’s all just a happy coincidence, but I am certain that this New York band make music every bit as sweet as their possible misspelled namesake. Their 2019 LP, A Healthy Earth, is math-rock at its most melodic and delicate, the sort of complex guitar figures that are the hallmark of the genre fading into the background in favor of charming vocal harmonies and intriguing lyrics often detailing the sort of modern, everyday anxieties that make up the background noise of all our day-to-day lives.

Thankfully, even as they express these neuroses, their music acts as a soothing balm, one that will feel even more like a relief in the context of Poor Boys’ Voodoo Room this Friday night. Better yet, they’ll come to us in the company of Strange Ranger, a group that has an approach both less mathy and less quiet than that of Peaer, but just as sweetly melodic and full of catchy vocal harmonies to make you swoon. This is a killer double bill, and with local stalwarts Gnawing and SHE rounding things out, it’ll be even more delightful. Let yourself sink into this one — it’s sure to be a delight.

Saturday, March 14, 9 PM
Sexbruise?, The Last Real Circus Show, Sid Kingsley @ The Dark Room – $5
Ever had a random night with not much going on where you found yourself sitting around with some friends making up ideas for ridiculous bands you’re gonna start and laughing hysterically? I have too, but like most of you, I’ve never actually followed through on those kinds of goofy ideas. That’s the difference between us and the members of South Carolina band Sexbruise? though — they actually went through with it, creating a pop group they straight-up admit is “fake” and satirical in intent, but nonetheless cranks out some pretty outstanding danceable throwback jams.

What’s more, they turn every live show into a party the whole crowd is invited to, using improvisation and audience participation to spice up their performances of their catchy, silly tunes. On an evening when the total hedonistic mess that is Shamrock The Block will be taking place in close proximity to The Hof, Sexbruise? will offer a much needed pick-me-up. Better yet, they’ll be accompanied on this mission by DC/VA folk-rockers The Last Real Circus Show and Richmond’s own Sid Kingsley, making this a true night to remember. You’ll be chuckling fondly over this one on Monday morning at work — assuming you don’t take Sexbruise’s advice to “quit your job” (RVA Magazine has no official position on the matter).

Sunday, March 15, 2 PM
To Pimp A Butterfly 5th Anniversary party, feat. Kaelan Brown, Alec Sullivan, Michael Bradley, Alex Kehayas, and many more @ The Dark Room – $5
Kendrick Lamar might just be the best hip hop artist of the last decade, and the argument in favor of that idea begins right here, with his second album, To Pimp A Butterfly. Where his full-length debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, was an outstanding contribution to the tradition of hip hop, To Pimp A Butterfly took things to the next level, moving beyond the basics of beats and rhymes to tackle epic themes and integrate the full spectrum of black music, from jazz and gospel to funk and soul. Working with talented musicians from legendary bassist/producer Thundercat to former Butcher Brown guitarist Keith Askey, Kendrick made a widescreen album full of true musicality, and brought a pile of classic tracks into the world in the process — everything from “How Much A Dollar Cost” to “King Kunta” to the massively enjoyable “I.”

Now, in an effort to commemorate the fifth anniversary of this epochal musical achievement, a bunch of the most talented musicians in Richmond are coming together on the Dark Room stage to perform the album live, with new expanded arrangements brought into the world by nearly 20 different musicians, all fronted by talented young Richmond MC Kaelan Brown. Jazz/classical composer Alec Sullivan will conduct the massive horn section, local bass talent Alex Kehayas will play the Thundercat role on the low end, and an assortment of gifted young players will all work together to bring To Pimp A Butterfly to life onstage before your very eyes. If that’s not a great way to cap off your weekend, I seriously don’t know what is.

Monday, March 16, 9 PM
Horse Lords, Halfcast, Hellawes @ Cary Street Cafe – $10
Monday night is a great night to get weird, and with Baltimore’s Horse Lords in town, we have the perfect opportunity. Earlier in the column, I talked about Peaer’s sweetly enjoyable form of math-rock, and now it’s time to talk about the opposite. On their brand new album, The Common Task, Horse Lords use dissonant guitar figures and constantly shifting polyrhythms to keep listeners constantly unsteady on their feet, as if they’re standing on the deck of a pitching, yawing pirate ship.

If you find musical thrills in everything from New York-style No Wave to the styles of the nomadic Saharan guitar slingers who’ve come to so much prominence over the past several years, and further appreciate Baltimore’s legacy of total weirdness, from Oxes to Dan Deacon, you’re sure to flip for Horse Lords. Local psychedelic rangers Hellawes will prove their own ability to destabilize the room with their sound a quite formidable one in its own right, while Halfcast will create a relative oasis of discernability with their catchy indie-rock tunes at the center of the bill. You might walk home sideways from this one, but you’ll have a great time getting there.

Tuesday, March 17, 8 PM
Diana Rein @ The Tin Pan – $18 (order tickets HERE)
Our culture is full of tales about former child actors who came to bad ends, from Corey Haim to Jonathan Brandis. But it’s certainly possible for people who acted as children to grow into completely functional creative adults, and blues guitarist Diana Rein is a great example. You might not remember her name, but you probably remember her from her role as Sondra McCallister, one of Macaulay Culkin’s many cousins in the Home Alone film series. Today she’s all grown up, and while she no longer acts, her musical endeavors prove that she has plenty of creative energy still to get out.

For those who enjoy classic electric blues in the vein of BB King and Buddy Guy, Rein’s got a throwback sound you’re sure to love. On her latest LP, Queen Of My Castle, she mixes original tunes that follow in the footsteps of classic Chicago blues jams with some more wide-ranging efforts that show she’s got range, reaching into the realms of Bonnie Raitt-style blues-informed rock without ever losing track of the powerful chops that act as her calling card. The fact that Rein was once in a movie you watched a hundred times on VHS when you were little might be what initially catches your interest, but it’s the talent she’s showing off today that makes this show 100 percent worth your time.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Friday, March 13, 7:30 PM
Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers @ Hampton Coliseum (Hampton) – $26-$86 (order tickets HERE)
Sturgill Simpson is an artist who has remained consistently interesting to me ever since I first became aware of his music over half a decade ago. He grabbed me with his second album, Metamodern Sounds In Country Music, on which he attempted to get outside the moribund Nashville mainstream that has made country music into a cookie-cutter genre, and he’s just kept upping the ante ever since. After his third album, A Sailor’s Guide To Earth, he engaged in a busking-style public protest against the Country Music Awards’ refusal to speak about the more uncomfortable political issues that had come up in the wake of the mass shooting at a Jason Aldean show in Las Vegas. His approach to both his music and his role as an artist was incredibly refreshing to see.

Now, with last year’s Sound And Fury, Simpson’s taken things even farther once again, creating a suite of songs that are strongly informed by the current political climate and stand musically at so far a remove from the world of country music that some would say there’s no country left in what he’s doing, that he’s become a rock n’ roller using synths and crunching guitars to make a full-on alternative-rock album. But why get hung up on genre? Like the Drive-By Truckers before him, Simpson has a unique approach to a set of influences that is both wide-ranging and inextricably American, and hearing him bring them to bear on a strong creative effort is worth all our time, regardless of what genre it ends up sounding like. Don’t worry about country music, worry about good music. This show is going to bring plenty of it to you — I recommend that you be there.

Saturday, March 14, 3 PM
St. Patrick’s Day Punkarade, feat. 430 Steps, Brandy And The Butcher, ChargedCam36, Drunk Buseys, Lettermans, Like No Tomorrow, Locomotive Gun, Nervous System, Rad Taco, Rotten Stitches, The Jasons, The Moneys, Whiskey Warfare, Worser @ Pourhouse of Norfolk (Norfolk) – $5
It seems that Saturday, three days before the actual holiday, is the accepted date for celebration of St. Patrick’s Day in 2020. And I guess it makes sense; it’s the most “blah blah blah, drink” holiday of every year, and we may as well hold it on the weekend, so that everyone has a day to be hung over and feeling horrible before they have to go back to work. But let me say, if you really are insisting on tying one on this weekend, you’ll be better off doing so in Norfolk. There, instead of Shamrock The Block, the advertisements for which tell you they have “live music” on offer, but not who’s playing — always an ominous sign (I googled, it’s a couple of tribute acts and some cover bands) — you get the St. Patrick’s Day Punkarade at Norfolk’s Pourhouse.

Kicking off early in the afternoon and lasting far into the night, the Punkarade will bring together bands from all over the east coast, all of whom have a strong punk rock sensibility and all of whom will make you want to raise a fist in the air and sing along. Highlights of this bill include South Carolina punk hellraisers Brandy And The Butcher, Pennsylvania grindcore maniacs Worser, Norfolk punk goofballs Rad Taco, NoVA old-school punkers Like No Tomorrow, and topping off the whole thing, Ramones/Misfits-loving horror punks The Jasons. There’s way more happening on this bill as well, more than I could possibly find the space to tell you, but suffice it to say that if you like punk rock, it’ll be the best St. Patrick’s Day throwdown you could ever ask for. One word of advice, though — if you’re heading down from Richmond, you might want to book a motel room in advance. It’s better than sleeping it off in the backseat of your car, right?

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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]

Top Photo by Zach Wish with Stefanie Lutz, via Caverns of Pine/Facebook