• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

RVA Mag

Richmond, VA Culture & Politics Since 2005

Menu RVA Mag Logo
  • community
  • MUSIC
  • ART
  • EAT DRINK
  • GAYRVA
  • POLITICS
  • PHOTO
  • EVENTS
  • MAGAZINE
RVA Mag Logo
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contributors
  • Sponsors

VA Shows You Must See This Week: September 26 – October 2

Marilyn Drew Necci | September 26, 2018

Topics: 1476, 37th and Zen, Adam Jones, Altria Theater, Beach Goons, Capital Ale House Music Hall, Centerfolds, Come Clean, Cornerstone Cigar Bar, Cult Of Frost, Cupid McCoy, Death Bells, Desert Altar, Dube, House & Home, Lipid, Low Cut Connie, MDC, Meg Myers, missangelbird, Morningside, Narrow Head, Nine Line, Nominee, Ocean Heights, Paint Store, Party Wave, Ruby Boots, Serqet, Sharp Sleeves, shows you must see, Solace Sovay, Something More, Steely Dan, strange matter, Super Whatevr, The Alex Jonestown Massacre, The Camel, The Elected Officials, The NorVa, True Body, Venus Milo, Vulcanite, We Call This Courage

FEATURED SHOW
Friday, September 28, 8 PM
MDC, The Elected Officials, Cult Of Frost, Lipid, The Alex Jonestown Massacre @ Strange Matter – $12 (order tickets HERE)
I grew up going to punk and metal shows, losing my mind over harsh music with provocative lyrics. I grew up with radical left-wing politics, which are even farther outside the mainstream than they were when I was a teenager, being treated as perfectly normal ways of seeing the world (and to be honest, I still think they are). Therefore, when I see that a band whose nominal acronym has meant (many things, but most often) “Millions Of Dead Cops” is coming to town, all I think is “Oh wow, classic punk band with tremendous career gracing us all with their presence! FEATURED.”

So maybe this isn’t the most family-friendly pick. For those of you who that bugs, I’d recommend scrolling down to the Steely Dan blurb below. For the cool kids among you who stuck around, though, let me explain why MDC are both outstanding and important. Their 1980 debut single, “John Wayne Was A Nazi,” was a groundbreaking early example of re-examining the myths of pop culture to expose the racism, misogyny, and xenophobia lurking at their heart. Their 1982 debut LP, Millions Of Dead Cops, brought us the classic left-wing protest slogan, “No War! No KKK! No Fascist USA!” And it isn’t just their earliest material that deserves celebration; by their 1987 third LP, This Blood’s For You, they had become “Millions Of Damn Christians,” and were infusing their classic speedy hardcore with complex song structures and mind-bending riffs that they still delivered at a million miles an hour.

They’re still relevant today, too. In 2016, they rerecorded their classic tune “Born To Die” as an anti-Trump anthem (chanting “No Trump! No KKK! No Fascist USA!”), then followed that with their first album in over a decade (this time under the name “Millions of Deceived Citizens”), Mein Trumpf, which showed that the hardcore veterans (who still feature three of their four original members) are as fired-up, pissed-off, and full of raging punk tunes as ever. They’ll be joined by fellow politically-informed Texas punk rippers The Elected Officials, as well as Ohio’s Cult Of Frost, who are, of all things, a Celtic Frost tribute act who only play the Hellhammer demos and the first three albums (aw, Monotheist though…). Local freakers Lipid and The Alex Jonestown Massacre will get this started in fine fashion so you can circle-pit all night. No Trump! No KKK! No Fascist USA!

Wednesday, September 26, 8 PM
1476, Paint Store, Desert Altar, Vulcanite @ Strange Matter – $8 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
As a relatively old lady who was born exactly 500 years after the year Salem, Massachusetts band 1476 named themselves after, I’m a little fuzzy on what was actually going on that year, but if you check Wikipedia, you’ll find that notorious Romanian prince Vlad The Impaler was killed that year, and I think that gives you somewhat of an idea. This band pulls from all sorts of dark, mysterious genres of guitar-based music, from ambient folk and moody progressive rock to hardcore punk and black metal.

On their 2017 album, Our Season Draws Near, they create a foreboding musical atmosphere highlighted by passionate vocals and intricate multilayered guitar riffing, all driven by a ferocious rhythm section. They’re sure to take you on a dark journey of the mind when they hit Strange Matter’s stage tonight, and they’ll be aided in their mission by a trio of local bands who all capture a different aspect of 1476’s multi-genre melange: Paint Store, whose technical instrumental metal sound summons memories of long-gone Richmond legends Breadwinner, for one. For another, Desert Altar, who take a fascinating and fun approach to the whole retro-doom thing. And then there’s the groovy sludge of Vulcanite, starting this night off right. Get into it.

Thursday, September 27, 7 PM
Low Cut Connie, Ruby Boots @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $15 (order tickets HERE)
When you think of rock n’ roll these days, the piano is not the first instrument you think of. However, we’d be fools to ignore the legacy this instrument has in the history of the music: founding figures like Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis used their pianos to generate firestorms of rockin’ energy that set the dancehalls and roadhouses of the mid-50s American South on fire. And now, 60 years later, Low Cut Connie frontman Adam Weiner is coming to Richmond to do it all over again.

Low Cut Connie have a hellacious reputation for killer live shows, and in an NPR interview earlier this year, Weiner talked about his onstage activity, and how he can’t stand to sit still in front of his piano when there’s a crowd to interact with. It’s the fact that he’s able to mix it up, getting sweaty and wild onstage every night, while continuing to crank out the old-school country-tinged rock n’ roll sound of Low Cut Connie — as displayed on new LP Dirty Pictures (Part 2) — with flawless aplomb that makes this group an absolutely unmissable live act.  Bloodshot recording artist Ruby Boots, who’s got a raging femme energy and a powerful country-punk sound, kicks things off in a manner worth arriving early for. So you know what to do — get down to Capital Ale House tomorrow night and see it all for yourself!

Friday, September 28, 6 PM
Come Clean, Sharp Sleeves, Nine Line, We Call This Courage @ Cornerstone Cigar Bar – Free!
I may write a weekly column about music, but y’all, I’ve never claimed to be the coolest girl in the world. I just know what I like. Honestly, that’s a whole lot of stuff, and sometimes it’s stuff that no one else seems to pick up on. About a decade back, the thing I was into that no one else (or at least, no one else over 25) was picking up on was “easycore,” a genre that mixed the chunky guitars of melodic hardcore with the catchiness and emotional tone of pop-punk. A whole bunch of bands were doing this par excellence circa 2010 — Four Year Strong, Fireworks, Set Your Goals — but they all either changed their sound or broke up, and it’s been years now since I heard a really good example of the sound. I miss it.

That’s why I’m stoked to hear about North Carolina’s Come Clean coming to town. Their new EP, From Down The Street, isn’t quite out yet, but their 2016 debut, Won’t Wait, hits all the same pleasure centers for me as classic New Found Glory and first-LP Saves The Day did, and I can never get enough of stuff like that. They’ll be coming to the Cornerstone Cigar Bar (really? I hope they don’t allow smoking in the show room) in the company of Sharp Sleeves, who hail from Blacksburg and have a bit of a Florida tinge (a la Hot Water Music) to their pop-punk. With the addition of RVA locals Nine Line and We Call This Courage, you’re looking at a stacked bill of mid-Atlantic pop-punk excellence. Best of all, this show is free! That might even be worth braving a bit of cigar smoke for (be ready to wash everything you wore immediately afterwards though).

Saturday, September 29, 8 PM
Centerfolds, Something More, Nominee, House & Home @ Strange Matter – $10 in advance/$12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
One good pop-punk show deserves another, right? And this time, the headliners are local. Centerfolds have a bit of an easycore connection, as some members of Centerfolds used to play music with members of RVA’s leading easycore export, Broadside. However, since their 2017 LP, Bad Heaven, they’ve definitely moved in a more angst-ridden emotional direction — the desperation in their vocals and the minor-chord moods of the guitars are sure to make this band a fave for anyone who stays up late blasting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck records with the lights off (yes, that has definitely been me at times).

Now, if you were paying attention to this column last year around this time, you probably noticed the Common Grounds fest, an eight-band pop-punk package show that featured not only Centerfolds but also the other two headliners on this bill, Baltimore’s Something More and RVA’s own Nominee. I have never hidden the fact that I love Nominee — last year’s Drag Me Out EP was a big personal fave — and Something More have won me over with excellent tunes like “Brentwood Park” (from their split with Carry The Banner) and “All My Best Friends Are Dogs” (from their Dogs EP). Local newcomers House & Home kick this one off, and it’s gonna rule. Get stoked.

Sunday, September 30, 8 PM
Ocean Heights, Venus Milo, Cupid McCoy, Solace Sovay, Missangelbird @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
A decade after we first learned that Beyonce was a Grizzly Bear fan, the ever-increasing cross-pollination between the worlds of indie and r&b is a well-established reality. However, there’s still a lot of new territory to explore in the intersections between the two genres, and New Jersey’s Ocean Heights are one of the first groups to start mapping that interstitial space out. The results they’ve generated, showcased most prominently on recent single “No Waves,” are both fascinatingly unpredictable and pleasing in the extreme.

Mixing the sort of jangly guitar that early 80s UK bands like Orange Juice and Tears For Fears were drawing from 70s R&B records anyway with a smooth soul vocal and electronic sound results in some incredibly delicious tunes, the sort of thing that will appeal to anyone who ever wished Chromeo were more sincere, or Mac DeMarco had a bit more funk to his sound. A whole bunch of local groups on a similar tip, including up-and-coming standouts Cupid McCoy, the excellently-named Missangelbird, and the dirty-faced, angel-voiced boys of Venus Milo, are also on the bill. Solace Sovay, who are a bit closer to the indie-shoegaze side of things, will make an appearance to start things out and get the atmosphere in The Camel perfectly aligned for a night of musical deliciousness.

Monday, October 1, 7:30 PM
Steely Dan @ Altria Theater – $49.50 – $149.50 (order tickets HERE)
Would you believe that one of the highest-selling, most-played artists of the 70s and 80s, one of the best-produced and most polished-sounding bands of all time, were also a celebration of decadence with a name derived from a sex toy in William Burroughs’ Naked Lunch? Well, it’s true; not only is that really where Steely Dan’s name comes from, singer Donald Fagen loved to write lyrics glorifying debauched behavior, from giving your phone number to a woman marrying one of your friends in case the relationship doesn’t work out (“Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”) to gratuitous drunk driving (“Deacon Blues”) to getting ratted out by a friend and busted for drugs at Bard College (“My Old School”). So much for your family-friendly alternate show pick, huh?

After the 2017 death of founding guitarist Walter Becker, Steely Dan aren’t quite the same as they once were, but singer-keyboardist Donald Fagen is still holding it down behind the mic, and anyone who ever listened to their records knows that the best element of Steely Dan’s many classic progressive rock albums is the top-notch work from hired-gun studio musicians under Fagen and Becker’s direction. Rest assured the backing band will be a thousand percent on point at this show, and Fagen will sing just as wonderfully as ever about major dudes and Haitian divorces; it’ll be totally worth the $50 second-balcony tickets. Get yours now.

Tuesday, October 2, 7 PM
Death Bells, Narrow Head, True Body, Serqet @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $10 (order tickets HERE)
I love the way the hardcore kids who are hitting their late 20s these days are all going full-on goth. Something about having that sort of musical background makes bands do a really good job at the whole dark, moody postpunk thing — witness Iceage, Ceremony (the CA one, not the VA one that’s been goth the whole time), and quite a few other bands. Death Bells, who started out in Australia but are located in Cali these days, have a similar thing going on.

Their most recent single, “Echoes,” uses wire-tight guitar leads and foreboding synths to create an atmosphere that is then infused with a dark, spectral energy by their rumbling rhythm section and the powerful, hypnotic voice of frontman Will Canning. For a band that had already hit a high-water mark with 2017 debut LP Standing At The Edge Of The World, it’s a pleasantly surprising ascension to new heights. That’s certainly something you’ll want to experience, as is the set that you’ll get from Death Bells tourmates Narrow Head, who are tapping into that same sort of super-loud shoegaze sound that Jesu and Nothing have done so well with. Norfolk post-punkers True Body and RVA goth-peacepunk band Serqet round out this incredible bill, taking place within the refined halls of Capital Ale House. How strangely appropriate.

Bonus Hampton Roads Picks:

Friday, September 28, 7:30 PM
Meg Myers, Adam Jones @ The NorVA – $18 in advance/$22 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Meg Myers is a new discovery for me, but I really dig her. Her latest album, Take Me To The Disco, has a variety of different sounds going on at once, to the point that it’s hard to know what genre it is or how to even describe it. The best I can tell you is that it should appeal to fans of everything from Bat For Lashes to Garbage to Florence And The Machine; it has that sort of dark postpunk appeal while also incorporating a strong electronically-based pop songwriting sense.

Despite the use of the word “disco” in the title of her latest record, there’s no dance music here — you’re more likely to find crunchy guitars running up against programmed beats, like the best of the post-Nirvana 90s meeting the progressive alt sounds of the 21st century. It is at times tough to categorize, but it’s just as tough to dislike — Meg Myers is a talented lady with a ton of emotional intensity injected into her music, and you’re sure to feel the effects, especially when it’s all happening right in front of you in a live environment.

Saturday, September 29, 7 PM
Super Whatevr, Beach Goons, Dube, Morningside, Party Wave @ 37th and Zen – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
I’ve seen a lot of different ways to render the word “whatever” over the years, from people making a “W” with their fingers to a fad amongst my friends back at the dawn of the current millennium to say “whatev” or even “whatev2k” (boy, that’s aged poorly). I’ve never seen “whatevr” before, but in this time of dropping vowels to look cool, I’m not surprised — just kind of amazed that Super Whatevr don’t write their name in all caps. But I’m actually glad they don’t, because this California alt-rock band have a much more fun and creative sound than I’d expect from any band pulling the MGMT move in 2018.

Their new album, Never Nothing, is full of catchy choruses and bouncy rhythms, mixing a bit of the ol’ emo revival with that disco-fied garage rock thing that a bunch of bands used to make hay while the sun was shining around the turn of the millennium — think the Strokes, Franz Ferdinand, etc. Why am I talking so much about the Y2K era? Maybe this band put me in the mood — but considering how great music was back then, it’s certainly not a bad thing. They’re joined by fellow Californian rock revivalists Beach Goons, who are capable of evoking everything from mid-60s garage raunch to late 50s teenage-queen balladry. Canadian group Dube will also be on the bill, bringing a similarly fun brand of loud-guitar rock n’ roll. If you wanna dance, this show is really where you’re gonna want to be this Saturday. These groups will get you moving.

—-

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

VA Shows You Must See This Week: August 29 – September 4

Marilyn Drew Necci | August 29, 2018

Topics: Big No, Book Of Wyrms, Caterpillar Trap, Cole Hicks, Dead Boys, gallery 5, Genocide Pact, Ghost Wolves, Hardywood, Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs, Inter Arma, joey gallo, Kenneka Cook, Mister Moody, Norfolk Nightmares, North By North, Ohmme, Pain In The Yeahs, Paint Store, Renata Zieguer, Sammi Lanzetta, Serqet, Shadow Age, shows you must see, Sinister Haze, Slaughter Beach Dog, Solace Sovay, strange matter, Taphouse Grill, The Breach, The Camel, The Cazz, The Muslims, The Nerve Scheme, The Shangri-Lords, Thin Lips, Tinnarose, Toke, Valkyrie, Widow Rings

FEATURED SHOW
Friday, August 31, 8 PM
Inter Arma, Valkyrie, Genocide Pact, Paint Store @ Strange Matter – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
The summer is drawing to a close. The fall semester is starting, Labor Day is upon us, and the constant stream of awesome shows that makes summertime one of the most fertile periods of live music all year is starting to wind down. Never fear, though — Strange Matter always has you covered, and this Friday night they’re joining up with beloved Richmond metal veterans Inter Arma to bring you a night of outstandingly heavy sounds that’ll keep your weekend feeling as filled with rock as any weekend you’ve had this summer.

It’s been a couple of years since Inter Arma laid their last full-length slab of epic, ultra-powerful metal rage on us in the form of 2016’s Paradise Gallows. However, the word is that they’ve got another one in the can, so you can expect some fresh new jams from this creative quintet to level your mind once more. And considering their tendency to write veritable symphonies of metal riffing, even one new song will probably have enough going on to bring you at least a dozen killer new parts to get stuck in your head all weekend.

The rest of this bill is made up of friends and labelmates that Inter Arma is particularly delighted to bring to their fans. Foremost among those is Valkyrie, who may be better known for guitarist Pete Adams’ decade-long tenure in Baroness, but have distinguished themselves as a brilliant provider of heavy stoner-doom grooves for over 15 years now, most recently with their 2015 LP Shadows. Now that Pete is no longer performing with Baroness, it seems likely that this revitalized crew will be bringing us some previously-unheard awesomeness of their own, so get stoked! DC’s Genocide Pact are also on the scene with some dark and grimy biker-thrash sounds, as documented on their recent LP, Order Of Torment. And of course, RVA instrumental math-rockin’ trio Paint Store will kick it all off with some unpredictable but excellent tunes. Take heart, Richmond — your weekend’s still gonna start off right!

Wednesday, August 29, 7 PM
Slaughter Beach Dog, Thin Lips, Sammi Lanzetta @ Strange Matter – $13 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
It’s been a while since Modern Baseball went by the way side, and since the release of the second album by former Modern Baseball singer-guitarist Jake Ewald’s new band, Slaughter Beach, Dog, it’s started to seem like Ewald’s found a voice of his own, separate from the emotional pop-punk of his previous band. That’s not to say that Slaughter Beach, Dog isn’t emotional — even with a goofy name like that, there’s a very sincere feeling behind the songs on 2017’s Birdie that make clear that this band is no joke. What started as an outlet for a bit of a different approach than that of Ewald’s old band has become a fully independent project — and an excellent one at that.

Slaughter Beach, Dog’s most recent album finds the group exploring a variety of sounds, from softly-spoken acoustic folk to melodic, emotional indie sounds, even veering occasionally into country territory. Fans of everything from The Weakerthans to Hop Along to Sun Kil Moon will find something to enjoy from Slaughter Beach, Dog’s live incarnation, which is quite sure-footed considering the solitary origins of the group. Fellow Philadelphians Thin Lips will accompany the Slaughter Beachers down to RVA and bring us some pretty amazing pop sounds of their own, though Thin Lips certainly have a more overt wit, as well as a harsher edge to their catchy riffs. They show this off in noteworthy fashion on new LP Chosen Family, and the highlights from that album are sure to pick up some new RVA fans when they’re aired out onstage at Strange Matter tonight. Local phenomenon Sammi Lanzetta kicks off the show with some unmissable tunes that RVA music lovers should already be quite familar with — and if you’re not, what are you waiting for?

Thursday, August 30, 8 PM
Cole Hicks, Joey Gallo, Kenneka Cook @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
RVA hip hop is only getting deeper and stronger as the years go on, and I don’t know who could possibly have a problem with it. For those of us who recognize how wonderful a development this is, the place to be this Thursday night is The Camel, where this city’s newest star of the hip hop community is having a party to celebrate the excellence of her brand new album, May Day. That’s right, I’m talking about Cole Hicks, a tenacious wordsmith with sharp, incisive lyrics and an unrelenting flow. The majority of her new album is produced by NameBrand of Nickelus F and Radio B’s crew, AGM, and it’s full of smooth soul samples that add a moody, elegaic undertone to Hicks’ powerful rhymes.

She’ll take this entire sound to the next level once she hits the stage at The Camel tomorrow night, where she’ll present her May Day album to the world with a full live performance. It’s been out for a few months now, so you’ve had plenty of time to get on her wavelength, but if you still haven’t caught on, your attendance tomorrow night is required. Joey Gallo will also be on the scene, presenting his own excellent multilayered sound and outstanding lyrics — as heard on his powerful 2016 release, The Gallory. And of course, a set from Kenneka Cook will change up the sound and bring a dose of soulful experimentation and incredible vocalizing to the evening. There’s a lot to look forward to from this one — you really don’t want to miss it.

Friday, August 31, 6 PM
Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs, Big NO, The Shangri-Lords @ Hardywood – Free!
Holly Golightly — for truly, she is none other — comes to RVA this Friday night, and anyone who loves garage rock, rootsy country, and old-school punk rock should certainly be stoked. Now, I know what some of you are thinking: “Holly Golightly, wasn’t that the name of Audrey Hepburn’s character in Breakfast At Tiffany’s?” Well, yes, you’re correct, but it’s also the name of a singer (whose mom was apparently a Hepburn fan) who has been making excellent music in a variety of guises since the late 80s. She first came to fame as the frontwoman of UK garage-punkers Thee Headcoatees, an all-female spinoff from wildman Billy Childish’s Thee Headcoats. But she’s done a lot since Thee Headcoats disbanded, too.

In addition to over a dozen solo albums, she’s appeared everywhere from the soundtrack to Jim Jarmusch’s Broken Flowers to a memorable guest spot on the excellent White Stripes album Elephant (that’s her giving Jack’s horse a carrot so it’ll break his foot). For the past decade or so, she and her partner, Lawyer Dave, have had a project called Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs, and it’s this project that’s coming to Hardywood Friday night. They’re sure to bring us some tunes from their brand new album, Clippety Clop, which features a collection of cover tunes about horses, originally performed by everyone from Jimmie Rodgers and Johnny Cash to Red Red Meat. And considering Golightly’s excellent voice and talent with a variety of musical genres, whatever else they want to bring to the stage is just as certain to be a delight. With local excellence in the form of Big No and the Shangri-Lords kicking this one off, and a truly delightful pricetag, you have no excuse to miss this one.

Saturday, September 1, 8 PM
North By North, Caterpillar Trap, Solace Sovay, Mister Moody @ Gallery 5 – $6
This one’s gonna be fun. Thumping, rollicking rock n’ roll trio North By North are coming to town, bringing their inexhaustible propensity for touring the world to Richmond, VA. This Chicago group eschews bass in favor of organ, in a manner that gives them a heavy, almost surf-like undertone and an energy that’s sure to get you dancing. 2016’s Last Days Of Magic also shows off a variety of unconventional instruments that give the group an additional layer in the studio, but the songs themselves are sure to stand on their own in the live environment, and ensure that you can’t stand still on the dance floor.

North By North will be joined by a variety of local RVA bands when they hit town, Caterpillar Trap being the foremost among these. Their funk-infused prog-rock sounds are sure to delight those of you who like their rock n’ roll to be a fun blast of high energy. Indie trio Solace Sovay have a bit of a different feel going on, venturing into the sort of post-shoegaze territory of Silversun Pickups, early Smashing Pumpkins, and even Band Of Horses on their underrated new album, It Doesn’t Matter What It Is, Just What It Seems. These guys are the best reason for you to show up early to this one. But of course, you’ll also want to catch Mister Moody, a new crew of rockers who haven’t revealed much about their sound as yet — but are certainly intriguing.

Sunday, September 2, 8 PM
Toke, Sinister Haze, Book Of Wyrms @ Strange Matter – $10 (order tickets HERE)
OK, y’all, get ready for some SERIOUS doom. Toke hails from NC, and you know any band that names themselves after the act of taking a drag from a joint is gonna have some top-level slow-n-heavy shit for you. Toke completely live up to their name on 2017 EP (Orange), dropping half a dozen bangers of pure thousand-ton groove on ya, complete with some excellent high, harsh vocals. If you always wished Grief were a little less depressed, or that Fu Manchu would quit pussyfooting around and get seriously heavy, you’re gonna get a big kick out of this Carolina trio.

They’re joined on this bill by a double-shot of local doom power to make you even gladder that you came out, too. For one thing, we’ll be graced by a rare appearance of Sinister Haze, who’ve gone through a significant metamorphosis over the years in which they’ve been active, most recently materializing as a spacefaring psychedelic metal quartet — complete with spooky synths from soundman extraordinaire/former Lost Tribe member JK — on their 2017 EP, Emperor Of Dreams. Book Of Wyrms have a psych tinge of their own, as displayed on 2017’s Sci-Fi/Fantasy, but end up splitting the difference between Sinister Haze’s space voyaging and Toke’s earthy rumble with ethereal vocals and Hawkwind-ish space sounds finding a home over some pulverizing proto-metal riffage. You’ll have a headbanging good time at this one, folks, so don’t miss it.

Monday, September 3, 8 PM
Ohmme, Renata Zieguer, Tinnarose @ Strange Matter – $10 (order tickets HERE)
I will freely admit that this Chicago duo’s name through me for a loop, at least until I found out it was originally spelled “Homme,” but was changed either to avoid confusion with a K-pop group or to appease the fans of that Queens Of The Stone Age guy (only their lawyer knows for sure). They’re doing some pretty interesting stuff on their brand new album, Parts, stuff that shows both a facility for pop songcraft and a love for experimentation with all sorts of unusual sounds. Apparently they’re both classically trained pianists, but these days they’ve left keyboards behind for the most part, in order to do weird stuff with guitars and sing in perfect harmony.

Ohmme’s got a lot of fascinating sounds and catchy tunes to bring to the ears of discriminating indie-pop fans, and the same folks are sure to enjoy New York’s Renata Zeiguer, who’ll be joining Ohmme on their trip to Strange Matter. Zeiguer’s debut LP, Old Ghost, encapsulates a variety of genres, moving through new wave, rock n’ roll, pop, country, and influences from older sounds like swing and gospel in a nimble fashion that I can imagine appealing both to fans of Haim and to those who love Natalie Prass. With recent RVA transplants Tinnarose, a folk-psych project with an enchanting aura, opening up, this show is sure to be a treasure trove of musical delights.

Tuesday, September 4, 8 PM
Shadow Age, Serqet, Pain In The Yeahs, Widow Rings @ Strange Matter – $8
New York group Wax Idols were scheduled to headline this show, but instead they cancelled their tour and broke up. That’s a real bummer, but we can’t let it get us down for too long, especially since this evening still has so much excellent music to offer us. Shadow Age, for one, who’ve brought us a couple of excellent EPs over the past few years and will be celebrating the release of their self-titled debut full-length at this show.

From the three songs that have been revealed on the internet thus far, it sounds like it’s going to be a great one, carrying on the group’s synth-infused, guitar-driven gothic postpunk sound with even stronger melodies than they offered before. Fans of the band are sure to be stoked. And with a packed lineup of VA-based excellence, from the gloomy, profound postpunk of RVA’s Serqet to the morose electro-goth sounds of Tidewater group Pain In The Yeahs to lachrymose Fredericksburg darkwave project Widow Rings, there’s plenty more for those able to get on Shadow Age’s wavelength to enjoy… or at least appreciate.

Bonus Hampton Roads Picks:

Friday, August 31, 9 PM
The Muslims, The Cazz, The Breach @ Taphouse Grill – $5
When I saw the band name “The Muslims,” I wasn’t sure what to expect. Was this just another group of suburban white kids attempting to provoke? Thankfully, no — it’s just the opposite. The Muslims are a trio of musicians of color, taking a confrontational approach to calling out all of the racist and discriminatory politics that are running wild in today’s climate of right-wing ascendancy. Their snotty, ramshackle punk sound and wittily confrontational lyrics, displayed on their self-titled full-length debut in songs like “Jihadageddon,” “Muslims At the Mall,” and “One Black Friend,” is exactly the sort of fearless, irreverent musical activism we need in this world right now.

The Muslims have had videos removed by YouTube and status updates censored by Facebook, but IRL, this Durham group can’t be stopped, so head out to Norfolk’s Taphouse Grill this Friday night and get your mind blown by this brilliant musical finger in the face of everything that sucks about 2018. They’ll be joined by Norfolk locals The Cazz, an old-school punk trio with some jangly tendencies and snarky lyrics. Opening up will be The Breach, who hail from Virginia Beach and clearly love early 80s hardcore and playing really fast. This one’s gonna be a lot of fun.

Tuesday, September 4, 7 PM
Dead Boys, Ghost Wolves, The Nerve Scheme, Norfolk Nightmares @ Shaka’s – $15 (order tickets HERE)
It’s been over 40 years since the Dead Boys released their groundbreaking debut album, Young Loud And Snotty, and if you’re thinking, “Wait, aren’t they all, you know… dead?” You’ve got another think coming. It is indeed true that original vocalist Stiv Bators passed away in the early 90s, but original members Cheetah Chrome and Johnny Blitz have, believe it or not, recruited a couple of members of a Dead Boys tribute act called The Undead Boys and hit the road once again in celebration of a brand new, rerecorded version of their legendary debut.

Still Snotty: Young Loud And Snotty At 40 shows singer Jake Haut (the punk rock Ripper Owens) doing a great job of recreating Stiv’s snarky rage on classic tunes like “Sonic Reducer” and “Ain’t Nothin’ to Do.” And he and the other still-living Dead Boys are sure to tear things up at Shaka’s on Tuesday when they bring you all the hits, as speedy, as energetic, and yes, as snotty as ever. Raw, roots rockin’ duo the Ghost Wolves will also be on this bill, laying down some primitive noise sure to bring a smile to the face of anyone who enjoys The Cramps. Tidewater locals The Nerve Scheme and Norfolk Nightmares will kick the night off and ensure that this one is a blast from the word go. Be there.

—-

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

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 11/15-11/21

Marilyn Drew Necci | November 15, 2017

Topics: Adrienne Shurte, Allie Smith, Betrayer, Big Baby, Champion RVA, Colder Planets, Devil's Hand, DJ Good Show Steve, emilio's, Firing Squad, Furnsss, gallery 5, Joy Again, Julie Karr, Kelli Strawbridge, Kenneka Cook, Landon Elliott, Left Cross, Mangoux, Minibeast, Nathan Grice, Organ Donor, Pere Ubu, Prabir Mehta, Richmond's Last Waltz, Ruth Good, Sabella, Shadows, shows you must see, Silent On Fifth Street, Solace Sovay, Sorority Boy, strange matter, Tess Fisher, The Camel, The Canal Club, Timmy Peele, Toxic Moxie, Traitors, Wonderland

FEATURED SHOW
Friday, November 17, 8 PM
Richmond’s Last Waltz, feat. Kelli Strawbridge, Kenneka Cook, Landon Elliott, Prabir Mehta, and many more @ The Camel – $5 in advance/$7 day of show (order tickets HERE)
OK listen, I wouldn’t normally go all-out for a tribute show, but this one seems deserving of special mention to me. The Last Waltz was a concert film made by Martin Scorcese, documented the star-studded farewell concert by The Band in 1976. The original film featured not only a full set of The Band’s excellent moody, country-infused folk-rock but a host of guest appearances by everyone from Neil Young to the Staples Singers. Now, some local Richmond musicians are recreating the entire film as a long concert featuring all sorts of Richmond notables in a variety of roles. They’ll be kicking off the last weekend before Thanksgiving with this celebratory tribute event, live onstage at The Camel, and it’s sure to be an amazing time.

All it takes is one look at the lineup of musicians taking part in all of this to recognize its brilliance. It all starts with the quintet who’ll be playing the roles of The Band themselves, which features members of The Congress, Angelica Garcia‘s backing band, solo singer-songwriter Sid Kingsley, and more. Then there are the many guests making up a veritable who’s who of the Richmond soul, jazz, funk, jam, folk, and rock scenes–Kelli Strawbridge, Prabir Mehta, Kenneka Cook, Landon Elliott, Corey Axt, Brent McCormick, and quite a few more will pay tribute to the various guests who join The Band throughout the evening. Though I will say that I hope whoever portrays Neil Young (Prabir?) doesn’t go so far as to recreate the huge chunk of cocaine hanging out of Neil’s nose, which had to be rotoscoped out of the original film. Oops!

It’s the second half of November, y’all. Christmas music is already playing in the stores, Santa’s at the mall charging parents exhorbitant amounts for pictures with their terrified toddlers, turkey consultants are giving seminars on how to make Thanksgiving meals at Bed Bath and Beyond–it’s the holiday season, is what I’m saying. Around the musical world, this time of year offers us all a chance to have some fun and maybe not do everything with the same sort of seriousness and do-or-die intensity we bring to the stage most of the year. Seeing a bunch of incredibly talented local players loosen up and jamming on some old The Band tunes over at The Camel is a far less stressful way to celebrate this time of year than most of the other things we’ll be doing. So hey, why not? It’ll be a blast!

Wednesday, November 15, 8 PM
Pere Ubu, Minibeast, DJ Good Show Steve @ Strange Matter – $20 (order tickets HERE)
Pere Ubu aren’t exactly spring chickens. Sole remaining original member David Thomas (he’s the guy with the cane in the picture) has been doing the band since 1976, right after his previous band Rocket From The Tombs broke up. Rocket, one of the first punk bands, did a lot to create a sound and scene that’s still going strong over 40 years later, but Pere Ubu’s immediate mission became to mutate, undercut, and otherwise distort the original stripped-down rock n’ roll of punk into much weirder and more cerebral shapes. They’re still doing that to this day, as proven on recently-released 16th or so album 20 Years In a Montana Missile Silo. The mesmerizing atonal racket of early analog synths is still a core element of the Ubu sound, as are Thomas’s high, hectoring vocal rants, the funky rhythm section, and the razor-sharp guitar leads that cut through the whole thing.

From classic early singles like “Heart Of Darkness” to new album highlights like “Prison of the Senses,” the band will explore their full 40-plus-year history from the Strange Matter stage this evening. As a special bonus, they’ll be joined by Minibeast. This group features Peter Prescott, best known for his lengthy tenures as the drummer for pioneering postpunks Mission Of Burma and late 80s/early 90s noise-rock mainstays Volcano Suns. In Minibeast, Prescott indulges in his more outre interests, exploring all sorts of different instruments and textures as the head of a four-piece band. It might not be what you’ve come to expect from Prescott, but with an innovator like him, you should probably learn to expect the unexpected. This is also true of Pere Ubu, really. Prepare to be challenged.

Thursday, November 16, 6 PM
Richmond Unplugged, feat. Julie Karr, Allie Smith, Tess Fisher, Nathan Grice, Adrienne Shurte, Timmy Peele @ Champion RVA – Free!
Just as with our featured show this week, we have here yet another unusual bill that shows different sides of quite a few local musicians you’ve come to know and love. This week, Champion’s Thursday night free-show series takes things up a notch with the first ever “Richmond Unplugged” event. They’re hoping to make it a series, which has plenty of potential for awesomeness, so hopefully a lot of y’all make it down for this one. You certainly can’t go wrong by doing so, especially with Julie Karr at the top of the bill here. I get that these are all people we mainly know as frontpeople of electric bands, but Julie Karr has a bit of an advantage since, in addition to her years fronting Bad Magic, she has a long-running solo career from which to draw. Her spirited, bluesy folk solo material is just as riveting as the janglier, more indie-style Bad Magic tunes, so either way, you can’t lose.

As for the others on this bill, I’m sure all of them have busted out a solo set at least a time or two, though you’re far less likely to have caught them doing so in the past. However, from Blush Face to Big No, one thing we know about all of their bands is that they all are driven by strong songwriting and memorable melodies. All of those things should shine just as brightly in a solo acoustic environment, so this new take on some pretty excellent local sounds is sure to be worth your time. Plus, you’re getting six full sets from a variety of local Richmond music luminaries, all for exactly zero dollars. If you’d nitpick this one, you’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch.

Friday, November 17, 8 PM
Solace Sovay, Toxic Moxie, Mangoux @ Gallery 5 – $5
Solace Sovay haven’t had the highest of local profiles over the past couple of years (partly because of their onetime issues with finding a permanent drummer), so you could be forgiven for having no idea who this local trio actually are. However, the time to get on board has arrived, as this Friday night’s show at Gallery 5 marks the release of their latest album, It Doesn’t Matter What It Is, Just What It Seems <3 (yes, the heart is part of the title). Copies of the album will be handed out to all show attendees for free, so that $5 (already a criminally cheap door price in a time when $5 won’t even buy you a combo meal at Taco Bell) goes even farther this time around. You’d be a fool to miss it.

I should probably elaborate on what Solace Sovay has to offer, though, just so you know what you need to stop missing out on. Right now, only three tunes from their new album are available for streaming online, but all of them show the same sort of strong melodic sense and huge, glowing atmosphere that initially struck me about this band upon first seeing them at a house show several years ago. The word “shoegaze” gets thrown around a lot these days, and in a lot of cases it indicates a pretty poor understanding of what is actually meant by the term. However, Solace Sovay’s sounds really do indicate influence from the more mellow side of that early 90s UK movement, with Slowdive vibes crisscrossing some prime early Smashing Pumpkins riffs and even a bit of that outstanding later Talk Talk ambience (Spirit of Eden here, folks, not “It’s My Life”). The occasional accents from saxophone or keyboard only take these songs higher. I can’t wait to hear the whole thing. The fact that Toxie Moxie and Mangoux are both on this bill as well only sweetens the pot. Don’t miss this one.

Saturday, November 18, 9 PM
Left Cross, Organ Donor, Devil’s Hand, Firing Squad @ Wonderland – $5
These days it seems like certain segments of the hardcore scene are all but indistinguishable from straight-up death metal. Here in Richmond, the primary proponent of that blurring and confusion is Left Cross, a band formed by members of Unsacred and fueled primarily, it seems, by a desire to recreate the dark, terrifying sounds of formative 80s metal classics like Scream Bloody Gore, Seven Churches, or even Blood Fire Death. It’s pretty awesome, if a bit of a surprise to find this band’s first album being released by Vinyl Conflict and not Prosthetic or something. But hey, who cares? Shredding is shredding, and in this case shredding rules, so let’s all get ready to headbang!

Organ Donor are also on this bill, and there’s no confusion about which side of the hardcore/metal line this group exists on–it’s the metal line, and make no mistake. I haven’t heard anything from them since their 2012 demo (I know, I know) but unless they’ve done a full reinvention of their sound in the last five years, you can expect some serious guttural chugging from these folks, and plenty more reasons to bang your head. Devil’s Hand, one of the many longer-running Richmond hardcore bands who only seems to show up on a bill once every couple years these days, will be busting out the raging USHC sounds of their 2013 Vinyl Conflict EP release for this one, and the younger and still quite active RVA HC band Firing Squad will kick things off with a dose of high-speed pugnacity. Wear your studded wristbands for this one, y’all.

Sunday, November 19, 9 PM
Sorority Boy, Colder Planets @ Emilio’s – Free!
If you’ve actually checked out some show calendars out there, you’re probably aware that a lot of longtime touring veterans are coming to town on this night. The noise-rockers are all gonna be seeing Unsane at Strange Matter. The emo revival types, and the kids who are still around from the original days, will be catching the MeWithoutYou/Pianos Become The Teeth double-bill at The Broadberry. The sad indie punks will be down at Capital Ale House checking out Waxahatchee. I found it very hard to choose which one of these three shows to cover, but I ended up deciding not to cover any of them, because for my money, the most interesting and least predictable live music event happening in Richmond this Sunday night will be taking place over at Emilio’s.

That’s for my money, but you won’t have to worry about any of your money getting invested in this one, since this show is free. You are certain to have a good time, though, especially with the presence on the bill of Charlottesville’s Sorority Boy. This glittering duo manages to combine a minimalist, lo-fi aesthetic and a fuzzy, overloaded shoegaze beauty in much the same way many classic DC/Maryland alt-punk bands did back in the early 90s. They evoke pleasant shades of unjustly forgotten bands like Black Tambourine, Lorelei, The Lilys, and Rocketship with their overdriven guitar melodies, to outstanding effect. RVA five-piece Colder Planets, who join Sorority Boy on this bill, bring more instruments and a cleaner sound to the table, but their grasp of those thrilling jangly melodies is similar to that of Sorority Boy, making this show a great way to spend two hours and zero dollars on a Sunday night. More like this, please.

Monday, November 20, 6 PM
Traitors, Sabella, Shadows, Betrayer, Silent on Fifth Street @ The Canal Club – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Haha OMG OK let’s just get this out there right now–Traitors is kind of a ridiculous band. I’m not saying I don’t love them, because I kind of can’t help but love them in the same way I’m super stoked on Sworn In or Xibalba, but it must be admitted that they are ridiculous. Deathcore was bound to reach this extreme, though, in which bands broke through some sort of fourth wall into the nether reaches of slam death metal by deciding that breakdowns were so sick they just weren’t gonna play anything else. It’s true–Traitors songs start with breakdowns. Brutal ones. Then at a certain point, after that riff has started to seem relatively normal-speed, they break it down farther. Eventually they land at the sort of insane slow-motion breakdown pioneered by Shattered Realm and On Broken Wings a decade or so ago. Then the song ends, and another one starts. With another breakdown.

What I’m saying is, if you hate it when there are random mediocre two-step parts in the middle of mosh songs just to break them up, if you get sick of waiting around for the breakdown, Traitors are the band for you. They’ll keep you spinkicking and windmilling all night. You’ll need to do some exercise so you’re not tired out after two songs, of course, but that just means you should listen to Traitors records while you work out, in order to get more stoked and become more familiar with the changes so you can time your mosh moves perfectly. I admit that I will be way back in the anonymous crowd during all of this–after all, when was the last time you saw a 40-year-old woman throwing down hard in the pit? But don’t let my intrusive awareness of my own mortality stop you–be young, be wild, be free, be the kids wrecking the pit during the Traitors show at The Canal Club this Monday night. Your elders are watching–don’t let us down.

Tuesday, November 21, 8 PM
Furnsss, Joy Again, Big Baby, Ruth Good @ Strange Matter – $7
Here’s another show with some pleasant reminders of the excellent indie sounds that surrounded me in my late 80s/early 90s high school heyday. Ah, the good old days… just kidding, I was miserable. If it weren’t for music, I wouldn’t have made it out, for sure. Furnsss may remind me of bad times, but they do so by playing some really great music with a really pleasant, positive vibe. There are some clear callbacks to 80s college-rock jangle here, but a post-chillwave aesthetic sees this band firmly grounded in the sounds of today and the scene of 2017’s college rockers. Even though this music appeals to my old ass, it is firmly of the moment, and it’s been great watching Furnsss work their way up through the house-show underground and into the relative big time at Strange Matter.

Furnsss are joined on this tour by Joy Again, a fun, upbeat band from Philly with some indie-style jangly guitars that pair well with a sort of pop-garage aesthetic reminiscent of a far more sugary Sheer Mag. They’re fun, Furnsss are fun, and with the addition of local jangly indie-rock superstars Big Baby, this bill just got a whole lot funner! The evening will kick off with a set from Camp Howard side project Ruth Good, who have a lot to offer in their own right. This is a bill to put a smile on your face. And as the weather gets colder and the dark side of the holidays beckons, that’s something we could all use.

—-

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] [yes, my email is through GayRVA, don’t get weird about it]

RVA Shows You Must See This Week 1/28-2/3

Marilyn Drew Necci | January 28, 2015

Topics: Adia Victoria, Alison Self, Butcher Brown, Cult Of Youth, Daggering, Evan Dando, Everymen, gallery 5, Goat, Hive Mind, Holy Land, Long Arms, Lost Tribe, Lucy Dacus, Minimum Balance, Night Idea, Obsidian, Regulator, Ringworm, Sara Johnston, shows you must see, Solace Sovay, strange matter, Suburban Living, The Camel, The Foam, The Snowy Owls, Toxic Moxie, Unsacred, White Laces, World/Inferno Friendship Society

FEATURE SHOW
Saturday, January 31, 9 PM
Evan Dando, Sara Johnston, Long Arms @ The Camel – $15 in advance/$18 day of show (order tickets HERE)

Some might say this recommendation is pure nostalgia–and listen, I get that. It’s been nearly a decade since Evan Dando has released any new original material, either as a solo artist or as the frontman for his longtime band The Lemonheads. But isn’t there something to be said for celebrating the classic, timeless work of a truly great American singer-songwriter?
[Read more…] about RVA Shows You Must See This Week 1/28-2/3

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 3/26-4/1

Marilyn Drew Necci | March 26, 2014

Topics: Balliceaux, Bandito's, Big Lo, black liquid, Blackflags, Buck Gooter, Captor, Chauncie Jo, Cremains, DJ Fumo, Don Babylon, Esoterik, Fallout, Fight Amp, Fool's Errand, Frank Math, gallery 5, Gina Sobel & The Mighty Fine, Hellbear, Highness, King Parrot, Lil Huffy, Ludovico Technique, Maniac Music, Nachtmahr, OG !lla, Positive No, Prisoner, Puzzle, Reppa Ton, Roman Gabriel Todd's The Beast Rising Up Out Of The Sea, Royale, short skirts, shows you must see, Solace Sovay, strange matter, Suburban Living, The Moonbees, The Nervous Ticks, Toxsick, Vaporizer, Vattnet Viskar, Whores

FEATURE SHOW
Thursday, March 27, 9 PM
Ladybug House Vol. 1 Release Show, feat. The Moonbees, Highness, Gina Sobel & The Mighty Fine, Fool’s Errand @ Strange Matter – $6

There are two really good reasons why you need to make it to this show.
[Read more…] about RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 3/26-4/1

sidebar

sidebar-alt

Copyright © 2021 · RVA Magazine on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Close

    Event Details

    Please fill out the form below to suggest an event to us. We will get back to you with further information.


    OR Free Event

    CONTACT: [email protected]