The Blue Sky Disaster

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 2/21-2/27

Marilyn Drew Necci | February 21, 2018

Topics: Andres, Bad Magic, Bandito's, basmati, Big No, Capstan, Captive, classical revolution RVA, Classical Revolutions, Division Of Mind, Downhaul, Eidola, Fat Spirit, Giving Up, Gumming, Harm's Way, In Your Ear, John Nolan, Magnus Lush, Mammoth Indigo, Miramar, Mojo's, Piranha Rama, Pulses, Queensway, Riley Little, Ringworm, Runaway Brother, Sammi Lanzetta, Serqet, shows you must see, Slump, strange matter, The Blue Sky Disaster, The Camel, The Canal Club, Two Cars, Vein

FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, February 24, 9 PM
Magnus Lush, Piranha Rama, Slump @ Mojo’s – Free?
This Saturday night is an occasion for celebration. Magnus Lush, who’ve quietly become one of the most reliably excellent bands in town over the last few years, are having a big coming-out party to celebrate the release of their new EP, Hell Is Real. In a way, it’s their debut — despite having a consistent history of live fireworks, this band has only given us a demo, which came out three whole years ago, and a couple of live radio sessions that are close to two years old themselves at this point. This new EP captures them on tape at the peak of their powers, so that all the people who haven’t caught on to their hypnotic excellence in a live setting yet can finally find out just what they’ve been missing.

Of course, this show on Saturday night at Mojo’s, which certainly appears to be a free show, is also a great opportunity for all those sleeping on Magnus Lush to wake up. This group’s sound, which incorporates spacey, foreboding keyboards and glittering guitar arpeggios into a postpunk rhythmic approach that is almost Fugazi-ish at times, then tops the whole thing with frontwoman Age Shurte’s powerful voice, is unique on the Richmond scene and all the more valuable as a result. Old heads might find themselves thinking of long-departed Richmond combo Damn Near Red, but there’s really no current comparison to be made. And a big part of that is due to the fact that Magnus Lush is really, really good.

Mojo’s is a great setting for this event, and that definitely adds to its appeal. With its relaxed atmosphere and emphasis on really delicious food, it’s not the first place you’d expect to find excellent live music. But a comfortable environment and a party vibe are sometimes just what one needs to really connect with a live musical experience. The rockin’ rollin’ sounds from openers Piranha Rama and Slump will also crank up the party vibe, as will the between-set live music provided by DJ Baby Maria. But ultimately, this night is all about Magnus Lush. And if you’re not already fired up about it, you need to fix that as soon as possible.

Wednesday, February 21, 5:30 PM
Eidola, Capstan, Andres, Captive, The Blue Sky Disaster, Pulses @ The Canal Club – $10 in advance/$12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Every once in a while, I have no idea who any of the bands playing on a given night are, and I have to check all of them out to figure out what I’m going to write about. Usually, the choice comes down to which band seems the most entertaining or unusual, but every once in a while, one of those bands I know nothing about jumps up and smacks me across the face with their immediate excellence. Next thing I know, I’ve found a new fave. For this week, that band is Eidola, who will be touching down at The Canal Club tonight with an incredible sound that mixes progressive metal, melodic post-hardcore, and technical chops aplenty to blow this entire town away.

Their second album, 2017’s To Speak, To Listen, was my introduction to the band, and it grabbed me by the throat immediately. The fact that an instrumental version of the album was released a few months after the main release makes clear that the band is proud of the music they’ve written for this album. This is for good reason, as their complex song structures and technical instrumental prowess are definitely something to be proud of. However, it’s the melodic, passionate vocals that really raise this band to top level, and they’ll definitely be an essential part of their performance tonight at The Canal Club. Listen, I know this show starts really early and features a ton of bands who are all touring as a big package. Do what you want to do where those bands are concerned — after all, getting more for your money’s never a bad idea. But you simply must catch Eidola tonight; whether you’re a fan of metal or post-hardcore, whether you’re more captured by instrumental mastery or powerful emotions delivered through music, this band has you covered on all fronts. Don’t sleep on them.

Thursday, February 22, 7 PM
Miramar with Classical Revolution RVA @ In Your Ear Studios – $20 (order tickets HERE)
I know I write about metal and stuff like that a whole lot, but y’all, expanding our musical horizons is always an admirable goal, so we’re really lucky that Richmond, regardless of being a bit of a metal mecca, has a ton of other intriguing musical nooks n’ crannies to explore. And all you headbangers and indie hipsters could do with a little more musical exploration, so you should really get yourselves over to In Your Ear Studios tomorrow night to see Miramar perform with Classical Revolution RVA.

Miramar plays bolero music, a Latin style that has its roots in Cuba and spread across Latin America during the 20th century. Their 2016 debut album, Dedication to Sylvia Rexach, celebrated the life and work of the titular Puerto Rican poet and composer. Miramar’s sound may share some musical roots with the Afro-Cuban sound of Bio Ritmo, with whom they share members. However, they are a whole different experience, pairing emotionally-driven vocal duets with a slow, moody musical structure that lends itself perfectly to stringed accompaniment. At In Your Ear Studios tomorrow night, Miramar will be playing one set in their basic sextet form, and another accompanied by a string quartet featuring members of Classical Revolution and the Richmond Symphony. You’re sure to be moved by their powerful sounds, even if it doesn’t lend itself to mosh pits. Open your mind and bask in the many wonderful offerings of our local music scene — you won’t regret it.

Friday, February 23, 7 PM
Harm’s Way, Ringworm, Vein, Queensway, Division Of Mind @ The Canal Club – $15 (order tickets HERE)
Of course, if you’re in need for some heavy breakdowns to cleanse your palate, that’s certainly understandable. And you need look no further than the Canal Club for your fix. Harm’s Way is back this Friday night, and if it’s possible, they’ve gotten even heavier since last time they rolled through town. Their brand new album sees them drawing more than ever from harsh metallic industrial influences — if anything, I’d guess they’ve been listening to a lot of Godflesh lately. The mechanization inherent in their sound makes the latest album’s title — Posthuman — entirely apropos. But on a more relevant point, it makes the album’s plentiful breakdowns hit harder than you probably ever thought possible. Total mosh destruction. Your head just might explode. It’s gonna rule.

But listen, seriously, if you think Harm’s Way, back in fighting shape and heavier than ever, is all this bill has to offer, you must not have actually read the full lineup. Because just as big an attraction if not bigger is the appearance of Clevo hardcore legends Ringworm. Coming from the same deep-rooted evil metallic hardcore foundation as Integrity — who, let’s be real, basically created the modern metallic hardcore sound — Ringworm have remained consistent, powerful, and terrifying on a level that other bands from their era can’t even approach. 2016’s Snake Church was their eighth album, and it hit just as hard as their first; surely the same will be true when The Human Furnace and company hit the Canal Club stage. With Vein, Queensway, and Division of Mind opening up, this will be a real rager from beginning to end, so get ready to go off!

Saturday, February 24, 8 PM
John Nolan, Mammoth Indigo, Sammi Lanzetta @ The Camel – $15 (order tickets HERE)
Hey all you grown-up emo kids! You might be indie hipsters now, you might not let anyone know about the Taking Back Sunday and Straylight Run CDs you still have hidden away behind your racks of Pitchfork-approved indie vinyl… but I know. And right now, while all your super-cool indie friends aren’t paying attention, we can have a little private conversation about just how great all those records still are. I know, right? The best! Anyway, John Nolan, who was an essential founding member of both groups, is not only back with Taking Back Sunday these days, but also has done a fair amount of solo work over the past decade or so, and he’s currently on solo tour to give those songs some much-needed shine.

It’s been a few years since his last solo album, Sad Strange Beautiful Dream, but there’s no rush — after all, those songs are still great, and he hasn’t done a ton of touring since then, so it’s still a perfect time to see what the man’s been up to when he isn’t working with his legendary band. One thing that can be said about it — while it’s emotional, this isn’t emo, by any means. It’s not even really punk-derived; Nolan’s solo work has an acoustic, singer-songwriter vibe that reminds me more of catchy power-pop groups like underrated yet excellent pre-fun. combo The Format. It’ll still make you feel things, it’ll still get you dancing and singing along, but it’s definitely got its own flavor that’ll show all you dyed-in-the-wool Taking Back Sunday and Straylight Run fans a whole new side to John Nolan. What more could you ask for?

Sunday, February 25, 10 PM
Big No, Serqet, Bad Magic @ Bandito’s – Free!
The free local showcases on Sunday night at Bandito’s are an always-reliable source for excellent local music in a strangely great-sounding room, so anytime one comes around I’m always interested. This one is particularly promising, as it brings together a couple of reliably excellent veteran local groups with a relatively new up-and-comer everyone should be checking out. Big No is a moody, psychedelic project with a glowing pop heart, and their most recent LP, Get Over Yourself, really establishes them as a talented group with a ton of killer songs. If you’ve been reading this site for a while, you’ve had plenty of chances to jump onto this bandwagon, but it’s never too late, and free Sunday night shows are always a great low-stakes opportunity. Get into it.

Then there’s Serqet, a band whose name I always take three or four tries to spell. So far, they just have a demo out, but it was released by Vinyl Conflict Records, which should certainly grab your attention. This keyboard-infused postpunk band strikes an early 80s UK note, both with their spooky gothic keyboards and their arpeggiated guitar melodies, simultaneously bringing to mind references as disparate as Siouxsie and the Banshees, Amebix, and the Chameleons. Regardless of what you hear in their sound, you can’t deny its excellence. And the same could be said of Bad Magic, the trio fronted by talented songwriter Julie Karr and featuring local heavyweights Jimmy Held and Tim Falen holding down the rhythm section. Last year’s Harsh Surrender was a killer reminder of just how much talent this band has to offer. It all adds up to a night of intriguing, powerful talent. And there will also be tacos — you can’t beat that!

Monday, February 26, 8 PM
Giving Up, Fat Spirit, Basmati, Gumming @ Strange Matter – $5
Here’s a fun one, full of charm. Giving Up have a sound that simultaneously hits that jangly indie sweet spot so many bands have been messing with lately and also dips sideways into the sort of quirky keyboard pop that bands like Slingshot Dakota or Matt And Kim have been bringing us for quite a while. Giving Up have been around for a good bit of time themselves, but have remained somewhat under the radar due to the members’ being spread across the Midwest, and only coming together to create releases on an occasional basis.

However, they do have a brand new LP out, entitled Garner Cardinals, and it’s a strong, assured effort full of killer tunes. They’ll be bringing these tunes to Strange Matter Monday night and letting all y’all know exactly what you’ve been missing without Giving Up in your life. Should be a whole lot of fun, especially since the local support is provided by such killer bands. Basmati’s fun, slightly mathy indie-core is always a sure bet, and Fat Spirit is guaranteed to bring the grungy rock n’ roll. Gumming will strike the heaviest and weirdest note of the evening, for sure, but who doesn’t love a little spice in the punchbowl? Don’t miss this one.

Tuesday, February 27, 8 PM
Downhaul, Runaway Brother, Two Cars, Riley Little @ Strange Matter – $8 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
It’s always nice seeing local bands who have ambition and are willing to take their craft seriously. I don’t know a ton about Downhaul; honestly, I hadn’t heard much about them before this show came onto my radar. But the fact that this is a show celebrating the vinyl release of their new EP, Where We Started, certainly got my attention. In a time when a lot of bands feel like they’ve done enough just by uploading a garage recording to Bandcamp, seeing a young group put their money where their mouth is to the extent that they’ve paid for a vinyl pressing commands a certain amount of respect. Well done, guys.

And I don’t want to neglect the music, either. This quartet brings us an upbeat, jangly indie-guitar sound that makes me think at least somewhat of Surfer Blood — an impression that is strengthened by the singer’s passing vocal resemblance to John Paul Pitts. However, there’s just as much of the supposedly passe emo revival sound flowing through this band’s veins, if their rumbling rhythm section and occasionally quite strident crescendos are any indication. There’s basically nothing here not to like, and it’s clearly time for this town to start paying more attention to this band. Just to sweeten the pot, they’re joined on this bill by Cleveland emo-punk killers Runaway Brother, as well as a couple of local up-and-comers in Two Cars and Riley Little, neither of which I’m very familiar with. Downhaul is really the reason to show up, though. Do it.

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Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers–this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected] [yes, my email is through GayRVA, don’t get weird about it]

Top image by Vivienne Lee, from a photo by Joey Wharton

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 9/27-10/3

Marilyn Drew Necci | September 27, 2017

Topics: '68, 10-56, Black Iris, Blue Nine, Brown Piss, Coteries, Dalek, Demon Eye, Dyrt, Fake Object, Flesh Control, Furniture Daniel, Glass Twin, Gouge Away, Idiot Proof, Kyle Flanagan, Muzak City, Plague Vendor, Prison Religion, Pyro Ohio, R Complex, Rafael Toral, Roy Batty, Scant, Sensual Assault, shows you must see, Single Mothers, Stone Garden Jam Temple, strange matter, Street Sects, Tel, The American Dream, The Blue Sky Disaster, The Bronx, The Camel, Thieves Of Shiloh, Touche Amore, Various Eggs, Venomspitter, Vilified, Wilsen, Yoga Demon, Yohimbe

FEATURED SHOW
Friday, September 29, 7:30 PM
Touche Amore, Single Mothers, Gouge Away, Venomspitter @ The Camel – $15 (order tickets HERE)
I will freely admit that I’ve written about both of the touring bands on this bill before. It’s true; there’s no shame in my game. However, if you think Touche Amore and Single Mothers coming to town not only again but together is not occasion to revisit some of the best hardcore/post-hardcore sounds to come out of California so far this decade, you are crazy. The nature of this column is that every show is considered a must-see just by virtue of being here. But seriously, this one is an absolute must, even in terms of the usual fare this column brings you.

Why the vehemence? Well, for starters, Touche Amore have remained a consistently exciting band over the course of four albums and nearly a decade of existence. Their latest, Stage Four, continues to push the boundaries of what they do without losing sight of the energy, passion, and melodic sensibilities that work in concert to make their music a cut above almost anything else you’ll hear within their chosen genre. The melodies are further to the front than they’ve been before, but the band has sacrificed none of their power, finding the sweet spot between driving hardcore and melodic emo that sees them at their absolute peak. It’s seriously their best stuff yet, and with as intense a stage presence as this band has, you absolutely cannot miss them bringing this material to you onstage.

Then there’s Single Mothers. This band is less emotional and more enervated, bringing a snarling post-hardcore attack to wry lyrics about personal decline and witty resignation. First LP Negative Qualities seemed to reach a sort of pinnacle in their channeling of the riff-heavy post-hardcore frustration brought to life in the 90s by bands like Bluetip, but this year sees followup Our Pleasure up the ante on that whole thing courtesy of sharper guitars and even more self-directed lyrical chagrin. With Floridian post-hardcore heroes Gouge Away and local metalcore champs Venomspitter on the bill as well, this is a monster of a show and you seriously, seriously, better be there.

Wednesday, September 27, 8 PM
Wilsen, Glass Twin, Various Eggs @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
Here’s an intriguing sound that seems airlifted from a completely different era. Wilsen is a group born from the softly plucked nylon strings of Tamsin Wilson’s acoustic guitar, now embroidered with everything from ambient electric guitars and unobtrusive percussion to string swells that sound lifted straight from symphonies. The final result, when combined with Wilson’s riveting voice, is something to marvel at, and if you remain very still and don’t make any sudden moves, you may just find yourself wowed.

Wilsen comes to The Camel in support of their debut full-length, I Go Missing In My Sleep, a titular sentiment I can relate to as a sometime somnambulist (look it up). They may not be the loudest band ever to grace that Broad St. stage, but they’re sure to pull you into their aura nonetheless. With support from local alt-rockers Glass Twin and Various Eggs, this show looks to be a night of musical contemplation for the heavy thinker. Nothing at all wrong with that.

Thursday, September 28, 7 PM
Pyro Ohio, The American Dream, Vilified, Idiot Proof, The Blue Sky Disaster @ The Camel – $7 (order tickets HERE)
I must say, y’all, I missed a lot during my time shelving greeting cards for Hallmark and generally overlooking any music not made by the bands I covered in this column (due to sheer fatigue more than anything–I don’t miss that job). One extremely clear example of just how much I missed during my years in the wilderness is Pyro Ohio, a band from the nearby metropolis of Blacksburg who I am just discovering now, on their farewell tour. If you’re like me in this regard, we’ve got some lost time to make up for at The Camel this Thursday night.

Pyro Ohio’s 2015 album Keepsakes does an incredible job of bridging the gap between djent-adjacent technical metalcore and post-Chiodos heavy, progressive emo. Songs like “It’s Not My Tea, But I’ll Drink It” and “The Truest Reflection” stun with powerful chugging riffs and intense screams one minute and incredible melodies topped with beautifully sung lyrics the next. They’ll get you banging your head even as you marvel at their incredible melodic sense. How did I miss out on this band? Thank god I have one last chance to see them. And with a stacked support lineup including metallic screamo up-and-comers The Blue Sky Disaster as well as a few other locals I’m less familiar with but certainly seem at first blush to have a lot to offer, this show promises maximum headbang for your headbuck, or something like that.

Friday, September 29, 8 PM
Demon Eye, Roy Batty, Tel @ Strange Matter – $8
Raleigh’s Demon Eye are bringing a treat for old school Richmond heads when they appear this Friday night at Strange Matter, and not just because all the old heads are suckers for throwback doom metal sounds, either. This band features guitarist Erik Sugg, who some of you will remember from his younger days as a Richmonder playing in the late 90s local rock n’ rollers Dragstrip Syndicate. His former bandmates are mostly involved with Horsehead these days, and while their mutual decision to name bands after body parts of non-human creatures is strangely congruent, Demon Eye is an entirely different sort of beast–or, er, part of a beast–than Horsehead.

Proof of the intriguing differences here can certainly be found on the latest Demon Eye LP, Prophecies And Lies, released about a month and a half ago by Soulseller Records. Their sound is groovy rather than draggy, which is always nice from a retro doom band, and I’d most quickly compare them to Pentagram and Spirit Caravan, a couple of personal faves in that style. So even if you don’t remember Dragstrip Syndicate at all, rest assured this show is well worth your time. Sweetening the pot will be Roy Batty, the latest from former Hot Dolphin vocalist Lindsey Spurrier and former Avail drummer Erik Larson, along with some members from Hoboknife and La Mere Vipere, among others. Spooky local doomsters Tel kick the whole thing off in just the right fashion.

Saturday, September 30, 7:30 PM
Rafael Toral, Furniture Daniel @ Black Iris – $6-10 (sliding scale)
There’s a lot going on in the world of experimental noise these days, and a lot of it is certainly worth hearing, but there aren’t many new approaches taking place within the genre, which makes any that come along deserving of special notice. Therefore, it’s critical that the performance of Rafael Toral this Saturday night at Black Iris not escape your attention if experimental noise is relevant to your interests. In a world of avant-garde academic approaches, punk-influenced destruction, and outsider mania, Toral is all but unique in his free-jazz approach to noise. In collaborations with artists as noteworthy as Jim O’Rourke, Rhys Chatham, and John Zorn, Toral uses electronic instruments including oscillators, modular synthesizers, and even bizarre shit like “glove-controlled computer bass sinewaves” to create totally new sounds exploring the limits of the “new thing” Ornette Coleman laid down over 50 years ago.

Furniture Daniel mastermind David Dominique explores similar territory in his solo work, often leading jazz octets with hybrid instrumentation. His work as Furniture Daniel specifically explores spaced-out terrain of the sort sometimes covered by Klaus Schulze, using loop effects to tweak and modify sounds from synth, drum machines, and the human voice into intriguing soundscapes. Both of these artists mix jazz with noise and ambient vibes to create an intriguing atmosphere that will be taking over Black Iris this Saturday night. Be a part of it.

Sunday, October 1, 7 PM
Blue Nine Fest & Memorial, feat. Kyle Flanagan, Scant, Yohimbe, Stone Garden Jam Temple, Brown Piss, Coteries, Dyrt, Fake Object, 10-56, Flesh Control, Thieves Of Shiloh, Yoga Demon, Sensual Assault, Muzak City @ Strange Matter – $5
Sunday night sees a significant gathering of the more punk-based experimental noise scene here in Richmond; sadly, it’s to commemorate a tragedy. Local noise musician Bobbie Peters, who performed under the name Blue Nine, passed away earlier this year, and their many friends in the local scene are gathering to celebrate their life with the sort of harsh noise they loved. Whether or not you knew Bobbie, this is an important event for the RVA noise scene, one that is worth checking out as much for the chance to engage with the full spectrum of the local scene as for the opportunity to memorialize a fallen compatriot.

There are way too many artists on this bill to explore even half of them to the extent they deserve, but some that merit special mention include Brown Piss, the damaged electronic harshness generated by Suppression/Mutwawa/Chaotic Noise Productions mastermind Jason Hodges as a solo performer; Scant, the harsh, foreboding chaos generated by mid-Atlantic noise renaissance man Matt Boettke; Coteries, the enveloping atmospheric noise terror of Van Ficken; and Eric Tomillon’s monster of harsh noise, Fake Object. But honestly, everyone who’s anyone in Richmond’s experimental noise scene is here, so if you need a crash course, this is your perfect opportunity to get one. It’s a shame it had to happen for such a sad reason.

Monday, October 2, 8 PM
Dalek, Street Sects, Prison Religion, R-Complex @ Strange Matter – $12 (order tickets HERE)
Some underground legends of independent hip hop will return to Strange Matter this Monday, and if you don’t already know Dalek, it’s time to get familiar. This collective first presented itself to the world in the late 90s with Negro Necro Nekros, a groundbreaking collaboration with punk rock label Gern Blandsten, and the seven albums they’ve released since those days have continued to stretch the edges of what could be considered hip hop. These days, they make their home on Ipecac Recordings, the Mike Patton-owned home of a variety of somewhat uncategorizable but undeniably heavy musical legends. Dalek may not sound too much like labelmates The Melvins, but they are just as creative–and just as heavy–as those groups.

Their latest album, Endangered Philosophies, just hit the streets a few weeks ago, and shows the group continuing to pair the incisive lyrics and hard-hitting delivery of frontman MC Dalek with dark soundscapes that envelop the listener with an ominous undercurrent. They’ve been compared to shoegaze artists in the past, but it’s closer to the truth in my humble opinion to invoke the classic early material by Wu-Tang Clan or Mobb Deep, only drenched in the same sort of industrial darkness found at the heart of the best material from Godflesh–who, as it turns out, are actually their labelmates these days. The openers on this bill all share certain aspects of sound with Dalek, though each shares a different aspect–Texas’s Street Sects have a thudding industrial feel combined with postpunk song structures; locals Prison Religion combine heavy hip hop with harsh noise; and opener R-Complex explores an ambient industrial harshness of their own.

Tuesday, October 3, 7 PM
The Bronx, Plague Vendor, ’68 @ Strange Matter – $18 in advance/$20 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Let’s get back to some rock n’ roll to round out the week, shall we? The Bronx, who hail not from New York but LA, have been a reliable source of hella rockin’ punk sounds for quite a while now, and they just this past week brought their fifth album, The Bronx V, kicking and screaming into the world with the same sort of catchy, energetic songcraft that’s made their previous work so memorable. Lead single “Sore Throat” has an understated melody, driven primarily by bent-up guitar leads, but the main factor at work is its screaming intensity. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t expect the same sort of post-garage riff-stravaganzas that got you dancing like crazy on previous albums. Far from it–The Bronx are bringing the fire, the desire, and the inspire with the same fury they’ve always had.

There aren’t any local openers on this bill, either–just a nonstop blast of fury from a tour package that’s hard to beat. Fellow Californians Plague Vendor will directly precede The Bronx with a bit of a darker sound that evokes Ex-Cult and the Murder City Devils and is sure to draw you in. Meanwhile, ’68 start things off with what was originally a bit of a curveball from former Norma Jean/The Chariot singer Josh Scogin, who picked up a guitar, joined up with drummer Michael McClellan to create a rockin’ two-piece that retains The Chariot’s heaviness while exchanging some of its metallic riffing for a bit more of a straight-up rock n’ roll approach that makes perfect sense in light of the bands they’re currently touring with. Expect a bit of headbangs along with the dancing when these guys play, but hey, if you’re doing it right, your hair is always flying everywhere when you’re dancing anyway, so that shouldn’t be too much of a stretch.

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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] [the rvamag address isn’t working for some reason, I haven’t had time to look into it! Bear with me]

The Concussion Theory, The Blue Sky Disaster, Suburban Samurai, We Call This Courage @ The Camel

R. Anthony Harris | August 23, 2017

Topics: Suburban Samurai, The Blue Sky Disaster, the concussion theory, We Call This Courage

I must admit, as a 90s lady with some pretty predictable teenage musical loves, I find myself tuning more often into the emo sounds that trace their roots back to the same time to which I trace my own. That said, it doesn’t mean I don’t love the newer version of the genre that younger bands tend to tap into–after all, I had my days of listening to way too much Taking Back Sunday too. So I was 30 at the time, so what? This night of emotionally-driven melodic post-hardcore bands, coming to The Camel to brighten up your Monday night, should actually show up that generational divide for the false dichotomy it truly is, as the bands on this bill split the difference between the two eras with aplomb. Which is to say that 20 year old emo kids can stand alongside 40 year old emo adults at this one without anybody feeling too awkward.

The Concussion Theory has been working away at the fringes of the RVA scene for a few years now, and while they haven’t been able to transcend their underrated status, it’s not because they don’t have killer tunes. Their contemplative, mid-paced emotional sound full of complex guitar leads and heartfelt vocals will certainly win over anyone who hears it, so it’s really time for more people to start paying attention. The Blue Sky Disaster are a newer arrival with a stronger post-hardcore edge, complete with screamed rather than sang vocals, but they still tug at one’s heartstrings. Vermont’s Suburban Samurai may be third on the bill, but they are easily the equal of the two local bands overtop of them, with their speedier beats and higher-energy riffage bringing in that mid-2000s post-Fall Out Boy vibe–always nice to hear. Local openers We Call This Courage are in somewhat the same vein, with if anything a slightly stronger hardcore influence. Covering the whole emo spectrum in under four hours–not bad.

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 8/9-8/15

Marilyn Drew Necci | August 9, 2017

Topics: 3:33, Awake At Last, Big Baby, Big Bliss, Big Quiet, Billy Neptune, Bjork Risque, Black Naked Wings, Bonus Roll, Cream Dream, Cruelsifix, DJ Gringo, DJ Harrison, Dr. Millionaire, Drew is a nerd, DRI, Enforced, Flora, Graveside Breakfast, Growl, Kenneka Cook, Mangoux, Marina City, Nic & Wes, ROC KANDI, Serqet, shows you must see, Silver Twin, Sonny Falls, Sorority Boy, Sound Of Music, Stake, strange matter, Sunlord, Suzy, Sweet Knives, The Blue Sky Disaster, The Camel, The Canal Club, The Funeral Portrait, The Smirks

FEATURED SHOW
Sunday, August 13, 8 PM
DRI, Sunlord, Cruelsifix, Enforced, 3:33 @ Strange Matter – $15 (order tickets HERE)
Trends in the world of metal come and go (and that’s true no matter what some “anti-trendy” metalhead might tell you). However, if the last 35 years are any indication, it appears that thrash is evergreen. Speedy drumming, chunky riffs, harsh vocals, and wailing solos never go out of style. Therefore it can be little surprise that OG thrash speed demons DRI are still going full speed ahead after 35 years. But what’s really great is how good they still are! [Read more…] about RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 8/9-8/15

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 2/17-2/23

Marilyn Drew Necci | February 18, 2016

Topics: Antelope King, Big No, BLK LLC, Brief Lives, Chris Bernstorf, Circle Thrift, Clair Morgan, Comrades, Dr. Millionaire, Farma Wes, gallery 5, Gemtone, Geometers, Ghastly City Sleep, Glass Twin, Gull, Hardywood, Ishmael, landis wine, Manzara, Ms. Proper, Naked Pictures, People's Temple Project, Plain Scrap, Ruckzuck, Segga Spiccoli, shows you must see, Sleeper Wave, strange matter, Tennison, The Blue Sky Disaster, The Camel, The Cheats Movement, Tigerwine, Truman, Ultra Flake, Uncle Drunk, Van Hagar

FEATURE SHOW
Friday, February 19, 8 PM
People’s Temple Project, Sleeper Wave, Van Hagar, Truman @ Circle Thrift – $3-5 suggested donation
[NOTE: Late this week, for the second time in this column’s two-year, 100+ episode existence. What can I tell ya? Life gets in the way sometimes. Hope you didn’t sit home bored last night! Here’s the rest of the week, and we’ll be on time next Wednesday, I promise. –Drew]
Swamp Fest was not a fluke!
[Read more…] about RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 2/17-2/23