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VA Shows You Must See This Week: April 24 – April 30

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FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, April 27, 2 PM
RVA (All Day) Block Party, feat. No BS! Brass Band (Photo by Lauren Serpa), The Trongone Band, The Congress, Kenneka Cook, Camp Howard, Piranha Rama, Calvin Presents @ The Broadberry – $25 (order tickets HERE)
Y’all had to know this was coming. How could I not talk about the Broadberry’s first big all-day outdoor throwdown of the year? After the long rainy winter we’ve endured, after the chilly late-breaking first half of spring, we’re finally getting some warm weather, and you better believe it’s a cause for celebration! And who better to celebrate great days in RVA with than No BS! Brass Band?

Who indeed. By now, this group of horn-playing troubadours should need no introduction, but on the off chance you moved to Richmond last week and still don’t know the basics, you’re in luck, because this show will act as a perfect introduction! Not only will you get an amazing outdoor live performance overlooking the beautiful intersection of West Broad and Arthur Ashe Boulevard, at this show you’ll also get the first opportunity to purchase No BS! Brass’s brand new double album, A Decade Of Noise, recorded live at their 10th anniversary show — at the Broadberry, natch. From their amazing covers of everyone from A-Ha to Led Zeppelin, to their many unforgettable originals, No BS! Brass Band are sure to bring the jazz, funk, soul, and hip hop your booty craves.

But that’s just the main course — and we all know that sometimes the side dishes are just as good, if not better! At this party, which kicks off about the time you roll out from brunch (2 PM, that is) and rolls on… wait for it… ALL DAY, you’ll get a killer indoor set from rockers The Trongone Band to close out the evening, as well as a diverse selection of excellent music earlier in the afternoon on the outdoor stage, from postpunk indie boys Camp Howard to electro-soul innovator Kenneka Cook and jam masters The Congress, along with quite a bit more. There were earlier tiers of tickets available for as low as $10, but they’re all sold out now. However, if you slept on this excellent bill, take heart — you can still grab a spot for your very own for only $25, a total bargain for such an embarrassment of musical riches as this.

Wednesday, April 24, 6 PM
Sylar, Cane Hill, Varials, Bloodline, Nhibitions @ The Canal Club – $15 in advance/$18 day of show (order tickets HERE)
We’re in a new era of heavy music, and the main way I can recognize that is by seeing how common and accepted nu-metal influences are. When I was growing up two decades ago, all the metal dudes mocked bands like Korn and Coal Chamber; even when you found some good in the genre from heavier bands like Slipknot and System Of A Down, you had to be careful about who you discussed it with. That’s how it was for my generation, but we’re all hitting middle age now, and the young metal kids on the come-up today seem completely unencumbered by this sort of elitism.

This bill is the proof — a double-headlining stomper that brings Queens, NY’s Sylar and New Orleans’ Cane Hill to the stage at the Canal Club tonight. Sylar was formed by a former roadie for Emmure, which should tell you something about their sound — that they’re heavy as fuck, in a sometimes ignorant fashion. But what’s more, they integrate the same sorts of touches from hip hop and Nine Inch Nails that you can find in Korn in their most famous era (i.e. “Freak On A Leash”). Meanwhile, Cane Hill conjures a heavier sort of nu-metal influence, reviving that downtuned Slipknot/Coal Chamber midtempo thud that also helped give birth to deathcore — but in the sort of straightforward manner that’s more likely to make you think of Mushroomhead than Suicide Silence. I don’t know how the kids are gonna mosh it up in the tight pants they wear today — Jncos would probably be a big relief for some of them (I’m calling it now: revival within five years). But rest assured, you’ll be headbanging right along with them at this one. Even if you did tell all your friends back in the day that you hated nu-metal.

Thursday, April 25, 7 PM
Nico Rivers & the Black Grass, Tyler Meacham, Natalie Tyer @ Garden Grove Brewing – Free!
I would never have predicted it, but Garden Grove Brewing has become one of the more reliable standby venues in town for music on the more melodic side of things — and considering how difficult it always is to keep a longtime venue going, that’s welcome news indeed. This is a particularly good example of what they have to offer, as they’ll be presenting two local songwriters and an excellent touring ensemble on a Thursday night, and charging you no money to see it! How awesome is that?

It’s even more awesome once you hear the work of Nico Rivers and realize what a treat you’re in for. This Massachusetts singer-songwriter travels with a revolving collective known as The Black Grass, which can consist of everything from his female singing partner and seemingly constant companion (whose name I can’t find anywhere online, though I don’t know if it’s me or Nico who should be embarrassed by that) to a full band featuring multiple electric guitars and a full drum kit. What will we get tomorrow night? I can’t tell you that, but I can tell you that Rivers’ atmospheric but rockin’ take on indie-Americana is sure to make you smile. Local singer-songwriters Tyler Meacham and Natalie Tyer will provide lovely sounds to get the room warmed up for the arrival of the Black Grass. Don’t miss a moment.

Friday, April 26, 9 PM
The Loneliers, Lounge Lizzard, Atamada @ Wonderland – $10
This’ll be a fun punk rock Friday night in Shockoe Bottom for sure. The Loneliers are coming to town from New York, and their sound constitutes a real breath of fresh air in 2019. They play jangly, upbeat melodic punk with a decidedly twee-pop edge, harking back to some classic mid-90s bands who paired their punk rock spirit with catchy tunes full of more than a spoonful of sugar.

If you dug Tiger Trap, Go Sailor, or Courtney Love (the Lois Maffeo-led band that had nothing to do with the singer for Hole), The Loneliers are sure to make you smile. Plus, they’re known to cover tunes from the Powerpuff Girls show, so you know they know what’s up. They’re paired on this bill with Lounge Lizzard, the new group featuring Toxic Moxie’s Sera Stavroula on lead vocals and members of bands like Cremains, Pissing Contest, and The Donalds backing her up. As I’m sure you’ve guessed, they’re cool as hell. Brand new locals Atamada will kick things off with some Tigers Jaw-ish melodic emo sounds from members of Truman. It’ll be a great way to kick off your weekend, so make the trip down to the Bottom, even if you have to do so on foot — you can worry about the long uphill walk home afterwards.

Saturday, April 27, 7:30 PM
The Jasons, The World’s Greatest Detective, Love Roses, Personal Crisis @ McCormack’s Irish Pub – $13
The love affair between melodic punk rock and classic horror cinema, launched over three decades ago by The Misfits and TSOL, continues apace in the new millennium. The Jasons are standard-bearers of this exact crossover, named as they are for the mysterious zombie murderer clad in a goalie mask, who murdered teenagers everywhere from summer camp to outer space in the classic Friday the 13th series of films — or at least all of the sequels (which stalled at Part 12 a decade ago, what’s up with that?).

The Jasons are on tour promoting the impending release of their latest album, Blood In The Streets, but this show has a more important cause, being a fundraiser for Scares That Care. This charity group, run by horror fiction creators and fans, not only holds a horror convention in Williamsburg every summer but also donates all the funds they raise each year to children experiencing medically-related hardships. In other words, it’s super-cool, and the fact that your door price will go to them is all the more reason to make it out to McCormack’s on Saturday night for this rager. The fact that Brooklyn punkers World’s Greatest Detective, local HC-punk heroes Love Roses, and Fredericksburg’s Personal Crisis are also on the bill only makes this even cooler. So show up already, punk.

Sunday, April 28, 8 PM
Orville Peck, Holy Roller, LIZA And The Heart-Takers @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
This one is gonna be weird — but in the best possible way. Orville Peck is, in the simplest of terms, a country singer, but from the face-hiding fringed mask he wears during his performances to the effect-laden electric guitar he plays, he’s certainly an unusual one. I’ve heard him compared to shoegaze bands, but on his brand new Sub Pop LP, Pony, I hear a lot of other sounds at work — Roy Orbison’s spooky, ambient ballads; the apocalyptic pop of Lana Del Rey; even the occasional touch of Lee Hazlewood or Scott Walker.

So yeah, don’t show up if you’re expecting a singer who’ll effortlessly channel Merle Haggard, but DO show up if you like music that is both intriguing and challenging, music that both calls to mind references from across the rich history of recorded music and doesn’t sound much like anything that’s come before. And of course, you’ll get an opening set from Holy Roller, who’ve changed their name in the recent past but are still cranking out the same killer rock n’ roll sounds, with just a hint of twang. Plus, there’s the lush, downcast pop of LIZA and the Heart-takers to kick it all off, so you’re certainly in good hands with this one.

Monday, April 29, 9 PM
Those Far Out Arrows, Plastic Nancy, Thin Pigeon, So Badly @ The Camel – $5 in advance/$7 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Let’s all admit it, because we know it’s true: Mondays usually suck. I know, I know, there are a few of you restaurant workers out there who get Monday off every week, but for the rest of us, it’s soul-crushing. Nothing worse than staring down a week of work with no relief in sight. That’s why it’s always such a relief to find a good show happening on what’s typically considered by the music industry to be an “off” night — it brightens up the dullest day of most people’s weeks.

Those Far Out Arrows are coming to Richmond to brighten up your Monday, and they’ll do it with aplomb, if their latest album, Part Time Lizards, is any indication. If you dig upbeat rock n’ roll with a garage-punk flavor and a Southern-fried twang, these Nebraskans will thrill you with their Natural Child-ish vibes. Plus there are some rad Virginia bands on the bill to further add cheer to your work week — energetic garage noise from Plastic Nancy, postpunk queer-core from Thin Pigeon, and fuzzy indie punk from Fredericksburg’s So Badly. This one’s gonna put a smile on your face — and by the time it starts, you’re gonna need it.

Tuesday, April 30, 7 PM
Weedeater, ASG, Druglord, The Astral Void @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $17 in advance/$20 at the door (order tickets HERE)
I put forth the proposition (that you can petition the Lord with prayer… wait, no, what was I saying? Oh right) in a recent show column that where shows that used to go to Strange Matter are concerned, Wonderland has picked up the heavier end of the spectrum, while Capital Ale House’s downtown music hall has grabbed the lighter, more indie-fied side of things. And now here comes this Weedeater gig at Capital Ale House to shoot my theory all to shit. Look, I’m just glad this show still has a home in town, so I’m certainly not complaining.

And you won’t be complaining either, because the (ahem) Richmond Music Hall at Capital Ale House is a great space in which to see a show, and North Carolina’s own Weedeater is a great band to see — there or anywhere. They deal in a particularly fun brand of sludgy stoner metal, with the emphasis on “stoned” — copping some of that sticky green before this show is recommended if you, you know, engage in that sort of thing. Weedeater’s been quiet on the studio front for a while, having last released an album four years ago, but losing one drummer to health problems and another to a sudden passing, they’ve rejuvenated themselves with frontman Dixie Dave’s former Buzzoven bandmate, Ramzi Ateyeh, holding down the kit. So all is well and rest assured, you’re gonna get your head rocked at this one. Fellow North Carolinians ASG join this stoner carnival with some Camaro-rattling riffs of their own, and local openers Druglord and The Astral Void will do more than enough to get you warmed up and in the properly stoney frame of mind. I’m not talking about the mayor, either.

Elsewhere around the state:

Friday, April 26, 7 PM
The Happy Fits, Early Eyes, Kid Brother @ Charlie’s American Cafe (Norfolk) – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
I am not a Spotify user. I don’t know if that’s something I should be ashamed or proud to admit, but regardless, it’s just the truth. The Happy Fits are a band who owe their success to Spotify — a song from their first EP was featured on a “Fresh Finds” playlist back in 2016 — and therefore it’s entirely possible you’re already familiar with this youthful New York trio. For me, they were a totally new discovery as of earlier this week, when their name jumped out at me from a long list of shows I was considering for potential inclusion in this column. “Wow, what’s the deal with these guys?” I thought. “Are they the opposite of the Misfits, or something like that?”

Well, no, not really. Their driving sound is more akin to the early Black Keys (you know, back when they were still an excellent garage band rather than the mediocre hitmakers your aunt loves now), only with more of an acoustic, raw, in-the-room feel. 2018 debut full-length Concentrate is a rollicking blast of pure rock n’ roll fun, with some outstanding melodic chops thrown in to make everything brighter, catchier, and overall better. In the studio, this band has the virtue of capturing what sure sounds like the sound they’d make playing right there in the room with you, so having heard their recordings, I feel extremely confident in advising you to go see The Happy Fits when they come to Charlie’s American Cafe this Friday night. You’re sure to wear a smile throughout the night — even on the long drive home.

Saturday, April 27, 8 PM
Guerilla Toss, Toxic Moxie, The Dawn Drapes @ The Southern Cafe (Charlottesville) – $10 in advance/$12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Guerilla Toss (shut up, spellcheck, that’s how they spell it) have been around for nearly a decade now, and they’ve remained fascinating and fun the entire time. Early days saw them getting pretty wacky and noisy, but still managing to pound out an invigorating groove at all times. As they metamorphosed over the years into the fully formed band they are today, the funk, dance, and electro elements rose to the surface, slowly overtaking the noise and allowing the group to become the effortless dance machine they are on last year’s Twisted Crystal LP.

These days, Kassie Carlson screams quite a bit less, and the guitars are way less atonal — Guerilla Toss have kinda evolved into a sort of electro-funk version of punk rock, in a manner that will appeal both to fans of early 80s NYC groups like Liquid Liquid and tapped-in young Virginians who are rightfully hyped on … Richmond’s own Toxic Moxie, who coincidentally just happen to be traveling up I-64 from RVA to open up this killer bill. The results are sure to be uproarious, and keep your feet moving and your body shaking throughout the night. I know, there’s a whole lot going on Saturday night — I already told you about a couple of things, in fact. So it’s really up to you whether Charlottesville is the place you most want to be. But let me tell ya, if you are already up that way, or happen to land there Saturday night, you’re guaranteed a good time with Guerilla Toss and Toxic Moxie at The Southern. So hey, tell ’em we sent ya.

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

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

VA Shows You Must See This Week: April 17 – April 23

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Topics: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, April 20, 8 PM
Battlemaster (Photo by David Morton), Sinister Purpose, Horse Culture, Doll Baby, Shormey @ Gallery 5 – $6 in advance/$12 at the door (order tickets HERE)
This year 420 falls on a weekend, and for quite a few of y’all out there, that’s a particular cause for celebration. I may not choose to partake in the herbal sacraments, but I like music and munchies as much as the next girl, so I can certainly appreciate a good 420 party — and Gallery 5 is throwing a great one this Saturday. My old roommate, who handled all the booking back when I lived at a show house, has moved up in the world, and is booking at Gallery 5 these days (remember that the next time someone tells you you’re wasting your time with all this DIY crap and it’ll never amount to anything), and she’s pulled together a show that reminds me of the great holiday shows we used to throw in our living room, not so long ago. Boy, a lot can change in three years, huh?

At the top of the bill, heading up Gallery 5’s 420 festivities for the third year in a row, is the almighty Battlemaster. Richmond’s death-thrash terrors may not be the most active of bands — it’s been four years since the release of their last LP — but their onstage energy is nothing to scoff at. Rest assured, when these maniacs start dishing out the riffs, blastbeats, and tortured screams, you’re gonna be headbanging at full speed just like everyone else in the room. Rockin’ rollin’ hardcore maniacs Sinister Purpose, who somehow manage to sound like Motorhead, Negative Approach, and the New Bomb Turks at the same time, are equally prepared to lay you out with their fierce sounds.

Horse Culture are also on the bill, presenting their multi-layered take on blackened shoegaze sludge. But it’s not all heaviness — the show will also feature a set of heartfelt melody and passionate emotion from Richmond faves Doll Baby, and Tidewater favorite Shormey will be joining in with some gorgeous electro-indie sounds. Plus, in a move that takes me back to the house-show days, this event will feature a table full of munchies to ease your 420 cravings, along with a photo spot and some fun temporary tattoos! Gotta keep shows interesting, right? What’s more, I really must advise you to buy your tickets in advance — if you wait to pay at the door, the price doubles. If that’s not an incentive, I don’t know what is.

Wednesday, April 17, 7 PM
Delta Sleep, Bogues, Hikes, Venus Milo @ The Canal Club – $15 in advance/$17 day of show (order tickets HERE)
There are those who will tell you that UK band Delta Sleep are math-rock, but if you ask me, that’s a bit of a misnomer. While they do incorporate the sort of delicate melodic complexity that has become a hallmark of post-Y2K math rock (replacing the harsh atonal noise that was the genre’s signature in the 90s), this band demonstrates on last year’s Ghost City that what really matters to them is creating music that moves you. They pull that off with aplomb and panache on their latest LP, and they’re sure to do the same when they hit the stage at the Canal Club tonight.

Nashville’s Bogues join Delta Sleep on this trip to Richmond, and while they’ve got an excellent sound in their own right, there’s definitely some daylight between the two out-of-towners. A solo-oriented project that sometimes takes the form of frontman AJ Gruenewald strumming an electric guitar and singing his heart out, Bogues have a strong melodic feel and a definite emotional orientation that’s likely to remind you of Julien Baker or Into It. Over It. in solo form. Texas band Hikes, who have a bit of the twinkly emo revival about them but are by no means easily slotted into a simple flavor-of-the-month genre, will also be on the bill to delight fans of tangled guitar leads, while relatively new locals Venus Milo kick the whole thing off.

Thursday, April 18, 7 PM
LA Guns @ Beacon Theatre – $22-30 (order tickets HERE)
One of the classic Sunset Strip glam metal bands of that genre’s 80s heyday, LA Guns have quite a storied history. Early lineups featured everyone from a pre-Guns n’ Roses Axl Rose (indeed, that’s where the “guns” half of his signature group’s name came from) to Weirdos/Germs drummer Nickey Beat, while more recent years saw longtime singer Phil Lewis and founding guitarist Tracii Guns leading two different versions of the group on competing US tours. Eep. Thankfully, the two buried the hatchet several years ago, and now lead a unified version of LA Guns once again (…though apparently the band’s longtime drummer now has a competing version with a bunch of randos he hired. It never ends, apparently).

Guns and Lewis will be coming to Hopewell’s Beacon Theatre, a venue that has quietly become the most reliable place in Virginia at which to see still-touring glam metal greats of decades past. I don’t know about y’all, but I for one am IN. A chance to hear classics like “Sex Action,” “Never Enough,” and “Rip And Tear,” along with the immortal power ballad “The Ballad Of Jayne,” of course — who could pass that up? These guys may not be as young and gorgeous as they once were, but the riffs are still straight fire, and that’s what should really matter, right? Head down to Hopewell this Thursday night, and let’s rock.

Friday, April 19, 8 PM
Cris Jacobs, Landon Elliott, Tavernier @ The Broadberry – $15 (order tickets HERE)
Singer-songwriter Cris Jacobs might be a relatively new name to some of you, but he’s been around for quite a while, getting his start in the early 00s fronting a Baltimore band called The Bridge. He’s been a solo artist for a while now, and his brand new album, Color Where You Are, features Richmond musicians Todd Herrington (Big Payback/Mekong Xpress) and Dusty Ray Simmons (DJ Williams Projekt/Fear Of Music) making up the rhythm section. And anybody who can recruit local talents like these to make up the core of his backing band, not only in the studio but on tour as well, is assuredly worth paying attention to.

Jacobs does a great job of laying out his sound on Color Where You Are, an album he wrote in the few spare moments he could find between his day job as a touring musician and his home life as a husband and father. The result is full of the hum and buzz of day to day life, a heartfelt album featuring touches of country, folk, and heartland rock all mingling together in a classically American sound. It’s the opposite of a stressful listen, and hearing Jacobs and his band bring the album to life at The Broadberry this Friday night is sure to ease your mind and help you put your cares aside. Don’t let the work week wear you out — come have some fun this Friday night with Cris Jacobs and his band. You’ll never regret it.

Saturday, April 20, 9 PM
Toward Space, Snake Mountain Revival, High Voltage @ Wonderland – $5
In the days since Slaughterama went away, I’ve been less than completely aware of what the dirt bike scene is like around Richmond. But there’s one thing I know that hasn’t changed in the years since I was up on all that — dirt bike kids are crazy. They do insane things frequently; it’s their idea of fun. And while I’ve never been the type to join in that kind of high-stakes broken-bone-risk action, I’ve always known how fun it is to watch. So the fact that FBM Bikes and DIG BMX will be holding the latest installment of their DIY World Championships at semi-secret bike/skate spot the Lost Bowl this Saturday lets me know that lots of fun will be had.

I can’t tell you where the Lost Bowl is, so #askapunk, but I can tell you that everyone will be headed straight for the bottom for the afterparty. I speak of Shockoe Bottom, of course, and the punkest bar in town, Wonderland. There, sets from (post-)teenage garage punk maniacs Toward Space and Virginia Beach-based psych-noise trio Snake Mountain Revival are set to get everyone flipping out. Plus, the evening will start with a (you guessed it) AC/DC tribute set from High Voltage, who based on their name are sure to go heavy on the Bon Scott era — as one should. So whether you make it to the Lost Bowl to see the crazy dirt bike action or not, you’re well advised to coast your dirt bike downhill to the Bottom and rock out with the BMX kids. Because as many of us know by now, BMX kids throw some incredible parties.

Sunday, April 21, 9 PM
HotSpit, Beeline, The Do-Nothings, Strawberry Moon @ The Camel – $5 in advance/$7 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Y’all, is HotSpit one word or two? I’ve certainly written it as both, and looking around facebook, I see I’m not the only one. Right now I’m going with the one-word-featuring-mid-word-capital-letter thing, but I’m sure in a few months I’ll have a much better understanding of what is correct. For you see, while HotSpit are a relatively new local band without too much history to draw on, I’m sure we’ll all be hearing a lot more about them in the next few months. Their demo shows a promising shoegaze quartet with strong vocal melodies and ringing guitars flexing their muscles and launching a distinctive and memorable sound.

So yeah, certainly the kind of band worth taking a Sunday night flyer on. HotSpit will be joined at The Camel by a few other local up-and-comers, first and foremost of which is Beeline. I hadn’t even heard this band’s name before now, but I’m glad they’ve been brought to my attention, as their demo shows off a catchy 90s-style jangly indie-rock sound that has significant charms. I’m already looking forward to more from these guys. The Do-Nothings, yet another new-to-me band, feature members of Recluse Raccoon playing some weird, shambling rock n’ roll that’s straight out of a basement somewhere in town. It’s hard to get a handle on, but it has its charms — as, of course, does Strawberry Moon, probably the most seasoned indie-pop group here, kicking off a fine bill that’s sure to please you, assuming you like catchy songs — and I’m not ashamed to say I do.

Monday, April 22, 7 PM
Jeremy Enigk, Tomo Nakayama @ The Canal Club – $16 (order tickets HERE)
Jeremy Enigk is a tough guy to figure out. Were he not so incredibly talented, people might have just given up trying to figure out what he’s up to. But as the frontman and chief songwriter for Sunny Day Real Estate, Enigk crafted some truly classic albums, the first of which, 1993’s Diary, has sometimes been credited with launching the emo genre (it didn’t really, but its importance can’t really be overstated). However, Enigk has broken up Sunny Day Real Estate, and post-SDRE band The Fire Theft, at least three separate times. It seems he’s ultimately most comfortable in the solo environment, and it’s as a solo artist that he returns to Richmond this Monday night for the first time in quite a while.

Enigk is currently touring behind his crowdfunded 2017 album Ghosts, his first release in nearly a decade. Fans quickly realized that his long period out of the spotlight had in no way diminished his songwriting powers, and indeed, Ghosts finds Enigk at the top of his game, his acoustic solo chops just as powerful in their own way as his louder electric sound was at the head of SDRE. The melancholy introspection and angst-ridden beauty of Enigk’s classic solo debut, Return Of The Frog Queen, shows through in abundance on Ghosts. The subdued, mostly-acoustic backing band provides a perfect canvas for Enigk’s gorgeous vocals and incredibly powerful guitar melodies. Enigk will come to town with a full band backing him up, and it’s easy to imagine the sound of Ghosts filling The Canal Club with gorgeous, vibrant sound. But why imagine it when you can be there? Get your tickets yesterday.

Tuesday, April 23, 7 PM
Crumb, Corridor, Lance Bangs, Slump @ Gallery 5 – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Psychedelic indie-rockers Crumb first came to my attention through the attentions of Citrus City Records, who released the cassette version of their self-titled debut EP, so it’s no surprise that the show-promotion arm of Citrus City, Underground Orchard, brings them to RVA once again this Tuesday night. Crumb, who hail from NYC these days, are preparing for the release of their debut LP, Jinx, which based on advance singles certainly seems like a deeper delve into the groovy, soulful take on indie-psych bounce that Crumb have made their stock in trade from day one. That’s certainly an appealing prospect.

They’ll be joined on their latest passage through RVA by Francophone Montreal group Corridor, who’ve demonstrated a Television/Parquet Courts-like facility for guitar-driven rock/punk/indie songcraft on releases like their 2017 full-length, Supermercado. Their toe-tapping melodies and popwise song construction also makes me think of late 80s/early 90s UK indie-pop groups like The Dentists or Heavenly, but I might be showing my age with references like that (as usual). Regardless, this two-band package packs enough of a soul-pop-indie-psych punch to keep you smiling throughout — and local support from slack alt-rockers Lance Bangs and psych-noise-core freaks Slump is a significant bonus.

Elsewhere around the state:

Friday, April 19, 7 PM
Bantustans, Han Gan, Broken Beaches, From Overseas @ Toast (Norfolk) – $10 in advance/$12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Things are gonna get interesting at Norfolk’s Toast this Friday night, and I don’t mean that in a Top Five sort of way either. For starters, dual-drummer quartet Bantustans is at the top of the bill, and when they’re in the house, it’s always gonna be an unusual situation. While the group hasn’t released anything officially since 2016, they’ve recently been playing material from an upcoming album due for release sometime this year. And as with previous material, they continue to interweave complex guitar lines with even more complex multi-layered percussion to create instrumentals so intense and dynamic they have absolutely no need of vocals.

DC’s Han Gan will provide all the vocals you need, though, as Norfolk hometown boy Brian Nicewander, of storied 90s Norfolk post-hardcore group Words A Game, comes to town at the head of an energetic, Fugazi-esque trio with political energy and musical power to spare. If the group’s excellent 2018 debut, The City Of Magnificent Intentions, is any indication, this will be a proud homecoming indeed. Tidewater hometowners Broken Beaches, who have a heavy-grunge shoegaze vibe about them, and ambient guitar solo project From Overseas open this one up to get y’all going.

Saturday, April 20, 8 PM
Earthling, Red Death, Brick @ The Golden Pony (Harrisonburg) – $7
Harrisonburg metal heroes Earthling are celebrating 10 years of existence this weekend at their hometown venue, the Golden Pony. It doesn’t seem like it’s been that long, but then, that’s life, isn’t it? It’s already been two years since the last Earthling full-length, Spinning In The Void, launched forth from Richmond’s own Forcefield Records, full of epic brutality and blackened psychedelic rage, so the fact that this band released their first demo all the way back in 2009 isn’t that shocking in retrospect.

It is, however, a cause for celebration, and Earthling will be celebrating at the Golden Pony this Saturday night. They’ll be joined by the almighty Red Death, who have connections to both DC and RVA, and who just signed to Century Media records a couple months ago. Their 2017 LP, Formidable Darkness, has the crossover thrash-core chops to make such a signing eminently apropos, and it seems likely that you’ll be seeing Red Death in much bigger venues in another six months or so. So join them at The Golden Pony now, and thrash to your heart’s content before you’ve got to compete with 1000 other hessians for your floor space. Harrisonburg hardcore crew Brick kick this whole thing off, and they’re gonna kick it HARD. Show up on time to this one, and get ready to go off.

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

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

VA Shows You Must See This Week: April 3 – April 9

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Topics: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

FEATURED SHOW
Thursday, April 4, 5 PM
Sports Bar (photo by Samuel Dixon Photography), Tommy And The Commies, Les Lullies, Nightcreature @ Hardywood – Free!
I’ve teased Sports Bar within this column in the past for being slackers. If you’ve been reading for a while, you surely know about it; I’ve even gotten emails from the band themselves about it (no worries, they thought it was funny). But I think I just might have to take it all back, because Sports Bar have been quite productive over the last six months or so. First they released their debut full-length LP, Stranger In My Head, last October. Now, only half a year later, they’re holding a release party for the follow-up EP, Something Good. Have Sports Bar outgrown their slack persona?

Well, let’s not be hasty — only time will really tell on that score. But considering that Stranger In My Head only further proved what savvy Richmonders have known for years — that this band’s mix of catchy melodies and garage-punk irreverence makes them a flawless creator of perfect power-pop gems — chances are they could take this whole thing a lot farther if they stay this active. More importantly for the purposes of this column, Richmonders will get more chances to see them play live! Here’s your first one — and it’s free, so you definitely don’t want to miss it.

They’ll be joined on this bill by two hot power-pop groups from outside the US, both of which are just as unmissable as Sports Bar themselves. Tommy And The Commies hail from Ontario, and not only have a pretty awesome name but also prove on 2018’s Here Come… that they know how to bring back the toe-tapping rage of late-70s British punk with maximum aplomb and panache. Meanwhile, Slovenly Recordings labelmates Les Lullies, who hail from France, have a grungier, snottier take on late-70s dawn-of-punk riffage, expertly evoking the Real Kids and Radio Birdman on last year’s self-titled LP. Both of these bands are going to tear it up at Hardywood tomorrow night, and with Nightcreature kicking things off, you’ll be hearing excellent sounds from moment one. Don’t miss this, y’all — you never know when Sports Bar will take another year off.

Wednesday, April 3, 7 PM
And The Kids, Bat House, Cardinal @ The Camel – $10 in advance/$12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
And The Kids aren’t exactly punks, but they’ve definitely got some of that rebellious spirit within them. It isn’t just identified by them beginning their band name with a preposition, either. You can hear the spunk and spirit they bring to their melodic, energetic indie rock on their latest album, When This Life Is Over, which came out back in February. Recording for the group is always a bit of a complicated proposition, with one member having been deported to Canada in 2014 while the duo who formed the group make their home in Massachusetts. But by mixing together everything from bedroom demos to complicated multi-track layers, they pulled together a really great record.

How will they recreate such a thing live — and how will the fact that one of the band’s members was deported to Canada affect all that? I imagine the US doesn’t just let you back in with no complaints when it’s time to tour, so for all I know, we’ll be getting a slightly rearranged lineup of And The Kids at The Camel tonight. But the tunes will still be in one piece, and founders Hannah Mohan and Rebecca Lasaponaro’s excellent vocal harmonies are sure to shine brightly. So no matter who else is backing them up, you should really be there to see what magic they create. They’ll arrive in the company of talented Boston math-rockers Bat House, and get a guaranteed-splendid opening set from up-and-coming local indie geniuses Cardinal. All this, all for you. Isn’t it wonderful?

Thursday, April 4, 9 PM
Ulthar, Left Cross, Disintegration @ Wonderland – $10
Ulthar are coming through, and you better batten the hatches — especially if you see any cats around. This California trio brings together former members of harsh metal ragers like Mutilation Rites and Vastum to kick out some dirty blackened thrash in tribute to pioneering horror author HP Lovecraft — something they do an expert job of on their debut album, Cosmovore.

From the guttural vocals, blasting drums, and speedy riffage (all of which Lovecraft himself, an avowed despiser of music, would surely detest) to the lyrics referencing a variety of concepts from the old man of Providence’s classic works, Ulthar carry on a glorious tradition of Lovecraft-influenced metal, and we are all the beneficiaries as they prepare to cast a dank miasma over Shockoe Bottom with their eldritch terror. They’ll be joined by Richmond’s raw thrashers Left Cross and local grinders Disintegration for a blasphemous night full of maximum brutality.

Friday, April 5, 10 PM
The Marcus Tenney Trio @ The Savory Grain – Free!
It seems other people around town are finally starting to notice just how much top-quality free jazz (in the it-doesn’t-cost-anything sense rather than the Ornette Coleman sense) is available around Richmond, and I for one am glad — excellent jazz sounds have been bubbling just under the surface of the Richmond music scene for years now, and it’s high time it got wider recognition. But just because other people are catching on doesn’t mean we’ll stop talking about it over here, and so I’m here to tell you that the jazz show most worth talking about this week is happening Friday night at The Savory Grain.

Specifically, The Marcus Tenney Trio will be playing for your musical enjoyment. Tenney should need no introduction by now — from his work in Butcher Brown, No BS! Brass Band, and multiple other combos around town to his many excursions as bandleader and even his hip hop career under the name Tennishu, Tenney keeps busy with cranking out the excellent music for RVA fans’ enjoyment… and you know this, so I don’t know why I’m repeating it now. But this night finds him backed by a couple of local jazz stars who may not be as well known around town. Drummer Corey Fonville has anchored Butcher Brown’s rhythm section for years now, as well as doing a ton of session work and generally being amazing, while Matthew Hall spent several years as an expat, bringing his bass skills to the jazz scene in Istanbul, Turkey for quite a while. He’s returned to Richmond and will give locals a chance to catch up or get familiar as an integral part of Marcus Tenney’s trio this Friday night. Drop in and dig the sound.

Saturday, April 6, 7 PM
YOB, Voivod, Amenra @ The Broadberry – $25 (order tickets HERE)
OK, I can’t be the only metalhead in town who saw this lineup and immediately whispered, “Oh my god…” to themselves, right? I mean, this is a double dose of the heaviest, hardest-hitting music out there. There’s just no other way to put it. YOB have been going for over two decades now, and this slow, sludgy, and heavy-as-fuck trio go so far beyond the typical doom metal template that they’re in a class by themselves. To give you an idea, their latest album, last year’s Our Raw Heart, was written by frontman Mike Scheidt while he was in the hospital recovering from a health scare. It is both sludgy as fuck and ominously psychedelic in the manner of the best Neurosis albums. Getting it thrown at you at top volume when these guys take the stage at The Broadberry is sure to be a treat, assuming you enjoy being buffeted by waves of pure sonic gloom.

And also assuming you aren’t completely spent after a set from YOB’s equally powerful tourmates, Voivod. Doing YOB one better, Voivod have been around for over three decades now, and just released their 18th album, The Wake, last year. Over their 35 years of existence, Voivod have done everything from speedy thrash to strange, mathematical prog-metal, and The Wake finds the group exploring all facets of their wide-ranging sound, and then some, in order to talk further focus on their long-running themes: the dehumanizing nature of technology, the chaos of our modern world, and our murderous culture of war and violence. Look, maybe this won’t be the most uplifting show that’s ever happened in Richmond, but do you come to metal seeking your daily affirmation? Or are you, like most of us, just looking for some great riffs to headbang to? YOB and Voivod have you covered on that one. You know what to do.

Sunday, April 7, 7 :30 PM
The Telescopes (Photo by Solange Magnin), Cult Of Lip, Keep @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $13 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Here’s a pretty incredible thing: psychedelic shoegaze pioneers The Telescopes are making their way to Richmond this Sunday night. The English group got their start in the late 80s, grabbing attention as a member of the formidable Creation Records stable in the early 90s and bringing a hazy, ethereal sensibility to their tunes full of loud guitars and beautiful vocal harmonies. After disappearing for a decade or so, the group returned in the mid-00s, and numerous lineup changes have taken place since, but always with founder and chief songwriter Stephen Lawrie in the frontman position.

Their simultaneous connections to the early days of shoegaze and the psychedelic, spaced-out UK guitar groups like Loop and Spacemen 3 shows through in the beautiful music they make, most recently on the brand-new Exploding Head Syndrome, the group’s 11th album. They’ll roll into town with plenty of fuzz and some powerful amps in tow, all set to blow you away and wipe your mind clean — so be prepared. They’ll have Minneapolis’s Cult Of Lip in tow, all set to bowl you over with a set of early-JAMC guitar clatter, and the whole night will be kicked off by local shoegaze torchbearers Keep. Get ready for some serious pedal-hopping, y’all.

Monday, April 8, 8 PM
Allegra, FINE., Hot Spit, Warrington @ The Camel – $5 in advance/$7 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Citrus City really manages to keep their finger on the pulse. Not only do they scoop up a ton of gorgeous emo pop bands around Richmond, they range far afield to sign the best bands playing this style around the country and world. Witness their latest collaboration with Philadelphia’s Allegra, who are coming to town this Monday night having just released their latest EP, Yet Not Enough, through Citrus City Records. Full of excellent tunes, this understated release from Allegra shows off the band’s “queer twinkly emo” sensibilities without overwhelming the listener with million-note lead guitar runs or brain-scrambling time-signature tricks.

Instead, we find singer-guitarist Allegra Eidinger’s softly beautiful melodies and ringing guitar strums anchoring a collection that’s sure to win your heart. And we’ll undoubtedly see the same thing onstage when the quartet pulls into town to liven up your Monday night — which is always appreciated. They’re accompanied by Providence duo FINE. (yes, written just like that), whose buzzing riffs and strangely Stevie Nicks-ish vocals have a harsher take on some subtly strong melodies. With local brilliance from Warrington and Hot Spit kicking this one off, we’re guaranteed to have a good time with this one.

Tuesday, April 9, 8 PM
Sinmara, Suffering Hour, Voarm @ Wonderland – $10
Is Wonderland the new Strange Matter? I ask because, for a long time, Strange Matter was the go-to for early-weeknight sets from touring bands that were either just starting to make their names or long-running legends you’d never expect to see in Richmond. For a while, no one was filling that gap, and our Mondays and Tuesdays were worse for it. But just in the past couple of weeks, I’ve started noticing shows like that popping up more and more often at Wonderland. And let me just say, if they’re going to become the new early-weeknight go-to for excellent live bands we otherwise might not see in town, I for one am stoked about it.

This show is particularly fascinating, being the sort of metal show that would have happened in Strange Matter but is now taking place in Shockoe Bottom. One wonders if it could even gather both the downtown metalheads with the Bottom-dwelling headbangers and bring true unity to Richmond’s metal scene once more. That’s a heavy responsibility for killer Icelandic black-metal trio Sinmara to undertake, but as long as they lay us flat with more of the windswept metal brutality they dish out on their latest killer full-length slab, Hvisl Stjarnanna, which just dropped last month… well, I don’t think anyone is going to complain. Prepare for a musical onslaught of epic proportions… and keep your eye on Wonderland. They might have more like this in the near future. Wouldn’t that be great?

Bonus Hampton Roads Picks:

Friday, April 5, 8 PM
Inferior Brain Power, Tornado Bait, Brian Mann @ Taphouse Grill – $5
Hah, OK. Well, I can’t say I know that much about Inferior Brain Power — in fact, the first time I heard of this duo, which hails from somewhere in the DC/NoVA area, was when I found the event invite for this show on Facebook. But I couldn’t help looking into any band who is holding an 8-track release show, and now here we are. You young whippersnappers might wonder what an 8-track even is, but let me tell you, unlike a lot of other dead formats that have experienced minor revivals in recent years, this one is not worth looking into. If Inferior Brain Power is sincerely attempting to kickstart an 8-track revival with their new EP (and I have my doubts), it’s doomed to fail.

That said, I admire their chutzpah, and a listen to the album they’ll be releasing on 8-track, We Read Books, leads me to do so even more. Originally released last fall on standard cassettes, I’m glad to know this album is available in a more conventionally playable format, especially since it’s such a hard thing to describe. Pere Ubu jamming with They Might Be Giants? A Dead Milkmen album produced by Tim And Eric? It’s not your typical indie record, and that makes sense, because Inferior Brain Power aren’t your typical indie band, by any means. If you are one of the fourteen or so hoarders left on the planet with a working 8-track player, you should definitely go to this show and pick up a copy of We Read Books. The rest of you should just go enjoy the show. It’s certainly not going to be anything like anything else you’ve seen in this column lately, and if you ask me, that’s reason enough.

Monday, April 8, 7 PM
Eyehategod (Photo by Albert Licano), The Obsessed, Antiseen, Slaghead, Night Hag @ RiffHouse Pub – $20 in advance/$25 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Wow, this one is big. A triple-headliner bill featuring three of the most legendary collections of repropbates to ever play loud, heavy, anti-social music in America, all on one stage. People are gonna come out of the woodwork for this one, so if you want to be part of it, you better score your tickets now. You’re gonna want ’em, and not just because Eyehategod is at the top of this bill. The pioneers of NOLA sludge-blues swamp metal, these guys have been laying down pulverizing grooves full of sketchy spookiness for 30-plus years now, and neither drug busts nor liver transplants nor even death has put a stop to them.

But the Eyehategod train is not the only one that miraculously keeps rolling after many decades — The Obsessed can make a similar claim, even if their history isn’t quite as checkered as fellow DC doom-metal pioneers Pentagram. Forming at the dawn of the 80s, they’ve repeatedly broken up and reunited, currently on their third overall incarnation. Don’t let that intimidate you, though — doom-metal living legend Scott “Wino” Weinrich is still fronting the trio, and their 2017 album, Sacred, shows that they can still bring that Black Sabbath/Blue Cheer sludge groove like no one else. Last but certainly not least, we’ve got Antiseen, a punk rock group unlike any other, who hail from North Carolina and have at times made even Poison Idea look like upright citizens. Their latest release, Dying Breed, features a ton of covers including one of White Cross’s “Jump Up,” for you old-school VA hardcore heads. But it’s Antiseen’s classic originals, which somehow bring a Southern-rock feel to raging 80s punk sounds, that you’ll really be down for, assuming you enjoy some seriously antisocial sounds. And honestly, if you don’t, you might want to skip this one. Because I can promise one thing — it’s gonna get crazy. You’ve been warned.

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

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bonus Hampton Roads Picks:

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

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

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

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

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

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

The Blue, Blue Grass Of Home

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South Hill Banks’ 21st-century take on bluegrass brings youthful energy to a centuries-old genre, and invigorates the Richmond music scene in the process.

Originating from the hills of Scotland and Ireland, bluegrass has come a long way since its introduction to mainstream music in the 1920s. Kentucky, the state that gave birth to its namesake plant, is the first to come to mind when considering the genre known as bluegrass. However, Virginia is staking their own claim to the genre, as young bluegrass bands have begun to pop up all across the state.

Center Cross, a small unincorporated town sitting on the banks of the Rappahannock River, is home to a small, tight-knit river community named the South Hill Banks. It was there that bluegrass band South Hill Banks got their start.

They began as brothers. Mandolin player Eric Horrocks and his brother Ryan, who sings and plays banjo, began playing around among their river community. Playing weddings and small events, slowly growing in recognition. Even today, they still love to perform in the area.

“When we’re there, it’s always a good time,” Ryan Horrocks said. “It’s funny, I think our dad is still our biggest fan.”

Photo by The Grass Spot, via Facebook

Four years later, the band has gained more members, from all different walks of life. Now, they are five members strong — the lineup is rounded out by lead vocalist and acoustic guitarist Lance Thomas, bassist Justin Doyle, and electric guitarist Dan Fiasconaro — and they have two full albums under their belt.

Their sound is far from the original Monroe Brothers bluegrass that started it all; South Hill Banks are blending psychedelic rock and jam-band influences with traditional string-band sounds, paving the way for a new generation of bluegrass.

“I think with our music, no one has heard anything like it,” Thomas said. “We are constantly pushing each other to take risks.”

South Hill Banks is a part of a collective resurgence of bluegrass. Taking on traditionalists who frown at their lack of a fiddle player and their use of electric guitar, the band is pushing the limits of traditional bluegrass, hitting new markets and reaching younger generations of listeners.

Their current fan base proves it. Now based in Richmond, South Hill Banks chose the river city as their home because of the strong support network they found within the local music scene, focused around venues like The Broadberry and The Camel.

2018 was a pivotal year for the band as they released their latest album, No Time for a Breakdown. Spending eight months assembling the collection of tunes and 13 days in the studio recording it, the album features 11 songs detailing the band’s adventures on the road and their growth as people and musicians in the scene.  

“The album title comes from the first track,” Thomas said. “Essentially, it’s just about being carefree and letting it ride. It’s like, when things are going well, you just have to put your head down and keep moving forward.”

Since the album’s release, the band has been working on setting tour dates, building connections further west and stretching the genre.

They recently finished up their winter tour, on which they played cities from Johnson City, TN and Huntington, WV to Charlotte and Philadelphia, the band is keeping it rolling, playing Richmond’s The Broadberry this Saturday night, before heading back on tour to support their latest album throughout the month of March.

This summer will find them playing festivals like Ohio’s Duck Creek Log Jam and the 11th Annual Rooster Walk in Martinsville, VA. They’ll also be returning to their hometown of Richmond to perform at Dominion Riverrock on May 17th.

South Hill Banks promises to keep each show unique, with a set list that changes each performance.

“We play to the energy of the crowd,” Justin Doyle explained. “We’ll do our original songs and mix in covers; it makes us think on our feet.”

South Hill Banks will perform at the Broadberry on Saturday, March 2, with special guests James Justin & Co. For tickets and additional info, click here.

Top Photo by The Grass Spot, via Facebook

Don’t Touch My Bikini: Weekend Playlist by Mike Doughty

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Every Friday evening, RVA Mag once again brings you an outstanding playlist curated by influential artists, musicians, and institutions.

This weekend brings us the wonderful opportunity to jam out with a playlist from Mike Doughty. Former frontman for Soul Coughing, Doughty is a talented, unique songwriter with a knack for mingling jazz, hip hop, and funk styles into his fundamentally rockin’ repertoire.

Since the dissolution of Soul Coughing in 2000, he’s amassed quite a strong discography of solo albums. However, in recent years, he’s been returning to the work of his 90s group, recreating the original inspirations and giving us solo versions that reveal new ways of seeing those beloved songs. He’ll be doing precisely that when he comes to The Broadberry on Tuesday, February 26 — his current tour finds him celebrating the 25th anniversary of Soul Coughing’s classic debut, Ruby Vroom, by playing it in its entirety.

You can grab tickets for that show right HERE — and you should! But until then, you can enliven your weekend with a highly varied and always awesome playlist created just for you by Mr. Doughty himself. He’s got all sorts of sounds for you, from blues and soul to jazz and funk to hip hop and punk rock. What all these tunes from highly disparate genres have in common is that they’ll keep you dancing all weekend long.

Move aside, Virginia, and let the man go through.

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond