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VA Shows You Must See This Week: November 7 – November 13

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FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, November 10, 8 PM
GWAR, Municipal Waste, Miss May I, Toxic Holocaust, HAUNT @ The National – $22 in advance/$25 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Folks, it’s time once again that we check in on Richmond’s reigning masters of bloodthirsty metal from outer space. Everyone’s favorite homicidal aliens, GWAR, will return to the National’s stage once again this Saturday night, and it’s sure to be an absolute gorefest, so you know what that means — wear your white t-shirts and get ready to be hit by the cannons of goo that are certain to be unleashed. You know the ones; the ones that throw so much blood and guts all over the place that the National has to drape their balconies in bedsheets just to protect the fancy woodwork. If you think you can be anywhere in the same room as GWAR and stay safe from the splatter, you’re sadly mistaken, but that’s OK — getting covered in slimy stuff of uncertain origin is part of what makes GWAR shows so much fun!

Last year, GWAR released their first new album since the death of founder Dave Brockie. The Blood Of Gods sees the crossover sound GWAR have cultivated over the past several albums giving way to a more over-the-top rock n’ roll sound that sees new vocalist (and originator of the Beefcake the Mighty character) Michael Bishop howling and yowling, Ted Nugent-style. There’s still plenty of thrashing going on with GWAR these days, don’t get me wrong; but the fact that the album ends with a cover of AC/DC’s “If You Want Blood (You Got It)” should tell you something about what you can expect, musically speaking, from GWAR these days.

That said, we all know that the gore-saturated show is the main attraction when seeing GWAR live. But there’s plenty of ass-kicking no-show all-go metal on this bill as well. The main attraction for all of you hoping to spend a few hours focusing on banging your head is the one and only Municipal Waste, who’d been largely dormant for most of this decade but returned to action last year with a beefed-up lineup featuring former Cannabis Corpse axe-slinger Nikropolis on rhythm guitars and their first LP in five years, Slime And Punishment. If you haven’t caught up with the Waste since all that went down, rest assured that they’re gonna fuck you up just like they always have. They’ll do it with the able assistance of their best thrashcore pals, Toxic Holocaust, as well as metalcore mainstays Miss May I and up-and-coming Maiden-esque power-metallers HAUNT. It’s a headbanging bonanza, and it’ll be topped off with a serious bloodbath. Should make for a wonderful weekend.

Wednesday, November 7, 7 PM
Slothrust, Mannequin Pussy, Doll Baby @ The Camel – $12 in advance/$14 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Look out, all you rock n’ rollers — the 90s are still back, perhaps more back than ever, and one great aspect of that is the continued ascendance of powerful songwriters with rough, distorted guitars that hit you hard even as their lyrics and vocal melodies make you feel some strong emotions. Slothrust is one of those groups, and singer-guitarist Leah Wellman is showing the world exactly what she has to offer on their brand new LP, The Pact, released a couple months ago on Dangerbird Records. There’s a darkness to songs like “Planetarium” and “Fever Doggs” that if anything harks back to a pre-90s, pre-Nirvana sensibility. These songs should strike familiar chords for fans of the Meat Puppets, or Green River, and do a great job of demonstrating that Slothrust has more to offer than an unabashed reiteration of what bands like Babes In Toyland and L7 did before (though don’t get me wrong, there’s a good bit of that in there too).

Slothrust are joined on this bill by Mannequin Pussy, a Philadelphia punk band who’ve been making a strong impact in Richmond for years now, and have also been growing beyond their noisy punk roots, into a sound that encompasses a variety of genres and combines rage, passion, and melody in an inspiring manner. Their 2016 album, Romantic, moves from roaring blasts of punk fury into moments of breathtaking melody, complete with shoegaze-style guitar swells. One thing that’s present on all of their songs is a strong emotional foundation that singer-guitarist Marisa Dabice communicates with everything from a breathy croon to a frustrated scream. No matter where each moment lands on the spectrum of her vocal range, though, all of them are honest, real, and gripping in their intensity. This isn’t one you’re going to want to miss. Local support by Doll Baby, who have a great deal in common with both touring bands, completes a powerful trifecta. You know what to do.

Thursday, November 8, 9 PM
Roosevelt Collier, Bennett Wales & The Relief, The Bush League @ The Camel – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
If you love to hear people wail on the electric guitar, this is the show for you. Roosevelt Collier is a pedal steel guitarist with roots in the same “sacred steel” tradition that brought Robert Randolph and his family band into the world, but Collier combines that gospel-soul sound with a Hendrix-ian approach that finds him in high demand with heavyweights like the Tedeschi-Trucks Band and the Allman Brothers. He’s a core member of Snarky Puppy bassist Michael League’s “World Music All-Star Band,” Bokanté, and he’s finally stepped out on his own this year as the frontman for his own group, which he’ll be bringing to the Camel.

Collier and his backing band are on tour in support of his debut solo album, Exit 16, on which he worked again with Snarky Puppy bassist Michael League. The album displays a hell of a range, moving from uptempo workouts to slow, seductive grooves, all with a very heavy bottom end. Collier’s playing is always the star of the show, and the man gets some outstanding noise out of his pedal-steel axe. While instrumental music can sometimes feel a bit bare-bones, you’ll never miss the vocals when Roosevelt Collier is laying waste to his slide guitar. He joins with VA Beach funk-rockers Bennett Wales and the Relief and RVA’s own blues-wailing machine, The Bush League, to tear the roof off the Camel this Thursday, and you should really be there to see — and hear — it all go down.

Friday, November 9, 7 PM
Pale Waves, Miya Folick, The Candescents @ The Broadberry – $15 in advance/$18 day of show (order tickets HERE)
These days when you hear the sort of reverbed guitars and ambient synth sounds that have been a marker of the goth-postpunk sound in vogue at the moment for several years now, you expect to know what you’re getting. Dark moods, downcast eyes, sad lyrics full of desolate imagery that connect strongly with your personal alienation as you sit alone in your room in the dark. But haven’t we all had our fill of that sort of approach to the mid-80s postpunk sound? After a few years, all those 80s goth kids turned into bouncy New Wavers that would rather dance to New Order than cry to the Cure anyway — isn’t it time we found an antidote for our own post-millennial kohl-eyeliner blues?

That’s what Pale Waves is here to offer. The Manchester band may trace their aesthetic back to Siouxsie and the Banshees, but their sound is building on the uplifting synth melodies of recent UK postpunk successes CHVRCHES and adding some of the same glittering guitars and melodic bass lines that the original goth bands excelled at. Recently released LP My Mind Makes Noises hits all the right notes for the kids who still want to wear all black but are discovering the thrill of new love and the promise of sunny days. God knows everything is depressing enough these days… don’t we need our music to lift the veil at least a little bit? If you’re ready to dance with a smile on your face rather than tears in your eyes, come to The Broadberry this Friday night and bounce to the music of Pale Waves. It can’t rain all the time.

Saturday, November 10, 7 PM
Eat Your HRT Out: A Trans Health Clinic Benefit, feat. Toxic Moxie, Madison Turner, Wargo, Dad, Jafar Flowers @ Strange Matter – $15-20 suggested donation
I know, I know, I just wrote about Toxic Moxie like two weeks ago. But what was the rule we established the last time I wrote about them? I do believe it was “you will go see Toxic Moxie whenever they play a show.” We just had an election, but this one wasn’t on the ballot, so it is still very much in force. You want punk rage and disco euphoria? You want serious political views leavened with some good-time party energy? Toxic Moxie have got it all.

And what’s more, they’re bringing it to you this time in support of a very good cause. Planned Parenthood’s Trans Health Clinic is one of the only steady providers of transgender-specific health services in Richmond, and considering that trans people are much more likely to be unemployed or underemployed than the general population, their patients are more likely to face economic strain in finding ways to pay for their medical care. What your donation at the door of this show — which, in addition to the disco party punk of Toxic Moxie, will also feature an always-rockin’ full band set from Madison Turner, some electronic dance sounds from Jafar Flowers, and a good bit more — will go toward is helping ensure that prices for Planned Parenthood’s much-needed medical support for the trans community remain as affordable as possible. Plus you’ll have a great time in the bargain, and who doesn’t need more of those?

Sunday, November 11, 8 PM
Video Shoppe, BUTT, Fat Spirit @ Flora – $?
It’s always fascinating to see how people find ways to do a band despite lacking some seemingly crucial core members. Providence duo Video Shoppe easily found a way around this particular dilemma. No drummer? No problem — just bring in a primitive electronic beat machine, trigger it with foot pedals, and stack TVs and VCRs around you to when you play to make up for the fact that there’s nobody flailing away behind a kit and giving the audience some sudden moves to latch onto.

But that sort of creative problem-solving only goes so far if you don’t have some really cool songs to bring to the world when you play, and Video Shoppe’s latest EP, Nostalgia Trap(s), finds them filling that need in excellent fashion as well. Their pounding drum machine makes for an interesting contrast with their delicate postpunk guitar sound, just as their singer’s moody baritone offers an emotional feel completely different from that presented by their chiming melodies. The result has both power and ethereality, and will glow brightly in the dark room at the back of Flora this Sunday night. Their pairing with local ramshackle garage-rockers BUTT and the glorious grunge fury of Fat Spirit will round out the evening into a blast of rock n’ roll fun you’ll be willing to pay whatever the heck they’re actually charging at the door to get into.

Monday, November 12, 8 PM
Super Unison, NØ Man, Sensual World, Ugly Muscle @ Strange Matter – $10 (order tickets HERE)
This is one I’ve been looking forward to. Super Unison recently released their second LP, Stella, and it took their already powerful post-hardcore sound to a whole new level. You may know this group from the fact that singer-bassist Meghan O’Neil previously fronted ripping fastcore band Punch, but from their inception, Super Unison have had a great deal more to offer than O’Neil’s previous group, as they both retain the hardcore velocity of Punch and integrate the sort of driving, noisy energy of bands like Drive Like Jehu (who inspired the group’s name) and Rodan.

Stella finds Super Unison expanding beyond the sound of their 2016 debut LP by incorporating more dynamic shifts within single songs; they’ve also increased the melodic quotient of their guitar riffs, even as O’Neil’s vocals have become harsher and more emotionally-driven. Some might say these guys have been listening to some of the screamo stuff coming out of their home state of California — Vril, say, or Loma Prieta — and I think there’s definitely evidence to support that conclusion. Whether you’re a fan of passionate screamo, hardcore fury, or noisy rock chaos, though, you’re sure to get a lot out of Super Unison’s unrelenting attack. Put yourself in the way of it — you’ll never regret it.

Tuesday, November 13, 6:30 PM
Classical Revolution RVA presents Trey Pollard, Matthew E. White @ The HofGarden – $7 in advance/$10 at the door (order tickets HERE)
This is about as far as you can get from post-hardcore rage, but like they say, variety is the spice of life. It’s also how we keep things interesting here in Richmond, which a lot of people (including me) will tell you is one of the best music cities in the entire country. This Tuesday night sees some tremendously interesting things happening at The HofGarden, as Spacebomb Records head honchos Trey Pollard and Matthew E. White join together with local chamber music collective Classical Revolution RVA in order to present the live premiere of compositions from Pollard’s new album, Antiphone, coming later this month from Spacebomb.

Trey Pollard isn’t the sort of musician we’re used to interacting with here in the indie rock world. He’s a true composer, one who has done orchestral compositions and arrangements for everyone from Spacebomb compatriots Matthew E. White and Natalie Prass to Scottish indie-folk group The Waterboys and This American Life-affiliated podcast S-Town. Now he’s releasing the first album of his own compositions, which was recorded by a 16 piece ensemble earlier this year with Pollard conducting. For the performance at The Hof, a string quintet featuring members of Classical Revolution RVA will play compositions from Antiphone live for the first time. They’ll also accompany Matthew E. White for portions of a solo piano-and-vocal set that he’ll treat us all to, before we dive fully into the bold new works Pollard is bringing into the world. This is an evening for people who love all forms of music, and are most excited to see something unlike anything else out there. If you’re a true music fan, you’re not going to want to miss it.

Bonus Hampton Roads Picks:

Thursday, November 8, 7 PM
Fishbone, Jackmove @ Shaka’s – $27 in advance/$32 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Remember how we were talking earlier about the 90s being back? It doesn’t just show through in the return of sounds and styles that were popular back then; it also shows up in all the bands that are getting back together and returning to the road after decades away. Strictly speaking, this doesn’t describe Fishbone — they’ve been together the whole time, with founding vocalist Angelo Moore and bassist John Norwood Fisher sticking around through thick and thin. However, this year has seen the group return to their classic lineup for the first time since the late 90s. Or, well, that’s not entirely true — no one familiar with the whole saga will be surprised to hear that Kendall Jones isn’t back. But other than Jones, the lineup responsible for classic late-80s/early-90s LPs Truth And Soul, The Reality Of My Surroundings, and the unforgettably titled Give A Monkey A Brain and He’ll Swear He’s The Center Of The Universe is back once again and hitting the road to remind us why we loved Fishbone back in the day.

Of course, some of you are going to wonder what the heck I’m talking about. I hear you muttering: “Who is Fishbone, and why does it even matter?” Here’s the deal: back when “funk-punk” was a real, up-and-coming hybrid genre with underground energy and vitality, Fishbone were at the center of it. Never mind Red Hot Chili Peppers (who knew enough to shout Fishbone out constantly on their early albums); tracks like “Party At Ground Zero,” “Bonin’ In The Boneyard,” “Swim,” and “Everyday Sunshine” showed a talented group absorbing everything from ska and soul to hardcore and metal, then spitting it all back out in a wave of talented originality like nothing else out there, then or now. The members of Fishbone are quite a bit older now, but the songs they created in their heyday are still great, and their talent (and singer Angelo Moore’s boundless energy) are undiminished. This show will be both the perfect introduction for the young ‘uns among you and an outstanding opportunity for those of us who know exactly what Fishbone is all about to see the classic lineup in full nutt-megalomaniac form. Hell yeah.

Saturday, November 10, 7 PM
Good Riddance, Bigwig, Ann Beretta, Counterpunch @ Peabody’s – $20 in advance/$22 day of show (order tickets HERE)
And speaking of excellent bands from prior eras returning to demonstrate that they’ve still got it going on… here’s an excellent example of not one but THREE melodic punk bands of the 90s doing exactly that. California’s Good Riddance are at the top of this bill, nicknamed the “Fall Brawl 2018,” and they’ve got the kind of gritty hardcore feel underlying their more melodic moments to back that name up. Of the 90s Fat Wreck bands that cemented the skatepunk genre as the go-to sound for a generation of rebellious high school freshmen, Good Riddance were always the toughest, the dirtiest, the most hardcore. Returning to action a few years ago after almost a decade away, 2015’s Peace In Our Time showed that Good Riddance still had the goods.

New Jersey’s Bigwig haven’t made a new album in over a decade, but they’ve stayed on the road, cranking out their brand of metallically-melodic skatepunk for years now, and they’re still bringing the fire as well. More momentous news for longtime fans of RVA punk has been the return over the past couple of years of Ann Beretta, who were mainstays here in Richmond back in the late 90s but have been out of action since shortly after the dawning of the new millennium. They came back to us this year with Old Scars, New Blood, a new album of old hits rerecorded for the modern era, and the word is that they’re working on another entirely new collection that’ll hit town in the near future. This weekend, though, old-school RVA heads and melodic punk skate rats alike are gonna want to gas up the coupe and head down to Peabody’s, because this show is going to be full of excellent sounds from the past three decades of punk rock awesomeness.

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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] [and yeah, there’s plenty more of my writing to read over at GayRVA — come say hey.]

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

Intersectional Wonder Women Art Show Aims to Inspire & Empower Tonight at The HofGarden

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This evening, celebrate women with an art show at The HofGarden, a benefit event for Safe Harbor, a Henrico County-based nonprofit that serves survivors of human trafficking and sexual assault. The show centers around the theme of Intersectional Wonder Women, creating a space that stresses inclusivity and the diversity of experience and identity.

“When women support women, amazing shit happens,” said Sylvia Mallory, owner of Girl Gang Media and a founder of the event. “We have a beautiful show. I’m really excited to share it with Richmond.”

Ashley Loth – Untitled – $300
Ashley Loth – Untitled

The project is eight months in the making and began largely as a response to the 2016 election. It is a direct action for change, an effort that started small but grew into a project with an extensive team, more than 20 featured artists, and a long list of sponsors. Mallory said it’s a completely, 100 percent donated event. The community came together to put on the show without any prior funding.

“I should say it surprised me, but it really didn’t. Everybody wanted to pitch in any way they could,” said Mallory.

Among those who joined the project is Kortenay Gardiner, a community organizer for the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, who has become a key team member and chairperson of the show. “It’s really important with where I work, with Safe Harbor, and even our theme, to envision a better world,” said Gardiner.

I sat down with Mallory and Gardiner on the third floor of Richmond’s all-women coworking space, The Broad. Everything there is women made, created, and conceptualized—from the light fixtures to the art, to the books on shelves. Even the music playing over the speakers features all female artists.

It’s a primer for the event to come, and though the space is modern and comfortable, with enough aesthetic appeal to be the “after” shot on a home renovation show, it’s a reminder of how few spaces exist exclusively for women.

Deja Belardo – Sanity – $300
Deja Belardo – Sanity

Mallory and Gardiner emphasize that this is not just a show to promote women, but to promote inclusive representation of all women, embracing a diversity of race, age, religion, and sexual orientation. That’s where intersectionality comes in.

“Intersectionality is an analytic framework. It tries to look at the interlocking system of power, and its impact on the most marginalized,” said Gardiner. “It’s about the challenges we share, along with the differences.”

“It’s about awareness, recognizing your privileges, and moving to action,” said Mallory. “Sometimes the best course of action is to provide space and get out of the way.”

Intersectionality has been a buzzword these last few years, and it’s a crucial step in resetting the assumptions that are often made about feminism. Feminism that is exclusively about white, cis, straight women, isn’t feminism, and the Intersectional Wonder Women art show is a testament to that. Like The Broad, like the Rihanna playing over the speakers and the passion with which Gardiner and Mallory speak about the event, it carves out a space that says ‘I hear you, I’m here. I’ve got your back.’

Mahari Chabwera – Grace Of Yemeyah

The HoF is donating their venue for the night, and each $10 ticket will go directly to Safe Harbor, while each art sale offers a 20 percent direct donation. There will be gift baskets available to win in a drawing that is comprised of almost $4,000 worth of donated goods and services from around the community.

Richmond artist Virginia Strobach donated all of her services–including the illustration of the event poster–and her art, as well. Women-matter donated “Face Behind the Mask” for the drawing, a piece valued at $2,000 by Kraft Art.

The art varies from $25 to $16,000.  “There’s a nice range, and there’s accessibility to everything. The average price of work is about $250-300,” said Mallory.

The work itself is diverse, ranging from multimedia, paintings, illustrations, ceramic work, and photography. “Every time I look at them, I fall in love with each one over, and over, and over,” said Mallory.

Jon "Sketch" Achelpohl – She Has Fight – $200
Jon “Sketch” Achelpohl – She Has Fight

A favorite of hers is Rebecca Whitson’s piece “don’t grab me by the pussy,” a mannequin donning a necklace of bloody tampons. Mallory said that’s a work she wants to spend some time with, especially because of the dialogue it creates. “It felt like I was re-traumatized all over after a self-admitted rapist was accepted and put into office.”

Rebecca Whitson – Don't Grab Me By The Pussy – $325
Rebecca Whitson – Don’t Grab Me By The Pussy

Mary Maupai, development director at Safe Harbor, agreed that show starts an important conversation.

“Each person’s story is really unique, and that’s obviously shown through the artwork that the artists are going to be exhibiting tomorrow night,” said Maupai.  “We are all phenomenal women in our own right.”

Safe Harbor plays a huge role in deepening that dialogue in the community through advocacy, education, and support.  “We provide everything from shelter, counseling, court advocacy, hospital accompaniment, children’s counseling, adult counseling, support groups, and…outreach and education in the community,” said Maupai.

Box office hit Wonder Woman dropped in 2017 as the team was voting on the theme, and while the three of us agreed that we love the movie–it’s hard to resist an island of Amazons, after all–this art show exists to further the social narrative the film introduced.

It’s not tied to any arbitrary hetero plotlines, lack of women, or racial erasure.  “The intersectional part of Wonder Women is reclaiming it,” said Mallory.

Nickolai Walko – Ophelia – $700
Nickolai Walko – Ophelia

“It’s to correct for the erasure of black women in the movie, in the media. Changing it. Centering it a little bit more around us, balance,” said Gardiner. “I want someone to see the superhero within- indestructible no matter what happens. You have the ability and the possibility to overcome.”

The show is about a community of women, a community of people. Gardiner and Mallory say they have Intersectional Wonder Women to thank for their friendship. Maupai, who has been working closely with the team to plan the show, said the same thing: she wouldn’t have met these women, formed these connections and had these conversations any other way.

“Hopefully some of those conversations will not only happen tomorrow night, but they will be carried home and will start a deeper dialogue about the way we perceive each other, how we treat each other, and honor in each other’s story and journey,” said Maupai.

The Intersectional Wonder Women Art Show takes place tonight, May 2 from 7-11 pm at The HofGarden on West Broad Street. You can buy tickets here.

Photos By: Intersectional Wonder Women Artshow

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 3/28-4/3

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FEATURED SHOW
Sunday, April 1, 2 PM
Brunch For Presents, feat. Good Cretins, And Out Come The Wools, Christmas Jerks @ Mojo’s – $5
Happy Holy Week, everyone! If you’re an observant Christian this week, you’ll probably be in church wearing your fanciest outfit at least once in the next few days. However, music has always been the closest thing to religion I’ve got, and if you’re anything like me, chances are you’d rather spend Easter Sunday rocking out. Don’t worry, it’s for a good cause — Punks For Presents, that Christmas-themed charity that donates toys to local children’s hospitals every holiday season, has been steadily expanding their reach across multiple holiday seasons.

Now, to their domination of December and their summertime “Christmas In July” shows, they’ve added a special celebration of the Easter holiday taking place Sunday afternoon at Mojo’s (which is becoming a pretty consistent venue for live music lately, and that’s always nice to see!). And if you, like me, are the type to worship at the church of music, this is definitely the Easter celebration for you.

“Brunch For Presents” brings us a triple-shot of killer Christmas-themed punk tribute bands. Good Cretins have become veterans of the Punks For Presents lineups and of the tribute band game in general — after all, how many tribute bands do you know of that go far enough to record? The fact that Good Cretins have an EP worth of Ramones covers available for streaming on Bandcamp should prove that they’re serious about bringing you the best-quality Ramones tribute in the business. They’ll be joined on this bill by Rancid-lovers And Out Come The Wools (whose name, I’m assuming, is a Christmas-related joke I just don’t quite get), and by Christmas Jerks, who’ll bring the music of the Circle Jerks to life in this tiny bar. And it’ll all happen while you eat brunch — assuming you don’t make it to brunch until at least 2 PM. Which sounds about accurate for Richmond, so we should all be fine.

Wednesday, March 28, 7:30 PM
Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog, Rumput, Maria Chavez @ Black Iris – $15 in advance/$20 at the door
Fans of avant-garde jazz, postpunk weirdness, and general atonal insanity should be stoked tonight; Marc Ribot is coming to town! This legendary guitarist has been on the scene since the 80s, first making a name for himself with his contributions to classic Tom Waits albums like Rain Dogs and Mule Variations. He went on to play with a variety of artists with a variety of approaches, from Elvis Costello to John Zorn. He’s also been making solo records since the dawn of the 90s, on which he has teamed up with a variety of talented musicians to create a whole ton of genre-hopping musical madness.

Ribot’s current crew is Ceramic Dog, a trio in which he’s backed by two members of the Mr. Bungle side project Secret Chiefs 3. They’re just about to release their third album and first since 2013, YRU Still Here? Ribot’s work with Ceramic Dog takes a variety of forms, from Grinderman-style angry-old-man noise-rock to instrumental noise-jazz and even the occasional quiet moments. The new album mostly finds Ribot in angry-old-man mode, but for righteous reasons, as is shown in song titles like “Muslim Jewish Resistance” and “Fuck La Migra.” Tonight at Black Iris, he’ll be screaming with his voice and with his guitar, while Ceramic Dog tears your face off with their uncompromising instrumental attack. You’re not going to want to miss this — nor will you want to miss the opening performance by genre-melding folk musicians Rumput, and the post-Ribot DJ set from avant-garde sound artist Maria Chavez. This will be a night to remember, folks. Be there.

Thursday, March 29, 6 PM
Nana Grizol, Loamlands, Benjamin Shepherd @ Strange Matter – $12 (order tickets HERE)
Early all-ages shows were kind of the lifeblood of the scene back when I was growing up in the 90s. These days, they’re a vanishingly rare breed, at least around here, and the fact that I’m fully twice as old as I need to be to get into bar shows doesn’t make this any less of a bummer to me. So I’m glad to see a rare occurrence of an actual all-ages show happening this week over at Strange Matter. Of course, it’s headlined by Nana Grizol, who’ve been around for 15 years and feature members with resumes dating back to the 90s. But you’ve gotta start somewhere, right?

Really though, no matter what age you are, chances are Nana Grizol has something to offer you. Featuring former members of Defiance Ohio and Neutral Milk Hotel, they’ve got impeccable credentials in the worlds of both folk-punk and indie-pop, and the winsome, jangly pop sound of their latest album, 2017’s Ursa Minor, is guaranteed to appeal to fans from both of those musical worlds, and quite a few others. Only intermittently active, this group is probably not coming around again anytime soon, so head over after school and catch their set. You’ll still be home in time to beat curfew! And if you show up on time (always a good idea), you’ll also catch sets from Loamlands, a Durham-based alt-country group with tinges of Fleetwood Mac in their sound; and local singer-songwriter Benjamin Shepherd, who’s bringing a full band with him this time out. Make it happen.

Friday, March 30, 8 PM
Deau Eyes, The Pop Up Duo, Calvin @ The HofGarden – $10 in advance, $15 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Scott’s Addition is popping off like crazy these days, and though I won’t pretend not to miss the sleepy little abandoned factory town, complete with a random patch of woods over towards the train tracks, that I moved into in 2006, I certainly recognize that Richmond has embraced this area as the new hangout spot of choice. After all, there’s a lot to do over there these days, and the HofGarden is making a pretty significant contribution to that fact all by its lonesome. After all, it’s got three whole floors to offer for your entertainment! I’m not too enthused about the one that’s yet another craft beer spot, but the game room and rooftop pizza joint are just what the doctor ordered on some nights.

And this Friday night, the rooftop’s gonna be the place to be as three excellent local acts kick off the HofGarden’s Finally Friday live series with a performance on top of the Hofheimer Building. Deau Eyes has made some noise around Richmond since the start of 2018 with their crowdfunding campaign to produce their debut album, and while you still can’t hear their excellent 90s alt-rock sounds unless you go watch their Kickstarter video, you won’t have to wait for the album to drop if you head over to the HofGarden Friday night and catch their set, now will you? Deau Eyes are joined on this bill by some musicians of a decidedly different style, including the Pop-Up Duo, a standup bassist and a saxophonist who do some pretty fun material, including Tom Petty covers if their Facebook page is any indication. There’ll also be a solo performance from Calvin Brown, aka Calvin, who plays keyboards in Kenneka Cook’s band but also has some sounds of his own to bring to you. All this while you eat pizza on a roof? What more do you need?

Saturday, March 31, 8 PM
The Mostly Dead, The Donalds, Love Roses @ Wonderland – $5
It’s Saturday night — a great night to head down to Shockoe Bottom and party at Wonderland, which is keeping the punk spirit alive down by the river. This week sees the arrival of The Mostly Dead, a rad band from DC with a really solid post-hardcore sound. You could be forgiven for expecting shows at Wonderland to revolve entirely around old-school punk and crossover thrash, but The Mostly Dead are pushing the boundaries of this place’s usual fare with powerful riffing that draws from DC forebears like Swiz while also incorporating melodic touches drawn from Jawbox and Fugazi.

One need look no farther than their 2014 LP, Wilderness, for solid evidence that The Mostly Dead has the goods. Sadly, that seems to be their most recent release. If anything, that may mean you’ll get a grip of as-yet-unreleased tunes from the band’s set Saturday night, though, and that’s always a good reason to show up. And of course there’s also a double-shot of the old-school punk sound you’ve come to rely on from Wonderland, in the form of local bands The Donalds and Love Roses. These bands will give you plenty of fist-pumping tunes to circle-pit and sing along to — just don’t spill your beer on the dance floor, that’d be a bummer.

Sunday, April 1, 9 PM
Ol’ Sport, Futurists, Eaves, Inthewater @ Emilio’s – $5
Emilio’s seems to go back and forth with how active it is in the live music scene. It’s been poppin’ lately, though, and that’s always nice to see. This Sunday night, the little jazz bar on the corner of Broad and Meadow will be visited by two bands from Charlotte, NC, and if you’re willing to deal with the mess the whole new bus line has made of the street down there, you’ll be rewarded with some excellent sounds. Ol’ Sport are doing the emo thing, which I’ve always admitted to being a sucker for. Last summer’s Grass Stains EP has some great songwriting and does a good job of moving back and forth between quietly downcast moments and loud, anthemic celebrations of angst and emotional struggle. This is what I’m looking for, and if it’s not what you’re looking for too, you should maybe reconsider.

Heck, if Ol’ Sport hasn’t convinced you, maybe their Charlotte-based tourmates Futurists can. They’ve got some of that same melodic songwriting talent that shows up in Ol’ Sport’s music, but Futurists are coming from more of that 90s post-Dino Jr distorted-guitar alt-rock space. They’ve got a spacey feel but underneath that they resemble early 90s Sub Pop signees more than anything. And again, that’s just what I’m looking for. Locals Eaves will further sweeten the pot on this bill with some post-rock-influenced post-hardcore tunes, which were showcased in fine fashion on last year’s LP, As Deeply As You Do. These local kids are making things happen, and I for one am glad. New ambient artist Inthewater will kick things off, easing you into it. Works for me.

Monday, April 2, 8:30 PM
Marbin, Curtana, JJ Speaks @ The Camel – $10 in advance/$12 at the door (order tickets HERE)
I’ve tried on many occasions to get y’all into jazz, and here I go trying again. But it’s for a good cause, because jazz music rules. And it especially rules when it’s being played by musicians with talent and originality who are excited about taking it in a new direction. That’s definitely true of Marbin, a quartet that came together almost a decade ago, around the time that guitarist Dani Rabin and saxophonist Danny Markovitch left their native Israel to come to Chicago and play heavy jazz. Marbin’s had a variety of players on the bass and drums since then, but regardless of who Rabin and Markovitch are playing with, they continue to make complex, heavy music that brings an obvious rock n’ roll vibe and influence to bear on their jazz approach.

They’ll be doing that at the Camel Monday night, and you should really be there to take in their own unique brand of “Israeli Jazz.” They’ll be joined on the bill by RVA locals Curtana. No, not Cortana, that’s the silly little “desktop assistant” on your laptop. Curtana are a quartet that play instumental prog-rock with a dual-guitar attack that is sure to keep your attention. They certainly have a jazzy flavor at times, but this is straight up rock music with some metal tinges, which makes them both an apt pairing and a delightful contrast for Marbin. JJ Speaks open up with their own instrumental prog sound, bringing a lighter touch to the genre and emphasizing melodies over metallic crunch. On the whole, it’s going to be a delightful evening, during which vocals won’t be necessary. Nor will they be missed.

Tuesday, April 3, 9 PM
That 1 Guy, Dave Watkins @ The Camel – $15
Oh joy, That 1 Guy is back in town! If you’ve been keeping up on the wonderful underground world of the musicians known as “one-man bands” (my wife’s really into this stuff), you’re probably aware of That 1 Guy, a classically trained double bass player and rockabilly musician who has built a few instruments of his own and creates and performs his music entirely by himself on these instruments. Most famously, there’s The Magic Pipe, an aluminum frame with a couple of upright bass strings on it and a whole bunch of sample triggers, all of which That 1 Guy plays, sometimes with a drumstick. Yeah, seriously. It’s wild.

The result of all these musical hijinks is a fun blast of energetic, funky rock n’ roll with elements of Tom Waits (whom That 1 Guy once played with) and Primus, plus the occasional moment of straight-up jazz. His music is not just any one thing, it’s a variety of things all rolled up into one — and that’s always fascinating. The same is true of RVA-based opener Dave Watkins, who veers from acoustic folk played on old-time instruments to avant-garde ambient noise loops played with amps and pedals. Sometimes he does both at the same time, and like That 1 Guy, he’s even made his own instrument — an electric “dulcitar” (part dulcimer, part guitar) — on which to perform his compositions. If you like adventurous, unusual musical explorations, both Watkins and That 1 Guy are musicians you need to see. Luckily for you, you can see both for the price of one this Tuesday night at The Camel! I think you know what to do.

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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] [and yeah, in case you’re wondering, more awesomeness from my cracked and bleeding fingertips is available at GayRVA — come say hey.]

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

Deau Eyes, The Pop-up Duo, and Calvin at The HofGarden

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Is it Friday yet? We know the weeks are long and it takes all you’ve got to get through. Well, save a little in the tank and come let it all out at The Hof. Once a month we will be helping you let off some steam with some awesome live music in one of the coolest buildings RVA has to offer. The series kicks off March 30 with a fantastic line up.

8:30-9:30- calvin. https://m.facebook.com/calvinpresents/

9:45-10:45-The Pop-up Duo+ https://m.facebook.com/thepopupduo/

11:00-12 Deau Eyes
https://m.facebook.com/deaueyes/

Get your tickets in advance direct from any of the musical acts or the Hof(10$) through the Eventbrite link(10$+fees) or at the door(15$) Doors open at 8, bring everyone you know because it’s Finally Friday!!!

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 1/31-2/6

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FEATURED SHOW
Friday, February 2 & Saturday, February 3, 8 PM
Cory’s Big Sloppy Hate Fest Round 2, feat. Day 1: Charmer, No Mas, Jars Full Of Blood In Hell: Action Unit III, War Bonds, Cremains; Day 2: Uncle Buck, Nerve Rot, Kryptcest, Van Hagar, Musket Hawk @ McCormack’s – Free!
Guess who’s back? OK yes, the show column is back after a week’s hiatus… but that’s not what I’m talking about! Nope, it’s Between 2 Beers Productions, still cranking out the shit-hot metal spectaculars after several years of nonstop booking all around Shockoe Bottom and beyond! B2B majordomo Cory Nicholas is taking things to a higher gear at the start of 2018 by returning to a winning tactic for a jam-packed weekend of brutality. Cory’s Big Sloppy Hate Fest is back for another round, and it’ll be taking over the upstairs room at McCormack’s in the Bottom for two straight nights of carnage. Strap in, folks.

Night one is full of grind, power violence, and other blastbeat-related genres full of speed and noise. DC’s No Mas are the star attraction on this bill, dishing out a Rotten Sound/Nasum-ish brand of extremely metallic crust-grind, laced with the occasional killer Anthrax-style mosh break. Virginia Beach heshers War Bonds have somehow landed on a sound that mixes thicknecked tough-guy mosh with death metal, or something like that. It definitely has its charms. As for locals, Charmer’s been plying their ripping speedcore around town for a while now, but still don’t seem to be getting the attention they deserve–let’s fix that, shall we? Meanwhile, the incredibly named Jars Full Of Blood In Hell: Action Unit III seems to be shooting for some mix of bass-drum grind a la No Comply and 80s-action-worship a la Graf Orlock. Color me intrigued.

On Saturday night, the hits keep on coming, with two excellent Maryland bands at the top of the bill. Uncle Buck takes a different approach to the 80s-movie theme, but their songs fly by so fast and hit so hard you’re not even gonna worry about it. Recommended for fans of Lack Of Interest and other prime Slap A Ham classics. Musket Hawk are not in as big of a rush but their thrashcore-meets-death metal approach to riffage hits every bit as hard. Local grind stalwarts Van Hagar are also on board, and word is they’re hard at work on an LP, so you can expect some killer new material from these freaks. VB low-end death ragers Kryptcest, as well as the first live appearance of Nerve Rot (featuring members of US Bastards and Unmaker) round out a killer night that’ll keep you full of sloppy hate for weeks to come. The best part is that this entire two-day shindig is free; at that price, how can you say no?

Wednesday, January 31, 8 PM
Des Demonas, Paint Fumes, Stake @ Strange Matter – $10 (order tickets HERE)
Oh wow. Usually when these retro-garage style bands hit town, I’m ready for a whole lot of rocking with very little intellectual thought behind it. And that’s awesome — sometimes it’s exactly what a body needs, and I can definitely recognize that. However, Des Demonas are coming from a whole different perspective, primarily because of their  singer, Jacky Cougar Abok. This intense Kenyan firebrand shifts on the self-titled Des Demonas debut LP (released in December on In The Red) between raging rock n’ roll delivery and outright Gil Scott-Heron style political declamations, the most formidable of which is album opener “The South Will Never Rise Again.”

“You can build a big fucking wall between the border of the United States and Mexico but the South will never rise again,” Abok declares, not an ounce of amusement in his voice. Backed by members of veteran DC punk and garage combos like The Make-Up, Medications, and Kid Congo Powers’ Pink Monkey Birds, Abok and his compatriots bring a foreboding, midnight-dark feel to the whole garage-punk thing, much like Ex-Cult, who are personal faves, so you know I’m in. Get ready to dance, but don’t turn your brain off just yet, because Des Demonas are gonna make you use it. Paint Fumes, who’ve made plenty of friends in RVA over their decade or so of existence, are back in support of their year-or-so-old second LP, the excellently titled If It Ain’t Paint Fumes It Ain’t Worth A Huff. And of course, if Paint Fumes are playing, it can’t be much of a surprise that Chaz Tick’s latest project, Stake, are opening up. Killer.

Thursday, February 1, 8 PM
Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb, Enemy Exorcism, Pissing Contest, Maximum Zero @ McCormack’s – $5
More fun, more punk, more Between 2 Beers excellence… it’s shaping up to be that kind of week. I never thought I’d be recommending as many McCormack’s shows as Strange Matter shows, but here we are, and there’s definitely some credit due to Cory and the B2B crew for that one. And hey, it doesn’t hurt that they’re consistently bringing good bands to town — in this case, Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb, who hail from up around DC way. I’m sure I’m not the only one here who’s a sucker for a Dr. Strangelove reference, and it also doesn’t hurt that this band has found a way to do straight-up old-school punk riffage with a melodic sense that is almost power-pop in its sugary goodness. Think Sheer Mag riffs played by the Adolescents, or the Dead Boys stealing licks from the Raspberries — something like that.

Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb are joined on this bill by a triple threat of Richmond punk reprobates, which is headed up by Enemy Exorcism. I’m kind of surprised to see this band’s name on a bill again, as it’s been a few years since they were really around too much, and as the only recorded evidence of their sound I’m aware of dates back to the dawn of this decade, I can’t really tell you how much they have or haven’t changed in the intervening years either. But I’m definitely curious, I’ll say that. Pissing Contest are way less of a mystery, and more of an institution around town. They’re mainly punk in the riff style but just tight enough and crunchy enough to be vaguely metallic. Not bad! And then of course there’s Maximum Zero, the fake Soviet band who pop up every now and then with another entertaining twist on a bizarre gimmick. I’m ready for another dose — how about you?

Friday, February 2, 8 PM
Lola Pistola, Magnus Lush, Toward Space @ Strange Matter – $8 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
If you’re anything like me, you hear the name Lola Pistola and think, “Oh damn, is this another garage-punk show?” But here’s the thing — it’s not! Lola Pistola is not just a musical project but a person, or at least a persona, who leads this Brooklyn combo, and she gives it an intriguing sound that is hard to pin down. Last year’s Curfew was an excellent LP that roamed the entire musical landscape over the course of its 10 songs, from the Hole-style moody alt-rock of “Carroll St” and the jangle-punk of “I’m Stupid” to the hazy acoustic ambience of “Doomed” and the gloomy balladry of “Friday Night.”

So what will Strange Matter goers get from this band/frontwoman’s performance this Friday night? It may not be that easy to predict from moment to moment, but it’s sure to entrance and enlighten showgoers. One thing that holds strong throughout Lola Pistola’s varied discography is an assured songwriting talent that brings us a strong, clear voice. That voice is our guide through the many musical moods it wanders, and it stays true throughout. The RVA locals opening up bring us their own strong voices despite different musical approaches; Magnus Lush’s complex yet tough take on post-hardcore, or maybe postpunk, lands somewhere in the neighborhood of both Fugazi and the Bush Tetras. Toward Space mix the Shangri-La’s with the King Khan & BBQ Show, bringing raging retro rock n’ roll with a heart of gold. It’s all gravy.

Saturday, February 3, 8 PM
Mammoth Grinder, Genocide Pact, Occvlta, Left Cross @ Strange Matter – $12 (order tickets HERE)
Mammoth Grinder is back, in more ways than one! This Texas band has finally released their fourth album, Cosmic Crypt, after a five-year break; also, they’re coming back to RVA, which is especially nice now that the band features two Richmond locals in the form of Iron Reagan’s Ryan Parrish and Mark Bronzino. Does this mean we can say they’re coming HOME? Well, let’s not get too excited, as frontman Chris Ulsh’s loyalties still lie very much with Austin, where he swings the sticks for living thrash legends Power Trip. But it’s hard to remain complacent when faced with an incredible album like Cosmic Crypt — that old-school death metal sound that’s been getting such a workout in recent years is done to perfection here.

Indeed, I’m sure a dubbed cassette of this album would go right into heavy rotation if it were taken 25 years back in time and dropped into the waiting Camaro (or Chevette, as the case may be) of any suburban headbanger. But its retro appeal is no strike against it, and honestly I’d take this album over most of the early Obituary albums I cut my teeth on back then. Yeah, I said it. Genocide Pact, who are on tour with Mammoth Grinder, have an even newer album (this show occurs only one day after its official release), Order Of Torment, which also harks back to the early 90s prime of first-wave death metal — though this time, I’m thinking more of Incantation. Whatever, the point is it’ll get your neck snapping, as will a bonus set from German thrashers Occvlta, whose killer take on early black metal fits right into the early-90s evocation of this whole bill. Left Cross kick the whole thing off, and they’re always a treat, so show up on time!

Sunday, February 4, 8 PM
Classical Revolution RVA presents Andrew McEvoy, Django Tango @ The HofGarden – $6 in advance/$8 at the door (order tickets HERE)
If you’re thinking that this column has leaned really hard on punk and metal so far this week, rest assured I’m thinking the same thing. Variety is the spice of life, and we all need to change it up from time to time, so this Sunday night full of classical guitar performances, being presented by Classical Revolution. Admittedly, I don’t know a ton about classical music of any kind, but this one sounds intriguing. Guitarist Andrew McEvoy will be performing solo, doing his new album Parlor Tricks. This album, which features pieces by Chopin, Villa-Lobos, and Dyens, among others, was put together by McEvoy to demonstrate the influence that folk rhythms had on the music of Parisian high society.

That’s a fascinating enough premise for me right there. And when you add in a performance by Django Tango, a local trio who pay tribute to the early 20th-century Romani guitar master Django Reinhardt and his hot-swinging Manouche jazz sound, I’m definitely hooked. Reinhardt’s swinging sound had its own effect on the sounds of Parisian society in the 30s, and was one of the major movements in jazz music in general at the time. This night won’t have you banging your head, and you can leave your earplugs at home, but where entertaining musical spectacles are concerned, this one’s as good as any death-metal extravaganza.

Monday, February 5, 8 PM
Phlegm, Dweebs @ McCormack’s – $5
Speaking of death metal extravaganzas, though, we’ve still got one more for ya this week, and even though right now the bill only features two bands, the presence of Phlegm at the top of it is really all you need. Phlegm are hardly the most famous death metal band to exist in the history of the genre, but they were on the scene from the beginning, forming in 1988 and becoming a Rhode Island legend through their demos and their work booking touring bands in their area.

Since their breakup in the early 90s, Phlegm have developed a steady cult following, and in the wake of their reformation several years ago, and a 2015 double-disc reissue of all their early demos entitled Consumed By The Dead, they’ve kept at it with a higher profile than ever. So even with only one random opener on the bill, they’re still worth the trip down to Shockoe Bottom all by themselves. I have no idea who Dweebs are, but I’m pretty sure they’re not the ridiculous-seeming family band from Wisconsin that keeps showing up on google searches… I guess we’ll all find out together! And then Phlegm will run us over and it’ll be awesome.

Tuesday, February 6, 6:30 PM
Tiny Moving Parts, Mom Jeans, Oso Oso @ The Camel – $13 in advance/$15 at the door (order tickets HERE)
OK yes, Tiny Moving Parts have been to Richmond within the past nine months or so, and yes, I sent you to that show too, but OMG I’m still so excited about this, because they have a new album out and it’s probably the best thing they’ve done to date. Considering how much I loved 2016’s Celebrate, that’s a strong recommendation to say the least, but seriously, Swell (which came out just last Friday) is even MORE crammed with indelible melodies than the last album, and still hits that same level of passionate emotional intensity. And on top of all that, I feel like it’s even more energetic and bouncy… basically, what I’m telling you is that this already-great band got better in every way.

Is that enough to get you in the door at The Camel on Tuesday night? Or do you need even more? Well, if you’re on the latter side of things, the fact that Mom Jeans is on this bill will surely sway you. At least I’d hope so. This melodic emo band has a bit more of a lovelorn feel than Tiny Moving Parts, but between their name and the fact that they recently followed up their debut LP, Best Buds, with a three-way split EP called NOW That’s What I Call Music Vol. 420, it’s clear that they have a sense of humor as well. In the world of emo, that can be a pretty difficult quantity to come by, so whoever’s gonna lay it on us at any point is a welcome presence on a bill that, in all honesty, is gonna see 90 percent of attendees getting all choked up at some point. Openers Oso Oso (“bear bear” in English) bring some more upbeat punky sounds to the whole emo thing, so while all of these bands will tug at your heartstrings, none of them will take quite the same musical approach to do so. Variety is, after all, the spice of life.

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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 photo by xKgB Productions