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VA Shows You Must See This Week: March 6 – March 12

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FEATURED SHOW
Friday, March 8, 8 PM
Analog Suspects, J Slim, Cadillac Cat, Santana Brothers, music by Hip Hop Henry @ The Dark Room at The HofGarden – $10
If you really want to know what’s popping in Richmond hip hop, you need to keep up on what The Cheats Movement is doing. From the website Marc Cheatham’s been maintaining for most of a decade now to cover the intersection of hip hop and politics on a local and national level to the radio show hosted by Cheats and Gigi Broadway on WRIR (I listen to it as a podcast, you should too), the work The Cheats Movement does to shine a light on local hip hop is unparalleled in reach and effectiveness.

That’s why, when The Cheats Movement hosts a gig, I take notice. And maybe I’m slipping (I’m always slipping), but it wasn’t until I saw that The Cheats Movement was hosting a live performance by Analog Suspects at The HofGarden’s Dark Room that I found out about that high-powered local duo on the come-up. See? It pays to pay attention to Cheats. And it pays to listen to Analog Suspects, too — their just-released debut, Transmission 001, is incredible.

As a hip hop fan, I’m partial to albums with a single producer, and I think the unified sound DJ Mentos creates for Transmission 001 is an excellent demonstration of my reasoning — his moody, cinematic beats create the perfect atmosphere for Noah-O’s intense, politically-informed lyrics, which also delve into the MC’s personal background and the state of Richmond VA in 2019. Anyone who’s been paying attention over the past decade or so already knows that Noah-O is an incredible live performer, and with DJ Mentos backing him up, this Analog Suspects show is bound to blow everyone’s heads up. If you miss this one, you’ve officially screwed up.

Wednesday, March 6, 7 PM
The Joy Formidable, Positive No @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $16 in advance/$18 day of show/$46 VIP (order tickets HERE)
As groups tagged with the unfortunate genre label of “shoegaze” go, The Joy Formidable is just about the best one in current existence. Using a genre term like that might give you a vague idea of what effects pedals this Welsh trio uses, but in no way sums up the gorgeous wall of noise they’ve been generating for the past decade or so, most recently on their fourth album, AAARTH, released last fall. You might think that title is the word for our planet, said in a cartoonish accent (OK, I admit it, that’s what I thought initially), but it turns out to be a stretched-out version of the Welsh word for bear. I love bears, so this pleases me.

The album also pleases me, both by continuing this band’s strong track record of dishing out hazily beautiful fuzz riffs at top volume while also retaining a top-flight sense of melody, and by showing some clear growth and expansion within their creativity. I mean, I have a ton of love for their debut album, 2011’s The Big Roar, but if they still sounded exactly the same eight years later I’m sure I’d be way less stoked. This band continues to evolve in wonderful ways, and you’re certainly going to want to be there tonight to get an up-close glimpse of where they stand as of today. VIP ticket-holders get a bonus acoustic mini-set before the show, too, so that’s definitely something to make the high-dollar tickets worth your while. And everyone gets an opening set from excellent locals Positive No, who’ve also spent several years demonstrating flawless senses of both melody and loud guitars. A perfect pairing — don’t miss this chance to enjoy it.

Thursday, March 7, 7 PM
SRSQ, Ships In The Night, MRC @ Gallery 5 – $12 in advance/$14 day of show (order tickets HERE)
SRSQ is a group born from tragedy; the project began as a way for Kennedy Ashlyn to deal with her grief after Cash Askew, her partner in up-and-coming group Them Are Us Too, passed away in the 2016 fire at the Ghost Ship collective in Oakland. There’s an undeniable melancholy undertone to the work Ashlyn has released since beginning SRSQ; the group’s layered synthesizers and vocals are reminiscent of both the Cocteau Twins and The Cure at their saddest moments. However, on debut LP Unreality, it is Ashlyn’s powerful voice that dominates the sound, rising above the ethereal ambient hum to offer an undeniable ray of hope and joy, shining through the misty, mournful melodies.

When SRSQ arrives at Gallery 5 Thursday night, they are sure to bring all of these elements to full, rapturous life onstage. The group’s deep synth textures are perfectly designed to fill a room with foggy ambient atmosphere at top volume — but of course, it will be Ashlyn’s voice that truly dominates the proceedings, as she demonstrates what we all would have experienced if the Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Fraser had exchanged ethereality for full-throated power. Charlottesville’s own ambient goth project, Ships In The Night, will provide strong support, and the show will open with a set from True Body side-project MRC, who are sure to inject a note of postpunk darkness into the proceedings.

Friday, March 8, 9 PM
The Stone Eye, Tel, Horse Culture @ Wonderland – $10
Ever been sitting around listening to Alice In Chains’ classic masterpiece of the grunge era, Dirt, and found yourself thinking, “This album is great and all, but wouldn’t it be cool if it was somehow… sludgier?” If so, you’re definitely going to want to head down to Shockoe Bottom this Friday night and catch The Stone Eye. This Philadelphia trio dishes out the heavy-as-fuck stoner grooves that you love from groups like Goatsnake and Kyuss, but does so while also bringing some incredible vocal melodies that can’t help but remind one of Layne Staley at his spooky, yowling best.

The Stone Eye’s latest album, Kevlar, Kryptonite, Gloria, was released last summer, and extends their already-formidable legacy with some powerful riffs that land somewhere between Blue Cheer at their most doleful and Soundgarden at their witchiest. They’ll be dishing out tons of riffage when they take the stage at Wonderland Friday night, and they’ll be aided in their mission by a couple of similarly minded Richmond groups. Tel are pros with the sludge grooves, though they skimp on the melody in favor of digging straight into the dirt. They’ll be releasing a new full-length later in the month and are sure to be playing some new jams as a result. Finally, Horse Culture will kick off the evening with some dark, unsettling noise dirges. It’s gonna get dark in the Bottom this Friday night.

Saturday, March 9, 8 PM
Winstons, Dogwood Tales, Saw Black @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
We’re getting raw and primitive at The Camel Saturday night, and I’m not talking about Norwegian black metal, either — Winstons hail from right here in the good ol’ US of A. This rockin’ duo currently lives in Brooklyn, but they have roots here in Virginia, which is why they’ll be celebrating the release of their new self-titled LP, on Charlottesville’s WarHen Records, right here in Richmond, at the Camel.

Winstons are part of the long wave, unleashed by the success of the White Stripes and the Black Keys, that finds rock n’ roll bands viewing a bassist as completely optional. Winstons generate so much excellent racket with just guitar, drums, and voices that a bass would just get in the way anyway, so I for one am in favor. They stick to the raw, blues-adjacent roots that the aforementioned duos grew from in their early stages, without a hint of the radio polish that infected them both before all was said and done. Winstons replace that less-than-desirable element with a higher dose of Southern-fried boogie that only makes the whole thing that much sweeter, especially for VA heads like you and me. So let’s all go rock out with em, shall we? And bring some biscuits — I’ll get the gravy.

Sunday, March 10, 10 PM
The Colloquial Orchestra, Christopher Tignor, Kenneka Cook @ Bandito’s – Free!
Keeping up with Dave Watkins is always an enjoyable endeavor. His equal facility with old-time folk music, bizarre noise-rock, and electronic ambience has been on display in various projects of his, and all of it comes together in The Colloquial Orchestra, a loose-knit ensemble with Watkins at its head. The Colloquial Orchestra allows Watkins to periodically unleash an instrument of his own invention called the dulcitar, which combines a strummed dulcimer straight from old-time mountain music with a modern electric guitar.

But he won’t just be busting out one dulcitar at this performance — there will be four in all, plus a bed of percussion and electronics to keep things solidly rooted. Watkins will be joined by local luminaries Elizabeth Owens, PJ Sykes (Hoax Hunters), Micah Barry (Private Cry), and Jon Hawkins (Opin) in this endeavor. And on the bill, the Colloquial Orchestra will be joined by New York violinist and composer Christopher Tignor, whose ambient, electro-acoustic sound is sure to pair well with the room-filling vibe the Colloquial Orchestra will create. Kenneka Cook will start the night out with her always-reliable looped-vocal soul sounds, so this evening will just be sheer joy from beginning to end. Grab a plate of tacos and get ready to enjoy yourself.

Monday, March 11, 9 PM
Sink In, Midlife Pilot, THRE3, Johnny C @ The Camel – $5 in advance/$7 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Here’s a fun one to liven up your Monday. Sink In started life as a Central PA pop-punk band, with a pretty similar sound to a lot of great bands that have come out in that scene over the past decade or so. However, in the last few years, they’ve moved in an interesting direction that surely reflects the poptimist state of our 21st century musical culture. Which is to say, they’ve demonstrated a great deal of straight-up mainstream pop influence in their more recent work.

Brand new single “Ghost,” which just came out a month ago, features a video that openly refers to Sink In as a “boy band,” which might seem like a turn-off til you listen to the music and realize that these guys have retained almost all of their emotionally-driven pop-punk sound — it’s just that singer Tighe Eshelman has followed in the footsteps of Tyler Carter and embraced his inner Justin Timberlake. The result is an undeniable blast, bringing to mind what might have happened if, instead of becoming a faceless radio pop band, Fall Out Boy had been able to retain their identity even as Patrick Stump dove into R&B. If that seems like a lost opportunity to you, go to The Camel Monday and watch Sink In take the very chances that FOB blew. It’s gonna rule.

Tuesday, March 12, 8 PM
The Tough Shits, Sick Bags, Toward Space @ Mojo’s – $8 suggested donation
It’s easy to assume that garage-punk bands with confrontational names like The Tough Shits are going to be wild, crazy, and full of raw, in-your-face energy. However, if there’s one thing The Tough Shits have demonstrated over the course of their career thus far, it’s that they not-so-secretly have hearts of gold. Despite the band name and a history of singles with names like “Pretty Wild,” “Babes Of The Abyss,” and “Adult Fantasy,” this is one raw rock n’ roll act that leans pretty heavily on their pop sensibilities.

They’ll be bringing those pop sensibilities to Mojo’s on a Tuesday night, giving plentiful opportunity for the movers and shakers of this city to move and shake on the dance floor to their incredibly catchy tunes. Their new LP, Burning In Paradise, is soon to be released by garage kingpins Burger Records, and they’ll surely unleash some tunes from it on the clamoring masses, but regardless of what portion of their extensive back catalog gets highlighted, sweet melodies played with high energy on jangling guitars will certainly rule the day. Slightly snottier RVA garage-punk groups Sick Bags and Toward Space make this a night full of rock action, so don’t miss a minute.

Bonus Hampton Roads Picks:

Saturday, March 9, 7 PM
Hiss Golden Messenger, Erin Rae @ Goode Theatre at ODU – $20 (order tickets HERE)
Hiss Golden Messenger has made a lot of fans here in Virginia, and not just because they’ve taken local trombone hero Reggie Pace on tour in his band, either. The North Carolina group, which is really just singer-songwriter MC Taylor and whoever else he recruits to play with him, has made quite a name for itself over the past decade-plus with a laid-back Southern folk-rock sound that pleases indie kids, hipster dads, and jam-band bros alike.

Hiss Golden Messenger has had quite a few heavy hitters in the group over the years, including members of Ben Folds Five and Megafaun, but at ODU’s Goode Theatre this Saturday, it’ll just be MC Taylor all by himself. And as much as I’d love to see him bust out a song from that Ex-Ignota EP buried in the back of my record collection, chances are the HGM fans among you will be more stoked to hear what material from last year’s Virgo Fool, the 10th Hiss Golden Messenger album since 2008, sounds like in more stripped-down arrangements. Chances are, though, no matter what material MC Taylor chooses to revisit in this performance, it’ll be revelatory. Definitely worth the trip, regardless of where you’re coming from.

Sunday, March 10, 6 PM
Brother Bird, Hot Spit, Static Collector @ Charlie’s American Cafe – $10 in advance/$12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Sometimes a musician’s story threatens to overshadow their actual music. If we aren’t careful, Brother Bird’s story could do just that. The group is lead by Caroline Swon, who the Voice fans among you may remember as Caroline Glaser, from Season 4 in 2013. She met the man who’d eventually become her husband, Colton Swon, when they were both contestants on The Voice. Years later, she was able to obtain a record deal for Brother Bird by recording a Manchester Orchestra cover and posting it on her YouTube channel, where that band’s frontman, Andy Hull, discovered it.

So yeah, now Caroline Swon is married to her fellow Voice contestant, Brother Bird is signed to Hull’s label, Favorite Gentlemen, and the group’s on tour behind their self-titled debut EP, released late last year. That matters, though, not because of the extensive backstory leading us to this point, but because Brother Bird is an excellent group, regardless of pedigree. Their dynamic sound, which moves from moments of quiet beauty to dramatic crescendos in a manner that is sure to please Manchester Orchestra fans, creates a beautiful frame for Swon’s excellent vocals, which are the star of any show she’s involved in… no matter how she did on The Voice. Come to Charlie’s American Cafe this Tuesday night, and she’s sure to win in your heart.

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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

Mitchel Evan Finds The Contemporary Side Of Nostalgia at The Darkroom

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On Friday, February 22, Mitchel Evan celebrated the release of his album, Nostalgia Side B, at The Darkroom, one of several venues located inside the recently-opened HofGarden in Scott’s Addition. Evan’s sincere approach to his alt-country/folk/Americana style has led him to focus on lyrics when creating his music.

“I’m just writing from my experience, trying to make sense of my life and my feelings through songs,” Evan said. “I just write about whatever I’m going through; I don’t find myself too often seeking out inspiration from external sources.”

Born and raised in the West End of Richmond, VA, he’s moved around from Virginia to Pennsylvania to Colorado over the years. “Denver and Boulder were kind of my music hubs for the past several years,” Evan said. His Colorado group, Mitchel Evan and The Mangrove, marked his first time releasing music under his own name and fronting a band that played his songs. With the Mangrove backing him, he released two EPs and a full-length album before leaving Colorado.

Now that he’s back in his old hometown, he’s leading a new six-piece band, Mitchel Evan and The Saboteurs. That group began their set at the Darkroom with positivity and love. Members greeted each other with hugs and smiles before beginning their performance. The acoustic sound incorporated violins, guitars, and drums, as well as unique vocals from Evan and co-vocalist Blake Smoral. Their music clearly flowed from their hearts to yours; you could feel the emotion behind every lyric that was sung and every sound that was played.

Evan has been playing frequent gigs all around Richmond and the surrounding areas, both with the Saboteurs and on his own, leading up to the show at The Darkroom, which also served as a release party for his latest EP, Nostalgia (Side B). He’s worked hard to make a name for himself through the constant gigs, and will be kicking it up a notch in the coming months with tour dates that will keep him on stages in Virginia and around the country throughout 2019.

As they continue to write, record, and tour at a productive rate, you can expect a lot from Evan and the Saboteurs. “This summer I’m just taking time to come back to the roots,” he said. “I’m working on some new material that I’ve been teaching the band. We’ve been practicing a lot.”

It may seem like a rather rootless lifestyle to choose for oneself, but for Evan, it’s what he always wanted. “I think the dilemma with being an artist is that there’s no result,” he said. “It’s a process, and it’s something you continue to live by and do by. It’s kind of just a way you make sense of the world.”

“If you know you want to do it, then just don’t do anything else,” he said. “That’s what I did.”

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

VA Shows You Must See This Week: February 6 – February 12

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FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, February 9, 8 PM
Three Sheets To The Wind presents the 8th Annual Love Boat Luau @ The Broadberry – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Valentine’s Day is a difficult, fraught holiday. And I say that as a happily married woman — imagine what the single people are all going through out there. Of course, a lot of you don’t have to imagine, those of you who haven’t held hands with a human you adore in some lengthy period of time, or are struggling to even get the person you dig to even have the “what are we, exactly?” conversation. When you’re in situations like that, it can feel like the best plan is to cancel the 14th of February entirely.

But take heart, singletons everywhere, because Three Sheets To The Wind is here to help you blow away your troubles with a tremendously entertaining blast of yacht rock awesomeness! Their eighth annual Love Boat Luau has become quite the tradition here in RVA, as the now-ten-years-strong yacht rock tribute act brings to hilarious life a quasi-parodic celebration of the extravagant excesses of the 70s and 80s soft rock music scene.

So get to the Broadberry Saturday night, and give yourself a pick-me-up sure to carry you through the entire Valentine’s week. Three Sheets will be doing two big sets of classics by artists like Toto, Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, and many more — and maybe you’ll even meet someone cute on the dance floor! Remember, they don’t wear that sailor suit every day… this is a special occasion. Word has it you can expect this event to sell out, so get your tickets now!

Wednesday, February 6, 8 PM
Anna Webber Trio, feat. Scott Clark and Adam Hopkins @ Vagabond – Free!
There was a point where I couldn’t get through a week of this column without writing about metal. These days, though, it seems that the hot RVA genre I can’t go a week without mentioning is jazz! It’s not a development I would have expected, but I definitely love it. And of course, Vagabond’s Jazz Wednesdays are a big part of what’s making it all happen — so keep up the good work over there, y’all.

This week’s Jazz Wednesday programming brings New York-based saxophonist Anna Webber to town — she’ll be joining up with two Richmond-based musicians of superior talent, in the form of drummer Scott Clark and bassist Adam Hopkins, to delight all comers. Webber’s just-released album Clockwise shows her talent in complex, unpredictable arrangements that work together in brilliant harmony with flurries of hot and heavy soloing. Of course, according to Hopkins, the trio won’t be playing any Clockwise material (makes sense — the album was recorded with a septet), but considering the talent of all involved, they’re sure to blow your mind with whatever they choose to perform. Don’t miss out on this one, y’all.

Thursday, February 7, 7 PM
Patrick Bates, The Trillions, Continuation @ Gallery 5 – $5 in advance/$7 day of show (order tickets HERE)
If you’re a regular reader, you know we covered a Patrick Bates show within this very column only a month ago. We don’t typically return to the same artist that frequently, but in this case, exceptions must be made. Bates, who hasn’t released a new record since 2015’s Feathers And Pearls, will be using this show to celebrate the release of his brand-new EP, Salad Days, by DC label Verses Records. Technically, it won’t even be out yet — it comes out the first week of March — but you’re sure to get a live preview of what’s in store for you, and based on the two songs we’ve already heard, it’s sure to be pretty great.

Really, the live performance is what this release is all about for Patrick Bates. Recorded over the course of nearly a decade by the songwriter and a rhythm section made up of some very talented friends, Salad Days does a good bit more than previous Bates releases to show exactly what the songwriter can create with a full-band backing in a live environment. And let me tell you, the hypnotic post-hardcore melodies this guy has in store for you are sure to delight whether you’re hearing them live or on a record. So go to this show, get stoked for Salad Days, and if there are advance copies available (we’re not promising anything), pick one up. You won’t regret it.

Friday, February 8, 8 PM
Teen Death, Dad, Sea Of Storms, Small Bones @ Gallery 5 – $5 in advance/$8 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Hey, here’s a name that always makes us happy to type: Teen Death. This local Richmond punk band doesn’t do all that much all that often — they’ve played a couple times in the last year or so, but we’re going on four years since they last released an EP that was less than three minutes long. This set may just be a good chance to hear this band play the excellent tunes you know so well — but really, what’s wrong with that? The way Teen Death simultaneously channel 90s alt-rock legends like Nirvana, The Toadies, and (early, good) Weezer even as they’re dishing out some grungy pop-punk riffage makes any opportunity to see them live more than worthwhile.

It’s also noteworthy that Teen Death are joined on this gig by Dad, a New York band that shares their name with a Richmond queercore band who’ve played Gallery 5 a time or two — so don’t get mixed up. This Dad shares some musical elements with Teen Death, though recent single “Road Soda” makes clear that Dad’s sound is rooted in frustration, anger, and noisy heaviness to a much greater extent than that of Teen Death. As their bandcamp page will tell you, they aren’t mad, they’re just… disappointed. But you won’t be disappointed by this show, especially with local post-hardcore veterans Sea Of Storms and entertaining newcomers Small Bones on the bill. Let’s rock.

Saturday, February 9, 9 PM
Cane, Got My Own Sound, Chance Fischer @ The HofGarden – $15 in advance/$20 at the door (order tickets HERE)
The HofGarden’s been making things pretty interesting in recent months — for an upscale multi-story venue that seems like the kind of place where rich business types would hang out, they’ve had some surprisingly strong talent performing in their multiple venues. That stays true this Saturday night as hip hop comes to the Hof in the form of Cane and GMOS (Got My Own Sound). This NoVA collaboration between a lyric-spitting rapper and a top-level jazz-fusion group is excellent at living in the liminal space between those two genres; they give us an outstanding aural vision of what that can sound like on their brand new EP, Out Of Love, for which this Richmond performance will act as a release party.

Cane and GMOS will be joined by one of Richmond’s most talented MCs in the form of Chance Fischer, who will also be kicking high-quality rhymes over music from a live band. Any fans of local hip hop are sure to know that this will be an excellent listen. And of course, the fact that in addition to the musical performances a whiskey-tasting will be taking place at this event should be no surprise for anyone who read our Chance Fischer profile from last year — the man knows his whiskey. Whether you partake in the booze or you’re just there for the music, though, this evening is sure to be worth every penny.

Sunday, February 10, 7 PM
The Hague, Ghoul Trouble, Kensey, Bonjinski @ The Camel – $5 in advance/$7 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Portland, Oregon’s The Hague are coming to town, and not to try anyone for war crimes, either (god, how many times have they heard a variation on that joke? Sorry guys). This melodic post-hardcore… OK, emo band are currently riding the wave of not one, not two, but THREE new releases since the start of 2019. And that’s probably a good thing for them, considering that a van wreck a week or so ago has forced them to finish their tour in a rented vehicle with very little on-hand cash.

So hey, show up to this one and pick up a record, huh? Between split EPs with Beach Party and Sun Valley Gun Club, and a brand new four-song cassette, these guys have quite a bit to offer. And musically, the same is true, as they’ve got crunchy guitars, killer chorus melodies, and an introspective mood that’s sure to connect with all comers. They’re joined on this bill by some rad locals, too, including punk-rock newcomers Ghoul Trouble, who I actually haven’t heard, but definitely have a rad logo. You’ll also get a set from energetic noise-grunge group Bonjinski and indie newcomers Kensey, all of which should be excellent. Don’t miss this one.

Monday, February 11, 8 PM
Harry Jay, Miette Hope, Cypress, The Ledgesleepers @ The Camel – $5 in advance/$7 day of show (order tickets HERE)
You don’t really hear people talking about neo-soul too much anymore these days, do you? It’s kind of a shame; that subgenre produced some really great music for a while, including the excellent work of Richmond’s own D’Angelo. But it seems like it might be coming back — not only did some of the songs on Kenneka Cook’s last album remind me more than a little bit of Jill Scott, Boston artist Harry Jay is coming to Richmond this coming Monday night to show us that there’s still plenty to be done with the sound of that mostly-dissipated musical movement.

There’s not much Harry Jay can’t do: not only is he a tremendous singer, he also plays guitar and piano with tremendous talent, and writes incredible songs with plenty of feeling and heart. He’ll be bringing all of this to The Camel’s stage, letting us all know that a young artist early in his career can still have a lot to offer. Jay is joined on this bill by Brooklyn singer-songwriter Miette Hope, who integrates soul influences of her own into a more alt-rock-inspired sound that draws influence from artists like Fiona Apple and Jeff Buckley. Indie-folk singer songwriter Cypress will round out the bill, along with a set from brand new RVA band the Ledgesleepers, just to ensure that you get a full evening of top-notch music.

Tuesday, February 12, 8 PM
Alex Jonestown Massacre, Mickey And Mallory, Rising Revolution, Heavy Mistress @ The Camel – $5 in advance/$8 day of show (order tickets HERE)
OK so I’ve seen the Alex Jonestown Massacre name on a lot of bills around this town over the past year or so, but I must admit: I haven’t really dug into what this band is all about until now. Their name updates the sort of wry reference Anton Newcombe made to psychedelic pioneer and original Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones, and updates it for the Trump era. In case you didn’t figure it out yet (it took me a while), it’s a reference to Infowars blowhard Alex Jones, a reference made explicit in the lyrics and imagery on the group’s debut album, Fear Of A Flat Planet. And really, ya gotta love it.

Musically, Alex Jonestown Massacre are the same sort of catchy, erudite punk rock that Titus Andronicus specialized in during their early years, with a big dose of Against Me mixed in. And this makes them a good fit to top a bill with touring Baltimore group Mickey And Mallory, whose Natural Born Killers-referencing name gives a hint of the wry, self-effacing intelligence at the heart of their rockin’ melodic punk. Brand new album You’re A Nightmare provides more than enough reason to think that seeing this band live will be a worthwhile investment of your Tuesday night. Get on it.

Bonus Hampton Roads Picks:

Friday, February 8, 8 PM
Arms Bizarre, Prayer Group, Guilt Wave @ Taphouse Grill – $5
Down in Norfolk, they like to rock. And this Friday night, NFK’s Taphouse Grill will present a show totally worthy of the late, lamented Strange Matter (RIP, we’ll mourn you til we join you), featuring a trio of Virginia bands that all totally rock. Hard. Arms Bizarre, who are based in Virginia Beach and therefore pretty much local to the area, have a sludgy, heavy sound that is nonetheless interlaced throughout with downcast, melancholy melody, keeping them from ever falling into predictable stoner-rock monotony. Their 2017 album, Bizarre Family Drama, is a hidden gem that should be thrown into glorious light in the live setting.

Prayer Group, who occupies the middle slot, should be much more familiar to my usual Richmond readers, as this rollicking crew of noise-rockers have been laying Jesus Lizard-ish manic rage on us all for years now. One thing’s for sure: Norfolk’s in for a treat with this one. And the same is true of the set from Guilt Wave, which will round this evening off with some epic metal roaring fury of the sort that Mastodon unleashed in their earliest years, and fans of early Neurosis are also guaranteed to love. Let’s fucking rock.

Saturday, February 9, 9 PM
Brook Pridemore, Uglyography, Dead Love Alive @ Taphouse Grill – $5
It’s really tough to tell what you’re getting with Brook Pridemore if you try to go by the hype surrounding his work. Is it alt-country? Indie rock? Grunge? Punk? Well, the answer is sorta “all of the above, plus more,” and sorta “not even any of that,” so once again, the media (aka me) is no help. Just listen to his album Metal Is My Only Friend, which came out late last fall. You’ll hear reasons for lumping Pridemore into a variety of genres from song to song, but it’s the overall feeling of his music that matters most.

Specifically, this guy and his rotating collection of backing musicians (potentially none of which will make the trip down from New York for this show) flawlessly evoke feelings of ennui and alienation that all of us are intimately familiar with in these late-capitalist dystopia days. It’s sad, it’s sweet, it longs for something better… haven’t we all been there? So go to the Taphouse Grill (for the second day in a row) and find a connection with the music of Brook Pridemore. Uncategorizable Tidewater legends Uglyography and Norfolk rock n’ rollers Dead Love Alive will round this one out with some lovely sounds.

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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

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.]

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