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Sound of Music Studios Owner & Longtime Producer John Morand Debuts Solo Album Tonight

Amy David | April 27, 2018

Topics: Cracker, Imaginary Sons, John Morand, One Eleven Heavy, producer, punk, rock music, rva music, Scott's Addition, Sound Of Music Studios, The Smirks, Toward Space

John Morand has been making punk records since the 80s. The longtime producer and co-founder of Scott’s Addition’s Sound of Music Studios has worked his magic for countless bands from local groups like GWAR and Lamb of God to bigger names like D’Angelo and Cracker and even Hanson.

But tonight, he will release his debut solo record, Scott’s Addiction, material that the sound engineer’s been working on for the last three years and for the first time in a long time, he’ll be at the front of the stage instead of at the drum set or behind a control booth.

“It’s been really good for me as a producer to do a record, because you kind of forget about everything involved in it, you can tell someone to go out there and sing that song, but it’s hard being a performer and you kind of take that for granted when you work with really good people that it’s going to be easy,” said Morand.

The show tonight will be the first time in quite awhile that the producer has stepped onto a stage. The last time Morand played in a band was in the late 90s when he played drums for Burst Into Flames. He was also the drummer for other longtime local acts The Future Neighbors and Mutilating Mummies.

“The difference between being behind the drums and having to stand up front and play the guitar and look at people and sing is really scary,” he said.

The album actually spurred out of necessity when Morand broke his arm two years ago.

“It was sort of a form of therapy and part of my arm getting better was learning to play guitar. I’d only ever been able to play guitar kind of enough to make my way through a song,” he said.

Busy spending 12-hour days editing, recording, and tinkering with other people’s music, there wasn’t much time to focus on his own. But, Morand said he’d go back to it here and there and once things at the Altamont Avenue studio calmed down, he could start to focus on his personal project again.

“Over the years, as things got more established, I realized I could do both,” he said. “In November, we were having a meeting about the {Richmond International} film festival, and I was like ‘oh, we’ll release my record this week, but it wasn’t close to being mixed. Literally, we just put the band together within the last few weeks, but it’s been really fun playing.”

And to bring this 10-track lo-fi poppy punk record to life, Morand recruited a cadre of local musicians who are featured throughout including Séyla Hossaini (bass/vocals) and David Pahtoon from Toward Space, Callie Addison from The Smirks, James Toth from One Eleven Heavy, Tommy Crisafulli of Imaginary Sons, and David Lowery, Morand’s former Sound of Music partner and co-founder of Cracker along with a few others.

“I don’t have to have like the biggest record in the world it was just sort of a way of getting my thoughts down and having fun with my friends. So, it was a way to get back in touch with some people that I hadn’t worked with in a long time or I hadn’t seen in a long time and do some parts,” he said of the album.

Morand wrote all of the songs except for one and sings, plays guitar, and drums on Scott’s Addiction. Rounding out his backing band are Mike Linn from punk rock band Deprogrammers on drums, Doc Thomas on bass, Nick Wisher on keys, and Charles Nill on guitar.

He’s dropped a video ahead of the album release party for garage pop-rock single, “Needs of the Narcissist” which pokes some fun at our current political situation.

“It was about this time last year, this was just after Trump got elected and we were all sort of really stunned still, and then Charlottesville happened, and that ‘narcissist’ word kept getting batted around, and then Kellyann Conway having to get up there and say the alternative facts line and the whole idea of fake news was so intriguing,” Morand said of the video.

But Morand said Scott’s Addiction isn’t political, but rather an “ode to the rock and roll lifestyle and feel good songs,” along with a cover of Cracker’s “Darlin, We’re Out of Time”, a few songs about his 11-year-old daughter, Aurora, and the studio’s neighborhood home, which they moved into in 2015.

“I’ve always loved this neighborhood since the Pyramid Club in the early 80s all kinds of great bands played there,” he said. Some metaphors to addiction also make their way into the record, from not being able to leave music to friends and fellow musicians that have battled with addiction.

“It’s also the idea of addiction when you’re working on a song, it’s the thing at the forefront of your mind, even though you’re trying to have a conversation with somebody really what you’re thinking about is getting back to that song,” Morand said.

Bob Strickler, a Richmond-based tour manager for major acts like AWOLNATION, Logic, and Avenged Sevenfold helped with the mixing of Morand’s album along with Wayne Pooley, a partner at Sound of Music Studios. Having that extra set of hands and ears was a refreshing change according to the producer who is usually the one calling the shots.

“It was nice to have at least some input from somebody from the outside,” he said.

Morand will release his album Scott’s Addiction tonight at Sound of Music Studios of course. The show starts at 8 PM. And be on the lookout for his upcoming projects including a True Crime podcast on the Southside Strangler, a new Grim Smiley record, and several new video projects.

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmon

Bully w/ Shellshag & The Smirks at Strange Matter

Joe Vanderhoff | April 18, 2018

Topics: Bully, must see shows, Shellshag, strange matter, The Smirks

BULLY (Nashville, Sub Pop)
http://www.bullythemusic.com/
SHELLSHAG (Brooklyn, Starcleaner)
https://shellshag.bandcamp.com/releases
THE SMIRKS (RVA)
https://thesmirks.bandcamp.com/

8PM Doors // 9PM Sounds | $12 Cover | 18+
Tickets: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1631153

BULLY burst onto the scene in 2015 with their critically acclaimed album Feels Like. Today the band announces Losing. The album was engineered and mixed by lead-singer Alicia Bognanno in Chicago at Electrical Audio.

Fronted by Alicia Bognanno, Bully was born in 2013. Bognanno was an engineer who had cut her teeth working at Electrical Audio in Chicago. Together with guitarist Clayton Parker and Reece Lazarus on bass, they made a debut album received unanimous critical acclaim and Bognanno became a point of intrigue. A rock icon in the making, with her signature scream, messy blonde hair hanging in her face, and formidable skills as both a player and a engineer who prefers recording to tape. “The coarse Cobain head-scream of Bully singer, songwriter and guitarist Alicia Bognanno is its own resuscitating jolt of protest,” said Pitchfork. “She spends much of Feels Like tearing the house down with her howl.” The success propelled the band into an exhaustive touring cycle with spots on huge festivals such as Bonnaroo, Lollapallooza, Pitchfork Music Festival and ACL and a late night appearance on Conan.

While Feels Like tumbled headlong into the precarious nature of Bognanno’s young adult life, Losing is a document of the complexity of growth: navigating breakups with sensitivity, learning not to run away from your troubles but to face them no matter how messy they may be. The debut single, “Feel The Same’ is the album opener. Like an electric-shock Bognanno is back in your face tackling the angst of a young person feeling their way through the world. The song describes the prison of a manic mind-set, being trapped in your own head. On “Seeing It” she addresses the issue of personal safety and navigating the world as a woman. On “Running” she focuses on personal relationships and the avoidance of facing the demise of a personal relationship.

Losing is an internal, carefully focused record, a universalized diary and an exorcism-not of any one specific demon, but the host of them that characterize contemporary anxieties. Bully are growing up, sure, but their fire is in no way diminishing.

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 4/18-4/24

Marilyn Drew Necci | April 18, 2018

Topics: Addy, au revoir, Bandito's, Battlemaster, Blush Face, Boston Manor, Bully, Charmer, Desert Altar, Free Throw, gallery 5, Haircut, HeadlessMantis, Homesafe, Hot Mulligan, Houdan The Mystic, Hovvdy, Indighost, Kenneka Cook, Lair, Lucid Traveler, Mad Habit, Night Idea, Ostraca, Save Face, Shellshag, shows you must see, shy low, strange matter, The Aces, The Barons, The Camel, The Smirks, Unmaker

FEATURED SHOW
Friday, April 20, 8 PM
420 at G5, feat. Battlemaster, Night Idea, Unmaker, Haircut @ Gallery 5 – $8
It’s always weird to live through a holiday you don’t celebrate, and hipster holidays like 420 are no different. That said, just as you don’t have to be a Christian to enjoy getting presents on December 25, you don’t have to be a dyed-in-the-wool marijuana connoisseur to scarf munchies and enjoy some loud music on April 20th. Rest assured, Gallery 5 will not be checking your bloodstream for THC at the door of this 420 celebration, which will bring you some rad local bands for a very economical price point, and offer you a “munchies table” in the bargain. Sounds like a great Friday night to me.

Battlemaster are your headliners on this bill, and these raging metal masters have been dishing out the triumphant, hyperspeed riffage for well over a decade now. Granted, they aren’t the most active band in the scene — it’s been three years since the release of their last LP, Battlehungry and Swordsworn — but then, what could be more fitting for a band headlining a 420 gig? There’s no rush, man, let’s just rage for now and then grab some eats. I gotta admit, y’all, there’s a lot about this 420 mindset that appeals to me.

Night Idea are a bit more active, dishing out their melodic, psychedelic take on math rock on four separate albums in the past seven years; the most recent being last fall’s Riverless. That said, regardless of their scientific approach to song structure, these guys at the end of the day are just some laid back dudes that want to hang. And you’ll be able to do just that as they serenade you with killer tunes that just might leave you scratching your head if you pay close attention. Local heavy-postpunk group Unmaker and raging hardcore punks Haircut round out a bill that’s a perfect celebration of the most stonerific day of the year. So get there on time; after all, the Cool Ranch Doritos aren’t gonna last.

Wednesday, April 18, 7 PM
The Aces, The Barons, Blush Face @ The Camel – $12 in advance/$15 at the door (order tickets HERE)
People talk a lot about the 90s being back these days, but I think we all need to admit that the 80s revival is a formidable aspect of our current musical culture as well. And not the sort of 80s revival we had a decade and a half ago; that was about fashion. This is about music, and where The Aces are concerned, it’s about good music. This four-woman group featuring two sisters might just remind you of fellow sister act Haim, but The Aces are no copycat; their debut album, When My Heart Felt Volcanic, has a grip of excellent melodies and catchy choruses to deliver to all of us, mixing chunky guitars with the same sort of synth swells that lended secret power to classic singles by 80s rockers like Rick Springfield and Corey Hart. I know, younger readers, you have no idea who those people are. Trust me.

Not that you even need to, because hearing the voices of The Aces will be enough to convince you that this band has a sound you need in your life. Their vocal harmonizing gives the already-incredible choruses of songs like “Stuck” and “Bad Love” an atomic-level power that’ll caress your eardrums and shatter your heart. It’s enough to make me long for days of the Saturday morning American Top 40 Countdown. Casey Kasem has passed on, Madonna is, um, not that good anymore, but The Aces are keeping the dream alive. They’re joined on this trip through RVA by Charlottesville’s own 80s-pop killers, The Barons, who mix musclecar references into their own version of guitar-driven, synth-inflected pop. Irrepressible local popsters Blush Face, who always bring a good time, will take the opening slot, and if that’s not a reason to arrive on time, I don’t know what is.

Thursday, April 19, 6 PM
Boston Manor, Free Throw, Homesafe, Hot Mulligan, Save Face @ Strange Matter – $15 (order tickets HERE)
As anyone who’s been paying attention to this column for the past few years will surely be aware, I’m a huge fan of emotionally-driven pop-punk. What’s more, I make no apologies for it, and I don’t think anyone else should either. Which is why I’m encouraging all of you who have even a shred of my love for the genre to hold your head high with pride and head out to Strange Matter Thursday night for this visit from Boston Manor. Despite what the name might lead you to think, this quintet hails from Blackpool, England, and if you listen closely to their 2016 full-length debut on Pure Noise Records, Be Nothing, you’ll hear tinges of that cross-the-pond lineage shining through.

In addition to the obvious emotional pop-punk touchstones, there are hints of underrated (at least here in the USA) UK groups like Funeral For A Friend and Idlewild on tracks like “Lead Feet” and “Broken Glass” — and I for one am certainly not complaining. In addition to this excellent UK headliner, this show also brings us a variety of other emo-pop bands from various locations west of the Atlantic and east of the Mississippi. Nashville’s Free Throw are a bit mellow and jangly, while Illinois group Homesafe has a lot of energy and crunch, bordering on melodic hardcore. Michigan’s Hot Mulligan have that way with witty song titles I’ve always loved (“All You Wanted by Michelle Branch,” “Pluto Was Never Really A Planet Either Even”), while New Jersey’s Save Face get all rock n’ rolly, bringing an almost-grunge influence to their melodic punk riffs. All of it’s rad, though. All of it is worth seeing. Don’t hide from it.

Friday, April 20, 8 PM
Bully, Shellshag, The Smirks @ Strange Matter – $12 (order tickets HERE)
Here’s some great news for anyone with good taste: Bully are hitting town once again. This Tennessee quartet have been lighting it up for close to five years now, with their highly energetic mix of melodic punk and post-grunge power-pop. Their first LP, Feels Like, grabbed a ton of attention for its striking songwriting chops and predilection for overdriven guitars and angst-ridden screams. Last year’s follow-up, Losing (perhaps the continuation of a sentence begun in the first album’s title?), hits even harder, cranking the angst up to 11 and giving frontwoman Alicia Bognanno plenty of opportunities to scream her head off.

Bully’s performance at Strange Matter Friday night will offer yet another opportunity, and it’d be a wise idea for all of us to station ourselves at ground zero of this impending explosion of rock n’ roll fury. If you’ve ever thought that Nirvana would have been an even better band if they were run by a woman, this is the band for you. Plus, they’ll be joined by minimalist garage-punk heroes Shellshag, who’ve been gracing Richmond with their presence regularly for years and have won over a lot of people in the process. If you don’t know, now you know. Local punk rock killers The Smirks open up with what is apparently their album release show. And look, I know I tell you quite often that you need to get to shows on time. But seriously, if you miss The Smirks’ LP release, you win the blue ribbon for blowing it.

Saturday, April 21, 8 PM
HeadlessMantis, Houdan The Mystic, Lucid Traveler, Mad Habit @ Gallery 5 – $5
This all-local Saturday night special is being brought to you by The Jamwich, a magazine covering regional music of what I’m guessing is the “jam” variety; and Progress Festival, a three-day fest taking place out in Dublin, a VA town somewhere outside of Radford. All of this will give you a definite idea of what this festival-preview night at Gallery 5 will have to offer, but you’d be foolish to write it off accordingly. Because honestly, while I’m no fan of “jam bands” as they are popularly conceived, all of the bands on this bill have quite a bit more to offer than warmed-over retreads of Phish or Disco Biscuits. And thank god for that.

HeadlessMantis is at the top of the bill, and this band has at least as much garage rock running through its swamp-monster veins as prog-psych. They’ll inspire a good deal more headbanging than goofy LSD twirl-dancing. Meanwhile, Houdan The Mystic has some pretty excellent math-rock chops, which they integrate into prog-rock melodies that might please the jam heads but are more likely to keep fans of mid-period King Crimson smiling. Lucid Traveler keep things funky with their instrumental tunes, and while they are probably closest of all these groups to being an actual jam band, they’ll keep the groove moving enough that you won’t want to hold it against them. And openers Mad Habit bring enough pop melodies to keep their psych sound engaging and fun. For a supposed show full of jam bands, this one is gonna be pretty darn unmissable.

Sunday, April 22, 9 PM
Desert Altar, Indighost, Lair @ Bandito’s – Free!
There was a time a few years ago when it seemed you couldn’t get through a week of live music here in Richmond without seeing at least two or three doom metal bands. Even if you were going to indie shows, it was pretty much everywhere. However, lately, it seems like the doom trend is starting to die. This may be bad news to any hipsters who were trying to get famous by wearing denim jackets and copping Fu Manchu riffs from 2001, but it’s good news for those who just want to enjoy good music without all the extra baggage. You’ll have a great opportunity to do so with some bands that might have missed the doom metal trend, but are still really excellent, this Sunday night at Bandito’s.

Indighost is the touring crew on this bill, and this Johnson City, TN crew seems to draw quite a bit of influence from their Appalachian background, as they mix spooky backwoods gloom with their doom-laden psychedelic melodies. Their 2017 album, Sphinx Rider, is the soundtrack for the best Hills Have Eyes-style rural-nowhere horror movie never actually made. At least we have the music, right? Local up-and-comers Desert Altar bring some witchy psych-doom sounds of their own to the bill, as brand new RVA heads Lair crush our heads with some mournfully beautiful sludge. Grab some nachos and settle in for some excellent bleakness.

Monday, April 23, 8 PM
Charmer, Ostraca, Au Revoir, Shy Low @ Strange Matter – $7
OK, before we go any farther can I just give a shoutout to this flyer? Is this really how those “flat-earthers” see the world? Holy hell, my brain is broken. But that’s OK, all will be well once again when this quartet of killer bands takes the stage at Strange Matter Monday night. Of course I’ve never made it a secret that I totally love Ostraca; one of the best bands to come out of Richmond anytime this decade, if you ask me. They only further proved it with the three killer releases they brought into the world last year, highlighted by their second LP, Last. If the idea of passionate, emotionally-driven metallic hardcore that draws equally from black metal, experimental noise, and raging thrash doesn’t appeal to you, then I think you need to come see Ostraca this Monday night and get your head right.

The great thing about this bill is that it not only features one of the best bands making music in this town right now but will also bring us three other groups with their own take on excellent heavyosity. New Jersey’s Au Revoir, the out-of-towners on this bill, bring some epic heavy instrumental jams along the lines of Pelican, or Earthless. Shy Low have been plying their own instrumental post-rock trade locally for a fair bit of time now, but 2017’s Burning Day EP showed us all that the group still have quite a few tricks up their sleeve. And of course, there’s Charmer, whose seemingly sweet name belies this group’s non-stop power-violence attack. On last year’s split EP with Amara, they dished out five songs in around four minutes, and they’ll be cranking ’em out at a similar rate of speed at Strange Matter. Don’t blink.

Tuesday, April 24, 7 PM
Hovvdy, Kenneka Cook, Addy @ Gallery 5 – $8 (order tickets HERE)
I’m still not sure I entirely approve of the whole “two v’s in place of a w” thing that’s been going around for a few years now. That said, I’ve heard a bunch of bands who went with this particular move, and I’ve liked them all. So for now, I’m willing to go with it in the case of Hovvdy. This duo was started by Austin drummers Will Taylor and Charlie Martin to explore their own interest in quiet, hypnotic sounds. Contrary to all the old jokes about drummers not having any musical ability, these two have created a gorgeous world of sound on their brand new album, Cranberry — which ironically features a significant amount of programmed beats. Give the drummer some!

Hovvdy will be joined on this show by Kenneka Cook, who should need no introduction for those who’ve been reading this column and this magazine lately. That said, I’ll offer a brief one: Cook is an amazing soul-funk-pop vocalist who creates incredible music in a variety of formats — sometimes on her own, with programmed loops backing up her vocals; sometimes with bands consisting of the best musicians Richmond has to offer. Which version of Cook’s live performance you’ll get at this show isn’t something I can tell you in advance, but I can tell you that either one is sure to blow you away and leave you begging for more. Addy will open things up with some bedroom-pop solo sounds that will transfer to the stage in unique and interesting ways. This whole bill is worth catching — don’t sleep on it.

—-

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.]

And on April 23 at 7 PM, make sure to join VA music promoters Lucas Fritz (The Broadberry/The Camel), Mark Osborne (Strange Matter/Slimehole), and Jessica Gordon (RVA Shows/Trigger System), for a FACEBOOK LIVE interactive chat. The promoters will discuss the Richmond music scene, talk about their experiences booking bands, and ask you, the fan, what bands you want to see come to town. They’ll be asking some trivia questions to win tickets to upcoming shows and you can leave any questions you want them to answer in the comments section. Make sure to get in on the conversation this Monday!

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

LA Witch, Guantanamo Baywatch, The Smirks, Sick Bags @The Camel

RVA Staff | October 27, 2017

Topics: Guantanamo Baywatch, LA Witch, Sick Bags, The Camel, The Smirks

The world of garage rock gets weirder and spookier with every passing year, and I for one think that’s great. After all, there are only so many new versions of “Dirty Robber” and “Psycho” we can all hear without getting bored. LA Witch is certainly not going to bore you. This trio, predictably hailing from Los Angeles, have a lot of venom and vigor to their sound, as well as a great deal of ominous reverb, simultaneously resembling the moody punk garage sounds of prime early Cramps and the psychedelic, um, witchery of bands like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. The results, as documented on their brand new self-titled LP from Suicide Squeeze, are incredible. Much the same can be expected from their performance Monday night. Get down with it.

And you garage freaks will get a special bonus, as this one night sees them criscrossing the tour paths of Portland-based Suicide Squeeze labelmates Guantanamo Baywatch, who bring a ripping surf-driven sound to town to get all of us dancing. These guys just released their latest LP, Desert Center, back in August, and its deep dive into speedy mutant surf instrumental territory is matched in intensity by its haunting vocal numbers, many of which have a doomed 50s-retro vibe sure to thrill all assembled. Local garage-damaged young punk snots The Smirks will be on the bill to let the elders know how its done, while Sick Bags sees some former members of local punk louts The Ladies bringing a more openly retro style to their still-antisocial vibe. Don’t miss a minute of this one, folks, it’s sure to be a blast.

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 10/25-10/31

Marilyn Drew Necci | October 25, 2017

Topics: Aerial Ruin, angelica garcia, Big Baby, Blush Face, Champion RVA, Citizen, Epiphany, Fear of Music, Great Grandpa, Guantanamo Baywatch, Hardywood, Horizontal Hold, LA Witch, Neverkept, Nine Line, Outer Spaces, Private Cry, Radiator Hospital, Shadow Age, shows you must see, Sick Bags, Sorority Noise, Spooky Cool, strange matter, Telltale, The Camel, The Canal Club, The Smirks, True Body, Washers, We Call This Courage

FEATURED SHOW
Tuesday, October 31, 9 PM
Fear Of Music plays Fear Of Music @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
It’s that time again–Halloween, when all the good little rock n’ rollers get together to put on costumes by playing the music of other bands. The Halloween parties that have become Richmond traditions are still happening, and will doubtless be as awesome as ever, but this year I find myself drawn to a new thing that I’d enjoy seeing become a tradition of its own.

Fear Of Music, who’ve been plying their Talking Heads tribute band trade around town for years now, have decided to take things one step further this Halloween. Instead of their usual set pulling from the wide variety of awesome songs Talking Heads created over the course of their career, they’ll be drilling down and focusing on one Talking Heads album–specifically, the one that gave them their name. 1979’s Fear Of Music is best known today for its landmark single “Life During Wartime,” which features memorable lyrics involving a New York scenester attempting to survive the apocalypse. But of course this album also sees Talking Heads’ musical explorations into funk, disco, and sounds from around the world kicking into high gear, most notably with Dadaist disco opener “I Zimbra.”

Will RVA’s Fear Of Music have the chops to properly recreate Talking Heads’ Fear Of Music? In light of the group’s impressive pedigree, I think it’s a safe bet. And not only will they do that, they’ll add a second set featuring the jam-packed retrospective of the Heads’ best work that more closely resembles their usual work. Special guests will apparently be in the house to help out, though specifics on their identities are as yet unknown. Whoever they are, they’ll probably be wearing costumes–and you should be too. It is, after all, Halloween.

Wednesday, October 25, 5 PM
Radiator Hospital, Outer Spaces, Big Baby @ Strange Matter – $10 (order tickets HERE)
The return of Philadelphia jangle-punk sensation Radiator Hospital is a big event for a certain segment of the RVA music scene, and considering how great this band is, the rest of you should probably get on board with the quickness as well. Led by singer/songwriter Sam Cook-Parrott, the group just released their fifth (and, by many accounts, best) album so far, Radiator Hospital Play The Songs You Like. Featuring songs with titles like “Long Distance Dedication,” “Pastoral Radio Hit, ” “Dance Number,” and “Old Refrain,” it seems the group is using this album to focus on the way music interacts with the world. Of course, that will become clearer once we’ve all had some time to give it a few listens. Get a jump on that at this show.

Baltimore-based Outer Spaces join Radiator Hospital on this trip down to good ol’ RVA, and while they don’t quite have the same sort of high profile in the scene as Radiator Hospital enjoy, it’s certainly not because they’re any less good. In fact, this band, the latest project from singer/songwriter Cara Beth Satalino, is a big personal favorite of mine. I’ve followed Satalino’s work since her early solo days over a decade ago, and from those early EPs to her previous band Witches and now through Outer Spaces, she’s maintained a consistently high level of songwriting. Last year’s debut full-length, A Shedding Snake, gives us a bushel of great tunes, enhanced by multi-instrumentalist Chester Gwazda’s frequent interjection of electric piano textures. With local geniuses Big Baby kicking off the whole thing, this is an incredible show from top to bottom.

Thursday, October 26, 6 PM
Shadow Age, True Body, Aerial Ruin @ Champion RVA – Free!
These free shows at Champion just keep on bringing the home runs, combining excellent local talent with rad up-and-comers from around the region to make for an evening of excellent sounds. The local stars on this particular bill are Shadow Age, who recently followed up their 2016 debut EP, Silaluk, with an excellent new EP called The Fall. Lineup changes since the previous EP see a slimmed-down, now synthless version of the band focusing more closely on frontman Aaron Tyree’s powerful guitar playing, which continues to evoke The Chameleons, Pornography-era Cure, and early Echo and the Bunnymen to superb effect. I was a big fan of their debut EP, but I might just like this new one even better. A full set like this is sure to be just what the doctor ordered.

This group is joined by a pair of out-of-town groups with some similarly downcast, memorable tunes. Norfolk’s True Body have a brand new two-song single to wow us with, and its gloomy baritone vocals and glimmering postpunk atmosphere strike many of the same notes as Shadow Age, but with a flavor entirely its own. This show is gonna be a real bonanza for the black-clad goth kids of this town, especially since the lineup is rounded out by Aerial Ruin. This atmospheric, mainly acoustic solo project is helmed by Erik Moggridge, a Pacific northwest musician with previous experience in a variety of heavier bands. Apparently this is his move in a quieter direction; recently released LP Nameless Sun also shows a great deal of hypnotic intensity to this group’s sound. Get some sun on your way to this one, because it’s gonna be all shadows once the music starts.

Friday, October 27, 6 PM
Neverkept, Telltale, We Call This Courage, Nine Line, Epiphany @ The Canal Club – $8 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
We’re back at the Canal Club this Friday night, and as has become the trend with this particular venue over the past year or two, we’re enjoying some catchy emotional pop-punk sounds at an all-ages gig that one wouldn’t be off base to guess will mostly be populated by high school students (OK, and maybe some college kids too). But seriously, if you let that kind of thing run you off, you’ll miss out on a lot of good shit–as has always been true, the kids know what’s up. The word for this show is Neverkept, a brand new name for an established band who originally introduced themselves to the world under the name Count To Four. Shedding the name last year when founding singer/guitarist Mike Hayden was replaced by the duo of Lucas Cote (vocals) and Aaron Mong (guitar), the group still doesn’t have any music available from their current incarnation. However, a new album is in the works, and the group’s sure to have plenty of new music with which to regale fans who’ve come to expect the sort of strong, melodic combination of pop-punk, emo, and hardcore the band has been delivering for years now.

There are plenty of local groups on this bill as well, and the one we should probably mention first is plucky quartet We Call This Courage, who will be bringing a brand new album into the world at this show. Their self-titled six-song EP shows off a dynamite songwriting sense with killer melodies driven by a great deal of youthful energy. It’s what the Canal Club wants, and it’s what the Canal Club will get–never fear. Telltale are a newer local group who’ve just released their debut EP, Good Intentions. These guys are cleancut enough to pass for a boy band, but their lyrics tell a darker story of issues with relationships and substances. So yeah–they’re an emo band. Which is never a bad thing, by any means. Local newbies Nine Line and Epiphany round out this lineup of bands that need to finish up their sets before curfew–expect this one to go quick and feature lots of hyperactive dudes jumping around with guitars. I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for that shit.

Saturday, October 28, 6 PM
Spooky Cool, Blush Face, Angelica Garcia, Private Cry @ Hardywood – Free!
Spooky Cool have been one of the more mysterious bands on the local indie scene over the past couple of years–grainy youtube footage was the only way you could learn about them for a long time, unless of course you went to the shows and learned for yourself. But all the buzz they’ve been picking up over that time has finally led to them poking their heads above the waterline, first with a new single, “Strange Rooms,” released last month, and now with a brand new video from the long-running local purveyors of music and filmic excellence, Good Day RVA. The group’s twining male-female vocal harmonies and strangely syncopated alt-rock riffs make a strong impression–though their inacessible air of mystery has no doubt ratcheted up the anticipation, making this overdue release all the more enjoyable.

Get your fill of Spooky Cool this Saturday night at a free show featuring a set from the band along with a premiere of the Good Day RVA video, which will be making its way to YouTube shortly afterwards. You’ll also get a heaping dose of the most excellent sounds from a variety of different subsections of the RVA indie world. Blush Face has grabbed quite a bit of attention on their own behalf with recent debut full-length What Do You Want? The group’s bouncy pop jangle is the kind of thing that worms under your skin and never lets go. The lineup is rounded out by recent local sensation Angelica Garcia, whose bold new sound has grabbed some high-profile attention from the likes of the New York Times recently; and newcomers Private Cry, who bring multi-layered vocals and an intriguing mix of instruments to bear on some vaguely psychedelicized alt-rock sounds in fascinating fashion. And all of this is available to you for the low low price of … absolutely nothing? Why the heck wouldn’t you go?

Sunday, October 29, 2 PM
Washers, Horizontal Hold @ Hardywood – Free!
I have no idea how hard y’all party, but if you’ve followed my previous instructions as to show attendance for the week, you shouldn’t have too much to worry about–after all, if you get too sloppy at Hardywood Saturday night, you can just crash in your car and drag your messy bedhead self back to Hardywood at 2 PM the next afternoon. You should probably go home and get a shower and some breakfast first, though–or at least I would, but far be it from me to tell you how to live, you maniacs.

I will tell you that attendance at this Sunday afternoon show over at Hardywood will bring a great deal of light into your life, if you choose to accept it. The main attraction on this bill is Washers, a new band bringing together the talents of Stuart Holt (Sports Bar), Brad Perry (Worn In Red), and Joel Alford (Pity Party). This band’s fun power-pop sound is exactly what you’d expect from some of these guys, with a heavier edge brought in by the rest of them. It’s tight–go see for yourself. And check out North Carolina’s Horizontal Hold while you’re at it; this group’s herky-jerky postpunk sound harks back to early 80s NYC No Wave without all that early-80s Manhattan grottiness. The whole thing is free, and it’ll be over in time for you to go get some dinner and head back out for yet another show! Or just hit the sack early. I honestly wouldn’t blame you.

Monday, October 30, 8 PM
LA Witch, Guantanamo Baywatch, The Smirks, Sick Bags @ The Camel – $12 (order tickets HERE)
The world of garage rock gets weirder and spookier with every passing year, and I for one think that’s great. After all, there are only so many new versions of “Dirty Robber” and “Psycho” we can all hear without getting bored. LA Witch is certainly not going to bore you. This trio, predictably hailing from Los Angeles, have a lot of venom and vigor to their sound, as well as a great deal of ominous reverb, simultaneously resembling the moody punk garage sounds of prime early Cramps and the psychedelic, um, witchery of bands like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. The results, as documented on their brand new self-titled LP from Suicide Squeeze, are incredible. Much the same can be expected from their performance Monday night. Get down with it.

And you garage freaks will get a special bonus, as this one night sees them criscrossing the tour paths of Portland-based Suicide Squeeze labelmates Guantanamo Baywatch, who bring a ripping surf-driven sound to town to get all of us dancing. These guys just released their latest LP, Desert Center, back in August, and its deep dive into speedy mutant surf instrumental territory is matched in intensity by its haunting vocal numbers, many of which have a doomed 50s-retro vibe sure to thrill all assembled. Local garage-damaged young punk snots The Smirks will be on the bill to let the elders know how its done, while Sick Bags sees some former members of local punk louts The Ladies bringing a more openly retro style to their still-antisocial vibe. Don’t miss a minute of this one, folks, it’s sure to be a blast.

Tuesday, October 31, 6:30 PM
Citizen, Sorority Noise, Great Grandpa @ The Canal Club – $17 in advance/$20 day of show (order tickets HERE)
When their first album came out in 2013, Citizen got lumped in with that whole emo-revival thing. At the time of their 2015 followup, they got thrown into the post-hardcore shoegaze crowd. Now, in 2017, their third album, Aim To Please, has been released, and it shows this group to have a sound that’s held true through every attempt to pigeonhole them. The emo aspects are still there. The post-hardcore vibes and ringing shoegaze guitars are still in the mix as well. But at the end of the day, what this band does best is killer melodies with an undeniable infusion of passion and heartache. And they’re still doing it as well as ever, so going to see them live is still a really great idea.

Sorority Noise came together from the ashes of a couple early emo-revival bands, but quickly staked out territory well outside their original expectations. Their most recent album, You’re Not As _____ As You Think (yes, it’s really a blank), continues to explore new sounds that move from slightly-twisted melodic punk to strange ambient gothic vibes, all while digging deeper into the sorts of emotional issues that plague us all. All in all, they’re a great pairing with Citizen, and all the Canal Club kids are sure to eat it up. The evening will kick off with a set from Seattle’s Great Grandpa, who orbit some of the same styles Citizen and Sorority Noise are swirling around, but mix in doses of shoegaze and 90s alt-rock to keep things lively.

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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]

RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 9/6-9/12

Marilyn Drew Necci | September 6, 2017

Topics: A Giant Dog, Antiphons, Black Naked Wings, Branch Manager, Cayetana, Chase Royale, Enforced, gallery 5, Har Mar Superstar, Homewrecker, Iron Reagan, Isaiah Jeremiah, Japanese Breakfast, Mally Black, Mannequin Pussy, McKinley Dixon & Friends, Metallic Keem, Paear, Piranha Rama, Shormey, shows you must see, Spirit Of The Beehive, Stinking Lizaveta, strange matter, The Afghan Whigs, The Camel, The National, The Smirks, Valkyrie

FEATURED SHOW
Sunday, September 10, 7 PM
Iron Reagan, Valkyrie, Homewrecker, Enforced @ The Camel – $12 (order tickets HERE)
I’m ba-aaack! And as usual, I’m really excited about a local metal show. Yup, some things never change. Iron Reagan have been remarkably consistent for a long time, but if you think that means they’re stagnating, you obviously haven’t checked out their absolutely ripping latest album, Crossover Ministry. I think it’s probably time for you to fix that if not. And even if you have, it’s probably been a damn minute since you got to see Iron Reagan rip things up in a relatively small club on a stage less than 5 feet high, so you should probably show up at The Camel this Sunday night and remedy that as well! This is the first time Iron Reagan’s hit a local stage since they were at The Broadberry with Power Trip back in the wintertime, so it’s really overdue, and what better way is there to wind up a weekend than by becoming absolutely exhausted in a classic 80s-style mosh pit? No, I don’t know either!

Where long-running and reliably consistent metal bands from Virginia are concerned, though, Iron Reagan really look like babes in the woods alongside Valkyrie. This stoner metal crew from the woods to the west of here have been laying down rip-roaring Sabbath style grooves to get your head banging for over a decade now. Led by guitar-slinging brothers Jake and Pete Adams, the band took a bit of a back seat when Pete joined Baroness in 2008. But they never went away, and their 2015 third album, Shadows, showed that they hadn’t lost a single step. Now that Pete’s left Baroness, Valkyrie are back in action full-time, and ready to destroy all comers with riffs as slow and groovy as Iron Reagan’s are fast and thrashy.

Homewrecker may not be as long-running as Valkyrie, but they’ve definitely got quite a bit of history under their belts as well, and their multiple A389 albums show that these Ohioans are tapped into that same pitch-dark vein of fast, metallic rage that drives bands like Sect, YAITW, and quite a few others. Stuff like that is always good to hear, and will make a nice strawberry to Iron Reagan’s vanilla and Valkyrie’s chocolate for this Neapolitan ice cream box of a show. Not sure that metaphor works but I’m running a little late so I’m just gonna keep rolling. Enforced are your new local thrashers opening up the bill, and their straight up 80s thrash style sounds like something that’d appear on a Metal Massacre comp in 1984. So, you know, like a lot of the best bands coming out of the hardcore scene right now. Which rules.

Wednesday, September 6, 8 PM
Cayetana, A Giant Dog, The Smirks, Piranha Rama @ Strange Matter – $12 (order tickets HERE)
Cayetana’s back, which always brings a smile to my face. This band’s first LP struck a chord with me at a time when my life was kind of a damn mess (which I realize does not narrow down the time frame too much–though 2017 has been thankfully mess-free so far. I should knock on wood. And return to the subject at hand). Their new one, A New Kind Of Normal, came out at the beginning of the summer, but I was so knee-deep in the retail job I thankfully no longer have that I’m only hearing it for the first time now. On it, this Philly trio shows that they’ve still got the knack for hooky power-pop in the vein of bands like Speedy Ortiz and Hop Along, and that Augusta Koch’s lyrics still cut deep in the best way possible.

This time, Cayetana comes to town in the company of A Giant Dog, who just released their latest album, Toy, on Merge Records–which was a tiny DIY label when I was in high school, and now seem like they might run the entire music business. A Giant Dog are just as successful at cranking out catchy rock n’ roll tunes with some dirty guitar swagger and a confident strut that’ll make you think of Sheer Mag crossed with The Murder City Devils as their label is at rising from diminutive origins to becoming an international powerhouse. Does this mean A Giant Dog are headed for world domination? Their music is certainly capable of it. Catch them in a small club now and you can say you knew them when. The Smirks and Piranha Rama, a couple of sassy garage-punk locals with spirit, fire, and hooks galore, will kick off this excellent bill.

Thursday, September 7, 6 PM
Opin, On The Water, Blush Face, Julie Storey @ Champion RVA – Free!
I love this. Bandito’s has made itself the place to go if it’s Sunday night, you need to rock, and you can really only afford a drink. Now Champion on E. Grace St is stepping up to play the same role on Thursdays. If things carry on like this, eventually you’ll be able to catch a few local bands for free on any given night in RVA. With the troubles I’ve had making ends meet in my time, I’m sure that would be a relief. For now, though, if you need a night out to get you through until that paycheck hits your bank account in the morning, and you’ve only got $3.50 in quarters you harvested from the couch, you can spend your Thursday evenings at Champion, and score some dollar menu goodies from Taco Bell on the way home! Who could ask for anything more?

This Thursday night pairs an excellent new local band, Opin, with some radical troubadours hailing from Philly known as On The Water. The contrast between these groups is obvious based on even the briefest listen; Opin, the new project from former White Laces frontman Landis Wine, takes the sorts of songs that White Laces did in a more fundamentally electronic direction, for an intriguing electrified sequel to Wine’s previous group. On The Water are a strange folk collective who create quietly riveting compositions using entirely acoustic instruments. Both groups are unique, and have attention-getting styles that are sure to keep you watching raptly throughout their sets, though, so this pairing is ultimately quite apropos! With excellent local indie-pop band Blush Face also on the bill, and Doll Baby frontwoman Julie Storey making another of her ever-more-frequent solo appearances, this evening promises to be everything you need to keep your spirits soaring even as your bank account scrapes bottom.

Friday, September 8, 7 PM
Japanese Breakfast, Mannequin Pussy, Spirit Of The Beehive @ Strange Matter – $12 in advance/$14 day of show (order tickets HERE)
I’ll just go ahead and admit it–when I found out about this show, I knew all of the bands on it except the headliner. It’s true, I’d never heard Japanese Breakfast before a few weeks ago! I don’t know where I was hiding (actually I do–low-wage retail hell), but I’m hoping to grab a #latepass on this one because the newest Japanese Breakfast album, Soft Sounds From Another Planet, is absolutely delectable and I just want to sink into it forever. It has an ambient electronic vibe that lands it somewhere between hazy yet danceable electronic pop a la Grimes and a mysterious European vibe that’s sometimes downright Francoise Hardy-ish. I’m sure all the hip girls in their Swinging London-style outfits and perfect eye makeup will be swaying to the beat in the front row at this one, and even if that’s a somewhat intimidating image, you should still join them, because this stuff is beautiful and you could do a lot worse than letting it wash over you at top volume.

Now for the bands I did already know. Mannequin Pussy are a raging twin-guitar punk crew from Philly (all three of these groups are from Philly, actually; as far as I can tell, it’s the only thing that unites them). They’ve got a bit of a melodic sensibility to their songwriting, as all great punk bands do, but their ultimate goal is to knock your socks off, catchy choruses be damned. They remind me of White Lung, which is always a good thing to do. As for Spirit Of The Beehive, their languid, 90s-style guitar-driven alt-rock veers from more Pavement-ish moments towards louder sounds that have an almost Swervedriver-ish upbeat shoegaze feel (yes, that’s a real thing). Their latest album, Pleasure Suck, drifts a bit further in the ambient/electronic direction, but they can still crank the guitars up if they’re feeling like it. Word is this show might sell out in advance, y’all, so if you’re reading this and you’re interested, buy now! Me, I’ll be on a plane Friday night, but I hope everyone has fun!

Saturday, September 9, 8 PM
Stinking Lizaveta, Branch Manager, Black Naked Wings @ Gallery 5 – $6 in advance/$7 day of show (order tickets HERE)
What’s going on here? When I saw this event announcement, I couldn’t help but think someone had made a mistake, because this looks way more like the sort of bill I’d encounter at Moondance on a Thursday night in 1997 (no one under 37 has any idea what I’m talking about right now). But no, it’s not a mistake at all–Philadelphia noise-math trio Stinking Lizaveta may first have crossed my radar back in the 90s, but they’ve continued on a steady stream of excellence ever since, and released a new album earlier this year, entitled Journey To The Underworld. The album sees this instrumental trio continuing their explorations into jazz syncopation, math-rock weirdness, and wire-tight metallic riffage in as fearless and confident a fashion as they did two decades ago. If, like me, you haven’t seen them since back then, this is a great time to get re-acquainted.

As for Branch Manager, this is indeed the DC band who released two albums on Dischord Records in the mid-90s and once opened for Fugazi at an outdoor show in Shafer Court, on a stage long since torn down to make way for a dining hall. Oh, VCU. Anyway, Branch Manager were one of those random DC bands who’d get signed to Dischord back in the 90s and then drop an excellent postpunk record full of complex song structures and off-kilter catchy tunes out of nowhere. Their second LP, 1997’s Anything Tribal, was killer and the fast tracks in particular could send a jolt of adrenaline through your veins even when you’re dead asleep. That was their last release though, so what the past 20 years have brought them to, and through, remains to be seen. It’ll be great to get an update, though. Youthful metalheads Black Naked Wings kick this one off–should be rad, even if it isn’t the 90s anymore.

Sunday, September 10, 8 PM
Paear, McKinley Dixon & Friends, Antiphons, Shormey @ Strange Matter – $7
Paear is an intriguingly named musical project. The cover of their most recent, self-titled album depicts a pear, the fruit that this strangely-named band is most likely to remind you of. Also, the frontman of this band’s name is Peter Katz, and if you replace the T in his first name with an A, you get… Peaer. Which isn’t quite Paear, but it’s close enough to make you think. Musically, Paear is pretty well thought-out, even though they definitely have a sort of 90s-guitar alt-rock slacker vibe that’s kind of back in vogue lately. Closer listens to songs like “Third Law,” from their latest full-length, show some pretty precise choices being made, even as the guitars and vocals sway along with the somnolent grace that gives this band their overall first impression. There’s a lot of talent here; Paear certainly reward close aural attention.

McKinley Dixon seems to show up more often on rock bills than anything else, which may be because he typically performs backed by a live band. However, make no mistake–McKinley Dixon is a hip hop artist. He’s got skills, he’s got killer songs, he’s got talent, and if you haven’t caught up with what he’s up to around town by now, I’m not sure where you’ve been hiding. Now is a good time to crawl out from under that rock, I promise. At least at Strange Matter, the coast is clear. Antiphons are another great opener on this bill; a local guitar-slinging band with a mournfully beautiful sound, these guys kind of remind me of early My Morning Jacket at times. At others, though, things are decidedly more psychedelic. Regardless of where their muse is taking them, Antiphons are sure to move you. Intriguing new artist Shormey will kick this off by letting you know what they’re all about. Don’t miss it.

Monday, September 11, 7:30 PM
The Afghan Whigs, Har Mar Superstar @ The National – $28 in advance/$33 day of show (order tickets HERE)
You know, I could go with another “OMG the 90s are back!” angle here, but it really feels uncharitable. After all, the Afghan Whigs have a lengthy history of greatness, dating back all the way to the late 80s and stretching forward to… well, right now. After releasing six albums between 88 and 98, the band took a decade and a half off before returning a few years ago with Do The Beast. Now they’ve followed it up with In Spades, their eighth album. Genius frontman Greg Dulli is still making incredible emotional epics to this very day, and lead single “Demon In Profile” reflects the same sort of possibly-diabolical brilliance Dulli brought to 1993 landmark album Gentlemen (still, even now, the album Afghan Whigs are best remembered for).

Dulli’s post-y2k work with ensembles like The Twilight Singers (from which the Whigs recruited current guitarist Rick G. Nelson) and The Gutter Twins (which paired him up with heavyweight talent Mark Lanegan) kept his creative juices flowing during the Whigs’ long time off, and with first Do The Beast and now In Spades, the band makes clear that they’re still at the top of their game. Come for “Be Sweet” and “Debonair;” that’s certainly understandable. But you’ll stick around for “Oriole” and “Royal Cream”–I promise you that. Get there on time, too, because just to give this show a proper touch of “no really, is it still the 90s?” Har Mar Superstar is opening up. I’m sure that man’s ironic lounge act has only become more and more poignant as he’s gotten older. Who knows, maybe by now it’ll seem sincere.

Tuesday, September 12, 8 PM
Chase Royale, Mally Black, Isaiah Jeremiah, Metallic Keem @ Strange Matter – $8
I love finding new underground hip hop artists to get into. And what’s really amazing is just how often that can happen right here in VA, without the need to go anywhere! Chase Royale is my latest discovery, and I really only found him because he’s playing at Strange Matter next Tuesday night. I was considering a couple of other possible shows for the column that night, but as soon as I heard The Gemcutter’s Prism, Royale’s latest full-length, I knew that this would be the show to see in RVA that night. From its intricate, creative production to its hard hitting beats and Royale’s top-quality rhymes, this album is a tremendous achievement. Royale’s lyrics dig deep into important issues affecting the African-American working class, and focus on way more important things than beef and bling. I always dig that.

Chase Royale will share the stage at this performance with Mally Black, a Stafford-via-VCU rapper who further proves that great new hip hop artists show up right here in VA all the time. Black’s sound, from the groovy electronic beats to his smooth confident flow, reminds me of local hero Dr. Millionaire with a bit more of a space-age vibe. I’m down with that. Richmond’s own Isaiah Jeremiah is the third headliner for this power-trio of back to school hip hop headliners, and he’s got a bit of a cloud rap thing going on, which is never a bad thing. Local rapper Metallic Keem is one of several openers you can expect on this bill, and if I knew who else to expect, rest assured I’d tell you. With the powerful headliners you’re guaranteed to see at this show, though, you really can’t go wrong.

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Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers–this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected] [the rvamag address isn’t working for some reason, I haven’t had time to look into it! Bear with me]

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