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Getting High And Getting Freaky With Toward Space

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The Richmond garage-rock trio wanted to blow off some steam with the video for their latest single. And sure enough, the clip for Toward Space’s “I Won’t Do Crack (Without Heroin)” gets downright steamy.

Nothing can slow down the creative and kinky minds of the members of Toward Space, Richmond’s resident garage-punk threesome. As 2020 comes to a close, Toward Space is shaking up the chaos of the year with an out-of-the-box, but not out of the stall, music video for their song “I Won’t Do Crack (Without Heroin),” the title of which is inspired by the 2003 movie Party Monster. 

The song itself, which came out in August of this year, is catchy and an instant classic for the band as it is. However, with the addition of some glory hole fun, classic city porch hangs, and sexy leather and fishnet, the song comes to life in a whole new way. 

Not unlike the band’s past videos, like their 2019 release “Abella,” the cast is made up of loyal friends and local Richmonders. Gathering so many people for this occasion didn’t come without its challenges in the era of isolation. 

“I’m lucky I have a bunch of friends who were willing to all get COVID tests and follow protocol to be in the video. We keep joking this was our ‘last hurrah,’ since numbers have surged,” said Seyla Hossaini, the band’s bassist and vocalist. “Expect some sullen silent films from me this winter, with a much smaller cast.”

Hossaini has played a major role in the creation and production for most, if not all, of Toward Space’s videos. She’s no stranger to the world of music video directing, having spent time directing videos for singers and rappers at Sound of Music Studios. Be it directing, choreographing, editing, or casting, she does it all with a flair for the freaky.

“I just happen to have a dirty mind,” said Hossaini. “I can’t help it, it’s always been like this.”

For this video in particular, she directed and tried her hand at choreographing. With some new dance experimentation, Hossaini grew her passion for conceptualizing music videos, and is already looking forward to future projects to keep stretching her abilities and gaining new ones. 

“For me personally, if I didn’t push myself to keep creating in the midst of all this I would probably end up in bed crying every day,” said Hossaini. “I believe the same goes for my bandmates. Having to cancel multiple tours at the beginning of lockdown had us moping around for a bit back in March, but I think now we’ve accepted the situation to a degree. There are ways to be safe and still make art.” 

In pursuit of a release of creativity in a locked-up setting, Toward Space created the music video for “I Won’t Do Crack (Without Heroin)” both for themselves and for the community they call home. Appropriately, all of the song’s proceeds on their Bandcamp will be donated to the CARITAS center for the month of December. 

The CARITAS center, or Congregations Around Richmond To Assure Shelter, is a well known Richmond non-profit that focuses on caring for and housing those struggling with homelessness and drug addiction. For over 30 years, CARITAS has been meeting the needs of the community in big ways, and they’re expanding to reach even more of those who could use a caring hand. For Hossaini, choosing to donate the song’s proceeds to this organization was an act of compassion that came naturally.

“Ever since my cousin, who I was extremely close with, passed from an overdose, I’ve wanted to raise money for organizations that help folks struggling with addiction,” said Hossaini. “I’ve raised money for Daily Planet in the past, and I chose CARITAS this time because they opened a new wing for women recently.”

At the intersection of passion and compassion, Toward Space has an eye for community care, and aims to uplift the masses as they take hold of the reins and uplift themselves. With the heavy-hitting political and polarized year we’ve all been having, Hossaini used this opportunity to aim listeners in the direction of weight-lifting fun.

“I want viewers to enjoy the video and have fun with it,” said Hossaini, who has been riding the tumultuous merry-go-round of American politics with the rest of us and needed the relief just as much as any of us. “I’ve debated myself on politics in my own head to the point of migraines, nausea, losing sleep. The process of making this video was a huge release for me. I needed to make a mindless, non-politicized video.”

Looking forward, while the tumult of the year continues, Toward Space isn’t looking to quiet down anytime soon. Sure live shows may be a while off, but Hossaini has a few tricks up her sleeve to develop the Richmond music scene and keep the musical freak flags flying. 

Watch the music video for “I Won’t Do Crack (Without Heroin)” below:

To download and donate to CARITAS, go to Toward Space’s Bandcamp (towardspace.bandcamp.com) this month, or stream it on Spotify and Apple Music.

All Photos via Toward Space

VA Shows You Must See This Week: February 12 – February 18

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FEATURED SHOW
Sunday, February 16, 7 PM
Talk Me Off, Doll Baby, Pedals, Xed Out @ Gallery 5 – $8 (order tickets HERE)
Where music is concerned, Richmond always has a lot going on, and in recent years, that activity has spread across a more widespread spectrum of genres than ever. That’s to be applauded. At the same time, this city would lose something if our longtime status as a hotbed of punk rock ever were to dry up. Therefore the fact that there’s no sign of that happening anytime soon is certainly a great sign for Richmond’s musical health as we head into the roaring(-with-frustration) 20s.

The latest standard bearer for Richmond punk rock is Talk Me Off, a local trio with a knack for expressing the archetypal punk emotions of alienation and frustration through quick, peppy songs with driving beats and scraping guitars paired with an always-strong sense of melody that keeps the whole thing from being just another atonal blurt. Talk Me Off are on the cusp of releasing their debut LP, Cursed, on longtime Richmond punk label Say-10, and whether you love that classic punk sound to the very core of your being or are just looking for a good musical outlet for your frustrations at being alive in Trump’s America in 2020, Talk Me Off are in great position to provide you with your fix.

They’ll be releasing Cursed into the world at Gallery 5 this Sunday night, and you can expect its release to be accompanied by a fiery set of catchy uptempo tunes to get you bouncing. And in addition to Talk Me Off’s celebratory headlining set, you’ll also get some great sounds from an additional trio of Richmond punk bands. These include the twangy, emotional sounds of Doll Baby, the long-running folk-punk talents of Pedals (On Our Pirate Ships… I’m still not sure if the name has officially been shortened or not), and newcomers Xed Out, who feature former members of Smoke Or Fire and The Bled, so you know they’ve got a lot to offer. Be there for this one and appreciate the latest evolution of a storied Richmond tradition.

Wednesday, February 12, 7:30 PM
The Wood Brothers, Kat Wright @ The National – $23 in advance/$26 at door (order tickets HERE)
Where folk music is concerned, things can sometimes get a little predictable. However, the Wood Brothers manage to avoid this issue by bringing quirky influences and a wide-ranging background to bear on the songs they create. Singer-guitarist Oliver Wood consistently comes up with interesting lyrics that avoid cliche, while bassist Chris Wood brings a funky jazz approach into the group, derived from his longtime membership of legendary trio Medeski, Martin & Wood.

The Wood Brothers just released their eighth album, Kingdom In My Mind, a few weeks ago, and as fans have come to expect, it moves across a variety of different genres to dip into everything from folk and jazz to blues and soul. That broad musical sensibility is sure to result in a live performance that takes listeners to a variety of musical places, all of which the Wood Brothers will inhabit with sure-footed talent, and all of which are guaranteed to please you and make your Wednesday night a brighter, happier affair than it otherwise might be. And here in the midst of a listless Virginia winter, who doesn’t need that?

Thursday, February 13, 7 PM
Plastic Nancy, Deli Kings, Toward Space, Majjin Boo @ Poor Boys – $5
It feels like we just got into 2020, so it’s heartening to see what an active year the Richmond music scene is already having. Plastic Nancy and Prsmcat Presents are both good examples; the Majjin Boo/Spooky Cool-affiliated booking company has really ramped up the amount of good music coming out of Poor Boys and given that venue a shot in the arm that will help ensure that it’s a worthy successor to Flora and Balliceaux before it.

And at this Thursday’s latest locally-focused Prsmcat show, Richmond psych ensemble Plastic Nancy are celebrating the release of their latest album, which should certainly lend a candy-colored dayglo atmosphere to the early months of 2020 here in the river city. On Last Of The Electric Flowers, the boys of Plastic Nancy embrace an acid-drenched atmosphere that manages to avoid outright retro nods in favor of a 21st century sensibility that nonetheless captures the greatness of all those spaced-out bands of the late 60s that we know and love. Revel in the all-encompassing mood they create, and enjoy three other immensely talented RVA bands while you’re at it, at Poor Boys this Thursday night. You won’t be sorry.

Friday, February 14, 8 PM
Lightmare, ZunZun, Prabir Trio, Past Palms @ Gallery 5 – $5-7 (order tickets HERE)
I may be married now, but for a long time, Valentine’s Day was a big bummer of a holiday for me, so I know there are probably a lot of people out there just hoping Friday comes and goes as quickly and painlessly as possible. And Gallery 5/Raw Mom Presents’ Rivanna Youngpool knows this too, which is why she’s reviving her tradition of throwing big fun shows on Valentine’s Day for this Friday night shindig. If you were at either of the ridiculous Valentine’s Day shows that took place at Sour Haus back in the day, you know how amazing this evening has the potential to be — especially at Gallery 5, a place that’s much more able to handle the crowd this is likely to draw than the kitchen of our old place in Church Hill ever was.

It’s not just eating candy hearts and spending the evening with friends that’ll get us through this one emotionally unscathed, though — it’s really great music. And Raw Mom Presents has a killer lineup awaiting us this Friday night, topped by DC’s uncategorizable DIY powerhouse, Lightmare. Expect something somewhere between soul, punk, synth-pop, disco, and garage rock from this six-piece combo with creative energy to spare. I have no idea who ZunZun are (googling only turned up a husband-and-wife flute duo from California who I can’t imagine are on this bill), but it’ll certainly be interesting to find out, and we’ll get a set from the Prabir Trio, the latest vehicle to bring us the ever-reliable pop songcraft of Mr. Prabir Mehta. All that plus newcomer Past Palms — plus, I’d be willing to bet there will be sour hearts. I’m calling it now: Gallery 5 is where you need to be for V-Day this year.

Saturday, February 15, 8 PM
Nosebleed, Ugly Muscle, Sweeties, Phantómódel @ Boogaloo’s – Donations requested
Here’s a show that’s an awesome confluence of three things that are already awesome on their own: political action, tattoos, and hardcore punk. This punk-as-fuck gig at Brookland Park’s Boogaloo’s is coordinated with International Tattoo Flash Day, an initiative created by tattoo artists in Santiago, Chile and Atlanta, GA to get as many people as possible tattooed in support of Chilean political prisoners in the wake of a massive government crackdown against citizen protests that began last October. All money raised at the door of this gig will go toward the families of Chilean prisoners, so whether or not you’re into getting a tattoo yourself, you’ll be able to support the cause.

You’ll also be able to hear some excellent sounds from several local hardcore/punk groups, starting with Nosebleed, who’ve recently released a fierce, incendiary EP called Outside Looking In on hardcore powerhouse Triple B Records. Expect this set to be galvanizing in the extreme, and you can expect similar from Ugly Muscle, a slightly more ramshackle and chaotic combo that will nonetheless bring all the furious energy that Nosebleed contains to bear on its own set. Sweeties are much noisier and less melodic than their name would suggest, while Phantómódel, a new incarnation of Thin Pigeon, offer a postpunk sound full of moody energy. This will be a great night for a great cause — you should really be part of it.

Sunday, February 16, 6 PM
Mean Jeans, Brower, The Ar-Kaics, Sports Bar @ Hardywood – Free!
A lot of people credit the Ramones for having invented punk rock, and many of them feel that the music made by those four New York weirdos in leather jackets has never been improved on. Therefore, it can’t be too much of a surprise that, even after the Ramones spent over 20 years cranking out album after album of their stripped-down, razor-sharp, but always incredibly catchy tunes, there are still bands out here trying to find new ways to wring glory out of that classic Ramones sound.

That’s where Mean Jeans comes in. Having existed for over a decade now, this toe-tapping trio released their fifth album of Ramones-worshipping punk ditties, Gigantic Sike, last year on Fat Wreck Chords. And even if you’ve heard every Ramones song a thousand times, that album and this performance by Mean Jeans at Hardywood on Sunday are guaranteed to prove that there’s still magic left in that classic (one-two-three-)formula. The evening will also feature a performance from New York’s Brower, a glam-punk/power-pop solo project sure to keep you smiling. And of course, consistently talented Virginia punk rockers The Ar-Kaics and Sports Bar open this one up with the retro-garage rock and punky power-pop that you’ve respectively come to expect from them. Get stoked for this one.

Monday, February 17, 7 PM
Ceremony, Loud Night, Ghouli @ Gallery 5 – $13 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
A warning only necessary in Virginia: This show does not feature the group called Ceremony from central Virginia. However, a warning for hardcore kids who haven’t checked back with the Cali Ceremony in a while — this show doesn’t exactly feature the band that made Violence Violence in 2006, either. Oh sure, it’s still the same people, but for the past decade or so, they’ve been moving further and further afield from the fast, angry hardcore that made their name.

That’s really obvious on last year’s In The Spirit World Now, Ceremony’s sixth album and first in four years. Singer Ross Farrar long since traded his harsh bark for a Gang Of Four-ish yelp with occasional dips into outright melody, while the guitars and increasingly present synths have moved away from the distorted and atonal in favor of a UK postpunk sound that might remind you of Joy Division or Echo and the Bunnymen, but certainly not the harsh fastcore of Ceremony’s early albums. Nonetheless, there’s still a lot to love here, including a propulsive energy that takes a vastly different form but remains intact from the band’s earliest works, one that makes singles like “Turn Away The Bad Thing” every bit as essential as Rohnert Park once was. If you’re bummed Ceremony shows don’t feature massive pits anymore, you might be tempted to skip this one, but I encourage you to open your mind and give it a shot. This is sure to be a thrilling evening of musical bliss, even if it’s not quite what you once expected from this talented band.

Tuesday, February 18, 7 PM
Flor, Winnetka Bowling League, Castle OG @ The Broadberry – $15-18 (order tickets HERE)
There are some intriguing things happening in the world of guitar-based pop over the past couple of years, and the success of bands like the 1975 is heartening for anyone who was afraid this stuff was going to fall permanently out of the mainstream musical discourse a few years ago. LA’s Flor are in a prime position to benefit from this resurgence, as on their 2019 album Ley Lines, they dabble in a similar sort of delicate, bouncy pop as that of the 1975 — one that always focuses on the sounds created by the band’s guitars and voices, even though it’s never particularly harsh or loud.

Perhaps we’ve finally gotten far enough past Nirvana for the distorted paradigm they created to lose its lengthy period of ubiquity, and I know there’ll be some out there who are bummed out to think of that, but when bands like Flor are out here on tracks like “Slow Motion” showing how much can still be done with an approach that focuses on playful melodies and delicacy rather than noise, it’s hard to see it as all that tragic. See what sort of magic Flor is able to weave in the live environment at The Broadberry this Tuesday night, and learn to embrace the non-crunchy guitar wave.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Friday, February 14, 8 PM
Witchbaby @ Blue Moon Diner (Charlottesville) – Free!
An alternate approach to Valentine’s Day is available this Friday night in Charlottesville, and it’s being brought to you by Witchbaby, the mother-daughter combo of Catherine Monnes and Sally Rose. You may know Rose for her role at the heart of C-ville’s own Shagwuf, and both are members of the Sally Rose Band, which features a song in its repertoire entitled “Witchbaby” — so it all comes full circle. This stripped-down duo finds Monnes’ cello and electric violin joining with Rose’s guitar and both members’ voices to create a more intimate version of the psychedelic folk-rock the full-scale Sally Rose Band brings to you so consistently.

This Valentine’s Day appearance by Witchbaby at Charlottesville’s Blue Moon Diner is a free gathering offering a welcome space for all — whether lovers or lonely hearts — to spend a holiday that is often fraught and difficult on an emotional level. If you’re looking for your V-Day to be a quiet, pressure-free evening, Witchbaby’s soothing musical presence is sure to help you attain what you seek. And who knows, you might make a friend, or at least find a new musical love.

Saturday, February 15, 7:30 PM
Amanda Shires, LA Edwards @ The Jefferson Theater (Charlottesville) – $25 (order tickets HERE)
There are a few different reasons you might be aware of singer/fiddler Amanda Shires; her frequent collaborations with her husband Jason Isbell and his band the 400 Unit is one of them. Another is her role in The Highwomen, an all-female take on the classic outlaw-country supergroup The Highwaymen featuring Shires, Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, and Natalie Hemby.

However, it would be a bad idea to let her collaborations with other talented songwriters steal the spotlight from Shires’ own work as a bandleader, most recently showed off on 2018’s To The Sunset. On that album, her songwriting skills shine through in her evocative lyrics, even as the fuller sound her band on the album (which features Jason Isbell himself, returning the favor) takes her folk-country sound to a new level that, yes it’s true, outright rocks. You’ll be able to see her rock these tunes out for yourself at The Jefferson this Saturday night, but only because they moved this show up from The Southern after it sold out in a heartbeat. So yeah, get with the program if you haven’t already. Go see Amanda Shires.

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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]

Slow Death: Weekend Playlist by Toward Space

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Every Friday night, RVA Mag brings you a totally essential playlist from influential artists, musicians, and institutions.

This week’s comes to us from the youthful, hyperkinetic Richmond trio known as Toward Space. While it’s been over a year since their LP, Gently With A Chainsaw, graced us all with its rollicking, out-of-control, super-fun dose of garage-punk noise, the band’s been quite active lately, following up the release of their latest video, “Abella,” this fall with a series of US tours, including the upcoming jaunt that will find them trekking through assorted Southern states later this month.

Unfortunately, there does not appear to be a Richmond date for that tour, but while you can’t necessarily see them locally this month, you certainly CAN enjoy the killer playlist they’ve put together for us, full of punk, garage, glam, classic rock, all of which you might predict, and a fair amount of hip hop and country, which might be a little less expected. It all adds up to a great soundtrack for a winter weekend dance party.

Rock with it, Virginia.

Open this playlist from mobile in your Spotify app HERE.

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

Toward Space Get Kinky With New “Abella” Video

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Despite the fact that Richmond garage-punk trio Toward Space has a lot of fun celebrating liberated sexuality in their latest video, you can still probably get away with watching it at work.

It’s been a year or so since Richmond garage-punk trio Toward Space released Gently With A Chainsaw, their latest full-length LP. And as of this week, they finally have a video for Gently track “Abella,” and boy is it a humdinger! In fact, when I heard bassist-vocalist Seyla Hossaini’s description of the video as themed around “sexual liberation” and featuring “kink and fetish at the forefront of the video,” I wasn’t even sure if we could get away with posting it.

Fortunately, having witnessed the video, I can assure you that, while it might get a little hairy if you have a particularly uptight office environment, the Toward Spacers and their many friends involved with the video keep it clean. Which is to say, it’s not explicit — but there is plenty of messy food-fight fun happening at various points throughout, so “clean” may not be the right word either.

The video was directed by Hossaini herself, with filming and editing by Nicholas Von Thrower. You’ll see her at various points during the video, portraying a phone sex operator tempting you into dialing “1-800-Towardspace” — which, Hossaini tells us, really is a phone sex line, though she swears the band has no involvement in it.

This video features a cast of dozens from around the Richmond punk scene, all of whom appear to be having a blast while filming their sequences. “As a director I’ve strived to provide an experience for all of my actors,” Hossaini said. “After shooting his scene, Taylor (who played a submissive sex slave in his scene) came up to me out of breath and said, ‘That was exhilarating. Thanks for asking me to do this.’ All the actors who starred in this production were giggling and excited after performing, and seemed to have enjoyed trying something new (or doing something they already do, but on film…). The whole making of the video felt very magical.”

Watching it is just as magical. Check it out below:

Grab Gently With A Chainsaw in its entirety, if you haven’t already, over at Toward Space’s Bandcamp page. And catch them live, along with Austin, TX band The Reputations and Cincinatti rockers Stallone N’ Roses, at Fuzzy Cactus on Saturday, November 16. More info on that event here.

VA Shows You Must See This Week: August 14 – August 20

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FEATURED SHOW
Sunday, August 18, 7 PM
The Mob, Serqet, Benderheads @ Gallery 5 – $12 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Classic UK punk takes many forms. Defiant yet melodic bands like the Sex Pistols and The Clash are the most popular one, and made a huge imprint on the music scene for the next several decades. There’s also the rawer, angrier, melody-free political hardcore of bands like Discharge and Antisect, which led to long-running subgenres like crust and d-beat. But there’s another entire world of classic UK punk, one that is sometimes known as peace punk, or anarcho-punk, but is much harder to describe musically. It’s from that world that Somerset, England’s The Mob was born.

Associated with the loose-knit circle around anarchist punk band/label/collective Crass, The Mob were one of quite a few bands in that world who created their own original sound. Their most famous single, “No Doves Fly Here,” is almost gothic in its dirge-like gloomy sound, stretching on for nearly seven minutes and fully capturing the post-apocalyptic horror of war’s devastated aftermath. However, it’s their 1983 LP, Let The Tribe Increase, that is the peak expression of The Mob’s ominously gothic punk mood, one that connects them both to legendary 80s UK acts like Amebix and Zounds and modern Danish groups like Iceage and Lower.

The Mob disbanded in the mid-80s, but they’ve been back together in their original lineup for almost a decade now. However, this is the first time they’ve ever made it to Richmond, and you’d definitely be best advised to join with the punks who’ve been waiting to see them for the last four decades by heading to Gallery 5 this Sunday night. They’ll be joined by two Richmond punk powerhouses; their kindred spirits in postpunk crew Serqet and hardcore maniacs Benderheads. No matter how long you’ve been waiting, it’ll be worth it.

Wednesday, August 14, 9 PM
Skizophrenia, Vaaska, Under Attack, Destruct @ Mojo’s – $8-$10 donation
Japanese punk is definitely its own thing. It was born of influences carried across the oceans from the US and UK, but the effect of Japanese culture was formidable, and led to a completely different spin on hardcore punk — one that has spawned a rich cultural history over the past several decades. Skizophrenia are part of that history, and their output over the past decade and a half has made up for its relative sparseness with a fiery attack that stands as unique even within the sui generis world of Japanese punk. Which is why you should definitely make it out to Mojo’s to see them tonight.

Their raw, speedy sound manages to communicate energetic rage while not taking on any sort of heaviness or macho aggression. Instead, Skizophrenia plays a form of Japanese punk that is both melodic and fun, even as it retains the noisy, frantic elements that are so endemic to the punk rock of their native country. They’re coming through Richmond tonight in the company of Vaaska, a Texas band with whom they shared a split EP, and whose Spanish-Scandinavian crust-punk hybrid is fast and scorching in its own right. Richmond punk supergroup Under Attack and noise-core newcomers Destruct round out a bill that’s guaranteed to blow your mind.

Thursday, August 15, 9 PM
Frankie & the Witch Fingers, Weird Tears, Deli Kings @ Wonderland – $10
Frankie & the Witch Fingers sounds a lot more like a band from decades past than it does like the name of a modern band, but don’t let their throwback band name throw you off — this group has a very up-to-date take on the many genres they dip into over the course of their latest LP, ZAM, which was released back in March. Over its one-hour running time, you’ll catch everything from Blue Cheer-style proto-metal to guitar-driven acid funk to straight up rock n’ roll — all with a strong tendency toward psychedelia.

This group has had a prolific history thus far, releasing five LPs in the past seven years, and the creative energy it takes to churn out killer sounds at that kind of pace absolutely shows through in their frenetic live performances. When they hit the Wonderland stage tomorrow night, you’re going to have a lot of trouble standing still. And why would you want to? Dance the night away! You’ll also be able to enjoy the rock n’ roll sounds of Weird Tears and the psychedelic heavy-osity of Deli Kings as part of this evening, and that’s always a lovely bonus. What are you waiting for? Set the controls for Shockoe Bottom.

Friday, August 16, 8 PM
Volk, Mackenzie Roark, Toward Space @ Garden Grove Brewing – Free!
“Cowpunk” was a term you heard for a while in the 80s. It was applied to everyone from The Meat Puppets to Lone Justice back then, and while as a Southern girl myself I certainly got excited about this subgenre’s potential when I first heard about it, I was usually disappointed to find that the bands lumped into it were far more country than punk. 30 years later, though, Nashville’s Volk have come along to give me what I wanted from all those bands back then.

On their latest EP, Average American Band, this wild n’ crazy two-piece inverts the usual cowpunk formula and injects some of the rawest, most fire-spitting moments of the Bloodshot Records scene into a sound that’s got a lot more to do with the White Stripes and the Gun Club than anything you’d hear on an alt-country Pandora playlist. I love it, and you should too, especially if you love to get wild and crazy to the out-of-control garage rock sounds of local trio Toward Space, who are, by an amazing coincidence, also on this show! Singer/bandleader Mackenzie Roark is also on this bill, to inject just enough of that lovelorn country balladry into the evening for you honky-tonkers out there.

Saturday, August 17, 7:30 PM
Mannequin Pussy, Empath, T-Rextasy @ The Camel – $15 (order tickets HERE)
Damn, talk about taking things to the next level. Like a lot of Richmonders, I already liked Philadelphia’s Mannequin Pussy quite a bit; their frequent visits to the city over the past five years or so have seen them rise up from the basement and win the hearts of punk rockers all over town. But their latest LP, Patience, not only sees them signing to Epitaph Records but also finds them creating the strongest, most assured music of their career thus far.

On Patience, they’ve found a way to both crank up the bile-spitting punk intensity and delve into the kind of heart-wrenching melodies that make brilliant breakup songs like “Drunk II” and “Fear/+/Desire” into instant classics. It’s as if Live Through This-era Hole had collaborated with White Lung. So yeah, it’s awesome, and hearing it communicated at top volume as one of Mannequin Pussy’s incredible live performances is only gonna make the whole thing hit that much harder. They come to The Camel accompanied by upstart Philadelphia psych-punk band Empath and Brooklyn alt-poppers T-Rextasy, both of whom will up the ante on what’s already guaranteed to be an outstanding night of music. Don’t blow this one.

Sunday, August 18, 9 PM
Insect Surfers, Atomic Mosquitos, Armistead’s Army @ The Camel – $7 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
It’s hard to stand out in the genre of instrumental surf rock, a land where many people seem most interested in slavish imitations of the legendary greats — Dick Dale, The Ventures, maybe Man Or Astro-Man for the more modern heads. But there are still quite a few bands out there in the surf world proudly walking their own path, and the Insect Surfers are definitely one of them. Getting their start fully 40 years ago, this group loves to refer to themselves as “Planet Earth’s longest-running modern surf band,” and show off the exact sort of interstellar sensibility that motto brings to mind on their many ripping tunes.

The Insect Surfers were directly influenced by the manic instrumental surf-guitar groups of the early 60s, but they took just as much inspiration from the early days of punk rock, which was getting started all around them in their own formative years. If you listen close, you can also hear a bit of the space-faring psychedelia of trippy early 70s groups like Hawkwind and 60s spaghetti western soundtracks mixed into recent material like 2017’s Datura Moon. All of this will add up to a night of awesomeness when these guys pull into The Camel; we guarantee that their tunes will keep you dancing all night long, just like those beach-blanket babes of yore.

Monday, August 19, 9 PM
Bermuda Triangles, No Question, Lipid, Archbishop @ Cary Street Cafe – $10
There are a lot of panicked rumors going on, but have no fear — things are still going strong over at Cary Street Cafe! And there’s no better proof than this latest edition of Slimehole’s weekly “Heavy Mondays.” For starters, it’s bringing us a killer set from borderline-indescribable percussion-focused trio Bermuda Triangles, who’ve been blasting Richmond with their unique form of postpunk space-dance jazz-funk for years now. These guys create the best bizarro-boogie soundtrack happening in Richmond right now, and you won’t want to miss this opportunity to get weird with it.

Plus, they’re playing in the company of Wisconsin noisemongers No Question, who blast out some dirty, grungy rage at hyperspeed on their 2018 self-titled EP. They’re prepared to do the same thing, live and in your face, at this gig, and you should definitely come prepared to be blown away. Local punk freaks Lipid are on the bill as well, which is always enjoyable, and this show will open with the debut performance by Archbishop, the latest assemblage of maniacs from past RVA terrors like Olde Shame, The Skin, and Memory Loss. There’s nothing about this one that’s not gonna rule.

Tuesday, August 20, 9 PM
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Annabelle Chairlegs, DJ Chrissie @ Fuzzy Cactus – $15 in advance/$18 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Of course we were all terrified about the future of Richmond live music last year when Strange Matter closed, but as has long been said, crisis creates opportunity, and as this city has warmed up over the course of 2019, we’ve seen more and more live music venues popping up all over! Fuzzy Cactus is the latest example, coming to Brookland Park Boulevard this weekend with some delicious fried chicken and a stage that’ll be full of rock n’ roll sounds on a weekly basis.

The first big show they’re bringing in takes place only a few days after they open up, as Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears pull into town. This Texas ensemble is based around the wild vocals and raging guitars of frontman Lewis, who’s sure to remind you of both Little Richard and James Brown. But it’s the extended ensemble he tours with, complete with horn section, that makes his performances hit so hard — somewhere between BB King and King Khan & the Shrines. They’ll christen the stage of the Fuzzy Cactus in outstanding fashion, and kick off the Brookland Park reign of what’s sure to be yet another great live music venue for Richmond to cherish.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Wednesday, August 14, 5:30 PM
Knotfest Roadshow, feat. Slipknot, Gojira, Volbeat, Behemoth @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater (Virginia Beach) – $41-$250 (order tickets HERE)
Maybe this is just me, but I gotta tell y’all — I find it really hard to feel anything other than love for Slipknot. This crew of Iowa metal misfits with as many members as your average brass band blew everyone’s mind when they showed up in the late 90s with their crazy masks, abundance of percussion, and overflowing amounts of adolescent fury. From there, they just got heavier, shaking off their early nu-metal tinges in favor of brutal, anthemic breakdowns and even the occasional blastbeat. Since losing founding bassist Paul Gray back in 2010, they’ve struggled a bit, ultimately firing a couple of other longtime members in pursuit of the return to fighting form that is this year’s We Are Not Your Kind.

It’s that album they’re celebrating with this summer’s Knotfest Roadshow, and they’ll be bringing their patented brand of masked insanity to the Veterans United stage in VA Beach as part of that. Expect headbangs aplenty as they break out classics like “Disasterpiece,” “Spit It Out,” and “Duality” alongside some excellent tuneage from their new LP. Plus, they’ve got a murderer’s row of metallic excellence along as support, including French death-metallers Gojira, bizarre Danish metalbilly group Volbeat, and legendary Polish thrashers Behemoth. This one will be an absolute feast for anyone who loves metal — and trust me, once they hit the stage, Slipknot’s antics are sure to command your undivided attention.

Saturday, August 17, 5 PM
Suburban Living, Ladada, The Evening Attraction @ Smartmouth Brewing – Free!
Philadelphia indie-gaze crew Suburban Living had a pretty strong buzz a few years ago, but they’ve largely been quite on the release front for the past few years, so it’s a relief to see them rolling through the Commonwealth once again! This Saturday night finds them topping the bill at Smartmouth Brewing’s Norfolk warehouse, which has been throwing a series of free early-evening shows over the past several months. This summer-ending rocker is the last one on the schedule that we know of, so if you haven’t gone and checked the place out, now’s the time!

And of course it will be great to hear the sounds of Suburban Living, whose dreampop deliciousness was showed off to perfect effect on 2016’s Almost Paradise. Will they have some newer material to show off? Well, one never knows — but it’s certainly something to keep an eye out for. The same is true of the support set by Norfolk’s own Ladada, who’ve been at the top of the heap where Tidewater indie is concerned for a while now. And as a bonus, you’ll get a set from Chicago rock n’ rollers The Evening Attraction to kick things off with a bang. This is going to be a blast — gas up the whip.

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

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

Top Photo by Beau Patrick Coulon, via Facebook

Toward Space Bares It All

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The youthful garage-punk trio from Richmond love to get naked, get crazy, and play loud, fast rock n’ roll. Not necessarily in that order.

Garage-punk trio Toward Space has been creating a brainsick space for the homeless and the strange in Richmond since their tween-age days And after nearly a decade together, this is still only the beginning of the madness.

Vocalist and bassist Seyla Hossaini and guitarist and vocalist David Pahtoon met at their local pool when they were 10 years old, and became fast friends. Since then they’ve been inseparable, playing music together and digging into the cult movie and horror scene.

“Ever since we first met each other, we’ve been trying to make something happen,” said Pahtoon. “It didn’t get serious, though, until a couple years ago.”

Pahtoon and Hossaini had been in a couple of bands together, but they had never gotten anywhere — mainly because of the other members involved. “So, we decided why don’t we just do a two piece and just focus on each other,” said Pahtoon.

The early two-piece was inspired by minimalist garage-punk bands like King Khan & BBQ Show. “I would play a bass drum and snare with two kick pedals and play guitar and sing, and Seyla would stand next to me and play bass and sing,” said Pahtoon. “That worked for a while. And then we got a drummer, like, a real drummer.”

Early two-piece days. Photo by Jake Cunningham

After working for a while with another drummer that Pahtoon charitably says “wasn’t the best,” they found their current drummer, Ben Rosenstock. “That was when we started being really serious about it,” said Pahtoon, “when we really became old enough to know what that means.”

The members of Toward Space have their own idea on what it means to be a true friend and bandmate, which may come as a surprise to those unfamiliar. By way of telling the story of his joining the band, Rosenstock sheds some light on the situation.

“It was Pride festival day, 2017,” Rosenstock began. “I was at a party at a friends house after the festival. David was wearing a lovely dress, and he stopped me in the hallway and just goes, ‘Hey man, do you want to join Toward Space?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, of course,’ and he goes, ‘Stand right there.’”

Rosenstock was confused, and a little concerned. “I couldn’t figure out what he was about to do,” the drummer said. “Like, punch me in the face or something? Or kick me? I didn’t know if it was a hazing thing. Then he just flashed me his penis.”

Rosenstock laughed. “I thought, ‘Oh, sweet. Yeah, that’s it. I’m in.’”

It’s Toward Space’s belief that nudity is the best way to show that you care. It’s even made surprise appearances at shows — take this story Pahtoon tells about a show by local rockers Brain Drain that the band members all attended.

“While they were playing Seyla jumps up on-stage completely naked,” said Pahtoon. “It was one of my first times talking to Ben ever, and we were just trying to scream-talk to each other over the band playing, right next to the mosh pit. Suddenly Seyla’s completely naked and lands on top of us. I go, ‘that’s our bassist!’ and our drummer at the time walked up and starts pouring a full beer on her head, and I go, ‘that’s our drummer!’”

“Ben has seen David and I naked so many times, and we’ve never seen him fully naked. It’s just utter disrespect,” said Hossaini mockingly. “He’s a Toward Space virgin.”

“That’s why I still feel brand new,” replied Rosenstock.

The band cites their penchant for nudity as one of their claims to fame, scorning other bands who’ve done similar things in the past, like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and their notorious socks.

“The Red Hot Chili Peppers were pussies,” said Hossaini. “We show it all.”

“They have socks on their dicks, we have full on frontal nudity,” added Pahtoon.

Now in their early 20s, Toward Space has been a full-time touring band for a while now. But no matter where they go, the weirdness follows them.

“It really just seems like when we play places around the country there’s always two homeless people there, and they’re like, ‘you guys are awesome!’” said Pahtoon. “It’s like we’re the voice of the homeless people or something.”

“Homeless people love David,” added Hossaini.

Touring has had its ups and downs for the band. They’ve played shows with well-known garage bands like Shonen Knife and NoBunny, and played other shows to almost no one. Even the empty shows tend to produce good stories — like Pahtoon’s tale of their first time in San Francisco.

“Our show was a bust, ’cause no one came out,” he said. “[Afterward,] I had one foot on the pavement, one foot on the car, and this high school kid ran up to me and was like, ‘hey man, wanna buy some shrooms?’” By now, you won’t be surprised to hear that Pahtoon answered in the affirmative. Once the band got to the house where they were staying that night, he proceeded to indulge. That’s when things got really weird.

“We were staying in this house with people we’d never really met before,” Pahtoon relates, “and some random dude comes up to me and goes, ‘Hey man, I don’t know how squeamish you are, but check this out.’ Holds his phone up to me, and it’s a picture of him getting brain surgery.”

Gently With A Chainsaw release show at Sound Of Music Studios. Photo by David Morton

The long hours on the road have had both good and bad effects. Sometimes they have brought the band closer; at other times, the hours in a cramped van have driven them to the point of combustion.

“We had a couple shows on tour where we just got to the point that we were beating each other up on stage,” said Hossaini. “It’s not even pissed, it’s just pent-up energy. When you’re in the car on tour, or at least when we are, it’s a lot of shame.”

“It’s like on Spongebob where he’s just like, ‘eh, gettin kinda bored,’” Pahtoon said. “And then he catches the Krusty Krab on fire.”

Along with the heat of boredom, the trio’s obsession with cult films and murder have brought them to a place of creative insanity. They’ve never shied away from onstage theatrics, dabbling in playful makeup and gender-bending attire. But they hope to go further in the future.

“There’s more theatrics coming,” promises Pahtoon. “We’ve always tried to do the whole makeup and dress thing, but there’s gonna be more fake blood. We’re gonna have a plastic bag full of feathers, and I’ll time it right to go, ‘1, 2, 3, 4…’ and throw the feathers.”

“It’ll be like the homicide scene in John Waters’ Pink Flamingos, where they cover Connie and Raymond Marble in feathers and shoot them,” Hossaini chimed in.

The group’s love of cult movies came through on their 2018 album Gently With A Chainsaw, the title of which the title is a reference to the 80s cult film Heathers. They hope to follow it with an album that will feature even more movie references and horror themes, and they’ll be taking their time on this one to make it just right.

“All of our other records have been rushed, with a deadline in mind for going on a tour and stuff like that,” said Pahtoon. “I’m happy with the other stuff we’ve put out before, but it was rushed, and now there’s not really a deadline. We are going to try to really do the best we can with it, not just do The Clash first record kind of thing — hurry up and put it out.”

While it may be a while before any new releases are ready, Toward Space are continuing to play out around Richmond, and have shows coming up on Saturday, April 20 and Thursday, April 25, both at Wonderland in Shockoe Bottom. You’re not going to want to miss the wild times and loud rock n’ roll that Toward Space has in store.

Top photo by Nicholas Von Thrower

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond