Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Weekend Picks: Cory Branan, Nellie McKay, Cracker, The Last Bison, Broken Bells, Hamilton Leithauser, Manchester Block Party, Sons of Bill

Now that fall is here, the weekends get busy. Lots of bands on tour, lots of festivals around town. But things start out of town, but close by, in Hopewell at the Beacon Theatre where country legend Marty Stuart & the Fabulous Superlatives will play Thursday. Doors open at 6, show starts at 6:30 with a "special guest" i.e. a local band that's been hired to open. Orchestra lower level reserved seating is $36.50 in advance, $45 at the door, GA Balcony is $21.50 in advance, $30 at the door. Marty & the band were recently on the World Cafe on NPR and you can listen to that HERE. Here they are doing "Wanted Man":



Thursday in the Manchester section of town, it's the Manchester Block Party with The Big Payback: James Brown Tribute (7:30) and Cover to Cover Band doing Fleetwood Mac's Rumours album in it's entireity at 6. All the fun starts at 4 PM and they'll have beer and food trucks to satisfy your belly. The event takes place in the parking lot at 6th and Stockton streets until 9 PM and it's FREE to attend. Here's the Mac doing "Dreams":



It's jamtronica at The Broadberry with Former Champions Quartet w/ former member, guitarist Matt Walton Thursday. Doors open at 8 and it's $7 to get in. Here they are as a trio at Camp Barefoot in August:



Trongone Band brings classic rock covers and great originals to Cary St. Cafe Thursday night. That starts at 10 and it's FREE to get in. Guitatist Andrew Trongone recently sat in with War when the Trongone Band opened for them. Here's the Trongone Band at that show with a little "West LA Fadeaway > Boogie On Reggae Woman":



Charlottesville's alt-country Sons of Bill are getting a big push to stardom, starting on a US tour to support their new album, "Love & Logic" that will take them all over the country. You can check them out at Plan 9 on Friday at 5:30 PM for FREE when they do a special in-store performance. Later that night, they'll be at The Broadberry, tix are$15 in advance, $17 at the door, doors open at 8 and Israel Nash will open. You can check out the new album on the website of magazine Garden & Gun right HERE. Here they are doing "Brand New Paradigm" from the new album on WNRN earlier today.




Bluegrass based Americana band Leftover Salmon are at The National on Friday night and they are bringing along a very special guest to play with them: Bill Payne, keyboardist from Little Feat. Tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with opener, Sunliner. They had a whole bunch of special guests (John Bell, Sam Bush, Col. Bruce Hampton, Del McCoury, and more) join them for a special show to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their album "The Nashville Sessions" a couple weeks ago. Here's a tune from that show, but it's a brand new tune from an album that will be out in November, "High Country":



Singer Nellie McKay joins the Turtle Island Quartet for a show at Modlin Center for the Arts Friday night. The show starts at 7:30 and tix range from $10 to $36 depending on your demographic. Here's the press blurb for the show:
Singer-songwriter Nellie McKay enchants audiences with her musical wanderlust. Her sweet, light voice enraptures as it dances on a vivacious lyrical journey. Her voice is an instrument in its own right, undulating with the staves of Turtle Island Quartet’s melodies to create smooth, and at times gentle, music. Light and airy, the swishing and sliding of sound through the strings of the quartet blend into one philharmonic, nimble as they move between classical quartet to jazz band. This performance by McKay and Turtle Island is an evening spent running through the natural notes of song and string. 
 Here's Nellie's tribute to her dog when she did a TED thing a few years ago:



Indie folk band out of Chesapeake VA, The Last Bison, will be at The Camel on Friday night. Tix are $12 in advance, $14 at the door, doors open at 8, show starts at 9 with openers Logan Vath & Claire Morgan. You can check out a stream of their new album, "VA", courtesy of Paste Magazine HERE. This show at The Camel starts their US tour promoting the album. Here they are last Friday on WAVY-TV in Norfolk:



Ashland Coffee & Tea has David Lowery & Johnny Hickman of Cracker doing an acoustic show Friday. I really wish Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven (David Lowery's other band) would come play an electric show here in Richmond someday, but this will do for now. Tix are $25 in advance, $30 at the door and the show starts at 8 PM. Get your tickets quick. As of a few days ago, there were only 20 tickets left. Here they are playing for my old radio station, WZZO. I worked there in the early 90's, back when me and Cracker were young and full of teen (well, 20's) angst:



Get the funk up with The Big Payback (James Brown tribute band) at The Tobacco Company Friday. Show starts at 9 and it doesn't cost anything to get in. Here's one of the most famous James Brown performances ever on the T.A.M.I. Show movie in 1964:



Americana singer-songwriter Cory Branan is at The Camel Saturday night. It's $10 to get in, doors open at 8:30, show starts at 9:30 with openers Paulo Franoco & The Rateros and Alison Self & The Lonesome Lows. You might dig Cory if you like Bruce Springsteen, John Prine or Steve Earle, not just for his sound, but for his lyrics too. Here's Cory's "Survivor Blues":




No BS! Brass Band will make you horny Saturday night at Balliceaux. Show starts at 10:30 and it's $7 to get in. They played on CBS6 early this month:


Sunday, the side project of Brian Burther (aka Danger Mouse, who recently helped produce the new U2 album) and James Mercer (lead vocalist for The Shins), Broken Bells, comes to The National. Tix are $31 in advance, $36 at the door, doors open at 7, show starts at 8 and make sure you get there on time to catch the opener, Hamilton Leithauser. Broken Bells just released remixes of their songs "Angel and the Fool" and "Holding On For Life" which you can download for free HERE. Here's the original version of "Holding On For Life":



And here's one from opener Hamilton Leithauser:

Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

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