Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Weekend Picks: Psychedelic Furs, Bill Kirchen, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Bio Ritmo, Ultra Kings, Dismal Swamp Lords, Rocket Queens

Memorial Day weekend! If you're not leaving town or going to be at bar-b-q's all weekend and you want to see live music, you'll want to do it Friday night.


Thursday night has a couple options first, including yacht rock cover band Three Sheets to the Wind at The Broadberry. Doors open at 8, there is no opener listed. Tix are $15 in advance, $18 day of show and $35 for VIP. Here they are doing Christopher Cross' "Ride Like the Wind":



Tarrant will be with Faceship at Poe's Pub Thursday. Show will start at 9. The cover is $5. Here's Tarrant at The Camel in April:



Friday Cheers has their annual local band night this Friday. It's only $5 to get in, it looks like it will be a gorgeous evening and there is a little something for everyone musically. The headliner is internationally renowned salsa band from the RVA, Bio Ritmo. Bring your dancing shoes. If you can't move when they play, you must be dead. And I'm not kidding about world renowned. This summer they play Philly, Winston-Salem, Toulouse (France) and Istanbul. Also, on the bill are the psych/surf/garage sounds of The Milkstains and country music from Honky Tonk Heroes. So come down and join me for a beer or two (or three). I hope my leftover beer ticket from Riverrock works. Here's Bio Ritmo with "Oye Hermano":



Ashland Coffee & Tea has great honky-tonk rock guitarist Bill Kirchen and his All Texas Band. Show starts at 8, tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Here's his press blurb; "Get ready to be blown away by Bill’s reknowned licks!  Bill Kirchen has become widely known for the trademark big-rig guitar riffs that powered the Commander Cody hit “Hot Rod Lincoln” into the Top 10 in 1972. Since 1993, he has recorded seven critically acclaimed albums of his own that have made him one of the musical elder statesmen of today’s Americana music, which in truth was pioneered by acts like Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen back in the ‘70s." Here's Bill and his band wishing for a "Rockabilly Funeral" when they die:



Bluegrass/Americana band Jackass Flats is at The Broadberry Friday night. Doors open at 8 PM, Captain Grandpa and Faceship will open. Tix are $8 in advance, $10 day of show. Here's Jackass Flats in March 2014 doing a Pink Floyd tune:



Classic 80's band, Psychedelic Furs, are at The National on Friday. Tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with openers Black English. Here's the Furs doing "Heartbreak Beat" from 1986:




Over at Poe's Pub Friday night, it's raw rock n' roll/surf/rockabilly/blues from The Ultra Kings (from my old stomping grounds in Lehigh Valley PA) and Dismal Swamp Lords (RVA). I know the Dismal Swamp Lords have been recording some tunes recently so they may have something new for you. Show starts at 9 and it's $5 to get in. This is gonna be a fun show with some fun bands doing straight up, no frills, good time rock n' roll. Here's The Ultra Kings:



Saturday, Hardywood is busting out their Peach Tripel, an Abbey-Style Tripel Ale refermented on peaches. Sounds rather yummy. And what better way to celebrate that beer than with all-female Guns N' Roses cover band from NYC, The Rocket Queens! The beer gets tapped at 2. Some other bands will be announced over the next couple days. Check the Hardywood site for the schedule. Here's "Nightrain" from The Rocket Queens, which was the first GNR tune I ever heard:



Don't forget that besides being Memorial Day, Monday is also Towel Day. Be a hoopy frood who always knows where his towel is.



The great Dirty Dozen Brass Band from New Orleans will be at The Broadberry Wednesday. Tix are $13 in advance, $15 at the door. Doors open at 8 and Kings open the show. Here's Dirty Dozen in Austin this year doing an amazing version of "Use Your Brain":



I'll see you at Friday Cheers, Poe's for the Ultra Kings/Dismal Swamp Lords show and maybe Hardywood Saturday. Now I'm going to go watch Dave Letterman's last show. I hope I don't cry and I hope he goes out doing something really silly.

In honor of Memorial Day and the Americans who have fought and died so we can enjoy the freedom of music and dance with our kids, here's Jason Isbell's "Dress Blues":



Tony Jordan

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