Weekend Picks: Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Larry Keel, Os Mutantes, Eisley, Jeff the Brotherhood, Pepper, The Taters, Down the Rabbit Hole

Reggae/dub/rock band Pepper is at The National  Wednesday night with pop-punkers Less Than Jake, The Attack and The Bunny Gang. Tix are $21 advance, $24 day of show, doors open at 6:30, show starts at 7:30. Pepper is out supporting their new self-produced album, "Ohana". If you somewhere where pot it legal, you can get Pepper's own brand, "Hawaiian Pepper". Find it where quality weed is sold. Here's Pepper's "Give It Up":



Psych/grunge band Jeff the Brotherhood plays Strange Matter Wednesday night. Big No and Roy Batty open. Doors open at 8. Tix are $10 advance, $12 day of show. You might dig Jeff the Brotherhood if you like Diarrhea Planet, Ty Segall Band, Screaming Females, Black Keys, or Weezer. Here's Jeff the Brotherhood's "Diamond Way":



Out of New Orleans, it's the Dirty Dozen Brass Band at Capital Ale House Downtown Wednesday. Tix are $20 advance, $25 day of show. The Get Right Band opens the show at 8, doors open at 7. Dirty Dozen is celebrating their 40th anniversary this year. Hard to believe. And I hope they never stop because they put on a fun and fantastic show that will not allow you to sit still. Here's an unofficial video for "Lil' Liza Jane":

You can spend happy hour (or happy three hours) at Hardywood Friday night when The Atkinsons and Long Arms play from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM. The taproom opens at 4 if you want to get a head start before the bands come on. The Atkinsons are one of 20 bands, five from Richmond, that are up for a spot playing at this year's Lockn' Festival. And every vote (you can vote once a day) gets you a chance for a pair of 4-day GA passes to the festival. You can vote HERE. The Atkinsons also entered into the NPR Tiny Desk Concert contest. Here's their entry for "Out of Time":

The Taters have a really special show at The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen Friday night. They'll be backed by the Richmond Symphony for the show and I can't wait to see what songs they do from their repertoire of classic rock and pop. And some of their originals too! The show is at 7 PM and tix are $40. You can add dinner before the show for an additional $28. Here's another recent collaboration for The Taters, playing with Russ Varnell & His Too Country Band:



Friday at The Broadberry, bluegrass/Americana artist Larry Keel performs. Doors open at 8, Boy Named Banjo opens the show at 9. Tix are $13 advance, $18 at the door. Here's some of Larry's press blurb:

Larry Keel is described by reviewers as the most powerful, innovative and all-out exhilarating acoustic guitarist performing today. Keel has absorbed the best lessons from his Country and Bluegrass family upbringing, both sides deeply steeped in the rich mountain music culture and heritage of Southwest Virginia. From there, he has always integrated that disciplined musical grounding and natural-born talent with his own incomparable approach to playing the guitar and composing original music. He's also got a knack for choosing interesting and appealing material from all realms of music with guts, whether it's a tune written by a fellow song-writer/musician friend, or a tasty cover from any number of genres all over the map. The combination is pretty irresistible, and has earned Keel the highest respect and billing among the top acoustic musicians alive, and some now gone: Sam Bush, Del McCoury, Oliver Wood (The Wood Brothers), Chance McCoy (Old Crow Medicine Show), Tony Rice, Chris Thile,Vassar Clements, John Hartford, Bill Monroe, Peter Rowan, and Darol Anger to name a few. And his fierce, high-spirited energy also appeals to young rockers, jammers and alt country players and fans who are equally drawn to Keel's deep rumbling voice, his earthy and imaginative song-writing, and his down-home-gritty-good-time charm. Keel regularly collaborates with Americana giants Yonder Mountain String Band, Railroad Earth, Greensky Bluegrass, Infamous Stringdusters, Keller Williams, Steep Canyon Rangers (with Steve Martin), Jorma Kaukonen, David Nelson, Little Feat, Rebirth Brass Band, Dirty Dozen Brass, members of String Cheese Incident and Leftover Salmon, amongst others.

Here's the Larry Keel Experience, which is the lineup at the Broadberry, on 12/31/16:

The Canal Club hosts an event called Down The Rabbit Hole on Saturday starting at 4 PM and going until 2 AM. There will be live music from:

• Members of The Wailers - A Tribute to Bob Marley
• THE TRONGONE BAND (NOTE: Trongone Band is no longer playing as of 2/22, 6:23 PM)
• Jouwala Collective
• Burning Fire Reggae band
• Space Koi
• DJ Elliott Ness & WellWicked 

They'll be making it a full experience including acrobats and go-go dancers, arts & crafts vendors, contests & giveaways and themed shots & drinks. Tix are $15 advance, $20 at the door. Here's Trongone Band playing at Winter Skunk Fest a couple weeks ago:

The Broadberry has indie pop band Eisley along with Civilian and Backwards Dancer Saturday night. Doors at 7, show at 8, $15 to get in. Eisley's new album, "I'm Only Dreaming" came out on 2/17. From that album, here's "Louder Than a Lion":



Americana acoustic pop band Hazeltone is at Poe's Pub Saturday night from 9 PM to 1 AM. No cover charge or opener is listed.

50+ year Brazilian psychedelic pop band Os Mutantes is at Capital Ale House Downtown Tuesday night. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with Major & the Monbacks. Tix are $25 advance, $30 day of show. Here's the band in 2015:



That'll do it. Have a great weekend! I'll leave you with Gov't Mule joined by Grace Potter for a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Gold Dust Woman":



Have a great weekend!