Sam Bush, Waybacks, Old School Freight Train, Big Head Todd

Thursday night, Sam Bush & The Waybacks bring their newgrass sounds to the Science Museum of VA. The show is a benefit called Music for Massey and will benefit the VCU Massey Cancer Center. Tix are $25, gates open at 6, show starts at 7, and this is a rain or shine event. Here's The Waybacks, Sam Bush & Emmylou Harris at this year's MerleFest doing the Stones' ""Wild Horses". The Waybacks, Sam Bush & John Cowan teamed up to perform the Stones' "Sticky Fingers" album in its entirity. The camera works is a little shaky but the sound is very good.


Indigo Girls will be out at Groovin' In The Garden on Thursday night. If you are going be sure to bring some people or pet food for the food drive for Central VA Food Bank (people food) and the Richmond Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (pet food). Doors open at 5:30, tix are $25.

Friday, you have two, count 'em two FREE shows to choose from, each with great bands. Friday Cheers at Brown's Island has Old School Freight Train with opener NO BS! Brass Band. Show starts at 6. Old School Freight Train certainly comes with some good recommendations. Here is what their press kit says: "Old School Freight Train, from Charlottesville combines thought provoking lyrics with captivating melodies, soulful vocals, virtuosic instrumentals and imaginative arrangements. Blending folk, jazz, soul, pop, bluegrass, Latin and Celtic, OSFT offers a unique musical experience leading the Boston Globe to call them "the Next Big Thing." Bluegrass innovator David Grisman says, "After forty years of recording acoustic music, it's not very often that a new band catches, and keeps, my attention. Old School Freight Train has done that and more."
"Shades of Jack Johnson, Ben Harper... even a kiss of Van Morrison... Old School Freight Train is off on a timeless new track blending roots and rock to create a sound that's all their own." - Tim Dickinson, National Affairs Correspondent, Rolling Stone "

Here they are performing "Memphis" in Vienna VA in March:


Innsbrook (or as I like to call it Snagletooth Pavilion) has a free show with Big Head Todd & The Monsters and Tonic. Gates open at 6, Tonic starts the show at 6:30. I haven't seen Big Head Todd in a long time but they were always good. Their biggest success came back in the early 90s with songs such as "Bittersweet", "Circle" and "Broken Hearted Savior". Tonic had a couple hits in the late 90s - early 00s with "If You Could Only See" and "Take Me As I Am". Here's Big Head Todd & The Monsters performing the blues classic "Hoochie Coochie Man" in April 2009:


In the battle of the FREE Friday live shows, the nod for me goes to Old School Freight Train, because the venue is nicer (river, skyline, breeze, geese for the kids vs. field in an office park) and because I haven't seen OSFT before. But you can't go wrong with either show. I'll see you on Brown's Island.

I'll leave you with Johnny Trash, er, Cash playing Nasty Dan with Oscar The Grouch on Sesame Street.


Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan