The National, Elvis Costello, Widespread Panic, Shooter Jennings

In the "this is kind of confusing" category, The National play The National on Thursday & Friday night. That would be the band, The National, play the venue, The National. Doors open at 7 both nights, show starts at 8 with opener Arlt. Tix are $20 in advance, $23 day of show. The National are a critically acclaimed mellow indie-countryish rock band. Think Big Star, The Smiths, Wilco, The Cure, The Kinks, Sufjan Stevens or The Jayhawks. This one is my favorite song from their album, "The Boxer". It's called "Fake Empire":



I just discoverd a new feature on YouTube. When playing a music video, look for a little button called Disco in the upper right. If you click it, it gives you a bio on the band, similar artists, a list of the band's videos and a "mix tape" of similar artists' videos. You can then add whichever videos to a queue for viewing. Kind of a cool idea.

Outlaw country hero Shooter Jennings and Hierophant will be at the Hat Factory on Thursday night. Doors open at 7 and tix are $20. Shooter is the son of Waylon Jennings. Shooter tends more toward southern rock and bands like the Drive-By Truckers or Steve Earle than top 40 country. Though this song from his latest album "Black Ribbons" is definitely heavy on the alternative and nada on the country. Its a disturbing video but kind of cool directed by Shooter and his wife, Drea de Matteo (best known as Adriana from "The Sopranos") and seems to capture some of the craziness of our times and all the conspiracy theories on all political sides. Its called "Summer of Rage":



Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Elvis Costello & The Sugarcanes are at The National on Saturday night. Tickets are $38.50 in advance, $42.50 at the door. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8. There is no opener so get there on time. No opener hopefully means a nice long set (or sets) from Elvis and his Americana band. I don't know what the setlist will bring but seeing as Elvis is in a honky-tonk mood with his latest project, I'm sure you'll hear some of the more country influenced numbers from his vast catalog and/or some reworked versions of his classics. Here's the band playing on 4/17/10 in Biloxi MS:








At the Capital Ale House Downtown on Saturday night, some of our local bands are getting together for a benefit for Home Again, which provides shelter and services for homeless men, women & children. Music will be provided by Lost Satellites, Palominos & the Animal Beat. Show starts at 8 and tickets are $10. Good music, good cause, head down to Capital Ale House for the whole show or go over after the Elvis show. Maybe Elvis will stop by.



Sunday, the Richmond Earth Day festival takes place from noon to 5 PM

south of the 14th Street Bridge, where Hull Street Begins. Activities take place from the Flood Wall to 4th Street. Its all FREE. There will be activities for kids and adults, workshops, art displays, yoga, food, exhibitors and local bands Hot Lava, David Schultz and the Skyline, Photosynthesizers, and Gills and Wings. So get out there, have some fun and love your mother (Mother Earth, that is.)

Monday & Tuesday, elder jam band statesmen (damn, I remember when they were new) Widespread Panic come to The National. Doors open at 6, show starts at 7 and there is no opener. Tix are $40. Widespread plays in the tradition of the Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers Band, Neil Young and were part of the "new wave" of jam band that popped up in the late 80's with Blues Traveler, Phish, Spin Doctors, Dave Matthews Band, etc. Here they are playing a couple tunes by The Band at their Halloween show last year:

If you can't come down after the Panic show and are looking to party after Panic on Monday night, head over to the Canal Club after the show. They'll have DJ Williams Projekt with opener Grapefruit Fred. Show starts at 11 PM and its just $5 to get in.
Citizen Cope comes to The National on Wednesday, April 28. Citizen Cope plays mellow, world music influenced rock. Think Jack Johnson, G Love & Special Sauce, Everlast, Jeff Buckley, Van Morrison, or Stevie Wonder. This is a makeup for the postponed Feb. 6 show so if you had tickets to that show they'll be honored at this one. If you want to get tickets, they are $20 in advance, $23 day of show. Here he is on the Ellen show:


Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan