Devo, Gov't Mule, Mary Gauthier, Farm Vegas, King Solomon's Marbles, Duck Race

This weekend brings those 80's futurists (maybe we are finally catching up to them now), Devo to the National.  Devo plays Friday night.  Tix are $35 in advance, $40 day of show.  The doors will open at 8 with the show starting at 9 with "a special guest".  Here they are performing their new single, "Fresh", on Jimmy Kimmel Live:


Q: Are they not men? A: They are DEVO!

Also on Friday night, at Cary St. Cafe, there will be the Camp Barefoot Showcase with Farm Vegas & Caught In the Rift.  The show starts at 9:30pm, cover is$7, and proceeds go to Richmond Animal League.

Saturday, there a couple non-music related events that I thought I would give a quick mention of. 

The Dragon Boat Festival takes place at Rocketts Landing (5000 Old Osborne Turnpike) and is Free from
8:00am-4:30pm

The first annual WhatIfCreditUnions.com Dragon Boat Festival will be held on the James River at Rocketts Landing.  There will be a large athlete's vendor/exhibitor village and beverage garden along with all the races.

The Dragon Boat Festival people say, "The ancient Chinese sport of dragon boating has been gaining popularity in North America over the past twenty years and has become the world's fastest growing water sport. Dragon boats are 40-foot human-powered canoes decorated with ornate Chinese dragon heads. The Richmond International Dragon Boat Festival will be the sixth event of the Major League Dragon Boat Series. Not only is the event expected to draw in experienced participants from across the continent and overseas, but it should also attract first-time racers from right here in Richmond."

Then there is the 21st Annual Big Brothers Big Sisters Duck Race on Brown's Island Saturday which is also Free and will run from 11am-4pm with the big duck drop at 3pm.

"A premier family event with as many as 20,000 ducks racing down the canal competing for $30,000 in prizes! Pay for one duck or ten. As the waterway narrows, the ducks feed one by one across the finish line. The first ducks to pass through win prizes for you! It's a full day of all kinds of free children's activities, entertainment, an array of food vendors and of course, ducks! Enter your ducks into the race by calling Big Brothers Big Sisters at 804-261-4940, or visit their office at 5511 Staples Mill Road, Suite 200.

Visit bigbrobigsis.com for duck sale events and festival specifics."

King Solomon's Marbles will bring their Grateful Deadieness to Cary St. Cafe on Saturday night starging at 10 PM.  Cover is $7.

Tuesday, alt/country singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier will be at Ashland Coffee & Tea.  The show starts at 8.  Tix are $15 in advance, $20 day of show.  You'll probably dig Mary if you like John Prine, Rosanne Cash, Lucinda Williams, Gillian Welch, Dar Williams, and Steve Earle.  Here she is performing earlier this year on RocKwiz, an Australian television quiz show series, focused on rock music (thank you, Wikipedia, how did I ever survive without you):


Wednesday night, the man who will sit in and jam with anyone (and does), Warren Haynes, brings his band, Gov't Mule, to Innsbrook.  General Admission is $16.50 in advance, $20 at the door, and Gold Circle (advance only) is $35.  Gates will open at 5:30 and the show starts at 6:30 with opener Jackie Greene.  If you are going, get there early to see Jackie.  He had a lengthy stint playing with Phil Lesh and Friends and is an outstanding blues singer in his own right.  I would expect Warren to jam with Jackie and/or Jackie to jam with Gov't Mule at some point during the show.  They can't help it.  Its what they do.  In fact, here they are playing the Grateful Dead's "Loser" a few days ago in Birmingham:


Have a great weekend! I hope you have as good a time as this Swedish policeman:


Tony Jordan