A Place to Bury Strangers, Switchfoot, Touch a Truck, Carytown Wine Fest

Not much going on live here in Richmond this weekend.  Those of you with DirecTV can check out Farm Aid 25 at 6 PM on Saturday on ch. 101.  Farm Aid 25 will feature the usual cast of characters with  performances by Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Kenny Chesney, Norah Jones and more.  If you miss it, I'm sure the 101 will be showing highlights a lot.

If you have a kid who is as crazy about trucks as my 3-year-old, you may want to check out Touch a Truck 2010 at Richmond International Raceway from 10 AM to 3 PM on Saturday.  "This event offers children a hands-on opportunity to explore heavy machinery and meet the people who build, protect and serve the Richmond community. Vehicles on display may include construction trucks, utility vehicles, emergency responders, tractor trailers, buses, and vintage cars."  My son will be beside himself.  The event is a charitable one with money going for the Junior League of Richmond.  Tix are $5 a piece or you can get a Family Pack of 4 tickets for $15.

A Place to Bury Strangers will be at Strange Matter on Saturday night.  Tix are $6 and the show starts at 8 PM with openers Caustic Castle, Soundpool and Ceremony.  A Place to Bury Strangers remind me of Sonic Youth, Pink Floyd (Syd Barret era), The Ventures, Radiohead, or the Flaming Lips.  Here is what a dude from Spin Magazine said about the band: "Led by effects-pedal guru Oliver Ackermann (the Edge is a customer), this Brooklyn trio further their rep for insane volume on their first proper studio album. "I Lived My Life to Stand in the Shadows of Your Heart" is straight-to-the-head industrial rock, bull-rushing into a two-minute coda of pure squall and feedback that's not unlike having hot club soda poured in your ears. But the noise never eclipses the songwriting -- "Keep Slipping Away" is as tightly wound, shadowy, and sugary as any Cure single in decades."  -David Bevan, SPIN Magazine.  Here they are doing "Missing You" and it ain't the John Waite song.


The Carytown Food & Wine Festival will go down on Sunday from noon to 6 PM.  Tix are $15 in advance, $20 at the gate and your ticket includes a souvenir wine glass and wine tasting.  If you aren't drinking, you can get a designated driver ticket for $10 that will get you free soft drinks.  Children under 12 get in free.  There will be food from local restaurants and lots o' Virginia wine at the festival.

Switchfoot will be at The National on Tuesday night.  Tix are $20 advance, $23 day of show.  Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with opener The Almost.  If you go to the show, the band is asking that everyone attending bring at least 1 canned good to support the Central VA Food Bank.  You might dig Switchfoot if you like Third Eye Blind, Matchbox Twenty, Goo Goo Dolls, Soundgarden, Live, Nirvana, or Pearl Jam.  Here's Swtichfoot with their song, "The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)":


There are a couple of other blog entries I did this week below so if you missed them and you have the time now, check them out. 

I'll leave you with a couple a white dudes (Justin Timberlake & Jimmy Fallon) walkin' you through a history of rap with The Roots backin' 'em up.  Yo, yo, yo, that Jimmy Fallon got some mad skilz.


Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

You Want the Beeb, You Gots to Pay!

Warrant.  Not so much.

Here is an article on Smoking Gun talking about how much certain acts are paid to perform one show.  Justin Bieber gets $300K.  It costs a lot to keep his hair looking like that.  Check out the graph to see what other acts get.  http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/justin-bieber-banks-300000-nightly-sigh

Is Video Killing the Concert Vibe?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704129204575506281834570988.html

This article from the Wall Street Journal wonders whether people who are videoing concerts with their phones are ruining the concert experience.  While I am somewhat happy to see some footage of  bands on YouTube, it is distracting during a concert when the guy in front of you has his hand up with his phone in it for an entire song or most of the concert.  Personally, I would never want to sit there and video tape a show for the same reason I don't tape shows or take pictures at shows.  I want to watch and listen without having to fumble around with equipment.  I want to be "in" the show as much as possible.  I am grateful to the people that want to tape shows and if that's something you enjoy, more power to you and I'll buy you a beer.

Perhaps bands need to do what the Grateful Dead, Phish and other bands that allowed taping did with tapers when they started to put their mics up all over the arena.  Have a designated video section.  You have to buy a designated video ticket and/or congregate near the soundboard.  Anyone else videoing will be asked to put it away and if there is a second offense, will have to leave.  That way bands can get their promotion, the video will probably get better because the hardcore video guys will take over and I won't have some dude's iPhone blocking my view.

Thanks to Live Music Blog for bringing this article to my attention.

Gaslight Anthem, Ed Kowalczyk, Connor's Heroes Family Festival, Rock d800 Block

Sunday out at Innsbrook Pavilion if you have a family or wish you had a family or want to pretend you have a family and want to go to a festival, check out Connor's Heroes Family Festival.  There will be music, inflatables, Nutzy, food and beverages and more.  Tickets are $10 and children 12 and under are FREE!  Connor's Heroes is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization made up of volunteers, parents of children with cancer, and other caring individuals and companies who want to conquer childhood cancer through direct assistance, awareness, and research.

Monday night, Gaslight Anthem will be at The National.  Tix are $18 in advance, $21 at the door.  Doors open at 6 PM and the show starts at 7 PM with openers Bridge and Tunnel and Fake Problems.  Gaslight hails from NJ and is greatly influenced by Springsteen (natch), Tom Petty, Tom Waits, Replacements, The Clash, The Pogues, Dropkick Murphys and Social Distortion.  They have a sound that will appeal to those who like classic rock as evidenced by the nomination of their latest album "American Slang" for Album of the Year by Classic Rock magazine.  Here they are performing "Old White Lincoln":


Ed Kowalczyk, former lead singer of Live, will be at The Canal Club on Wednesday night.  Tix are $16 in advance, $19 at the door.  Doors open at 6 PM and the show will start around 7 PM with openers Thriving Ivory, Miggs, Rocketknife, and Crashing Reality.  Here he is performing his latest single, "Grace":


On Saturday, in the 800 block of West Cary St, Rock d800 Block will take place to benefit the Richmond SPCA.  Thanks to Angie B. for letting me know about this one.  Bands and musicians will include: Bay of Pigs, Chris Farmer, Authum Carter, Paul Ivey, and Steve Dukes.  Tickets will be $5 per person at the gate.  It will run from 9 AM until 5 PM and you can get a pancake breakfast.  Mmmmmm, pancakes.

That's about it for this week.   Just in case you were wondering, HERE is a list of the top movie soundtracks of the 90's.  I would have made "Singles" #1 but it was close enough (#2). 

Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Stone Temple Pilots Suspend Tour After Weiland Rant | Rolling Stone Music

Stone Temple Pilots Suspend Tour After Weiland Rant Rolling Stone Music

You knew this was coming. Weiland's been living on borrowed time for years. I keep waiting for the inevitable "Weiland found dead in hotel room in Nebraska" story. This will not end well.

Experience Hendrix at Landmark Theater

Tickets are on sale now for Experience Hendrix at the Landmark Theater on 11/12.  Its basically a bunch of musicians getting together to play Hendrix stuff but its a pretty good lineup.  Here is who will be at the Landmark: Billy Cox of The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Band Of Gypsys, Steve Vai, Jonny Lang, Susan Tedeschi, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Johnson, Living Colour, Chris Layton of Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Ernie Isley, Mato Nanji of Indigenous, and The Slide Brothers.

Tickets run $39.50 to $75.  Click HERE for tickets.

Oktoberfest, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Hold Steady, Charlie Musselwhite, Eels, Ghostland Observatory

All weekend long you've got St. Benedict's 6th Annual Oktoberfest going down at St. Benedict "Festplatz" which is at Hanover and Belmont in the Museum District.  There will be beer, music, beer, dancing, beer, food and more beer.  Its Free and the hours are Friday, September 17 5pm to 10pm, Saturday, September 18 11am to 10pm and Sunday, September 19 12pm to 6pm.

Blues man Alvin Youngblood Hart will be at the Capital Ale House Downtown on Saturday night.  Tix are $7 and the show starts at 9 PM with opener The Fustics.  You'll dig Alvin if you like classic blues, Rolling Stones, Led Zep, or Dylan.  Here he is doing his song "Joe Friday":


The Hold Steady will be at The National on Monday night.  Tix are $20 in advance, $23 at the door, doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with "A Special Guest".  The Hold Steady play earnest rock n' roll with dense lyrics reminiscent of Springsteen, Modest Mouse, Replacements, Husker Du, and The Rolling Stones.  Here they are performing "Hurricane J" in Denver in July:


Blues harmonica player extrodinaire Charlie Musselwhite will be at the Capital Ale House Downtown on Tuesday night.  Tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the door and the show starts at 7 PM.  Charlie is one of the greatest living bluesmen, if not one of the greatest of all time as evidenced by his accomplishments and collaborations: 2010 Blues Hall of Fame Inductee, 7-Time GRAMMY Nominee, 24-Time Blues Music Award Winner, 8-Time Living Blues Award Winner.  He's collaborated with Eddie Vedder, Tom Waits, Ben Harper, Bonnie Raitt, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Gov’t Mule, INXS, Mickey Hart, George Thorogood and personal friend and best man at his wedding John Lee Hooker.  Here's Charlie performing "Gone Too Long" in CA in 2006:


For something completely different check out Ghostland Observatory at The National on Wednesday night, that's right Wednesday night.  The show was moved from Tuesday to Wednesday.  Tix are $20 in advance, $25 day of show, doors open at 7 and show starts at 8 with opener DJ Chenchilla.  GO mixes electronica, rock and funk and they have a killer light show with lots of lasers.  That's right, lots of lasers.  Here they are on Austin City Limits doing "Sad Sad City".  But sadly, no lasers.  Because lasers f**kin' rule:


Next Thursday, 9/23, Eels will be at The National.  Tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with openers Trish Dunn and Jesca Hoop.  Make sure you get in to see Jesca Hoop.  I like her.  Eels is essentially a project for one Mark Oliver Everett, otherwise known as E.  Also, Eels have the best beards this side of ZZ Top and are so very bearded that they were forced to insure their beards as a fire hazard at a recent London show.  You can watch a five song performance they did for MySpace Transmissions by clicking HERE.  Here is Eels performing "In My Dreams":

EELS "In My Dreams" from The MySpace Transmissions

MySpace Transmissions | MySpace Video

Other shows of note this week:

Frontier Ruckus (lyrical folk rock) at The Camel with David Shultz & The Skyline and Ryan Brosmer.  Tix are $8 in advance, $10 at the door, doors open at 8, show starts at 9.  Here is what Rolling Stone said about Frontier Ruckus: "“They may hail from up north — Michigan, to be specific — but Frontier Ruckus sing the sound of the South: delicate, finger-picked banjos, aching, oaky violin and the haunting voice of frontman Matthew Milia, who conjures what might happen had Neutral Milk Hotel’s Jeff Mangum been raised in a log cabin. Their songs are full of rich, rural details: frozen lakes, swaying trees, highway lights glowing in the deep night. Add to the mix baleful brass and trembling percussion, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for Gothic Americana.”"  Here is their latest video, "Nerves of the Nightmind":


New outlaw country dude, Jamey Johnson, comes to The National on Sunday night.  Tix are $27.50 in advance, $30 day of show, doors open at 6 PM and show starts at 7 with opener Chris Hennessey.  Here he is doing his song "Lonely At The Top" on Letterman last week.  I love the line in this song, "It might be lonely a the top but its a bitch at the bottom".



Elf Power will be at Strange Matter at 929 W Grace St on Wednesday night.  Call Strange Matter at (804) 447-4763 for show details because they don't seem to have an up to date web site.  Elf Power does psychedelic indie pop and you might dig them if you like The Beatles, Love, The Byrds, Flaming Lips, Robyn Hitchcock, Sonic Youth, or T Rex.  Here is the video for their song, "All The World Is Waiting":


That's it.  Have a great weekend.  See you at Oktoberfest.  We'll drink beer.

As a bonus, here is Jesca Hoop's video for "Summertime".  This song captures the feeling of those carefree summer days nicely.


Tony Jordan

Life Is Good Festival webcast Sat. & Sun. w/Galactic,Dr. Dog,Guster, Mavis Staples and others

The Life is Good festival will be webcast on Facebook this weekend.  Once you get to their Facebook page, you may have to hit the >> tab at the top (where it says Wall/Info/etc...) and then click Livestream.

The lineup is here.  All times are EDT.

Saturday
Mavis Staples - 2 PM
Donavon Frankenreiter - 3 PM
Ozomatli - 3:45 PM
Dr. Dog - 4:45 PM
Ziggy Marley - 5:45 PM
Grace Potter & The Nocturnals - 6:45 PM
Ben Harper - 7:45 PM

Sunday
Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars - 2 PM
OK Go - 3 PM
Galactic - 3:45 PM
Brett Dennen - 4:45 PM
Guster - 5:45 PM
Corrine Bailey Rae - 6:45 PM
Jason Mraz - 7:45 PM

Public Enemy, Stockholm Syndrome, Broken Social Scene, ZZ Top

Bring the Noise and Fight the Power on Friday night at the Hat Factory.  Public Enemy comes to town.  Tix are $30 in advance, $35 day of show.  Doors open at 7, show starts at 8.  No opener is listed on the Hat Factory site.  Doesn't mean there won't be one.  I'm just telling you there isn't one listed.  Here is their brand new video, "Say It Like It Really Is":


If your tastes run more toward the jam bands on Friday night, check out Stockholm Syndrome featuring Dave Schools, the bassist from Widespread Panic.  They'll be at The National.  Tix are $16 in advance, $19 day of show.  Doors open at 7 and the show starts at 8 with opener Road Kill Roy.  Here they are from on 9/3 playing "Counterclock World":


Indie rockers Broken Social Scene will be at The National on Saturday night.  Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 with opener The Wooden Birds.  Tix are $20 in advance and $25 day of show.  You might dig BSS if you like Death Cab for Cutie, The Decemberists, Feist, Sonic Youth, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, The Cure, The Flaming Lips, Pixies, or Radiohead.  Here they are doing their song, "Forced to Love":


Tuesday the bluesmen with the big beards come to town.  ZZ Top will be at The National.  Tix are $60.  Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with opener Barrelhouse.  Here is some classic ZZ Top for ya:


That's all I gots.  I gots no more.  Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Tortoise tonight @ Canal Club

Tortoise will be playing tonight at the Canal Club.  This was originally supposed to be at The National, but its been moved so take heed.  Tix are $18, doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with openers Greg Davis, Ben Vida & Marionette.  Tortoise started in the mid-90s and started with punk rock influences but then added experimental electronica, Krautrock and jazz touches.  Hard to describe so here is a 30 minute set they did in 2004.  I like it.

Webcasts Tonight: Trey Anastasio Band & Primus

On iClips.net tonight, they will be rebroadcasting the Trey Anastasio Band Live from the Pageant & Primus Live from Red Rocks Re-Broadcast TONIGHT. Primus to start at 7 PM EDT, TAB @ 9 PM EDT.

Also, if you went to iClips looking for the webcast of Moedown this past weekend, they did not show it live but recorded it and will be broadcasting it at a later date.  More details when I get 'em.

Guns N’ Roses Canned In Dublin

Guns N’ Roses Canned In Dublin

Looks like Axl Rose has learned nothing over the years and is still the same old asshole. Back when GNR were in their prime, they alienated their fans by continuously coming on 60, 90 even 120 minutes late. Axl claims to be all about the fans but then forces them to sit around while he gathers his chi or some shit like that for his performance. Axl, get a clue. You are close to irrevlevant. Your last album was a major flop after you kept fans waiting (see a pattern here?) for years. The rock n' roll world no longer revolves around you and perhaps you should stop the diva bullshit and actually show some consideration for your fans. Stop blaming promoters and everyone but yourself for your failings.

Dukes of September review, Tears For Fears, 3 Sheets to the Wind, Moedown webcast

Had a great time at the Dukes of September concert on Sunday night.  Dukes of September of course being Donald Fagan of Steely Dan, Michael McDonald & Boz Scaggs.  This show was heavy on the covers including a nice version of the Grateful Dead's "Shakedown Street" and a mini-set of songs by The Band with each singer taking a song.  And kudos to them for not choosing the obvious.  I really don't need to hear "The Weight" again.  Fagan did "King Harvest Has Surely Come", Boz did "Rag Mama Rag" and McDonald did "The Shape I'm In" with Boz faring the best, I think.  The backup singers, Carolyn Escoffery and Catherine Russel, were also prominent all night including taking front stage for a couple songs.  One did Aretha Franklin's "Rock Steady" and the other did Muddy Waters' "I Love The Life I Live", and this allowed the prime players to just sit back and groove.  Other highlights included Boz doing Teddy Pendergrass' "Love TK" in which he really nailed the soulful vocals, Donald Fagan's "I.G.Y." from his "The Nightfly" album, and Michael McDonald doing Ray Charles' "I Got News For You". 

I was reading some of the commetns on the Richmond Times-Dispatch review and some people seemed upset that they didn't play more or all of their original songs but that wasn't really what this was meant to be and I enjoyed seeing a great band, including guitarist Jon Herington who shone all night, and a crack horn section play some of their favorite songs.  I do think that they should have loaded some of their originals toward the end of the show.  Of the encores, ("Help Me Rhonda" by the Beach Boys, "Something In the Air" by Thunderclap Newman, and "Them Changes" by Buddy Miles) only "Something in the Air" really took off with Fagan, Boz & McDonald each taking a verse.

I was also reminded of what a lame venue Innsbrook can be when it is packed.  We got there at 5:30 to get a good spot and by the time they opened the gates, the line was literally about 200 yards long.  Innsbrook has no slope whatsoever making it hard to see if you are in the back.  As predicted, this was a sit down crowd in fact virulently so, with one of the biggest cheers of the night in the area I was in coming when security told some dudes in the Gold Circle to sit down.  We also had a couple who tried to stand in front of us.  Look, I know you paid the same amount as we did but when 99% of the crowd has brought chairs, just move to the edge or to the area near the very front where people are standing.  As someone said, "Just because you have the right to do something, doesn't make it right".  They did move shortly before the show started after a member of my party informed the standing gentlemen that he had a brown stain on the back of his white shorts from a wet fart.  And that was not a lie.  He really did.

Just a suggestion here.  How about taking the land that the Classic Amphitheater is on, tearing down the old shed and building a new shed or even just a stage like the one at Innsbrook?  You can take out the seats too and have a set up like Charlottesville Pavilion with an open area in the front that you can leave open or add seats to depending on the show.  But at least you'd have the natural slope to enable better sight lines.  Or if we must keep Innsbrook, then they should buy some dirt over the fall/winter and add a little bit of slope at Innsbrook.  I do appreciate that you keep the prices down (tix for the Dukes at Innsbrook were $30 for GA, $50 for gold circle.  Tix for the Dukes at The Chicago Theater start at $58 and top seats are $153!) but I've gotta think twice next time about going to a show there with a large Gold Circle (or any Gold Circle for that matter) that I know will be heavily attended.

Now, if you would like to see some Yacht Rock in a more comfortable venue, check out some of the guys I met at the Dukes show from a band called 3 Sheets to The Wind.  I started a conversation with them when I saw them dressed in their finest Yacht Rock attire including aviator shades and captain hats.  The band will be at The Republic on Thursday night.  The show starts at 10 and is FREE.  They are promising "Nautical Costume Contest (free tshirt prize), New Songs, Hall & Oates 3-way, Premier of "3 Sheets TV", New Stage Antics, Same old smoothness!".  Here's a little promo video from them:


Also this weekend, if you are hangin' out and having that final summer bar-b-q, tune into the Moedown XI fest on iclips.net.  As usual, iClips has nothing on their site about the webcast yet but they did say it was coming on their Facebook page.  The actual festival runs from 5 PM Friday - 1 AM, noon Saturday - 2 AM, and noon Sunday - midnight.  So tune into iClips around 5 on Friday and see what's what.  Bands at the festival (though all may not be shown on the webcast) include Tortoise (playing in Richmond next week), moe. (duh.  Its their fest so they'll do 6 sets over the weekend.), Lotus, Built to Spill, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Mike Gordon (from Phish), and Black Keys among others.

One of the top band of the 80s will be in town on Sunday night.  Tears For Fears will be at The National.  Doors open at 7 and show starts at 8 with opener Wainwright.  Tix are $42.50 in advance and $47.50 at the door.  A great pop band and I don't think they toured much in their more popular days let alone now.  They of course had the hits "Everybody Wants To Rule The World", "Shout", "Head Over Heels", "Woman In Chains" and my favorite TFF song, "Sowing the Seeds of Love":


Cee-Lo Green of Gnarls Barkley fame has done it again.  Just like "Crazy", he has made an insanely catchy song that once you hear it, you will want to hear again and again and it will be playing in your head for days, maybe weeks.  But don't sing it around your grandma or your kids.  After all, the title is "F**k You".  Never did those words sound so happy.  And it has an awesome video too.  Language obviously NSFW.  But listen anyway and get your whole office to sing along.  Here is the link.  Embedding is not allowed: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/cee-los-official-fck-you-music-video.

Have a great weekend!