Flaming Lips, WRIR, Papadosio, David Allan Coe, Jimmy Eat World,

Quite a few shows this week but let's start with a show going on sale tomorrow for The National. Flaming Lips will be coming to The National on Sunday, May 15.  Tix will be $46.75 (including all charges) and go on sale Friday Feburary 4 at 10 AM.  If you like your rock n' roll shows to include psychedelic music with a bit of punk inspired by Pink Floyd (if they were happier), Yes, The Who, The Cramps, Hawkwind, Sonic Youth, then go see this show.  If you like your rock n' roll shows with dancers dressed like Yo Gabba Gabba's DJ Lance Rock, giant hands that shoot lasers, mirror balls, artsy videos, confetti/streamer guns and a guy walking over the crowd in a giant plastic bubble, then go see this show.  If you like your rock n' roll shows with a bunch of mopey, shoe gazers, with three lights who mumble something to the crowd every third song or so, then go see the Flaming Lips show so you can see rock n' roll extravaganza at its finest.

Onto this weekend's shows.  WRIR's Party for the Rest of Us will be held at the Roosevelt Ballroom of the Renaissance Conference Center, 107 West Broad Street in Richmond on Friday night from 7 PM til midnight.  You can get in for just a $10 donation at the door which gets you not only the entertainment, but also some birthday cake to celebrate WRIR's 6th birthday.  I dig what WRIR does but I can't say I listen too much for a few reasons.  My main radio listening hours (terrestrial or internet) are from 7:30 AM - 6 PM when I'm working and driving in my car.  Unfortunately, for most of that time WRIR is playing news/talk which is nice to have because its hard to find new/talk of a liberal bent on the conservative dominated talk radio airwaves.  But I can't listen to talk radio of any sort while working.  It must be some left brain/right brain kind of thing.  And then when I'm in my car WRIR only comes in if you're near the station (say within 2 miles) and the wind is blowing just right.  But don't let that stop you from supporting them because maybe they can use some money to petition the FCC to boost their signal.  Here is the lineup for the evening's entertainment:
Ballroom:

7:15-7:45 Opening ceremony by YoughTaNund Native American drum ensemble
8:05-8:50 Marionette
9:10-9:55 Pennyshaker
10:10-10:55 The Diamond Center
11:15-12:00 Ultra Dolphins

Variety Room:
7:00-7:30 Richmond Youth Jazz Guild
7:40-8:10 Spirit Winds flute ensemble
8:15-9:00 Slam Poetry
9:15-10:00 Stand-up Comedy w/ David Garland, Joe Hafkey, John Reaves
10:00-11:00 Hip Hop showcase w/ Black Liquid, Ms. Proper, Artik Phreeze, Dothepaperboy
11:00-12:00 Turnstyle Sounsystem w/ Jesse Split & JoAnna O

On Friday night at The Canal Club, the Camp Barefoot Recovery Jam will feature Jackass Flats, DJ Williams Projekt, No BS Brass, LarJar and DJ Ricochet Red.  This is an 18 and over show.  Doors open at 8:30.  Tix are $7 in advance, $10 at the door.  A pretty good local band lineup for just $10. 

On Saturday night, Papadosio will be at The National.  Tix are $12.50 in advance, $15 at the door.  Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 with opener The Silo Effect.  Papadosio is a jam band that is starting to make a name for themselves on the festival circuit playing Jamcruise recently and Wakarusa, Camp Barefoot, and Summer Camp this summer.  Here they are doing "Unparalyzer" in October of 2010:


Also on Saturday night that alt-country rascallion, David Allan Coe, will be at The Hat Factory. Tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8. No opener is listed. DAC has been known for his bad behavior but here he is keeping it clean with his song "The Ride":


Our favorite local 70's smooth rock band, (hell the only local 70's smooth rock band), Three Sheets to the Wind will be at The Tobacco Company on Saturday night.   The show starts at 9:30 and there is no cover.

Tuesday night, Jimmy Eat World will be at The National.  Tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.  Doors open at 8, show starts at 7 with opener David Bazan & Band.  Jimmy Eat World managed to shed off the emocore label by embracing some power pop attitude. You will probably dig them if you like Foo Fighters, blink-182, Weezer, Nirvana, Offspring, Rancid or Green Day. Here they are performing their latest hit, "My Best Theory" with a video that reminds me of 70's sci-fi movies:


A little bit of music news. The Rolling Stones are apparently gearing up for a 50th Anniversary World Tour.  But with tickets probably starting at a minimum of $150 and even my friend, Mat, the biggest Stones fan I know saying, "I would pay big bucks to see them in a club but I don't think I'd do a stadium again", especially to see them play the same songs they play every time you see them, you have to wonder, what if they gave a Stones show and no one came? Can they still command top dollar in this economy? Will regular Stones fans get to go or will it just be a bunch of poseurs in the front, taking crappy video on their iPhones the whole show so they can impress their friends with how close they sat and tell them "I think they played that Puerto Rican girls sang but I didn't know too much of the rest. But I did sit near Kim Kardashian!"

OK now its time for the next video in our review of Paste Magazine's 25 Best Music Videos of 2010. This one is from Hanson. Yes, that Hanson. And you know what, I kind of like it. It's a happy, soulful tune with some nice horn riffs in it. No, really try it, its pretty good. And they do a nice parody of the Ray Charles part in "The Blues Brothers" movie. And Weird Al (who has a new album coming out soon) is playing tambourine. So this video really has a lot going for it, though the high-five at the end is pretty freakin' cheesy. Why did they have to go there? Anyway, this is Hanson, "Thinking 'Bout Somethin'":


That's it. I'm outta here.  Have a great weekend.

Tony Jordan