Lone Bellow, Joy Formidable, IO Echo, Skydog, Luray, Beer & Wine fests

We begin the weekend with Friday Cheers, this week with The Lone Bellow (8 PM 6:30 PM) and Radical Face (6:30 PM 8 PM). It's $5 to get in. Nice article on the folksy, Americana sound (with 3 part harmonies) of The Lone Bellow in today's Times-Dispatch. The Lone Bellow played at Strange Matter about a month ago and when they sang "Happy Birthday" to band member Kanene, well, something went awry. Her dad made the save but at the expense of his suede jacket. Hopefully, the band paid for the dry cleaning.



On a more musical note, here is Lone Bellow's latest video (just released yesterday) for "Bleeding Out":



Saturday is just cccrrrrraaaaazzzzyyyy with stuff to do. I can't recall a day that was more jam packed with events and bands.

If your kids (or you) like trains, you can head to either the Ashland/Hanover Visitor Center or Richmond's Staples Mill station to celebrate National Train Day. It'll run from 11 AM to 4 PM. There will be giveaways and activities at either place.

Beer or wine? Take your pick. There is a festival for whatever your libation desire might be.

Down at Historic Malvern in Midlothian, the 3rd Annual Virginia Hops & Barley Festival takes place from 1 PM to 8 PM. There will be 30 VA craft beers to sample. Tix are $15 in advance, $20 at the gate. Your admission gets you unlimited beer tastings. Here's the band lineup:

1:00-2:00 Triad

2:20-3:20 Jackass Flats

3:40-4:40 Southern Tide

5:00-6:15 The Atkinsons

6:35-8:00pm The Wrest w/Pat O'Brien

Out at Innsbrook Pavilion, winos, oops, sorry, oenophiles, can participate in the Central Virginia Wine Festival. That'll run from noon until 6 PM. Tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the gate and that gets you free wine tastings from all 16 wineries. Music will be provided by:

12:30 PM - 2 PM - School of Rock Short Pump

2:30 PM - 4 PM - 44 Diesel

4:30 PM - 6 PM - Big Enough

River City Blues Society of Virginia is throwing a party at Pocahontas State Park on Saturday and you are all invited. Parkfest Blues goes from 2 PM - 10 PM. Tickets are $45 at the gate and a portion of the net proceeds will benefit Special Olympics.  They don't have the schedule up on the website, but I believe this is the running order from where they have them on their home page:

1. Andrew Ali and Last Night's Blues Band
2. The Mike Lucci Band
3. Albert Castiglia (2012 Blues Music Awards (BMA) nominee)
4. The Nighthawks (2011 BMA Acoustic Album of the Year, though they will probably be rocking you electric)
5. Mikey Junior

If you are into really old music, and I mean music played on 78s, head to Steady Sounds Saturday afternoon from 3 PM to 4 PM where Grammy Award winning archivist/collector/producer Chris King will playing music from his collection of rare 78 rpm records. This will be the first time he has ever played some of these rare records in public. He'll also be displaying his collection of R. Crumb artwork from the covers of his compilations.

Starting at 4 PM at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, it's the One Can Benefit Concert which will benefit Children, Incorporated, an "organization providing long-term assistance to underprivileged children in the United States and in 22 other countries. Working through established orphanages, schools and community centers, they help bring children out of poverty through sponsorship and other programs." It's free to get in and a portion of the proceeds from all food and beverage purchases goes to the charity. There is also a VIP Hour from 3 to 4 for $25 that gets you a private beer tour and heavy hors d'oeuvres. The band schedule is:

4:00pm - The Trongone Band

5:45pm - Beast Wellington

7:30pm - The New Belgians

At 8 PM at The National, alternative pop rockers The Joy Formidable will perform. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with openers IO Echo and Fort Lean. Make sure you get there early to see the atmospheric synth pop of IO Echo who have a good buzz around them. Joy Formidable is playing a bunch of festivals this summer including Austin City Limits, Bumbershoot, Forecastle, and Firefly (close by in Dover, DE). If you want to try to see them for free at The National, send an email to tixswin@gmail.com by 12 Noon Friday May 10th with the SUBJECT - JOY MUSIC.  One e-mail per person.  Please be sure to include your full name that appears on your ID for entry.  Ten WINNERS will be chosen and notified via email Friday afternoon by 5pm ! That comes from an email from The National so its the real deal. Here they are doing "Little Blimp":
 

Over at The Camel at 9 PM on Saturday, folksy Americana band Luray will appear along with Low Branches and Nick Coward & The Last Battle. Show starts at 9 and it's $5 to get in. Here they are playing "What Becomes":

Last but not least on Saturday, Allman Brothers tribute band, Skydog, will be at Capital Ale House. Doors will open at 8, show starts at 9, tix are $7 in advance, $10 day of show. Here they are doing "Statesboro Blues":



Before we leave, HERE are 9 Reasons George Harrison was the funniest Beatle. If you haven't seen the magnificent document on George Harrison, Living In the Material World, do so immediately.

I'll see you at Friday Cheers and then Skydog on Saturday. Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan