Late Night Pick: Roddy Hart & The Lonesome Fire

We'll end the week like we began it, with Americana band Roddy Hart & The Lonesome Fire on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (12:35 AM, NBC). The band is wrapping up a full week of performances on the show. They were first on the show last week after Craig saw their video on Twitter and liked what he saw. After that performance, he unexpectedly invited them back for the whole week. And now they are one of the hottest bands on iTunes. It's a Cinderella story. You can read the full story from the Daily Record in the UK HERE. And here's the band doing "Forget Me Not" earlier this week:

And here's The Haden Triplets with Ry Cooder performing "Single Girl" last night on Conan:

Late Night Pick: The Haden Triplets featuring Ry Cooder

The daughters of jazz bassist Charlie Haden have joined up to form a group, appropriately named, The Haden Triplets and they'll bring their familial harmonies to Conan tonight on TBS at 11 PM. Joining them will be the producer of their new, self-titled debut album, guitarist Ry Cooder. Here's a preview of the album:



And here's last night's performance by Schoolboy Q on the Arsenio Hall Show:

Weekly Picks: Kelly Joe Phelps, Surfer Blood, Mardi Gras Block Party, CSN, Larry Keel, Long Arms

Thursday night at Ashland Coffee & Tea, slide guitar playing, blues/folk singer/songwriter Kelly Joe Phelps performs. Show starts at 8, tix are $16 in advance, $20 day of show. Here's Kelly Joe doing "Hard Time They Never Go Away" from his latest album, "Brother Sinner & The Whale":



Friday night, it's local action with Black Girls, Bryan Elijah Smith and the Wild Hearts, and Big Mama Shakes at the Camel. Show starts at 10 and it's $5 to get in. Black Girls are on this year's Style Magazine Sounds of Richmond collection of local music, which you can download for FREE right HERE.

Over at Balliceaux Friday, No BS Brass Band lights it up. Show starts at 10 and it's $7 to get in.

Americana artist from the Blue Ridge Mountains, Larry Keel, will be in town Saturday for a show at Capital Ale House. He'll be in his Power Trio configuration (Larry on guitar, Will Lee on banjo, Jenny Keel on bass) with the show starting at 8 and tickets $12 in advance, $15 at the door. You can read a review of the Trio's recent show in Clarksville GA HERE. And here's the group at the Jewish Mother back in December. Some fine playing all around in this one:



Saturday at The Camel, Long Arms will celebrate the release of their second album, "Constant Comment" and you are invited to the party. From YouTube: "Long Arms blends all of the United States deep rooted musical history into one band blending everything from the energy and urgency of the mid 70s New York punk movement to the rambling story telling of California folk to the charming swagger of classic country and bluegrass." Also on the bill are HYPERCOLOR, Mayfair, and The Story Changes. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 and it's $7 to get in. Here's Long Arms doing "Crazy Bet":


Monday night at The Camel, Florida indie-surf-rock-pop band Surfer Blood comes to town. Wake Up and Herro Sugar open the show which starts at 7. The doors open at 6 and it's $10. Here's Surfer Blood's "Say Yes to Me":


Tuesday it's Mardi Gras so have yourself some Mardi Gras fun at the Mardi Gras Block Party hosted by Lady N'awlins restaurant and bar.They'll be blocking off Stafford Avenue just off of Main from 2 PM until 9 PM. It's $5 to get in. 21 and older only. Besides food and beer, No BS! Brass Band, McGill Lee Jackson, Jackass Flats, Trongone Band, People's Blues of Richmond, and Pennies to the Side will be playing. I'm not sure if any of those bands play "Iko Iko" or "Mardi Gras Mambo" but they better learn.

Mardi Gras night, 70's supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash will be at the Carpenter Theater. I thought they might have to cancel after David Crosby's recent heart problems but nothing can keep that guy down (excpet jail). The show starts at 7:30 and no opener is listed. The show is sold out though the Carpenter Theater web site says standing room tickets are available at the box office. Here's a full CSN show from 1982:



Hopefully the "Thing That Only Eats Hippies" will not be in town Tuesday night. But even the Thing can't kill David Crosby.



Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick: ScHoolboy Q

Left-field rapper ScHoolboy Q has released his much anticipated major label debut, Oxymoron, and it's getting really good reviews so far. Check him out for yourself tonight on the Arsenio Hall Show, which is on WUPV here in Richmond at 11 PM. Here's ScHoolboy's "Collard Greens". Watch out if you're at work because there are bad words in this song.



I'll start bringing you the performance I recommended last night in the next day's blog (if it's available). Here's St. Vincent on Colbert Report last night doing "Digital Witness":

And as an added bonus, here's a web only exclusive from the show where she plays "Birth In Reverse":

Late Night Pick: St. Vincent

When we last saw St. Vincent, she was collaborating on an acclaimed album with former Talking Heads front man, David Byrne. Now she's back to putting out acclaimed albums of her own, and her new self-titled album, appears to be her most acclaimed yet. St. Vincent, aka Annie Clark, will be on the Colbert Report tonight at 11:30 on Comedy Central, then repeated a few times over the next 24 hours. Here's St. Vincent doing "Cruel":

Late Night Pick: Roddy Hart & The Lonesome Fire

Americana artist (by way of Scotland), Roddy Hart & The Lonesome Fire, will appear on fellow Scotsman, Craig Ferguson's Late Late Show tonight on CBS at 12:35 AM. Roddy and the band made their American TV debut on Craig's show last Monday and he liked them so much, he'l booked them onto the show for this entire week. Here's that performance on last Monday's show:

Late Night Pick: Lake Street Dive

They put on one of the best shows of last year's Friday Cheers series, their self-titled album has been entertaining me since I bought it at Cheers and now they are on Late Show with David Letterman tonight (CBS, 11:35 PM) supporting their critically acclaimed new album. The band is Lake Street Dive and they are a fun blend of jazz, country, blues and pop with a lead singer who is easy on the ears and eyes. Here they are performing a 30 minute set on KEXP in November:

Late Night Pick: Arcade Fire

The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon continues their big opening week with music from Arcade Fire, and guest Will Ferrell and Michelle Obama tonight. The show is on at midnight tonight (due to the Olympics, what a heartbreaker today) on NBC. Arcade Fire recently collaborated with Owen Pallett to score the Spike Jonze movie, "Her". Here's a brief view of that process:

Weekly Picks: Blind Boys of Alabama, Rock & Roll Hangover Weekend, Richmond Bluegrass Marathon Jam, Fear of Music

Friday night, your Rock and Roll Hangover Weekend begins at Wonderland. This'll be two night of rockabilly/surf/punk/loud and raucous rock n' roll. Doors open at 9 each night and it's $5 to get in both nights. On Friday night, you'll see The Recently Deceased, JJ Damage & The Bandits, and Reverend D-Ray & The Shockers. On Saturday night, you've got The Gojira Experiment, Tex Railer's Doomtown, and Creep-A-Zoids. Here's Tex Railer's Doomtown:



On Friday night at The Camel, No BS Brass Band will get funky and, well, brassy all over your face. Doors will open at 8, music starts at 9, no opener is listed and it's $10 to get in. Here's the band with their classic ode to Richmond, "RVA All Day":



If you like bluegrass, you'll love Saturday when you head to the Richmond Bluegrass Marathon Jam taking place at the Cultural Arts Center in Glen Allen. The jam runs from noon until midnight with 28 band performing over the course of the 12 hours. Check out the Marathon Jam link there to see the full schedule. It's a family friendly event. There will be local food trucks there and local craft brews too. While it's free to get in, donations are encouraged as all proceeds go to Richmond Fisher House, which is the "home away from home" for families of veterans receiving care at Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center. Give generously. Here's the closer of the show, Jackass Flats, who will be on at 10:20 PM.



Sunday night at the newly renovated Beacon Theatre in Hopewell, it's the soulful, funky gospel of The Blind Boys of Alabama. Doors open at 6, show starts at 6:30 with opener Adrian Duke. The remaining tix range from $40 to $70. Here's the Boys doing "Free At Last" at the White House Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement:

Tuesday night at Cary St. Cafe, Talking Heads tribute band, Fear of Music will play and there is no cover charge to get in. It's free to get in. Wear your big suit. Here's the Talking Heads' "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)":



I'll leave you with a link to the 25 Most Loved One Hit Wonders Ever as compiled by Spotify. Click HERE.

Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick: Dianne Reeves

Jazz singer Dianne Reeves is on Tavis Smiley tonight on PBS. Check your local listings, or the web site there, for what time Tavis is on in your area. Here in Richmond, set that DVR, because he's on at 3 AM on WCVW. As always, we'll hope Dianne sings but sometimes there is just an interview but Tavis usually gets the best out of his interviewees. Dianne is our promoting her new album, "Beautiful Life" on which she covers Bob Marley, Fleetwood Mac, Marvin Gay, and Ani DiFranco amongst her originals. Here's Dianne doing George & Ira Gershwin's "Embracable You" in 2004:

Late Night Pick: Phantogram, RIP Bob Casale (Devo)

It's good to have the Tonight Show back in our Late Night loop now that Jimmy Fallon has taken over. Wasn't a huge fan of Leno and then really didn't like him after he screwed over Letterman and Conan. But he's gone out to pasture now (hopefully).

However, we aren't going to go to the Tonight Show tonight. They've got Lady Gaga on and while I admire her outrageousness and boundary pushing, her music generally make me go, "meh".

So tonight we'll go with indie-electronic-rock group Phantogram on Jimmy Kimmel Live at 11:35 PM on ABC. As a bonus, Jimmy will also have the world premiere of the trailer for the new Marvel flick, "Guardians of the Galaxy", which promises to be unlike any other super hero movie. As a minus, Bill O'Reilly is a guest tonight. But that's what DVRs are for.  But back to Phantogram, whose new album, "Voices", came out today. Here's "When I'm Small" from Phantogram's debut album "Eyelid Movies":



Speaking of electronica, Bob Casale, guitarist and founding member of pioneering electronic/new wave group, Devo, passed away suddenly at the age of 61. HERE is the obit from Rolling Stone magazine. And here's Devo's "Freedom of Choice":

Weekly Picks: Black Joe Lewis, Bassekou Kouyate, Maxwell, Into It. Over It., Transit, Fatoumata Diawara, A Great Big Pile of Leaves, Hit the Lights, Bio Ritmo, Black Girls

If you were planning on going to see Toubab Krewe and Southern Belles tonight (Thursday) at The Canal Club, think again, because the show has been cancelled due to the weather. Hopefully, they'll reschedule that combo for a later date, because that would have been a tasty show.

If you're looking for some music to dance to with your significant other on Valentine's Day, there are quite a few shows to choose from. If you're a Latin lover or like to pretend that you are, go to The Camel, to see Richmond's world famous salsa group, Bio Ritmo. Doors open at 9:30, and things get under way at 10 with a demonstration of Capoeira by Capoeira Resistencia, which is both a dance and a martial art. So you can get down while you're kicking someone's ass. Here's Bio Ritmo at Radio Radio Sing Sing in Satin-Malo, France.



If you skew a bit older, you might want to go to the Landmark Theater for a night with Gladys Knight (sadly without the Pips). Tix run from $67 - 87 and the show starts at 8. No opener is listed. Gladys is a 7-time Grammy winner and has hit #1 on the Pop, R&B and Adult Comtemporary charts over her career.Here's Gladys with some replacement Pips (Jack Black, Ben Stiller, & Robert Downey Jr):

At the National, you can get our your leisure suit and pretend it's Valentine's Day 1979 on Friday night, with the cool and sexy Yacht Rock sounds of Three Sheets to the Wind. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8, it's $10 in advance, $13 at the door. Here's the band doing Steely Dan's "Reelin' in the Years" and Eddie Money's "Two Tickets to Paradise":

No one to hug and kiss on V Day? We have a show for you. Head to Gallery 5 Friday for WRIR's annual Black Valentine's Day show. Musical acts Clayton England, The Cales, and Lightfields will play songs of love gone bad. There will also be a live bachelor auction to benefit WRIR and all those bachelors will come with a gift certificate for dinner for two at a fantastic local restaurant. It's FREE to get in. Maybe someone will play this classic:

It's a night of Malian music at the Modlin Center for the Arts Saturday. Here's the press blurb, "Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara has packed a lifetime of experience into her 33 years. Diawara’s career includes stints as a dancer, and a film and stage star before finding her true calling as an unparalleled singer and songwriter. Blending Wassalou traditions of Southern Mali with international influences, Diawara has performed and recorded with Oumou Sangaré, AfroCubism, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and the Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou.

Bassekou Kouyate is one of the true masters of the ngoni, an ancient traditional lute found throughout West Africa. Following his celebrated debut album Segu Blue and his Grammy-nominated follow-up I Speak Fula, Kouyate and his band Ngoni ba performed as a headliner in the AfroCubism project and appeared with Sir Paul McCartney, John Paul Jones, Damon Albarn, and many more on the Africa Express tour."

Here's Fatoumata with "Bissa":

And here's one from Bassekou: "Ngoni Fola":



If you are still in a Valentine's mood and want some sexy R&B to accompany that, go see Maxwell at the Landmark Saturday night. Tix range from $62 to $127, show starts at 8 with comedian Bo Dacious opening. Maxwell is, of course, the romantic neo-soul singer who has been making albums since '96 and has been compared to Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Barry White, Stevie Wonder, Teddy Pendergrass and other soul greats. Needless to say, he is one smooth m**herf**ker. Here's Maxwell's "Matrimony: Maybe You":

And after either of those two shows, keep the night, and your groove, going by heading to Balliceaux to see Black Girls. It's $5 to get in and the show starts at 10 with opener The Awesome Few. Here's a teaser video for Black Girls new album, "Claire Sinclaire":



There's an alt/indie/emo rock show at Strange Matter Sunday night with Into It. Over It., The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die, A Great Big Pile of Leaves, and Sundials. The all ages show starts at 7, it's $10 in advance, $12 day of show. The shows on this tour have been selling out in advance so if you really want to go, get your tickets early. Here's Into It. Over It. performing "Heartificial":



The show of the week takes place Monday night at Strange Matter with funky, soul, punky blues rocker Black Joe Lewis. Doors open at 8, the show starts at 9. Tix are $14 in advance and $16 at the door. Pickwick will open and People's Blues of Richmond (who put on a great show at The Camel last Saturday) will kick things off at 9. Here's a 19 minute peformance Black Joe did recently on KEXP. Turn this way up!



Emo-Punk-Pop band Transit is at The Camel on Tuesday night as the headliner on the Warped Tour - Acoustic Basement Tour. Doors will open at 6:30, music starts at 7, tix are $13 in advance and $15 at the door. Other bands on the bill include Hit the Lights, Brian Marquis, and Front Porch Step. Here's Transit's contribution to the musical genre of Boston drinkning songs:



We'll end this blog back where we started, with the Southern Belles at Cary St. Cafe on Wednesday night. Show starts at 10 and it's FREE to get in. Here's the Belles doing "Big City" at The Camel.

Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick: Eric Church; Springsteen US Tour Dates

Country singer Eric Church will be on Jimmy Kimmel Live tonight on ABC at 11:35 PM. Eric has a new album, "The Outsiders", coming out tomorrow so expect to hear a new one tonight.

Eric had a hit with a song called "Springsteen" and it just so happens that US Tour dates were announced today for Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. I'm hoping this is just the first leg, because it looks like I won't be able to attend any of the shows. The closest he's coming is VA Beach and he'll be at the Farm Bureau Live Amphitheater on April 12. Here's the title track of Bruce's latest album, "High Hopes":

Late Nigh Pick: Paul & Ringo?, Jimmy Fallon's last Late Night

We'll make two picks tonight. It's the end of Beatles week on Late Show with David Letterman who does the show in the Ed Sullivan Theater. There are rumors that the two surviving Beatles, Paul & Ringo, may make an appearance. If they don't, don't stone me. But it might be worth checking out just to see. Late Show is on at 11:35 PM on CBS.

It's also Jimmy Fallon's last Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. The next time we see Jimmy he'll be hosting the Tonight Show and Seth Myers will be in the Late Night slot. That all starts after the Olympics. Andy Samberg and The Muppets will be guests on that show. Knowing how much Jimmy likes music, there may be a special music guest there too. Late Night is on NBC at 12:35 AM.

Here's an older clip when Paul McCartney played on top of the Late Show marquee in 2009:

Late Night Pick: Flaming Lips with Sean Lennon

It's Beatles Week on Late Show with David Letterman, who of course does his show from the Ed Sullivan Theater, where those Beatles guys made their debut American TV appearance 50 years ago on Sunday. Rumor has is that Paul & Ringo will be making an appearance on the show tomorrow. But tonight you've got the Flaming Lips performing with special guest Sean Lennon. I would expect something really psychedelic from those two. I'm hoping for "She Said She Said". Or perhaps this one:

Weekly Picks: WRIR Party, Railroad Earth, EOTO, Beatles Tribute, Hackensaw Boys, Southern Belles, People's Blues of Richmond, Poston Brown Project

Thursday night, bluegrass fans will have some tough decisions to make as two bluegrass shows go on mere blocks from each other. We'll start with bluegrass/jam/Americana band Railroad Earth at The National. Tix are $20 in advance, $23 at the door. Doors open at 7 and the show starts at 8 with YARN. Railroad Earth is out supporting their new album, "Last of the Outlaws". Here's a sampling of Railroad Earth from their "Live at Red Rocks" video:



With the last couple weeknight shows I've seen at The National ending between 10:30 and 11, fans at the Railroad Earth show may want to head over to Capital Ale House after the Railroad Earth show to check out Charlottesville's Hackensaw Boys. Doors open at 9:30 and the show starts at 10:30 with Flight of Salt. It'll be $15 to get in. Here's Hackensaw Boys doing "Down South Blues" a few years ago at WNRN:

Speaking of independent radio stations, the big event Friday night is the benefit for Richmond low power station WRIR, the Party For The Rest Of Us. It will be held at the The Renaissance Ballroom at 107 W Broad St from 7 PM to Midnight. To get in, give a $10 donation (or more) at the door. There will be a bunch of bands playing including The Ar-Kaics, HYPERCOLOR, Herro Sugar, River City Taiko, and much, much more. I'll be heading down there myself sporting my new haircut and I don't even know what that will be yet (a Beatles hair cut to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their Ed Sullivan Show appearance, a Pete Rose cut, a bowl cut, a mohawk, a buzz cut, mullet, flattop, I just don't know). If you want to join me (for the show, not the haircut, well, you could join me for the haircut too, that's cool), let me know.

If you want some all improvised jamtronica Friday night, get thee down to The National for EOTO. Emalkay and ELM will open and there may be a few others taking the stage too. Door open at 8, show starts at 8 and I don't expect this one to end early. Tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. They've got a new stage setup and they always have might trippy stages. Here was the teaser for their Fall tour so you can get a little sample:



At The Camel on Friday night, Southern Belles continue their First Friday residency. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 with openers Major and The Monbacks from Norfolk. It's $7 to get in. Though the Belles play mostly originals (and good ones) these days, they always throw in a few choice covers. Here they are teamed up with Trongone Band doing the Grateful Dead's "Dire Wolf":



Saturday night at The Camel, People's Blues of Richmond are gonna rock, they're gonna roll you, they're gonna melt your face and pour whiskey down your throat. PBR just finished up a stint in the studio so they may have some new songs to drop on you. It'll be $8 at the door, Russell Lacy will start things off with some blues at 9:30, then Fool's Errand will play before PBR. Here's PBR the last time I went to see them on 11/30 at The Camel:

At Cary St. Cafe Saturday, it's a rare Poston Brown Project show. It'll get underway at 9:30 with opener Soulfly and it's FREE to get in. PBP plays music from The Grateful Dead, The Band, The Rolling Stones and more. There aren't any recent PBP videos (they don't play together too often anymore) so here's The Rolling Stones doing "Heartbreaker":

Sunday is the 50th anniversary of The Beatles appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show that started the British Invasion and changed rock n' roll and music forever. Celebrate by going to The Camel to see a Beatles tribute with The Girtles (all girl Beatles tribute band), The Blue Tips and Goldrush. They'll all be doing their favorite Beatles songs. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8. It'll probably look and sound something like this:



And nothing like this:



Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick: J. Roddy Walston and the Business

Tonight on Conan, check out the romping, roots rock of J. Roddy Walston & the Business. Conan is on TBS at 11 PM. The band will be at The National (where I saw them open for Drive-By Truckers) with Cage the Elephant and Foals (quite a show!) on May 10. Here's the band's "Use Your Language":

Late Night Pick: Neko Case, Jimmy Fallon's Best Musical Sketches

Tonight, I've got two. Couldn't pass up Late Night with Jimmy Fallon's "Best Musical Sketches" tonight on NBC at 12:35 AM. Jimmy is in full on "Best of" this week before he disappears when the Olympics starts, then reappears as host of Tonight Show and Seth Myers takes over Late Night.

Over on Conan (the deposed Tonight Show host. Curse you, Leno!) on TBS, the talented and beautiful Americana artist Neko Case will play a tune for you. She'll be performing with Calexico, which is kind of cool. They also played on her latest, well received,and long-winded titled album, "The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You". She was also on Prarie Home Companion this past Saturday. Listened to a chunk of that show but missed the part where she was on. They should have it posted on the Prarie Home archives soon. Here's the lyric video for "Night Still Comes" from her latest album with the long name: