Weekly Picks: Robert Randolph, Drive-By Truckers,Moody Blues, Blitzen Trapper, WRIR Benefit, St. Pat's Day Parties, Floodwood

If you've got iTunes or can download it, you can watch the iTunes Festival from SXSW this week. Wednesday night sees a rap lineup with Kendrick Lamar (11 PM), ScHoolboy Q (10:10) and Isaiah Rashad (9:40). Thursday is the highlight for me with Soundgarden at 11 PM where they'll play their classic album "Superunknown" in it's entirety starting at 11 PM, Band of Skulls (9:45) and Capital Cities (9). Friday sees a pop lineup with Pitbull (11 PM), ZEDD (9:45 PM) and G.R.L. (9). Saturday it's country with Keith Urban (11 PM), Willie Nelson (9:45), Mickey Guyton (9).

On Thursday night, Robert Randolph & The Family Band will be at The Beacon Theatre in Hopewell. Tix range from $17.50 to $30. Doors open at 6 and the show starts at 6:30 with a "special guest" opening, which usually isn't all that special but there will be an opener. Robert Randolph plays pedal steel guitar and is quite simply one of the greatest guitarists alive right now. In fact, Rollling Stone recently put Robert on it's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list. Damn, I think I just talked myself into going to this show. Here's Robert and the Family Band doing "Peekaboo" for Radio Woodstock on Valentine's Day:

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If you like your 80's songs done bluegrass style, and who doesn't, head to Ashland Coffee & Tea on Thursday for Love Canon, the band that plays 80's songs bluesgrass style. Show starts at 8 (no opener) and it's $12 in advance, $15 day of show. Here they are dropping the sledgehammer on ya:

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Friday, Tarrant and Wayfarer play at Lounge 207 at 207 W Broad. Doors open at 6:30 and it's $11 to get in. Here's a short video from Tarrant's recent sessions at Sound of Music studio and it should give you a good taste for their Americana sound.

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At Strange Matter on Friday, it's a benefit for WRIR with The Milkstains, The Trillions, Tungs & Dave Watkins. Doors open at 9, show starts at 10 and it's only $5 to get in. Here's The Milkstains at Strange Matter on 9/28/13:


The Milkstains - 2013 Sept. 28 - Live at Strange Matter - Richmond, Virginia from Silver Persinger on Vimeo.

Also, Friday night, world renowned salsa band from Richmond, Bio Ritmo is at The Camel. It's $10 to get in and the show starts at 9:30 with Quatro Na Bossa. Here's a remix of Bio Ritmo's "Majadero":



Saturday is just filthy with St. Patrick's Day parties. I'm just gonna list them here. You can click the links to check them out and help decide which one to go to. The biggest and I'll say the best based on their band line up is Shamrock on the Block, which somewhat controversially moved to The Boulevard this year from the 17th Street Farmers Market. It's FREE, they've expanded the kids area and the band lineup along with the amount of space. Should be a good time. Highlights bandwise are The Southern Belles from 2 - 2:45 and Black Girls from 4 - 4:45. Here's the rest:

- Shockoe Fest - taking the place of Shamrock the Block at the 17th Street Farmers Market.
- 15th Annual St. Patrick's Day Party at Sine' - this one goes the latest for those that want to party into the night.
- St. Paddy's Palooza at Innsbrook - the most family oriented but they still have beer. Because it's St. Patrick's Day.

If you are still standing after the St. Patrick's Day parties, there are two great bands playing. First, one of my favorite bands of all time, Drive-By Truckers will be at The National. I am all tore up that I can't make this show, but I'm hoping they'll visit Charlottesville on the second leg of the tour. Tix are $30, doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with Blitzen Trapper and get there early to see them. If you like great, rootsy, Southern, punk rock n' roll with hints of Springsteen, Skynyrd, Social Distortion, AC/DC, Rolling Stones, go see this band. The music will make you move, the lyrics will make you laugh, they'll make you cry, they'll make you get drunk (along with the band) and by the end of the show, you'll be a sweaty, hoarse mess after seeing one of the greatest rock bands you'll ever see. Here they are on Conan the other night doing their new single, "Sh*t Shots Count":

Over at Capital Ale House Saturday night, Al Schnier and Vinnie Amico from moe. get a little bluegrass thang going called Floodwood. Jackass Flats will be opening and that ain't too bad either. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9, tix are $12 in advance, $15 day of show. Here's Floodwood doing "Spend Some Time" in Buffalo. Not a place where I want to spend time, though I do hear they have some tasty chicken wings.

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Sunday, classic rock band Moody Blues will be at the Landmark Altria Theater. (It's gonna take me a while to get used to saying that, if ever). Tix are $55 - $90, show starts at 8 PM, and there does not appear to be an opener. It's not too late to get a cabin on the Moody Blues Cruise which starts April 2 and features Roger Daltrey, The Zombies, Carl Palmer, Starship, and Little River Band. Here's the Moody Blues at the famous Isle of Wight festival in 1970:

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If you are looking for somewhere to go on St. Patrick's Day proper (Monday 3/17), check out all the locations of Capital Ale House with much Irish music and beer, beer, beer.

Just downloaded this show the other day from the Pearl Jam site. Found this on YouTube tonight. It's the full Pearl Jam show from Charlottesville on 10/29/13 with HQ audio and the editor put the video together from multiple audience shot video. Really well done. Maybe you can spot me in the audience.

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Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan