Weekend Picks: Neko Case, Laura Veirs, People's Blues of Richmond, Avers, Sleepwalkers, Chris Smither, JJ Grey & Mofro, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Debo Band, Bio Ritmo

Thursday night, I know a lot of people who will be going to the JJ Grey & Mofro show with Karl Denson's Tiny Universe (featuring Richmond's own DJ Williams on guitar) at Pocohontas Live at Pocohontas State Park. I unfortunately will not be able to attend, but it should be a fantastic show, even though I won't be there (ego alert!). The gates will open at 5:30, Karl Denson will hit the stage around 6. Don't miss 'em. GA tix are $16.50 in advance, $20 at the door. Gold Circle GA seating is $30. Gold Circle Reserved is $35. Platinum Circle Reserved with Massage, Hot Tub, Free Drinks, a Golden Ticket and the legal right to pee on those in GA while you spend the night on your phone texting all your friends to tell them you are in Platinum Circle while not paying attention to the band  is $500. Here's JJ Grey hanging out with some other cool dudes: Luther Dickenson (N Mississippi All-Stars, Black Crowes), Marc Broussard, & Anders Osborne in a collective called The Southern Soul Assembly.



And here's JJ Grey & Mofro along with some other artists on an hour long show called "WoodSongs" which appears to be on PBS in Kentucky:



If you can't get South of Richmond for some blues on Thursday, head North of Richmond for some blues that night with Chris Smither at Ashland Coffee & Tea. Tix are $20 in advance, $23 day of show. Show starts at 8 with opener Russell Lacy. Here's Chris playing "What It Might Have Been":



Hard to believe we've reached the last Friday Cheers of the season but they'll be going out with a bang with acclaimed indie/pop artist, Neko Case. It'll be $10 to get in. Neko comes on at 8, but get there early to hear singer/songwriter Laura Veirs who comes on at 6:30. You can also catch Laura earlier in the day at Plan 9 in Carytown where she'll do a lunch time show at 12:30 PM. Here's Neko with "Don't Forget Me":



And here's Laura Veirs doing "July Flame", an appropriate song as we are about to enter July.



And here's another one from Laura that popped up on my iPod this AM. I really like this one.

Get your yacht rock on Friday night at the Beacon Theatre in Hopewell with Little River Band. Doors open at 6 and the opener is TBA. GA is $21.50 advance, $25 at the door. Orchestra Reserved is $36.50 advance, $40 at the door. Here's one that I used to have on an old K-Tel cassette that is long lost to the ages:

The Broadberry has an absolutely killer lineup of local bands on Friday night. This features the best of Richmond's psychedelic hard rock scene with People's Blues of Richmond, Avers and Sleepwalkers. All the bands are great and if haven't seen them, this is a great chance to see all three in one show. And this will be the first night for all the bands at The Broadberry. Hope they like it. It's an all ages show, so you can bring your 7 year old kid, but only if they like to RAWK! It's $10 to get in and doors open at 8. I hope they don't start the Sleepwalkers until I can get there from Cheers because I'd really like to see them again, but I don't think I'll be so lucky. I feel like any of these bands could bust out of our little scene and go national, so this is really one not to be missed. Here's PBR doing "GB" at the Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton on 4/19:


If jamtronica is more your scene, Former Champions will be at The Camel on Friday. Doors open at 9, it's $7 to get in and Commonwealth will open the show. Here they are playing a recent party:



Saturday night, Ethiopian pop band by way of Boston, Debo Band, will be at The Broadberry. From their press blurb: "Debo Band is a 11-member group led by Ethiopian-American saxophonist Danny Mekonnen and fronted by charismatic vocalist Bruck Tesfaye. Since their inception in 2006, the band has won raves for their groundbreaking take on Ethiopian pop music, which incorporates traditional scales and vocal styles, alongside American soul and funk rhythms, and instrumentation reminiscent of Eastern European brass bands. Debo have toured Ethiopia twice, appearing at both the Ethiopian Music Festival in Addis Ababa and Sauti Za Busara in Zanzibar, the largest music festival in East Africa. In North America, they've shared stages with Gogol Bordello, Amadou & Mariam, Antibalas, The Family Stone, and Ethiopian great Tilahun Gessesse. Recent and upcoming performances include the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Bumbershoot, Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, The Kennedy Center, Montreal Jazz Festival, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and South by Southwest. Their self-titled debut for Sub Pop / Next Ambiance was produced by Thomas "Tommy T" Gobena of Gogol Bordello and features album art by critically-renowned painter Julie Mehretu." It's $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Doors open at 8 and DJ Peri and DJ Felty will provide additional music. Here's Debo Band peforming for KEXP in Seattle:

More world music on Sunday, when Richmond salsa sensations Bio Ritmo celebrate the release of their latest album, "Puerta Del Sur" at The Broadberry. They'll do two sets, one at 8 and one at 10. This band has become a world-renowned salsa band with gigs all around the globe. Here's "La Muralla" live:

That'll do it. Have a great weekend! I'll leave you with one of my favorite songs. It gives me goosebumps every time he hits the chorus. This is Jason Isbell with "Danko/Manuel". Can't wait to see Jason at The National in August a few weeks before I see his former band, Drive-By Truckers, at Lockn' Festival.



Tony Jordan