Late Night Pick: Bob Mould

College rock (that's what we called it before we called it indie rock) legend, Bob Mould, is on Jimmy Kimmel Live tonight (ABC, 11:35 PM). Bob recently did a NPR Tiny Desk Concert and included an old Husker Du classic:



Here's EMA (from SD) on last night's Late Show with David Letterman:

Late Night Pick: EMA

Neo-psychedelic, alternative, indie, pop, rocker EMA will be on Late Show with David Letterman tonight (11:35 PM, CBS). From her 2011 album, "Past Life Martyred Saints", here's "California":



Here's Lyle Lovett & His Large Band on Letterman last night:

Late Night Pick: Lyle Lovett

Lyle Lovett & His Large Band will be on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight (11:35 PM, CBS). Perhaps you caught Lyle live last week at Maymont. Perhaps he did this song from when Lyle had large locks of hair:



Here's The Secret Sisters on last Friday's Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon:

Late Night Pick: The Secret Sisters

Americana sister act, The Secret Sisters, will be on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon tonight (11:35 PM, NBC) Their latest album, Put Your Needle Down, was produced by T-Bone Burnett, which is like the Americana stamp of approval. Here they are with "Tennessee Me":

Weekend Picks: Yonder Mountain String Band, Richmond Bluegrass Festival, Goldrush & Godzilla, 3 Sheets to the Wind, Susan Greenbaum, Fear of Music

The Simpsons marathon has begun.



I've been watching since 5:45 now and this may be the greatest event in the history of mankind. I may try not to sleep this weekend. FXX. All day. All night. For the next 12 days. Soon it will be all yellow.



Onto this weekend's events. I may tear myself away from FXX for a while to see if the sun still shines and to drink beer other than Duff.



Perhaps I can go back to a time before the Simpsons. A time when men rocked from yachts, with copious chest hair and gold chains, and amazingly thick and luxourious facial hair. Perhaps those days of yesteryear would be best brought back by a band called Three Sheets to the Wind, the greatest (and to my knowledge, only) yacht rock tribute band in Richmond's history. They'll be at The National on Friday night. Doors will open at 7 and the show starts at 8. No opener. TSTW doesn't need an opener. And it's only $10 for tix in advance, $15 at the door. Here they are doing a Hall & Oates classic:

Like giant monsters? Me too. At the Science Museum of Virginia Friday evening, they combine kaiju and rock music for a showing of the ninth film in the Godzilla series, "Destroy All Monsters" with live music from Richmond's own Goldrush. Hopefully they are learning a cover of Blue Oyster Cult's "Godzilla". It's $5 to get in. Show starts at 8. Here's Goldrush performing the first song ever played at The Broadberry.

Saturday, it's the Richmond Bluegrass Festival at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. Things get underway at 2 PM and will run until approximately 9 PM. It don't cost nothin' and it's open to all ages. Food trucks will be there with food. Hardywood will be there with beer. Bands will start with Sturgeon City at 2, then River City Band, Green Boys, Long Branch Ramblers and the Hot Seats close it out starting at 7:30. Here's the Hot Seats on the mean streets of Warrenton last week:



Susan Greenbaum and her band will be at Ashland Coffee & Tea Saturday night. It's $12 at the door and the show will start at 8. If you want to pre-party with Susan, she'll also be at The Sefton Coffee Co. at 28 N. 8th St Friday at 4 PM. Here she is a few months ago at AC&T doing "When Will You Learn?":



Still watching the Simpsons.



Tuesday night at Capital Ale House downtown, the River City Blues Society presents "The Golden State-Lone Star Revue" with Anson Funderburg and Little Charlie Baty with Mark Hummel and the Blues Survivors.Tix are $15 but you must get your tickets throught the River City Blues web site at RiverCityBlues.org. These guys have won or been nominated for a bunch of Grammys and WC Handy (Blues Music) awards between them. Here they are performing "I'm Gonna Ruin You" at BB King's in NYC a couple days ago:



Richmond's own Talking Heads tribute band, Fear of Music, will be at Cary Street Cafe on Tuesday night. Things go down at 10 PM and it's FREE to get in. Here's the Talking Heads doing "Big Business/I Zimbra":

Wednesday night, Yonder Mountain String Band bring their bluegrassy jam band musical stylings to The National. Tix are $25, doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with openers Henhouse Prowlers. If you can't make it to the show, you can catch a live stream of their show the next night in NC at 8 PM right HERE. Here's the YMSB covering an Ozzy tune. Wait. What?



Have a great weekend! Watch lots of Simpsons.

Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick: Echo & The Bunnymen

No, it's not 1984. Yes, you read that right. Echo & the Bunnymen will be on Late Show with David Letterman tonight at 11:35 PM on CBS. They released a new album, "Meteorite" in June to mixed reviews. They'll be playing their latest single, "Holy Moses" on the show tonight so you can check it out for yourself. Here's their classic, "Lips Like Sugar":



Here's Jeremy Messersmith on the Late Show last night:

Late Night Pick: Jeremy Messersmith

New alt-singer-songwriter out of Minneapolis or as he calls himself "The Pied Piper of Wuss Rock", Jeremy Messersmith, will be on Late Show with David Letterman tonight (CBS, 11:35 PM). You might dig Jeremy if you like Nick Drake or Elliot Smith. Here's Jeremy's "A Boy, a Girl, and a Graveyard":



Here's Royskopp & Robyn on Monday night's Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon:

Late Night Pick: Royksopp & Robyn

The EDM collaboration between electronic music duo Royksopp and singer Robyn takes center stage tonight on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (11:35 PM, NBC). One of their last American dates together will be Thursday, 8/21, up at Wolf Trap in Vienna VA. Here's their video for "Do It Again" from this year's mini-album of the same name:



Here's the two songs The Black Keys did on the Late Show with David Letterman in May:

Late Night Pick: The Black Keys

On a repeat of the Late Show with David Letterman (11:35 PM, CBS) from May, The Black Keys will rock out for your pleasure. Don't forget that The Black Keys will be here in town on December 6 at the Coliseum with St. Vincent opening. Here's the Black Keys from 2004 in a video for "10 AM Automatic" which was directed by David Cross:



Here's Robbie Fulks performing "Where I Fell" on last night's Last Call with Carson Daly:



Have a great weekend!

Late Night Pick: Robbie Fulks

Alt-country/singer/songwriter Robbie Fulks is on a repeat of Last Call with Carson Daly tonight (NBC, 1:35 AM). Here's Robbie doing "Georgia Hard":



And here's Ty Segall on last night's Conan:

Weekend Picks: Jason Isbell, Gov't Mule, Blackberry Smoke, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Howlin' Brothers, Jennifer Nettles, Steep Canyon Rangers

Thursday night at The National, Jason Isbell, formerly of Drive-By Truckers and now putting out great solo albums, will perform. Tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with opener Hiss Golden Messenger. Jason's album, Southeastern, was one of my favorite albums last year and the few songs he did with Drive-By Truckers are some of the most moving that band has ever done. I'll be heading to this show and I suggest you do the same if you are interested in a great alt-country singer/songwriter who can rock too. Jason recently sold out three nights at the famous Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Here he is doing "Cover Me Up" from the "Southeastern" album on Austin City Limits. There's even a mention of Richmond in this song.



Thursday night at the Beacon Theatre in Hopewell, tease your hair and get out the spandex, because Bret Michaels is in town! This is the show that was rescheduled from the original May 1 date. Doors open at 6, show starts at 6:30 with "special guest". Tix are $36.50 ($40 at door) for GA balcony and $55.50 ($60 at door) for Orchestra Lower Level. The Bret Michaels empire has expanded to include a line of toys, clothes and accessories for your dog or cat as part of his "Pets Rock" collection. Here's Bret's latest single, "A Beautiful Soul":



OK Go! will be doing a webcast on Thursday night at 9:45 PM on the Yahoo Screen site. I wonder if they are as clever in their live show as they are in their videos.

The annual GWAR-B-Q begins Friday night at Hadad's Lake, but it will be touched by sadness this year, as well as the usual buckets of blood, pus and other bodily fluids, as they honor the late Dave Brockie aka Oderus Urungus. Friday from 4 - 7 PM will be the Dave Brockie/Oderus Urungus public memorial as Oderus Urungus' form will burn upon the SS Boat as he makes his way to Valhalla. The GWAR-B-Q itself goes on Saturday from 10 AM to 7 PM. $45 gets you in. Bands include Body Count (w/Ice-T), Hatebreed, F**kface Unstoppable, Goatwhore, Iron Reagan, Kepone, Loincloth, The Meatmen, Misfits, Noisem, Occultist, Revocation, Eat the Turnbuckle and GWAR themselves. Here's a look at GWAR-B-Q 2013:



On a much softer note, Jennifer Nettles, of country band Sugarland, is out doing the solo thing and she'll stop at the Classic Amphitheater at Richmond International Raceway on Friday night. Show starts at 7, tix run from $15 to $40. It's hard to think about Christmas right now, but if you want to get a Christmas album out in time for Christmas you have to record it in August and Jennifer will sing on Michael W. Smith's Christmas album, "Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas". Some of Michael's friends will include Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town, Lady Antebellum, Bono, and Michael McDonald. Here's Jennifer's "That Girl":

If you want some good ol' Grateful Dead and to send some good vibes to Bob Weir, head to Quaker Steak & Lube on Broad St. for Lube Stock Saturday afternoon They'll be having live bands all day (1 PM  - 10 PM). Local Grateful Dead tribute band, King Solomon's Marbles, will be on from noon until 4. Then, School of Rock plays from 4 - 6. Trongone Band, who's been known to bust out a Dead song or two, will close things from 6 - 10. In fact, here's a whole Grateful Dead set Trongone Band did with Southern Belles at The Camel earlier this year:



Saturday night at The National, it's bluegrass time from Steep Canyon Rangers. This a seated show unless you want to stand on the GA Platform. Tix range from $15 to $35. Steep Canyon Rangers has been backing up Steve Martin lately and they recently toured with the addition of Edie Brickell (neither one will be there on Saturday). They recently played the Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center in West Texas and Edie's husband showed up to play along.



More bluegrass-ish music on Sunday from Old Crow Medicine Show who will be outside at Maymont. Gates open at 5:30, show starts at 6:30 and this is billed as "An Evening With Old Crow Medicine Show" which usually means no opener so don't delay in getting there. Tix are $32.50 in advance, $39 day of show. They've got a new album called "Remedy" out. This is "Sweet Amarillo" from that album:



If your tastes run a little more toward indie pop, head to The Camel Sunday night for Philly band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Band member Alec Ounsworth will do a solo performance before the full band comes on and Colin & Caroline will open the show at 8. Doors open at 7 and it's $15 to get in. Here they are performing on KCRW last Friday:



Next Wednesday night, it's Southern Rock night at Innsbrook, but this time they have some bands that made music after 1995, and in fact, both bands released great new albums last year. Gov't Mule, led by Warren Haynes, headlines the show and Blackberry Smoke will open. Gates open at 5 and the show starts at 6. GA in advance is $16.50, $20 at the door. Gold Circle runs from $30 to $45. Both bands will play at a tribute concert for Lynyrd Skynyrd at the Fox Theater in Atlanta on Nov. 12. Skynyrd will perform too along with Trace Adkins, Alabama, Gregg Allman, Charlie Daniels, Peter Frampton, Warren Haynes, John Hiatt, Jason Isbell, Jamey Johnson, Aaron Lewis, moe., Robert Randolph, Cheap Trick and Donnie Van Zant.

Here's the Mule doing "Soulshine" at the Hondarribia Blues Festival this year:

And here's Blackberry Smoke "Shakin' Hands with the Holy Ghost":



At the Camel next Wednesday night, it's bluesy mountain music with The Howlin' Brothers and The Honeycutters. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with The Honeycutters and it's $10 to get in. Rolling Stone just named The Howlin' Brothers recent album "Tapped" as "one of the 26 albums from 2014 you probably didn't but really should hear". Here they are performing "Boogie" yesterday at the Artist Co-op in Nashville. She likes to boogie.



I'll leave you with the late, great Robin Williams as Elmer Fudd singing Bruce Springsteen:



Have a great weekend! See you at the Jason Isbell show!

Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick: Ty Segall

Alt/indie/garage/punk/pop rocker Ty Segall will be on Conan tonight at 11 PM on TBS. Ty has a new album, "Manipulator", coming out 8/26. You might dig Ty if you like Black Lips, The Stooges, Skip Spence, early Pink Floyd or The Standells. Here's Ty's "Goodbye Bread":



Here's Lake Street Dive doing "Stop Your Crying" on last night's Conan:

Late Night Pick: Lake Street Dive

Lake Street Dive brings their catchy jazz-pop to Conan tonight (TBS, 11 PM). LSD (hey, was that on purpose!) will be doing two shows at The Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville on 11/7 & 8. Get your tickets early as they sold out the show they did at The National earlier this summer. I should know, I got shut out on tickets by showing up at the door only to find they were gone. :-( They are working on a bunch of new tunes that they'll be trying out on the fall tour so you can be among the first to hear them. Here they are doing "You Go Down Smooth" at WFUV a couple years ago:



Here's the two songs Banks did on Jimmy Kimmel Live last Thursday:

Late Night Pick: Banks

Electro-pop singer Banks is on Jimmy Kimmel Live tonight (ABC, 11:35 PM). This will be Banks first time on TV. You might want to check out Banks if you like Fiona Apple or Massive Attack. Here's Banks' video for "Brains":



Here's the Mighty Mighty Bosstones on last night's Jimmy Kimmel Live. Jimmy joins them on clarinet on "Impression That I Get":

Weekend Picks: Richmond Jazz Festival, Watermelon Festival, George Clinton & P-Funk, The Whigs, Seaway, Boy George, Fool's Errand, Bush League, Tauk

If you are looking for good beer and a relatively early night to start your weekend, head over to Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. Tasting room opens at 4 PM and there will be food courtesty of the Olio food cart. Music starts at 6 PM with Matt Conner and continues at 7 PM with Fool's Errand (they describe themselves as "dark in nature, folk-esque, a touch jazzy and a kiss of world flair. Maybe a lick of bluegrass as well."). I've seen Fool's Errand a few times now and they're a fun band in the vein of Mumford & Sons or Avett Brothers. Oh, and it's all FREE to get in.

If you're more wino than beer guy or gal, get thee to James River Cellars Winery in Glen Allen on Friday night for blues with The Bush League. Things get under way at 6:30 PM on the patio. Food trucks Grapevine and Sideways Mobile will be there. It's $10 to get in and it will go until 9:30 PM. Bush League recently celebrated their 7th anniversary together.

At The Camel Friday night, indie rockers from Athens The Whigs, along with Glass Twin and Sideways Orange perform. The doors open at 8, it's $12 in advance and $14 at the door. The Whigs will be playing a bunch of shows with Social Distortion next month and the Whigs fall in that same vein of good hard rock n' roll with a touch of Americana to keep things honest. Here's The Whigs doing "Hit Me" in CA a few days ago:

Boy George of Culture Club fame will be at The Hat Factory Friday night doing a DJ set with Marc Vedo. This is only one of three stops they are doing in the US before it's back to Europe. Doors will open at 9 and it's $25 to get in. Boy George will be touring with Culture Club in December but if you want to see it and you aren't in the UK, you are out of luck. Here's a clip from their first comeback show in July:



The Richmond Jazz Festival is at Maymont Saturday and Sunday and features quite a lineup including Boz Scaggs, Cassandra Wilson, Boney James, Babyface Edmonds, Mary Mary, Plunky & Oneness, Cameo, Bill Frisell, Average White Band, Blind Boys of Alabama, Dianne Reeves, Christian McBride, Earl Klugh, Maceo Parker, and Fred Wesley & the New JBs. Single day tix are $75. Doors open at 11 AM each day. I don't know if Cameo is jazz but "Word Up" always kicks ass, especially with LeVar Burton:



If you are hanging in the house on Saturday, you can get your smooth rock party on with a David Gray webcast on Yahoo Screen. Click HERE to go that when it starts at 10 PM ET.

Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM, it's the 31st annual Carytown Watermelon Fest. Lots of watermelon, a kids area, adult beverages available from the many bars in Carytown, and music. There will be 80 performers on the various stages throughout the day, but they provide neither a list of whose playing or at what times. So, it's hit or miss there.

On Sunday over at The Camel, pop punkers, or would that be punk poppers, Seaway will rock you until the end of the weekend with Stickup Kid, Candy Hearts (make sure you get in to see them), Driver Friendly, Centerfolds and Thanks. To fit all those bands in the doors will open at 6 and the show starts at 6:30. Seaway is out of Canada so of course they called their new album "Hoser" (those who remember the "Great White North" will know what they mean). Here's a 30 minute session Seaway did for Audiotree, eh.



Tuesday night at Broadberry, DJ Williams Projekt will do their jazz/funk thing with Tauk (who will be Lockn' Festival). Doors open at 8, tix are $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Here's Tauk at The Saint in Asbury Park earlier this month:


Finally, join Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk, Diaper Man, Dr. Funkenstein and the rest of the Grand Party of Funk on Wednesday night when George Clinton and P-Funk touch the Mothership down at Innsbrook. The Mothership, by the way, is now part of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Amerian Histoy & Culture to anchor their "Musical Crossroads: exhibition. Gates open at 5, show starts around 6 with opener TBA. Tickets are at the usual ridiculous Gold Circle crap prices at Innsbrook (please stop, Innnsbrook!) this time with a special Gold Circle Dance Floor Pit for $50 that, from the seating chart, appears to be the equivalent of 6 seats wide and 3 seats deep. Really? The rest of the Gold Circle seats run at $50, $40 and $30 levels with GA going for $16.50. Here's some prime P-Funk from 1976 and that's right, it's the whole damn show:



That'll do it have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick: Mighty Mighty Bosstones; Emmylou Harris/Rodney Crowell webcast TONIGHT

Ska band that made it big in the 90's, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, will be on Jimmy Kimmel Live tonight (ABC, 11:35 PM). They are kicking off a short West Coast tour with the appearance tonight. Here's their biggest hit, from 1997, "The Impression That I Get":



Tonight on the Rolling Stone site, you can check out a live web stream of Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell and Robert Ellis at AmericanaFest NYC. Here's the link: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/stream-emmylou-harriss-americanafest-nyc-concert-20140806.

Here's The Head and the Heart on last night's Tonight Show:

Late Night Pick: Head & The Heart; Garcia tribute webcast; James Brown doc webcast

The Head & The Heart will be on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon tonight (NBC, 11:35 PM). They'll be out at the NTelos Pavilion in Charlottesville on 9/26. They played Lollapalooza last weekend. Here's video of their first time at Lollapalooza in 2012:



In honor of Jerry Garcia's birthday on 8/1, TRI Studios is webcasting the excellent Days Between - Move Me Brightly show from a couple years ago everyday at 10 PM ET through 8/9.

And in honor of the new James Brown movie, Shout Factory (the company that specializes in DVDs and Blu-Rays of old TV shows, cult movies and music) is streaming I Got The Feelin': James Brown In The '60s for FREE. This special online presentation of the acclaimed 3-disc DVD set will be available until 8/11, on both the official James Brown YouTube Channel and Pluto.TV (channel 117). Not only does it feature rare concert footage, it also delves into the man behind the music during the turbulent 1960s.

Here's Spoon performing "Do You" on last night's Tonight Show:

Late Night Pick: Spoon

One of the most critically acclaimed bands of this century, Spoon, will be on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon tonight (11:35, NBC). Spoon's first new album in four years, They Want My Soul, which comes out tomorrow, is no exception. Here's Spoon up on the roof with "Sister Jack":


Here's two songs from Franz Ferdinand's appearance on Last Call with Carson Daly in May: