Late Night Pick: Nate Ruess

Nate Ruess from the band fun. has a new solo album out ("Grand Romantic") and he'll be on Jimmy Kimmel Live tonight (11:35 PM, ABC) to do a song or two from it. Here's Nate's "Nothing Without Love" video:



Here's Dawes doing "Things Happen" on Conan on 6/11:

Weekend Picks: Wood Brothers, Buddy Guy, George Porter Jr, Tim Barry, Northcote, Allison Weiss, Lee Ann Womack, Butcher Brown, Susan Greenbaum

Back from Key West, refreshed and not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow. If it wasn't for the kids, I probably never would have left Key West, like so many others before me. But it looks like there is some great music here in RVA this weekend, so that will take some of the sting off of leaving island paradise.

Thursday night finds founding member of The Meters, George Porter Jr. & The Runnin' Pardners at the Capital Ale House downtown. Show starts at 8 and no openers are listed. Tix are $15 in advance, $18 at the door. They'll be out promoting their new EP, "It's Time to Funk". Indeed it is. Indeed it is. Here they are playing "Cissy Strut" and "Funkify Your Life" with Clarence Johnson on sax:



The Wood Brothers, Oliver Wood and Chris Wood (of Medeski, Martin & Wood), will at Friday Cheers with their band for the last Friday Cheers of the season. The Wood Brothers are roots/folk rock in the mode of The Band, Ray Lamontagne, Justin Townes Earle, Marc Broussard, Josh Ritter, John Prine, Taj Mahal, Avett Brothers or Muddy Waters. It's $10 to get in. Son Little kicks things off at 6:30 and The Wood Brothers are on around 8. The Wood Brothers just got back from a European tour and here they are playing live for NOS Met het Oog. And I have no idea what that means. Music starts at about 0:50.



Susan Greenbaum with percussionist Chris Parker are at Ashland Coffee & Tea on Friday night. Show starts at 8, it's $10 to get in and there is no opener. Susan recently performed at the SPARC Live Art benefit. She performed Carole King's "I Feel the Earth Move" with Sara Bareilles. Susan has a lot of great originals but here she is covering Del Shannon's "Runaway":



At the Broadberry Friday night, it's Butcher Brown, DJ Williams Projekt and Midnight Snack for a night of soul funk jams. Doors open at 8 and it's $8 in advance, $10 at the door. You may have caught Butcher Brown opening for Snarky Puppy last week at Cheers. Here's Butcher Brown in April performing "Georgia Ave.":

Saturday night at The Camel, it's aggressive acoustic with Tim Barry, lead singer for Avail out on his own. Tix are $12 in advance, $15 at the door. Doors open at 7 and be sure to get in to see openers Northcote and Allison Weiss who are both excellent. Let's do one from each. Here's Tim Barry doing "Solid Gone" filmed right here in RVA:



Here's Northcote performing "Find Our Own Way":



And here's Allison Weiss' "Wait For Me":



Sunday night at The Beacon Theatre in Hopewell, country singer Lee Ann Womack is in town for a show. Doors open at 6 and Bethany Gates will open the show. Tix range from $25 - $45 in advance and $30 - $50 at the door. Lee Ann will be performing at AmericanaFest Sept. 15 - 20 in Nashville along with Ricky Skaggs, Ry Cooder, Buddy Miller, The Mavericks and more. Here's Lee Ann's "Last Call" from 2008:



Wednesday, one of the greatest blues guitarists ever, Buddy Guy, comes to Innsbrook. This show actually has me thinking about braving the money pit that is Innsbrook to see him. Quinn Sullivan and Skip Castro Band will open the show. Gates open at 5, show starts at 6. GA lawn is $15, Gold Circle Reserved $35, Gold Circle Preferred $45, and Gold Circle Platinum $99. Buddy's got a brand new studio album coming out on July 31 called "Born to Play Guitar" so expect to hear some tracks from that. Buddy joined the Rolling Stones last night (6/23) in Milwaukee to play "Champagne & Reefer". Sound quality isn't great on this one, but check it out. Buddy can still bring it.



That's it. I'll definitely see you at Cheers and maybe some other shows this weekend. I'll leave you with Alabama Shakes performance at the 2014 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest:



Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Weekend Picks: Cymbals Eat Guitars, Tycho, Snarky Puppy, Father's Day Keg 'n' Oyster Fest, No BS! Brass Band, The Bush League

Wednesday night, dreamy indie electronic band from SF, Tycho, headline at The National. Tycho has already played Bonnaroo this year and they'll be doing some other big festivals including Firefly (Dover, DE), Pemberton, Center of the Universe Festival (not the brewery), Summer Meltdown and Summer Set. Autograf opens the show at The National at 8 PM, doors open at 7 PM, it's $20 in advance, $23 at the door. Here's Tycho's set at Bonnaroo:



Friday Cheers continues this week with jazzy/funky jam band, Snarky Puppy. They'll come on around 8, Butcher Brown gets things under way around 6:30. It's $10 to get in. Snarky Puppy is pretty big on the West Coast. On Monday night, they played at the Hollywood Bowl for 15,000 people at the Playboy Jazz Festival. They played just before the headliner, which is a pretty tasty spot. They are also selling out shows at clubs on the East Coast. Here they are playing "Lingus (We Like It Here):



RVA's own jazzy/funky/horny jam band, No BS! Brass Band, is at Broadberry Friday night. Doors open at 8 and Koa opens the show. It's $10 in advance, $12 at the door. No BS! has a couple new songs when I saw them a couple weeks ago, so they may bust more of those out. Here's No BS covering a Jack White song at the Broadberry recently:



The Bush League bring the blues to City Dogs in the Fan Friday night. After this show, Bush League will head to Atlanta, Pensacola, Mobile, and Greensboro among others over the next few weeks. The show starts at 10 PM. I think it's free to get in or at least not very much. Here's a new promo video Bush League just put out with interviews and a couple songs:



Saturday, you can hit an early show (doors open at 5) at Strange Matter with Cymbals Eat Guitars. They headline. Forth Wanderers and Lightfields open. It's $10 to get in. Cymbals Eat Guitars are an indie/rock/emo/pop/alternative/experimental band out of Staten Island. You might dig CEG if you like Modest Mouse, Weezer or Flaming Lips. Here's a short show they did live for KEXP in April:

Does Dad like beer? Does he like oysters? Does he like good music? Then head to Hardywood  Brewery for Father's Day for the Father's Day Keg 'n' Oyster Fest. It will run from noon to 6. Rappahannock River Oysters will be serving oysters and other seafood. King of Pops, Pizza Tonight and Gotacado will be providing food as well. Hardywood will bust out their new Oyster Stout for the occasion. Music will be provided by Sturgeon City, The Atkinsons and Long Arms. Here's Long Arms performing the Big Star classic, "September Gurls" at Broadberry in April:



I'll leave you with this classic from My Morning Jacket. At least I think it's a classic.



Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick: Dawes

Folk rock band Dawes is on Conan tonight (TBS, 11 PM) to plug their new album, All Your Favorite Bands. You might dig Dawes if you like Robbie Robertson (they served as his backing band for a while), Bob Dylan (they opened for him on a tour, including a stop in Richmond a few years ago), CSN, The Band, or Iron & Wine. From their 2010 album, "North Hills", this is "When My Time Comes":



And here's Kacey Musgraves on last night's Late Night with Seth Meyers:

Weekend Picks: Hurray for the Riff Raff, Woods, John Mellencamp, Glass Animals, Stand of Oaks, Weird Al, Dead as Funk, People's Blues of Richmond

Weird Al starts off the weekend with a show at the Carpenter Theatre on Thursday night. Weird Al sold out because he's freakin' Weird Al! But if you are going, doors open at 6:30, show start at 7:30 and there is no opener or intermission. Just 2:15 of Weird Al. Because that's the way you want it. Weird Al and his band visited Jack White's Third Man Recording Studios and used the old Record Booth to record a short a cappella track. Check it out:



Over at Strange Matter, psychedelic indie low-fi folk rockers, Woods, take the stage Thursday night to headline a show also featuring openers Spider Bags and Black Water Gold. Doors open at 8 and it's $12 to get in. Here's Woods performing "Bend Beyond":

Brown's Island and Friday Cheers host indie folk band Hurray for the Riff Raff. I really like their singer Alynda Lee, who grew up in the Bronx but migrated to New Orleans at 17 and found her voice and her band there. Their laid back folk rock is going to sound right in place with a cool breeze blowing and the river flowing by. They'll be on at 8 PM but get in early for opener Joe Pug at 6:30. His pugnacious (sorry, couldn't resist) folk/Americana will appeal to fans of Dylan and John Prine, It'll be $10 to get in and $10 well spent. Let's do one from both bands. Here's Hurray playing at the Nelsonville Music Festival in Ohio last month:



And here's Joe Pug with "Hymn #101":

If you want to rock after Cheers on Friday, head to Broadberry for the return of People's Blues of Richmond along with excellent opening acts Murphy's Kids and Major and the Monbacks. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 and it's $10 to get in. Here's PBR's full set from Lockn' Festival last year when they started the day on Friday:



Saturday, Hardywood  is tapping their Vinalia Urbana, "a Belgian-style strong golden ale, is aged for months in freshly emptied Sauvignon Blanc barrels. This maturation process lends some light vinous notes and a hint of oak that blend beautifully with the subtle fruit and light spicy character imparted by the Belgian yeast. Vinalia Urbana is delightfully dry and delicate on the palate with lingering white grape and stone fruit undertones. 9.0 % ABV". That gets tapped at 2 and it wouldn't be a keg party without some righteous music so Dave Watkins (minimalist Appalachian math rock live looping sound explosion) starts at 5 PM, Lady God (Bristling surf guitar, webby bass lines, and sneering dual vocals compose an oddly satisfying vintage rock n’ roll salad they call “Slink.”) start at 5:55. The Ar-Kaics (troglodyte teenbeat 60s-style punk) are on at 7:10. And finally, The Awesome Few bring it all home at 8 PM. Here's The Awesome Few at Hardywood in February:

Dreamy electronica band Glass Animals are at The National Saturday night. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8. Gilligan Moss opens. Here's Glass Animals' "Hazey":



John Mellencamp and Carlene Carter are at Altria Theater on Saturday night. Tix range from $39.50 - $118.50. Carlene will start the show off at 7:30 PM. Here's John in 2008 performing "Longest Days":

If you are a Grateful Dead fan, don't miss Dead as Funk at Broadberry Saturday night. The band features members of The Trongone Band, DJ Williams Projekt, Grateful Gospel, and Ron Halloway will be sitting in on sax. Tix are 8 in advance, $10 at the door and doors open at 8. Here's a little taste of what you're gonna get:



It's Flag Day on Sunday and what better way to celebrate than a show with indie/Americana/classic rock/folk/alternative band Strand of Oaks and openers and RVA favorites, Avers. OK, I don't really know what they have to do with Flag Day, but wear your red, white & blue anyway. America! The whole thing goes down at Strange Matter. Doors open at 9 and it's $10 to get in. We can bring this whole thing full circle. Strand of Oaks got to meet Weird Al at the Governor's Ball Festival in NYC last weekend and it was the greatest moment of their life. Strand of Oaks has been playing a bunch of festivals in Europe and America lately so they'll probably be really happy to play for a crowd that is just there to see them and not distracted by the funnel cake stand. Speaking of festivals, here is Strand of Oaks gig at the 2015 Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona:



Hope to see you out at Cheers Friday night! I'll leave you with Funny or Die's "What Not to Ask Famous Musicians at The Governor's Ball Music Festival":

What Not To Ask Famous Bands At The Governors Ball Music Festival from Dan Abramson

Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick: Kacey Musgraves

Country singer Kacey Musgraves is on Late Night with Seth Meyers tonight (NBC, 12:35 AM). Kacey's follow-up to her well received first album, "Same Trailer Different Park" comes out on June 23. It's called "Pageant Material". Kacey recently revealed 25 things we didn't know about her to US Magazine. One of those things was that she framed a joint given to her by Willie Nelson. Here she is performing "The Trailer Song" when she made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry in 2013:



Here's My Morning Jacket on Conan last week performing "Believe (Nobody Knows)":

Late Night Pick: My Morning Jacket

While watching Conan the other night, I realized that he is now the old veteran of the late night talk shows. And that made me feel old! The old man of late night is only 6 years older than me.

Tonight, Conan (11 PM, TBS) has My Morning Jacket. MMJ is out on tour promoting their new album, "The Waterfall" and they'll be at the Charlottesville nTelos Wireless Pavilion on Tuesday, July 21. Here's MMJ's "One Big Holiday":



Here's Spoon performing their version of The Cramps' "TV Set" on Conan last night:

Late Night Pick: Spoon

Indie rockers Spoon are on Conan tonight (11 PM, TBS). Spoon recently covered The Cramps song "TV Set" for the recent remake of "Poltergeist" and if you know the movie, that's a very appropriate song. Here's Spoon's "The Underdog" from their 2007 album, "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga":



Here's the three song Hiatus Kaiyote did on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night:

Weekend Picks: Future Islands, RVA Music 5th Anniversary Show, Holydrug Couple, George Clinton & P-Funk, Live Art:Soul, Southern Belles

For some reason, I thought this would be a slow week, but it's jam packed with goodies.

Wednesday night, I'll be at the sold out St. Vincent show at The National. If tix do become available, they'll be $25. Doors open at 7:00, show starts at 8 with Sarah Neufeld (of Arcade Fire), whose solo albums get fine reviews of their own. I was wondering if the show would still be on when I saw the headlines the other day that Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent) fell off a stack of speakers she was climbing the other night in Knoxville. But she was OK and the show will go on. Here's the band performing "Birth in Reverse" at Studio Q today:



If you can't get into St. Vincent, you can check out William Walter. He'll be rocking out lots of great covers right along the river at Conch Republic Rocketts Landing. He'll be on from 7 to 9:45 and there is no cover. Here's William and Gary Green on harmonica last year at Wintergreen Resort.



Dr. Funkenstein himself, George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic will be at Innsbrook on Thursday night. Gates open at 5, show starts at 6 with opener TBA. Tix are $20 (GA lawn), $29 (Gold Circle reserved), $39 (Gold Circle Preferred), $49 (Gold Circle Dance Floor Pit (standing)), and $79 (Gold Circle Platinum Seating). There was a great story on George in a recent Rolling Stone (the one with The Hulk on the cover) about he's cleaned up after years of crack addiction and continues to bring the Mothership to cities all over the world. Here they are doing "Get Low" on Later with Jools Holland in April this year and it's as funky as you'd expect:

I'll be over supporting another great local music blog, RVA Playlist, as they throw their 5th Anniversary Party at The Broadberry on Thursday night. Tix are $5 in advance, $10 at the door and the doors open at 7 and the show starts at 7:30 with Big Mama Shakes. Jonathan Vassar & The Badlands will be on at 8, Goldrush at 9 and No BS Brass Band at 10. There will be a raffle and there will be a special RVA Playlist Anniversary CD given out while supplies last. Here's Goldrush's "Your Won't Hear Me Crying":

Thursday night, Strange Matter is hosting heavy psychedelic rockers Ancient River, Lady God & Manzara. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 and it's $7 to get in. You can listen to Ancient River's latest album, "Keeper of the Dawn" here:



There's more psych rock at Strange Matter Friday night with a band that Ancient River played with last month at the Milwaukee Psych Fest: The Holydrug Couple. Holydrug Couple comes to us from Chile and they are at the end of long tour in which they have driven over 10,000 miles! Generic, Tungs and Basmati will open the show. Doors open at 9 and it's $8 to get in. From their latest album "Moonlust", here's Holydrug Couple's "Dreamy", which describes their brand of psychedelia:



When all the lists came out around Dave Letterman's retirement and Dave's best of this and that, the band playing Friday Cheers this week was on lists for Best Musical Performance and Best Breakthrough Performance. Future Islands appeared on the Late Show in March of 2014. It was their network TV debut and it immediately shot them from the underground to buzz band overnight. The music is influenced by 80's electro-pop/new wave, but it's lead singer Samuel T. Herring's unique dancing and singing that makes this band so intriguing. He'll move from Morrissey-esque croons to Louis Armstrong purrs to almost metallic growls not just within a song, but sometimes within one line of a song. Future Islands headline Cheers this week with RVA band, White Laces, getting things under way at 6:30. It's $10 to get in. Here, Future Islands made another appearance on Letterman's show in April this year doing their latest single, "The Chase":



Over at Gallery 5, it's a First Friday exhibition with art and music. The art exhibitions are "Dating in the Afterlife" and "Think Inside the Box". You can read more about those on Facebook HERE. The music will be provided by Lady God, Julia Read and an0va. The event runs from 6 PM to midnight and it's FREE to get in. Here's Lady God's "Roll Tennessee":



Salsa band extraordinaire, Bio Ritmo, is at The Broadberry Friday. Butcher Brown and Miramar open. Doors open at 8, tix are $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Catch up with Bio Ritmo before they head off to their gig in Istanbul on 6/20. Yes, Istanbul, Turkey. Here's a blast from Bio Ritmo's past as they perform "Hermano" in Puerto Rico seven years ago:



Southern Belles are at The Camel Friday.. It was announced yesterday that Southern Belles will be part of the Rockn' to Lockn' Competition to win a spot on the big stage at Lockn' Festival this year. Hopefully the Belles can follow in the footsteps of fellow RVA rockers, People's Blues of Richmond, who won the spot last year. You can cheer on the Belles at Capital Ale House on 7/31 when they'll take on three other regional bands. Atlas Road Crew opens this show at The Camel. Doors open at 8. Tix are $7 in advance, $10 at the door. The Belles released their new single a few weeks ago. It's called "Getaway" and here it is:

No BS! Brass Band takes over Balliceaux Friday night with that horny funk. This is the last show at Balliceaux before they close for the summer. It'll start at 10:30, it's $8 to get in and No BS! should have some tunes from their new album for ya. Here's No BS' second set at Carnaval on the Mile this year:



Sunday, the Altria Theater presents Live Art:Soul. The concert is produced and directed by SPARC (School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community) and 200 students of the school will perform along with Jason Mraz, Sara Bareilles, Rene Marie, Susan Greenbaum, Robbin Thompson, and more. Tix run $30 - $70 and it starts at 6 PM.

Dancehall reggae star Beenie Man & the Zagga Zow Band are at Canal Club Sunday night. Doors open at 10 PM and Future Fambo and CeeGee open. Tix are $25. Here's Beenie Man's "Back It Up":



Have a great weekend! I'll see you at St. Vincent, RVA Music's 5th Anniversary show and Future Islands. Hope to see you out there!

I'll leave you with Roxy Music's "Avalon" just because it's a great song:



Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick: Hiatus Kaiyote

Australian alternative R&B band, Hiatus Kaiyote, are on Jimmy Kimmel Live tonight (11:35 PM, ABC). They've been selling out a lot of shows on their short USA tour so tune in to see what the fuss is all about. Here's their video for their song, "Nakamarra":



Here's Courtney Barnett peforming "Dead Fox" on Conan last night:

Late Night Pick: Courtney Barnett

Check out Australian indie singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett on tonight's Conan (TBS, 11 PM). Courtney recently did a song for La Blogotheque in Paris. Here it is: