Late Night Pick: Ms. Lauryn Hill

Ms. Lauryn Hill (she officially uses the Ms. now) will be on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon tonight (11:35 PM, NBC). Ms. Hill will be close the Richmond Jazz Festival on Sunday, August 9 at Maymont. She is also on six tracks on the recently released album "Nina Revisted...A Tribute to Nina Simone" which also includes Usher, Common, Mary J Blige, and more. Here's her biggest solo hit, "Doo-Wop (That Thing)":

Weekend Picks: Rockn' to Lockn', No BS! Brass Band, Dark Star Orchestra Jerry Fest, Fear of Music, Spooky Cool

The weekend starts on Thursday with a show at Sound of Music Recording Studios with Spooky Cool, The Yin Yangs and The Moonbees. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9, it's $7 to get in and BYOB. Here's Spooky Cool playing at Hardywood:

Grateful Dead Tribute band Dark Star Orchestra is at Pocahontas Park for two days on Friday and Saturday to celebrate Jerry Garcia's birthday. There will be 2 sets from DSO each night. Jeff Austin Band will join them on Saturday. Gates open at 6 PM Friday and 2 PM Saturday. You can buy a 2 day package for $46.50 or $66.50 if you want to camp. If you just want to go one day, it's $25 in advance, $30 at the gate. Kids 10 and under are free. Also, there is a $7 car fee when you enter the park, but that goes to the park so that's cool. DSO will often play a setlist from an actual Grateful Dead show and in the video below they were doing the setlist from 3/29/90. That was the show at Nassau Coliseum when Branford Marsalis first joined the Dead on sax, so DSO needed a sax player. They got Kenny Brooks from Ratdog to join them and here's a fine version of "Eyes of the World":



More tribute band fun Friday with Talking Head tribute band Fear of Music at The Broadberry. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9:30 with openers The Slank. Tix are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Here's a Talking Heads video I don't recall ever seeing nor do I think that Fear of Music has played this one but maybe they will Friday. Check 'em out and see.

Over at Capital Ale House, they will be Rockn' to Lockn' Friday night. Rockn' to Lockn' is one of four regional battles of the bands. Unlike last year, the winner of each of the four regional battles will get to play at the 2015 Lockn' Festival. Doors will open at 8, show starts at 9. Tix are $8 in advance, $10 at the door. The bands who will be rockn' to try to go to Lockn' are RVA band The Southern Belles, The Working Effective (from C'ville), Tin Can Fish (RVA), and Imaginary Sons (RVA). Best of luck to all the bands and I'll see the winner at Lockn'!

No BS! Brass Band throw themselves a Summer Tour Homecoming party at The Broadberry Saturday night. Tix are $12 in advance, $15 day of show. Doors open at 8, music starts at 9. Get there early for the lovely and talented Sam Reed Syndicate. No BS! recently joined Sufjan Stevens on stage when he headlined the Eaux Clairs Festival. Here they are playing "Brass Knuckles" on Audiotree TV in March.



That will do it. I'll leave you with Queens of the Stone Age's "Smooth Sailing" which is a cautionary video about doing lots of drugs with Japanese businessmen. Don't act like it's never happened to you. Those guys really know how to party.


Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick: Vintage Trouble

Between being super busy at work, late night hosts on vacation, and crappy musical acts on the shows when the late night hosts aren't on vacation, I haven't done a Late Night Pick in a few weeks. But perhaps the tide has turned on all those fronts.

Retro-soul/blues group Vintage Trouble is on Late Night with Seth Meyers tonight (NBC, 12:35 AM). If you don't think a retro-soul/blues can rock very hard, AC/DC would beg to differ as Vintage Soul has been opening for them on their latest tour. This one doesn't quite amp up to AC/DC levels, but it's a damn fine song. This is "Nobody Told Me":



From a couple weeks ago, here's Father John Misty on Conan:

Weekend Picks: Tallest Man on Earth, Widowspeak, Landlady, Floyd Fest Kick Off Party, pariAh

We covered this Wednesday's (7/22) Dinosaur Jr. & 311 shows in my previous blog. I almost missed the Floyd Fest Kick Off Party going on the same night at The Broadberry. Floyd Fest starts Wednesday night in Floyd, VA, but if you can't get to the fest at all or can't leave until Thursday or Friday, this show will, well, kick things off for you. And if you don't have tickets to the Fest, I believe they will be giving away a few pairs at the show. This will also kick things for the three bands on the bill as they will all be playing at Floyd Fest this year along with RVA faves Fear of Music and Southern Belles, The bands on this bill are The Trongone Band (on at 11:30), Major and the Monbacks (set time 10:15), and Dirty Bourbon River Show gets kicks off the kick off show at 9:00. Doors open at 8, tix are $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Here's Major and the Monbacks set at The Broadberry in April.



If you want to do a little couch tour on Friday night and support a good cause, you can watch the webcast of the Chris Robinson Brotherhood show from Wilmington NC HERE. Chris Robinson is, of course, the former lead singer for The Black Crowes. Chris Robinson Brotherhood will also be at Floyd Fest this weekend. This is a "Pay What You Want" webcast but don't be a sap. Throw them a few bucks because the proceeds from the webcast are in support of Teen Cancer America.

If you prefer you live music actually live, then head to Strange Matter to see dreamy indie pop band Widowspeak. They'll headline a bill that also features The James Badfellows and Various Eggs. Doors open at 9 and it's $10 to get in. Here's the press blurg about Widowspeak

WIDOWSPEAK is an American band comprised of Molly Hamilton and Robert Earl Thomas, known for its dreamy, western-tinged take on rock and roll. The outfit formed in 2010 and released two singles in 2011 (Harsh Realm, Gun Shy) followed by a debut album (self-titled) in the summer of that year, all on Brooklyn label Captured Tracks. Widowspeak was praised for its reverential spaciousness, Hamilton’s haunting voice, and Thomas’s spindly, Morricone-esque guitar lines; both drawing on 1950’s pop ballads and 1970’s psych, creating languid call-and-response melodies. The band then toured extensively, wearing in their warm, nostalgic sound.

 And here's a short performance Widowspeak did for KEXP last year:



Saturday The Tallest Man on Earth will be at The National. No, I'm not talking about Sultan Kosen! I'm talking about singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson who goes by the stage name The Tallest Man on Earth. You might dig The Tallest Man on Earth if you like Bob Dylan, Nick Drake, or Bon Iver. Tix are $22.50 in advance, $25 at the door. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 and no opener is listed. Here's his performance a few weeks ago at the big Roskilde Festival in Denmark.



Sunday, there is a fine show at Sound of Music Recording Studios with local acts Gouda Mayhem, Joshua Horsford and The Wimps opening for Brooklyn band pariAh. The A there is supposed to be upside down but I can't figure out how to do that. Does that mean I'm not cool? It starts at 8, it's $7 to get in, enter through the back in the alley and it's BYOB, or BYOW, or BYOJB, or BYOJD, or BYOLSD etc. etc.  I wanted to show you a video from pariAh, but it makes it really hard to search for your band when you can't type the upside down A. New bands, please consider that when you are making your band name. So here's a brand new video from Gouda Mayhem and the song pretty damn cool:

Tuesday night at The Camel, soul indie art rock band Landlady play with Buke & Gase and Andy C. Jenkins. Doors open at 8 and it's $10 to get in. You can get Landlady's new EP, "Heat", right HERE for FREE. I just did and I feel better already. Here's Landlady getting totally into it with a live performance of "Above My Ground":



That'll do it, kids! Have a great weekend! I'll leave you with "Sound & Color" from the new Alabama Shakes album of the same name:



Tony Jordan

Weekend Picks: Floetry, Big Something, Dinosaur Jr., 311, David Grisman, Ashley Monroe, Erin & The Wildfire, Gouda Mayhem, Richmond Roots Festival

Renowned mandolinist David Grisman, best known for his collaborations with Jerry Garcia and his self-proclaimed Dawg Music, brings his Sextet to the Beacon Theatre in Hopewell Thursday night. Tix range from $30 - $40, doors open at 6 and Magnolia will open the show. Here they are last year at the FreshGrass Festival:

In Richmond, the reunited neo-soul duo Floetry will be at The National. Tix are $30 for GA, $35 for Reserved Balcony, doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with opener Janine & the Mixtape. This tour is their first together in 9 years. Here's their biggest hit, from 2002 it's "Say Yes":



There's a local music showcase at Strange Matter Thursday night. Gouda Mayhem, Camp Howard (formerly known as Nic Perea), Collin Thibodeauxx, The Wimps and Brian Dove (of Anitphon) are on the bill. It's only $5 to get in. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9. Here's Gouda Mayhem's "Innocents":

Friday night, new, up and coming, alt-country artist Ashley Monroe is at the Beacon Theatre in Hopewell. Tix range from $16.50 to $35, doors open at 6:30 and Bethany Gates will open the show. Ashley has a new album, "The Blade" coming out July 24. You'll be able to stream it starting 7/16 on NPR for a few days HERE. Here's Ashley performing the title track at the Grand Ole Opry a few weeks ago:



And here's another one from Ashley, just because I really like it:



Jam band out of Burlington NC, Big Something, headlines the show at Broadberry Friday night. RVA's own Southern Belles open the show. Doors open at 8, Belles come on around 9, and it's $10 to get in. Big Something just played the All Good Festival along with their own festival, The BIG What? (the question mark is part of the festival name). Here's Big Something's 2nd set at Asheville Music Hall on 7/11. They open the set with Pink Floyd classic.

Saturday is the Richmond Roots Festival at Hardywood. I love the poster! That was designed by Katie McBride and posters and t-shirts will be available on Saturday. There will be Hardywood beers and food trucks out there. It's FREE and open to all ages. Things get underway at 2 PM with the Broad Street Ramblers, followed by Alison Self & the Lonesome Lows, Gypsy Roots, Andrew Alli & Last Night's Blues Band and the Judy Chops wrap things up with a set starting at 7:30. Here's Judy Chops singing about that ol' Devil Whiskey. That won't be available Saturday but minor daemon beer will be.



One of the bands that won the Rockn' for Lockn' contest last year and got to play on the big stage at Lockn', Erin and the Wildfire out of Charlottesville top the bill at The Camel. Caroline Spence and Colin & Caroline open the show. Doors open at 8 and it's only $5 to get in. Erin & the Wildfire will also be at Floyd Fest next week and they recently opened up for Leon Russell. Here they are playing "Here I Go":

Wednesday at Innsbrook, reggae/ska rockers 311 will perform with openers The Green. Gates open at 5, show starts at 6. Tix range from $20 (GA) to $99 (Gold Circle - Platinum) with price points in between. Believe it or not, 311 is celebrating their 25th anniversary. Here's 311's "Sand Dollars" from last year's album "Stereolithic":



Wednesday at The National, Dinosaur Jr. and RVA's own People's Blues of Richmond will rock the joint. Doors open at 7, PBR hits the stage at 8, tix are $20 in advance, $23 at the door. Dinosaur Jr.'s new album, "IBetOnSky" will be out soon so you'll probably hear a few tracks from that. From way back in 1994, here's Dinosaur Jr.'s "Feel the Pain":



That'll do it. I'll see you at Floetry and maybe Big Something/Southern Belles. I'll leave you with the video for U2's "Song for Someone" starring Woody Harrellson:



Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick: Father John Misty

Singer/songwriter Father John Misty is on Conan tonight (11 PM, TBS). Father John is one of many artists (including Guster, Neko Case, Ra Ra Riot, Son Little and Xavier Rudd) on the free Oxfam Summer Jams download. Oxfam America is a global organization working to right the wrongs of poverty, hunger, and injustice. Here's Father John Misty a few agos with a 25 minute performance on KEXP:

Here's JD McPherson performing "Head Over Hills" on last night's Conan:

Late Night Pick: JD McPherson

Roots-rock singer/songwriter JD McPherson will be on Conan tonight (TBS, 11 PM). JD and his band were on Prarie Home Companion's July 4 live show in St. Paul. Here's JD's "A Gentle Awakening" from his 2011 album, "Signs & Signifiers":

Weekend Picks: Stephen Stills, Arbor Day Benefit Concert, Trongone Band, Jackass Flats, Everwilde, The Big Payback

Friday night, Trongone Band are at The Camel. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 with Sam Reed Syndicate and Dead 27s opening. Tix are $7 in advance, $10 at the door. Trongone Band is promising lots of new music and surprises! Here's Trongone Band with Ron Holloway on sax playing at the Camel in April and covering Bruce Springsteen's "Atlantic City":

Broadberry brings the bluegrass/Americana Friday night with Jackass Flats and Big Daddy Love. Doors open at 8 and tix are $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Here's Jackass Flats a few months ago doing "Whiskey River":



Country rockers Everwilde are at Uptown Alley Friday. They'll play from 8:30 until 11:30 and it's $5 cover charge. They've got a bunch of new tunes so head over there and check 'em out. Here they are performing "This Time":



James Brown tribute The Big Payback are doing a free show at Cary St. Cafe Friday night. That'll get under way at 10 PM. Kenneka Cook opens. Here's the band last month with a friendly, neighborhood hula hooper:



Saturday, it's Arbor Day all over again at the Arbor Day Benefit Concert in Pumphouse Park. This was postponed due to bad weather on, well, Arbor Day. This will be the first concert ever at Pumphouse Park and proceeds benefit the James River Park System. It's a $5 donation to get in and it runs from noon to 4 with music from Benjamin Shepherd (12:00), Avers (1:00), and Full Moon Fever (Tom Petty tribute band, 2:30). There will also be craft beers, food, trails (the kind you walk on. If you want psychedelic ones, that's up to you) and tours of the pumphouse. Here's Avers back in February on WNRN:



Wednesday night, Stephen Stills, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Buffalo Springfield will do a solo show at Carpenter Theatre. Doors open at 6:30, show starts at 7:30 and no opener is listed. Tix range from $37 to $77. The show will feature two sets, one solo acoustic and one with a full electric band. He'll play favorites from throughout his career along with some new songs. Here's a full show of Stephen's back in 1979 at The Capitol Theatre in Passaic NJ:



That'll do it. Have a great weekend! I'll leave you with a song I'm back into again. Not into the wintry video because I think it sounds like heading out on a road trip on warm summer morning. This is Boy & Bear with "Southern Sun":



And here's another I like from Boy & Bear, "Three Headed Woman":



Tony Jordan

Weekend Picks: Southern Belles, No BS! Brass Band, Iggy Plop & the Splooges, Hardywood 4th of July Party

It's July 4th weekend which means lots of fireworks but not much music. But what music there is, is pretty darn good, let me tell ya, bud.

Most of us are off on Friday so let's get out Thursday night and celebrate with some good old American rock n' roll mayhem at Cary St. Cafe. Iggy Pop tribute band Iggy Plop and the Splooges headline with Dismal Swamp Lords and The Lucky Stiffs starting the fun. Things will get under way at 10 PM and it's FREE to get in. So put on your evening gloves, smear your chest with peanut butter and have some fun. Here's Iggy playing with Kepone at the Plan 9 party at Hardywood a few months ago. Language in this is NSFW.

Friday night at Broadberry, No BS! Brass Band bring their brasstacular fireworks to the stage. Doors open at 8, it's $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Wood Face will open the show. Here's No BS' set at Carnaval on the Mile in April:

Friday night is the first of two nights (Saturday too) at The Camel for Southern Belles as they celebrate the release of their new album "Close to Sunrise". Doors open at 8, show starts at 9, and it's $7 in advance, $10 at the door both nights. You can also get a two-night ticket for $16. Saturday nights show will feature what they are calling the Soul-Glo party with Mekong Xpress & the Get Fresh Horns. I predict a cover with both bands together playing Elton John's "Philadelphia Freedom" with the horns doing the string parts. OK, maybe not, but that would be cool. Here's "Getaway" from the new album:

If you are looking for a party on July 4, head to Hardywood for the July 4th Party. You'll get to see 5 great psychedelic pop bands and watch the fireworks from the nearby Diamond. Be forewarned that this will be packed especially as it gets closer to fireworks time. Hardywood is encouraging everyone to bring cash so the lines move as quickly as possible, They'll also do the beer tickets thing instead of the usual pay at the bar. There will be a ton of food trucks but don't try to bring your own coolers or outside alcohol in. It's not cool and the cops will be there to get ya. Under 21 can come but obviously can't drink and it's FREE to get in. Things start at 3 and I believe the band order will be as follows. No set times have been announced.

1. Mikrowaves (American rock and roll)
2. My Darling Fury (tech fueled indie pop with a classical tinge)
3. Manatree (guitar driven indie rock/math/pop)
4. Avers (psychedelic garage pop)
5. White Laces (dreamy, atmospheric indie-pop)

That'll do it. Happy 4th of July! Hope to see you at any and all of these shows.