Weekend Picks: Friday Cheers (Soul Rebels), Ghost, Kentucky Headhunters, People's Blues of Richmond, Southern Belles, Barko de Mayo, Answer Brewpub One Year of Beer

Spring has arrived and summer is right around the corner when Friday Cheers is back! Time once again to enjoy unwinding from your work week with a beer, the river rushing by Brown's Island, the sun setting and great music. This year's series begins with New Orleans funk/jazz/hip-hop brass band, The Soul Rebels (8:00) and Mighty Joshua & the Zion #5 (reggae, 6:30). It's just $5 to get in, kids under 12 get in for free and the gates open at 6:00. The Soul Rebels are coming straight to you from the New Orleans Jazz Fest, where they performed on Saturday. And if you want to hit the high seas with them, they've just been picked to be on next year's Jam Cruise. Here they are performing "Failure" last month on TV:



They also did a show a year ago where they teamed up with Gov't Mule. Here they are doing The Who's "Eminence Front":



Southern country rock band The Kentucky Headhunters are out at The Beacon Theatre in Hopewell Friday night. Tix range from $22 to $65. Doors open at 6:30 and the show opens with an opener to be announced. Here they are back in 1993 performing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien with the late, great pianist Johnny Johnson:



The Southern Belles continue their First Fridays at The Camel run this week. It's $10 advance, $12 day of show, doors open at 8, show starts at 9 with Captain Midnight Band. Here they are ringing in the New Year at The Camel:



The Answer Brewpub celebrates One Year of Beer Friday and Saturday. The festivities will go on all day each day. As for bands, blues band Barrelhouse plays on Friday night starting at 9:30 and Life On Mars: A Tribute to David Bowie are on Saturday night at 9:30. Don't cost nothin' to get in.

The Barko de Mayo Block Party to benefit the Richmond SPCA is on for Saturday just outside Continental Divide restaurant (2501 W Main). The restaurant opens at 11 and the block party festivities run from noon until whenever. Doesn't cost anything to attend but hopefully you'll buy lots of food and beer to help the doggies and kitties. And ocelots. Don't forget the pet ocelots. The band lineup is:

• 2 PM - Disco Risque
• 3:30 PM - Gold Top County Ramblers
• 6 PM - The Slank
• 8 PM - Murphy's Kids

Here's Murphy's Kids with "Secretly":

People's Blues of Richmond is back! And they've got a new album, "Quit or Die"! And they'll be having a party for the release of that album at The Broadberry Saturday night! Tix are $10 advance, $15 day of show. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 with openers Rikki Shay & Dalton Dash. Relix Magazine premiered the song "All the Things (I Couldn't Say to You)" from the new album HERE. And here they are performing "Cocaine Powder" a couple months ago while artists paint pretty pictures:



Forest Hill Park kicks off their free monthly summer/fall concert series on Sunday. This year all the concerts will be tribute bands, starting with Instant Karma Band, a Beatles tribute band. It'll run from 6 PM to 8 PM. Bring mom. Moms love Beatles. Here's those beatley Beatles doing a little number called "Hey Jude":



Or maybe Instant Karma will play this one on Sunday?

If you are in the mood for some heretical theatrical metal on Monday night, head to The National for Ghost. Tix are $26.50 advance, $29.50 day of show. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with opener Pinkish Black. Ladies, if you'd like to dress as a nun, you can be part of the show. You need to be 21 years old and you need to send an email with your:

- Name
- Date of birth
- Picture
and VERY IMPORTANT:
- City in which you want to partake IN THE SUBJECT FIELD OF THE EMAIL
to:
nunsjustwannahavefun@gmail.com

Here's Ghost's "From the Pinnacle to the Pit":



That'll do it. Have a great weekend! I'll see you at Friday Cheers, rain or shine. I'm ready to hit the island! I'll leave you with the video from the webcast My Morning Jacket did from Austin City Limits earlier this week.



Tony Jordan