Weekend Picks: Gillian Welch, GWAR-B-Q, Old 97's, Hank & Cupcakes, Jackie Lynn, UB40, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Big Mama Shakes, Lydell Williams, Lady God

Wednesday night at Black Iris Gallery, alternative/indie singer/songwriter Jackie Lynn will perform. Doors open at 7:30, show starts at 8 with opener James Jackson Toth. Tix are $6 advance, $10 day of show. Here's "Alien Love" from Jackie's latest album, "Jackie Lynn":



Thursday night at Innsbrook After Hours, it's Toad the Wet Sprocket with Rusted Root and Daisy Ghost-Flower. Gates open at 5, show starts around 6. Tix range from $20 for GA to $174 for a Toad the Wet Sprocket meet & greet package. TWS is one of those rare instances that has had the same four guys in the band for 30 years and going. When I was on commercial rock radio back in the 90's, their jangly, harmonic pop was always refreshing in between the grunge and classic rock. Here's "Walk on the Ocean":



UB40 with original members Ali, Mickey & Astro are at Pocahontas State Park Thursday evening. Gates open at 6, no opener is listed, tix range from $20 for GA to $65 for Gold Circle reserved. The band is resting on their laurels. They're about to start working on a new album. If you want to help fund it and get some cool extra goodies too, click HERE. I know they made it big doing covers reggae style, but I always loved this original. This is "Rat In Mi Kitchen":



Local neo-soul artist Lydell Williams performs at Infuzion Lounge Thursday Friday evening. Doors open at 6:30, and tix are just $12 advance, $15 day of show. There will be some openers tba. Lydell will come on at 7:30 sharp. Lydell has a new album coming out soon called "The Sound of My Melodies" and I'm sure he'll have some selections from that to play on Thursday night. From that album, here's "Don't Go Looking for Love":



Thursday night at The National, alt-country/rock band Old 97's will get you moving. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with opener American Aquarium. Tix are $20 advance, $25 at the door. Here's how you can have a chance to win free tickets:

Just send an email to tixswin@gmail.com with the SUBJECT - OLD 97s. One e-mail per person. 

Please be sure to include your full name that appears on your ID for entry. Ten winners will be chosen and notified via email Wednesday August 17th by 6 pm!

Here they are on KEXP a couple years ago. This short set starts with a great song about living life in a rock n' roll band called "Longer Than You've Been Alive":



Balliceaux brings you Lady God and Naked Baby on Thursday night. It's just 5 dolla to get in. Show starts at 9:30. Here's Lady God playing "Nothing Is Cool". But they are.

The aliens of Scumdog Planet, better known as GWAR, descend upon Richmond this weekend for the annual metal bacchanalia of GWAR-B-Q. The onslaught begins Friday at The National with the GWAR B4BQ featuring nine bands including Cannibal Corpse, Carnifex, and After the Burial. Doors open at 1, music starts at 2, so take a 1/2 day off of work, flash your boss the devil sign on the way out the door and let the head-banging begin. It's $27.50 in advance, $33 at the door.

The main event, the GWAR-B-Q, is at Hadad's Lake on Saturday. The slaughter begins at 10 AM so you can have your eggs with a side of thrash. GWAR will headline, of course. Other bands include Lamb of God, Against Me!, American Nightmare, EYEHATEGOD, August Burns Red, Dillinger Escape Plan and more. Tix range from $60 to $75. Here's GWAR in '92 with "Gor Gor". As always with GWAR, if you are easily offended, just stay the f**k away.



Big Mama Shakes brings their big bluesy/Americana fun rock n' roll to The Broadberry so you (and your Mama, if she's so inclined) can shake your butt on a Saturday night. If you are a fan of Springsteen or Hold Steady, check these guys out. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with openers Clair Morgan, My Darling Fury, and The Dharma Bombs. It should be a grand delight. Tix are $10 advance, $12 at the door. BMS is promising a new tour announcement, new music and a surprise for RVA folks. Here's BMS doing "The Fighter":

It's a night of danceable rock at The Camel Saturday night with Hank & Cupcakes, Toxic Moxie, Those Manic Seas and Get In The Car. Hank & Cupcakes have jokingly dubbed this the Pregnancy Tour because lead singer Sagit Shir is seven months pregnant. That baby is gonna rock. This band plays dance music with a punk attitude. I predict the crowd, and the band, will be sweaty, exhausted mess by the end of the show, but in a good one. Like when you have sex with the windows open in August. Here's "Kiss Your Face" from their latest album "Cheap Thrill":

The great folk/Americana artist Gillian Welch will be at Maymont Sunday night, an absolutely beautiful setting for her beautiful music. She will, of course, be with long-time musical partner David Rawlings. If you have any doubt about her influence, Paste Magazine listed two of her albums on their recent list of the Top 50 Alt-Country Albums of All Time. Here's "Look At Miss Ohio" and then "Time (The Revelator)". "Time (The Revelator)" is one of my fav songs of all time.





That'll do it. Have a great weekend! I'll leave you with Jimmy Fallon and Paul Rudd recreating a classic Styx video:



And here's the original for comparison. I think Jimmy and Paul nailed it!



Tony Jordan