Weekend Picks: Gov't Mule, moe., Ron Holloway Band, Fall BRAzaar, Marty Stuart, Bush League, Skydog, Full Moon Fever, Long Strange Night

The weekend starts on Thursday, as all good weekends do, with a Southern blues rock extravaganza at Innsbrook. Warren Haynes led band Gov't Mule is the headliner with Blackberry Smoke opening. You'll want to get in to see both bands as Blackberry Smoke looks like they stepped out of 1979 and they've got a great sound that's equal parts Tom Petty, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Georgia Satellites and Rolling Stones. Gov't Mule has a repertoire of more than 1000 songs and Warren Haynes says, "Each night, we put together our set list by consulting our history. We see what we played last time we came to town, and then play a show that is completely different." Gates open at 5, music starts around 5:45. Tix are $25 for GA Lawn, $35 & $49 for Gold Circle. Gov't Mule just put out an archival release of the first demos they made back in 1994. Here they are playing ZZ Top's "Just Got Paid":



There is an official Gov't Mule Afterparty at The Camel with The Ron Holloway Band and Evolution of the Groove. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9, tix are $10 advance, $12 day of show. There may be some special guests (though I can't guarantee that). You see, Ron Holloway is the sax player in the Warren Haynes Band. Last week in Fredericksburg, Warren sat in with The Ron Holloway Band (along with Trongone Band's Andrew Trongone). And we all know that Warren will play with anyone at any time. Even if Warren doesn't show up, The Ron Holloway Band is a great band and some of the Trongone Band members may show up, since Ron often plays with them. Ron also played with Little Feat at their tour stop in DC last week. And to bring all of it together, here's Warren Haynes with The Ron Holloway Band in Fredericksburg doing Little Feat's "Spanish Moon":



Classic country artist Marty Stuart is at The Beacon Theater in Hopewell Thursday night. Doors open at 6:30, show starts sometime thereafter (strangely, they don't say on their web site or on the ticket site) with special guests Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley. Tix range from $22 to $70. Here's Marty with Paul Shaffer doing "Freight Train Boogie":



Friday night, blues band The Bush League is at Poe's Pub. Show starts at 9:30. No cover charge is listed but if there is one, should be around $5. Here's the band a couple weeks ago at The Big Bluesy Music Festival in Jamestown:



After a week of rain, the weather will be absolutely beautiful on Saturday so head out to the Fall BRAzaar 2016 at Steel Horse Harley Davidson in Midlothian. The BRAzaar is "A fun FREE day of live music, information for breast cancer patients and caregivers, children's activities, and LOTS of vendors! Also, the fabulous MISS-ter BRAzaar Pageant! All proceeds benefit Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation!" I know there will be four bands there to provide music all day, too. It'll run from 10 AM to 5 PM.

Classic rock/blues/Grateful Dead cover band Long Strange Night will be at Cary Street Cafe from 2 to 6 PM Saturday. Don't cost nothin' to get in. The band will have some special guests join them along the way. Here's the band's set at The Lynchburg Music Festival in May:



Full Moon Fever brings the Tom Petty covers to The Broadberry on Saturday night. I saw them July 4th at Hardywood and had a grand ol' time. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 with Andrew Leahey & the Homestead. Here's Tom Petty with The Traveling Wilburys, the superest of super groups:



The Allman Brothers tribute band, Skydog, closes out this year's Music in the Park series at Forest Hill Park with a performance from 5 - 7 PM. It's FREE! Got a spare 5 hours? Here's the Allman Brothers Band 40th Anniversary show in 2009. Enjoy!



Tuesday night, jam band moe. is at The National. Tix are $19.50 advance, $23 day of show. Doors open at 6:30, show starts at 7:30 with openers Blind and Dirty. moe is now one of the grandaddy jam bands on the scene believe it or not. It seems like only yesterday I first saw them in a field at Lehigh University. From moe.down on 8/10/2013, here's the second set:

That'll do it. I may see you at Gov't Mule/Blackberry Smoke, Ron Holloway Band, Fall BRAzaar, Skydog, and moe. I'll leave you with a funny moment from last Saturday's Global Citizen Fest. Chris Martin of Coldplay had to come out and stall for time because Rhianna wasn't ready to go yet. So he did a fine cover of Prince's "Raspberry Beret". Make sure you stick around for his improvised last verse.



Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan