Weekend Picks: Ryan Adams, You Blew It!, Alex Dezen, Victor Wooten, Clair Morgan, Photosynthesizers, Skydog, Suggesting Rhythm, Long Strange Night

Jazz/funk/rock/bluegrass, oh, heck, he can play it all, bassist Victor Wooten is at The Broadberry on Thursday night. Most of you may know him as the bassist in Bela Fleck & the Flecktones. He's also a "5-time Grammy Winner, the only multiple winner of Bass Player Magazine’s reader’s poll (3 times), and was voted one of the top ten bassists of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine." He'll be appearing at The Broadberry with his trio including Dennis Chambers and Bob Franceschini. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 and no opener is listed. Tix are $25 advance, $30 at the door. As of noon on Wednesday, GA tickets for this show are SOLD OUT. VIP sections and table reservations are still available. Here's the trio playing at halftime of Knicks game last month:

Clair Morgan continues their First Friday residency at The Camel and they continue to give proceeds from these shows to charities, this time to Planned Parenthood. Tix are $6 advance, $8 at the door. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 with openers Doll Baby, Bad Magic & Blush Face. Clair Morgan recently announced that they'll be playing a concert with the Richmond Symphony on September 23 along with other RVA artists Matthew E. White, Natalie Prass, Bio Ritmo and Tim Barry. Should be quite the special show. However, they do a need a new video. I have to keep playing this one because it's the only one they've got.



Long Strange Night will have a long strange afternoon at Cary Street Cafe on Saturday. The Beatles, blues and Grateful Dead cover band will play from 2 - 6 PM if you want to shake it down on Saturday afternoon. Don't cost nothin' to get in. And the band will be doing a "very special and rare acoustic show". Here they are very un-acoustic a few weeks ago:



Emo/pop/alternative/indie rock band You Blew It! do an early show at Strange Matter Saturday evening. All Get Out and Free Throw open the show with doors opening at 5 PM. Show will end no later than 9 PM. Tix are $12 advance, $15 day of show. You Blew It! is out promoting their new album, "Abendrot". This is the new video "Arrowhead" from that album:



This is a good Saturday for those who want to take in some music and still get to bed early. There's a cool show at Hardywood with RVA bands Photosynthesizers (Indie Rock Alternative Hip-Hop/Soul), The Trillions ("...strikingly urgent, almost mathlike, pop punch..."-Style Weekly) , Spooky Cool (Rhapsodic pop bursting with disruptions of riff heavy psychoactive polyrhythmic rock) & Gull (one man psychedelic avant-garde percussionist) that starts at 5:30 and runs until 10. The taproom opens at 1 and they'll have a few food trucks there if you get the munchies. It's FREE to get in. From Photosynthesizers, here's "Best of the Class":



Celebrate the life of late, great Allman Brothers drummer Butch Trucks with Skydog: A Tribute to the Allman Brothers Band at The Broadberry Saturday night. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 with no opener listed. Tix are $10 advance, $12 day of show. Here's the band with "Ain't Wasting Time No More":



More jam band tribute bands Saturday night with Suggesting Rhythm doing the Grateful Dead thang at Canal Club. Doors at 8, music at 9, no opener listed. $8 advance, $10 at the door. Here's the band and people with hats on dancing:



The illustrious and prolific Ryan Adams is in town for two shows at The National Sunday and Monday night. Tix are $43 advance, $48 day of show, doors open at 6:30, show starts at 7:30 with opener Phoebe Bridgers both nights. Ryan's 16th, and latest album, Prisoner is getting the usual great reviews. Here he is performing the title track, solo acoustic, on KCRW last week:

Alternative pop singer/songwriter Alex Dezen is at The Camel Sunday night. Mike Dunn and Ben Shepherd open the show at 8. Doors open at 7. It's $10 to get in. He's out promoting his album, "Alex Dezen II" and here's "Holding on to You (Holding on to Me)" from that:



That'll do it. Have a great weekend! I'll leave you with this one from the Old 97's with Fred Armisen (SNL, Portlandia, Late Night with Seth Myers) filling in on drums and Jenna Fischer (The Office) as the interviewer.



Tony Jordan

Weekend Picks: Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Larry Keel, Os Mutantes, Eisley, Jeff the Brotherhood, Pepper, The Taters, Down the Rabbit Hole

Reggae/dub/rock band Pepper is at The National  Wednesday night with pop-punkers Less Than Jake, The Attack and The Bunny Gang. Tix are $21 advance, $24 day of show, doors open at 6:30, show starts at 7:30. Pepper is out supporting their new self-produced album, "Ohana". If you somewhere where pot it legal, you can get Pepper's own brand, "Hawaiian Pepper". Find it where quality weed is sold. Here's Pepper's "Give It Up":



Psych/grunge band Jeff the Brotherhood plays Strange Matter Wednesday night. Big No and Roy Batty open. Doors open at 8. Tix are $10 advance, $12 day of show. You might dig Jeff the Brotherhood if you like Diarrhea Planet, Ty Segall Band, Screaming Females, Black Keys, or Weezer. Here's Jeff the Brotherhood's "Diamond Way":



Out of New Orleans, it's the Dirty Dozen Brass Band at Capital Ale House Downtown Wednesday. Tix are $20 advance, $25 day of show. The Get Right Band opens the show at 8, doors open at 7. Dirty Dozen is celebrating their 40th anniversary this year. Hard to believe. And I hope they never stop because they put on a fun and fantastic show that will not allow you to sit still. Here's an unofficial video for "Lil' Liza Jane":

You can spend happy hour (or happy three hours) at Hardywood Friday night when The Atkinsons and Long Arms play from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM. The taproom opens at 4 if you want to get a head start before the bands come on. The Atkinsons are one of 20 bands, five from Richmond, that are up for a spot playing at this year's Lockn' Festival. And every vote (you can vote once a day) gets you a chance for a pair of 4-day GA passes to the festival. You can vote HERE. The Atkinsons also entered into the NPR Tiny Desk Concert contest. Here's their entry for "Out of Time":

The Taters have a really special show at The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen Friday night. They'll be backed by the Richmond Symphony for the show and I can't wait to see what songs they do from their repertoire of classic rock and pop. And some of their originals too! The show is at 7 PM and tix are $40. You can add dinner before the show for an additional $28. Here's another recent collaboration for The Taters, playing with Russ Varnell & His Too Country Band:



Friday at The Broadberry, bluegrass/Americana artist Larry Keel performs. Doors open at 8, Boy Named Banjo opens the show at 9. Tix are $13 advance, $18 at the door. Here's some of Larry's press blurb:

Larry Keel is described by reviewers as the most powerful, innovative and all-out exhilarating acoustic guitarist performing today. Keel has absorbed the best lessons from his Country and Bluegrass family upbringing, both sides deeply steeped in the rich mountain music culture and heritage of Southwest Virginia. From there, he has always integrated that disciplined musical grounding and natural-born talent with his own incomparable approach to playing the guitar and composing original music. He's also got a knack for choosing interesting and appealing material from all realms of music with guts, whether it's a tune written by a fellow song-writer/musician friend, or a tasty cover from any number of genres all over the map. The combination is pretty irresistible, and has earned Keel the highest respect and billing among the top acoustic musicians alive, and some now gone: Sam Bush, Del McCoury, Oliver Wood (The Wood Brothers), Chance McCoy (Old Crow Medicine Show), Tony Rice, Chris Thile,Vassar Clements, John Hartford, Bill Monroe, Peter Rowan, and Darol Anger to name a few. And his fierce, high-spirited energy also appeals to young rockers, jammers and alt country players and fans who are equally drawn to Keel's deep rumbling voice, his earthy and imaginative song-writing, and his down-home-gritty-good-time charm. Keel regularly collaborates with Americana giants Yonder Mountain String Band, Railroad Earth, Greensky Bluegrass, Infamous Stringdusters, Keller Williams, Steep Canyon Rangers (with Steve Martin), Jorma Kaukonen, David Nelson, Little Feat, Rebirth Brass Band, Dirty Dozen Brass, members of String Cheese Incident and Leftover Salmon, amongst others.

Here's the Larry Keel Experience, which is the lineup at the Broadberry, on 12/31/16:

The Canal Club hosts an event called Down The Rabbit Hole on Saturday starting at 4 PM and going until 2 AM. There will be live music from:

• Members of The Wailers - A Tribute to Bob Marley
• THE TRONGONE BAND (NOTE: Trongone Band is no longer playing as of 2/22, 6:23 PM)
• Jouwala Collective
• Burning Fire Reggae band
• Space Koi
• DJ Elliott Ness & WellWicked 

They'll be making it a full experience including acrobats and go-go dancers, arts & crafts vendors, contests & giveaways and themed shots & drinks. Tix are $15 advance, $20 at the door. Here's Trongone Band playing at Winter Skunk Fest a couple weeks ago:

The Broadberry has indie pop band Eisley along with Civilian and Backwards Dancer Saturday night. Doors at 7, show at 8, $15 to get in. Eisley's new album, "I'm Only Dreaming" came out on 2/17. From that album, here's "Louder Than a Lion":



Americana acoustic pop band Hazeltone is at Poe's Pub Saturday night from 9 PM to 1 AM. No cover charge or opener is listed.

50+ year Brazilian psychedelic pop band Os Mutantes is at Capital Ale House Downtown Tuesday night. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with Major & the Monbacks. Tix are $25 advance, $30 day of show. Here's the band in 2015:



That'll do it. Have a great weekend! I'll leave you with Gov't Mule joined by Grace Potter for a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Gold Dust Woman":



Have a great weekend!

Weekend Picks: Black Joe Lewis, Anders Osborne, Steve Forbert, Turn to Crime, KINGS, Good Shot Judy, Never Mind the Bollocks Here's Richmond

Not sure what's been going on the last few weeks, but it seems all the bands want to play on Friday night. So you'll need to make some decisions, my friends.

Folk singer/songwriter/guitarist Steve Forbert is at Capital Ale House Downtown Friday. Doors at 7, show at 8, no opener listed. Tix are $20 advance, $25 day of show. Here's some background on Steve from his press blurb:

After years with local bands, Steve Forbert left his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi in his early 20s and headed for the Big Apple in search of recording deals and larger audiences. He started out playing for change at Grand Central Station and hitting every open mic night he could before eventually moving into the club scene at infamous spots like New York City's CBGB's. At a time when rootsy rock was fading in favor of punk edged bands such as the Ramones, Talking Heads, and Blondie, Forbert's folk pop "Romeo's Tune" hit #11 on the charts and brought him into the international spotlight. Critics and the public embraced his melodic and lyrical styles, a more traditional sound among the post disco punk and rock of the late '70s and early '80s. Always following his own instincts, Forbert says, "I've never been interested in changing what I do to fit popular style and needs."

And that's the motto he has lived by since the release of his debut album, Alive on Arrival, in 1978. Rolling Stone contributing editor David Wild recently wrote that "now or then, you would have been hard pressed to find a debut effort that was simultaneously as fresh and accomplished as Alive on Arrival. It was like a great novel by a young author who somehow managed to split the difference between Mark Twain and J. D. Salinger."

From his 2005 album, "Good Soul Food - Live at the Ark", here's "Good Planets Are Hard to Find". Indeed!

Great New Orleans blues/rock guitarist Anders Osborne is at The Broadberry Friday night. Tix are $25. Doors open at 8 ,show starts at 9 with The Ghost of Paul Revere opening. If I didn't have my kids this weekend, I would definitely be at this show (kids come first!). I've been seeing Anders since the 90's and he always puts on a fantastic rocking show. I've seen Anders at Lockn' Festival recently, with his band and playing with Phil Lesh and others at the fest. Hopefully, we can give him some good Richmond memories at this show as I believe the last time he was in Richmond he was onstage on the infamous day when Toots Hibbert of Toots & the Maytals was hit by the thrown vodka bottle at Riverrock. A black day in Richmond's music history. Thankfully, Toots got back to touring last year. Anders will be with his full band Friday, but here he is playing acoustic while riding in a gondola:

On Friday at Gallery5, it's Never Mind the Bollocks Here's Richmond when "Gouda Mayhem performs the classic Sex Pistols album, Never Mind the Bollocks, in its entirety as a celebration of the 40th anniversary of its release, with an All-Star cast of Richmond guest vocalists, including Julie Storey of Doll Baby, Lindsey Spurrier of Roy Batty and Hot Dolphin, Eddie Prendergast of Mikrowaves, Chrissie Lozano of Lady God, and, in his first live performance in more than 15 years, Taylor Steele of FOUR WALLS FALLING! It's looking like there are going to be multiple guest DRUMMERS also. This is gonna be some chaotic fun. Kenneka Cook will be opening with a beautiful non-Sex Pistols-related set." Doors open at 8, show starts at 9, tix are $8 advance, $10 day of show. Here's some Sex Pistols with Spanish subtitles:



Good Shot Judy (jazz) and My Son the Doctor ( Eastern European Soul) will play/record at Sound of Music Studios Friday night. They'll be creating a jazz club atmosphere. Head on over and have your cheers immortalized on a live recording. Show starts at 8. $7 suggested donation for the bands and sound engineer. Here's Good Shot Judy conjuring up a little of that old black magic:



R&B/soul/funk band KINGS are at The Camel Friday night. This is a special Valentine's show, including an RVA Entertainers Club set with special guests, including Sam Reed. Ropeadope Records band Escaper from NY will open the show. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9, $10 to get in. Here's KINGS latest track, "Enough Island":



Experimental indie alternative pop band Turn to Crime turn into Strange Matter Sunday night. Doors open at 8, $8 to get in. The Green Hearts and Doctor Collins open. NME said "An uplifting mix of Krautrock, playful synths and candy-pop hooks; Turn To Crime sound like an experiment gone awry in a toy factory" Their new song from their new album, "Secondary" is now near and dear to my heart. And my pills will indeed blow your mind.

Finally, the show I'll be at Monday night. Black Joe Lewis is gonna bring the grungy blues/funk to Strange Matter. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9. It's $15 to get in. Dams of the West (featuring Chris Tomson of Vampire Weekend) and RVA's own Big Mama Shakes open the show. This is a great show top to bottom so get there early. I have a feeling this will be sweaty dancey night. From Black Joe Lewis' new album, "Backlash", here's "PTP":




That'll do it. Have a great weekend! I'll see you at Black Joe Lewis Monday night. I'll leave you with this for Valentine's Day.



Tony Jordan

Weekend Picks: WRIR Black Valentine's Party, Ruthie Foster, No BS! Brass Band, Full Moon Fever, Instant Karma

It's happy hour goodness at Hardywood on Friday night especially if you like Tom Petty. Full Moon Fever, the Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers tribute band, will be there along with openers, Imaginary Boys (Cure tribute). The taproom opens at 4:30 and the music starts at 6. Don't cost nothin' to get in. Here's TP doing "You Don't Know How It Feels":



More tribute bands when Instant Karma (Beatles/John Lennon) are at Cary St. Cafe from 2 - 6 Saturday afternoon. Here's The Beatles visiting Penny Lane. On horses.



Blues/folk/gospel artist Ruthie Foster is at The Tin Pan on Saturday night. Ruthie is out supporting her new album, "Joy Comes Back" which comes out March 24. Ruthie was nominated for Grammies in 2010, 2012 and 2014 for Best Blues Album and Ruthie has been recognized by organizations such as the Austin Music Awards (2007, 2008 and 2013 Best Female Vocalist), Blues Music Awards (2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013), Living Blues Awards (2010 Critics' Poll Winner and 2011 nominee for Blues Female Artist of the Year). Doors open at 6, show starts at 8, tix are $30 advance, $35 at the door. Here's one of her performances on this year's Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise:



No BS! Brass Band will perform an early show (doors at 6, music at 7 and 2 sets from No BS) on Sunday night. They are calling it the No BS Brass Valentine's Dinner Theatre. Dinner is not included with the price but you can always get your own from the menu at Capital Ale House Downtown and of course partake from their fine selection of beer. Tix are $15 advance, $20 at the door. Let's step back 3.5 years to No BS' performance on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert:

On Tuesday, February 14, WRIR FM 97.3 presents its 11th annual Black Valentine’s Day Party. Gotta broken heart again? Happy loving couples ain’t no friend of yours? Feel like love stinks? Then this is the party for you!  Happy people who enjoy great music while in the company of the brokenhearted are also welcome!

Three great performers, Mikrowaves, Dorthia Cottrell (of Windhand), and Paul Ivey, will perform songs about love gone terribly wrong.  These are songs that speak to love unrequited, betrayal, despair and hearts torn asunder… the horrible emotions that make you feel miserable but oh so alive. Your favorite WRIR DJs will be on hand to spin songs of romantic woe between sets.

This year’s party will also features the Black Valentine’s Day live Date Auction, with proceeds benefiting WRIR!  Each winning bidder will walk away with an eligible date and a dinner for two at one of Richmond’s finest restaurants.  And should romance bloom, don’t blame us when it all comes crashing down in a fiery wreck.  You should have seen that coming.

For the past eleven years, the romantically downtrodden have found solace at the Black Valentine’s Day Party.  Well-adjusted people in happy, committed relationships are also welcome, but the rest of us would appreciate it if you’d turn the joy down a notch.  We’re trying to enjoy our heartache over here.

The musical misery gets underway at 8:00 pm sharp at Gallery 5. 200 W Marshall St., Richmond, VA.  Admission is free, but you must be 18 or older to attend, and any donations at the door will benefit Gallery 5.  Doors open at 7:00 pm.

Here's the Mikrowaves last July 4 at Hardywood (that was a fun and interesting night) performing Dodge Diplomat:

That'll do it! Have a great weekend! I'll see you at Hardywood Friday night and the WRIR Black Valentine's Party. I'll leave you with this one dedicated to Betsy DeVos:



Tony Jordan

Weekend Picks: WRIR Party for the Rest of Us, Eric Krasno & Marcus King, Hiss Golden Messenger, Charlie Hunter, Black Marble, Atmosphere

The weekend kicks off Thursday at Broadberry with Eric Krasno Band and Marcus King Band. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9. Tix are $17 advance, $20 day of show. Eric Krasno is a veteran of funk-jam bands Soulive and Lettuce and is the go-to guy to sit in with just about everyone on the jam band scene. It'll be a funky good time. And get there early for the up and coming "soul-influenced psychedelic southern rock" of The Marcus King Band. The 20 year old guitar player (Marcus King) is gaining fast acclaim on the jam band/blues scene and will probably be headlining on his own the next time he comes through town. And expect the two guitarists to play together at some point. Here's a little tour teaser from Eric and Marcus filmed on the beach at Gov't Mule's Island Exodus:

Friday is chock full o' music, but the highlight for me is the WRIR Party for the Rest of Us celebrating the 12th birthday of Richmond's independent radio station. I may be a bit biased because (full disclosure) I am a volunteer at the station. But this is a great lineup of music. Check it out:

People's Blues of Richmond

Beex  

Yeni Nostalji 

Doll Baby 

Richmond Avant Improvisational Collective 

HeadlessMantis

Satellite Syndicate 

Harry Partch Appreciation Society 

RVA Comedy Standup showcase

WRIR DJs spinning between sets

And you not only get all that but free birthday cake too! You get in for a $15 donation that supports WRIR. Doors open and the entertainment starts at 7 PM. It will run until midnight. Here's People's Blues of Richmond with "Quit or Die":

Friday evening, there is an early show at Strange Matter with electronic/alternative/indie/synth pop/new wave/rock band Black Marble. Doors open at 5. You. & Unmaker open. $10 advance, $12 day of show. Here's Black Marble doing "Frisk" live on 1/24:

Jazz-funk guitarist Charlie Hunter brings his trio to Capital Ale House Downtown Friday night. Tix are $22.50 advance, $25 at the door. Doors at 7, show at 8 and no opener is listed. Here's the press blurb for Charlie and the band:

Charlie Hunter really deserves his own category because he has had to actually invent guitars to match his vision. When the Berkeley-High-School graduate emerged on San Francisco stages in the 1990s using an 8-string guitar on which he simultaneously played bass, chords and leads, he seemed almost freakish, but that impression was quickly tempered by a profound musicality that brought him deep respect on the international scene.

Here's the trio on 12/30/16 opening for Snarky Puppy:



Singer/songwriter Hiss Golden Messenger is at Broadberry Friday. Tix are $16, doors at 8, show at 9 with opener Phil Cook. Hiss aka Michael Taylor will be hitting a few festivals this summer including BottleRock Napa Valley, Boston Calling, Pickathon, and Sloss Fest. Here they are playing for WYEP in Pittsburgh earlier today (1/31):

Clair Morgan does their monthly First Friday show at The Camel. Each one of these shows is a benefit and this one is for ART 180. Tix are $6 advance, $8 day of show. Doors at 8, show at 9. The Dawn Drapes, Glass Twin, and J Kramer open. Here's Clair Morgan's "How to Set Your Bed on Fire":



Afro-Zen All Stars kick off the Global Sound Series at the newly named The Mainline at Ashland Coffee and Tea. (If you're wondering what has changed along the name, check out this article from Style.) I saw Afro-Zen All Stars at the Broadberry last month when they opened for No BS! Brass Band and their sound is quite mesmerizing. Here's their press blurb:

Led by a driving horn section, the Afro-Zen Allstars present a powerful instrumental collection that evokes irresistible rhythms and dance-able grooves. From Ethiopia’s “Golden Age” of music (popularized by the Ethiopiques Series and groups such as Debo Band) to wedding music of Rajasthan or Zimbabwe’s Chimurenga music of “revolutionary struggle,” Afro-Zen honors a heritage of positive music through the modern arrangements of its bandleader, George M. Lowe. As a lifelong student of international music, Lowe takes the listener to a place where the sound is both rare yet familiar.

Afro-Zen Allstars features the powerhouse lineup of Hector “Coco” Barez, percussion; Brian Cruse, Bass; John Lilley, Alto and Tenor Sax; George M. Lowe, Guitar; Scott Milstead, Drums; Chris Sclafani, Baritone Sax; Chris Vasi, Guitar; and Toby Whitaker, Trombone as well as a rotating cast of Richmond’s all-star musicians.

Tix are $8 advance, $10 at the door. The show will run from 8 to 10. No opener. Here they are performing at that show at The Broadberry:

Hip-hop duo Atmosphere is at The National Saturday night with Brother Ali, deM atlaS, Plain Ole Bill, and Last Word. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8. Tix are $20 advance, $25 day of show. From their latest album, "Fishing Blues", here's Atmosphere's "A Long Hello":

Indie popper Allison Crutchfield and The Fizz bubble up in Strange Matter Saturday. $12 cover. Doors open at 8. Radiator Hospital and Pinkwash open. Born in Alabama, Allison now resides in Philly, as do the rest of the bands on the bill (thus the Liberty Bell in the poster) which makes them all cool in my book, being a Philly boy myself. However, now Allison says she doesn't "Ever Wanna Leave California". OK, the weather is better there. But you can't get a good cheesesteak there.



That'll do it. I'll see you at the Eric Krasno show. Here's a pretty trippy song and video from a band called Moon Duo.



Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan