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