Weekend Picks: Sam Lewis, Helms Alee, Bill Kirchen, Porches, Anthony Green, People's Blues of Richmond, Three Sheets to the Wind

Head out on Wednesday to see up and coming alt-country musician Sam Lewis at The Broadberry. Tix are $10 advance, $12 at the door. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 with opener Angelica Garcia. I saw Sam at the Tin Pan a couple months ago and he put on a great show. What was exciting to me, the audience and Sam and his band was when he said they were going to play some new stuff that was in sort of a new direction, perhaps a little more soul infused into the music. That new stuff got the biggest ovation of the night, causing Sam to say, "Well, I guess that's a good direction to be going in." This guy could be the next Sturgill Simpson or Chris Stapleton (who Sam has recently been opening for and is a friend and admirer of Sam). No Depression magazine compared him to “the musical spirit of Leon Russell and maybe Al Green, after a weekend with Willie and Waylon in Dripping Springs, TX.” From a couple years ago, here's Sam doing "Some People":

Thursday night, People's Blues of Richmond returns to the RVA for a show at The Broadberry. Tix are $12 advance, $15 day of show. Doors at 8, show starts at 9 with openers Stop Light Observations and Seawhorse. This is the first date of their Fall Tour which will take them to PA, MD, AR, TX, CA, CO, NE, WI, OH, NY, OK, MO, IL, WI and IA. Whew! The rest of the country should hold on because they are about to be injected with the PBR sound. Here's "Gone Gone Gone" from their new album "Quit or Die":



At The Tin Pan Friday night, great honky tonk/blues guitarist Bill Kirchen will perform with keyboardist Austin de Lone for a party to celebrate the release of their new album together, "Transatlanticana". Tix are $20 advance, $25 at the door. Doors open at 6, show starts at 8, no opener is listed. Here's the press blurb on their duo:

Bill Kirchen and Austin de Lone team up for a hands-across-the-Atlantic collection with their new studio album, Transatlanticana, out on August 26, 2016 on Red House Records. This long-overdue release unites the pioneers of two major musical movements: Kirchen co-founded the original “Americana” band, Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen, and his trademark Telecaster licks drove their hit “Hot Rod Lincoln” into the Top 10 in 1972. De Lone dropped out of Harvard to start Eggs Over Easy, moving to London and recording with Jimi Hendrix’s producer/manager and The Animals’ bass player Chas Chandler in 1970. The Eggs are the progenitors of British pub rock, the first link in the chain to punk rock, new wave and beyond. Backed by both their all-star British and American bands, Transatlanticana finds Kirchen and de Lone trading songwriting credits and lead vocals on this soulful and rocking collection. They kick it off with the timely “Hounds of the Bakersfield,” a tribute to the late Merle Haggard and the Bakersfield, CA sound.

Kirchen and de Lone cut the album in Austin and London, capturing on disc the best of their 30-year collaboration. Kirchen is Austin-based; de Lone is in the San Francisco Bay Area, but both artists have longtime ties with the UK scene: Kirchen has toured as a guitarist with Nick Lowe and put out three albums on UK label Proper Records; de Lone has toured as keyboard player for Lowe and Elvis Costello and put out his first solo album on UK label Demon Records. 

They first collaborated in the mid-1970s, writing together as The Moonlighters: “We sent Nick Lowe a bunch of songs for Rockpile, but unbeknownst to us they had decided to break up,” Kirchen says. What de Lone got back was a letter from Lowe that began, “Dear hero o’ mine. There’s not many of us left…” Lowe then offered to produce them in London, and the resulting Moonlighters album, Rush Hour, came out in 1983 on the Edsel label. Since then, Bill and Austin have teamed up with with Lowe and Costello many times: de Lone has worked with Lowe, Paul Carrack and Costello on several tours and Kirchen held the guitar chair for Lowe’s critically acclaimed Impossible Bird disc and tour. In 2008, Costello borrowed the title cut from Kirchen’s album Hammer Of The Honky-Tonk Gods for his band name at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco featuring de Lone, Kirchen, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welsh and Jim Lauderdale. 

The songs of Transatlanticana represent the core elements of Americana music – R&B, country, rock and even a gospel track. Butch Hancock duets his song “Oxblood” with Kirchen. It’s a meaty slice of Texas boogie recorded with the Austin contingent. “I guess they used to color concrete with ox blood; I thought it was just an old shoe polish color” says Kirchen.

Spirited and served up with wit and humor, Transatlanticana is a gem –- a ringside seat to these transatlantic sessions by a group of like-minded, top-of-their-game players enjoying each other’s musical company. For tour dates and more info go to www.billkirchen.com.

 Here's Bill performing with The Twangbangers in 2007:




Three Sheets to the Wind does their yacht rock thang at The Broadberry on Friday night. Tix run from $12 to $40, doors open at 8, show starts at 9, no opener, just two long sets of yacht rock from TSTTW. They are getting political at this show, with an alternative political party, The White Pants Party. So wear your white pants and party like it's 1979. Here they are doing "Ride Like the Wind":



Sludge metal/noise rock/shoegaze/alternative/indie/experimental band Helms Alee are at Strange Matter  on Friday. Doors open at 9, it's $10 to get in. Polyon and Manzara open. Helms Alee recently wrapped up a tour with The Melvins. Here's Helms Alee a couple years ago on KEXP:

Dark electronic indie pop band Porches is at Strange Matter Monday. Tix are $13 advance, $15 day of show, doors open at 7. Japanese Breakfast and Rivergazer open. Here's the video for "Black Dress" from their new EP, "Water".

Philly Indie/rock/folk singer-songwriter Anthony Green is at The Canal Club Tuesday night (9/6). Tix are $17.50 advance, $20 day of show, doors open at 7:30, Secret Space and Heat Thunder open. Anthony has a new album, "Pixie Green" out. You may also know Anthony from the other bands he has been in. He is currently the lead singer of Circa Survive along with having a solo career. He was previously in the bands Saosin, The Sound of Animals Fighting, Audience of One, Jeer at Rome, High and Driving, and Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer. From that album, here's "You'll Be Fine":



That's it. I'll see you at the Sam Lewis show.  I don't know if I'll have time to do a full Lockn' Festival recap, but My Morning Jacket put on an absolutely amazing show on Saturday night. But there's no good video of the show yet. Phish was also excellent, especially on Friday night so here's the full set. I especially like the Free and Wolfman's Brother in the first set and the a cappella Space Oddity to close that set. The second set run of Punch You In The Eye > Blaze On > Fuego > Ghost > Bathtub Gin was pretty special too.



Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Weekend Picks: Psychedelic Furs, Bill Kirchen, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Bio Ritmo, Ultra Kings, Dismal Swamp Lords, Rocket Queens

Memorial Day weekend! If you're not leaving town or going to be at bar-b-q's all weekend and you want to see live music, you'll want to do it Friday night.

Thursday night has a couple options first, including yacht rock cover band Three Sheets to the Wind at The Broadberry. Doors open at 8, there is no opener listed. Tix are $15 in advance, $18 day of show and $35 for VIP. Here they are doing Christopher Cross' "Ride Like the Wind":



Tarrant will be with Faceship at Poe's Pub Thursday. Show will start at 9. The cover is $5. Here's Tarrant at The Camel in April:



Friday Cheers has their annual local band night this Friday. It's only $5 to get in, it looks like it will be a gorgeous evening and there is a little something for everyone musically. The headliner is internationally renowned salsa band from the RVA, Bio Ritmo. Bring your dancing shoes. If you can't move when they play, you must be dead. And I'm not kidding about world renowned. This summer they play Philly, Winston-Salem, Toulouse (France) and Istanbul. Also, on the bill are the psych/surf/garage sounds of The Milkstains and country music from Honky Tonk Heroes. So come down and join me for a beer or two (or three). I hope my leftover beer ticket from Riverrock works. Here's Bio Ritmo with "Oye Hermano":



Ashland Coffee & Tea has great honky-tonk rock guitarist Bill Kirchen and his All Texas Band. Show starts at 8, tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Here's his press blurb; "Get ready to be blown away by Bill’s reknowned licks!  Bill Kirchen has become widely known for the trademark big-rig guitar riffs that powered the Commander Cody hit “Hot Rod Lincoln” into the Top 10 in 1972. Since 1993, he has recorded seven critically acclaimed albums of his own that have made him one of the musical elder statesmen of today’s Americana music, which in truth was pioneered by acts like Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen back in the ‘70s." Here's Bill and his band wishing for a "Rockabilly Funeral" when they die:

Bluegrass/Americana band Jackass Flats is at The Broadberry Friday night. Doors open at 8 PM, Captain Grandpa and Faceship will open. Tix are $8 in advance, $10 day of show. Here's Jackass Flats in March 2014 doing a Pink Floyd tune:



Classic 80's band, Psychedelic Furs, are at The National on Friday. Tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with openers Black English. Here's the Furs doing "Heartbreak Beat" from 1986:

Over at Poe's Pub Friday night, it's raw rock n' roll/surf/rockabilly/blues from The Ultra Kings (from my old stomping grounds in Lehigh Valley PA) and Dismal Swamp Lords (RVA). I know the Dismal Swamp Lords have been recording some tunes recently so they may have something new for you. Show starts at 9 and it's $5 to get in. This is gonna be a fun show with some fun bands doing straight up, no frills, good time rock n' roll. Here's The Ultra Kings:



Saturday, Hardywood is busting out their Peach Tripel, an Abbey-Style Tripel Ale refermented on peaches. Sounds rather yummy. And what better way to celebrate that beer than with all-female Guns N' Roses cover band from NYC, The Rocket Queens! The beer gets tapped at 2. Some other bands will be announced over the next couple days. Check the Hardywood site for the schedule. Here's "Nightrain" from The Rocket Queens, which was the first GNR tune I ever heard:



Don't forget that besides being Memorial Day, Monday is also Towel Day. Be a hoopy frood who always knows where his towel is.



The great Dirty Dozen Brass Band from New Orleans will be at The Broadberry Wednesday. Tix are $13 in advance, $15 at the door. Doors open at 8 and Kings open the show. Here's Dirty Dozen in Austin this year doing an amazing version of "Use Your Brain":



I'll see you at Friday Cheers, Poe's for the Ultra Kings/Dismal Swamp Lords show and maybe Hardywood Saturday. Now I'm going to go watch Dave Letterman's last show. I hope I don't cry and I hope he goes out doing something really silly.

In honor of Memorial Day and the Americans who have fought and died so we can enjoy the freedom of music and dance with our kids, here's Jason Isbell's "Dress Blues":



Tony Jordan

Lockn' Festival Review, Weekend Picks: Whirr, Matisyahu, Molly Hatchet, Bill Kirchen, Jim Lauderdale, 43rd St. Festival of the Arts, Luekemia Lymphoma Benefit

Lockn', Lockn', Lockn'! Another successful Lockn'. The music was as good, if not better, than last year and the organizers improved the logistics and infrastructure greatly, leaving much promise that things will improve even more next year.

Rolled in early Thursday AM and was set up by 10:30 AM. Not a bad view out of my back window. We were in almost the exact same place as last year.

Time for beer and breakfast. That's Perl manning the griddle.

Thursday was largely spent drinking beer, taking a nap, and drinking more beer while we waited for the music to start at 4 PM. It began in an RVA way with a great set by No BS! Brass Band. The crowd was a bit sparse due to the heat and people still getting in, but No BS! had everyone grooving in no time. They really won the crowd over with their version of Led Zep's "The Ocean".

I would have stayed down there if it wasn't so damn hot. I wanted to save my energy knowing things had just begun so I headed back to camp to chill out in the air conditioned cool of the RV until sundown. On the way, I ran into a replica of Ken Kesey's Furthur bus. I found out later that it's tradition for people with vials of liquid acid to rub some on the outside of the bus. That way those who want a quick hit can lick the bus and go to never-ever land. No, I didn't lick the bus.

String Cheese Incident & Umphrey's McGee were each doing two alternating sets that night. The first set from each was good, but the second sets from each were excellent. From Umphrey's second set here's Puppet String > Higgins > Puppet String. Most of the videos from Lockn' will be audience shot but this is official video:

Umphrey's followed that with an absolutely fantastic version of Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond". They built the tension magnificently in the opening.



Then it was time for String Cheese & the Gang, String Cheese Incident's tribute to Kool & the Gang with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and JT Taylor, who was the lead singer of Kool & the Gang from 1979 to 1988. The set opened with two songs sans JT which were hits before he joined K&TG; "Jungle Boogie" and "Hollywood Swingin'". I was primed for "Jungle Boogie" and they didn't let me down. Perl, more of a bluegrass guy, was not as enthusiastic (OK, he hated it) as I was, but his wife, Jill, and I were getting down like it was 1984. Perl was a good husband and stuck it out for Jill's sake. Jill and I kept working the "Jungle Boogie" lyrics (Me: "Jungle Boogie! Jungle Boogie!", Jill: (in deep voice) "Get it on!") into sets throughout the rest of the weekend, just to bug poor Perl. He's a good sport. JT and his female backup singers then joined them for hits like "Fresh", "Ladies Night", "Joanna", and "Get Down On It" and I felt like I was back at the high school dance. We did escape before "Celebration". Perl had had enough and I don't need to hear "Celebration" ever again after dj'ing at weddings for 7 years. And besides we had to get back up the hill to the Forest Triangle stage to see Taj Mahal acoustic. Here's a taste of "Hollywood Swingin":



Up to the Forest Triangle stage, to see Taj Mahal's acoustic set. I made it through most of the set, before the long day of beer and heat caught up to me and I had to head back to camp to pass out. Here's some Taj:



I really wanted to see People's Blues of Richmond's short opening set Friday morning at 12:30. However, my overindulgence the night before and the heat caused me to opt for a nap. But thanks to the stages facing towards the campgrounds this year, I was able to hear the set and a great "Cocaine Powder". Here's their video for that one:



We did make it down by 2:45 in time to see a smokin' bluegrass set from Del McCoury Band, They were joined by Preservation Hall Jazz Band for a few songs (they did an album together in 2011) at the end of their set and they took advantage of the interlocked, or should I say interlockn', stages. Both bands continued playing and walked from one stage to the other without missing a beat and finished the song on the stage where PHJB would perform. It was very cool and a lot of fun. Del McCoury Band would come out again during PHJB's set and join them.Here's a taste of Del McCoury Band:



After PHJB, one of my favorite bands, the Drive-By Truckers came on. Though plagued by some sound/mix issues early in the set, I thought they did a really good set. It was weird to see them in the daylight, under the hot sun and I do prefer them at night when we are all (me and the band) a little tipsy. But they did some of my favorites, including openers "Lookout Mountain" and "Gravity's Gone". They also did powerful versions of "Bulldozers and Dirt" (the best song you'll ever hear about a drunk trying to pickup his stepdaughter), "Puttin' People on the Moon", "Sink Hole", "Zip City" and the song that closes their latest album and closed the set, "Grand Canyon". Wasn't any footage from Lockn' but here's DBT doing "Grand Canyon", a song written for long time member of DBT's touring family, Craig Lieske, who died suddenly of a heart attack in 2013. Also, some pictures I took of the band on stage at Lockn'.

After DBT, String Cheese did their third set of the weekend, then it was onto Bill Kreutzmann's (former drummer for the Grateful Dead) Locknstep Allstars, which included Oteil Burbridge (bassist for the Allman Brothers), Aron Magner (keyboards for Disco Biscuits), Steve Kimock, Tom Hamilton (guitarist for American Babies, who really shone), Col. Bruce Hampton and EOTO. Things started well but unspectacularly with Let the Good Times Roll (Sam Cooke cover), Big Railroad Blues, and They Love Each Other (with Keller Williams). Things started to get a little deeper with a nice version of Bird Song with Keller. Taj Mahal then joined the band for Further On Down the Road and Stagger Lee (the traditional version, not the closely related Grateful Dead version). Then, things really took off with the highlight of the set Help On The Way > Dark Star > Wharf Rat > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower. Dark Star featured a drum duet with Bill and Michael Travis of String Cheese playing on the two seperate stages. Wharf Rat was sung by Papa Mali. At first, his voice struck me as odd and I wasn't sure it would come off well. But he sang the song with such soul and passion, I was completely won over. The Slipknot featured lots of exploration before bringing it all back home with the best Franklin's Tower of the night (more on that later). Couldn't find video of the band from Lockn' but here's Bill Kreutzmann's 7 Walkers with Papa Mali doing Bertha > Wharf Rat a few years ago:



String Cheese Incident then came on for their fourth, final and best set of the weekend. I always enjoyed seeing SCI but they never really stuck with me. During this set, I finally "got it". It was just a fun, funky set all the way through and they played with a lot of passion. Bassist's Keith Moseley's "Joyful Sound" was the highlight of the set for me and had the whole crowd singing the "Na, Na, Na's". Here they are doing that one in 2009:

Phil Lesh and Friends (Warren Haynes, John Scofield, John Medeski, Joe Russo) were next to close out the night. Highlights included an epic, jammed out "Unbroken Chain", "Mountains of the Moon" (mellow, but appropriate with the almost full moon rising opposite the stage), "The Other One" and "Sunshine of Your Love". I'm still not a fan of Phil's singing, especially when Warren could sing some of the Jerry songs so much better. I also had to wonder whether Phil just didn't pay attention to the other bands playing Lockn' or didn't care. He played two Traffic tunes, "Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" and "Dear Mr. Fantasy", both of which Steve Winwood and Widespread Panic would play the next night. They were both played very well, but was it a tribute or an f-you? Then. he played "Franklin's Tower",which Bill Kreutzmann had done, and done better, two sets before. Very curious. Here's the "Unbroken Chain":



Headed over the to Shakedown Stage at 1 AM for the groovy set from Chris Robinson Brotherhood. They have perfected the mid-tempo groove, or, as Wyatt put it, the "walking beat". The Shakedown Stage was a bowl amphitheater that held what we estimated was about 3000 people. It will be perfect for future one-off concerts out there, if that is a direction the owners decide to go in. Highlights included the opener "Shake, Rattle & Roll", Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall" and "Rosalee". Here's the band doing "Meanwhile In The Gods" (sorry about the heavy bass on this, but this is the only video):



The next day was another hot one, but this was the day to get down there bright and early (OK, noon was bright and early at Lockn'.) We all wanted to head to the main stage to see Sam Bush with Larry and Jenny Keel and we weren't disappointed. The great thing about the early shows is you can walk right up to the front of the stage. Sam Bush's incredible fiddle and mandolin playing worked great with Jenny's at times funky bass and Larry's expert guitar picking and off the wall songs especially "Culpeper Woodchuck". Here the are doing Larry's "I'm No Doctor":

Freeman, Aaron Freeman from Ween's new band, was next. The first tune was a bit harsh, turning off the flower power crowd, with some f**ks and hates in the lyrics of the song. But he seemed to win over the crowd as he went along with some more melodic songs and his humor. I was disappointed he didn't do Ween's "Mutilated Lips" which would have gone over well with the early trippers:

After a brief 15 minute delay when they thought there would be some nasty weather (nothing developed), Gary Clark Jr. took the stage and after a few songs to warm up, melted some faces with his Hendrixian blues. Here's Gary doing "Bright Lights" at the Crossroads Festival in 2010 and some pics I took:

Tedeschi Trucks Band (who are coming to Richmond's Carpenter Theater on December 11) brought the blues/soul next and put on their usual great show. Highlights were the Derek and the Dominoes cover "Keep On Growing" and the closer "The Storm". Here they are doing "Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning":



Wilco was up next and delivered one of the sets of the festival, not just for the music, but for the sun shower that briefly cooled things off and the double rainbow that developed because of it. Jeff Tweedy was playfully upset at the rainbow upstaging the band and joked "Rainbows suck", which was one of the best lines of the festival. I wondered how they would go over with the jam band crowd but their blend of off-kilter alternative country and sometimes psychedelic rock really went over well. Here's some shots of Wilco I took, one a pro took with the double rainbow and then video of the band doing "Dawned on Me":

Phil Lesh & Friends then came on for their second and final set of the weekend. "Mississippi Half-Step" and "Eyes of the World" were the highlights, with the band particularly nailing the "Across the Rio Grande-o" part of Mississippi Half-Step. Then the storm came.

Phil & Friends were interrupted when they were doing the Beatles' "She Said She Said" by the announcement that a major storm was on the way and the concert field had to be evacuated. The crowd filed out in an orderly, calm manner and everyone headed back to their campsite. While we did get some moderate rain, the winds and lightning thankfully bypassed the festival site and soon the announcment was made that the show would start again in 25 minutes with full sets from the final two bands. The break actually worked well serving as a kind of happy hour, with everyone going back to their campsites, reconnecting with friends, having a couple beers and whatever else and getting ready for the rest of Saturday night. And what a night it was.

I got back to the stage just as Steve Winwood was joining Widespread Panic for a great set with Randall Bramblett joining on sax. They started with "Glad", then did "Low Spark", "I'm a Man", "Can't Find My Way Home" (the last two were the highlights), "Surprise Valley" (Panic song), "Dear Mr. Fantasy" and "Gimme Some Lovin'". Winwood's voice is still crystal clear. This is "Can't Find My Way Home":



Then, the much anticipated set from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Hit after hit after hit. Opening with the Byrds cover "So You Want Be A Rock & Roll Star", the set never let up. As an added bonus, the three new songs he played from his latest album, "Hypnotic Eye", stood up right next to the classics: "American Dream Plan B", "U Get Me High", and especially "Shadow People". Besides those tunes, highlights were "Free Fallin'", "Woman In Love", "Refugee", "Runnin' Down a Dream" and the set closer, "American Girl". These guys are still playing at a top level and had the crowd eating out of their hands the whole night.



Sunday came in much cooler than the past three days and we hit the concert area at 2 to see the beautiful and powerful Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. Highlights from Grace included "Nothing But the Water", a cover of Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit", "The Lion The Beast The Beat", "Paris (Ooh La La)" and "I Shall Be Released" into "A Little Help From My Friends", the last two of which were dedicated to recently deceased guitar tech for Warren Haynes, Brian Farmer, who was also paid tribute to in the Tedeschi Trucks Band set and in the Allman Brothers set.



Shot toward the stages:

Looking back toward the vendor tents:

After Grace, was Willie Nelson. Willie did a good Willie set. He's an icon, but he's a little tired now, I hate to say. The set was fun, but not very meaningful. A fine midday set to kick back in your chair, enjoy a beer and smoke the things that Willie smokes.



Wilco did their second set then and I think it was even better then their second set. Perhaps the pressure was off and there was no rainbow to compete this time.

Widespread Panic did the penultimate set of the weekend as Perl and I took up positions on the opposite stage to prepare for the Allman Brothers set. But our position there did give us a good vantage point for Widespread's set, which included a lot of highlights including "Pilgrims", "Pickin' Up the Pieces" (with Randall Bramblett on sax), "Pigeons", "Love Tractor" (Randall Bramblett on harmonica) and a cover of Bill Withers' "Use Me Up" with Susan Tedeschi.



Perl & I got ourselves a nice spot relatively close to the stage for the final set of the weekend, the last festival performance for ABB, the last performance south of the Mason-Dixon Line for ABB, and one of the last performances period for the Allman Brothers Band. They certainly delivered the goods. Despite some reservations about how well Gregg Allman would be, he was in fine health and voice and the band sounded great. They ran through the songs from the classic "Fillmore East" album in order (my highlight was "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed") and then gave us a"Midnight Rider", an exquisite "Mountain Jam" which sandwiched "Blue Sky" and "Little Martha". A fittting end to the festival and a fitting end to a band I've been seeing since 1986 (show in Fairmount Park, Philly) and a lot of people in the Lockn' audience have been seeing a lot longer than that.



My Lockn' Festival ended up on the hill at our campsite. I had one last beer while I stared at the full moon, the Harvest Moon, while a camper nearby played Neil Young's "Harvest Moon" on his stereo. Just far enough away to feel like it was floating through the air, a lullaby to put me and the festival to bed for another year. Can't wait until Lockn' 2015.



Well, that took me a few hours to write so I'm going to run down the weekend highlights quickly. No links. You people can use Google.

Classic Southern Rock band, Molly Hatchet, is at The Beacon Theater in Hopewell on Friday night staring at 6 PM.

The Wine & Beer Classic is at Maymont on Friday starting at 7 PM.

Great boogie-woogie Americana guitarist Bill Kirchen is at Ashland Coffee & Tea Friday at 8 PM.

The 43rd Street Festival of the Arts goes down at Forest Hill Ave & 43rd St on Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM.

The Chesterfield Craft Beer Festival takes place as Westchester Commons in Midlothian Saturday from noon to 6 PM.

Center of the Universe Brewery celebrates Oktoberfest at the brewery in Ashland on Saturday from 3 PM to 9 PM.

Alternative/indie/dreamy/pop band Whirr will be at Strange Matter Saturday with Cloakroom, The Snowy Owls and Keep. Doors open at 6, it's $10 in advance, $12 day of show. Here's Whirr live in August of last year:



Americana great Jim Lauderdale will be at Ashland Coffee & Tea on Saturday starting at 8 PM.



Sunday, the Central Virginia Food Truck Rodeo is at Chesterfield Towne (do we need the extra e?) Center from noon to 7.

The Shockoe on the Half Shell oyster festival is on at the 17th Street Farmers Market from noon to 5.

Tuesday, Hasidic rapper Matisyahu is at The National starting at 8 PM.

On Wednesday at The Broadberry, there is A Benefit For The Luekemia And Lymphoma Society With Dj Williams Projekt And Fear Of Music: A Talking Heads Tribute with The Lovecats, Lucky Stiffs, Red Light Rodeo, Dj Agent, The Vendors. That starts at 5 PM and tickets are just $10 and for a good cause. Here's DJ Williams Projekt in May at the Broadberry:



Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan