Weekend Picks: Zap Mama, Antibalas, BRONCHO, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Avers, Bio Ritmo, Trongone Band

Thursday night at the Modlin Center, two-time Grammy winners Spanish Harlem Orchestra will turn up the heat. The show starts at 7:30 PM and tickets range from $10 to $32 depending on your demographic. Here they are a few years ago:

Friday night at The Camel, Trongone Band headlines with opener Dale and the Zdubs. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 and it's $7 to get in. Trongone Band just got back from Key West, where they played a private wedding event, so they will be tanned and ready to go. Here they are at The Camel in December with Ron Holloway on sax doing an Allman Brothers classic:



Indie garage punk alternative noise rock band BRONCHO (out of Norman OK) will be at Strange Matter Friday. Doors open at 9 and it's $10 to get in. Yonatan Gat, The Milkstains and Daddy Issues open. You can download the Dine Alone Records Winter Sampler for FREE which includes BRONCHO, Lucius and others HERE. Here's BRONCHO's video for "Class Historian":

Hardywood Park Craft Brewery has a party on Saturday to celebrate their work with Cigar City Brewing to create The Milkmaid (White Milk Stout) and The Milkman (Chocolate Milk Stout). The tapping begins at 2 PM. Live music starts at 5 PM with The Trillions (shred pop), then
Warren Hixson (Lofi psychedelic surf pop) at 6:15 PM and Avers (hard psychedelic pop) at 7:30. Charlie Glenn will pull double duty playing with both The Trillions and Avers so buy him a beer. The Trillions will most likely be doing some songs from their new album, "Superposition", which comes out 1/31. Here's Avers doing "Hold On" at The Broadberry in October:



Wood Face, The Green Hearts and Jordan Tarrant will be at Sound of Music Recording Studio Saturday starting at 7 PM. It's $5 to get in. Here's The Green Hearts in the dark at Southside Lounge somewhere in America in 2013:

You can get your salsa on at The Broadberry on Saturday with Bio Ritmo. It's $8 in advance, $10 at the door and things get under way at 8 with DJ Felty and DJ Pari. They'll be recording this show live so get there and be on the recording. I'm on three official live recordings: The Kinks - "Live: The Road", Grateful Dead - "Nightfall of Diamonds" and Grateful Dead - "View from the Vault 1". I'm the guy yellling "Wooooooooooooooo!" after each song. Here's Bio Ritmo at The Camel in December:



Wednesday night, African jazz avant garde group Zap Mama is at the Carpenter Theatre with Antibalas. Tix are $30 - $38 and Antibalas opens the show at 7:30 PM. They'll be playing together so this should be a really cool funk jazz show. Here's the press blurbs for the bands:

Known to her fans as Zap Mama, Marie Daulne redefines the term "vocalist." Athletic and powerful on stage, Daulne is a “sonic stylist who alternates between storytelling and creative vocal expression.” She is the sound of urban, afro-scat, and alternative funk. Since bursting on the scene almost 20 years ago, the Belgian-Congolese diva has wowed audiences around the world with her unique sound, which seamlessly blends African, American, and European cultural influences and effortlessly mixes genres such as R&B, hip-hop, and jazz with indigenous and tribal sounds.

Antibalas is Afrobeat’s premier second-wave ensemble and disciples of Fela Kuti, the brilliant big-band leader and Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer. This eleven-member ensemble from Brooklyn deals in the rhythms that define the Afrobeat style, but bring in jazz, funk, dub, improvised music, and traditional drumming from Cuba and West Africa to much acclaim. Through their concerts, tours, and recordings, Antibalas has earned the admiration of a wide array of respected musicians, including everyone from Questlove and David Byrne to members of Fugazi and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. NPR Music’s Bob Boilen writes “If they come to your town, drop what you’re doing and go see them. Wear dancing shoes.”

Here's Zap Mama in Belgium:



As you may have heard, the remaining members of the Grateful Dead will be playing three final shows together in Chicago's Soldier Field on July 3, 4, and 5 to commemorate the band's 50th anniversary. Trey Anastasio from Phish will be on guitar (which I'm excited about, Hitler not so much) and Bruce Hornsby will be on keys. And I know you were probably wondering how Hitler, apparently a big Deadhead, would react. So here you go.



Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Weekend Picks: Richmond Jazz Festival, Watermelon Festival, George Clinton & P-Funk, The Whigs, Seaway, Boy George, Fool's Errand, Bush League, Tauk

If you are looking for good beer and a relatively early night to start your weekend, head over to Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. Tasting room opens at 4 PM and there will be food courtesty of the Olio food cart. Music starts at 6 PM with Matt Conner and continues at 7 PM with Fool's Errand (they describe themselves as "dark in nature, folk-esque, a touch jazzy and a kiss of world flair. Maybe a lick of bluegrass as well."). I've seen Fool's Errand a few times now and they're a fun band in the vein of Mumford & Sons or Avett Brothers. Oh, and it's all FREE to get in.

If you're more wino than beer guy or gal, get thee to James River Cellars Winery in Glen Allen on Friday night for blues with The Bush League. Things get under way at 6:30 PM on the patio. Food trucks Grapevine and Sideways Mobile will be there. It's $10 to get in and it will go until 9:30 PM. Bush League recently celebrated their 7th anniversary together.

At The Camel Friday night, indie rockers from Athens The Whigs, along with Glass Twin and Sideways Orange perform. The doors open at 8, it's $12 in advance and $14 at the door. The Whigs will be playing a bunch of shows with Social Distortion next month and the Whigs fall in that same vein of good hard rock n' roll with a touch of Americana to keep things honest. Here's The Whigs doing "Hit Me" in CA a few days ago:

Boy George of Culture Club fame will be at The Hat Factory Friday night doing a DJ set with Marc Vedo. This is only one of three stops they are doing in the US before it's back to Europe. Doors will open at 9 and it's $25 to get in. Boy George will be touring with Culture Club in December but if you want to see it and you aren't in the UK, you are out of luck. Here's a clip from their first comeback show in July:



The Richmond Jazz Festival is at Maymont Saturday and Sunday and features quite a lineup including Boz Scaggs, Cassandra Wilson, Boney James, Babyface Edmonds, Mary Mary, Plunky & Oneness, Cameo, Bill Frisell, Average White Band, Blind Boys of Alabama, Dianne Reeves, Christian McBride, Earl Klugh, Maceo Parker, and Fred Wesley & the New JBs. Single day tix are $75. Doors open at 11 AM each day. I don't know if Cameo is jazz but "Word Up" always kicks ass, especially with LeVar Burton:



If you are hanging in the house on Saturday, you can get your smooth rock party on with a David Gray webcast on Yahoo Screen. Click HERE to go that when it starts at 10 PM ET.

Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM, it's the 31st annual Carytown Watermelon Fest. Lots of watermelon, a kids area, adult beverages available from the many bars in Carytown, and music. There will be 80 performers on the various stages throughout the day, but they provide neither a list of whose playing or at what times. So, it's hit or miss there.

On Sunday over at The Camel, pop punkers, or would that be punk poppers, Seaway will rock you until the end of the weekend with Stickup Kid, Candy Hearts (make sure you get in to see them), Driver Friendly, Centerfolds and Thanks. To fit all those bands in the doors will open at 6 and the show starts at 6:30. Seaway is out of Canada so of course they called their new album "Hoser" (those who remember the "Great White North" will know what they mean). Here's a 30 minute session Seaway did for Audiotree, eh.



Tuesday night at Broadberry, DJ Williams Projekt will do their jazz/funk thing with Tauk (who will be Lockn' Festival). Doors open at 8, tix are $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Here's Tauk at The Saint in Asbury Park earlier this month:


Finally, join Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk, Diaper Man, Dr. Funkenstein and the rest of the Grand Party of Funk on Wednesday night when George Clinton and P-Funk touch the Mothership down at Innsbrook. The Mothership, by the way, is now part of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Amerian Histoy & Culture to anchor their "Musical Crossroads: exhibition. Gates open at 5, show starts around 6 with opener TBA. Tickets are at the usual ridiculous Gold Circle crap prices at Innsbrook (please stop, Innnsbrook!) this time with a special Gold Circle Dance Floor Pit for $50 that, from the seating chart, appears to be the equivalent of 6 seats wide and 3 seats deep. Really? The rest of the Gold Circle seats run at $50, $40 and $30 levels with GA going for $16.50. Here's some prime P-Funk from 1976 and that's right, it's the whole damn show:



That'll do it have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Weekend Picks: Circulatory System, I Am the Avalanche, Blues Traveler, Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray, Lee Boys, Diamond Center, Fear of Music

Saturday. Beer. Bourbon DIPA Beer. Barrel Aged Beers (3 new ones). Barrel Day at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. It's free to get in, starts at 2 and goes until 9. Live music starts at 5:30 with The Welcome Hips (Newly formed in RVA, synth-pop channeling the jangle-y rock sound of the Velvet Underground, the Walkmen) at 5:30; Whtie Laces (Dreamy, atmospheric indie-pop from RVA) at 7; and Diamond Center (Electrified folk freak-out drone, but don't be scared) at 8. This will be Diamond Center's last show of the summer, so don't miss it. Here's Diamond Center at Strange Matter a couple years ago (we really need some new videos guys):

Diamond Center is going to have to hustle to get to Hardywood. They are pulling double duty on Saturday as they'll be at Strange Matter for a psychedelic early show. Doors will open at 5, music starts at 5:30 with a new Richmond band with a cool name, Father Sunflower & The Golden Rays (have they been playing Plants vs. Zombies?), then comes Diamond Center, then the headliner, Circulatory System out of Athens GA. Tix are $10 in advance, $12 day of show. Here's Circulatory System at the Caledonia Lounge in Athens on National Slurpee Day (7/11):



The Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Across America comes to Richmond Tuesday. The event will be at The Broadberry starting at 5 PM. This is a celebration of craft beer and they'll have 12 beer collaborations Sierra Nevada did with craft brewers created specifically for the event. Proceeds from the festival will go to the state brewers guilds in the host state of the festival. Proceeds from the sales of the 12-pack will go to hop and barley research, with the idea that fostering the development of new types of hop varieties and barley crops will help fuel the continued expansion of new flavor experiences for the ever-expanding tastes of craft drinkers. It's FREE to get in and Fear of Music, your local Talking Heads tribute band, will provide the soundtrack. Fear of Music needs some new video too, so here's the Talking Heads doing "Heaven":

At The Camel Tuesday night, I Am the Avalanche headlines a punk rock show with Somos, Rustbelt Lights and We Call This Courage opening. Doors are at 7, show starts at 7:30, it's $12 in advance, $14 at the door. Here's I Am the Avalanche's "The Shape I'm In" (not The Band song):



Wednesday night at Innsbrook, it's a whole bunch of pop-rock bands from the 90's on the Under the Sun Tour 2014 with Blues Traveler, Sugar Ray, Uncle Kracker and Smash Mouth. Gates open at 5, show starts at 6, tickets run from $20 for General Admission to $99 for Gold Circle Platinum (really, Innsbrook, this Gold Circle shit has to stop). Here's Blues Traveler from 2012 with "You Don't Have to Love Me":

The sacred steel sounds (like Robert Randolph) of The Lee Boys will light up The Broadberry on Wednesday night. DJ Williams will open the show and hopefully sit in with the boys. Doors open at 8, tix are $7 in advance, $10 at the door. Here's The Lee Boys with "Smile":



Have a great weekend! See you at Hardywood on Saturday and if you are going to the Phish show in Portsmouth on Wednesday, hit me up, and we'll hang out!

Tony Jordan

Friday Cheers, Vintage Trouble, Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers, Rob Zombie, Conspirator, People's Blues of Richmond, Southern Belles, Hot Seats

Friday Cheers is here again! And there was much rejoicing in River City. Yes, RVA's favorite music series is back for another two months. It looks like the weather will be beautiful and dry. We kick things off with a little something for everyone and $10 to get you on the island. Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers get the show started at 6:30 with rootsy, bluesy rock n' roll that will appeal to fans of Fleetwood Mac, Black Crowes, Tedeschi/Trucks Band, and Grace Potter. Here's a taste from Lincoln Hall in Chicago in September of last year:



Vintage Trouble hit the stage around 8 and they bring the soul & blues like Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett & Led Zeppelin but with an updated twist that fans of Black Keys, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, and Black Joe Lewis will dig. Here's "Run Like the River" from their debut album, "The Bomb Shelter Sessions":



If Cheers isn't your cup of beer, you can head to Hardywood Park Craft Brewery for the old-time music of Hot Seats. That'll run from 5:30 to around 9 and it's free to get in. The Hot Seats are going international this summer with a tour of the UK including Scotland (if they are still in the UK) in late July/early August. Here's the slightly smaller version of the band, the Hot Seats Short Band as they refer to it, at the Richmond Folk Festival last year:



Wanna keep the party rolling after Cheers? Then I hope you like jam bands because that's the place to be on Friday night. Jamtronica bands rule at the Canal Club with Conspriator, Manic Focus, The Former Champions and The Polychrons. Doors open at 7 and it's $20 to get in. If you can't make it to the show, you can listen to it on the interwebs or on your phone via Phoncert. Here's Conspirator at the Aura Music Festival last year:

Over at The Camel, Richmond's country-funk jam band, Southern Belles, are back in town for their monthly First Friday gig. Supatight  from Raleigh NC will open. It's $7 to get in. Here's the Belles doing "Every Little Thing" at the Some Kind of Jam 9 Festival in Schuykill Haven PA last weekend:



If you have AXS TV, please invite me over this weekend to watch the New Orleans Jazz Fest, as Comcast doesn't carry the channel. They are all Jazz Fest all weekend including performances from Alabama Shakes, Irma Thomas, Anders Osborne, Marcia Ball, Phish, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Theresa Andersson, John Fogerty, Arcade Fire, The Radiators (they're back! at least for Jazz Fest), Dumpstaphunk, Santana, String Cheese Incident, Jason Isbell, Galactic, Robert Plant and more. Really invite me over. I'll bring the beer and other stuff. We'll totally rock out.

After we watch AXS TV all day, we'll be ready to get out to some music not on a video screen, so we'll head to The Camel for People's Blues of Richmond, who are returning from their tour of the South including a stop at SXSW. KO & Company and Jordan Tarrant will open. McArthur Lighting will have the psychedelic light show going so smoke 'em or drop 'em if you got 'em. It's $8 to get in and doors open at 8. Here they are doing "Cocaine" (that's the name of the song, it's not a video of them snorting coke and it's not the Clapton/JJ Cale song) at SXSW:



Sunday night, all you godly folk shouldl stay far away from The National where Rob Zombie brings his psychosexual, phatasmahorrordelic rock show to town. I also hope you ungodly folk got your tickets already because it's sold out. But perhaps your buddy has one. If you are going, doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with opener Disco Death Rock. Here's Rob's early band, White Zombie, with "Thunder Kiss '65":


Have a great weekend! See you at Cheers, maybe PBR and at your house if you have AXS TV!

Tony Jordan

Weekend Picks: Arctic Monkeys, Avers, Snarky Puppy, No BS! Brass Band, Full Moon Fever, Fear of Music, Shangri-Lords, King Solomon's Marbles

No BS! Brass Band kick off the weekend at Balliceaux on Friday night. Show starts at 10 and it's $5 to get in. If you have a high schooler who plays a brass instrument, you can sign up for a 5 day summer camp with No BS Brass Band and Collegiate School. For more info, click HERE. Here's NO BS! doing a hit you may remember from the 80's:



Saturday's a big day and it starts with the Hardywood Park Craft Brewery's Sidamo Release. It don't cost nothin' to get in. Sidamo is a 10.3% ABV Imperial Coffee Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels. The tasting room will open at 2 for bottles and draft of the new libation. The food trucks will be there with burgers from Station 2, banh mi from the Hungry Turtle, Mexican from Cielito Lindo, s'mores from Super Fresh Carts, and one of my favorites, Goatacado, with healthy, yummy, organic food. At 4:30, the fun really begins with music from Talking Heads tribute band, Fear of Music. At 6:15, the all-male 60's girl group band, the Shangri-Lords hit the stage. Then at  7, Tom Petty tribute band, Full Moon Fever, will rock your world. I may be hitting this one up early with the boys. S'mores for them and one, just one, Sidamo for Daddy. Here's a great show from Tom Petty that was on the BBC in 1980:



At 7:30 PM Saturday at the Modlin Center, jazz/funk/world music band Snarky Puppy will do their thang. Tix range from $9 - 18. Their collaboration with Lalah Hathaway just earned them a Grammy for Best R&B Performance. Here they are performing at Bass Bash 2014:

Over at Strange Matter Saturday, the new psychedelic indie rock band Richmond is buzzing about, Avers, will play. Avers is made up of Alexandra Spalding and Adrian Olsen of Hypercolor, Tyler Williams of The Head and the Heart, JL Hodges of Farm Vegas, James Mason of Mason Brothers, and Charlie Glenn of The Trillions. Doors open at 9, music starts at 10 and it's $8 to get in. White Laces & Sleepwalkers open.

Grateful Dead tribute band, King Solomon's Marbles, will be at Cary St. Cafe Saturday. Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead said in a recent interview on the Rolling Stone site that he hopes band members can "bury the hatchet" and do something for the band's 50th anniversary next year. KSM doesn't have to bury nothing except the deep grooves Saturday. The show starts at 10 PM and it's FREE to get in. I recently purchased the Grateful Dead's "Sunshine Daydream" CD/DVD package and it's great. The 8/27/72 show was always one of my favorites, and may be one of the best GD shows ever, and to have a clean audio version plus the long-delayed movie of the show made it well worth the money. I don't buy much Dead anymore since I have so much but this was a must have show. One of the best "China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider" jams, a 19 minute "Playing in the Band" and a phenomenal 31 minute "Dark Star". Here's "Jack Straw" from that show, which is the first song I liked from the Dead and, perhaps not coincedentally, the first song they played at my first Dead concert.



On Tuesday night, Arctic Monkeys are doing a sold-out show at The National with The Orwells. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8, tix are $27.50 in advance, $32.50 day of show. Here's Arctic Monkeys doing "Do I Wanna Know" on Letterman the other night.


And here is their very trippy (literally) video for "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?":



Have a great weekend! I'll see you at Hardywood.

Tony Jordan