Supporting music in Richmond since 2000 - "Oh, I used to be disgusted / And now I try to be amused / But since their wings have got rusted / You know, the angels wanna wear my red shoes / But when they told me 'bout their side of the bargain / That's when I knew that I could not refuse / And I won't get any older, now that angels wanna wear my red shoes" - Elvis Costello, “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes”
Showing posts with label Shamrock The Block. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shamrock The Block. Show all posts
St. Patty's Weekend! Dance a jig, wear green and party until you puke green beer. Much music this weekend.
Jamtronica band Lotus headlines two nights at The National on Friday and Saturday night. Tix are $22 in advance, $25 at the door, or you can buy a two day pass for $40. Doors open at 8 and the show starts at 9 each night. Friday night, the opener is The Werks, Saturday night, Richmond's own Former Champions opens. Both shows are getting close to sold out so get your tix now. Here's Lotus doing "Kodiak" live at Red Rocks:
If you are more Mr. Natural than rave guy, head to the Capital Ale House on Friday night to see Larry Keel and Natural Bridge. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9. Tix are $12 in advance, $15 day of show. Last time they played at Capital Ale House they sold out so get your tix early. They recently played NPR's Mountain Stage Radio Show with Asleep at the Wheel and others. The show will be broadcast on May 3. Here they are playing a few days ago at Jewish Mother in VA Beach:
Saturday, Shamrock the Block goes down in Shockoe Bottom around the Farmer's Market area. This has become a huge event with more than 30,000 attending last year. It'll run from noon to 6. It's free to attend, there will be food and beer to buy, and bands playing all day. Click HERE for the band lineup.
That night at the Canal Club, indie pop band Pinback will perform. Doors open at 8, tix are $15 in advance, $18 at the door. No opener is listed on the Facebook event page for this one, but you might want to check the Canal Club site later. The site is down as I type this. They'll be playing on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on March 19. Here's their video for the fine song "Proceed to Memory" from their latest album, "Information Retrieved":
Sunday night, blues greats The Nighthawks will be at Lulu's. The show will start around 7 and it's $15 to get in. Here's a taste of their show in Rockville MD on 2/23:
Underground rapper Wale will be at The National on Sunday night. Tix are $32.50 in advance, $40 at the door. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9. No opener is listed on The National's site. You might like Wale is you like Gorillaz, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Jay-Z, Outkast, DJ Kool, or Chuck Brown. Here's Wale's "Street Runner" (language NSFW):
Over at Capital Ale House on St. Pat's Day, it's a full day of FREE music with Donnybrooks Band from 3 PM to 6 PM, then The Atkinsons from 7 PM to midnight with St. Andrews Legion Pipe & Drums making appearances throughout the day. The Atkinsons are an Americana band but they say they've got some Irish tunes ready for the show. Here's The Atkinsons playing at the 2012 Watermelon Fest:
Helooooo! Way to go tonight, VCU! An exciting win. Hopefully, we'll see another big run. Before we get to this weekend's shows, remember to check out my review of the Jane's Addiction concert from Monday below. Also, remember that FuseTV is broadcasting live from SXSW and you can see the blog from Wednesday for that info.
Friday night at The National, hometown horror heroes GWAR will be doing a special benefit show for their late guitarist Cory Smoot. Here's the details: "Slave Pit and GWAR are proud to announce the next phase in a
series of events being held to honor the life of recently passed GWAR guitarist
Cory Smoot and support the Smoot Family Fund. On Friday, March 16th, GWAR,
Municipal Waste, Ghoul will play a special Cory Smoot memorial show at
Richmond's National Theater, the proceeds from which shall be donated to the
fund established for his wife Jaime and their unborn child. Just like the CD
release party, there will be tons of raffles and special items available to
show your love for an incredible musician and much-loved man who may have left
us much too soon, but left behind a musical legacy that can never be silenced." Door open at 7, the show starts at 8 with openers Municipal Waste & Ghoul. Its $25 to get in. Here is some recent GWAR. Remember its GWAR, its really NSFW or any other place. And if you're easily offended, please don't watch. Really, don't blame me if you watch this. You clicked it.
Local experimental rock band Marionette will be at Strange Matter on Friday night. Doors open at 9, show starts at 10 with openers Canary Oh Canary and Ocean vs. Daughter (who are here all the way from the Czech Republic). Here's the video for Marionette's "Orchid":
Saturday night, Sir Elton John comes to Richmond Coliseum. There are still tickets available though it looks like it sold pretty well so they may not be great seats. Tickets are either $48 or $151 after all the ticket charges and fees are thrown in. The show starts at 8 and there does not appear to be an opener so get there on time. I really hope Elton comes out dressed as a leprechaun. Here's Elton on the Muppet Show doing "Crocodile Rock":
Also on Saturday, Shamrock the Block will be rocking Shockoe Bottom for St. Pat's Day. The event runs from noon until 6 PM. It looks like there will be summer-like weather and maybe even a thunderstorm but hopefully that holds off until after 6. There will be beer and bands of the local variety. Click HERE to see the band lineup. This event is FREE to attend, though you gotta pay for your beer and food of course. They do have a kids area so you can bring them along.
On Monday at The Camel, ska-punk band Bomb the Music Industry, along with Hold Tight, Close Talker (love the Seinfeld reference), and Amateur Thieves will perform. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 and its $7 to get in. Here's Bomb the Music Industry's "Everybody That You Love":
The Childish Gambino/Danny Brown show that was scheduled for The National on Tuesday night has been rescheduled for July 29 because Childish fractured his foot at Saturday's show in Tampa.
Wednesday night at The National, The Head and The Heart will play for you. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8, tix are $17.50 in advance and $20 at the door. Be sure you get there by 8 so you can support Richmond band, Black Girls, who have been on tour this month with TH&TH. Another Richmond connection is that former Prabir & The Substitutes drummer Tyler Williams is the drummer for TH&TH. Drew Grow & The Pastors Wives will play in between Black Girls and TH&TH. TH&TH are an Americana band are catching some buzz right now, playing at all of the big festivals and scoring some opening dates with Dave Matthews Band, The Shins, & Justin Townes Earle. Here's TH&TH doing an acoustic version of their song "Down in the Valley":
Want to start this week with excerpts from Sammy Hagar's new autobiography printed in Rolling Stone (click HERE). On their last tour together in Van Halen in 2004, Eddie Van Halen apparently turned into a crazy, raving, lunatic alcoholic. When you read some of these excerpts, its amazing that EVH didn't kill himself or someone else. Hopefully, the dude is better now.
In some sad news, Mike Starr, the original bass player for Alice in Chains, died of unknown causes at the age of 44 (click HERE for full story). Back in my radio days in the early 90s, I hung out with Mike for about an hour backstage at the Ozzy/Alice In Chains/Motorhead show. I can't say I knew him well but he seemed like a real down to earth, cool guy in that short time, with no rock star diva b.s. Though they don't know how he died, at least until they do tests, he did have drug issues and was recently on Celebrity Rehab on some station or another. Its sad to see drugs kill a band that was very originial and led the way for the Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Here's one for Mike:
On to this week here in Richmond. Saturday from noon to 6 PM on what looks to be a nice day weather-wise, Shamrock the Block takes place down in Shockoe Bottom. Its FREE to get in. They say they have expanded the kids area this year to entice more families to come down. Band lineup is made up of local bands. Here is the schedule:
12:00p - 12:45p Uisce Beatha (celtic rock/pub music)
1:00p - 2:00p Highway Saints (rock)
2:15p - 3:15p Trongone Band (classic rock covers)
3:45p - 4:45p Age of Excess (80's hair covers)
5:00p - 6:00p Bayside (new rock)
You'll find a good indie folky/Americana show at The Camel on Saturday night w/ Vetiver, Sarah Lee Guthrie (daughter of Arlo, granddaughter of Woody) & Johnny Irion, and the Mason Brothers. Tix are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Show starts at 8, doors at 7. You might dig these bands if you like Joanna Newsom, Grateful Dead, Townes Van Zandt, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, Black Crowes, Gram Parsons or Neil Young. They should all be mixing and matching together. Here are Sarah Lee & Johnny backed by Vetiver on the Last Call with Carson Daly show. BTW, the Carson Daly show has been having some really great music on the show. I do hate the jumpy camera work on the show, especially during the interviews, but he is really good about having new bands on the show. Anyway, here's the clip:
That's about it this week. A little slim but as the weather gets warmer those bands start to tour and things will pick up.
Here is the next clip from Paste Magazine's 25 Best Music Videos of 2010. This video answers a question I am sure we have all asked ourselves, "What if Hot Chip were a boy band (they're not) and a weird messiah-like alien showed up at their concert and they challenged the alien to a dance-off?" I don't know what it means but the boy band gets what they deserve.
In our next continuing list, Moviefone has listed the 50 Best Music Scenes in Movies. Here are their two rules for the list:
"No musicals allowed!
As much as we like 'The Sound of Music' and 'An American in Paris,' the musical numbers in those films are a completely different breed of animal than, say, the parade scene from 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off.' Both have their places, but this list is all about the latter.
No "scored" scenes!
We love a good soundtrack as much as anyone, but for this list we considered only those scenes in which the music -- whether emanating from an onscreen band, a boombox, a disco's sound system, the mouths of the characters, etc. -- is part of the action. (Film nerds refer to scenes like this as being "diegetic." Non-nerds, you just learned something.) This explains, for instance, the absence of movies with killer, primarily non-diegetic soundtracks, such as 'Rushmore' and 'The Graduate.'"
I'm not going to do all 50 because some I just may not like. But as a movie fan I always like when good music plays an integral part in a movie. I just (finally) watched "Inglourious Basterds" and loved the use of Bowie's "Cat People". Musically and lyrically, it was perfect. In the Moviefone list they also include one of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite movies "Boogie Nights", the "drug deal gone bad" scene.
We begin tonight with #49, one of the last good moments for our heroes in "The Deer Hunter" before war tears their lives apart. And really, any scene with Christopher Walken dancing has got to be good:
(Had trouble embedding the video so click HERE to view it.)
And on that note, I'm outta here. Have a great weekend!
Friday night at the Capital Ale House, Chris Wood (of Medeski, Martin & Wood) teams up with his brother, Oliver Wood, to form the brilliantly named Wood Brothers. They'll be playing their blues/rock/folk music starting at 9 PM and tix are $15. Well, actually starting at 9 PM will be the openers Joe McGuinness & Sol. Here they are performing "Luckiest Man" for Paste Magazine:
Skydog, the Allman Brothers tribute band, will be at Cary St. Cafe on Friday night. Show starts at 10 PM and there is a $7 cover charge. Here's a bit of the band playing "Statesboro Blues" at the Canal Club in January:
Friday night at The National is REGWA, a band that is mixing country and reggae featuring members of Kenny Chesney's band, The Wailers and New Potato Caboose. Tix are $12. Doors open at 6:30, show starts at 7 with openers The God Fearing Snake Handlers and Whisky Bros. There was an article about REGWA in today's Richmond Times-Dispatch and you can read that HERE. Here is the band playing in April 2009:
Saturday, if the rain holds off or if you don't mind partying in a little rain, Shamrock The Block will be happening at the 17th Street Farmers Market. The event goes down from noon until 6 PM. Its pet & kid friendly and they said they have expanded their kids section this year. It is a FREE event and you can purchase food and adult and all ages beverages. Here is the band lineup: 12-12:45 - Uisce Beatha (Celtic Rock) 1-2 - Against Grace (Alternative Rock) 2:15-3:15 - Age of Excess (80's Hair Metal/Covers) 3:45-4:45 - Sludge's Build-A-Band (Rock/Rock Covers) 5-6 - 4Play (Rock/Rock Covers)
Saturday night, local Americana band, The Atkinsons, will be at Cafe Diem. The band will come on at 10 PM and there is no cover charge. Here they are performing on the PBS show, "The Music Seen", in September 2009:
Also on Saturday, twisted Johnny Cash cover band, Black Cash & The Bad Trips, will be at Cary St. Cafe. Show starts at 10 and cover charge is $5. This clip is from a show in the Outer Banks last summer. They are playing "Hey Porter":
On Tuesday, DJ Willims Projekt has their regular gig at Cafe Diem. The gig starts at 9:30 PM.
On St. Patrick's Day, Portugal The Man (they are actually a band, not a man) will be playing at The Canal Club. Tix are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Doors open at 7 with openers Port O'Brien and The Dig. They are an alternative rock band (does alternative really mean anything anymore)....ok, they are a rock band that formed in Ms. Palin's hometown of Wasilla, Alaska (but don't hold that against them) then relocated to Portland OR. Their last album, The Satanic Satanist, is critically acclaimed and has hints of Led Zep, Jane's Addiction, Motown, and the Stones in it but they put their own stamp on things. Here is their latest video, "The Sun". That's one sick sheep.:
Next Wednesday & Thursday, you can check out NPR's live broadcast from SXSW. Click HERE for the schedule which includes Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Broken Bells, and Spoon. If you can't stay up to listen, they usually archive those sets on the site so you can check them out later.
I was finally able to escape my son asking my a 1001 Batman questions as we watched "Batman Forever" (the one with Val Kilmer). He was asking so many questions that he kept missing the parts in the movie where they were answering his questions. He barely stopped talking for the last hour. Its exhausting. It doesn't help that the movie has one of the worst sound mixes of all time. The music and special effects are incredibly loud and the talking is very low. I had to keep moving the volume up and down accordingly so we wouldn't wake the baby when the action scenes came on. Anyway, just needed to vent. Now onto this week's entertainment.
If you are tired of waiting for Van Halen to come back or thinking that they will have some argument that will lead them to break up again, you can check out Fair Warning, the Van Halen tribute band, at The National on Friday night. Doors open at 7, show starts at 7:30 and tix are $15. It looks like there are three opening bands, Seth, Automatic, and Scarz Within. You'll probably dig Fair Warning if you dig, er, Van Halen?
On Saturday, Shamrock the Block will try again. This is the St. Pat's fest at the 17th St. Farmers Market that was supposed to go down on Mar. 14. However, due to the wintry weather they postponed it until this Saturday. Won't be as wintry (temps in the 50s) but may still be a little wet. If you want to check it out, it don't cost nothin' and it will run from noon until 6 PM. They'll have local bands Against Grace, Sweet Justice, Boss Keen's Ditch, and Sludge's Build-A-Band "along with plenty of green and golden beverages for everyone. For the kids, there are games and entertainment along with lots of local vendors with an emphasis on "the green", so bring the whole family. Pets are welcome! This exciting annual event benefits Greater Richmond SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now). "
Next Thursday, 4/2, Black Kids, Mates of State and Sunbears! play at The National. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8, tix are $19. Black Kids will also play an acoustic set for free at Plan 9 at 6:30 that day. Black Kids play New Wave influenced indie rock. You may dig them if you like The Cure or David Bowie. Here's a link to the video for their song, "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You".
This guy was huge in Eastern Europe in the early 80s. I can't figure out why he didn't make it big on this side of the Iron Curtain.
The big news in the Richmond music scene this week was the temporary (we hope) closing of Toad's Place. Now before you naysayers chime in with your, "See, I told you Richmond couldn't support two mid-size music venues", this looks like a case of bad management, not lack of attendence. Here is a comment from a Times-Dispatch article by Bill Reid, owner of the National: ""Our business has been really good, but we attribute that to good decisions we've made along the line," he said. "This [venue] is our single focus. This is what we do, day in and day out. "We have a lot of respect for everybody [at Toad's Place], but with a business with a lot of money on the line, it's about running the business as much as it is who is on stage."
Less cryptically was this quote in Style Weekly from David Bess, owner of Verbena, Cha Cha's Cantina & Lucky Buddha, who was contracted three weeks ago to reposition the Highwater restaurant on the property. "Past management just didn't have structure. There was a great team, but they didn't have goals; they didn't have budgets." Uh, doesn't sound like a very great team to me.
The site owner is currently looking for new management for the club and will hopefully find someone soon. The couple shows I went to at Toad's were moderately (Grace Potter) to heavily (Zappa Plays Zappa) sold. They also had a sell out coming up in a couple weeks with Lady Gaga (dance pop) and a near sell out with Neko Case. The venue has great sound and sightlines and though not as asthetically pleasing as The National, still was a fine venue in which to see a band.
If someone puts up the money, I will be happy to manage the place. Please contact me through this blog.
If you were planning on going to any shows at Toad's this weekend, no luck as they have canceled the Busta Rhymes show on Friday, Oregon Hill Funk All Stars on Saturday and Maceo Parker (who puts on a great show) on Sunday.
On to happier news. Friend Wyatt Brewer is getting better after reconstructive heart surgery but like many these days, he doesn't have health insurance so his friends are getting together at Cary Street Cafe on Saturday from 1 PM - 8 PM to lend a hand. Here are all the details:
All Day Benefit Jam at Cary Street Café
On Saturday, March 14th Cary Street Café will be rockin thanks to some of Richmond’s finest musicians and CSC owner Robyn Chandler who will host the:
WE ♥ WYATT BENEFIT JAM
Wyatt Brewer, a fixture around the Richmond music scene for many years, underwent reconstructive heart surgery at MCV Hospital last month. He is now going through a somewhat lengthy recovery period and his many friends have all graciously agreed to help out. The party begins at 1:00 p.m. on March 14 and is scheduled to run till 8:00 pm. Five bands are on the bill and there may be other guest appearances throughout the day. It promises to be one helluva jam so mark your calendars and get there early so you won’t miss any of these featured acts. In order of appearance the scheduled bands are:
“The Spaceheaters, a psychedelic jam band, has been firing up the streets of Richmond since 1997 but the band's popularity really began to flare in 2005, booking more shows in one year than in all of the previous ones combined. With noticeable influences drawn from country, blues, metal, rock and techno, this band is guaranteed to fire up a fun time.”
If you like hard edged rock and roll, this band will not disappoint you!
EL PRESIDENTE
El Presidente’s sound has been described as “a heavy guitar laden metal-rock, flecked with gloom, doom, and southern charm.”
Kate Bredimus of richmond.com writes that despite variations in musical tastes within the band, they are all heavily influenced by the “trinity that is beyond reproach”: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Black Sabbath.
‘Nuff said. These guys rock!!
ACOUSTICATS
World renowned guitar pick-up guru Lindy Fralin, his cousin Gary, Brad Tucker (Burnt Taters), Charles "Toby" Willing and Dan Roberts come together for what looks to be a great show. With musical influences ranging from rockabilly to zydeco these guys will cook up a musical stew that should not be missed!
Think, originally formed in 2003, feature an interesting fusion of jazz, funk, rock and blues with a little Latin groove thrown in for good measure. The band members Dylan Barrows (guitar), Tommy Booker (keys), Bobby Hudson (drums), and Zach Hudgins (bass) come together for a hot sound and infectious groove that is bound to rock the crowd!
The Harrison Deane Band has been rockin' Richmond for over 10 years now. It all started in1995 when singer/songwriter/guitarist Harrison Deane joined up w/ lead guitarist John Leedes to form an acoustic duo. Band members came and went over the first 5 years but Harrison's consistent songwriting and musical chemistry with Leedes developed to near telepathic levels. The band crystallized into its current form at the onset of the new millennium when Richmond music veterans Bobby Jorgenson{bass} and Joe Conner{keyboards} joined the band. With the most recent addition of Rocky Orndorff on drums, The HDB is on top of their game and sounding better than ever. The band has remained a fixture at the Cary St. cafe and countless other Richmond nightspots as well as playing at a wide variety of private parties and functions ranging from weddings to political rallies from 2001 to the present time. In addition to the original material HDB plays scores of familiar and obscure cover songs. Their extensive repertoire will take listeners on a varied emotional ride and keep them dancing all the while.
Folks, this is going to be a great day of music and fun for a good cause. Ten bucks will get you in the door for seven hours of primo music from some of the best musicians this area has to offer. Come on out. You’ll be glad you did and our friend Wyatt will too!!
Peace, love and music to all!!!
Also on Saturday, there are many early St. Pat's day celebrations going on. Shamrock the Block will be happening from noon - 6 PM for FREE at the 17th St. Marketplace. Local bands E3, Against Grace, The Secret Cool, Boss Keen's Ditch, and Sludge's Build-A-Band will play. There will be a kids area, you can bring leashed pets and there will, of course, be beer. Proceeds will benefit SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now).
At Sine Irish Pub on Friday night, Richmond's own U2 cover band Even Better Than the Real Thing will play. I didn't even know we had our own U2 cover band, but there you go. The show starts at 9:45 and the cover charge is $2.
Saturday at Sine, there is more live music with William Walter & Company, Naughty Little Monkey, The Havers and Broken Monday. Rain or shine the party goes on inside and outside in the Patio Pub under the tent. The festivities start at 11:30 AM and go on until 2 AM. There is a $5 cover after 1 PM.
On Sunday, after all the partying you have done somewhere on Saturday, you can chill out, light up a big spliff mon and head to The National for The Wailers. Tix are just $5 in advance and $10 the day of show. Show starts at 8 PM. I caught The Wailers a couple years ago at the Canal Club and was pleasantly surprised. They were good. The dude who sang did his own thing and wasn't trying to imitate Bob Marley but wasn't completely doing his own thing so as not to sound like Marley. I don't know if that made sense. Perhaps I need to go smoke a big spliff myself. Here is a video so you can see for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzQVyo0jgUE. (Sorry, couldn't embed that one.)
Friday at The National, the king of mope, Morrissey. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 and tix are $40.
Also on Friday & Saturday, Black Cash & The Bad Trips, the Johnny Cash tribute band, play at the Tobacco Company. Show starts at 9:30 both nights. No cover charge. Sweet.
That's a whole lot of music this weekend and I'm damn happy for that.
I leave you with the meeting of Ricky Gervais and Elmo. Don't show this one to the kids.
Have a great weekend and a Happy St. Patrick's Day!
