Lucero, PBR, Late Night Pick: Jack White

Alt-country rockers Lucero hit the Epic Theatre (the venue formerly known as Hat Factory) tonight. Tix are $18, doors open at 8 and show time is 9 with opener J. Roddy Walston and the Business.  If you like Drive-By Truckers, Rolling Stones, The Silos, The Blasters, The Replacements or The Hold Steady, these guys will be right up your alley. The more I hear of these guys, the more I'm liking them. Here's their video for "Sixteen":


Also tonight, local faves People's Blues of Richmond will be at Republic. The show is FREE if you are over 21 and $5 if you are under 21. Show will start around 9 and Golden Butter Band will open.

Jack White will be playing a track or two from his new critically acclaimed album, Blunderbuss, tonight on the Colbert Report on Comedy Central at 11:30 PM and then on repeats at various times throughout the next 24 hours. Jack will be scoring the new "Lone Ranger" movie which stars Johnny Depp as Tonto and Armie Hammer as the Lone Ranger. He'll also have a concert webcast on YouTube tomorrow night, directed by Gary Oldman. The dude is everywhere.

Late Night Pick of the Night: The War on Drugs

Philadelphia-based Americana band The War on Drugs will be on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight on CBS at 11:35 PM. TWOD will be hittin' up Lollapalooza this summer along with a lot of shows in Europe if you be headin' abroad.

Late Night Pick of the Night: Trampled By Turtles

Check out progressive bluegrass band Trampled By Turtles making their network TV debut tonight at 11:35 PM on the Late Show with David Letterman on CBS. Trampled By Turtles will be here in Richmond to close out Friday Cheers on June 29. They'll also be hitting festivals like Outside Lands, Lollapalooza, and Firefly (in Dover DE) this summer.

Late Night Pick of the Night: The Hives

Tonight on Jimmy Kimmel, check out Swedish rock band, The Hives. Jimmy Kimmel is on ABC at 12:05 AM. The Hives are promoting their latest album, "Lex Hives".

Late Night Pick of the Night: Bruce Springsteen

If you missed the episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon that was all Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (w/Tom Morello and The Roots), you can catch the repeat tonight. The whole thing is good, but definitely worth it for Bruce's story about when he and Little Steven tried to get into Disneyland and also for a rollicking version of "E Street Shuffle" with the E Street Band and The Roots. Late Night is on at 12:35 AM on NBC.

In a Levon Helm - Bruce Springstreen connection, here is Levon & The Band doing his version of Bruce's "Atlantic City":

Earth Day, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Conspirator, Southern Belles,

If you are kicking around this afternoon (Friday) with nothin' to do or can get out of work early, People's Blues of Richmond will be playing the "End The War on Drugs" rally (I'm guessing for FREE) at Monroe Park at 5 PM. This may be some type of 420 celebration, which could add a certain haze to the rally. Here's PBR back in 2011 playing a benefit show at Cullen's Cove doing "Time of Need/Satisfied":



Friday night at The Republic and Wednesday night at Cary St. Cafe, check out Southern Belles with their country funk jam rock doing covers of The Band, Phish, Grateful Dead, and The Beatles among others. I've seen these guys a couple times over the last few weeks and they can really bring it. A lot of fun and bring your boogie shoes. And both shows are FREE. At the Friday night show, the band will play three sets including one set where they cover the Grateful Dead's epic album, "Workingman's Dead" in it's entirety. And they can pull it off.

No BS! Brass Band will be at The Camel on Friday night. No BS will be playing some new tunes from their upcoming album "RVA All Day". Cover is $7 and the show starts at 9 with the James River High School Jazz Band so get out their early and support the kids. Here's No BS! doing "Jackpot":



On Saturday, you can celebrate Mother Earth at the Richmond Earth Day Festival in the Manchester section of town. Lots of activities for the kids, beer and wine for adults, a Flood Wall climb and zip line, and of course some music. Here is the band lineup:

12:20 – 1 p.m. Rattlemouth

 1:15 – 2 p.m. Os Magrelos

 2:15 – 3 p.m. The Trillions

 3:15 – 4 p.m. Noah-O

 4:15 – 5 p.m. Against Grace

 5:15 – 6 p.m. Long Arms

 6:15 – 7 p.m. The Diamond Center

On Sunday, from noon to 6:30 PM, Bandito's Burrito Lounge will be celebrating their 15th Anniversary by partying outside in their parking lot with Milkstains, Chrome Daddy Disco and Bio Ritmo. The kids can enjoy a moon bounce while you enjoy a beer. 

Bela Fleck & The Flecktones will bring their unique brand of music to U of R's Camp Concert Hall, Booker Hall of Music for two shows on Sunday at 3 PM and 7:30 PM. Tix range from $10 to $36 depending on who you are. HERE is the article from Thursday's Times-Dispatch about Bela Fleck & the Flecktones. The band won another Grammy this year for Best Instrumental Composition for "Life in Eleven" from their latest album, "Rocket Science". Here is a selection from their show on April 10 at Rose State College in OK:

Sunday night, Conspirator featuring members of Disco Biscuits bring their electronic jam band sound to Kingdom. Tix are $15 in advance, $20 day of show. Show starts at 9 with no opener. Here's a big chunk of music from Conspirator from 10/1/2011 in Fort Lauderdale:



Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick: Kasabian, RIP Dick Clark, Levon Helm & Greg Ham

Tonight's Late Night Pick of the Night is Kasabian on Jimmy Kimmel at 12:05 AM on ABC. Morgan Spurlock will also be on discussing his new documentary on Comic-Con. Kasabian was voted  Best British Band at the 2012 NME Awards.

In sad news, they say these things come in threes and we've had three rock n' roll related deaths in the last two days. You have, of course, heard all about Dick Clark. Today it was announced that Levon Helm, singer and drummer of The Band, passed away (story HERE). Also, Greg Ham of Men at Work passed away. Yes, I know, his legend may not live up to the other day, but he rocked a mean flute on "Down Under" and sax on "Who Can It Be Now?". So give him some props, too. (Story HERE.)

Late Night Pick: Andrew Bird; Levon Helm is Gonna Die; Mickey Hart: "We Weren't a Girl Scouts troop"

Tonight, check out Andrew Bird on a repeat of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Late Night is on NBC at 12:35 AM. You can check out video of Andrew performing a few songs from his latest album "Break It Yourself" solo at Rolling Stone Studios HERE.

In sad news, it looks like we are about to lose one of the all-time greats, Levon Helm, of The Band. A message on Levon's web site says that he is in the final stages of his battle with cancer. Read the full story HERE.

In happier news, HERE'S a short interview with the always funny, mystic and excitable Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead. My favorite quote; "

I don't think there could be a Grateful Dead now. I mean, considering the laws of the country. We were a bunch of outlaws running about the country, ingesting psychoactive drugs, playing this amazing music from another time and space. So we were exploring a new musical topography. It would be really hard to get away with that these days, especially going through airports and everything – borders. Let's think about the reality of being the Grateful Dead: We weren't a Girl Scouts troop. So it had its dangers. But the upside was more than the dangers of being in it. And everybody loved each other."

Late Night Pick of the Night: First Aid Kit

Tonight's Late Night Pick of the Night is Swedish sister group indie pop rock group, First Aid Kit. They'll be on Conan tonight on TBS at 11 PM and then the repeat at 1 AM. This is the band's US TV debut and they will be wrapping up their first US tour at the second weekend of Coachella this weekend. Of course when you think Swedish sister duo acts you think alt-country and they definitely have that vibe, even down to the subject matter of their first single, "Emmylou" about Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons. I bet they'll do that one tonight and it's a really good song.

Alison Krauss, Shpongle, Wonder Years, Pretty Reckless, Washed Out, Lovedrug, Barstool Heroes

Feeling better today, at least well enough to be able to sit at the computer instead of curled up in bed in the fetal position like I was yesterday. Still not feeling well enough to go to a wedding today and I'm subsisting on a diet of pretzels and water.

Currently watching We Were Promised Jetpacks on the YouTube Coachella webcast. Oh wait, now I'm switching channels to watch the weirdness that is Tune-Yards. I love when YouTube does the webcasts with more than one channel.

Anyway, back to where we left off, which was Sunday. Sunday afternoon, you can see the outlaw country of Barstool Heroes at The Republic. FREE to get in and it'll start at 4 so you can still get home and get a good night's sleep. And few things are better than a good beer buzz as the sun goes down.

Also, on Sunday, bluegrass/Americana queen Alison Krauss comes to the Landmark Theater with her band Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas. Doors open at 6:30, show starts at 7:30, tix are $51.50 and $61.50. Their most recent album, "Paper Airplane", won the Grammy this year for Best Bluegrass Album. Here they are doing the Bob Dylan classic, "I Believe In You":



For something completely different, check out psychedelic, ambient, techno, trance band Shpongle and their killer light show at The National on Sunday night. Tix are $25, doors open at 8 and the show starts at 8 with openers Party Liberation Front (Reinhold) and The Polychrons. Here's the promo for the tour and you can get a little taste. I couldn't find a good video. Why do people even bother to post crappy videos where the sound sucks and the camera is shaking all the time on YouTube? You are wasting my time, your time and the whole world's time. Just enjoy the show while you are there.



Monday at The Canal Club, Philadelphia punk pop band The Wonder Years will perform. Tix are $13 in advance, $15 at the door. Doors open at 6 with openers Polar Bear Club, Transit, A Loss For Words, and The Story So Far. Here's The Wonder Years with "Came Out Swinging":



At the Canal Club on Tuesday night is hard indie rock band The Pretty Reckless (feat. Taylor Momsen of Gossip Girl, if you like that kind of thing). Tix are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Doors open at 6:30 and the opener is The Hollywood Kills. Here's The Pretty Reckless' new video, "You":

At Kingdom on Tuesday night, indie rock band Lovedrug (my favorite kind of drug) leads a big lineup also featuring The Last Royals, The Silent Age, Parade and The Ruin City. Show starts at 6 and it's $10 to get in. Here's Lovedrug doing "Dinosaur" in a video featuring cute girls and a Yeti so you know it's good. It's the Yeti that really puts it over the top:



At The National on Tuesday night, indie electronic rocker Ernest Greene aka Washed Out will play. Tix are $12.50. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with opener Memoryhouse. Washed Out will be playing Lollapalooza in Chicago this year. Here's Washed Out's "Amor Fati":



I'm outta here. Gonna watch some Laura Marling on the Coachella webcast and have some more water. Mmmmm, water.

Tony Jordan