Tera Melos, Dr. Dog, Autumn Bottom Brews Fest, Southern Belles, Three Sheets to the Wind

Southern Belles continue their First Friday residency at The Camel this Friday. It's $7 to get in, doors open at 9 and Woodwork will open. Though the Belles play mostly originals these days, here they are a couple weeks ago dipping into the Floyd catalog for "Time" and "Echoes":

Saturday night, get your yacht rock on with Three Sheets to the Wind at The National. Tix are $15 in advance, $20 at the door and $35 if you want VIP. Doors will open at 7, show starts at 8 with opener Party of Four (America's #1 Tribute to 90's Jangle Pop, or at least they say so). Three Sheets will don a musical costume for mini-set of Tom Petty's greatest hits. Party of Four's musical costume will be a mini-set of Gin Blossoms. There will also be a costume contest with prizes for Best Yacht Rock Attire, Best Duo/Team Costume, and Best Overall. Here's some classic Tom Petty with the official video for "Change of Heart":


Sunday at the 17th Street Farmers' Market, the 3rd Annual Autumn Bottom Brews Festival (I think there is a stripper named Autumn Bottom) goes down without strippers, but with lots of good beer, food and music from Andy Vaughan & the Driveline (noon) and Jackass Flats (2:30). The whole event runs from noon until 5 PM and it's FREE.  Here's Jackass Flats at Hoss's on October 7:



Prog Rock band Tera Melos is at Strange Matter for an early show on Sunday night. Tix are $10 in advance, $12 day of show. Doors open at 5 and Zorch and Dumb Waiter open. If you want a preview of their show, here is a 30 minute set Tera Melos did at the famous Amoeba Records in San Franscisco on April 14 this year:



Psychedelic indie rockers from Philly, Dr. Dog, will be at The National Monday night. Tix are $20 in advance, $22 day of show. Benny Yurco and the Revealers will open when the show starts at 8. Doors open at 7. You might like Dr. Dog if you like The Band, Big Star, Harry Nilsson, Beach Boys, The Kinks, or XTC. Here they are performing their new single, "Broken Heart" in Nashville yesterday.



Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick: Holy Ghost!

The Late Show with David Letterman has, appropriately enough for Halloween, the dance band Holy Ghost! (exclamation point is in the band's name) on the show tonight on CBS at 11:35 PM. You might like Holy Ghost! if you like New Order, LCD Soundsystem, or Depeche Mode.

Halloween: Built to Spill, Black Girls, Former Champions, Trongone Band

Looking for some rock n' roll on Halloween? Well, there's a lot of it going on.

Indie pop rockers Built to Spill will be at The Canal Club Thursday night. It'll be $25 to get in. Slam Dunk, Genders and The Warm Hair will open. Doors will open at 7 PM. There will be a costume contest and free giveaways. Doug Martsch of Built to Spill will do a DJ set after the show which you can stick around for. Here's the band in Hamburg this year playing "Goin' Against Your Mind":

Black Girls will get super freaky at Balliceaux on Halloween. It'll be $5 to get in and the show starts at 10.

Former Champions will be joined by members of Silo Effect at The Camel for a Halloween jamtronica extravaganza. There will be a costume contest, vendors, live painters and the Champs are promising some surprises. Should get crazy. Music starts at 9 PM.  Here's Former Champions doing "Song 7" at The National in March:

If you like to celebrate your Halloween in classic rock style, head to Cary St. Cafe for Trongone Band. There will be a costume contest and there is no cover charge. Music starts around 10 PM with Barrelhouse. Trongone Band will don their musical costume at 11:15 PM by doing Widespread Panic's Jackassolantern album in its entirety which has no original Widespread Panic songs on it. Then Trongone Band, Barrelhouse and special guests will jam the night away.

More on the rest of the weekend's events tomorrow. For your Halloween pleasure, here's Phish doing "Ghost" a few days ago in Worcester MA:

Late Night Pick: Queens of the Stone Age; Avett Brothers webcast

My hard, psychedelic rock band of choice these days is Queens of the Stone Age and they'll be on Conan tonight at 11 PM on TBS. Coming out at some point today (it wasn't posted as of 5 PM), QOTSA will have an interactive music video for their song "Vampyre of Time & Memory". Just in time for Halloween. Here's the trailer:



Over on the David Letterman site, tonight at 8 PM, The Avett Brothers will do a one hour live performance. You can watch it HERE. They'll most likely be playing a bunch of tunes from their new album "Magpie and the Dandelion".

Late Night Pick: Wayne Shorter Quartet

Arsenio Hall is really mixing it up on his new talk show. Last night, it was underground hip-hop, tonight it's jazz legend Wayne Shorter and his Quartet. Wayne was a quadruple winner in this year’s Downbeat magazine critics poll, topping the categories for Jazz Artist, Jazz Album, Jazz Group and Soprano Saxophone. At 80, Wayne still relishes improvisation and performing "without a net". HERE is a recent interview with Wayne in the Cape Breton (Australia) Post. Arsenio is on WUPV in Richmond at 11 PM, the rest of you can check Arsenio's web site for times and channels.

Tribute to Lou Reed and Delivering Newspapers, Late Night Pick: Hiatus Kaiyote

I'll always associate Lou Reed with delivering newspapers. Way back in 1982 or so, I was delivering newspapers for the Courier-Post, a South Jersey newspaper that was an afternoon paper on weekdays and a morning paper on weekends. The Walkman had just come out and my mom got one but I quickly assumed ownership of it to accompany me during my deliveries. Between my mom and I, we had very few cassettes at the time as they were quite the newfangled thing too. One of the tapes my mom had was Lou Reed's "Rock N' Roll Animal". I had heard the name Lou Reed, knew he was important in rock history, maybe knew "Walk on the Wild Side". I checked it out and loved it. This became my Sunday morning paper delivery album. There was something about popping that cassette in and starting my bike ride to where I picked up the papers with the beautiful twin guitar jam, melodic and then rocking, that starts "Intro/Sweet Jane" on a crisp, fall morning or a quiet, summer morning when the humidity wasn't too bad but promised to get hot later in the day. All alone, barely any cars or people out, the freedom of the bike and the feeling of good work, I would get to the paper box just about when Lou hit the stage to sing "Sweet Jane". I learned the song so well that I became somewhat famous within my fraternity for being able to play perfect air guitar to "Intro/Sweet Jane" channeling guitarists Dick Wagner & Steve Hunter and then Lou himself.

Sure, things took a dark turn when "Heroin" started. Dark, mysterious with dreams of sailing a thousand years ago, the warning "it's my wife and it's my life" and the apathetic surrender, "but I guess, I just don't know". It made the drug sound almost alluring but something about Lou's resignation said, "stay away, I've been there, it'll take you over".

Click. Time to turn the cassette over. The rock n' roll on this side was like a shot of caffeine to help me finish the route. And I needed it, because I was most likely up late Saturday night watching "Night Flight" or MTV or playing Dungeons & Dragons with friends, and I wasn't drinking coffee back then. "White Light/White Heat", "Lady Day" and "Rock & Roll" would drive me onward getting me through until I could get back home.

Later, I would hear more Lou. His "New York" album came out in college and I played it all the time in my room and on my college radio show. I would hear the Velvet Underground albums that spawned those songs on "Rock N' Roll Animal" in their more primal, raw forms and all the covers by those the VU influenced. I would listen to five minutes of "Metal Machine Music" before going "WTF?" like everyone else, including Lou. But I still go back on "Rock N' Roll Animal" and when I hear the opening notes of "Intro/Sweet Jane", I take a moment, bust out my air guitar, and remember those Sunday mornings on my bike, still mostly innocent, but with Lou about to tell me about the dark and weird and wonderful and romantic and frightening things that lurked out there in the back rooms and alleys and that if things ever got rough, "Despite the amputation / you could dance to a rock 'n' roll station / It was all right / it was all right".


Here is the obit from Rolling Stone: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/lou-reed-velvet-underground-leader-and-rock-pioneer-dead-at-71-20131027

Also, check out their 20 Essential Lou Reed songs: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/20-essential-lou-reed-tracks-20131027

Live Music Blog put together a nice piece on the many tributes from other musicians: http://livemusicblog.com/2013/10/28/tributes-to-lou-reed-onstage-around-the-world/

I also thought Lou's friend, Peter Gabriel, wrote a touching personal  tribute to his friend that captured the enigma of Lou: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151809062154760&set=a.428107324759.215226.292910949759&type=1

Tonight's Late Night Pick is the Australian neo-soul, alternative hip-hop band Hiatus Kaiyote on The Arsenio Hall Show. Yes, Arsenio is back (Woof! Woof! Woof!). Arsenio is on WUPV at 11 PM here in Richmond. Check your local listings or Aresenio's site for times and channel in your area.

Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick: Pearl Jam (again)

Pearl Jam plays again on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to cap off Pearl Jam week on the show. Late Night is on NBC at 12:35 AM. In case you missed it last night, here's Pearl Jam doing "Sirens" from their new album, "Lightning Bolt":

Weekend Festivals, Kylesa, Crystal Stilts, Cold War Kids, Minus the Bear

This Saturday looks like one of the busiest party days of the year and the last big weekend for outdoor festivals. We'll get started with the Boulevard Pumpkin Festival taking place on Boulevard between W. Marshall and W Leigh streets. It'll run from noon until 6 PM. There will be craft beer, local food, pumpkin games, a costume contest, wine, a kids zone and five bands playing. You can park for free at The Diamond. Here's the music lineup:

Noon-1 p.m.: Smiile 

1:15 p.m.-2:15 p.m.: The Big Payback: A Tribute to James Brown

2:30 p.m.- 3:30 p.m.: Beast Wellington

3:45 p.m.- 4:45 p.m.: James Justin & Co.

5 p.m.- 6 p.m.: People's Blues of Richmond

Just off the Boulevard, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery will be celebrating their 2nd anniversary from 2 - 9 PM. There will of course be beer, a number of food trucks will be there to fill your belly, there will be music from The Greenhearts and a special showing of the Godzilla film, "Destroy All Monsters" with a live original soundtrack by Goldrush.

Over in Carytown, the 9th Annual Zombie Walk starts at 2:30 on the sidewalk in front of Kroger and the living corpses will drag their bodies down to the Byrd Theater and back to Kroger. The event benefits the American Cancer Society and it's FREE to hang out and watch. If you want to be in the Zombie Walk, click the link up there for rules.

If you are north of the city, the Slash Cottage Bluegrass and American Festival will be at Center of the Universe Brewery in Ashland. It'll run from 3 PM until 9 PM and it's FREE to get in.The band lineup is:

- George Turnman

- Old Virginia Bluegrass Band

- Matt Jones and the Bobs

- Shooting Creek

- Willis River

At The National on Saturday night, soulful, bluesy indie rockers Cold War Kids will perform. Tix are $20 in advance, $23 at the door, doors open at 7 and show starts at 8 with PAPA. You might dig Cold War Kids if you like The White Stripes, Kings of Leon, Drive-By Truckers, My Morning Jacket, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Replacements, The Pixies, Radiohead, Tom Waits, Jeff Buckley, The Pogues, Velvet Underground, or The Band. Here's "Tuxedos" from their latest album, "Dear Miss Lonelyhearts":

On Sunday, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden hosts Goblins & Gourds. Cost to get in is the usual price of admission and it takes place in the Children's Garden, with all sorts of fun for kids young and old. There will also be a concert by the Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra. They play indigenous gourds and are pretty cool to see. They'll be playing throughout the day. Here's a little taste of their show at the Catawba Farm Fest in 2012:



You can celebrate Squirreloween at The Diamond with Nutzy, Parker Pig and the Flying Squirrels on Sunday from 2 PM to 6 PM. The event is FREE and open to all. They've added a Halloween Carnival this year out on the field which will benefit FeedRVA. Kids can trick or treat throughout The Diamond, play games and the band The Hit List will keep things rockin'. For the adults, there will be a beer garden in The Diamond Tailgate Zone on the 1st base side.

Sunday night at Strange Matter, it's a pretty strong alternative metal show headlined by Kylesa, and openers Acrassicauda (from Iraq!), Pinkish Black, Sierra and Unscared. Doors open at 7, music starts at 7:30 and it's $15 to get in. Caught in the Carousel recently reviewed Kylesa & Sierra's show in Milwaukee and said "The torch has been passed – Kylesa is now the greatest rock and roll band in the United States." I don't know if I'd go that far, but they do rock. Here they are at the Southwest Terror Fest a few days ago.



Tuesday night, if you're not going to see Pearl Jam at John Paul Jones Arena like me (gloating!), you can catch psychedelic, noise pop band Crystal Stilts at Strange Matter. Tix are $10 in advance, $12 day of show, doors open at 9, show starts at 10 with openers Zachary Cale, Warren Hixson, and DJ Marty Violence. Time Out Chicago reviewed Crystal Stilts Chicago show and said, "Playing in front of colorful abstractions projected onto a tattered white sheet at Empty Bottle last night, the Brooklyn psych outfit—touring on its third LP, Nature Noir—brought to mind, at different points, everyone from the Doors to the Velvet Underground to Joy Division." Here's "Star Crawl" from Crystal Stilts new album, "Nature Noir":



Tuesday night at The National, smart indie rock band Minus the Bear will perform. Tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with openers INVSN and Slow Bird. If you want a preview of their show, check out their Livestream acoustic session and interview at 2 PM ET on Friday, 10/25. Here they are doing "Steel and Blood":


Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Father John Misty, Late Night Pick: Pearl Jam

Neo-folkie Father John Misty will be at The National tonight. Tix are $23, doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with the opener, comedian Kate Berlant. You don't see comedians opening up for musicians much these days. I believe it happened more often back in the 70's so it's kind of cool and plays into Father John Misty's old school vibe. It also plays into his sometimes humorous lyrics, as evidenced on this favorite of mine, "I'm Writing a Novel":



On Late Night TV tonight, Pearl Jam week continues on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. No more cover tunes, it's time for the real thing as Pearl Jam will perform. And hopefully Jimmy gets Eddie Vedder into a skit or a game show. Late Night is on at 12:35 AM on NBC.

Late Night Pick: Dierks Bentley with Mike McCready of Pearl Jam and The Roots

Yes, that unlikely combination is quite likely tonight as Late Night with Jimmy Fallon continues Pearl Jam week, with musicians covering Pearl Jam Monday through Wednesday and Pearl Jam themselves playing Thursday and Friday. Dierks Bentley with Mike McCready of Pearl Jam and The Roots are on Late Night tonight at 12:35 AM on NBC. Pearl Jam will be in Charlottesville at John Paul Jones Arena with me on Tuesday night. Upper level seats still remain for the show.

Here's highlights from earlier this week. First, Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes performs "Corduroy". Can't embed it. Here's the link: http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/blogs/2013/10/robin-pecknold-performs-pearl-jams-corduroy/

And here's Chris Cornell & The Avett Brothers doing "Footsteps":