RVA Shows You Must See This Week: July 24 – July 30
FEATURED SHOW
Sunday, July 28, 6 PM
Lamb Of God (Photo by Errick Easterday), Mastodon, Kerry King, Malevolence @ VACU Live – $56-$67 (order tickets HERE)
You guys, I could go on and on — and have before — about how fast time goes by once you become an adult, and how the occasional reminders that “Oh yeah, holy shit, it really HAS been a long time” get harsher and harsher as the years go by. But if you’ve been reading this column for a while, you’ve heard that rant from me before. So let’s just acknowledge that the Ashes Of Leviathan Tour, which is coming to Virginia Credit Union Live (aka the big outdoor stage at the racetrack) this Sunday night, was my latest brutal reminder of just how many decades I’ve been on this floating ball of mud. And now that we’ve done that, let’s move on to much more important things, like why this show matters.
Back in the early 00s, the world of metal was changing. Just as people who’d long been too snobbish to give the metal genre the time of day were starting to wake up to how important it really is, a whole new generation of brilliant, creative, and heavy-as-fuck American metal bands were starting to come into their own. Richmond’s own Lamb Of God and Atlanta’s Mastodon were two of the most important bands in that scene, and both of them released era- and legacy-defining albums in 2004: Lamb Of God’s Ashes Of The Wake, which distilled the band’s unrelenting heaviness and structural precision into a perfect distillation without a single wasted second; and Mastodon’s Leviathan, which gave the world an early window into what would become one of the 21st century metal scene’s most expansive and unpredictable ensembles. Two decades later, the metal scene is very different than it would have been if those two albums had not been released — and the Ashes Of Leviathan tour offers the world an opportunity to celebrate the heavy metal bounty that we’ve all reaped in the 20 years since.
Here’s how that will happen. Both Lamb Of God and Mastodon will be playing their entire 2004 albums from front to back during their sets at this show, and if you know these bands’ music at all, you’re sure to have a ton of favorites from both albums that you’ll want to go nuts for. Even if you don’t know these two albums, there’s really no better way to be introduced to their brilliance than to see these two vastly talented ensembles recreate them live and loud atop the VACU Live stage. Plus, it gives all of us old-school Richmond heads an opportunity to celebrate our hometown heroes once again. What more could you even want? Well, what if I told you that along with both of those things, you’re also going to get an set from none other than the redoubtable Kerry King? Yes, that’s right, the guitar-shredding legend from the almighty Slayer will be on hand to kick this show into high gear. His new album, From Hell I Rise, generates much of the same intensity and fury as classic Slayer albums — and no wonder, with King joined on the album by former members of fellow thrash legends Death Angel, Vio-lence, Testament, and Exodus. It may not be Slayer (and really, with King’s former bandmate Jeff Hanneman dead, what is?), but it’s the closest you’ll get in the year 2024, and one listen to From Hell I Rise makes clear that it’s definitely close enough. Heavy-as-fuck British up-and-comers Malevolence will get this whole thing started in headcrushing fashion. Get fucking stoked, y’all.
Wednesday, July 24, 7 PM
Donald Shimoda, Mold, Linus, Kantina, Machi @ Bandito’s – $10
Here’s a really great midweek lineup for all the screamo fans out there. And we’re talking true screamo, too — not that I don’t like The Used or Hawthorne Heights or whoever, but a band having occasional screamed vocals does not make them screamo. It’s a whole sound, one that descends from the classic mid-90s west coast emo sound of Indian Summer and Still Life, mixes in the more metallic approach of early 00s bands like Saetia and the grind-influenced chaos of bands like Orchid and The Locust, and comes out with a sound that is heavy yet emotional, intense yet melodic, and above all, passionate and sincere. In case you haven’t guessed by now, I love this stuff when it’s done right. And this five-band bill coming to Bandito’s tonight is a great mix of local and out-of-town bands who are helping keep the classic screamo sound alive in the mid-2020s.
For starters, there’s Richmonders Donald Shimoda, who named themselves after a fictional pilot and philosopher from a Richard Bach novel. They recently released a split EP with fellow Richmond screamo torchbearers Meg Ryan, and their side of it is an absolute ripper, bringing to mind legendary past screamo bands like Off Minor, Ampere, and Funeral Diner. It seems likely that they’ll lay down a pretty hectic set when they take the Bandito’s stage tonight. As for our two Minneapolis-based touring bands, Mold and Linus, Mold is a trio playing raw screamo noise with the accent on distortion and emotion, while Linus go in a slower, more fuzzed-out direction that draws from the heavy end of the shoegaze spectrum (think Hum, or Nothing). As for our local openers, Kantina have a frantic, chaotic energy on their recently released demo that gets downright mathcore at times, while Machi are more focused on a ramshackle melodicism that reminds me of 90s Southern emo-core obscurities like Waffle Stomper and Cornelius, maybe with a little bit of Cap’n Jazz at their noisiest stirred in. Really, this show is gonna be a bonanza for the screamo lovers in this town — and you even get the chance to have some Bandito’s nachos while you’re over there. How can you resist?
Thursday, July 25, 8 PM
Guerra Final, Total Nada, Ultimate Disaster, Cascara, No Victim @ Fuzzy Cactus – $12
It’s not really all that talked about today (more’s the pity), but back in the mid-80s, the hardcore scene was ruled by bands from outside North America. Rippers from Italy like Raw Power and Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers, ragers from Scandinavia like Anti-Cimex and Rattus, psychos from Brazil like Ratos de Porao and Ohlo Seco, maniacs from Japan like Gauze and Lip Cream… these were the bands breaking new ground in the world of hardcore circa 1985 or so. When the American youthcrew wave came through in the late 80s, some people forgot all about the great sounds that came out of Europe, Asia, and Latin America, but there are plenty who kept the faith and brought the sound forward through the 90s and into the 21st century. You’ll hear plenty of that exact sort of thing at this Thursday night Fuzzy Cactus shindig, which comes to us via Acute Noise, a small local promoter/label that’s been doing big things in the local noise-punk underground for a while now.
We’ve got two out-of-town headliners for this one. First, there’s Texas crew Guerra Final, who sing entirely in Spanish and bring us an unhinged take on classic raw hardcore that mines the d-beat sound without getting too predictable. They’re fast as fuck, too, and that’s always a plus. Then there’s Total Nada, who also sing in Spanish even though they come from Quebec, where I’d have expected French. Whatever works, though, especially when the sound is this awesome — dark and moody, with a vaguely postpunk feel that does nothing to diminish this band’s acidic hardcore fury. As for the three Virginia-based bands getting this one started off, Acute Noise affiliates Ultimate Disaster lay down some fast and furious d-beat hardcore with tinges of Poison Idea/9 Shocks Terror-style rock n’ roll wildness. I don’t know too much about Cascara, but they sure appear to be in the general fast, raw, and thrashy vein of the overall lineup on this one. Brand new Richmond combo No Victim will get this one started with plenty of out-of-control hardcore punk energy that makes me think of legendary early 80s groups like Negative FX and The Adolescents — which is to say, well worth showing up on time for. Be ready for plenty of circle-pit skanking at this one.
Friday, July 26, 7 PM
Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter, Dorthia Cottrell @ Richmond Music Hall at Capital Ale House – $28 (order tickets HERE)
When you hear the phrase “extreme music,” you might expect it to signal something that hurts your ears: death metal, harsh noise, superfast grindcore. It doesn’t always mean that sort of thing, though — sometimes it means the music made by Kristin Hayter, who previously performed and recorded as Lingua Ignota and began performing under her own name, Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter (she really did get ordained online). Her music mainly focuses on her voice, backed by minimalist ambient sounds, but make no mistake, it is often bone-chilling in its effect. On the final Lingua Ignota LP, 2021’s Sinner Get Ready, Hayter howled and screamed, channeling religious fervor and the sun-blasted voice of god as he appears to the most fanatical of evangelical worshippers. It was often relatively quiet, but terrifying throughout. Apparently, this was part of why Hayter abandoned the Lingua Ignota project — she called it “excruciating to perform.” But don’t get it twisted — the material on Saved!, her 2023 debut under her own name, isn’t any less unsettling. The vocals are generally sung in a more straightforward fashion than on her previous work, channeling believers in a storefront church singing in unison from tattered hymnals, but replacing the simple piano or organ lines beneath with throbbing feedback and atonal strumming on folk instruments like banjo and zither.
Having said all of that, if you appreciated what Lingua Ignota was about, you’ll probably still find a lot to enjoy (or, at least, thrill to) in Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter’s new incarnation. Often, it is still frightening as hell, though now it is less the terror of Texas Chainsaw Massacre and more the terror of the legendary Stephen King novella “Jerusalem’s Lot” (not the same as his novel Salem’s Lot — real King fans know the difference). You’re trapped in a storefront church with an unhinged priest who has the entire congregation rapt in her grip, and she’s singing oh-so-worshipfully about cutting throats (possibly yours? You don’t know). Cold sweat is trickling down your back. Then she leads the congregation in a version of “Precious Lord Take My Hand” that sounds straight off an old Carter Family 78, and you don’t know whether to relax or get even more freaked out. By all accounts, that’s what it’s like to see Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter in 2024. And if you love horror and are fascinated by the extremes of the human condition as much as I do, you’re gonna want to be front row center for this one. Apocalyptic folk singer-songwriter Dorthia Cottrell, who brings her background in doom metal to her downright witchy Appalachian-tinged country-fried solo material, will get everyone in the right mood for this one with her opening set. Sinner, get ready.
Saturday, July 27, 4 PM
Over The James 2024, feat. Avail, The Menzingers, Suicide Machines, Sheer Mag, Division Of Mind, Doll Baby @ The National – $50 (order tickets HERE)
When Avail returned to live performance back in 2019, 12 years after they’d last played, it felt like a one-time benediction. They didn’t start making new records, they didn’t do much of any touring, and it was easy to believe that this band full of still-active musical veterans would disappear back into inactivity as quickly as they came. And yet, somehow, we’ve been fortunate enough to have Avail stick around for half a decade beyond that first big reunion. Indeed, the yearly Over The James throwdowns out at Brown’s Island have taken on the feel of a yearly tradition at this point, a chance to get the whole 90s RVA punk crew back together for a family reunion/old home week on Brown’s Island. That tradition is taking a bit of a hit this year — organizers decided in the last week or so that it’d be better to avoid the massive heatwaves and sudden summer storms that have plagued the last couple of years of Over The James gatherings by moving the whole thing indoors to The National. It might be a little bit cozier as a result, but I can’t imagine it’ll be any less celebratory or hectic. This time, thankfully, we can at least avoid the kind of hectic that comes from everyone rushing and cutting sets short to get the show done before the weather hits.
As far as the bands playing, Avail is the sort of Richmond institution I can’t imagine any of you need introductions to… and yet, as they say on Axe To Grind, every new episode is somebody’s first, so I’ll give you the super-quick breakdown: Avail are a quintet of talented players with a subtle but very real Southern influence that bleeds through their note-perfect blends of hardcore fury and punk melody. Every song is an anthem; every album is era-defining. If you haven’t seen them at least a dozen times, you really can’t afford to miss them this time. And if you HAVE seen them at least a dozen times, you know you’ve gotta go back for one more. As always, Avail are joined on this bill by a murderer’s row of punk and hardcore legends from multiple eras. The Menzingers are a Pennsylvania quartet with a two-decade history of emotional, melodic punk tunes that mix in a touch of Springsteen’s best working-class anthems. The Suicide Machines are another leading light of the 90s punk scene who got back together a few years back, and they’ll be bringing their excellent politically informed ska-punk (emphasis on the punk) intensity to this show, to all of our benefit. Sheer Mag’s classic 70s punk and power-pop sound will provide this bill with an early highlight, while the present-day Richmond punk scene will be represented by two of its leading lights: the dark, heavy hardcore of Division Of Mind, and the heartfelt, catchy alt-punk of Doll Baby. The whole thing will be incredible, from beginning to end — and you won’t even have to worry about getting rained on.
Sunday, July 28, 7 PM
Druid Stone, An Invitation, Rough Dose, Cultleader Global @ Cobra Cabana – $10
Sunday night is a great night to get downright weird with it, and if that’s the mood you’re in, you’ll definitely want to head over to Cobra Cabana, because Demeter Capsalis and Druid Stone will be bringing some truly bizarre psychedelic doom sounds to the snakepit this Sunday night. Led by the aforementioned Ms. Capsalis, Druid Stone has been going for over a decade now, and has had all sorts of people as part of the band’s lineup over that time, but throughout, they’ve been putting out their unique and truly bizarre take on doom metal. The latest example is their brand new EP, Depeche Mode Is Cooler Than Electric Wizard, which is full of fuzzed-out lo-fi doom metal, distorted psychedelic folk, and all sorts of other stuff, all of which is united by the spirit of creative risk-taking and willingness to go out on a limb. If you like bands to be easy to categorize and understand, Druid Stone might weird you out a little bit, but I challenge you to expand your horizons and get on this band’s level. A truly fascinating wellspring of unpredictable brilliance awaits you.
Druid Stone affiliates An Invitation are also on the bill, and appear to be from the legendary suburban wasteland that is Herndon, Virginia. But don’t let that fool you, because these guys also have an entertainingly unusual approach, one that yields some pretty brilliant results. Their overall sound is hard to describe, but there are definitely elements of Motorhead, The MC5, and Entombed all stirred up in there, plus maybe a small dose of Black Flag at their sludgiest. Richmond is represented on the bill by Rough Dose, a crew of talented punk rock veterans of bands like Reagan Youth, The Unabombers, and The Abused. Their new EP, This City, is a classic slab of pissed-off three-chord punk awesomeness, and they’ll be bringing that same energy to Cobra Cabana Sunday night. You’ll want to be there for that. Openers Cultleader.global (which is also a website with a vibe that reminds me of early-internet landmark Time Cube) appear to make a strange electro-postpunk sound based on 2023 EP Looong Pointy, but I’m honestly not sure whether this entire band is a low-key prank, so be prepared for anything from these folks. That’s really a good attitude for this entire show, to be honest.
Monday, July 29, 7 PM
The Aristocrats @ The Broadberry – $25 (order tickets HERE)
I saw this band’s name and immediately thought, “Wait, like the dirty joke so notorious there’s an entire documentary about it?” And you might think that I’m a total weirdo for having that as my first association for this band’s name, but clearly I’m not the only one, because in fact, this instrumental math-rock trio named themselves after that very same dirty joke! Consisting of talented musical weirdos Guthrie Govan (who has collaborated with Hans Zimmer, among many others), Bryan Beller (who is a member of Dethklok and Joe Satriani’s band), and Marco Minnemann (of Freaky Fukin Weirdoz, The Mute Gods, and more), this band came together as the result of a jam session at a National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) trade show back in 2011. Which I suppose makes The Aristocrats the textbook definition of a guitar-store band, but if you write them off because of that, you’ll be missing out on a lot — so hey, don’t.
Instead, check out the ripping riffs and catchy tunes on their brand new album, Duck, which carries on the proud tradition of instrumental guitar bands (such as Don Caballero and The Fucking Champs) having bizarre and amusing song titles. Examples this time around include “Sittin’ With A Duck On A Bay,” “Hey, Where’s MY Drink Package?” and “Sgt. Rockhopper,” and the same sense of humor that led to song titles like that also results in some fun over-the-top musical moments that help keep this band fun and entertaining throughout a full evening of instrumental prowess. Which is, to be clear, what you will get when you show up at The Broadberry this Monday night. As far as I know, there aren’t any openers on this bill, so whether you’ll get two different sets or just one long exhibition of chops from these folks is tough to say. But either way, it’s sure to be a ripping good time — so make sure you don’t miss a minute.
Tuesday, July 30, 6 PM
Seeyouspacecowboy, The Callous Daoboys, Omerta, Stateside, Excide @ The Canal Club – $20 in advance, $25 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Let’s end our column this week with a show I am tremendously excited about: the sassgrind/metalcore/(dare-I-say)screamo double feature that is Seeyouspacecowboy and The Callous Daoboys coming to The Canal Club. Seeyouspacecowboy is the band out of this duo who has grabbed more attention thus far in their career, and they’ve definitely kicked that up a few notches with the April release of their third album, Coup De Grace. As someone who was into this band from the very first EP, and who has appreciated their work throughout their years-long metamorphosis from chaotic grindcore to melodic, emotional metalcore, I think their new LP is the best work they’ve done yet — which probably has at least a little something to do with the fact that this is the first time they’ve had two back-to-back releases with the same lineup. While founding vocalist Connie Sgarbossa has been the band’s only constant member, they’ve somehow ended up settling on a lineup containing four of the five original members — though all except for Connie now play a different instrument than they started with. Original guitarist Taylor Allen is far more suited for his current role as bassist and clean vocalist, and the contrast of his high tenor with Connie’s frantic screams and sassy spoken declarations makes for a fascinating multi-layered vocal canvas. Meanwhile, the musical backing shifts from heavy moments that hit every bit as hard as an Every Time I Die mosh riff to sung-screamed melodic choruses like the best Underoath moments. Fans of all the previously mentioned bands, plus Chiodos, the Blood Brothers, the Fall Of Troy, and others, all need to be tuned in for this one.
As for The Callous Daoboys (whose name is a pun on the name of a certain football team), this seven-piece blast of musical chaos won me over back in 2019 with their Die On Mars LP, which found them mixing almost prog-style melodies with brutal, chaotic mathcore in a totally unpredictable and always entertaining fashion. They’ve only taken things farther since then, augmenting their already-unusual lineup (one of their original members switches between synth and violin) with a saxophone. Don’t worry, there’s no ska in the offing — if anything, the band has just gotten both more chaotic and more progressive. This was made clear by their most recent EP, last fall’s God Smiles Upon the Callous Daoboys, which presents the kind of hectic yet still easily understood tunes that you can tell will be total chaos once they’re translated into the live environment. Between this fact, the fact that Callous Daoboys — and Seeyouspacecowboy, for that matter — have a rep for wild live shows, and the fact that these two bands are remarkably musically simpatico despite coming from very different origins, this has all the makings of an outstanding show. Texas metalcore nutcases add some hypercolor weirdness to the proceedings, along with a subtle touch of hip-hop influence that should work just fine for fans of Slipknot and Ghostemane, among others. On a completely different note, Stateside are post-hardcore rockers with a solid dose of melodic emo that will thrill everyone who dug the Koyo/Anxious/One Step Closer triple bill that came through earlier this year. Excide will kick the night off with some crunchy Helmet/Soul Blind alt-metal vibes. Get there early for them. Really, you don’t want to miss a second of this one. So hey — don’t.
Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers -– this week’s column has obviously already been written): rvamustseeshows@gmail.com
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