RVA Shows You Must See This Week: September 4 – September 10
FEATURED SHOW
Friday, September 6, 5 PM
Mid-Autumn Celebration at First Friday, feat. Gamelan Raga Kusuma, Peni Candra Rini, Rumput, Yeni Nostalji, DJ Carl Hamm @ Gallery 5 – Free!
Oh thank goodness — Gallery 5 is back! The community-oriented gallery was closed for most of August, working through some major rearranging and relocating their stage in preparation for a big return. Now the big return has arrived, and we’re all the beneficiaries. Our first opportunity to be reminded all over again of what an invaluable resource Gallery 5 is to its community is this First Friday night, a multimedia extravaganza that puts the lie to its name by at least a couple weeks… but who’s counting? Mid-autumn, late summer, whatever works. The important thing is the sheer magnitude of this exhibition, which will range from the gallery area through the performance space and out into the street outside the gallery — a place where all truly great Gallery 5 events end up.
Inside on the main stage, several excellent local ensembles will bring us sounds that have their sources in Eastern Europe and Asia. Specifically, we’ll be joined by the incredible Gamelan Raga Kusuma, a percussion ensemble affiliated with University of Richmond that comes together to flawlessly recreate the traditional ringing percussive music of the Indonesian islands Java and Bali. The rhythms are hypnotic and driving, and are sure to get you dancing. Rumput, another Richmond-based ensemble working within traditional Indonesian musical forms, will be on hand to perform their take on the traditional Javanese stringband music known as keroncong. Both Rumput and GRK will be joined by Indonesian composer and vocalist extraordinaire Peni Candra Rini, who has already released one album so far this year, Wulansih, and is soon to release another, Wani. Rini’s highly creative take on traditional Javanese musical forms is showcased within multiple musical modes on these two albums, and at Gallery 5 on Friday night, we’ll get a live demonstration of what she has to offer — one that will no doubt blow us all away.
The evening will also feature music from Richmond-based acoustic trio Yeni Nostalji, whose lush sound mixes traditional Turkish music with classic French pop, American folk music, and a thoroughly modern sensibility. Their music is sure to have a powerful emotional effect on all listeners. There’ll be more music on offer from veteran Richmond DJ Carl Hamm, well-known for his always-hype Bollywood dance parties — which he’ll recreate in a semi-abbreviated fashion from the Gallery 5 stage in order to crank up the energy of the evening. And listen — this may be a column focused around music, but if you head out to this event, you’ll be ripping yourself off if you don’t spend at least a little bit of time taking in the visual art on display, which is an exhibition by over half a dozen artists of the Middle Eastern diaspora entitled Take Me To Your Garden. And that’s not to mention the outdoor stage curated by Kasama Collective, which will feature everything from martial arts demonstrations to taiko drum ensemble performances, and will culminate with a K-pop DJ set that’s sure to bring down the house. All this plus Asian food trucks, local artists and vendors, a special Dim Sum Mid-Autumn menu featuring some of the area’s best restaurants, and so so much more! Considering how much you’re getting out of all this, it’s truly remarkable that this event is actually free. But hey — that’s just how great Gallery 5 is. Don’t take it for granted! Come out and appreciate what this wonderful space brings us.
Wednesday, September 4, 7 PM
Zorn, Serqet, Private Hell, Vigil @ Cobra Cabana – $10
A lot of mediocre college term papers have started by telling you the dictionary definition of a term, so I don’t exactly want to go down that road right now, but I do think it’s important for you to know that the name “Zorn,” in German, means “wrath.” Once you know that, you might be a little less surprised to find out that the Philadelphia punk band Zorn are known for wild onstage antics from leaping out of coffins and dressing like ancient monks to wielding actual flaming swords. Wrath, indeed. And let me tell you, the wrath inherent in their name comes through very powerfully in the sound captured by their 2023 self-titled LP, which begins somewhere in the neighborhood of classic D-beat European hardcore and adds heaping helpings of black-metallic melodrama, gothic punk foreboding, and thrashed-up rage. The final result sounds like what you’d get if the new Broken Bones lineup featured members of Mercyful Fate, Bathory, and the original incarnation of Christian Death. Or something of that nature.
Between the rip-roaring sound of their records and the already-legendary status of Zorn’s live performances, you really aren’t going to want to miss this midweek throwdown at Cobra Cabana. And that’s before we start talking about the other bands on the bill. For example, Serqet. Despite this local postpunk band’s formidable reputation, recordings have been hard to come by, with nothing since their Oleander 7″ back in 2018. Still, in recent months, they’ve been on a particularly active streak, and word has it that new recordings may come to light in the relatively near future. For now, though, if you want to hear the new stuff Serqet have been cooking up, you’ll have to go see them live. I highly recommend doing so — the sooner the better. Richmond thrashcore ragers Private Hell and classic speed-metal rippers Vigil open this one up with some exciting sounds to get you hyped up for what’s to come. Don’t miss this one.
Thursday, September 5, 7 PM
Ty Segall, Tess Fisher @ The Broadberry – $30 (order tickets HERE)
Ty Segall is a really interesting guy. He got his start in the world of underground garage punk about 20 years ago, when he was still a teenager, playing in bands like Epsilons, Party Fowl, and the Traditional Fools. Eventually he started releasing solo material, which soon catapulted him to fame in the indie world through his intriguing mix of hard rock fuzz, psychedelic intrigue, and power-pop hooks. About a dozen years ago, when he was releasing albums like Goodbye Bread and Manipulator, he was the toast of the indie world. But instead of settling into a vaguely punky garage-psych groove and giving the people what they wanted for the next decade, he instead continued to challenge himself, remaining highly prolific (between solo albums and his plentiful side projects, most years saw him release several albums and EPs) and wildly varied in sound. Take this year, which has thus far seen him release the wild yet melodic psychedelic head trip Three Bells and the percussion-focused breakup album Love Rudiments.
And of course, his current tour finds him doing nothing like either of those albums, as he hits the road with a solo acoustic show — just Ty and a guitar. There’s very little within his catalog that embodies these particular musical limitations, though he did dip into minimal acoustic sounds for part of his 2022 album “Hello, Hi”, it was only for a few songs. That makes this show mostly uncharted territory even for big Ty Segall fans. That being said, I think we can count on the quality level during this performance remaining stratospherically high. After all, Ty Segall’s songs are pretty much always well-written and intriguing enough that they’d sound good even in their most stripped-down form. Expect him to prove as much during this performance. The opening set from talented local singer-songwriter Tess Fisher should also be pretty incredible, showing off her strange, hypnotic take on acid-drenched country sounds. You really don’t want to miss this one.
Friday, September 6, 7 PM
Guided By Voices, Dazy @ The Broadberry – $40 (order tickets HERE)
An old friend of mine used to joke about his “GBV OCD” — the way he made himself miserable by always trying to track down every release by the impossibly prolific indie power-pop group Guided By Voices. I haven’t heard from that guy in a while, but I bet he’s having even more trouble since Guided By Voices reunited after eight years apart in 2012. Back then, GBV would generally release an album and several EPs every year. In the post-reformation era, it’s nothing for them to release two or even three full-length albums per year. So much for the myth about artists slowing down as they get older!
2024 is a relatively easy year for GBV completists, in that bandleader/only-constant-member Robert Pollard made the conscious decision to only release one LP this year. That LP, Strut Of Kings, shows the amount of time that was put into it, showing off a thicker sound with a stronger rock quotient that puts the spotlight on GBV’s longtime lead guitarist, Doug Gillard. Gillard puts the “power” in GBV’s power pop, and while the version of Guided By Voices you’ll get circa 2024 may not please those who enjoyed their more lo-fi early 90s material (the stuff they’re best known for — see 1994’s Bee Thousand and 1995’s Alien Lanes), it does prove that the sheer songwriting genius of Robert Pollard is not at all dependent on raw, live-in-studio recording techniques in order to shine. You can expect to be rocked well by GBV when they pull up at the Broadberry this Friday night, and it’ll be a great start to your weekend. Richmond lo-fi indie rockers Dazy, who are led by brilliant melodic punk songwriter James Goodson (Hold Tight, Teen Death), will open this one up with a sound that should appeal to the longtime GBV heads and the curious indie kids alike.
Saturday, September 7, 8 PM
Scrunchies, Dirty Metal Lefty @ Garden Grove Brewing – Free!
This one almost snuck by me, and I have a feeling it may be about to sneak by a lot of you reading this right now. That’s something we’ll all need to fix in a big hurry, because missing a free show by Minneapolis punk rock trio Scrunchies would be a true tragedy. Their new album, Colossal, was one of the last recording projects completed by legendary producer Steve Albini before his untimely death earlier this year. If you’re a fan of Albini’s work, you’ll hear his usual hallmarks — the incredible drum sound, the noisy yet clearly defined guitar riffs, the way the crescendos on this highly dynamic album punch you in the chest. But none of it would mean much of anything if it weren’t for the fact that Scrunchies are an incredibly talented band, regardless of who is producing them.
Honestly, once I gave this band a listen, I was shocked I hadn’t heard them before. There are all sorts of amazing things at work in their music, from a feminist rage that evokes Bikini Kill at their most confident and talented, circa Reject All American, to an unpredictable yet always surefooted use of loud-quiet songwriting dynamics that feels almost Fugazi-like. And of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the way Scrunchies carry forward the legacy of the legendary Sleater-Kinney. If any of these touchstones mean anything to you, you’ll make your entire week by showing up at Garden Grove this Saturday night and catching Scrunchies for the low, low price of zero dollars. Local indie-punk singer-songwriter Dirty Metal Lefty will get this one started off, and you’ll certainly be well rewarded for showing up on time to this one — not to mention for sticking around all night. Make it happen.
Sunday, September 8, 8 PM
Jason Joshua, Johnny Burgos @ Ember Music Hall – $22 in advance, $30 day of show (order tickets HERE)
This one is going to be hot. Jason Joshua is mainly known for his viral Tiktok hit “La Vida Es Fria,” but he’s got a lot more going on than just a streaming-era novelty. His throwback soul sound mixes in elements of classic Latin genres like salsa and merengue without seeming too self-consciously retro. Instead, he creates modern music with a strong heart and a connection to musical traditions that go back decades. He first grabbed the attention of the world with his first LP, Alegria Y Tristeza, released under the name Jason Joshua & The Beholders. However, it’s last year’s La Voz De Oro that really takes things to the next level for him, finding him moving between sounds that will be music to the ears of Amy Winehouse or Charles Bradley fans and other songs that will please folks who love to put on old Ray Barretto records on sunny Saturday afternoons. Whether you want to shake your hips or get all in your feelings, Jason Joshua has the songs you need to hear.
And now I’m looking back over that paragraph and realizing that I didn’t say anything about the man’s voice, which is a truly egregious oversight. His dulcet tenor tones are so smooth he’s even known in some circles as “The Golden Voice” (aka “la voz de oro,” the title of his latest LP). You can expect him to be in top form this Sunday night at Ember Music Hall, and you can further expect to sail away through the astral plane, borne on waves of gorgeous sound. Fellow retro-soul singer Johnny Burgos will act as opening act, and will no doubt give us some fine throwback tunes from his latest LP, All I Ever Wonder. Burgos has strong 70s-soul vibes in his sound — a slightly more modern feel than that of Jason Joshua, but certainly one that still fits well into the same musical modes. In other words, you can expect a night full of smooth, beautiful throwback soul. Who could ask for anything more?
Monday, September 9, 7 PM
The Lemonheads, Cooper B. Handy @ The Broadberry – $39.50 (order tickets HERE)
Sure is nice to see The Lemonheads being a consistently active band once again. Founder and bandleader Evan Dando has had his struggles over the years, with drugs, depression, and a general inability to get things going. However, 2024 has seen the release of the first new original Lemonheads music in over a decade (it was only one song, but we’ll take what we can get), and now the band is back on the road celebrating their two greatest and most successful albums, both of which played significant parts in defining the sound of the early-90s alternative rock era. A special 30th anniversary edition of 1992’s It’s A Shame About Ray came out a couple of years ago, and 1993’s Come On Feel The Lemonheads received the same treatment last year — eminently appropriate venerations in both cases. The jangly, melancholy sound of It’s A Shame About Ray pushed Dando’s classic melodic punk songwriting style into new paradigms, connecting with sad teenagers in small towns the world over. The more upbeat (if slightly less consistent from song to song) Come On Feel The Lemonheads showed that the punk in the Lemonheads’ DNA was still exerting a powerful influence, even as the band reached new heights of catchy chorus hooks.
The 30th anniversary editions of both albums are quite long, but if The Lemonheads stick to the original running order of both albums, as is promised on the flyer, their set will be a tight hour that’s jam-packed with iconic tunes that will have all the greyhairs like myself singing along with the classic anthems of their adolescence. You don’t have to be 40-something to enjoy this, either — Evan Dando’s songwriting talent may not have been in plentiful display in recent years, but the man could write some incredible tunes back in the day, and hearing them all in sequence as this evening promises is sure to blow some young minds. Now, if only seeing everyone get so stoked about this classic material from his younger days could only convince Evan to finally grace us with a full new Lemonheads album… well, we can hope. But for now, you can’t go wrong heading to the Broadberry on a Monday night and seeing the Lemonheads rip it up. It’ll be a night you’ll never forget.
Tuesday, September 10, 7:30 PM
The Hoodoo Gurus @ The National – $31 (order tickets HERE)
From one show commemorating the anniversary of a classic album to another, the hits just keep coming at the beginning of next week here in Richmond. Legendary Australian band The Hoodoo Gurus has been going for nearly half a century now, and this year marks the 40th anniversary of their classic debut album, Stoneage Romeos, being released into the world. Full of incredible power pop tunes that straddle the line between New Wave bounce and 60s pop sunshine, this album was a strong statement that let the whole world know exactly what Australia had to offer.
The Hoodoo Gurus never became the kind of big stars in America that they were in their native Australia, but they did manage to pick up a strong cult following — indeed, Auricular head honcho Doug Nunnally is a big fan, which I learned when I let him know this was one of the shows I’d be covering this week. So take it from both Doug and I — you’ll need to check this one out. If you’ve enjoyed classic Australian alternative rock bands like The Church, Midnight Oil, or Crowded House in the past, rest assured that the Hoodoo Gurus helped lay the groundwork for the success of those bands. But mere acknowledgement for their pioneering role in that country’s music scene is not enough; true appreciation of what the Hoodoo Gurus have to offer can only be gained by listening to their classic albums — not only Stoneage Romeos but also Mars Needs Guitars, Magnum Cum Louder, and more — and most importantly, heading out to The National this Tuesday night to enjoy their sound up close and personal. After all, who knows when they’ll be back in Richmond again? Make this one count.
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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