RVA Shows You Must See This Week: March 19 – March 25
FEATURED SHOW
Friday, March 21, 7 PM
Pyramid Mass, Plaguefever, Eradicant, Thumpr @ Gallery 5 – $10 (order tickets HERE)
In the three decades I’ve been involved in the Richmond music scene, I’ve seen a lot of changes come to pass. This city’s scene has expanded, the number of venues has multiplied, and the artistic influences flowing into the city’s musical soup have added many new flavors. But for me, the roots of this city will always be in heavy music. Metal, hardcore, and punk are what put Richmond on the map as a music city, and I’m always proud to see that tradition carried on by many of the most talented players in this town. Even though it’s great to be able to say that a lot more is happening here musically than once was, it wouldn’t be worth it to me if the punk and metal scenes had withered on the vine.
Thankfully, that hasn’t happened. We’ll have several opportunities to examine that fact in detail over the course of this week’s column, but our biggest opportunity to do so is right here at the top of the column, with this Friday night extravaganza taking place at Gallery 5. Pyramid Mass are headlining this one, and the local epic metal trio are doing so in celebration of their latest release, a five-song EP with the memorable name Gargling Rot. Out this week on Ossein Records, this release has already been reviewed elsewhere on The Auricular, so I won’t go too into depth about how it sounds. Suffice it to say that this trio, long known for its crushingly heavy riffage and epic songwriting chops, has only gotten better at building an entire world of apocalyptic noise brutality for us all to get lost within. If you dig Neurosis, Yautja, or legendary Richmond veterans Inter Arma, you’ll surely love what Pyramid Mass are bringing to us on this new release.
And like I said, it does my heart good to see. This is the kind of killer metal noise that made me want to come out to shows week after week back when I was just getting started in the scene, and it’s still what keeps me coming back today. Apparently I’m far from the only one deriving inspiration from the modern metal/hardcore/punk scene in this city, because Pyramid Mass are joined on this bill by three less seasoned but equally amazing Richmond bands, all of whom inhabit a similar musical headspace. Plaguefever are the first of these, and this band is currently riding high on the release of their second LP, Flail Of Pestilence, late last fall. Their black-metallic biker-crust rage is enough to pulverize even metal lovers of the strongest constitution, and those who venture into the pit during their set will need to have a metal heart and a pair of strong boots. As for fellow Richmonders Eradicant, they bring a classic thrash sound to their ripping riffs, but mix in some truly brutal death-style vocal growls to take the whole thing straight into the outer darkness. All of which is to say: they’re awesome. Ambient synth project Thumpr will fill the between-set emptiness with strange loops and cool noises. The whole evening will be amazing. Show up and kick it old-school.
Wednesday, March 19, 7 PM
Brass Queens, Say Less Brass Band, Lunch $pecial @ The Camel – $12 in advance, $15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
There’s been a strong revival of the classic jazz form known as the brass band over the past 15 or so years — and while Richmond’s legendary favorite sons No BS! Brass Band were clearly at the forefront of the wave, it’s undeniable that a ton of great bands have come along in their wake. Brass Queens are one of the more recent groups to rise within the brass band movement, but they came out of a righteous inspiration; co-founders Alex Harris and Ally Chapel were tired of male musicians massively dominating the world of brass band music, and decided to start their own group showcasing female talent in the world of brass instruments. Having only recently formed when the pandemic hit, Brass Queens distinguished themselves with street performances and pop-up outdoor events, and by the time the world had opened back up, they had quite a following on their hands.
Hearing them today, you can certainly see why. Mixing the classic New Orleans jazz foundations with a strong influence from their native New York streets, they bring a seriously fun time to the stage, and their jubilant group vocals and occasional unexpected yet delightful covers (everything from Labelle and Cameo to Ariana Grande) ensure that there’ll be smiles on every face by the end of the evening. Where modern brass band sounds are concerned, these queens are at the top of the heap. And local sextet Say Less Brass Band, who will provide support on this shindig, are no slouches themselves. Bringing a strong funk groove to their horn-dominated ensemble, these boys are showing everyone in Richmond that there can be more than one great brass band from this city at the same time. Opening the evening up will be local hip hop rapscallion Lunch $pecial, bringing some musical variety to the proceedings with his delightfully irreverent hustle and flow — as demonstrated on his recent collab with fellow local talents REIN and Catie Lausten, “Little Hate.” You can’t ask for more than this.
Thursday, March 20, 6 PM
Shockoe Records presents Up Above My Head: A Tribute To Sister Rosetta Tharpe, feat. Sam Reed, Weldon Hill, Elizabeth Wise, Desiree Roots, Quinton Jones, Sir Rome, and more @ The Hippodrome – $25 – $160 (order tickets HERE)
Knowing your roots is always a great idea. It’s only by knowing where we all come from that we can have the best idea of how to orient ourselves as we progress forward into the future. That’s why, whether you’re a fan of rock, R&B, soul, blues, Americana, or just Richmond music in general, you should really be aware of Sister Rosetta Tharpe. She’s been gone from this world since before I came into it (and y’all know I’m no spring chicken) but she laid a lot of groundwork for the musical world we live in today, and her music is still every bit as vital a listen as it must have been when she first started. Known for her incredible soulful singing, her prowess at the guitar, and her groundbreaking mixture of secular sounds from the worlds of blues and swing with gospel-tinged vocals and subject matter, Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a pioneer at bringing together the various musical styles that ultimately merged and cross-pollinated to become rock n’ roll. Indeed, some consider her 1944 single “Strange Things Happening Every Day” to be the first true rock n’ roll record (though there are a lot of records people say that about).
What makes all of this so significant to today’s Richmond music scene is that Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a Richmond artist. Moving here in the post-WWII era, after she’d already made her name in the recording world, she owned a home in Barton Heights (near the present-day location of Fuzzy Cactus) for nearly a decade. Today, there’s a movement here in Richmond to recognize her musical legacy in the city where she once lived, and Shockoe Records is right in the middle of it, which is why they’re bringing a celebration of Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s birthday to The Hippodrome this Thursday night. Up Above My Head: A Tribute To Sister Rosetta Tharpe will bring together a variety of talented Richmond musicians — from soul-jazz singer Sam Reed to jazz pianist extraordinaire Weldon Hill to Richmond Symphony’s own singing-dancing-acting triple threat, Desiree Roots, and more — to pay tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s musical legacy, and remind a city that largely seems to have forgotten her how important she was, and how important it is for Richmond to recognize the contributions she made to the history of music. So come to the Hippodrome this Thursday night, hear Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s music brought to life by some of the city’s most talented musicians, and learn more about her life and impact. Celebrate a queer Black woman who changed the face of music from right here in RVA.
Friday, March 21, 8 PM
Charm Offensive, Roslin, Aidan Giuffre, Jr. @ Bandito’s – $10
Friday night. I know people will tell you it’s pizza night, but if you ask me, the end of a long working week — because god knows they’re all long — is the perfect night to head over to Bandito’s and indulge yourself in some Tex-Mex deliciousness. Whether you go for the happy hour tacos or follow in my footsteps and order a giant plate of nachos, the meal will be a top-notch celebration of the fact that we’ve made it to another weekend. It’ll also stand as the perfect preview for a four-band local bill that’s chock full of sounds to soothe your work-battered ears. Charm Offensive are at the top of this one, and their shoegaze-infused alt-rock brings to mind everything I loved about the bands who got signed to major labels in the post-Nirvana days but never quite sold as many records because they were just slightly too weird for the frat bros of the era. If you would’ve been smart enough to see the brilliance of The Breeders and Mazzy Star back in the day, this band is sure to delight you.
There’ll be a few other excellent performances on the menu this Friday night at Bandito’s as well. Roslin are a guitar-driven alt-pop act from right here in Richmond who present as a duo at times and as a full-on four-piece rock band at others. The tunes are just as catchy regardless, though, and they’ve definitely made a positive impression on Bandito’s crowds in the past, so you’ll definitely want to be there for their set. Richmond singer-songwriter Aidan Giuffre will also be here, and if you’ve been reading the Auricular today, you’ll have heard the premiere of his latest tune, which is elsewhere on our homepage as you read this. Unfortunately, I’m writing this on Tuesday night, so I haven’t heard it yet, but the jangly slacker indie-pop he’s brought into the world thus far has all been quite enjoyable, so I expect great things both from that song premiere and from his set at this show. Jr., who are opening this evening up, are a husband-wife duo, one of which are also part of local indie crew Soft Catch, and who have a lovely ethereal pop bounce to them. Munch on some nachos and dig what these folks have to offer. Your weekend will thank you.
Saturday, March 22, 8 PM
Terror Cell, Beef, Fit Check, Mercy Mission @ Gallery 5 – $10 in advance, $12 at the door (order tickets HERE)
I hinted earlier that we would be returning to the theme of heavy music later in this column, and you will perhaps already have guessed from the images of angry, teeth-bared dogs in the flyer above that the time has come for us to do so. And you’d be correct, because Richmonders Terror Cell are at the top of this Saturday night bill at Gallery 5, so you know it’s gonna get hectic. Having followed up on their excellent debut, Caustic Light, with last year’s slab of furious rage, All Quiet, Terror Cell has demonstrated their ability to grow as a musical act, integrating subtle strains of melody and more complex songwriting chops, without sacrificing an ounce of pure unrelenting heavyosity. These folks still want to crush your fucking skull with their riffage, and considering the sheer power of their songs, I probably wouldn’t stand too close to the stage if I were you.
Really though, you should be getting the pit started when these folks are onstage, because god knows their tunes certainly merit some flailing stomping rage. You could certainly say the same about Philadelphia quartet Beef as well; their latest EP, Take It As A Threat, is a heavy slab of hardcore fury that shifts on a dime between mosh rage and a high-speed riff storm, and will definitely keep the pit boiling throughout their set. Beef: it’s what’s for dinner. And for an appetizer, you’ll get Fit Check, the Richmond hardcore band who has generated a ton of buzz over their year and a half or so of existence. Full of left-wing political agitprop and chant-along confrontational hardcore punk riffage, this band’s sound more than warrants all the chatter going around town about how great they are. If you haven’t seen for yourself, there’s no time like the present. The evening will kick off with a set from Mercy Mission, who hail from Suffolk, of all places, and are bringing some quality lightning-speed fastcore riffage to town. They’ll get the evening kicked off with a bang, but they’ll probably get through their set pretty quickly, so make sure you show up to this one on time — you won’t want to miss a single second.
Sunday, March 23, 7 PM
Fliora, In Jest, Path To Failure, Execute, Undermined @ Bandito’s – $10
And now we’re kicking the heaviness up a notch, if you can believe that, with this Sunday night Bandito’s bill that will combine two metalcore tours for a five-band rager full of mosh thrash fury. First up on the flier is Fliora, and if you needed to check the blurb to figure out what their logo said, well, you’re not the only one. Don’t worry about the illegible logos, though — they’re really just a sign that the band you’re about to see is really brutal and heavy. Fliora, who hail from Asheville, NC, is certainly both of those things, and they show it off in great detail on latest LP Welcome The Blossom, a title that is, I assure you, deceptive in its cheeriness. Their harshly metallic thrash is paired for their current tour with the brutal metallic moshcore of Path To Failure, a Georgia-based group whose new EP, Entangle In Purity, will certainly please the folks who love the first few Integrity LPs. For the old-school metalcore heads among us, the fact that Path To Failure also cover a track by legendary North Carolina metalcore pioneers Prayer For Cleansing will also tell you a lot about where these folks are coming from. Get ready for headbangs and mosh calls aplenty.
The other tour represented on this bill pairs Philadelphia’s In Jest with Delawareans Execute, mixing some Mason-Dixon flavor with the more southerly sounds of the two bands we discussed in the previous paragraph. In Jest are particularly brutal, focusing on guttural vocal roars and chugging metallic hardcore riffs with a driving intensity that at times reminds me of some of that legendary late 90s vegan metalcore stuff — think Morning Again or Day of Suffering (if you’re old enough to remember those bands; if you’re not, don’t tell me). So yeah, it’s eminently appropriate that the vagaries of tour scheduling have coincidentally brought these folks together with a band who covers Prayer For Cleansing; one could even call it serendipitous. Delaware’s Execute probably have the most specifically 21st-century sound on this bill, bringing together touches of djent-flavored guitar noise with the tech-metallic shred sound of Vein. They’ll offer a bit of a contrast to the rest of the bands on this bill, but let’s be real — if you can mosh for the others, you’ll spinkick for these guys too, no problem. Youthful Virginia moshers Undermined will get this evening started up right, with plenty of chugga crunch; it’ll only get heavier from there. You know what to do.
Monday, March 24, 7 PM
Circle Breaker, SLOG, Kitty Corner, Possum Den @ Fallout – $13 in advance, $15 at the door (order tickets HERE)
If you make a habit of reading The Auricular, I’m sure it’s no news to you that we’re fans of Circle Breaker around here. Not only have I talked up their shows on previous occasions here in the column, Doug had some very positive words for them in a recent Scene Recap column. If that still hasn’t been enough for you to check out Circle Breaker as yet, that’s fine — you can turn back from the terrible path your own this very Monday night by heading over to Fallout and catching Circle Breaker’s headlining set on this evening of awesomeness. Fallout is definitely an appropriate venue for Circle Breaker to headline; a band describing themselves as “queer motor punk hellfire” are surely the perfect sort of heavy hardcore crew to get the freaks at Richmond’s favorite fetish club all hot and bothered. In case that excellent self-description doesn’t tell you enough, let me lay a few more adjectives on you: metal thrashing downtuned biker-crust blastbeat noise mosh grandiosity. Stoked yet? You better be.
Circle Breaker are joined on this bill by Minneapolis queercore band SLOG, whose acronym stands for Sexy Ladies Of God and who fill their debut LP, Proof of SLOG, with the exact sorts of irreverent craziness you’d expect from a band who describe themselves as “tranny shitpost hardcore” on their Bandcamp page. These folks veer back and forth between more straightforward fast hardcore and goofier punk rock moments, but one thing all their material has in common is that it’s a whole lot of fun — especially if you’re a queer/trans person looking for representation in the underground hardcore scene. They even do a GLOSS cover, so you know these folks are right on. Richmonders Kitty Corner will bring a decidedly different feel to the evening with their quiet, semi-acoustic alt-country/Americana sounds; even if it’s not the sound you were expecting, the emotion will be 100% right on. Guaranteed. Noise-rock duo Possum Den will get the evening started with some unorthodox heaviness for fans of Don Caballero or Honor Role. This one’s gonna be sick.
Tuesday, March 25, 7:30 PM
Fuse Ensemble with special guests Laura Ann Singh, JC Kuhl, Ashley Larson; Films by Edgar Endress @ Firehouse Theatre – $30 (order tickets HERE)
I’ve always been a “popular music” sort of person, so while I’m certainly interested in what goes on in the classical music world, it can be hard at times for me to actually find out much about it. Fortunately for me, I got the tipoff about this Tuesday’s performance by Richmond chamber music group Fuse Ensemble in time to alert you all about it. Led by composer Gina Biver, Fuse Ensemble is currently in the midst of their Speech And Silence concert season, which finds them mixing modern classical works by Pamela Z, Ethan Foote, Brittany J. Green, Nicole Mitchell, and bandleader Gina Biver with short films by visual artist and George Mason University professor Ethan Endress, for a true multimedia performance.
For those like me who have only so much familiarity with chamber music, it can be hard to know exactly what to expect from this performance, but those of us who follow jazz and experimental music here in Richmond will certainly recognize the names of guest musicians JC Kuhl and Laura Ann Singh, who will be participating in this performance. Perhaps their involvement will provide a way in for some of us. But really, if you approach any artistic performance with an open mind and a willingness to hear something that’s totally new to you, you can’t go wrong. There’s a lot more to the world of music than most of us know, so expand your horizons and hear something you don’t usually hear by coming out to this show. You won’t regret it.
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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