RVA Shows You Must See This Week: April 23 – April 29
FEATURED SHOW
Friday, April 25, 7 PM
Flannel, Crack Fox, L’Amour @ Anytime Beer Co. – $7 in advance, $10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
The world we live in is changing; that much is clear. Some of the ways it’s changing, like the increasing precarity of economic conditions, the changing of climate, and the rising tide of fascism, are clearly terrifying. But there are other ways in which the world is changing that I’m not as sure how I feel about them. Something I’ve found myself wondering a few times over the last several years is when certain younger artists in the Richmond scene will stop releasing single after single after single and finally collect their individual songs into a larger body of work — or even at least an EP. It seems that those practices are on the wane, and there are probably good and bad things about that fact. But as an older lady myself, I am often comforted by seeing musicians and bands do things the old-school way. And by that, I don’t just mean collecting loose singles into larger multi-track collections, but going ahead and releasing them on physical formats. Perhaps even — dare I say it — vinyl? Sure, plenty of major label artists make LPs as collectibles their fans will hang in frames on the wall while streaming the record on Spotify, but on the DIY level it’s more and more rare to see bands pulling together a few hundred (or, god, a few thousand in this day and age) bucks and pressing up several hundred copies of a record they can sell to music fans from their merch table at shows — records that will hopefully actually be listened to by the people who purchase them. You know, the way things used to be.
This is why I’m stoked to see Crack Fox and Flannel getting together to have a release show for their just-released split 7 inch EP. Of course, neither of these bands are fresh additions to the local scene. Crack Fox consists of a quartet of punk rock veterans doing the sort of thing you’d expect them to do, by which I of course mean play loud, snarky punk rock tunes. Their music is speedy, fun, and irreverent, and it shows their deep love of the musical tradition within which they exist (see in particular their 2023 song “Deep Groove (Gimmie that 45)” for proof that these folks know how important vinyl is). That said, the aforementioned snarky irreverence remains paramount, in classic punk rock fashion, so if you’re inclined toward music with a snarling anti-social attitude, the Crack Fox side of this 7 inch, and their performance at Anytime Beer Co. this Friday night, are both likely to give you a great deal of joy.
As for Flannel, this band has a lengthy track record in this city, though their recent years have been marred by tragedy with the loss of original frontman Dean Rasmussen (who the wrestling-inclined among us know as the founder of the immortal Death Valley Driver Video Review website) in 2023 after an illness. The band still pays tribute to Dean regularly; indeed, a pretty amazing photo of him (“The Handsome Hunk! Gone but never forgotten”) appears on the split EP cover. The new incarnation of Flannel is carrying on in Dean’s inimitable tradition, though, regrouping with longtime members Hunter Duke and Bryan Clouse joined by veteran Richmond drummer Ricky Tubb (Bucket, The Waking Hours, etc) and putting together three new tracks for the split EP. They’ll be bringing together the classic spirits of punk rock and pro-wrestling, Dictators-style, on this Friday night bill at Anytime Beer Co., and on their side of the new split EP. Make sure you’re there to get an eyeful of both. And show up on time, because Richmond legends L’Amour will be on the bill as well. Still led by founding members Tom Applegate and Dave Stover, this beloved early-80s Richmond punk group is these days rounded out by a rhythm section very familiar to lovers of post-Y2K melodic punk in this city: Roger Anderson and Alex Wilhelm, both of Smoke Break as well as a few other excellent bygone RVA bands. Whether you’re more into keeping it true to tradition or seeing the direction this city’s punk scene goes in the future, you’ll definitely want to head to Anytime Beer this Friday night and see it in the truly vital present tense.
Wednesday, April 23, 7 PM
Tongues Of Fire, Trapcry, White Beast, Human Worm @ Bandito’s – $10
By the time we all get out of work tonight we’ll all be over halfway through the work week (or school week, if that’s how you’re living these days… me, I work at a school, so it all kinda blurs together), so it’s a great time to celebrate by heading over to Bandito’s, picking up some of those delicious happy hour tacos, and sticking around for a quartet of awesome artists who’ll have plenty of musical jollies to offer all of us! I’m honestly not certain whether it’ll be Atlanta boys Tongues Of Fire or Richmond’s own Trapcry who will be closing out the evening for this one, but since Tongues Of Fire are from out of town, I’m going to give them the place of honor in this writeup. Hearing that band name, you could certainly be forgiven for expecting a big loud dose of flaming metal in your face as soon as they hit the stage, but actually, they’re not a metal band at all. I’d say Tongues Of Fire land closer to classic 90s post-hardcore bands like Hum or No Knife, only with a more straightforward rock sensibility that might land them somewhere in the realm of indie if the guitars weren’t so loud and dark-sounding. They haven’t released an actual record since 2021’s Burn My Body Clean EP, but just under half a dozen singles since show that these folks remain in top form, dishing out loud riffs aplenty to get your head nodding and your toes tapping.
As far as the aforementioned Trapcry, I assume most Richmonders know by now what this artist is all about, but on the off chance that you haven’t caught one of his hellfire-hot sets around town over the past few years, let me explain: Trapcry makes super-sexy electronic dance music that gets the whole room dancing and sweating as soon as it comes on. I fully expect the entire Diablo Room to turn into the sexiest queer club in this whole city for at least the duration of Trapcry’s set, if not all night long. Come prepared to do plenty of dancing, because let me tell you, resistance is futile. As for Richmonders White Beast, they may not be headlining this gig, but it’s a cause for celebration nonetheless, as they just released their latest EP, Home Alone, on Sockhead Records earlier this month (you may have caught the premiere of one of the tracks from the EP on this very website a while back). This bass/drums punk powerhouse of a duo brings you loud, ferocious punk tunes filled with a driving energy that should make their performance at Bandito’s a very powerful sight indeed. And of course, the evening will kick off with Human Worm, a project that combines noisy throwback synth sounds and programmed beats with an undeniable punk rock heart and some delightful vocal harmonies, creating a pleasing multi-layered parfait of sound. All this and tacos? How can you possibly refuse?
Thursday, April 24, 6:30 PM
’68, Silly Goose, Islander @ The Canal Club – $18 in advance, $20 day of show (order tickets HERE)
You can’t stop Josh Scogin. The founding vocalist of legendary metalcore maniacs Norma Jean, Scogin soon departed from that band to form his own long-running project, The Chariot. Throughout that Georgia-based metalcore’s lengthy career, Scogin was the only member who ever stuck around for more than a few years at a time, and it seemed that his sensibility — heartfelt lyrics, complex album-level presentations, and an approach that always favored chaos and unpredictability over the obvious breakdowns and predictable singalongs that were the normal fare for that genre — held sway throughout. That wasn’t enough to keep the Chariot together, but Scogin didn’t let it stop him, picking up a guitar and forming the duo ’68 in the wake of The Chariot’s dissolution. Over the course of four albums, two EPs, and 12 years, Scogin has pushed forward with his musical vision. Even though ’68 are far more of a loud, heavy rock band than they are outright metal, as his previous projects were, the fundamental building blocks of Scogin’s oeuvre remain consistent, and on ’68’s most recent LP, Yes, And…, the group dishes out plenty of chaotic riffs and start-stop structures to keep you guessing — even as the choruses are some of the catchiest of Scogin’s career.
There’s something great about watching an artist’s career evolve over multiple decades, especially when it remains as vital and exciting as it has ever been. ’68 definitely fits the bill, and if you, like me, caught the Chariot when they played The Canal Club nearly 15 years ago, you’re sure to get a lot out of seeing what Josh Scogin is up to these days. Even if he’s too busy playing guitar to be quite as wild a frontman as he was in his previous project, the electricity coming from the stage this Thursday night will surely be undeniable. The same could certainly be said of the set fellow Georgians Silly Goose will give us in support. On their latest EP, Bad Behavior, these goofballs dish out some incredible riffage that should appeal to anyone who likes heavy tunes. They slightly undercut the power of their riffage with the sheer, um, silliness of their vocal approach, which at times is very straightforward Rage Against The Machine-style rapcore, while at other times it has the goodtime party spirit of classic glam metal. It’s not necessarily intuitive, but if you can keep yourself from instinctively cringing, you’ll have a ton of fun listening to these guys and watching them jump around on the Canal Club stage. Openers Islander, who break the Georgia trend by being from South Carolina, capture some of that atmospheric metal-shoegaze vibe the Deftones often achieve at their best — which is a great way to get this party started. Show up on time for this one.
Friday, April 25, 8 PM
Miracle Blood, Asylum 213, Shagg Carpet, Capt Caveman @ Bandito’s – $10
Back to Bandito’s once again, and this time it really is the beginning of the weekend, so you’re welcome to tie one on during your stay in the Diablo Room, as long as you’ve got a ride home. That said, for me “tying one on” while I’m at Bandito’s consists of eating a really large plate of nachos and staggering around with an overfull belly for the rest of the evening, so your results may vary. As much as it goes against my better judgment, I actually don’t recommend loading up on nachos or tacos for this show, or at least you should know when to say when, because this isn’t gonna be the sort of gig where you want to be too full to rock out properly. Boston noise-rockers Miracle Blood are sure to lay some incredible heaviness upon all in attendance when they take the stage this Friday night, and you’ll want to be in the proper frame of mind (and body, I suppose) to fully appreciate it. These folks mix a bit of Birthday Party-ish gothic thrash into their cascade of noisy, heavy Whores/Barkmarket-style riffs, as well as adding a dose of biting wit that reflects the influence they’ve taken from Mclusky/Future of the Left leader Andrew Falkous. It all adds up to a joyous listen for those of us who love to thrash around in chaotic fashion. You won’t want to miss a moment of it.
As for the rest of the evening’s musical fare, we find ourselves greeted with a trio of local talents that should delight all comers, regardless of whether or not you’ve been to enough local shows to build up a level of familiarity with their work. Asylum 213 is the first of these three, and they recently followed up their 2024 LP Malpractitioner, which displays both a melodic indie and an atmospheric post-rock vibe at times, with a new single, “Prolonged Exposure To Delusion.” That new single dispenses with the catchier undercurrents of their previous work in favor of some outright late 90s screamo sounds that made me feel like the long-lost original incarnation of Poison The Well had returned to action. If this is where their new stuff is going, I’m definitely eager to hear more — and I’m sure we all will at Bandito’s this Friday night. The Shagg Carpet folks bring a different sort of rowdy to the room, but one that’s just as welcome, as they rock out with their excellent awkward-nerd synth-driven punk rock sounds. I don’t actually know this band at all, so the members may actually all be incredibly suave and charismatic, but the fact remains that they just make awkward-nerd music. That’s a compliment in my book, and if you don’t rate it as such, catch Shagg Carpet’s set this Friday night and see if it might make you re-evaluate. You can thank me later. The evening opens with a set from Capt Caveman, who I’m pretty sure I previously called Captain Caveman in this blog (wouldn’t want to screw up y’all’s ability to evade a trademark lawsuit, though, so I’ll fix that from here on in). This raucous punk quartet has a split CD with Fredericksburg grind mavens Buffalo out now, and it’s a real fun listen, so I have high expectations for their set this Friday night. Can’t imagine I’ll be let down, either. In truth, I’ll only be let down if you don’t go to the show in the first place. Make it happen!
Saturday, April 26, 7:30 PM
Suped Up, Pink Window, Junior Skeptics @ Get Tight Lounge – $11 in advance, $15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Here’s a real fun thing happening in the local scene which managed to sneak up on me (and may take you by surprise as well) — the arrival of Suped Up. This catchy indie-punk duo brings former Antiphons frontman Brian Dove on guitar and vocals together with Diet Cig drummer Noah Bowman to create some delightfully sugary power-pop tuneage that will definitely connect with anyone who enjoyed previous projects of both of these musicians. Despite Dove’s beautifully melodic vocals and the jangly bounce of the musical backing, there’s still an undercurrent of scrappy DIY indie sounds at work here, thanks to what appears to be a rather no-frills approach to recording. Good on ’em, I say — polished production is overrated. And of course, when Brian and Noah hit the stage at Get Tight to regale us all with a set of killer tunes they’ll be releasing as a self-titled LP on Hilltop Recordings at this very show, things will definitely be raw and real enough to ensure that the energy and power of these tunes sink into the bones of every person in the room. This may just be the beginning for Suped Up, but I for one am expecting great things.
In addition to Suped Up, another band on this bill has definitely caught my attention: Pink Window, which is a quartet featuring half of Fight Cloud, but doesn’t play the same sort of music at all. Indeed, for a bunch of players I generally associate with more complex, mathematical song constructions, the collection of musicians in Pink Window are bringing us a very straightforward take on indie pop. You can hear the shimmering guitars that give Fight Cloud its sound in moments, and Pink Window never seems to slip into the sort of jangly guitar sound that often gets associated with indie pop, but the songs on their debut EP, Pinky Promise Vol. 1, definitely land in a similar musical realm as classics by groups like Heavenly or Tiger Trap. It all adds up to a downright lovely listen, one that shouldn’t be overlooked just because these folks aren’t our headliners for the evening. As for our openers, Junior Skeptics, this will be their first show, and I know absolutely nothing about how they sound. However, this is certainly an auspicious debut for these folks, one that might lead you to expect very good things from what you’ll hear. We’ll all find out together at Get Tight Lounge this Saturday night. It’s sure to be a delight.
Sunday, April 27, 7 PM
Shapes In The Water, The Stray Lions, Midlife Pilot @ Bandito’s – $10
I sure hope there’s still some underground emo discussion group on a website I know nothing about where Shapes In The Water are universally regarded as one of the best things going right now. Back when I met these guys, when most of them were still playing in From Fragile Seeds, they were tapped into exactly that sort of online underground, something I never wrapped my head around back then and still haven’t today. I assume it’s all happening on Reddit now. I never joined Reddit. Whatever — regardless of whether these guys get their due on tiny internet communities, they certainly need more recognition than they currently get right here in their hometown. They’ve been doing their thing for most of a decade by now, and have only gotten better and better, as they proved last year with their long-overdue debut LP, Reinvent The Sun, which followed up on the equally amazing We Were Giants Once and Acedia EPs. If understated but emotional epic indie tunes tend to hit your sweet spot, or if you’re one of those people (like me) who thought Pianos Become The Teeth and Turnover got even better once they stopped screaming and focused on melodies, you’ll find a lot to love in what Shapes in The Water are up to. It’s sure to connect for you once you see these guys play — when you’re right there in the room with them, it’s impossible to deny the spirit and passion of it all.
Shapes In The Water are joined on this bill by The Stray Lions, who appear to be a band but upon closer examination are mainly just a musical project of a singer-guitarist-songwriter named Sullivan Smith. Mixing a similar sort of moody, emotional vibe as that of Shapes In The Water with a more pop-forward focus and some occasional synth intrusions, The Stray Lions move from more atmospheric emo moments into some more overt hipster vibes, though the songs thankfully avoid becoming too ironic at any point. On the whole, they’re a pleasing listen with a lot of catchy choruses and lovely vocal melodies. The mood is definitely a bit different most of the time, but if you enjoy the sound of Shapes In The Water, the sound of The Stray Lions is sure to please you as well. Veteran Richmond indie rockers Midlife Pilot, who just released a new LP called Roxy which finds them sinking into some lovely indie-pop grooves, will get this one started on a lovely note.
Monday, April 28, 6 PM
The Funeral Portrait, The Rasmus, Archers, Glasswaves @ The Canal Club – $25 in advance, $30 day of show (order tickets HERE)
OK, it’s Monday night, and as you all know by now, there are only a few local venues that can be counted on to provide killer music on these slow early-week nights. The Canal Club isn’t generally at the top of the list, but depending on which tours are coming through the area on which days, they’ve always got a fair shot at delivering us all a delightful curveball. This week we’re wrapping up with not one but two Canal Club shindigs, both of which tend more toward the emo/metalcore end of the spectrum, as you might expect from the venue in question. But let’s take these one at a time! We’ll start with the Funeral Portrait. I have definitely heard some interesting things about this band — mainly that people consider them to incorporate a bit of a Southern rock flavor into their sound. Having listened to their most recent LP, Greetings From Suffocate City, I can’t say I really get the same feel as folks who’ve said that. There is another vibe I get, though, and that’s musical theatre. These Georgia boys have clearly done some acting or had some involvement in stage productions in the past, and it definitely comes through in their high-drama music. I heard a very similar thing in My Chemical Romance’s earlier material as well, though The Funeral Portrait are definitely not as metal as that band was. If anything, I feel like emo fans who appreciate Rocky Horror Picture Show or Meatloaf’s Bat Out Of Hell album might find that The Funeral Portrait are their new favorite band. If nothing else, the stage show is sure to win them over.
The Rasmus aren’t a band I’ve heard before this, but as soon as I looked into them, I discovered that this Finnish band has a very similar feel to that of The Funeral Portrait. Their 30-year career has been one full of intense, dramatic emo-pop tunes that are heavy on epic synth swells and vocal pyrotechnics. They’ve apparently had some pretty big hits in Europe… none of which ever made it over here, of course. And by the way, if you’re a big enough nerd to be into the annual Eurovision song contest, you might recognize these folks due to the fact that they represented Finland in Eurovision 2022. All their big pop hits will likely be unfamiliar to you, but they’ve definitely got a catchy sound that should keep everybody dancing throughout the set, so what does it matter if you don’t know the words? The bill is rounded out by two American bands. The first is Archers, who come from the northern midwest and first achieved fame when they broke the template of the metalcore genre where they’d gotten their start in order to inject more overt pop songwriting techniques and catchier choruses into their sound. New Yorkers Glasswaves will start things out with a set that if anything feels like it’s going in the opposite direction — like a pop band who decided to throw in some metal breakdowns to spice things up. Spice up your Monday night with this one.
Tuesday, April 29, 5:30 PM
Magnolia Park, Hot Milk, Savage Hands, South Arcade @ The Canal Club – $25 in advance, $27 day of show (order tickets HERE)
“Every day is Halloween” isn’t just an old Ministry song — for a lot of goth kids, it’s a way of life. That’s definitely true of Orlando, Florida band Magnolia Park, who not only called their first LP Halloween Mixtape, but then called their third LP Halloween Mixtape II. They’re currently touring in support of their recently released fourth LP, and that one’s called Vamp. So yeah, these kids definitely love the spooky season. You can even see its increasing effect on their music over the years; while their early material was dramatic, emotional pop-punk, more recent releases have slowly cranked up the electronic, gothic, and metallic aspects of their music, to the point that, if Vamp were your first experience listening to Magnolia Park, you might just outright file them under modern metalcore and be done with it. That said, when you hear their current music through the lens of their earlier material, it’s clear that the emo and pop-punk building blocks remain underneath the increased chugga-chugga quotient of their new stuff. It’s just coming out in a slightly different way these days.
None of this is to say that old-school Magnolia Park fans won’t like the new material, or vice versa. It all retains the same appeal it had from the start, and if anything, the band’s potential reach is much wider now, since their music is equally able to connect with those who want it to be goth, to be metal, or to be emo. They’re all those things at once, and a fair few more — and the resulting sound is sure to appeal to a broad spectrum of music lovers. In all likelihood, one of them will be you. As for the openers on this bill, they’ve all got sounds very much their own to offer. UK ensemble Hot Milk, who definitely have one of the more interesting band names I’ve come across lately, have a driving, metallic alt-rock sound that should appeal to the kids who want to mosh every bit as much as it connects with the more emotionally oriented among us. Savage Hands have a more straightforward modern metalcore sound that will definitely get heads banging and feet stomping while they’re onstage. And finally, South Arcade — the second UK-based group on this bill — write catchy tunes and play them heavy as all hell, so that they simultaneously sound like an upbeat danceable pop-punk band and a bunch of metal headbangers. The combination really works, at least if you ask me. The same can really be said of all of the bands on this bill. Rock out.
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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