RVA Shows You Must See This Week: July 26 – August 1
FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, July 29, 4 PM
Over The James 2023, feat. Avail, The Gaslight Anthem, Snapcase, Strike Anywhere, City Of Caterpillar, Dragonship @ Brown’s Island – $45 (order tickets HERE)
There was never a doubt in my mind as to which show I’d be featuring this week, and unless you just got off a Greyhound bus that brought you to Richmond for the first time, I imagine there wasn’t any in yours either. While the pandemic and its related 18-month pause in live music of almost all types disrupted things a bit, the fact is that Avail’s annual summer performance has evolved into a bit of an annual Richmond tradition over the past half-decade or so. And each year, they find new ways to make things interesting and keep everyone coming back. This time around, it’s the only show Avail is planning to play anytime in 2023, and that’s surely been more than enough to get the faithful Avail heads to plunk down their 45 bucks long before they’ll even read this article.
What about the rest of us, though? What separates this year’s show from the one we saw last year, or four years ago, or whenever? Well, luckily for us all, while the name at the top of the bill for Over The James never changes, the other artists filling out the lineup are different every year, and are all top-quality power hitters in their own right. The Gaslight Anthem are acting as main support on this bill, and this New Jersey quartet has a strong reputation for emotionally-driven punk anthems that mix the heartfelt gravel-throated gravity of Hot Water Music with the classic heart-on-sleeve songwriting of Jersey legend Bruce Springsteen. What’s more, Gaslight Anthem will release their first new album in nearly a decade this fall, and the title track and first advance single features contributions from the Boss himself. For those reasons and so many more, now is definitely the time to see Gaslight Anthem.
And there are many more highlights left on this bill as well. Buffalo, NY-based legends Snapcase, who played a crucial role in bringing a more progressive, intelligent spirit to the mid-90s hardcore mainstream, have only done occasional reunions over the past fifteen years or so, so it’s awesome that we’re getting a Richmond performance from them at this show. If you’re on the fence about whether to spend your Saturday on Brown’s Island, this should be enough to make the decision for you. Not to mention the fact that we’re getting sets from Richmond melodic hardcore titans Strike Anywhere and screamo OGs City of Caterpillar, both of whom have returned to more active status after years and years of being mostly on hiatus. Even the opening set is special: late-00s/early-10s Richmond metal phenoms Dragonship only rarely play out these days, but hey — when Avail calls, you answer. In addition to every other rarely-seen band lighting up the stage for this show, even Dragonship’s appearances are a bit hard to come by. It all adds up to this being one of the most essential shows of any genre to take place in the Richmond metro area this year. If you’re not already clicking that ticket link above by now, get to it! Time’s a-wastin’.
Wednesday, July 26, 7 PM
Indigo De Souza (Photo by Angella Choe), Alfred. @ The Broadberry – $25 (order tickets HERE)
Indigo De Souza hails from North Carolina, not all that far from the Richmond area, but she’s definitely making waves on an international level at this point. Her musical mix of indie attitudes and alt-rock influences with a double shot of alternate-universe pop descended from the likes of Bjork and Janelle Monae results in a sound that’s very much apropos for 2023. Her third album, All Of This Will End, came out two months ago, and showed that she’s continuing to break new ground and reach ever higher pinnacles of pop perfection. What’s more, her cutting lyrics about relationships and mental difficulties are more cutting and trenchant than ever, as on “You Can Be Mean,” when she sings, “I’d like to think you’ve got a good heart and your dad was just an asshole growing up, but I don’t see you trying that hard to be better than he is.” This level of uncomfortable realness and bold honesty adds something extra to her music that you just don’t get from a lot of other artists.
This is why you need to make it to the Broadberry tonight and catch Indigo De Souza’s set. She’s sure to bring a fiery presence that will only accentuate her boundless talent. Plus, she’s got Alfred. opening up for her, and any Richmond heads who’ve been paying attention to the more off-kilter and experimental sides of the local hip hop scene over the past few years have surely noticed that Alfred. is one of the strongest talents this city has to offer right now. His most recent single, “Old Friends,” finds him getting his acoustic R&B flow going, but you can still expect plenty of the trippy psychedelic beats he brought to the scene with 2020’s excellent One Trick Pony EP. Hopefully we’ll get some more new material in a similar vein sometime soon, but, word to the wise, the best way to get an idea of what Alfred’s preparing to drop is to go see him play tonight at The Broadberry. So hey, you should probably do that.
Thursday, July 27, 7 PM
Raw Brigade, Dead Heat, Mutually Assured Destruction, Wasted Space @ The Camel – $15 (order tickets HERE)
Something I’ve always loved about hardcore as a genre is just how worldwide it is. My favorite hardcore-related podcast mostly talks about American hardcore, and since the genre originated here, I suppose I get it. But anyone who isn’t keeping up with what’s happening in all the different underground scenes all over the world is likely to miss out on some of the best hardcore bands in the world at any given time. I say all of this by way of introduction to this international bill of excellent current hardcore bands, which is headlined by the energetic ragers of Raw Brigade. This fast and furious group, hailing from Bogota, Colombia, are currently touring the United States in support of last year’s Aggressive City EP, a raw, noisy slab of pedal-to-the-metal straight edge anthems that will definitely get the pit going when they hit The Camel Thursday night.
You’ll want to be on hand for that, but there are a lot of other reasons to be at The Camel Thursday night besides Raw Brigade’s set (as tremendous as it surely will be). For one thing, there’s Raw Brigade’s tourmates on this United States jaunt, Californians Dead Heat. This is a band that’s had a lot of buzz around them in the hardcore world for several years now, and if you haven’t picked up on it, now’s the perfect time to get into the shred-heavy metallic chaos that Dead Heat are bringing. They trade Raw Brigade’s old-school noise for a more dynamic approach that integrates way more crossover metallic riffing, and they gain a ton by doing so. Dead Heat’s set at this show is sure to blow your mind. Sadly, Spanish bands Arma X and Desorden, who were originally scheduled to round out this bill, were unable to make it. Fortunately for us, we have quite a few incredibly talented local hardcore bands that are always willing to step up and make sure we always get a full night of awesome hardcore. Mutually Assured Destruction, featuring former Break Away frontman Ace Stallings, showed off both their old-school hardcore bona fides and their formidable metal chops on last year’s Ascension LP, and if you haven’t seen them play this material live yet, you’re certainly in for a treat. Wasted Space have a more old-school approach, full of speed and pissed-off energy, that fits right in alongside Raw Brigade. Make no mistake, this show will be an absolute ripper from top to bottom. Be there.
Friday, July 28, 7 PM
Perennial Quest, Division, Invictis, Embrace the Oblivion @ Another Round Bar And Grill – $10
All right, enough of this crossover stuff; let’s get into some proper metal. We won’t have to look far — this Friday night, Massachusetts shredders Perennial Quest are coming into town for a show at Another Round Bar And Grill. And if you love metal, you’re sure to love what this band has to offer. Their 2020 self-titled EP finds them playing uptempo tunes full of propulsive energy and incredibly talented individual performances by every player in the band. The end result is somewhat akin to Iron Maiden or Queensryche at their best, along with a heavy dose of more modern progressive death sounds from bands like Children Of Bodom or In Flames. Basically, it rules, and you can be sure that Perennial Quest’s set this Friday night at Another Round will also rule.
They’ve got a few companions in awesome thrash metal power to bring along with them on this ride, and all have plenty of charms in their own right. DC metal ensemble Division has a history dating back to the mid-1990s, and bring a Judas Priest-like approach to their tunes that sounds old-school without feeling dated. Richmonders Invictis, formerly known as Rising Revolution, are going for more of a symphonic feel, but still have plenty of loud guitars and pounding drums to keep things heavy even as the string swells add drama to their sound. Hampton’s Embrace The Oblivion get things started with a sound that combines operatic vocals that might sound familiar to those who’ve listened to a decent amount of Borknagar or Arcturus with some heavy riffs that will easily get the pit going regardless of the classical elements at work. This is going to be a great show for all the headbangers out there — make sure you’re there for it.
Saturday, July 29, 7 PM
Big Fundamental, Knifing Around, False Nectar @ Gallery 5 – $10 (order tickets HERE)
This one should be fun. Big Fun, in fact. Big Fundamental, a Richmond grunge/alt-rock trio, have been hard at work in this city’s underground music scene for quite a while, and have rarely gotten the attention they deserved. 2021’s Hyperbeam LP was a highlight for the band, full of catchy tunes that were chock full of riffs and had memorable anthemic choruses aplenty. And now, at this Gallery 5 show, they’ll be recording for their follow-up, a live LP that you can be a part of by showing up and cheering real loud. Now, will this be a proper follow-up album to Hyperbeam, full of brand new songs that the band really wants to capture live (a favorite technique of Neil Young’s)? Or will it be a live performance capturing the most memorable tunes of their career thus far, all of which you’ll already know by heart if you’re a Big Fundamental fan? They aren’t telling us that, but they have said that this will be their last big show before they take a brief hiatus, so if you’re hoping to catch them live anytime in the near future, this is the moment to do it
Not only will doing so allow you to learn what Big Fundamental has in store for us with their coming live LP — and give you a chance to be on it — it’ll also give you the chance to see a couple of other outstanding Richmond bands. I feel like I write about Knifing Around almost every week at this point, so if you haven’t caught on to this outstanding synth-driven dance-punk band by now, I have no idea what your excuse is. That’s not something you’ll have to worry about if you just go see them this Saturday night, though. So do it — I promise you’ll thank me later. Things will get started with a performance from local newcomers False Nectar, who apparently have a bit of a mid-90s grunge/shoegaze vibe, only updated for the modern era. I haven’t actually heard them myself, but that secondhand description is more than enough to grab my attention. Therefore my recommendation, on the whole, is that you show up on time to Gallery 5 this Saturday night, and stay until after the last note is played. You’ll be glad you did.
Sunday, July 30, 8 PM
Followship, Asylum 213, Dropheads, Humanitarian Deficit, Melk @ Bandito’s – $10
I’m a bit of a latecomer to local quintet Followship, and it’s for a really stupid reason, so I’m sort of embarrassed to admit it, but — deep breath — here’s the truth: based on their name, I thought they were a jam band. I know, I know, I should at least have given them a listen to see whether I was right. Believe me, I would have known within half a measure of the first song I heard. But instead, I labored under a misconception, and I missed out on this band — at least until recently. What I just learned in the last week or two is that their most recent EP, Stigma, is an incredible five-song collection that engages in the same sort of technical yet highly melodic shredding that bands like Thrice or Fall Of Troy excelled at, only with a big dollop of emo-style lovelorn passion. The most ridiculous thing about me missing out on this band for so long is just how up my alley they are. Don’t make the same mistake I did! Followship are absolutely worth your time.
This Bandito’s performance is the end of a four-day jaunt around the southern mid-Atlantic that Followship will be making in the company of fellow Richmonders Asylum 213. Luckily, I have no embarrassing revelations to make where this band is concerned; I’ve been up on them for a while. If you haven’t, though, you really need to fix that ASAP. Asylum 213’s varied sound crosses a variety of genres, bringing in elements of metalcore and postpunk as well as darker atmospheric textures. At the end of the day, though, you’re most likely to dig what this band is doing if you’re into melodic yet energetic screamo. If you’ve been reading for a while, you know that’s some of my favorite music — but even if you’re not down with that sort of thing, Asylum 213 is capable of offering musical common ground to people with a wide variety of musical backgrounds. Really, if you like any sort of heavy or dark music, you should get into this band — you’re missing a treat. This show will feature sets from three other great Richmond bands as well, including the chunky, catchy indie rock of Dropheads; the raw, desperate screamo of Humanitarian Deficit; and the catchy instrumental math-rock of Melk. This whole show is gonna be a great way to end your weekend. Also: you can get a plate of nachos before the music starts. I always recommend doing that.
Monday, July 31, 7 PM
Better Lovers, Xed Out, Heavy Is the Head @ The Broadberry – $20 (order tickets HERE)
If you’re only vaguely aware of Better Lovers, you may be asking yourself one question in particular: How the heck does a brand new band with only one song available in the world manage to book themselves a headlining tour around the country? Don’t worry, that question has a very reasonable answer. You see, Better Lovers is the band that rose from the ashes of Every Time I Die when that legendary metalcore band fell apart at the end of 2021. In addition to three-fifths of Every Time I Die’s final lineup, Better Lovers also includes Fit For An Autopsy guitarist Will Putney and Dillinger Escape Plan vocalist Greg Puciato. How’s that for a formidable lineup?
And luckily for us all, they’ve got the songs to back up the kind of hype a personnel lineup like that one brings to the table. Since this show was booked, Better Lovers have released a four-song EP entitled God Made Me An Animal, and the songs contained therein show them both continuing the tradition of swaggering rocked-out metalcore awesomeness Every Time I Die established over their 20-year career, and bringing several entirely new elements to the table that only make their sound even more awesome. Primary among these awesomeness-increasing elements is Puciato’s voice; call me a jaded old lady, but I always preferred Dillinger Escape Plan when Dimitri Minakakis was on vocals. Without that baggage hanging over my head, though, I’ve developed a real appreciation for Greg Puciato’s downright feral approach to his vocals in Better Lovers. Dude sounds positively unhinged, and I love it. I’m sure we’ll all love the opening sets from Richmond hardcore bands Xed Out and Heavy Is The Head as well, but let’s not gild the lily here — Better Lovers are the reason we’re all going to this show. And if their live show is anywhere near as amazing as their debut EP is, it’s sure to be worth every ounce of hype this band has gotten — and then some.
Tuesday, August 1, 7:30 PM
Future Crib, The Medium, Marilyn @ Get Tight Lounge – $12.12 (order tickets HERE)
It’s always good when bands from Tennessee come to Richmond, especially if you’re like me and that entire state is currently trying to ban you from going to the bathroom anywhere within its borders. What’s lovely is that I can stay right here in Virginia, where peeing is still legal, and see these two excellent Nashville bands when they pull into town on tour this Tuesday night. Future Crib is at the top of the list, but I’m thinking the reasons for that are relatively arbitrary — these two bands are equally matched in terms of talent and fame, as far as I can tell. Regardless, we’ll talk about them first; specifically, about how lovely their laid-back indie rock music is. 2019’s Friends and 2021’s Full Time Smile are both highlights of their catalogs, full of loping mid-paced songs and memorably mellow choruses aplenty. Meanwhile, their recently released OurVinyl session shows an atmospheric side to their live performances that should be very intriguing as well — especially when it occasionally explodes into glorious noise.
Fellow Nashvillians The Medium are on a relatively similar musical wavelength to that of Future Crib. However, one undeniable difference is that The Medium’s 2022 LP, For Horses, has a strong psychedelic undercurrent that brings intriguing sonic elements to their tunes. Don’t get me wrong, it’s clear that they are building from a foundation that incorporates a great deal of indie rock, as well as a bit of Southern twang that’s perfectly understandable given their hometown. That being said, I wouldn’t be surprised to flip through this band’s record collection and discover a few Jimi Hendrix or Neil Young albums in the mix. Ultimately, there’s enough daylight between Future Crib and The Medium to keep them from blurring together, but there’s still plenty of common factors in their sounds. You can totally see why they’d go on tour together. This show will kick off with a set from local pop princess Marilyn (great name), who brings in influences from Paramore to Beyonce on her 2022 EP Luxury. Should be a rad way to get this Tuesday evening started.
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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