RVA Shows You Must See This Week: May 10 – May 16
FEATURED SHOW
Reproductive Freedom Fest
Day 1: Friday, May 12, 9 PM
Keep (Photo by Justin Pietropaoli), Camp Werewolf, Sea Of Storms, The Background Action @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
Day 2: Saturday, May 13, 7:30 PM
Ostraca, Terror Cell, ROTWLCFTSCBMH, Life In Vacuum, Flesh Machine, Kircher @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
If I ran into you at a show or a record store and you asked me what I think of the current political climate in the United States of America, I’d probably laugh and say something like, “Shit is fucked, and it’s getting worse.” Of course, this column is a journalistic endeavor in which people expect writers to be more erudite and professional, to come up with some elaborate way to express our sentiments that diminishes the visceral impact of how we feel and gives it a veneer of respectability. But you’ve been reading this column too long to expect that, right? You know how I feel: shit is fucked, and it’s getting worse. Take the right to an abortion in this country, which, since the execrable Dobbs decision by the Supreme Court, has now been restricted so heavily in some states that people are afraid to work as obstetricians. You literally can’t have a baby in a couple of northern Idaho hospitals anymore because of the chilling effects these laws are having on doctors and hospitals.
That’s not the way things are here in Virginia, but make no mistake, it’s not for lack of attempts by the Commonwealth’s Republican party (is it too early to start urging all of you to vote Democrat in the state-level elections this November?). At times like this, we need action from individuals and groups who can fight for reproductive health and reproductive choice to remain a right in our state. The Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project is one of the most active organizations in Virginia that advocate for that very goal. And I get that you might not have time to volunteer for RRFP, or that you might not have much money to spare… but you like to go to shows, right? Attending the two-night Reproductive Freedom Fest is a great opportunity for you to both do things you like to do and have that money go toward a good cause. So you know it’s a worthwhile endeavor.
And that’s before we even start talking about the bands playing on these two nights. I’m gonna go over my word count a little bit here (Doug won’t mind… I hope), because there are just too many awesome bands involved in all this to cram all of them into one paragraph. For starters, there’s Friday night, which will feature a headlining performance by Richmond shoegazers Keep. They’ve been doing their thing for almost a decade now, but their recently released second full-length, Happy In Here, finds them at the top of their game, combining melancholy melodies with hard-hitting riffs in fine fashion. They’d be worth the price of admission on their own, but they’ve also got Sea Of Storms along for the ride, who’ve really impressed me with their recent return to action, as exemplified by new EP Control Alt Delete. I know less about Camp Werewolf, but the moody emo tunes on the quartet’s 2022 EP I were certainly enough to intrigue me. And then last on the bill is DC heavy punks The Background Action whose brand of “ShitPunk” will bring plenty of rage and energy to the show.
As for night two, well, that’s when things get really heavy. At the top of the bill are my pals in Ostraca, and I remain really delighted to see them back in action in recent days. This heavy, intense trio is undeniably a screamo band, but if you think that means they won’t rip your head off, you better think again. No idea if they’ve got new material to throw our way as yet, but if they just want to play songs from five to seven years ago, I’m sure we’ll all get our minds blown nonetheless. The head-crushing midtempo mosh anthems of Terror Cell are a perfect pairing for Ostraca, while the addition of Toronto’s Life In Vacuum to the bill is an unexpected treat. This melodic screamo band is currently on tour for their brand new album, Lost, and I’d be telling you to catch them as they come through town even if they weren’t playing a festival to benefit a great cause. Night two is rounded out by two of my favorite currently active Richmond bands: queer grindcore maniacs ROTWLCFTSCBMH and chaotic noisecore project Flesh Machine (whose song “Grindflesh” has been getting a lot of airtime in my headphones lately). The bill is rounded out by newcomers Kircher, whose single released track thus far has me expecting some Jesus Lizard/Hex Machine-style noise mosh out of their set. And there you have it — two nights of musical greatness, in service of kicking against the pricks who are actively trying to take away our civil rights and make our lives worse. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Wednesday, May 10, 7 PM
Blessed, Tentative Decisions, New Lions @ The Camel – $12 (order tickets HERE)
This one should be fun. Blessed comes to Richmond from all the way in western Canada — Vancouver, to be specific. In their northern home, they have been refining their complex, tangled math-rock for quite a while, and recently distilled it into a three brilliant minutes with the release of their latest single, “Felt.” This song is a great followup to last year’s brilliant Circuitous LP (the cover of which features the seemingly frightened face of the same android child the back of whose head appears on the cover of “Felt”), which shows off Blessed’s range, as they integrate acoustic moments and melodic interludes into their often forceful sound. The result should be entertaining and enlightening when experienced live from the stage of The Camel.
This bill will also feature two excellent Richmond combos, both of whom complement Blessed perfectly. While New Lions are certainly a longer-running band than Tentative Decisions, they appear lower than them on the flyer. I’m not sure what that’s about, but I can tell you that Tentative Decisions’ debut EP, Sensitive Conditions, released earlier this spring, grabbed my attention immediately. This trio, who named themselves for a song from the first Talking Heads LP, have a sort of jangly late-70s postpunk vibe that reminds me of bands like Swell Maps and Desperate Bicycles, as well as the lower-fi moments of more recent groups like Parquet Courts. Their set at The Camel should mark the arrival of a formidable ensemble on the local scene, an intriguing contrast to the power of veteran ensemble New Lions, whose math-rocky indie tunes have been wowing this city for close to a decade now. Really, there’s nothing happening at the Camel on this night that should be anything other than great. You know what to do.
Thursday, May 11, 7:30 PM
The Dreaded Laramie, Dead Billionaires, Knifing Around @ Get Tight Lounge – $14.55 (order tickets HERE)
I’m not sure exactly what there is to dread about Laramie in particular — personally, I would worry about my safety pretty much anywhere in Wyoming — but considering that the band The Dreaded Laramie make their homes in Nashville, Tennessee (another place I wouldn’t feel too safe these days), there’s no real way to know if they have firsthand knowledge. That said, regardless of how seriously we’re supposed to take their name, this quartet — who refer to themselves as “femme-core” on their Bandcamp — have a ton of catchy indie pop tunes for us, with just a hint of grit under the surface to keep things from getting too cutesy. Last year’s Everything A Girl Could Ask EP is a lot of fun, and as a hardcore kid who has long since grown up into a hardcore woman myself, I can admit that the lyrics to “Where Do The Hardcore Kids Go?” amused me quite a bit. One note, though: telling you to get to the gig because this set will be so sick never goes out of style.
As for the two local bands on this bill, well, we should all know by now just how much high-quality indie rock tuneage Dead Billionaires have to offer us. They’ve been talking about a coming full-length for a while now, and the singles they’ve released leading up to that highly anticipated LP are a lot of fun. The latest, “Straight Shooter,” hit the web about a month ago, and is a fun bouncy rock n’ roll tune that pulls from some of those same classic 60s moves that influenced the Ramones, even as it retains a ramshackle quality that should remind listeners of mid-period Replacements. Knifing Around, whose name always reminds me of a Space Ghost Coast To Coast bit that I doubt anyone else remembers, have a synth-punk feel that will please anyone wishing Devo would do another LP, or missing long-departed Richmond combo VCR. This one should be a blast.
Friday, May 12, 7:30 PM
Gnawing (Photo by Chris Carreon), Golden Apples, Rough Age @ Get Tight Lounge – $12.12 (order tickets HERE)
There’s a lot going wrong in the world today, but the continued existence of Gnawing is definitely not one of them. I’ve been a fan of these guys for a while now, which you’ll know if you remember my previous coverage of this band for another local publication. They got me on board by calling their first album You Freak Me Out (pretty much a perfect title). Then not only did that record rule, capturing an excellent distillation of that 80s post-hardcore pre-alternative sound that dominated the American indie circuit in the era between Metal Circus and Nevermind, they followed up with it by releasing their best song yet, the outstanding “Germs Burn,” late in 2021. I’ve been waiting for another record from them ever since. And now, this week, my wait is over.
This performance by Gnawing, at Get Tight Lounge this Friday, will celebrate the release of Modern Survival Techniques, which is not just a thing all of us are in desperate need of right now but also the new album from Gnawing. First single “Gimme Tinnitus” (be careful what you wish for, guys) is an absolute ripper, with heavy Dinosaur Jr/Green River vibes. Those vibes carry throughout the entire album, which is exactly the no-holds-barred rock n’ roll rampage we all hoped it would be. Only a couple more days til we can all get our grubby little hands on it, while also having the opportunity to enjoy a killer set from Gnawing, which is sure to include all the best jams from the aforementioned new LP. The evening will also include a set from Philadelphia alt-rockers Golden Apples, who are sure to connect well with anyone who enjoys Gnawing, at least if last year’s self-titled LP is any indication. And the whole thing will be kicked off by Richmond alt-rockers Rough Age, whose work has been winning over many in the local scene — and for very good reason. Get ready to rock out with this one.
Saturday, May 13, 6 PM
Enforced, High Command, Killing Pace, Private Hell, Payload @ The Canal Club – $15 in advance, $20 day of show (order tickets HERE)
One excellent new release deserves another, so let’s follow up Friday’s Gnawing record release party with a much heavier record release party on Saturday: that of Enforced, whose brand new LP, War Remains, comes to us from legendary metal label Century Media and has been getting a great deal of praise on both the metal and hardcore side of the fence. Whether Enforced is fundamentally more of a metal or a hardcore band is the kind of thing a lot of people could expend a lot of energy debating, but personally I’m not too worried about it. The riffs are heavy as fuck, the production is clean and sharp as a battleaxe, the double bass will cave your skull in, and Enforced keep the pedal to the metal throughout their new album. That’s what really matters.
Enforced should be just what the doctor ordered if you are a huge fan of bands that straddle the line between metal thrashing and hardcore power, such as Power Trip or Sacred Reich. Massachusetts ragers High Command have a very similar approach, though the vocals bring in a slightly more over-the-top element that should appeal to those whose favorite first-wave thrash band is Exodus. Their latest LP, Eclipse Of the Dual Moons, contains its fair share of breakdowns, too, so the mosh addicts in the crowd will have plenty of opportunities to get the pit going during High Command’s set. As for local up-and-comers Killing Pace, their self-titled debut from last year set the bar for metallic hardcore fury in this city circa 2023, and the fact that they are willing to indulge in both blinding blastbeat riffs and brutal, neck-snapping breakdowns makes them a group that should satisfy all comers. This bill is rounded out by two newer Richmond bands, rip-roaring thrashers Private Hell and primitive hardcore bashers Payload. Overall, it’ll be an evening of brutal heavyosity in celebration of a local band who continue to take things to the next level. Nothing not to love about that.
Sunday, May 14, 8 PM
Robert Torrence, Dawning, Logan From The Internet, Tall Joshua @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
Sunday night is a good night to chill things out a little bit before we all head back to the drudgery of our day-to-day work lives on Monday morning, and a night at The Camel is a great way to do so this week. This event is not an official “singer-songwriter showcase” as far as I can tell, but it does feature four Virginia-based singer-songwriter types, each of whom offer a different sort of sound from the others, and all of whom stand out from the crowd with their own very particular style. Robert Torrence is at the top of the flyer, and this singer-pianist has some definite Bill Joel vibes, though you can tell the more sardonic aspects of Ben Folds’ music has also had its influence on him. The result is entertaining in the extreme, and should be a fun way to wrap up the evening.
Before Torrence takes the stage, though, we’ve got three other excellent talents, all with their own positive qualities to offer. Dawning is a quiet project, in which softly strummed guitar chords and ethereal vocals come together to create a hallucinatory cloud for your mind to get enveloped by. As for Logan From The Internet, he’s certainly done a great job of naming his project, even if streaming services seem to refer to him, more prosaically, as Logan Sorese. Regardless of the sobriquet he adopts, though, Logan has some quirky yet lovely songs that spotlight his sense of wry humor even as they’re driven by his flawless ear for melodies. The work of Tall Joshua is melancholy, spare, and acoustic in nature, and will hit you right in the feels. His 2022 EP, The Only Way Out Is Through, is a powerful mood that his live performance at The Camel should capture perfectly. Show up in time for his set, then stick around all night. But try not to talk too loud at the bar — this is going to be a quiet one.
Monday, May 15, 7 PM
Annie DiRusso, Hannah Cole @ Richmond Music Hall at Capital Ale House – $16 in advance, $18 day of show (order tickets HERE)
I’m not actually sure how I stumbled across Annie DiRusso originally, but I can tell you one thing: the fact that her latest EP is entitled God, I Hate This Place is what initially drew me to her. As soon as I heard the EP, I could tell two things: first, that this Nashville-based musician is very talented, bringing both skill and passion to this collection of indie-pop tunes highlighted by crunchy guitars and indelible vocal melodies. I could also tell that the use of the word “God” in the EP title isn’t just a frustrated interjection. Opening track “Emerson” begins with the line “baptized by a pedophile in a church that reeks of oak and death,” and goes on to discuss in detail how childhood experiences of abuse can screw up your life long after they’ve receded into the past. The entire EP is bracing and unflinchingly honest in its lyrical discussion of struggles with body dysmorphia, mental illness, and the endless struggle for a bit of self-esteem and self-care. Anyone who has ever had a tough time in life should find something to relate to here. And last I checked, that’s everyone, right?
So yeah, we should all spend our Monday night with Annie DiRusso at Richmond Music Hall, where she’ll bring us her excellent songs, all of which will bring a smile to the face of anyone who misses Liz Phair’s early days, back when she still said things you never thought you’d hear on a pop record. She’ll be accompanied to town by fellow Nashville resident and singer-songwriter Hannah Cole, who has a slightly more polished but still driving and upbeat sound that should work for anyone who digs Haim, or the more recent work of Tegan And Sara. This will be an evening of high quality music that should help us all forget how tough our Mondays were. Get down with it.
Tuesday, May 16, 8:30 PM
The Whiffs, Mel Machete, Ibex Clone, Flavour @ Fuzzy Cactus – $10 (order tickets HERE)
Let’s round out the week by heading over to Northside to enjoy some kickass rock n’ roll in the best place in RVA to look for such a thing: Fuzzy Cactus. This time around, they’re bringing us Kansas City power-pop combo The Whiffs, who recently released their third LP, Scratch N’ Sniff, with Virginia’s own DIG! Records — always a great label for throwback garage/pop/rock jams. The Whiffs land on the poppier end of that particular spectrum, dishing out catchy tunes by the dozen in a manner that should warm the hearts of anyone who loves first-wave punkers like The Real Kids and The Jam as much as they love classic power-pop groups like the Nerves or early Blondie. Their name might make you expect a less-than-pleasant smell, but in fact, this band is fresh as a daisy throughout their new LP, and are guaranteed to make you dance around with a smile on your face when they hit the stage at Fuzzy next Tuesday night.
A bunch more excellent bands are on this bill to give you further reasons to smile. First on that list is Mel Machete, an old-school rock n’ roll group who land slightly closer to the punk end of the spectrum than The Whiffs, and even have a bit of glam-rock in their DNA, but are nonetheless guaranteed to please anyone who shows up at this show expecting strong melodies and upbeat tempos. Memphis’s Ibex Clone hit Richmond in support of their recently released LP All Channels Clear, which brings a slight psychedelic jangle to a fundamentally garage-rockin’ sound that should please all comers. Flavour, who hail from New York’s capital region, round out this bill with some old-school rock n’ roll sounds, as showcased on their new EP, Stompin’ Ahn Luv. Gotta love a band who’s found a way to artfully misspell every word in their album title, dontcha? Personally, I’m a fan. You will be too, if you show up to Fuzzy Cactus Tuesday night. Don’t miss out on this one.
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
Still accepting commissions, so if anyone needs press releases, band bios, or even actual articles written, you should hit me up! Also, consider supporting my Patreon, where I’m documenting my progress on two different novels and writing about music of all types. patreon.com/marilyndrewnecci
