RVA Shows You Must See This Week: November 29 – December 5
FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, December 2, 6 PM
Richmond Food Not Bombs 30th Birthday, feat. Shormey, Holy River, Double Blind, Peeace, Maiya @ Gallery 5 – $10-$20 sliding scale (order tickets HERE)
Here’s a truly important anniversary, one that matters a good deal more than most of the anniversaries we celebrate in this column from time to time, even though those others might be a lot better known. As of this month, it’s been 30 years since a chapter of Food Not Bombs was established in Richmond. A group initially started in the 80s by anti-nuclear activist Keith McHenry, Food Not Bombs serves food to the hungry with an explicitly political mission, one that’s pretty clear from the name. Beginning in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Food Not Bombs spread across the country — often through word of mouth within leftist and punk circles. By 1993, a chapter had started here in Richmond, one which has involved many local DIY musicians over the last three decades. Indeed, back in the early days, I volunteered with them for a bit myself — though, to be frank, I was bad at it, and didn’t last long.
These days, Food Not Bombs is still going strong, serving free meals every Sunday afternoon in Monroe Park. However, they are only able to continue thanks to donations of many different kinds: time, labor, surplus food, and of course, money. And as long as we exist in a society in which people are allowed to starve even as others within the same city have more money than they’ll ever be able to spend, there will be a reason for Food Not Bombs to continue existing. Therefore, while this particular event is a great occasion at which to celebrate the fact that Richmond’s Food Not Bombs chapter is still going strong, it’s also a great opportunity to donate to Food Not Bombs, so they can keep up the great work for many decades to come.
“But Drew,” I hear you say, “what about the music?” Oh, don’t worry, reader — there will be plenty of great music to be heard at Gallery 5 this Saturday night. At the top of the bill is hitmaking musician Shormey, who hails from the Tidewater area and recently released a new single, “Do You? 2,” that is one hell of a bop. It retains the same lo-fi pop feel as their 2021 release, God Bless Bob Ross, while integrating a strong retro-dance feel that reminds me of 80s R&B radio. Safe to say this will all translate to a pretty amazing performance. Veteran experimental folk duo Holy River are Shormey’s co-headliners on this bill, and as they demonstrated on their recent Shockoe Sessions Live performance (now available on CD from Shockoe Records), they remain a powerful, hypnotic force when they take the stage. They’re sure to blow you away. Honestly, I know way less about the other three artists on this bill, but I’m not really sure I need to know more — between the wonderful cause this event supports and the excellent headliners playing this one, you really should have all the reasons you need to attend. So hey, make it happen!
Wednesday, November 29, 7 PM
The HIRS Collective, Listless, ROTWLCFTSCBMH, Circle Breaker @ Fallout – $12 in advance, $15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
If you’ve been reading this column for a little while, you’re sure to know exactly what you’re in for with this one. After all, I do my best to send y’all to see The HIRS Collective every damn time they come to Richmond. But as they say on one of my favorite podcasts, every episode is someone’s first, so if you’ve heard me geek out about this band before, bear with me for a sec, because I’m about to do it again. The HIRS Collective is a project formed and led by a duo of transgender grindcore musicians from Philadelphia, which has in more recent years expanded to incorporate a shifting lineup of contributors. However, their musical mission has remained the same the whole time: to blow your goddamn head off with extremely heavy grind/power-violence/hardcore music, generally fueled by programmed beats and roaring, screaming vocals that deliver confrontational, defiant lyrics about the ongoing resistance and resilience of the trans and queer community.
They took that mission to the next level with their latest release, We’re Still Here, a 17-song, 31-minute album released earlier this year. Not only have their song structures continued to evolve in both heavier and catchier directions, they managed to bring in a ton of high-powered guest contributors to help out. Every song features multiple guests, and those include such well-known musicians as Garbage’s Shirley Manson, Thursday’s Geoff Rickley, and Circa Survive’s Anthony Green. The fact that they’re continually able to recruit so many incredible guests speaks well for what The HIRS Collective bring to the table on their own behalf — something you’ll learn a lot more about if you go to see them tonight at Fallout. They’ll be joined by a trio of equally heavy and powerful bands from Richmond: Listless, whose heavy dual-vocal hardcore is sure to get you moshing; ROTWLCFTSCBMH, who always bring the grinding lo-fi blurr-core chaos that has made Richmond love them so much; and Circle Breaker, who straddle the line between D-beat hardcore and old-school death metal in fine fashion. This show’s going to be an extravaganza of queer mosh grind mania, and will therefore totally rule.
Thursday, November 30, 8 PM
Spirit Gun, Dead Psychic, Random Temperament @ Bandito’s – $10
Not all shows have to be once-in-a-lifetime musical moments. Sometimes all we really need is to have a good time on a Thursday night. And particularly on a Thursday night like this one, when we’re only one week out from a Thursday night that ends up being difficult and fraught every single year for most of us, a chill show at Bandito’s featuring three different Virginia-based bands, all of whom are entertaining purveyors of good tunes, is probably the perfect prescription. And hey, since you’re at Bandito’s, you can start your evening even before the music kicks off by ordering some delicious nachos. After all, I’m sure we’ve all seen enough turkey for the next little while, right?
This show is headlined by Norfolk trio Spirit Gun, whose most recent release is 2022 EP The Antonym. On that EP, these guys demonstrate a propensity for darkly melodic songcraft that reminds me of classic 80s punk groups like The Gun Club, The Leaving Trains, and mid-period TSOL. There’s also a strong dose of American blues melancholy stirred in there, without softening up the kick of rock n’ roll energy these guys bring. Spirit Gun will close out this night in fine fashion, for sure. Before then, we’ll get sounds from two different Richmond bands: Dead Psychic, whose self-titled EP from 2020 brings a slightly swampy rock n’ roll feel that should work equally well for fans of the Stooges and fans of Blue Oyster Cult. And then there’s Random Temperament, who bring a funky vibe to their rock n’ roll riffage. Overall, this will be a fun way to rock up your Thursday night. Do the damn thing, y’all.
Friday, December 1, 6:30 PM
Devil Master, Fuming Mouth, Final Gasp, Blazing Tomb @ The Canal Club – $20 in advance, $25 day of show (order tickets HERE)
At first glance, this one’s a classic metal show. However, here’s the plot twist: pretty much all of these bands have strong connections with the hardcore scene. For example, our headliners, Devil Master, features former members of such metallic hardcore luminaries as Integrity and Power Trip. That said, you’d never figure that out merely by reading member lists on the internet: this band goes by such illustrious noms de guerre as Disembody Through Unparalleled Pleasure, Darkest Prince Of All Rebellion, and Festering Terror In Cursed Catacomb. Their real names are a bit harder to ferret out (though they’re out there if you look). Of course, you can figure anyone with this tongue-in-cheek an approach to the conventions of the metal genre has to have a background from some other genre — god knows metalheads tend to take themselves way too seriously.
Fortunately, when it counts — the music — Devil Master are 1000% serious. Their most recent album, Ecstasies Of Never Ending Night, is full of powerful yet subtly melodic riffs that straddle the line between old-school black metal and classic European thrash. It’s a headbanger’s paradise, and The Canal Club is sure to be one of those in its own right when Devil Master takes their stage this Friday night. Not to be outdone, Massachusetts band Fuming Mouth bring a heavier, downtuned energy to their rifftastic death-metallic sound. These guys have connections to hardcore bands like Cruel Hand and God’s Hate, so the hardcore background is there for them too, but on brand new LP Last Day Of Sun, Fuming Mouth focus on the brutal death metal power — which will surely make their set a highlight of this show. Fellow Massachusetts combo Final Gasp bring more of a gothic element to their metallic punk sound. On their brand new LP, Mourning Moon, they bring to mind artists like Christian Death, Starkweather, and Twitching Tongues, and probably have the most overt melodic sense of anyone on this bill. Things will kick off with a set from locals Blazing Tomb, who’ll bring the most straightforward thrashcore energy of any of the bands on this bill, if their self-titled 2022 EP is any indication. Come to this one ready to rage.
Saturday, December 2, 7 PM
Samantha Fish & Jesse Dayton, Jon Spencer, Eric Johanson @ The National – $30-$40 (order tickets HERE)
I’ve previously written in this column about talented young blues guitarist Samantha Fish. However, she’s changed things up since the last time we talked about her — and even if you weren’t interested before, you should definitely be checking her out this time around. She’s recently teamed up with veteran alt-country/rockabilly guitarist Jesse Dayton, who has previously played with everyone from Kris Kristofferson to Glenn Danzig, and has even filled in on tour for Billy Zoom of legendary first-wave country-punks X. Dayton and Fish originally started working together a few years ago, initially as writing partners. Soon, though, they were recording as a duo, first on last year’s Stardust Sessions EP (on which they covered Vince Taylor/The Clash classic “Brand New Cadillac”), then on their debut full-length, Death Wish Blues, which came out back in the summer. As powerful as these two are separately, working together takes both of them to another level entirely, and Death Wish Blues is a crunchy slab of down n’ dirty garage blues rock n’ roll that should have anyone who loved early Black Keys and White Stripes albums going gaga.
The Fish & Dayton duo is a big reason to head for this show, but it’s not the only one. I have to bring the attention of any garage-noise-punk vets to the next name down on the bill: Jon Spencer. That’s right, it’s the man himself, formerly of such illustrious groups as Pussy Galore, Boss Hog, and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. His latest project is Jon Spencer & the HITmakers, a quartet featuring former Pussy Galore drummer Bob Bert on percussion, among other talented former members of groups like Quasi and Quixote. The HITmakers’ excellent 2022 LP, Spencer Gets It Lit, brings back the raw clattering energy of classic Pussy Galore LPs like Dial M For Motherfucker, and Spencer & co. apparently integrate Pussy Galore and Blues Explosion classics into their setlists on tour, so that’s even more of a reason to come out for this one. Blues guitarist Eric Johanson, who’s currently touring behind his latest LP, The Deep And The Dirty, will get this one started with plenty of swampy blues licks of his own. Should be outstanding from top to bottom — get with it.
Sunday, December 3, 7:30 PM
Tight Rope, Trapcry, DuctTape Jesus, Checha, WWOMXNN @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
I’ve been digging the increasing presence of residencies on our local music scene, so of course I’m excited for the latest edition of the Camel’s Staff Picks series, in which a band the fine folks over at The Camel is given the headlining slot on a month of Sunday night shows. This time around it’s Tight Rope, and while their month technically got started at the end of November, it’s rad to get a chance to see these guys once a week for a month no matter how you slice it. Starting out with the name Blunt, Tight Rope have only released two singles since acquiring their current name. However, they have definitely carried forward the buzz they were already building under their previous moniker, first with “Blood From Saints,” and most recently with “Crazy Eyes,” which was released only a month ago. Both of these songs have killer guitar-driven melodies played with an upbeat energy that makes them instantly infectious. If you come out this Sunday night, you’re sure to see for yourself just why this city is so nuts about these guys lately.
But that’s far from the only thing you’ll get. This evening will also feature a performance by extremely sexy dance music phenomenon Trapcry, who’s sure to get everyone sweaty as they move to the irresistible beat. Then there’s DuctTape Jesus, whose brand new LP, Chester Skate Land, is an off-the-chain slab of chaotic hip hop brilliance — brilliance that everyone in town should know by now comes out in a big way when DuctTape Jesus takes the stage. I know quite a bit less about Checha, a new arrival on the Richmond scene who seems to move between multiple genres from song to song, and not much at all about the artist known only as WWOMXNN, but it’s always rad to see new local artists on the come-up, and that’s especially true when we know wonderful things await us later in the evening. So show up on time for this one, folks, and then stick around to dance all night.
Monday, December 4, 7 PM
Roderik, Half Past Dead, LOXIAS @ Another Round Bar & Grill – $10
If you, like me, tend to think of Another Round Bar & Grill as a venue that primarily hosts metal artists, the headliners on Monday night’s show might feel a little outside the box for what they normally host. However, while Long Island band Roderik seem closer to emo than anything else, these guys clearly have some darker, heavier influences — after all, they took their name from the main character of an Edgar Allan Poe short story. There’s an undercurrent of heavy darkness in their sound, too — but don’t get it twisted: at the end of the day, these guys are emo, the sort of emo that should appeal to anyone who’s spent at least a little bit of time listening to records by My Chemical Romance or Taking Back Sunday at top volume in a pitch-dark room. I am, of course, one of those people, so I’m stoked to see what Roderik have in store for Richmond when they pull up at Another Round this Monday night.
Roderik will be joined by two local groups this Monday night, and while I wouldn’t call the first of these two, Half Past Dead, emo in any sense, I would say that they have a similarly flamboyant sensibility, though they turn it toward vaguely proggy power metal riffage on their recently released debut full-length, Kiss The World Goodbye. I would say these guys are somewhere between modern metalcore like Killswitch Engage and classic 80s riffmasters like Queensryche — and that’s a good place to be. As for openers Loxias (pronounced “low-key-us,” according to their Bandcamp page), they’ve got a similarly over-the-top rock n’ roll vibe. Their new EP, Until We Meet Again, is full of guitar pyrotechnics and driving riffs, always suffused with dramatic vocals that should please folks who would have been stoked about KISS even if they hadn’t ever worn makeup. This will be a night of wild rock energy, so get hyped for this one.
Tuesday, December 5, 8 PM
Heartracer, The Fan, Wkndr @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
It’s kind of hard to believe it, but it’s been over a decade since Heartracer first appeared on the Richmond scene. Initially named Cosby after the last name shared by founding brothers Chip and Chris Cosby, the band soon took on the name we know them by today. Their debut LP, In Flight, came out back in 2013, and introduced the city to their powerful, perfectly crafted brand of 80s-evoking retro synth-pop. Since then, the Cosby brothers have brought us a plethora of incredible singles, all of which have featured memorable melodies and choruses that stick in your head all day. However, they haven’t given us another full-length at any point during that decade — until now. This month, Heartracer is finally following up their debut LP with a new album from Two Headed Dog Records entitled The Feel. And it’s that release that this show will act as a long-awaited celebration for.
This new 11-song collection won’t be entirely unfamiliar to those who’ve followed Heartracer’s career for a while — five of the 11 songs have been released as singles previously, which should make this album feel at least a little bit like a greatest hits collection for longtime fans. For those who are just learning about Heartracer, it’ll have a similar vibe, though, simply because of this band’s extremely consistent songwriting quality. You’ll see when you see them perform these tunes live on Tuesday night — their songs are so good, every one feels like a hit that got transmitted to us from an alternate universe where pop radio is significantly better than it is here. Come live in that world, at least for a few hours, Tuesday night at The Camel. You’ll be glad you did.
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
Please consider supporting my Patreon, where I’m documenting my progress on two different novels and (sometimes) writing about music of all types. patreon.com/marilyndrewnecci
