RVA Shows You Must See This Week: November 6 – November 12
FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, November 9, 7 PM
Landon Elliott, The Wilson Springs Hotel, Deau Eyes @ The Broadberry – $20 in advance, $25 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Landon Elliott’s a singer-songwriter who has been around the Richmond music scene for quite a while, and I’ll admit that for a long time, I wrote him off as just another bearded white boy with a guitar. “Too many indie boys are just trying to reinvent dad rock these days” is probably a valid criticism, but over the past two or so years, I’ve started to realize that directing it toward Landon Elliott was a mistake. And now, with the release of his honestly incredible (and incredibly honest) new album, Aftermath, he’s demonstrating the full breadth of his talent to everyone else around this city — and the world — who hasn’t woken up to it yet. With all that in mind, there isn’t a better place any Richmond music fan could be this Saturday night than at The Broadberry to join Landon Elliott for the celebration of Aftermath‘s release.
If you read what I said above about white indie boys with guitars trying to reinvent dad rock, well, Landon Elliott may have started out in that general area, but he’s a long way beyond that now. Sure, he still plays a lot of acoustic and electric guitar, and the vestiges of 70s folk and classic rock that were a much bigger part of his music circa 2017 still linger in the subtleties of his current sound. However, there’s been a big infusion of electronic textures, moody pop, and a penchant for dramatic musical crescendoes stirred into the mix — as well as a big change in the subject matter. You see, Landon Elliott came out as gay a couple of years ago, and his recent material takes his experiences growing up repressed in an unsupportive environment head-on, with lyrics referencing secret adolescent relationships and facing homophobic hatred within his own family (damn, I know the feeling), even as he attempts to express his truth and be proud of who he is. These songs are intense, full of passionate self-expression, and don’t sound that much like anything else you’ll hear on today’s musical landscape. That’s the sound of a talented singer-songwriter finally learning not to hide his light under a bushel. You gotta love it.
So yeah, by all means go to the Broadberry this Saturday night and celebrate the release of Landon Elliott’s excellent new album. As great as it sounds over a streaming service, I’m sure it’ll be even more amazing live onstage. And you won’t just get a performance by Landon Elliott, either — Virginia’s own The Wilson Springs Hotel are also on the bill. This ensemble is definitely grounded in Americana and specifically in traditional Appalachian musical styles, even as they introduce electric guitars and drum kits to bring in some Nashville twang and rock n’ roll bite. The end result is a lot of fun and should connect for those who equally appreciate The Hackensaw Boys and the Drive-By Truckers. Deau Eyes opens up the evening with an always-welcome set of her excellent indie tunes. And of course, Ali and Landon go way back, so I’d be shocked if she didn’t make her way onto the stage during the headlining set to help out on at least a song or two. It all adds up to a great way to spend your Saturday night — especially after this week’s news.
Wednesday, November 6, 7 PM
Woman Crush Wednesday, feat. Summer School, Maria Leckey, Beya @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
I don’t know if anyone else agrees, but for me it has felt over the past few years like pretty much everything changed in the Richmond music world after the pandemic put all the action on hold for a year and a half. It’s hard to believe that anything made it through that whole ordeal in one piece. Truthfully, though, a lot of the great things about this city’s live music scene really did manage to survive that era and thrive in its wake. Bri Bevan’s monthly Woman Crush Wednesday nights at The Camel are a great example — believe it or not, this week marks five years since Bri’s first showcase of female/trans artists. Sure, we all missed some weeks in the interim, but Woman Crush Wednesday is still going strong half a decade later, and that’s an impressive feat no matter how you frame it.
But listen, what really makes Woman Crush Wednesday such a can’t-miss event month in and month out is the breadth of artists and bands who get their first real exposure to Richmond’s musical community at this event. This time around is really no exception, as the names on this bill are probably not all that familiar to all that many of you. Nonetheless, a number of artists who played Woman Crush Wednesday early in their careers play to significantly bigger crowds now, and it’s always a great place to hear some talented people who are on their way up. This time around, we’ll get a set from Summer School, a bouncy, rockin’ sextet with a bit of a retro-beach party feel and a tendency to cover the Daria theme song (sad as I am to say this, readers under 30 probably need to google this one). Maria Leckey, who is a member of the Staunton-based folk quartet The Hot Mamas, will give us a solo set of tunes that I expect will have some similar old-time country vibes as the music of her band does — though I’ve been surprised before. And of course, Beya will kick things off with some moody alt-country vibes that are sure to take you on an emotional journey. Hooray for Woman Crush Wednesday! Five more years!
Thursday, November 7, 10 PM
Future Terror, Spicy Meatball, Pollute, Sultry @ Don’t Look Back – Free!
Here’s another hardcore show happening at the Triple/Don’t Look Back space over in Scott’s Addition and getting started at 10 PM, just to make me feel like it’s 2008 all over again. Gotta love it. This one features Future Terror at the top of the bill, and this is a band that features members of Richmond’s own Prisoner switching to different instruments and rocking out in a similar D-beat/crust-core style to that of Prisoner’s early EPs. Now that that band has moved in the direction of harsher, noisier, and more industrial-derived sounds, perhaps Future Terror is their outlet for more straightforward dark hardcore raging. That said, the last Future Terror EP, Plague, came out back in 2019, so it’s hard to say whether their sound will have evolved in the interim. Safe to say, though, that you can expect things to be dark and heavy during their set.
It’s not really all that safe to say anything in particular about Spicy Meatball, the up-and-coming local hardcore band playing third out of four bands on this bill. They don’t have any information online, have only played a couple of shows thus far, and I haven’t seen them yet. So at this point, I really have no idea. That said, I figure any band called Spicy Meatball can’t be too bad. I know a lot more about Durham, North Carolina group Pollute, who are set to rip shit when they hit the Don’t Look Back, uh… it’s not really a stage, is it? Cleared-out floor space? Whatever space these guys are given, they’re gonna lay waste to it. Their angry, dark hardcore sound mixes classic D-beat moves with a pedal-to-the-metal USHC energy that just can’t be denied. Plus, their new LP is called Microplastics, Massive Profits, which is just a perfect cynical comment on the state of capitalism in 2024. The evening is rounded out with a set from Roanoke’s Sultry, who bash out no-frills hardcore punk at very high speeds. I hear a bit of early Poison Idea in what these guys are doing, though of course with an extra infusion of rebellious Appalachian attitude. It’s gonna be great, as well this entire evening. Stay up late for this one — you’ve earned it.
Friday, November 8, 7 PM
Morgan Wade, Abbey Cone @ The National – $28.50 (order tickets HERE)
I’m not generally a country girl, but at the end of the day I am from rural Virginia, and I did grow up loving Kenny Rogers and Waylon Jennings as a tiny kid (back before I discovered Van Halen and The Police), so the right artist with the right approach can definitely catch my ear. And where modern country music is concerned, Morgan Wade is squarely within my wheelhouse. If you google her, you’ll run across a lot of speculation about whether she is in a relationship with a Real Housewife. I have no idea what the truth of that situation is, but as soon as you listen to Morgan Wade’s music, you’ll realize that it isn’t relevant. In an era full to bursting with lyrical cliches, exaggerated fake accents, and a million overproduced singles that all sound the same, Morgan Wade is the real deal.
On Wade’s latest album, Obsessed, she plays tunes that eschew all those tired Nashville tropes in favor of creating a deep atmosphere that’s dark, moody, and generally underplayed. That said, there’s some real intensity there — you know you’ll get that kind of thing from a woman who calls her albums things like Psychopath and Reckless. She sings about dark moments, when you almost fall off the wagon or have a really devastating breakup. And there’s definitely some queer coding to all this, even if she’s never officially come out, so I admit that draws me in further. Maybe it’s irrelevant to you, but there’s something about Morgan Wade’s music that’ll impact anyone who listens to it, regardless of where you are on (or off) the rainbow. You probably won’t get another straight-up country recommendation from me for a good long while, but I’m standing by this one. Morgan Wade is worth your time. Go see her this Friday night.
Saturday, November 9, 8 PM
Fight Cloud, Human Worm, ING @ The Camel – $10 in advance, $12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Listen, I want everyone who plays music in this town to succeed, full stop. Whether I write about every show you play or only put you in the column once every five years is more due to random chance than anything. That said, there are certain bands in this town that I really do love, and Fight Cloud is one of them. When they had that period of several years where they inactive, I was bummed, and I was thrilled when they decided to come back after nearly four years of being away. And now, the most amazing thing of all — they’ve stuck around long enough to bring us another new album, their fourth overall. It’s called Ritual Disaster, and while I’ve only heard three songs from it as I write this, it will be out before this show happens Saturday, so we’ll all get the chance to familiarize ourselves with the whole thing, well before they take the stage at The Camel. It’s gonna be so damn cool.
For those of you who don’t know the music of Fight Cloud, it’s high time you get familiar. This quartet plays the sort of modern math-rock that’s evolved in the post-Y2K era (so in the last quarter century? I know, I’m old), which is far less concerned with noise and heaviness than their 90’s-era ancestors (think Breadwinner, or Shellac). The complexity of the riffs remain, but there’s a definite psychedelic aspect that’s crept in, and a much greater focus on melody. For Fight Cloud, this often results in beautiful vocal melodies and lead guitar hooks — the kind of thing that make them incredibly catchy for a math-rock band. It’s a total blissout to listen to, and that’s just as true of the new singles as it was of their mindblowing 2016 milestone, We’ll Be Alright. I am sincerely excited for this new album, and y’all should all get on my level and go to this show. Openers include the fuzzy shoegaze electro-pop of Human Worm, a relatively new band that nonetheless includes some familiar faces from the Richmond music world; and the fuzzy, lo-fi bedroom pop of ING, who haven’t been around as much but definitely have a history in the local scene. Get down with it.
Sunday, November 10, 7 PM
Laura Cortese & The Dance Cards, Caroline Vain @ The Camel – $10 in advance, $12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
I find Laura Cortese & The Dance Cards pretty fascinating. You see, this three-person ensemble consists of violin, cello, and double bass, but sounds nothing like you’d expect from a lineup of that sort. The musicians involved with this project clearly have a background in old-time string-band music, and appear to have come out of that scene. But when you listen to them, while you do hear old-time folk influences permeating their songs, what you’ll hear more of is a finely-tempered pizzicato approach that almost feels like they’ve been listening to more Wire or Sonic Youth than anything resembling the Carter Family or Leadbelly. It’s acoustic string-band music that feels more like odd, angular indie pop than anything else. You don’t really even notice the lack of drums.
So yeah, I think this band is pretty incredible, not only because they defy expectations but because they also get such intriguing sounds out of an instrumental lineup that I’d never expect to produce music that sounds like this. I sincerely think you could stack their 2020 LP, Bitter Better, alongside something like Tuneyards and no one listening would ever consider that the two artists being compared are from completely different genres and backgrounds. I just think that kind of thing’s neat. So yeah, go see Laura Cortese & The Dance Cards at the Camel this Sunday night — and show up on time, because local singer-songwriter Caroline Vain, who is opening this show, has a lot to offer on her own behalf. You’ll definitely hear some great songs. If you get your mind blown a little bit, so much the better.
Monday, November 11, 7:30 PM
OOYH Second Mondays, feat. Eginli/Levin, Wolf In Wool @ Artspace – $10
It’s been a minute since we all headed down to southside to check out one of the always-great Second Mondays showcases put on by Richmond’s premier jazz/avant-garde label, Out Of Your Head Records. Thankfully, I am pleased to report that things are still going strong down there, and this month is no exception. This time around, OOYH co-head honchos Adam Hopkins and Scott Clark are not involved; instead, our headliner is the duo of pianist Ipek Eginli and cellist Daniel Levin. These two avant-garde improvisers admired each other’s work but had never played together until earlier this year, they decided to put together a weekend of shows in which they’d each perform solo improvisational sets, then would come together to improvise a duo set. Their collaboration clicked immediately, and they had such a great time playing together that they decided to record an album based on the series of shows they’d played together.
That album, Explorers, was released earlier this year by Ears&Eyes Records, and Eginli and Levin are coming to Richmond as part of a tour in celebration of that album. The music captured on it is in a similar format — two solo performances followed by a duo — and that may be what we get at Artspace this Monday night. Or we may just get a duo set, and if I’m honest, I think the latter option would be preferable. The improvisations captured on Explorers are fascinating, reminding me most of free jazz pioneers like Cecil Taylor and Art Ensemble Of Chicago. Having said that, I’m sure folks who follow the world of avant-garde classical music will hear different things; what’s important is that anyone with an appreciation for musicians engaging in improvisation with a spirit of experimentation and freedom will find a lot to like here. The same is no doubt true of opener Wolf In Wool, a solo project of guitarist Adam Biller. His stated goal is to make his guitar sound like “anything but a guitar,” and regardless of whether you can ultimately tell what he’s playing when you listen to Wolf In Wool’s latest album, Richmond Sketches, you have to admit that he paints some fascinating sonic landscapes — all inspired by various areas around Richmond, as titles like “Maymont” and “Texas Beach Bridge” point out. I hear similarities between Wolf In Wool and the work of Portland-based post-rock musician Eluvium, so if you appreciate that sort of ambient post-rock soundscape, you’ll definitely want to show up on time for this one.
Tuesday, November 12, 7 PM
Psychic Death, De( )t, MK Vulture, DJ Ben Speed @ Fuzzy Cactus – $12
Let’s wrap up this week of shows by heading to Richmond’s home of rock n’ roll circa 2024, by which I of course mean Fuzzy Cactus. This Northside hotspot is always bringing the loud, fast, and out-of-control awesomeness, and they continue in that fine tradition this Tuesday night by welcoming Atlanta’s Psychic Death to Richmond and their stage. These guys are relatively new to the noisy, hectic punk world, having released their first EP, Ghostface Cowboy, in 2021. They still don’t have an album out, but one listen to their latest EP, the storming two-song collection No Sounds, will leave you hungry for more more more, so I can’t help but hope that they’ve got one waiting in the wings.
The Psychic Death sound mingles classic garage-punk vibes with a spooky undertone and some analog synth action to take things to a whole new level. Fans of The Cramps at their most horrific, Joy Division at their highest energy levels, and Ex-Cult at all times will definitely dig what Psychic Death bring to the table. They’re joined on this trip to the river city by De( )t, whose name is pronounced “debt,” so I have no idea what the bizarre punctuation is about, but who cares? What’s important is how hard this combo rocks it — and let me tell you, they definitely do rock it. Their recently released LP, Think Of Your Future, has a similar foreboding postpunk ambience as Psychic Death generates, but their instrumental approach is much more focused on loud guitars, so the traditionalists among you will no doubt be appeased to hear that. Ultimately, I think anyone even remotely into sub-underground rock n’ roll hotness will be over the moon to hear both of these bands, though. It’s a total win-win. Richmond lo-fi digital postpunks MK Vulture will offer an exciting opening set for this one, and DJ Ben Speed (of Loud Night fame) will keep us dancing all night by spinning killer tunes before and between bands. This one’s gonna be way better than a Tuesday night show has any right to be; you definitely don’t want to miss 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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