RVA Shows You Must See This Week: October 30 – November 5
FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, November 2, 1 PM
LTC Fest 2, feat. Fleshwater, Drug Church, Modern Color, Anxious, Soul Blind, Keep, Pony, Milly, Praise, Dazy, Sign Language, Hollow Suns, HeavyHex, Wild Red, Bellwether @ The Canal Club – $70 (order tickets HERE)
Where Richmond promoter Love Tiger Connection is concerned, it’s not the quantity of local shows they’ve booked that impresses, but the quality. They might have an entire month go by without any local dates, but when there is one, you can be assured it will be essential, from the always-amazing bands on the bill — which generally come from the melodic end of the modern post-hardcore spectrum — to the lovely flyers these folks always seem to come up with. They’re a real credit to the local live music scene, is what I’m trying to say. And considering not only all of this but also how excellent their inaugural Love Tiger Connection Fest was last year, I’m only expecting great things from the follow-up, taking place this Saturday at the Canal Club.
And by this Saturday, I mean ALL DAY Saturday — things kick off promptly at 1 pm, and over a dozen bands will perform by the end of the night. But don’t assume you can waltz in several hours after everything gets going and still catch every band worth seeing; local shoegaze up-and-comers Bellwether will kick the whole thing off, and you definitely won’t want to miss them. But before we get into all that, let’s start with the headliners.
First of the two bands at the top of the bill is Fleshwater, a Massachusetts heavy-gaze project whose most recent release is a rather strange remix EP entitled Sounds Of Grieving, but whose real statement of purpose still is found on their debut LP, 2022’s We’re Not Here To Be Loved. It mixes melodic vocals and driving indie-punk tempos with heavy, hazy guitars in an intriguing manner, making me wonder what it would have been like if Velocity Girl and Nothing had existed at the same time and made a collaborative album. Fleshwater’s music is the closest we’ll ever get to knowing, I suppose.
Then there’s the other big-time headliner, Drug Church, who’ve really made their mark on the post-hardcore world over the last half-decade-plus with a run of three incredible albums. 2018’s Cheer put them on the map with their hectic, iconic epic of workplace frustration, “Weed Pin.” 2022’s Hygiene showed a more contemplative side of the band’s energetic, noisy grunge-punk. Now their brand new fifth LP, Prude, is taking things to the next level, showing off their most assured and intense collection of tunes yet. Spleen-venting fury comes through in Patrick Kindlon’s rarely-sung, mostly-yelled lyrics, which hit perfectly over the chunky, hard-hitting songs (leavened by occasional indelible melodies) that the band cranks out, its twin guitars scorching your brainpan with each new riff explosion.
OK, if I keep putting this much time into the individual bands on this bill we’ll be here all day — and you’re already gonna be at The Canal Club all day on Saturday, so let’s wrap this overlong writeup by blitzing through some other great bands on this bill: the powerful alt-punk melodies of Anxious, whose new single might be their best shit yet (can’t wait for that new LP in the spring). The emo-adjacent bouncy catchiness of Modern Color. The grunge-guitar chunk and pensive moodiness of Soul Blind. Long-running, always-underrated Baltimore melodic hardcore legends Praise. Jangly lo-fi post-hardcore indie-pop wizards Dazy. Are you convinced yet? There are still six more bands on the bill I haven’t mentioned yet, and one of them is local fuzz-guitar powerhouse Keep! Click the ticket link already. You know it’s the right thing to do.
Wednesday, October 30, 6 PM
Show Me The Body, High Vis, Bib, Zelooperz, Black Noi$e @ The Canal Club – $29.50 in advance, $35 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Things are gonna get weird at The Canal Club tonight. If you already know the music of Show Me The Body, you know why I’m saying that, but for the rest of you, let me try to explain. See, Show Me The Body is the sort of band that appears from the outside to be a hardcore band. Somewhat experimental, maybe, but their overall cultural footprint will lead you to expect a sound that basically fits into the hardcore continuum. And it actually does… sometimes. At other times, Show Me The Body fearlessly overruns the chugging riffs and aggressive vocals with pounding low-end beats and crunchy synth pulses, to the point where it sounds more like a particularly dark electronica track, for minutes at a time. At moments like this, the vocals — which don’t actually change that much from song to song — feel closer to aggressive rap than harsh hardcore screaming. But it’s all because of the musical bed on which the vocals rest; you can tell with particular clarity when the next track starts up and just sounds like heavy hardcore again.
The sort of musical schizophrenia I’m describing is a constant presence on the new Show Me The Body album Corpus II, which was originally released as two separate EPs before being combined into a full-length release last month. Featuring guests ranging from noise-rap icon B L A C K I E to confrontational hardcore band Zulu, Corpus II keeps things truly unpredictable, and in many ways is the most intriguing new thing I’ve heard a hardcore band do in a long time. No idea how it’ll all translate into the live environment, but finding out will be an adventure in itself. Plus, UK post-hardcore ensemble High Vis (who also guest on a Corpus II track) will be on hand to provide a killer set of anxious anthems with a strong dose of Chameleons-style guitar melody laced through their moody riffs and choruses. You definitely won’t want to miss that. Nor will you want to miss Omaha ensemble Bib, whose raw, aggressive take on classic hardcore is sure to be a highlight of the evening in terms of sheer energy. The evening is rounded out by a set of hard-charging hip hop from Zelooperz and moody, glitched-out R&B from Black Noi$e. There truly will be something for everyone on this bill — all brought together by the sheer unpredictability of Show Me The Body. Gotta love that.
Thursday, October 31, 7 PM
Halloween Honky Tonk, feat. Olivia Ellen Lloyd, Ramona Martinez, Clover Lynn, Red McAdam @ Gallery 5 – $5 (order tickets HERE)
I’m sure you could find a Halloween covers night this Thursday night if you really wanted to look, but let’s be honest, we’ve all done that whole go-round this year. Why not try something a little more original — like this Halloween honky-tonk night at Gallery 5? Dress up in something cute and country-themed — as a cowboy, or a cowgirl, or a cow — and head over to the historic firehouse at the corner of Marshall and Brook to catch some lovely underground country acts and brighten up your All Hallows Eve. Olivia Ellen Lloyd is at the top of the bill, and this talented singer-songwriter manages to crank out some quality acoustic country tunes on her 2021 debut LP, Loose Cannon, even despite hailing from such an un-country home base as Brooklyn, New York. I guess the heartland is ultimately located in your heart first and foremost, right?
Our other touring act is Red McAdam, who comes from the urban South, specifically Atlanta Georgia. On his 2023 LP, The Late Great Delta 88 Band, he swings in a classic Nashville/Grand Ol’ Opry style, complete with plenty of pedal steel and fiddle. I’m not sure how big of a band he’s bringing to town, so we may get a more stripped-down take on these tunes, but they’re great for dancing regardless of how minimalist the instrumentation is, so you can expect a fun little get-down when he hits the stage. Of course, we’ve also got two local mainstays of the Richmond country scene to sweeten this lovely evening just a bit more. First off, there’s Ramona Martinez, who is most recognizable around here as the frontwoman for Ramona and the Holy Smokes, but who is taking the stage on her own this time around. Considering how crucial she is to the overall sound of her band, I imagine we’ll still get a great, powerful, moving set from Ramona even without her band behind her. Rounding out the bill is Virginia banjo-picker Clover Lynn, who fronts a project now called Clover Lynn & The Hellfires, though they were previously known as the Laurel Hells Ramblers. Her gothic approach to classic mountain music and overtly queer presentation is sure to lend her set a whole new level of resonances. It’ll certainly be an appropriate Halloween soundtrack, and that’s always nice.
Friday, November 1, 8 PM
Body Farm, Nailed Shut, Lacking, Infernal Gaze @ Bandito’s – $12
Rival Booking is another local live music promotion outfit that’s been doing a lot of great stuff around town over the past year or so, and they’re finishing out their year of music strong with this four-band Friday night bill at Bandito’s. I am particularly excited about the first of the two headliners on this bill. Body Farm, who hail from the Ohio/Pennsylvania area, start their recently released split LP with Dry Socket with a song called “Trans Day Of Vengeance,” and their ability to embody the same confrontationally-queer spirit that makes HIRS such a fun listen is all over their side of this record. It blows through 10 songs in about 12 minutes by keeping the tempos high and the vocals raging and pissed. You can expect plenty more where that came from when these folks hit the stage at Bandito’s — plus a live performance style that’s full of fun-loving energy. Get ready to circle pit for these folks.
As for Massachusetts band Nailed Shut, these folks keep it heavy and hard, mostly eschewing high speeds in favor of uber-heavy riffcrunch brutality. It’s the kind of thing I’ve come to expect from a Rival Booking show — bands that straddle the thin line between metallic hardcore and outright death metal without ever getting too bogged down in double bass and ultra-low-end vocals. Nailed Shut keep the energy flowing and have plenty of intensity that’ll make you want to leap right out of your skin once their set gets going. Should be awesome. Virginia natives Lacking deliver a fast, primitive set that’ll fit right in for those who enjoy the high-speed antics of Body Farm but maybe prefer a bit more first-LP Necros in the mix. As for local openers Infernal Gaze, their whole approach can be summed up by the fact that their first EP is called Appalachian Death. If you dig brutal deathcore from down in the holler, you’ll love what these guys have to offer. Hit this one up — you won’t be sorry.
Saturday, November 2, 7 PM
Hurricane Relief Benefit Show, feat. Killing Pace, Cicada, Ivy Creep, Lose Sight @ Cobra Cabana – $5
The aftermath of Hurricane Helene may have fallen out of the news cycle by now, but that definitely doesn’t mean that everything’s A-OK in the parts of North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, and other Appalachian states that were hard hit by the storm. Plenty of people are still without homes, without power, without adequate food. They need our help. And here’s a great opportunity to do your part by heading over to Cobra Cabana this Saturday night and rocking out with some killer local hardcore/metal bands. Honestly, this show would be a great deal at twice the price, even if your cash wasn’t going to a good cause, so the fact that this show is so cheap, brings you so many great bands, and will help out so many people… there’s really no reason to turn it down.
As far as what you’ll get out of the deal is concerned, you can start with a blistering headline set from Killing Pace, whose harsh, relentless speed-thrash sound keeps elements from the hardcore world alive at its heart even as it pushes into the world of metal. If you like it fast, noisy, and aggressive, these guys will definitely win you over if they haven’t already. As for Cicada, they’re a newer local group who keep things nice and weird on their 2023 EP We Are Going To Kill You, even though you could easily mistake them for old-school loud-fast-rules hardcore if you don’t pay close enough attention. Regardless of which aspect of their sound you focus on, you’re sure to enjoy their set at Cobra Cabana. Ivy Creep have a similar sort of thing going on, but with even more speed and old-school hardcore wildness at work. You USHC 82 freaks will love what this ensemble’s bringing to the table. The whole thing is rounded out by new RVA straight-edge crew Lose Sight, who go hard with plenty of chugga guitars and roaring vocals. These folks will get the pit started right away, and that’s never a bad thing.
Sunday, November 3, 7 PM
Teenage Halloween, Dead Billionaires, Teens In Trouble, Bat Boy @ The Camel – $12 in advance, $15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Here’s a weird question: what’s the most awkward time to be a band called Teenage Halloween? Is it at a time like this Sunday, when the band known as Teenage Halloween will hit Richmond about half a week too late for their namesake holiday? Or is it more like… late March or something, when no one is even thinking about Halloween? I know, I know — for some of you, every day is Halloween, and if that’s how you feel, I’m sure a band being called Teenage Halloween always feels entirely appropriate. Even if you aren’t an all-Halloween-all-the-time person, though, one listen to the most recent Teenage Halloween album, Till You Return, will surely be enough to convince you that there’s no wrong time for this band to come through town. Its catchy punk sound lands somewhere in the neighborhood of that thin line between pop-punk, melodic hardcore, and emo, and which side it ultimately comes down upon is less important than the fact that this band will hit the spot for anyone who enjoys any of those genres.
The heartfelt, forlorn mood of Teenage Halloween’s music turns pretty much all of their tunes into intense, emotional anthems, of the sort that hasn’t been heard since Dillinger Four’s between-album hiatuses started lasting over a decade. This makes them fit in well with similarly-themed North Carolina band Teens In Trouble, who are currently touring in support of their latest LP, What’s Mine. More purely alt-rock in sound than Teenage Halloween, these folks have a bit less of the emo elements in their music, but there’s a corresponding increase in pure power-pop hooks that makes their music instantly infectious. You’re sure to be dancing once this band gets rolling. Of course, Richmond indie-punk mainstays Dead Billionaires will offer able support for this lineup, and the post-Hold Tight/Close Talker group Bat Boy will get things started on a high note that chimes quite well with what Teenage Halloween are up to. Be prepared to love this one from the very first note until the very last.
Monday, November 4, 7 PM
Mid, Hazelgrove, Glass House @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
This Monday night at the Camel finds Richmonders Mid covering the headline slot, and will probably tee up a lot of unfunny jokesters to pun on their name. But let’s be clear; Mid are actually quite high-level in terms of musical talent, and that’s made eminently clear on their latest album, Goodbye Alexandria. Their sound can be tough to categorize, working as it does within a fundamentally soulful milieu even as the instrumentation sounds more like alt-indie garage rockin’ hotness. The mix of the two, along with elements of everything from surf guitar to Western dry-desert twang, keeps things interesting where this ensemble is concerned, and I can promise you, no matter what genres you usually enjoy and how familiar or unfamiliar you are with this band, they’re gonna enthrall you as soon as they hit the stage at The Camel.
In truth, I wasn’t all that familiar with any of the Richmond-based artists on this bill before I started planning which shows to cover this week, so this one in particular has been an education. It’s been a delightful one, though, particularly in the case of Hazelgrove. This ensemble appears to be made up of two young bedroom-producer types who make catchy, ethereal modern pop music. I can’t be entirely sure how this will translate into a live environment, but the vocal and guitar hooks are what really sticks with you from the recordings, so I imagine this will work regardless of how minimal or maximalist a treatment they give us. The evening is rounded out by a performance from newcomers Glass House, who I’ve heard very little by, but seem to have a great jangly indie-pop sound that should please the fans of early 90s Sarah Records delicacies among all of you. And if that reference is a bit too dated for the under-35 set, think Belle and Sebastian. Overall, this should be a fun evening full of local groups that don’t always get the appropriate amount of attention. You have the power to fix that this Monday night. I suggest you exercise it.
Tuesday, November 5, 7:30 PM
Flora And the Fauna @ In Your Ear Studios – $15 (order tickets HERE)
Tuesday is Election Night. If this is news to you, or finding this out doesn’t really give you any particular feelings one way or another, I’m glad for you. But I can’t say the same. I’m a trans woman in a gay marriage, and I’ve watched the rise in anti-LGBTQ and specifically anti-trans campaigning at every level of the political system in the run-up to this election with severe queasiness. I’ll be blunt: I’m very concerned about what might happen to my marriage, my rights, and the safety of myself and the people I love most if Donald Trump gets re-elected. Once the polls close Tuesday night, I’m going to be on tenterhooks — and knowing how the last several elections have gone, I’m expecting that feeling to last for potentially a week or longer. After which I might be rewarded with terrible news. It’s a bad situation all around.
That’s why I intend to spend my Election Night with Flora and the Fauna at Shockoe Sessions Live. Considering that the ongoing lives of this all-transfemme band are potentially going to be just as affected by the outcome of the election as mine will be, I feel an undeniable solidarity with this particular quartet. But more importantly, their music will be a great way to take my mind off my anxieties during a fraught evening the outcome of which I, in the end, will have no control over. See, Flora and the Fauna make upbeat, catchy pop music, music that celebrates queer love and queer community. There are elements of the classic twee pop sound of bands like Heavenly and Tiger Trap, but there’s also an element of classic rock running through their sound, which works surprisingly well — mainly due to the talented exuberance of keyboardist/saxophonist Valerie Jemison, who could be called Flora and the Fauna’s secret weapon (though really, her energy onstage makes her impossible to overlook). With only demos online so far, this Shockoe Sessions Live performance promises to be the best recording Flora and the Fauna have laid down thus far, so even if you only tune in via YouTube, it’s still well worth a gander. That said, you should definitely score a ticket and come in person. This Tuesday night, we’re going to need all the music and community we can get.
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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