FEATURE SHOW
Friday, August 24, 7 p. m.
Richard Kamerman & David Kirby, Lost Trail, Ting Ting Jahe @ Ghostprint Gallery – Donations/All Ages.
This is the last night of the Ninja Hymnbook Remarks tour, featuring Richard Kamerman & David Kirby and Lost Trail. They could not have picked a more inviting space than Ghostprint Gallery. If making purist sounds, large and small, with motors, fans, and found objects is your thing, wel,l this evening is one for exploration. New York City’s Richard Kamerman enjoys in what one can find in accidental sounds. This includes collecting instruments from trash left out on the street. Like I always say, anything can be a musical instrument.
Now if trash instruments and/or buttons, knobs, blinking lights, and fans that can only be construed as mission creep aren’t enough, then by all means you will also enjoy Atlanta Gee Aye’s David Kirby. David Kirby is known for his dazzling digital composing where he successfully makes a transition to analog improvisation using cassette tapes. Electroacoustic-music is David Kirby’s middle name.
North Carolina’s ambient drone scientists, Lost Trail, and Richmond’s famous cloud, Ting Ting Jahe, open the flavor box.
Wednesday, August 22, 7 p. m.
Lightning Bolt, Buck Gooter, Dumb Waiter, Navi @ Gallery 5 - $10 Adv - lightningboltatg5.eventbrite.com / $12 Door/All Ages.
One of the most talked about bands in Richmond that is not from Richmond has to be Lightning Bolt. This Rhode Island noise duo brings it like a father eagle out for the hunt before dinner time. Since ’94, Lightning Bolt has been playing aggressively towards audiences that like its music aggressive; hence why Richmond is such a big fan. Brian Chippendale on vocals and drums and Brian Gibson on bass of Lightning Bolt draw many correlations to the Boredoms. Loud isn’t enough for this gnarly twosome.
Transporting the dire mass of Lightning Bolt’s thrust is Load Records. This label sure does know how to cripple our ears, but I don’t hear any complaints. I’ve personally seen Lightning Bolt twice. They were crazy erratic to a point to where I could not feel my face. I was in love. Taking this evening to another plateau will be fellow duos, Harrisonburg’s Buck Gooter and Richmond’s Navi. The adventures are real--take in a Gallery 5 showcase of madness.
Thursday, August 23, 10 p. m.
Lecherous Gaze, Unholy Thoughts, Dry Spell, Caves Caverns @ Strange Matter –18+
Lecherous Gaze is 75% of Annihilation Time. This Oak Town group delivers the 70's ripping punk we all need on baby Friday. They're touring in support of the Born on a River 12", which is a perfect listen for most Richmonders, as they too were born on a river. Well, by a river, but you get the point.
Hardcore punkn obliteration will of course be delivered by Richmond’s finest, Unholy Thoughts and Dry Spell. Who said punk is dead? It's alive and well like a blooming dandelion. If you need solace after the ransacking, well by all means, escape your inhaling by paddling downstream with Caves Caverns.
Friday, August 24, 9 p. m.
Slapdash presents Conrizzle, Mr. Ivory Snow, $elf Conscious Music, Dr. Millionaire, SM City, music by Fastaro, DJ Gringo @ The Camel - $5 Adv – tokyoave.eventbrite.com/$8 Door /18+
Tonight marks the spot for a birthday celebration of all birthday celebrations. Conrizzle, Richmond’s premier producer, is a year older. What this man has done for Richmond’s hip hop community is extraordinary. Producing the likes of Nickelus F, Dr. Millionaire, Suburban District, Chance Fischer, and many more makes this man number one in my book. Tonight, Conrizzle will be performing with his best friends in hip hop. He will be performing records from his most noted projects. Dare I say this event is mandatory?
The beats and rhymes will just keep flowing as does the traffic down Broad St. However, you can park legally now til 2 a.m. in front of the Camel. Therefore, why not pull over from Broad St., park, and take in the rowdy grooves this benchmark event is sure to expound.
Saturday, August 25, 8 p. m.
10th Annual Happily Natural Day Concert featuring an evening with Phonte, Tamika Love Jones, Photosynthesizers, Nottz Raw, Derek320, hosted by Lorna L Boogie of Tuesday Verses @ Canal Club - $10 Adv – thecanalclub.com/online_ticket_center.htm / $15 Door / 18+
Ten years ago, local civic leader and social activist Duron L. Chavis founded Happily Natural Day. Happily Natural Day is a wonderful yearly festival devoted to rebuilding self-esteem in the black community. The weekend-long festival is comprised of health awareness, educational forums, networking, and awards, along with vendors, dance, arts, and of course music, all in part to raise awareness for black men and women. This year’s celebration is stacked with more events than it has ever had. At the center of Happily Natural Day is a concert that will be one for the ages.
Headlining the concert will be Atlantic recording artist Phonte, a Grammy nominated rapper out of North Carolina. Phonte is also one half of the famed Raleigh rap duo Little Brother. Phonte is a no nonsense lyricist who incorporates neo-soul in his deep hearted rhyming and singing about the working class. His words are a destiny no one should ignore. If there was any rapper equivalent to an encyclopedia, that emcee, with no doubt, is Phonte.
The smooth beauty of what soul should really be comes straight from Tamika Love Jones. Her voice puts me in a good mood. Wow, I wish I could play this beautiful voice over a loud speaker that encompassed all of Richmond. This is the voice of the year by far. Beautiful is Tamika Love Jones--literally and figuratively. Photosynthesizers, Richmond’s best technotronic soul masters, open this show of shows, along with Nottz Raw and Derek320. Hosting this beauty will be the beauty herself, Tuesday Verses’ Lorna L. Boogie.
For more information - happilynaturalday.com
Saturday, August 25, 9 p.m.
Quickness RVA presents FOOD FIGHT: A Battle Of Bands with a Twist, featuring 821 Cafe as Hate21, Alamo BBQ as Fat Side Up, The Black Sheep as Angry Chef and The Lowboys, Buzz & Ned's as The Barbecuties, Ipanema Cafe as Creepanema, Lamplighter Roasting Co. as The Frumpy Crumpet, The Roosevelt as A Consensual Evening with Winston Stayblack, Rooster Cart as Talon On Talon (playing Talon), Sticky To GoGo as Bonzai!, Selba as The Pregnanators, and a special appearance by Quickness RVA as Just The Tip @ Strange Matter 9pm. 18+
What a fun idea this event will be. Let’s hope it’s an annual thing. Food Fight is a battle of the bands with a twist--each band is to be made up entirely of coworkers from different restaurants around Richmond. Each band will get a ten-minute set to prove their skills to the crowd. This is Quickness RVA’s and Frank Bucalo’s way of celebrating music and food in Richmond.
As you know, there are so many awesome restaurants in this city that just wouldn’t be the same without the brilliant artists and musicians that keep the food flowing. I would like to also add that because of these same brilliant artists and musicians, Richmond is the greatest city in the world. This event, which is sure to be an absolute hoedown as it is, is also a benefit for Girls Rock Camp RVA, and if that isn’t a perfect reason to show up, well, just don’t go out anymore.
Actually, I demand you go to Strange Matter tonight. Besides, you can check out all the new VCU students aimlessly searching for deep meaning in life as they meander around Grace St. Wow, that’s my favorite busboy in Richmond playing guitar. Holy Hillside Court!
The show will be recorded and released as a cassette tape through Sweet Dreams Records.
Sunday, August 26, 10:30 p. m.
RVA Noise Night #3 featuring Kimberly, Scant, Anduin, Afrocimex, Butterfinger @ The Nile – Donations/21+
Gary Stevens, Richmond’s noise guru, has booked yet another installment of RVA Noise Night at the Nile. Get ready to live because this lineup is a sheer pick me up. Depression got on the wrong train, as smiles, along with endorphins, run supreme in this darling of ear-capades and bull frog weirdness tonight.
Capture the flag as one half of Contionist Jazz Exotica, Kimberly, breaks everything including the sound barrier--sorry Chuck Yeager. Scant is minimal electronics that freezes the oven. Anduin, supplies transcendental ambient electronics while Afrocimex is noise times noise. Butterfinger is if Midzhur and Broadcastatic had a baby.
Sunday, August 26, 8 p. m.
Covenant, The Break Up, Bella Morte @ Fallout – 18+
Covenant is easily one of the most prolific and influential electronic bands of our lives. Originating in ’86, this seminal electronic and synth band comes to Shockoe Bottom to show fans of the dark how it is really done. The group is composed of pioneers in the genre; Eskil Simonsson, Daniel Myer, Joakim Montelius, and Daniel Jonasson are sure to put on a show so deep, your psychology will applaud your decision to slide down the hill. Fans of Kraftwerk, The Human League, early Depeche Mode, Front 242 and Nitzer Ebb will definitely want to be at that miracle we call Fallout. If you frequent Fallout, it’s a guarantee you’ve heard the DJ on Friday and Saturday night spin Covenant.
Touring with Covenant is the Break Up. This west coast electro pop band features Severina Sol of the band Cylab, an electro, industrial, trip hop band everybody should know about. The Break Up’s sound is a self described addictive synth, beats and melodies band whose songs are about inevitable break ups, regrets, dreams, floating ropewalks and machines. Sounds like my life story.
Charlottesville demons Bella Morte open the show with ghostly paradigms.
Monday, August 27, 10 p. m.
Puffy Areolas, Olde Shame, Toxie, Nervous Ticks @ Strange Matter - $6/18+
Surf and garage play the part of the misguided chaperons at tonight’s mind slam. Puffy Areolas, out of Ohio, that crazy swing state you been hearing about lately, is a freaky jazz type psych garage blowout you just have to see to believe. I’m voting for these lads.
Olde Shame is a super group, yes, I called them that. Olde Shame, a bunch of pounding gorillas, includes Mike Raftery (Caves Caverns), Leo Heinzel (Positivland, Flesh Control), Tony Lynch (Bermuda Triangles) and Wilbo (Human Smoke). These guys don’t mess around. Get ready to sweat.
And as if the night couldn’t get any better, Memphis’ surf-twang wing bats, Toxie, has joined in, along with Richmond’s good time rock and roll trouble virtuosos, the Nervous Ticks.
Tuesday, August 28, 7 p. m.
Dead Fame, Xiu Xiu, Ghost Lotion @ Gallery 5 - $8 Adv – www.xiuxiug5.eventbrite.com / $10 Door/All Ages
Xiu Xiu was a concept conjured up by singer-songwriter-musician Jamie Stewart in San Jose, Ca back in ’02. Xiu Xiu has had interchanging lineups, but Stewart has been there all along. This impeccable avant-garde group is never to be missed. Now with Angela Seo included, the music is as poignant as ever. With Seo on board, Xiu Xiu’s avant-garde is a blend of post-punk, experimental rock, and synth pop, destined to turn this Jackson Ward evening into a glorious event.
Currently touring in support of their album Always, Xiu Xiu has garnered raves and even some five star reviews for an album I am really enjoying at this current moment. Without a doubt, Xiu Xiu is germane to what Richmond ears want to hear right now. Xiu Xiu has seen a decade of being that underground band everybody talks about, and has achieved far more respect than most musical operations out there. Put it this way: Xiu Xiu is a musician’s band. Regardless of what genre or style you may play as a local musician, catching Xiu Xiu is mandatory.
Dead Fame is a perfect opener with their captive new wave post punk, and Ghost Lotion’s stylistic brand of indie rock is as well.
By John Lewis Morgan (onewayrichmond.com)