FEATURE SHOW
Sunday, October 14, 5 p.m.
Ladies Night: A Women's Rights Art Auction & Music Benefit Show featuring White Laces, Milkstains, Canary oh Canary, Julie Karr, Iron Reagan, Fire Bison, Constrictor, Apocalypse Dudes @ Gallery 5 - $10/All Ages.
Holy Shit! What a lineup. This easily has Show of the Year nominations written all over it. I could not have guessed up a better lineup of quality Richmond bands for this truly--and I do mean truly--important women’s and human rights benefit. If rational and educated Richmonders don’t react, dire consequences will ensue. If you go to one show in Richmond this year, make it this one.
This night of beauty in Jackson Ward (watch out for thugs firing off at anything) is easily the best thing to happen in Richmond in awhile. This evening of art and music is to raise money and awareness for the Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project, a non-profit committed to assisting women in need of medical reproductive services who are prohibited by location and income. As the Richmond community is fully aware of the importance of the upcoming election, the community must also be aware that the war on women in Virginia is not over!
The Art Show/Auction starts at 4 p.m. Music at 5 p.m.
Wednesday, October 10, 9 p.m.
Arliss Nancy, The Dimmer Twins @ Mojo's – TBA/21+
If you can make it to Mojo’s without getting jacked or shot, may I recommend an outstanding folk punk outfit called Arliss Nancy? Now these guys are where the parties all begin. These guys put the fun in fun. No one in Arliss Nancy is named Arliss Nancy, but do you think anyone in Oregon Hill really cares? They rock the socks and that’s all that matters. If you are into Drive By Fuckers--oops, sorry--Truckers, Lucero and heavy drinking, then this group out of Fort Collins is a tap on the shoulder for you.
Holy Hammer of the Gods, Richmond’s psychotic duo of country and soul, the Dimmer Twins, are opening this opposite-of-lethargic evening. Black Label or Mexican shwag--I can’t decide.
Wednesday, October 10, 10 p.m.
Driftwood @ Balliceaux – Free/21+
American roots music can inspire, touch, and bestow upon you a magical lift no elevator ever could. Folk rock, when done with ease and lavender, can only suffice to the easy train of darling episodes. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Driftwood. No, not wood that has been washed ashore, but the fine quartet from Binghamton, NY. Beautiful vocals paired with a nostalgic banjo and bass sound always gets me going. Time to search for a hayride I can call home. Hello Driftwood, welcome to the heart of the Fan District.
Thursday, October 11, 10 p.m.
Kepone @ Balliceaux - $5/21+
There have been a lot of seminal bands in Richmond’s music history, but Kepone takes the cake. Kepone epitomized Richmond’s music scene in the early to mid nineties. For their reunions of late for GWAR-B-Q and a show at the National, they haven’t forgotten their up close and personal touch. With that said, a show at the very intimate Balliceaux was not at all out of the question; so here we are.
Kepone’s Michael Bishop, Ed Trask, and Tim Harriss are three of the best musicians and artists you will ever hear, let alone meet. They paved the way for a ton of Richmond indie and hard rock bands of recent note. Their shows were always memorable and, to this day, when discussing Richmond musical lore, Kepone is always brought up. Kepone comes on the heels of such Richmond greats as GWAR, Holly Rollers, and Burma Jam, so the chemistry is there, and it is perfect. This may or may not be Kepone’s last reunion show, so if you missed their previous performances in the past year, my advice is get to everybody’s favorite oasis on Lombardy St. early, and guarantee your entrance to heaven. This show is clearly a possible sellout. It’s Balliceaux, so it can only hold a few. Ironically, that’s what makes the prospect of this show so incredible. Definitely a show I’m not going to miss.
Thursday, October 11, 10 p.m.
Cynarae, Heathens (pictured above), Unsacred, Meth Lab @ Strange Matter - $6/18+
Punk metal on the death side reaches Strange Matter tonight. There is no love lost in the onslaught that will turn this mother out. Hatred is a joy, so get on the hate bus and ride that curmudgeon feeling down to Grace St.
Cynarae is glorious triumph, while Heathens, who claim to be bastard sons of Weedeater, will always be a favorite of mine. Their singer, Andrew, is a showman that will make you smile, vomit ecstasy, and get angry. What a hardcore talent this rabble-rouser is, I tell ya.
Unsacred is freighting beyond comprehension. The music is beer gushing maximums, but freighting nonetheless. Then there’s Meth Lab; jeez Louise, these guys don’t mess around. It's hardcore and a cage match, yet, no one's in the cage. They’re in the pit, letting it all hang out.
Friday, October 12, 10 p.m.
Forcefield Records Showcase featuring Inter Arma, Mutilation Rites, Humungus, Unholy Thoughts @ Strange Matter - $7/18+
This night has more promise than a ring. Sludgy black metal stalwarts Inter Arma headline this phenomenal night provided to us by the great folks at Forcefield. Brooklyn’s Mutilation Rites join locals Humungus and Unholy Thoughts with their deranged forms of the metal that can only be construed as black.
Inter Arma is going places real fast, so catch them now, Richmond. They are an incredibly loud and inspiring band that blows your configuration off.
This night certainly has the makings of black metal’s version of The Last Waltz.
Friday, October 12, 9 p.m.
Children of October, Dead N' Wasted, Low on Sanity @ Wonderland - $5/21+
It isn’t Children of the Corn, but Children of October is just as scary with their fiery brand of horror punk. Along with horror punk, everyone should endure scum-punk. What is scum punk? Well that’s how DC’s Dead N’ Wasted describes themselves. I’m thinking nasty, sweaty and a whole lot of mindless self indulgence if you are to see these goons.
One of the more underrated bands in Richmond, Low On Sanity, joins this bill with their heavy industrial sound. This band continues to evolve to higher depths, and Brandon Bates’ lyrics and stage presence is to die for.
Now that every hipster doofus and scenester in Richmond, along with Madison Avenue, has turned Halloween into a month-long ride, grab your costume and take your zombie ass down to Wonderland for a pre-Halloween bonanza.
Friday- Sunday, October 12-14; Friday 6 p.m. - 10 p. m. / Saturday 12 p.m. – 10 p.m. / Sunday 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Richmond Folk Festival @ Brown’s Island & Tredegar – Free/All Ages
Once again it’s time for the best and most well-attended folk festival in America. The weather is supposed to be perfect this weekend, so get down to Brown’s Island and Tredegar as soon as possible. All 24 performers, from all over the world, are amazing. The lineup just gets better every year. This year’s line does have well-known performers such as Ralph Stanley and Roseanne Cash, but don’t forget about the other 22, like Wang Li, James “Super Chikan” Johnson & The Fighting Cocks, Fendika, or Masters of the Piedmont Blues (John Dee Holeman, Phil Wiggins, and Williette Hinton), just to name a few. All the acts are worth a gander. This event is Richmond, and if you are a lover of music, by all means witness where it all comes from by taking in our city’s treasure, the Folk Festival, alongside our other treasure, the James River. Aside from the music, there’ll be exquisite food and beverages, mostly local; storytelling; and the dancing, oh, the dancing.
For info, musician bios, and performer’s stage/set times, please click HERE.
Monday, October 15, 8 p.m.
Die Sektor, Deviant UK, For All the Emptiness, Little Black Rain Clouds @ Fallout – $10/18+ *No cameras of any kind
Atlanta’s Die Sektor is in the Bottom tonight with their heavy dark-electro conjoined with industrial. That’s not black rain, that’s the fabulous nectar of death pounding your heart--to have you flipping out with the ghost of Edgar Allen Poe inside your feeble mind. Die Sektor is sensory overload during a heart attack in the darkness of Satan’s basement.
Deviant UK joins in the misery with their electro-pop. It’s deep and reminiscent of the dark and dreary days we’ve been experiencing lately. The music, however, is accepting to your mechanisms of dance.
Ontario’s electronic band, For All the Emptiness, and Richmond’s Little Black Rain Clouds open this nightmare in a time of dead leaves falling onto the ground.
Tuesday, October 16, 8 p.m.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott @ Ashland Coffee and Tea - $25/18+
Ramblin' Jack Elliott is the quintessential American folk singer and performer. This 80 year old troubadour is the musician that Dylan looked to for inspiration. If you are a fan of original American folk music, you better know about Ramblin’ Jack. If you haven’t at least heard of him, go away and follow some bro-jam band.
Elliott’s songs are beyond stories--they are the thread that holds the foundation of American music. Elliot’s finger-picking style is a must see; too many local musicians think they have it down, but they don’t. To see this legend up close and personal in Ashland is a miracle. This show is right after the folk festival, but the true backbone of Americana will hang around for a few more days. Ramblin’ Jack is rambling into Hanover County with his guitar in tow, which has at least a million stickers from all the places he has played. It’s an endless atlas for Ramblin’ Jack, because he hasn’t stopped touring since birth. Hence the nick name “Ramblin’.” Looks like I’m heading up 95--who's coming with me?
By John Lewis Morgan (onewayrichmond.com)