It's that magic time of year again--Memorial Day weekend. Punks and metalheads alike put aside their differences, load their cars up with water bottles, beer, and money for merch, and head to Baltimore to check out Maryland Deathfest, the year's biggest metal party--which has expanded in recent years to also include a ton of D-beat, punk, hardcore, etc. But for those who come up a little short this time of year due to the inevitable crappy realities of finding new apartments to live in, struggling to save for the summer, or just generally being broke, it can also be a huge bummer. You scowl angrily at your friends' upbeat facebook statuses counting down the days to Deathfest, and stop listening to all your favorite bands just because they remind you of how much fun you are going to be missing this weekend. Luckily, though, we have an alternative this year to all that pain and humiliation.
There are some seriously sweet metal and punk shows happening right here this weekend, in sleepy little Richmond. Some feature bands playing Deathfest who needed a show on their way to or from Baltimore, while others might be happening this weekend due to pure coincidence, but they are all awesome. So if you aren't leaving town this weekend, or you're only going to Deathfest for one day but you want to keep the party rolling, check out any number of these awesome shows happening around town!
It's no secret at this point that Rotten Sound are hitting up Strange Matter this Sunday! Rotten Sound freaking rule if you don't know; they are an extremely hard-hitting and brutal deathgrind band from Finland. As if that wasn't enough, they are playing alongside awesome Japanese thrashers Abigail, who are one of the most fun bands to listen to of all time, and who incorporate black metal and punk into their brutal blend. Suppression will also be playing, and of course Richmond's own awesome crossover metal act, Occultist. If you are craving the vibe of a stinky Baltimore club, this show will have it. And it's hotter there than at the Ottobar, so it'll probably be stinkier.
After that, you can totally just stick around for the sweet punk show that's happening at S'Matter right after the early show with Rotten Sound. Thanks to Vinyl Conflict and a lot of local promotion, Total Control are totally gonna headline a show here! This Australian synth-punk band are signed to Sub Pop, and play danceable punk with a hard enough vibe that fans of tougher stuff can get into it, too. They will be joined by fellow Australian punkers UV Race--who, like Total Control, feature members of Australian garage legends Eddy Current Suppression Ring. NYC's Parquet Courts, who have generated a lot of buzz with their condensed, catchy punk sound, and local darkwave merchants Dead Fame, round out the bill. Check it out. Or, if you're looking for something cheaper to do after Rotten Sound, Iggy Plop and the Spooges are doing their Stooges tribute at Bandito's. That show is free, and you can smoke inside!
As if all that wasn't reason enough to stay in town this weekend and rock out, there is another killer double header at Strange Matter on Monday, only this one is flipped--the punk show is first, then the metal show. Terveet Kadet are playing the early show, which should really be enough to get a lot of old-school hardcore and punk fans stoked. If you don't know them, they are Finnish just like Rotten Sound, and they go just as hard, but in a different way. D-beat, crust--whatever you want to call it, Terveet Kadet will use their three decades of experience playing it to give us an unforgettable show. They will be joined by Kromosom, an Australian D-beat band on Southern Lord; Sete Star Sept, a noisegrind band from Japan featuring members of Endless Blockade; Nomad from New York; and Lotus Fucker from DC. This one will pack a wallop for sure--bring earplugs.
Then, believe it or freaking not, Weedeater are headlining the late show at Strange Matter! This show has a super-straightforward lineup: local doom bands Inter Arma and Cough will be opening for our favorite hillbilly dudes from North Carolina. Everyone in town who's a fan has probably seen the two openers countless times, and may even have seen Weedeater more than once, but the fact remains that they are one of the wildest and most entertaining bands to see live. If there is any way to end a weekend of debauchery and loud music, it's with the loudest and most debaucherous of all! Don't miss it!
As usual, you can check out all our events right here on our calendar! Whether you're heading up to Baltimore or staying in town, have an awesome Memorial Day weekend!