It may be getting hotter and hotter outside by the minute, but Richmond refuses to slow down, and in fact retaliates by having more and more awesome events as the summer drags on. There is plenty of fun stuff going on this weekend, from brutal metal shows and bacon festivals to First Fridays art openings, punk shows, and old-school soul dance parties. So read bellow, check out our calendar, and get out there!
Friday, 6/7: Screaming Females @ Strange Matter
Screaming Females finally return to Richmond with their blend of indie rock and riot-grrrl-esque punk, and to make matters better, they are joined by excellent acoustic noise rock band Pygmy Lush. The great thing about these two playing together is that their music is complimentary but not necessarily similar, making for a night of very diverse sounds. They will also be joined by local openers Hot Dolphin and Heavy Midgets, who have both been blowing up lately and playing a ton of local shows. Don't miss out on this one!
Friday, 6/7: Charles Bradley Afterparty with The Scorpio Brothers @ The Well
We just did a feature on Charles Bradley in the latest print issue of RVA, and we think you should come out and see him play at Friday Cheers. Then afterwards, head over to The Well to cool off at the after party! Old Cous Cous favorites The Scorpio Brothers will be spinning vinyl all night, and there will even be a chance to win signed copies of Charles Bradley's EP by being one of the best dancers there. Come out to celebrate Charles Bradley, The Well, and soul in general!
Friday, 6/7: Social Distortion @ The National
Everyone's favorite classic pop-punkers, Social Distortion, are coming to The National this Friday! It's not every day that you get to see an old-school group like this in action, and you definitely won't want to miss this whether you are a diehard Social D fan or a newer breed of punk rock enthusiast. They will also be joined by openers Cheap Time and Dave Haus. Tickets are a little cheaper online then at the door, so grab yours today.
Saturday, 6/8: Horseskull @ Wonderland
If metal is more your thing, there is a great show going down this Saturday at the most metal-looking bar in town, Wonderland. Sludgy North Carolina warlords Horseskull are headlining, with support from local blackened D-beat group 45 AD and brand-new grind thrashers Cremains, featuring members of a bunch of other awesome local bands. Wonderland show always have great atmosphere, and they only cost five bucks, so don't skip it!
Sunday, 6/9: Richmond Bacon Festival @ 17th St. Farmer's Market
What better way to end your weekend than with a festival dedicated to bacon? This Sunday at 17th Street Market, there will be a fest featuring vendors who have prepared very special bacon-centric dishes, paired alongside delicious beers from local brewery Devil's Backbone, as well as live music. This way, you can go into your weekend knowing that if you have too much with drink, you'll have plenty of salty bacon to soak up all the alcohol on Sunday!
Don't forget to check out our whole calendar to see all the other great stuff that's going on this weekend!