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Syndicate Monthly Archives Music Worth Seeing July 20th-26th
Karen Newton
July 18, 2008 8:39 AM
For what it’s worth, this list is just one Richmond music fan’s recommendations of who to see here next week. Lots of other music is happening, but these are the ones I’d tell friends about.
Sunday 7/20: At the Stars at Alley Katz at 6 $8
Thursday 7/24 We Know, Plato! at Ramakins at 730/Mermaid Skeletons at Firehouse Theater for Silent Movie Revival 9:00 $0
Friday 7/25 Jonathan Vassar CD Release Show, David Shultz & the Skyline and Josh Small at the Camel 8:00 $6
Saturday 7/26 Now Sleepyhead CD Release Show at The Camel 8:00 $6
I’m no expert and I’m only doing this list because of a comment on my last music show blog suggesting I tell readers about good shows before they happen. This is what I know of that grabs me for next week...but it’s just my humble opinion. PBR Saved My Marriage
J.C. Polk
July 15, 2008 2:05 PM
We are all probably familiar with the disheartening statistic of what Americans call the institution of marriage. With divorce rate exceeding 50% years ago, society has become numb to the deconstruction of meaningful, love-based realtionships. Common references, “my old man” or “my better half” have become all but extinct. Hollywood divorces remain in the news and actually dwarf the hype of engagements. I offer this story as a folktale of inspiration for Madame Brinkley and perhaps advisement for newlyweds like Lady Carey and Sir Cannon. This is a tale of how my marriage was salvaged by an american classic. Courting, Engagement, and Honeymoons have one thing in common - fantasy. When I first met her, I was faithfully greeted at the door. “Welcome Home”, “I have been waiting for you”, and “So glad you are here”. When my friends would come over she catered to them with hospitality like no other. She fed me, helped keep me warm on brisk Fall nights, and hence I bragged on her. I sacrificed co-worker invitations and felt obligated to come straight there afterwork. I was faithful. Like (m)any men, I would flirt with others but would eventually fess-up of having a home. But slowly things began to change… Dinner wasn’t the same. No one was at the door when I got home. Pure strangers got more affection, attention, and ‘private time’. Six months into my marriage and I started to question. I conferred with the MashUp Crew to their disbelief. My happiness, infatuation, and unadulterated love was disappearing before my very eyes. This is the most intimidating feeling I have ever experienced. To walk in one day and not recognize the one you love. New clothes, new friends, and no explanation. Admittingly, it was here that I stepped out. Dates at Delux, Sidewalk, Ipanemia and even Glenn’s (Chamberlyn Old Head Spot) I couldn’t capture that ‘high’ I had lost with her. I knew it was now or never. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was after a long First Friday shoot and I debated whether to go home. I sat down and had a heart to heart that started something like this, ”Who the hell are you” and end with “I am leaving and not coming back”. I meant it with every fiber in my body. As I went to the door, the question rose, “What do I have to do?”. I remembering saying, “Let me park the car” and but she responded with, ”You got it, PBR! Monday through Friday, $1.50.” Somewhat confused, I must have look unmoved for she said, “OK, Man Cans! Tall boys, $1.50 M-F. That’s the best I can do”. Long story short, PBR saved my marriage. With a new general manager, great looking new hostesses, I have re-newed my vows with Popkin Tavern. For better (nights) and worse (karoke), When I rich or poorer, until the PBR Man Can special departs, I will be in holy matrimony with Popkin. I mean really, don’t you want go where everybody knows your name and their always glad you came…
Cuddlecore…wait, what?
Karen Newton
July 15, 2008 10:45 AM
The Boy Bathing, an NYC indie folk pop rock group played to a dozen people at the Camel Monday night. Too bad for the rest of Richmond, especially anyone who loves literate lyrics, perfect harmonies, well played instruments and full-on live performances. The band has been described by critics as Bright Eyes backed by Arcade Fire, but that’s too simplistic a description. Whatever’s in the water in Brooklyn seems to be produce some very talented musicians who put on a show fit for a crowd...despite the small size of it. Suffice to say, too few people enjoyed a truly good live show from a band that hopes to return to rva later this year. My advice? Keep up with the schedule at The Camel and the other smaller venues...bands like The Boy Bathing are most definitely worth seeing when they come through Richmond (and on a Monday night...like there was something better going on? uh, no). If you don’t trust my word, check out their myspace page and listen to what you missed. And cuddlecore? Yea, the band said it’s not really an accurate description of their sound, but it’s such a great sounding phrase, they can’t quite let it go. And why should they? For all anyone knows, their unique sound could be the new definition of what cuddlecore is. People in Richmond must LOVE food
Andrew Cothern
July 09, 2008 12:16 PM
...or maybe they just like our food cart Focus piece. Since Monday, over 2,500 people have watched the video and the number keeps growing. Closely following that are the Veggie Fest and Richmond Food Collective videos as well as the Cheap Eats video, which we did months ago. Maybe we should change our format to more food coverage. Attention Richmond bands, get noticed
Andrew Cothern
July 07, 2008 9:09 AM
The Contrast Podcast is a brilliant music site put together by UK musician and music lover Tim Young. Every week, Tim gives a theme for the episode (songs under 3 minutes, songs about smoking, actors trying to be musicians, etc.) and various music bloggers choose songs based on that theme and record spoken introductions which they send to Tim Young who compiles them into a podcast. The more important part that I wish to tell you is that “Musicians Introduce Their Own Songs” is a popular feature on there. What they do is just that. Musicians record an intro saying “Hello, we are _______ and here is our song ________. Please check us out.” People listen. People like. And people find out more and become fans. Some examples of artists who have contributed and grown their audience include Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Saturna and Victor Scott. To submit, all you have to do is email Tim. His email and more information can be found here. It would be nice to hear some local talent (and we have a lot of that) on the podcast. It’s a good way to get your music heard all over the world. It’s quite popular with the Brits and the Canadians for some reason, but hey, just a new demographic for you to get into. My turn
Corey Amado
June 24, 2008 12:39 PM
Andrew inspired me. That, and it gave me a nice minimal task during lunch....Here’s MY “mixtape for a mixtape”
I’m Good I’m Gone-Lykke Li
   Some Questions Can Never Be Answered
Karen Newton
June 23, 2008 2:55 PM
Was Saturday Veggie Fest in honor of vegan veteran punk rocker Ted Leo playing Gallery 5...or did Ted Leo agree to play rva Saturday because it was the day of Veggie Fest? We’ll probably never know, but for the 100+ hot and sweaty bodies moving non-stop to Ted Leo and the Pharmacists the other night, it was a superfluous question. Ted won the prize for most sweat flung and dripped, but not because those of us in the audience weren’t moving constantly. The band’s high energy set rocked non-stop until there was just about no air left inside Gallery 5. The punk veteran did return for an a cappella encore that grabbed and held the crowd. At Ted’s suggestion, the show was then adjourned so we could all go outside and cool off. Gallery 5 provided a classic garage setting for Ted Leo to strut his punk in Richmond. Thanks Prabir! The National at the National
Karen Newton
June 23, 2008 12:15 PM
It’s going to be tough to convey what an impressive show The National put on last night. I should start with praise for the musicianship of the band’s members and move on to the well-thought out set list. And then there were the two encores, delaying the unfortunate and inevitable end of the show. But, let’s face it, music geek types like me were completely transfixed by Matt Berninger’s voice, a deep and utterly sex-filled baritone. Granted, he grips the microphone Ian Curtis-style making it hard to see the mouth that’s forming those melodious sounds. And his stage presence is most definitely one of awkwardness...when he wasn’t singing, he was back near the drummer or uncomfortably hitting his hand against his hip. This is geeky awkwardness of the highest order and it is absolutely riveting to a certain part of the audience (I couldn’t have been the only one).
I’m put together beautifully
Yes, he is definitely that...for a whole lot of reasons. And getting to hear the band’s self-deprecating yet insightful lyrics live for the second time (last year’s opening stint for Arcade Fire left me-- and, I’m sure-- the rest of the audience eager to hear more) put last night’s show on my Top Five for 2008 list, regardless of who else I may end up seeing. By the way, I don’t know if the rest of the audience noticed, but I think he was singing “Slow Show” to me personally. Mixtape for a Mixtape
Andrew Cothern
June 23, 2008 12:00 AM
You can’t talk about the art of a mixtape (today’s Focus MashUp) and not put it into action. So here is “Mixtape for a Mixtape,” a mixtape about making mixtapes. Click play on the cassette to listen. Enjoy.
Tracklist:
Put On A Slow, Dumb Show for You
Karen Newton
June 20, 2008 12:40 PM
Some people actually listen to song lyrics and some don’t. I’ve accepted this fact, although I don’t understand it...how can you not care what a song is about? Sure, I like some songs because of the overall sound, but far more often, it’s the words that grab me. Which means I love it when I find another lyric-lover. Back on Valentine’s Day, each of us was asked to suggest a romantic song for the website. Without hesitation, my submission was “Slow Show” by The National. No one so much as commented on my choice. So I was thrilled and delighted when, during a conversation last night, I mentioned my romantic song choice, only to be told by a local musician that not only did he know the song, but he agreed wholeheartedly about how incredibly romantic it was. Okay, so he IS a musician, and maybe there’s a higher percentage of lyric lovers amongst musicians than in the general population, but I felt so validated knowing I wasn’t hearing a love song where there was none.
I wanna hurry home to you
...and I’m not even going to start on what a stellar set Marionette played at Cap Ale House last night. And from NYC, The Dig’s high energy inde pop kicked ass. There was a whole lot of good music in rva last night.
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