RVA Shows You Must See This Week: December 13 – December 19
FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, December 16, 7 PM
A Not-So-Silent Night 4, feat. Revenge Beast, 9 Realms, Alcindor, Catharsis, Paradiso @ Another Round Bar & Grill – $15
I love the way metalheads celebrate holidays with the same sort of focused intensity they bring to their music. It doesn’t matter what kind of holiday we’re talking about, either — if it’s a particularly metal holiday, like Halloween, they’re like “Halloween rules! Let’s play some METAL!” But if it’s not a particularly metal holiday — for example, Christmas — it doesn’t slow them down at all. They just say, “I guess Christmas is cool, but you know what would make it even cooler? METAL!!!” It is that headbanging Christmas spirit that Another Round mainstays Shred Booking bring to the fourth edition of their yearly A Not-So-Silent Night event, the most metal holiday celebration this city sees every December. It’s happening yet again this Saturday night at Another Round, and it’s guaranteed to be full of holiday headbangs and stagediving Christmas cheer. What could be more awesome than that?
Well, let’s get into specifics. The headlining act for this year’s edition of A Not-So-Silent Night is Revenge Beast, a relatively new band out of the Baltimore/Jersey area who feature some heavy hitters on the axes. One is Marc Rizzo, who has played with bands like Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy, and Ill Niño; the other is Joey Concepcion, who has connections to bands like Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquility, and Hatebreed side project Jasta. The 2023 self-titled debut from Revenge Beast brings a heavy, technical death-metallic sound that would be impressive regardless of the members’ pedigree, and it should translate into some serious mosh pit fuel when this band takes the Another Round stage at the climax of Saturday night’s festivities.
You won’t want to miss any of the other bands on the bill, all of whom are Virginia-based and most of whom are from right here in Richmond. 9 Realms have a slightly more old-school approach to metal, showing off a ton of thrash riffs even as they pair them with a harsh and somewhat spooky vocal sound. “Den Of Iniquity,” their single from earlier in 2023, is a true ripper that’s sure to knock everyone’s socks off on Saturday night. Richmond trio Alcindor have a faster, more low-end oriented sound that’ll please everyone who had “super-heavy death metal” on their Christmas list. Paradiso mix heavy, chugging riffs with hip hop influenced vocals that make me think of Sick Of It All and Orange 9mm. And I haven’t heard Catharsis yet, though I should mention that this is not the legendary North Carolina metallic hardcore band from 20 or so years ago but some newcomers from right here in RVA. They seem to have a lot of passion about what they’re doing, though, so I think they’re more than worthy of a listen, especially when they’re in such good company. Have a merry metal Christmas, everyone!
Wednesday, December 13, 7 PM
Cosmic Collective, Tennishu, Don Chiriashi @ The Camel – $15 (order tickets HERE)
Here’s one that should be catnip for all the funketeers in our midst. Led by married couple Nikki and Tyler Enslow, Cosmic Collective is a shifting group of musicians that brings a sensibility informed by jazz and hip hop into a musical world that’s primarily focused on funk. While it’s never easy to predict exactly what you’ll get at a Cosmic Collective show — especially since the group has been known to perform with anywhere from two to seven members — you can be sure that it’ll be danceable, fun, catchy, and infectious. The squiggly synth and bass lines laid down by Tyler Enslow perfectly complement Nikki’s beautiful vocal melodies and lush synth textures, and the beats, the punchy horn drops, and all of the other layers that show up only further build a delicious musical treat. While I can’t tell you who will be performing with Nikki and Tyler when they come through The Camel tonight, I can tell you that they’ll be bringing the awesome psychedelic funk vibes, regardless of lineup.
We’ll be further rewarded with an opening set from Tennishu, the solo project of Marcus Tenney (Butcher Brown), which focuses on hip hop beats, rhymes, and multilayered productions. Tennishu’s most recent release is actually a collaboration with Cosmic Collective, a two-song EP called Same that combines Tenney’s skillful rap flows and killer trumpet styles with the smooth, spaced-out psychedelic funk of Cosmic Collective in the most delightful of ways. Will these folks get together for a collaborative performance of these songs at some point during this show? Sure would be a missed opportunity if they didn’t… and from everything I have seen, neither Cosmic Collective nor Tennishu are the types to let the chance for a fruitful collaboration pass them by. So keep an eye out for exactly that — and show up on time to enjoy a delightful opening DJ set from WRIR’s own Don Chiriashi, aka Anomalis Radio. This should be a delightful evening all around.
Thursday, December 14, 7 PM
Witch Vomit, Left Cross, Plaguefever @ The Camel – $12 in advance, $15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Here’s a show full of metal brutality that’s sure to keep us all warm as the frozen temperatures continue to set in. While the concept of Witch Vomit may sound pretty disturbing at first blush, I recommend that you avoid looking too closely at any associations you might have with that combination of words in favor of focusing on the crushing fucking metal insanity cranked out by this Portland quartet. Low-end is the order of the day on their 2019 LP Buried Deep In A Bottomless Grave, and that LP title should be enough to let you know exactly what the lyrical themes for this band will be focused on. Don’t worry, though — despite their strong resemblance to some classic death metal acts who land closer to the sludgy end of the spectrum, such as Autopsy or Incantation, Witch Vomit keep things energetic and never get bogged down. Their set is sure to fly by, especially if you do as the good lord intended and bang your head throughout.
You’ll need some serious stamina by that point in the night, though, because our two local openers are just as skilled at getting heads banging and boots stomping out on the dance floor. Left Cross are the more veteran of the two, and only a few weeks ago, they finally graced our ears with the long-awaited followup to their 2020 EP Prophecy Of Conquest. Upon Desecrated Altars, their brand-new second LP, has a dark and unrelenting urgency that is even more metallic than their earlier work. Despite this band’s roots in the hardcore scene, they have clearly gone full death metal, and their new material is sure to please anyone who loves the classic Florida death metal sound of the early 90s, as exemplified by Morbid Angel, Obituary, and Death, among many others. Openers Plaguefever veer closer to black metal on their 2021 LP, Crude Implements, but definitely add a generous dollop of death-sludge that’ll make them fit right in on this brutal bill of harsh power. Get ready to thrash all night.
Friday, December 15, 7 PM
Scum City Records presents The Blizzard, feat. Orenda, Anxietia, Future Projektor, Greenhead, The Saturn Death Cult @ Another Round Bar & Grill – $10
One good weekend night of vaguely Christmas-y metal awesomeness at Another Round deserves another, right? I would certainly think so, and it seems the folks at Scum City Records agree, because they’re giving us a sweet prelude to Saturday’s Not-So-Silent Night with a five-band bill entitled The Blizzard. While I appreciate the fact that here in Virginia we don’t usually get serious snow until well into January, this is one Blizzard I’ll be glad to have whenever it wants to descend upon the city. At the top of the bill are two out-of-town powerhouses, the first being Roanoke doom trio Orenda. They released an LP called Moral Dementia this summer, and while it definitely lands squarely within the doom metal subgenre, it does so without harking back too obviously to clear precedents like Black Sabbath or Eyehategod. Instead, it mixes in a spooky psychedelic sensibility that sort of makes me feel like I’m watching a gory horror movie about a murderous acid biker cult. I love movies like that, and I love bands like Orenda just as much. Can’t wait for them to hit town.
Then there’s Anxietia, a relatively new band from Maryland who are also dabbling within the wider world of doom. What I hear on their latest EP, 2023’s Anxietia Vol. 2, makes me think of apocalyptic sludge ranters Grief jamming with Monster Magnet at their most laid back and stoned out. Whether they’re crooning or unleashing raw-throated howls, these guys always deliver heavy grooves. With that skill in their tool kit, they’ll certainly fit right in on this bill. Richmond instrumental metallers Future Projektor are known for their immersive multimedia performances, and for the fact that they bash out their complex math-riff odysseys at TOP FUCKING VOLUME. Bring earplugs for this set, because regardless of how loud it gets, you’ll want to be right up front for this cinematic metal extravaganza. DC’s Greenhead will keep things interesting with some heavy-groove sounds that mix in some undeniable early-90s post-hardcore influences, like an alternate universe Goatsnake who’ve listened to the Rage Against The Machine tapes in the tour van for a month straight. I’m not sure where The Saturn Death Cult will land in the mix here, but wherever this band sits in the lineup for this evening, you’re going to want to make sure you’re there to see them. Their heavy rock riff-fests have an undeniable power that gets under your skin and makes you want to freak out, in the best possible way. Ask their growing, uh, cult of fans around Richmond. You’ll be one of them soon if you aren’t already. Trust me on this one.
Saturday, December 16, 7 PM
Trash Boy, Strawberry Moon, Wax Jaw, Tight Rope @ The Camel – $10 in advance, $12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
This column is a bit heavy on the metal, and while I’m not exactly complaining about that, I know some of y’all like to go in a more melodic direction at least sometimes. Never fear, I am here to serve — and this Saturday night, we’re serving you a heaping plate of trash. That’s right, Philadelphia pop-punk quartet Trash Boy is pulling into town, and it’s going to be the tastiest pile of garbage anyone ever served you. This band is one of quite a few that’s never really gotten back to full speed in the wake of the long interruption the pandemic plagued the world’s music scene with, so I’m delighted to see them back out on tour, and can only hope this means a sequel to their delightful 2019 LP, Who Will Take The Trash Out When We’re Gone?, is in the works. Whether they’re playing new material or just delighting us all with the best of their back catalog, though, one thing we can be sure of is that Trash Boy’s performance at The Camel this Saturday night will be an absolute blast, full of catchy choruses and bouncy punk energy that’ll have you pogoing all over the place.
Trash Boy will be bringing fellow Philadelphians Wax Jaw along with them to The Camel Saturday night, and that will be quite the treat in its own right. Wax Jaw just released a new EP, Between The Teeth, two months ago, and it’s a great introduction to the delightfully catchy tunes these guys bring to the table. While they’re definitely somewhere in the big-tent genre that is pop-punk, there’s a lovely dose of retro girl-group swag and glam-garage punch mixed into Wax Jaw’s whole thing, and it adds a lot to the already charming musical stew they present to us all. Richmonders Strawberry Moon, who will be celebrating the release of their highly anticipated new EP My Offering, have a similar sort of garage-pop thing going on, though they’re using it to add layers to a cake that is, at its core, based in classic indie and alternative sounds. Boy, how mixed was THAT metaphor? Don’t think about it, just move on to the final group on this bill, Richmond’s own Tight Rope, who built up a strong buzz when performing under their original name, Blunt. Since changing their moniker to Tight Rope, they have if anything become even more of a hot item on the local scene, so you’re gonna want to see what they have to offer and get down with it ASAP — that is, assuming you haven’t already done so. If you have, then I probably don’t even need to tell you to go to this show. But I’m gonna do it anyway: go to this show, y’all. You’ll be glad you did.
Sunday, December 17, 6:30 PM
Classical Revolution RVA @ Gallery 5 – Free!
People have a lot of opinions about the Christmas season, which range all over the spectrum. It’s understandable — any one-day holiday that’s become such a potent cultural force that it arguably dominates the last 25% of every year forces you to form some sort of opinion. Speaking for myself, while I understand why some people hate this time of year, I personally am overall in favor of it. Just like Thanksgiving, you have to actively reject some of the more insidious cultural forces that run through the origins of this holiday, but if you can do that, and also keep your distance from the orgies of capitalism that threaten to wash the entire season away on an ocean of greed, I really do believe that it’s possible to enjoy the simpler pleasures of Christmas.
This Sunday night at Gallery 5 is the perfect opportunity to do so, as Richmond’s original chamber-music-for-the-masses ensemble, Classical Revolution RVA, will bring us a holiday edition of their monthly Classical Incarnations night. They promise classical arrangements of traditional Christmas tunes, selections from Handel’s Messiah, pieces composed by Bach and Mozart, among other orchestral holiday delights. Being able to chill and really listen to these works performed by incredibly talented local musicians is a good way to learn why this music has stood the test of time, and remained classic even multiple centuries after its composition. It’s also a much more optimum way to experience Christmas music than to hear it piped over loud PA speakers as you stagger around a mall trying to find gifts for all your weird family members who you only see once a year. So hey, this holiday, take a Sunday night off of the capitalist rat race and let Classical Revolution RVA show you the true peace and harmony of the holiday season.
Monday, December 18, 7 PM
Infant Island, Massa Nera, Ostraca, Humanitarian Deficit @ Bandito’s – $15
It’s a true screamo delight this Monday night as some excellent bands from both the Commonwealth and elsewhere come to Bandito’s to delight us all with the heavy, harsh, passionate sounds that always keep us coming back to this delightful (if still a bit ridiculously named) genre. It’s been a bit since we saw Infant Island roll through town, and they’ve had a lot going on during that time. Specifically, they linked up with the new Deathwish Inc. sub-label Secret Voice, appearing on that label’s 31-band state-of-screamo-in-2023 compilation, Balladeers Redefined, earlier this year. Now they’re all set to follow up that appearance with a full-length, their first in three years, also on Secret Voice. Entitled Obsidian Wreath, the new Infant Island LP won’t be out until January, but the two singles that have been released so far show them to have grown by leaps and bounds since releasing Beneath and Sepulchre back in 2020. If recent material is any indication, Infant Island are absolutely at the top of their game right now, and you won’t want to miss their performance at Bandito’s this Monday night.
They’ll come through town in the company of New Jersey quartet Massa Nera, who have been their partners in crime for quite a while now (one of my old bands opened for these two back in 2017, if you can believe that). I know I’ve talked about Massa Nera in this column in the very recent past, but in addition to always being an incredible live act, they’re also just about to release a brand new record, so the return visit is more than warranted. Quatro Vientos Cinco Soles, their forthcoming split LP with Quiet Fear, will also be out in January, so this show will be a great opportunity to get a preview of what these folks have in store for us all. And as if this bill isn’t stacked enough already, it will also feature a set from living legends Ostraca, who made my year when they released Disaster, their first LP in five years, back in the summer. If you haven’t seen this band since their return to full-time action, you really owe it to yourself to do so. Humanitarian Deficit will open this one up, and this up-and-coming raw screamo ensemble are always worth seeing live, so show up to this one on time. In fact, show up early and get some nachos. It’ll make an already amazing night even more outstanding.
Tuesday, December 19, 7 PM
Prabir Trio, 7th Grade Girl Fight, Hot Lava @ The Camel – $10 (order tickets HERE)
Let’s wrap up this week of shows with a relatively chill night of delightful indie pop down at The Camel. You can always count on The Camel to have a delightful show for you, even on the slowest night of the week, and local singer-songwriter Prabir Mehta has been just as reliable over the past two decades or so. From his past star turns at the front of The Substitutes and Goldrush to his current gig holding it down as the main man in the Prabir Trio, this guy has always delivered. Prabir Trio’s 2021 album Haanji is chock full of killer tunes that would have hit the Top 40 if there were any justice in the world, and he’ll be joining up with the trio to deliver all of those tunes and more this Tuesday night, brightening up your mid-week blahs with a lovely set of shiny happy tunes.
Charlottesville’s 7th Grade Girl Fight are adding some lovely indie sounds of their own to this bill, and that’s certainly a good thing. Earlier this year, this quartet released an EP entitled Someone Will Be With You Shortly, then followed it up with a live EP recorded during an excursion to Italy. That EP, Live And Unadulterated At Kutso Noise Home, revealed that this band is 0% studio trickery and 100% as good live as they are in the studio. And if this isn’t a bulletproof argument for seeing them at The Camel this Tuesday night, I don’t know what is. Make it happen, y’all. And make sure you catch Hot Lava, too — this long dormant Richmond indie-pop group has returned to full-time action over the past year or so, and it has been a delight to everyone who realizes that this band never got their due the first time around. If you didn’t catch Hot Lava in their first run circa 2008 or so, you’ll definitely want to see them this time around and find out why all the older heads are so stoked to see them back.
Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers -– this week’s column has obviously already been written): rvamustseeshows@gmail.com
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