RVA Shows You Must See This Week: July 30 – August 5
FEATURED SHOW
Friday, August 1, 5 PM
Queer Joy, feat. Madison Turner, Rebel Rouser, Lil Stixxx, Zorro Nova, Jo’Rie & Qing Blaze, Circle Breaker @ Gallery 5 – Free!
It’s a tough time in which to be a queer person. That’s true in most of the world, really, but it’s particularly true in Donald Trump’s America, where trans people are being erased from official histories, passport information is being edited without permission, and government officials are calling for a widespread rollback of LGBTQ rights that could erase half a century of progress. But here’s the thing — we all spend a ton of time thinking about this, and I’m sure I’m far from the only one who has dealt with major longterm mental-health difficulties as a result of it. When everything is awful and we’re all struggling just to get through the day, does it do anyone any good to keep thinking about all the harships coming for queer people in America in 2025? Sure, we’ve all got to keep an eye out for impending dangers, but chance are if anything like that is coming, we’ll all hear about it long before it gets here, whether we want to or not.
What can be tough to find amid all of the depressing news and sinister developments is a true expression of positive emotion. In a time when the whole world seems to want to ruin our ability to peacefully exist, forcible expressions of queer joy are some of the most powerful acts of resistance we can engage in. That’s what this month’s art exhibition at Gallery 5, Queer Joy, is all about. Featuring work by over a dozen queer artists from the region, the show seeks to provide space for celebrations of queer identities and queer experiences, and to share positive expressions of our lives, so that we can show the world at large that there is so much more to our lives than what bathrooms we use or what sports leagues we play in.
What’s really great about the opening night of the Queer Joy show is that it features not only a ton of amazing art from queer artists, but also a half-dozen performances from queer artists, musicians, and performers from around the area, who will all take the stage to share their own arts, in all their joys, sorrows, and passionate emotions, with everyone in attendance. Madison Turner will be our musical headliner for the evening, leading her usual band and some talented guests through a powerful set drawn from her excellent new LP, Curtsy When You Land. Madison’s energetic mix of alt-rock, ska-punk, folk, pop, and rock n’ roll is always a ton of fun in the live environment, and she never fails to put on an urgent and powerful performance. If you haven’t caught up with her recently, you definitely need to be here for her set. Musically speaking, the evening will also feature the foreboding hip hop stylings of Lil Stixxx, whose recently released Enemies of the Heir, Beware is a spooky and hypnotic expression of boom-bap aggression, as well as a set from harsh, scathing hardcore punk trio Circle Breaker — which will bring a significant amount of hard-hitting aggression as well. There will also be performances from burlesque-associated theatrical performance duo Jo’Rie Tigerlily & Qing Blaze; gender non-conforming pageant performer and Mx. Trans Virginia 2024 Rebel Rouser; and transmasc queer burlesque drag legend Zorro Nova. Between the music, the stage performances, the art, the joy, and the community, this is one of the most essential events of this calendar year. And best of all, it doesn’t even cost anything to attend! So you’ve really got no excuse at this point. See you there.
Wednesday, July 30, 7 PM
Glowing Brain, Wetwork, GASM @ Cobra Cabana – $12
There are definitely people out there who’d tell you psychedelia has no place in punk rock, and vice versa. However, I’m here to offer a counterpoint — psychedelic punk not only exists, but it tends to be some of the best punk rock you can find out there in this day and age. That’s definitely true of Glowing Brain, a Northern California-based punk trio whose music has a decidedly lysergic bent even as it maintains a level of hard-hitting aggression and speed that makes its intrinsic punkness undeniable. The fact that Glowing Brain called the first song on their new LP, Memory Distortion, “Long Hair Punks,” should tell you all you need to know about where these ragers are coming from. Their speedy and metallic tunes owe quite a bit of inspiration to the legendary Motorhead, who themselves often straddled the line between psychedelic astral explorations and street-level biker-core riffage. Integration of the occasional organ and synth textures make the psych undertones more explicit, even as the rage remains unrelenting throughout their catalog.
Glowing Brain will surely blow us all away with a set full of unrelenting biker-crust psych-punk metal power. And what better place could you be to take in such a magnificent display of metal-punk fury than Cobra Cabana? Fortify yourself with a Snake Plissken Burger and then dive into the pit — it’ll be waiting for you with open arms. Make sure you show up on time for this one, too, because the openers have plenty of ripping noise of their own to offer. Richmonders Wetwork will knock out all comers with a driving punk sound that integrates some stoned-out metal touches as well as just a tiny bit of spacey vibes. The evening will get started with a set from New Mexico band G.A.S.M., whose name stands for Governments Are Systematic Murderers (where’s the lie though?), and whose music is a wild expression of unhinged hardcore punk chaos, featuring vocals that sound positively demonic and a passel of hard-charging riffs. You won’t want to miss a minute of this one, so don’t dawdle getting down to Carver tonight.
Thursday, July 31, 9 PM
Little Low, 40 Reps, Payphones @ Don’t Look Back – Free!
Shows at Don’t Look Back are a rarity these days, but there’s a strong tradition of shows in that location, going back to when it was the pool hall known as the Triple, so when they do happen, they’re certainly auspicious. That can certainly be said of Thursday night’s offering, a three-band bill of melodic punk bands both local and touring, which will surely consist of great tunes from beginning to end. Little Low is the big news for this bill, as this Boston quartet come to town riding high on the release of their debut LP, Sunshine Guilt. This album is full of brilliant melodies and upbeat, driving tunes that offer a jangly guitar feel without sacrificing their formidable foundations in classic punk rock structure. Little Low’s got a whole grip of tunes that’ll all get stuck in your head, guaranteed. Bring a few extra bucks to pick up some merch, too, because these folks are on tour, and the support is always helpful. Plus, once you hear the songs from the new album, you’ll definitely want to take home a copy of your very own.
Richmonders 40 Reps will also be on this bill, and they’ve got a sound that will fit in with Little Low very well. Their guitar-driven melodic punk anthems have an urgent, powerful feel that evokes heavyweights of the genre like The Menzingers or the early Gaslight Anthem. If you haven’t tuned into the brilliance of their 2023 LP, Heads Up, well, there’s still plenty of time to do so, and the benefits are immeasurable. As for Payphones, this group of Richmond punk rock veterans released a killer debut EP in 2024, Gasoline, on which they gave an ample demonstration of their grit, determination, and passion. Their years of experience playing music like this shows in the sheer quality of their killer tuneage, and their undiminished love for the sound is audible in every frantic drum roll, every slashing chord, every roared-out chorus. These folks deserve more attention than they’re getting in this town — show up on time to this one, and find out what you’ve been missing.
Friday, August 1, 8 PM
QWAM, Dogsmiles, Human Worm, Receiver @ Cobra Cabana – $10
There’s a lot of great punk rock happening in this city this week, and here’s yet another example of exactly that. This Friday night show at Cobra Cabana finds New York quintet QWAM rolling into town on the same day that their new LP, Girls Aren’t Afraid Of Blood (excellent title btw), reaches the world. I’m not sure if that means you’ll be able to buy a copy at this show — sometimes bands get the vinyl a few days early, sometimes a few days late — but you will be able to celebrate the arrival of some amazing songs into the world, and you’ll be able to give it a preview listen before you head over to the snake lair for the evening’s festivities. I’ve only heard the three advance singles thus far, but all of them are noteworthy for their powerful guitar sound, soul-baring lyrics, and urgent punk-rock attack. They should definitely appeal to folks who sometimes wished Lemuria or Diet Cig would take things to a heavier level, or those who wondered what L7 might sound like with a bit more melody mixed in.
QWAM will be joined on their trip to Richmond by Dogsmiles, a Florida-based band with a queer-anarchist bent, who play lo-fi dance-punk anthems that are strongly infused with electro-synth textures and radical left- wing politics. The label that released their demo is called Godless America, so that should tell you a lot, mainly that Dogsmiles rule. They’ll make a whole lot of dirty noise, but you’ll keep dancing throughout, because the groove is definitely in their hearts. Richmond’s Human Worm have a very similar vibe, integrating synthesized and electronic textures into their fundamentally guitar-driven sound, resulting in a danceable noise collage that is very punk in attitude if not quite landing on what you’d expect from the genre in strict musical terms. These folks are on the come-up in a big way, so if you haven’t gotten into Human Worm yet, this is a great opportunity to find out what you’ve been missing. Local new arrivals on the scene Receiver will open things up with some excellent alt-rock sounds. Come rock out at this one.
Saturday, August 2, 6 PM
Reverse Yr Curse, Serqet, Burns Burly West @ Gallery 5 – $12 in advance, $15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Here’s a fun way to spend Saturday night: at Gallery 5, listening to some awesome local indie rock bands, and screaming “Who cares?” at the entire world (which, as we’ve already established, is a huge bummer lately). The specific reason to scream that specific phrase, though, is that it’s the title (and chorus) of the latest single from Reverse Yr Curse, an up-and-coming local trio with a strong resemblance to some of the post-hardcore-adjacent indie rock bands that came out of the DC scene around a quarter century ago. The Warmers, Smart Went Crazy, Scrawl… maybe even a bit of Cupid Car Club. It’s all there for those of us who like our indie bands to have a bit of a late-70s postpunk edge stirred into a more melodic musical sauce. The new Reverse Yr Curse single is the first song from their upcoming LP, Where Are We Going And When Will We Get There?, which is still a couple months away. However, I feel sure that those of us who pay close attention will catch at least a couple of new tunes sneaking into the Reverse Yr Curse set at Gallery 5. Which will no doubt be a delight.
Reverse Yr Curse aren’t the only local band on this bill who will be pulling from postpunk influences. Veteran postpunk band Serqet are also on the bill, and these folks have been playing music that pulls elements from classic 80s goth-punk and the darker edges of the crust and peace-punk movements for a very long time now. They strike up a moody vibe that will please folks who appreciated the darker gothic punk bands of a decade or so ago, such as the early Iceage material, or classic 80s UK postpunk bands like Zounds or Amebix. Serqet hasn’t released any new material since 2018, and at this point I figure there’s no way they haven’t written at least a few new songs in the past seven years, so come out and see what they’re up to these days. The evening is rounded out by a set from Burns Burly West, who take a similar sort of atmosphere as the one Serqet casts, and turn the mood in a completely different direction. Instead of dark and moody vibes, the atmospheric indie sound of Burns Burly West is relaxed and quietly positive. Journey through a variety of musical moods at Gallery 5 this Saturday night — you won’t regret it.
Sunday, August 3, 7 PM
Camel Staff Picks feat. Machi!, Bagged, Squish @ The Camel – $13.99 (order tickets HERE)
I must admit, the Camel have surprised me a couple of times over the past six months or so with their residency picks. Both times it was the month-of-Sundays Staff Picks series that threw me off, and both times I was surprised to find myself learning of a great new band from my home city when a local venue chose to spotlight them. I’m used to knowing what bands are good in this town before the venues do! Am I losing my edge? Well, if I am, I’m glad to be losing it to some people with good enough taste to, within a couple of months, make me aware of both the soulful indie rock of Solera and the melodic screamo sounds of Machi!. It really is remarkable that they found Machi! before I did, because this band is right in my wheelhouse — jangly yet distorted riffing, uptempo rhythms, catchy guitar melodies, and vocals that hover on the edge of a scream (and sometimes cross the line into throat-scraping territory). In fairness to myself, they are a band full of young kids who have been around for about two years and appear to have released only one song during that time. But I gotta tell you, it’s a damn good song!
I’m glad the folks over at The Camel hipped me to what Machi! have going on, and I’m even gladder that they’ll have four Sunday shows over the course of August through which they’ll be given the chance to win over the rest of the river city. This Sunday’s show is just the first example, but there’s no reason you shouldn’t get in on the ground floor for this one. After all, if you enjoy them as much as I do, you’ll have the chance to go back to the Camel and see Machi! three more times before the month is over! Hard to complain about that. Another thing about this Sunday’s show that’s impossible to complain about is the opening set from Richmond punk duo Bagged, who released their first EP a few months ago and already show off a strong, self-assured sound that is all the more impressive considering it’s coming from just guitar and drums. These guys make catchy, fun music that’ll get stuck in your head all day. Can’t help but love that. Openers Squish are bringing back the funk-punk sounds of Primus at their most entertaining, and that’ll be an enjoyable way to start the evening for sure. Come out to this one and learn about some cool new bands from right here in Richmond VA.
Monday, August 4, 7 PM
LCTR, Slugs, Cohen, Throne Of Gloom @ Bandito’s – $12
It’s always interesting to me to check out the music being brought to town by the local show-promoting concern known as Rival Booking. These folks have a definite niche within the local scene, and it’s one that I at times find tough to categorize. Is it extremely brutal and metallic hardcore? Is it death metal that’s heavily influenced by the hardcore and metalcore scenes of the past 20 years? Is it both at the same time? Does it really just depend on the show? I think that last option is probably the most viable, but ultimately, it doesn’t matter all that much how we choose to categorize Rival Booking. Regardless of whether you’re a die-hard headbanger looking to see some brutal death metal or a mosh-loving beatdown hardcore kid who just wants to go off to some seriously heavy breakdowns, you’re sure to find a lot of super-heavy riffs to delight you at any of their shows.
This particular bill, which is coming to Bandito’s Monday night to brighten up your early-weekday doldrums, is topped by a local band who are expertly straddling the line between beatdown hardcore and brutal death metal. Richmond’s own LCTR released an EP earlier this year entitled These Streets, and it’s full of powerful mosh grooves and roaring guttural vocals, all of it presented in a brutally aggressive manner. Hardcore? Death metal? The answer is yes. As for Connecticut’s Slugs, these folks play brutal metalcore that has an edge of chaos but focuses on the heaviest aspects of their sound, even as they introduce subtle yet intriguing atmospheric elements to their music. Moshy metallic hardcore with just a touch of the epic? Don’t mind if I do. As for Kentucky group Cohen, they land in a similar musical location, though they integrate more overt atmospheric elements on their recent trilogy of EPs known as Some Things Aren’t Forever, But For A Reason. Cohen add more melody and more electronic textures, but there’s still a ton of brutal beatdown riffage going on in these folks’ sound. The evening will begin with a set from local newcomers Throne Of Gloom, whose demo, released by Category III this past winter, finds them exploring a raw, powerful sound that has a greatly increased tendency to step on the gas and let it rip. Their set should be a great way to set the tone for this entire evening. Get ready.
Tuesday, August 5, 7 PM
Colatura, Charm Offensive, Hardcount @ Gallery 5 – $10.38 (order tickets HERE)
Under normal circumstances, I try to keep things varied in this column. Everyone knows I love punk, hardcore, and metal the most of all the musical genres, and therefore it would be pretty simple for me to fill the column with stuff like that, week in and week out. Normally, I vary it up more — because hey, I like jazz and hip hop and indie and classical and dance-pop and folk-punk as much as anybody — and seeing the same kind of music over and over, night after night, would probably get boring. But then we get a week like this one, where over and over, night after night, I just can’t deny that the best show is punk, or metal, or hardcore. Which is why you’ve ended up with a week full of those styles of music. And this Gallery 5 show on Tuesday night is no exception.
Colatura, who come from the western side of Pennsylvania, are our headliners, and their brand of punk rock is melodic and thoroughly infused with emotion. There are quite a few acoustic guitars stirred into the mix on their new EP, If I’m Being Honest, too. That said, the punk rock spine is still clearly there at all times, with crunchy guitars providing a strong foundation for these catchy punk melodies. Colatura sing about all sorts of emotions, and some of them are pretty hard to endure. But one thing I can guarantee — while you’re watching Colatura play, you’re going to be feeling good. Richmond’s own Charm Offensive will double down on the good feelings with a set of their own crunchy guitar-driven indie tunes, complete with excellent vocals and some very memorable melodies you’ll be singing in your head all night. The evening will begin with a set of jangling upbeat indie punk tunes from local upstarts Hardcount, who are sure to win you over with their memorable melodies. Get stoked to wrap up the week with this one. It’ll be a great time.
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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